doc_strange (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
doc_strange) wrote2008-05-23 11:20 am
doc_strange) wrote2008-05-23 11:20 am
Wrong in so many ways...
You non-Chicagoans may not realize how seriously endemic corruption is there.
Corruption: let me show you it
The Sun-Times reports that, as his REASON for breaking the law to keep his personal firearms registered per Chicago ordinance, Alderman Mell, "said he delegated the responsibility to a staff member, who apparently dropped the ball."
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/960265,CST-NWS-mell21-web.article
Yes, that's right. Mell's excuse for breaking the law is that he tried to illegally use a public-paid underling to take care of personal business, but that the underling failed to do it. Bad underling!
His excuse is that the public resource he embezzled to do his personal work proved insufficient?!
Only in Chicago would a politician refer to his embezzling of public resources as part of his excuse for breaking another law. Moreover, only in Chicago (or another third world city-state) would this laying of blame on a staffer for not doing a little payola work outside his job description go without criticism.
You betcha.
Even if the "staffer" is privately paid by Mell, I don't know who else would get away with "Oh, my maid forgot to register my car, officer!" Privilege. Corruption.
This point doesn't even touch on his, "Everybody gets a do-over!" magnanimous work-around to his personal failure to obey the law. Here's a hint, Mell: When everyone gets a do-over only when the bully screws up, it's not magnanimous - it's an exercise of political privilege.
Corruption: let me show you it
The Sun-Times reports that, as his REASON for breaking the law to keep his personal firearms registered per Chicago ordinance, Alderman Mell, "said he delegated the responsibility to a staff member, who apparently dropped the ball."
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/960265,CST-NWS-mell21-web.article
Yes, that's right. Mell's excuse for breaking the law is that he tried to illegally use a public-paid underling to take care of personal business, but that the underling failed to do it. Bad underling!
His excuse is that the public resource he embezzled to do his personal work proved insufficient?!
Only in Chicago would a politician refer to his embezzling of public resources as part of his excuse for breaking another law. Moreover, only in Chicago (or another third world city-state) would this laying of blame on a staffer for not doing a little payola work outside his job description go without criticism.
You betcha.
Even if the "staffer" is privately paid by Mell, I don't know who else would get away with "Oh, my maid forgot to register my car, officer!" Privilege. Corruption.
This point doesn't even touch on his, "Everybody gets a do-over!" magnanimous work-around to his personal failure to obey the law. Here's a hint, Mell: When everyone gets a do-over only when the bully screws up, it's not magnanimous - it's an exercise of political privilege.
no subject
As to Mell, I still remember the look of naked glee on his face when his faction finally wrangled Eugene Sawyer into being their puppet-stooge of a seatwarmer after the death of Harold Washington.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
You mean there's anything unusual, or even remarkable, about the mayor skimmimg a half a billion dollars a year off the top from property taxes into slush funds ("TIF districts")?
no subject
Not in Chicago! *grin*