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Man I tell you the political machine just really needs to be blown to smithereens and reconstructed from the bottom up and put people in place that will do right by the job and furthermore the pay for an elected official should be split up in segments.  No elected official or their staff should be in any type of situation where discretion or the inkling of impropriety can be questioned.  Check out the story as it unfolds reported by the Chicago Suntimes: 

An undercover informant for the FBI allegedly passed a note to Ald. Howard Brookins last year that said “12K to you for your letter of support” as he tried to get a letter from the alderman supporting a liquor license for a convenience store to be located in his 21st Ward, according to a criminal complaint released Friday.

The feds announced charges Friday against Brookins’ chief of staff, Curtis V. Thompson Jr., 62, of the 4700 block of Greenwood, who allegedly took a cash bribe from the informant after a 2013 Christmas party at Brookins’ office. The informant got the letter of support from the alderman’s office for a convenience store selling alcohol, the complaint says.

Brookins has not been charged and is not even referred to by name in the criminal complaint. He is referred to as Alderman A, but it is clear from details in the court document that he is the alderman being referred to.

Brookins, the chairman of the City Council’s Black Caucus, was stunned when told Friday of the federal charges against his chief of staff.

“Are you serious? He’s been charged? Unbelievable. It’s just unbelievable. I am speechless at this point,” Brookins said.

Acknowledging that Thompson “does work for me in that ward,” Brookins said it would be “logical” that he is the “Alderman ‘A’” described in the complaint. He noted that, “People come to us all the time,” seeking aldemanic support for the liquor license needed to open a bar, restaurant or packaged goods store.

But Brookins said he knew of no instance in which Thompson either solicited or accepted a bribe in exchange for convincing the alderman to support a liquor license.

“I’ve known Curtis a while. He has been a pretty stand up guy. He worked in the mortgage banking field,” the alderman said.

Asked if he trusted Thompson, Brookins said, “I had up until I’m hearing this.”

The federal complaint claims that Brookins was in the room and was handed a post-it with the bribe offer. When a reporter attempted to question Brookins about those details, he cut the conversation short.

“I need to call a couple of people, including my attorney. Let me look into it and call you back.”

He did not return repeated phone calls after that.

Thompson is due to appear in Chicago’s federal court Friday afternoon.

The complaint says a federal investigation began in 2012 but led to an Oct. 9, 2013. meeting at which the informant handed Thompson a note offering the $7,500 bribe in return for a letter of support for his liquor license from the alderman.

“Okay, I understand, I understand.” Thompson allegedly replied, stating that he would bring it up with the alderman.

The alderman’s office allegedly shook down the informant for donations to the alderman’s holiday toy drive and to co-sponsor the alderman’s Christmas party, the complaint alleges.

After the informant agreed to pay those bribes, he was handed a letter from the alderman which read, “Please allow this letter to serve as my full support for a 7-Eleven convenience store…This store will be a welcomed addition to [my] community and those that patronize the area for shopping and convenience needs. As well as wine and spirits (alcohol).”

The informant attended the alderman’s Christmas party on Dec. 19, and while walking out of the party with Thompson, allegedly gave Thompson a red envelope containing a Christmas card and 75 $100 bills. Thompson took the envelope from the informant, “felt it deliberately, looked at it and then placed it in a jacket pocket,” according to the complaint.

If convicted, Thompson faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

 

It clearly is a shame that Chicago is know for several things and the negatives are overshadowing the positives.  The political system is majority corrupt, the streets are not safe to be on but the taxes of the citizens continues to rise and they are not getting a return in their investment.  I guess one can say the best is yet to come however most of of us would say…..WHEN!!! 

 

Source: Chicago Sun-Times