:Richard M. Daley

Richard M. Daley is the fourth of seven children and eldest son of Richard J. and Eleanor Daley, who later became Mayor and First Lady of Chicago in 1955. Born on April 24, 1942,{{Cite book|last1=Green|first1=Paul Michael|url=https://archive.org/details/mayorschicago00gree|url-access=registration|title=The Mayors: The Chicago Political Tradition|last2=Holli|first2=Melvin G.|date=1987|publisher=SIU Press|isbn=978-0-8093-8845-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/mayorschicago00gree/page/n287 261]|language=en}} he grew up in Bridgeport, a historically Irish-American neighborhood located on Chicago's South Side.{{cite news |title=The Irish Battle Of North And South|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|year=1995 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1995/03/17/the-irish-battle-of-north-and-south/}}{{cite web |title=American Pharaoh: Mayor Richard J. Daley: His Battle for Chicago and the Nation |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |year=2000 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/first/c/cohen-american.html}} Daley is a brother of William M. Daley, former White House Chief of Staff and former United States Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton; John P. Daley, a commissioner on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and chairman of the Board's Finance Committee; and Michael Daley, an attorney with Daley & Georges, a law firm founded by their father Richard J. Daley, that specializes in zoning law and is often hired by developers to help get zoning changes through city hall.{{cite web |title=Michael Daley |url=http://www.daleygeorges.com/attorneys/daley1.shtml |publisher=Daley & George, Ltd. |access-date=December 2, 2012 |archive-date=March 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309100047/http://www.daleygeorges.com/attorneys/daley1.shtml |url-status=dead }} Daley was married to Margaret "Maggie" Corbett until her death on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011 after a decade-long battle with metastatic breast cancer, which had spread to her bones and liver. Maggie Daley Park in the Chicago Loop commemorates her, and her nonprofit After School Matters continues to serve Chicago's young people.{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/07/10/mellody-hobson-named-to-head-after-school-matters/|title=Mellody Hobson named to head After School Matters|work=tribunedigital-chicagotribune|access-date=June 18, 2018|language=en|archive-date=June 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618204219/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-10/business/chi-mellody-hobson-named-to-head-after-school-matters-20120710_1_maggie-daley-summer-apprenticeship-programs-nora-daley-conroy|url-status=live}} They have four children: Nora, Patrick, Elizabeth and Kevin, all born at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago. Their second son, Kevin, died at age two of complications from spina bifida in 1981.{{cite web |title=About the Mayor |publisher=City of Chicago |year=2010 |url=http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/mayor/supp_info/about_the_mayor.html |access-date=September 11, 2013 |archive-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907084423/http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/mayor/supp_info/about_the_mayor.html |url-status=dead }} Daley was raised Roman Catholic.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-feb-20-na-daley20-story.html |title=In Chicago Mayor's View, Same-Sex Nuptials Are Fine |date=February 20, 2004 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |first=P.J. |last=Huffstutter |access-date=October 6, 2015}}

Daley graduated from De La Salle Institute high school in Chicago and obtained his bachelor's degree from DePaul University in 1964, having transferred from Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island after two years.{{cite news |title=Is Rich Daley Ready for Reform? Often he is, when it's easy and expedient. But when the political stakes are high, he usually lies low |first=Doug |last=Cassel |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/is-rich-daley-ready-for-reform/Content?oid=873372 |date=February 9, 1989 |newspaper=Chicago Reader}} In 1962, at age 19, home on Christmas break, Daley was ticketed for running a stop sign at Huron and Rush, and the Chicago Sun-Times headline was "Mayor's Son Gets Ticket, Uses No Clout," with a subhead reading "Quiet Boy."{{cite news |title=What's In A Name? Political Assets And Some Personal Liabilities; Richard Daley |date=February 3, 1989 |first=John |last=Camper |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/02/03/whats-in-a-name-political-assets-and-some-personal-liabilities/}}

Sources conflict on Daley's military record. The only book-length biography of Daley makes no mention of military service.{{cite book |last=Koeneman |first=Keith |title=First Son: The Biography of Richard M. Daley |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=2013}} A 1995 profile in the Chicago Sun-Times stated that Daley served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1961 to 1967,{{cite news|title=Richard Michael Daley|first=Richard A. |last=Chapman |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=February 5, 1995}} while a 1996 profile in People Magazine cited 1960 to 1964.{{cite magazine|title=Chicago Hope: aware of his city's legacy, and his own, Mayor Richard Daley plans to show off a gentler convention town |first1=Rob |last1=Howe |first2=Giovanna |last2=Breu |magazine=People |date=September 2, 1996}} A civilian website for Marines and their families found no military record for Daley.{{cite web |title=Famous Marine Rumors |first=Bridget |last=Daniels Carlson |publisher=USMC Hangout |url=http://www.usmchangout.com/military/branches/usmc/misc/famousmarines/famousmarinerumors.htm |access-date=October 9, 2014}}

Daley earned a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University. He passed the Illinois Bar Examination on his third try. Daley later reflected, "I flunked the bar exam twice. I had to keep studying harder and harder and harder. I passed it the third time."{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4DD1F3CF936A35757C0A96F948260|title=MAN IN THE NEWS; Chicago Mayor From a New Mold; Richard Michael Daley |newspaper=New York Times |first=William E. |last=Schmidt |date=April 5, 1989}} Daley never tried a case.{{cite news |title=Daley Double; In which we dare to compare the father and son mayors. |first=Cate |last=Plys |date=December 20, 1990 |newspaper=Chicago Reader |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/daley-double/Content?oid=876838}}

Daley was elected to his first office as a delegate to the 1969 Illinois Constitutional Convention, which created the current Constitution of Illinois (adopted after voters approved it in a 1970 special election).{{cite web |last1=Harper |first1=Dan |title=Subject & Course Guides: Daley Family Collections: About Richard M. Daley |url=https://researchguides.uic.edu/DaleyFamily/RMDbio |website=researchguides.uic.edu |publisher=UIC |access-date=March 28, 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Grossman |first1=Ron |title=Rewriting a constitution not for the weak of heart |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/ct-per-con-con-flashback-0524-jm-20150522-story.html |website=chicagotribune.com |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=March 28, 2020 |date=May 22, 2015}} According to journalist Rick Perlstein, in June 1972, Daley led a mob on behalf of his father's Democratic Party regulars against pro-McGovern reformers meeting in a church in Illinois' Fifth Congressional District. The action was unsuccessful and the reformers' slate (which included Rev. Jesse Jackson) replaced the Daley slate at the Democratic National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida.Rick Perlstein, Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America (NY: Scribner, 2008), pp. 691-693.

After his father died in 1976, Daley succeeded his father as the 11th Ward Democratic committeeman, a party post, until succeeded in the post by his brother John P. Daley in 1980.{{cite news |last1=Ciokajlo |first1=Mickey |first2=Robert |last2=Becker |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/09/11/john-daley-6/ |title=John Daley; Mayor's low-key brother forced into spotlight as city corruption scandals invade his personal and political domain, the 11th Ward |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=September 11, 2005}} With John P. Daley holding the post from 1980 to the present, a Daley has held the post of 11th Ward Committeeman for 60 years.

After Edward Nihill stepped down, Daley, with the support of the Democratic political organization, was elected to the Illinois Senate, serving from 1972 to 1980.{{cite book|last=Rakove|first=Milton L.|title=Don't Make No Waves, Don't Back No Losers|location=Bloomington, Indiana|publisher=University of Indiana Press|page=53|isbn=978-0-253-20202-4|year=1976|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0253202027}} State Senator Daley rarely spoke to reporters and didn't hold a news conference for six years. Daley chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee. Daley was named one of Illinois' ten worst state legislators by Chicago Magazine "for arrogance, for sharklike qualities, for living off his father's name, and for pulling puppet strings attached to some of the worst members of the Senate." He was considered "too shrewd to be one of the worst, but he controls so many of the worst senators that he belongs on the list to represent all of them."{{cite news |newspaper=Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine |date=August 25, 1996 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-960825kass-daley-story,0,4568356.story |title=The New Mayor Daley |first=John |last=Kass |author-link=John Kass }} After the Spring 1975 state legislative session, Chicago Democrat Dawn Clark Netsch, who served with Daley as Illinois Constitutional Convention delegates and as State Senators, blamed "dirty little Richie" for frustrating her good government legislative agenda in the state legislature.{{cite news |title=Springfield '75: Winners and losers: Behind the blizzard of bills--the uncommon seven |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=June 22, 1975}}{{cite news |title=A New Dawn |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=November 18, 1979 |last=Harty |first=Rosalynne}}

In 1980, Daley challenged incumbent Republican Bernard Carey for Cook County State's Attorney. Democratic Mayor Jane Byrne endorsed Alderman Edward M. Burke in the Democratic primary,{{cite news | title=THE WRATH OF MAYOR JANE BYRNE | author=Waldman, Myron S. | newspaper=Boston Globe | date=March 13, 1980 | page=1}}{{cite news | title=Her Prestige is on the Line; Byrne Backs Kennedy and Opposes a Daley - She's One Tough Lady | date=March 15, 1980 | last=Wilkie |first=Curtis | page=1 | newspaper=Boston Globe}} and after Daley prevailed in the primary, endorsed Carey in the general election. Daley prevailed and served from 1981 to 1989.{{cite news |title=The Law and Richard M. Daley |first=David |last=Jackson |date=September 1988 |url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/September-1988/The-Law-and-Richard-M-Daley/ |work=Chicago Magazine}}{{cite news | title=Daley Beats Incumbent For Post in Cook County | date=November 6, 1980 | agency=UPI | newspaper=New York Times}} His election over Carey saw him win by merely sixteen thousand votes, one of the narrowest wins for the Cook County State's Attorney election.{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Paul M. |last2=Holli |first2=Melvin G. |title=The Mayors: The Chicago Political Tradition, fourth edition |url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=-L_shTgapuIC |publisher=SIU Press |access-date=May 22, 2020 |page=225|language=en |date=January 10, 2013}}

In February 1982, Andrew Wilson was arrested for the murder of two Chicago police officers. Wilson was taken to Area 2 detective headquarters on the South Side for interrogation under Chicago Police Detective Jon Burge. Dr. John Raba, Medical Director of Cermak Health Services, the prison hospital in the Cook County Hospital system, examined Wilson, determined Wilson had been tortured, and complained in writing to then Chicago Police Superintendent Richard J. Brzeczek:

I examined Mr. Andrew Wilson on February 15 & 16, 1982. He had multiple bruises, swellings and abrasions on his face and head. His right eye was battered and had a superficial laceration. Andrew Wilson had several linear blisters on his right thigh, right cheek and anterior chest which were consistent with radiator burns. He stated he'd been cuffed to a radiator and pushed into it. He also stated that electrical shocks had been administered to his gums, lips and genitals. All these injuries occurred prior to his arrival at the Jail. There must be a thorough investigation of this alleged brutality.{{citation |title=Brzeczek Exhibit No. 2: Letter from Raba |date=February 17, 1982 |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/7651902/Letter-to-Daley1 |first=John |last=Raba}}

