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Donald Tomczak admitted to taking bribes, but is one of the star witnesses in the government’s case against Robert Sorich.
Political performance trumped qualifications when it came to hiring in the city Water Department, former No. 2 man Donald Tomczak testified Monday at the City Hall hiring trial.Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins asked if two soldiers in Tomczak’s political army deserved the city positions they were given.
“Were they the best men for the jobs?” Collins asked.
“No,” Tomczak said plainly. “They were active in my political group and did a good job.”
Mark Brown has more in his column today.
The drama should come today when defense attorneys get their crack at Tomczak, no doubt poking hard at the specter of an individual who took $400,000 in bribes rolling over to provide testimony against four other individuals who aren’t accused of taking any money outside their city salaries.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 6, 06 @ 5:29 am
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This voter’s perspective:
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald was tapped to take on the robes of a later-day Lord Justice George Jeffrey’s and drag old-timey politicians before the Star Chamber, because a baldy, spolied, Clint Howard look-alike, one-term, do-nothing Congressman got is posterior gobes handed back to him over the devlopment of the Abraham Lincoln Museum. With the daily prodding from man-of-the-people Kass-like columns from the Colonel’s Ministry, about the old ‘crooked politicians doing the dirty to Murphy’s Mother and Sparky the schnauzer, Petey Fitzgerald set the places at the banquet.
In the business world it is called net-working; even Goo-goo Terry Bruner had his kids working with him. How many famiy names re-appear on 501(c)3’s run by community activists getting rich off the public through chariatble money laundering? It happens.
Comment by Pat Hickey Tuesday, Jun 6, 06 @ 8:17 am
I had doubts over whether the Feds could put the ball right in Sorich’s hands, i.e. have direct evidence that he personally controlled the illegal hiring, but Tomczak did exactly that on the stand.
Things are looking bleak for Sorich. Maybe he will finally cut a deal and say who gave him his orders.
Then things will get very, very interesting indeed.
Comment by Bubs Tuesday, Jun 6, 06 @ 11:53 am
The evidence in the hiring trial is so overwhelming I am amazed the lawyers are trying it. The very best that can be hoped for is a mistrial if one or two of the jurers is corrupted. One juror is from the 11th ward and I’m sure his neighbors are stopping by his house. I hope things are on the up and up but I wouldn’t bet on it.
It does not matter because this case is so open and shut that they will retry it till a verdict is reached and there is only one possible verdict.
That makes me ask these questions.
Why are the lawyers trying the case if it is not in the best interest of their clients?
Who is paying the lawyers?
What promises have been made to the defendants by 11th ward represetatives to keep their mouths shut and do whatever time they get?
Do you think they have been told that they and their families wll be taken care of when this all blows over?
Comment by Frankly Speaking Tuesday, Jun 6, 06 @ 12:50 pm
Keep the Feds out of our city, let the actual people of Chicago decide how our city will run.
Comment by HANSKTER Tuesday, Jun 6, 06 @ 1:36 pm
It is not about patronage, it is about wholesale fraud. Wait until they get to HDO and the drug dealers, and convicted felons they have on the payroll. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Comment by Speedy Tuesday, Jun 6, 06 @ 4:33 pm