Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has repeatedly dodged questions about mob connections in a $99 million custodial contract at O'Hare International Airport, NBC Chicago reports:
Reports surfaced Wednesday that Paul Fosco, a vice president of United Service Companies, served time in 1987 after he was charged in the same corruption case as late mobster Anthony "Big Tuna" Accardo, who was acquitted. A day earlier the Chicago Sun-Times reported the owner of United Service, Richard Simon, had partnered in the past with alleged mob figure William Daddano Jr.
Emanuel skirted questions about both connections, twice pointing to the city's "competitive process" that he said resulted in work for the Service Employees International Union and the hiring of about 100 former employees.
Local media has pressed Emanuel on United Service and Fosco's connection to Chicago's mob scene and each time, Emanuel has skirted by addressing the connection directly, repeatedly citing the competitive process the city uses when awarding city contracts.
Emanuel has been under fire since the airport contract with United Service was finalized in late October. The SEIU has lambasted Emanuel for favoring United Service and how the company does not pay workers a living wage.
This is Emanuel's second tumble with unions with year. The Chicago Teacher's Union went through a public and contentious negotiating process with Emanuel over teacher evaluations.
View Emanuel's tap dancing around the questions below: