Friday, January 31, 2020
Urged to investigate himself
CPS Inspector General Nicholas Schuler under investigation
Schuler, whose own investigations forced out two previous CPS CEOs, is now under scrutiny himself amid accusations he allegedly berated employees.
By Nader Issa and Lauren FitzPatrick Jan 31, 2020, 5:00pm CST
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Chicago Public Schools Inspector General Nicholas Schuler Sun-Times Media
Nicholas Schuler, the inspector general whose investigations of Chicago Public Schools led to the ouster of two former CEOs, is now under scrutiny himself amid accusations he allegedly berated employees.
Anonymous complaints about Schuler, 52, prompted the school board to hire an outside law firm to
Schuler, whose own investigations forced out two previous CPS CEOs, is now under scrutiny himself amid accusations he allegedly berated employees.
By Nader Issa and Lauren FitzPatrick Jan 31, 2020, 5:00pm CST
Chicago Public Schools Inspector General Nicholas Schuler Sun-Times MediaNicholas Schuler, the inspector general whose investigations of Chicago Public Schools led to the ouster of two former CEOs, is now under scrutiny himself amid accusations he allegedly berated employees.
Anonymous complaints about Schuler, 52, prompted the school board to hire an outside law firm to
Michael Cafferty, dead at 49, rebuilt his life after car crash at 18 left him paralyzed
He went to law school, got married, had kids, worked at the Cook County public guardian’s office to help others — and survived deadly 2003 county administration building fire.
Mike Cafferty was a kid from the Back of the Yards who knew how to take care of himself.
He worked as a lifeguard and did two-mile Lake Michigan swims. He could throw a football, breakdance or clock somebody with a punch.
At 18, a car crash left him paralyzed below the neck. After that, he’d have dreams about swimming, running and throwing a football. Then, he’d wake up.
“I am shocked that I can’t move,” he wrote in his autobiography “Driven.” “And tears hit the pillow every paralyzed night.”
Mr. Cafferty spent two years in a rehabilitation facility. He went on to study psychology at the
Mike Cafferty was a kid from the Back of the Yards who knew how to take care of himself.
He worked as a lifeguard and did two-mile Lake Michigan swims. He could throw a football, breakdance or clock somebody with a punch.
At 18, a car crash left him paralyzed below the neck. After that, he’d have dreams about swimming, running and throwing a football. Then, he’d wake up.
“I am shocked that I can’t move,” he wrote in his autobiography “Driven.” “And tears hit the pillow every paralyzed night.”
Mr. Cafferty spent two years in a rehabilitation facility. He went on to study psychology at the
Ho doesn't know, nobody told him
 |
| also had a bad memory |
The new state Senate president says he ‘did not get along’ with the disgraced former senator. Harmon says Sandoval might have kept a file on him as a political opponent.
By Robert Herguth and Tim Novak Jan 31, 2020, 5:30am CST
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Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, shakes hands with Gov. J.B. Pritzker as he prepares to take the oath as Senate president on Jan. 19. .Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via APState Sen. Don Harmon, the new Illinois Senate president, expressed bewilderment when asked why documents from his clout-heavy law firm were among the items seized by federal agents from then-
Thursday, January 30, 2020
She hired him not for his thoughts but because he takes orders
Detectives will be moved to police districts, and a powerful new office will oversee civil-rights reforms inside the department in one of the biggest reorganizations in decades.
By Frank Main and Fran Spielman Jan 30, 2020, 10:59am CST
One of the biggest police reorganizations in Chicago in decades was launched Thursday by Charlie Beck, the former Los Angeles police chief who’s temporarily running the Chicago Police Department.
The changes include assigning detectives from five regional offices to the city’s 22 police districts and creating a powerful bureaucracy to carry out civil-rights reforms.
Beck says it’s no coincidence that the police departments in Los Angeles and New York also assign
In the city that works
By Fran Spielman Jan 29, 2020, 2:01pm CST
Chicago’s police and fire exams have been plagued for decades by a series of testing problems and bias claims that have triggered a seemingly endless string of lawsuits.
Now, there’s another chapter to add to that sorry saga.
Hundreds of candidates who had studied for months in hopes of being promoted to lieutenant and battalion chief were sent home from McCormick Place this week after a widespread computer failure
National debt will soon render pensions worthless
Horowitz: Congressional Budget Office projects trillion-dollar deficits indefinitely
Daniel Horowitz · January 29, 2020
When Obama took office in 2009 and racked up trillion-dollar deficits, it shocked the nation and spawned the Tea Party movement to push reductions in spending. Thanks to passage of the Budget Control Act under a GOP Congress, deficits declined to roughly $400-$600 billion during Obama’s second term in office.
