Today, in a letter to the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, Michael J. Madigan, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos formally withdrew from the effort to form the Anti-Harassment, Equality and Access Panel before it becomes a legal entity.
While Congresswoman Bustos passionately agrees with the mission of the Panel to advance women’s leadership in the Democratic Party and address sexual harassment in the workplace, she agreed with the other two co-panelists, Comptroller Susana Mendoza and State Rep. Carol Ammons, that this work can only be effective if it’s done independently of the Democratic Party of Illinois. During the past two months, the three panelists worked to identify a funding mechanism that complied with both State and Federal election law and ethics rules.
After thoroughly examining all legal options, it was determined that in order for the panel to form as an independent legal entity — entirely outside of the Democratic Party of Illinois — Congresswoman Bustos, as a federal officeholder, would have to withdraw and allow this to become a strictly state level effort.
“I am disappointed that I cannot help lead this important effort to eliminate sexual harassment and advance women in the Democratic Party of Illinois,” Congresswoman Bustos said. “While I wish I didn’t have to step away before taking this panel to the next level, this decision will allow Comptroller Mendoza and State Rep. Ammons to establish an independent, legal entity that can do the work that needs to be done. It is going to take all of us doing our part to stamp out sexual harassment, not just in political campaigns, but in all workplaces - and I’m proud to continue my efforts in Congress.
“I have total confidence that Comptroller Mendoza and State Rep. Ammons will do a thorough and complete job, and I wish them luck in this effort.”
The letter to Madigan is here. She claims she consulted with the US House’s Ethics Committee before making her decision.
In a gesture of political defiance that even some Republicans found hard to resist, the Illinois House today overwhelmingly approved a bill that, if upheld, would give the state’s taxpayers a workaround to new federal tax rules limiting the deduction for state and local taxes to $10,000 a year.
The measure passed 93-15, far more votes than the 60 needed and well above what would be required to overcome any veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner, who has not publicly stated a position on the measure.
The bill now goes to the Senate, where the same temptation to “protect Illinois taxpayers” may prove irresistible. But it could set up a legal showdown with the Internal Revenue Service, which some insiders believe would block any such provision, and a court battle.
Under terms of the measure sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook, Illinoisans would receive a credit for contributions to a new charity set up to fund public schools statewide. The credit would be applied against an individual’s Illinois income-tax liability.
Since charitable contributions are not capped under the new federal tax passed at the request of President Donald Trump, the measure in theory would restore full deductibility for state and local taxes on federal returns, rather than limiting them to a combined maximum of $10,000.
Passenger cars towing trailers are getting hit with excessive tolls, state Rep. Marty Moylan says, and he has filed legislation to lower rates the Illinois tollway charges.
The issue hits home for the Des Plaines Democrat and some of his constituents who haul ATVs and snowmobiles when vacationing, as well as small businesses such as landscapers, he said. His legislation calls for reducing tolls for towed trailers and medium trucks.
“It’s ridiculous,” Moylan said. “This issue is very important to myself and residents that I have received numerous complaints from.” […]
Moylan owns a residence in Wisconsin and uses a trailer to haul snowmobiles or riding lawn mowers.
* And…
Rep. Scott Drury is now asking for a verification on a Dem bill he hasn’t even bothered to vote for. And he wonders why everyone hates him. #Twillpic.twitter.com/IUrYO3QTv3
Let’s actually pass a balanced budget with a progressive income tax - you can hear what a theme of this campaign is gonna be, right?
* From Will Allison at the Rauner campaign…
JB Pritzker just admitted that raising taxes will be the theme of his campaign. It’s a clear contrast with Bruce Rauner who knows that Illinoisans are already over taxed.
The Pritzker campaign responded with a link. Click here.
* Recently appointed state Rep. Bristow’s (D-Godfrey) ran her very first bill on the House floor today. So, in keeping with tradition, Rep. Breen was giving the sponsor a bit of a hard time in a mostly good-natured way and then she spoke without thinking. Oops…
“Does Monica Bristow honestly believe that she, Madigan, and her fellow Democrat colleagues deserve a pay raise? If anything, they deserve a pay cut after all the damage they’ve done to Illinois. Monica Bristow is the worst kind of politician - one who is in it for the money, not the middle class.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
Moments ago on the floor of the Illinois House, 111th District Democratic State Rep. Monica Bristow made a stunning admission and said she hopes lawmakers get pay raises next year:
“Hopefully if this body [the Illinois House] and the Senate gets its act together, we will be able to have our revenue exceeding expenditures and we’ll all get raises.”
