The city may have abolished the Hired Truck Program six years ago, but its legacy will always be invoked every time something happens to remind us of it. Events like, oh, Blizzaster 2011. The Sun-Times reports that three companies with ties to the Hired Truck Scandal were among those receiving the $8 million in emergency snow removal contracts that were doled out by the city. more ›

The trial of Alfred Sanchez, former commissioner of streets and sanitation, has begun. Sanchez has been charged with fraud in connection with the Hired Truck scandal. Also on trial is Sanchez's aide, Aaron Del Valle. Jury selection should wrap up and opening statements are expected to be issued today. At the time of Sanchez's indictment, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's office issued a statement detailing the charges [via Capitol Fax]. more ›

Tribune columnist John Kass has been on a roll this week. He started it by discovering the existence of "freegans" and ends it by suggesting His Elective Majesty (in his more animated, apoplectic moments) bears a frightening similarity to horror film icon Chucky. Kass's observation was a casual and humorous toss-off in an otherwise serious column about City Hall's continuing efforts to wrangle themselves a casino. It's an informative read, and if you - like... more ›

Last week, the Illinois Restaurant Association named Sheila O'Grady as its new president. Her first order of business will be working to get the foie gras ban repealed. The press release announcing O'Grady's appointment said that "she brings an incredible depth of knowledge and experience to the position at a very dynamic time in the restaurant industry." Much of that experience is in City Hall. O'Grady is a former chief-of staff for Mayor Daley and... more ›

Yee Haw, Pardner! We got us a whole mess 'a turkeys to rustle up here, so let's get these doggies rollin'! Chicago taxpayers are footing the bill for legal representation of witnesses in the Hired Truck Scandal to the tune of $595,080, for witnesses alone! This number only covers the cost of witnesses that weren't implicated in the scandal. The largest portion of this bill, $210,717, went to a single law firm that used to... more ›

This could be the best lede we’ve read all week: more ›

Last night we had a dream (or maybe a night[da]mare). In the dream, a parade of Chicagoans marched to city hall (torches and pitchforks in hand), up 5 floors and through the doors of Daley's office. Ron Huberman tried to stop them, but somebody kicked him in the nuts, and the mob plowed past. They grabbed the squealing Daley, tied him up and headed outside with him in tow on a rope. They headed to the Richard J. Daley Center's plaza singing "Ding dong! The Boss go'n' be dead. Which old boss? The second one!" more ›

For about a week now news stories have been swirling around about some of Gov. Rob Blagojevich's top fundraisers and various state and city contracts. Yesterday, stories erupted about fundraiser and Blagojevich advisor Tony Rezko and former Rezko employee and Blagojevich administration member Jack Lavin with setting up a fake minority front for two O'Hare Panda Express restaurants. The restaurants, supposedly operated by black concessionaire, Jabir Herbert Muhammad, received their contracts as part of a... more ›

Because Chicagoist takes its job of repeating what is already printed in the newspapers very seriously, we thought it was important to mention last Friday's big news of six new people indicted in the Hired Truck Scandal. The charges are more of the same, shaking down trucking company owners for bribes. Probably the most interesting news is that one, there are so many people people charged -- twenty-three -- and two, that Don Tomczak, the... more ›

A couple days ago Chicagoist noted how horribly wrong national columnists can go when talking about us folks in the Middle-West. Yesterday two more national publications took a swipe at defining Illinois politics, and this time they seemed to have gotten it a little more right -- just a little. more ›

The State of the City speech is usually a snoozer for Chicago media, a few major programs are announced, and a write up goes into the paper. But this year Mayor Richard M. Daley used the opportunity to make the first two substantive moves against corruption in his administration since the Hired Truck Scandal first began a year ago. First, he will privatize the entire hired truck program and take it out of city control,... more ›

Long time Chicagoans know that now and then some federal prosecutor digs up a bunch of guys with broken noses, hauls them in front of a grand jury and gets some indictments. Most go to jail, a few walk. Now and then. more ›

In a significant expansion of the U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation of the Hired Truck Scandal, seven new sets of indictments were handed down from the bench yesterday, four former city employees and three trucking company operators, bringing to fourteen the number of defendants resulting from the investigation. Yesterday's charges reveal the federal prosecutor's interest to aspects of city government other than just the hired truck program. more ›

It's been a tough week for Chicago Inspector General Alexander Vroustouris. Besides a bunch of newspapers publishing his salary so everyone can see how much he makes ($107,304 - not too shabby!), a bunch of Aldermen came down on him yesterday for missing big stuff like the Hired Truck Scandal and the recent tow truck upset (is it a "Scandal" yet?). more ›

Outside of Chicago, Mayor Richard M. Daley is viewed as a model big-city mayor. And when you talk to the average Chicago citizen, Da Mare is generally thought of as good for the city. Hey, props to you Big Guy. So all that happy, fuzzy stuff aside, what the heck is going on with city government lately? more ›

Quick recap: Politically connected company, Environmental Auto Reclaimation, gets city contract seven months after forming. EAR buys towed cars from city for less than $130 each. Towed cars are sold from pound after only 15 days. People of city get screwed, stuck with fines and their old car loans. more ›

There's a phrase that raises the neck hairs of every car owner: "Your car has been towed." The result is never good. Always a mad scramble to find where the car is impounded. Always an expensive taxi fare or long bus ride to the pound. And always, always, a huge fee to reclaim your wheels from the towing company. more ›

At a press conference this morning, Mayor Daley announced two major proposals just a day before his scheduled release of the city's 2005 budget. He's asked for a group of five non-union workers to stand watch over the various operations of the Department of Transportation construction sites and a group of ten non-union workers to look after various aspects of the Department of Water Management. more ›