Free Republic

Accused of pocketing $50,000 in bribes and obstructing justice, Chicago City Clerk Jim Laski resigned Monday after changing lawyers to an attorney with a reputation for negotiating plea agreements. After reviewing incriminating transcripts of secretly recorded government tapes, attorney Jeffrey Steinback said he advised Laski, 52, to give up his $135,545-a-year paycheck. The resignation, hand-delivered to Mayor Daley's chief of staff Ron Huberman, comes less than two weeks after Laski promised to stay on the job and "keep fighting" the corruption charges against him. "We discussed it, and he and I determined that it was in his best interest and...

Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate said in the Democrats' weekly radio address Saturday that "honest leadership will help all Americans." He also said there is "a culture of corruption that is preventing government from dealing with the real needs of our nation." Durbin was directly referring to the Republican Party, which has controlled the legislative branch of the federal government since 2003, and the executive branch since 2001. Of more recent vintage is the Jack Abramoff Scandal: The crooked ex-lobbyist had ties to both parties, but his GOP connections were more extensive, and for Republican politicians on...

City Clerk James Laski has been secretly recorded as part of the federal Hired Truck investigation, and two of his close associates are cooperating with investigators, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. Laski has allegedly made incriminating statements on the secret tape recordings, according to people familiar with the matter. Federal prosecutors played selections of the secret recordings last month in a meeting with Laski to show the strength of their case against him and persuade him to cooperate with the investigation, sources said. The outcome of the meeting could not be determined. 'Trying to work out a deal'"He's leaning toward...