For the last eight years, Rita Rezko has sat on the Cook County Employee Appeals Board, which hears the cases of non-union county workers who believe they have been unfairly fired. As Ben Bradley of ABC7 reports, board members are paid $38,500 a year to attend one meeting per month. And they get health insurance.
That’s an outrage in and of itself, but according to Bradley’s report, Rezko is collecting her dough while only sporadically bothering to even show up at the meetings.
“According to documents released by the county, back in 2005, Mrs. Rezko missed nearly half of the meetings. The following year she attended eight of 14 sessions. Last year, her attendance greatly improved and she only missed one. But now, with her husband on trial, she has only made it to one of three board meetings held so far this year,” Bradley reports.
“Do you think you’ve put in attendance worthy of $38,000 a year?” he asked her.
“Oh, absolutely. Just like everyone else on that board,” she replied.
Is smoke blowing out of your ears yet?
“‘For example, until today’s, you’ve missed every board meeting except for this one,’ Bradley pressed. Rita Rezko walked away.”
And here’s the kicker:
“I’d like to say just sometimes because you’re not at the meetings doesn’t mean you’re not working,” said Gene Mullins, Todd Stroger’s spokesman.
1 response so far ↓
Unindicted Co-conspirator // April 11, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Gene Mullins is correct, she’s working, but who she’s working for is the real question.
Definitely not the county.
She’s probably figuring out how to get her husband a county job after prison.