born february democratic politician illinois illinois state government seven children puerto rican native parents raised public housing project hispanic american serve hispanic american chair commissioner property tax assessment appeal panel career combined government sector jobs elected office unpaid political party leadership positions private sector lobbying consulting insurance sales political campaign strategies included ballot access challenges potential opponents focus investigations allegations ethics violations political corruption respect campaign fund raising press courts repeatedly defended right elected official hire relatives accept campaign contributions business office early life education early political career born february oldest seven children parents puerto rican natives family moved green public housing high rises got job private restaurant 39th floor civic opera house worked seven years eventually graduated prep high school chicago received bachelor degree accounting political role unpaid position captain 31st ward political organization chicago mayor chief ally met student speeding kennedy expressway called october convicted conspiracy mail fraud elected office profit illegal real estate deals wife succeeded won illinois state senate seat 5th senate district encompasses neighborhood chicago 31st ward polish american recognized growing puerto rican population district democratic_party political included 31st ward hispanic time chicago area latino groups contested legislative district map united_states federal court panel judges decided case ordered new map gave majority districts chicago 9th predominantly puerto rican 20th predominantly mexican american sponsored time chief clerk tax appeals commissioner 9th district candidates filed petitions run democratic primary ran unopposed petitions candidates successfully challenged republicans fielded candidate primary ran unopposed general election age hispanic american serve ran election unopposed fall general election won election twice serving year terms maintained job chicago chief clerk tax appeals serving time legislator state capital springfield illinois december state legislators criticised holding second government job report issued founded commissioner later illinois treasurer lieutenant governor governor democratic party posts 31st ward democratic march state senator mentor indicted federal investigation bribes allegedly paid city licensing officials april resigned position 31st ward chicago named replacement august convicted federal charges political office illegal financial gain allied chicago mayor term council wars era washington backing defeated candidate helped close council wars year later defeated decided run election left job following year regained post role held chairman veteran held unpaid party position chairman nearly years seriously ill announced retirement january died january age democrats met chicago february fill vacancy elected new chairman hispanic hold post held want independent ahead form party said referring candidates democratic running benefit commissioner tax appeals boss tax appeals died november age accordance state law chief judge appointed temporary replacement attorney deputy 31st ward resident secretary 31st ward democratic organization captain 31st ward ran vacancy backing democratic party organization democratic primary won nomination sizable margin assistant corporation counsel candidacy sponsored quinn commissioner elected paid year october added time job legislative aide political ally democratic state representative job paid nearly years working tax appeals board worked consultant state government association longtime business partner won bid contract liaison municipal officials march fbi agents executed search warrant records tax appeals ongoing investigation weeks later federal agents investigating ghost financial records past current employees board including investigated contracts federal grand jury contracts federal grand jury chicago records documenting recipients tuition state universities request current state legislators including scholarship program begun allowed state legislator tuition fees state public universities students live legislator district regard academic achievement financial need charges filed tax appeals tax appeals renamed hiring relatives friends commissioner sister sister law son daughter worked county annual salaries ranging let yeah told associated_press hired deputy chief commissioner election law attorney wrote chapter ballot access responded criticisms hiring relatives friends said basically saying politics brothers wants come work government shouldn allowed work government want pass law says individual government friends relatives work government pass law political fundraising tax appeal lawyers commissioner regularly accepted hundreds thousands dollars year campaign contributions lawyers appealed property tax assessments board controls personal political action committees including fund controls collected million political contributions percent property tax appeal lawyers campaign contributions decade came property tax appeal law firms gained clients contributing million political action committees controlled daughter representative democrat 39th illinois house district chicago northwest started million campaign funds attorneys appeared successful property tax appeal law firms strong political connections tax appeal law firms received largest reductions clients representative speaker chicago democrat close ally brother illinois state senator president chicago simultaneously worked registered illinois state government issues video poker springfield critical lucrative commercial real estate tax appeals practices law firms including illinois conflict interest wrote executive director chicago_tribune illinois loose conflict interest standards connection wrote campaign election cook county announced seek election hours said planned announce candidacy february won way democratic primary vote primary lowest turn candidacy denounced local editorial boards chicago_tribune editorial board described terrible candidate powerful office called democratic_party miserable mistake citing disregard basic ethical principles patent conflicts interest chicago_sun-times editorial board called tragedy describing fine example fact illinois needs campaign finance reform teeth citing lack transparency record hiring family friends relationship editorial board called office needs profile described insider illinois politics vivid example infested politics illinois famous monday morning september candidate campaign fund raising breakfast met approved package ethics reforms response including measure required candidates return contributions property tax appeal lawyers prohibiting public officials conducting political activities work county county resources law line said commissioner filed petitions run independent candidate dropped challenge petitions lawyers examined signatures required prevailed november general election percent vote field included republican attributed defeat failure suburban support offset organization chicago campaign fundraising excess county limits investigated allegedly accepting excessive political contributions attorneys argued property tax appeals sent letters tax attorneys warning donations election cycle exceeded county campaign contribution limits attorney objected regulation illegal sought advisory opinion attorney february deputy state attorney wrote advisory opinion lacked home rule authority limit campaign contributions state campaign finance law legal counsel issued opinion new contribution limits unconstitutional commissioners scaled campaign finance reform law dropped investigation campaign contributions hiring promoting relatives friends days taking office hired son sister work bringing property tax appeals board family members received raises new positions brought property tax appeals board veteran staff member treasurer citizens daughter campaign committee asked confirmed past criticisms said won election county inspector general executive director county government issued joint advisory memo president commissioners elected county officials including warning hiring relatives violated county ethics laws initiated investigation federal court appointed attorneys monitoring city chicago compliance designed prevent politics influencing personnel decisions raised objections month administration office january comply president request board percent budget cuts help close estimated million budget laid employees members unions relatives remained payroll july approved settlements employees office court appointed decree monitor determined fired political reasons consideration possible violations county pending reports questioned relationship board chairman prominent long time real estate attorney law firm represented clients served donated thousands dollars political campaigns day release joint investigations resigned final determination dated june recommended remove son sister county payroll fined total relatives hired big deal told state attorney power said chicago_tribune editorial called hiring relatives violation county ethics rules president said said political career public office hire relatives appropriate leads perception government friends family good right fired foster joe political ally said attorney declined represent issue citing conflict interest judge appointed outside lawyer represent beginning april firm billed county work september rejected appeal final determination november members family state county receiving state county topped category chicago best worst politicians december issue petitioned courts special prosecutor judge appointed attorney general march billed county defense ruling april judge ruled authority impose fines eligible property tax break primary residence manager office granted exemption homes cook county inspector general office seeking documents related ignored claiming authority filed suit represented suit attorney january circuit court judge ruled county inspector general authority investigate independently elected county offices august judge ruled comply business interests personal life partner secretary lobbying firm offices springfield downtown chicago lobbying clients include manufacturers distributors video poker machines president insurance agency office downtown chicago lives neighborhood chicago northwest father children including representative
Joseph Berrios