Retiring Ald. Danny Solis (25th) became publicly embroiled in the federal corruption case against Ald. Edward Burke (14th) last week when the Sun-Times reported that Solis cooperated with investigators and secretly recorded more than a dozen conversations over the last two years with the powerful former chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee.
A new report by the Sun-Times on Tuesday details what prompted Solis to turn informant after coming under the scrutiny of federal investigators.
During the federal investigation of Solis — in which he was caught on a wiretap and video surveillance — the feds learned a wealth of information about the outgoing Zoning Committee chairman. The feds allege that he exchanged official government acts for sex acts, Viagra, campaign contributions and a free weekend at an Indiana farm that was previously owned by Oprah Winfrey, according to a 2016 federal court affidavit obtained by the Sun-Times.
Facing the evidence amassed by the feds, Solis ultimately agreed to wear a wire to ensnare Burke.
City Hall reporter Fran Spielman and fellow Sun-Times staffers Tim Novak and Mark Brown discussed the new developments and the Burke investigation’s potential impact on the fast-approaching mayoral election.
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