Money Poorly Spent
You've heard the expression "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? How about this - a simple background check, including a phone call to the previous employer would have saved city taxpayers $825,000:
- Chicago taxpayers spent $825,000 to find out that Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s now-convicted former City Comptroller Amer Ahmad did not cost them a penny beyond his $165,000-a-year salary.
The $825,000 was paid to the law firm of Drinker Biddle and Reath LLP and the accounting firm of Grant Thornton for a 47-page report that concluded that Ahmad did not defraud cash-strapped Chicago like he did in Ohio.
Ahmad pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy and bribery for his role in a kickback and money-laundering scheme that occurred when he served as Ohio’s deputy state treasurer. He faces up to 15 years in prison after agreeing to pay $3.2 million in restitution.
You don't just hide a federal indictment and investigation. Someone dropped the ball on the background check ...or someone didn't care enough to actually do one. As a result, a connected firm pulls in nearly a million bucks doing a job that should have cost taxpayers almost nothing if done before the hiring.
Labels: scandals
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
29 Comments:
Rahm: Ehhh...it's only taxpayer money.
The $825,000 was paid to the law firm of Drinker Biddle and Reath LLP and the accounting firm of Grant Thornton for a 47-page report that concluded that Ahmad did not defraud cash-strapped Chicago like he did in Ohio
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if one knew ahmad was going to go down anywayz he would make a nice tool wouldn't he...a crisis that should not be allowed to go to waste
follow the money.
what employer in the private sector would pay for all this, tolerate this b.s.
I think our beloved Attorney General, Mr. Holder, has determined that it is illegal to conduct a criminal background check as a condition of employment. Nor can an employer refuse employment merely because a background check came back positive.
Whatever Rahm wants Rahm will get. There's no need for anyone to question anything.
teacher says;
'every time one of rahm's crew trips a traffic cam the taxpayers pays the fine --not the public worker that are violating the law, endangering the children'
traffic cams.. like a money laundering machine isn't it.
first, if you need to make your speed cam program appear to be a huge success just have the cta drivers, streets and sans drivers and auto pound tow truck contractors trip the cams if the numbers are not high enough...right.
then act surprised..
oh look at all the revenue generated.
oh look.,,,look at all these tickets. look at all this money.
this was dangerous and we're here to save you. cuz we are concerned for your safety..lmfao
it's a win-win when you can create a crisis that you already have a solution for. as long as you can put out stats that makes your solution look right, look smart.
also...see we can use these dollars amounts from the fines to show everyone that chicago's gdp is growing and everyone will mistakenly intemperate gdp growth with brighter futures and opportunity.
with gdp growth politician will speak of much needed jobs being created.
but it's all bullshit.
chicago residents get no jobs.
chicago residents are not any safer.
what did this gdp build that has any value for the average middle class taxpayers...what.
this entire activity is no more than a hidden tax.
when the cta racks up over 11,000 cam violations at one-hundred dollars a pop, the drivers don't pay those fines. that's 1.1 mil. dollars out of the cta budget.
so here comes the next fare increase.
and what incentive does this provide the lawbreakers not to do it again.
however... it does make the cam company richer. and if they choose to i suppose they can make campaign donations and fund all-expense paid trips to clouted politicians like was done in the past.
hey, want to go to superbowl. make some more city workers drive thru the cams to generate the money baby.
all just speculation of course. cuz we all know how the city works
/sarcasm
CTA buses top list of public red-light runners - Chicago Tribune
Dec 26, 2013
Guess who racked up 11,500 red light tickets last year – employees of the City of Chicago, that’s who!! So much for red light cameras as a safty measure -
See more at: http://theexpiredmeter.com/2013/12/motorist-groups-debut-new-anti-red-light-camera-video/#sthash.NoRDHhOw.dpuf
That investigation was to keep Rham out in the clear.
That comes out to $17,553 per page. About the same amount of taxpayer money CeaseFire's "Violence Interrupters" would spend over the typical weekend partying.
