East Central Reporter

James T. Weiss, a corrupt businessman, has been sentenced to 5 ½ years in prison for bribery and lying to the FBI. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago. The judge emphasized that corruption is an embarrassment to the city of Chicago, stating, "Mr. Weiss, you added another star to Chicago’s walk of shame on the sidewalk of corruption."

Weiss was found guilty during a federal trial that concluded in June. He was charged with bribing two Illinois Democratic lawmakers, Luis Arroyo and Terry Link, in an attempt to change state law for his own benefit. Weiss paid $32,500 to Arroyo and $5,000 to Link, with plans to pay Link an additional $25,000. In addition to bribery, Weiss was convicted of honest services wire and mail fraud, as well as lying to the FBI.

Arroyo, who pleaded guilty to bribery charges in 2021, is currently serving a prison sentence. Link, who cooperated with the FBI investigation, is awaiting sentencing for his own tax crimes. Both Arroyo and Link are Democrats, and Weiss is the husband of former Democratic state representative Toni Berrios.

During the sentencing of Arroyo, Judge Seeger described him as a "dirty politician who was on the take" and a "corruption super-spreader." In the case of Weiss, Judge Seeger found him more responsible for the bribery scheme, stating, "Looks to me like it was your idea."

The Weiss trial follows the recent 'ComEd Four' verdict, which was also a high-profile bribery case involving former Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan. Four ComEd employees were found guilty on a total of 30 corruption charges.

The issue of corruption in Illinois politics has led Illinois House Republicans to advocate for sweeping corruption and ethics reform. Despite the numerous indictments and imprisonments of Illinois legislators on corruption charges, the state has lagged behind in enacting meaningful reforms. House Republicans believe that eliminating conflicts of interest and empowering the Legislative Inspector General with subpoena powers would create a more honest and transparent government. They emphasize the need for ethics reform to be bipartisan and to prioritize public service over self-interest.

In response to the Weiss case, Representative Miller stated, "Democrat’s dirty work is always happening behind the curtains of their corrupt stage and James Weiss takes the spotlight for his corruption that taints Illinois." He called for ethics reform and expressed concern about the numerous guilty verdicts surrounding Democrats and Mike Madigan.

Representative Miller also commented on the culture of corruption fostered by Illinois Democrats, accusing them of using mob-like tactics against political opponents and engaging in intimidation and bullying. He called this behavior disgraceful and stated that it has no place in society. Miller expressed hope that the uncovering of the Democrats' criminal enterprise will continue, aiming to root out corruption that has plagued Illinois politics for far too long.

To find out more, go to this link: https://repcmiller.com/2023/10/20/weiss-sentenced-to-5-%c2%bd-years-for-bribery-scheme/