* Background is here if you need it. From the denial…
It is Hereby Ordered, that the City of Chicago’s Motion to Stay is denied for the following reasons:
On February 26, 2024 this Court denied the City of Chicago’s Petition for Leave to Intervene as a Matter of Right pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-408(a)(2). On that same day, the City of Chicago filed a Notice of Appeal to the Illinois Appellate Court stating, “the City of Chicago will ask the appellate court to reverse the circuit court’s judgment and orders and grant such other relief as it may be entitled to on this appeal.” (Notice of Appeal, p. 2, February 26, 2024).
This Court does not have jurisdiction to hear such a motion because “when the notice of appeal is filed, the appellate court’s jurisdiction attaches instanter, and the cause is beyond the jurisdiction of the trial court.” Daley v Laurie, 106 Il. 2d 33, 37-38 (1985) (while taking notice that the defendant’s Notice of Appeal preempted the defendant’s motion for a new trial, causing the trial court to lose jurisdiction).
Pursuant to the Supreme Court Rule 305(d), the City of Chicago is not foreclosed from obtaining the necessary relief of a stay from the Appellate Court. Il. Sup. Ct. Rule 305(d).
The City of Chicago’s Motion to Stay is also denied because the City of Chicago as non-intervenor, and ultimately as a non-party under the facts of this case has no standing to seek a stay on the final merits.
* 735 ILCS 5/2-408(a)(2)…
Intervention. (a) Upon timely application anyone shall be permitted as of right to intervene in an action: … (2) when the representation of the applicant’s interest by existing parties is or may be inadequate and the applicant will or may be bound by an order or judgment in the action
The suit was designed to prevent the Board of Elections from counting the votes. The City of Chicago does not count votes. So, the city wasn’t allowed to intervene.
…Adding… The plaintiffs’ response to the city’s motion to intervene referenced the statute above…
This Section sets three threshold requirements: (1) timely application; (2) inadequate representation of petitioner’s interest by the existing parties; and (3) a finding that the petitioner will or may be bound by an order in the case.
The Petition should be denied because Petitioner does not satisfy any of these three requirements for intervention. First the petition is not timely, and will, necessarily delay the agreed upon schedule for prompt resolution of the case. Second, the interest Petitioners claim to have is adequately represented by the Defendant, Board of Elections, which has filed exactly the same pleadings – a motion to dismiss and a response to the motion for judgment on the pleadings – that Petitioner seeks leave to file. Third, Petitioner will not be “bound” by any judgment of this Court because the relief sought in the Complaint – that the referenda not appear on the ballot and that, if it does, any votes cast on the question not be counted - can only be provided by the Defendant Board. Petitioner plays no role in preparing ballots or counting votes.
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* From Gov. JB Pritzker’s appearance at the Illinois Farm Bureau’s 2022 candidate forum…
Q: With California on the verge of passing a law that would mandate all electric electrical vehicles by 2035 and multiple states are possibly ready to follow, can we have your commitment to ensure that Illinois consumers have the choice in what type of vehicles we drive and we do not follow California’s lead?
Pritzker: I had the opportunity to sign on to that pact and didn’t. So that should give you some indicator. Look, do I think we ought to see electrification? Yes, of course, I’ve encouraged that I think it’s a good thing for us to electrify. But it is going to be gradual, it is going to take time. Illinois is not going to snap its fingers and require you to go buy an electric vehicle tomorrow.
* The governor today…
So we want to work our way obviously toward having zero emission vehicles on the road. That’s why we’ve provided some incentives for people who want to go out on their own, make that decision. I personally think now is not the right time for us to do that. Having said that, that’s ultimately the goal. So the question is, it’s not so much joining another state in their standard. It’s just a question of we ultimately need to replace fossil fuel-emitting vehicles in this country. And so we want to be a part of that in the state of Illinois. And we again, we’ve created incentives rather than, you know, sort of carrots rather than sticks to move people in the right direction
* Related…
* IFB strongly opposes ‘harmful’ emissions bill: Proposed state legislation adopting California emission standards in Illinois could render thousands of farm vehicles “illegal and worthless,” according to Illinois Farm Bureau’s director of state legislation. IFB is strongly opposed to House Bill 1634, sponsored by Democratic state Reps. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. of Chicago, Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville, and Bob Morgan of Highwood.
* NFIB: Rep. Gonzalez Pushes for Illinois to Outsource its Vehicle Emissions Standards to California: The bill, if passed, would require the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to adopt and maintain rules implementing “the motor vehicle emissions standards of the State of California” in Illinois, effectively outsourcing an important area of Illinois’ transportation and environmental decision-making to California officials.
* Trucking group says it will sue if IL adopts CA emissions standards: The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association and the California Trucking Association have filed lawsuits against similar legislation. Hart said they expect to sue in Illinois if Gonzalez’s bill becomes law. “You cannot have a state submit itself and its laws and policies to another state agency that is over 2,000 miles away,” Hart said.
* IL Corn Growers Association Urges Put the BRAKES on HB1634: Last week, Illinois state lawmakers tried hitting the gas to incorporate California’s extreme vehicle emissions standards into the Midwest. HB1634 allows California to govern Illinois Vehicle Code and would essentially require: 35% of new light duty vehicles including cars, SUV’s and pick-up trucks sold must be electric by 2026. By 2035, 100% must be electric. Mandates that 75% of all new heavy- duty truck sales and 40% of class 7 and 8 tractor sales must be zero emission by 2035. Requires new trucks sold to be zero emission starting in 2036. Requires used trucks owned by medium and large fleets also be zero emission by 2042.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Subscribers know more. From the Sun-Times…
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is leading an effort to direct more than $560,000 to oust Chicago Democratic State Rep. Mary Flowers — the longest-serving African American lawmaker in the Illinois General Assembly, whose leadership was stripped last year over allegations of abusive behavior. […]
Unions, including IBEW Local 399 and LiUNA, have already contributed more than $500,000 to support Flowers’ opponent, Michael Crawford in the 31st District, which stretches from the city’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood to Hickory Hills.
But now Welch, and the Illinois House Democratic fund he operates, are publicly supporting Crawford with a hefty $560,500 contribution, according to TaQuoya McConnico, executive director for Illinois House Democrats. Welch himself contributed to Crawford $68,500 from his campaign fund. The rest came from fellow House Democratic leaders. […]
“The leader’s decision to support Michael Crawford comes after much consideration of the future of our caucus,” McConnico said in a statement Tuesday. “We are working to build a better Illinois for all. We have to do that with individuals who can come to the table, work collaboratively, and do the work that makes a difference.”
* Sun-Times…
Federal prosecutors say former state Sen. Terry Link should get probation — and no prison time — for dodging $82,000 in taxes after he cooperated for years with the FBI and helped prosecutors convict others for a bribery scheme under the Capitol dome in Springfield.
Sentencing guideline estimates call for as much as a year behind bars for Link, who is set to learn his fate March 6 in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine O’Neill wrote Tuesday that is “greater than necessary,” given Link’s acceptance of responsibility and “substantial assistance to the government.”
“He wore a recording device to meetings with former Illinois State Rep. Luis Arroyo and corrupt businessman James Weiss, leading to a federal indictment against the two,” O’Neill wrote in a memo to Rowland. “[Link] allowed the FBI to record his phone conversations, monitor his emails, and receive would-be bribes to [Link’s] P.O. Box to further the investigation.”
Click here for the full memo from the feds.
* Congratulations!…
…Adding… Turns out, DJ Ramos isn’t the first, but congrats anyway!
* Illinois Supreme Court…
The first Illinois capital city native to serve on the Supreme Court, the Honorable Benjamin K. Miller passed away on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Memorial Hospital in Springfield. He was 87. Justice Miller served on the Supreme Court from 1984-2001 and was Chief Justice from 1991-1993.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, March 23, from 1-2:45 p.m. with a funeral to follow at 3 p.m. Services will be held at Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. Sixth Street in Springfield.
“Justice Miller will forever be known as a giant of the Illinois judicial and legal communities,” Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis said. “He provided steady leadership and moved the courts forward in a profound way. He was always looking to the future and for ways to improve the court system. This is perfectly exemplified by his creation of both the Special Commission on the Administration of Justice and Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council.”
* Here’s the rest…
* WAND | Pritzker announces $6 million for CEJA Returning Residents Program: The program will deliver clean jobs training, education, and support services in Illinois Department of Corrections facilities to people within 36 months of their release to prepare them to work in clean energy and related sector jobs once released. […] Program curriculum will include training in essential employability skills and clean energy basics. After completing the program, participants will continue to the job-specific training portion of the curriculum to get solar PV training or HVAC training, with an energy efficiency focus.
* ABC Chicago | Gov. JB Pritzker attends downstate ribbon cutting for new EV manufacturing training facility: The facility was funded in part by a $7.5 million capital grant, as part of the state’s larger $15 million manufacturing training academy investment, the release said. […] Heartland’s electric vehicle manufacturing program, which launched at a temporary site in August 2021, provides students with training, certificates and degrees in electric vehicle and energy storage technology, the release said.
* WJBC | Governor Pritzker calls Twin Cities state’s center for electric vehicles: Pritzker said Illinois’ greatest assets are its higher education system – including 48 community colleges, the third largest system in the nation – and its human capital. There are lots of other states that have – like “The Beverly Hillbillies” – they have “up from the ground come a-bubblin’ crude.” They have money coming up from the ground. They offer all kinds of dollars to companies to come to their state. We have some of that, but mostly what we have is great people.”
* Tribune | Unlimited funds can flow in State’s Attorney, Board of Review, Circuit Court Clerk races: O’Neill Burke filed paperwork with the state Tuesday morning notifying the state board of elections that she and her husband, attorney John Burke, had contributed a combined $106,900 to her campaign. If a candidate or immediate family member gives a total of $100,000 or more to a campaign within a 12-month span, that lifts contribution caps, allowing unlimited dollars to flow to all candidates in the race.
* Crain’s | Duckworth, trying to compel suddenly pro-IVF Republicans, pushes protections bill: The Illinois senator and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., introduced the bill in 2022, and reintroduced it this year after Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., blocked unanimous consent in December. The bill would provide federal protection for IVF, including overriding any state restrictions. Duckworth said she would favor a roll call vote, but Murray said at the press conference that such a vote was unlikely given everything currently on the Senate’s agenda.
* NBC Chicago | Records reveal potential gaps in Johnson’s administration approach to health care for migrants: In the days after the death of 5-year-old Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero, volunteers – including medically-trained volunteers with the Mobile Migrant Health Team, comprised of University of Illinois Chicago medical students – expressed concern that they were being denied access to the shelters but were willing to help.
