Federal law enforcement informed the Governor that he was only a witness, and the Governor agreed to their request to speak to them about his experiences with and knowledge of Mike Madigan.
• The Governor spoke to federal investigators in late February on a voluntary basis.
• The Governor spoke to federal investigators virtually for an hour. He was at his home. There was no time limit on the meeting.
• He answered every question they posed and we encourage you to ask federal authorities for any additional details that they are willing to provide.
• Federal law enforcement asked the Governor to provide information with regard to his interactions with former Speaker Madigan. He was pleased to cooperate and provide information.
* And a reminder that US Attorney Lausch was asked today about the indictment’s allegations that Speaker Madigan had told then-Ald. Solis that he would help him get a position in the Pritzker administration…
There is no allegation in this indictment against the governor or his staff. … There’s no allegation in the indictment that the state board position was actually given.
Following Wednesday’s indictment of former House Speaker Michael Madigan, “The 19” House Democrats who rejected his candidacy for leadership released the following statement:
“Thirteen months ago, we 19 Democrats made clear to our colleagues that we would not support Michael Madigan for speaker. We knew that our chamber, our state, and our party deserved better leadership and the unfolding corruption scandal would only continue to erode public confidence.
“This is a watershed moment for our state that reminds us of the work ahead as the former speaker’s case makes its way through the legal system. We remain grateful to the people who joined us in bringing historic change to our party and our chamber.
“The possibility that this day was coming and would distract us from our work on behalf of the people we serve was top of mind for many of us as we took this position, even as we faced intense pressure to maintain the status quo.
“Our stance eventually led to the historic election of our state’s first Black speaker, who has led our caucus through the process of passing transformative legislation on clean energy, affordable housing, and a truly balanced budget. We are committed to continuing the work of restoring our constituents’ faith in Illinois government.”
State Rep. Jonathan Carroll
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy
State Rep. Deb Conroy
State Rep. Terra Costa Howard
State Rep. Margaret Croke
State Rep. Eva Dina Delgado
State Rep. Daniel Didech
State Rep. Robyn Gabel
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz
State Rep. Will Guzzardi
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit
State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe
State Rep. Anna Moeller
State Rep. Bob Morgan
State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray
State Rep. Maurice West
State Rep. Ann Williams
State Rep. Kathy Willis
State Rep. Sam Yingling
* Statement from Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago), who was one of the 19 and ran for House Speaker…
In a far-reaching and expansive indictment, today former Speaker Michael Madigan has been indicted on 22 counts of racketeering, bribery and extortion.
In the fall of 2020, I joined 18 of my colleagues in calling on former Speaker Madigan to step down when it became clear he could no longer effectively lead our caucus in light of the unfolding corruption scandal. When he refused to step aside, I ran for Speaker against Mike Madigan - which ultimately served as a catalyst for change and ushered in new leadership for the first time in decades.
I did this despite strong pushback from colleagues and powerful entrenched interests. It was personally and professionally challenging but needed to happen to protect our Democratic values and the integrity of the Illinois House.
Accountability and integrity should be at the foundation of public service. Unfortunately, this was lost in the pursuit of personal gain and political power. Collaboration and inclusion took a back seat to a culture of cronyism and control.
Although the Illinois General Assembly has accomplished much for the people of the State of Illinois in recent years, the continued corruption scandal put our accomplishments in jeopardy and threatened to thwart continued progress.
The advancement of the priorities and policy goals which reflect Democratic values is why we serve - and must always remain at the forefront.
Following is a statement from State Rep. Kelly Cassidy in response to the indictment of former House Speaker Michael J. Madigan:
“For many years, questions of Speaker Madigan’s involvement in corruption have hung over the work of our chamber and our party. This news comes as we are trying to complete our work in the House on a compressed schedule and I can’t imagine what it would be like to try to do that if he was still the Speaker. This is a sad day, a reminder of a terrible abuse of power that undermined our constituent’s faith in our government. The former Speaker will have his day in court, and the people of the state of Illinois will have an opportunity to learn the full extent of his actions and determine his fate.
“When I first began to speak out, I faced harsh criticism from friends and colleagues alike. Over time, as the steady drip of subpoenas and indictments grew closer and closer to the former Speaker, the ranks of members unwilling to continue to pretend everything was fine grew until 19 members refused to be bullied into voting for him to continue in his role. The actions of the group that came to be known as ‘The 19’ resulted in historic change in our chamber and our party. These members reflect the best of public service and I will forever be thankful to them for taking that brave stance.”
* Rep. Bob Morgan…
“More than a year ago I said that ‘the pervasive culture of mistrust and corruption in Illinois rests at Mike Madigan’s feet’ when I announced my decision to oppose his reelection as Speaker of the House. Today the Department of Justice has announced that there will be accountability for this corruption.
“The challenges that face our country and state are enormous and we must have the people of Illinois strongly behind us to overcome them. The people of Illinois deserve a government they can trust. I will always do my best to live up to their expectations,” said Representative Bob Morgan.
* Rep. Kifowit…
Illinois State Representative Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) has released the following statement on the federal indictment of former House Speaker Michael Madigan:
The federal indictment of corruption charges against former House Speaker Michael Madigan is disturbing but proof that justice will be served if wrongdoing by elected officials is uncovered.
Now, the legal process will proceed and the courts will weigh the evidence as a trial ensues.
In June 2020, I was one of the first House Democrats to demand that then Speaker Madigan resign after he was implicated in the ComEd scandal as Public Official A.
it was clear to me that the former speaker did not hold the same values that I did, and still do, of what the public expects from a public official.
In October of 2020 I stepped up to be the only person to challenge the former Speaker for the Speakership of the Illinois House at that time. Following that announcement, I was honored to be joined by 18 additional House members who sought change in the Leadership of the Illinois House and in total 22 members voted for a change in leadership.
In calling for former Speaker Madigan’s resignation I said “there will never be another Mike Madigan.” Considering today’s news I believe that more than ever as we have seen that elected public officials have a hold themselves to a high standard.
Under the Speakership of Emmanuel “Chris” Welch, we have been able to restore the public trust in the Illinois General Assembly. I was proud to cast my vote for Speaker Welch.
I can say that things have changed for the better in Springfield. I am proud that I helped start the ball rolling for change by calling for the resignation of former Speaker Madigan and challenging him to give members in the Illinois House a choice for change. The atmosphere in the General Assembly has improved greatly and I am proud of the accomplishments we have achieved from comprehensive ethics reform, including term limits for the Speaker of the House, truly balanced budgets, a bill backlog reduced to normal operating levels, two credit upgrades which is the first in 20 years, in addition to comprehensive climate change legislation. I think the people of Illinois can be proud of their state and the future progress that can be achieved under the leadership of Speaker Welch.
* Rep. Costa Howard…
STATEMENT FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE TERRA COSTA HOWARD
Almost two years ago, I followed my conscience and led the call for Michael J. Madigan to resign as Speaker of the House and Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. At that time, he had not been charged with any crime, but I believed that the scandal surging around him demonstrated – at the very least – a massive failure of leadership.
Today’s indictment makes it clear that my concerns were fully justified, and I am deeply grateful that the Illinois House stood firm in removing Madigan as Speaker. Together, we are establishing more trustworthy leadership to assure that the work of the Illinois General Assembly is focused solely on improving the lives of the people who live in our state.
* Rep. Croke…
Today, State Representative Margaret Croke (IL-12) released the following statement in response to the indictment of Michael Madigan:
“Even before I took office, I supported new leadership in Springfield, and I was then proud to be one of the 19 members to force a vote for a new Speaker last year. Speaker Chris Welch has brought a new day to Illinois and a commitment to making our state a more fair, transparent, and honest place for those who call it home.”
* Rep. Didech…
Rep. Daniel Didech (D — Buffalo Grove) released the following statement upon today’s indictment of the former Speaker of the House:
Today’s news confirms that the 19 Democrats who paved the way for a new Speaker of the House made an historically wise decision for the people of Illinois. Our work in the House of Representatives to build a fair and prosperous state will continue without distraction.
* Rep. Maurice West…
“On October 22, 2020 I made a public statement informing my constituents that I would not support Michael J Madigan for Speaker of the House. I was met with extreme praise and criticism statewide and locally - but I held stedfast in my convictions because I knew it was the right thing to do. I ran for State Representative to be different from what is seen in Illinois politics. I am fighting to change the playbook. That is why I am honored to be a member of the Legislative Ethics Commission that works to restore public trust in State government. We are all innocent until proven guilty, so I encourage us all to allow the process to play out.”
* Rep. Gong-Gershowitz…
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, responded to the news that former House Speaker Michael Madigan was indicted following a wide-ranging investigation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office:
“The indictment of former Speaker Mike Madigan is a sobering moment but comes as no surprise. Over a year ago, I joined a small handful of my colleagues to call on the former Speaker to resign. Eventually that small handful grew to become 19 of us. We believed that restoring public trust far outweighed the political risk of calling on his resignation, and our unity gave us the strength to maintain that position despite enormous pressure to back down. Today is ultimately a vindication for the rule of law and validation of the principle that no one, no matter how powerful or influential, is above it.”
The illegal activities committed by members and associates of the Madigan Enterprise included, but were not limited to: (a) soliciting and receiving bribes and unlawful personal financial advantage from persons and parties having business with the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago, or otherwise subject to the authority and powers vested in MADIGAN and other public officials acting on MADIGAN’s behalf; (b) using MADIGAN’s powers as Speaker, including his ability to affect the progress of bills in the House of Representatives, as well as his control over the resources of the Office of the Speaker, including its staff, in order to cause third parties to financially reward MADIGAN, his political allies, political workers, and associates; (c) using threats, intimidation, and extortion to solicit benefits from private parties; and (d) using facilities of interstate commerce to coordinate, plan, and further the goals of the enterprise. In order to carry out its activities, the enterprise utilized individuals employed by and associated with it who had varying roles and responsibilities. […]
MADIGAN was the leader of the enterprise, and used these positions to oversee, direct, and guide certain of the enterprise’s illegal activities. Among other things, MADIGAN utilized his official positions as a Representative and Speaker: (i) to cause various businesses to employ, contract with, and make direct and indirect monetary payments to MADIGAN’s political allies, political workers, and associates as a reward for and to promote their loyalty, association with, and work for MADIGAN, at times in return for little or no legitimate work performed for the benefit of the businesses; and (ii) to solicit and receive from persons and parties having business with the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago, or otherwise subject to the authority and powers vested in MADIGAN and other public officials acting on MADIGAN’s behalf, including Alderman A, bribes and unlawful personal financial advantage, including but not limited to fees arising from the retention of his law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner. MADIGAN utilized his positions as Democratic Committeeman for the Thirteenth Ward and Chairman of the Thirteenth Ward Democratic Organization to direct the activities of his political allies and political workers within the Thirteenth Ward, and to maintain his political power for purposes of ensuring his continued retention of his positions as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives and Speaker. MADIGAN utilized his position as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois to influence and garner loyalty from legislators by providing or withholding staff and funding to legislators and their campaigns. MADIGAN utilized his position as a partner in Madigan & Getzendanner to reap the benefits of private legal work unlawfully steered to his law firm. MADIGAN directed the activities of his close friend and associate, McCLAIN, who carried out illegal activity at MADIGAN’s direction.
Ald. A is former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who was cooperating with the G and wearing a wire. McClain is, of course, Mike McClain. The feds are getting both McClain and Madigan on “racketeering conspiracy and individual counts of using interstate facilities in aid of bribery, wire fraud, and attempted extortion.”
* This may be where the IRS comes into play…
It was further part of the conspiracy that documentation would be and was prepared to make it falsely appear that certain payments made for the purpose of bribing MADIGAN were made solely for legitimate commercial purposes.
* More…
It was further part of the conspiracy that the conspirators would and did use coded language in their discussions and used coded references for purposes of discussing fellow conspirators.
It was further part of the conspiracy that the conspirators would and did meet in person and use third parties’ cellular and private telephones in order to reduce law enforcement’s ability to intercept their communications.
