* Far-right Republicans regularly demand a single flavor of Republicanism. But while a large chunk of the party’s members side with those folks, majorities and pluralities appear to support a big tent philosophy on most individual hot-button issues, according to a Monmouth University poll of party members…

However…

A majority (55%) of Republican voters continue to say that Biden’s 2020 victory was due only to voter fraud. Just 28% say the current president won fair and square.

*Heavy sigh*

I don’t know how anyone can be taken seriously if they believe that nonsense.

* From the Illinois Supreme Court…

The Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force (Task Force) has updated its resource documents, including draft flowcharts, considerations documents and sample orders, to reflect the latest Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) amendments as of December 15, 2022.

The updated resources and other Task Force information can be found here.

* “Voters overwhelmingly rejected my candidate, so they are all doomed to ignominious death”…

RIP IL should be a specialty plate in Illinois. #twill pic.twitter.com/IM83QDekZ8

— Dan Proft (@DanProft) December 16, 2022

Merry Christmas to you, too, Dan.

…Adding… Amnesty International…

Amnesty International USA’s Campaign Manager for Ending Gun Violence, Ernest Coverson, issued the following statement in support of the Protect Illinois Communities Act (HB5855).

“It’s imperative that the Illinois legislature pass the Protect Illinois Communities Act ahead of the January session. This bill, which would ban assault weapons, among other provisions, is a step toward keeping the communities of Illinois safer and free of gun violence. Gun violence continues to tear apart our communities nationwide and has a disproportionate impact on people of color; for example, nationally, Black people are 10 times more likely to be victims of firearm-related homicides and 18 times more likely to suffer firearm-related injuries than white people. Illinois was ravaged by gun violence this year with more than 50 mass shooting incidents, some of which could have been prevented with stricter gun control measures such as what is contained in HB 5855.”

“Legislation like the Protect Illinois Communities Act puts necessary safeguards in place such as banning large capacity magazines, rapid-fire mechanisms, increasing the Firearm Owners Identification eligibility age to 21 with limited, specific exceptions, and dedicating law enforcement to counter the trafficking of illegal firearms from out of state. All of these measures will help address the plague of gun violence in both urban and rural communities across the state. Amnesty International urges state leaders and local communities to come together to support the Protect Illinois Communities Act and move one step closer to a safer Illinois.”

* Oops…

Federal prosecutors say recent FBI surveillance of Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) undermined her claim that she is medically unfit to stand trial on public corruption charges.

In asking last month for U.S. District Judge John Kness to find her unfit, Austin’s lawyers said her deteriorating health issues have brought her to a point where she could not pass a six-minute walking test in September, and that she struggles even with the help of a portable oxygen concentrator.

But while being surveilled on Nov. 19, the feds say Austin was seen walking in and out of a salon unassisted. After spending three hours at the salon, she was allegedly seen visiting a beauty store — “again, unassisted.”

“FBI agents did not observe her using oxygen at any time during the surveillance,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Vikas Didwania wrote.

* Press release…

Memorial services for State Senator Scott Bennett will be held on Monday, Dec. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana.

Senator Bennett passed away on Friday, Dec. 9 surrounded by his wife, family and loved ones from complications of a large brain tumor.

He had served in the Senate since 2015 and has served as chair of the Senate’s Higher Education and Agriculture committees.

Senator Bennett, a fifth-generation Central Illinoisan, was a tireless advocate and champion for measures to protect and improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable in our state: children, families, older adults, and individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health issues.

During his tenure, he fought to secure MAP grant funding and make college more affordable for Illinois families, instituted protections to keep the drinking water in the Mahomet Aquifer safe, promoted compassionate courtrooms by authorizing the use of “comfort dogs,” and teamed up with Treasurer Michael Frerichs to create the Illinois Achieving a Better Life Expectancy Act, better known as the ABLE Act.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations in Senator Bennett’s memory to CU Able or Champaign-Urbana Autism Network, as his priority for the upcoming legislative session was going to center around assistance for people with disabilities.

The Bennett family has asked that their privacy is respected as they navigate this difficult time.

