Greising: Current U.S. Attorney Lets Evidence Gathering, Subpoenas Speak for Themselves

The FBI began searching for a government building, prosecuted incumbent members of the House of Councilors and Senator, summoned Commonwealth Edison, and seized boxes and laptops from the suburban townhole.

It was a busy activity, some of which were related, while others were not. When a federal government was conducted by the federal government in the past, its name was already well known: Operation Gray Road "," Operation Silver Shabell "," Hatching Plant Operation "," Safe Road Operation ". "

If you are familiar with Chicago's corruption, you will be able to list these names and their meanings: Gray Road "-Color Judge," Silver Shabel "-Concedions with the city," Hatching Interview "-Redic Bureau-Road Bureau and Road Bureau. , "Safe Road"-Truck license bribes.

Today's activity-Calling "WhatsitsName Operation" -I haven't drawn such a clear outline yet. For now, the FBI seems to be satisfied with the extremely public investigative method.

This bold and modest approach remains the fingerprint of John Lausched Federal Prosecutor. Bow your head. Work. Be aggressive. Don't worry about light.

Rausch had such a reputation during the US lawyer assistant, who was actively fighting street gangs. It is exactly the activity as a US lawyer.

Last year, to fight the gun shooting case, Lausched wearing Kevlerbest and visited the city in the city late at night with the Chicago Police, Eddie Johnson Police.

One of the participants told me that when they went to midnight, they shake hands with a police officer and the FBI investigator, thanked their work, and proceeded. There were no cameras, no people, and only a few police officers respected their colleagues working on the streets. Johnson said this had never been in his supervisor.

Some US lawyers are born in the world, while others tell them their work and results. Both are effective. Jim Thompson loved the camera, but Tom Sullivan was not. Both were successful as a federal prosecutor in northern Illinois.

Raush's journey is still long, and there is no point in investigation unless it is convicted. However, in terms of ambition, his ant i-corruption activity seems to have been led by Dan Webb, Anton Vulcas, Patrick Fitzgerald, and other excellent friends.

We don't know enough about Rausha, for example, how he speaks. He won the staff championship between the high school students as the captain of the football team at the church school in Jolito's church. He studied at Harvard University and then studied at the Faculty of Law, Northwestern. From 1999 to 2010, Rausch fought as a US prosecutor and fought in the leadership of gangs and the leadership, and then Kirkland & AMP; AMP; Ellis defends BP's interests in connection with the Deepwater Horizon accident. In late 2017, he became a candidate for President Trump in exchange for Zakarifardon as a US prosecutor.

Let's think about this to understand how LAUUSH has decided to hold it: he ruled the city council and the Economic Committee, and led the Economic Committee. The longest in the Chicago situation-when the elderly elders were built, Lauush, including Don-Hold-The Press-Conference fixed.

This is intentional.

In the lead of Rausch, he was able to speak for himself with the evidence of the Sonoras public collection and the quiet presentation of the agenda.

In order to announce the investigation against Bark, Rausha Raiders suspended the meat paper in the city hall in the daytime. As part of the investigation of Senator Martin San Divura, the vehicle committee chief searched for rural areas in Lyon and Makk.

The summons to the court they handed gently talk more.

The FBI has named Commonwealth Edison twice as a court. One was the job of Ordos Mike Zalefsky, and on October 10, it became known that he had actually demanded a memo about Sandbal.

One of the Deputy Prosecutors of Lausha, the prosecutor of Amaldit Batu, signed a summoning of Zalefsque, Belke, and Senator Thomas Karaton.

Does this basically mean that all of these are related to each other? Nobody outside the Federal Building does not understand the same. If PGI, WBEZ, and other publications report the federal government's precautions to Madigan, this information is not an official notification from the disclosed summoning or the Federal Inspection Bureau, but from a secret source. It is.

The only thing we know is that this office, located under Lausha's management, is working without prolonged hands or play. There are many opportunities to wait for Kodamus and press conference. After all, the work they do and the crime links that they are likely to collect together are fundamental.

