Nepotism 101 (Adv. Placement) to be offered to elite in Chicago High Schools.

College is a wonderful time in a person's life, a time when we learn more than Freudian Psychology or 17th Century English Lit. We learn valuable life lessons on how the world works, and on what it takes to succeed in today's "rat race".

University of Illinois students are getting an extra special lesson on how the world works...can you say "Nepotism", boys and girls?

Recent investigations into Univ of IL admissions found that school trustees and admission officials at the schools routinely maintained a list of "well-connected" applicants, and often admitted these "Clout List" students instead of more qualified applicants. Additionally, trustees often pressured other members to comply with their politically motivated admissions.
__________________
From the Huffington Post
"CHICAGO — A panel investigating the role that clout played in University of Illinois admissions recommended in its final report released on Thursday that all trustees voluntarily submit their resignations and let Gov. Pat Quinn decide which ones to accept.

In a scathing 45-page report, the Illinois Admissions Review Commission found unqualified students were admitted because of political connections, and recommended that any new trustees conduct a review of the university's president, the chancellor of the Champaign campus and other administrators."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/06/university-of-illinois-cl_n_253395.html
___________

That's right, the corruption went all the way to the top. University of Illinois has apparently been teaching students that 'it's not WHAT you know, it's WHO you know'.

But in an attempt to bring college level learning to advanced high school students, it appears that same lesson is being taught to Chicago high school students. A Federal grand jury investigation into a school district policy allowing principals to "hand-pick" up to 5% of their admitted students seeks to discover if political connections may be playing a role in the principals' selections.
__________-

From the Chicago Sun Times
"A federal grand jury is investigating whether any “public officials’’ lobbied to get kids into the city’s most elite public high schools through new powers that allow principals to handpick five percent of their freshmen seats, a subpoena released Thursday suggests. ...
Its release follows Chicago Sun-Times disclosures that Chicago School Board President Michael Scott also has been called before a federal grand jury.

Chicago Public school officials revealed last month that they asked the Schools Inspector General to investigate the student admissions process at the system’s elite selective enrollment high schools after determining that policies may have been violated. After that announcement, the existence of a federal probe emerged.
...
Principals of magnet schools that choose most kids using a race-based lottery have long been allowed to handpick five percent of their students — and critics have questioned whether clout or money have influenced such selections. But last school year, for the first time, those “principal pick’’ powers were extended to the principals of the city’s selective enrollment college prep high schools, which use mostly test scores and grades to admit students."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/1704692,chicago-public-schools-investigation-080609.article
__________________

We will have to wait and see what the federal probe reveals, but it'll be no shocker if "Clout List" admissions were going on in Chicago high schools as well. The Chicago School Board President, Michael Scott is a well connected friend of Mayor Richard Daley and is no stranger to the ways of political nepotism.
A recent Chicago Tribune investigation revealed that Scott may be using his ties to Mayor Daley (and his former role on Mayor Daley's Olympics Commitee) to purchase taxpayer land located directly adjacent to the city's proposed Olympic venues and develop it into retail properties. Though the land is allotted for public or affordable housing and is sold at $1 per plot for builders of such projects, Michael Scott may be getting the sweet deal price despite his intention to use the land for retail development (including a Nike store). Additionally, as an early member of the Olympics committee, Scott may have influenced the placement of proposed Olympic venues to take advantage of political connections, convincing local aldermen to set aside lots for Scott to purchase and develop. Scott stands to profit significantly when the low value lots shoot up in value as the Olympics related development dramatically increases property values. A little news on Michael Scott...
___________________
From the Chicago Tribune
"He (Scott) was criticized in 1990 for his insider connections when he left his job as city government's chief cable administrator to go work for a cable company.

Earlier this year, Scott's roles as school board president and as a member of the city's Olympic committee stirred controversy.

In May, he asked all of the city's school principals to form plans to promote the Olympics. Teachers and union officials said Scott's tactics were heavy-handed and they feared retaliation if they did not support Daley's quest for the Games."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-olympics-real-estate-07-aug07,0,4603832.story
____________________

Michael Scott claims no wrong doing, although one wonders how many federal investigations into allegations of political favoritism one can be involved in and still viably claim the appearance of innocence. He is clearly a well oiled cog in the infamous Chicago Machine.

And a fine example to the students of Illinois.

