City watchdog says Emanuel withholds documents

Chicago Tribune ^ | January 24, 2012 | Hal Dardick

[LucianOfSamasota]

Mayor Rahm Emanuel may find it difficult to free city hiring from federal court oversight if his legal team continues to withhold documents based on attorney-client privilege, a new report states.

Inspector General Joseph Ferguson raised the issue Monday in a quarterly report where he stated city lawyers have invoked the privilege "in an increasing number of" investigations of potential wrongdoing.

Some of those investigations involve efforts by Ferguson's office to ensure city compliance with the federal court's ban on considering politics in most personnel decisions, he wrote. The ban is part of the long-running Shakman case.

"The withholding of such documents from the (inspector general) runs counter not only to city ordinance, but also counter to the Shakman Accord," the report states. Without "full, unfettered access to documents and information, the city may be poorly situated to credibly claim that it has created effective procedures to identify and remedy instances of non-compliance in the Shakman realm."

[LucianOfSamasota]

Jennifer Hoyle, a spokeswoman for Emanuel, noted the mayor recently appointed an ethics task force and said he "is committed to holding city officials and employees to the highest ethical standards and promoting transparency and accountability in city government."

[crosshairs]

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Jennifer Hoyle, a spokeswoman for Emanuel, noted the mayor recently appointed an ethics task force and said he "is committed to holding city officials and employees to the highest ethical standards and promoting transparency and accountability in city government."

Unfortunately, the highest ethical standards for Chicago politicians are lower than the lowest ethical standards for Mexican drug lords.