Brzeczek forwarded the letter to State's Attorney Daley.{{cite news |title=A tortuous path to not blaming Daley |first=John |last=Kass |author-link=John Kass |date=July 20, 2006 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/07/20/a-tortuous-path-to-not-blaming-daley/}}{{cite news |title=Doctor Takes Burge Trial Stand |first=Katie |last=Fretland |date=June 8, 2010 |agency=Chicago News Cooperative |url=http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/doctor-takes-burge-trial-stand/ |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201035911/http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/doctor-takes-burge-trial-stand/ |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |url-status=dead }}{{citation |title=Brzeczek Exhibit No. 3: Letter to Daley |date=February 25, 1982 |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/7651902/Letter-to-Daley1 |first=Richard |last=Brzeczek}} Daley never replied,{{cite news |title=House of Screams; Torture by Electroshock: Could it happen in a Chicago police station? Did it happen at Area 2? |first=John |last=Conroy |date=January 25, 1990 |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/house-of-screams/Content?oid=875107 |newspaper=Chicago Reader}} and charges were never brought against any officers.{{cite news |title=Daley on Burge: 'We Did Everything Possible' |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |date=June 30, 2010 |url=http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/daley-on-burge-response-we-did-everything-possible/ |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201035909/http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/daley-on-burge-response-we-did-everything-possible/ |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=Ignoring an injustice |date=April 29, 2007 |first=Rob |last=Warden |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/04/29/ignoring-an-injustice/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} Daley's prosecutors convicted Wilson and his brother Jackie of murder, and Andrew Wilson was sentenced to death. On April 2, 1987, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the convictions, ruling that Wilson was forced to confess involuntarily after being beaten by police.{{citation |title=Verdict Overturned In Killing Of 2 Cops |date=April 3, 1987 |first=Joseph R. |last=Tybor |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/04/03/verdict-overturned-in-killing-of-2-cops/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}{{citation |title=The Persistence of Andrew Wilson; A cop killer who fought to expose torture in the Chicago Police Department has died, but his testimony from beyond the grave could still help bring down its perpetrators |first=John |last=Conroy |newspaper=Chicago Reader |date=November 29, 2007 |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-persistence-of-andrew-wilson/Content?oid=999832 |access-date=December 1, 2012}}

{{Main|1983 Chicago mayoral election}}

In November 1982, Daley announced his first campaign for mayor.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/05/us/another-daley-seeks-to-run-chicago.html | title=Another Daley Seeks to Run Chicago | date=November 5, 1982 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | last=Malcolm |first=Andrew H. | newspaper=New York Times}}{{cite news | title=Daley's Son to Run for Mayor | date=November 5, 1982 | agency=Associated Press | page=1 | newspaper=Boston Globe}} The candidates in the three-way Democratic primary, which included incumbent Mayor Jane Byrne, a former protégée of his father, and Congressman Harold Washington, held a series of four televised debates.{{cite news | title=3 Candidates for Chicago Mayor Clash in Debate on Finances | date=January 20, 1983 | access-date=December 2, 2012 | last=Sheppard Jr. |first=Nathaniel | newspaper=New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/20/us/3-candidates-for-chicago-mayor-clash-in-debate-on-finances.html}}{{cite news | title=Last Debate Signals Final Stage of Chicago's Acrimonious Democratic Mayoral Race | date=February 2, 1983 | access-date=December 2, 2012 | last=Malcolm |first=Andrew H. | newspaper=New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/02/us/last-debate-signals-final-stage-of-chicago-s-acrimonious-democratic-mayoral-race.html}} Daley finished third.{{cite news | title=Victory Claimed for Washington in Chicago Vote | date=February 23, 1983 | last=Malcolm |first=Andrew H. | newspaper=New York Times}} Many of Richard J.'s political allies blamed Richard M. for splitting the white vote, enabling Washington to become Chicago's first black mayor.{{cite news |title=Daley vs. Daley; For much of the past half century, a mayor named Daley has towered over Chicago. We compare the reigns of father and son, assessing their triumphs and failures, their impact on the city—and what their enduring dominance at the polls says about us |first=David |last=Bernstein |date=September 2008 |url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/September-2008/Daley-vs-Daley/ |work=Chicago Magazine}}

{{Main|1989 Chicago mayoral special election}}

On November 25, 1987, Mayor Washington died in office of a heart attack. On December 2, 1987, the Chicago City Council appointed Alderman Eugene Sawyer as mayor until a special election for the remaining two years of the term could be held in 1989.{{cite book |last=Fremon |first=David K. |title=Chicago Politics Ward by Ward |publisher=Indiana University Press |date=January 1, 1998 |page=343 |isbn = 978-0-253-20490-5}} Daley announced his candidacy on December 6, 1988, saying

Let's face it: we have a problem in Chicago. The name-calling and politics at City Hall are keeping us from tackling the real issues ... I may not be the best speaker in town, but I know how to run a government and how to bring people together.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/06/us/daley-entering-chicago-contest-for-mayoralty.html | title=Daley Entering Chicago Contest For Mayoralty | date=December 6, 1988 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Johnson, Dirk | newspaper=New York Times}}

Rahm Emanuel worked for the Daley campaign as a fundraiser,{{cite news |title=In Chicago, A Political Dynasty Nears Its End |first=Cheryl |last=Corley |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/05/13/136240147/in-chicago-a-political-dynasty-nears-its-end |agency=NPR |date=May 13, 2011}} David Axelrod as campaign strategist, William Daley as chief strategist, and Forrest Claypool as a campaign aide. Among four Daley campaign appearances on a Sunday shortly before the primary was a rally of Polish Highlanders at 4808 S. Archer Ave.{{citation |title=Daley, Sawyer Campaigns Shift Into High Gear; Mayoral Rivals Crisscross Neighborhoods |date=February 20, 1989 |first1=Joel |last1=Kaplan |first2=Dahleen |last2=Glanto |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/02/20/daley-sawyer-campaigns-shift-into-high-gear/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} In a videotaped television newscast, it appeared that Daley said, "You want a white mayor to sit down with everybody." Sawyer said he was "shocked." Daley explained, "It was my standard stump speech. I'm not maybe the best speaker in town, but I have never used the word [white]."{{citation |title=Bernardin Calls For Racial Harmony; Mayor Candidates Praised |date=February 24, 1989 |first1=Jack |last1=Houston |first2=Mitchell |last2=Locin |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/02/24/bernardin-calls-for-racial-harmony/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} That Friday, the campaign watchdog group CONDUCT censured Daley and commended Sawyer for his "rejection of racially inflammatory comments."{{citation |title=Group Censures Daley For Disputed Comment |date=February 25, 1989 |first1=R. Bruce |last1=Dold |first2=John |last2=Camper |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/02/25/group-censures-daley-for-disputed-comment/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}{{citation |date=May 27, 2010 |title=The "wet mayor" legend, a timeline from the news archives |first=Eric |last=Zorn |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2010/05/the-wet-mayor-story-a-timeline-from-the-news-archives.html}}

Daley defeated Sawyer in the primary.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/01/us/daley-wins-primary-in-chicago-mayoral-vote-is-racially-divided.html | title=Daley Wins Primary in Chicago; Mayoral Vote Is Racially Divided | date=March 1, 1989 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Johnson, Dirk | newspaper=New York Times}} In the 1989 general election, Daley faced Republican candidate Edward Vrdolyak, a former Democratic alderman who had opposed Mayor Washington, and Alderman Timothy C. Evans, the candidate of the newly created Harold Washington Party. Daley won the general election on April 4, 1989.{{cite news | title=Daley Elected Chicago Mayor | date=April 5, 1989 |author1=Peterson, Bill |author2=Edsall, Thomas B | page=1 | newspaper=Washington Post}}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/05/us/daley-wins-as-mayor-of-chicago-ending-six-years-of-black-control.html | title=Daley Wins as Mayor of Chicago, Ending Six Years of Black Control | date=April 5, 1989 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Johnson, Dirk | newspaper=New York Times}} Daley was inaugurated as Mayor of Chicago on April 24, 1989,{{cite news |title=Richard M. Daley's 22 years as mayor |date=April 30, 2011 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/04/30/richard-m-daleys-22-years-as-mayor/}}{{citation |title=Inaugural Address |first=Richard M. |last=Daley |date=April 24, 1989 |url=http://www.chipublib.org/cplbooksmovies/cplarchive/mayors/rm_daley_inaug01.php |publisher=Chicago Public Library}}{{cite news |title=10 Memorable Moments Of Mayor Daley's Reign |url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/05/13/10-highlights-of-mayor-daleys-reign/ |first=Adam |last=Harrington |publisher=CBS Chicago |date=May 13, 2011}} his 47th birthday, at a ceremony in Orchestra Hall.

Daley presided over the most docile City Council since his father.{{cite news |title=Honeymoon at the Hall - First 100 days go smoothly for Daley, but clouds are gathering |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=July 30, 1989 |first1=Fran |last1=Spielman |first2=Ray |last2=Hanania}} One of the new mayor's first acts was to appropriate the City Council's power to approve city contracts, a right aldermen exercised under former Mayors Washington and Sawyer.{{cite news |title=Daley: Year 1 - Confident mayor presides over glitz and crackdowns |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=April 22, 1990 |first1=Fran |last1=Spielman |first2=Ray |last2=Hanania}} Daley's first budget proposal, the 1990 budget, included $3 billion in spending,{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|3000000000|1990|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} $50 million more than 1989,{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|50000000|1990|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} featured a $25 million reduction in the property tax levy,{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|25000000|1990|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} extended Mayor Sawyer's hiring freeze, piloted recycling, and privatized the city's tow truck fleet.{{cite news |title=Daley budget to include tax cut |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=October 13, 1989 |first=Ray |last=Hanania}} Daley became the first Chicago Mayor to lead Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade, at the 20th annual parade on Sunday, June 26, 1989.{{cite news |title=Daley is first mayor to lead gays' parade |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=June 26, 1989 |first=Lori |last=Rotenberk}} On August 22, 1990, Daley told reporters that "people are getting hurt in drive-by shoot-a-longs."{{cite news |title=Daleyspeak |date=August 23, 1990 |first1=Kathy |last1=O'Malley |first2=Dorothy |last2=Collin |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1990/08/23/daleyspeakrich-daley-like-his-father-sometimes-has-trouble-getting/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} In December 1990, Amnesty International issued a report "Allegations of Police Torture in Chicago, Illinois" calling for a full inquiry into allegations that some Chicago police officers tortured criminal suspects between 1972 and 1984.{{cite web |title=Allegations of Police Torture in Chicago, Illinois |url=http://www.chicagojustice.org/foi/relevant-documents-of-interest/amnesty-international-report-on-torture-by-chicago-police/Amnesty_International_Report_re_Allegations_of_Tor.pdf |date=December 1990 |publisher=Amnesty International |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525224932/http://www.chicagojustice.org/foi/relevant-documents-of-interest/amnesty-international-report-on-torture-by-chicago-police/Amnesty_International_Report_re_Allegations_of_Tor.pdf |archive-date=May 25, 2012 }}{{cite news |title=Group wants police commander fired |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=January 29, 1991 |first=Ray |last=Long}}

On April 2, 1991, Daley was reelected to a second term (his first full, four-year term), with 70.7% of the vote, over African American civil rights attorney and Appellate Judge R. Eugene Pincham.{{cite news |title=Mayor captures 71% of vote, boosts share of black ballots |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=April 3, 1991 |first=Lynn |last=Sweet}} Questioned about the city's rising homicide rate on September 10, 1991, Daley said "The more killing and homicides you have, the more havoc it prevents."{{citation |title=See Dick read As his political honeymoon draws to a ...|date=September 11, 1991 |first1=Kathy |last1=O'Malley |first2=Dorothy |last2=Collin |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/09/11/see-dick-readas-his-political-honeymoon-draws/}}{{citation |title=Scrootening the wit and wisdom of Mayor Daley |first=Abdon M. |last=Pallasch |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=October 16, 2011 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/5205957-423/scrootening-the-wit-and-wisdom-of-mayor-daley.html}}

On the weekend of March 1–2, 1992, Daley and his wife arranged for 16-year-old son Patrick to stay with relatives while they attended a family event in New York. Patrick told the relatives he was staying with friends, drove his father's new sports utility vehicle to the Daley second home in Grand Beach, Michigan and threw a party Saturday night without parental consent or adult supervision. Someone asked two Filipino and two white youths to leave, racial epithets were exchanged, and a fistfight broke out. Patrick retrieved Richard J. Daley's shotgun from the house and gave it to his cousin, who was aged 17. A youth was seriously injured when a juvenile struck him in the head with a baseball bat.{{cite news |title=Brawl At Daley's Estate; Racial Flap At Son's Mich. Party; Teen Hurt |date=March 2, 1992 |first1=John |last1=Kass |author-link1=John Kass |first2=Janita |last2=Poe |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/03/02/brawl-at-daleys-estate/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}{{cite news |title=Final Charges Are Filed In Fight At Daley Retreat |date=April 25, 1992 |first=George |last=Papajohn |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/04/25/final-charges-are-filed-in-fight-at-daley-retreat/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} On Monday a sobbing Mayor Daley read a statement at a City Hall press conference, pausing repeatedly as he tried to maintain his composure,

I am very disappointed, as any parent would be, after his son held a party in their home while his parents were away. I am more deeply distressed for the welfare of the young man who was injured in this fight.{{cite news |title=Emotional Mayor Details Brawl Involving His Son |date=March 2, 1992 |author-link=John Kass |first=John |last=Kass |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/03/02/emotional-mayor-details-brawl-involving-his-son/}}

Patrick pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of furnishing alcohol to minors and disturbing the peace and was sentenced to six months' probation, 50 hours of community service in Grand Beach, fined $1,950{{efn|{{inflation|US|1950|1992|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} and ordered to pay restitution to his parents for property damage. His cousin pleaded guilty to aiming a firearm without malice and was fined $1,235.{{efn|{{inflation|US|1235|1992|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} Sixteen other youths were charged with juvenile and adult offenses. The injured youth recovered.{{cite news |title=Daley's Son Pleads Guilty To Brawl Charges |date=April 10, 1992 |first1=John |last1=Kass |author-link1=John Kass |first2=Peter |last2=Kendall |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/04/10/daleys-son-pleads-guilty-to-brawl-charges/}}

Joseph E. Gardner ran against Daley and lost.

Daley took control of the Chicago Public Schools system in 1995 and appointed Paul Vallas. When Vallas left the post to run for governor, Daley chose the relatively obscure Arne Duncan, who later became the U.S. Secretary of Education under Barack Obama, to lead the district. On March 19, 1997, the Chicago City Council adopted the Domestic Partners Ordinance, which made employee benefits available to same-sex partners of City employees. Daley said it was an issue of fairness.{{cite news |title=No Tranquility As Panel Oks City Partners Plan; Burke Nearly Ends Hearing As Daley's Religion Questioned |date=March 13, 1997 |first=Jacquelyn |last=Heard |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/03/13/no-tranquility-as-panel-oks-city-partners-plan/}}

The first major public corruption scandal of Daley's tenure as mayor involved the circumstances of the resignation of his City Council floor leader, Alderman Patrick Huels, in October 1997. Daley, Huels, and another close friend Michael Tadin grew up within two blocks on S. Emerald Avenue in Bridgeport. Huels attended De La Salle Institute, the same high school attended by Daley, his father, and Michael Bilandic. Huels worked for the city's Public Works Department as a laborer and tree trimmer, then as an administrative assistant in the Environment Department, and then as a City Council investigator. He answered phones for the 11th Ward Democratic organization, and was its secretary for several years. When Mayor Richard J. Daley died, 11th Ward Alderman Bilandic was named acting mayor, and Huels, then 26, replaced Bilandic as alderman.{{cite news |title=Huels is true to his Bridgeport roots |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=October 20, 1997 |first1=Tom |last1=McNamee |first2=Fran |last2=Spielman |first3=Pablo |last3=Martinez Monsivais |first4=Jon |last4=Sall}} Huels chaired the council's Transportation Committee and became Mayor Richard M. Daley's floor leader. In the summer of 2007, in reaction to ongoing indictments and convictions of aldermen, Daley and Huels shepherded a package of ethics reforms through city council.{{cite news |title=Ethics reforms target Burke - Panel could pursue probes of aldermen |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=June 15, 1997 |first=Fran |last=Speilman}} Huels owned a security firm, SDI Security, Inc. along with his wife and his brother, a Chicago police lieutenant. In the mid-1990s, the firm had about 390 full-time employees and was grossing $7 million a year. Huels was president and a director, and Council Finance Committee Chairman Alderman Edward M. Burke (14th) was secretary. Huels and Burke authorized $633,971{{efn|{{inflation|US|633971|1995|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} in legal consulting fees from their respective Council committees to attorney Michael A. Pedicone, a long-time officer of SDI. In March 1995 the Internal Revenue Service placed a lien on SDI for $326,951{{efn|{{inflation|US|326951|1995|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} and in June 1996 for $997,382{{efn|{{inflation|US|997382|1996|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} for failing to pay payroll taxes, including money withheld from its employees' pay checks.{{cite news |title=Huels, Burke paid city cash to colleague |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=October 17, 1997 |first2=Chuck |last2=Neubauer |first1=Charles |last1=Nicodemus |first3=Robert A. |last3=Davis}}

In 1970, after high school, Tadin went to work for Marina Cartage; within a decade, he owned the company, and over the next 15 years expanded it from 20 trucks to 150. Between 1992 and 1997, the city paid Marina Cartage and another Tadin company $49 million for supplying the city with snow removal and other heavy equipment and operators. Tadin earned millions of dollars by buying land cheaply, then leasing or selling it to the city.{{cite news |title=Huels and pal collect clout and contracts - Trucking exec wins big with city |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=October 19, 1997 |first1=Chuck |last1=Neubauer |first2=Charles |last2=Nicodemus}} Marina Cartage used Huels' SDI Security services since 1992. In 1995, with Huels' support, the City Council approved a tax reduction which halved the assessment on a new $4.5 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|4500000|1995|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} headquarters and trucking terminal for Marina Cartage at 4450 S. Morgan in Huels' ward, a tax savings of as much as $80,000{{efn|{{inflation|US|80000|1995|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} per year. In 1996, with Huels' support, the City Council approved a $1.1 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|1100000|1996|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} direct grant for the construction of the facility. Weeks later, Tadin created a new company which was used to originate a $1.25 million{{efn|{{inflation|US|1250000|1996|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} bailout loan to SDI.{{cite news |title=Ald. Huels takes loan from contractor - $1 million paid off his firm's tax lien |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=October 16, 1997 |first1=Chuck |last1=Neubauer |first2=Charles |last2=Nicodemus |first3=Bob |last3=Black}}{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/10/17/ald-huels-company-received-city-funds/ | title=Ald. Huels' Company Received City Funds; Daley Fumes Over Pal's Ties To $15,000 Payment | date=October 17, 1997 | access-date=December 17, 2012 |author1=Gibson, Ray |author2=Cohen, Laurie | newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} Daley said Huels "did the right thing resigning" and claimed no knowledge of Huels' business dealings. "I don't get into people's private lives. I am not into that," Daley said.{{cite news |title=Loan Controversy Thrusts City Hall Insider Into Spotlight |date=October 19, 1997 |first1=Robert |last1=Davis |first2=Gary |last2=Washburn |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/10/19/loan-controversy-thrusts-city-hall-insider-into-spotlight/}} Daley announced an executive order and new ethics legislation, saying:

The goal of this executive order is to help address questions about favoritism in city contracting by preventing conflicts of interest, or even the appearance of such conflicts. ... There should be a level playing field, where no one has an advantage—or a disadvantage—in obtaining city contracts, simply because they know me or anyone else in government. ... Under the steps I'm taking today and recommending to the City Council, the public can easily learn everything there is to know about a city contract: who is involved, who will benefit and whether the city is paying a fair price. I and every other city official must be prepared to defend every contract on its merits.{{cite news |title=Daley says 'it's a new day in Chicago' |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=October 28, 1997 |first=Al |last=Podgorski}}

On February 23, 1999, Daley won reelection to a fourth term with 68.9 percent of the vote over challenger U.S. Congressman Bobby Rush. In August 1999, prompted by police excessive-force incidents in Chicago, New York and other cities, the U.S. affiliate of Amnesty International issued a report "Race, Rights & Brutality: Portraits of Abuse in the USA," that called on federal officials to better document excessive-force cases and to pursue prosecutions of the officers involved.{{cite news |title=Rights Group Hits Police Brutality; Chicago Shootings Cited In Appeal For More Oversight |date=September 21, 1999 |first=V. Dion |last=Haynes |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/09/21/rights-group-hits-police-brutality/}}{{cite web |title=USA: Race, rights and police brutality |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/147/1999 |publisher=Amnesty International |date=August 31, 1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217101413/http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/147/1999 |archive-date=December 17, 2013 }} In October 1999, the organization issued a report "Summary of Amnesty International's concerns on police abuse in Chicago" which expressed concerns including improper interrogation tactics, excessive force, shootings of unarmed suspects, and the detention and interrogation of children.{{cite web |title=Summary of Amnesty International's concerns on police abuse in Chicago |publisher=Amnesty International |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/168/1999/en |date=October 1999}}

The Duff family formed a janitorial services company, Windy City Maintenance Inc., one month after Daley's inauguration. Bruce DuMont, president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications, said that Daley recommended that Dumont's wife Kathy Osterman, then director of the Mayor's Office of Special Events, award city contracts to Duff family companies.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/07/25/family-mops-up-on-city-deals/ | title=Family Mops Up On City Deals; Insiders With Mob Ties Profit From Mayor's Push To Privatize | date=July 25, 1999 | access-date=December 15, 2012 |author1=Martin, Andrew |author2=Cohen, Laurie |author3=Gibson Ray | pages=1 | newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} Daley denied steering contracts to the Duffs, and said he would "look into" the allegations, while stopping short of promising to do so, saying "I don't promise. That's the wrong word to use. You know ... promising, promising. We do look into it, yes."{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/07/28/daley-to-look-into-duff-family-dealings/ | title=Daley To 'Look Into' Duff Family Dealings | date=July 28, 1999 | access-date=December 15, 2012 | pages=1 | newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} In September 2003, a federal investigation led to indictments of Patricia Green Duff, her sons John M. Duff and James Duff, and others on charges they won nearly $100 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|100000000|2003|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} in city contracts through the city's set-aside program by misrepresenting their companies as women- and minority-owned.{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/09/26/us-alleges-huge-fraud-in-city-minority-pacts/ | title=U.S. alleges huge fraud in city minority pacts; City vigilance again in doubt; Allegations reach back many years | date=September 26, 2003 | access-date=December 15, 2012 |author1=Cohen, Laurie |author2=Washburn, Gary | pages=1 | newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} John M. Duff pleaded guilty to 33 counts of racketeering, fraud and other charges on January 10, 2004.{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/01/11/duff-pleads-guilty-for-3-hours/ | title=Duff pleads guilty--for 3 hours; Judge walks executive through fraud, racketeering charges | agency=January 11, 2005 | access-date=December 15, 2012 |author1=O'Connor, Matt |author2=Gibson, Ray | newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} A 1978 state law designed by Illinois Democrats gave the Mayor the power to appoint to fill vacancies in the City Council rather than holding special elections, and by 2002 more than a third of the council's 50 aldermen were initially appointed by Daley.{{cite news |title=The Case Against Daley; Yes, he is popular and has done lots of good for the city. But Mayor Daley has plenty of shortcomings, too. If we were running for mayor, here is how we would challenge him |first=Steve |last=Rhodes |url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/December-2002/The-Case-Against-Daley/ |work=Chicago Magazine |date=December 2002}} The Council became even more of a rubber stamp than in Richard J. Daley's terms. In the 18 months from January 12, 2000 to June 6, 2001, only 13 votes in the council were divided, less than one a month. 32 aldermen supported the mayor 90-100% of the time and another 14 80-89% of the time.{{Cite news |title=The New Daley Machine: 1989–2004 |first1=Dick |last1=Simpson |first2=Ola |last2=Adeoye |first3=Daniel |last3=Bliss |first4=Kevin |last4=Navratil |first5=Rebecca |last5=Raines |publisher=University of Illinois at Chicago |year=2004 |url=http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/ChicagoPolitics/newdaleymachine.pdf |access-date=December 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530114544/http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/ChicagoPolitics/newdaleymachine.pdf |archive-date=May 30, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

On February 26, 2003, Daley took 78.5% of the vote to prevail over challenger Reverend Paul Jakes Jr. Daley endorsed same-sex marriage, saying on February 18, 2004, he would have "no problem" with Cook County issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.{{cite news |title=Chicago Mayor Backs Gay Marriage |date=February 19, 2004 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Fox News |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/chicago-mayor-backs-gay-marriage |access-date=January 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205072718/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,111882,00.html |archive-date=February 5, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/20/us/daley-backs-marriage-for-gays-in-chicago.html | title=Daley Backs Marriage for Gays in Chicago | date=February 20, 2004 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | newspaper=New York Times}}Simon, Scott [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129793408 "Chicago's Recommended Daley Allowance"] NPR September 11, 2010 Retrieved November 30, 2010 Time magazine in its April 25, 2005 issue named Daley as the best out of five mayors of large cities in the United States, and characterized Daley as having "imperial" style and power.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1050214,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050418014008/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1050214,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2005 |title=The 5 Best Big-City Mayors |first=Nancy |last=Gibbs |magazine=Time |date=April 17, 2005}} In May 2006, in Geneva, Switzerland the United Nations Committee Against Torture released a report which noted the "limited investigation and lack of prosecution" into allegations of torture in Areas 2 and 3 of the Chicago Police Department and called on American authorities to "promptly, thoroughly and impartially" investigate the allegations, and provide the committee with more information.{{citation |title=Judge Rules Report on Police in Chicago Should Be Released |first=Monica |last=Davey |date=May 20, 2006 |newspaper=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/20/us/20chicago.html}}{{cite web |title=Report of the Committee against Torture, Thirty-sixth session |date=May 2006 |url=http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/45c30bbf0.html |publisher=United Nations |access-date=December 2, 2012}} Daley was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2006 as a Friend of the Community.{{cite web |url=http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year |title=Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame |access-date=June 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017032241/http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year |archive-date=October 17, 2015 }}{{Primary source inline|reason=secondary source needed for noteworthiness|date=July 2015}}

File:Meigs field runway4.JPG

A long-standing agreement between the city and state required the city to maintain and operate Meigs Field, a small, downtown, lakefront airport on Northerly Island used by general aviation aircraft and helicopters, until 2011 or turn it over to the state. On September 12, 1996, the City Council approved Daley's plan to convert the airport into a park, and the state began planning to take over operation of the airport.{{cite news | title=Heavyweight Brawl on Lightweight Airport | date=September 12, 1996 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Terry, Don | newspaper=New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/12/us/heavyweight-brawl-on-lightweight-airport.html}} Fresh off a 2003 re-election mandate, one of Daley's first major acts was ordering the demolition of Meigs Field. On Sunday, March 30, 2003, shortly before midnight, transport trucks carrying construction equipment moved onto Meigs with Chicago Police escort. By early Monday morning, city crews excavated six large X's into the only runway. The city's 50 aldermen, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Homeland Security were not consulted on the plan.{{cite news |title=Daley rips up Meigs runways in surprise raid; Terror concerns prompt closing, irate mayor says |date=April 1, 2003 |first1=Gary |last1=Washburn |first2=Jon |last2=Hilkevitch |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/04/01/daley-rips-up-meigs-runways-in-surprise-raid/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}{{cite news |title=Daley's midnight raid |date=April 1, 2003 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/04/01/daleys-midnight-raid/}}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/01/us/chicago-mayor-bulldozes-a-small-downtown-airport.html | title=Chicago Mayor Bulldozes A Small Downtown Airport | date=April 1, 2003 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Fountain, John W | newspaper=New York Times}} The demolition of the runway trapped planes. In the days following, many of those aircraft were able to take off using the taxiway.{{cite web |url=http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2003/03-2-014x.html |title=AOPA Online: Stranded Meigs pilots can go NOW! |publisher=Aopa.org |access-date=January 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720045652/http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2003/03-2-014x.html |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

"To do this any other way would have been needlessly contentious," Daley explained at a news conference Monday morning.{{cite news |title=When the mayor bulldozed an airport |date=May 1, 2011 |first=Eric |last=Zorn |url=http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2011/05/when-the-mayor-bulldozed-an-airport.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} Daley argued that the airport was a threat to Chicago's high-rise cityscape and its high-profile skyscrapers, such as the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Center. Daley criticized the Federal Aviation Administration, saying "Now, think of that; Mickey and Minnie have it. I mean, I can't believe that. They get it first before we get it?", referring to the post-9/11 air space restrictions in place over Orlando, Florida.{{cite news |title=Rich commentary, The words of Mayor Richard M. Daley |date=April 30, 2011 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-04-30/news/ct-met-daley-quotes-0501-20110430_1_flight-attendants-racial-politics-chicago-river|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923074848/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-04-30/news/ct-met-daley-quotes-0501-20110430_1_flight-attendants-racial-politics-chicago-river|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2011}}{{cite news |title=Daley blasts air-ban decisions, Mayor vents anger over flight curbs for Disney parks |date=March 20, 2003 |first1=Michael |last1=Kilian |first2=David |last2=Heinzmann |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-03-20/news/0303200314_1_flight-restrictions-homeland-security-department-parks|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602101341/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-03-20/news/0303200314_1_flight-restrictions-homeland-security-department-parks|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2015}} "The signature act of Richard Daley's 22 years in office was the midnight bulldozing of Meigs Field," according to Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn.{{cite news |title=When the mayor bulldozed an airport; Daley's action inspired admiration, outrage and amusement |date=April 30, 2011 |first=Eric |last=Zorn |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/04/30/when-the-mayor-bulldozed-an-airport/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune }} "He ruined Meigs because he wanted to, because he could," Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass wrote of Daley.{{cite news |title=Rich and me: How we fell out; I once believed in the bungalow mayor, the neighborhood guy who didn't put on airs. Unfortunately, that guy didn't exist |first=John |last=Kass |author-link=John Kass |date=May 5, 2011 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-0505-20110505,0,3260675,full.column |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509031035/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-0505-20110505,0,3260675,full.column |archive-date=May 9, 2011 }} "The issue is Daley's increasingly authoritarian style that brooks no disagreements, legal challenges, negotiations, compromise or any of that messy give-and-take normally associated with democratic government," the Chicago Tribune editorialized.{{cite news |title=A pre-emptive strike on Meigs |date=April 1, 2003 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/04/01/a-pre-emptive-strike-on-meigs/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} The Federal Aviation Administration cited the city for failure to comply with federal law requiring thirty-day advance notice to the FAA of plans for an airport closure. The city was fined $33,000,{{efn|{{inflation|US|33000|2003|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} the maximum allowable. The city paid the fine and repaid $1 million{{efn|{{inflation|US|1000000|2003|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} in misspent federal airport development grants. Daley defended his actions by claiming that the airport was abandoned, in spite of the fact that the Chicago Fire Department had several helicopters based on the field at the time, in addition to the dozens of private aircraft left stranded.{{cite web |url=http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=b97838cf-68d0-4d01-8dfc-bffd3366a7ff |title=Daley Cries 'Uncle', Reaches Deal with FAA for Meigs Mess |publisher=Aero-News |date=September 19, 2006 |access-date=December 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729081533/http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=b97838cf-68d0-4d01-8dfc-bffd3366a7ff |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

{{Main|Hired Truck Program}}

The $40 million-a-year Hired Truck program was the biggest scandal of Daley's first 15 years as mayor.{{citation |title=Hired Truck probe a routine matter, Daley insists |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=May 5, 2004 |first=Fran |last=Spielman}}{{cite news |title=Hired Trucks to homicide: Much that Daley faced in 2004 took years to surface |first1=Tim |last1=Novak |first2=Chris |last2=Fusco |date=June 12, 2011 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/5868507-452/the-watchdogs-hired-trucks-to-homicide--much-that-daley-faced-in-2004-took-years.html}} The Hired Truck Program hired private truck companies to do city work. A six-month investigation by the Chicago Sun-Times resulted in a three-day series of articles in January 2004 that revealed some participating companies were being paid for doing little or no work, had American Mafia connections or were tied to city employees, or paid bribes to get into the program. Between 1996 and 2004, companies in the Hired Truck Program gave more than $800,000 in campaign contributions to various politicians, including Daley, House Speaker Michael Madigan, and Governor Rod Blagojevich; Daley received at least $108,575 and his brother John Daley and his ward organization more than $47,500.{{citation |title=Hired Trucks Thrive in Daley's Ward—Many truck firms in program operate out of mayor's 11th Ward power base—11th Ward companies, big and small, cash in on program—and give to politicians |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=January 26, 2004 |first1=Tim |last1=Novak |first2=Steve |last2=Warmbir}}

Mark Gyrion, Daley's second cousin, was a superintendent of garages for the city's Water Management Department, and among his duties was deciding when City-owned trucks should be sold for scrap. Gyrion's mother-in-law's firm, Jacz Transportation, participated in the Hired Truck Program, receiving about $1 million between 1998 and 2004. Jacz Transportation bought a truck three days after the city sold it to a Franklin Park dealership and then leased it back to the city. Gyrion was accused of failing to disclose his mother-in-law's role in the Hired Truck Program and the transfer of the truck. Gyrion was fired and Jacz Transportation was one of 13 truck companies suspended from the Hired Truck program. About 35% of the 70 firms in the program were suspended or referred to the city's Inspector General.{{citation |title='No sacred cows': Mayor fires cousin—whose mother-in-law leased truck |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=February 10, 2004 |first=Fran |last=Spielman}} The program was overhauled in 2004, and phased out in 2005.{{cite news|last=Novak|first=Tim|title=Paid to do nothing|url=http://www.ipsn.org/streets_and_sanitation/getting_in.html|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|access-date=February 28, 2011|author2=Warmbir, Steve|date=January 23, 2004}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{citation |title=Hired Trucks to homicide: Much that Daley faced in 2004 took years to surface |first1=Tim |last1=Novak |first2=Chris |last2=Fusco |date=June 12, 2011 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/5868507-452/the-watchdogs-hired-trucks-to-homicide--much-that-daley-faced-in-2004-took-years.html |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times}}

On July 5, 2006, Robert Sorich, formally, director of the Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and, informally, Daley's patronage chief, and Timothy McCarthy, Sorich's aide, were each convicted on two counts of mail fraud connected to rigging blue-collar city jobs and promotions. Sorich's best friend, former Streets and Sanitation official Patrick Slattery was convicted of one count of mail fraud. A former Streets and Sanitation managing deputy commissioner was found guilty of lying to federal agents about political hiring.{{cite news |title=Daley jobs chief guilty; Jury convicts 4 in city hiring fraud; feds say, 'Stay tuned' |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/07/07/daley-jobs-chief-guilty/ |first1=Rudolph |last1=Bush |first2=Dan |last2=Mihalopoulos |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=July 6, 2006}}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/07/us/07chicago.html | title=Chicago Officials Convicted in Patronage Arrangement | date=July 7, 2006 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Ruethling, Gretchen | newspaper=New York Times}} Sorich, McCarthy and Slattery lived in the Bridgeport neighborhood in 11th Ward, the Daley family's home neighborhood and ward. "I've never known them to be anything but hard working, and I feel for them at this difficult time," Daley said.{{cite news |title=In terms of clout, city's 11th Ward towers above rest |date=July 19, 2005 |first1=Mickey |last1=Ciokajlo |first2=Robert |last2=Becker |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/07/19/in-terms-of-clout-citys-11th-ward-towers-above-rest/}}{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/06/AR2006070601563.html | title=Favoritism Trial Hurts Chicago Mayor | date=July 7, 2006 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Slevin, Peter | newspaper=Washington Post}} "It is fair criticism to say I should have exercised greater oversight to ensure that every worker the city hired, regardless of who recommended them, was qualified and that proper procedures were always followed," Daley admitted a few days later.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/07/11/daley-i-could-have-done-more-2/ |title=Daley says 'should have exercised greater oversight' |first=Gary |last=Washburn |work=Chicago Tribune |date=July 10, 2006}}{{cite news |title=Daley Says He Should Have Exercised More Hiring Oversight |first=Ben |last=Calhoun |date=July 11, 2006 |publisher=WBEZ |url=http://www.wbez.org/story/news/local/daley-says-he-should-have-exercised-more-hiring-oversight |access-date=January 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200523/http://www.wbez.org/story/news/local/daley-says-he-should-have-exercised-more-hiring-oversight |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |url-status=dead }} Weeks later, David Axelrod, a Democratic political consultant whose clients included Daley, defended patronage in an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune.{{cite news |title=A Well-oiled Machine; A system that works? Political debts contribute to better city services |date=August 21, 2005 |first=David |last=Axelrod |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/08/21/a-well-oiled-machine/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}{{cite news |title=An Axelrod to Grind |first=Steve |last=Rhodes |date=January 7, 2010 |url=http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/politics/An_Axelrod_to_Grind.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=January 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330171614/http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/politics/An_Axelrod_to_Grind.html |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

