* I have been trying to reach CTU President Stacy Davis-Gates since yesterday about this story and have received no response. I asked the CTU for comment as well. Crickets. I’ve even tried back and side channels. Nada. I’ve waited long enough. ILGOP…
The spotlight is firmly on Stacy Davis-Gates, President of the Chicago Teachers’ Union (CTU), and her hypocritical stance on school choice. Davis-Gates, a vocal opponent of school choice programs, is championing the teachers union campaign to terminate Illinois’ Invest in Kids Act, a program that provides scholarships to nearly 9,000 underprivileged students for private school education. Her mantra: “I can’t advocate on behalf of public education and the children of this city and educators in this city without it taking root in my own household.”
But let’s take a closer look at her hypocrisy. While Davis-Gates advocates against school choice, she sends one of her own children to [school name redacted at Stacy Davis-Gates’ request], a private, Catholic high school in Chicago. Yes, you read that right - private school education for her own, while advocating for something entirely different for other children. Rules for thee, but not for me.
Now, let’s revisit some of Davis-Gates’ past statements on social media. She’s not one to mince words. According to her, “School choice was actually the choice of racists. It was created to avoid integrating schools with Black children.” She’s even gone as far as labeling private schools as “Segregation Academies,” and now she acts to provide her own child the benefits of a private education.
Stacy, if Illinois private schools are racist, why are you sending your child to one?
Davis-Gates’ actions speak louder than her words. They highlight the absurdity of the situation - advocating against something you choose to personally benefit from and can personally afford- unlike many other parents who cannot afford a private school without the Invest in Kids Act.
Davis-Gates’ actions, not her words, is proof positive that public education might not be the best fit for every student, and that parents should have the freedom to choose the education that best suits their children’s needs and aspirations.
To me, the Chicago Magazine quote, “I can’t advocate on behalf of public education and the children of this city and educators in this city without it taking root in my own household” really leaves her open to this.
* Receipts…
Thoughts?
69 Comments  
|
|
Comments Off
|
Better management, please
Wednesday, Sep 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WBEZ…
In 2018, Chicago police officer Joseph DeRosa pleaded guilty to a felony in Michigan, admitting to resisting and obstructing police during an allegedly drunken meltdown at a casino. According to a police report, DeRosa kicked a Michigan officer in the face.
Under Illinois law, cops convicted of felonies lose their certification to be police officers in the state. The idea is to keep them from hopping from one law-enforcement employer to another.
Yet DeRosa is still a member of the Chicago Police Department.
CPD’s Bureau of Internal Affairs opened an investigation into DeRosa shortly after his arrest, and the department stripped the officer of his police powers. But it took 20 months for CPD to send notice of the felony conviction — notice required under the law — to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, according to that panel, which is in charge of decertifying cops.
Next it took the city’s Law Department another 31 months to move to fire DeRosa. Even today, the city’s Police Board has yet to schedule an evidentiary hearing on the dismissal charges. […]
The department has not provided records showing what became of the internal investigation into DeRosa’s arrest. CPD spokespersons also would not answer why it took the department so long to send notice of the felony conviction to the state board in charge of decertifications.
This is just so ridiculous. He’s been stripped of his police powers since 2018. He’s on the state’s attorney’s “do not call” list and was quickly decertified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, but only after CPD waited 20 months to send ILETSB the required notice. And he hasn’t been paid since 2020.
But CPD still hasn’t fired him?
* Meanwhile, from the city’s inspector general…
The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has published the results of its inquiry into the completeness of the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD) 911 call response data, as recorded by CPD and the City’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC). OIG originally set out to evaluate geographic equity in CPD’s response times, but was unable to do so because of the frequency with which the data necessary to do so is missing. During the period of OIG’s inquiry, information on when CPD units arrived at the scene of an emergency call was missing more than half of the time.
In the course of planning and conducting this inquiry, OIG spoke with members of Chicago’s communities and representatives of 12 community-based organizations to gather data on public perceptions of CPD’s 911 responses. Several South and West Side organizations reported to OIG that they believe there to be geographic disparities in CPD’s response to 911 calls and that they have experienced slow or no response to 911 calls in their communities, leading to distrust of CPD members and the City’s emergency response apparatus. Neither OIG nor CPD, however, can meaningfully evaluate the efficiency or equity of 911 police responses because of inadequate data—despite a CPD policy which requires members to capture the relevant data.
