Busjack Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Any Predictions http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/07/30/lawmaker-seeks-wholesale-change-at-metra-after-latest-scandal/ Quinn isn't going to do anything sweeping. He might beg the board members to resign, but as in the case of the U of I board, either they do or don't. Also I said in that case, what's the benefit of having a board appointed by Quinn? As far as elected boards, nobody knows who they elect for judges (they are slated by a Barrios/Madigan/Burke Dem. committee) or for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. It takes a 60% vote to retain a judge, but several who admitted they were mentally ill were nonetheless retained. So, it doesn't appear that Franks has the answer. In that the CTA Board does not meet statutory requirements, and the statute on double dipping at RTA and Metra (but not Pace) seems to imply that one should not hold two jobs, not just not be paid for two, I am not sure what legal requirement could bring the runaway political considerations under control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkohut Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 You think Mike Madigan would keep a low profile.But,i was wrong.He went to court to get the College Clowns pay according to CBS. Here is the tribune link to the story. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-madigan-cullerton-sue-quinn-over-blocked-lawmaker-raises-20130730,0,6953529.story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 You think Mike Madigan would keep a low profile.But,i was wrong.He went to court to get the College Clowns pay according to CBS. Here is the tribune link to the story. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-madigan-cullerton-sue-quinn-over-blocked-lawmaker-raises-20130730,0,6953529.story OT, but Madigan said he wasn't going to bring up the line item veto for an override. Apparently he wants to put the onus on a judge instead of his membership, but note what I said above about slating judges. I assume that Lisa would have to defend the suit on behalf of the state, so that puts her in a conflict of interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkohut Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Up to 2 Board Members Resign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Up to 2 Board Members Resign Story. However, the 2 are from collar counties. Waiting for those from Cook, especially the two fingered by Clifford, to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkohut Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Story. However, the 2 are from collar counties. Waiting for those from Cook, especially the two fingered by Clifford, to go. This is why the Republician party is weak Bill Brady is a little late http://www.suntimes.com/21646025-418/bill-brady-says-he-wants-to-dump-metra-board.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Up to 2 Board Members Resign The Daily Herald today had the rub on this. There were 11 members on the board, but it takes 8 to boot the chairman. Now down to 9, it would take a unanimous vote of other than O'Halloran, which they don't have. Hence, this probably has to wait until DuPage and Kane appoint new members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkohut Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 The Daily Herald today had the rub on this. There were 11 members on the board, but it takes 8 to boot the chairman. Now down to 9, it would take a unanimous vote of other than O'Halloran, which they don't have. Hence, this probably has to wait until DuPage and Kane appoint new members. Who can take action against O'Halloran for double dipping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Who can take action against O'Halloran for double dipping? He claims to have tried to square it with the Orland Park authorities by paying them back. Not sure that a violation of the RTA Act is criminal, but if it were, it would apparently be up to Anita Alvarez (Cook County State's Attorney). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted August 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Well, I think we all lost the betting pool on this one. "and they all fall down like a house of cards... (except this doesn't have Spacey in it)..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Well, I think we all lost the betting pool on this one. "and they all fall down like a house of cards... (except this doesn't have Spacey in it)..." Not so exclusive. Channel 7 had it at 5:24. I don't think I lost. It took a couple of weeks, and besides that, he blames it on a media frenzy as opposed to his own ethical lapses. Now the question is Huggins, and who Elizabeth Doody (really) Gorman nominates as a successor (apparently in conjunction with the rest of the suburban delegation at the Cook County Board). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkohut Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Not so exclusive. Channel 7 had it at 5:24. I don't think I lost. It took a couple of weeks, and besides that, he blames it on a media frenzy as opposed to his own ethical lapses. Now the question is Huggins, and who Elizabeth Doody (really) Gorman nominates as a successor (apparently in conjunction with the rest of the suburban delegation at the Cook County Board). Just wish he would pay back for the outside lawyers and PR firms.Perhaps,he will enjoy being Blago roommate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 All the hoopla for nothing. Political appointees quitting to be replaced by more political appointees. NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE, other than the appointers picking appointees who can keep their mouths shut ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 All the hoopla for nothing. Political appointees quitting to be replaced by more political appointees. NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE, other than the appointers picking appointees who can keep their mouths shut ! We'll have to see if there is any disinfectant light. But Doody Gorman doesn't seem so clean, and again, her tenure on the Cook County Board is only compared to that of the Stroger faction. As I