[♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELL TO "THE WEEK IN REVIEW" I'M PARIS SCHUTZ.

WE WILL BE JOINED BY OUR "THE WEEK IN REVIEW" IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES... >> A PROPOSED CITY ORDINANCE COULD BEEF UP THE PENALTIES ALDERPEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR COMMITTING ETHICS VIOLATIONS.

UNDER THE PROPOSAL SPONSORED BY MICHELLE 134EU9 FINES WOULD JUMP FROM $5,000 TO $20,000 FOR ETHICS VIOLATIONS.

THE CHICAGO OF BOARD OF ETHICS CHARGED WITH ADJUDICATING THESE VIOLATIONS SUPPORTS THE PROPOSAL AMID A WAVE OF FEDERAL DOCUMENTS THE MOST RECENTLY BEING PAT OF PATRICK DALEY THOMPSON.

>> SEVERAL DOZEN CONVICTIONS TIED TO A DISGRACED FORMER POLICE SERGEANT HAVE BEEN VACATED A JUDGE TOSSED 44 CONVICTIONS TIED TO RONALD WATTS.

KIM FOXX SUPPORTED THE DISMISSALS.

THAT BRINGS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF VACATED CONVICTIONS TO 212.

WATTS AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF EXTORTING RESIDENTS AT THE IDA B.

WELLS HOUSING PROJECTS BACK IN THE EARLY 2000'S.

>> DEMOLITION CREWS WERE TEARING DOWN THE CHURCH IN ENGLEWOOD.

THE BUILDING WAS DEEMED UNSAFE BY INSPECTORS AND ORDERED TO COME DOWN AFTER IT CAUGHT FIRE LAST FRIDAY.

THE CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS SAID THAT THE FIRE WAS SPARKED ACCIDENTALLY BY A PROPANE TORCH.

THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH AS THEY DEAL WITH THE LOSS OF THIS HISTORIC COMMUNITY PILLAR.

>> THE BULLS ARE GETTING READY FOR THE FIRST HOME PLAYOFF GAME IN FIVE YEARS.

TIP-OFF AFTER "THE WEEK IN REVIEW" NO NEED TO SWITCH THE CHANNEL.

THE SERIES IS TIED 1-1 AFTER THE BULLS PULLED OFF A THRILLING ROAD VICTORY IN MILWAUKEE BEHIND DEROSEN'S ELECTRIC PERFORMANCE.

THE BULLS LOOK TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THIS SERIES AGAINST THE DEFENDING NBA CHAMPS.

>> AND NOW ON TO OUR "THE WEEK IN REVIEW" PANEL JOINING US ARE STEVE DANIELS OF CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS.

LORRAINE FORTE OF THE "CHICAGO SUN-TIMES".

MIKE FLANNERY OF FOX 32 NEWS.

AND OUR OWN AMANDA VINICKY.

AND LET'S GET RIGHT TO IT.

AT THE END OF A CITY CLUB SPEECH MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT HINTED AT A REELECTION RUN NEXT YEAR.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> WE HAVE FACED UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES AND WE HAVE MET THOSE CHALLENGES HEAD ON WITH UNPRECEDENTED RESOLVE AND COMING TOGETHER.

AND WE'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS.

AND MORE TO DO.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR TIPPING TO CHOOSE CHICAGO.

AND THE PEOPLE WHO CALL IT HOME.

AND, OH, BY THE WAY, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME TODAY EXPECTING A DIFFERENT ANNOUNCEMENT, NOT TODAY BUT SOON.

BE PATIENT.

THANK YOU ALL.

>> MIKE FLANNERY A CAMPAIGN STYLE SPEECH AND HER ARGUMENT IS CHICAGO IS BOUNCING BACK FROM COVID LIKE GANG BUSTERS IS THAT A COMPELLING CASE TO MAKE?

>> I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO IT.

AND I THINK LOOK SHE'S BEEN GIVING FOR EIGHT OR 10 MONTHS CAMPAIGN STYLE SPEECHES FROM TIME TO TIME.

SHE HAS ANNOUNCED A SUMMER OF JOY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT.

>> NOT TO BE MISTAKEN WITH THE SUMMER OF GEORGE.

>> SHE'S PRAYING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE JOYFUL ABOUT THIS SUMMER.