* Count Two…
Beginning no later than in or around 2011, and continuing through in or around 2019, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, MICHAEL J. MADIGAN, defendant herein, did conspire with Michael F. McClain, Anne Pramaggiore, John Hooker, Jay Doherty, Fidel Marquez, and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury:
a. to corruptly solicit and demand, and to accept and agree to accept from another person things of value, namely, jobs, contracts, and monetary payments associated with those jobs and contracts, for the benefit of MADIGAN and his associates, intending that MADIGAN, an agent of the State of Illinois, be influenced and rewarded in connection with any business, transaction, and series of transactions of the State of Illinois involving things of value of $5,000 or more, namely, legislation affecting ComEd and its business, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(B);
b. to corruptly give, offer, and agree to give things of value, namely, jobs, contracts, and monetary payments associated with those jobs and contracts, for the benefit of MADIGAN and his associates, with intent to influence and reward MADIGAN, as an agent of the State of Illinois, in connection with any business, transaction, and series of transactions of the State of Illinois involving things of value of $5,000 or more, namely, legislation affecting ComEd and its business, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(2); and
c. knowingly and willfully to circumvent a system of internal accounting controls and to falsify any book, record, and account of Exelon and ComEd, in violation of Title 15, United States Code, Sections 78m(b)(5) and 78ff(a).
A lot of what follows in this count (interns, ghost jobs, board appointments, etc.) is already know, but the prosecutors are now tying everything to Madigan.
* From Count Eight…
It was part of the scheme that MADIGAN agreed to accept business steered by Alderman A towards his private law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner, and in exchange, MADIGAN agreed to assist, in his official capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives, in advising and inducing the Governor of the State of Illinois to appoint Alderman A to a State board that would pay Alderman A compensation of at least approximately $93,926 a year upon Alderman A’s retirement from the City Council.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about June 20, 2018, MADIGAN met with Alderman A and agreed to assist Alderman A with obtaining an appointment upon his retirement from the City Council to a State board that compensated its board members, in exchange for Alderman A’s assistance in steering business towards MADIGAN’s private law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about July 11, 2018, MADIGAN caused information concerning State board positions, including the composition of each State board, how board members were appointed, board terms, and board compensation, to be delivered to Alderman A’s office.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about July 23, 2018, at MADIGAN’s request, Alderman A contacted Individual A-1, and asked Individual A-1 to meet with MADIGAN so that MADIGAN could introduce himself for purposes of obtaining legal business from Individual A-1.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about August 2, 2018, MADIGAN met with Alderman A, and during the meeting: (a) Alderman A explained that he was most interested in appointment to a State board that would pay him over $100,000 a year; (b) MADIGAN explained that he would assist Alderman A in obtaining an appointment to a State board by “go[ing] to [the future Governor of the State of Illinois]. That’s what I would do. . . . So you’d come in as [the future Governor’s] recommendation;” (c) Alderman A assured MADIGAN that “there’s a lot of good stuff happening in my ward” and that he would help MADIGAN obtain legal business for his private law firm; and (d) MADIGAN in return assured Alderman A that he would help him obtain a State board appointment by telling Alderman A, “Just leave it in my hands,” and asked that Alderman A also help a relative of MADIGAN and the relative’s employer obtain business from Organization B.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about August 3, 2018, MADIGAN contacted Alderman A’s assistant to check on the status of the planned meeting with Individual A-1.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about August 15, 2018, MADIGAN contacted Alderman A to check on the status of the planned meeting with Individual A-1, and asked Alderman A to convince Individual A-1 to provide MADIGAN legal business for a specific commercial real property located in Chicago that MADIGAN believed Company A to have an interest in.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about August 21, 2018, MADIGAN caused an assistant to send an email to Alderman A’s assistant that confirmed that MADIGAN would be available to meet with Individual A-1 on September 4, 2018.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about August 31, 2018, at MADIGAN’s request, Alderman A advised Individual A-1 that MADIGAN was interested in obtaining tax work for a specific piece of commercial real property
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about September 4, 2018, MADIGAN met with Alderman A and Individual A-1 at his law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner, for the purpose of MADIGAN soliciting business for his private law firm from Company A.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about October 9, 2018, based on MADIGAN’s request, Alderman A contacted Individual A-1.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about October 26, 2018, MADIGAN met with Alderman A, and after Alderman A advised MADIGAN that Individual A-1 had agreed to give MADIGAN’s law firm business, MADIGAN assured Alderman A that he would advise and induce the Governor of Illinois to appoint Alderman A to a State board.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about November 23, 2018, MADIGAN met with Alderman A, and during the meeting: (a) Alderman A advised MADIGAN that he would not run for re-election, but was still committed to generating additional business for MADIGAN’s law firm; (b) MADIGAN thanked Alderman A and asked Alderman A, “Do you wanna go forward now on one of those state appointments?”; (c) MADIGAN asked for Alderman A’s resume, “Because I wanna have a meeting with [the Governor-elect] the week after next”; (d) MADIGAN explained that MADIGAN wanted to let the Governor-elect “know what’s coming next,” but that his communication with the Governor-elect did not “need to be in writing. I can just verbally tell him”; and (e) after Alderman A indicated a relative was interested in a State job, MADIGAN asked for the relative’s resume as well.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about December 1, 2018, MADIGAN called Alderman A and confirmed Alderman A’s interest in being appointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission or the Illinois Labor Relations Board.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about December 4, 2018, pursuant to MADIGAN’s earlier request for Alderman A’s and Alderman A’s relative’s resumes, Alderman A’s assistant emailed copies of these resumes to an assistant who worked at the Thirteenth Ward Office.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about December 4, 2018, an assistant who worked at the Thirteenth Ward Office emailed the resumes for Alderman A and Alderman A’s relative to MADIGAN’s assistant at Madigan & Getzendanner.
It was further part of the scheme that, on or about December 4, 2018, MADIGAN met with the Governor-elect for the State of Illinois to discuss, among other things, the composition of the State boards.
It was further part of the scheme that MADIGAN concealed, misrepresented, and hid and caused to be concealed, misrepresented and hidden, the existence and purpose of the scheme and the acts done in furtherance of the scheme.
Obviously, Solis didn’t get any such appointment.
* From Emily Bittner at the governor’s office…
The Governor does not recall Michael Madigan ever asking him to consider Danny Solis for any position. In addition, the administration has no record of Solis being recommended by Madigan. In addition, he was never vetted, appointed or hired for any role in the administration.
* US Attorney Lausch was asked about the Pritzker administration job…
There is no allegation in this indictment against the governor or his staff. … There’s no allegation in the indictment that the state board position was actually given.
*** UPDATE *** From Emily Bittner at the governor’s office…
The Governor does not recall Michael Madigan ever asking him to consider Danny Solis for any position. In addition, the administration has no record of Solis being recommended by Madigan. In addition, he was never vetted, appointed or hired for any role in the administration.
* US Attorney Lausch was asked about the Pritzker administration job…
There is no allegation in this indictment against the governor or his staff. … There’s no allegation in the indictment that the state board position was actually given.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* From a media event earlier this afternoon just as news was beginning to break that former House Speaker Michael Madigan had been indicted…
Q: The ABC seven team has confirmed that it is Mike Madigan who is going to be indicted by the feds. Can we get your reaction?
Gov. Pritzker: Well, first of all, I’ve been saying for years now that we’ve got to root out corruption wherever it exists in government. It’s why we’ve passed and I’ve signed ethics reforms in the state of Illinois. But anybody who is guilty of corruption or corrupt acts in this state should be held to the fullest extent of the law accountable for their actions.
Mayor Lightfoot: And I would just say, let’s not get ahead of the facts. I’m, as you know, I’m a former federal prosecutor. I want to see what the US Attorney’s Office has to say and what the specifics are, and then we’ll have a more formal comment at that time. I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to get into the substance, based upon press speculation about something that we don’t know. And we haven’t gotten confirmation from from the US attorney, and we’ll see what happens at 430. And then we’ll respond.
Q: Governor, could you further comment? You have been somebody who described your relationship, I guess, is what I’m asking with Madigan at this point in time, how it has been, he is no longer the speaker, of course, but he was such a mainstay, you sort of seemed to keep a distance from him, but not completely. How did you navigate that? And what do you think that this says about the nature of Illinois politics?
Pritzker: Well, when you become governor, and there is a Speaker of the House, and there is a Senate President, you need to work with the leaders in the General Assembly. So let’s start with that. I think, again, I have heard accusations over time, as you know, and as you just acknowledged, I have kept my distance. And very importantly, I really have believed and you’ve heard me say it over and over again, to push legislation, that we have got to root out these people in public office if they have committed acts of corruption. And so that’s what I’ve been pushing. You heard me say in the State of the State Address not very long ago, I’ve signed legislation very recently on it. And you know, as the mayor just said, I don’t know the facts, what we’re gonna hear at the press conference later today. But if it is as you describe, you know, again, whoever it is, in whatever level of office in the state of Illinois, if you’re committing acts of corruption, you’ve got to go.
Q: Governor. Speaker Madigan, obviously was in office to help pass some of the landmark legislation that you got through and your first year in office. Does does this indictment taint any of that legislation in your mind?
Pritzker: The legislation that I’ve gotten passed over the course of the last three years, for the most part has gotten overwhelming support, sometimes bipartisan, overwhelming support. So look, I attribute that to running a campaign that’s about issues, convincing people who live in the districts of the people who voted for it, that they ought to vote for it, and making sure that you’ve got a steady course toward changing and uplifting the state of Illinois and putting working families in charge.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* Leader Durkin…
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin offered the following statement after news broke that former House Speaker Michael Madigan has been indicted:
“Illinois deserves better. This is another chapter in the sad story of corruption that has pervaded every corner of the state that was touched by Mike Madigan and his Democrat enablers and has dismantled true democracy in Illinois. Today, the same Democrats who empowered Madigan are still blocking real ethics reform just like they blocked the Special Investigating Committee that was created to get to the bottom of Madigan’s corrupt activities.”
* Jesse Sullivan…
“The announcement of this indictment of former Democrat House Speaker Michael Madigan has been a long time coming. Madigan is the very face of Illinois corruption. He leveraged his position as House speaker to gain new business for his property tax firm. And he orchestrated a pay to play scheme with ComEd, diverting thousands of dollars to his favorite lobbyists to gain his support for legislation in Springfield.
At a time when Gov. J.B. Pritzker is using taxpayer money to remove a patronage watchdog over his administration, we are reminded once again that career politicians and political insiders cannot be trusted to have the best interests of Illinoisans at heart. Now more than ever, we need to elect a political outsider to clean up the Springfield swamp, and to return power to the people of our great state.”
Obviously, this post will be updated.
…Adding… Richard Irvin…
“Speaker Madigan’s destructive 40-year reign over Illinois government is now reaching its next logical point – the inside of a federal courtroom.
“For decades, the Speaker has run roughshod over the people of Illinois for his own personal gain and even as the feds began circling, Governor J.B. Pritzker stood by enabling Madigan with millions in campaign contributions and even telling voters ‘the people of Illinois should be grateful for having Mike Madigan as Speaker of the House.”
“It’s time we put a stop to the Pritzker-Madigan corruption that has been plaguing this state for decades, and the only way we can do that is to change our government from within and get rid of the politicians like J.B. Pritzker who continues enabling the Mike Madigans of the world.”
* Shannon Teresi…
Mike Madigan has been indicted, and yet his cronies like Susana Mendoza still fill the ranks of Illinois politics. While Madigan has not been in office since his corruption was brought into the public eye, career politician Susana Mendoza, who has referred to Madigan as her “mentor” and even nominated him for Speaker, has many questions she needs to answer now.
Comptroller candidate Shannon Teresi released the following statement following the announcement of Madigan’s indictment:
“Mike Madigan may no longer be in office, but his iron grip and influence can still be seen in the abuse of taxpayer dollars that his proteges like Susana Mendoza continue to promote. Mendoza has continued Madigan’s tradition of treating taxpayer dollars like a bottomless piggy bank by sugar-coating the state’s financial statements and calling that progress. As he now sits facing indictment, Madigan’s hand-picked Comptroller Mendoza must answer for her decades-long association with Madigan the corrupt power-broker or be disqualified for office.”
