JOHNSON PROMOTES A RENEWED EFFORT BY CHURCHES TO HELP MIGRANTS IN THE CITY.

JURORS HEAR SECRETLY RECORDED EVIDENCE IN THE CORRUPTION TRIAL OF FORMER ALDERMAN ED BURKE AND A FORMER STATE LAWMAKER IS JAILED IN A REVENGE CASE HERE WITH ALL THAT AND MORE, OUR AMANDA KEY AND HEADER, SHARON FOR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.

THE WEATHER BEFORE WE GET TO THE MIGRANT STORY, OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF BREAKING NEWS FOR US ABOUT THE POWER THAT ALDERMAN HAVE TO CONTROL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THEIR WORD TELLS ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY THAT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT HAS DECIDED THAT THE WAY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS DECIDED WHERE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, NOT ONLY FUELS SEGREGATION IN CHICAGO, BUT DISCRIMINATES AGAINST BLACK AND LATINO RESIDENTS BECAUSE IT GIVES WHITE ALDERMEN A VETO OVER WHETHER TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

>> IN THEIR WEALTHY WARDS AND THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SAYS VIOLATES THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND COULD EXPOSE THE CITY TO SIGNIFICANT SANCTIONS UNLESS MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON DOES WITH HIS PREDECESSORS, REFUSED TO DO AND END THIS UNWRITTEN PRACTICE.

WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE AS ALDERMANIC PREROGATIVE.

RIGHT?

THIS FEELS THIS FEELS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, HEATHER, SOME OF THE WAYS THAT ALDERMAN AND CITY COUNCIL FUNCTION IN CHICAGO.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY SIGNIFICANT.

AND IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

THIS IS BASED ON A 2018 COMPLAINT.

>> BY A COALITION OF FAIR HOUSING GROUPS THAT HAS BEEN LINGERING OUT THERE NOW FOR 5 YEARS.

AND IT WILL BE UP TO BRANDON JOHNSON TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WILL KEEP THE CITY SORT OF OUT OF TROUBLE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THE WAY THE CITY COUNCIL HANDLES AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

TO TELL WHAT OCCURS TO ME HERE IS THAT YOU HAVE HAD MAYORS, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYOR LIGHTFOOT TRYING TO REIN IN THIS RIGHT?

AND THERE'S A LOT OF PUSHBACK BECAUSE WHAT ELECTED OFFICIAL WANTS TO GIVE UP SOME OF THEIR POWER, NONE OF BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THE HAND OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMING IN THERE AND SORT OF FORCING IT TO HAPPEN, THAT SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR JOHNSON TO DO THAT PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS.

IT'S CAN'T.

IT'S NOT.

HE'S NOT THE BAD GUY, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL THAT HE HAS TO WORK WITH AND RECEIVED BY AN FROM IT'S IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WHEN YOU SAY I'VE GOT TO DO THIS, FOLKS CAN'T HELP.

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SAID, HEY, CHICAGO, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG GET WITH THE TO.

THERE'S A LOT MORE ABOUT THIS STORY ABOUT THIS ON MY STORY ON THE WEBSITE.

BUT PROBE DID FIND ALDERMAN DEFENDING THIS PRACTICE EXCUSING WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID WAS CODED RACIAL LANGUAGE.

THAT WAS CLEARLY DISCRIMINATORY TOWARDS BLACK AND LATINO RESIDENTS.

I DON'T LIKE TO USE THE WORD BOMBSHELL ON THE AIR, BUT THIS IS AN INDICTMENT OF THE WAY THE CITY HAS OPERATED FOR DECADES EXACTLY 4 DECADES BECAUSE WE KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SEGREGATION IN CHICAGO AND HOW THAT ALL WENT BUT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER A BIT OF HOUSING THAT IS, OF COURSE, HOUSING THE NEW ARRIVALS, THE THOUSANDS OF SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY, MAYOR JOHNSON TOUTED A RENEWED CHURCH LED EFFORT TO HELP ADDRESS THIS MIGRANT CRISIS AT A CONFERENCE THIS MORNING.

