* Filling Greg Harris’ shoes will not be easy, but Gabel is a very talented legislator and JG-B has clearly shown that she has the legislative chops to handle her tough assignment. Rep. Lisa Hernandez being moved up to deputy is also noteworthy since she is also state party chair. Leader Gabel, by the way, was a member of the “19” who refused to reelect Speaker Madigan. It’s a new day…
Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced the members of his House Democratic leadership team Thursday, which includes Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, Speaker Pro Tempore and Chief Budgeteer Jehan Gordon-Booth, Deputy Majority Leader Lisa Hernandez, Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman, and Assistant Majority Leader Kam Buckner.
“As I reflect on my first two years as Speaker of the House, I’m awestruck by what we were able to accomplish for the state we are all proud to call home,” said Speaker Welch. “It didn’t come easy or without challenges, and I wouldn’t have been able to achieve that success without the support of a strong leadership team that values our core Democratic principles and has a deep desire to put Illinois back on the side of working families. This new team I have assembled to help lead the largest Democratic majority in modern times is diverse, courageous, fiercely passionate, and driven by a strong moral compass that will continue to provide clear direction for our caucus and our House. We have much work to do for the people of this state and I am proud to stand alongside these dynamic leaders, as well as the rest of this duly elected chamber, to continue down the path of progress and purpose for all of Illinois.”
The following can be attributed to Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston.
“I’m honored to receive the great responsibility of being chosen as majority leader and I look forward to helping our entire Democratic Caucus succeed,” said Gabel. “In this new role I will continue to prioritize values that are most important to me – collaboration, inclusivity, and assisting my colleagues deliver results for their communities. I want to thank Speaker Welch for entrusting me to be our caucus’ leader, as well as Leader Harris for his dedication to our state. I look forward to the great things we’ll accomplish together in this upcoming legislative session.”
The following can be attributed to Speaker Pro Tempore and Chief Budgeteer Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria.
“Over the past two years, we have proven what we can accomplish with a leadership group that values and understands collaboration,” said Gordon-Booth. “As we look ahead, I am more optimistic than ever that we can work together on effective solutions to address the challenges facing working families across our state. In replacing Leader Greg Harris as the new chief budget negotiator, I’ll continue to prioritize our fiscal health and responsibly utilize our resources for the betterment of Illinois. I’m thankful for the trust of my colleagues and Speaker Welch, and I look forward to serving alongside this remarkable group of leaders.”
The following can be attributed to Deputy Majority Leader Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Chicago.
“Speaker Welch remains committed to unifying not just the Democratic Caucus, but all of Illinois. This leadership team reflects his commitment to diversity and inclusivity, and his desire for continued collaboration among our growing caucus. As we look ahead to these next two years, we are all united in our shared responsibility to do what’s right for Illinoisans, and to make our state a more welcoming place to call home.”
The following can be attributed to Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea.
“We have important work ahead of us in this next General Assembly. We must continue to prioritize our fiscal health and respond to the needs of families working through inflationary pressures. We must find opportunities to make government more effective and efficient. And we must stand united as Democrats, alongside Speaker Welch, to build a better, stronger Illinois for all.”
The following can be attributed to Assistant Majority Leader Kam Buckner, D-Chicago.
“I want to thank Speaker Welch and the rest of my colleagues in the Democratic Caucus for entrusting me with the privilege of serving on this leadership team. Two years ago, Speaker Welch’s election as the first Black Speaker of the House in our state’s history ushered in a new era for Illinois. Since that time, we’ve seen unprecedented fiscal stability, the passage of landmark criminal justice reform, and an equity-centered clean energy jobs package. As a member of this leadership team and on behalf of the people of Illinois, I will work diligently to build upon that legislative progress.”
Speaker Welch’s full leadership team will consist of:
· State Rep. Robyn Gabel – Majority Leader
· State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth – Speaker Pro Tempore / Chief Budgeteer
· State Rep. Mary E. Flowers – Deputy Majority Leader / Dean of the Caucus
· State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez – Deputy Majority Leader
· State Rep. Jay Hoffman – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Natalie Manley – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Kam Buckner – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Aaron Ortiz – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Barbara Hernandez – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Marcus Evans – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Robert “Bob” Rita – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Kelly Burke – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Theresa Mah – Majority Conference Chair
· State Rep. Nick Smith – Majority Officer / Sergeant at Arms
In addition to these leadership posts, Speaker Welch has called on members within the House Democrats to serve as caucus whips, which has been utilized as an emerging leaders program. These members will be charged with rallying various caucuses and members around legislation and priorities for the entire Democratic Caucus. This team will include:
· State Rep. Lakesia Collins – Black Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez – Latinx Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz – Asian American Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Frances Ann Hurley – Mod Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Lawrence Walsh Jr. – Downstate Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Will Guzzardi – Progressive Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray – Women’s Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Nabeela Syed – Freshman Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Maurice West – Assistant Floor Whip
· State Rep. Ann Williams – Assistant Floor Whip
· State Rep. Katie Stuart – Assistant Floor Whip
· State Rep. Bob Morgan – Assistant Floor Whip
Speaker Welch is incredibly proud of the team he’s assembled – one of the most diverse in our state’s history. It includes experienced members, whose institutional knowledge will be instrumental, while also harnessing the passion and enthusiasm of the Gen-Z generation. For the first time in the history of the Illinois House of Representatives, Speaker Welch will convene the leadership team for a leadership retreat in January to discuss emerging priorities for the House Democratic Caucus.