* Leader McConchie…
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie releases the below statement following former Speaker Michael Madigan’s indictment:
“Madigan’s indictment is testament to the outstanding work of federal investigators, who have taken tremendous steps in the long process of rooting out public corruption in Illinois. However, the people of Illinois shouldn’t have to rely on the Feds to continuously clean up the state’s mess. Today’s announcement underscores the need to empower officials here in Illinois to investigate and prosecute misconduct and corruption of its own public officials. Senate Republicans, as they have for several years now, continue to advocate for the use of a statewide grand jury so we are no longer beholden to the federal government, and we can begin to restore the public’s trust within our own capacity.”
* Class action lawyers…
Please see statement below from Attorneys Stephan Blandin of Romanucci & Blandin and Adam Levitt of Dicello Levitt & Gutzler, who are co-lead counsel on the class action lawsuit against ComEd for the harm to Illinois consumers and businesses by ComEd’s admitted bribery of state officials:
“ComEd bribed Michael Madigan because companies like ComEd know that they can profit by bribing governmental officials. State Farm was alleged to have bribed a Supreme Court Justice. Governor Blagojevich was allegedly bribed by the horse racing industry for favorable legislation. ComEd has admitted to bribing Madigan and has been allowed to keep billions in profits arising from the formula rate legislation and other legislation that ComEd paid Madigan to enact. Politicians will never be beyond reproach. The only way to stop companies like ComEd from bribing politicians is to remove companies’ profit incentive from being allowed to do so. We believe that our lawsuit—presently pending in the Illinois Court of Appeals—will hold ComEd accountable for its millions of Illinois customers who were economically damaged because it its admitted bribery scheme.”
* ILGOP…
The following statement is from ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy in response to the indictment of former Speaker Mike Madigan on federal charges of racketeering:
“For many years, Illinois Democrats across the state – from Governor JB Pritzker on down – supported, enabled, and kissed the ring of Mike Madigan as he built a corrupt state government that served to enrich his allies and special interests while Illinois crumbled. Illinois is a diminished state and a laughing stock for the rest of the nation because Mike Madigan cared more about holding on to power than serving the interests of its citizens - and because elected Democrats across the state supported him.
The Illinois Republican Party is committed to exposing and defeating every last Democrat still around that accepted Madigan’s money, voted Madigan’s way, or defended him as the leader of their party. The list of those needing to be held accountable for what happened is long, and it starts with Governor JB Pritzker.”
* Rodney Davis…
U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL) issued the following statement after news outlets reported that former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was indicted today on federal corruption charges:
“The indictment of Mike Madigan on federal corruption charges is a long time coming. The people of Illinois have known for years that Madigan was corrupt to his core and that he used state government to benefit himself and his political machine. Governor J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats refused to admit this truth publicly because they enabled Madigan’s corruption, and some were complicit in it.
“Pritzker himself bankrolled Madigan’s political machine and placed his patronage hires throughout state government. Madigan allies like Pritzker and others will have to answer for what they’ve done, but for now, the people of Illinois deserve justice for the corruption they were forced to live under for so long.
“God bless the brave federal prosecutors and law enforcement officers and their work to restore the public’s trust in the State of Illinois.”
* Senate President Harmon…
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement regarding today’s announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“These are obviously disturbing allegations. I have confidence in our system of justice. Like everyone else, I will be watching to see how this unfolds.”
* Rep. Brady…
Secretary of State Candidate Dan Brady Statement on Indictment of former House Speaker Mike Madigan
“The indictment of former House Speaker Mike Madigan is a dark day for Illinois Government.
Todays indictment uncovers how the former Speaker leveraged his position as House Speaker to personally benefit him and his allies. Now, more than ever, it is important that we elect leaders who will put the people of Illinois above their special interest pals. As Secretary of State, I will always put the people of Illinois first and make sure that government works for them not special interest.”
* Milhiser…
John Milhiser released the following statement following the announcement of Madigan’s indictment:
“What has been known to people in Illinois for decades is now official: Mike Madigan is going on trial for public corruption. The culture of corruption and cronyism he fostered has been a poison on state government that needs to be cured. We need leaders who have a proven track record of rooting out corruption in state government, and that is why I am running for Secretary of State: to restore the trust in state government career politicians like Madigan have stripped away with their backroom deals taking advantage of the taxpayer.”
* Gov. Pritzker…
An indictment of this magnitude is a condemnation of a system infected with promises of pay-to-play, and the era of corruption and self-dealing among Illinois politicians must end. The conduct alleged in this indictment is deplorable and a stark violation of the public’s trust. Michael Madigan must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Ultimately, every person in elected office is responsible for doing the right thing – and not lining their own pockets. I am fully committed to eradicate the scourge of corruption from our political system, and today’s indictment is an important step in cleaning up Illinois. I have faith that our justice system will help restore the public’s trust in government.
When I ran for office, I made clear that I would be beholden to no one, and that I would serve the best interests of the people of Illinois. I have upheld that vow. For the past three years, my administration has made clear that such abuses will not be tolerated, and we’ve tightened our ethics laws. I will continue to work with the General Assembly to restore the public’s trust.
* Speaker Welch…
As Chair of the Special Investigating Committee, I made it clear that this matter needed to be handled in a court of law, completely separate from the legislature. As is evident by this federal indictment, the full weight of the justice system was needed to ensure all charges are investigated properly and thoroughly. At my direction, the Office of the Speaker has fully cooperated with the investigation and will continue to do so.
* Paul Schimpf…
“When given the opportunity to stand up to corruption, Governor Pritzker failed. While I’ve consistently stood against corruption throughout my legislative career, the Governor bowed down and kissed Madigan’s ring when it was advantageous for him. No amount of revisionist history gives the Governor the right to clutch his pearls now. My hope is that this is the dawn of a new day in Illinois. Our state has a long history of corruption, and we can see the effects in our communities. I’m running for governor because I believe Illinois residents are fed up with the status quo system that has failed our state’s families for decades.”
* Steve Kim…
“The indictment of Mike Madigan is a major step in tackling the culture of corruption that has become pervasive in Illinois politics,” said Attorney General candidate Steve Kim on the news of Madigan’s indictment. “His transgressions are now in the open and politicians who have worked alongside him need to know: the people of Illinois are fed up with being taken advantage of for the gain of career politicians. I am running to be the people’s attorney, and that means taking a stand against public corruption, unlike our current Attorney General who has remained on the sidelines throughout this process. The indictment of Mike Madigan doesn’t mean corruption in Illinois has come to an end. As Attorney General, I will continue to focus on bringing corrupt politicians to justice.”
* Jim Nowlan…
“For decades, Mike Madigan and Ed Burke, now BOTH indicted on public corruption charges, have done whatever it takes to maintain their iron grip on this state’s Supreme Court. From corralling donations from groups that try cases in front of the court, to ensuring the court’s rulings would benefit themselves, nothing was too low for Madigan and Burke and we are seeing exactly just how low they were willing to go now.
“Make no mistake, Madigan remains on the ballot in this year’s judicial elections. Justice Tom Kilbride was rejected by the voters in 2020 because of his association with Madigan and the controversial cases in which he was the deciding vote, always in Madigan’s favor. Now, the new crop of Madigan pawns are running for the bench. Nancy Rotering, Elizabeth Rochford, and Mary Kay O’Brien are just the latest in a string of Madigan Machine candidates, making the open 2nd and 3rd District seats that much more important for the future of Illinois.
“The connection speaks for itself, and none of the Democratic candidates can run from their Madigan Machine ties. Mary Kay O’Brien was a proud member of Madigan’s caucus before Madigan’s allies engineered her appointment to the appellate court. Elizabeth Rochford contributed money to Alderman Ed Burke’s campaign as a sitting Lake County Judge AFTER Burke was indicted for public corruption. Nancy Rotering has been feeding from the trough of Madigan Machine donors and interest groups in each of her previous unsuccessful campaigns for Congress and Attorney General.
“Voters will have a decision to make in November: continue with the same Madigan Machine politics that have imposed their will on this state for decades, or start anew, with independent legal minds guiding us to a brighter future.”
* People’s Coalition Map…
The following is a statement from The People’s Coalition Map on the indictment of Michael Madigan and its implications for Chicago’s redistricting referendum:
“Today’s federal indictment of Michael Madigan is a clear reminder that the days of his iron grip on our state and on this city are over. That’s why it’s appalling that the City and the Rules Committee continue to support a faulty map, drawn in a backroom deal by Madigan’s top lawyer, Mike Kasper.
“The City’s map protects the entrenched interests of indicted aldermen like Ed Burke, which comes as no surprise based on who’s drawing it. Their map was created without real public input or feedback. And, it continues to carve up communities based on what’s best for Aldermen, not what’s best for the people.
“People should choose their representatives. Representatives shouldn’t choose their people.”
* DPI…
Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Rep. Robin Kelly released the following statement regarding today’s announcement that former DPI Chair Michael J. Madigan has been indicted:
“For the past year, I have been honored to lead our party as the first person of color and the first woman to chair the Democratic Party of Illinois. The DPI is committed to building a party that is more transparent, more diverse, and more inclusive in everything we do. Today’s announcement is a stark reminder that elected leaders must hold themselves to the highest ethical standards. We will observe the legal process as it unfolds, but there can be no tolerance of anyone guilty of violating the public trust. While he stepped down as party chair more than a year ago, Michael J. Madigan remains a State Central Committeeman from the 3rd Congressional District. He should resign from that position as well.
“Since I became chair a year ago, our focus has been on electing Democrats up and down the ticket across Illinois and continuing to fight for the things all Democrats believe in, including raising wages, lowering costs, defending reproductive choice, protecting the environment, investing in our infrastructure, providing high quality education for all, and more. We will not let actions of the past distract us from our mission in 2022 and beyond.”
* Kaegi…
Following is a statement from Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi regarding the indictment of Michael J. Madigan:
“Today’s news has been a long time coming. Even out of office, Michael Madigan still holds sway over parts of the political power structure of Illinois and the money that swirls around it.
“I ran for Assessor as a progressive Democrat because I was tired of the corruption and favoritism of the Madigan political power structure, which this indictment says extended to his work in a law firm that specializes in property tax appeals. I believed there was a better way, and I’m delivering on that promise.
“This indictment outlines a pattern of behavior that extends beyond just one man. It should signal to those who continue to practice Madigan’s brand of politics that it is time for them to leave the stage.
“The personal and professional ties of too many politicians have created a corrupt morass that our state has not fully escaped from, even today. Middle-class families continue to suffer because of it. It’s long past time to turn the page on Illinois’ corrupt past once and for all.
“For our party to truly be the Democratic Party, we must not only say we are on the side of middle-class people, but also take the actions to prove it. We must be dedicated to rooting out corruption wherever it remains. We must break away from the power and money that supported the type of politics that Madigan symbolizes and many others still practice.
“If this indictment means corrupt practices that benefit the few at the expense of the many will be left in the past, then this will be a day worth celebrating.”
* Ald. Sigcho-Lopez…
The following is a statement from Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez on Michael Madigan’s indictment and the ramifications of Solis-Madigan corruption:
“Today’s federal indictment of Michael Madigan is especially significant for the 25th ward as new evidence has been revealed about the corruption and pay-to-play politics that my predecessor, Danny Solis, subjected our communities to for years.
“Solis’ name is mentioned 58 times in Madigan’s indictment, and time will surely tell the extent of their corruption. Corruption, which has a very real cost for Chicagoans. Here in the 25th ward, we are still cleaning up the mess Solis left behind.
“Moving forward, we need to create more safeguards against public corruption through city and state legislation that prevents indicted elected officials from using campaign dollars to fund their criminal defense and ethics reform that closes campaign finance loopholes that allow wealthy corporations to influence the outcome of elections. Passing these reforms is how Illinois will show that we’ve truly come out from behind Madigan’s shadow.”
* Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago)…
In a far-reaching and expansive indictment, today former Speaker Michael Madigan has been indicted on 22 counts of racketeering, bribery and extortion.
