* GOP press release…
Senate Republican Deputy Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) issued the following statement after the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules (JCAR) successfully voted to suspend the Pritzker Administration’s attempt to reissue emergency rules that would have required school districts to enforce the Governor’s school mask mandate despite a recent court ruling. JCAR voted to block the emergency rules with a bipartisan 9-0-2 vote:
“Today, the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules made it clear that we would not accept the Governor’s attempts to go above a court ruling made by a co-equal branch of government.
“Instead of allowing our judicial system to work through its process, the Governor tried to double down on his unilateral approach to COVID-19 mitigations by reissuing the same exact rules that a Sangamon County judge nullified earlier this month. This move was both bad government and dangerous to the rule of law as it ignored the court’s ruling on due process.
“In his quest for power and control, Pritzker and his Administration was willing to further the chaos and confusion for schools throughout the state. With this bipartisan vote, I hope that the Governor finally recognizes that his go-it-alone tactic is not in the best interest of our state or its people.”
I’m waiting on a statement from the governor’s office. But an official did confirm this means that there is no statewide school mask mandate now.
We’ll wait to see what the governor’s office says, but the Democrats asked the governor to pull the emergency rule and I’m told he couldn’t do it because of the appeal of the DeVore case.
Sens. Bill Cunnigham and Tony Munoz voted “Present,” by the way. Sen. Kimberly Lightford was not at the hearing.
“I think it fair to say the committee was uncomfortable with extending an emergency rule that has been invalidated by a court,” Senate President Pro Tempore Cunningham told me this afternoon.
The Democrats are saying they will revisit the emergency rule if the appellate court overturns the DeVore ruling.
* From Senate GOP Leader McConchie…
“In his quest for power at all costs, the Governor attempted to go above the judicial system to continue to require masks in schools, a move that even his Democrat allies in the legislature wouldn’t support. Even they agree he has gone too far.
“Today, the Governor was willing to add to the confusion and chaos that has overwhelmed our schools and parents in the last several days. Fortunately for the people of Illinois, he was stopped.
“Enough is enough. Let’s start governing this state through the rightful democratic process, not under one man’s rule and ego.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Jordan Abudayyeh at the governor’s office…
The administration understands that members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules are awaiting a ruling from the appellate court on this issue. As doctors have said time and again, masks are the best way to preserve in-person learning and keep children and staff safe. We look forward to continuing to work with members of the General Assembly, school districts, parents, communities and all stakeholders to use the tools we have to keep in-person learning. In the meantime, the administration urges all schools and parents to encourage mask-wearing to keep everyone in their schools and communities safe.
…Adding… House Republicans…
The bicameral Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) voted 9-0-2 today to block re-implementation of Governor JB Pritzker’s mask mandate for K-12 public and private schools in Illinois in the wake of the February 4 temporary restraining order issued by Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow declaring the Governor’s emergency rules as they apply to schools “null and void.”
“Parents and children across Illinois deserve certainty and clarity amid all the confusion and chaos created by Governor Pritzker’s decision to continually go it alone and work only through the courts instead of with stakeholders and families,” Representative Wheeler said in a statement. “Locally elected school boards who are accountable to parents and know best for their districts, along with their local health department experts, should be allowed to make decisions on COVID mitigations that fit their communities best. With JCAR’s bipartisan ruling today, there is no statewide mask mandate in effect for schools, and the decision now belongs with the local school districts.”
All three House Republican members of JCAR voted to reject re-implementation of the Governor’s mask mandate, including Deputy GOP Leader Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon), Assistant GOP Leader Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego), and Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock).
The Governor’s emergency rule on COVID mitigations for Illinois schools expired on Sunday, February 13. The Administration immediately re-filed the rule on Monday, putting it back into effect unless JCAR voted affirmatively to block it with a minimum of 8 members on the 12-member committee. Nine members voted to suspend the Governor’s emergency rule, with zero voting to keep it in place and two members voting “Present.”
