>> Good evening.

And thanks for joining us on the week in review.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

More than 100 former federal prosecutors say Chicago's U.S.

Attorney Andrew Boutros has tarnished the office.

>> Is the leader of the office.

And so, you know, the buck stops with him.

It's topped with every U.S.

attorney that I ever served under the collapse of the broad view.

6 case amid alleged prosecutor misconduct leads to charges against 2 defendants being dropped in the hospital fraud.

Prosecution.

>> The only way to truly serve a student is to understand and embrace what makes each student and community unique.

Chicago Public schools, CEO Macklin King stands up for the district's inclusive policies in a combative Capitol Hill here.

They didn't show up for the end of session.

>> And you got to work the hallways, as you know, in a very, very busy session.

You've got to really talk to every legislator.

If you want to get something Governor JB Pritzker says despite some of the Bears fumbles and seeking a stadium built, he's happy to call a special session this summer.

>> Meantime, a burning cross in Grant Park causes alarm and outrage.

And today's powerful storms including reported tornadoes wallop parts of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.

>> And now to our week in review panel.

Joining us are all the Lowry of WBEZ 80 quit.

The Chicago Tribune, Sasha and Simons also of WBEZ and freelance journalist Brandon Polk.

Thank you all for being here.

Let's get right to it.

As we mentioned, the Chicago area and beyond 2 days of really damaging storms heavy rain, high winds, some tornadoes reported as of earlier this afternoon, some 140,000 ComEd customers still without power.

What were things like where each of you Truly, my power just came back on yesterday.

Okay.

Yeah.

Which is pretty wild.

I was on a podcast and this one all never a fun feeling in the middle of recording was hot.

I was I was really the worst possible moment when you're cooking that.

things get cut Yeah.

No problem with the power for me.

But I had a friend was bringing something to me.

I think it was Wednesday evening and >> they were telling me about how they had to weave a completely different route because of all the trees that were blocking a number of roadways.

>> Yeah, I mean, the South Shore neighborhood and it was pretty bad trees down.

lot of traffic lights as we speak right now.

There's massive tree outside my house that's still down.

And there's a must belong to my neighbor across the street that stuck underneath it's people that we lost 3 potted plants pay.

That's a but no, no tree limbs on the carpet.

There was a tree limb that fell the first night city came took care of it.

Another one fell.

exact same spot car crashed.

Yeah, there was a moment the 3rd floor in a very heavily tree-lined street and there is a branch that is >> quite precarious.

That has not come down.

But I'm just waiting for her to come by and take because it's like another stiff wind city's lmc, and emergency management cations.

Issued a press release this week saying like over essentially reports of downed trees.

And just for context, when we had the for pronouncing currently a couple years back, they were made about 4,000 of those 3 day period.

So we were really hit hard.

obviously, you homes and buildings leveled, you know, all throughout northwest Indiana, North Eastern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin.

pretty intense system that came through and hopefully hopefully that'll be the last.

But I'm sure no more summer from your lips to God's not going well.

when alright, brand in more than 100 acts.

Federal prosecutors signing a letter very sharply criticizing U.S.

Attorney Andrew Boutros.

>> you surprised to see them take such a public stand in this way?

We'll know when you think about the tone and tenor of what's happened over all with this Northern District office, but also nationally with the Department of Justice is a big number here coming out and questioning.

>> The leadership in the department itself concerns about the future of the department and getting young prosecutors to come into the office in the future.

They stopped short of calling for a resignation, so to speak, which is very interesting itself, but sharply questioning the judgment of Andrew to strokes.

And and we're seeing just quick unraveling overall, not just this case.

There's bank fraud case that's also being unraveled here under the microscope because the prosecutors and may have involved there.

And then as we're going to talk about here soon, the little hostile because, yeah, I was a little bit surprised that they didn't quite go as far as resignation.

But it's it's that's a lot of short words.

The tough talk, I guess the he's being very defined here in saying he's not going to resign.

We also know that President Trump is probably not going to call for his resignation.

It all once again calls into question what many of wondered is the department being weaponized politically?

Has it impartiality of the courts are supposed to maintain disappeared overall.

