Chicago Sun-Times
By Steve Patterson, Staff Reporter
May 19, 2008
'FRIENDS AND FAMILY' | Stroger hands jobs to 2 brothers
of lawmakers
Both have criminal records and both are brothers of state legislators.
Now, both have been personally hired by Cook County Board President
Todd Stroger.
James D'Amico is the county's new $127,000-a-year director of
facilities management, responsible for the upkeep of county
buildings. He's the brother of state Rep. John D'Amico (D-Chicago)
and nephew of Ald. Margaret Laurino (39th).
Myron Colvin is a $56,609-a-year grant writer in the county's
scandal-plagued job training program known as POET. He's the
brother of state Rep. Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago), Stroger's best
friend.
Rep. Colvin spent 21 years working for the county, and now his
wife and two brothers are on Stroger's payroll.
Stroger spokesman Eugene Mullins stood by the two hires, saying
each man is extremely qualified, though he didn't respond to
a request for their resumes. Mullins says both filled vacancies
Stroger is empowered to fill with whomever he chooses.
But a critic says Stroger's choices are signs of patronage hiring
patterns that have seen the board president hire or promote
many of those closest to him.
"This is more evidence that the 'Friends and Family' hiring
plan is in full swing," said Jay Stewart of the Better
Government Association, adding, "It is clear that he isn't
going to reach beyond his inner circle" to fill top jobs.
"Anybody who we hire, [critics] seem to have a problem
with," Mullins replied.
D'Amico has been a county employee for 24 years and most recently
served as county facility management's deputy director.
In 1996, he pleaded guilty to making threatening phone calls
in the heat of a political race. That came in the midst of a
massive federal ghost-payrolling investigation at City Hall
that involved his family and saw several convictions.
He has had no legal troubles since, chalking it up as "being
young" -- and he gets high marks from colleagues.
Colvin, meanwhile, initially said he didn't remember being arrested,
despite weapons and assault charges on his record.
After several questions, he admitted to pleading guilty to a
misdemeanor assault charge in 1989 after a club fight. He, too,
chalked it up to "youth." Colvin, a DePaul University
graduate, has had no other legal troubles.
Pointing to a recent county ordinance urging contractors to
give second chances to ex-convicts, and a similar federal bill,
Mullins said, "This is just an example of how President
Stroger leads by example."
