After being indicted in February on accusations of filing false tax returns, Cook County Commissioner William Beavers finally has a trial date.
U.S. District Judge James Zagel said the trial will begin Dec. 3.
"The defense is going to need significant time to prepare," Zagel said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Beavers, 77, allegedly used thousands of dollars from campaign accounts for personal use, including gambling, and failed to report those funds on three consecutive tax returns, officials said in February.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a written statement at the time that his crime was not in using his campaign money for personal uses, but in failing to honestly report his income and pay the correct amount of taxes.
The commissioner is charged with three counts of filing false tax returns. Authorities allege he under-reported his total income and taxable income on his federal returns for 2006 through 2008.
Beavers claimed innocence and even brought up the name of a fellow commissioner John Daley, saying "I did nothing. I wouldn't wear a wire for John Daley. I'm no stool pigeon. I'm not worried."
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Daley's confused response was, "This indictment today is about Commissioner Beavers and the district attorney outlined the indictment against him, and it will run its course and it's strictly about Commissioner Beavers."
Beavers pleaded not guilty to the charges in March.
