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Chicago Tribune: Ex-watchdog says state ethics panel buried report of misconduct by fellow legislator in process she calls 'broken'
The former Illinois legislative inspector general says the ethics commission that oversaw her work buried a report of alleged misconduct by one of their fellow legislators, just one sign of a system she describes as “broken.”
In an op-ed published online Tuesday by the Tribune, ex-watchdog Julie Porter said lawmakers have done little to address these longstanding problems despite warnings from her predecessor and a series of high-profile sexual harassment allegations at the Capitol. Porter was appointed interim IG in November 2017 after alleged victims said their complaints went unheard.
Chicago Tribune: Former legislative inspector general for Illinois: Investigation reports should be public
The office of the legislative inspector general in Illinois is broken. The LIG is supposed to be an independent, objective official to whom anyone can go to lodge a complaint about unethical or wrongful conduct by members of the Illinois General Assembly. But the legislative inspector general is not independent. Unless and until the legislature changes the structure and rules governing the LIG, it is a powerless role, and no LIG — no matter how qualified, hardworking and persistent — can effectively serve the public.
There are many problems, but the key one is that the legislative inspector general cannot perform basic functions without permission from the Legislative Ethics Commission — a body made up entirely of Illinois legislators who have inherent conflicts of interest in serving on the commission.
Chicago Tribune: Trial opens in earnest for ex-top aide to Dorothy Brown on perjury charges
The FBI had been investigating bribes-for-jobs allegations in Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown’s office for more than a year when one of Brown’s top aides was subpoenaed in the fall of 2015 to testify before a federal grand jury.
Beena Patel, who at the time supervised about 500 employees, testified under oath on two separate appearances before the grand jury that she’d never sold tickets to Brown’s fundraisers and didn’t know whether a colleague targeted in the investigation had spoken to law enforcement. She also denied knowing about a promotion given to another clerk’s office employee whose brother had donated to Brown’s campaign.
Crain's Chicago Business: How to reform aldermanic prerogative: Lessons from New York, L.A. and beyond
The negatives of unfettered aldermanic prerogative—the custom in Chicago’s City Council to allow each alderman to approve or deny zoning and permit decisions within his or her ward—are clear: It perpetuates segregation, creates disparities in investment across communities and invites political corruption, evidenced by a whopping 30 aldermen convicted since 1972.
Chicago Sun-Times: Tunney stakes claim to Finance Committee chairmanship
Calling himself the business community’s voice in an anti-business climate, Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) on Tuesday staked his claim to the Finance Committee chairmanship that has long been the primary power base of Ald. Edward Burke (14th).
Now that Burke faces attempted extortion charges and his replacement, Ald. Pat O’Connor (40th), was defeated, aldermen are searching for a compromise choice whom Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot can also trust.
Crain's Chicago Business: City Council panel set to challenge Peoples Gas on rising heating bills
The hearing before the Committee on Health & Environmental Protection, chaired by resolution sponsor Ald. George Cardenas, 12th, will compel Peoples Gas executives to answer questions about the controversial infrastructure project for the first time before the City Council.
WBEZ: Schools Program Favored By Mayor Emanuel Gets Last Minute Boost
At the last Chicago Board of Education meeting under the control of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, board members on Wednesday are set to approve an extra boost of cash for a politically connected organization that was once a darling of this mayor and the previous one.
In an unusual move, they are being asked to nearly double the contract amount for the Academy for Urban School Leadership to pay for work already done this fiscal year. If approved, AUSL would get nearly $3.8 million, up from the $2 million laid out in the original contract.
Daily Herald: School districts getting biggest chunks of Palatine's surplus from special taxing zone
Palatine is continuing a tradition of providing a cash infusion to local school districts and other government agencies serving village residents.
Strong development in three special taxing zones near Rand and Dundee roads led to the village council in separate meetings this month to agree to distribute nearly $2.2 million in surplus funds. Palatine Township Elementary District 15 and Palatine-Schaumburg Township High School District 211 will receive the biggest shares.