The Mystery of Mayor Daley

After 15 years in office, his popularity and his power have never been greater. Insiders say Richard M. Daley could crack down on the cronyism and ethically questionable deals that threaten to undermine his legacy. Why doesn't he? A special report

By Shane Tritsch

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In mid-December of last year, the tough, independent U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Patrick Fitzgerald, announced the indictment of former Illinois governor George Ryan for alleged public corruption while he was secretary of state and, later, governor. "By giving friends free rein over state employees and state business to make profits—and by steering those profits to his friends and, at times, his family—defendant Ryan sold his office," Fitzgerald declared, in language that surely must have given pause to Daley—an ally of Ryan's—and to some of the mayor's cronies.

The indictment of Ryan was another blow by Fitzgerald against the culture of corruption that infects politics in this part of the world. He has struck other blows that have hit uncomfortably close to Daley—last year's indictment of the Duffs, for example, and the January indictment of Angelo Torres on charges of extortion. What's more, federal prosecutors issued a subpoena seeking records on the city's Hired Truck Program.

Is Mayor Daley hearing footsteps? Perhaps. In his State of the City speech in February, Daley expressed anger and embarrassment over the Hired Truck scandal and said that things were going to change at City Hall. "No contractor or employee is entitled to special treatment based on their friendship with me, my family, any city employee, or the seemingly countless people who present themselves as my friend," the mayor declared. On the other hand, he has made similar proclamations in the past.

In addition to getting the word out, loud and clear, to his own people, Daley could push at least two forceful reforms if he really wanted to clean up city government, observers say.

The BGA's Jay Stewart has publicly urged the mayor to ask the City Council to pass an ordinance prohibiting city contractors from donating to any mayoral campaign fund. "If such an ordinance were passed," Stewart said in a letter to the Sun-Times, "the public might finally have a little confidence that contributions don't buy contracts, and the mayor might not have to put up with questions about his relationship with generous contributors like Michael Tadin and the Duffs."

Another reform that could help clean up city government is a whistleblower law similar to that adopted by the state of Illinois. At press time, Alderman Joe Moore was crafting just such an ordinance. It provides financial incentives to people who report official acts of corruption. And it protects whistleblowers against firing or other retaliation.

The ultimate bulwark against political corruption, of course, is the voters, who have the power each election cycle to pass judgment on their leaders at the ballot box. As long as they remain happy with the way things are, chances are the mayor will, too.