Mayor Rahm Emanuel should give apologies to Chicago taxpayers
By Rev. Harold E. Bailey
President of Probation Challenge & the PCC Network
With all the misgivings and taxations Mayor Rahm Emanuel has heaped upon the citizens of Chicago, you would think that he would govern himself more respectfully in addressing the media and the public.
Mayor Emanuel, who should (by reason of being an elected official) be considered an outstanding example to Chicago citizens, was recently admonished in a news conference regarding his official police detail and their handling of traffic infractions.
The mayor’s detail was apparently caught on street camera breaking the traffic laws. Responding to reports that found his security car-details caught speeding and running red lights 20 times since the year 2012, Mayor Emanuel said that he was telling his drivers, “Follow the law. Nobody’s above the law. Slow down. Full stop.” However, this is commonly known as after-the-fact, and no one saw or heard that conversation take place. It is to be noted that without question cameras did show the speeding and the running of red lights.
The written law is documented for everyone and without exclusions. Law enforcement can be the exception in an emergency but with lights flashing. John/Mary Doe must obey the law and if found not complying… there are heavy consequences to pay, such as fines.
WLS-TV Channel 7 reporter Ben Bradley said the cars had picked up parking tickets, too, to the point where they were eligible for the boot. The big question becomes, who is going to pay for the breaking of the law – will it be the tax payer? Or, the regular guy who can’t pay will properly end up in jail, probation or community service. The only response the mayor offered was “They’ll look into it.”
The mayor has previously called red-light and speeding cameras a safety issue and says they act as a “deterrent.”
The seemingly bothered mayor regarding the issue, did not say if the tickets would be paid and dismissed other questions on the topic.
The mayor’s police chief also refused to address the issue.
One source asked, “What example does the mayor’s actions set for youth, when they are charged for lesser offenses, fined or arrested? What does a regular guy do, when he is not able to pay a fine for mistakenly running a light or turning on a red light in hast?”
Should hard working people not with city clout … and not able to pay fines for an honest mistake then become subjected to The Criminal Just Us System?
Rev. Harold E. Bailey, Editor and Publisher of The Challenge News Magazine – The PCC Network. He can be reached at 773.978.3706.
