Flint Taylor Ain't Done - Until All Justice Is Obstructed

Grant Burge This - He's Staying Corked! G.Flint Taylor is not about to allow that Dream Genii out of the Bottle. Burge Bubble$ and $parkle$ New$ Print and Buckaroo$$$ for Flint and his Cadre!

Indict, Prosecute, Convict Burge - but that is never going to happen and as long as morons like Ed Smith, Toni Preckwinkle and Lawsuit Lotto Lawyer Fiorretti play stooge to Flint's crowd along with most of the Chicago Media, the Burge story will be here long after Catholic Cemetaries have become Condo Townhouse Developments.

G.Flint is an old hand at obstruction of Justice - earned his radical spurs way back in the 1960's - now a Progressive grey horse like bomb throwers Bernadine Dohrn and her old man Billy Ayers - made academics no less. Imagine asking those folks to 'keep an eye on the kids while I run up to County Fair for some 2%?' Oh, well it was all explained to us by the Medill Truth Factory - subsequent Trib 'aon't that special and endearing'pieces and Chicago Magazine - they are an active part of this enterprise as well. And so many others . . .

There are continuing criminal violations here, and if the special prosecutor won’t do anything about them, then Fitzgerald, who is the U.S. Attorney here and who, of course, has made his name in the Valerie Plame case and has already indicted Daley’s people in a wide-ranging truck scandal, he has to open his investigation into federal RICO or racketeering charges, as well as obstruction of justice and perjury.

G.Flint Taylor
http://www.democracynow.org/2006/5/9/chicagos_abu_ghraib_un_committee_against


There just might be a 'Criminal Enterprise' Fitz. Let's see what you have. G. Flint Taylor's League of Lawsuit Lawyers amd his very complicit Media stooges have created an atmosphere that violates the right to life of ordinary citizens -A Thug Comfort Zone.

This Thug Comfort Zone
1. Created an atmosphere of mistrust for all levels of Law Enforcement and Justice especially any and all Police officers

2. Paved the way for political payouts of taxpayers dollars to convicted felons and lawyers

3. Made criminal sociopaths indifferent to the lives of productive citizens

4. Createg racial tensions and balkanizes the City

5. Got and Gets innocent citizens murdered

The City settled with G. Flint Taylor and he and his acolytes are only getting warmed up.

Here is a blast from the past - G. Flint Taylor's contempt for the Justice system from the Hampton v Hanrahan et al from the 60's.

XI. CONTEMPT JUDGMENTS

In separate appeals Jeffrey H. Haas and G. Flint Taylor, attorneys for plaintiffs, asked that the contempt judgments entered against them be reversed. These appeals have been consolidated with the main appeal. In order to appraise fully these contempt matters, it is necessary to present the facts in detail.

TAYLOR

In the last days of October 1976 plaintiffs called Robert Zimmers, the FBI firearms expert, as a witness. On November 1, while Zimmers was on the stand, the following took place:

Mr. Haas (attorney for plaintiffs): I now show you what I will mark as RZ51 and ask you what type of weapon is this, sir?

Mr. Zimmers: A double-barrelled Stevens shotgun, which bears serial number 43312 . . . .

Mr. Haas: Could we have a stipulation, your Honor, that this weapon was taken on the raid by George Jones?

Mr. Witkowski (attorney for defendants): Yes.

The Court: So stipulated . . . Let the record show that counsel has so agreed.

Mr. Witkowski: Yes, your Honor.

Several days later Haas again presented the Jones shotgun to Zimmers on the witness stand.

Mr. Haas: And is that the item, RZ51, the double standard sawed-off shotgun which we have shown you earlier, sir?

Mr. Zimmers: . . . Yes, this is the one.

Mr. Haas: And it has been stipulated that this is the weapon that was carried by Officer Jones on the raid of December 4, 1969.

At that point defense counsel objected. The judge said he would hear the objection outside the presence of the jury. Attorney John P. Coghlan, defense counsel, then argued that the defendants had never entered into a stipulation using the word "raid." He accused Haas of a "deliberate, wilful and intentional attempt to prejudice the jury." Haas said that his statement about the stipulation was accurate. At that point Taylor asked for a recess so that the transcript could be inspected. The judge denied the request.

When the jury returned to the courtroom, the judge announced: "Mr. Haas has deliberately and wilfully misread a statement. I direct you (Haas) to read that statement, that stipulation, corrected." Haas said he had stated the stipulation correctly. The judge then asked Coghlan to "state the stipulation correctly." Coghlan extemporized:

Mr. Coghlan: The stipulation is that the weapon that was shown to the witness was one of the weapons carried by the officers serving a search warrant at 2337 W. Monroe.

The Court: Now that is it . . . .

During the next two days plaintiffs' counsel repeated their requests on several occasions to review the court's transcript because they had none of their own. Finally, on November 10, the judge permitted the inspection.

The next day plaintiffs' counsel presented a motion to "Correct Prejudicial Remarks Made by the Court to the Jury and For Mistrial," supported by the transcript showing Haas' statement was not a misrepresentation. The judge summarily said he was taking the motion under advisement, and gave defense counsel ten days to respond. Haas argued that the prejudice should be cured as soon as possible. The judge refused to reconsider. At that point counsel for plaintiffs returned to their table flinging down their papers. Taylor's hand struck a pitcher of water on the table. The pitcher slid along the table top and fell to the floor near the jury box. The glass lining broke and water spilled on the rug. All of this took place while the court was in recess and the jury out of the courtroom. The transcript reads as follows:

*645 The Court: I have entered my order.

Now, there is one juror who has not arrived yet. We will now recess until

All right. Let the record show the conduct of both counsel in throwing papers around and one of them what is it that is broken over there?

Mr. Coghlan: Sir, there is broken a glass water pitcher.

The Court: All right. Mr. Taylor, you did that, and you are now held in contempt of court, and the Court now orders you committed to the custody of the Attorney General of the United States for a period of 24 hours, and orders the Marshal to take you into custody forthwith.

Mr. Taylor: May I be heard, your Honor?

The Court: No, sir.

Mr. Taylor: I have the right to speak before I am summarily sentenced, and I want to say

The Marshal: This court will stand in recess.

After a brief recess, the trial resumed. The judge ordered that the pitcher and debris be left before the jury box. Haas made several requests to be heard out of the presence of the jury concerning the incident. The requests were denied. The judge, however, did grant a request of Special Corporation Counsel Camillo F. Volini that Volini's photographer take pictures of the broken pitcher. Although the judge refused to permit the press to take photographs, he told Volini that "they (the press) may have a copy of the picture that is taken." He also told defense counsel to have the press "pay you whatever it costs," if they desired a copy.

After the incident, an attorney appeared on behalf of Taylor and attempted to be heard. The judge refused the request telling the attorney to return later in the day. Near the close of the afternoon session, the judge, without hearing argument on behalf of Taylor, entered the following order:

The Court finds that a motion was made by counsel for plaintiffs herein, and the Court ordered counsel for defendants to answer the same within 10 days. Both Jeffrey Haas and G. Flint Taylor, two of the attorneys for plaintiffs, demanded an oral hearing, which the Court denied. Immediately after the Court refused to hear them orally, Attorney G. Flint Taylor, In a fit of anger, threw paper, books and other objects on the table for counsel, including a decanter with an inside glass lining, which was broken. Water and glass were sprayed over the floor in front of the jury box. Present in the Court were a number of spectators and representatives of the press.

The Court finds that such action was a contemptuous and constituted willful and deliberate contempt of this Court in its presence at 10:30 a. m., November 11, 1976. The Court does hereby find Attorney G. Flint Taylor in contempt of Court, and does hereby order and direct that he be and is hereby committed to the custody of the Attorney General of the United States for a period of 24 hours, ending at 10:35 a. m. on November 12, 1976.

The Court further orders and directs the United States Marshal to immediately execute this order and take Attorney G. Flint Taylor into custody forthwith.

The judge immediately amended the order by substituting the words "in the presence of the Court" for "in a fit of anger." He also commuted the time to be served.

HAAS

On February 22, 1977 Hanrahan was recalled as a witness after a four-day interval during which Treviranus had testified regarding the federal grand jury investigation. Treviranus identified a memo he had written which outlined the arrangement between Hanrahan and Assistant Attorney General Leonard whereby the raiders would not be indicted by the grand jury and Hanrahan would terminate the prosecution in the state court against the survivors of the raid. The court had deferred a request to introduce the document while Johnson and Treviranus were under examination. With Hanrahan back on the stand the transcript reads:

Mr. Haas: Sir, were you present at a meeting with Marlin Johnson in late *646 March or early April of 1970 in which he indicated that there would be no indictments of police officers or yourself?

