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* Embattled Metra Chairman Brad O’Halloran has resigned…
In his two-page letter, O’Halloran repeated his claims that he referred all Clifford’s allegations — which O’Halloran dubbed “non-specific”— about political pressure to the inspector general and tried to get “the pre-eminent anti-corruption watchdog” attorney Patrick Collins involved.
“My reaction was not to ‘hush’ anything up, but rather to direct the matter immediately to the inspector general, so that he could get to the bottom of it,” he wrote.
In answering Clifford’s charges, O’Halloran maintained that Clifford “misrepresented or outright invented supposed conversations he claims to have had with me.” And writing in a defiant tone, he continued to stand by what he called a “business decision” to avoid costly litigation with Clifford, calling it the “lesser of two bad choices in order for the agency to move forward.”
“While I have been taking the heat, it seems the powerful politicians Mr. Clifford accused escaped the same level of criticism,” he wrote at the end of his letter.
There goes Madigan, right under the bus.
O’Halloran’s full resignation letter is here.
* Another Metra board member, Mike McCoy, resigned recently, but his reasonings weren’t given much play anywhere…
Prior to the April 3 memo, McCoy said he thought Clifford’s contract would be renewed, despite recognizing that O’Halloran had serious differences with the CEO, who was paid $252,000 a year.
“I think if he’d just gone forward with the contract process he would have gotten a contract extension,” McCoy noted.
But comments in the April 3 letter changed McCoy’s view of Clifford’s career at Metra.
Clifford wrote that his lawyer (patronage expert Michael Shakman) was communicating with Metra attorneys “concerning claims I may have against Metra arising from the facts described in this memo.”
That to McCoy was a threat and, from then on, he felt there was no way to deal in good faith with Clifford.
“After he threatened to sue it was very hard going forward. For example, if he didn’t like my review, would he say that I was retaliating? If we disagree on policy issues, is that retaliating? I became convinced unless we offered him another contract there was going to be a lawsuit.”
Clifford charged that a committee led by O’Halloran and Huggins would evaluate him, making a “sham” of the entire performance review.
McCoy thinks Clifford “implied two people controlled the evaluation process and that was never true. It had to be a board decision and he resisted the process.”
McCoy is a Republican. More…
McCoy said he voted to support the Clifford severance package, strictly on the basis of the numbers.
“I felt the financial risk of litigating and possibly losing the Clifford threatened lawsuit far outweighed the cost of the settlement,” he wrote. “I believe this even more strongly today.”
* Shouldn’t Schaffer also resign if he wants everybody gone?…
Metra Board member Jack Schaffer has denounced the severance package as “hush money.”
On Wednesday, Schaffer stood with GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bill Brady as Brady called for the entire board to be dumped. Brady had harsh words for O’Halloran, saying his behavior “lies in question” and that he should answer questions and be held accountable.
More Schaffer…
“I’ve said for weeks that in order to fix this mess, the first thing we needed was a change in the chairman’s position,” Schaffer said. “Brad O’Halloran had to go.”
Not mentioned is that Schaffer was never happy with O’Halloran’s election. From last year…
Director Jack Schaeffer of Cary poked the so-called appointing authorities, thanking them “for the long, long, long deliberations and giving us advice. I wish them well as they tackle their other great issues … and express the hope they let us now run the railroad. It could have been done better.”
* And then there was this…
A South Side reverend, who was ordered in January to pay back a $91,000 state grant after he couldn’t account for how it was spent, resigned Wednesday from the Regional Transportation Authority.
The Rev. Tyrone Crider’s resignation comes about six months after he was reappointed to the RTA board by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle Feb. 27. The RTA is the agency that oversees city and suburban transportation, including the scandal-plagued Metra commuter rail system.
Preckwinkle was unaware at the time she reappointed him that Crider had been sued by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office and had been ordered by a Cook County Circuit Court judge on Jan. 11 to repay the state grant, said Kristen Mack, a spokeswoman for the County Board president.
Carnage.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 9:47 am
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No way to run a railroad.
How about that Rev. Crider? Isn’t sure how he spent a $91K state grant. And then, when he’s on the RTA, he shakes down Metra, CTA and Pace for $60K for ads in his personal rag.
Reappointed by Preckwinkle. Isn’t she supposed to be one of the goo-goos?
