Rauner extends DC trip
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* He’s been there since Monday waiting on the US Supreme Court’s Janus decision…
Daily Public Schedule: Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Gov. Rauner continues his visit to Washington, D.C. on official business.
* Meanwhile…
* He’s also been doing some TV appearances…
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Could Kash Jackson be in jail on election day?
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* More background is here. From Mike Flannery at Fox 32…
Four Illinois governors have gone to prison in recent decades, after they won the office.
But one new candidate who filed Monday already faces a six-month jail sentence and could be locked up in a few weeks.
Born Benjamin Winderweedle, he served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, retired, then changed his name last year to Kash Jackson. He’s just filed for governor on the Libertarian Party ticket. But he’s already famous for failing to pay his ex-wife thousands of dollars he owes for child support and education.
“This is why they try and paint me as a ‘deadbeat father.’ Because I’m speaking about it. Anytime that they reduce a parent down to a visitor to their children, that justifies the state putting in support orders. And in Illinois grotesquely inflated support orders,” Jackson said. […]
A Lake County judge ordered Libertarian Kash Jackson to pay the overdue child support to his ex-wife by Aug. 6th — or go to jail for six months. That means he could be locked up on Election Day, apparently a first for a candidate for governor of Illinois, several of whom got locked up after Election Day.
Nice snark.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here. From the electronic twittering machine…
* The Question: Your prediction of what happens next?
…Adding… From Sen. Rose…
“I’ve asked the Governor to apologize. Cook County could only dream of having consistently lower unemployment rates like Champaign County has seen over the past several years. In fact, over the last decade, as Chicago’s jobs climate has struggled, Champaign has maintained some pretty awesome employment statistics. And, it’s easy to see why: three interstate highways, a conveniently located airport, and the University of Illinois make it a great place to live and work, not to mention that our local workforce powers some pretty serious manufacturing too. Oh, and did I mention that we have no traffic. The people in the Champaign area work hard, and we are open to all businesses - which is why we are growing.”
*** UPDATE *** The Champaign County Chamber is out in DC and the governor paid them a visit today…
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Unclear on the concept
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady talked about legislative redistricting on WJPF today…
If you look at the last two gubernatorial elections, Bruce Rauner and Bill Brady, it is in a map drawn by the Democrats. In both cases, Bruce Rauner and Bill Brady beat Pat Quinn in the majority of the House and Senate seats. As smartly gerrymandered by them - and believe me, they are really good at this - as smartly as they could do it, they still couldn’t draw a map that the gubernatorial candidates didn’t win a majority. So, under a fair map, that is representative of the communities of this state, there’s no question in my mind, we would be, legislatively a Republican state.
Brady lost the popular vote to Quinn by 31,834 votes, and yet he won the majority of legislative districts. I’m not sure that’s such a great argument about how horribly gerrymandered the districts are. Just the opposite.
You’d think he would’ve lost a lot of districts because Dems advantaged themselves as much as possible to concentrate Republican legislative support in a handful of districts while diluting the rest over multiple Democratic districts (”packing and cracking”).
Then again, maybe it means nothing at all. We do have lots of ticket-splitters in this state and Quinn was a weak governor.
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Biden to keynote Dem chairman’s brunch
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association press release…
The annual IDCCA County Chairs’ Brunch held in mid-August has become a traditional rallying point shifting Democratic Party activism into high gear. IDCCA President Doug House is confident that this year’s keynote guest and speaker, Former Vice President Joe Biden, will build unprecedented enthusiasm and help boost attendance well beyond last year’s record turnout.
“Over the last three years, our Democratic County Chairs have invested in training, recruitment, coalition development and party building,” said House. “Illinois Democrats are fighting like never before to stop the dangerous Republican agenda to dismantle 70 years of American working and middle-class prosperity. Without question, Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and J.B. Pritzker will rally, motivate and inspire Illinois Democrats to execute the battle plan to ensure a ‘Blue Wave’ in every county of our state.”
With a keen understanding of the hardships that Bruce Rauner and Illinois Republicans have forced on working and middle-class families, Senator Durbin delivered the party’s pitch and secured the confirmation of Biden as the 2018 keynote guest.
“Joe Biden was my Senate colleague and remains my good friend,” Durbin said. “When I asked him to headline the largest gathering of the year of Illinois Democrats, he didn’t hesitate to say yes. Vice President Biden was President Obama’s strong partner – we welcome him back to Illinois.”
Biden’s visit will reinforce the enthusiastic momentum that gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker has built among Democrats and working families all over Illinois.
