Chicago Lawmaker and Her Chief of Staff Indicted on Federal Bribery Charges
A federal grand jury indicted Chicago Alderman Carrie Austin, a Democrat, and her chief of staff on bribery charges on July 1 for allegedly scheming to get home improvements from contractors who were looking to receive the city’s help for a residential building project in Austin’s ward.
Austin, 72, a five-term Chicago alderman, was charged with bribery and making false statements to the FBI. Her chief of staff, Chester Wilson, was charged with bribery and theft of government funds.
The approval of a local alderman is crucial for development projects in Chicago. A construction company sought to build a $49.6 million residential property in Austin’s ward starting in 2014, according to the indictment (pdf). Under a deal with the city, the builder was responsible for a number of infrastructure improvements, including new interior streets, street lighting, and landscaping. In return, the city committed $1
Associated Press
CHICAGO Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday that she will grant one-on-one interviews to mark the two-year anniversary of her inauguration solely to journalists of color, saying she has been struck by the “overwhelmingly” white press corps in Chicago.
“I ran to break up the status quo that was failing so many,” Lightfoot, who is Black, tweeted, also issuing a detailed letter to City Hall reporters on her decision. “That isn’t just in City Hall. It’s a shame that in 2021, the City Hall press corps is overwhelmingly White in a city where more than half of the city identifies as Black, Latino, AAPI or Native American.”
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A Chicago restaurant owned by 44th Ward Ald. Tom Tunney has been issued multiple citations and fined $2,000 for allowing regular customers of the eatery to dine inside in December, a violation of the city’s coronavirus restrictions. According to the city’s Business Affairs and Consumer Protection department, Ann Sather Restaurant, located in the 900 block of West Belmont Avenue, was…