U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after it was reported that the Biden Justice Department will retain John Lausch as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois until his successor is confirmed. Durbin and Duckworth first voiced their desire to retain Mr. Lausch until his successor is confirmed in November 2020. On February 9, they wrote a letter to the President renewing this request.
“We are pleased the Biden Administration is acting on our request to retain U.S. Attorney Lausch until his successor is confirmed by the Senate. Mr. Lausch has served with professionalism and without partisanship. While the President has the right to remove U.S. Attorneys, there is precedent for U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Illinois to remain in office to conclude sensitive investigations. After our repeated calls, we appreciate that Mr. Lausch will be given this opportunity.”
No word on whether they intend to push Lausch for another term.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is facing a decision on legislation that will either anger a group of those he’s politically allied with or others who represent the front line in the pandemic response. […]
Should he sign it, personal injury lawsuits in the state would be subject to an annual prejudgement interest of 9%. That means a potential civil monetary judgment would see a required increase in the payout for any time that passes between when the injury occurs and the date of a potential settlement.
Prejudgment interest would represent a major shift in trial dynamics in Illinois and, according to Paul Gaynor, Healthcare Heroes Illinois spokesman, a devastating blow to the state’s front lines in the COVID-19 pandemic response.
“Doctors, nurses and first responders have risked their lives to protect patients since day one of this pandemic. In return for their steady, selfless service, the General Assembly passed a bill that would place an even greater financial burden on health care providers,” Gaynor said. “Gov. Pritzker needs to stand up for all those providers who responded to the call of duty by vetoing this lame-duck legislation that was designed to enrich the TV lawyers who are seeking to profit off the pandemic.” […]
The governor’s office has said it’s concerned with the financial ramifications of the bill.
The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, a powerful force in Illinois politics and prominent supporter of Illinois Democrats, says the legislation simply places Illinois in line with the majority of other states.
“Stalling and delaying resolution of meritorious claims exacerbates the harm suffered by the wrongfully injured,” ITLA President Larry Rogers Jr. said in a Jan. 13 statement. “Justice that is delayed is justice denied.”
Pushing infrastructure reform as a matter of racial equity, Chicago business and civic groups have launched a legislative campaign to get state transportation officials to throw out the pork barrel and instead use detailed, apolitical criteria in deciding how to spend billions of dollars on road and transit projects.
In a press conference, the Metropolitan Planning Council and the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club announced their support for a measure introduced by Rep. Kam Buckner and Sen. Ram Villivalam, both Chicago Democrats.
The bill would direct the Illinois Department of Transportation to develop “risk-based” and “needs-based” systems to use in deciding which projects to fund—and which not to fund.
Illinois transportation funding often has devolved to a political scrum, with projects such as building a third airport or the proposed Illiana Expressway advancing or failing because of political factors.
* Press release…
Ill. Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) and Ill. Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) are co-sponsoring a bill to establish more transparent and equitable investment practices for state infrastructure expenditures. Transparency “will help ensure the most beneficial projects are selected every year, and taxpayers can easily understand the reasoning behind them,” according to a new report by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute.
Illinois’ historic capital bill passage in 2019 infused billions into state coffers, but taxpayers don’t currently have visibility into which transportation projects are funded and why. This opaque process erodes trust in government and misses an opportunity to garner the greatest public good from each infrastructure dollar. Meanwhile, our transportation outcomes show troubling trends: an increase in traffic crashes, particularly involving pedestrians, and people struggling to access jobs and services.
There is a better way to achieve greater transportation outcomes and public accountability; it’s performance-based planning, a commitment to using data to compare proposed infrastructure projects. Buckner and Villivalam’s bill would require the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to use performance metrics in evaluating projects.
“Whether we want to improve a highway or update a train station, there are equity- and data-driven methods to guide our decision making,” said Ill. Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Performance-based planning is akin to when automobile shoppers build a spreadsheet to compare one car model to another before purchasing. It’s not a strict playbook, but rather a flexible technique.
“This isn’t about any particular project,” said Ill. Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago). “This is a simple, but consequential change: visibility. Billions of dollars shouldn’t be locked in a black box. We want to ensure we’re being accountable to our taxpayers across the region.”
IDOT has implemented successful reforms to some of its programs in the recent past. For example, IDOT reformed its State Planning and Research program by opening it up to a public call for projects and publishing the criteria it uses to evaluate projects. The state also established a new way to rank and select projects when it received funding from a new freight program created by Congress in 2016. Lastly, the General Assembly included a legislative requirement to transparently evaluate and rank projects competing for the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP), a joint federal-state program that provides funding for bicycle, pedestrian, and other projects that improve transportation. Transparent decision-making can promote access to jobs, improve safety, aid the environment, increase public health, advance equity, and offer multimodal choices.
“What you see on Google Maps is one thing, but the reality on the ground looks different,” said Rochelle Jackson, member of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council. “I spent two weeks documenting with a friend broken sidewalks, missing signs, and dangerous intersections in our neighborhood. These aren’t just inconveniences. They make it difficult to get to work, to live our lives.”
Performance-based planning is a best practice within the transportation industry, common in many states including Minnesota, Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia. The Federal Highway Administration is strongly supportive of the practice.
“States with performance-based project selection systems are required to show how specific economic, safety, or maintenance needs are driving project selection,” said Mary Tyler, transportation policy analyst, Illinois Economic Policy Institute. “A performance-based program for project selection would ultimately give the public more confidence that these massive investments will deliver the best possible returns.”
In an era in which a pandemic further stresses our limited public dollars, the time is right for honest conversations. The stakes are high.
“Transportation investment is one of best tools Illinois has to attract and retain businesses to our state, but we can’t know which projects produce the best benefits without measuring how these projects impact economic growth, improve access to jobs, or reduce the costs of transportation,” said Tom Kotarac, senior vice president, Transportation and Infrastructure, Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
“I have lived next to roads like Pulaski, Cermak, Ogden, and Cicero, and there is a stark difference between walking and biking on these roads compared to other roads in Chicago. These differences impact the livability of my neighborhood and at times, severely impacted my mobility,” said Chicago resident Ruth Rosas.
Success looks different in different places. That’s why Buckner and Villivalam’s bill does not require IDOT to evaluate projects across the state the same way. Metrics will and should vary by geography.
“We want to make sure that every project is the best it can be at solving any given transportation problem in any part of the state, whether that is access to jobs, improved active transportation, or better freight connections,” said Audrey Wennink, director of transportation, Metropolitan Planning Council. “The beauty of performance metrics is that they allow us to get the most benefits out of our public dollars.”
Better infrastructure helps Illinois residents live better lives. Roads, bridges, trains, sidewalks, and bike lanes impact how people spend their time, and ultimately their access to opportunities. We can do more to improve people’s lives through transportation access and reliability by accounting for equity when making transportation decisions.
* Let’s start with the Politico story, which is pretty good…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker made his move to have greater control of the party by joining with Sen. Tammy Duckworth to endorse Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris.
Harris is seen as a strong candidate because she’s worked behind the scenes in Democratic circles. Harris served in the Cook County Democratic Party on committees handling recruitment, pre-slating and other appointments. Harris’ challenge could be that her career is focused on Chicago and Cook County politics, but Pritzker knows that to win statewide elections, northern Illinois is where the votes are.
“The next leader of the Democratic Party of Illinois must continue the progress we’ve made by supporting Democratic candidates who will help working families at the local, state and federal levels equally,” Pritzker and Duckworth said in a joint statement, adding they believe Harris “is best qualified” to do that.
Loyalty could matter, too. Harris was an early backer of Pritzker’s run for governor, and her daughter works for Duckworth.
Another big name in play is Rep. Robin Kelly, who tweeted her interest in the job and is endorsed by Sen. Dick Durbin and Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez. Kelly’s challenge is that she would have to split her time between D.C. and Illinois, so she likely would lean on Durbin’s downstate aide, Bill Houlihan.
In a statement, Durbin praised Harris as “a proven leader” but endorsed Kelly, noting she lived 20 years in Peoria and was a statewide candidate when she ran unsuccessfully for Illinois treasurer. “Her experience in Congress, the state legislature, and managing an Illinois constitutional office afford her a breadth of important experience and skill sets,” he said, adding he “can’t think of a better person” to lead the party.
While Kelly could be a good fundraiser for the party — which was Madigan’s strength — it’s Pritzker’s wealth that is likely to fuel the organization in the coming years. And if that’s the case, he’d want his own candidate in the top position.
Latino activists are pushing state Sen. Cristina Castro for party chairman. She is a member of the Democratic Central Committee. Still, other candidates could emerge in the next 30 days when an appointment must be made. In the meantime, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough will serve as interim chair.
Durbin and Houlihan have had their eyes on the state party for a very long time. And while it’s true that Pritzker’s wealth would be a boon to the party’s finances, and that in most normal states the governor is the party’s titular head (and that’s also true here with Republican governors), what happens after he leaves?
Here are some other questions I’m still trying to find answers for: Why would the state’s senior US Senator go up against his party’s governor and his state’s junior US Senator in a battle over control of the state Democratic Party? And how far will Durbin and Pritzker push this? And what happens if Pritzker loses yet another political fight? And where’s the mayor in all of this?
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,665 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 27 additional deaths.
- Christian County: 1 female 90s
- Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 60s, 2 females 70, 8 males 70s, 1 female 90s
- DuPage County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Kane County: 1 male 60s
- Knox County: 2 females 70s, 3 females 80s, 1 male 80s
- Madison County: 1 male 90s
- Marion County: 1 male 70s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 20s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,177,320 cases, including 20,330 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 61,400 specimens for a total of 17,721,561. As of last night, 1,488 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 361 patients were in the ICU and 172 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 16–22, 2021 is 2.8%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 16–22, 2021 is 3.0%.
