Stroger Files for Unemployment

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 5, 2011 2:30PM

The Sun-Times reports today that former County Board President Todd Stroger filed for unemployment benefits with the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

Stroger filed the request Jan. 7 and it's being challenged by current County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Illinois state law says that elected officials cannot claim unemployment benefits. It falls under IDES's guidelines of "uninsured work." Just when you think the balls on this man couldn't get any bigger, or maybe he really is as daft as he's been made out to be.

If IDES sides with the county on this, Stroger could appeal the ruling to the Circuit Court. He can win the challenge for benefits is if he can prove that voters didn't fire him for cause. But if a majority of voters were satisfied in his job performance as County Board President, wouldn't he still have the job? And would Stroger take a failed challenge to court for what would be $530 a week in unemployment benefits?