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Todd Stroger: You Are Now Entering... The Screw It Zone

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jul 8, 2010 2:20PM

2010_7_screw_it_zone.jpg There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Screw It Zone. Presented for your consideration: One Mr. Todd Stroger, (soon to be former) Cook County Board President. Stroger ascended to his seat in a Machiavellian deal with the devil, taking power in the second most populous county in the United States after his father succumbed to a stroke. But all is not well in the heartland.

Todd Stroger has attempted to reward those that supported his failed bid for re-election, with patronage, no-bid county contracts and sultry affairs between cousins and felonious busboys. Some of these endeavors have been successful, while others have been met with criminal investigations and public outrage. Into this vortex of the human mind comes Vincent Williams. Mr. Williams is a local lawyer and government lobbyist, and he also ran Stroger's failed campaign for a second term as Cook County Board President. Stroger, a poor student, understands the importance of loyalty and rewarding those who support him, wants to appoint Willams to a $38,000-a-year seat on the county's Zoning Board of Appeals. But forces of space, time and clout are conspiring against him. Entering into this drama: The Board of Commissioners.

"I think it would be highly inappropriate . . . now that there's some evidence that Mr. Stroger has been rewarding campaign workers with contracts, jobs and other taxpayer paid-for gifts which I find highly objectionable," west suburban Republican and frequent Stroger foe Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, told the Sun-Times. Commissioner Edwin Reyes, a Northwest Side Democrat said "it's the same old story --these guys that worked on the campaign, he's trying to take care of them now." Reyes says he wants to talk to other commissioners about the appointment, as their approval is necessary for the appointment to go through. The board is expected to vote on the matter Tuesday. Many commissioners say they'r eon the fence about the appointment. Whether this episode ends in an ironic twist remains to be seen.