Bristow made the comments during floor debate on her bill, HB5760, which sets mileage reimbursement rates and prohibits cost-of-living adjustments for lawmakers.
House Republican Floor Leader Peter Breen countered, “I don’t know that you were supposed to go on record and say every member of the General Assembly should get a raise.”
Bristow then said “I do believe…,” before she was cut off and voting commenced on the bill.
Monica Bristow is the worst kind of politician - one who is in it for the money, not the middle class.
If you watch the video, Bristow was gamely parrying questions about her bill to kill off the automatic cost of living increase for legislators this year. It’s the sort of bill given to targeted members (her Democratic predecessor won by just 5 points in 2016) every year to help their reelection campaigns. And while she appeared to be just making a funny quip, that one’s probably gonna sting.
* By all accounts, Randy Hultgren’s Democratic opponent Lauren Underwood is a strong candidate. She scored 57 percent in a seven-way Democratic primary, defeating her closest competitor by a massive 44 points. The Johns Hopkins graduate also has an impressive life story to tell voters and the buzz on her is super strong.
Underwood even outraised Congressman Hultgren in the first quarter, $465K to $361K. Something is definitely happening there. And, as Tom Bowen points out on the Twitter machine, Gov. Rauner isn’t gonna be much help there this year.
* But, in 2016, Donald Trump won the 14th CD by 4 points, Mark Kirk won it by 8 and Leslie Munger won it by 20. Rauner won it by 33 in 2014, Mitt Romney won it by 10 in 2012.
In the 2010 Census, the district’s voting age population was 84 percent white, 9 percent Latino, 4 percent Asian and just 2.5 percent African-American. Underwood is an African-American.
I am NOT saying Underwood cannot win. Stranger things have happened in politics. And, hey, Jesse White won that district by 15 points in 2014, so a black Democrat can prevail. What I am saying is Charlie Cook has this contest as “lean Republican” for good reasons. The partisan split will be difficult to overcome even in a wave election and, frankly, the racial gap makes it all the more difficult.
I’m betting she’s gonna give him a heck of a run, though.
Make of this what you will, but U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton, is in line for only midlevel support so far from a top GOP PAC. And neighbor Randy Hultgren, R-Plano, isn’t getting anything at all.
According to Talking Points Memo, neither local district is among the 20 for which the Congressional Leadership Fund has reserved $38 million in TV time. At $1.8 million per district—the ones the group selected are in California, Minnesota, Texas and a few other states—that’s enough to buy some pretty good public exposure, even in Chicago’s expensive TV market. […]
A third Illinois Republican, downstater Mike Bost, is in line for full help, on tap to receive TV and digital ads on his behalf.
* Charlie Cook has that Bost race listed as a tossup and he could be right. According to that TPM story, the Congressional Leadership Fund has reserved $2 million in TV advertising spots for Congressman Bost. He’s probably gonna need it.
Donald Trump won the 12th CD by 15 points, but Tammy Duckworth won it by 9, which gives Democrats some hope. Leslie Munger, however, took it by 5. Barack Obama won it by 1.5 in 2012.
One could interpret this as a sign that the powers that be think Roskam is OK and doesn’t need help, that he has the ability to raise money on his own with $2 million already in the bank, or that there just are too many more endangered GOP seats elsewhere in the country. Democrats would argue this is a sign of overconfidence or that the party is writing him off. I’m not sure which is right.
A source close to Roskam had another take: GOP powers are not yet convinced the Democrat in the race, Sean Casten, is going to be a priority for the national Democratic Party, despite all the local chatter about unseating Roskam. So they’re holding their fire, at least for now.
One other potential explanation: Top Democrats are waiting for Casten, who spent a lot of his and his family’s money in the primary, to step up and self-fund for a while. And until that happens, the GOP will spread its green elsewhere.
Democrats would be absolute fools to believe the GOP is already writing off Roskam. Cook has this one as a tossup as well, albeit with a partisan index of R+2, which is less than Bost’s R+5.
