Hava Nice Christmas

I read over at Illinois Review that -

Illinois' northwest Chicago Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky refused to acknowledge the importance of Christianity and Christmas yesterday in the U.S. House vote on H.Resolution 847.

The Illinois lawmaker was one of ten who voted "PRESENT." Nine Democrats voted "No."

Consistent - Stupid - Progressive and consistent. One inconsequential Blogger, a genuine knuckle-gnawer, whined that 'They didn’t bother to tell folks Rep. Schakowsky is Jewish and doesn’t celebrate Christmas.'

Well, William Lloyd Garrison in Dad 'n Lads, American Jews Love Christmas! Always have.

In fact American Jews wrote the very best and beloved ( did Oprah copyright that word?) Christmas Songs:

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)

Number one on the list, this song was written in 1945 by Mel Tormé (1925-1999) and Robert "Bob" Wells (born 1922)--both of whom are Jewish. "The Christmas Song" has gained in popularity since 2000, the first year I looked at the ASCAP list. In 2000, it was third, with "White Christmas" holding the #1 spot.

Tormé, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants, is most famous as a jazz vocalist, but he did write about 250 songs, mostly with Wells. Tormé wrote the music for "The Christmas Song" and Wells penned the lyrics.

As it says in this article, this song was written in July, in the hot desert.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Back when I first wrote on the subject, I caught a newspaper reference to a university seminar in which one of the professors, reportedly, said that Fred Coots, co-writer of the song, was Jewish. I reported that Coots was Jewish. However, upon reflection, I am not sure that this newspaper source is unimpeachable and I haven't, yet, been able to find an independent reliable source that confirms or refutes the newspaper article's information on Coots.

White Christmas

Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" is the historical "biggie" of popular Christmas songs. Its incredible success inspired scores of other songwriters to try and write a Christmas song.

Berlin, one of the most famous songwriters in American history, was born Israel Baline in what is now Russia, or possibly Belarus. He came to the States in 1891. His father is alternately reported to have been a cantor or rabbi, but didn't work in either capacity when the family moved to America. His father's death, when Irving was 13, forced Irving Berlin to find work--like singing in the streets--just so he and his family could eat.

Berlin's early dire poverty fits the stereotype of the successful Jewish American songwriter--but not quite the reality. Most top Jewish American songwriters, especially those who worked in the Broadway theater, were from families that fit in an income range from upper working class to upper middle class. Also, most Jewish Broadway composers were American born and not immigrants.

Berlin certainly never hid the fact that he was Jewish, even though he changed his name (he adopted "Berlin" because that was how his last name, Baline, was misspelled on the sheet music cover of his first published song).

Despite his rabbi father, Irving Berlin was never a religious man--although he supported Jewish causes--like the State of Israel. He was absolutely very much an American patriot--and "God Bless America" was a sincere statement of his beliefs. (The royalties to that song go to the Boys and Girls Scouts).

For Berlin, personally, Christmas was not a happy time. His second wife, and the love of his life, was a Catholic. While Berlin remained a secular Jew, he allowed his children with his second wife to be raised as Episcopalians. One of their children, a son, died very young on Christmas day in the 1920s.

Berlin celebrated Christmas with his wife and his surviving children when those children were young, but he was always reportedly sad on that day--mourning his dead child. He did not celebrate the holiday at all when his surviving children were grown-up.

Let It Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

This song was written (1945) by the Jewish songwriting team of lyricist Sammy Cahn (1913-1993) and music composer Jule Styne (1905-1994).

In the 1950s, probably half of all Americans would recognize the names of this songwriting duo. Previews of coming movies would actually sometimes say that the film featured a Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne tune--and that tune would usually end up high on the "hit parade."

Cahn won the Oscar for best song four times: once with Styne, and three times with composer Jimmy Van Heusen, who wasn't Jewish.

Cahn was born Sammy Cohen on the Lower East Side of New York, the son of Polish Jewish immigrants. He changed his name from Cohen to Kahn to Cahn--to avoid being confused with a popular entertainer of the day with a similar name and, then, a songwriter with a similar name.

Jule Styne was born in London to Jewish parents from the Ukraine. His family moved to Chicago when he was 8. He is best known as a top Broadway and movie musical composer and the list of the great shows he wrote is staggering. Maybe the biggest are: "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," "Peter Pan," "Bells are Ringing," "Gypsy" and "Funny Girl."

Cahn and Styne also wrote "The Christmas Waltz." That tune has appeared in past years on the ASCAP top 25. But it is not one of the 2006 ASCAP top 25.

Sleigh Ride

Composer Leroy Anderson wasn't Jewish, but lyricist Mitchell Parish (1900-1993) was.

Parish was born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky in Lithuania, but his family moved to Lousiana and settled in Shreveport when he was an infant. (I don't know if living in Lousiana inspired the name change to "parish"--the term used for counties in Lousiana.)

Parish's family moved to New York City when he was about six and he got his education, through college, in New York. For decades, he was a leading lyricist.

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Holly Jolly Christmas

Johnny Marks (1909-1985), who was Jewish, was an interesting man, but his main claim to fame is writing three of the most popular Christmas songs of all-time.

Marks was born in a New York City suburb and graduated from prestigious Colgate University before going off to Paris to study music. Besides writing songs, Marks was a prominent radio producer. He had a heroic World War II combat record, winning the Bronze Star and four battle stars.

Marks also served as President of ASCAP and my friend, composer Ervin Drake, got to know him in that capacity (Drake served as ASCAP president some years after Marks). Drake confirmed to me that Marks was Jewish--and he helped me with a few other songwriters on this list that he knew personally and knew to be Jewish.

The full story of how "Rudolph" came to be is laid out in detail in this article. In short, Marks' brother-in-law, Robert May, who I think was Jewish--but I am not sure---invented Rudolph.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

The Jewish composer, George Wyle (1917-2003), was born Bernard Weissman in New York City, got his start playing piano in the Catskills and moved to Los Angeles in 1946 to write and conduct music for the Alan Young Radio Show.

He is also famous for writing the music to the theme song for "Gilligan's Island," the endlessly popular '60s TV show. (The lyrics to that tune were by Sherwood Schwartz, the show's Jewish creator).

Wyle's grandson is Adam Levy, a very talented guitarist who is best known for playing guitar in singer Norah Jones' band. He is also a composer and recording artist in his own right. His grandfather, he says, was an important influence on him.

l'll Be Home For Christmas

Walter Kent, who wrote the music, and Buck Ram, who co-wrote the lyrics with Kim Gannon, were Jewish. "I'll Be Home," like "White Christmas," was first sung by Bing Crosby and released (1943) during World War II. Like "White Christmas," it hit a nerve among those separated from their loved ones, and was an instant hit and holiday classic.

There is a legal dispute about this song. In short, Buck Ram, who was born Samuel Ram, wrote a poem--later a song--with the title "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Maybe Kent and Gannon saw Ram's version before they wrote their song and maybe they didn't.

In any event, Kent and Gannon wrote the song we all know--which bears little relationship to the song Ram wrote, except for the title. But Ram felt he deserved a writing credit--he sued--and he got a co-writing credit.

Silver Bells

This song was written (1951) for The Lemon Drop Kid, a Bob Hope movie.

Jay Livingston, who wrote the music, and Ray Evans, who wrote the lyrics, were a famous (Jewish) songwriting team with many big hits to their credit. Livingston (1915-2001) was born Jacob Levinson in a small industrial suburb of Pittsburgh.

Evans (born 1915) was born in Salamanca, a small city not that far from Buffalo, New York. He went to the Univ. of Pennsylvania, as did Jay Livingston, and the two met when they joined the University dance band.

They formed their songwriting partnership in 1937 and it endured until Livingston's death. (By all accounts, these two guys were like brothers and Evans was absolutely devastated by Livingston's death.)

According to ASCAP, the most popular (most current airplay) version of "Silver Bells" is the one by saxophonist Kenny G, who is Jewish.

Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)

Written by Midge Ure and Bob Geldof, this is the newest song on the list, was composed in 1984 for the "Live Aid" concert.

Rock musician Bob Geldof, who is now more famous as a humanitarian than a musician, was raised a Roman Catholic.

While I wouldn't call Geldof a "Jewish songwriter," he has some Jewish ancestry--apparently a Jewish grandparent. He told Hello magazine in 2002: "I'm Irish. My grandparents were Belgian, German, English and Irish. They were Catholic, Protestant and Jewish. I married a Welsh woman. We had English children. I live with a French girl. I luckily have flats in London, Paris and Rome."

There's No Place Like Home For The Holidays

I am still researching Bob Allen, a talented songwriter who is now deceased. This song's lyricist, Al Stillman (1906-c.1986), was Jewish.

Stillman being Jewish was confirmed, to me, by composer Ervin Drake. Stillman was one of Drake's co-writers on the lovely song, "I Believe." (A song that appears on many Christmas albums).

Al Stillman was born in New York and was a writer for Radio City Music Hall for 40 years. He had several other big hits, which are listed on this biography. Mr. Drake tells me that he was not a practicing Jew.

Santa Baby

This song was mostly written by Joan Ellen Javits (born 1928), and was first recorded by Eartha Kitt back in 1953. Madonna's 1987 version has proven popular enough to put this tune into the top 25.

Joan Javits, who is Jewish, was kind of a one-hit wonder so not that much is "out there" on her post-Santa Baby career. Joan is the niece of the late (Jewish) Senator Jacob Javits, a Republican who represented New York State from 1956 to 1981 and had a very distinguished career. Joan's father, Ben, was a prominent attorney and he was very important to the career of his brother, Jacob Javits.

I couldn't find any real biographical material on Philip and Tony Springer, who wrote the lyrics.

As always click my post title for Nate Bloom's great article and common sense.

Hava Nagila means 'Let Us Rejoice' We used to say Gaudeamus then all the Progressive morons of all Faiths put the crab on everything. We need to remember to give them a good giggle when they get their panties in a bunch about anything. God Bless You Merry Folks! God do something with the rest - give them something to do with all that time on their hands; most of us are busy.

Flint! Where's the paper work?

Old Timey Gator rassler and radical Lawyer Flint Taylor sitting on a victim of animal abuse and his client's expectations - No Settlement Leroy - Flint screeeeeeeeeewed the pooch!


Ace Radical Old Timey Lawyer and Gator Rassler, G ( Goofed Leroy!) Flint Taylor wanted to settle; needed to settle;Nay, demanded to settle; screamed, spit and hissed at every News Cast that we can't handle the settlement - like a cue-tipped, pasty Jack Nicholson!

“There should be indictments and prosecutions of Burge and his men for obstruction of justice, perjury and conspiracy,” said Flint Taylor, Orange’s attorney. He called for hearings for the 25-30 black men imprisoned after allegedly being tortured into confessions of crimes they didn’t commit.

But . . . Flint Screwed the Pooch:

Meanwhile, Orange’s lawyer failed to produce a properly drafted document giving him power of attorney to settle, Georges said.

From today's Tribune - click for the background story -BTW: the Chicago Sun Times merely states -

an attorney for one of the plaintiffs had not been able to produce a power of attorney executed by his client, a form that would demonstrate he had the authority to settle the case.

Come on Frannie that's Flint Taylor!

He might have been exhausted from rassling Gator and Frank Avila for some of the nickles that spilled.


Leroy call a lawyer.

