Not posted by SCC, so posted here.

Dear SCC,
First, this was no stunt.  President Donahue is costing our membership hundreds of thousands of dollars of our membership moneys in fighting two lawsuits - that we know of.  The reason that President Donahue was charged was solely because of the fact that he has failed to notify and to keep the Board of Directors aware of what is going on with a lawsuit (filed under Docket #: 05C7179 in the U.S. District Ct., of the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division) that should never have been filed.  The FOP in-house attorneys can not represent the FOP because they are parties in some way to the lawsuit, either witnesses or respondents, and so the FOP had to hire a private law firm, which up to now has cost the FOP several hundred thousand dollars since December 2005.
If anyone would like to verify this information, maybe they should try and look at the books, or better yet, ask the FOP and President Donahue for a COMPETE ACCOUNTING of every dime that has been spent AND the number of hours that have been expended by the FOP staff and the FOP's own in-house attorneys.  Imagine if the hours that were expended by our FOP staff and our FOP in-house attorneys in the defense of this lawsuit were utilized for the benefit of the members of the FOP.  Right now, this lawsuit is solely being fought so that President Donahue and our members of the staff aren't embarrassed by the allegations of reckless & irresponsible conduct.  The judge has already found more than enough reason to dismiss the motion by the FOP for summary judgment.  This means that the judge feels that there is a case!
Now as far as the second lawsuit.  This was a lawsuit that was brought because the FOP and President Donahue (improperly advised by Trustee (Sgt.) Majerczyk) decided to take the EXTRAORDINARY step to expel two members who had fought in the last election against Donahue & the CityWide team.  Wow, imagine what kind of chilling effect that has on any dissent or, worse yet, keeps any member from running an election campaign against the FOP!?!  Maybe that's why we are now down to the lowest number of candidates for all of the offices that we have ever had.
We all want to fight "Da Mayor" when he is wrong, but THEN we don't want to fight "Da Donahue" when he is wrong????  Come on, officers, that is crap!  President Donahue has made more than a few dumb and or/ill-advised decisions and he and his staff needs to be held accountable for them.  SCC, I will submit to you, the fact that the charges were brought up is "standing up" - it is "standing up" for the membership!
Now, SCC, as far as whether we wanted to be elected to office. The simple answer is "yes", since there is no doubt that more than a few of the current office holders are not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer.  They have been, or now (if they are running in this election on the CityWide Team) completely beholden to President Donahue.  I doubt seriously whether those particular members would know principle if it ever hit them in the face.  They have surrendered their principles to President Donahue to keep their well-paid office staff spots, their committee memberships, or any of the other perks that each member has.  For some of them they are doing this for $400 a month, for others they are doing this for TWICE the average officers' salary!  It is sad that none of those particular members would not push for some of the answers, but it is SADDER that THEY DON'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO EVEN ASK THE QUESTIONS!!!
The only people that aren't being taken seriously are all of the members of the FOP.  Why?  Because the vast majority of us have refused to ask the tough questions or demanded the tough answers!!! Do you think the City doesn't notice this?  Do you think the City doesn't take this into account when dealing with our EFFECTIVE President (sic)?
Now, just for your information, about the trial panels.
First, the charges against President Donahue were properly filed and have a basis in fact within the Constitution of the FOP.
Second, the FOP Constitution in Article II, Section 4, specifically states that the trial panel be set for "not less" than 30 days. This is the operative wording - "not less"! President Donahue supposedly waived the "30" days, but he doesn't have the right to waive that time frame. It is set up that way to give due process to all parties. The charges were served on President Donahue on 15 Jan., the trial panel was then set for 31 Jan at 0900 hrs, and then quickly re-set for 31 Jan at 1300 hrs.  Although the FOP Constitution does give the right to make reasonable requests for continuances, the first date MUST be NOT LESS than 30 days.  The trial panel hearing was set for 31 Jan, President Donahue was served on 15 Jan. Do the math! This was an "improper" and illegal trial panel hearing under the FOP Constitution!
So to clear up any misrepresentations, I and Harold Brown did go to this improperly convened trial panel hearing and requested that there be a continuance for this and several other reasons.  We were advised that Chairperson Majerczyk (a Sgt. & an attorney) decided that there was no merit in any point of our argument.  However, even when he presented what he thought were the pertinent parts of the Constitution from the State and/or Grand Lodge, there was also a requirement of no less than 30 days, which he decided to completely ignore.
Since the trial panel hearing was improperly & illegal convened, we could not sign off on any other aspect of the trial panel hearing at that point.  That includes the issue of signing the affidavit at the trial panel hearing.  For either of us to have signed off on the affidavit at that point would have been recognizing the trial panel hearing as being legitimate and proper.  We would not do so. Interestingly, the FOP Lodge No. 7 Constitution does not require a sworn affidavit. Even more interesting is the fact that at the time that when the FOP Board decided to charge Shawn Hallinan or Wayne Harej, this was done without a sworn affidavit.  Finally, because the original trial panel hearing was improper and illegal, we did not go to the Board of Directors meeting.  We would not give credence to an improper and illegal meeting.  By their vote to dismiss the charges against President Donahue each board member that voted for the dismissal has acted improperly and in violation of the FOP Constitution.
If there is one thing that should not be happening, it is that the FOP Constitution should not be changed around at their or anyone’s pleasure. The FOP Constitution is in place to protect the members interest and also to protect the members from an arrogant leadership who have decided to trample on the FOP Constitution in their quest to keep their pockets filled.
Finally, one of the first comments was that I was "self-serving".  At this point in our lives, Harold Brown and I don't need to run for office. Unlike our FOP officers, I don't need to misrepresent or lie to keep my "D-5" (captain's) pay coming.  We did this because the FOP administration is completely wrong and by their actions have shown THEMSELVES to be completely self-serving - they are protecting their positions. They have FORGOTTEN what it is like to be a working police officer and they are scared of the implications of going back to doing a job that they were probably not good at anyway!
As a police detective in Areas Four & Five for nearly my entire police career, I worked hard for the truth in investigations and to be certain that proper charges were brought against the proper people.
As police officers and members of the FOP we deserve better.  We deserve not to be lied to! If they are choosing to lie about or misrepresent this, do you honestly think that they are telling the truth about other things, INCLUDING CONTRACT ISSUES?
Officers, retirees, and other readers of SCC, this is the truth of why this has come about and what has happened.  SCC, I guess we'll see if you have sacrificed your principles, as well, to retain any benefits that you receive from the FOP.  More importantly, I guess we'll see if this even gets printed, or, if printed, gets edited.
My name is Al Jaglowski, I am running for 2nd Vice President and I am not posting this anonymously.  FOP members - please choose any candidate OTHER than the CityWide Team.  YOU DO DESERVE BETTER than what is currently in office.
Thanks,
Allen Jaglowski