>> IN THE FACE OF THIS, OF COURSE, IS >> CONTINUE TO DESPERATELY WORKED TO TEAR OUR CITY APART.

WE WILL OVERCOME THIS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.

AND WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER.

EVERYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS MISSION.

THE TIMING COULD NOT BE MORE CRUCIAL.

WE CANNOT ABANDON FAMILIES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS AND LET THEM GO THROUGH CHICAGO'S WINTER ALONE.

>> HEADED TO THE MAYOR ADDRESSED CONCERNS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION IN BRIGHTON PARK OR AT THE SITE THERE?

WELL, I WASN'T THE ONLY REPORTER TO PRESS HIM ON WHY CONSTRUCTION IS BEGINNING NOW ON THE BASE CAMP IN BRIGHTON PARK BEFORE ANYBODY.

SEEN THE FULL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF WHAT WAS ON THAT SITE.

WE DO KNOW TOXIC METALS WERE DISCOVERED ON IT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE MIGRANTS WHO COULD MOVE IN AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK.

MAYOR SAID WILL HAVE THAT FULL REPORT BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

HE DID NOT REALLY ADDRESS MY QUESTION ABOUT WHY DO IT IN THIS ORDER.

BUT HE SAID IT'S 20 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

THE CITY HAS RUN OUT OF OPTIONS.

THEY HAVE TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO GET ESPECIALLY CHILDREN AND PREGNANT WOMEN OFF OF THE FLOORS.

POLICE STATIONS AND O'HARE INTO A MORE IS HE SAID DIGNIFIED LIVING SITUATION AND SAID SORRY IF I AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS RECENTLY PREGNANT, I WOULD MUCH RATHER BE IN A POLICE STATION AND I WOULD BE IN A POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED SITE LIVING IN A TENT, EVEN A WINTERIZED ONE.

>> THE FACT THAT WE ARE AT THIS POINT WHEN IT IS ALREADY FRIGID OUTSIDE AND WHEN WE HAVE EMPTY OFFICE BUILDINGS ALL OVER THE CITY IS WE HEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE EVEN AT THIS POINT WHERE THIS IS WHAT COME TO.

THINK THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF WHY THAT IS.

BUT IT IS SAD WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, CENTRAL PLANNING PERSPECTIVE AND HARMFUL FOR THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THESE CONDITIONS.

ABSOLUTELY.

ON HEADER.

HE ALSO TOUTED THE NEW UNITY HOW MANY PEOPLE GOING HELP?

WHAT IS IT?

SO IT WILL HOLD ONLY LESS THAN 350 PEOPLE AS PART OF THIS FIRST WAVE AND IT WILL TAKE.

>> INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES GOING TO THE POLICE STATIONS IN FIGHTING AS MANY AS 20 OF THE MIGRANTS TO COME LIVE IN THEIR CHURCHES AND GET WRAPAROUND SERVICES, GET WARM MEALS AND FIND SOMEWHERE TO LIVE OFF THOSE FLOORS.

>> BUT THERE ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 1100 MIGRANTS RIGHT NOW LIVING AT POLICE STATION WITH ABOUT ANOTHER 150 AT O'HARE.

SO THIS IS PERHAPS A BUT IT IS NOT SORT OF OVERALL STRATEGY, WHICH IS WHY WE'VE SEEN SORT OF A RENEWED EFFORT TO GET THE SPACE CAMPS UP AND RUNNING.

THERE'S ALSO A PLAN TO BUILD A BASE CAMP AT 115 HOSTED IN ROSELAND.

THAT HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED.

BUT IT SEEMS THE MAYOR'S DETERMINED TO SORT OF HAVE THIS BE THE SOLUTION TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE POLICE STATIONS WHICH HAVE TO REMIND YOU HE'S BEEN PROMISING TO DO SINCE JULY.

THE BURKE CORRUPTION TRIAL CONTINUING DESPITE A NUMBER OF MORE EVIDENCE IN THIS TRIAL OF A FORMER ALDERMAN ED BURKE.

