* Subscribers have been in the know about this DraftKings-backed PAC for weeks. In These Times…

Last September the sports betting duopoly DraftKings and FanDuel ran into a brick wall in Illinois. Once the state started assessing a $0.25 trade tax on every bet, sports betting ​“plummeted” in the state by 15% year over year.

The result? American Future, a super PAC bankrolled by DraftKings’ wholly owned subsidiary, DK Crown Holdings, is spending big—$1.2 million—in the Democratic primaries for Illinois legislative seats, according to reporting from Capitol Fax and the latest campaign finance filings. Intent on electing representatives who will resist further taxes on the gaming industry, the PAC has become the largest outside spender so far in the Illinois state legislative primary slated for March 17. […]

American Future’s biggest beneficiary, receiving more than $263,000, is Emil Jones III, a state senator who was indicted in 2022 on federal bribery charges, and faces little-known opponents in his race to hold on to his seat. In a race featuring a stark ideological contrast, American Future has spent over $220,000 in the 40th Legislative District in northwest Chicago, backing an entrenched Democratic machine incumbent, Jaime Andrade, Jr., against a democratic socialist challenger, Miguel Alvelo-Rivera, who, in a statement to the Center for Media and Democracy, pledged to ​“fight to tax wealthy corporations and individuals in Illinois, and… make sure they know our legislature isn’t for sale.” […]

American Future has also spent $164,000 to support Adam Braun, a former lobbyist who has worked for the corporate law firm Orrick, which represents DraftKings and FanDuels, who is running for state representative in the 13th District; $125,000 on Saba Haider in the 84th District, running against a candidate, Jared Ploger, who is also backed by teachers unions; and $159,000 backing Aja Kearney, also in Chicago in the 34th district.

Subscribe for the latest in that race and many, many others.

* Crain’s…

A coalition of two dozen states that includes Illinois is suing the Trump administration over its latest round of tariffs.

Top officials from 24 states, led by Democratic attorneys general in Arizona, California, New York and Oregon, have filed a lawsuit in the New York-based Court of International Trade today arguing President Donald Trump is misusing federal law to justify his new 10% tariffs, which are soon expected to increase to 15%.

After the Supreme Court halted most of Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs last month, the president invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to maintain broad global tariffs. Section 122 gives the president the authority to impose temporary import surcharges of up to 15% under certain circumstances, which the lawsuit will argue are not being met.

The attorneys general contend the statute was meant to authorize emergency tariffs in order to stabilize currency and international payments, not to reduce trade deficits or pressure trading partners, as Trump is using it.

* ACT Now Illinois…

ACT Now Illinois announced today that a federal court has confirmed a deal ensuring nearly $6 million in funding for Illinois’ 32 Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) through the end of the fiscal year. This agreement provides much-needed certainty for students, families and staff after months of week-to-week instability and the abrupt cancellation of grant funding to schools by the federal government.

“This is a huge win for our kids, families and communities,” said Susan Stanton, Executive Director of ACT Now Illinois. “For months, our Community Schools have been stuck in limbo, at no fault of their own, unsure whether the supports their students rely on – food, healthcare, counseling, afterschool programs – would continue. Today, that uncertainty ends. This funding shows the value of Community Schools is real, and the work happening in our classrooms matters. We are hopeful this is a step toward restoring full grant funding, so every child can have the support they deserve.”

Educators and partners statewide are breathing a sigh of relief, after many schools were forced to layoff or reassign staff and cancel programs that were making a real difference in the lives of their students.

“This funding means we can continue showing up for the kids of East St. Louis,” said Sydney Stigge-Kaufman, Executive Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships at District 189. “Our students know they have a safe place to go after school, they won’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from and that they have someone who cares about them. That sense of belonging is priceless, and we’re so grateful to know we get to continue serving our kids and our families.”

*** Congressionals ***

* NYT | Once a Bipartisan Stalwart, AIPAC Turns ‘Toxic’ in the Illinois Primaries: Nowhere is the divide sharper than in the Ninth District, a crooked finger that stretches from the Chicago lakefront through suburbs north and northwest of the city, a heavily Democratic and highly educated area with many historically Jewish communities. While AIPAC has rarely been involved in a race with dueling Jewish candidates, this one, with Ms. Fine and Mr. Biss, is an exception.