Fast-forward to the new decade, and despite high revenue and record low unemployment, annual
Daniel Horowitz · January 29, 2020
When Obama took office in 2009 and racked up trillion-dollar deficits, it shocked the nation and spawned the Tea Party movement to push reductions in spending. Thanks to passage of the Budget Control Act under a GOP Congress, deficits declined to roughly $400-$600 billion during Obama’s second term in office.
Fast-forward to the new decade, and despite high revenue and record low unemployment, annual
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Reform Pritzker Style
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| while he waits to find out if he is going to be indicted for fraudulently obtaining $132,000.00 in property tax refunds, he likes to spend his time floating phony ethics reform proposals |
The governor said it’s time for Illinois to enact a revolving-door policy: “Elected officials shouldn’t be allowed to retire and immediately start lobbying their former colleagues. ... It’s wrong, and it’s got to stop.”
By Tina Sfondeles Jan 29, 2020, 12:32pm CST
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during a news conference last year. File Photo. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday took an aggressive stance against public corruption in his State of the State address, vowing that it’s time for Illinois to enact a revolving-door policy to end the tradition of elected officials who “immediately start lobbying their former colleagues.”
Pritzker said he wants to stop legislators from serving as paid lobbyists — a push that has grown
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday took an aggressive stance against public corruption in his State of the State address, vowing that it’s time for Illinois to enact a revolving-door policy to end the tradition of elected officials who “immediately start lobbying their former colleagues.”
Pritzker said he wants to stop legislators from serving as paid lobbyists — a push that has grown
How England gave up their freedom
It has long been observed that the price of liberty is “eternal vigilance.” Presumably, this holds twice as true when one’s country stands alone among the nations of the world.
America is, by explicit design, an exceptional place in which things are done differently. To its detractors, this difference is incalculably annoying: “This is the only country in the world,” Americans who envy others will gripe, “in which….” To its admirers, by contrast, America’s individuality is a source of both hope and pride. The United States remains the shining city upon the hill, the last great hope, the focal point for freedom around the globe.
And yet, America’s cherished idiosyncrasy yields a conspicuous risk: That, after a while, the country will forget why it was founded in the first place and fall carelessly into line with the others.
Champions of the United States like to ask what would happen if it should change beyond all
America is, by explicit design, an exceptional place in which things are done differently. To its detractors, this difference is incalculably annoying: “This is the only country in the world,” Americans who envy others will gripe, “in which….” To its admirers, by contrast, America’s individuality is a source of both hope and pride. The United States remains the shining city upon the hill, the last great hope, the focal point for freedom around the globe.
And yet, America’s cherished idiosyncrasy yields a conspicuous risk: That, after a while, the country will forget why it was founded in the first place and fall carelessly into line with the others.
Champions of the United States like to ask what would happen if it should change beyond all
A Black Swan
The Coronavirus Is A Black Swan Event That May Have Serious Repercussions For The U.S. Economy And Job Market
Jack Kelly
A black swan event is a term used on Wall Street that refers to a rare and unpredictable occurrence that is beyond what is expected and has severe consequences. It's derived from European explorers who had previously thought that all swans were white and only white, as that was all they knew. They were overcome with shock and confusion when Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh discovered the existence of black swans in Australia.
The coronavirus is a black swan event, which may have serious consequences for your job, the stock market and global economy.
The United States economy has been strong with record-setting high levels of employment. The stock
Jack Kelly
A black swan event is a term used on Wall Street that refers to a rare and unpredictable occurrence that is beyond what is expected and has severe consequences. It's derived from European explorers who had previously thought that all swans were white and only white, as that was all they knew. They were overcome with shock and confusion when Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh discovered the existence of black swans in Australia.
The coronavirus is a black swan event, which may have serious consequences for your job, the stock market and global economy.
The United States economy has been strong with record-setting high levels of employment. The stock
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Elizabeth Warren is so full of s---
Elizabeth Warren backs Kim Foxx, calls prosecutor ‘a champion ... who leads with compassion’ will say anything, anything for a vote
The Warren endorsement is the latest for Foxx. Last week, John Legend and Color Of Change PAC, the political action committee of the nation’s largest online racial justice group, endorsed the first-term prosecutor.
