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State Senator and Reverend James Meeks (I-Calumet City)

Thursday, July 21, 2005

By Ralf Seiffe

OPINION - At the risk of beating the subject to death, the situation with State Senator James Meeks (I - Salvation) needs a broader look and in terms the Senator himself tried to create. If we do, it becomes apparent that the policeman busted the wrong person.

The facts, as we now know them, has the senator’s car being stopped for serial traffic violations.

During the stop, Meeks, a passenger, apparently jumped out of the car and demanded the policeman recognize him. The Senator’s procession contained a chase car that also stopped and disgorged more of Meeks’ retinue, aggravating the situation.

Understandably, these events flummoxed the policeman. From his point-of-view, the entourage could range from a United Nations’ mission to a parade of gang-bangers. Likely the latter, given the neighborhood, and, if we have the facts straight, one cannot blame the policeman for drawing his sidearm. Neither can we draw much from his use of profanity as, greatly outnumbered, he tried to gain control of the situation.

The policeman is now the subject of a hugely political investigation in which he will be lucky to survive as a security guard at Great America.

The entire Black Religio-Guilt complex of professionally offended ministers has arrayed against him.

The Mayor, who has real problems with much more important staffers, has apparently forgotten how to support his police officers. One wonders who will speak for him, other than his union.

The investigation will determine the facts of this traffic stop.

What’s more interesting is Senator Meeks’ behavior. It is sensible to think the senator’s purpose in jumping out of the car was to use his public position to help his driver evade responsibility for his violations and for Meeks to avoid paying the associated fines.

Since Meeks put his position into play at a crime scene, it seems only fair to question how he’s conducted his office and if there are also serial violations of law or trust.

Let’s investigate his behavior, not at the traffic stop, but at the statehouse, using analogous standards available to traffic cops.

One needn’t look far to understand the Reverend should have stayed in the car.

The first things a cop asks for is a driver’s license. The purpose is to identify the subject and to see if there are any outstanding warrants which compel the officer to take the person into custody.

If the officer detects the subject is operating under an alias, he’s bound to become suspicious and wary and to worry about his personal safety.

Meeks identifies himself an independent, that is, not affiliated with any political party. A quick perusal of his web site shows a link to each and every Democrat state senator but not one to a Republican.

While he may vote independently on occasion to justify styling himself as an “Independent”, James Meeks is part of the Democrat machine.

So when he jumps up and asks voters, as he asked the cop “Do you know who I am?” The answer is a solid “Not who you say you are.”

By claiming to be an “Independent” Reverend Meeks is traveling under what most of us would call an alias.

The next thing a cop asks for is the automobile’s registration. The purpose of inspecting the registration is to assure the policeman that the person driving hasn’t stolen the automobile. The Reverend’s behavior in Springfield makes one wonder if he could produce the equivalent statehouse document.

In fact, Meeks seems to think he can help himself to the property and wealth of the citizens of Illinois. He was the power behind House Bill 750, a legislative fraud designed to appropriate achievement and transfers its fruits to his community.

By sponsoring House Bill 750, Meeks reveals that he doesn’t think much differently than a joy-rider spotting a new Corvette with the keys in the ignition.

Finally, a policeman stopping a normal driver will ask for an insurance card.

This document proves that the driver is financially responsible for any damage he might cause. It is a legally required prerequisite to driving. Meeks’ statehouse behavior fails this standard, too. According to the Institute for Truth in Accounting, a non-partisan group to which I belong, the budget the General Assembly passed in the waning hours of May 31st is not financially responsible. The group goes as far as to state it is actually illegal because it violates state statute 15ILCS 20/50.

The reason it’s an illegal budget is that it’s not balanced. The legislators accomplished this by failing to fund the fair cost of the pension funds the state manages for its employees. The Reverend voted to approve this budget which hijacked pension funds and directed them to more topical projects he and his friends in the Senate favored.

During last week’s traffic stop, Meeks apparently tried to use his public position to obtain an undue accommodation from the police officer. In each of these legislative offenses, Meeks acts like he’s above the law, too.

The senator has characterized last week’s traffic stop as another example of “driving while black”. Perhaps it was. If so, he deserves an apology.

In Springfield, he’s a much bigger problem--let’s call it “legislating while arrogant”. This is a practice that should be illegal and arrests would help slow the state’s financial unraveling.

Are there any Republicans lawmakers willing to profile Meeks--and his like-minded colleagues--and make a bust?

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Ralf Seiffe advises business start-ups and product launches from Chicago, Illinois and is a political analyst and columnist for the Illinois Leader.