By Steve Rhodes
“The City Hall hiring scandal was former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s mess, but now some of it’s spilling onto Mayor Rahm Emanuel, too,” the Sun-Times reports.
“Emanuel is under fire from Noelle Brennan, the court-appointed City Hall hiring monitor. She’s blasting his administration for its ‘combative’ response to her suggestions it should discipline city officials accused of taking part in fraudulent patronage hiring under Daley.”
Apparently accountability isn’t just an app.
“Shortly before Emanuel took office last year, a federal judge gave Brennan the authority to investigate – and recommend punishment for – city officials who had a role in the illegal patronage hiring and promotion scheme that fueled Daley’s political machine. Brennan had sought those powers after Daley rejected her calls to punish aides who were implicated – though not criminally charged – in the hiring scandal.
“But Brennan and Emanuel also have tangled over what should be done with those officials.”
Maybe hits a little too close to home? An oldie but goodie:
You can download the testimony of former Water Department Deputy Commissioner Donald Tomczak, who is currently serving his sentence in federal prison. This testimony shows how Chicago Democrats rigged the hiring and promotion of city employees in order to unduly influence elections. To read how Tomczak’s unlawful patronage workers campaigned to elect Rahm Emanuel to the U.S. Congress, see the last page, 2444. To read how Tomczak’s unlawful patronage workers campaigned for former U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley’s candidate Al Gore when Bill Daley was Gore’s campaign chairman, see page 2443. The federal court testimony also implicates Senior White House Adviser David Aelrod because Axelrod was Rahm Emanuel’s campaign manager and Axelrod was also an adviser to Daley for multiple campaigns in which Axelrod and Daley used patronage workers to rig the elections in their favor.
Back to the Sun-Times:
“In court filings, Brennan says she recommended disciplinary action be taken against ‘four current high-ranking employees’ in the Chicago Department of Transportation. She says she also called on Emanuel to place a retired transportation department official on the city’s list of people who are ineligible to be rehired.
“Brennan says the Emanuel administration has rejected her advice ‘for the most part,’ instead hiring outside lawyers to conduct a ‘re-investigation’ of the accusations that she leveled.”
Wow, it’s harder to fire a corrupt patronage workers than teachers!
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“Last month, the Chicago Sun-Times reported (link mine) that the Emanuel administration gave a 90-day suspension to Hugh Donlan, a city official who testified under oath that he helped rig hiring for job applicants tied to the old Hispanic Democratic Organization and other pro-Daley political groups. City officials said they did so under pressure from Inspector General Joseph Ferguson.”
Stop rushing Rahm! The urgency of now isn’t that fierce.
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“The city’s investigation into Brennan’s allegations involving the transportation department was done by the law firm Mayer Brown. It cost taxpayers $148,000.”
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Rahm Cares
Hey @MHMChicago at #pride parade I got to ask Rahm why he’s closing clinics while spending more elsewhere, he said “have a nice day”. #OChi
— ChiTownPhilly (@PhilipDeVon1) June 25, 2012
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The System Works
“Seven months after the Chicago City Council appointed its first internal watchdog, he’s run out of money to do his job,” the Tribune reports.
Just as planned.
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The city council’s inspector general was allocated just $60,000 and part-time job status. Get the message?
More Transparent Accountability
Why Obama Says He Won’t Release Drone Documents.
Mystery Grants
A state budget shrouded in secrecy.
Boxed In
“Andrew Golota, one of Chicago’s best-known boxers, was once within a few low blows of winning a world heavyweight title. Now his family says he’s facing his biggest fight in years – deportation,” the Tribune reports.
“Golota, 44, a Northbrook resident and national hero in Poland, learned two years ago that he was in deportation proceedings, court records show.
“The retired boxer was born in Poland, is married to a U.S. citizen and has spent the past 21 years as a legal permanent resident in the Chicago area. He made millions as a heavyweight title contender who fought Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and others.”
So what gives?
“Golota had filed paperwork to become a U.S. citizen, which would have triggered a criminal background check. Immigration law allows noncitizens to be deported for committing crimes of ‘moral turpitude.’ After learning when he returned from a trip abroad that he was facing deportation, Golota tried to erase two state-court convictions.”
Click through for the details.
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Golota PSA for the U.S. Census in 2010.
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Chicagoetry: Zoo of Shadows
The lion is my ambition.
The Weekend in Chicago Rock
Huge.
Beachwood Sports
* SportsMonday: The Fire, F-Rod And The Youk.
* The Cub Factor: Anthony Rizzo’s Magic Bag.
* The White Sox Report: The Batboy, Dick Allen And The ’72 Sox.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Loopy doopy.
Posted on June 25, 2012