* Sorry for coming a day late to this. Busy week. ABC News…
The number of people seeking unemployment aid soared last week to 965,000, the most since late August and a sign that the resurgent virus has likely escalated layoffs.
The latest figures for jobless claims, issued Thursday by the Labor Department, remain at levels never seen until the virus struck. Before the pandemic, weekly applications typically numbered around 225,000. They spiked to nearly 7 million last spring, after nationwide shutdowns took effect. Applications declined over the summer but have been stuck above 700,000 since September.
The high pace of layoffs coincides with an economy that has faltered as consumers have avoided traveling, shopping and eating out in the face of soaring viral caseloads. More than 4,300 deaths were reported Tuesday, another record high. Shutdowns of restaurants, bars and other venues where people gather in California, New York and other states have likely forced up layoffs. […]
Economists say that once coronavirus vaccines are more widely distributed, a broader recovery should take hold in the second half of the year. The incoming Biden administration, along with a now fully Democratic-led House and Senate, is also expected to push more rescue aid and spending measures that could accelerate growth.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) reported 94,944 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Jan. 4 in Illinois, a 109% increase from the week before.
For comparison, during the same timeframe last year, 12,703 people filed claims in Illinois. That’s a 647% increase. […]
There were 45,387 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Dec. 27 in Illinois.
There were 110,486 claims filed in Illinois the week of Dec. 20.
To: State of Illinois Agency Leadership
From: Janel L. Forde, Director
Date: January 14, 2021
Subject: Guidance for Employees | Beginning January 17th
Over the past week we have all been troubled by recent events at our U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. and the potential for protests at state capitols beginning January 17th has been widely reported. The health and safety of our employees and members of the public is always a primary concern. The Illinois State Police (ISP), Illinois National Guard (ING), and Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) are coordinating with local and federal law enforcement to implement additional security measures and restrictions in downtown Springfield, including our state capitol, to ensure the safest inauguration week possible.
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) encourages all employees to work remotely beginning January 17th through January 19th, if possible, due to the anticipated protests in downtown Springfield.
Sunday January 17th and Monday January 18th – Employees that are not scheduled to work and considering accessing a state facility are encouraged to instead work remotely.
Tuesday January 19th – Regular workday – Employees encouraged to work remotely.
Agencies may keep employees at home and designate them as being in “on-call” status on Wednesday January 20th if they are unable to perform their job duties remotely.
CMS will continue to work with the State law enforcement agencies, regarding additional guidance as the nature of these events develop. We will also update your agency if this guidance changes during the week.
Agencies should notify the following CMS contacts if the intention is to shift all employees to remote designation and not reporting to a state facility. This will allow CMS to coordinate with its custodial and security vendors and specific sites.
A Facebook page maintained by Downers Grove Democratic state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray as a forum for her legislative work has apparently been deactivated.
The account’s disappearance followed a lengthy online squabble over a post Stava-Murray made following her vote in support of a criminal justice reform bill the state legislature approved and was sent to the governor’s desk Wednesday as well as a bill she proposed to remove police officers from schools. […]
The post received largely negative responses from those who responded to it, many complaining the legislator wasn’t following the will of her constituents. […]
Posters began attacking the representative on her personal Facebook page after her legislative page was shuttered.
* It’s now back online…
Apologies for the “thin blue line folks” moniker that has seemed to offend many. I should have been more specific like:…
Duckworth to Facebook: Stop Advertising Military Gear Next to Posts about the January 6th Insurrection
Following last week’s violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years, sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg calling on him to immediately remove advertisements from companies promoting and selling products that could equip white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists groups. Duckworth is demanding that Facebook take responsibility for giving organizations and individuals that engaged in insurrection and seditious conspiracy a platform and operational tool. She is also calling on Facebook to immediately conduct a review into its role in supporting, aiding or hosting individuals and organizations that attacked the United States Capitol and to strengthen its corporate governance by adding to its Board of Directors a subject matter expert in violent online extremism and domestic terrorism. Duckworth was joined by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) on this letter.
In part, the Senators wrote: “Facebook must hold itself accountable for how domestic enemies of the United States have used the company’s products and platform to further their own illicit aims. Whether through negligence or with full knowledge, Facebook is placing profit ahead of our Nation’s democracy. Advertisements of semi-automatic rifles and body armor appearing alongside of news coverage of the January 6, 2021 deadly violent insurrection are outrageous.”
They continued: “Facebook must disavow and actively shun customers that sought to block the execution of the Electoral Count Act. We hope that you share our outrage over the chilling reality that violent insurrectionists and seditionists inflicted death and injury against law enforcement that renders the peaceful transfer of power an impossibility.”
* These are daily COVID-19 raw testing numbers for the BOS Center and the Statehouse by date. They do not include results. As you’ll see, these are both rapid tests (Binax) which have high numbers of negative results, and the far more accurate PCR tests. Click here for an explanation about the difference.
There are 177 state legislators (although a few couldn’t make it to town). An unknown (to the public) number of staff members were also at both venues. Everyone who took a rapid test also got a PCR test, according to the governor’s office, which is why there are two rows. Click the pic for a larger image…
Sheesh, people. What are you thinking?
* Meanwhile, from the Senate Democrats…
Last night, correspondence was sent notifying you of a positive COVID-19 test on the Capitol Complex. Our initial email suggesting that everyone quarantine and be tested was based on the information we had at the time and stated out of an abundance of caution. Now that contact tracing has concluded, we have more information.
As previously stated in last night’s correspondence, we have been told there was minimal contact between the affected person and our members and staff.
To further clarify, we have been told the affected person was not on or near the Senate floor for inauguration and did not come into contact with any guests of the Senate Democratic Caucus. We have also been told the affected person did not come into contact with any of the witnesses who testified before the Executive Committee or members of the press.
We have been told that anyone who was in direct contact with the affected person has been contacted by phone. However, it is our understanding that none of our Members or staff were in “close contact” with the affected person as defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Well, at least that’s good news. But keep in mind that lots of people weren’t taking tests.
Following a decrease in COVID-19 test positivity rates and hospitalizations throughout Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker announced regions across the state are now eligible to move out of Tier 3 mitigations, the strictest tier of Illinois’ resurgence mitigation plan, implemented shortly before Thanksgiving, in response to a surge of COVID-19 statewide and across the Midwest. After weeks of careful consultation with public health experts to balance the need to save lives and support our hospital systems with protecting our economy, the Governor announced that regions could resume moving out of the tiered resurgence mitigations (Tier 3, Tier 2, and Tier 1) and back into Phase 4 on a data-driven basis.
The Governor also announced adjustments to the resurgence mitigations in light of ramped up vaccination efforts across the state, with Tier 1 of the resurgence mitigation plan now allowing restaurants and bars in a qualifying region to resume indoor dining with limited capacity. Youth and recreational sports may also resume play following the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) All Sports Policy in all regions moving out of Tier 3.
In addition, the Governor announced Phase 1A of the Illinois COVID-19 Vaccination Administration Plan is on track to be substantially completed next week, with the entire state moving to Phase 1B on Monday, January 25. In accordance with local progress, IDPH has permitted local health departments who have already substantially completed their 1A populations to move forward with 1B in order to leave no vaccine on the shelves. While vaccine shipments from the federal government remains limited, the state is aggressively building out its capacity to prepare, with hundreds of additional pharmacy sites coming online starting Monday and the Illinois National Guard deploying to support local health department vaccination sites starting Tuesday, both initially only available to the 1A population.
COVID-19 Mitigations
The State of Illinois remains committed to following the guidance of public health experts by implementing mitigations to keep communities safe. In response to decreased positivity rates, hospitalization rates, and hospital bed usage, any region that has met the metrics for a reduction of mitigations will move out of Tier 3 to less restrictive measures beginning today.
Governor Pritzker and IDPH first announced the Resurgence Mitigation Plan on July 15, 2020, taking a regional approach to suppress the spread of the virus. After a wave of COVID-19 surged across Illinois and the nation last fall, all 11 of the Restore Illinois regions moved into Tier 3 mitigations on November 20, 2020. By adhering to meaningful mitigations throughout the holiday season, the state was able to bring down rates of community spread, allowing for regions to once again move forward in the state’s mitigations plan effective January 15, 2021.
IDPH will continue to work with local health departments to monitor regional resurgence, with the guiding short-term goal of getting as many regions as possible back to Phase 4, the last step before Phase 5, when we have enough vaccine and therapeutics available to fully reopen.
As of today, regions that will move into Tie 2 include:
Tier 2
• Region 1 - North
o Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, Winnebago
• Region 2 - North-Central
o Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Woodford
• Region 5 - Southern
o Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White, Williamson
At this time, Regions 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 will remain in Tier 3 Mitigations, with several likely to meet the metrics to move to Tier 2 in the coming days if current trends hold.
IDPH will continue to monitor the regional metrics and move regions down to Tier 2, to Tier 1, and ultimately back to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan on a rolling basis.
In order to move to Tier 2 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:
1. A test positivity rate below 12 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
2. Greater than or equal to 20 percent available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 3-day rolling average; AND
3. A sustained decrease in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.
In order to move to Tier 1 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:
1. A test positivity rate below 8 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
2. Greater than or equal to 20 percent available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 3-day rolling average; AND
3. No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.
In order to move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:
1. A test positivity rate less than or equal to 6.5 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
2. Greater than or equal to 20 percent available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 3-day rolling average; AND
3. No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.
These metrics continue to be part of a data-driven approach that helps manage the risk of community transmission as well as hospital availability.
As the pandemic has evolved, so has the state’s response. The updated plan accounts for months of continued deliberations by public health officials as well as the rollout of the first COVID-19 vaccines. The key change to the Mitigation Plan announced in July is resuming indoor dining with capacity limits in Tier 1.
Restaurants and bars in Regions in Tier 1 can open indoor dining with capacity limited to the lesser of 25 people or 25 percent of room capacity. Additionally, establishments must serve food and indoor tables must be limited to no more than four people, with reservations limited to two hours. Outdoor dining regulations across the resurgence plan and Phase 4 remain unchanged. […]
Additionally, Regions moving out of Tier 3 mitigations can resume youth and recreational sports under the statewide All Sports Policy. Greater levels of play will be permitted as metrics improve into the subsequent tier.
The Illinois Department of Public Health website updated the status of high school sports on Friday.
According to the site, low-risk sports can play conference and intra-region games. Low risk sports include boys and girls bowling, cheerleading, dance, girls gymnastics and boys swimming and diving and badminton.
The site says medium-risk sports (soccer, volleyball, water polo) can have practices but not play games. Higher-risk sports (basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling) can hold no-contact practices.
The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced the first case in Illinois of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 first identified in the United Kingdom. The case was identified by the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine through sequencing analysis of a specimen from bio-banked samples of COVID-19 positive tests.
The new strain was first identified in the United States about two weeks ago in Colorado and has since been identified in several other states. Evidence suggests that this variant can spread more easily than most currently-circulating strains of COVID-19, but there is no evidence that the new strain affects the sensitivity of diagnostic tests or that it causes more severe illness or increased risk of death. In addition, data suggest current vaccines will be effective and safe in providing protection against the variant.
“This news isn’t surprising and doesn’t change our guidance around COVID-19. We must double down on the recommended safety strategies we know help stop the spread of this virus,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. “In order to protect Chicago, please continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands often, do not have outside guests in your home, and get vaccinated when it is your turn.”
CDPH, IDPH and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with various public health agencies, are closely monitoring this strain.
“When we learned of this and other COVID-19 variants, we increased our surveillance efforts by performing genomic sequence testing on an increased number of specimens,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “We will continue to collaborate with our academic partners, local health departments like CDPH, hospitals, and the CDC to monitor for additional cases.”
A follow-up case investigation by CDPH found that the individual had travelled to the UK and the Middle East in the 14 days prior to the diagnosis. CDPH has worked to identify close contacts of the individual to reinforce the importance of adherence with quarantine and isolation measures.
CDPH is also working with the CDC and IDPH to contribute to national SARS-CoV-2 strain surveillance. Building regional capacity and coordination for this more advanced, specialized molecular laboratory public health work is a top priority for CDPH. Last year, prior to the detection of this variant, CDPH awarded $3 million to lay the groundwork for a Regional Innovative Public Health Laboratory, in partnership with Rush University Medical Center and working with laboratories and academic centers across the City, to increase public health surveillance of possible COVID-19 variants in the Chicago region.
“It is important to monitor the spread of virus variants,” said Dr. Egon Ozer, an assistant professor of medicine in infectious diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We expected this variant to show up eventually. We will continue to sequence and study these samples.”
Some data show a higher concentration of the virus in the respiratory tract for the UK variant that could be related to a higher infectivity and easier spread of the variant, but this needs to be confirmed, Ozer said. Some modeling and molecular data also seem to indicate the variant may attach more strongly to the receptor of the human cell, but this also remains under study. Importantly, no data suggests an increased severity of illness, and early studies have shown the vaccine is still effective against this variant.
Dr. Ozer, Dr. Judd Hultquist, Dr. Ramon Lorenzo Redondo and their team in the Northwestern Pathogen Genomics and Bioinformatics Group have been sequencing virus samples obtained from the Northwestern Medicine Diagnostics Molecular Biology Lab and other collaborating institutions. Their goal is to identify populations of SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in the city and see how they change over time in their ability to cause disease and spread. In December, the Northwestern team sequenced 180 random residual samples from individuals who came to Northwestern clinics or other sites for COVID-19 testing or screening that would have otherwise been discarded.
The COVID-19 virus – also known as SARS-CoV-2 – like other viruses, constantly changes through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. According to the CDC, this variant is estimated to have first emerged in the UK during September 2020. Other novel variants of SARS-CoV-2, which also might change the way the virus transmits or behaves, have been identified in South Africa, Nigeria, Brazil, Japan and the US. More novel strains are likely to be identified in the coming weeks and months.
As a pre-cautionary measure, the CDC earlier this week announced that all international passengers headed to the United States will first need to show proof of a negative coronavirus test, a policy which goes into effect on Jan. 26. The new policy requires all air passengers, regardless of vaccination status, to get a test for current infection within the three days before their flight to the United States departs, and to provide written documentation of their test results or proof of having recovered from Covid-19.
Everyday preventive actions by the public can help to slow the spread of all known COVID-19 variants, including wearing a mask, washing hands often, staying six feet away from others and avoiding crowds, avoiding non-essential travel and getting vaccinated when it is your turn.
* Catching up on some stuff today. Here’s a Wednesday press release…
The Illinois General Assembly passed the Predatory Loan Prevention Act today, which will implement a 36 percent interest rate cap on consumer loans, including payday and car title loans. The legislation, SB1792, which passed with a bipartisan vote in both chambers, was filed as part of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ economic equity omnibus bill, and was sponsored by Rep. Sonya Harper and Sen. Chris Belt. Senator Jacqueline Collins, chair of the Senate Financial Institutions, spearheaded the broad coalition that supported the measure.
In Illinois, the average annual percentage rate (APR) on a payday loan is 297 percent, and the average APR on an auto title loan is 179 percent. Federal law already protects active-duty military with a 36 percent APR cap. This bill would extend the same protection to Illinois veterans and all other consumers. Seventeen states plus the District of Columbia have 36 percent caps or lower.
A coalition of more than 50 consumer, faith, labor, community and civil rights organizations, along with financial institutions, Secretary of State Jesse White, Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, an and the Offices of the Illinois Treasurer and Secretary of State, support the legislation (full list at bottom).
Another economic equity bill, SB 1480, caps interest rates on payday and car title loans and to limit the use of criminal history records as a basis for employment and housing decisions. Peters, Tarver and Buckner voted for it.
Peters said the bill limits payday lenders ability to charge interest rates to 36%, down from more than 300%.
