Bury This Asshat

The Sun Times has a poll up for grading Shortshanks.

So far, the voting is thus:

• A		5%	105 votes
  B		5%	101 votes
  C		7%	153 votes
  D		15%	310 votes
  F		65%	1271 votes

We figure we should be able to get that "F" total somewhere over 3,000 by midnight tonight.

Vote here. Tell your friends.

UPDATE: Damnit - only 2,200 votes for "F." But the percentage of people giving him a failing grade is up to 72%. Keep it up people.

Question on the Double Standard

How is it possible to be an active police commander with an active Order of Protection against you? Isn't that some violation of State Law concerning the surrender of firearms? Can someone from Callback let us know about that? Because we're pretty sure there are a few dozen people down there under the same sort of Court restrictions who are wondering the same thing we are.

There's an open CR. There's a case report. There's an Order filed - an e-mailer claims that the victim was removed from his regular duties today so as not to violate his own Protective Order.

Things that make you go "Hmmmm?"

Um, Duh?

Do they really have to ask?

• When convicted mob bookmaker Carl Dote was interviewed on the popular WTTW-Channel 11 show "Check, Please!" about Danny's, the restaurant he runs in Melrose Park, there were a few things he made clear: [...] "I'm the owner," Dote said in the unedited version of the interview, adding that his wife, Paula, was the co-owner.

• But when it came to the forms needed to get a liquor license, Dote -- a twice-convicted felon for illegal gambling -- isn't listed as owner. In fact, his name is nowhere to be found.

  Felons typically can't obtain a liquor license.

  But officials in Melrose Park and in Des Plaines, which hopes to be home to a new casino, don't appear to be overly troubled.

No one ever seems to be troubled when Outfit figures suddenly find themselves within one-degree of separation from all sorts of things that they shouldn't be near - liquor licenses, casino licenses, adult entertainment licenses, police brass, city council members, construction firms, municipal contracts, mayor's brothers, mayor's sons, mayors themselves, etc.

It's kind of interesting to those who actually pay attention.

No Testimony

Shortshanks and 20% of the City Council won't have to testify under oath:

• A defense lawyer said today he won’t follow through on plans to call Mayor Daley to testify in the bribery case of Chicago developer Calvin Boender.

  “We do not intend to call him,” Boender lawyer Robert Sanger said in court of Daley. “We will release him from the subpoena.”

  Sanger also said he’s unlikely to try to get the testimony of 10 Chicago aldermen who had been subpoenaed.

The prosecution rested in the trial of Boender yesterday without calling convicted aldercreature Ike Carothers, who wore a wire and pled guilty himself earlier.

It sure seems unusual that in a trial about bribery, the prosecution would refuse to call the politician who was bribed, especially when the bribed politician is already under a guilty plea, wore a wire and has to verify what he taped.

Is this Carothers thing over before it even starts?

Daley Appoints Reformers

Bwahahahahahaha!

Sorry, we knew we couldn't keep a straight face for long:

• Mayor Richard Daley on Monday named a state lawmaker and a businessman with ties to a politically influential Latino group to fill two City Council vacancies, saying they stood out from among 44 applicants he interviewed after posting the jobs online.

  To replace former Ald. Isaac Carothers, 29th, who resigned last month after pleading guilty to bribery, Daley picked Democratic state Rep. Deborah Graham, a city worker.

  In the 1st Ward, where Manny Flores gave up his seat to lead the Illinois Commerce Commission, Daley named Proco "Joe" Moreno, vice president of a graphic arts and printing company.

And lest you think that these are just more of the same old, same old...:

• Graham, 43, said she will give up her job as coordinator for special events in the city Department of Planning and Development and her legislative post to serve as alderman.

  Moreno, 37, lost a contest for the state Senate in 2008. He is a member of the Jose de Diego Academy local school council and the Humboldt Park Social Services board.

Can you smell the bullshit from where you're sitting?

Revolution?

There is no doubt that this picture is one of the finest photoshops ever created:


And this is an excerpt from The Reader about why Daley continues to win elections:

• "I never thought I'd see the day when Daley was vulnerable," she concluded. "But he is."

  And she's not the only one who sees it.

  Despite the myths propagated by his administration—and received as fact by many news outlets, including, most recently, the New Yorker—Daley is not overseeing a smoothly running, contented city. Every day I hear CTA riders bitching about the decline of rapid transit, which Daley appointees have overseen for the last two decades. At community policing meetings people talk about daily gunfire down the block from their homes; cops, meanwhile, quietly rage about how the police department has cut hundreds of officers from its ranks in the last couple years. Aldermen have been fretting aloud about the vacant homes and empty storefronts pockmarking their neighborhoods, and they say they're inundated with calls from constituents wanting to know why the city isn't doing more to get rid of squatters and drug dealers. Then there are all the complaints about potholes, poorly maintained parks, and struggling schools. Community activists wonder why the city has doled out hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate subsidies when it can't find the money to maintain basic city services. And scores of people around town are, like my fellow diners, irked that the city sold its street parking system to an investment bank.

As The Reader points out, Daley isn't invincible, he's just running against a very low quality of opponents. That might be coming to an end, but we are far from convinced.

Exempt Troubles Again

Another change in the offing?

• Hey SCC,
  get your ears to the ground in the 011th District. Seems Henny Penny was named as an offender in a case report on Thursday night. Get going on this and give us the scoop.
  
  
• Earthquake to hit the 011th district soon. After shocks in 007.

Amazing.

And the rumors continue that the Elton John fan, after dodging a supposed recommendation of termination, is headed back to Captain, but the beneficiaries of her largesse continue to hold high ranking positions in the exempt staff.

What the heck is wrong with this Department? Was it really this dysfunctional all the time? Or is the incompetency of the feebs and Harvard lawyers really bringing it to the fore?

Disbanding the Teams

Someone who obviously sees the things that we only hear about:

• OFF Topic but on Friday I saw the paper work begining to cancel the details of all GUN and PSN teams in the Areas. The memo read due to the low productivity of all the gun teams. Also it was told that there is no need for gun teams anymore due to the Gang Enforcement Unit taking up the slack of doing more search warrants and focus on guns. As well as the increase focuse of the CAGE unit. The CAGE unit may possibly be expanded. The memo also stated that the CAGE and GUN/PSN teams are duplicating efforts and these resources can be foucsed in areas of need. The Gun and PSN team are to be sent back to the district by the 5th period. Also there is still discussion of removing the Saturation teams as well, and leaving the midnight tact team.
  
  I saw the numbers from the memo and without removing the midnight tact teams and sending the sat and gun teams back (with removing a inside spot the meaning the sec.) thats 150 po's and 16 Sgt's back to the Districts by the 5th period. Again the draft memo stated that due to the TRU and MSF there is no longer a need for Sat teams as MSF and TRU are deployed at the request of the Area Deputy Chief.
  
  The memo further stated with the anticipation of the contract being settled and retirements in a large increase that these officers are going to be needed in the districts until the manpower issued can be resolved. If an additional officers are needed the midnight tact teams can also be sent back with an additional 50 p.o.'s and 5 Sgt's.
  
  So there you have it boys and girls thats how they plan to place an extra 150 to 200 officers and 20 some Sgt's back in the Districts by summer.

This summer isn't going to be anything but a holding action as far as we can tell. And barely that.

