Jason Meisner – Page 12

Members of the Texas National Guard assemble at the Army Reserve Training Center in Elwood, a far southwest suburb of Chicago, on Oct. 7, 2025. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

Lawsuit over National Guard deployment in Illinois runs out of steam, judge dismisses it

April 20, 2026 at 3:14 p.m.

Six months after federal troops were preparing to deploy to Chicago during Operation Midway Blitz, a federal judge on Monday granted a motion to dismiss the state's lawsuit over the...

The Chicago Department of Law, with offices at City Hall, says it has boosted oversight of bills filed by the private law firms it hires to defend reversed-conviction cases. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)

A 69-hour-workday? City of Chicago paid head-scratching legal bills

April 19, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Legal invoices are one of the only available avenues to evaluate how well Chicago is vetting massive bills for which taxpayers ultimately are on the hook.

The four defendants charged in the ComEd bribery scheme are, from left, consultant Jay Doherty, lobbyist and former ComEd executive John Hooker, retired lobbyist Michael McClain and former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore.

‘ComEd Four’: The case that once rocked Illinois politics now on shaky ground

April 18, 2026 at 4:00 a.m.

After a pair of Supreme Court rulings on central issues like bribery and false statements, followed by a lightning-quick reversal by a Chicago appeals court, the ComEd Four case that...

Ashraf al Safoo, 34, was arrested at his home when it was raided by the FBI on Oct. 17, 2018, in the 5200 block of North Virginia Avenue in the Budlong Woods neighborhood of Chicago. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)
(E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)

Judge gives 25 years to Chicago man convicted of aiding Islamic State terrorist group

April 16, 2026 at 2:22 p.m.

A federal judge Thursday sentenced a former Chicago IT specialist to 25 years in prison for helping the Islamic State terrorist group through a media campaign that encouraged attacks, celebrated...

Michael McClain, center, a lobbyist and longtime confidant of former House Speaker Michael Madigan, leaves the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse after being sentenced, July 24, 2025, for his role in the "ComEd Four" trial. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

Former ComEd CEO, company lobbyist walk free day after Chicago appeals court ruling

April 15, 2026 at 6:49 p.m.

Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and longtime lobbyist Michael McClain were released from federal prison Wednesday after an appeals court decision.

Anthony Gonzalez Alvarez, 27, of Lyons, left, and his attorney, Ricardo Meza, leave the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse April 15, 2026, after a hearing for a plea deal for impeding a federal agent during Operation Midway Blitz in October. (Josh Boland/baiduhai)

Man pleads guilty to felony for striking Border Patrol vehicle, marking first Operation Midway Blitz conviction

April 15, 2026 at 5:16 p.m.

A suburban Chicago man pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony charge stemming from a traffic altercation with Border Patrol agents in Brighton Park in October.

Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore leaves the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse after being sentenced to two years in prison on July 21, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Appeals court says it will reverse convictions, orders two ‘ComEd Four’ defendants released from prison

April 14, 2026 at 5:25 p.m.

A Chicago federal appeals court on Tuesday granted new trials to former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and lobbyist Michael McClain.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan leaves the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse after being sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison and fined $2.5 million during his post-trial sentencing hearing June 13, 2025, in Chicago. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Appellate arguments for ex-Speaker Michael Madigan focus on those three little words: quid pro quo

April 9, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

A lawyer for imprisoned ex-Speaker Michael Madigan told a federal appeals court on Thursday his conviction on an array of corruption counts should be overturned because there was no evidence...

U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros speaks at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on April 3, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)

Chicago’s US Attorney Andrew Boutros defends handling of Operation Midway Blitz after a year on the job

April 7, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

One year into his tenure as Chicago's top federal law enforcement officer, U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros is defending his handling of Operation Midway Blitz cases.

Then-congressional candidate Katherine "Kat" Abughazaleh, center, with her attorneys and supporters, leaves the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in the Loop on Jan. 28, 2026, after a hearing on charges of conspiracy during a protest outside the Broadview ICE facility in September. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

ICE agent in Broadview Six incident texted about being famous ‘among lefties’

April 3, 2026 at 3:42 p.m.

The text exchange was included in a court filing late Thursday by attorneys for the four remaining defendants in the hot-button Broadview Six case.

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