* Whew. What a week. And I thought it might be slow since the governor was out of the country. Heck, I almost decided to take today off. Glad I didn’t make any plans to leave town or anything.
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois House of Representatives,
100th General Assembly:
Today, I veto House Bill 688 from the 100th General Assembly, which creates a mechanism for members of police and firefighter pension funds to transfer service credits between funds.
Many of Illinois’ downstate fire and police funds are dangerously underfunded, and some are approaching insolvency. A rising number of retirees, combined with low funding ratios, continues to put pressure on the financial health of local governments. In its current form, this bill will introduce further financial risks. This legislation allows service credits to migrate among the respective funds, which may introduce uncertainty with respect to cashflow management. This bill may also worsen existing unfunded liabilities without comprehensive and foolproof safeguards to assure an appropriate calculation of the true cost for transferring credits. In short, this bill introduces more financial uncertainty to the long-term financial health of these funds and is inappropriate to enact into law.
Illinois is in the midst of a pension crisis that impacts the state as a whole as well as individual local governments. Dramatically underfunded pensions risk the long-term solvency of local governments and put state finances under severe stress, and the underfunding of downstate police and fire pension funds warrants further investigation. In the meantime, the General Assembly should enact pension reforms that mitigate uncertainty and reduce unfunded liabilities. Unfortunately, House Bill 688 increases uncertainty and could contribute to larger unfunded liabilities in local pension funds.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 688, entitled “AN ACT concerning employee benefits”, with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
* The Belleville News-Democrat has a story up about the looming primary between former GOP state Rep. Dwight Kay and the House Republican-backed candidate Wendy Erhart. Kay lost to Democrat Katie Stuart last year…
“Dwight is a friend. We’ve supported him in the past, but the fact is on Nov. 8, 2016 … he fell short where we picked up five other seats, so we’re going to go in a new direction for the 112th and we feel the voters have spoken,” said Joe Woodward, political director for the House Republican Organization. […]
“The Illinois Republican Party is not funding me and the governor is not funding me,” said Kay, of Glen Carbon. “If money dictates who we send to the capital, maybe I lose. … The fact that they’re not outwardly supporting me in a primary doesn’t concern me.” […]
“Voters come first, and organizations come second,” Woodward said. “But we feel, and my job as a caucus person is, to protect our incumbents and add seats, and Wendy is in the column of adding seats.” […]
“I really respect Dwight’s years of service in the legislature, (but) I think it’s important we get new voices in Springfield,” Erhart said. “We’ve got to look forward, not backward. If we’re going to get Mike Madigan out as speaker of the House, we have to defeat Katie Stuart. Unfortunately Dwight has shown a unique ability to not be able to do that.”
Oh, that last quote is gonna leave a mark.
Kay was tweeting all summer about how he was walking door to door. I do not know if he ever thought the HRO would support a comeback, and it could get interesting to see who else might start playing around in this district.
Erika Harold Statement on Lisa Madigan’s Retirement Announcement
Time for new leadership that puts the people before the powerful political class.
Republican Attorney General candidate Erika Harold released the following statement after Lisa Madigan announced she would not run for a fifth term:
“Illinois voters are tired of politicians putting the powerful political class ahead of the people. As I have traveled the state, I have heard over and over how career politicians have made it a nightmare for too many families in our state. Regardless of who the Democrats put forward, our campaign will continue to focus on protecting the people and not the powerful.“
” I would like to thank Attorney General Lisa Madigan for her service to the people of Illinois and wish her the best in future endeavors.”
Erika announced her candidacy one month ago today. In 2003, Harold was crowned Miss America and became a national leader in the fight to end youth violence and bullying. Harold serves on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Equality, and as a Commissioner on the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. Harold is an attorney at Meyer Capel and serves on the national board of directors of Prison Fellowship, the world’s largest outreach to prisoners and their families, advocating for criminal justice reform.