So here's your vocab lesson for the day, kids.

Nepotism - (noun) - the showing of favoritism for relatives or friends based upon that relationship, rather than on an objective evaluation of ability or suitability, for instance by offering employment to a relative, despite the fact that there are others who are better qualified and willing and able to perform the job. syn. cronyism

Or as I call it, Chicago style politics.

Read more...

One Toke Over the 'Unincorporated County' Line - A Decriminalization Story

The Cook County Board shocked the press, Chicago's Mayor, and even their own Board President, Todd Stroger earlier this week by passing a marijuana decriminalization ordinance seemingly under the radar of a celebrated tax cut.

The measure gives sheriff's and deputies in unincorporated Cook County (not any of the city, or other townships who have their own law enforcement) the OPTION of issuing a $200 ticket for less than 10 grams of pot, with NO criminal record. Championed by Commissioner Earlean Collins (whose grandson was arrested on a first offense marijuana charge), she created the bill to help give 'young people who make mistakes a second chance' and to reduce overcrowded jails with non violent offenders (not to mention making a little coin for the county with those fines and reduced prosecution costs).

Board President Todd Stroger came out originally skeptical, threatening to veto the measure, but had a thorough change of heart by Thursday. "“I’m fine with it. It’s just another tool a law enforcement office can use,” Stroger said.
(from Chicago Sun Times)

http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1682074,stroger-pot-possession-legislation-072309.article

Chicago Mayor Daley only 5 years ago supported a similar measure in the city, but seems to have had a change of heart. While a supporter of decriminalization, Daley argued that pot was "already decriminalized" in Illinois, because "99% of the cases were thrown out".
Thursday, he blasted the Board's decision as a step on a slippery slope of drug acceptance, a move that seemed a tad hypocritical. And pointless, since the law does not affect the city.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/1679496,mayor-daley-chicago-pot-marijuana-072209.article

HOWEVER, I have yet to light one up in celebration. While the new law does give offenders a second chance, it also gives officers a HUGE amount of leeway that can (and most likely will) be prejudiced. Numerous studies in IL and across the nation reveal that Black people are prosecuted 2-3 times more than whites for marijuana crimes. In rural IL, it isn't hard to figure out who's gonna get tickets and who's gonna get arrested , at the cops "discretion". This law is rife with potential for abuse, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth, kinda like smokin' a seed.

I have always supported decriminalization, and this misdemeanor fine policy can indeed generate revenue while saving millions in incarceration costs of non violent pot "offenders". But I am very wary of any system that leaves the option of prosecution to the 'judgment call' of the police. Not that I question their judgment, it's their PRE judgment I worry about.

Read more...

How low can greed take you? At least 6 feet under...

After a week where the world watched the biggest funeral this millennium, and buried an African American legend, it is natural to think about the past. Not always were blacks given such a send off to the hereafter. In earlier times, even cemeteries were segregated, as is the case of Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, IL. Burr Oak was one of the few cemeteries in the region that would accept black "guests" and as such has several prominent black Americans buried there, most notably civil rights icon Emmit Till, whose 1955 racially motivated murder was a pivotal moment in the American civil rights movement.

After a week like this one, it is even more disturbing to read something like this...

" Every family's nightmare: Burr Oak Cemetery graves allegedly stripped for profit
R.I.P SHATTERED | Manager, three gravediggers charged in scheme"

Yep, you read it right. Recent investigations launched into the operation of the renown Burr Oak Cemetery have discovered that as least 100 bodies were removed from their graves and their plots resold. Bodies were discovered dismembered, piled in a field on cemetery property, sometimes casket and all. Other allegations include stuffing two bodies into one gravesite, essentially burying the more recently deceased over old graves. Here's some of the article.

______________________________________________________
(from the Chicago Sun Times) "The manager of Burr Oak Cemetery and three gravediggers were charged this morning, accused of scheming to dig up gravesites and resell them.

The four were expected to be in court this morning. The sheriff's office says caskets and remains were removed more than 100 graves and piled up in an unused area of the graveyard over several years.

The cemetery is the final resting place of civil rights icon, Emmit Till.
Other well-known people buried in Burr Oak include jazz legend Dinah Washington; bluesmen Willie Dixon and Otis Spann; Harlem Globetrotter Inman Jackson; and several Negro League baseball players.

