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The [Thursday] Papers
For completists, there was no column on Wednesday.
"A bombshell federal court document laying out a potential corruption case against retiring Ald. Danny Solis (25th) not only depicts a politician badly in debt - but one whose campaign funds appear to have been used for blatantly personal expenses," the Sun-Times reports.
The 120-page affidavit obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times describes nearly $17,000 in personal expenses appearing on a credit card account for Solis' 25th Ward Regular Democratic Organization for trips to a hair salon, toddler clothes and school tuition.Investigators also suspected that money loaned to Solis from the ward bank account went to pay a debt to the Internal Revenue Service and to Paleo Fit Meals.
It's the kind of activity that has contributed to the downfall of many a Chicago politician - generally when it's linked to other illegal activity, such as not paying taxes on the campaign money used for personal use or tying the contributions to official acts done as favors for the donors.
And how. It's depressingly familiar. Come up with some new schemes!
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"Most of the personal purchases and payments described in the affidavit were made on 25th Ward credit cards in the name of Solis and his sister, Grace Perales.
The purchases date back to Christmas Eve 2009, when a credit card in Solis' name was used to pay $100 to a Mario Tricoci hair salon. Payments and purchases on Solis' card also included a $246.38 payment on April 5, 2010 for an eye exam; a $2,567 payment on October 25, 2011 to an orthodontist; $180.68 on Nov. 4, 2012 to Macy's for items that included a "boys 8-20 Polo"; $40.31 on May 19, 2013 to Nordstrom for "kids shoes"; and $131.08 on Dec. 23, 2013 to Macy's for "cookware."The Solis credit card was also used in 2014 to make monthly payments of $1,185 until $12,510.70 had been paid to The Frances Xavier Warde School, where Solis' son was apparently enrolled around the same time.
The purchases made on Perales' cards included $70.96 on Nov. 14, 2010 at J.C. Penney for "toddler separate infant sleepwear girls playwear"; $404.80 on Sept. 5, 2011 at Babies R Us for "childrens clothing extended payment option"; $156.24 on September 30, 2012 to a Mario Tricoci hair salon; another $197 on Nov. 25, 2013 to the hair salon; and $299 on March 14, 2014 to Le Petite Skin Boutique.
Investigators also examined the 25th Ward bank account used to pay for the credit card charges. They concluded Solis used two loans he took from the account to pay for personal expenses.
Reminder: Solis was making $117,833 a year as the city council's zoning committee chair, a position he has now abandoned, though he still remains an alderman. His wife, Mary Jane, makes $84,722 a year as a Chicago Public Schools bilingual kindergarten teacher, according to the Tribune. The Solis's combined $202,555 salary makes them 2 percenters, according to the Wall Street Journal's "What Percent Are You?" calculator.
(And that's not all; among whatever other kinds of outside income Solis was receiving, he also "makes money by referring clients to his sister, a Washington-based lawyer and political consultant," the Tribune reported in 2012. I added the link to his sister.)
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Meanwhile . . .
"The five candidates running to replace 25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis were all at a forum Monday night," ABC7 Chicago "reports," because Channel 7 didn't really tell us what any of them said.
That would be the Chinatown forum, just one of several being held in the ward this campaign season. You can catch up with it yourself - because I know you have nothing better to do - tonight on CAN-TV, or just watch it here:
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More campaign commentary, as always, on the illustrious Beachwood Twitter feed.
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New on the Beachwood . . .
Resentence Jason Van Dyke
Judge Vincent Gaughan had to work the law really hard to arrive at the most lenient sentence he could conjure. Now he may be appealed.
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New Mekons
"We went to the desert to have our brains scoured. We went from one desert to another - a more hopeful place where we arm ourselves with spikes and endure."
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U.S. Really Shitty At Democracy
We don't even crack the Top 20.
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The 11th Annual (More Or Less) Beachwood Super Bowl Halftime Show Prop Bet: Maroon 5 Edition
"The NFL used to challenge its audience to sit through the entire spectacle of the Super Bowl - ads and all - with nary a pee break," our very own Natasha Julius writes. "Now, they're just like, 'Whatever, have a nice long crap if you like.' Have you listened to a Maroon 5 song lately? No one in that band is remotely interested in the sounds they are making."
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Area Man Offers Neighbors Help During Cold Snap
An excuse to meet neighbors and strengthen community.
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Forgotten Forms
"Investigating our relationship with everyday objects in context of neighborhood identity and our responsibility to creating and recreating it - revealing a much greater story about neighborhood identity, placemaking, and city life."
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The Ex-Cub Factor
Featuring Micah Bowie, Jose Hernandez, Juan Pierre, Mike Olt, Justin Wilson and Drew Smyly.
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ChicagoReddit
What's the deal with people getting randomly punched on the CTA? from r/chicago
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ChicagoGram
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ChicagoTube
UCLA Men's Volleyball Team Travels To Chicago In Middle Of Polar Vortex
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BeachBook
Hidden For Over 20 Years, Brennemann School Was A Glassed Vision.
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TweetWood
A non-campaign sampling.
RT @jemelehill: No, Laquan McDonald's life is over. https://t.co/QBvP4ZAl2M
— CJP (@CJPJustProj) January 29, 2019
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I hate Chicago Exceptionalism. The only thing Chicago is exceptional about is corruption.
A lot of cities to the north of us would dispute this ... https://t.co/Azni9eQQVz via @CurbedChicago
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) January 31, 2019
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How beer distributors keep their train cargo from freezing https://t.co/0YPIUqWKtU via @crainschicago
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) January 30, 2019
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Unless you deliver, I'll take my chances. pic.twitter.com/xD0jCMc7Kq
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) January 30, 2019
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The Beachwood McRibTipLine: Get in the vortex.
Posted on January 31, 2019
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