Mr. Hanrahan: No, sir.

Q: Well now, didn't Mr. Hanrahan, didn't you tell the Federal prosecutors on or about April 8 that you were going to drop the indictments against the occupants of the apartment?

A: My recollection is that on the second date that I appeared before the Grand Jury I indicated that they would review the indictments that are pending and probably dismiss them.

Q: You are referring to May 5th of 1970?

A: I am referring to the second occasion that I appeared before the Federal Grand Jury. It was early in the year and I believe it was in May.

Q: But prior to that you had entered an agreement with the Federal prosecutors to drop the charges, had you not?

A: No, sir.

Q: And hadn't you told them that the reason that Defense counsel Volini objected and asked for a hearing outside the presence of the jury. After the jury had left the courtroom, Volini asked that Haas be instructed to cease asking questions concerning the agreement and that the jury be "instructed to disregard it." Arnold Kanter, counsel for the defendants, asserted that Haas should be denied the opportunity to ask more questions concerning such agreements because the witness had already asserted there were none. The judge did not rule on these motions, nor did he wait to hear from plaintiffs' counsel. He called the jury back and said, "The last question is stricken. You will disregard it." Haas then resumed his questioning of Hanrahan:

Mr. Haas: Mr. Hanrahan, do you know how it was that Leonard Treviranus knew on April 8th that the Grand Jury

Mr. Kanter: Objection.

The Court: Now, Mr. Haas

Mr. Haas: Wait a minute.

The Court: we just got through out of the presence of the jury. You will not go into that subject matter any further.

Mr. Haas: I didn't even get to argue it. Well, Judge, the deal

The Court: I said you will not go into it any further.

Mr. Haas: Judge, we can't cover up the coverup.

Mr. Witkowski (attorney for defendants): Your Honor

Mr. Haas: That is part of our complaint, that they covered up, Judge.

Mr. Coghlan: If the court please

The Court: Mr. Haas, you are now held in contempt of court for the last remark directed to the Court, and I will prepare an order accordingly.

Mr. Taylor: May the jury be excused

The Court: The Court will take a recess, and we will prepare an order holding you in contempt.

Mr. Haas: All right, Judge. I think all the people who have spoken the truth have always ended up in contempt, and the coverup goes on and on and on.

Mr. Taylor: And Mr. Treviranus testified on Friday, Judge.

The Court: I will hold you in contempt and I will now turn you over to the custody

Mr. Haas: O.K., Judge.

The Court: of the U. S. Marshal for contempt, and hold you in custody until tomorrow morning at 9:00 o'clock.

Mr. Haas: All right, Judge, I would just

Mr. Taylor: There is a document right here that says there was

The Court: Court now stands in recess.

Haas was taken into custody by the United States Marshal and ordered held until the following morning. An order was entered by the judge that day finding that Haas' "statements and actions in the presence of the Court are serious and that it resulted in the obstruction of the administration of justice . . . ." The judge referred to no specific language, but did recite "certain statements in open court in *647 the presence of the jury as set forth in the transcript of the Court proceedings certified by the court reporter and attached hereto made a part hereof." The court denied a motion for appeal bond, and Haas remained in jail until the next morning. On the following day the judge reversed his ruling and heard extensive testimony from Hanrahan about the alleged arrangement.

Unquestionably, a court has the power to punish summarily contemptuous conduct which occurs in the presence, sight, or hearing of a presiding judge. Ex parte Terry, 128 U.S. 289, 302-04, 9 S.Ct. 77, 32 L.Ed. 405 (1888). For example, that the contumacious refusal of a witness to testify, "may so directly obstruct a court in the performance of its duty as to justify punishment for contempt is so well settled as to need only statement." Ex parte Hudgings, 249 U.S. 378, 382, 39 S.Ct. 337, 339, 63 L.Ed. 656 (1919).

The power of a federal court to punish immediately and summarily for "direct contempt" is codified in 18 U.S.C. s 401 which provides that:

A court of the United States shall have power to punish by fine or imprisonment, at its discretion, such contempt of its authority, and none other, as

(1) Misbehavior of any person in its presence or so near thereto as to obstruct the administration of justice . . . .

The Supreme Court, commenting on this statute in In re McConnell, 370 U.S. 230, 233-34, 82 S.Ct. 1288, 1291, 8 L.Ed.2d 434 (1962), explained that this provision was enacted by Congress "in order to correct serious abuses of the summary contempt power that had grown up . . . revealing 'a Congressional intent to safeguard Constitutional procedures by limiting courts . . . to "the least possible power adequate to the end proposed." ' " The Court in McConne ll then defined the issue:

Thus the question in this case comes down to whether it can "clearly be shown" on this record that the petitioner's statements while attempting to make his offers of proof actually obstructed the district judge in "the performance of judicial duty." Id. at 234, 82 S.Ct. at 1291.

I am off to Jason Riley's funeral in a few minutes. Jason was murdered by Thugs from the Media/Lawyer/Thug Comfort Zone at 69th & Ashland.

Be Grassroots - stop buying newspapers. More funerals to come. More money will go to Flint and convicted felons. Flint Taylor has not settled Jon Burge -he's merely aging him in the bottle - Burge gets better for Flint 'As Time Goes By!'

Just my opinion. I won't buy the papers,nor G. Flint's agenda.

Thug Comfort Zone - Media, Lawyers and Thugs, LLC.

Newsman, Academic and Celebrated Radical Joe Goebbels gave us a real Thug Comfort Zone - It was in All The Newspapers. Once Confidence in Law and Justice gets Undermined - It's Easy!


'At times, the sole point seems to be avoiding the truth.'

That was the only correct - if not honest - part of the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board's justification of the smear series crafted by Steve Mills and his band of sycophants. Steve Mills's team make that point - avoiding the truth. Radical thinking sells papers. It seems odd that this paper's Editorial Board wants to league up with some real bad actors. I'm just a guy who reads the news and it would seem to me that any paper would want to help make this city safer by helping Police find murderers and not enrich lawsuit lawyers. But that's just me. Maybe they will wake up.

Steve Mills has made a career of being spoon fed stories and 'series' like this latest spoiled tripe out of hand by the likes of Bernardine Dohrn Ayers, G. Flint Taylor, Jon Loevy, Locke Bowman and the think tanks fueled by left-wing philanthropists. They are - it seems - a 'criminal' enterprise; it seems to me - a 501(c)3 funded charity pool of gelt feeding an overtly radical political agenda really should be given a stern look by a serious journalist. Where is RICO when you need him?

In Life's Ironic spin, Steve Mills and the MacArthur Center for Justice (MCJ) - 'Investigative Steve,' doing the scribbling and sanctimony, while the 501 (c) 3 salaried political lawyers at MCJ doled out eye droppers of tips at a time and 'solid' allegations by the pocketful - had their collective asses handed to them a few years ago when a jury tossed the charges of 'institutionalized beatings' at Cook County Jail in twenty minutes. Quicker than it takes a glutton to put away his lunch.

The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board is beating its avian chest over this new 'hard-hitting' bowl of tripe served up by the very same folks. Police Abuse allegations -real and imagined are here to stay, until the paper gets more cancellations than the Sun Times.

That is not important. What is important to all Chicagoans is the Thug Comfort Zone created by this radical leftist and cynically short-sighted agenda. The most vicious and well-armed killers in this City act without fear - they murder with impunity; safe in the knowledge that any Police interdiction will be met with howls in the press and sanctimonious hypocrisy from the ususual suburban TV newscasters.

This Confederacy of Louses is as complicit in the deaths of two fine young men - Jason Riley and Steve Lyons - both black, both male, both productive citizens and both murdered in this Thug Comfort Zone - as the gang-bangers throwing the shots.

These same Chicago Editorial Boards that screamed for Justice for the Willis children in the George Ryan Trial can now worm and squirm when some citizens - some victims' families come looking for that same Justice.

Please,click on my post title for Chicago Tribune's Trevor Jensen's celebration of the Life of Jason Riley. God Bless you for your courage and sweetness, Kid!

Media Working for Lawyers Created The Thug Comfort Zone

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Green Hanukkah Curses the Light and Damns the Darkness

Get This! Some Green mopes ( click Post Title for story) want families to lay off the lighting of some of the Hanukkah candles!