LOOK, LIKE EVERYBODY, FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN ON DOWN, PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE HIM WHO HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS CORONAVIRUS, HAS HAD A TOUGH HAND.

IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING THAT AS SHE CONTEMPLATES RUNNING AGAIN SHE GOT ABOUT 17% OF THE VOTE IN THE FIRST ROUND.

AND THAT WAS ENOUGH TO GET HER INTO THE RUNOFF WITH TONI PRECKWINKLE.

IF WE HAVE A HUGE MULTICANDIDATE FIELD AGAIN, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER WE WILL, SHE CAN BE IN THE RUNOFF.

>> AMANDA VINICKY WHY CHOOSE TO GIVE THE CAMPAIGN-STYLE SPEECH AND SAY WAIT I DON'T HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT QUITE YET?

>> I'LL COVER BOTH OF THEM.

WHY NOT?

STRETCH IT IF YOU HAVE AN AUDIENCE AND A PLATFORM TO GIVE A CAMPAIGN STYLE SPEECH IT GETS COVERAGE AND YOU GET IT AGAIN WHY NOT?

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I AM ON PINS AND NEEDLES WAITING FOR THE MAYOR TO ANNOUNCE WHETHER SHE IS GOING TO RUN IT IS A MATTER OF WHEN AND IT WILL HAPPEN.

>> AS YOU SEE THIS FIELD SHAKE OUT.

LORRAINE FORTE WHAT IS LIGHTFOOT'S NARRATIVE ON THE ISSUE OF CRIME WHICH HAS REMAINED PERSISTENTLY HIGH?

>> ONE THING SHE AND SUPERINTENDENT BROWN ALWAYS POINT OUT IS THAT NUMBER ONE CRIME HAS GONE UP ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

NOT JUST A PROBLEM IN CHICAGO.

THEY POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE EFFORTS TO REFORM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FIGHT CRIME HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY COVID AND CERTAINLY THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN LOSING A LOT OF OFFICERS AND A LOT OF OFFICERS DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC WERE SICK.

SO THEY POINT TO WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.

THEY CERTAINLY LIKE TO POINT TO WHEN THEY MAKE HIGH PROFILE ARRESTS ET CETERA.

SO THEY ARE POINTING TO LOOK, THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT A CHICAGO PHENOMENON.

WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.

WE'RE MAKING MORE ARRESTS FOR CARJACKINGS.

AND WE'RE STANDING UP TO WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCUSED OF VIOLENT CRIMES HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

SO THEY POINT TO THE FACT THAT THIS ISN'T JUST A PROBLEM IN CHICAGO.

AND POINT TO THE SUCCESSES.

>> AND STEVE DANIELS, ALSO THIS WEEK MAYOR LIGHTFOOT GAS CARD PROPOSAL GAS GIVEAWAY PASSED NARROWLY IN A CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE.

>> IT'S HARD TO TELL.

IT'S GOTTEN A THE LOW OF PUSHBACK FROM ALDERMEN.

SO I'M NOT COMFORTABLE MAKING PREDICTIONS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FULL COUNCIL.

I WILL GUESS IT WILL PROBABLY SQUEAK THROUGH AT THE END OF THE PROCESS.

I THINK THAT WHAT HAS IMMERSED FROM ALL OF HIS DEBATE IS A, SHE HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF A CAMPAIGN GIMMICK HERE, WHICH I THINK IS A REASONABLY FAIR ACCUSATION IN SOME SENSE BECAUSE SHE IS REQUIRING NOTIFICATION BY -- THE GOVERNOR -- BUT IN ESSENCE WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IS WILLIE WILSON WHO IS A MAYORAL CANDIDATE HIMSELF HAS BEEN SPONSORING THE FREE GAS DAYS WHERE PEOPLE LINEUP IN THEIR CARS FOR ON END AND SHE WANTS TO COMPETE WITH THAT.

AND SHE IS THE MAYOR.

SHE IS ABLE TO COMPETE WITH PUBLIC MONEY AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE SOME OF THE PUSHBACK CAME FROM.

HEY, COULD THIS MONEY BE SPENT BETTER ELSEWHERE RATHER THAN COMPETING WITH A VERY, VERY WEALTHY MAN WHO IS TRYING TO CURRY FAVOR WITH VOTERS.