Hillary Clinton won the 6th CD by 7 points, which excites Dems, but Mark Kirk won it by 6 and Leslie Munger won it by 21. The only other statewide Democrat besides Clinton to win the district was Jesse White, who took it by 17 in 2014. Obama lost it by 8 in 2012.
Casten narrowly defeated five women opponents and one male opponent in the primary. There was a palpable sense of relief among Republicans when Casten won because they were much more afraid of a female nominee. I could go on, but this race has already been covered to death by other outlets.
Before her mother went to prison, Olivia Weeks was a competent student but not an outstanding one — certainly not one on track for an Ivy League education.
Then her mother and only surviving parent, Tabitha Weeks, pleaded guilty in 2012 to aggravated DUI in the death of Craig Payne, 41, of Bonnie. She served five years at the Decatur Correctional Center and was paroled in January.
When her mother left, Olivia Weeks, then 12 years old, made a choice to excel. She determined that she would not let the “black cloud of judgment” following her around her hometown of West Frankfort keep her from succeeding — and she would not let her mother’s mistake wipe away all the good she had done in her life. […]
Soon, the senior at Frankfort Community High School will move on to a new challenge: Harvard University, where she’ll begin classes with a full-ride scholarship in August. […]
Olivia Weeks shared her story at the prison’s volunteer awards banquet, saying she wanted to thank those who made it possible for her to have a relationship with her mother through the reunification program offered at the minimum-security women’s prison.
Available to mothers who have children 17 or younger, the reunification program began in 2000 and allows children to spend time with mothers in a designated housing unit. They can talk, play games, work together on the child’s homework and even participate in counseling, Warden Shelith Hansbro said.
Illinois officials have re-opened a former youth detention site as a center to help offenders learn life skills after release.
The first 20 offenders were transferred Tuesday to the Murphysboro Life Skills Re-Entry Center in Southern Illinois.
Department of Corrections officials say there will be orientation before educational programs, classes for job readiness and cognitive behavior therapy begin.
Other assistance will include teaching skills such as managing a bank account, using the latest technology and scheduling doctor’s appointments.
Last year, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) spent $276 on books for its educational programming across 28 correctional facilities, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. In comparison, the state prison system spent roughly $750,000 each year on books in the early 2000s. In 2005, spending on books dropped to $264,000. In the last five years, IDOC spent a total of roughly $140,000 on reading materials. That figure represents a 96 percent decrease from what was spent on books between 2000 and 2005. […]
The steep drop-off in funding for books in state prisons could be costing the state more money in the long-run. Research indicates education programs reduce recidivism rates, and libraries play a role in that work, according to Lois Davis, co-author of a Rand Corporation meta-analysis of education programs in prisons.
“We showed that for every dollar a department of corrections invests in education programs, they can save up to five dollars in reincarceration costs,” she said.
After notching a decisive win last month in the Democratic primary election, Fritz Kaegi filed suit against a web designer with ties to outgoing Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios for registering a fake campaign website in his name. […]
Galvin’s sham site published photographs of Kaegi and his family, solicited contact information from visitors and reported on news from his campaign, according to the suit. The site also listed a 2017 copyright and attribution to “Friends of Fritz Kaegi” at the bottom of the page.
In addition, Galvin registered Facebook and Twitter pages with Kaegi’s name at some point last year, the suit claims.
CrowdPac, a fundraising website, is also named as a defendant in the suit. The website allegedly solicited contributions to support Kaegi’s campaign without the candidate’s consent or knowledge.
The suit alleges that Galvin and CrowdPac violated the Illinois Right to Publicity Act, which holds that a person or entity “may not use an individual’s identity for commercial purposes during the individual’s lifetime without having obtained previous written consent.”
* I’m not sure if this is a shenanigan yet, but here’s Natasha Korecki…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign paid $100,000 to two companies tied to former Cambridge Analytica executive Matt Oczkowski for data-related work, campaign filings show.
Last week, we wrote about how Rauner’s campaign used one of Oczkowski’s firms, HuMn Behavior, for data-related work, paying the firm $5,000.
Expense filings made public Monday show Rauner’s campaign paid $95,000 to a different firm Oczkowski heads called Data Propria. The firm was just formed in February. Citizens for Rauner made the payment a month later, listing the services as “data modeling.”
While Oczkowski’s information shows him based in Chicago, the address included in state records for Data Propria links to San Antonio, Texas where CloudCommerce Inc. is located.
