Latest news with #Witzburg
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reformers push Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to adopt Law Department changes
CHICAGO — Would-be reformers are firing back against Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration, arguing ethics changes targeting the city's Law Department can move forward. Inspector General Deborah Witzburg first proposed the changes last month in an effort to bolster her office's investigative independence. The mayor-controlled Law Department has long hindered investigations that 'may result in embarrassment or political consequences to City leaders,' she told aldermen. A Johnson ally quickly stalled the reform package when it was introduced at the City Council. The mayor's corporation counsel, Mary Richardson-Lowry, also blasted it as a 'fundamental misunderstanding of the law.' But a legal opinion the Better Government Association announced Tuesday determined Richardson-Lowry is wrong to argue such changes would be prohibited by state and city law. 'The answer is no, there are no such prohibitions of which I am aware or have been able to identify,' attorney Matt Topic of law firm Loevy & Loevy wrote in the non-binding opinion the BGA obtained from the firm. The Law Department did not immediately respond to questions about the opinion Tuesday morning. Witzburg's 14-page letter to aldermen that sparked the debate said the Law Department under Johnson and other mayors selectively impeded investigations by withholding records, slow-walking compliance with inspector general's office subpoenas and demanding top mayoral lawyers be allowed to attend confidential investigative interviews. She asked aldermen to change city law to eliminate the Law Department's discretion over inspector general subpoena enforcement, block city attorneys from sitting in on investigative interviews and prevent the department from asserting attorney-client privilege to avoid sharing records. After Ald. Matt Martin, 47th, proposed an ordinance last month aligned with Witzburg's recommendations, Richardson-Lowry argued the reforms 'would dismantle guardrails.' She told reporters the ordinance was 'legally deficient on its face' and added Witzburg had not asked her for a legal opinion. 'There has been no such request, but we will be issuing a full-throated legal opinion on the issues that she surfaced,' Richardson-Lowry said. 'And we will share it with the aldercore, who should be privy to why the thing that she's proposing fails on its face.' Witzburg told the Tribune she did ask Richardson-Lowry for a legal opinion, but in response received legal analysis that she felt did not clearly respond to the proposed ordinance. The Law Department did not immediately share any such analysis when asked Tuesday. The inspector general praised the BGA-commissioned legal opinion as 'helpful and clarifying.' She believes Johnson's opposition to the ordinance is a 'policy position,' she said. The mayor's administration may not prefer the changes she proposed, but that does not make them illegal, she argued. 'There are no legal barriers to these changes,' Witzburg said. 'There's a choice here for the city to make between the status quo and a better, more accountable government.' The proposed changes held up in the City Council's Rules Committee would bring Chicago more in line with other major cities, BGA Vice President Bryan Zarou said. There is 'absolutely no legal impediment' blocking the ordinance, he added. 'If they are trying to make a political argument, then we are fine with it,' Zarou said. 'But if they are making a legal argument, it is not legally sound, unless they come up with something we haven't seen yet.' Martin said he met with the Law Department earlier this month to start 'flushing out concerns' about the ordinance and will continue the discussions. He plans to move forward with a revised version of the ordinance, he said. 'I feel confident that we will be able to move forward with an ordinance that addresses any remaining legal concerns that the Law Department has,' Martin said. 'I think that the Law Department shared their concerns, some of which they characterized as legal and some of which they characterized as policy.' The ongoing Law Department tiff is far from Johnson's first tense run-in with ethics reform groups and the inspector general. He pushed back against efforts to restrict lobbyist donations to mayoral candidates last year. Johnson has also harshly criticized calls for more transparent handling of gifts since a late January report by Witzburg said the mayor improperly blocked public access to City Hall's gift room and failed to properly log gift information. ____
