Sanchez on Trial

By Kevin Robinson in News on Mar 5, 2009 3:20PM

The trial of Al Sanchez, former Streets and Sanitation commissioner and head of the Hispanic Democratic Organization, started in earnest yesterday, as federal prosecutors began their opening statements. Sanchez, who is charged with seven counts of mail fraud, is accused of rigging city hiring to steer HDO workers into city jobs, effectively building a patronage army. According to prosecutors, the hiring and promotion process at City Hall was "rigged -- it was corrupt." Said Assistant U.S. Atty. Steven Grimes, "it was a sham from top to bottom...Mr. Sanchez used city jobs as currency."

Jack Drumgould, who was a personnel director under Sanchez, testified that Sanchez would give him lists of names of people that were connected to the HDO, which he took to Intergovernental Affairs. "He would say, 'This is Tony's guy' or 'This is Eddie's guy,' " referring to state Sen. Tony Munoz and Rep. Eddie Acevedo, both of whom had ties to the HDO. Drumgold, who testified against Robert Sorich in 2006, was granted immunity from prosecution.

Todd Pugh, the lead defense attorney, said Sanchez, "gave the people of the city of Chicago 30 years of absolute, undying, beyond-the-call-of-duty honest services," and that Drumgold was in fact the IGA's man at Streets and San, and that the mayor controlled hiring through him. Pugh added, “When you hear all the evidence in this case you are going to find that Al Sanchez is not a schemer."