Reginald Williams challenges Alderman Buke and Committee on Finance

Patrick McDonough Jay Stone The Chicago Defender final.jpg On January 7, 2013, Reginald Williams Sr. was involved in an accident while working for the City of Chicago. To make his story simple is not possible due to Alderman Burke and the carnival barkers over at the City of Chicago Committee on Finance. Alderman Burke loves this position lording over the Committee on Finance because he can shake down medical providers for campaign contributions. Venders feel pressure when the phone calls come in to “donate” to political campaigns of Burke’s choice. Vendors also feel pressure, when the Committee on Finance wants non-political injured employees to be released back to work or issued MMI decisions. Many Chicago City workers are forced back to work injured and become addicted to opiates and other pain killers, to get through the day. That is part of the reason for the illegal drug trade at the City of Chicago. It is also a reason why Mayor Rahm Emanuel refuses to drug test all employees.
The treatment the city of Chicago gave to Reginald Williams, Sr. is truly a violation of the Illinois Workers Compensation Board. When an employee is injured, they should expect great medical care in a timely manner. The City of Chicago routinely has injured employees waiting for months for medical approvals, physical therapy, and surgeries. Many City employees never get the medications they desperately need. The City of Chicago relies on medical providers like Med Risk and Coventry to provide the minimum necessary treatment. They also make medical decisions although they are not doctors. The decisions they make are not based on an actual physical contact, amazing.
The Committee on Finance does not provide medical decisions in writing to the injured, it is all a secret. In fact, The Illinois Attorney General is attempting to force the Committee on Finance to release my medical records.
There is little doubt Alderman Burke fires black city workers to send a message of terror to “play along with the program”. Maybe Alderman Burke should explain to his wife and all Chicago taxpayers why he is so smitten with Monica Somerville, the executioner for the Committee on Finance. Stopping Mr. Williams pay is cruel and unusual punishment.
Monica Somerville is a fired City lawyer that falsely accused her boss of misconduct. Monica Somerville should explain why she is not on the Chicago “Do Not Hire List”. Allegedly she was also picked up on the Southside of Chicago by the police in a haze.
The Chicago Defender did a great article about Mr. Williams so make sure you google that.
Paris Schultz of Wttw Chicago tonight had an excellent interview with Jay Stone and Patrick McDonough regarding the treatment of injured Chicago City Workers. On April 6th 2016, Jay Stone and Patrick McDonough were invited to The Chicago Defender with several black Chicago City Workers that also spoke to attorneys to explain the way Chicago handles workers’ compensation claims. Ken Hare a former reporter at the Defender sat on the story killing the momentum created by Jay Stone.
Finally, a decision was made on August 8, 2016 to reward Reginald Willams what was fairly due him. Reginald Williams attorney is Al Koritsaris claiming a victory. The Attorney from the City of Chicago Corporation Counsel is Nancy J Shepard. Last I heard, the City is going to appeal, just to be ignorant. The Case number is 13WC002370
I strongly suggest everyone read this.
Please remember the Chicago Inspector General has done nothing despite complaints. Joe Ferguson needs to do his job or he needs to quit. All he worries about is getting his moldy nose on the suntimes. UGGGG.Reginald Williams Sr. Workers Compensation Claim 13WC002370.pdf

Vocamotive Vocational Training Illinois Workers Compensation

Vocamotive Alderman Burke final picture.jpg

The City of Chicago Committee on Finance is run by Alderman Burke. For some time, Jay Stone, a reformer and political expert in Chicago has taken on the machine. When Jay Stone was investigating the Committee on Finance he ran into a level of corruption that would make Mayor Rahm Emanuel blush. The Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson was alerted and if history is any indicator, Joe will do nothing. Shame.

Many Chicago City Workers are injured due to negligence on the part of the city. As a current City of Chicago Department of Water Management Plumber, I firsthand experience a lack of interest making the job safer. I made serval complaints to the Chicago Inspector General, newspapers, and the mayor’s office to make a proper work environment. I was concerned about lead and fecal matter in drinking water. Water main quality and shoring was a major concern. Many of the water main repair crews still carry around shoring and it never leaves the trailers. It is just for show. If someone is injured, the shoring is placed next to the ditch. False reports are made every day showing safety procedures are followed.

