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Question of the day
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Center Square…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed Senate Bill 673, a bill that aims to help students find common ground when dealing with bullies rather than having them miss school.
Senate Bill 673 aims to help victims of bullying that are based on religion, race, ethnicity, or any other category that is identified in the Illinois Human Rights Act, instead of suspending students for bullying, school counselors and trained mediators would help guide the bully and the victim to find common ground.
Civil rights attorney and the author of the bill, Maaria Mozaffar, said this legislation finally gives students a chance to address their bullies in a non-confrontational manner.
“Think about all the students that have gone through bullying and how it scarred them because they did not know how to address it,” Mozaffar said. “This legislation gives those students a chance to deal with their problems.”
* The Question: Were you or any of your loved ones bullied in school? Tell us how it was dealt with.
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More corruption revealed at TRS
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Last year…
The state pension system for Illinois teachers spent nearly $700,000 on lawyers to investigate two top officials at Teachers’ Retirement System, one who was fired in June and the other who resigned in August after being placed on administrative leave.
The figure comes from TRS’s response to a Freedom of Information Act request from Illinois Times, which asked for billing records, personnel records and a copy of reports outlining any allegations of wrongdoing by Richard Ingram, former TRS executive director who resigned in August, and Jana Bergschneider, the pension system’s chief financial officer, who was terminated by Ingram in July.
* Hannah Meisel today…
One year after the head of Illinois’ largest public employee pension fund resigned due to what the fund has only described at “performance issues,” a recently published report by the state’s chief ethics officer reveals the circumstances behind the departures of two more former high-ranking officials at the pension fund in 2020.
The former chief information officer at the Illinois’ Teachers’ Retirement System repeatedly directed contracts toward the company he founded and also lied about having severed ties with the company, according to a report published last month by Illinois Executive Inspector General Susan Haling. TRS manages the pensions of more than 427,000 current and retired teachers as well as pension beneficiaries.
The report centers on former CIO Jay Singh’s conflicts of interest, but also brings to light the firing of TRS’ former chief financial officer, Jana Bergschneider, who was fired last July as the investigation unfolded. Singh resigned in April of last year, two months after he was interviewed as part of an internal investigation into his conflicts of interest.
Singh began as the pension fund’s CIO in August 2019, but for 10 months before that, worked on a contract basis as a project manager for TRS’ Gemini Project, a custom software program built to administer a new defined contribution plan made available to teachers in a 2018 law.
While he was the contractual project manager on the Gemini Project, Singh steered three contract jobs to employees of Singh3 Consulting, the company he founded in 2015. According to the report, investigators found Singh put his thumb on the scale during the procurement process by electing not to review a submission for the work from a competing vendor and closely overseeing the scoring process for awarding the contract.
Go read the whole thing. The OEIG report is here. A memo to TRS members is here.
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Corngate continues!
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We talked about “Corngate” yesterday…
The results are in and Gary Rabine, candidate for Governor, was the clear winner of the Illinois State Fair Straw Poll.
The Illinois Republican Party tent conducted a straw poll during the State Fair. Fair goers had the option of putting corn in the jar of their favorite candidate and Gary Rabine was the undisputed straw poll winner.
The ILGOP jumped in to note that the party didn’t actually conduct a straw poll…
The “Corn Poll” was not monitored, no one counted the corn at the end of each day and it started over new the next day as a fun thing for folks to do when inside the tent.
* Sen. Darren Bailey objected to Rabine’s victory claim by, um, posting photos showing that “other/undecided” were ahead at one point…
* The post brought out the weird and the funny…
* And then today, Rabine refused to give up the crown of corn…
The gift that keeps on giving.
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Rep. Halpin announces state Senate campaign
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Today, State Rep. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) stood alongside local leaders, supporters and family at IBEW Local 145 to announce his candidacy for the Illinois State Senate.
Halpin started his career in public service working in constituent services for the late Congressman Lane Evans and he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2017. He’s the current Chairman of the Rock Island Democratic Party.
“Constituent services runs deep in the work I do,” Halpin said. “It’s what I carry with me when I’m in Springfield helping to protect Illinois workers, the health of our families, and the well-being of our kids. And I will continue to prioritize this work in the Senate.”