* Borderless | Investigation: Chicago Ignored Dozens Of Warnings Of Migrant Shelter Conditions Before Child’s Death: [A] Borderless investigation into the Pilsen shelter, released just days before the five-year-old died, along with new documents obtained by Borderless, paint a very different picture. In the weeks leading up to his death, migrants made at least 17 grievance reports to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), decrying spoiled food, the rationing of water and mistreatment from staff.
* Crain’s | Chicago has one of the largest income inequality gaps in the country: A household in Chicago must bring home an annual salary of at least $149,219 to be among the city’s top 20% of earners. On the other hand, any household earning less than $27,255 is in the bottom quintile. That means the city’s top one-fifth of earners make at least 5.47 times as much as the bottom one-fifth of earners.
* Fox 32 | Cook County Sheriff raises awareness for ‘red flag’ laws: “This is very frustrating because there is so much of this we cannot prevent. There is so much we can do though,” Sheriff Tom Dart said. They want to make sure the public knows they can use the law as a tool to prevent gun violence. The sheriff’s office says almost 100 firearms have been taken from gun owners so far.
* People’s Fabric | “No, it’s just fireworks!” Chicago cop opens fire on child with fireworks after ShotSpotter gunshot alert: Because of SoundThinking (formerly ShotSpotter)’s refusal to share internal data with outside researchers, no independent study has ever tested whether ShotSpotter audio devices can reliably distinguish between fireworks and gunfire—both rapid-fire sounds that also measure closely on the decibel (dB) scale used to indicate sound level.
* Daily Herald | From Elgin to historically Black colleges: U-46 seeks to cultivate college dreams: But of the 107 historically Black colleges and universities in the United States, none are in Illinois. That can make them feel out of reach. To address that, U-46 schools began paying for the transportation, hotel and meal costs to send busloads of students to a dozen historically Black colleges and universities three years ago.
* WCIA | Central IL agencies report multiple brush fires, urge fire safety: The U.S. National Weather Service of Central Illinois described Monday’s weather as “unseasonably warm,” which sets the stage for a “rapid spread” of outdoor fires. The Christian County Emergency Management Agency announced on Facebook that area firefighters were responding to multiple brush fires throughout the day, and urged the public not to burn anything outdoors.
* PolitiFact | More gun ownership does not lead to less gun violence: Instagram users shared an image of the map with text that read, “97% of all guns are in the red territory. 97% of all gun violence is blue.” […] The graphic did not cite what statistics were used to create the map. But the map is not related to gun violence statistics. As Lead Stories found, it was created by a Medium blogger to show the results by congressional district of the 2016 presidential election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump.
* AP | Why Does the Government Think a Merger Between Owners of Jewel and Mariano’s Would Be Bad for Grocery Shoppers?: “A merger of Kroger and Albertsons would dramatically decrease competition within an already consolidated food retail market, which would result in fewer grocery stores and higher food prices, with predictable adverse consequences for food and nutrition security for consumers across the country,” Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said in a statement applauding the FTC’s action.
* ABC Chicago | Surge pricing for your Frosty? Wendy’s lunch rush could cost you more: Wendy’s, the country’s second-largest burger chain with 6,000 locations, announced that starting next year menu prices will fluctuate during the busiest times of day. That means you could be paying as much as a dollar more for that Baconater during the lunch rush.
* SJ-R | Former Illinois Supreme Court chief justice from Springfield area dies at 87: Benjamin K. Miller, the only Illinois Supreme Court justice to come from Sangamon County who also served as chief justice, died at Springfield Memorial Hospital on Feb. 25. […] As chief justice, Miller was instrumental in creating the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council, which helped improve the cooperation between the courts and other agencies involved in dealing with family violence.
* Sun-Times | Robbie Gould introduced as Rolling Meadows’ new football coach. ‘I fell in love with high school football.’: Former Bears kicker Robbie Gould spent some of last season helping out with Fremd’s football team. He says he was trying to figure out what “life after football looks like.” It turns out that life after the NFL will still contain football, just at a different level. Gould was officially announced as Rolling Meadows’ head football coach at a press conference on Tuesday.
* HuffPost | Paul McCartney Now Thinks ‘Yesterday’ May Have A Totally Different Meaning: Paul McCartney has revealed he may have subconsciously drawn inspiration to write the Beatles’ 1965 hit “Yesterday” from the death of his mother from cancer almost a decade earlier. “Someone did suggest to me that this was a ‘losing my mother’ song, which I always sort of said, ‘No, I don’t think so,’” McCartney told Irish Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon in a new episode of their iHeartPodcast “McCartney: A Life In Lyrics.”
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
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* Gallup today…
Significantly more Americans name immigration as the most important problem facing the U.S. (28%) than did a month ago (20%). Immigration has now passed the government as the most often cited problem, after the two issues tied for the top position the past two months. The government ranked first each month from January through November 2023.
In the latest poll, 20% of Americans name the government as the most important problem, followed by the economy (12%) and inflation (11%). Immigration is the only issue that has shown meaningful change in the past month.
* Congressional Budget Office…
In our projections, the deficit is also smaller than it was last year because economic output is greater, partly as a result of more people working. The labor force in 2033 is larger by 5.2 million people, mostly because of higher net immigration. As a result of those changes in the labor force, we estimate that, from 2023 to 2034, GDP will be greater by about $7 trillion and revenues will be greater by about $1 trillion than they would have been otherwise. We are continuing to assess the implications of immigration for revenues and spending.
* Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco…
Immigration policies enacted after January 2017 contributed to the decline in immigration prior to the sharp drop due to the COVID-19 border closures. Lower net international migration led to a slowdown in the foreign-born population and labor force growth. This contributed to the tightening in the U.S. labor market. Reopening of borders in 2022 and easing of immigration policies brought a sizable immigration rebound, which in turn helped alleviate the shortage of workers relative to job vacancies. The foreign-born labor force grew rapidly in 2022, closing the labor force gap created by the pandemic. This analysis suggests that, if the pickup in immigration flows continues, it could further ease overall labor market tightness, albeit by a modest amount.
* The Washington Post rounds it all up…
Immigration has propelled the U.S. job market further than just about anyone expected, helping cement the country’s economic rebound from the pandemic as the most robust in the world.
That momentum picked up aggressively over the past year. About 50 percent of the labor market’s extraordinary recent growth came from foreign-born workers between January 2023 and January 2024, according to an Economic Policy Institute analysis of federal data. And even before that, by the middle of 2022, the foreign-born labor force had grown so fast that it closed the labor force gap created by the pandemic, according to research from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Immigrant workers also recovered much faster than native-born workers from the pandemic’s disruptions, and many saw some of the largest wage gains in industries eager to hire. Economists and labor experts say the surge in employment was ultimately key to solving unprecedented gaps in the economy that threatened the country’s ability to recover from prolonged shutdowns.
“Immigration has not slowed. It has just been absolutely astronomical,” said Pia Orrenius, vice president and senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. “And that’s been instrumental. You can’t grow like this with just the native workforce. It’s not possible.” […]
In normal economic times, some analysts note, new immigrants can drag down wages, especially if employers decide to hire them over native-born workers. Undocumented workers, who don’t have as much leverage to push for higher pay, could lower average wages even more.
But the past few years were extremely abnormal because companies were desperate to hire. Plus, it would be exceedingly difficult for immigration to affect the wages of enormous swaths of the labor force, said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute.
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* Max Bever, Director of Public Information, Chicago Board of Elections…
The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners will appeal the decision of the Circuit Court of Cook County to deny its Motion to Dismiss the lawsuit concerning the citywide referendum question. The Board maintains that it is not a proper defendant in this case, and that the City of Chicago is a necessary party. The Board will request an expedited review by the Illinois Appellate Court.
I’m not sure that the appellate court will agree, but it is important to note that the board did not engage at all with the substance of the opposition. Instead, its argument, as stated above, was very narrowly about who was the proper defendant. From the city’s filing yesterday…
The Board defendants could not and did not adequately represent the City’s interests. The Board failed to raise any substantive arguments in response to the Plaintiffs’ arguments that the referendum violated the Illinois Municipal Code and the Illinois Constitution. This is because the Board Defendants were not authorized to raise such arguments. See Kozenczak v. Du Page Cnty. Officers Electoral Bd., 299 Ill. App. 3d 205, 207 (2nd Dist. 1998)(holding local election officials acted “in an adjudicatory or quasi-judicial capacity” and thus Illinois election law did not authorize their advocacy on behalf of prospective candidate in opposition to a voter challenge to his qualifications.) One of the Board Defendants even averred that it was improper for the Board to weigh in on the referendum’s constitutionality.
Because the City was not allowed to intervene, these arguments were not raised. If the City had been allowed to intervene, the Court would have considered these arguments, which were raised in the City’s proposed Motion to Dismiss. Instead, the Court granted the Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings with no opposition to the substantive arguments.
* Also, this is from A.D. Quig’s Tribune story…
[Mayor Brandon Johnson] did not answer when asked if his administration had erred in the drafting of the question or whether he would try to get the referendum question on November ballots if appeals failed. […]
Speed was key in this case, [plaintiffs] argued, so that voters would know what votes would be counted by primary day on March 19.
“While the amount of time that Petitioner waited to seek intervention — 35 days — may not be excessive in other types (of) cases, it is an eternity in an election case,” attorneys Mike Kasper and Michael Del Galdo wrote in opposition to the city intervening, inferring the city did so deliberately “to delay the proceedings so that a final resolution comes much closer to, or even after, the primary election.”
* And this is from Heather Cherone’s WTTW story…
State law does not give the City Council the power to change the transfer tax on its own authority. Without legislation passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor, the measure needs the support of Chicago voters through a referendum before the City Council can levy the tax and collect the funds.
* More…
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* Illinois State Fair…
* WAND…
The Illinois State Fair Grandstand concert series is getting its first dose of rock and metal.
Mötley Crüe will perform on Saturday, Aug. 10.
Tickets will go on sale Saturday, March 2 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster.
Tier 3 - $88 / Tier 2 - $98 / Tier 1 - $110 / SRO Track - $110 / Blue Ribbon Zone - $165
*A $30 Pre-Show Party ticket is offered as an additional upgrade for all paid concerts.
Motley Crue is a heavy metal band formed in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee. Vince Neil is on vocals and Mick Mars is on guitars.
* NBC Chicago…
Mötley Crüe joins previously announced Illinois State Fair Grandstand 2024 acts Jason Isbell and country music star Jordan Davis. Additional Grandstand headliners will be announced at a later date, the state fair said. […]
The 2024 Illinois State Fair takes place Aug. 8 through 18 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. A full schedule of special days held at the fair can be found here.
Tickets to the fair start at $10 for adults, and $5 for parking. Tickets to Grandstand shows are not included in the general admission price.
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WSPY…
97th District Democratic State Rep. Harry Benton is working on a number of bills including some for tax relief and to extend remote schooling options for military families.
