Legal affairs reporter for @CapitolNewsIL. Voted class clown in high school, though I’d like to think I’ve reformed. hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com 🍋
Joined June 2009
- Tweets 42,009
- Following 5,213
- Followers 16,922
- Likes 47,308
5,775 Photos and videos
Pinned Tweet
26 Jan 2022
I'm maybe the worst ~political reporter~ ever because I HATE covering elections.
There's also a near-constant din of worry in my head re: the toxic state of American politics/the (small) role I play in that.
How can we do better? Some thoughts I wrote for @inbatweets' newsletter:
26 Jan 2022
Meisel to journos: Reconnect politics to governing dlvr.it/SHsG3t
27
19
136
Jun 13
Almost a fun enough premise to entice me into visiting West Loop. Almost.
2
1
14
2,623
Jun 13
I can’t stress enough how often I think about what happened on this Friday afternoon, one year ago today, particularly the judge’s comments and the random guy yelling from across the street:
13 Jun 2025
BREAKING: Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been sentenced to 7 ½ years in prison for his 10 convictions on bribery and corruption charges. @hannahmeisel reports. loom.ly/gMKRi-4
475
Hannah Meisel retweeted
BREAKING: State officials approved applications from six Chicago bars and restaurants on Thursday, the same day that Mayor Brandon Johnson asked the Chicago City Council to reverse its decision to green light video poker and slots across the city. @wttw news.wttw.com/2026/06/12/sta…
5
4
8
2,140
Jun 12
“I’m not certain that this case, in getting rid of it, is going to do what you think it will (to keep intra-office communications private)…We have cases throughout this bldg that are in turmoil…A Pandora’s box has been opened…And idk how by doing this, you put it all back in.”
Jun 12
JUST IN: Judge agrees to dismiss the charges for two defendants in a COVID-19 fraud case, but says a "Pandora's box" has been opened over the U.S. attorney's office grand jury scandal.
She also asked "Where is Mr. Boutros?"
2
2
790
Hannah Meisel retweeted
Jun 12
Yes, it’s important context that the governor’s office has been involved throughout and that the governor’s calendar isn’t all-encompassing. So important, in fact, that it’s already in the story. Thanks for reading!
Jun 12
Some pretty big info is missing from this story: the Governor’s Office held 40 meetings on this topic and took calls every day to push it forward. Plus, calendar records don’t show everything else unscheduled the Governor and his team are doing. Important context!
3
4
33
8,926
Hannah Meisel retweeted
Jun 12
#BREAKING Federal prosecutors in Chicago have moved to permanently dismiss charges against two defendants in a fraud case tied to Loretto Hospital in what appears to be a bid to avoid a hearing over prosecutorial misconduct before a grand jury:
19
165
440
98,100
Hannah Meisel retweeted
Jun 11
An unsolicited Bears opinion that has nothing to do with Springfield or where the team will play its games in the future: Having a noon game against the Packers on Christmas Day is dumb.
5
2
19
3,786
Hannah Meisel retweeted
The grants come as nonprofits experience increased need from cuts to federal food assistance. @jeschweikert reports. buff.ly/n5AzIRA
3
1
379
Hannah Meisel retweeted
Gov. JB Pritzker says he was fully committed to getting a Bears stadium deal done. But his calendar shows only one scheduled May meeting with the two top megaprojects negotiators as lawmakers struggled to land the plane. @brendenmoore13 reports. buff.ly/tWoDQ6V
18
14
43
54,678
Hannah Meisel retweeted
Jun 10
And now more fallout, as Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman has canceled the July 9 trial date in a fraud case against ex-Loretto Hospital exec Anosh Ahmed.
Coleman had set today as a prerial conference date but says "it got hijacked"
Jun 10
NEW: Hours before the release of grand jury transcripts in the “Broadview 6” case, the fallout was front-and-center in an unrelated fraud case where a judge had this to say:
“The front office has created a credibility crisis, and that is a real problem”
chicagotribune.com/2026/06/1…
1
6
22
5,891
Hannah Meisel retweeted
Jun 10
Former CHA director indicted for collecting $420K in kickbacks chicagotribune.com/2026/06/1…
7
20
26
13,986
Hannah Meisel retweeted
Jun 10
NEW: Hours before the release of grand jury transcripts in the “Broadview 6” case, the fallout was front-and-center in an unrelated fraud case where a judge had this to say:
“The front office has created a credibility crisis, and that is a real problem”
chicagotribune.com/2026/06/1…
6
23
8,586
Jun 10
‘Crock of s—’: Transcripts show grand jurors dismissed for disagreeing with government’s case against ‘Broadview Six’
My story for @CapitolNewsIL: capitolnewsillinois.com/news…
(image by @NowickiPress)
1
8
623
NEWS: *extremely rare* grand jury transcripts have been released in this case. This is from Oct. 16, 2025, when at least one grand juror was dismissed for disagreeing with the government's case against the protesters.
The former defendants known as the “Broadview Six” have taken another step toward seeking sanctions against the federal government. @hannahmeisel reports. buff.ly/jriGbVe
3
287
1,072
99,123
More from Oct 9 (the grand jury that declined to indict) - grand juror asks whether the agent should've stopped instead of driving through the crowd. Mecklenburg justifies his actions (after this, the conversation moves on):
1
2
31
2,427
Jun 10
Full story here:
“I heard this case like last week and I thought it was a crock of s--- then and I still think it is.” Grand jury transcripts released in wake of “Broadview Six” case’s implosion shed light on rarely seen judicial process. @hannahmeisel reports. buff.ly/xR8ttMg
1
7
932
Hannah Meisel retweeted
“I heard this case like last week and I thought it was a crock of s--- then and I still think it is.” Grand jury transcripts released in wake of “Broadview Six” case’s implosion shed light on rarely seen judicial process. @hannahmeisel reports. buff.ly/xR8ttMg
4
9
1,479