The Chicago-area Web site cikaga.com is at it again. In the long-running tradition of media outlets having some fun on April 1, the site has reported that an aide to President Barack Obama is entering Latvian politics.

Michael Strautmanis, the adopted son of Čikāgas piecīši founding member Juris Strautmanis, is organizing a political party called The Chicago Way to run in the Latvian parliamentary elections in October, according to the Web site run by Artis Inka.

Strautmanis is chief of staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement, according to the whitehouse.gov.

“President Obama has embraced Michael’s new career path,” cikaga.com reported. “The President has directed Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Senior Adviser David Axelrod to provide political guidance and assistance.”

Referring to similarities between questionable political practicies in Chicago and in Rīga, cikaga.com suggested Strautmanis might feel right at home in Latvia.

We still recall with pleasure cikaga.com’s 2008 prank in which the Web site reported that the Democratic Party was going to selected its presidential candidate during a meeting at the Latvian center Gaŗezers in Michigan.