Mayor Daley's son Patrick R. Daley was an MBA student at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business working as an unpaid intern at Cardinal Growth, a Chicago venture capital firm, when he profited from two Cardinal Growth ventures formed to win city contracts while concealing his role. Patrick's cousin, and Mayor Daley's nephew, is Robert G. Vanecko. In June 2003, Patrick and Vanecko formed a Delaware company, MSS Investors LLC, and invested $65,000 each.{{efn|{{inflation|US|65000|2003|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} MSS Investors LLC in turn purchased a 5% stake in Municipal Sewer Services, a Cardinal Growth venture. Patrick and Vanecko failed to disclose their ownership stake in Municipal Sewer Services as required by city ethics ordinances.{{cite news |title=Daley's son also invested in city sewer deal |first1=Tim |last1=Novak |first2=Chris |last2=Fusco |date=June 6, 2011 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/5743011-452/daleys-son-also-invested-in-city-sewer-deal.html}} Brunt Brothers Transfer Inc. was one of the largest black-owned contractors in the Hired Truck program. Municipal Sewer Services partnered with Brunt Brothers Transfer Inc. in their bid for City sewer-inspection contracts. Five months after Patrick and Vanecko became owners, Municipal Sewer Services' city contract was extended by $3 million,{{efn|{{inflation|US|3000000|2003|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} the first of two no-bid contract extensions, totaled an additional 23 months and $4 million.{{efn|{{inflation|US|4000000|2004|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} Patrick and Vanecko cashed out their initial investment after about a year as the federal investigation into the Hired Truck program advanced. Patrick and Vanecko got a $13,114 "tax distribution" in December 2004. Patrick, then 29 and a recent University of Chicago MBA graduate, enlisted in the US Army.{{cite news |title=Daley's son's secret deal; Mayor signed pacts, but spokeswoman says he didn't know his son was an owner of a sewer-inspection business that did city work |first=Tim |last=Novak |date=December 14, 2007 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/3192303-418/sewer-services-municipal-daley-company.html |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times}}{{cite news |title=Sewer firm tied to Mayor Richard Daley's son folds |date=April 24, 2008 |first1=Todd |last1=Lighty |first2=Dan |last2=Mihalopoulos |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-04-24/news/0804231029_1_mayor-daley-city-contracts-robert-bobb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812041823/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-04-24/news/0804231029_1_mayor-daley-city-contracts-robert-bobb |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 12, 2012 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} The day after the Mayor's son's and nephew's hidden involvement in the city contract was disclosed by the Chicago Sun-Times, Daley spoke at a Chicago police recruit graduation ceremony, then left for Fort Bragg, North Carolina to see his son deployed.{{cite news |title=Daley quiet on son's tie to deal; Owned stake in firm with city contracts |date=December 15, 2007 |first1=Mickey |last1=Ciokajlo |first2=Ray |last2=Gibson |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/12/15/daley-quiet-on-sons-tie-to-deal/}} Before departing, Mayor Daley read a statement to reporters, his voice cracking, fighting back tears,

I did not know about [Patrick's] involvement in this company. As an adult, he made that decision. It was a lapse in judgement for him to get involved with this company. I wish he hadn't done it. I know the expectations for elected officials, their families, are very high—rightfully so—especially for me. ... Patrick is a very good son. I love him. Maggie and I are very proud of him. I hope you respect I have nothing more to say on this.{{cite news |title=Mayor calls son's deal a 'lapse in judgment' |date=December 19, 2007 |first=Gary |last=Washburn |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-12-19/news/0712180755_1_mayor-richard-daley-navy-pier-contract|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812041631/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-12-19/news/0712180755_1_mayor-richard-daley-navy-pier-contract|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 12, 2012}}

Mayor Daley also said he didn't know if there were other city contracts involving the younger Daley.{{cite news |title=This one fails the smell test |date=December 20, 2007 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/12/20/this-one-fails-the-smell-test/}}{{cite news |title=Mayor in dark: aide; Says Daley had no role in sewer firm's pact with city |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=December 15, 2007 |first=Fran |last=Spielman}} The city's Inspector General and federal authorities began investigations in December 2007. Patrick and Vanecko hired criminal defense attorneys.{{cite news |title=Daley kin lawyer up; Contract Probe; Son, nephew hire criminal defense attorney |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=March 27, 2009 |first1=Tim |last1=Novak |first2=Fran |last2=Spielman}} Municipal Sewer Services LLC folded in April 2008. In January 2011, Anthony Duffy, the president of Municipal Sewer Services, was charged with three counts of mail fraud in conjunction with minority-contracting and Jesse Brunt and his company, Brunt Brothers Transfer Inc., were indicted on three counts of mail fraud. Patrick and Vanecko were not charged.{{cite news |title=Daley son's business partner indicted for mail fraud |first=Tim |last=Novak |date=January 7, 2011 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/3193061-418/brunt-company-owned-duffy-sewer.html}}{{cite news |title=Former business partner of Daley's son indicted; Bartlett man accused of using minority-owned business as a front |date=January 6, 2011 |first1=Hal |last1=Dardick |first2=Jeff |last2=Coen |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/01/06/former-business-partner-of-daleys-son-indicted/}}{{cite news |title=Key players in city sewer-cleaning case |first=Tim |last=Novak |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://www.suntimes.com/3172334-417/mss-chicago-daley-business-company.html |access-date=December 1, 2012}}

In 2005, Concourse Communications, another Cardinal Growth venture, signed a city contract for airport Wi-Fi service at city-owned O'Hare and Midway airports. For years, the Daley administration maintained that Patrick had no financial stake in the deal. Concourse disclosed its investors to the city, as required, but Patrick was not reported. Patrick lined up investors for Concourse. On June 27, 2006, nine months after Concourse signed the contract, Concourse was sold at a 33% profit to Boingo Wireless Inc. for $45 million.{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|45000000|2006|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} On June 30, 2006, Patrick received the first of five payments totaling $708,999.{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|708999|2006|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} On December 3, 2007, shortly after Patrick received the last of those payments, Mayor Daley's press secretary, Jacquelyn Heard said Patrick Daley "has no financial interest with the Wi-Fi contract at O'Hare."{{cite news |title=Former Mayor Daley's son profited after airport Wi-Fi deal |first1=Tim |last1=Novak |first2=Chris |last2=Fusco |date=June 6, 2011 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/5754016-452/former-mayor-daleys-son-profited-after-airport-wi-fi-deal.html}} The Chicago Sun-Times editorialized, "... the conflict of interest was blatant."{{cite news |title=Ethics laws can't stop every schemer |date=June 9, 2011 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times}}

File:Mayor Daley Revealing Chicago.jpg Richard M. Daley at the opening of the 2005 Revealing Chicago Exhibition in the Boeing Gallery and Chase Promenade in Millennium Park.]] In 2003, an operating company included over 80 investors,{{cite news |first=Kenneth L R. |last=Patchen |title=Licata defends restaurant deal |work=Highland Park News |date=February 24, 2005}} including some of Mayor Daley's friends and neighbors{{cite news |title=Millennium Park oversight plan advances |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=May 9, 2007 |first=Fran |last=Spielman|page=66, Financial section}} won, under controversial circumstances, a lucrative contract to operate the Park Grill, the only restaurant in the new Millennium Park.{{cite news |first1=Tim |last1=Novak |first2=Steve |last2=Warmbir |first3=Robert |last3=Herguth |first4=Mark |last4=Brown|title=City puts heat on clout-heavy cafe; Changes ordered at Park Grill, with Daley cronies among backers |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=February 11, 2005 |page=6, News section}} In 2005 Daley criticized the deal, saying that the city wanted to renegotiate the pact.{{cite news |magazine=Crain's Chicago Business |last=Hinz |first=Greg |title=Park perks; Why did the city just get three local bids for a world class restaurant location? |date=February 28, 2005 |access-date=March 18, 2010 |url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?article_id=23154}}{{Cite news |first1=Gary |last1=Washburn |first2=Liam |last2=Ford |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-02-17/news/0502170373_1_millennium-park-millennium-park-restaurant |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711094306/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-02-17/news/0502170373_1_millennium-park-millennium-park-restaurant |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 11, 2012 |title=City wants new park restaurant pact - Millennium eatery got sweet deal, Daley says |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=June 1, 2010 |date=February 17, 2005}} The Chicago Sun-Times dubbed the Park Grill the "Clout Cafe"{{cite news |first=Fran |last=Spielman |title=Daley: City ethics panel given 'clout cafe' e-mails; Role of park official involved with restaurant partner being probed |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=March 25, 2005 |page=10, News section}}{{Cite news| last=Rhodes |first=Steve |url=http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Clout-Cafe-Wins-Again.html|title=Clout Cafe Wins Again |publisher=WMAQ-TV |access-date=March 15, 2010 |date=July 28, 2009}} and included the contract award process in a year-end review of 2005 Daley administration scandals.{{cite news |first=Fran |last=Spielman |title=Daley's rough year: Wave of Scandals weakens mayor's influence|page=16, news section |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=January 2, 2006}} The contract was never renegotiated, and after Daley announced he would not seek a seventh term, the owners of the Park Grill sought to sell.{{cite news |title=Clouted Park Grill owners want to sell Millennium Park eatery |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/4479391-418/clouted-park-grill-owners-want-to-sell-millenium-park-eatery.html |first=Lisa |last=Donovan |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=March 25, 2011}} Deposed in August 2013 in Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration's lawsuit to renegotiate the contract, former Mayor Daley responded "I don't recall" 139 times.{{cite news |title=Ex-Mayor Daley under oath in city's Millennium Park lawsuit: 'I don't know what I knew' |first=Tim |last=Novak |date=October 18, 2013 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times}}{{cite news |title=No known way of knowing now what Daley knows about what he knew |first=Mark |last=Brown |date=October 21, 2013 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times}}

