Chicago Politics

Federal investigators questioned Chicago Mayor Richard Daley last week for two hours in connection to questionable hiring practices in the city government. The Chicago Tribune had an extensive article on Sunday about the implications this could have for Daley and a possible sixth campaign for his beloved office.

Mayor Daley appeared teary at a news conference on Friday following his questioning. The Tribune quoted one Democratic ward committeeman as saying, "There probably are more shoes to drop." With his job-approval ratings down from 75% two years ago to 53% now, one possible outcome is that the Mayor would not run for reelection.

At this point, opponents of the mayor are biding their time to see what else comes of the investigation. The best thing for Mayor Daley is to cooperate with the investigators and make clear what he did and did not know. The longer this drags out, the worse it will be for him and his administration.