During the hearing, Representative Wheeler suggested to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) official testifying on behalf of the Pritzker Administration that the agency could have shown respect for the ongoing judicial process by issuing guidance to Illinois schools on recommended COVID mitigations instead of re-filing them as mandates in the form of an emergency rule. The IDPH official rejected that suggestion, reiterating the agency’s position of pressing forward with mandates rather than guidance. Moments later, JCAR voted to approve a motion blocking re-implementation of the Governor’s mask mandate via emergency rule.
…Adding… Sen. DeWitte…
On February 15, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) voted 9-0-2 to block Governor JB Pritzker’s attempt to reissue emergency rules that would force school districts to enforce his mask, vaccine, and testing mandates. The vote was bipartisan, with three Democrats joining the committee’s six Republicans in suspending the proposed rule. Following the vote, State Senator Donald DeWitte (R-St. Charles) issued the following statement:
“Rather than respecting a decision handed down by the judicial branch of government, Gov. Pritzker still insisted that he, and only he, should have unilateral control over every aspect of the pandemic response. By issuing essentially the same rule that had already been deemed null and void, even his Democrat allies on JCAR could not support him. Even they felt his reissuance of the rule went too far.
“With full knowledge of the court ruling, Governor Pritzker was essentially asking school districts to violate a constitutional right to due process that must be afforded to students and families. It was yet another example of his ‘go it alone’ attitude that shuts out all other coequal branches of government.
“As a courtesy, we offered IDPH and the Pritzker Administration the opportunity to withdraw their rule pending a decision by the Appellate Court. Instead, they chose to double down. They made a poor decision, and today they lost.”
…Adding… Rabine…
Gary Rabine, candidate for Illinois Governor is issuing the following statement on JCAR’s ruling today to suspend the Illinois Department of Public Health emergency rules requiring masks to be worn in schools.
“Today, Illinois Legislators made it clear it’s time for Pritzker’s tyrannical reign to end. Democrats and Republicans slammed Pritzker COVID chaos by stopping his attempt to go around the court order that lifted mask mandates in schools.
The Governor has forgotten we live in a Democracy - which means he needs to consult with elected officials, Illinois citizens and parents before he issues orders regarding their kids’ health and well-being.
This vote today is a flat-out rejection of JB Pritzker and his approach to governing - by even his own party.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Senate Preside Pro Tempore Bill Cunningham…
“We have an active court case on this matter, the outcome of which should provide clarity for what next steps are needed. Acting now would be premature given that pending ruling and also given the fact that the previous rule amounted to guidance without any real enforcement.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** 4th District Appellate Court…
The Attorney General representing the State Defendants and attorneys DeVore and Gerber representing the plaintiffs are directed to explain how this appeal is affected by the actions taken February 15, 2022, by the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules (JCAR) blocking extension of the Illinois Department of Public Health’s emergency rules. The explanation is due by 1:00 PM, Wednesday, February 16, 2022.
…Adding… Jesse Sullivan…
“Today’s JCAR vote is a victory for separation of powers and the rule of law. Pritzker’s agenda is clearer than ever: seize total control of Illinois kids and schools, answering to no one but his most radical teacher’s union backers. His actions are so extreme that his own party is now rejecting them. And in November, voters will too.”
…Adding… Rep. Bourne…
State Representative Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) issued the following statement in response:
“Gov. Pritzker cannot continue to sidestep the legislature, or the courts, and go-it-alone to force his mandates on the families and children of Illinois,” said Bourne. “This is a win for the rights of parents and local school boards to decide what is best for their children, and I commend JCAR for standing up for parents and children today.”
Last week, Rep. Bourne also joined colleagues in sending a letter to the Governor demonstrating the evidence of the unintended harm masking has on the social-emotional and learning of our children and calling for him to drop his appeal. A copy of that letter can be viewed on RepBourne.com.
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* In this case, it’s not a bill yet, but may be soon. WCIA…
A panel of House lawmakers reviewed building code protocols and heard testimony from emergency management experts at a warehouse standards hearing on Monday in an effort to improve workplace safety during natural disasters.