In January 2006, Skyway Concession Company, a joint venture between the Australian Macquarie Infrastructure Group and Spanish Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte S.A., paid the City $1.83 billion{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|1830000000|2006|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} for rights to operate the Chicago Skyway and collect tolls for 99 years. The deal was the first of its kind in the U.S.{{cite news |title=Chicago privatizes Skyway toll road in $1.8 billion deal; City says $1.8 billion deal will help pay off large debts |date=October 17, 2004 |first=Alyson |last=Brodsy |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=37412 |access-date=January 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029204020/http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=37412 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |url-status=dead }} In December 2006, Morgan Stanley paid Chicago $563 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|563000000|2006|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} for a 99-year lease of the city's parking garages.{{cite news |title=Chicago's 99-Year Parking Garage Lease Draws Taxpayer Suit |first=Andrew |last=Harris |date=February 13, 2013 |publisher=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-14/chicago-s-99-year-parking-garage-lease-draws-taxpayer-suit-1-.html |access-date=December 16, 2014}}{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/chicago-parkingmeters-idUSN0227950220081202 |title=Chicago leases parking meters for $1.16 billion |first=Andrew |last=Stern |work=Reuters |date=December 2, 2008 |access-date=July 1, 2017 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924140429/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/12/02/chicago-parkingmeters-idUSN0227950220081202 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aNqps6bJnmjE&refer=us |title=Chicago Receives $1.16 Billion for Metered Spaces |first=Adam L. |last=Cataldo |publisher=Bloomberg |date=December 2, 2008}} "I'm the one who started talking about leasing public assets. No other city has done this in America," Daley recalled in 2009.{{cite news |title=One-on-One with Mayor Richard Daley |date=November 2, 2009 |access-date=April 23, 2013 |first=Alison |last=Cuddy |publisher=Chicago Public Radio |url=http://www.wbez.org/episode-segments/one-one-mayor-richard-daley |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029203123/http://www.wbez.org/episode-segments/one-one-mayor-richard-daley |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=A Round of Really!?! With Mayor Daley |first= Mick |last=Dumke |date=November 5, 2009 |access-date=April 23, 2013 |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/questions-for-mayor-daley-on-tifs-parking-meters-and-the-city-budget-crisis/Content?oid=1227426 |newspaper=Chicago Reader}} Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator George F. Will wrote of the deals in The Washington Post,

Unfortunately, Daley's theory—that it can be better to get a sum X immediately, rather than getting over many years a sum Y that is substantially larger than X—assumes something that cannot be assumed. It assumes that governments will prudently husband sudden surges of revenue from the lease or sale of assets.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/07/AR2007020702134.html |title=Daley's Art of The Lease |date=February 8, 2007 |access-date=December 1, 2012 |author=Will, George F. |author-link=George F. Will |newspaper=Washington Post}}

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On February 6, 2008, the Chicago City Council approved, by a 41–6 vote, an increase in the city's real estate transfer tax to fund the Chicago Transit Authority. Presiding over the meeting, Daley harshly chastized the dissenting aldermen.{{cite news |title=City tax hike puts cap on CTA bailout |date=February 7, 2008 |first=Gary |last=Washburn |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/02/07/city-tax-hike-puts-cap-on-cta-bailout/}}{{cite video |title=Chicago Mayor Richard Daley: Rant |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ashM23pslk | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211118/2ashM23pslk| archive-date=November 18, 2021 | url-status=live|publisher=WGN-TV |location=Chicago |website=YouTube |access-date=December 1, 2012}}{{cbignore}} On March 15, 2010, Daley appointed two aldermen on the same day, bringing to 19 the number of alderman initially appointed by Daley.{{cite news |date=March 15, 2010 |title=Daley fills two City Council seats in one day |first=Hal |last=Dardick |url=http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/03/daley-fills-two-city-council-seats-in-one-day-.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |access-date=January 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808194303/http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/03/daley-fills-two-city-council-seats-in-one-day-.html |archive-date=August 8, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

In September 2008, Chicago accepted a $2.52 billion{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|2520000000|2008|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} bid on a 99-year lease of Midway International Airport to a group of private investors, but the deal fell through due to the collapse of credit markets during the 2008–2012 global recession.{{cite news |title=Deal to Privatize Chicago Airport Fails |date=April 20, 2009 |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/us/21airport.html}}{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/20/midway-airport-privatizat_n_189090.html |title=Midway Airport Privatization Deal Collapses |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date=May 21, 2009 |access-date=January 8, 2012 |first=Ben |last=Goldberger}} In 2008, as Chicago struggled to close a growing budget deficit, the city agreed to a 75-year, $1.16 billion{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|1160000000|2008|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} deal to lease its parking meter system to an operating company created by Morgan Stanley. Daley said the "agreement is very good news for the taxpayers of Chicago because it will provide more than $1 billion in net proceeds that can be used during this very difficult economy." The agreement quadrupled rates, in the first year alone, while the hours which people have to pay for parking were broadened from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. – 9 p.m., and from Monday through Saturday to every day of the week. Additionally, the city agreed to compensate the new owners for loss of revenue any time any road with parking meters is closed by the city for anything from maintenance work to street festivals.{{cite book |first=Matt |last=Taibbi | author-link=Matt Taibbi |title=Griftopia|title-link=Griftopia }}

• {{cite news |title=FAIL: The Reader's Parking Meter Investigation; Ben Joravsky and Mick Dumke's report on the privatization of Chicago's parking meters, how the deal went down, and its fallout |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/fail-chicago-parking-meter-privatization-archive/Content?oid=1265254 |newspaper=Chicago Reader |date=December 10, 2009}}
• {{cite news |title=FAIL, Part One: Chicago's Parking Meter Lease Deal; How Daley and his crew hid their process from the public, ignored their own rules, railroaded the City Council, and screwed the taxpayers on the parking meter lease deal |first1=Ben |last1=Joravsky |first2=Mick |last2=Dumke |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/fail-parking-meters-lease-deal/Content?oid=1098561 |newspaper=Chicago Reader |date=April 9, 2009}}
• {{cite news |title=FAIL, Part Two: One BILLION Dollars! New evidence suggests Chicago leased out its parking meters for a fraction of what they're worth |date=May 21, 2009 |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/one-billion-dollars-parking-meter-fiasco-part-two/Content?oid=1123046 |newspaper=Chicago Reader |first1=Ben |last1=Joravsky |first2=Mick |last2=Dumke }}
• {{cite news |title=FAIL, Part Three: The Insiders; Who benefited from the parking meter fiasco |first1=Ben |last1=Joravsky |first2=Mick |last2=Dumke |date= June 18, 2009|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-parking-meter-fiasco-part-iii/Content?oid=1127436 |newspaper=Chicago Reader}} In three years, the proceeds from the lease were all but spent.

{{Main|Chicago bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics}}

In 2007, Daley entered into ten-year contracts with the city's labor unions to preclude labor unrest as Chicago launched a bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.{{cite news |title=City of Chicago is urged to get rid of 200 truck drivers who loaf; Inspector general says Chicago could save $18 million a year, but union contract makes firings unlikely |date=March 30, 2011 |first=Hal |last=Dardick |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/03/30/city-of-chicago-is-urged-to-get-rid-of-200-truck-drivers-who-loaf/}}{{cite news |title=Daley cites union contract in truckers paid to sit around |first=Fran |last=Spielman |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=April 1, 2011 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/4615020-418/daley-blames-predecessors-for-18-million-trucker-salaries-that-watchdog-called-waste.html}} For months in 2009, Daley promoted the economic benefits of the proposal to the city and its corporate community. Many thought the games would be a capstone of Daley's career. On October 2, 2009, in a major disappointment for Daley, Chicago was the first of four finalists to be eliminated during selection ceremonies in Copenhagen. According to a March 2011 report from the city's Office of the Inspector General,

By signing a 10-year (contract) with the Teamsters (and with over 30 other unions representing city employees), the current administration and City Council unduly hamstrung not only the current management of city government, but the next six years of management as well, a period that extends well beyond the elected terms of the incoming administration and City Council.{{cite web |title=Inspector General Releases Review on Efficiency of Motor Truck Driver Job Duties |date=March 30, 2011 |url=http://chicagoinspectorgeneral.org/publications-and-press/inspector-general-releases-review-on-efficiency-of-motor-truck-driver-job-duties/ |publisher=Office of the Inspector General of the City of Chicago |access-date=January 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920021804/http://chicagoinspectorgeneral.org/publications-and-press/inspector-general-releases-review-on-efficiency-of-motor-truck-driver-job-duties/ |archive-date=September 20, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

"If it was up to me, no one except law enforcement officers would own a handgun. But I understand that's impractical," Daley told attendees at a conference of gun control advocates in Washington, D.C. in 1998, during his third term.{{cite news |title=Daley Shares Gun Battle With Nation |date=November 14, 1998 |first=Mike |last=Dorning |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/11/14/daley-shares-gun-battle-with-nation/ |access-date=November 9, 2012}} Daley was a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.{{cite web|title=Bi-Partisan Coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns Holds National Summit in Washington, DC|url=http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/media-center/pr001-07.shtml|publisher=Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition|access-date=February 28, 2011|date=January 23, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511060145/http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/media-center/pr001-07.shtml|archive-date=May 11, 2011}} On January 17, 2006, during Daley's fifth term, at a joint press conference with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich calling for a statewide ban on semi-automatic assault weapons, Daley said, "If we are really to make the progress that we want, we have to keep the most dangerous weapons that are right here off of our streets."{{cite news |title=Blagojevich, Daley push gun ban; Both plan to make it top priority this year |date=January 18, 2006 |first1=Courtney |last1=Flynn |first2=Christi |last2=Parsons |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/01/18/blagojevich-daley-push-gun-ban/ }}{{cite web|title=Governor Blagojevich, Mayor Daley renew call for state assault weapons ban|url=http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=1&RecNum=4591|work=Office of the Governor|publisher=State of Illinois|access-date=February 28, 2011|date=January 17, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510073915/http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=1&RecNum=4591|archive-date=May 10, 2011}}

The US Supreme Court took up McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U.S. 3025, 130 S.Ct. 3020 (2010), which challenged handgun bans in the Chicago and in the neighboring suburb of Oak Park. In May 2010, Daley held a press conference to address gun control and a pending possible adverse decision in McDonald v. Chicago.{{cite news |first=Fran |last=Spielman |title=Daley: Gun ban 'effective' |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=May 20, 2010}}{{cite news |first1=Hal |last1=Dardick|first2=John| last2=Byrne|url=http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/05/daley-talks-gun-control-in-advance-of-supreme-court-ruling.html|title=Daley: City ready to act if Supreme Court overturns gun ban|date=May 20, 2010 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |access-date=September 18, 2010}} After Mick Dumke, a reporter for the Chicago Reader, questioned the effectiveness of the city's handgun ban, Daley picked up a rifle with a bayonet from a display table of confiscated weapons and told him, "If I put this up your butt, you'll find out how effective it is. Let me put a round up your, you know."{{cite news|first=Jimmy|last=Orr|title=Chicago Mayor Daley offers to shoot reporter to prove gun ban works |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/05/chicago-mayor-daley-offers-to-shoot-reporter-to-prove-gun-ban-works.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 20, 2010 |access-date=September 18, 2010}}{{cite news|first=Mick|last=Dumke|title=Mayor Daley Threatens to Shoot the Messenger—Namely, Me|newspaper=Chicago Reader|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2010/05/20/mayor-daley-threatens-to-shoot-the-messengernamely-me|date=May 20, 2010|access-date=September 18, 2010|archive-date=January 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121181843/http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2010/05/20/mayor-daley-threatens-to-shoot-the-messengernamely-me|url-status=dead}}{{efn|See also* {{cite news |title=Chicago Mayor Regrets 'Up Your Butt'; Richard Daley, Wielding Gun, Told Reporter 'If I Put This Up Your Butt, You'll Find Out How Effective It Is' |date=May 21, 2010 |access-date=September 18, 2010 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chicago-mayor-regrets-up-your-butt-comment/ |work=CBS News |archive-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525111450/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/21/politics/main6507338.shtml |url-status=live }}

• {{cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHSMMcJEQqU | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211118/DHSMMcJEQqU| archive-date=November 18, 2021 | url-status=live|title=Mayor Daley gun 'up your butt' |location=Chicago |publisher=YouTube |access-date=December 1, 2012}}{{cbignore}}
• {{cite news |title=Some Of Mayor Daley's Most Colorful Quotes |date=May 13, 2011 |first=Adam |last=Harrington |url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/05/13/some-of-mayor-daleys-most-colorful-quotes/ |publisher=CBS Chicago }}|group="nb"}} The remark was voted "the stoopidest thing that Mayor Richard Daley the Younger has ever said" in an online poll by the Chicago Tribune.{{citation |title=What's the stoopidest thing Mayor Richard Daley has ever said? Some readers complain that 'all of the above' wasn't an option in online poll |first=John |last=Kass |author-link=John Kass |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-05-26/news/ct-met-kass-0526-20100526_1_white-mayor-mayor-richard-daley-wet-mayor |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630225915/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-05-26/news/ct-met-kass-0526-20100526_1_white-mayor-mayor-richard-daley-wet-mayor |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 30, 2010 |date=May 26, 2010}}

