Marathon Pundit: Rahm: Full speed ahead on red-light cameras despite scandal

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Rahm: Full speed ahead on red-light cameras despite scandal

It figures that Chicago even scandalizes red-light cameras. But that's not a big problem for Rahm.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Thursday he believes his administration does not need to halt implementation of a speed camera program in light of a federal bribery investigation centering on a former city employee who went on to work for an organization that lobbied for speed cameras in Illinois.

Federal authorities are probing the personal finances of John Bills, the former managing deputy commissioner of transportation, following an internal investigation by city red-light camera vendor Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. that found evidence that its Chicago program was likely built on a $2 million bribery scheme involving Bills and a longtime friend hired as the company’s Chicago consultant.

After leaving his city job in 2011, Bills was hired by Emanuel political consultant Greg Goldner, working for the Redflex-funded Traffic Safety Coalition.