In the fall of 2020, I joined 18 of my colleagues in calling on former Speaker Madigan to step down when it became clear he could no longer effectively lead our caucus in light of the unfolding corruption scandal. When he refused to step aside, I ran for Speaker against Mike Madigan - which ultimately served as a catalyst for change and ushered in new leadership for the first time in decades.
I did this despite strong pushback from colleagues and powerful entrenched interests. It was personally and professionally challenging but needed to happen to protect our Democratic values and the integrity of the Illinois House.
Accountability and integrity should be at the foundation of public service. Unfortunately, this was lost in the pursuit of personal gain and political power. Collaboration and inclusion took a back seat to a culture of cronyism and control.
Although the Illinois General Assembly has accomplished much for the people of the State of Illinois in recent years, the continued corruption scandal put our accomplishments in jeopardy and threatened to thwart continued progress.
The advancement of the priorities and policy goals which reflect Democratic values is why we serve - and must always remain at the forefront.
* Nancy Rotering…
“Today’s indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan is a welcome continuation of the fight against corruption in Illinois government. As someone who repeatedly called for Speaker Madigan to step down four years ago, I hope that today’s indictment serves as a warning to anyone else thinking that ethical and legal failings of the past will go away with time. They should and will be held accountable. The decades-long abuses of power by Mike Madigan, Ed Burke, Joe Berrios, and others have diminished trust in the democratic process, damaged Illinois’ reputation, and cost residents and businesses an incalculable amount.” - Mayor Nancy Rotering, Candidate for Illinois Supreme Court District 2
–
* Comments will be turned on at the time of the announcement to prevent any wild speculation…
U.S. Attorney’s Office to Hold News Conference Today at 4:30 p.m.
Officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation Division will hold a news conference today at 4:30 p.m. to announce an indictment in a public corruption investigation.
The news conference will be held at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 9th-floor Press Room, Dirksen Federal Building, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago IL 60604.
Media credentials and masks will be required to enter the building and access the news conference.
WHO: John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office
Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS-CI Chicago Field Office
WHAT: The officials will announce an indictment in a public corruption investigation.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office, 9th-floor Press Room, Dirksen Federal Building, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago IL 60604
Media credentials and masks will be required to enter the building and access the news conference.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 2, 2022, 4:30 p.m.
Press Room opens at 3:45 p.m.
*** UPDATE 1 *** This rumor has been hot as heck all week. Tribune…
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, for decades the most powerful politician in the state, was indicted Wednesday on federal racketeering charges alleging an array of bribery schemes aimed at using the power of his office for personal gain, sources told the Tribune.
The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury after a more than two-year investigation, sources said.
The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury after a more than two-year investigation, according to federal prosecutors. Among the alleged schemes outlined in the indictment was a plan by utility giant Commonwealth Edison to pay thousands of dollars to lobbyists favored by Madigan in order to win his influence over legislation the company wanted passed in Springfield.
The indictment also accused Madigan of illegally soliciting business for his private property tax law firm during discussions to turn a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown into a commercial development.
Though the land deal never was consummated, it’s been a source of continued interest for federal investigators, who in 2020 subpoenaed Madigan’s office for records and communications he’d had with key players.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Uh-oh…
It says Madigan said he would help Solis get a lucrative state board appointment by going to "[the future Governor of the State of Illinois]."
In November 2018, Madigan allegedly asked for Solis' resume "because I wanna have a meeting with" Pritzker. He allegedly said his communication with Pritzker did not "need to be in writing. I can just verbally tell him." pic.twitter.com/uL52gGql7P
With this new indictment, the feds really seem to be putting the squeeze on Michael McClain to cooperate. If he doesn't, he's going to be left to fight both the racketeering case with Madigan and the separate ComEd bribery case, set for trial in September.
A federal grand jury in Chicago today indicted former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives MICHAEL J. MADIGAN on racketeering and bribery charges for allegedly using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates.
The 22-count indictment accuses Madigan of leading for nearly a decade a criminal enterprise whose purpose was to enhance Madigan’s political power and financial well-being while also generating income for his political allies and associates. The charges allege that Madigan, who served as Speaker and occupied a number of other roles, including Representative of Illinois’s 22nd District, Committeeman for Chicago’s 13th Ward, Chairman of both the Illinois Democratic Party and the 13th Ward Democratic Organization, and partner at the Chicago law firm of Madigan & Getzendanner, used these positions to further the goals of the criminal enterprise. The indictment alleges that Madigan directed the activities of his close friend – co-defendant MICHAEL F. MCCLAIN – and that McClain carried out illegal activities at Madigan’s behest. Madigan and McClain allegedly caused various businesses, including the utility company Commonwealth Edison, to make monetary payments to Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan, at times in return for performing little or no legitimate work for the businesses.
Madigan, McClain, and other members of the enterprise allegedly unlawfully solicited benefits from businesses and other private parties. The indictment accuses Madigan of engaging in multiple schemes to reap the benefits of private legal work unlawfully steered to his law firm, including legal work from those with business before the State of Illinois and City of Chicago.
Madigan, 79, of Chicago, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and individual counts of using interstate facilities in aid of bribery, wire fraud, and attempted extortion. McClain, 74, of Quincy, Ill., is charged with racketeering conspiracy and individual counts of using interstate facilities in aid of bribery and wire fraud.
Arraignments in U.S. District Court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu, Diane MacArthur, Timothy J. Chapman, Sarah E. Streicker, Michelle Kramer, and Julia Schwartz.
“Corruption by an elected official and his associates undermines the public’s confidence in our government,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “The indictment alleges a long-term, multifaceted scheme to use public positions for unlawful private gain. Rooting out and prosecuting the kind of corruption alleged in the indictment will always be a top priority for this office.”
“Our elected officials swear an oath to carry out the duties of their office,” said FBI SAC Buie. “When they dishonor that oath, it erodes the trust we have in our officials to do the right thing for our communities, and the FBI and its partners stand ready to stamp out corruption at any level of government.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation provides financial investigative expertise in our work with our law enforcement partners,” said IRS-CI SAC Campbell. “Our hallmark expertise in following the money trail in this type of case shows our agency is committed to rooting out public corruption. Today’s indictment underscores our commitment to this work in a collaborative effort to promote honest and ethical government at all levels, and to prosecute those who allegedly violate the public’s trust.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
You know, I don’t feel like that’s the public’s, if we’ve got to, I don’t feel like that’s the public’s business to know that. I feel that that’s my business, it’s my private business. And I just don’t see, I’ve never sought or demanded or saw the need for any public official to do that. So I have no intentions of doing that.
* The Question: Do you think candidates should be required by the state to release their income tax returns? You can also specify the level of office where disclosure should be required. Take the two-part poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
State Rep. William Davis’ legislation allows Chicago principals to unionize to have more power at the bargaining table with Chicago Public Schools.
The legislation amends the Illinois School Code to make principals eligible for collective bargaining. Principals are considered “supervisors” in Illinois which does not give them the ability to collectively bargain. House Bill 5107 would change that language. […]
The bill also includes language that would prohibit the principals from striking at any point.
Davis’ bill was passed through the House by a vote of 63-35 and now could be taken up by the Illinois Senate.
Democrats who took a walk on the roll call included Reps. Andrade, Croke, Delgado, Mayfield, Ness, Robinson, Ann Williams and Yednock. Two Democrats voted “Present,” Hurley and Zalewski.
A bill meant to stem nutrient pollution resulting from farm runoff has met opposition from a formidable foe – the Illinois Farm Bureau – as negotiations on a final package continue.
Nutrient loss is one of the most serious pollution threats in the country, creating a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, poisoning local lakes and streams and causing serious health problems for people and domesticated animals.
Illinois, a major contributor to nutrients in water, pledged to develop strategies to reduce the nutrient loads leaving the border.
The state aimed to reduce nitrates and nitrogen by 15% and phosphorus by 25% by 2025, but the latest Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Implementation Report showed that nutrient loss increased by 13% and phosphorus losses increased by 35%, compared with a baseline period from 1980 to 1996.
The bill, Senate Bill 3471, was introduced in January, but was amended in early February, changing substantively from its original form that funded a program incentivizing the planting of cover crops by offering discounts on crop insurance.
* Safer Foundation…
Amendment 2 to HB2538 would require general contractors to obtain a State license. A provision in the bill allows the State to deny a license to a general contractor who has a felony conviction. That means that a general contractor with a felony conviction who has been operating without incident for years with a local license could be put out of business by this bill.
There is no good policy to support this barrier. In fact, creating barriers to employment for justice-involved individuals is bad policy. Post-release employment is a key predictor of whether a formerly incarcerated individual will recidivate. Further, statistics show that:
“States which consider license applications from returning citizens are demonstrably safer. In states willing to consider applications from [persons with felony convictions], the recidivism rate declined by 4.2 percent; in the 29 states where licensing boards outright reject applications from [persons with felony convictions], the recidivism rate actually rose by 9.4 percent.”[i]
Recent legislation in Illinois, including PA 100-0286, has recognized such data by lowering the barriers to the issuance of occupational licenses to the formerly incarcerated. This bill not only reverses a portion of the benefits gained by this trend, it also threatens to put existing general contractors out of business – for no reason supported by objective evidence.
HB2538 would create bad policy that would have a bad outcome for Illinois. Worse, it would put existing general contractors who have been operating without incident for years out of business. It should be defeated.
A new bill in Springfield would change the way Illinois school districts solicit food service contracts, allowing officials to negotiate for higher quality products amid complaints that many schools offer unhealthy food.
As state law stands, Illinois school districts participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program are required to accept the lowest bid for their food contracts. Oftentimes that means districts can’t push for better options since vendors know the lowest bid wins.
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, is sponsoring a bill that would carve out exemptions from those procurement requirements for schools, much like has been done for transportation services.
“To say that it must be the lowest-rate food, the cheapest-quality food, and that is the metric by which we are determining what our children are putting into their bodies every day, I just think that we can do better,” Gordon-Booth said.
* This bill hasn’t yet made it out of committee, but its passage deadline was extended yesterday to the end of the month…
A proposed bill in the Illinois statehouse would expand access to health care for thousands of people.
Dubbed Healthy Illinois For All, the proposal would add an estimated nearly 150,000 low-income people to the state’s Medicaid health insurance program. This group includes people who are undocumented or have been legal residents for fewer than five years and are 19 to 54 years old. These are the last populations in Illinois who aren’t eligible for Medicaid, or for insurance through the Affordable Care Act, according to the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, which is part of the Healthy Illinois campaign.
Glo Choi, who is undocumented and came to the U.S. from Korea as a boy, was among several community organizers, advocates and lawmakers who supported the proposal at a news conference on Monday. He spoke of his 27-year-old sister, who has severe autism and can’t live independently. […]
Advocates say the proposed bill would not only increase health care access for people, but it would also save money. They argue that many uninsured patients wouldn’t avoid going to the doctor until they’re so sick that they’re more expensive to treat.
* High Speed Rail Alliance…
In February, Representative Moylan introduced HB 5695 and Senator Stadelman introduced a companion bill, SB 4174, which would appropriate $18 million for the development of an integrated passenger rail network in Illinois.
Please ask your representatives in Springfield to support these bills.
These bills come on the heels of last year’s creation of the Illinois High-Speed Railway Commission and would be another important step towards the creation of an integrated high-speed rail network.
The bill includes three related appropriations:
1. $3 million to IDOT’s Rail Division to hire additional employees.
2. $5 million for the Illinois High-Speed Railway Commission for support and planning purposes.
3. $10 million to IDOT for engineering support.
This funding would help Illinois advance planning for a statewide network, which would help the state take advantage of the unprecedented level of funding in the recently passed infrastructure bill. As the home of the nation’s railroad hub, Illinois should be moving quickly to secure federal funding and become a leader by developing a high-speed rail network for the Midwest.
Voice your support by contacting your legislators. We need your help to advance an integrated high-speed rail network in Illinois.
* Now that Arne Duncan has said he won’t run for mayor of Chicago, Rep. Kam Buckner is even more actively floating his own name. From Fran Spielman at the Sun-Times…
“You’re gonna see a whole new generation kind of step up here because a lot of the old stand-bys are just not there anymore,” [political strategist Pete Giangreco] said.