The House Labor and Commerce Committee held the hearing in response to the EF-3 tornado that tore the roof from the Edwardsville Amazon fulfillment center last December. The building collapsed, killing six workers inside and seriously injuring another.
Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) and Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) both represent districts ravaged by the tornado.
“Our obligation as elected officials to look at whether or not there were things that could have been done with regard to the building code, with regard to the safety of workers,” Hoffman said. […]
State legislators have not yet filed legislation in response to the tragedy.
* Capitol News Illinois…
A bill in the Illinois House would do away with the sub-minimum wage paid to waitresses, bartenders and other tipped service workers.
Rep. Camille Lilly, D-Chicago, introduced House Bill 5139 last month. If the bill becomes law, workers who supplement their wages with tips will receive the state’s minimum wage starting on Jan. 1, 2025, in addition to their tips.
Its passage may be a tall order, however, as the Illinois Restaurant Association successfully lobbied when lawmakers overhauled the minimum wage schedule in 2019 to allow businesses to continue to pay less than minimum wage to employees who earn tips.
Lilly’s bill has currently not received a full committee assignment and has no cosponsors.
* Mike Miletich…
An Illinois House Democrat hopes to help more people get previous cannabis charges expunged from their record. Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) says some still face a barrier because of the drug test required before expungement.
Recreational marijuana has been legal in Illinois since January 1, 2020. One of the major components of the legalization law was the automatic expungement of nearly 500,000 marijuana arrest records. Although, some people are still waiting to have a clean slate today.
Ammons says people not eligible for expungement right now may be rejected because of marijuana found in their system. She hopes to remove cannabis testing from the requirement for expungement to help speed up the process. Ammons told the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee that many also end up paying an extra $75-$100 to take the drug test while people across the state can legally use cannabis.
“It’s not going the way this legislative body intended it to go,” said Mark Mitchell, an advocate with Teamwork Englewood. “It’s not happening in four months. It’s taking 18-19 months to get this done on the regular.” […]
Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) said he believes the bill’s current language could be interpreted to expand the number of offenses eligible for expungement. Windhorst argues the bill could expand eligibility for people with any felony drug offenses, including the distribution of drugs.
* WQAD…
A new proposal would add armed security with caseworkers on visits they feel could turn violent.
“It’s definitely a potentially dangerous environment,” ACLU of Illinois member Heidi Dalenberg said.
“They are trained to support the staff that they’re with,” McCombie said.
McCombie, who’s been a strong advocate for DCFS, said she supports the bill.
The same cannot be said for the ACLU of Illinois.
“The best person to have with you is another social worker trained person,” Dalenberg said.
McCombie feels an additional worker would add more risk and that there are not enough workers to handle the current workload.
* Press release…
Following another murder of an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) employee, State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) and State Representative Sandy Hamilton have filed new legislation designed to help these employees protect themselves.
“It is legal for people to carry pepper spray for their own protection, as many do all over this state. Yet DCFS workers who have to walk into abusive homes are not allowed that same protection,” said Senator McClure. “This is a common-sense step to help them stay safe while performing what is an incredibly important job.”
McClure has filed Senate Bill 4165 in the Senate and Hamilton has filed identical legislation as House Bill 5688 in the House. The bills would allow DCFS employees to carry mace or pepper spray for defensive purposes while investigating child abuse and neglect. The employees would be required to complete a short training program from the Illinois State Police on the proper use of pepper spray.
“It is sad that we have to make a law for our state workers to be able to protect themselves,” said Representative Hamilton. “It is the right thing to do so that those who are working to protect abused children can also have at least one tool to protect themselves in these situations. This is something they can keep on a key chain to disable an attacker long enough to get away and get help.”
The legislation is in response to the murders of two DCFS investigators. Deidre Silas was stabbed to death in January at a home in Thayer during the course of an investigation. In February of 2018, Pamela Knight died in the hospital from injuries sustained during a brutal attack that occurred while she was trying to take a child into protective custody.
The lawmakers unveiled their bills at a press conference at the Illinois State Capitol on Tuesday, February 15th. They were joined by other lawmakers from across the state, along with former DCFS employees who spoke in support of the legislation.