“Bruce Rauner is a failed governor who has spent four years lurching our state from crisis to crisis, doing untold damage to our state,” said Pritzker. “We can’t afford another four years of his failures and that’s why we’re uniting Illinoisans in every corner of our state to defeat him. We are running a statewide, grassroots campaign to put Springfield back on the side of working families and there is no one who fights harder for working families than Vice President Joe Biden. I’m thrilled that the Vice President is joining us at the IDCCA brunch as we come together as Democrats to move our state forward.”
The 2018 IDCCA Brunch will be held within days of the ten-year anniversary of then-Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s Old State Capitol announcement of Biden as his running mate. Biden’s return to Springfield is anticipated to draw the largest, most enthusiastic crowd of Democrats to ever attend the IDCCA County Chairs’ Brunch.
The IDCCA County Chairs’ Brunch will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield on Thursday, August 16, 2018. The event begins at 8:00 a.m. Event details and methods of purchasing tickets is available on the IDCCA webpage at www.ILDCCA.org and via social media at www.facebook.com/ILDCCA and www.twitter.com/ILDCCA
I heard yesterday he will also be at the fairgrounds, but I’m not certain of that yet. Last year, you’ll recall, Speaker Madigan canceled the annual fairgrounds rally.
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* AP…
The Supreme Court effectively put an end Tuesday to a California law that forces anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers to provide information about abortion.
The 5-4 ruling also casts doubts on similar laws in Hawaii and Illinois.
* Press release…
State Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) issued the following statement in response the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against a California state law that would have required crisis pregnancy centers to provide women with information about state-provided abortion. Similar legislation was signed into law in 2016 in Illinois.
“This is a victory for the unborn, and I would want to thank for the U.S. Supreme Court for recognizing what is right and the faith based rights of those who wish to not to contribute to abortions. With today’s ruling, Illinois’ similar law, which requires crisis pregnancy centers to provide information on abortion, will be now be unenforceable.”
* I sent Righter’s release to the ACLU for comment. This is from Lorie Chaiten, director of the Women’s and Reproductive Rights Project of the ACLU of Illinois…
Today’s decision involved a very different law than the one NIFLA is challenging in Illinois. Illinois’ law simply ensures that when patients go to the doctor, they can expect to be given the information they need to understand their medical circumstances and treatment options. These are protections that apply across the board, requiring all medical professionals to comply with their ethical obligation to provide standard of care information to patients.
We are confident that the judges hearing the Illinois cases will understand these distinctions and will conclude that the patient protections as issue in Illinois are in full accord with state and federal law
* From a July, 2017 story about the lawsuit against Illinois’ statute…
The lawsuit, filed against state officials including Gov. Bruce Rauner, claims their constitutional free-speech rights are violated by the changes to the law because they have to offer advice they find morally wrong. The clinics also allege the new law violates federal laws banning discrimination against doctors and other health care workers who do not provide or refer patients for abortions.
Supporters of the law say the changes only require health care providers to inform patients of all their options — a standard practice of care in the medical field.
The law was originally passed — after the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion — to shield physicians opposed to performing the procedure. Modifications to that law, designed to protect patients who didn’t know all their options, were signed into law by Rauner last year after an emotional Illinois Senate subcommittee hearing that drew testimony from patients.
* From National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra…
The California Reproductive Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency Act (FACT Act) was enacted to regulate crisis pregnancy centers—pro-life centers that offer pregnancy-related services. The FACT Act requires clinics that primarily serve pregnant women to provide certain notices. Clinics that are licensed must notify women that California provides free or low-cost services, including abortions, and give them a phone number to call. Its stated purpose is to make sure that state residents know their rights and what health care services are available to them. Unlicensed clinics must notify women that California has not licensed the clinics to provide medical services. Its stated purpose is to ensure that pregnant women know when they are receiving health care from licensed professionals. Petitioners—two crisis pregnancy centers, one licensed and one unlicensed, and an organization of crisis pregnancy centers— filed suit. They alleged that both the licensed and the unlicensed notices abridge the freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment. The District Court denied their motion for a preliminary injunction, and the Ninth Circuit affirmed. Holding that petitioners could not show a likelihood of success on the merits, the court concluded that the licensed notice survived a lower level of scrutiny applicable to regulations of “professional speech,” and that the unlicensed notice satisfied any level of scrutiny.
