On February 6, 2011, I uploaded a page to my website with a countdown clock asking whether or not any reporters will question Chicago mayoral candidate Gery Chico about his relationship with the Save-A-Life Foundation (SALF) before Election Day, February 22.
My page was intended as a poke at Chicago news media whose coverage of the fall of SALF - an organization that was once the darling of prominent public officials, but is now the subject of IL state and federal investigations - has been conspicuous by its absence.
While SALF exposes popped up around the country, no Chicago media had reported anything since the Tribune ran staff reporter Lisa Black's deceptive Save-A-Life Foundation in Limbo back in October 2009. (Blogger Chris Johnson tagged Black's hackery in a thorough takedown.)
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| Gery Chico accepts award from SALF founder/president Carol J. Spizzirri (Click here for more about her) |
Windy City power broker Gery Chico and his wife Sunny (who runs an education consulting business) had been named by SALF as members of their corporate board and for years Chico promoted the organization during and after his tenure as president of the Chicago School Board.
More recently, Chico & The Frau have repeatedly ignored softball questions (posed to them by blogger Lee Cary) about their relationships with SALF.
With Chico running for mayor on a clean government platform, some might consider his ties to a tainted nonprofit to be newsworthy.
I'm happy to report that the Huffington Post agreed.
My countdown clock was stopped on February 17 at 06:07 PM EST as the result of staff reporter Will Guzzardi's article, Gery Chico Save A Life Foundation Connection: What Was His Role At Troubled Charity?
So when may readers expect the next report about SALF from Chicago news outlets?
Tick, tick, tick....