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Sounds of Government Spending & Accountability

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ID the Wrongdoers

The Chicago Inspector General's Office (IGO) issued a report on 1/13/11 that described wrongdoing by city employees. In its report the IGO identified the city departments involved and the acts committed—but didn't name most of the wrongdoing employees. Can you identify them? Read the case descriptions below. If you can provide any info to help identify any of the wrongdoing city employees, let us know by clicking on "Contact"at the top or bottom of this page.

Chicago Dept. of Aviation (CDA): The IGO found fraud in connection with a vendor's bid for the supply of "Taxi and Runway Guidance Signs, Parts, and Accessories." The IGO reported that a vendor had told a CDA employee that the vendor had defrauded the city by submitting a forged letter in connection with a bid. The IGO said that the "CDA employee, who had a duty to report misconduct, never informed CDA" about the fraud.
    The IGO recommended a five-day suspension for the employee. Instead, CDA suspended the employee for two days. Can you help identify this employee?

Dept. of Buildings (DOB): The IGO found that building inspector "violated DOB department rules, the Ethics Ordinance, and Personnel Rules by concealing his ownership interests in buildings that he rented throughout the City of Chicago . . . Further, the employee repeatedly lied to IGO investigators by saying that his ailing father (who has the same name) owned the properties and that he merely attended to the day-to-day responsibilities that his father was unable to perform. He had previously told the same lie to DOB personnel during an earlier department inquiry."
    The IGO recommended that the city fire the employee. Instead, DOB suspended the employee for 90 days. Can you help identify the employee?

Dept. of Fleet Management (DFM): The IGO found that a Senior Automotive Equipment Analyst "drove a Chicago Fire Department (CFD) vehicle without authorization." And a vendor bought over $1,000 in gifts for the employee in violation of the city's ethics ordinance.
    Further, the employee "lied to the IGO in an attempt to cover up the severity of his/her misconduct."
    The IGO also found that a CFD Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner (ADFC) "misused his City vehicle by chauffeuring his friend, the [DFM employee], to court and attended two court hearings in support of his friend. The ADFC attended both hearings in uniform and on one occasion, on City time, even though he was not subpoenaed to court or in attendance in an official capacity."
    The IGO recommended that the city fire the DFM employee and suspend the Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner for two days. Instead, the city suspended the DFM employee for 29 days and gave the ADFC an oral reprimand. Can you help identify either of these employees?
    In another case, the IGO found that a supervisor falsified his attendance records. "Surveillances of the employee showed that, early in the mornings, the employee would drive to a DFM facility near his residence and swipe in for work only to return home, usually for periods of several hours. Later in the day, he would report to the DFM facility where his office was actually located, stay there for a portion of the day, and then swipe out as though he had worked a full shift."
    After the IGO investigated, the employee resigned. Can you help identify this employee?

Dept. of Revenue (DOR): The IGO found that a DOR supervisor "abused his position by requiring two of his [employees] to drive him to work in the mornings." The employees would, on city time, "drive a City vehicle from a Department facility on the north side, pick up the supervisor at or near his home on the south side, and return to the north side facility."
    When interviewed, the supervisor and employees "repeatedly lied, giving false and evasive responses to direct questions."
    The IGO recommended that the city suspend the supervisor for 30 days and the employees for four days. Instead, the city suspended the supervisor for 15 days and the employees for one day. Can you help identify any of these employees?

Chicago Dept. of Transportation (CDOT): The IGO found that that a laborer with the with the Division of Electrical Operations "regularly worked at his/her family-owned restaurant, picked up food for the restaurant, made personal shopping trips and visited his/her residence while he/she was on duty with the City."
    After the IGO interviewed the laborer, the laborer resigned. But the IGO also determined that the laborer’s supervisor, an Assistant Superintendent of Laborers, "failed to supervise the laborer in any meaningful way." The IGO found the Assistant Superintendent's lack of supervision "a contributing cause to the laborer’s fraudulent behavior."
    The IGO recommended that the city suspend the Assistant Superintendent for seven days. Can you help identify this employee?

The Chicago Inspector General's Office (IGO) issued an earlier report on 7/15/10 that described wrongdoing by city employees. In its report the IGO identified the city departments involved and the acts committed—but didn't name most of the wrongdoing employees. Can you identify them? Read the case descriptions below. If you can provide any info to help identify any of the wrongdoing city employees, let us know by clicking on "Contact" at the top or bottom of this page.

