Free Republic

Dive Brief: Illinois State Sen. Martin Sandoval has resigned from his position as chair of the State Senate's Transportation Committee amid a federal fraud and corruption investigation related to state construction work, the Associated Press reported. The Democratic senator is still listed as a member of the committee, however, as of Oct. 15. The move came after the details of a federal search warrant revealed that the FBI last month combed Sandoval's offices and home for information related to architect Cesar Santoy; Santoy's architecture firm, Studio ARQ; red-light camera program company SafeSpeed; lobbyists; construction companies; and employees of the Illinois...

Federal agents descended Tuesday on the home and offices of state Sen. Martin Sandoval as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, adding him to the growing list of city and state politicians facing serious scrutiny. Feds in suits could be seen lugging boxes, electronics and a bag marked “Evidence” from the state capitol building in Springfield. A similar scene played out at Sandoval’s Southwest Side home. And agents could be seen outside Sandoval’s political office in Cicero. FBI Special Agent John Althen confirmed the agency had personnel in the state capitol conducting “authorized law enforcement activity,” but he declined to...

FBI agents are seen carrying brown evidence bags as they RAID Democratic Illinois Senator Martin Sandoval's office as part of an 'ongoing criminal investigation' The FBI raided 55-year-old Sandoval's Springfield offices at the Illinois Sate Capital building, as well as his regional offices in Cicero Agents were seen transporting boxes, brown bags and possibly a desktop computer from Sandoval's offices into two SUVs around 12.30pm The nature and details surrounding the investigation have not yet been disclosed SNIP

Check out these photos of an attendee at a fundraiser for Democratic Illinois State Sen. Martin Sandoval simulating an assassination of President Donald Trump:

If state Sen. Martin Sandoval succeeds in his next election Saturday, he will serve in Mexico City as well as Springfield. Sandoval is running for a seat on an advisory council created by Mexico President Vicente Fox in 2002 to incorporate Mexicans living in the United States into his government's policymaking. Sandoval would be the first elected official in the U.S. to serve on the advisory council. That raises the peculiar prospect of the Cicero Democrat offering policy advice in an official capacity to Mexican Cabinet members while creating laws in Illinois. The possibility has some observers praising his vision...