Results & Reforms

SEPT. 28, 2011 — Maywood officials say they’ll stop accepting police chauffeurs after a BGA and FOX Chicago News investigation finds that the mayor and a village trustee are getting rides and protection from police at a time violence is spiraling out of control on the streets and the police department is short-staffed.

NOV. 15, 2011 — After the BGA and CBS2 inquire about a Cook County government official whose job duties include overseeing the work of a company with close ties to his family, the matter is referred to the county’s Board of Ethics for investigation.

OCT. 22, 2011 — Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s chief of staff, Theresa Mintle, announces she won’t take a potentially lucrative public-sector pension after a BGA and Crain’s Chicago Business investigation finds that she had a hand in crafting the pension perk while working at the CTA.

OCT. 11, 2011 — After the BGA and FOX Chicago News report that Maywood police failed to investigate a robbery and assault against a teen in the western suburb, the victim’s family is finally contacted by authorities.

OCT. 4, 2011 — As a result of a seven-month BGA/Center on Wrongful Convictions investigation that uncovered the high cost of wrongful convictions to taxpayers and the heavy human toll on those affected by wrongful convictions, the Illinois Senate Criminal Law Committee, led by Senators Mike Noland (D-22) and Kwame Raoul (D-13), heard testimony from three wrongfully convicted

SEPT. 22, 2011 — After a BGA/CBS2 investigation reveals that four suburbs collectively owe the City of Chicago roughly $15 million in water bills, the Emanuel administration brokers payment plans to try to recoup the outstanding money.

As a result of BGA investigations into credit card abuse by city agencies, Chicago Public Schools Chief Administrator Tim Cawley ordered Thursday that all CPS credit cards be torn up and tossed away.

SEPT. 1, 2011 — The BGA and FOX Chicago News uncover lavish credit card spending by the principal of Ogden International School on the Gold Coast, prompting the Chicago Public Schools’ inspector general to launch an investigation.

AUG. 27, 2011 — The BGA and the Chicago Sun-Times discover that state Rep. Dan Burke (D-Chicago) awarded a college scholarship to a young woman who apparently lived outside of his district, in violation of the rules. The State Board of Education forwards this finding to the FBI, which already is investigating alleged corruption in the decades-old free-tuition program.

AUG. 5, 2011 — The BGA is successful in getting payroll records on the security detail assigned to Ald. Ed Burke (14th) after suing the Chicago Police Department. The records show that salaries totaled almost $600,000 in one year alone.