In a strong defense of his administration`s handling of a growing City Hall bribery scandal, Mayor Harold Washington said Friday that he has taken major steps to ferret out government corruption and he denied his top aides have tried to conceal their knowledge of a bribe.
”I`m not afraid of the word `cover-up,` ” Washington said. ”I`m trying to tell you there is no cover-up.”
At the same time, Washington said that an internal city investigation will try to determine whether there is any truth to allegations that former mayoral aide Clarence McClain was able to use influence in the administration to help a corrupt businessman compete for city contracts.
”I`ve made it very clear that I want this matter resolved,” Washington said during the taping of a television interview program. Later he added,
”The public wants the truth. It does not want cute-isms from you and me.”
Washington`s remarks climaxed a week in which his administration successfully persuaded former federal prosecutor Thomas P. Sullivan to assume a major role in the Office of Municipal Investigations` inquiry into suspected corruption in Chicago`s government.
Washington said the appointment of Sullivan, whom he described as ”one of the finest investigators in this country,” will give credibility to the OMI inquiry.
”Mr. Sullivan would not have taken this job if he had thought he`d be useless,” Washington said.
But Washington acknowledged that the inquiry will be limited, primarily because the city agency lacks subpoena power and the jurisdiction to investigate officials outside the executive branch of government. The mayor repeated his previous assertion that he will ask the city council to widen the agency`s scope to give it the power to demand certain documents and records. He challenged his opponents on the council to approve the plan.
Washington accused Ald. Edward Burke (14th), one of his most strident council opponents, of pushing legislation over the years that has weakened OMI. He said that Burke and other aldermen fear a more powerful OMI would look at their activities.
The administration has said that Sullivan`s investigation will primarily focus on allegations resulting from an FBI undercover inquiry of city government. During that federal investigation, con-man-turned-informant Michael Raymond posed as a corrupt businessman who tried to exchange money to win contracts from the city for his collection company.
Sources familiar with the inquiry have said it shows that McClain, a controversial businessman who has privately bragged of his influence in the administration, helped Raymond in his efforts to win city business. Washington has said that he does not believe McClain has influence in his government.
”Nobody but nobody, including Clarence McClain, has ever come to me and avoided the process and got any favoritism when it comes to contracts,”
Washington said.
Washington`s remarks came at a taping of ”Newsmakers,” which will be shown on WBBM-TV (Channel 2) at 5 p.m. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. Sunday and 12:30 a.m. Monday. During the taping in the mayor`s office, Washington acknowledged that it is possible he met Raymond, although he does not recall such an encounter.
”You know how many people come here a day?” he said. ”Aldermen come here with friends, (and say) `Meet X, Meet Y.”`
Washington said that if the FBI tapped his telephone, ”They didn`t find anything negative about the mayor.”
Sources familiar with the investigation have said there is no evidence that the mayor was involved in wrongdoing.
Washington expressed concern that details of the investigation have appeared in the press, and he warned that ”leaks” about the case could damage the reputations of people.
The mayor said it is too early to tell if the investigation has cost him politically.
”Whether or not there is a political downfall or not is a question of judgment,” he said.
”Newsmakers” is normally taped at WBBM-TV`s studios. However, a station spokesman said Alton Miller, the mayor`s press secretary, suggested that the show be filmed in the mayor`s office. Miller has said the mayor is more comfortable conducting interviews there.
