Abdon Pallasch
Chicago
Political Reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times
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Articles by Abdon Pallasch
Statement from Comptroller Susana Mendoza on the End of Spring Legislative Session
SPRINGFIELD – I am pleased to see the state legislature conclude their work on time to pass a state budget for the new fiscal year beginning July 1. Article continues after sponsor message The Fiscal Year 2027 budget provides for a spending plan of $55.9 billion.
Comptroller Mendoza Launches Dog Days Of Summer Pet Adoption Campaign
SPRINGFIELD – Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s Dog Days of Summer campaign kicks off today and will run each Tuesday through Labor Day. The effort, in its third year, features dogs available for adoption from shelters around the state who are desperately looking for a new family. “It’s been a pleasure to carry on the Comptroller’s Critters program started by my dear friend Judy Baar Topinka,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza And Planning Expert David Doig Give Testimony On Legislation Stopping Raids On Neighborhood Development Funds
SPRINGFIELD – Comptroller Susana Mendoza and former Chicago Planning Department official David Doig are championing a bill barring municipal officials from raiding neighborhood development funds to plug budget holes. They offered testimony before the House Revenue and Finance Committee this morning on HB 4712, sponsored by Rep. Bob Rita (D-Blue Island). Video is available here.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s Proposed Legislation Strengthening The Office’s Oversight Of Crematoriums Unanimously Passes Both Houses
SPRINGFIELD – Legislation spearheaded by Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza to strengthen regulatory oversight of crematories passed the Illinois Senate today, following its passage by the House in April.
Comptroller Mendoza Urges Illinois Small Businesses To Take Advantage Of Services Offered By Her Office
SPRINGFIELD – This is National Small Business Week and Comptroller Susana Mendoza is highlighting programs that are available through the Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC). According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 1.4 million small businesses in Illinois, employing 2.4 million people. “Small businesses are what keep our economy and our communities strong,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
Comptroller Mendoza Reminds Construction Workers And Union Groups About Illinois Prevailing Wage Laws
SPRINGFIELD - The construction season is about to heat up, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza wants workers on publicly funded projects to know her office is available to help if they aren’t being paid a fair wage. The prevailing wage is set by county, designating the least amount of money and benefits a contractor is required to pay workers.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza Attends Portrait Unveiling
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza visited Wild Rose Artisans Gallery & Boutique in Springfield today to accept a portrait she commissioned from store owner, Monica Zanetti. The portrait features the Comptroller, her mother, and labor leader and women’s rights advocate Dolores Huerta. “I have admired Monica’s work and stopped by Wild Rose about a year ago where we discussed doing a painting,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza Warns The Public About Tax Related Scams This Filing Season
SPRINGFIELD – Whether you’ve already started the filing process or are just beginning to get all your documents together, it’s important to be aware of current scams targeting taxpayers. “This is the time of year when you’re dealing with a lot of personal information including Social Security and bank account numbers,” Comptroller Susana Mendoza said.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza Highlights Safety Tips For Identity Theft Awareness Week
SPRINGFIELD – This is Identity Theft Awareness Week and Comptroller Mendoza is offering advice to help consumers protect themselves. “One of the most important things to remember is that ID theft can happen to anyone, even your children” Comptroller Mendoza said. “That’s why it’s so important to safeguard personal information and keep an eye on bank accounts and credit cards.” Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission.
SPRINGFIELD – Many of us pledge to exercise more and eat healthier as January 1st rolls around, but setting up a budget and tackling debt is also a great New Year’s resolution. “What better way to kick off 2026 than to take a hard look at your finances, make a plan to pay off bills and consider investing to provide for your future,” said Comptroller Mendoza.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza Offers Holiday Shopping Tips
SPRINGFIELD - It’s that time of year, when deals are aplenty and everyone makes their wish lists. But it’s important not to go overboard and to make sure you are shopping safely. “Everyone wants to find the perfect presents for their loved ones, but you also don’t want to close out the year with an overdrawn bank account and a mountain of credit card debt,” said Comptroller Mendoza. The concern is real.
