CTU Boss Jesse Sharkey Wants Forest Claypool to Pick up Another Govt. Pension, After Getting Bounced from CPS

The ISO have found a leadership position within the CTU in the form of Jesse Sharkey, who is vice president. And Sharkey turns out being a run-of-the-mill sellout artist working to undermine teachers' conditions and benefits. This can't go on forever, they're running on borrowed time. I expect they think they're stalling until martial law is placed on the United States as part of a new authoritarian framework, which they will no doubt welcome. Comments from ISO member International Socialist Website

 
"He (Forrest Claypool) is unfit to be CEO.  He has earned the contempt of teachers and parents across the city" Jesse Sharkey ISO/CTU

Wow.  Harsh.

You won't read the above comment in your Sun Times, Sneedless to say, nor will you read this anywhere in the Chicago Tribune, but the Boss of the CTU, which just made Rahm rollover again, wants career grifter and poly-pension portfolio collector, Forrest Claypool out as CEO pf CPS and into the starting blocks of yet another pension package. This was in DNAinfo Chicago

Three days after the teachers union reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the district, Sharkey, the union's second in command, said Claypool had "run the system off the edge of a cliff."
"He is unfit to be CEO," Sharkey said. "He has earned the contempt of teachers and parents across the city" by threatening mass layoffs and deep program cuts to schools.
Sharkey, however, stopped short of calling for Claypool's ouster.

Forrest Claypool herded with Progressives, but used Regular Democrats and then cast them into the darkness.


Never do a solid for a Lefty.

Forrest Claypool has put the gratitude blade into the kidneys of scores of City Hall and Cook County regulars, as well as fellow Progressives,but nowhere near the hundreds of working people at Chicago Park District, CTA and CPS in exercising Claypool policies of smoke and mirrors - fire long-time competent employees and hire more very temporary unskilled 'apprentices.'

When Claypool was Rahm Emanuel's CTA CEO he orchestrated the vilification of Amalgamated Transit Workers President Bob Kelley in months long Orwellian Morality Drama featuring Pastor Pfleger, Danny Davis, Bobby Rush, ex-cons and community activists, because Kelly stood up for his people.

The Chicago Tribune and the Sun Times pooh-pooh notions that Claypool is a fraud at best and louse in fact.

Now, the International Socialist puppet master of Chicago Teachers Unions, Jesse Sharkey ( another buzzcut Bolshevik, like Jon Podesta and Locke Bowman, for those of us keeping track) wants Claypool's wispy scalp the lodge pole outside of his CTU wickiup, in order to show off to his tribe the Medicine of ISO.

Strong Medicine.  Ask Leo Trotsky.

Well, I gotta go along with Red Jesse.

Forrest Claypool is a skunk of the first waters. However, I would rather not watch Forrest Claypool collect another pension.  

Thank You Friends of the Park for Saving our Lakefront and Outing Chicago's Bullies

The Friends of Park have saved Chicago's lakefront, for now.  This is Chicago, neighbors, and you can set your watch by the next public looting boondoggle.

I wonder how Rahm's profanity crusade is going.  Of course NBC Chicago forgives Rahm everything as does WTTW. I Imagine the Rahm swear jar is topped off and ready for a trip to the cash changer at any of Chicago's fine Fifth Third Banks.

That is a Progressive Thinking and Acting Bank

The Progressives ( former Liberals, Goo-goos and Hand-wringers) are in control of every branch of Government - yep, I include Governor Rauner who is merely buying time for his Corporatist Progressive Pals and Oligarchs.

From the White House to Hyde Park, the New Machine controls Chicago and Cook County. The New Machine is not about building legions of Democratic Party workers ready, willing and able to get out the vote as a way of saying 'Thank You" for a job on the trucks, a seat in a Patrol car, a place in an Emergency van, a pick and shovel filling pot holes and reconfiguring curbs.  No this new machine is a faceless blob of bank accounts, 501(c)3 foundations, blue-stocking law firms, real estate monte grifters, Commnity Activists and the News Media.  The poor get a taste of quick cash and lunch boxes and T-shirts, the Armani clad pink cheeks who write small checks not exceeding the the Federal Election Law limits reap huge returns and the middle class, once served so well by the Democrat Party of Cook County pay the bills and get contempt from both the poor and the oligarchs.

