Thursday, February 23, 2012

Feds indict Cook County Commissioner Beavers : Former Chicago Alderman , Police Officer, and Machine Boss Adds Another Sad Chapter in Chicago Corruption

Crain's Chicago Business reports:
Cook County Commissioner William Beavers has been indicted on federal tax charges.

Culminating a long and much-rumored probe, a federal grand jury accused him of repeatedly failing to report all of his income and pay taxes on it, in part because of gambling expenses.


The commissioner and former alderman was charged with one count of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service and three counts of filing false income-tax returns.

According to prosecutors Mr. Beavers, a traditional Chicago politician who long has been one of the city's most colorful figures, tapped both his campaign committees and his county expense account for personal purposes without paying taxes on that income.


There's more:
Mr. Beavers long has been a staunch defender of Chicago-style patronage. A brassy sort who once termed himself “the hog with the big nuts,” he also was a big backer of the controversial sales-tax hike pushed through by former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, and resisted efforts by the new president, Toni Preckwinkle, to replace it.

Here's then Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica discussing Cook County corruption and William Beavers.




Here's more.