One bill would list all of the exemptions that people qualify for on their tax bill.
“That way you’re not trying search around and figure out what you’re eligible for, you can look at it,” Rep Benton said. “Only about 8% of people take the exemptions that they’re qualified for. This is going to impact veterans, seniors, people who are disabled. Expanding out some possible homestead exemptions. So I want to make sure we do some property tax relief through this bill.”
Benton also says he’s working on a joint resolution naming a building for former Secretary of State Jesse White.
* Center Square…
During an Illinois House Insurance Committee hearing in Chicago Monday, Giannoulias said an individual’s driving record should serve as the primary factor that is analyzed when setting rates.
“I am sure you will hear from the other side today, who will predict that this legislation [House Bill 4611] will lead to rate hikes and job losses, but I implore all of you to look at the numbers and facts,” Giannoulias said. “I do feel it is important for us to step up and fight for those who don’t always have a voice fighting for them. We aren’t asking insurance companies to give Illinoisans special treatment, only fair treatment.”
State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, pressed Giannoulias and asked him if he knew that there are already laws that prevent companies from discriminating against consumers.
“Is that effective? Is it working? Because based on the data we have seen there are still differing rates depending on zip code,” Giannoulias said.
* Rep. Barbara Hernandez introduced HB5669 last week…
Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Reuniting Family Initiative Act. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Creates the Family Advocacy Initiating Recovery (F.A.I.R.) Pilot Program within the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that the F.A.I.R. pilot shall operate for a 2-year period and that the Department shall partner with peer-led organizations to assess the Department’s performance and management of child placement and parental termination cases that involve a parent with a substance use disorder. Provides that the purpose of the F.A.I.R. pilot is to: (i) create a system of continuing safe care for mothers and families involved in the Department’s parental termination and child placement case process in order to resolve decades-old family reunification failures by the Department; and (ii) ensure transparency between the Department and those peer-led organizations advocating on behalf of mothers and families. Contains provisions concerning the development of guidelines and best practices on how to create a sustainable pathway to family reunification in child placement cases; family needs assessments; reporting requirements; and other matters. Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that a petition to adopt a child may include an adoption contact agreement under which a petitioner may request an agreement for contact between a child and the child’s birth parent or parents. Provides that the adoption contact agreement may include provisions for contact, visitation, or the exchange of information, and the grounds, if any, on which the adoptive parent or parents may decline to permit visits or cease providing contact or information. Provides that if the child is 12 years old or older, the court may not order an adoption contact agreement unless the child consents to all terms of the agreement. Provides that in DCFS cases a consent to adopt or surrender a child is not valid unless the legal mother has received pre-consent counseling or refused to participate in pre-consent counseling.
* Sen. Mike Porfirio…
Military service members on active duty status who represent part of a public body – such as a village board, school district or township –may soon be allowed to attend meetings remotely, thanks to a new measure passed by State Senator Mike Porfirio.
“It is our duty to create a more inclusive and adaptable environment for all members of our community, especially those who selflessly serve in the military,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township), a member of the Navy Reserve. “This legislation reflects our commitment to ensuring service members on active duty status can participate in discussions and decisions that impact our communities and the people they have dedicated their lives to protecting.”
Currently, a majority of the members of any public body choose to allow another member to attend remotely in cases of illness, disability, employment related to the business of the public body, a family emergency or unforeseen child care obligations.
The proposed measure aims to include military service members on active duty status among the exceptions eligible for remote attendance at meetings if the cause of their absence is their performance of military duty. This addition recognizes the unique challenges faced by those serving in the military and seeks to provide a flexible framework that accommodates their service commitments without obstructing their ability to participate in civic responsibilities. […]
Senate Bill 2665 passed the Executive Committee on Wednesday and moves to the full Senate for further consideration.
* WATT Poultry…
A bill has been proposed in Illinois that would make caged egg production illegal in the state by January 1, 2026.
Illinois State Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora, on February 9 proposed SB3655, the Confinement of Egg-Laying Hens Act, which would make it unlawful for a farm owner or operator to confine a laying hen in an enclosure that is not a cage-free housing system, or has less than the amount of usable floor space per hen required by the 2017 edition of the United Egg Producers’ Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S. Egg-Laying Flocks: Guidelines for Cage-Free Housing.
The bill also requires that business owners in the state cannot knowingly sell eggs that are not consistent with the above-mentioned production standards. The legislation, however, does have a stipulation that a business owner or operator of a farm “shall not be liable under the Act if the business owner or operator relied upon, in good faith, a written certification by the supplier that the shell eggs or egg products were not derived from an egg-laying hen that was confined in a manner that conflicts with the act.” […]
The bill also calls for civil penalty of $2,000 per violation per day.
A member of the Illinois State Senate since 2006, Holmes is chairperson of the Senate’s Agriculture, Commerce and Economic Development Committee, and is the Majority Caucus Whip.
* The United Egg Producer Guidelines…
Depending on the system type, a minimum range between 1.0 - 1.5 sq. ft. of usable floor space per hen shall be provided to allow for normal behavior.
* Eater…
Cage-free, a term regulated by the USDA, means that the eggs come from hens that, put simply, aren’t caged: They can “freely roam a building, room, or enclosed area with unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle, but [do] not have access to the outdoors.” Considering the conventional cage is 8 ½ by 11 inches, or the size of a piece of paper, this seems like a better lifestyle — but there are downsides, too. According to All About Eggs by Rachel Khong, cage-free facilities have more hen-on-hen violence and lower air quality than facilities that use cages.
* Here’s the synopsis of SB3655…
Creates the Confinement of Egg-Laying Hens Act. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2026, a farm owner or operator shall not knowingly confine an egg-laying hen in an enclosure that: (i) is not a cage-free housing system; or (ii) has less than the amount of usable floor space per hen required by the 2017 edition of the United Egg Producers’ Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S. Egg-Laying Flocks: Guidelines for Cage-Free Housing. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, a business owner or operator shall not knowingly sell any shell egg or egg products that the business owner or operator knows or should know was produced by an egg-laying hen that was confined in a manner that conflicts with the requirements in the Act. Provides for exemptions from the requirements of the Act. Provides that a business owner or operator of a farm shall not be liable under the Act if the business owner or operator relied upon, in good faith, a written certification by the supplier that the shell eggs or egg products were not derived from an egg-laying hen that was confined in a manner that conflicts with the Act. Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to administer and enforce the Act. Authorizes the Director of Agriculture to adopt rules necessary to administer the Act. Sets forth requirements to certify shell eggs and egg products as compliant with the Act. Provides for a civil penalty of $2,000 per violation per day.
* Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock…
Families would be able to more easily rollover money from a 529 College Savings account to a Roth IRA under a proposal introduced by state Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock, D-Villa Park.
“This option would give parents and their children greater flexibility to decide how to save their money, particularly if they have funds no longer intended for education,” Blair-Sherlock said. “For those looking to help their child get a head start on retirement savings, this would be a helpful change.”
Blair-Sherlocks’ House Bill 5005, which she introduced in partnership with the Illinois Treasurer’s office, would allow rollovers from a 529 College Savings account into the beneficiary’s Roth IRA account without triggering income taxes or penalties. Rollovers would only go to the beneficiary’s Roth IRA, not the parent or guardian. College accounts must be opened at least 15 years before rollover, and up to $35,000 of leftover 529 College Savings funds can be rolled into the Roth IRA.
This update would reflect changes to federal law and expand existing practice in Illinois, which allows rollover from a 529 College Savings account into a qualified tuition program via an Illinois ABLE account.
* Citizens Utility Board…
CUB’s priorities for the 2024 Illinois General Assembly session include the following. […]
Utility Affordability Act
Bill Number: Senate Bill 2885/House Bill 5061
Sponsor: Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton and Rep. Theresa Mah
What it does: Current Illinois law allows utilities to recover certain expenses from their customers that consumer advocates have long argued should be paid for by shareholders. Under the Utility Affordability Act, investor-owned electric, gas and water utilities in Illinois would be prohibited from charging customers for the following expenses:
- Utility dues for memberships in trade associations that push the companies’ agenda.
- Work devoted to political issues campaigns, such as referendums.
Goodwill advertising that enhances the utility image and benefits shareholders.
Charitable donations made by utilities on behalf of ratepayers.
- Insurance protection for shareholders.
- Lawyer and expert witness costs when utilities push for rate hikes before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Typically, such legal expenses take up the largest chunk of these recoverable costs.
CUB estimates the Illinois legislation could, for the average year, save ratepayers across Illinois more than $50 million, based on documents the utilities filed with their most recent rate cases.
[…]
The joint news release by CUB and AARP Illinois.
Water Affordability & Accountability
Bill Number: House Bill 5157
Sponsor: Rep. Nabeela Syed
What it does: This bill would lower water utility bills by:
- requiring water utility shareholders to pay the majority of costs when the utility buys a water or wastewater system,
- creating a referendum prior to privatization of water or sewer systems,
- removing the QIP surcharge that speeds rate increases for utility customers. […]
Telecom & Broadband Affordability
Bill Number: House Bill 5214
Sponsor: Rep. Lilian Jiménez
What it does: This bill would update Illinois’ supplemental broadband assistance fund by sunsetting the landline collection of donations and instead provide for donation collections on broadband bills (including wireless, VOIP and cable internet bills).
With Congress unable to agree on an extension of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), this legislation would be vital for helping people stay connected to the internet.
This bill would also revive low-priced local calling plans, saving money for AT&T customers in Illinois who depend on landlines.
Electric Utility Transparency
Bill Number: House Bill 4747
Sponsor: Rep. Joyce Mason
What it does: This bill would require any electric utility that is a member of a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) to disclose to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) any recorded vote they make within that organization, regardless if such disclosure is required by the RTO itself.
These votes at RTOs—organizations that manage regional power grids—can impact issues that matter to our reliability and our electric bills in Illinois.
More on this bill:Illinois is one of five states where similar legislation has been announced, along with Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. “When utilities vote at regional transmission organizations, they have impacts on our clean energy transition and the cost of electricity,” Rep. Mason said in a news release put out by the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators. “My bill introduces better transparency for how utilities vote in our electric markets, which is part of a healthy democracy. As a legislator, my votes are public – it should be the same for utilities whose votes impact the affordability and cleanliness of our electricity.” This bill is one of the reforms CUB’s Clara Summers is working as part of CUB’s Consumers for a Better Grid project.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ICYMI: Gov. J.B. Pritzker pushes maternal health funding at planned South Side birthing center. Tribune…
- Pritzker’s $52.7 billion budget calls for $23 million to advance “birth equity”.
-In Illinois, Black women are three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions as white women.
- That funding includes $12 million for a child tax credit for low- and moderate-income families with children under age 3, plus greater investments in community health care providers, the state’s home visitation program and a pilot program for free diapers.