Held:
1. The licensed notice likely violates the First Amendment.
(a) Content-based laws “target speech based on its communicative content” and “are presumptively unconstitutional and may be justified only if the government proves that they are narrowly tailored to serve compelling state interests.” Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 576 U. S. ___, ___. The licensed notice is a content-based regulation. By compelling petitioners to speak a particular message, it “alters the content of [their] speech.” Riley v. National Federation of Blind of N. C., Inc., 487 U. S. 781, 795. For example, one of the state- sponsored services that the licensed notice requires petitioners to advertise is abortion—the very practice that petitioners are devoted to opposing.
(b) Although the licensed notice is content-based, the Ninth Circuit did not apply strict scrutiny because it concluded that the notice regulates “professional speech.” But this Court has never recognized “professional speech” as a separate category of speech subject to different rules. Speech is not unprotected merely because it is uttered by professionals. The Court has afforded less protection for professional speech in two circumstances—where a law requires professionals to disclose factual, noncontroversial information in their “commercial speech,”
…Adding… Sen. Kwame Raoul…
The NIFLA decision, which sides with entities seeking to mislead women, is part of a troubling erosion of a woman’s freedom to make personal decisions about her life, body and family. Protecting a woman’s right to choose means protecting her access to affordable healthcare and accurate information. Illinois recognizes this by requiring medical professionals who object to abortions to provide information about where and how patients can access the care they choose. As attorney general, I will defend this law and all aspects of women’s rights.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From the attorney general’s spokesperson…
The Illinois law is different in a significant way from the California law at issue in today’s Supreme Court decision. As a result, it’s speculation to declare how the courts will ultimately rule on the Illinois law. The cases concerning the Illinois law will continue and the courts will judge the impact of today’s decision on those cases.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Excerpt from the Thomas More Society’s press release…
Unlike California pregnancy centers, those in Illinois have been under court protection from the law that forces them to make referrals for abortion, even if they have sincerely held religious convictions against doing so. The preliminary injunction order was issued in July 2017 by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Rauner.
“The Illinois district court’s injunction is based on the Supreme Court’s well-established Free Speech principles, which were largely disregarded in the California case” added Olp. “We are pleased that the high court has chosen to protect pro-life medical professionals from California’s Reproductive FACT Act. This unconstitutional and unethical mandate to promote the so called ‘benefits’ of abortion and to refer women to abortion vendors has been a clear violation of the right of conscience of pro-life doctors, nurses and pregnancy help centers.”
Nonprofit pro-life pregnancy centers are established to support and assist women by providing life-affirming alternatives to abortion and the Thomas More Society brief argued that a woman has a right to choose life for her unborn child.
“Under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment these centers cannot be required to agree with or be compelled to promote any state’s message concerning abortion,” said Olp. “They have the right to offer charitable services and proclaim an exclusively pro-life message to those in need. The Supreme Court has now shut down laws like California’s Reproductive FACT Act and the amended Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act that deny women their ability to receive free pregnancy support and their right to choose life for their child.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** From Jennifer Welch, President and CEO Planned Parenthood of Illinois…
With today’s decision, the Supreme Court has made it legal to withhold vital healthcare information from women. Fake women’s health centers are deceptive and harmful. Patients seeking health care or counseling during pregnancy require and deserve accurate information. Fake women’s health centers are lying to women, withholding medical information, and cutting off access to care. Planned Parenthood of Illinois will continue to fight for every person’s right to access high-quality care and accurate information, despite this disappointing decision.
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* From the Libertarian Party’s gubernatorial candidate Kash Jackson…
The difficulties that Kash endured in family court led him to found the organization Restoring Freedom, through which he has become a leading advocate for judicial and family court reform. His activism expanded his understanding of Constitutional rights infringement in our state.
