3/25/08 Council Meeting

[ZORBA]

Bear,

I see you have your stock "answers" down pat. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing frivolous about this lawsuit. And even if it were frivolous, #1 aldermen all have homeowners insurance (hopefuly), and #2 it would never be an issue if one individual didn't decide to act like a #?*&+@. When is the last time you heard of any other Berwyn alderman being sued in a similar fashion? In your attempt to put your own spin on things, you blatantly disregard the underlying fault and party at fault.

[ZORBA]

I think what people forget is that a persons ONLY (legal) recourse when they're defamed is a civil suit. You certainly can't file a criminal complaint when someone defames you.

The other thing people disregard/forget is that W never asked for the Berwyn taxpayer to foot the bill. He didn't sue the Berwyn taxpayers, he sued Phelan. The alderman is the party who decided to pass the buck to the taxpayers.

[Tommy]

I find it ll bizarre and somewhat amazing that no one, not one of us has had the prescience to question the authorship of the initial "Press Release."  Anyone can do a press release.  You go on line, find the formats that different media outlets prefer, spin up your promotion in the guise of a story and run with it.  But: here's the rub: anyone can do it, but not everyone KNOWS they can do it.  I seriously doubt that our fair-haired boy had the smarts to come up with such a creative ploy to stick a pin in the mayor on his own.  I mean, really, how many "Press Releases" had Phelan released up top this point?  I recall none...  Which leads me to a couple of conclusions. Let's set up the syllogism, shall we?  First:  Our boy Phelan, while tall, blond, reasonably good looking and charming with a beer in his hand is not the smartest tack in the box...In fact, he's really kinda dumb.  No slam, no harm, no foul -- we all can't be einstein.  Second: The "Press Release" in question was written as an interview.  Was Phelan interviewing himself?  Or was someone else interviewing him?  In either case there is a definite writing and syntactical style WHICH IS NOT CONSONANT WITH MICHAEL PHELANS. 

Putting all of the above together, we can logically conclude that there is an eminence grise, a shadowy cloaked figure whispering in his ear. "running him", to use modern day cloak-and-dagger talk.   Someone other than Michael Phalen wrote the release and then had him send it out over his signature.  Who would have done such a thing -- and more importanlty, who would have benefitted from such scurrilous actions?   

I don't know and I won't venture a guess -- yet.   

Instead, I put the question to you: who does Phelan sit next to in huddled conversation at council meetings?  A couple of ATTORNEYS who saw a usable stooge, a dupe?  Again, I ask CUI BONO?!!! 

Who benefits from all this cry and ballyhoo?  Think, Berwyn, think...

[Felix Greco]

Tommy, Tommy, Tommy.....

Innuendo is not a good thing.

[OakParkSpartan]

From everything I heard, Bobby had no involvement.

[Bonster]

Tommy, Tommy, Tommy.....

Innuendo is not a good thing.

Felix, Felix, Felix.....

Innuendo started about 21 posts back. 

Call it as it happens.

[frank white]

"Our boy Phelan, while tall, blond, reasonably good looking and charming with a beer in his hand "


Did you notice this while cruising that evening you saw him?

[Bonster]

Holy crap frank, Phelan is gay ? ? ?

[apatriot]

I wish I knew exactly how he was defamed.  That would help.

[ZORBA]

False statement purported to be fact which cast W in a negative light.

[apatriot]

and the proof of his incurred damage?

[justobserving]

How many of you have actually read Phelan's press release?  I'll bet very few of you have.  There is nothing defamatory in there.  Tell us all what part of it is defamatory.  If you read it in its entirety, there is no misunderstanding what was said.  Have any of you read the minutes from the city council meeting Phelan references in that press release?  It is all there in the minutes.  Have any of you read O'Connor's sworn affidavit in defense of his buddy Scott?  I'll bet most of you haven't.  Most of you on this site are really fools.  You talk alot of crap without knowing the facts yet you all think you are so smart.
Tommy, I do agree with you on one item though, Phelan is one good looking guy.

[ZORBA]

apat,

damages is a separate matter. if the lawsuit has no merit, then it will be dismissed at the summary judgment satge. time will tell, won't it?

[ZORBA]

scott wags,

so tell us how YOU have acess to this info if you aren't a party to the suit.

Why don't you define defamation for us?

[OakParkSpartan]

The press release was posted above.  I was in attendance at the meeting.  I've read OC's affidavit, but what that has to do with Phelan's actions isn't quite clear (other than trying to shift the focus).

Again, the person who put out the release was Phelan.  No one else.  He needs to accept responsibility.

I guess a court of law would decide whether something in there was defamatory or not.  We are just a bunch of fools, so even if we believe Phelan, it is just a bunch of fools voicing our opinions, and you've already stated we don't know the facts.  So I guess our opinion wouldn't matter anyways?

[apatriot]

Wags, that's why I posted.  Well, one of the reasons.  The Nona thread was long on the DCOB, and this was the only topic no one seemed to want to talk about, yet an important one.  I read the release and read the minutes.  The release from what I read was accurate.  Maybe it didn't say it in a very flattering way to benefit SW, but nevertheless, it was what EVERYONE was saying.

Silk, apparently he feels he is going to lose $50M in potential future earnings.  He went from do gooder to $50M.  What a trooper.

[ZORBA]

apat,

I'll explain it to you via pm since scottie wags will give us his EXPERT leagl opinion shortly.

[Tommy]

Wags, that's why I posted.  Well, one of the reasons.  The Nona thread was long on the DCOB, and this was the only topic no one seemed to want to talk about, yet an important one.  I read the release and read the minutes.  The release from what I read was accurate.  Maybe it didn't say it in a very flattering way to benefit SW, but nevertheless, it was what EVERYONE was saying.

Silk, apparently he feels he is going to lose $50M in potential future earnings.  He went from do gooder to $50M.  What a trooper.

Wow, Apat, not one but two fatal flaws in your argumentation, i.e., A) Because everyone was saying it doesn't make ti true, and B) Was everyone saying it?  Or was there a considerable amount of controversy over these allegations?!

Appeal to widespread belief: The author claims as evidence for the truth of an idea the fact that many people believe in it now, or allegedly believed in it in the past.

Sweeping generalization: Everybody generalizes too much. Pseudoscientists generalize to an overwhelming extent. [sic]

[Tommy]

How many of you have actually read Phelan's press release?  I'll bet very few of you have.  There is nothing defamatory in there.  Tell us all what part of it is defamatory.  If you read it in its entirety, there is no misunderstanding what was said.  Have any of you read the minutes from the city council meeting Phelan references in that press release?  It is all there in the minutes.  Have any of you read O'Connor's sworn affidavit in defense of his buddy Scott?  I'll bet most of you haven't.  Most of you on this site are really fools.  You talk alot of crap without knowing the facts yet you all think you are so smart.
Tommy, I do agree with you on one item though, Phelan is one good looking guy.

Jeez... Call me crazy, but the sentence structure is eerily reminiscent of another poster.  Not only that but the grammatical errors... The aversion to commas... The misplacement of adverbs.... Alot as opposed to a lot...

Mike?  Is that you?!

LOL!

[ZORBA]

not to mention he considers Phelan a "good looking" guy.

??