POWERFUL ALDERMAN WAS CONVICTED IN HIS CORRUPTION TRIAL IN 2023.

WILL THE STATE'S ONCE MOST POWERFUL LAWMAKER REACH THE SAME FATE IN 2024.

MEANWHILE, CHICAGO PREPARES TO HOST THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION AHEAD OF THIS YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM IS HERE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE BIG EVENTS TO COME IN THE NEW AND OF IN TURKEY.

HEATHER?

SURE.

ROUND.

HELLO.

GOOD TO SO FORMER ILLINOIS HOUSE SPEAKER MICHAEL MADIGAN'S TRIAL SET TO GET UNDERWAY IN APRIL.

BUT IF HE HAS ANY SAY THAT WON'T HAPPEN UNTIL MUCH LATER IN THE YEAR.

AMANDA REMIND US AGAIN WHAT HE'S CHARGED WITH WHY HIS LAWYERS HOPED TO DELAY THAT CASE.

SO FIRST OF ALL, THE STRATEGY HERE FOR ANYBODY PUT PARTICULAR SOMEBODY LIKE MAN, AGAIN, WHO YOUNG ANYMORE, ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW IT, HE'S IN THE SPREAD PHILA.

>> STATEMENTS TRYING TO PUT OFF.

IT IS LONG IS POSSIBLE.

BUT THE REASON THAT HE AND YOU HAVE SOME OTHERS, INCLUDING THE COMMENT FOR TIM MAPES, ALL THE SORT OF LOOKING AT THE STRATEGY IS ACTUALLY TO A CASE THAT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IS TAKING UP THAT AND DEALS WITH THE FORMER MAYOR OF PORTAGE, INDIANA.

SO NOT THAT FAR BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S A BRIBE VERSUS GRATUITY, A GRATUITY BEING JUST AS WE THINK OF IT.

YOU TO EAT.

YOU GIVE SOMEBODY A TIP AFTER THE FACT VERSUS THE BRIDE WOULD BEFOREHAND.

ALL DO THIS AND THEN YOU DO SOMETHING IN RETURN.

SO REALLY THAT THE AIM HERE FOR HIS DEFENSE TEAM IS TO TRY TO ARGUE IF THEN WAIT FOR THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TO MAKE A DECISION, HOPE THAT THAT DECISION GOES IN MADIGAN FAVOR AND THAT THE FEDS DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY SORT OF CASE BECAUSE WHOLE DEFINITION OF BRIBERY, HIS AND AGAIN, TO GET YOUR INITIAL QUESTION IS REALLY USED WHAT THE INDICTMENT DESCRIBES AS THE MAGIC ENTERPRISE, WHICH IS IT MEANT TO SOUND A SPRAWLING IS IT REALLY WAS IN TERMS OF HIS POWER AND THAT HE ABUSED IN ORDER TO GET FAVORS FOR HIS PROPERTY TAX LAW FIRM.

I WONDER HOW THAT'S FOR ALL BUT ALSO TO HIS ALLIES.

YOU MENTIONED HIS LONGTIME CONFIDANT, TIM MAPES, THE SO-CALLED COMMENT FOR THEY'RE TRYING TO DELAY THEIR SENTENCING.

DO YOU THINK THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON MANNEQUINS CASE OR THESE KIND OF 2 SEPARATE OF YOU IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO SORT OF WATCH THESE TRIALS BECAUSE SOME OF THE JURORS.

>> DON'T LEAVE IN CHICAGO PROPER AND REALLY AREN'T ALL THAT KEYED INTO WHO THESE FIGURES ARE.

SO >> FOR FOLKS LIKE US, IT IS WE'RE LITERALLY PAID.

AND ALSO, I THINK LIKE SLASH HAVE AND A BIT OF AN ADDICTION TO FOLLOWING YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK THAT AT THIS POINT IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO IMAGINE HOW DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, BUT REALLY, AGAIN, THIS IS UP FAR OUT OF ILLINOIS'S CONTROL AND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ARGUABLY MAYBE BUT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE AS MUCH OF THE CASE.

I'M NOT SURE MAYBE MAKING THAT ARGUMENT.

I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT HE IS A HE'S BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE AND PERJURY.

SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW OR WHY THAT WOULD FIT INTO THIS CORRUPTION CASE.

BUT THERE YOU GO.

EXACTLY.

TAKE A SWING FORMER ALDERMAN ED BURKE WHO YOU JUST MENTIONED.

HE JOINED THE LONG LIST OF CONVICTED FORMER POLITICIANS HERE IN ILLINOIS.

>> I FEEL LIKE WE ASK THIS EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS.

BUT HEATHER, DOES THIS MOVE THE NEEDLE AT ALL FOR VOTERS?

SO I THINK THAT THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION.

THE QUESTION THAT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN REALLY ANSWER IS WHY TO CHICAGO HAVE SUCH IGNOMINIOUS HISTORY OF CORRUPTION AND WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO SORT OF BREAK THIS CULTURE?

AND I DO CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE SAW MORRIS PASS QUELL ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY ASKED ABOUT I SAID, LOOK, BURKE HAS OPERATED THE WAY THAT THE JURY FOUND, THAT HE OPERATED ESSENTIALLY AS A BRIBE TAKER IN EXTORTIONATE WANTED TO TAKE THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE 50 YEARS TO GATHER ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO BRING THIS CASE TO A JURY.

>> AND THAT I THINK IS THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION THAT WE HAVEN'T ANSWERED AND I'M HOPING TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE REPORTING ON THIS.

NOW THAT IS 2024 AND MAYBE GET SOME WATCH THIS SPACE YOU HAVE.

THERE'S A LOT GOING IN THE 2024 ELECTION SEASON.

