Rahm Emanuel rewards CLOUT unions with more jobs. Chicago payroll list.

Rahm Emanuel released a list of all the current employees on the public dole. I guess Rahm wants to make an impression he is trying to change things. Several names are missing. I noticed some names on workman’s compensation not listed. See list
http://data.cityofchicago.org/Government/Current-Employee-Names-Salaries-and-Position-Title/r3km-swf6? Rahm tells us he is for change but he knows he must play ball. Rahm is quietly putting another couple of million dollars of payroll and political payback on the backs of taxpayers at the Department of Water Management. Rahm forgot to list some former Alderman’s kid’s raises and all the new mystery employees Daley packed on last year. Rahm is keeping these big rollers despite claiming cutbacks. For starters, union office workers were tossed out of water department satellite offices and the workers were replaced by Laborer 1092 ditchdiggers to handle office chores. I do not think the Chicago Taxpayers want to pay someone $35.10 an hour for data entry. I do not think politically connected laborers should enjoy air-conditioned offices to answer phones. More stunning is the attempted hire of an additional 10 Plumber’s Local 130 members at $44.00 per hour. Plumbers are at an easy $100,000.00 per year. A raise is due very soon. Rahm knew when he got in bed with Plumber’s Local he would need to step to the plate and pony up jobs. A large percentage of the dues Plumbers pay is filtered back to politicians. Many of these Plumbers sit in an air-conditioned office all day and do relatively few chores. One example is former Alderman’s son Paul Hansen, making a whopping $107,000.00 thousand answering phone calls and data entry. Paul Hansen was just promoted despite formal complaints to the Office of the Inspector General and the Shakman Monitor. The position of Superintendent was not filled for many years with great savings and success. It looks like the Office of the Inspector General is just another tool of the Mayor’s office. The Commissioners on a routine basis shut down investigations, rendering the OIG a waste of taxpayers’ money. The Laborers Union was rewarded for support to Rahm Emanuel by the addition of at least another 10 construction laborers paid to inspect the same holes in the street day after day. In fact, construction laborers drive air-conditioned pick-up trucks doing very little wasting precious gas. It is all an act, the public think work is being done. These workers were hired to repair and install sewers, not drive around and look at them. The only major improvement was the General Superintendent that enforced work rules. Workers were busted for sleeping on the job because the Office of the Inspector General was a no show. This was again covered up and the taxpayers got screwed. I suggest the millions of wasted money are invested in new investigators at the Office of the Inspector General. But we must immediately stop commissioners overstepping OIG rulings and tell the OIG not to recommend every violation a termination. Patrick McDonough.

Tommie Talley made the Chicago Sun-Times Today. Fired again!

Tommie Talley Jr. Fired Again Maybe it is time to call State Rep. John “No-show” D’Amico for a job. I hope the Chicago newspapers interview John “the butcher” Daley. Photo from the Chicago Sun-Times. The Watchdogs. Please read this link http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/5150518-418/the-watchdogs-fired-as-city-water-boss-now-fired-from-cook-county.html Sorry Tommie, let me know when you remember things, maybe than I can help you. Call John Spatz. Patrick McDonough.

Time to lynch another black Chicago City Employee?

Chicago Black person The Office of the Inspector General published it has busted another Chicago Department of Water Management employee with an alleged residency violation in their last report. The Department of Water Management put this employee on paid leave April 25, 2011. That very day, arrangements were quickly made with Plumber’s Local 130 to have a meeting at 333 South State Street to decide this Plumber’s fate. Since this Plumber is late on his dues, this guy got the royal treatment. He had a meeting the very next day. The Office of the Inspector General has also investigated other members of Local 130 for alleged residency violations that are currently under review. It sure stinks to be a black man in the City of Chicago. I hope these guys get a lawyer like Rahm Emanuel so they can live anywhere they please. So far no progress is made on the scam promotions, investigations and claims made to the Shakman Monitor. Time for Rahm to put David Hoffman back as Inspector General as soon as he can. Photo by white racists.

