Jim Dey: No weaseling his way out of this one

Jan. 13—It's time once again to dive in to another round of quick takes on the people, places and events that were being talked about over the past week:

Time is running out

Former state Sen. Sam McCann is up against closing legal walls.

He's managed to delay his corruption trial in Springfield federal court for roughly three years by agreeing to plead guilty and then changing his mind, switching court-appointed lawyers and, finally, telling the judge that he wanted to represent himself.

Now, after trying and failing to win another delay, he faces a Feb. 5 bench trial before an exasperated U.S. Judge Colleen Lawless.

"At every stage of the proceeding, the defendant has attempted to manipulate the process," Lawless said after rejecting McCann's recent request for more time to prepare for trial.

The Illinois Times reported that McCann said he needs more time to go over the criminal case file and find additional witnesses.

"I find obligations and opportunities for additions to an ever-developing witness list, as well as direct rebuttals," McCann told the judge.

Plus, he stated in a motion, there is "no humanly possible way to read and digest" all the necessary information "in the amount of time currently allotted."

The judge, however, said three years between indictment and trial is more than sufficient time to get ready. She scheduled a final pre-trial hearing for Jan. 16, the Illinois Times reported.

McCann, a former GOP state senator from Macoupin County, is charged with spending hundreds of thousands of dollars from his campaign fund on personal items.

A GOP black sheep, he famously feuded with former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and then, with encouragement and funding from Democratic labor unions, ran as a "Conservative Party" candidate against Rauner in 2020.

Democrat J.B. Pritzker easily won that three-way race.

When the 2020 campaign was over, McCann's campaign fund was filled with labor union money that he allegedly misspent.

The question, now, is what options are available to McCann to seek further delay.

He could change his mind about self-representation and ask for re-appointment of a lawyer. But the judge has assigned a "stand-by counsel" for the trial who might be ready to step in at a moment's notice.

McCann, who is not a lawyer, was elected to the Illinois Senate in 2010.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Bass.

Remember when?

Illinois defeated Michigan State on Thursday night in a great game at the Assembly Hall.

But it was another game against Michigan State that Fighting Illini fans were discussing this week.

Thursday was the 45th anniversary of a legendary UI game where Lou Henson's team took on No. 1-ranked MSU led by superstar "Magic Johnson" at a sold-out and frenetic Assembly Hall.

The Spartans won the national championship that season, defeating Larry Bird's previously undefeated Indiana State team.

After trailing early in the game, the UI came storming back, eventually winning 57-55 on a baseline jumper by Eddie Johnson.

People remember the shot. But will they remember what else happened that evening?

Early in the contest, the public address announcer informed the crowd that someone had phoned in a bomb threat.

The announcer told fans the game would continue but those who were concerned for their safety might want to leave.

Let's see — bomb threat, possible explosion and injury on one hand and great game to watch on the other. What to do? No one left.

(By the way, fans can watch Johnson's winning shot on YouTube.)

Dirty pool

Politics can be a contact sport, but it's important to remember that practitioners win some and lose some.

There's no need to take it personally, because that's the nature of the game. Besides, there's always tomorrow.

But someone took it very personally recently when Champaign County auditor George Danos led the charge to defeat a proposal to eliminate the county auditor and coroner offices.

The plan surfaced without much public notice, but Danos wrote an article about it for The News-Gazette and encouraged those who thought it was a bad idea to show up at a board meeting and let members know why they objected.

The strong turnout prompted board members to reject the plan, to the obvious consternation of someone.

In an email to political associates, Danos related a subsequent event.

Dear Friends,

I thank those of you who demonstrated support for me at the recent County Board meeting.

I am glad to have prevailed by a 14-5 vote not to send to the ballot a referendum to eliminate the elected auditor.

I would like you to know that after that contentious board meeting, my car suffered vandalism which prevents me from traveling for the holiday.

I am letting you know because this marks the second time my car has suffered similar damage after I have contended with County Board members.

I want to document this among friends for the sake of my safety.

Yours truly,

George Danos

You snooze, you lose

Illinois taxpayers had their pockets picked last spring by state legislators — to the tune of $114 million.

Even more shocking, according to WBEZ reporter Dave McKinney, "no one is taking credit — or blame — for the little publicized change."

The maneuver — more proof that no man's life or property is safe while the legislature is in session — will affect millions of Illinois taxpayers who use the standard exemption for the 2023 tax year.

Under a plan put in place in 2012 by former Gov. Pat Quinn, McKinney explained, taxpayer's standard exemption was adjusted annually to account for inflation.

Since implemented, the exemption has been increased 11 times, boosting it from $2,000 to $2,425. But legislators have frozen it, causing a small income-tax increase that adds up to a lot of money.

McKinney said the "little noticed tax change" was "tucked within a 558-page revenue package."

"The freeze in the exemption, coming a year after the biggest jump in inflation in four decades, resulted in as much as $114 million in savings for the state — money that went from taxpayers' pockets to a series of other legislative spending add-ons," he wrote.

Informed of the change in his plan, Quinn said it's "really unfair for everyday people to see their taxes go up while politicians' raise their pay and give themselves cost-of-living increases."

Old times

Beckett and Goldenberg go together like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy "Hamlet."

Or, to borrow the title from a country music classic, they are "Together Again."

It's been roughly 30 years since Steve Beckett, an Urbana lawyer, and Mark Goldenberg of Edwardsville, teamed up to battle the NCAA on behalf of former Fighting Illini basketball star Deon Thomas.

But old times are new again.

Beckett and Goldenberg are among lawyers from four firms representing UI basketball player Terrance Shannon Jr. in his suspension fight with the University of Illinois.

Over the past 50 years, there have been three big-time legal fights involving local lawyers and prominent UI athletes — the cases of Shannon, Thomas and former UI quarterback Dave Wilson.

Wilson's case also involved an eligibility issue, but his foe was the Big 10 and then-commissioner Wayne Duke.

Wilson ultimately played for the Illini, but, by then, World War III broke out between the UI and the Big 10.

The quarterback was represented by flamboyant Urbana lawyer Robert Auler, who was always proud of the role he played in sparking the conflagration.

Wilson's UI career ended after one year, thanks to the litigation, but he went on to become a No. 1 draft choice for the New Orleans Saints.

It's fun to see Beckett and Goldenberg — onetime young turks turned old bulls — join forces in another athlete-related cause.

And it brings to mind the image of the pair crooning Buck Owens' country classic "Together Again."

Together again

My tears have stopped falling

The long lonely nights

Are now at an end

The key to my heart

You hold in your hand

And nothing else matters

We're together again

Versions by Owens and others are, undoubtedly, far better than anything from these baritone barristers. Check out Buck's masterful version on the Internet at lyrics.com/lyric/9770009/Buck+Owens/Together+Again.