Tribune: Stroger “Sullying” His Own Name
In our previous post, we wrote that Todd Stroger was acting in defiance of the county board and the taxpayers.
But the Chicago Tribune editorial board has gone even further, writing that Todd “seems intent on sullying” his own name “and that of his Democratic cronies.”
We wholeheartedly agree. That same Trib editorial continues:
How else to explain that Stroger has hired six top-level employees at high salaries since his defeat in the February primary? How else to explain Stroger’s awarding of pay raises without board approval — including a $54,000 bump, to $230,000, for Chief Financial Officer Jaye Williams? How else to explain Stroger’s reinstatement of Carla Oglesby, his deputy chief of staff — after telling reporters just last week that she would be suspended without pay pending an investigation of how she was hired and why her communications firm then received a county contract? (No, that county inspector general’s probe isn’t yet concluded.) How else to explain Stroger’s veto Monday of a proposed ordinance to place a freeze on most hirings and raises — an ordinance the board passed 16-1 because of Stroger’s reckless stunts at taxpayer expense?
Again, we agree, and will work to override Todd’s veto of the hiring freeze to end his rampant disregard for your hard-earned tax dollars.
Sun-Times: Todd ‘Shoots an Air Ball’
Filed under: Blagojevich, Budget, Reform, Spending, Todd Stroger
Here’s a fun one from this morning’s headlines…
Former University of Georgia basketball player Tony Cole — a convicted felon who also was once charged in a rape case — scored a patronage job in October with Cook County President Todd Stroger’s administration.
Another day, another story of patronage.
And Todd Stroger still hasn’t found that wasteful spending in the budget yet?
For those of you who haven’t watched, we urge you to view this funny video:
Fitzgerald: Don’t ‘Trivialize’ the Harm from Hiring Fraud
In the wake of the conviction of former Daley political operative Al Sanchez over city hiring fraud - Chicago Public Radio reports on U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s statements that we should not “trivialize” the harm of such fraud.
In this case, he’s talking about hiring fraud at the city level - but let’s not forget that the federal patronage monitor in place at Cook County says the county still has a long way to go in fixing their hiring practices.
And, as of January, the Cook County Forest Preserve District has its very own federal patronage monitor.
Click here to listen to the full Chicago Public Radio segment.
Another Day, Another Federal Patronage ‘Monitor’
Filed under: Corruption, Mayor Daley, Reform, Todd Stroger
Todd Stroger and his allies keep declaring that “patronage” is dead in Cook County … but the feds don’t seem to agree.
Just like the Cook County government, the City of Chicago and the county sheriff’s department - the county Forest Preserve District will now have it’s very own illegal patronage monitor.
Hal Dardick reports in the Chicago Tribune:
The Cook County Forest Preserve District agreed in federal court Wednesday to the appointment of a monitor who will weigh claims of illegal patronage and craft new district hiring procedures.
The district did so to try to “get released” from its 31-year status as a defendant in a high-profile anti-patronage case filed by attorney Michael Shakman, said Dennis White, chief attorney for the district, which has more than 500 employees.
…The Forest Preserve deal in the Shakman hiring case is similar to those agreed to by Mayor Richard Daley, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, who also is president of the Forest Preserve Commission, and the county sheriff’s department.
We fully support the efforts of Shakman and the feds to put the clamps on patronage in Cook County … but we think the voters should also start playing a more aggressive “monitor” role by ceasing to elect political hacks who make federal intervention necessary.
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