The City of Chicago has still failed to complete across the board drug testing, and as a result many workers are crippled no fault of their own. The City of Chicago treats injured workers different. Clout and Corruption rules supreme.

Not long ago, I was injured and I still have serious lasting problem from two injuries. One in July of 2011 after an attack by an off-duty police detective. This incident is finally under the radar by the U.S. Department of Justice. I also have an injury from September of 2013. I will give details when the time is right.

I was not going to write about these incidents, but many additional injured workers complained to me, I knew something needed to be done. We made some videos. We talked to major newspapers. We talked to reporters. Jay Stone became an important advocate for those with no voice. Jay Stone is an inspiration to me. Some videos were made which exposed black workers that were denied treatment. They were later fired for b.s. reasons. Some black workers lost their jobs through an unfair system.

Jay Stone uncovered a pay to play system at the Committee on Finance. Many contractors that provide services to Chicago are expected to pony up to Alderman Burke and the Democratic Party. One person at the Committee at Finance, had a family member working for a contractor that did hundreds of thousands of dollars of work at the Department of Water Management. To this day, there is not proof any work was done. The lawyers are expected to pay up for democratic candidates. The judges make completely different decisions on relatively same cases. None of the lawyers expose this corruption as it is the way the system works. In fact, Illinois lawyers routinely run a puppy mill in workers’ compensation. The more cases you settle the more money you make. Preparing for cases takes time and money. The real money is in the back end when the medical bills are settled and additional services.

Nestled in the beautiful suburbs of Hinsdale, lies a Chicago subcontractor to Alderman Burke’s Committee on Finance. It is Vocamotive. Vocamotive is a nice business because they a service to employers and Insurance companies. They also provide a service to lawyers. Lawyers “make the deal”, to obtain this service and get a slice of the pie! What better way to move a workers comp case along than to have a lawyer send his client to Vocamotive for “Job Training”. Let me make something perfectly clear, Vocamotive is only there to reduce the liability to insurance company or to the city of Chicago. They give political contributions to Alderman Burke. Nice? When I reviewed what Vocamotive does, I was shocked. They look for every single thing wrong with the student. The reports they write have no dignity at all. They make injured workers look like assholes, it is great for the insurance companies looking for any way to get off the hook. It also works great for plaintiff lawyers because when the city stops the duty disability payments, it forces cripples to settle on the penny. Vocamotive also is another way of hiding records from the injured as they refuse to release records directly to the injured. They hid behind a veil.

On September 15, 2016, I went to the awesome suburbs of Hinsdale. It is a shame Chicago does not use a company in the city as blacks have the lowest employment rate.
I gave Vocamotive a copy of an order to release my records for evaluation by a licensed state agency. I have to pay for my own Vocational Rehabilitation now. The receptionist was nice and was looking for permission to release my records in the back room. It was then I notice the humiliating jobs injured people get from Vocamotive. Ladies were sent to maid duties as a job alternative. Nice eh? The trick is to discourage people and make them quit. Humiliate people that are injured. They are “reservicing” people with costly computer training that are old, and injured. One lady I interviewed, had a stroke is very near retirement; She is applying for positions she is not capable of doing. Amazing how Vocamotive is not under closer scrutiny. She informed me employers are looking at her as a complete liability, no one want to hire a person that can only talk out of part of their mouth. When she had the stoke the Department of Water Management withheld her pay for a couple of years. She had the stroke when she was at Vocamotive and was told to keep working. Nice?

Back to me, the receptionist at Vocamotive returned and told me to return early the next morning to talk to a higher up to obtain the records. Next thing I know, I received an email stating if I returned to Vocamotive, the Hinsdale Police would be called. Vocamotive insinuated I was unprofessional and with a gang of thugs. Something is amiss.

I filed a second complaint against Vocamotive with the Chicago Inspector General and also with the Illinois Board of Higher Education. This company needs to be investigated for discriminating against people. There seems to be a major problem with workers’ rights. People that are injured and file a Workman’s Compensation Claim should be treated better. Not all Chicago City Workers that are injured are sent to Vocational Training. Only the ones that do not engage in politics and those Alderman Burke doesn’t want, are forced out. I contacted Plumbers’ Local 130 and their lawyers responded to this being an Illinois Workers’ Compensation issue, despite the bargaining contract that should to protect workers. I also contacted friends in the media and they felt there is two sides to the story when it comes to injuries. I agree. Only in Illinois could any system be this broken and corrupt. More on this soon.

