Chicago News

Unless the City Council does something other than rubber-stamp the Mayor's nominee, former FBI agent Jody Weis will soon be the next police superintendent. As an observer and commentator and self-important blogger, I'd like to offer him the following advice: Your initial top priority should be to eliminate corrupt cops. Indict them, fire them, or convince them … [Read more...] about Some Advice for the New Top Cop

The So-Called Austin Mayor blog links to a Sun Times column by Mary Mitchell about some Chicago cops who were called in to do a welfare check on 82-year-old Lillian Fletcher and ended up tasering her. I'm not particularly willing to let cops get away with stuff, and this sounds pretty awful, but...I think the cops might have done the best they could in a … [Read more...] about Tasering During a Welfare Check

Yesterday I wrote about the moral perils of punishing people in a way that is profitable for the government. Today, the Gary Washburn of the Chicago Tribune gives me another example: Driving-related fines and fees provided the city treasury with more than $210 million last year. That represented about 4 percent of the 2006 budget, a small, but significant amount. A projected … [Read more...] about Traffic Enforcement Profiteering in Chicago

They're not allowed to strike, but some Cook Country prosecutors aren't showing up to work today: As many as two-thirds of the 520 prosecutors staffing Cook County's felony courtrooms are expected to be no-shows, officials in the state's attorney's office said. Prosecutors throughout the 835-lawyer office are being urged to attend today's County Board meeting instead. "I … [Read more...] about A Labor Action by Cook Country Prosecutors?

… [Read more...] about April In the Windy City