* Related…
* Extended Interview: Senator Robert Peters on public safety, ending cash bail
* Extended Interview: Senator Jason Barickman on state budget, crime
* Many Metro East warehouses don’t have tornado shelters despite a low price tag
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Alan Greiman
Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued the following statement regarding the passing of Hon. Alan Joel Greiman, former circuit court judge and chief justice of the Illinois Appellate Court.
“Judge Greiman dedicated much of his life to serving the people of Illinois, as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, as a circuit court judge and chief justice of the Illinois Appellate Court. I had the opportunity to argue before him at the appellate court, and his commitment to justice and equality informs the work my office does to protect the rights of all Illinois residents.
“Judge Greiman was an advocate for women, sponsoring the Illinois Domestic Violence Act and as a vocal supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, which my office is even now fighting to ensure is recognized as our 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. All that he accomplished was done while garnering the respect of those fortunate enough to serve with him – or argue before him.
“The state of Illinois has lost a true public servant. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, former State Rep. Julie Hamos, his beloved daughters and grandchildren, and all who knew and loved him. May his memory be a blessing.”
* His obituary…
Hon. Alan Joel Greiman, brilliant jurist, impactful legislator, lifelong Chicagoan, and bon vivant died peacefully at home at age 90. Although his body gave out, his positive spirit and zest for life were with him until the end. He was the devoted son of Maurice and Natalie Greiman and was preceded in death by his first wife Carole (Lanoff). His love of chocolate, a good cigar, ’40s music, cabaret, and political discourse were surpassed only by his deep love for his wife Julie Hamos, his daughters and their spouses (Laurie Greiman and Peter Walton, Lori and Rich Coyle, Judy Greiman and David Knishkowy, Jodi and Michael Moran, Tami Friedman, Bunny and Stu Evans), his grandchildren (Jonathan and Pam Walton, Cara Walton and Lance Machado, Shira Knishkowy and Ben Gaffin, Maya Evans and Brian Strelko , Dan Knishkowy and Chrissy Ziegler, Madi and Adam Dooley, Carly Evans and Nate Knorek), and his great grandchildren (Rowan and Sylvie Walton). Individually and collectively they filled him with joy, and he showered them with his love, wisdom, and humor.
He devoted his career to equality and justice and was an advocate, a lawyer, a legislator and Assistant Majority Leader in the Illinois House of Representatives. His time in the legislature was marked by his wily ability to get his progressive agenda enacted while building unusual coalitions. He sponsored the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, as well as legislation granting no-fault divorce and the right to public employee collective bargaining, prohibiting the sale of handguns, banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, protecting newsrooms from unreasonable searches, and was the first in the nation to propose a ban on discrimination based on age. He was an ardent sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment and had the stories to tell about why Illinois failed to pass it.
He was also a Circuit Court Judge and Chief Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court. As a judge, he instituted a celebrated mediation program and other innovations that resulted in speedier resolutions of cases. His wit, his humor, and his big heart made him friends and allies on all sides of all aisles for accomplishing great things for the people of Illinois.
He was a big guy with an equally big passion for life, his family, the law, travel, his countless friends and good food. We will miss him deeply.
Service Thursday 10AM at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 8851 Skokie Blvd. (at Niles Center Road) Skokie. Interment Westlawn.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Illini Hillel, 503 E John St., Champaign, IL 61820, www.illinihillel.org.
To attend the funeral live stream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com
Judge Greiman was a friend to many, including myself. “Bon vivant” is a great description of him. RIP, Alan. You were one of a kind.
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* Press release…
With the indoor mask mandate set to expire at the end of the month State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) along with State Representatives Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville); Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur); Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City); and Chris Miller (R-Oakland) ditched their masks on the House floor and issued the following statement.
“Today we entered the House chambers without a mask. So long as school districts continue to defy the courts and force the unwanted and unnecessary covering of the faces of children in schools, we will no longer comply with the mask theater that takes place here.
It’s over. It’s gone on long enough.”
