* I’ve heard about the existence of this “magic lobbyist list,” but I haven’t seen this email sent by Mike McClain to several people last December. Kudos to Dan Mihalopoulos and Dave McKinney at WBEZ…
Shortly before last Christmas, consummate Springfield insider Michael McClain sent an email to what he called the “Magic Lobbyist List.” […]
“There are now a little less than two dozen on the list,” McClain wrote in the email, which WBEZ obtained. “So, I would ask what has been asked in the past.”
McClain then directed the remaining members of the list to help him arrange for any new, potential clients in Springfield to hire the right lobbyists for the upcoming, 2019 legislative session at the Illinois Capitol. […]
“A Friend of ours and myself have gone through the ‘magic list’ and frankly culled quite a few names from the list,” McClain told the surviving members of the group.
He asked them to do “what has been asked in the past” — to help him coordinate who would get lobbying deals with companies that needed their interests represented in Springfield.
“If you have a potential client come up to you and seek you as a lobbyist but you cannot for whatever reason please engage him/her and try to get him or her to consider a recommendation from you,” McClain wrote. “Please call me then and I will have a conversation with someone and get back to you asap.”
(T)he group email about the magic lobbyist list and interviews with Democratic insiders indicate McClain worked alongside Madigan in a much broader effort to arrange for trusted lobbyist allies to enrich themselves by representing powerful private interests in Springfield.
The email also offers the first evidence suggesting the speaker himself had a role in connecting lobbyists with clients whose fortunes rely heavily on his favor.
I think the best way to describe this list is to compare it to “made men” in the Outfit. He even used the phrase “A Friend of ours” in the email.
…Adding… Let’s go back to the Tribune’s story from earlier today. This was buried at the bottom…
The [October 2018 McClain] email thanks an undisclosed list of recipients for help on a “secret” project involving campaign fundraising for House Democrats in targeted contests on the November 2018 ballot. […]
“We always called you the ‘Most Trusted of the Trusted,” McClain wrote. “So, again, on behalf of Himself, I thank you for ALL your work to help him and the Caucus.” […]
In the email, McClain goes on to say he’s reviewed a “magic Excel sheet,” and makes a request [for more contributions]. […]
“Remember either the checks themselves have to be tendered to Mary or copies of them in order to be placed on the excel sheet as tendered,” said McClain, a reference to Mary Morrissey, the executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
So, the party was tracking contributions from McClain’s “Most Trusted of the Trusted” list.
* I told you in October that retired lobbyist Dick Lockhart was very ill. He was flooded with calls, texts, emails and visits from his old friends after that. His son sent me a text a little over a week later saying he was still going strong and at home.
I received a call from a friend of his a couple of hours ago and then received this email with the same basic message…
Rich! I am sending this on behalf of Dick’s family.
It is with heavy hearts that Dick Lockhart’s family is notifying friends of his peaceful passing this a.m. at his home.
* I was content to ignore this story because Bourne’s district is so overwhelmingly Republican that the dude basically has no chance…
A Democrat from Coffeen says he plans to run for a seat in the Illinois House against Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond.
Chase Wilhelm, 35, will be making his first run for elected office. […]
Wilhelm is currently a member of the Army Reserve. Until recently, he was on active duty most recently stationed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa with the Special Operations Command.
Wilhelm said he has a master’s degree in religion and society from Princeton Theological Seminary and a doctorate in ethics from Garrett-Evangelical in Evanston. He took a job as a chaplain with the Department of Corrections in October, where he makes $79,488 a year.
President Trump won the district by 37 points. The only statewide Democrat to win it has been Secretary of State Jesse White (of course).
* But then this overkill press release arrived and I figured I’d post it…
“This week, Democrat Chase Wilhelm announced his candidacy for state representative in the 95th House District, but it didn’t take him long to dodge the Madigan question and hedge his position on abortion. The people of the 95th District want a conservative leader who will stand up to Madigan and oppose the Democrats’ radical, pro-abortion agenda. They have that in Avery Bourne. That’s why clear majorities of voters have elected her twice.
“Don’t let Wilhelm fool you. He will accept campaign support from Madigan, and, if elected, will vote for Madigan and stand idly by while he pushes his radical agenda. If Wilhelm won’t stand up to Madigan or the Democrats on abortion, what else will he let them get away with?” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Joe Hackler
Chase Wilhelm, a Democrat from Montgomery County, announced his intention to run for state representative in the 95th House District, which is currently held by Republican State Rep. and Pro-Life leader Avery Bourne.
