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* Carol Moseley Braun issued a public apology today…
Mayoral candidate Carol Moseley Braun today offered a public apology to a little-known opponent she had called a crack addict.
The apology at an afternoon news conference came a day after Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins said Braun owed her one but she didn’t expect to get one.
“Patricia Watkins said she does not expect an apology from me. She is wrong,” Braun said today.
“I want to apologize to her, to the congregations and members of Trinity United Church and of New Pilgrim Missionary Baptist church and all of the families and friends of those who are or who have been caught up in the tragedy of drug use. I meant no disrespect of the sanctuaries in which campaign tensions spilled over,” Braun said.
Just as with her tax-return kerfuffle, now that nearly all the damage has been done, Braun offered an apology of sorts at a news conference this afternoon
* While we’re on this topic, a new study released yesterday showed that blacks in Illinois were about five times as likely to be sent to prison for minor drug crimes as whites…
The disparity is even bigger in Cook County, where blacks charged with low-level drug possession were eight times more likely than whites to be sentenced to prison, according to the report from the Disproportionate Justice Impact Study Commission. […]
The divide stems in part from intense police activity in high-crime urban areas, where sales take place in open-air drug markets, making it easier to arrest dealers and buyers, said David Olson, chairman of Loyola University Chicago’s criminal justice department. […]
“Minorities aren’t necessarily more likely to use drugs than whites, but from the data that’s available and from the study, it’s evident that they’re much more likely to be apprehended,” Olson said. “I don’t think it’s necessarily a policy of the police department to do that. I think it’s just an outcome of where they put their resources.”
More…
The commission said providing alternatives to prison could cut costs and help get people off drugs. The alternatives include substance abuse treatment and educating offenders on the consequences of prison time, such as hurting their chances of getting a job.
Pam Rodriguez, president of the Treatment Alternative for Safe Communities, said she believes minorities often accept plea agreements that involve prison time instead of alternative sentencing. That might be because they don’t know about options other than prison, or poor communities may not have the money to offer alternatives. Difficulties hiring lawyers also may contribute to the disparity, she said. […]
[In a dissent] Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez said the report neglected to investigate why some people commit crimes repeatedly and others don’t. She said repeat offenders are more likely to end up in prison and that a larger percentage of minorities arrested are repeat offenders compared to whites.
State Rep. Dennis Reboletti, R-Elmhurst, joined in the dissent. He said variables such as gang affiliation were not taken into account, making it difficult to conclude that trends were based solely on race.
The full report can be downloaded by clicking here.
* Yeah, just gifts between friends. Right…
A state inspector says a supervisor at the Illinois Transportation Department pressured employees to give him gifts if they wanted good work assignments.
The executive inspector general says the supervisor accepted cigars, leather jackets and meals in exchange for handing out the best assignments.
The inspector is recommending that John Grana be punished, perhaps even fired.
Grana works at an IDOT maintenance yard in Schaumburg. He told investigators he did nothing wrong and that any gifts were simply exchanges among friends.
The question I guess I would have is whether Grana gave gifts in return that didn’t have anything to do with choice work assignments.
* And speaking of gifts…
A watchdog group that fights government corruption in Illinois has received a $1-million gift to continue its advocacy efforts.
The donation to the Better Government Assn. comes from the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust. The trust wants other BGA supporters to follow suit and will match every dollar BGA raises up to $1 million.
Driehaus says government is in crisis and that the BGA can help achieve more fairness, honesty and accountability from public officials.
Dreihaus has been a major campaign contributor to Forrest Claypool, giving his campaign fund $350,000 over the years. He’s also contributed to Mayor Daley, Rahm Emanuel, Lisa Madigan and even some little contris to the 13th Ward Democratic Organization.
* Related…
* Illinois prof again nominates George Ryan for Nobel Peace Prize
* Sentencing may be delayed in death of Aurora World War II vet
* The death penalty’s slow death
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 2:40 pm
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Anyone else notice this, from the Tribune’s story:
>>”Patricia Watkins said she does not expect an apology from me. She is wrong,” Braun said today.
