Sun Times photo of Pritzker homes on North Astor - on right is the toilet-less home
DC - Illinois' seven Republican Congress members want Chicago US Attorney John Lausch, Jr to "fully investigate" the Cook County Inspector General's report concerning the Pritzkers' Chicago homes. The report suggests gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker may have been involved in "fraud and perjury" that cut the billionaires' property taxes by $330,000 over five years.
"The facts described in the Inspector General's report appear to constitute fraud and perjury," the letter to Lausch says. "Since the imporeprly-obtained refund checks were sent to Mr. Pritzker through the US Mail, a violation of 18 USC 1341 (the Federal Mail Fraud Statute) may have occurred."
Those signing onto the letter are Republicans Peter Roskam, Mike Bost, Rodney Davis, Randy Hultgren, John Shimkus, Adam Kinzinger and Darin La Hood.
The letter goes on to say affidavits falsely claimed that the mansion next door to the Pritzkers' Chicago home was deemed "vacant and uninhabitable" with no working toilets since January 1, 2012. That distinction caused the $6.25 million residence's value to be lowered to $1.1 million - dramatically lowering the property taxes on the property next to the Pritzkers that they had purchased.
According to the IG's report, the toilets were removed much later, only ten days before the Cook County assessment - at the direction of the gubernatorial candidate's wife.
The IG called the Pritzkers' strategy as a "scheme to defraud."
No one should be above the law, the letter from the Illinois Congress members said.
"Illinois, perhaps more than any other state, has suffered greatly due to public corruption. Four of Illinois' last nine governors have gone to prison," the letter ended saying. "It is important to send a strong signal to the people of Illinois that no one is above the law, not even billionaires running for Governor..."
The letter also HERE:
