Joe Berrios Has A Funny Valentine
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Feb 15, 2012 10:40PM
Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, feeling the love.
But it wasn't from a secret admirer.
The valentine was from Alonso Zaragoza, who is challenging Berrios as 31st Ward Democratic committeeman, and the message—although surrounded by loving messages—was a political barb calling out Berrios on his nepotistic ways. It seems fitting to so publicly do so, since Berrios has rarely bothered to hide his own shady political dealings.
Happy V-day Uncle Joe, Thank you for the jobs and promotions. We couldn't have gotten them without you. With love, the Berrios family
Despite a scathing and thorough examination of his many misgivings by Chicago Magazine and BGA, Berrios beat Forrest Claypool in the 2010 election. He immediately got rid of some folks and hired a bunch of his friends and family members, which may have violated the Shakman Decree. In February 2011, he laid off 53 people in his department, but his sister, son and daughter remained on the payroll. Then in May he gave his daughter a $10,000 raise. In November an appellate court judge claimed Berrios was taking shady measures to make it hard for the judge to be re-elected. Even the Sun-Times editorial board jumped in to voice their opinion on Joe "Family Man" Berrios.
Berrios didn't seem bothered by the ad when the Sun-Times asked him about it:
“There’s someone out there who wanted to throw a little dagger at me politically, that’s all,” he said, adding “I just chuckled” after seeing it “and let it go.”