Connecting the dots: CloudCommerce Inc. bought Brad Parscale’s firm. Parscale was digital media director for Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign. (The Associated Press recently wrote a revealing piece about Cloud Commerce.)
“Bruce Rauner must have seen something he liked in Donald Trump’s shady campaign,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Voters deserve to know why Rauner’s paying someone whose former firm is under investigation by Robert Mueller, and why he wants to bring Donald Trump’s campaign tactics to Illinois.”
Due to your efforts, Sen. Morrison and Sen. Raoul have backed down. Yesterday, a Senate committee passed the House version of the bump stock ban - the version that actually bans bump stocks. Further, Senators Morrison and Raoul agreed to remove the previously inserted poison pill from the Senate version of the bump stock ban and run it as a separate bill. It’s a total victory.
Tough Measures Were Required
Make no mistake, this would not have happened without your phone calls and emails. Some questioned whether this Office should have called out Sen. Morrison like it did. The answer is yes. Senator Morrison betrayed those of us fighting for stronger gun laws. Only by calling her out, were we able to achieve the right result and defeat the NRA.
Playing by the NRA’s Rules
The NRA demands total loyalty. It’s time for those of us truly fighting to prevent gun violence to demand the same. We all know that trust takes a career to build but can be lost forever with one transgression. For whatever reason, Sen. Morrison initially chose the NRA over us. While we are glad we forced her to reverse course, she has unfortunately proven herself untrustworthy and unreliable in this critical battle.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you.
Volunteers with the Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America will be rallying at the state capitol to urge lawmakers to override Governor Bruce Rauner’s veto of the Gun Dealer Licensing Act.
Supporters of the bill said it will protect the public and help prevent gun violence by cracking down on illegal gun sales.
The bill would require background checks for gun store employees, require gun dealers to keep their businesses open for inspection by the state and law enforcement, require training for employees on responsible business practices and laws regarding the sale of firearms, video surveillance and alarm systems to be installed in stores, and for no new stores to operate within 500 feet of a school.
* Press release…
In this video, presented by the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition (ILGVP), former ATF special agent of 25 years and current Senior Policy Advisor at Giffords, David Chipman, explains the need for the Gun Dealer Licensing Act in Illinois.
The Gun Dealer Licensing Act would require criminal background checks for all gun shop employees. It would require training to help gun shop employees identify a buyer purchasing a gun for someone else, require basic store security measures to help prevent theft, and strengthen law enforcement’s ability to catch those responsible for illegal gun trafficking.
ILGVP conducted a bipartisan poll to gauge public opinion around this bill in key swing suburban cook, collar county and (a few) downstate districts. Support for this bill is widespread, with 71% of voters across these districts favoring the proposal.
Now, this very moment, insider sources are telling GunRights4Illinois that in the Illinois State Capital back room deals are being made. Deals where some Republicans, largely Chicago Suburban area Republicans, are making deals which will effect your gun rights. I’ve often said, “Decisions are made in the back rooms of our state house, the floor debates are just for show.” Essentially what is going on right now, some Chicago Suburban Republicans are horse trading your rights away, “If you vote for my bill, I shall vote for yours.” In the end you LOSE! […]
Sources are also telling GunRights4Illinois that part of the reason these suburban Republicans are so flexible is because Everytown is working a campaign of calls and emails to these politicians, to sway their votes towards the anti-gun, anti-freedom, side. If you think your call doesn’t matter, it does!
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
Today, JB Pritzker joined calls to override Bruce Rauner’s reckless veto of the Gun Dealer Licensing Act and sign the gun violence prevention legislation on his desk.
“Gun violence is ripping apart our communities, destroying our families, and taking countless innocent lives, but our failed governor refuses to take action to fix this public health epidemic,” said JB Pritzker. “Instead of signing commonsense legislation into law, Bruce Rauner has talked out of both sides of his mouth, dragged his feet, and left Illinois’ families to pay the price. I was proud to march side by side with students demanding an end to gun violence, and I’m proud to support the rally in Springfield today. Illinoisans deserve a governor who will take charge to address gun violence in our communities and I will be that leader.”
* Related…
* Bill giving cities control over assault weapons rules passes Senate committee: “We’re not asking you to approve a statewide ban, we’re asking you to allow locally elected representatives to do their jobs and represent the unique interests of their communities,” said Nancy Rotering, the mayor of north suburban Highland Park and a former candidate for Illinois attorney general. “They may choose to ask the question, and they may choose not to. But at least allow them to exercise that constitutional right.”
