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Improvements are in the eyes of the beholders

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Illinois

* Ah, Cicero…

Cook County Sheriff’s police escorted armed security personnel hired by Cicero President Larry Dominick from polling places during today’s primary election, according to the Cook County Clerk. […]

Officers from the Sheriff’s department may assist with security at polling places, [Courtney Greve, a spokeswoman for Cook County clerk David Orr] said, but armed off-duty police officers hired by political candidates are not allowed.

Don’t tell that to the Cicero flack in chief…

But Cicero Town spokesman Dan Proft claimed the security personnel were necessary, “to make sure Garcia and his hooligans don’t cause any problems at the polling places.”

So, to stop some “hooligans” from causing trouble, Cicero is using armed guards who are not allowed at the polls and who had to be escorted off the premises by county sheriff’s deputies.

I suppose this is a big improvement from when Al Capone first took over the town’s government in the 1924 election. Capone used Tommy Gun wielding gangsters, not off-duty cops, at the polling places. And the sheriff’s deputies knew better than to show up.

Progress is relative.

* Meanwhile…

Mayor Richard Daley alleged today that federal authorities ignore blatant drug and gun trafficking but are overzealous in prosecuting star athletes such as Barry Bonds and Michael Vick.

“They can find Barry Bonds and Michael Vick, but they can’t find a drug dealer?” Daley said at a news conference where he argued for tougher federal and state gun laws.

The mayor said federal law enforcement—which has targeted City Hall and Chicago police officials with indictments—has misplaced priorities because it charged football star Vick for dog-fighting and baseball slugger Bonds with lying about using steroids. […]

After his passionate defense of Vick and Bonds, the mayor would not say whether he thought the federal case against his former patronage chief Robert Sorich and two other aides was a fair use of law enforcement power.

And…

Randall Samborn, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, declined to comment on the mayor’s remarks.

The mayor seems a little edgy since the feds launched their probe of his airport.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 2:30 pm

Comments

Wow…

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 2:38 pm
The pressure appears to be building in City Hall.

I see it as the long beginning of the eventual end of the Daley Machine.

Comment by Larry Mullholland Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 2:41 pm
Well, maybe, but living as I do across the border from one of the country’s biggest drug markets, I have to say, Hizzoner has a point.

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 2:45 pm
With respects to Daley
Much like some politicical figures that would rather try and build their legacy not on doing the will of the people that elected them,but bringing the Olympics to town, and lining their and their family’s pockets, it would seem to me that some prosecutors would like to establish their legacies not on gun runners and drug dealers, but on Very Public figures, including, but not limited to, Athletes that lie to federal prosecutors, and the before mentioned politicians….

Comment by 618er Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 2:51 pm
Umm, Your Honor,

Get Chicago, your family, your friends, and your business associates under control. Then, worry about the “Feds”.

Comment by SpfldJimbo Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 2:55 pm
Tick-tock, tick-tock…

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 2:58 pm
All those who thought Fitz was only after Blago are now realizing his aim is much higher.

Comment by Mr. Wizard Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 2:59 pm
The former state’s attorney is complaining that prosecution has failed to put an end to drug crimes?

Comment by lincoln street Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 3:05 pm
Better get some more buffers Mr. Mayor.

Comment by Leave a light on George Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 3:16 pm
Daley’s methods of deflection - leave us high-profile targets alone, and just watch my new YouTube channel!

He’s virtually alone amongst local pols in not publicly asking for the resignations of both Blago and Burris. He won’t divulge anything but the most vague details of the city’s stimulus wish list.

His ex-patronage chief was just rebuked by the U.S. Supremes, his airport fiefdom is crumbling, his former chief of staff is facing a bevy of criminal charges, and his hand-picked HDO leader is also under indictment, and even his rampant abuse of TIFs are being challenged by the usually tame city council.

The walls are closing in, King Daley. I’m seriously wondering if this is his last term, either voluntarily or by force.

