Campaign notebook
Monday, Aug 29, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* KSDK…
Duckworth said Salvi opposes abortion even in cases of rape, incest, and if the mother’s life is threatened.
When asked about her stance on these cases, Salvi said she would not get into hypotheticals.
“I don’t know [about] the 6,000 rape cases a year…if those folks would consider rape to be hypotheticals,” Duckworth said.
* Public radio story on Republican CD17 nominee Esther Joy King…
King said she’s for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson overturning the nearly half-century old Roe v. Wade precedent that shielded abortion access rights on a national scale.
“I do support what the Supreme Court did and returning the decision back to the states, to the people, really,” she said. “It’s closer to us, the people. So our voice matters more in this conversation.”
King said she believes Illinois has some of the most extreme abortion laws in the country, citing the Illinois General Assembly’s decision to scrap a law requiring parental notification for minors seeking an abortion.
She said she is “pro-life,” but does support exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and to protect the life of the mother. She said abortion access should ultimately be left up to individual states to decide.
* Pioneer Press story entitled “Sex-Ed bill, ‘progressive’ school curriculum the focus of DuPage County Republicans ahead of midterm elections”…
On Wednesday, [Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, R-Elmhurst] was joined on stage by representative Amy Grant of District 42 and Republican House candidates E. Dale Litney and Paul Leong, who reiterated the need for full curriculum transparency and parental involvement in what children are being taught.
Leong, Naperville councilman, former school board member, and candidate for House District 81, said the “role of family in academic success cannot be underestimated.”
“We have allowed bureaucrats, not educators, nor parents, to structure educational programs and issue mandates and standards that have no bearing on academic success,” he said. Leong, along with Mazzochi, recommended school districts create parent committees to conduct in-depth reviews of controversial classes or pieces of curriculum.
Mazzochi touched on a couple of other issues during her 30-minute speech, including “left-wing political ideologies” that she said are one of the root causes of Illinois’ teacher shortage.
A 30-minute speech?
* ILGOP…
Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs’ office failed to provide proper accounting for more than $1.6 billion in state fund deposits according to a report by the Office of the Illinois Auditor General.
On page 142 the report states:
“The Office of the Treasurer (the Office) had inadequate internal controls over the Office’s Fiscal Officer Responsibilities financial statement adjustment process. During testing of the Statements of Assets and Other Debits, Liabilities and Accountabilities (financial statements), it was determined the Clearing Account Deposits and Deposits in Transit as well as the Agencies’ Deposits Outside the State Treasury accounts were each understated by $1,635,711,097.”
Rather than taking responsibility and addressing the mistake head on, Frerichs’ office said the finding was because of ‘incomplete information given to our office,’ according to Center Square.
“Treasurer Frerichs continues to blame other people for his offices’ mistakes proving that he is not the leader we need to bring financial accountability to Illinois’ reckless tax-and-spend government,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. “Frerichs has proven that not only is he a reliable lapdog for J.B. Pritzker’s tax-and-spend agenda, but that he can’t be trusted to manage public tax dollars. Republican Candidate for Treasurer Rep. Tom Demmer is the true financial watchdog Illinois families need and deserve.”
This is not the office’s first financial mishap under Treasurer Frerichs’ watch. As families face rampant inflation and record gas prices, they’ve also been hit hard from Frerichs’ mismanagement of the State’s college savings programs - which have lost millions of dollars in student college savings this year.
…Adding… He has since reported raising a bit over $31K…
…Adding… Sun-Times…
Mayoral challenger Willie Wilson on Monday asked a federal judge to block a $2 million precinct consolidation plan tied to redistricting that will eliminate 779 of Chicago’s 2,069 precincts.
In a lawsuit filed in federal district court, Wilson argues that the cost-saving plan to create 1,290 new precincts — down from 2,069 — will confuse Chicago voters, depress turnout in the Nov. 28 general and Feb. 28 mayoral and aldermanic elections and “disparately impact racial and/or ethnic voting blocs.”
If precinct consolidation is needed, it should not be done in “mid-election cycle” without public hearings, the lawsuit states. To do so and to require voters to “travel much further distances to reach a polling location” and face “longer lines and wait times to vote” violates First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the lawsuit states.
* More…
* Pritzker and Democratic candidates rally in Rock Island ahead of midterms
* Pritzker touts work on bill backlog, infrastructure during Whiteside County campaign stop
* Pritzker in Macomb: ‘Hate has no home in Illinois’
* Gov. Pritzker rallies supporters in Macomb
* Led by Pritzker’s millions, Democrats dominate political funding
* Is the Funding Gap Between Pritzker and Bailey’s Campaigns Insurmountable?