* Related…
* Isabel’s top picks…
* SJ-R | Pritzker says Republicans are limiting women’s choice of freedom after ruling in Alabama: Former President Donald Trump and some Republicans in Washington, however, have called for IVF to be protected. Despite these claims, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said any real support for federal protections from GOP is legislators lacking.
* WTAX | Senator, IVF mom: Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) is not only a U.S. senator. She is a mother of two, both children conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). A decision by the Alabama Supreme Court complicates the process by declaring a fertilized egg – including a frozen embryo – has the same rights as a live human being. “For example, in my case, when we have five fertilized eggs, and three were non-viable,” Duckworth told ABC This Week Sunday morning, “when my doctor discarded those with my consent, that could be considered potentially manslaughter or murder.
* Windy City Times | State Rep. Kelly Cassidy attacked on social media, allegedly by backers of Burke: As for the responses to her post—specifically, one that stated the state rep needed to grow a thicker skin—Cassidy said, “To the folks who say that, this isn’t about my feelings, frankly. I didn’t tweet that because they hurt my feelings. I put that out there because people need to know the kinds of people who are supporting this woman. And I have incredibly thick skin; I’ve been called worse things by better people.”
* United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America…
Gary Perinar, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, has been appointed Second Vice President of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters of America (UBC), effective March 1. As Second General Vice President, Perinar will help set the agenda for the UBC, the umbrella organization that represents 500,000 skilled union workers throughout North America.
Perinar is a third-generation business representative of the union and a 46-year member of Carpenters Local 174 in Joliet. In addition to his leadership role in the UBC, Perinar is an active civic leader and holds positions on several state and local governing authorities.
“It is an incredible honor to be asked to join the UBC’s leadership team led by our visionary General President Douglas McCarron,” said Perinar. “The UBC is consistently at the forefront of transformational policies that redefine what it means to represent union members in the 21st Century. We’re incredibly proud of the unparalleled wages, benefits, training, and workplace protections we provide for our members, and I look forward to helping shape policies to continue to grow our market share across North America.”
Replacing Perinar at the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council is Kevin McLaughlin, a 39-year member of the UBC who currently serves as a member of the Council’s executive board and is the President of Carpenters Local 10. As Executive Secretary-Treasurer, McLaughlin will oversee operations of a union that represents 53,000 carpenters in 324 counties across Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Eastern Iowa.
“I’m excited to begin this new chapter with the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council and appreciate everything Vice President Perinar has done to set up our union for continued success,” said McLaughlin. “Our union prides itself on our unparalleled training, safety and productivity so union contractors can remain competitive with the industry’s highest skilled workforces. We will never lose sight of that mission.”
Governor Pritzker will be at Heartland Community college at 10 am to celebrate the opening of its EV manufacturing training academy. Click here to watch.
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* WLS | Reyes facing off against Justice Joy Cunningham, selected by former Chief Justice Ann Burke to replace her: Releasing her first TV ad last week, Cunningham has raised almost twice as much money as Reyes, but he said his campaign is gaining steam. Besides the need for Latino representation, Reyes said he has more judicial experience than his opponent, including 26 years on the bench, 11 of which have been on the Appellate Court.
* Center Square | Behavioral health advocates ’shocked and dismayed’ drug program being cut: Aside from concerns raised by employer groups and municipalities, another proposal affects funding for opioid overdose initiatives. Jud DeLoss from the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health said there are proposed cuts to the Substance Use Prevention and Recovery program. “We were shocked and dismayed to see that Gov. Pritzker has proposed a cut to SUPR of over $45 million,” DeLoss said Friday during a joint House and Senate committee hearing on the workforce limitations for behavioral health. “At a time when we’re seeing opioid deaths and suicides [rise], a cut of that dramatic amount is simply devastating and it is going to cause even further damage to the field.”
* Sun-Times | Another legal cloud hangs over ShotSpotter contract: Because of the way the contract was secured, the city isn’t allowed to extend it at less favorable terms. Instead, the 2018 contract that got the ball rolling on the first of $57.5 million in payments to the company was a “reference” contract, piggybacked onto a similar agreement in Louisville, Kentucky.
* ABC Chicago | Battle over Chicago real estate transfer tax referendum heads to higher court: A judge’s written ruling issued Monday sided with BOMA, and also ordered the Board of Elections not to count the votes or publish any vote totals. The city quickly moved to intervene and appealed the case. It also filed a motion to stay the judge’s ruling Friday.
* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson’s team asks judge to pause ruling invalidating Bring Chicago Home referendum: The city argues the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners “could not and did not adequately represent the city’s interests,” and in fact, “failed to raise any substantive arguments in response” to the legal arguments made by the real estate industry that the referendum violated state law.
* WTTW | Final Tally: Chicago Taxpayers Spent At Least $74M to Resolve Police Misconduct Lawsuits in 2023, Analysis Finds: That number is significantly less than the totals in 2022 and 2021, when taxpayers spent an average of $95 million in each year to resolve more than 120 lawsuits alleging police misconduct, but on par with what the city has spent to resolve police misconduct lawsuits on average during the past four years, according to WTTW News’ analysis of reports released by the Chicago Department of Law.
* Crain’s | It’s getting harder for towns to ignore their lack of affordable housing: At the top, the town with the smallest supply of affordable housing is Kildeer, a village in southwest Lake County where, according to IHDA, 0.4% of the 1,317 residential units are affordable. In the past year, 115 homes have sold in Kildeer, averaging $683,740, according to Redfin, an online real estate marketplace.
* Block Club | Puerto Rico Town, Other Chicago Cultural Districts Can Get Millions For Preservation Efforts: The money is intended for economic development, tourism and local entrepreneurship; the preservation of historic buildings, traditions and languages; and the promotion of culturally informed education, officials said. Each can now apply for a portion of $3 million in state funding, which will be made available later this year.
* Evanston Now | City to ‘explore legal options’ against hate speech: The state attorney general’s office, in a case involving Evanston Township High School, has upheld a time limit on public comment, like the one used Thursday to cut off comments after 45 minutes. But in a case from Urbana, the same office said that without evidence of disruption, a public body cannot prohibit expression of opinions or criticism of public officials during public comment.
* WLS | Site of former Tinley Park mental health center to be redesigned into a massive sports complex: “Time to tear it down. It’s time to redevelop the property and make it into something our community can be proud of,” said 19th District State Sen. Michael Hastings. Hastings led the effort to sell the land to the park district. Local officials fought over its future use for years.
* SJ-R | Here’s why construction of the new Illinois Youth Center has been postponed: However, the construction has been postponed since it has been announced that the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is receiving $151.4 million dollars; the project could receive $5.9 million to complete its construction as part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget proposal.
* Rockford Register Star | Long-awaited COVID relief arrives for Rockford-area restaurants: The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and State Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, announced at a press conference Monday that they’ve finalized plans to distribute a $1.5 million grant to help local restaurants that followed COVID protocols and are now underwater with the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
* Crain’s | Cubs want $30 million to boost security outside Wrigley Field, and maybe secure an All-Star Game: Team officials and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred have expressed a need from the city to help with security around the stadium, but the costs had not previously been disclosed. While discussing the possibility of the Cubs being awarded an All-Star Game before he steps down as commissioner in 2029, Manfred recently said “the city being willing to step up on (security) issues is the other big variable,” according to the Chicago Tribune. The next available All-Star Game to be awarded would be in 2027.
* WGEM | Organization files federal civil rights complaint against WIU, alleging discriminatory scholarships: After reviewing the complaint, WIU Professor of Sociology Robert Hironimus-Wendt told WGEM News that most of these scholarships are endowed by individuals, not the university.
* Tribune | Skokie Village Board reveals closed discussion topic to public after Attorney General ruling: According to the letter, Skokie Trustee James Johnson, a political independent, submitted a Request for Review to the Attorney General’s Public Access Bureau alleging that the Skokie Board of Trustees violated the Open Meetings Act when it discussed the prospect of $4.5 million loan from the village to the Hilton Hotel development at 4930 Oakton Street and whether the village’s Economic Development Fund could be used to authorize the loan.
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Feb 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Crain’s…
With the Chicago White Sox and Bears both in the hunt for taxpayers’ help building new stadiums, the city’s women’s professional soccer team has a message for local and state lawmakers: Count us in, too.
New Chicago Red Stars principal owner Laura Ricketts and team President Karen Leetzow met with Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch last week and are expected to meet soon with Illinois Senate President Don Harmon to discuss the National Women’s Soccer League club’s inclusion in any discussions about public funding for new Chicago sports team stadiums, according to people close to the franchise. The Red Stars did not have a specific request for Welch or top state political leaders to consider, according to sources, but are said to be working on a formal proposal to put before lawmakers for a new soccer venue in Chicago as part of any potential Sox or Bears stadium legislation. […]
“Over the last century, as local and state governments have invested in professional sports stadiums, women’s professional teams have never been included,” Leetzow said in a statement to Crain’s. “A true commitment to equity means that women’s sports have a seat at the table when there are discussions about public/private partnerships to build the next generation of sports stadiums. This is a historic opportunity for Illinois leaders to make a major statement that women in sports are just as important as men in sports.”
…Adding… Press release…
The following is a joint statement from the Illinois Latino Agenda, Latino Leadership Council, and the HLAI- Serving the Hispanic Lawyers of Illinois in response to Justice Joy Cunningham’s comment in the Daily Line, “to suggest that our Supreme Court is not diverse because it does not have a Latino on it, in many respects really makes no sense…I think when the court was completely male and completely white, then you could call it a non-diverse court. But now it has five women; it has three Black people.”
“We are shocked by Justice Joy Cunningham’s statements that imply our state’s highest court is ‘diverse enough’ without the presence of a Latino Justice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is not a zero-sum game.
“We applaud that our highest court has more women and Black justices, however, that does not diminish the need for Latino representation. Such remarks not only overlook the critical importance of inclusive representation but also ignore the unique perspectives and contributions that a qualified Latino justice could bring to our judiciary. To suggest otherwise sets diversity, equity, and inclusion advancements in America, and the legal field, back decades.
“Latinos make up more than 26% of the population in Cook County and 18% in the state, yet there’s never been anyone on the state’s Supreme Court with the lived experience to truly understand the needs of our community and how the laws of our state impact our lives. This perspective is essential for a judiciary that aims to serve justice equitably and with a deep understanding of all its constituents.
“We cannot dismiss the lack of equitable representation on the Court and we certainly cannot accept the failure to recognize the importance of having a more inclusive court. Equity is not only a matter of fairness, but also a matter of justice and democracy, to ensure all perspectives and experiences are valued and respected in our legal system. It is incumbent upon us to advocate for a judiciary that mirrors the diversity of its people, ensuring justice that is informed, equitable, and inclusive for all.”
