Nine activists were arrested Thursday as dozens of others protested the early release of former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke for the killing of Laquan McDonald. His grandmother, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Father Michael Pfleger and the NAACP want the U.S. Attorney General to consider charging the former cop federally.
Meanwhile, Senators Durbin and Duckworth want answers on the 2014-2015 federal investigation and want Merrick Garland to look at civil rights charges. Mayor Lightfoot reminded disappointed folks how rare it is to convict an officer and that after McDonald’s shooting, police reforms were instituted under the federal consent decree.
In politics, Republicans voted to censure anti-Trump Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger and Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney. Illinois Republicans decried Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s good news budget plan as nothing more than pure politics this election year. His joint state of the state/budget address offers nearly a billion dollars in temporary tax relief and more money for anti-violence projects.
Federal prosecutors are pushing for prison-time for ex-Ald. Ricardo Muñoz in a colorful filing in his corruption plea:
A wise man once told after I became alderman at the ripe old age of 27. Young Man U seem smart but be careful in this business they will throw money at u they will throw trips and cars at u and they will throw very pretty young (p----) at you ... don’t take any of it ... pick ur 10 friends and make them millionaires and they will take care of u legally … Funny thing though ... That wise man was indicted 15 years later for tax evasion … He didn’t take illegal money he just failed to pay taxes on campaign cash used for gambling.
Meanwhile, Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson goes on trial next week for tax fraud, the first Daley to be charged federally.
CTU president Jesse Sharkey announced he will not run again, saying it’s “time to move on.” He supports CTU vice president Stacy Davis Gates to take the helm, but rumors abound about her running for mayor. How will the shakeup affect the upcoming CTU election and rough relations with the mayor?
Blackhawks fans are outraged and ask for refunds after Rocky Wirtz blows up at reporters’ questions about how the team will handle sexual abuse charges in the future.
And Chicago summer festivals will return this year.
Guests
Chuck Goudie, ABC 7 News | @ABC7Chicago, @ChuckGoudieABC7
Laura Washington, Chicago Sun-Times, ABC 7 News | @ABC7Chicago, @SunTimes, @MediaDervish
Sarah Karp, WBEZ 91.5 | @WBEZ, @SSKedreporter
Jacoby Cochran, City Cast Chicago | @cobycochran, @CityCastChicago
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