Metra chief committs suicide

I know that over the years I have followed the many machinations of what's going on locally in this part of Illinois, but basically this story doesn't generally affect me. Well I'm not a Metra rider and I don't generally follow what's going on in our local commuter rail service.

In fact the story of this gentlemen Philip Pagano, Executive Director of Metra, was something I really didn't follow. Apparently there were charges of financial irregularities hanging over him. At that he was recently suspended with pay over a suspicious bonus he had given himself.

To be sure however, Rich Miller noted that his suicide is part a "deeply disturbing pattern". Pagano wasn't the only player in state politics to have committed suicide in recent years. Just last year Michael Scott who was chiarman of the Chicago Public Schools killed himself somewhere near downtown Chicago. Another suicide of note is Chris Kelly. Kelly was a chief fundraiser for Ousted governor Rod Blagojevich and was on his way to prison after having plead guilty for fraud when he was found dead.

The only question I can ask is whether or not this truly is a pattern. A pattern somewhat amongst corrupt politicos. Of course I say this in reference mainly to Pagano and Kelly. I don't think a motive has ever been established for Michael Scott.

To be sure it almost seems well there was another term I could use, but right now I want to excercise caution. Pagano literally was said to have walked right in front of a Metra train this morning. The same trains that he was supposed to oversee.