Turns out she and six other aldermen were in China that month, and it was a freebie, paid for entirely by a local Chinese business group. Although one alderman, Ariel Reboyras, declared it on his most recent financial interest statement, which requires aldermen to list any gift over $500, the six other aldermen, including Ald. Shiller, did not. And the City's Ethics Board is perfectly okay with that. No need to declare an entire week spent across the globe, with air and hotel paid for.
This leaves us with three questions:
- There's actually a City Ethics Board?! Talk about a contradiction in terms.
- Just when, exactly, did the Chinese trip take place? We've heard rumors for a long time that Ald. Shiller was already back in Chicago when the poop hit the fan and used the trip as an excuse for not responding to residents for ten days.
- If it was a working trip, as claimed, why wasn't she working to help quell things back in her home district? We're sure the kids leaving Alternatives, the residents helplessly watching as all hell broke loose in front of their homes, and the family leaving their car to go to church who got caught in the middle of it, would have all welcomed her assistance, especially since she was on the clock.
1. Why was Shiller going to meet with Chinese government officials when she won't even meet with her own constituents? Maybe she can relate to the politics in China better than in her own neighborhood.
2. Given Shiller's disdain for oversight, are we surprised she didn't report a trip paid for by an outside group?
Just another S.O.S. (Same Old Shiller).
I've had enough of this. What can I do to help get a far better person elected next time 'round??
ReplyDeletePerhaps the aldercritters visited China to see how a real democracy might work.
ReplyDeleteOh, I slay myself sometimes.
IP - Who are the candidates we should be following for alderman?
ReplyDeleteI'm going to volunteer for Cappleman's campaign.
ReplyDeletehttp://jamesforchange.com/get_involved.php
Abhay,
ReplyDeleteYou can check the UU links for the three candidates they list. Cappleman, Carroll, Nowatny.
Gerald Farinas was listed and still claims to be running so google him.
I personally think Cappleman is the strongest candidate to oppose Shiller. He's basically been running for 4 years and has some campaign experience. Best name recognition. He's been building up strong ties to community groups in Uptown and Lakeview.
Carroll is a Chicago cop and seemingly a decent guy, but I'm not sure being a cop is necessarily a positive in this ward. If he ends up in a runoff against Shiller she will use his "copness" to rally her base.
Just picture some idiot off duty Chicago cop beating the hell out of a grandmother on crutches and being caught on tape a week before the election. Said grandma being a decorated Vietnam vet and a transvestite activist.
Cops wrongly get blamed for every stupid move some other cop does. It goes with the territory.
Nowatny........I'm not sure if he is a shill for Shiller or not. He is ideally positioned to siphon votes from Cappleman and possibly toss the election to Carroll for a runoff against St. Helen of Beijing.
I had a discussion the other day with my Daley administration friend "Deep Sausage". His deepness speculates that if Nowatny is acting like a shill for Shiller he could receive a nice new job as a deputy commissioner in Streets and San after the election. Said job would mean a $40,000 plus pay raise and larger future pension.
That was purely speculative on his part. Nowatny might be for real. Perhaps like Paul of Damascus he has received a life changing experience while driving over a pothole in his city supplied vehicle.
Perhaps like Mary Magdalene he has changed after driving into the middle of an Uptown riot.
I really don't know. He might be for real. He might not be.
Hell, I can't even decide whether I think Shiller will run.
One thing Deep Sausage does feel confident about is the Mayor is planning to run again. He's making all the squealing noises of a 7 term candidate. Squeal........donate some money. Squeal......complain about the press. Squeal..........move some commissioners around.
Yep, she's more like Daley every day.
ReplyDeleteLakefront Liberals, you really need to find yourselves a new mouthpiece. She's becoming an embarrassment to your cause.
I like the ring to St. Helen of Beijing but I kinda like Shanghai Shiller myself.
ReplyDeleteShanghai Shiller!!
ReplyDeleteLOL. That was a good one!!!
IP - I hope your right.
ReplyDeleteI am sure I will get blasted for this, but I actually think Daley will go down if he runs (assuming there is a decent challenger). Maybe I am just naive, but I think the parking meter fiasco was enough for voters to say adios to him...finally!
assuming there is a decent challenger
ReplyDeleteYeah. That won't happen.
I think Daley's decision comes down to the health of his wife.
If she's healthy, he runs.
If she's not, look for a breaking news story on Rahm leaving the White House.
If anyone is going to pay for the parking meter fiasco, it will (and should) be the aldermen who supported it.
Again, our beloved alderman wasn't on the roll when the vote was tallied - and she needs to answer for why she decided not to represent her constituents.
not to get back on subject, but if I remember right, it was a trip to talk to the Chinese Olympic folks to 'learn how they did it right' for our Olympic campagin.....but I dont always remember right....and see where it got us?
ReplyDeleteLet's step back here for a moment - even if Shanghai Shiller did report the trip, would that change anything?
ReplyDeleteTom "I love the Camera" Dart is squawking about running for Mayor. He'd be an improvement, but I doubt he will run.