By Rachel Hinton Jan 28, 2020, 6:00am CST
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Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, left, speaks during a press conference in December; Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, right, speaks during a campaign event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Sunday. File Photos. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times; Matt Rourke/AP
Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren is throwing her support behind Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, endorsing the incumbent in her heated race for reelection.
“When Cook County first elected Kim Foxx to the State’s Attorney office, it not only gained a seasoned advocate but a champion invested in rethinking the county’s approach to criminal justice reform,” the senator from Massachusetts said in a statement. “Kim is an effective public servant who
The Warren endorsement is the latest for Foxx. Last week, John Legend and Color Of Change PAC, the political action committee of the nation’s largest online racial justice group, endorsed the first-term prosecutor.
By Rachel Hinton Jan 28, 2020, 6:00am CST
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, left, speaks during a press conference in December; Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, right, speaks during a campaign event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Sunday. File Photos. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times; Matt Rourke/APDemocratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren is throwing her support behind Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, endorsing the incumbent in her heated race for reelection.
“When Cook County first elected Kim Foxx to the State’s Attorney office, it not only gained a seasoned advocate but a champion invested in rethinking the county’s approach to criminal justice reform,” the senator from Massachusetts said in a statement. “Kim is an effective public servant who
Balls to the wall? Too bad he didn't have the same feelings for the needs of his constituents
Ex-Sen. Martin Sandoval said he was going ‘balls to the wall’ for red-light camera company for thousands in bribes: Feds should move to have this bastard jailed before sentencing
The former powerful state politician pleaded guilty Tuesday to bribery and tax charges as he indicated he’s cooperating in a widespread federal political corruption investigation.
The former powerful state politician pleaded guilty Tuesday to bribery and tax charges as he indicated he’s cooperating in a widespread federal political corruption investigation.
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Martin Sandoval leaving U.S. District Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to bribery and tax charges. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
At the time a powerful state senator, Martin Sandoval said in a 2018 restaurant meeting in Burr Ridge that he was going “balls to the wall for anything you ask me” for a red-light camera company in return for thousands of dollars in bribes but complained others were getting a sweet deal in “consulting fees” from the business.
“So why don’t I get that offer,” Sandoval griped to an investor in the company who was secretly working for the feds.
In all, Sandoval took about $250,000 in bribes from the red-light camera company, identified in court
At the time a powerful state senator, Martin Sandoval said in a 2018 restaurant meeting in Burr Ridge that he was going “balls to the wall for anything you ask me” for a red-light camera company in return for thousands of dollars in bribes but complained others were getting a sweet deal in “consulting fees” from the business.
“So why don’t I get that offer,” Sandoval griped to an investor in the company who was secretly working for the feds.
In all, Sandoval took about $250,000 in bribes from the red-light camera company, identified in court
10 separate schemes
The cloud of suspicion following Sandoval extends everywhere from the Illinois Toll Highway Authority, where one of his business associates was appointed to the board (and subsequently dumped) to the Town of Cicero.
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Then state Sen. Martin Sandoval argues mass transit funding legislation while on the Senate floor in 2008. File Photo Seth Perlman/AP
If former state Sen. Martin Sandoval is cooperating with a federal investigation into political corruption, and all indications are that he is, then there should be a lot of nervous people in his old orbit right about now.
Political allies, lobbyists, business owners — anyone who did a dirty deal with Sandoval — knows after Monday that he is not only in a position to give them up, but is required to do so under the terms
If former state Sen. Martin Sandoval is cooperating with a federal investigation into political corruption, and all indications are that he is, then there should be a lot of nervous people in his old orbit right about now.
Political allies, lobbyists, business owners — anyone who did a dirty deal with Sandoval — knows after Monday that he is not only in a position to give them up, but is required to do so under the terms
Corona
Recall also what Mark Twain said about history rhyming. In the 1960's China was in the midst of launching an invasion of India when a massive crop failure forced them to retreat for fear of food riots and an insurection that could have toppled the government. Now in the midst of a geopolitical expansion they are faced with both a contracting economic picture and a potential pandemic disease outbreak that could lead to civil unrest that could again threaten to destabilize or topple the government. This is the last thing the polit-bureau needs piled on top of their concerns about the unrest in Hong Kong spreading to the mainland.
This shit has all the potential to get really ugly really fast. Just where things progress from here only time will tell. Look for neighboring countries to follow North Korea's example in closing their borders and halting air traffic to and from China.