Comment by Northsider Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 2:53 pm
Rich, thanks for posting the report. Anita’s comment runs to my first thoughts. one arrest vs. another is not the issue, repeat offenders, record comparisons factor into sentencing. As for TASC, it’s been around forever. If defense attorneys and public defenders are not looking at that, that’s irresponsible lawyering.
Comment by amalia Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 2:53 pm
Not sure what happened to the rest of my post, but here it is:
Blame your victim. Quite the classy apology, that.
If there is any CMB supporter here, why did you, or why are you going to vote for her?
Comment by Northsider Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 2:54 pm
“Driehaus says government is in crisis and that the BGA can help achieve more fairness, honesty and accountability from public officials”
“Dreihaus has been a major campaign contributor to Forrest Claypool, giving his campaign fund $350,000 over the years. He’s also contributed to Mayor Daley, Rahm Emanuel, Lisa Madigan”
Daley, Emanuel, Madigan all currently have control of or are among the most influential people involved in the same government he says is in crisis. Too funny.
Comment by Worth It Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 2:57 pm
Most people can’t manage to truly screw up an apology. CMB is truly exceptional.
Comment by Aldyth Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 3:09 pm
I looked through the report quickly and have to agree with Alvarez’s comments also. That being said I don’t think we can continue to treat drug possession crimes the same as violent crimes ie prison. Drug dealing game on send them to prison but users need alternative sentencing and treatment. It’s not so much that I am touchy feely about helping drug addicts as prison is an ineffective and expensive for persons convicted of drug crimes.
Comment by fed up Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 3:18 pm
“State Rep. Dennis Reboletti, R-Elmhurst, joined in the dissent. He said variables such as gang affiliation were not taken into account, making it difficult to conclude that trends were based solely on race.”
Yeah, if a black offender is sentenced to prison because he is a black member of a black gang, race musta had nuttin’ to do with it.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 3:32 pm
Moseley Braun: She Gone!
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 3:37 pm
I don’t have reams of data on this subject, but I suspect that some of the prison inmates may have been arrested and convicted for crimes relating to possession and selling drugs rather than simply being drug users.
I think that the State’s Attorney’s comments are close to the mark.
Comment by Honest Abe Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 3:52 pm
Those are some pretty sweet gifts from the IDOT workers. Seriously, how could you accept gifts (plural) like that from employees?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 4:09 pm
Re: The Executive Inspector General has publicly exposed the charges against an IDOT supervisor at a maintainence yard before any discipline has occured, yet noone will talk about the charges which resulted in the firing of Danny Clayton who is the Asst. to the Region 5 Engineer and the subsequent retirement of the Asst Secretary of Transportation, David Phelps. Does this sound fair? Where is the equality. Lets hear about those charhes as well!
Comment by Dwight Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 4:14 pm
==Seriously, how could you accept gifts (plural) like that from employees? ==
Yeah those “friendly” gifts are pretty suspect. He should have just had them pay for jeans day.
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 4:17 pm
If I worked at IDOT I would have come up with a real good gift today.
Comment by Bigtwich Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 4:17 pm
Are there any studies regarding recidivism rates and race? Are whites any less likely to commit drug crimes a second time?
Comment by Pink Tomato Tuesday, Feb 1, 11 @ 4:57 pm
Carol Moseley Braun lost her own brother to drugs, and she has sat on the boards of organizations for homeless, ex-offenders, and women which have helped many in their transition — which should have been her response to “What Has She Been Doing?” But I support Carol Moseley Braun because she has more governmental experience on local, state, county, national and International levels than her opponents and she has been elected across the city and not appointed. And now she is STILL polling at over 20% which means she is STILL within striking range of Rahm. Women are the majority of registered voters and can help elect Braun as the next woman Mayor since Jane Byrne and the election
is being held during Black History Month and the Black vote can Make Braun the next the next Black Mayor since Harold. Harold To Carol.
Comment by Mark S. Allen Wednesday, Feb 2, 11 @ 2:34 am