Patch on Politics

Guns-and-Ammo Tax Likely to Land in Court

Cook County wants 5 cents for every bullet sold • An open letter to Pat Brady from a guy who gives Democrats money • A Rod Blagojevich legacy: All Kids doesn't fly right, either

The NRA and a suburban gun dealer say Cook County's proposed taxes on bullets and guns will probably land in court. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, saying there is too much violence in Chicago, wants a 5-cent tax on every bullet sold in the county and a $25 tax on every gun sold. Dave Workman, of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Bear Arms, told the Associated Press that gun-rights advocates will not stand for this. "It's not the law-abiding citizens stacking bodies like cordwood in Chicago; it's the bad guys," he said. The tax also could drive business out of Cook County and into the collar counties. "Who's going to come to Tinley Park to buy ammunition?" asked Fred Lutger, owner of Freddie Bear Sport in Tinley Park, …

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Political Rewind: Pensions, Health Care Take Center Stage in Illinois

It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. In a week foreshadowing drama to come in this legislative session’s final weeks, Illinois lawmakers passed a bill requiring retired government workers to pay for their health insurance.  Meanwhile, Chicago's mayor weighed in on the state's pension crisis, a state representative accused of bribery proclaimed his innocence and a College Illinois! employee was accused of insider investing. House, Senate pass retiree health care payment bill  Illinois pays more than $800 million annually for the health care of state retirees, 90 percent of whom pay nothing toward their health-…

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Blagojevich Jury Forewoman Sheds Light on Decision-Making Process

Connie Wilson, who led the jury that found Rod Blagojevich guilty of 17 counts of federal corruption, said the jury relied heavily on timelines and photo boards and re-listened to every second of FBI tape before coming to a decision.

Connie Wilson recalls Rod Blagojevich playing on her love for music while she sat on the jury that ultimately found the former governor guilty of 17 of 20 federal corruption charges in June. Wilson said the former Illinois governor did the same for the librarian on the jury. And the Red Sox fan. And so on. Blagojevich, in an attempt to gain sympathy from jurors, was trying to connect to them on a personal level. It may have been the biggest reason that 11 out of 12 jurors were women—it was believed that they would have been more compassionate towards a father and family man, Wilson said. Those details and more were shared with a group of area residents Monday as Wilson discussed her experiences while on the Blagojevich retrial jury at the …

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