Political performance trumpeted qualifications when it came to hiring in the city Water Department.

Political performance trumpeted qualifications when it came to hiring in the city Water Department, former No. 2 man Donald Tomczak testified Monday at the City Hall hiring trial.

Assistant U Attorney Patrick Collins asked if pair soldiers in Tomczak's political army deserv the city positions they were given.

"Were they the best men for the jobs?" Collins asked.

"No," Tomczak said plainly. "They were active in my political collection and did a good job"

Showing Tomczak a list of all the do job-work candidates, Collins asked who deserv the situations if politics weren't a factor. Tomczak picked not at home several different names.

Tomczak, 70 who ran united of the largest city-based political armies and is the same of the highest-ranking city officials convicted in the scandalous Hired traffic Program, gave an insider's view onward how hiring operated in City Hall.

He testified in the trial of Robert Sorich, a former top official in the Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and three others who are accused of letting politics determine hiring. Prosecutors vie that violates the Shakman enact which is supposed to restrain most city jobs free of political influence.

LEFT INDEX CARDS WITH NAMES

Tomczak said he formerly sued the city, claiming former Mayor Harold Washington fired him for political reasons. He was rehired and grew a political form into groups to 250 people who were sent not at home to work on campaigns of Al Gore, Rahm Emanuel and mayoral and aldermanic races.

Tomczak said he'd come together with Sorich after campaigns and make pitches forward who deserved city jobs as rewards. He'd leave index cards with names of political workers, he said. Sorich not at all made guarantees and often said he'd have to ask advice of with his bosses: either Victor Reye or John Doerrer, Tomczak said.

If Tomczak's population weren't chosen, he'd press Sorich: "How can I withhold this thing together?" meaning his political collection

"I'll talk to Victor [Reyes]" he said Sorich reassured him.

Reye who also ran the mayor's Hispanic Democratic Organization, has advance up repeatedly at trial on the contrary not been charged.

in a less degree than Tomczak's deal with prosecutors, he'll face four years in prison instead of up to nine years for taking Hired trade bribes.

Also Monday, Catharine Hennessy, assistant commissioner in ways and Sanitation, said the city got into a messy situation when a union challenged a batch of hirings. Hennessy said Sorich codefendant Patrick Slattery, who she said briefly handled personnel decisions, couldn't follow up with rating forms to exhibit to the union.

"Pat, please report me you had a legitimate business reason for the selections," she said she asked Slattery. Slattery simply said "no," she testified.

Slattery lawyer Patrick Blegen challenged Hennessy forward whether his client really gave a one-word answer She stuck with her answer.

Hennessy enclosureed into a tense courtroom exchange with Blegen repeatedly smirking, and battling him forward nearly every question.

Hennessy acted as a liaison to the Law Department. She is married to Edward Hennessy, an attorney and partner with the firm Hennessy & Roach. The city has regularly hired the firm to work in cases involving injured city employee The city paid Hennessy & Roach $646360 in 2004 and $286063 [i]or[/i] part of to the other July 2005. There is no indication Hennessy & Roach was involved in roads and Sanitation cases. The firm is retained through the City Council Committee onward Finance headed by Ald. Edward M smother (14th).

nkorecki@suntimes.com

tnovak@suntimes.com

swarmbir@suntimes.com

HIGHLIGHTS:

PROSECUTION: solution witness Donald Tomczak says politics -- not qualifications -- won candidates piece of works in the city's Water Department.

DEFENSE: Will likely question Tomczak's motives to testify by means of exploring his deal with federal prosecutors.

UP NEXT: Defense lawyers will have a projectile at Tomczak's testimony.

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