* His oppo file may very well be the most brutal I’ve ever read. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart…
2014 ORDER OF PROTECTION
Kash Jackson’s Ex-Wife Obtained An Emergency Order Of Protection Against Him In 2014
Kash Jackson’s Ex-Wife Obtained An Emergency Order Of Protection Against Him In July Of 2014, Which Barred Him From Contacting Her Or Their Children (Benjamin Winderweedle 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection, 7/16/14)
· The Order Barred Jackson From His Home And His Children’s Daycare. (Benjamin Winderweedle 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection, 7/16/14)
Jackson’s Ex-Wife Claimed Repeated Acts Of Violence Against Her And Their Children
Jackson’s Ex-Wife Claimed He Punched A Picture Frame Next To Her Head. “I tried to speak to Ben about continued issues in our marriage. He got upset. I left with the children because I was scared he would get more angry due to his history of violent behavior. I returned later to find him still upset and we argued and he cursed at me to get the [expletive deleted] out. Then he punched the picture frame next to where I was standing, shattering glass everywhere. I got scared that he would get more physical and I ran.” (Benjamin Winderweedle 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection, 7/16/14, p 33)
Jackson’s Ex-Wife Claimed He Attempted To Choke Her During Sex. “I was with Ben in Seattle when I was trying to work on our relationship. During intercourse he put his hands around my neck until I pushed him away.” (Benjamin Winderweedle 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection, 7/16/14, p 33)
Jackson Allegedly Punished His Six-Year-Old Son By Forcing Him To Move Bricks In Cold Weather For Nearly An Hour. “As way to punish our 6 yr old son he made him move bricks in cold weather for 45 mins to 1 hr. When I tried to intervene he got very angry.” (Benjamin Winderweedle 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection, 7/16/14, p 33)
After His Ex-Wife Stopped Him From Punishing The Six-Year-Old Again, Jackson Allegedly Punched The Door Next To Her Head And Then Threw Furniture At Her. “The next morning he got up early to finish punishment again to intervene grabbing my son when was crying. I put them in a room and stood in front of the door and told him he could not touch them. He continued to get angry, yell, swear, insult and I was scared, did not reply. He punched the door I was standing directly next to. Punched the door denting it right next to my head. He continued to break other furniture and throw them around me.” (Benjamin Winderweedle 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection, 7/16/14, p 33)
Jackson’s Ex-Wife Accused Him Of Repeatedly Hitting Their Children. “On 2 different occasions Ben physically disciplined our children by slapping in the face or leaving marks or spanking leaving bruises on bottom and backs of the legs.” (Benjamin Winderweedle 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection, 7/16/14, p 33)
Jackson’s Ex-Wife Accused Him Of Forcing Himself On Her. “Throughout our relationship he wanted sex when I was ill and after I had our son. I told him I did not want to and he forced himself on me.” (Benjamin Winderweedle 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection, 7/16/14, p 33)
2015 ORDER OF PROTECTION
Jackson’s Ex-Wife Obtained Another Emergency Order Of Protection Against Him In 2015
Kash Jackson’s Ex-Wife Obtained An Emergency Order Of Protection Against Him In March Of 2015, Which Barred Him From Contacting Her Or Their Children. (Benjamin Winderweedle 2015 Emergency Order Of Protection, 3/25/15)
· The Order Also Required Jackson To Surrender His Guns. (Benjamin Winderweedle 2015 Emergency Order Of Protection, 3/25/15)
Jackson’s Ex-Wife Asserted Again That He Had A History Of Violence Towards Her And Their Children
In Her Petition, Jackson’s Ex-Wife Said That He Had A History Of Violent Behavior Towards Her And Their Children. “He has a hx of violent behavior towards me & the children…During our relationship he has shoved me, verbally threatened me, and has taken spanking the children and other forms of punishment to extremes (i.e. moving pile of bricks in winter for over 45 minutes when son was 6 yrs. old). He has punched a door & wall within a foot of my head damaging the wall & door & broken items & thrown them around me causing additional damage to home.” (Benjamin Winderweedle 2015 Emergency Order Of Protection, 3/25/15, p 32)
Jackson Allegedly Attempted To Kill Himself Twice
Jackson Allegedly Attempted Suicide Twice. “I fear for safety of myself & my children due to his attempted suicide in Nov. 20, 2014 and recently on March 20, 2015. (Benjamin Winderweedle 2015 Emergency Order Of Protection, 3/25/15, p 32)
CHILD SUPPORT
Jackson Owes His Ex-Wife At Least $15,989.50 In Unpaid Child Support. (STEVERSON VS WINDERWEEDLE, Lake County Circuit Court, 17F 00000733)
* Accompanying, redacted documentation…
* 2014 Emergency Order Of Protection
* 2015 Emergency Order Of Protection
* 2016 Order Of Protection Extension
* Child Support Case
* From Kash Jackson…
These were all allegations that were investigated by the United States Navy and were unfounded. Mrs. Winderweedle has a history of not only purjuring herself but also of being investigated for child abuse. In a 2014 letter delivered to myself from the United States Navy she claimed that I was not financially providing for her and our two minor children and that due to her limited work as a contractor (occupational therapist) she could not provide adequately. For the two years we were separated leading up to that letter, I paid all of the bills in the home while she hid her nearly $180k. Our tax returns also reflect she was giving in excess of $1,000 a month to her church. I did struggle with depression and did attempt suicide and was treated for. I have lost many veteran friends to suicide which is why I am a advocate and activist to raise awareness. False allegations derailed a very successful navy career and I have been an activist since that time to reform it. My ex wife plays victim very well but the well documented history of her lies shows otherwise. Regarding the excessive support order. The judge ordered me to turn over more than 40% of my income and when my pay dropped almost $1,000 a month he said it wasn’t substantial enough to warrant a modification. I have paid over $100k in child support. Illinois also refuses to give me credit for over $7k in support that I paid and have proof of. The entire system is built on using false allegations to gain an upperhand in custody proceedings, extended littigation to maximize profits for attorneys and a defunct system that does nothing but destroy lives. I have not hidden the issues and have been very outspoken about it. As a result, I continue to suffer reprisals and defamation of character. I will remind you that I was never charged much less convicted of any crime. I was never given a right to an attorney, trial by jury, or read any rights. In short, allegations due not equate to truth. If I was an abuser the navy would have court martialed me and given me a dishonorable discharge. That is not what occurred. If you get the opportunity please ask my ex why she spanked our children with wooden spoons and other objects. Ask her why she had complaints filed against her as a therapist for locking autistic children in closets. She is a religious fanatic and adept at manipulation and lies.