Comptroller Mendoza Recognizes National Business Women’s Week
SPRINGFIELD - Women business owners looking to expand sales and win government contracts should consider the Illinois Office of Comptroller’s (IOC) SMART Business program, which provides free counseling and guidance on how to become certified as a small business or a women-owned business with the state.
Comptroller Mendoza Highlights Cybersecurity Awareness Month with a Warning About Phishing, Smishing and Vishing
SPRINGFIELD – October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza is reminding the public to be wary of potentially fraudulent emails, texts and phone calls. The Illinois Office of Comptroller sends out more than 11,000 checks a day, so cybersecurity is a vital component of daily operations. The public also needs to make sure they are constantly on the lookout for attempts to steal their personal data.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza announces the start of the 2025 State and University Employees Combined Appeal (SECA) campaign
SPRINGFIELD – The State and University Employees Combined Appeal (SECA) kicks off today, Wednesday, September 17th, and runs through November 12th, 2025. SECA offers state government and university employees the opportunity to donate to their favorite charities through payroll deduction. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Chip In and Help Out.” The idea is that we can all do our part, and SECA makes that easy.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza Orders 3rd Round of Pension Pre-payments
SPRINGFIELD - Following another strong month in fund balances, Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza is ordering the pre-payment of state pension payments in August. Total payments in August will be $1.336 billion to the five retirement systems which include $428 million in pre-payments, or nearly 50% more than the usual amount. Article continues after sponsor message This comes after the Comptroller’s Office pre-paid 100% more in pre-payments in July.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza Invites Fairgoers to Stop by Her Office’s Tent at Illinois State Fair
SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC) will once again have a tent at the Illinois State Fair, offering visitors exciting giveaways, cold water, games, information about the office’s programs and services, and a chance to learn more about what the IOC does as the state’s fiscal watchdog.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza Orders New Round of Pension Pre-Payments
SPRINGFIELD - For the second year in a row, Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza is taking advantage of a law she sought allowing her office to pre-pay state pensions when state fund balances are strong. “I believe in the adage that time in the market beats timing the market. We know from last year that these pre-payments work. With more money in their investment portfolios for a longer time, the pension systems saw assets increase,” Mendoza said.
Comptroller Mendoza Starts Fiscal Year 2026 With All The State’s General Revenue Fund Bills Paid
SPRINGFIELD - With the close of fiscal year 2025 on June 30, Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza reports another successful year in paying the state’s bills in a timely manner while the state’s Rainy Day Fund balance has again increased to new records. For the fourth consecutive year, the Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC) released all pending bills to vendors from the state’s General Revenue Fund (GRF), while reporting an end-of-year GRF cash balance of $1.9 billion.
Comptroller Mendoza Launches New Podcast To Help Consumers With Money Matters
SPRINGFIELD - Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s new podcast, The Mendoza Podcast – Financial Talk that Makes Cents, covers a wide range of topics. This includes the basics of budgeting, investing, and saving for college. “I’m a finance nerd at heart, and I really wanted to bring my knowledge, as well as advice from experts to the public,” said Comptroller Mendoza.
Comptroller Mendoza Permanently Closes Heights Crematory Through Consent Order
CHICAGO HEIGHTS – Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced Thursday that the Heights Crematory of Chicago Heights has had its license permanently revoked through a consent order. “The practical effect of this order is that Heights and its owners will never operate a crematorium in the state of Illinois again,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
Comptroller Mendoza Invites Illinois Small Businesses To Take Advantage Of Services Offered By Her Office
SPRINGFIELD - This is National Small Business Week and Comptroller Mendoza is highlighting programs that are available through the Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC). According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 1.3 million small businesses in Illinois, employing 2.3 million people. “Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and I want to make sure they receive the support they need to be successful,” said Comptroller Mendoza.
