Jon Seidel
Federal courts reporter
Jon Seidel covers federal courts for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Link gave his testimony in the trial of businessman James T. Weiss, who is accused of bribing Link and former state Rep. Luis Arroyo. Arroyo has pleaded guilty to the scheme and is serving a nearly five-year prison sentence.
Weiss is accused of bribing former state legislators Luis Arroyo and Terry Link to advance legislation in the General Assembly related to unregulated gambling devices known as sweepstakes machines.
They look like slot machines, but they’re unregulated and untaxed thanks to loopholes in Illinois’ gaming laws.
Trial begins for businessman charged in bribery scheme that brought down former lawmaker Luis Arroyo
The trial of James T. Weiss is expected to feature secret FBI recordings, the business of lobbying and testimony from current and former state lawmakers.
James T. Weiss’ attorney wound up having to raise his hand to speak in court, including when he said he had to use the bathroom. He claimed he’d been unlawfully restrained and had thrown up in a cup. He told the judge, “look at the cup!”
A guilty plea from Mack would scuttle her summer trial and lead to a sentencing hearing. Prosecutors have said Mack covered her mother’s mouth with her hand during the killing.
Ald. Jim Gardiner has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing as a result of the feds’ investigation. FBI affidavits show the feds spent a year struggling to view thousands of text messages.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge John Kness keeps the trial of Timothy Mapes on track for Aug. 7.
Defense attorney Scott Lassar told the Chicago Sun-Times he was referring to possible rulings by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, or even the U.S. Supreme Court.