*** UPDATE *** House Republican Leader Tony McCombie has released her own leadership list…
Deputy Minority Leader: Norine Hammond
Deputy Minority Leader: Ryan Spain
Conference Chair: Jeff Keicher
Assistant Minority Leaders:
John Cabello
CD Davidsmeyer
Charlie Meier
Brad Stephens
Mike Marron
Jackie Haas
Floor Leader: Patrick Windhorst
That’s a pretty darned good list. Also, I gotta say, Rep. Windhorst is really growing on me.
…Adding… From Leader Stephens…
State Representative Brad Stephens (R-20) has been appointed Assistant House Minority Leader by newly elected House Republican Leader Tony McCombie as the 103rd General Assembly was sworn in on Wednesday. Stephens was elected to his second full term this past November after being appointed to the seat in 2019 succeeding former State Representative Mike McAuliffe.
• When McCombie chose Stephens, she cited his strong background and experience on economic development issues as a key component of the House Republicans’ legislative agenda moving forward
• Stephens’ knowledge of the issues facing law enforcement and first responders because his district represents both City of Chicago and suburban Cook County which continues to face a litany of crime issues.
• In fact, Stephens is the only member of the House Republican Caucus who represents the City of Chicago and one of two members in the caucus representing Cook County (the only other seat is the Durkin seat)
“I’m thrilled to be joining this momentous leadership team of Leader Tony McCombie and help achieve the goals of the caucus through pragmatic, bipartisan, and effective legislation,” said Rep. Stephens. “As the only Republican House member representing parts of Chicago, I’m looking forward to bringing the perspectives of my constituents from Chicago and suburban Cook County to these important conversations. I also look forward to building bridges between the urban areas of Illinois with our fantastic rural communities so we can pass legislation to make our state better for everyone.”
“Rep. Stephens works tirelessly for his communities and brings extensive knowledge to this position from his work at the state and local level,” said Leader McCombie. “He prioritizes the needs of his constituents and is a confident advocate for legislation that helps Illinoisans. He will also bring an invaluable perspective from the 20th District, including from the City of Chicago, first responders, and people who live in close proximity to transportation hubs around our state.”
Solid choice.
…Adding… Rep. JG-G…
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, issued this statement following her appointment as whip of the House Asian American Caucus:
“I’m grateful for the privilege of leading the House Asian American Caucus. With each General Assembly, Asian Americans are breaking barriers in Illinois and seeing their representation in the State Legislature grow. Asian American voices are getting louder through recent victories, such as the passage of the TEAACH Act, my measure to ensure an accurate curriculum of Asian American history in Illinois schools. I hope to lead our growing caucus to continued legislative achievements.”
A simple eyeballing of this chart really tells the story of inflation in 2022. It was a first half of the year story, not a back half of the year story. pic.twitter.com/5aoFOdUb2s
Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Education Career Pathway Grants are preparing 10,805 future teachers in high schools across the state. The grants expose students of all backgrounds to the experience of teaching and also aim to increase the diversity of the state’s teacher workforce: 45% of students in the pathway program identify as Black or Hispanic, compared to just 14% of current teachers.
Thanks to initiatives like the Education Career Pathways Grants, Illinois has increased student enrollment in education preparation programs by 41% - from 8,534 in 2017 to 12,069 in 2021. However, Illinois schools still reported 2,139 unfilled teaching positions in October 2021, and those unfilled positions are concentrated in under-resourced communities and in bilingual and special education. […]
ISBE has released $18 million in total Education Career Pathways Grants through three rounds of grant funding. A total of 171 high schools now offer Education Career Pathways.
* This is a bit silly. Mailed ballot application signatures are matched with voter registration signatures. The Democrats say the law already allowed election judges to compare signatures on the subsequently mailed ballots to the already pre-checked ballot application signatures, but a county judge disagreed, so they made the statute more explicit. ILGOP…
After rewarding themselves with massive pay raises, Illinois Democrats are once again drunk on power, and have moved to weaken signature requirements on absentee ballots.
During the 2022 election, the DuPage County Clerk chose to flout the letter of the law by not requiring that signatures on returned vote-by-mail ballots be matched to the official signatures on file for those voters. A DuPage County judge rebuked the Clerk for this practice. “Use of the Vote by Mail ballot application to qualify signatures on the Vote by Mail ballot itself would be an obvious way to commit ballot fraud.” Now, instead of abiding by the law – or strengthening it with common sense measures like voter ID – Democrats have decided to do away with the requirement altogether.
“When the rules don’t go the Democrats’ way in Illinois, they use their massive supermajorities to change them in their favor. First they voted to give themselves massive pay raises, next they voted to weaken signature verification requirements on absentee ballots.”
Sixteen hours after Gov. JB Pritzker signed the measure into law, the Rev. Jerry Doss of Springfield’s Abundant Faith Christian Center recognized it before his invocation over the House swearing-in ceremony.
“I want to also personally thank you – the leaders and the decision-makers – for passing the bill last night on banning assault weapons,” Doss said. “We appreciate you. Thank you.”
Doss’ comment was met with rousing cheers from Democratic supporters – and silence from Republicans.
Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined local, state, and community leaders to celebrate the final structural beam being placed at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. The “Topping Out” ceremony marks a significant milestone in the nearly $300 million renovation and rehabilitation project that will provide a 260,000 square foot residential long-term care facility and 80,000 square foot independent living facility to Illinois veterans.