As I write this at 1:14 pm, the super-majority House Democrats have not yet ejected any of the maskless members from the chamber. No word back yet from Speaker Welch’s office on what the plan is.
…Adding… Rep. Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago) just rose to ask that the recalcitrant members be removed from the chamber. The Republicans then asked for a caucus. The Democrats called up the agreed resolutions and appear to be planning to adjourn for the day. No word back from the House GOP Leader’s office, either.
…Adding… The House has adjourned until tomorrow. Rep. Wilhour earlier attempted to read a statement after he was admonished for not following the rules, but he hadn’t been recognized to speak and his microphone was shut off.
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* Jesse Sullivan was on Tom Miller’s WJPF show yesterday…
Tom Miller: …Some questions people are asking about, did you vote for Obama? Did you vote for Trump? They want to know about your voting record?
Jesse Sullivan:Yeah, well, let me share about my own journey, my own political journey a little bit. So, I grew up in central Illinois working on a farm. I have always been a person of deep faith. But we were a sports family, not a political one. And so I was someone who was paying more attention to the Super Bowl last night than paying attention to who’s funding who and what race and all that. So, my faith drove everything, so that meant I was always pro life. It meant that I was always pro Second Amendment out hunting with my grandpa. But on this one area of poverty, I think the Democrats kind of hoodwinked me because they said, ‘Hey, we’re the ones who care about people in need and poverty.’ But Matthew 25 says, ‘Whatsoever you do for the least among you, that you’ve done unto me.’ I felt like okay, maybe the Democrats have it right on this issue of poverty. I had to learn over time that was a whole lot of talk. And it was about handouts. And it didn’t actually get real outcomes for families in need. What does are these conservative principles of capitalism and hard work, the dignity of hard work, and so…
Miller: Well, Donald Trump’s unemployment record on minorities speaks for itself if people will look at it.
Sullivan: Exactly. And if you want, not dependency, but freedom and opportunity, I’ve grown my way into that. Same with strong on law and order and national security after my time in Afghanistan. You know, I was a civilian intelligence analyst over there doing a seven-month tour…
Miller: Opens your eyes to what poverty really is.
Sullivan: Oh, man, yeah. And I just realized that not only to be grateful for our military to the utmost, also our law enforcement that are serving in these war zones in the state of Illinois. It’s how we can back and support our law enforcement, not just with our words, but with our actions. And so, if you’re looking for Donald Trump’s policies in the state of Illinois, I’m your guy.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* More Sullivan…
I’ve always tried my best to follow where it is that God’s called me, where I feel like I can create the most impact. I’m doing this work around the world, you know, trying to bring these values of freedom, democracy, capitalism, but my own home is under attack. I hate politics. I genuinely hate politics, especially because I grew up around them in Illinois in the corruption. And that’s why I hate, even out there in this backroom dealing and stuff you see even out on the campaign trail so far.
And it’s like, you know what, I’m reaffirmed every single day from God to say, ‘This is why I called you to do it. It’s such a swamp and a cesspool. I need you to help fix it and change it.’
So, my calling is to be faithful to that and my true success is trying to be faithful to this message. Who knows if I’m going to win or not, but I’m going to try to present the best alternative I can to this broken corrupt politics we have in Illinois.
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* The Henry Pratt Company mass shooting was three years ago today. This story is from earlier in the month…
In an upcoming exhibit, the Aurora Historical Society will pay tribute to the five lives lost in the 2019 shooting that took place at the Henry Pratt Company manufacturing and warehouse building in Aurora. Opening Feb. 4, the month-long event will mark the third anniversary of the tragic shooting.
On Feb. 15, 2019, Pratt employees Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, Clayton Parks, Josh Pinkard and Trevor Wehner lost their lives after a fellow employee shot at them. Five Aurora police officers and another Pratt employee were injured before the 45-year-old shooter was fatally shot by police, Patch previously reported.
