Friday Afternoon Diversion
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Chili Cook-Off Countdown
It seems like Cook County politics becomes more and more like a bad soap opera every time we open the newspaper.
While Todd Stroger is threatening more cuts and tax hikes to cover the tab on the bloated executive payroll, Tony Peraica is giving speeches about prosecuting the crooks. Forrest Claypool wrote an op-ed piece earlier this week about the disaster that the County's health care system has devolved into, and Todd Stroger won't even disclose where he goes for heath care (it's probably not Stroger Hospital).
Now a former Peraica volunteer is in trouble with the law. It seems that Fred Ichniowski of Hickory Hills allegedly made harassing phone calls to County Commisioner Liz Gorman, calling her a "bitch" and a "cunt" when she and Peraica were publicly fighting. Ichniowski first met Peraica when he defended him on charges that he slashed the tires of several cars belonging to nuns.
Peraica, who is running for Assistant State's Attorney, has disavowed Ichniowski. "I wouldn't condone that. It's outrageous," he said. Ichniowski, for his part, claims that he was drunk at the time that he made those calls, but that Peraica encouraged supporters to call Gorman to express disapproval of her positions. Riling up your base is a time-honored political tactic, but calling her derogatory names probably wasn't part of Peraica's plan when he asked supporters to call her office.
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well, we do know that Stroger is seen by a prostate cancer doctor at Northwestern... that was confirmed by both the dr. and the toddler after his surgery.
Tony the thug that is what he is and as bad as Toddler is that confirms my feelings of miserable Tony. Just like when he stormed the Cook County building on election night.
One doesn't "run" to be an assistant state's attorney. Peraica has announced he's running for Cook County state's attorney. He would be the boss of the ASAs.
Man...slashing the tires of nuns? Those fuckers don't mess around. The nuns, I mean. They'll cut you.
Why has no one mentioned the story about Todd Stroger's campaign's tax evasion? http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/551232,CST-NWS-todd11.article
And what about the death of Orlando Jones, John Stroger's godson, who was under crminal investigation in Las Vegas for wrongdoing regarding hospital contracts, and also a former high-ranking Cook County offical? http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/555962,13stroger.article
Guest #5: It just goes to show how bad Cook County politics have gotten.
There's only so much nonsense you can put into a post before it reads like a Tom Robbins novel....
Guest #5...someone has mentioned Todd's campaign's tax evasion problems - The Sun Times. I believe the Bright One has a slightly higher circ than Chicagoist does.
And Orlando Jones' passing is being covered quite heavily at thecapitolfaxblog.
It is shameful that at a time when a Republican, reformer and corruption fighter, is going to help the citizens of Cook County, here comes the mud. It is unfortunate that the mud is slung by the GOP Chairman. This event happened over seven months ago, as reported in the media. So, why now? It’s appears to be obvious. [Timing]
Guest #7, thanks for pointing me to the link I put in my comment #5 above for info re Todd Stroger's tax evasion. And also to thecapitolfaxblog re Orlando Jones.
What I meant is why is no one at Chicagoist interested in these two things?
Guest #5
#5,
In case you haven't noticed, Chicagoist is about two days behind on most news topics. My guess is they wait a day for an item to make it into the Tribune or Sun-Times (print version), then they take a day to write apost based on the print version.
Stoger and the cook co board is more and more like the family secrets trial now we have a dead body of a man recently charged with a crime. Was he rubbed out by the family(crook co Dems) before he turned rat. these guys could teach the writers of the Sopranos a few things.
ITS THE CHICAGO WAY.
How does one run for ASA?
Did the laws change?
Man, that would really fill up the ballot at election time.
Peraica's volunteers are a hoot. First, the drunken Election night march on the County Clerk's office, then the retired boxer getting arrested, and now this.
I hope Peraica runs for State's Attorney. He'll lose, but we'll be treated to the amusing sight of him foaming at the mouth for four months, and we can only guess what his volunteers will get up to.
13: An asshole for pointing out yet another instance when a self-proclaimed political observer for a widely read local blog can't get basic facts right?
OK, then. I'm an asshole.
Commenter # 14: I've deleted the previous comment you're referencing. I should have done that yesterday. It's not the kind of discourse I'd like to see on my posts.
That said, I'm getting pretty bored with your constant whining around here. You add little to the general discussion, and waste most of the bandwidth here complaining about my writing.
You are certainly entitled to disagree with me and my political opinions, and you should share that disagreement here in the comments. That's part of the point of this forum.
You are not free, however, to pick your personal bones with me, especially when I don't spell out every little detail for you.
As I've told you before, if you are unhappy with the political discourse around here, or the style of writing, you are free to write all the posts you want, the way that you want them written, on your own blog.
Uh, Kevin: What makes it so hard for you to admit you got a fact wrong? People do not run for ASA. They run for SA. It is that simple. By writing that, and leaving it up, you are misleading your readers. Are you so arrogant you can't correct your mistakes? Everyone makes them, after all. A blog provides easy ways to correct mistakes.
This has nothing to do with "personal bones," my friend, but rather correcting a widely read local guy who often gets facts wrong, or who tosses out big ideas without any shred of even brief factual support.
That you get so defensive about this speak volumes about your readiness to communicate with the public, or to write political analysis.
I am not unhappy with anything but an arrogant little boy unable to accept that he makes mistakes, and how that arrogance can mislead readers who might not know any better. Apparently, you would have it that people do not correct the great and wise political commentator you pretend to be. I sure this works wonders on the SEIU activist crowd, but others consider it a failure of a writer to do his duty.