Here we go again
Monday, Jul 9, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
There have been rumors about yet another Emil Jones Sun-Times story for days. Today is the day…
A technology company owned by Illinois Senate President Emil Jones’ stepson has landed more taxpayer-funded business — a fact that has gone largely unnoticed because the firm’s latest deals are buried in the fine print of state contracting documents.
Synch-Solutions stands to make more than $700,000 as a subcontractor to two consulting companies Gov. Blagojevich’s budget office hired to streamline government operations, records show. […]
Synch-Solutions CEO John D. Sterling asserted that his powerful Democratic stepfather “has in no way, shape or form influenced any business that Synch-Solutions has ever earned.” Jones’ spokeswoman, Cindy Davidsmeyer, agreed, saying, “President Jones has no knowledge of Synch-Solutions’ business dealings.”
Still, Synch-Solutions’ work for the governor’s budget office has largely been a secret. The state doesn’t track payments its vendors make to subcontractors. So it’s almost impossible to know what firms are being hired as subcontractors — let alone what they’re being paid.
Jones’ spokesperson said the Senate President has no knowledge of any of his stepson’s business dealings.
And this is an interesting little quote…
“The governor signed an executive order in February of this year barring anyone from his family from entering into any state contracts. If it’s good for his family, why isn’t it good for the legislative leaders?” said Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), chairman of the House State Government Administration Committee.
Not every contract that some politically connected person gets has to be a bad thing. Synch-Solutions seems to be a pretty well-run company. But the fact that it does so much business with entities that Emil Jones has sway with (the state, Exelon, City Colleges of Chicago, etc.) naturally draws attention to the company. It doesn’t help that Jones has other problems with nepotism.
In other words, this contract may be totally on the up and up, but Jones’ other questionable dealings make it news.
For more background purposes, this is from a story several weeks ago…
All told, more than $55 million in City Colleges business went to Synch Solutions from 1999 through 2006. […]
A few weeks ago, a bombshell hit at a City Colleges Board of Trustees meeting. The board voted — with no questions asked — to award all of the system’s IT consulting business to Synch Solutions and Sterling.
Only one company was invited to bid for the business: Synch Solutions.
The contract total was nearly $45 million over the next three years. Since 1999, the grand total of no-bid contracts from City Colleges has been $100 million…
- Writing On The Wall - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 9:22 am:
White collar crime pays dividends in Illinois.
Sorry I had to repeat.
- keep up w/ the jones - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 9:31 am:
Does everyone in Illinois wish that they to keep up with the Jonses?
Just another reason for ConCon to reform state government.
- Team Sleep - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 9:33 am:
Ms. Davidsmeyer must think we voters are all fools. It offends me more so that this goes on as opposed to a couple of precinct committeemen receiving low-level state jobs. We are talking boku (sp?) bucks that Mr. Jones’ stepson and his company have raked in from the state.
And it really is becoming more and more apparent that most - if not all - lucrative state contracts are only awarded to people with close personal contacts to the upper staff at Blago’s office or our top legislative leaders.
Jones needs to go. Put Halverson or Sullivan or Meeks in his spot.
- Anon - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 9:38 am:
These are not the only contracts that Jones is connected with……
Check out his connection with the State’s various advertising contracts….
- ChicagoDem - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 9:55 am:
Since we cannot do much about Jones…since his constituency will never remove him from office, why does Daley allow the City Colleges and its Chancellor to continue to let out no-bid contracts to a firm connected with Jones! I say go after the “enablers” of Jones; in this instance, the City colleges Chancellor…if Daley moves on this guy, believe me no tears will be shed! by anyone…well, maybe Jones will cry out and play the race card!
- Wumpus - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 9:57 am:
This is progress. MLK Jr. must be smiling as Blacks now can be deemed as equals with Whites in IL politics. There are no longer seperate and unequal public feeding troughs marked by COlored and Whites. Now Blacks can have a place for themselves and their families/cronies right next to our White and Hispanic bretheren.
- Moderate Repub - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 10:59 am:
Senate repubs have lagislation that would make state subcontractors public. Jones never let it out of rules, I can not imagine why. However, I do not believe Jones streared contracts towards his stepson. In other words, if something was said, a call was made, I don’t think it went beyond the scope of a senator calling on behalf of a copnstituent. From what I understand its a reputable company.
- Anon - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 11:15 am:
“In other words, this contract may be totally on the up and up . . . ”
Oh, please. This is Illinois, remember?
- Lula May - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 11:35 am:
Yet another reason for Jones to be voted out of his leadership(joke)position. Between the neopotism and the enabling(Blago).
- Captain America - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 11:54 am:
There is no evidence of any legal wrongdoing.
But once this budget impasse is resolved, I am optimistic that the Senate Democratic caucus might perceive that Godfather Jones should be deposed as Senate President. I urge everyone to personally advocate for this change if they are represnted by Democratic Senator in their district.
That “pay to play” legislative prohibition is desparately needed. Competitive bidding and transparent contract decision procedures should be mandatory for all signficant state, county and municipal, and other public domain contracts.
- gotta be anonymous - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 12:43 pm:
And let’s not forget all the friends he has at DHS.
- FED UP - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 1:16 pm:
I wonder how much of these state contracts have been recycled back into Jones campaign fund through donations from his step son and other employees at Sync solutions. Jones wont let law changes to expose this type of corruption out of commitee I wonder what other deals he is afraid will be exposed.
- blogman - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 2:26 pm:
Isn’t this the type of conduct that got Geo Ryan indicted? This sounds worse than that! Doe anyone think for one minute that these no bid contracts were awarded without Emil’s influence?
- Cassandra - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 5:22 pm:
Emil and his family are likely among the bigger pigs at the current (Democratic state govt) trough but how much of a problem is nepotism in general as compared with the huge state government clout of wealthy campaign contributors like….Tony Rezko, for example. or the Blago contributor pals who are lining up for the free money fees that coming with pension bond sale. I would expect Emil to fight campaign finance reform, but really, us citizens aren’t doing much to advance it either.
How many letters have we written to our legislators about campaign finance reform lately?
Maybe we need to prioritize here.
- Cat - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 7:26 pm:
Anon wrote @ 9:38 am:
These are not the only contracts that Jones is connected with……
Check out his connection with the State’s various advertising contracts….
Could you possibly be talking about Danielle Ashley?
- Disgusted - Monday, Jul 9, 07 @ 7:45 pm:
I wonder how much a part of his son’s company Mr. Jones owns??? I don’t believe for one minute that he doesn’t benefit from it. Greed and egotism, thy name is Emil.