Will Chicago Ever be Ready for Reform or Will Corruption Continue to Reign?

Not so long as the political machine kept in place by aldermanic perogative is kept in place

Former Chicago Mayor Richard M DaleyPhoto byKate Gardiner/flickr [CC BY-ND 2.0]

Chicago’s political landscape is steeped in history, a city where power, politics, and corruption have long coexisted. The city’s political machine, once spearheaded by the Daley dynasty, has shaped Chicago’s governance and has been a source of both pride and scandal. This article delves into the intricate web of corruption, patronage, and power that has defined Chicago’s political machine, drawing on key events and figures that have left an indelible mark on the city.

The Daley Dynasty: Power and Scandal

Richard M. Daley, the son of legendary Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, dominated the city’s political scene for 22 years, surpassing his father’s reign. But Daley's tenure was not without controversy. The infamous Hired Truck scandal cast a shadow over his administration. The city paid millions to lease private trucks that often sat idle, with trucking companies bribing city officials and contributing to Daley’s campaign fund to secure lucrative contracts. The scandal sparked a federal investigation that implicated high-ranking city officials, including Daley’s patronage chief, Robert Sorich, and the head of Streets and Sanitation.

This investigation dismantled the Daley-aligned Hispanic Democratic Organization and exposed a hiring system rigged to favor pro-Daley workers. It also put an end to the rise of one of the most influential political organizations in Chicago at the time.

Daley's City Council floor leader, Alderman Pat Huels, abruptly resigned after revelations surfaced that he had accepted a substantial loan from a company he helped secure major city contracts.

Other members of the Daley family also found themselves investigated and in some cases charged for various crimes through the years. Most notably, Patrick Daley, a Chicago City Council Member and heir of the Daley family was found guilty, along with 11th Ward Alderman Thompson guilty of seven counts of tax fraud by a federal jury after lying to federal regulators regarding the amount of money he owed to the Washington Federal Bank for Savings as well as for purposely filing false tax returns for five separate years.

Loyalty and Corruption: The Machine's Inner Workings

James Laski, a former Chicago city clerk and alderman, provided a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the city’s political machine in his book, My Fall From Grace: City Hall to Prison Walls. Laski, who served time in prison for taking bribes, detailed the pervasive culture of corruption that permeated the machine. He described a system where the pursuit of money and power outweighed the public good.

In his book, Laski recounted how he secured a no-show job for his father on the city’s payroll, a move that exemplified the "old-time Chicago politics" in which officials were expected to take care of their organization's family members. Laski’s father’s only responsibility, he noted, was to donate to the 23rd Ward Democratic organization.

Laski, now a registered lobbyist, declined to comment further on his role in the machine, stating, "I just don’t want to read about myself anymore."

The Legacy of Patronage and Control

Former federal prosecutor Joel Bertocchi highlighted the uniqueness of Chicago’s political machine, explaining that it wasn’t just about electing like-minded individuals. “There’s something about Chicago where they got the notion, it wasn’t just, ‘Let’s get like-minded people elected.’ It was, ‘Let’s get elected so we can give jobs to people we know.’”

The elder Richard J. Daley solidified his grip on power by shifting control of the city’s budget from the City Council to the mayor’s office, a move that transformed Chicago from a “strong council, weak mayor” system into one where the mayor held ultimate authority. In exchange, aldermen were given control over what happened in their wards, a practice known as aldermanic prerogative.

This system allowed aldermen to wield significant influence over local matters, from zoning decisions to infrastructure projects. However, it also opened the door to widespread corruption, as some aldermen abused their power for personal gain.

The Perils of Aldermanic Power

Aldermanic prerogative became a tool for corruption in Chicago politics. Over the years, numerous aldermen were convicted for abusing their powers. Alderman Arenda Troutman was sentenced to prison after admitting to soliciting cash from developers in exchange for backing their projects in her South Side ward. In one FBI recording, Troutman bluntly asked, “What do I get out of it?”

Troutman’s downfall followed a long line of convicted aldermen from the 20th Ward, including Alderman Clifford Kelley and Alderman Willie Cochran. Cochran was convicted for using a charitable fund to cover personal expenses, including gambling debts and lavish purchases.

Alderman Fred Roti of the 1st Ward, long suspected of being organized crime’s man in City Hall, was found guilty of accepting bribes to fix court cases and zoning matters. He proudly noted, even after his conviction, that he had been acquitted in a separate case involving a Chinatown murder trial.

