Editing Richard M. Daley (section)

==== Daley's floor leader in City Council resigns ====
The first major public corruption scandal of Daley's tenure as mayor involved the circumstances of the resignation of his City Council [[floor leader]], Alderman Patrick Huels, in October 1997. Daley, Huels, and another close friend Michael Tadin grew up within two blocks on S. Emerald Avenue in [[Bridgeport, Chicago|Bridgeport]]. Huels attended De La Salle Institute, the same high school attended by Daley, his father, and [[Michael A. Bilandic|Michael Bilandic]]. Huels worked for the city's [[Public Works]] Department as a laborer and tree trimmer, then as an administrative assistant in the Environment Department, and then as a City Council investigator. He answered phones for the 11th Ward Democratic organization, and was its secretary for several years. When Mayor [[Richard J. Daley]] died, 11th Ward Alderman Bilandic was named acting mayor, and Huels, then 26, replaced Bilandic as alderman.<ref>{{cite news |title=Huels is true to his Bridgeport roots |newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=October 20, 1997 |first1=Tom |last1=McNamee |first2=Fran |last2=Spielman |first3=Pablo |last3=Martinez Monsivais |first4=Jon |last4=Sall}}</ref> Huels chaired the council's Transportation Committee and became Mayor Richard M. Daley's floor leader.<ref name=collect/> In the summer of 2007, in reaction to ongoing indictments and convictions of aldermen, Daley and Huels shepherded a package of ethics reforms through city council.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ethics reforms target Burke - Panel could pursue probes of aldermen |newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=June 15, 1997 |first=Fran |last=Speilman}}</ref> Huels owned a security firm, SDI Security, Inc. along with his wife and his brother, a Chicago police lieutenant. In the mid-1990s, the firm had about 390 full-time employees and was grossing $7 million a year. Huels was president and a director, and Council Finance Committee Chairman Alderman [[Edward M. Burke]] (14th) was secretary. Huels and Burke authorized $633,971{{efn|{{inflation|US|633971|1995|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}}  in legal consulting fees from their respective Council committees to attorney Michael A. Pedicone, a long-time officer of SDI. In March 1995 the [[Internal Revenue Service]] placed a [[lien]] on SDI for $326,951{{efn|{{inflation|US|326951|1995|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}}  and in June 1996 for $997,382{{efn|{{inflation|US|997382|1996|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}}  for failing to pay [[payroll taxes]], including money withheld from its employees' pay checks.<ref name=loan/><ref>{{cite news |title=Huels, Burke paid city cash to colleague |newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=October 17, 1997 |first2=Chuck |last2=Neubauer |first1=Charles |last1=Nicodemus |first3=Robert A. |last3=Davis}}</ref>

In 1970, after high school, Tadin went to work for Marina Cartage; within a decade, he owned the company, and over the next 15 years expanded it from 20 trucks to 150. Between 1992 and 1997, the city paid Marina Cartage and another Tadin company $49 million for supplying the city with snow removal and other heavy equipment and operators. Tadin earned millions of dollars by buying land cheaply, then leasing or selling it to the city.<ref name=collect>{{cite news |title=Huels and pal collect clout and contracts - Trucking exec wins big with city |newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=October 19, 1997 |first1=Chuck |last1=Neubauer |first2=Charles |last2=Nicodemus}}</ref> Marina Cartage used Huels' SDI Security services since 1992. In 1995, with Huels' support, the City Council approved a tax reduction which halved the assessment on a new $4.5 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|4500000|1995|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} headquarters and trucking terminal for Marina Cartage at 4450 S. Morgan in Huels' ward, a tax savings of as much as $80,000{{efn|{{inflation|US|80000|1995|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} per year. In 1996, with Huels' support, the City Council approved a $1.1 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|1100000|1996|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} direct grant for the construction of the facility. Weeks later, Tadin created a new company which was used to originate a $1.25 million{{efn|{{inflation|US|1250000|1996|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} bailout loan to SDI.<ref name=loan>{{cite news |title=Ald. Huels takes loan from contractor - $1 million paid off his firm's tax lien |newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=October 16, 1997 |first1=Chuck |last1=Neubauer |first2=Charles |last2=Nicodemus |first3=Bob |last3=Black}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/10/17/ald-huels-company-received-city-funds/ | title=Ald. Huels' Company Received City Funds; Daley Fumes Over Pal's Ties To $15,000 Payment | date=October 17, 1997 | access-date=December 17, 2012 |author1=Gibson, Ray |author2=Cohen, Laurie | newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref> Daley said Huels "did the right thing resigning" and claimed no knowledge of Huels' business dealings. "I don't get into people's private lives. I am not into that," Daley said.<ref name=daleys22/><ref>{{cite news |title=Loan Controversy Thrusts City Hall Insider Into Spotlight |date=October 19, 1997 |first1=Robert |last1=Davis |first2=Gary |last2=Washburn |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/10/19/loan-controversy-thrusts-city-hall-insider-into-spotlight/}}</ref> Daley announced an executive order and new ethics legislation, saying:

<blockquote>The goal of this executive order is to help address questions about favoritism in city contracting by preventing conflicts of interest, or even the appearance of such conflicts.&nbsp;... There should be a level playing field, where no one has an advantage—or a disadvantage—in obtaining city contracts, simply because they know me or anyone else in government.&nbsp;... Under the steps I'm taking today and recommending to the City Council, the public can easily learn everything there is to know about a city contract: who is involved, who will benefit and whether the city is paying a fair price. I and every other city official must be prepared to defend every contract on its merits.<ref>{{cite news |title=Daley says 'it's a new day in Chicago' |newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=October 28, 1997 |first=Al |last=Podgorski}}</ref></blockquote>