* The Sun-Times tries to connect the dots between a handful of contributions to Speaker Madigan and his support for the United Neighborhood Organization’s charter school explosion…
With support from Springfield and City Hall, UNO has grown in less than a decade from what was primarily a Latino activist organization into one of the largest charter-school operators in the city. In 2005, it had one school. Now, it has 13 locations with about 6,500 students.
UNO’s close ties to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, whose campaign he co-chaired, and former Mayor Richard M. Daley are well known. But Madigan quietly has provided the group with perhaps its most valuable assistance.
Madigan introduced the amendment that yielded the $98 million grant to UNO in 2009. That’s believed to be the largest government investment in charter schools anywhere in the country. The Madigan breakfast fund-raiser took place shortly before the state legislative elections in November, at Petterino’s Restaurant in downtown Chicago. In addition to Rangel and Reyes, its hosts included Federico “Fred” d’Escoto, president of d’Escoto Inc. and Miguel d’Escoto’s brother.
The Sun-Times reported Feb. 4 that d’Escoto Inc. and a company owned by another d’Escoto brother were among the contractors UNO paid with money from the state grant. Six days after the story was published, d’Escoto Inc. was suspended from getting any work from UNO pending an internal review of the organization’s contracting process. Two days later, on Feb. 12, Miguel d’Escoto resigned as UNO’s senior vice president of operations and chief of staff.
The October 30th fundraiser raised $24,000 for Madigan’s various committees, the Sun-Times reported.
That’s only about ten percent of the money MJM’s three committees raised from October 27 through November 1st last year.
It’s not necessarily the money they’ve raised. It’s the precinct workers they’ve supplied to Madigan’s operation. And they’ve supplied a lot of those.
* And this probably doesn’t hurt, either…
The United Neighborhood Organization, which operates 13 charter schools in Chicago, wants to build two new schools in Bedford Park, records show.
But it isn’t looking to extend its growing network of charter schools beyond the city’s borders. Instead, the influential group has approached Bedford Park officials with plans to get property in the southwest suburb annexed into the city of Chicago’s 13th Ward. That’s the power base of UNO’s angel in the Illinois Legislature — House Speaker and state Democratic Party leader Michael Madigan, who helped UNO get a $98 million state school-construction grant four years ago. […]
Juan Rangel, UNO’s chief executive, has told Bedford Park officials the group wants to buy 30 acres of vacant industrial property at 6401 W. 65th St. […]
The 13rd Ward sits just across 65th Street from where the new schools would rise. Madigan and Marty Quinn, who won election as 13th Ward alderman with the speaker’s backing, have been involved in the discussions about the UNO plan, according to Bedford Park Village President David Brady.
* The hat is a nice touch…
Caption?
LIVE session coverage...
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:08 am:
“Who’s ‘Uno’ … this guy!”
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:10 am:
“My hat reflects how many terms I see Tom Cross being Speaker …”
- Leave a Light on George - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:11 am:
Holy crap. Can those pants get any higher?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:12 am:
“Did you really mean ‘Uno’, ONE, Speaker, Tom Cross will be Speaker for one term?”
“Nah, I like to get Tom’s hopes rasied, it makes it more fun.”
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:13 am:
“Will someone think of the children — and the amount of money they can generate for clouted-up political operatives?”
- Esquire - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:14 am:
@Leave the Light on George:
I was thinking what’s next a “zoot suit?” Men stopped wearing pants up so high in the Forties or Fifties.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:16 am:
This is why politicians shouldn’t wear hats.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:17 am:
Speaker Madigan wears the hat Tom Cross gave away to his colleagues after getting his 1st Hole in One, presumably during the campaign season.
- Responsa - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:19 am:
==Holy crap. Can those pants get any higher?==
Oh Yeah. It’s too bad Mr. Madigan doesn’t have an influential young daughter who can help him through the minefield of old man style. Oh wait!
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:21 am:
Speaker Madigan does the “NASCAR Hat Dance” after the Election, taking picutres while wearing all his sponsors hats and standing next to the yard signs of all the defeates HGOP candidates.
- Bluefish - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:23 am:
Get off my newly seeded lawn you young whippersnappers or I’ll use this shovel on you!!! U NO what I mean!!!
- Responsa - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:24 am:
My question is, was he also wearing sandals with socks to complete the look?
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:27 am:
Caption coming in a moment, but to the sartorial matter, one has to wear one’s trousers “high-waisted” when one has as many people in his pocket as does Mr. Speaker.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:30 am:
“With a hat like that, you should get a free bowl of suit …oh, looks good on you … Speaker, sir.”
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:31 am:
UNO es el número mas solitado.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:32 am:
===With a hat like that, you should get a free bowl of soup …oh, looks good on you … Speaker, sir.” ===
I can’t even get the quote right … Dope!
