New Emails Show Racist, Sexist Culture In City Water Dept. Paul Hansen Cray Cray

CHICAGO (CBS) — Another round of emails released late Friday by the city of Chicago reveal more racist and sexist exchanges among some of the top officials in the Department of Water Management as recently as April a month before some were forced out, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

Earlier emails, part of a months-long investigation by City Inspector General Joe Ferguson, led to Water Management Commissioner Barrett Murphy, Managing Deputy William Bresnahan and District Superintendent Paul Hansen losing their jobs.

The latest batch of emails contain homophobic slurs in addition to anti-black and anti-woman comments. Some of the most striking exchanges include an image of a scarecrow dressed in a KKK robe in a watermelon field, a picture of a nude woman used to celebrate “heterosexual male pride day” and comments mocking gays.

The email containing the KKK scarecrow was forwarded from Hansen to Murphy in July 2014 with the subject line “Watermelon Protection.” Included in the email, which Hansen had received from someone else, was the photo and this statement: “God is great, beer is good … and people are crazy. I’m guessing this would be considered politically incorrect.”

Hansen then added this: “I don’t understand.”

Another racist email Hansen shared with Murphy was sent in February 2013 in response to a request from ComEd for city employees to halt work near a power line serving a fire station, schools and a senior citizen home. “I think the only thing that the line does not feed is the center for the severely challenged negro midgets, you know the place, its where we hired all those laborers from 7 years ago,” Hansen wrote.

In an email Hansen received April 19, 2017 – just a month before he lost his job – there were pictures of steaks on a grill, beer taps on a bar and a woman bearing her breasts along with this message: “To all my friends who are tired of taking a BACK SEAT to gays, lesbians, homosexuals, trans genders, women soldiers, bra burners, female boy scouts, women libbers, tree huggers and eco-commie-environ-freaks, the looney left, Greens, social justice warriors and worse of all – those f—- democrats!

In yet another email, dated March 11, 2014, Hansen shared with Bresnahan a story about a 16-year-old Texas boy who purportedly won the world’s shortest essay competition by writing about religion, royalty, physical disability, racism and homosexuality. The email claimed the boy won a scholarship to a Texas university for writing this: “My God,” cried the Queen, “That one-legged n— is a queer.”

When Hansen was asked Friday night if he would like to comment on the newly released emails, he said, “If you’re looking for a comment, you can forget it” and hung up. A voicemail message left for Murphy was not immediately returned.

Shannon Breymaier, a spokeswoman for Mayor Rahm Emanuel, said in a statement the mayor is “fully supportive” of recently appointed Water Management Commissioner Randy Conner’s actions to provide additional EEO training to the department’s managers and supervisors.

Late last month, several current and former water department employees filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city and top Water Management officials of creating “a hostile and abusive work environment based on race that includes violence, intimidation (and) retaliation,” the Sun-Times reported.

Allegations of Racism, Sexism and Gun Dealing in City Water Department

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a major shake-up in some key departments late Friday. The city’s water commissioner resigned, and on Monday more details emerged about alleged gun dealing, racist and sexist behavior by a politically connected subordinate.

Also, the city’s budget director has decided to leave, which has some aldermen concerned about how the city will solve the CPS funding crisis.

The resignations and firings came as a surprise late Friday, specifically the resignation of the city’s Water Commissioner Barrett Murphy and two high-ranking subordinates, William Bresnahan and Paul Hansen.

More information has been revealed to Chicago Tonight about a troubling culture at the city’s Department of Water Management. Sources say Hansen, son of former 44th Ward Ald. Bernie Hansen, was allegedly using city email to sell some of his guns and hunting equipment to Water Department employees.

Sources in the Water Department have called Hansen a clouted hire who rose to the ranks of district superintendent without having a plumber’s license. He, Bresnahan and Murphy are also said to have been involved in circulating racist and sexist emails around the department, described to Chicago Tonight as having hate-filled and demeaning language.

There is an investigation into these allegations by the inspector general; on Monday, Emanuel said he and the water commissioner had agreed to part ways.

“We were made aware from an IG report on one particular employee, but in that process it exposed a culture in the Water Department that in my view does not represent what the city’s values are,” Emanuel said. “Barrett agreed there should be a reset button hit as it relates to the culture.”

The mayor appointed Randy Conner, who comes from Streets and Sanitation, as the new Water Department commissioner.

The City Council Black Caucus on Monday said they were deeply disturbed by the alleged culture at the department.

“The pervasive culture of racism at the Water Department has been an open secret for years,” said Black Caucus Chairman Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th Ward). “We hope that this moment can serve as a wake-up call for all those in the department and in other departments where this behavior is still tolerated or even encouraged.”

And another alderman says it raises concerns about protecting clouted workers at all costs.

“Every citizen should be appalled by it, especially that they were allowed to keep working there,” said Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward). “We need to make sure that the human resources department is actually doing their job and rooting this activity out and firing people.”

BUDGET DIRECTOR RESIGNS

Friday’s resignation of Budget Director Alex Holt is also causing consternation. We spoke with a few aldermen concerned about the timing, especially as the mayor’s office considers a possible emergency bridge loan from the city to keep Chicago Public Schools open.

Holt had been on the job since Emanuel first took office in 2011 and had waded through several budget crises and helped come up with reforms to stave off the city’s municipal pension bomb, although many of those reforms still have yet to be approved by Springfield. Holt is replaced by the director of business and consumer affairs, Samantha Fields.

Waguespack wondered whether she was up to such a gargantuan job.

“My biggest concern is that we’re going into this issue of CPS funding and we don’t have someone at the helm that understands government finances, these are going to be very tough decisions coming up and we need very good information moving forward,” Waguespack said.

The mayor on Friday also announced the reappointment of Inspector General Joe Ferguson to another four-year term – which means the new Police Inspector General Laura Kunard will now start her job in the coming weeks.

She had been holding out until she knew that Ferguson, the guy that picked her, had job security of his own.

Follow Paris Schutz on Twitter: @paschutz

More thefts at Dept. of Water Management 4900 West Sunnyside

September 17, 2012, a DOWM employee alleged more thefts occurred on his truck. Today the department was looking for someone to take the blame for the continuing thefts. Seems some guys cannot take any blame for anything. That is how you move up the ladder. Cowards. I have a solution, but that would make it hard for the guys with addictions. Time the Office of the Inspector General to do their job. I do not know how many times the Commissioner will allow this to continue. While on vacation, all my city tools were cleaned out, again. A police report was made. Nothing done, again. We need General Superintendent John King to return.

Chicago Department of Water Security Breach McDonough Hero

Mega Bust January 23, 2012 Yard final.jpg City of Chicago Department of Water Management employee of 2011 Patrick McDonough noticed a very suspicious pick-up truck lurking around the 4900 West Sunnyside Yard today. Mr. McDonough notified the crack security team that left the gate open again and allowed this dude to sneak into the yard. The crack security team made a major assault upon the possible terrorism suspect. A high ranking political appointee snuck up quietly on this dude as if he was on a turkey hunt, and the dude left the open lot without so much as any license check, or illegal search and seizure. The crack security team did not follow the established protocol which is necessary to save our precious drinking water in Chicagoland. Who was that dude? Why he was not detained? Is Chicago drinking water safe? Why did this political appointee not call in a reckless panic to superiors? Photo by Patrick McDonough

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