Architect of Illinois gas tax hike accused of ‘racketeering conspiracy’

By Vincent Caruso

10/01/2019

The lawmaker who carried to the governor’s desk an infrastructure plan that doubled the state’s gas tax used his influence as a powerful state lawmaker to land his son a government job, a lawsuit alleges.

TAGS: FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Martin Sandoval, patronage, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

Feds raid home, offices of Illinois lawmaker close to Madigan

By Vincent Caruso

09/24/2019

A fourth political ally of Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has become the latest target of an ongoing federal investigation.

TAGS: corruption, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Martin Sandoval, Mike Madigan

Outgoing Chicago FBI chief hints at more corruption indictments, calls for term limits

By Vincent Caruso

09/07/2019

Chicago’s top FBI officer offered term limits as one solution to Chicago’s culture of corruption, suggesting more revelations are on their way, as he moves into an executive role in Washington, D.C.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Judge rules in Madigan’s favor on ‘sham candidate’ lawsuit

By Austin Berg

08/26/2019

Lawyers for Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan argued that even if he did recruit so-called “sham candidates” to siphon votes away from his 2016 primary opponent, such tactics aren’t against the law.

TAGS: election, Jason Gonzales, Kevin Quinn, Mike Madigan, Shaw Decremer

New Illinois law ends $120 fee to clear false criminal records in Cook County

By Vincent Caruso

08/09/2019

A bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker will renew a pilot program in Cook County that waives fees for the expungement or sealing of criminal records for those who have been wrongfully accused of a crime.

TAGS: Arthur Turner, criminal justice reform, expungement, Jacqueline Collins, JB Pritzker

As corruption looms large in Illinois, Pritzker reforms are MIA

By Austin Berg

07/25/2019

Tackling Illinois corruption isn’t just a moral imperative. It’s a financial necessity.

TAGS: corruption, fair maps, house rules, JB Pritzker, Legislative Inspector General, lobbying, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, redistricting, revolving door

Lightfoot proposes sweeping changes to Chicago’s heavy-handed ticketing, towing scheme

By Vincent Caruso

07/25/2019

The Chicago mayor unveiled plans to reform the city’s controversial system of handling vehicle violations, which has buried thousands of low-income residents in debt, taken their cars and licenses.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago City Council, Lori Lightfoot, ticket quotas

Madigan lawyers: ‘Dirty tricks’ alleged in election lawsuit are not a crime

By Austin Berg

07/12/2019

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan faces allegations of recruiting two “sham candidates” to dilute the Hispanic vote in his 2016 Democratic primary race.

TAGS: Grasiela Rodriguez, Jason Gonzales, JB Pritzker, Joe Barboza, Mike Madigan

The time is ripe for Illinois to end gerrymandering

By Austin Berg

06/27/2019

With support for fair maps in the Illinois General Assembly, a hungry electorate and a national conversation on gerrymandering, is the Land of Lincoln finally ready to change its own backwards mapmaking?

TAGS: fair maps, gerrymandering, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan, redistricting

Illinois state lawmakers pass $1,600 pay raise for themselves

By Vincent Caruso

06/02/2019

The Illinois General Assembly sent $85 billion in proposed spending to Gov J.B. Pritzker’s desk in a matter of days. That package included tax hikes on ordinary Illinoisans and pay raises for all state lawmakers.

TAGS: budget, lawmaker pay, taxes

Illinois Senate

Architect of Illinois gas tax hike accused of ‘racketeering conspiracy’

Feds raid home, offices of Illinois lawmaker close to Madigan

Outgoing Chicago FBI chief hints at more corruption indictments, calls for term limits

Judge rules in Madigan’s favor on ‘sham candidate’ lawsuit

New Illinois law ends $120 fee to clear false criminal records in Cook County

As corruption looms large in Illinois, Pritzker reforms are MIA

Lightfoot proposes sweeping changes to Chicago’s heavy-handed ticketing, towing scheme

Madigan lawyers: ‘Dirty tricks’ alleged in election lawsuit are not a crime

The time is ripe for Illinois to end gerrymandering

Illinois state lawmakers pass $1,600 pay raise for themselves

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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