Greising: Chicago Has Spoken; Mayor Lightfoot, We’re Ready To See Your Budget

11 October 2019

Not to mention the rapid increase in additional pension payments, which reaches $ 989 million a year by 2023, it is clear for the inhabitants of Chicago to judge the shortage of public works in the city of $ 838 million. It turned out that there was no answer.

Elder Pat Dowell of the City Council Economics Committee acknowledged that the public does not have enough answers. I met Dowell at the Sout Scholl Cultural Center on the way back from Mayor Lauri Reitft's last meeting in Butscht on Wednesday.

"There wasn't much of a way to intentionally increase profits, just a way to increase costs, for example," Dowell said. "The fact is, we're pretty clear that we don't want to increase property taxes, fines or fees," she said.

The lack of groundbreaking thinking on the part of the public is not surprising. Most of the public are not city money specialists. They don't understand where to find the "soft spots" in the budget, and they don't understand how to build the "eddy" that is the conclusion of a long economic quandary.

Greising | The Casino Saga: A Tale of Shaky Bets and Cannibals

11 October 2019

In fact, I've just watched two disastrous summer dramas that I need to freeze with ineffective reading. They're filled with situations about cannibalism, local rights and affairs, horses, river boats - and despair over the future preludes.

1 - A daily report on the financial condition of the Illinois gambling industry, prepared by the Government Forecasting and Accountability Commission for presentation to the Legislative Assembly. 2 - Special Inspection of Chicago Casino Test Business, prepared by a private consulting firm for the Chicago Metropolis.

The name may be scary, but the situation is exciting and the monitoring is sometimes serious. And they are no longer timely on time - Then, as in May, the state's legislative collection passed a landmark law designed to clear the way for the widespread distribution of gambling in Illinois, meaning that new casinos in Chicago will cover Chicago's difficult, serious pension funding shortfall.

Greising: There’s No Getting Around It – We Need a Pension Amendment

11 October 2019

After her "State of the City" speech and her own concert this coming day, Mayor Lori Lightfoot made the rounds with the Metropolis editorial board and answered questions about how she thinks to promote some of the thoughts she sounded in her speech.

In an interview with Crain's, Lightfoot compiled the main components of the $838 million economic hole: $277 million for pension promises, $130 million for debt servicing, $90 million for settlements and court cases against Megapolis, and $100 million for miscellaneous expenses.

Pay attention to the first line, the pension promises, and then see that the pension problems the Mayor faced in her own 2020 budget are only going to get bigger. When she proposes her personal budget for 2023 (likely to be re-elected), the metropolitan's daily pension bill will be $1 billion higher compared to this year.

What a ruthless calculation for a cramped Chicago? And it is such a difficult decision that Lightfoot has to do in the 2020 budget formation.

Mayor Lightfut has increased the cost of living by 3 % a year, which has been guaranteed for decades to local government officials, including Chicago, as having difficulty in Illinois pension issues.

The mayor has not yet shown how to solve the Chicago pension problem. The mayor has not yet disclosed how to solve Chicago's pension problem. In the speech, she has many other ideas: New taxes for houses sold for more than $ 500. 000, taxation to cannabis resale, profits from the city casinos. The list is diverse.

"We are responsible for providing as many options as possible," Lightfoot explained in an interview with Crains the next day. "I know that the number of COLA is increasing every year is not sustainable."

This statement should not be accepted as a sign that Lightfoot will actually pursue the revision of the state constitution that prohibits any changes that lead to the "reduction or worsening" of pension benefits. Mayor Lightfoot has asserted that it is the opposite of the constitutional amendment.

Instead, the mayor said in an interview with Crains that he had entrusted his hopes for discussions with union executives, who are ready to cooperate. "I know they want to be a member of the prison, and we know they are at the stage we can do," she told Kraines.

According to Lightfoot's staff, the mayor calls for the support of the union to develop Chicago's "progressive source of income." This is a great thing, but it will not lead to the main problem she pointed out, that is, a very difficult cost of raising pensions.

To solve the Chicago pension problem, there are two more direct methods that the union can light foot. The union may be able to persuade Pritzkers to adopt 10 pledges with Chicago and other pension issues in Illinois. Or more importantly, it may help you find a solution to the biggest problem of Chicago's unpaid and swelling billing.

