Illinois crony capitalism: Charter school grants go to politically-connected relatives

While charter schools are generally an improvement over unionized ones, in crony capitalism-addicted Illinois it's of course possible them to be loused up.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

The No. 2 executive of the United Neighborhood Organization quit Tuesday, eight days after the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the politically influential charter school operator paid state grant money to companies owned by two of his brothers.

Miguel d'Escoto, who was UNO's senior vice president of operations, resigned "by mutual agreement" in a letter submitted Tuesday evening, said the group's CEO, Juan Rangel.

"Unfortunately, my being a member of UNO's staff has become a distraction," d'Escoto wrote. "I believe it is in the best interest of the organization and our community that I step down."

Rangel said UNO's contracting process "followed the law."

If that's the case, the law stinks.

As for UNO, it's been a conduit from the mayor's office to the Hispanic vote since the early 1990s. Rangel was a co-chairman of Rahm Emanuel's campaign.

Situations such as this one are endemic in Illinois--the state with the nation's lowest credit rating.

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