FBI Shoots Bank Robber

After he got into the front seat of a feeb car and tried to run over an agent:

• The suspect had robbed a TCF Bank branch earlier Monday morning in the 4300 block of North Sheridan Road and was tracked to the 800 block of North Michigan Avenue, according to the FBI.

  After a short foot chase, the suspect was apprehended, according to a release from the FBI. While he was being taken into custody, the man somehow managed to get behind the wheel of an FBI vehicle, then tried to run over one of the arresting FBI agents with that car, the release said. A second FBI agent, fearing for his partner's safety, fired one round from his service weapon into the car, striking the suspect.

No word if the robber was getting some last minute shopping done.

The J-Fed Papers

Some time ago, we were approached by member of the inner circle who offered us a glimpse into the inner machinations of the man known as J-Fed. This individual, at great personal risk, placed their career in mortal jeopardy by forwarding us actual documents from the desk of the Superintendent. These papers offer a fascinating insight into the workings of a mind molded by the FBI and give a glimpse into his drive to utterly destroy a big city police department at the behest of a demented dwarf.

We present The J-Fed Papers:


Exhibit #1: Secret Command Staff Code Names; doodle; shopping list?


Exhibit #2 appears to be a preview of the Pre-Turkey Day Massacre during which numerous connected persons were shifted and even demoted as other favors were called in and markers were tallied. It would appear that the Supe follows the blog at times.

Our source has promised further documents as they become available following the meetings of the Policy Group. We are forwarding these to a head-shrinker we know for professional analysis. It should be interesting as the shrink used to profile for the feebs.

How Illinois Works

Follow the Money:

• Facing questions from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, former Tollway director Brian J. McPartlin decided not to take a job with a politically connected engineering consulting firm.

  In October, McPartlin, 42, quit the Tollway job, with plans to join Chicago's McDonough Associates, a firm that has received $39 million in Tollway contracts since 2002.

  McPartlin had asked for a waiver of the "revolving door prohibition" that requires state officials to wait a year before taking a job with a company they hired or regulated. Madigan asked the state Ethics Commission to delay the waiver, so her office could collect more information.

This guy is joining a company that got $39 million in Tollway contracts while he was in charge of the Tollways? Does anyone even think avoid even the appearance of impropriety? He applied for (and later withdrew) a request to waive the one year waiting period to join the company?

Illinois politics stinks to high heaven.

Um, Northwestern? You Are Morons

How about these eggheads leave well enough alone?

• As video bond court is set to be scrapped, a new study claims that the decades-old practice in Cook County resulted in higher bail amounts for defendants.
  
  The Northwestern University study, released Thursday, found that bail amounts for most felony crimes increased by 65 percent since closed-circuit hearings began in Bond Court in June 1999. By contrast, bail set in homicide or serious sex crimes—where defendants continued to appear in person before judge—remained relatively static, the study found.

Thanks to Northwestern University, bail amounts for most felonies will be reduced. That means more jagoffs walking the streets, more opportunities for the criminal to locate and convince witnesses not to testify, maybe even permanently "remove" witnesses from ever testifying.

High bail is a good thing. Having predators in cages is a proven method for reducing crime. Judges holding bail hearings via video removed the human element (i.e. defendants playing on the sympathies of bleeding heart liberal judges) from bond hearings and forced judges to apply the bail rules equitably across the board.

Perhaps the Northwestern study should have looked at why bails were set 65% too low most of the time. It might help to explain the burgeoning crime rate.

UPDATE: Last line corrected to reflect the 65% figure meaning bail amounts, not occurrences. We were half asleep typing this one. Apologies.

No TVs in Lockup

Rumor or Fact?

And how are we supposed to keep up on our favorite soaps?

Kass Column

Ought to be required reading for all these national media types wondering what the hell is going on in Illinois:

• ...and reporters kept wondering, "Where's Rahm? Where's Rahm?" What they should have been asking is, "Where's Jimmy?"
  
  As in state Sen. James DeLeo (D-How You Doin?)
  
  DeLeo is an extremely powerful politician. You know this because he's hardly ever quoted in newspaper stories.

DeLeo is the murky power player who beat Federal charges of bribery and ticket fixing in the Greylord scandal and was named by none other than Kenny "Tokyo Joe" Eto as the recipient of Outfit largess. At the very least, articles like this should open some eyes nation-wide as to what and who control Illinois politics and everything that comes out of Illinois.

Everything.

Credit Union Problems?

Reports in a number of Comment Sections:

• Rumors spreading that a mother/daughter team of identity theives have been working at the Patrolmans Credit Union. Mother is an employee, daughter was caught using info. Many P.O.s accounts affected. Anyone have info?
  