* Politico…
— Dick Uihlein, the billionaire Republican donor, has just plunked $150,000 into state Rep. Chris Miller’s campaign fund. Miller doesn’t have a race but is running to be an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention.
— Gov. JB Pritzker hit Las Vegas on Saturday to kick off a signature-gathering campaign to qualify an abortion rights constitutional amendment for the 2024 Nevada ballot. Pic!
— Endorsements: The Teamsters Joint Council 25 is out with its endorsements for the March 19 primary. It’s backing state Sen. Natalie Toro, who’s in a competitive race in District 20 (see above), and Michael Crawford in the state House District 31 race over incumbent state Rep. Mary Flowers. Here’s the full list.
* Heather Cherone…
* What’s your favorite made in Illinois product?…
* Here’s the rest…
* Shaw Local | Illinois lawmaker to join Bolingbrook event on abolition of cash bail: The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice coalition will hold the event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Fountaindale Public Library District, 300 W. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook. State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, D-Romeoville, will join the event as a special guest.
* Sun-Times | Gov. Pritzker says he’s ‘reluctant’ to help subsidize White Sox stadium in South Loop: The Democratic governor also said a new $1.2 billion South Loop stadium isn’t high on his priority list. “The idea of taking taxpayer dollars and subsidizing the building of a stadium as opposed to, for example, subsidizing the building of a birthing center, just to give the example, does not seem like the stadium ought to have higher priority.”
* Tribune | White supremacist group’s anti-Semitic comments are cut off at Evanston City Council meeting: The incident began during in-person public comment at the Feb. 22 meeting where council was set to discuss the 15-year lease of a downtown office for city operations. A man who identified himself as Sunny came up to the podium clad in sunglasses and a hat bearing the logo of the Goyim Defense League and began spouting anti-Semitic rhetoric. The group has been deemed an anti-Semitic, white supremacist hate group by the Anti-Defamation League.
* WBEZ | The Democrats running to replace State’s Attorney Kim Foxx answer five key questions: WBEZ nailed them down on five pressing policy questions. Our instructions to them were simple: Begin each answer with “yes” or “no” and, then, feel free to explain or add nuance. We have lightly edited the answers for typos, grammar, style consistency and length.
* Tribune | Cook County judge denies extension on stoppage of police discipline cases:The ruling from Judge Michael T. Mullen came after an hour of arguments from attorneys for the city and Fraternal Order of Police. Disciplinary cases before the police board — 21 in all — were paused late last month after the City Council again voted to reject a provision of the tentative police union contract concerning the most serious police misconduct allegations.
* Illinois Times | City may pay $95,000 to settle civil rights complaint: Springfield city officials are asking the City Council to approve a $95,000 settlement of a civil rights complaint filed by a transgender former city employee who was denied medical coverage for gender-affirming care. The proposed ordinance, which went through first reading on Feb. 20 and is scheduled for a council vote March 5, would allocate $70,000 to settle Katherine Anastacia Holt’s compensatory damages claim. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which provided legal representation to Holt, would receive $25,000 in the settlement.
* Sun-Times | Suburban woman who claims she was misled by Vietnamese ‘influencer’ gets 10 days in Jan. 6 case: Nhi Ngoc Mai Le pleaded guilty in November to disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, and to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, both misdemeanors. She was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
* Daily Herald | The Central Tri-State Tollway is getting smarter with addition of digital messaging: Similar to the Jane Addams Tollway (I-90) SmartRoad, the Tri-State version will feature overhead gantries with traffic messages and alerts. That includes digital signs with arrows indicating what lanes are open and a message board with up-to-date information about crashes, road conditions and travel times.
* Block Club | The Fields Film Studio Gets $5 Million From City As It Nears Opening: The Fields Studios is a $250 million project that will bring nine sound stages, creative and production offices and more retail to the 21-acre Fields campus at Diversey Avenue and Pulaski Road. The $5 million grant will help complete the interior buildout of the studio’s production support space, city officials said in a press release.
* Crain’s | JPMorgan commits to Loop with Chase Tower renovation: Developers eyeing plans for new office towers have tried to lure JPMorgan out of Chase Tower for years, some even floating the idea of buying the building from the bank as part of a larger deal to anchor a new skyscraper elsewhere. Such a move to the West Loop or Fulton Market District would have dealt an enormous blow to the Loop by adding to the massive blocks of empty workspace that plague it today. It also would have aligned with the pandemic-fueled trend of companies flocking to the newest and most updated offices they can find to encourage employees to show up more regularly.
* Sun-Times | How long do you need to save to buy a home in Chicago? 4 years, experts say: Shane Lee, a data scientist at Realty Hop, said the analysis the real estate company conducted last year determined it would take more than five years to save for a down payment, meaning the timeline has shortened. “Because of the interest rates, the median list price for typical homes adjusted itself, and also the household income in 2023 was lower,” Lee said. “In some ways, inflation has helped families with a higher income — granted, things are also more expensive in general.”
* AP | U.S. sues to block merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, saying it could push prices higher: The FTC filed an administrative complaint against the companies Monday, which will be considered by an administrative law judge at the agency. It also filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court in Oregon requesting a temporary injunction blocking the merger. That lawsuit was joined by the attorneys general of eight states and the District of Columbia.
* Tribune | 75 on Tuesday, an ice-free lake, little snow: Climate change blunts winter in Chicago: According to Trent Ford, the state climatologist, all four seasons have seen warmer temperatures because of human-driven climate change, but winter temperatures have increased at a much faster rate than all other seasons. “Winter warming is probably the most substantial trend that we can see over the last 100 years as far as how our climate has changed, and is also strongly tied to sort of the global warming forcing,” Ford said.
* SJ-R | Unsettling weather, wild swings in temperatures on tap for central Illinois: Scattered thunderstorms developing in the central Illinois area Tuesday could bring large hail and damaging wind gusts, according to a forecast from the National Weather Service in Lincoln. A “hazardous weather outlook” posted by the NWS Monday morning detailed that “a tornado can’t be ruled out” for Tuesday.
* Bloomberg | Elon Musk’s Vegas Tunnel Project Has Been Racking Up Safety Violations: The muck pooling in the tunnel at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip had the consistency of a milkshake and, in some places, sat at least two feet deep. The tunnel-to-be, which would eventually stretch about half a mile, was part of a system intended to connect two hotels, the Encore Las Vegas and the Westgate, with the enormous Las Vegas Convention Center. Workers doing the digging later said they had to wade through the mud every day. It splashed up over their boots, hit their arms and faces and soaked through their clothes. At first, it merely felt damp. But in addition to the water, sand and silt—the natural byproducts of any dig—the workers understood that it was full of chemicals known as accelerants.
* Tribune | Shohei Ohtani set to make his Dodgers’ Cactus League debut at DH vs. White Sox on Tuesday: Ohtani will likely only take two at-bats in the game. But it will come just over five months after he underwent elbow surgery. That surgery was his second reconstructive procedure and will prevent him from pitching until 2025.
* Crain’s | Metra back online after system outage causes halts on multiple lines: The issue, which started at about 10:50 this morning, occurred because of an outage that meant “dispatchers couldn’t access a database that they use to load information about trains,” said Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile. The PTC database includes all the information about the particular train it monitors, allowing personnel to check for overspeed incidents and related issues, Reile said.
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Question of the day
Monday, Feb 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pritzker was asked today about his proposal to get rid of the 1 percent sales tax on groceries. Aside from a small administrative fee, that money (about $350 million a year) goes to local governments. So, he was asked about the concerns some of those governments have about how they will make up for that revenue if the tax is repealed. His response…
Let’s be clear. And some folks up here talked about affordability, lowering the cost when you go to a grocery store, when you get to the checkout counter, lowering costs for people. That’s hugely important. Being able to save people hundreds of dollars over the course of a year, and even just every time you check out at a grocery counter, it seems to me is the right thing to do.
And by the way, when I did this as a temporary measure to try to fight inflation, when it was so hot, when it was much higher than it is now, there were people, especially on the other side of the aisle, who said, ‘Well, you should make it permanent.’ Well, guess what? That’s a good idea. We’re gonna make it permanent.
But now you hear some of them saying, ‘Well, maybe, you know, we’re not so sure.’ And the reason is because they feel like local governments won’t be able to get the dollars that they need. Well, you know the point of this legislation is actually to leave it to local governments to make the decision if they want to in Henry County, in Union County, in local, you know, towns and cities across the state. If they want to impose the 1% Grocery tax, we will leave it up to them to do it.
But the state of Illinois is getting out of the business of charging a grocery tax for people across our state. We need to stand up for working families.
The state would probably need to make it easier for non-home rule units to impose such a tax.
* The Question: Do you support banning the statewide collection of grocery taxes for municipal governments and allowing local governments to impose it themselves? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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* Washington Post…
Prominent congressional Republicans are coming out in support of in vitro fertilization days after the Alabama state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are people and therefore that someone can be held liable for destroying them.
But many of the same Republicans who are saying Americans should have access to IVF have co-sponsored legislation that employs an argument similar to the one the Alabama Supreme Court used in its ruling.
The congressional proposal, known as the Life at Conception Act, defines a “human being” to “include each member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization or cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.” The bill would also provide equal protection under the 14th Amendment “for the right to life of each born and preborn human person.”
The measure has no provisions for processes like IVF, meaning access to the procedure would not be protected. It would ban nearly all abortions nationwide.
* National Review…
* The US House bill in question, the “Life at Conception Act,” was co-sponsored last year by all three Illinois House members, Reps. LaHood, Miller and Bost.
I’ve reached out to all three, some of them multiple times, and haven’t yet heard back about where they stand on IVF.
Bost, of course, is being challenged by fellow Republican Darren Bailey, who has positioned himself to Bost’s right. Bailey’s campaign has also so far remained silent when asked about the candidate’s stance on IVF.
Maybe this post will knock something loose.
Any thoughts?
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* Tina Sfondeles asked the governor about public subsides for a new White Sox stadium today during a news conference on Pritzker’s maternal health initiatives…
Pritzker: I think there’s still a lot of work to be done by the White Sox as well as with members of the General Assembly. But I will say that I think I’ve been really clear about the fact that the taxpayers’ dollars are precious. The idea of taking taxpayer dollars and subsidizing the building of a stadium as opposed to for example, subsidizing the building of a birthing center. Just to give the example, does not seem like the stadium ought to have higher priority.
Having said that, many of us sports fans want to see the teams succeed. But these are private businesses. And we’ve seen other teams be able to support their own stadiums privately. That’s that would be ideal here. I think that’s something that I would encourage. I think the city of Chicago is engaged as well with them. But I wouldn’t put any number forward. I just don’t. I mean, I started out really reluctant.
