Chicago's DEMOCRATIC "CULTURE of CORRUPTION" #2

Donald Tomczak, a key prosecution witness in the Chicago City Hall trial, said Mayor Daley's patronage chief ordered him to hire a politically connected person who was "somewhat of a drinker". He also repeatedly engineered the promotions of workers with clout over more qualified candidates.

Tomczak said he warned Daley aide Robert Sorich that the man, a political worker under Ald Ed Burke(14th), could cause injuries on water dept. jobs because of his drinking. But Tomczak said Sorich said "Work it out Don". He was hired and put to work at the Jardine Filtration Plant.

Prosecutors hope the testimony supports their contention that clout mattered more than qualifications. Under cross-exam Sorich's lawyer prodded Tomczak into admitting that Sorich was only one of several players in the exact same system "That has existed for years, since Daley became Mayor in 1989.

Former personel directors of the City's Water, Sewers, and Streets and Sanitation depts., told jurors they recieved "Blessed Lists" of political workers from Sorich and Tim Mc Carthy, Sorich's aide and co-defendant.

Two directors testified they falsified ratings forms to ensure the hiring of favored applicants. They and other witnesses said the City's interview process for many blue-collar jobs was a Charade. The fraud alledgedly was designed to get around the decades old legal restrictions against City Hall patronage called "The Shakman Decree".

Under cross-exam Tomczak said Sorich answered to higher-ups, former top Daley aides,Victor Reyes and John Doerrer. He said he arranged one promotion for an unqualified political worker and because of it had to bring in an extra man with more experience to back him up.

His testimony also blunted the City's arguement that the Mayor's Office got involved in it to promote "racial diversity". He said most were White.

A former Water Dept, commissioner, Phyllis Bergthold, said said she met with Sorich from 1993-2002 to get names the Mayor's Office wanted promoted. She said she told Federal agents that the names were" Recommendations or Preferred candidates" and admitted that the vast majority of them were hired or promoted. More later.

The Gov's story hasn't come out yet.