Pointless Meetings

The complete lack of reports from the J-Fed meetings has just about convinced us that no one is showing up. Here's the next one:

• 16 March 2010, 1700 hours
  Area Four
  West Side Tech
  2800 S. Western

Again, a complete lack of forethought about rush hour, family dinner and having the vast majority of your manpower actually working during the scheduled meeting leads us to conclude (once again) that the superintendent and his staff don't really want our input, and would probably prefer to never hear from any of us ever again as we seem to be an impediment to their convincing themselves what a great job they're doing.

Save Us Aunt Bea! Save Us!

Seriously? How could anyone type this with a straight face?

• AUNT BEA is at it again.
  
  She related that she knows Daley will not be extending J-Fed's contract after he embarrassed the Mayor with the Lopez fiasco last week.
  
  Aunt Bea said her way to the "Top Spot" is through Masters, adding she knows how to "use him". Aunt Bea said she only wants the position for one or two years then retire, relating that she needs to fix what Weis and Masters fucked up, "right the wrongs!"

Through Masters? Masters has been the "brilliant mind" behind every recent screw up. And we still can't get a straight answer about the Training Records and his carrying weapons. Given Bea's history of not knowing what the hell is going on in her own investment properties, we really can't see her getting the nod for the top spot.

Kass On Outfit Indictments

John Kass touches on the McCormick Place contract rigging:

• In January, Fratto was sentenced in a federal tax-evasion case. That was his first conviction ever.
  
  On Friday, he pleaded not guilty to the new charge, which involves alleged bid-rigging in contracts at McCormick Place and leverage by the Cleveland mob.
  
  McCormick Place has long been the Outfit's playground. In 1974, the Tribune reported the payroll read like a "who's who of the Chicago crime syndicate."

In the column, he mentions this little tidbit:

• I've heard that last week's new charges are just the beginning of a larger tsunami coming for the Chicago Outfit and its political messenger boys.

"tsunami" might be an understatement. Rumor has it (and we've been getting e-mail about it) there is a wave of indictments coming that is going to touch on a number of city Departments. We only hope it's big enough to swamp the Shortshanks reelection campaign.

Updating the Rules

Another example of the "over-regulation" mindset prevalent in Chicago and most large bureaucracies:

• Back in 1924, the Chicago Police Department's rule book could fit in the palm of an officer's hand.

  Now the rules are compiled in six ring binders -- a 16-inch stack of paper.

  "It's a mess," said Rachel Johnston, director of research and development.

  For the first time in 40 years, a team of officers and civilian employees is busy cleaning it up.

There seems to be a rule, order, or directive for just about everything. And these don't even touch on the Contracts, of which there are ones for Officers & Detectives, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains and AFSCME employees, each of which supersedes the General Orders, and some of which run contrary to each other.

Someone has just guaranteed themselves a job for the next five years.

Spring Ahead

Hope we got you this reminder before you showed up an hour late for work.:

• Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, so clocks should be set an hour later tonight.
  The United States--with a few local exceptions--loses an hour so that there is more daylight in the afternoon and evening.

  Daylight saving time lasts until Nov. 7 this year.

  The move is thought to save energy because it allows for less use of electricity for lighting.
  

J-Fed was at Roll Call and asked about you. Sorry about that.

Mobsters? In Chicago?

Whoever heard of such a thing?

• Rudy Fratto, long reputed to be a top operative for the Chicago Outfit, was arrested Friday at his Darien home on charges he rigged contracts to supply forklift trucks for a pair of trade shows at McCormick Place, the nation's largest convention center, with its own history of mob ties.

• The new indictment alleged that Fratto saw an opportunity when a consultant for a Las Vegas exposition firm was on the hook with Cleveland organized-crime figures for $350,000. Fratto, nicknamed "the Chin" and "Uncle Rudy," cited his Outfit ties in offering to intervene with the Cleveland mobsters, prosecutors alleged, but in return Fratto wanted the consultant to leak confidential information on competitors' bids and help steer business to an associate.

• The Outfit has long been entrenched at McCormick Place and in many of the unions and contractors that do business there.

  [...] Among the factors that make McCormick Place a haven for the mob are its sheer size and the number of contracts and trade shows there, Wagner said.

  Four years ago, the riggers union, whose members set up exhibits at McCormick Place, was under federal investigation after its boss, Fred Schreier, who was once married to the niece of the late mob boss Tony Accardo, pleaded guilty to taking a bribe.

  Reputed mob-connected figures have also cashed in on contracts. The Duff family had a lucrative contract to clean McCormick Place after falsely claiming its firm was run by a woman.

Gee, it's like the Outfit actually extended it's tentacles into government and operate hand-in-hand with with our elected officials to steal money from taxpayers instead of gunning each other down over running dope, prostitution, and gambling rackets. Or maybe that's in addition to?

Crime Down 10%

But still no appreciation for the CPD:

• Preliminary information through February shows overall crime has dropped 10.3 percent compared to the first two months of last year, Chicago police officials said today.

  The information shows a decrease in violent crime of 15.1 percent and property crime of 9 percent, marking the 14th consecutive month that overall, violent and property crime categories have fallen in the city...

Fourteen months of reductions. Well done boys and girls!

Now let's see those CPS graduation rates - falling below 50%? Well, here's a 4% raise for you! Aldercreatures can't get that pothole repaired for how many months now? Why don't you take this 6% raise and "shadow budget" money totaling $1.3 million per aldercreature and you can spend that on relatives.

Or how about this:

• The Daley administration today unveiled a $1.8 million overhaul of the city's website, the first in nine years.

All this money appearing out of nowhere. Some people have been saying there's tens of millions being floated to find convicts jobs, too. Nice to see what Daley's priorities really are.

Over-Regulation

Talk about your colossal waste of government resources:

• At Wednesday's City Council meeting, Lyle introduced an ordinance that would require operators of every parking facility in Chicago that's not self-park to inspect vehicles for damage "in the presence" of the owner and provide "written notice" of that damage before the vehicle is parked.

  "Such written notice shall be signed by the ... operator and vehicle owner or operator and identify the location and extent of damage," the ordinance states.

And who will be tasked with traffic control when lines of cars extend out onto the streets and block the orderly flow of vehicles? Or when attendants and citizens have a dispute over what damage existed on what vehicles at what time? Civil procedure exists for a reason - let it work and stop regulating every little facet of peoples' lives. The city is on the verge of financial dissolution and aldercreatures are worried about car-dings?

Late Posting

No, we didn't forget you all. Gotta grab that OT where you can.

In the meantime, open post.

Daley Defends; Quinn Dithers

How's that retirement looking for all our readers? A bit shaky? How about this?

• Tasers have caused problems, but they do “less harm” than real bullets, Mayor Daley said today, defending the Chicago Police Department’s decision to dramatically expand the use of “stun guns.”

  Daley said the decision to more than double the use of Tasers — and place one in every squad car — was designed to minimize injury and reduce liability caused by police shootings.

  Taser International’s registered lobbyist is former Chicago Police Supt. Terry Hillard. The company’s $5 million contract runs through 2011.

Nice to see Terry doing so well. Meanwhile, Quinn is proposing cutting pensions and abandoning obligations:

• Gov. Quinn wants to impose $503 million in cuts, affecting the current state work force and future retirees. The governor wants to save:

  • $203 million by seeking employee furloughs, increasing how much state employees pay toward their health insurance and imposing travel restrictions.

  • $300 million in changes to the pensions offered to state employees, though Quinn's administration declined to offer specific details about how this figure was compiled. Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) expressed support Wednesday for boosting the state's standard retirement age of 60 and capping pension payouts.

How close are we to this situation?

• Facing potential bankruptcy, the board that governs the once flush-with-cash Kansas City school district is taking the unusual and contentious step of shuttering almost half its schools.