Almost immediately, Wilhelm hedged his views on abortion, saying, “While I recognize where I am at, I also definitely recognize a woman’s right to defend and protect her body.”
Would Wilhelm have opposed taxpayer-funded abortion in House Bill 40 or late-term abortions in the Reproductive Health Act? Based on Wilhelm’s vague platitudes, we don’t know.
And then, Wilhelm refused to answer whether or not he would support Mike Madigan for another term as Speaker of the Illinois House: “Wilhelm did not commit to either supporting or rejecting Michael Madigan as House speaker.
“‘The bottom line is going to be what’s best for my district,” [Wilhelm] said. “Like a lot of things, the conversation is bigger than a yes or a no.’”
Don’t let him fool you - Wilhelm will accept campaign support from Madigan, and, if elected, will vote for Madigan and stand idly by while the Democrats push their radical agenda on the people of Illinois.
What else will Wilhelm let the Democrats get away with?
To be clear, Rep. Bourne could jet to Paris for the next year, post her expensive purchases and scrumptious dinners on Facebook and still win. Seems odd the ILGOP would get this fired up, but, whatevs. It’s still a free country.
* The Illinois State Board of Education’s new emergency rules are here. I’ve skipped over a few things, so if you have a question, you should first click on the link to see if you can find it addressed in the new rules.
* Old rule…
Isolated time out and physical restraint as defined in this Section shall be used only as means of maintaining discipline in schools (that is, as a means of maintaining a safe and orderly environment for learning) and only to the extent that they are necessary to preserve the safety of students and others. Neither isolated time out nor physical restraint shall be used in administering discipline to individual students, i.e., as a form of punishment.
New rule…
Time out and physical restraint as defined in this Section shall be used only for therapeutic purposes, or to the extent necessary to preserve the safety of students and others. Neither time out nor physical restraint shall be used as a form of punishment.
* Old rule…
“Isolated time out” means the confinement of a student in a time-out room or some other enclosure, whether within or outside the classroom, from which the student’s egress is restricted.
New rule…
“Time out” means a behavior management technique that involves the monitored separation of a student from classmates with a trained adult for part of the school day, usually for a brief time, in a non-locked setting
* Old rule…
If an enclosure used for isolated time out is fitted with a door, either a steel door or a wooden door of solid-core construction shall be used. If the door includes a viewing panel, the panel shall be unbreakable.
New rule…
If an enclosure used for time out is fitted with a door, the door shall not be locked at any time during the time out.
* Old rule…
An adult who is responsible for supervising the student shall remain within two feet of the enclosure.
New rule…
An adult trained under this Section who is responsible for supervising the student must remain with the student at all times during the time out
* Old rule…
The adult responsible for supervising the student must be able to see the student at all times. If a locking mechanism is used on the enclosure, the mechanism shall be constructed so that it will engage only when a key, handle, knob, or other similar device is being held in position by a person, unless the mechanism is an electrically or electronically controlled one that is automatically released when the building’s fire alarm system is triggered. Upon release of the locking mechanism by the supervising adult, the door must be able to be opened readily.
The new rule deletes all of that language.
* Old rule…
“Physical restraint” as permitted pursuant to this Section includes only the use of specific, planned techniques (e.g., the “basket hold” and “team control”).
New rule…
“Physical restraint” as permitted pursuant to this Section includes only the use of specific, planned techniques (e.g., the “basket hold” and “team control”). A physical restraint shall not impair a student’s ability to breath or speak normally. Prone or supine physical restraint shall not be permitted.
* Old rule…
A student shall not be kept in isolated time out for longer than is therapeutically necessary which shall not be for more than 30 minutes after he or she ceases presenting the specific behavior for which isolated time out was imposed or any other behavior for which it would be an appropriate intervention.
New rule…
A student shall not be kept in time out for longer than is therapeutically necessary. No less than once every 15 minutes, the trained adult must assess whether the student has ceased presenting the specific behavior for which the time out was imposed
* Old rule…
A written record of each episode of isolated time out or physical restraint shall be maintained in the student’s temporary record.
New rule…
In a form and manner prescribed by the State Superintendent, a written record of each episode of time out or physical restraint shall be maintained in the student’s temporary record.
* Old rule…
Each district, cooperative, or joint agreement whose policy permits the use of isolated time out shall provide orientation to its staff members covering at least the written procedure established pursuant to Section 1.280(c)(2) of this Part.
New rule…
Each district, cooperative, or joint agreement whose policy permits the use of time out shall provide training.