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:01 am
Preckwinkle was unaware at the time she reappointed him that Crider had been sued by =Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office and had been ordered by a Cook County Circuit Court judge on Jan. 11 to repay the state grant, said Kristen Mack, a spokeswoman for the County Board president=
No wonder there is such a mess, when these appointees are not vetted prior to appointment.
Comment by Downstater Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:02 am
This has already wrought more havoc than initially expected, and the story is barely a week old. Now it’s starting to suck in other pols, like Rush.
What the heck is going on at Metra & RTA? They supposedly cleaned up their act after Pagano.
And speaking of Preckwinkle, didn’t she just fire the top ethics official who was pursuing Berrios for nepotism as it relates to improper hiring and firing of public employees?
The clown show rolls on… and on… and on.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:08 am
The most dangerous place in Illinois is to be between Michael Shakman and a federal courthouse or agency. He’s running to court so much you’re likely to be trampled.
This O’Halleron guy sounds like one of the dumbest ever appointees to any agency. I guess he doesn’t want to be involved in government any longer. A total doofus.
Comment by low level Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:22 am
Preckwinkle needs to upgrade her administrative procedures and staffing if her office missed an actual court order. After all, it was a Cook County court, right. Surely the information re Crider wasn’t hidden from the County Board.
Time to upgrade the vetting protocol and put it in the hands of somebody competent.
Comment by Cassandra Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:25 am
I wonder when the media might begin paying attention to the grant making activity of state government. There are many of the same players involved even in a lot of those that appear to be the result of a bid.
Comment by Cassiopeia Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:28 am
We should be rewriting that old Metra jingle
“when your on Metra–the way to really fly” to something like “If you trust Metra, you’ll really want to cry”
You know given how much as taxpayers we’re shelling out for their nonsense.
Comment by train111 Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:36 am
I can see why there is a call to at least reorganize the RTA. Although if this is about the problem with Metra, what can be done to fix that.
Comment by Levois Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:42 am
With O’Halloran gone, does this mean the 10-ride price rollback is on hold also? Nuts.
As far as Mike McCoy’s comments are concerned, he is one of the more ethical players in the western suburbs. We had our disagreements, but he always has been direct and honest, as far as I could tell.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 10:47 am
It’s become pretty clear to anyone paying attention that there are no good actors in this drama - only varying degrees of bad ones. I believe pretty much everything Clifford said in his memo, but it is patently clear that he was putting a gun to the board’s head with the threat of “give me a contract or else.”
Was that really his only option? Dunno, but nobody put a gun to his head and said take this severance or we’re going to kill you. So who’s the real hero? Damned if I can find one.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 11:07 am
Well said CC. And I can’t / don’t believe for a second that this Clifford guy never had any clout or knew anyone in California - in other words that nobody never sent him anyplace. Can’t prove that, but it is just my gut
Comment by low level Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 11:24 am
O’Halloran originally said that he was not mentioned in Clifford’s letter before it was made public. Then it came out and O’Halloran was mentioned multiple times. Then the issue of him illegally collecting his Orland Park money came out. Why exactly should we believe anything that comes out of his mouth at this point??
Also, has any state grant money given out for “youth programs” EVER actually funded any youth programs?
Comment by BigDoggie Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 11:28 am
This is like peeling an onion. The deeper you get, the more it stinks. I think this story will get worse before it gets better.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 12:03 pm
Big Doggie, the answer to your question is a big YES. I do understand your point though…the phrase “youth programs” is relatively non-specific.
So, to be specific, the Illinois Association of Park Districts sought special YP (youth program) license plates, and a share of those fees fund youth programs delivered by park districts across the state. Additionally, the AG’s Office has funded with settlement funds some youth programs for kids with disabilities as well as adults with disabilities. There are many other examples.
Sorry Rich for going off point, just giving an answer to a question.
Comment by Mongo Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 12:20 pm
Anyone want to bet that a lot of Rev. Tyrone Crider’s congregation have been employed by Cook Co government since Preckwinkle took over. Churches are the new patronage armies.
Comment by Fed up Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 12:37 pm
Mongo - thanks - I guess maybe I should have been a bit more specific in my language. I’m sure there has been some great work done by park districts with grant money for youth programs. I should have specified money given to individuals, as it seems that these kinds of grants that are handed out through means other than park districts tend to find their way onto the news quite frequently as being completely unaccounted for.
And I would not call this issue off point as Crider was discussed in the post we are responding to.
Comment by BigDoggie Friday, Aug 2, 13 @ 1:20 pm