Posted by a guy living near Boston
Monday, January 27, 2020
Sandoval Charged by Feds
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| going away to school soon, others to follow |
INDICTMENT
1. Bribery
2. Income Tax Evasion
Indictment connected to Red Light Cameras. More indictments to follow.
The bribery count against Sandoval alleges that, between 2016 and September 2019, he “corruptly solicited, demanded, agreed to accept and accepted” money for “continued support for the operation of red-light cameras in the State of Illinois, including opposing legislation adverse to the interests of the red-light camera industry.”
Indictment connected to Red Light Cameras. More indictments to follow.
The bribery count against Sandoval alleges that, between 2016 and September 2019, he “corruptly solicited, demanded, agreed to accept and accepted” money for “continued support for the operation of red-light cameras in the State of Illinois, including opposing legislation adverse to the interests of the red-light camera industry.”
Walmart needs to be boycotted
Irish Americans continue to rally against “offensive” St. Patrick’s Day merchandise
Amazon and Walmart are both, again, selling St. Patrick's Day products that some Irish American deem offensive and stereotypical
With St. Patrick's Day 2020 less than 50 days away, people all around the world will soon be flocking to major retailers in hopes of finding the perfect bit o' green to wear on March 17.
Tragic yes, but so is flying through the fog with innocent people on board
Kobe Bryant, daughter, 7 others killed in helicopter crash in California
The federal investigation of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others began to unfold on Monday, with experts questioning why the pilot flew in foggy conditions and the chopper's maintenance history.
Sunday morning visibility was so poor that both the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office and Police Department grounded their choppers. It's unclear if weather played a role in the crash.
Investigators will review flight records and collect other data from the helicopter's operator to help determine how it slammed into a hillside near Malibu, National Transportation Safety Board member
The federal investigation of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others began to unfold on Monday, with experts questioning why the pilot flew in foggy conditions and the chopper's maintenance history.
Sunday morning visibility was so poor that both the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office and Police Department grounded their choppers. It's unclear if weather played a role in the crash.
Investigators will review flight records and collect other data from the helicopter's operator to help determine how it slammed into a hillside near Malibu, National Transportation Safety Board member
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Cardinal Sarah
FILE - In this Monday, March 4, 2013 file photo, Cardinal Robert Sarah, of Guinea, walks in St. Peter's Square after attending a cardinals' meeting, at the Vatican. Retired Pope Benedict XVI wrote the book, "From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church," along with his fellow conservative, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, who heads the Vatican's liturgy office and has been a quiet critic of Francis. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
VATICAN CITY (AP) — A Vatican cardinal at the center of a storm over a book about celibacy and the Catholic priesthood is denouncing the “brutality” of criticism directed at him and his collaborator, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.
In an interview with Italian daily newspaper Il Foglio published Saturday, Cardinal Robert Sarah
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Don't drink bat soup!
Fears scale of infection could be 10 times higher than SARS.
A top virologist who was involved in the response to SARS says he has visited Wuhan, China and believes that the coronavirus is “out of control.”
Dr. Guan, the director of the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infections Diseases at the University of Hong Kong, told the Globe and Mail, “I’ve experienced so much and I’ve never felt scared before, but this time I’m scared.”
Guan also warned that the scale of the infection may be “10 times higher than SARS” and left Wuhan
At March for Life, Trump gets an enthusiastic reception
‘The unborn have never had a stronger defender in the White House,’ president says
Posted Jan 24, 2020 4:21 PM
President Donald Trump, seeking to court evangelical voters, addressed thousands of activists gathered Friday on the National Mall for the nation's largest annual anti-abortion rally.
Trump, who this week revealed his “Pro-Life Voices for Trump” coalition for his 2020 reelection campaign, has strong ties to the anti-abortion community and is the first president to speak onstage at the event. Activists see him as a key ally in delivering policy priorities aimed at limiting abortion that
Take them all down
Those federal indictments of Illinois politicians? Coming any day now. Maybe.
We still anticipate plenty of action on the political corruption front coming out of 219 S. Dearborn. But we’ve lowered our expectations about the timing.
By Mark Brown@MarkBrownCST Jan 24, 2020, 4:44pm CST
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Everyone’s waiting for U.S. Attorney John Lausch to announce the next corruption indictments of Chicago and Illinois politicians. AP
The truth is we were expecting more indictments by now from the big federal investigations that have gripped Illinois politics for more than a year.
Sorry if we got your hopes up.
