Cook County Board Meeting – October 22, 2026

The Cook County Board convened on October 22, 2026, to receive and file several items, including the OIIG quarterly report for the second quarter of 2026, a case disposition summary from the Civil Rights and Torts Section, and two additional items (26-2619 and 26-2620). The meeting began with a motion to return to open session from a closed session, followed by presentations and unanimous approvals.

Discussion Items

• OIIG Quarterly Report (Item 26-2031): Cook County Inspector General Terrell Paxton presented the OIIG quarterly report for the second quarter of 2026, issued on July 15, 2026. The report covered 30 completed investigations, of which 19 involved fraudulent PPP loans. Of those 19 PPP loan cases, 12 were attributed to Cook County Health and Hospital System employees, 3 to the Clerk's Office, 2 to the Public Defender's Office, and 2 to the Department of Transportation and Highway. All PPP loan allegations were sustained, with recommendations to place subjects on a do-not-hire list. The Public Defender's Office allowed resignations in lieu of termination and did not comment on inclusion in the do-not-hire list; the Clerk's Office had no such list. An assessor's office employee obtained a fraudulent loan while at Cook County Health, prompting a recommendation for a reciprocity agreement to be spearheaded by the President's Office. In total, the OIIG has closed 354 PPP loan fraud cases, reported 136 cases in quarterly reports involving over $3.1 million in fraudulent loans, and referred all sustained cases for prosecution. Non-PPP investigations identified systemic weaknesses in the Assessor's Office assessment and exemption programs, including inconsistent policy application, inadequate verification, missing documentation, improper reductions, and insufficient internal controls, leading to misclassification, unsupported tax relief, and improper tax savings. Three investigations involving county officials found issues ranging from inconsistent administrative practices to ethics and political activity violations, including a Border Review official who refused to cooperate and an elected official engaging in prohibited political activity on county property. Recommendations included clearer procedures, improved transparency, and required ethics training.
• Case Disposition Summary (Item 26-2613): The board received and filed the case disposition summary from the Civil Rights and Torts Section.
• Items 26-2619 and 26-2620: The board received and filed these two additional items without discussion.

Key Outcomes

• Item 26-2031 (OIIG Quarterly Report): Motion to receive and file made by Vice Chair Lowry, seconded by Commissioner Trevor. Approved unanimously by voice vote (ayes all present).
• Item 26-2613 (Case Disposition Summary): Motion to receive and file made by Vice Chair Lowry, seconded by Commissioner Degnan. Approved unanimously.
• Items 26-2619 and 26-2620: Motion to receive and file made by Vice Chair Lowry, seconded by Commissioner Degnan. Approved unanimously.
• Adjournment: Motion to adjourn made by Vice Chair Lowry, seconded by Commissioner Trevor. Approved unanimously.