Question of the day
Friday, Feb 21, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tom Kacich at the Champaign News-Gazette answers reader letters every week…
“With Blago out of the slammer and (former Congressman) Aaron Schock somehow avoiding prison, what’s the updated number of Illinois politicians in prison? And is this the first time in awhile that at least one of our guvs hasn’t been incarcerated?”
Tom’s response…
This is the first time since Nov. 6, 2007, that a former Illinois governor wasn’t in federal prison.
As far as the number of Illinois politicians in prison, it appears to be just one: former Chicago Alderman Willie Cochran, who was sentenced to a year in prison last June and is due to be released June 29.
But three current or former state legislators are under indictment — Sen. Tom Cullerton of Villa Park, former Sen. Marty Sandoval of Chicago, and state Rep. Luis Arroyo of Chicago. All three are Democrats.
Sandoval pleaded guilty last month.
Also, Chicago Alderman Ed Burke was indicted last May, has remained in office and has professed innocence.
* The Question: Do you think we’ll make it to June 29th and actually live to see a time period when no Illinois politicians are currently behind bars? Explain.
- JS Mill - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:46 pm:
Yes. Sandoval probably won’t enter the clink for a while and the other prosecutions will take a while.
- RNUG - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:47 pm:
The wheels of Justice grind slowly. Adding in the usual delays and legal positioning, we may see a year or two of no Illinois politicians incarcerated.
- Cheryl44 - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:48 pm:
When will Sandoval be sentenced?
- @misterjayem - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:48 pm:
I think we’ll make it.
I also think that the next former Illinois governor to serve time in prison will be Rod Blagojevich.
– MrJM
- SSL - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:53 pm:
Yes, there isn’t time to lock up the other scoundrels, but I’m confident they will eventually serve. Unless they really have something big to offer. A man can dream.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:54 pm:
What about Vrdolyak?
He was due to be sentenced last December or early January.
He might have a report date? No?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:55 pm:
I agree with MrJM
- PrisonRats - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:56 pm:
There are other Illinois politicians in prison.
Do not forgot Rita Crundwell of Dixon. She embezzled more than $53M from Dixon. She isn’t scheduled for release until 2030.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:59 pm:
Rita Crundwell occurred to me too, but she was appointed.
- Louis G Atsaves - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:59 pm:
Does this mean that Illinois will suffer an earthquake on 6/29? A locust invasion? I may take a short trip out of state just for precautionary measures.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:02 pm:
JB still under investigation by Feds right ?
- Precinct Captain - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:05 pm:
Yes, for reasons stated by JS Mill, RNUG, etc.
==- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 2:54 pm:==
A brief Google News search shows nothing about his case in the major media outlets since approximately Sept. 2019.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:08 pm:
===Google News search===
Yeah, that’s where I got the December/January sentencing date.
Huh, maybe because of his age, they’re letting it ride out.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:13 pm:
I’d think somebody like Solis or Tobolowski would want to plead out, report and serve to get it over with as soon as possible. There may not be a way to repair a shattered reputation, but compounding your troubles with several hundred thousand in legal fees isn’t a great alternative. And when you’re going to end up in prison whether you spend all that money or not, well, from my perspective, I’d be begging to get the clock ticking on my sentence.
- West Side the Best Side - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:17 pm:
Feds take a long time, Blago might go in on a VOP.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:20 pm:
Yeah, I think we’ll make it. That’s sort of an arbitrary time frame.
I am somewhat surprised though — I guess some of the sentences for recentish things were shorter than recollection and decency allowed me to remember.
Denny Hastert sure had a light prison sentence given the extent of the crimes that lead up to his structuring charges.
- Henry Francis - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:24 pm:
We haven’t heard about Mel Reynolds in awhile. He’s been in and out for a myriad of weird stuff. As Harry Caray would say “he’s due, Steve”.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:26 pm:
-I also think that the next former Illinois governor to serve time in prison will be Rod Blagojevich.-
He is in a position where he needs to make money again. What could possibly go wrong with that?
- RNUG - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:43 pm:
== He is in a position where he needs to make money again. What could possibly go wrong with that? ==
He needs to sell something golden …
- revvedup - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 3:56 pm:
There won’t be any NEWLY convicted officials, but that’s a function of case progression and court dockets. We know they’ll be more guilty pleas and convictions resulting in jail time. Too many fish caught in Fed nets, and on Fed wires.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 4:07 pm:
Come on— this is Illinois we are talking about.
We will not make it.
As for the last Gov to go to Prison, I am not expecting to see Governor JB going to prison, but to assume we are never going to see an Illinois Governor go to prison is a slap in the face of our culture and traditions.
- Thomas Paine - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 4:23 pm:
I was going to say “No” because Harvard City Clerk Andy Wells was convicted of possession of child porn on a government computer in December.
But, in January a Republican judge sentenced the Republican elected official to probation.
Because child pornography is a victimless crime, apparently?
- DIstant watcher - Friday, Feb 21, 20 @ 4:26 pm:
What about Nick Sauer? Was / is he incarcerated?