Thursday, December 13, 2007
News / Clout City Hurry up and wait
Posted by Mick Dumke on Thu, Dec 13, 2007 at 8:54 PM
Fourth Ward alderman Toni Preckwinkle has been lobbying the Daley administration for years to stop fighting and settle several lawsuits filed over the torture of black men by former police commander Jon Burge and his underlings. For a few days this week, she thought it was finally going to happen.
Why it hasn’t yet is—what else?—a matter of dispute.
Last Friday the city announced it had agreed to settle the cases of four torture victims for $19.8 million, and Monday the City Council’s finance committee approved the payments. Mara Georges, the city’s top attorney, told the finance committee that one of the plaintiffs, Stanley Howard, needed to sign a release form to finalize his portion of the agreement, but otherwise everything was set to go.
So Preckwinkle was shocked to show up for Wednesday’s full council meeting and get the news that the city had called the settlements off, at least for the time being.
On the council floor, finance chair Ed Burke explained that Howard had indeed signed the release form he needed to, but not before he’d added a new last-minute condition. In addition, the lawyer for plaintiff Aaron Patterson hadn’t presented a document showing he had power of attorney. For both reasons, the city would need more time, and the council would hold off on a vote until at least January.
“Along with many of my other colleagues, we were anxious to vote on this today,” Preckwinkle said after Burke was done. “It should be as clear as we can possibly make it that this [delay] is not the result of city action in any way.”
At a press conference after the meeting Georges made the same point repeatedly. She said Frank Avila, Patterson’s attorney, had produced a document empowering him to settle for at least $5.2 million, but not $5 million, the amount the city had agreed to.
The Howard snag was a separate issue. Howard was pardoned by former governor George Ryan for a murder charge that once put him on death row, but he remains in prison downstate for rape. Georges said Howard’s attorneys had sent the city a release form Tuesday night with a new settlement term written on it by hand: “This release does not bar any future claims that may arise in connection with his separate rape convictions.” Howard had initialed the document.
“On those terms, we did not feel we could settle with that plaintiff,” she said. She added that the city would be bringing U.S. district court judge Marvin Aspen into further discussions but didn’t anticipate the problem would scuttle the settlements altogether. “We have talked with opposing counsel, which understands our position,” Georges said. “I think everyone had hoped these settlements would be able to proceed today.”
Georges also said that she wouldn’t normally bring a settlement before the finance committee until all the signatures were in place. “But I suppose in my haste to get this resolved I didn’t require all the signatures at that time.”
Several reporters wondered why the city was so eager to settle the cases now, after not doing so for years. “There are a lot of different reasons for settling cases,” Georges said. Among them, she said, was the fact that Judge Aspen had told her the city might win one, even two or three, of the cases, but they were unlikely to win all of them. Also, by settling these four cases at the same time, the city could count on insurance to cover a big chunk of the tab.
In addition, she said, “I heard the message from the aldermen, which they delivered to me very loudly and clearly on many occasions, that they wanted to get these cases settled, and I have been working diligently to get that done.”
The message from the council and the administration was clear. “The plaintiff’s attorneys need to get their acts together,” Preckwinkle said.
But at least some of the attorneys say the city is simply resorting to a tired old routine of its own built on false promises and delays.
Avila on Wednesday held a screaming press conference accusing the city (as well as other plaintiffs’ attorneys) of stalling and trying to cheat Patterson out of his settlement money. He didn’t produce the document the city said he needed, but Avila said it wasn’t necessary and threatened to bow out of the agreement and ask for $10 million for his client alone.
And in an interview Thursday, Kurt Feuer, an attorney with the civil rights firm Loevy & Loevy, which represents Howard and plaintiff Madison Hobley, disputed many of Georges’ contentions, calling the city’s actions Wednesday “trifling” and “bizarre.”
“It’s like killing an insect with a nuclear bomb,” he said.
