Chicago inspector general quits to run for Senate
David Hoffman had been a thorn in the side of Mayor Daley
The resignation of Chicago's corruption-fighting inspector general removes a giant thorn from Mayor Daley's side.
But David Hoffman's departure to run for U.S. Senate also creates a political dilemma for Daley.
(Sun-Times Library)
How can the mayor demonstrate that he's serious about cleaning up City Hall corruption from the inside without Hoffman -- or a former federal prosecutor in the same mold -- who is not afraid to step on City Hall's biggest toes?
There is no doubt that the inspector general earned the nickname "Abbie Hoffman" for the political bombs he threw at the mayor's office.
Hoffman targeted corruption in the Buildings and Zoning departments, forced the resignation of the mayor's human resources chief, uncovered $21 million in waste by garbage-collection crews and concluded Daley could have raked in nearly twice as much as the $1.15 billion he got from leasing parking meters by holding on to the meters and raising rates.
The inspector general also struck a Daley family nerve by working hand in glove with the federal government to target the hidden interest that the mayor's son and nephew had in a sewer inspection company whose city business rose sharply while they were owners.
But Hoffman also provided the mayor with a layer of political insulation.
Whenever Hoffman blindsided the mayor's office with another embarrassing revelation, Daley could say he meant business when he promised to clean up the mess caused by the Hired Truck, city hiring and minority contracting scandals.
Hoffman's aggressive, relentless pursuit of waste and corruption at City Hall was a feather in the mayor's cap, as Daley himself acknowledged Wednesday.
"He never embarrassed me. You have to remember: I appointed him," Daley told reporters.
The mayor flatly denied that Hoffman was a thorn in his side or that he was happy to get rid of him. In fact, Daley insisted that he was prepared to re-appoint Hoffman to another four-year term.
"You want a headline that Daley's happy, smiling and all that. . . . The sanctity of taxpayers' money [is paramount]. People work hard. They want their money protected," the mayor said.
Hoffman, 42, acknowledged that his job was made more difficult by the political resistance he faced.
"When you're an inspector general and you're strong about your independence, sometimes it will not sit well with some people," he said. "My approach has been to not pay too much attention to that and to focus on how we, as an office, can be effective."
Hoffman expressed confidence that the "strong, skilled group" of attorneys, auditors and investigators he has assembled would carry on without him.
"I have a certain level of confidence that things are likely to remain in that independent fashion, but we'll have to see. No one can predict the future," he said.
Daley said he's looking for someone with the same background as Hoffman to replace the departing inspector general. The U.S. attorney's office will be watching closely. So will Chicago voters.
"If he picks someone they don't trust, they'll close down [joint investigations] and that will be gigantic blow. People will start leaving," said a source, who asked to remain anonymous.