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The latest parlor game: Who leaked the IG report?

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Illinois

* Greg Hinz asks a question that’s on a lot of minds: Who leaked Cook County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard’s “confidential” report on JB Pritzker’s alleged property tax scheme?…

Blanchard declined to answer questions about his report. But it states that it went to five—and only five—people: outgoing County Assessor Joe Berrios, who set the tax assessment on the Astor Street house; County Treasurer Maria Pappas, who mailed refund checks to Pritzker’s agents; and County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and two of her top aides.

Someone in that group had to leak the report. Blanchard, Pappas and Preckwinkle say it wasn’t them, and there’s good reason to think that Berrios hadn’t even read it yet. But the damaging report came out just a month to a day before the election, and as one top political insider puts it, “Things like this don’t happen in Chicago by accident.” […]

Which leads back to the question of who leaked the report. It appears not to be Rauner, since all of those who got the report are Democrats.

Some are speculating that Preckwinkle, who now is running for mayor and could use backing from state Democratic Chairman Mike Madigan, let the report out to weaken Pritzker some in the battle for dominance that’s likely to occur between Madigan and Pritzker next year. Preckwinkle’s office denies that.

The other person on that list, of course, is Blanchard, along with anyone else at the IG’s office who worked on the report. But I should stress that I have no knowledge that his office is the source of the leak.

As I told subscribers yesterday, Speaker Madigan probably wouldn’t mind a weakened Pritzker. But, Preckwinkle’s office has denied leaking it. I have no info to the contrary.

Treasurer Pappas flatly denied to me yesterday that she leaked the report, even though I didn’t ask. Assessor Berrios’ spokesman was claiming as late as yesterday afternoon that Berrios had still never even seen the report.

IG Blanchard told me this yesterday…

I emailed the report on Friday at 4:59 pm to Assessor Berrios and cc:d the other recipients in the same email. I did not receive an undeliverable notification from any recipient. The original letter was hand delivered on Monday morning to Assessor Berrios.

Berrios has a reputation for not checking his e-mails, but his spokesman told me that no one from the office says they got the hand-delivered report Monday, including Berrios.

* I’m bound by my word as to how I obtained a copy of the IG report. But I will say I didn’t get it from anyone on the list of senders or recipients or anyone else mentioned above or anyone associated with any of those folks. As far as I can tell, I didn’t get it either directly or indirectly from the reporter who broke the story, Tina Sfondeles, and the Sun-Times didn’t post the full report online until after I did. I don’t know if Tina and I received it from the same person because she’s also bound by her word and I would never ask her to break it. I also have no idea how the person who sent me the report obtained it.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 11:55 am

Comments

Well you shouldn’t reveal sources. If those elected officials want to know, they’ll find out.

Comment by Maestro Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:00 pm
A better question is “Why wasn’t this made public a year ago?”

Comment by Back to the Future Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:04 pm
How about we drop a FOI on the email chain to see the document went.
Pappas is usually pick, but might hurt to work backwards from Pat Brady. he will alwway be remembered as the guy announced his lobbyin’ effort would get so much biz in the GovJunk era that he would need to add an SPI office. Guessin’ he might be worried about a upcomin’ cash flow problem.

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:06 pm
Just foia the emails and any forwards.

Comment by Foia Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:06 pm
–But it states that it went to five—and only five—….Someone in that group had to leak the report.–

I think Inspector Clouseau is playing on his Jump to Conclusions mat (movie reference mashup).

He doesn’t have a clue as to who among the staffs in those offices or the IG office could have grabbed a paper copy or off a computer. I doubt we’re dealing with secret-agent security measures.

For all he knows, a custodian grabbed it off a copier.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:07 pm
“Treasurer Pappas flatly denied to me yesterday that she leaked the report, even though I didn’t ask.”

Did that strike you as odd that she answered a question you didn’t even ask?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:09 pm
–A better question is “Why wasn’t this made public a year ago?”–

The report was just finished last week.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:13 pm
Keep in mind elected officials often have assistants/schedulers that have access to and monitor their e-mails. Another possibility.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:15 pm
In the end this is not likely to make a big difference in the outcome next month anyway. Latest poll has Pritzker up by 22 state-wide and people’s opinion of Rauner seems quite negative overall and not likely to be changed by this. He’s earned it over nearly 4 years.

Comment by Cash B. Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:16 pm
While it’s a fun parlor game, it ultimately shouldn’t matter. The taxpayers deserve to be made aware of this.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:17 pm
This goes back to 2015. The Sun Times reported on this tax reduction in 2017.
This all could have been addressed years ago if someone would just pay their taxes.

Comment by Back to the Future Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:18 pm
Good on Rich for keeping his source confidential; bad on us for accepting this from the Speaker.

Comment by Texas Red Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:19 pm
=The taxpayers deserve to be made aware of this.=

Just the “taxpayers”? Nobody else?

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:20 pm
I’d put money on it being someone from the Preckwinkle/Madigan circle. They’ve got more to gain from Pritzker being knocked down a peg than the others. Madigan especially has got to be scared to death as it is, Pritzker is going to win in a landslide and has slowly been buying out the party from underneath him. Preckwinkle is banking on being mayor, and knows Pritzker can’t refuse to work with her if she wins the big chair in Chicago. They’re both going to have an uber-wealthy sitting Governor to deal with who has more to offer rank and file dems in terms of fundraising/jobs than both of them combined.

