In the weeks leading up to Christmas it looked as though rival north-side factions within Mayor Daley’s political machine were getting ready for war. John Fritchey, a progressive state representative with family ties to powerful pols, was running against Alderman Ted Matlak, one of Daley’s City Council apparatchiks, for Democratic committeeman of the 32nd Ward. “This was going to be a tough fight,” says Kevin Lamm, a longtime north-side independent activist who once ran against Fritchey.
In 1998 Gabinski resigned as alderman, and at his request Daley appointed Matlak, a 32nd Ward office aide, to fill the vacancy. For the most part Matlak’s been the kind of alderman Daley likes–an anonymous loyalist. In return for Matlak’s obedience Daley gives him virtually complete control over zoning and permit requests in his ward. In 1999 Matlak ran for election, a hard race against a couple of challengers who wound up splitting the independent vote. He easily won reelection last year. “It’s hard to get all worked up against Ted,” says Lamm. “I’d like a little more independence, but he’s just such a nice guy.”
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In the ’96 race Fritchey was up against Lamm, who was backed by independents. Fritchey won, then surprised many independents by establishing himself as a fairly progressive representative, breaking with the Democratic Party on issues such as property-tax reform, ethics legislation, and gun-control laws. He says he had no intention of running for committeeman until he heard that Matlak was getting slated. “I admit I’ve not had the best relations with Ted or Terry,” he says. “I think it’s because I didn’t endorse Ted the first time he ran–I was neutral in the race. But this is not personal. This is not about any burning ambition to be committeeman.”
In the meantime, Fritchey says, the mayor’s allies were urging him to get out of the race. “I got calls from everyone,” he says. “They told me everyone wanted me out. They didn’t want any controversy–no open fights. Even my uncle [Alderman Banks] wasn’t supporting me.”
And what was that?
But Fritchey insists he got no concessions from the mayor. “That city clerk thing’s a joke,” he says. “Everyone asks, ‘What did ya get?’ I’ll tell you what I got–I got Matlak to withdraw and I saved the ward from consolidation. That’s what I wanted, and that’s what I got.” But many people wonder, if that’s all he got, was it worth it?
