* From DCFS…
Following the heartbreaking death of AJ Freund, DCFS began a comprehensive review of the entirety of our work with AJ’s family to understand what needs to change to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.
As part of this review, DCFS has taken personnel action regarding Carlos Acosta and Andrew Polovin, the caseworker and supervisor involved in the case. Mr. Acosta and Mr. Polovin are no longer employed by the state. DCFS is continuing to examine the department’s work in this case and will take all necessary action to protect the children and families we serve
* Tribune…
State officials confirmed Friday that two child welfare professionals who were recommended for dismissal for their handling of a hotline investigation into AJ Freund four months before the 5-year-old boy’s tragic death are no longer employed with the agency.
Carlos Acosta and his supervisor, Andrew Polovin, are no longer state employees following a lengthy internal disciplinary process, according to a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. He declined to say whether the men were fired or voluntarily quit. […]
Acosta was the child protection specialist assigned to investigate a Dec. 18 hotline call from Crystal Lake police regarding a bruise on AJ’s right hip. The child gave various statements about the cause of his injury, including that the family’s dog had pawed him, but records show he also told an emergency room doctor, “Maybe mommy didn’t mean to hurt me.”
Acosta deemed the allegation of abuse unfounded about two weeks later after consulting Polovin, who also was the supervisor in two earlier hotline investigations involving AJ.
Acosta is also a member of the McHenry County Board.
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* Tribune…
A West Side alderman who’s been fighting to make sure minorities get a bigger ownership stake in Chicago’s recreational marijuana market that’s set to fire up Jan. 1 has moved to force a City Council vote on his plan to push back the start date to July.
City Council Black Caucus Chairman Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th, said Friday he’s still working to convince state officials and Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration to strengthen the equity rules in the weed law so African Americans get a fair shake at getting a significant piece of the lucrative business before white owners corner it. […]
Ervin this week used a parliamentary procedure to announce his intention to discharge to the council floor his proposed ordinance that would outlaw recreational marijuana sales in Chicago until July 1. That proposal got a hearing last week in the council Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity, but committee Chair Ald. Carrie Austin, 34th, did not hold a vote on it then.
It remains to be seen whether Ervin follows through on forcing the vote. He declined to say what specifically he needs to hear from the state and the mayor’s office in order to stay his hand. And if he does force it, it’s far from certain a majority of the 50-member City Council would support his delay plan. But it likely would be close.
* Response from former Sen. Toi Hutchinson, senior advisor to the governor on cannabis issues…
Earlier this week, the Governor was proud to stand with State’s Attorney Kim Foxx as she began the process of expunging low level criminal records of 1,000 people in Cook County who are victims of the war on drugs. Statewide, this is just the beginning, and we expect hundreds of thousands of records will be expunged, and there is no question that communities of color faced disproportionate impacts from the war on drugs. No other state in the nation has taken this approach.
Not only that, for the past five years, Illinois has had a homogenous cannabis industry, and it takes a tremendous amount of effort and diligence to turn it around in a constitutional way. The cannabis law does just that – we created a loan fund and the resources will be generated from the first group of dispensaries to provide seed money for dispensary owners from highly impacted communities. We created a social equity applicant status; those who are interested are currently applying for licenses. The social equity application period ends Jan. 2, and licenses will be granted starting May 1. In the meantime, we capped the existing market so that there is plenty of room for additional entrepreneurs. For instance, there are roughly three dozen dispensaries that have been authorized to sell adult-use cannabis; eventually Illinois will have a cap of 500 dispensaries.
No other state in the nation has taken this robust and unique approach to equity, and we will continue to work to ensure that all communities benefit from this legalization. Delaying this implementation would do significant damage – and do far more harm than good in actually achieving equity.
Reasoned response to a somewhat curious push by the alderman.
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Do better
Friday, Dec 13, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Last week…
A 39-year-old man found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2004 fatal shooting of a Capitol security guard soon will be released from a locked state psychiatric hospital and transferred for at least five years to an outpatient, residential treatment center in Chicago, a Sangamon County judge ruled Tuesday.
The decision from Associate Judge Jack Davis II came after a 3½-hour hearing and over the objection of State’s Attorney Dan Wright, who said he wasn’t convinced of Derek Potts’ remorse and remained concerned Potts could hurt others again.
Davis acknowledged what he called the tragic loss of William “Bill” Wozniak to the rural Petersburg man’s widow, several other relatives and Capitol-based police, all seated in the courtroom audience. Davis said Wozniak was a “five-star family man” and a “dedicated public servant.”
* Flashback to 2004…
An unarmed guard was shot and killed Monday in an entrance to the state Capitol by a man who police said may have also been involved in a shooting in a local gun shop.