“With these renovations, our veterans and their families will be able to enjoy state-of-the-art facilities that support them in living their fullest life – exercising their right to excellent care in quality surroundings,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We owe our veteran heroes nothing less – and it’s exactly what I sought to do when I dedicated nearly $300 million in state funding to this renovation in our Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan.”
The scope of work for the Quincy Veterans’ Home includes a campus rehabilitation to buildings, infrastructure, utilities, and landscaping to support the new facilities. The project provides for the demolition of six existing buildings, and renovation of the Neilson Dining Facility to include a multi-purpose space, administrative offices, and stores.
The long-term care facility is projected to house 210 skilled-care beds with full amenities for its residents. The independent living building, referred to as a domiciliary, will host 80 independent living units, with accommodations large enough for resident spouses and children.
“Illinois continues to ensure veterans and their families thrive in our state. By building this new Veterans’ Home on the hallowed grounds of Quincy, our treasured heroes will live in a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility on a truly historic campus,” said IDVA Director Terry Prince. “The continued investment in the five Veterans’ Homes across Illinois represents the State’s commitment to Veterans and their families. We are grateful for the Governor’s support, the work of the Capital Development Board and finally, our incredible partners on the construction team for addressing the unique needs of Veterans and the Home.”
Quincy Veterans’ Home is currently 45% complete, with an anticipated substantial completion for the domiciliary set for September 2023 and the long-term care facility scheduled for February 2024. The Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) is overseeing the project’s design and construction in accordance with the protocol for state-appropriated projects.
During the event, the last structural beam was raised to the top of the long-term care facility and attendees had the opportunity to sign the beam before it was placed on the third floor of the structure.
“The Capital Development Board is proud to work collectively with Quincy Veterans’ Home staff and the dedicated construction teams to bring this project to life,” said Capital Development Board Executive Director, Jim Underwood. “More than 150 construction workers have remained committed to advancing this project and because of their hard work, the project has remained on track, despite ongoing challenges in the construction industry.”
Mild winter temperatures have allowed the project to progress without delay. In the domiciliary, air and vapor barrier installation and brick masonry work is nearing completion. The long-term care facility has completed all grade beams, with structural steel in place for all resident wings anticipated this week.
Governor Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan provides essential funding to support the revitalization and improvement of Illinois roadways, state facilities, universities, bridges, and railways over a six-year period. The plan addresses critical infrastructure and economic opportunities.
Today, after being elected by his peers to serve as the Illinois Senate Republican Leader, Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) announced his leadership team for the 103rd General Assembly as follows:
Senator Sue Rezin, Deputy Leader
Senator Neil Anderson, Caucus Chair
Senator Terri Bryant, Assistant Republican Leader
Senator Dale Fowler, Assistant Republican Leader
Senator Steve McClure, Assistant Republican Leader
Senator Jason Plummer, Assistant Republican Leader
Senator Sally Turner, Republican Caucus Whip
Senator Jil Tracy, Republican Caucus Whip
“This team from throughout Illinois will bring diverse perspectives, experiences, expertise and policy solutions to our caucus leadership,” Curran said. “I trust each of these members to be champions for their districts and their ideals as we work together to create a bold but doable agenda for the Senate Republicans.”
Chicago Public Schools Inspector General Will Fletcher is opening an investigation after Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s reelection campaign sent an email to Chicago Public Schools teachers asking them to encourage their students to volunteer for her campaign in exchange for class credit.
“CPS OIG has opened an investigation into this matter and we are currently gathering information to determine which, if any, policies have been violated,” Fletcher’s office said in a statement.
Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s office confirmed they’re “gathering information” as well.
“The Office of Inspector General is aware of the public reporting on this matter. We are gathering information and we’re in contact with the Inspector General for Chicago Public Schools,” spokeswoman Deanna Shoss said in an email.
The Chicago Board of Ethics also plans to discuss the matter at its next meeting on Jan. 23, according to executive director Steve Berlin.
“This should not have happened,” Lightfoot said Thursday afternoon at a news conference. She called the emails a mistake by a staff member and said she didn’t know about the emails until Wednesday, at which point she “put an immediate stop to it.”
* The Illinois Senate said goodbye to retired Sen. Tony Muñoz today. Sen. Napoleon Harris’ speech captured Muñoz’s personality well…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | Gun sellers, after sales spike ahead of state assault weapons ban, say law won’t survive: Handgun sales doubled, and rifle sales were 10 times what they were over the last year, according to owner Dan Eldridge. “There’s been quite a rush of people trying to get in under the wire,” Eldridge said. “Obviously, the law-abiding gun owners are concerned. And they’re voting with their wallets.”
* WCIA | Weather Service says radar data impacted by wind farm during Maroa tornado: “The Taylorville event, there was a bit more of a obscuration, a bit more contamination of the half degree slice,” said Shimon. That’s the lowest angle that the radar beam samples, providing information about a storm in a section that is closest to the ground. “But, even in that case, the slices above that were at least able to give us some picture of what was happening.”
* Tribune | Illinois fines health insurance company $500,000 for violations: Quartz sells health insurance plans on the Affordable Care Act exchange at healthcare.gov, and off the exchange, in parts of northwestern Illinois. The Illinois Department of Insurance announced Wednesday that it had fined the insurance company for violations of federal and state laws that require insurers to offer the same level of coverage for mental health and substance use disorder care as they do for traditional medical and surgical care.
* SJ-R | Unity marches in Springfield, Jacksonville highlight MLK Day: Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in the Springfield area feature the annual Springfield Frontiers International Memorial Breakfast and unity marches in the capital city and Jacksonville. Westminster Presbyterian Church hosts an MLK community gathering Saturday. Blackburn College’s annual MLK Convocation returns to the Carlinville campus Tuesday.