>> DISCOMFORT.

MIKE FLANNERY WHERE IS THE ETHICAL LINE IF A DECLARED CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR IS SPENDING $3 MILLION ON THE GIVEAWAYS OR MAYOR LIGHTFOOT IS PUTTING HER NAME ON A GIFT CARD, IS IT COMING UP TO THE LINE OF ETHICS PROBLEMS?

>> I THINK IT'S OVER THE LINE.

SHE IS SO FAR OVER THE LINE.

IT IS A RIDICULOUS POLITICAL STUNT.

THERE IS NO DOUBT SHE IS GOING TO WIN FAVOR WITH SOME VOTERS WITH IT.

THE VENTURE CARDS 100,000 OF THOSE FOR CTA RIDERS.

AND THEN THE 50,000 GAS CARDS THAT ARE GOING TO GO OUT WORTH $150.

WHO IS NOT GOING TO LOVE THAT?

THAT IS ANOTHER GOOD REASON FOR HER TO NOT MAKE AN ANNOUNCE.

OF A CANDIDACY UNTIL SHE FINISHES GIVING THOSE OUT.

THE SUMMER OF JOY AT THE PARK DISTRICT, THE LOTTERIES GIVING THE GAS CARDS AND VENTURE CARDS OUT ARE SUPPOSED TO ROLL OUT IN THE SUMMER.

IN AUGUST IF SHE IS GOING TO RUN, SHE IS GOING TO HAVE HERMINEIANS COLLECTING COLLECTING VOTER SIGNATURES ON NOMINATING PETITIONS.

IT ALL ALIGNS TOGETHER NICELY.

>> THERE IS A NICE RAMP UP.

LORRAINE FORTE WHAT ABOUT WILLIE WILSON AND THE GAS GIVEAWAYS?

AS A DECLARED CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR, IS THERE AN ETHICS PROBLEM HERE?

>> WELL, I MEAN ANYTIME YOU ARE A CANDIDATE OR A MAYOR WHO IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO RUN FOR REELECTION, I THINK IT IS AN ETHICS PROBLEM.

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO BUY VOTES.

I MEAN THERE'S NOBODY THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO THAT DOESN'T GET THAT IMPRESSION.

AND WILLIE WILSON, YOU KNOW, HE IS A GENEROUS MAN AND KNOWN FOR GIVING AWAY MONEY.

HE GAVE AWAY HANDED OUT CASH AT CHURCHES IN PREVIOUS YEARS WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

SO, YEAH, IT DOES LOOK LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TO BUY VOTES THERE IS NO WAY IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT.

>> HIS ANNOUNCEMENT FOR MAYOR CAME IN CLOSE CONJUNCTION WITH THE GIVEAWAYS.

AMANDA VINICKY THIS WEEK WE SAW FEDERAL PROSECUTORS GO TO BAT FOR DANNY SOLIS IN THE DEFERRED PROSECUTION AGREEMENT SAYING THAT HE DID REALLY WELL TO HELP BRING DOWN MADIGAN, ComEd AND ED BURKE.

ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT PROSECUTORS GAVE SOLIS SUCH HIGH GRADES FOR HIS COOPERATION HERE?

>> I MEAN I HAVE NOT SPOKEN WITH ANY FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ABOUT HOW OFTEN THIS IS BUT THEY USED THE WORD EXTRAORDINARY IN DESCRIBING SOLIS.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT IS AN ASSESSMENT AS A POLITICAL JOURNALIST CERTAINLY HE AS PLAYED AN EXTRAORDINARY ROLE IN BRINGING DOWN TWO OR AT LEAST OBVIOUSLY ALDERMAN ED BURKE IS STILL ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND HE AND MICHAEL MADIGAN ARE FIGHTING THE CHARGES AND SAY THEY ARE INNOCENT OF ANY SORT OF WRONGDOING.

NONETHELESS, SOLIS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE TWO HUGE POLITICAL FIGURES.

SO IT IS SORT OF AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE IN HISTORY IN CHICAGO POLITICS THE ROLE HE PLAYED AND THE LENGTH OF TIME HE DID IT.