Mendoza, Frerichs Issue Statements On Blagojevich's Pardon
Comptroller Mendoza: Rod Blagojevich is unworthy of a pardon "President Trump has the power as president to pardon whomever he wants. The president can pardon someone as unworthy as Rod Blagojevich, who threatened to hold up funds from a children’s hospital unless the hospital’s CEO donated to his campaign. That was my bill to fund treatment for sick children that Blagojevich held up.
Comptroller Mendoza Suspends Payments to the Village of Orland Park for Failure to File Documents
Starting today, Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza is suspending “offset” payments to the Village of Orland Park. “Offsets” refers to money collected from state payments our office withholds from people who owe traffic tickets or other money to municipalities such as Orland Park. Susan MendozaThese payments are worth about $120,000 a year to the village.
A DACA Anniversary Amid Uncertain Future
Over the weekend the Biden Administration celebrated the twelfth anniversary of DACA with a poignant video highlighting several Dreamers who have benefited from the policy. The acknowledgment of the anniversary arrives as the Obama-era program has been hobbled by a hostile court system and faces a potentially grimmer future.
Supreme Court Tosses Abortion Medication Challenge
Earlier today the Supreme Court, in an unanimous decision authored by Brett Kavanaugh, tossed a lawsuit that was seeking to revoke the FDA approval of mifepristone, one of two drugs used in a medication abortion. Kavanaugh’s opinion made it clear that the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, a conservative medical organization and anti-choice OB-GYN’s, did not have standing to sue the FDA. The case, known as The Alliance For Hippocratic Medicine v.
A Resolution For San Antonio To Stop Displacing Birds, Trees, and Parkgoers
This article originally appeared on Deceleration A resolution passed last month at LULAC’s state convention highlights the attacks on the birds and trees in Brackenridge Park —and their connection to civil and ceremonial rights for local Indigenous and Latine communities. The City of San Antonio must end its policy of harassing migratory birds at Brackenridge Park and across the City’s parks system, according to Texas-based members of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC.
Threats To IVF In Texas
Ever since a surprise ruling in Alabama, advocates for IVF have been apprehensive that the procedure could be threatened in states like Texas, which is under essentially a total abortion ban. Though many Republicans lawmakers in Texas are downplaying any threats to IVF in the state, there are warning signs that the procedure could be in danger. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a medical procedure that helps a person or couple struggling with infertility to have a child.
When The Irish Terror Threat Came To El Paso
A Forgotten Texas History EL PASO – The most militant offshoot of the Irish Republican Army had plans to move weapons south across the Texas-Mexico border and to smuggle its leader north from Mexico into the United States.
The long hidden Florida connection to Ireland's enduring peace
By Abdon Pallasch, Special to Florida Bulldog Just months after it started 26 years ago, Northern Ireland’s peace process could have collapsed after an IRA splinter group killed 31 people, mostly women and children, with a bomb in the small town of Omagh. But that splinter group largely dissolved thanks in large part to an American trucker-turned spy Dave Rupert, who worked his way up to the top of the “Real IRA” and helped convict its leader.
Comptroller Mendoza Welcomes Moody's Change In Outlook From "Stable" To "Positive"
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Statement from Comptroller Susana Mendoza on House Passage of Two COVID-19 First Responder Bills
Susan MendozaStatement from Comptroller Susan Mendoza about House passage of two COVID-19 first responder bills: "I am thrilled to see House lawmakers vote unanimously for HB 4321, extending the presumption that a downstate firefighter or police officer who contracted COVID-19 in the days before vaccines, did so on the job. This will ensure they receive the pension disability benefits they deserve.
Events
June 23, 2023 SOUND OPINIONS featuring Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot: IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO TODAY Thursday, June 23, virtual event via ZOOM (7 - 8:30 pm) IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO TODAY: Albums from 1972 still inspiring and influencing musicians 50 years later Some fans think that all of the innovations which continue to echo in popular music today came in the ‘60s. Greg and Jim will make the case that 1972 was actually every bit as creative and influential in the long term.
