Revenge for not backing Stroger? - Two of Madigan's operatives fired from county jobs

Revenge for not backing Stroger? - Two of Madigan's operatives fired from county jobs
BY MARK J. KONKOL mkonkol@suntimes.com
Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times
December 19, 2009
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1948614,CST-NWS-stroger20.article


Cook County Board President Todd Stroger was sending a message to House Speaker Michael Madigan when he recently fired two of Madigan's top political operatives from their high-paying county jobs, county sources said.

Madigan, like Mayor Daley, has not made an endorsement in the County Board president race and isn't expected to do so, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said.

But some of Madigan's Southwest Side foot soldiers have circulated nominating petitions and are actively backing Stroger's chief rivals: Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District boss Terrence O'Brien, county insiders say.

Stroger isn't pleased that Madigan has withheld his backing, county insiders say. He took political revenge first by firing longtime Madigan loyalist Richard Bono, a $99,187 county Forest Preserve District maintenance superintendent who also collects a $30,353 city pension.

"They called [Bono] in and said he was out," a top county source said. "No mention of a reason. No feds. No grabbing computers. He was just out, and that's it."

On Wednesday, Cook County medical examiner's office worker David Foley was fired from his $110,354 executive officer post. During his employment at the medical examiner's office, Foley bragged that he was Madigan's "No. 1 precinct captain," sources said.

Neither Bono nor Foley could be reached for comment.

Stroger declined to comment. His spokesman Eugene Mullins said the dismissals of Bono and Foley were not politically motivated.

"President Stroger made changes in personnel that are under his direct control," Mullins said. "This is not the first time. Nor is this the last time."