Chicago Fires on the rise, Chicago Water Department responds in support.

Chicago Fire 28nov2010 1.jpg Many people are not aware the City of Chicago, Department of Water Management responds to fires. Lately, the Department sends the Investigator crews. In the old days, the hydrant truck would respond. The Hydrant Truck will soon be working around the clock, seven days a week. If you have clout, this overtime is given to the same caulkers seven days a week. All members of this union pay very high dues. This overtime is not rotated because Plumber’s Local 130 does not represent its members. The same guys that get this plush overtime also take overtime year round. James Sullivan at the Plumber’s Local 130 should stop playing around with the politicians and take care of his members. What suggestions do you have to get the water department response truck to the site sooner? If we have no water at the site, more people will die. Photo by Patrick McDonough

Please park your City Water Truck in the correct spot, not the TV News Parking.

Chicago Water Truck at City Hall Friday November 19, 2010 was not a good day for Chicago’s big shot T.V. stars. One news celebrity was in court after speaking his mind to another reporter. I was very upset when I was at Chicago’s City Hall and found Chicago Sun-Times newspaper megastar Mark Brown’s non caring attitude towards a Chicago Department of Water Management employee’s careless parking in the reserved TV news section. I understand Mark Brown may be on a big story, but he should stand up to Water Department brass sneaking these prime parking spots. You should have special reserved parking permits in your window. These are obtained under scrutiny by the Chicago Police Department. Note to all employees, the Jardine plant has a van to bring you back and forth to City Hall. Let’s stop receiving unneeded attention from Chicago’s media. Photo by Patrick McDonough.

Mario Olivella, Plumber's Local 130 best Plumber goes to jail soon.

Mario Olivella is a member of Plumber’s Local 130. The Plumber’s Union is run by James Sullivan. It is no secret, politician go to see James Sullivan for money when it is time to get reelected. I need to figure out how James Sullivan can give all that much money legally. Of course, when you control the judges in Chicagoland, you can bend the law to make things happen. Many times, the Plumber’s Union hall is used for fund raising, and I hope the union members are reimbursed for the use. When you control the local judges, and they know you control their livelihood, you know you never cross the Plumber’s union. For twenty years, Local 130 and Mayor Daley shared the same bed, resulting in massive power for Daley. The membership of Plumber’s Local 130 have watched the union become the laughing stock of the industry. Member after member sits at home, praying for a side job to keep the heat and lights on. James Sullivan took another job in the United Association, stockpiling pension after pension. Many people have their jobs with the City of Chicago need to thank and continue to thank the Plumber’s Union. Despite the ban on Shakman Laws, the same steel grip continues, leaving the City of Chicago to have incompetent supervision. Many more Plumbing Inspectors remain that need time in jail. Chicago Taxpayers got stuck buying homes and condos with no Plumbing Inspection. How the hell can you inspect anything if you cannot walk? The “Inspection” consisted of a drive by and an envelope exchanged for a signature. Look at all the “suckers” breathing sewer gas from open drains. Look at all the envelopes exchanged for not installing a water service, leaving the old lead for the new homeowners to drink. Is the City of Chicago going to re-inspect these homes? No! Is the City of Chicago still hiring and promoting “Plumbers” that received licenses illegally? Yes. Did the politician’s friends that know nothing about Plumbing receiving illegal licenses for their phony minority companies? Yes. Is the Chicago Office of the Inspector General doing anything? No. Is the F.B.I. doing anything? No. Is Patrick Fitzgerald taking interviews and following up on complaints? No. They just busted a bunch of tokens and let the sharks continue business as usual. They also allowed Mario on the City Payroll after he was busted. Despite numerous complaints by members of the Municipal Advocate General, the shut up money continued, months on end. Also in the news, Martin Munoz, a clout heavy hoisting engineer busted by Fran Spielman for clubbing another city worker in front of witnesses, at 39th and Ashland, did not have an easy landing when a guy ran him over on Election Day this week. I will watch in case he files a workman’s compensation claim, will you? Yes sir, the tumor heads at the Water Department let him off the hook, over stepping an I. G. investigation. What comes around goes around. I hope the guy that ran Martin over calls Senator Munoz and asks for the investigation to be squashed. Martin took a day off from work to act the clout role and paid the price. The taxes are going to explode next year to make sure these guys get a nice big fat pension. How is a second job looking about now? Enjoy your weekend, Patrick McDonough.]]> Continue reading “Mario Olivella, Plumber's Local 130 best Plumber goes to jail soon.”

Chicago Department of Water Management Commissioner Thomas Powers P.E.

Chicago DOWM Commissioner Thomas Powers On Friday October 29, 2010. Thomas Powers P.E., the current Commissioner of the Department of Water Management was grilled by the Chicago Council. Several Aldermen went above the call of duty and were prepared with great questions. I admire Alderman Ed Smith for being prepared and well informed. I noticed John Spatz did an excellent job supporting the new Commissioner. Photo by Patrick McDonough

Chicago Inspector General covered this up, more Daley Corruption

Human Resources Board Policy Keeps Convicted Employees on the Payroll
By Michael Volpe
On September 23rd, 2010 Jose Hernandez became the fifteenth city building inspector to be convicted of taking payoffs in what's been termed operation crooked code. Yet, according to Bill McCaffrey, spokesperson for the buildings department, Hernandez continues to draw a paycheck. Worst of all, McCaffrey says this occurs because Hernandez was able to manipulate a mandate put in place by the Human Resources Board. This board has had its own history of corruption, the latest involved a Reverend, Lucious Hall, who was taking money to look the other way on cases involving city workers with clout. This rule allows anyone facing formal charges to appeal any potential final termination until their sentencing. Yet, all of these folks are still fired though not terminated. What that effectively means is that they draw a paycheck without doing any work. In fact, when this was first revealed, the city actually had these guys go back to work supposedly doing menial administrative work.
Of course, Hernandez is not the only building inspector to do this. That's what's happened in the cases of Michael Reese and Mario Olivella, both convicted of bribery related charges. Reese, convicted in the fall of 2009, remained on the payroll until August 15th 2010. Meanwhile Olivella is still on the payroll. They remained on the city's payroll according to the same rules set up by the Human Resources Board. McCaffrey referred to that rule as making him "frustrated", however that was the reason given for why they remained (or remain) on the payroll so long. McCaffrey said that most city employees stay on the city's payroll until they are sentenced, not convicted, because that's when the Human Resources Board considers the legal process over. Reese was finally sentenced in August and so his termination was finalized on the 15th of August. Olivella has yet to be sentenced and so he still remains on the city's payroll.. Each made about $90,000 yearly.
Meanwhile, at least two others who were also convicted and sentenced were fired long before that ever happened. In the cases of Travis Echols and Jon Chamberlain, both were terminated around a year before they were sentenced. This dichotomy is peculiar and McCaffrey didn't immediately return an email for explanation. In the simplest of terms, this happens because of something we all cynically the Chicago Way. If we wanted to understand it more broadly, one way to do it is to examine the records of the two that got a pass. You'd expect that since they got a pass, their record prior to this should be strong. If it wasn't, you'd say the whole process is corrupt.
Both Olivella and Reese were convicted of taking bribes while working for Building Department as part of the larger Operation Crooked Code sting run by the FBI starting in 2007. This is a sting started after the FBI caught Dave Johnson, a building department employee of taking bribes. Johnson flipped, wore a wire, and testified for a significantly reduced sentence. From there, it blew into an operation that nabbed dozens of dirty officials, expediters, and users of the buildings department. Johnson is part of another of Chicago's doorways to corruption, the so called Clout List. That's a list of about five thousand names of city employees and where they got the clout to get their city job. In order to get clout for a city job, one had to perform enough political activity for a person or entity with clout. The list was developed by disgraced former Daley deputy Robert Sorich. Sorich was one of several top Daley deputies to be imprisoned in connection to the Hired Truck Scandal. Another name on this clout list is the name, Mario Olivella. According to the list, Olivella got his clout from the Local Plumber's Union. Johnson got his clout from Jesse White. Hernandez, who worked for the city since 1988, wouldn't be on this clout list, which was reserved for those that initially got jobs in the beginning of the last decade.
Meanwhile, within Operation Crooked Code, all three are linked by Catherine Romasanta. Romasanto was what those in this business called an "expeditor". It was her job to move the process of receiving the multiple licenses necessary to move real estate forward as quickly as possible. The field of expeditors displayed the kind of corruption we here in Chicago are used to. Romasanta received a reduced sentenced after she testified against Hernandez, Reese and Olivella's trials along with the trials of several other inspectors. Both Ollivella and Reese were also among more than a dozen city inspectors implicated in 2005 of accepting $100 gift cards from expiditors like Romasanto.
On January 5th, 2010, Mario Ollivella was convicted of two counts of bribery and conspiracy. It's alleged that Ollivella took bribes to look the other way on issues with a property at 1637 W. Granville In fact, former department of buildings inspector Charles Walker remembers that Olivella inspected 1637 W. Granville at least once before the time frame of the bribes he was convicted.. Meanwhile, plumbing inspector Michael McGann says that Olivella also covered up a contaminated water leak at Jose De Diego Grade School on the 1300 block of North Claremont in 2007.
"Yes, without a doubt from the beginning! Mr. Olivella went behind my back after my two page violation notice was submitted to Chief Frank Bathauer and PIC Olivella. Both Olivella and Deputy Peter Ousley went behind my back to the school to discredit my inspection report through a meeting with the principal. The principal, Alice Vera however, was not having any of their rhetoric. Ms. Vera explained to Olivella and Ousley that we (the principal, the building engineer, the Chief engineer on speakerphone, the regional manager and Inspector McGann) had consensus at our meeting days before and had agreed all the violations would be abated over the Thanksgiving holiday by a Licensed Plumbing Contractor! Both Olivella and Ousley told Ms. Vera that I was out of control and caused hysteria regarding the seriousness of the violations! Mr. Ousley went even further and played down the serious context of the violation notice in an official City of Chicago Memo letterhead! Mr. Ousley left the Department of Buildings shortly after writing this memo!"
Olivella wasn't through. Finally, a conttactor was called but Olivella signed off on an all good order days later. Here's what McGann said happened next. "The very next day (on January 11, 2008) the Department of Health shut down the school due to dangerous water quality!! This speaks volumes regarding the incompetence and arrogance of a person who was handed the position by the Plumbers Local Union 130 Business Manager James T. Sullivan. There was no regard for seniority or qualifications of all the candidates (including myself)! Mr. Olivella's oversight regarding the water quality is huge and must be highlighted as 1,100 children's welfare and well being were on the line! This school had a full kitchen for supplying lunches, drinking fountains throughout the hallways and a swimming pool with full showering capabilities!"
Incredibly, it was McGann and not Olivella that would ultimately face punishment as a result of this incident. The department of buildings gave McGann first a three and then a fifteen day citation. Meanwhile, the FBI first indicted Olivella two months following the end of McGann's second suspension.
When McGann heard that Olivella was still on the city payroll six months after being convicted of taking bribes, he was unfortunately totally unsurprised, " No, this is the City that works! The bribes, contractor kickbacks and payoffs were only the beginning. The illegal monies were used to take trips to Las Vegas to gamble, among other things! When someone is indicted they continue to receive their paychecks until they are convicted!! He was totally unsurprised to hear that Olivella took bribes to look the other way since, "that's exactly what he did when I inspected that property earlier." He was totally unsurprised to hear that Olivella took bribes to look the other way on that same address since, "that's exactly what he did when I inspected that property earlier."
In fact, he says both Olivella and Reese have the same habit, "As soon as I would write up a violation, they (Reese and Olivella) would downgrade or totally eliminate them."
Walker says he also has experience with corruption perpetrated by Michael Reese. He once inspected a building on 5835 South Indiana. On January 19th, 2005, the fire department wrote up a violation of that building saying, "squalors living in building." This triggered a building department inspection that wound up being conducted by Walker. When he came to the building he found at least ten people inside. Walker concluded after the inspection that this property should be considered a hotel or other multi unit residence. He was shocked to learn that the building was in fact zoned as a single family dwelling. He immediately submitted a report with Reese noting that among a series of violations. On September 25th, 2006 that same property filed for a permit with the city. At the time of this permit, tt was still listed as a single family dwelling and the expeditor on this permit was Catherine Romasanto.
Walker says he was fired from the Building department after he missed a crack in scaffolding on a building at 937 West Belmont. He says that it was more than a year before that crack was fixed on that same building. Walker is also not surprised that both were still on the city's payroll long after they'd been convicted of taking bribes while performing their duties. "The building department is a criminal enterprise. The higher ups are insulated."
While there appears to be no rhyme or reason why it is Hernandez, Olivella, and Reese got a break and all the others lost their income earlier, in fact, there's a twisted logic to all this. First, all three have clout. Olivella and Reese are on the clout list and the only reason Hernandez isn't is because he's been a city employee so long he would appear on a list that would have been made many years before the clout list, which was made in the early part of 2000's.
Also, all three of their cases were complicated. In the cases of several of those that were dismissed already, only the Inspector General's office of the City of Chicago was running the operation. In fact, most of those that got out early, only "dipped their hands in the cookie jar" once so to speak. The cases against Hernandez, Reese and Olivella were much more complicated, involved the FBI, and often involved informants wearing wires.
Of course, it's the second that's more difficult to prove. So, that allowed all three to stay on, especially since the FBI didn't necessarily want to share what they had on each until they had to for trial, not to get them fired. That's really beside the point. The idea that some board with a history of corruption would allow for such a rule should offend everyone reading this. We should all demand that the rule be changed immediately.

