CHICAGO (February 6, 2015) -- Tenth Ward machine Alderman John Pope, who already has raised eyebrows by hiring as his assistant someone who allegedly threatened to rape a co-worker, is back in the news, this time for associating with a crooked contractor.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports Pope's been "taking help from a corrupt city contractor and thanking him publicly on Facebook."
From the report:
"Cappello is a corrupt city contractor-turned-FBI informant who’s been barred from doing business with the city after using his wife as front to cash in on $2.3 million in contracts earmarked for minorities and women."
Cappello recently made a $2,482 in-kind contribution to Pope.
Here's United Working Families executive director Kristen Crowell on the Pope-Cappello ties:
"John Pope won't listen to the citizens of the Tenth Ward when it comes to jobs or schools, but he'll surround himself with questionable characters and praise sing the praises of dirty contractors. At best, it raises questions about his judgment, his total lack of ethical standards and a machine contempt for clean government.
"It's clearer than ever that it's time for change in the Tenth Ward."
Read the full report here.
Here's the earlier story about Pope's hire of a troubled staffer.
