* Background from the Independent…
In the disturbing case of an Illinois teen allowed to walk free after being convicted of rape, all eyes have turned on the judge.
Adams County Judge Robert Adrian sparked nationwide outrage with his ruling on the case of 18-year-old Drew Clinton, who was found was found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl at a graduation party in May 2021.
Clinton pleaded guilty to all charges against him and his defence claimed he believed the sex was consensual.
But despite the October conviction for felony sexual assault, Judge Adrian on 3 January freed Clinton - who faced a minimum sentence of four years - from jail after a mere 148 days, saying that was “plenty of punishment”.
Judge Adrian has subsequently faced heated calls to step down from the bench over his perceived miscarriage of justice.
* Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today filed a petition for a writ of mandamus urging the Illinois Supreme Court to order Judge Robert K. Adrian to impose a lawful sentence in an Adams County sexual assault case that has attracted national attention.
Attorney General Raoul filed the mandamus complaint and a motion for supervisory order today asking the Illinois Supreme Court to direct Judge Adrian to sentence Drew S. Clinton in accordance with state law. Adrian found Clinton guilty of felony criminal sexual assault following a bench trial in October 2021. On January 3, 2022, Adrian vacated Clinton’s conviction, which resulted in Clinton being released from the county jail.
“The mandatory sentencing range set by the Illinois General Assembly for felony criminal sexual assault is four to 15 years in prison. In addition to the insensitivity to the victim in this case, the judge’s decision to vacate the conviction and call the 148 days Clinton served in county jail ‘plenty of punishment,’ demonstrates an abuse of power,” Raoul said. “I appreciate our collaboration with the Adams County State’s Attorney and the Illinois Office of the State’s Attorney Appellate Prosecutor. I am urging the Illinois Supreme Court to direct the judge to sentence the defendant in accordance with state law.”
Clinton was charged with three counts of criminal sexual assault for assaulting a minor female at a graduation party in Quincy, Illinois. The 16-year-old victim was unable to give consent when she was assaulted by Clinton, who was 18 years old at the time. Adrian found Clinton guilty of one count of criminal sexual assault, a felony, after a bench trial that included testimony from the victim and witnesses at the party. However, when sentencing Clinton, Adrian plainly stated his intention to not sentence Clinton to prison, as mandated by Illinois’ mandatory minimum sentencing requirements, saying the almost five months Clinton had already served in the county jail was “plenty of punishment.” Instead, Adrian vacated the conviction and released Clinton from custody. Raoul’s mandamus complaint urges the court to order Judge Adrian to reinstate the verdict and issue a sentence consistent with the mandatory sentencing range set in statute.
“Victims of sexual assault often make the decision to not come forward because they believe that the criminal justice system will not believe them nor protect them. The victim in this case took the brave steps of reporting the crime, cooperating with the investigation, and testifying at trial. Because of her courage, the defendant was convicted of his crime. There is nothing more frustrating and disheartening to our community, this victim, and to all victims of sexual assault when any defendant avoids the legal consequences of his conduct,” Adams County State’s Attorney Gary Farha said. “We appreciate the hard work of the Attorney General and the Appellate Prosecutor’s Office in ensuring that this brave young woman have the opportunity to hold her attacker responsible.”
In the complaint, Raoul points out that criminal sexual assault is a Class 1 felony with a statutory sentence range of four to 15 years in prison. Raoul argues that Adrian exceeded his authority when he concluded – in defiance of the General Assembly’s intent – that 148 days in county jail was a “just sentence” due to Clinton’s age and lack of criminal record. Raoul points out that by refusing to enforce a valid criminal statute, the judge acted as a quasi-legislator and usurped the authority of the legislative branch while undermining confidence in the judicial process. Raoul further argues that Judge Adrian’s comments at the sentencing hearing demonstrate his own recognition that he lacked the authority to depart from the mandatory minimum sentencing range.
Judge Adrian’s sentence attracted national attention and widespread criticism.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Feb 10, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Capitol News Illinois…
It’s a faster decline in hospitalizations than at any point in the pandemic, Pritzker said.
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said 89 percent of those hospitalizations are in unvaccinated individuals. Approximately 75 percent of the state’s population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, according the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, putting Illinois at the top of Midwestern states.
Ezike said lifting the [mask] mandate does not signify an end to COVID-19, but the latest in the state’s effort to “coexist with COVID.”
“Your actions that you’ve already taken have helped to reduce the amount of virus circulating and it absolutely has saved lives,” she said. “But be clear that COVID is not gone and it won’t be gone on Feb. 28. So, we are going to continue to find ways to live with the virus.”
* The Question: Your suggestions for more ways to “coexist with COVID”? Explain, of course.
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* Tom Miller (no relation that I know of) at WJPF interviewed Richard Irvin this morning…
Q: What do you think of the governor’s comments involving masking yesterday?
A: I’ve always been opposed to mandates. And it seems like only a few days ago the governor was talking about, we got to continue to keeping masks for science now, and all of a sudden he’s decided, okay, we’re going to remove the masks. So he’s making his decisions based on politics. Everything he’s doing is gimmicks for an election year.