* Another one…
STATEMENT FROM MAYOR EMANUEL ON ATTORNEY GENERAL LISA MADIGAN’S DECISION NOT TO SEEK ANOTHER TERM
“Lisa Madigan’s integrity, intelligence and unwavering commitment to justice made our state stronger and safer. Her service spans two decades and is one of many firsts. She is both the first female elected to serve as Attorney General of Illinois and the first Illinois Attorney General to argue a case before the Supreme Court in three decades. She never shied from criticism or shirked duty, earning her the esteem of colleagues, the respect of her critics and the admiration of the people of Illinois. Despite earning national praise, Attorney General Madigan never forgot her South Side upbringing and fought for Chicago. As a lawyer and lawmaker, she argued against discriminatory business practices, advocated for survivors of sexual assault and advanced access to affordable health care. While Attorney General Madigan may not be running for reelection, I am confident she will continue her selfless service beyond Springfield, and I look forward to working with her in the years to come.”
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago — who herself announced Thursday she wouldn’t seek re-election — said she was “totally blindsided” by the announcement, which she called “disappointing.”
“She clearly is not closing the door to later opportunities. So I would hope that at some point we will see her back in the political ring running for attorney general or even governor,” Currie said. “I think she would make a great governor.”
* Jesse White…
Statement from Secretary White on Lisa Madigan’s Decision Not to Run for Reelection
I applaud and commend Lisa Madigan for the outstanding work she has done as Illinois Attorney General. Attorney General Madigan has been a tireless advocate for consumers, children and the public at large.
Through her efforts, she has helped those plagued by fraud and identity theft, strengthened the rights of crime victims, protected children from sexual predators and pornographers and secured debt relief for students victimized by fraudulent and predatory lending practices.
I wish Lisa well in her future endeavors and know that she will continue to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) Chairwoman and Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge released the following statement:
“Today’s announcement is a clear indication of what we’ve know for months: Erika Harold is an exceptionally strong candidate. So strong, in fact, that Lisa Madigan has decided she doesn’t want to run a campaign for re-election.
“Erika Harold will be an incredible attorney general for Illinois. She will lead the fight against public corruption and bring integrity to the Attorney General’s office. We’re excited for this new open-seat opportunity and look forward to defeating whichever Democrat the Madigan machine decides to run in 2018.
That release may also be designed to help discourage any other Republicans from running.
Democrats are already announcing their interest in the high-profile role, including State Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, who has been eying a race for attorney general for years.
On Friday, he said he’s likely to fill the void created by Madigan’s bombshell retirement from politics.
“I’m very interested. It’s an office of extreme potential for great advocacy. My record speaks to being able to serve in that office in terms of my chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee, my work on criminal justice reform and other legal matters. It’s something I have to take a serious look at—and very quickly,” Raoul said.
“I considered running four years ago under the assumption she was gonna run for governor. If she’s not running, there’s a high likelihood that I would do so.”
The timing of her decision, after petition filing opened, could favor officeholders with big bank accounts and/or organizations, but one never truly knows these things.
…Adding… We’ll probably see a lot more of these trial balloons today…
Add Jack Franks to those "seriously considering" AG run. Man, this race is going to be a madhouse. #twill
* They’re coming out of the woodwork. Text from a PR flack…
Andrew Schapiro. Recently returned US Ambassador to Czech. Close friend of Obama’s (law school buds.). Will get in AG race. Schapiro also raised millions for Obama so has shown he can fundraise.
* The Question: Who else will run and what are their chances? Try to talk about both parties if you can, please.
Departure of Madigan’s Respected Second-in-Command is a Bad Omen for House Democrats
Democrats know Madigan is toxic, yet they are poised to nominate an equally-toxic, Madigan-sanctioned candidate for governor
“Leader Currie garnered respect from both sides of the aisle throughout her groundbreaking career. As Speaker Madigan’s second-in-command, her departure is a bad omen for House Democrats. Mike Madigan is toxic, yet Democrats continue to embrace his leadership. Now, Democrats are poised to nominate an equally-toxic, Madigan-sanctioned candidate for governor.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
Last night, news outlets reported Barbara Flynn Currie, Speaker Madigan’s second-in-command, announced she will not be seeking re-election in 2018.
