Please make sure you get the inside story from Mark Brown. In the last decade, Mayor Daley and Chicago's organized crime boyz have destroyed the taxpayer's trust. This is a Hired Truck Scandal story. Mayor Daley and his family have profited handsomely on the taxpayer's dime. I have complained since 2001 about the non-union companies scamming taxpayers. Patrick Daley, son of Mayor "Sgt. Schultz" Daley, has made millions for family scumbags like Robert Vanecko. Chicago's Department of Water Management is in the thick of this scandal again, we know about the "private sewer inspection" companies. We know about the blank checks from Amalgamated Bank Chicago Bigwigs. Photo by Patrick McDonough
Investment doesn't pass smell test
Daley ought to find out details of family members' business deals
December 16, 2007
Of all the companies in all the towns in all the world, Mayor Daley's son and nephew walk into the one that makes most of its money from a City of Chicago contract to inspect and clean sewers.
And then the company never discloses the pair's partial ownership interest, even though the law requires it.
This one doesn't pass the smell test, sweetheart.
There's a lot we still don't know about the deal that saw Patrick Daley and Robert Vanecko take a 5 percent ownership stake in Municipal Sewer Services -- and then quietly cash out just as the sewage was hitting the fan at City Hall in the Hired Truck scandal.
For one thing, we don't know how much of a profit they made on their $65,000 investment, although we suspect it was a tidy one.
And we don't know when the mayor became aware of his son's role in the company, although his press secretary tells us she doesn't believe he was aware of it until Sun-Times reporter Tim Novak started asking questions recently.
But we know enough to think the folks with subpoena powers should be asking questions, too.
To be sure, it's an awkward time to be poking into the past business dealings of the mayor's son, coming as it does just days before Patrick Daley, now in the Army, goes off to war.
Did someone know?
If you question the timing of the Sun-Times' story, however, just remember: We're not the ones who kept it a secret for four years.
The story went into the paper pretty much as soon as Novak was able to confirm it, not knowing when he started his investigation that Patrick Daley was about to be deployed overseas.
For now, though, it's arguably a valid reason for the mayor to temporarily duck reporters on the issue, even if the only explanation offered so far on his behalf misses the mark.
"The mayor is a very busy man, and he does not make a practice of knowing the details of other people's investments, including those of his son and/or his nephew," press secretary Jacquelyn Heard told the paper.
With all respect, I would suggest the mayor take part of a day and try to learn some of those details, especially where it involves his own children and the government he runs. Personally, I think he ought to pay attention to his nephews, too, because of the possibility that their business dealings will bite him on the fanny, but I realize that could get sticky in a family -- even a family like the Daleys that should expect public scrutiny.
Setting aside the question of whether the mayor knew his son and nephew had a financial stake in a city contract, there is reason to suspect somebody at City Hall knew that somebody with clout had a piece of this particular one.
Disclosure law needs work
Although a predecessor company already had the city contract, Municipal Sewer Services -- with young Daley and Vanecko hidden in the background -- was golden with city officials from the time it was created and took control of the contract in 2003. Suddenly, the city found more sewers for the company to clean. It received two contract extensions.
The mayor's office complains that this newspaper was unfair in saying the mayor signed the Municipal Sewer Services contracts. Although his signature appears on contracts, the mayor doesn't sign himself, we are told. He delegates that duty to others. OK, I wouldn't want anyone to think the mayor's signature on a contract was evidence in itself that he knew what was involved therein.
At the time he invested in Municipal Sewer Services, Patrick Daley was 29 and an unpaid intern with Cardinal Growth, a Loop investment firm whose principals -- Robert Bobb and Joseph McInerney -- formed the sewer business with Anthony Duffy, who ran the company. Although Cardinal Growth is in the business of lining up investors, it gave just two other individuals a piece of this deal: the intern and his cousin.
Back in 2003, privately held companies with city contracts were required to disclose everyone with an ownership stake.
As it happens, that law was changed a year later so that now only those with an ownership interest greater than 7.5 percent must be disclosed. In other words, if Patrick Daley -- or any of the mayor's other relatives -- have since taken a 5 percent or 6 percent interest in a city contract, they would be within their rights to keep that secret.
If nothing else, this situation teaches us the city disclosure law ought to be changed back to the way it was.
My son David McDonough was walking on the lake today and his old buddy and pal Frosty the Snowman posed for a picture. It was very foggy up north and I was able to take some spectacular pictures. I enjoy time with my children. In a few short months, Frosty with be near to help keep "Deep Water" floating. I really enjoy Wisconsin in the winter. Could someone please tell me when Moy's Chinese Restaurant will be finished? I hope everyone has a Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. 2008 should be a splendid year. Photo by Patrick McDonough.