A total of doses of 2,307,685 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 445,200 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 2,752,885. A total of 2,254,982 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 291,269 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 55,917 doses. Yesterday, 43,282 doses were administered in Illinois.
*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.
* Meanwhile, from a press release…
A federal district court judge presiding over the Society Insurance Business Interruption Coverage MDL, which involves the potential applicability of insurance coverage for restaurants suffering financial losses due to COVID, ruled late Monday (Feb. 22, 2021) that the cases may move forward in determining whether their insurance policies cover such losses.
The Hon. Edmond E. Chang, U.S. District Court Judge of the Northern District of Illinois, ruled in a 31-page written opinion that plaintiffs in the consolidated bellwether cases survive defendant’s motions to dismiss and for summary judgment. The court granted summary judgment only as to the coverage theories under the Civil Authority and the Contamination provisions of the policies. All of the restaurants in the MDL maintain coverage by Society Insurance, headquartered in Wisconsin.
Shannon M. McNulty, partner at Clifford Law Offices who heads the class action/mass torts practice area at the firm and a co-lead counsel of one of the bellwether cases, said, “This decision is highly significant for businesses, particularly here in the Midwest, who have suffered financial losses due to the pandemic and paid insurance premiums to protect against those losses. We will continue to work on behalf of our client in the bellwether case, Valley Lodge Corp., as well as all of the businesses with claims pending in the MDL, to see that justice is carried out to the end under their insurance policies.”
Valley Lodge has two restaurants in Illinois in the northern suburbs of Chicago.
In its decision, the court recognized that, “All have been forced to modify their normal business operations due to the pandemic – for example, suspending in-person dining and relying only on take-out orders – and all alleged that they have lost significant revenue as a result” in the past year since the pandemic took hold.
After quoting significant and relevant passages from plaintiffs’ insurance policies, the court found at the very least that its “policy does not contain a specific exclusion of coverage for losses due to a virus or pandemic … a standard exclusion in the insurance industry.” [Italics in original] In fact, the court held that, “Exclusions are narrowly or strictly construed against the insurer if their effect is uncertain” and “a reasonable jury can find that the Plaintiffs did suffer a direct ‘physical’ loss of property on their premises.”
Notably, the court stated that Society Insurance may have acted in bad faith in denying coverage to the Illinois plaintiffs and that issue may be litigated as the bellwether cases of Valley Lodge Corp. and Big Onion Tavern Group, LLC, move forward. The court, citing to Plaintiffs’ arguments that “Society, which denied coverage across-the board, allegedly misrepresented the true scope of the insurance policies; failed to investigate individual claims, as required, and instead issued hasty denials not based on individual claims; and Society’s actions have caused an improper and lengthy delay in receiving payment,” ruled that these matters must be decided by a jury and not as a matter of law at the pleadings stage.
Indiana opens up COVID-19 vaccine to residents age 60 to 64
Wisconsin, Indiana moved down on Chicago’s emergency travel order that now exempts vaccinated people
Cinemark 18 closes, leaving downtown Evanston without a movie theater
Hundreds of Oak Park educators, staff receive COVID-19 vaccine at health department clinics
Cosmetic procedures are in demand during the pandemic, suburban plastic surgeons say
Park District to finally reopen lakefront, playgrounds, as well as indoor pools
New state mass vaccination site opens Tuesday in Rockford
Woman who died after transplant surgery in Michigan got COVID-19 from donated lungs
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Gov. Pritzker Announces One Million Illinois Children to Receive Monthly Food Aid Following Expansion of Pandemic EBT Program
Up to $110 Million Federal Dollars Will be Brought into State Per Month, 200 Thousand More Children to Receive Support This Year
SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker today announced that beginning next month, approximately one million children across Illinois will receive additional federally funded food benefits, valued at up to $110 million per month. Following a state request to expand eligibility for the program, the additional food support, funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, is expected to reach about 200,000 more eligible children this school year compared to last year.
Eligible children across the State will automatically receive these benefits on an “EBT Card” mailed directly to their homes. The funding will be distributed by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to Illinois students who are eligible for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) support.
“Today, we move another step closer to ending hunger for all of Illinois with a benefits program that will support approximately 1 million children across our state. Starting next month, eligible families across Illinois can be on the lookout for a benefits card in the mail to provide additional, federally funded food benefits for their children,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m excited to announce that we’ll be able to serve about 200,000 more children who have previously received this support, each with a larger daily benefit than in the past. My administration is proud to secure more federal funding for Illinois to make this expansion possible.”
Illinois’ P-EBT program brought approximately 764,000 children more than $259 million worth of nutrition benefits during the 2019-2020 school year. In the coming weeks, eligible Illinois families will begin to receive this year’s expanded benefits. Families will receive $6.82 for each day the child did not have access to school meals. This represents a 19% increase over the 2019-2020 school year, when the daily benefit was $5.70.
“At IDHS, we are committed to ensuring Illinois school children and their families have access to food assistance when they need it and will continue to apply for and maximize any opportunities,” said IDHS Secretary Grace B. Hou.” “We are proud to be one of 16 states to receive the federal approval from the USDA to continue these critical P-EBT benefits that put food on the table for Illinois families and bring in hundreds of millions of federal dollars to Illinois.”
Through P-EBT, eligible school children receive temporary emergency nutrition benefits loaded on EBT cards that are used to purchase food. Children who would have received free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program if their schools were not closed or operating with reduced hours or attendance for at least 5 consecutive days are eligible.
“Research shows that children who are hungry are not able to focus and learn,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “Schools have served more than 113 million meals to students since the pandemic began, and the P-EBT builds on this care and commitment to ensure all Illinois children have their nutritional needs met. The fact that eligible families do not have to take any action and will receive these benefits automatically is a huge sigh of relief. We are proud to collaborate with other state agencies to make this happen and excited share this good news with our students’ families across the state.”
Families do not need to apply for this round of P-EBT benefits. In the coming weeks, they will receive one P-EBT card per eligible child, and the cards can be used to purchase food items at EBT-authorized retailers, which include most major grocery stores in Illinois. Cards will be mailed to the address the school has on file for the child.
Additionally, in the coming month, the Illinois Commission to End Hunger – a public-private partnership organized by the Governor’s office and stakeholders from across the state – will release a new “Roadmap” to end hunger in Illinois. The forthcoming plan focuses on strategies to better connect Illinoisans to nutrition assistance programs, including P-EBT, and promote equitable food access.
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) is part of the U.S. government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, go to https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=131776.
He also took aim at opponents of the law, saying they “don’t want any change, don’t believe there is injustice in the system and are preying upon fear of change to lie and fear monger in defense of the status quo.”
* I asked the governor’s office for a point by point response…
When the Governor, bill sponsors and advocates decry the misinformation from opponents who want to protect the status quo, this social media post is exactly what they are talking about. Misinformation can easily spread on social media, and those who oppose efforts to make our criminal justice system more equitable prey on fear and misinformation to keep a system in place that disproportionately harms black and brown communities around our state.
The SAFE-T Act (HB 3653), does not prevent police officers from using force against individuals who actively threaten people’s lives. If a person does not pose such a risk, the law requires that officers prioritize non-lethal methods, including de-escalation, citations, and non-lethal force, as appropriate and based upon the totality of the circumstances. This law is consistent with best practices for law enforcement and will improve public safety for both the community and our police officers. Through additional training and codifying these best practices, the law aims to end the fear and trauma black and brown communities deal with every day because of the systemic racism that is part of our criminal justice system.
In each of these scenarios, the description of how the police can respond under the new law blatantly ignores the options that continue to be available to police who are seeking to protect the safety of an individual or the community.
1. “Critical Situations: There is an Active Shooter at a local high school. Police arrive and the suspect flees the scene. Uniformed officers catch up to the suspect who is still armed, no longer actively shooting and forcibly resisting arrest. The officers know who the suspect is and he could be identified & apprehended at a later date. Officers cannot use force against the suspect even though he just shot people moments ago.”
• The SAFE-T Act does not prevent law enforcement from appropriately using force against a person who poses an imminent threat of serious bodily harm or death to another person or people. In order for an officer to use deadly force, the shooter must be an active threat. This bill does not change that requirement.
2. “Criminal Trespass: You arrive home and notice an unknown person sitting in your backyard. You call the police and wait for them to arrive. The police confront suspect and he refuses to leave. The individual cannot be arrested & no force can be used to make him leave, only a ticket can be issued.”
• This description of how police can respond under the new law ignores the clear provision in the law giving officers discretion to respond to individuals who pose a threat to the community or any person. Specifically, the SAFE-T Act amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require that “a law enforcement officer shall issue a citation in lieu of custodial arrest . . . for those accused of traffic and Class B and Class C criminal misdemeanor offenses, or of petty and business offenses, who pose no obvious threat to the community or any person . . . .” Outside of these low-level offenses, officers retain discretion to arrest.
3. “Disorderly Conduct: You own a local store and an individual is causing trouble. The suspect is being loud and yelling obscenities at customers. Police arrive and realize he’s disturbing the peace of the store. The suspect will be issued a ticket, a court date within 21 days and officers will leave. The suspect cannot be forcibly removed & the store owner is left with the same problem.”
• Under the SAFE-T Act, police have the authority to cite instead of arrest for a breach of the peace violation, which is a Class C misdemeanor. However, police have discretion to arrest if the individual poses an obvious threat to the community or any person, or who has an obvious medical or mental health issues that poses a risk to their own safety.
4. “Obstructing: Police are investigating a homicide. A body is on the ground & the area is surrounded with crime scene tape. A person decides to enter the area after being told not to by a uniformed officer, walks through the crime scene and jeopardizes the investigation. This person would no longer be arrested for obstructing a police investigation & force cannot be used to remove the individual from the scene.”
• The SAFE-T Act does not prohibit an officer from making an arrest for the described offense.
