CHICAGO STORIES TIMES FOUR

Some random comments on events in my life and the lives of Chicagoans.

(1) I attended a panel discussion of the 50th Anniversary of the first Kennedy/Nixon debate. One of the panelists was Sander Vanocur, an NBC reporter back in 1960, who was one of the questioners at the original debate. Talk about reliving history! Fascinating event! After the program, an audience member asked Vanocur if he had any comments on the upcoming Chicago Mayoral race. He had one: “Don’t let them Rahm him down your throats.” I could not agree more! I don’t understand why the Chicago media has appointed Emanuel as the presumptive heir to the throne. As I said to Monsignor Boland, “The newspapers are treating Emanuel as the Second Coming of Christ.” Well, Emanuel is Jewish so we know he has one trait in common with Jesus.

(2) On Friday, October 8th, I published a blog about how upset I was with newly posted anti-Israel ads on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses. I concluded the posting with, “To paraphrase former President Ronald Reagan, I am shouting out to the CTA President, “Mr. Rodriguez tear down those ads!” As luck would have it, I attended the same event as Rodriguez this week, The Kathy Osterman Awards, and spoke to him about my blog. He told me that he was also upset about the ads, but legally could do nothing. Because I felt I had maligned him in the blog, I asked him to write a statement explaining the CTA’s position. His statement is reprinted below:


“I understand that there are some people who will find the ads—and other ads for that matter—offensive.


As the president of the CTA, however, I can’t judge such things according to my own personal views. The CTA is a public entity and publicly funded. It is governed by laws that protect people’s rights including the right to free speech. We’re not always in agreement with what advertisers say or promote, but in accordance with the Constitution, the advertisers have the right to say them.


In this case, there was no legal basis for the CTA to reject the ads, even though they espouse a political message that is objectionable to you and others. In the recent past the CTA rejected some potentially controversial ads on another subject and was sued. We lost that case and had to allow the ads to run.


The CTA has established guidelines for advertising on its properties. For example, ads cannot be legally obscene or portray graphic violence. They cannot be directed at inciting imminent lawless action. For testimonial type ads such as these, the CTA can require – and did require – that ads disclose the name of the organization purchasing the ads. As long as advertisements conform to the guidelines, the CTA cannot deny an advertiser’s right to run an ad.”

 (3) The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) received a $7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to “study effective ways to seek, test and treat inmates with HIV.” Dr. Lawrence Ouellet, research professor of epidemiology and one of the principal investigators, said, “Each year, an estimated one in seven individuals infected with HIV passes through a correctional facility which suggests that these facilities are key sites for public health interventions targeting HIV/AIDS.” A waste of $7 million. An HIV test costs $7. Make every inmate take one and charge their commissary account for the test. Cost to taxpayers: zero dollars and NIH can spend their money elsewhere. If the inmate tests positive, castrate them. Cost to taxpayers: priceless.

 (4) Two stories on collecting unemployment benefits have popped up in Chicago.


(a) Carla Oglesby, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s former deputy chief of staff, has filed for unemployment benefits. Ogelsby resigned after being accused of allegedly stealing $300,000 from taxpayers. She is facing felony public corruption charges and is free on bail. She filed the claim with the Illinois Department of Employment Security on October 10, six days after she was arrested. An application for unemployment benefits may be denied if the job was lost through misconduct, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.


Since we have to say she “allegedly” stole the money, then we should “allegedly” send her unemployment checks.


(b) Anthony Boswell, the Denver attorney hired by Mayor Daley to oversee hiring practices in the city of Chicago-- only to be stripped of that responsibility and resign—has a new dispute with City Hall. Boswell filed for unemployment last month to obtain weekly benefits of $534 for 26 weeks, based on his $161,856-a-year salary. He might have resigned but, at the time, he was about to be fired. Inspector General Joe Ferguson had written a report recommending that Boswell be fired for accepting Spanish lessons on city time from a consultant over whom he had contracting authority, "without regard to the obvious conflict of interest" that "abused the consulting relationship."


"Even worse, Boswell lied about the situation when the IGO asked him about it. Boswell deliberately mischaracterized the lessons as culture and diversity lessons," the report stated.


Since the city is self-insured for unemployment claims, payment would cost taxpayers money. When Boswell is formerly denied the claim, maybe they should have Donald Trump tell him, “Estas despedido.” Let’s see if those Spanish lessons paid off!