* Newly added rules…
No later than 48 hours after any use of time out or physical restraint, the school district or other entity serving the student shall, in a form and manner prescribed by the State Superintendent, submit the information required under subsection (f)(1) to the State Superintendent.
The State Superintendent reserve the authority to require districts to submit the information required under subsection (f)(1) for previous school years. […]
Any adult who is supervising a student in time out or applying physical restraint shall be trained in de-escalation, restorative practices, and behavior management practices. […]
Any use of time out or physical restraint permitted by a board’s policy shall include:
1) the circumstances under which time out or physical restrain will be applied;
2) a written procedure to be followed by staff in cases of time out or physical restraint;
3) designation of a school official who will be informed of incidents and maintain the documentation required under this Section when time out or physical restraint is used;
4) the process the district or other entity serving public school students will use to evaluate any incident that results in an injury to the affected student;
5) a description of the district’s or other entity’s annual review of the use of time out or physical restraint, which shall include at least:
A) the number of incidents involving the use of these interventions;
B) the location and duration of each incident;
C) identification of the staff members who were involved;
D) any injuries or property damage that occurred; and
E) the timeliness of parental notification, timelines of agency notification, and administrative review.
k) Complaint Procedures
1) Any parent, individual, organization, or advocate may file a signed, written complaint with the State Superintendent alleging that a local school district or other entity serving the student has violated this Section. The complaint shall include the facts on which the complaint is based; the signature and contact information for the complainant; the names and addresses of the students involved (and the name of the school of attendance), if known; a description of the nature of the problem, including any facts relating to the problem; and a proposed resolution of the problem to the extent known.
2) The State Superintendent shall only consider a complaint if it alleges a violation occurring not more than one year prior to the data on which the complaint is received.
3) The State Superintendent must issue a written decision to the complainant that addresses each allegation in the complaint and contains findings of fact and conclusion; the reasons for the State Board of Education’s final decision; and orders for any action, including technical assistance.
4) The complaint procedure under this Section does not limit, diminish, or otherwise deny the federal and State rights and procedural safeguards afforded to students with disabilities.
* Meanwhile, Rep. Jonathan Carroll’s bill is now online…
Prohibits a school district employee or volunteer or an independent contractor of a school district from placing a student in seclusion; defines seclusion. Provides that this prohibition does not apply to the use of seclusion in a court-ordered placement, other than a placement in an educational program of a school district, or in a placement or facility to which other laws or rules apply. Requires State Board of Education rulemaking. Effective immediately.
…Adding… I asked Rep. Carroll for his take on the new ISBE rules…
I think it’s a start. I think there’s more work that has to be done. And I’m frustrated that we have to go through these pounds of cures instead of ounces of prevention. We have to make sure that there’s a lot more accountability and at this point ISBE has not shown much of that.
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce has once again collected the results from its annual paid Holiday Survey which indicates how Illinois employers and their employees will be handling paid holidays in 2020.
The Chamber’s Annual Holiday Survey is an instrumental tool for many Illinois businesses in helping them to make a decision on holiday benefits for employees. It has, for many years, been regarded as the standard to follow. The results provide a good indicator of what employers will be doing in 2020 and are provided by a good cross-section of businesses from across Illinois. […]
Compiled from hundreds of responses from Illinois businesses of all size and industries, the survey indicated that the average number of paid holidays for Illinois workers is 8.2 days, up very slightly from 2019. The average number of paid personal days is 2.9 days, identical to 2019.
* Holidays and percentage of firms providing a paid holiday…
New Year’s Day 2017 - Wednesday, January 1 - 96.0%
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (observed) - Monday, January 20, 22.7%
Lincoln’s Birthday - Wednesday, February 12 - 4.2%
President’s Day (Washington/Lincoln Day) - Monday, February 17 - 21.3%
Casimir Pulaski’s Birthday (observed) - Monday, March 2 - <1%
Good Friday - Friday, April 10 - 32.4%
Memorial Day - Monday, May 25 - 94.5%
Independence Day - Saturday, July 4 (30% of noted observe on Friday, July 3) - 95.6%
Labor Day - Monday, September 7 - 94.8%
Columbus Day - Monday, October 12 - 12.5%
Election Day - Tuesday, November 3 - <1%
Veterans Day - Wednesday, November 11 - 18.5%
Thanksgiving
Wednesday, November 25 - 6.5%
Thursday, November 26 - 96.5%
Friday, November 27 - 68.9%
Christmas
Thursday, December 24 - 50.9%
Friday, December 25 - 96.0%
New Year’s Eve
Thursday, December 31 - 30.7%
Employees Birthday - 2%
Floating Holiday (1 or more days) - 5.2%
Jewish Holidays (1 or more days) - About 1%
Average number of paid holidays - 8.2; Average number of paid personal days - 2.9
Number of firms responding - 351
* Percentage of firms from each industry classification responding…
Manufacturing - 22.7%
Services - 13.1%
Finance/Banking - 2.2%
Retail Trade - 4.5%
Wholesale Trade - 3.4%
Insurance/Real Estate - 5.4%
Utility/Transport/Communications - 3.7%
Construction - 3.9%
Non-Profit/Association/Chamber of Commerce - 18.8%
Government - 7.1%
Other - 14.8%
Another outside group is advertising in the 13th Congressional District and featuring pictures of U.S. Rep. RODNEY DAVIS, R-Taylorville. But this time, the group agrees with Davis on impeachment.