Unless a case is made, the investment yields a long term return for the taxpayers that we can justify in some way. I haven’t seen that yet. And to be clear, nobody has presented directly to me, my staff has seen a presentation. So I just want you to know that I started out a bit reluctant. Having said that, you know, I’m a fan of all of our teams and I want them to succeed.
Although I am a Cubs fan first and foremost. Sorry to all the White Sox fans
Q: What was your staff’s takeaway from the presentation and when was that?
Pritzker: The information that we’ve gotten so far is still very limited. How the taxpayer is going to benefit from this still hasn’t been put forward to us. It’s just what the need is. And of course, I think the pictures that we’ve all seen, the drawings anyway in the newspaper, all look terrific. But, but again, that’s not enough to make it a priority in my view for Springfield.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* More…
* Crain’s | Chicago Fire ‘keeping an eye on’ Bears, Sox stadium talks: Under a proposal being floated by the Sox and developer Related Midwest for a new baseball stadium in the South Loop, the Major League Soccer club would become the anchor tenant at Guaranteed Rate Field, which would be redeveloped from the Sox’s home into a soccer-specific stadium. Elected officials wouldn’t be able to justify abandoning a publicly funded Major League Baseball stadium on the disinvested South Side to benefit downtown without finding a new use for the Bridgeport ballpark. And the Fire, which now play at Chicago Park District-owned Soldier Field, could fit the bill.
* Front Office Sports | Enough for Both? White Sox, Bears Ramp Up Push for Stadium Funds: Reinsdorf conceded in the Crain’s interview that the White Sox and Bears could vie for the same hotel tax funds to fund their respective projects. The Bears are continuing an extensive search across the Chicago area for a site on which to build a new domed stadium. Despite the Bears owning a 326-acre tract in suburban Arlington Heights, an ongoing tax assessment dispute has helped extend the team’s search for other possibilities. Talks have occurred between the White Sox and Bears about not complicating each other’s stadium development and funding efforts, but a shared facility is not being contemplated.
* Sun-Times | Why is Jerry Reinsdorf spending millions buying up parking lots around the United Center?: Over the past 19 months, a Reinsdorf-connected company has spent $44.7 million buying vacant lots from two politically connected families that have long offered discounted parking deals to fans of the Bulls and Blackhawks, records examined by the Chicago Sun-Times show. A third family has refused to sell its parking lots.
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* Erykah Nava, the communications strategy organizer at Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education, and Beatriz Diaz-Pollack, director of education equity at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, writing in the Tribune…
Every fiscal year, Illinois lawmakers work through the state budget and decide what areas of our lives to invest in. As part of that process, the Illinois State Board of Education recommends a funding amount to Gov. J.B. Pritzker for investing in K-12 education, which includes the evidence-based funding formula known as EBF. Pritzker decides if he wishes to accept ISBE’s recommendation or decrease or increase the funding amount. The governor then releases his official budget during his annual State of the State address in which he highlights key areas he will financially prioritize for the year.
For this year’s State of the State address, Pritzker accepted ISBE’s recommendation of investing an additional $350 million into the K-12 EBF, the minimum recommended by law, all while celebrating Illinois’ children.
To the public, this funding amount seems like a large amount of money, and the state very much portrays it as performing a great duty for public school students and their communities. However, this is a gross understatement of the reality of K-12 funding.
Due to minimal investments in the EBF, the New Jersey-based nonprofit Education Law Center ranks Illinois 44th out of the 50 states for equitable school funding and gives the state a grade of “F” for equity. That means that despite the EBF’s intent to direct funds to districts with the highest need, these districts continue receiving less overall funding than those serving high-income students.
National experts and partners in the fight for school funding equity have used publicly available ISBE data and found the current EBF funding gap stands at $4.8 billion in K-12. At the current rate of investment, the EBF will not be fully funded until approximately 2040. Students and affected school communities cannot wait this long.
The evidence-based funding formula became law in 2017. And $350 million in 2017 is $444.5 million today.
So, aside from the arguments above (and they are decent arguments), the EBF formula hasn’t even kept pace with the cost of living.
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* Background is here if you need it. The judge in the Bring Chicago Home case has filed a written opinion. Kinda. Click here…
THIS MATTER coming to be heard on Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the Complaint, Plaintiffs’ Motion to Expedite Consideration of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, and Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, the Court being duly advised in the premises, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:
1. For the reasons stated in open court and on the record, Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the Complaint is Denied.
2. For the reasons stated in open court and on the record, Plaintiffs’ Motion to Expedite Consideration of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is Granted.
3. For the reasons stated in open court and on the record, Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is Granted.
4. The Defendant Board is ordered to not count and suppress any votes cast on the referendum question at the March 19, 2024 primary election, and not to publish any tallies or results of any votes cast on the referendum question.
Except…
Weird.
* From the city’s board of elections…
Hi Rich – we just received the attached written court order. This confirms that Early Voting and Voting By Mail will not be paused. The question will remain on the ballot, but currently votes will not be counted for the question.
This is subject to change by future court order, so the votes for the question are being sequestered but will not be counted at this time.
The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners will decide upon an appeal tomorrow – I will reach out about the decision with a statement ASAP.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The judge in the case denied the City of Chicago’s motion to intervene on Friday. The city is now asking for a stay of that order, among other things…
The City of Chicago, through its attorneys, move pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 305 to stay the order denying the City’s Motion to Intervene and the Court’s February 23, 2024 order granting Plaintiffs’ motion for judgment on the pleadings and entering declaratory judgment in Plaintiffs’ favor and granting injunctive relief suppressing the vote on the advisory referendum in the March 19, 2024 election.
Keep in mind that the city waited until Friday 35 days after the complaint was filed to file its motion to intervene…
The City’s petition was timely, the City moved to intervene before the parties finished briefing on the Plaintiffs’ motion for judgment on the pleadings. The Court cited no authority that supported its denial of a petition to intervene as untimely before judgment had been entered. First District authority contradicts the court’s ruling. Citicorp Sav. of Illinois v. First Chicago Tr. Co. of Illinois, the court reversed the trial court’s denial of the appellant’s petition to intervene as untimely for abuse of discretion where appellant filed its petition 31 days after receiving notice and prior to final judgment. … Here the City filed its petition to intervene 35 days after the complaint was filed, before any defendants had filed a responsive pleading, and before the Plaintiffs’ improper motion for judgment on the pleadings was fully briefed.
* More…
The Board defendants could not and did not adequately represent the City’s interests. The Board failed to raise any substantive arguments in response to the Plaintiffs’ arguments that the referendum violated the Illinois Municipal Code and the Illinois Constitution. This is because the Board Defendants were not authorized to raise such arguments. See Kozenczak v. Du Page Cnty. Officers Electoral Bd., 299 Ill. App. 3d 205, 207 (2nd Dist. 1998)(holding local election officials acted “in an adjudicatory or quasi-judicial capacity” and thus Illinois election law did not authorize their advocacy on behalf of prospective candidate in opposition to a voter challenge to his qualifications.) One of the Board Defendants even averred that it was improper for the Board to weigh in on the referendum’s constitutionality.
Because the City was not allowed to intervene, these arguments were not raised. If the City had been allowed to intervene, the Court would have considered these arguments, which were raised in the City’s proposed Motion to Dismiss. Instead, the Court granted the Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings with no opposition to the substantive arguments.
* And…
Plaintiffs failed to allege any harm they would suffer should the vote on the referendum go forward as scheduled. Plaintiffs further failed to allege what harm they would suffer should the City Council ultimately enact the ordinance, but for our purposes here, there is no harm in letting an election on an advisory referendum go forward. Even if it were to pass, it would still require enactment by City Council and would still be subject to all of Plaintiffs’ challenges raised in their complaint. On the other hand, early voting on the referendum has already begun. For the past week, Chicagoans have been voting and today the Court decided their votes should be suppressed. The Illinois Supreme Court stated the harm in such an injunction:
[A]n election is a political matter with which courts of equity have nothing to do, and that such an attempt to check the free expression of opinion, to forbid the peaceable assemblage of the people, to obstruct the freedom of elections, if successful, would result in the overthrow of all liberties regulated by law.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Just filed by the city in the 1st Appellate District…
Intervenor/Nonparty-Appellant, CITY OF CHICAGO, by its attorney, the Corporation Counsel of the City of Chicago, hereby appeals to the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, from the circuit court order entered on February 26, 2024 denying the City of Chicago’s petition for leave to intervene as a matter of right pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-408(a)(2), and the circuit court order entered on February 26, 2024 granting plaintiffs’ motion for judgment on the pleadings for the reasons stated in open court and on the record, and ordering the defendant Board of Election Commissioners of the City of Chicago “not to count and suppress any votes cast on the referendum question at the March 19, 2024 primary election, and not to publish any tallies or results of any votes cast on the referendum question.”
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It’s just a bill
Monday, Feb 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Pantagraph…
Rep. Kam Buckner’s, D-Chicago, latest bill, House Bill 4592, would allow the Secretary of State to issue a mobile ID or mobile driver’s license (mDL) to Illinois residents. Buckner introduced the bill Jan. 31, but it remains in the gatekeeping House Rules Committee.
While Buckner has been seeking to implement a version of the measure since 2019, this is the first time it also includes both digital IDs and driver’s licenses. […]
And, crucially, it is the first time the the Secretary of State’s office has backed the initiative. This is important because one of the office’s primary responsibilities is issuing licenses to Illinois drivers. […]
Giannoulias said his office wouldn’t be pursuing this if it weren’t about the security and efficiency factors. For him, the move to issue mobile licenses represents a growing trend across the country that allows and uses more fraud-resistant technology in everyday life.
* Better Government Association Director of Policy Bryan Zarou…
* SB2640 was assigned to a Senate subcommittee earlier this month…
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that administrative or technical information associated with automated data operations shall be exempt from inspection and copying, but only to the extent that disclosure would jeopardize the security of the system or its data or the security of materials exempt under the Act.
* Southland Journal…
Illinois AFL-CIO and Chicago Federation of Labor Leaders Support Medical-Aid-in-Dying State Legislation (Chicago, IL) — A bill introduced in the Illinois Senate last week that would allow medical aid in dying for those suffering from terminal illnesses is supported by the principal officers of both the Chicago Federation of Labor and the Illinois chapter of the AFL-CIO.
The legislation—SB3499, the End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, initially sponsored by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes and State Sen. Laura Fine, would make Illinois the 11th state to give terminally ill individuals the option to experience a peaceful death by requesting and self-administering medication. […]
“When a worker chooses to join a union, they exercise a fundamental right to engage in collective action to even the field with their employers,” said CFL President Bob Reiter. “And when faced with a terminal diagnosis, people should also have a choice when planning their end-of-life care with their medical providers.”