Officers raided the cemetery, at 4400 W. 127th St, in Alsip, Wednesday morning. Five people were taken into custody.

Dart’s office was notified by the cemetery’s owners of “impropriety” about three weeks ago.

Dart believes the scheme has been going on for about four years.
“It was well thought out,” Dart said.

The employees apparently freelanced selling grave plots and dealt with cash.

“One person had an inordinate control of records, and a lot of those records have since been destroyed.

“We don’t know the full extent of this yet,” he said.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/1657907,burr-oaks-cemetary-mitchell-070909.article

_____________________________
Another link to the story (more details and pics of the perps)
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/07/sheriff-bodies-dug-up-dumped-at-cemetery.html?obref=obinsite
_____________________________

And they may never know. Records were destroyed, bodies and bones were piled in mass piles. The collection of DNA evidence may take months. All the while each of these families are forced to relive their loved ones passing as they try to find out what happened to their family members. Some families with up to 12 family members buried there were only able to locate a few of their gravesites.

It just never ceases to amaze me, 2 things about people. 1. What lows they will stoop for money, and small amounts of it too. I don't know about you, but if I'm digging up the dead and chopping remains, there better be at LEAST 2 commas in my pay check. And 2. how little people think of the consequences. I mean, you are only gonna be able to pile bodies and caskets in an empty field for so long before somebody notices. You can only TRY to focus on reselling graves that seem unvisited, at some point someone is gonna say, "Hey, I coulda sworn we buried Mom right by this tree." This plan was bound to fail, and though these guys had a good 4 year run at it, where is all your illegally gained money now and how will you spend it in prison? And even more tragic is that this outrage against these mostly African American graves was purported by African Americans. Seems black on black violence doesn't end at the funeral.

One of the most touching stories of distraught family members was a young woman whose brother recently came home from Iraq...in a box. Killed in the line of service to our country, buried at Burr Oak, his grave is now not able to be found. If we are going to ship our poor young men overseas to die, at least we hope they would rest in peace.

Luckily, reports suggest Emmit Till's grave to be undisturbed. But we won't know for months what damage has been done, and then begins the long slow process of reburying the dead.

I hope they bury Michael at Neverland, it may be the only safe place left.

Read more...

Illinois Legalization - Two Steps Forward and Two Stupid Steps Back.

Illinois is trying hard to become a Pot-gressive state. Recent legislation has put medical marijuana on the map in Illinois, and it looks like we have a real chance for legal medical marijuana in this legislative session.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

"SPRINGFIELD---- The push to legalize medical marijuana in Illinois has taken a big step forward.

The Illinois Senate voted 30-28 in favor of it on Wednesday. The bill now goes to the Illinois House, where a committee passed a medical marijuana measure earlier this year.

State senators who backed the measure say it will help relieve the pain of sick people so they won't try to illegally obtain the drug."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1595139,w-senate-medical-marijuana-bill-052709.article
____________

Awesome! That's some good news! Let's just hope some Illinois politician doesn't come along and do something stupid to ruin it. Wait, what's that news story there? Oh, what the hell is this?

_____

IL Rep. Kirk Wants Tougher Penalties for Super Pot

Associated Press
1:37 PM CDT, June 15, 2009

CHICAGO - Congressman Mark Kirk and law enforcement officials say tougher drug penalties are needed to combat the high-potency marijuana that's hitting the streets.

Kirk announced a bill Monday that targets drug dealers caught with the powerful pot called "kush." It would impose stiffer penalties than if dealers are caught with regular marijuana.

Kirk says he wants federal drug laws to keep up with what dealers are selling on the streets. He says law enforcement officials in the northern Illinois district he serves brought his attention to the problem.

The new variety of marijuana is stronger because the pot is cultivated hydroponically so growers control light, temperature and humidity to increase the drug content."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-kirk-drugs,0,6156943.story

______________
Oh, holy shamoly, what kinda back woods, hick ass local dufus tries to crack down on "Super Pot"? Who calls it Super Pot? Is this real life or an after school special? Are we living in 1955 worried that little Johnny might go crazy all jacked up on the "Super Pot"?

No it's just Illinois. A state stupid enough to kick itself with it's jack boot. What will we do when medical marijuana is passed? We won't be able to have the high quality dispensaries California has. Sorry you have glaucoma, ma'am, here's some ditch weed.

