As my tenth year as a St. Louis American columnist rapidly comes to a close, I reflect on all of the newsworthy as well as downright embarrassing events which transpired in 2013 on the “IL side” of the Mississippi.
But one thing that hasn’t changed, in the past decade, is the continued political culture of corruption, arrogance, hypocrisy and sheer stupidity which permeates Illinois “politricks.”
The year 2013 started off with East St. Louis City Councilwoman Latoya Greenwood getting caught up in a holiday shopping scandal at a Fairview Heights Best Buy store, which escalated as the result of (of all things) she and her male companion, Hickey Thompson, being asked to show their receipts upon exiting the store, which is a common practice.
According to police and witnesses, Councilwoman Latoya “Cuss-‘em-out” Greenwood (the daughter of ESL School Board President Lonzo Greenwood) reportedly became angry and began yelling obscenities at a Best Buy employee, while her companion Hickey “Slap-‘em-out” Thompson reportedly “pimp-slapped” the same employee. So much for minding one’s public image.
Political cronyism remained the order of the day as East Boogie police officer Ricky “I’ll have another round” Perry ended his controversial career as an ESL cop following accusations that he responded to a call while intoxicated. Rather than fight these latest allegations against him, Perry resigned – only to be recycled as an ESL Park District Officer.
Then there was the blockbuster story of the year, with St. County Circuit Judge Joseph Christ dropping dead from a cocaine-induced heart attack at the hunting lodge of his friend Circuit Judge Michael Cook, who was eventually arrested himself while wearing a “Bad is My Middle Name” T-shirt at a Belleville drug house after allegedly purchasing heroin from confessed drug dealer Sean McGilvery.
McGilvery later confessed that he sold heroin to Cook on an almost daily basis – and actually had a case dismissed against him by Cook. Now that’s taking quid pro quo to a whole different level.
That lead to Cook pleading guilty to heroin possession and being a drug user in possession of a firearm; make that 45 various firearms.
But all things weren’t completely bad, with the City of ESL repaying over $21 million in bonds which were issued 20 years ago to save the city from bankruptcy and ushering in 2014 without oversight from the FAA (Financial Advisory Authority), the state-appointed agency which has overseen ESL’s spending since 1990.
I use the word completely because I find it hard to believe that without oversight and with reduced revenue from the Casino Queen, a 42 percent poverty rate, $17 million available and $44 million in liabilities (meaning almost $28 million in debt) that ESL officials will be able to balance their budget, while not reverting to nepotism and cronyism. It’s a tall order, especially for career politicians and their cronies.
And U.S. Attorney Stephen “Marshall Dillon” Wigginton continued to turn up the heat on criminals with random stings, busts and shakedowns of drug dealers, drug distributors and assorted crooks in the “Wild, Wild, East.”
So that gives us some hope that there is some room for optimism in 2014 that at least some public servants are actually doing their jobs and attempting to root out some aspects of political corruption.
Let’s hope so. And let us also pray for a 2014 full of hope, opportunity and a jail cell for every political crook who remains on the loose.
Happy holidays.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com; Twitter@JamesTIngram.