* Tribune | A pioneering Chicago architect is retiring after working on more than 100 green buildings: ‘She’s a 1st on many levels’: In the late 1990s, she led the team that designed the technical and environmental aspects of the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in North Chicago, the fourth building in the world to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s coveted LEED certification for sustainable design and construction. Vitt Sale also led the team overseeing the sustainable aspects of the first verified net-zero energy building in Illinois certified by the International Living Future Institute, the Adlai E. Stevenson High School East Building addition in Lincolnshire.
* Popular Info | How Walgreens manufactured a media frenzy about shoplifting: For several years, Walgreens and other major retailers have been sounding the alarm about an alleged spike in shoplifting, describing it as an existential threat to their business. These dramatic claims generated a nationwide media frenzy. Now, Walgreens is quietly backtracking.
* Sun-Times | Chicago leads nation in 2022 traffic congestion, report says: Drivers in Chicago lost an average of 155 hours to traffic, more than motorists in Boston at 134, New York at 117 and Los Angeles at 94, the report said. When compared with the rest of the world, Chicago was the second most congested globally, coming up just an hour behind London.
* Axios | Chicago’s best music venue tournament: The championship: These versatile clubs host top touring bands, up-and-coming local acts, comedians and more. Metro (and its building) have hosted local gatherings since 1927. With about a 1,100-person capacity, it has served as a home club for great local bands like The Smashing Pumpkins and Alkaline Trio. The 1892 Pilsen building that houses Thalia Hall is a designated Chicago landmark. The club can seat close to 1,000 and has hosted huge shows, including Dave Chapelle and Superchunk.
* Illinois Times | Emergency workers face murder charges: Family members of a 35-year-old Springfield man who died in December say they were glad two emergency medical service workers were charged with his murder after the pair allegedly put the man face-down on a stretcher and applied straps so tightly that he suffocated.
* WGN | Bears hire Kevin Warren as new team president, CEO: The team officially hired Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as their new team president and CEO on Thursday morning. He will replace Ted Phillips, who announced he would step down from the position at the end of the 2022 season.
* Illinois Newsroom | Amid a national egg shortage, local farmers continue to deliver: But not all egg producers have suffered the same losses due to the avian flu. Penny Gioja operates Joy of Illinois Farm in Champaign. She said her birds have so far been spared, and that’s thanks in part to the farm’s location. “We’re out on this small farm west of Champaign and there are no (other) chickens that I know of within several miles of us. So the chances of our chickens getting sick is pretty low,” Gioja said.
* The Southern | Carbondale restauranteur ‘Tippy’ Cook dies : “He was as iconic as Carbondale,” said Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Executive Director William Lo, also a restaurateur in the community. “He was an institution in his restaurant and several others, always dropping sage words of wisdom.”
The filing also reveals [former ComEd board member Juan Ochoa] is expected to testify as to how he enlisted the help of a member of Congress in 2017 to help fix his political relationship with Madigan and win that board seat at ComEd. The Chicago Tribune reports, citing unnamed sources, that the congressman is believed to be then-U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.
In 2017, [Ochoa] asked the same member of Congress to set up meetings with Madigan and another public official to request that they both recommend Individual BM-1 for an open position on ComEd’s board.
Ochoa also asked Gutierrez to set up a meeting with “another public official” to discuss the ComEd board appointment at about the same time, according to the filing. Prosecutors do not name that official, either, but sources told the Tribune he is then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Mayoral calendars obtained by the Tribune via an open records request show that Emanuel and two of his aides met with Ochoa and Gutierrez at City Hall on Nov. 17, 2017, though the topic of the meeting was not included.
Interesting.
* So, why did Ochoa ask Gutierrez for help? Back to the proffer…
[Ochoa] asked the member of Congress to make the request because the member of Congress had endorsed Madigan in the prior election cycle, and Individual [Ochoa] felt Madigan owed the member of Congress a political favor.
* What’s Rahm Emanuel’s connection to Ochoa? This Crain’s story is from February of 2017, several months before the Madigan sitdown…
The former head of the agency that runs McCormick Place who left in 2010 amid an apparent political feud with Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has returned as a board member.
Juan Ochoa, who ran the agency known as McPier from 2007 to 2010, replaced Olga Camargo on the agency’s board this month after being appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. […]
It’s a return to McCormick Place for Ochoa nearly seven years after he resigned. While he said at the time that he was leaving McPier to focus on immigration reform, a 2011 Crain’s investigation found that he was politically handcuffed by the longtime speaker as retribution for Ochoa firing a Madigan ally at the convention center. […]
Ochoa, who had been appointed CEO of McPier by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, insisted that there is “no tension” between he and Madigan.
///BREAKING/// John Lausch, Chicago's top federal prosecutor since 2017, will be stepping down in "early 2023" Attorney General Merrick Garland announced. A Trump nominee, Lausch stayed on the job after Biden's election because of an unusual push from Illinois' two senators.
* Sun-Times | Chicago U.S. Attorney John Lausch to leave office by early March: Lausch has been Chicago’s U.S. Attorney since late 2017 and has overseen major public corruption investigations. They culminated with the indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan — and ultimately re-shaped Chicago politics.
* CBS Chicago | U.S. Attorney John Lausch stepping down as Chicago’s top federal prosecutor early this year: Lausch, who recently was tapped to review documents marked classified that were found at President Biden’s former office at a Washington think tank, told Garland he could conduct an initial review, but could not commit to a longer-term assignment, because he is planning to step down for a job in the private sector in early 2023.
