Mayor Daley lashed out at John McCain's ad connecting Barack Obama to Chicago's legendary political machine. "People get desperate in their political life," Mayor Daley said about the ad. "My theory about politics and government: You build yourself up. You don’t have to tear people down." He also defended his brother, former Commerce Secretary Bill Daley. "First of all, my brother is not a lobbyist. He’s not a lobbyist. He’s not a lobbyist. He’s never......

In swift order Wednesday afternoon, the Illinois House shot down Governor Rod Blagojevich's amendatory veto to a major ethics bill. House Bill 824 bans campaign contributions from people and businesses that have at least $50K worth of contracts with the state. The bill applies to all state officials, although it is aimed largely at Blagojevich, who raises large sums of money from state contractors. Blago made several significant changes to the bill, including extending the......

The 50th Ward is corrupt, Alderman Bernie Stone may or may not be in the pockets of developers rather than representing the wants of his constituents, according to a longass article in the Trib today. Zoning rules are widely flouted, with developers not notifying residents of new plans or putting up required signs. The Tribune has found that zoning rules have been ignored or changed to make it easier for developers and harder for residents......

Robert Hogan, former President of Teamsters Local 714, agreed to leave the union earlier this week amid allegations of misconduct. Hogan, whose family has run the union since the Depression, signed an agreement with the Teamsters' Independent Review Board that he would voluntarily leave the union, agreeing never to serve as an officer or member there, or work as an employee again. Hogan's departure is the result of a recommendation made to international union president......

While most other Illinois pols were using the Independence Day holiday to watch fireworks with their constituents, Blagojevich had some bombs for reporters. When asked whether he was the target of a federal corruption probe, the governor responded by calling questions about the matter “ridiculous,” “absurd” and “stupid.” At what was supposed to be a slam-dunk press conference about Illinois getting tough with gas-pump inspections (huh?), he chastised the press, accusing them of sensationalizing Tony......

Mayor Daley's former patronage chief, Robert Sorich, was denied an en banc appeal hearing Monday. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned down a request that the entire court reconsider the convictions of Sorich and two others. Sorich, who was convicted in 2006 of fraud for his role in covering up political hiring in the city, had asked for a hearing to examine his fraud conviction for depriving the city of "honest services," a......

When we were in the food-service industry, an expediter was someone who organized the orders before they hit the floor. (Think Tom Collichio in the Tramanto's episode of Top Chef from a couple weeks ago.) But in terms of Chicago politics, before today we had no idea. Alderman Ed Burke sure did, however - and would like to have them all licensed by the city. [Ed note: God forbid we make anything at City Hall......

Man, Chicago is a city of criminals and asshats, of mismanagement and lying, corruption and inertia. Just ask the AP! Today's "Corruption fighters find Chicago a challenge" says shady dealings in this town are part of the patchwork we lovingly refer to as Chicago history. Chicago's tradition of corruption goes back to the 1890s when the so-called Gray Wolves of the City Council stuffed their pockets with bribes. One alderman was celebrated as the Prince......

Rod Blagojevich, the clock is ticking. The Trib says an "investigative arc" is now "pointed directly" at Blago, the Sun-Times wonders if he's "next," and even the AP says Rezko's conviction "intensifies the spotlight" on our governor. None if it's news exactly; if you've paid attention to the trial at all, it's clear that Rezko and Blagojevich had a substantial relationship, and Ali Ata's damning testimony alone should lead to a thorough investigation of the......

So this morning's Supreme Court ruling might not be the total end of the road for George Ryan's quest to get out of prison. The latest? His lawyer is going to ask President Bush to pardon him. Jim Thompson announced this afternoon that he and the rest of Ryan's legal team were planning on petitioning the president for clemency. And if Bush won't grant it, they'll petition the next president, too. One expert put the......

The United States Supreme Court denied George Ryan's appeal today, meaning our imprisoned former governor will stay just that: imprisoned. Ryan's lawyer argued that Ryan didn't receive a fair trial after alternate jurors stepped in during deliberations, but the court apparently rejected that suggestion and without comment declined to hear Ryan's case. This is the end of the road for Ryan's appeals process, so it looks like he'll be serving out the rest of his......

US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who's in desperate need of a nickname, said there's "every reason to think there are more charges to come in the future," following the arrest of 15 people, including several city employees, charged with giving and receiving bribes in the zoning department. The investigation is called "Operation Crooked Code," which is amazing. From the Trib: City inspectors ignored problems, fabricated reports and sped up paperwork in exchange for envelopes of cash,......

"'Everything was the exact opposite of the way it should be,'" says David Hoffman, the city's inspector general, describing the bribery and corruption in Chicago's zoning and building departments. Sayeth the Trib: "The alleged bribes helped developers avoid seeking necessary variances, receive certificates of occupancy that they were not entitled to and pass inspections that they should have failed, authorities said." [Trib] Emil Jones is taking out interest-free loans from his campaign fund. It's......

Fifteen people, including seven city employees, are being charged with crimes connected to corruption and bribery within the Chicago's Building and Zoning Departments. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, the city's inspector general David Hoffman, FBI officials and postal inspectors are holding a press conference later this afternoon to explain all the charges. Damn. [S-T, Trib]......

At a press event on the West side yesterday, Rob Blagojevich responded to reporters questions about his role in the federal investigation of Tony Rezko. When asked if he thought he might be the next target of federal prosecutors, the governor replied “as I've said before, I'm not going to answer stupid questions like that." His response elicited applause from his audience, mostly ex-offenders that have benefited from state-sponsored anti-recidivism programs. The governor was meet......