Pappas is more likely to want to cozy up to Pritzker than harm him, Berrios probably doesn’t care at this point. Unless there’s a republican in Blanchards office, no one else has more motive.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:24 pm
===The taxpayers deserve to be made aware of this.=

Just the “taxpayers”? Nobody else?==

Well they’re the ones who were ultimately victimized by this, since they had to make up the Pritzker shortfall

But say “the public,” if you like.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:27 pm
The report is dated September 28, 2018. Is this the “October surprise” Governor Rauner has been talking about for months on end?

Comment by Ravenswood Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:28 pm
Pritzker made whole his taxpayer debt. When will Rauner make up the millions of taxpayer debt he created through the impasse?

Comment by A Jack Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:36 pm
===Did that strike you as odd===

No, it struck me as truthful. She’d been asked by others and just repeated what she told them.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:36 pm
Blanchard has applied to the Associates Judges contest. don’t think he would leak especially because of that. or would he?

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:40 pm
I’ll rehash my prior comment and suggest Berrios’ office does have a motive, as the report exonerates the office from being in league with Pritzker on the tax breaks as was alleged in the campaign. Also someone over there might feel like JB could have been more supportive of Joe in the primary. Sends a shot across his bow without affecting the outcome most likely.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:40 pm
If he is smart, Pritzker leaked it. With a 20 point lead it won’t matter and he can let the people weigh in on whether they care. If he wins, he can say the people spoke on the matter and move on rather than deal with it for 4 years.

Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:44 pm
It was Radical Candor. Duh.

Comment by western observeration Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:51 pm
So, uh, in this day and age what is the likelihood someone has that report by having inappropriate access to the login credentials for folks in the office of the IG, or to the email accounts it was sent to?

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:55 pm
It really is more of a “public service” than a “leak”.
Rather than any kind of a “political” motive, it could just be a public employee doing something he or she felt ethically bound to do.
Thanks for getting this information out for discussion.

Comment by Back to the Future Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:04 pm
Looks like this is a legitimate gut rehab for a works space next door to JB’s house and staff and tax appeals professionals got a little too zealous with the tax appeals process on behalf of their employer/client. I’d be stunned if JB and his wife were ever “in the weeds” on this tax appeal and the IG report pretty much demonstrates that because no affidavit or communication was submitted or sent by JB or MK.

Comment by Ravenswood Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:14 pm
They held it back from the county commissioners

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:16 pm
Whoever you are who leaked it, whatever your political motivation, thanks for being a taxpayer hero and recovering $300k+ for the taxpayers.

If only we could shame all rich guy vanity candidates into paying more in taxes, this state would be on a better track toward solvency.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:21 pm
Nobody would be stupid enough to email this from their gov account.

Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:21 pm
When an OEIG report was leaked back in 2006, they went hard after the leaker. And found the person responsible who, amusingly enough, now works for the governor. It doesn’t seem like Blanchard much cares that a confidential report was breached.

Comment by Original Rambler Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:32 pm
Knowing how little people think of securing confidential data, it could be anyone.

Comment by a drop in Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 2:32 pm
Sec. 2-289. - Confidentiality; public statements.
Investigatory files and summary reports concerning alleged corruption, fraud, waste, mismanagement, unlawful political discrimination or misconduct by any person shall be confidential except as provided below or required pursuant to the Supplemental Relief Order entered in the Shakman Case.

(a) Summary reports shall not be divulged by the Independent Inspector General to any person except to the President, the head of any department or bureau to whose office the investigation pertains, the Chief of the Bureau of Human Resources, accused, Purchasing Agent where applicable and to the separately elected official to whose office the investigation pertains. If the investigation involves violations of the Cook County Ethics Ordinance, the Independent Inspector General also shall submit the confidential summary report to the Cook County Board of Ethics. (b) Investigatory files shall be confidential, however said files may be divulged with the summary report to the Board of Ethics, the Chief of the Bureau of Human Resources and the head of any department or bureau and elected official to whose office the investigation pertains in order to effectively address matters of discipline or ethical violations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information or evidence obtained by the Independent Inspector General which pertains to possible criminal activity may be promptly provided to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. (c) The Independent Inspector General is authorized to issue public statements concerning: (1) An investigation that exonerates an individual who is publicly known to have been under investigation, where the subject requests such a statement. (2) An investigation that concerns inefficient or wasteful management, as opposed to individual misconduct or illegality.
(Ord. No. 07-O-52, 7-31-2007.)

Comment by Powdered Whig Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 3:48 pm
I see a few people here are still trying to justify this as an overzealous gut rehab, or that it is immaterial because JB’s going to win anyway. smh

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 4:00 pm
So first it’s Madigan- Pritzker, tied at the hip, now he may have had it leaked? Welcome Q to Illinois.

The report states the house was uninhabitable. The only “intent to defraud” exists in IG guys head. JB has no reason to pay anything back but is anyway. Incredible

Comment by low level Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 5:05 pm
Berrios and his staff CLEARED by report as a victim of the fraud. Isn’t that enough motivation to get it out ASAP? Positively benefits Preckwinkle who backed Berrios 100% and can’t therefore can’t be blamed for the draconian budget cuts at the Cook County Assessors office she instituted for seven years which according to the report is under staffed to do it extremely important job competently.

Comment by qualified someone nobody sent Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 8:24 pm