The Tribune tries following up on its recent one-day story about how city services were allegedly traded for votes in the 12th Ward three years ago.
Mayor Richard Daley contended Wednesday that city service requests never have been filled at election time to curry favor with voters for candidates he has supported.
Anyone running for office can claim to have had potholes filled or street lights repaired, Daley said. But asked if service ever has been provided as a political favor, he replied, “No. None whatsoever.” […]
“I ask people every day to call 311 whether I am a candidate or not,” Daley said. “And they can mention my name too—’The mayor told me to call.’ They do that all the time.
“I don’t care,” he said. “If there is a problem, get it fixed. If candidates are running, and they are calling, so be it. If elected officials are calling, I need everyone to call 311…. If there is a hole in the street and I don’t fix it, that is called [liability] when someone injures themselves.”
The mayor is just goading the media to follow up on this. The stories are out there and they are abundant. The question is whether the reporters will answer the call.
- Aaron D - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 7:13 am:
The 12th ward race in 2003 against than alderman Ray Frias was a textbook illegal use of city resources and violation of civil rights. hundreds of HDO city workers from the 10th ward poured in, services were promised, there was a direct track for some, it is not as easy as 311, there are still a lot of connections to get things done,
Al Sanchez was personally involved
- Miguel - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 7:16 am:
Angelo Torres helped against Frias and his Hired Trucks money.
George Prado, the convicted heroin dealer and HDO member, helped against Frias.
There was a direct line of city services that were favored, promised and threatened.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 9:07 am:
The Mayor is lucky that he didn’t make his statements under oath or else he’d be looking at big trouble. Heck, Ald. Cardenas has even admitted that he got assistance via city services being provided to potential voters.
The Mayor’s statement was one of Blagojevichian proportions.
- Silas - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 9:44 am:
Word on the street is that many voters who voted for Cardenas will not do so again this time. No one has come to their door outside of elections to hear their concerns. Frias had people in the ward all year long whether there was an election or not. Cardenas is a sitting duck nowadays, he should be very concerned about the upcoming election. He can move back to the NW side where he was imported from.
- Kasper - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 11:04 am:
Cardenas lived in the 45th ward and Indiana. Some real interesting business and family connections. Surprised he even stayed on the ballot and met residency.
- Silas - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 11:09 am:
He stayed on the ballot b/c of his clout with HDO. He never voted prior to the 2003 election. He probably didn’t even know what a Ward was when he was approached. He has some shady businesses that will come to light soon. What goes around comes around and he is due.
- fightforjustice - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 11:54 am:
Why do politicians think they help their credibility when they deny what everyone knows to be true?
- Kasper - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 12:02 pm:
This will come back and haunt Daley. Victor Reyes and HDO have destroyed the good legacy of Mayor Daley.
- P. Fitzgerald - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 1:50 pm:
I am sure all these issues are one-by-one being looked at by the Federales. We have already seeing how Ald. Solis has ran away from HDO and even has shifted blame to everyone else. The hire-truck scandal started out with low level city employees and as soon as the mayor was asked who hired Torres his voice failed and his speaking became even less understandable than usual. The time will come that all these unlawful tactics will be uncovered and punished not only by the law but even more importantly by voters.
- FLYONTHEWALL - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 5:05 pm:
Frias was a out of control when he was alderman and he is out of control now at his cozy IDOT appointed position. Word is the “Minutemen” department he is in charge of is crumbling with misconduct. No rules here. He has no idea of the overtime hours being abused, money wasted, drivers working unsupervised & charging for services, ghost payroll??
- RAID - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 5:51 pm:
There is a fly in this room, let me spray it!
Very slanderous comment there my insect friend. And a very weak one. Topic is not about IDOT or any other weak allegations that you have made up. Bottom line is that your HDO buddies are running around like chickens without their heads and whistling like canaries. This is something that Daley, Victor Reyes, and the rest of the goons are afraid of.
- Bubs - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 6:08 pm:
Kasper-
“Victor Reyes and HDO have destroyed the good legacy of Mayor Daley.”
No Mayoral involvement or approval, huh? We are to accept that it was all just those naughty, naughty underlings, I suppose?
De Nile is a river in Africa.
We don’t live in Africa.
- Tom - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 9:05 pm:
Daley will win again in ‘07 but will be so weakened by 2011 that he won’t even consider a run. In all his speeches he’s trying to remake himself as a beacon of ethical standards, but only his most sycophantic supporters are buying it.
- anon - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 11:44 pm:
mayor daley will destroy the legacy of mayor daley…do you/anyone really wanna bet the ranch that daley didn’t know anything if reyes goes?
- Robert Goellner - Friday, Aug 4, 06 @ 6:54 am:
I do not believe that Daley knew about HDO at least at the extremes. Victor Reyes was given a lot of autonomy. The Mayor had a palace guard who insulated him from the worse people and behavior of HDO which I think everyone realizes was bad now.
Mayor Daley has been an excellent Mayor otherwise. Victor Reyes should not destroy his legacy and reputation. I do not understand why Daley would have a corrupt knucklehead like Reyes around but it was a mistkae, but not enough to destroy a legacy.
- Tom - Friday, Aug 4, 06 @ 7:12 am:
It was Daley’s key advisor Tim Degnan who was instrumental in creating the HDO. Even if Daley didn’t know what they were doing, which is unlikely, giving them carte blanche and then putting on blinders as to their operation is no excuse.
For a man who claims to be hands on in city operations he has a strange lack of interest in curbing corruption.