Hopefully, this Mark Kirk initiative will fail like so many others (even his marriage recently went south). He's not known for big successes. But we gotta give him credit for making Illinois look like the childhood home of Roscoe P Coltrane.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna smoke some Super Pot.


_____

Read more...

Pat Quinn proves Blago was telling the truth - REDUX Indictment Edition

Last week I wrote about Pat Quinn's new tax policy. If you read it last week, you may skim ahead.
------------------
written March 27, 2009

So former Lt. Gov. (and sitting gov) Pat Quinn has had the unsavory pleasure of proving the biggest liar in modern IL politics was telling the truth. At least about Pat Quinn raising taxes.

As some of you might recall, during the multi week scandal that followed the election and the filling of Obama's vacant senate seat, Rod Blagojevich, scandal embroiled governor at the time, suggested that Pat Quinn was trying to get rid of Blago, and when he did, Quinn would raise taxes. We all shook our heads and said, "Oh crazy Blago, stop spinning your web of lies"

But in fact, not 6 weeks after taking over the position of IL governor, Pat Quinn is proposing the first income tax increase in 20 years, and it's a doosy! A 50% increase, from 3%-4.5%. Additionally hopes to levy new gas taxes and raise drivers fees.

Now we must remember that this is on the back of a sales tax increase to pay for a corrupt public transit system, taking our sales tax to 10.25%, one of the highest in the nation. And it's one percent higher in downtown Chicago (11.25%!!!) Add to that the city's new parking policy, which included leasing city parking meters to private companies. These companies jacked up meter fees, and have their own staff to write tickets to violators, yes, you can get a ticket from a corporate schill now. And with only two unpaid tickets allowed before booting, folks are getting backed against a wall in the land of Lincoln. Already meters are being vandalized and drivers are refusing to use the meters. But if Quinn sees his tax increases thru (oh yeah don't forget an additional $1-2 pack cig tax increase and we're already paying $8.75 now!) you may just see riots in the streets.

And the worst of it all will be that when Roddy warned us that Pat Quinn was gonna raise taxes extensively...Roddy was telling the truth. Who woulda thunk it? :-(



Here's the article from the Chicago Sun Times

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-quinn-tax-hike-13mar13,0,7352846.story

-------------------------

And we're back to today. Now if you have a tv, you probably know that as of April 2nd, Rod Blagojevich was finally indicted. Just in time.

I mean just in time to distract from Pat Quinn's tax odyssey.

After posting last week's note, I read a little more about Pat Quinn, and his early history is bordering on true irony.

From the Chicago Tribune...

"Quinn wants to apply the state's sales tax on soft drinks to the coffee and sweetened tea products in grocery stores, adding a quarter for the state treasury for every $5 six-pack of sweet green tea.

While his proposal for a 50 percent increase in the income tax got the headlines, the tea and coffee tax is among a pocketful of nickel-and-dime tax increases the governor is seeking in a comprehensive effort to overcome the state's looming $11.5 billion budget deficit. He also favors higher fees for driver's licenses, license plates, hunting and fishing licenses, cigarettes, tickets to the State Fair and even adding the state's sales tax to some shampoo and personal hygiene products....

But there is a certain irony to Quinn's push to tack the state sales tax on sweetened tea—one that brings his political career from political outsider to insider full circle.

Quinn's birthday is the same as the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Three decades ago, he railed at a legislative pay raise by encouraging voters to send used tea bags to the governor's office. At the time, he told Illinois Issues magazine the stunt, which helped launch his career as a political activist, "was a perfect way to get citizens interested in government again and feel they could make a difference." (end excerpt) (read full article here)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-fees-taxes-up-bd22mar22,0,5628239.story


That's right, folks, you read correctly. Pat Quinn, born on the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, previously advised voters to send used tea bags to the Governor's office to protest budget policy. And yes, now that he's governor he proposes the largest tax increase in 20 years. And yes one of those taxes is ACTUALLY on tea. People, you can't write this stuff.

I'm packin' up my old Tea Bags now.

Now let the Blago courtroom antics begin. But I won't let you get distracted. :)

Read more...

Pat Quinn proves Blago was telling the truth!!!

