I guess Daley didn't know about this either !

Mayor Daley's personnel chief quits
Homero Tristan denies accusations of lying
By Dan Mihalopoulos and Todd Lighty | Tribune reporters
July 8, 2009

Homero Tristan (center), accompanied with Mayor Richard Daley (left), is congratulated by his family members after he was named as Commissioner of Human Resources following a news conference in Chicago in June 2008. Tristan was accused of lying to investigators from Inspector General David Hoffman's office, which was looking into City Hall hiring abuses. Tristan called recent allegations of lying "erroneous and irresponsible." (Tribune photo by Kuni Takahashi / June 10, 2008)



Mayor Richard Daley's personnel chief resigned Tuesday, less than two weeks after the city's independent inspector general called for his removal.

Homero Tristan, a member of Daley's Cabinet as the top human resources official, was accused of lying to investigators from Inspector General David Hoffman's office, which was looking into City Hall hiring abuses.

Tristan called Hoffman's allegations "grossly erroneous and irresponsible." But Tristan said he could not fight the charges while representing the city in federal proceedings aimed at reforming its scandal-scarred hiring system.

"I can't do both at this time," Tristan said. "I will continue to defend my integrity."



The federal judge overseeing the Shakman hiring case has instructed Hoffman to provide his opinion of the city's personnel process, which the Department of Human Resources oversees. A court-appointed monitor has kept tabs on Daley administration hiring since 2005, when federal prosecutors charged and later convicted Daley aides with scheming to steer public jobs to mayoral campaign workers.

Daley spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard said the mayor had not asked Tristan to resign, but agreed with his decision to do so. "The mayor understands that the commissioner doesn't want to be a distraction," Heard said.

Hoffman declined to comment Tuesday.

Daley appointed Tristan to lead his personnel agency in June 2008. Tristan has ties to some of the mayor's closest Latino political allies, including Ald. Daniel Solis (25th) and the United Neighborhood Organization.

Both the court hiring monitor and Daley's Office of Compliance have repeatedly criticized Tristan for his alleged failure to comply with the city's own hiring plan. In a report last month, the compliance office said the department's leadership often "lacks a basic understanding of the new hiring plan."

Hoffman had investigated Tristan's alleged failure to report to the court and others a Jan. 29 letter written by Ald. Michael Zalewski (23rd) on behalf of a city worker who wanted to avoid a transfer to another job site. Tristan this year told the hiring monitor he was aware of Zalewski's letter but was unsure if he had to report it, according to court records. Hoffman said Tristan told his investigators he was not aware of the letter until weeks later.

Tristan said the employee did not enjoy political favoritism and was transferred regardless of his clout.

dmihalopoulos@tribune.com

tlighty@tribune.com

Blago to stand trial next year

Corruption trial for Blagojevich set for June 3
June 25, 2009 12:16 PM | No Comments
A federal judge today set trial for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his co-defendants for next June 3.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel set the date after Blagojevich's lawyer, Sheldon Sorosky, asked for as late a date as possible because of the more than three million pages of documents the defense must pore over.
Defense lawyers said they realize they have their work cut out for them, but they believe they can be ready by the trial date Zagel set.

There are four primary lawyers handling the case, they said, and a team of seven younger lawyers helping to process documents.

Asked how the case is shaping up, including the expected addition of former Blagojevich chiefs of staff John Harris and Lon Monk as witnesses, defense lawyer Sam Adam Jr. said it changes little.

"(Blagojevich) was not guilty then, and he's not guilty now," Adam. said, calling it inevitable that such witnesses would line up against the former governor. "You can bring in Lon Monk, you can bring in anyone you want, his position is the same."

Adam said Blagojevich expected to be reunited with his wife, Patricia, today after her stint on a reality TV show.

-- Jeff Coen