Thursday, January 3, 2008

A few words from Todd Stroger



There has been a lot of negative media lately, much of it blown out of proportion.
First there was my interview with John Williams on WGN. Andre Garner, my director of media affairs thought the John Williams show would be a fair and educational media outlet for me to express my ideas.

Instead I was bombarded with one hostile caller after another. Andre Garner did not think this was fair to me. He felt the only callers being allowed on the air were rather hostile, negative and one sided. He reacted, because that's all he could think of doing at the time. It was simply a reaction to try to get a fair forum for me. I encouraged him to be upfront and honest and to get out in front on this which he did, admitting he was caller Jonathan. It was not preplanned by any means, just a reaction to a program not going in any fair direction.

Dick Devine, I have really tried to work with him, but he feels more comfortable exchanging unpleasantries about me in public. I am not surprised he will not be running for Cook County State's Attorney next term.

I was less than pleased that on my first day back at work from having surgery for prostrate cancer, he and about 150 of his prosecutors were there to greet me with a protest. He did not feel they were making enough money, and neither did they. They wanted a raise, which they got.

When you work for the County, the City or the State you don't make as much money as a lawyer as you would in the private sector, that is a fact. Dick Devine will be leaving to go into private practice where he will reap more monetary rewards. If other prosecutors feel monetary rewards are more rewarding than public service they are free to follow Dick Devine. I can only hope that those Cook County Employees who will be running for Cook County State's Attorney can focus on their current positions while doing so, because it will be a great disservice to the citizens of this county if they can not.

I stand behind Andre Garner, as you can see he has a very impressive resume. I hope the people of this county can see this was just a simple rare lapse of judgement, which resulted in a rare and unique reaction to a poor situation.

Andre F. Garner - Managing Partner
As Managing Partner of the Black Ink Group, Andre F. Garner is responsible for major project management for the public relations and marketing firm he created in 2002 with co-founder Craig D. Barnes. Additionally, Mr. Garner is charged
with business development, and client communications while taking on the bulk of the firm’s writing, strategic consulting, media relations and government relations work.

Prior to founding the Black Ink Group, Mr. Garner worked in the field of public relations, primarily in Chicago, since 1989.
His career began at the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) where he served as chief media spokesman for the agency.
In addition to managing the flood of media inquiries and interview requests coming into the CHA daily, Mr. Garner executed media strategies to highlight the groundbreaking advances in urban and public housing policy under development at the CHA.

In 1993, Mr. Garner joined the staff of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley where he served as Assistant Press Secretary under Chicago media veteran Jim Williams. In that role, Mr. Garner was responsible for managing messaging for the City’s human services departments and the public information officers serving in those departments. The job also involved speech writing and the day-to-day development of speeches, talking points and overall messaging for the Mayor and cabinet members. Frequently asked to serve as a Mayoral surrogate at public events and in settings with community groups, Mr. Garner developed an outstanding rapport with community leaders, elected officials and key influencers throughout Chicago.

The relationships developed and fostered during his time in the Mayor’s Office served Mr. Garner well during the next phase of his career. In September of 1997, Mr. Garner joined Peoples Energy Corporation as the Manager of Community Affairs. As the parent company of a well-established gas utility company, Peoples Energy was the newly developed brand created by company executives to position their business for competition in the deregulated environment. Mr. Garner helped to shape the company’s strategy for government and community relations as well as structuring their corporate contributions and other corporate responsibility efforts. In his tenure with the company, Mr. Garner was responsible for improving the company’s relationships local government agencies, successfully dismissing potentially explosive charges by a local city government and opening dialogues with key community groups.

In June of 2002, Mr. Garner was hired by Electronic Data Systems (EDS) as Senior Public Relations Consultant for the Midwest. In this role, Mr. Garner assisted the former General Motors and Ross Perot related business to expand its business in the Chicago area. After one year of successfully positioning EDS in the Chicago market and assisting with media and community relations efforts in other Midwest markets, executives at the EDS International Headquarters named Mr. Garner Midwest Public Relations Director. Responsible for all aspects of communications and public relations for the company in the company’s largest region, Mr. Garner managed staff and consultants in 13 states, including a designated staff of communicators assigned to EDS’ General Motors account, the company’s largest client.
During his tenure at EDS, Mr. Garner was the lead communicator handling media, government and communications issues related to the company’s relocation of its Midwest Headquarters from Troy, Michigan to Chicago.

