Cases under review after city attorneys resign, Emanuel says

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is defending the city's top attorney after a judge ruled that two city lawyers withheld evidence in the 2010 fatal police shooting of Darius Pinex.

The Pinex family will receive a new trial in their lawsuit against the city.

"There is zero tolerance for violating not only the public trust but your professional standards," Emanuel said.

The mayor said his law department will work to restore the public's trust. Both attorneys involved in the Pinex case resigned and the cases on which they worked will be reviewed. Emanuel indicated there are no plans to fire their boss, Corporation Counsel Steve Patton.

"He has done some very significant things and he has my support to make sure this does not happen again," Emanuel said.

Patton, who led the effort to settle the Laquan McDonald shooting, denied any cover-up in the Pinex case.

"It's not the way we operate. We've already taken steps and we're going to take additional steps to make sure this never happens again," Patton said Monday.

U. S. Congressman Danny Davis was the City of Chicago Law Department included in the ongoing federal investigation.

"I think there's no doubt that they must be under review," Davis said.

The embattled mayor accused Governor Bruce Rauner with holding Chicago public school children "hostage" for refusing state aid to CPS unless the mayor agrees to pro-business, anti-union reforms.

"The children of the city of Chicago are not a pawn in the political game in Springfield to get an agenda done that people don't agree with," Emanuel said.

A Rauner spokesman wrote, "The mayor is playing the tired political game of blaming others. City Hall continues to borrow money for everyday expenses and passed a schools budget that is half a billion dollars short".

"Today we are doing exactly what we need to have happen educationally and the state is not playing a fair game when it comes to the children in the city of Chicago," Emanuel said.