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Judge Hires New Babysitter for City Not Yet Mature Enough To Stay Home Alone

By Sam Bakken in News on Aug 3, 2005 7:32PM

Yesterday a federal judge appointed lawyer Noelle C. Brennan to watch over the city's hiring practices to ensure they comply with the Shakman decree. Brennan will deliver a report to the judge on Sept. 6 advising the judge on what action he should take. The judge said that the recommendations could lead him to mandate that Brennan sign off on all city hires.

8_2005_patronage.JPGThe appointment came from a motion filed by Michael Shakman asking that a "special master" be appointed to investigate violations of the decree that he helped form and shares his surname. Shakman's motion also asked that the city and Daley be held in civil contempt for violating the decree, but the judge will not rule on the contempt order until he hears back from Brennan.

Brennan has got a lot of work ahead of her, but she's no stranger to investigating big organizations. A profile on Brennan in the Chicago Tribune mentions that she was the lead investigator in a sexual harassment case against Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America. Mitsubishi Motor had to pay $34 million to settle the case (the largest ever reached by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).

Brennan will make about $250 an hour for her work. No word from the Cook County republicans on whether Brennan is eligible for the $10,000 bounty.