When you look at these transcripts that have come out, when you read through those of the questions that lobby to these grand jurors, it raises questions for sure.

Yeah.

How about those a grand jury transcripts?

All that we saw in the broad view, 6 case, one of the grand jurors referring to something as a croc with couple words on I mean, as as a lay person reading some of these accounts and certainly it appears like there's potential prosecutor misconduct there any what was your reaction?

Yeah, I mean, the the judge, April Perry, I think send a pretty point like this is some of the most.

>> Egregious examples as very troubled by what you saw.

And this is a process that is largely really kind kind of out of you for a lot of laypeople.

It is.

You're saying.

>> And so the fact that this is the beginning of the process, right?

And supposedly these people, well, folks, just, you know, and district, wherever this is taking place.

And, you know, do we have enough to bring charges?

And people were pushing back repeatedly in this particular case.

A devout Ching that that was allegedly by Mac McClung Bird.

You know, hey, I would I would bring this case point.

We didn't believe had something strong here.

Just really raises questions about whether or not the there's something more that's motivating this beyond the details and facts of the case.

And when you read through they're almost perceived threats like, hey, if you have some issues with.

>> they were right there, you know, and that right there raising a lot of questions about the impartiality itself to that kind of leading on the juror is to do that Ready for the broad use face, Senate.

>> That's problematic on it.

So you can the cover up is as bad.

So their tent.

They knew that it was wrong.

They attempted to hide it from the judge.

That's as problematic as the function that they saw in the transcript.

Yet they hadn't gone through mail these redactions and perhaps no cop to some of the stuff and said, OK, maybe we cross the line here a little bit.

That's one thing.

But yeah, the coverup stuff and worse than the potential crime.

It also doesn't help.

When you have the prosecutors say literally I'm not supposed to do necessarily a great And as we mentioned, you know, ad the fallout from this going to be on Broadview 6.

There's the Loretto COVID fraud case to defend and seeing their charges dropped.

>> Key executives trial looking to be delayed.

I mean, you the reporting from from block club and other folks on this has been pretty extensive.

You know, it certainly seemed like there was a test case.

Yeah, I mean, is this is prosecutors tumbling here?

I would say so.

Flaherty basically agreed to drop against the We'll see how the rest plays out.

yes, I think it's a lot of >> Harried concern and this is like this is especially notable for this office, which for years as reporters we've known to be like really the hammer against corruption in Illinois for decades a decade.

So the fact that this is that this happened, the first that the fallout has been so media is really where yeah, huge reputational damage here.

as Brandon mentioned, could affect the pipeline of folks coming into the office.

This case has brought club.

Another publications have reported on affected.

So many people involved.

10's of millions of federal dollars misused, maybe hundreds of millions of federal dollars used on COVID testing that like.

Crucial time in the pandemic's alike that the scale of the potential fraud that could be found here.

That case falls apart.

That has big implications.

A crucial time a vulnerable time remember 2020, just how much we relied on COVID testing and just all the different place.

And I know I traveled, sure some folks trying to travel as well and just the sheer need to do so.

So I can definitely see myself and others falling victim to big test.

So, yeah, at such a critical safety net institution like right to Loretto.

Yeah.

Why would you think that which a low-cost people preying on the vulnerable Yeah, absolutely.

Well, interesting to see what happens with the remaining charges in that case.

Sasha, shifting gears, CPS CEO Macklin King was >> grilled in a congressional hearing about things like the district's a black student success plan.

It's gender affirming policies from what you saw and read about her testimony.

Did it seem like she held firm in this environment that's really designed to knock her off her game?

Yeah, I think she They did make it tough for her, though.

Those Republican.

>> Members Congress who were grilling her were very much, I think, you know, just on their own agenda to expose her in some way, right and expose the district in some way for doing for wrongdoing, for which, you know, in in reality, we know it's just having, you inclusive policies for transgender students having ed curriculums that inclusive.

But they you know, that you serve things like having a hyper.

Whatever that means hyper curriculum.

And so she held her ground.

She maintained that the district was not was was in compliance with the law there was nothing wrong with what how we were.

