Less than a month after helping Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s top aide in the Democratic primary for state’s attorney, longtime political insider Victor Reyes got in line to get work on a major county bond deal.
Preckwinkle’s administration picked the Reyes Kurson Ltd. law firm to serve among advisers for a $334 million bond refinancing, according to a measure the president introduced at last Wednesday’s County Board meeting.
Reyes’ law firm and his lobbying company, the Roosevelt Group, were supporters of incumbent State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez for years.
In last month’s primary, though, Reyes backed challenger Kim Foxx, the former Preckwinkle chief of staff who defeated Alvarez.
The Roosevelt Group gave Foxx $4,750 and picked up the $965 tab for a campaign event at BJ’s Market & Bakery, records show. Kurson Reyes contributed another $3,500 to Foxx — though she returned $2,750 of it because lobbyists at the county can’t legally chip in more than $750.
Now, Kurson Reyes is Preckwinkle’s pick to serve as “co-disclosure counsel” on the bond deal. Asked Tuesday if there was any connection between Reyes’ support for Foxx and his new county gig, Preckwinkle spokesman Frank Shuftan said, “No. Period.”
OPINION
Although Reyes’ firm has never been involved in a county bond deal, Shuftan said Reyes Kurson was put on a list of pre-qualified firms three years ago and Lauren Mack, now a lawyer with the firm, did county bond work in the past.
Reyes attributed the firm’s selection for the new deal to his recent hiring of Mack.
“The reason we were selected is we recruited one of the top bond lawyers in the city,” he said. “There’s no reward [for political favors] or anything like that. I know what your thesis is. I get it. But it’s incorrect.”
Shuftan said county officials don’t yet know exactly how much the advisers on the deal will get paid. Reyes said he would be “stunned if it’s in excess of $30,000” for Reyes Kurson.
The firm will be working alongside Katten Muchen Rosenman LLP, where former Mayor Richard M. Daley has been “of counsel” since leaving office five years ago.
Reyes was a top aide to Daley and ran the corrupt, pro-Daley Hispanic Democratic Organization. He was not criminally charged, though his name surfaced repeatedly in the federal cases of Daley aides who rigged city hiring in favor of HDO members and other loyal campaign workers.
These days, the Roosevelt Group — which has contributed $6,000 to Preckwinkle’s campaign committee — represents clients in Springfield, while Reyes Kurson is listed as lobbying at the county and City Hall. Reyes is president of both companies.
The law firm’s deal with the county comes as the City Council’s Latino Caucus is debating whether to cut ties with Reyes Kurson, sources said.
No law is broken when Reyes’ firm simultaneously lobbies at City Hall and gives free legal aid to aldermen, Ethics Board Executive Director Steve Berlin said in an email to the caucus last month. But Berlin said the situation creates “an appearance of impropriety.”
The firm’s pro bono work for the caucus, he wrote, suggests it has “special access” to aldermen and that Latino Council members “will be more apt to make city decisions” in favor of Reyes Kurson clients.
“This perception . . . would be removed altogether if the caucus receives legal advice from an attorney or firm that has no other client matters pending before its individual members,” Berlin concluded.
Preckwinkle easily could apply this same sort of thinking now. She has carefully crafted an image as another reformer from the 4th Ward cradle of President Barack Obama’s career.
So she surely knows what perception is created when she gives business to someone who lobbies her administration — and who supported her ally.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
