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The Latest Breaking News from Terry Link

So long, Solis? Defense rests in Burke trial after briefly questioning ‘hostile’ witness, FBI mole Danny Solis

Burke’s defense attorneys made good on their promise to call Solis to testify, forcing him out into the open nearly five years after the Chicago Sun-Times revealed his cooperation with the feds in January 2019.

Chicago Sun-Times

Businessman James T. Weiss gets 5 1/2 years in prison for bribing 2 state lawmakers, lying to the FBI

The judge spent part of the hearing asking about Chicago’s persistent public corruption problem. At one point he stopped a prosecutor and asked, ‘Why does public corruption keep happening?’

Chicago Sun-Times

Secret recordings cite ties between Berrios relative, Chicago mobster: ‘Jimmy and Frank were good friends’

Prosecutors revealed secretly recorded conversations Wednesday as they sought a prison sentence of more than five years for James T. Weiss, convicted this year of bribing two Illinois lawmakers.

Chicago Sun-Times

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Brother of Berrios son-in-law James Weiss charged with lying about ties to mobster Frank ‘The German’ Schweihs

The indictment against Joseph Weiss was handed up in August 2022 but only unsealed this week. Prosecutors moved to keep it under seal in February, arguing the investigation “extends beyond Joseph Weiss, and is ongoing.”

Chicago Sun-Times

Businessman who bribed 2 lawmakers argues for leniency

Lawyers for James T. Weiss asked a judge to give him a prison sentence of less than 27 months, arguing the bill Weiss wanted to pass would have generated at least one penny in tax revenue on each transaction on so-called sweepstakes machines.

Chicago Sun-Times

Appeals court upholds long sentence for former state Rep. Luis Arroyo, saying it was a ‘reasonable’ way to deter corruption

In a ruling handed down Friday, the court rejected arguments from Arroyo that a lower court judge was wrong to say the nearly 5-year sentence was a necessary example for other lawmakers.

Chicago Sun-Times

Will Danny Solis take the witness stand? Ed Burke’s lawyers would like to know

Former Ald. Solis helped prosecutors build their blockbuster indictments against Ed Burke and Mike Madigan. Solis is now formally charged with bribery, but the feds are expected to seek dismissal of that charge if he holds up his end of their deal.

Chicago Sun-Times

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Sentencing of former state Sen. Terry Link set for October

Link’s entanglement with the feds first became known in October 2019, when the Chicago Sun-Times and other media reported he was the unnamed state senator who wore a wire against then-state Rep. Luis Arroyo. Link lied to reporters at the time and claimed it wasn’t him.

Chicago Sun-Times

Pension stripped from former state lawmaker who called bribes he passed to another pol ‘the jackpot’

The state General Assembly Retirement System board voted to strip former state Rep. Luis Arroyo of his more than $4,500-a-month state pension, citing state law that allows retirement benefits to be taken from ex-lawmakers if they commit felonies arising from their time in office.

Chicago Sun-Times

Jury convicts politically connected Chicago businessman James Weiss of attempting to bribe two state legislators

CHICAGO — A federal jury on Thursday convicted a politically connected Chicago businessman of attempting to pay off two state legislators to pass a bill beneficial to his sweepstakes gaming company and then lying about it to the FBI.

Chicago Tribune

Businessman James Weiss guilty of bribing 2 Illinois lawmakers

The verdict is the second in less than two months to address separate bribery schemes inside the Illinois Capitol. Weiss is a son-in-law of former Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios.

Chicago Sun-Times

Businessman accused of bribing lawmakers was ‘getting bang for his buck,’ prosecutor says with case poised to go to jury

The jury of five men and seven women is expected to begin deliberations Thursday in the trial of James Weiss.

Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago politics take center stage as feds wind down their corruption case against businessman James Weiss

Weiss is accused of bribing two state lawmakers to push legislation in Springfield, but the focus Tuesday turned from the state capitol to City Hall.

Chicago Sun-Times

‘This looks like a bribe.’ FBI agent testifies about confronting businessman James Weiss near Maywood park

The latest public corruption trial at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse appears to be nearing its end, with closing arguments possibly as soon as Wednesday.

Chicago Sun-Times

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Chicago Sun-Times

Former state Sen. Terry Link testifies about his cooperation with FBI — which he once denied

Link gave his testimony in the trial of businessman James T. Weiss, who is accused of bribing Link and former state Rep. Luis Arroyo. Arroyo has pleaded guilty to the scheme and is serving a nearly five-year prison sentence.

Chicago Sun-Times

Corruption trial begins with businessman insisting he acted legally, even as lawmakers he lobbied hatched bribery scheme

Weiss is accused of bribing former state legislators Luis Arroyo and Terry Link to advance legislation in the General Assembly related to unregulated gambling devices known as sweepstakes machines.

Chicago Sun-Times

What are sweepstakes machines? The gambling devices at the center of the latest public corruption trial

They look like slot machines, but they’re unregulated and untaxed thanks to loopholes in Illinois’ gaming laws.

Chicago Sun-Times

Trial begins for businessman charged in bribery scheme that brought down former lawmaker Luis Arroyo

Like the ComEd bribery case, the trial of James T. Weiss is expected to feature secret FBI recordings, revolve around the business of lobbying and feature testimony from current and former state lawmakers.

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Chicago Sun-Times

Judge silences, scolds attorney for Berrios relative who faces trial Monday for bribing state lawmaker

James T. Weiss’ attorney wound up having to raise his hand to speak in court, including when he said he had to use the bathroom. He claimed he’d been unlawfully restrained and had thrown up in a cup. He told the judge, “look at the cup!”

Chicago Sun-Times

Michael McClain’s Illinois pension is suspended after ComEd bribery conviction

The suspension against McClain, a top confidant of former House Speaker Michael Madigan, may not hold since his crimes occurred years after his time in office.

Chicago Sun-Times

Why some ex-Illinois lawmakers convicted or accused of crimes get to keep their pensions

Illinois has paid out millions in pension payments to former legislators who have admitted criminal wrongdoing or are awaiting trial.

Chicago Sun-Times

For Chicago schools parking deal, Board of Ed turned to Lori Lightfoot fundraiser

Carmen A. Rossi’s Chicago Parking Solutions got a two-year contract to park cars at more than a dozen schools even though the school system said another company put in a better bid.

The Independent UK

Ex-Illinois House leader Arroyo sentenced for bribery scheme

A former Democratic leader in the Illinois House has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for his role in a bribery scheme

Chicago Sun-Times

Ex-state Rep. Luis Arroyo sentenced to almost five years in prison for bribery scheme

Arroyo entered a blind plea of guilty in November to a wire fraud count that said he was paid bribes in exchange for promoting legislation in Springfield.

Chicago Sun-Times

Sending former state Rep. Luis Arroyo to prison for corruption like ‘draining Lake Michigan with a spoon,’ say lawyers arguing for probation

Sending Arroyo to prison wouldn’t have any effect on other politicians’ behavior, his lawyers argued in a sentencing memo filed Saturday.

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