BY THE WAY, INTERESTINGLY, SOLIS HAD SAID EARLY ON THAT HE HAD HOPED "THE SUN TIMES" REPORTED HE HOPED HE WOULD BE PERCEIVED AS A HERO FOR HIS ROLE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS THE CASE.

>> IN THE PROSECUTORS ARE USING SIMILAR LANGUAGE SAYING MIKE FLANNERY HE HAD A CHOICE TO MAKE HE COULD HAVE FOUGHT IT BUT HE ACCEPTED THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HIM HIS BRIBERY ACCUSATIONS AND MADE A CHOICE AND PUT ON A WIRE AND GOT HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF WIRETAPS.

>> LET'S GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR THAT.

LET'S GIVE MAYOR LIGHTFOOT CREDIT FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE HAS OBSERVATIONS SHE'S MADE ABOUT THIS AND OTHERS HAVE AS WELL.

ALDERMAN SOLIS WAS A GRIFTER, A CROOK, AN EXTORTIONIST, HE USED HIS ROLE ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S AS CHAIR OF THE ZONING COMMITTEE TO JUST WALK AROUND AND SAY STICK 'EM UP TO FOLKS WHO NEEDED APPROVAL FROM THAT COMMITTEE.

AND YOU KNOW, IT DOES BOTHER ME, YEAH.

I GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR THE COOPERATION.

BUT HE IS GOING TO GET AOFF SCOT FREE AND WALK AAWAY WITH THE CITY PENSION THAT IS WHAT THE FEDS ARE DOING WITH THIS DID NOT PROSECUTE DEAL.

THEY ARE NOT MAKING HIM PLEAD GUILTY TO ONE COUNT.

THEY ARE CHARGING HIM WITH ONE COUNT AND THEY ARE ALLOWING HIM TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY.

AND THEN SAYING AT THE END OF THIS IN A FEW YEARS WE'LL DROP THIS CHARGE.

YOU GET TO KEEP YOUR CITY PENSION.

>> PARIS CAN I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT?

>> GO AHEAD.

>> I THINK THIS IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THIS CASE IT'S ABOUT THE NEXT ONE.

SO -- >> NEXT COUPLE.

>> NOT EVEN ONE 10 YEARS FROM NOW.

WHAT THE PROSECUTORS ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH IS IF YOU ARE WILLING TO COOPERATE FULLY IN THIS KIND OF WAY, THIS IS WHAT THE KIND OF TREATMENT YOU WILL GET.

SO THAT WILL THEN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE CAUGHT RED HANDED AS SOLIS WAS, TO THEN TURN AROUND AND DO THIS AND CAPTURE FAR BIGGER FISH THAN THE THEY THEMSELVES ARE.

I THINK -- I MEAN, MIKE'S POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN.

BUT THAT'S THE GAME HERE.

THAT'S WHAT PROSECUTORS ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS SORT OF AN ARRANGEMENT.

AND IT MAKES TONS OF SENSE ESPECIALLY IN A STATE AS CORRUPT AS THIS ONE.

>> LORRAINE FORTE IS THAT THE CALCULATION THE MAYOR IS MAKING SAYING WE ARE NOT GOING TO INTERVENE HERE AND ASK THAT YOU PROSECUTE SOLIS BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THAT HE HAD ON THE CITY WITH THIS ALLEGED CORRUPTION WE WILL BACK OFF OF THAT?

>> LET THE FEDS DO THEIR JOB.

IT SEEMS LIKE SHE'S SAYING.

THEY MADE AN ARRANGEMENT WITH HIM.

GIVE HIM CREDIT OR NOT GIVE HIM CREDIT HE DID IT SO HE COULD AVOID PROSECUTION.

HE IS A BIG FISH AND WAS ABLE TO GIVE THEM TWO BIGGER FISH.

>> IT WAS SORT OF A MISCALCULATION FOR THE THE CITY TO COME OUT AND SAY THEY WOULD OPPOSE THE DEAL AND HAVE THE LAW DEPARTMENT BACK AWAY.

YOU WOULD THINK THESE WERE CONSIDERINGS THAT LIGHTFOOT WOULD HAVE MADE BEFORE THEN AND DISCUSSED THEM WITH THE U.S.

