Northwest Indiana Discussion

Informed sources have told me, than with the city coucil refusing to request the release of what is being spent on the "Festival on the Lake" was a tragic mistake. If one penny of city money is spent, there will be drastic actions taken this time. You will see that big truck with the gold seal on it at the city hall door. Down staters want to destroy any actions by the Mayor to run for a state office. With the recent resignations, my informed source said , maybe the law and order guys have begun their move. The festival is great for Hammond and the region. Why can't things be done the correct way, without all the secrecy?

Thanks for the news, news. The festival is run at a loss to Hammond taxpayers. Ten years in, no data suggests that there is a positive economic or reputational effect on the city. Losses year after year, but somehow vendors keep coming. Why? Because they are making money. An army of workers attend to the grounds of the fest. OT paid to police to act as a "private" security. Easy to skim cash parking receipts. Easy to skim cash concessions. Everyone can share as they can loot the loot. McDermott brags how so many of the festival staff are college bound collectors who are performing their required "community service." Is it required community service to park the cars and take out the trash, so that Tom and company can have drinks and hobnob starstruck backstage while capos divide the take? Get back to work! The show must go on, but you never know when the curtain will be drawn.

News, you bet ya.... but the boner was pulled by mr. ego, Thomas McDermott Jr himself.

Once he announced he was going to pound his chest and strut his McPac Pac, funding down state candidates he favored throwing his imagined influence around was, is the beginning of the end of JR.

I wrote once before that Thomas McDermott Jr, the Ex Democratic Chairman of Lake County would feel heat when he announced the mc pac political fund, and then his announcement he was going to run for state wide office. Jr is going to follow in the foot steps of another famous Notre Dame Graduate, ex Calumet City Mayor and now out of jail felon Gerry Genova.

Genova's down fall was thumping his chest, flexing his petorial muscles saying he was going to run for Secretary of State. The good old boys network was not going to have it, and helped wind Genova in club fed.

McDermott has lots to hide, from festival of the lakes, to the HUD Fiasco, to a family member of his best, legal egale pal getting $400,000 to build two homes, no bidding, cash up front.

My bet is they go after some of the people around him, Lendi, Phil and a couple of people in code enforcement. There is a lot of low hanging fruit in McDermott's tree.