“Is it somebody like a [Illinois state Rep.] Kam Buckner? Is it somebody who’s been around the block like [U.S. Rep.] Mike Quigley? Those are two names that are gonna get a lot of talk because they’re both people who are focused on getting things done and not so much on getting their name in the paper.”
Buckner told the Sun-Times he is “strongly considering” a 2023 mayoral run.
“Being the mayor of Chicago is the greatest job in American politics. It requires some real intentional thought for those of us who are undertaking that process,” Buckner said.
“Arne did that. Arne arrived at his decision. I’m going through the same process that he did. He would have made a formidable candidate, and so there may be a lane there. … I don’t know that it makes me more likely to run, but it does change the political calculations for many folks.”
The truth is Richard Irvin is a career Democrat who won’t say where he stands on major issues like the Second Amendment, life and more. That’s because he isn’t a conservative. He’s a liberal being handled by the same deceptive campaign team that helped deliver taxpayer-funded abortion and that made Illinois a sanctuary state. I want you to think about that a minute. Friends, we can’t afford another four years of JB Pritzker. And even worse, we can’t afford more liberal, much less successful version of Rauner.
While true that several of Irvin’s team members got Rauner elected in 2014, they had either quit or were fired by the time the taxpayer-funded abortion and the misnamed “sanctuary state” bills were signed into law.
* Speaking of Bailey, this doesn’t mean a whole lot if it’s not on broadcast TV…
We’re punching back on career Democrat Irvin’s lying campaign. While he was ‘passionately’ standing with BLM, enforcing mandates and praising Pritzker. I was standing up and fighting for YOU. And the only one in this race to raise taxes in Springfield is his running mate. #twillpic.twitter.com/RQUC76kO5D
— Darren Bailey for Governor (@DarrenBaileyIL) March 1, 2022
* DPI…
Weeks have passed since Richard Irvin flunked his first and only set of interviews. Despite promising members of the media and voters alike that he would be available soon, he continues to leave questions unanswered about his record.
Irvin has gone back into hiding so he doesn’t have to face his fellow GOP candidates and explain his flip flops on everything from COVID-19 mitigations to his support of Gov. JB Pritzker.
He doesn’t want to talk about his history of profiting off of keeping violent abusers out of jail, and can’t explain why he accepted $20 million from Ken Griffin after learning Griffin has millions invested in the gun manufacturing companies that are responsible for one out of every four guns recovered from Chicago homicides in the past five years.
As the head of the Rauner Reboot slate, Irvin is charged with leading the ticket that would drag our state back to the devastation and disinvestment of the Rauner years. So why Irvin so scared of facing voters or reporters?
Where is Richard Irvin and when will he come out of hiding again?
* Press release…
Today, Nikki Budzinski, candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, joined 22 Governors of both parties in calling for the immediate passage of the Creating Helpful Incentives for the Production of Semiconductors for America Act, or CHIPS Act. This bipartisan legislation that garnered 68 votes in the Senate last year would help to boost US manufacturing capabilities of semiconductors, alleviate supply chain issues and decrease our dependence on foreign adversaries like China.
Illinois is an optimal location for semiconductor manufacturing. The state has convenient access to the needed natural resources, is an ideal manufacturing location in the center of the country, and has a highly trained and educated workforce. There is a bipartisan bill going through Congress now that would offer incentives for manufacturers to begin producing semiconductors in Illinois.
Nikki Budzinski made the following statement: “We need to start making more things in America again. One of the ways to attack the overseas supply chain issue and our increasing reliance on Chinese imports is to start manufacturing semiconductor chips right here in Illinois with funding from the CHIPS Act. We’ve been gradually shipping good, American jobs out of the United States for too long. Now we’re paying the price as Illinoisans have been squeezed by the impact of manufacturing and supply chains offshored to China. My campaign is about creating good paying jobs for working families right here in Central and Southern Illinois. In Congress, I’ll fight every single day to increase American manufacturing, solve our global supply chain issues, and decrease our reliance on Chinese imports.”
In the immediate aftermath of President Biden’s first State of the Union address, the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) announced a second round of endorsements in the 2022 midterm election cycle: 17 House incumbents who embody Jewish and Democratic values and are well-deserving of another term in Congress. These endorsements bring JDCA’s total 2022 endorsements to 30, on top of its 13 Senate endorsements announced late last year. Additional JDCA endorsements are to follow.
This latest round of endorsements includes candidates in competitive primary races in the 2022 election cycle: Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV). Building off of the organization’s successful efforts in 2018, 2020 and 2021 to reach, engage and activate Jewish voters around the country, JDCA and JDCA PAC will support endorsees with targeted digital advertising efforts and will deploy its national network of volunteers in phone banks and other events to underscore the importance of electing Democrats who align with the priorities of Jewish voters.
Not one but two Illinois gubernatorial candidates made a stop in Quincy on Tuesday.
Republicans Darren Bailey and Gary Rabine met up with voters at a bar on the riverfront where they answered questions.
WGEM spoke with the state senator and the businessman about their campaigns and what they hope to do for the state if elected governor.
“Get involved. Join the grass roots movement. I believe that we have a grass roots movement here in Illinois that has countered to President Trump’s movement in 2016,” Bailey said. “It’s the common people, it’s the businesses, it’s the communities like Quincy that have been forgotten and left behind.”
The Sun-Times recommends that we divest ourselves of any company that manufactures guns, hoping it will impair their future financial prospects. What the Sun-Times neglects to report is that about 40% of American households own a gun. My grandmother wrote about how she and her husband loved to go bird-hunting together. In a much more depressing vein, people living in crime-ridden communities purchase guns for self-defense. Unlike the Sun Times, I won’t paint with a broad brush every gun owner or company that sells guns.
I will not embrace today’s cancel culture nor engage in amateurish virtue-signaling based on blind ideology. I prefer to engage on thoughtful policies that will make a difference in the lives of our citizens. I have consistently voiced my concerns about Chicago and Citadel’s long-term place here, in order to push our political leaders to improve the quality of life for Chicagoans. I care deeply about our city and state.
Chicago continues to be engulfed in senseless and rampant violence. The number of people murdered in 2021 was the highest in 25 years, and concern over the government’s inability to keep people safe drove record gun sales. The violence destroying our city is not the result of these legal gun purchases, but rather a failure to prosecute criminals, a lack of support for police and progressive left legislation that prioritizes criminals ahead of law-abiding citizens — policies perpetuated by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Instead of deliberately misconstruing our role in the marketplace to parrot sloppy political opposition research from the governor, the Sun-Times should shine a light on his failures and politics-first mentality. Shaming our governor into addressing our crime pandemic will save lives and return Chicago to being a city we can all be proud of. Now, that is journalism that really would advance the public interest.
And yet he still hasn’t said word one about the mayor’s role in local crime-fighting. And maybe if he sat for an actual interview instead of getting kiss-up softballs tossed at him by the BGA, he might be asked about things like this…
The Office of Inspector General found “strong evidence” of “race-based disparities” in an analysis of Chicago Police Department stops and use-of-force incidents.
The inspector general’s office announced in a news release Tuesday that it found these disparities after looking at incidents from Oct. 17, 2017, through Feb. 8, 2020. The office found that Black people were consistently at a disadvantage and white people were consistently at an advantage when faced with such policing scenarios.
You can support the police while also making sure the police do a much better job.
…Adding… I didn’t notice this before. The News-Gazette asked the Republican gubernatorial candidates some gun and violence-related questions. “Have you personally been impacted by gun violence?” was one question. Sen. Bailey’s full response: “No.”
* You want the taxpayer money for covid-related absences, then get the shot. Simple. This “some say” article is trying way too hard to obfuscate the issue…
A measure some say codifies a vaccine mandate for teachers if they want open-ended administrative leave for COVID-related issues passed the Illinois House.
State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, said her measure, House Bill 1167, is similar to a previous measure that passed both chambers with overwhelming bipartisan support last year, but was vetoed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Like the vetoed measure, Rohr’s bill gives administrative leave rather than sick time to staff for COVID-issues, and guarantees pay for school staff if there are emergency closures in schools. There’s one difference.
“It structures this bill as an incentive so that teachers and staff need to be vaccinated within five weeks of the bill signing in order to receive the benefits of the administrative days,” Rohr said.
But, Republicans, like State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, who supported the measure Pritzker vetoed, said the measure is discriminatory, and the first vote the state legislature is taking on a Pritzker mandate.
It’s an incentive no matter what “some say.” Sheesh.
[Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City] and other Republicans continued Tuesday to refuse to wear masks in the Illinois House, despite the House Rules requiring face coverings. Democrats voted to eject the group, as they’ve done several times since members returned last month. Ejected members were allowed to participate remotely.
“The motion is to enforce the rules. You can repeat the same thing over and over again. You can throw insults day and night and throw tantrums because that’s what you’re doing,” [Rep. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago] said. “If you were serious about doing the work, you would show up with your mask on. But instead you would rather waste our time.”
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced Monday that the House gallery would be open again to members of the public at 50% capacity, and clergy and pages would be allowed on the House floor, but the Hillside Democrat didn’t budge on the mask requirement.
“As the House enters third reading deadline week, members and staff will spend a significant amount of time in close proximity with one another on the House floor. For this reason, as well as several counties throughout the state still showing a high risk for transmission, masks will still be required,” read the statement from the Speaker’s office.
House Democrats went by the rules, not the new CDC guidance, voting to remove the three maskless Republicans.
Niemerg and Caulkins left the floor quickly after the resolution passed, but Wilhour refused, even after the voting switch at his desk had been turned off.
* Full Welch press release…
Amid an ongoing decline of COVID-19 hospitalizations, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced on Monday that the House Chamber is relaxing some of the mitigations that were necessary during the height of the pandemic. The gallery will be open to members of the public at 50% capacity and outside visitors, such as clergy and pages, will be allowed on the floor.
“It has been a very long two years and I’m incredibly grateful for the diligence of members and staff in the Capitol,” said Speaker Welch. “We are all eager to get back to a sense of normalcy as we also work to maintain a healthy and safe environment for everyone.”
As the House enters third reading deadline week, members and staff will spend a significant amount of time in close proximity with one another on the House floor. For this reason, as well as several counties throughout the state still showing a high risk for transmission, masks will still be required. Per Secretary of State guidance, all individuals are recommended to wear a face covering in the Capitol Complex buildings as well.
“We have staff members who test positive every week through the mandatory SHIELD testing,” said Speaker Welch. “When they test positive, not only are they out of the workplace for a week, but so is anyone that they’ve come in contact with.
Additionally, we have members, staff and their family members who remain at an increased risk of getting seriously ill if they contract the virus or are unable to be vaccinated. We need to get our work done before adjournment and take necessary steps to keep everyone safe.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sangamon County is currently classified as medium risk for transmission. The Capitol draws individuals from all across Illinois and masks are a proven tool to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in congregate settings like the House floor.
The Office of the Speaker will continue to closely monitor transmission levels and protocols may be revised in the future.
The limit on the number of reporters who can be in the two press boxes at the same time has also been lifted.
Across the river at District 129, West Aurora Superintendent Jeff Craig also noticed “an interesting dynamic taking place.”
In the elementary schools, a little over 50% of staff and students are still masked, a number that is on the decline, he said, perhaps because the little ones are following the lead of their teachers, most of whom are vaccinated and getting more comfortable without the face coverings.
At the middle school, the number of staff and kids still in masks jumps to a whopping 85%, Craig added, and at the high school it’s about 75% but with “close to 90% having them on and pulling them up” when in situations of close proximity.
Which, Craig noted, “when you think about it, is where we should all be.”
The former head of the state’s Veterans’ Affairs office used her political campaign fund to write two checks totaling $50,000 to her mother last month, a move state elections officials say could be a violation of state election laws.
Linda Chapa LaVia said the checks — logged as January expenditures in her required campaign filings — were to repay a loan her mother made to help her start her political career about two decades ago.