Well Dreidel Dee Dee, Rutherford! We're off the smokes in public places as of January One; the whiny Yuppies can bring their Dobermans to restaurants; How about you 'I Can Tie My Own Bow Tie and Wear One - Even to the Shuffle Board Invitationals of the We Celebrate Diversity Festival in Kenilworth' clowns laying off the Holidays.

To all the wonderful and devout Jews the world over - Light Them Candles! The Maccabees paid the light bills years ago!

If the ACLU beefs, I'll give Brendan O'Callaghan a call at the law firm of נ (Nun), ג (Gimel), ה (Hei), ש (Shin)! Brendan worked on a Kibbutz and met his Bride there - she can't do a damn thing with him either: he still eats Underwood Devilled Ham out of the tin and washes it down with a quart of Dean's 2%.

God's Blessing on this Hanukkah!

Mike Houlihan and the Files of the Cleek Club: Gordon Pasha, Islam, Teddy Bears and Olde English 40's

'Gordon! Drop the Bear! Name Him for the Prophet, Infidel? - Try This Needle Point, Mr. Eminent Victorian!'



KHARTOUM, Sudan - A British teacher jailed for letting her students name a teddy bear Muhammad as part of writing project headed home Monday after being pardoned -- ending a case that set off an international outcry and angered many moderate Muslims.

The incident was the latest in a tense relationship between the West and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, an Islamic hard-liner who has been accused by the United Nations of dragging his feet on the deployment of peacekeepers to the country's war-torn Darfur region.

Chicago Tribune 12/03/07

Among the Doric Columns of Chicago's Newest Club, Renaissance Man Mike Houlihan explains International history and Morality to Journeyman Reader Pat Hickey - no mean task that: ( hushed quietude erupted by outraged incredulity!)

'Bugger Birkenhead, Houli! The papers resound with cries of Gordon's Ghost - the good man kebobed in defense of the Khedive of Egypt.'

'Hickey, Old Sod, Lytton Strachey and your devotion to old Bill Thackeray's son-in-law not withstanding, the truth of the matter is that Pasha 'Chinese' Gordon was guilty of the exact same crime as the plump,toothy Brit spinster - (you are yet a widower, Hickey? , never mind )- about to British Airways her way back to Old Blightey as we wheeze here in our New Club - The Cleek of Chicago, Worthington! another Olde English - on my chit - Cheers.'*

'Houlihan, you mean to say that this chubby do-gooder -tendering McGuffey's Reader to the Fuzzy -Wuzzies in the Sudan - is merely another Brit to incur the ire of Islam?'

'Quite. You see, Old Man, Gordon, like most Britons, would slaughter Wogs and Paddies with aplomb and delight all day long, but once Apollo's Orb dipped past the earth's golden sleeve - prosing too purple, am I ?'


'Prose On,do!'

'Once the infernal day ends a Brit likes nothing better than to clutch and snuggle with a plush toy animal - a Plush Bear - termed Teddy here in the emancipated Colonies. You see, Gordon, as a Professional Soldier and Amateur Humanist, liked a good Pet Snuggle along with a whacking good read of Holy Writ over the slaughtered bones of Heathen Chinese caught in Britain's Opium Trade and the Fuzzy Wuzzie's of the languishing Slave Trade; thus Gordon's presence in the Sudan. He had a stuffed bear named Mohammad that he carried with him through China and later in the Sudan. In China, he termed his dear pet Chinkey Freedman, much to the scowls of the pig-tailed Heathen, but once in the Sudan - Mohammad. You see, Hickey, Old Inflamed Colon, Gordon's naming of his pet is what stirred the ire of the Mahdi; brought on the Siege of Khartoum; bankrupted the Gladstone Government; and ultimately chucked the lumber through Gordon's pump. Lessons of History, My Boy, Lessons of Life.'

'Amazing Houli!'

'Quite!'

'Your Chinos are smoking, Old Man!'

'WORTHINGTON! Another 40! Pronto!'

* An earlier Post recounted the low blackguarding of Mike Houlihan by the snobs of the Union League Club - on response Mike founded the Cleek of Chicago - the Driver of the City:Mashies, Rakes and Niblicks are for smaller souls. The Cleek of Chicago is Big, Big Club!

http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/2007/11/chicagos-club-of-unclubable.html

McCain Is the Right Guy!

Illinois Libertarian Blog eminence grise , Bill Baar mentioned that I might be right - about John McCain. That's two for me.

In 1983, I asked the beautiful and talented Mary Elizabeth Cleary to marry me, after a long courtship - I gave her plenty of wiggle room. That was # 1. I was as right as I could be.

I have always voted Democratic and I really like and admire Barack Obama and was delighted by his appeal to all Americans. However, I believe that he was pushed into this run by the goofs who have held my Party captive for much too long.

John McCain is the guy. Of the entire field of candidates - John McCain is the only candidate capable of leading America in time of War on Islamist Terror.

McCain is the candidate to define America's course in this war and who can successfully execute a a conclusion to that war. It is not Iraq - it is not Afghanistan - it is a world wide war. The Democratic Party in Captivity merely shouts out limited and immediate feel good tactics - overlooking the big picture.

Others, like Ron Paul, want to appeal to the masses Huey Long-style. Get out now! What then?

McCain is the guy.

Click on my post title for Illinois Review's contrarian take on all this McCain Resurgent Reportage.

I'm not saying that I'm right. I am saying that John McCain has my full and unconditional support.

Ok - The Tree Goes Up!

Pushing Christmas down the throats of people who love the Season has done more to slow the process of Yuletide cleansing than anything I can imagine.

Radio stations playing non-stop Carols, Tin-Pan alley novelty songs, and Hip- Hop monstrosities allegedly using the notes of Schumann, Bach and Martin Luther since well before Halloween have exacted a toll on Christmas devotees.

The looping of It's a Wonderful Life and Christmas Story have benumbed that medium to a point where people say - 'So What!'

One guy, Aloysius P. " Tri- State" Shea - called Tri-State by his brothers due to the fact that the 5'6" Aloysius weighs in at a husky 294 Lbs* - has beaten every one on his block in the Morgan Park neighborhood of St. Cajetan's Parish with his own November 30th Tree trimming party.

Beginning on Friday, November 29th at Sundown, Aloysius and his Tannenbaum Tree Trimmers who work shifts from Landis Plastics in Worth, IL. Arrive at the bachelor Shea's home - nestled near the B & O rail lines west of Kennedy Park, arrive to prepare the tree branches consisting of high quality Dutch Beer Bottles - the Pint Sized Ones with the ceramic recloseable caps - though I have never -ever - witnessed anyone ever closing the cap. The Bottles Must be emptied in order to avoid any possible explosions due to temperature fluctuations or a late night attempt to cool the pipes during the Holiday Season. On Saturday, November 30th, Tri-State's crew put together the Christmas display.

This morning after coffee with the Worthies at Kean Gas Station at 111th & Talman I cleansed my arteries of plaque with a manly amble over to Tri State's lair to capture Christmas 2008! Tri State's crew then took up places all over his front yard as human statuary in various examples of Nativity slumber - must be the beasts asleep and awaiting the Harking Herald of Angels Singing! - or it could be the Grolsch.


I wish Andy Williams and Claudine Longet were here to witness this Merriest of Christmas Tributes!


Christmas is Bock! or maybe Lager than Life!


* An Homage to the Tri State Tollway -Interstate Route 294

Quigley's Lunch ! Hold The Turtle!

Mike Quigley Knows what he wants; it's up to all the rest of us to figure out what it is.

We get that from following Quigley's sluggy political trail through the pages of the Chicago newspapers. The Chicago Reader is a good jumping off point because eventually the Sun Times will do a bowdlerized version of what Ben Joravsky writes and then someone will read that piece to Andy Shaw and he will go on to jaw-bone endlessly about the issue or position on WTTW until Kate Grossman gives Andy the skunk eye. Kate seems to be about the only human being capable of shutting that Walking Windpipe up. Back to the 'Man Who Would be - Something!'

( Click on my post title - Ben is helping Quigley as always - Mike Madigan is getting some from the Uriah Heep of Illinois Politics)

Here is a tale that worked it's way out here to the 19th Ward.

Mike Quigley had a taste for some soup - like he wanted to be Alderman of Helen Schiller's Ward; Cook County Sheriff; and now President of the Cook County Board; tomorrow - Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler - like Dave Orr's Patrone Hugo Chavez - sold Mayor Dave those swell ballot machines, Hugo did.

After a hard morning of trying to reach the elevator buttons in the County Building, Mike broke for lunch; piston-ed his stumpy legs to Marquette Inn on Washington Street. After about a forty five minute walk, Mike arrived hungry for some soup - he needed meat - he was sure of it - Turtle soup!