The attack on 51-year-old William Wozniak prompted calls from Gov. Rod Blagojevich and others to tighten security at public facilities such as the Capitol, which has no metal detectors, armed guards or security cameras at its doors.
Wozniak, who was married and the father of two teens, was hit in the chest at point-blank range with a shotgun or rifle blast at 1:38 p.m. as he staffed a sign-in desk just inside the doors to the Capitol’s north entrance, police said.
Late Monday, Springfield police issued an arrest warrant for Derek W. Potts, 24, of Olney, on charges of murder, burglary and aggravated discharge of a weapon.
* Also from 2004…
Law enforcement suspects the shooter may have attempted to steal a 12-gauge shotgun from Birds ‘N Brooks Army Navy Surplus on South 6th Street, one hour before the Statehouse killing.
The store owner identified Monday’s robber as the same man who stole a 12-gauge shotgun last week, Burton reported.
* WCIA today…
The holidays are the season of giving and some of those gifts are firearms. People hoping to get one this year may finder it harder to find the gift they are looking for as area gun retailers have closed up shop this year.
“Birds ‘N Brooks has been in business since 1973. They’ve been in this store’s building since 1985,” said employee Phil Davis. […]
After more than 46 years, the store had to put away one of it’s biggest sellers.” A law signed by Governor Pritzker just a few days after he took office requires dealers to pay for security upgrades including surveillance and an electronic database.
“It would’ve cost us anywhere between 18,000 and 38,000 dollars,” said Davis. […]
The store liquidated their gun collection of more than 400 firearms in July. Though they things may seem bleak, they are hoping a countermove by gun advocates can turn things around.
“The one truth about legislation in Illinois: if it’s a gun law and it goes on the book, it’s never coming off,” Davis said. “Our only hope is to win a lawsuit with the Illinois State Rifle Association that we are apart of. [If it] prevails and rules this law unconstitutional.”
Does nobody know how to use the Google at WCIA?
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*** UPDATED x1 *** New laws
Friday, Dec 13, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hmm…
The SDems have compiled a handy list of all new laws which take effect January 1st. Click here and tell us what you think.
*** UPDATE *** Some of you complained in comments about the list not being grouped by subject matter. Well, the Senate Democrats have just released a revised list that groups the new laws into topics. Click here for that. They also have a “slide show” on new laws. Click here for that one.
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Because… Madigan!
Friday, Dec 13, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Brett Rowland apparently wants Gov. Pritzker to act more like Gov. Rauner, or Gov. Blagojevich…
Pritzker, of course, can’t get rid of Madigan on his own. The House Speaker is elected by the full House of Representatives, and the representatives are elected by the voters in their respective districts.
But Pritzker has his pulpit. He also has plenty of influence over Democrats in the state.
If Pritzker really wants to clean up the state, the first step will be standing up to the one person who prefers the status quo: Michael Madigan.
Public, frontal attacks almost never work on MJM. They usually end in political disaster.
* Speaking of Pritzker, here’s the Illinois Radio Network…
The Chicago Tribune recently reported several people interviewed by federal investigators were asked about about long-time serving House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, and his political operations. The newspaper also reported emails show a longtime Madigan ally who was a lobbyist for the energy sector arranged questionable payments for a former Madigan aide who was fired amid sexual harassment allegations.
Pritzker was asked Tuesday if he thinks federal investigators are focusing on Madigan.
“I don’t know where those investigations are going,” Pritzker said. “I am very troubled, frankly, by the misdeeds, by the corruption.”
* Shaw Media…
State Rep. Mark Batinick decided to pick a fight with his 2020 Democratic election opponent about whether or not he would support the sitting speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives.
Batinick, R-Plainfield, challenged Harry Benton, a Plainfield village trustee, to say whether he would support Michael Madigan’s speakership, according to a news release. Madigan is the longest serving speaker in the history of the Illinois legislature. […]
While Benton didn’t directly answer Batinick’s question in a statement, he dismissed the tactic as part of his opponent’s “outdated playbook of distraction and partisan spin.”
“My focus will remain on the real issues in this race: protecting our health care, creating new jobs, providing real tax relief for the middle class and truly representing everyone in the 97th (District) in a bipartisan way, instead of pandering with a partisan agenda,” Benton said in the statement.
* Jim Dey…
Consider this recent news story announcing that Madigan had put a serious public-relations problem behind him.
“Lawsuit costs Madigan nearly $900,000”
Actually, it didn’t cost Madigan a dime to settle a sexual-harassment lawsuit a former female campaign operative filed against his political organizations. It cost his many generous donors.
