Politics

City Inspector General Deborah Witzburg to Leave Post After 1 Term

Chicago’s top city watchdog Deborah Witzburg announced Thursday she will not be seeking another term.

Witzburg, who has served as the city’s inspector general since 2022, made the announcement days after the city amended it’s ethics ordinance to ensure the “independence and effectiveness of the investigative work” done by her office.

“Having secured protections which have eluded this office for so many years, I have decided not to seek a second term,” she said in a statement. “I can be confident that, at the end of my term in April, I will leave OIG better and stronger than I found it.”

According to Witzburg, the revised ordinance allows her office to protect the integrity and confidentiality of its investigative interviews by limiting the circumstances under which city lawyers may be present

The amendment was unanimously endorsed by the Ethics and Government Oversight Committee had the support of both Witzburg and Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry after negotiations stretched into the weekend.

The amendment, which was approved Wednesday by the full City Council, was born out of a 17-page letter Witzburg sent to Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward) in February that blasted the Law Department and Richardson-Lowry for slowing the work of Witzburg’s office to root out waste, fraud and abuse at City Hall.

“Independence is the hallmark and the lifeblood of effective oversight,” Witzburg said. “City Council has shown overwhelming, principled support for that independence, and as of yesterday, OIG is better positioned than at any time in recent memory to conduct oversight which pays down the deficit of legitimacy at which the City of Chicago operates.”

During her time in office, Witzburg urged the City Council to limit inspectors general to two terms, saying it would help keep the office independent.

City ordinance requires Johnson to choose Witzburg’s replacement after a national search for a candidate, who must be confirmed by the City Council. If she sought a second term, Johnson would have had until mid-October to decide if he would reappoint Witzburg or seek a replacement. 

Witzburg was appointed to her role by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot after she declined to reappoint Witzburg’s predecessor Joseph Ferguson to a fourth term in office.

She joined the office in 2016 and worked in various roles before being appointed to the top job. Previously, she was an assistant Cook County state’s attorney.

Heather Cherone contributed to this report.

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