That’s not to suggest those indictments aren’t still coming.
We continue to anticipate plenty of action on the political corruption front coming out of 219 S.
We still anticipate plenty of action on the political corruption front coming out of 219 S. Dearborn. But we’ve lowered our expectations about the timing.
By Mark Brown@MarkBrownCST Jan 24, 2020, 4:44pm CST
Everyone’s waiting for U.S. Attorney John Lausch to announce the next corruption indictments of Chicago and Illinois politicians. APThe truth is we were expecting more indictments by now from the big federal investigations that have gripped Illinois politics for more than a year.
Sorry if we got your hopes up.
That’s not to suggest those indictments aren’t still coming.
We continue to anticipate plenty of action on the political corruption front coming out of 219 S.
The National Scene
As the mayor watched Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is presiding, she wondered what the trial “will do for him in thinking about a very divided court.”
By Lynn Sweet Jan 24, 2020, 7:10pm CST
As chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Roberts presides at the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Here. he taps the gavel Friday for a dinner break. Chicago Mayor Lori
Friday, January 24, 2020
Thursday, January 23, 2020
The look of innocence
Tom Cullerton’s lawyer appears to have deal with prosecutors over Coli evidence
The defense attorney previously asked a judge to intervene, calling ex-Teamster boss John Coli’s credibility “central” to Cullerton’s defense.
By Jon Seidel Jan 23, 2020, 10:22am CST
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State Sen. Thomas E. Cullerton walks out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in August. Sun-Times file photo
State Sen. Thomas Cullerton’s lawyer is apparently finalizing a deal with federal prosecutors over key evidence in the indicted politician’s embezzlement case.
Cullerton’s attorney last month asked U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman to order prosecutors to disclose crucial details about ex-Teamsters boss John Coli, who pleaded guilty in July in an extortion
The defense attorney previously asked a judge to intervene, calling ex-Teamster boss John Coli’s credibility “central” to Cullerton’s defense.
By Jon Seidel Jan 23, 2020, 10:22am CST
State Sen. Thomas E. Cullerton walks out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in August. Sun-Times file photoState Sen. Thomas Cullerton’s lawyer is apparently finalizing a deal with federal prosecutors over key evidence in the indicted politician’s embezzlement case.
Cullerton’s attorney last month asked U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman to order prosecutors to disclose crucial details about ex-Teamsters boss John Coli, who pleaded guilty in July in an extortion
Newman......pretty meanspirited
Challenger Newman sees gain in Lipinski’s pain — third candidate ‘stunned’ by bad blood
Rep. Dan Lipinski is still licking his wounds over Democratic challenger Marie Newman’s wish two years ago that he have a “painful” election night. Newman said Wednesday that she has one regret about the remark – that she didn’t say it to his face.
By Tina Sfondeles Jan 22, 2020, 4:16pm CST
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Third Congressional District candidates, left to right, Rep. Dan Lipinski, Marie Newman and Rush Darwish meet with the Sun-Times Editorial Board on Wednesday. Rich Hein/Sun-Times
Two years after an Election Night wish for Rep. Dan Lipinski to have a “very painful evening,” returning Democratic challenger Marie Newman said she she’d do one thing differently.
“When I said ‘have a painful night,’ I should have said that directly to Congressman Lipinski, not in
Rep. Dan Lipinski is still licking his wounds over Democratic challenger Marie Newman’s wish two years ago that he have a “painful” election night. Newman said Wednesday that she has one regret about the remark – that she didn’t say it to his face.
By Tina Sfondeles Jan 22, 2020, 4:16pm CST
Third Congressional District candidates, left to right, Rep. Dan Lipinski, Marie Newman and Rush Darwish meet with the Sun-Times Editorial Board on Wednesday. Rich Hein/Sun-TimesTwo years after an Election Night wish for Rep. Dan Lipinski to have a “very painful evening,” returning Democratic challenger Marie Newman said she she’d do one thing differently.
“When I said ‘have a painful night,’ I should have said that directly to Congressman Lipinski, not in
Was she fired for talking to the FBI?
 |
| what kind of government is she running? |
BUMPED UP: Letter from David Grossman does not explain the why, because he doesn't know why. He is speculating, wondering what went wrong.
January 23, 2020
Honorable Toni Preckwinkle
President, Board of Commissioners of Cook County
118 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Honorable Toni Preckwinkle
President, Board of Commissioners of Cook County
118 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Dear President Preckwinkle,
It is with deep regret that I tender my resignation from the Cook County Board of Ethics, effective February 26, 2020. It has been a great honor to serve on the Board since you first appointed me in
March 2016.
