Newsroom

Posted on

Mickey Straub Refuses to Say Why He Used Taxpayer Dollars to Attend Political Fundraisers

“Madigan Mickey” remains silent as he faces questions about his misuse of public funds

“There’s a reason why Mike Madigan’s union allies support Mickey Straub. First we discover that Straub defended a friend who abused his public office. Now we learn that Straub has done the same. Public records reveal that Straub used taxpayer dollars to attend political fundraisers, but refuses to answer questions about his misuse of public funds. ‘Madigan Mickey’ Straub is the worst type of politician – special privileges for him, higher taxes for the rest of us.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

There’s a reason why Mike Madigan’s union allies are revving up the Chicago Machine for “Madigan Mickey” Straub.

Weeks ago, we found out that Straub believes politicians deserve special privileges. In the late 1990s, a friend of Straub’s was accused of abusing his public position to get out of traffic violations. Straub took to the papers to defend his friend’s abuse of power. Straub later said there will always be “favoritism” and “we all do it to friends.”

But it gets worse.

Now we learn that Mickey Straub used taxpayer dollars to attend political fundraisers. Public records reveal that Straub used his position as Mayor to steer public resources to his own political priorities, but Straub refuses to answers questions about his misuse of public funds.

“Madigan Mickey” Straub is the worst type of politician – special privileges for him, higher taxes for the rest of us. What will Illinois voters learn about “Madigan Mickey” next?

###

Posted on

More Mike Madigan Loyalists Endorse J.B. Pritzker’s Campaign for Governor

Stuart, Hoffman, and Greenwood all voted Madigan Speaker, now supporting Madigan’s candidate for governor

“J.B. Pritzker is the key for Mike Madigan to protect his majority, rig the legislative maps one more time, and tighten his grip on power. That’s why it’s no surprise that politicians loyal to Madigan are lining up behind Pritzker, Madigan’s candidate for governor. Illinois taxpayers can’t afford any more corrupt, tax-hiking politicians who are loyal to Madigan like J.B. Pritzker.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

It was over six months ago that we first learned Mike Madigan was “breaking legs behind the scenes” to ensure J.B. Pritzker steamrolls his opposition and wins the Democratic nomination for governor.

We already know Pritzker gave $900,000 to Madigan’s Super PAC and secretly funneled over $200,000 to Madigan’s hand-picked House candidates, but why does Madigan want Pritzker so badly? Other than using Pritzker’s inherited fortune to protect his majority, Pritzker is the key for Madigan to return Illinois to one-party rule by gerrymandering the legislative maps for another decade, tightening Madigan’s grip on power.

That’s why it’s no surprise that more lawmakers loyal to Mike Madigan have endorsed J.B. Pritzker’s campaign for governor. Not only have Katie Stuart, Jay Hoffman, and LaToya Greenwood voted for Speaker Madigan, they’ve pushed his unbalanced budgets, tax hikes, and job-killing regulations.

Now, House Democrats are falling in line with Madigan once again. They want Pritzker in the Governor’s Mansion so they can rig the legislative maps one more time and continue to push their disastrous Chicago agenda on Illinois taxpayers.

###

Posted on

ICYMI: Top aide to Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx resigns amid investigation

Law professor: “This is extremely corrupt behavior that is costing the taxpayers of the City of Chicago hundreds of thousands of dollars”

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx campaigned on being a reformer, but she’s allowing her office to be run like a classic Chicago political machine, just like her former boss Toni Preckwinkle.

One of Foxx’s top aides resigned last week after an investigation revealed that he was steering county business to his former law firm over and above typical county rates for legal services. The law firm in question received over $464,000 in business from Cook County. One law professor called it “extremely corrupt behavior.”

From WFLD-TV:

… The resignation of the acting Civil Actions Bureau Chief, Chaka Patterson, comes after Fox 32 News first made inquiries about the State’s Attorney’s use of outside counsel six weeks ago. State’s Attorney Foxx’s office provided us with a statement saying that her own review of outside counsel practices revealed that Patterson was referring significant business to his former law firm, Jones Day. Documents provided to Fox 32 News show Jones Day attorneys were sometimes being paid up to $500 an hour, rather than the customary rates of about a $185 an hour for outside legal services.

