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Article: City Council passes ethics reform plan
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- July 31, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1997 Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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Its public image shattered by recent corruption scandals, the
City Council on Wednesday swallowed the bitter pill of ethics reform
despite concern about political witch-hunts.
"You might cut my head off, but I'm not going to give you the
hatchet," said Ald. Ed Smith (28th), one of nine aldermen to oppose
the reforms.
Allies of Mayor Daley who muscled the reforms through a
reluctant City Council by a vote of 40-9 touted the mayor's plan as
the toughest local ethics ordinance in the nation.
It gives the Ethics Board unbridled subpoena power to
investigate and fine aldermen for ethical lapses and establishes
rigid guidelines about when aldermen must abstain from Council votes.
Council ...