Halpin lives in Rock Island with his wife, MaryAnn, a health care worker, and their two children who attend Rock Island public schools. He earned his law degree from the University of Illinois and his bachelor’s degree from Roger Williams University.
He’s currently Chairman of the Personnel & Pensions Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee in the Illinois House.
“Mike Halpin’s understanding of people and what makes our community thrive has made him a successful State Representative, and that will only strengthen as he becomes a State Senator,” said Cory Bergfeld, business manager for IBEW Local 145.
The Democrats created a very winnable Senate district and some SDems have hoped Halpin would run.
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COVID-19 roundup
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Insane and vile…
Some of the most powerful QAnon influencers are urging their hundreds of thousands of followers to harass a Chicago hospital into treating an anti-vaccine activist with ivermectin.
Veronica Wolski, who’s known for boosting anti-vaccine and QAnon conspiracies from a bridge in Chicago, was hospitalized two weeks ago after contracting COVID-19. She is a patient at Amita Resurrection Hospital in Chicago, according to posts on her Telegram channel.
Wolski’s supporters claim that after two weeks she had convinced a doctor in the hospital to administer ivermectin, but she was then told that the hospital system would not allow any doctor to prescribe the drug to treat COVID-19 because regulatory agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have not approved it.
This did not sit well with Wolski and her followers, so Wolski’s friends launched a campaign to force the hospital authorities to relent.
The campaign, organized via her Telegram channel, which is now being run by her friends, said that Wolski “is being held as a medical hostage” and that her “advocatives” have been barred from the premises.
As if hospital employees don’t already have their hands full they now have to deal with cranks and nutballs.
* More from the Sun-Times…
L. Lin Wood, an attorney who helped file lawsuits supporting former President Donald Trump’s unfounded voter fraud claims, is among the QAnon faithful who have contacted the staff at Resurrection about her case. He explained in a Telegram post Monday that he called the hospital and insisted to an employee that the woman “had a legal right to try ivermectin.”
“He informed me that ivermectin was not on the Amita protocol and [the woman] would not receive it,” Wood said of the exchange with an employee. “When I tried to respond, he was rude, talked over me, and hung up on me.”
Oh my goodness, such a ridiculous snowflake.
* Do they even need to wait on the state?…
In what may be first in the state, the [Springfield] School District 186 board of education Tuesday heard the first reading of a resolution requesting the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health consider including COVID-19 vaccinations into its regular schedule of immunization requirements.
The resolution was read into the record by board member Micah Miller, who represents Subdistrict 2. The resolution will be voted on by the school board at its Sept. 20 meeting.
The resolution includes all vaccinations approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
* More…
* More Than 80 COVID Outbreaks Reported in Illinois Schools: Some of the worst outbreaks have been occurring in western and southern Illinois, including in the North Macoupin school district in Macoupin County. There, between 11 and 16 cases of the virus remain active, according to officials. In nearly Staunton, more than 16 cases have been reported in the school district, according to officials. At East Side High School in St. Clair County, more than 16 cases have been reported, and at Okawville Elementary School, a similar number of cases have been reported.
* Daily US COVID cases up more than 300% from Labor Day last year: According to data from Health and Human Services, hospitalization rates are also up 157% compared with Labor Day weekend 2020, leaving medical facilities packed to the brim and their staffs exhausted and overwhelmed.
* Deaths of unvaccinated man in his 20s, unvaxed woman in her 30s and three other Sangamon County residents with COVID-19 reported
* Why the ACLU Flip-Flopped on Vaccine Mandates
* Brookfield Zoo starts vaccinating animals against COVID-19
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* Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that the Attorney General’s office is launching an investigation into possible patterns or practices of unconstitutional or unlawful policing by the Joliet Police Department. The civil investigation follows requests made by the Joliet mayor and members of the Joliet City Council.
The Attorney General’s office will examine the Joliet Police Department’s policies, training, practices and supervision as they relate to traffic and pedestrian stops, searches, arrests, and uses of force. Career attorneys from Raoul’s Civil Rights and Special Litigation bureaus will conduct a thorough review of the department’s policies, reports, documents and trainings. In addition, the investigative team will conduct interviews and meetings with Joliet law enforcement officers, city government officials, Joliet residents, advocates, and other stakeholders.
“After receiving the request from Joliet’s mayor and city officials, my office began a preliminary review of Joliet Police Department records and other information. It is clear that a formal investigation is needed to look at whether the department has engaged in patterns or practices of unlawful or unconstitutional policing,” Raoul said. “In the coming weeks, the Attorney General’s office will conduct a thorough, impartial and independent review of whether reforms are needed under the law.”
Attorney General Raoul’s investigation follows a request by Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk and members of the Joliet City Council in June 2020 to conduct an investigation. In response to this request, the Attorney General’s office requested information from the city of Joliet and the Joliet Police Department, and both have been fully cooperative in providing this information. Following a preliminary review of department of the information provided as well as publicly-available records, Raoul’s office is now initiating a formal investigation. The Attorney General’s office will take specific incidents into account during the investigation; however, the investigation’s questions, findings and conclusions will be focused on whether systemic problems exist within the Joliet Police Department. The investigation is civil in nature and will not reconsider criminal charging decisions within the jurisdiction of local prosecutors.
Attorneys and subject matter experts from the Attorney General’s office will conduct a detailed review of the Joliet Police Department’s policies and training. Raoul’s office will also inspect department reports resulting from traffic and pedestrian stops, searches and arrests. Of particular interest will be the Joliet Police Department’s policies and practices related to the use of force and supervisory and department reviews of these incidents. In addition, Raoul’s attorneys and experts will investigate the department’s handling of misconduct allegations against officers by reviewing complaints from the public, the department’s investigations into those complaints, as well as any resulting corrective or disciplinary action.
Raoul and career attorneys from the office’s Civil Rights and Special Litigation bureaus have met with Mayor O’Dekirk, Joliet Police Department Chief Dawn M. Malec, Joliet City Manager Jim Capparelli, Joliet City Attorney Sabrina Spano and the Will County State’s Attorney’s office.
“We have begun meeting with government officials, law enforcement personnel, community advocates and people directly affected by policing in Joliet,” Raoul added. “I appreciate the cooperative approach expressed by city and departmental leadership, as well as the proactive steps initiated by Chief Malec since her recent promotion I am committed to conducting an independent and unbiased investigation that prioritizes public and officer safety and the lived experiences of all areas of the Joliet community.”
Raoul and members of his staff have also met privately with the family of Eric D. Lurry Jr.. Later today, Attorney General Raoul’s attorneys will meet with community groups, department leadership and union representatives. In addition, Attorney General Raoul’s staff will seek input from the public on their interactions with Joliet law enforcement in public and private meetings. Raoul’s office will convene a virtual town hall meeting in the coming weeks, and additional information will be released to the public at a later date.
Attorney General Raoul’s investigation into possible patterns or practices of unlawful policing by the Joliet Police Department is being conducted using the office’s authority under the Illinois Attorney General Act, the Illinois Human Rights Act, and the Illinois Civil and Equal Rights Enforcement Act. The investigation is the first of its kind since the 2021 Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act went into effect July 1, 2021. The SAFE-T Act gives the Attorney General’s office authority to investigate and take civil action to address patterns or practices of unconstitutional or unlawful policing.
Attorney General Raoul is encouraging individuals who have information relevant to the investigation to email input.joliet@ilag.gov or call the Attorney General’s office at 833-243-1498. Additional information about the investigation is available on the Attorney General’s website.
There was a suspected police coverup of the death of Eric Lurry, up to and including charging a whistle-blowing officer with misconduct.
* Related…
* ‘Little has been done with’ 17 years of data showing racial disparities in traffic stops
* As Chicago police seek more diversity, a former candidate questions the hiring process
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Nothing is ever “final action”
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Most of the news stories about the energy bill focused on Friday’s draft. But subscribers know things have changed since then.
Whatever the case, this is a good point from Center Square…
Key statehouse negotiators of the sweeping measure have said this isn’t likely the final say on energy legislation. Lawmakers could come back in the years ahead and further tweak the state’s policies.
The legislature doesn’t ever adjourn forever. And we see these energy bills every five years or so. Congress can go decades without changing laws, but this legislature isn’t quite as sclerotic.
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* The Southern…
Employees of the Clyde L. Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center took to the streets Tuesday to protest Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mandate that state employees be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Early in the day, about a dozen protestors stood at the intersection of Vienna and Main streets with signs protesting. Most had worked the midnight shift at the center before attending the protest. Later, leaders of the group said the crowd grew to about 30 people as those working days at the center got off work and joined the protest. […]
State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, agreed.
