среда, 19 сентября 2012 г.

Erwin: ultimate survivor - Chicago Sun-Times

Erwin France, Mayor Sawyer's $120-an-hour adviser, is theultimate survivor of Chicago's tumultuous political wars.

The unsinkable France, 49, has prospered under five Chicagomayors and now is on center stage as Sawyer's transition chief, atemporary appointment.

But France, the influential staffer who calls the shots in theSawyer administration and controls access to the mayor, has beendogged during his 22-year public career by conflict-of-interestcharges that linger today.

Records show that since 1982 alone, consulting firms controlledby France were awarded $548,631 in contracts with the city Health,Housing and Human Services departments, the CTA and the ChicagoHousing Authority, where he served in 1984 as interim chief. Another$30,000 contract with the Health Department was pending when MayorHarold Washington died, according to the city Purchasing Department.

France's dual role as a Chicago Plan Commission member and realestate developer with projects needing the commission's approvalspurred controversy and ultimately caused Washington to withdraw hisnomination of France as commission chairman. Abrasive, flashy

Abrasive and flashy, France drives a Jaguar, wears a full-lengthfur coat and has a weekend retreat in a location he won't disclose.He's divorced, stays in close touch with his two adult sons and findstime to serve as president of his South Shore condominiumassociation.

'I work and sleep. That's all I have time for,' said France,who plans to call the shots for Sawyer only for another two monthsbefore returning to his consulting practice.

Those who know France say you either love or hate him. There isno middle ground.

City records and a series of interviews uncovered the followingrevelations about France, the power he wields and the stinging rebukehe reserves for his harshest critic: France is billing the city $120 an hour as special counsel toSawyer. He has no written contract with the city and there is noceiling on his fees. France says he routinely puts in '18-hour days'but plans to bill the city for less. At France's urging, Sawyer slashed former mayoral chief of staffErnest G. Barefield's request for four months' overtime pay forhimself and other top aides forced out by the new administration.Sawyer has authorized one month's pay for the fired staffers. In response to conflict-of-interest allegations by former Ald. LeonM. Despres (5th), which cost France the Plan Commission chair, Francecharged that Despres has given a pass to his 'Jewish colleagues,'Miles Berger and Julian Levi, who previously chaired the commissionunder similar alleged conflicts. Despres, who is Jewish, branded thecomments anti-Semitic, a charge France denies. 'I have many closefriends who are Jewish,' France said. France is general partner in a $2.2 million Hyde Park town housedevelopment seeking to purchase urban renewal land owned by the cityat 48th and Dorchester. The developers, Kenwood Gateway Partnership,likely will need Plan Commission approval for the project. WhenFrance was appointed by Sawyer, reporters were told that theall-purpose consultant's only city business would be put on hold. His 21-year-old son runs an office supply business that sellsstationery to the city Law Department, records show. Asked if he hasused his influence to win government business for his son's company,France said, 'Everybody helps their sons,' echoing former MayorRichard J. Daley.

France, a St. Louis native, said he came to Chicago at the ageof 17 with $16 in his pocket. He worked his way through GeorgeWilliams College, trained to become a YMCA executive, but said,'There were no jobs open at black Y's.' France took a job with thestate Labor Department and continued his quest for degrees, earning amaster's in urban studies at Loyola University.

Daley gave France his entree to City Hall as a 27-year-oldadministrative aide in the mid-1960s. He has been a fixture on thegovernment scene ever since, as a paid consultant or unpaidappointee.

In 1975, as full-time director of the city's Model Citiesprogram, France completed work on a doctorate in public managementfrom an Ohio school now known as the Union for Experimenting Collegesand Universities.

Spokesman Donald Hagerty said the school is a 'non-traditionaluniversity without walls' where students get 'individualized degrees'after designing their own programs. The school, founded in 1969, wasnot fully accredited until 1985, according to a spokesman for theNorth Central Association of Colleges and Universities.

'Blacks who get jobs have to be even more qualified thanwhites,' said France, who sometimes signs his name with a Ph.D.France said he drew fire for insisting that all of his Model Citiesemployees who had not graduated from college pursue degrees in theirspare time. As a result, he said, he felt the need to set anexample.

The year he earned his doctorate, France also made a decisionthat would earn him bitter enemies to this day. When Rep. RalphMetcalfe Sr. (D-Ill.) infuriated Daley by denouncing policebrutality, Daley retaliated by slating France to run against him.Metcalfe won more than 70 percent of the vote, handing France ahumiliating defeat in his only run for public office.

'Wounds like that never fully heal,' France said. 'A lot of thepeople that I had helped in the trenches didn't stand with me.'

Jacky D. Grimshaw, a former Washington aide fired by France,called Metcalfe's victory 'probably my biggest triumph as a politicalorganizer' until Washington's 1982 congressional victory inMetcalfe's old district. Grimshaw said her 'complete disenchantment'with France occurred when he allowed himself to be used as 'aninstrument in trying to punish a black political leader who dared tospeak out . . . in support of the black community.' Turned to private sector

Still smarting from his election debacle, France opted to usehis government contacts and political savvy to make money in theprivate sector. He joined forces with Edward H. Palmer, formerexecutive director of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference, toform a consulting firm, known until recently as Palmer, France &Assoc. France said his corporate clients include Anheuser Busch,Johnson & Johnson, General Electric and Sara Lee.

Despite the blue-chip list of clients, Despres, former Hyde Parkalderman now serving as City Council parliamentarian, calls Francethe city's 'all-time king of conflicts of interest' because of hisalleged penchant for using his public position to benefit his privatebusiness.

Despres said he is concerned that France will pave the way forfuture contracts by putting programs and people in place in his roleas Sawyer's transition chief.

'Maybe he's had a sudden conversion like St. Paul on the road toDamascus,' Despres said. 'Maybe his loyalty is solely to the city ofChicago. If that's true, he'd be a splendid city official.'