Cook County finds a way to reward an Alabama legend
Crain’s Chicago Business
Greg Hinz
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
So you thought things couldn't get any worse in corrupt old Cook County?
Try the story about how a former politician and lobbyist best known for literally urinating in a pot on the dais of the Alabama Senate obtained a lucrative, effectively no-bid contact with Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown.
Court clerk campaigns trade accusations over contributions
Chicago Tribune
Hal Dardick and Joe Mahr
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Employees of Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown have pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into her campaign coffers since she first ran for office a dozen years ago, public records show.
Brown continues to accept the donations despite serving in an era when many politicians have sworn off taking money from their workers. The amount tops $315,000, but the tally is likely much higher. Brown's campaign finance records are incomplete, and she doesn't disclose many smaller contributions that don't have to be itemized.
Painting the picture of an efficient operation
The Chicago Reader
Mick Dumke
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Brown says she deserves a fourth term because she’s made progress. She notes that when she took office, some court records were only kept in handwritten ledger books.
And now? About 3 percent of case filings are done electronically. No records are available online except for civil case dockets. The only way to view other records is to trek to the courthouse and ask to see the paper files.
Here's what a first-rate online court system looks like. Here's Cook County's.
Brown says she’s done all she could with 2,100 employees and a $110 million annual budget. She also says state court officials won’t let her do more.
Her challenger, Alderman Rick Munoz, says that’s nonsense.
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK Rick Munoz
Windy City Times
Andrew Davis
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Rick Munoz: I looked around, and the economy has had a devastating impact on our homeowners and our property taxes are way out of control. I figured out that if I were to run for this office and just help manage it more efficiently and more effectively, we could reduce the budget and save the taxpayers some money.
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/CIRCUIT-COURT-CLERK-Rick-Munoz/36656.html
More Articles...
- Brown, Munoz battle over who best to modernize circuit courts
- "Super-Toni's" Clout Tested In Court Clerk Race
- For Cook: Munoz and Patlak
- Not just race - ethics up for vote
- Pay close attention to court clerk race
- Judge Aurelia Pucinski endorses Alderman Ricardo Muñoz for Circuit Court Clerk
- Elections 2012: The week in review
- Ald. Ricardo Munoz challenging Dorothy Brown for court clerk
- Pucinski says Brown made a mess out of Circuit Court clerk’s office
- Pucinski, Brown blame each other for Circuit Court clerk mess