ATTORNEYS AND SURPRISE WE DON'T LIKE THIS DEAL AND BACKING AWAY.

NONETHELESS THAT IS GOING TO BLOW OVER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHY VOTERS ARE MAKING THEIR CHOICES THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.

>> REMIND VIEWERS SAID SHE WAS GOING TO ISSUE A VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT AND BACKED OFF.

STEVE DANIELS YOU WROTE ABOUT ComEd COMING FORTH AND SAYING HEY, WE ADMITTED TO ALL THE CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY AND WE WANT THAT $200 MILLION RATE HIKE FROM CONSUMERS.

IS THIS A WARRANTED RATE HIKE?

>> UNDER THE LAW IT CERTAINLY WHAT THEY CAN DO.

AND THIS IS THE BIND THAT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS HAS PUT ITSELF IN.

IT PASSED A LAW AT THE TIME WAS HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE.

ONE OF THE MOST FAVORABLE RATE TREATMENTS ANY UTILITY IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY GOT IN 2011.

AND WE KNOW BRIBERY BY ComEd'S ADMITTED TO DO HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PASSAGE OF THAT LAW, ENACTED OVER THE VETO OF A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR.

THAT IS ANCIENT HISTORY.

THIS LAW IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE.

THIS IS ComEd'S LAST HOORAH UNDER THE FORMULA.

AND THERE'S NOTHING THE ILLINOIS COMMERCE COMMISSION CAN DO AGAINST THIS.

THE LEGISLATURE, I GUESS CONCEIVABLY CAN RETROACTIVELY EXCLUDE IT.

BUT THEY WOULD BE TAKEN TO COURT.

>> I'M INTERESTED THEY ARE HEARING FROM LOBBYISTS AS WELL.

>> THE STORY SAID THE FORMULA ASPECTS OF FINANCING WERE THE REASON FOR THE $200 MILLION NOT ALL OF THE WONDERFUL INVESTMENTS THAT ComEd TOUTED WHEN IT PUT THE RELEASE PUT OUT.

NOT THE GREEN ENERGY THAT IS PART OF IT.

BUT THAT IS NOT THE MAJORITY TO HAVE.

MOST OF IT IS RISING INTEREST RATES AND THAT IS WHY YOUR ELECTRIC BILL IS GOING TO GO UP.

>> STEVE INTERESTINGLY, $200 MILLION THE RATE HIKE WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IS THE AMOUNT, BY THE WAY, THAT ComEd EXXON HAS TO PAYBACK.

RIGHT?

AND BY THE WAY -- GREAT STORY, STEVE.

BUT IT IS NOT ANCIENT HISTORY WHILE IT IS ANCIENT HISTORY IT'S PLAYING OUT IN TWO WAYS BOTH IN RAY PAYERS' POCKETS AND THE MADIGAN INVESTIGATION AND COMING TRIAL.

>> AND THIS IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.

>> MORE SHOES TO DROP.

LET'S MOVE ON TO STATE NEWS, GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER CELEBRATE THE PASSING OF ILLINOIS' BUDGET.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> BALANCING THE BUDGET ALLOWS US TO STOKE JOB CREATION ACROSS ILLINOIS.

WE'RE PROVIDING GRANTS TO BARS AND RESTAURANTS AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES ALONG WITH ARTS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS TO HELP THEM MANAGE THROUGH THE FINANCIAL RECOVERY IF THE PANDEMIC AND WE'RE SUSPENDING LICENSING FEES TO PROVIDE A LITTLE EXTRA HELP IN THEIR RECOVERY.

>> MIKE FLANNERY LET'S STAY ON POLITICS THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO USE THIS AS HE RUNS FOR REELECTION.

HE SPENT $10 MILLION ON ADS A LOT ATTACKING RICHARD IRVIN ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE BANGED BY KEN GRIFFIN.

WHAT IS THE THOUGHT IN SPENDING SO BIG RIGHT NOW IN A PRIMARY?

>> WELL, LOOK, I JUST GO BACK TO WHAT DAVID AXELROD HAS BEEN SAYING ALL YEAR ABOUT THIS GOVERNOR'S RACE.

AND DEMOCRATS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY NEED TO GET THIS MESSAGE, THIS IS NOT A CAKE WALK.