  Administrators say the closures are necessary to keep the district from plowing through what little is left of the $2 billion it received as part of a groundbreaking desegregation case. The Kansas City school board narrowly approved the plan to close 29 out of 61 schools Wednesday night at a meeting packed with angry parents. The schools will close at the end of the school year.

We're going to say Illinois is a lot closer than people think.

Coles' Contest

The Tribune had a nice article on 10 March about the Densey and Mary Cole effort to win Crate and Barrel's Ultimate Wedding Contest:

• A year ago, Densey and Mary Cole were in the thick of planning their wedding and honeymoon. But fate harshly intervened last summer when Densey Cole, a Chicago police officer, was paralyzed in a three-vehicle accident while responding to a burglary call.

  The couple married in a sweet but short ceremony at his bedside, not long after he awoke from a four-week coma. Months of painful, painstaking physical therapy have followed, and Cole is slowly recovering.
  

As of tonight, the Coles lead by 8,000 votes. March isn't even halfway over, so there's still plenty of time for you to vote if you haven't or to spread the word via letters, e-mails, social networking, etc.

Keep up the great work.

Backroom Deals

Chicago-style politics:

• Testimony in the federal corruption trial of a Chicago developer on Thursday revealed that U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez met with the developer and Mayor Richard Daley to push for the city's approval of a controversial real estate venture.

  Gutierrez's involvement in lobbying Daley to support the project goes a step beyond what the congressman has previously told the Tribune in stories documenting his political and financial relationship with the developer, Calvin Boender, and his unusual role in backing a project outside his congressional district.

We might be mistaken, but this seems to be the first time anyone has actually put Daley at the scene of what may turn out to be some obvious backroom dealing. Gutierrez lying to the media isn't the story - Shortshanks' participation needs to be highlighted and publicized.

CR Files Shielded?

We aren't seeing much coverage of this, but it seems important:

• In a recent court opinion, issued by United States District Court Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys in Bell v. City of Chicago, Chicago Police Department CR files were deemed protected from public disclosure. Judge Keys explained "the newly-amended FOIA expressly exempts from disclosure records relating to disciplinary adjudications." Section 7(1)(n) of the 2010 FOIA per se exempts from disclosure:

  Records relating to a public body's adjudication of employee grievances or disciplinary cases; however, this exemption shall not extend to the final outcome of cases in which discipline is imposed.

If we're reading this correctly, cases in which discipline was not imposed are not subject to FOIA requests. The last paragraph in this decision says that there is a hearing on 12 March 2010 to establish the Protective Order for officers' disciplinary records. We're thinking that this could have a tremendous effect on those 500-plus officers who were part of that fishing expedition where they had large numbers of unsustained numbers on their records and assorted bottom-feeders who were looking for payouts.

The WrongfulConvictionsLawsuitDefense website appears to list a number of successful defenses of police officers from frivolous lawsuits and outrageous claims of criminal defendants. It makes for some interesting reading.

TASERs for Everyone

The purchasing contract must have gone through if we're seeing reports like this:

• The Chicago Police Department is dramatically expanding its use of Tasers, adding several hundred more and putting them in the hands of patrol officers for the first time, officials said Wednesday.

  The "stun guns" will go in every squad car to give front-line beat officers a more effective way to protect themselves and calm a disturbance.

  But the electrical devices have caused controversy nationwide, with debates about their safety and lawsuits filed on behalf of dozens of people, some in the Chicago area, who have died after being "Tased."

Just remember, do not compromise your safety for these devices. If you don't get decent contact with the darts, it isn't going to work, and you've just given up cover and shielding while deploying the Taser. Your backup options are very limited and your already non-compliant subject might not be very understanding or disposed to listen to reason since he knows what's coming.

Let's Raise Taxes!

Nothing could possibly make more sense during a recession, right?

• Gov. Quinn called today for a one percentage point increase in the state income tax to fund education.

  Quinn is asking legislators to raise the income tax to 4 percent from the current 3 percent.

  “That 1 percent will be enough to restore our education budget to current levels,” Quinn said in his budget address in Springfield.

A 33% tax hike. For "education."

Won't somebody think of the children?!?

We're pretty sure that school funding has increased every year for the past 20 or more years while actual graduation rates are stagnant or lower than they were during that same time. How about reforming school spending instead?

At any other point in history, this proposal kills Quinn's re-election chances. But Illinois politics is so screwed up and the republicans in such disarray that Quinn is still a viable candidate for election.

J-Failure

Did anyone at the Superintendent's Q&A session ask J-Fed about this one?

• Bob Lopez, former ADS, former Commander, recently demoted to Lieutenant, was just RE-PROMOTED!!! to Commander of the Cold Case Squad. How's them apples?

It would seem that the mayor just publicly de-balled J-Fed and Mike Masters. The Hispanic reverends must have scared the shit out of Daley to have this turn south so quickly.

Hey Jody? Mike? Your balls are sitting in a jar on the mayor's desk. This may be the beginning of the end.

Stormy seas ahead ladies and gentlemen.

UPDATE: Has anyone gone over to the WBBM website and downloaded or listened to the J-Failure appearance on "At Issue" where he''s claiming that the "resignation" of Commander Lopez was a "mutual decision" based on "meetings" held with J-Failure and other members of the Command Staff? Would it be possible for J-Failure to look anything more like a powerless tool of Shortshanks at this point?

J-Fed Meeting Tonight

Supposedly, only 18 people showed up for the meeting a few days ago. How few people will come by for this one?

• 10 March 2010, 1700 hours
  Area Two
  Woodson Library
  9525 S. Halsted

95th and Halsted in the middle of rush hour? We'll bet on twelve this time, not including the four J-Fed brings with him.

CYA Politics

Evidently, the political game is heating up behind the scenes:

• OUCH AUNT BEA!
  
  It seems that Aunt Bea is driving the bus and it's D/S DD in her path. There was a meeting Friday with some community leaders, not sure of the topic but I assume it had to do with the slaying of 025 Cmdr BL. Aunt Bea has been scrambling to tell her "people" she tried to stop DD but he wouldn't listen.
  
  She said she "warned him not to do it" and "It's not right". She added that it makes her sick what he (J-Fed) is "doing to our people."
  
  Is this the push to eliminate DD from consideration for the Top Spot?

When the reign of J-Fed comes to an end, there is going to be a rush to settle old scores. It seems like certain factions are setting up to do just that already.

Ok, What Was This?

We must admit, we're curious now:

• SCC,
  what happened in 009 the other day? Word is JPud was at roll call praising the officers and then he goes around and has a little hissy fit and complains about several beat officers and gets them written up? Does this guy get it? Way to keep driving morale down the toilet. The irreversible damage done to the CPD at the hands of this neanderthal and his forehead.

Someone want to clue us in? This would seem on the surface to be the moves of a boss on the ropes.

Rumors Again

Our readers were busy at the rumor mill today.

• Just got out of meeting, the city is looking to privatize forensic services, because we are not being utilized enough! That being said please call us for prints,or whatever you need so we can keep our positions. We are only to happy to respond thanks to CPD officers!

This would seem to being up a whole bunch of chain of custody issues. And who else are they going to subcontract it to? Are there actually private forensics companies? Or is this something they'll try to farm out to the State Police Crime Lab?

Under the Bus

Goodbye Mr. Brooks:

• Mayor Daley conspicuously refused today to give embattled Fire Commissioner John Brooks a vote of confidence, dodging questions about Brooks’ flippant response to an underling’s sexual harassment allegation.