American Action Network, a Washington, D.C.-based group, is running TV ads in the district thanking Davis for “standing against impeachment and focusing on the issues that matter to us.”
This comes even as ads have continued to run this week from a group called Defend American Democracy, featuring a Marine veteran from New Jersey who served in Afghanistan and who calls on Davis to “hold the president accountable for risking our national security and abusing his office to benefit himself.”
Economic Club of Chicago Chairwoman Debra Cafaro asked Pritzker why lawmakers shouldn’t let voters change the state’s pension protection clause to control the growing cost of public sector pensions.
“To even working-class me, that seems like a fair way to address the shared sacrifice that we all have to make to get Illinois on the right track,” Cafaro said.
Ventas Chairman and CEO Debra Cafaro received more than $25 million in total pay [in 2017], more than double what she earned in 2016, as the company switched to a new compensation system for its top executives.
Ventas, a Chicago-based real estate investment trust that specializes in senior housing and medical properties, paid Cafaro $25.3 million in 2017, including stock awards totaling $17.4 million, up from total compensation of $9.7 million in 2016, according to a company proxy filed yesterday.
People do rise from the working class to high positions of power and wealth (as Cafaro most certainly did) and they may still consider themselves working class at heart. But, c’mon, they’re no longer working class when they make $25 million in a single year. A person making the median income would have to work about 397 years to earn what she raked in during just one.
So, with respect, maybe it’s not all that believable for a successful CEO to advocate cutting retirement benefits for people who worked for modest pay their entire lives by claiming to currently be one of them.
* I’m taking Oscar to the groomer and then I may run a couple of errands. Please keep the conversation Illinois-centric and be nice to each other. Thanks.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Heading back to pick him up, so you’re on your own again. Previous rules apply.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Yeah, he’s not happy with me at the moment for putting him through that experience, but I think it’s a nice haircut…
The watchdog overseeing the Chicago Public Schools has received nearly three complaints per school day since last year of sexual misconduct by adults against students.
And out of all 535 cases reported since the start of October 2018, there are 239 that are still open and under investigation, according to the watchdog.
Those new numbers were released Wednesday by CPS Inspector General Nicholas Schuler as he detailed his office’s investigative work at the Board of Education’s monthly meeting.
Among those new cases in the past year, 228 involved a teacher while 81 involved a security guard — meaning 4.7% of security guards were the subject of an allegation.
That’s a darned high percentage of security guards. Sounds like it’s time to revamp the vetting process.
Of the closed cases, investigators have substantiated 67 allegations against adults, mostly involving “concerning” behavior and not rising to the level of sexual abuse or assault. Seven substantiated cases involved a sexual act or abuse and another 12 were about improper touching that was deemed less than sexual abuse.
As a result of those substantiated cases, 57 adults were fired, resigned or retired after the completion of the investigations while another 96 have been pulled from their job while the inspector general examines the cases. Seventeen cases have involved police and criminal prosecution.
As the battle rages over who will take criminally charged former state Rep. Luis Arroyo’s House seat, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday said a new ethics task force should place a top priority on whether Democratic ward committeemen are “picking replacements properly.”
“I made it clear from the beginning that I want to make sure that the people of the district get represented properly,” the governor said. “There’s no air of corruption around the person who gets appointed and also be elected.” […]
“I think this is something that the new ethics commission that’s been created should look at,” Pritzker said at a Chicago State University event. “Among the very first things they should look at is are we picking replacements properly so that we avoid problems.”