* Chicago aldermen scale back ban on civilians wearing body armor: The proposed changes would allow journalists to wear body armor, such as bulletproof vests, while on the job. Actors also would be allowed to wear protection “solely as props” when making movies, TV shows or videos. In addition, the city would put a pause on the ban for about four months as the Illinois General Assembly considers statewide restrictions.
WHAT: Illinois Redistricting Collaborative Members holding a press conference on the Fair Maps Amendment legislation that would establish an independent commission to run the state’s redistricting process
WHO: Senators Julie Morrison & Laura Murphy, Rep. Ryan Spain, and select representatives from the Illinois Redistricting Collaborative including Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago, Better Government Association, CHANGE Illinois, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois PIRG, League of Women Voters Illinois, Small Business Advocacy Council, Union League Club of Chicago
WHERE: Blue Room (room 010), Illinois State Capitol Building, 401 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, IL 62706.
State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) filed legislation this week to take politics out of Illinois’ legislative map-drawing process and instead ensure a transparent, objective, and fair process for adopting legislative maps. Breen’s proposal, drafted in cooperation with nationally recognized fair map expert, Rep. Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago), would invite everyone in Illinois to submit proposed maps, which would be ranked by how few towns and counties are split to form districts, and then by compactness of districts drawn. The House and Senate would then have the option of adopting one of the top three fairest maps, or else allowing the top-ranked map to go into law. If the General Assembly does not put fair maps on the ballot in 2018, Breen’s fair maps amendment is drafted to meet the legal requirements for a potential citizen-led ballot initiative in 2020.
“There is overwhelming bipartisan support for fair maps,” said Breen. “Our legislative districts should keep towns and counties together, and be as compact as possible. Gerrymandered maps are wrong because they allow politicians to unnaturally divide communities in favor of partisan interests. While there are other Illinois fair maps proposals, this proposal is the only one with specific, objective standards written into it, to guarantee the mapping process stays entirely transparent and fair.”
Breen’s HJRCA 46 would amend the Legislative Article of the Illinois Constitution to make the Legislative Redistricting Commission the primary driver of the mapping process, instead of the General Assembly. The commission would provide tools to the public to draw and submit maps and then apply the objective scoring rubric to submitted maps, presenting the top three to the General Assembly. HJRCA 46 retains and repurposes the current constitutional participants in the mapping process—the commission, General Assembly, and Secretary of State—in order to conform with Illinois court decisions about citizen-led fair map initiatives. The amendment also adds one member to the Illinois House, from 118 to 119, both to give the body an odd number of legislators and to meet the Illinois court requirement that any citizen-led change must include a “structural” change.
* Greg Hinz has a reminder for those of you who feel sorry for Rod Blagojevich…
It now has been a few years since the Blagojevich tempest first arose. So let me provide a little bit of a reminder of what he did that was clearly illegal, clearly unethical or just damned stupid.
Start with shaking down a children’s hospital executive for a campaign contribution in exchange for a state grant. That was one of the guilty counts.
Or repeatedly lying to federal agents. That was another, the same type of offense alleged against various associates of President Donald Trump. […]
Or the Tribune story about how 75 percent of those who contributed at least $25,000 to the then-governor’s campaign war chest received something of value from his government: an appointment, a contract, a favorable policy decision, whatever. […]
As U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel said in sentencing Blagojevich to 14 years, the ex-governor “wasn’t marched along this (corruption) path by his staff. He marched them.”
Also, don’t forget that Blagojevich’s first trial ended with a hung jury on all but one count. Charges were then dismissed against his brother Rob. The former governor could’ve tried to cut a deal, but he defiantly refused to even consider it. So there he sits.
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2018 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Did you know that health plans are changing Illinois families’ benefits while consumers are locked into their plans for the year? People in Illinois, especially those living with chronic conditions, carefully shop for a health plan which covers the treatments they need at prices they can afford. But health plans aren’t delivering the benefits they have marketed and sold to Illinois consumers.
House Bill 4146 Fixes the Health Plan Bait-and-Switch
House Bill 4146 would simply prevent insurers from making unfair – and potentially unsafe – benefit changes while Illinoisans are locked into the plan. The legislation, however, would still allow insurers to utilize generics, add treatments to their formularies and also remove them for safety reasons.
