* RTA Chairman John Gates piled on against Frank Zuccarelli’s CTA appointment late yesterday in a letter to Gov. Pat Quinn…

Gates said Zuccarelli’s dual roles on the CTA board while serving as Thornton Township supervisor violate “the intent of Section 19” of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act.

Zuccarelli makes more than $100,000 a year in his role as Thornton Township Supervisor, according to a report by the Better Government Association.

Gates urged Quinn to withdraw Zucarrelli’s nomination.

The full letter is here. Make sure to read it.

* The governor’s office is refusing to back down…

Quinn’s office responded Tuesday night, saying that the state law in question wouldn’t prevent Zuccarelli from serving in both positions.

Zuccarelli has no transportation background, but his appointment could help Quinn. Thornton Township has a long history of turning out Democratic votes in Cook County.

Zuccarelli was appointed in early June. The political benefit at the time was obvious. He is a campaign powerhouse with thousands of African-American votes and Quinn desperately needed his support if Lisa Madigan decided to run.

So, Zucc got the nod.

And now… Oops.

The problem here is that Quinn loves to cover himself with a reformer’s coat. But when it comes to patronage, that coat covers something quite different. We’ve discussed this before.

…Adding… Best comment so far…

The idea that Gates — who put Madigan’s son in law on his payroll — would lecture anybody about “transparency” and “integrity” is the joke of the day.

Heh.

True.

* Meanwhile…

Kane County’s representative on the Regional Transportation Authority is stepping down amid concerns he can’t legally serve both on the transit agency and a state commission.

Nabi Fakroddin sits on the RTA board and the Illinois Human Rights Commission.
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RTA Chairman John S. Gates Jr. wrote Gov. Pat Quinn Thursday saying that an internal review turned up the dual roles. “It is my belief that according to the law, it may not be permissible for (Fakroddin) to continue to serve on the RTA and Mr. Fakroddin agreed,” Gates wrote.

Quinn appoints members of the human rights commission.