Illinois Review

Bloomberg SuperPac bullies Hutchinson out of 2nd CD race

FLOSSMOOR - What does the Mayor of the Big Apple have to do with filling indicted former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr's 2nd Congressional District seat in the Second City's southern parts?

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Independence USA Super PAC has dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into ads attacking Democrat special primary candidates Debbie Halvorson and more recently, State Senator Toi Hutchinson. Both candidates received an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association, an organization whose efforts Mayor Bloomberg staunchly opposes.

Sunday morning Hutchinson dropped out and endorsed former Democrat State Rep. Robin Kelly.  That leaves Kelly and Halvorson as the top runners in the once 17-way 2nd CD Democrat primary.

Berrios compares himself to JFK, plays race card

SPRINGFIELD — Do Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios and President John F. Kennedy have anything in common? The Cook County Democratic Party chairman thinks they do.

After a Sun-Times report on the 13+ Berrios family members who are on the public payroll and earning more than $1.05 million per year (plus benefits and pension), the Chicago boss compared himself Wednesday to JFK employing his brother Robert as Attorney General.

Berrios has refused to answer questions about the revelations. Instead he played the race card and issued a statement saying, “Family members working in government isn’t new in Chicago or any other large city in the United States. You are picking on the Puerto Rican kid from Cabrini-Green who’s sitting alone at the lunch table while all the Irish kids sit together, laughing and grateful he’s there.”

The Cook County ethics board called for him to fire three family members who are on his staff and fined him $10,000 for violating the county’s anti-nepotism ban by hiring two of them — his son and sister — as soon as he became assessor in 2010.

Berrios has ignored the ethics board ruling, and an outside lawyer has been appointed to represent him in the case at taxpayers’ expsense. He argues that the ethics ordinance doesn’t apply to him or to other elected county officials beside members of the Cook County Board. ...More HERE

15 members of Joe Berrios' family on county, state payrolls

For Joe Berrios, the Cook County assessor who is also the county Democratic Party chairman, government is the family business.

That got him in trouble with the county ethics board, which called for Berrios to fire three family members who are on his staff and fined him $10,000 for violating the county?s anti-nepotism ban by hiring two of them -- his son and sister -- after he was elected assessor in 2010.

But the Berrios family's presence on government payrolls goes far beyond that. In September, his nephew Stephen Berrios got a job working for the Cook County judiciary. That made him the 13th member of the powerful politician's family on a county or state payroll, a Chicago Sun-Times examination of government records shows.

And two of Berrios' siblings have recently retired from government jobs and now get public pensions. Count them, and that makes 15 members of the Berrios family who receive a total of more than $1.05 million a year in wages and pension payments, records show. ...More HERE

Fee vows to "raise hell" in Springfield

NAPERVILLE - Republican Pat Fee says she'll "raise hell" in Springfield if the western suburbs' 84th District voters pick her over incumbent State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit in November.

More about Pat Fee http://www.patfee2012.com or http://www.twitter.com/votepat - She's ready to change Illinois, putting taxpayers first and moving our state in new direction of fiscal responsibility, jobs, economic growth and ethics.

UPDATE x1: Democrat candidate goes Dr. Kevorkian in Illinois' 13th Congressional District race

BLOOMINGTON - In the Bloomington Pantagraph Monday,  Kurt Erickson reminded 13th CD voters that Democrat candidate David Gill (photo right), an emergency room physician, was fired from a hospital for supporting physician-assisted suicide. Gill's views (website here) came up Monday on a press call with GOP candidate Rodney Davis and Congressman Tom Price (R-GA), who is also a physician.

Erickson noted "Gill’s work history includes being fired from a job as a doctor at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington because of his views on physician-assisted suicide, which is illegal." Here’s what Gill said about it:

“I don’t think people should have to put up with the amount of suffering the state says they have to. A lot of physicians feel disgruntled, ashamed and disgusted in their inability to assist patients,” Gill said in an article in The (Bloomington) Pantagraph.

He added that physician-assisted suicides already occur. For example, Gill said some doctors will keep increasing a patient’s dosage of pain-relieving morphine, fully aware that respirations will eventually stop. ...“It goes on everyday,” he said at the time.

