Chicago public school bureaucrats skirted competitive bidding rules to buy 30 cappuccino/espresso machines for $67,000, with most of the machines going unused because the schools they were ordered for had not asked for them, according to a report by the CPS Office of Inspector General.
That was just one example of questionable CPS actions detailed in the inspector general’s 2008 annual report. Others included high school staffers changing grades to pump up transcripts of student athletes and workers at a restricted-enrollment grade school falsifying addresses to get relatives admitted.
In the case of the cappuccino machines, central office administrators split the order among 21 vocational schools to avoid competitive bidding required for purchases over $10,000. As a result CPS paid about $12,000 too much, according to Inspector General James Sullivan. “We were able to find the same machines cheaper online,” he said.
“We also look at it as a waste of money because the schools didn’t even know they were getting the equipment, schools didn’t know how to use the machines and weren’t prepared to implement them into the curriculum,” Sullivan said.
Does that include baristas? If so, then it’s a good deal.
#30 – Pink
“I’m not here for your entertainment.
You don’t really want to mess with me tonight“.
Btw, I don’t like your music, and I think you look like a dyke.
#30–Pink==one comment? Thats not a blog for the exchange of ideas and information. One comment and failure to link to affirming websites is more a steaming pile of crap in the public park. Your aspiration is my mark of failure. You don’t even clean up after yourself.
I certainly agree Mustard should do better.
#32 – ‘bo
>>I certainly agree Mustard should do better.
As I said to ‘dro, ‘bo:
“I’m rubber, you’re glue,
Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you”.
The schools could have bought 5,223,881 capuccino machines for the same amount of money the USA spent bailing out rich people in the stock market.
Something to think about when you talk about “fraud, waste, abuse”.
Sorry guys, bad math. TARP bailout money could have bought 156,716,418 capuccino machines.
Who is in charge here?
I like listening to Dvorak’s various podcasts but the the shit on this blog is just that.. shit.
I hope to god that Dvorak isn’t paying the idiots who post the topics here. Its so often shit like that is either years old or hyped up shit like this…. some sensational story with a non relevant picture. Is this fucking Perez Hilton’s website?
I see Dvorak’s business model is to let some flunkies post whatever crap they want, he promotes it, and he profits some pennies.
Paddy O: No, it doesn’t. You have no idea what you’re talking about.
AlGoreLeonia:
death throws?? Little rugs with grim reapers on them?
Mouse-turd spewed:
“I weep (note the spelling of “weep”, BiteOnThis, as your inchoherent rant in message #18 showed your lower-than-average verbal skills) at the injustice of it.”
Maybe you should check your own spelling some time. For example “parking meeter[sic]” in one of your recent post.
Typos happen…
Don’t be a Hypocrite!!
#1, Cow-Paddy, Ignorant Shit Talking Sociopath and retired Mall Rent-A-Cop,
To bad there is no fat to cut in gov’t budgets.
If you bothered to even read the article, which obviously you haven’t, you would know that this was not fat but an abuse of procedure.
The system worked. The Auditor found the expenditure, found it was improper and made a report. The Administrators took action and :
One person was fired and disciplinary action is pending against three others, he said.
Fraud is not fat. Fat would be something along the lines of a $250,000 bathroom remodeling for the incumbent Republican Secretary of the Interior.
#2, Lyin’ Mike,
He’s already started. Just look at this story. Well the person in charge of Chicago schools is no longer in that job. Obama had him removed.
This is so typical of the right wing nuts. Blame Obama because someone bought some coffee machines. Wow. It is also why the Republicans lost as badly as they did in November. And it is why you are called “Lyin’ Mike”.
# 39 Mr. Fusion said, “If you bothered to even read the article, which obviously you haven’t, you would know that this was not fat but an abuse of procedure. ”
ROFL!!!
I’ll have to remember that one. Liberals, masters of verbal incoherence.
#42 – Paddy-RAMBO
>>ROFL!!!
We’re laughing AT you, Paddy-RAMBO, not WITH you.
Where did I blame Obama? I was responding to PaddyO’s post, and pointed out that Obama has already removed the head of the Chicago schools.
#44 – Lyin’ Mike
You might want to make some reference to wtf you are talking about, so we know what you’re lyin’ about at least.
#44, Lyin’ Mike,
I’m foolish for taking the bait, BUT,
Where did I blame Obama?
Of course you forgot what you had written in #2
You’re wrong PaddyO. Obama will go line by line through the budget and get rid of things like this. Watch him veto Congress’ stimulus package because of all the pork.
He’s already started. Just look at this story. Well the person in charge of Chicago schools is no longer in that job. Obama had him removed.
Yup. Sure reads like this is Obama’s fault. From your point of view. Normal people will go huh??? But idjits like you and Cow-Paddy will go Oooooo, another chance to blame Obama.
