November 18, 2009
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News: Is School Board Chairman's Death Connected to CC Misuse?
It is suspected that the Chicago Board of Education's President took his own life just days after being the center of a controversy over possible misuse of the school district's credit card. Michael Schott was found with a gunshot wound to the head lying in the water near a downtown north end bridge. Apparently, Scott has used the school district's credit card to finance a trip for his wife and himself to Copenhagen in support of the Olympics bid. A long time friend of Chicago's Richard Daley had asked Scott to attend the event on behalf of his Olympics bid team, however, the group was not prepared to pay for the expense. Scott racked up over $3,000 in air fare, hotel accommodations, meals, and bar tabs against the districts credit card.
During the past few weeks, Scott had received a great deal of criticism for using the school district's credit cards for his trip to Copenhagen and many are wondering if his apparent is related to it. There is speculation that maybe he was overwhelmed by financial difficulties; however, that has not been confirmed. Longtime friend and Chicago's Mayor, Richard Daley defended his friend on Wednesday saying “there's nothing wrong with” Scott using the school district's credit card to pay for the trip. Additionally, Daley responded to questions regarding the possibility of Scott having financial difficulties by saying “everybody has financial problems today.”
Scott's alleged misuse of the school district's credit card remains to be the subject of controversy as well as his death. The Cook County Medical Examiner Nancy Jones has ruled Scott's death as a suicide; however his family, Mayor Daley, and other prominent Chicago citizens believer otherwise. Daley is upset with the quick decision made by Jones and says it is way too fast to make any such determination. Since police have not found any motive or suicide note, they remain baffled. Ballistics has already determined that Scott owned the gun that was found near his body and that his hand contained residue from the gun. Meanwhile, a police investigation is ongoing.