On Thursday, officials are due to certify the results of too-close-to-call runoff races in three Chicago wards. Will a longtime political dynasty lose its council clout? Our politics team digests the top stories of the week.
City Council
Apr 15, 2019 |
Federal prosecutors allege a Chicago developer steered business to 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke in exchange for Burke’s help getting a City Hall permit.
Apr 12, 2019 |
The controversial Lincoln Yards project gets the OK from City Council as Mayor Rahm Emanuel bids farewell to the chamber. And Chicago’s inspector general releases a damming report on the police department’s so-called gang database.
Apr 10, 2019 |
Mayor Rahm Emanuel gets a warm send-off from his colleagues at his final City Council meeting. Our politics team tackles that and some of the behind-the-scenes maneuvering over Lincoln Yards.
Apr 10, 2019 |
The non-binding measure is being celebrated by environmental advocates, who note that Chicago is now the largest U.S. city to announce a timeline for obtaining all of its energy from renewable sources.
Apr 10, 2019 |
After months of debate, the controversial $1 billion public subsidy for Lincoln Yards is now law. City Council approved the measure hours after Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot softened her opposition to the project.
Apr 8, 2019 |
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot cut a deal on Lincoln Yards, confusing aldermen who were set to make a key vote Monday.
Apr 4, 2019 |
Ald. Ed Burke, arguably City Council’s most powerful member for much of his 50-year reign, had various ways of dishing out perks and favors to colleagues. One of those, apparently, was to help some aldermen pay their bills.
Apr 3, 2019 |
Tuesday’s runoff election brought to a close aldermanic battles in 15 wards across the city. We speak with Alds.-elect Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward), Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward), Samantha “Sam” Nugent (39th Ward) and Matt Martin (40th Ward).
Apr 3, 2019 |
Veteran Ald. Patrick O’Connor is taken down by democratic socialist and former battle rapper Andre Vasquez in the city’s 40th Ward. Vasquez joins us to talk about his victory and his aldermanic plans.
Longtime Ald. O’Connor defeated by democratic socialist 40th Ward
In an upset, longtime Ald. Patrick O’Connor was unseated Tuesday by former rapper Andre Vasquez. How the runoff played out in other wards across the city.
Mar 25, 2019 |
In 2015, 40th Ward Ald. Patrick O’Connor easily won re-election. But the second-longest-serving member of the Chicago City Council is now in one of the most contentious runoff races in the city. He and challenger Andre Vasquez join us.
Mar 21, 2019 |
Ald. Willie Cochran entered his plea Thursday to one felony count of wire fraud for spending campaign funds on personal purchases, including gambling and his daughter's college tuition.
Mar 20, 2019 |
The former chair of the City Council Committee on Finance is no stranger to scrutiny. But now, Ald. Ed Burke’s practice of loaning out employees to work for aldermen is coming under fire.
Mar 20, 2019 |
In a North Side ward adjacent to the proposed site of the controversial Lincoln Yards development, two candidates fight for the 43rd Ward aldermanic seat. Incumbent Ald. Michele Smith and Derek Lindblom join us.
Mar 19, 2019 |
Ald. Ariel Reboyras has represented the 30th Ward since 2003 and is now facing Jessica Gutierrez, the daughter of former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, in his first runoff election.
