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* Sun-Times…
When the FBI confronted businessman James Weiss in October 2019 about $2,500 that had been passed along to then-state Sen. Terry Link, an agent told him bluntly, “This looks like a bribe.”
Weiss insisted that wasn’t his intention. He claimed he’d hired a consultant on behalf of his sweepstakes gaming business, Collage LLC, to help get legislation passed in Springfield. He said he had to hire her “to get Terry Link neutralized with the gaming guys.”
Trouble was, that consultant had been concocted by the FBI amid a bribery investigation that eventually led to charges against Weiss and then-state Rep. Luis Arroyo. […]
The jury also saw a text exchange between Link and Weiss, in which Link asked Weiss, “Did you send me the check?” Weiss allegedly texted Link a picture of a Post-it note featuring Link’s name, phone number and post-office box.
Weiss allegedly wrote, “This is where Lou [Arroyo] told me to send it.”
* Tribune…
At the direction of the FBI, Link had told Arroyo to have the checks made out to a purported associate named Katherine Hunter, who didn’t actually exist.
When Weiss was later questioned by agents, he lied and said Hunter was a lobbyist who lived in Winnetka and that he’d spoken to her on the phone, according to a recording of the interview also played for the jury Monday.
Weiss’ attorneys have argued Weiss was paying Arroyo as a legitimate consultant for his business, and that trying to enlist another politician’s help is not a crime.
Near the end of his direct examination Monday, however, Link was asked by prosecutors what he believed the $2,500-a-month offering was for.
“Passing legislation for sweepstakes games,” Link said.
* Jason Meisner…
Usharovich also points out Weiss did not have an attorney present. Heide says Weiss told them, "he was not a rookie and that he could get an attorney but that he would continued to speak with us."
Usharovich said asked wasn't that because Weiss had nothing to hide?— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) June 13, 2023
* Jon Seidel…
The juror in question is actually an alternate, based on my notes. The judge is speaking to him about the issue now.
The juror says he's never been in so much pain.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) June 13, 2023
The alternate juror will stay on the panel for now while Judge Seeger thinks it over.
Trouble is, there's another juror who apparently has plans to travel to Europe later this week. If the juror with the toothache is excused, the panel could quickly be down to 0 alternates.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) June 13, 2023
The trial is taking its morning break. With the jury out of the courtroom, Judge Seeger says he will excuse the alternate juror dealing with a toothache.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) June 13, 2023
* And…
Sounds like from the in-court discussions we may get closing arguments in this case on Wednesday.
Which would mean Weiss is not taking the stand.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) June 12, 2023
posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Jun 13, 23 @ 11:03 am
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A friend send me a photo of the defendant in this case wearing a Mickey Mouse tie to court. Hard to figure out what point (if any) he was trying to make.
Although it appears that former State Senator Link needed a bit of a nudge by the FBI and the USDA, he should get some credit for stepping up and disclosing under oath how “lobbying “ was done in this case in Springfield.
Perhaps his stepping up will lead other members of the GA or some lobbyists to expose the problems these cases demonstrated in the lobbying culture in Springfield.
We only have a limited number of FBI agents in the US and it is bit of a black mark that Illinois takes up so much of the resources of federal law enforcement to deal with public corruption cases.
Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Jun 13, 23 @ 1:46 pm
wondering how the Heidner Trib revelation affects. court took a break just after the story came out.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jun 13, 23 @ 3:31 pm