Commissioner Quigley ordered up - 'I'll have a big bowl of Turtle soup!'

Waitress Marnina - 'You sure honey! Abderos! Big Turtle Soup for the Commish!'

Mike opened and read the Sun Times - The Independent - Progressive Conscience of the City! ( Jesus, that kills me every time I say it)and all of the nice things Mark Brown and Cheryl Reed had to say about him. It dawned on Mike Quigley - 'The Voters! The Citizens! Pea! I want Pea Soup!'

Before Marnina brought the huge steamy bowl of Turtle soup to Quigley's table, the Commissioner ( with the Taxpayers in mind) shouted - 'No Pea - I want Pea Soup!'

The waitress who had long served the quicksilver changeling Commissioner, in turn, shouted to Abderos!

'Abderos! Hold the Turtle and Make it Pea!'

Kate Grossman - slowly explain this one to Andy before he tells it to Joel Weisman.

McCain Fields a Full Slate of Delegates - Thanks to Rep. Jim Durkin

I missed the Debates on Wednesday, but had them taped. St. Cajetan Volleyball opened with a win over St. Bede's in 7th Grade Girls Worth Township League. Then I watched the taped debate and John McCain was the only one who even appeared Presidential - direct, mission-oriented and forthright.

Yesterday, Illinois Team McCain behind the hard-work and good humor of Il. Rep. James Durkin (R) filed a full slate of delagtes for John McCain - only the Romney Campaign managed to do so. Giuliani has yet to file. Click title post above for the Tribune story


Illinois should back McCain. Take a look at the cross- section of the State in suport of the only candidate who can lead America in time of Islamist Terror.

John McCain will define the debate for America. He is already doing just that and Illinois is responding.


Well done to Jim Durkin and especially Julie and Pat Brady for their 11th hour work in meeting the dealine!




Subject: MCCAIN PRESS RELEASE: Representative Jim Durkin To File John McCain 2008 Illinois Ballot Petitions






REPRESENTATIVE JIM DURKIN TO FILE JOHN MCCAIN 2008 ILLINOIS BALLOT PETITIONS

For Immediate Release
Contact: Press Office

Wednesday, November 28, 2007
703-650-5550


ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign announced that Illinois State Representative Jim Durkin will file John McCain's ballot petitions for the state of Illinois at 8:00 a.m. CST today at the state board of elections.

John McCain 2008 also announces the endorsement of Robert D. Stuart. Ambassador Stuart is former Ambassador to Norway and former Illinois Republican National Committeeman. In addition, the campaign is proud to have the support of Ms. Julie Brady, who will now serve as Deputy Co-Chair of our IL team. Ms. Brady is a former Department of Justice prosecutor.

"Today, I am pleased file on behalf of John McCain. I am proud to have led a grassroots team of men and women who took time away from their families to show their support for John McCain because they believe deeply in his reform message. In 2000 I filed on John's behalf; I believed then, as I believe now, that there is no finer man running for president and no better candidate to win in the general election against the Democratic nominee."

Ambassador Stuart added, "John McCain's lifetime of service and sacrifice has prepared him to lead our nation from the first day he takes office. He is the only candidate that can maintain the principles of the Republican Party and unite all the Republicans to beat the Democratic nominee in the general election."

The following elected officials and delegates support John McCain in the state of Illinois:

ILLINOIS LEADERSHIP TEAM

U.S. Congressmen
Rep. Mark Kirk
Rep. Ray LaHood
Rep. Peter Roskam
Rep. John Shimkus

Former U.S. Senator
Sen. Peter Fitzgerald

State Senators
Sen. Dan Cronin
Sen. Kirk Dillard
Sen. John Jones
Sen. Dave Luechtefeld
Sen. John Millner
Sen. Dale Risinger
Sen. Frank Watson

State Representatives
Rep. Dan Brady
Rep. Jim Durkin
Rep. Mike Fortner
Rep. Sid Mathias
Rep. Mike McAuliffe
Rep. Jim Meyer
Rep. Rosemary Mulligan
Rep. JoAnn Osmond
Rep. Raymond Poe
Rep. Randy Ramey
Rep. Jim Sacia
Rep. Jil Tracy
Rep. Jim Watson

Republican National Committeewoman Mary Jo Arndt
Major General John Borling, USAF (Ret).
Ms. Julie Brady
Former Ambassador and Former Illinois Republican National Committeeman Robert D. Stuart
Former Ambassador and Former Illinois Republican Party Chair Rich Williamson

ILLINOIS DELEGATES

Gregg Abbott
Helen Albert
Mike Amrozowicz
Mayor Jim Ardis
John Atchley
Kirby Ballard
Joe Bartolomucci
Tony Becker
Harry Bond
Maj. Gen. John Borling
Scott Boukal
Rep. Daniel P. Brady
Julie Brady
Kevin Brady
Mary Jane Brady
Will Callard
Dean A. Casper, Jr.
Mayor Thomas Tolbert Chisum
Vincent P. C hurak
Robert Cook
Michael Corrigan
James L. Coxworth
Sen. Dan Cronin
Larry DeYoung
Sen. Kirk Dillard
Richard E. Diller
Mary Pat Dixon
William Durkin
Rep. Jim Durkin
Barbara Dwyer
Deb Detmers Fansler
Bobby Vaughan Ferguson
Joann Finger
John Fogarty, Jr.
Rep. Mike Fortner
Jim Fuchs
Susan Gere
Kimberly Pate Godden
Gustavo Gonzalez
Joyce Gooding
Thomas Gooding
William S. Graham
Kent Gray
Mike Hagerty
Donald B. Hall
J. Sue Hamilton
John Harty
Thomas Hayes
Sean Healy
William L. Henniger
Herbert Hentschel
Roy Hertel
Nora Kathleen Hickey
Stephanie Hitt
Damon Hofstrand
Mark Hosty
Robert Hudon
Bill Jackl in
David A. Kelm
Virginia Kenney
Pam Kinsey
U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood
Nadja Lalvani
Prem Lalvani
Pastor Ceasar LeFlore
Stephen Liehr
Cindy Limbach
Andrew Loveday
Alex Martella
Rilio Mastrantonio
Rep. Sidney Mathias
Karen Matjasko
Matthew Mau
John McCrory
Tom McRae
Margaret McSweeney
Ann Melichar
Rep. James Meyer
Mary Jo Mikottis
Jack Murphy
Tim O'Neill
Rep. Joann Osmond
Ray Pawlak
Nick Peric
Rep. Raymond Poe
Dennis Presley
William Read
Nate Rice
James A. Riemer, Jr.
Wayne Rosenthal
Carlos Saucedo
Lisa Schumacher
John Scully
William G. Shepherd
Det. Larry Shepherd
U.S. Rep. John M. Shimkus
Karen Slattery
Michael Sneed
Jason Speer
David Stanton
Nina Stephenson
Eugene Syring
Steven Tomaszewski
Mayor Bruce Tossell
Rep. Jil Tracy
Mayor Henry Vicenik
Charlie Watts
Becky Weber
Mary A. Welling
Ambassador Rich Williamson
Alderman Elmo R. Younger, Veteran of WWII

Mike Quigley - He's Under the Radar and Everything Else

Mike Quigley studied in Israel ( That's Mike - Right in the middle sporting the Maroon Jumper). There he learned from experts on how to rid the Cook County Forest Preserves of waste - 'Behind us, Commissioner Quigley is the Sahara Forrest.'

Quigley - 'But, Yev, that's a desert!'

Yev - 'Now.'


Big Headlines often eclipse the little men who help make them. Mike Quigley - Cook County Commissioner has been behind - or under most the big ones dealing with Cook County government for years.

The Headlines and banners tout the machinations and the cascades of misspeaks by Bill Beavers and the inner-Party brawlings of Liz Gorman and Tony Peraica with photo ops by Forrest Claypool, looking determinedly befuddled - heck, Forrest, you play with Mike Quigley and you get that way.

Quigley ditched you for Todd Stroger - that's gotta hurt.

But Quigley gets a pass. He noodles an area of the City with high purchasing power and higher transciency. Quigley needs votes. People get to know Quigley, mercifully, move off to New York and L.A. and are replaced by new waves of earnest Yuppies.

The Media gets worked by Quigley like a kid from Puebla with a Local 150 Operators card. He's on 24/7.

He has pal columnists who never peek into his runnings and goings, much less his past. Quigley plays the University Think Tankers like Earl Scruggs on a G-Tuned 5-string Gibson!