“We would love it to be a lot smaller,” he said. “But the payday loan industry tried to send down an army of people to start (Sen.) Jackie Collins (D-16th) from getting that done, and what we knew was if you put that bill on the board, most people aren’t voting against it. You know you’d get more than 30 in the Senate, because you don’t want it to say for you politically that you stood in the way of payday loan reform.”
A measure that caps the annual percentage rate lenders can place on the unpaid balance of a payday loan at 36% and calls for disparity studies for certain industries received broad, bipartisan support in the House.
“These payday loan lenders need to be under strict, strict regulation,” said Rep. Andrew Chesney, a Republican from Freeport. “They prey on our communities, I would argue they’re a detriment to our communities.”
One provision of the Black Caucus’ extensive agenda limits the interest payday loan providers can charge to 36%.
“How many of you want to get a credit card from Macy’s or Neiman Marcus at 80%, 99% — this is preying on certain communities. It’s really targeting. … It’s a remake, rebirth of redlining, housing covenants and all the other ills and hells that decimated my community,” said Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago). “And what we’re trying to do is ensure that they have an opportunity to build economic stability.”
That measure passed despite critics saying it’ll leave low-income individuals without any access to capital.
“There are many citizens – not just in Illinois but all across the country who don’t necessarily have the credit rating that would necessarily allow them to go to the company, lending institutions and borrow money, but nevertheless have a cash need or capital need, maybe short term or to put a new roof on their house or repair a car,” Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) said.
The legislation also included an interest cap on payday loans, diversity requirements in state contracting and purchasing and the removal of lead water pipes in public water systems.
“This pillar is part of the Black Caucus’ agenda to end systemic racism,” Harper said. “In this pillar, we are addressing several different areas such as banking and investment, economic mobility, small business and entrepreneurship, procurement and the Business Enterprise Program, industry-specific equity, housing, land-use gentrification, and pay equity and worker’s rights.”
Republican state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi said there were too many details left out of the legislation which could lead to future legal issues.
“I am an attorney. I deal with this kind of stuff all the time in terms of loose language and legislative statutes, and I will tell you they can lead to very unjust results,” Mazzochi said.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 6,642 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 123 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s, 1 female 100+
- Champaign County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s
- Christian County: 1 male 50s
- Coles County: 1 male 80s
- Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 50s, 2 males 50s, 3 females 60s, 6 males 60s, 3 females 70s, 4 males 70s, 7 females 80s, 10 males 80s, 3 females 90s, 6 males 90s
- DeKalb County: 1 male 80s
- DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s, 2 females 90s
- Edwards County: 1 female 70s
- Franklin County: 1 male 80s
- Henderson County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 100+
- Henry County: 1 female 80s
- Iroquois County: 1 male 50s
- Jasper County: 1 female 80s
- Jefferson County: 2 males 70s
- Kane County: 1 male 60s, 2 females 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Kankakee County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s
- Kendall County: 1 male 50s
- Lake County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Lawrence County: 1 male 70s
- Macoupin County: 1 female 90s
- Madison County: 3 females 80s, 1 female 90s
- McHenry County: 1 male 30s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- McLean County: 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- Monroe County: 1 female 90s
- Peoria County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
- Randolph County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s
- Richland County: 1 female 60s
- Schuyler County: 1 male 80s
- Shelby County: 1 female 80s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 60s, 3 males 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Tazewell County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 60s, 2 males 70s
- Vermilion County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 70s
- Will County: 2 males 70s, 2 males 80s
- Williamson County: 1 female 70s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 60s
- Woodford County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,059,324 cases, including 18,049 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 107,156 specimens for a total 14,564,776. As of last night, 3,446 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 712 patients were in the ICU and 386 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from January 8–14, 2021 is 6.5%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from January 8–14, 2021 is 7.7%.
As of last night, 726,475 doses of vaccine were delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 268,525 doses have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 995,000. IDPH is currently reporting a total of 447,348 vaccines administered, including 56,624 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 27,125 doses.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
Governor JB Pritzker has activated 250 members of the Illinois National Guard for State Active Duty in response to the warnings issued this week by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding threats to state capital cities in the days leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Our state public safety agencies, including the Illinois State Police (ISP), Secretary of State Police and Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) are working in tandem with local and federal counterparts to protect the residents of Illinois while safeguarding the right to peaceful protest.
At the request of the U.S. Department of Defense, the Governor also activated an additional 100 members of the Illinois National Guard in support of the 59th Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C. These additional troops will join the approximately 200 members of the Guard that were previously activated by the Governor.
“Following the violent siege at our nation’s capitol and reports from federal law enforcement on threats to state capitals, I am bringing all resources to bear to protect our residents and our democratic process,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our exemplary members of the Illinois National Guard will be working closely with our State Police as well as local and federal authorities to keep our capital city safe. We will continue to be fully transparent with the public on any new information and the steps we are taking to respond.”
On Monday, January 11, the Federal Bureau of Investigations issued an intelligence bulletin pointing to the potential for armed protests at all 50 state capitals and in Washington, D.C. in the days leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
“As with recent previous deployments, the Illinois State Police will work side by side with the Illinois National Guard and our local partners to execute our mission of protecting the democratic process,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.
The Illinois National Guard will not interfere with peaceful protestors exercising their first amendment rights. The role of the soldiers is to aide local authorities in enforcing street closures and designated perimeters.
“Our Soldiers and Airmen come from every community across Illinois and each has sworn to protect their communities, their state and their nation,” said Maj. Gen. Rich Neely, the Adjutant General of Illinois and Commander of the Illinois National Guard. “We draw our strength from our communities and are proud to serve in our communities.”
Over the last 12 months, Illinois public safety agencies have undergone hundreds of hours of cross training and tactical planning. These preparedness efforts have been enhanced by our skilled mutual-aid network.
“Illinois’ robust mutual-aid network allows for expedited resource sharing from personnel to equipment,” said IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Our local partners are an invaluable tool to enhance our state’s overall readiness. These associations and organizations are a testament to the strength of our state’s response capabilities.”
*** UPDATE *** Ugh…
In preparation for potential armed events this weekend and leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, the Illinois Secretary of State Capitol Police is putting up plywood over certain windows. More details here: https://t.co/OeBCLj3zg4 Photos by Aaron Brown. pic.twitter.com/MbDMbnARJV
Now in Springfield: Office of the Architect of the Capitol is putting plywood over windows "at the request — out of an abundance of caution — of the Secretary of State Capitol Police and our law enforcement partners," according to IL SOS spox. pic.twitter.com/taY9qSIO50
* I’ve been telling subscribers about this bill, but here’s Center Square…
Illinois lawmakers also sent Pritzker legislation that would grant prejudgement interest of 9% annually for wrongful death or personal injury cases. Illinois has historically not granted interest in judgments of this kind.
Supporters, including the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, said the bill would ensure defendants and insurers no longer benefit from delaying resolution of meritorious injury cases.
Rather than accepting responsibility for their wrongful conduct and fairly compensating injured people or their families, insurance companies, corporations and other wrongdoers frequently deny timely justice to those injured or killed due to negligence,” ITLA President Larry Rodgers Jr. said. “If signed by the governor, HB 3360 will end these maneuvers and more fully and fairly compensate victims for the harm they suffer. Defendants and insurers will no longer benefit from delaying resolution of meritorious injury cases that will eventually go to trial. The wrongdoers will now be liable for their delay tactics in the form of prejudgment interest on all elements of damages awarded by a jury.”
Civil justice reform advocates called the measure one final parting gift from outgoing House Speaker Michael Madigan to the state’s trial lawyers.
“Speaker Madigan is a known ally of the state’s trial bar,” said American Tort Reform Association president Tiger Joyce. “It seems he’s hoping to give this parting gift to his trial lawyer pals in his last days of leadership and simultaneously set up his colleague Sen. [Don] Harmon for future political aspirations. I implore Gov. Pritzker to veto it and instead look to his neighboring governors and pass much-needed liability reforms.”
Future political aspirations? Where did he pull that out of? Maybe just stick to the bill’s merits, dude. You have a decent argument.
* Hannah Meisel at WUIS takes a look at what’s coming up and what we’ve been through on IDPH mitigations. It’s a solid read, so have a look…
Governor JB Pritzker on Friday will unfreeze all of Illinois’ 11 regions from the so-called Tier III Coronavirus mitigations he implemented statewide in November as the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic raged.
But that doesn’t mean the automatic return of indoor dining in Illinois. First, a region would have to qualify to exit Tier III mitigations, followed by moving backward through Tier II and Tier I mitigations. Only then would a region enter back into Phase 4 of Pritzker’s Restore Illinois economic reopening plan, where indoor dining is allowed.
Pritzker’s tiered mitigation program includes restrictions on industries beyond restaurants and bars, but those businesses have been both the most vocal about restrictions, and their closure for indoor service has been the most readily apparent change for most Illinoisans, making it emblematic of the mitigations.
After Pritzker revamped his Restore Illinois plans in July — including splitting the state into 11 regions instead of four, and implementing a tiered mitigation strategy to deal with a likely resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall — two regions saw a shutdown of indoor dining in August. Region 4 (Metro East) and Region 7 (Kankakee and Will counties) triggered Tier I mitigations when their positivity rates (based on a seven-day rolling average) reached 8% or above for three days in a row.
As the headline says, go read the whole thing. I’ve already bookmarked it for future reference.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The governor’s PowerPoint presentation describing the days ahead is here.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Important news…
My explainer on how a region of IL gets indoor dining back under COVID-19 protocols was published 12 hours ago but is already out of date as @GovPritzker says he's revising Tier I mitigations to allow for them (no region currently meets those metrics). https://t.co/OucDgPrhQm
Maxwell: What level of press access can you commit to?
Welch: I know what you’re doing, you just want to do your job. And I do believe, from this perspective, government should be transparent.
Maxwell: Even if it’s uncomfortable at times?
Welch: Absolutely. I don’t like all the questions you ask, you know that, but you gotta be transparent. […]
Maxwell: Did you mean 20 years ago, that younger version of yourself was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, or that that younger version of yourself hit a woman?
Welch: I didn’t hit a woman. But I still think I could have handled the situation differently. I think, the way you handle a situation to something that either escalate or de-escalate. Obviously, I didn’t handle the situation to the point where someone didn’t get so upset that they went and made a police report. I can say in that incident, I cooperated fully, answered all questions. And that’s all there was was a police report. There was no arrest there was no charges. And that was 20 years ago.
Maxwell: The police report says there was an arrest, you’re disputing that now that there was not?
Welch: I was asked to come down to the station and answer questions a couple hours later, they said, ‘Mr. Welch, you’re free to go.’
Maxwell aside: That’s one reason he defended Speaker Madigan’s rights to due process during the ComEd corruption case. Welch said he and the entire black community knows how it feels to be wrongly accused. He plans to bring that perspective from a life as a black man in America to his new job.
Welch: Here in 2021, a state that was founded in 1818, for the first time we have a Black person as Speaker of the House. If that doesn’t give you hope, I don’t know what does.
The police report claims he was arrested, but we’ll need to check the actual records.
Hours before a General Assembly was to be inaugurated and still short the votes he needed to be elected speaker, Emanuel “Chris” Welch intensified his campaign to persuade House Democrats he should be the one to lead them after Michael Madigan’s decadeslong tenure.
“I spent time going member by member, talking to each and every one of them, to try to address their concerns,” Welch said in a phone interview Thursday. “There were no specific promises made, but everything comes down to people knowing you and trusting you and believing in you. And the fact that I listened to them and heard what their concerns were, I think was extremely important. I know what everyone’s issues are.” […]
Welch said Thursday the allegations “have come up in every election that I’ve been in.” He said that if anyone undertakes an investigation “and comes to me, I’ll cooperate, just like I’ve always done.”
“But I think people need to move away from the distractions and focus on the difficult work ahead,” Welch said.
The second-term Yednock didn’t join 70 others in the House in voting for Emanuel Chris Welch to be the new speaker. He says the process was too fast with many candidates changing by the day. Yednock says Welch was one of the last candidates to join the process and he never had a chance for a personal meeting to learn his views. With that in mind Yednock says he wasn’t comfortable voting on a new speaker without more time to choose.
The Democrat from Ottawa does say he supports Welch and is hoping to hear more from him in the near future.
* You have to read the whole thing to appreciate just how awful this story is. Here we have a couple of Illinois Department of Corrections employees traveling to Washington, DC to protest in favor of overturning a legitimate presidential election and it’s all presented by the Galesburg Register-Mail as some fun little road trip…
When Anthony Tew made his way into President Donald Trump’s rally Jan. 6, he was not expecting that day would become infamous.
Tew, a corrections officer at Hill Correctional Center, and a friend, Correctional Officer Lee Gabbert, were on their way back from a trip to Chicago for a court appearance when he joked with his friend about attending the rally. It started as a joke, but he had some time off coming up, and his friend did too.
The two left on Monday afternoon, Jan. 4, arriving on Tuesday morning. After seeing the sites nearby and checking into their hotel room, they arrived at the rally at 6 a.m. Wednesday. […]
When Trump left, the two joined the march for a short stretch in a large group. Once they neared the Capitol building, Tew and his friend departed, tired from standing around for five hours. When they made it back to their hotel room, the insurrection had already begun.
As she prepared to board a military aircraft bound for Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Airman Bridget Wood admitted she didn’t get a good night’s sleep.
A member of the Illinois National Air Guard, she is one of 200 guard members being sent to the nation’s capital amid concerns about the potential for violent protests surrounding President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. The mission’s historic nature and last week’s deadly riots resulted in a powerful combination of adrenaline and nerves that kept her awake.
“You’d have to be a little bit crazy if you didn’t feel nervous,” said the 20-year-old from Morton. “But I’m also excited to be going.”
Eighteen members of the Illinois Air National Guard’s 182nd Airlift Wing left their Peoria base Thursday morning. The group consisted entirely of security forces, a reflection of a recent FBI warning about the possibility of armed protests surrounding the swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20.
* From Speaker Welch’s chief of staff Jessica Basham…
Good morning, members and staff:
I am a confirmed positive.
I have been tested daily, and yesterday I received notice that my rapid test was positive. I have been made aware of 2 other confirmed positives, and my PCR results came back, confirming my own positive.
Please self-isolate for 14 days, as I recommended in both my earlier email and in the written guidance sent to you before returning to Springfield.
While I had no symptoms yesterday morning, I did start to show mild symptoms yesterday evening, and I’m currently quarantining at home. I plan to get some rest, and will respond to emails as soon as possible.
Here’s some info from DPH concerning quarantine recommendations. Additional information can be found at the links below. I will share further info I receive as it becomes available.
Generally, the CDC currently recommends a quarantine period of 14 days. Further, local public health authorities determine and establish quarantine options for their jurisdictions and may decide to continue using a 14-day period and/or shortened options for certain lower risk close contacts. However, the following options to shorten quarantine are acceptable alternatives:
• Quarantine can end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during any day of the daily monitoring period. With this strategy, residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be about 1% with an upper limit of about 10%.
• Quarantine can end after Day 7 if a RT (Reverse Transcriptase)-PCR test is negative and if no symptoms were reported during any day of the daily monitoring period. The earliest a specimen may be collected and tested would be on Day 6 with quarantine being discontinued no earlier than Day 8. With this strategy, the residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be about 5% with an upper limit of about 12%. This option is not recommended for children in daycares or K-12 schools.
With both options the following additional criteria through Day 14 must be met:
• correct and consistent mask use (including within homes),
• social distancing,
• hand hygiene,
• environmental cleaning and disinfection,
• avoiding crowds,
• ensuring adequate indoor ventilation,
• monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 illness, and
• minimizing contact with persons at increased risk for severe illness, including vulnerable and congregate populations.
