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* AP…

Illinois officials are investigating a longtime state investigator whose personal email has been the source of racist, sexist and anti-gay emails.

The state began reviewing Frank Capuzi, 62, with the Workers’ Compensation Commission after the newspaper’s probe of derogatory emails that were forwarded from his address to a water department boss and others, the Chicago Tribune reported. […]

The messages came to light in the ongoing investigation of Chicago Inspector General Joseph Ferguson’s emails to and from the Chicago Water Department. The findings of Ferguson’s messages have led to five high-level water department bosses being let go, including Commissioner Barrett Murphy; his deputy, William Bresnahan; and Paul Hansen, a district superintendent. Ferguson also has been blocked from working on city projects.

Um, huh? Ferguson is the investigator. Those aren’t his e-mails and he hasn’t been blocked from working on city projects.

…Adding… The above story was posted online last night at 7:22. A correction was issued at 12:42 pm today…

Correction: Chicago Inspector General Joseph Ferguson is investigating emails to and from the Chicago Water Department. Ferguson did not write any of the emails. A previous version of this article misreported Ferguson’s involvement in the case.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 11:54 am

Comments

Geez, the story has been up like that since last night.

Wake up your copy editors and fix it already.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 11:57 am
I find this strange. I know Capuzi and I didn’t find him to be racist in any way. When he was the GOP Committeeman from the 26th Ward, he was one of Jesse White’s best precinct captains.

Comment by Michael Westen Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 12:05 pm
I think it will be hard to get investigators, when you ban them form city projects for just doing his job

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 12:08 pm
“Ferguson also has been blocked from working on city projects.”

Wishful thinking, Alderman.

Comment by LizPhairTax Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 12:11 pm
A. P. as the standard, RIP

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 12:13 pm
@wordslinger -

The problem is that there aren’t any copy editors anymore.

Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 12:22 pm
Even for Cook County, blocking the investigator looking into an alderman’s son would be a little much.

Comment by Das Opinionator Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 12:26 pm
(Heard in AP’S offices) “A comma, a comma, my kingdom for a comma!” (A comma between “Ferguson’s” and “emails” would have made it just a badly written sentence instead of factually incorrect.)

Comment by Smitty Irving Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 12:44 pm
Capuzi represented the 27th Ward for the “Republican Party.” His father was one of the last state legislators elected from three member districts using bullet votes that assured minority representation in the General Assembly, including some token Republicans in Springfield from Chicago. Interestingly, Capuzi has never been canned from his positions regardless of which party is in office.

Comment by Ahem! Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 12:45 pm
The messages came to light in the ongoing investigation by Chicago Inspector General Joseph Ferguson of emails to and from the Chicago Water Department. The findings by Ferguson have led to five high-level water department bosses being let go, including Commissioner Barrett Murphy; his deputy, William Bresnahan; and Paul Hansen, a district superintendent. Capuzi also has been blocked from working on city projects.

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 1:00 pm
@JoanP -

The problem is that there apparently isn’t anyone working for the AP that actually knows who Joe Ferguson is.

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 1:25 pm
The Governor’s press shop could have gotten that correction out by 4:30 AM.

Comment by SAP Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 1:51 pm
Michael Westen, if you are a white male, I would think harder about your comment.

Comment by Nymeria Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 1:56 pm
“Michael Westen, if you are a white male, I would think harder about your comment.”

Really not sure what could possibly have been offensive about my comment. Capuzi, a white “republican” committeeman, usually had yard signs for Jesse White, an African-American Democrat, in his GOP “office.” Are you offended that someone pointed that out. And if so, why are you offended?

Comment by Michael Westen Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 4:17 pm
Was this even written by humans? It reads a bit like a bad Google translation.

Comment by northsider (the original) Tuesday, Jul 25, 17 @ 5:49 pm
As a “Republican Ward Committeeman” Capuzi frequently behaved as if his primary job responsibility was to run interference for the Democrats. In one classic electoral board case, he testified for objectors working to clear the field for a state representative candidate (Fritchey) by removing the Republican nominee slated by his fellow committeemen.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 26, 17 @ 8:48 am