Feds whack a mole
Monday, Apr 11, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jon Seidel…
Three years after his secret cooperation with federal investigators became public knowledge, turning him into “Alderman A,” federal prosecutors have finally filed a criminal charge against former longtime Chicago Ald. Danny Solis (25th).
The bribery count leveled against Solis in a one-page, lightly detailed document at least confirms that Solis will face public charges. A lengthy investigation into his own alleged misdeeds prompted him to turn on some of the state’s most powerful politicians.
Federal prosecutors have used evidence gathered by Solis, 72, to secure racketeering indictments against Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) and, more recently, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. […]
The charge against Solis alleges he agreed to accept campaign contributions between July and September 2015 in exchange for amendments to a zoning ordinance sought by an unnamed developer.
A litany of alleged misconduct by Solis was revealed in a bombshell FBI affidavit first obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times in January 2019. The document, filed in federal court in May 2016, alleged that Solis, once the Council’s powerful zoning chair, “received a flow of private benefits” from people in exchange for official action.
* WTTW…
In an August 2020 court filing, lawyers for Burke revealed Solis had entered into a deferred prosecution agreement that will likely mean Solis will not spend even one day in jail — and keep his city pension — in return for his extraordinary role in the prosecution of both Burke and Madigan.
That agreement has not been confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Solis flipped and agreed to help investigators after he was accused by federal agents of accepting sex acts, Viagra, free weekend use of an Indiana farm once owned by Oprah Winfrey and a steady stream of campaign contributions in return for City Council actions, as first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward), who replaced Solis, said his predecessor should have been held accountable years ago.
* Tribune…
The deferred prosecution agreement means Solis will not only escape any jail time — he’s likely not going to be prosecuted for the crime at all. What’s more, the deal could allow the 72-year-old Solis to keep collecting his nearly $100,000 annual city pension, which could easily bring in a sizable sum from the taxpayer-funded system over the remainder of his lifetime.
Last, year, the Tribune interviewed nearly a dozen longtime members of the city’s legal community, including several who worked on public corruption cases for the U.S. attorney’s office, and none could remember such an arrangement being made for a public official caught abusing their office.
Solis’ work as an FBI mole began in mid-2016, when he was confronted by investigators who had secretly listened in on hundreds of his phone calls over the course of nearly a year, including conversations where the alderman solicited everything from campaign donations to sexual services at a massage parlor, court records show.
[Hat tip to @ChicagoBars for the headline idea]
- New Day - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 1:36 pm:
It is beyond disappointing that the Feds are letting Solis get away with it just like they let ComEd off with a slap on the wrist ($200 million fine against gains of billions) and refused to hold Exelon accountable when it was their execs that were calling the shots. In short, I grow less and less enamored with this US Attorney. Maybe it’s time for Biden to actually appoint his own guy.
- Sue - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 1:40 pm:
Giving Solis a walk is a good exchange if the Feds succeed in convicting Madigan.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 1:45 pm:
This seems to be overly generous to Solis. I realize that the feds make deals to get cooperation, but the lack of any real punishment for Solis does not seem right.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 1:48 pm:
Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 1:52 pm:
“none could remember such an arrangement being made for a public official caught abusing their office”
There has never been a prize as big as MJM before. He was immune from State and local charges due to his influence. Yes, Solis got a sweetheart deal but then again the trophy was worth it.
- Steve - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 1:53 pm:
The feds charged Solis with something just in case he attempts to imply to the jury that he was entrapping Burke or Madigan. Now when Solis is attacked at trial no defense attorney can say he’s making stuff up to get a sweet deal. The feds know what they are doing on this one.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 1:53 pm:
“The grocery store in Kansas City sank the whole thing…”
The lesson learned?
Get on the bus early, map the route of the bus, the stops, and wire up.
Getting ensnared later has no advantage, not cooperating has zero advantages.
- What’s next? - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 2:07 pm:
Now that the Solis problem has been dispatched with…
Mayor/Rep Jones, your table is ready, sir.
- Ares - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 2:11 pm:
The article may better read “Feds Tap A Mole (To Talk), Not Whack A Mole”
- Amalia - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 2:13 pm:
we learn so many things years later. a mole in City Council, a mole in the office of a Statewide official (the actual office holder), people who seem to get away without charges or even being fingered as a mole. now there is an investigation of a retired Cook County prosecutor and a Chicago police detective. greed, the gift that keeps on giving…stories.
- Payback - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 2:41 pm:
“…I grow less and less enamored with this US Attorney.” The last USAO-NDIL who was worth anything was Patrick Fitzgerald. The last federal agent who was worth anything before Fitzgerald was Eliot Ness. Zach Fardon was weak, and Lausch is weak. The minute Fitzgerald was out of office, the chorus from city hall was, “we need the federal authorities to focus on violent street gangs” (in other words, not corrupt politicians and cops).
Additionally, name one significant investigation under Lausch outside the Chicago area. The Northern District is sixteen counties, right?
- Socially DIstant watcher - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 3:28 pm:
If Solis does spend time in jail or lose his pension,will the 14th ward offer a novena as a sign of contrition?
- Pizza Man - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 3:32 pm:
This was an extraordinary case involving the state’s two most powerful pols; Madigan and Burke. The Feds used any means necessary to nail them with using Solis.
Solis plays the game: helps catch the ‘dynamic duo’ and gets the ‘avoid jail time’ wild card while he keeps his pension.
Let’s not forget that he can even run for future office (highly doubt it) as his brand is now toast.
Now, the big prize will be if both Burke & Madigan will be convicted.
- Huh? - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 4:11 pm:
Wasn’t there an attorney claiming that sending his client to jail would be the same as trying to empty Lake Michigan with a tea spoon?
We were just handed the tea spoon.
- low level - Monday, Apr 11, 22 @ 7:02 pm:
== as big as MJM before. He was immune from State and local charges due to his influence==
That had nothing to do with it. The fact of the matter was he was incredibly cautious. Hr certainly didmt expect Solis to be taping their conversations. Had it not been for Danny Solis, MJM would still be Speaker.
- thisjustinagain - Tuesday, Apr 12, 22 @ 12:44 pm:
Legally the decision to strip Solis of his pension doesn’t fall on prosecutors, and the pension board is not bound by the agreement. Solis should alse be charged by the State with Official Misconduct, and stripped upon conviction. The State courts may take judicial notice of the Federal proceedings to move State charges along.