Leader Currie, who entered the Illinois House of Representatives in 1979, garnered respect from both sides of the aisle throughout her career, but her shocking departure is a bad omen for Democrats.
Currie was thought of as a possible successor to Mike Madigan’s record-breaking Speakership. Everyone, particularly House Democrats, knows Speaker Madigan is toxic. That is why vulnerable members like Sam Yingling refuse to even say his name.
But it seems the Democrats will never learn.
The Democrats are poised to nominate an equally-toxic, Madigan-sanctioned candidate for governor in J.B. Pritzker. Democrat lawmakers and the establishment seem to have no qualms with Madigan as he tears their party apart and steamrolls all opposition for Pritzker.
Will Democrats ever realize Madigan is dragging them down?
* ILGOP…
Lisa Madigan’s Shocking Exit From Illinois politics is Further Proof that the Madigan Brand is Toxic
Beginning of the end of the Madigan Family’s disastrous reign over Illinois
“Thanks to her father, Lisa Madigan knew her days as Attorney General were numbered. The Madigan brand is toxic for every single Illinois Democrat. This should be the beginning of the end of the Madigan Family’s disastrous reign over Illinois.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
In another shocking development on the toxicity of the Madigan brand, Capitol Fax is reporting that longtime Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the daughter of House Speaker Mike Madigan, will not be seeking re-election.
Lisa Madigan’s announcement comes on the heels of the departure of Mike Madigan’s second-in-command, House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie.
In 2013, Lisa Madigan floated her name as a potential candidate for governor, but took her name out of consideration because of looming questions about her closeness to her father and the possibility of so much concentrated political power in one family.
There can only be one conclusion from the departure of Leader Curry and Attorney General Madigan - the Madigan brand is toxic and Illinois Democrats know it.
His grief is heavy — “the pain is excruciating” — but activist Ra Joy said he chose to run on Democrat Chris Kennedy’s gubernatorial ticket to turn his pain into “purpose.”
Kennedy officially announced Joy — the executive director for Change Illinois — as his running mate on Thursday. The non-partisan group most recently helped push for automatic voter registration, which Gov. Bruce Rauner recently signed into law. Joy issued his resignation from the advocacy group on Wednesday.
Joy’s 23-year-old son Xavier was gunned down in June in Woodlawn by someone trying to steal his cell phone. His son had chosen to do a year of service in his hometown, spending an AmeriCorp “City Year” on the South and West sides. […]
“He loved Chicago, and he worked on both the South and West sides of the city,” Joy, 44, said. “Part of me, I didn’t want him here. I did not want him here because the risk is just too much. And he wanted to be here.” […]
Kennedy said he was considering Joy for the ticket as early as March, but after Xavier Joy’s death, Kennedy held off on his decision out of respect to the family.
Violence aside, Kennedy said he chose Joy as his running mate after speaking with a group of activists in a Bronzeville apartment who said they were so discouraged about President Donald Trump’s presidency that they didn’t plan to vote.
The pairing of Kennedy and Joy, an African-American who is executive director of Change Illinois, brings a heightened focus on the issue of crime to the Democratic governor primary campaign. Their personal losses also could resonate with families in South and West Side neighborhoods afflicted by the gun violence that has racked Chicago. […]
Joy said “for some people, there’s such a steady drumbeat around crime and violence that it’s become normalized.”
Kennedy, though, bristled when asked if the city’s gun violence was a new normal.
“Hell no. Don’t even think like that. No. Absolutely not,” he said. Instead, Kennedy said of he and his running mate’s experiences with gun violence: “We’re not unique.”
