The Spin: Ex-Chicago Ald. Ed Vrdolyak sentenced to 18 months in federal prison | U.S. House votes to decriminalize weed | Illinois planning to distribute vaccine to 50 counties with highest death rates
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Former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison today after being convicted in a tax scheme related to his receipt of millions of dollars in Illinois tobacco settlement money.
In what’s viewed as a largely symbolic move, the U.S. House voted to decriminalize cannabis and tax it at the federal level. Two Illinois Democrats joined the rest of the state’s Republican delegation to Congress in voting against the proposal.
And Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the state’s top public health official, said today that the state is planning to distribute its initial inventory of COVID-19 vaccinations to the 50 counties with the highest coronavirus death rates.
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From the Tribune’s Jason Meisner: “Former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak was sentenced Friday to a year and a half in federal prison for skirting a tax levy related to millions of dollars in payments he and a friend received in the state’s massive settlement with tobacco companies.
“The sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Robert Dow marked the second time in the past decade the onetime political powerhouse has been ordered to federal prison.
“In rejecting defense calls for home confinement for the 82-year-old Vrdolyak, Dow said the case was ‘really a particularly sorry story’ because it involved two experienced lawyers disrespecting the law — a reference to Vrdolyak and his co-defendant, Daniel Soso.
“The judge also said it was an aggravating factor that Vrdolyak decided to try to cheat the IRS even though he’s clearly a wealthy man.
“‘There is a disconnect (when) people who’ve got millions of dollars think it’s OK not to pay their fair share and be honest with the government,’ Dow said.
“Vrdolyak, who participated in the three-hour hearing via videoconference from his home, showed no outward reaction at the sentence, blinking and looking straight at the computer screen with two of his sons at his side.” Read the rest here.
* From the Tribune’s John Byrne: Ex-Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak sentenced to federal prison. Here are 5 things to know about the man known as ‘Fast Eddie.’
Embattled Madigan to make his case before supportive House Black Caucus on Saturday
The Tribune’s Rick Pearson reports: “Embattled House Speaker Michael Madigan, his bid for reelection to the post in jeopardy, will appear Saturday at a ‘candidate’s forum’ hosted by one of his most loyal constituencies — the House Black Caucus.
“With 19 of the projected 73 Democrats who will sit in the next session of the House opposing Madigan’s reelection — leaving him six short of approval — the move by the nation’s longest-serving speaker is aimed at both shoring up and demonstrating support from a highly active caucus of House Democrats.
“So far, of the Black Caucus’ 22 members, only Rep. Maurice West of Rockford has said he will not vote for Madigan’s reelection as speaker, a post the Southwest Side Democrat has held since 1983 with the exception of two years in the mid-1990s when Republicans controlled the chamber.” More here.
“Countering a deadly pandemic with an enhanced vote-by-mail program, Illinois saw a new high of nearly 6.1 million Illinois residents cast ballots in the Nov. 3 general election, representing a voter turnout rate that was the highest in 18 years, State Board of Elections officials said Friday.
“The bipartisan panel voted 8-0 Friday to certify the results of the election, delivering Illinois’ 20 electoral votes for Democrat Joe Biden to become the nation’s next president.
“State election officials said 72.92% of Illinois’ record 8,364,999 registered voters cast ballots — the highest turnout percentage since 1992 when 78.24% of eligible Illinois residents voted in Democrat Bill Clinton’s defeat of Republican President George H.W. Bush.
“The 6,098,729 ballots cast was a record, eclipsing the mark set in 2016 of 5,666,118 votes, board officials said. The record came as the state sent millions of vote-by-mail applications to voters and encouraged early voting to offset fears of spreading and contracting COVID-19 by voters casting ballots on Election Day.” Rick Pearson has more here.
* Also from Pearson: Jim Oberweis launches discovery recount effort in election that has Rep. Lauren Underwood winning by just 5,374 votes
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From the Tribune’s Dan Petrella and Jamie Munks: “Illinois plans to distribute its initial allocation of roughly 109,000 doses of a new COVID-19 vaccine to the 50 counties across the state with the highest death rates from the virus, the state’s top public health official said Friday.
In the Chicago area, that includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will counties. It also includes Kankakee County but not McHenry.
“First, though, the Pfizer vaccine needs emergency use authorization from the federal Food and Drug Administration, which could come as soon as Thursday. If that happens, Illinois expects to receive its first shipment sometime during the week of Dec. 13.
“While the possibility of an effective vaccine beginning to be administered within weeks is among the most promising news of the year, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday attempted to temper expectations about how quickly the immunization, which requires two doses given weeks apart, will be widely available.
“‘No single person will be fully vaccinated even by Christmas, and it will likely be months before people with low-risk factors for COVID-19 see their first dose,’ Pritzker said at his daily coronavirus briefing.” Read the rest of the story here.
* From the Tribune’s Robert McCoppin: Chicago-area vaccination sites will be at hospitals, clinics, pharmacies — but also drive-thrus at schools, parks and maybe Six Flags
* From the Aurora Beacon-News’ Sarah Freishtat: Visits, warnings and little legal action: Enforcing COVID-19 restrictions in Kane County has proved challenging
* From the Post-Tribune’s Meredith Colias-Pete: ‘Totally unprecedented’: Concern grows as Indiana hospitals fill with COVID-19 patients
* From Pioneer Press’ Kaitlin Edquist: Local, county health officials issue formal citations to suburban Hilton hotel after indoor wedding with 150 guests
Two Illinois Democrats joined the state’s Republican congressional delegation on Friday in opposing a measure to decriminalize and tax cannabis at the federal level.
The Democratic-controlled House approved the measure on Friday that also would address racial disparities in enforcement of federal drug laws, according to The Associated Press. It’s viewed as mainly a political gesture and heads to the U.S. Senate, where it’s unlikely to pass.
Marijuana already is legal in Illinois and through last month, the state has generated $582 million in recreational weed sales.
As The Associated Press reports: “The bill, which passed 228-164, now goes to the Republican-controlled Senate, where it is unlikely to advance. A related bill that would give pot businesses access to traditional banking services has languished in the Senate after being approved by the House last year.
“Five Republicans supported the bill: Reps. Matt Gaetz and Brian Mast of Florida, Tom McClintock of California, Denver Riggleman of Virginia and Don Young of Alaska.
“Six Democrats opposed it: Reps. Cheri Bustos and Daniel Lipinski of Illinois; Collin Peterson of Minnesota; Chris Pappas of New Hampshire; Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania; and Henry Cuellar of Texas.” Read the rest here.
Lipinski, who represents Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District, is leaving office soon, after losing to Marie Newman in this year’s Democratic primary. Bustos, meanwhile, narrowly won reelection in Illinois’ 17th Congressional District last month, winning by 4.05 percentage points over her Republican opponent.
* From the Tribune’s Robert Channick: Illinois recreational weed sales flat at $75 million in November
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