Investigative committee begins hearings into Madigan misconduct

09/11/2020

It’s the third time in 20 years a committee has been formed to investigate misconduct by a state lawmaker. Day 1 was brief.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, investigation, Mike Madigan

Illinois House investigative committee to review Madigan’s role in ComEd scandal

09/02/2020

The special investigative committee will determine whether Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan should be disciplined after being implicated in the ComEd bribery scandal.

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

Political patronage? Not in Illinois, Pritzker argues in court

By Brad Weisenstein

08/20/2020

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker sees no patronage problem in his administration – not that there’s no patronage, just that he apparently doesn’t see it as a problem.

TAGS: corruption, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan, patronage, watchdog

Illinois’ small business owners face imprisonment, $2,500 fine for reopening under Pritzker’s order

05/18/2020

The governor’s new penalty comes without approval from the Illinois General Assembly.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, small business

Bill would stop Pritzker from paying state workers on the side

By Brad Weisenstein

01/12/2020

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has used his private fortune to pay $3 million in state expenses, including boosting salaries of 16 top staffers. Some lawmakers want the ‘unethical’ practice to stop.

TAGS: bipartisan, conflict of interest, corruption, fair maps, house rules, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, independent maps, JB Pritzker, lawmaker pay, lawmakers, Legislative Inspector General, legislative map, lobbying, revolving door, Smart Scale, Springfield, watchdog

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

Red-light camera ban in Illinois pushed by more state lawmakers

By Vincent Caruso

11/05/2019

As the bipartisan backlash against red-light traffic cameras continues to build, a third Illinois state lawmaker has introduced a proposal to ban the controversial devices statewide.

TAGS: Kambium Buckner, red light cameras

Chicago dominates competition for most red-light cameras

10/18/2019

Chicago has more red-light cameras and revenue from them than any other large city in America. The cameras are costly for drivers, create government mistrust and foster corruption.

TAGS: Chicago, red light cameras

Red-light camera backlash gains bipartisan momentum in Springfield

By Vincent Caruso

10/15/2019

Driver headaches and corruption flow from red-light cameras. Two bills with bipartisan support would ban the traffic devices in Illinois.

TAGS: corruption, David McSweeney, Grant Wehrli, Jonathan Carroll, Margo McDermed, Mark Batinick, Martin Sandoval, red light cameras, Rita Mayfield, SafeSpeed, Sam Yingling

Report: Justice Anne Burke ruled on 10 Supreme Court cases involving clients of her indicted husband

By Vincent Caruso

10/15/2019

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke declined to recuse herself from at least 10 cases involving clients of Klafter & Burke, the private law firm co-owned by her husband, Ald. Ed Burke, a report states.

TAGS: Anne Burke, Ed Burke, Illinois Supreme Court

Grant Wehrli

Investigative committee begins hearings into Madigan misconduct

Illinois House investigative committee to review Madigan’s role in ComEd scandal

Political patronage? Not in Illinois, Pritzker argues in court

Illinois’ small business owners face imprisonment, $2,500 fine for reopening under Pritzker’s order

Bill would stop Pritzker from paying state workers on the side

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

Red-light camera ban in Illinois pushed by more state lawmakers

Chicago dominates competition for most red-light cameras

Red-light camera backlash gains bipartisan momentum in Springfield

Report: Justice Anne Burke ruled on 10 Supreme Court cases involving clients of her indicted husband

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students