Reports have surfaced over the last few days that several candidates turned down Kennedy’s offer to join the ticket, but the candidate insists that Joy was in the mix from the very beginning.
“Ra was there right from the beginning,” Kennedy said. “He was on the first list I ever made.” […]
“I have lots of executive experience leading statewide organizations,” he said. “I’m ready to lead on day one.”
While most political experts will argue that the lieutenant governor’s pick does not make or break a campaign, the choice does send a signal, according to political strategiest Ron Holmes.
“It is my hope that these picks aren’t simply ‘window dressing’ and are the beginning of specific policies regarding black Illinoisians,” he said in a tweet.
Kennedy said Joy will be a key asset in getting voters, particularly millennials, involved.
“They need somebody who has a proven track record of standing of up to corrupt government…there aren’t many of those in Illinois…he is a citizen servant,” said Kennedy.
Joy said Kennedy’s commitment to attacking violence, and reforming Illinois government, attracted him to Kennedy’s team.
“We have a system where a really small handful of political insiders wield disproportionate power and influence,” Joy said.
Joy was formerly executive director of Change Illinois, which scored a major victory when Governor Rauner signed automatic voter registration for licensed drivers.
“I have proven experience forging alliances, building partnerships and creating wins,” he said.
Kennedy and his supporters see his running mate selection as an opportunity to re-energize his campaign and underline his self-styled image as an outsider challenging the status quo.
This new team plans to talk extensively about curbing Chicago’s gun violence problem. Kennedy has called for up to 2,000 more cops in the city. Asked how he’ll pay for it, Kennedy says, “Why doesn’t Rahm raise the taxes on the people who aren’t paying their fair share? Why doesn’t he sue like Mayor Daley did all of the big buildings in undervalue complaints.”
It’s that kind of talk, an anti-establishment, populace message, that Kennedy is running on. But the campaign has struggled to keep up with billionaire J.B. Pritzker’s fundraising and spending. Even State Senator Daniel Biss outraised Kennedy during the second quarter of this year.
“I don’t feel any need to turn things around. I like where I am,” Kennedy says. “The only way for the well-funded campaigns and the insiders to win in March is to get me to drop out now. So they work people like you with a whole army of communications people that they pay out of the $20 million in expenditures. (They) tell you that the campaign’s in disarray, people are leaving, changes are coming, that I’m about to drop out. None of that is true. I’m the smallest of seven brothers. They’re going to have to swing a lot harder than this.”
During the campaign, Kennedy has focused on Illinois’ extremely high property taxes, saying the system is “rigged” in favor of the wealthy and connected. This summer, the businessman reportedly withdrew his own property tax appeal on his Kenilworth residence. We asked Kennedy about the situation, and he used his answer to lash out at Pritzker.
“There’s no comparison to what all of the people who appeal their property taxes in Cook County do and what J.B. Pritzker did. There’s no comparison between the two,” Kennedy says.
His rhetoric is definitely getting more pointed as we move along.
* “I’m ready to move on to a new challenge,” Attorney General Lisa Madigan explained today after informing me that she will not seek reelection and won’t run for any other office next year.
At the end of her term, she’ll have served 16 years as the state’s top lawyer, plus another 4 years in the Illinois Senate.
“I love working, I love advocating for the people of Illinois. And I’m going to keep doing it through the end of my term,” Madigan said.
* Besides the governor and his running mate, the only other statewide Republican candidate currently backed by the party apparatus is Erika Harold, who is running for attorney general. The Republicans had planned to go after the Democratic incumbent hard by tying her as closely as they could to her wildly unpopular father.
So, was AG Madigan worried about not winning next year? “No, not at all,” she said. “People know my record. People know I work hard every single day for the people of the state… I’ve never lost a race and I’ll never lose a race.”
“I feel strongly that the state would not be well served by having a governor and speaker of the House from the same family and have never planned to run for governor if that would be the case,” Lisa Madigan said in a statement. “With Speaker Madigan planning to continue in office, I will not run for governor.”
