Posted on 07/28/2005 8:51:14 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
CHICAGO (AP) - The head of the Cook County Republican Party was fired by a real estate company Thursday, two days after offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to Mayor Richard M. Daley's indictment and conviction.
The reward led directly to the firing of Gary Skoien by The Prime Group Inc., a real estate development firm, said Michael Reschke, the company's chief executive officer.
``I'm not very happy with what Gary did,'' Reschke said. ``I think it was inappropriate and irresponsible.''
Skoien had been with the Chicago-based Prime Group for more than 14 years and was its chief operating officer for the last seven, Reschke said.
Skoien caused an uproar Tuesday when he announced the $10,000 reward for information on Daley, whose administration has been buffeted by scandal. Skoien said he hoped the reward would inspire whistleblowers to come forward.
Skoien said his salary from The Prime Group was less than half his total income. He is also chief executive officer of Horizon Group Properties Inc., another Chicago-based real estate development firm.
``Obviously if anything is indicative of the total domination and authority of the mayor of Chicago and the way business is done here, it's this action,'' Skoien said.
Daley spokesman Jackie Heard said the administration did not ``wish ill will of anyone, obviously differing quite a bit from Mr. Skoien.''
``It's unfortunate that it had to come to this,'' she said.
The reward offer followed last week's announcement by federal prosecutors that they had charged two City Hall officials with rigging the city's hiring system to flout a court order that bars City Hall from considering politics when filling most city jobs.
Daley reacted to the charges by proposing that municipal hiring be turned over to an independent commission.
The case arose from an ongoing federal investigation of bribes being given in return for jobs in a $38 million program that outsourced city hauling work. Twenty-one people have pleaded guilty in that probe.
You had to figure that would happen. At least he is still alive.
Cement shoes are next.
Developers in this city (Chicago) know where their bread is buttered. Crossing Daley is not the way business is done.
It's hardly surprising, though, that Democrats in this city are not crying "free speech" right now.
Real estate jobs are a dime a dozen. This guy deserves great credit. I'm sure someone will hire him.
Did Skoien honestly think he could pull this off without some kind of retaliation?
That's an admission of guilt.
He's not out to make enemies apparently.
There are folks in Chicago city government who'd sell their own daughters for 10 G's. I'll bet this guy has something solid on Daley in 60 days.
It's not only hiring that's a 'scandal' at City Hall, it's the entire frigging 'permiting process' and the 'inspection process' and the 'bidding process'.
Did anyone catch the story that the entire leadership of the Chicago City Council told Daley to take his 'Independent Hiring Commission' and stick it where the sun don't shine?
Daley isn't even going to bring it to a vote. He knows he'll lose.
Just hang around folks. This things going to get really interesting pretty soon. Thank God for a certain US Attorney who happens to share a name with a certain former US Senator from Illinois.
L
Moseley-Braun ?
=runs away=
;-)
Thank God that certain former senator stuck to his guns in recommending that tough new prosecutor instead of a professional back-stratcher some corrupt Illinois republicans wanted him to recommend.
Starts with an "F," ends with a "d," and has integrity and guts in-between?
You guessed it!
"I'm sure someone will hire him."
Yeah -- in the suburbs. He's finished in Chicago.
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