This week was a Wow!  The middle guys, who really are the little guys, won one here in Chicago.  The middle/little guys in the UK won the same.

The same ugly and unfair narratives heaped upon Brexit backers, were meted out to the Friends of the Park here in Chicago.

Friends of the Park were villified by every Friend of Rahm/I'm With Her/Hope and Change voice in Cook County.  These forces were marshalled on a huge scale that reminded me of Rahm Emanuel, Forrest Claypool and Pastor Pfleger's smear campaign against the President of Amalgamated Transit Workers Local 308 all through 2013-2014. This was the age of the CTA scandals regarding the Bombardier Rail Car boondoggles and the Ventra Card foul-ups.

Like President Robert Kelly, Friends of the Parks were treated to the attentions of the starving hounds in Rahm Emanuel's kennels.  Pastor Pfleger calls Friends of the Parks Gangsters - you know like the GDs. The Rev says, "Tell me the difference between Friends of the Parks and the Gangster Disciples?"

Well, the GDs shot at me, killed a good number of students that I love, shake down local business people, terrorize everyone, Vote Straight Party on Demand ( call on Elder Hal Baskin GD Emeritus) , launder drug money, sling drugs, possess firearms of every variety and caliber, sport snappy gray, blue and black attire on more formal occasions, can not seem to paly well with the Stones and say 7-4 Til the World Blow and Trust by the old six-pointed star . . .yep, just like Friends of the Park.

• Pastor Pfleger the political preacher who is probably With Her in 2016   
• Newton Minnow - The Man who Discovered Barack Obama and Called Television A Vast Waste Land predicted that Rahm would prevail in this dual to death and warned the helots who still read Chicago Editorials without wetting their britches that Friend sof the Park were 'small group setting an agenda' and the might be setting a 'dangerous precedent' - like keeping the public trust. Shucks, can't have that around this burg, Newton.
• The Sun Times Editorial Board always on the right side of fixed polls and fixed pols
• The Chicago Reader, the script for the hip, chimed in with the Friends of the Parking Lot Meme - the hip don't tailgate, unless it is for an ironic goof on the squares

The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board surprised me on this one.  They did not swallow the Rahm Bait and to this I attribute the sound voices of John Kass and Kristen McQueary.

The people who really do not like people in the neighborhoods are the people who really hate Friends of Parks.

Friends of Parks, like the Sons of Liberty long ago and forgotten in public education, could be the spark for  Cook County Revolution!  Friends of the Parks proved to be friends of Chicago's Neighborhoods. 

I am making a modest gift to Friends of the Park . today.  

Chicago Needs A Neighbor as Mayor - ATU 308 President Bob Kelly Makes Sense

Laura Washington, God love her, suggests that Chicago needs a hometown De Blasio.  If De Blasio translates to ' a powerful enema,'  I agree. Chicago's blocked colon is the result of, not the lack of Progressives.

However, De Blasio name probably come from the Italian of Biazz in Tuscony, or the Italian Swiss town of the same name.  De Blasio is avariant of the name Biasi.  There was a famous Italian manufacturer of explosives by the name of Mario Biazzi (1897-1974), which would factor nicely with the former Sandinista Boy Scout, a married a former lesbian and is now Mayor of the Big Apple.

I did not know that there were former lesbians.  I thought they were like members of Irish Republican Army, or the U.S. Marines - Once In, Never out. Lord have mercy.

Bill De Blasio and Rahm Emanuel are cuts from the same cloth. However, once a Progressive gets a taste for corporate boodle, he can not get his snout out of the trough.  Bill De Blasio is only just wetting his beak.  Rahm has had a moolah bath for decades in golden tubs filled by Goldman Sachs, Hollywood, Planned Parenthood and the Non-Euclidian Plutocracy.

When corporate suits play at Progressive and the political rubber meets the road there is always a blow-out.  Real estate and real politics are a fixture not unlike sticking a starving rat and rabid raccoon in a burlap bag. One will win the fang and claw fest but you end up with a useless and bloody bag.