Feuer said the city had been fighting for weeks over even minor wording in the settlements until agreeing Sunday afternoon to language proposed earlier by the plaintiffs' lawyers. Once the agreement was reached, attorneys struggled to reach Howard at the Western Illinois Correctional Center to get his consent. On Tuesday, with the help of prison officials who bent a few rules, they got him a fax of the agreement and permission to call them. “When we finally got a hold of Stanley, he had some concerns,” Feuer said. So Feuer added the line, in pen, about Howard reserving the right to sue over his rape convictions.
Feuer said that should have only clarified, and not changed, the scope of the settlement, which focuses on Howard’s false murder conviction. Howard can neither sue nor give up his right to sue over the rape convictions unless evidence surfaces to show a problem with them, according to Feuer. “Maybe we’re guilty of overlawyering a bit,” he said. “But this is like putting a penny on the railroad track and watching the train crash.”
Even if Georges had problems with Howard’s addition, she could have allowed the council to vote on the settlement payments and then worked with the plaintiffs’ attorneys and Judge Aspen to tinker with the final language, Feuer said. “The amount of the payment’s not in dispute, and that’s all the council’s signing off on,” he said. “It’s not a big deal at all.”
The city insists it is. “We believe it materially changes the agreement,” law department spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyle reiterated Thursday. “It was something we received at the very last minute. We didn’t get a call saying it was there. It was a surprise to us. It is absolutely not commonplace in an agreement like this to pencil in something at the last minute.”
Both Feuer and Hoyle said their offices want to work something out and should be able to keep the other settlement terms in place. But that’s assuming Avila doesn’t stick to his vow to raise Patterson’s settlement price.
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How many minorities does the 40 year old "Peoples" Law Office have?
Zero only white racist liberals who know what is best for the minorities just listen to the great white father Flint he knows what to do just don't disagree with him or have a mind of your own No minorities at a "Peoples" Law Office with all minority clients
Flint Taylor, Joey Mogul, Fat Sam Tennenliar and the PLO are racists and exploiting the community.
I know Frank Avila Jr and the Avila family. They are good people. If it wasn't for Frank Avila Jr this case would of not been settled. He brought this case back to light and helped them settle. He got a lot of media attention and was the one who brought it to the alderman.
This is racist, had these guys been white they would have each gotten 20 million, the city got off cheap, if I were the wrongly imprisoned I would ask for 20 million.
The DuPage County State's Attorney has a solution to get a conviction on the murder of Stacy Peterson. The DuPage County Sheriff's and Bolingbrook Police are hiring Jon Burge as a special consultant. 1 hour in the interrogation room with Jon Burge, Drew Peterson will not only confess but also tell where the body is. Jon Burge is effective and solving crime.
I know many cops and they are not ashamed for what burge did, to them the "Perps" were guilty of this crime or others... to them the ends justify the means. Everyone know was Burge did and turned a blind eye, from Mayor Daley to all the people who are now police brass, judges, big shot lawyers.... I agree with DuPage lets send Burge to Iraq with his ball shocking device.
Ed Burke? Mara Georges? With people like these two involved, you know it's fucked up! Frank Avila jr is the only one telling the truth. Patterson should be happy he has a real fighter for freedom in his corner with Avila. The rest can be bought with a $1000.00 and a autographed picture of Mayor Daley naked! Frank Avila fought hard for Alderman Manny Flores to get on the ballot, He fought hard for election reform, and he fight every day for Union Quality Jobs for the City Worjer . Harder than Gannon and the rest of the phony Union Boss's! Frank Avila Jr is the brightest Attorney ijn Chicago today and I'm happy he is a screamer. I'll bet Mara's husband can't say the same about Mara!
I was looking forward to giving my name but the tard above ruins everything with his insane rantings. I may be funny but the drunk misspellings and crazy talk are too much for a genius like me.
Most of these people are bad violent criminals. This garbage is costing the city too much money. The Peoples Law Flint and Locke and MacArthur center Northwestern and U of C are liberal hypocrites who exploit blacks and bad people and make the taxpayers pay for their big lifestyles. These are sick peope.