Commission on Animal Care and Control (ACC): The IGO found evidence that four dogs were mistakenly euthanized between February and July 2006. In addition, the IGO found that ACC personnel administered euthanasia drugs without legally required supervision. This practice occurred with the knowledge of supervisory personnel, including a staff veterinarian.
    The IGO recommended that eight ACC employees be disciplined as follows: (i) two supervisors be terminated, (ii) one supervisor be suspended for 30 days, (iii) one supervisor receive a written reprimand, (iv) one non-supervisory employee be terminated, (v) one non-supervisory employee be suspended for 30 days, and (vi) two non-supervisory employees be suspended for 3 days.
    ACC disciplined the employees as follows: (i) two supervisors were terminated as recommended; (ii) one supervisor’s suspension was pending; (iii) one supervisor received an oral reprimand rather than the recommended written reprimand; (iv) one non-supervisory employee was terminated as recommended; (v) one non-supervisory employee’s suspension was pending; and (vi) two non-supervisory employees were suspended, one for 3 days as recommended and the other for 1 day contrary to the IGO recommendation of 3 days. Can you help identify any of these employees?
    In another case, the IGO found that an ACC employee clocked in and out improperly and changed timekeeping records to hide the wrongdoing. The employee later lied to IGO investigators about the wrongdoing. The IGO had previously found this employee guilty of serious misconduct (including lying to IGO investigators); for that misconduct ACC suspended the employee for 29 days, negotiated down to 15 days after the employee appealed to the Human Resources Board. For the latest round of wrongdoing the IGO recommended that ACC fire the employee. Instead, ACC suspended the employee for seven days. Can you help identify the employee?

Fire Department (CFD): The IGO found that a supervisory CFD employee in the internal affairs division mishandled a firefighter’s harassment complaint. The supervisory employee bypassed CFD procedures regarding the handling of such complaints. Only after the Chicago Police determined that the offender was a fellow firefighter did the supervisory CFD employee act and open a harassment investigation.
    The IGO recommended that the supervisory employee receive a written reprimand. Instead, CFD gave the supervisory employee an oral reprimand. Can you help identify the employee?

Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS): The IGO found that Employee A improperly obtained the log-on ID of a retired co-worker and used the ID to improperly access and edit time records. The IGO also found that Employee B failed to deactivate the ID after its owner retired. The IGO recommended that Employee A be suspended for 14 days and that Employee B receive a written reprimand. Instead, DSS gave Employee A a written reprimand and declined to discipline Employee B. Can you help identify either of these employees?

Department of Transportation (CDOT): The IGO found that Employee A violated the city's Ethics Ordinance by managing a contract with a vendor for which the employee’s relatives worked. The IGO also found that Employees B and C failed to report Employee A’s wrongdoing.
    The IGO recommended Employee A be suspended without pay for 5 working days, and that Employees B and C each receive written reprimands. Instead, CDOT gave Employees B and C oral reprimands. (Employee A resigned.) Can you help identify any of these employees?

City of Chicago privatization

Parking meter privatization: aldermen lose urban-planning tool 4/21/09 • Click here to listen (length 4 minutes)

City of Chicago hiring

City Council considers creating its own inspector general's office 4/14/10 • Click here for a preview (.5 minute) • Click here to listen (length 9.3 minutes) • Summary: Chicago Public Radio's Richard Steele interviews Dave Glowacz about the City Council's proposed ordinance to create a legislative inspector general.

Employee charges City of Chicago with affirmative action fraud 1/27/10 • Click here to listen (length 4.8 minutes)
   • To read Theresa Hill's lawsuit click here
   • To read the City of Chicago's stated EEO/AA tasks click here
   • To hear an extended interview with Theresa Hill click here (length 12.5 minutes)
   • To hear an extended interview with attorney Bryan Wood click here (length 4.5 minutes)

Office of Compliance blasted in federal-court filings 10/20/09 • Click here to listen (length 6.8 minutes)
   • To read Michael Shakman's 10/6/09 filing click here; to read his 10/29/09 filing click here
   • To read Theresa Hill's lawsuit click here
   • To hear an extended interview with Michael Shakman click here (length 15 minutes)
   • To hear an extended interview with Tony Boswell click here (length 22.5 minutes)

Dept. of Streets & Sanitation's shady hiring practices outed by the Office of Compliance 6/24/09 • Click here to listen (length 5 minutes) • To read the Office of Compliance's entire report click here