Rahm-connected charter school exec quits after payments of state grant $$ to relatives exposed [View all]
The No. 2 executive of the United Neighborhood Organization quit Tuesday, eight days after the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the politically influential charter school operator paid state grant money to companies owned by two of his brothers. Miguel dEscoto, who was UNOs senior vice president of operations, resigned by mutual agreement in a letter submitted Tuesday evening, said the groups CEO, Juan Rangel.
Unfortunately, my being a member of UNOs staff has become a distraction, dEscoto wrote. I believe it is in the best interest of the organization and our community that I step down.
Rangel said UNOs contracting process followed the law. However, we want to avoid even the appearance of conflicts of interest, said Rangel, who was a co-chairman of Mayor Rahm Emanuels 2011 campaign.
DEscoto was paid $200,000 a year by UNO and had worked for it for six years, public records show. He previously was a city transportation commissioner in the administration of former Mayor Richard M. Daley.
DEscotos brothers were paid with state funds under a $98 million grant UNO got to build new schools...DEscoto Inc. has been paid more than $1.5 million so far for working as owners representative on that project and on two other UNO schools...Rodrigo dEscotos company was paid about $6.7 million for work... and has a contract for about $3.1 million to help build the new high school... UNO hired dEscoto Inc. without seeking other bids...
http://www.suntimes.com/18187719-761/uno-exec-quits-after-grant-payments-to-relatives-revealed.html