For years, the City Council, including Ald. Shiller, have opposed the Inspector General poking his nose into their affairs. Ald. Shiller has called support of the IG's expanded powers "a stunt" and a "political move" and "thinks it’s a bad idea to give the office the authority to investigate aldermen who, unlike city department heads or laborers, have to face voters every four years."
But with the indictment of Ike Carothers (and more to follow?), Mayor Daley has proposed expanding the Inspector General's powers to include the 50 aldermen. Read all about it here.
Your move, Helen?
Sounds like someone is mad because they have something to hide
ReplyDelete“The purpose of an inspector general, I think, in our world, is as a vehicle to address political corruption,” she said in an interview. “I don’t think you do that by making one person all-powerful.”
ReplyDeleteListen to Daley's presser regarding the changes with the IG. 4:30 minute mark.
ReplyDeleteHis proposal would only give the IG the right to investigate activities occurring AFTER the effective date of the ordinance.
Any complaint made against a member of Council prior to the effective date of this ordinance would be ... that's right, referred to Council for consideration.
In short, Daley's gonna put a candy coating on this to garner Council support by saying that what's in the past will stay there, unless another jurisdiction (state/Feds) wants to take a look.
Just something to keep in mind when the aldercritters start chirping in on what may be a "stay out of jail for past events" card.
That is alot of power. However, the IG can do all of the investigating he wants, he has very little power to do anything about it however.
ReplyDeletehhmm....something very 'fishy farmy' about her comments.
ReplyDeleteUnderscores an alarming lack of trust up here.
Yo,
ReplyDeleteYou are so cute.
If she had nothing to hide she won't care.
ReplyDeleteonce again.......I always think of Rod Serling, and some odd 'Twilight Zone' episode, regarding what goes on up here.
ReplyDeleteSeriously......there's nothing 'normal' surrounding our local government. Where else would one find a multi-million dollar Robert Taylor-esque hi-rise next to the 'crustiest' L in the city?
And 'YES!'.........'Yo' is a treasure. Without question.
How many times a year do we hear something to the effect of, "Its a political stunt" or "My political rivals brought this up." Helen we only hear from you three or four times a year if you dismiss all the "No Comment" statements from your office. How about saying something new? Yes you have to run for office every couple of years. So does every other political figure in the country. But almost all of them can be investigated by the city or government that employees them so that really is not a reason to finally change this in Chicago, please try again.
ReplyDelete...Moore was in the council lounge giving an interview to TV reporters about a new proposal to expand the powers of the inspector general’s office. His colleague Helen Shiller walked by looking skeptical.
ReplyDelete“I think it’s a stunt,” she said of the proposal. “It’s a political move.”
at which point the ghost of Shiller past appeared and slapped Shiller of the present across the mouth, hard
these days Shiller sounds an awful lot like Stone
"...the IG can do all of the investigating he wants, he has very little power to do anything about it ..."
ReplyDeletethe City IG has the power to investigate and refer, it's real
Witnesses Offer Chilling Testimony of Voting ‘Chicago Style’
Shiller is probably concerned that the IG will bully the alderman, especially in light of the fact that one of the potential liaisons from the Ethics Committee, Ike Carothers, is now indisposed... Maybe Shiller will have a change of heart, resign her post and become the next IG!
ReplyDeleteI was stunned to read the Mayor proposing this. The wheels really must be falling off the bus.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how the alderman think they have some sort of immunity when an accused man argues that his defense depends on the testimony of the alderman.
This is a toothless measure if the IG can't investigate things before the effective date of the ordinance.
ReplyDelete"Between 1974 and 2009, a total of 30 Chicago aldermen have been indicted and convicted of federal crimes such as bribery, extortion, embezzlement, conspiracy, mail fraud and income tax evasion."
ReplyDeletehmmmm...wonder how many there would be if the IG were allowed to look into their affairs much closer during those years?
Funny! Over the last year or so, the City Council had no problem approving the budget that included money for the Police Dept to add GPS and dash mounted cameras and sound recording to police vehicles to track and record every move and utterance that the officers make.
ReplyDeleteNow, they don't want ANY scrutiny of their actions!
I agree with: A said...
If she had nothing to hide she won't care.
February 8, 2010 10:36 PM
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His proposal would only give the IG the right to investigate activities occurring AFTER the effective date of the ordinance.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else see this as one more sign that Daley may not be running in 2011?
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Anyone else see this as one more sign that Daley may not be running in 2011?
ReplyDeleteI see this as almost a tell-tale sign that Daley will run - or at least keep the option open.
He's been wearing out his good gub'mint tap shoes since the Olympics, and now that he's seeing a possible challenge should Hoffman enter the race, he's pulling out the top hat and cane.
It's a stunt, of course; but if he can placate Council with a bit of pre-ordinance amnesty, he'll be able to add the "reform" feather to his cap (and blunt a Hoffman strategy), or push the blame off on the legislature for its failure (a well worn tactic used by many Executive branch office holders who've spent time in IL *cough*).
The interesting thing to watch is how Council will respond.
I'd expect Shiller to support this, whole-heartedly.
Her creds are damaged and she needs some of that reeeform on her resume if she wants to run again, or if she wants to step aside and have the Mayor appoint one of her buds (Maggie, or ... *shudder* that demon beyotch Davis).
She'll especially support it if it looks like the rest of Council will vote it down.
It's a Preckwinkle-in-reverse strategy: vote against an obvious majority and call yourself an independent thinker.
Regardless, keep an eye on the dumpsters behind her office. I'd imagine, throughout the city, a lot of office documents have a date with a shredder.
Daley knows right now he has a very low approval rating and I see him trying to restore it so that he can do one more run. In his panic, he wants to shift the blame to the aldermen for all the corruption. He's counting on them to not pass this ordinance. He can then keep diverting blame to them and they can continue their pay to play politics.
ReplyDeleteIf Daley's plan backfires and the aldermen do pass this ordinance, Shiller will be in a quandry because her every move is being monitored and we won't let her get away with anything. It's her sleezy tactics that got her in this predicament so she's getting what she deserves.
This comes up at the worst possible time for City Council because this is when they get most of their campaign money. Given the parking meter hoopla and frustration with corruption, there will be more vulnerable incumbents this time around, especially if Hoffman runs for mayor.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how Helen will vote on this? It's been a loud no everytime in the past and although I don't care for her principles, she does seem to stick by them. Steans and Harris still can't get her on board with public safety in Uptown.
Nothing in the Trib and Sun Times about the outcome of this, which isn't sounding good. Two bits says it got referred back to committee again where it can secretly fade away with no attention from the press.
ReplyDeleteOver 20 years in committee and City Council needs to think about it more. Yeah, right. Anyone who voted to refer it back to committee needs to be held accountable. It's the same thing as a vote against this.