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Chicago Tribune: Democratic leaders defied House Speaker Michael Madigan to appoint a replacement for Rep. Luis Arroyo. Here’s what could happen next.
In a rare defiance of powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, a group of Democratic Party leaders on the Northwest Side this month used the votes of former state Rep. Luis Arroyo to choose his replacement, setting up a potential battle the General Assembly hasn’t seen in decades.
Arroyo gave up his House seat after he was charged Oct. 28 with bribing a state senator to support sweepstakes gambling legislation that would have benefited one of his City Hall lobbying clients. But the longtime legislator held on to the position of Democratic committeeman for the 36th Ward, despite calls from Cook County party leaders for him to resign. Madigan warned there would be a challenge to any appointment made with the input of the 36th Ward.
Chicago Tribune: Ex-campaign worker settles federal lawsuit with House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political committees over sexual harassment claims against top staffer
A former campaign worker has reached a $275,000 settlement with four of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political committees over allegations of sexual harassment by one of his top lieutenants and allegations the speaker’s Democratic team had blackballed her, the Tribune has learned.
Alaina Hampton filed a federal lawsuit in 2018 accusing Madigan’s political operations of retaliation after she reported inappropriate behavior by Kevin Quinn, a veteran aide whom the speaker has ousted.
WTTW: Chicago parking fees increasing, but city set to save millions
Come January, it’ll cost $7 an hour to park in the Loop and $4.50 in the commercial business district that runs from North Avenue to Halsted Street. (Currently, it costs $6.50 an hour to park in the Loop and $4 an hour in the commercial business district.)
Chicago aldermen on Tuesday approved the 50-cent increases in the city’s most high-demand parking areas, as part of the city’s 2020 budget.
Daily Herald: How Barrington will get more revenue by cutting quarterly train station parking fee
A reduction in the quarterly parking fee at downtown Barrington’s train station means more revenue will be generated for the village because the amount will fall below a threshold requiring a Cook County tax payment, officials said.
Commuters will pay $5 less — $195 instead of $200 — for the quarterly hangtag starting Jan. 1, said Jason Hayden, Barrington’s director of financial services. While the $200 quarterly permit wound up producing $182 in revenue, the village will keep all $195 by not triggering the 9% tax.
Chicago Tribune: Lightfoot says video of man being body-slammed by Chicago cop he allegedly spit on is ‘very disturbing’; investigation is underway
An investigation was underway after a Chicago police officer hurled a man to the ground for allegedly spitting on him during an arrest Thursday afternoon in the Chatham neighborhood on the South Side, an incident caught on a passerby’s video that Mayor Lori Lightfoot called “very disturbing.”
Lightfoot issued a series of tweets Friday morning saying she had “viewed a now widely shared cell phone video of the incident which depicts a Chicago Police Officer slamming an individual to the pavement.”
Chicago Tribune: City settles lawsuit by witness to Laquan McDonald shooting who said cops pressured her to change her story
Alma Benitez never minced words about her alleged mistreatment by Chicago police after witnessing the infamous 2014 shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
Benitez, who was in the drive-thru of a nearby Burger King at the moment that Officer Jason Van Dyke opened fire, said she was harassed and belittled by detectives who accused her of lying about what she saw.
Northwest Herald: Committee to discuss referendum to eliminate McHenry County Coroner as an elected office
An ad hoc committee is scheduled to meet Dec. 6 to discuss the possibility of placing a binding referendum question on the ballot asking voters whether the McHenry County Coroner’s Office should be eliminated as an elected office.
The idea of a binding referendum was raised during an ad hoc committee meeting in October.