As a reader of the news, why not give Mike Quigley an occasional tickle every now and then - like gave to John Stroger, John Daley, Helen Schiller,Michael Sheahan and any one else who was a few rungs up the ladder from his little mitts and toes.

Mike Quigley wants to be Cook County Board President by 2010. Click on my post title for the always prescient Russ Stewart's study of the Cook County States Attorney Race from back in June.

If someone, anyone, in Cook County Government, heck any government, or if you are an eight year old blind kid with the last $100,000 Candy Bar from the White Hen display, chances are Mike Quigley is chumming the guts in the waters around you - 'Sharks! Get To Swimming, Yoostis!'

In the mean time - allow me to entertain you with a tale from my Quigley files:

Mike Quigley and the Blonde

Cook County Commissioner Quigley and a blonde are sitting next to each other at the bar. The Uriah Heep of Illinois Politics leans over to her and asks if she would like to play a fun game. The blonde, drunk and dozing, just wants to take a nap, so she politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks.
Quigley persists and explains that the game is really easy and a lot of fun. He explains: "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5, and visa-versa."
Again, she politely declines and tries to get some sleep.
Mike Quigley, now somewhat agitated, says, "Okay, if you don't know the answer you pay me $5, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $50" figuring that since she is a blonde that he will easily win the match.
This catches the blonde's attention and, figuring that there will be no end to this torment unless she plays, she agrees to the game.
Quigley asks the first question: "What's the distance from the earth to the moon?"
The blonde doesn't say a word, reaches into her purse, pulls out a five-dollar bill and hands it to the lawyer.
Now, it's the blonde's turn. She asks the Reformer Manque: "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?"
Quigley looks at her with a puzzled look.
He takes out his laptop computer and searches all his references. He taps into the digital cell phone via infra-red wireless connection to his modem port and searches the Net and the Library of Congress. Frustrated, he sends E-mail to all Sun Times Editorial Board Members, Ben Jovarsky who feeds Quigley ideas, and Mark Brown, whom Quigley then feeds, friends, clients, and victims that he knows. And then some. All to no avail. After over an hour, he wakes the blonde and hands her $50. The blonde politely takes the $50 and turns away to get back to sleep.
Mike Quigley, who is more than a little miffed, wakes the blonde and asks, "Well, so what IS the answer?"
Without a word, the blonde reaches into her purse, hands the Little Giant $5, and goes back to sleep.

Columnist is Thankful for John McCain!

Wayne Woodlief of the Boston Globe is most thankful for Senator John McCain - so is French President Nick Sarkozy; so are our Troops; so are Americans searching for hope in a true leader; so am I.

John McCain knows how to connect with Americans - simple and direct honesty. Take a look at the genuine delight in the Boy Scout's face in speaking with a person who genuinely 'is glad to meet' him. You can not fake it and get away with for long - Illinois' Honest Abe knew that.

Hillary - keep the day job! Rudy - back to the resume. Fred - the writers strike can't last forever. Dennis - . . .Dennis? Close Encounter. They are probably coming back for Ron Paul as well.

Thank God for an honest man - John McCain

McCain Tops List Of Thankworthy

By Wayne Woodlief, Boston Herald
November 22, 2007

Today's the day again to thank all the pols and pundits who've made me think anew or laugh or sometimes shout. Some have been outrageous, some have been straight arrows, but none that I'm grateful for has been dull.

I'm most thankful for Sen. John McCain, the one candidate for president who stands up for what he believes and says it plain, regardless of the political cost.

He's ardently backed the troop surge in Iraq (losing some independent support along the way) even as he rebuked President Bush for not sending in more troops when the war first began, as McCain had advocated.

He stuck by the doomed immigration bill he co-authored with Sen. Edward Kennedy, though it cost him deeply among the conservative and important Republican Iowa caucus electorate. Yet that compromise bill was the closest we've come - or may come - to a solution that would both secure our national borders and open a path toward citizenship for illegal immigrants. For all the screaming and degradation of McCain by the hard-righters, why haven't they found an answer?

The Arizonan has bucked the president on torture and on those so-called "signing statements" by which Bush asserts he can disobey whatever parts of bills passed by Congress that he chooses, without vetoing them.

He has heart and fortitude. McCain was given up for dead a few months ago when his presidential campaign had overspent and was in disarray. Yet he is rising again as he focuses on the New Hampshire primary, where an upset of Mitt Romney would catapult McCain forward. Already, he has passed Fred Thompson, is edging by Rudy Giuliani for second place and has Romney in his sights in the Granite State.

In the latest Fox News poll, voters nationally also rate McCain as the Republicans' best hope against Hillary Clinton. In trial heats, Clinton beats Giuliani by 4 percentage points, Thompson by 9 and Romney by 13. But she and McCain are in a virtual tie, with the former first lady at 46 percent and McCain at 45 percent.

So keep telling it straight, brother McCain. You could win this thing yet. And even if you lose, you'll feel better about yourself.

'Rats!!!!!! To The Holes!' Shine a Light on Jesse Jackson

"Rats run in holes when lights come on. The City Council can expose the lenders," Jackson said.

Hey Kids! What's brownish grey; has more tale than tail, squeezes into cracks for nibbles and bolts out, quicker than a fat man eats his lunch; spreads fear, mistrust, and misery wherever he goes; is considered a major pest; loved only by his family, but they'd eat him given the opportunity and flourishes in big cities where foolish people think he's cute and edgy but do not pay careful attention to his purposes?

Yep. Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. Now, the man is after shaking down mortgage companies - BEST BELIEVE THAT JUNIOR!

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/668174,CST-NWS-jesse27.article
The Progressive - Independent Conscience of the City which pays for a Jesse Jackson column weekly is giving The Big Cheese eater's latest jackpot quest some help and he'll have their full support! Dick Simpson will weigh in; Frannie Spielman is being pulled off of real news ( poor Shanghaied talent); and the usual band of brothers will noodle and gravy Jesse's venture despite the fact that Jesse L. Jackson pulled the plug on an Illinois Program that combated predatory mortgage lenders - Jesse went to bat for those companies:

The program, Illinois Predatory Lending Database, went into effect last September. It was designed to collect information about lenders and was also supposed to ensure that borrowers with bad credit were counseled by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) before receiving loans (American Banker April 4).
However, the program's critics insist that the requirements made it even harder for low-income individuals to get loans and created delays.
Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. has said the program's requirements made it more difficult for low-income individuals to refinance or sell their properties.

A credit counselling that would have prevented defaults on loans was strangled in the cradle by the biggest rodent in the alley.


Hey this stuff's in the papers - better than Seinfeld reruns

As always - click on auld post title for the story from last April when Jesse was not so bothered by defaults.

CNN Debate Wednesday Night - McCain says,'I will win!'

Just back from Thanksgiving with our service men and women in Iraq, the man best suited to lead America in time of war with Islamist Terror, Senator John McCain, is up beat. With good reason. People are listening to his message.

This past weekend, I helped Illinois McCain Chairman James Durkin grab up signatures of voters who like what John McCain is all about - proven leadership and straight talk.

Should be a great showing for the President . . . sorry - Senator McCain.

