It’s time for another round of quick takes on the people, places and events that were being talked about in the news this week:
A swell lot of thieves
Former Chicago Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson — grandson of Mayor Daley I — was sentenced to prison this week for a variety of offenses related to a bank swindle and eventual collapse.
He got a four-month wrist slap that won’t prove to be much of a deterrence to Illinois’ selfless public servants. And this state could could use a little deterrence when it comes to public corruption.
Perhaps that’s why The Chicago Sun-Times felt compelled to remind its readers just how corrupt municipal government is in Chicago.
It published a list of aldermen/felons going back 50 years, and it was impressive.
“Thompson is the 37th member of the Chicago City Council since the early 1970s convicted of a crime. That averages out to one council member convicted every 16 months,” the newspaper stated.
Convicted killer dies in prison
One of three family members convicted in connection with a high-profile 1996 murder case in the Decatur area has died in the state prison.
Michael Slover Sr., believed to be in his mid-70s, was serving a 65-year sentence at the maximum-security prison in Pontiac for the killing and dismembering of his former daughter-in-law, Karyn Slover.
Mr. Slover; his wife, Jeanette; and son, Michael Jr., were convicted of the murder, which was motivated over custody of the son born to Michael Jr. and Karen Slover.
The victim, an advertising saleswoman at the Decatur Herald, was last seen on Sept. 27, 1996, when she left work to pick up her son — 3-year-old Kolton — at the Slovers’ rural residence.
Her car was later found abandoned on the highway, and it wasn’t long after that body parts contained in plastic bags were discovered at Lake Shelbyville.
Authorities alleged the three Slovers feared Karen Slover would move out of state and take Kolton with her. Authorities conducted a lengthy investigation and built a circumstantial case against the three. They were arrested and charged in 2000.
Jeanette Slover, 74, an inmate at the Decatur Correctional Center, was sentenced to 60 years in prison and is scheduled to be paroled in 2029. Michael Slover Jr., who is 52 and is serving a 65-year sentence at the Illinois River Correctional Center, also is scheduled to be paroled in 2029.
After a lengthy court battle, Karen Slover’s parents won legal custody of Kolten.
His bags are packed, he’s ready to go
When Chicago’s multibillionaire businessman Ken Griffin recently announced that he’s giving up on Illinois and moving to Florida, there was much hand-wringing over how much money Illinois would lose in income taxes Griffin paid and charitable gifts he made.
After all, this is a guy who’s made $1.5 billion in charitable donations, much to the city of Chicago, and paid about $200 million annually in state income taxes.
Illinois, obviously, will take a big hit now that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s least favorite political foe has decided to move to Miami.
Before leaving, however, Griffin took action that served as a painful reminder of his personal generosity. He donated $130 million to various charities in Chicago.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Griffin “bestowed more than $130 million in parting gifts to 40 Chicago organizations” with the hope that the money will “provide a funding bridge as they seek to replace his charitable contributions.”
The gifts include $30 million to the University of Chicago, $25 million to Northwestern Medicine, $20 million to the Field Museum and $10 million each to the Museum of Science and Industry and the Fourth Presbyterian Church.
Long described as Illinois’ wealthiest resident, Griffin is a self-made multibillionaire who started his investment business as a college student.
He’s long been concerned about Illinois’ deeply rooted political and financial causes, backing a variety of candidates and movements he said he hoped could turn the state around.
As a consequence, he and Pritzker, whose policies Griffin opposes, became bitter personal and political enemies.
Griffin’s departure, however, is an admission that he’s concluded that his efforts to bring about change are pointless and that he, his employees and his businesses will be better off in Florida.
Crash and burn
Although described by some as a rising political star, University of Illinois graduate Anna Valencia took a terrible beating in her race for the Democratic Party’s nomination for secretary of state.
Valencia, the city clerk in Chicago, received just 34 percent of the vote compared to the 53 percent collected by Democratic nominee Alexi Giannoulias.
Seeking to succeed retiring Secretary of State Jesse White, both Giannoulias and Valencia planned to use the office as a launch pad to the offices of governor and/or the U.S. Senate, a common practice before White’s lengthy tenure.
Valencia won endorsement from White, U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin and Pritzker. But that proved to be so much hot air in the absence of cash to finance her campaign, a shortfall that left the Alton native bitterly disappointed.
“Until we start investing in women in politics. … the people of color and giving them the same amount of money we’re giving men, we’re gonna get the same result, unfortunately. … Money is a big thing in politics. It’s not about merit or your record. It’s about the money. That’s unfortunate,” she said.
Valencia said she is not certain that she will run for the clerk’s office she currently holds and plans to take a long vacation before making up her mind.
“I’ve only worked in government. And I may want to just try something different. I’m 37. I’m young. I’ve got a long career ahead of me,” she said.
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In case you’re wondering
Given what’s occurred over the past two years of the coronavirus pandemic, circumstances appear to have dramatically improved — or so it would seem.
But Pritzker knows better. That’s why he recently declared Illinois a COVID-19 disaster area for the 31st consecutive 30-day period.
The declaration allows Pritzer to issue mandates — if he decides it is necessary — to lock down businesses, impose mask wearing and close schools.
“I find that a disaster area exists within the state of Illinois and specifically declare all counties in the state of Illinois as a disaster area,” he said.
Pritzker critics at Wirepoints disputed that assertion, saying that “there’s nothing disastrous about” Illinois.
“Even if you were sympathetic to Pritzker’s disaster declarations during the height of the pandemic, you’d have to admit his pronouncement is absurd today. Every major metric, from vaccinations to hospitalizations to deaths, tells us that,” said Wirepoints analysts Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner.