* Illinois House Republican Leader Tony McCombie’s inaugural address…
I’ll start with saying Speaker, yes we can.
You know one day we debated on the floor. Now I’m off script sorry to my staff, and my husband. I said, to you Speaker, Representative? Is this a real bill? I think we’ll be doing that quite often.
Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you all for coming today. I appreciate that.
Thank you to my seat mate, Norine Hammond from Macomb for your nomination. I wouldn’t be standing here today if not for Norine. I have to tell you she has saved me from some very embarrassing floor speeches. Or more recently, when I called her to ask her opinion if I should run for this position, and if I would have her support, she said, “I got you baby.” Thank you.
And thank you to my friend and neighbor in Lee County, Brad Fritts, the youngest member ever elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. Congratulations to you and your family. I mean, what an accomplishment, elected at 22. I’m guessing most of you were not politically engaged at such a young age. Personally at 22, I was at Western Illinois University. I was on the six year plan. Trying to rebuild my GPA so I could actually graduate. Those are days and stories for another time.
It is really surreal to stand here before all of you today. I’m from Savanna, as you’ve heard, a small river town in Northwest Illinois. I was far from politically active, unless you consider all the scheming as girls do to deal with brothers growing up politics.
As a matter of fact, my friends and family, especially those here today are probably still wondering how and what in the world am I doing here? My family didn’t talk much about politics. But I knew my dad was a Reagan Republican and my mom was a JFK Democrat.
Our parents like many didn’t always have it easy but they raised us to be hard working individuals, demanding we respect ourselves but more importantly, we respect others. Many are not as fortunate as we are on this stage.
Today with me, I have my husband. We should all thank our husbands and wives. This is truly a team sport that were in. My big brother Kelly and some of my family are here and many of my dear, dear friends, my support system. I am so blessed and want to say thank you. Thank you for guiding me carrying me when I need it and helping me to be the very best to just about everything I’ve ever done.
You are rock stars and I love you.
To the members, especially the new members, of the 103 General Assembly here’s some advice, you haven’t asked but I’m a woman so I’m gonna give it, is that you be honest and genuine, with your colleagues, with your constituents and with yourself.
Have interesting conversations and learn from them. If you don’t know the answers, which you won’t it’s ok, let yourself be vulnerable and say so. Make the effort to change rather than silently accept what is wrong. Our position in politics is often regarded negatively. So let’s change that.
If you understand a policy and it will be a detriment to the people of Illinois and you still support it. That is a problem. Know this position is not about you. It’s about them. Represent your districts. Be present. Be engaged and never forget why you are here you are here to be their voice their representative.
Good luck on this adventure and congratulations to you all.
As we approach the new General Assembly, we see historic changes in leadership surrounding the redistricting process. We now see a wholesale change and who is leading all four caucuses in Springfield for the first time in more than 50 years. With that comes great responsibility and opportunity.
In 1876 the first African-American was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives John W. E. Thomas, a Republican if I may add. 46 years later, the first woman was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, Laddie Holman O’Neill, also Republican.
God bless her. She was elect to 19 General Assemblies serving 40 years the longest serving female elected in the United States at the time until Barbara Flynn Currie. Not a Republican.
But our systems of checks and balances is at risk. With increasingly one party control of Illinois State Government, long-held respect by those who value democracy, our system of checks and balances between our co-equal branches of government is unbalanced and unhealthy for us all, Republicans, Democrats and Independents.
We have an opportunity with leadership changes to reimagine what we expect from our state government. We must prioritize the co-equal nature of our government and prioritize fulfilling the constitutional duty, one which supersedes party loyalty or providing those checks and balances.
My Republican colleagues in the House have put their faith in me to restore and to rebuild and to bring balance to Illinois. It will be difficult, but we will claw back in the wake of the worst gerrymandered maps in the country. Looking out at the audience, it’s like sitting in the House. We’re a little out of out of balance here, too, ladies and gents.
We must take the lessons we have learned from the past to politically and structurally reform Illinois, providing a brighter future for our families. Illinois families are leaving, and I would say due to the growing size of our government and the byproduct of bad policy. Illinois could be flourishing. Let’s put politics aside and come together, work together to decrease the high cost of government and crushing mandates and regulations on our schools, on our business and our communities.
I promise we can do that while improving outcomes, keeping families safe and serving our most vulnerable Believe it or not, we have 40 of 118 seats. The Republicans here represent a part of all 102 counties.
It’s amazing to think about that. We might not be your representative, but we represent a part of each and every county in the state. It’s time for courageous leadership. Leadership must be unafraid to be forthright. So I ask you, Speaker Welch don’t be afraid, bring us to the table.
We are problem solvers. So use our knowledge, benefit from our talents. And here our hearts. Let us show you that any preconceived notions about Republicans is false. We want to govern, so I asked you please don’t disregard our value.
Together, Speaker Welch and the members of the 103 General Assembly. Let’s look to the future. Let’s put aside political agendas and do what’s right. Let’s make Illinois better place to work and raise our families. And the only way to do that successfully, Speaker Welch, is to join me to be accessible, transparent and honest to bring our caucuses together to frame real solutions.
Please take note, and please follow my lead by example and how short my speech just was. Thank you all so much for coming today. I appreciate it and we need you more than you ever know. So thank you very much for coming and God bless Illinois.
Isabel did the transcription, so please pardon any errors.
* Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran…
Thank you, Gov. Pritzker and thank you to everyone for joining us here today in this celebration of our democracy.