…Adding… I checked in with sponsoring Sen. Elgie Sims to see if he had any differences with the governor’s responses and he said he did not. “Those are right on point.”
Text from former Governor Bruce Rauner celebrates the end of Madigan’s career: “In the end, we took each other out.”
Except Democrats voted Madigan out after federal prosecutors weakened him. If anything, Rauner was the one last ingredient galvanizing Democrats to back Madigan.
The Republican Rauner strengthened and unified unions and Democrats in this state more than anyone in my lifetime ever has, and they flocked to Madigan for protection. A big reason why Madigan survived the intense 2018 sexual harassment scandals was because Rauner was still in office.
Tuesday, Feb 23, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The facts about voter support for House Bill 3653:
9 out of 10 (91%) Illinois voters support legislative efforts that hold police accountable for misconduct.
69% of voters agree that reform is necessary now because of racial bias in policing. Nearly 9 out of 10 Illinois voters back:
• Holding law enforcement accountable for violating individuals’ constitutional rights (89% say it should be a major priority)
• Establishing clear and consistent statewide limits surround the use of force by police, including deadly force (80% say it should be a major priority)
• Training all police to a clear and consistent standard surrounding the use of force by police, including deadly force (90% say it should be a major priority)
• Rules mandating that officers are held responsible when they use force without justification resulting in a death (88% support)
• Establishing consequences for not turning on dashboard or body cameras (88% support)
More than 3 out of 4 voters in Illinois support:
• banning chokeholds (76%)
• requiring a state agency to report when a police officer uses force (78%)
• 69% of voters want to end special protections for police officers – known as qualified immunity – that allows officers to escape from many lawsuits, denying victims of real harm a day in court.
“We’ve been used, we’ve been mocked, we’ve been marginalized,” Bailey said. “People in Illinois have been ignored based on their race. They’ve been ignored based on their class, their zip code, or by special interest, all while a political class has done absolutely nothing but enrich themselves while destroying our state and robbing our children and our grandchildren of our future.”
“… the days of putting the interests of the corrupt political class above the people is over,” Bailey said.
It’s the victim campaign.
Bailey’s campaign committee had $179,214.29 at last report.
Criticizing Pritzker’s signature on community justice legislation opposed by law enforcement groups, Bailey said he was “going to be eager to see what kind of law enforcement protection” the governor had in touring the state. The legislator credited law enforcement for working to “protect and serve” in the wake of “just demoralizing behavior that seeks to destroy everything you stand for.”
He also cited progressive efforts to change the state’s college curriculum for incoming teachers aimed at avoiding personal biases, as another example of Chicago and liberal idealism interfering with Downstate cultural values.
“Now, right in the heartland of America, Illinois has become a stronghold for this evil, wicked stuff. So we just got to take it back and then we’re going to reverse all this,” he said to his Facebook followers. “Something’s going to start here in Illinois, in the heartland of this land and it’s going to spread across this nation.”
* WCIA…
Bailey’s base is the religious right. His “Standing for you” slogan comes from the Bible passage painted on the door of his campaign bus, which suggests he sees his mission in politics as one to stand up and fight “spiritual wickedness in high places.” pic.twitter.com/buJwA55mZo
When we got here, there were multiple bowls of wristbands - each color signifying social distancing comfort levels. I’m told not too many people have picked up the red ones. pic.twitter.com/lax6UnAlUc
Speech ended. We hurried out. I spotted this table in lobby as we were leaving. Doesn’t look like too many masks were picked up. pic.twitter.com/mN2PGverJA
Michael J. Madigan today announced he will resign as the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI), and Vice Chair Karen Yarbrough will be appointed as interim chair of the party until a new chair is named.
First elected in 1998, under Madigan’s leadership, Democrats have held steady as the ‘blue wall’ in the Midwest, held supermajorities in the legislature, passed landmark legislation that has made Illinois a leader in progressive policy, and significantly increased the numbers of women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community serving in state elected office.
“Over the last two decades, we have elected a diverse array of Democrats across Illinois and helped send a hometown Chicago leader to the White House, turning Illinois into a Democratic stronghold in the Midwest,” Madigan said. “Together, we faced conservative extremism and stood up for working men and women. I’m confident the Democratic Party of Illinois will continue to cement our place as a beacon of progressive values. My work would not have been possible without the support of my family, Shirley, Lisa, Tiffany, Nicole and Andrew. I thank each of them for their unwavering love and support that has allowed me to do this work for so long.”
Karen Yarbrough will move into her new role as interim chair after most recently serving as vice chair of DPI.
“One thing everyone knows about Illinois is that it’s a reliably blue state in the Midwest and throughout the country, and that’s in large part because of the leadership of Mike Madigan,” Yarbrough said. “Democrats across Illinois owe Chairman Madigan a huge debt of gratitude for the support, resources and time he’s dedicated to candidates and races at every level. While our party enters a transition and looks to the future, I hope we don’t lose sight of the extraordinary contributions he has made. I thank him for his leadership and wish him the best in his next chapter.”
Madigan’s resignation as chairman is effective immediately. Madigan’s current four-year term as state central committeeman ends following the March primary in 2022. Pursuant to the Illinois Election Code, the 36 members of the Democratic State Central Committee will meet within 30 days to select a new chair to serve for the remainder of the term.
* Speaker Welch…
“I thank Michael Madigan for his 20+ years of service as the chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, which has left us with a supermajority in both chambers of the General Assembly. I have full confidence in the state central committee’s ability to select a new chair. The Illinois Democratic party remains strong, and we will continue our work to create a more equitable state.”
…Adding… From Madigan to party members…
Dear Friends,
I am writing you today to inform you that I am stepping down as the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Vice Chair Karen Yarbrough will serve as interim chair until the Democratic State Central Committee meets to choose a new chair.
I want to use this opportunity to express how honored I have been to lead Illinois Democrats through both challenging and rewarding times. Over the last two decades, we’ve increased the number of women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community serving in elected office in Illinois and helped send a hometown Chicago leader to the White House. We’ve faced conservative extremism and always stood up for the hardworking women and men of Illinois. Together we’ve held steady as the ‘blue wall’ in the Midwest, held supermajorities in the legislature and passed landmark legislation that has made Illinois a leader in progressive policy.
On a personal note, I’ve enjoyed working alongside all of you. Your commitment to Democratic ideals and progressive values has helped make our tent even bigger and put Illinois at the forefront on the most critical issues facing our country.
I’m confident the Democratic Party of Illinois will continue to cement our place as a beacon of progressive values and defender of hardworking men and women.
Of course none of this work would have been possible without the support and sacrifice of my family, Shirley, Lisa, Tiffany, Nicole and Andrew. I thank each of them for their unwavering love and support that has allowed me to do this work for so long.
With kindest personal regards, I remain
Sincerely yours,
Mike
*** UPDATE *** Notice, US Sen. Durbin is not on this list…
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Governor today announced their support for Alderman Michelle Harris to be the next Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois:
“As our nation moves on from the chaos of the Trump years and our state begins charting a brighter path forward under new legislative leadership, the next leader of the Democratic Party of Illinois must continue the progress we’ve made by supporting Democratic candidates who will help working families at the local, state and federal levels equally. We believe Alderman Michelle Harris is best qualified to lead our party forward in the years ahead and are hopeful the State Central Committee will select her to serve as the next Party Chair.”
Durbin has wanted to control the state party for a very long time. Stay tuned, but I doubt he can win this one.
…Adding… I was asked to remove the reference to Lightfoot from the release. Apparently, the statement hadn’t been approved yet by her.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-2) Announces run for Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois
“Today I am announcing my intention to run for Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. With democracy under siege, it’s more important than ever that we have leaders of our party that can appeal to the broad sector of our electorate that represent all 102 counties of our state. The Congressional district I represent is urban, suburban and rural which is a microcosm of the State and gives me a unique perspective and understanding to lead our party forward. I’ve been a strong leader in the party, I have the voice to move Illinois forward. As Chair, I will bring a fresh approach that includes my collaborative and inclusive work ethic. In the coming days, I look forward to sharing my vision about the future of the Democratic Party of Illinois with the members of the State Central Committee. I want to thank Mike Madigan for his service to the Democratic Party.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Sen. Durbin…
“Democrats in Illinois are in our strongest position ever. We cannot rest on our laurels, and we must take this opportunity to look honestly at where we are now, as well as look to the future and lead by example. That is why I am supporting my friend, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, to be the next Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“Robin spent twenty years in Peoria. She’s traveled to every corner of Illinois as a statewide candidate. And she represents a district that’s urban, suburban, and rural. Her experience in Congress, the state legislature, and managing an Illinois constitutional office afford her a breadth of important experience and skill sets. I cannot think of a better person to lead Democrats moving forward in Illinois.
“Alderwoman Michelle Harris is a friend, and she’s a proven leader — clearly evidenced by the trust the Mayor of Chicago has placed in her as City Council floor leader. I want to thank her for her candidacy, and know that whoever is Chair, our party will be in good hands.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** A member of the State Central Committee…
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I support my Good Friend Congresswomen Robyn Kelly to lead the Democratic Party of Illinois as our next Chair it’s time for a woman to lead this party. I am with Robyn 💯
I’m thinking this caption contest probably won’t be successful because 1) He’s a former Senator and y’all hate commenting about the Senate no matter what; and 2) He lost to Radogno in 1996, which is a very long time ago. But, whatevs. Let’s see. Maybe there’s enough old-timers interested in the Senate to push this up to double digits.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,246 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 34 additional deaths.
- Christian County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Cook County: 2 males 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 5 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 6 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 5 males 80s, 1 female 90s
- DuPage County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 80s
- Kane County: 1 male 50s
- Lake County: 1 male 70s
- LaSalle County: 1 female 90s
- Livingston County: 1 female 80s
- Madison County: 1 male 60s
- Peoria County: 1 male 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,175,655 cases, including 20,303 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 37,361 specimens for a total of 17,660,161. As of last night, 1,504 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 377 patients were in the ICU and 169 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 15–21, 2021 is 2.8%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 15–21, 2021 is 3.1%.
