do I REALLY have to say it???
Posted on 08/26/2005 8:30:23 PM PDT by neverdem
CHICAGO, Aug. 26 - The corruption scandal that has engulfed City Hall here for months came on Friday morning directly to the desk of Mayor Richard M. Daley, who spent two hours answering questions from the federal authorities investigating political influence in city hiring.
"What I can say is that I answered their questions fully and openly," Mr. Daley said at a noon news conference after he was interviewed by representatives of the United States attorney's office. "I cannot comment on the substance of their questions."
Asked if he was a target of the criminal inquiry that has already resulted in 23 convictions, with eight people awaiting trial, Mr. Daley said he did not believe so.
"When there is wrongdoing in my government, I take responsibility for it," said Mr. Daley, a Democrat who has been in office 16 years. "I am committed to root it out and do everything I can to prevent it. This probe has caused me to ask many questions of my own and evaluate how and where the system broke down."
Randall Samborn, a spokesman for the United States attorney's office, declined to discuss the matter.
What began in January 2004 as a bribery case concerning the city's trucking contracts has exploded into a broad examination of Chicago's notorious system of political patronage and clout. Two senior administrators with personal ties to Mr. Daley were indicted this summer amid accusations that they rigged hiring tests to ensure jobs for campaign workers, prompting the mayor to propose an overhaul of the personnel process.
In all, eight of Mr. Daley's cabinet members and three other top officials have either resigned or been fired since May in the scandal, and the administration, trying to show it is cleaning house, moved on Thursday to fire 47 employees accused of...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Before anyone dances on Daley's political grave..they should consider his likely succesor...
Jesse Jackson Jr.
Political corruption in Chicago? never!
....As if anything would ever come of this.
Had they not cheated in that city in 1960, John Kennedy may have led a very long life.
Thanks for posting, neverdem. Your screen-name says it all.
Right on...This would be laughable, were it not so damning of the system.
Just look at Randy Cunningham.
In power LONG ENOUGH or with unbridled clout, these pols are absolutely bound to corrupt everything within their grasp.
But, in all fairness, speaking of Illinois, Rosty was a rank amateur when compared to the Daley Machine.
A Chicago mayor corrupt?? Sure you jest!
I thought that chip off the old black was in Congress?
He's been making noise about running for mayor.
That, of course, is what the Jackson clan specializes in: Making noise.
The newspapers have been out to get Daley. They are treating him like a Republican. Jesse Jackson wants his son to be mayor. His first choice had been to be a Senator but Obama took that chance away. Jesse Jackson Sr sees dollar bills in front of his eyes if his son gets to be mayor of Chicago. Daley has made the city livable and beautiful. I cringe to think what it will look like under the Jacksons who have other aspirations besides being mayor.
do I REALLY have to say it???
In retrospect, Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick look like a choir boy compared to the Daley machine.
I't's about time. They've given him a pass for so long, because Democratic corruption in this city has been accepted for so long as "the way things are done around here". Of course, Republican corruption is a big deal.
It took a Senator who was beholden to no one (Peter Fitzgerald) to appoint a prosecutor with no one to protect (Patrick Fitzgerald) to finally investigate things around here.
That being said, at least the Sun-Times has done some investigative reporting. The Tribune, in their smug arrrogance, just just sits back, and reports whatever the NY Times tells them is news.
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