Fat would be something along the lines of a $250,000 bathroom remodeling for the incumbent Republican Secretary of the Interior.
What about $250,000 bathroom remodeling for the incoming Democrat Secretary of the Interior?
He’s already started. Just look at this story. Well the person in charge of Chicago schools is no longer in that job. Obama had him removed.
Didn’t he promote him to Secretary of Education? Change We Can Believe In?
Fusion, maybe you should read the post.
You too Mustard. It was only 4 posts up.
I recommend basic reading lessons.
According to you, bashing Obama is wrong, and praising Obama is also bashing Obama.
#47 – LiLo
>>Didn’t he promote him to Secretary of
>>Education?
Are you really going to try and blame Arne Duncan for this? The budget for the Chicago Public Schools is about $5,000,000,000.00. These coffee makers cost approximately 1/1000th of a percent of the overall budget.
Do you suppose Duncan really micromanages at that level?
Christ, the guys responsible for buying the coffee makers were fired (even though we never got any follow-up as to what the REAL story here was).
What more do you want?
#49, Poison,
You really crack me up.
It was this guy’s policies that allowed this to happen. Just like it was Bush’s policies that allowed a lot of the crap you bitch about happen.
How can you possibly blame Bush for everything wrong in this country for the last eight years and yet back this failed spermicide test?
The ONLY thing the Chimperer in Chief Elect is going to accomplish as far as Change is the name on the door.
# 50 LibertyLover said, “The ONLY thing the Chimperer in Chief Elect is going to accomplish as far as Change is the name on the door.”
Not true!
He is proposing massive tax cuts along with massive deficit spending increases. Oops, didn’t the Repukes just try and die doing that?
#49 – LiLo
On the contrary, LiLo, it is YOU who are performing a high-stepping jig.
It’s one thing when Dumbya whole-heartedly supports policies carried out by his administration like torture, warrantless wiretapping, deregulation of predatory businesses, support of the oil industry at the expense of alternative energies AND the American citizenry. He STILL supports that shit, and let’s hope there’s some criminal prosecution in store for him and his puppetmasters after the 20th.
In the CPS case (to the extent we can draw conclusions from the < 1/2 of the story we get from the Sun-Times), some crooks (although it’s not clear what they were “stealing”) ordered a bunch of coffee machines they apparently weren’t supposed to, the system worked as it should, they were caught and fired.
Not only is the amount of money a dribble of spit in the ocean of the CPS budget, but it’s not Arne Duncan’s bitterly-defended policy to purchase equipment that is not needed and let it sit in a store room. It most certainly was NOT “this guy’s policies”, any more than someone stealing paper clips from their cube at Microsoft is Bill Gates’ “policy”.
Sheesh.
Once in a while you make a good point, but you’re really pissing into the wind on this one.
I think all these promotions are a smokescreen to get them out of the way. I mean he has 3 of his primary opponents in the White House now(Hillary, Biden, and Richardson), where they can no longer challenge him. I think he will get rid of them in due course, and suddenly Hillary has no Senate perch from which to hurt him. Arne Duncan as Sec of Educ for a little while will do no harm.
#52, Poison,
The only difference I can see is the size of the budget. However, that was just one of over 1,000 cases of corruption in that district from July 07 to July 08. This one just got the best press coverage.
Personally, I think $5B is a LOT of money. It’s larger than some state budgets around the country. If a governor pulled crap like that with his state budget, he’d be in deep trouble.
However, now that I know you consider economies of scale apply to corruption, I know where you stand with Obamessiah. As long as the payoff is around $67k, it’s ok.
Duncan, the new SE didn’t send his OWN kids to those schools. If he didn’t trust the system to educate his own kids — and he was on the job for seven years — what makes Obama think he can do any better with a larger budget?
More school children have been killed in Chicago under Duncan’s watch than any other in the past 50 years, 27 in 2007, AND ALREADY 20 THIS YEAR ALONE SINCE SEPTEMBER leaving Chicago as one of the most dangerous city for children in the country, along with Obama’s former senatorial district in Chicago, the most blighted and dangerous area in the entire city of Chicago.
#54, Loser,
… what makes Obama think he can do any better with a larger budget?
Obama is running the country, not the Chicago Public School Board. Obama has never run the CSB although he did serve on an advisory committee trying to better the system.
Therefore your connection and attempted smear of Obama is noted as the piece of stupid shit it is. Get a life.
Happy days are here again. We can only hope there will be criminal charges against Bushes cronies.
#54 – LiLoo
>>The only difference I can see is the size of
>>the budget.
Yer joshin’ me, right? I have trouble believing that a fella who can figure out how to turn on a computer could be such a shit-for-brains as not to see the difference in executive culpability between some low-level criminals pulling a fast one (and getting fired for their trouble) and The Big Kahuna himself arguing forcefully in public in favor of the criminal activities that are being conducted at his behest.