But records at the Illinois State Board of Elections show her campaign made no disclosure of a loan to her committee, launched ahead of her successful campaign to become a Democrat state representative from Aurora in 2003. It also does not show up in the original documents creating her political fundraising committee.
State elections officials said failure to report that income accurately is a violation of the state’s campaign disclosure laws. After communication with elections officials following the BGA’s inquiries, LaVia returned the $50,000 to her campaign account Feb. 18, records show.
LaVia described the campaign snafu as an oversight.
“A lot of paperwork got lost in translation from one account to another and working on a full-blown campaign,” said LaVia, who was appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to head the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs in 2019.
“I’m trying to reconcile everything,” she said. “If mistakes were made in the past, a lot of it wasn’t my doing.”
LaVia said the logistics of her campaign at the time were run by the political operation of then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who resigned last year amid a federal corruption investigation. Madigan did not return requests for comment.
“Between me opening my account and the speaker going into the account and taking it all over, I don’t even know” how the loan was never reported, she said, adding Madigan operatives handled everything. “You’re the candidate, and that’s all you’re doing.”
I am so glad the Illinois House Democrats are trying to get away from the days when Big Daddy would hold the hands of his members. They really need to learn to do things for themselves. A group of folks and I were talking about this phenomenon last night, and someone surmised that it may take as much as a decade to rid the chamber of the chronically dependent. That day cannot come soon enough.
…Adding… ILGOP…
Caught red-handed presumably laundering campaign donations through her mother, Chapa LaVia’s excuse was that it was payback for a loan that never existed and the mistake was former Speaker Mike Madigan’s, who completely controlled her account. Democrat corruption in Illinois is usually brazen, but clearly not always smart.
“The Madigan Machine created a vast network of corrupt grifters who served their master with loyalty and cashed in on state government in return,” said ILGOP Spokesman Joe Hackler. “Chapa LaVia was no different from the rest, yet Pritzker elevated her to a serious job that had deadly consequences. The Governor needs to be held accountable.”
…Adding… Going for a headline…
As former Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) Director Linda Chapa LaVia makes headlines in a fresh scandal, State Representative Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) is filing legislation to ensure that qualifications – rather than a rigged political appointment process – are considered when selecting a director to head the state’s veterans agency.
“Caring for our veterans shouldn’t be a political job, but unfortunately, when unqualified political appointees are put in charge, the quality of care suffers,” said Swanson, who, in addition to serving the 74th District in the Illinois House of Representatives, is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel with the Illinois Army National Guard.
Swanson’s legislation, HB 5715, would require that the Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs be a veteran who was honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces who has experience in either a medical profession, in healthcare, or assisted living facility management.
Swanson’s legislation comes after a deadly outbreak of COVID-19 led to the deaths of 36 veterans at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home. Ultimately, a report from the Illinois Department of Human Services Inspector General found that those deaths could have been prevented. According to the report, the lack of a COVID plan and failures in leadership contributed to the deadly outbreak. It also noted that the failures started at the very top of the agency with then-Director Linda Chapa LaVia, who abdicated much of her responsibility, leaving direction and critical decision-making powers to a non-medical chief of staff.
“We owe the men and women who have served our nation in the United States Armed Forces a great debt of gratitude. Ensuring that they are properly cared for in their final years is the least we can do to show our appreciation,” said Swanson, “This legislation ensures that not only does a director have to have been an honorably discharged member of the military – they also have to be qualified to ensure our veterans receive appropriate healthcare.”
Illinois liquor store giant Binny’s Beverage Depot announced Monday the removal of Russian products from its stores in a move of solidarity with Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.
Greg Versch, director of communications for Binny’s, told NBC 5 the company is removing the “small handful” of Russian products that are for sale at its locations and on its website. Versch explained that “many vodkas, even those with Russian-sounding names are made in places close to home,” such as Gurnee and Plainfield.
Those products will remain on store shelves.
One of those vodkas is Smirnoff.
* Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) rose for a point of personal privilege on the House floor yesterday…
I know a lot of us are concerned about what’s going on on the other side of the world and in Ukraine and everybody’s trying to do their little part that they can to support. And one of the things was people were trying to do is not use Russian products. I just want the body and the state of Illinois to know that Smirnoff is not a Russian product. It’s actually produced in the United States. It’s actually produced in Illinois. It’s actually produced about a bike ride from my house. So as we’re cheering on the good versus evil that’s going on the other side of the world, feel free to support Smirnoff while you’re doing that. Thank you.
Russian Standard, along with lesser-known vodka Green Mark, are one of the few alcohol brands imported from Russia and sold in the United States. It’s parent company, Roust International, is owned by Roustam Tariko, a Russian oligarch who also owns Russian Standard Bank. […]
Less than 1% of vodka consumed in the United States is produced in Russia. In fact, more than half of all vodka consumed domestically is actually made here, according to data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, a global firm that tracks alcohol sales.
Vodka imported from Russia has been on the decline for several years, and is down 79% since 2011, DISCUS said.
A day after Gov. J.B. Pritzker lifted the mask mandate at Illinois schools, a downstate attorney asked an Illinois judge to halt the COVID-19 masking requirement at Chicago Public Schools — one of only a handful of districts in the state still enforcing the practice.
Tom DeVore, who recently launched a bid for the state’s Republican nomination for attorney general, filed a motion Tuesday with Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow requesting a temporary restraining order, arguing the children of Chicago parents who filed a lawsuit against the governor and the Illinois Department of Public Health “are suffering continuing harm.”
“Each is being subjected to wearing a mask as a type of quarantine without being provided” their rights of due process, DeVore said in the motion. […]
The teachers union said the suit is being pushed by someone “trying to leverage the safety and wellbeing of our school communities for his own political gain.”
* Background is here if you need it. From the Illinois Economic Policy Institute…
Statement from ILEPI Executive Director Frank Manzo IV on a section of a February 2022 report from Moody’s Analytics on the State of Illinois Economic Forecast pertaining to unions and so-called “right-to-work” policies:
A 2021 study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign shows that Illinois’ economy is significantly better off than states with so-called “right-to-work” laws. Illinois’ workers earn 6% higher incomes, even after accounting for the state’s higher cost-of-living. They are 5% more likely to have health insurance. Fewer Illinois workers are below the poverty line. And Illinois workers are 3% more likely to own their homes, despite facing high property taxes.
While some lobbyists claim that “right-to-work” laws attract businesses, the data tells a different story. First, productivity per worker is 15% higher in Illinois than in so-called “right-to-work” states. Productive workers are good for business. Second, surveys of corporate executives consistently show that “right-to-work” is not a consideration in business location decisions. Moody’s Analytics cites these surveys without noting that “right-to-work” policies do not appear in the Top 10 factors in business location decisions. Accessibility of transportation infrastructure and the availability of skilled labor matter far more. Third, over the decade from 2010 to 2020, the gross domestic product (GDP) of states with “right-to-work” laws grew 3% slower than it did in the states that support workers’ rights to collectively bargain. That’s why West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, a Republican, lamented in 2021: “Really and truly, let’s just be brutally honest. We passed the ‘right-to-work’ law in West Virginia. And we ran to the windows looking to see all the people that were going to come—and they didn’t come.” Passage of “right-to-work” legislation is not a panacea in attracting businesses, jobs, or residents.
Unions. Unit labor costs in the state are above the national average, in part because of a still-high presence of unions. The state’s unit labor costs are significantly higher than those of neighboring Indiana but lower than in Michigan and Wisconsin, three states that have adopted right-to-work laws. Under right-to-work laws, employees in unionized workplaces cannot be forced to pay union fees or join unions. Michigan passed a law after a number of businesses, mostly in manufacturing, cited the law as a factor in their decision to locate in Indiana. Less clear are the effects that right-to-work laws have on economic growth. The lack of clarity is mainly due to the fact that union strength is just one factor businesses look at when deciding whether to set up shop or relocate. Energy and other costs also matter, as do a slew of other factors including talent, infrastructure, and access to customers and capital that make it extremely difficult to gauge the precise effects of right-to-work laws on job creation and a state’s economic prosperity.
The Irvin for Illinois Campaign launched a new ad highlighting Richard Irvin’s military service as a decorated combat veteran during the Gulf War. The ad highlights a life-changing moment for Irvin when a missile was fired toward his unit but ultimately shot down by a US Patriot missile during Operation Desert Storm. Irvin proudly enlisted in the Army at 19 and used the GI Bill to put himself through college.
Irvin received the following honors for his dedicated service to our country: Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal.
“Serving in the military and defending our country laid the foundation for my life in public service and made me who I am today,” said Irvin. “I told myself if I survived the Gulf War in Desert Storm, I would spend the rest of my life giving back. That experience changed me forever, and it’s the reason why I am here now, fighting to take our state back.”
* House Majority Leader Greg Harris just told the doorkeepers “Please lock down the chamber immediately.”
* A recorded security announcement was broadcast to the chamber: “May I have your attention please. The building is on lockdown. No one is to enter or leave the building. Please secure your location and shelter in place immediately.”
* Leader Harris: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m told the situation has cleared and we’re free to move about the building again and the doorkeepers can unlock the doors.”
* There may - may - have been a problem with the security system which triggered the alarm.
Today Governor JB Pritzker announced the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Dr. Ngozi Ezike is leaving the agency after three years of service. To celebrate Dr. Ezike’s outstanding tenure and heroic service, the governor issued a proclamation establishing today, March 1, 2022, as #DrEzikeDay. Amaal Tokars, PhD., who is currently the Assistant Director of IDPH will serve as interim director while a nationwide search is conducted to find a permanent replacement. Dr. Ezike’s last day will be March 14, 2022.
“Dr. Ngozi Ezike has led the Illinois Department of Public Health for over three years, her tenure defined not only by her ability to provide the latest expertise and data, but also her empathy and compassion – becoming a beacon of stability for millions during a time of tremendous uncertainty,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “No number of sleepless nights and endless days could wear down her commitment to think first and foremost of Illinois’ most vulnerable. Her departure is a change I am loathe to accept, but I have utmost faith that Dr. Ezike’s next journey will also bring more good to the world – as has been the hallmark of every step of her career. She will go down in the Illinois history books as a woman who saved lives and changed our state for the better.”
“It has been a great honor serving the people of Illinois as the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Being the state’s top doc during a global pandemic has been challenging to say the least, but it’s been an amazing journey to work with so many great public health professionals and leaders from all sectors,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “I want to thank Governor Pritzker for the opportunity he provided me and for his dedication to the people of this great state. The dedicated men and women of IDPH, will continue their mission-driven work to protect the health and safety of all Illinois residents.”
Amaal V.E. Tokars, PhD., has served as IDPH Assistant Director since June 2020 and is a Certified Public Health Administrator with a wide range of expertise. Prior to joining the administration, Tokars worked at the Kendall County Health Department and served as the President of the Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium. Previously, Tokars served at the Association for Individual Development for fourteen years where she managed over 30 health and human services sites and programs. Amaal received her Bachelor of Science from Lewis University, and her Masters in family systems as well as a PhD. in Leadership and Policy from Northern Illinois University. She is also a graduate of the Navy Post Graduate School. Dr. Arti Barnes, MD, MPH, who joined IDPH in 2020 will continue to serve as Chief Medical Officer.
Governor Pritzker’s full remarks congratulating Dr. Ezike, as prepared for delivery, can be found below.
For over three years, Dr. Ngozi Ezike has served as head of the Illinois Department of Public Health. With all her being, she has dedicated each day — and I mean EVERY day — to the agency’s mission to protect the health and wellness of the people in Illinois. For much of the last two years, she’s dedicated each night, too.
Even with this unprecedented internal workload, Dr. Ezike prioritized joining me at more than 160 COVID press conferences, providing not only the latest expertise and data, but also her empathy and compassion – becoming a beacon of stability for millions during a time of tremendous uncertainty. And she has been doing so in both English and Spanish. She has an unshakeable faith in G-d, and she has leaned on her faith to give her the strength to care for the world.
I have watched Dr. Ezike mourn the loss of every one of the 32,000 Illinoisans who have died from COVID-19. This pandemic is a collective trauma that has, for many, numbed their ability to comprehend death on a massive scale. Not Dr. Ezike. No number of sleepless nights and endless days could wear down her commitment to think first and foremost of Illinois’ most vulnerable.
