In the press
When a reporter noted that Laski was challenging the mayor’s credibility, Daley said, “Everybody does it. You do it every day.”
The mayor was asked point-blank whether Laski was “lying” when he claimed to have worked through Daley’s top lieutenants to get Hired Truck business for the lifelong friend who betrayed him. “He says everything. He’ll say everything in a book about me. Nobody else. That’s how it is,” Daley said,
Daley appointed Laski to fill an aldermanic vacancy in the 23rd ward, only to have Laski become a constant thorn in the mayor’s side. Laski lead a 1992 City Council rebellion against successive property tax increases proposed by the mayor. Three years later, he blew the lid on millions in unpaid water bills and parking tickets owed by city employees.
“Maybe I said four words to him,” over the years, the mayor said. A livid Laski said he had numerous private meetings with the mayor and challenged Daley to “have his secretary pull the records.”
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The mayor was asked point-blank whether Laski was “lying” when he claimed to have worked through Daley’s top lieutenants to get Hired Truck business for the lifelong friend who betrayed him. “He says everything. He’ll say everything in a book about me. Nobody else. That’s how it is,” Daley said,
Daley appointed Laski to fill an aldermanic vacancy in the 23rd ward, only to have Laski become a constant thorn in the mayor’s side. Laski lead a 1992 City Council rebellion against successive property tax increases proposed by the mayor. Three years later, he blew the lid on millions in unpaid water bills and parking tickets owed by city employees.
“Maybe I said four words to him,” over the years, the mayor said. A livid Laski said he had numerous private meetings with the mayor and challenged Daley to “have his secretary pull the records.”
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Over 27 Years Serving Chicago
Born and raised on the southwest side of Chicago, Laski graduated from
St. Laurence High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from
Lewis University in Lockport, Illinois, graduating cum laude in 1975.
He was awarded a Juris Doctorate degree from Northern Illinois University
in 1978.Laski rose up through the political ranks of then Alderman Lipinski before finally becoming chief of staff for the then Congressman Lipinski. He then advanced his political career by becoming Chicago’s 23 Ward Alderman. As alderman of Chicago's 23rd ward, Laski made headlines in 1993 by leading the fight against a proposed property tax increase. As alderman, Laski took a pro-active approach to city legislation by sponsoring an ordinance to require carbon monoxide detectors in homes, schools, nursing homes and hospitals. This landmark legislation is credited with saving many lives and has served as a model for other cities across the country.
In 1995 Laski was elected to the office of Chicago City Clerk. Through a series of strategic implementations, he increased revenue collection and positioned the Clerk's office to act as a liaison between Chicago residents and the City Council. He used the office to become involved in legislative policies and sponsored many community programs and research projects.
He sponsored Chicago's child support enforcement ordinance, which denies business licenses to any "deadbeat" parent in arrears in child support payments. The Chicago Chapter of the National Organization for Women honored Laski with it’s first-ever "Power of Policy" award for his efforts to enact the ordinance.
His many responsibilities as Chicago City Clerk included maintaining official records of city government, publishing the Journal of Proceedings of the Chicago City Council, issuing all business licenses, liquor and other city licenses and the sale of more than 1.2 million vehicle stickers and over 60,000 residential permit parking permits. As Clerk,he was the second highest-ranking city official and oversaw the most visited office in City Hall.
While serving his third term in office, Laski pleaded guilty to taking $48,000 in payoffs to get companies into the city's scandal-plagued Hired Truck Program following a two-year federal investigation of the scandal-plagued program that was designed to save money by outsourcing the city's hauling work to private truckers but which prosecutors say is awash in corruption. He pleaded guilty to one count of bribery and was sentenced on May 25 2006.
Jim paid his debt to society, serving 11 months in the Federal Penitentiary in West Virginia. While in prison Jim wrote a hard-hitting book, My Fall From Grace, which became a top political seller. The book covers his early political life exposing Chicago style politics, through the “Hired Truck Scandal and his time in prison. His scathing incitement of the federal prison system resulted in his book being banned (view the letter here) in federal penitentiaries across the country.
Jim currently has been speaking about his politics, ethics and the Federal Penitentiary System to audiences across the country. He and his family, wife Kathleen, daughter Nina and twin sons, Jack and Bobby, still reside in Chicago’s 23rd ward.
Click here to view TV interviews of Jim.