A recent study of Santa Cruz, CA offers this insight, " Since most cities are usually controlled by real estate developers and their buddies, Santa Cruz is a good test case for comparing theories of urban power. Atypical cases are helpful in eliminating theories from consideration if they cannot explain the unexpected events." Not true.  Most cities are controlled by coalitions of interests outside of the city limits.  The suits don't live in the city.

Now, don't get all nasty on the real estate developer.  Their 'buddies' are banks, lawyers, Friends of the Parks, Universities, political weasels and the media.   They have tony zip codes.

Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Cook County Board and recent Single Mom, is poised to challenge Rahm Emanuel for Mayor.  Toni has a tony zip code.

Most Chicagoans do not.  Chicagoans need a mayor who is also a neighbor and not just some cork-screw in Armani who stashed the old lady's wedding dress in the family rental, while in greener pastures.

If Chicago want to break the cycle of dynastic Kleptarchy and Progressive blow-out government ( which have nationally, state-wide, county level and at City Hall), Chicago needs to get a neighbor in the brawl.  I'd pick ATU Local 308 President Robert Kelly.

• Kelly is no friend of the grifting interests that begat Emanuel, Claypool, Preckwinkle & Quinn
• Kelly is a middle class wage earner who earned his Carhartt gear
• Kelly is a geuine labor leader, unlike the Marxist myna bird - Karen Lewis
• Kelly is a Chicago tax paying homeowner with eleven children
• Kelly is leader of a broad and diverse labor local of skilled professionals
• Kelly has managed one of the only Pension funds in Illinois that is going to benefit its membership
• Kelly is already in the political cross-hairs
• Kelly is already a media target - how can one not trust person whom Eric Zorn, Rich Miller, Carol Marin and Michael Sneed just don't like.

Chicago could use an enema with firehouse on full strength.  Chicago is not New York, never was and never should be. Every stupid idea Chicago City Council ever nanny stated on its people came from New York. Vote in Chicagoans.

The difference between Rahm (Bloomberg) and Toni ( De Blasio) is the difference between cancer and strychnine.

Tribune Editorial Board Boosts the Progressive Fatwah Against Labor Issued by Imam Pfleger

Man, if you had the juice of the droopy-eyed mope and career grifter of the CTA - Forrest Claypool - you could wake up any morning with a dead Mormon family in bed with you, start the morning off with a big bowl of Jello shots swimming in Maker's Mark, drive to work like Danny Davis, do as little as Governor Quinn for a straight six hours and draw a pay check and change with no less than six zeros behind the arabic numeral of your choice.

However, you are not Forrest Claypool, Sheila Simon, Pat Quinn, Toni Preckwinkle, or Deb Mell;  you needs to work and be accountable.

Robert Kelly is the President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308.  I have never met Bob Kelly.  I have read about the man in the newspapers and find him to be a genuine man of labor.  I have met Forrest Claypool and read about his. I can't say deeds, jobs in government going back to Mayor Harold Washington.  The guy, in my opinion, is a dope, but the luckiest dope in the world, to paraphrase Babs Streisand   Forrest Claypool is job-hopping grifter.

Bob Kelly has had a job with Chicago Transit Authority in nearly every capacity concering rail cars and has earned the trust of his co-workers who made Kelly their agent and finally union President. They elected Bob Kelly.   I can not remember the last time Forrest Claypool earned the votes of anyone for anything.  He is a career appointee. Wait!  Claypooly narrowly beat Ted Leschowisz for a County Board seat, but had his patrician rump handed to him by Todd Stoger in the county Board President race and most recently Joe Berrios for Cook County Assessor. Todd Stoger???

Well, Rahm got elected Mayor and appointed Forrest Claypool to the presidency of the Chicago Transit Authority, because that post is a Non-Shakman patronage haven.

In the spring of last year, following a series of bumps on the rails caused by Claypool, Rahm, Pfleger and Claypool announced a Progressive feel-good dodge that gave 65 ex-felons jobs cleaning CTA rail cars. That trio of grifters never bothered to chat with Local 308 about this Studs Terkel of an initiative.