“Effective emergency response is at the very core of CPD’s public safety function. The City and the Department are ill-equipped to evaluate and improve response times, simply because, more often than not, we have no information on when the police arrive to respond to an emergency,” said Deborah Witzburg, Inspector General for the City of Chicago. “Without this basic information, we can’t assess whether City services are provided equitably or efficiently—and we can’t improve what we can’t measure.”
A new information system procured by the City—though not yet implemented—promises some but not adequate improvement. OIG recommended that CPD provide training and appropriate technology to all members to reinforce and facilitate their responsibility to accurately report milestones throughout emergency events. OIG also recommended that CPD collaborate with OEMC to analyze and evaluate data for each time interval in the dispatch process and assess best practices for improving police responses to 911 calls.
The full report is here.
…Adding… Sun-Times…
Chicago’s acting top cop has announced broad changes to the department’s leadership team, filling high-ranking positions before his replacement is expected to be confirmed.
Interim Supt. Fred Waller told department members that the staffing overhaul was effective Friday, but sources said some of his picks had already been installed.
Some of Waller’s choices have troubled records. Two commanders have been accused of fostering a hostile work environment, and two others have been named in costly lawsuits.
12 Comments
|
|
Comments Off
|
Mapes conviction coverage roundup
Friday, Aug 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We covered most of this yesterday and before and during the trial, but let’s do a roundup. Jon Seidel at the Sun-Times…
Tim Mapes once seemed free and clear, even as the FBI drew its net around his former boss and his longtime colleagues in Springfield.
Months after the indictment of four people with ties to onetime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, Mapes found himself sitting before a federal grand jury. He had an immunity order, meaning he couldn’t be prosecuted for what he said — as long as he told the truth.
But Mapes decided to lie that day in March 2021.
That’s what a jury decided Thursday after five hours of deliberations at the end of a trial that lasted three weeks featuring 18 witnesses and several FBI wiretap recordings. In fact, they said Mapes lied a lot: on seven specific occasions, regarding 14 different topics.
Mapes is now a convicted liar. His word on anything can no longer be trusted in any court, including the court of public opinion. Even so, a commenter asked this yesterday…
Now the question becomes who will Mapes roll on to reduce his sentence? Is he finally at a point where he will reveal what he knows? Certainly does not seem like McClain has flipped but who knows?
My reply…
First, he’s been convicted of perjury. He’d be a lousy witness even without his own personality, um, issues. Second, unless he knows something the government doesn’t after months of FBI wiretaps, email and document subpoenas, etc. he’s got nothing much to give. Third, even if he did have something, the ComEd Four trial strongly indicates that Madigan is a cooked goose. They don’t need him. Never did, actually.
Also, if the feds truly needed Mapes to make their case against Madigan and McClain they’d have pressed him much harder during the grand jury on far more topics. Also too, Mapes’ cooperation could actually complicate their case because the defense lawyers would make mincemeat out of him on the stand (although I’d almost pay to see it).
* Mapes wasn’t ever cooperative, as Hannah Meisel points out in her story…
In a statement late Thursday afternoon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Morris Pasqual said Mapes’ conviction “should stand as a clear message to witnesses” who are called to appear in front of a grand jury. […]
About six weeks before his grand jury testimony, Mapes sat for an FBI interview in February 2021. During the trial, prosecutors hinted at the fact that Mapes ended the interview after agents broached the subject of Madigan and his close confidant Mike McClain. The FBI was interested in whether McClain, a longtime influential lobbyist in Springfield with whom Mapes also shared a friendship, acted as an “agent” of Madigan.
Shortly after Mapes’ FBI interview, he was subpoenaed for testimony in front of the grand jury, but roughly 10 days later, asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. In response, prosecutors requested the court put Mapes under an immunity order, meaning that in exchange for his truthful testimony, Mapes couldn’t be charged in the investigation.
However, the immunity order also meant that if Mapes lied while under oath, he could be charged. It was under those circumstances that Mapes entered the grand jury room in late March of 2021, where during those two hours of testimony, he was reminded three times of the stakes of lying under oath.
The time to flip was February of 2021, well before the feds asked a judge to impose an immunity order on him. The train left the station and he wasn’t on it. Others quickly hopped aboard, and they’ll be home with their families while Mapes is serving whatever time he gets.