* Tom DeVore: Progressive Policies Turning Chicago’s Magnificent Mile Into Murderous Mile
- Roadrager - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:07 pm:
==Mazzochi touched on a couple of other issues during her 30-minute speech, including “left-wing political ideologies” that she said are one of the root causes of Illinois’ teacher shortage.==
Oh, for a cited list of examples of these ideologies and specific occurrences that have caused shortages.
- JS Mill - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:09 pm:
=Leong, Naperville councilman, former school board member, and candidate for House District 81, said the “role of family in academic success cannot be underestimated.”
“We have allowed bureaucrats, not educators, nor parents, to structure educational programs and issue mandates and standards that have no bearing on academic success,”=
If this wasn’t purely about right wing ideaoliogy he would care about a lot more than the sex ed stuff. The list of mandated topics of instruction is a mile long and getting longer, yet the ISBE has not increased the school year or pushed back.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:15 pm:
To the post,
I’m glad there’s more coverage to Frerichs’ $1.6 billion error. I really didn’t get to delve into learning more. Now, I “kinda” have?
Let’s start here. From the post, and it’s on cite of the report;
===“The Office of the Treasurer (the Office) had inadequate internal controls over the Office’s Fiscal Officer Responsibilities financial statement adjustment process. During testing of the Statements of Assets and Other Debits, Liabilities and Accountabilities (financial statements), it was determined the Clearing Account Deposits and Deposits in Transit as well as the Agencies’ Deposits Outside the State Treasury accounts were each understated by $1,635,711,097.”===
The internal mechanisms are on Frerichs’ watch, and while Center Square does “it’s” thing, a more honest accounting (no pun intended) should be two fold;
Frerichs understanding that preparing for such an audit should begin with irregularities hopefully they could find.
Frerichs folks could’ve found them and been the hero to themselves after the fact by doing such preparing before facing the outside party’s findings.
It’s not a good look, it looks inefficient, it also looks, well, just plain sloppy.
As the newly minted head of ALL state treasurers, this is the first thingy out of the box after such an “honor”
Yikes.
- Annonin' - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:17 pm:
30 min is a lot of Zock, but sure to be charming.
Good to see ChairmanDon still has pop up BashTheTreasurer store in his trunk. Perhaps he could explain how the GOPies handled this. BTW this is his 5th pop up for the Treasurer….no count on Bailey, Salvi, DeVore et al
- MoralMinority - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:36 pm:
==This match is only good for the next 24 hours==Hurry. Act now to avoid disappointment. Supplies are running out. Be one of the next 75 donors. We may not be able take your money if you wait until tomorrow. Sounds like an infomercial. Is the MyPillow guy involved?
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:41 pm:
JS Mill raises a very important point I have agreed with for some time. It’s all too easy for legislators to claim responsiveness to a constituency group by mandating a study by an agency or requiring teaching of a subject. Unless triggered by someone, legislators will go along to avoid antagonizing a group.
A thoughtful review of education mandates is warranted. Unfortunately, “thoughtful review” is not what MAGA world is about.
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:42 pm:
If I wanted to make the case against something Mazzochi supported, my first move would be to let her speak for 30 minutes.
- Bourbon Street - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:43 pm:
==“left wing political ideologies” that she said are one of the root causes of Illinois’ teacher shortage==
Talking to people who have left the teaching profession or who are contemplating leaving may have been helpful to an understanding of the real issues teachers deal with, Rep. Mazzochi. Just sayin’
- Been There - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:43 pm:
==== Is the Funding Gap Between Pritzker and Bailey’s Campaigns Insurmountable?====
Personally I think it would be in Prtizker’s best interest to donate a substantial sum to Bailey’s campaign. The more Bailey talks or his camp sends something out the more it helps JB.
- Tony Scott - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:46 pm:
“…will confuse Chicago voters, depress turnout in the Nov. 28 general…”
Assume that’s the Sun-Time’s typo
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:52 pm:
If Ms. Mazzochi would step away from her lucrative law practice and become a teacher, that would certainly address the teacher shortage in some small way.
So many words yet so little sense.
- JS Mill - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:54 pm:
=A thoughtful review of education mandates is warranted. Unfortunately, “thoughtful review” is not what MAGA world is about.=
You had me at “thoughtful review”.
I was once at a meeting of superintendents and area legislators. To prove a point. I presented a copy of the “School Code” from years past and then showed them one that was five years newer. The newer one was almost 2 inches thicker. The pages are so thin they are almost see through. They added hundreds of pages of new school laws and removed none. They said “we don’t do that”, they were referring to removing laws.
But the maga people are totally hair-on-fire and simply seem to want to get rid of public schools. Especially bailey. Makes me sick.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:56 pm:
=== When asked about her stance on these cases, Salvi said she would not get into hypotheticals.===
There’s a 16 year old in Florida who is being required to have a pregnancy continue full term.