  The Chicago Sun-Times reported last week that a payroll auditor in the Chicago Fire Department had accused Brooks of calling her repeatedly, coming on to her sexually and targeting her to be laid off from her city job when she refused his advances.

That's pretty much a brush off and a heave-ho over the side of the bus there. As a commentator said, if this was private industry, it's a non issue because all the involved parties are out the door in a heartbeat. Corporations don't mess around with this anymore because it's a guaranteed loser in court. Of course, the Machine has never minded paying out with taxpayer funds - it's not like it's their money.

More Cameras?

All this money, growing on trees, it's a wonder all right. Meanwhile, cameras have helped solve exactly how many crimes? One? We're not sensing a very good return on the investment:

• Criminals used to the blinking blue lights of Chicago's police cameras have learned to move outside their range. But soon there will be a greater chance the illegal activity will be captured by an undetectable camera that has a wider range.
  
  At least that's the hope of Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis, who announced recently the department would be updating its police camera network.
  
  "We have blue-light cameras all over the city," Weis said recently during a radio interview. "I think the next stage we're going to go to is having more covert cameras.

Anything to distract from the gun debate we suppose.

Stealth Payroll?

No money for anyone who does, you know, actual work. But plenty on the "friends and family" plan:

• A stealth payroll loaded with friends, relatives and political operatives of Chicago aldermen appears to violate a ban on political hiring and was not revealed to the federal court overseeing city hiring, the court-appointed monitor concluded Monday.

  Noelle Brennan cited a series of "actual or potential abuses," including many highlighted by the Tribune in November when it documented the existence of the $1.3 million Finance Committee payroll.

  "The city or City Council's failure to disclose the existence of (the payroll) through the four years since the monitor's appointment is concerning," Brennan wrote in her report filed with the court.

Daley wants to get out from under this hiring monitor, yet this crap continues on daily basis. And what sanctions or fixes do we ever see in the works? None that we can recall. We remember a few million dollars in payouts being spread around supposed victims of hiring abuses, but in a few cases, the supposed "abuse" was someone else's clout being heavier than someone else's phone call. Big Deal. Everyone still had a job. What's the point?

Foxes Debate Henhouse Legislation

This is silly:

• The City Council will move quickly to empower Chicago's inspector general to investigate alleged hiring abuses by aldermen to bolster the city's case to get out from under the Shakman decree, an influential alderman said today.

  But, Rules Committee Chairman Richard Mell (33rd) said aldermen are so divided about Mayor Daley's plan to give the inspector general more sweeping investigative authority over the City Council, a seven-member subcommittee has been appointed to sort it out.

  During a series of closed-door aldermanic briefings last week with Corporation Counsel Mara Georges, there was no consensus among the 48 aldermen in attendance, the chairman said.

  Some aldermen dug in their heels and advocated "doing nothing." Others wanted the City Council to create its own inspector general. And a third camp favored "some type of commission that the IG would report to -- rather than to the mayor" -- possibly the city's existing Board of Ethics.

Watch for this to be so watered down as to be pointless and we'll be stuck with hoping the Feds get off their asses every decade or so to lock up one of these thieves. And that's about as likely as snow in July with Obama running interference from Washington.

Rearranging Deck Chairs

Undeterred by reality smacking him in the face, Shortshanks continues to live in la-la-land and rolls out another set of proposals designed to enrich lobbyists and waste tax dollars:

• Mayor Daley today unveiled his annual package of gun control legislation and denied he's "swimming upstream" at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled its intention to overturn Chicago's handgun ban.

  Most of the ideas are re-treads, but there are a few new wrinkles. They include a proposal to make it a mandatory Class 1 felony to "knowingly sell or transfer a gun to a known gang member."

  Daley also wants to strengthen penalties for unlawful use of a weapon so those caught carrying loaded weapons are no longer, as he put it, "let off scot-free."

  Yet another mayoral proposal would require semi-automatic pistols manufactured or delivered for sale in Illinois to be capable of "micro-stamping." The technology helps law enforcement link spent ammunition with the gun used to fire it.

None of Daley's proposals have gone anywhere in the past and aren't going anywhere in the future. In fact, most of the proposals encourage people to find so-called "loopholes" to avoid onerous and pointless nonsense and none of them affect guns manufactured prior to the proposed changes.

Again, we advise everyone who wants a gun to go buy one before the rush. Daley's nonsense aside, there's going to be a run on weapons.

On a better note, here's an article by Steve Chapman explaining why Chicago's gun ban didn't work and won't ever work.

Huberman Hiring?

But the schools are broke? Quinn says that he's cutting funds to education? CPS is predicting a $1 billion (Billion with a "B") shortfall next year? Then what's with all the jobs being posted?

• While claiming it must cut hundreds (perhaps thousands) of jobs, the Chicago Board of Education is simultaneously advertising around the nation and locally to hire new teachers. Is there an explanation? Secret Job Fairs and hundreds of hidden job positions posted on out-of-state Web sites — plus some postings from CPS itself — indicate confusion, if not a policy of dishonesty. Additionally, a federal age discrimination lawsuit is already pending that could cost CPS millions of dollars if the pattern that seems to be there is verified in court. The charge is that CPS is dumping veteran teachers (an instance of age discrimination) while trying to hire young teachers in large numbers — despite their lack of experience and proven abilities, and the fact that a majority of the newly hired teachers leave the profession within five years.

A very interesting bit of reporting over at SubstanceNews.net, a local blog dealing with local school issues. Things certainly aren't what they seem whenever Shortshanks, money and Huberman are involved. Some might say it's downright dishonest.

Electricity is Cool

Sorry, sometimes we just have to run a pointless video to appease our inner science geek:



We now return to regular programming.

Certification

Before becoming police officers, our readers attended the Academy. Depending on your seniority date, it was anywhere from a few months to over half-a-year. Hundreds of hours of range time, gym, law classes, paperwork, etc. Tedious, repetitive, occasionally dull and sometimes fun, but for the most part, necessary. The purpose wasn't only to teach, but to make you part of something larger - a shared experience on what would hopefully be a long journey. So what the heck is this?

• Hey SCC, did you cover the Masters of the Universe police certification? I don't recall see anything, but I might have missed it. He is a certified peace officer now and carrying a gun. He got his certification through the suburbs. Whats wrong, our Academy wasn't good enough? What a joke!!!
• SCC, Please tell me the posts about MASTERS getting certified as an LEO is un true! This goof WILL be the next Super if true. I know for a fact a former sgt in the academy on the range gave him private lessons to get the 40 hours of instruction after hours. Why is it tha he had to attend another LE Academy to get certified? How was this accomplished if he works a full time 40 hour work week? The gall of this guy is amazing.
• Hey SCC, I heard a rumor that Master's resume was being padded and recorded in E-Learning with an eye towards his assumption of the mantle of Superintendent. Have you heard anything along those lines?

We've heard a number of rumors along these lines. We've received e-mails stating that there has been a concerted push to falsify entire swaths of Training Records attached to the Chief of Staff. Instructors are being asked, "Don't you remember such-and-such a date when Masters sat in on your class?" When the instructors cannot specifically recall attendance, Training Cards are allegedly being falsified and then entered into the system under "Sworn" instead of "Civilian."

The audacity is staggering. The Chief of Staff was appointed to his spot by the mayor himself because J-Fed wouldn't answer the phone. Now Masters has his fingers and hands in everybody's business, all without serving a day in the Academy or on the street. And allegedly there are dozens, maybe tens of dozens of people involved in an effort to create an Academy record out of thin air certifying this Harvard lawyer with no background in law enforcement as having gone through something many of us waited years to attain. It can't be just so he can carry a gun, can it?

