‘I hadn’t heard of the sort of CIA or Gestapo tactics that were mentioned in the Guardian article until it was brought to my attention,’ Cook County commissioner Richard Boykin said in an interview outside Homan Square. ‘We are calling for the Department of Justice to open an investigation into these allegations.’ Photograph: Chandler West for the Guardian
The Guardian
The US Department of Justice and embattled mayor Rahm Emanuel are under mounting pressure to investigate allegations of what one politician called “CIA or Gestapo tactics” at a secretive Chicago police facility exposed by the Guardian.
Politicians and civil-rights groups across the US expressed shock upon hearing descriptions of off-the-books interrogation at Homan Square, the Chicago warehouse that multiple lawyers and one shackled-up protester likened to a US counter-terrorist black site in a Guardian investigation published this week.
As three more people came forward detailing their stories of being “held hostage” and “strapped” inside Homan Square without access to an attorney or an official public record of their detention by Chicago police, officials and activists said the allegations merited further inquiry and risked aggravating wounds over community policing and race that have reached as high as the White House.
It's not that surprising that a place with as much corruption as Chicago would be one of the first to bring this type of behavior into organized practice, though my money would have been on the Big Apple. Holding people like this has always happened here and there, now and then, when officers or departments overstepped the Constitution, but now that we've had a decade of this behavior as part of the "war on terror" it's not surprising to see it being adopted and institutionalized by police here.
ReplyDeleteHopefully this will be squashed with the full force of law and set back any other attempts at this kind of behavior. I just hope that the corruption of the political machine in Chicago and the relationships between the Mayor and his former co-workers in D.C. don't result in just sweeping this under the rug and tossing a few patsies under the bus.
I think that's a pretty big leap to suppose the Chicago is the first to "bring this type of behavior into organized practice." And to blame it on Chicago's corruption doesn't really work either. It could be said that Chicago is the first place that's brought this common practice out in the open to clean it up.
DeleteWhy do you gun nuts hate Chicago so much.
Mike,
DeleteI didn't say that Chicago was the first. I said One of the first because I assume this may be happening on this scale in a few other places. As I said, what they were doing wasn't, unfortunately, unusual--just the scale and organization of it, and it wouldn't be surprising if others are trying to get away with it or try to get away with it in the future.
Regarding the suggestion that Chicago is just the first place to bring this into the open and clean it up, that is ludicrous. Chicago didn't announce, "We have a problem and are fixing it." They got caught by investigative journalists and are having to deal with the problem.
Your statement that blaming it on Chicago's corruption doesn't work is a completely undefended assertion.
As for our supposed hatred of Chicago, sure, we have issues with their gun laws just like with other jurisdictions, but that's irrelevant to what I was talking about. When I talk about corruption there, I'm talking about the obvious corruption in Illinois and Chicago politics which can be seen in the number of jailed politicians, the longstanding voting irregularities in Chicago elections, etc. Corruption is not the sole domain of any party, and admitting that certain locales have corruption problems is not partisan. You are just insisting on putting it in that light. Why?
It could be said that Chicago is the first place that's brought this common practice out in the open to clean it up.
DeleteSure--"it could be said." It would be pretty stupid to say it, but it could be done. Chicago "brought this common practice out in the open" by being caught doing it. That's like saying that Jared Loughner brought his homicidal insanity "out in the open" by committing mass murder.
The Chicago Police are dragging their feet on a Freedom of Information Act request:
Chicago police have yet to fulfill a freedom-of-information request on Zuley’s personnel file, and detailed lists of questions sent Tuesday from the Guardian to Zuley’s attorney and a Chicago police department spokesperson went unresponded.
Let us not forget that their "fact" sheet denies everything.
You're right, saying Chicago did this is silly. I wrote before thinking it through.
DeleteInteresting. I had honestly thought this story was something along the lines of the FEMA camps and the Adgenda 21 types. And now we seem to have found one in the heart of the Democratic machine Capitol.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be interesting.......
Maybe the Chicago Democrats shold be lauded for bringing this out in the open to clean it up.
DeleteMaybe they should if it wasn't dug up by journalists, but by reformers in the government. Still, I'm willing to give them full credit and pats on the back if they bring the hammer down on all responsible for this, not just a couple of low level patsies.
DeleteMaybe the Chicago Democrats shold be lauded for bringing this out in the open to clean it up.
DeleteWhat the hell are you talking about? What we know of this abomination comes from an investigation by The Guardian, not from Chicago--the Chicago "Only Ones" are denying everything. I've seen reference to a state level investigation (of just one small aspect of this horror), and calls for a federal one, but nothing about the city trying to clean it up, which makes sense, because the Chicago bosses love filth and corruption, and have for decades.
This place has been around for decades. To attribute it to one side of the political spectrum, is ridiculous. Most big cities have a place where cops due their barbaric shit to humans. In Mpls. it's down by the river near Washington Ave. The police attract these kind of scum, it hasn't been a secret, and it's been going on for centuries.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of this facility, has there been anything except a Democratic administration in charge of it, this being Chicago? Then who exactly has been the mayor for the last how many years?
DeleteWould be an interesting thing, the Department of Justice having to investigate the President's former Chief of Staff.
John this place has not been around for decades in its current capacity although the CPD has been violating peoples rights in other ways for decades....No one here attributed it to one side of the political spectrum the point was that this is happening even in city's that have been historically democrat controlled. Chicago has been controlled by the Dems since the 1930's and it is the Dems who seem to be the most surprised when this kind of activity is uncovered and yet they seem incapable or unwilling to stop it in citys they have a lock on.....Meaning the mayor and the DA are well aware of what is going on and are complicit in the crimes that have taken place at this facility...And the scumbag Republican mayors who allow this type of behavior to go on under the radar should be held accountable as well....This is not about political party's but a systematic violation of the constitution by those in power from the mayors offices of this country to the white house and it is time it is stopped.
