"Dozens of Companies, People Get Lifetime Ban from City Work", (Chicago Sun-Times, October 7, 2008)
Twenty-five companies and 26 individuals -- most of them caught up in the Hired Truck and minority contracting scandals -- have been banned forever from doing business with the city.
"The city should be consistently sending the message that, no matter who you are and who you know, you'll be barred from benefiting from city contracts if you act unethically," said Inspector General David Hoffman, whose office investigated seven of the targeted firms.
The city contracting equivalent of the death penalty targets 20 individuals and 18 companies convicted of criminal offenses in federal court.
Seven companies and associated individuals were never convicted, but nevertheless handed lifetime bans after Hoffman found "substantial evidence" that they had either forged documents as part of the minority certification process, obstructed investigators or otherwise de-frauded the city.
