* CD3…

Alderman Gilbert Villegas announced the endorsement of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White today in the race for the 3rd Congressional district of Illinois.

White, the only veteran elected a constitutional officer of Illinois, released the following statement:

“I’m proud to endorse fellow veteran Gil Villegas for Congress. I know he will be a tireless advocate for working families and will fight to protect our rights and communities” said Secretary Jesse White.
Villegas responded to the news.

“Jesse White is a man of honor, integrity, and commitment to public service and I’m so proud to receive his endorsement. There are few people in Illinois’ history who have served with such distinction and I will do my very best in Congress to live up to the example he has set for all of us,” said Alderman Gilbert Villegas.

* Daily Herald…

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin will not march in the Aurora Pride parade because event organizers have forbidden police officers from marching in the June 12 procession while in uniform.

Irvin also withdrew the city’s float from the parade, he said late Tuesday.

And city officials will conduct a gay pride flag-raising ceremony without the Aurora Pride organization, he said.

Irvin, also a Republican candidate for governor, said police officers and commanders disagree with an option to march while in a “soft uniform,” such as a polo shirt with police department insignia. Aurora Pride had suggested that last week after Irvin criticized the group’s decision about not allowing police uniforms and police vehicles in the June 12 parade.

* Robert Feder…

All six Republican candidates for governor of Illinois have agreed to participate in a one-hour debate Thursday hosted by ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. Starting at 7 p.m., ABC 7 news anchor Alan Krashesky will moderate the forum among Darren Bailey, Richard Irvin, Gary Rabine, Paul Schimpf, Max Solomon and Jesse Sullivan. It will air live on ABC 7 Digital Channel 7.2 and stream on abc7chicago.com and the ABC 7 Chicago News app. ABC 7 will replay the debate on its main channel at 10:35 p.m. Friday. The appearance of all six candidates is a major improvement over the fiasco May 24 when NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 and Nexstar Media WGN-Channel 9 held dual debates on the same night, splitting the field in half. Panelists Thursday will be ABC 7 political reporter Craig Wall and Univision Chicago news anchor Erika Maldonado. The debate also is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Illinois and Univision Chicago.

What’s likely to be the final GOP debate before the June 28 primary will be hosted by Salem Media news/talk WIND 560-AM June 23 at the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. Confirmed participants are Darren Bailey, Gary Rabine and Paul Schimpf. AM 560 news director Mike Scott will moderate the debate from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Panelists include AM 560 morning co-host Amy Jacobson and Illinois Radio Network’s Greg Bishop.

* Not unexpected at all…

After two direct questions, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker would not say he supports U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly's bid for a second term running the Democratic Party of Illinois. Control of the state party could be up for grabs as it courts the DNC to come to Chicago in 2024. pic.twitter.com/vtKuDuBL9g

— Mark Maxwell (@MarkMaxwellTV) June 1, 2022

* SoS…

Democratic candidate for Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced today that he wants the state to ensure that transgender and non-binary Illinoisans are able to access gender-neutral markers on their driver’s licenses as soon as possible.

In 2019, Illinois legislators approved a bill, giving residents a gender-neutral option on their identity documents. However, those Illinois residents wanting gender-neutral markers on their driver’s license or state ID card have to wait until 2024 when the state ends its contract with IDEMIA, the vendor that won a state contract to implement REAL IDs.

“The fact that a private company is receiving taxpayer money to administer our state’s REAL ID program and is ‘unable’ to provide a simple identity-designation change that is so important for the safety and security of the transgender and non-binary community is simply unacceptable,” said Giannoulias. “Every Illinois resident should have the right to obtain an official document that reflects and affirms who they are, and they should not have to wait five years after this law was approved to get it.”

The Secretary of State entered into a contract with IDEMIA in 2018 to administer the REAL ID program, lasting through 2024. IDEMIA has claimed that it is unable to add a gender-neutral marker – an “X” instead of “M” or “F” – to REAL IDs administered by the Secretary of State until the end of the current contract in 2024.

For the transgender and non-binary communities, having the proper gender marker on an identification is a matter of safety. In 2015, the National Center for Transgender Equality reported that 34 percent of trans and non-binary Illinoisans reported harassment when their gender identity didn’t match the gender on their identification.

More than 20 states have passed legislation allowing for gender-neutral options on state-issued IDs and driver’s licenses. Last week, New York announced that it would allow residents to choose an “X” as their gender marker on their state-issued IDs, beginning June 24.

Giannoulias vowed to closely review the current contract in place with the Secretary of State’s office, including examining what early termination provisions are in place or what contract amendments could be applied.

Giannoulias made the announcement at the beginning of Pride Month, adding that he would continue to fight for equality for members of the LGBTQ+ communities across the state.