Spike O'Donnell and Buck Weaver from The Chorito Hog Leg

Spike was embroiled in a court battle with one of the Boy
Scout contractors who ‘The O’Donnell’ had helped secure
a City contract to re-pave Ashland Avenue from 71st to 95th
Streets – about $ 200,000 net for the mealy-mouthed slob.
Spike had contacted all of the right boys from the anchor to
the top-mast of Public Works Administration and the final
sign off by Mayor Ed Kelly himself. Now the crumb welched
on consultant’s fee and went crying to the Cook County States
Attorney that Spike was shaking him down. But, hey, only
suckers beef. The Treasurer would help Spike brown the sugar
from this lump of blubber.
Joanie Cullen always talked to Spike when the Biddies and
the High hats avoided his gaze and immediate touch like Spike
was a leper. ‘Good morning Mister O’Donnell, Sister Malachy
said to say hello to you when I saw you this morning and I told
Sister that I you never missed Mass.’
O’Donnell was delighted by this skinny little chit in her veil
and with rosary beads twined around her mitt like a knuckleduster.
Joanie Cullen had eyes the size of the hub-caps on
O’Donnell’s Chrysler parked at the steps of St. Sabina’s. Father
Gorey was taking his own good time in getting down from the
sacristy in the hopes that Spike would disappear; Spike liked to
hang around just to tease the new guy taking Monsignor Egan’s
place.
‘What’d ‘Chin-Whiskers’ have to say for herself, Joanie? She
looking to take a few inches off my wallet for you fine young
woman over at old Mercy High? That crone scares me back
into Church, Honey. What’d she want any way?’
Joanie loved the gangster, like one her uncles. O’Donnell
had been shot in the back the previous March when all the
asphalt contracting hoopla had made it into the newspapers
and became an issue in Mayor Kelly’s re-election campaign
– the greater issue was whether or not Spike would live, but the
natural born tough guy recovered after a few weeks in Little
Company of Mary Hospital and his standard walks around the neighborhood. Joanie – and everyone else in Chicago – had heard
of his reputation as a bad man, but knew that tough dapper daily
communicant who was so devoted to his wife, children, brothers
and neighbors that he put out the glad hand and offer of help
to anyone he met. He was as funny as Mr. Duffy the political
boss and more at ease than Buck Weaver, the disgraced third baseman
from the Black Sox days who lived in a nice house
over in Little Flower parish on Winchester Street. Those three
men sat out in front of Hanley’s House of Happiness and played
pinochle almost every day or in front of the electrical appliance
store near the White Castle hamburger stand at 79th & Loomis.
Buck Weaver had a job as the Vice President of Standard State
Bank – the safest Bank in Chicago – because Spike banked
there – and had devoted most of his life to restoring his good
name in baseball. Buck Weaver had known that his teammates
were taking Arnold Rothstein’s payoffs but refused to be a rat
and that was the only reason that Kennesaw Mountain Landis
banned Buck Weaver from Baseball for life. All the others,
Shoeless Joe, Ciccote and the rest had snatched up the bribe and
thrown the World Series – only Buck was pure.
Joanie Cullen added, ‘Tim said hello to you too Mr.
O’Donnell and asked how you were recovering. I’ll bring the
letter tomorrow and show you where he says so. He’s training
for another battle I guess and says that he is working with two
nice boys, one an Italian kid from Ohio and the other a hillbilly
from West Virginia. Tim said the Dago is a great singer and is
with an orchestra around Cleveland, but works for Desoto and
the hillbilly got his first pair of shoes in the Marines and had
never been more than two miles from coal mines in his life. Tim
says that he is a real sweet guy and the ugliest person he ever
met and that includes Myron Muchinfuch, the usher at Notre
Dame Games.’
‘Uglier than Myron, come on that’s Orson Welles stuff.
Where is Tim, somewhere in the South Pacific again? Did he
say where?’‘Mr. O’Donnell, Tim says nothing accept that he wants
Mary Janes and Bullseyes from Morganelli’s and he always asks
about everyone else. Never know he’s in a war, if it weren’t for
the V-Mail. Al, Jack and Martin talk about the War all the
time and Al is up in Fort Sheridan – he’s a cop, like Father was,
an M.P. and keeps deserters in line.’
‘Al, always had the right makings for the Chicago Police
Department, unlike your Father who is too honest a man and a
Union man to boot. When all of the rest of those apple robbing
Micks in blue wool had no problem shooting at working men,
your father, Joanie, had the steel to tell that louse Capt. Connelly
to take a leap. That’s why you old man ain’t a cop any more. Too
honest. Al will be a Captain with his own bagman someday.
Joanie, here’s a fin – load up on MaryJanes and Bullseyes for
that brother of yours – best man with bag of tools I ever met
in my life. Tell him I did a few laps around the rosary for him.
Give my best to your mother and tell that Bog-man Father of
yours that he had better keep his ‘LOIGHTS OUT-ing’ away
from 82nd and Loomis if he wants to keep healthy and keep it
on Bishop with the other bog-trotters like himself.’
Joanie laughed like she meant it and had no school-girl giggle
which delighted the retired hoodlum more and she pocketed the
five-spot for a trip to Morganelli’s candy store on Ashland Ave.
later that day.

Danny and the Tigers - Moonman Dan Races Like Jackie Stewart to Miss Potholes and Snakes

Here's Danny K. Davis breaking spring rolls with the Tamil Tigers - another pothole and snake in the road weaved away from by the Progressive.

This Thanksgiving, Danny K. Davis treated the Media to another heaping helping of police bashing stuffing, when he was ticketed for driving like an Englshman in Chicago and charged that the two officers invloved picked him, a black man, out of hundreds of other black motorists because he is black. Now -That's giblets!

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, who is black, said he will go to traffic court to challenge the $75 ticket given to him early Monday by two white officers.

"I'm not one of these people who cry racism," Davis told The Associated Press on Friday. "I'm a person who believes in hard work and follows the rules."

Davis, 66, said he was on his way home from co-hosting his Sunday late-night radio talk show, "Talking to the People," and was driving with three black passengers when he was stopped.

"I know that I had not weaved. I mean, I'm not senile," he told the Chicago Tribune. "Had I weaved, I would have said 'I thought I saw a pothole,' or a snake, or something."

http://www.charlotte.com/nation/story/375317.html


Again - I had to highlight that passage of American Political Rhetoric - one quote that will be on the little tongues of every school kid in America someday - unless Danny's Pals the Tamil Tigers get to them first.


If you kids liked Moonman Dan's English Driving School Story this week, let's thumb back for a great lttle tale called Danny and the Tigers.

If you kids think Danny's Dad Rev. Sun Myong Moon is shady gent, take a glance at Danny's pals.

Danny likes underdogs, like the Tamil Tigers of Sri Laanka. Click my title post for Danny K. Davis' recent junket and chat with his underdogs. Let's try to remember Danny K. Davis as he slow-talks his way out of the moving violation:

Now, - This is a long excerpt but it is WOW reading!

Human rights and terrorism issues
Main articles: List of terrorist attacks attributed to the LTTE and Notable attacks attributed to the LTTE
The LTTE is labeled as a terrorist organization as part of a broader allegation that it does not have respect for human rights and that it does not adhere to the standards of conduct expected of a resistance movement or what might be called "freedom fighters".[citation needed] The accusation of terrorism is based in part on claims that the LTTE kills innocent civilians, recruits child soldiers, has been responsible for assassination of political figures and non-military officials, and extensively uses suicide bombers.


[edit] Attacks on civilians
Main article: List of terrorist attacks attributed to the LTTE
The LTTE has attacked non-military targets including commuter trains and buses, farming villages, temples and mosques resulting in large numbers of civilian deaths.

Some of the major attacks resulting in dozens of civilian deaths include the Kebithigollewa massacre, the Gonagala massacre (54 dead), the Anuradhapura massacre (146 dead), the Dehiwala train bombing (56 dead),[67] the Palliyagodella massacre (166 dead) and the bombing of Sri Lanka's Central Bank (102 dead). The LTTE claims that its attacks on purely civilian targets are collateral damage.

Even after the signing of the Ceasefire agreement in 2002, the LTTE has continued to carry out attacks against civilians. They murdered 6 Sinhalese farmers on April 23, 2006 and killed a further 13 laborers on May 30.[68] In one of the deadliest attacks against civilians, a claymore antipersonnel mine attack by the LTTE on June 15, 2006 on a bus carrying 140 civilians killed 68 people including 15 children, and injured 60 others.[69]

On August 14, 2006, a convoy carrying the Pakistani High Commissioner Bashir Wali Mohamed, was attacked by Claymore type directional mine concealed within a rickshaw, killing seven people and injuring seventeen. The high commissioner escaped unharmed. The Sri Lankan Government blamed the LTTE.[70][71]. However, the High Commissioner Bashir Wali Mohamed himself claimed that this was the work of the Research and Analysis Wing of India[72].

See also: Kebithigollewa massacre

[edit] Assassinations
Main article: Assassinations attributed to the LTTE
The LTTE has long been accused of carrying assassinations of political rivals and opponents. These include:

Alfred Duraiyappah, mayor of Jaffna in the attack that brought them to prominence in 1975
Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India in 1991
Ranjan Wijeratne, Sri Lankan cabinet minister and former general
Lalith Athulathmudali, Sri Lankan cabinet minister
Ranasinghe Premadasa, President of Sri Lanka
Gamini Dissanayake, Sri Lankan presidential candidate
Major Gen. Parami Kulatunga, third-highest ranking officer in the Sri Lankan Army
Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lankan foreign minister, lawyer and international humanitarian.[73]
Indian courts have issued international warrants to arrest both Velupillai Prabhakaran[74] and its intelligence chief Pottu Amman[75] in connection with the killing of Rajiv Gandhi.[76] The LTTE at first denied any involvement, but later issued a statement in June 2006 acknowledging it and calling the event a "monumental tragedy."[77]

The LTTE has also been accused of killing moderate Tamils and other Tamils with whom it disagrees, such as:

Appapillai Amirthalingam, leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF)[78]
Vettivelu Yogeswaran, TULF politician
Sarojini Yogeswaran, mayor of Jaffna
Pon Sivapalan, mayor of Jaffna
Neelan Thiruchelvam, academic and TULF politician
Kethesh Loganathan, political activist and second chief of Sri Lanka Peace Secretariat
Selliah Parameswaran Kurukkal a Hindu priest that blessed Mahinda Rajapakse
The LTTE has vehemently denied involvement in several of these incidents. Others argue these are tit-for-tat killings conducted by partisans of both sides of the conflict. The LTTE argues the Sri Lankan government and government-aided Tamil paramilitaries have also targeted high-profile supporters of the LTTE.

