Regarding the Meigs settlement between the FAA and the Daley regime, the media has reported that Chicago taxpayers will be required to pay the FAA $1,033,000, but the cost to the taxpayers is much more.
Not counting the loss in business to Chicago that the airport brought it, there are the legal expenses, estimated to be some $550,000, paid to a Washington D.C. law firm that employs a former Department of Aviation attorney.
As we look back at the past five years, Meigs is the only American airport lost to terrorism. We are a nation of laws, where due process is to be followed even by mayors, and since this late night attack ignored both law and due process, I consider it an act of terrorism. Terrorists do not announce their planned attacks and neither did Mayor Daley. It was a well-planned surprise attack.
Osama Bin Laden did not hijack any airplanes or plant bombs here; his part of the operation was that of financing the terrorism. In that sense, Chicago taxpayers have financed the mayor’s act of terrorism, although it was done without our consent.
Mayor Daley, and not Chicago taxpayers, should pay for his actions.
Larry Nazimek
Chicago