- nobody - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:32 am:
Ed Grimley all grown up
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:33 am:
The pants are fine….the body’s too short.
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:36 am:
The flattest “flat front” pants EVER…
- Loop Lady - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:36 am:
good one nobody…LOL
Madigan doing his impersonation of Mr. Haney on Green Acres…
- siriusly - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:38 am:
“Marty Quinn, who won election as 13th Ward alderman with the speaker’s backing”
With his backing. That’s a good one.
- Church Lady - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:40 am:
Oops. Misprint: HDO not UNO!
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:42 am:
When did Madigan turn into my grandfather?
- Montrose - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:45 am:
“What do you mean? Because it is my favorite card game, of course. What? There is? They are? In my district? Well, I’ll be. What a coincidence.”
- regular democrat - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:50 am:
he sure is “Numero UNO” just ask him
on a side note where can I sign up for Oswego Willys work hours.
- Nuance - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 11:58 am:
What is the big deal about the hat, it is just a card game!
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 12:02 pm:
===where can I sign up for Oswego Willys work hours.===
Actually you DON’T want my work hours, or the “reward” of the hard work thus far. At some point, I may agree with you.
- ChicagoDem - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 12:05 pm:
Wough…I see the shovel ready at hand. Who is the Speaker ready to burry next!
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 12:08 pm:
The Speaker is celebrating the SGOP vote total for SSM …
- downstate hack - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 12:14 pm:
A $24,000 hat and UNO and mean NO special consideration.
- Boone's is Back - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 12:15 pm:
MJM thinking to himself..”well I sure wouldn’t be caught wearing a hat that said dos.”
- KickHere - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 12:31 pm:
High Pockets…who picks out his clothes…geez. His taste in clothes match his agenda for the state…lousy.
- Irishpirate - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 12:34 pm:
Speaker Madigan at the groundbreaking for the new addition to the Old Country Buffet in his district.
He reportedly stayed for the seniors brunch special.
- Boone Logan Square - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 12:34 pm:
Though many wish it were so, this man is not actually a retiree.
- Barbie - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 1:13 pm:
Guess I’m dancing with the one who brought me. And thanks for the hat.
- Robo - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 1:14 pm:
A popular game.
- justbabs - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 1:16 pm:
After “Silver Shovel” no one wanted to be caught dead in a photo with a shovel. Surprised to see one in the background here.
Was this photo taken in the current 13th Ward or the future, expanded one? The one that incorporates Bedford Park?
- Bitterman - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 2:07 pm:
Smile for the picture? Heck no. Who took my dang metal detector?
- Wumpus - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 2:25 pm:
Why ar emy pants so high? I gotta keep the $24,000 somewhere.
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 2:29 pm:
“We are smiling because it appears the scribes believe we are so patient that we hand out grants and then wait four years. Right”
- Steve Bartin - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 2:37 pm:
Bigger than UNO’s Pizza.
- Jake From Elwood - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 2:45 pm:
Not shown in the picture is Sen. Cullerton wearing a “DOS” hat.
- zatoichi - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 2:51 pm:
Clint’s stunt double comes on the set…
- Mittuns - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 4:00 pm:
The pants are too damn high.
- In_The_Middle - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 4:23 pm:
MJM doing his best Barney impersonation.
- bullet - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 5:53 pm:
uno not to mess with thia amigo
- Just The Way It Is One - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 6:47 pm:
“Gramps” (nickname) Madigan proud to represent the “Senior’s Division” in the Midwest UNO Card-Game Tournament, this year strangely held outside empty, weed-infested lot in Bedford Park.
- frustrated GOP - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 10:23 pm:
MJM–, “Really my favorite game is monopoly. but over the years no one else will play with me.” But this game is ok too. I stick Tom with a bunch of bad cards then when I’m ready I have Lou Lang yell UNO! It’s great fun.
- downstate commissioner - Monday, Feb 25, 13 @ 10:25 pm:
glad that I wasn’t the only one to notice the pants-In this picture, he doesn’t look powerful, more like a senior citizen waiting for the senior buffet on Sunday….
- Candy man - Tuesday, Feb 26, 13 @ 7:47 am:
Seems to me that Dan Mihalopoulos and the Sun-Times is trying really desperately to create a story where there isn’t one. He should go back to his SEIU bosses and ask for more story ideas. He is really good at flushing toilets at O’Hare!! hahahaha!!
- frmrILSIP - Tuesday, Feb 26, 13 @ 9:47 am:
From the Desk of Michael J. Madigan
To: Rich Miller
RE: Caption Contest
This serves as formal notice that I have taken over sponsorship of SB 1614.
Cordially Yours,
Michael J. Madigan,
Speaker of the House