If a city or other government employee enters into a verbal agreement which violates the law, is it enforceable? It would even be worse if that city employee knew that the agreement violated the law, and is enriched personally as a result of the knowing violation. Let’s assume the city employee is the chief legal counsel for the city, and creates a special exception for the city’s legal counsel contrary to the city’s ordinances. Is such conduct acceptable from ethical stand point much less from a legal stand point? You be the judge. The level of corruption in the State of Illinois, real or perceived, is beyond belief. It starts with city governments, goes to the county level, and then ends up at the State level. Let’s be honest and face the facts. Freeport and Stephenson County are not the exception to the Illinois rule: Corruption is ok – just don’t’ get caught.