Ex-Commissioner gets 11 years: 'I stand before you a disgraced man'
Former Cook County Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno, left, and his wife, Nancy, leave court after he was sentenced to 11 years on corruption charges. (Terrence Antonio James, Chicago Tribune / February 19, 2014)
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Former Cook County Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno was sentenced to 11 years in prison this afternoon on corruption charges.
Moreno had pleaded guilty to using his county board position to pressure a company with a county contract to hire a friend of his who then paid him a $100,000 kickback that Moreno, an attorney, attempted to disguise as legal fees.
The former commissioner was also tied to a bribery scheme involving the sale of bandages to Stroger Hospital and other public hospitals.
He had also taken a $5,000 bribe in exchange for his help in getting approval for a Cicero waste transfer station.
U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman said he needed to impose a sentence that would deter other public officials in Illinois from engaging in corruption and noted that Moreno's misconduct lasted for nearly five years.
"The point has to be made and the signal has to be sent," the judge said. "The conduct was so brazen. It was not an aberration. It was standard operating procedure."
Moreno, wearing a pin-striped dark blue suit, had one of his attorneys read a three-page letter he wrote to the judge.
“Although hard to admit that I didn’t know the difference, I now know that what I regarded as ‘politics as usual’ were illegal acts,” the statement said. “Regretfully I became a willing participant in this culture. As the government’s recordings demonstrate, people wanted something from me all of the time.”
Moreno wrote that he had served “honorably” for most of his career but that he associated with the wrong people and began to drink too much.
“I suffered from the flawed traits of excess pride, greed, selfishness and a sense of invincibility,” he said. “I stand before you a disgraced man.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Stetler said that Moreno had “systematically abused the system to benefit himself” while ignoring “the long line of corrupt politicians who came through this building.”
It was because of politicians like Moreno, he said, that the Chicago area was “saddled with the reputation of being one of the most corrupt places in the country.”
“The people of this state have had enough of corrupt politicians,” said Stetler, who sought a sentence of more than 13 years in prison to send a message.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said Moreno’s corruption was “disheartening.”
“What I usually say about this, being a history teacher, is that in a democracy you may not get the government you deserve, but you get the government you put up with,” Preckwinkle told reporters at an unrelated press conference. “And unfortunately in Illinois we’ve been willing to put up with a pretty remarkable and unsavory cast of characters. All of us who live in the state have to take responsibility for that.
sschmadeke@tribune.com
Moreno had pleaded guilty to using his county board position to pressure a company with a county contract to hire a friend of his who then paid him a $100,000 kickback that Moreno, an attorney, attempted to disguise as legal fees.
The former commissioner was also tied to a bribery scheme involving the sale of bandages to Stroger Hospital and other public hospitals.
He had also taken a $5,000 bribe in exchange for his help in getting approval for a Cicero waste transfer station.
U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman said he needed to impose a sentence that would deter other public officials in Illinois from engaging in corruption and noted that Moreno's misconduct lasted for nearly five years.
"The point has to be made and the signal has to be sent," the judge said. "The conduct was so brazen. It was not an aberration. It was standard operating procedure."
Moreno, wearing a pin-striped dark blue suit, had one of his attorneys read a three-page letter he wrote to the judge.
“Although hard to admit that I didn’t know the difference, I now know that what I regarded as ‘politics as usual’ were illegal acts,” the statement said. “Regretfully I became a willing participant in this culture. As the government’s recordings demonstrate, people wanted something from me all of the time.”
Moreno wrote that he had served “honorably” for most of his career but that he associated with the wrong people and began to drink too much.
“I suffered from the flawed traits of excess pride, greed, selfishness and a sense of invincibility,” he said. “I stand before you a disgraced man.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Stetler said that Moreno had “systematically abused the system to benefit himself” while ignoring “the long line of corrupt politicians who came through this building.”
It was because of politicians like Moreno, he said, that the Chicago area was “saddled with the reputation of being one of the most corrupt places in the country.”
“The people of this state have had enough of corrupt politicians,” said Stetler, who sought a sentence of more than 13 years in prison to send a message.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said Moreno’s corruption was “disheartening.”
“What I usually say about this, being a history teacher, is that in a democracy you may not get the government you deserve, but you get the government you put up with,” Preckwinkle told reporters at an unrelated press conference. “And unfortunately in Illinois we’ve been willing to put up with a pretty remarkable and unsavory cast of characters. All of us who live in the state have to take responsibility for that.
sschmadeke@tribune.com
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