AG Madigan said today that she doesn’t regret not having the opportunity to run for governor. “I ran for attorney general because I believed this office would be the greatest opportunity to help people,” she said. “I have no regrets. This job is incredibly fulfilling.”
Madigan pointedly refused to rule out a future bid for governor, however. She said she’s not running for anything next year, but she made sure to leave the the door open and said she just didn’t know what the future would bring.
But if a Democrat defeats Gov. Rauner next year, that’ll put Madigan out of the running for maybe eight more years. I can’t say I blame her for getting out now. She’s also been mentioned as a possible Chicago mayoral candidate, but I got an unequivocal no on that one.
* What’s her current relationship with her father? “It’s good,” she said. “Very good.”
She said she has told Speaker Madigan about her decision and “He is supportive.”
* Asked if she had a preference for who should take her spot, AG Madigan said there will quickly be an “outpouring of qualified Democratic candidates,” adding that she hasn’t given any potential candidate a heads up about her decision.
“Throughout her life as an individual and as a public servant, Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s achievements have been the result of her determination to fight for her convictions and to stand up for what she believed was right. I’ve always been proud of her desire to fight for those who need help the most, which has driven her sense of duty as a person and as Illinois’ attorney general.
“It has been my privilege to watch her fight for the people of Illinois and do the right thing every day. She has authored tougher laws against criminals who prey on children and victims of sexual assault, fought for homeowners faced with losing their homes, and worked to ensure a more open and transparent state government.
“No father could be prouder of his daughter’s personal and professional accomplishments, and I look forward to watching her continue her commitment to helping people in a new capacity.”
* The ILGOP sent me this yesterday, but I was out of the office…
On the heels of disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s recent news interviews from a Federal prison in Colorado, the Illinois Republican Party is releasing a digital ad highlighting the FBI wiretaps that revealed J.B. Pritzker’s close ties to Blagojevich.
The wiretaps revealed Pritzker schemed with Blagojevich to be appointed Illinois Treasurer, among other state offices. In the same wiretaps, Blagojevich pressed Pritzker for campaign contributions.
There is no doubt Pritzker’s and Blagojevich’s ties run deep.
Illinoisans should be worried about what Pritzker will do if he’s allowed to buy the governor’s office just like he bought influence with Blagojevich.
* Here’s a couple of people you don’t regularly see together. Dan Proft and Toni Preckwinkle…
I've got my Christmas card photo this year and my name permanently etched on the Conservation Cup for Cook Co Dems to enjoy until end times. pic.twitter.com/vjKE6veK3T
Before Bruce Rauner was elected governor, he crisscrossed the state touting his business acumen and vowing to travel the world on his “own dime” to recruit companies and spur investment in Illinois.
When then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry launched a campaign to poach companies from Illinois, Rauner said his fellow Republican was just “doing his job” because governors “should compete to recruit businesses and create jobs.”
“You know, this is not rocket science. Springfield is not some complex thing where you need an advance engineering degree to understand,” Rauner told reporters at a Chicago campaign stop. “This is common sense. This is people, this is negotiation.”
The [Asia trade] visit comes as Illinois seeks to land a manufacturing plant from Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda, which includes plans to hire as many as 4,000 workers. DeKalb and Rochelle are said to be in the running, and economic development officials from those towns are among the governor’s delegation. They are joined by representatives of the state’s economic and commerce agencies, as well as officials from utility giant Commonwealth Edison and the University of Illinois.
The overseas trip was greeted as a welcome change of pace by the state’s business community, a group that widely backed Rauner’s bid for office as he promoted a wide-ranging economic plan he said would cut regulations and spur job growth. Little of that has materialized amid strong pushback from Democrats, who have blocked Rauner’s efforts to limit collective bargaining rights and overhaul the workers’
Pat Quinn got himself elected in part by helping Ford greatly expand hiring at its Chicago plant. That Toyota/Mazda facility would do wonders to resurrect Rauner’s prospects.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the city’s bid to convince Amazon to build its second headquarters in Chicago will be an “all hands on deck” endeavor.