* Tribune | Crowded Democratic primary emerges in Illinois’ 2nd District race to replace US Rep. Robin Kelly: The origin of Miller’s money has become a top issue for her opponents, who argue she will be beholden to contributors. More than 65% of that $1.3 million, over $856,000, has come from contributors who previously contributed to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which advocates for Israel’s interests and supports both Democrats and Republicans, or an AIPAC-affiliated group, according to a Tribune analysis that compared contributor lists by matching names and ZIP codes. Most of those dollars came from outside Illinois.

* Patch | Small Town IL Mayor Collects $340K In Campaign Cash In 2025: In 2025, Getty’s two political committees raised $340,000, an unusually high amount for someone who holds local offices. He has gone unopposed in elections for years. By comparison, Elmhurst Mayor Scott Levin, who leads a town 4½ times Lyons’ size, raised $41,847, according to elections board records. All that money was collected during the first quarter when Levin faced an opponent in his re-election bid.

* Evanston RoundTable | RoundTable releases video interviews with six Democratic candidates in 9th Congressional race : These videos are viewable on the RoundTable’s YouTube channel and have been added to the candidates’ RoundTable profile pages, which can be accessed via the 2026 elections landing page.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | 28 Illinois schools receive state Blue Ribbon Schools awards: The National Blue Ribbon Schools program honored thousands of public and private schools for academic achievement since 1982. In 2024, 18 Illinois schools received the prestigious award. “I believe that this level of educational excellence really should be celebrated at every opportunity,” Pritzker said. “We should be constantly uplifting our students and our teachers, our administrators and the school’s achievements and successes. Each and every day, you come to school eager to support your students, their safety, their growth, their well-being. You put forward your best efforts, and you commit yourselves to, well, making their lives better.”

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | CPD officer, shot after leaving FOP, alleges racial discrimination in SWAT: A Chicago police officer previously shot in the line of duty — who publicly rebuked his former union — has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, alleging that he was kept from joining the Police Department’s SWAT unit because he is Black. […] Givens’ complaint alleges that he applied to join SWAT in December 2022 and, during several rounds of exams and testing, he posted some of the highest scores of all applicants. Despite those results, he was still denied a place on the team. Givens was later issued a right-to-sue notice by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after he filed a charge of discrimination there and with the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

* Block Club | Animal Control Boss Defends Record As Volunteers, Alders Sound Alarm Over Euthanasias, Conditions: In an interview with Block Club, Susan Cappello defended her three-year tenure leading the only city-run shelter, rejecting claims that dogs are euthanized for space, disputing allegations of unsanitary conditions and pushing back against criticism that leadership has been absent. “I want people to come here and see who we are and what we do,” Cappello said. “Those who are sitting behind a keyboard, listening to everybody else saying things, making their own opinion based on that, I don’t think that’s fair. You know, if you really want to know… come here and look for yourself.”

* Sun-Times | Will Art Institute expansion leave Louis Sullivan’s Chicago Stock Exchange room in the cold?: “As we have assessed which part of our campus has the most potential for expansion, the east side of the building — where the Trading Room is located — represents the area where gallery space could increase the most,” the Art Institute said Tuesday in a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times. “If our campus evolution did impact the Trading Room, our first priority would be to work with partners to find a new location for the space. No decisions have been made at this time.” The statement marks the first time the Art Institute has publicly announced the possibility that the historic room could be affected by its expansion plans.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora Mayor John Laesch’s proposed ethics reform package heads to a City Council vote: “The intention of this ordinance is to prevent people from influencing the outcome of city contracts by making political campaign donations,” Laesch said at a meeting of the Aurora City Council’s Committee of the Whole on Tuesday. “I use the words ‘buying access’ — that’s effectively what it is.” Campaign financing ethics reform was part of Laesch’s platform when he was running against former Mayor Richard Irvin. During the most recent campaign and in a previous unsuccessful run for mayor, Laesch claimed Irvin prioritized government contracts or incentives to those who donated to his campaign, which Irvin consistently denied.