You know, we were creating a safe space for children to learn and environments for them to be one with their peers that come from different lived experiences.

of as she pointed out, many of these policies are a result of of state law that these aren't necessarily CPS coming in and trying to things that supersede the district.

Right.

And so I think that I think she held her own.

I think as a new CEO for the district, very new to the job, I think.

>> I don't expect her to do much more than what she displayed in Washington.

Yeah, and obviously not necessarily a hearing designed to get answers as much as maybe to make some some political points 80 the deal.

Chicagoans love to hate are privatized parking meter There's a group of all those coming out saying we're going to block a sale of the meters to a different investment firm that's proposed.

>> Not necessarily because of the sales terms because they say the mayor withheld information we have.

not it's not so much the deal itself, which we all know and hate.

>> Just to buy ties it was more about the notification period that City Council should have had about the details of the sale itself council saying they should have 60 days like can consider The mayor only give them a scant amount of time that pushing back against that.

>> You know, all this is, you know, sort another in a string of stories we've seen about the, you know, the back and forth between the mayor and council, you know, from from your read of the situation is a personality clash or was this a real, you know, sort of gap and what the mayor's administration shut it down here?

>> Why say yes to both those I think there is very clearly, you know, Johnson has not had the terms with the council It also says he's inception in the office.

And I think there's also the sense that, you know, here's a very difficult, very difficult situation, terms of the city's finances.

And the mayor is looking for every literally any idea to bring in new revenue.

I think the thought was can we get this ball rolling perhaps before we you know, kind of get into a debate around not going sit on the pulled over, but not not the the strategy behind what he's doing about as interesting.

The Johnson administration response like, oh, We report saying that that was the deadline credit rating.

It's just the day by which we need to have an update.

Right know, sir, we need more time.

Yeah.

Question that the deadline he gave this New York from or, you know, did he say to those terms or not?

>> You know, this is classic example.

We see it over and over the council flexing their muscle in reasserting.

Hey, we are the power, the first week of the legislative body here.

And we've seen kind of that that powerful grows up to life in administration.

Just another one of those latest battles here, the same folks that are kind of part of that I don't like to hear, but that corporate caucus in a sense when there's so much regret over everyone that ultimately approved the first parking for But I think there's so much fear if we don't this closely, we're going selves over politically again.

Yeah, probably a good practice for members of the city council to have more than 2 weeks on that.

To your point is the same group that also, you know, was all against the corporate tax rate and push for that alternative budget that we end up seeing at the end of last year.

Yeah.

Interesting thing about all this that I think is that Mayor Johnson is the one who really has to has to wear a jacket with regard to the city's finances.

>> And like I said, I think he's being incredibly creative with some of the ideas selling dead.

You know, all these other things.

it's a tight spot.

So, yeah, yeah.

Hugely structurally unbalanced budget he wasn't responsible for you back a little like kind kind of a precursor the pass you're going to see from the same people heading into the budget season, which kind of kicks off end of this month.

So I think it's just people kind of like.

>> Warming up a flex those muscles.

Before we to fair enough.

>> All right, Brandon, the Bears say they're looking primarily at Hammond, Indiana, others may be a chance.

Governor Pritzker says he's happy to call a special session if Illinois lawmakers can come together and, you know, come up with a stadium bill, how likely does that seem right now?

Coming off this last session?

I'm skeptical that a special session could come together just.

>> Based off out Pritzker's operate in the past we talk we're all tired of bear stadium.

we're down at the end of the day, U.S.

I'm curious what the political implications are going to be because I think Pritzker is is perfectly fine in his eyes sitting here and putting the onus on the bears and saying, hey, I'm protecting taxpayers for him politically, whether its local leave or for 20 28 presidential, he ever decides to run that fits in line with what think the message you want to go for and the same for legislators.

Overall, the Bears here, they've got to decide.

>> Are you going to really go to Hammond?

Which seems like it's got its own problems right now without the actual location.

You spent specs and everything done or do the all the to move deep dish Chicago actually a real possibility that seems out of the question, too, because Michael Reese that are so they don't like and never say never in any of the was going sideways so many times that are not making bets on anything except that.