IF GOVERNOR OF J.B. PRITZKER THINKS HE IS GOING TO WALTZ IN HE SHOULD THINK AGAIN.

AND I DON'T THINK HE THINKS HE IS GOING TO WALTZ IN.

THAT IS WHY HE IS SPENDING BIG AND THAT KEN GRIFFIN MONEY IS BEING PUT TO USE BY THE IRVIN CAMPAIGN.

AND WE'VE SEEN JESSE SULLIVAN AND DARREN BAILEY.

DARREN BAILEY HAS SOME OF THE DICK UIHLEIN MONEY.

THIS IS A BRAWL AND THE GOVERNOR IS DABBLING IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY AS WELL.

AND HE'S TRYING TO WIN OVER SOME OF THE MODERATE VOTERS WORRIED ABOUT ILLINOIS' SWOON INTO NEAR JUNK CREDIT STATUS.

HE IS RUNNING TV COMMERCIALS CITE THE UPGRADES WE GOT ANOTHER ONE FOR MOODY'S ON THE CREDIT RATING.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED ALL THE BILLIONAIRES DICK UIHLEIN INTO DARREN BAILEY.

LORRAINE FORTE IN THIS BRAWL OF THE BILLIONAIRES WHO IS GOING TO COME OUT ON TOP?

>> WHOEVER SPENDS THE MOST MONEY.

>> WHO IS THE RICHEST?

>> GRIFFIN IS THE RICHEST.

>> AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

WHOEVER SPENDS THE MOST MONEY AND I HATE TO SAY IT WHOEVER SPENDS THE MOST MONEY ON THE MOST NEGATIVE ADS BECAUSE NEGATIVE ADS THEY WORK ON.

AND IT'S NOT A CAKE WALK.

WHOEVER SPENDS THE MOST MONEY ON THE MOST NEGATIVE ADS.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I -- >> ON THAT NOTE LORRAINE, THE OTHER THING I SEE ON THE TV COMMERCIALS IS THE DARK MONEY GROUPS AIRING ADS AGAINST IRVIN OR AGAINST PRITZKER.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHO IS FUNDING THE DARK MONEY GROUPS?

THE SOMETHING THE FACT CHECKERS AND THE POLITICAL REPORTERS ARE GOING TO BE DIGGING INTO.

AND YOU KNOW, A LOT CAN CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND NOT JUST THE PRIMARY BUT CERTAINLY NOVEMBER.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO COME OUT.

CERTAINLY NOT A PROGNOSTICATOR BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO COME OUT.

>> IF I COULD JUMP IN, PARIS, WE KNOW THAT THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION IS RUNNING SOME OF THOSE ATTACK ADS INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE ATTACK ADS AGAINST RICHARD IRVIN.

SEVERAL MILLION THEY ARE SPENDING AND LIKELY TO SPEND ON THAT.

MIGHT BE TRACED BACK TO THE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS THEY RECEIVED FROM J.B. PRITZKER A WHILE AGO.

SO THE DEMOCRATS APPEAR NOT TO WANT RICHARD IRVIN TO BE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE.

>> THEY WANT IT TO BE DARREN BAILEY BECAUSE HE IS VERY CONSERVATIVE AND POPULAR.

NOT ACTUALLY SURE THIS IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO MONEY.

DARREN BAILEY HAS A LOT OF NAME RECOGNITION HE GAINED THROUGH FIGHTING COVID MITIGATIONS AND BECOMING A CONSERVATIVE BIG NAME IN POLITICS PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO VOTE IN A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

SO THAT'S, I THINK, THE PLAYBOOK, RIGHT?

DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO THINK IRVIN WHO THEY SEE AS HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL AGAINST PRITZKER IF THE GENERAL ELECTION.

IF THEY GET RID OF HIM THEY WOULD HAVE AN EASIER GENERAL.

WE PLAYED THE BUDGET CLIP AND I THINK WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT ALL THE MEASURES AND TALKING ABOUT LIGHTFOOT AND CAMPAIGNING WITH GAS GIVEAWAYS WHEN THE STATE IS OFFERING A WHOLE LOT OF TAX RELIEF AS WELL IN THIS BUDGET AND THEY HAVE CAMPAIGN ADS ABOUT THAT.