So former Lt. Gov. (and sitting gov) Pat Quinn has had the unsavory pleasure of proving the biggest liar in modern IL politics was telling the truth. At least about Pat Quinn raising taxes.

As some of you might recall, during the multi week scandal that followed the election and the filling of Obama's vacant senate seat, Rod Blagojevich, scandal embroiled governor at the time, suggested that Pat Quinn was trying to get rid of Blago, and when he did, Quinn would raise taxes. We all shook our heads and said, "Oh crazy Blago, stop spinning your web of lies"

But in fact, not 6 weeks after taking over the position of IL governor, Pat Quinn is proposing the first income tax increase in 20 years, and it's a doosy! A 50% increase, from 3%-4.5%. Additionally hopes to levy new gas taxes and raise drivers fees.

Now we must remember that this is on the back of a sales tax increase to pay for a corrupt public transit system, taking our sales tax to 10.25%, one of the highest in the nation. And it's one percent higher in downtown Chicago (11.25%!!!) Add to that the city's new parking policy, which included leasing city parking meters to private companies. These companies jacked up meter fees, and have their own staff to write tickets to violators, yes, you can get a ticket from a corporate schill now. And with only two unpaid tickets allowed before booting, folks are getting backed against a wall in the land of Lincoln. Already meters are being vandalized and drivers are refusing to use the meters. But if Quinn sees his tax increases thru (oh yeah don't forget an additional $1-2 pack cig tax increase and we're already paying $8.75 now!) you may just see riots in the streets.

And the worst of it all will be that when Roddy warned us that Pat Quinn was gonna raise taxes extensively...Roddy was telling the truth. Who woulda thunk it? :-(



Here's the article from the Chicago Sun Times

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-quinn-tax-hike-13mar13,0,7352846.story

Read more...

Yes, it's ALL Craigslists fault....What's next, suing street corners?

Yes, it's ALL Craigslists fault....What's next, suing street corners?

From CNN -
Lawsuit accuses craigslist of promoting prostitution


(CNN) -- "An Illinois sheriff filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the owners of craigslist, accusing the popular national classified-ad Web site of knowingly promoting prostitution.
"Craigslist is the single largest source of prostitution in the nation," says Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart."
.....

Ah, another great publicity stunt from Sheriff Tom Dart. You may have recalled his earlier foray on the national stage when he singlehandedly imposed a moratorium on foreclosure evictions in his county. While some hailed Dart as a hero in the foreclosure wars, others called for the sheriff to be held in contempt of court for not performing his sworn duty. Yeah, that guy.


Well his latest battle seems to be with craigslist.
.....

(CNN) - "Dart said. "Missing children, runaways, abused women and women trafficked in from foreign countries are routinely forced to have sex with strangers because they're being pimped on craigslist."

The FBI found more than 2,800 child prostitution ads posted on craigslist, with Chicago, Illinois, in the top 10 cities for juvenile prostitution, Dart said.

The sheriff also noted instances of what he said was child neglect while parents were engaged in activity solicited on the Web site."

.....

Now folks, let's be realistic for a minute, if we could. Prostitution, including child prostitution, has been going on long before craigslist. It will continue long after craigslist. When the next thing better than craigslist shows up, people will use it to sell sex.

Take newspaper ads. I personally cut my comedy teeth with a bit where I read the funniest ads out of our local newspapers "adult services" section. Those shits were hilarious! "Hott ass on a platter" "Ride my Love Rocket" Comedy gold! But it never occurred to anyone to sue the paper for printing the ads, or to blame newspapers for being the "largest source of call girl prostitution". No one sued the yellow pages for the "escorts" section. (Take a look at your yellow pages in the escorts and see for yourself what they are selling). Because we all knew that the ADVERTISING MEDIUM (ie, newspaper, phone book, what have you) was not liable for the use or non use of any of it's advertisers. Because the phone book company had too much to do to ensure everyone is obeying the law that uses their service. You don't sue the yellow pages for listing a bad auto mechanic. You sue the mechanic.

