Former state Rep. Luis Arroyo gets 57 months for bribery scheme

By Patrick Andriesen

05/26/2022

The former Illinois House assistant majority leader now faces nearly 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to accepting and soliciting bribes to expand sweepstakes gambling legislation in Springfield.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, gambling, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly

ComEd bribery scandal restitution denied for second time

By Patrick Andriesen

01/25/2022

The lawsuit filed on behalf of millions of ratepayers sought to recover the costs incurred during Commonwealth Edison’s attempts to sway former House Speaker Mike Madigan. It was dismissed for a second time.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, Mike Madigan

Former Illinois House leader pleads guilty to bribery

By Dylan Sharkey

11/04/2021

A former Illinois House leader pleaded guilty to accepting bribes and then offering bribes to a state senator in an effort to push gambling legislation.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, federal investigation, Luis Arroyo

Feds investigate property tax bribery scheme in Cook County

By Patrick Andriesen

07/19/2021

A Board of Review employee claims corruption is rampant in his Cook County office after an FBI affidavit states he was charging $2,000 to lower assessment on commercial properties and $1,000 for homes.

TAGS: bribery, Cook County, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Former state lawmaker used bribes to promote red-light cameras in Chicago suburb, feds charge

By Patrick Andriesen

04/27/2021

New federal corruption charges state a former Illinois House member conspired to use bribes to get a red-light traffic camera contract renewed and more of them installed in a suburban Chicago community. Traffic cameras collected $5.5 million during a decade in the suburb.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, red light cameras

Ald. Burke, Sen. Sandoval political crony guilty of lying about bribes

By Brad Weisenstein

04/13/2021

A longtime political operative for Chicago Ald. Ed Burke and the late state Sen. Martin Sandoval pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about bribes.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, Ed Burke, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Martin Sandoval

Former state senator, ComEd lobbyist faces tax fraud indictment

By Patrick Andriesen

04/02/2021

A former Illinois state senator was charged with federal income tax crimes. Her Senate financial disclosure statement shows why they are known as ‘none’ sheets. Reforms are needed.

TAGS: Annazette Collins, bribery, ComEd, corruption, Mike Madigan, tax fraud

Bill would have stopped campaign fund use to settle sexual harassment suits

03/29/2021

Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan spent nearly $900,000 in campaign funds to fight a sexual harassment lawsuit. A bill would stop lawmakers from using donations to settle harassment claims.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, ethics, Mike Madigan, sexual harrassment

After 50 years in Illinois House, 36 years ruling it, Mike Madigan is quitting

By Brad Weisenstein

02/18/2021

Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan is resigning as a state representative after 50 years in office. It came a little more than a month after he was ousted as speaker.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, federal investigation, Mike Madigan, resignation

Illinois was most corrupt of 10 largest states under Madigan’s reign

By Joe Tabor

01/12/2021

Illinois averaged over one federal public corruption conviction a week during the Madigan era. That is the most convictions per capita among the top 10 most populous states between 1983 and 2018.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, House Speaker, Mike Madigan