>> AND WILL GOVERNOR PRITZKER OR OFFICE HOLDER SIGN THE NAME ON THE CHECKS RIGHT INTO THE POCKETS OF ILLINOISANS.

>> EXACTLY.

>> DO WE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT?

>> WE KNOW IT WILL BE A CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER WHETHER IT WILL BE THE TREASURER, THE COMPTROLLER OR THE GOVERNOR ALL THREE POSSIBLE.

ALL WILL BE ON THE BALLOT COMING UP.

>> STEVE DANIELS THERE WAS A BLOOMBERG STORY DETAILING HOW AN ARAUR ACCOMPANY SCIENTEL SOLUTIONS HAS GIVEN BIG TO IRVIN AND WORKS WITH KEN GRIFFIN'S SID OF CITADELLE TO REINDICATE A NETWORK AND THE PLATFORM IS THERE IN AURORA AND OUR REPORTING WE KNOW THAT IRVIN WAS WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ALLOWING SCIENTEL SOLUTIONS TO BUILD THE COMMUNICATIONS TOWER HERE.

DOES IT DON THE QUESTION THAT KEN GRIFFIN WAS OUT THERE INTERVIEWING FOLKS SEARCHING FOR HIS CANDIDATE AND JUST PLUCKED IRVIN OUT OF OBSCURITY?

>> I THINK THAT IS WHAT THE STORY WAS HINTING AT.

I 0 DON'T THINK THEY CONNECTED THE DOTS.

I THINK THAT CITADELLE IS ONE OF A BUNCH OF TRADING OUTFITS THAT BENEFIT FROM THAT.

AND THERE WAS SOME INDICATION THAT CITADELLE HAS DONE BUSINESS WITH SCIENTEL SOLUTIONS I'M SURE TRADING FIRMS HAVE DONE BUSINESS WITH SCIENTEL SOLUTIONS AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, I GOT WHY THEY HAD SOME INFORMATION AND THEY PUT IT TOGETHER, CERTAINLY THE SCIENTEL SOLUTIONS-RICHARD IRVIN CONNECTIONS ARE OBVIOUS AND EASILY DOCUMENTED.

BUT IN SORT OF HINTING THAT KEN GRIFFIN PICKED RICHARD IRVIN AS HIS GUY BECAUSE OF THAT?

I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT.

>> I DON'T THINK THE STORY IS CONCLUDING THAT, NOR ARE WE IN OUR REPORTING CONCLUDING THAT.

BEFORE WE GO, IS ANYONE PLANNING ON WATCHING THE BULLS GAME TONIGHT?

AND YOU THINK THEY CAN BEAT THE BUCKS?

>> I THINK THERE IS A POSSIBILITY ONLY BECAUSE OF THE UNFORTUNATE INJURY TO CHRIS.

YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE SOMEONE GET INJURED ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE -- >> CARUSO KARMA, MAYBE.

>> RIGHT.

>> HE GOT WHACKED.

>> DELAYED KARMA?

>> GREYSON ALLEN, THE CONTROVERSIAL PLAYER ON THE BUCKS.

MIKE FLANNERY IS TON TONY LA RUSSO MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS?

>> IF YOU TALKED TO ME LAST WEEK IN MLB.COM'S FIRST POWER RANKING THE SOX WERE THIRD AND THEN THE BOTTOM FELL OUT.

YOU KNOW, LOOK, TONY, I APPLAUD ANY SENIOR CITIZEN WHO WANTS TO KEEP WORKING.

I'M ALL FOR TONY LARUSSA.

>> WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

THANKS TO STEVE DANIELS, LORRAINE FORTE, MIKE FLANNERY AND AMANDA VINICKY.

AND THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS FRIDAY NIGHT.

YOU CAN GET "CHICAGO TONIGHT" AND "THE WEEK IN REVIEW" STREAMED ON FACEBOOK, YouTube AND OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.COM/NEWS.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT FOR A SPECIAL "CHICAGO TONIGHT" VOICES CROSSOVER ON ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM THAT BEGINS AT 6:00 P.M. AND WE'RE BACK AT 7:00 P.M. ALL NEXT WEEK.

FOR "THE WEEK IN REVIEW" I'M PARIS SCHUTZ THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

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