State Sen. Thomas E. Cullerton pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges he had been a ghost pay-roller for the Teamsters.
Cullerton, a cousin of Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, is just the latest local politician caught up in what appear to be multiple federal investigations targeting classic examples of Chicago corruption.
A grand jury indicted Cullerton, a Villa Park Democrat, Aug. 1 on one count of conspiracy to embezzle from a labor union, one count of lying about a health care matter and 39 counts of embezzlement from a labor union.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu said Cullerton’s next stop will be the U.S. Marshals office for processing. After that, he will be due for further processing at the FBI office, Bhachu said.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Cox told Cullerton he must stay in Illinois.
The indictment alleges he collected $188,320 in salary, bonuses and cellphone and vehicle allowances from the Teamsters, as well as $64,068 in health and pension contributions, while doing little or no work for the union.
The charges landed just days after former Teamsters boss John Coli formally agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors, striking a deal in which he also pleaded guilty in an extortion case revolving around $325,000 in cash payments he received from Cinespace Chicago Film Studios.
Cullerton’s attorney, John Theis, has said in a statement, “As an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Army and highly respected public servant, Tom Cullerton is a person who is dedicated to his family, constituents and all Illinoisans. The action by the U.S. Department of Justice has nothing to do with Mr. Cullerton’s work in the Illinois State Senate but is the result of false claims by disgraced Teamsters boss John Coli in an apparent attempt to avoid penalties for his wrongdoing. These allegations are simply not true, and we will be defending the charges in court.”
Since his indictment, Cullerton has been removed as chairman of the Illinois Senate’s Labor Committee. He will instead lead the Senate’s Veterans Affairs Committee. That decision was made by his cousin, Senate President John Cullerton.
With the Cullerton indictment, federal authorities have hit one of the most entrenched dynasties in Illinois politics. The family’s political fortunes predate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and led to the famed “Cullerton seat” in the City Council.
Thomas Cullerton is a descendant of Edward Cullerton, one of Chicago’s original settlers. The family’s political activism began just before the great fire with the election of saloon keeper Edward “Foxy” Cullerton and has continued almost uninterrupted ever since.