“I have always been in favor of encouraging improved access and availability to vaccines for citizens who make the personal choice to be vaccinated. However, the Governor’s recent vaccine mandate is just the latest example of the Governor’s massive overreach when it comes to the state’s pandemic response,” Bryant told The Southern.
Click here to watch the video of the small group of anti-vax protesters, who are supposed to be caring for some of our state’s most vulnerable individuals, and make sure to check out the top pic. Ouch.
…Adding… Senate Republican staff…
Good morning Rich! Hope you are well.
In regard to your post titled “Sen. Bryant calls state worker vax mandate “massive overreach,” I wanted to provide you with Sen. Bryant’s full statement on the issue. The Southern only ran the first part.
“I have always been in favor of encouraging improved access and availability to vaccines for citizens who make the personal choice to be vaccinated. However, the Governor’s recent vaccine mandate is just the latest example of the Governor’s massive overreach when it comes to the state’s pandemic response.
“The Governor’s recent actions to mandate vaccinations is a slippery slope. People’s rights are being threatened single-handedly by one person. The right for someone to make the personal choice to get the vaccine shouldn’t be left to the Governor’s unilateral discretion.
“While I understand and respect any and all efforts to protect our most vulnerable residents, I firmly believe that a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t the answer.”
Thanks!
Not sure how that context helps her, but whatever. Many of the Choate residents are profoundly disabled. They cannot be cared for at home. And their care requires close human contact because many have to be moved. And yet some state workers believe their own mythical “rights” that do not exist in this nation’s history outweigh the health and safety of their co-workers and the people they are being paid to help.
* Related…
* 3 Choate Mental Health administrators indicted on felony charges
* Clyde L. Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center: How an archaic system results in tragic consequences for people with disabilities
* Your ‘personal choice’ not to get COVID vaccine is putting our ‘healthcare heroes’ at risk
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Today’s quotable
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Incendiary rhetoric much? Sheesh…
With less than three weeks to go before the possible last race in the history of Arlington Park, the leadership of the group representing horse owners and trainers expressed renewed optimism for the chances of at least one of two groups that want to buy the track and preserve racing.
Mike Campbell, president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, helped assemble the consortium led by former Arlington Park President Roy Arnold’s Endeavor Properties, which Campbell believes may have the highest bid — out of “dozens” — submitted this summer to track owner Churchill Downs Inc. […]
He also ramped up the rhetoric against the Louisville, Kentucky-based owner of Arlington Park — a frequent target of his criticism for refusing to apply for slots and table games guaranteed by a 2019 state gambling expansion law that would boost Arlington’s purses.
“I would rather have the Taliban on my side than I would Churchill Downs at this point,” Campbell said. “It is outrageous what they’ve done to our membership. We were counting on a $50 million a year purse account just here at Arlington Park, and now we’re faced with closing Arlington Park.”
Yeah, maybe tone it down a bit.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Get off Facebook!
Wednesday, Sep 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My southern Illinois brother reached out to me the other day to tell me the region’s rumor mill was blowing up about a school shutdown in the region. I checked it out for him and reported back that it was bunk. Some people, however, don’t bother to check out social media rumors before inserting both feet into their mouths…
In his weekly letter to parents Highland Superintendent Michael Sutton said it’s crystal clear that the most difficult challenges are still ahead, and went on to mention that he has heard a rumor that the Governor is talking about a shutdown and mandating vaccines for kids 12 and older.
“As soon as we were eligible for the vaccine, we all got it,” said Stehlik.
Governor JB Pritzker’s office vehemently denied those rumors. In a statement they said:
“There is absolutely no truth to this rumor, the Governor is not closing down schools. The Governor and the Illinois State Board of Education have worked closely with school districts to ensure the wellbeing of students, teachers and communities by requiring masks, establishing a vaccine mandate for teachers and staff, and ensuring students have access to remote learning if they are required to quarantine. School district leaders have a responsibility to lead with honesty and integrity while putting policies in place to ensure that students can learn and grow in a safe environment.”
…Adding… Gov. Pritzker’s chief of staff…
*** UPDATE *** Please, stop listening to evil crackpots and grifters…
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