Posted on 01/26/2019 4:24:17 AM PST by Libloather
A mixture of surprise, anger and disappointment from City Council members Wednesday in the wake of a Chicago Sun-Times report stating longtime Ald. Danny Solis wore a wire to assist the federal investigation into Ald. Ed Burke.
The story sent shock waves through Wednesday’s City Council meeting, at which Solis was noticeably absent. The 25th Ward alderman, who is not seeking re-election, is reported to have recorded more than a dozen conversations with Burke over the last two years. Like Burke, Solis has been a powerful, longtime alderman. He is the former head of the Hispanic Democratic organization and longtime chair of City Council’s Zoning Committee.
**SNIP**
Wednesday’s meeting was also notable because it was the first since Burke was formally charged with attempted extortion. Gone were his security guards and his customary perch at the center of the floor. Instead, Burke quietly took his new seat at the end of the first row, interacting with few alderman. Reporters chased Burke to get his reaction to the Sun-Times story; he reiterated that he believes he’s done nothing wrong.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.wttw.com ...
I don’t know if he wore a wire with anyone else, but WLS reported that he had been caught by someone wearing one with him. This is likely a way to reduce his charges.
“he reiterated that he believes he’s done nothing wrong.”
Therein lies the problem.
L
What’s not being looked at is how Chicago wards have been redistricted.
Burke’s ward ,14th, was originally known as “Back of The Yards” Once the home of the famous Chicago Stock Yards where most food processors along with employee demographics have since relocated. It was a compact area almost 10 plus mile square area composed mostly of single and 2 story frame and brick family dwellings mixed with scattered brick apartment units. Because of the construction, insurance rates varied and when the democrats also warily supported by the Bush 2 administration came up with the no 20% down payment was removed. Areas in the ward changed in demographics. Many of those dwellings sold under those conditions went into disrepair or default.
Originally his ward headquarters and palace was on 51st street just west of Damen Avenue. Today’s palace is just off of Pulaski near the Madam Curie high school just off of Archer Avenue miles away.
His ward now consists of areas carved from the 12th and 23rd wards miles from the original 14th boundaries. What’s been ignored by the media has been the effect on city services in those areas where there has been servicing problems.
When redistricted along with several other wards. Chicago had neighborhoods divided to create “Hispanic”residential sections going to Hispanic aldermanic and congressional (Gutierez) candidates and blacks going to black candidates.
That has had the effect of breaking up a contiguous geographic continuity and community identity. Because the wards affected which are really like small towns have had sections broken up into areas where if a problem arises in a given section of street which has one way traffic only may be two way a block down because it’s in a different ward. It has also played hell on zoning and because of the disruption of jurisdictions with the administration of city services such as streets and sanitation which the alderman (salary $120.000 plus allocations on local projects) do oversee and have input over.
That restaurant zoning change he’s charged with shaking down was earlier in another ward where such a business was welcomed.
There used to be one or two token republicans on the Chicago city council. Maybe not anymore.
Why would the other city councilmen be angry at Solis’s actions?
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