Jason Meisner

Jason Meisner has covered the federal courts beat since 2013, writing about political corruption, terrorism and gang racketeering. In 2018, he was part of the Tribune's award-winning team covering the historic murder trial of Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke.

Federal prosecutors late Monday revealed a muted initial response to the bombshell U.S. Supreme Court decision that could directly affect some of the counts in the case against the former Democratic Illinois House speaker.

Crime and Public Safety |
Prosecutors, defense won’t seek to delay Michael Madigan trial after high court ruling

July 9, 2024 at 3:46 p.m.

Federal prosecutors late Monday revealed a muted initial response to the bombshell U.S. Supreme Court decision that could directly affect some of the counts in the case against the former...

A ruling by the Supreme Court on Friday that makes it harder to charge Jan. 6 defendants with obstruction could affect some of the more than four dozen Illinoisans charged so far.

Crime and Public Safety |
Supreme Court ruling could affect a handful of Illinoisans charged in Jan. 6 attack on US Capitol

June 28, 2024 at 6:10 p.m.

A ruling by the Supreme Court on Friday that makes it harder to charge Jan. 6 defendants with obstruction could affect some of the more than four dozen Illinoisans charged...

U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey ordered both sides Thursday to confer on the issues and report back to him by July 8.

Crime and Public Safety |
Fallout from Supreme Court ruling just beginning in Michael Madigan racketeering case

June 27, 2024 at 5:04 p.m.

U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey ordered both sides Thursday to confer on the issues and report back to him by July 8.

The company’s former chief financial officer, Brad Purdy, was also sentenced Thursday to 27 months in prison.

Business |
Shradha Agarwal, former Outcome Health president, sentenced to 3 years in a halfway house

June 27, 2024 at 5:36 p.m.

The company’s former chief financial officer, Brad Purdy, was also sentenced Thursday to 27 months in prison.

In a 6-3 ruling, the court's highly anticipated opinion threw out a key part of the federal bribery statute and sided with the former mayor of Portage, Indiana, James Snyder.

Crime and Public Safety |
Madigan, ComEd Four cases imperiled by U.S. Supreme Court ruling weakening public corruption law

June 26, 2024 at 8:56 p.m.

In a 6-3 ruling, the court's highly anticipated opinion threw out a key part of the federal bribery statute and sided with the former mayor of Portage, Indiana, James Snyder.

Former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke was sentenced to 2 years in prison in his corruption case by a judge in federal court and fined $2 million.

Crime and Public Safety |
Humbled political titan Edward Burke sentenced to 2 years in prison in corruption case; judge fines ex-alderman $2 million

June 25, 2024 at 7:21 a.m.

Former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke was sentenced to 2 years in prison in his corruption case by a judge in federal court and fined $2 million.

After a lifetime of backroom wheeling and dealing, former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke faces the most consequential negotiation of his life on Monday at his sentencing.

Crime and Public Safety |
Sentencing for ex-Ald. Edward Burke offers referendum on Chicago’s old-school corruption

June 24, 2024 at 6:44 p.m.

After a lifetime of backroom wheeling and dealing, former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke faces the most consequential negotiation of his life on Monday at his sentencing.

Former state legislator Annazette Collins was sentenced to a year in federal prison Friday in a tax fraud case the judge called an "egregious" effort to avoid paying her fair share.

Crime and Public Safety |
Ex-state Rep. Annazette Collins sentenced to 1 year in prison in tax case stemming from Madigan probe

June 21, 2024 at 4:11 p.m.

Former state legislator Annazette Collins was sentenced to a year in federal prison Friday in a tax fraud case the judge called an "egregious" effort to avoid paying her fair...

Sentencing for former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke will go forward next week after a federal judge on Friday denied a last-ditch effort to postpone the hearing until after the U.S. Supreme Court rules in a bribery case that his lawyers say could affect his conviction.

Crime and Public Safety |
Judge nixes delay in ex-Ald. Edward Burke sentencing, hearing to go forward Monday

June 21, 2024 at 6:01 p.m.

Sentencing for former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke will go forward next week after a federal judge on Friday denied a last-ditch effort to postpone the hearing until after the U.S....

A Chicago entrepreneur with business ties to the son-in-law of former Cook County Democratic boss Joseph Berrios pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges alleging he arranged to have women travel out of state for high-paid trysts with himself and others.

Crime and Public Safety |
Self-proclaimed ‘Wolf of Rush Street’ pleads guilty to arranging sexual trysts

June 20, 2024 at 3:41 p.m.

A Chicago entrepreneur with business ties to the son-in-law of former Cook County Democratic boss Joseph Berrios pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges alleging he arranged to have women travel...

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