I ran for office. Dr. Ezike did not. But throughout this crisis, she has been beside me every step of the way. I don’t put it lightly when I say she has had one of the hardest jobs in the world. There is something particularly heroic about the service of an extraordinary individual who did not seek greatness but found it anyway.
Dr. Ezike’s last day leading our Department of Public Health will be March 14th. It is a change I am loathe to accept, but perhaps she can finally get a good night’s sleep and precious time with her husband and their four kids. It is well deserved.
I have utmost faith that Dr. Ezike’s next journey will also bring more good to the world – as has been the hallmark of every step of her career. She will go down in the Illinois history books as a woman who changed our state for the better. She saved lives, many thousands of lives.
On that note, I have issued a proclamation declaring today, Tuesday, March 1st, to be Dr. Ezike Day in the State of Illinois. I ask all our residents to take a moment today or any day in the future to thank her for her unprecedented public service in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Ezike has big shoes to fill, and I’m pleased to announce that one of her top deputies –Amaal Tokaars, who has joined us at COVID-19 updates in the past – will be leading IDPH in the interim as we look for a permanent successor. Amaal Tokaars has been an instrumental senior member of Dr. Ezike’s leadership team, and the people of Illinois will be lucky to have her watching out for them.
…Adding… From Dr. Ezike’s remarks…
As all of the speakers have mentioned, we have embarked on a new chapter in our COVID journey and I just want to highlight that, as the mask requirement has been lifted, it does not mean that it’s not recommended.
And as we think about our individual situations, and who may we may be coming around with, who we are living with, it may absolutely be the case that you are an individual, either because of your own risk assessment, or because of those that you live with that you will continue to wear a mask. And so I echo the pleas from Governor Pritzker that we just be respectful of each other’s choices. No one knows, you could be working side by side with someone who is undergoing chemotherapy. Unbeknownst to you, you could be working right behind someone who goes home and takes care of a severely immunocompromised child or parents. We don’t know what people are dealing with it. So let’s respect each other’s choices and equally respect those who have chosen not to wear a mask for whatever their situation is as well.
It has been just an honor to be able to share these updates, share information help create policy. Thinking back, January 2019, I got a call from a blocked number that I answered. And it was at that time that Governor Pritzker offered and I accepted the offer to serve as the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Looking back at notes and journal entries that I had created at that time, I have several quotes that I just jotted down that were from that time. One said, ‘Wow, a dream is coming true for me even before I ever dreamt the dream, but it’s not my reality.’ Another one said ‘I’m so excited to grow and be stretched to new limits.’ I didn’t exactly know the full impact of that [laughs]. Another said, ‘I’m just look forward to doing wonderful things for the residents of Illinois. I’m so ready for this work.’ Again, this is January 2019. I did not know fully what I was getting into. But I had ideals that I believed in that would be my guiding light, my North Star. One is that believing that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve their best health. A second is that intentionality is required to address long forsaken needs of selected populations. That’s now referred to succinctly as equity. And third that to better care for a diverse population like we are so blessed to have an Illinois you need a team that reflects that diversity to create the most robust and inclusive solutions.
She went on to thank her team at IDPH.
* More…
I acknowledge and mourn with the families of all the lives lost, not just to COVID but to gun violence, to suicide, to drug overdose, to racism to cancer, and all the other diseases and ills that public health officials and all of our partners work tirelessly to curb. Being a half full kind of gal, I am focusing in on all the positive actions of so many private citizens.
* More…
It’s just been my tremendous pleasure to serve the people of Illinois. I am so blessed to have been able to bring some measure of comfort to Illinoisans ,to quiet some of the chaos and infuse some calm. I’m glad that I served as a role model to young girls, girls of color, little black girls, that they can be leaders in any field. And I’m proud to show our young boys as well the future men of our society examples of women in leadership. I’m proud to exemplify that empathy and strength can exist in the same body and in the same breath.
And then she thanked her family.
* Dr. Ezike was asked about her growth as a leader…
I was just speaking at my local high school, at the Model UN conference, and I was talking to about 600 high schoolers on Saturday morning. And I was telling them that leadership is not a destination. It’s a continuous journey. And we are all leaders. You might be a leader in the fact that you’re the firstborn in the family and so you have some kind of responsibility over your siblings. You can be a leader in a classroom where you’re the one that speaks up if you see that someone is being bullied. I have been able to continue to grow leadership skills in all directions. Not perfecting anything yet. I feel like there’s still plenty and plenty of room to grow. My staff can tell you about that struggle. But I think definitely learning the best ways to navigate difficult conversations, understanding how to bring people of different backgrounds with different desires, how to find something that might maybe not satisfy everyone but at least be clear enough in communication to explain why you landed here and have them at least respect the process of your thinking. Being able to make decisions quickly when they need to be versus gathering everybody together and getting all the troops together to get buy-in from many stakeholders, figuring out when and where you use, employ which lever all of those things I am still growing and have been blessed to have the opportunity to really probably grow faster than I would have in another role and another time, but definitely feel that I was called for such a time as this and appreciate all of the growth.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
…Adding… Harmon…
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement regarding Dr. Ngozi Ezike’s announcement that she will be stepping down as director of the Illinois Department of Public Health after seeing the agency through the pandemic response.
“Throughout this pandemic, Dr. Ezike has been a calming, compassionate voice offering reassurance and information to the people of Illinois in at least two languages. I want to thank her for her commitment to the public health of this great state and wish her the very best in her next endeavors.”
* Walker…
State Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, issued the following statement today after Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike announced her upcoming retirement from the Department:
“Dr. Ezike has been no less than a beacon of hope and light during one of the greatest challenges Illinois has faced in generations. Her spirit is warm, kind, and full of a love for what she does and for keeping Illinoisans healthy and safe. She has saved lives.
There aren’t enough words to thank Dr. Ezike for her tireless efforts, but she deserves them all. I join Governor Pritzker, my colleagues in the General Assembly, and all Illinoisans in thanking and congratulating Dr. Ezike and wish her and her family all the best in the next chapter of her journey.”
* Stratton…
Lt. Governor Stratton’s Statement on the Departure of Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike
Springfield —In times of uncertainty, we look to people who are knowledgeable, trustworthy, and courageous. Dr. Ngozi Ezike was all of that and more as she worked tirelessly to protect the health of Illinois residents during one of the worst public health crises of our lifetime.
She was a calming figure offering information with empathy and compassion that put the safety of our most vulnerable residents first. Our state could not have asked for a better steward during this pandemic.
As the head of the Illinois Council on Women and Girls, I am especially proud of Dr. Ezike because she is a stellar example of what is possible for women and girls who love science and want to serve the public. Thank you, Dr. Ezike, for all that you have meant to this state at a time when we needed you the most.
“Arne Duncan has dedicated himself to public service, and over the arc of his career contributed to our city’s well being in important ways. The work he’s doing now to build community-based solutions to violence is important, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with Chicago CRED and the other street outreach and intervention organizations and initiatives across our city. We all agree that the priority is to make sure every resident, regardless of zip code, experiences safe and peaceful neighborhoods, and I will work with all people of good will focused on that objective. We must all work together to combat gang and gun violence, and to continue our work of investing in historically neglected neighborhoods.”
* Teresi press release…
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is calling for an end to penalties for late payments of the state’s bills.
Following media reports questioning the wisdom of the initiative, Comptroller Candidate Shannon Teresi asks Susana Mendoza the following questions on why this act should be repealed:
1. Why should the state be exempt from paying late fees, but every Illinoisan still has to pay interest on their bills?
2. If the state pays its bills on time, this is not an issue. Why are you changing the rules and reducing accountability for timely state payments?
3. Why would Illinois remove its prompt payment legislation when almost every other state in the country has similar laws to hold government accountable to vendors?
4. As the state’s Chief Fiscal Officer, why are you working to avoid accountability for late payments? What message does that send to taxpayers, vendors and credit agencies?
5. Why would small businesses continue to provide goods and services in good faith to the state when the Comptroller is working to avoid accountability for late payments?
* Press release…
Just ahead of an election season, with new maps and adjusted timelines, the Democrats for the Illinois House are continuing to ramp up their team by adding former WVON News Anchor TaQuoya McConnico as their new Chief Communications Officer.
“We are pleased to welcome TaQuoya to the team,” said Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch. “We have a long history of doing great work in communities together. I know our party members will appreciate her energy, her expertise, and her passion for creating connections and great results.”
TaQuoya Michelle McConnico (former name Kennedy) is an award-winning communications and marketing professional and a proud United States Air Force Veteran. She has spent the last 15 years connecting brands to consumers and helping organizations achieve their goals through communications and digital marketing. TaQuoya is a former WVON News Director. She also served as a Vice President at Teneo Strategy, a global CEO consulting and advisory firm founded in part by the Clinton Administration’s own Doug Band. They counsel some of the world’s top organizations, including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, FIFA, and Petsmart. TaQuoya has received numerous awards for her work, including Verizon Wireless HQ Communications Improvement Recognition, President Obama’s Call to Service Award, and The Village of Maywood Helping Hand Award. She was also named one of Chicago’s Top Professionals Under the Age of 40 to watch by the Chicago Defender.
The addition of McConnico is just the latest of supports added to help the party build strong in their fight for a better Illinois as they work through COVID restrictions and later timelines to gather petitions and get support to get on the ballot. Other new supports for the party include a full-time staff of regional political directors to develop cutting-edge campaigns and an in-house fundraising expert to work one-on-one with candidates on financing plans.
McConnico is married to Tyler McConnico, an Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. member. They have three sons, Tyson (5), Taylor (4), and Troy (2). McConnico is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and a member of The National Association of Black Journalists. #
— Alexi Giannoulias has won the endorsement of Our Revolution in his bid for secretary of state. The national political group aligned with Sen. Bernie Sanders announced its support last night during a national program that also included Jessica Cisneros, who’s hoping to unseat Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar (their primary is today), and Melanie D’Arrigo, who’s running for New York’s 3rd Congressional District as Rep. Tom Suozzi runs for governor. Our Revolution says it has more than 300,000 members in Illinois. Giannoulias also has the support of Illinois progressive Reps. Chuy Garcia and Jan Schakowsky. […]
— North Aurora trustee enters race for Foster’s 11th Congressional District seat: “Mark Carroll’s entry into the contest brings the GOP field to seven candidates,” reports Daily Herald’s Russell Lissau.
— Kirk J. Ortiz, a Cook County sheriff deputy, is jumping into the race for sheriff, challenging his boss, Tom Dart.
Gov. JB Pritzker used his appearance Sunday at the Kane County Democrats’ annual Truman Dinner fundraiser as a way to energize those in attendance ahead of the upcoming primary and general elections.
“Honestly, you all are protecting and securing our Democratic values by making sure that Kane County is a blue county now and forever,” said Pritzker during his remarks at the fundraiser, held at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora. “We’re a diverse and powerful coalition, moving this state in a bold new direction.”
Pritzker, the state’s top Democrat, has already announced he is running for a second term. He ticked off a few of the accomplishments of the Democrats during his administration.
“It was the Democrats that raised the minimum wage to a living wage,” he said. “We lifted hundreds of thousands of working people out of poverty…Democrats expanded child care, we increased funding for education, we raised teachers’ salaries and we made college more affordable. When COVID-19 hit Illinois, Democrats expanded health care coverage. We provided free COVID-19 testing and treatment and vaccinations. And we funded critical access hospitals and safety net hospitals.”
* Ken Griffin sat down for yet another softball interview and wasn’t even asked about dumping a $20 million down payment into the Illinois governor’s race…
What do you do for relaxation and exercise?
One thing that surprises people? I love to play “Call of Duty” and I’ll play it while I’m on the elliptical trainer. Takes a bit of work on balance to do both at the same time; maybe a bit of multitasking. But I’m always trying to find ways to stay in shape and to stay engaged.
A $5 billion Rivian Automotive Inc. electric-vehicle plant planned for central Georgia is now a pawn in the state’s bitter Republican gubernatorial primary.