Some time Alderman Burke and the Chicago Workers’ Compensation System needs a second look

Steve Collier Final City of Chicago Hoisting Engineer Former Green Bay Packer Football player and City of Chicago Hoisting Engineer wants a look at his records keep by Alderman Burke and Monica Somerville at the Chicago Committee on Finance. Mr. Steve Collier went to the Mayor of the City of Chicago’s administrative officer to make sure his FOIA does not get lost. I suggest if you work for the City of Chicago, past and present, to review all document the City keeps on you. Jay Stone wrote many articles on Alderman Burke and Monica Somerville, I suggest to enlighten yourself. “You can accept or reject the way you are treated by other people, but until you heal the wounds of your past, you will continue to bleed. You can bandage the bleeding with food, with alcohol, with drugs, with work, with cigarettes, with sex, but eventually, it will all ooze through and stain your life. You must find the strength to open the wounds, stick your hands inside, pull out the core of the pain that is holding you in your past, the memories, and make peace with them”
― Iyanla Vanzant, Yesterday, I Cried Photo by Chicago Clout Steve Collier FOIA REQUEST.pdf
Former Green Bay Packer Football player and City of Chicago Hoisting Engineer wants a llok at his records keep by Alderman Burke and Monica Somerville at the Chicago Committee on Finance. Mr. Steve Collier went to the Mayor of the City of Chicago’s administrative officer to make sure his FOIA does not get lost. I suggest if you work for the City of Chicago, past and present, to review all document the City keeps on you. Jay Stone wrote many articles on Alderman Burke and Monica Somerville, I suggest to enlighten yourself. “You can accept or reject the way you are treated by other people, but until you heal the wounds of your past, you will continue to bleed. You can bandage the bleeding with food, with alcohol, with drugs, with work, with cigarettes, with sex, but eventually, it will all ooze through and stain your life. You must find the strength to open the wounds, stick your hands inside, pull out the core of the pain that is holding you in your past, the memories, and make peace with them”
― Iyanla Vanzant, Yesterday, I Cried Photo by Chicago Clout

Monica Somerville Workers’ Compensation Director Unsuccessfully Sued the City After She was Fired for Poor Job Performance

Worker’s Comp is another Hired Truck and Clout List Scandal Waiting to Happen

I predict current workers’ comp Director Monica Somerville will join the ranks of city managers Angelo Torres and Robert Sorich. Torres managed the infamous Hired Truck program. The city paid $60 million a year to contractors for trucks that mainly sat idle on side streets and parking lots. To secure their lucrative trucking contracts, city contractors used bribes, kickbacks, and political donations, including contributions to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s political committee that Emanuel set up when he ran for congress. Sorich maintained the “clout list” that FBI agents found on his computer when they raided his city hall office. Scorch kept the names of people that the city promoted or hired in exchange for their political work, a practice that the Shakman Decrees expressly prohibited. Not surprisingly, the names of workers comp Director Monica Somerville and three of her relatives appear on Sorich’s clout list (see Note 1).

As with Torres and Sorich, Monica Somerville’s political organization and political sponsors secured her workers’ comp job. As with Torres and Sorich, workers’ comp Director Somerville must obey orders from her political clout bosses regardless of whether her orders are moral or immoral or legal or illegal; otherwise, she will be out of her seventh public sector job.

Somerville’s job as workers’ comp director is her fourth city job. Somerville worked in the law department as an attorney and assistant corporation council from January 1991 until she resigned in September 1997. Somerville returned to the law department as a chief assistant corporation council in June 2000. Somerville’s return to city employment at double the salary is significant because it occurred after Sorich put her name on his clout list. Seventeen months later, the city fired Somerville for disciplinary reasons in November 2001. Somerville did not leave her city job quietly. She filed a sexual harassment and racial discrimination suit against her boss Melvin Brooks and the City of Chicago. The judge ruled the city fired Somerville for “poor performance.” The judge specifically noted Somerville made mistakes that led to a $50 million and $3 million verdict against the city. The judge said Somerville provided no evidence that she was sexually harassed or racially discriminated against.