Shortly after taking office as State Treasurer in 2007, Giannoulias changed office policy to allow office employees in same-sex domestic partnerships to receive the same health benefits as married employees and their dependents. At the time, the Treasurer’s Office had been the only constitutional office not to give health benefits to same-sex partners of state workers.

In 2010, the Treasurer’s Office became the first state constitutional office in Illinois to establish that LGBTQ+ employees in domestic partnerships would have all the
same rights and benefits as married employees, including unpaid time off to care for a sick partner or relative or for the birth or adoption of a child.

* I had to check twice to make sure that I wasn’t looking at a 2020 web page when I read the Daily Herald editorial board’s question of all state legislative candidates. Here’s an example posed to Democratic House candidate Matt Hanson…

Q: The graduated income tax is designed with the intent to reduce taxes for 97 percent of Illinoisans. Do you believe that will happen? Why or why not? What assurances can you offer voters?

I do not hold an office in Springfield at this time, but I am not aware that a graduated income tax is being discussed. Tax relief for middle class families and workers is my focus. Billionaire insiders and massive corporations paying little to no taxes need to pay their fair share. Incentivize work rather than wealth. This can be done by closing corporate loopholes and offering tax credits for middle class families.

Hanson’s pension answer was pretty good.

* People’s Fabric has produced yet another big oppo dump. Like the last one, this is about 19th House District Democratic candidate Tina Wallace. Here’s the quick summary…

After the Northwest Side real estate agent was sued over her dog’s unprovoked mauling of a kennel worker, a judge found Wallace’s actions indicated “a wanton disregard for the safety of others.” She later unsuccessfully lobbied Alderman Raymond Lopez to change the city’s dangerous dog ordinance to prohibit kennel workers from suing in the future.

As before, this is a long narrative, but here is an excerpt…

Julia’s attorneys described this as a campaign “tailored for the precise purpose of embarrassment and harassment under the pretext of investigation.” They asked the judge to intervene. The judge agreed and granted a protective order prohibiting Wallace from sending any more letters.

Wallace even subpoenaed individuals not directly related to the case—at one point she attempted to depose Chicago Blackhawks player Bryan Bickell a year after winning the 2013 Stanley Cup. At that time, Julia worked for the Bickell Foundation, which was founded to help combat public misconceptions about pit bulls.

Julia’s lawsuit initially sought reimbursement for her medical bills and lost wages. Julia was uninsured and had racked up medical expenses exceeding $40,000.

After more than two years in court, she asked the court to allow her to also seek punitive damages, citing a “pattern of misrepresentations [that] has continued throughout this litigation, as Wallace represented under oath… that she had no knowledge of any bite, attack or injuries caused by her dog.”

The judge agreed that they met the bar to request punitive damages against Wallace, writing, “[T]he evidence establishes that Tina Wallace and Barriers Against Repeated Cruelty were aware that ‘Sam’ previously bit two other individuals, but failed to disclose this information to Found or [Julia]. The acts of Tina Wallace and [BARC] indicates a wanton disregard for the safety of others.”

After this ruling from the judge, the case was immediately settled. The exact terms of the settlement are unclear, but according to a source with knowledge of the case, who asked to remain anonymous, the first payment from Wallace’s liability insurance was $400,000—roughly ten times the initial damages sought.

More…

Besides the lying & callousness toward the victim, this bit of gaslighting was🤯.

Tina Wallace stopped a rescue from euthanizing a dog—after it's second attack on a human—then when the dog attacked someone again & she was sued, Wallace blamed the org for not euthanizing the dog. https://t.co/6zBqprTv9R pic.twitter.com/p0TaAwjOTm

— The People's Fabric (@peoplesfabric) June 1, 2022

* Politico…

— Gov. JB Pritzker is endorsing state Senate candidate Mary Edly-Allen, a former state rep, in the 31st District Democratic primary against Sam Yingling, a state rep. “Mary has been a fierce advocate for women’s reproductive rights and critical investments in mental health care, childcare, and violence prevention programs that strengthen public safety.”

— Sam Yingling is out with a digital ad in his race for the state Senate in the 31st District that includes Lake County. The ad, titled, “Report Card,” addresses guns, abortion rights, and being an LGBTQ elected official. […]

— Pat Dowell has been endorsed by Posen Mayor Frank Podbielniak in her bid for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 1st District.

— Progressive or not: State House rep candidate Kevin Olickal says he’ll join the Illinois House Progressive Caucus if elected to represent the 16th District. His point: Incumbent state Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback didn’t join the caucus after tweeting that she would.