* Hannah Meisel on MJM’s money…
The four political committees controlled by House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) amassed more than $1 million in the last week, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections. The speaker’s personal political committee, Friends of Michael J. Madigan, raked in the most, at nearly $733,000, according to reports filed Thursday. The 13th Ward Democratic Organization received $195,600, according to a Dec. 6 report, and Democratic Majority saw a $99,300 boost, according to a report filed Thursday. The largest cash infusions came from organized labor, including nearly $502,900 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to Friends of Michael J. Madigan.
* ILGOP fundraising email…
Rich,
For most, December is a time to gather with friends and family and celebrate the spirit of the holiday season.
For Mike Madigan, December is just another month where his cronies in the corrupt Illinois Democratic crime ring dodge federal investigators, coerce community leaders, and advance their self-serving political agendas.
We’ve made some critical updates to our crime tracker and we wanted to make sure you saw them: CHECK OUT OUR UPDATES on DemCorruption.com
But we’re really reaching out to you today, Rich, because December marks the end of the year. As we look to 2020, we’re excited at our plans to shut down this Democrat crime ring and return Republican ideals to our state. With impressive Republican candidates on the ballot next year who will work hard to support the GOP in Illinois as well as important initiatives to stop the corrupt political agenda of Mike Madigan, JB Pritzker and their crime ring, we need to start 2020 off on the right foot.
As you know, we need your help to make it happen. So we’re asking today for an end-of-year donation to the Illinois Republican Party.
With less than a month until New Year’s Eve, can we ask you to help us today with a contribution to the Illinois Republican Party?
Your donation today will help us gear up for the big fight ahead before next November.
We’re looking forward to working with you next year and hope you’ll get actively involved today.
Sincerely,
Anthony Sarros
Executive Director
* We’ll end with this press release…
The Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) is proud to announce that it will host Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan at its annual candidate’s brunch which will be held on Feb. 16, 2020 at Niko’s Restaurant in Bridgeview.
Madigan is one of the state’s most successful and powerful Democratic legislators and the architect of the Democratic takeover of the State of Illinois.
Under Madigan’s leadership, the Democratic Party has become stronger and more effective in Illinois, sweeping the statewide elections last year.
“Speaker Madigan is a role model for anyone who supports Democracy and public service to the taxpayers,” said AADC Executive Director Samir Khalil.
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Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards
Friday, Dec 13, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The 2019 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Democratic Illinois State Representative is a tie between Reps. Kelly Cassidy and Chris Welch. Both had numerous nominations, but this one summed it up well…
Rep. Welch and Rep. Cassidy are tough to choose between. They both had monster sessions. Welch passed Voting in jails, Corporate Board Diversity and the NCAA name, likeness and image bill out of the house. And he was right there with Cassidy on Reproductive Health Act and Cannabis. Those two are the best in the business.
* The 2019 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Republican Illinois State Representative goes to Rep. Tom Demmer…
Handles countless complicated issues with ease and never is too busy to take any meeting. Instrumental in getting any reforms done June 1 and brought together enough votes to get capital passed. All that and he isn’t old enough to run for president.
We had a lot of very strong nominations this year, so judging them wasn’t easy. I could’ve easily chosen almost all of them. Congrats to our winners!
* On to today’s categories…
* Best Illinois State Senator - Republican
* Best Illinois State Senator - Democrat
As always, explain your nominations or they won’t count. And please nominate in both categories or I might dock you for it. Have fun!
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Hey, UIS! What the heck are you doing?
Friday, Dec 13, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bruce Rushton…
I ran into Rob, not his real name, a couple months ago at a local watering hole. He’s worked in the cafeteria at University of Illinois Springfield for more than five years. Last summer, he told me, he tried for a promotion that would have come with a sizeable raise. He says he would have gotten the job except, unbeknownst to him, UIS changed its drug testing policy as of July 1, making it clear that employees must pass drug tests before they can change positions, if the new position is on a list that strikes me as odd.
From executive chef to folks who wash dishes, no one who wants a job in food service at UIS can get hired, or promoted to another job preparing or serving food, without passing a drug test. Rob told me that his promotion was rescinded after he tested positive for pot, but he was allowed to keep his job, even though that position, also, is on the list. According to UIS policy, it’s a matter of safety. UIS police officers must pass drug tests, but not dispatchers who answer emergency calls and give directions to responding officers. Go figure.
What the heck is going on at that university? First the administration threatened to call the cops and even fire employees if they fed feral cats, which have been on the campus for decades. Then it was the administration’s pathetically feeble response to racism by some employees. And now only pot-free people can wash dishes in the cafeteria? Is campus administration living in 1985 or something?