Somerville Should Have Been on the City’s Do Not Hire List

The assistant commissioner for the human resources department maintains a “do not hire list” of employees whom the city will not rehire because of the actions that led to their termination. The do not hire list is divided into finite and infinite classifications. The city may rehire former employees after one year if city workers’ terminations are listed as “finite.” The city will never rehire former city employees whose terminations are classified as “infinite.”

At the very least Monica Somerville’s disciplinary termination would have put her on the do not hire finite list had there been one in 2001. Somerville falsely accusing her supervisor and city of sexual harassment and racial discrimination after she was fired probably would have earned her a do not hire infinite termination. It’s one thing to get fired for poor performance and disciplinary reasons, but making false accusations after termination against a supervisor and the city is far more serious. I pity Somerville’s boss who had to defend himself against her awful allegations.

Alderman Burke hired Somerville for political reasons, and he continues to employ her for political reasons. As with Somerville’s current workers’ comp position, her previous employment was also a Shakman exempt job. Prior to joining Alderman Ed Burke’s finance committee, Somerville worked nine years at the Illinois Department of Employment Services (IDES). She went from a $28.36 hourly hearing referee in 2003 to earning $7,917 a month for working as a public service administrator starting in 2009. Somerville has an eight month employment history gap from when she left IDES on Sept. 1, 2012 until she started working for Burke’s finance committee on May 16, 2013. Somerville’s pay dropped from $95,000 a year at IDES to the $75,000 a year that she is currently earning as a finance committee employee.

Alderman Ed Burke is solely responsible for hiring Monica Somerville. For the 31 years that Burke has served as finance committee chairman, he has handpicked all of his workers’ comp employees. Somerville did not make the city’s do not hire list because there was no such list when she was fired, but wouldn’t her termination for poor job performance, false allegations against her supervisor, and unsuccessful lawsuit against the city give Burke pause to hire her? Has Somerville accomplished anything remarkable that shows she is a far better employee today then the day the city fired her?

Burke has some explaining to do. Why did Burke hire Somerville after she was fired from the law department for poor performance? Why did Burke hire Somerville after she made false sexual harassment and racial discrimination claims in a lawsuit that she lost? Why did Burke hire Somerville who has an extensive political pedigree for a job that requires independence and impartiality?

Burke’s hiring of Somerville is a symptom of a much bigger problem, namely workers’ comp is under Burke’s finance committee’s control when it should be part of the executive branch. During Burke’s 31 year reign as finance chairman, I estimate that he has submitted $2 billion to $3 billion in workers’ compensation vouchers without a financial audit or oversight of his expenditures. Indeed aldermen have passed Burke’s workers’ comp budget for 31 years, but once the city council appropriated money to fund Burke’s committee, there has been no review to make sure Burke has properly spent the $2 to $3 billion of workers’ comp money.

Three 1913 municipal code ordinances give Burke the unchecked power to hire workers’ comp employees, sign vouchers for both duty disability pay and medical expenses without proper financial controls over his spending or oversight of his employees. Workers’ compensation employees like Somerville maintain power and control over city employees’ livelihood and their health since they must give their prior approval for medical procedures such as surgery. If you are a city employee or someone you care about is a city employee, you’ll want to know the answer to this question: How many other Monica Somervilles did Alderman Ed Burke hire to administer Chicago’s workers’ comp program?

Note
1.To view Monica Somerville and her relatives names on the clout list, click the following document. cloutlist2006(2)

Rahm Emanuel uses Dick Daley’s playbook.

rahm emanuel monkee on Chicago clout Thank you to everyone that takes my advice and continues to protest at Rahm Emanuel’s home in the 4200 Block of Hermitage. The major newspapers in Chicago will not cover the protests as they seem to still be under the control of Rahm. Chicago is still a killing field due to the lack of jobs in the west and south sides of the city. Chicago is slowly rotting and the union workers are taking the fall. Rahm Emanuel is now privatizing, busting unions, and working with Quinn to destroy the middle class in Chicago. These goons just want a bunch of losers gambling away their minimum wage paychecks hoping to hit it big at the casino. Watch the way the Chicago Alderman vote when the Midway Airport deal comes across the table. I am ready to run for Alderman again and cost these “rubber-stamps” more money. I was hoping Rahm would be a better mayor then Daley, and he is, he just needs a Harold Washington playbook.

