Blanchard v. Berrios

This case present question as to whether certain Cook County ordinances allowing Office of Independent Inspector General (OIIG) to issue subpoenas directed at elected county officials violated Illinois Constitution, where OIIG issued subpoenas to County Assessor that commanded Assessor to produce all documents relating to homeowners exemptions that were granted to two specific addresses. Appellate Court, in affirming trial court, found that County had home rule authority to enact said ordinances and had ability to delegate its power to issue subpoenas to OIIG. In his petition for leave to appeal, defendant argued that said ordinances are unconstitutional, since they improperly make operations of independently elected county offices subordinate to directives of County and grant County power to investigate and sanction such offices for noncompliance with their official duties.