McCain - Talk Straight and Avoid Getting Mitt in the Wringer

A good old south side Chicago aphorism - and I am sure that it is around Shelbyville, Georgia, Kenosha, WI, Alhambra, CA as well- goes: 'tell the truth and you won't need a good memory.' Now, what in the hell was I talking about? Oh, Yeah!

McCain - John McCain. McCain continues to speak directly to the American people here's a bit on what he had to say about the real threat to the American economy:

"We're one successful attack away from an economic crisis," McCain said, adding that US enemies knew the damage a disruption of supplies would wreak on the US economy from Islamist Terror.

While other Republican candidates have been reluctant to lay out policies to combat global warming, or questioned the science behind claims that mankind is a major contributor to climate change, McCain has called for action.

"It is a serious and urgent economic, environmental and national security challenge," he said.

McCain has called for a plan to limit carbon emissions by using market forces to develop advanced technology and nuclear energy to reduce US reliance on foreign oil.

Poor Old Mitt got caught having a few brain cramps this past weekend. Speak straight and you won't need to recall - It will keep them out of the Wringer. 'Only Suckers Beef, Mitt!'

Give Brad Marston's great site Azamatteroffact's latest post on Mitt's scrambel with the facts:
http://azamatterofact.blogspot.com/2007/12/mccain-on-romneys-mailer-lies.html Brad is working like three Kerrymen fighting over a shovel, when the boss say's 'half of you get to work!' The man is Mad for the Work, So he is!

As always click me post title for the whole tale.

God, wouldn't you just love to slap me for using that fake brogue - I know I would - hell, it's early.


High Five to Guntotinliberal for the photo of Mitt spinning to the pooch.

Pat Hickey - Short on Brains, But a Terrific Dancer: A Portrait in Pencil by B. Kliban

In the mid-1970's, I was employed as a model for celebrated cartoonist B. Kliban. He said, " I can't give you any money, but I can make this moment immortal. Enjoy.'

Thus, I have this pencil sketched time capsule of my chiselled good looks in youth.

As always, click on my post title for more on the quiet genius of the later part of the last century - B. Kliban. It was like finding a photograph for me.

Be McCain Proud!

Thought I'd pass along this great note from Brad Marston who is helping John McCain out east.

"What have you done today to make you feel proud?"
That is a question that John McCain doesn't have to ask himself too often.

With the early caucuses and primaries just weeks away, however, it is a question I ask myself hourly.

As Senator McCain would say, "Let me give you a little straight talk."

I created McCainVictory08 to help support John McCain's run for President. What started as a blog portal has morphed into a growing organization with eight National Co-Chairs and over 100 volunteers. To make an even greater impact we need to scale our organization even larger. In order to secure wins for John McCain in the New Hampshire , Michigan and South Carolina primaries and carry that momentum into Super Tuesday on February 5th, we need your help!

Many of our top organizers have worked on local, state and national campaigns. We've learned that it really comes down to the 4M's: Message, Momentum, Money and Muscle. Few of us live and volunteer in Iowa , New Hampshire , Michigan or South Carolina . Thanks to the Internet YOU can help with all four to elect John McCain! In sum, for John McCain to win, we need you to contribute your time, creativity, special skills and know-how. Please join McCainVictory08 today!

There are so many ways you can help elect John McCain. Please visit our website McCainVictory08 to learn more.


If you have the time and commitment to be a Leader in McCainVictory08 I invite you to contact me personally at bmarston@mccainvictory08.com

If you would like to be a supporter/volunteer please contact our Membership Team at JoinUs@McCainVictory08.com


Political muscle is built by talking to one person at a time. That is why I am reaching out to you today. This e-mail is going out to over 1000 people because I talked to 10 people who in turn, talked to ten more people. Help us make it 10,000 people simply by forwarding it on to your friends, family and contacts.

So, "What have you done today to make you feel proud?" It is a line from one of my favorite songs, "Proud". Another lyric is "We need a change...Do it today...I can feel my spirit rising!"

