'He's Bitten Off More Than He Can Chew': Attorneys For Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson In Federal Trial Say He Made Mistakes But Is Not Guilty
CHICAGO (CBS) -- He comes from a Chicago political dynasty.
Now, 11th Ward Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson is before a federal jury charged with tax fraud. CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reports from the Dirksen Federal Building where prosecutors said he lied to the feds about money he borrowed.
Prosecutors also accuse him of thinking he could get away with those alleged lies after the president of the bank that gave him the money killed himself. His attorneys chalk it up to inadvertent mistakes.
When it comes to his federal trial, there are a lot of firsts for 11th Ward Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson, former Mayor Richard M. Daley's nephew and Richard J. Daley's grandson. The 54-year-old Thompson is the first member of the Daley family to face federal charges, and also the first Chicago alderman to go to trial in decades.
In his case, federal prosecutors said Thompson borrowed $219,000 from the now-defunct Washington Federal Bank in Bridgeport. They allege Thompson only made one payment and paid no interest, even though he reported interest payments on his income taxes. The feds said Thompson then lied to the FDIC about how much he borrowed.
Right after the April, 2021 indictment came down, Thompson said he was innocent and that he didn't commit a crime. In court, his defense attorney Chris Gair blamed the matter on a tax preparation oversight and Thompson's hectic life.
"He's frazzled. He's bitten off more than he can chew," Gair told jurors about why he didn't remember the amount borrowed. And when federal regulators interviewed Thompson, Gair said "instead of correcting him, instead of refreshing his memory, they were setting him up. I wonder why?"
Prosecutors also questioned a former bank worker who was also indicted, and plead guilty, to having a role in helping the bank's former president John Gembara and others embezzle millions. She testified to several meetings between Thompson and Gembara, in addition to Gembara giving one sum of money.
Alderman Thompson gave a quick good morning when he headed into court today. More than a dozen people have been indicted in connection with the failed bank.
