Good morning, Chicago. ✶
🔎 Below: Sheri Mecklenburg, the prosecutor at the center of the tainted “Broadview Six” case, faces a reckoning — but defense attorneys say the U.S. attorney’s office problems go beyond one person.
🗞️ Plus: Chicago sues Airbnb, Gov. JB Pritzker’s affordable housing blunder and more news you need to know.
📝 Keeping score: The Cubs beat the Mets, 9-6; the White Sox bested the Guardians, 2-1.
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⏱️: An 8-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER 🌧️
A chance of showers and a high near 79.
TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎
‘Broadview 6′ prosecutor faces reckoning that casts cloud over US Attorney Boutros’ office
By Jon Seidel
Under microscope: Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Mecklenburg, the federal prosecutor whose two decades of work in Chicago are going under a microscope, tackled one of the city’s top fraud investigations before the “Broadview Six” case led to multiple claims that she’d acted improperly while seeking indictments from grand jurors.
Solo act?: Defense attorneys who exposed the alleged wrongdoing say the need for accountability in U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros’ office goes beyond one person. They asked a judge last week to appoint a special counsel who would investigate Boutros and others for criminal contempt, in part “because of what appears to be a determined effort to blame a single prosecutor.”
Lingering questions: Questions remain about the role of Boutros and others in the grand jury scandal. Most of all, it remains unclear who was involved in the redaction of Mecklenburg’s allegedly improper statements from transcripts given to U.S. District Judge April Perry in the “Broadview Six” case.
HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT 🏠
Chicago sues Airbnb, host company for allegedly improper rentals
By Esther Yoon-Ji Kang
Chicago vs. Airbnb: The city has filed a lawsuit accusing short-term rental company Airbnb and one of its hosts of improperly listing numerous properties.
What’s alleged: The complaint filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court alleges that real estate broker Milan Rubenstein and his company, Slumber Stay LLC, did not properly register his short-term rentals and used a single nontransferable hotel license for multiple listings — then kept renting those units after being issued citations.
The complaint: Airbnb is accused of profiting from those allegedly unlawful rentals rather than working with the city to ensure compliance with the Shared Housing Ordinance. According to the lawsuit, the city issued Rubenstein and Slumber Stay LLC nearly 200 violations in 2024 and 2025. The suit claims Airbnb was aware of those violations but chose to “prioritize profits over compliance with City law.”
Key context: The city’s Shared Housing Ordinance limits the number of short-term rentals in a building, restricts short-term rentals in certain neighborhoods and requires registration with the city.
POLITICS ✶
What happened to Pritzker’s affordable housing plan?
By Mawa Iqbal, Tina Sfondeles and Mitchell Armentrout
Housing matters: Gov. JB Pritzker — who’s running for a historic third term and weighing a potential 2028 Democratic presidential bid — failed to get his plan overhauling local residential zoning laws passed this spring.
BUILD plan: Dubbed Building Up Illinois Developments, or BUILD, the plan would have allowed multi-unit housing, such as duplexes and triplexes, and “granny flats” on nearly all properties zoned for residential use. It also would have created statewide timelines for permit reviews and inspections.
At issue: Despite investing a significant amount of political capital, Pritzker was unable to overcome opposition by local government leaders. They say the proposal not only preempts local authority, but also was dropped on their laps at the last minute.
More on Pritzker:
- Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is fundraising Wednesday night in Chicago with Pritzker, ahead of the governor’s own visit to Texas on Friday to deliver remarks before the state’s Democrats.
- Pritzker plans on Wednesday to sign legislation to shield patients’ abortion-related digital medical records from access by outside authorities, who have sometimes used the information to pursue criminal cases in states where the procedure has been outlawed.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️
- Teen mourned after fatal shooting: A community of loved ones and teammates are mourning Marcus Chatman Jr., 14, who was shot and killed last week in Auburn Gresham. Marcus spent most of his time playing in a youth football program, where he made lifelong friends.
- Suspect charged in 2025 shooting: A 15-year-old boy has become the third suspect accused in a deadly October 2025 shooting that left two teens dead and a man injured elsewhere in Auburn Gresham, police said.
- Support against gun violence: Community leaders have been pressuring Chicago mayors for more than a decade to create a stand-alone city department focusing exclusively on reducing and preventing gun violence, but they now have a champion in Mayor Brandon Johnson.
- Alleged Medicaid fraud: The U.S. Department of Justice charged 19 Illinoisans with various healthcare fraud schemes Tuesday. One is Daniel Robinson, an Oak Lawn methadone clinic owner who used millions in a Medicaid scheme to buy a yacht, cars and jewelry, the feds said.
- Data restrictions for ICE: Cook County officials say they are working to further restrict data sharing through a county vendor contract that critics say exposes a gap in local sanctuary protections.
- Neighbors fight substation: During a town hall Monday, Lincoln Park residents blasted ComEd over its plans for a new substation at a former COVID-19 testing facility. Neighbors want more housing, but ComEd says the North Side needs more power.
ON WBEZ 91.5 FM 📻
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.
- Nurses unionize: WBEZ’s Kristen Schorsch, Jessica Ahn of Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital and Sarah Louise Dawson of Rush University Medical Center discuss the wave of nurse unionization and action across the Chicago area.
- Theater recs: WBEZ’s Mike Davis shares the best indoor and outdoor theater coming to Chicago this summer.
Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.
- World Cup: Alex Campbell, author of the “World Cup For Dummies” Substack site, talks about the men’s global soccer tournament. Callers weigh in.
FROM THE PRESS BOX 🏀🏒⚾📺
- New Bull: With the No. 4 overall pick in Tuesday’s first round of the NBA draft, the Bulls selected North Carolina Tar Heel Caleb Wilson.
- Bargaining with Bedard: Connor Bedard’s contract negotiations with the Blackhawks are affecting the NHL’s loaded registered free agent class.
- Cubs look forward: Josiah Hartshorn, a new Top 100 prospect, is giving future-looking Cubs fans a new name to get excited about.
- Fletcher in the booth: Chicago Sports Network field reporter Brooke Fletcher made history Tuesday, becoming the White Sox’ first female dedicated TV analyst.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭
Today’s clue: 3D: Eve Ewing and Carl Sandburg, for two
BRIGHT ONE 🔆
Beloved children’s book author Mo Willems reflects on 23 years of pigeon wisdom
By Stefano Esposito
One publisher after another told Mo Willems that a talking pigeon determined to drive a bus was an “unusual” idea, but not one for them.
“It really was spaghetti on the wall; nobody expected much of it at all,” Willems said.
Two decades-plus and millions of delighted children — and adults — later, Willems has a new picture book adventure featuring the world’s most famous pigeon: “It’s My Bird-Day!”
Has “The” pigeon learned anything during the last 23 years?
“Barely,” Willems said. “The pigeon is becoming a bit more self aware. The pigeon has made discoveries, like its first name is ‘The.'”
Willems, 58, will be in Chicago Oct. 13 to accept the Chicago Public Library Foundation’s Carl Sandburg Literary Award. The annual award honors an author “whose significant body of work has enhanced the public’s awareness of the written word,” according to the foundation. Past recipients include Salman Rushdie, Toni Morrison, Colson Whitehead, Amy Tan and Ann Patchett.
“I’m waiting for them to realize a terrible mistake has been made,” Willems joked.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
What question would you ask Gov. JB Pritzker if you had the opportunity?
Reply here (please include your first and last name). We may run your answer in a future newsletter or story.
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Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia
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