When it came time to renew those hand-outs, it was discovered that Kelly and Local 308 wanted to pay these ex-cons a better salary than Clayppol's coffers could stand. Rahm tossed Claypool the Progressive Playbook.

• Problem - Kelly
• Solution - Destroy the man and his reputation!
• Enlist Sneed, Andy 'The Microphone" Shaw's BGA, the ususal sheep

So beginning in late November, Claypool had smooched the proper Progressive fannies and had Citizen Michael Phleger, Robby Rush, Danny Davis and the Later-Day Marats of both city editorial boards geared up to go Full Axelrod on White Boy Kelly!

Citizen Pfleger decided to issue a Fatwah on Robert Kelly in January*.

Today, Bruce Dold and the Tribne Editorial Board joined that Imam Pfeger's fatwah and used a stale Sun Times smear from December impyling that Robert Kelly fixed a scholarship and shook down companies doing business with Claypool's CTA.

This editorial  is a political hack-job done only to smear a genuine labor leader of a skilled trades local. Robert Kelly has stood up to Mayor Rahm and his hapless. job-hopping appointee CTA President Forrest Claypool. The charge against Robert Kelly crawled from under the stove in December hours after Claypool allies ( Bobby Rush and Michael Pfleger) protested at Local 308 over the placement of ex-felons in union jobs without the consultation of Local 308. The Sun Times did that story which Bruce Dold and Editorial Board uses today. Pfleger has issued a Fatwah on Robert Kelly, the media has taken the side Forrest Claypool whose tenure with CTA has been one screw-up after another -called out onl;y by Robert Kelly at each ( potty Breaks, Bombardier wheels, the Forset Park wreck of Old 98, Ventra & etc.). The Tribune editorial board loves Progressives and shugs when progress come to a screaming halt, when a proteceted species of Progressive Cook County pulls the brakes and not the throttle. This is character assasination worthy of Joseph Medill.

I f you really want to know why things are so screwed up, read the papers, watch the news and remember something, anything.


*

Father Michael Pfleger

January 2

Robert Kelly, President of ATU Local 308 did not get his New Year wish to fire 65 Ex-Offenders from their jobs at CTA. Thankfully CTA moved them to another Union 241 so that they could continue to Work! This Second Chance Apprentice Program for Ex-Offenders has helped hundreds of Brothers and Sisters get a second Chance and sent a message to thousands that a Second Chance is possible, but Robert Kelly in his Arrogance and Power Play threw them UNDER THE BUS on Dec 31st. TO ALL 308 UNION MEMBERS, YOU NEED TO THROW MR. KELLY UNDER THE BUS IN THE NEXT ELECTION!!!!!!!

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  Matthew Deal I think Father Pfleger is just mad that he has to stay a Virgin for life so he taking it out on Robert Kelly. Smh

  January 2 at 5:36pm · Like · 3
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  Don Mack WOOHH!!! That's Great 65 people still get to keep there Jobs

Claypool Wouldn't Know the Truth Unless It Came With a Government Paycheck

DNA Erica Demerest photo

Forrest Claypool - say it with me, please " Forrest Claypool."  There; isn't that like a Yoga moment, or cucumbers on the eyelids?

For most Chicago journalists, just saying " Forrest Claypool" is a tonic akin to a seventh grade fat boy getting a Saint Valentine's Day card from a tween stunner - the Hope, Oh the Hope!

You see over the last forty years, Chicago newspapers gave up integrity for access.  Columnists and Editorial Boards care more about the news morsels tossed by a Daley, a Blago,  an Obama, a Rahm, a Mike Quigley, or a Pat Quinn than it does about getting out the full story. Public television and radio, WTTW& WBEZ share the agendas of the elected Progressives who run this city, county and this state and the activists and PACs who help keep them in power, They feed at the same tax-funded trough.

I'm just a working stiff, with a mortgage and a new tax on something I own or don't own every sixty seconds in Cook County. To me, the name " Forrest Clayyyyyyyyyyyypoooooooooool " portends a looming grift - a government sanctioned pinch of my wallet.  Forrest Claypool to my waxless ears is akin to the names of great grifters, cads, bounders, cut-purses and ne'er-do-wells of common culture Reese Kilgore, Butch Cavendish, Velma Valento, Bill Sykes and of course Galworthy's hideous Soames Forsyte. .  Uriah Heep is Congressman Mike Quigley's sole property, though Forrest Claypool would give Wee Mike a run for his money.

Thanks to the capriciously snorting snouts of Chicago's iconic news hounds, Forrest Claypool does not get away with murder, only character assassination of better persons -Amalgamated Transit Union Local #308 Bob Kelly.  Why only yesterday, Forrest Claypool celebrated the continued employment of 65 felons turned CTA apprentices with this -"Despite Mr. Kelly's commitment to end the rail car servicer apprentice program and put his own union members out of work, we've been able to work with Local 241's leadership to find a place for these individuals, guaranteeing them the opportunity to work and put food on their families' tables for another year," CTA President Forrest Claypool said previously." And often.

Robert Kelly has been portrayed in our collective Chicago media as cross between Simon Legree and Sir Percival Glyde, from the moment that the doomsday clock on the Forrest Claypool, Rahm Emanuel, Michael Pfleger CTA School for Felons was announced last March. Though the ex-cons were placed in rail cleaning posts, no one bothered to let the union governing such labor in on the plans.  Kelly wanted the workers placed in the jobs at the Local 308 recommended salaries, but Rahm Pinchpenny Savior and Forrest Claypool chained the workers to Micky D salaries in the name of Saul Alinsky.

But Kelly has said he wanted the CTA to pay the rail workers more money. The 65 rail apprentices are dues-paying union members, but they’re paid a considerably lower wage than their union counterparts, and they don't get benefits.
“What do I say to people when I say you’re going to do the exact same work next to a guy making $25 an hour and benefits, and I'm not going to pay you benefits?" Kelly asked on "Chicago Tonight" recently.
"They're using these people to save money. Give them the right wages, health, pension, benefits. Let’s give these people a real second chance. Let’s do it. I will sign that deal tomorrow, turn these people over, and give them a real shot at life,” Kelly said.

The SPIN fed to the gaping maws of the Chicago news hounds avoids the facts, minutes, calendars and records of Forrest Claypool.  No one from WTTW to Chuck Goudie to Eric Zorn will bother with the facts missing from a good Claypool news feed.

Claypool is such a gutless, sniveller that he and Rahm hired Citizen Michael Pfleger to perform the character hit on Bob Kelly.  Michael Pfleger wrote a Jeremiad on the alleged nasty nature of Bob Kelly in the always complicit Chicago Tribune, followed by an idiotic smear piece about Kelly's daughter winning a scholarship in the Sun Times.  Pfleger led a December protest that included accomplished grifter and activist Rep. Bobby Rush and a score of Pfleger acolytes at the offices of ATU 308, during the Local's Christmas Party. Now, Michael Pfleger has issued a Fatwa on Kelly via one of his FaceBook pages.

Post by Father Michael Pfleger.

Claypool knows enough to duck a working man in an honest forum.  I have never met Bob Kelly, but I have had more than enough personal contact with Forrest Claypool for one lifetime - usually at political fund-raisers for good people in public life who must admit Claypool on the guest list or near their coat tails.  Usually those same people find themselves subject to scurrilous charges on TV or in a column, later to be dropped.

Claypool would not know the truth if it came with a government check.  He does not need to know it.  Forrest Claypool is fine. Rahm Emanuel is fine.  Michael Pfleger is fine.

Chicago?  Not so good.

Robert Kelly?  We shall see.

Progressive War on Labor: Now, The Creeps Go After a Union Man Personally

“It’s a widely-accepted concept that you’re paid for work performed. It’s only in the Alice in Wonderland world of these crazy work rules that people are paid millions of dollars to do nothing,” Claypool said.

Gutless little twerp Forrest Claypool has Michael Pfleger and Dane Placko beat up a family man labor leader who actually can do his job.

Robert Kelly was elected as President/Business Agent of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 in 2008. Mr. Kelly is responsible for protecting the collective bargaining rights of over 4000 active and retired Chicago Transit Authority workers who work on the rail side. Mr. Kelly serves as a Vice President of the Illinois AFL-CIO and is President of the ATU Local 308 Scholarship committee. He is the proud father of 11 children.