Dr. Price said Gill's position is "abhorrent to the vast majority of Americans:"

2012 Davis Price call3

UPDATE x1: IR requested a response from the Gill campaign regarding Congressman Tom Price's statement that Gill is for physician-assisted suicide. Below is the statement received:

Taxpayers get legal tab for Assessor Joe Berrios’ ethics fight over nepotism

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting today that Cook County’s taxpayers are footing the bill for private legal counsel to represent Joe Berrios — the Cook County assessor, who is also chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party (photo right) — in his fight against accusations he violated anti-nepotism rules by putting his son and sister on the payroll, records show. More HERE

Issue of Berrios ethics problems raised again

The Chicago Tribune editorialized today about Joe Berrios' ethics problems. Illinois Review has followed this issue for several years:

Aug. 2009: Joe and Toni Berrios - the circle of 'Democrat' life

Aug. 2009: Questions about Cook County assessment favoritism nothing new

Aug. 2010: About time a wrench was thrwn into the Berrios-Madigan property tax machine

Oct. 2010: Berrios by the numbers

Jan. 2011: Berrios accused of violating patronage curbs

May 2011: Berrios' family ties that bind - even at the Capitol

All the IR stories written on Berrios can be found HERE

Ethics board directs Berrios to fire sister and son

The Sun-Times obtained Cook County Ethics Commission's recommendation that Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios (also the Cook County Democratic Party chairman) fire his sister and son from county jobs.

“It is the Board of Ethics’ recommendation that the Assessor remove his sister and son from the County Assessor’s Office’s payroll, and fill those positions in accordance with the proper and customary hiring process, and not by relatives as defined by the Cook County Ethics Ordinance,” Oliver wrote in a report dated June 20.

Berrios hired son and namesake Joseph “Joey’’ Berrios as a $48,000-a-year residential analyst and sister Carmen Berrios as director of taxpayer services at a salary of $86,000 just after the November 2010 election. The assessor later promoted both, and both have since seen a few pay boosts. The younger Joe Berrios, now chief of the land division, is now earning $69,285 annually while the assessor’s sister — a deputy assessor of taxpayer services — is making $107,841, according to payroll records.

Berrios also has a daughter that is a state representative.

Guzzardi concedes to Berrios

Will Guzzardi, who came within 125 votes of unseating incumbant Illinois House member Toni Berrios in the March primary election has conceded.

Guzzardi announced today that a discovery recount he ordered did not turn up enough evidence to continue contesting his loss to Berrios.

No Republican candidate filed to face Berrios in November's general election.

County drops probe of Joe Berrios

Politics as usual: The Sun-Times is reporting that the Cook County Board of Ethics is dropping its investigation into whether Democrat Party boss and Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios accepted money from attorneys who make their living representing clients seeking lower property tax bills — from county tax officials such as Berrios.

While the pay-to-play scheme has long been a practice among and between Illinois politicians and lawyers, Berrios insists that the investigation was politically motivated and that "...no one is going to be influenced by someone who gives you a check to run for office.”

Hmm: George Ryan, Rod Blagojevich, hundreds of other convicted Illinois pols. Yeah, Berrios is right. Nothing but angels in Illinois government.

BTW - Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullterton both have law firms that specialize in property tax reductions. And don't forget, Madigan's daughter Lisa is the "see no corruption, hear no corruption, prosecute no corruption" Attorney General of the State.

Click HERE for an analysis of Joe Berrios' political bio.

Berrios denies election ‘payback’ after judge rules against daughter

Abdon Pallasch of the Sun-Times is reporting that Appellate Justice Rodolfo “Rudy” Garcia is accusing Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Berrios of stacking the deck against him in next year’s election for appellate court.

Garcia said Berrios sent a message through an intermediary seven years ago that he wanted Garcia to rule a certain way in a case involving Berrios’ daughter. Garcia ruled the other way. Last month, the party endorsed Judge Jesse Reyes over Garcia for the appellate court.

Garcia calls that “payback” from Berrios.

More HERE

Hultgren calls for congressional investigation of Planned Parenthood

There are those in the conservative movement that are more comfortable addressing fiscal issues, and want to pretend social issues don't matter as much.  We at Illinois Review strongly disagree with that idea, because fiscal and social issues commonly intersect.  