Army Specialist Patrick Daley almost kills someone with a Bat in Michigan, Throw a pylon threw a reaturant window downtown and NOW is caught with owning a sewer inspection company. So Patterson supposedly sold some guns,and is in Jail for 30 years. You tell me where is the Justice? To Chris and Kate, You should listen when when I call someone corrupt. Patrick daley is a sick kid that needs to be HELPED!
Flint Taylor is a wierd sleazy guy. He gets most of the money and the real victims continue on poorly in society. Some mothers and ex clients will come out soon.
John Conroy, late of the Chicago Reader, talked to Democracy Now! about the unexpected delay on the City of Chicago’s $20,000,000 payout here: http://tinyurl.com/34fs8j -- SCAM
On many websites prior to today's news of Patrick Daley scamming the taxpayers, I exposed Patrick as the player he is. Michael Sneed's patsy piece "Scoop" was running interference for Mayor Daley to downplay today's headlines. This proves what we already knew about Patrick Daley. The Sun-Times should play it straight and not play both sides. Now that Patrick Daley is exposed for Hired Truck Scandal involvement, Patrick Daley should be free for me and others to write about his personal life. Patrick Daley went to the public trough, so his a** is mine, right? Hired Truck Scandal keeps giving and giving, thanks to Patrick McDonough the Whistle-blower of this scandal. Will you allow me to post personal knowledge about Patrick Daley, now that he is out of the closet, and a public figure of his own choosing? www.chicagoclout.com
These two Chicago Attorneys have helped those beaten and tortured by Jon Burge. Frank Avila is a passionate fighter and must be respected. Jon Loevy is a master Lawyer and has the weapons to fight Chicago City Hall. I am proud both of these lawyers have chosen to represent me and others that have suffered by the current Chicago Administration. Patrick Fitzgerald must again step to the plate and remove Daley and his syndicate. Justice demands this. I am proud of the many Chicago City Workers that are standing up for their rights. Patrick McDonough.
Cocopuffs, get your facts straight. Unless you were at Grand Beach, do you know for a fact that Patrick Daley swung the bat? He didn't. Another person did. They were charged. Now why don't you stop complaining. The game was fine with you until you lost. Now you want to be on the other side as this great big reformer. Keep talking sh-t about the Irish, you attention whore. On to other matters...If what the Sun-Times reported is true, then yes, Patrick Daley isn't who people thought he was. Patrick McDonough: why don't you go ahead and spill. It sounds like you've known him since he was christened, were on a first-name basis, played guitar together, lifted weights and what not. You know him so well. So spill.
What, and waste fine wine on swine?
What ya gonna do? Leave up the above blatantly racist and bigoted non-comment?
CAN A YOUNG MAN GO FIGHT FOR HIS COUNTRY AND START A BUSINESS. SOME OF YOU JEALOUS LOSERS,OR HATERS HATE PATRICK FOR BEING PATRICK. PATRICK IS A BETTER MAN THAN THAT SLIMY BOTTOM FEEDER NAMED FRANK COCOHEAD. What happen to your radio show? I take my hand off to a young man whom serves his country ,without being asked.
To all you Inbred Daley Throops, Nah Nah- Nah Nah- Nah Nah Nah Nah..Hey Hey Hey...Kiss Patrick Good Bye! Cocopuffs is not done yet! Look for me to put the light on Jan Pestka next!!! To PM keep watching and learnin!
The reader is going in another direction. The paper has been purchased by a ultra Conservative business from florida. four of the writers has been fired. Now at last views and opinions from reasonable individuals will finally be heard. Fair reporting of the city Administration,instead of from disgrutled former city workers.Mayor as Mayor has provided an opportunity for all Chicagoans to do city business,including his son.
coconatte - was that you circulating petitions against your buddy Fritchey? You should know better working against the big boys. You just keep it up.
Keep slamming the Irish because you played the game and lost. Loser.
take your hand off what?
You're a douchebag, That's ANTI-CHRISTMAS, AND ANTI-HOLIDAY like you Militant Muslim extremist assholes who go BEYOND the norm.
What game are you taking about that the Irish Play and I lost? The game of stealing millions of dollars of taxpayers money ? The game of becoming a priest ,than fondling with little boys? or They the game of drinking like slobs than slamming the Italians for being Gangsters,Balacks for being lazy or gays being sick? If thats being a loser, well..........
