DES PLAINES, Ill. (AP) — A Chicago suburb will spend as much as $30,000 on a private investigator to find out who leaked confidential documents to a local newspaper.
The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald reports that the city council in Des Plaines voted unanimously this week to hire Chicago-based investigative firm Hillard Heintze to conduct the probe.
The paper says that in June an elected official and city staff member gave the newspaper all or parts of a report prepared by the city’s attorneys. The documents detailed all ongoing litigation involving the city and were marked “confidential, attorney privilege.”
Release of the documents violates the village’s code of ethics and could result in employees being fired and elected officials censured by the city council.