In addition to his more than 16 years as a professional communicator, Mr. Garner is also active in his church community, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce. He is a former board member of the Cosmopolitan Chamber of Commerce, the Black Public Relations Society and the United Way of Chicago’s Volunteer Communications Council. Mr. Garner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in News-Editorial Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He and his wife Adrienne live in Chicago’s Beverly community with their son Andre Jr., 7, and daughter Ari, 4.

32 comments:

Casey said...

Todd, is this really you? You write like a 4th grader.

David said...

Learn how to spell...prostrate?...barak? Are you kidding me. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. I can't believe you are an elected official!!!?

Asten said...

worst. elected. official. ever.

Steven said...

Congratulations on passing the tax cut. I say tax cut because come November I won’t be spending a dime in Cook County. This will be a great windfall for Internet businesses as well as those just outside the borders of Cook.

ZUNE said...

unbielevable crook county
bloated
selfish
a true embarressment
will shop elsewhere like indiana
need to vote you out
illinois democrates what a waste

2kool said...

hey!!!
join the revolution

http://www.impeachtoddstroger.com

godshot said...

Honestly, Stoger has to be the most incompetent government official this country has ever seen.

Taxmandan said...

Todd it's time for you to resign. You are the most unqualified elected official in the history of this state. You are obviously not a smart individual, and your blog posts support my argument. You and President Bush should open up a school on how not to run an administration. Please leave this county and take your fat overpaid unqualified cousin with you.

Zipper said...

I am appalled by cook county prices, taxes and taxes. I do not buy anything in the county. I have become a good customer in Wisconsin. Kenosha is only 37 miles away, groceries are almost half price and no 0% tax on food, I would be a fool to pay the price here, that or I will need to get a link card. How do I go about that? Seems like every one else has one.

annabell293 said...

Todd,
I really need you to help me understand why I have to pay the highest sales tax in the nation? To help the CTA? I don't ride the CTA, never have. Why don't the people who actually ride it pay an increase?? Why is that unthinkable? Also, making your employees sign a confidentiality agreement?? What is it you have to hide? You have a lot to explain to the people in this county.

RevolutionNow said...

10.25% state sales tax?!? The highest in the country!! You fat bloated lazy jerk. Thanks for working for the people - hey Bozo! Have you heard there's a gas crisis?

Unknown said...

Despite some of the previous less then professional comments, our sales tax rate in relation to the rest of the country is an embarrassment. As a public servant, working in the best interest of the taxpayers should be the goal. Smaller county government by eliminating excesses would restore the faith. That includes figuring out a way to work with Chicago to eliminate redundancies, since both bodies are grabbing sales tax dollars. Unfortunately it looks more like “if they can do it why can’t I?”.

Douglas Durkin said...

I have given up. As a third generation Cook County resident my wife and me have decided to move. The property and sales taxes are just old English wrong. Due to the ineptness of the county and state officials we're gone. We have three children and the education system is broken and no creative ideas insight to correct this dilemma. Really just throwing money at a problem doesn't work. Try a true and tested successful school voucher program. This would allow the poor children a better more equal opportunity to a better education.

No doubt Todd you'll get re-elected just on the dead county vote turn-out. You really want to be the best President? Then be tough for the tough times! Seek out to reform the patronage jobs, let your friends and family be on notice they have 6 months to find real jobs. Let investigators, public and private seek out the phony county disabled workers collecting free money. Prosecute these county scabbers and give a percentage of recovered county monies to the investigators and whistleblowers. Good luck, and wake-up you think you are being treated unfair? READ YOU OWN BLOG SITE COMMENTS

Unknown said...

Todd, You remind me of the Sheriff of Notingham who robbed the poor for his own gain. Where is Robinhood when you need him. I hope you become poorer then the poorest of cook county.

Kevin said...

President Todd Stroger, Please learn how to speak. Every time when I listen to you I wondering if all BLACKs are unprofessional and unqualified as you are. No wonder Americans as to call you NIGros. That is exactly what you symbolize.

Unknown said...

