Posted on 12/18/2016 6:03:07 AM PST by george76
Even in the crowded annals of Chicago City Council malfeasance, Ald. Willie Cochran's indictment this week on federal criminal charges puts the 20th Ward in some rarefied air.
When the federal paperwork hit at the start of Wednesday's council meeting, Cochran, a retired police sergeant turned politician, officially became the third of the past four aldermen from the South Side ward to be indicted while in office. It's the City Council's version of the office of Illinois governor, where four of the nine to previously serve ended up convicted.
Cochran maintains his innocence and pledges to keep his seat representing parts of Englewood, Back of the Yards, Washington Park and Woodlawn while he fights the 15-count indictment on charges of wire fraud, extortion and bribery.
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the near-constant parade of aldermen from all over Chicago who've gotten in legal trouble over the past several decades. Twenty-nine aldermen have been convicted of crimes related to their official duties since 1972.
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the indictment is an indication of broader problems in wards across the city
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Cochran, 64, faces 11 counts of wire fraud, two counts of extortion and two counts of bribery, the most serious of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted. According to the charges, he was the sole signatory on the 20th Ward activities fund, a charity set up to host ward events and parties for constituents.
Cochran was charged with using "a significant portion" of the donations made over more than four years for personal use, including paying $5,000 toward his daughter's college tuition. He also withdrew about $25,000 from ATMs in or near casinos where he gambled
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Detroit 2.0!
“Well the South side of Chicago
Is the baddest part of town...”
A never ending cesspool of corruption. The Justice Department and the IRS should forensically comb each and every one of these inner city budgets and campaign contributions and lock each and every one of these utterly corruptible rat bags up!
the cess pool is so deep, I don’t think it’s possible to clean up.
“the cess pool is so deep, I don’t think it’s possible to clean up.”
Sadly, you may be right, but we’ve got to try and I think if anyone can it will be Trump.
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