Editorial

Chicago-style Politics

David A. Lombardo

Instead of my usual, sophomoric, self-indulgent rant of the week, this week I have a public service announcement for Cook County Democrat voters.

This past Monday Al Sanchez filed to run for the Cook County Board seat previously held by William Beavers, who is headed for prison. You might ask what Sanchez's qualifications are...oh, wait-he's a liberal, and that's the only qualification necessary. But on the off chance you do care, I believe Mr. Sanchez is uniquely qualified to replace Mr. Beavers.

If I were a less skeptical man, I'd tell you how Mr. Sanchez was once a Chicago Streets and Sanitation Commissioner, an auspicious position in which he upheld the highest Chicago standards. In true Chicago tradition Sanchez was convicted and imprisoned for federal charges of rigging hiring to benefit political foot soldiers. Sanchez, the former head of the pro-Daley Hispanic Democratic Organization, was convicted for steering city jobs and promotions to HDO members.

Beavers, on the other hand, will be a guest of your tax dollars for federal tax evasion. Both involve screwing taxpayers, so I rest my case on Sanchez' qualifications.

But wait, there's more! Chicago Alderman Isaac "Ike" Carothers also filed for a board position. Carothers was an alderman for 11 years until he resigned in 2010, which coincidentally happened about the same time as he pleaded guilty to bribery and tax fraud. He backed a zoning change for someone who agreed to do $40,000 in work at his home.

Chicago-style politics is so notorious that even my friends in far flung places such as Hong Kong, Japan and France know the term and, more importantly, what it means. And it's more of a generic term, extending throughout the State of Illinois and now into the very White House itself. Chicago-style politics puts Tammany Hall to shame. Illinois liberal politicians see nothing wrong with working as selfless, dedicated civil servants until they go to jail and then jump back into the system as soon as they're out. Talk about recidivism!

Should you think Chicago-style politics is just a small slice of Illinois politics, think again.

A University of Illinois study found that since 1970 four Illinois governors and a total of 1,000 Chicago public officials and politically influential businessmen have been convicted of public corruption. To name a few:

• Rod Blagojevich was convicted on 17 corruption counts last year and another in 2010, totaling a maximum prison sentence of 305 years.

• Governor George Ryan was found guilty in 2006 on 18 federal counts regarding actions during his time as secretary of state and as governor. He was sentenced to 6½ years.

• Governor Otto Kerner was found guilty in 1973 on 17 federal counts regarding actions during his time as governor and was sentenced to three years but got out in less than a year because of poor health.

• Governor Dan Walker pleaded guilty in 1987 to three federal counts regarding actions occurring after he left office, was initially sentenced to seven years but was released after a year and a half because of health concerns.

Other convicted and imprisoned Illinois politicians include Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, Betty Loren Maltese, Chicago City Clerk Jim Laski, Alderman Tom Keane, Chicago Treasurer Miriam Santos, Alderman Fast Eddie Vrdolyk and Secretary of State Paul Powell. My personal favorite is Congressman Mel Reynolds for having sex with a minor, only to get out of jail and get a job working with youth.

You know, I take back what I've been saying about this president. I didn't think he was qualified to hold the office. Brother, was I ever wrong.

Black Friday 2013 gun sales sixth-highest in history

President Obama's unwavering commitment to enact gun-control laws in his lame duck term continues to fuel a gun and ammunition buying frenzy across the United States. The number of National Instant Background Checks (NICS) run on Black Friday this year ranked as the sixth highest in history, topping 144,700 according to FBI statistics. The number is somewhat lower than the same period in 2012 when Black Friday NICS checks topped 154,800. It occurred immediately after Obama's reelection and ranked as the third-highest number of NICS checks in single day. Each of the first six months of 2013 showed NICS checks higher than the corresponding month in 2012, but the trend ran out of steam by mid-year. To date, for 2013, there have been 19,051,745 checks going into the Christmas buying season. Last year there was a total of 19,592,303. Put in perspective, the last year that President Bush was in office, there were 12,709,023. NICS checks have risen by more than 50 percent since Mr. Obama has been in the White House, giving this president the honor of being the best gun salesman in history. [Source: National Shooting Sports Foundation]

Obama's EPA closing smelter  

will not affect ammunition supply

There has been much gnashing of teeth over the recent closing of the Doe Run Lead Smelter in Herculaneum, Missouri. Common wisdom has it that the Obama administration, frustrated by the inability to win the hearts and minds of the Congress on gun control, has engineered the shutdown of Doe Run as a means of backdoor gun control. The simple truth is it's not, and it shouldn't be a problem. The closing had to do with the company not seeing sufficient return on the required investment to upgrade systems to be in compliance with the current Environmental Protection Agency's air-quality standards. In a Washington Times article earlier this week, Lawrence Keane, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, explained that ammunition manufacturers don't use smelted lead; they use recycled lead, primarily from car batteries and tire weights. "The EPA closing, which has been in the works for a while, will have no impact on production, supply or cost to the consumers," Keane is quoted as saying.

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NY Court upholds Tiahrt Amendment in gun trace

Justice Frederick J. Marshall of the New York State Supreme Court has ruled that defendants in the Williams v. Beemiller, et al. case do not have to produce firearm trace data that plaintiffs sought as part of their jurisdictional discovery requests. The judge cited the Tiahrt Amendment in the November 25th ruling. Justice Marshall's ruling helps close the door on private individuals seeking trace data directly from FFLs and the admissibility of such information in litigation. Though trace data does not constitute business records, the case serves as a warning to FFLs that their private business records are discoverable. NSSF advises that FFLs should ensure their business records are accurate and maintained in compliance with the Gun Control Act. Quoting the decision, the Tiahrt Amendment, attached to an appropriations bill funding the ATF, restricts ATF and third parties from disclosing firearm tracing information to parties other than law enforcement agencies. Though case law concerning the Tiahrt Amendment is limited, Federal courts have evaluated the appropriations rider in assessing trace data requests made by civil litigants directly to the ATF.

Colorado suit goes forward without sheriffs

It isn't that the Colorado sheriffs didn't want to participate in a lawsuit seeking to overturn two new Colorado gun-control laws. The problem is a judge has ruled that county sheriffs cannot participate. The lawsuit will move forward on behalf of other organizations that support gun rights, which had joined 55 of the state's 64 sheriffs as plaintiffs. Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger ruled last week that the sheriffs, in their official capacities, do not have standing to challenge the laws. The lawsuit seeks a decision from Krieger that the laws are unconstitutional. One of the laws bans magazines with capacities of more than 15 rounds. The other imposes fees and requires background checks for private transfers of firearms. The laws took effect July 1. Remaining as plaintiffs are groups, such as the Colorado Farm Bureau and the Colorado State Shooting Association; businesses, such as gun dealers and Magpul Industries, a manufacturer of gun parts; plus several individuals.