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CHICAGO — Welcome to another edition of Continuing Corruption, where we dig deep into the actions of politicians embroiled in controversies that erode public confidence. Today, we shift our focus to Illinois Democrat Willie Cochran, a former alderman whose troubling actions have left a stain on the state’s political landscape.

Before his corruption came to light, Willie Cochran was a prominent figure in Chicago politics and served as the alderman of the 20th Ward in Chicago, Illinois. The 20th Ward, in particular, has had a dismal track record, with Cochran becoming the third alderman in the last four to be indicted while in office.

So, what exactly did he do?

Cochran was charged in December 2016 with one count of felony wire fraud. The case revealed his involvement in stealing a staggering $14,000 from a charity he had created to support vulnerable children and seniors in his South Side ward. Instead of fulfilling the noble purpose of the charity, Cochran shamelessly misused the funds for personal gain, indulging in lavish dinners, splurging on Mercedes-Benz accessories, funding his daughter’s college education, and feeding a dangerous gambling habit.

Let me repeat that: he stole from a charity for children and elderly to fund a gambling habit.

Cochran resigned from his position as alderman of the 20th Ward in Chicago on March 1, 2019. His resignation came after he was re-elected to his position in February 2019 while facing the pending charges of wire fraud.

In June 2019, Cochran was sentenced to one year in prison on one count of felony wire fraud.

The Illinois Democratic Party’s persistent series of corruption scandals has cast a dark shadow on the state’s political landscape. Time and again, prominent figures within the party have faced allegations of unethical conduct, abuse of power, and misuse of public funds. From former aldermen and city officials to high-ranking state politicians, the list of individuals embroiled in controversies seems unending. These scandals not only erode public trust in the party but also undermine faith in the state’s governance. It’s a troubling pattern that demands a thorough examination of the party’s internal mechanisms and a renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership.

But of course, we’ll see you back next week when we discuss yet another member of the Illinois Democrat Party who abused their power as an elected official at the expense of the public they were supposed to serve.

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CHICAGO — Senator Van Pelt has officially retired as of today, representing a major win for taxpayers in her district who will finally have a state senator that shows up for work. 

Since announcing she would be stepping down shortly after winning reelection, Van Pelt has missed 903 of 904 votes that have taken place since she was sworn in January. In her retirement she cited health issues, but those issues didn’t stop her from traveling to Dubai, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Atlanta this year – a combined mileage that represents 29 round trips from West Loop to Springfield. 

Even though she only voted .001% of the potential votes prior to her retirement (1 out of 904), the taxpayers helped fund that travel since the Senator still collected on her $85,000 salary plus an additional $11,098 as a committee chair, collecting $56,500 for her services this year to date. 

With that, we say bon voyage Senator Van Pelt! Enjoy your many travels and thank you for clearing the path for a Senator who might actually show up to work.

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CHICAGO — Governor Pritzker has asked Illinoisans to trust him to set the state’s finances in order, but his own administration misallocated $5.2 Billion (that’s $5,200,000,000) in unemployment funds over the COVID-19 pandemic.

That is 10% of this year’s full state budget.

Take a look at the coverage of the Illinois Auditor General’s report HERE.

ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy released the following statement:

“Governor Pritzker has proposed tax hike after tax hike since taking office nearly 6 years ago. No wonder, seeing as his administration is incapable of managing the funds available to them correctly. We are talking about $5.2 BILLION in failed payments. Either the Governor is incompetent, or the people he selected to keep the state running are. Which is it, Governor?”

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CHICAGO —  In case you missed it, the Illinois Supreme Court reinstated Pritzker signed legislation that would end cash bail. Now we’re forced to wait and see how this is going to inevitably blow up.

While the progressive camp is throwing confetti in celebration, the rest of us are bracing ourselves for impact. Just take a look at what folks across Illinois are saying about the UN-SAFE-T Act:

“The legislature should finally heed the concerns of law enforcement, judges and their communities and immediately return for a special session to properly address the SAFE-T Acts’ negative impact on the public before this ill-conceived statute goes into effect in 60 days.” –Senate Republican Leader John Curran (7/19).

