It was an intellectual, three man cage match, ala’ the World Wrestling Federation on Chicago Tonight yesterday evening.

With Elizabeth Brackett refereeing the verbal melee over the recent filing of the lawsuit against the parking meter lease deal, there were three political heavyweights in the ring.

In one corner, Clint “La Ley” Krislov, who is the lead attorney on the lawsuit.

In the second corner, Chicago Reader political reporter, Mick “The Bruiser” Dumke.

In the third corner, 50th Ward Alderman Berny “The Grump” Stone.

It was Krislov who came out swinging early in the segment, with Stone, who backs the parking meter lease deal,  getting some defensive jabs in. Finally, Dumke jumped into the fray, going toe to toe with Stone, driving “The Grump” into a defensive tailspin

It didn’t seem that Stone was taking very kindly to the ass whuppin’ Dumke was giving him on the facts of the deal. Often, as it is in politics, the old guard doesn’t like to get schooled by young bucks like Dumke.

The problem for Stone was, outside of the people who originally wrote the several pounds of lease deal, know one knows the details of this deal better than Dumke.

You see, unlike most of the City Council, Dumke actually read the deal.

So, Stone, despite his pathetic attempts to defend the deal, came off flustered, defensive and looking like a schill for the Daley Administration.

The winner by TKO…Mick “The Bruiser” Dumke.

Ding, ding, ding,ding…

UPDATE: We’re not the only ones giving Mick a pat on the back today.

First, Angela Caputo of Progress Illinois has a mini-transcript of one of the more heated exchanges between the two and a video excerpt of said exchange.

Also, Laura Heller over at True/Slant has some accolades for Mick, along with Chicagoist’s Marcus Gilmer and Mick’s colleague, Whet Moser over at the Reader.

A lot of media was on hand for the “Stop The Meters” protest in South Chicago on Friday morning, including Kristyn Hartman of CBS 2.

Hartman does a pretty good job of covering the protest and the issue.

Here’s her story, South Chicago Neighborhood Protests Meter Hike and here’s the video news report of the protest.

Sheesh! What a headache.

CBS 2′s Vince Gerasole is reporting that some new Pay & Display units that have been installed over the past two weeks, have the incorrect help line phone number listed on them.

“The number you have reached has been disconnected…” is what you hear when you call the number on some of these pay box units.

The number seems to be off by one digit.

Overall, it’s not a huge deal, but considering all the other problems Chicago Parking Meters, LLC has been having veins in heads throbbing, all over City Hall and at CPM/LAZ.

It could take two weeks to rectify the problem.

Here’s the full story and/or check out the video here.

Take two and call me in the morning!

Carol Marin, of NBC 5, does a very nice job showing how businesses in Albany Park seem to be suffering from the recent parking meter rate increases in a piece entitled Meter Madness: Bad For Business.