Although the mayor and Gov. Bruce Rauner have been at odds about most issues lately, Emanuel said city and state officials will be working hard to entice Amazon to open its second headquarters in the Chicago area.
Amazon expects to hire as many as 50,000 people full-time to work at the new facility over the course of several years, with an average annual compensation of $100,000 per employee.
“This is of a scale that’s different. Therefore it’s going to be Chicago, county, and state with one voice; and all the resources, all hands on deck, and all the creativity to that effort, and everybody’s going to be pulling in the same direction. That’s the one thing I want to be clear about,” Emanuel said.
* Press release from early this morning…
Gov. Bruce Rauner arrived in Shanghai, China, for the next stop in his first international trade mission of his administration. The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) greeted the governor and the team of Illinois delegates working to build stronger business, cultural and educational relationships with its Asian partners.
“China and the United States enjoy a long-term friendship,” CPAFFC President Xu Kuangdi said. “I highly appreciate your decision of choosing China as one of your destinations at your first foreign visit as the Governor of Illinois. We must strengthen our friendship through more exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, education, etc., to benefit our two peoples, and people of the world. Welcome to China!”
The CPAFFC is a national organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy of China.
The governor also engaged in trade discussions with the vice chairman of Shanghai 12th Committee to discuss trade relations between China and Illinois. That was followed by an official reception at the Intercontinental Hotel in Shanghai.
The governor expressed the need for additional business opportunities, and he said the best way would be to expand trade, investment and economic relationships.
“I’m honored to be here because of the special friendship between China and Illinois,” Gov. Rauner said. “We have 400 Illinois companies in China creating thousands of jobs, and China has 60 companies headquartered in Illinois, including Wanxiang, Decatur’s Fuyao Glass and Bank of China in Chicago. We shouldn’t stop there. I’m personally committed to expanding this economic relationship to benefit the people of Shanghai and Illinois.”
The meeting began with a discussion of Shanghai’s financial position and economic strength in the world economy with the hope of building a more balanced export exchange, as well as growing from an industrial to a more innovative society. The governor and vice chairman expressed the importance of exchanging ideas and developing an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship and a pipeline of the next generation of global leaders.
Several cabinet officials now report directly to [Deputy Governor Trey Childress], instead of to chief of staff Kristina Rasmussen. Rasmussen, who joined the administration this year from the Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative think tank — released the charts to staffers earlier this week. […]
Additionally, agency heads now report directly to Childress, rather than to other officials, including the chief of staff.
“When Kristina Rasmussen came in, she wanted to organize the Office of the Governor to take greater advantage of talent in the office, to focus on policy formulation and legislation, and to align leadership more closely with the work of the units,” [Rauner spokesman Jason Schaumburg] said. […]
Former state Comptroller Leslie Munger, who Rauner tapped for her newly created $135,000-a-year deputy governor position after she lost her re-election bid, is in charge of Illinois Bicentennial events and corresponding with taxpayers, according to the organizational charts.
But [Rauner communications head Hud Englehart] on Thursday said the chart did not reflect Munger’s other duties, which he says haven’t changed since she was appointed earlier this year. Those included being involved with economic development, human service agencies, external relations and stakeholder management during the budget fight.
Go read the whole thing. One of the more interesting things about the Sfondeles story is that Rauner administration PR people actually responded to her questions and engaged on some details. That hasn’t been the case with that office in weeks, so maybe they’re finally starting to get their act together. We’ll see.
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration on Thursday announced it would start organizing its staff into groups of policy experts, the latest move in an office that went through a high-profile shake-up earlier this year.
The first group will focus on economics. Rauner made Illinois’ economic health a key priority of his first-term agenda, but he’s spent much of that time fighting with Democrats over the state budget and was unable to accomplish many of his goals so far.
