The typically fiery — and chatty — South Side Ald. Carrie Austin, 34th, didn’t have anything to say to reporters waiting for her as she exited her South Side home this morning, a day after the FBI raided her ward office.
She climbed into the passenger side of a car driven by another woman and they zoomed off.
A vice chair on the Cook County Democratic organization, she was a no-show today as party leaders began preslating or endorsement sessions for candidates running for county and statewide office in 2020.
Depending on your makeup, the parade of sunglasses-wearing, slightly dressed-up FBI agents hauling boxes and equipment out of Austin’s aldermanic office in broad daylight — and in front of television cameras — was either another sad chapter in Chicago politics or revealed your inclinations toward schadenfreude in these situations.
For me, I couldn’t stop thinking about how few women in elected office, particularly at City Hall, get caught up in this kind of trouble. You can count them on one hand, it turns out.
Elsewhere at City Hall, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has tapped respected powerful businesswoman Mellody Hobson to help lead World Business Chicago, the public-private operation that serves as the city’s economic development arm. For the first time, three African-American women lead the organization.
And U.S. Rep. Sean Casten is the latest member of Illinois’ Democratic congressional delegation calling on his colleagues to open an impeachment inquiry.
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In Chicago City Hall’s rich history of corruption, few women make the list
The second-longest-serving member of the City Council hasn’t been charged with a crime. In fact, next to no concrete details were being made public about what the feds were looking for in Austin’s neighborhood ward office.
But her troubles sent me to the list of the 30 aldermen who’ve been convicted of crimes related to their official duties since 1972, and the handful of others charged with crimes not related to their aldermanic offices. Just three women make the list. You can eyeball the list here.
They include:
*Arenda Troutman, the former 20th Ward alderman, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to fraud after admitting she solicited donations from developers seeking to do business in her ward. She was infamously recorded by federal agents saying, “Most politicians are hos.”
*Marian Humes, the 8th Ward alderman was caught taking bribes in the 1980s FBI undercover operation dubbed Operation Incubator, which sought to shake out who was taking cash in return for city business. She pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges in 1989.
*Sandi Jackson, the former 7th Ward alderman whom prosecutors say was involved in most of then-husband Jesse Jackson Jr.’s, illicit spending and failing to declare about $600,000 in taxable income. She pleaded guilty to one felony count of filing false U.S. income tax returns.
As mentioned in The Spin yesterday, the Cook County Democratic organization is hearing pitches today and tomorrow from candidates seeking local and statewide office, including judicial seats, hoping to win the party endorsement.
It might sound dry. I mean, a group of up to 80 city ward and suburban township committeemen gathered to hear a candidate make their case for running the office that oversees court records isn’t likely to be a subplot for a modern-day “Hamilton” sequel.
But as my colleague Gregory Pratt points out, there is a curiosity factor: Would current and former aldermen who are facing legal problems and scrutiny show up for the meeting and exert influence over the process?
Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin, the 34th Ward Democratic committeeman, wasn’t there. Nor was her colleague Ald. Edward Burke, the 14th Ward committeeman indicted in a pay-to-play scheme; Burke once wielded considerable power in the party, particularly over judges.
Retired Ald. Danny Solis, the 25th Ward committeeman who wore a wire on Burke and has his own legal troubles also was MIA. Solis’ attorney, Lisa Noller, said she has no comment on whether Solis plans to retain his unpaid committeeman seat.
And Proco “Joe” Moreno who lost his aldermanic seat in this year’s election, but maintains his party leadership post as 1st Ward committeeman.
The preslating offers a public glimpse at the political alliances and battles, Pratt points out.
To wit: The campaign to unseat Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown. State Sen. Iris Martinez, of Chicago, wants the job and campaigned hard for Ald. Ariel Reboyras in his bruising campaign to win re-election against ex-congressman Luis Gutierrez’ daughter Jessica Martinez also supported Toni Preckwinkle in her losing mayoral race against Lori Lightfoot. Martinez is also in danger of having her Northwest Side seat redistricted when the map is remade. Will the party Preckwinkle leads give Martinez its support?
Gov. J.B. Pritzker reminded us today that his office set aside $29 million in the state budget to aid in a complete count for next year’s big census count. It’s crucial, he and other experts say.
There are concerns that the White House’s evolving immigration policies may keep people from participating. A significant drop in population in Illinois could add up to a loss in federal funding and at least one seat in Congress.
Chicago-area counties grow older and less white, new census data shows — The Tribune’s Cecilia Reyes and Meghan Kelly have the details, including the affect aging baby boomers have on the shift, here.
Lightfoot appoints Hobson to city business role
Mayor Lightfoot’s office announced this morning that Hobson, president of Chicago-based Ariel Investments, is now vice chair of World Business Chicago, an organization whose role includes recruiting companies to set up shop in the city.
With Lightfoot as chair of World Business Chicago, Hobson as vice chair and Andrea Zopp, a businesswoman, former head of the Chicago Urban League and one-time deputy mayor to Rahm Emanuel, remaining in the post of president and CEO, it means three African American women for the first time are in top posts at the public-private organization, according to the mayor’s office.
Hobson takes the reins from Michael Sacks, who was appointed vice chair by close confidant and ex-Mayor Rahm Emanuel to vice chair in 2011. Sacks remains on the board.
“I am honored to join Mayor Lightfoot and World Business Chicago to advance their mission of inclusive economic growth throughout Chicago,” Hobson is quoted as saying in a statement. “Chicago is a leading global business hub, and I look forward to partnering with our corporate and civic communities to ensure that the continued growth and prosperity of our downtown district extends to all of Chicago’s neighborhoods.”
That sounds like a page out of Lightfoot’s campaign notebook. On the trail, she repeatedly talked about turning around economically depressed neighborhoods by paving the way for small businesses to open — not only helping the owner thrive but employees as well.
Casten backs Trump impeachment inquiry, sparking campaign issue in once strongly Republican district
From the Tribune’s Rick Pearson: “Freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten is bringing the impeachment issue into his re-election campaign in what had been a Republican-leaning west suburban congressional district, saying he wants the House to open an inquiry into President Donald Trump.” Read the full story here.
A 2020 battle: Pearson notes that Casten’s main Republican challenger so far, former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti of Wheaton, said the freshman Democrat is joining “the most extreme liberal Democrats” in seeking an impeachment inquiry.
Lincoln Yards opponents ask judge to stop city from spending any money on the megaproject — Read Hal Dardick and Ryan Ori’s story in the Tribune here.
Cook County’s projected budget gap? A ‘very modest’ $18.7 million. The county expects to see new revenues from legalized weed, sports betting and expanded gambling — all just passed by the state legislature — next year. Read Lolly Bowean’s story in the Tribune here.
Illinois Supreme Court suspends license of Joel Brodsky, who represented wife-killer Drew Peterson — Read Jason Meisner’s story in the Tribune here.
Gov. Pritzker touts ‘rational, pragmatic, progressive’ approach in speech to Chicago business elite — That had to be a bit of a tough crowd. As the Tribune’s Dan Petrella notes: Pritzker, an investor and billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotels fortune, rankled many in the business community when he began his term by signing into law a statewide minimum wage increase and proposing a host of taxes to fill the state’s gaping budget hole. The new governor’s signature policy initiative — shifting the state from its constitutionally mandated flat-rate income tax to a graduated rate structure — also has received strong pushback from pro-business groups.” You can read the full story here.
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