I am rooting for you todd. I wish your advisors would just look hard at those cook county voters who BENEFIT from county services. Tell our stories TODD. You can turn this lynching around. You have to tell our stories. Do you know Todd my GEODON pills cost $350 a bottle in Minnesota. Because I moved back to Cook county sir, I can get my pills for affordable price. Do you know Todd without my pills I have either endangered myself or other human beings. You and your father are saving lives. Tell our stories todd and deal with the lynch mob with TRUTH. I know they envy your power, a power WE GAVE YOU at polls and will never give them. Do you know how hard it is for your voter to find affordable housing? Do you know your voter is being pushed to the suburbs, OUT OF COOK COUNTY. While OBama is enjoying a job I GAVE HIM, all I have left is cook county leaders like you. And I am so depressed to see you surrounded by the lynch mob. If you go down, all I have left is an obama tshirt, and the hope my prescription pills wont be needed anymore during these stressful times. Be strong Todd, I am sorry I can not help you until election time with my vote.

marjorie said...

An exercise in fertility?
Obstetrician -"I'm gonna skip that word"
You are a complete buffoon and disgrace to Cook County.
Go back to school,learn to read and possibly construct a proper sentence.

marjorie said...

TAX CHEAT! $12,000.00 in unpaid taxes. Government has put a lien on Stroger's property. Apparently Todd thought he was above the law.
Can not wait to hear the excuse he comes up with for this one. Probably that the government is picking on him because he is Black.

k6whp said...

Have you paid your taxes yet, sport?

If you haven't, maybe The Dear Leader, President Training Pants, will select you for a cabinet position or sumpin'

robert said...

you're an embarrassment to cook county, and we'd be far better off without you.

Anonymous said...

Awesome!

I was going to leave a comment slating your hilariously pathetic blog but it looks like I'm late to the party.

By the way, you've had some traffic from my site recently and this post in particular:

http://trackacrat.com/2009/05/13/cook-county-corruption/

It might be of interest.

Finally, could you please remind me who "Barak" Obama is again?

Please, please, please start blogging again soon, I'm really in need of a good laugh.

Anonymous said...

I keep on coming back to see if anyone else has left comments slating you for being so ridiculously inept!

I can't help it!

You're just so awesome!

http://trackacrat.com/

bam171 said...

I am really surprised that comments aren't blocked on here. I won't be as harsh as some of the other people. Some of the comments are really ignorant, too. I will just say that I'm not pleased with the work you are doing and hope that you not only don't get reelected, but that you go to jail for something or other. I've lost some more faith in Chicago's elected officials.
Great job, Todd.

Heather said...

you stink.

Alana said...

Dear Mr. Stroger. Did you type this from your home? Good for you. At least you've made sure you HAVE A HOME WHILE THE TAX PAYERS OF COOK COUNTY ARE LOSING THEIRS DUE TO YOUR OBSCENE TAX HIKES.

Through the recession we were able to pay our mortgage. That is, until our property taxes went from $3500 a year to $5800 a year to $7800 a year. -All within the span of 18 months. No reasonable appeal window, and you...you should burn in hell for what you've done to the people of Cook County.

I swear on heaven above that I will single you out as the person I hate most in this world for the rest of my life. YOUR POLITICS PUSHED MY FAMILY INTO FORECLOSURE.

You kicked the good people of this county while they were down. I hope you rot in hell.

Moriha said...

You REALLY believe that your lack of support is Racially motivated? You REALLY Believe that you have been running the County Well? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!
You, My good sir, are the worst of the worst!
You filled positions in the County Gov. that had been vacant for YEARS AND YEARS at top salaries! Then cried Broke! You are the one who is Racist, Sir. As you believe that The Cook County Pres. office should be held by an African American, and NOT Who ever is best qualified...That right there is the very definition of Racism!
Step Down, Move away... and Let Cook County TRY to recover from the DISGRACE you have brought Upon us!
BY the Way... I am a WHITE FEMALE, And I am Backing Ald. Toni Preckwinkle, Not because she is A Woman, and Not because of her skin color, but because SHE wants to assure that ALL of the COUNTY has fair and competent representation!
UNLIKE YOU!

Unknown said...

Update your site and fight back Todd.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...

Todd, you are a DISATER for this county. Everything you have ever touched has been a failure. You have wasted money, destroyed your reputation, and made a laughing stock of Chicago politics. Your legacy and that of your father's is in shambles. You should be ashamed of yourself and spend your time hiding under a rock and not making waves until you are ousted. But you're too stupid to do that. What did Chicago do to deserve you?

Cdizzo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Will said...

People....Todd did not write this site. Cant you see that Andre Garner wrote this, sock-puppeting like he did the fake interview on WGM?

Unknown said...

Your article seems to be really excellent. Good job done by you people.
top seo forums