HARRISBURG—We received numerous calls, texts, messages and emails this morning about this:
Now, our sources on this tell us they don’t listen to the program and never have, but of course, everyone is wondering why this is continuing, as the “hook” of it was the fact that Eric Gregg was the mayor, so that was supposed to be a draw for the show.
So…he’s no longer a mayor. Where’s the hook with “former” mayor? There are lots of former mayors in town. Why doesn’t Valerie Rose Mitchell have her own show? Or Ron Fearheiley? Or Chicken Bob?
it’s because Eric Gregg is employed, in a fashion, at this radio station. And since the state is letting him get away with lying on his application for his job at the Prisoner Review Board about employment in the calendar year prior to the appointment, why not continue whatever jobs he currently has that people don’t know he’s getting paid for?
The way it works is this: Eric Gregg actually runs the station during his show. He operates under one of the only two deals WEBQ offers: He buys the time block and any ads he sells during the block, he gets to keep, or, they pay him and all ads are WEBQs. How do we know this? Because we ourselves looked into this deal before we started doing podcasts regularly. This is the way it is and has been since at least that time when Eric Gregg became the mayor and started his little show.
Which means he has another source of income that he didn’t report, and isn’t reporting, in violation of 730 ILCS 3-3-1.
Now, since we’ve brought this to the public’s attention, and since Eric Gregg has given up his position as mayor, he’s probably gonna say “Wallll no, I don’t take any money for that show; that’s just something they do now, you know, because people listen.” Maybe. But all radio stations are hurting, and charge ridiculous amounts for advertising; we know, we advertise infrequently. And there’s just no radio station out there that’s going to give up income out of the kindness of their hearts, even for Eric Gregg. Especially for Eric Gregg…or anyone of his ilk.
So what can we do about this turn of events?
Well, we’re going to contact the senators who have been watching Gregg’s every move for about three weeks, ever since he threatened to “bring us to our knees…and anyone who associates with us” in response to us learning that he’s been operating in violation of the statute since April 27, 2013, and in advance of the article appearing about his crazy offspring. The senators are compiling a list of lies Gregg has been telling his employer, the state (funded by we, the taxpayers, remember), and are pretty upset with the way this appointment not only was made, but how it’s been going. They’ve discovered, through Freedom of Information Act requests, that Gregg has been holding jobs through which he’s receiving compensation in direct violation of the statute…the LAW, that thing that the rest of us must follow or we get in trouble.
That’s what we’re going to do. Now here’s what YOU can do.
Call the radio station and ask them if the former mayor can answer a few questions on his next “Monday Morning with the (former) mayor” show, such as:
Is it true that Eric Gregg lied on his application for the state appointment?
How many jobs WAS the mayor holding during the previous calendar year prior to the signature on the application, May 20, 2012?
How much income came in from those jobs, and is this not in direct violation of 730 ILCS 3-3-1?
Why did the mayor put “none” in all the blanks on his application when it referenced jobs and income for the preceding calendar year?
Who paid his medical bills in 2012? And wouldn’t that be considered a “gift” of monetary form, in violation of the directives of the application?
How much money was raised at the fundraiser held for the mayor last year? And wouldn’t THAT be considered a “gift” under the directives of the application?
Is he still claiming to have no income from any source except the state of Illinois?
Are you doing this show for free, and are you willing to prove that?
Did you or someone operating for you have anything to do with your daughter being let go by the Evansville police department?
Then when you get done with that call, call your Senator and tell him or her that you’re tired of favoritism being shown certain people on the state level, such as Eric Gregg.
The appearance of Pat Quinn in Marion today is nothing but a distraction, a smokescreen, damage control. This situation with Eric Gregg has severely damaged Quinn in this region, and don’t think Quinn doesn’t know it: our reach far exceeds anything any other spoon fed state-suckup media does, and Quinn knows it. While he’s here, who knows…he might pop over to Harrisburg and make sure everybody knows things are all hunkydory with Eric. But they’re not. Because Eric Gregg isn’t the only one whois getting this kind of favoritism. Our staff is turning up other incredible cases whereby someone gets an executive appointment, and the taxpayer is soaked. It’s a long, complicated story, and we’ll be brining it to you in upcoming editions of the print version and here online at the e-Edition. People wonder what we can do to control egregious spending in this state. These ridiculous appointments, of people who are violating the law when they take them, is a good way to save the taxpayers huge sums of money.
Be watching for the next print version, and pick up the current one at these vendors or right here at the e-Edition if you want to know the truth about what’s going on in this situation. Of course, if you enjoy having smoke blown up your ass and want to believe Eric Gregg would do no wrong, don’t bother…but more and more people are wanting reality instead of fantasy, and we’re here to give it…so get it.