Shakman goes after Cook County Hiring

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Attorney Michael Shakman asked a federal judge Monday to appoint a monitor to oversee all hiring in Cook County government -- just as the judge has done for the city of Chicago.

Shakman's motion is based on two Chicago Sun-Times investigative reports about patronage hiring in Cook County government.

Shakman is the attorney who filed the 1969 lawsuit that forced the city, county and other local governments to forbid hiring and firing based on political clout. But as the Sun-Times stories have shown and as Shakman's motion alleges, patronage hiring has become rampant in county government again.

"It has become clear that ... Cook County has engaged in substantial, illegal patronage hiring and promotion of non-exempt employees in violation of the judgement," Shakman states in his motion.

Cook County is a "racketeering enterprise" in true sense of the term.