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Gonzales loses a round in suit against Madigan
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This happened while I was on vacation…
A Chicago federal judge has refused to allow attorneys for a failed primary challenger to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan the chance to obtain a copy of a 2014 inspector general’s report detailing the ways Madigan wields clout and influence in Illinois, saying the contents of the report would be of no value to the ex-candidate’s lawsuit accusing Madigan of pulling strings and using underhanded tactics to undercut his candidacy.
On June 14, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly granted motions from Julie Porter, the state’s Special Legislative Inspector General, to quash subpoenas issued by attorneys for Jason Gonzales, to secure a selection of documents, including a copy of the so-called Homer Report.
That report had been published by former LIG Thomas Homer, purportedly addressing allegations concerning Madigan’s influence over hiring decisions at Metra, the Chicago regional commuter rail agency.
“Even if one assumes, for purposes of discussion, that this material contains information tending to show that Madigan used influence derived from his official position to influence Metra’s personnel decisions, that would not tend to make it more likely … that he also used influence derived from his office in connection with the primary election,” Kennelly wrote.
“And even if it did, the proposition that because Madigan used influence gained from his official position vis-à-vis Metra, it is more likely that he also did so in connection with the primary election likely would involve an inference prohibited under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b).”
* Meanwhile…
Cicero Town President Larry Dominick is alleging the attorney for a failed primary challenger to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who is claiming in federal court Madigan pulled strings to undercut his candidacy, is playing to the media and engaging in other dirty tricks to force Dominick to answer questions in a deposition about Madigan’s power.
On June 21, Dominick’s attorneys filed papers in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, contesting a subpoena from Jason Gonzales to depose Dominick. Gonzales lost to Madigan in the 2016 Democratic Primary Election, and has a suit going against Madigan and Madigan’s allies alleging Madigan used “political favors, control of campaign funds and precinct captains to discredit Gonzales.” […]
Gonzales’ attorney, Anthony Peraica, is claiming Dominick can shed light on the 76-year-old Madigan’s influence and methods. Attempted service of the subpoena on Dominick has met with controversy, as the process server was arrested by Cicero police on charges of theft and impersonation of a police officer.
Peraica, of Chicago, called the charges against the process server “false” and then filed a motion asking the U.S. Marshal’s Service to serve the subpoena. […]
The “grudge” to which [Dominick attorney Sean Sullivan] alluded concerns Peraica’s unsuccessful reelection bid in 2010 against Jeffrey Tobolski for the post of Cook County commissioner. Dominick endorsed Tobolski, a Democrat and criticized the Republican Peraica during the campaign. Sullivan noted Peraica was convicted of vandalizing Tobolski’s campaign signs during the election season.
Peraica also pursued two suits – both eventually dismissed – against Cicero on behalf of a person politically opposed to Dominick, according to Sullivan.
* From Gonzales’ attorney…
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* Gov. Rauner was on the Roe Conn show the other day and talked about how the state needs to “invest in the technology and information sector.” He wants us to be more like California, Massachusetts and other giant tech hubs. He rightly pointed out that “the driver of that sector is the university systems,” and Roe asked what was holding Illinois back. After talking a bit about state regulations, Rauner launched into this soliloquy….
