CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — When it comes to the transfer of power at Chicago City Hall, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg told WBBM it can be a painful process — but likely none have been as bad as the recent transition from the Lightfoot to Johnson Administrations, with historic turnover both on the fifth floor and on city council.
"I mention city council, in particular, because in this last municipal election there was more turnover in city hall than, certainly, in recent memory, and perhaps ever in the modern era," Witzburg said.
The comments from Chicago's official watchdog came after the Chicago Tribune reported that the Johnson Administration fired three staffers and placed them on a do-not-hire list following their complaints about treatment from high-ranking officials. WBBM Newsradio has reached out to Mayor Brandon Johnson's press office for comment.
The inspector general said she isn't able to comment on specific details of cases that are under investigation by her office — nor can she comment on those that are likely headed her way. Witzburg noted, though, that retaliation by city employers is never acceptable.
"Certainly not, and there are strong legal protections in place to guard against retaliation for people who are whistleblowers, for people who make complaints to [the Office of the Inspector General] and participate in OIG investigations," she said.
Given this latest chapter of what Witzburg described as Chicago's history of troubled transitions, she told WBBM that developing some protocols around the transition of power at City Hall may be a good thing.
Although alderpersons are voted into office by their constituents, Witzburg said there isn't much on the books to protect the jobs of staff or city employees who remain from the outgoing administration.
"Not a lot of guardrails in place around what is supposed to happen in terms of knowledge transfer, transfer of materials," she said. "The municipal code has a little bit to say about how outgoing alders should handle personal property that's been purchased with committee funds, but that's about it in terms of guidance for how transitions are supposed to work."
Witzburg said that isn't just difficult for the outgoing staff, but it has greater impacts on the operation of the city.
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