That’s not a hypothetical.
You think that should be the national norm and the legal position of the United States?
Salvi may already know she’s dangerous to women’s health?
Saying nothing is the tell?
- Nick Name - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:56 pm:
===When asked about her stance on these cases, Salvi said she would not get into hypotheticals.===
Pro-lifers really do not want to talk about these difficult situations. Their cruelty is astonishing.
- Amalia - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:58 pm:
there is no longer any trusting a candidate with a R by their name on the issue of reproductive choices. they flat out tell you that they are anti choices or they link to some organization without coming right out and saying that they want restrictions on this aspect of women’s health. we see you and we aren’t voting for you.
- Jerry - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:59 pm:
Mazzochi touched on a couple of other issues during her 30-minute speech, including “left-wing political ideologies” that she said are one of the root causes of Illinois’ teacher shortage.
*****
I’m curious, what are the “right-wing political ideologies” that will eliminate the teacher shortage?
- twowaystreet - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:01 pm:
Precincts are not polling locations. Someone should explain the difference to Willie. In fact many polling locations host multiple precincts in Chicago.
There’s a real concern over polling locations being removed as vote by mail becomes more widely used and election authorities preference to cut cost by using larger voter centers. BUT conflating precinct consolidation and polling location availability doesn’t help.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:09 pm:
-When asked about her stance on these cases, Salvi said she would not get into hypotheticals.-
If you are that afraid or embarrassed about what the public’s reaction to your position would be, perhaps you have the wrong position.
- 48th Ward Heel - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:15 pm:
“These little schoolhouse Reds were teaching their left-wing political ideologies, we tweeted their names and addresses, a few patriots showed up at their homes to have a dialogue and suddenly these snowflakes don’t wan’t to work anymore. See? It’s all their fault.”
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:16 pm:
JS Mill, my sympathy. As a young legislative staff, I thought bills should be judged as to need. I was soon disabused of that quaint idea and learned most were judged on whether they were opposed and who was that opposition.
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:21 pm:
==This match is only good for the next 24 hours==
It will be interesting to see if there is an actual matching donation in the next couple of days.
- Roadrager - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:25 pm:
==I’m curious, what are the “right-wing political ideologies” that will eliminate the teacher shortage?==
Abolish public schools and go full voucher, so all your teachers will be true believers who educate the right way. Thousands upon thousands of Full Armors, from Galena to Metropolis and everywhere in between. Finally, we have achieved “school choice.”
- Anyone Remember - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:37 pm:
===At June 30, 2021, certain agencies had not corrected their duplicate deposits.===
So, the Treasurer has asked unnamed agencies to correct errors, and those agencies haven’t.
This audit report was released June 16, 2022 (day before 50th anniversary of the Watergate break in). IL GOP, you take off summer vacation?
- New Day - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:39 pm:
The Devore OpEd fails to mention his opponent in his attacks on Pritzker, Foxx and Lightfoot until the 12th paragraph. Hmmm, maybe he’s confused about what he’s running for…again.
- Not a Superstar - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:58 pm:
== Mazzochi touched on a couple of other issues during her 30-minute speech ==
Mazzochi poses as a mainstream suburban legislator, replacing Patti Bellock and all, but she represents how truly radical the ILGOP is.
- Primate - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 5:17 pm:
Annonin’, agreed that is nice to see Tracy bring this up again. It is a fair hit. However, it has to be the party taking on Frerichs because no sane person would take financial advice or answer a financial question from team Rauner/Demmer. Their past decisions regarding the budget hurt people and decimated our overall standing in the nation.
- Siualum - Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 6:36 pm:
==she said abortion access…should be left up to individual states to decide==
Why not take it a step further and say abortion access should up to “individuals” to decide?
- UnionStateEmployeeThatIsNotAFSCME - Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 8:18 am:
==In fact many polling locations host multiple precincts in Chicago.==
Same in Springfield. Westminister Presbyterian Church on Edwards and Walnut, a few blocks west of the Capitol Complex, is one of those multiple precinct polling places. (At least Capital 50, 43, 46 maybe, and at least one more). Some of those precincts used to vote different places (Capital 50 used to vote at the old Sankey Hi-Rise before it was closed and demolished, and I remember at least one precinct voting in the Stratton Building at least during the Blago era).
- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 9:01 am:
This is basic Governmental Accounting Standards Board stuff, not some confusing new standard - every governmental agency routinely files these annually…
We recommended the Office improve
controls over the financial reporting
process of the Fiscal Officer
Responsibilities, specifically:
• Verify the accuracy of all information
reported.
• Verify prior fiscal year information
• Verify all amounts
• Verify amounts reported agree between
statements and note schedules.