* Jason Meisner and Ray Long at the Tribune…
Mapes’ quick-and-quiet exit stood in high contrast to his heyday as Madigan’s longtime chief of staff and executive director of the state Democratic Party, when, as the speaker’s premier gatekeeper, he strode the halls of power with an almost autocratic style.
He also served as the clerk of the House, where he was known as a details-driven micromanager adept at keeping the legislative trains running.
Madigan unceremoniously dumped Mapes from all three positions in June 2018 after a staffer accused him of sexual harassment in a year in which the #MeToo movement cost the careers of several Madigan allies.
The jury’s verdict marked the conclusion of a nearly three-week criminal case that centered on relatively straightforward charges yet delved deeply into the behind-the-scenes political intrigue of the scandals that rocked Madigan’s office and ended his decadeslong grip on power.
* Todd Feurer and Suzanne Le Mignot at CBS 2…
“For whatever reason in his heart and his mind, (Mapes) chose loyalty over the truth,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur said during closing arguments Wednesday.
Federal prosecutors said Mapes had a mantra: “protect the boss,” and he lied repeatedly to do that. Mapes’ defense said “protect the boss” meant protecting Madigan from political fallout, and nothing else.
As Speaker Madigan’s top aide for more than 25 years, the prosecution said Mapes lied about the nature of the long-term relationship between Madigan and his longtime confidant Michael McClain, arguing Mapes knew McClain, a lobbyist and close Madigan friend, did work for the former speaker.
Federal prosecutors said when called to testify before a grand jury investigating the ComEd case, Mapes lied “to protect the boss Mike Madigan and lied to protect his friend, Mike McClain.”
…Adding… True…
* Isabel rounded up some more…
24 Comments
|
* This post will be updated…
He’s facing 20 years on the obstruction charge and 5 years for perjury.
…Adding… Alaina Hampton…
Alaina Hampton issued the following statement on Thursday following a jury’s decision to convict Tim Mapes of perjury:
“I have always said that my experience was the symptom of a toxic culture, and that it started at the top. Tim Mapes was as close to the top as it gets.
“Through these court proceedings, we have all had the chance to read the transcripts and listen to the recorded phone calls of Mapes and his closest colleagues strategizing in their efforts to undermine the Me Too movement in Illinois. None of it comes as a surprise.
“The Defense attempted to paint Tim Mapes as a victim worthy of pity after his resignation. It seems clear they were intentionally trying to divert attention from the reason for his resignation in the first place–his habitual sexual harassment and bullying of Sherri Garrett.
“Today’s verdict was an important step in the direction of full justice. But there’s more to be done.”
* Leader McCombie…
In light of the guilty verdict handed to Tim Mapes, former Speaker Mike Madigan’s right-hand man, House Republican Leader Tony McCombie issued the following statement:
“We have had too many glaring reminders that we must eliminate bad actors, self-serving politicians, and corruption from our statehouse, and this is just another verdict to prove it. It would be appalling if Speaker Welch did not move forward legislation House Republicans have filed to address ethics and instill public trust in our government.”
“While I strongly believe reform should start in the House, if Speaker Welch continues to stall on reforming the corrupt practices of this state, I hope President Harmon and the Senate will take the lead.”
* Sherri Garrett…
Following is a statement from Sherri Garrett regarding today’s verdict in Tim Mapes’ federal perjury trial. Garrett is the former Illinois House staff member whose public statements about her sexual harassment by then-Chief of Staff Mapes led to his resignation in 2018.
“Through the course of this trial, we’ve learned about the ways that Mr. Mapes and the rest of the inner circle of that organization worked to discredit those of us who were speaking out about our toxic work environment. My experience speaking out about the sexual harassment I endured in 2018 was painful–and more painful was knowing that there were countless others like me who were too afraid of Mr. Mapes to come forward and speak their own truths. I hope that those individuals feel some relief today, as I know I do. I remain hopeful, as I have all along, that more people will now feel safe coming forward, knowing that their stories can lead to real change.”
* Tribune story…
The jury of six men and six women deliberated for about 5 hours before delivering the verdict in U.S. District Judge John Kness’ courtroom.
Mapes, 68, of Springfield, faces up to 20 years in prison on the attempted obstruction count, while perjury calls for a maximum of five years behind bars.
The decision marked the conclusion of a nearly three-week criminal case that centered on relatively straightforward charges yet delved deeply into the behind-the-scenes political intrigue of the scandals that rocked Madigan’s office and ended his decadeslong grip on power.
