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Ridiculous allegation withdrawn

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Illinois

* Remember this idiotic, irresponsible lede not backed up by any facts?…

State Sen. Donne Trotter took $2,000 in cash from a convicted felon who got the money from an undercover FBI agent posing as an Indian businessman, lawyers for a South Side man allege.

The US Attorney’s office said at the time that there was nothing to the allegation. Simple logic suggests that if the feds suspected a state legislator of being on the take, they’d have been all over the guy (five years ago, by the way). Yet, despite the government statement and common sense, the Sun-Times led with a wild allegation by a couple of criminal defense lawyers.

* Today, they had to walk it back…

Defense attorneys in the illegal lobbying trial of C. Greg Turner have withdrawn allegations that State Sen. Donne Trotter accepted a $2,000 cash bribe as part of an FBI sting.

Turner’s attorneys Michael Leonard and James Tunick last week had alleged that Trotter accepted the cash from Turner’s co-defendant, Prince Asiel Ben Israel, then failed to declare it as either a political contribution or as income on his taxes.

But on Wednesday Tunick told U.S. District Judge Elaine Bucklo that he would not quiz Trotter about that allegation when Trotter takes the stand as a witness against Turner. Speaking outside court, Leonard later said that he and Tunick “no longer have a good faith basis” to do so.

The lesson: Defense lawyers will often say anything - even stuff made up out of thin air - to help their clients. Automatically believing people like that is a gigantic mistake.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 4:06 pm

Comments

I trust the paper will do the responsible thing and run a correction.

Heh.

Comment by Dirty Red Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 4:10 pm
The headline was just as bad. You can’t that in a header or lede without including the federales denial.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 4:16 pm
“The lesson: Defense lawyers will often say anything - even stuff made up out of thin air - to help their clients. Automatically believing people like that is a gigantic mistake. ”

This is a true statement, generally, but I do know both lawyers well and I am confident that they would not make something like this up or even talk about it without a good faith basis.

Comment by paddyrollingstone Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 4:18 pm
Good for Trotter, but damage done.

It is sad state of affairs that you can make just about any allegation you want regarding an African American public official and someone will print it.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 4:25 pm
You got it Yellow Dog. It’s the nature of the beast.

Comment by You got it Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 4:40 pm
The press has become increasingly irresponsible. I assume it’s because of economic pressures on the industry. Everyone is looking for eyeballs, regardless of truth.

Wage pressures may be reducing the quality of writing as well. Note the story above referencing an “illegal lobbying trial.” So apparently the trial itself is illegal, which would presumably nullify the outcome.

Comment by Illinois taxpayer Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 5:12 pm
Red, the Sun-Times didn’t make a “mistake,” they just exercised irresponsible journalism in the way they wrote the story.

And believe me, it’s hard enough to get a paper to publish a correction. No way they cop to shoddy journalism.

Still it’s a head-scratcher how you can write a head and lede claiming the feds bribed a state senator, attributing it to a defense lawyer, when the feds deny it.

Don’t tell me budget cuts over the years aren’t killing good newspapers.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 5:14 pm
Rich careful with your assessment of defense attorneys. Prosecutors may just keep you in the jury pool!

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 5:36 pm
Gifts received are not taxable to the recipient

Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 6:01 pm
How do you know if a lawyer (or politician) is lying? Their lips are moving.

Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 6:10 pm
Thanks for doing your part Rich, as a responsible journalist, to help rebut the irresponsible junk media coverage on Sen. Trotter. He deserves a rehabilitative article from the S-Ts, but I’m not holding my breath.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Oct 1, 14 @ 8:13 pm