WHO: Governor JB Pritzker, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert J. Jones, State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs, U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe, Senate President Don Harmon, Former State Senator Pat McGuire, State Representative Tom Bennett, Champaign County States Attorney Julia Rietz and Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen

WHEN: Doors open at 9 a.m. and the Memorial will start 10 a.m., Monday, Dec. 19, 2022

WHERE: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL) and live on BlueRoomStream.com

* From Navy Pier…

CHICAGO— Reyes Coca-Cola is bringing in the classic Coca-Cola Caravan Saturday, December 17 from 4 pm – 9 pm. This Coca-Cola semi-truck is decked out in holiday lights! Guests are invited to take a free photo with the iconic Coca-Cola Polar Bear and enjoy a free sample of Coca-Cola products. Reyes Coca-Cola is the new beverage partner across the Pier.

On Friday, December 16, Ozinga’s Merry Mixer is coming to Navy Pier. Ozinga’s signature red-and-white striped mixer is decked out with more than 32,000 programmed lights. This dazzling display features animated light sequences and toe-tapping renditions of favorite holiday tunes. Guests can experience this free display from 4 pm – 10 pm.

The Holidays are coming alive all-around Navy Pier! Visit our Winter Artisan Market to find a one-of-a-kind, locally-made gift. Guests can join one of our free workshops led by Chicago artists and learn how to make a gift for your special someone. Stay into the evening to celebrate the season at our night markets while enjoying some tunes from local musicians or sipping on a holiday cocktail from one of our restaurants.

On Saturday, December 17 from 1 pm – 3 pm, there will be cookie decorating. Guests will choose different holiday-themed cookies and learn from a master cookie decorator how to paint and decorate edible holiday scenes. Then, from 4 pm – 6 pm, local Chicago artist, Cookie Kwan, will guide guests in the creation of traditional Filipino ‘Parol Lanterns’ which are displayed throughout the holiday season.

From 7 pm – 9 pm, guests will begin the Gift of Music workshop by selecting a song that reminds them of someone. The first part of this workshop is creating a detailed card in the shape of a record with a note attached to it as well as an envelope to insert the card into. The second part of the workshop will include printing out a QR code to the song selected that will then be attached to the card. When the QR code is scanned, the song will play on the person’s phone.

There will be live art with Natalia Virafuentes from 2 pm – 5 pm. Virafuentes is a Mexican-American multimedia artist born and raised in the city of Chicago. Her works go from 2D to 3D but primarily consist of drawing and painting. She has been working hard as a muralist since 2019. Guests can also enjoy live holiday music by JoLin & the Cousins from 6 pm – 8 pm.

* Thanks, but the real thanks go to the people who stepped up and more than doubled our previous online fundraising record set in 2021…

LSSI would like to give a big shoutout to Rich Miller @capitolfax for his annual LSSI Christmas fundraiser to support children in our programs, including children in foster care. Thanks to all Rich's supporters who donated. You all have made Christmas bright for many kids! pic.twitter.com/vpMi6pcxzB

— Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (@MeetLSSI) December 16, 2022

* Isabel’s roundup…

* FOX 32 | New poll shows Lightfoot trailing Garcia, Vallas: A new voter opinion survey suggests Mayor Lori Lightfoot would come in third if the Feb. 28 election were held today. That would eliminate the first-term incumbent from competing in any April runoff election.

* Lake County News-Sun | Lake County’s first Latino and openly gay countywide official begins term; ‘Government works better when it reflects the community’: The 30-year-old is believed to be the both the first Latino and first openly gay person to hold an elected, countywide office in Lake County. “A few cycles ago, Avon Township in Lake County made history by electing Krystal Larson the first openly transgender township clerk,” Vega said. “It’s 2022, the county is a quarter Latino, we have thousands of folks that are proudly LGBTQ and I’ve always said government works better when it reflects the community they represent.

* FOX 32 | Staffing woes hamper CPD reform efforts, new report warns: The Chicago Police Department’s deep staffing and personnel issues continue to hinder its court-ordered reform efforts, according to a progress report released Thursday. By the end of the most recent reporting period, covering the first half of the year, the police department had earned some form of compliance with 78% of the reviewable sections in the sweeping federal consent decree, which the city entered into after the police killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014.