On June 28, 2010, the US Supreme Court held, in a 5–4 decision in McDonald v. Chicago, that the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution was incorporated under the Fourteenth Amendment, thus protecting the right of an individual to "keep and bear arms" from local governments,{{Cite news|last=Mears|first=Bill|title=Court rules for gun rights, strikes down Chicago handgun ban|work=CNN|date=June 28, 2009|url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/28/court-rules-for-gun-rights-strikes-down-chicago-handgun-ban/|access-date=January 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111120234806/http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/28/court-rules-for-gun-rights-strikes-down-chicago-handgun-ban/|archive-date=November 20, 2011|url-status=dead}} and all but declared Mayor Jane Byrne's 1982 handgun ban unconstitutional.{{cite news |title=Daley: City will revise gun law after Supreme Court ruling |date=June 28, 2010 |url=http://articles.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010-06-28/news/28514876_1_handgun-ban-gun-ban-ordinance-ruling |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |first1=David |last1=Savage |first2=Katherine |last2=Skiba |first3=Cynthia |last3=Dizikes}} That afternoon, at a press conference concerning the gun ban, Daley said,

We'll publicly propose a new ordinance very soon ... As a city we must continue to stand up ... and fight for a ban on assault weapons ... as well as a crackdown on gun shops ... We are a country of laws not a nation of guns.{{cite news |title=Daley Vows New Gun Ordinances |first=Mary Ann |last=Ahern |date=June 28, 2010 |url=http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Daley-Vows-New-Gun-Ordinances-97328384.html}}

Daley called a special meeting of the city council for four days later, and the Council approved a gun control ordinance revised to include city firearms licenses.{{cite news |date=July 2, 2010 |title=City Council passes Daley gun restrictions 45-0 |first1=John |last1=Byrne |first2=Hal |last2=Dardick |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/07/city-council-passes-daley-gun-restrictions-450.html}}

Daley came into office in a city with revenue-generating assets, manageable debt and flush pension funds, but he left behind a city with a structural deficit that Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel estimated at $1.2 billion{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|1200000000|2011|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} when under-funded pension funds were included.{{cite news |title=Daley's unique legacy secured |first=Fran |last=Spielman |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=May 14, 2011 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/5314348-418/daleys-legacy-secured.html}} The Daley administration's expenditures exceeded revenues by hundreds of millions of dollars a year.{{cite news |title=Analysis: The city under Daley; The end of the mayor's tenure comes amid increasing signs that much of the official story line might not stand up to scrutiny |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |date=May 2011 |work=Illinois Issues |url=http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/archives/2011/05/daley.html |publisher=University of Illinois Springfield |access-date=January 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622193433/http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/archives/2011/05/daley.html |archive-date=June 22, 2013 |url-status=dead }} In August 2010, Fitch Ratings downgraded the city's bond credit rating, citing the administration's use of reserve funds for general operating expenses and under-funding of its pension funds, and noted that the city faced rising fixed operating costs yet lacked plans for new revenue.{{cite news |title=City Budget Problems Lead to Credit Downgrade |first=Mick |last=Dumke |date=August 5, 2010 |url=http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/city-budget-problems-lead-to-credit-downgrade/ |agency=Chicago News Cooperative |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042408/http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/city-budget-problems-lead-to-credit-downgrade/ |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |url-status=dead }} Wall Street analysts noted that the Daley administration began drawing on the city's reserves as early as 2006, before the 2008–2012 global recession. "While there had been sound economic growth in years prior to 2008, there were still sizable fund balance drawdowns in both 2006 and 2007," Fitch wrote. The city's budgets continued to increase even after the recession began, to more than $6 billion{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|6000000000|2008|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} a year, and, when under-funded city employee pension funds were included, the city's annual deficit exceeded $1 billion. In January 2011, Moody's Investors Service downgraded to a "negative" outlook some of the revenue bonds issued for the $15 billion{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|15000000000|2011|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} O'Hare Modernization Program and related infrastructure projects, citing the city's plan to postpone repayment of interest and principal on some construction bonds.{{cite news |title=O'Hare expansion bonds' outlook downgraded; Moody's warns of mounting risks that Chicago is taking by going deeper into debt to build more runways at O'Hare without financial support from airlines |date=January 10, 2011 |first=Jon |last=Hilkevitch |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/01/10/ohare-expansion-bonds-outlook-downgraded/}}{{cite news |title=Chicago's Downgraded Bond Rating Means Trouble for O'Hare Modernization |date=January 11, 2011 |first=Joanie |last=Lum |publisher=FOX Chicago News |url=http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/17809497/chicagos-downgraded-bond-rating-means-trouble-for-ohare-modernization |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020182325/http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/17809497/chicagos-downgraded-bond-rating-means-trouble-for-ohare-modernization |archive-date=October 20, 2013 }}

In his annual budget address in City Council Chambers on October 15, 2008, Daley proposed a 2009 budget totaling $5.97 billion,{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|5970000000|2008|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} including not filling 1,350 vacancies on the 38,000 employee city payroll and $150 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|150000000|2008|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} in new revenue from a then-obscure parking meter lease deal to help erase a $469 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|469000000|2008|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} budget shortfall.{{cite news |date=October 15, 2008 |title=Daley budget includes parking tax hike, layoffs |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/10/daley-budget-ex.html}}{{cite news |date=October 31, 2008 |title=Aldermen gripe louder about Daley budget cuts |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/10/aldermen-gripe.html}} The Daley administration employed an in-house staff of more than 50 public relations officers across City departments at a cost of $4.7 million,{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|4700000|2008|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} and millions more on seven private public relations firms. "It's worth it", Daley said.{{citation |title=Daley's PR machine; Budget cuts not affecting city's public relations efforts City message coming from a lot of messengers |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=October 12, 2008 |url=http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/10/budget-cuts-not.html}}{{Citation |title=Daley reins in radicals -- the Chicago Way |date=October 12, 2008 |first=John |last=Kass |author-link=John Kass |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/10/12/daley-reins-in-radicals-the-chicago-way/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} On the first day of City Council hearings on Daley's 2009 budget proposal, several aldermen questioned the administration's public relations spending.{{Citation |title=Aldermen bash city's spending of millions on public relations |date=October 21, 2008 |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-10-21/news/0810200319_1_aldermen-city-contracts-mayor-richard-daley|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812032125/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-10-21/news/0810200319_1_aldermen-city-contracts-mayor-richard-daley|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 12, 2012}} On November 4, 2008, Jacquelyn Heard, the mayor's press secretary, said the city would halt spending on 10 public relations contracts that could have paid as much as $5 million{{efn|{{inflation|US|5000000|2008|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} each.{{Citation |title=After some bad press, Daley cuts outside PR; Aldermen balk at paying millions to private firms |date=November 5, 2008 |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/11/05/after-some-bad-press-daley-cuts-outside-pr/}}{{Citation |title=Change in city's PR department |date=November 5, 2008 |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/11/05/change-in-citys-pr-department/}}

In his annual budget address on October 21, 2009, Daley projected a deficit for 2009 of more than $520 million.{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|520000000|2009|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} Daley proposed a 2010 budget totaling $6.14 billion,{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|6140000000|2010|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} including spending $370 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|370000000|2010|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} from the $1.15 billion{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|1150000000|2010|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} proceeds from the parking meter lease.{{cite news |date=October 21, 2009 |title=Mayor Richard Daley: It's more responsible to tap parking meter reserves than raise taxes |first1=Dan |last1=Mihalopoulos |first2=Hal |last2=Dardick |first3=John |last3=Byrne |url=http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/10/mayor-richard-daley-to-unveil-budget-this-morning.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} In his annual budget address on October 13, 2010, Daley projected a deficit for 2010 of $655 million,{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|655000000|2010|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} the largest in city history.{{cite news |title=Daley talks legacy in 2011 budget address |date=October 13, 2011 |url=https://abc7chicago.com/archive/7722028/ |work=WLS ABC News |first=Charles |last=Thomas |access-date=August 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020023913/http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=7722028 |archive-date=October 20, 2010 |url-status=live }} Daley proposed a 2011 budget totaling $6.15 billion,{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|6150000000|2011|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} including spending all but $76 million{{efn|{{inflation|US-GDP|76000000|2011|fmt=eq}}{{inflation/fn|US-GDP}}}} of what remained of the parking meter lease proceeds, and received a standing ovation from aldermen.{{cite news |last=Mihalopoulos |first=Dan |date=October 13, 2010 |title=Daley's Budget Guts Parking Meter Deal Funds |agency=Chicago News Cooperative |url=http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/daleys-budget-guts-parking-meter-deal-funds/ |url-status=dead |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219214819/http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/daleys-budget-guts-parking-meter-deal-funds/ |archive-date=December 19, 2017}}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/us/31cncway.html | title=Parking Matter Still Festers | date=October 30, 2010 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Dumke, Mick | newspaper=New York Times}}

Daley's approval rating was at an all-time low of 35% by late 2009.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2009/10/04/daleys-dream-dashed-dream-dashed-2/ |title=Chicago Olympic dream dashed; Mayor Richard Daley sought the 2016 Games to solve myriad problems. Now what? |first=Dan |last=Mihalopoulos |work=Chicago Tribune |date=October 14, 2009}} On September 7, 2010, Daley announced that he would not seek a seventh term.{{cite news |title=Text of Daley's announcement |date=September 7, 2010 |first=Richard M. |last=Daley |url=http://articles.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010-09-07/news/28517276_1_great-city-chicagoans-public-servant |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}{{cite news |title=Chicago Mayor Daley won't run for re-election |first=Tammy |last=Webber |work=The Guardian |date=September 7, 2010}}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/us/politics/08daley.html | title='Mayor for Life' Decides Not to Run in Chicago | date=September 7, 2010 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Saulny, Susan | newspaper=New York Times}} "I've always believed that every person, especially public officials, must understand when it's time to move on. For me, that time is now," Daley said.{{cite news |title=Daley won't run for re-election: 'I have done my best' |date=September 7, 2010 |url=http://articles.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010-09-07/news/28517264_1_mayor-s-press-office-chicago-city-hall |first=John |last=Byrne |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2016992,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100911050717/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2016992,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 11, 2010|title=Chicago and the Legacy of the Daley Dynasty |last=Reiss|first=Dawn|date=September 9, 2010|magazine=Time|access-date=September 9, 2010}} On December 26, 2010, Daley surpassed his father as Chicago's longest-serving mayor.{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2013772347_apuschicagomayordaleytenure.html |title=Daley now Chicago mayor 1 day longer than father |agency=Associated Press |date=December 26, 2010 |newspaper=Seattle Times}} Daley chaired his final city council meeting on Wednesday morning, May 11, 2011. His term ended on May 16, 2011, and he was succeeded by Rahm Emanuel.