When I first began my service, I was honored to be in the company of Margaret Daley, Juliet Sorenson
This guy is clean by Illinois standards, he is truly a man of integrity
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon ‘stepping away’ from law firm job amid conflict of interest scrutiny
The newly minted Illinois Senate president announced Wednesday that he will be “stepping away” from a law firm that’s been paid millions of dollars doing legal work for state agencies.
By Jake Wittich@JakeWittich Jan 22, 2020, 9:58pm CST
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Illinois Senate President Don Harmon Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
State Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, says he will be “stepping away” from his role as a partner in a law firm that’s been paid millions of dollars doing legal work for state agencies.
Speaking on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight,” the legislator said he spoke with the head of the firm —
The newly minted Illinois Senate president announced Wednesday that he will be “stepping away” from a law firm that’s been paid millions of dollars doing legal work for state agencies.
By Jake Wittich@JakeWittich Jan 22, 2020, 9:58pm CST
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-TimesState Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, says he will be “stepping away” from his role as a partner in a law firm that’s been paid millions of dollars doing legal work for state agencies.
Speaking on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight,” the legislator said he spoke with the head of the firm —
It's for the children, don't you know
CTU asks CPS board to resolve $25 million veteran teacher pay fight
The board wants to give the money in bonuses, but teachers want raises instead.
By Nader Issa@NaderDIssa Jan 22, 2020, 4:31pm CST
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Teachers strike outside Lane Tech High School last fall. Colin Boyle/Sun-Times
Chicago Teachers Union leaders continued their fight over veteran teacher pay with Chicago Public Schools on Wednesday, urging the district’s board to reach an agreement on the issue stemming from last fall’s teachers strike.
Appearing in front of the seven-member board at its monthly meeting, CTU Financial Secretary Maria Moreno accused CPS of changing the terms of a $25 million agreement on extra pay for the district’s longest-serving and most experienced teachers.
The union has asked for that money to be handed out as base pay raises — and says CPS agreed to that
The board wants to give the money in bonuses, but teachers want raises instead.
By Nader Issa@NaderDIssa Jan 22, 2020, 4:31pm CST
Teachers strike outside Lane Tech High School last fall. Colin Boyle/Sun-TimesChicago Teachers Union leaders continued their fight over veteran teacher pay with Chicago Public Schools on Wednesday, urging the district’s board to reach an agreement on the issue stemming from last fall’s teachers strike.
Appearing in front of the seven-member board at its monthly meeting, CTU Financial Secretary Maria Moreno accused CPS of changing the terms of a $25 million agreement on extra pay for the district’s longest-serving and most experienced teachers.
The union has asked for that money to be handed out as base pay raises — and says CPS agreed to that
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Trump makes Roe anniversary ‘Sanctity of Life Day’: ‘We will never tire of defending innocent life’
'I ask every citizen of this great Nation to listen to the sound of silence caused by a generation lost to us, and then to raise their voices for all affected by abortion, both seen and unseen.'
Wed Jan 22, 2020 - 9:17 am EST
Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. Sign the petition here.
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 22, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – U.S. President Donald J. Trump has declared January 22, the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wadedecision imposing abortion on demand
This ‘crazy’ stock market run reminds him a lot of early ’99
Paul Tudor Jones says this ‘crazy’ stock market run reminds him a lot of early ’99
PUBLISHED TUE, JAN 21 20207:34 AM ESTUPDATED TUE, JAN 21 20202:47 PM EST
Paul Tudor Jones said at the World Economic Forum that the stock market today reminds him of early ’99.
“We are just again in this craziest monetary and fiscal mix in history. It’s so explosive. It defies imagination,” he said.
Asked if he wants to get off the train in the bull run, Jones said, “Not really. The train has got a long, long way to go if you think about it.”
However, Jones warned that the “curveball” to derail the bull market could be the outbreak of a new
PUBLISHED TUE, JAN 21 20207:34 AM ESTUPDATED TUE, JAN 21 20202:47 PM EST
Paul Tudor Jones said at the World Economic Forum that the stock market today reminds him of early ’99.
“We are just again in this craziest monetary and fiscal mix in history. It’s so explosive. It defies imagination,” he said.
Asked if he wants to get off the train in the bull run, Jones said, “Not really. The train has got a long, long way to go if you think about it.”
However, Jones warned that the “curveball” to derail the bull market could be the outbreak of a new
This is good?
Fed Adds Just Over $90 Billion in Temporary Money to Markets Intervention comes as overnight repo totaling $58.6 billion and 14-day repo totaling $32.2 billion
The Federal Reserve building in Washington.
The Federal Reserve added $90.8 billion in short-term money to financial markets Tuesday.
The Fed added money in two repurchase-agreement operations, or repos. The overnight intervention added $58.6 billion, while a 14-day repo added $32.2 billion. In both cases, eligible banks—called
The Federal Reserve building in Washington. The Federal Reserve added $90.8 billion in short-term money to financial markets Tuesday.
The Fed added money in two repurchase-agreement operations, or repos. The overnight intervention added $58.6 billion, while a 14-day repo added $32.2 billion. In both cases, eligible banks—called
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Oakbrook Terrace mayor resigns amid federal probe involving red-light cameras
According to the Chicago Tribune, Mayor Tony Ragucci submitted his resignation Friday after the paper reported he sent $30,000 from his campaign fund to a lawyer who represented him in the probe.
By Sun-Times staff Jan 20, 2020, 10:29pm CST
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Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Tony Ragucci resigned Friday amid a federal corruption probe, according to the Chicago Tribune. Oakbrook Terrace website
Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Tony Ragucci resigned Friday amid a federal corruption probe involving a red-light camera company, reports say.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Ragucci submitted his resignation Friday after the paper reported
By Sun-Times staff Jan 20, 2020, 10:29pm CST
Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Tony Ragucci resigned Friday amid a federal corruption probe, according to the Chicago Tribune. Oakbrook Terrace websiteOakbrook Terrace Mayor Tony Ragucci resigned Friday amid a federal corruption probe involving a red-light camera company, reports say.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Ragucci submitted his resignation Friday after the paper reported
Monday, January 20, 2020
Another Kennedy emerges and wants to tell us how to behave..... save us
JFK's grandson slams Mike Pence's op-ed on Donald Trump's impeachment
John F Kennedy's only grandson, unemployed Jack Schlossberg and his mother, JFK's daughter Caroline Kennedy.US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Jack Schlossberg, the sole grandson of John F Kennedy, took to Twitter to hit out at Mike Pence after the Vice President quoted from the deceased president’s book ‘Profiles in Courage’ to criticize the impeachment of Donald Trump.
Vice President Mike Pence recently penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal calling on Democratic
John F Kennedy's only grandson, unemployed Jack Schlossberg and his mother, JFK's daughter Caroline Kennedy.US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Jack Schlossberg, the sole grandson of John F Kennedy, took to Twitter to hit out at Mike Pence after the Vice President quoted from the deceased president’s book ‘Profiles in Courage’ to criticize the impeachment of Donald Trump.
Vice President Mike Pence recently penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal calling on Democratic
Pro-gun rally by thousands in Virginia ends peacefully
Sadly, this is probable just the first chapter in a new book being written by anti-gun enthusiast. Expect more attempts to bring the issue to a boil.
By ALAN SUDERMAN and SARAH RANKIN
Demonstrators are seen during a pro-gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va. Thousands of pro-gun supporters are expected at the rally to oppose gun control legislation like universal background checks that are being pushed by the newly elected Democratic legislature. (AP Photo/Sarah Rankin)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Thousands of gun-rights activists from around the country rallied peacefully at the Virginia Capitol on Monday, protesting plans by the state’s Democratic leadership to pass gun-control legislation that have become a key flash point in the national debate over gun violence.
The size of the crowd and the expected participation of white supremacists and fringe militia groups
By ALAN SUDERMAN and SARAH RANKIN
Demonstrators are seen during a pro-gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va. Thousands of pro-gun supporters are expected at the rally to oppose gun control legislation like universal background checks that are being pushed by the newly elected Democratic legislature. (AP Photo/Sarah Rankin)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Thousands of gun-rights activists from around the country rallied peacefully at the Virginia Capitol on Monday, protesting plans by the state’s Democratic leadership to pass gun-control legislation that have become a key flash point in the national debate over gun violence.
The size of the crowd and the expected participation of white supremacists and fringe militia groups
Citizens view the 2d amendment as their only defense against a tyrannical government
By ALAN SUDERMAN and SARAH RANKIN
Kem Regik, of Virginia, stands on the sidewalk before a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va. There was a light crowd early morning Monday outside the Capitol ahead of the rally. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gun-rights activists and other groups began to descend on Virginia’s capital city Monday to protest Democrats’ plans to pass gun-control legislation.
