Scandals Swirl Around Mayor Daley

The L.A. Times reports:

here in the 11th Ward — which has among the largest percentages of city workers and is the longtime home base of the Daley family political empire — the investigations cut particularly close.

"Everyone knows everyone, everyone knows the people involved, and everyone knows the Daley family," waitress Maureen Dunn said as she refilled coffee mugs. "The headlines are about our neighbors and friends…. People are worried."

Federal prosecutors have charged Robert Sorich, who worked in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, with manipulating the hiring process. Prosecutors allege that Sorich, former department co-worker Tim McCarthy and two former staffers with Streets and Sanitation used the office to place clout-backed candidates into city jobs.

The candidates became building inspectors and truck drivers, gardeners and bricklayers — despite being unqualified or never interviewed. One was serving in Iraq when hired. Another died before the interview process was completed.

Such hiring would violate the 1983 Shakman consent decree, put into place to help eradicate the patronage practices used by Daley's father, former Mayor Richard J. Daley.

Affirmative Action for white people who live in Mayor Daley's old neighborhood.