* DGA…
Richard Irvin has flip-flopped and contradicted himself on almost every issue since launching his campaign — and now he’s been caught trying to rewrite his record on COVID-19 and mandates.
Irvin has leaned into anti-science talking points since declaring his candidacy in the Illinois GOP primary, hypocritically accusing Gov. Pritzker of inconsistency and claiming in an interview this morning that he has always stood against COVID mandates.
But Irvin’s own words contradict his recent lies. Just two years ago, he called Gov. JB Pritzker’s mitigation efforts “logical.” “I fully support his decision and encourage all Aurorans to abide by this new mandate,” Irvin wrote in a March 20, 2020 Facebook post.
In July of 2020, he implored Aurorans to wear masks, and in September of 2020, he threatened to crack down on businesses that didn’t enforce mask-wearing.
This isn’t the first time Irvin has tried to distance himself from his repeated praise of Gov. Pritzker. As a DGA video highlights, Irvin once lauded Gov. Pritzker as “a great friend, a great leader, who has guided our state with professionalism and compassion throughout this entire pandemic.”
“Richard Irvin’s views on COVID safety measures are based on what’s politically convenient,” said DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy. “Irvin has flip-flopped and failed to answer questions on almost every issue that Illinoisans care about — from Donald Trump to abortion to the pandemic. Irvin even praised Gov. Pritzker, the man he’s now trying to run against. If Irvin doesn’t even know what he stands for, why should anyone vote for him?”
* From that September of 2020 story…
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Illinois, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said Wednesday he is cracking down on businesses that are not enforcing the wearing of face masks. […]
He warned of COVID-fatigue, especially as we enter the Labor Day Weekend. In recent days health officials, both local and national have been keen to make the point that, unlike the start of the pandemic back in March, some of the biggest drivers of infection now are in smaller family and neighborhood gatherings where people let down their guard.
“Aurora has entered a new month and a new season. It is imperative that we all must recommit to doing what is necessary to fight COVID-19,” Mayor Irvin said. “Clearly, it is not over.”
Mayor Irvin also issued a stern warning to businesses that continue to defy the mask mandate, allowing customers to enter without one, saying that while no fines have been issued yet, he will not hesitate to impose restrictions on those who do not comply.
* From those July remarks…
It has been a whirlwind complete with ebbs and flows and highs and lows as we all learn to navigate our new normal, react and respond quickly and pivot at a moment’s notice and then pivot again at the next moment.
Apparently, pivoting to deal with rapidly changing conditions, like fast-dropping hospitalization rates after a bizarre and fast-moving variant tore through the state, is no longer acceptable.
* Also from Irvin’s July press conference…
Yesterday on Wednesday, July 15, Governor JB Pritzker announced the state’s new action plan to combat the resurgence of COVID-19 through a series of mitigation efforts. The governor called me on Tuesday evening to explain to me his plan for the state. But none of us want to take steps back. I understand his concern, and pledge the support of Aurora to do our part to help in the statewide effort. […]
I fully support the governor’s decision to expand the state to 11 EMS regions and to better group our areas accordingly. Now we can really ramp up our efforts to do our part to keep our region below all the baseline measures that would force our region to become more restrictive. […]
We know masks are effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19. You’re not just wearing a mask for you, you’re wearing it for everyone else you may come in contact with. […]
And we all did, me as mayor and him as governor, the best that we possibly could to address the situation as it unfolded in front of us. You know, looking at hindsight we say is 2020. There’s a lot of things we could have done to make our circumstances better, probably here in Aurora and statewide, absolutely countrywide.
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, Feb 10, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Crain’s…
When the income tax was approved decades ago at the request of then-Gov. Richard Ogilvie, the locals were supposed to get 10% off the top, money they could use to hire police, pay pensions, pave streets or whatever. But the state gradually has clawed that back and, according to the Illinois Municipal League, its members collectively get only 6.06% of tax proceeds, not a tenth. […]
League allies are pushing two bills, both sponsored by Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights. One would gradually bring the municipal share back to 10%; the other would split the difference, allotting 8% of tax receipts for the fund.
What’s interesting is who’s a chief co-sponsor of the second bill: House Speaker Chris Welch. I’m told his interest is real, but how real depends on a few other things. Like what the munis say they’ll do with the influx, and whether this spending would impact Pritzker’s proposed tax cuts or other budget priorities, like replenishing the state’s deeply indebted Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.
So … we’ll see. But big money is involved. According to the league, raising the rate to 8% would cost an additional $500 million a year. Going back to 10% would divert $1 billion from other spending.
I understand where they’re coming from, but local governments are flush right now, so it’s not a great argument this year.
* Alison Bowen at the Tribune…
Although survivors legally cannot be held financially responsible for rape exams, in Illinois, private insurance can be billed, which could mean an assault inadvertently disclosed to someone through, for example, insurance records.
Proposed state legislation would provide a way to let rape survivors opt out and avoid this. […]
Illinois is one of few states to require that private insurance be billed for a medical forensic exam. Patients who do not have insurance still do not have to pay for services; health care facilities submit a request for reimbursement to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
But advocates say this can create situations where a rape survivor might be hesitant to go ahead with an exam if they feel the insurance policy holder — a parent or a spouse, for example — will find out.
