* Sun-Times report from the trial’s first day…

Weiss, a son-in-law of former Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios, is charged with wire fraud, mail fraud, bribery and lying to the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine O’Neill spent about 15 minutes laying out the case to jurors Tuesday, alleging that Weiss bribed Arroyo and Link and then lied to the FBI about it, even claiming he’d spoken to a fictional “ghost of a person” named “Katherine Hunter” who was invented by the FBI as part of their investigation.

Then Sorosky took his turn, using nearly an hour to explain away allegations first leveled against his client in October 2020. Among them is the claim that Weiss paid $32,500 in bribes to Arroyo, who then pushed the sweepstakes legislation in the General Assembly. […]

Still, Weiss also hoped to pass sweepstakes legislation in the Illinois General Assembly. When his bill didn’t go anywhere, Sorosky said Weiss asked Arroyo to set up a meeting with Link, a key legislator on gaming.

“That’s not a crime,” Sorosky said.

* The Tribune…

Three weeks later, Link was again wearing an FBI wire when Arroyo allegedly delivered the first of the promised $2,500 checks at a pancake house in Skokie, O’Neill said. Arroyo and Weiss had driven to the meeting together, but Weiss stayed in the car. […]

O’Neill said that at the direction of the FBI, Link had them make the check out to a purported associate named “Katherine Hunter,” who didn’t actually exist.

When Weiss was later questioned by agents, he lied and said Hunter was a a lobbyist who lived in Winnetka and that he’d spoken to her on the phone, O’Neill said.

Sorosky, however, said Weiss did not intentionally lie to any federal official. Instead, during a “surprise” interview, he “did his best to cooperate with the FBI agent and tell the FBI agent the truth as best as he knew it,” Sorosky said.

* Moving on to yesterday’s coverage via the Sun-Times…

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Ilia Usharovich, Rita and Munoz confirmed that Arroyo never offered them any bribe.

But when the gaming bill passed without the sweepstakes provision, the feds say Arroyo and Weiss turned to Link, meeting with him at a Wendy’s restaurant in Highland Park on Aug. 2, 2019.

Jurors on Wednesday heard excerpts of the recording Link made of the meeting inside the restaurant that day. Though the conversation was difficult to hear in the courtroom gallery, it came across as a legitimate chat about the legislation — amid a fast-food restaurant soundtrack that included “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister.

* Seidel…

Here's some of what the feds say happened in that meeting: pic.twitter.com/nHOJveuLiB

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) June 7, 2023

* The Tribune…

When the trial resumes Monday, prosecutors are expected to play a key portion of the recording, when Link and Arroyo excused themselves from the table to talk privately outside. FBI agents stationed outside took surveillance photos of the two legislators talking that are expected to be shown next week.

“This is you and I talkin’ now. Nobody else,” Link said to Arroyo once they were alone, according to the charges.

“Whatever you tell me stays between you and me,” Arroyo allegedly responded. “That’s my word.”

During their purportedly private talk, Link told Arroyo he was “in the twilight” of his career and was “looking for something” to bolster his income. Arroyo said he would “make sure that you’re rewarded for what you do, for what we’re gonna do moving forward,” according to court records.

* Jason Meisner…

Munoz getting testy over questions about taking money from video gaming industry.
"They didn’t pay me when I was in office," he says.
You have control of your campaign account right?
Sir I stated they gave it to the campaign

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) June 7, 2023

* Ray Long…

Rita says he had no idea how an amendment was proposed to legalize sweepstakes and removed it. Asked if he thought someone tried to sneak in the language, Rita said it appeared so

Rita done

— Ray Long (@RayLong) June 7, 2023

* Hannah Meisel…

Weeks later, Weiss and Arroyo again traveled north to see Link, this time at a diner in Skokie. But Weiss was left in the car for that Aug. 20, 2019, meeting while Arroyo went inside to deliver three things to Link: Weiss’ business card, a copy of draft legislation that would explicitly legalize sweepstakes machines, and a signed $2,500 check with the payee line left blank.

Link told Arroyo that the name on the check would be a “friend” of Link’s named Katherine Hunter – who turned out to be a fictional person made up by the feds.

Sorosky told the jury on Tuesday that Weiss honestly believed that Katherine Hunter existed, and therefore hired her in good faith to appease Link, who at the time was the lead negotiator on gambling legislation in the Illinois Senate.

He also directed the jury to focus on Link’s “What’s in it for me?” question to Arroyo, noting that it occurred “outside the hearing and presence of Jim Weiss” and was a clear indicator that Link solicited a bribe at the behest of federal agents.

“And with all due respect,” Sorosky said, “the original bribe in this case is created by the government.”

* Jon Seidel of the Sun-Times…

Trial testimony is now ending for the week. Judge Seeger has said he has something to do in Washington, D.C., and needs to leave today.

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) June 7, 2023

…Adding…

NEW: Federal prosecutors just filed surveillance photos of former state Rep. Luis Arroyo with businessman James Weiss. They say the pics were taken Oct. 17, 2019. That was less than two weeks before charges against Arroyo were unveiled. pic.twitter.com/i7up6Gmymx

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) June 8, 2023