Five white crosses that stood in memory of the victims at the factory’s gates will be the centerpiece of the Aurora Historical Society’s exhibit, titled “We Remember February 15,” which will run through Feb. 26. The memorial will be installed on the second floor of the Pierce Art and History Center, at 20 E. Downer Place in downtown Aurora, within the “Aurora Story” exhibit.
Late Aurora carpenter Greg Zanis built the crosses and donated them to the historical society. Along with the crosses, memorabilia left by mourners on the sidewalk outside the factory will also be displayed, according to a news release.
* Daily Herald…
Axel Parks was just 8 months old when his father was taken from him, shot to death at the Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora three years ago today.
The boy has no memories of his dad. But he is learning about the kind of man Clayton Parks was.
“We mention Clay every day,” said Abby Parks, Clayton’s widow. “(Axel) asks where his father is.”
Five workers and the gunman died during the mass shooting on Feb. 15, 2019. Another worker and five Aurora police officers were injured.
Parks, of Elgin, was the human resources manager for the facility. He was in a conference room with union chairman Russell Beyer of Yorkville; Josh Pinkard, the plant manager, of Oswego; Timothy Williams, union steward, of Aurora; and Trevor Wehner of Sheridan, who was working his first day as an intern for the human resources department. They were having a disciplinary meeting with a fellow employee when the man pulled out a handgun and started firing.
The gunman then left the room and shot co-worker Vicente Juarez. Next he fired at Aurora police officers as they pursued him throughout the building; he hit five of them.
Eventually, a Naperville police officer, part of a massive mutual-aid response, shot and killed the man.
* The horrific event was the catalyst for these upgrades and reforms highlighted by the ISP today…
Today marks the three-year anniversary of the 2019 fatal shooting at the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Illinois. Since this mass shooting, the Illinois State Police (ISP) continues to advance the cause of greater safety from gun violence on numerous fronts.
ISP continues to close historical gaps in firearms-prohibiting records review and analysis. This includes nearly eliminating the long-standing backlog of potential firearms-prohibiting information from state and federal databases that could correlate with persons attempting to obtain firearms including criminal records and mental health records. Unanalyzed records have been reduced by 97% with ISP reviewing over 140,000 records in two years since 2019. In 2021 alone, the ISP thwarted over 25,000 attempts to illegally obtain a firearm – a record number.
The ISP also revoked over 70% more FOID cards in 2021 than 2019, with 17,457 cards revoked in 2021. With the signing of bi-partisan gun safety legislation (PA 102-0237) by Governor Pritzker, submission of fingerprints has been incentivized which will enhance the precision of prohibiting records analysis and further strengthen the ability of law enforcement to identify prohibited persons.
“No one in the Illinois State Police will ever forget the souls lost and the scars left behind from the horrible events of that day,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Stable budgeting, increased hiring of personnel, improved technology, changes in the law, and the heartfelt commitment of the ISP have led to these steady advances, but we will never let up. All who know the pain of that day deserve nothing less.”
The ISP is also expanding its work to enforce firearms safety laws. There are 779 Illinois law enforcement agencies now using the ISP firearms web portal that includes expanded firearms details about prohibited persons, including recent purchase patterns and reason for revocation. This allows state and local law enforcement to identify and prioritize the most high-risk threats. ISP firearms enforcement details have increased 82% since first being started by the ISP in 2019. Through these efforts, the number of firearms seized by ISP has increased every year since 2019. Additionally, the number of citizens previously prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition by the FOID Act that are now in compliance with firearms reporting requirements are at an all-time high, nearly double 2019, reaching 5,364 in 2021. In 2021 alone, 595 revoked FOID card holders were brought into compliance with reporting requirements. PA 102-0237 will further provide an estimated additional $1.7 to $2 Million annually to state and local law enforcement specifically for firearms enforcement.
The ISP has increased the analysis of guns used in crimes and helped strengthen laws that prevent the transfer of crime guns. Over 8600 National Integrated Ballistics Information Network submissions were completed by in 2021 (digital images of spent bullets and shell casings from crime scenes), which was double the number of submissions from the previous two years. Under PA 102-0237, the serial numbers of all firearms reported stolen will be provided on a publicly facing database. Under PA 102-0237, universal background checks will also be required by law in 2024 to include private transfers, not just sales at firearms dealers.
