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Cook County Patronage Chief Removed From Position

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Aug 22, 2006 7:47 am US/Central

Cook County Patronage Chief Removed From Position

Pres. Steele: Not Clear What Gerald Nichols' Position Was

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CHICAGO (CBS) ― Cook County Board President Bobbie Steele (D-2nd) is cleaning house, beginning with an employee described as patronage chief.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Steele told Gerald Nichols to clean out his office last Friday because she could not figure out exactly what his position was.

Steele told the paper Nichols apparently sorted mail and prioritized invitations for former County Board President John H. Stroger Jr. Steele said she does not need Nichols to perform those duties for her.

Nichols has been reassigned to another department.

On Monday, Cook County Highway Department supervisor Eric Petraitis said he felt pressured changing test scores for politically connected job applicants, giving them the same kind of advantage that job applicants with clout allegedly got from the city of Chicago and the state, according to a published report. Petraitis said it was Nichols who called and asked that he recommend a man who received the lower score between two candidates for a job.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.