Over the years, Moreno has been seen as a loyal, so-called Machine Democrat close to Chicago Ald. Ed Burke (14th) and fellow Commissioner John Daley. As a commissioner, Moreno shared county office space with Daley.

When then-Cook County Board President John Stroger suffered a stroke in 2006, Moreno became president pro tempore — meaning he ran the county board meetings in Stroger’s absence.

Moreno was accused of getting family members county jobs. One of his top aides even told the Sun-Times she kept a “clout list” on the commissioner’s behalf, detailing job opportunities for those with political ties. Moreno denied the allegations.

But the old-school politics spelled his doom, especially when running against fellow Democrat and self-styled reformer Jesus “Chuy” Garcia — a former alderman and state lawmaker who took Moreno’s county seat in 2010.

Moreno told the Sun-Times after the primary defeat to Garcia that with court orders banning political hiring or firing in city and county government, ward bosses can’t line up votes in exchange for jobs and favors as they used to.

“The committeemen don’t have as much influence over the voters as they did when patronage was alive and well,” Moreno said.