Chicago City Wire

Former Gov. Pat Quinn, New Yorker journalist fighting depositions in Tyrone Hood wrongful conviction case

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 23, 2019

A journalist with The New Yorker magazine and former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn are fighting efforts to depose them in a federal wrongful conviction lawsuit brought by Tyrone Hood, convicted of a 1993 murder and then set free in 2015 soon after Quinn commuted his sentence, court records show.

Cook County Judge John Lyke sets $1,000 bond for violent offense, $100,000 for non-violent offense

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 20, 2019

A few weeks ago, 19-year-old Deontae Brisco, who allegedly threw a woman to the ground in Lincoln Park in the middle of the day and stole her phone, made bail by putting $100 down. A few months before that the same Cook County judge who set Brisco’s bail, John Lyke, set bail for former Alderman Proco “Joe” Moreno (1st Ward) at $100,000. He was charged with the non-violent crime of insurance fraud.

At least one member of CTU delegation to Venezuela unphased by report of government’s torturing

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 16, 2019

One member of a Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) delegation that visited socialist Venezuela in June “to learn from the Bolivarian Revolution” had no reaction to this week’s New York Times front page story of the government there resorting to torture and murder to quash opposition.

Chicago FOP encouraged by city’s motion to dismiss civil action in 25-year-old murder case

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 15, 2019

A spokesman for Chicago’s police union say they are delighted with a motion filed Aug. 9 in federal court that asks for the dismissal of a civil action against the city of Chicago for wrongful convictions in a 25-year-old murder case.

Bill Conway, candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney, says he can rebuild trust with the Chicago Police

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 9, 2019

Bill Conway, who just announced that he will challenge Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx in the Democratic primary, says he can heal the toxic relationship between the prosecutor’s office and the Chicago Police Department.

Dr. Willie Wilson’s reparations proposal faces cost, other obstacles in City Council

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 6, 2019

Chicago businessman Dr. Willie Wilson faces a long, tough list of obstacles to his proposed city ordinance awarding reparations to Chicagoans who descended from slaves.

Chicago Teachers Union president Sharkey in hot water as some of his “useful idiots” visit and embrace impoverished, socialist Venezuela

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 30, 2019

A recent pilgrimage to socialist Venezuela by a contingent of Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) extremists has some of the rank-and-file union members who stayed behind calling for the ouster of CTU President Jesse Sharkey, himself a card-carrying socialist.

Chicago police union calls Lightfoot's 'clown' comments 'misguided and dangerous'

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 25, 2019

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s comments yesterday directed at FOP vice president Patrick Murray were “misguided and dangerous things to say to a 30-year veteran police officer and FOP representative, particularly at a time when the city is facing such chronic violent crime,” Chicago’s police union said in a statement.

Kim Foxx should be front and center in blame game over city’s violence, Chicago FOP says

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 24, 2019

Chicago’s police union believes that one city official is missing from the mix in the recent back-and-forth between Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson and Mayor Lori Lightfoot over where the blame lies for the city’s relentless wave of violent crime – Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.

Chicago FOP blasts Foxx for yet another exoneration involving a violent crime

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 18, 2019

Chicago’s police union is condemning Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx for her role in another exoneration, and the awarding of a Certificate of Innocence in the same case, to a man convicted of a violent crime.

Firing Officer Robert Rialmo will make policing an “impossibility,” Chicago police union says

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 10, 2019

A spokesman for Chicago’s police union warned that “policing will be an impossibility” if the Chicago Police Board decides to fire Officer Robert Rialmo. Rialmo’s 2015 shooting deaths of a threatening 22-year-old Quintonio LeGrier, and, with him, innocent bystander Bettie Jones, 55, is under review by the Police Board this week.

Estranged wife of ousted Madigan aide Kevin Quinn claims Quinn is ghost employee of the Speaker

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 8, 2019

The wife of former Michael Madigan political lieutenant Kevin Quinn, who was ousted from his job in February 2018 over sexual harassment charges, says that Quinn is still on Madigan’s payroll.

Chicago FOP to Kim Foxx: stay clear of cases involving police

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 3, 2019

Chicago’s police union has a bunch of reasons for requesting Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx exclude her office from the prosecution of any cases where police officers are victims of crime, or cases where they are accused of misconduct.

From Prairie State Wire

Pritzker’s claims of paying down pension debt “simply dishonest,” fiscal watchdog says

By W.J. Kennedy | 7 months ago

The recently approved state budget hardly makes Illinois the beacon of fiscal prudence that Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and legislative leaders claim it is, budgetary analysts at Wirepoints say.

Chicago FOP appeals to Chicago residents to pressure Mayor Lightfoot to drop her 'biased' policies targeting police

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 17, 2019

The Chicago police union says that Mayor Lori Lightfoot is making the police the whipping boy for “chronic violence that permeates our city.”

Attempted theft by Chicago woman at heart of precedent-setting ruling against college for libelous charges of racism

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 12, 2019

An attempted theft in 2016 by a Chicago woman while attending a top-tier liberal arts college in Ohio on scholarship led to a multi-million dollar legal award last Friday that, as one conservative legal scholar wrote, “sent shock waves through the academic higher education establishment.”

Chicago FOP urges Mayor Lightfoot not to settle civil cases of criminals exonerated for rape, murder

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 11, 2019

The Chicago Police Union believes that two exonerated criminals bringing civil actions against the city are guilty of their crimes and is asking Mayor Lori Lightfoot not to settle the cases, but fight them in public trials.

Chicago FOP accuses Tribune of police bashing as news in background story on mass murderer Juan Lopez

By W.J. Kennedy | May 30, 2019

A recent story by Chicago Tribune reporter Dan Hinkel into the background of mass murderer Juan Lopez is police bashing masquerading as news, according to the Chicago FOP.

From Prairie State Wire

Madigan 'bullying' income tax increase through legislative process

By W.J. Kennedy | 8 months ago

House Speaker Michael Madigan used his absolute power over the legislative process to move legislation to the floor on Friday that exchanges Illinois’ constitutionally mandated flat income tax with a progressive tax.

Chicago’s incoming racial justice officer, Candace Moore, championed SB 100, other controversial equity causes

By W.J. Kennedy | May 21, 2019

Chicago's incoming chief equity officer, Candace Moore, has fashioned much of her short legal career around a now repudiated Obama-era policy that racism is to blame for the inordinate disciplining and poor academic performances of many black students.