Comment by The Doc Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 3:22 pm
Does Da Mayor really want to get into a debate about misplaces priorities? I mean – does he really?? How much did he spend on that stupid park while the CTA was being driven (no pun intended) into the ground?

Comment by grand old partisan Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 3:32 pm
You said it, GOP.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 3:33 pm
Watch out for the dog lovers. They’ll be all over him for defending Vick…

Comment by Greg B. Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 3:55 pm
“The mayor seems a little edgy since the feds launched their probe of his airport. ”

Any distraction is better than no distraction?

Comment by sal-says Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 4:07 pm
Say, who MC’ed the Karl Rove Show for last night’s funder for the northwest suburban GOP clubs?

Did he have off-duty cops with him in Schaumburg too? The Republicans called the police yesterday morning about a bunch of middle-aged suburbanites planning to hold up some posters.

Overreaction is an understatement for both Cicero and the northwest GOP groups…

Comment by Rob_N Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 4:25 pm
Rob N, it was code pink, and they’ve been known to disrupt the state of the union and congressional hearings.

Comment by Shore Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 4:29 pm
The edgy Mayor might not be too happy with the Supremes not letting his buffer go either.

The Airport investigation could target a couple other buffers. The Al Sanchez trial could lead to another buffer.

He’s got another buffer over at the Park District who isn’t sweating yet, but who knows.

Maybe the walls feel a little close about now.

Comment by Losing his edge Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 4:47 pm
BTW, some of da mayers odder quotes from that rant were that the drug dealers have the best nail shops and the best girls.

He also blasted the feds for busting cops for taking a $100 and not the drug dealers. Wasn’t it the feds that busted a whole bunch of cops a couple months ago for protecting the drug dealers.
What a chooch.

Comment by Losing his edge Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 4:58 pm
Geezuz.., look at this guy…

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/_cicero640.jpg

“Cicero President Larry Dominick”

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 5:20 pm
Shore… Code Pink may have been there, but they were hardly the only peaceful protesters around.

And just because some folks from Code Pink have interrupted things in DC doesn’t mean your average Code Pink suburbanites were planning on busting into the Marriott last night.

The Wheeling GOP was literally threatening to have individuals arrested on Sunday … people who never even went to protest last night because they had other plans in the first place.

If the Republicans were so afraid of the consequences of having Rove as their keynote speaker, why’d they invite him?

Comment by Rob_N Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 5:58 pm
It looks like we’ll have to have federal agents do the job that Cicero voters couldn’t on Tuesday, and pay a 6 am wakeup call on Larry Dominick (ala Blago) ASAP! Who cares about the corruption charges, the sexual harrassment suit, the near aparthieid-like treatment of the Mexican-American majority in Cicero by the Dominick regime? Certainly not the 6,552 voters (63.86%) who cast their votes for this clown and a continuation of 85 years of corruption, racsism and gross incompetence!

As for the Quisling Democratic Township Committeeman of Cicero Charlie Hernandez, petitions for a replacement committeeman are expected to begin their ciculation in just five months. (Hermandez sold out his party and his people in Cicero by supporting Dominick.) I suspect by that time the US Attorney will step in and begin the process of nailing Dominick, a man whom I suspect will not do well in prison.

Hopefully the US Attorney will also consider taking some serious sanctions against Cicero’s town government under the RICO statutes, giving the Illinois General Assembly the push it needs to put an end to the archaic Town form of government, which still only exists in Cicero.

Comment by fedup dem Tuesday, Feb 24, 09 @ 11:58 pm
Curious if Dan Profit got a seperate no-bid contract as goon spokesperson.

Comment by Illinois Republican Wednesday, Feb 25, 09 @ 1:27 am
and the Hurtgen plea deal got entered today…(Playing “Jaws Attack” music in the background)

Comment by Lynn S Wednesday, Feb 25, 09 @ 9:50 pm