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Sanchez: Don’t blame me, blame Daley

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* The interesting thing about Al Sanchez’s testimony yesterday was that he apparently pointed the finger of blame directly at the 5th Floor…

A defiant Al Sanchez took the stand at his federal fraud trial Tuesday and angrily told a prosecutor he was too busy running snowplowing operations and working in the city’s alleys to corrupt hiring for the Streets and Sanitation Department.

Sanchez, who ran the department for Mayor Richard Daley from 1999 to 2005, said it was the mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs that really made the decisions on who got jobs. He might have made some recommendations but was focused on doing the people’s business. […]

“Is it part of Hispanic empowerment to go to IGA, submit names to IGA in order to influence the hiring process at the city?” Shah asked.

Sanchez balked repeatedly at answering. He first replied, “Wow, that’s a … either you shoot me or you stab me. Say that one more time. It’s a good one.”

Sanchez finally said, “The question itself almost makes it sound illegal.” He said he participated in giving names to the mayor’s office because he wanted “a level playing field” in city hiring.

* More…

The essence of Sanchez’s defense is that he could not have manipulated hiring in his own department, as he is accused, because all hiring decisions were controlled by the mayor’s office of intergovernmental affairs, which he referred to only by its initials, IGA.

It took cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney Manish Shah to remind the jury that IGA was run by Victor Reyes, Sanchez’s close political ally from HDO. Most of IGA’s honchos have already gone to prison for their role in the hiring scheme, with the notable exception of Reyes. […]

But Sanchez did not budge from his position that he knew nothing of the system by which former Streets and San personnel director Jack Drumgould rigged the interview process in violation of the Shakman consent decree that prohibits political patronage.

He said he had only recommended people for jobs and professed ignorance that hundreds of job-seekers applied for positions in his department but never had a chance because they had no political sponsor.

“I was not in charge of hiring,” he insisted.

* The Sun-Times editorialized…

But of course, as we all know, the mayor’s patronage office wasn’t about leveling playing fields.

It was about tipping playing fields to favor those with clout.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 9:41 am

Comments

The fix was in.Al Sanchez was an important part of the process.Who weeps for all those more qualified candidates who weren’t considered? Sadly, most Chicago voters could care less: that’s why they keep voting for the status quo.Al Sanchez was for empowering Hispanics, all long as they were associated with HDO.

Comment by Steve Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 10:03 am
Another “woe is me” defendant claiming to be an powerless cog in the Machine. Here’s hoping the jury doesn’t eat it up.

Daley has thus far insulated himself quite well from the likes of Laski, Sorich, and now Sanchez, all of whom seem resigned to fall on their respective swords. Connecting the dots from IGA to the king himself still appears to be an uphill battle for the feds.

Comment by The Doc Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 10:14 am
Unless I am mistaken (which would not be a first) the next rung on the ladder (Victor Reyes) may be missing due to the statute of limitations, unless he can somehow be brought back under some kind of a RICO charge which would stipulate that what has happened more recently is part of an ongoing conspiracy which manifested itself long ago, and has simply been perpetuated.

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 10:19 am
actually, it seems to me that he is blaming Victor Reyes. and that would be right. Sanchez is no flunky. he gives orders but he does so in conjunction with others. he could illuminate on his close personal relationship with IGA.

Comment by Amy Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 10:22 am
They want to put him in jail for violating a civil decree (Shakman). That is ridiculous. The prosecutors actually put in evidence that some of his subordinates cut his grass. Don’t they have any real bad guys to prosecute?

Comment by chiatty Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 10:34 am
chiatty, if you squeeze someone to cut your grass or do your personal work as a condition of getting a government job, you are a bad guy.

Miss the good ol’ days?

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 10:56 am
del Valle and Sanchez, most who had to deal with their nonsense define them as bad.

Comment by Amy Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 11:04 am
chiatty,

You think it’s not big deal that a massive racketeering enterprise violated the rights of honest citizens who applied for a job? Does everyone have to be a good,little registered Democrat with the right political connections to get a job working for the City of Chicago?

Comment by Steve Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 11:51 am
Steve, if they could care less, they do care.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 12:52 pm
Chiatty,

I have to agree. What a waste of taxpayer money. Is this what were paying the likes of Fitgerald to prosecute guys like Sanchez. Give me break. What about Daley?? And boy, I feel so much safer now.

Comment by anon Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 3:41 pm
I am surprised they haven’t looked at the White Colar patronage that seems to have occured in the more “upscale” departments. You would think, given the trials, that this was all confined to blue colar departments like Streets and San, Aviation and Transportation.

I don’t think so.

Comment by this old hack Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 5:14 pm
It small justice that relatively small fish like Sorich fried, and Sanchez could fry, for illegal schemes masterminded by those much more powerful than they. However they had a chance to roll on the power brokers above them and passed. They chose to play the silent Good Ol’ Boys knowing the inherent risks so I have little sympathy for them. Do not worry about them as they will be rewarded for their silence.

Comment by Independent Wednesday, Mar 18, 09 @ 5:59 pm