Morrison said the bill was a response to issues raised by advocates and health care workers. “It does hopefully provide a little bit more safety for the victim and gives, usually, her a little bit more peace of mind,” she said. “It’s got to be pretty traumatic to go through this procedure and then have to worry about, is dad or my husband or whoever going to see this, and are they going to know?”
* Capitol News Illinois…
Natural gas utilities in Illinois warned of job losses and possible risks to public safety if state lawmakers repeal a law allowing them to add a surcharge on customer bills that consumer advocates say is being used to gouge customers.
“This provides around 500 good jobs annually and creates opportunity for diverse contractors,” Eric Kozak, vice president of gas operations for Ameren Illinois, told a House committee Wednesday. “And modernizing the system sets the stage for the state of Illinois to become a leader at utilizing renewable natural gas, synthetic natural gas, and even hydrogen, which can attract new businesses and retain industry.”
At issue is a 2013 amendment to the Public Utilities Act that allows large natural gas utilities – those serving more than 700,000 customers – to add a surcharge onto customer bills to recover costs associated with investments in “qualifying infrastructure plant,” or QIP. […]
That law is scheduled to sunset at the end of 2023, but House Bill 3941 would move that date up one year, to Dec. 31, 2022.
* Center Square…
Members of the Illinois Senate Education Committee heard testimony Tuesday on legislation that would require schools to give teachers specific reasons for termination.
The bill would apply to teachers who are terminated after finishing their probationary period while also having shown proficient performance while teaching.
Senate Bill 3981 was filed last month by state Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago. Sims said the bill hopes to address a growing issue the state is facing.
“This legislation is aimed at addressing the teacher shortage crisis we have before us and giving school districts the opportunity and ability to get teachers into the classroom,” Sims said.
* Press release…
Youth in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services are one step closer to receiving the financial resources they need to be ready for adulthood thanks to a measure championed by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago).
“The state needs to be proactive at helping youth in care build a strong future during their final years of care,” Peters said. “We need to do all we can to ensure that they have access to a financial head start before they have to live on their own.”
Senate Bill 3470 would require DCFS to save or invest a minimum percentage of a youth’s benefits once they reach the age of 14. This will ensure that when DCFS no longer serves as the financial representative of the youth, they will have some money to help them transition into a successful adult life.
The minimum percentages that DCFS will be required to invest are:
● 40% for youth between the ages of 14 and 15
● 80% for youth between the ages of 16 and 17
● 100% for youth between the ages of 18 and 20
Senate Bill 3470 would also require the DCFS to take defined actions when applying for and managing certain federal benefits that the department receives on behalf of any youth in care.
“State services should help empower youth and give them strong support to enter our society,” Peters said. “We should not be sending young people out into the world without the resources they need to live independently, and we must ensure that they are able to make the transition into adult life.”
The measure passed the Senate Judiciary committee on Tuesday.
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Campaign notebook
Thursday, Feb 10, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Nothing quite like a full-on embrace of the concept. From appellate justice candidate Tom DeVore’s not for profit Facebook page…
* Madison County Record…
Michal Kasper of Chicago, who rescued three St. Clair County judges from likely denial of retention in 2016, represents legislators defending a law that tilted the scales of justice in Madison County toward Democrats.
Kasper, an elections lawyer with deep, longstanding connections to the state Democratic Party and former Speaker Michael J. Madigan, petitioned to intervene in Madison County’s challenge to the law, as counsel to House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Chicago) and Senate President Don Harmon (D-Chicago).
In his Feb. 7 filing, Kasper identifies himself as a special assistant attorney general.
* Not sure if it’ll help much, but…
Lauf is a past contributor to Sen. Paul.
* Crain’s…
While GOP gubernatorial hopeful Richard Irvin has been raking in big donations from the likes of former Abbott CEO Miles White ($150,000), Pathways founder Shirley Ryan ($250,000), and major donors like Sam Zell and Craig Duchossois, other members of his statewide GOP slate have yet to log any.
All of the candidates have established fundraising committees, but have not recorded what are known as A-1s, a report of any contribution of $1,000 or more. Those must be reported to the State Board of Elections within five days of receipt. That’s raised some eyebrows as Irvin has raked in money and the campaigns have been up and running for more than a month now. Irvin and others could transfer funds over to other campaigns, too, but that hasn’t happened yet either.
The campaigns are still being built out, a spokesman for Secretary of State candidate John Milhiser, Attorney General candidate Steve Kim, and Comptroller candidate Shannon Teresi said in an email. All three share a campaign treasurer with Irvin. “Fundraising events are being planned right now. In the meantime, each of the candidates is continuing to have important conversations with voters every opportunity they are able to.”
Not sure where those “conversations” are taking place, and most of their Twitter posts look like they were written by bots. Maybe they could fill their time by doing interviews with reporters.