* Daily Herald | The Purple Pig brings ‘a taste of city dining to the suburbs’ with opening of Oak Brook location: A celebrated Chicago restaurant with Michelin and James Beard pedigrees will make its much-anticipated suburban debut this weekend when The Purple Pig opens in Oakbrook Center. The Mediterranean-inspired eatery rooted in classic cooking, seasonal ingredients and shareable dining will hold a soft opening Friday with limited seating throughout the weekend. Reservations will be accepted beginning Monday.

*** Downstate ***

* Illinois Times | Sangamon County Board will take a final vote on CyrusOne zoning plan March 23: “This is a long-term catalyst for the labor and construction industry,” Bradd Hout, location and power strategy director for CyrusOne, said before the Sangamon County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) voted 5-0 to support the company’s request. CyrusOne wants to build the data center in an agricultural zone and is requesting approval for the project as a conditional permitted use. But opponents said their concerns remain about how the 634-megawatt data center would create noise, take prime farm ground out of production, disrupt the environment and become part of a data center boom across the county that is contributing to electric rate increases and perpetuating the use of climate change-causing fossil fuels.

* WCIA | Peoria County sees drop in felony and juvenile cases in 2025: “It comes as a result of the victims and witnesses who have the courage to come forward. People strong enough to walk into court and tell their stories,” Hoos said. “This Annual Report is, once again, their success story.” Within the felony division, which handles most of the serious adult cases, there were 38 trials, 15 of which involved a murder case. Eleven people were sentenced for first-degree murder in 2025, receiving an average of 58.5 years behind bars.

* WGLT | Chiddix Junior High principal announces departure: Principal Mariana Nicasio announced her departure Wednesday amid turmoil at her school, in the wake of families learning two teachers are on leave for alleged misconduct. […] “I recognize that our school community is navigating a challenging time, which makes sharing this news especially difficult. I want to be clear that this decision is unrelated to anything currently happening within the school.”

* WCIA | Village of Homer working on getting a new water plant: Homer is applying for a grant to help build a new facility. In a social media post, leaders said the existing plant has “reached the end of its life.” Now, they’re asking Representative Mary Miller to help them get money to help offset the cost, which one person in the village said is a good idea. “We’re in an agricultural area. We are concerned with pesticides and herbicides filtering down into the water,” said Homer resident David Steckel. “The income level of Homer isn’t very high. And so the residents can’t afford to have astronomical water bills. So getting grant money in order to construct this would be very beneficial to the taxpayers here.”

* BND | Charitable and religious leaders push for overnight warming center in Belleville: City Council members tabled a vote Monday night, saying they need more information before making a decision that could have not only local but regional implications. Under the proposed plan, the center would be open from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. when temperatures are 20 degrees or below, according to Kara Moore, board member and director of development for TOCO, or Tapestry of Community Offerings, which is spearheading the effort.

* WCIA | Springfield City Council approves harsher penalties for animal cruelty ordinance: At the meeting, the board of trustees conducted an omnibus vote, which included 29 different ordinances, and the board voted 9-0 in favor of the “final passage” of all these ordinances. One of these ordinances, 2026-088, pushed for a harsher penalty for those who abuse animals. Specifically, this ordinance amendment creates a minimum fine of $10,000 for the first offense of any citizen or group found to be liable through the City of Springfield’s administrative court process of committing cruelty to animals and animal fighting crimes. And every offense after that will result in an additional $10,000 fine.

*** National ***

* WaPo | Government argues ICE facility protest was actually left-wing terrorist plot: Morris, who is transgender, brought two AR-style rifles, body armor and portable radios to the protest, which were seized from her van, Texas Ranger Tyler Williamson testified. But after the shooting, he said Morris told him she had never left the van and that “there really wasn’t a plan.” “She said they bring rifles in case there is violence,” Williamson said, noting that at a previous protest someone had been struck by a car. Morris later summoned investigators to the jail where Williamson said she cried as she told them she felt “disgust and betrayal” that a member of the group “shot someone in cold blood.”