A Cook County official facing federal tax-evasion charges is reportedly holding a fundraiser at a Navy Pier McDonald's to help cover his legal costs.
Cook County Commissioner William Beavers, 77, allegedly failed to report thousands dollars of income he withdrew from his campaign accounts, as well as his county discretionary spending account.
Federal prosecutors say that Beavers -- who sometimes refers to himself as "The Hog With The Big Nuts" -- allegedly used some of the money to gamble with and used $68,000 from a campaign account to boost his city pension.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Beavers will hold a $125-per-ticket event at the Navy Pier McDonald's on Monday to benefit his legal defense fund. The event will feature an "open bar and buffet." The owner of the McDonald's at the pier has reportedly supported Beavers' campaign funds in the past.
The commissioner would not elaborate on the reason for the fundraiser, telling the Sun-Times "It’s just a fundraiser.”
The always outspoken Beavers slammed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald after he was charged, saying that he did not "give a f**k" about him. He also accused Fitzgerald of using "Gestapo-type tactics" in his investigations.
"Let me tell you about this federal prosecutor. This man is like a wild man on a train, and somebody needs to stop him," Beavers said of Fitzgerald in March. "He has caused three deaths -- Michael Scott, Orlando Jones and Chris Kelly -- with these Gestapo-type tactics that he used to try to make them tell on their friends."
Kelly, once an advisor and fundraiser for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, was known to have been under federal investigation in Chicago when he took his own life. Though Jones and Scott were suspected of foul play, it has not been confirmed that they were under federal investigation at the time of their suicides.
Beavers has maintained his innocence since being charged, and his attorney -- former Blagojevich defender Sam Adam, Jr. -- said his client "will be vindicated."
Chicago was recently named themost corrupt city in America. Scroll down to check out some of the most notorious Chicago-area cases that helped the city earn that title:
