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Daley Responds to After School Matters TIF Kickback Allegations

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 10, 2011 7:20PM

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Richard Daley showed he hasn't lost his touch for righteous indignation. The former Elective Majesty called City Inspector General Joseph Ferguson's recent report of TIF recipients donating a portion of their awarded grants to the charity run by his wife Maggie "a personal insult to his wife."

Daley addressed the report as he led a walking tour of his pet legacy project Millennium Park yesterday as part of Chicago Ideas Week.

“My wife has been involved with After School Matters since 1989. No one - no one - talked to anyone,” Daley said Monday. “It’s a disgraceful thing they did, but you accept that in public life.”

Ferguson's report doesn't accuse the Daley administration of strong-arming TIF recipients into donating to After School Matters. Ferguson did note, however, that since a majority of the recipients donated to Maggie Daley's charity the appearance of quid pro quo was undeniable. Also undeniable, the money After School Matters received from the city during Daley's tenure in office, in which it was known as the preferred charity of City Hall.

Ferguson also took pains to recognize the good work ASM provides. If anyone should be taking Ferguson's report as a personal Insult, it isn't Maggie Daley.