Illinois Review

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.