>>> SOME PROMINENT, CURRENT, AND FORMER CHICAGO ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE IN HOT WATER AFTER PROBABLE CAUSE WAS FOUND FOR VIOLATION, INCLUDING USING PUBLIC OFFICE TO SOLICIT CAMPAIGN FUNDING.

ANOTHER USED HIS OFFICE TO RETALIATE AGAINST A RESIDENT WHO WAS CRITICAL.

JOINING US NOW IS CHICAGO INSPECTOR GENERAL TO TALK ABOUT THESE CASES.

ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THE FIRST CASE, A FORMER ELECTION OFFICIAL HAS SENT CAMPAIGN EMAILS.

THOSE EMPLOYEES RECEIVED THEM AT THEIR OFFICIAL CITY EMAIL ACCOUNTS.

WE HAVE CONFIRMED THIS.

SHE IS, INDEED, A SUBJECT OF THIS PROBE.

WHY DID THIS SUBJECT VIOLATE THE ETHICS CODE?

>> THE ETHICAL VIOLATION IS THAT THE AUTHORITY OF A CITY OFFICE, THE POWER THAT BELONGS TO A CITY OFFICIAL, IT WAS NOT PROPERLY EXERCISED.

THESE POWERS BELONG TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

INDIVIDUALS SITTING IN THE OFFICES DO NOT GET TO USE THOSE THINGS FOR THEIR PERSONAL , POLITICAL BENEFIT >> THESE EMAILS WORK SOLICITING CAMPAIGN SUPPORT.

WHAT KIND OF RECOURSE IS THERE ?

WHAT KIND OF FINES IS THIS INDIVIDUAL PACING FROM THE ETHICS BOARD?

>> WE ASKED THAT THEY FIND PROBABLE CAUSE THAT THESE VIOLATIONS OCCURRED.

THEY DID SO.

THE SUBJECT OF THE INVESTIGATION HAS NOW BEEN SUMMONED BEFORE THE BOARD TO REFUTE THE FINDINGS.

>> IS INTENTION AN IMPORTANT THING TO PROVE?

YOU CAN SURMISE THAT THESE WORKERS SIGNED UP FOR CAMPAIGN EMAILS USING THEIR CITY EMAILS, PERHAPS.

>> I WILL SAY, GENERALLY, SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER WOULD BE THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM.

HOW MANY EMAILS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

HOW LONG DID THAT GO ON FOR?

WHETHER THE OFFICIALS HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM AND THE CONTENT OF THOSE EMAILS.

IF WE HAVE SOMEONE USING THE AUTHORITY OF THEIR CITY OFFICE TO SOLICIT DONATIONS FROM PEOPLE OVER WHOM THEY HAD SUPERNATURAL AUTHORITY, THAT IS A REAL PROBLEM.

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF EMAILS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT, FOLKS CAN FIND THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.

ANOTHER ONE WHO ABUSED HIS AUTHORITY, AN OLDER PERSON WHO WE HAVE CONFIRMED IS JIM GARDNER, ALLEGEDLY HATCHED A SCHEME TO ISSUE UNFOUNDED CITATIONS AGAINST A RESIDENT.

EXPLAIN THE CASE.

>> I AM NOT GOING TO CONFIRM THAT HE WAS THE SUBJECT.

BUT THEY FOUND PROBABLE CAUSE THAT A SITTING ALDERPERSON USED THE AUTHORITY OF THEIR OFFICE TO EFFECTIVELY RETALIATE AGAINST SOMEONE.

>> THIS IS ANOTHER CASE THAT WOULD GO BEFORE THE ETHICS BOARD TO BE ADJUDICATED.

AND HOW MUCH DO THEY FACE IN FINES?

>> UP TO $2000.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE THE ETHICS BOARD HAS BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE IN PROBING POTENTIAL ETHICS VIOLATIONS.

IS THIS A RESULT OF YOUR OFFICE EXPANDING THE SCOPE INTO THIS?

OR ARE MORE OFFICIALS PARTICIPATING IN THIS CONDUCT?

>> IS A MORE INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON RIGOROUS ENFORCEMENT OF THE ETHICS RULES.

THESE ARE THE RULES THAT STAND BETWEEN US AND GOVERNMENT ILLEGITIMACY.

WE TALK ABOUT PAYING DOWN THE DEFICIT OF ILLEGITIMACY , THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE ARE AFTER.

WE ARE PURSUING THEM MORE RIGOROUSLY, MORE CONSISTENTLY, AND MORE FREQUENTLY.

>> CLEARLY, YOU FEEL THIS IS IMPORTANT EVEN IF SOME OF THESE CASES MAY JUST RESULT IN FINES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> YOU HAVE ALSO INVESTIGATED A PRIVATE CITIZEN, A BUILDING OWNER, WHO ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO BRIBE A BUILDING INSPECTOR BY STUFFING CASH INTO HIS SHIRT POCKET TO AVOID CITATIONS.

DOES THIS ALSO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF YOUR OFFICE?

THESE ARE PRIVATE CITIZENS WHO MIGHT BE ENGAGING IN A WAY THAT VIOLATES THE ETHICS CODE.

>> WE ARE FULLY OCCUPYING OUR MANDATE TO ENFORCE THESE ETHICS CODES.

THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE FOUND HAPPENING HERE.

SOMEONE ATTEMPTED TO BRIBE A BUILDING OFFICIAL.

WE ARE VERY CLEAR.

WE ALL NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR.

CITY HALL IS NOT FOR SALE.

RULES APPLY TO EVERYBODY.

>> THE MESHES MIGHT BE THAT PEOPLE CAN COME TO YOUR OFFICE IF THEY ARE FIGHTING THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPENING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU CAN REPORT THIS.

COMMITTEES WILL RESPOND TO >> AT LEAST SOME OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING TO REFORM.

THE CITY LAW WAS CHANGED TO LIMIT THE CITY INSPECTOR GENERAL TERM TO 24-YEAR TERMS.

YOUR PREDECESSOR SERVED 12 YEARS.

>> TERM LIMITS ARE IMPORTANT FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT PRINCIPLES.

I THINK THAT NEW PERSPECTIVES ARE IMPORTANT.

THEY SHOULD BE COUPLED WITH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE.

TERM LIMITS ARE A GOOD IDEA FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE FBI.

IT ALSO APPLIES TO THE WORKERS WITHIN THIS OFFICE.

THE PERSON IN THE SEAT SHOULD NEITHER BE TOO CLOSE TO ELECTED OFFICIALS NOR TO THE ACRIMONIOUS SYSTEM.

THOSE OF US PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO SERVE IN THIS OFFICE SHOULD BE BUILDING STABLE CONDITIONS FOR PEOPLE LONG AFTER WE ARE GONE.

>> YOU ARE NOT ELECTED.

YOU ARE SELECTED BY THE MAYOR AND YOU ARE CONFIRMED BY CITY COUNCIL.

HOW DO YOU AVOID A SITUATION THAT THE CITY FOUND ITSELF IN, WHEN THEY WAITED ALMOST ONE YEAR BASICALLY, BEFORE THEY COULD FILL THE SEAT?

>> THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED IN AN ORDINANCE AS WELL.

THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS SO THAT THE SYSTEM MOVES MORE QUICKLY.

THE