>> No one will have their stuff together in time for a special Pretty about he's down to Arlington Heights or him.

And though think Chicago's out, yeah, I think that's probably fair We stay on the lakefront.

It's going to take taxpayer dollars, right?

And I think John says going want to eat that either, especially going into a mayor's race he's already kind of going to have some headwinds.

Yeah, and you know, we heard the governor this week, Sasha reiterate that the Bears didn't play things very well in Springfield.

Also point out the fact that there's a lot of work to do on this Hammond site.

So even if they don't come back until the veto session in November, there's still time no love lost between governor, state lawmakers.

The bears no, no, no love loss.

Governor Pritzker was incredibly frustrated and he's pointing our fingers to the team.

And and so it'll be interesting to see how this wraps up.

But >> I think he's just as fed up as the rest of Nice to know.

We're all in this together you saw the south side many of them are just like put it in Hammond, This is right go there for gas.

Anyway.

Costco is why Chicago anyway.

absolutely.

I just grocery shop there yesterday.

Well, there you go.

Alright, proving the Alright, a pretty horrifying scene downtown this week after someone set fire to a cross in Grant Park.

>> Alden folks released a picture of the person of interest.

So far, no word be on that.

I didn't really have a question here.

But this is something that cannot go unremarked for sure.

And I don't think it even requires a question.

I think just the mere the video even just saying, you some of those a burning cross in Grant Park, you know, in downtown Chicago in 2026.

>> Kind of says it It requires no words, no description or anything.

It since a very chilling effect, particularly among members of afternoon, can community who know the history when all the way know what it represents and who knows the violence that was committed.

I mean, it's essentially think of this wash could be in the calling card for year, money and and the Holocaust and all that pain and suffering.

And the Burning Cross is essentially that emblem for black Americans.

I think of the woman who was driving by in who took the video that we we've all seen it She was running errands with her daughter in the car and she was just highly confusing.

You know, is this a religious thing.

Is this a racial thing?

>> Of course, she's a black woman as well.

And she was also thinking of of that history and Father Pfleger has, as we know, is now putting a pilot $10,000 yeah reward.

folks have information that they can share to to bring that suspect for.

But any that picture, I think that image is pretty clear any if you know, this I would hope that someone would step forward.

hope so, too.

something I hope to never have to again in my career.

alright, 80 some frustrating news for Cook County property tax owners, property owners, I should say once again this year, what's going on with the tax bill service will be approximately >> never want to speak with any certainty anymore.

order of property tax, some of Bears to Michael.

>> So that this is kind of a cascading left over from all last year's problems, the way the property tax system works.

It's all a series of handoffs from office to office.

Last year's delays.

>> Kind of rolled into this year on top of that, we're still in the middle of upgrade of the county's texting systems.

Which is going OK, that is not what's coming up this year's bills, but it is another continuing worry for other parts of the property tax system.

So the good news is for school districts, labrae districts, suburban taxing bodies in general.

The county.

Folks are really in need has started to 0 interest loan program to help them get over that budget.

Trump.

Last year we saw a lot of districts troubled because they're essentially waiting for this money to get through there.

The rest of fiscal year, The count on it.

They have no power over whether or when it comes.

It.

There's still some districts have been overpaid and underpaid.

There's just a lot still to untangle a lot of upset folks, even with that sort of bridge loan fund, though, you heard from.

>> Some officials in the county that really not pleased about.

Yeah, they have.

They have had it many, my fish, officially for months.

But this is the first time they've had they've gotten in front of commissioners and for the leaders of these property tax offices basically said get it together.

We can't go through this again.

In part because they're hearing from their own boards, their own constituents saying do your pressing pause on this capital planning thing?

We can't get anywhere conditioner.

You can't.

Some people are worried about making payroll.

So this was our first chance to kind of sound off and tell tax officials.

I don't care what you gotta Get it up.

>> Was going to is the county is still actually looking at are both trying to throw blame on this new system robberies that soon using from the Texas company.

>> not for bills now, but we're a bunch of other stuff ongoing.

So part of that is also like school District's library district's don't know.

So the money they have received, got but they don't know what fiscal year to count it toward.