Alderman Wallace Davis Jr. went to prison after being caught accepting bribes and kickbacks, and his case was emblematic of a culture where aldermen felt untouchable. As Davis explained, “They get into a position where they feel, ‘Hey, I can do what I want. I don’t have to give an account.’”

Generational Corruption

In some cases, the corruption ran in families. West Side Alderman Isaac Carothers pleaded guilty to bribery charges in 2010, following in the footsteps of his father, William Carothers, who had been convicted of similar charges in the 1980s. Both father and son used their positions to extract favors and financial gains from developers in their wards.

For others, no favor was too small. Alderman Jesse Evans was convicted in the 1990s for obtaining a new tile floor in his home in exchange for helping a grocer secure a liquor license. Even the council’s dean, Alderman Ed Burke, faced charges for shaking down a businessman seeking permits for a fast-food franchise.

The Chicago Way: Reform and Resistance

The city’s political machine has proven resilient, even as reform efforts have been launched over the years. Alderman Louis Farina, convicted in 1983 for extorting bribes from contractors, summed up the mindset of many caught in corruption cases: “I didn’t think I was breaking the law, but the law I broke.”

Lawrence “Larry” Bloom, once known as “the conscience of the council,” became entangled in the Silver Shovel corruption probe in the 1990s, taking bribes from an undercover FBI informant. His case shocked many, as Bloom had built a reputation as a clean-government advocate.

Despite the numerous scandals, some politicians have remained unapologetic. Former South Side powerbroker William Beavers, who famously referred to himself as “the hog with the big nuts,” maintained his innocence after being convicted for misusing campaign funds. He insisted the prosecution was an attempt to coerce him into wearing a wire to incriminate a colleague.

Modern Attempts at Reform

Chicago’s corruption problem came under intense scrutiny during the 2019 mayoral election, in which Lori Lightfoot emerged victorious on a platform of reform. A former federal prosecutor, Lightfoot had sent multiple corrupt aldermen to prison during her career and promised to clean up City Hall.

In her inaugural address, Lightfoot declared, “For years they said, ‘Chicago ain’t ready for reform.’ Well, get ready, because reform is here.” She immediately signed an executive order aimed at curbing aldermanic influence over routine city decisions, signaling her intent to reduce the power of Chicago’s entrenched political machine.

One of her key initiatives was to limit aldermanic prerogative, particularly in zoning decisions, to reduce the temptation for aldermen to accept bribes or favors in exchange for political support. However, by the end of her tenure, Lightfoot had largely left aldermanic zoning powers intact, underscoring the difficulty of dismantling deeply entrenched systems of patronage and corruption.

Alderman Michele Smith, who chaired the council’s first-ever stand-alone ethics committee, noted that while Lightfoot’s administration made progress in limiting outside employment for aldermen and empowering the inspector general, significant challenges remained.

The Resistance to Reform

Despite Lightfoot’s efforts, the city’s aldermen were reluctant to give up their power. “Once people get power, they don’t want to ever give it up — no matter what,” Lightfoot said in an interview.

Her successor, Brandon Johnson, has taken a different approach, emphasizing the need to respect aldermanic prerogative and shifting the focus away from ethics reform. Johnson’s actions signal a return to a more traditional relationship between the mayor’s office and the City Council, where power is concentrated at the top.

In the months leading up to the 2023 mayoral election, members of the City Council attempted to wrest some control from the mayor’s office by proposing the ability to elect their own leadership and form independent committees. However, Johnson quickly quashed the movement, preserving the status quo that has allowed mayors to control the legislative process for decades.

Chicago’s Enduring Legacy of Corruption

Chicago’s political machine has proven remarkably durable, withstanding numerous reform efforts and investigations. Alderman Mathias “Paddy” Bauler’s famous declaration, “Chicago ain’t ready for reform,” continues to ring true, as corruption remains deeply embedded in the city’s governance.

While recent administrations have made strides toward reform, the legacy of Chicago’s political machine, with its intricate system of patronage, loyalty, and power, continues to shape the city. Aldermanic prerogative and the concentration of power in the mayor’s office remain central to the way Chicago operates, ensuring that the city’s political landscape will continue to be a battleground for reformers and machine politicians alike.