
CHICAGO (CBS) — A group of Chicago aldermen has announced plans to force a showdown over who will act as the official watchdog over the City Council.
There are some aldermen who want the City Council to have its own dedicated inspector general, although the first and only person appointed to the position was almost powerless, and frequently complained the office was underfunded.
READ MORE: Two Teens Charged In Clearing CarjackingHowever, Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) said most council members want Chicago Inspector General Joseph Ferguson to be empowered to investigate aldermen and their staffs.
“Now, 27 aldermen are calling for a public vote on merging the offices of the Legislative Inspector General with the Inspector General,” she said.
An ordinance doing just that has been bottled up in committee, and Smith said she’s gathered enough votes from her colleagues to force a floor vote on the proposal.
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