The 2011 Blizzard was another feast for Mayor Daley’s “Hired Truck” pals. Nothing like an emergency to rape and scam the Chicago Taxpayers again. Chicago has never learned its lesson and continues to make the non-union scabs and suburban trucking companies millions while Chicago residents sit at home and starve. What a going away present for Daley and his 11Th Ward goons. This weekend was a prime example of union city workers sent home while members of Local 150 continue to load the “Hired Trucks”. Chicago Teamsters get part-time work thanks to paying for the excess and debts Daley piles on the back of folks struggling to make ends meet. Daley leaves poor blacks and Hispanics with no future or job while the suburban trucking companies prepare to pillage the city to bankruptcy. What did the Union Teamsters and Operating Engineers do about this? Much of this work is under supervision of union workers/ What are you doing? Now some unions think Rahm is the answer, better think that one over again. Will the Office of the Inspector General investigate if prevailing wage, living wages and benefits are paid to these scabs? We also need to watch out for kickbacks. Photo by Chicago Clout Inspector.
Thomas Powers, new Commissioner of Chicago Department of Water Management
It was Sunday morning and I heard it again, “I like working for Jesse, you know you will get your time.” I got my assignments for the day and I was kept away from that job site. My radar starts pinging when a certain chain of events occur. That is the advantage of experience. I called the foreman Jesse Canet and let him know I would head out to that job and watch what was going on. He told me it would not be necessary and I was not wanted. Many times after work, I watch the progress of overtime jobs to gain insight into loafing and general waste. I was told that morning the job would not go over 8 hours. Sure enough it did. The foreman screamed out of the Sunnyside yard and took his car to the jobsite at around 3:00 p.m. Since he always worked out of the City Truck, this peaked my curiosity. I called the big boss and was told not to interfere with the job at 2242 North Spaulding. I explained I was concerned about the overtime and possible waste of taxpayers’ money. When I go to these jobs, I do so as a journalist and videographer. I enjoy my website and the knowledge it imparts. The first information I got was from the night investigator crew and it sounded funny like some overtime was made for Jesse’s crew. I also talked to a high ranking official that told me the crew waited much of the day for a Vactor. A Vator is a large sewer truck that is basically a jet rod and massive vacuum. When I went to the site, I saw in my opinion, a three or four hour job. But on Sunday, and double-time an opportunity like this could make for some powerful paychecks. I was also surprised because Jesse Canet was not on the overtime list. The overtime list has foreman and plumbers that have no interest in working overtime. That way the boss can put his friends and pets on these lucrative jobs. As soon as I arrived, the work began at a furious rate I have never seen before. I think it was because I was videotaping. Two of the workers were covering their faces. It was brought to my attention the crew was mad because a “rat” was watching. In the past a job like this would have gone for 16 hours. That would mean a paycheck of at least $1440.00 on top of a $4,000.00 bi-weekly take home check. At around 4:00 the work was going fast and furious, the crew was done at 4:30 p.m. I think I heard Jesse Canet say swipe out at 5:30 p.m. One hour travel time at double time. Earlier in the day the big boss told me Jesse is the only guy they can get to work the overtime. His caulker always seems to get the overtime with him. The call from the leak desk was water in the basement; I think we all got soaked again. Amazing how I found out the basement is a full basement and unoccupied, hardly an emergency. I was told this is a clout job. Clout is really expensive in Chicago. If the basement was occupied, someone needs to pay taxes. Welcome Commissioner Powers, the game stays the same. Photo by Patrick McDonough.
Chicago Police scam 7-11 to makes end meet. Steal Coffee and snacks.
I am a great fan of the Chicago Police Department. Most cops are fine neighbors and upstanding Amigos. Many of the cops Daley promoted are pretty lousy and do not provide good leadership. The Daley family expects the public to pick up their tab everywhere they eat and drink. People brought up in the 11TH Ward and Chicago’s Bridgeport communities were brought up that way. Most of the cops I know pay for everything out of their own pocket. This store is in the 400 block of South Green Street. Regular customers like you and I have to make up the difference in the cost of the free coffee and snacks these cops scam. I always see a large group of Chicago Cops and detectives stealing coffee there. I put my life on the line every day at work, but I do not take free coffee and snacks. Photo by Patrick McDonough
Understanding the Daley, Vrdolyak, Judge Clare Elizabeth McWilliams law system.
Quid Pro Quo in the Cook County Court System. Many people are scratching their heads when they see an admitted crook like fast Eddie Vrdolyak, walk away from a fair sentence for his violation of truth, justice, and the American way. When anyone goes in front of a court room, they invest time, money, and effort to persuade a judge and jury to their side. Many people cannot afford justice, but they feel so strong about an issue they are willing to go into debt to clear their name. Understanding the basics of how the Cook County Judicial System works can help you into making a decision into having a lawsuit or not. You must remember, many of the Judges feel they are perfect, keep the blindfolds on, and dispense justice without err. Phooey.
The cold reality is the Quid Pro Quo, favors, backslapping, paybacks, or as we say on my website Clout, Chicago Clout. One of the ways to combat this is to become educated, informed, and diligent in your efforts to make sure you have an equal chance to have the law upheld. Many judges should remove themselves from cases, but they do not. Human nature is to side with those who helped us, and there lies the problem. I started thinking about this when I received a call from David Glowacz, a bright journalist whom accused me of being a journalist. My content might be accurate and interesting, but to become a real journalist is to learn the behind the scene rules that are the icing on the cake. Just like a court room, the real deals are made behind the judge’s chambers. I want you to know I do believe in our system of laws, but we need to find a way to remove politics and favors. A great example is Judge Clare Elizabeth McWilliam, a judge with a great Irish name; she is from the north side of Chicago. I politely called her clerk Virginia and talked to a Jim from her office. Well I just got a message from her clerk Virginia and found out the great indignation of not receiving a call from the judge to discuss matters that concern the public. The judge was too busy, and then through the grapevine I found out Clare did not want to be on my cable show. Remember when a friend coughed into their hand and said B.S.”? I was going through Clare’s Itemized Expenditures for her campaign to become judge. I want to “Clarify” why certain political operatives show up time after time. I wanted to know what the going rate to become a judge was and what is expected from Chicago unions and local politicians to finance their campaigns. I wanted to know what the going rate is to get signatures on a cook county ballot, is the old rate of a dollar per signature fair, or is the current rate of two or three dollars inline. Many real Chicago Journalists might not want to tackle this issue, but now is the time and place. Look at all the players and political operatives that had something to do with Judge Clare Elizabeth McWilliams’s campaign, what do they expect, justice? Patrick McDonough.