Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart's suit against Craigslist

[Tommy Knocker6]

Sheriff is at it again with CL:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/03/sheriffs-lawsuit-says-craiglist-largest-source-of-prostitution.html

[Castlerae]

"The crusade continues

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheriff is at it again with CL:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/...ostitution.html"

Yeah, I saw it all over the Chicago TV stations tonight. must be a (very) slow news day or something.

[Tommy Knocker6]

Interesting to see this. So as I assumed, a "look good" ploy by the sheriff. Although that doesn't prevent 'monkey see monkey do' behavior by other regional LEOs in trying to look like theyre doing something against providers and clients.

March 6, 2009 6:16 PM PST
Craigslist to sheriff: Federal law protects site

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10191150-93.html

[Oddjob]

Tommy sees an excellent opportunity for the Republicans to grab Obama's/Burris's seat in the Senate during the 2010 election. You can bet that you'll be seeing lots of Little Tommy Dart during the next year and a half as he removes the serious threat of SEX in the bible belt. This is a shoe-in with the conservatives and females, that could just be enough to put him over the top.

[Pna]

I read the actual suit that Dart filed, and I have to tell ya, it was high comedy.

He is asking CL to reimburse the county for enforcement on the theory that if it weren't for CL there would be no prostitution.

Quite aside from the fact that he has the cart before the horse in trying to blame the world's newest technology for the world's oldest profession, he is basically saying that since CL has put this all out in the open (and co-incidentally made his job of enforcement MUCH easier) that they are to blame for it.

This is kinda like finding someone who will let you shoot fish in a barrel, and then suing the guy who owns the barrel on the premise that without the barrel there would be no fish.

He also says that prostitution a la CL detracts from the quality of life in the neighborhoods where it takes place. And, in this I find I must agree with him.

After all, in the old days these women had to walk the streets in plain sight, in stead of being tucked away in cheap hotels. The cops had to actually venture out on the mean streets where they might at least present the APPEARANCE of deterring crime.

Now, of course, the hoods know that the CCSP are hanging out in well-upholstered hotels and it's open season on the honest citizen. Consequently, Dart is correct, the quality of life IS diminished and we have some indication of why the rates of other crimes are rising. Because Tom Dart is busy protecting us from good pussy, instead of bad people.

In the words of Bugs Bunny, "What a mar-oon!"

[Xtraveler G]

Number of individuals arrested between Jan. 2008 - Nov. 2008: 156
Hypothetical average cost for an escort hour: $250.00
Projected revenue generated by Escort (No Arrests): $39,000.00
Projected revenue lost by Escort(Arrests): -$39,000.00

Cook County cost of Craislist investigation: over $105,000.00

==> Gain/Loss: over $66,000.00 wasted by Cook County Sheriffs Office

Break Even Point (Arrests @ $250.00/hour): 420 arrests
or
Break Even Point (Average Hourly rate of escort): $673.00 - which is highly doubtful in for escorts posting in Chicago...or any other craigslist site nationwide.

==============================================

Not having lived in Chicago, but having visited there several times, this press exemplifies the macro-economics of waste which elected officials i.e. Gov. Blagovich/Illinois, Gov. Elliot Spitzer/New York, are subjecting our citizens and nation to.

Such a waste.

[Ericdrumz]

This is kinda like finding someone who will let you shoot fish in a barrel, and then suing the guy who owns the barrel on the premise that without the barrel there would be no fish.Very well stated, my friend!

[SpokenOne69]

You politicians are a joke!!!!!

What have you done to Craigslist other than help them increase their fees from $5 to $10.

You all are a bunch of KNUCKLEHEADS

I will NOT vote for any of you jackasses ever!!

Now, off my soap box. Just check the Adult Section of Craigslist. Pretty close to the Erotic section

Viva USASexguide

Maybe Jackson can come up with something comparable to Craigslist - Erotic Section. These Illinois bozos cannot touch him in Canadadia

[Enderwiggen]

they can't stop it, they will just begin posting on other parts of the site.

This is just another way for them to take the heat off of the police and political corruption this city is known for.

One of the girls I had, showed me a video of her Banging blagoevich.

This is a true story. Her pimp doesn't even know what kinda gold he has.

[Perdip]

they can't stop it, they will just begin posting on other parts of the site.

This is just another way for them to take the heat off of the police and political corruption this city is known for.

One of the girls I had, showed me a video of her Banging blagoevich.

This is a true story. Her pimp doesn't even know what kinda gold he has.OMG,

If you're serious and it really was Blago she was bangin. Do you have any idea what that kind of dirt is worth? Forget about getting money from him, he's broke. But just imagine what a news outfit or tabloid would pay for that! Oh heck, TMZ would Give a blank check!