The idea of ​​integrating the state has an economic meaning. Reducing costs and comprehensively grasping important economic issues for local governments.

While unions do have influence on Pritzker, it remains to be seen whether they have enough clout to push for pension consolidation.

Even if consolidation does occur, the 3% pension increase will be problematic. And if Lightfoot expects union leaders to help her, she will face an obstacle in the Illinois Constitution.

The state constitution has been an obstacle to pension reform for decades. Its restrictive pension language hampers efforts by those who want to weaken pensions and force them on retirees. But it also hampers legitimate, less radical efforts. This is the problem, and why the pension language in the constitution needs to be changed.

The bill passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly and died in 2015. The court ruled that pensions should take precedence over police powers if pension liabilities interfere with the state's ability to protect the health and safety of its residents.

The Illinois Supreme Court's experience shows that even if well-intentioned union leaders compromise on high combined payments, it may still not be enough.

Retirees who are unhappy with the deal have the right to sue, and the case could ultimately end up before the same Illinois Supreme Court that narrowly and flexibly interprets the Constitution to ban any pension plan.

There are many reasons why Illinois needs a constitutional amendment to solve the nation's largest pension problem. If local union leaders are genuinely willing to work together and the Constitution is standing in their way, we may have found another reason.

Greising: A Congestion Tax Won’t Solve Chicago’s Budget Jam

11 October 2019

In 2007, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg first floated a serious plan to impose congestion pricing on congested Lower Manhattan roads. In 2019, congestion pricing finally became a reality as an underground crisis caused political turmoil in New York.

In 2019, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot proposed congestion pricing in her first State of the Union address as one of many solutions to Chicago's long-term budget problems. With Mayor Lightfoot facing an $838 million budget deficit heading into 2020, any good idea is welcome -- even if it's a long-term prospect that could lead to future budgets. Traffic congestion is a problem in Chicago. Reducing the number of cars on downtown roads would reduce emissions, make traffic flow more smoothly, and reduce wear and tear on infrastructure.

If everything is done correctly, we can expect the benefits of loyalty in large cities that Lightfoot is the most important issue for his administration. And this brings new profits. It is definitely this meaning that Light Foot spoke this idea in his own speech.

But the problem is here. The light foot faces a concrete recession. Not so bad, but still over $ 800 million is a shining hole, and conjesteong pricing has been mentioned in the mayor's speech, and the media after the concert has raised questions, but the intention of such movements is good. It is opaque.

Greising: Survey Says … Lightfoot’s Budget Will Be Loaded with Tough Choices

11 October 2019

Mayor Loli Lightfoot is about to be on the 100th day, but she has already achieved a number of historical first records: Chicago's first African mayor, Chicago, the first Open Ree. ・ The first mayor who challenged the superior power in the neighborhood of gay council members.

And now, she is the first mayor who has formulated the city's budget by the grassroots sampling supported by Survey Monkey.

That's right. Regardless of whether the Internet Mys is interesting, an online tool that helps people decide what to order for lunch in the office, is used in a large city that needs to block $ 1 billion economic holes. There is.

And what do you think? Light foot may be planning something.

Greising: O’Hare Is a Cleanup Challenge for Our Reform-minded Mayor

11 October 2019

Oir International Airport is one of his best friends for Chicago citizens.

Located northwest of Chicago, once an apple garden, the airport is regarded as a true economic power engine. Last year, the number of passengers passed OHair was 80 million. The cargo is 2 million tons. Landing fees and other information providers have earned $ 1. 3 billion in the city.

For the next few years, Oehir is waiting for a renovation of $ 8. 5 billion in accordance with the intention of former mayor Obodok Emmanuel. Here you will find dozens of new boarding gates, relocated international terminals, turn key "People's Career", and other others.

Mayor Lori Lightfut is convinced of his abilities to eliminate corruption and waste from the city's contract, and there is no other chance to comparable to the Ohir Airport.

During the election campaign, Light Foot boasted that he understood the place where the corpse of the city's contractor was buried. She once worked in the city's procurement department and contributed to the certification of companies and wome n-run companies and the revision of the compliance programs.

