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 Illinois state Sen. Emil Jones III has been hit with federal bribery charges
related to a federal investigation into red-light cameras dating back to 2019.
Jones was charged Sept. 20 through a criminal information document and not a
grand jury indictment, a common sign of a guilty plea.
The South Side Democrat allegedly sought $5,000 in bribes in exchange for
keeping a study of red-light cameras from including the Chicago suburbs. The
charge states he later lied to FBI agents about it.
Since Jones III was appointed in 2009 by his father, former Illinois Senate
President Emil Jones Jr., he’s run unopposed. He sits on eight state Senate
committees and serves as vice chair of the public safety committee, crucial to
red-light camera bills.
Former SafeSpeed partner Omar Maani was charged separately, but the company
hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing. Maani has been cooperating with the FBI since
2020.
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Jones is the latest public official with corruption charges stemming from
red-light cameras. Others include the late state Sen. Martin Sandoval, former
Crestwood Mayor Lou Presta, former Cook County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski and
former Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Tony Ragucci.
An Illinois Policy Institute investigation found the cameras cost Illinoisans
over $1 billion between 2008 and 2018. They also fostered corruption as
politicians were courted to secure lucrative intersections and obtain access.
Corruption costs Illinoisans $550 million in lost economic activity every year,
but SafeSpeed cameras have been a common denominator. How many more public
corruption charges will it take before lawmakers decide to remove the cameras?
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