Insurers need to deliver on the policies they sell. The Illinois Legislature should support HB 4146 to make health coverage fair.
* It wasn’t all that long ago that Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle looked washed up to some folks…
“She’s gone from someone thinking she could be mayor to someone who’s got to wonder if she could get re-elected,” a longtime Democratic Party wise man told me Friday.
“If you’re a Democrat running for the state legislature, you don’t want her anywhere near you. The Republicans will use her against the Democrats. She’s toxic. The voters are angry. They’re fed-up. And you know why,” the wise man said.
It’s a shell of the mighty make-or-break political organization it once was, but the Cook County Democratic Party could still be ready to make history.
Chicago’s ultimate insiders club is preparing to usher in a new era on Wednesday, an era that could see the longtime bastion of white men choosing its first African-American, and first woman, chairman.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is expected to take over the county’s top political spot from Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, who’s held the seat since he was unanimously elected in 2007.
Preckwinkle also is viewed as comfortable with two sometimes-divergent camps within the county Democratic Party: old-school politicians who have seen their strength slip as the power of patronage politics wanes, and self-styled progressives who rely more on issues than political troops to win elections.
The progressives’ growing strength — and the split with regulars — played out last month, when a slate of three candidates backed by County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia defeated candidates backed by establishment Democrats.
“I would say the party needs to move in a more progressive direction and embrace progressive causes and candidates, and I think Toni Preckwinkle is committed to doing just that,” said state Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat expected to be re-elected as suburban vice chairman.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrat J.B. Pritzker spent a combined $105.2 million to win their respective party nominations — the equivalent of more than $100 per vote cast in last month’s primaries, new campaign finance records show.
Pritzker, a billionaire Hyatt hotel heir and philanthropist, led the way by spending a record $68.3 million to win the crowded Democratic primary at a cost of $119.04 per vote. Pritzker collected more than 573,000 votes, or 45.2 percent of the ballots cast, and won by nearly 20 percentage points based on unofficial vote totals. Pritzker is self-financing his campaign.
Rauner, a wealthy private equity investor seeking a second term, spent nearly $37 million in eking out a narrow 2.8 percentage-point win over state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton. Rauner got around 361,300 votes — 51.4 percent — at a cost of $102.33 per vote. In contrast, Ives spent nearly $4.3 million in getting more than 341,000 votes at a cost of $12.55 per vote.
Gov. Bruce Rauner is some 4,600 miles from the state capital on a “jobs mission” to Germany and Poland, but in between meetings about economic growth and sips of Polish beer, the governor is keeping tabs on budget negotiations — and Democratic rival J.B. Pritzker.
Speaking to the Chicago Sun-Times via telephone from Stein, Germany, on Tuesday, Rauner said his budget director Hans Zigmund is in discussion with appointed budgeteers while he’s away. And the Republican governor said he’s getting updates about budgetary issues.
“I’m keeping in close touch on all of that and our administration on issues that have come along,” Rauner said. “And I’m very pleased to see that the Senate Republicans took a strong stand against this concept of putting in a graduated income tax, a vote against that to express solidarity. A graduated income tax will be a job killer for Illinois and it will be devastating to the middle class. So I plan to see that there’s more resistance to that. I am strongly against that.” […]
It was the governor’s first trip to Poland. His favorite drink there? Polish beer.
“I never had Polish beer before but it was outstanding,” Rauner said.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is scheduled to appear on a Monday panel in Chicago presented by Axios, a Virginia-based news site founded by former top names at Politico. […]
What’s a bit more unusual is who’s sponsoring the event. It’s Koch Industries, the business empire of Charles and David Koch, brothers best known for using their wealth to pour tens of millions of dollars into conservative causes and candidates, often kicking up controversy in the process. The Koch brothers long have drawn the ire of national Democrats for their outsize influence in conservative politics, with progressives often accusing the brothers of trying to buy elections. […]
Emanuel spokesman Adam Collins said the mayor is “looking forward to a thoughtful conversation with a nationally respected, nonpartisan news organization about topics that matter to our city.”
“I didn’t know and can’t help who sponsors the event, but if long-standing and widely differing views was a nonstarter, we wouldn’t have held similar events with the Chicago Tribune either,” he added.