Six years ago, I was a lawyer enthusiastic about public policy when I was appointed to fill the seat of my friend and the first female leader of an Illinois caucus Christine Radogno. I never imagined that my journey would lead me here to this historic place, at this revered podium, where so many memorable speeches were given. I assure you, this speech will not be one of them.
It is moving and a bit surreal to be honored with the confidence of my colleagues to lead us on our new path. Thank you.
This is one of the countless experiences that would never be possible without the support of my partner in life and love, my wife Sue. She, and so many other spouses in this great room today, do the real hard work behind the scenes so we can serve our districts here in Springfield. I am so proud of her and our four daughters whose talents and potential far outpace my own. I ran for office because young Illinoisans like them deserve a future with great opportunity for all.
I am also thinking of my parents, Tom and Margaret who were born in Ireland and met here in the Great State of Illinois. It is their hard work, perseverance and hope that paved my own road to the American dream.
Like many children around the world and right here in Illinois, my father was forced to drop out of school too young, to support his family.
At thirteen, he was sent from their small country farm to live in Galway City to work at a store during the week, and on a local farm on the weekends. Instead of going to school he was working to send money back home to help pay for his sister’s tuberculosis treatment.
At the age of eighteen he pioneered to America alone, with no family, too little money, and the hope of a better life.
He worked as a carpenter and married my mother who had been weaving her own story of immigration from Ireland. While my father worked on becoming a homebuilder, my mother was building our own home raising seven children. They didn’t just support our family here in Illinois, but went on to sponsor three of my father’s brothers for U.S. immigration and help get them all established here in the Great State of Illinois.
I wish that my parents and sister Marie were watching from these special seats, instead of heaven’s, but I feel their Irish spirit of love and light here today.
I’d like to thank the people of the 41st District who honor me with the opportunity to represent them in the Illinois Senate. They remind me of the nobility of public service and their votes for and against me continue to make me a better advocate for our community and our democracy.
Finally, thank you to Senate President Don Harmon for your dedication to the state of Illinois. I look forward to working with you in the year ahead.
Our democracy was designed to allow us to make a difference - even through our differences. In this spirit, Illinois is better served when our public policies are crafted from two, not one, participating parties. As legislators, I believe we can best respect our principles by sharing them with the other side and taking the time to listen and learn why they are important to the constituencies we represent.
Regardless of the letter next to our name, we are all here to do one thing - create a better Illinois.
That means that all legislators, not just the majority, are here to represent our constituents through creating strong, practical public policy. There are millions of Illinoisans who support the Republican principles of freedom and economic opportunity for all. It is my job as Leader to ensure that their votes and their voices are represented, and our caucus takes our role in that process very seriously.
There is a lot of talk about division in our politics and our state. While it may seem new, Illinois has overcome many challenges of division before. What matters right now are solutions.
Illinois families and businesses are facing great challenges. Inflation, unemployment, over-taxation and childcare challenges are affecting our job creators and our job seekers. Communities continue to suffer from the great emotional and economic toll of the pandemic-related crises.
If you are an Illinoisan, whether you’re from a farm or a flat, you have the right to be represented fairly and freely in our state government. That means as legislators, we must come together and lead by example to create a government that is just as effective for our Southern Illinois working mothers as it is for our Northern Illinois laborers.
Our agenda is focused on helping Illinois families and job creators rebuild and renew opportunity in Illinois. We need real, substantive and sound economic policies that are going to help improve the lives of the people in our state.
We will be thoughtful and genuine in our attempts to find opportunities to collaborate on behalf of the families and employers of Illinois. And we will continue to be steadfast in our voiceful opposition to misplaced policies that will hold our citizens and job creators back.
It is important for legislators to listen to and respect each other’s principles to better understand the needs of the districts outside of our own. I know through experience that with collaboration we can make real, true improvements to help reestablish Illinois as one of the greatest places to live, work and raise a family.
Unfortunately, progress is not always easy or quick. A true bipartisanship government will not be created overnight.
As the Irish say, “the longest road out is the shortest road home.”
It has been a long and difficult road for our party, our state and our world.
But the only way to move forward is to move on.
Today, January 11, 2023, the Illinois Senate Republicans are proudly facing the future.
Our caucus of innovative and dedicated public servants is moving forward for all Illinoisans - together. One idea, one meeting, one policy at a time.
Like my fellow legislators, I am also inspired by one of the world’s wisest Republicans, President Abraham Lincoln. And so, I will leave you with his words that are far better than my own:
“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in.”
Thank you. God bless you. God bless the Great State of Illinois.
The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) is a political organization of local police officials in the United States who contend that federal and state government authorities are subordinate to the local authority of county sheriffs. Self-described constitutional sheriffs assert that they are the supreme legal authority with the power and duty to defy or disregard laws they regard as unconstitutional.
As your Sheriff, I wanted to give citizens of Kankakee County an update on the recent passage of HB 5471, also known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act.
As your duly elected Sheriff my job and my office are sworn, in fact, to protect the citizens of Kankakee County. This is a job and responsibility that I take with the utmost seriousness.
Part of my duties that I accepted upon being sworn into office was to protect the rights provided to all of us, in the Constitution. One of those enumerated rights is the right of the people to keep and bear arms provided under the 2nd amendment.
The right to keep and bear arms for defense of life, liberty and property is regarded as an inalienable right by the people.
I, among many others, believe that HB 5471 is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.
