BILL DALEY IS SHOCKED, SHOCKED (!) THAT PAT QUINN WOULD MAKE A PURELY POLITICAL APPOINTMENT TO THE CTA BOARD

8/9/13

More on the governor’s race, which has been neglected, until today (See today’s other post, THE MADIGANS, THE SPEAKER’S OFFICE, AND THE GOVERNOR’S RACE:  “YOU SEE,THAT’S WHERE MY ARGUMENT FALLS APART…”), since our trip (See 8/2/13’s seminal CLARK GRISWOLD, MR. PEABODY, AND ME), partially because I have been writing about more important matters (See 8/7/13’s THE NATION’S GREATEST PARTY SCHOOLS: THE I’S HAVE IT!)…

Governor Pat Quinn (no relation) has appointed Frank Zuccarelli to a spot on the board of the Chicago Transit Authority (“CTA”).  Mr. Zuccarelli does not live in Chicago; he lives in the south suburbs.  Mr. Zuccarelli is also holds the “job” of Thornton Township Supervisor, one of the many vestigial sinecures we in these parts provide our public servants.  More importantly, for purposes extending beyond the subject of this post, Mr. Zuccarelli is the Democratic Committeeman of Thornton Township, which produces more Democratic primary votes than any other township in the Cook County suburbs.

Bill Daley, Mr. Quinn’s sole, up to this point (See my 7/16/13 piece, PAT QUINN VS. BILL DALEY:  “THIS GUY DOESN’T THINK THIS IS A SHOW; HE THINKS IT’S A FIGHT!” for the reasons I think the words “up to this point” are vital.), opponent in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, is upset with Governor Quinn’s appointment of Mr. Zuccarelli to the CTA Board. 

Mr. Daley points out that Mr. Zuccarelli, while probably qualified, doesn’t live in Chicago and, after all, this is the CHICAGO Transit Authority Board to which Mr. Zuccarelli has been appointed.  This is true, though, while not being certain, I suppose that there have been, from time to time, CTA Board members from outside the confines of the city itself.

Mr. Daley also points out that holding a part time job on the CTA Board would result in Mr. Zuccarelli’s double dipping, since he already holds the job of Thornton Township Supervisor.   This is the sort of double dipping that so recently helped get former Metra Chairman Brad O’Halloran in so much trouble.  (See my 8/4/13 piece, WHO WOULD WANT TO BE ONTHE METRA BOARD?  WELL… for only my latest commentary on that sordid yet par for the course in these parts affair.)  Mr. Daley’s argument also rings true in this instance.

Mr. Daley also argues that Mr. Zuccarelli was appointed by Mr. Quinn for blatantly political reasons; i.e., to secure Mr. Zuccarelli’s very formidable support in the upcoming Democratic primary race for governor pitting, for now, Mr. Daley against Mr. Quinn.  Mr. Daley is also absolutely correct in this contention.

But so what?

Mr. Daley’s criticizing Mr. Quinn for engaging in the type of raw, nearly bare-knuckled politics that results in the likes of Mr. Zuccarelli winding up on the CTA Board is surely a case of (excuse the hackneyed metaphor) the pot calling the kettle black.   Appointing political allies to posts in which they could wield power and double dip is the type of thing the Daleys have been doing since Richard J. Daley started climbing the ladder in the ‘30s.  It is also, by the way, the type of politics that Mr. Quinn, while clearly not identified with, has not eschewed in his long career in, er, “public service.”   He may have a much vaunted reputation as a crusading reformer, but he didn’t survive, and prosper, this long in Chicago and Illinois politics by spending inordinate amounts of time at choir practice.

So, yes, Mr. Daley is right; Mr. Quinn’s appointment of Mr. Zuccarelli to the CTA Board was pretty much raw, naked, largely unabashed politics.   But, to use another hackneyed metaphor, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander…and Mr. Daley had better get used to it.  See, again, my 7/16/13 piece.

This is going to be one heck of a race.

See my two books, The Chairman, A Novel of Big City Politics and The Chairman’s Challenge, A Continuing Novel of Big City Politics, for further illumination on how things work in Chicago and Illinois politics.