Ex-Top Aide To Dorothy Brown Goes On Trial Concerning Pay-To-Play Allegations

A former top aide to Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown will stand before a judge this week in a federal trial connected to an alleged bribes-for-jobs scheme. Beena Patel faces a jury tomorrow at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on charges that she perjured herself to a grand jury. Prosecutors plan to show text messages from the defendant’s cell phone that show she pushed Brown’s chief of staff to promote the relative of one of Brown’s top campaign donors. Meanwhile, Brown, who has been under investigation for the last five years, is not expected to testify.