Thornton Township Settled Watchdogs’ FOIA Lawsuit – More On The Way –

Why does every settlement agreement say (paraphrasing) “this is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing, or liability”. Absolutely they were guilty, and did wrong. Why would they settle otherwise? I think you should instruct your attorneys to not allow that language. By paying, they are automatically admitting liability.

Good work Dogs!

But did you receive the FOIA documents requested?

Stan: the language you cite it boilerplate in virtually ALL settlement agreements. No attorney is going to agree to remove it. It dates back forever and a day, and is part of the “gentlemanly” way in which the courts of yore expected lawyers to conduct themselves. “Well, old chap, we’re not admitting that we did anything wrong, but what would you say if we just paid you a bit for your trouble, and save the both of us a great deal of trouble ahead.” Of COURSE they did something wrong, or the wouldn’t agree to pay! But if you try to take that language out, you are not going to get anywhere, because it also gives the defendant some coverage in future lawsuits because they can say that they never admitted to doing anything wrong, so therefore you can’t really claim that they have done this sort of thing in the past, etc. Bottom line: they can say whatever they want as long as they turn over the records and pay the money. It saves everybody, including the judge (and therefore the people), a lot of time and money.

She doesn’t care as it is not her money that pays off these bills, it’s the Townships/Tax Payers. If it was hers it might get her attention.

Thanks for making lawyers rich again in your continued misogynistic harassment against a minority woman who is not afraid to stand up and fight for our communities in Dolton and Thornton township. You have cost us taxpayers money in wasted lawyers fees for a rich downtown law firm in Chicago over a nothing issue. You don’t even care what you are looking for, just looking to make trouble for a young charismatic woman of color trying to make it in a tough political environment. As I have said before, I looked up Edgar County on a map. You are 150 miles away from our community, if you are going to harass elected officials do it by you, leave our community alone, we don’t need or want your help. Then again, you seem to have a vendetta against a strong minority woman so there seems to be another agenda.

All of Illinois’ 1,430 township governments are wasting money, they’re just quiet about it! Most states do not have this problem, they do NOT have this outdated unit of 1850s government.