I think that says it perfectly. We do need a change. To make it happen, we need you to JOIN US ! We need you to DONATE , whether it be time, talent money or some combination thereof! Let's all end each day knowing "I did something for the future of this nation I love so much. I did what I could to elect John McCain and I am proud of that."

If you can do that, I would be both proud and grateful. And so will the hundreds, perhaps thousands more who join us.

Sincerely,

M. Brad Marston
National Chair
McCainVictory08

Support John McCain On-Line
McCainVictory08.com

This e-mail was paid for by McCainVictory08. McCainVictory08 is not associated with John McCain 2008 and receives neither direction nor financial support from any campaign organization. If you wish to cease receiving e-mails from McCainVictory08 please click here.

John McCain Leads with Straight Talk - That is the Knockout Punch!

John McCain engages people with the truth. Nothing so engages people as hearing a political candidate credit an opponent for his personal succees in the Presidential Race. The graceless in-fighting in my birthright Party - The Democratic Party - In Captivity - requires their candidates to lard up their lame positions with Oprah or Barbara Streisand or the Hemp Happy HBO Twerp Maher and then toss envelopes of dirt over the transoms of media shills.

Gov. Huckabee is a solid man. John McCain is Presidential.

This morning's news presented the American people with another example of Senator John McCain's forthright understanding of himself and the reality of the campaign.

MIAMI - John McCain said Saturday that Mike Huckabee's rise in Republican presidential polls was due to his performance in debates.

"I attribute Governor Huckabee's recent success to the fact that debates matter," McCain said. "People pay attention to debates."

The GOP presidential candidates have flip-flopped repeatedly in the polls, with no clear front-runner emerging for any length of time.

In the latest national survey by The Associated Press and Ipsos, former Arkansas Gov. Huckabee has emerged from nowhere into second place in the Republican presidential race. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani remains the front-runner with McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson following.

For the first time in recent political history, Republicans don't have a designated successor for the presidency, leaving the GOP bid wide open, McCain said.

"There's always been kind of a candidate that the political and financial base of the party rallied around," McCain said, referring to Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole and George W. Bush. "This time that's not the case."

In praising Gov. Huckabee for his great presentation during the recent GOP Debate, John McCain reveals more about his own strength as a leader. John McCain understands what it takes to lead and recognizing the strength and intrinsic worth of an opponent is the attribute of a strong leader.

Gov. Huckabee is a great American - John McCain is the man to lead America in time of War on Islamist Terror and restore the confidence of all Americans in themselves!


Here in Illinois Rep. Jim Durkin leads a team that brought John McCain on to the tough Illinois ballot with a FULL slate of delegates. Straight Talk is effective and engaging

G. ('Gimme!') Flint Taylor and Gator Bradley Brawl for Patterson Settlement!

Old Timey Radical Lawyer G. Flint Taylor readies to battle Gator Bradley!

Gator's fighting Avila for 250,000 George Washington's , or Urbanly Translated - 2,500 Benjamins!

But Flint is ready to pounce!


"The real money grubbers in this case aren't on our side of the fence. They're on the other side of the fence. And they're all financed by the city and the county. That's the financial bottom line of this case."

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Flint.Taylor.Edward.2.331005.html

This just in from the Official Paper of the Thug Comfort Zone - Chicago Sun Times

Three of the alleged victims have remained free, but Patterson is serving a 30-year prison term on gun and drug charges.

In one of the strange twists in Patterson's civil case, a judge allowed Wallace "Gator" Bradley, a former gang enforcer, to sit in court with Patterson's attorney as an "urban translator" to control the volatile defendant. Now Bradley says Patterson's attorney, Frank Avila, owes him $250,000 for his work. Avila and Flint Taylor, Patterson's former lawyer, are fighting over their share of the legal fees.

Click my post title for the whole righteous tale from the Thug Comfort Zone, LLC.

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.