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Reform and Renewal, Part 9,692

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Illinois
Burris

* Drip, drip, drip…

Tribune Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Sam Zell hired well-known defense lawyer Anton Valukas and was interviewed in January by federal prosecutors as a “potential witness” in the criminal investigation of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the company acknowledged Wednesday.

Some unanswered questions are finally addressed…

In their subpoena to Tribune Co., federal authorities sought information about potential staff cuts or changes to the newspaper’s editorial board. The company has said Tribune Co. executives did nothing inappropriate.

Tribune Co. also acknowledged state records, recently obtained by the Chicago Tribune, that show Zell making a phone call and giving a gift to Blagojevich. According to records of Blagojevich’s telephone logs, Zell placed a call to the governor Dec. 8, the day before the arrest.

Zell placed “courtesy calls” to several elected officials, including Mayor Richard Daley, that day to notify them the company had just filed for bankruptcy protection, according to the statement from Liebentritt. “Mr. Zell’s call to Mr. Blagojevich was not returned,” the statement said.

A bit of background on that December 8th phone call from Zell…

In an exchange of e-mails between [Tribune Co. adviser Marc Ganis] and [Rod Blagojevich’s chief of staff John Harris] on the day prior to the arrests of the governor and his chief of staff, Ganis provided Harris with a copy of a news story noting Tribune Co. had filed for bankruptcy. Harris responded, “Lousy product. Inevitable.” […]

Ganis also noted the Cubs were not part of the firm’s bankruptcy filing and said “Nils is going to call you and Sam is going to call the Gov.”

Zell and the Tribune Co. were attempting to work out a deal to get state help with selling Wrigley Field.

* Meanwhile, in other corruption news…

A city driver disciplined after five work accidents — including one that seriously injured a co-worker — told a federal jury Wednesday “yes, I am” a good driver.

Denise Garcia Cortez’s remarks came during the corruption trial of Al Sanchez. She testified that she first got her job after doing political work for the Hispanic Democratic Organization. She said she was trained but had little experience.

Last week, a witness testified that Cortez, whose name was Alcantar, won the job after Sanchez chose her from a political hiring list. Her test scores were doctored, former personnel director Jack Drumgould said.

Cortez admitted on the stand she applied for her job, not at City Hall, but at a club where HDO met. She said she left it on the table and was later called in, and eventually hired in 2002.

More…

Other witnesses in the trial, which began last week, have discussed how HDO was an important part of Mayor Richard Daley’s political organization.

But in putting Alcantar on the stand to talk about her checkered driving history, prosecutors clearly hoped to personalize what otherwise might be a relatively dry tale of rigged hiring processes and election campaigns.

* More reform and renewal…

* Woman claims Blagojevich firing for talking to FBI

* Hynes won’t release records of pre-need funeral trust

* Burris mum on pre-need funeral trust matter

* Burris Added to Special Election Lawsuit

* Sanchez Attorney: The Mayor Told Him To

* Let inspector general investigate aldermen

* Illinois man indicted on alleged Wis. kickback scheme

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:23 am

Comments

There is a strange relationship between the Trib and the feds. Remember how Fitz was basically nudged to arrest GROD because of an exclusive Trib story on the front page? There was talk at the time about Fitz not being completely satisfied with the strength of his case against GROD at the time of the arrest. The Trib had forced his hand. Perhaps, he’s turning the tables on them now by making them squirm.

Comment by tubbfan Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:35 am
There’s only so much newsprint, so much airtime, and so much public attention to the news.

How lucky has Daley been with Blago, Stroger, Burris, Ryan, Eddie V., Rezko, Stu Levine, etc. Not to mention the positive stuff on Obama.

No one’s been paying attention to Daley’s stuff as much as they should.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:36 am
Dan Hynes? What are you hiding? YOU TOO?

Good grief - are the only guys left in the good government camp Jesse White and Pat Quinn?

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:36 am
“State Comptroller Dan Hynes is refusing to release records showing what his office did to safeguard a troubled funeral trust fund that has spawned claims of financial mismanagement and fears of bankruptcy from funeral home directors who are on the hook for tens of millions of dollars.”

Scratch Hynes from any statewide office including re-election.

You don’t screw around with funerals.

Comment by True Observer Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:52 am
Capt Fax:
What a disappointment. You allow the GOP(as in MOPES) pound on the poor Ds all day and nite.

When a priceless Kodak moment like hookers, toy guitars, wifey locked up two days and kiddy playrooms pop up free speech goes out the window. What a shame.

Comment by 2ConfusedCrew Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:55 am
Nothing to see here folks, move along
The lack of memory and the brushing off of questions by Daley is nothing new. It is telling though to see the “reporters” at this event laughing while Daley and Tutu mocked them and the talking heads reporting also laughing about how clever our mayor is. The press is in the bag.

Comment by downsized Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:09 am
As much as I dislike Blago, I have to agree with the “lousy product” comment. I’ve been a Chicago Tribune subscriber most of my life, and I canceled this week. The paper just doesn’t cover Chicago. I realized I was just reading it for the coverage of The Bears, Dilbert, and Doonesbury.

Comment by Skeeter Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:32 am
Kass was pilloried when he wrote that local white politicians get friendlier treatment than black officials. But imagine if Todd Stroger repeatedly mocked the media, treated them with open disdain, and refused to answer their questions as Daley does. Would the media chuckle along with Stroger like they do with Daley? Would they think it was cute? Not a chance.

Comment by Independent Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:52 am
It’s one thing to say that Stroger gets the treatment he does partly because he’s black. It’s quite another, however, to say that Daley gets a pass because he’s white.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:55 am
The cost of corruption is getting easier to figure. In Chicago add up the cost of 5 accidents the illegally hired truck driver had then add her continued $63K salary plus benefits.

At the state Revenue Department add up all the salaries of those illegally employed workers, plus their benefits. Of course some are driving state cars, and all, with each passing day, are closer to being vested in the retirement system.

By the time you’re done it’s a tidy/tiny sum.

Comment by Leave a light on George Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 12:48 pm
Zell gave a ‘We’re going bankrupt’ gift to the governor? Was it a sarcastic thanks for nothing gift ?

Comment by North of I-80 Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 2:24 pm
But imagine if Todd Stroger repeatedly mocked the media, treated them with open disdain, and refused to answer their questions as Daley does.

Well, it took awhile, but the media certainly caught on to Blago’s act and turned against him.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 3:49 pm
It is shame that Tom Buske has the feds after him yet again. He is a nice guy and used to live in the house that Gary Hannig has now in Litchfield. The trucking company was in Litchfield before they moved it to Collinsville. Isn’t anyone honest anymore?

Comment by Justice Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 4:14 pm
“Leave a light on George” is right on the money…

you want to know part of the reason pension benefits are going out of control? If you think there is patronage now, you should have been around 20-25 years ago when there were people, who, openly, never showed up for work at the City of Chicago, or the ones who spent most of the day smoking and chatting in City Hall’s wide open stairways. The tenth floor, on the county side, was socialization central.

This went on for decades, and back in the day the vesting didn’t take 10 years like it does now. All those ghost payrollers and little to no work people are collecting handsome benefits now!

Comment by this old hack Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 5:12 pm