* Crain’s | Inflation is eroding the power of basic income checks in America: A group of low-income residents of Cook County, Illinois is getting their first $500 checks this week from the $42 million two-year program, which organizers say is the largest-ever such initiative in the US. The idea is to give families a government-funded guaranteed payment every month to help pay for the basics like food, shelter and other living expenses. Lightfoot’s budget doesn’t include funding to extend Chicago’s basic income program beyond one year. But with soaring prices for everything from food to fuel, more than 3,000 recipients will find that money won’t stretch nearly as far as when the grants were announced in May.

* Crain’s | Unionized Starbucks workers kick off three-day strike: Employees of unionized Starbucks locations are participating in a nationwide demonstration starting today. Workers are demanding an end to store closures in a three-day unfair labor practice strike through the weekend. Six locations across Illinois, four of them in Chicago, are taking part in the action, which begins at 7 a.m. today. The demonstration includes 100 locations across the country.

* WTTW | 14-Year-Old Charged With Bringing Firearm Into Chicago Elementary School: Chicago police announced the student has been charged with felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon and threat to a school building. He was also cited for possessing a high-capacity magazine and metal piercing bullets. According to police, the student — whose name was not released because he is a minor — was arrested Wednesday at Mary E. Courtenay Language Arts Center, 4420 N. Beacon St., after he was reported to staff in the building.

* Semafor | Democratic lawmakers are looking for the exits in case Twitter implodes: A number of Democrats have publicly criticized Musk’s recent decisions to suspend journalists, his conspiratorial tweets, and his abandonment of the prior management’s approach to hate speech and harassment. While no members are quitting just yet, several offices say they’re checking out new options and may change up their social media diet.

* Daily Herald | Botched police raids lead to change in state’s attorney’s warrants policy: “The intrusion that search warrants legally authorize justifies greater disclosure and transparency to ensure that a search warrant is carried out on the correct individual and location,” State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said in announcing changes. “Going forward to receive our signoff, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office will require law enforcement to submit to increased checks of the information provided to request search warrants and then disclose the outcome of the warrant.

* Tribune | Chicago police officer tied to disgraced unit fired 18 years after scandal: The Police Board decided to dismiss Officer Thomas Sherry in a 5 to 1 decision for his alleged actions in the disgraced Special Operations Section, a specialized unit that was disbanded when some of its officers committed home invasions and robberies in the 2000s.

* Crain’s | Kinzinger delivers a scathing farewell speech that singes the GOP—and Dems, too: The Channahon Republican, who along with now-ousted Wyoming Republican Liz Cheney was one of only two GOP members to serve on the House’s Jan. 6 investigative committee, criticized his party for embracing “lies and deceit” while buying in to conspiracy theories and slavishly supporting former President Donald Trump.

* The Hill | Trump’s digital cards sell out within a day: As of Friday morning, the site selling the non-fungible tokens (NFTs) says they are sold out, and links to purchase the digital cards are no longer available. OpenSea Data, which tracks the sales and markets for NFTs, indicated there were 45,000 of the Trump cards initially made available for purchase for $99 each. The Trump digital cards were the top trending item on the site as of Friday morning.

* Crain’s | NASCAR’s image overhaul starts in Chicago: NASCAR has to change something to rebuild its audience. Its average national TV viewership has shrunk to just over 3 million people per race, barely half of its size 10 years ago, though that drop may be partly a product of fewer people subscribing to pay-TV or streaming services. Stock car racing has been gradually reverting to its roots as a regional Southern sport, a far cry from its glory days two decades ago, when its popularity exploded nationally. Ratings for the Daytona 500 topped the World Series for four years in the mid-2000s.

* WTTW | Chuck Swirsky, Radio Voice of Chicago Bulls, Reflects on 50 Years in Broadcasting: His broadcasting career spans 50 years and many sports, but basketball was always his first love and this is now his 25th season in his dream role as an NBA broadcaster. A pioneer of Chicago sports talk radio, Swirsky has also covered many iconic moments in sports history – including L.A. Laker Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.

* The Southern | A Murphysboro woman has been battling against a sinkhole in her driveway for over 2 years : For about two and a half years, Wilson has been dealing with the sinkhole. Her son, Johnnie Sims, said nearly 40 tons of gravel has been put into the hole. Each time it is repaired with gravel, the sinkhole opens back up again. In mid-November, nine tons of gravel was placed in the hole in an attempt to stop it from reopening. By the first of December, it was open again.