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At 1:10 pm, the Tribune posted a story entitled “Stroger ducks questions on suspended county aide.”

Under pressure to explain the role of his father’s patronage chief in his campaign for Cook County Board president, Ald. Todd Stroger (8th) refused to answer questions Friday after making a brief statement about the matter.

Then, three paragraphs later…

Stroger went a step farther Friday, saying that if he beats Republican Tony Peraica on Nov. 7, [Gerald] Nichols will not work for Cook County.

At about the same time, the Daily Herald posted a story entitled “Todd Stroger says he’d fire dad’s patronage chief.”

With his fatherâ€™s former county administration under federal investigation, Cook County Board president candidate Todd Stroger said today that if elected, he will fire a close friend allegedly tied to rigged hiring.

Chicago Ald. Todd Stroger refused to answer questions after making a brief statement Friday morning, but his spokesman said the decision â€œwas difficult for him.â€

At the center of the controversy is Gerald Nichols, patronage chief under Strogerâ€™s father, former Cook County Board President John Stroger. Board president Bobbie Steele, who took over after the elder Stroger suffered a stroke earlier this summer, removed Nichols from his $114,000-a-year position last month following reports he forced the hiring of unqualified clout-backed applicants.

The lesson we can take from this is the Tribune reporter was far angrier at Stroger for not answering questions than was the Daily Herald scribe. and it showed.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 1:56 pm

Comments

Does fired mean fired? Or does it mean given a new title and another secretary, er administrative assistant at the same/increased pay?

Comment by Wumpus Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 2:23 pm
I see the son has the same problem with double talk that his dad had.

Comment by Niles Township Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 2:45 pm
What troubling is this statement from the spokesperson

“Bill Figel, Stroger’s spokesman, said Stroger did not take questions from reporters because the announcement was difficult for him.”

If Mr. Stoger can’t be agressive as an Alderman what can be expected of him as Cook County Board President.

The above statement tells a story in itself.

Comment by One Man Can Make A Difference Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 3:01 pm
You’re killing me…

Call me crazy, but I’m guessing fired means, well, FIRED. Not reassigned. Not under contract. Just F-I-R-E-D. And I don’t see how “fired” equals double talk.

You could both have saved your commentary and typed “Phony Tony For President.”

And, Rich, I think we can take this to mean that the Tribune is just mad. Mad all their shilling for Claypool failed. Mad at the Sun-Times Poll showing Todd up over his Phoniness. Mad few people are doing what they tell them too. Basically they are even madder right now…at this moment…then they were the day after the election results were known and they called Cook County voters stupid.

When Todd beats Tony, the entire Ed Board will need sedatives and anger management therapy.

Comment by Prez of the FTPC Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 3:13 pm
With Gerald Nichols knowing where are the bodies are buried and who owes favors, I find it unlikely that he will ever be far from Todd.

On the other hand, I’m pretty sure Peraica will fire Nichols. The only question is whether he’ll do it in the first or second minute of his term.

GO TONY GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ashur Odishoo
Candidate
State Represenative 11th District

Comment by Ashur Odishoo Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 3:28 pm
Wait.

I thought the media was liberal.

Oh, that’s just conservatives think… I see now.

Glad to know the Trib is above base emotional crap.

Comment by NW burbs Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 4:03 pm
NW:

You thought the Trib was liberal? The Chicago Tribune? Is there still real estate available where you live - which is obviously the planet IGNORANTASHELLO?

Just stay out there in the burbs and try to correct your obvious case of cranial-rectal inversion.

As for the “emotional” quip, my only thought is…hunh?

Comment by Prez of the FTPC Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 4:06 pm
I think Todd Stroger took a bold step in making this announcement.

First of all everybody knew it HAD to happen. And, while Todd Stroger is not the Board President, maybe this will send a clear signal to Pres. Steele to fire him. Everybody knows his career in government is over regardless who runs County Government.

Nice move Todd, way to show some leadership.

Comment by No Brainer Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 4:11 pm
Prez of the FTPC - It won’t just be the Trib Ed Board having to take sedatives and anger management, but every civic minded, reasonable citizen of Cook County, and by the way I am a Dem. Anyone the voters get to choose is better than somebody the commiteemen sent!

Comment by Niles Township Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 4:47 pm
Who about his brother-in-law?????

Comment by Concern Citizen Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 4:48 pm
What a joke! Don’t get choked up over Toddler’s feigned “emotion.”

Oh, he’ll be “fired,” all right, but bet dollars to doughnuts that within a week he’ll have a job for the same or MORE money at the CTA, where all the “fired” hacks go to lay low, do nothing, and collect a paycheck. Then, after things calm down, Gerald will quietly return, but everyone will have forgotten by then.

Is Todd also willing to “fire” all of The Relatives? That might require a CTA fare increase!

Comment by Bubs Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 5:06 pm
How did we elect John Stroger in the first place?
This is a real joke.

Comment by Nick Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 5:50 pm
Niles:

Glad to hear you say that, because the voters chose John Stroger. Then again, I do believe you were moaning and whining back then, too.

As for the “reasonability” of this, well:

John Stroger got elected, then had a stroke
THEN
By law, the Committeemen choose their candidate, which they did
THEN
Todd Stroger became the candidate

The so-called “people” got exactly what the law called for. You and these other whiners are just mad…and thats okay…be mad. Thats what haters are for. So hate Todd. Hate that he will be Board President. Hate the next four years of your life. You are just doing your job as a hater and Todd will do his as Board President.

You have a restful evening, now.

Comment by Prez of the FTPC Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 10:52 pm
g.n will be fine at the end of the day. you know he will land somewhere, period.

Comment by anon Friday, Sep 29, 06 @ 11:01 pm
Wait a sec. I don’t know much about Cook County government, but given that the Democrats run it I’m sure there are some lifetime jobs, similar to civil service (”MC”) jobs in state government.
If the incumbent doesn’t leave voluntarily, in the state system, the discharge process is difficult and time-consuming. Are all County employees “at will.” I doubt it.

If Nichols is in a county “protected” position, or even if he isn’t, it might not be that easy to get rid of him if he decides to put up a fight. Since his total compensation package is close to $200k, he likely WILL put up a fight, whether he is in a protected position or not.

The Todller may be talking about firing Nichols because he knows he can’t.

We Cook County residents are SO gullible.

Comment by Cassandra Saturday, Sep 30, 06 @ 9:38 am
Seeing Toddler on the news made me laugh. he said he needed time to recover from an emotional event, basically firing a play cousin. i thought he was talking about a grade school break up with a girlfriend.

I am sure Nichols will be taken care of by the Castroger family friends. If that is leadership, what is Peracia calling for ethics reforms as part of his election?

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Sep 30, 06 @ 1:48 pm