ONE OF THEM, HEATHER IS THE BRING CHICAGO HOME BALLOT MEASURE.

WHAT ARE VOTERS GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THIS LEADING UP TO ELECTION DAY?

WELL, IT IS GOING TO BE A BATTLE ROYALE BETWEEN THE BUSINESS AND THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY IN CHICAGO WHO SEE THIS REFERENDUM AS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO THEIR ABILITY TO SORT OF SELL BIG COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS FOR MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE SAME TIME OF THE FERRY ENERGIZED.

>> PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY WHO SEE THIS REFERENDUM AS A WAY TO SHOW EFFORTS TO SORT OF TAX WEALTHY, CHICAGOANS, WEALTHY PROPERTY OWNERS TO FUND THE CITY'S SOCIAL SAFETY NET.

SO THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE SORT OF CLASH BETWEEN THOSE COMPETING VISIONS OF CHICAGO.

AND I THINK IT WILL PROVE TO BE A REFERENDUM, AT LEAST IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON'S TENURE BECAUSE HE IS ALL IN ON PASSING.

BRING CHICAGO HOME IF IT FAILS, IT WILL BE A MAJOR DEFEAT FOR ARE STILL NEW ISH YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND CERTAINLY 2 BLOCKS ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF SWAY IN CITY COUNCIL.

>> THERE'S ONE NOTABLE RACE ON THE BALLOT FOR THE STATE SENATE AND THE 20TH DISTRICT.

IT'S TO REPLACE CHRISTINA FACILITIES.

I S WHO CAME OVER TO BE MAYOR JOHNSON'S DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF.

WHAT KIND OF AN IMPACT COULD THAT RACE HAVE?

SO I THINK THIS IS SORT OF ONE OF THE MARQUEE RACES BECAUSE YOU HAVE, AS HEATHER JUST ALLUDED TO IT IN TERMS OF BUSINESS COMMUNITY VERSUS PROGRESSIVES.

NATALIE TORO IS ACTUALLY A CPS TEACHER HAS WAS BRENDAN JOHNSON.

BUT OH, WAIT.

>> HE AND THE PROGRESS IS ON THE SIDE OF CHRIS YELLEN.

AND IS SO TOUR, HOWEVER, IS THE ONE WHO WON THE APPOINTMENT.

WHEN PAST YOUR KNEES IOUS MOVED SO THIS IS ANOTHER WHERE IT'S SORT OF A BIT OF A MORE MODERATE VISION, ALL VOTE OR IS CERTAINLY TRYING TO IT APPEARS PAID HERSELF EVERY BIT AS PROGRESSIVE AND AS HER TOP OPPONENT FOR 2 OTHERS WHO ARE ACTIVE IN THAT RACE, I SHOULD MENTION IT'S NOT FOR SURE.

YET BALLOT NOT DECIDED A ONE ON ONE, BUT YOU HAVE THE SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING FULLY IN FOR TORRES, IN PART BECAUSE THAT'S JUST HOW IT WORKS.

IF YOU'RE ALREADY A MEMBER, IT IS UP TO THE CAUCUS TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT YOU.

SO THEY WILL HAVE SHE CERTAINLY WILL HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY AT IT HER CAMPAIGN'S DISPOSAL SALUTE LEE.

SO THE THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION WILL BE BACK IN PERSON AFTER A >> MOSTLY VIRTUAL CONVENTION.

YOU AND I WERE AT THE MILWAUKEE IN 2020 AND IT WAS VERY AND THAT WAS YES, EXACTLY.

WHAT KIND OF HOPES TO YOU THINK.

YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER, MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON HAVE FOR THIS?

THEY HOPE THAT THIS WILL SHOWCASE THE BEST OF WHAT CHICAGO HAS OFFER CHICAGO AS A MODERN CITY, A BASTION OF THOSE PROGRESSIVE VALUES.

WHEREVER EXACTLY YOU FALL SORT IDEOLOGICAL SORT HEAT MAP.

BUT PRITZKER WANTS THIS TO BE HIS COMING OUT PARTY AS A MAJOR DEMOCRATIC BROKER.

SO THEY ARE UNITED IN THEIR DESIRE TO HAVE A GO SMOOTHLY TO HAVE BE SORTED THROUGH CORONATION OF PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS.

THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES THE MIGRANT CRISIS LOOK LIKE WHEN EVERYBODY IS IN TOWN IS CRIME ISSUE?

WHAT OTHER GET ITS ACT TOGETHER IN TERMS OF SORT SOME OF THESE AREAS.

THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

IN PTA.

THERE'S FRUSTRATION STILL AS YOU FREQUENTLY REPORT ON COURSE.

OUR TRANSPORTATION GURU, A LOT OF FRUSTRATIONS WITH THE CTA STILL.

THERE THERE'S A LOT OF HOPE AND INSPIRATION.

>> A OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT, BUT >> YOU KNOW, THE CITY PUT A 60 DAY LIMIT ON SHELTER, STAYS IN NOVEMBER FOR MIGRANTS AND ASYLUM SEEKERS.

DO WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN TIME RUNS OUT 2 WEEKS FROM TODAY THAT TIME OR CLICKS.

AND THOSE FIRST 60 DAY EVICTION NOTICES, WE UNDERSTAND, WILL BEGIN TO BE ISSUED.

SO IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO BY KATE, THE CITY'S SHELTERS AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM AND WHERE DO THEY GO?

IT'S BEEN A LONG AND DIFFICULT PROCESS AND TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE GET WORK PERMITS.

>> WHETHER THEY CAN DO IT IS VERY MUCH A QUESTION SAYING THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THIS AND A HUMANITARIAN WAY AS