A total of doses of 2,256,975 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 445,200 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 2,702,175. A total of 2,211,700 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 282,820 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 55,499 doses. Yesterday, 59,748 doses were administered in Illinois.
*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.
* Dr. Ezike has an op-ed in the Tribune which reminds folks that the WHO didn’t think there’d even be a vaccine until mid-summer of this year at the earliest…
To date, Illinois has administered the fifth highest number of vaccine doses in the nation, punching above our population rank to do so. Indeed, 12% of our population has received their first dose, which is 15% of our 16+ population — higher than New York and Texas, and tied with California and Florida at time of writing. Ours was one of the first states to announce that those 65 and older would be eligible for vaccine in Phase 1b, because the federal cutoff of 75 and older would deny vaccine to too many Black and brown Illinoisans who were dying at a much earlier age.
But none of this changes a simple truth: There is not enough vaccine in America, or anywhere in the world. And because of it, residents across the nation are scrambling, desperate to secure a place in line for themselves and their loved ones.
The numbers are clear: As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has delivered about 73 million doses nationwide, including roughly 2.7 million to Illinois. While the federal government earmarks which doses are first doses, which are second doses, which are for long-term care facilities and which are for large cities, like Chicago, let’s ballpark those numbers: To date, enough vaccine has gone out the door to vaccinate 36 million Americans, or roughly 11% of the population.
* Tribune live coverage blog headlines…
Far fewer COVID-19 deaths in Illinois nursing homes, where residents and workers were prioritized for vaccination.
A tight job market is forcing some Chicagoans to switch careers, return to school in hopes of landing a job
Preckwinkle, Evanston mayor to tour popup vaccine clinic at senior apartment building
With doses in short supply, thousands of frustrated COVID-19 vaccine seekers are turning to social media for help and getting it
3 days, 10,000 doughnuts. Community rallies around Palatine bakery that asked for help online
Suburbanites are getting COVID-19 vaccine appointments on Chicago’s South and West sides. But should they?
* Yes, I know that he hasn’t even signed the bill as this is published, but my inbox is filling up. Posted in the order they were received starting with the IPHA…
Tom Hughes, Executive Director of the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), released the following statement on Monday:
“As leaders of local health departments, we serve on the frontlines of defending the public’s safety. It is our responsibility to not only protect communities from threats to their health, but to also address threats to the safety of people’s lives and wellbeing, which includes those lost or hurt by systemic racism. Today, we fully recognize the fact that racism is a public health crisis, and commend Gov. JB Pritzker for taking steps to end this crisis by signing House Bill 3653 into law and reforming the criminal justice system in Illinois.”
“In 2020, we joined communities in mourning the lives lost to systemic racism, including the horrific killing of George Floyd, as well as the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and countless others. Structural racism has existed in the criminal justice system for far too long, and House Bill 3653 seeks to make significant changes to help ensure the protection of the civil rights of all people and abolish discriminatory law enforcement strategies, which are goals also shared by the IPHA.
“Structural and systemic racism are woven into everyday life for people of color. We have stood with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus in raising their voices against the injustices that have occurred in the past, and we thank them for developing policies to help prevent acts of racism and violence from happening in the future. As an organization, the IPHA will continue to encourage local health departments to educate the public on ways that structural racism damages lives and communities, and to take an active role in tracking and analyzing data on how racism creates further disparities in health and safety.
“Today marks a historic chapter in advancing our state and improving the physical, mental and emotional health of residents in Illinois. Again, we thank the governor for signing this legislation into law that will help end an epidemic that has threatened and claimed too many lives in our state. We look forward to continue working with the governor, our state legislature and our local community leaders to complete our mission of making a safer and healthier Illinois for all.”
Today Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is set to sign a dangerous bill into law that would end cash bail in Illinois.
Police officers say Illinoisians are “going to see a lot of criminals let loose on the streets.” New York’s experience with cashless bail law is evidence that they’re probably right.
So why have Sean Casten, Lauren Underwood, and Cheri Bustos been silent about a reckless policy that will put their constituents in danger?
Do Sean Casten, Lauren Underwood, and Cheri Bustos support Pritzker’s pro-crime agenda?
* Press release…
Since 2016, the Coalition to End Money Bond and (since 2019) the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice have been organizing alongside impacted communities, advocates, legislators, and faith leaders to end wealth-based pretrial incarceration. Today, that system will face its demise when Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signs the Pretrial Fairness Act into law. The legislation, written by members of the Coalition and Network, transforms the state’s pretrial justice system by implementing a series of common sense reforms, most notably ending the use of money bail to determine who is released while awaiting trial. A diverse array of organizations from across the state endorsed the historic legislation, including racial justice activists, former law enforcement officials, and advocates against domestic violence and sexual assault. In all, more than 100 community, faith-based, and policy organizations have endorsed the legislation, which will have a dramatic effect on the state’s pretrial system.
The Pretrial Fairness Act is contained in HB 3653, criminal justice omnibus bill championed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. The omnibus bill was developed in response to Black Lives Matter protests that erupted in every corner of Illinois and across the nation last summer. Legislators saw the unprecedented protests as a mandate to bring sweeping changes to the state’s criminal justice system.
“By signing this historic legislation into law, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois legislature have taken a bold step to stand with the millions of people that took to the streets in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. All too often, these calls for desperately needed changes to our criminal justice system have been met with empty rhetoric. By ending money bond, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois legislature are setting an example of what prioritizing racial justice and implementing real criminal justice reform looks like,” said Olivia Butts of Black Lives Matter Bloomington-Normal, a member organization of the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice.
From Rockford to East St.Louis and everywhere in between, wealth-based incarceration has destabilized communities by caging people not because they pose a danger to the community but because of the size of their bank account. Ninety percent of people incarcerated in Illinois’ 92 county jails are awaiting trial, and a majority of them are caged only because they can’t afford to pay a money bond. This destabilization has made our communities less safe, even while claiming to be done in the name of public safety. The Pretrial Fairness Act will impact tens of thousands of people every year who previously would have been incarcerated while awaiting trial, sometimes for years at a time, due to poverty.
“In 30 seconds, a judge set my money bond at $20,000 and changed the course of my life. I spent 14 months in jail. As a consequence, I lost my business, housing, and I nearly lost custody of my children. When I heard that Governor Pritzker was signing the Pretrial Fairness Act, I began to cry knowing that never again will families in our state experience the pain mine did,” said Lavette Mayes, an advocate with the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice and the Coalition to End Money Bond.
“The signing of the Pretrial Fairness Act is a victory for people across the state. It shows what is possible when communities organize together to address racism and systemic inequality. People incarcerated pretrial are coerced into accepting plea deals that result in longer prison sentences and even more arrests in the future. By ending money bond, Illinois is not just ending wealth-based pretrial incarceration, we are beginning to meaningfully address mass incarceration,” said Sharone Mitchell, Director of the Illinois Justice Project, a member organization of the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice and the Coalition to End Money Bond.
* Leader Durkin…
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) released the following statement on the signing of House Bill 3653 into law:
“The Governor’s support of House Bill 3653 is an insult to our first responders, law enforcement and the law-abiding citizens of Illinois who want to live free of violence and destruction from the criminal element. It’s clear that Governor Pritzker does not understand this bill and what it means to our criminal justice system. Illinois and its citizens will not be safer because of this bill.
We live in a civilized state where our elected officials’ greatest responsibility is the health and safety of Illinois citizens. This past year, Chicago has been traumatized with epic acts of violence through murders and car-jackings with no apparent end in sight. At a crucial time when we should coalesce around the good men and women of law enforcement, Governor Pritzker has turned his back on them with his signature on House Bill 3653.”
* Rep. Mazzochi…
State Representative Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) released the following statement in response to the signing of House Bill 3653, an omnibus crime and policing bill:
“Governor Pritzker today is signing HB 3653 at a vacant college campus, and heralding it as a model of reform. It was a bill that could only be passed by squelching debate, the barest of majorities, in the dead of night, in a lame duck session. It was opposed by a bipartisan coalition of DuPage legislators. It also was opposed by the law enforcement agencies and municipalities in my and surrounding districts.
No-one disputes our police should be accountable to the people they protect and serve. But for any bill, you have to ask, who is better off as a result of this bill? Not honest police officers. Not prosecutors and judges who try to keep dangerous people off the street. Not families who live in neighborhoods that need law enforcement to keep them safe.
Governor Pritzker is one of the wealthiest men in the nation. He can afford to hire personal security and insulate himself from the consequences of this legislation. The rest of us are on our own.
In 2018, the General Assembly enacted sweeping bail reform changes so that the rest of Illinois would have to follow Chicago practices. It has not made us safer or better. In DuPage County we experienced the negative impacts of the last “reform”, including increased failures to appear in court; increased carjackings; and home invasions. As just one example, in August, three men terrorized and threatened two families in DuPage. One of those men was wearing an ankle monitor from a previous arrest and was able to participate in these heinous crimes as a result of previously lowering bail standards.
Rather than learn from that, the Democrats in the General Assembly and Governor Pritzker today are doubling down on dysfunction.
It is shameless pandering for political favor within the activist wing of the Democratic party, and comes at the cost of people’s personal safety. This is not acceptable.
Governor Pritzker is failing at Government 101: keeping our residents protected, safe, and secure in their homes and lives.”
I will probably put most legislative responses on the live coverage post, but I wanted to give you a sample here. Also, to my knowledge, the bill’s sponsors do not have bodyguards.
…Adding… ILGOP…
“Governor Pritzker will regret signing HB 3653, an outgrowth of the “defund police” movement. In signing this bill, the Governor is willfully undermining public safety - endangering citizens, emboldening criminals, and making Illinois less safe for families.
