Bribery charge, resignations hit prominent players in red-light camera scandal

03/09/2020
A Cook County commissioner quits as a former city administrator faces a bribery charge. Both played roles in the rise of red-light cameras and vendor SafeSpeed.

TAGS: Chicago Department of Aviation, conflict of interest, Cook County, corruption, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, Jeff Tobolski, Lyons, Martin Sandoval, McCook, Oak Brook, Patrick Doherty, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Toni Preckwinkle

Illinois comptroller calls red-light cameras ‘broken and morally corrupt’

01/07/2020
Traffic cameras collected more than $1 billion from drivers since 2008, but corruption probes are prompting state comptroller to stop acting as ticket collection agency.

TAGS: corruption, David McSweeney, federal investigation, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Jeff Tobolski, Lyons, Martin Sandoval, McCook, red light cameras, Redflex Traffic Systems, SafeSpeed, Springfield

Architect of Illinois gas tax hike resigns committee chairmanship amid federal probe

By Vincent Caruso
10/11/2019
State Sen. Martin Sandoval has resigned as chairman of the powerful Illinois Senate Transportation Committee, weeks after federal authorities raided Sandoval’s home and offices as part of an ongoing corruption probe.

TAGS: capital bill, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, gas tax, JB Pritzker, John Cullerton, Lyons, Martin Sandoval, McCook, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, SafeSpeed

FBI, IRS continue raids by targeting 3 village offices in Cook County

By Vincent Caruso
09/27/2019
Federal agents raided the offices of three suburban villages, including one governed by a mayor who doubles as a Cook County commissioner. All three are in the district of state Sen. Martin Sandoval, also the subject of a federal raid.

TAGS: capital bill, capital project, Christopher Getty, corruption, Jay Hoffman, Jeff Tobolski, Kevin Quinn, Lyons, Martin Sandoval, McCook, Michael Zalewski, Mike Madigan, Tom Cullerton