[Ghostface89]

I don't know if a working girl has a video of her doing Bloggo, but it seems possible. A bartender friend of mine who used to work at Vinci's on North Ave. told me that young Rod was a regular there. He would sit at a window where he could scan the action and pick up black hookers. (He also pimped for his father-in-law, Alderman Dick Mell.)

I have this info second-hand from the former Vinci bartender, but it should be something that a hungry, newly minted journalist could check out by some old-fashioned followups with Vinci's employees and neighborhood locals. Come on you pathetic generation XYZ reporters, earn your pay like in the Ben Hecht FRONT PAGE days.

[Hadecologne]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2009

Contact:

Marisa Kollias 312.814.4693 (IDOT)
Paris Ervin 217-558-0517 (IDOT)
Joelle McGinnis 630-241-6800 ext 2380 (Tollway)
Scott Compton 217- 782 6337 (ISP)


IDOT, Tollway and State Police Urge Drivers to
Comply with Posted Speed Limits
Photo Radar Vans Click to Capture Speeders in Work Zones
CHICAGO—The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) alongside Illinois State Police (ISP) and the Illinois Tollway want to remind motorists construction season is underway and warn that tough laws are in place to buckle down on speeders in work zones. Legislation that was signed into law back in 2004 targets drivers who flout work zone speed limits and endanger the lives of construction workers and other drivers. The enforcement of this legislation has been effective in reducing work zone fatalities by over 50 percent.

“Construction season is in full effect and we want to urge motorists to comply with the posted speed limits in all work zones. We want to send a message to motorists now to slow down in work zones,” IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig said. “If you are caught speeding in a work zone, at minimum you will be looking at a fine of $375, and while some may think that’s harsh, you cannot put a price on a life.”

The law states that first-time work zone speeders, including those caught on camera, will be hit with a fine of $375, with $125 of that sum going to pay off-duty State Troopers to provide added enforcement in construction or maintenance zones. Two-time offenders are subject to a $1,000 fine, including a $250 surcharge to hire Troopers, and the loss of their license for 90 days. Tickets received in a work zone require a mandatory court appearance.

This summer, 5 vans will be deployed across the state. The specially equipped vans are staffed by specially trained ISP officers and can take photographs of drivers speeding in IDOT and Tollway construction and maintenance zones. Tickets are reviewed and approved by ISP and will be issued by mail to vehicle owners. The registered owner will not be liable if someone else is driving the vehicle. Businesses and rental companies are required to provide the driver information for any violations occurring with their vehicles. To date, over 8,000 citations have been issued across the state. In addition, drivers who hit a worker are subject for up to a $10,000 fine and 14 years in prison.

"As the work zone season is well underway, we want to remind motorists the importance of slowing down and staying alert when workers are present," said Illinois State Police Director Jonathan E. Monken. "In an effort to reduce fatalities and injuries, Troopers will be out in force strictly enforcing the 45 mile per hour work zone speed limit, both for the safety of construction workers and motorists. Drivers can expect to see aggressive enforcement with increased patrol cars, photo enforcement vans and motorcycle units to help save lives on our roadways during this construction season."

The work zone speeding crackdown is just one of the ways state transportation and law enforcement are working together to accomplish that goal. In 2003, there were 44 work zone traffic related fatalities with 5 workers killed. 2007 showed a consistent decrease resulting in 21 traffic related work zone fatalities with 2 workers killed.

“Enforcement efforts by Illinois State Police have played a critical role in keeping workers and motorists safe during the massive roadway rebuilding and widening projects underway on all of our Tollway, and the photo speed enforcement vans are a resource that drives home the message that speeding in construction work zones is unacceptable,” said Illinois Tollway Acting Executive Director Michael T. King. “Speeding, impatience, and driver inattention are the leading factors in work zone crashes, so we need drivers to slow down and stay alert in work zones for their own safety as well as our workers.”

Under the provisions of the Automated Traffic Control Systems in Highway Construction or Maintenance Zones Act of 2004, Illinois State Police were given the authority to use cameras to enforce work zone speed limits in cases where workers are present. It also requires that signs be posted when work zone speed limits are being enforced by camera.

IDOT and Tollway officials stress the importance of complying with work zone speed limits even when workers are not present because of the dangers posed by features such as narrow lanes, lane shifts, reduced shoulder width, obstructions and drop-offs. Most people do not realize that over 90 percent of Illinois’ traffic related work zone fatalities are motorists.

For more information regarding photo radar enforcement, log onto http://www.dot.il.gov/workzone/workzone5.html

[Ghostface89]

It looks like Craig's list players and assorted mongers are going to get a break -- at least for the moment.