The town’s mayor is, of course, now running for governor as a Republican and, as the Richard Irvin campaign recently disclosed, an attorney at Irvin’s law firm defended the eventual shooter a decade earlier. Irvin claims no knowledge of the client.
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* I’ve been meaning to post this for several days and kept forgetting. From the Washington Post…
In New York City in 1920 — nearly two years into a deadly influenza pandemic that would claim at least 50 million lives worldwide — the new year began on a bright note.
“Best Health Report for City in 53 Years,” boasted a headline in the New York Times on Jan. 4, 1920, after New York had survived three devastating waves of the flu virus. The nation as a whole, which would ultimately lose 675,000 people to the disease, believed that the end might finally be in sight.
Within a few weeks, however, those optimistic headlines began to change. Before the end of the month, New York City would experience a surge in influenza cases. Chicago and other urban centers reported the same.
Residents should prepare themselves for an “influenza return,” New York City health commissioner Royal S. Copeland warned. He predicted that the virus variant responsible for the surge would be milder and that those who had fallen ill the previous year would be immune. He was wrong, at least in part: While many places worldwide did not see a fourth wave of the great influenza pandemic, several metropolises — including New York City, Chicago and Detroit — had another deadly season in store. […]
By the winter of 1919-1920, Americans were weary of the limitations on daily life. Nearly all of the public health restrictions — such as mask-wearing, social distancing and the closure of schools and churches — had been lifted. A hasty return to public gatherings led to an increase in case numbers. Politicians either blamed people’s carelessness for the reemergence of the virus or downplayed the seriousness of it.
The fourth wave was not front-page news in the way that prior spikes had been. The coverage was often relegated to small paragraphs deep inside newspapers, reporting thousands of new cases on a weekly or even daily basis. By February 1920, there was an epidemic in a state prison in New Jersey, and some courts were forced to halt proceedings because of illness.
But if the fourth wave failed to generate the kinds of headlines and fear of its predecessors, it wasn’t for a lack of lethality. In New York City, more people died in the period from December 1919 to April 1920 than in the first and third waves, according to a research paper on influenza mortality in the city. Detroit, St. Louis and Minneapolis also experienced significant fourth waves, and severe “excess mortality” was reported in many counties in Michigan because of the flu.
People basically just said “To heck with this” and moved on, despite the new wave of hospitalizations and deaths. Both of my maternal grandparents lived through the flu pandemic and neither one ever mentioned it to me. I learned about it from books while I was in college. I’ve often wondered how this massive die-off could be sent down a global memory hole. I no longer wonder how that happened. And if you thought local news outlets ignored omicron even when their local hospitals were filled to the brim, just wait until the next wave.
* Related…
* WHO says new omicron BA.2 subvariant will rise globally, but scientists don’t know if it can reinfect people: “BA.2 is more transmissible than BA.1 so we expect to see BA.2 increasing in detection around the world,” Van Kerkhove said during a question-and-answer session livestreamed on the WHO’s social media platforms Tuesday.
* BA.2 ‘Stealth’ Variant Found in Nearly All U.S. States as Reinfection Capability Unclear
* The COVID Strategy America Hasn’t Really Tried: The clearest way to reduce deaths is to push to vaccinate more of the elderly—yes, still!
* The Seven Habits of COVID-Resilient Nations: 1. Learn from past shocks to prepare for the next crisis; 2. Channel scientific and other expert advice into policy and strategy; 3. Follow the data in real time; 4. Communicate clearly and transparently with the public; 5. Cultivate public trust in government and fellow citizens; 6. Design centralized systems sensitive to local concerns; 7. Recognize that no country can cope with shock entirely on its own; And, crucially, resilience is not the absence of failure. It is, instead, failure with grace, followed by robust recovery. For two years we’ve sought out neat success stories in the struggle with COVID. The real trick is managing vulnerabilities to avoid surrendering to shock.
