Hump Day Political News Roundup

By Kevin Robinson in News on Apr 25, 2007 4:30PM

While we've been busy enjoying the nice weather over the weekend, and trying to get back in the groove this week, lots of other newsworthy stuff has happened here in the City by the Lake. Let's take a look back at everything that's happened so far this week:

Daley Picks a New Chief of Staff; Local Press Makes Bad Sports Jokes. As Daley promoted Ron Huberman to try and save the CTA's ass, he's tapped Planning and Development Commissioner Lori Healey to take over as his Chief of Staff. This has inspired the Sun-Times to compare Daley to a Major League Baseball team, and Healy to a quarterback. Rounding out the good times at the press conference? Daley's zinger to a reporter: This job is a very demanding job. It's not like your job -- very easy. ... That's what government's all about. It's not leisure jobs like you have," he said.

Daley Thinks the City Inspector General Has Enough Staff. When City of Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman asked for 10 more staffers, Da Mare told him flat out no. Citing cost to taxpayers (unlike the savings we have accrued from such great programs like Hired Trucks), Daley told Hoffman that 60 employees and a $5 million budget should be plenty. By comparison, New York City's Inspector General has 295 employees and a $22 million budget. Here's hoping the Sun-Times can staff up!

New Aldermen to Jesse Jackson Jr: I Had Your Support!? Two newly elected aldermen expressed surprise to the Chicago Tribune that Jesse Jackson Jr had backed their candidacies. Both Toni Foulkes (15th) and Joann Thompson (16th) won last Tuesday, and Jr is counting their win in his column. But that's not the story they're telling the Tribune. “He did not endorse me,” Foulkes told the Trib. “I know nothing about that,” Thompson said, expressing similar surprise. Jr claims that he communicated his support through phone calls to the candidates and a conversation with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, although records show that he gave no actual money. We guess support is a relative term.

Don Gordon Charges Election Fraud. In a press release issued yesterday, 49th Ward challenger Don Gordon is claiming that people voted twice, or voted with registrations at an address that is, in fact, an abandoned building in Rogers Park. Mike Flannery of CBS2 News points out one flaw with the Gordon strategy: in one of the precincts where fraud is alleged, Gordon won by 30 votes. If those votes are thrown out, Moore will hold his seat on the council by more than 300 votes. Moore won by a margin of 247 votes.