Democratic Scandal Brewing: Lipinski aide's antics under GOP scrutiny

Carol Marin reports:

Monday's edition of Roll Call provided Republicans with much-needed cheer by publishing a long, thorough piece by reporter John Stanton on the antics and questionable conduct of Lipinski's chief of staff.

Jerry Hurckes is his name. Chicago-style politics is his game.

It has been that way going back to when Hurckes served as a precinct captain and chief of staff for Dan Lipinski's dad, former 23rd Ward Ald. and former 3rd District Rep. Bill Lipinski.

In the legacy tradition of the Machine, Bill's sudden retirement in 2004 allowed Dan to inherit his dad's seat thanks to the winks and nods of Democratic ward committeemen. And inherit his dad's chief of staff, Hurckes. (Not to mention keep dad on his congressional payroll as a "consultant," but that's another story.)

What has Hurckes done to lift GOP hearts? He has, according to Roll Call, "used his employment with the House to help win local races, repeatedly claiming in campaign literature and public meetings that he is responsible for securing millions in federal ear- marks for the Village of Oak Lawn, while also racking up thousands in campaign contributions from companies with business before Lipinski's congressional committees."

Hurckes, a man of no small ego, is not merely Dan Lipinski's chief of staff, earning $107,224. Nor also just a paid consultant to Bill Lipinski's dubious foundation, the All American Eagles, which brags about helping kids but mostly helps fund friendly candidates.

Hurckes also is a trustee of Oak Lawn, southwest of Chicago, and an aspiring mayoral candidate.

And so, he likes to brag, he's the guy who's bringing home the bacon to Oak Lawn. As the suburban SouthtownStar newspaper and Roll Call reported this month, Hurckes was not a happy camper when some of his fellow trustees entertained the notion of hiring a Washington lobbyist to attract federal dollars to Oak Lawn.

"Repeatedly using the phrase 'It is I who' to preface his accomplishments," reported Roll Call, "Hurckes ticked off earmarks he claimed to have secured for the village. . . . $100,000 for the Oak Lawn Children's Museum, nearly $4 million in transportation infrastructure funds." Hurckes, self-important if not always grammatical, added, "It was I that brought . . . the Army Corps of Engineers."

Heavens, why would Oak Lawn need a lobbyist when it's got Jerry Hurckes? For that matter, why would the 3rd District need Dan Lipinski when Hurckes is clearly the go-to guy?

Not surprisingly, neither the Lipinskis nor Hurckes returned phone calls Tuesday. But wheels are turning in Washington.

Congress has rules, recounted Roll Call, prohibiting "staff who also hold elected office from using federal resources to benefit their constituents."

Unlike Congress, the 23rd Ward from which Hurckes sprang never had any rules at all except to crank out the vote to keep the Lipinski political engine oiled. That's why, in 1994, I once followed Hurckes out of the Bohica Bar on the Southwest Side, where he was "registering voters" who, perhaps confused by whatever they were drinking, listed the bar as their legal residence.