How long until they give the answers to the State test? Or is someone going to take this test for him the way Cecil Partee took the Bar Exam for another lawyer we all know?

Thank YOU Ms. Lawson

One of the best e-mails we've ever received:

• Hi, SCC. My name is Colleen Lawson, and I am one of the plaintiffs in McDonald v Chicago.
  
  I'm writing you to share an incident that occurred yesterday, and in hope that you might allow me to publicly thank and acknowledge those involved.
  
  Yesterday, two Chicago cops pulled up next to me while I was parked at a gas station. I was standing by my car. They got out of their squad car, walked up to me, and thanked me.
  
  I would like those officers to know that their words, and their handshakes, mean more to me than anyone else's have.
  
  I was deeply, deeply touched by the fact that these officers, who place their lives on the line every day for citizens like me and my fellow plaintiffs and every single Chicagoan and visitor, these officers who never can be quite sure where they'll be at the end of the day ... that they had come over to speak to me, and to voice their support.
  
  I apologize for my quick exit -- I was kind of stunned as they continued speaking and probably just mumbled my thanks back to them, then got back into my car and just cried as I drove home. I completely forgot to go into the store and make my purchases; but then, no one has ever flustered me to that extent before.
  
  Truly. Not high-up, celebrity, mucky-muck or thug. Yesterday's cops trump them all, and that one moment with them is my highest treasure.
  
  I am humbled and intensely grateful. You, all of you, have my thanks.
  
  
• It's just occurred to me that this is the only letter i've written publicly since this case began. That's how honored I feel by the words of your officers :)

Well, for our part, we'd just like to add our thanks to those of our fellow officers. Standing up for your fellow citizens and saying, "Enough!" may not seem like a big deal, but in some countries around the world, it lands you a term in prison, a session with the torturers or even death. Inaction is one of the worst sins any civilized society can commit because it makes it that much easier for the next bad act to occur. It is our hope that by your action, you have inspired countless others to step up when necessary.

We and literally million of others are in your debt.

"At Issue" BS

J-Fed and Craig Delamore bandied a whole bunch of BS about yesterday on WBBM's "At Issue" program. Most amusing was the portion where Delamore pointed out that since the Heller decision came down from the US Supreme Court, Washington DC has experienced a 25% reduction in it's homicide numbers. That's not even with concealed carry - that's just being allowed to have a gun in your home.

J-Fed hemmed and hawed and tried to claim it was a combination of circumstances like trends and "smarter" policing, anything to distract from the fact that the only significant change in circumstances was citizens being restored their rights via the Supreme Court.

Then there was the entire segment about the Lopez demotion. J-Fed is running with the story that this was a "voluntary" change after careful consideration and meetings with Lopez about 025 being the only district in the city to experience an increase in crime statistics. Seeing as how Lopez started an alternate police organization to challenge the status quo and was making political waves since his previous demotion, one would have to be blind not to see the storm clouds in the making. And we suppose being told you would be traveling an extra 20 miles a day to and from work, on midnights, using your own gas and car might have an impact on your "voluntary" decision. This is Shortshanks' Chicago after all.

Someone want to find Lopez and get his side of the story? Or is there some future patronage spot in his future to keep him quiet? And if so, where does that leave everyone else whose name is on those flyers posted around the stations? Are they casualties of war or what?

As of this writing, the At Issue podcast wasn't up yet, but it should be shortly - if you get a chance, go listen to the whole thing.

Interesting Rumor

We have no idea how to track this one down, but it would explain a lot about Shortshank's attitude:

• The sad thing is is that the Mayor is slowly but surely downsizing our department. Now, with drops in stats, this justifies him not hiring any more police or moving forward to do anything for us. This is the most important thing; the Mayor is not worried about us because he spent well over $1 million dollars for a firm to verify how many registered voters were from CPD. They also looked for the historical voting numbers. Guess what, less than 1 out of every 4 police officers of any rank are registered voters. Less than that voted in the last two Mayoral elections. This is fact! So why would he really care what you think?

We had never heard this one before, and we hear a lot of rumors because of where we're at. We asked around yesterday and we were unpleasantly surprised to discover this person might be onto something - 4 of the 7 cops we asked weren't even registered to vote. Have our readers discovered one of the root causes of why Shortshanks treats us with such disregard?

WBBM At Issue

J-Fed is the guest on WBBM AM 780's "At Issue" program this Sunday, 0930 AM and 0930 PM. The preview clips we heard have J-Fed touting a double digit reduction in crime, including homicides and aggravated batteries.

We'd just like to point out once again, that the people most responsible for the supposed crime reduction are the ones continually crapped on by this Department and by Shortshanks. We're going to bet J-Fed isn't even asked about the 33 months without a contract and what effect is has on operations.

You're welcome, you ungrateful jackasses.

Densey and Mary Update

The Coles continue to maintain a lead of over 7,300 votes. But March has barely begun and there are still 24 days left to run up the totals.

We'd like to thank everyone who has voted so far, everyone who has sent out e-mails, updated social networking sites and pushed big media outlets like Howard Stern and Instapundit to give a shout out or a link to Densey and Mary's story. We've also been informed a number of copper sites, bulletin boards and blogs have linked to the Coles - if anyone can point us to their sites, we'd like provide them a link on the right hand side so we can continue networking nationally.

Keep those votes coming in.

Hey Sports Fans

Big news everywhere!

• The last time the media was invited inside the Halas Hall auditorium, Jerry Angelo's and Lovie Smith's lips were grim creases as they tried to explain why they shouldn't be fired. Two months to the day later, they were introducing the biggest free-agent haul in team history, and their smiles were so wide they could've eaten Italian beefs sideways.

  There are always reasons to be skeptical when talking about free agency, where teams often get Albert Haynesworth instead of Reggie White. But this wasn't a day to be skeptical, not after the Bears signed defensive end Julius Peppers, running back Chester Taylor and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna on the first day of free agency Friday.

• It took 37 seconds for the Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks to add another chapter to their growing rivalry.

  Andrew Ladd and the Canucks' Ryan Kesler went after each other as expected. And then Shane O'Brien grabbed Ladd. Moments later and before the next faceoff, Canucks agitator Alex Burrows mouthed off to a couple of Hawks, bumped into Dustin Byfuglien and then tried to fight the 6-4, 257-pound winger.

  In all, 12 penalty minutes were assessed in the first 37 seconds of a game highlighted by roughing penalties, big hits and two fights. And yes, a hockey game did break out too as the Hawks put a wallop on their rivals Friday night in a 6-3 victory before 22,235 at the United Center.

And of course...

• Carlos Quentin reminded everybody back in Chicago just how dangerous he can be when he's pain-free.

  Quentin homered on his first two at-bats and drove in five runs Saturday, leading a White Sox split squad to a 15-3 victory over the Cubs in the first of five spring exhibitions between the intracity rivals.

It's shaping up to be an interesting Spring and Summer.

Whoops!

Who's actually running this place? Clowns or Incompetents?

• Please note that the deadline to submit completed applications for the position of Commander has been extended to 1500 hours, 16 March 2010.
  
  Notice of Job Opportunity – Commander:
  
  Superintendent Weis invites qualified lieutenants and captains to submit an application for consideration for the position of Commander. Individuals who previously applied may submit an updated application if they choose. Individuals who wish to be considered must submit completed applications to Human Resources no later than 1500 hours on 16 March 2010.

But hey, if Shortshanks has to head off what might be an embarrassing political march by some reverends, we'll just reach into this stack of applications and pull out a few. Got to love the circus.