Legislators last week passed a resolution to create the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform to take up the many issues unearthed by federal investigations into Arroyo, state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, and state Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Chicago.
Under House rules, any member of the House or voter in the 3rd District has 90 days to file a petition challenging whether Delgado’s appointment was legal. A petition would trigger an investigation by a House committee that could ultimately lead to Delgado being removed. That would require approval from a three-fifths majority of the full chamber.
Brown said that, as of Wednesday afternoon, no challenge petition had been filed with the clerk’s office. He declined to say whether Madigan would file the challenge himself after his warning was ignored.
Cook County’s Public Guardian is urging a federal judge to accelerate a lawsuit that challenges the Department of Children and Family Services practice of allowing foster children to languish in psychiatric hospitals beyond medical need if the agency can’t find a place for a child, saying the situation has gotten worse.
Even though the suit was filed a year ago, the judge has yet to decide whether to dismiss the class action lawsuit. Lawyers for the state have repeatedly won extensions to offer additional information to support its efforts to dismiss the case.
The case could affect hundreds of foster children, but a ruling earlier this year by U.S. District Judge John Lee has also stymied efforts to allow the public guardian and state officials to begin collecting evidence to prove their arguments by issuing subpoenas.
“Over the past year since Plaintiffs filed suit, the problem has objectively worsened,” according to Wednesday’s filing. “Children are spending more time locked in psychiatric hospitals; Plaintiffs are at risk of being stuck [beyond medical need] under the same practices and policies that caused them to be class members, and the potential class size grows by the day.” […]
While DCFS officials said at a September hearing that they had added beds through state contractors in order to alleviate the problem, sources tell The Daily Line those beds are mostly considered shelter beds — beds not meant for a permanent placement.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is pleased to share the endorsements of Illinois Democratic Leaders:
Governor JB Pritzker
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle
Senator Dick Durbin
Senator Tammy Duckworth
Congressman Bobby Rush
Congressman Danny Davis
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
Congresswoman Robin Kelly
“Today, we couldn’t be more proud to come together to endorse Kim Foxx for re-election as Cook County State’s Attorney.
Under Kim’s leadership, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has blocked the Trump administration’s discriminatory attempt to threaten immigrants who seek public health services, which would have created a crisis for both families and our public health. She has taken on the gun lobby – and won, defeating a challenge to the county’s assault weapons ban. Kim is a leader who stands up to a man in the Oval Office who uses our city as a punching bag and isn’t afraid of the NRA, which is hellbent on letting guns flood our streets.
Kim Foxx has brought reform to Cook County, and her leadership has inspired reform across this country. Kim represents the future of our Democratic Party, standing for justice while rejecting the fear-mongering of those who are set on reversing the progress we’ve made.
We are confident and ready to hit the ground running to re-elect Kim Foxx.”
* This Tribune story by Ray Long and Jason Meisner is fascinating because it includes emails from Mike McClain to his inner circle of friends and allies…
For months, federal authorities have been looking into payments made to a former political operative for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan as part of a sweeping investigation into ComEd’s lobbying practices.
Now, newly obtained emails show that Michael McClain, a close confidant of Madigan, orchestrated the contracts that saw money flow from current and former ComEd lobbyists to the ex-aide.
All told, more than $30,000 went to Kevin Quinn, who had been ousted by Madigan in early 2018 after being accused of sexually harassing a female campaign worker. At the time, Madigan called the campaign worker “courageous” for making him aware of the unwanted advances and inappropriate text messages.
* But the story is also interesting because it explains something I’ve been wondering about: Why do federal prosecutors even care about these payments?…
The Tribune has reported that federal authorities are zeroing in on payments made through ComEd’s vast network of consultants to some individuals who seemed to have done little actual work. The payments were aimed at currying favor with certain lawmakers while circumventing lobbying disclosure rules, the source added. Authorities believe the payments to Quinn, which the Tribune first disclosed in July, are an example of this, a source has said.
So, apparently, the G believes the payments to Quinn, the brother of Madigan’s alderman Marty Quinn, were designed to curry favor with a lawmaker. Would that lawmaker be Speaker Madigan? His spokesman had this to say…
“If a group of people were attempting to help Kevin Quinn, the speaker was not a part of it.”
…Adding… Rep. Margo McDermed (R-Mokena)…
This confirms that the Speaker’s response to the harassment of his employees was nothing more than window dressing while he continued to put political victories and fundraising ahead of his staff and the people of Illinois. As a female legislator, I find this insulting and hope my Democrat colleagues start to confront this disgraceful behavior in their caucus.