Dammit Frank Cocopuffs is right about the Irish I can't even fly into Meigs anymore.
I give Flint Taylor and the PLO for attacking Barack Obama. Obama has been silent on the Burge torture and does nothing.
The racist, bigoted folks are sure persistent little clout minions. Let's see how long it will take for you to remove their blatantly un-American, anti-Democratic and slanderous casting of hate filled aspersions. Because, being an ignorant, hate-mongering, devoid of rational thought, clout sucking minion of the machine isn't an excuse for posting racist, bigoted and slanderous comments, comments intended to foment hatred, animosity, ignorance and violence against any and all who dare to protest against their patently evil ways. Though, should you choose to permit their vile words to remain, in the name of free speech, I'll understand the parameters of your version of what is, and is not, protected free speech. How about protecting this: HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT REGISTER TO VOTE VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION VOTE OUT EVERY INCUMBENT It's easy. Just Do It.
Jon Burge is a hero. He is a stand up guy. Just look at the garbage he was going after. Some of these criminals are animals.
I see Coconate got a job bagging grocies at K-mart. HE has a job.
"JUST SOME VOTE FOR ME, AND I'LL FUCK YOU UP WHEN I GET ELECTED." Spoken like a true clout monkey.
SAY WHAT Coco has found a job. I will even tip him for carrying my bags to my car ,I ALWAYS KEEP SOME LOOSE CHANGE AROUND. Remember give a days work for a days pay.
11th man, maybe you can tip me some of the money you and Patrick Daley stole from the hard work of Union employees.You know , with MSS cleaning. You and that selfish jag-off daley were taking guys with famlies JOBS! I see why you won't give your name. You would end up in a trunk! Army Specialist Pat daley gets to hide from the US attorney in the service somewhere in England.
He is fascinated with electrocuting men's balls. Dan L wishes he were in the room as it transpired. Patrick Daley is a chip off the old block. Once again Mayor Schultz knew nothing about the latest scandal. Someone needs to throw Patrick and his dirtbag cousin a blanket party. Maybe Burge is the man for the job.
Coco works at Aldi. He was scrapping up gum from the sidewalk. Then I saw him clean the snow off a granny's cadillac. He is a very nice boy. Coco posts like he cares about Union Workers, such bullshit. Union workers consider Coco a has been and a washout.
(AP) The Army has charged seven paratroopers from the celebrated 82nd Airborne Division with engaging in sex acts in video shown on a Web site, authorities said Friday. Three of the soldiers face courts-martial on charges of sodomy, pandering and engaging in sex acts for money, according to a statement released Friday by the military. Four other soldiers, whose names were not released, received nonjudicial punishments. The Army has recommended that all be discharged. The charges do not mention the name of the site, but the division has said previously it was investigating allegations that soldiers appeared on a gay pornography Web site. A spokesman for the division said Friday the charges are a result of that investigation. The military-themed Web site on which the Army has said soldiers appeared does not make any direct reference to the division or Fort Bragg, a sprawling post about 70 miles south of Raleigh. "As far as we're concerned, it's isolated to the unit, and our investigation determined that these seven individuals were the only ones" involved, said 82nd Airborne spokesman Maj. Thomas Earnhardt.
