Are Housewarming Gifts In Order?

Thanks to an astute reader for uncovering this great news:
Uptown Update would like to congratulate Alderman Shiller's assistant Maggie Marystone on her recent home purchase that was approved by the city council the SAME day the mysterious Wilson Yard amendment passed. Ms. Marystone paid $5,000 for the foreclosed two-flat and the sale was approved unanimously by city council (check out the link here, it is item #4). Alderman Shiller recused herself of voting on this sale. We trust Ms. Marystone will be able to afford her $5,000 mortgage on her $50,040 per year city salary (source).
(photo courtesy the Cook County Assessor)

UPDATE: A reader writes in with the following questions and tidbits:

"What’s up with the endless intertwining of the Alderman Shiller organization’s business, political, and aldermanic staffing? When the same staffers work for all three functions, how are taxpayer’s to be assured that the taxpayer funded aldermanic offices and phones are not being used for personal business and political activities?

Perhaps if Brendan Shiller wins a few more cases he will be able to afford to hire back Maggie Marystone, who functions as

1. his sometimes law clerk (2005-2007)

2. his mommy’s sometimes Citizens for Shiller political organization staffer (going back years and recently reimbursed expenses, per Shiller’s June 2008 D-2’s reports, see those here), and

3. his mommy’s current taxpayer-paid aldermanic Staffer (1998-2005 & 2007-present),

Maggie Marystone’s LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/maggie/marystone

This mysterious intertwining of Shiller family business, Shiller’s political organization, and Shiller’s tax payer funded aldermanic staff is just about as interesting as Bat Boy George Atkins' intertwining roles as sometimes Alderman Shiller’s $54,960 per year staffer (most recently starting 2/2008), sometimes State of Illinois Dept of Corrections contract worker, and sometimes Citizens for Shiller paid campaign advisor (going back years, recently paid $2800 under the name of “First Decade Consulting” & his own name for expenses dated 5/27/2008).

All we can say is these people wear more hats than former Ald. Dorothy Tillman!"