‘INSTITUTIONAL RACISM.’ A group of public-interest lawyers is suing Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios, accusing him of producing inaccurate property tax assessments that punished poor and minority homeowners—under a veil of secrecy that “undermines public trust and confidence.”
■ The Tribune’s Eric Zorn dissects a complaint Berrios is spreading a “malicious lie” about one of his challengers.
■ Before that speech, the president opened the door to pardoning his former adviser Mike Flynn for lying to the FBI.
■ In Senate testimony, a Trump judicial nominee flunked basic questions about the law.
TAX TROUBLE. With a threatened loss of a key Senate vote—every vote is key with Republicans’ slim margin of control—the party’s plan to overhaul the nation’s taxation structure is in jeopardy.
■ Small victory for Democrats: Republicans have abandoned a provision that would have let churches back political candidates.
■ In one day, the president’s education secretary was hit with two lawsuits over the backlog of federal student loan forgiveness applications.
■ Is the president’s son-in-law about to leave the White House?
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■ Meanwhile, in the South Loop, the new Wintrust Arena—billed as a boost to an emerging entertainment district—is pissing off the district’s other businesses and customers.
‘SEARCH ALL YOU WANT, YOU WON’T EVER FIND IT.’ Jimmy Kimmel had a skeptical response on Twitter to a report that House Speaker Paul Ryan is searching his soul about his political future.
■ In Esquire, Charlie Pierce on Ryan: “Good Riddance to the Biggest Fake in American Politics.”
■ Stephen Colbert, along with other late-night hosts, mourns the FCC’s decision to end internet neutrality regulations: “The only thing that should slow your internet speed is the number of people also sitting at Starbucks working on their screenplays.”
■ What the FCC vote could mean for you.
■ Conservative media conglomerate Sinclair’s poised to win OK today to take over Tribune Media, parent of Chicago’s WGN-TV and Radio.
‘WLS IS BETTING ON THE WRONG HORSE.’ Neil Steinberg mourns a Chicago radio station’s decision to dump broadcast veterans Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano—“the latest example of huge media companies … deciding that what is easiest and cheapest to offer is also best for listeners everywhere.”
■ Microsoft’s Bing search engine is wading into the “fake news” wars with a feature one PC World columnist fears could be gamed.