* Here you go…
We are shocked by the information in today’s plea agreement and the betrayal of public trust both by Sen. Sandoval and a person who had an interest in the company, who was not authorized by the company to engage in any illegal behavior or make any commitments or contributions on behalf of the company or its executives. It appears both individuals committed crimes without SafeSpeed’s knowledge and in violation not only of the law but of SafeSpeed’s culture. We are shocked and saddened by that allegation. We are fully committed to investigating these matters and sharing any information we find with federal authorities. We applaud the government for rooting out corruption.
You might want to read the recent open letter to Comptroller Susana Mendoza penned by SafeSpeed CEO Nikki Zollar before you proceed. Click here.
* Also, the government chose to include this passage in the plea deal…
CW-1 told SANDOVAL that CW-1 had provided half of Company A’s annual campaign contribution, and SANDOVAL said it was not a problem for Company A’s President to break up the annual contribution into two contributions because CW-1 said Company A’s President did not want the contribution to “shout out,” meaning raise a red flag.
Keep in mind that people claiming things doesn’t mean somebody actually said what was claimed.
…Adding… Tribune…
“I used my office as state senator to help SafeSpeed — er, company A … (and) be its protector in the Illinois Senate and influence other officials to roll out the red-light camera program in Illinois,” Sandoval said.
Prosecutors did not name the SafeSpeed representative who bribed Sandoval, referring to him in the plea agreement only as Cooperating Witness-1. Several sources familiar with the investigation identified the informant for the Tribune as Omar Maani, a Burr Ridge businessman who is one of SafeSpeed’s founders and biggest rainmakers.
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Can we just get a straight answer, please?
Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
Overall 15 people connected to the mistaken registrations voted in 2018 and 2019 elections. State election officials have said three in central [Illinois] turned out to be citizens with at least two others believed to be in the same category.
Chicago had three voters in question, according to State Board of Elections spokesman Matt Dietrich.
But Chicago Board of Election Commissioners spokesman Jim Allen said two were outstanding.
By his calculations, six people linked to the mistaken registrations cast ballots. Four had long voter histories and were thought to be citizens, he said. That left two voters in question.
Allen said voter registrations were canceled and no further action was planned. Neither Allen nor Dietrich could explain the discrepancy.
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Sandoval issues apology, won’t take questions
Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* What do you think?…
* Transcript…
I am deeply ashamed of my actions. I take full responsibility. And I apologize to the people of Illinois and most importantly to the constituents that I have served over the last 17 years.
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Today’s quotable
Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From former Sen. Martin Sandoval’s plea agreement…
CW-1 asked how much SANDOVAL wanted to be paid in protection money for acting to advance Company A’s interests in the Illinois Senate, and SANDOVAL asked, “But how would we do that? So how many companies do you have?… Do you have a bologna company or something innocuous?”
* People are starting to have fun with it online…
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Neal Earley at the Sun-Times…
Sen. Joe McCarthy has been dead for more than 60 years, but the Red Scare may still not be over in Illinois.
State Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Western Springs, said Illinois can save money by removing the state’s optional loyalty oath, a Cold War-era vestige in which candidates for office pledge they are not affiliated with a communist organization.
Glowiak Hilton introduced a bill that would remove the loyalty oath from a packet of forms candidates file when they run for office. Candidates can sign an optional form affirming they are “not affiliated directly or indirectly with any communist organization or any communist front organization.”
“This dated Cold War scare tactic wastes taxpayer dollars and has an immeasurable cost to our natural resources,” Glowiak Hilton said in a statement. “Printing a separate page for the oath for every candidate who files in Illinois not only wastes paper, but the time and energy of the public servants who administer our elections.” […]
Dietrich said most candidates print the forms they need to run for office on their own, meaning the Board of Elections prints few, if any, loyalty oaths.
It’s indeed a relic of a bygone era and should be eliminated, but the savings are practically nil.
* Center Square…
As lawmakers prepare to come back to the Illinois State Capitol this week, some Republicans want to address delays in renewing Firearm Owners’ Identification cards.
State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, said there had been a lot of conversation at the statehouse about the Firearm Owners’ Identification card process.
“The bureaucratic process, the fees, everything and I think there’s a lot of us that would like to see significant reform to that system,” Plummer said. […]
“The FOID card this year is a huge issue with the renewals,” state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, said. “Having people nervous about having their Second Amendment right taken away because we’re behind on getting their new FOID card – that’s a big issue.”
Anderson said he doesn’t blame state police.
“We’re in one of those ten-year cycles where everybody’s FOID card is coming up for renewal at the same time,” he said.
* Press release…
Today, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and State Representative Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) join legislators from around the country in unveiling a national bipartisan campaign to phase out corporate giveaways by establishing an interstate compact. This bold proposal seeks to liberate states from participating in tax-payer funded subsidy battles by having states join together and refuse to provide companies with tax breaks or other incentives, as in the case of the Amazon HQ2 bidding war.
As of January 28, the legislation is filed in New York, Hawaii, Maryland, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, West Virginia and New Hampshire.
The legislation would bring each state into a formal agreement with other states to phase out corporate giveaways through two main provisions. First, member states agree to end the practice of offering tax breaks to a facility located in another member state as an inducement for the company to move. Second, member states participate in a national board of appointees to discuss and propose enhancements to the existing agreement for future consideration by each state.
“Corporate giveaways are one of the least effective uses of taxpayer dollars for job creation because companies too frequently take tax incentives to choose locations that they would have chosen anyway,” Senator Villivalam said. “So instead of creating additional jobs, they simply deplete a community’s tax base instead, which often affects communities who can least afford it. This legislation is a good first step in phasing giveaways out and in creating a level playing field for all employers.”
“While our state budget is already starved by excess tax breaks, we want to build support over time and appeal to our colleagues who don’t wish to unilaterally disarm in the giveaway game.” said Representative Morgan. “This is a reasonable go-slow approach, and can help us refocus our state budget on priorities such as education and human services funding.”
Please see EndTaxGiveaways.org for links to the legislation in other states as well as the names of legislators who are supporting the effort.
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*** UPDATE *** The plea agreement is here.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* CBS 2 had pretty comprehensive Twitter coverage of former Sen. Martin Sandoval’s guilty plea today. From that coverage…
Former Illinois State Sen. Martin Sandoval has entered U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood’s courtroom, for his arraignment this morning on federal corruption charges. U.S. Attorney John Lausch also is in the courtroom, in the front row of the gallery.
Sandoval’s attorney, Dylan Smith, says he intends to plead guilty to bribery and tax charges. […]
In addition to his possible prison sentence, Sandoval is agreeing to restitution of $72,441, divided between the IRS and the Illinois Department of Revenue. Also agreeing to repay the government $70,000 for the cost of his prosecution.
According to the plea agreement, Sandoval is expected to face a sentencing recommendation of 121 to 151 months. Plea deal also anticipates his cooperation with the feds with ongoing investigations. […]
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence below the established guidelines if Sandoval fully and truthfully cooperates with the federal investigation.
Feds say between beginning of 2016 and end of 2019, Sandoval arranged for $20K in annual campaign contributions from a red light camera firm, identified only as Company A in exchange for his opposition to legislation to ban cameras, and to get IDOT to authorize additional cameras.
Sandoval later agreed to split up those payments to “just kind of make it not obvious.” Unbeknownst to Sandoval, the person he was talking to was cooperating with the feds.
Sandoval also arranged for $5,000 monthly payments in exchange for acting as Company A’s “protector” in the Senate, saying would “go balls to the wall for anything you ask me.” In total, feds say he accepted more than $250,000 in bribes.
Sandoval admits “I accepted money in exchange for the use of my office as a state senator to help SafeSpeed, or Company A.” That’s the fist time the company has been named, and it’s not clear if Sandoval meant to let the name slip.
Sandoval also admits he “influenced IDOT officials who were authorized to roll out the red light camera program.”
Feds say Sandoval also under-reported his income on federal tax returns from 2012 through 2016.
Judge says she’s satisfied with the explanation of facts of the case. Sandoval’s attorney also says he’s satisfied, so asks Sandoval for his plea on both counts.
“I plead guilty, your honor” Sandoval says for both counts.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys not ready to set a sentencing date yet, so Sandoval will be back in court for a status hearing on July 21, to schedule sentencing matters.
Sandoval will be released on unsecured $10,000 bond pending sentencing, and may not leave Illinois without court permission, possess a gun, or use or possess any drugs other than prescribed medication.
…Adding… From the US Attorney…
Sandoval admitted in the plea agreement that he solicited and accepted financial and other benefits from an individual affiliated with a Chicago-area red-light camera company, in return for Sandoval using his official position as a state senator to block legislation harmful to the red-light-camera industry. Sandoval also admitted that he engaged in corrupt activities with other public officials and accepted money from other individuals in return for using his official position to attempt to benefit those individuals and their business interests. Sandoval admitted accepting more than $250,000 in bribes as part of criminal activity that involved more than five participants.
In addition to the bribery, Sandoval admitted that he willfully caused his accountant to file income tax returns that Sandoval knew underreported his income for the calendar years 2012 through 2017. Sandoval admitted in the plea agreement that his tax offenses caused a total loss to the IRS of at least $72,441, and a loss to the Illinois Department of Revenue of at least $13,384.38, which he has agreed to pay.
“(E)ngaged in corrupt activities with other public officials,” eh? And the criminal activity involved “more than five participants”? Hmm.
…Adding… Oh this does not look good for the president of SafeSpeed. From the plea agreement…
On or about August 16, 2017, SANDOVAL spoke by phone with CW-1. During the call, SANDOVAL discussed splitting up Company A’s annual campaign contribution to SANDOVAL into smaller amounts. CW-1 told SANDOVAL that CW- 1 had provided half of Company A’s annual campaign contribution, and SANDOVAL said it was not a problem for Company A’s President to break up the annual contribution into two contributions because CW-1 said Company A’s President did not want the contribution to “shout out,” meaning raise a red flag
…Adding… This sounds like Sandoval got a piece of the fabulously successful Oakbrook Terrace red-light cam (or maybe he was just saying he helped them get the red light cam and didn’t receive any cash. It’s not totally clear as I look at it again)…
During the meeting, SANDOVAL discussed receiving payment for his official support of Company A. SANDOVAL asked, “Can I bring up something personal with you?… You’ve been good to me, politically. But I’ve learned that there are people who helped [Company A] who get a monthly, um…” CW-1 interjected, “Consulting fee, sales-consulting fee.” SANDOVAL continued, “When they have helped with the sighting of a camera…. On a monthly basis, infinitum.” CW-1 responded, “100%. They get a percentage of the revenue that is brought in by specific community.” SANDOVAL said, “Like I did in Oakbrook [Terrace].”
…Adding… “I usually say”? So, apparently this was a thing with him…
SANDOVAL discussed being paid to act as Company A’s “protector” in the Illinois Senate. When discussing the amount of the payment he would receive, Sandoval said, “I usually say, ‘What’s reasonable? You tell me.’”
…Adding… According to the plea deal, Sandoval admitted taking “$70,000 in protection money” from a SafeSpeed cooperating witness and $250,000 overall from various sources.
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* Gov. Pritzker was asked yesterday whether former Sen. Martin Sandoval’s indictment meant it was time to reconsider allowing local governments to install red-light cameras. The governor’s response…
First of all, this kind of behavior, this kind of activity is utterly repellent. The people who are committing these crimes, people who get elected to public office and then serve their own pockets and not the interests of the people that they are supposed to be representing, those people need to get out of public office. We’re going to root them out. That is the job not only of our [applause] It’s not only a job for the federal government, it’s a job for the government of the state of Illinois. We need to pass new ethics legislation. We need to go after these people. We need to scare off the people that think that they should hold public office to make a buck for themselves.
Now, as to the question of red light cameras, I will just say this that I think there should be a robust debate about this question. There are some people in law enforcement who will say that red light cameras can save lives, that they reduce traffic fatalities. There are others who see them only as a way of bilking people who are driving their cars and may make a mistake along the way. So I am open to the question.
But most of all, we what we need to make sure is that no matter what policy we adopt, that the people who are implementing those policies, voting on them, are people who are of good repute, people who are standing up for the people of Illinois, who are following the law and following the ethical considerations that every elected official should have.
* He was then asked again about banning the cams…
Again, I think that the legislature needs to consider whether or not these continue to be effective and listen to law enforcement as well as, you know, people from around the state.
But it’s clear that really almost anything can be corrupted by somebody who wants to be corrupt. So it’s also a question about, you know, who is it that’s implementing these laws.
I went over some possible common-sense reforms with subscribers today.
* 2014 Tribune story…
Chicago’s red light cameras fail to deliver the dramatic safety benefits long claimed by City Hall, according to a first-ever scientific study that found the nation’s largest camera program is responsible for increasing some types of injury crashes while decreasing others.
The state-of-the-art study commissioned by the Tribune concluded the cameras do not reduce injury-related crashes overall — undercutting Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s primary defense of a program beset by mismanagement, malfunction and a $2 million bribery scandal.
Emanuel has credited the cameras for a 47 percent reduction in dangerous right-angle, or “T-bone,” crashes. But the Tribune study, which accounted for declining accident rates in recent years as well as other confounding factors, found cameras reduced right-angle crashes that caused injuries by just 15 percent.
At the same time, the study calculated a corresponding 22 percent increase in rear-end crashes that caused injuries, illustrating a trade-off between the cameras’ costs and benefits.
Your own thoughts?
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Pritzker, Lightfoot agree on new MPEA CEO
Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Whoever was trying to tube this appointment and create friction between Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot appears to have failed…
The Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) announced today Larita Clark has been appointed CEO of the Authority. Since October, Clark has served as Acting CEO and CFO, and has been with the Authority since 1984. As CEO, Clark will oversee modernization efforts as MPEA continues to compete with other world-class convention centers, as well as work to ensure that the Authority is on sound financial footing.
“Selecting the CEO is one of the most important responsibilities for the board,” said Brett J. Hart, Chair of MPEA’s Board of Directors and Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for United Airlines. “Larita Clark brings outstanding operational and financial expertise that made her the right choice for MPEA. We have complete confidence that under Larita’s leadership, the Authority will continue to deliver outstanding service to our customers.”
The MPEA board conducted a search to identify a new CEO for the Authority following the resignation of Lori Healey, who stepped down from her post in October 2019. The board’s process included a review of joint recommendations by both the Mayor’s Office and the Governor’s Office.
“Larita Clark has outstanding credentials and a deep understanding of MPEA and the convention industry and I am confident she is the right choice to lead this organization,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With decades of leadership and financial experience at the Authority, I know that Larita will be a strong partner as we work to attract more conventions to Illinois, grow our tourism industry and enhance MPEA’s campus and the surrounding communities.”
“The McCormick Place campus is critical to Chicago’s thriving tourism and convention industry, and Larita Clark brings the necessary leadership experience and financial acumen to ensure the continued success of this economic engine for our city and state,” said Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “Under the leadership of Larita and her team, the campus has grown, maintained a strong financial standing, and strengthened the diversity of its workforce and supplier base. I have no doubt that MPEA will continue to expand, increasing economic opportunities for every community across our great city.”
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* Tribune…
The four Democrats vying for Cook County state’s attorney butted heads Monday over the best way to use the office to ensure public safety and tackle crime while also pushing systemic reforms to help vulnerable populations during a meeting before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board.
But in a wide-ranging interview that touched on how the candidates would use the office to weed out government corruption, stem improper political influence and improve morale in the prosecutors office, the talk kept coming back to Jussie Smollett. More than half of the hourlong meeting — which also touched on transparency and campaign finance, among other topics — centered on current State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s handling of the Smollett case and why the 16 charges initially brought against him were dropped.
Notice the passive voice: “the talk kept coming back to Jussie Smollett.”
* WBEZ…
Vying to lead the prosecutor’s office of a county with more than 500 murders last year, the four Democrats on the March ballot for Cook County state’s attorney faced off Monday in a forum that focused largely on how incumbent Kim Foxx handled charges nearly a year ago in a celebrity scandal.
During the one-hour forum, held by the Chicago Tribune editorial board, the journalists focused the first 30 minutes on Jussie Smollett, the Empire actor charged with faking a hate crime, and a decision by Foxx’s office last March to drop 16 grand jury counts against him.
Emphasis added.
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An interesting back-story about Forrest Ashby
Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
A former assistant prison warden, at the center of an explosive 2012 government email in which a lobbyist alludes to a rape cover-up and illegal hiring, gave false information during an investigation four years earlier into whether he misplaced a bulky ring of keys at a state lockup, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.
The Illinois Department of Corrections refused to say Monday whether Forrest Ashby, then paid $86,400 annually as the acting assistant warden for operations at Western Illinois Correctional Center, faced discipline for the infraction which could have resulted in his firing. The investigator said Ashby “impeded the investigation by giving inaccurate and false information” during the inquiry.
According to the report obtained under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, Ashby told an internal investigator that his keys, which an employee found in the men’s restroom, had been with him the entire day.
Ashby, 56, is the subject of a July 2012 email in which Michael McClain, then a powerful government lobbyist and confidante of longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan, asked top aides to then-Gov. Pat Quinn to show Ashby leniency in a disciplinary matter he faced in his new job at the Department of Human Services.
Keep in mind the keys incident took place in 2008 and the report was written in early 2009, three years before the McClain email and before he started a job with the Department of Human Services.
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* Press release…
DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos today announced Betsy Dirksen Londrigan in the first round of candidates the DCCC is naming to its highly competitive Red to Blue program.
Betsy Dirksen Londrigan has earned a spot on the DCCC’s Red to Blue program by surpassing aggressive goals for grassroots engagement, local support, campaign organization and fundraising. Beyond Betsy’s demonstrated ability to build a winning campaign infrastructure, she has a strong record of service, an authentic message that connects with voters in her district and deep ties to the communities she aims to serve.
“Betsy Dirksen Londrigan knows from personal experience the worry and tough decisions families face when confronted with the diagnosis of an unexpected illness, and she will be the advocate for working families that the residents of central Illinois need in Congress,” DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos said. “Betsy is running for Congress to champion access to affordable health care, lower the price of prescription drugs and to end the corruption that has plagued our political process. With strong grassroots support and momentous fundraising on her side, Betsy is ready to unseat Congressman Rodney Davis in 2020.”
“Because of the strength of Democratic candidates running in 2020 we are on path to protect and expand the most diverse House Majority in American history,” said Bustos. “These Red to Blue candidates are veterans, farmers, doctors, public servants and advocates who are committed to serving their communities and ensuring they will finally have a voice in Congress.”
Red to Blue is a highly competitive and battle-tested DCCC program that arms top-tier candidates with organizational and fundraising support to help them continue to develop strong campaigns. Additionally, through Red to Blue the DCCC provides strategic guidance, staff resources, candidate trainings and more.
* Meanwhile…
The Trump campaign has announced a major effort it calls “unprecedented” to have surrogates campaigning on behalf of the president on Monday, Feb. 3, the day the Iowa caucuses are behind held.
Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Senior Campaign Advisor Lara Trump, National Chair of Trump Victor Finance Committee Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Campaign Manager Brad Parscale will lead a group of over 80 surrogates across the state of Iowa.
“Our Caucus Day operation is just a preview of what is to come,” said Parscale. “We are putting the Democrats on notice— good luck trying to keep up with this formidable reelection machine.”
Caucus day campaign surrogates include: […]
Congressman Rodney Davis (IL)
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*** UPDATED x5 *** Sandoval roundup
Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I love this splash of “color” that Hannah Meisel included in her Sandoval story…
The extremely thin court filing against him is one indication Sandoval has been cooperating with prosecutors. But observers are certain Sandoval has “flipped” on others who the feds are investigating.
A source who spoke to The Daily Line on the condition of anonymity said that more than once this fall, Sandoval had been spotted getting dropped off by a family member at a Chicago Dunkin’ Donuts, and from there was picked up by federal agents. Hours later, Sandoval was spotted being dropped back off at the Dunkin’ Donuts and taken home by his daughter.
* Mark Brown makes a very good point…
Political allies, lobbyists, business owners — anyone who did a dirty deal with Sandoval — knows after Monday that he is not only in a position to give them up, but is required to do so under the terms of any cooperation agreement.
And that means his case should have repercussions far beyond the spare details contained in the two-count criminal information brought against him in U.S. District Court.
That document, typically used in place of an indictment when a defendant has already agreed to plead guilty, accuses Sandoval of bribery in connection with his efforts on behalf of red-light cameras and for filing a false tax return for unspecified unreported income in 2017.
But a far better picture of the damage Sandoval could do was contained in a federal search warrant served on his offices back in September, which clearly showed investigators were pursuing him for a wide range of suspected corrupt activity.
* WGN…
A Chicago Tribune investigation found that Sandoval directly intervened with the Illinois Department of Transportation on behalf of SafeSpeed to install a red-light camera at an Oakbrook Terrace intersection, all while receiving thousands from the company in campaign contributions.
State Representative David McSweeny (R-Barrington Hills) tried to pass legislation in 2015 that would have banned red light cameras, only to see the bill die in Springfield when Sandoval was the powerful chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
“I think the U.S. Attorney John Lausch is doing an outstanding job. I applaud the efforts of the FBI. I hope they keep going and we need to get to the bottom of all this – Sandoval is a good first start,” McSweeney said.
Governor JB Pritzker said the charges show how, “almost anything can be corrupted by almost anyone.”
“This kind of activity is utterly repellent, the people who are committing these crimes, people who get elected to public office and then serve their own pockets and not the interests of the people they are supposed to be representing those people need to get out of public office,” Pritzker said.
* Tribune…
The charges have been widely anticipated ever since federal agents executed a high-profile search of Sandoval’s office in Springfield and his home on Chicago’s Southwest Side last September.
Three days later, the FBI and Internal Revenue Service also raided government buildings in a number of suburbs in Sandoval’s district, including Lyons and McCook. Authorities have also sought records on the towns of Cicero, Bridgeview and Summit. […]
Newly chosen Senate President Don Harmon said Monday that the Sandoval charges serve “as a reminder of the challenge we face in restoring the public’s trust and why that issue is a priority this session.”
“The searing image of federal agents toting boxes out of former Senator Sandoval’s Capitol office was an embarrassment to all of us who take public service seriously,” Harmon, D-Oak Park, said in a written statement.
* Tribune editorial…
The two-page charging document doesn’t reveal much. But a Tribune investigation from September 2017 found that Sandoval pressured Illinois Department of Transportation officials to approve red-light cameras at an Oakbrook Terrace intersection that IDOT considered ineligible for the program. The intersection of Illinois Route 83 and 22nd Street was considered safe, and cameras were instead supposed to be used at crash-prone sites to slow down drivers.
But after multiple calls and pressure from Sandoval, IDOT authorized the camera installation, creating a money spigot for the village. Meanwhile, federal raids last year at the homes of several individuals connected to the camera company, SafeSpeed, turned up piles of cash. Earlier this month, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the FBI in October had seized $60,000 from a safe in the home of Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Ragucci, although the reason for the seizure was not disclosed. Ragucci resigned abruptly this month.
* More on that town…
Oakbrook Terrace is home to perhaps the most eye-popping numbers. Since installing two cameras in August 2017, the city of just over 2,000 residents has collected over $9.3 million before vendor payments. Oakbrook Terrace’s fiscal year 2019 revenue from red-light cameras was $5.4 million, far more than any other suburb. The city made more than one-third of its total revenue in fiscal year 2018 from red-light cameras, according to city budget documents. The city paid red-light company SafeSpeed LLC $1.5 million of the $3.8 million it collected from the cameras that year.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Here we go…
*** UPDATE 2 *** Whew…
*** UPDATE 3 *** More from the courtroom…
*** UPDATE 4 *** Revealing slip of the tongue?…
*** UPDATE 5 *** It’s the end, but it’s also the beginning…
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* From former Rep. Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago)…
Hi Rich,
I’ve been reading the reports over the “glitch” at the [secretary of state] over [automatic voter registration]. I thought you might be interested in some of the back story regarding the negotiation of the bill that may or may not have some relevancy.
When I was negotiating the AVR bill in 2017 one of the points of contention was the implementation date. The proponents wanted a firm date for implementation ahead of the 2018 election. I thought that was unreasonable and the SoS shouldn’t be trying to implement software for both REAL ID and AVR at the same time, but rather they should finish REAL ID then devote their attention to AVR. In the end a hard date of July 1, 2018, was part of the agreed bill, though I had some assurances that we could reopen the implementation date if necessary.
By the end of 2017, it was clear to me that the SoS and IL State BOE were not going to be ready on the aggressive date set in SB1933. I filed HB4749 (100th GA) in Feb 2018 to extend the implementation date that reflected the need to work on only one piece of software at a time - setting the date for AVR to 90 days after certification of the REAL ID database. My actual language is in the filed amendment, since LRB drafted the extension into the wrong section and I was up against the filing deadline. Despite some of our verbal agreements in 2017, the proponents didn’t want to lift the date and the pressure to get it done, so there was no hearing or vote on HB4749.
I don’t know if the extra time I sought in HB4749 would have helped the SoS avoid the mess they got in, and obviously it wouldn’t have affected the lack of transparency once the errors were identified. But, I thought you’d appreciate that rushed implementation that could lead to errors was a concern from the outset.
Mike
Advocates are now concerned with what they describe as unnecessary roadblocks the secretary of state’s office has included in the registration process.
Currently, citizens have access to an opt-out model of automatic voter registration when receiving a Real ID; when citizens receive a Real ID, they are automatically registered to vote unless they choose not to.
There is an opt-in process when getting a standard driver’s license or state ID in Illinois. Citizens need to check a box and sign their name attesting to citizenship to ensure that non-citizens don’t accidentally get registered, according to Matt Dietrich, spokesperson for the Illinois Board of Elections.
But, during the process, Illinoisans are required to submit a second signature — something advocates of automatic voter registration are wary of and feel is a requirement unrelated to voter eligibility.
* Indeed, this story was published just before the AVR glitch was widely reported…
Automatic voter registration seemed to be the only thing Illinois state Democrats and Republicans could agree on in 2017. The bill received not only bipartisan, but unanimous support by state senators, making Illinois the 10th state to sign in automatic voter registration in August 2017.
Throughout the process of implementation, however, many advocates have had concerns with how the Secretary of State’s office has carried out the bill’s provisions.
The initial criticism was with the delay of implementation, which state officials tied to Illinois’ struggle to roll out Real ID. While the law set an original deadline of July 2018, most provisions were not enacted until July 2019.
Advocates are now concerned with what they describe as unnecessary roadblocks the secretary of state’s office has included in the registration process.
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