Business as usual in Chicago

Contract swindler James Duff is banned from Chicago business for only 3 years

Imprisoned businessman with Daley ties will be eligible to bid for city work before his prison term is up

By Todd Lighty and Laurie Cohen |Tribune reporters

12:07 AM CDT, March 20, 2008

Mayor Richard Daley's administration has banned the head of Windy City Maintenance and two others convicted of contract fraud from doing business with the city for three years, despite a recommendation from the inspector general that they never be allowed to do work for City Hall again.

James Duff, who cheated the city and insurance companies out of millions of dollars, should be subject to the stiffest penalty outlined in policies drawn up in 2005 following a series of contracting scandals, Inspector General David Hoffman said Wednesday.

Duff, a member of a mob-connected family with strong ties to the mayor, became the face of contracting fraud in Daley's administration after creating phony minority-owned and woman-owned businesses to get city work.

A federal prosecutor once called Duff "the epitome of greed" and a city official previously gave assurances that City Hall had no interest in ever again doing business with Duff-related companies.

After Duff was sent to prison in 2005 for racketeering and fraud, Hoffman recommended in late 2006 that Duff and two co-defendants, William Stratton and Terrence Dolan, receive lifetime bans.

Doesn't this begin at home with parents being parents

Hot Off the press....

Pfleger and crew had a press conference at the all holy Saint Sabina.

Tragically, this year 17 children have lost their lives in Chicago due to gun violence. We must demand common sense gun legislation and stop easy access to guns. We must also make sure we arrest the perpetrators who take the lives of our children.

Unfortunately, the coverage and community action often differ from incident to incident. Therefore, I am asking people to join with me in two efforts to demand common sense gun laws and to put together a reward fund so that every time a child is murdered in the city, each child's life will be addressed equally. We will immediately put a $5,000 reward (Bounty) for the arrest and conviction of the shooter, if there is no known suspect and we will gather at the state of Illinois building to demand stronger gun legislation.

Every time a child is murdered , within the next 24-72 hours we will rally from 11:00am to 12 Noon at the Thompson, State of Illinois building , 100 West Randolph, demanding the state legislators to pass gun legislation. If you are interested in becoming part of this team, please fill out the form and fax it to 773-483-7583 or mail it to St Sabina Church, 1210 West 78the place

Intruder Shot on SW Side

STNG) CHICAGO A man was shot by an off-duty police officer Saturday morning after he allegedly broke into the officer's home on the Southwest Side near Midway International Airport.

The Chicago police officer and his wife were sleeping in their home in the 6000 block of South Austin Avenue when the officer heard a noise and went to investigate, police News Affairs Assistant Director Pat Camden said.

The off-duty officer saw the offender, who apparently entered the home through the back door, and was in the process of arresting the suspect when the offender was shot, Camden said.

The offender suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and is listed in good condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

No one else was injured in the incident. The police Office of Professional Standards is investigating the shooting, Camden said. It is not yet know if the offender was armed when he invaded the home.

No charges have been filed as of 3:55 a.m.