Aviation post free- for- all
With Zalewski out, Quinn on no- fly list, race for panel chairman takes off
Ald. Marty Quinn ( 13th) would be a lock to become the new chairman of the City Council’s Aviation Committee if not for his role in the #MeToo scandal swirling around House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political organization.
But Quinn is simply too hot to handle after playing a pivotal go- between role between his own brother and political consultant Alaina Hampton, who has accused Kevin Quinn of stalking her with a series of harassing text messages.
As a result, the race is wide open to replace Aviation Committee Chairman Mike Zalewski ( 23rd), who is resigning his City Council seat effective May 31.
Although the Aviation Committee budget is a modest $ 109,496 a year that’s been frozen since 2011, the position is pivotal.
The new chairman will preside over the $ 8.5 billion O’Hare Airport expansion and make certain African- Americans and Hispanics get a fair share of the jobs and contracts.
That means Zalewski’s replacement can’t be just anyone. It needs to be someone Mayor Rahm Emanuel can trust.
That would seem to rule out veteran Ald. Ricardo Munoz ( 22nd), one of failed mayoral challenger- turned- Democratic congessional nominee Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s closest allies.
Munoz has never chaired a committee, even though he’s a 25- year veteran who ranks fourth in City Council seniority.
The alderman said Tuesday he has already texted Emanuel about his interest in Zalewski’s chairmanship, and the two men are “in discussions.”
“Seniority and the airport is near me. I’ve got a geographic [ claim] to it,” Munoz said, when asked to state his case.
But how can Munoz be trusted to do the mayor’s bidding when he is a Garcia ally who has been an outspoken critic of Emanuel?
“I can be trusted to do what’s best for Chicago,” he said.
Could the Aviation Committee chairmanship be part of a larger political deal that has Garcia, who carried his entire progressive slate in the March 20 primary, endorsing Emanuel for re- election?
“That’s not for me to negotiate. That’s between them two,” Munoz said.
In addition to Munoz, veteran Aldermen “Proco” Joe Moreno ( 1st) and Roberto Maldonado ( 26th) are angling for the job, sources said.
“Look at all of the top chairmanships. They’re whites and African- Americans. The only top chairmanship is Danny Solis [ Zoning],” said Health Committee Chairman George Cardenas ( 12th), who said he would serve if asked.
Moreno said he’s “very interested” in chairing “that very important committee.” and he made that known to Emanuel.
If trusting the newchairman is paramount, Emanuel might be more comfortable with Housing Committee Chairman Joe Moore ( 49th), Traffic Committee Chairman Walter Burnett ( 27th) or Ald. Matt O’Shea ( 19th).
Burnett said he’s interested, but only if the mayor increases the Aviation Committee’s $ 109,496 a year budget to match the Traffic Committee’s $ 249,379.
Moore said he has “no interest whatsover and no one has talked to me about it.”