Chicago City Workers and Local 130 Plumbers protest Todd Stroger to fire Tommie Talley

City of Chicago Political hack, Chicago Department of Water Management Boss, and John Daley Goon, Tommie Talley, was under fire today at the Cook County Department of Transportation. These workers showed up at 6:30 a.m. to demand Tommie Talley’s immediate termination . Chicago Plumbers want to know how the Plumber’s Local 130 allowed this man a journeyman’s card despite never working a day as a plumber. According to a Local 130 Plumber, “You can buy a Plumber’s License in Chicago if you know Dan McLaughlin, James Sullivan, or Robert Ryan”. “It is great; you don’t need to know shit about Plumbing”. Tommie Talley was ordered to see the Office of the Inspector General after the “Hired Truck Scandal Broke and Mayor Daley ordered a phony investigation”. The Chicago Inspector General Alexander Vroustouris let many of Daley’s political hacks off the hook, the F.B.I let many of these goons off the hook, and continue to raid the taxpayers last few pennies. Please tell Todd Stroger to review the way Water Department Women were treated and given preferred positions thanks to Talley. Union Local 1092 black women were given inside office jobs despite possible Shakman Violations. We will “Rally to Fire Talley” no matter where the County hides him”, declared protesters today. Tally also allowed some workers paid lunch with clout. The next protests are scheduled downtown at the Cook County Building. Photo by Patrick McDonough]]> Continue reading “Chicago City Workers and Local 130 Plumbers protest Todd Stroger to fire Tommie Talley”

Chicago Department of Water Management assist in major crash

Chicago dead body/ Chicago Clout Saterday morning was full of additional work for City of Chicago Derpartment of Water Management employees, Patrick McDonough, Ron Bober, and Al Treadwell. The man has hit with such force, it knocked him a few houses from the intersection. His pants were knocked nearly off. He had multiple trauma. The lady driving was in a panic. There was lots of blood everywhere. Our crew assisted until the police and Chicago Fire Department arrived. The police asked the CFD to “Step-up”. I have some pictures of our crew in action. This is not the first, nor the last. I hope the department shows some appreation to these all American heroes. Photo by Patrick McDonough. accident October 2, 2010 at 6300 West on Belmont.