“Terminally ill patients deserve autonomy and compassion as they weigh end-of-life care options with their medical provider. Dying people should have the power to choose what brings comfort and peace of mind for themselves and their families,” said Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO. “Just as we fight for the rights of workers to choose to join a union, we must also fight for individuals to have control over their own medical care, especially when faced with a devastating prognosis.”
* Forbes…
Amid the ongoing consideration of federal legislation to regulate the cryptocurrency markets, states seemingly are crafting local policies in an attempt to fill in the void. It appears states such as California, New Jersey, and now Illinois, may be rushing through legislation for the crypto markets as a response to fallout from FTX where in 2022 the third largest exchange failed and its CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty of fraud. A new bill in Illinois introduced two weeks ago called the Digital Assets Regulation Act (DARA) could be an example of this. […]
The introduction of the DARA bill two weeks ago by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-IL) seems to highlight the concern that Brachter stated as to how states may feel obligated to take action in light of the void left by federal lawmakers and the pressures to create legislation based on the FTX failure. I spoke with a new organization called the Illinois Blockchain Association regarding DARA. According to their analysis so far, the new bill includes broad definitions that may impact more than just centralized exchanges, such as DeFi and base layer blockchain networks.
“While well-intentioned, DARA goes too far. It seeks to regulate not only those entities, but almost anyone working in blockchain in Illinois,” said Nelson Rosario, Executive Director, Illinois Blockchain Association. Rosario went on to state, “No one disagrees that certain types of companies - namely centralized businesses that take custody of customer funds should be subject to a comprehensive regulatory scheme. Many people are working on that precise thing in Washington today.”
Olta Andoni, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Enclave Markets, shared some of her specific concerns about DARA. Andoni stated, “I think it definitely has a broader outreach than the BitLicense because of the broad definition of the ‘digital asset business activity’.” According to Andoni, this definition, “…will be applicable to all structures just by operating and touching digital assets without even taking custody of them.” Andoni did point out she liked an exclusion of software developers from the definition of digital asset business activities, but believes there is room to a lot more misinterpretation on what the dissemination of the software will include.
* Farm Week…
Proposed state legislation adopting California emission standards in Illinois could render thousands of farm vehicles “illegal and worthless,” according to Illinois Farm Bureau’s director of state legislation.
IFB is strongly opposed to House Bill 1634, sponsored by Democratic state Reps. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. of Chicago, Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville, and Bob Morgan of Highwood.
The legislation calls for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to implement the motor vehicle emission standards set by a California Air Resources Board, including the zero-emission vehicle program, low-emission vehicle program, advanced clean trucks program and heavy-duty low NOx omnibus program. The current standard, as of Jan. 1, prohibits diesel-fueled vehicles model years 2010 and older, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 pounds or greater from traveling on California roadways, unless they upgrade the engine. […]
After learning at midday Feb. 19 that the legislation was going to be considered, Illinois Farm Bureau joined a broad coalition of industry groups opposing the legislation. Ultimately, the bill’s sponsor decided to hold the bill from consideration, said IFB’s Chris Davis.
* Streetsblog Chicago co-founder Steven Vance…
State Rep. Kam Buckner of Chicago has introduced another land use bill that Illinoisans should support. The bill provides that municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more should allow property owners to have more than one home on a lot. This forward-thinking legislation represents a significant step toward addressing the pressing housing challenges facing our communities and would foster more inclusive and sustainable urban development.
The shortage of affordable housing in Illinois for middle-class families, particularly in the Chicago area, has reached a critical point. New housing in places with access to jobs, opportunities and amenities has not kept up with demand.
Buckner’s bill acknowledges the need for innovative solutions to tackle this issue head-on. By lifting the ban on multifamily housing options in residential zones, the legislation promotes diversity in housing types, catering to the needs of our population.
I believe cities that don’t allow enough housing should not be able to push people to remote areas that have cheaper housing and less access to the things that make our cities great. This sprawl has devastating effects on our agricultural land and natural open space, ultimately increasing the tax burden on municipalities by extending and maintaining utilities to far-flung, lower-density areas.
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* Robert Adrian became just the fourth judge in Illinois history to be removed from the bench by the Illinois Courts Commission on Friday. Adrian’s response to the Tribune…
“I’m just going to retire and enjoy my retirement,” he said Friday.
Adrian was paid $227,900 last year.. That’ll be quite a pension.
* From the Illinois Courts Commission ruling…
Respondent’s misconduct has seriously damaged the integrity of the judiciary. He intentionally subverted the law and then lied about it under oath to serve his own interests. He also retaliated against another officer of the court because he was facing the backlash of his own misconduct. “[T]he judiciary’s values of truth and honesty are pillars of our legal system,” and “lying under oath is an attack on our legal system, which depends on truth and credibility.” It is simply intolerable that a sworn member of the bench would knowingly circumvent the law and then provide false and misleading testimony on multiple occasions to cover up his actual motive.
* A bit of background from the AP…
An Illinois judge who sparked outrage by reversing a man’s rape conviction involving a 16-year-old girl has been removed from the bench after a judicial oversight body found he circumvented the law and engaged in misconduct. […]
In October 2021, Adrian had found then 18-year-old Drew Clinton of Taylor, Michigan, guilty of sexual assaulting a 16-year-old girl during a May 2021 graduation party.
The state Judicial Inquiry Board filed a complaint against Adrian after the judge threw out Clinton’s conviction in January 2022, with the judge saying that the 148 days Clinton had spent in jail was punishment enough.
The complaint said Adrian had acknowledged he was supposed to impose the mandatory four-year sentence against Clinton, but that he would not send him to prison. “That is not just,” Adrian said at the sentencing hearing, according to court transcripts. “I will not do that.” […]
After Adrian threw out Clinton’s conviction, Vaughan said that the judge told the court “this is what happens whenever parents allow teenagers to drink alcohol, to swim in pools with their undergarments on,” she recounted in an account supported by a court transcript of the January 2022 hearing.
* Back to the Tribune…
Adrian attempted to defend his reversal, saying that his reevaluation of the evidence and testimony led him to conclude that an Adams County prosecutor “totally failed” to prove Clinton’s guilt.
Commission members called Adrian’s justification “a subterfuge.” Instead, they concluded, the judge “intentionally circumvented the law to satisfy his personal belief as to what constituted a just sentence, resulting in his reversal of a criminal defendant’s conviction.”
The commission also sided with the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board, which investigates grievances against sitting judges, in saying that Adrian lied about his motives during sworn testimony as part of the Inquiry Board’s investigation, and of improperly ejecting from his courtroom a prosecutor who “liked” a social media post critical of Adrian.
“The nature and extent of this misconduct is egregious,” the commission wrote in its decision, and his “intentional, dishonest, and extensive misconduct demonstrates (his) utter disregard for the truth, the judiciary and our justice system.” […]
Adrian blamed his removal on a “two-tiered justice system for conservative Republicans in Illinois,” repeating previous claims he made that he was being targeted because he’s “a known Christian conservative.”
Oy.
* Former judge Adrian also sat down with Muddy River News…
Even after his removal as Eighth Circuit judge by the Illinois Courts Commission on Friday, Robert Adrian maintained his innocence in an interview late Friday afternoon with Muddy River News and called the ruling a “total political hit job.” […]
“It’s totally wrong. Totally made up. It sounds to me like it didn’t matter what I did. They were going to find I did something wrong. But the fact is, they never really ever talked about the evidence in the case, which was in fact that (Clinton) was not guilty. Clinton was not guilty. That’s the point. They never addressed that, even though we presented it to them. It was like they didn’t listen.”
* Back to the Illinois Courts Commission ruling…
Respondent contends he reversed his guilty finding not to circumvent the law, but because the State had failed to prove Clinton guilty of the charges. For all the reasons that follow, we find the Board has proven by clear and convincing evidence that respondent reversed his guilty finding to intentionally circumvent the mandatory prison term he was required to impose upon Clinton after his conviction of criminal sexual assault, and respondent thereby violated Rule 61, Canon 1; Rule 62, Canon 2(A); and Rule 63, Canon 3(A)(1). […]
Respondent admitted that he was interested in whether plea negotiations had taken place because if the State and [defense attorney Andrew Schnack] reached an agreed disposition, then he would not have to admit that his guilty finding was a mistake. Respondent also admitted that he considered sentencing Clinton to probation so he would not have to admit that he had mistakenly found Clinton guilty. While noting the repugnance of this admission, which we discuss further in this Order, we fail to see how sentencing Clinton to probation or Clinton pleading to a lesser offense would have absolved respondent from having to admit his purported mistake – he would still be finding Clinton guilty of some offense in any event. In fact, either situation would have created a more flagrant ethical breach because Clinton would have been sentenced for a crime he did not commit (according to respondent). We also note the inconsistency in respondent’s position: respondent stated multiple times that he did not conclude he made a mistake until after he heard the arguments on the post-trial motions. We cannot reconcile respondent’s alleged desire to conceal his “mistake” when he had not yet concluded he had even made one. Indeed, we are convinced by [Adams County State’s Attorney Gary Farha’s] testimony that respondent was actually considering a sentence of probation and was interested in plea negotiations not because he thought Clinton was not guilty, but because he believed probation was a more appropriate sentence for the offense he had found Clinton guilty of than a mandatory four-year prison term.
* It was pretty clear to the Commission that Adrian was lying about multiple things. Here’s one example…
Once the post-trial motions were filed, respondent gave “serious consideration” to the case by reviewing his notes and thinking about the evidence. Although respondent testified that he reviewed his notes after the post-trial motions were filed, he also testified that he did not specifically recall taking notes during the trial. He did not order a transcript of the trial proceedings.
Unreal.
* And then there’s this…
We also feel compelled to comment on respondent’s statement on January 3, 2022 that “these things happen” when teenagers engage in underage drinking and “coeds and female people” swim in their underwear. These types of comments, coupled with the fact that respondent reversed himself, could give the impression to the public that respondent did not believe Clinton deserved to go to prison for sexual assault because the [16-year-old] female victim was voluntarily intoxicated and swam in her underwear.
There’s so much more, so go read the whole thing, especially if you’re Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who could intervene here and try to stop Adrian from receiving a pension.
* One more Courts Commission excerpt…
Further aggravating is the fact that some of respondent’s misconduct occurred on the bench, while he was acting in his official capacity as judge. First, respondent refused to follow the mandatory sentencing law in the Clinton case and did so from the bench. Second, respondent 30 violated the Code when he retaliated against Jones in open court. While his deceptive testimony before the Board and this Commission did not occur on the bench, it was false, and it was an extension of his prior misconduct as it was a cover-up of his refusal to follow the law. But regardless, all witnesses under oath are expected to testify with honesty and candor; judges are no exception. Respondent represents the judiciary at all times, not simply while performing his official duties in court.
It’s probable that the state would need a criminal conviction to yank his pension, but maybe Raoul could indict Adrian in Cook County for giving “false” testimony under oath to the Illinois Courts Commission.