Gov. Ralph Northam declared a temporary state of emergency days ahead of the rally, banning all weapons including guns from the event on Capitol Square. T he expected arrival of thousands of gun-
Kem Regik, of Virginia, stands on the sidewalk before a pro gun rally, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Richmond, Va. There was a light crowd early morning Monday outside the Capitol ahead of the rally. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gun-rights activists and other groups began to descend on Virginia’s capital city Monday to protest Democrats’ plans to pass gun-control legislation.
Gov. Ralph Northam declared a temporary state of emergency days ahead of the rally, banning all weapons including guns from the event on Capitol Square. T he expected arrival of thousands of gun-
This poor bastard has too much time on his hands...needs to get a job doing anything
Prince Harry breaks silence on Megxit: ‘There was no other option’ will soon be working with the commoners.
Kind of reminds me of the Kennedys.
Prince Harry broke his silence Sunday on Megxit, saying he had “no other option” but to step back from his royal duties, according to a report.
“The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back, is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges,” the 35-year-old
Betrayal and Payback
Illinois Senate president race: Accusations of personal betrayal and payback fly furiously.
I like it when Extrema Liberalis Politici fight.
Publicly, Senate Democrats came together to support Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, but Harmon’s rival in the race, Kimberly Lightford, later blamed former Senate President Emil Jones Jr. and his son, Sen. Emil Jones III., for her loss.
By Tina Sfondeles Updated Jan 19, 2020, 5:39pm CST
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Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, gavels out to close the session after taking the oath to become the next Senate president on Sunday. Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP
SPRINGFIELD — Kimberly Lightford’s vote for a white candidate for Illinois Senate president over a fellow African American politician — 11 years ago — may have helped cost her this year’s Senate president’s job on Sunday.
After hours of tense, behind-the-scenes negotiations between lawmakers on Sunday, Lightford lost out to Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, who will replace retiring Senate President John Cullerton.
Publicly, party leaders made a show of unity. Lightford, who is Senate majority leader, hugged
Publicly, Senate Democrats came together to support Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, but Harmon’s rival in the race, Kimberly Lightford, later blamed former Senate President Emil Jones Jr. and his son, Sen. Emil Jones III., for her loss.
By Tina Sfondeles Updated Jan 19, 2020, 5:39pm CST
Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, gavels out to close the session after taking the oath to become the next Senate president on Sunday. Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via APSPRINGFIELD — Kimberly Lightford’s vote for a white candidate for Illinois Senate president over a fellow African American politician — 11 years ago — may have helped cost her this year’s Senate president’s job on Sunday.
After hours of tense, behind-the-scenes negotiations between lawmakers on Sunday, Lightford lost out to Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, who will replace retiring Senate President John Cullerton.
Publicly, party leaders made a show of unity. Lightford, who is Senate majority leader, hugged
U.S. Bank....What Nice People
 |
| I've also heard they are terse with their employees. |
By Danielle Hopkins
PORTLAND, Ore. - A U.S. Bank employee was reportedly fired for giving a stranded customer gas money on Christmas Eve.
Emily James told The Oregonian she was dismissed from her role as a senior banker at a U.S. Bank call center in Portland, Ore. after she gave a customer who was broke and stranded $20 of her own money.
On Dec. 23, James said she spent over an hour trying to assist Marc Eugenio, a bank customer whose
One of the greatest speeches in American history!
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating “For Whites Only”. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.I have a dream today.I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.I have a dream today.I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Saturday, January 18, 2020
How does something like this happen?
CHICAGO (CBS) — In just a few weeks, Cook County homeowners will be getting their property tax bills.
Now imagine you owe nothing.
That happened to a booming business on the South Side.
CBS 2’s Chris Tye reports it’s now part of a large scale investigation.
The former Chicago fire station on West 95th Street now serves as a factory and showroom for Optimo Hatmakers. They produce and sell high end hats online and from a Loop storefront.
But it’s the old firehouse location that recently got the attention of the Cook County Inspector General. Specifically: why in 2017 the property tax bill for the renovated hat
New Chinese virus 'will have infected hundreds'
By James Gallagher
GETTY IMAGES
The number of people already infected by the mystery virus emerging in China is far greater than official figures suggest, scientists have told the BBC.
There have been nearly 50 confirmed cases of the new virus, but UK experts estimate the
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