Tom Dart is now grabbing face time everywhere with the Burr Oak Cemetery resold grave plot "scandal." While he rails emotionally and charges a few cemetery workers with class X felonies, he shows his typical stupidity on the situation. (Like deja vu with his knowledge of prostitution!)

Tom Dart is playing the emotion card instead of looking at the facts. This world is run by (sadly) lawyers, contracts, and fine print. Those disturbed graves: were they "term graves" only sold for say 20 to 30 years, or perpetual? Only a look at the cemetery issued deeds will tell. There may have been no crime committed at all (in a legal sense), depending on the deed of sale.

Instead of announcing that he was looking into the matter, Dart jumps on the bandwagon to claim headlines. His highschool style hysteria may even force all charges to be dropped against the cemetery "perps" and will probably lead to a lawsuit against Tom Dart's office -- meaning the taxpayers will have to cough up extra cash.

How much longer can the Cook Co. taxpayers afford Tom Dart, 19th Ward brown nose?

BTW, I am not a lawyer (I can't be one, my parents were married), but I do have an MA in English and can read between the lines through all of this.

[Mad Ivan]

...Tom Dart is playing the emotion card instead of looking at the facts. This world is run by (sadly) lawyers, contracts, and fine print. Those disturbed graves: were they "term graves" only sold for say 20 to 30 years, or perpetual? Only a look at the cemetery issued deeds will tell. There may have been no crime committed at all (in a legal sense), depending on the deed of sale...Didn't they get (also) charged with dismembering bodies, which, I guess, wouldn't be dependent on grave terms?

[Zeuss]

The courts will have to decide whether what happened was illegal or not; but there's little doubt that it was wrong. From what I have read there is very little oversight on cemetaries, which will undoubtedly be looked at soon.

The only bright spot is that Darts' focus will be off the hobby for the next couple of months. It also gave the media a new story to beat to death; Michael Jackson stories were really getting OLD.

[Ghostface89]

Well this is another one for Dart. A closer look at the regular Cook County vocabulary -- Tom Dart loves words like "terrible" "horrible." Demonizing these people. The Tribune is having a field day sensationalizing the facts.

I do not know if what they did was wrong or if it is a crime. It is sad for the families I guess, but I really do not care that much. With the violence in the city of Chicago, I will not lose sleep over this incident.

I was surprised to read that during Obama's initial run for Congress, Tom Dart broke ranks with the Democratic machine and went for him.

Maybe if he seeks higher office, he will just do what Obama tells him, hopefully. Getting Craigslist into the national news may not be that bad of a thing. Maybe more providers would know about it, more hits for the site, more options.

This observation is brilliant.

Instead of an old time law and order LEO like Sgt. Friday in the old DRAGNET TV series who unemotionally solves cases and tracks down perps, we get Tom Dart, the touchy-feely Oprah style lightweight. Dart's choice of words, as pointed out above, betray his mindset.

Welcome to the new Amerika where shell games can be rigged to delude the general public and distract them from the massive fraud and theft conducted by our public "servants."

As for me, I have gone to OZ and I have a brain.

Remove Tom Dart from office NOW!

[Zeuss]

Crook County's ever so perseverent sheriff is at it again with new targets: Eros & Backpage.

They just uncovered an "international sex ring" and arrested 3 Taiawnese woman.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=329630&src=143

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-human-trafficking-ringoct17,0,1013255.story

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Dart-Rescues-Prostitutes-From-Human-Trafficking-Ring-64561642.html

Channel 5 mentioned the websites on their Sat morning broadcast.

[Mj138]

This news made me feel sick. I feel like a creep, really, if you are going to these apartments you are contributing to sexual slavery. No question, no excuse, own it. It bothers me. If you are an escort by choice, right on, free will, free choice. You can do what you want with your body and I strongly believe legalized prostitution would end, certainly curtail, sexual slavery. Forced sexual slavery is sick and I will not go to an Asian apartment ever again. Hookers are illegal, but contributing to human bondage is disgusting. I have in the past. I was dumb and weak. No more. I can get my rocks off with someone who has chosen this line of work and is not forced to fuck for freedom. Gross


Crook County's ever so perseverent sheriff is at it again with new targets: Eros & Backpage.

They just uncovered an "international sex ring" and arrested 3 Taiawnese woman.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=329630&src=143

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-human-trafficking-ringoct17,0,1013255.story

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Dart-Rescues-Prostitutes-From-Human-Trafficking-Ring-64561642.html

Channel 5 mentioned the websites on their Sat morning broadcast.