For instance, it is a fiscal waste if Planned Parenthood is fraudulently raking in taxpayer dollars to pay overcharges on pharmaceuticals, medical services and non-existent procedures.  But it's also a social travesty if the $1 million in taxpayer dollars that flow each day into Planned Parenthoods nationwide are being used to victimize America's young girls and vulnerable women. 

Along with several other Congress members, Illinois' U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) reviewed a report released by Americans United for Life and found an array of questions about Planned Parenthood and the organization's shady practices to warrant a Congressional investigation. 

UPDATE: Berrios' family ties that bind - even at the Capitol

UPDATED BELOW...

COOK COUNTY - Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios was reprimanded by the Sun Times for giving one of his daughters a $10,000 year raise while requiring 12 days of furlough from the rest of his non-family member staff. Berrios -- who is also the Cook County Democratic Party's chairman -- reportedly uses his taxpayer-funded office to employ not only this daughter, but his son and his sister. Nepotism -- what's that definition again? 

The Sun Times wrote about the family affair Monday and editorialized about it Tuesday, but left out another member of the family - Berrios's daughter: State Representative Toni Berrios.

Rep. Berrios (D-Chicago) didn't have any qualms about voting on video poker expansion that her dad was lobbying for in Springfield last year. "There was no conflict of interest," she told Illinois Review; and insisted her father never discussed the legislation with her although she served on, and didn't recuse herself from, the House Gambling Committee.

But back to the issue. 

Calabrese's claims and Cullerton's change of heart

With the criminal history standards for video poker operators lowered by the $31 billion capital bill, which legalized video gambling in liquor-selling restaurant, the claims Frank Calabrese, Jr. made to Fox News  in the video below grow more believable. And purely by coincidence, Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) surprises many by suddenly reversing his past support for video gambling by introducing legislation this week to repeal the law, which is still held up in courts. One has to wonder what Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios thinks about all this, now that he's no longer officially or personally lobbying in Springfield for the Coin Operators Union. 

Calabrese's new book "Family Secrets" tells about how he was encouraged to connect with Springfield and Chicago politicians.

Lawyers warned their Berrios contributions could be illegal

Donations from local tax attorneys paved the way for Joe Berrios to win the office of Cook County Assessor, but more than a dozen of those contributions may be illegal.

A county watchdog has launched an investigation and sent letters to 15 tax attorneys, warning their donations to Berrios exceeded county campaign contribution limits of $750 in the run-up to the November election.

MaryNic Foster, executive director of the county’s ethics board, can’t talk about an ongoing investigation. But election attorney Burt Odelson, who is representing Berrios and has copies of the notices sent to attorneys, issued a “cease and desist” letter to Foster, arguing the county campaign contribution law is illegal.

via www.suntimes.com

Video: Joe Berrios cronyism continues

Chicago Democrat fat-cat Joe Berrios continues his long-time practice of unashamed cronyism. Fifty-three firings at the Cook County Assessor's office don't include Joe Berrios' sister, children or mystery woman.

Berrios at it again

Is Cook County Democratic Party Chairman and County Assessor Joe Berrios raking in campaign cash again?

IL Rep. Sullivan announces new school choice effort

Wednesday night in Round Lake, Rep. Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein) updated a Lake County audience about school reform efforts in the Illinois House.  Sullivan announced in the new legislative session he will co-sponsor another attempt for school choice scholarships for kids in Chicago's worst failing schools.  

Last session's school choice effort failed in the Illinois House by a close margin which Sullivan believes can be overcome with new, more conservative and school choice-friendly House members.  Wednesday night's forum was sponsored by Americans for Prosperity-IL and the Lake County Tea Party.

BGA Investigation has "nothing" to do with Ethics Board resignation

An investigation by the Chicago area's Better Government Association, Chicago Magazine and WGN TV News had "nothing whatsoever" to do with the resignation of the Cook County Ethics Board chairman this week:

For months, WGN-TV, the Chicago Magazine and the Better Government Association have been trying to get John Pikarski to answer "ethical" questions concerning his relationship with the new Cook County Assessor, Joe Berrios.

Over two decades, Pikarski's law firm has donated thousands of dollars to Joe Berrios' campaigns. His firm's clients got back millions in property tax reductions from the Board of Review, where Berrios used to work. Now, the ethics chairman and his staff are being asked to rule if Berrios violated ethics by hiring his daughter and son to work at the Cook County Assessor's office.

Video: Ethical questions arise about county ethics board