State Sen. Emil Jones III pleads not guilty to federal bribery charges involving red-light cameras

CHICAGO (WLS) — Gov. JB Pritzker referred to as for state Sen. Emil Jones III to resign after he pleaded not responsible to federal bribery prices Friday.

“We have to reveal in our state that we’re performing appropriately that we now have individuals following the foundations appropriately,” Pritzker mentioned.

Pritzker can be referred to as on state Sen. Michael Hastings to step down following allegations of abuse by his estranged spouse.

“We clearly have a unique response to those two circumstances,” Pritzker mentioned.

SEE MORE: State Sen. Emil Jones III hit with federal bribery prices tied to red-light digicam investigation

Whereas Hastings and Jones have resigned from democratic management posts, Senate President Don Harmon has not requested the boys to surrender their seats.

“The gravity of the accusations required speedy motion and penalties, which is why the Senate President demanded and obtained resignations from their management posts. Now it’s as much as these people and their constituents to find out their futures,” Harmon mentioned.

Father Michael Pfleger, who helps the governor’s justice reform efforts, mentioned calling for resignations earlier than persons are confirmed responsible shouldn’t be justice reform.

“From someone who was falsely accused myself, I feel individuals should get an opportunity to seek out the reality I’ve an issue after we able to rush to judgment,” Pfleger mentioned.

Pfleger accused Pritzker of creating choices primarily based on politics. The governor is up for re-election and corruption amongst state democrats has been a problem utilized by Republicans.

“With a historical past like our state has had, and with need we now have put ourselves on sturdy moral footing, that’s utterly acceptable to ask people who find themselves going to be defending themselves towards prices to step apart, as they accomplish that,” Pritzker mentioned.

Jones might be again in courtroom on Nov. 4, simply 4 days earlier than the election. He’s operating unopposed.

A day after federal prosecutors accused Jones of taking $5,000 to guard a politically linked red-light digicam firm from unfavorable laws, Harmon “requested for and obtained” the senator’s resignation as chair of the Senate Licensed Actions Committee, in line with a letter Harmon filed with the secretary of the Senate.

That place got here together with a $11,098 annual stipend for Jones on prime of his annual wage, which amounted to $80,700 final 12 months earlier than taxes, in line with the state comptroller’s workplace.

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Jones additionally agreed to step down from his positions as vice chair of the Public Security Committee – which handles red-light digicam enterprise – and Senate deputy majority chief. These titles have been unpaid.

Regardless of Republican calls to relinquish his Senate seat altogether, Jones has given no indication he is going wherever. Messages left at his places of work within the Roseland neighborhood and in Springfield went unanswered.

The indicted senator’s father, former state Senate President Emil Jones Jr., issued an announcement Tuesday asserting the costs towards his son “don’t replicate the person he’s,” with the retired chief vowing “to combat with him and stand alongside him all through this course of.”

Illinois Home Republican Chief Jim Durkin mentioned in an announcement Wednesday that Jones III “ought to completely resign. How is the general public presupposed to belief its authorities when the Democrats who management the legal guidelines repeatedly break them?”

Requested if Harmon thinks Jones III ought to resign outright, a spokesman for the Oak Park Democrat mentioned “the Senate President has taken the out there, speedy steps to replicate the gravity of the allegations.”

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Jones III finds himself amongst not less than 5 public officers ensnared within the feds’ corruption probe of the red-light digicam SafeSpeed.

In keeping with the costs prosecutors filed, Jones III allegedly instructed a accomplice of the corporate that he would defend SafeSpeed from laws within the Common Meeting in change for $5,000 and a job for an unnamed affiliate. And in 2019, the state senator is accused of mendacity to the FBI about his function within the alleged scheme.

The Solar-Occasions Media Wire contributed to this report.