Rauner: The tragedy for us in Illinois is, the University of Illinois is here, one of the great research universities in the world. Their students have started some of the greatest companies in the world. Oracle, PayPal, Tesla Motors, iTunes. It’s stunning. None of them are in Illinois. There’s several reasons, but part of the reason is, Champaign-Urbana is wonderful, but it’s very hard to keep a company of more than six people there. There’s no convenient transportation, not much of a workforce. It’s very hard. We can start some companies there, but what we need to do is help the University of Illinois expand in Chicago, expand in Rockford and Peoria that have large economic systems and great companies already.
Conn: Airports and rail and all that.
Rauner: Exactly. And a diverse, large workforce. And then use their technology innovation and ability, get their students integrated in the local economy and we can boom.
* WCIA’s Mark Maxwell was not amused…
* More react…
* Rep. Carol Ammons lauched on the governor…
Read the rest here.
* But is he right? Maybe not on some of the specifics (and negatively comparing Champaign to Rockford and Peoria ain’t gonna go over well), but he’s certainly right that we have trouble keeping these genius tech gurus in Champaign. Yes, there are some exceptions. And, yes, much of the reason was that until recently Illinois didn’t have the same sort of startup-funding infrastructure as Silicon Valley.
But there’s no denying that nurturing the tech boom in Chicago means UIUC needs to have a city presence.
He shoulda just stuck with that instead of bashing Champaign. “Not much of a workforce”? Sheesh, man.
*** UPDATE *** You’ll recall that Pritzker has a new TV ad criticizing Rauner for constantly bad-mouthing Illinois…
“Bruce Rauner is Illinois’ bad-mouther-in-chief and communities across our state are fed up and fighting back,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “This governor railed against Champaign-Urbana, belittling their workers, disregarding their transportation system, and leaving local leaders to defend their communities from baseless attacks.”
…Adding… Erika Harold kinda responds…
As someone who was born and raised in Champaign-Urbana and is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I could not be prouder of our educational institutions, workforce and vibrantly diverse community. We should be doing more to invest in infrastructure and economic opportunities for all Illinoisans, and that is why I am running for Attorney General - to ensure all of our communities are well represented.
…Adding… Sen. Kwame Raoul…
While discussing Champaign-Urbana on a Chicago radio station last week, Bruce Rauner told a Chicago radio station, “it’s very hard to keep the company of more than six people there. There’s no convenient transportation, not much a workforce. It’s very hard.”
Democratic candidate for Attorney General Kwame Raoul responded:
“Whether it’s Donald Trump calling my ancestors’ home of Haiti a ’shithole,’ or Bruce Rauner badmouthing his own state, it is long past time for our leaders to stop tearing people down.
Champaign-Urbana is one of the most important regions in our great state, and the people who call it home don’t deserve to be insulted. I’m proud of where I come from, and if someone attacks any of Illinois’ vibrant communities, voters can count on me to stand up and fight back.”
Rauner’s handpicked candidate for Attorney General, Republican Erika Harold, was born and raised in Champaign-Urbana and attended the University of Illinois. Her response failed to mention the Governor’s harsh words for her hometown.
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No Janus decision again today
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Doug Finke…
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on public employee unions did not happen again on Tuesday.
Meeting for the second day this week, the court on Tuesday issued opinions in two more cases — including upholding President Donald Trump’s travel ban — but the highly anticipated Janus vs. AFSCME case was not among them. A final day of opinion releases is expected Wednesday. This is the final week of the Supreme Court’s current term.
No word yet on whether Gov. Rauner will stay in DC.
* While we wait, here’s Kristen McQueary…
It’s fitting that Mark Janus, the plaintiff behind a highly anticipated U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week, works for Illinois government. The union he sued is particularly influential in politics and policy here — with perilous outcomes for taxpayers.
The 200-page American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 contract exemplifies how the demands of public employee unions have grown extreme in Illinois government and why Janus got fed up. Overtime costs, seniority rules, a hyperactive grievance process, pay raises and step increases that far outpace the consumer price index, health care plans heavily subsidized by taxpayers, costly pensions and worker protections that keep bad employees on the job have soured the image of public employee unions. They’ve gone too far.
Several years ago, a supervisor at the Illinois Department of Revenue made the mistake of working extra hours to reduce a backlog of tax returns. AFSCME filed a grievance. Why? She had violated a clause in the union’s contract by doing “bargaining unit” work. The union also filed complaints against volunteers at veterans homes who were giving their time, for free, to answer phones and welcome visitors. They were intruding on union workers’ turf.
