Overview

• Inspector General Deborah Witzburg recommended terminating Lee and placing him on a do-not-hire list after concluding he failed to cooperate with a probe into an alleged quid pro quo involving a West Loop encampment.
• Mayor Brandon Johnson declined the recommendation, arguing the investigation found no evidence of underlying misconduct and that OIG improperly blocked Lee’s attempts to participate by barring counsel.
• Witzburg said her office could not reach a finding on the quid pro quo allegation because Lee did not cooperate, asserting that noncooperation alone warranted discharge under city accountability standards.
• OIG detailed outreach beginning in October 2024, a refusal to conduct an interview with a city attorney present, written questions sent in February with no timely response, and an attorney’s later contact that OIG says was undocumented before its discipline notice.
• Lee disputed OIG’s account, saying he sought to engage with either city or private counsel, received 33 written questions after a long delay, incurred legal costs, and denies threatening Ald. Bill Conway, whose complaint initiated the inquiry.