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reformers push Mayor Brandon Johnson to adopt Law Department changes
Would-be reformers are firing back against Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration, arguing ethics changes targeting the city's Law Department can move forward. Inspector General Deborah Witzburg first proposed the changes last month in an effort to bolster her office's investigative independence. The mayor-controlled Law Department has long hindered investigations that 'may result in embarrassment or political consequences to City leaders,' she told aldermen. A Johnson ally quickly stalled the reform package when it was introduced at the City Council. The mayor's corporation counsel, Mary Richardson-Lowry, also blasted it as a 'fundamental misunderstanding of the law.' But a legal opinion the Better Government Association announced Tuesday determined Richardson-Lowry is wrong to argue such changes would be prohibited by state and city law. 'The answer is no, there are no such prohibitions of which I am aware or have been able to identify,' attorney Matt Topic of law firm Loevy & Loevy wrote in the non-binding opinion the BGA obtained from the firm. The Law Department did not immediately respond to questions about the opinion Tuesday morning. Witzburg's 14-page letter to aldermen that sparked the debate said the Law Department under Johnson and other mayors selectively impeded investigations by withholding records, slow-walking compliance with inspector general's office subpoenas and demanding top mayoral lawyers be allowed to attend confidential investigative interviews. She asked aldermen to change city law to eliminate the Law Department's discretion over inspector general subpoena enforcement, block city attorneys from sitting in on investigative interviews and prevent the department from asserting attorney-client privilege to avoid sharing records. After Ald. Matt Martin, 47th, proposed an ordinance last month aligned with Witzburg's recommendations, Richardson-Lowry argued the reforms 'would dismantle guardrails.' She told reporters the ordinance was 'legally deficient on its face' and added Witzburg had not asked her for a legal opinion. 'There has been no such request, but we will be issuing a full-throated legal opinion on the issues that she surfaced,' Richardson-Lowry said. 'And we will share it with the aldercore, who should be privy to why the thing that she's proposing fails on its face.' Witzburg told the Tribune she did ask Richardson-Lowry for a legal opinion, but in response received legal analysis that she felt did not clearly respond to the proposed ordinance. The Law Department did not immediately share any such analysis when asked Tuesday. The inspector general praised the BGA-commissioned legal opinion as 'helpful and clarifying.' She believes Johnson's opposition to the ordinance is a 'policy position,' she said. The mayor's administration may not prefer the changes she proposed, but that does not make them illegal, she argued. 'There are no legal barriers to these changes,' Witzburg said. 'There's a choice here for the city to make between the status quo and a better, more accountable government.' The proposed changes held up in the City Council's Rules Committee would bring Chicago more in line with other major cities, BGA Vice President Bryan Zarou said. There is 'absolutely no legal impediment' blocking the ordinance, he added. 'If they are trying to make a political argument, then we are fine with it,' Zarou said. 'But if they are making a legal argument, it is not legally sound, unless they come up with something we haven't seen yet.' Martin said he met with the Law Department earlier this month to start 'flushing out concerns' about the ordinance and will continue the discussions. He plans to move forward with a revised version of the ordinance, he said. 'I feel confident that we will be able to move forward with an ordinance that addresses any remaining legal concerns that the Law Department has,' Martin said. 'I think that the Law Department shared their concerns, some of which they characterized as legal and some of which they characterized as policy.' The ongoing Law Department tiff is far from Johnson's first tense run-in with ethics reform groups and the inspector general. He pushed back against efforts to restrict lobbyist donations to mayoral candidates last year. Johnson has also harshly criticized calls for more transparent handling of gifts since a late January report by Witzburg said the mayor improperly blocked public access to City Hall's gift room and failed to properly log gift information.
Chicago Tribune
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Reformers push Mayor Brandon Johnson to adopt Law Department changes
Would-be reformers are firing back against Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration, arguing ethics changes targeting the city's Law Department can move forward. Inspector General Deborah Witzburg first proposed the changes last month in an effort to bolster her office's investigative independence. The mayor-controlled Law Department has long hindered investigations that 'may result in embarrassment or political consequences to City leaders,' she told aldermen. A Johnson ally quickly stalled the reform package when it was introduced at the City Council. The mayor's corporation counsel, Mary Richardson-Lowry, also blasted it as a 'fundamental misunderstanding of the law.' But a legal opinion the Better Government Association announced Tuesday determined Richardson-Lowry is wrong to argue such changes would be prohibited by state and city law. 'The answer is no, there are no such prohibitions of which I am aware or have been able to identify,' attorney Matt Topic of law firm Loevy & Loevy wrote in the non-binding opinion the BGA obtained from the firm. The Law Department did not immediately respond to questions about the opinion Tuesday morning. Witzburg's 14-page letter to aldermen that sparked the debate said the Law Department under Johnson and other mayors selectively impeded investigations by withholding records, slow-walking compliance with inspector general's office subpoenas and demanding top mayoral lawyers be allowed to attend confidential investigative interviews. She asked aldermen to change city law to eliminate the Law Department's discretion over inspector general subpoena enforcement, block city attorneys from sitting in on investigative interviews and prevent the department from asserting attorney-client privilege to avoid sharing records. After Ald. Matt Martin, 47th, proposed an ordinance last month aligned with Witzburg's recommendations, Richardson-Lowry argued the reforms 'would dismantle guardrails.' She told reporters the ordinance was 'legally deficient on its face' and added Witzburg had not asked her for a legal opinion. 'There has been no such request, but we will be issuing a full-throated legal opinion on the issues that she surfaced,' Richardson-Lowry said. 'And we will share it with the aldercore, who should be privy to why the thing that she's proposing fails on its face.' Witzburg told the Tribune she did ask Richardson-Lowry for a legal opinion, but in response received legal analysis that she felt did not clearly respond to the proposed ordinance. The Law Department did not immediately share any such analysis when asked Tuesday. The inspector general praised the BGA-commissioned legal opinion as 'helpful and clarifying.' She believes Johnson's opposition to the ordinance is a 'policy position,' she said. The mayor's administration may not prefer the changes she proposed, but that does not make them illegal, she argued. 'There are no legal barriers to these changes,' Witzburg said. 'There's a choice here for the city to make between the status quo and a better, more accountable government.' The proposed changes held up in the City Council's Rules Committee would bring Chicago more in line with other major cities, BGA Vice President Bryan Zarou said. There is 'absolutely no legal impediment' blocking the ordinance, he added. 'If they are trying to make a political argument, then we are fine with it,' Zarou said. 'But if they are making a legal argument, it is not legally sound, unless they come up with something we haven't seen yet.' Martin said he met with the Law Department earlier this month to start 'flushing out concerns' about the ordinance and will continue the discussions. He plans to move forward with a revised version of the ordinance, he said. 'I feel confident that we will be able to move forward with an ordinance that addresses any remaining legal concerns that the Law Department has,' Martin said. 'I think that the Law Department shared their concerns, some of which they characterized as legal and some of which they characterized as policy.' The ongoing Law Department tiff is far from Johnson's first tense run-in with ethics reform groups and the inspector general. He pushed back against efforts to restrict lobbyist donations to mayoral candidates last year.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ethics reform stalled by Mayor Brandon Johnson's ally after inspector general recommendation
Mayor Brandon Johnson Thursday ripped a proposal Chicago's top independent watchdog recommended as a way to prevent him and future mayors from impeding investigations by her office. The mayor's criticism of the ordinance came a day after his close ally, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, stalled it when it was introduced to the City Council. The legislation matched recommendations Inspector General Deborah Witzburg made in a recent letter to aldermen as she criticized the mayor-controlled Law Department for hindering investigations that 'may result in embarrassment or political consequences to City leaders.' Witzburg said the Law Department has selectively slow-walked compliance with inspector general subpoenas. She asked aldermen to change city law to clearly eliminate the department's discretion over subpoena enforcement. But when Ald. Matt Martin, the City Council's Ethics Committee chair, introduced legislation to do that on Wednesday, Sigcho-Lopez sent it to the Rules Committee — which is where mayors and their allies often ship legislation they oppose to languish. Johnson's administration marked its clear opposition to Martin's proposal Thursday, saying in a statement, 'this ordinance is not an ethics reform ordinance.' 