Ferguson shines more light on Water Management email scandal

Joseph Ferguson Chicago Office oif Inspector General.jpg CHICAGO 10/17/2017, 06:03pm Fran Spielman
Inspector General Joe Ferguson on Tuesday shed more light on the email scandal in Chicago’s Department of Water Management in a way that raises questions about just how much has changed since the appointment of an African-American commissioner.
In his quarterly report, Ferguson talked about the investigation that determined that a “supervisory employee” he refused to identify “received numerous racist and offensive emails on his city email account over the course of several years and failed to report those emails” to his superiors.
In at least one instance, the supervisory employee provided an “affirming and acquiescing email response,” the inspector general wrote.
“For example, the employee received several emails in which the senders reference or mockingly imitated Ebonics; received multiple racist jokes via email and received several emails disparaging or belittling an African-American employee,” the inspector general wrote.
Ferguson recommended that the supervisor be fired and placed on the Do-Not-Hire list.
Instead, Water Management Commissioner Randy Conner reduced the punishment to a 14-day suspension, the inspector general said.
“DWM acknowledged that the employee failed to report receiving numerous racist and offensive emails, but noted that the majority of emails in question were also sent to three top-level managers, including the commissioner at the time,” Ferguson wrote.
“DWM stated that, when ‘one’s entire chain of command is on emails and/or engaged in a certain type of behavior, confronting the situation may seem untenable for a less senior employee….DWM further noted that the employee was the recipient of one of more ‘harassing and/or sexually explicit communications,’ which created a hostile or offensive work environment.” Sponsored by Dr. Jart+
In June, a housecleaning triggered by racist, sexist and homophobic emails swept out Water Management Commissioner Barrett Murphy, managing deputy William Bresnahan and district superintendent Paul Hansen.
Four current and two former Water Management employees–all African-Americans-have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the department at the center of the Hired Truck and city hiring scandals of “a hostile and abusive work environment” based on race that includes violence, intimidation and retaliation that “weave a tapestry of hostility that dominates every aspect” of their job.
That includes less-desirable shifts and work assignments and being denied promotions, transfers, overtime and training opportunities. Black women were routinely referred to as “bitches and whores,” the suit contends. Those who dared complain were also punished with “unfair, arbitrary and capricious” discipline, plaintiffs claim.
Last week, South Side Ald. David Moore (17th) demanded City Council hearings into the racist culture that, he claims, continues to permeate Chicago’s Department of Water Management–even after an email scandal triggered the appointment of Conner.
To underscore the point, Moore displayed a photo taken in April of a Water Management truck with a noose hanging above the steering wheel.
According to Moore, the unidentified perpetrator of the offense apologized to co-workers who might have been offended by it and got off with a reprimand.
Conner responded by saying that the noose photo was taken two months before he took over and the incident was “dealt with the same day.” According to insider, David M. McKinney a Motor Truck Driver for the Department of Water Management had something to do with the Noose. Now that dude has some serious clout. According to sources, he went in front of Dwayne Hightower and got off easy.

Chicago Paul Hansen email investigations continue by the Office of Inspector General

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• A continuing OIG investigation established that a Department of Water Management (DWM) supervisory employee received numerous racist and offensive emails on the employee’s City email account over the course of several years and failed to report those emails and, in at least one instance, provided an affirming and acquiescing email response. OIG recommended that DWM discharge and refer the employee for placement on the ineligible for rehire list maintained by the Department of Human Resources (DHR). In response, DWM suspended the employee for 14 days. DWM acknowledged that the employee failed to report receiving numerous racist and offensive emails, but noted that the majority of the emails in question were also sent to three top-level DWM managers, including the commissioner at the time.
• A continuing OIG investigation established that a Department of Water Management (DWM) supervisory employee sent or received at least five racist and hateful emails and received at least one sexually explicit photo, using the employee’s City email account and computer. OIG would have recommended that DWM discharge the employee, but the employee retired after being interviewed. OIG therefore recommended that DWM issue a formal determination, designate the employee as having resigned under inquiry, and place OIG’s report in the employee’s personnel file. In response, DWM agreed with OIG’s findings and recommendations, and the employee was designated as retired under inquiry.

