Comments on: Prosecutors Attack Innocence Project Journalism Students

By: newtonusr

newtonusr — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:02:54 +0000

Yeah, but the rabid ferret and her bag-carrier are always good pub…
He is going down for civil rights violations anyway, so why not shoot his wad…

By: bmaz

bmaz — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:00:29 +0000

The whole deal is just insane. In addition to them not being able to practice here, Thomas was going to pay for them out of funds that are restricted and not appropriate for that purpose. And he didn’t ask for required permission even if that source of funds was appropriate. A total clown show.

By: newtonusr

newtonusr — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:53:28 +0000

Wherever somebody’s rights are getting trashed, Joe De Genova and his wacky wife Victoria Toensing are sure to be summoned to defend it.

By: bmaz

bmaz — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:43:17 +0000

I can’t speak for PW, but I sure don’t think so. And I don’t have a problem with him going after Ryan either way; Ryan earned it. You are right about Alvarez; this is a bridge too far. I don’t live there and know enough about the rest of her record, but anybody in her position that would do this likely has some other issues out and about too. I actually think the prosecutors may have a reasonable request as to the additional tapes/transcripts of Medill witness interviews; the rest of that subpoena is freaking outrageous overreaching though. To the point of being sanctionable.

Freaking sucks all over; I have Sheriff Joe Arpaio and a little mini-me Arpaio, Andrew Thomas, as county attorney, here. Those two just hired Joe De Genova and his wacky wife Victoria Toensing to act as special prosecutors against a county supervisor. Flew em in here for a big kick off PR press conference. Then realized they are not licensed to practice law here in the state courts.

If is were not for incompetent and corrupt government I guess we might not have any government at all I suppose.

By: nextstopchicago

nextstopchicago — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:15:32 +0000

Phoenix Woman,

You think maybe Patrick Fitzgerald would have dropped his prosecution of George Ryan if Ryan had just eased off on the death penalty????

I don’t think so.

By: nextstopchicago

nextstopchicago — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:13:42 +0000

I know this isn’t really a Chicagoland blog so it’s somewhat less important here.

But the essence of democratic accountability is naming the names that voters can hold accountable. In this case, for any Cook County readers, Anita Alvarez is the State’s Attorney who is responsible for this travesty. Call her office and tell her what you think. And remember in 2 years (and a couple months) when she’s running again.

By: Nell

Nell — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:59:30 +0000

This whole story captures the essence of why turnout in mayoral elections in Chicago runs well under 40 percent.

Turnout is low in general elections because the result is a foregone conclusion. The meaningful statistic is the turnout in the Democratic primary. Got any stats on that over the last few cycles? I realize that turnout is unlikely ever again to equal the high levels of the mayoral election of 1983, but…

This is a great post, bmaz, and thanks for bringing these appalling tactics to our attention. I’d also have missed the news about Burge’s arrest if not for you.

By: timbo

timbo — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:47:20 +0000

It’s called prosecutorial over reaching by subpoena. Let’s hope that the judge in this matter wasn’t a greek pledge.

By: AngelsAwake

AngelsAwake — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:49:12 +0000

Good luck fighting the students, Cook County. It won’t go well for you.

By: bmaz

bmaz — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:22:06 +0000

Time to look forward….