The racist, bigoted folks are sure persistent little clout minions. So many words, so limited a vocabulary and so little to say. Let's see how long it will take for Kate to remove their blatantly un-American, anti-Democratic and slanderous casting of hate filled aspersions. Because, being an ignorant, hate-mongering, devoid of rational thought, self-serving, shameless, clout sucking minion of the machine is not an excuse for posting racist, bigoted and slanderous comments, comments intended to foment hatred, animosity, ignorance and violence against any and all who dare to protest against their patently evil ways. Though, should Kate, in the name of free speech, choose to permit their vile words to remain, we shall at least all have a better understanding of the parameters of the Reader's version of what is, and is not, protected free speech. How about protecting this: HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT As in: REGISTER TO VOTE VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION VOTE OUT MOST EVERY INCUMBENT It's easy. Here's how: When your choice is between only 2 candidates, the incumbent and a single challenger, VOTE FOR THE CHALLENGER, regardless of party affiliation. When you have the choice between only 3 candidates, a Democrat, a Republican and a candidate of neither party, vote for the candidate of NEITHER PARTY. VOTE to NOT RETAIN whenever you have the choice to do so. When faced with more than 3 candidates running for a given office, concentrate your votes by voting per Ballot Position, as in: If the INCUMBENT's name is listed FIRST, then vote for the candidate whose name is LISTED LAST or If the INCUMBENT's name is NOT listed first, then vote for the candidate whose name IS LISTED FIRST. Reject each and every Democrat AND Republican at every opportunity. Focus on ousting EVERY incumbent currently in office, making exceptions sparingly, and ONLY if you are CERTAIN that an individual incumbent has proven, to your satisfaction, to be WORTHY of being reelected. Force the changes, (through the committed use of the power of your votes), that those in control of our governments, (and, thus, our pocketbooks, through their power to tax), have refused to implement. Restore our city, county and state governments to what they are supposed to be, HONEST REPRESENTATIVES of the BEST INTERESTS of ALL THE CITIZENS. Just Do It.
http://howardhellhole.blogspot.com/
Parts of Cook County jail on lockdown Sunday, December 16, 2007 | 10:05 PM Two of five divisions of Cook County jail remained on lockdown Sunday night. The entire complex was on lockdown between 12 p.m. and shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday because electrical power was turned off as a precaution after water leaked on a generator. ComEd is working to fix the equipment.That is what happens when William "Bill" Chambers gets a plumber license and he is a laborer "Caulker" Tom Dart wtf?
I have a worled class idea ,let bring back Jon Burge and allow him to tie electric wires to Daley's testicles, until he starts telling the truth. Also let Sorich go to a maximum security Prison ,along with Christopher Kozicki, until them cooperate. Put Mara George in a cell with big Bertha
No need, Blaster. Vote them all out of office and their pals will turn on them in a heartbeat. Imagine what will happen to these schmucks, once they are stripped of their public official's powers. Can we say 'persona non gratis'?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4694254906291173648 Real Chicago Employees spill the dirt. Video made December 14, 2007, Frank Avila Jr. is the star. Patrick McDonough
Mr. Loevy and Mr. Avila, We are onto a City Worker who lives in DesPlaines. He is one of your clients and also He is sort of mentally challenged. So we are concerned for him if we pull him in. One day we saw him at the corner of River rd and Dempster with these two twin brothers , playing ring around the rozy ???? The City Worker ,who you represent, kept cheating at the game too!!!! He would fall down after the first verse of the ryme...naturally he had a bottle in hand . It looked like a Guiness .
Check out www.operationfamilysecrets.org
Oops, my printer is busted! Another failure for loconate! Everyone else got the petitions correct, why not you?
Great Radio show today Loconate. I learned about Pestka!
Wow, that's some wonderful journalism right there. Ever hear of a spellcheck?
>CHRISTOPHER KOZICKI December 15th - 9:10 a.m. The reader is going in another direction. The paper has been purchased by a ultra Conservative business from florida. four of the writers has been fired. Now at last views and opinions from reasonable individuals will finally be heard. Fair reporting of the city Administration,instead of from disgrutled former city workers.Mayor as Mayor has provided an opportunity for all Chicagoans to do city business,including his son.< So, being an ultra-conservative means being corrupt? So, going in another direction means supporting corruption? So, views and opinions from reasonable individuals will finally be heard, presumably those views and opinions that support corrupt and dishonest government? So, fair reporting of the city Administration means one-sided support of our corrupted city administration? So, the Mayor providing an unequal opportunity for his son, and nephew, to do business with the city, is the same as providing an equal opportunity to all Chicagoans to do business with the city? So, you figure the corrupting of most all major media will now include the new, ultra-conservative owners of the Reader? What, pray tell, have you been putting in your Christmas punchbowl?
