Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl has paid up on her bet with her opposite number in College Station, Texas.
Tisdahl promised Mayor Nancy Berry that she’d provide the City Council there with a dinner of Hecky’s ribs if Northwestern lost its bowl game encounter with Texas A&M.
The Wildcats lost 33-22, and here’s photographic proof from the College Station city website that the debt was paid this evening at the College Station City Council meeting.
Berry pronounced the ribs tasty.
Gambling
I'm always amazed that elected officials engage in these types of wagers when, I believe, it is against the law to make bets. Don't get me wrong, I'm for full legalized gambling, and I really don't think its a big issue, but these are elected officials that send the signal that the law doesn't apply to them. Maybe I'm wrong and the law allows these types of friendly bets.
Mayor Tisdahl in violation of City Code gambling statute
Evanston Code of Ordinances: Chapter 5, General Offenses
"Playing Games for Money; Betting on Games: No person shall play for money or other valuable thing at any game with cards, dice, checks or at billiards, instrument or thing whatsoever, which may be used for the purpose of playing or betting upon, or winning or losing money or anything of value, nor shall bet on any game he or others may be playing. "
Okay, it's silly to point this out, right? But which other statutes are so trivial that they may be jokingly violated by city "officials"? Why are statutes like these still on the books if they no longer apply? Which ones are we free to disregard? Walking a dog without a leash? Drinking alcohol on a public beach?
De minimis non curat lex
de minimis non curat lex
1.(law) Literally, the law does not concern itself with trifles; expression of the rule that the law will not remedy an injury that is minimal.
Any ordinance is silly if it
Any ordinance is silly if it can't be enforced. Are Evanston police scouring places like Nevin's for folks who've made a wager on a playoff game? Is Fantasy Football okay under this ordinance?
Why surprised ?
You miss the point that politicians and their staff are 'special people.'
They don't have to obey the laws they pass for ordinary people. We see this with the Council and cell phones. Look at the Illinois legistor. Congress can use inside information, pass bills they have not read let alone agree with [we need a Sarbanes-Oxley for Congress] and trade favors for votes and exempt themselves from laws they pass for everyone else..
The president said he would use public funding only [2008] but then decided he wanted to win so took private finance—and now ignores laws because he 'is [thinks he is] a good/moral person' and good people get revelations that permit them to do what they feel right.