[Zeuss]

It remains to be seen whether or not they were actually "slaves."

Thinking back a few years ago when the feds shut down the AMPs in Rockford they made the same claims.

I do agree though if they really were slaves then that is wrong. One thing for sure when they claimed that they were slaves they were released; which would be a VERY smart thing to claim if it gains freedom.

In any event I wouldn't say that they were too successful if they only got the 3 working girls and 1 boss - that doesn't sound like much of a "ring" to me. If there is a sex slave ring then hopefully they are coordinating with the feds to get those who are actually in charge rather than the low hanging fruit. Given dart's history I think that this was just another publicity stunt.


This news made me feel sick. I feel like a creep, really, if you are going to these apartments you are contributing to sexual slavery. No question, no excuse, own it. It bothers me. If you are an escort by choice, right on, free will, free choice. You can do what you want with your body and I strongly believe legalized prostitution would end, certainly curtail, sexual slavery. Forced sexual slavery is sick and I will not go to an Asian apartment ever again. Hookers are illegal, but contributing to human bondage is disgusting. I have in the past. I was dumb and weak. No more. I can get my rocks off with someone who has chosen this line of work and is not forced to fuck for freedom. Gross

[Paul Stearn]

The Sun-Times reports: A federal judge this week threw out Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart's lawsuit seeking to force Craigslist to pull online ads Dart says sell sex.

U.S. District Judge John F. Grady ruled that ads offering "adult services" aren't explicitly offering sex, and Craigslist is an "intermediary," and is not "culpable for aiding and abetting" customers who "misuse their services to commit unlawful acts."

[Bkmsw]

One can also make the claim that the majority of sex workers are slaves. They were "forced" into it by their circumstances. Parents abused them, kicked them out of house, met up with abusive boyfriend, need money to support themselves, no education due to abusive childhood.......

Lets not get on our high horse and pretend we are a "good" john by only picking up American girls that "choose" to be prostitutes. Not those "poor foreign" girls that were forced into it. I bet only a very small minority get into because of free choice.

Girls sell sex. Guys buy sex. Period. Sometimes it's illegal (money for sex) sometimes it's not (expensive or cheap dinner and drinks for sex) I know I have probably fed some woman's drug habit. I know she is probably out walking the streets instead of being home with her kids, thereby continuing the abuse pattern. I'm okay with this. Ultimately, we all can walk away. (I can just be happy with my SO and she can always find a halfway house, church, whatever) But I don't and she doesn't either.

All I'm saying lets not kid ourselves what the consequences are for what happens after the deed is done. (Broken marriages, disease, drug habits continues......)

B

[Mj138]

Abuse, drugs, poor education, no skills, these are all terrible things. Some of them are reasons women make a choice to sell their bodies. Ultimately, it is their choice. If you grow up in an environment that encourages such a choice (poverty, drug abuse, poor family) a young woman may sell her body. The vast majority of women in this environment do not. Thye have that choice. However, if you get abducted and are forced to fuck men for your freedom there is no choice. You can color it anyway you want it, but fucking a drug addict or buying a woman dinner are related no way to having sex with women forced to have sex for their freedom. You are a slave, in servitude to another person. You may be a slave to your drug habit, but it's a choice. A hard habit to break, sometimes unbreakable,terrible, but crack, etc, is treatable. There is no treatment for a slave. There is a difference in the choice you make. If you are seeing these women you are contributing to human slavery.
One can also make the claim that the majority of sex workers are slaves. They were "forced" into it by their circumstances. Parents abused them, kicked them out of house, met up with abusive boyfriend, need money to support themselves, no education due to abusive childhood.......

Lets not get on our high horse and pretend we are a "good" john by only picking up American girls that "choose" to be prostitutes. Not those "poor foreign" girls that were forced into it. I bet only a very small minority get into because of free choice.

Girls sell sex. Guys buy sex. Period. Sometimes it's illegal (money for sex) sometimes it's not (expensive or cheap dinner and drinks for sex) I know I have probably fed some woman's drug habit. I know she is probably out walking the streets instead of being home with her kids, thereby continuing the abuse pattern. I'm okay with this. Ultimately, we all can walk away. (I can just be happy with my SO and she can always find a halfway house, church, whatever) But I don't and she doesn't either.

All I'm saying lets not kid ourselves what the consequences are for what happens after the deed is done. (Broken marriages, disease, drug habits continues......)

B

[Lippner]

A debate for the Democratic primary for Barack Obama's former senate seat. Alexi Giannoulias is definitely the guy to go with.

Check him out at AlexiForIllinois.com. Great site, I'd say he won handily but there were 4 others in the debate.

His ads on tv hit the spot with me.