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Daley was supported by Chicago's traditionally Republican business community.{{cite journal|first1=John J.|last1=Betancur|first2=Douglas C.|last2=Gills |title=Community Development in Chicago: From Harold Washington to Richard M. Daley|journal=Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science|volume=594 |pages=92–108|issue=1 |doi=10.1177/0002716204265181|year=2004|s2cid=146326932}}{{cite news |title=Is Mayor Daley Really a Republican? |first=Gretchen |last=Reynolds |date=December 1991 |url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/December-1991/Is-Mayor-Daley-Really-a-Republican/ |work=Chicago Magazine}} He came under criticism for focusing city resources on the development of businesses downtown, the North, Near South, and Near West Sides, while neglecting neighborhoods in the other areas of the city; in particular the needs of low-income residents. According to Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman, "Daley lasted 22 years in office partly because he resolved to ingratiate himself with black Chicagoans. He appointed blacks to high positions, stressed his commitment to provide services to all neighborhoods, tore down public housing projects, and pushed reform of the minority-dominated public schools."Chapman, Steve (February 14, 2011) [http://reason.com/archives/2011/02/14/for-chicago-mayor-a-race-again/singlepage For Chicago Mayor, A Race Against Race], Reason Daley focused on Chicago as a tourist destination as opposed to a manufacturing base, improved and expanded parkland, added flower planters along many primary streets, and oversaw the creation of Millennium Park on what had previously been an abandoned train yard. He spearheaded the conversion of Navy Pier into a popular tourist destination. Daley supported immigration reform, and green building initiatives, for which he was presented with an Honor Award from the National Building Museum in 2009 as a "visionary in sustainability."{{cite news |url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/04/national-building-museum-to-honor-daley-and-chicago-for-the-greening-of-chicago-.html |title=National Building Museum to honor Daley for greening of Chicago |author=Kamen, Blair |date=April 8, 2009 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |access-date=March 3, 2011 |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510023109/http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/04/national-building-museum-to-honor-daley-and-chicago-for-the-greening-of-chicago-.html |url-status=dead }} Chicago avoided some of the most severe economic contractions of other Midwest cities along the Great Lakes such as Detroit and Cleveland.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/opinion/09thurs3.html|title=After Mayor Daley|last=Editorial|date=September 8, 2010|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 9, 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/us/politics/08daley.html|title=Chicago's 'Mayor for Life' Decides Not to Run|last=Saulny|first=Susan|date=September 8, 2010|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 9, 2010}}

Days after leaving office, the University of Chicago appointed Daley a "distinguished senior fellow" at the Harris School of Public Policy. The five-year, part-time appointment includes responsibility for coordinating a guest lecture series.{{cite news|title=Daley taking public policy post at U. of C. |url=http://articles.chicagobreakingnews.com/2011-05-24/news/29579285_1_urban-policy-mayor-daley-public-policy-post |access-date=May 24, 2011|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=May 24, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Galer|first=Sarah|title=Richard M. Daley appointed distinguished senior fellow at University of Chicago Harris School|url=http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2011/05/24/richard-m-daley-appointed-distinguished-senior-fellow-at-harris-school|access-date=May 24, 2011|newspaper=UChicago News|date=May 24, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529002734/http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2011/05/24/richard-m-daley-appointed-distinguished-senior-fellow-at-harris-school|archive-date=May 29, 2011}} Weeks after leaving office, Daley joined the international law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, one of the law firms to which he had awarded no-bid legal work as mayor. Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP had negotiated the city's much-criticized long-term lease of its parking meters, parking garages, and the Chicago Skyway.{{cite news |title=Daley takes job at law firm that got city work; Former mayor is joining Katten Muchin Rosenman in 'of counsel' post, so he won't work exclusively for firm |date=June 1, 2011 |first=Hal |last=Dardick |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/06/01/daley-takes-job-at-law-firm-that-got-city-work/}}{{cite news |title=Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley Joins Law Firm Katten Muchin Rosenman |first=Sophia |last=Pearson |date=June 1, 2011 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-01/former-chicago-mayor-richard-daley-joins-law-firm-katten-muchin-rosenman.html |publisher=Bloomberg News}}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/us/12cncwarren.html | title=Mr. Daley's New Chapter, Starting in the Loop | date=June 12, 2011 | access-date=December 1, 2012 | author=Warren, James | newspaper=New York Times}} Daley joined an exclusive speakers bureau, the Harry Walker Agency, that pays tens of thousands of dollars an appearance.{{cite web |title=Richard M. Daley |url=http://www.harrywalker.com/speaker/Richard-M-Daley.cfm?Spea_ID=1477 |publisher=The Harry Walker Agency |access-date=February 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120102232810/http://harrywalker.com/speaker/Richard-M-Daley.cfm?Spea_ID=1477 |archive-date=January 2, 2012 }} Daley was on the board of directors of The Coca-Cola Company from 2011 to 2019.{{Cite news | url = https://www.yahoo.com/now/coca-cola-raises-dividend-adds-173030124.html | access-date = 2023-06-14 | title = Coca-Cola Raises Dividend, Adds 150M To Share Buyback | author-first = Jayson | author-last = Derrick | date = 2019-02-21 | work = Benzinga | via = Yahoo! News}} Daley is a managing principal of Tur Partners LLC, an investment firm, where Daley's son, Patrick Daley, is a principal.{{cite news |url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/12/15/daley-named-to-coca-colas-board-of-directors/ |work=WBBM-TV |title=Daley Named To Coca-Cola's Board Of Directors |date=December 15, 2011}} The National Law Journal included Daley in its 2013 list of "The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America," based on "his political connections — the best in Chicago."{{cite magazine |title=The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America |url=http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202593197565 |date=April 29, 2013 |access-date=April 29, 2013 |magazine=The National Law Journal}} In 2022, Daley's daughter Nora became chair of the Illinois Arts Council.{{cite web|url=https://arts.illinois.gov/about-iac/governance/iac-council-members.html|title=IAC Council Members|publisher=Illinois Arts Council|accessdate=February 12, 2025}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/daley-illinois-arts-council/|title=Nora Daley follows footsteps of her famous Chicago family to help artists across Illinois|first=Jim|last=Williams|publisher=CBS Chicago|date=May 24, 2024|accessdate=February 12, 2025}}

In June 2022, Daley was hospitalized at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago for a "neurological" illness.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/former-chicago-mayor-richard-daley-transferred-to-rehab-facility-after-neurological-event/2856635/|title=Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley Transferred to Rehab Facility After 'Neurological Event'|publisher=NBC Chicago|accessdate=June 17, 2022|date=June 13, 2022}}

In 1999, Daley received the Arbor Day Foundation's Lifetime Stewardship Award.{{cite news|title=1999 Lifetime Stewardship Award|url=https://www.arborday.org/programs/awards/awardmorton99.cfm|access-date=January 3, 2021|archive-date=December 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207153749/https://www.arborday.org/programs/awards/awardmorton99.cfm|url-status=dead}}

In 2002, Daley received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt. He was the Host of the 2004 International Achievement Summit in Chicago.{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|url= https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#public-service}}{{cite news|date=2004 |title=2004 Summit Highlights Photo | url= https://achievement.org/summit/2004/|quote= Richard M. Daley, 43rd Mayor of Chicago and Academy Summit Host, at the Cubs’ legendary ballpark Wrigley Field.}}{{cite news|date=2006 |title=2006 Summit Highlights Photo | url= https://achievement.org/summit/2006/|quote= Presidential advisor David Gergen moderates a lively discussion of "Public-Private Partnerships" with Mayor Richard Daley and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.}}{{cite news|date=2007 |title=2007 Summit Highlights Photo | url= https://achievement.org/summit/2007/|quote= Golden Plate Awards Council member and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and his wife Maggie at the Capitol.}}

In 2017, Daley received the ULI Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award.{{cite news |title=ULI Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award| url= https://chicago.uli.org/events/lifetime-award/}}

• {{cite news |title=US Must Side with Its Young Not Its Guns |first=Richard M. |last=Daley |newspaper=Financial Times |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e9fb2334-8009-11e2-96ba-00144feabdc0.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e9fb2334-8009-11e2-96ba-00144feabdc0.html |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |date=February 13, 2013 |access-date=April 29, 2013}}

{{Portal|Biography|Chicago}}

• Electoral history of Richard M. Daley
• Timeline of Chicago, 1980s–2010s

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite journal |last1=Betancur |first1=John J. |first2=Douglas C. |last2=Gills |title=Community Development in Chicago: From Harold Washington to Richard M. Daley |journal=The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science |volume=594 |issue=1 |year=2004 |pages=92–108 |doi=10.1177/0002716204265181 |jstor=4127696}}
• {{cite book |last=Bennett |first=Larry |chapter=The Mayor among His Peers: Interpreting Richard M. Daley |title=The City, Revisited: Urban Theory from Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York |editor-first=Dennis R. |editor-last=Judd |editor-first2=Dick |editor-last2=Simpson |publisher=University of Minnesota Press |year=2011 |pages=242–272 |jstor=10.5749/j.cttts735.14 |isbn=978-0-8166-6575-4 }}
• {{cite book |last=Diamond |first=Andrew J. |title=Chicago on the Make Power and Inequality in a Modern City |year=2017}}
• {{cite book |title=First Son: The Biography of Richard M. Daley |first=Keith |last=Koeneman |isbn=9780226449470 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=2013}} Scholarly biography.
• {{cite book |last=Pacyga |first=Dominic A. |title=Chicago: A biography |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=2009}}
• {{cite book |last=Spirou |first=Costas |title=Building the City of Spectacle: Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Remaking of Chicago |publisher=Cornell University Press |year=2016 |jstor=10.7591/j.ctt20d8b1h|isbn=978-1-5017-0683-7 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Spirou |first1=Costas |first2=Dennis R. |last2=Judd |chapter=Richard M. Daley’s Ambiguous Legacy |title=Building the City of Spectacle: Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Remaking of Chicago |publisher=Cornell University Press |year=2016 |pages=149–181 |jstor=10.7591/j.ctt20d8b1h.10|isbn=978-1-5017-0683-7 }}

{{Commons category}}

{{Spoken Wikipedia|Richard_M_Daley.ogg|date=July 22, 2005}}

• [https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/09/10/weekinreview/20100912-chicago.html?ref=multimedia Mayor Daley's Mark]—slideshow by The New York Times
• [http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/ArticleArchives?tag=Mayor%20Richard%20M.%20Daley Mayor Richard M. Daley] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103185707/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/ArticleArchives?tag=Mayor%20Richard%20M.%20Daley |date=January 3, 2012 }} archive at the Chicago Reader
• [http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091015085539/http%3A//www.chicagoist.com/tags/daley Daley] archive at [https://web.archive.org/web/20120110173107/http://chicagoist.com/ Chicagoist]
• [http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Mayor-Daley-Backgrounder-Our-Best-Stories-About-Richard-M-Daley/ Mayor Daley Backgrounder: Our Best Stories About Richard M. Daley, From His Rise to Power Until Now] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222101618/http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Mayor-Daley-Backgrounder-Our-Best-Stories-About-Richard-M-Daley/ |date=February 22, 2012 }} at Chicago Magazine
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120920003331/http://www.kattenlaw.com/richard-daley/ Richard M. Daley] biography at [https://web.archive.org/web/20120107111236/http://www.kattenlaw.com/ Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP]
• [http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/specialcoll/services/rjd/findingaids/Crawfordf.html Bob Crawford Audio Archive]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120102232810/http://harrywalker.com/speaker/Richard-M-Daley.cfm?Spea_ID=1477 Richard M. Daley] at the Harry Walker Agency speaker's agency
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120128075351/http://www.chipublib.org/cplbooksmovies/cplarchive/mayors/rm_daley.php Richard Michael Daley] archive at the Chicago Public Library, including inaugural addresses
• [http://www.saadigitalarchive.org/entity/richard-m-daley Richard M. Daley materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120213124107/http://www.turpartners.com/ Tur Partners LLC] investment firm where Daley and son Patrick are principals
• [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-100907-richard-m-daley-pictures,0,6963199.photogallery Photo gallery: Mayor Richard M. Daley] at the Chicago Tribune
• {{C-SPAN|18093}}

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{{s-bef|before = Bernard Carey}}

{{s-ttl|title=Cook County State's Attorney|years=1980–1989}}

{{s-aft|after = Cecil Partee}}

{{s-bef|before = Eugene Sawyer}}

{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Chicago|years=April 24, 1989{{spaced ndash}}May 16, 2011}}

{{s-aft|after = Rahm Emanuel}}

{{S-end}}

{{Mayors of Chicago}}

{{Cook County State's Attorney|state=collapsed}}

{{United States Conference of Mayors Presidents}}

{{Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Daley, Richard M.}}

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