Prosecutors make highly-anticipated move to drop charges against Solis

Federal prosecutors have made good on their much-anticipated promise to drop a federal bribery charge against former alderman Danny Solis- who for years has cooperated as a key witness in federal corruption trials against other Illinois politicians.

The dismissal of the bribery charges comes as part of a years-old deferred prosecution agreement between Solis and the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The recent court filing this week made clear that while the charge against Solis will be dismissed, his obligation to the federal government is not over.

The court filing states that Solis' obligation, "continues until such time as the USAO provides written notice that all investigations and prosecutions arising from or requiring Mr. Solis' cooperation are final and that his cooperation is complete. No such written notification has been provided by the government to Solis and Solis's obligation to cooperate remains ongoing."

Solis most famously wore a wire for the FBI- secretly recording conversations that played major roles in separate corruption trials of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and long-time city alderman Ed Burke.

Both men were convicted, and in both cases, prosecutors alleged that Burke and Madigan tried to use their political clout to help themselves and others steer business to their respective law firms. Their attorneys argued otherwise.

In 2023, a secretly recorded video encounter between Burke and Solis was played for jurors, which captured Burke saying, "If we are not signed up, I am not going to do any lifting for this guy."

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Later in the conversation, Burke said, "The cash register has not rung."

Today's court filing says Solis' attorney does not object to the case being dismissed.