The teams will be directed by deputy chief of staff for policy Michael Lucci, an alumnus of the conservative Illinois Policy Institute who joined Rauner’s staff amid the summer’s shake-up.
*** UPDATE *** Pritzker campaign…
Even though Bruce Rauner had a crisis expert consulting for months, Rauner stumbled through a “summer of setbacks” and is now doubling down on crisis management by reorganizing his top staff.
Rauner spent $12,500 a month of taxpayer dollars on this pricey crisis expert, but clearly didn’t get his money’s worth. The Sun-Times called Rauner’s summer “terrible” and “very bad” while WBEZ called it “rough” and a “summer of setbacks,” and those are just the stories published this week. Instead of moving beyond his catastrophic and crisis-filled summer, Rauner is doubling down, reorganizing his staff yet again to focus on “charting choppy waters.”
“Bruce Rauner is doubling down on creating crisis and attempting to message them in his favor,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “There’s no number of staff shakeups that can turn around the damage done by this failed governor.”
Democratic state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie won’t run for re-election in 2018, sources with knowledge of her decision said, signaling a career ending for Illinois’ first female majority leader and a longtime ally of House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Her decision comes more than 20 years after Madigan first named her to the influential post in early 1997 and nearly 40 years after she first entered the House in 1979.
State Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat and deputy majority leader, said Currie’s departure will mean a great loss of institutional knowledge. He contended the era of of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has worn down many lawmakers who were interested in process.
Currie’s district includes Woodlawn, South Shore, Hyde Park, Kenwood, and South Chicago. Her decision to step aside removes a House Democrat mentioned as a possible Madigan successor and could touch off bids for her seat in Springfield. […]
She is now among a bevy of lawmakers of both parties who have made the same decision not to run again or to step down immediately. Among them was the state’s first woman to serve as a legislative leader, Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, who stepped down in June.
“I like travel. I like having outings with family. I like music and opera and having opportunities to do that is good.”
Currie said she called several colleagues on Thursday to tell them of her decision.
“I will miss a whole lot about the Legislature. I have loved my time there. I have thoroughly enjoyed the people on both sides of the aisle. It has been a wonderful place,” Currie said. “I could not have asked for a better way to spend my years. I will miss it, but there are other things in life that one can do.”
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, stands up on the House pages’ bench to speak to reporters in 2004.
Currie said her age has nothing to do with her decision: “People have said ‘Hang up your spurs.’ I don’t feel as if I need to hang up my spurs.”
Currie said she planned to make an official announcement next week but the news got out Thursday, Sept. 14, after she told a couple of colleagues.
“I’m not planning to re-up for re-election in 2018 but I do plan to finish out my current term,” Currie told the Hyde Park Herald. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the legislature and will continue to pursue progressive policies in education, social welfare and criminal justice in other venues.”
Currie said she has no immediate plans to leave her Hyde Park home.
Currie attended the University of Chicago. She graduated from the College with honors before earning a Master’s degree in Political Science. She is a member of the Chicago League of Women Voters, the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership, Women United for South Shore, and the Board of the ACLU of Illinois. She is active in many civic, community, and environmental organizations. She and her late husband, David P. Currie, a law professor at the University of Chicago, have two wonderful children and four grandchildren.
* Press release…
“Barbara Flynn Currie is one of a kind, and someone whose intelligence and command of a wide range of public policy issues is matched only by her decency. Throughout her career she has been a passionate advocate for the people of Chicago and the state of Illinois. As the first woman to hold the position of Majority Leader, she shattered a glass ceiling and blazed a trail for countless others. From fighting to raise the minimum wage, to expanding access to early childhood education, to advocating for common sense gun laws, Leader Currie has been a voice for the voiceless and a steady champion for the most vulnerable among us. On behalf of a grateful city, I wish Barbara nothing but the best in her well-earned retirement.”
I had a long chat with her tonight and I’ll have more for subscribers tomorrow.
