East Chicago mayor ordered to stop abusing city money

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. -- A judge has ordered outgoing East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick to temporarily stop using city money to pay legal fees to defend himself and other city officials against public corruption allegations.\nLake Superior Court Judge William E. Davis signed a preliminary injunction Tuesday, stopping payments until a Dec. 16 hearing on the matter in his court in East Chicago.\nGeorge Pabey, who is expected to win the mayor's office in a special election later this month, sought the temporary restraining order to protect city taxpayers from any further expenditure of legal fees.\nCarmen Fernandez, an East Chicago lawyer representing Pabey, estimated the city has paid close to $2 million in legal fees. More bills are expected between now and Dec. 28, when voters will elect a new mayor.\nA message seeking comment was left at Pastrick's office Wednesday by The Associated Press.\nThe city has been paying lawyers to defend Pastrick and others against a civil racketeering lawsuit and seven city officials who face criminal charges.\nThe City Council passed an ordinance in June 2002 authorizing the payment of legal expenses incurred by elected officials accused of wrongdoing.\nThe U.S. attorney's office charged seven city officials with misappropriation of federal money in a sidewalk fraud scandal. The government alleges the officials took part in a scheme to spend $24 million in public money on private driveways, patios and walkways to curry favor with voters prior to the 1999 city election.\nThe state attorney general filed a civil racketeering suit in August seeking monetary damages from Pastrick and other city officials.\nFernandez said she will argue Dec. 16 that the legal fee payments are illegal because the ordinance stipulates the city does not have to pay if the official eventually is found guilty of the wrongdoing.\nThree of the city officials pleaded guilty earlier this fall to fraud and conspiracy charges. A jury convicted three others of misappropriation of funds. They plan to appeal the charges.