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

By Ann Miller

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

Illinois House ends Madigan investigation

By Brad Weisenstein

12/16/2020

The Illinois House Special Investigating Committee did little that was special or investigative before ending their probe of Mike Madigan.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, investigation, Mike Madigan

Former ComEd executive pleads guilty in Madigan corruption probe

By Ben Szalinski

09/29/2020

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is at the center of a federal bribery investigation into Commonwealth Edison.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, Mike Madigan

Madigan refuses to appear before House committee probing his ComEd bribery scandal involvement

By Joe Barnas

09/25/2020

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has formally declined an invitation to appear before the Illinois House committee tasked with investigating his involvement in the ComEd scandal.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, Mike Madigan