Key figure a ‘conduit’ for ousted CPS CEO, former Rahm aide says

Jul 12, 2015 by Chicago Sun-Times

Gary Solomon, whose company’s $20.5 million, no-bid contract is at the center of a federal investigation that cost former Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett her job, pushed for her hiring and then regularly communicated with Mayor Rahm Emanuel’’s top education adviser on Byrd-Bennett’s behalf, emails obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show.

Solomon’s emails to Beth Swanson, Emanuel’s then-deputy chief of staff for education issues, were so frequent that Swanson described him in an interview Friday as “Barbara Byrd-Bennett’s conduit — an extension of her team who pushed for her hiring.”

“When I would ask Barbara for information, she would have Gary send it,” said Swanson, who left City Hall last year for a post with the Joyce Foundation.

Source: THE WATCHDOGS: Key figure a ‘conduit’ for ousted CPS CEO, former Rahm aide says