On Nov. 1 a federal judge decided to end decades-long patronage hiring oversight of the Cook County assessor’s office. Cronyism and patronage remain in Illinois, despite some government offices escaping federal court oversight.
On Nov. 8, Illinoisans will vote for important judge positions, including three Illinois Supreme Court justices and 16 appellate court judges. Their decisions impact daily life, yet about 25% of voters leave their ballots blank when they get to the judges.
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his co-defendant, Michael McClain, denied all corruption accusations brought against them. Federal prosecutors said Madigan used his position to run a criminal enterprise.
A former Teamsters secretary-treasurer was sentenced to 19 months in prison for extorting $325,000 from a Chicago film studio. The judge refused to give probation, saying “there is a price we all pay for public corruption.”
Michael Madigan, former Illinois House speaker, and his longtime political ally and operative will enter pleas in federal court Nov. 1. They are charged with coercing bribes from AT&T in return for passing favorable legislation in Springfield.
Cook County voters can now visit any of the 53 polling locations countywide to cast their ballot for the Nov. 8 general elections. Illinoisians can still choose to permanently vote by mail until Nov. 3.
Members of the Illinois General Assembly’s bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules are questioning the prolonged state of emergency regarding COVID-19. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has declared a state of emergency 35 times.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued his 35th COVID-19 disaster proclamation, extending his powers for 70% of his term.
Amendment 1 would empower government unions to the point that their contracts could prevent consolidation of Illinois’ nation-leading number of local governments. Neither state law nor voters would be able to do much about it.
AT&T Illinois will pay a $23 million fine for illegally influencing former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Their former president, Paul La Schiazza, faces conspiracy charges.
With 40 days until the election, Illinois residents can vote early at their local county clerks’ office. Vote-by-mail ballots should arrive soon, but there is still time to apply for one.
In a unanimous decision, the Illinois Supreme Court denied a lawsuit by two former state senators seeking back pay. The senators bragged about voting against the raises, then decided they deserved them after leaving office.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is demanding resignations from two longtime Democratic state senators. One faces federal bribery charges in connection with red-light cameras. The other allegations of domestic abuse and harassment of a top staffer.
Illinois state Sen. Emil Jones III is the latest politician charged with bribery as well as lying to the FBI in a corruption probe involving red-light cameras.