“Out of 102 State’s Attorneys throughout Illinois, 100 opposed the Act as written.. Unfortunately, the citizens of Illinois who are the sovereign authority were not consulted in this significant matter.” – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow (7/19).

“The court ignored the pleas of nearly every prosecutor in the state of Illinois, Democrat and Republican, that the elimination of cash bail will put dangerous criminals back on the street, instead of keeping them in jail or forcing them to post cash bail as they await trial.” – Chris Southwood, State Lodge President of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (7/19).

“I am very disappointed with the ruling made by the Illinois Supreme Court Democrat majority that was elected by Governor Pritzker. I have always stood with our police and will always back the men and women that wear the badge each day to help keep our communities safe.” – State Rep. Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) (7/19). 

“The Democrats have endangered the citizens of Illinois. In fact, their original draft was so terrible it has been through multiple amendments so far. But no number of amendments will fix the SAFE-T Act, it needs to be repealed.” – State Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) (7/19).

Let’s put it this way: if Al Capone was arrested today on tax evasion, the Democrats would’ve had him released before lunch.

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Chicago — Welcome back to yet another edition of Continuing Corruption, the place you go to every week to learn about how another member of the Democrat Party of Illinois betrayed the trust of their constituents. When politicians are accused of compromising their moral compasses for personal gain, the consequences reverberate through the halls of power. Such is the case with Tom Cullerton, a former Illinois senator whose involvement in a do-nothing job scandal left a stain on his political career. 
Senator Cullerton represented the 23rd district as an Illinois senator from 2013 until his resignation in 2022 and pleading guilty to federal embezzlement charges.

Tom Cullerton’s downfall began with a 41-count federal indictment in August 2019. The indictment alleged that Cullerton had pocketed approximately $275,000 in salary and health benefits from the Teamsters for a job that required little to no actual work. The disclosure of Cullerton’s charges came in the wake of Teamsters chief John Coli pleading guilty to extortion charges.

A distant relative of Tom, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton had no choice but to remove Tom as chairman of the Senate Labor Committee following the indictment. However, instead of a complete withdrawal from political responsibilities, Cullerton named his relative as chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

One of the most troubling aspects of Tom Cullerton’s journey is that just 11 days after being released from prison, he ventured into the realm of lobbying.

Cullerton serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of political greed and the imperative need for ethical conduct within the political sphere. It highlights the importance of maintaining trust, transparency, and accountability in our elected officials. The citizens must demand unwavering integrity from their leaders and reinforce the belief that no one is above the law.

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CHICAGO — Today, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy released the following statement after the state Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s decision, reinstating J.B. Pritzker’s law eliminating cash bail: 

“Today’s Supreme Court ruling makes it painfully clear that elections have consequences. Democrats, first led by Mike Madigan and now by JB Pritzker, spent tens of millions of dollars to elect a 5-2 majority of Democrats on the Illinois Supreme Court. It is not surprising that the Court would vote along political lines to allow Governor Pritzker and the Democrat controlled legislature to disregard constitutionally protected rights of crime victims in abolishing cash bail. This historic change in criminal justice law, combined with progressive Democrat prosecutors like Kim Foxx and Eric Rhinehart, will significantly undermine public safety by releasing from custody dangerous, violent criminals at a time when police are under attack and Illinois families and crime victims already fear for their personal safety.”

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Chicago – Continuing our commitment to uncovering corruption within Illinois politics, we remember the shady history that the Democrat Party wants us to forget. In the realm of politics, trust and integrity are pillars that shape public perception and determine the trajectory of careers. Sadly, there are instances where politicians succumb to temptation, compromising their moral compass for personal gain. Terry Link, a former Illinois Senator, found himself in such a predicament when he became entangled in a tax evasion scandal that shook the foundations of his political career.

Link served as a Democrat member of the Illinois Senate representing the 30th District, which includes parts of Lake County, from 1997-2021. He was the Senate Assistant Majority Leader and a member of the Legislative Ethics Commission.

Link was known for his involvement in various legislative initiatives during his tenure, particularly in the areas of gambling and transportation. Link had been an advocate for expanding gambling in Illinois and was instrumental in the passage of legislation that led to the construction of new casinos and the introduction of video gambling in the state. He also served as the chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee.

Link’s transgressions centered around his personal income taxes. In 2020, he faced charges of tax evasion, accused of underreporting his income and filing false statements. It is disheartening to witness an elected official, who should serve as a role model, engage in such unlawful activities

Do you remember Luis Arroyo? In 2019, Link wore a wire for the FBI and recorded former state Rep. Luis Arroyo offering him a bribe. It is believed that Link agreed to cooperate in exchange for a lighter sentence on his pending charges.

The Terry Link tax evasion scandal serves as a cautionary tale, showcasing the consequences of personal greed and unethical behavior in politics. It highlights the importance of maintaining trust and accountability in our elected officials. We must demand integrity and ethical conduct from our leaders, reinforcing the belief that no one is exempt from the consequences of their actions.

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CHICAGO — The latest SCOTUS decision over affirmative action has Democrats crying foul. Over what, exactly? Claims that BIPOC students wouldn’t be able to get into good colleges; it is insulting and ignores the actual contributing factors that have led to the issue. In reality, this landmark decision marks a significant step towards a fair merit-based system that ensures equal opportunity for all students.

As Don Tracy, Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party puts it in his op-ed published in Real Clear Politics, if Democrats really want to improve the education of Black and brown students, they’d focus on learning opportunities from kindergarten to senior year of high school, not just college admissions.

Tracy wrote: “Instead, black and brown children living in America’s cities are collaterally damaged by Democratic party politics. Democrats care more about currying favor with teachers unions to win elections than they do about creating opportunities for children.“

Chicago Public Schools aren’t doing a good job educating their students, with approximately one fifth of students being able to read and do math at their grade level. This is a massive problem that the Democrats just don’t care about. Rather than giving kids the opportunities to learn in environments best suited for their needs, Illinois Democrats are focused on throwing money at public schools who fail our students.

“Just this spring, Pritzker, Welch, and the Democrats killed the Invest in Kids school choice program that enabled disadvantaged black and brown children to attend the same elite private schools to which they send their own children,” Tracy wrote.

As Chairman Tracy argues throughout the piece, school choice is the way to ensure all students excel in their studies; not allowing Affirmative Action to choose winners and losers based on their race.Read more from Chairman Tracy in Real Clear Politics here.

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CHICAGO — Welcome back to our series, Continuing Corruption, where we’ll always shine a light on the Illinois Democrats who continue to engage in corrupt, criminal behavior. Last week we wrote about Elgie Sims, who is under federal investigation for allegedly using his powers as a legislator to get a quick buck. This week we’re continuing that theme by introducing you all to former Rep. Luis Arroyo, whose attempt to bribe a fellow lawmaker so he could profit financially from state dealings landed him in jail.

Who is Luis Arroyo? He was the state representative for Illinois’ Third District from 2006-2019, who also served as Assistant Majority Leader to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2017. He chaired the Appropriations-Capital committee, which played a crucial role in getting Governor J.B. Pritzker’s $45 billion infrastructure plan and gas tax hike passed.

In August of 2019, Arroyo attempted to bribe a fellow lawmaker in exchange for a favorable vote on gambling-related legislation, that he, as a registered Chicago lobbyist, would directly benefit from.

In October 2019, Arroyo was charged with one count of federal program bribery. He was never expelled from his office, choosing to resign before any arrangements were made. In his resignation letter, he made sure to thank his pal Pritzker for ‘doing what others before him could not do’, in passing the $45 billion plan the corrupt Democrat supported.

After pleading guilty to a federal wire fraud charge in 2021, Arroyo is currently serving a five-year stint in prison for his crimes.

Illinois is lucky that the lawmaker Arroyo attempted to bribe had the decency to turn him in, but we know from our previous and future editions of this series, that’s not always the case within the Democrat Party.

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