Chicago - A message from the station manager

The [Wednesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“Former U.S. congressman Mel Reynolds pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of possessing pornographic images and videos, two days after his arrest at a hotel in Zimbabwe,” Reuters reports.
“State prosecutors accuse Reynolds of possessing ‘nude pictures and videos of naked women and men having sexual intercourse’ on his mobile phone, according to the copy of the charge sheet seen by Reuters.
“Possession of pornography is illegal in Zimbabwe.”
It is not, of course, in America. Yes, I get the connection to Reynolds’ past. And yes, he’s a creep. But I’ll still hold off on the ridicule until the facts are in.


*
Far more disturbing is Reynolds pairing up with old Daley-Obama hand Elzie Higginbottom to pal around with the murderous Robert Mugabe. But I guess that story isn’t as sexy.
*
I am reminded of Greg Hinz advising us to not count Reynolds out of the race to replace Jesse Jackson Jr.

He’s fit. He’s ready to serve. And he has enormous name recognition. Like I said, you soon may be able to call Mel Reynolds ‘Mr. Congressman’ again.

Sadly, this is par for the course for Chicago political punditry.
Political Prison Poop
“Seventy-five percent of the lawmakers in the Illinois House have never stepped foot in a maximum security cell block, and 40 percent of the legislators have never toured or visited a prison even once,” Rob Wildeboer reports for WBEZ.
“The findings are the result of a WBEZ survey of Iegislators in 2013. Ninety-five of the 118 House members responded to the survey.”
Here’s perhaps the more interesting part:
“A number of them refused to participate in the 9-question survey that takes, seriously, about 90 seconds to complete. My sense from some was that they didn’t want to go on the record saying they hadn’t been in a prison. If I’m right then the numbers above regarding how many have been in a prison and how many have walked through a cell block – they’re likely conservative.
“The list of legislators who refused to participate [included in the story; click through] includes House Speaker Mike Madigan, whose spokesman said of the survey, ‘It does not look like the type of activity the speaker or his staff participate in.'”
Visiting prisons or taking 90 seconds to complete a survey from public radio?
*
“Numerous follow-up calls and e-mails went unreturned.”
*
“‘No one goes in these places. That’s why they are how they are,’ said John Maki, director of the John Howard Association, a nonpartisan prison watchdog group in Illinois.
“Maki says much of what we know about prisons comes from movies and television and is simply not true. ‘What’s really unfortunate about our prison policy, not only in Illinois but across the country, is that it really depends upon, not the reality of prisons and what prisons can really do, but I think fantasies, things that are not grounded in reality.'”
Pulitzer Plus
Schmich: The Chicago Winter Olympics.

Speed Layering, the Pothole Dash, Extreme Shoveling, Freestyle Driving, Slush Jumping. Who needs Sochi?

Ah ha ha ha! Nobody has thought of that before!
NL. (Not Linking)
*


–
The Political Odds
Updated to reflect recent developments.
Langford’s Drone Song Debuts Again
With awesome new video.
Mistwood Vs. Morningwood
Romeoville vs. Hollywood.
Open SCOTUS!
C-SPAN is standing by.
–
BeachBook
* Lewis: CTU Won’t Renew Contract For Fourth Year.
* Press Freedom Groups Urge David Cameron To Lay Off The Guardian.
* Bruce Rauner: ‘I Talk To Arne All The Time.’
–
TweetWood


*


*


*


*


*


*


*


*


*


*


*


–
The Beachwood Tip Line: Boom times.

Permalink

Posted on February 19, 2014