Daley says he's 'sorry' about hiring abuses

Mayor Richard M. Daley said the conviction of a former streets and sanitation commissioner did not reflect well on Chicago.

"I want to say to the people of Chicago that I understand that this is a disappointment and that this conviction does not reflect well on our city or my administration. For that, I am sorry," said Mayor Daley on Tuesday.

On Monday, Al Sanchez was found guilty of four of 7 counts against him of fraud related to city hiring. Each of the four counts has a maximum 20-year sentence.

Sanchez led the streets and sanitation department under the Daley Administration from 1999 to 2005.

He was charged with helping members of the pro-Daley Hispanic Democratic Organization get jobs in his department in exchange for political work for the mayor.

Daley made his remarks at an unrelated news conference on Tuesday morning at Daley College on the city's Southwest Side.