* Back to Bruce…
Michael Higgins, owner of Maldaner’s restaurant, doesn’t make applicants pee. “I wouldn’t be able to hire anyone,” he says. “What waiter or busboy or dishwasher wants to wait a month to get pot out of their system to work for me?”
This doesn’t mean Higgins doesn’t care. Alcohol, he says, is a bigger problem than pot, and so he keeps a breath-testing device on hand in case someone is showing signs. Drugs also aren’t allowed on the job, applicants sign agreements upon employment acknowledging the rules and Higgins says he keeps a sharp eye. “I have excellent employees who work for me and have worked for me for years, but I know they do pot,” Higgins says. “I don’t care if you drink, I don’t care if you do pot, I don’t care what the hell you do. Don’t bring it to work.”
Agreed.
* One more excerpt…
While UIS last summer tightened its drug testing policy, Lincoln Land Community College will stop testing most job applicants for marijuana as of Jan. 1, when recreational pot becomes legal. All applicants still will be tested for hard drugs, and pre-employment drug tests will still include pot for prospective police officers, health profession instructors and folks who want to work with preschoolers in the college’s child development center.
We’ve reached the point where the local community college is more progressive than the University of Illinois campus. Weird.
…Adding… Good point in comments…
This post comes the day Major League Baseball Major League announced it is removing marijuana from the list of drugs of abuse and will be treated the same as alcohol. Testing for opioids (y’know, the stuff that actually kills people like Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs) will begin instead. It’s easier to have THC in your system playing in the Texas League (a state that used to give out prison sentences for possession of a joint) than working for UIS.
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* Some very good points in Tony Arnold’s article for WBEZ…
Two former top Commonwealth Edison executives now facing scrutiny from federal investigators helped Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan defend a cornerstone of his political power in 2016.
That’s when former ComEd CEO Frank Clark and the utility’s one-time top lobbyist, John Hooker, were the lead plaintiffs in a lawsuit that quashed a proposed constitutional amendment to change who draws legislative boundaries in Illinois. A citizens’ group wanted the redistricting process in the hands of an independent body instead of politicians like Madigan, who also chairs the Democratic Party of Illinois.
But Hooker and Clark’s legal victory struck the question from the 2016 ballot — before voters ever got a chance to weigh in. That cemented the speaker’s power to influence who wins elections. […]
The Supreme Court decision came down in August, three months before ComEd’s parent company, Exelon, scored a gigantic legislative victory in Springfield.
Exelon won a bailout for its struggling nuclear power plants. It was one of the few major pieces of legislation to pass both the Democratic-controlled legislature and to be signed by then-Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner as he and Madigan were in the middle of a bitter budget impasse. […]
[Cindi Canary, senior adviser to the Support Independent Maps group] said that during the redistricting legal fight, she thought that Hooker was just a front for Madigan. Now, she thinks there was more behind the legal challenge.
Hooker was almost certainly a front for Madigan while being a bigtime lobbyist for ComEd. Hooker and Frank Clark - two very smart men - essentially used this PR push and lawsuit to build up what’s known in the parlance as “good will” with the House Speaker. Not a bad thing to do when your company is about to push through a gigantic subsidy package.
* Their public relations push also included these points…
The People’s Map – as the Hooker-Clark group was called – accused the organizers behind the reform effort of being a front for Republicans who wanted to limit minority representation in Springfield.
Their main argument was that black Chicago residents would be “packed” into city-only districts as a result of some language in the proposal. There was some substance to that argument, so the men also built up good will with African-American legislators and Democrats in general (who almost always fret about the remap process) ahead of the nuclear power plant subsidy vote.
The fact that Hooker was lobbying with Mike McClain at the time is also mentioned in Tony’s piece. McClain was the best at playing long games like this. He knew what Madigan wanted and needed and he knew how to make those things happen while simultaneously serving his clients’ best interests. That’s a huge reason why he was the ultimate Madigan insider.
* But, in the end, race wasn’t what this case ended up being about. The remap folks were almost certainly doomed to fail from the beginning. From the Supreme Court opinion…
Based on the Framers’ concerns, article XIV, section 3, provides only for amendment of the legislative article, article IV. Further, not every aspect of the legislative article is subject to amendment through the initiative process. Rather, “ ‘ “Amendments shall be limited to structural and procedural subjects contained in Article IV.’ ”
But, the high court ruled, the remap reformers went outside the Legislative Article when they required important remap duties by the Auditor General. The Auditor General is created by and mentioned only in the Finance Article (Article VIII).
* Conclusion…
We conclude that the duties assigned to the Auditor General by the ballot initiative at issue in this case do not comport with the strict limitations in article XIV, section 3 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. XIV, § 3). Therefore, the proposition submitted by Independent Maps must fail.
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