The grievances were upheld through an arbitration process in Illinois that favors unions, not management. Embedded in public employee union psyche, that process codifies inefficiency in government. It’s coveted.
And taxpayers are on the hook. The union advocates for tax hikes and government growth — last year’s 32 percent income tax hike and now a proposed graduated income tax — to shore up its strength to the detriment of Illinoisans en masse. All those years of unbalanced state budgets and shortchanged pension funds? AFSCME, an ally of the Democratic majority, was an enabler.
* John Kass…
As the government unions keep Boss Madigan in power, the Democrats with their clout have repaid the government unions many times over, with luxurious pension benefits and raises unheard of in the private sector.
The symbiosis has had an impact on public policy for decades, from those debilitating budget fights in Springfield, to the collapse of the state’s credit rating, to the giant multibillion-dollar hole in the government union pension fund.
Businesses flee to surrounding states, to Wisconsin, Indiana and elsewhere in the Midwest, and those businesses take good jobs with them.
And homeowners see property tax increases devour the equity of their homes, the tax increases going to pay for amazingly generous retirement benefits for teachers and administrators.
All of this is fiscally untenable and ethically corrupt, because the public is being played and the rules are stacked against them.
* Gerald Friedman…
Women, African Americans, and Latinos are much more likely to work in the public sector (apart from the police and corrections) than are white men, and are therefore much more likely to belong to public-sector unions. This is largely due to the large share of caring, teaching, and clerical jobs in the public sector—all jobs disproportionately held by women and by racial and ethnic minorities. Nearly 16% of all women are employed in the public sector, as are almost 12% of African-American workers and 8% of Hispanics, compared with barely 7% of white men. This concentration of women and minority workers means that the Janus case is particularly important to these workers.
* Dylan Matthews…
Shaun Richman, a veteran union organizer, warned in the Washington Post that a ruling against agency fees could require public employers to allow multiple unions to compete for workers, instead of dealing with just one. That could lead to greater union militancy and power as unions fall over each other to show they’re the most committed worker advocates.
* Eugene Volokh…
I don’t think there’s any First Amendment problem with compelled payments of union agency fees at all. The government can constitutionally require people to pay money to the government (in taxes), money that the government can then use for ideological purposes (e.g., supporting a war, opposing racism, promoting environmentalism, and so on). Likewise, the government can constitutionally require people to pay money to unions, money that the unions can then use for ideological purposes.
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* Press release…
Where in Illinois are Pritzker’s Toilets?
JB Pritzker disconnected the toilets in his Gold Coast mansion in order to receive a massive tax break after having the home reclassified as “uninhabitable.”
The question remains: where in Illinois are Pritzker’s toilets?
One of them made an appearance last night at the Northfield Township Democrats general election kick off party, where JB Pritzker was making an appearance.
Stay tuned as the toilets continue to pop up across Illinois.
* The accompanying pic…
Pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve posted a photo of a toilet on this website. Doubt it’ll be the last, though.
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* Politico…
Tina Tchen, Michelle Obama’s former chief of staff and co-founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, is taking on a key role in Illinois’ #MeToo movement, organizers tell POLITICO.
Tchen will act as legal counsel to an anti-harassment panel in Illinois that’s about to launch six sessions across the state to engage women on their political workplace experiences. The sessions are private, intended to give women a protected outlet to share their experiences. The sessions are targeted to those who have worked on campaigns and political committees. The Anti-Harassment, Equality and Access panel is now a 501 (c) (4), nonpartisan and one of the committee’s goals is to draw women across party lines.
Tchen, a partner with Buckley Sandler LLP, helped launch the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which has raised more than $21 million from more than 20,000 people since January. The fund aims to help subsidize legal costs to victims of harassment or workplace retaliation who cannot afford a lawyer. […]
Given the lack of chumminess between most Obama alums and the Chicago machine, Tchen provides the committee some distance from Democratic Party Chair and Speaker Mike Madigan, whose powerful reach is always in question.
* Press release…
Today, the non-partisan Anti-Harassment, Equality, and Access Panel (AHEA) announced its plans to host six listening sessions throughout Illinois.
These sessions are designed for women who have worked on campaigns at all levels, in any party in Illinois, to provide guidance for the Panel’s final report on guidelines to improve workplace culture. For those women who can’t participate in these panels, a website has been created where feedback can be provided either by name or anonymously at www.aheapanel.org.
