Holder the phone!Former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is wading into the rideshare debate in Chicago.
Sneed has learned Holder, the nation’s first African-American attorney general, has sent a letter to Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), branding Beale’s proposed legislation mandating fingerprint background checks for Uber and Lyft drivers as discriminatory.
• Back shot: Uber and Lyft already require drivers to undergo background checks, but Beale is proposing fingerprint checks instead.
• Side shot: Holder, who left his Obama administration post in 2015, now works at Covington & Burling, a law firm that has advised Uber in California.
OPINION
“Requiring fingerprint-based background checks for non-law enforcement purposes can have a discriminatory impact on communities of color,” Holder wrote.
Citing data showing the FBI database is incomplete and frequently doesn’t include outcomes from arrests, Holder noted: “Because of these issues with law enforcement databases, a fingerprint-based check can prevent people from getting a job even if they were never found guilty of a crime. . . . It was not designed to be used to determine whether or not someone is eligible for a work opportunity. Relying on it for that purpose is both unwise and unfair.”
Beale’s legislation is tailor-made to help struggling taxicab drivers level the regulatory playing field with rideshare drivers by requiring Uber and Lyft drivers to get restricted chauffeur’s licenses after a one-day class, be fingerprinted by a city-approved vendor — and get their vehicles inspected by City Hall.
A top rideshare company source claims Holder is getting involved in the cab controversy because he has long advocated for criminal-justice reform and “cares deeply” about these issues.“He doesn’t want to see Chicago go in the wrong direction.”
Of course, Holder is also getting paid for such advice.
• Beale shot: Beale is pushing for a vote on the fingerprint proposal on June 22. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition against it.
Stay tuned.
Letter to Alderman Beale (June 2 2016)
Sneed exclusive II . . .
The blue law.
Watch for a cadre of City Council aldermen to introduce legislation before the next City Council meeting expanding the Chicago’s hate-crime law to protect police officers, firemen, paramedics and members of the Armed Services.
• The kicker: The aldermanic cadre is composed of former cops and firefighters, which include Ald. Ed Burke (14th), Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st) Ald. Nick Sposato (38th), a former firefighter, Ald. Willie B. Cochran (20th) and Ald. Derrick G. Curtis (18th).
• Titled “Blue Lives Matter,” the city’s expanded hate-crime legislation would make it a violation of the city’s municipal code to target our protective services. “And we would encourage the Illinois General Assembly to do likewise,” Burke said. “Our legislation already includes provisions protecting race, gender, religion, nationality and sexual orientation,” he added.
• Buckshot: Fire Department paramedics were attacked in February while responding to a call at a CTA Red Line station. Both the attacker and the victim would up inflicting facial abrasions on the paramedics. “This is happening with frightening regularity,” said Tom Ryan, President of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2.
The Schaller stall . . .
Condolences to the family of legendary saloon proprietor Jack Schaller, who died at the helm of his historical Bridgeport pub last week at the age of 92.
Next to Schaller’s funeral bier was a large photo of a weathered, white Japanese flag emblazoned with a red sun — suddenly sent to him a year and a half ago (Sneed story, Feb. 1, 2015). It bore his signature and address. He had inscribed his name and signature when stationed overseas in World War II — and forgot all about it.
“Seeing that flag again meant a lot,” Schaller’s daughter, Kim Shinnick, said.
“It brought back a lot of hard memories. And later, after he had it there for a while and would look at it more often, it brought back both good and bad. He was very proud of being army. He hung the flag behind the (Schaller’s Pump) bar in a glass frame and showed it to everybody — until he had to send it to the next person who has signed the flag.”
“So glad he was able to see the flag before he passed away.” Kim said.
Oh oh Oprah . . .
Oprah Winfrey, 62, the oversized media maven who loves potatoes and bought a 10 percent stake in Weight Watchers in October, loves to share.
Thus, she told TV audiences last week her steady beau, Stedman Graham, has helped her lose 30 pounds on her “Better Together” Weight Watchers program.
We also learned around 4 o’clock each day, Oprah loves some “crunch.”
This time Sneed has a hunch. Oprah, for once, is not out at lunch.
Sneedlings . . .
I spy: Gov. Bruce Rauner dining on the patio at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse in Rosemont with a few associates Thursday afternoon. . . . Fox News analyst Juan Williams at Gibsons on Rush last Friday. . . . Happy belated birthday to Sun-Times chief Jim Kirk, ageless and priceless. . . . Saturday’s birthdays: Angelina Jolie, 41; Brandon Jenner, 35, and Russell Brand, 41. . . . Sunday’s birthdays: Mark Wahlberg, 45; Brian McKnight, 47, and Pete Wentz, 37.
