Former Portage Mayor James Snyder is scheduled to go to trial for a third time in U.S. District Court in Hammond on a bribery charge involving a $13,000 payment for a garbage truck contract, though likely with a new judge because of scheduling conflicts. Snyder and attorneys on both sides of his case had a video teleconference Wednesday morning. Though the meetup was not open to the public, an updated docket in his case reflects that those involved anticipate a two-week trial. The court set the trial for May 5 but parties are not available until after June, according to the docket entry, “so the Court will request another Judge be designated to conduct trial and sentencing.” U.S. District Court Judge Matthew F. Kennelly of the Northern District of Illinois has been handling the case. A Nov. 20 filing by the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals opened up the possibility of another trial after the U.S. Supreme Court in June tossed Snyder’s conviction in the case over a distinction of whether the $13,000 payment Snyder received after Great Lakes Peterbilt, then owned by the Buha brothers, received garbage truck contracts was a bribe or a gratuity. With the court’s 6-3 ruling that the payment was a gratuity, the Supreme Court remanded the case to the appellate court, which determined, according to its filing, that the district court in Hammond could proceed with another trial if the government so decided. Snyder’s attorneys, in their filings , rejected the government’s argument that he could have been convicted of either bribery or soliciting a gratuity and said there’s no legal basis for a retrial without a re-indictment. Federal prosecutors argued a new trial was the next step since a jury had already convicted him, and the appellate court agreed. In a new trial, according to the appellate court filing, the government would be limited to a bribery theory “that Snyder corruptly solicited or demanded or accepted or agreed, in advance of the transactions, to accept anything of value in connection with the transactions.” Former Portage Mayor James Snyder speaks about his retrial at the federal courthouse in Hammond, Indiana, on March 9, 2021. (Kyle Telechan / for the Post-Tribune) The filing also noted irregularities in the bidding process, the timing of the $13,000 payment and the “lack of corroborating evidence for Snyder’s claim that he was paid for consulting.” “We continue to think the evidence would support a finding of bribery here, beyond a reasonable doubt,” the justices wrote. “The timing and size of the payment — and the problems with the attempts by Snyder and the Buhas to explain it — all support reasonable inferences that Snyder was conscious of wrongdoing and had a corrupt state of mind, as well as that he had reached an understanding ahead of time leading to such a large payment.” The court noted that “Because the evidence was sufficient to convict on a bribery theory, the Double Jeopardy Clause does not bar a new trial on the bribery charge. A new trial is permissible if the government chooses to pursue it.” After multiple twists, turns and delays since Snyder was indicted on Nov. 17, 2016, in U.S. District Court in Hammond on two bribery counts and one for obstructing the IRS, a jury found Snyder not guilty on a bribery count involving a towing contract and guilty on the other two counts. The second bribery conviction, over allegations surrounding a $13,000 payment involving around $1 million in contracts for garbage trucks, stood after two trials, only to get overturned when a majority of the Supreme Court determined that the payment was a gratuity, not a bribe, and criminalizing the payment put even routine campaign contributions at the risk of the federal government’s wrath. Overturning Snyder’s conviction had a ripple effect on countless other cases, most notably prominent cases in Illinois, including the trial of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan and the case of the “ComEd Four” who were convicted of a scheme to bribe him. Madigan’s trial is now underway . The Supreme Court decision, released on June 26, determined, among other matters, that the payment to Snyder from the Buha brothers, owners of Great Lakes Peterbilt, was a gratuity because Snyder received the money, reportedly for consulting work, after the business got the garbage truck contracts and not before. Federal prosecutors have described Snyder in their filing as “a thoroughly corrupt public official, twice convicted by a jury of his peers for receiving a $13,000 payoff,” and note there is “no sound legal basis” for a windfall dismissal because of an omission from jury instructions, which was one of the contentions of Snyder’s attorneys. Snyder, a Republican, was first elected mayor in 2011 and reelected in 2015, a term cut short by his federal conviction in February 2019. Snyder received a sentence of 21 months in prison for the bribery and IRS convictions and a year on supervised release from Kennelly. Still, Snyder successfully argued that