mentioned before, it seems impossible to legislate politics out of the 4 transit boards, as exemplified by the statutory violations at the CTA. The Sun-Times article on the press conference about the state reduced fare subsidy being cut noted that when someone asked Claypool a question, "Emanuel answered for him." Rahm did what he knew he had to do. All Rahm did was give a political buddy a job. The question posed on several TV news programs is that after this episode, what real transit professional would take the Metra Executive Director job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkohut Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 There isn't a simple solution. When you have College Clowns more concern about getting pay.then fixing the Pension Problem. The only solution I have is a 2 ring Hardcore Battle Royal.All 4 Board Members in the ring. Last 10 people left in the Rings make up the New Board for all the agencys. Top pay is 100,000. Even if Claypool wins.He loses at lease 90,000 in pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 ,,, The only solution I have is a 2 ring Hardcore Battle Royal.All 4 Board Members in the ring...... WCW (which was more likely to do this) has been out of business for about 12 years. AWA, about 20. Anyway, the winners would be the local equivalent of the Wyatt Famity (tough but dumb) or maybe A.J. Lee (cute but a double crosser). Or maybe still nepotism, like Natalya Neidhart, who looks like her father, Jim the Anvil Neidhart. And, like the WWE, the outcome would be predetermined and a screw job. Ask Bret Hart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkohut Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 WCW (which was more likely to do this) has been out of business for about 12 years. AWA, about 20. Anyway, the winners would be the local equivalent of the Wyatt Famity (tough but dumb) or maybe A.J. Lee (cute but a double crosser). Or maybe still nepotism, like Natalya Neidhart, who looks like her father, Jim the Anvil Neidhart. And, like the WWE, the outcome would be predetermined and a screw job. Ask Bret Hart. I don't know about predetermined of this one with Emanuel and Madigan ego in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 I don't know about predetermined of this one with Emanuel and Madigan ego in it. Certainly then predetermined. As John Kass says, ask the Debonheiress of Mellatonia. I see you didn't dispute screwjob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted August 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 That's Four! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 ...Now the question is Huggins... That's Four! Reading the article, the inference I drew is that Rahm put the strongarm on him. The Sun-Times directly came to that conclusion. Note that, like with respect to Claypool, Emanuel made the statement. There wasn't any rambling letter from Huggins. Update: Maybe Emanuel had his change of heart after the Tribune published today the details of Bobby Rush's attempt to get a $50,000 contract for apparently nothing through. That seems to be enough for me, in that the rest don't seem culpable other than all but one voted for the severance agreement. I don't go along with "all have to resign" in that Schaffer voted no and has fought the political element. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkohut Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Another Board member going down. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-metra-board-member-20130814,0,2521500.story?track=rss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Another Board member going down. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-metra-board-member-20130814,0,2521500.story?track=rss Ryanbytes mentioned earlier if they are all going down; looks like they are. Also, it appears that the obvious reason is that nobody reads the RTA Act or MTA Act. 70 ILCS 3615/3B.02(-b-)(7) starts off with "Five Directors residing in Cook County outside of the City of Chicago," Maybe the lawyer for Metra thought it meant "as of when appointed," but the Tribune article doesn't reflect that. He should have been able to read the phrase I cited above. Or maybe, as indicated by the Facebook comments, Rakestraw misrepresented the situation or his address. Also, this seemed to be the only person with qualifications in business or transportation, but it also seems like someone has cleaned up on paratransit. Maybe it should cost less than $140 million a year. I noted that the North Suburban-Oak Park member is WILLIAM A.WIDMER III, who is listed as one of the "Super Lawyers of Illinois." Maybe he'll read the Act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Another Board member going down. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-metra-board-member-20130814,0,2521500.story?track=rss Technically speaking, the morning stories were that Preckwinkle told him to resign, but he hadn't yet. The Daily Herald now says that he will step down today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Tribune has posted his resignation letter. Essentially, he is making the same residency argument that Emanuel made before the Board of Elections--I don't live there, but it is still my residence, which is legally sufficient. While it also explains the foundation of the legal opinion, it is hard to buy that "rebuilding in Flossmoor would have been economically unrealistic," but he can afford to hold the vacant lot. Residency would at least require a finding that he intended to rebuild some day. If he had homeowners' insurance, it would have paid the cost of rebuilding. Just ask Mayhem. Also, the Tribune points out that he is now living in a million dollar condo. Apparently he could afford that compared to staying in some motel in Chicago Heights pending reconstruction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Technically speaking, the morning stories were that Preckwinkle told him to resign, but he hadn't yet. The Daily Herald now says that he will step down today. I tweeted to Preckwinkle that I am openly applying for board appointment. So far, no reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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