July 28, 2005 — The Republican behind the reward offered to bring down Mayor Daley has been fired from his executive job. Cook County Republican Chairman Gary Skoien was fired from his executive job with a real estate company after offering $10,000 for information leading to the conviction of Mayor Daley. The CEO of that company says Skoien's offer went too far. The CEO also says he is a strong supporter of Mayor Daley and has contributed to his campaign.

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Gary Skoien says he admits and understands it was a publicity stunt when he offered the cash Tuesday, but he says he was serious about the message. The message also became serious for him Thursday when his boss let him go because of the controversy.

Cook County Republican Chair Gary Skoien says no one should worry about him being able to feed his three young children. Nevertheless, being fired from his job of 14 years is a little hard to take.

"The reality is we are all intelligent people. We understand why this happened. I spoke up against the mayor. That is not good for business in this city, and I was terminated as a result," said Skoien.

Skoien was chief operating officer for The Prime Group, a commercial real estate company, until Thursday afternoon when his boss, Mike Reschke, decided enough was enough. He took issue with Skoien's news conference earlier this week in which Skoien offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who provided information leading to the indictment of Mayor Richard Daley.

Reschke is a friend and contributor to the mayor's political campaign.

"The mayor has been a friend for 15 years, and I see no reason why I should let someone in my employ personally attack the mayor. Simple as that," said Mike Reschke, The Prime Group, Inc.

Reschke describes himself as a political independent who in the past has also supported Skoien's runs for congress. He says he has not spoken to Mayor Daley, but the mayor made his feelings known during a news conference Wednesday.

"Just the way it was done, with money on the table, the way it was portrayed in the newspaper with a wanted poster, is completely over the top," Mayor Daley said Wednesday.

Despite what he's been through, Skoien is standing by his political beliefs.

"It just goes to show you just have to be part of the inside. You've got to be part of the approved group in the City of Chicago to survive," Skoien said.

Skoien says he is not interested at this point in any type of legal action to try to get his job back. He doesn't believe it was right, but he says he is not planning to challenge it.

At least someone's trying to get Daley out.

He should be like his dad and start race riots.