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* So far, this person is probably the most well-known of any Republican running for US Senate right now…
* This is why he’s so well-known in certain circles…
A charge that over 2,000 voters in Arizona registered under the same address is one of many recent claims resulting from the contentious outcome of the 2020 presidential election. […]
Allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 election have been widely debunked, and Congress has certified Joe Biden’s win over President Donald Trump. An Arizona official calls this claim misleading.
In November, local groups Citizens Investigation and We The People AZ Alliance were provided a random sample of 3,900 “questionable” names of Arizona voters from Bobby Piton, whom Gateway Pundit describes as a mathematician. […]
Piton is a managing partner of PreActive Investments LLC, an Illinois-based financial planning and investment advisory firm. His claims of alleged fraud in Arizona are posted on the firm’s website. Piton also appeared during a Nov. 30 election fraud meeting held by President Donald Trump’s legal team to allege voter fraud in Arizona. […]
Gateway Pundit reported that Twitter suspended Bobby Piton’s account on Nov. 30. Conservative-leaning news outlets The Epoch Times and Breitbart News reported on the suspension, as well. Piton has since established another account. He promotes QAnon loyalist phrase “Where We Go One We Go All” in his Twitter bio.
QAnon is based on the prediction of “The Storm,” an event marked by alleged mass arrests of high profile Democrats and left-leaning celebrities to save the world from a “satanic cult” of pedophiles and cannibals, USA TODAY has reported.
* And…
Bobby Piton, a mathematician who is connected to Ron Watkins, the man many believe was posting as Q and driving the QAnon conspiracy theory, called on the crowd to harass and intimidate elected officials and government workers who the conspiracy theorists believe have wronged them.
“Lock them into their damn houses,” Piton said. “Protest around their damn houses.”
* And…
Piton, who has shared many QAnon posts and messages on social media, is one of at least 33 supporters of the conspiracy theory who are running for Congress in the 2022 midterms.
It’s been tough to recruit a credible candidate to run against Sen. Tammy Duckworth because she apparently polls off the charts. But, I mean, wow.
...Adding… Piton was ejected from a Kane County Board committee meeting last July.
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* Press release…
On Tuesday, February 15, 2022, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García will be endorsing State Representative Delia Ramirez for the Democratic nomination in the 3rd Congressional District in Illinois.
“Delia Ramirez is a proven fighter who delivers results for diverse, immigrant, and working-class families across Illinois. She’s fought hard in Springfield to secure critical legislative victories and deliver critical resources for our communities. She’s as fierce an advocate for social justice as she is an effective legislator. I’ve stood with Delia before, and I proudly stand with her once more.”
* Lynn Sweet…
“Delia is who I believe in,” Garcia told the Chicago Sun-Times. “And I think that we need more Latinas in Congress.” At present there are 13 Latina members. “So it’s definitely time for them. And I hope my endorsement can make a difference.”
Ramirez, an assistant majority leader in the House, has one main rival in the June 28 primary, Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th). As of Dec. 31, Villegas raised $386,473 for his campaign and ended the year with $377,055 cash-on-hand.
Ramirez’s contributions totaled $113,218 and, as of Dec. 31, she had a balance of $110,443.
Asked what his endorsement will bring to Ramirez, Garcia said, “I will be involved in fundraising, helping her to make connections with potential donors in Washington D.C. Certainly there’s the potential for a Bernie endorsement as well. I will be exploring that with Bernie.”
The Bernie is Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent, who Garcia is close to because he served as a national surrogate for Sanders in his two presidential campaigns. Sanders stumped for Garcia when he ran for Chicago mayor and Congress, with the two sharing a base of progressive, activist supporters.
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* From Ken Griffin’s BGA interview about his support for Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin…
Mayor Daley was really clear that Chicago is the city that works, and he valued all the people I brought to this city. The mayor made clear that he had my back, that I could be comfortable making the investment in infrastructure, in talent, and in building Citadel. I know with Richard Irvin I’m going to have that feeling again. J.B. Pritzker is nowhere to be found on this issue.
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