MOUNT GREENWOOD — Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th) made his feelings clear Thursday about fellow alderman who complained about a new rule that bans them from taking advantage of an offer to buy Chicago Cubs postseason tickets at face value.
"Buy your own damn tickets," O'Shea said.
The Southwest Side alderman and fan of the Chicago White Sox made the comments while on a panel with other area lawmakers at St. Xavier University in Mount Greenwood.
O'Shea called the situation "embarrassing" after alderman complained about the Chicago Board of Ethics Chairman William Conlon, who ruled the offer from the Cubs constitutes a "prohibited gift" under the city's ethics rules because the tickets are available to the public at a much higher price.
"To me, it was very serious," said O'Shea, who added that he was not among those who attempted to buy Cubs playoff tickets.
Inspector General Joe Ferguson said he received a number of questions and complaints from aldermen after the Cubs withdrew the offer of face-value tickets to aldermen, with a team spokesman saying the issue had become a major distraction from the team's effort to win a World Series.
State Rep. Kelly Burke (D-Oak Lawn) also chimed in while on the panel for the 11th annual "Breakfast With Your Legislators" event. She offered an alternative to Cub-loving alderman unable to get tickets to the World Series.
"Stay home and watch reruns of the White Sox in the playoffs," Burke said.
The Cubs and Wrigley Field are 95 percent owned by an entity controlled by a trust established for the benefit of the family of Joe Ricketts, owner and CEO of DNAinfo.com. Joe Ricketts has no direct involvement in the management of the iconic team.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.