LTTE supporters justify some of the targeted assassinations by arguing that the people attacked were combatants or persons closely associated with Sri Lankan military intelligence. Specifically in relation to the TELO, the LTTE has said that it had to perform preemptive self-defence because the TELO was in effect functioning as a proxy for India. They also draw comparisons between the casualties caused by the LTTE's actions and the actions of European resistance forces against Nazi occupation during the Second World War. However, the LTTE's alleged victims have included unarmed Tamil politicians and civilian moderates who sought a peaceful solution to the Sri Lankan crisis.[79]


[edit] Child soldiers
Main article: Military use of children in Sri Lanka
The LTTE's use of children as front-line troops was proved when 25 front-line troops between the ages of 13 and 17 surrendered en masse to the Sri Lankan Forces.[80][81][82] Amid international pressure, LTTE announced in July 2003 that it would stop conscripting child soldiers, but both UNICEF[83][84] and Human Rights Watch[85] have accused it of reneging on its promises, and of conscripting Tamil children orphaned by the tsunami.[86] Civilians have also complained that the LTTE is continuing to abduct children, including some in their early teens, for use as soldiers.[87] Moreover UNICEF states that the LTTE has recruited 315 child soldiers between April and December 2006. According to UNICEF, the total number of child soldiers recruited by the LTTE since 2001 stands at 5,794.[88][89]
The LTTE, however, strongly denies any responsibility for recruitment of child soldiers. It argues that instances of child recruitment occurred mostly in the east, under the purview of former LTTE regional commander Colonel Karuna. After leaving the LTTE and forming the TMVP, it is alleged Karuna continues to forcibly kidnap and induct child soldiers.[90] Its official position is that earlier, some of its cadres erroneously recruited volunteers in their late teens. It says that its official policy is now that it will not accept child soldiers. It also says that some underage youth lie about their age and are therefore allowed to join, but are sent back home to their parents as soon as they are discovered to be underage.


[edit] Suicide bombing
The LTTE has frequently used suicide bombers as a tactic. They pioneered the use of concealed suicide bomb vests,[57] which are now used by many other organizations worldwide. The tactic of deploying suicide bombers was used to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi, who was killed in 1991 using a prototype suicide vest, and Ranasinghe Premadasa, assassinated in 1993.[91]

According to Jane's Information Group, between 1980 and 2000 LTTE had carried out a total of 168 suicide attacks on civilians and military targets. The number of suicide attacks easily exceeded the combined total of Hezbollah and Hamas suicide attacks carried out during the same period.[91]


[edit] Ethnic cleansing
Main articles: Expulsion of Muslims from Jaffna and List of terrorist attacks attributed to the LTTE
The LTTE has been blamed for forcibly removing (or "ethnically cleansing" [citation needed]) Sinhalese and Muslim inhabitants from areas under its control, including the use of violence against those who refuse to leave. Most notably, the LTTE forcibly expelled the entire Muslim population of Jaffna with two hours notice in 1990.[92] The LTTE are also accused of organising massacres of Sinhala villagers who settled in the Northeast under the dry lands policy.[93][94][95]

The LTTE has apologized for the expulsion of Muslims and has blamed this event on the misconduct of one of its regional commanders. However these expulsions had taken place in Jaffna where the supreme leadership of the LTTE was based. It is therefore unlikely that these expulsions were planned at a local level. Furthermore no punitive action was taken against those who expelled the Muslims from Jaffna. The LTTE has taken the added step of encouraging Muslim civilians to return their homes and livelihoods and providing compensation. However very few Muslims have accepted this offer.

The LTTE feels the expulsion of Sinhalese civilian from the North East of Sri Lanka is a necessary step to safeguard the rights of the Tamil minority.[citation needed] The LTTE alleges that most of the North East lands were originally owned by Tamils, who were forcibly evicted to make way for government-aided Sinhala colonization schemes. These schemes, they argue were created with the sole intent of making Tamil civilians a minority in their traditional homelands and hence a means to further deprive them of their rights under the present district-based unitary political system.[citation needed] However, Muslims and Sinhalese have formed over half of the population of the East province throughout recent history. Furthermore, the existence of archaeological evidence shows that the Sinhalese have inhabited both the Eastern Province and the Northern Province for over two thousand years. In fact, most of the place names in the north and east of Sri Lanka are of Sinhalese origin. Scholars acknowledge the existence of a Tamil kingdom in Jaffna for about 300 years from around 1200-1500 CE, but there is no evidence of a Tamil kingdom in the Eastern province. Therefore, the basis for the LTTE's claim of the Eastern province as a traditional homeland of the Tamils remains contentious.[96]

See also: Gonagala massacre

[edit] Execution of POWs
The LTTE have executed prisoners of war in spite of a declaration by the LTTE in 1988 that it would abide by the Geneva Conventions.[97] Notably, the LTTE massacred most of the 400 to 600 police officers captured after their surrender to the LTTE in 1990.[98][99][100] The LTTE also executed 200 Sri Lankan soldiers captured during an attack on the Pooneryn army camp,[100] and hundreds of soldiers who had surrendered during the attack on the Mullaitivu army camp.[101][102]

See also: Massacre of police officers in Eastern Sri Lanka in June 1990

[edit] Allegation of Extortion
Some people alleged that a group claiming to be "fund raisers for the LTTE" forced the Tamil expatriates to give them money.[103] The group threatening the safety of their relatives or property in areas of Sri Lanka. This involves pressuring the people to directly give the group money, or to indirectly fund its activities by patronizing businesses connected with it (La 2004)[citation needed]. Although intelligence services have raised concerns about such activities, which are particularly controversial in Canada, few formal complaints have been made. During raids by the RCMP, the World Tamil Movement (alleged of funding the LTTE) was found coordinating a number of illegal activities in order to control the Tamil diaspora in Canada.[104] A report by Human Rights Watch outlines the intimidation and extortion Tamil expatriates experience from the LTTE.[105]


[edit] Proscription as a terrorist group
At least 32 countries have listed the LTTE as a terrorist organisation.[106][107][108] As of May 2007, these include:

India (since 1992)
The United States of America (since 1997)[109]
Malaysia[110]
The United Kingdom (since 2000)[111]
The European Union (since 2006; representing 27 countries)
Canada (since 2006)[112]
The UN has also passed Resolution 1373, asking member countries to identify and limit activities of any organization that carries out terrorist activities. The UN has not published its own list of terrorist groups, and has left their identification to the discretion of member countries. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan also suggested that the LTTE should face travel curbs and other penalties if they keep using children as soldiers. In a 2006 report to the Security Council, Annan also recommended other sanctions such as arms embargoes and financial restrictions against the LTTE.[113] Australia[114] and other countries have listed the LTTE as a terrorist group in accordance with Resolution 1373. Canada does not grant residency to LTTE members on the grounds that they have participated in crimes against humanity.[115]

The first country to ban the LTTE was its early ally, India. The Indian change of policy came gradually, starting with the IPKF-LTTE conflict, and culminating with the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Sri Lanka itself lifted the ban on the LTTE before signing the ceasefire agreement in 2002. This was a prerequisite set by the LTTE for signing of the agreement.[116]


[edit] Criminal activities
One factor that has benefited the LTTE greatly has been its sophisticated international support network. While some of the funding obtained by the LTTE is from legitimate fund raising and extortion among the Tamil diaspora,[117][118][119][120][121][122] a significant portion is obtained through criminal activities, involving sea piracy, human smuggling, drug trafficking and gunrunning.[123][124][125]


[edit] Sea piracy
The LTTE are reported to hijack ships and boats of all sizes, and it is common practice for them to kidnap and kill the crew members on board the hijacked vessels.[126]