Criminal Activity continues at City of Chicago Department of Water Management, Workers want new Watchdog

Chicago DOWM Watchdog 1.jpg A major copper theft was reported out of the City of Chicago Department of Water Management facilities located at 4900 West Sunnyside. Chicago Clout first reported this theft a couple of weeks ago. A pin point theft located $5000.00 dollars in copper used for water services for Chicago’s over taxed residents. For over a decade, I have reported rolls of copper walking out the door and into District Foreman’s side job trucks. Many City Workers were installing water services on the side stealing this valuable metal. In fact, the Office of the Inspector General looked the other way despite police knocking at the front door of crooks. One brash side job included a retire sewer foreman’s personal residence. Witnesses that were on the side job come forward and nothing was done. Pictures taken and sent to the Inspector General were round files. (For the record, The Vroustouris Days) The same Employees are still in the news and regulars for Workman’s Compensation Benefits. The fact the crooks knew exactly which trucks to break into is very telling. The fact that no pumps, tools, or other valuable items went missing is troubling. Not long ago, I was on the phone with Tom LaPorte, the spokesman for the DOWM, he knew nothing about these thefts. I also asked if it was true that Dwayne Hightower busted two high power political laborers staying at home during the workday. Tom Laporte again knew nothing. He said he will look into these allegations. Many City of Chicago Laborers want to know why some 1092 laborers get to take pickup trucks despite the fact they lack the seniority. Some laborers complained laborer sub Forman are paid to run crews but drive the pick-up trucks instead. None of these laborers are subject to random drug testing despite a liability issue, the city waits until they run over someone. Our greatest concern right now is the lack of competent Management at the North District, the lack of non-union management is causing many problems. There is no General Superintendent to oversee Union Employees with political ties. The Inspector General needs to do something now. It is time to fire the folks running the circus. Rahm Emanuel, do the job you were hired to do. Photo by Patrick McDonough

More Chicago Police at Suburban Starbucks on City Time

Chicago Police at Starbucks 1.jpg Thanks to Rich Daley and the 11Th Ward Goons, Chicago has a very high unemployment rate. When you have a high unemployment rate, you can count on criminal activities. This Chicago Police Officer was at the Starbucks in the 2600 block of Des Plaines/Rosemont in the Northwest suburbs. I admit when you have a job like a Chicago Cop, you might want to get away from the clout heavy knuckleheads in charge. But just like a U.S. soldier in a warzone, you shouldn’t skip to another country for some peace and quiet. This happened September 24, 2011 at 3:58 p.m. Maybe the cop was getting Rahm Emanuel’s coffee or a latte for Maggie Daley. Cop Car 2523 and License Plate M 169289 Photo by Chicago Clout Inspector General Team b.

Charles Rangel gets lynched, White Mayor Richard Daley walks

Mayor Daley UNCF 1 Chicago Clout Mayor Daley was very lucky a year ago not to get his tail end in hot water misusing his position to advance causes using the taxpayer’s money. Fran Spielman caught Mayor Daley promoting the United Negro College Fund using Chicago City Workers. The problem is simple; City workers are paid to complete work with-in their job description. If you know these workers, they should produce a work product that that is directly related to their department. Taxpayers do not all agree Mayor Daley should steal employees to produce money for his pet causes so he can sit around and get a pat on the back. I am concerned because the Chicago Office of the Inspector General has again allowed this type of fraud to continue. I hope all of these employees are fired for fraud. I hope all the employees placing these posters around on city sites are fired. Just a couple of months ago, several employees were collecting cash with no receipts for this same cause. Ironically, Charles Rangel of the U.S. Congress was using his position to collect funds to promote causes for black folks in his backyard and he is in trouble. I guess you need to be white like Mayor Daley and nothing will happen. I hope Obama helps a brother out. Photo by Patrick McDonough