Top Democrat Lawmaker Found Guilty of Tax Fraud, Lying to Federal Regulators

A top Chicago Democrat lawmaker has been found guilty by a jury on multiple counts of tax fraud and lying to federal regulators.

The jury of eight women and four men convicted Chicago Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson on all seven counts against him.

He was found guilty on five counts of tax fraud and two for lying to federal bank regulators.

However, Daley Thompson is not just your average crooked Democrat.

His family is the architects that built the corrupt Chicago machine and his fall from grace is a major blow for the Democratic Party.

Partick Daley Thompson is the grandson and nephew of both Richard Daleys, the two Mayors who ran Chicago on and off since the 1950s.

Daley Thompson was the heir apparent and was being groomed to take to the top job in the city.

But that dream is dead forever because his conviction means he can’t be Mayor or sit on the city council again.

“Extremely disappointed in the verdict, it was wrong,” defense attorney Chris Gair said.

“And I’m extremely disappointed in the United States Attorney’s office for bringing this prosecution, and for the things it said in the closing arguments.”

Gair added: “He did what an honest person does when they found out they’ve made a mistake. He fixed it.

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“Our defense is not that he’s stupid. Our defense is that he didn’t know he had these mortgage deductions.”

John Kass, a veteran Chicago reporter said: “A Daley convicted on all counts. 11th Ward alderman, nephew of one Mayor Daley, grandson of another, guilty on all counts.”

Prosecutor Michelle Peterson said: “When he saw an opportunity to lie, to deceive, to pay less than he owed, he took it.

“So it really comes down to the alderman’s intent,” said former federal prosecutor Jeff Cramer.

“Did he intend to commit tax fraud?

“Did he intend to take this loan and have no intention of repaying, it but still took the mortgage deduction?

“Or is he as his lawyers contend? Basically a fool, you know, scatterbrain.”

“If he was John Smith, it would have just been a call from the IRS and pay a penalty,” 38th Ward Ald. Nick Sposato said.

From ABC:

Prosecutor Brian Netols told jurors during his rebuttal argument that Thompson was not targeted because he was a Daley, but because of what he did.

“No one is so big, no one is so important they can’t be held accountable for their criminal conduct,” Netols said.

A guilty verdict costs Thompson his seat on the Chicago City Council, his law license, the Daley family’s reputation and of course, his freedom.

“Alderman Patrick Thompson has been judged by a jury of his peers and found guilty,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday.

 “This week, we will be outlining an open and transparent process to fill the vacancy with a qualified public servant that represents the values of the residents of the 11th Ward and the City of Chicago.”

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By David Hawkins

David Hawkins is a writer who specializes in political commentary and world affairs. He's been writing professionally since 2014.

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