Exclusive Inspector General Video Footage of Chicago Employee at Vocamotive

Please watch out if you are a city of Chicago Department of Water Management employee crippled on the job. Careful, because the Inspector General is making video of you and Alderman Burke and Manica Somerville is going to stop your benefits. Pete O. is a Chicago Department of Water Management employee that had four back surgeries. The City of Chicago’s Alderman Burke forced Pete O. to attend Vocational Rehabilitation at Vocamotive. This is a waste of taxpayer money, because the guy can not even walk normal. This is a classic waste of money. At least Alderman Burke can shake down vendors for campaign loot.

Chicago Alderman wants hearings to address racism at the Chicago Water Department

Alderman demands hearings on racist culture at city water department
CHICAGO SUN_TIMES 10/11/2017,

Fran Spielman

A South Side alderman on Wednesday demanded City Council hearings into the racist culture that, he claims, continues to permeate Chicago’s Department of Water Management — even under an African-American commissioner.

To underscore the point, Ald. David Moore (17th) displayed a photo taken in April of a Water Management truck with a noose hanging above the steering wheel.

According to Moore, the unidentified perpetrator of the offense apologized to co-workers who might have been offended by it and got off with a reprimand.

“It sends a racist message of hanging people,” Moore said, adding that “a firing should have taken place.”

Water Management Commissioner Randy Conner is the African-American charged with cleaning house in the department at the center of the Hired Truck and city hiring scandals.

Conner said the noose photo was taken two months before he took over and the incident was “dealt with the same day.”

“They approached the gentleman where the string was hanging in the truck…. He was very remorseful. He apologized for the insensitivity of it. And he removed it. That was it,” Conner said Wednesday.

“It was a slip-knot that he used for his own personal writing instrument. That’s how it was explained to senior management.”
Conner was asked whether he “buys” that explanation.

“It’s not about what I buy. It’s about what the senior managers felt was appropriate,” the commissioner said.

“It wasn’t about me trying to undo or go back in time. When I got there, I hit the re-set button on everything that was going on in the Department of Water Management. And since then, there hasn’t been another incident.”

Given the progress made and the sensitivity training held, Conner said he sees no need for City Council hearings.

“It didn’t happen overnight and it’s not going to be fixed overnight. But, we’ve made significant strides,” Conner said.

“I reject the fact that this is the same place that it always was. In the four months that I’ve been there, we’ve let people know there is a zero-tolerance for these types of things.”

Moore strongly disagreed. He argued that City Council hearings will encourage the testimony of Water Management employees and shield them from future retaliation.

Michael Outley, a retired assistant chief operating engineer in the Department of Water Management, attended a City Hall news conference Wednesday.

Moore was joined at the City Hall news conference by a handful of retired Water Management employees who confirmed the alderman’s claims about the racist culture.

Former assistant chief operating engineer Michael Outley said he retired in July after being the victim of what he called “stalking, intimidation and violence in the workplace” that made his job untenable.

“It’s like this thing with [Harvey Weinstein] in Hollywood. They can’t go to anybody because of political retaliation and fear,” Outley said.

In June, a housecleaning triggered by racist, sexist and homophobic emails swept out Water Management Commissioner Barrett Murphy, managing deputy William Bresnahan and district superintendent Paul Hansen.

Four current and two former Water Management employees — all African-Americans — have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the department of “a hostile and abusive work environment” based on race that includes violence, intimidation and retaliation.

That includes less-desirable shifts and work assignments and being denied promotions, transfers, overtime and training opportunities. Black women were routinely referred to as “bitches and whores,” the suit contends.

Inspector General Joe Ferguson subsequently issued a quarterly report that included explosive new details about the emails scandal.

The report included allegations that the son of a former Chicago alderman used his city email account to buy or sell firearms and cars and send hate-filled emails describing African-Americans as “wild animals.”

