It's "a big problem for a position where independence is absolutely crucial," one reformer said.
More than half a year since Chicago’s inspector general announced he would be stepping down, Mayor Lori Lightfoot still hasn’t named a permanent replacement to fill the critical position.
The inspector general is the city’s internal watchdog tasked with investigating corruption and malfeasance, which have been plentiful in Chicago. Under the law, city employees, contractors and vendors have a duty to cooperate with IG investigations, empowering the office to pursue detailed audits of government programs and alleged misconduct.
In response to questions about the process, Lightfoot’s office said the search committee is “following the specifications of the ordinance” detailing how the search must go. The City Council ethics committee vice chair, Ald. Matt Martin, said he would like to see a clarified timeline for when the position will be filled.
Lightfoot does not have a permanent deputy mayor for infrastructure or education. Early in her administration, Lightfoot created a chief risk officer position that she said would be critical for reforming the Police Department but the administration’s hire, Tamika Puckett, left that role in October 2020. No permanent successor has been named.
Emails released to the Tribune in response to a public records request show Lightfoot has also been privately critical of Witzburg, the former inspector general for public safety, who resigned that position last November to pursue the appointment as top inspector general.
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