The thrill is gone on the North Branch Bike Trail Original
On my morning jog, I was aghast to see the Cook County Forest Preserve District bull-dozing the most fun part of the North Branch Bike Trail, replacing it with a long, winding, safe roundabout. Generations of kids have learned to avoid death-by-bike on that treacherous blind curve after the steep drop at the start of the trail in Caldwell Woods. The bike trail that follows the North Branch of the Chicago River starts at Milwaukee and Devon avenues at the city’s northwest edge.
Remembering Dennis Cahill, Irish Traditional Musician Great
Gifted Irish-American guitarist Dennis Cahill passed away June 20 at age 68 after a long illness. Tributes have poured in from his fans, his fellow musicians, and from Irish President Michael D. Higgins, who heard him perform at The White House and at Royal Albert Hall in London. “It is with great sadness that those with a love of traditional Irish music across Ireland, his native Chicago, and around the world will have heard of the death of Dennis Cahill,” Higgins said.
Paradise Square - Irish America
“This is the most important musical of our times” Chicago – go see Paradise Square for the best blending of Irish and African-American dance you’ve seen; the most inspiring, stand-up-and-cheer vocals you’ve heard; and a story about a part of American history you’ve never heard. “What really blows this show out of the park is its knockout dancing, and the brilliant choreography by Bill T.
Miracle on Ice 42 Years Later
The United States Men's Hockey team celebrates their unexpected win over Russia on February 22, 1980 in Lake Placid, New York. (Photo: lakeplacid.com) This is hardly the first Winter Olympics overshadowed by tension between Russia and Western democracies.
Got a Case of Teen Travel Angst? Find a Herd of Mountain Sheep
Truth be told, it was the sheep who saved our summer vacation. My teenage daughters were just barely tolerating the 4,000-mile, out-and-back road trip from Chicago to Yellowstone and Glacier national parks. Their patience was slim. A year and a half home with me and their mom, separated from friends thanks to that nasty virus, had ratcheted their teen angst several notches above healthy. Wyoming’s majestic Bighorn Mountains could not compete with their smartphones.
As we exposed R. Kelly’s corruption, we expected other media to jump in - but they never did
At last, after 21 years, the girls’ voices have been heard. Justice delayed for nearly 20 years finally has caught up with R&B superstar R. Kelly. He could face the rest of his life in federal prison for holding young Black women captive in his homes and studios and forcing them to serve him sexually. Kelly is now a convicted sexual predator; an adult whose victims were 14, 15 and 16 when he began abusing them. So let’s call this what it was: Rape.
Before trying to sneak a ringer on the ballot, Trump should have consulted with a few Chicago political operatives | Abdon Pallasch
President Trump could avoid embarrassing himself further if he’d just hire a few seasoned Chicago political operatives to teach him the subtleties of running a phony candidate — a “ringer” — to take votes from a real election opponent. Rule #1: Don’t send your own campaign lawyer, Lane Ruhland, to file signatures for the ringer, Kanye West, as a third-party candidate for president in Wisconsin.
Mayor Byrne was happy to let Bluesmobile ram Daley Center - part of $3.5M climatic scene in ‘The Blues Brothers’
Editor’s note: The story was originally published on June 24, 2005, as part of a weeklong series to commemorate the 25th anniversary of “The Blues Brothers.” The Sun-Times is republishing the stores to mark the 40th anniversary of the movie in 2020. If you came upon Daley Plaza on Labor Day weekend 1979, you might have turned and run for cover. Two hundred National Guardsmen, rifles in hand, raced from Army jeeps and tanks toward the Cook County Building.
What is lost if photos are pulled to save subject’s pain?
Imagine if the world had never seen that photo of a young Mary Ann Vecchio screaming out in raw emotional pain over the body of Jeffrey Miller, shot dead moments earlier by National Guardsmen at Kent State University in 1970. Student journalist John Filo’s iconic, Pulitzer-winning photo arguably helped hasten the end of the Vietnam War. The protest at Kent State on May 4, 1970, was just one of many protests around the country as President Richard Nixon appeared to be moving the war into Cambodia.
