Breitbart – by WARNER TODD HUSTON
On February 3, news emerged that the city of Chicago, now run by former Obama right-hand man Rahm Emanuel, is issuing $900 million in bonds, $100 million of which is going directly to pay off plaintiffs of lawsuits against the city.
The city is attempting to issue the $900 million in bonds to lower some of its borrowing costs and to double its short-term credit line to $1 billion. But fully $100 million of that debt burden is going to pay off lawsuits, much of it to plaintiffs who won judgments against the city in police brutality cases.
As the Chicago Tribune reported, “the city would take on between $90 million and $100 million in debt to pay off legal settlements made last year. The bulk of those settlements were made in connection with police misconduct cases.”
Only days ago, the Chicago police were embroiled in a controversy surrounding a released video that seemed to show officers strip-searching suspects right on the streets.
Several years ago, the CPD was rocked by a high profile case that eventually found Police Commander Jon Burge and his “Midnight Crew” of officers guilty of torture aimed at forcing suspects to confess to various crimes, whether they were guilty or not.
Mayor Emanuel has agreed to several multi-million dollar settlements over cases involving the Burge issue. By accepting the settlements, Emanuel helped shield former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley from being forced to testify of what details he knew–and when–about allegations of Burge’s brutality.
Last October, Alderman Howard Brookins (21st Ward) introduced an ordinance to create a $20 million fund to compensate victims of police abuse.
Who in their right mind would buy the bonds of a collapsing city? Chicago is going the way of Detroit.
If they required cops to understand the Bill of Rights before they’re allowed to interact with the public, they wouldn’t have these problems.
Sue the crap out of them at every opportunity. That will result in fewer psychotic cops on the loose.
To get a cash settlement agains any cop or city does nothing to fix the problem of police brutality and corruption. Yea the people that have been victomized by the cops do deserve some compensation, but the criminal cops really do need to be locked away in prison and be there for a very long time. Yea, when the cities pay out financial compensation to the victoms, it all comes from tax money payed by the people and from fines and penalties the courts enforce on people. These cops need to have to pay out of their own personal pocket book – and that means that they need to sell all assets that they have to pay their debt – and then also be locked up in prison with the very people they put there. Cops need to have their asses handed to them simple as that.
time to put an end to this..start sueing the police individual after your case with the city is settled ..
we all need to start civil cases against those who trespass against us..weather or not they will be heard or even go to court is one thing.. these suits need to be filed, and pushed for
its time the tax payers stand up and say no more, were the ones getting fleeced, and our taxes will go up because of this false representation..time to end it..go after the cops wifes diamond ring, her house and his bass boat!
At this rate they will be broke in no time. Has anyone checked their CAFRs?