The attempted cleanup of City Hall continued on Thursday as 47 employees were terminated for reasons ranging from falsifying time cards, theft and bribery. The affected employees come from a variety of departments, and stem from the federal investigation regarding the city’s Hired Truck Program, which has widened to include the city’s hiring practices. So if you are looking for a job, apparently there are a lot of openings with the city. more ›

The twelfth Hired Trucker was convicted this week, as Joseph Ignoffo of Ignoffo Trucking plead guilty to mail fraud and detailed how bagmen from the Water Department took bribes and directed political contributions to campaign funds for Cook County Commissioner and Mayoral Brother, John Daley. Ignoffo would make cash payments to Water Department Deputy Commissioner Donald Tomczak and later his underling, Gerald Wesolowski, in return for millions of dollars of city trucking business. Meanwhile, the... more ›

Angelo Torres, one-time head of Chicago's Hired Truck program, pled guilty to extortion, conspiracy and other charges in federal court today. Torres admitted that he had been taking bribes of between $200-$300 from trucking companies to keep them in the lucrative $37 million city program. During his plea Torres "made it plain" that he was not willing to cooperate with federal investigators, who have indicted twenty-three people in charges related to Hired Truck. more ›

Martin McDonagh, a 38-year-old Irish immigrant, was so nervous when he entered his guilty plea in federal court yesterday, that he couldn't remember his own age. As the Sun Times and the Chicago Tribune reports today, out of the 27 people indicted, McDonagh is the first plea in the investigation, although attorneys for Angelo Torres, the one-time Hired Truck operator, announced that he intends to plea guilty. more ›

The latest Chicago pol to fall into the Hired Truck spotlight is West Side State Senator Antonio Muñoz (pictured at right), cited by the Chicago Tribune as an acquaintance of former Hired Truck Program director, Angelo Torres. Torres, you may remember, has been indicted for extortion -- sending city trucking contracts to shadow companies. The connection between Muñoz and Torres is essentially through the Hispanic Democratic Organization. Muñoz' 1998 senate election is considered one of... more ›

Last week, John "Quarters" Boyle was arrested on federal charges for taking bribes from companies to stay in the city's Hired Truck program. Prosecutors say he took cash, steaks, Marshall Field's gift certificates, and contributions to his favorite politicians. In 1992, Boyle was convicted stealing $4 million coins from IL Toll Highway Authority, hence his nickname.. Quick, someone, how much does $4 million in coins weigh!?! A few thousand pounds? Mayor Daley says it's common for the city to hire ex-convicts to give them a second chance but he says he embarassed by the latest scandal to his his administration. more ›