  
  I dont have any info about possible offenders but I can tell you that the credit union has had a huge up tick in financial ID theft type problems. I was the 8th person last week alone to be affected from the north side branch.
  *******************************
  I don't know about offenders either, but there have been at least 30 incidents at the 111th Street Branch. Losses anywhere from 600-2000 dollars. They are accessing the accounts through debit cards.
  
  Be Careful!

Anyone have the full scoop? Credit Union users? Detectives working the pattern?

Reverend - Madigan Connection

Following a visit from the three wise men local religious figures, we speculated that the use of "ministers" would be a perfect medium to convey messages from various political powerhouses to Blago.

Then we saw Lisa Madigan's press conference to announce her filing of a motion to have Blago removed from office temporarily until such time as the charges are resolved. A reader's comment in one of our posts openly speculated on Quinn being named temporary governor, then appointing himself to the open US Senate seat, leaving the road open for Madigan to become governor. Not out of the realm of possibility we suppose.

Then an even sharper reader found this picture:


That's Lisa Madigan standing between "reverend" Ira Acree, one of Blago's uninvited reverend guests, and local asshat, senator "reverend" James Meeks, of the unfounded racial profiling charges.

Honest to god, we couldn't make this shit up if we tried. Gubernatorial aspirant Lisa Madigan filing motions to throw out the current governor, while people she's been photographed with "magically" appear uninvited on the governor's home doorstep to "pray" with him?

It boggles the mind.

UPDATE: Someone is claiming this isn't Meeks or Acree. That's the way the picture is labeled at this link to the Creative Impact Public Relations website. We imagine a PR firm would have a better grasp of the subjects of their photos than anyone else. Especially seeing as how we counted FOUR other photos of Acree and it's the same guy every time.

We'll assume the person claiming that isn't Acree and Meeks is Mike Madigan attempting to smooth the eway for his daughter's asendence to the governor's mansion. Hi Mike!!!

Self Serving Apology

Of course, he's mostly sorry he got caught:

• In a statement read by his attorney, convicted former Gov. George Ryan this afternoon said he felt guilty and offered a "truly heartfelt apology to the people of Illinois."
  
  "I want to make things right in my heart with God, with my family and with those that I have hurt," said the statement, which was read by former Gov. Jim Thompson at a news conference held at Thompson's Chicago law offices.

There's that "god" thing again. Blago and Ryan both imploring the Almighty to forgive them for assorted sins of hubris, arrogance and theft among the more egregious transgressions. Anything to be forgiven by Him will no doubt be addressed at the Pearly Gates. In the mean time, Ryan owes The People five-and-a-half more years of road cleaning, license plate making, or whatever it is Federal convicts do nowadays. And Blago's up for at least the same.

Kane County Judge

Now this is how to handle a courtroom:

• A Rockford man was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison for his role in a 2007 shooting near an Elgin youth football game.

  Denarrell D. Mabry, 21, must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence handed down by Kane County Judge Allen M. Anderson, who convicted him of attempted first-degree murder in October.

  At a sentencing hearing Friday, Anderson said Mabry threatened dozens of lives around him Sept. 8, 2007, when he fired six gunshots at a vehicle less than 1,000 feet away from a Pee-Wee football game at Huff Elementary School. He said he hoped a lengthy prison term would help deter others from committing similar acts of violence.

Six shots. No one hit. Now that is some deterrence right there. And if it isn't deterring, at least the asshole is gone for twenty-five-and-a-half years.

Nice job Your Honor.

Four Minutes to the Needle

If Illinois actually had a death penalty anymore:

• Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan today set an April 30 trial date for alleged Brown's Chicken killer James Degorski.

  Degorksi, along with Juan Luna, allegedly killed seven people at a Palatine Brown's Chicken in 1993.

  [...] Earlier this year, the Illinois appellate court held that a jury should be allowed to see Degorski's alleged videotaped confession.

  The four-minute tape shows Degorski admitting his role in the murders, then saying he did not want to talk on camera.

The entire delay was Degorski's lawyers trying to have the video excluded from the trial, saying that their client admitting on tape that he killed seven people makes it virtually impossible for them to present a defense that would fool "even a Cook County jury."

We might have made that last part up.

Refuge of the Scoundrel

Blago finds religion!

• Gov. Rod Blagojevich prayed with several ministers in his home before heading to his office this morning, telling them he is innocent and will be vindicated "when you hear each chapter completely written," one of the pastors said.

  The governor has been alternately holed up in his home or his downtown office since his arrest Tuesday on federal corruption charges, accused of scheming to sell President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder.

  Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church, who said he initiated the contact, said Blagojevich would not discuss details of the allegations against him.

And even if Rod did end up talking to the ministers, he could always claim religious privilege. In fact, wouldn't a perfect go-between for carrying messages to Blago be a minister?

In any case, whenever someone gets into big trouble, it's amazing how fast they find god. Anyone see Daley praying lately?

Seeing the Future

Maybe they can combine City Hall with the Governor's mansion. Save some money.

