Jonathan Bullington

Jonathan Bullington is a Chicago Tribune senior reporter. A Chicago-area native, he previously worked at the Tribune as well as The Times-Picayune in New Orleans and The Courier Journal in Louisville, where he was part of the team that won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news.

State Rep. Margaret Croke celebrates her lead in the race to be the Democratic nominee for comptroller with her daughter, Hattie Croke, 2, in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood on March 17, 2026. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

‘This election is not over’: Democratic race for Illinois comptroller still undecided as Croke holds slim lead

March 18, 2026 at 6:49 p.m.

The Democratic primary for Illinois comptroller remained too close to call as state Rep. Margaret Croke maintained a slim lead over state Sen. Karina Villa.

State Rep. Croke holds narrow lead in the Democratic race for Illinois comptroller

March 18, 2026 at 10:27 a.m.

State Rep. Margaret Croke said she was confident late Tuesday that she would prevail in a tightly contested race to become the Democratic nominee for Illinois comptroller.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition lead a protest through the Loop on Dec. 6, 2015, in response to the police shooting of Laquan McDonald. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Rev. Jesse Jackson was a ‘giant figure in the world,’ but he stayed rooted in Illinois

February 27, 2026 at 1:16 p.m.

Rev. Jesse Jackson’s career as a civil rights leader and politician took him across the country and around the world, yet he remained close to Illinois.

Jon Rosborough inspects an abandoned oil well, Dec. 15, 2025, which was drilled in 1916 on land his family farms in Crawford County near Oblong. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

At one time, Illinois was a top oil producer. Today, that legacy is a $160M problem.

January 26, 2026 at 4:31 p.m.

Abandoned oil and gas wells pose environmental and public health risks. For three decades, the state has mismanaged funds earmarked for minimizing the threat.

Interior of the multilevel main dome of the Sam and Ruth Van Sickle Ford House, by architect Bruce Goff, in Aurora on Oct. 9, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Bruce Goff is having a moment

November 29, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Bruce Goff is often considered to be the greatest architect you've never heard of. But Chicago's going to be hearing a lot more about him in the coming months.

U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino carries tear gas, a rifle and a body camera while conducting immigration enforcement operations on Oct. 31, 2025, in Chicago’s Edison Park neighborhood. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Bodycam footage from Operation Midway Blitz released: ‘It’s all about arresting people’

November 28, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

The group of videos made public through the Loevy & Loevy law firm includes footage from agents who responded to controversial arrest operations in the Little Village and Irving Park...

Evanston police body camera footage shows officers attempt to separate angry residents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Oct. 31, 2025. (City of Evanston)

Evanston police bodycams show chaos after Halloween clash between Border Patrol agents and community

November 28, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Evanston police records offer a new look at one of the more troubling clashes between U.S. Border Patrol and community members on Halloween.

Navajo Code Talker Thomas H. Begay, who is at least 100, sits at a war memorial in Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 9, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

In Arizona, a fading Route 66 motel hides a story of the Navajo Code Talkers

November 11, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Only two of the Navajo Code Talkers are still alive. The Route 66 motel where some of these World War II heroes were recruited may not outlive them.

Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino walks with agents conducting immigration enforcement sweeps in the Edison Park neighborhood on Oct. 31, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Judge orders release of US Border Patrol head Gregory Bovino deposition videos: Watch them here

November 6, 2025 at 3:49 p.m.

The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Public Media petitioned U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis to release the recordings, which were filed under seal as part of a lawsuit led by the...

Dayanne Figueroa, a U.S. citizen, stands in her mother’s backyard in Northlake on Oct. 26, 2025. An unmarked vehicle driven by federal agents collided with Figueroa’s car as the agents tried to speed away from a hostile crowd, multiple videos reviewed by the Tribune show. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago woman dragged out of her car after colliding with ICE demands accountability

January 2, 2026 at 5:21 p.m.

The arrest of Dayanne Figueroa highlights growing concerns about the use of force against U.S. citizens and due process. She was released after a few hours without charges.

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