The White House announced that it is giving 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore an award as a “pioneer in political reform” on the same day as it was revealed that the FBI was questioning Moore on political corruption:
In a case of only-in-Chicago political timing, the White House announced Monday it would honor Ald. Joe Moore as a “pioneer for political reform,†the same day the veteran City Council member revealed he has spoken to FBI agents about allegations he improperly paid two aides he fired.
The accusations involving the ex-employees surfaced in a report from Legislative Inspector General Faisal Khan, one of several cases of alleged aldermanic wrongdoing the council’s watchdog highlighted.
Khan contends that Moore, who has represented Rogers Park since 1991, fired a woman in 2009 after she complained about political work being done in his ward office in violation of city laws. The report says Moore, 49th, paid the woman $8,709 — the equivalent of three-and-a-half months salary, and told her not to speak to anyone about the political activities in the ward office.
The report also says Moore, who has long been considered a progressive voice on the council, fired his chief of staff in 2007 and paid him $13,497 more than he should have based on the number of unused sick days the chief of staff could have accumulated.
Hey, here in Chicago that is pioneering political reform. Think of his restraint.
Alternative interpretation: think of what the other candidates must have been like.
To be honest I think this is just a case of unfortunate timing on the White House’s but you’ve got to admit that the irony is pretty great.
Could we have a separate cluster box for third class mail? Something with a built in incinerator would be nice.
Steve