'The proposed ordinance is legally deficient on its face and requires further scrutiny in the Rules Committee where it can be properly vetted and analyzed,' Johnson press secretary Cassio Mendoza wrote. The package appears to conflict with state law, city code and Illinois Supreme Court precedent, he added. Witzburg called the claim that the ordinance needed to be delayed 'disingenuous' Thursday. Her office has long sought the change, even pushing for it when Lori Lightfoot was mayor and with Johnson's transition team, she told the Tribune. 'And the place to have the discussion on the merits of a proposed ordinance is in a hearing on that ordinance in the Ethics Committee,' Witzburg added. 'I would welcome a conversation on the merits of this ordinance.' Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, told the Tribune Wednesday that he 'strongly [believes] in Ethics Reform,' but said he stalled the measure because he thought it needed more participation from others. The Southwest Side alderman said he understood that there had been no conversation about the ordinance between Martin and Johnson's team. 'Sometimes people are taking measures without even talking to the administration, talking to the inspector general. I do think those meetings need to happen before we introduce items just with the whole purpose of make it into the news or attack, you know, politically,' Sigcho-Lopez said. Martin said he spoke with members of the Law Department and Johnson's office about the ordinance before Wednesday, but has not discussed it with Sigcho-Lopez. 'It's disappointing, but not new when an alderman uses parliamentary tactics to delay ethics reform. I remain undeterred,' Martin said. Witzburg's letter detailing the Law Department's alleged impediment of investigations, first reported by the policy team at the Better Government Association, said the department also withholds records by asserting undue attorney-client privilege and demands top mayoral lawyers be allowed to attend confidential investigative interviews. The ordinance from Martin, 47th, matched the letter by seeking to block city attorneys from representing people in investigative meetings and making the duty for city workers to cooperate with the inspector general 'supersede any claim of privilege.' Responding to the letter last week, city Law Department spokesperson Kristen Cabanban said that 'for the past three decades, previous City inspector generals have properly accepted that the legal rights of City employees and the legal interests of the City rightfully justify our practices.' Johnson's responses to ethics reform are starting to look 'like outright hostility,' BGA Policy Vice President Byran Zarou wrote in a statement Thursday. Zarou called on the City Council to pass Witzburg's proposal. 'Administrations tell us who they are by what they prioritize and what they obstruct,' Zarou wrote. 'Mayor Johnson and his allies have consistently and repeatedly obstructed even the smallest ethics reform measures.' Another Ethics Committee reform championed by Martin was sidelined in June. Martin sought to codify an executive order implemented by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2011 that restricted lobbyist donations to Chicago mayoral candidates. Several donations to Johnson appeared to violate the order, but the city's Board of Ethics determined Emanuel's rule was not enforceable. Ald. Chris Taliaferro, 29th, and Ald. Nick Sposato, 38th, used the 'defer and publish' maneuver to forestall what would have been a final floor vote. But the ordinance finally passed unanimously in September after Johnson dropped his opposition. A late January report from Witzburg blasted the city's mayors for failing to properly log gifts and Johnson for blocking public access to the room where gifts are stored. Johnson posted an updated log online last week and released a 20-second video of the 'gift room' that he argued amounts to public access. At the time, Witzburg said the planned quarterly videos are 'not a substitute for public access to public property.' Witzburg said Thursday the 'independence and effectiveness' of inspectors general are under attack across the country. She plans to continue to push for the change despite the delay, she said. 'The independence of oversight must be protected. That is a basic foundation of good government,' Witzburg said. 'City Hall does not get to choose who can be investigated and who is protected from accountability.' The City Council's Rules Committee is likely to meet soon in an attempt to rescue a similarly-stalled top Johnson priority: a plan to help spur sustainable, affordable housing with a unique $135 million revolving loan fund. Aldermen are able to take an item outside of the committee if it has not been considered for two months. Also this week, aldermen approved the first phase of development for the 15-year, $7 billion '1901 Project' plan to redevelop the area around the United Center. The vote marks a critical step toward construction for the project that could eventually bring nearly 10,000 new homes, a 6,000-seat music hall, a boutique hotel and around 10 acres of green space to the area around the arena now mostly made up of parking lots.
