* From the newest member of the Tribune editorial board…
* From the column…
Newly installed Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been calling out elected officials who leverage their public service roles for personal profit.
“No official in this city — elected or appointed — should ever profit from his or her office,” she said last week while calling on now-indicted Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, to resign.
Do you think Sen. Bill Brady, Republican leader of the Illinois Senate, was listening?
A May 28 report from ProPublica Illinois and WBEZ named several politicians profiting off Illinois’ video gambling industry. The state legalized video gambling in 2009 — allowing legal payouts at those video poker and slot machines inside bars and restaurants — and although revenue got off to a slow start, insiders are now making millions from the losses of players. One of those insiders is Brady, a conservative Republican from Bloomington who ran for governor three times. […]
So how does a member of Senate leadership, someone who at various times sat on at least two legislative committees overlapping with the gambling industry, slide into a role where he’s profiting handsomely? That’s a question deserving of a review by the state’s legislative inspector general.
You may find video gaming to be distasteful, but before it was legalized the Outfit made a huge amount of money off the industry. I’d much rather have it legalized, licensed, vetted and regulated.
But did Brady “profit from his office” as the Tribune suggests? Well, did he actually vote for a bill or participate in legislative negotiations that directly helped the video gaming industry, as Ald. Burke has done with some of his own clients?
* Let’s circle back to ProPublica’s story from the other day…
Brady is listed in internal gaming board records as a “person with significant influence or control,” or PSIC, for Midwest Electronics Gaming, one of the state’s largest video gambling companies. Midwest, operating primarily in central Illinois, made $16 million from video gambling last year and $80 million between 2012 and 2018.
Brady’s designation as a PSIC means he receives a percentage of the proceeds from video slot and poker machines under a revenue-sharing agreement with Midwest. Although the terms and the locations of the machines are not disclosed, any tax increase on video gambling revenue would have a direct financial impact on him.
Taxes were, indeed, raised on video gaming companies this spring. But the companies also got an extra position at each location.
* Here’s what Brady said before the floor vote on the gaming bill Sunday…
Due to a conflict of interest on a portion of this bill, I will be voting ‘Present’ on this measure. I’d like to also indicate that in any discussions I’ve had with the leaders or others, I have recused myself from any negotiations.
If he’s telling the truth, and so far nobody has disputed him, then that’s fully within the law, even if he did obfuscate his involvement with the gaming company on his economic disclosure forms. That disclosure law is in dire need of revisiting. But it is what it is and I don’t see where an IG investigation is gonna find lawbreaking unless there’s something out there we don’t already know.
The Tribune column above mentions that until all outside income is barred, the General Assembly will be ripe with potential conflicts of interest. That’s true, but that would also mean getting rid of a citizens legislature, and I’m not sure that’s worked out so well with Congress.
* This wouldn’t directly impact Leader Brady, but a new divestiture provision was included in the gaming bill…
No officer, member, or spouse or immediate family member living with such person shall, during the officer or member’s term in office or within a period of 2 years immediately leaving office, hold an ownership interest, other than a passive interest in a publicly traded company, in any gaming license under the Illinois Gambling Act, the Video Gaming Act, the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975, or the Sports Wagering Act.
Any member of the General Assembly or spouse or immediate family member living with such person who has an ownership interest, other than a passive interest in a publicly traded company, in any gaming license under the Illinois Gambling Act, the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975, the Video Gaming Act, or the Sports Wagering Act at the time of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly shall divest himself or herself of such ownership within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly.
- Grand Avenue - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:40 pm:
To me it seems like the column was written so the Tribune can say “See, we don’t just attack Democrats”
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:41 pm:
I realize McQueary is trying to shiv Brady in the yard, but she is probably doing him a favor.
An OIG investigation will clear Brady if any wrong-doing.
The Chicago Tribune editorial board’s influence is quickly approaching zero with the General Assembly.
- Ok - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:41 pm:
I thought you had a Kass rule?
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:42 pm:
Who cares what that old hack writes.
- lakeside - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:44 pm:
==From the newest member of the Tribune editorial board==
I greet this news with the horror it deserves.
- Colin O'Scopy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:44 pm:
Is there any bigger hater of the State of Illinois or for that matter, the City of Chicago than Kristen McQueary? Well, with the notable exception of John Kass.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:45 pm:
The troncs went after Brady because he played ball with Pritzker on the budgets.
There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between them and the likes of IPI and Proft. They’re juveniles playing in the He-Man-Democrat-Haters treehouse, with no actual interest in governing in a democratic republic form of government.
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:46 pm:
Given how dead new housing construction is in Bloomington-Normal at present, I am not surprised at the Brady family branching out in their business ventures.
But that said I am not real psyched at one of the four tops making their money in the vice biz even if that’s legal. Wouldn’t want a four top who was a strip club owner either.