Opinion: Chicago Sun-Times endorsement of Lori Lightfoot for mayor shows why they still matter
To all who have written the obituary for the value of newspaper endorsements, Chicago offers powerful evidence that it’s time to throw that false eulogy out the window. A record-setting 14 candidates crowded the ballot for mayor of Chicago earlier this year. Some had been running for months with little to show for it. On Feb.
R. Kelly found not guilty on all 14 counts against him
Editor’s note: This story was originally published in the Chicago Sun-Times on June 14, 2008. R. Kelly famously sang “I Believe I Can Fly.” Friday afternoon, he broke down in tears as a Cook County jury let him walk. In a dramatic verdict that appeared to stun even his own highly paid lawyers, the 41-year-old R&B star was cleared of all 14 counts of child pornography. “Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus,” Kelly whispered as each not guilty verdict was read.
20 months since R. Kelly charged in child porn case - no trial date yet
Twenty months after prosecutors announced they had the evidence to convict R&B superstar R. Kelly on child pornography charges, no trial date has been set. Every month Kelly reports to Cook County Criminal Court where prosecutors turn over more evidence to Kelly’s lawyers; Kelly asks permission to travel the country promoting his new albums; and Judge Vince Gaughan asks both sides when they’ll be ready to set a trial date. Rapper P. Diddy got to trial on murder charges in New York in 12 months.
Discovered at a barbecue, he hit it big; but some saw dark cloud over R. Kelly
Who is the real R. Kelly? Is the R&B superstar the inspiring gospel preacher behind uplifting anthems such as “I Believe I Can Fly,” “I Wish,” and “The World’s Greatest”? Or is the South Sider the self-professed “sexual super freak” of raunchy bedroom shakers like “Bump N’ Grind,” “I Like the Crotch on You,” and “Feelin’ On Yo Booty”?
R. Kelly hit with 21 counts of child porn; Fans chant 'We love you'
It was an arrest unbefitting the man some regard as “The World’s Greatest” R&B star. Multiplatinum superstar R. Kelly was handcuffed and thrown in a police car in front of his Florida home Wednesday after a Cook County grand jury indicted him on 21 counts of child pornography for a video that appears to show him engaging in sex acts with a 14-year-old girl. Kelly’s attorney Ed Genson thought he had struck a deal for Kelly to surrender to Chicago police in a more dignified fashion.
Calls for radio boycott amid CPD probe of R. Kelly sex tape
Some of R&B superstar R. Kelly’s peers in the music world are denouncing him as a “child molester” while Chicago ministers step up their boycott against stations that play his music. Police and prosecutors are investigating a video that appears to show Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl, violating statutory rape and child pornography laws. “Thong Song” rapper Sisqo’s new track, “This Is the Heart,” offers the lyric “Let me remind you of that ish you did.
R. Kelly denies underage sex charge
02/09/2002, 03:00am Musician R. Kelly is photographed at the Chicago Recording Company, on Oct. 15, 2015. | James Foster/For Sun-Times Media Subscribe for unlimited digital access. Try one month for $1! Subscribe for unlimited digital access. Try one month for $1! Chicago R&B superstar R. Kelly sang at the Olympics on Friday night amid a growing controversy about a videotape that appears to show him having sex with an underage girl.
Chicago Police investigate R. Kelly in sex tape
Chicago police are investigating whether R&B superstar R. Kelly — part of today’s opening act at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City — had sex with an underage girl and videotaped the illegal act. A 26-minute, 39-second videotape, which was sent anonymously to the Sun-Times last week, shows the singer-songwriter performing various sex acts with the underage girl.
Sun-Times' R. Kelly report sparks anger
News of pop star R. Kelly’s reported sexual relationships with underage girls prompted outrage Thursday from radio listeners. Some were angry at Kelly. Others blamed the girls. Some callers and hosts heaped criticism on the Sun-Times for reporting the story.
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