* Politico…
Police union raises dues to beef up PAC: The board of the Fraternal Order of Police in Chicago voted yesterday to raise union dues by $10 per check to beef up the organization’s political action committee fund. FOP President John Catanzara said on a Facebook post last night that the goal is to create a $2.5 million fund to help political candidates beat “the crooked politicians.” Catanzara added: “Enough is enough. … Whether it’s Springfield or City Hall, change is coming. You were warned.” […]
Israel takes center stage in Newman v. Casten race: “[T]he ongoing investigation into whether Rep. Marie Newman gave a job to a potential rival has damaged Newman ahead of a June primary with Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) — and her vote against funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense had already set up a brutal primary. Casten, a two-term Democrat from another part of the Chicago suburbs, is endorsed by the Democratic Majority for Israel and other groups that want to defeat candidates who, like Newman, have broken with the party’s position on Israel to oppose military aid or criticize the Jewish state,” by the Washington Post.
* Not a bad idea…
Farewell to Champaign County’s longtime “I voted” stickers.
The next stickers to be handed to voters at the polls are going to be works of art designed by local kids and adults.
County Clerk and Recorder Aaron Ammons has launched a contest inviting kids from kindergarten on up and adults to submit their original sticker designs using the theme “this is what democracy looks like.”
Ammons said the county has used the same stickers for at least a decade, and he’s seen other counties use more creative designs.
…Adding… I completely forgot about this email from early today until a commenter jogged my memory…
Republican candidate for governor Paul Schimpf released the following statement regarding Governor Pritzker’s recent action in support of General Iron and urged the Mayor of Chicago to reject his efforts to issue a permit to a known polluter.
“It astounds me that in today’s age of environmental awareness, the Governor would ignore concerns from a local community and approve an operating permit for a company with a track record of pollution. The past actions of General Iron do not warrant any assumption of safety or environmental compliance on their part. Illinois needs leaders who will listen to communities and insist upon following proper procedural safeguards. I urge the Governor to reconsider his callous disregard of local concerns about the General Iron permit and the Mayor of Chicago to deny this permit.”
* More…
* Jonathan Swain kicks off bid to succeed Rep. Bobby Rush in jammed Democratic primary
* Barack Obama kicked off presidential campaign 15 years ago in Springfield: A look back and forward
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* We’re seeing a 24.1 percent decrease in hospitalizations since last Friday, a 20.9 percent decrease in ICU usage and a 24.2 percent decrease in ventilator usage. Tomorrow is a state holiday, so that’s why we’re getting this week’s numbers early. Deaths are still increasing because they are the ultimate lagging indicator, but they’re not increasing by as as last week’s report. Again, though, this is a truncated reporting week. Positivity rates continue to decline, but so is the vaccine uptake rate, although that’s probably to be expected as the omicron fear wears off. IDPH…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 29,939 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including an increase of 499 deaths since February 4, 2022.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 2,987,502 cases, including 31,795 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Since February 4, 2022, laboratories have reported 707,521 specimens for a total of 52,553,574. As of last night, 2,380 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 432 patients were in the ICU and 238 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 3-9, 2022 is 4.5%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 3-9, 2022 is 5.8%.
A total of 20,803,108 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 24,334 doses. Since February 4, 2022, 150,651 doses were reported administered in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 75% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, 66% of Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated, and 48% boosted according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
All data are provisional and will change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
* Let’s move on to the roundup. From the latest Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus poll comprising 1,049 interviews conducted February 4-7 with a margin of error of +/-3.3 percentage points…
The American public is clearly divided on how we should be handling the pandemic right now.
• When given the choice, people are split roughly into quarters on whether we should open up and get back to life as usual with no restrictions (21%), move in that direction with some precautions (29%), mostly keep requirements in place (23%), or increase mask mandates and vaccine requirements (21%).
• Americans are also evenly divided on their support for businesses requiring customers to show proof of vaccination before being allowed into stores or restaurants (51% favor, 48% oppose).
• A bare majority (55%) oppose federal, state, and local government lifting all COVID-19 restrictions.
• Throughout all of these data points, there are clear divisions by party affiliation and vaccination status. For example, 64% of Republicans support government entities lifting all restrictions, compared to just 23% of Democrats. Independents are right in the middle (47% support). There is a roughly 30 percentage point gap between the vaccinated and unvaccinated on this topic as well, with the latter more inclined to support lifting restrictions.
There’s more, and toplines are here. Also, a 55-44 split on opposition/support of lifting all restrictions is definitely not a “bare majority.”
* ABC 7…
Chicago and suburban Cook County health officials said they anticipate that the city’s proof of vaccine requirement and indoor mask mandate will lift around the same time as the state’s. […]
Shortly after, Chicago health officials released their own statement saying if the city continues to see declines in these leading COVID metrics, it, too, should be in a position to lift restrictions at that time.
Proof of vaccination would no longer be required for patrons of restaurants, bars and gyms, along with the indoor mask mandates applying to those spaces in the city.
As with the state, the changes would not apply to public transit, health care facilities or schools, and business owners can still impose stricter requirements if they want to.
The news was met with mixed reactions. At Charbella Salon in Lakeview, customers wore masks while getting their hair done, as did their stylist. The owner said so far no one has complained about it, but once the mask mandate is lifted she still plans to ask for proof of vaccination.
