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Edward Moody testified he only worked about an hour per month calling legislators, adding that this work “didn’t compare” to the amount of time he spent working political campaigns. He told jurors he believed he was actually being paid “to stay active in my politics.” When asked directly if he had received monthly checks for years in exchange for doing “little or no work” on ComEd’s behalf, Moody replied: “I did.”
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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I sincerely hate these corrupt bastards. I want all of them arrested and placed in a real, non-club fed type of prison for the rest of their lives.
Looks like we have at least one pro-corruption person here based on the thumbs down.
IMO the Illinois Democratic Party is a crime syndicate!!
How does one audit for corruption and waste? I guess that finding it would add to the cost and civil service rules would make it difficult (and more costly) to fire or discipline the offenders. Publicizing it risks defamation suits and any whistle-blower would face reprisals and the prosecution would have the burden of proof with either a presumption of innocence or preponderance of evidence standard. Bondholders and pensioners seem to enjoy priority in payment and citizen-taxpayers are left to subsidize the corruption. To the extent that the three branches of government participate or tolerate it, those citizen-taxpayers are further… Read more »
Years ago, our company prepared a facility review of Chicago Park District fieldhouses. Park District employees guiding us through facilities spoke matter-of-factly about number of “ghost employees” assigned to each fieldhouse, shortened 4-hour effective working-days for staff who did actually “work” at fieldhouse, and super-generous compensation and pension benefits for workers on Park District gravy-train.
Chicago has long history of patronage workers assigned to both governmental agencies, and to private-sector companies doing substantial business with City Hall. Nothing new here, but reflective of degree of corruption baked into Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois governance.