Wearing a wire around your colleagues is not a great way to ingratiate yourself. It is, however, a good way to get a cut on your time when you cooperate with the FBI. It looks like indicted Chicago Alderman Isaac Carothers will be eating lunch alone.
By Dan Mihalopoulos and Dan P. Blake
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO — If there is one thing that bothers Chicago’s aldermen more than FBI agents and investigative reporters, it’s a colleague who cooperates with the feds against fellow City Council members.
On Monday, nobody openly used the three-letter R-word — rat — like they did when an alderman wore a wire in the 1990s. But more than a few aldermen admitted they were not thrilled to see newly indicted Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th) back at work.
When Carothers was charged with bribery along with a real estate developer last week, federal court records indicated he wore a wire to secretly record discussions with other city officials and developers.
Carothers came to City Hall on Monday for his first official appearance since his indictment. Although often eager to bluntly give his opinion, Carothers did not say a word into the microphone on his desk during two committee meetings. He also declined to discuss the allegations with reporters.