ReplyDeleteI don't see any of the local congresscritters running;although, Quigley could give it a shot and not have to give up his seat.
My guess is that the Mayor will run no matter what his wife's health is.
Her prognosis can't be good now that cancer has reached her liver.
This is a guy whose nickname in high school was "Mayor".
Personally, I think the health issues make it more likely he will run. His life really revolves around his wife and the Mayoralty and without her being Mayor might be his only outlet.
It's all rather morbid, but that's also the take Super Political Reporter Mike Flannery took on "Chicago Week in Review" a few weeks back on Channel 11.
As for Shanghai Shiller we'll have to see if she runs.
I suspect her political prognosis along with many other incumbents is not looking good.
Don't forget, I am running too! I am going to take all of my discretionary spending money and return it to the people who pay residential property taxes. Then I will set up a website where you can donate to whatever cause you like. Schools, parks,crime fighters, whatever. What do you guys think?? You do what you want with YOUR MONEY. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteHis life really revolves around his wife and the Mayoralty and without her being Mayor might be his only outlet.
ReplyDeleteAh ... but, would Daley rather spend (and I say this theoretically. I like Maggie and wish her the best) the waning days of his wife's life knocking heads in Council and sliding bunches of cash to his buds, or spending those days with her in Michigan City?
He's no spring chicken himself, don't forget.
"Lakefront Liberals, you really need to find yourselves a new mouthpiece. She's becoming an embarrassment to your cause."
ReplyDeleteBoy, that can't be said enough! Even though Shiller is a good person...and her heart is in the right place...and she stands up for what she believes in... She is dogmatic and more to the point she has been co-opted. To make matters worse, I don't think she has even realized it.
So, its time for her to go. I think I'd even get a kick out of the hell she and her friends will raise at CAPS meetings, etc. (At least they will start attending community meetings that are open to everyone!)
The bottom line is that this wonderful, diverse community needs some healing. It needs more helping hands and more understanding. Could it be any clearer that what we are doing now is just not working?? EVERYONE is so negative. Who wants to live like this? There is goodness in each and every one of us and it is high time for people to feel safe in opening themselves up to each other.
We need a change in the next election and my hope is that liberal-minded people don't fall into the trap of thinking that following the status quo is the only way to remain true to their ideals. Its my opinion that Mayor Daley & the Chicago Machine are counting on people feeling like that. What fools some people are for not seeing the forest through the trees.
As my Dad would say, 'What in the Sam Hill" was she doing in China?
ReplyDeleteI do know that 'fisticuffs' outbursts are handled quite quickly there. So maybe it was a learning junket concerning crime solutions?
I would love to earn over 100k a year and get a free trip to China.....sigh.
Sassy said..."Even though Shiller is a good person...and her heart is in the right place..."
ReplyDeletePuff, puff, pass, Sassy...puff, puff pass...
Of course Daley & the Dem Machine want to prop up Shiller. So long as she holds down a Lakefront Liberal seat, they know that she'll be tilting at windmills and not presenting any real challenge. She gets no jobs for her ward, she accepts --no make that demands--poor police staffing and few city services for her ward to keep it down. That frees up resources for the rest of the North and Daley South Sides.
ReplyDeleteThen, she packs all the disabled, mentally ill and other protected class housing into her ward for political purposes, effectively violating the Fair Housing Act for those aldermen and persons in other wards who don't want any of those types of people in their neighborhood.
It's a symbiotic relationship that works perfectly for Daley. What could be better for Daley than keeping an ineffective and undemanding Lakefront Liberal in office on the Lakefront? He certainly doesn't want a strong leader up there rallying all that north side community money, those law degrees, and financial expertise against him. No, for the Dems, its better to keep a 20 year weakling in office.
"What could be better for Daley than keeping an ineffective and undemanding Lakefront Liberal in office on the Lakefront? He certainly doesn't want a strong leader up there... No, for the Dems, its better to keep a 20 year weakling in office."
ReplyDeleteExactly. That is the reason why people who think they like her and think they agree with her need to wake up and realize that they are being taken for the fools they are.
As for UptownTrain...make fun all you want but I don't think much can be gained by vilifying the woman on the basis of who she is rather than what she does. Some people need to face the fact that she has a long history here and that she has deep roots here now. She may have even been exactly what this community needed at one point in time. What's the point of treating her as if she is some kind of evil incarnate? She's not. She just aggressively does things that her middle class constituents tend to hate. And, frankly, that is her point. Personally, I don't support this as a way to govern because I think a preferential option for the poor ends up being counterproductive to a healthy democracy. But its not like there isn't a valid point somewhere in there; its a question of tactics.
As I said, we need a whole lot less negativity around here. No doubt Shiller needs to go but its not as if it will all be unicorns and rainbows around here if she does. This community has serious problems and not the least of them is a complete lack of imagination for how to unite a diverse citizenry towards positive goals.
I`m also going to support and volunteer. JAMES FOR CHANGE!!!!
ReplyDelete