More City Hall Coverups

This is 2010, right? Workplace harassment is supposed to be a thing of the past, isn't it?

• Chicago's top Fire Department official will take vacation time until the conclusion of an investigation into sexual harassment allegations that were made against him, the mayor's office said today.

  The announcement by Fire Commissioner John Brooks is expected to come in the form of a written statement, said Jacquelyn Heard, press secretary to Mayor Richard Daley. She did not know how long it would take to complete the probe, to be done by the beleaguered Office of Compliance.

And what's with aldercreature Carrie Austin?

• But Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) took a different stance. She defended Brooks as a “single man” who’s free to pursue any woman he wants and condemned the African-American underling’s charges as “the biggest farce I’ve ever heard.”

We guess it isn't 2010 after all. Must be about 1975 or so with attitudes like these. But hey, how about that Office of Compliance? How many millions are they wasting in salaries and how much more in payouts will they be responsible for covering up stuff?

Arbitration

From the FOP website:

• The Lodge and the City today completed the hearing portion of the arbitration process. The Lodge, represented at the hearing by our labor attorney Joel D’Alba did an exemplary job in presenting our case before Arbitrator Benn. The issues were difficult at best and almost all were relative to finances. With the conclusion of the Arbitration we now await the Arbitrator’s decision which will be received within 45 days, followed by the receipt of retro money within 120 days after the date the decision is handed down. The delivery of the Lodge’s presentation is one that should leave all that witnessed it feeling optimistic in these trying times.

Very vague. Very bland. And very much what the arbitrator was demanding for keeping negotiations out of the media. So it's a waiting game now and hopefully, we don't get burned. It is sad on many levels that the Department is making up awards and the bosses are taking credit for drops in crime, yet the City refuses to negotiate in good faith with the people responsible for the supposed reductions.

Meeting #1

Not a whisper or a sound of anything from J-Fed's first meeting. Did anyone even go? Or have all the Department problems been fixed?

• 03 March 2010, 1700 hours
  Area One
  John Hope Prep School 5515 S. Lowe

And if no one showed up, that's even bigger news.

Is Dart Running for Office?

He's talking like a cost cutter:

• Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart announced this morning he has closed a 600-bed dorm at Cook County Jail and is planning to close another 300-bed facility in the next few weeks in a measure that could potentially save taxpayers $15 million a year.

• The closures will allow the shifting of 175 corrections employees to other posts — a move Dart says will save $10.5 million in annual salaries and potentially $2 million more a year in overtime costs.

No word on what's behind the reduction in inmate population though.

Four and Two Survey

It's been almost two months that we've had the new schedule now. Everyone has an opinion on it. What's yours?

But remember, if you're too enthusiastic about it, Shortshanks will make J-Fed take it away.

Applications Due Monday

Mark the date! Applications for Commander are due in 08 March. All interested parties...

Oh...wait a minute. They just filled the open spots for some reason. Just like last time.

Could the process be any more crooked? Or obvious?

Check out the BreakingNews.com story:

• Hispanic church leaders, seizing on the recent departure of a police commander to highlight the few Latinos at the top of the department, are stepping up pressure on Supt. Jody Weis to deal with the long-standing problem.

  The sudden retirement of Grand Central District Commander Robert Lopez has upset religious leaders and resurrected criticisms that the department has an abysmal record of promoting Hispanics to the department's highest levels.

  Members of the clergy announced plans to protest at City Hall next week and call for Weis' resignation because of the failure to diversify the department.

"sudden retirement"? He got busted down at an Honors Funeral in one of the more classless moves lately. He may have been part of organizing this march next week. This is a blatantly obvious and blatantly political move, no question about it. Who said Chicago couldn't teach J-Fed some new tricks?

Blog Fixes Door

Amazing what a little encouragement from an insignificant website can accomplish. Remember on 25 February, our readers pointed out that the front door at E&RPS front door had been non-functional for two or three years? A building housing millions in dope, guns and criminal trial evidence?

• Hey SCC, remember that post about the door at ERPS being broken? Guess what I saw being fixed today at about 1400 hrs?! Not bad for "an insignificant blog." HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
  
  
• Thankyou SSC for the power to get the door fixed at erps. Your blog can help and make a difference and still be fun.

Someone is paying attention downtown.

Promotions!

Surprise announcement late today:

• BREAKING NEWS!!!!!
  
  This just in...
  
  D/C Roberto ZAVALA promoted to Chief of Patrol North
  
  Cmdr John ESCALANTE promoted to D/C Area 5
  
  Lt. Carlos VELEZ promoted to Commander, 025th District
  
  Lt. Linda FLORES promoted to Commander, 014th District

Hmmmmm.

Maurer Launches Broadsides

Shortshanks calls him "disgruntled:"

• The former chief of security at O'Hare International Airport alleged in a lawsuit Wednesday that his repeated pleas to improve security lapses went ignored by superiors more concerned about moving forward on costly plans to modernize the airport.
  
  James Maurer, who was appointed to the post four years ago after rising to deputy superintendent during 41 years with the Chicago Police Department, called security at the airport "easily defeatable" and claimed O'Hare ranks as the "least secure airport in the country."
  
  His lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, seeks more than $2 million in damages from the city for his dismissal last September.
  
  
• Mayor Richard Daley defended O'Hare's security, saying it's "a good airport." He brushed off Maurer as "disgruntled."

Maurer lays out a bunch of charges, including unsecured buildings, poor location of sensitive infrastructure, security violations, 28 miles of easily breached chain link fencing and a manpower shortage.

Maurer will be harder to shake off than most "whistleblowers." He knows way too much as he was part of the inner circle for years - his predecessor was Townsend for pete's sake. You don't just land that job by accident. And Shortshanks' curt dismissal as "disgruntled" is probably going to come back to bite him in the ass. This ought to be a hell of a donnybrook if it goes the distance.

The Tribune and Sun Times stories are linked here.

Stupidity Keeps Rolling

Shortshanks continues to lose touch with reality and it's lovingly documented by Fran:

• During oral arguments this week, U.S. Supreme Court justices signaled their intention to overturn Chicago’s strictest-in-the-nation handgun ban.

  Still, Mayor Daley isn't giving an inch. In fact, he’s ridiculing the high court for affirming the Second Amendment right to bear arms while sitting in a protective bubble.

  “Why can’t I go to the Supreme Court and sit there with a gun and listen to the arguments? If a gun is so important to us on the street or someone’s home, why can’t I go to the Supreme Court and sit there with a gun? I’m not gonna shoot anyone. But, I have a right to that gun,” Daley said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Protective bubble? Hello, asshat? You've lived in a protective bubble, protected by guns, for how long now? Sixty years? When was the last time you even went out in public to do your own shopping? Do you even have any idea how much a gallon of gas costs? Guns have protected you since you were throwing snowballs out the car windows at the kids unfortunate enough to have to walk to school.

Over the past two days, we've had to read and delete a whole bunch of comments that made facetious arguments and personally attacked us for our belief in the Second Amendment of the Constitution. A few examples of people who have drunk the Daley Kool-Aid:

• SCC, screw you and your horseshit 2nd Amendment agenda. All that means for us working police officers is WAY MORE guns on the streets!

Hey dumbass, the guns are already there. The only thing Daley's anti gun agenda does is deprive the law abiding with a means of self defense in their homes. This isn't Concealed Carry legislation. And if you're so eager to surrender Constitutionally guaranteed Rights, there are countless socialist paradises and dictatorships you can move to.

• More stolen guns...more break ins...
  