From the Chicago Tribune:

A top member of the Cook County state’s attorney’s office resigned Friday after an internal review found he had referred business to his old law firm, allowing it to charge up to $315 an hour above the county’s standard rate, according to an official and county records.

Chaka Patterson, a 49-year-old former partner at the Chicago offices of the global law firm Jones Day, became head of the county prosecutor’s office’s civil division in February just months after State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s 2016 election victory. The Civil Actions Bureau defends nearly all civil lawsuits filed against the county. As head of the division, Patterson was able to refer cases in which the office had a conflict — such as if a judge were being sued — to outside counsel.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx on Friday announced that one of her top deputies had resigned after a review showed his former law firm had billed the county more than the county standard rate.

Chaka Patterson, a Harvard-educated lawyer and prodigious fundraiser for former President Barack Obama, leaves the State’s Attorney’s office less than a year after he left his job as a partner at the Chicago office of the multinational law firm Jones Day.

In June, county records show Patterson hired Jones Day to handle two cases, with the firm eventually billing the county for some $460,000.

… The county rate is $185 an hour. County records indicate the firm billed at rates ranging from $95 to $500 an hour.

###

Posted on

J.B. Pritzker Supporter Rides To the Rescue Again, This Time For Joe Berrios

While Pritzker refuses to take a stand on Berrios’ Cook County property tax racket, Pritzker supporter Luis Gutiérrez publicly endorses Berrios

Following the Chicago Tribune’s and ProPublica Illinois’ report highlighting the disturbing cycle of corruption in Cook County property tax assessments and appeals, prominent Democrats have followed J.B. Pritzker’s lead by refusing to take a stand on Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios’ corruption.

Even as Democrats call for Berrios’ resignation or even endorse his opponent, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel refuses to say whether or not he supports Joe Berrios’ re-election, just like Pritzker. Pritzker supporter and outgoing Democratic Congressman Luis Gutiérrez went out on a limb and publicly endorsed Berrios, signaling Pritzker’s tacit approval of their corrupt property tax racket.

Chicago Democrats continue to protect their insider friends while the Madigan-Pritzker-Berrios ‘unholy trinity’ bleed Cook County families and small businesses dry.

###

Posted on

Democrats Are Abandoning Joe Berrios, But J.B. Pritzker Is Still Silent

Pritzker’s silence is a desperate attempt to protect the corrupt Pritzker-Madigan-Berrios property tax racket

“J.B. Pritzker refuses to criticize Joe Berrios because without Berrios, Pritzker and Madigan can’t profit from their corrupt property tax racket. Pritzker needs Berrios’ support to secure huge property tax breaks for himself and make it past the upcoming primary. Berrios needs Pritzker to dole out campaign cash and work hand-in-hand with Madigan in Springfield. It’s a racket that would make even the most corrupt politicians blush.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Days ago, the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois released their fourth installment of an investigative series looking into the Cook County property tax system. The bombshell report revealed that Cook County Assessor and Democratic Party boss Joe Berrios, with the support of Mike Madigan, is running what is essentially a property tax racket that shifts property taxes from the rich to the poor.

Unsurprisingly, most Democrats want nothing to do with Berrios and Madigan. Just yesterday, three Democratic members of Congress were the latest Democrats to endorse Berrios’ opponent. Last month, “Chuy” Garcia, Heather Steans, and David Orr all endorsed Berrios’ opponent as well.

But who is one Democrat that “won’t be critical” of Joe Berrios or Mike Madigan? None other than J.B. Pritzker.

And it makes sense – J.B. Pritzker is an integral part of the corrupt Pritzker-Madigan-Berrios property tax racket. Pritzker funnels campaign cash to Madigan and Berrios, Madigan gets rich off of his property tax appeals law firm and uses his political machine to back Berrios and Pritzker, and Berrios doles out huge property tax breaks to billionaire insiders like Pritzker while backing Pritzker’s campaign for governor.

J.B. Pritzker’s silence on Joe Berrios is a desperate attempt to protect his corrupt property tax racket with Madigan and Berrios.