Ferguson uncovered the racist, sexist and homophobic emails circulating in the Department of Water Management while investigating allegations that now former District Superintendent Paul Hansen had used his city email account to sell guns, as the Chicago Sun-Times was first to report.

Hansen is the son of former longtime Ald. Bernard Hansen (44th). The son’s checkered past with the water department includes allegations that political clout helped him get his job back after a DUI conviction.

Hansen was accused of sending an email with the subject line “Chicago Safari Tickets” to multiple high-ranking Water Management colleagues.

“If you didn’t book a Chicago Safari adventure with us this 4th of July weekend, this is what you missed,” the email states, listing the number of people shot in Englewood, Garfield Park, Austin, Lawndale, South Shore, Woodlawn and other neighborhood plagued by gang violence. It concludes: “We guarantee that you will see at least one kill and five crime scenes per three-day tour. You’ll also see lots and lots of animals in their natural habitat.”

Hansen was further accused of using his city email account to negotiate personal purchases or sales of at least four firearms and five cars and used a city computer to access websites unrelated to city business on thousands of occasions over a four-month period, including accessing sexually explicit videos on YouTube. Paul Hansen’s DUI Video is also on Youtube.

Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Website “Lipstick on a pig”

IWCC NEW Website 2017-10-11_18-14-18 Chicago Clout.png
Illinois Workers Compensation Commission revealed a new website, according to my friends at the OIEG and the DoIT Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology. After checking the website by Chicago Clout IT hackers, many of the website weaknesses have been exposed. Please make sure you completely check all the information to be correct before you go online. CAPCHA is not working correctly on the site and much of the information on the cases are incorrect. IWCC needs to make sure this data is updated and correct. Trial dates are wrong, current lawyers are wrong, time of court dates are wrong. What a mess.
Several new arbitrators have been names and have been appointed by governor Rauner. If you are an unconnected person and a democrat, you are screwed. Point blank. Most of the appointments are anti-labor lawyers. The main problem is the lack of experience in some instances. Let’s get the politics out of the workers Compensation system. Many injured workers are taking lousy settlements because they are so frustrated by the system.
The WCLA associated attorneys are really doing them a disservice. Many cases are going to be dragged on for years because lawyers do not want to present their cases to Rauner appointed arbitrators. The entire workers’ compensation is every bit as messed up as their website.
Welcome to the new corrupt IWCC in Cook County, Charles Watts, Steffen Ketki, Robert Luedke, Tiffany Nicole-Kay, Robert Harris, Thomas Cieko. Arbitrators are only 6 % black. I hope the Governor appoints more Hispanic, blacks to the Board. I know there is an abundance of Italians. Let’s pass the wealth around.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel demands Chicago EEO Dept of Human Rights Investigation

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The City of Chicago Department of Water Management sent more employees down to an interview by the Department of Human Resources special EEO Investigator Unit. The City of Chicago Human Resources EEO unit is really used to receive information in case of a pending lawsuit against the city. Chicago is in the middle of several major lawsuits due to the mistreatment of blacks and other minorities.

Much of the testimony given to the EEO unit is given to the Office of the Inspector General. The Chicago Law Department is than given the information to defend itself in court. Rahm Emanuel is furious because he listens to Alderman Tunney and promoted Paul Hansen to Superintendent of the North District Water Department. Paul Hansen sent hundreds of emails to coworkers depicting blacks as fools and idiots. Paul Hansen would also discipline blacks prior to promotions and chances of advancement.

Paul Hansen also sat in interviews with William “Meathead” Bresnahan and determined the promotions.
Some of the folks interviewed today conspired to testify that they “saw nothing” and to let an employee subject to racial discrimination and retaliation look like a liar. This is part of the North District “no snitch policy” that is still in place. One witness was told, “If he fucking says anything, the ditch will fall in on him”. MANO ALIVE.

Well I do not know of a single accomplishment the EEO has made since this unit was started. We will soon let you know more. Most City of Chicago employees that end up in front of these goons get no protection at all. Or as one Union Representative said, “Just shut the fuck up”. “say you didn’t hear nuttin”.