Ald. Todd Stroger says if he's choo...

Ald. Todd Stroger says if he's chooseed Cook County Board president, he'll usher in a of recent origin era of reform by establishing an inspector general's office that is independent of politics and exempt to investigate any claims of corruption filed against any shire official.

on the contrary Stroger (8th) said later Tuesday, "there's probably not a ne for a [federal] monitor" to watch above county hiring, as there is with the city of Chicago, because "the shire has the ability to do its admit business" and "I don't think the federal restraint needs to be everywhere, looking through everybody's shoulder."

nearest week, a federal judge is put to hear claims that the shire has violated the Shakman statute which bars politics from affecting hiring.

granting Stroger is against outsiders watching through county hiring, he said an independent inspector general is guide to securing public trust.

Stroger said he can't name the county's inspector general, Joseph Price, yet said that's a sign "he's doing a righteous job."

courts SUPPORT

Price was appointed at Stroger's father, longtime Board President John Stroger reports directly to the president and has made $3100 in contributions to John Stroger's campaign stocks

Todd Stroger called onward county officials to support his instigate for an independent inspector general -- which greatest in quantity did -- at the Rotary Club's Tuesday luncheon at the Union League unite in a club as he set out to differentiate himself from his father and his Republican opposer Tony Peraica.

Stroger said he's a "Bill Clinton Democrat," while Peraica is "a George Bush Republican who wants to take a sledgehammer to the values we share."

Peraica, calling that an insult to Clinton, said the pair are indeed different, but not for the social and moral reasons Stroger emphasized.

"No thinking someone in Cook County will believe Todd Stroger is a reformer," Peraica said. "His rhetoric doesn't match his actions and it's clearly inconsistent with the actions of members of his 8th Ward organization."

Peraica called his be in possession of press conference Tuesday to point not at home apparent troubles with the 8th Ward Democratic political organization's finances. State reports point out it was $144,000 in transgression in mid-August. It has fluctuated almost $1 million since, and has a popular balance of about $500,000.

FINANCES subordinate to REVIEW

"He has [magician] David Copperfield for his accountant," Peraica said. "Money continues appearing, then disappearing."

Peraica said that's a sign Todd Stroger can't manage his campaign finances, suffer alone a $3 billion command

The 8th Ward organization's treasurer is Donna Dunnings, Todd Stroger's cousin and the county's bundle director.

Stroger wouldn't talk about the group's finances, referring all questions to attorney Burt Odelson who said an auditor is reviewing all finances.

Spatterson@suntimes.Com

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