The panel sent out only two notes during the deliberations Thursday, asking for a copies of the grand jury transcript of Mapes’ questioning as well as the indictment. The judge promised to send a hard copies back to the jury room.
* Rep. Kelly Cassidy…
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy issued the following statement on Thursday in response to the
conviction of Tim Mapes:
“Today’s verdict is a vindication for those who, over the years, were willing to stand up and speak out in the face of injustice and abuse by Mapes and his boss. More importantly, I hope it brings closure and some peace to those who shared their stories with me privately but still feared retribution from Mapes. Testimony in this trial showed the extent to which he retained a hand in the Speaker’s political operation, perhaps justifying their concern.”
“Anyone who has spent any time at all in the Capitol has to have found the defense’s attempt to portray Mapes as a victim who was ‘devastated’ by his completely justified removal as Madigan’s Chief of Staff and Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois laughable at best. Mapes used his power to deliver abuse, harassment, and bullying customized for maximum impact on his victims.”
“We’ve taken some important steps forward, but it’s critical that we remain vigilant to prevent future entrenchment and concentration of power while we continue to expand protections for those who experience harassment in the Capitol.”
* Rep. Haas…
In response to the guilty verdict of former chief of staff to Michael Madigan, Tim Mapes, Assistant House Minority Leader Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) released the following statement:
“Another day, another conviction. If this isn’t a glaring sign that the culture of corruption that has plagued our state government must end, I don’t know what is. Although House Republicans are the minority in the House, we will always call out a problem when we see it. Why isn’t the revolving door halted? Why is self-interest placed above public service? Why are Republican bills to impose leadership term limits in the General Assembly, empower the Legislative Inspector General, and impose a 3-year lobbying ban for General Assembly members still stuck in Rules Committee?
“These principles are more important now than ever, and I certainly hope they are a top priority in the upcoming veto session in October.”
* HRO…
Statement from House Republican Organization Following Guilty Verdict in Mapes Trial
SPRINGFIELD - “In the end, protecting Madigan and his corrupt system at all costs comes with consequences. With yet another conviction in the string of corruption trials in Illinois, a jury again sees clearly that those who were working to protect Madigan’s criminal enterprise were not working for the good of Illinois. This guilty verdict is a good step towards holding the insiders accountable but more reform must be done to tear down the Madigan system.” - Tony Esposito, Executive Director of the Illinois House Republican Organization
* In response to Leader McCombie’s statement, here’s Speaker Welch’s spokesperson, Jaclyn Driscoll…
In addition to electing a new Speaker, hiring a new chief of staff, and building a new, diverse leadership team, the House recently passed comprehensive ethics reform, which Republicans voted against, and hired a new Legislative Inspector General who has a reputation of tenacity and independence. Speaker Welch has always said he believes in due process, and a guilty verdict is a signal the law is working. However, if the minority leader has any ideas on how to strengthen federal perjury laws, we’re all ears.
* ILGOP…
“The culture of corruption that Illinois Democrats fostered for decades is finally being exposed and prosecuted. There is more work to be done, but Illinois citizens deserve a government that works for them, not just for political insiders and their special interest allies.” - ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy
* SGOP Leader John Curran…
“Today’s conviction of the longtime Executive Director of the Illinois Democratic Party and House Democratic Chief of Staff delivers another clear message to the General Assembly that reform is needed. We must do more to empower local law enforcement officials with the same investigative tools that Federal Authorities possess, including wiretapping and grand jury authority. The Senate Republicans will continue to work for these reforms and others to help root out corruption and restore the trust and confidence of all Illinois citizens.”
* Feds…
The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia Schwartz and Diane MacArthur.
“Perjury and obstruction of justice are serious offenses that strike at the heart of the truth-seeking mission of the grand jury,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “This conviction should stand as a clear message to witnesses who choose to violate their oath to tell the truth before a grand jury that they will be held accountable.”
“There is no justice without truth,” said FBI SAC Wheeler. “Attempts to undermine the prosecutorial process chip away at trust in our institutions, and this conviction shows that we continue to work with our partners to ensure the integrity of our judicial system.”
“Citizens should expect that former public officials will maintain their integrity and be truthful even when it is inconvenient,” said IRS-CI SAC Campbell. “The investigation that resulted in this conviction is a testament to IRS-CI’s and our law enforcement partners’ commitment to ensuring that individuals who do not testify truthfully in the grand jury will be brought to justice.”
75 Comments
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
