The Chicago Tribune reports today that the Stroger Administration has hired a high-priced law firm to defend itself against a growing grand jury investigation:

The county’s purchasing agent, Carmen Triche-Colvin, sent a letter Wednesday to Stroger and the 17 county commissioners, saying the firm of Mayer Brown LLP was hired five days ago based on a request from Jaye Williams, the new chief financial officer.  The firm was hired to conduct an internal investigation of “issues identified by Cook County’s outside auditor’s (sic)” and “an organizational audit” of the county’s Finance Bureau, the letter states.

So, let’s get this straight:  not only is this administration under investigation for its alleged mishandling of county finances, now it wants to spend your tax dollars to defend itself?

What’s worse – they’re using an “emergency authorization” ordinance to make this expenditure without submitting this expenditure to county board approval:

Mayer Brown was hired without board approval under an ordinance authorizing emergency purchases, the letter states.

Commissioner Tony Peraica, R-Riverside, said the emergency purchasing ordinance does not apply.

“This is, in my view, an inappropriate and wasteful expenditure of scarce taxpayer dollars,” Peraica said.

The taxpayers. Insulted, once again.