* CD17…

Former state representative and 17th District Democratic Congressional Candidate Litesa Wallace on Tuesday called on Bloomington-based State Farm Insurance to resist pressure from a right-wing Republican advocacy group and restore its support for the GenderCool Project, an educational group that supports transgender children.

Consumers’ Research, a right-wing Republican outfit opposed to LGBTQ rights and other Civil Rights, targeted State Farm and its support for the youth-led program which, among other things, provides books and other materials to promote understanding of transgender youth.

“State Farm is a valued employer and partner in Illinois. Consumers’ Research is a fake “research” group designed to grind Republican axes, which takes money from the tobacco industry and which is known for its vastly misleading propaganda reports. The GenderCool Project, meanwhile, provides some kindness and understanding to gender neutral, nonbinary and trans kids trying to make their way in a world of cruelty that we see getting crueler by the day. I urge State Farm to revisit their decision to appease this right-wing advocacy group. This is caving to the kind of bigotry that makes life so cruel for so many of our children.”

* Back to People’s Fabric…

This is uhh, quite the collection of campaigns. pic.twitter.com/bIjEHtzG0W

— The People's Fabric (@peoplesfabric) June 1, 2022

Yep.

* From the Daily Herald endorsements of Alexi Giannoulias and Rep. Dan Brady is this little gem…

Milhiser is the only member of billionaire Ken Griffin’s well-funded slate that Republican House Leader Jim Durkin has not endorsed.

Milhiser stresses time and again that as a career prosecutor, he knows how to root out corruption.

As Brady points out, Milhiser probably should be running for attorney general then. We agree.

Um, Leader Durkin isn’t endorsing Milhiser because Brady is a top member of Durkin’s leadership team.

* CD13…

Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced his endorsement of Nikki Budzinski in Illinois’ 13th Congressional district. Since being elected as the 43rd Governor of Illinois, Governor Pritzker has raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour, protected reproductive freedom, got the state’s fiscal house in order, and made education more accessible and affordable for all.

Governor Pritzker made the following statement: “I am proud to endorse Nikki Budzinski for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Nikki has dedicated her life to fighting for workers and working families and has a unique ability to bring people together from all walks of life to get big things done. Nikki was invaluable in our fight to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, and played a major role in expanding reliable, high-speed broadband to every corner of Illinois. With Republicans hellbent on taking us backward, it is more important than ever that we send strong Democrats like Nikki to Washington to fight the tide of rising right-wing extremism.”

Nikki Budzinski made the following statement: “When JB was running for Governor, he made a commitment to put Springfield back on the side of working people and in his first term, he delivered on that promise. Governor Pritzker shares my commitment to organized labor and working people. That’s why I was proud to work with him to increase Illinois’ minimum wage to $15 an hour. I look forward to building on that work in Congress as an advocate for working families.”

…Adding… Darnit. I promised Sen. Wilcox I would post this and then I forgot. Sorry about that…

McHenry Township Republicans will be hosting a candidates’ forum on Saturday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Richardson Farm, 909 English Prairie Rd, Spring Grove, IL.

These forums will be scheduled throughout the day at one of four stages located at Richardson Farm. Some of the forums including Republican Candidates for the United States Senate, McHenry County Board, Illinois Comptroller, Illinois Treasurer, Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois Attorney General, various United States Congressional districts, Illinois Supreme Court, McHenry County Clerk, McHenry County Treasurer, McHenry County Regional Superintendent of Schools, various Illinois General Assembly districts, and Illinois Governor.

Gubernatorial Candidates scheduled to be at the forum include Darren Bailey, Gary Rabine, Paul Schimpf, and Max Solomon. This portion of the forum begins at 6 p.m. at the Amphitheatre and will be the concluding event of the day.

In addition to hearing the candidates speak there will be food trucks, concessions, and a beer tent at the event. Grab your lawn chair and plan to spend the day at the Grand Old Party at the Farm!

For more information about the event please visit mchenrytownshipgop.com.

Just about everyone is going to be there, except Richard Irvin.

* More…

* Daily Herald endorsement: Giannoulias and Brady for Secretary of State: Anna Valencia has similar views. But she is handicapped by the fact she failed to disclose her husband’s lobbying activities on her ethics forms. She waved it off as an oversight, but she’s running for a position that has oversight of the registration and activities of lobbyists. That’s a difficult flaw to overcome.

* Most Republican hopefuls in 6th House race have doubts about Biden’s 2020 win: Despite saying the nation “will never know” if Biden was fairly elected, Grasso said he believes Biden legitimately won.

* ‘Millionaire’s exemption’ could make Illinois’ governor’s race the nation’s most expensive

* After 2020 slump, Chicago sees a surge in votes cast for Local School Council election