— The feds have subpoenaed files from the city`s Office of Municipal Investigations, the city agency conducting Mayor Harold Washington`s personal investigation into the fed`s probe of contract practices at City Hall.
— City Corporation Counsel Jim Montgomery has taken an unannounced
”time off” for an undisclosed reason! Hmmmmm. Health reasons, perhaps?
— The city is thisclose to news of a garbage crisis. And you don`t want to know where all your garbage is being dumped now that the city has failed to solve the problem of contracting for garbage disposal.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST . . .
INC. doesn`t doubt Tom Sullivan`s sincerity in excusing himself from the role of special prosecutor once he realized what little power he had, but isn`t his law firm, Jenner & Block, one of Chicago`s major criminal defense firms? And isn`t J&B now free to represent any prospective clients in the FBI- mole probe? Wouldn`t the firm have been unable to do so without a conflict of interest if Sullivan had remained in his investigative position? Oh, moneymoneymoney. . . . How bizarre that Michael Dockterman, Mayor Washington`s new special prosecutor, is a partner at the law firm of Wildman Harrold Allen & Dixon! P.S. Dockterman`s firm also earned big fees representing the city in the controversial ”people mover” case. But quoth former U.S. Atty. Dan Webb, who worked on the same case: ”Dockterman is an outstanding trial lawyer and a very honorable attorney.”
THE COFFEY CAN . . .
— Is it true that former mayoral adviser Tom Coffey conducted his own probe of the FBI mole story and interviewed the campus corps at City Hall? Did Coffey put his findings in writing? Stay tuned.
— INC. is told that pollster Pat Cadell and former mayoral aide Coffey advised Hizzoner`s political strategists that the mayor would have to pull a political switcheroo next time around. Both made the case that there is a traditional drop in intensity after a black candidate wins a major crusade and that the next time around Hizzoner would have to reach out to whites and liberals. INC. hears Coffey was none too pleased when Washington branded the FBI probe as ”racist.”
THE BIG EGO BOYS . . .
Ohboyohboyohboy . . . Gov. James Thompson and car czar Lee Iacocca are co-starring in April`s ground-breaking ceremony for the Mitsubishi-Chrysler venture in central Illinois. And since their egos are straight out of central casting, wags are wondering who will upstage whom. It`s an election year, and Big Jim is going to milk this one for all he can. . . . Frank Sinatra is having his bust sculpted in Rome.
THE AIR WAVES . . .
There are two prices for next month`s Official Bears Cruise sponsored by WGN Radio: the price you pay if you book passage through a travel agent or the $500 more you pay if you book through WGN. According to the station, the extra is for ”at least five or six major events: cocktails, dinner, games, autograph and photo sessions.” The Bears, according to a station spokesman, are being instructed to ”deal only with passengers having tags identifying them as members of the WGN cruise.” Right. Try telling that to those guys when they spot a nice tan in a bikini. . . . After leaving WLS-AM under less- than-ideal circumstances, Tommy Edwards has landed on his feet as program director at Q101, where he`ll be working with general manager Mike Donovan, an old pal who was general manager at WLS in the mid-`70s. . . . INC. hears that a WBBM-TV (Channel 2) reporter was so ticked about having to do a report from a suburban chocolate factory that as soon as he finished his report, he tossed his microphone into a vat of chocolate.
REEL NEWS . . .
Lee Marvin, sounding more like a diplomat than a movie star, told INC. why he thinks his ”Delta Force” movie will appeal to the average American:
”Audiences want to see the bad guy get it. In `Delta Force,` the bad guys get it. If we can satisfy the public with visual action of getting even and still utilize diplomacy in the real world, well, we`ve solved the problem, haven`t we?” . . . Months before the Bears drafted William Perry, the casting director of ”Wildcats” drafted ”Refrigerator” look-alike (and weigh-alike) Tab Thacker for a role in the Goldie Hawn movie that was filmed here. It`ll be released Friday.
INC.LINGS . . .
”Evita” closed in London last week after an eight-year run and 2,913 performances at the Prince Edward Theater. . . . The newest exercise class teacher at L.A.`s trendy Mainstream Dance and Exercise Studio is Michael Rooney, son of Mickey. . . . The Soviet Ministry of Trade has expressed interest in exhibiting artwork at Chicago`s upcoming Art Exposition at Navy Pier in May, and a visit to Leningrad by Art Expo chief John Wilson is in the offing. . . . Tuesday birthdays: Eva Gabor, 65; Burt Reynolds, 50; Leslie Nielsen, 60; Philip Anglim, 33. . . . Tickets go on sale Wednesday for James Brown`s April 12 show at Holiday Star Theater.