Money spent keeping lawyers and their staffs employed is never money misspent. That was money spent on greater employment and boosting the local economy. Don't complain.
If background checks were required for city positions, we wouldn't have any alderman... and would be better off.
Gee, its amazing how many people with Ohio connections are working on city contracts now. I would think that we could find some qualified people here
I think our beloved Attorney General, Mr. Holder, has determined that it is illegal to conduct a criminal background check as a condition of employment. Nor can an employer refuse employment merely because a background check came back positive.
1/13/2014 01:33:00 AM
Reply:
Uh, what? Of course they can. You must not be a cop cause they background check the shit out of us, and flag you if they find anything shady. And they check criminal backgrounds with all sorts of jobs, and will not hire you if they find something. Obviously in this comptroller case though certain things slipped through the cracks.
Rham effed up AGAIN, remember this and don't re elect,that's the revenge!
If the speeding ticket school zone picture has no children in the picture then they were not present,an excuse for winning a school zone speeding ticket!
YES.. this is the same piece of shit that stated the City should fuck retires on heathcare.
absolutely pathetic. what is your response on this one rahmie? he would have spent many more millions of our hard-earned tax dollars to make himself look like an innocent. there is no escaping this crap story rahm you corrupt ignorant hypocrite.
Ahmer leaves behind 2 others from the Ohio gang that he installed in high level positions in the Comptroller office.
It's still less money than the Safe Passage signs.
With that kind of background he should have gone directly to alderman.
Do not pass go, do not collect $825,000.00.
Right about now he wishes he had a 'Get out of jail free' card.
Bullshit...
This so called called investigation is nothing but a white-wash by Rahm.
Me thinks that the taxpayer really took it up the ass with this one.
Where is Rahm's check board on how well he's done now?
Let's make our own . How has he done as of this date?
Here's the way it works, people:
law firm is hired by city/county/state to do no-brainer work.
Firm gets paid a ton of taxpayer dollars for the non-work it's doing.
Firm later kicks back money to the politician who hired them.
and then there is this... https://www.suntimes.com/news/24463111-418/cost-of-boarding-up-shuttered-chicago-schools-triples-to-309m.html
Funny how the city can't afford take home cars for SWAT. Cease Fire, VRI, DePaul Stadium and Maggie's Park. Millions spent there. This city is not prepared for a Terrorist response. Post 911 and Chicago is still not ready. Why does the Horses Unit get D-3 pay but SWAT gets nothing. We CANNOT respond from our homes. Don't wait on us.
Fighting gun shop ownership in Chicago..... the ever vigilante mayor will spend another 35 mill to appeal the courts decision and of course lose again the asshole never tiers of spending tax payers money for his grown up tantrums. Face it your a loser act like one.
Speaking of "Back-Ground Checks" If Celia Meza when being in the CTA Board and incharged of the HR Department (Human Resouce Dept.) Not as an acting attorney which she is license for and has not practice law for quite some time was supossed to run a background check on her felon friends and allowed them to work. How is she well in charge to investigate THE COMPTROLLER!!
You should of hired Reid Schar to investigate the comptroller.. Not Fergusons office whom should also be under investigation for not checking refrences on employees whom have being fired more than once from goverment and are now working for The OIG office which is also goverment..
Midget Mayor Rahm is not going to fight the Feds on gun stores because he can't no more. If he keeps spending our money on court fights he has to pay, he much rather not fight keep the money and find another way to steal it. He can't steal money if he keeps fighting.
No more blank checks Rambo Huh!.. LMAO
FLadies and Gents, I want to thank Executive Inspector General Mr. Ricardo Meza for opening an investigation and reffered it to IDOT's audit report to attorney general Lisa Madigan in regards Quinoccho's slush fund, Chicago Area Project.
Did you know Celia Meza his sister was on the board of directors for Chicago Area Project???
Just google it....FOIA this b*tch!!
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