As the airport is renovated, Aeronuel, a remnants from the Emmanuel administration, will be in charge of discovering the body.

Regarding the embezzlement, fraud, and mistrust situation, the report recently published by my colleague Better Government Association has the idea of ​​what difficult tasks are needed to satisfy light foot and RI. It is highlighted.

PGI's report has ignored the allegations of minority fraud and reports that corporate systems are sometimes receiving useful transactions in Ohala. The report is a lobbyist like Jerry Chico, a mayor candidate, and Insider's Daily Victor Rees, who caused scandals, such as the American Airlines, Enterprise Ren t-A -Car, and JCDECAUX Group marketing companies. It indicates how many million dollars have been received.

R. M. CHIN & AMP; amp; ASSOCIATES, one of the contractors, ignores a chain of almost endless and delayed people at chronic airports. I have been holding a contract. Chin and his partner, Consortium 5 One, won the contract extension without a bid. In 2012, the group was initially captivated by the required amount of $ 115 million, extended twice without competitive bidding, and actually gained $ 190 million, but the following systems. Is not functioning.

Part of the extra cost goes to the bus board that carries people between terminals needed to provide ethnic careers.

Ru's reputatio n-praise is valuable. RI led the city's procurement division like Emmanuel, and RI achieved Furhores with minorities, a company owned by girls and the poor. From 2009 to 2018, the bureau settled more than 100 listed companies.

At least, Oohara's difficulties are mostly touched, including those that include enviable achievements.

She was a major lawyer in the modernization plan of Ohala Airport, which cost $ 8 billion in 2005, and was in charge of all legal issues in the ambitious expansion plan of Mayor Richard M. Daily. When I concluded a modernization plan for Ohala Airport, which cost $ 75 million with F. H. Passen, Paschen was on the capital program for the construction company to demand a contract with minority. I didn't really care about the fact that I was actually facing the suspicion of the capital of submitting a wrong article. To get a new large contract, Paschen fired employees who seemed to have fallen and introduced other precautions.

When a similar company was fired, it was a very minor sanctions.

In fact, RI did not know about construction land transactions at the time. The procurement department was working on the decision. This is a contradiction that the city has to decide, as the Ohahara plan promotes.

She also stated that she would pay more attention to compliance and high levels during the Ohara modernization plan.

"This is a $ 8. 5 billion program. It requires more protection products. Compliance with requirements is a daily issue." If people (from the Aviation Bureau) return at 15:00, 15:30 at 15:30. Every nonsense occurs. "

Mayor Light Foot also believes that the work to revise the city's procurement policy and use the potential of procurement as an economic development and justice tool.

One day on the first day of the mayor's post, she supervised the contract, and set up a city council committee to ensure fairness, especially to ensure minorities and female contractors. Ta.

These are the goals worth praise. The history of issues related to contract conclusion in Ohala indicates how difficult it is.

Greising: Blagojevich May Walk, but His Cell Could Be Filled by Other Illinois Politicians

11 October 2019

It made a kind of perverse when President Donald Trump could reduce the 1 4-year sentence given to the Governor Illinois on Wednesday to Bragovic family.

Currently, all Illinois policies are being investigated or accused, so there may have been a place to end in the Federal Prison.

Go out, Somersome Tom Kolaton (Democratic Party, Villa Park) may need this sleeper.

A strange incident about a former host truck driver, a former host truck driver charged with embezzlement, indicates how quickly the direct path can change the cunning code. Before being prosecuted last week, Kolaton seemed to raise politicians. He knew how to related to flashy political issues for the nation and his own interests.

Greising: Gardening Tips for Mayor Lightfoot and Gov. Pritzker

11 October 2019

As is known to all the gardens, this is a turning point in mid-July-this is a turning point that risks the fact that weeds need to be pulled out or to strangle and kill what remains until the end of summer.

Everything is different in the field of conscientious management. Although the legislation of legislative activities in Illinois has settled down, there is still a threat to healthy and productive governments.

As with gardening, weeds in the government are that weeds rarely wither. Weeds can provide cost and destructive power, whether incompetent, corruption, visible, or lurking deep underground.

