Wiretap flap proves it’s all about money in Illinois politics

Our billionaire governor in waiting is caught on a FBI wiretap with our imprisoned ex-governor, calling certain politicians names. The insults flew around as the pair yucked it up at the expense of Jesse White, Emil Jones, Jesse Jackson Jr., and Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Now the apologies are flowing like crocodile tears and some Democratic politicians refuse to retract their endorsement of J.B. Pritzker.

The reason is obvious: the man has money and they expect to be rewarded in the future for standing by his side. It’s business as usual in Illinois, and despite the dismal failure of some of our politicians on the moral front, in the end, money talks and BS walks. This is why nothing will ever change in Illinois.

And the hits keep on coming. But with the very politicians he was dissing still standing by his side with their hands in his deep pockets, we should be scared to death.

Scot Sinclair, Third Lake

Medical examiner not up to the job

How interesting to read Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Ponni Arunkumar’s explanation for the failure of her Cook County Medical Examiner’s office, found to fall far short of necessity in investigating death scenes as reported in the Sun-Times. Such failure compromises the likelihood of possible crimes being solved.

Translation: She and her team are not up to the task. By now, she ought to have demanded the additional $5 million she says it would take to expand her staff to get the work done, or gone public peremptorily with her dilemma if she wanted to protect her reputation. But even that doesn’t explain away the underperformance of her examiners — some with dodgy backgrounds according to the article — who are clearly sloughing off. That verifies Dr. Arunkumar’s failure in her supervisory duties. Case closed. Next applicant?

There’s vital work to be done.

Ted Z. Manuel, Hyde Park

Don’t trash military parade

Lynn Sweet’s trashing of Trump’s idea to have a military parade as a “show of strength” by calling it a massive waste of taxpayer money is actually laughable. Duckworth and Durbin continue to disparage Trump at every opportunity. And while Duckworth uses derogative nicknames for the commander in chief, I will refrain from referring to her by the similar derogatory type of name.

Please explain to me why we spend millions on an annual Chicago Air and Water Show but it’s not OK for a military parade in the U.S.?

I am a Vietnam-era veteran.

Mike Koskiewicz, Portage Park

Trudeau vs. Trump

As the vibrant, young Canadian leader Justin Trudeau visits our country, I can’t help but wonder: With all the young, talented, decent, intelligent citizens this country has to offer, is an over-the-hill, profane, septuagenarian, real estate wheeler-dealer the best we can do?

Ken Kramer, Glen Ellyn