Don’t just take it from me. Every police association in this state has condemned this bill.
With the ending of cash bail, HB 3653 mandates the immediate release of persons arrested for burglary, arson, and kidnapping onto our streets while they await trial. The bill legalizes resistance to arrest in many cases and allows anonymous complaints to end a police officer’s career. If a body cam malfunctions or is not turned on properly during an incident, the police officer could now face a class 3 felony and up to five years in jail. Pritzker’s signing of this bill has ensured that police protection in Illinois will become more passive and criminals will become more aggressive.
It’s no surprise that in a recent statewide poll of law enforcement, 66% of police officers will now consider retiring early. Standing firmly behind the thin blue line, Illinois Republicans are appalled at the signing of this bill representing an all out attack on both public safety and the brave men and women who provide it.” - Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy
This anonymous complaints thing is truly weird to me. If somebody is eventually prosecuted for wrongdoing, who cares how the first tip came in the door? I mean, the police have been soliciting and acting on anonymous tips forever.
* Paul Schimpf…
Today, Senator Paul Schimpf, Republican Candidate for Governor released the following statement in response to Governor Pritzker signing House Bill 3653:
“By signing HB 3653 into law today, JB Pritzker failed the people of Illinois in terms of both policy and leadership. Adamantly opposed by nearly all Illinois law enforcement leaders, HB 3653 makes Illinois communities and families less safe. Even more troubling, the legislation’s passage during an overnight, lame-duck session vote lacked meaningful scrutiny and review. As Governor, I will veto all legislation that fails to comply with minimum levels of transparency.”
* The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge, FOP Labor Council, FOP Chicago Lodge 7, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police…
“In signing this bill into law, Governor Pritzker chose to listen to a few strident political voices rather than the 120,000 petition signing citizens who plainly saw the bill for what it is. This new law is a blatant move to punish an entire, honorable profession that will end up hurting law-abiding citizens the most. Because we are sworn to protect and serve the public, we sincerely hope that we will not be proven right about this new law, that it won’t cause police officers to leave the profession in droves and handcuff those who remain so they can’t stop crimes against people and property. Please don’t let us measure its dismal failure by the shattered lives it produces. We urge all citizens to remember who supported this law, and keep that in mind the next time they look to the police in Illinois for the protection they can no longer provide.”
* Alliance for Safety and Justice…
Governor J.B Pritzker today signed a comprehensive public safety reform package – spearheaded by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus – that prioritize rehabilitation and supports communities most impacted by crime but least served by the current criminal justice system. The legislation’s reforms include improvements to the state’s sentence credit program to reduce recidivism and over-incarceration, as well as a lowering of barriers for crime survivors to access victim services – changes championed by the Alliance for Safety and Justice, with widespread support among crime survivors throughout Illinois. HB 3653 is part of a years-long effort to make communities safer by tackling unaddressed trauma and ending cycles of crime.
“For far too long, the criminal justice system has focused on over-incarceration policies and ignored crime survivors’ public safety priorities – but today, Governor Pritzker has set Illinois on a course towards a safer and more equitable future,” said Aswad Thomas, managing director of the Alliance for Safety and Justice’s flagship program, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. “These reforms are critical to addressing trauma and fostering healthier communities, while focusing on rehabilitative approaches that stop cycles of crime. Governor Pritzker, the Legislative Black Caucus, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul deserve immense credit for prioritizing crime victims and public safety with this historic legislation.”
“Thanks to Governor Pritzker and the state legislature, Illinois is making major progress toward rethinking public safety and advancing new approaches to make communities safer,” said Lenore Anderson, President of the Alliance for Safety and Justice. “Through investments in prevention, rehabilitation, and the expansion of victim services, Illinois leaders are supporting communities that have been long neglected by the current system. Improving public safety and public health go hand in hand.”
“I know firsthand about the trauma and pain that comes from losing a loved one, but with today’s bill signing, communities across Illinois will now have the tools to heal and be made safer,” said Bertha Purnell, coordinator of the Chicago chapter for Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. “Illinois crime survivors supported this bill because we need policies addressing the root causes of crime, as well as expanded victims services for communities left behind by the current system. Thanks to Governor Pritzker, today is a victory for crime survivors and for those who want safer communities for all.”
“Today, Illinois has become a shining example for how we can approach public safety to make our communities safer, fairer, and more just,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth. “With the signing of this bill, we’re standing firmly on the side of crime survivors as we commit to addressing trauma and ending cycles of crime. The reforms we’ve enacted will shift our priorities towards prevention and rehabilitation – which has been proven to make communities safer. I’m proud to support this historic legislation alongside Governor Pritzker and the Legislative Black Caucus as we look towards a safer and fairer Illinois.”
* ILBC…
Members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus (ILBC) joined Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton Monday to celebrate the signing of House Bill 3653, a historic measure to advance fairness and equity in the criminal justice system, into law.
“These landmark reforms begin a process of building trust through accountability and addressing elements of our criminal justice system that contribute to mass incarceration and the unjust criminalization of people of color,” said state Rep. Sonya Harper, Joint Chair for the ILBC. “These measures begin to build a smarter system where sentencing and bail decisions are based on the safety of the public rather than the wealth and skin color of the defendant, and where bad actors in our police departments are held accountable while those who serve with integrity have the resources they need.”
“These reforms should merely be the first steps we take to transform criminal justice in Illinois,” said state Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, the chief sponsor of the law in the state senate. “We must reimagine accountability. We must reimagine transparency. We must reimagine incarceration. These reforms are a beginning.”
“This historic moment is the result of a monumental effort on the part of countless people, from those who testified during the 30 hours of public hearings on these issues, to those who have pushed for some of these reforms for years, and especially to the Illinoisans who signaled their support,” Sims said. “I thank them for lifting up their voices and never giving up, and I thank Gov. Pritzker for making these measures the law of the land. The journey continues.”
“HB 3653 is a bold and transformative initiative that comprehensively brings fairness and equity to our criminal justice system,” said state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, who shepherded the measure through the state house. “By effectively addressing police reform, mass incarceration and violence reduction, HB 3653 enhances public safety for all communities.”
“Today is a historic first step toward winning real safety and justice in our communities,” said Black Caucus Senate Chair state Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago. “The road to this point has been long and has been filled with difficulties, but after we celebrate today’s victory, we must keep up the fight. The public health, economic and systemic racism crises are still impacting our lives on a daily basis.”
“This is a great day for our community, and it also holds a special place for me personally. Long before I joined the Senate, I was a community organizer, and one of the major issues I fought for was ending money bond,” said Peters. “It’s a bit surreal to be standing here today to see that the fight paid off and money bond will soon be abolished at a state level, and it inspires me to keep up advocating for our communities. At the end of the day this isn’t about me, but all of us, working toward making everyone in this state whole.”
“The signing of HB 3653 is monumental. We built a broad coalition, led by advocates and activists, to push to create real reform. This legislation is a step forward to address generations of systemic inequity. We’ve called this criminal justice reform, but the truth is that we don’t actually have a criminal justice system because we have seen no justice,” said Black Caucus House Chair state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago. “No justice for victims, no justice for the criminally accused and criminally involved, and no justice for the communities that have been left in the wake. We have a criminal legal system that focuses more on convictions, sentencing and profits than on addressing deficiencies, people and correction. We now have an opportunity to lead the nation by showing what a more just, equitable, transparent and accountable system looks like. It’s time for all of us to turn the corner and push Illinois in the right direction.”
“I was touched when I heard from so many people from every walk of life that enough was enough during the Black Lives Matter movement protests last spring. That spurred me, as chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, to initiate our four-pillar policy reform process,” said Senate Majority Leader Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford, D-Maywood, who served as Black Caucus chair from January 2015 to January 2021. “I am so proud that we have taken this historic step to rid Illinois of systemic racism. As a Black woman and a mother, I look forward to a day when our children can turn to the police with trust instead of fear, and this law is the first step we need to get there.”
* Illinois Justice Project…
This package of criminal justice reforms is nothing short of historic. Long debated and long necessary, the changes in policing, prosecution and incarceration will make the system more fair and our communities safer.
Many in law enforcement have acknowledged the need for improvements and have embraced change. Yet, some opponents used scare tactics in an attempt to derail the reforms. We commend Gov. Pritzker for rejecting their demagogic and false claims and urge everyone in the system to work together to implement these steps to make our communities safer.
We are especially grateful to the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, whose members fought so hard for these reforms, listened to all sides and refined the bill for months prior to passage by the General Assembly. Sen. Elgie Sims and Representatives Robert Peters and Justin Slaughter were tenacious in their pursuit of these reforms, especially the abolition of the requirement to pay cash to leave jail before trial.
The end of cash bond – one of the most important reforms – will put meaning into our criminal justice system’s ‘presumption of innocence.’ When effective in two years, judges will be able to detain anyone determined to be a threat to the community or unlikely to return for a court date, but no one else will be required to come up with cash to buy their release from jail prior to a trial.
The dozens of organizations and individuals making up the Coalition to End Money Bond are indicative of the large number of supporters, which includes two of the state’s leading prosecutors – Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Lake County State’s Attorney Eric F. Rinehart.
* John Howard Association…
JHA is thrilled that the Governor signed House Bill (HB) 3653, omnibus criminal justice reform legislation, now known as the SAFE-T Act (Safety Accountability Fairness Equity Today) into law. There is more work to be done, but with the enactment of this law, Illinois takes an important step towards achieving a better system for our state — one that prioritizes equity and fairness along with public safety and smart resource allocation.
JHA is Illinois’ only independent citizen correctional oversight organization. Our work and mission are focused on increasing the transparency of our criminal justice system and shining a light on problems and unfairness in order to address issues and hold systems accountable. It is in identifying what we are doing wrong, exposing it, and advancing reforms to rectify these wrongs that we can begin to have a system that recognizes and respects the dignity and humanity of all people.