Bullshit strawman arguments. The ATF studies show that under 15% of guns recovered from the streets were ever taken in burglaries. But if you're that worried about it, buy a safe goof. We have one.

• More dead cops...

More BS scare tactics. There isn't a fact in existence that shows "more guns = more dead police officers." It hasn't happened in 48 other states - what makes the Kool-Aid drinkers so sure that Illinois citizens are suddenly going to be ambushing cops from tree top sniper nests and roof top bunkers? Grow up, read some books, do some research.

• SCC, you're a pussy house mouse, blah blah blah

Yeah, we get that a lot. Attack the messenger, not the message. Typical Shortshank, J-Fed, Masters behavior. You'll go far on this job.

One Dream Ends

We're thinking his desire to be a cop may have come to a legal end:

• The 15-year-old boy who made national headlines for impersonating a Chicago Police officer last year was sentenced to juvenile prison Wednesday for pushing his mother and stealing a relative’s car in cases unrelated to his infamous “kid cop” stunt.

  The boy could be held in a state facility for juveniles until he’s 21 — but he also could be released earlier for good behavior, according to Tisa Morris, chief of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Juvenile Justice Bureau.

  However, if the teenager misbehaves while he’s imprisoned, he can be sentenced to four years in prison as an adult, Morris said.

But on the flip side, it's been said that "fate never closes a door without opening a window." There are all sorts of career opportunities in prison.

Fed Up Yet?

A whole series of stories that ought to clue everyone in that Illinois politics in general and Chicago politics in particular are broken beyond belief. Two days ago, it was the Hired Truck mogul getting another $39 million in city business:

• Former Hired Truck kingpin Michael Tadin has snared a three-year, $39.4 million contract to operate and maintain one of three waste transfer stations that Mayor Daley once attempted to lease.

Yesterday was a two-fer of political BS. First, an old name resurfaces:

• Former Board of Education President Gery Chico, who spent six years teamed with Paul Vallas turning around the Chicago Public Schools, will return to his educational roots as board chairman, replacing ten-year veteran Jim Tyree, chairman of Sun-Times Media.

• Chico’s appointment continues Daley’s pattern of playing musical chairs with a thin bench of trusted advisers.

  Before Chicago’s first round flame-out in the 2016 Olympic sweepstakes, the job of park board president was pivotal because many of the proposed Olympic venues were on park land.

And a new candidate has big problems:

• Trying to blunt a damaging political issue, Democratic Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias on Wednesday took a media tour to clear the air about his involvement in his family's struggling bank, which he said he expects will fail in the coming months.
  
  But questions remain about the extent of his role in Broadway Bank's biggest controversies — from ill-fated lending decisions that put the bank on the brink of insolvency to loans for a convicted bookmaker.

Gee, a bank making loans to Outfit connected bookies being shut down and bailed out by taxpayers. In any other state in the nation (besides New Jersey and Louisiana), this issue dooms a US Senate campaign. But here? Alexi is as viable a candidate as can be.

Expensive 911 Calls

This would be one way to cut down on all the nonsense calls we end up answering:

• Tracy [California] residents will now have to pay every time they call 9-1-1 for a medical emergency.
  
  But there are a couple of options. Residents can pay a $48 voluntary fee for the year which allows them to call 9-1-1 as many times as necessary.
  
  Or, there's the option of not signing up for the annual fee. Instead, they will be charged $300 if they make a call for help.

People would learn to solve a lot of their own problems rather than pay $300 to have us tell them that we can't make junior eat his veggies, that it's their responsibility to take Sally to school and if they don't want to be in love anymore, then someone better find a new place to live.

But for some reason, having 10 or more calls after the dope dealer gets shot on the tip making the city $3,000 brings a smile to our faces.

Honoring the Dead

Once again, a series of older stars retired:

• One was killed in an explosion. Another died after chasing down burglars. Yet another was killed as he struggled to disarm a gunman.

  All were remembered today at the Chicago Police Department's Honored Star ceremony, an observance paying tribute to officers who were killed in the line of duty.

• Five of the 11 officers who were remembered had died between 1853 and 1994, proving it's never too late to honor fallen servicemen

And a bit of history:

• After years of debate, Constable James Quinn was recognized as the first Chicago police officer slain in the line of duty, thanks in part to former Drug Enforcement Administration officer Rick Barrett.

  He unearthed documents thought to have perished in the Great Chicago Fire proving that Quinn died in 1853 from injuries while serving arrest warrants.

  "Finally, the truth prevailed," Barrett said. "He literally came out of the ashes."

  Quinn's family thanked Barrett for his efforts.

RIP Officers

More Hired Truck Nonsense

Hello? Voters?

• Former Hired Truck kingpin Michael Tadin has snared a three-year, $39.4 million contract to operate and maintain one of three waste-transfer stations that Mayor Daley once attempted to lease.

  Tadin-owned MAT Leasing was chosen to operate the largest of the three facilities at 750 N. Kilbourn -- where city crews once sorted through garbage for recyclables in blue bags -- after assembling a subcontracting team that includes two firms that cashed in on the scandal-plagued Hired Truck program.

• Tadin is the perennial city trucking magnate whose $1.25 million loan to a security company co-owned by then-Ald. Patrick Huels (11th) forced the 1997 resignation of Daley's former City Council floor leader. Tadin's trucking company had received a $1.1 million city subsidy with Huels' help.

It never ends. Ever.

Hey Baldy!

St. Baldrick's is fast approaching:

• We're just over two weeks away from St. Baldrick's 2010!
  
  There is still time to sign up for anyone that still wants to join us on Friday, March 19th from 0700 -1700 hours at the Academy, Area 2, or Area 5. Signing up is easy, just go to www.stbaldricks.org and under "find an event" type in Chicago Police in the venue box and choose your location. If you are returning from last year, simply use your login information and click on register for 2010’s event.
  
  For those unfamiliar, St. Baldrick's is an organization that raises money that goes towards research of a cure for childhood cancer. Participants agree to shave their heads in support of the kids who lose their hair in chemo treatments, and seek pledges for doing so. Fundraising is easy once you tell people what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. There is no minimum to raise and no amount is too small, however to get a t-shirt you do need to raise at least $50.00.
  
  Participants with longer hair are also able to donate hair longer than 12" to be used by "Locks of Love" to make wigs for the patients that do lose their hair. Colored hair cannot be used for Locks of Love unfortunately.
  
  Should you have any questions contact: Bill O'Reilly for the Academy event at chromedome1269@sbcglobal.net, Bill Murphy for the Area 2 event at 50murf@comcast.net and Anne Zamzow for the Area 5 event at annezamzow@yahoo.com.

Mark your calendars.

Chicago to Join the USA

Advice to Chicagoans - Go buy a gun before they're all snapped up:

• Most of the Supreme Court justices who two years ago said the 2nd Amendment protects individual gun rights signaled during arguments today they are ready to extend this right nationwide and to use it to strike down some state and local gun regulations.
  
  Since 1982, Chicago has outlawed hand guns in the city, even for law-abiding residents who sought to keep one at home. That ordinance was challenged by several city residents who said it violated their rights "to keep and bear arms" under the 2nd Amendment.
  
  The case forced the high court to confront a simple question it had never answered: Did the 2nd Amendment limit only the federal government's ability to regulate guns and state militias, or did it also give citizens a right to challenge state and local restrictions on guns?
  
  All signs today were that five justices saw the right to "bear arms" as national in scope and not limited to laws passed in Washington.

First of all, Shortshanks is going to lose out on tens of thousands in sales taxes as all gun shops are currently located in the suburbs. This amuses us.