Of course i don’t buy for a second that Kass or McQueary actually are sincere in their conflict of interest gripes. they’re just mad the senate gop leadership backed away from hell no raunerism that thrilled them so while getting jack done for the state
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:47 pm:
Don’t remember Katrina Chic (or Kass) not making the same comment when this happened …
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/chi-chicago-red-light-cameras-20141120-story.html
- MickJ - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:48 pm:
Kassie and Katrina shocked, I tell you chocked, to discover Brady has some connection with gambling. Did he suddenly cast a vote they did not like or something?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 12:54 pm:
===Wouldn’t want a four top who was a strip club owner either.===
I don’t disagree, but the minority leaders are elected by their caucuses. That’s up to them.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:04 pm:
I don’t like gambling and I don’t like Brady, but this criticism is ridiculous. Unless they’re retired or living off of uninvested assets, every legislature has a job, business or investment that could potentially be impacted by legislation. Disclosure and recusal when the conflict is acute is enough.
- Suzzz - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:08 pm:
The Tribune complaining about outside employment while screeching about the first COLA lawmakers got in 10 years is just very on brand for the Tribune.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:29 pm:
The difference between corruption, unethical and flat out just aint right is not visible to the naked eye.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:42 pm:
He had this one coming. He wasn’t transparent and didn’t even attempt to err on the side of transparency. Some criticism is over the top. This really isn’t.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:43 pm:
===Some criticism is over the top. This really isn’t. ===
Comparing Bill Brady to Ed Burke is way over the top.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:47 pm:
=== ===Some criticism is over the top. This really isn’t. ===
Comparing Bill Brady to Ed Burke is way over the top.===
For the love of Pete… Leader Brady, comparing him to Ed Burke?
That *is* IPI/Rauner/Proft-Uihlein thinking.
In no way a GOP thought.
Ugh.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 1:52 pm:
If you’re in the legislature and you have an outside job/business, eventually you will encounter a law that will benefit/harm your job/business. We can’t get upset every time this happens.
- Chicagonk - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:04 pm:
Don’t defend Brady on this one. Not sure how people can read the ProPublica article and not have an issue with what Brady is doing. All you have to do is ask yourself whether you think Bill Brady would have been able to enter into a revenue deal with MEG in 2016 if he wasn’t an Illinois State Senator.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:11 pm:
Wonder if @StatehouseChick realizes that she and Kass are either being played… or if they’re wholly complicit. The IPI, Uihlein, Proft group should be happy they don’t have to have them on the dole, but have them at their disposal.
Vertical integration of Raunerism… now… evolving.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:15 pm:
===not have an issue with what Brady is doing===
Only if you have an issue with video gaming. I don’t gamble. I don’t really care that people do gamble. My whole thing about this issue was getting to legalization in order to push out the criminals. That some want to continue putting a scarlet letter on this issue is their dealio, not mine.
- Quizzical - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:18 pm:
I think McQueary was trying to help her friend Kass out here. Everyday he wakes up with the Sisyphean task of being 1/10th as witty a chronicler of politics as Mike Royko. McQueary’s article allowed him to use the colorful phrase ‘wets his beak’. Tomorrow he will reprise the issue with a tortured link between Brady and former Senator DeLeo.
- Chicagonk - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:28 pm:
@Rich - I don’t have a problem with gambling, but it does tend to be a tax on the poor and gambling addiction is a real problem. I also think that saying that the current situation is better than when the outfit ran illegal gambling is a pretty low bar. And I still have an issue with politicians that use their office as a way to make money, even if it isn’t illegal.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:38 pm:
===I also think that saying that the current situation is better than when the outfit ran illegal gambling is a pretty low bar===
That’s ludicrous. The system is highly regulated. Bar owners can’t even touch the money until it’s handed to them by the licensed and regulated operators. Everything is taxed now.
It’s a legit, legal business whether you like it or not. And you don’t have to like it. I don’t like some legal businesses myself. But your morality is not mine and vice versa.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:47 pm:
For years now I’ve wondered what Ed Burke was going to do with his enormous pile of cash sitting in his campaign fund. It grew to be about $8 million, and he never had an opponent he didn’t want until recently.
My buddies and I wondered if he was going to bankroll a candidate for mayor. Or maybe he’d share some of that cash with some candidates for legislature or try to extend his grip on the Council. Some of it was grandfathered, and he would have been able to walk away with at least a million or two, but surely he’d have to spend some of that fortune elsewhere.
Now I know where he’ll be spending it: legal fees. And I expect he’ll get the best defense money can buy.
- JAH - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:17 pm:
Always better to sit back and watch as this expansion bill plays out. The participants will shock even the G
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:23 pm:
I really dumped on Brady a lot in the past four years, deservedly so in my opinion. But I was a supporter in his primary and general election campaign for governor. I really felt he did a great job recently and is helping to bring the Republican Party back to a form of sanity. Thank you John Kass and Kristen McQueary for affirming me.
- Beyond Normal - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 4:36 pm:
Not to mention Brady’s benefit from terminals in his home district…
https://www.wglt.org/post/company-linked-brady-operates-half-b-n-video-gambling-terminals#stream/0
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 10:13 pm:
Good thing they filled that IG position after all of these years of vacancy.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 8:52 am:
“But it is what it is and I don’t see where an IG investigation is gonna find lawbreaking unless there’s something out there we don’t already know”
Isn’t that the point of an investigation?