The LTTE has been accused of hijacking several vessels in waters outside Sri Lanka including the Irish Mona (in August 1995), Princess Wave (in August 1996), Athena (in May 1997), Misen (in July 1997), Morong Bong (in July 1997), MV Cordiality (in Sept 1997) and Princess Kash (in August 1998). When the LTTE captured the MV Cordiality near the port of Trincomalee, they killed all five Chinese crew members on board. The MV Sik Yang, a 2,818-ton Malaysian-flag cargo ship which sailed from Tuticorin, India on May 25, 1999 was reported missing in waters near Sri Lanka. The ship with a cargo of bagged salt was due at the Malaysian port of Malacca on May 31. The fate of the ship's crew of 15 is unknown. It is suspected that the vessel was hijacked by the LTTE and is now been used as a phantom vessel. A report published on June 30, 1999 confirmed that the vessel had been hijacked by the LTTE.[126]


[edit] MV Farah III incident
In a notable incident since the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement in 2001, the crew of a Jordanian ship, MV Farah III that ran aground near rebel-controlled territory off the island's coast, accused the Tamil Tigers of forcing them to abandon the vessel which was carrying 14,000 tonnes of Indian rice and risking their lives.[127] The crew said that LTTE fired four times to force them out of the vessel after failing to explode it in choppy seas three days after. The skipper of the vessel said;

"First they tried to set up a bomb and explode the anchor cable and when it failed they ordered us to weigh anchor"

He also said that the Tigers dismantled and removed all radio communication equipment and radar from the vessel.[127] On May 1, 2007 Sayed Sulaiman, the chairman of the ship's owners, Salam International Trading Company gave an interview to the BBC Tamil service, saying,

"We hear from the parties who are concerned with the ship, the insurance company etc., that ... everything that could be taken – like the rice, lights, generators – has been taken from the ship. The ship is now bare." [128]


On October 16, 2007 the New York Daily News reported the arrest of members of the LTTE in a massive plot to loot ATMs in New York City.
[edit] Pilferage of tsunami donations
In May 2007, two Tamils were arrested in Australia. They were charged for raising thousands of dollars in Australia under the pretense of being for charities and aid for those affected by the 2004 Asian Tsunami, which killed 35,000 people in Sri Lanka, but instead using the money to fund the LTTE.[129] Australian Federal Police conducted raids across Melbourne and Sydney and charged the two men with "being members of a terrorist group, financing terrorism and providing material support for terrorism".[129] The Australian Federal Police alleged that the men have provided significant funds as well as electronic and marine equipment to the Tamil Tigers since July 2002. Commenting on the possibility of the LTTE engaging in other similar incidents, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said "We are concerned that that sort of thing is taking place in Australia, that Australian citizens are being duped into making contributions to what they believe to be honest fundraising activities in terms of relief for people in distress."[129].


[edit] Human smuggling
The Mackenzie Institute alleged that most of the smuggling of Tamil people to Western countries is done under the permission of the LTTE. However, there is no proof that LTTE benefit from this. It further alleged that the people who are leaving Sri Lanka from Tamil Tigers controlled areas pay a few hundred dollars as a forced contribution to the LTTE. In addition to this, people with special skills or a greater wealth than ordinary Tamils may have to pay thousands of dollars to be entitled to leave.[130]


[edit] Arms smuggling
Another one of LTTE's most secretive International operations is the smuggling of weapons, explosives, and "dual use" technologies to keep up with the military operations. The part of the LTTE responsible for these activities is given the nickname "KP Branch", taking the initials of its highest level operative, Kumaran Padmanathan (KP). The workers for the KP Branch are outsiders from the fighting wing of the LTTE, since the identities of the those fighters are recorded and available to law enforcement and counter-intelligence agencies by India's RAW, who had helped train many Tiger cadres in the early 1980s. The KP Branch operates extremely secretively by having the minimum connection possible with the LTTE's other sections for further security. It finally hands over the arms shipments to a highly trusted team of the sea Tigers to deliver them to the LTTE dominated areas.[130]

In order to carryout the activities of International arms trafficking, the LTTE operates it own fleet of ocean-going vessels. These vessels only operate a certain period of time for the LTTE and in the remaining time they transport legitimate goods and raise hard cash for the purchase of weapons. The LTTE initially operated a shipping base in Myanmar, but they were forced to leave due to diplomatic pressure. To overcome the loss of this, a new base has been set up on Phuket Island, in Thailand.[130]

However, the most expertly carried out operation of the KP Branch was the theft of 32,400 rounds of 81mm mortar ammunition purchased from Tanzania for the Sri Lanka Army. Being aware of the purchase of 35,000 mortar bombs, the LTTE made a bid to the manufacturer through a numbered company and arranged a vessel of their own to pick up the load. Once the bombs were loaded into the ship, the LTTE changed the name and registration of their ship. The vessel was taken to Tiger-held territory in Sri Lanka's north instead of transporting it to its intended destination.[130]

Western countries are the main territory for fund raising activities of the LTTE. The money raised from donations and criminal enterprises are transferred into bank accounts of the Tigers and from there to the accounts of a weapons broker, or the money is taken by KP operatives themselves. LTTE's need for resources is mostly fulfilled by the Tamils who reside outside Sri Lanka. In 1995, when the LTTE lost Jaffna, their international operatives were ordered to increase, by a massive 50%, the amount raised from Tamils outside of the island.[130]


[edit] Other crimes
LTTE has also been accused of committing credit card fraud in a number of countries including India and the United Kingdom.[57] In April 2007, the Sri Lankan High Commission in London also accused the LTTE of being behind a credit card scam, however a police spokesman said there was no definite link to the LTTE or Sri Lankan gangs.[131][132][133][134] Williams , a writer at US Institute of Peace Press, alleged the LTTE of crimes such as organized crime, social security fraud, counterfeit currency trading,[131][135] and satellite piracy.[136][137]

In 2007 the New York Police Department arrested a number of LTTE operatives who were planning to use stolen credit card information to steal $250,000 in New York City, and tens of millions more from ATMs worldwide.[57] Overall, Jane's Intelligence Review reported that the LTTE raise up to $300 million a year through various methods, including international credit card fraud and extortion of Tamil expatriates.[57]


[edit] See also
Terrorist attacks attributed to the LTTE
Notable attacks attributed to the LTTE
Assassinations attributed to LTTE
Black July
Kumaran Pathmanadan
Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups
Military use of children in Sri Lanka

Danny wants to help parolled convicts ( ex-offnders in Progressive language) get good paying Federal jobs inorder to get back at hard-working Mexicans ,according to the Chicago Defender:

Passage of the Second Chance legislation will grease the skids for more ex-offender legislation Davis intends to introduce next year. That bill will allow former felons to work at governmental agencies. Of course they will be in non-critical areas such as lawn maintenance, or doing road work etc. Davis has wondered aloud why anyone would need clearance to cut the grass at the CIA. There is no good answer.

Helping ex-offenders transition smoothly back into the community with education and skills can shore up many deficiencies. One of the largest contributions will be taking jobs that former Mexican President Vicente Fox said "Americans won't do."

Our neighborhoods are fraught with folk who don't look like us or speak the language doing jobs that give them a few bucks that don't turn over in our community. If ex-offenders are being hired, at least we know the money will stay in the community.

It's time we took steps that will reverse the unemployment and wage negatives about Black folk. Davis' legislation and pending legislation deserves the support of every Black Chicagoan in and outside of his West Side Seventh Congressional District.

http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/editorial.cfm?ArticleID=10015
Underdogs - the Tamil Tigers and released convicts; snakes and potholes. This stuff gets printed as the news! And people worry about the Writer's Strike?

This litany of horrors is from our good pals at Wikpedia

Not a Pothole - Nope. Not a Snake - Nope. It's Police! It's a Police Profiling Opportunity!

Mom and Pop Moon - Proud of Their Boy Danny! That's Livin' the Moon Life , Son!






Moon Man Dan gets better as the clock keeps ticking. Click my Post Title for the Danny K. Davis Show - "Are You America's Next Race Profiler?" (really today's Tribune piece)


Moonstruck? You bet! Danny - Turkey Coma? You dream this stuff up after putting away the HOKA and gravy?

This goof is the limit. A real maroon! He kills me! He Crowns Moon!

Now get this - Here's Danny's latest Kop a Plea on Cops for his Diving like A Brit charge this week. Dan - do NOT go north and south on Ashland - you'll bang up some citizens and property.


"I know that I had not weaved. I mean, I'm not senile," he said. "Had I weaved, I would have said 'I thought I saw a pothole,' or a snake, or something."
DK Davis (2007 U..S. Congressman and Moon Man)

Kind of reminds you of Daniel Webster don't it?