Illinois Sen. Emil Jones III charged in bribery scheme

Jones, a Chicago Democrat, is the son of former Senate President Emil Jones Jr. The youthful Jones has served within the Senate since 2009 following his father’s retirement. He’s deputy majority chief and chairs the Committee on Licensed Actions.

He is also on the poll for reelection in November and doesn’t have an opponent.

The fees relate to laws Jones launched in 2019 calling for a statewide research to judge purple mild cameras, formally often known as “automated visitors regulation enforcement methods.”

In keeping with the charging doc, Jones later agreed to restrict the scope of any such research to cameras operated solely inside the town in change for funds to himself and an unnamed affiliate from somebody recognized solely as “Particular person A,” who had an possession curiosity in a purple mild digicam firm that did enterprise with municipalities exterior Chicago.

Prosecutors allege that from April via September 2019, Jones solicited and agreed to just accept a $5,000 fee from Particular person A, in addition to an unspecified fee and a job to the affiliate recognized as “Particular person B.”

Senate information point out the invoice handed out of the Transportation Committee on Nov. 12, 2019, however was by no means voted on by the total Senate.

Jones can be charged with arranging the deal via interstate commerce through the use of a Google e-mail account. And he’s charged with mendacity to federal brokers throughout their investigation of the matter.

Jones is the second Illinois state senator to face prices associated to a purple mild digicam firm. In 2020, then-Sen. Martin Sandoval, additionally a Chicago Democrat, was indicted on related corruption prices associated to a purple mild digicam firm recognized as SafeSpeed LLC following a raid on his Statehouse workplace. He later resigned from workplace and pleaded responsible to bribery and tax evasion.

He agreed to cooperate with a unbroken investigation in change for delayed sentencing. He died in December 2020 of problems from COVID-19 and by no means served time in jail.

Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, issued a press release Tuesday calling for Jones to step down from his management place and committee chairmanship, however stopping wanting asking for his resignation from workplace.

“These are grave allegations,” Harmon stated within the assertion. “Members of the Senate and all public officers want to carry themselves to a excessive moral customary for the general public to have belief and religion in our work.”

Home Minority Chief Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, issued a extra scathing assertion, noting that Jones has joined an extended checklist of Democratic elected officers to face federal corruption prices.

“The Democrat Occasion of Illinois has turn out to be an organized crime household whose solely function is to shake down Illinois taxpayers,” Durkin stated. “Right this moment’s indictment as soon as once more exhibits Illinois residents why Democrats refuse to go actual ethics reform; they’re too corrupt.”