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| PRITZKER: Tax question won't wither away |
That
move enabled Pritzker to appeal his property taxes and get refunds of some of
the money he paid for 2012, 2013 and 2014 – and also to make himself eligible
for property tax breaks on what he had to pay in 2015 and 2016.
BUT
AN INSPECTOR General’s report for Cook County contends those reductions were
based on fraudulent affidavits filed on Pritzker’s behalf.
All
of which came up during the election cycle, but to no avail. There weren’t
enough voters inclined to take this charge seriously who were willing to vote
for now-former Gov. Bruce Rauner. Pritzker won!
But
it also seems that back around October of last year, the Republican members of Illinois’
congressional caucus (seven then, five now) wrote a letter to the U.S. Attorney’s
office for northern Illinois insisting that the whole thing was a “scheme to
defraud” Cook County taxpayers.
They
claimed in their letter that charges of fraud and perjury would be warranted.
Which may well be their opinion.
BUT
NOW, IT seems that attitude just won’t wither away. For WBEZ-FM reported Wednesday
that the U.S. Attorney’s office is confirming that they’re doing an investigation
of the matter.
 |
| Rauner unable to make issue stick, … |
Which
is news because federal investigators hadn’t said anything until now about this
issue, and they are admitting that their investigation is still active.
Although it also seems this is an investigation that isn’t about to result in
criminal charges any time soon.
Although
I don’t doubt that the conservative ideologues who were eager to spew this
story last year are more than satisfied. Because this legal action means they
can keep the allegations alive!
Heck,
Illinois Republican Chairman Timothy Schneider issued the statement claiming
that Pritzker has set a record, of sorts. He’s only been governor for 101 days,
and he’s already got a bullseye on his back – courtesy of the U.S. attorney’s
office.
 |
| … can federal officials find something new? |
OF
COURSE, THEY also made sure to distribute photographs they have of Pritzker
with then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich – trying to create the impression amongst the
most politically-gullible that the current governor is just like the guy
currently in the middle of serving a 14-year prison sentence out in Colorado.
Although
these are allegations that I can’t help but think reek of partisanship.
For
even in that letter from last autumn (which the Capitol Fax newsletter published
again on Wednesday), the members of Congress admit they were reacting to
newspaper accounts from last year.
The
only people willing to say this is a “scheme to defraud” are the Republican
partisans themselves. Almost as though they crafted the charge, and are now
trying to claim that someone is upholding it – even though nothing as of yet
has been proven,
MAYBE
IF ONE is inclined to believe that not being a Republican amounts to an act of
criminality in and of itself, then this has legitimacy. Otherwise, it’s going
to take a lot more in the way of evidence to prove something illegal occurred
here.
 |
| SCHNEIDER: 101 Days, he points out to us |
Personally,
I’m surprised to see these Republican-types trying to claim that Pritzker is
doing something wrong for trying to take advantage of financial maneuvers to
give themselves tax breaks. Isn’t that usually the Republican ideal – trying to
reduce one’s tax debt by as much as they can?
Maybe
the reason that President Donald Trump is fighting the idea of his own tax
returns being disclosed is that we’d learn of so many measures on his behalf
that anything Pritzker may or may not have done will turn out to be chump
change, by comparison.
But
the bottom line seems to be that the issue of Election ’18 about toilets is
going to continue to linger on. Almost as though somebody deposited a load in
the toilet bowl – and is refusing to flush. How rude!
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