DeleteMike your assertion of racism maybe accurate in some of the case's involved here however there are victims of every race involved here including whites..
"No one here attributed it to one side of the political spectrum"
DeleteGeorge, did you read what SS said?
"In the case of this facility, has there been anything except a Democratic administration in charge of it, this being Chicago? Then who exactly has been the mayor for the last how many years?
SS, I wonder why you insist on blaming this problem on Democrats when the practice has been going on for a long time through Republican and Democratic administrations, so I will just reject your opinion as being politically bias.
And I guess George agrees:
"And the scumbag Republican mayors who allow this type of behavior to go on under the radar should be held accountable as well..."
"This is not about political party's but a systematic violation of the constitution by those in power from the mayors offices of this country to the white house and it is time it is stopped."
Yeah, George, do you just write any contrary bullshit that comes to mind. "No one here attributed it to one side of the political spectrum," indeed.
DeleteIn this case, so far, there is nothing other than PR type exposure to the federal administration. The question is, what will the DOJ do about it. There are certainly enough links involved to make it a challenge.
Deletethis is just beginning and eventually they will be looking at who knew what and for how long.
Let me clarify for ya mike .....political parties while stupid in my opinion are not responsible IMO for the crimes being perpetrated on the people by their gov at all levels
DeletePolice brutality has been a problem since the earliest days of our country; through both Republican and Democratic leadership. I didn't blame Pawlenty when Minnesota had a police corruption problem and I wonder just how many politicians are involved, or know about police corruption in their city, or State. Is Rahm Emanuel directing and giving orders for police to brutalize people at this place? I doubt it.
DeleteIs Rahm Emanuel directing and giving orders for police to brutalize people at this place? I doubt it.
DeleteWell he sure as shit didn't do anything to stop it. If he didn't know about it (a dubious notion in its own right), that's a failure to meet the responsibilities of the job. The person in charge gets the credit for what goes right, and the blame for what goes wrong.
"Let me clarify for ya mike .....political parties while stupid in my opinion are not responsible IMO for the crimes being perpetrated on the people by their gov at all levels"
DeleteThat doesn't do much to clarify what you said: "No one here attributed it to one side of the political spectrum."
"Is Rahm Emanuel directing and giving orders for police to brutalize people at this place? I doubt it. "....I doubt it also John...However I do believe he is aware of what takes place at that facility and has chosen not to stop it making him complicit in the crimes that have take place there under his watch and Im sure Daly knew about it too making him complicit also
ReplyDeleteJust like the conservative/Republican cops/leaders in Ferguson knew they were discriminating against blacks. Amazing you and Kurt claim that Rahm knew about this, please prove that. As I said, I don't think Pawlenty knew about the Mpls. cops, and if he did and did nothing, then he is not only responsible as a leader, but criminally liable as a participant. Link me to the proof the Mayor of Chicago knew about this, then I'll back his being arrested. Of course we should arrest the cops in Ferguson because the feds have proof of their criminal discrimination. But I don't here you and Kurt calling for their arrest, or even the firing of Ferguson cops. Which gets me back to my point about falsely accusing on political side, the Democrats.
Delete"As I said, I don't think Pawlenty knew about the Mpls. cops, and if he did and did nothing, then he is not only responsible as a leader"
DeleteYou're incorrect on the responsibility portion here John. Pawlenty was the state Governor and could therefor be expected to take responsibility of for example the State Patrol or the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Those fall under his control.
The Minneapolis Police Department would fall under the responsibility of the Mayor of Minneapolis, just as the current Mayor of Chicago is potentially on the hook for the actions of the police department there.
And of course, there will be some PR downside reaching up to the federal level due to the Chicago Mayor's last job. Obviously, there wouldn't be any talk of arrests unless there is some actual evidence that he either ordered the activities or knew of it and did nothing to stop it. Though Illinois does have quite a reputation for providing its politicians free room and board paid for by the state.
Amazing you and Kurt claim that Rahm knew about this . . .
DeleteActually, what I said was that I was "dubious" of the notion that Emanuel was unaware, and that even if that is the case, it's his job to know. I certainly didn't call for his arrest.
In fact, you seem to be the first person in this discussion to mention arresting anyone.
What I said John is" I Believe" meaning it is my opinion that he is aware... when did this thread switch to being about Ferguson instead of Chicago....Show me the proof of what the feds claim in Ferguson John if there is enough evidence for a judge to issue warrants for arrest then thats what should happen however just because a prosecutor claims to have evidence does not make anyone guilty of anything...You are fabricating the anti Dem BS...If you have been reading this blog for any length of time you know my feelings about criminal politicians and law enforcement...so you can stop crying wolf towards myself and Kurt and have an honest conversation...For the record I think all political parties are full of shit John including your precious Dems that does not mean the party is responsible for what its members do...Sounds like we actually agree on this Chicago thing John but you want to fight about a perceived attack against the Dems that did not take palce...
DeleteSS, you missed my point. There is a difference between being responsible as the Mayor, or Gov, and knowing, or directing what was going on. A BIG difference in my opinion.
DeleteGeorge, The feds have that evidence and if Ferguson police don't institute the "fixes" from the justice department, the next step is to take them to court and the AG said that's what he will do. It's SS proclaiming a political slant, not me.