Fox 32 ran another in a very long string of nasty caricatures of citizens.  Dan Placko, is the Ron Burgundy heir to the throne once occupied by Andy Shaw ( ABC clown emeritus and BGA Boss).  Placko gets spoon fed stories by leaders if agendas - in this case Michael Pfleger acting as the sword and shield of Forrest Claypool's CTA.

Over the last few weeks the President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 has been the target of activist preacher Michael Pfleger.  Pfleger is the priest who answers only to the cameras and his legion of media elves, who owns plenty of Progressive political juice.  Forrest Claypool is the job hopping career grifter who presently draws a tax-funded salary in a political appointment at CTA President.  Claypool by my calculations has not held a political gig longer than five years.

Dane Placko of Fox 32 couldn't find a donut in a police station, but answers the call of his masters:

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
The powerful head of Chicago's largest transit union, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), is coming under fire Thursday after FOX 32 learned his daughter won the union's top scholarship prize last year.
In addition to his daughter, the children of three leaders of the ATU local 308 won union scholarships worth up to $5,000 apiece.
Normally that wouldn't attract much attention, but in light of the fact that the union is now trying to kill a popular program that gives ex-offenders a second chance some African-American political leaders are incensed.

Incensed, I tells you! 

Now, Dane is only a highly paid suit who reads anything put under his nose, remember,  Placko is to reporting as marshmallows are to Kimchi.

Bob Kelly's daughter won a union sponsored scholarship, because Bob Kelly is and has been a member of the union for decades -

Robert Kelly has been a member since October 1, 1986. Employed by the "Authority" on August 27, 1986. Robert has worked the classifications of Conductor, Motorman, Flagmen, Foot Collector, Switchman and Towerman. Appointed a steward in 1997 until he was elected as President/Business Agent on December 16, 2008. Robert demonstrates vision, insight and tenacity in representing Local 308's priorities. Re-elected to a second term on November 15, 2011 winning over 55% of the votes against 4 other candidates

Bob Kelly has fought Forrest Claypool and best the job hopper, since Claypool's appointment (not election, mind you) by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2011.

• Pee Breaks 
• The Bombardier Wheel Scandal -now swept under the media rug
• Ventra
• The Elves crashing the Transit Car in Forrest Park
• CTA Seniority Rules slashed by Claypool
• More Ventra

Now, Michael Pfleger is doing his patented Hillary Clinton speech on the head of a genuine labor union leader.

Dane Placko is always handy.  I remember a few years back when  tried to ambush the Cardinal on his little Sunday chat show, when he made a BS report on two political enemies of Toni Preckwinkle that proved to be nonsense and now going to work for Pfleger Industries Coalition, LLC.

Fox 32 has learned Kelly's daughter was awarded the $5,000 union scholarship in 2012 for an essay she wrote on funding mass transit.
In addition, three other children of top union officials won scholarships in the past three years.
The union represents a total of about 3,500 CTA rail workers
In a phone interview, Kelly told FOX 32 he didn't even know his daughter had entered the contest.
"I was shocked (when she won). But I have no problem with it. I think it's a witch hunt they're engaged in," Kelly said.
He continued saying the essays are submitted without names to an outside panel for judging.
He said only 11 essays were submitted the year his daughter won, and all of those who entered got some scholarship money.
Kelly makes $134,000 a year as union president. The average CTA union worker makes about $60,000.
"She may be very, very smart and very, very talented, very gifted in writing essays and deserved to win. But monetarily, there are probably people more deserving to win," Trotter said.
But it's the 65 ex-offenders about to lose their jobs that has inflamed the situation.

" Fox has learned,"  because Pfleger wrote your copy, you mope. This has nothing to do  with jobs for felon emeriti otherwise Forrest would have placed them in high paying jobs by appointment - like his own bad self.

The only reason Mr. Kelly is taking any heat is because Claypool can't make change, let alone provide change. Nothing that goof has done in his career as grifter has saved a nickel or benefited anyone but Claypool.

Dane Placko slings out more crap than a backed-up Kohler.