Just sayin.
Your thoughts?
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‘Nothing can be passed without our members’
Monday, Feb 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Two news conferences held after Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget address last week didn’t receive much news media attention. As the saying goes, coverage follows conflict, and the two pressers were far more subtle and polite in their criticisms of the governor’s plan than those held by Republicans, so they were mostly overlooked.
But clear undercurrents were visible during both events, one held by the Legislative Black Caucus and the other by the Legislative Latino Caucus. And, unlike the Republicans, those two caucuses actually have considerable sway over the state’s lawmaking process.
While mostly couched in supportive language of the governor and the majority party leaders, the messages were distinct: Even after years of Democratic control, not nearly enough is still being done to help people in Black and Latino communities on every level. Poverty, violence, child care, health care, education, economic development, trade union membership, homelessness. You name it, the services and opportunities are lacking.
So, the two caucuses did a bit of flexing.
“This year, we will be negotiating from a position of strength,” declared Black Caucus Chair Rep. Carol Ammons. “Our community and our members are the value-add in the General Assembly and nothing can be passed without our members.” Not counting the House Speaker, there are 19 Black members in the House and 13 in the Senate, according to the caucus’ website. That’s enough to block a majority vote in both chambers, if they can stick together.
Ammons, D-Urbana, revealed during the press conference that the caucus plans to release a document in the coming weeks titled “Leveling the playing field,” which will focus on how to spend state dollars to “invest in building an equitable state and eliminating structural racism.” Dollar figures will be attached to each proposal, Ammons said. If it’s done well, the report could have a significant impact, not only this year, but in years to come.
The Legislative Latino Caucus does not yet have nearly the same numerical strength as the Black Caucus. But the joint caucus now has 16 members, which is higher than ever before. And Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, firmly declared, “Latino families must benefit equitably from the investments that the state is making.”
Villanueva claimed that the Latino population was undercounted in the 2020 US Census, but, she said, “I want everyone to know as they’re hearing this, our community is only growing and our community is young. We aren’t going anywhere. We will be here.” She’s definitely right about that.
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning noted a few years ago that while the Black population declined in northeastern Illinois by a few percentage points over 30 years, the northeastern Illinois Hispanic population had grown to 24.2% of the region’s population, up from 11.5% in 1990. A study last year by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute found that the average age of Illinois Latinos was 28, compared to 38 for Illinoisans overall. Indeed, a significant number of legislative districts were drawn in 2021 with the anticipation that large numbers of young Latinos would eventually reach an age where they could elect one of their own before the next Census.
On the policy side, Rep. Lilian Jiménez, D-Chicago, echoed criticisms of the budget by groups like the Illinois Partners for Human Service, which decried the lack of adequate funding for community care workers. SEIU Healthcare has a strong presence in the Latino community and some former union staffers are serving in the General Assembly. The union sharply criticized the budget for its lack of funding “to address the cause of the state’s care crisis — the fact is that the crucial jobs that provide home care and childcare services are not good and stable jobs.”
What I laid out above is not a complete picture by any means whatsoever. But I’ve been saying for years and years that the news media here, myself included, needs to focus much more on the internal debates within the super-majority party and its allies because that is where almost all policymaking decisions actually happen in the Illinois General Assembly.
The Republicans (who have their own internal divisions and debates) shouldn’t be cut out of the coverage by any means, but the stark reality on the ground is not being conveyed and valid perspectives are too often ignored.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Feb 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ICYMI: Flawed state oversight lets doctors accused of abuse continue to see patients. Tribune…
- Though Illinois law requires hospital officials who learn of abuse allegations to take action to protect patients, the Tribune found that some medical providers who work outside those settings were left to operate largely unchecked until they were charged with a crime.
- In some cases, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation took years to discipline medical providers accused of sexual misconduct.
- Illinois law does not require medical providers to tell patients they are under police investigation.
* Isabel’s top picks…
* AP | Illinois judge who reversed rape conviction removed from bench after panel finds he circumvented law: The commission could have issued a reprimand, censure or suspension without pay, but its decision said it had “ample grounds” for immediately removing Adrian from the bench in western Illinois’ Adams County. […] The complaint said Adrian had acknowledged he was supposed to impose the mandatory four-year sentence against Clinton, but that he would not send him to prison. “That is not just,” Adrian said at the sentencing hearing, according to court transcripts. “I will not do that.”
* Daily Southtown | Dolton trustees call for outside probe of Mayor Tiffany Henyard, accuse her of misusing village funds: They are asking agencies such as the FBI, U.S. attorney, Cook County sheriff and Cook County state’s attorney to step in and investigate Henyard. Four trustees who are at odds with Henyard — Kiana Belcher, Tammie Brown, Jason House and Brittney Norwood — held a special Village Board meeting Thursday at a Dolton Park District facility. Village Clerk Alison Key also participated.
* Congratulations Ashley!…
Click here to watch Governor Pritzker announce new maternal health initiatives at 10:00 am and here to watch him announce new State-designated cultural districts at noon.
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* Naperville Sun | Naperville councilman said no one interested in housing migrants but emails show some people did respond: On Jan. 25, a separate person reached out via the council email and said: “Please pass the message to Josh McBroom that I will house migrants. I live in St. Charles and if you send me the sign up sheet I will sign it. Please tell Josh that Naperville doesn’t speak for the Chicago suburbs and plenty of people will house them. Let’s talk and we’ll get this started.” Rachel Pruneda with the mayor’s office replied and thanked the person for contacting the council. She assured them that “Councilman McBroom does receive emails that are sent to council@naperville.il.us and is monitoring them.”
* ABC Chicago | 4th District Congressional Race Primary: In 2012, he was elected to serve as Democratic Ward Committeeman, making him the first openly gay Latino elected to any office in Illinois. In 2015, he was elected to serve the city’s 15th Ward. Lopez grew up on Chicago’s Southwest Side, he said it’s time to elect someone who “fights and provides results with common-sense solutions.”
* Sun-Times | In House Democratic primary, Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia challenged from the right by Ald. Raymond Lopez: Bucking a national trend in which Democratic incumbent centrists fight primary challenges from the left, one of the most progressive members of Congress, Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, faces 15th Ward Ald. Ray Lopez, a frequent Fox News guest coming after him from the right.
* CNN | How Johnson wooed Trump to back a GOP congressman targeted by Gaetz: According to multiple GOP sources, Johnson lobbied Trump to back Republican Rep. Mike Bost against his MAGA-aligned primary foe, Darren Bailey, in the southern Illinois district – a sign of how the new speaker is leveraging his relationship with the former president as internal GOP primary battles threaten to reshape the makeup of Congress.
* WBEZ | Longtime Cook County tax appeal commissioner faces a big-money push to replace him: Rogers’s challenger in the March Democratic primary, Larecia Tucker, says those facts and other ethics problems mean the veteran politician does not deserve another term at the three-member Board of Review. “It is very inappropriate,” Tucker said of Rogers staffers handling his sibling’s cases. “It is not ethical. It is a conflict of interest.”
* Daily Herald | Democratic congressional candidates want to abolish Electoral College: Abolishing the Electoral College would require a constitutional amendment. When asked why she wants to disband the college, Ahmad said it unfairly gives more power to votes cast in states with smaller populations.
* WBEZ | CTU staffer fights to keep Chicago Mayor Johnson’s former seat on the Cook County Board: Stamps also has the backing of County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who doubles as head of the Cook County Democratic Party. Stamps’s Democratic challenger in the March 19 primary is Zerlina Smith-Members — a perennial candidate, victim advocate and political consultant. She alleges that because of the CTU’s support, Stamps could be beholden to the “new machine.”
* WBEZ | Can you prove your teen lives here? Some schools make house calls.: Calloway said she has seen people trying to falsely claim a neighborhood spot at Kenwood over the last two decades, and she has also discovered enrolled students who lied on their registration forms. Some families also have moved outside the boundaries after their children enrolled. Just last week, it was revealed that the inspector general for CPS found five Kenwood basketball players falsified proof of where they live or provided inaccurate home addresses.
* NBC Chicago | Newly obtained records shed light on cost of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s trip to Los Angeles: Airfare, lodging and travel agency fees for the trip cost a combined $7,949.96, records show. But the city redacted some of the additional expenses, like rental cars and a full page of charges, citing privacy concerns.
* Tribune | Serious crashes with pedestrians and cyclists often fail to lead to tickets or charges: ‘We can’t be OK with this’: Serious or fatal traffic crashes with pedestrians or cyclists in Chicago, like the one involving Campbell, often fail to lead to charges or citations, a Tribune analysis of Chicago police data shows. Of more than 4,000 such crashes between 2018 and mid-November 2023 reviewed by the Tribune, traffic tickets or more serious violations were listed in about 26% of cases.
* The Atlantic | The Americans Who Need Chaos: Several years ago, the political scientist Michael Bang Petersen, who is based in Denmark, wanted to understand why people share conspiracy theories on the Internet. He and other researchers designed a study that involved showing American participants blatantly false stories about Democratic and Republican politicians, such as Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump. The subjects were asked: Would you share these stories online?
* SJ-R | Springfield’s housing market is one of the hottest in the country, new report finds: The index uses proprietary data to determine which markets have strong supply and demand, with homes in the Springfield area being on the market for an average of 49 days, up nearly 9% from 2022, and going for a median list price of $168,950, up 2.4% from the prior year. The ranking is two spots higher than in November, where Springfield ranked 28th with a score of 85.74.
* Tribune | Evanston keeps 15 year lease to move city operations downtown: The move comes with accessibility and building condition concerns about the city’s current hub, the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center. These woes leave some, such as Mayor Daniel Biss, saying a prompt move is necessary. The approved resolution calls for city operations to move to the Davis Street location in July. Biss says the lease should be 15 years to allow for proper public input when deciding where city operation will be permanently held.
* Daily Herald | Is Illinois’ film tax credit luring Hollywood to the heartland?: While Chicago has long been used as a stand-in for fictional and real settings, the suburbs have also become a destination for film and television companies seeking a specific look. “Illinois can be everything except a desert,” said Christine Dudley, Executive Director for the Illinois Production Alliance. “There’s the architecture, the lake, the suburbs, the forest preserves and even farmland. And it’s all within a few minutes of each other.”
* Daily Southtown | Black History Month program unites Buddy Guy, grandson for conversation at Evergreen Park school: The Evergreen Park Community High School senior got to know much more about his grandpa last week thanks to a Black History Month project in which he and classmate Samantha Ricks interviewed the 87-year-old musician during a sold-out presentation Feb. 20 at the school’s Marshall Batho Auditorium. The show started with a biographical documentary about Buddy, followed by the student-led question-and-answer session.
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Monday, Feb 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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