Campaign and election
Cook County Assessor James Houlihan announced that he would not seek re-election in 2010. [61] Within hours,Berrios said he planned to announce his candidacy for assessor. [62] On February 2,2010,Berrios won the three-way Democratic primary [5] with 39% of the vote,in a primary with the lowest turn-out since 1958. [63] [64]
Berrios' candidacy was denounced by local editorial boards. The Chicago Tribune editorial board described Berrios as "a terrible candidate for the powerful office of assessor" [65] and called the Democratic Party of Cook County's slating of Berrios for Assessor a "miserable mistake," citing "his disregard for basic ethical principles" and "patent conflicts of interest." [66] The Chicago Sun-Times editorial board called the slating a "tragedy," describing Berrios as "a fine example,in fact,of why Illinois needs serious campaign finance reform with teeth in it," and citing Berrios' lack of transparency on the Board of Review,his record of hiring family and friends,and his "cozy" relationship with Madigan. [67] The Daily Herald editorial board called Berrios "the very antithesis of what the office needs." [68] A profile in Chicago Magazine described him as "a consummate insider in Illinois politics" and "a vivid example of the clout-infested politics for which Illinois is famous." [4]
On Monday morning,September 13,2010,while candidate Berrios was at a campaign fund-raising breakfast, [69] the Finance Committee of the Cook County Board met and approved a package of ethics reforms in response to Berrios,including a measure that required candidates for Assessor or the Board of Review to return contributions from property tax appeal lawyers of more than $1,500,and prohibiting public officials from conducting political activities while at work for the county or using county resources. [70] "The law stinks,bottom line," Berrios said. [52]
Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool filed nominating petitions to run as an independent candidate for assessor. Berrios dropped a challenge to Claypool's nominating petitions after Berrios' lawyers examined Claypool's 90,000 signatures,65,000 more than required. [71] Berrios prevailed in the November 2010 general election with 46 percent of the vote in a field that also included Republican Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall. Claypool attributed his defeat to his failure to get enough suburban support to offset Berrios' organization in Chicago. [72] [73]
Days after taking office,Berrios hired his son,sister and Jaconetty to work for him,bringing them over from the property tax appeals board. [82] The family members received raises in their new positions. [83] Berrios also brought over from the property tax appeals board veteran staff member,Felix Cardona Jr.,the treasurer for Citizens for Maria A. Berrios,Berrios' daughter's campaign committee. [84] Asked if the hirings confirmed past criticisms,Berrios said:"I still won the election." [85] [86] [87]
Patrick Blanchard,the county's Inspector General,and MaryNic Foster,Executive Director of the Cook County Board of Ethics,the County's top two government watchpersons,issued a joint advisory memo to County Board President Toni Preckwinkle,all 17 Cook County commissioners,and nine other elected county officials,including Berrios,warning them that hiring relatives violated county ethics laws. [88] The Cook County Board of Ethics initiated an investigation of Berrios. [89] The federal-court appointed attorneys monitoring City of Chicago and Cook County compliance with the Shakman decrees,designed to prevent politics from influencing most personnel decisions,raised objections to as many as 27 hirings and firings in the first month of the Berrios administration of the Assessor's office. [90] [91] On January 28,2011,to comply with County Board President Preckwinkle's request for across-the-board 16 percent budget cuts to help close an estimated $487 million budget shortfall,Berrios laid off 53 employees,of which 48 were members of unions,but Berrios' relatives remained on the payroll. [92] On July 17,2013,the Cook County Board approved $529,000 in settlements to 11 former employees of the Assessor's office that the court-appointed Shakman decree monitor had determined had been fired unlawfully by Berrios for political reasons. [93] [94]
While the Cook County Board of Ethics consideration of Berrios' possible violations of County nepotism ordinances was pending,reports by WGN-TV,the Better Government Association,and Chicago Magazine questioned Berrios' relationship to John J. Pikarski,the Board's chairman,and also a prominent,long-time real estate zoning attorney. Pikarski's law firm had represented clients before the County Board of Review on which Berrios served,and had donated thousands of dollars to Berrios' political campaigns. [69] [95] [96] [84] One day after the release of the joint investigations,Pikarski resigned. [97] [98] [99]
In its final determination dated June 20,2012,the Cook County Board of Ethics recommended that Berrios remove his son and sister from the County payroll and fined Berrios $10,000 total ($5,000 for each of two relatives he hired). "To me it's not big deal,because I've been told by the state's attorney they have no power over us," Berrios said. [100] A Chicago Tribune editorial called Berrios' hiring of his relatives "a flagrant violation of the county's ethics rules." [101] County Board President Preckwinkle said,
I've always said throughout my political career that if you're in public office,you should not hire your relatives. This is not appropriate. And it leads to the perception that government is only for friends and family. And that's neither good nor right. [102]
Preckwinkle fired Foster in May,2013. [103] [104] "Joe is a political ally," Preckwinkle said. [105]
Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez declined to represent Berrios or the Board of Ethics in the nepotism issue,citing conflict of interest. A Cook County Circuit Court judge appointed an outside lawyer to represent Berrios before the Board of Ethics beginning in April 2011,and the firm billed the county $4,773 for its work as of September,2012. The Board of Ethics rejected Berrios' appeal of the final determination. [106] By November,2012,15 members of Berrios' family were on state or county payrolls or receiving state or county pensions. [107] [108] Berrios topped the "Hall of Shame" category in "Chicago's Best and Worst Politicians of 2012" in Chicago Magazine's December,2012 issue. [109] The Board of Ethics petitioned the courts for a special prosecutor,and a judge appointed attorney and former Chicago Inspector General David H. Hoffman. By March,2013,Berrios had billed the County $24,716 for his defense against the Board of Ethics' ruling. [110] In April,2015 the judge ruled that the Board of Ethics had no authority to impose fines on the Assessor. [111] [112] As of June,2016,twelve Berrios relatives were government employees or receiving public pensions,totalling nearly $1.1 million a year. [113]
Cook County homeowners are eligible for a property-tax break on their primary residence,but a manager in Assessor's office was granted the homeowner's exemption on two homes. In 2012 Cook County Inspector General Blanchard subpoenaed the Assessor's office seeking documents related to the exemptions. Berrios ignored the subpoena,claiming that the County Inspector General has no authority over him. Blanchard filed suit against Berrios. Berrios is represented in the suit by Cook County State's Attorney Alvarez. [114] On January 15,2014,a Cook County circuit court judge ruled that the County Inspector General had the authority to investigate the Assessor and all other independently elected County offices. [115] [116] On August 21,2014,the judge ruled the Assessor must comply with the Inspector General's subpoena. [117] On December 1,2016,the Illinois Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Cook County Inspector General has the power to investigate the Cook County Assessor,affirming two lower court decisions. [118]