Therefore, as the custodian of the jail and chief law enforcement official for Kankakee County, that neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the State, nor will we be arresting or housing law abiding individuals that have been charged solely with non-compliance of this Act.
-Sheriff Mike Downey
That looks like they’re gonna allow illegal gun sales to happen unabated.
Sheriffs from Jo Daviess County, Logan County, Wabash County, Edwards County and Ogle County have all posted nearly identical statements so far.
* Mark Maxwell makes a valid point…
The sheriff’s press release needs an edit. He incorrectly uses the term “law abiding individuals” to describe defiant scofflaws. Critics may ultimately convince a court that registering guns with the state is unconstitutional, but until that day comes, the requirement is law. https://t.co/uez32×6ad7
* Politico got a response from the governor’s office on a similar statement from the Greene County Sheriff…
Sheriffs have a constitutional duty to uphold the laws of the state, not pick and choose which laws they support and when. We’re confident that this law will hold up to any future legal challenges, but again, it is the current law of our state. Anyone who advocates for law, order, and public safety and then refuses to follow the law is in violation of their oath of office.
The State shall furnish 66 2/3% of the total annual salary to be paid to a sheriff. Said amounts furnished by the State shall be payable monthly by the Department of Revenue out of the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund or the General Revenue Fund to the county in which the sheriff is elected or appointed. The county shall furnish 33 1/3% of the total annual salary.
(a) The General Assembly shall provide by law for the formation, consolidation, merger, division, and dissolution of counties, and for the transfer of territory between counties.
Just sayin.
*** UPDATE *** From comments…
(A) ban on assault weapons is clearly constitutional under the Second Amendment. The federal Courts have made a ruling on this literal controversy, and in Illinois. They have done it more than once; see Friedman v. City of Highland Park (2015) and Wilson v. Cook County (2019).
Friedman is here and Wilson is here. The Supreme Court refused to hear both.
…Adding… The governor was asked about this sheriffs topic today…
Well, the first thing I’d say is they took an oath of office to uphold the law. As law enforcement, that’s their job. And I expect them to do that job. You know, you can have all the resolutions and declarations that you want. The reality is that the laws that are on the books, you don’t get to choose which ones people are going to follow. You know, if you don’t like it, go petition for a change in the legislation or in Springfield. But as it is you don’t get to decide I’m going to drive 150 miles an hour on the highway and there should be no consequences. And the same thing is true about carrying out the assault weapons ban and a ban on high capacity magazines and also switches that are changing regular guns into essentially machine guns or automatic weapons. So I think we did the right thing. It was a consensus. There even was a Republican vote for it. And an overwhelming support across the state of Illinois, including in Downstate Illinois for this kind of a ban. Remember, nobody’s guns are getting taken away from them. There are plenty of other weapons that aren’t covered at all by this ban. And this ban is really focused on the same kinds of weapons that were banned by the federal government for 10 years and we saw a significant downdraft in the number of people who were shot and killed as a result of the passage of that assault weapons ban. We expect the same thing to happen here in Illinois.
* Transcription of Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s inaugural address…
Well hello, hello. Muy buenas tardes. Good afternoon, Illinois!
I want to start by thanking God as so many have done before me for the many, many blessings in my life including this special moment with all of you.
Thank you to the Honorable Rossana Patricia Fernandez for swearing me in to my 3rd term as your Illinois State Comptroller. Thank you to the Reverend Dr. Lesa Branham for her prayers over me this morning. Those are so appreciated. Thank you, Reverend. Congratulations to Governor Pritzker, Lt. Governor Stratton, Attorney General Raoul, Treasurer Frerichs, and Secretary of State Giannoulias.
I look forward to working with this wonderful team, with Speaker Welch, President Harmon, Leader McCombie and Leader Curran and the 103rd General Assembly as we continue moving our state forward, because improving our state should be a bipartisan affair.
I want to thank my amazing family. Let’s start with my mother Susana – the original firecracker. My Godmother Maria, and my in-laws, Ed and Helene Szostak. Thank you for being here. My greatest blessing, our 10-year-old son David, who is obviously excited to be missing school today. But, let’s be honest. What a great civic lesson to see his mom being sworn in for another term, right? I’m so proud of my son David and I’m so happy and blessed to be his Mami.
My most important thank you goes to the unsung hero in my success as your Comptroller, the yin to my yang, my husband David. He is my anchor. He truly is. He’s my number one advisor, my best friend. He’s my rock and he inspires me every day. And let’s be honest – he is very easy on the eyes. I love you so much, Honey.
And thank you so much to the incredible team I’m blessed to lead at the Comptroller’s Office, for your hard work and dedication to the people of Illinois.
To the men and women in Organized Labor, thank you for always having my back. I got yours too. And to my beloved voters of Illinois. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart, for choosing me to serve another term as your Illinois State Comptroller. I am deeply humbled and grateful for your overwhelming support.
***
A few years ago at the Illinois State Fair, the one and only, Secretary of State Jesse White, pulled me aside and said, “Hey Susana, come here. You wanna know how to become the #1 vote getter in the state of Illinois?”
Of course I wanted to know the secret from the only statewide official to ever win all 102 counties in the State of Illinois. He looked me in the eye and said, “The secret is to SHOW UP.” When someone tells you that it’s not worth your time to drive six hours for an event where only 10 people make it, don’t listen to them. You SHOW UP anyway. Those 10 people matter, and they’ll know you care about them. And I know you care.
I do care and I promise you, Secretary, that I’m going to keep showing up. Let me tell you - it’s the best part of the job. Meeting voters and finding out what I can do to make their lives better. Being their voice and restoring their faith in our state.