This legislation, in pieces, has been a long time in coming. Some key reforms ushered in by the SAFE-T Act include:
Eliminating a wealth-based system of bail that penalizes the poor without improving public safety or justice system outcomes
Reforming how police are trained, should behave on the job, and held accountable to performing their responsibilities with honesty and fairness
Recognizing the need to increase publicly available information about the men and women who die while in the custody of criminal justice agencies without loved ones available
Reducing unnecessary restrictions of liberty imposed upon criminal justice-involved people
These are not new ideas, conversations, or even legislative proposals in Illinois. It has taken years to recognize and respond to the urgent needs of people impacted by our criminal justice system that have too long been discussed but not addressed.
Improved systems of policing, criminal legal processes, and correctional outcomes help our communities and make better use of limited resources and taxpayer funds.
JHA believes that HB 3653 will lead to important system improvements. Included in the SAFE-T Act are two specific provisions that we championed: the modernization of the Mandatory Supervised Release (MSR) statute and the establishment of the Death in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA).
* Speaker Welch…
“For too long, systemic racism has plagued our criminal justice system. In fact, it has been used to perpetuate a system of injustice. Today, I am proud to say that our state is taking steps to end that. I applaud Governor Pritzker for swiftly signing this bill into law; and I especially applaud my colleagues in the General Assembly who have been working towards this for years. Being Black or Brown in America is not a crime. Being poor in America is not crime. Today our laws will reflect that a bit more. But there’s certainly more to do.”
* Restore Justice…
Thank you, Governor JB Pritzker and members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. This afternoon, Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 3653, Senate Amendment 2 into law.
This extensive, multi-faceted legislation will address some of the most devastating, racially unjust practices that plague Illinois communities. It will end wealth-based pretrial incarceration, improve Illinois’s sentencing laws, ensure police officers wear body cameras, require the Illinois Department of Corrections to provide information about deaths in custody, and end prison gerrymandering, among other much-needed changes. Here’s a summary of the omnibus legislation.
Restore Justice is particularly grateful legislators included felony-murder reform in this bill. Read our testimony about the felony-murder law. Until this newly passed proposal takes effect, Illinois has one of the broadest felony murder-statutes in the country. This law incarcerates children and young adults for murders they didn’t commit. It doesn’t make us safer, but it does rob these young people of their futures and their families and communities of their voices. The majority of states either don’t have felony-murder statutes or only hold people accountable for deaths they or their co-defendants cause. HB 3653, SA 2 will move Illinois into that category.
It’s long past time to make Illinois’s laws fairer and to acknowledge the role racism plays at every stage of the criminal legal system. Passing this omnibus bill and fixing the felony-murder statute are important steps in advancing justice in our state.
Lawmakers held more than 30 hearings about this bill and have been discussing the provisions for years. Committee leaders invited all stakeholders to the table for these conversations. The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus crafted the bill and included proposals that have been debated and made progress in previous sessions. Thank you to the entire Legislative Black Caucus, especially Illinois Senate Criminal Law Committee Chairman Elgie Sims (D-Chicago), Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), and Representative Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago). Thank you for leading the way to make Illinois a better state.
…Adding… Gov. Pritzker…
Building on efforts to create a more equitable and safe criminal justice system, Governor JB Pritzker signed landmark legislation that transforms Illinois’ criminal justice system. This landmark legislation ends a pretrial detention system that benefits the wealthy, expands training and wellness programs for law enforcement, modernizes sentencing laws, and prioritizes treatment and rehabilitation for low-level drug crimes.
“This legislation marks a substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism that plagues our communities, our state and our nation and brings us closer to true safety, true fairness and true justice,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In this terrible year, in the middle of a brutal viral pandemic that hurt Black people and Brown people disproportionately, lawmakers fought to address the pandemic of systemic racism in the wake of national protests. This bill was also infused with solutions from individuals most directly impacted: survivors of domestic violence, survivors of crime, and those who have been detained pre-trial only because they are poor. Today we advance our values in the law – progress secured despite the pandemic, because of the passion and push of the Legislative Black Caucus, activists, advocates, and residents intent on leaving a better Illinois for all our children.”
“Black History is about monumental moments and movements that serve as catalysts for change. Today, with the signing of HB 3653, it is both,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for Governor Pritzker and members of the Illinois Black Caucus. They used their seats of power to effectuate change that will alter the trajectory of lives, families, and entire communities for generations to come.”
House Bill 3653 expands safety, fairness, and justice by transforming the state’s criminal justice system and enacting statewide police reforms through the following:
• Moves Illinois from a system of pretrial detention that prioritizes wealth, to one that prioritizes public safety.
• Diverts low-level drug crimes into substance use programs and treatments.
• Modernizes sentencing laws and streamlines the victims’ compensation system.
• Requires more investments in officer training, mental health, and officer wellness.
• Expands training opportunities for officers, requires health and wellness services for officers, and protects officers from unjust lawsuits based on their reasonable actions.
• Sets statewide standards on use of force, crowd control responses, de-escalation, and arrest techniques.
• Requires the use of body-worn cameras by police departments statewide.
• Professionalizes policing through the creation of a more robust certification system and lays out clear standards and processes for decertification.
• Expands accountability across police departments by requiring the permanent retention of police misconduct records and removes the sworn affidavit requirement when filing police misconduct complaints.
• Requires police departments to develop plans to protect vulnerable people present during search warrant raids.
• Eliminates license suspensions for unpaid fines and fees due to red light camera and traffic offenses.
• Ends prison gerrymandering.
• Expands services for crime victims.
“These reforms should merely be the first steps we take to transform criminal justice in Illinois,” said State Senator Elgie Sims. “We must reimagine accountability. We must reimagine transparency. We must reimagine incarceration. These reforms are a beginning. This historic moment is the result of a monumental effort on the part of countless people, from those who testified during the 30 hours of public hearings on these issues, to those who have pushed for some of these reforms for years, and especially to the Illinoisans who signaled their support. I thank them for lifting up their voices and never giving up, and I thank Gov. Pritzker for making these measures the law of the land. The journey continues.”
“HB 3653 is a bold and transformative initiative that comprehensively brings fairness and equity to our criminal justice system,” said State Representative Justin Slaughter. “By effectively addressing police reform, mass incarceration, and violence reduction, HB 3653 will enhance public safety for all communities. The time is now to go from protest to progress.”
“As a former community organizer, I fought side by side with the Coalition to End Money Bond,” said State Senator Robert Peters. “Today, to see that the fight paid off and that money bond will soon be abolished at the state level inspires me to continue fighting for our communities. Together we must continue to work toward making everyone in this state whole.”
“The historical inequities of our criminal justice system do not just disappear with the passage of time; that takes effort and courage,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “Today I thank the Governor and our legislators for their effort and courage, doing what it takes us to lead us into a brighter future. For a decade now we’ve worked to reduce our reliance on the antiquated system of cash bail in Cook County; and our efforts have shown that we have been able to do so safely. This work, coupled with the decades of advocacy and expertise from throughout the state and from the communities most affected by crime, have informed this brave and just piece of legislation.”
“The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence commends Governor Pritzker on signing into law HB 3653,” said Amanda Pyron, Executive Director of The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence. “This bill provides for detention hearings for those accused of domestic and sexual violence, while ensuring those accused of non-violent crimes are not punished for being poor. Survivors will have notice of hearings and the opportunity to obtain orders of protection in the pre-trial phase. The Network applauds Governor Pritzker and the Legislative Black Caucus for protecting survivors and advancing racial equity through criminal justice reform. Justice for survivors cannot be achieved without racial and economic justice.”
HB 3653 was the result of years of work by community advocates, lawmakers, and members of law enforcement. The legislation was an initiative of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and the culmination of nine public hearings, 30 hours of testimony, and countless meetings with law enforcement, community members, and advocates.
HB 3653 is effective July 1, 2021, except for certain provisions that are effective either January 1, 2022 (use of force changes), January 1, 2023 (Pretrial Fairness Act), and January 1, 2025 (prison gerrymandering).
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today applauded Governor JB Pritzker for signing into law criminal justice reform legislation that includes Raoul’s initiative to improve the police certification and decertification process. The measure is part of Attorney General Raoul’s ongoing work to advocate for policies that make lasting, systemic change to policing in Illinois. The new law also includes Raoul’s proposals to allow the Attorney General’s office to conduct pattern-and-practice investigations of civil rights violations by law enforcement and improve services for survivors of crimes.
“By signing this law, Governor Pritzker puts Illinois firmly on the path toward improved services for crime victims, comprehensive criminal justice reform and constitutional policing,” Raoul said. “I am proud of the continued work and collaboration between my office, law enforcement, advocates and legislators to enact meaningful new laws that will not only promote professionalism, increase transparency and restore the public’s trust in law enforcement, but also enhance services available to victims of crime. While today is a significant step forward, lasting reform is a constant work in progress, and I am committed to continuing to work alongside our partners in law enforcement to improve policing in communities across Illinois.”
“This legislation marks a substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism that plagues our communities, our state and our nation and brings us closer to true safety, true fairness and true justice,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In this terrible year, in the middle of a brutal viral pandemic that hurt Black people and Brown people disproportionately, lawmakers fought to address the pandemic of systemic racism in the wake of national protests. This bill was also infused with solutions from individuals most directly impacted: survivors of domestic violence, survivors of crime, and those who have been detained pre-trial only because they are poor. Today we advance our values in the law – progress secured despite the pandemic, because of the passion and push of the Legislative Black Caucus, activists, advocates, and residents intent on leaving a better Illinois for all our children.”