Orion, My friend. Coconate is on the ballot. Coconate has a BIG job in the Suburbs , so he has to change the radio time. Coconate will teach you about Pestka soon on FOX NEWSCHICAGO!!!
Mary O'Connor is a Republican put in the Democtatic Committeeman Race by Rosemonts Brad Stephens, Republican Brian Doherty and republican Mike McAuliffe. Please to all the dems in 41. Don't be fooled!
Do you really think anyone but you clout monkeys gives a rat's ass about which party a candidate belongs to? As long as a challenger ain't the incumbent hack, I don't care about party affiliation. There is no Democratic Party in this city, or county. What has replaced it is the Party of Corruption, and that's your party, baby cakes. Change the name to Corruption Committeeman Race, everyone knows who and what you crooks are. 'Cause you sure ain't Democrats.
vdr December 18th - 5:44 a.m. "....a yet-to-be-fully funded independent group to more or less police those that have enough clout to get away with anything anyway...?" So, solve the varmint problem by eliminating the varmints. In every election, vote out incumbent hacks and there won't be anyone left to 'police'. REGISTER TO VOTE VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT In the upcoming Primary Election, be you a die-hard Democrat, a resolute Republican, an intelligent Independent, or just a newly registered novice voter, try casting your votes according to this strategy: 1) Make a list of every incumbent NOT PROVEN, to your satisfaction, to be an honest, ethical, intelligent and genuine human being. 2) Bring your list of incumbents UNWORTHY of reelection with you when you go to vote. 3) DO NOT vote for anyone on your list. 4) In any given contest, if the incumbent has only 1 challenger, vote for that challenger. 5) If the incumbent has 2 or more challengers, then: If the INCUMBENT's name is listed FIRST, then vote for the CHALLENGER whose name is listed LAST. or If the INCUMBENT's name is NOT listed first, then vote for the CHALLENGER whose name IS LISTED FIRST. (In a contest with 2 or more candidates challenging an incumbent, voting by Ballot Name Position will concentrate the most votes for a single challenger, thus increasing the likelihood that the incumbent will lose.) 6) Whenever you are given the choice to RETAIN or NOT RETAIN an incumbent, vote to NOT RETAIN. 7) Vote with the main desire to deny reelection to as many incumbent hacks as possible, reelecting only those incumbents you are convinced DESERVE to be reelected. Don't waste your time and energy seeking to reform those who have no interest in being reformed. Don't waste your efforts on hoping that the few reasonably honest people who manage to get elected can ever hope to prevent the many crooked incumbents from doing what they do best, that is, be the worst that they can be. Don't hold your breath waiting for honest people to rescue you from the incumbent bad guys and gals. Do realize that all the power necessary to rid ourselves of corrupt governments is already ours to wield, namely, our Right to Vote. All we need do is use it wisely. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT Just Do It.
Please take your meds.
I don't know whether the above repost of my single, 11:44pm comment, (posted on a different article's comment board), has been posted here as an affirmation of it's contents, an encouragement to readers to think about the ideas contained therein, or as an attempt to portray it as spam, but, be assured that I strive to avoid crossing that sometimes thin line between being egregiously repetitive, blatantly 'spamitive' or merely annoyingly, (to some), persistent. I do appreciate the generosities extended to all of the Reader's visitors to this blog, in enabling us to post comments at will, relatively free from censorship. While this open posting policy may occasionally result in a few, (and sometimes more than a few), asinine, obscenity filled, nonsense comments, my observations, on our common political conditions here, are, I believe, relevant to assisting our fellow citizen/voters in beginning to understand a few essential truths about how we have allowed ourselves to be in such an apparently helpless condition concerning our 'elected' governments. While even those who consider themselves to be politically savvy may hold the opinion that my humble suggestions have little to no value, I prefer to remain hopeful that, if enough citizens are informed of an alternative means to compel change, they just might apply said means, the results being, at the very least, interesting, indeed. Thank you, and all others, for your patience and tolerance, of what may seem to be an irrelevant series of comments. While it may, at times, seem like I don't appreciate your generosities, I do.
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