On Thursday last week, Mayor Daley announced that Richard Rodriguez, the city's former buildings chief, would head the city's Department of Aviation. Rodriguez, a Chicago native, oversaw the reunification of the Buildings Department with the Department of Construction and Permits, a move Daley said saved the city $2 million. Daley, who split the two departments in '03, called Rodriguez "a good manager. He rolls up his sleeves, he gets involved, and it's not an eight-hour......

Just months after the city's Human Resources Commissioner, Jacqueline King, resigned her position following a scathing report by federal hiring monitor Noelle Brennan, Chicago has awarded over $150 million worth of consulting contracts for "examination, administration and security" of employee selection tests, "executive talent identification and recruiting" and operation of "assessment centers" to a group of contractors. Human Resources spokeswoman Connie Buscemi told the Sun Times that the unprecedented wave of contracts doesn't mean that......

James Duff, a Daley friend with mob ties who scammed Chicago out of $100 million meant for women and minority-owned companies, has been banned from doing business with the City for 3 years. Wait...what? That was everyone else's reaction, too, after Montel Gayles, the city's chief purchasing officer, and the Department of Procurement made an announcement this morning. Inspector General David Hoffman had recommended a lifetime ban, and after several aldermen and other local politicians......

“I miss the beat,” says Bill Cameron. “But hopefully I'll be able to get back to it sooner rather than later.” Cameron is no longer on that beat because he was let go by his employers, WLS Radio, a couple Fridays back in what's being called the Leap Day Massacre. So, seeing as how he had some extra time on his hands, we decided to get in touch with him and talk about nearly 40......

To the shock of absolutely no one, Governor Blagojevich was officially identified as Public Official A today in the documents pertaining to Tony Rezko's prosecution. A nine-page ruling from U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve confirmed what Blago has repeatedly denied.......

Sangamon County Circuit Judge Patrick Kelley ruled Wednesday that Governor Blagojevich's administration must disclose subpoenas from federal prosecutors in the ongoing investigation into state hiring. When the governor's office denied a Freedom of Information Act request for copies of the subpoenas last year, the Better Government Association, a Chicago-based government watchdog group, sued. US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is investigating charges that the Blagojevich administration traded state jobs for campaign contributions. Blagojevich had claimed, among other......

Blago held a press conference yesterday to talk about transit funding and hey...how did that special session go? Oh, right! Next to no one showed up, and the ones who did left after 15 minutes. And some left after 2. The rest of the country is starting to notice, too. Our transit woes have made it all the way to the Economist, which concluded "If Illinois's politicians were trying to demonstrate how not to tackle......

Corruption in Chicago has evolved, according to federal hiring monitor Noelle Brennan. According to the annual report Brennan released yesterday, blatant abuses and manipulation of the hiring system in the city is no longer a problem. But patronage has moved to "more subtle types of manipulations of the hiring process." Brennan has been the hiring monitor since August of 2005, when federal prosecutors uncovered a fraudulent hiring scheme that led to Daley's former patronage chief......

Today's Sun-Times has an interesting article on restaurateur and Chicago native LaVan Hawkins, who's opening Nancy's Pizza and Al's Italian Beef franchises even as he's set to go to prison on corruption charges. The biography of Hawkins is a true rags-to-riches, rise-and-fall-and-rise-again story starting with his early years running in a gang and battling drug addiction, then from working his way up from the lowest rung at a McDonald's to commanding a fast-food franchise empire......

Mayor Daley chimed in on the question of recalling Blagojevich yesterday, telling the the Sun-Times that "calling [for] a recall is unnecessary. I may have differences with the governor. But I really believe his mind is on public transportation and on infrastructure as [much as] everyone else. You can't say just because I'm upset with [him about] an issue, two issues that you're gonna have a recall. I disagree with that." In case you missed......

We're embarrassed to admit that when it comes to Korean culture, beyond bulgoki and kimchi we sort of draw a blank. (But oh how we love bulgoki!) So it's great to know that DOC Films at U of C is on the job: this week they're hosting the Korean Film Festival, a traveling tour of contemporary and classic cinema. 1958's A Flower in Hell is described by Jonathan Rosenbaum as "potent and grim," but......

Carol Marin is "a little worried about Chicago being a world-class city," given that that status tends to equal corruption and bullshit. No joke. You know what we're worried about? The phrase "world-class city." The term — which means what exactly? — has been all over the place recently. RTA boss Stephen Schlickman's saying it. A "Chicago Reader driver." An Olypmic committee guy. Edward Keegan. The Sun-Times can't get enough. Mayor Daley says it, that......

Back in May, the International Olympic Committee laid the smack down on Chicago 2016 for illegal use of the torch symbol. (All Olympic imagery is reserved for official Olympic business. Chicago's still just an "applicant city.") Anyway, the suspense is over! The new logo is here, and boy, is it ... meh. According to this so-earnest-it-hurts explanation, the logo is "a great symbol of hope for our city and our nation," and the six points......

It was a Tuesday — a beautiful, sunny Tuesday at that. Most likely, most of the United States was getting ready for or just starting an average Tuesday in September. And then, the unthinkable happened. Two planes hit the World Trade Center towers in New York. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon, and yet another plane was crashed in Pennsylvania. The country was legitmately in "shock and awe." However, there were those of us who......

Well, now we have the answer to our previous question. This is just in from Cheetah Gym owner David Wilshire: Dear Members: Cheetah Gym has been closed due to employee theft and graft. The degree of corruption was enormous. I was left in a position where I could trust no-one or anything. Most of the problems were at the Bucktown facility. Edgewater, I believe, was relatively free of graft. The scams ran the gamut but......