But Sheriff Dart wants to sue the messenger. Maybe because he can't or won't stop the human trafficking and child prostitution in his district, and he thinks it'll look better on the re-election campaign to find someone to blame. Fighting child prostitution really brings in the votes, and it is much easier to spend time in court with a lawsuit to craigslist, than to actually spend time on the streets shutting the actual criminal down. It doesn't matter that suing craigslist will not stop prostitution any more than suing Ziploc baggies will stop people from selling weed. It doesn't matter that craigslist may actually be a helpful partner in shutting down illegal activity, as mentioned by executives at craigslist:

(from CNN)- "In an e-mailed statement, craigslist told CNN it had not seen Dart's complaint but that "craigslist is an extremely unwise choice for those intent on committing crimes, since criminals inevitably leave an electronic trail to themselves that law enforcement officers will follow."
.......

So Dart once again sounds like he is helping the citizens of IL, but instead is really just refusing to do his job, and is enjoying the glow of the media spotlight. But this IL citizen, for one, thinks that it is time that Dart focused his efforts on stopping the actual criminals instead of scapegoating his own ineptitude onto advertisers like craigslist.

I hear his next lawsuit is going to be suing the corner of Grand and Ashland for promoting crack dealing.

God Bless Illinois, we're gonna need it.

Read more...

Conflict of Interest Much?

Posted March 1, 2009 - Sunday


This week IL Attorney General Lisa Madigan held a press conference to
release her steps to oust Senator Roland Burris, who as anyone in
America knows, was appointed by impeached governor Rod Blagojevich.
Unless you've been under a rock.



A quote from Lisa Madigan:

"It is my opinion that the legislature may pass a law allowing the
people of Illinois to elect a U.S. senator to fill the seat vacated by
President Barack Obama. Such a law would be consistent with the U.S.
Constitution. The 17th Amendment expresses a clear preference for
having the people of a state elect their U.S. senators. In keeping with
the purpose of this amendment, the legislature may constitutionally
change the current law to set an earlier date for the election to this
U.S. senate seat. I am providing this opinion to offer guidance to thehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
legislature as they consider this issue."





Thanks Lisa, glad you could clear that up for us. But Lisa Madigan
isn't talking about how she was in fact the Senate democrats top pick
for Obama's senate seat, now held by Burris. She doesn't mention the
repeated calls and letters from Sen Harry Reid and Wh House Chief of
Staff, Rahm Emmanuel which all listed Lisa Madigan as the most
"acceptable" choice for Barack's replacement (a list which strangely
included no African American candidates). It seems a bit conflicted to
so publicly attempt to oust Burris for obtaining his senate seat
through unscrupulous means, when the same job was to be offered to you,
if the unscrupulous pressuring from Washington's Reid and Emmanuel had
achieved their goals.



Nor does she mention her father, Mike Madigan and his long held
political battle with Gov. Blagojevich and Mike's long held political
ties with Chicago Alderman Richard Mel, who in the early years of
Blago's governorship had a great falling out with Blagojevich because
the governor shut down a environmentally hazardous and corruptly
obtained dump site that Alderman Mel had political ties with. Because
to mention this history might suggest another, more political reason
for IL democrats to be calling for a fellow democrat's ouster from the
Senate for uninvestigated allegations.



Elsewhere in Chicago, corrupt former Alderman Ed Vrdolyak, who pled
guilty in November to scheming to pocket a bogus 1.5 million dollar
finder's fee in a Gold Coast real estate deal that defrauded a
non-profit medical school, received only probation for his crimes of
pay to play politics.

http://www.chicagobreaking..news.com/2009/02/vrdolyak-..sentence-corruption.html



Only in Chicago would we call for the ouster of one man for the
APPEARANCE of improper politicking one the same day that we set a
CONVICTED corrupt politician free. Hypocritical. Well Chicago, and
Congress. Because it is just as hypocritical that the Senate sat by
while corrupt CONVICTED Alaskan senator Ted Stevens held his office and
ran for reelection without so much as a peep from fellow Congress
members, while they use every media outlet possible to pressure Senator
Burris from office without a thorough and complete investigation of the
Burris and Blago connection.



With a proper investigation, we will discover if Roland Burris
committed any crimes or ethics violations. We have not even completed
the investigation against Blagojevich, nor has he been indicted nor a
trial date set for his criminal case, although he has already been
convicted in the court of the media.



But to rush ahead and make accusations and calls for ouster without all
the facts when it comes to ousting America's only African American
senator while having a history of leaving corrupt and politically
embattled white senators in office without so much as a peep seems
unfair at best, and politically (or racially) motivated at worst.

Read more...