Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot has launched her "ICE Accountability Project. How effective will her effort be and what is behind it? The trial of an alleged gang member charged with orchestrating an attempted assassination of ICE Commander Greg Bovino suffers a defeat. AFter a contentious budget debate, Mayor Johnson warns layoffs could come to city government by summer. Is this possible? We'll discuss.

A BOE meeting in late December, board members voted overwhelmingly to raise the levy limit to take in another $40M. Why was the levy limit raised after the CPS received $552M in TIF funds? Following the vote, BOE president Sean Harden fumed over leaks to media over the vote. An investigation was launched.

After federal agents fatally shot a woman interfering with immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, Mayor Johnson issued a brief video denouncing the incident and rebuking Trump.

Why is Johnson seemingly more concerned with violent incidents outside the city over which he presides as mayor? In an insightful essay, Patrick Dent profiles several progressive aldermen in the City Council and state lawmakers representing the city in the IGA.

The thread which binds them together, Dent says, is none have any real, meaningful accomplishments prior to taking office.

Chicago finally reaches a budget deal, but Mayor Johnson refuses to sign. Why is the mayor refusing to endorse a budget deal which gave him 98 percent of what he sought? Cook County Board of Review's Samantha Steele is at the center of another controversy.

Steele's challenger, Liz Nicholson has leveled the accusation Steele attempted to lure Nicholson to drop her bid in exchange for a County job. Nicholson has filed a complaint; Steele denies the charge. Who is telling the truth?

Cook County property taxes are outrageous. Complicating matters is the network applied to overhaul of the property tax system has been riddled with problems. Who is to blame? We'll discuss.