THIS TIME FOCUSING ON THE AUDIO, THE VIDEO SECRETLY RECORDED BY FORMER ALDERMAN DANNY SOLIS MENTIONED IT'S A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE ONE OF THE JURORS HERE.

WELL, THINK ANYTIME THAT YOU HEAR OF ONE OF THESE CALLS AND SAID THIS FOR AND AGAIN, IT REALLY HITS HOME FOR JURORS AND MISSES.

>> THE BIG EVIDENCE, RIGHT?

THIS IS WHEN YOU HEAR BURKE HIMSELF REALLY NEGOTIATING WITH ALDERMAN, THEN ALDERMAN SOLIS SAYING, HEY, I CAN GET YOU A MARKETING CONTRACT.

CAN YOU HELP ME?

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET ME THESE BIG PROJECTS?

SEND THEM TO MY LAW FIRM.

IT REALLY WIELDING THE POWER OF HIS PUBLIC OFFICE.

HE SAYS THAT'S NOT SO.

BUT THAT'S WHAT IS TRYING TO BE PROVEN ALDERMAN, HEY, YOU'VE GOT I'M TALKING TO THE CHAIR OF THE ZONING COMMITTEE.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO BRING THIS WORK TO MY LAW FIRM?

I THINK THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE INTERESTING ON THAT.

THE CALL HE CALLS IT, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD OF CLASS AFTER AND BURKE.

>> ON THE CALL, WHICH IS JUST SORT OF OLD HE ALSO, HOWEVER, ADDRESSES TRYING TO WORK WITH POLICE TO AVOID, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, LEGAL PITFALLS.

SO IT SEEMS AS IF HE WAS AWARE AT LEAST OF THE LAW, IT SEEMS AS IF HE WAS SORT OF DOING THIS OLD-SCHOOL POLITICAL PRACTICE OF WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN IN HIS EYES WALKING UP TO THE EDGE OF THE LAW WITHOUT CROSSING IT.

AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS WHAT THIS CASE IS ALL ABOUT.

WAS THAT BUT IT WAS THAT DIVIDE CROSSED SOMETHING.

WE TALK ABOUT A LOT HERE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CORRUPTION OR POTENTIAL CORRUPTION.

IT'S NOT ILLEGAL.

SAID THIS ISN'T THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME NOR IS IT THE FIRST.

SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO READ INTO THAT AS WELL.

WITH THAT MISTER LEE ON TAPE.

BUT I'D RUN WITHOUT A FIGHT.

HE SAID THEY'RE OK SOME FOR RENT ON TIME.

HEATHER, CHICAGO BOARD OF ETHICS IS ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO TIGHTEN CAMPAIGN RULES.

>> CAMPAIGNS ASKING FOR CASH FROM CITY WORKERS.

WHY IS THIS THING?

WELL, I THINK SPORTS DECIDED THAT THE CITY'S GOVERNMENTAL ETHICS ORDINANCE ONLY IN PHASE TO INDIVIDUALS AND NOT COMMITTEES OR POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES.

SO THE BOARD ASKED THE CITY COUNCIL, HEY, CLOSE THIS LOOPHOLE BECAUSE THEY FOUND THAT THEY COULD NOT SANCTION.

FORMER MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT WHO SENT A WHOLE PLETHORA OF E-MAILS TO CITY OFFICIALS AT THEIR OFFICIAL CITY ADDRESS IS ASKING FOR CAMPAIGN CASH.

NOW, THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, IS THAT REALLY WHAT ORDINANCE AS DOES THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE THE WILL TO SORT OF TIGHTEN THESE LOOPHOLES, WHICH WE COULD POTENTIALLY REDUCE THEIR ABILITY TO RAISE CASH FROM PEOPLE.

BUT I THINK THERE ARE ALSO LARGER QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE CITY'S ETHICS ENFORCEMENT IS WORKING.

THE ETHICS BOARD COULD HAVE FOLLOWED INSPECTOR GENERAL DE PERE RECOMMENDATION AND HIT LORI LIGHTFOOT WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN FINES.

THEY DID NOT AND SAID ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO ACT WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS REALLY A DETERRENT TO CORRUPTION, I