Remove them also? Two Chicago honorary street signs honor crooked aldermen

16th Street and Hamlin, West Side

Yesterday Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd) called for the removal of a Trump Plaza honorary street sign from the corner where the Trump International Hotel and Tower stands, which is in his ward. Seven other members of the City Council agree with him.

Reilly doesn't like Trump's statements about Chicago's skyrocketing murder rate.

Chicago's City Council is a disreputable legislative body, once every eighteen months or so a member goes to prison, the most recent of which was Sandi Jackson (7th).

Two Chicago aldermen who did not get locked up were from the 24th Ward on the West Side. William "Bill" Henry was indicted in 1990 for his role in a ghost-payrolling scheme. He died before his case went to trial. Benjamin Lewis is the only sitting alderman ever to be murdered. About this 24th Ward alderman, a historian said three years ago, "Lewis made $8,000 a year as alderman but yet he was living a million dollar lifestyle. He vacationed in Acapulco quite frequently, he was living well beyond his means." Just how did Lewis, a former bus driver, afford that opulence?

Because he was tortured before his killing, there are allegations that the unsolved murder of Lewis involved organized crime.

Okay, what does this have to to with the 2016 Republican nominee for president? Henry and Lewis are both commemorated with honorary street signs. I found a Henry sign at 16th and Hamlin, Lewis' is at 600 S. Pulaski.

These crooks are good enough for Chicago, but not Trump? Is this what Rahm Emanuel is speaking of when he talks about "Chicago values?"