Chicago’s School Board has appropriated $100,000 for an outside law firm to look at board members’ spending.
Part of the investigation involves the use of CPS credit cards by school board members, including former board president Michael Scott. Scott committed suicide in November.
The outside audit is in addition to an ongoing internal audit.
Published reports have said the credit cards were used to pay for expensive art, meals at upscale restaurants, limo rides, and booze. In addition, the credit cards were used to make thousands of dollars in donations to charities, a charter school and
Fallout from the investigation may be moving beyond board members: Last week, CEO Ron Huberman revoked department heads’ credit cards and asked them to provide an accounting for all expenses made in the last half of 2009.
In other business Wednesday, the Board voted to keep secret 14 years’ worth of meeting minutes, saying the need for confidentiality still exists.