Briatta, McMahon's dealings have roles in Big Picture ( Chicago Mayor Daley family "sadness" )

SUN-TIMES ^ | February 1, 2006 | MARK BROWN

[george76]

Before his recent fall from grace, John Briatta, the mayor's brother's brother-in-law, served as secretary of the Laborers' Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago.

That's the pension board that oversees retirement benefits for about 9,500 city workers and retirees, most of them from the Department of Streets and Sanitation.

In carrying out that responsibility, the board also has control over the investment of $1.7 billion in assets.

And if you've lost track, this is the same John Briatta who was fired from his $94,000 city water department job last summer in an alleged payroll scam --

who then last week was indicted on mostly unrelated charges of taking $8,000 in bribes in the Hired Truck scandal...

There are reasons to believe that Briatta wouldn't be your first choice to have a say on where a city pension fund puts its $1.7 billion.

That might make you wonder how Briatta did get on the pension board. Funny you should ask.

Those who have been following the Hired Truck scandal closely will recognize McMahon as one of the bagmen for Donald Tomczak, the former deputy superintendent in the city's Water Department.

McMahon, 79, has already pleaded guilty to collecting $50,000 in bribes and campaign donations from trucking companies seeking city work.