3 days Ago
It’s time for another round of quick takes on the people, places and events that were being talked about in the news this week: Ever heard of him? Who is Paul La Schiazza, and why is everyone making such a big fuss over him? The short answer is that he’s a guy caught up in The Illinois Way. The long answer is that he’s a former president of AT&T Illinois who’s on trial in Chicago federal court in one of Illinois’ biggest government corruption cases. La Schiazza is charged with bribing former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to win Madigan’s support for a law aimed at saving AT&T millions of dollars.
But looking beneath the surface, it’s hard to tell if La Schiazza was bribing Madigan or Madigan was extorting AT&T. La Schiazza’s trial, which began last week in Chicago, will provide a peak at evidence coming in Madigan’s corruption trial in October. Much of the case against Madigan concerns his relations with Commonwealth Edison and its efforts to ply Madigan with financial favors to win support for utility-favored legislation.
Of lesser import is Madigan’s relationship with AT&T. That’s because it involves one case of alleged bribery. La Schiazza’s trial is expected to last a month, a long time considering that the gist of the issue is that AT&T provided — and took steps to hide — a no-show job it gave to a Madigan associate, allegedly at Madigan’s behest.
Who dat? Illinois political and media establishments are keeping a sharp eye on the AT&T/Mike Madigan corruption trial that got underway last week in Chicago federal court. (See preceding bit.) But not everyone is.
Trial testimony is focused on Madigan, Madigan, Madigan. The former political powerhouse is the star of the show, at least to some, but certainly not all. Here’s how the Chicago Tribune described the questioning of prospective jurors about their knowledge of the pending trial.
“Before questioning began, the jury was given a lengthy list of names that may come up during the trial, including Michael J. Madigan. No one said in open court that they’d heard of Madigan in particular or had any opinions about him.
” This I-know-nothing of high-profile state affairs is why the late British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said the best argument against a democratic form of government is a “five-minute conversation with the average voter.” Slash or puncture? Today’s quiz: Would you rather have your car tire slashed or punctured? Further, if the tire loses its air, does it matter? The question stems from a letter sent to the newspaper by Champaign County Board member Leah Taylor. She expressed dismay with your humble scribe — moi — for reporting about vandalism in December to a car belonging to County Auditor George Danos.
“I know he’s not a hard-hitting investigative journalist, but to just write whatever anyone is willing to say to him without even possibly giving it a moment’s investigation, is absolutely irresponsible and asinine.” “When I read the ‘Auditor, sales tax issues driving discord’ piece this morning, I sent a quick FOIA to the CPD. They got back to me within a few hours with the police report (attached) that shows a clearly not slashed tire,” she wrote.
Taylor is correct about a “not slashed tire.” My wording was too generic. The police report Danos filed states that low pressure in his car tire was caused by a “large nail embedded in the center of the driver’s side rear tire of my car.
” Danos described the nail problem as “suspicious” because “this is the second time I have vandalism to my rear tire after a contentious board meeting.” “This vandalism is eerily similar to the surgically precise slashing of my rear tire in February 2021 when I had contentions” over county government issues, he said. There you go — slash or puncture, both or neither, right or wrong? If readers suspect Taylor has antagonistic feelings toward the auditor, it’s because she does.
She is among board Democrats advocating the abolition of the auditor’s office. When Danos spoke at a recent board meeting, Taylor made a point of turning her back to him. Pardon me Politically connected felons routinely make requests for presidential pardons in the waning days of an administration, in this case the Biden administration.
One of the biggest issues on President Joe Biden’s plate is whether to pardon his son Hunter for his felony convictions on gun and tax charges. He has said he won’t, but politicians say many things. But there’s another high-profile politico who also wants a pardon: former U.
S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
He was convicted of and imprisoned for using roughly $700,000 in campaign funds on lavish purchases and high-style living. Jackson Jr. is orchestrating a lobbying campaign from state politicos to win Biden’s support.
His dad — the Rev. Jesse Jackson — also has a lot of pull with the current administration. Jackson told the Chicago Tribune it would be “most inappropriate” if he publicly discussed his pardon campaign.
A pox upon your tax Sales taxes in Illinois are high. The Illinois Policy Institute recently reported that Illinois has the seventh highest sales taxes in the nation and the highest among “the most populous” states. Sales taxes vary across the states because some communities have adopted their own sales taxes on top of the state’s sales taxes.
Consumers apparently pay attention, according to the IPI. “Research indicates shoppers make major purchases where taxes are lowest: Chicago shoppers head to the suburbs to avoid the city’s 10.25 percent sales tax rate.
” Illinois’ average state and local sales tax rate is 8.87 percent. Lawmakers, at the behest of Gov.
J.B. Pritzker, recently repealed the state’s 1 percent sales tax for groceries.
The revenue it generated went to local governments, prompting some municipal governments to levy their own 1 percent sales tax to make up for the loss of revenue. Other municipalities are going without the state money. IPI reports that Illinois’ average 8.
87 percent rate is the highest among the 10 biggest states. It barely beats out California (8.80), New York (8.
53) and Texas (8.20). IPI concluded that Illinois’ high sale tax combined with the “nation’s second-highest property taxes” makes the Land of Lincoln an “unattractive place for families to plant roots.
” Getting big head over compliment President Joe Biden held a ceremony at the White House where he recognized a group of special friends, one of whom was Illinois U.S. Sen.
Tammy Duckworth. It’s not clear that he said what he meant to say, but the final result was a rather bizarre compliment. “The first person I’d like to recognize is my buddy Tammy Duckworth .
.. Tammy has a heart as big as her head.
.. But God love her .
.. She is a genuine, genuine war hero,” Biden said of Duckworth.
Mea culpa? Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf decided to eat a little crow this week when he acknowledged his team’s woeful performance this season. In a written statement, he said, “Everyone in this organization is extremely unhappy with the results of this season, that goes without saying. This year has been very painful for all, especially our fans.
We did not arrive here overnight, and solutions won’t happen overnight either. Going back to last year, we have made difficult decisions and changes to begin building a foundation for future success. What has impressed me is how our players and staff have continued to work and bring a professional attitude to the ballpark each day despite a historically difficult season.
No one is happy with the results, but I commend the continued effort.” Reinsdorf has not addressed the public in more than a year. But he said he would have more to say “at the end of the season.
” The White Sox are in contention for the modern-day record for most losses in a season..