###

Posted on

ICYMI: Madigan’s and Pritzker’s Corrupt Alliance

Madigan is depending on [Pritzker] to use his family fortune to win an overwhelming victory that will return Illinois to one-party rule”

It’s no secret that House Speaker Mike Madigan is supporting J.B. Pritzker’s campaign for governor. Pritzker funnels campaign cash to Madigan’s political front groups while Madigan “breaks legs behind the scenes to help Pritzker.”

Pritzker needs Madigan’s support to get through the primary and Madigan needs Pritzker’s money to tighten his grip on power and return Illinois to a one-party state before the next round of redistricting. Together, Pritzker and Madigan will team up to hike taxes, line their pockets, and expand their Chicago Political Machine.

And now voters are discovering their corrupt scheme.

From the News-Gazette editorial:

…Madigan, who is also chairman of the state Democratic Party, has made no official endorsement. But it’s common knowledge — as well as a source of considerable resentment — that Madigan is backing Pritzker. Madigan is depending on the billionaire to use his family fortune to win an overwhelming victory that will return Illinois to one-party rule and ensure that he will again be able to gerrymander state legislative districts after the 2020 Census.

But Madigan’s support for Pritzker has drawn fire from the other candidates.

Last week, Biss characterized Pritzker as “Madigan’s guy” and said “I’ve been independent of Madigan, and I’m proud of that.”

Kennedy, too, has been highly critical of Madigan, not only for the speaker’s influence on the gubernatorial nomination process but his role as a private lawyer who profits from “our rigged (Cook County) property tax system that benefits the well-connected and political insiders at the expense of homeowners, communities of color and working families.”

Befitting his standing as the campaign front-runner, Pritzker has declined to respond, saying he won’t be critical of party leaders like Madigan and Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios.

With four months left in the primary campaign, there’s still plenty of time for circumstances to change. Kennedy, who is rich but not nearly as wealthy as Pritzker, has yet to fully unleash his radio and television campaign, and his family name still could count for a lot among Democratic voters.

So, too, with Biss, who is seeking votes from the Bernie Sanders crowd that could be enough to win in a multicandidate race.

But it’s Pritzker who has the backing and the clout of the big boys. Fortunately for his opponents, voters will have the last word, and they have shown in the past that they are capable of thinking for themselves.

###

Posted on

J.B. Pritzker Puts Chicago Machine Ahead Of Taxpayers

“J.B. Pritzker is willing to throw the middle class and those in low-income neighborhoods under the bus just so he doesn’t make Joe Berrios and Mike Madigan angry. His statement yesterday is a sad response to a scathing report indicting the corruption at the highest levels in Cook County. The next time J.B. Pritzker says he’s working to help the middle class, no one should believe him.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

In response to yesterday’s troubling report from the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois about Joe Berrios’ and Mike Madigan’s property tax racket, J.B. Pritzker clearly stated where he stands. Instead of standing up to a corrupt Chicago machine that has been caught shifting taxes from the wealthy to the poor in a scheme that’s been called out for its “institutional racism,” Pritzker stood with them. Pritzker is willing to let Mike Madigan make millions off the backs of the poor, so long as Madigan continues to support Pritzker’s campaign behind the scenes.

For Pritzker, campaign endorsements and backroom deals with Madigan and his allies are more important than doing what’s right.

###

Posted on

ICYMI: Inside the Joe Berrios and Mike Madigan Property Tax Racket

“Inaccurate assessments also help drive business to political allies who are property tax attorneys, including Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.”

“The corruption from Joe Berrios and Mike Madigan is absolutely disgusting. For years, they have taken money from middle class families and small businesses to help line their own pockets, all the while propping up their political careers. If you want to know why Illinois has serious problems, look no further than Joe Berrios and Mike Madigan and their shameful practices of robbing hard-working Illinoisans to make themselves richer.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Today, the Chicago Tribune published an in-depth story on how Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios and Illinois House Speak Mike Madigan have been gaming the system for years to make millions of dollars for themselves off property tax assessments and appeals. They’ve created a system that has hurt middle-class taxpayers and small businesses, and it has further solidified Berrios’ and Madigan’s political power.

See key highlights below and read the entire story here.
“Berrios failed at one of his most important responsibilities — estimating the value of commercial and industrial properties. What’s more, a separate analysis reveals commercial and industrial property assessments throughout Cook County were so riddled with errors that they created deep inequities, punishing small businesses while cutting a break to owners of high-value properties and helping fuel a cottage industry of politically powerful tax attorneys.”

…

“The repetitive process feeds a property tax appeal industry that provides the bulk of Berrios’ campaign contributions. Inaccurate assessments also help drive business to political allies who are property tax attorneys, including Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.”

…

“A Berrios ally, Madigan is a founding partner in the six-member firm that has filed appeals on nearly $8.6 billion in assessed value since Berrios took office in December 2010, the most of any firm, according to the appeals analysis. From 2011 to 2016, Madigan & Getzendanner won reductions of 20 percent from the initial values of their clients’ properties, totaling nearly $1.7 billion, the analysis found.”

###

Posted on

J.B. Pritzker’s Campaign Supporters Are Riding To The Rescue Of Pritzker Friend Rod Blagojevich

Does J.B. Pritzker agree with his campaign supporters that the U.S. Supreme Court should hear Rod Blagojevich’s appeal?

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Illinois Democrats, including key allies of J.B. Pritzker, signed an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear imprisoned Governor Rod Blagojevich’s most recent appeal to get out of prison early.

Congressmen Luis Gutierrez, Mike Quigley, and former Congressmen Glenn Poshard all have endorsed Pritzker’s campaign for governor and all have also signed their names onto the brief concerning Blagojevich’s appeal.

Does J.B. Pritzker agree with his campaign supporters that the U.S. Supreme Court should hear Rod Blagojevich’s appeal?

J.B. Pritzker has long been under fire for his extremely close ties to Rod Blagojevich.

In a bombshell investigative report from the Chicago Tribune, it was revealed that Pritzker was recorded on FBI wiretaps conversing with Blagojevich about being appointed State Treasurer, among other offices. Pritzker and Blagojevich also discussed campaign contributions on the same wiretap recordings.

Pritzker was later scrutinized for a $100,000 campaign contribution to Blagojevich where one reporter said “sounds like pay-to-play to me.”

In the late 90s, Pritzker said that Blagojevich would be “very helpful” for Pritzker’s own political plans. Public records also reveal that J.B. Pritzker was Rod Blagojevich’s fifth-largest gubernatorial campaign contributor.

Given J.B. Pritzker’s close ties to imprisoned former governor Rod Blagojevich, surely Pritzker has an opinion on Blagojevich’s latest attempt to get out of prison early.

###

Posted on

J.B. Pritzker Hiding Information On Inherited Family Trusts Because He’s Using Them To Avoid Taxes

“[Pritzker’s] clearly withholding information on huge family trusts” that are designed to protect his inherited wealth from taxes

After over 200 days of delay, J.B. Pritzker released a portion of his income tax returns, but his disclosed tax records raise more questions than answers.

Pritzker’s tax returns revealed that the vast majority of his income comes from inherited family trusts, not from salary income, business investments, or interest. Between 2014 and 2016, Pritzker paid $8.236 million in taxes on $29.6 million of declared personal income.

Those taxes pale in comparison to the income Pritzker derived from his inherited family trusts. During that same time period, Pritzker paid $128.97 million in federal taxes and $24.95 million in Illinois taxes on those trusts.

Unlike his opponent Chris Kennedy, why has Pritzker refused to answer questions on his family trusts?

Years of investigation and inquiry have revealed that the Pritzker family famously utilized trusts to protect their wealth from taxes and IRS scrutiny.

It’s clear – J.B. Pritzker is obfuscating on income derived from his inherited family trusts because he’s trying to hide the fact that he’s been avoiding taxes for years.

J.B. Pritzker’s campaign for governor is reaching the height of hypocrisy. Pritzker is advocating for yet another income tax hike on middle class families while cutting corrupt deals to slash his property taxes and using trusts to avoid taxes.

As Rich Miller said about J.B. Pritzker’s use of family trusts in his weekly column, “This ain’t over.“

###