Industry efforts to battle a Cook County, IL ordinance that creates an anti-predatory lending program were dealt a blow this week when Standard & Poor’s announced that it would continue to rate bonds backed by loans originated in the Chicago suburb. Based on its review of the “Predatory Lending Database Pilot Program,” S&P concluded that the law does not impose liability on purchasers or assignees of predatory loans. This finding essentially gives investors the green light to buy loans originated in the pilot area.