State Rep. Derrick Smith pleads not guilty
Near West Side state rep says he'll stay in office
04/30/2012 8:04 PM
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Derrick Smith, the Near West Side state rep arrested and accused of accepting a bribe earlier this year, pleaded not guilty in federal court on Monday.
A week after his arrest in March, Smith was reelected in a landslide election. Since then, his fellow Democrats have called for him to step down, but Smith has resisted.
After entering his plea on Monday, Smith was defiant and pledged that he would beat the case.
“I will not cower,” the Chicago Tribune quoted him as saying. “I intend to stand tall.”
Federal prosecutors say Smith accepted a $7,000 bribe in March, in exchange for helping a fake day care center win a state grant.