* Tribune…
“I believe lifting these mitigations is premature at this time,” said Murphy, executive director of Northwestern University’s Institute for Global Health and a professor of infectious diseases at the Feinberg School of Medicine. “These decisions should be based on science and not political. That said, we are definitely trending in the right direction, and I think soon it will be safe to pull back.”
He said new case metrics are becoming difficult to monitor because so many are diagnosed through at-home tests that might not be reported to local health departments. The best metric, he said, is hospitalizations, which are tracked very closely each day. The trouble is that hospitalization numbers tend to lag after infections; testing other environmental sources, like waste water, might also be a good indicator, he said.
Murphy also warned that the new BA.2 subvariant of the virus, often dubbed stealth omicron, is more transmissible than the earlier omicron variant, which fueled this most recent surge. He added that vaccine mandates should be kept in place for now.
“If we loosen too quickly, we’ll be back with another wave sooner than later,” he said.
* AP…
Up to 7 million immune-compromised Americans have been left behind in the nation’s wobbly efforts to get back to normal. A weak immune system simply can’t rev up to fight the virus after vaccination like a healthy one does. Not only do these fragile patients remain at high risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, they can harbor lengthy infections that can help spark still more variants.
With more of the country now abandoning masks and other precautions as the omicron wave ebbs, how to keep this forgotten group protected is taking on new urgency.
This is ‘quickly transitioning into an epidemic of the vulnerable,’ said Dr. Jacob Lemieux, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital. While healthy vaccinated people may return to pre-pandemic activities with little worry about severe consequences, ‘the immunocompromised — despite vaccination, despite taking all precautions — cannot, and remain at risk.’
* Tribune…
School officials are reacting to an incident at Maine South High School in Park Ridge this week that involved a group of students acting out and yelling obscenities in opposition to the continued mask requirement in school.
About 75 students left the Park Ridge school campus on Feb. 8 after some students became disruptive over the school’s mask mandate in the school commons area and nearby hallway between passing periods, said Principal Ben Collins. […]
Maine Township High School District 207 Superintendent Ken Wallace called the incident a premeditated act that was committed with the aim of disrupting the school day.
“The hardest part of navigating through the pandemic is the increasing loss of civility,” Wallace said Wednesday. “People think if you just yell and insult and call names it somehow makes their position right. And it’s just the opposite. We have to remember when we disagree that we do it respectfully and listen to each other to try to have an understanding.”
* WSIL TV…
Time for Pritzker to ‘follow the science, not the politics’ says Sen. Bryant […]
“A whole lot of the folks in southern Illinois have not been listening to him for a long time,” Bryant said.
No mention in the story of the high percentage of unvaccinated southern Illinoisans and that there are just 2 ICU beds available in Region 5.
* Yucky headline…
McConchie: Pritzker “using our kids” in a “naked power grab”
It’s even yuckier that Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie would specifically tailor a statement to the same network of publications which has been pushing the blatantly false “Rep. Deb Conroy wants to create concentration camps” garbage.
If you respond to their questions, I can only assume you believe they are legitimate.
* Speaking of Rep. Conroy…
Members of a far right group protested Tuesday in front of Conroy’s district office with police cars providing protection. She was forced to close her Villa Park office after receiving multiple death threats for misinformation spread about legislation she is proposing.
“I can’t explain to you the things that people said, the words they used,” Conroy said. “There is a word that begins with the letter “C” that I can tell you at my age I’ve never said it out loud. And I’ve read it so many times, it’s disturbing.” […]
In a response [to Speaker Welch], Durkin said Republicans are not immune to threats, writing, in part: “In an effort to be part of the solution, I encourage you to allow voices of the minority party to be heard and not continue to be disregarded.”
“I was really disappointed in Leader Durkin’s response because he is not addressing doing anything to stop it,” Conroy said.
She’s right about Leader Durkin.
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* Kinzinger’s link is to yesterday’s post about Sen. Darren Bailey storming out of a press conference…
* DPI…
Yesterday, Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger tweeted the following in response to yet another Republican dodging when asked their view on the RNC’s “legitimate political discourse” portrayal of the Jan. 6 insurrection:
@AdamKinzinger: “Every Republican needs asked this question and only this question until they answer clearly. The time for choosing is now…”
Kinzinger’s tweet was in response to gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey angrily storming out of a press conference when asked about the description. Bailey joined candidate Jesse Sullivan who also refused to take a stand on the topic when asked.
But many Republicans have simply avoided answering questions all together. To date, voters have no public response to the issue from the Illinois Republican Party. Ditto for gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin or Attorney General candidate Steve Kim. Nor have we heard from Kinzinger’s Republican colleagues in Congress including Darin LaHood, Rodney Davis, Mike Bost, or Mary Miller. And what about the Republican congressional candidates who seek to work in the very building that was attacked?
It is crystal clear that many Illinois Republicans would love nothing more than for the press to simply move on from this story and stop asking them questions about where they stand on “legitimate political discourse” and the insurrection. As Kinzinger said, every Republican must be asked “this question until they answer clearly. The time for choosing is now.”
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* I highly, highly recommend you read the entire article by Gregory Pratt and Madeline Buckley…
After Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot downplayed her administration’s slow implementation of police reforms during a speech in 2020, a lawyer for the Illinois attorney general responded in court by criticizing the city’s handling of the consent decree.
Lightfoot fired back by texting Attorney General Kwame Raoul directly that his office took a “cheap political shot” by questioning her administration’s handling of police reforms instead of calling her first personally to discuss it.
“Kwame, do you really want (a) public fight with me over the consent decree? Your flak’s comments today in court were way over the line. You have never once engaged with me over the consent decree, so this is shameful,” Lightfoot texted Raoul. “It was a cheap political shot that I would have thought was beneath you, but now I know the terms of engagement.” […]
“Your person didn’t just say it was slow. She mocked my announcement from earlier this week, called me out by name and said the city is intentionally, intentionally foot dragging,” Lightfoot wrote in a follow-up message to Raoul. “I know you are pissed at me, but throwing gasoline on a raging fire is stupid and irresponsible. If you actually wanted to discuss the consent decree process, I would have expected you as the leader of your office to actually reach out to me. I have had zero engagement from you, so the comments today were ridiculous in light of the lack of engagement by you personally.”
Lightfoot promised to “highlight the lack of engagement” if she was asked about it by reporters.
Raoul responded: “I fully expect you to do that. … I will communicate as well.”
Seriously, go read the rest.
* But also read this story from last year for context…
A top adviser to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot resigned in August while raising concerns about the city’s ability to “keep moving the ball forward” on its violence prevention efforts and Police Department consent decree implementation, records obtained by the Tribune show. […]
Lee’s resignation came one week before Chad Williams, the former civilian commanding officer of the Chicago Police Department’s audit division, wrote Lightfoot to say he had been proud to lead the unit but had become disillusioned and was resigning his post.
“Unfortunately, my disappointment with the inability of this department’s top leadership to even feign interest in pursuing reform in a meaningful manner has made it impossible for me to remain involved,” Williams wrote in the email, as previously reported by the Tribune. “Even more unfortunate is that my experience is far from unique. Many well-meaning and talented civilians have signed up to help improve the nation’s (second largest) police department, only to find themselves steadily thwarted by its perverse incentive structures until they inevitably depart due to demoralization.”
…Adding… Also, she should maybe take her own advice…
As a chronic polluter sought city permission to set up shop on Chicago’s Southeast Side, recently released emails show there was a stark divide in the administration of Mayor Lori Lightfoot — one the mayor wanted to keep secret from the public.
The fall 2020 emails, released to the Tribune under an open records request, offer a window into the extent to which Lightfoot hoped to stop the public from learning details of the behind-the-scenes debate over General Iron’s attempted move from a wealthy, largely white Lincoln Park neighborhood to a lower-income, predominantly Latino one on the Southeast Side.
Despite campaigning on a promise to “bring in the light” at City Hall, Lightfoot admonished staffers for sending her emails that could later be made public, if somebody happened to request them under the state’s Freedom of Information Act, commonly known by its acronym FOIA.
The mayor scolded her top environmental adviser for sending her a memo on General Iron, saying the aide’s written recommendations have “no FOIA protections and that just cannot be a thing.”
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* Louis Jacobson at Sabato’s Crystal Ball…
In contemporary politics, demography is destiny. Just how true this has become can be demonstrated by a simple calculation using 3 basic demographic variables.
For all 50 states, we looked at 3 variables that are increasingly linked with partisan voting:
— What percentage of the state’s residents 25 or older have at least a bachelor’s degree?
— What percentage of the state’s residents are white?
— How urban or rural is the state?
Put simply, Republican candidates now perform strongest among white voters without a college degree, especially if they live in rural areas. And Democrats, conversely, are performing best among minority voters, those with at least an undergraduate degree, and those who live in or near urban areas.
To make our calculations, we drew on the most recent education data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Digest of Education Statistics, the most recent racial data from the U.S. Census Bureau, and FiveThirtyEight’s urbanization index.
For each of these 3 metrics, we ranked the states on a 1-to-50 scale.
Specifically, the state with the lowest percentage of residents 25 or over holding a bachelor’s degree was ranked 1, while the state with the highest percentage holding a bachelor’s degree was ranked 50. For the racial measurement, the whitest state was ranked 1, while the least-white state was ranked 50. For the urban-rural measurement, the least urban state was ranked 1, while the most urban state was ranked 50.
Once we had all 3 rankings in hand, we simply added together the rankings for each state, then rank-ordered that composite score for the states from 1 to 50. The states that ranked closer to 1 offered more friendly demographics for the GOP, while the states closer to 50 offered demographics more friendly to the Democrats.
As noted in the headline, Illinois was ranked the 43rd most Republican-friendly state, tied with Connecticut. We were 39th most friendly when it came to percentages of people with bachelor’s degrees, 34th most friendly on whiteness and 43rd on urbanization.
Keep in mind, this is about presidential races, not off-year contests, which is the cycle we’re in now. Some folks are making the case these days that the Illinois Democrats have taken things for granted for far too long. We’ll see in a matter of months.
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* Background is here if you need it. An alternative headline could be: “Cook County State’s Attorney’s office throws Pritzker, Black Caucus under the bus for second time this week to explain charging decisions”…
For the second time this week, Cook County prosecutors cited changes to the state’s felony murder statute as the reason for not charging a man accused of being involved in a deadly shootout that led to a murder.
On Wednesday, Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said 22-year-old Tayvon Powe would have faced a first-degree murder charge prior to last summer when the statute’s changes went into effect.
“If this was prior to July of [2021] when the change in the law that went into effect, this defendant would be facing first degree murder charges,” Murphy told Judge Mary Marubio at Powe’s bond hearing. “ … He is not facing those first-degree murder charges at this point.”
Powe still faces aggravated discharge of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon charges — counts that could land him in prison for more than a decade if he’s convicted.
Powe isn’t accused of actually killing anyone, but of starting a shootout at a house party early on Jan. 1 in Englewood that left his friend dead.
Antonio Rankin had gotten in a fight with several people at the party and called Powe to pick him up, Murphy said. After arriving outside the party, Powe and another person, who hasn’t been charged yet, allegedly opened fire on people standing on the home’s porch.
Rankin was shot and killed. Powe took him to the hospital.
* From the ILGOP…
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy released the following statement in response to the latest outcome of Pritzker signing the most pro-criminal, anti-police legislation in Illinois history:
“As violent crime surges across Chicago and bleeds into surrounding communities, we are now seeing the direct consequences of a Governor who prioritizes criminals over the safety of law-abiding Illinoisans. With each turn of the page, the SAFE-T Act reveals another way laws have been changed to give the advantage to criminals and make the job of protecting the public that much harder for law enforcement. We need to repeal the pro-criminal, anti-police SAFE-T Act immediately and elect a Governor who will make our communities safe again.”
…Adding… Former House Democratic staffer who came up during the time when the stinging 1994 wipeout was the controlling party political ideology who is now a pro-police downtown alderperson…
…Adding… Gary Rabine…
JB Pritzker’s soft-on-crime policies which went into effect just weeks ago are now taking hold and criminals who commit the most serious offenses are not being prosecuted. JB has failed miserably in his primary obligation as Governor—keeping Illinois residents safe. All of this, with an assist from the worst Prosecutor and best Public Defender in the country, Kim Foxx. People are committing murder in Cook County and getting away with it.
We need to immediately repeal Pritzker’s Safe-T Act which is the softest-on-crime piece of legislation in Illinois history. But we need to go one step further. The day I am sworn in as Governor of Illinois, I will introduce legislation allowing voters to recall rogue State’s Attorneys like Kim Foxx. Illinois residents should not be held hostage and harmed by woke and out of touch public officials who are supposed to keep us safe.
…Adding… House GOP Leader Jim Durkin…
“For a second time this week, a violent criminal has escaped accountability for instigating a shootout that resulted in the death of a young man on the streets of Chicago. Governor Pritzker and his Democrat allies’ so-called “reform” has already destroyed the families of two victims and robbed them of the justice they deserve. Illinois is truly a consequence-free state for criminals. Repeal this law and restore justice in Illinois.”
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* In retrospect, appointing the Macon County Democratic Party chair as head of the CDB might not have been the wisest move. Sun-Times…
The watchdog appointed to investigate potential patronage by state officials determined the Illinois Capital Development Board made several hiring mistakes — including hiring a person on a “Clout List” with close ties to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Noelle Brennan, the lawyer assigned to monitor the state’s compliance with the Shakman consent decree, released her findings in a court filing Wednesday. Her response comes as the state has fought to vacate the decree, which it’s been under since 1972. The Shakman decree banned political considerations in hiring and firing, though there are some exceptions.
Brennan requested in the filing that the state’s motion to vacate the decree be denied, considering the recent findings.
According to the filing, the violations occurred when the Capital Development Board sought to hire several “contract specialists” as the state launched its Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan. That program saw its budget grow from $28 million in 2018 to more than $9 billion in 2021. The plan is set to invest $45 billion into roads, early childhood centers, bridges and other state facilities over the next several years. […]
The monitor initially found the hiring process used for these vacant positions violated several personnel code provisions — and, specifically, that the hiring of four people raised concerns given their history, as the Chicago Sun-Times reported last month.
The continued investigation found that two of those four people had been fired by the state previously. That included the person with ties to Blagojevich. Another person hired was the son of one of the agency’s top officials and did not meet the minimum qualifications for the position.
* From that earlier Sun-Times story…
In a written statement in response to questions, Pritzker’s general counsel Ann Spillane pointed out that the state itself originally brought the Capital Development Board matter to Brennan’s attention and that, in her interviews with state employees, the monitor has not even asked about political patronage.
“The governor is committed to ensuring all state hiring and employment practices are conducted with the highest ethical standards and is proud to have built the most diverse administration in Illinois history,” Spillane said, adding that the Shakman case has cost the state more than $1 million in just the past 18 months.
While generally complimentary of the state’s reform efforts, Brennan suggests in her filings that the problems at the Capital Development Board could point to broader shortcomings in how the state is rolling out its new “Comprehensive Employment Plan,” which is supposed to form the basis for the job reforms that would make Shakman oversight unnecessary.
*** UPDATE *** From the governor’s chief legal counsel Ann Spillane…
The Governor is committed to ensuring all state hiring and employment practices are conducted with the highest ethical standards and is proud to have built the most diverse administration in Illinois history. As evidence of that commitment, we have increased resources and staffing to create a robust Rutan compliance program, established a training program for everyone involved in hiring, and implemented an electronic system to modernize the State’s human resources. The court has noted this administration’s extensive progress on improving state employment practices. No one, including the Shakman Plaintiffs and the Special Master, disputes that significant progress. The Special Master’s December report concluded by explaining that “the State has significantly improved its employment practices over the last several years,” noting that the State’s actions have led to “substantial compliance” with the 1972 Decree.
The state believes it has met all objectives of the 1972 Shakman Consent Decree in the decades since it was put in place and the continuation of the Decree is costly and far beyond its original scope. As a cost of over $1 million for just the last 18 months and an ongoing cost of nearly $100,000 per month, we believe it’s our duty to focus State resources on hiring needed employees, not paying more attorneys’ fees. At this point, the Plaintiffs cannot point to a single violation of the law in multiple administrations. In fact, Plaintiffs now say that they support the State’s motion to end the Shakman decree and believe the State should take minor steps to end the case by April.
ON CDB:
• The administration identified a procedural mistake by CDB in filling a position and flagged that mistake for the special master. That is how she learned of the procedural issue.
• The special master has now reviewed CDB’s hiring for over four months and has not identified any evidence of patronage or any evidence that any employee committed misconduct. She has identified mistakes.
• Throughout this case, the State has adopted as many of the special master’s recommendations as possible into our practices. We are reviewing the special master’s report and will use it to ensure that HR personnel learn from any procedural mistakes CDB employees made and avoid similar mistakes in the future.
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* As I told subscribers earlier this week, White is still quietly mulling his options on whom to endorse for secretary of state. But the state’s most popular officeholder is clearly all-in for Rochford…
Today, Secretary of State Jesse White announced his endorsement of Judge Elizabeth Rochford in her campaign for the Illinois Supreme Court’s new Second District. Serving since 1999, Secretary White is the longest-serving Secretary of State in Illinois history and the first African American in the role. In his endorsement of Judge Rochford, Secretary White cited her judicial experience and dedication to making our court system more equitable.
“I am proud to endorse Judge Elizabeth M. Rochford’s candidacy for Illinois Supreme Court. Judge Rochford has dedicated herself to making the court system fair and accessible to everyone,” said Secretary of State Jesse White. “She is a brilliant judge and — just as important — a wonderful person who is highly decorated for her work promoting diversity and equality. We can trust that her values are our values. A Supreme Court justice needs the superb judicial experience and qualities that Judge Rochford possesses. She is the right candidate for this critical position, and I am proud to wholeheartedly endorse her.”
A first-time candidate for elected office, Judge Rochford has already earned endorsements from multiple labor organizations, including: the Illinois State AFL-CIO; Local 881 UFC; Plumbers Local Union 130 UA; the Lake County Building & Construction Trades Council and its 18 local affiliate trade unions; and the McHenry County Building & Construction Trades Councils and its 26 local affiliate trade unions.
“Secretary of State Jesse White’s legacy of service in Illinois is truly unparalleled, and I am truly humbled to receive his endorsement,” said Judge Elizabeth Rochford. “Secretary White’s leadership has been such an inspiration to me and so many others across our state. I hope to model his commitment to service as I work to bring fairness and equity to our Illinois Supreme Court.”
Judge Rochford’s legal and judicial career has spanned more than 35 years. She has served in private practice, as a former assistant state’s attorney, as a commissioner of the Illinois Court of Claims for 23 years, and as an Associate Judge on the 19th Circuit Court for the last nine years after being appointed in 2012. As an Associate Judge, she has heard civil and criminal matters with a significant focus in family law, which is a subject matter close to her heart having served as a longtime community advocate who has chaired literacy and access to justice initiatives. Judge Rochford has also served on the Illinois Judges Association (IJA) Board of Directors since 2015 and is currently its Secretary, helping to combat bias in the courts.
Judge Rochford has served on the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) Board of Governors, and as Secretary and past President of the Lake County Bar Association (LCBA). She remains active in both organizations. Her recent distinctions include the 2021 Lake County Democratic Women’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg Award, 2020 ISBA Carole K. Bellows Woman of Influence Award, the Lake County Women’s Association (LCWA) 2019 Woman of Significance Award, and the LCBA’s 2019 Access to Justice Award.
Judge Rochford’s campaign entered the election year with $215,000 on hand after raising more than $262,000 in 2021. The campaign outraised their nearest opponent by more than $150,000 in 2021 and ended the year with $110,000 more on hand.
The newly redrawn second Supreme Court District encompasses DeKalb, Kendall, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties. To learn more, visit judgerochfordforsupremecourt.com.
Judge Rochford is up against Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering and Kane County Judge René Cruz.
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