Please enjoy the McDonough Family of Des Plaines Illinois shoveling their walk. Fox News Chicago covered the family and asked them about the proposed new ordinance demanding Des Plaines Residences to keep their walks clear or pay a $750.00 fine. Ian McDonough is against this ordinance. Watch this video, click here: 
3440 North Osage was red hot due to the actions of Foreman John Kolomay. John Kolomay never gets out of his truck to supervise his crew. John is usually in in the crew cab smoking cigarettes and drinking Dunkin Donuts Coffee. John loves coffee and cigarettes. I hope John will enlighten us all about his buddy and pal Tony Laurino and the North District Water Department politics soon. A laborer was refilling a pump with gas, the pump was running. The pump pushed the gas towards two parked cars and totaled them. John knows quite a bit about the Chicago Water Department politics and Donald Tomszak, I guess they will call this an accident. The IDOL and the Chicago Inspector General has been alerted. This is a Chicago Clout Exclusive, thanks for covering Channel 2 News. click here : 
Today at about 12:20 p.m., the Chicago Department of Water Management started two parked cars on fire. I am demanding to know why a dump truck was ordered with shoring? John Kolomay does not use shoring, ever. Also, I am demanding to know why John Kolomay, the foreman on the crew did not make sure his crew was protected with fire extinguishers. This will be a (taxing problem) for John Kolomay in three weeks. Photo by Patrick McDonough
Chicago Clout reminds my fellow crime fighters about the Daley Administration Street Tax. If you want to do millions of dollars of business in Chicago, pay the Daley street tax. No exception. Read below. Nice job Chicago Channel 2 News for this story. Photo by Patrick McDonough
Company Accused Of Cheating On City Bids
CHICAGO (STNG) ― A former employee of a South Side concrete company is suing her former employer Wednesday, accusing the company's owner of highly illegal activities linked to Mayor Daley, Gov. Blagojevich and other city officials.
Charline Pacourek worked as an office manager for Diamond Coring Company, Inc., at 11800 S. Ewing Ave. since 1993, according to a suit filed in Cook County Circuit Court Wednesday. Anthony Cappello, an avid-contributor to Mayor Daley's campaign fund over the years, owns the company, which specializes in concrete cutting services.
According to the suit, Pacourek approached Cappello on December 22, 2006 allegedly asking him to change his "questionable" business activities because it stressed her out to the point of illness.
Despite Pacourek's 14 years of employment with Diamond, the suit claimed she could no longer "participate in the numerous questionable and illegal business activities that Diamond Coring was involved in."
Pacourek claims for the past 11 years, Cappello "banked" his employee's wages during the winter season. Cappello allegedly required workers to obtain unemployment benefits during the winter seasons, despite being employed with Diamond, and he would pay them "overtime" in the spring. The suit claims if an employee worked 30 hours while collecting unemployment, he would be credited for 20 hours of overtime when his benefits ended in the spring.
The suit also explains the close friendship between Cappello and Alan Dadian—a site manager for O'Hare Airport who also has "significant control" over O'Hare contactors. Dadian's nephew is employed by Diamond.
Cappello also allegedly hired Mike Levar, brother of Ald. Patrick Levar (45th Ward), also to help him win bids on lucrative O'Hare contracts.
Pacourek said Cappello failed to properly document work done at O'Hare, and deposited all O'Hare money into an account unrelated to Diamond Coring Co. When Pacourek asked Cappello about this, he explained to her that he needed some "money off the books" to pay a number of people "street tax," the suit claims.
Aside from using his connections to win bids, Pacourek accuses Cappello of lying on bid packages by adding the names of people who do not work for the company to a list of qualifications.
Pacourek also accuses Cappello of allegedly winning bids for his company through his wife's company, SGI, Inc. The suit claims SGI uses its minority status to win bids that Diamond may lose. Cappello's wife, Denise Morsovillo is listed as the company's president but the suit claims she has never performed any work for SGI—claiming Cappello runs the company.
The former employee claims Cappello is able to get away with his shady practices because of his political connectedness in Chicago. Over the years, Cappello allegedly required six employees to contribute $1,500 each to the Richard J. Daley Campaign Committee and reimbursed the employees for their contributions. He also allegedly required employees to contribute $1,000 to the "Citizens for McLeod" campaign.
"It is believed that these donations were made in order to obtain lucrative skyway and other road jobs from Ald. John Pope, Governor Blagojevich and Mayor Daley," Pacourek alleges.
Pacourek also allegedly witnessed the scamming of an auditor, accusing Cappello of forging documents during the audit to get away with his numerous tax violations.
She is suing Diamond Coring Co. for violating the Illinois Whistleblower Act by firing her when she approached him about his "questionable business activities."
She wants to be reinstated with her seniority status in tact, back pay with interest and other fees.
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2007. I got one of the first Wii systems this summer and thought it was very nice, I enjoyed the tennis and bowling. This Christmas, Sean McDonough my famous brother bought my kids the Wii Guitar Hero 3 "Legends of Rock". I asked the kids if I could try the game and they set me up with "Lars", a hefty guitarist. This Guitar Hero is the equal of giving the Grand-kids a drum set, a pellet gun or something bound to drive the parents insane. By dinner, I wanted to be a guitar hero and smash the guitar on stage so I would not lose my hearing. It seems like a fun game and the kids will play all day if you let them. I hope your Holiday is full of cheer. Pray for Honest Government next year. Photo by Patrick McDonough.
On a prior post dated January 25, 2007, I outlined some inside contract deals at the Chicago Department of Water Management. I showed how Chicago, under the Daley Machine allows companies to change hands as the heat approaches. The post was "Chicago Water Management Contractor Update". Today, I passed a company van with a juicy contract with the Chicago Department of Water Management, a contract that takes work away from Chicago Citizens with Union benefits. The man in the van had no idea I was taking pictures of him. I notified 311 and they told me someone from the Chicago Department of Water Management will contact me, they never did. I called the Chicago Inspector General and reported this incident. I bet this will be covered up. This is part of an 11th Ward Tire Company. (Should be "Tired Company") Good Night Taxpayers, Photo by Patrick McDonough.
If this does not get a Federal Indictment Chicago Clout fans, I suggest you get into Chicago's contracting system and start robbing the Chicago Taxpayers blind, just the Daley family. My fellow Chicagoans, you want a big fancy townhouse, you want a Michigan Summerhouse, you want limos and bodyguards, just get in there and steal em blind. Why suffer any longer living check to check? Why live a moral life? Chicago is the right kid of town to make millions, just give your cut to the Daley family. Excellent article by Fran Spielman of the Chicago Sun-Times. Photo edited by Patrick McDonough
Daley says son's deal with city a 'lapse in judgment'
December 18, 2007
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
An emotional Mayor Daley acknowledged today that it was a “lapse of judgement” for his son to have a hidden interest in a sewer inspection company that did business with the city, adding, “I wish he hadn’t done it.”
Reading from a prepared statement, but refusing to answer questions, Daley insisted that he first learned about his son Patrick’s 2003 investment in Municipal Sewer Services when the Chicago Sun-Times began asking questions about the deal.
Reading from a prepared statement, but refusing to answer questions, Daley insisted that he first learned about his son Patrick’s 2003 investment in Municipal Sewer Services when the Chicago Sun-Times began asking questions about the deal.
“I did not know about his involvement in this company. As an adult, he made that decision. It was a lapse of judgement for him to get involved with this company. I wish he hadn’t done it,” Daley said.
“I did not know about his involvement in this company. As an adult, he made that decision. It was a lapse of judgement for him to get involved with this company. I wish he hadn’t done it,” Daley said.
“I know the expectations for elected officials and their families are very high. Rightfully so. Especially for me, as I know on a daily basis.”
At that point, Chicago’s always emotional mayor choked back tears — and struggled to get the words out.
“I hope those people understand that Patrick is a very good son. I love him. And Maggie and I are very proud of him. I hope you will respect that I will have nothing more to say on this,” the mayor said.
With that, Daley quickly changed the subject to the CTA’s financial crisis. Asked a few minutes later if he knew whether his son or nephew were involved in any other city contracts, the mayor said, “I don’t know.”
Daley is always a bundle of emotions around Christmas. He remembers his father and mother and sister and son and nephew and sister-in-law, all of whom died around this time of year. He makes a series of Christmas visits to children’s hospitals, which reminds him even more of his son Kevin, who died of spina bifida at the age of 2.
But the farewell weekend the mayor spent with Patrick at Fort Bragg, N.C., prior to his son’s overseas Army deployment added even more emotion than normal to Daley’s Christmas season.
Hanging over the weekend was the Chicago Sun-Times front page story about Patrick Daley’s involvement in city business. It was not known whether father and son discussed the matter.
The Chicago Sun-Times disclosed last week that Daley’s soldier son Patrick had a hidden interest in a sewer inspection company whose city business rose sharply while he was an owner.
The sewer deal also included the mayor’s nephew Robert Vanecko. The newspaper had previously disclosed that Vanecko got $63 million in city pension funds to invest in a risky real estate venture that involves CHA redevelopment deals.
Daley’s son and nephew never publicly disclosed their ownership stake in Municipal Sewer Services, despite a city ordinance that required such disclosure.
The mayor’s emotional tone after a police graduation ceremony at Navy Pier contrasted sharply to the defiant remarks he made to the graduates.
In fact, Daley’s anti-media tirade was reminiscent of Vice President Spiro Agnew’s infamous “nattering nabobs of negativism” speech.
“If you look to the right, my left, that’s called the media. It’s always negative — because negative news, of course, sells. A positive thing doesn’t sell. A headline about a Chicago police officer saving five children from a burning fire, solving a murder or a rape or an armed robbery—that doesn’t sell. I’m not blaming the media. I’m saying it’s always negative,” Daley said.
“We hear negative things constantly about one another. We hear negative things in our profession all the time. Americans get sick and tired of it. We get tired of negative things constantly thrown upon us 24 hours, [a-day ] seven days a week.”
Daley urged the police rookies not to let the media’s preoccupation with the negative — whether it’s political or police corruption — overshadow the “great success stories,” like the steady reduction in homicides and violent crime in Chicago.
“Very few politicians or news media will ever go out in in a police car and stop someone on the street and look for a gun. Very few individuals will ever take your place at 2 o’clock in the morning in a gun battle. Very few will ever interview a family who lost a loved one. Very few will ever talk to a rape victim or a child or a victim of crime,” he said.
WATCH THIS VIDEO: CLICK HERE: 
I am very proud of my son Patrick McDonough, he was on the front page of a major suburban newspaper. Patrick has always donated much of his time to make his community a much better place. He has never charged a penny for his services. Patrick was wearing a Chicago Plumbing Council hat. Nice job Patrick McDonough.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH: 
This is another picture of Chicago taxpayer's road salt slipping out of a Chicago Streets and Sanitation Station. These two trucks have no signs that indicate they are owned by the City of Chicago. How can this happen? I have more pictures. Chicago is blanketed by an ice storm. Missing road salt on a public road could mean the life of one of your children. Where are the cameras that protect the taxpayer's money? Who is allowing this? Where is the Chicago Inspector General? Photo by Chicago Clout Inspector General. Patrick McDonough
It was brought to my attention, a lady has a little day care center, was robbed of $1800.00. The men told her they know plumbing, busted up the floor, and left this mess. The children were playing in open sewers and smelling deadly gas. The lady keeps the children on the first floor. I am hoping all Chicago Department of Water Management employees would make a nice Christmas for this lady and help her get her house in order. The house was loaded with flies. I am willing to donate all the material, will you donate your Plumbing skills? I think this would be a nice challenge. Photo by Patrick McDonough
When most people purchase a home, they put everything at risk. When you purchase a new home you expect a very small amount of maintenance problems. In most cases, when you purchase a home on Chicago, the plumbing code, if enforced should provide years and years, of trouble free service. Yesterday, I had a wonderful lunch with Ms. Lee, she explained her situation at her new Chinatown condominium in Chicago. Ms. Lee is a very well educated, and a classically trained String Bass player. Ms. Lee is a Chicago Clout fan, so I decide to help.
Ms. Lee lives in a new condo at the 2229-2245 South Canal a 24 unit project. Two years ago she started to have sewer back-ups. Not long after she had repairs totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
The sewer back-ups were ruining the residents floors and creating a heath hazard. The back-ups were coming out of the downspouts outside of the building also creating a hazard in the public way. Much of the basic plumbing clean-outs could not be found. Ms. Lee is trying to find the blueprints and was refused a copy. She contacted Alderman Danny Solis for his assistance. Instead Donald Ball came out to issue a ticket. Donald Ball calls himself a "City Inspector Sewer". (What is that?) My first look around showed a 4" ductile water service that was reduced to a 2" meter and than increased to a 3" copper service. In a twenty four unit building you need at least a 3" inch meter and a booster pump. Also you need clean-outs accessible and man-holes to allow proper service. The Grease interceptor on the property is much too small. I again have problems with sewer companies working on plumbing systems with no permit, and charging large amounts of money. Ms. Lee has resolved herself to obtain an attorney to fight for the rights of the condo-board. As Steve Burnett, a Roosevelt College History Professor said, " Plumbing has been around since the Pharaohs, the basis of Civilization requires good plumbing". If you know a good construction lawyer in Chicago, please leave their name in the comment section. If your new Chicago Condo or home is having issues, contact us at Chicago Clout. Photo by Patrick MCDonough
Two pickup trucks went into a Streets and Sanitation Yard and got loaded with Chicago Taxpayer's Salt. The private trucks were loaded by a large City of Chicago front end loader. None of the men had any City vests, and none of the pickup trucks were from the City of Chicago. None of the trucks had any "M" plates or any lettering on the side of their trucks. Look, this is not rocket science people. I have some more pictures that need to be put in the right hands. These pictures should be sold to the highest bidder. Photo by Chicago Clout's Inspector General. You got to admire the organization in the Bridgeport's 11th Ward, these guys are good!!! Patrick McDonough
From the left is Salvador Madrid and Chris Roman. They work with Stephanie a Chicago Master Sandwich maker. One day, Stephanie and I were talking about a Corned Beef Sandwich, I was hoping she also sold pastrami. She and I agreed on the following, a large pile of corned beef, toasted rye, coleslaw, and Russian dressing.