Extracting His Last Dime

Philip A. Pagano, executive chief of Metra since 1990, has been on administrative leave all month as he was being investigated for financial irregularities. There were actually 3 investigations going on. One, by Metra's own investigator, into whether or not Pagano was inappropriately cashing in future vacation time. One by Cook County states attorney into financial irregularities. And one by federal prosecutors into misuse of federal transportation funds.

Pagano, apparently feeling the heat, decided he'd had enough. This morning he decided to step out by stepping in front of a Metra train. One might say it was a vaguely poetic end.

One should also realize his apparent last act was to cause a major delay to the system he once ran. An act that will cost Metra and the local authorities money to clean up and investigate.