Chicago Rules

It's good to be the alderman

Radley Balko from the January 2009 issue

Chicago may revise its strictest-in-the-country ban on using cell phones while driving—but only because one of the city's aldermen got caught breaking the law.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Alderman Tom Tunney was pulled over for violating the statute last year, given a $50 ticket, and forced to hand in his driver's license. He complained to the higher ups and the police promptly returned the license, even though Tunney had not yet paid his fine. Now Mayor Richard M. Daley has proposed a plan that would allow other drivers to hang onto their licenses after being ticketed under the law.

This seems to be a pattern in the Windy City. Earlier this year, Alderman Dick Mell introduced a bill granting a grace period for Chicagoans who may have forgotten to register their guns. The reason for Mell's bill? He himself had forgotten to register his guns before the deadline.

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