In November, I asked for your trust through your vote. And thanks to you showing up for me, I stand before you as the new highest vote getter in the State of Illinois. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And thank you Secretary for not being on the ballot because I would not have come in first place if you had still been on – let’s be honest. But thank you also Secretary, for your years of selfless dedication to our state, for your friendship and for your advice.
And I promise, as I’ve already said, to always show up for Illinoisans the way you have done so beautifully for your entire career. Thank you.
***
People told me I was crazy when I first decided to run for Illinois Comptroller in 2016 during the budget impasse—the worst fiscal crisis in our state’s history. Our bill backlog peaked at $16.7 billion dollars of unpaid bills.
Our Rainy Day Fund was non-existent with less than $60,000 in it. We had suffered 20 years of consecutive credit downgrades.
The average vendor doing business with the state had to wait 210 business days to get paid. Back then, I promised you that—if you sent me to Springfield—I’d deliver a complete and transparent financial turnaround for the State of Illinois. And I delivered on my promise.
No more bill backlog. It’s gone. And I paid it down before receiving a penny of federal ARPA stimulus funds. 6 full credit upgrades on my watch. You heard that right. 6 full credit upgrades.
A RECORD HIGH Rainy Day Fund of over $1 billion dollars and growing.
This is great news. In fact, just last night the General Assembly approved an additional $850 million more for the Rainy Day Fund. We’re on a roll!!
My oldest bill today is only 10 days old. When people say you should run government like a business – I say how about we run it better than a business? That’s what I’m proving we can do here in the State of Illinois.
All my hard work to help people and fix our state’s finances has been to get Illinois ready for its growth spurt. And we are ready. We’re ready because Illinois is the beating heart of this nation.
From the bustling streets of Chicago to the expansive farmland of rural Illinois… to Southern Illinois towns like Cairo where we’re fighting to get that new riverport built. And we get things done when we all pull together.
We want to be the state people look at when they consider how to grow their business, their wealth and families.
I love Illinois with all of my heart. For those who voted for me, thank you for trusting me with another term as your Comptroller. For those who didn’t vote for me, know that I will work for you as passionately as I will for my own family.
Afterall, Illinois is my heart, and each and every one of you, regardless of your party preference, is in my heart. I will work hard to earn and keep your trust.
Lastly, I want to make a promise to my son David and to all of Illinois’ children. I will live to make you proud! I will approach my new term with an eye on the endless possibilities for our beautiful state, through the excited and hopeful eyes of my child and with the children of Illinois front and center in my thoughts and in my heart.
Illinois’ future is bright, and so is yours. I see you right there, Lucas. I’m talking to you, buddy, and all the other kids. I will do my part to leave you a state you can be proud of, with endless possibilities for your future.
It is my honor to serve you all. THANK YOU and may God bless you and keep you. Que Dios me los bendiga y me los cuide para siempre.
* AP | Legislature’s swearing in heavy on symbolism, selflessness: Speaking from the Old State Capitol rostrum where Abraham Lincoln delivered his June 1858 “House Divided” speech, newly reelected Senate President Don Harmon noted that Lincoln’s call for slavery’s demise cost him a U.S. Senate seat. Even though Lincoln had no idea the same idea would make him president two years later, he knew that people needed to hear the words even advisers said were too radical, Harmon said.
* WMBD | Illinois House Bill 9 needs one more signature to be made law: Passed in the Illinois House and Senate, there’s one more stop for House Bill 9. It’s a bill that would amend the Vital Records Act, requiring the state registrar to issue a new birth certificate to someone who would like to change their gender identity.
* Chalkbeat | Illinois lame-duck legislative session: Education bills you might have missed: Among the education bills passed was one that focused on the state’s bus driver shortage. When students returned to the classrooms during the 2021-22 school year, many districts struggled to hire bus drivers to transport students to and from school. In Chicago, students with disabilities were hit the hardest. Throughout Illinois, students in rural communities or areas that do not have a public transportation system struggled to get to school.
* Patch | Elmhurst’s Mazzochi No Longer In House: Douglass’ election was certified in late November. But Mazzochi has not publicly acknowledged her loss. Even an Elmhurst GOP official who recently reported on the outcomes of local races excluded Mazzochi’s result.
* WBBM | The next drug frontier in Illinois could be magic mushrooms – for medical use, only: An Illinois House member has introduced a measure that could pave the way for the regulated use of psychedelics in treating a variety of mental and physical illnesses. House Bill 1 from Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, would create a psychedelic therapy program for people 18 and older that employs “natural medicines produced and tested at licensed service centers,” according to a news release.
* WCIA | General Assembly issues resolutions to honor Scott Bennett: “Stacy, I know you did not ask for this role,” Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) said. “Everyone in this room wishes that you did not have to fill it. But I am confident that you will also always be your children’s hero. And you will always be part of the senate family.”
* WBEZ | People with sex and gun convictions are required to register with police. CPD can’t keep up.: Thousands of people in Chicago are on a criminal conviction registry, including registries for gun crimes, sex offenses and murder and violence against youth. People on the registry have to show up yearly, quarterly or weekly or risk getting locked-up. But WBEZ has found men are repeatedly being turned away because of staffing shortages in the Chicago Police Department’s registry office.
* Illinois Times | An exit interview with Rodney Davis: Rodney Davis, the Taylorville resident who failed on Nov. 8 to win a sixth two-year term in the U.S. House, pointed to many successes during his career in Congress in an interview before he left office Jan. 3.