>>Personally, I think $5B is a LOT of money.
So do I. Heck, I even think $1000 is a lot of money! What does that have to do with anything?
>>As long as the payoff is around $67k,
>>it’s ok.
Have you eaten some bad shellfish? Who’s getting paid off $67K???? The school district PAID $67K for the coffee makers, but most of that money went to the materials and labor in the coffee makers. Sure, there’s a profit margin, but the VENDOR makes the profit, and I haven’t seen anyone accusing the vendor of any malfeasance. This isn’t the Bush administration, you know!
As I continue to point out, and you continue to pretend to ignore, is that there’s no apparent BENEFICIARY of these shenannigans. No Bush appointee getting to shit in a $250,000 bathroom, none of Cheney’s Secret Energy Cabal or mercenary buddies getting rich. WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS? Certainly not Arne Duncan.
As to where he sends his kids to school, pffft. That’s a topic for another thread. Who cares, in the context of ill-gotten espresso machines? The CPS is not a backyard playgroup, where someone can come in and turn a handful of squabbling youngsters into well behaved young ladies and gentlement with a few sharp words. The fact that he couldn’t completely overhaul the largest school system in the US, and turn ghetto schools into $25,000/yr kindergartents in the 7 years he’s been in office is no reflection on him.
>>However, that was just one of over 1,000
>>cases of corruption in that district from
>>July 07 to July 08.
See what a good job he’s doing ferreting out corrupt behavior? The guy’s an ace!!
Where did you get that “1000” figure, btw? I didn’t see that in the article. They mentioned grade fixing for athletes and workers phonying up relatives’ addresses so they could get into the CPS schools of their choice. What were the other 997?
Mustard,
… What were the other 997?
Talking in class.
#55, Poison Twin,
Your attempted whitewash of the situation won’t work.
BTW . . . when I said, “he,” I was referring not to Obamessiah, but to his crony. As in
“[…]what makes Obamessiah think his crony can handle it?”
Defending Obama seems to be a natural act . . . like pissing. I can understand why you felt the need to do so. Get used to it.
#56, Poison,
WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS? Certainly not Arne Duncan.
Arny JUST GOT PROMOTED YOU FUCKING MORON!!!! WHO DO YOU THINK BENEFITED????
and turn ghetto schools into $25,000/yr kindergartents in the 7 years he’s been in office is no reflection on him.
You are as hypocritical as they come, Poison. Bush can destroy a country in 8 years, but this guy can’t clean up one little ol’ school district in 7? What makes you think he is capable of the job for a entire country in 4 or 8 years?
Where did you get that “1000″ figure, btw?
It was easy. I typed “Chicago School District Corruption” into google. Damn, there were a lot of articles.
#59 – Loser
>>Arny JUST GOT PROMOTED YOU FUCKING MORON!!!! WHO DO YOU THINK BENEFITED????
Aw, come on. Even you can’t be that stupid.
You’re claiming that Arne got promoted to Secretary of Education because some low-level functionaries working for the Chicago public schools ordered $67K worth of high priced coffee machines? That was the quid pro quo?
Even you have to admit that sounds pretty ludicrous as a conspiracy theory. You’re starting to embarrass yourself.
>>It was easy. I typed “Chicago School
>>District Corruption” into google. Damn,
>>there were a lot of articles.
I don’t think so, LibertyLiar. Here are the results of typing “Chicago School District Corrpution into The Google:
http://tinyurl.com/8lwcof
Exactly 0.00 articles. If you leave off the quotes, you get 338,000 hits (not 1000, a number that you seem to have just made up à la Contempt). Sounds like a lot, until you realize that virtually all of them relate to the Blagojevich pay-to-play scam, corruption in Dallas (the web site happens to have articles about “Chicago” and “schools” that are unrelated to corruption in the public schools), etc.
>>This guy can’t clean up one little ol’
>>school district in 7?
Come on, Libby. Are you saying that Duncan is corrupt, that he’s ineffectual, or are you just sputtering like a perimenopausal dowager, looking for any way to implicate some Democrat, any Democrat, in any scandal you can find.
You’re truly getting desperate.
In all your pointless gibbering, you still haven’t made a single one of your points. This coffee-maker scandal remains unexplained, there’s nothing to link any malfeasance to Arne Duncan or anyone connected to Obama (or any Democrat), and you’re just making yourself look like an unhinged nutcase on the extreme Radical Right, gibbering senselessly.
Better quit while you’re only this far behind.
Poison,
What part of
“Arny is a corrupt Chicago politician who not only failed to clean up the mess he was hired to clean up but actually made things worse with his policies in less than seven years. As a reward for this, Obamessiah hired him as SE.”
don’t you understand?
As far as google use, perhaps you should take a refresher from a USDE-certified continuing education institution. I don’t post things in bold unless they were found the way I said they were found.