the start of his sentence should be postponed until his bid to have the Supreme Court hear his case was complete. alavalley@chicagotribune.comNoneCLEVELAND — Even after leaving Cleveland, Carlos Santana remained a fan favorite and was warmly welcomed back as a visitor. He's home again. Santana signed a one-year, $12 million contract and returned Monday for his third stint with the Guardians, who have an opening at first base after the AL Central champions traded Josh Naylor to Arizona on Saturday. Santana can earn an additional $1.2 million in bonuses for plate appearances: $200,000 for 500 and each additional 25 through 650. The 38-year-old Santana spent last season with Minnesota, batting .238 with 23 homers and 71 RBIs in 150 games. He also won his first Gold Glove, becoming the oldest position player to win the honor for the first time. Santana previously was with Cleveland from 2010-17. He returned in 2019, made his first All-Star team and spent two seasons with the club before signing as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals. The switch-hitter is second in club history in walks (881), tied for sixth in homers (216) and is eighth in extra-base hits (503). Over 15 major league seasons, Santana has 324 homers and 1,082 RBIs in 2,080 games. Santana has been remarkably consistent, driving in at least 60 runs and playing a minimum of 130 games in each of his 13 full seasons. He also has played for Philadelphia, Seattle, Pittsburgh and Milwaukee. The well-respected Santana will be Cleveland's primary first baseman in 2025 after the Guardians sent Naylor to the Diamondbacks for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance draft pick. The Guardians have other options at first base, including Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy Noel. But there's no need to rush those players with Santana around, and it's entirely possible he could be signed beyond 2025. With the Naylor deal, the Guardians have completely overhauled the right side of their infield this winter. Cleveland previously traded Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez to Toronto as part of a three-team swap with Pittsburgh. It feels somewhat risky — and maybe unnecessary — for an established team, but president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti was quick to point out that both Naylor and Giménez arrived in Cleveland via trades. “Very difficult trades,” he said. "In terms of how we have to operate moving forward, there are times when we have to make difficult decisions involving very good players, but our goal continues to be how do we find a way to field competitive teams both in the near term and long term and that sometimes necessitates difficult decisions. “To be clear, our goal in 2025 is to try to find a way to win the American League Central.”
•says state IGR has increased by 82% since Adeleke took over The Osun State Government on Sunday criticized Reno Omokri for comparing Wizkid’s album revenue to the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), asserting that the IGR has increased by 82% since Governor Ademola Adeleke assumed office. This was in response to an online post by Omokri, where he wrote, “Please fact-check me: In two weeks, Wizkid’s Morayo album has generated more revenue than the total Internally Generated Revenue raised by Osun State in 2023.” Kosile Anike Stella, Special Assistant to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Revenue Matters, responded to Omokri’s claim in a statement issued in Osogbo, describing his assertion as unfortunate. She said, “Reno is not able to make logical arguments again since he has been out of political office rather chose to settle for illogical half statements in a bid to ride on Wizkid’s recently released album to attempt to gain relevance.” “For the record since inception of His Excellency’s Gov Adeleke’s tenure, the revenue of the State has seen a year on year increase from 9.7% increase in 2022 to 13.5 and 46% increase in 2023 and 2024 respectively and a 82% increase since 2021”. “It may be difficult for Mr Reno Omokri to know how 46 and 82% percent was arrived at, but critical thinkers and every other Nigerian knows data can be extrapolated. “Reno Omokri is comparing Apples with Oranges. Wizkid’s audience is all over the world and not Osun State residents only, and its even a person that is not able to think deep that will make such comparison”. “Christiano Ronaldo and Messi earns 213 and 130 million USD respectively yearly, that’s about 583 billion Naira, So Mr Reno Omokri will say Christiano Ronaldo and Messi should come to Nigeria to teach about 25 States whom their yearly independent revenue is not up to 581 Billion how to generate IGR.” “Similarly Jon Rahm despite not winning any tournament is the highest paid golfer 2024 (Forbes) with $218 million earnings, this is greater than self employed taxes of all states in Nigeria including Lagos from 2019 till date,” Stella wondered. NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel now