ChicagoClout

County clout for ex-cons 'FRIENDS AND FAMILY' | Stroger hands jobs to 2 brothers of lawmakers May 19, 2008Recommend (50) BY STEVE PATTERSON Staff Reporter/spatterson@suntimes.com Both have criminal records and both are brothers of state legislators. Now, both have been personally hired by Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. James D'Amico (left) and Myron Colvin, both brothers of lawmakers and both with a criminal past, were recently hired by Todd Stroger. (Courtesy) RELATED STORIES More Metro & Tri-State headlines Cook County Employees James D'Amico Clout connection: Brother of state Rep. John D'Amico Job: Director of facilities management Salary: $127,000 Criminal record: Pleaded guilty in 1996 to making threatening calls Myron Colvin Clout connection: Brother of state Rep. Marlow Colvin Job: Grant writer in county's POET job training program Salary: $56,609 Criminal record: Pleaded guilty to assault charge James D'Amico is the county's new $127,000-a-year director of facilities management, responsible for the upkeep of county buildings. He's the brother of state Rep. John D'Amico (D-Chicago) and nephew of Ald. Margaret Laurino (39th). Myron Colvin is a $56,609-a-year grant writer in the county's scandal-plagued job training program known as POET. He's the brother of state Rep. Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago), Stroger's best friend. Rep. Colvin spent 21 years working for the county, and now his wife and two brothers are on Stroger's payroll. Stroger spokesman Eugene Mullins stood by the two hires, saying each man is extremely qualified, though he didn't respond to a request for their resumes. Mullins says both filled vacancies Stroger is empowered to fill with whomever he chooses. But a critic says Stroger's choices are signs of patronage hiring patterns that have seen the board president hire or promote many of those closest to him. "This is more evidence that the 'Friends and Family' hiring plan is in full swing," said Jay Stewart of the Better Government Association, adding, "It is clear that he isn't going to reach beyond his inner circle" to fill top jobs. "Anybody who we hire, [critics] seem to have a problem with," Mullins replied. D'Amico has been a county employee for 24 years and most recently served as county facility management's deputy director. In 1996, he pleaded guilty to making threatening phone calls in the heat of a political race. That came in the midst of a massive federal ghost-payrolling investigation at City Hall that involved his family and saw several convictions. He has had no legal troubles since, chalking it up as "being young" -- and he gets high marks from colleagues. Colvin, meanwhile, initially said he didn't remember being arrested, despite weapons and assault charges on his record. After several questions, he admitted to pleading guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in 1989 after a club fight. He, too, chalked it up to "youth." Colvin, a DePaul University graduate, has had no other legal troubles. Pointing to a recent county ordinance urging contractors to give second chances to ex-convicts, and a similar federal bill, Mullins said, "This is just an example of how President Stroger leads by example