The Panel schedule is:
Champaign: Sunday, July 1
Chicago and Rockford: Sunday, July 8
Metro East: Sunday, July 15
Springfield: Monday, July 23
Carbondale: Thursday, July 26
The Panel is led by Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza, State Senator Melinda Bush (Grayslake) and State Representative Carol Ammons (Urbana).
“We are thrilled to start engaging women across the state around this incredibly important work,” said Illinois State Comptroller, Susana Mendoza. “It’s a unique opportunity to help shape the future of Illinois politics and the kind of culture we want to build that ultimately gives everyone the opportunity to thrive and succeed.”
State Representative Carol Ammons says the Panel is being very intentional to ensure listening sessions include the voices of all women. “As part of our work, it’s critical that women of color, who have been traditionally disenfranchised, are heard,” she said. “It is crucial the Panel is considering the intersection of race and gender and how it impacts the overall landscape of politics in Illinois. Women of color are missing from the discussion, from the table, and from our elected offices.”
“It’s important that we visit every corner of the state and engage multiple partners in this work so that all voices are heard regardless of where they serve,” said State Senator Melinda Bush. “We want to engage women from all parties, across all levels of experience working on campaigns and within party organizations so we can build recommendations that can create the strongest and most supportive environments where women can succeed.”
The goals of the AHEA Panel are as follows:
* Promote and support a culture of equality, safety, and respect in Illinois politics and government free of sexual harassment.
* Improve the process for combating and reporting sexual harassment in Illinois political campaigns.
* Increase the number of women in leadership positions and those on track to leadership positions at all levels of Illinois politics and government by expanding access and tools for professional and leadership development.
* Facilitate more women running for office in Illinois by identifying and reducing structural obstacles that prevent them from doing so.
Supporting the work of the Panel is Tina Tchen, Partner, Buckley Sandler LLP; Becky Carroll, President, C-Strategies, and co-founder of Illinois Say No More; Katelynd Duncan, President of KJD Strategies and co-founder of Illinois Say No More; and Christie Lacey, Panel Coordinator.
The AHEA is a 501(c)(4) non-partisan organization. This Panel does not have investigatory authority or oversight around sexual harassment allegations. The Panel plans to complete its report by August 16.
* From the website…
As co-founders of the Anti-Harassment, Equality, and Access Panel, we are working together to develop a comprehensive set of guidelines that can be adopted by any campaign in any political party, so women can work in safe and supportive working environments where they can thrive. However, developing guidelines is only one part of the work. To ensure lasting and effective change, more women must be given a seat at the table. We will facilitate conversations on how parties and campaigns can support the professional development of women and elevate them into positions of leadership throughout Illinois.
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* Press release…
After Libertarian and Conservative Party candidates submitted nominating petitions to challenge him in the upcoming election, Governor Rauner has mobilized his paid staff in an attempt to invalidate the candidates’ petitions and block them from getting on the ballot. Conservative Party candidate Sam McCann, who turned in more than 60,000 signatures on Monday, issued the following statement:
“Governor Rauner knows he cannot be reelected based on his record or on his principles, so he must resort to shady political gamesmanship. Conservatives and Republicans spoke loudly in the primary, nearly dropping Bruce Rauner from the contest completely. Now he is trying to silence the conservative movement that came in the wake of his failed leadership. The truth is that it should come as no surprise that we were able to collect so many valid signatures, and that our work was made easier with every action Governor Rauner took to divert Illinois from traditional conservative values. He’s isolated himself from his party and he has only himself to blame.”
All they’ve done so far is file requests to review or copy the petitions.
* Meanwhile…
McCann on Monday again criticized Rauner for signing legislation that expanded taxpayer funding of abortion. McCann said it was clear from “day one” that Rauner “wasn’t a conservative, wasn’t a real Republican. He was looking to buy a party.”
“He said he was going to turn the state around, that he needed all the Republicans to be in lockstep with him. Well here we are four years later, we have a tax increase, (and) the only thing he’s done is institute a social agenda,” McCann said. “I don’t even know why the Democrats are running J.B. Pritzker or anybody else, no one has been better for the Chicago Democratic machine than Bruce Rauner.”
On taxes, McCann said it should be up to the voters to decide whether to amend the state constitution to allow for a graduated income tax instead of the current flat rate structure — an area of sharp disagreement with Rauner, who contends a graduated tax rate would result in a tax hike for many Illinoisans.
Even so, McCann said he agreed with Rauner that the income tax hike put in place last year should be rolled back. McCann said he believed a reduction could be put in place immediately, saying he will talk about his spending plans in the coming weeks.
I cannot wait to see this spending plan that supposedly immediately rolls back the tax hike.
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