So none of them can finish their audits, which are big Some of that got bond rating downgrades because they couldn't make payments on time.

expecting this month.

so there are still lingering problems with that Tyler system.

But not that's not exactly what country late bills make just so many cornucopia one's happy with any of the things inside great It's been who's who of folks at the first Rainbow Push Coalition conference.

The first since Reverend Jackson died.

Governor Pritzker, former secretary of State Clinton, former transportation Secretary Buttigieg, Reverend Al Sharpton.

You reported from the reference memorial service is how important was it for the folks that you talked to to trying keep his legacy alive?

You including through things like this big conference.

Absolutely Important for so many of them, especially at a time where we just saw.

>> Voting Rights Act completely obliterated.

That is something that Reverend Jesse Jackson was very passionate about was getting people to the polls, especially people of color.

The big question for rainbow push with this conference and really after this conference is going to be and they've been doing this for a while.

How relevant is the organization today and and or use of Jackson?

The son of Reverend Jesse Jackson, senior.

What is the path forward?

How do you modernize?

How do you bring in new people?

That's going to be a big question swirling around the conference already has been right now as we get into the years ahead because this is an institution, but it was largely off the back of a of the giant has gone.

Can it stay there and still be as purposeful and relevant to political action in the changing political landscape can be very interesting to see what the future brings.

You know, it certainly an interesting lineup just this year along frequent and that's a All right.

Another big event.

World Cup Supposed to bring folks together.

we're hearing from, you know, from teens from fans who are concerned about some of the.

>> The harsh immigration policies in place right now.

I mean, is this potentially affecting the United States reputation with something that should be kind of showcase moment for us.

It is certainly a flash point.

I think perhaps confirmed kind of hard feelings and my already exists with regard to what's been happening here with immigration didn't run the gamut from the first Trump administration to this one.

>> All list countries that are banned work there more intense immigration enforcement for folks right his country's.

This is just kind of like another another log on that pile, particularly at the moment for an event that literally the globe outside of the Olympics there's any other sporting event that brings all the World Cup of country's COVID the way the World Cup.

absolutely I do think it's really fun, though, to see these people come from European countries.

In this Freddie.

there's a guy on Twitter.

If you still on Twitter, this guy Friday, German flag.

>> He's been just like marveling at how beautiful.

>> Arsene areas but also in places like Buc-ee's the American During my faith the goodness of he's having the time of American culture there, they're soaking it up.

I just saw a great video.

Japanese soccer fans and Mexican soccer fans couldn't bring tequila into Kansas So we're trying bringing people to the brings people together.

Yeah, it was.

It was quite the video and they taken some hits like they're going to have a very interesting time at football for you have to take a leave it taken better be ready for will know tequila out here on the set tonight.

But we did have a great time with the 4 of We are out of time.

So our thanks to all done.

Lowery, 80 Quigg.

>> Sasha and Simons and Brandon Pope.

back to wrap things up right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> And that's our show for this Friday night.

Be sure to join us next Thursday for Chicago tonight, Opening Day in Jackson Park.

We'll have an inside look at the Obama presidential center as it opens on the city's south side.

That's Thursday at 5, 30 10 on W t Tw.

Now for all of us here at the week in review, I'm Nick Lumber.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy, stay safe and stay informed.

Have a great weekend.

All right, Sasha folks think about Lake Michigan.

They think about beach days or swimming or fishing.

>> We talked to some folks this week who treat our lake like the Deep Blue Sea.

Tell us about the U.S., it definitely do it for world Oceans Day.

We had a panel of enthusiast on and we went into the back story of a scuba diving certification organization that actually originates here in the Chicago suburbs.

So now that you can go out and scuba safely and you can get good training and you don't hear all these instances of people, you dying by diving.

That's thanks to Chicago.

You know how to sail the whole things happen here in the city.

That is that is very true.

Very interesting.

And also.

>> Shipwrecks are still still around check out Silver Spring at 47.

You can still see pieces of shipwrecks planes to Navy Pier.

There there So we dug into all of work.

>> Closed caption is made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law, Chicago, personal injury and wrongful death that serves the needs