From the Chicago Sun-Times:
Chicago’s corruption-fighting Inspector General David Hoffman has resigned to enter the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, removing a giant thorn from Mayor Daley’s side.
A former federal prosecutor who specialized in breaking up street gangs, Hoffman was hired away from the U.S. attorney’s office in 2005 at a time when Daley was besieged by the Hired Truck, city hiring and minority contracting scandals.
It wasn’t long before an office that had concentrated on low-level corruption and almost never conducted criminal investigations was working hand-in-glove with the federal government.
Operation Crooked Code – targeting corruption in the Departments of Buildings and Zoning – has already netted 23 arrests, including 15 city employees, on charges that cash bribes and lucrative gifts were paid to ignore building code violations or speed up paperwork.
Another joint investigation centers around the hidden interest that the mayor’s son Patrick Daley and nephew Robert Vanecko had in a sewer inspection company whose city business rose sharply while they were owners.
Hoffman has had a long history of animosity with Mayor Daley that the Sun-Times piece details at great length. While he should be considered a decidedly second-tier opponent, his candidacy as the corruption-busting public servant does set up a potentially awkward contrast with front-runner Alexi Giannoulias, who is bringing some baggage to the table in the form of his family’s bank loans to convicted felons. Hoffman’s candidacy will be worth watching closely.
RaceTracker Wiki: IL-Sen
Dude has awesome hair
http://www.chicagobreakingnews…
It was covered in his 2006 race correct? From the bits I know it doesn’t seem like there is any ‘there’ there but maybe I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt because I’m biased.
a competitibe primary in this race, please say this guy is a nobody candidate.
his Inspector General job to focus on the run.
Some other politicians could follow his lead on doing that, e.g. Hutchison, but just can’t cut the cord I guess.
Interestingly, this article mentions that there may be even more people entering the IL Senate race:
David Hoffman quits as city inspector general to run for U.S. Senate