Cop Shot - 010

No one is custody at last report. Shoulder wound:

• A police officer was shot while on duty in the Pilsen neighborhood early Friday morning, police said.
  
  The shooting happened around 2 a.m. near 18th Street and Washtenaw Avenue while officers were investigating a report of shots fired, police said.
  
  Additional shots were fired, and one of the officers was struck in the shoulder, police said.

Get well Officer.

Pressure Mounts on Blago

Obama has called on him to resign.

Now the national chair has called for the same (along with the entire democratic caucus of the US Senate):

• National Democratic Chairman Howard Dean today called on Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign immediately.

  Dean's request followed calls for the governor's resignation by President-elect Barack Obama and the U.S. Senate's 50 Democrats.

Rezko may still be talking and building up some credit with the feds.

Blago's Lieutenant Governor is calling for impeachment and the state house might have charges ready very shortly.

And mysteriously silent? Just one small statement in recent days?

The puppet master himself - Daley.

Because right now, his hand picked governor, his patsy, his ally's son-in-law, is somewhere where even Daley can't pull the strings. But the strings are still there, and we hope the feds are following them right back to City Hall.

Sleep tight Dick.

That Wasn't My Emissary

Hmmmm:

• Rev. Jesse Jackson says he played no role and was not "an emissary" in alleged efforts to make a deal with Governor Rod Blagojevich for the appointment of his son, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.(D-IL) to the U.S. Senate.

  Speaking publicly for the first time, Rev. Jackson said he last met with the Governor four months ago and was not the unnamed individual cited in the FBI affidavit who promised to raise up to a $1 million in exchange for the Senate seat.

But everyone involved has a lawyer. And the story people tell the media doesn't often match up with what they tell a Federal Grand Jury. Remember, you're allowed to lie to the media, and Jesse Sr. has been doing that with impunity for years, yet no one calls him on it.

Department News

Evidently, 023 is getting a new station. Reports are Harbour Construction has won the contract for a building just west of the current station.

And 012 is on the drawing board again. Anyone know where they plan to put it? The Ashland site went to a new Costco.

And where's our contract? Someone said the Captains are close to a big deal.

Street Conditions

Absolutely pathetic. Saving an alleged half-a-million bucks by not salting anything over the past week during two minor storms has resulted in the following observations:

• sewer openings that normally would drain streets properly are iced over because of no salt being laid down early during the storm;
• iced over openings mean curb-to-curb skating rinks on major thoroughfares and side streets;
• ice being allowed to form fully is creating potholes at a clip we haven't seen in years;
• water main breaks and hydrants leaking are unbelievable.
  

We haven't seen the streets this neglected and messed up in years. More citizens than ever are trying to unclog street corners for drainage. The traffic car ran out of crash reports the other day. Fender benders for squad cars are taxing the fleet, too. There are no pool cars anywhere in the city we heard.

But we realize the mayor has a lot on his mind these past few days.

UPDATE: Aldercreatures feel the pressure:

• Fed up with snow-covered side streets and ice-packed intersections, an influential alderman demanded Thursday that Mayor Daley set aside $1 million apiece from the sale of the Chicago Skyway, Midway Airport and city parking meters to restore "dangerous" snow removal cuts.

Thursday Night Football

ESPN.com's scouting report:

• This game features two 7-6 teams that desperately need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Both the Bears and the Saints took care of business last week to remain in the hunt, but they will have to prepare quickly in order to get ready for this Thursday night game. Right now these two teams are on the outside looking in and time is running out.

Bears favored by 1 point. Weather says 20 degrees around game time and colder near the lake.

Conspiracies Abound

Here's some amusing fodder for speculation:

• ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he needs to find a way to take the “financial stress” off of his family and that his wife is as qualified or more qualified than another specifically named individual to sit on corporate boards.

As part of the "pay-to-play" access granted to certain corporations for contracts, opportunities or whatever, seats on corporate boards are often given to relatives of the elected and connected to mask bribes and payoffs. It's all legit, right?

So who is the "specifically named individual" that Patti Blagojevich is more qualified than to sit on corporate boards and pull in a massive salary? You'll never guess:

• The “specifically named individual” is Michelle Obama, who was appointed to the Board of TreeHouse Foods, a WAL-MART vendor, on June 25, 2005, even though she did not have experience in the private sector previous to the appointment. Here are the benefits the Obama family received as a result of Michelle Obama’s stint with the WAL-MART vendor:

  According to the couple’s tax returns, Mrs Obama earned $51,200 (£25,700) for her work as a non-executive director on Treehouse’s board last year, on top of the $271,618 salary she was paid as a vice-president of the University of Chicago Hospitals.

  She also received 7,500 Treehouse stock options, worth a further $72,375, as she did the previous year, when she banked a $45,000 salary from the company.

Illinois politics at its best.