Hang in there, Jessica. We’re all pulling for you.
…Adding… This may not turn out well at all…
Illinois State Rep. Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, takes a phone call along with Chief of Staff Jessica Basham, left, on the floor prior to the swearing in ceremony for the 102nd General Assembly in the Illinois House of Representatives at the BOS Center on Wednesday. https://t.co/iGb2tCAs9Opic.twitter.com/tUkeFOLfov
Welch himself tested positive for the virus in November. Basham could not be reached for comment to provide any further details about the Hillside Democrat, the person who tested positive this week or whom they may have come into contact with.
But Steve Brown, a spokesman for the speaker’s office, said Welch was tested on Thursday, the results were negative, and he would self-quarantine.
* From Senate President Don Harmon’s spokesman John Patterson…
If you visited the state Capitol Complex in the past few days I wanted to make you aware that this evening the Illinois Department of Public Health has notified the Office of the Illinois Senate President of a positive COVID-19 test in the Capitol Complex.
Contact tracing is being conducted by local officials and at this time we believe the affected person had minimal contact with others working at the Capitol Complex.
I have no additional information available at this time.
It was earlier reported that there was a positive COVID-19 test at the BOS Center and a similar notice was sent out.
If you were in the Capitol Complex or the BOS Center (or came in contact with someone who was) between January 9th and January 14th, it is recommended that you self-quarantine and get tested. A full list of testing sites can be found at: https://www.dph.illinois.gov/testing.
If you experience symptoms or sickness related to COVID-19, contact your health professional.
Additional guidance and information is available from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The Capitol Complex includes several buildings other than the Statehouse, including the Stratton Building.
*** UPDATE *** From the President of the Illinois Statehouse Correspondents’ Association…
Reporters:
I just received the below from Dale Righter, chief of staff to Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie. Note that no members of the press are on the contact list provided by the person who tested positive.
Whitney Barnes, Senate Republican press secretary, said she would reach out individually to a few reporters whom she knows were in the Senate, but there’s no reason to believe any journalists have been exposed.
Please contact Whitney, who is copied on this email, if you have any questions.
Here’s the message from Chief Righter:
John -
Earlier today I was notified of a positive COVID test in the State Capitol.
Immediately thereafter members of the Senate Republican Caucus and Senate Republican Staff were notified. Those who were in the Capitol Complex between Saturday and yesterday were advised to quarantine and follow all appropriate Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Additionally, the Illinois Department of Public health was notified.
Shortly following, the individual who tested positive provided a list of names for purposes of contact tracing. Each of these individuals were immediately contacted by phone and advised of this information. No members of the press were on this list.
We will continue to follow whatever guidance is provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health, as well as continue to update Senate members, staff, and members of the press as we receive further information.
Dale A. Righter
Chief of Staff
Senate Republican Caucus
A push to create 75 additional cannabis dispensary licenses fell short on Wednesday, further stymying state lawmakers’ lofty goal of diversifying Illinois’ overwhelmingly white weed industry.
Though state senators approved the measure earlier Wednesday, their counterparts in the House failed to call it for a vote before the lame duck session ended.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat who was part of a legislative working group that contemplated the additional licenses, said the bill fell flat because legislators “failed at the art of compromise.” […]
Ford said the major sticking point was the prospect of allowing existing medical dispensaries to relocate without losing their ability to sell recreational weed — something some major pot firms have long been pushing for. Industry insiders have estimated the state is missing out on roughly $100 million in tax revenues by blocking dispensaries from moving.
The (white-owned) dispensaries, which has been making money hand over fist, also killed the cannabis bill last year over this same issue. Proponents don’t want to give those owners yet another leg up before more people can get into the business. Meanwhile, the whole program is massively messed up because there are a ton of cleanup items in that bill that have to be passed.
* Meanwhile, let’s move on to a Tribune editorial…
A bill on its way to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk would make it easier for Chicago Public Schools teachers to go on strike. It carries the potential to return Chicago to the days of almost-annual strikes. Remember those? For one stretch starting in 1969, teachers in Chicago went on strike that year, again in 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1987. The union threatened to strike eight other times.
It took Republicans in Springfield and then-Mayor Richard M. Daley to pass a sweeping CPS reform bill to stop the constant disruption to students’ lives of teacher walkouts.
And now the Democrat-led legislature, tightly wound politically with the Chicago Teachers Union, wants Pritzker to sign legislation allowing the city to backtrack. He should veto it. Current CTU leaders have demonstrated time and again their willingness to obstruct, to expand their agenda way beyond the confines of education and into defunding police departments, for example, and to be unreasonable at the bargaining table.
The governor was asked about this bill earlier in the week…
I’ve favored passage of that bill before I was a candidate. I know that bill is coming to my desk and I’ll obviously take a serious look at it, but you know where I’ve stood for several years already.
So, the Trib wants him to flip-flop on a campaign promise, essentially.
1969: Two-day strike results in salary increases, teacher aides, and class size maximum.
1971: Four-day strike results in salary increases and full health benefits.
1973: Two strikes, of 12 and 11 days, yield improved salary, benefits, preparation time, supplies, and class sizes.
1979-1980: Multiple strikes over a payless payday during holiday break in 1979, results in salary increase and improved sick leave and maternity/paternity leave.
1984: Four-day strike results in medical care increase and PAC checkoff.
1985: Two-day strike for salary and sick leave.
1987: Record-breaking 19-day strike under CTU President Jacqueline B. Vaughn wins raises and improvements to health care.
“I do plan to have the Legislature very involved in the process,” Welch said. “This year, we’re working through COVID protocols. We’ll use the [Bank of Springfield] Center if we have to but we’re looking at a safe return to the Capitol so that we can be engaged in the governing process in 2021.” […]
Normally the House would adopt its rules after members are sworn in, but Welch said he’s taken that off the table for Thursday’s session. He’s “promised my caucus that we would do an examination and make changes where we can possibly make changes and … we’re going to keep that promise right away.” […]
Addressing concerns around the allegations and the belief by some that it should disqualify him, Welch said he thinks the work he’s done demonstrates the person he is.
“I believe that the work that I have done in the legislature has demonstrated who I am as a person … it demonstrates what people think of me because this happened pretty fast and many of my colleagues are the ones who encouraged me to do this,” Welch said. “… I think that’s because they know me, they’ve worked with me and I think there’s a smear campaign led by the Republican Party, and some in our party, to try to prevent this moment in history from happening. Many great moments in history, you have to go through things and I don’t see this [as being] any different.”
Welch also has a past to answer to. He was accused about ten years ago of sexually harassing female school district employees when he was the school board president; and about twenty years ago of beating a former girlfriend. One of the two Present votes in the speaker’s vote came from State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), who later said the allegations should be more thoroughly investigated.
“Let me tell you something about Rep. Kelly Cassidy,” Welch said. “We’re friends, and we don’t always agree. And when we disagree, we disagree respectfully. So i respect how she has handled this approach. Do I agree with it? Not necessarily. But i respect it.”
The ex-girlfriend did not press charges, and proceedings in sexual harassment suits were dropped.
Welch responded to concerns about the Hillsdale incident, saying that he would have “handled the situation differently.”
“Nothing happened that you should be concerned about,” he said. “I was not arrested and charged and would I handle a situation differently, where I don’t have to go to a police station and answer questions, absolutely.”
Before he left Springfield, Madigan offered some simple advice to his replacement: to “trust his instinct.”
*** UPDATE *** Illinois NOW…
Yesterday, history was made in the Illinois State Capitol as Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch became the first Black person to be elected Speaker of the House in Illinois. We celebrate this historic step toward legislative leadership that more accurately represents and celebrates the diversity of Illinois citizens. Newly-elected Speaker Welch has long been a strong advocate for women’s rights, and we look forward to working with him to pass laws that protect Illinois women, including the repeal of the Illinois Parental Notification Act.
In the midst of this historic day, another strong advocate for women’s rights, Representative Kelly Cassidy, voted “present” in Speaker Welch’s election. Rep. Cassidy’s present vote stemmed from re-surfaced allegations of domestic violence and sexual harassment against Speaker Welch. Like Rep. Cassidy, we acknowledge and condemn the long and shameful history of wrongful accusations against Black men in this country, and are loath to detract from Speaker Welch’s historic achievement. However, we must acknowledge that women’s voices have also historically been silenced, especially the voices of women of color. As such, we believe that serious allegations of this nature must be fully investigated, no matter who the allegations are against. We stand in solidarity with Representative Cassidy.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Thursday she’s seeking to reopen Chicago’s bars and restaurants for indoor service as soon as possible.
“If we look at the various criteria that the state has set, we are meeting most, if not all of those, so that’s a conversation that I will have with the governor,” she said.
Would it be too much to ask if people actually fact-checked the mayor once in a while? I know she’s the mayor and all, but still.
1) The city’s 7-day rolling positivity rate is 9.8 percent. It’s been between 9.8 and 10.5 for the past week. Under the criteria the state has set, opening restaurants requires a positivity rate of less than or equal to 6.5 percent for three days.
2) Chicago’s medical surge hospital beds have been under the 20 percent threshold for 8 consecutive days. According to IDPH, that level is currently at 17.5 percent.
A Pritzker spokeswoman said in a statement Thursday that Chicago’s coronavirus numbers aren’t there yet, but the governor would “look forward to her call” on the matter.
“As the governor announced last week, beginning tomorrow, regions who meet the metrics to go back to lower tiers in the resurgence mitigation plan will be allowed to do so,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said. “Currently, the city of Chicago and Cook County do not meet the metrics to return to previous tiers.”
* From Speaker Welch’s chief of staff Jessica Basham…
I’ve been notified of a positive COVID-19 from the BoS Center. All members and staff who were at the BoS Center today, or around someone who was, should self-quarantine. I’m awaiting more specific information and instructions from DPH and will share them ASAP.
…Adding… From the Illinois Legislative Correspondents’ Association President…
Reporters:
Many of you have seen a copy of the memo sent out by the House speaker’s chief of staff this afternoon:
I’ve been notified of a positive COVID-19 from the BoS Center. All members and staff who were at the BoS Center today, or around someone who was, should self-quarantine. I’m awaiting more specific information and instructions from DPH and will share them ASAP.
Steve Brown told me he’s advised that this includes everyone in the building, so any media who entered the BOS Center for House action today, Thursday, Jan. 14, or who has been around someone who was, is advised to self-quarantine.
Brown says a rapid test, which most members and staff took daily during session, turned up a positive test this morning, but he has not been given any information about where the person was during the day or with whom s/he might have had contact. In other words, there is no more information available at this time. I won’t be able to answer any questions, and Steve won’t be able to answer any more questions.
I have asked him to keep me appraised as more information does become available.
If you’re champing at the bit for information, it probably wouldn’t hurt to call the Illinois Department of Public Health, since officials there haven’t gotten around to notifying everyone affected—it might urge them into action and to collect some answers.
John O’Connor
ILCA President
…Adding… The county is responsible for contact tracing.
Though he’s drawn criticism from Republicans for his role as chairman of the House Special Investigative Committee that was charged with investigating Madigan last year, Welch and Durkin said they want to work together in the next session.
And while Durkin opened his remarks by saying he was “extending an olive branch of cooperation, starting today,” he then launched a verbal polemic against Madigan, who is leaving the speaker’s office amid a cloud of corruption allegations.
“While his reign as speaker is all but over, his decades in power will never be erased,” Durkin said. “What we have here through this unique and rare opportunity is the ability to break from the past, to break that business model, because they are as apparent as the masks on our face.”
“I’m going to operate on good faith, but the way that I’ve seen things happen since the beginning of the special investigative committee till today, and, as I said that I will set the reset button,” Mr. Welch is very close to Speaker Madigan,” Durkin said. “I am extending the olive branch of cooperation starting today.”
“Today will be the last time I talk about us as Democrats or Republicans because I want to talk about us being united,” [Welch] told lawmakers.
So heads turned and some lawmakers booed when House Minority Leader Jim Durkin took his turn to speak and leveled anti-Madigan talking points.
Durkin accused the longtime speaker, who remains head of the Illinois Democratic Party, of leaving a legacy that “failed its citizens with unbalanced budgets, broken pension systems, tax increase after tax increase with nothing to show for it. The saying goes if power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle thought Durkin wasn’t reading the room. Swearing-in events are more about pageantry than politics.
When Welch took questions from reporters — yes, it really is history in the making! — he brushed off Durkin’s vitriol saying, “He’s so conditioned right now to just fight and punch and do things like that… I hope he will see by my actions that this is a new day, a new opportunity to develop a new relationship in this space. It’s hard to just flip the switch when you’ve just been doing something for so long. So I’ll give him a pass today.”
But will Durkin be able to let it go? The Madigan-is-the-root of-all-evil storyline is the crown jewel in the GOP message vault — and so much easier than criticizing the national head of their own party for feeding a toxic environment that helped fuel chaotic and tragic events in Washington.
Two years ago, Rep. Mazzochi gave a nominating speech for Durkin that slammed Madigan, so this isn’t really all that new.
* Near the close of Durkin’s speech…
We must work quickly. We have to work together, because these problems which are identifiable could become unfixable.
Now, there will be suggestions that our Speaker is, and it has been suggested, people will say that nothing is going to change. I’m hopeful that it will change, that we will see a new image and a new future for the General Assembly.
So, Speaker Welch, I would avoid taking hand signals and homing pigeons from the 13th Ward.
Senate Republican Leader McConchie’s speech is here. Quite a contrast. A video package from the Senate Republicans is here.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 6,652 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 88 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 male 70s, 2 males 80s, 3 females 90s
- Bond County: 1 male 80s
- Bureau County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Clark County: 1 female 70s
- Cook County: 1 male 50s, 3 females 60s, 1 male 60s, 4 females 70s, 2 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- DeWitt County: 1 female 70s
- Douglas County: 1 male 90s
- DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Edgar County: 1 male 70s
- Effingham County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
- Franklin County: 1 male 70s
- Fulton County: 1 female 90s
- Henry County: 1 male 80s
- Jefferson County: 1 male 70s
- Kane County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
- Kankakee County: 1 male 80s
- Knox County: 1 female 60s
- Lake County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- LaSalle County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 90s
- Livingston County: 1 female 80s
- Macon County: 1 female 80s
- Madison County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s
- McHenry County: 2 females 80s
- McLean County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Mercer County: 1 male 80s
- Monroe County: 1 male 70s
- Ogle County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Peoria County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- Piatt County: 1 female 90s
- Pike County: 1 male 70s
- Richland County: 1 male 70s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s
- Sangamon County: 2 females 80s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- Tazewell County: 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
- Vermilion County: 1 female 70s
- Warren County: 1 female 80s
- Will County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,052,682 cases, including 17,928 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 118,036 specimens for a total 14,457,620. As of last night, 3,511 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 742 patients were in the ICU and 382 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from January 7–13, 2021 is 6.8%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from January 7–13, 2021 is 8.0%.
As of last night, 704,225 doses of vaccine were delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 268,525 doses have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 972,750. IDPH is currently reporting a total of 414,296 vaccines administered, including 51,891 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 26,703 doses.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
[Headline was changed because I’m still tired and made an oops.]
* Thursday morning press release from the Better Government Association, Change Illinois, Common Cause Illinois and Reform for Illinois…
On January 12, the Illinois legislature held a hearing and vote on an 87-page ethics bill in the middle of the night at the end of the lame duck session. This bill was introduced in the final hours of the 101st General Assembly with no notice to stakeholders and without the promised public report from the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform. While the clock ran out on the session before the bill could pass, the process was deeply concerning to those of us who care about open, ethical government. It flew in the face of transparency, did little to remedy Illinois’ reputation as a bastion of closed-room deals and political corruption, and further undermined public trust in state government.
They were in session for a few days after not being in session since May. I get people are all up in arms about the “process,” but I’m much more concerned about the end product on this topic, which was that nothing happened. Back to the release…
The bill touched on some subjects we brought to the Commission last year, but it also omitted key issues like conflicts of interest and oversight of legislators. Moreover, it contained provisions, such as the preemption of home rule, that would have dramatic implications for localities, businesses, advocates, and other stakeholders. Yet the bill dropped with no time for meaningful consideration of those serious concerns.
Um, the worse thing is that not even a half-measure was approved. Zero, zip, bupkis. But not a word was mentioned in the release about what was actually in the bill that could’ve done some real good.
The bill also would’ve prevented legislators from becoming lobbyists for six months after they retired at the end of their terms, or for six months until after their scheduled term ended if they quit early.
And it would’ve prevented sitting legislators from lobbying local governments.
This wasn’t a horrible bill. It passed a House committee with just one dissenting vote. Also, nobody testified against it via Zoom. Maybe somebody should subscribe to a bill-tracking service.
Don’t get me wrong, I fully agree with the groups that a bill should’ve been advanced much earlier in the lame duck session. It was slow-walked and then allowed to die. Not acceptable. But that bill moved through committee late Tuesday night. It’s now Thursday, when it’s too late to do anything about it.
To the chagrin of Republicans, all of whom voted against the bill, House Democrats used their control over the proceedings to keep the voting period open long enough for some lawmakers to switch their votes until the minimum 60-vote majority needed for approval was reached.
The horror.
…Adding… To be clear, there’s nothing in the rules in either chamber (and never has been) that mentions a time limit on roll calls. The rules merely require that the Speaker ask three times if all members had voted who wish to vote.
Oak Park Democrat Don Harmon was re-elected President of the Illinois Senate on Wednesday, promising to continue delivering results for the people of Illinois and calling on his colleagues to focus on “jobs and justice” in the year ahead.
“It’s about making sure our people aren’t forgotten by our economy, or caught up in the cogs of the system to be lost forever,” Harmon said during the Senate’s COVID-19 restricted inauguration ceremony at the state Capitol. “Every day in this state, too many people wake up feeling like the deck has been stacked against them.”
Harmon, 54, was first elected Senate President a year ago to serve out the term of the retiring John Cullerton. On Wednesday, Harmon’s Democratic colleagues re-elected him. In a move to show Senate bipartisanship, Harmon voted for Republican Leader Dan McConchie, and McConchie voted for Harmon.
In his inauguration speech, Harmon urged senators to set aside political differences, recognize the need for change and work together to achieve it.
“This chamber consists of 59 very different people from 59 very different districts. Those differences should be celebrated and utilized to produce better results, not used as an excuse to divide us,” Harmon said. “I vow to do my part to help bridge divides and change the tone of our politics. I hope you will all do the same.”
Wednesday was the first day of the 102nd session of the Illinois General Assembly. Gov. JB Pritzker presided over the Illinois Senate ceremony. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, the ceremony was scaled back dramatically and lawmakers took the oath of office in waves rather than all 59 senators in the Senate chamber at once.
Harmon’s term as president, which is his first full term, runs for two years.
The following is a joint statement from the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE), and The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence:
“We offer our congratulations to Speaker Welch on his election to become the next Speaker of the House. We celebrate that the new Speaker is a Black person and we are seeking to work with him and all of his colleagues to end gender-based violence. Earlier today, we invited Speaker Welch to meet with us to identify shared policy goals to decrease gender-based violence, which includes domestic violence, sexual harm, and human trafficking. We appreciate his previous legislative work to support survivors and marginalized people, including his support of the Ensuring Success in School Law, the Reproductive Health Act, bills to support restorative justice options, among others. We hope this work continues in his new role.
“Domestic violence and sexual harm are often done by people we care about and respect, and appropriate accountability does not require the vilification of anyone. We are particularly conscious that many survivors do not seek help for fear of derailing the life of a person who harmed them—which helps nobody. While our culture must do more to treat survivors with dignity and respect, dignity and respect are not finite resources. Accountability should be expected but should not require that a person who has erred be excluded from engaging as a successful member of the community, particularly if they can play an important role in helping decrease all forms of harm.
“We specifically believe that recent public reporting related to Speaker Welch creates an important opportunity to engage in critical dialogue and collaboration. As leaders in our community, we want to model a restorative process for survivors and service providers that results in a shared vision for ending gender-based violence in Illinois. The revelation of previous allegations against Speaker Welch provides us with the opportunity to demonstrate that supporting and believing survivors does not require demonizing people who have caused harm, or who have been accused of causing harm. While we do not work directly with the specific survivors in the identified cases, we believe them. We hold our belief in their veracity alongside our belief that Speaker Welch can restore trust and be an accountable and effective leader.
“As a final note, we want to acknowledge that the ways our society has long dealt with domestic violence and sexual harm are just as fraught as the ways in which it has dealt with race and race inequality. Black men tend to be vilified, while Black women are not believed. As a community, we firmly believe that criminal justice reform and improving our community responses to gender-based violence are mutually supportive, not conflicting, goals.
“Our sincere hope is that our community and Speaker Welch can meet to discuss shared priorities. This moment allows all of us, particularly our elected officials, to seek collaboration and understanding, and identify ways to stand with and support survivors. Our coalition has many ideas on how to do just that—in this legislative session and beyond.”
Welch said House rules will be among the first things he’s open to addressing.
“Possibly make changes, possibly make a lot of changes,” Welch said. “I don’t know what those changes are until I have these conversations that’s going to take place pretty quickly.”
* The Question: What new or changed House rules would you like to see? Explain.
* I know I’m coming a bit late to this, but we were slightly busy yesterday with actual Illinois news. Anyway, I searched my email in-box for the word “impeach” and here’s what I found. Gov. Pritzker…
For the first time in United States history, a sitting President has been impeached on two separate occasions by the House of Representatives – a testament to the resiliency of our Constitution, but an ugly stain on our nation’s history,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Make no mistake: to hold accountable those who smear our democracy, who unleash violence and death upon the halls of Congress, who dance on the desks of duly elected public servants in the name of insurrection – and yes, those who incite it all from inside the world’s most powerful office – is the most patriotic thing we can do.
We cannot rebuild without ridding ourselves of what’s rotten. We cannot hope to unify without upholding the ideals of justice, democracy and liberty that tie us together as one nation. Today, Republicans joined with Democrats to send that message.
The events of January 6th, 2021 – and the weeks’, months’ and years’ worth of falsities and fantasies that led up to them – represented a culmination of Donald J. Trump’s longstanding efforts to channel hate and demagoguery into power. As a proud American, I have long feared the repercussions of these efforts, and the choice of the national Republican party to embrace them and its media ecosystem to amplify them. He has long posed a danger to our nation – and last week, the world watched in horror as his name was carried on flags – alongside the flag of our nation’s most infamous traitors, the Confederacy – in a siege on our Capitol. And I believe fully that we would be remiss to assume the threat of such efforts lies behind us.
But today, amid sorrow, amid worry, amid the bruising impact of a pandemic on pace to soon take over 400,000 American lives: I am hopeful. By impeaching President Trump on the charge of Incitement of Insurrection, the House of Representatives has taken a necessary step toward holding accountable a president whose very hallmark has been the derision of our democracy. In the constant pursuit of our nation’s finest ideals, the promise of a more perfect union lives another day. Our work to secure it continues, and I urge the Senate to take up its duty immediately.
* Lt. Gov. Stratton…
Crimes against a nation. Transgressions against the American spirit. Today for the second time, members of Congress impeached President Trump who is a clear and present danger to American democracy. He instigated a riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 that resulted in death and chaos on a day that will go down as one of the darkest in U.S. history.
Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’ President Trump has used his seat of power to inspire violence and divide this great country. He has failed the test of character and the American people. Today’s action by Congress upholds the principles and values of our nation and holds President Trump accountable for his actions.
* Sen. Duckworth…
Now that the House of Representatives has impeached Donald Trump, the Senate must act immediately to start the trial to convict and remove this dangerous man from office. We must make it clear that there are consequences for inciting violence and fomenting insurrection.
* US Rep. Kelly…
The President’s actions amount to treason. Donald Trump will go down in history as the only president in history to be impeached twice. He has brought eternal shame upon himself and disgraced the office of the Presidency. He incited a deadly insurrection against the American government to stop the peaceful transfer of power. Today, truth has triumphed over the blatant lies of this president and his enablers who sought to delegitimize a free and fair election. I am proud to have voted to expel this president from office. He is a clear and present danger to our nation. Only impeachment and conviction will stop him from inflicting further damage to our democracy.
* US Rep. Foster…
“I voted to impeach Donald Trump because he incited a violent insurrection against Congress in an attempt to disrupt Constitutionally mandated procedures to confirm the results of a free and fair election. If this isn’t an impeachable offense, then nothing is.
“He is unstable, dangerous, and unfit to be President. I urge the Senate to convict and permanently remove him from office.”
Text of the Article of Impeachment is available here.
* US Rep. Casten…
“For over two months, Donald Trump has used the powers of the presidency to wage a viral disinformation campaign to denigrate American democracy and overturn the results of an election he undisputedly lost. After 61 defeats in court, the President incited, abetted, and refused to call off a violent insurrection in the U.S. Capitol. As a result, six Americans are dead, dozens are wounded, and millions continue to be traumatized by images of domestic terrorists storming through the halls of Congress carrying Confederate flags, brutally attacking Capitol Police, and hunting for lawmakers to take hostage or worse. Every day, we find out more about this horrific attack, the additional lives that would have been in peril if not for the heroism of officers like Eugene Goodman, and the failure of this administration to expeditiously dispatch Federal law enforcement to respond to armed domestic terrorists mere months after Federal law enforcement’s violent use of force against peaceful protesters.
“When I took the oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, I never thought I would live to see our President foment an insurrectionist coup on our nation’s Capitol, let alone intentionally delay sending the National Guard to protect thousands against a mob that planted pipe bombs, brandished weapons, and sought to hang the Vice President. One week later, the President has expressed no regret or accountability. The President is unstable, unhinged, and dangerous. Every minute that President Trump is in office represents an imminent threat to the constitution, our democracy, and the American people. We are a nation of laws, and the President must be held to account for his crimes, immediately removed from office, and banned from holding federal office again.
“Many will argue that letting the clock run out on this administration will do more to heal our country than impeachment. This could not be further from the truth. If we ignore this attack and what caused it in the name of unity, the violence will only get worse. If we allow the President of the United States to incite this attack without consequence, we threaten the future of our democracy and the peaceful transfer of power on which it depends.
“When Benjamin Franklin was asked in 1787 what kind of government we would have, he answered, ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ Two and a half centuries later, the future of our democratic republic hangs in the balance. If we do what is difficult but necessary, the nation will survive this crisis and emerge stronger. The question is, are we still a democracy? Let us answer in the affirmative. Today and always.”
* US Rep. Rodney Davis…
“We are at a perilous moment in our Nation’s history. President Trump, many of his allies in Congress, and media commentators on the right deserve blame for the circumstances that led up to one of the worst days this great country has ever seen. Since November, many in my party perpetuated the lie that the election was “stolen” and gave false hope to millions that the president could somehow remain in office after January 20th. That was never going to happen. There must be accountability for leaders who deliberately misled the public, but I fear that without thoughtful and clear-eyed leadership from both sides of the aisle, we are in danger of further violence and political unrest.
“While a convenient talking point, we must be honest that our country did not arrive at this moment in the last two months, or simply the last four years. Though many prefer not to admit it, political deception is a bipartisan disease that seems only to worsen and lead to violence. Last Wednesday is the second time in my short Congressional career that I’ve needed to thank law enforcement for saving my life during an act of political violence. The former because a deranged gunman believed leaders and agitators on the left that I and my Republican colleagues were a danger to America. We as a country have got to do better.
“There must be a full accounting of what happened leading up to and on the day of January 6th. Law enforcement must have all resources necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice. That investigation should be unimpeded and free from partisan influence. The investigation should be conducted in such a manner to sooth tensions and provide the public with confidence that law and order will prevail.
“Process matters. A snap impeachment conducted without a full investigation or without due process for the president accomplishes nothing. At a time when political tensions are at an all-time high, impeachment will drive people further into their corners and could lead to additional violence. Unlike what some Democratic leaders are saying, President Trump will not be removed from office under this process. The Democrats’ stated goal to punish the president and bar him from seeking federal office in the future certainly isn’t urgent. He will be removed from office under the law in less than one week. We need to lower temperatures, not enflame them. If, when a full accounting of the facts of January 6th comes in, Pelosi and the Democrats wish to punish President Trump, they can pursue that process with their party’s total control of the legislative and executive branches of the federal government.
“Our nation needs sober-minded leaders who will sooth a wounded electorate. President-elect Biden has missed an opportunity to act on his promise of unifying the country by calling for calm and pledging to listen to those who feel so ignored by our elected leaders. He is now the face of his party and will be the legitimately elected leader of our country in a matter days. I stand ready to work with President-elect Biden on solutions to the many problems our country faces. We should all wish President Biden success, for when he succeeds, our nation succeeds.”
* US Rep. LaHood…
“In less than seven days, we will inaugurate President-elect Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. We should be using this time to bring our nation together, heal the partisan divisions, and move forward with a peaceful transfer of power. As I have listened to constituents on both sides of the political spectrum this week, a common frustration and anger are evident among many Americans. In this moment of escalating tensions, Congress must rise above the division and help heal our nation.
“As I stated last week, our Constitution is clear in laying out Congress’ obligation to count and certify the Electoral College votes. I also believe our Constitution does not envision impeaching a President without an adequate investigation or hearings. Our democratic system is predicated on due process and a thorough review of the underlying facts and evidence. Congress has yet to even receive a full briefing by the appropriate federal authorities on the events that occurred surrounding the riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.
“I oppose impeachment. Pushing articles of impeachment days before the inauguration will only inflame and further divide our country.”
Take at least two deep breaths before commenting, please. Thanks.
…Adding… Comptroller Mendoza…
I commend the Democratic and Republican members of Congress who voted to impeach President Trump for launching the attack on our Capitol and the shameful insurrection that threatened our democracy. Republican Rep. Liz Cheney’s words that “There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution” should be on the minds of all Republican senators as they vote. Removing Trump from office should be the easiest vote they ever take. No one, including the president, should be above the law. He must be held accountable.
* Madigan packed up his Springfield apartment this week, and I’m hearing from his close associates that he doesn’t plan to keep his House seat. So maybe we can stop with this sort of speculation until we see some actual evidence…
And just like that, Mike Madigan's decades-long dominance of the statehouse is over.
But he'll keep his seat. What about his position as chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party? Chris Welch is a Madigan lieutenant. Is this a Vladimir Putin/Dmitry Medvedev arrangement? https://t.co/M5ChhwyEUp
Those who think Madigan will continue to call the shots in Springfield should be in for a surprise.
While Welch is a product of the Madigan school of politics, there’s no reason to think he will be the former speaker’s pawn once he settles into the job.
It would be helpful to Welch if Madigan, sworn in Wednesday for another term as state representative, would take his cue and retire in short order.
As long as Madigan is still in Springfield, that will make it more difficult for Welch to prove he’s carving his own path.
Also, Madigan mainly used the Democratic Party of Illinois as a postage discount machine for his House campaigns. The chairmanship saved the HDems hundreds of thousands of dollars per cycle in postage costs. He was never much interested in actual party building.
Black and Latino lawmakers who initially backed him for reelection moved swiftly to Welch when Madigan made an incorrect calculation earlier this week that no other member could line up the 60 votes required to win the gavel.
Um, perhaps the “incorrect calculation” was made by reporters who prematurely jumped to the wrong conclusion?