House Bill 3653 was sponsored by Sen. Elgie Sims and Rep. Justin Slaughter and includes Raoul’s proposal for improving the police certification and decertification process that focuses on three key areas for reform: creating uniformity for officers and departments across the state, promoting professionalism in law enforcement, and increasing transparency.
Before this new law, the ways in which law enforcement and state’s attorneys investigate and take action in response to officer misconduct varied from department to department. Additionally, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) could decertify an officer only in the event of a felony conviction and a limited list of misdemeanors. Raoul’s measure will improve the police certification and decertification process in Illinois by creating uniformity during the review process to allow for investigations of serious officer misconduct that may not automatically lead to decertification but still warrants a review of the officer’s actions. The law also promotes professionalism by creating a mandatory reporting system to ensure officers are in compliance with state professionalism standards. Additionally, Raoul’s measure will increase transparency by improving information sharing between hiring departments, departments and prosecutors, and the ILETSB and the public.
Attorney General Raoul’s proposal to give the Illinois Attorney General’s office clear authority under state law to investigate and resolve patterns or practices of unconstitutional policing by local and state agencies also was included in the legislation and signed into law today. Raoul previously led discussions with Congressional leadership to ensure federal law gives state attorneys general authority to conduct investigations into patterns or practices of unconstitutional policing. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 was amended as a result, and the legislation was passed last year by the U.S. House of Representatives – but not by the U.S. Senate. The law signed today codifies the Illinois Attorney General’s authority to conduct such investigations in state law.
Additionally, Governor Pritzker signed into law Raoul’s improvements to the state’s Crime Victim Compensation Program that would enable the Attorney General’s office to more efficiently administer benefits in order to make resources more accessible to survivors. Modernizing the program not only will allow the Attorney General’s office to better meet crime victims’ immediate needs but also will contribute to breaking the cycle of community violence.
The Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau enforces state and federal civil rights laws to prohibit discrimination in Illinois, and advocates for legislation to strengthen those laws. Raoul encourages people who need to file a complaint to do so online or by calling the Civil Rights Hotline at 1-877-581-3692.
Attorney General Raoul encourages individuals who have been impacted by a violent crime to call his office’s Crime Victims Assistance Line at 1-800-228-3368 or visit the Attorney General’s website.
* Sen. John Curran on behalf of the SGOP caucus…
On Monday, Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 3653 into law. The 700+ page legislation makes sweeping changes to Illinois’ criminal justice system, and the bill was opposed by nearly every law enforcement organization in the state. In response to the signing of the legislation, Illinois State Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) issued the following statement:
“Gov. Pritzker has enacted this hyper-partisan legislation against the strong objections of nearly every law enforcement organization in the state, and against the great concern of the general public.
“This 700-plus page proposal was rammed through in the middle of the night with just hours left in a Lame Duck session without the transparency and discourse expected in a democratic process.
“There are some positives in this legislation – specifically the changes that make it easier to reprimand and de-certify bad actors in law enforcement who have broken the public’s trust. Unfortunately, the negatives, which could have been further negotiated had the sponsors been open to bipartisan support, will undoubtedly make our communities less safe.
“Since House Bill 3653 passed, Senate Republicans have hosted about 30 virtual town halls with our local law enforcement groups in an attempt to better understand how these provisions will negatively affect their departments and our communities. We will be addressing some of their biggest concerns through legislation to be introduced this session to help ensure Illinois communities are safe for all.”
* Press release…
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said Monday he was proud to participate in the enactment of a law adding new criminal justice protections including the end of cash bail, a mandate for police body cameras and increased police training.
The SAFE-T Act, which includes the Pretrial Fairness Act, was signed into law Monday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“While we are finally ending the injustice of dangerous people buying their freedom, we are also codifying what each of us know to be true — no one should be in jail simply because they are poor,” State’s Attorney Rinehart said.
He joined several other officials, including Attorney General Kwame Raoul, in explaining the importance of the new law in establishing both equality and increased safety.
“Unjustly jailing those who pose no risk to the community creates a ripple effect, perpetuating cycles of poverty and crime,” Rinehart said, thanking the governor, as well as other leaders and legislators, who championed the reform bill.
“Thank you to the General Assembly for boldly proclaiming that the criminal justice system must do more to protect all people,” he said.
State’s Attorney Rinehart said reforms in the bill will better protect victims from their abusers, “because judges can end the turn-style that releases those who would use their wealth to evade jail.”
“For this reason, the most pre-eminent victims’ advocate groups support this reform,” he said. “The most accomplished and passionate advocates for victims support this bill”
The State’s Attorney said that instead of turning questions of liberty and justice “into ones of dollars and cents,” judges will have to clearly state why they believe someone should be held or released.
“This transparency will take us inside a judge’s reasoning, and is critical in a system that has failed to live up to the ideal of “’equal justice for all,’” he said
“Good and principled people now have the tools they need to fight systemic discrimination, to bring transparency and accountability to policing, and to ensure that justice is determined by the merit of the matter, and not race, gender, access to money,” Rinehart said.
* Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities…
“With Governor JB Pritzker’s signature on House Bill 3653, Illinois has taken real steps to further safety, justice, and behavior health interests for all communities across the state.
The TASC Center for Health & Justice’s recommendations to the State’s deflection statute, incorporated in the new law, move deflection toward a broader public health and prevention design, encouraging implementation consistent with emerging best practices, and supporting development and implementation in marginalized communities.
The new law connects substance use programs with first responder duties by expanding the definition of “deflection” to also make non-law enforcement first responders—EMS and fire departments—eligible to lead deflection programs and apply for state grant money. The law also explicitly acknowledges co-responder approaches that incorporate behavioral health professionals, social workers, or peers at the scene and in follow-up care.
Moreover, an end to the State’s wealth-based incarceration through the elimination of cash bail and an end to prison gerrymandering that counts people in prison at their prison residences (rather than legal home residences) for purposes of redistricting are fundamental, needed, and transformational changes.”
* Sen. Jason Barickman wants to recriminalize small amounts of cannabis possession for those under 21 with SB299…
Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Provides that a person under 21 years of age who possesses 30 grams or less of cannabis is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor (rather than a civil law violation). Provides that a person under 21 years of age who possesses more than 30 grams of cannabis is subject to the penalties provided in the Cannabis Control Act. Effective immediately.
* Meanwhile, similar telehealth legislation was proposed last May and didn’t survive…
The Coalition to Protect Telehealth has announced support for a legislative proposal to protect Illinoisans’ access to the innovative telehealth services they have relied on receiving from health care professionals and providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Introduced by State Rep. Deb Conroy (46th House District), House Bill 3498 ensures quality, affordable and safe virtual healthcare that improves patient outcomes by reducing access barriers will continue to be provided after the COVID-19 pandemic. Critically, the legislation aligns telehealth coverage and payment with in-person care, making appropriate patient access to care the priority.
“Over the last year, we’ve seen significant, rapid development in telehealth technology. Initially spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, both state and federal government enacted policy changes to make telehealth services easier to access and, as a result, healthcare providers, professionals and patients have seen that virtual care preserves quality and safety, while also accommodating patients’ individual needs,” said Rep. Conroy. “Illinois should support this continued investment in telehealth and the important role it will play in modernizing healthcare delivery and empowering patients.”
Importantly, House Bill 3498 prohibits geographic or facility restrictions on telehealth services, and allows patients to be treated via telehealth in their home. The legislation establishes patients will not be required to use a separate panel of providers or professionals to receive telehealth services, nor would they be required to prove a hardship or access barrier in order to receive telehealth services. The legislation further protects patient preference by establishing a patient cannot be required to use telehealth services.
Additionally, House Bill 3498 gives healthcare providers and professionals the professional latitude to determine the appropriateness of specific sites and technology platforms for telehealth services, while upholding federal and state privacy laws.
Even as in-person visits have resumed, telehealth use has remained at a persistent and significant level, with strong indication from patients, healthcare providers and professionals that this flexibility to access care must be maintained permanently.
Telehealth use has been demonstrated to increase care plan adherence and improved chronic disease management, and in recent surveys, over 70% of Illinois hospital respondents and 78% of community-based behavioral healthcare respondents reported that telehealth has helped drive a reduction in the rates at which patients missed appointments. Surveys of Illinois physicians, community health centers, and specialized mental health and substance use disorder treatment providers have also revealed similar dramatic reductions in missed appointments.
Like clockwork, an Illinois lawmaker proposes a bill each legislative session to remove public notices from newspapers and instead post them only on government websites.
This session is no different. Rep. Jonathon Carroll (D-Northbrook) has introduced House Bill 811 with two co-sponsors — Rep. Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove) and Rep. Sam Yingling (D- Round Lake Beach). So far, the proposal has not been assigned to a committee.
But just as bills that have come and gone before it — Rep. Joseph Sosnowski introduced a similar proposal that was defeated in 2017 — HB 811 is a bad idea. And again, lawmakers should reject it.
Newspapers have played a vital role in providing transparency about government by publishing public notices. It has worked for more than 150 years. As the neutral third party, newspapers help protect government from denying the public information they have the right to know about such as meetings, hearings, court actions, contract bidding, unclaimed funds and more. Along with open meetings, freedom of information laws, public notices are an essential element to keeping government transparent.
But with Madigan still heading the statewide Democratic Party — the party to which Welch, Pritzker and Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park belong — and with Madigan’s continuing control of the political funds, Republicans would have even more ammunition to tie Democratic candidates to “dirty money” from Madigan, according to Redfield.
Madigan’s involvement with the campaign money also could confuse donors who in the past maximized the amount of money they could legally give to Democrats by donating to one of four funds controlled by Madigan, Redfield said. Madigan was able to legally transfer the money between funds.
But with Madigan no longer directly involved with legislation, donations to some of those funds would come with less assurance the money would influence bills or gain access to lawmakers, Redfield said.
