Editing Harold Washington (section)

==== Legal issues ====
In addition to Daley's strong-arm tactics, Washington's time in the Illinois House was also marred by problems with tax returns and allegations of not performing services owed to his clients. In her biography, Levinsohn questions whether the timing of Washington's legal troubles was politically motivated. In November 1966, Washington was re-elected to the House over Daley's strong objections; the first complaint was filed in 1964; the second was filed by January 1967.<ref name="levinsohn_143-144">Hamlish Levinsohn (1983), pp. 143–144.</ref> A letter asking Washington to explain the matter was sent on January 5, 1967. After failing to respond to numerous summons and subpoenas, the commission recommend a five-year suspension on March 18, 1968. A formal response to the charges did not occur until July 10, 1969. In his reply, Washington said that "sometimes personal problems are enlarged out of proportion to the entire life picture at the time and the more important things are abandoned." In 1970, the Board of Managers of the [[Chicago Bar Association]] ruled that Washington's license be suspended for only one year, not the five recommended; the total amount in question between all six clients was $205.<ref name="levinsohn_146-152">Hamlish Levinsohn (1983), pp. 146–152.</ref>

In 1971, Washington was charged with failure to file tax returns for four years, although the [[Internal Revenue Service]] (IRS) claimed to have evidence for nineteen years. Judge [[Joseph Sam Perry|Sam Perry]] noted that he was "disturbed that this case ever made it to my courtroom"—while Washington had paid his taxes, he ended up owing the government a total of $508 as a result of not filing his returns. Typically, the IRS handled such cases in civil court, or within its bureaucracy. Washington pleaded "no contest" and was sentenced to forty days in Cook County Jail, a $1,000 fine, and three years of probation.<ref name="levinsohn_154-156">Hamlish Levinsohn (1983), pp. 154–156.</ref>{{sfn|Rivlin|1992|pp=178–180}}