Let's take a look at the Macb where Western Illinois University is at the University of Illinois. Despite the poor work, the university president resigned with a rich salary.

Greising: Time for Pritzker to Define His Terms on ‘Unfair’ Maps

11 October 2019

When the U. S. Supreme Court announced in late June that "Jerry Mendeling is not a matter for the courts, but is in fact a political matter," the eyes of Illinois were on Governor J. B. Meesker.

In a politically active state, attention will be on Adept. Speaker of the House Mike Madigan. In the U. S. context, where Madigan was the function of Speaker of the House, it has been longer. Next, the 2020 census will essentially settle the formation of the appropriate legislative map for Illinois. Everyone, he must take into account the considerations of Senate President John Cullerton. However, Madigan will have some advantage in this process thanks to his own control of Democratic policy.

In fact, the reality is that no one in Illinois led by politicians is waiting for the correct outcome of the electoral map compiled for Madigan. As a result, our concerns will be replaced on the horizon.

According to Illinois law, once the redistricting process is over, the suburbs will become a political entity in the state, truly able to block the rebirth of the map drawn at Madigan's direction. In 2021, only the suburbs will have the right to opt out of the bill, setting up a new electoral environment.

If the fringe steadfastly refuses to sign it, it will be the beginning of a dirty political battle over the top tax rate, such that the conclusion is not a rudimentary formality. In the hands of a governor who is ready to spend political capital for the state, it could be really meaningful.

For now, the governor is doing really well. He promised to veto "unfair" maps. But what is the governor actually suggesting? What are the characteristics of the "fair" card in his opinion? And what are the special flaws that could prevent the state legislature from approving the map drafted by the state legislature?

For now, the state legislature is not willing to talk about this fact. And his spokesman flatly refused to comment when I asked for additional information.

In effect, it is speculation. It will leak if the minimum amount of two years before that, Autocravus has to settle whether the future Illinois electoral map correctly reflects the will of the people. He will have plenty of time to outline in detail what is missing when compiling the map, all the opportunities that will encourage him to adjust the veto.

Early in his term, Pritzker showed off his knack for "the shot." He urged lawmakers to pave the way for a modern income tax, and they did. He pushed for the legalization of marijuana, and they did. So did sports betting. And he transformed his initial $41 billion infrastructure project into what is essentially a $45 billion statewide construction campaign.

It is time for the Governor to step up this momentum and state which cards he will not allow. In fact, the Governor has an opportunity to provide clear guidance on which series of cards he will not allow, now that the biased cards may bring the greatest benefits.

The main characteristics of a fair card are determined by law and custom. The cards must be contiguous and small in size. They are required to protect minority constituencies and other "communities of interest." They can also take into account political units such as state or tribal boundaries.

What does an unfair map look like? According to the Campaign Legal Center, such symptoms include "splitting," which is the way in which a district is divided into several districts so that an aspiring group cannot become the majority in any district. "Takeover" occurs when an active representative is driven out of his district, and "kidnapping" occurs when two active representatives are forced to be placed in one district.

When the number of members of a group is concentrated in this way to secure bulk in as few districts as possible, there is "packing." There are "folding" when a racial or other group is concentrated in one area but not at a level that is important for victory. There are also "packing" elections: adding a significant number of people to a district to balance the district in favor of one group or another.

Does Pritzker approve all of these methods? Are there others on his watch?

The governor must answer these questions now, before the political map drawing takes shape after the 2020 census. Howard Pat Quinn literally made the same promise as Pritzker, and as a result, approved gerrymandered maps in 2011.

If Pritzker is serious about protecting decent government in Illinois, he will take the time between now and 2021 to lay out his definition of an "unfair" map. He will be prepared to use his veto and will take early political steps behind the scenes to ensure that his veto is not circumvented by a supermajority led by Madigan.

The Supreme Court has declared that gerrymandering is a political issue, not a legal one. Pritzker has the ability to restore loyalty to Illinois’ process and reduce the chances that it all comes down to Madigan’s gerrymandering, which at this point already defines a fair map.