Um, setting the “Madigan” question aside, wouldn’t it be a good thing if DPI contributions were no longer tied to state legislation? Some parts of that story were just… odd. For instance, despite the “Madigan” warnings to Senate Democrats, that caucus actually picked up a net seat last year, which wasn’t mentioned.
Bill Houlihan, a Springfield resident and an Illinois Democratic State Central Committee representative for the 18th Congressional District, wouldn’t comment on whether Madigan should resign.
Houlihan is Dick Durbin’s guy. Durbin has long wanted to control the state party and called on Madigan to quit the DPI chairmanship last year. Interesting that Houlihan wouldn’t comment now.
“I’m going to be an active Democrat. I will be an active Democrat in whatever role is available to me,” he said. Asked if he had made a decision about stepping down from the state party chairmanship, Madigan said, “We haven’t gotten to that bridge yet.” Asked when that would be, he said, “I have no idea.”
“I don’t feel a need to step down,” he said.
Others would differ, of course. Lots of others.
* The Question: Should Michael Madigan step aside as DPI Chair? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
* WGN-TV Political Reporter Tahman Bradley recently interviewed House Speaker Chris Welch. An excerpt…
TB: Let’s move on and discuss what the House will look like under Speaker Welch. Now, all bills filed on time will be required to be assigned to committees, but the committee chairmen can still decide whether or not they come to a vote. In other words, your committee chairmen can kill Republican ideas before they’re even brought up. So what’s different?
SCW: Well I mean first of all, I think that this is representative of a democracy. We are a super majority and we have the ability to govern the state because we won elections. But what our colleagues on the other side of the House should do is instead of complaining about rules that they helped to write many, many years ago - many of these same rules were in place when Lee Daniels was a Republican Speaker of the House - they should work their bills, they should work with those chairmen and get those bills out of committee, because the chairmen are in charge of those committees. And I think that’s very important. Not the speaker, not the minority leader, it’s each individual chairperson of those committees. They taught me as a freshman legislator eight years ago, work your bills, go to both sides of the aisle. Democrats and Republicans and my friends on the other side of the aisle should do that as well.
TB: Mr Speaker, why not allow an up or down vote on every bill that’s filed?
SCW: Well, you know, one of the things that the rules allow us to do is manage this process. Tahman, you’ve covered Springfield for a long time, a lot of bills get filed. We have to be out of there by May 31st at midnight, or a different process kicks in. And our friends on the other side of the aisle use a tactic to slow things down. We want to get things done, and they want to slow things down. And so if you don’t have rules in place that allow you to manage the process, they’ll kill good legislation just by slowing you down.
TB: Mr. Speaker, the Springfield practice of unveiling major pieces of legislation at the 11th Hour has long been complained about. What steps have you taken to end the practice of a lawmaker filing an amendment with only a few hours left in session? There are a couple minutes of debate and the next thing you know people are voting on something they’ve not read.
SCW: Well let me correct something that you said there. It’s been a long standing practice, but not because it’s a surprise. The negotiation process, many times you’re in working groups that have been going on for weeks and months, and the work of those working groups come about the agreement at the very last minute. And so, we have to eliminate the political spin and get past that rhetoric and recognize that a lot of amendments that are filed is the work of bipartisan working groups, agencies and several different parties. Just like with this past lame duck session with the Black Caucus pillars. Those bills were worked on for months, several people at the table. And so when there’s this talk that amendments were popping out at the last minute, that’s not quite true. Those things have been worked on for weeks and months as part of the process.
* The governor included funding for programs connected to the criminal justice reform bill in his proposed budget last week. The only real question was when he would sign the bill. Today’s the day…
Gov. JB Pritzker will sign a massive criminal justice reform bill Monday.
The bill, which is over 700 pages in length, will eliminate cash bail in Illinois. It will let [accused] criminal offenders be set free without waiting in jail for their court date if they cannot afford bail. A judge would issue pre-trial release conditions for Illinois offenders.
In addition, the bill would mandate the use of police body cameras for all officers and limit the use of force, among other changes.
The bill was met with some criticism by law enforcement and groups such as the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association, which said the bill “will profoundly undermine public safety and overturn long-standing common-sense policies and practices in the criminal justice system.” Others were critical of the bill potentially not being fully read through before it passed.
“In the wake of the last summer’s protests against police violence and the responses to the release of the video showing the humiliation and harassment of Anjanette Young, there is little doubt about the strong support for additional police accountability and criminal justice reform,” said Khadine Bennett, director of advocacy and intergovernmental affairs at the ACLU of Illinois in a statement.”
“Some of the backlash that you were hearing that you’re talking about is partisan in nature, so it shows to me that it is not about policy – it is about politics,” said state Sen. Elgie Sims Jr. (D-Chicago).
“There are some provisions in the bill that do take time to accomplish – so they don’t necessarily – the bill’s signed, and they need to implement it tomorrow,” said state Sen. David Welter (R-Morris). “There are portions of this bill that’ll be one, two years out.”
* It used to be, Bernie or somebody would ask statewide candidates if they’d ever smoked pot. Now, there may be a new question for Republican hopefuls…
Former state senator Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo) and 2022 GOP gubernatorial hopeful said he had no regrets voting for former President Donald Trump in 2020, but acknowledged that Trump “had his day in court” and “did not win.”
* It’ll be fun to hear Bailey answer this same question…
For the past week, State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Louisville, has been teasing an “important announcement about the future of Illinois” on Monday night.
Bailey is expected to announce he’s running for Illinois governor in the 2022 election.
His kickoff event is scheduled Monday from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Thelma Keller Convention Center in Effingham.
Bailey has already announced a multi-day tour through downstate Illinois with events in Marion, Highland, Bloomington, Utica, Loves Park and Shorewood throughout this week.
Schimpf also broke with former Illinois Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and said he thought the U.S. Supreme Court “wrongly decided” the case of Janus vs. AFSCME when the high court ruled in favor of an Illinois state worker who objected to paying non-member union dues.
“I would say I’m a centrist on union issues,” Schimpf said. “I think that unions play a positive force for good. When I think they are they are right, I will agree with them. For instance, I am opposed to right to work. But when I think they are wrong, for instance, when the unions heavily pushed for an increase in the minimum wage for Illinois teachers, I voted against that.”
His lifetime AFL-CIO voting record as of the end of 2019 was 35 percent.
“The 22nd District is a garden,” then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan told reporters several years ago when asked about his House district. Some thought it was funny, but he was serious. And he’s most definitely the head gardener.
I’ve often said that Madigan, who officially resigned from the House on Thursday after more than 50 years in the Legislature, ran the speaker’s office like he ran his ward and district offices. So the House was an even bigger garden than his home turf.
Madigan was, of course, a master fixer who took care of his members’ every need. And since he often preferred electing the sort of folks to his chamber who, um, didn’t always have the ability to fend for themselves, electorally or otherwise, his entire operation was like a big feedback loop. He elected members who needed his help and then he would help them whenever they asked, whether that was something as simple as tickets to a ballgame, campaign money, jobs and contracts, or even moving a state prisoner closer to home. You name it, he probably did it.
The more he did for them, the more control he had over them, although nothing was ever explicitly said. Favors for favors don’t have to be explained.
But it was far more than just mundane things. Madigan made the House’s trains run on time, and the way he did it required an immense amount of work and control. He said he was a fan of the way President Franklin Delano Roosevelt would bring all sides to the table to try and work out agreements, but balancing competing interests on countless pieces of legislation every year was never an easy task.
The result, however, was that most folks — including business groups — knew they could get a fair shake as long as Madigan was controlling things, even if they had to take it on the chin occasionally. There’s a reason why Illinois approved only tiny minimum wage increases until a billionaire liberal governor demanded much more.
Madigan spent endless hours every Sunday during session months reviewing details of every single introduced bill and amendment and figuring out what to do about the proposals and the sponsors and the involved interests groups. Conference committee reports used to be a thing (when there were disputes between the two chambers over amendments, small special committees were appointed to resolve the differences) but Madigan put an end to them after people other than himself tried to sneak through big stuff during the end of session rush.
Madigan wanted total control. He was convinced that was a good thing for his members, the House and, by extension, the state. And what he wanted, he usually got.
The careful planning, preparation, execution and, most importantly, control extended to the political side of his endeavors. Actually, it was all one thing. He set up some flimsy firewalls, but there was no real difference. His House chief of staff was also the executive director of his state party. His alderman ran his field operation. His best former campaign staffers became successful contract lobbyists and then oversaw House campaigns. A tiny handful of those elite lobbyists/campaigners even sat in on those aforementioned Sunday bill review meetings.
I asked Madigan years ago if he thought he’d ever get tired of it all. He said he viewed the job as a big, challenging puzzle, and as long as he enjoyed putting the puzzle together he would stick around. In the end, he didn’t have a choice in the matter. But the word I hear most from people who speak to him these days is that he’s “relieved” to be done with it all.
It just wasn’t fun anymore. Madigan took some big and justified heat a couple of years ago for his approach to sexual harassment within his sprawling operation. He’d always tried to quiet things down with, in his own words, “knock it off” warnings to the violators. In his mind, at least, that worked for years, but he belatedly realized it wasn’t enough. In order to maintain control, he was forced to dramatically change courses.
That intense scandal was the beginning of the end. The deep well of support for Madigan no longer was there when the feds busted ComEd and indicted some of his pals and publicly zeroed in on “Himself” like never before. And some of his members also grew tired of having their noses forcibly wiped for them and the submission to a flawed leader that act required. Enough of them revolted that they blocked his reelection as speaker, and now Madigan is left to tend a much smaller, friendlier garden, supposedly in peace.
* Meanwhile, here’s a roundup of the stories written about yesterday’s appointment of Madigan’s House successor Edward Guerra Kodatt and Madigan’s first press availability in many moons. Hannah Meisel’s story, posted first, has a special treat at the end…