Chicago Tribune
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Ethics reform stalled by Mayor Brandon Johnson's ally after inspector general recommendation
Mayor Brandon Johnson Thursday ripped a proposal Chicago's top independent watchdog recommended as a way to prevent him and future mayors from impeding investigations by her office. The mayor's criticism of the ordinance came a day after his close ally, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, stalled it when it was introduced to the City Council. The legislation matched recommendations Inspector General Deborah Witzburg made in a recent letter to aldermen as she criticized the mayor-controlled Law Department for hindering investigations that 'may result in embarrassment or political consequences to City leaders.' Witzburg said the Law Department has selectively slow-walked compliance with inspector general subpoenas. She asked aldermen to change city law to clearly eliminate the department's discretion over subpoena enforcement. But when Ald. Matt Martin, the City Council's Ethics Committee chair, introduced legislation to do that on Wednesday, Sigcho-Lopez sent it to the Rules Committee — which is where mayors and their allies often ship legislation they oppose to languish. Johnson's administration marked its clear opposition to Martin's proposal Thursday, saying in a statement, 'this ordinance is not an ethics reform ordinance.' 'The proposed ordinance is legally deficient on its face and requires further scrutiny in the Rules Committee where it can be properly vetted and analyzed,' Johnson press secretary Cassio Mendoza wrote. The package appears to conflict with state law, city code and Illinois Supreme Court precedent, he added. Witzburg called the claim that the ordinance needed to be delayed 'disingenuous' Thursday. Her office has long sought the change, even pushing for it when Lori Lightfoot was mayor and with Johnson's transition team, she told the Tribune. 'And the place to have the discussion on the merits of a proposed ordinance is in a hearing on that ordinance in the Ethics Committee,' Witzburg added. 'I would welcome a conversation on the merits of this ordinance.' Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, told the Tribune Wednesday that he 'strongly [believes] in Ethics Reform,' but said he stalled the measure because he thought it needed more participation from others. The Southwest Side alderman said he understood that there had been no conversation about the ordinance between Martin and Johnson's team. 'Sometimes people are taking measures without even talking to the administration, talking to the inspector general. I do think those meetings need to happen before we introduce items just with the whole purpose of make it into the news or attack, you know, politically,' Sigcho-Lopez said. Martin said he spoke with members of the Law Department and Johnson's office about the ordinance before Wednesday, but has not discussed it with Sigcho-Lopez. 'It's disappointing, but not new when an alderman uses parliamentary tactics to delay ethics reform. I remain undeterred,' Martin said. Witzburg's letter detailing the Law Department's alleged impediment of investigations, first reported by the policy team at the Better Government Association, said the department also withholds records by asserting undue attorney-client privilege and demands top mayoral lawyers be allowed to attend confidential investigative interviews. The ordinance from Martin, 47th, matched the letter by seeking to block city attorneys from representing people in investigative meetings and making the duty for city workers to cooperate with the inspector general 'supersede any claim of privilege.' Responding to the letter last week, city Law Department spokesperson Kristen Cabanban said that 'for the past three decades, previous City inspector generals have properly accepted that the legal rights of City employees and the legal interests of the City rightfully justify our practices.' Johnson's responses to ethics reform are starting to look 'like outright hostility,' BGA Policy Vice President Byran Zarou wrote in a statement Thursday. Zarou called on the City Council to pass Witzburg's proposal. 'Administrations tell us who they are by what they prioritize and what they obstruct,' Zarou wrote. 'Mayor Johnson and his allies have consistently and repeatedly obstructed even the smallest ethics reform measures.' Another Ethics Committee reform championed by Martin was sidelined in June. Martin sought to codify an executive order implemented by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2011 that restricted lobbyist donations to Chicago mayoral candidates. Several donations to Johnson appeared to violate the order, but the city's Board of Ethics determined Emanuel's rule was not enforceable. Ald. Chris Taliaferro, 29th, and Ald. Nick Sposato, 38th, used the 'defer and publish' maneuver to forestall what would have been a final floor vote. But the ordinance finally passed unanimously in September after Johnson dropped his opposition. A late January report from Witzburg blasted the city's mayors for failing to properly log gifts and Johnson for blocking public access to the room where gifts are stored. Johnson posted an updated log online last week and released a 20-second video of the 'gift room' that he argued amounts to public access. At the time, Witzburg said the planned quarterly videos are 'not a substitute for public access to public property.' Witzburg said Thursday the 'independence and effectiveness' of inspectors general are under attack across the country. She plans to continue to push for the change despite the delay, she said. 'The independence of oversight must be protected. That is a basic foundation of good government,' Witzburg said. 'City Hall does not get to choose who can be investigated and who is protected from accountability.' The City Council's Rules Committee is likely to meet soon in an attempt to rescue a similarly-stalled top Johnson priority: a plan to help spur sustainable, affordable housing with a unique $135 million revolving loan fund. Aldermen are able to take an item outside of the committee if it has not been considered for two months. Also this week, aldermen approved the first phase of development for the 15-year, $7 billion '1901 Project' plan to redevelop the area around the United Center. The vote marks a critical step toward construction for the project that could eventually bring nearly 10,000 new homes, a 6,000-seat music hall, a boutique hotel and around 10 acres of green space to the area around the arena now mostly made up of parking lots.
