watchdogs
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15 members of Joe Berrios' family on county, state payrolls
THE WATCHDOGS: For Joe Berrios, the Cook County assessor who is also the county Democratic Party chairman, government is the family business.
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‘Disability Pays’: Felon Chicago firefighter got disability deal
THE WATCHDOGS: A month after he was found guilty of a felony that could have ended his nine-year career with the Chicago Fire Department, firefighter Thomas P. Raddatz filed an injury complaint that ultimately blocked the city’s efforts to fire him. In the end, Raddatz avoided getting fired, got to keep getting disability checks that so far have paid him more than a half million dollars and got a $50,000 settlement from the city.
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Why do Chicago taxpayers pay this man more than the mayor?
THE WATCHDOGS: As the man responsible for overseeing construction of Chicago’s new schools, libraries, police stations and even a new harbor along the lakefront, James McConnell commands a salary from Chicago taxpayers higher than anyone at City Hall makes.
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Rep. Arroyo denies making threat to get Metra Healy station renamed for Clemente
State Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago), whose Northwest Side district includes a large Latino constituency, wants Metra to rename its Healy station at Fullerton and Pulaski on the Milwaukee District North Line for Roberto Clemente, the late Pittsburgh Pirates star from Puerto Rico who died in …Read More
Fight to shut Chicago’s last topless bar may be near an end
City Hall’s 19-year battle to shut down Chicago’s only topless bar could be nearing an end, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has refused a last-ditch appeal from the bar’s owner — the second time the nation’s highest court has taken a pass on the case.
Assessor Joe Berrios, Secretary of State Jesse White traded clout hires
THE WATCHDOGS: A nephew of Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios was hired by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White five weeks after Berrios put the son of longtime White chief of staff Thomas Benigno on his payroll last year, records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show. The timing of the two hires was nothing more than coincidence, according to a spokeswoman for White.“
Chicago cop who pleaded guilty in disability scam still on force
A Chicago cop who pleaded guilty to theft on charges that he illegally collected disability pay from the city’s police pension fund ended up avoiding prison and being allowed to return to work for the Chicago Police Department.
Feds investigating disabled Chicago firefighters, paramedics in wake of Sun-Times’ reports
A federal grand jury that’s investigating disability payments to Chicago police officers in the wake of a Chicago Sun-Times investigation is also probing injury claims from Chicago firefighters and paramedics, newly obtained records show.
Rahm Emanuel’s go-to guy on labor: Leave ‘no footprints’
As one of the key people Mayor Rahm Emanuel turns to, James Franczek played a major role in the deal that ended the first Chicago teachers strike in 25 years. His work in winning concessions from labor unions was instrumental in keeping two major trade shows in Chicago. As chief labor lawyer for City Hall and other government agencies, Franczek has been paid nearly $16.5 million since 2005. So how come more people don’t know him?
Feds investigate disabled Chicago cops in wake of Sun-Times’ reports
A federal grand jury has begun looking into payments made to Chicago cops on disabilty in the wake of a Chicago Sun-Times investigation. The grand jury issued a subpoena Monday to Chicago’s police pension board, demanding all of its records on disabled police officers, including medical reports, dating to January 2006.
THE WATCHDOGS: Emanuel nemesis’ law firm sued over ex-suburban chief’s $129,192 disability pay
The attorney who waged a losing battle to keep Rahm Emanuel out of the Chicago mayoral race last year now finds his law firm enmeshed in another court fight, this time over a former southwest suburban police chief’s six-figure yearly disability pay.
Pension board: Investigate ex-paramedic’s injury claims
Chicago pension officials want the Cook County state’s attorney’s office to investigate Gregory J. Serratore, a former paramedic who claims to be permanently disabled from an on-the-job injury in the early 1980s but has been working as a police officer for the Cook County Forest Preserve District for the past 21 years.
The ‘milkman,’ dead at 64, provided dairy products to Chicago’s public schools
Around Chicago, Frank J. McMahon was known as “the milkman.” His family’s McMahon Food Corp. is one of the area’s largest dairy-distribution companies. Mr. McMahon, who lived on the near West Side, died Sunday at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. He was 64.
Ex-Chicago Ridge police chief’s pay soared under disability deal
The day he left his job as Chicago Ridge police chief to go on disability, Timothy A. Baldermann got a big raise. Baldermann walked away with disability pay of $129,192 a year — nearly $20,000 more than he made as police chief for the southwest suburb.
Disabled Chicago paramedic is now a Cook County Forest Preserve cop
A paramedic who suffered a hand injury while trying to fix a stalled ambulance 32 years ago made a deal to leave the Chicago Fire Department and collect disability checks amounting to about three-quarters of what he’d been making — more than $425,000 so far. Despite his claim of permanent disability, Gregory J. Serratore eventually found another government job — as a police officer with the Cook County Forest Preserve District — after writing on his application that he was in “excellent” physical condition.
Taxpayers get legal tab for Assessor Joe Berrios’ ethics fight over nepotism
Cook County’s taxpayers are footing the bill for private legal counsel to represent Joe Berrios — the Cook County assessor, who is also chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party — in his fight against charges he is violating anti-nepotism rules by having his son and sister on the payroll, records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show.
Koschman prosecutor Dan K. Webb’s bill so far: $255,213
The special prosecutor investigating the case of David Koschman — who died after being punched by a nephew of then-Mayor Richard M. Daley — has submitted his first bills, totaling $255,213.
Convicted of vote fraud, head of Ald. Moreno’s political group sees his record wiped clean by Quinn
THE WATCHDOGS: Despite a conviction for committing vote fraud when he ran for office, Juan Elias now leads 1st Ward Ald. Joe Moreno’s new “independent Democratic political organization.” Elias was one of a group of convicted criminals who recently received pardons from Gov. Pat Quinn.
Clemency gives Niles man another chance to seek office
Because of his criminal record, George Alpogianis was forced to step down just weeks after voters in Niles elected him to the village board there in 2009. But now he’s been granted clmency by Gov. Pat Quinn and plans to run again.
Payments to disabled cop suspended after Sun-Times reports
Chicago’s police pension board suspended the disability benefits Thursday of a police officer who, after going on disability because of an injury he said made it impossible for him to safely fire a handgun, has shot and killed several animals while on safari. The board took up the case as the result of a Chicago Sun-Times investigation.