Second, he's going to waste millions more attempting to make registering a gun nearly impossible. He's going to lose those cases in court because even if he wants to "tax" a Right guaranteed by by Constitution, he cannot make it so exorbitantly expensive that regular citizens are frozen out of the process. That means your Englewood resident is entitled to be able to own a legal handgun the same as a Gold Coast condo dweller is.

We may have to wait until June, but today it looks like Chicagoans were restored a Right that an out-of-control despot had deprived them of for years and the despot looked like a complete ass while it happened and was weakened politically once again.

More Stupidity

First, the mayor makes a dumb comment:

• If the Chicago ban is struck down, it will endanger the lives of police officers, Daley warned.

  “If you allow people to arm themselves, that places all first-responders — paramedics, police, anyone — in jeopardy going into their homes. You don’t know if they have a gun,” the mayor said

Well, we already don't know if they have a gun Shortshanks. We're sure we've wandered into dozens of domestics where there was a gun somewhere in the house. But by being aware of what was going on and making sure things got calmed down, nothing bad happened.

And then J-Fed rises from Daley's lap and chimes in with his two-cents:

• Police Supt. Jody Weis added, “Every time there’s a domestic disturbance, we [will] have to assume there’s a gun.”

Un-fucking-believable. First, a guy who hasn't been more than twenty feet from a gun his entire life, seeing as how the CPD babysat him, drove him everywhere, and has been his bodyguard for over 60 years now. And then a clueless feeb who has never been anywhere near a domestic disturbance (or maybe once depending on the rumors you hear) thinks he has to tell us to "assume" there's a gun on the scene of a domestic. Well supercop, we already know there's a gun on the scene, hopefully two. We brought it there you idiot!

Someone want to clue these strokes in? Because we're tired of doing it.

The Beginning of the End

Hopefully, good news in a few months:

• Chicago's longstanding ban on handguns within city limits will go before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, in a case that will have serious legal ramifications nationwide.

  Handguns have been outlawed in Chicago for 28 years. But in 2008, in District of Columbia v. Heller, the Court reversed a handgun ban in Washington, D.C., emboldening gun-rights activists to challenge the Chicago law. Suburban Oak Park, which has even stronger gun legislation, is also involved in the lawsuit.

A number of local media outlets are still quoting Daley's inanities about banning guns reduces violence, somehow missing the fact that in the 48 states with concealed carry or shall-issue laws experienced double-digit reductions in violent crime and even bigger drops in property crime. Gun laws only affect the law abiding and do nothing to stop a criminal who is already intent on breaking the law.

A ruling should be handed down around June.

Insta-lanche for Densey

Instapundit (linked on the right hand side) is one of the larger Libertarian websites in existence. Run by Professor Glenn Reynolds from Tennessee, it was one of the first blogsites we ever read.

How big is Instapundit? Well, SecondCityCop gets around 475,000 page views a month. Instapundit gets about 14 million. Primarily a news aggregating site, an Instapundit-link (known as an "Insta-lanche") has the power to bury smaller servers and is a feather-in-the-cap many blog sites crave.

We've never gotten one.

But today, Instapundit linked to Densey and Mary Cole's Ultimate Wedding Contest (via Leslie's Omnibus) and the results show. The Coles are currently ahead by 4,000 votes and the totals keep climbing. There are thirty days to go, so no one should be relaxing just yet. Keep spreading the word.

Nice Cars!

The pictures are starting to trickle in:

Only 112,000 miles - and all the lovely wiring!

Or how about going to the Area garage to replace this car...:

...with this one:At least you can't quite see out the floor:

Yet.

How about some pictures of the body damage along with the odometer readings? Keep the car numbers out of the shot though - we wouldn't want J-Fed or his minions to track you down.

Connected People

Someone commented on Daley's recent sucking up to Obama's ex-social director. Is this all true?

• Desiree Rogers has friends with money, she raises funds for 42 short and gets votes for him. Her ex-husband, John W. Rogers, Jr., owns/runs Ariel Capital Management (Ariel Funds) which gets much city business for all the deferred comp funds for all city employees. How much do you think Ariel makes holding and managing billions of city deferred comp accounts?
  
  A few years ago the city dumped a bunch of mutual funds and forced us to choose from a so-called equivalent selection of, guess what, Ariel Funds; that is when a lot of our deferred comp funds went to John W. Rogers, Jr. and Ariel Capital Management.
  
  You can bet your mortgage that lots of $$ goes back to daley in the form of campaign contributions.
  
  Look at the basket of funds available in deferred comp, all those Ariel funds are controlled by Desiree Rogers ex-husband, John W. Rogers, Jr. Another "good friend" of daley.
  
  Of all the money changing hands among daley's cronies not much has been written about John W. Rogers, Jr. and Desiree and the daley connection to Rogers and Ariel Funds and the massive amount of city business they get.
  
  Hey there Cub reporters, get on it!

And supposedly, it doesn't end there:

• Have to point out that John Rogers of Ariel Capital is the son of the famous----
  
  Judge Rogers from Juvie Court---

Amazing. Not surprising, but amazing nevertheless.

How Much Again?

The Olympic gift that keeps on giving:

• Recently rebuffed in its attempt to hold the 2016 Summer Games in Chicago, the U.S. Olympic Committee does not plan to enter a U.S. city in the race for the 2020 Summer Games and remains uncertain about when it will next attempt to bring a Games to U.S. soil, USOC Chief Executive Scott Blackmun said Saturday morning.
  
  "The cold and hard reality is Chicago spent approximately $80 million on its bid," Blackmun said. "It's going to be difficult to get U.S. cities to continue to invest to that level unless they think they have a realistic chance of winning. The [International Olympic Committee] sent us a message, loud and clear, that they don't want the Games to be in the United States."

$80 million? Weren't the previous totals like $70 million? $75 million? It just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Or are the totals finally including the unmarked suitcases full of cash?

More Meetings?

When in doubt, hold more meetings!

• The Superintendent will be conducting Open Forums on the below dates for all Sworn members. Off duty personnel are encouraged to attend (department identification will be presented upon entrance):
  
  03 March 2010, 1700 hours
  Area One
  John Hope Prep School 5515 S. Lowe
  
  10 March 2010, 1700 hours
  Area Two
  Woodson Library
  9525 S. Halsted
  
  07 April 2010, 1700 hours
  Area Three/CCG
  Budlong Woods Library
  5630 N. Lincoln
  
  16 March 2010, 1700 hours
  Area Four
  West Side Tech
  2800 S. Western
  
  24 March 2010, 1700 hours
  Area Five
  North Grand High School
  4338 W. Wabansia

These meetings provide a two fold purpose:

• If no one shows up, J-Fed can claim nothing is wrong and everyone loves him;
• If someone shows up to bitch, J-Fed can have them transferred out of their spot.

Think it can't happen? It already has, a number of times, when J-Fed first held his forums and Aunt Bea spent the meeting taking down names of "malcontents." And it's awfully nice of J-Fed to hold these meetings at 1700 hours when (A) the most manpower is currently on-duty working and (B) anyone who happens to be off is eating dinner with their families or helping the kids do homework.

More Ticket Follies

Anyone care to confirm this rumor regarding the State Police supervisors coming in to attend to their injured Trooper?

• ISP supervisors called in from home drove their personal cars to Stroger and parked on Ogden. Dept of Revenue ticketed the cars for not feeding the parking meters and then came back after midnight and put a second ticket on the cars for no parking on Ogden after midnight.

This would truly be a crying shame if confirmed.