Former U.S. Senator David Perdue, who is challenging incumbent Governor Brian Kemp with the backing of Donald Trump, is holding a Tuesday rally in Rutledge to protest the plant and investor George Soros, who is one of its backers. The attack puts Kemp’s biggest economic development coup squarely in the middle of the U.S. culture wars. […]
“Brian Kemp is selling us out to George Soros,” Perdue said in a release announcing the event. “He’s pledged our tax dollars to lure a California company funded by George Soros to Georgia and is calling it ‘economic development,” Perdue’s statement said. “Kemp thought he could get away with this under the guise of ‘economic development,’ but all he is doing here is selling us out and lining George Soros’s pockets.”
Hilarious. But it kinda makes me wonder if the GOP candidates here have a position on helping Rivian. I’m almost afraid to check.
Griffin has branded himself and Irvin as advocates for public safety. But weapons manufactured by companies within Citadel’s portfolio account for nearly one of every four guns recovered by police and used in Chicago homicides since 2017.
“Given this concern, you’d think Griffin would be outraged to learn Citadel and Citadel Securities have $86 million in investments and holdings in gun and ammunition makers,” the editorial board reported.
“You absolutely cannot be a voice about crime and murder or shootings on our streets when your company is a major investor in gun manufacturers,” said the Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of Faith Community of St. Sabina Church.
This isn’t the first time Griffin and Irvin have been called out for their bogus public safety platform. Last week, the Chicago Tribune exposed Irvin for helping clients accused of the same violent crimes he slams in campaign ads.
The Illinois State Fair is excited to announce the first six acts scheduled to perform on the Illinois Lottery Grandstand stage during the upcoming 2022 Illinois State Fair. From Grammy Award winning artists in country, pop and reggae to rock royalty, this year’s lineup has something for everyone. Fairgoers can start planning their summer concert adventures when tickets go on sale Friday, March 11th.
Multi-Platinum-selling, award-winning hitmaker Sam Hunt will kick off the first weekend of the fair on Friday, August 12. Hunt’s sophomore album SOUTHSIDE debuted to critical acclaim and was one of the top country albums of 2020 landing at number one on the Billboard country albums chart. Hunt is known for bridging multiple genres with powerhouse collaborations with artist that include Carrie Underwood (“Heartbeat”), Breland (“My Truck”), Sasha Alex Sloan (“When Was It Over”) and Ingrid Andress (“Wishful Drinking”).
Sunday, August 14 the best-selling duo in country music history will take the stage. Brooks & Dunn have 23 career chart-toppers and have sold 30 million albums over a career that has spanned over three decades. The duo made up of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have amassed more than 80 industry awards, including two Grammy’s. The legendary country musical group has been nominated by the Academy of Country Music (ACM) for “Duo of the Year”, an award in which they have won more than a dozen times.
TLC and Shaggy will take fairgoers back to the 90’s and 2000’s on Wednesday, August 17. The best-selling American girl group of all time has sold 85 million records worldwide and has won four Grammys. Shaggy, two-time Grammy winner for Best Reggae album, saw massive success with his viral hit, “Banana” with fellow Jamaican artist, Conkarah which amassed over 2 billion streams and spawned over 50 million Tik Tok videos with over 5 billion video views for the #bananadrop challenge. As the only diamond-selling dancehall/reggae artist in music history, he is also among the top 3 streamed reggae artists of all time on Spotify. Shaggy is currently in the studio working on a new album slated for release later this year.
Thursday, August 18 ACM/CMA award-winning artist Jon Pardi will headline a night of country. Pardi recently released country radio single “Tequilla Little Time,” the follow-up to his number one hit “Heartache Medication.” Joining Pardi, is one of country music’s most promising young stars Lainey Wilson and country trio Chapel Hart.
The final weekend of the fair will be led by monstrous metal jams from Illinois based rock band, Disturbed. Taking the stage on Saturday August 20, this multiplatinum band from Chicago is described as a hard rock juggernaut that has accomplished the rare feat of achieving five consecutive number one debuts on the Billboard Top 200. Guitarist Nita Strauss will open for Disturbed. Strauss, who may be best known for her role as the lead guitarist for Alice Cooper, is the first female since 1995 to have a top 10 single on Billboard’s Top 10 Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. Critics have called Strauss one of the most well-versed, living rock guitarists in the world.
The 2022 Illinois State Fair will go out rocking with Sammy Hagar & The Circle. The group was scheduled to open the 2021 Illinois State Fair, but severe weather canceled the show. Formed in 2014, the critically-acclaimed supergroup takes fans on a musical journey through rock history with a setlist spanning four decades of Hagar and the band’s biggest hits from The Circle, Van Halen, Montrose, Sammy Hagar & The Wabos, and beyond. With drummer Jason Bonham on board, concert goers can expect to hear a few Led Zeppelin classics as well as some surprise jams.
“We are very excited to bring this many talented artists to the Illinois Lottery Grandstand,” said Illinois State Fair Manager, Rebecca Clark. “Our number one goal is to have something for everyone’s musical taste, and I feel like we are well on our way to accomplishing that goal with several nights still to announce.”
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report said Monday if human-caused global warming isn’t limited to just another couple tenths of a degree, an Earth now struck regularly by deadly heat, fires, floods and drought in future decades will degrade in 127 ways with some being “potentially irreversible.”
“The cumulative scientific evidence is unequivocal: Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health,” says the major report designed to guide world leaders in their efforts to curb climate change. Delaying cuts in heat-trapping carbon emissions and waiting on adapting to warming’s impacts, it warns, “will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all.”
Today’s children who may still be alive in the year 2100 are going to experience four times more climate extremes than they do now even with only a few more tenths of a degree of warming over today’s heat. But if temperatures increase nearly 2 more degrees Celsius from now (3.4 degrees Fahrenheit) they would feel five times the floods, storms, drought and heat waves, according to the collection of scientists at the IPCC.
It will only become more difficult — and, in some cases, nearly impossible — to keep up with the costly and deadly effects of climate change without drastic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
That’s one takeaway from the new United Nations climate report released Monday, which details risks to ecosystems and people across the globe in the face of human-caused climate change — and a warning that also rings true for the Great Lakes region and Illinois. […]
Although some have predicted the Great Lakes region will become a haven for people who flee damage from wildfires, drought and hurricanes elsewhere, the region’s climate is also transforming — with starker changes projected.
A climate assessment for the Great Lakes region detailed challenges including rising temperatures, flooding caused by a growing number of “unusually large” precipitation events and an increase in extreme weather.
In Illinois, the average daily temperature has increased throughout most of the state in the last century by 1 to 2 degrees, a state-specific climate assessment found. Winter warming has been most pronounced.
As Illinois’ indoor mask mandate ended in most public settings on Monday, hospitalizations for COVID-19 and daily caseloads were at their lowest levels since July, the last time face coverings were no longer required across the state. […]
As of Sunday night, 943 hospital beds statewide were occupied by COVID-19 patients, the lowest level since July 31, and less than half the number of occupied beds reported just a little over two weeks ago.
A total of 157 intensive care unit beds were filled with COVID-19 patients Sunday night, occupying just 5% of the total ICU beds across the state. That figure was roughly 40% when the state hit its all-time record of 7,380 patients hospitalized with the virus on Jan. 12, and 1,177 of them in ICU beds.
Deaths from COVID-19 were also down on Monday, with 12 reported.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday added child care centers to the list of public places where masks are no longer required, a move that his office said was the result of new federal guidelines issued late Friday.
Pritzker announced Feb. 9 that he would lift the mandate for most indoor public places at the end of the month, and he added schools to that list Friday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new recommendations and the Illinois Supreme Court overturned a lower court order that blocked enforcement of mask rules in schools.
But when he made the new masking rules official through an executive order Monday, day care centers were added to the list.
In making the change, the governor’s office cited the new CDC guidelines, which only recommend universal masking in areas where the agency says the coronavirus poses a “high” risk to the general public and the local health care system. Currently, more than three-quarters of Illinois counties are classified as “low” or “medium” risk.
[Dr. Howard Ehrman is a former assistant city health commissioner who now works as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago] scoffed at what he called the “racism” behind the argument from officials at the highest levels of the federal government who “basically want us to believe that, now, everything is okay because this disease is now endemic” and “like the flu.”
“It’s not like the flu. It’s 15 times more likely to be transmitted than the flu. You’re six times more likely to die than the flu. And who’s gonna get this disease first? It’s primarily Black and Brown children in Chicago Public Schools, including my two grandchildren. It’s primarily front-line workers who are working right now in restaurants, bars, Amazon warehouses and factories,” Ehrman said.
“This is a crime against humanity. This is genocide. Nothing less.”
Only 21 Illinois counties are listed as high level communities, mainly in the southern part of the state.
21 may seem like a lot, but most are small, low-population counties that obviously haven’t been following much if any of the guidance anyway.
* Illinois Federation of Teachers…
Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) President Dan Montgomery issued this statement following Governor Pritzker’s executive order lifting required masking in schools:
“We are grateful for Governor Pritzker’s leadership throughout the pandemic ensuring that science, not politics, has informed guidance. It has been a long two years, but there is finally light at the end of the COVID tunnel.
“We welcome this new guidance for a safe off-ramp from universal masking in schools. The CDC’s new guidelines set us on a path to a new normal in schools. By using an analysis of hospitalizations in addition to community transmission, school districts, in collaboration with educators, staff, and families, can decide when to ease mask requirements.
“Our sole priority since the start of this pandemic has been to protect students, teachers and staff, and their families by following the proper mitigations. Schools have remained open because of the implementation and enforcement of these mitigation strategies designed to protect everyone.
“We urge school districts to prioritize the most vulnerable, including our Black and Brown communities, as well as the immunocompromised, in all off-ramping decisions. They continue to be at a higher risk of exposure, illness, and death.
“We insist that school districts statewide work with their unions to maintain or come to agreements that will promote health and safety in schools and follow our laws around safe schools and workplaces.
“Finally, we ask everyone not to stigmatize students, teachers, and staff for their individual masking choices. And no one should be pressured into unmasking. These last two years have taught us that we must protect each other and that we all have a duty to protect our most vulnerable populations.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is scheduled to deliver a COVID-19 update alongside Illinois’ top doctor, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Tuesday.
The address is set to take place at 1:30 p.m. at Rush Hospital in Chicago, according to the governor’s schedule.
Illinois navigated the COVID-19 downturn about as well as the U.S., though a performance gap materialized over the course of the recovery. The labor market has recouped a smaller share of the jobs lost in the recession than nationally, though the disparity stems from the larger-than-average setback in late 2020. Employment growth gained momentum in 2021. Job growth from December 2020 to December 2021 matched the national pace and exceeded the regional pace. The decrease in joblessness has been typical for the U.S. but slightly slower than in the Midwest. Labor market conditions are about as tight as they are nationally judging by metrics such as the unemployment rate, the size of the labor force, the number of job openings, and wage growth.
Stronger-than-expected revenues and federal relief from the American Rescue Plan have put state finances on a firmer footing. The state promptly repayed a loan from the Federal Reserve, is reducing its backlog of unpaid bills, and has a budget surplus. These developments helped Illinois draw upgrades to its credit rating and outlook from multiple ratings agencies.
Though the past 12 months have been stronger than average, full recovery will come more slowly than in the region and the nation. Payrolls are poised to return to their previous peak in the middle of the decade, later than in the rest of the Midwest and U.S., and it will take longer for the unemployment rate to drop to pre-pandemic norms. Tailwinds to the manufacturing base are numerous, but easing of supply-chain bottlenecks is key to the near-term forecast. Prospects are solid for service-providing industries, especially professional/business services and logistics. Leisure/hospitality will also forge ahead as travel picks up, but a slow return of international visitors and less business travel and convention traffic are concerns.
Some existing headwinds will prove exceedingly difficult to overcome. Even as the pandemic loosens its grip on the job market and labor force, persistent out-migration will weigh on the strength of employment gains. Illinois was one of four states or territories that lost residents during the past decade, and additional losses are in store. Fiscal problems continue to plague the state, and Chicago faces the same challenges as many other large cities.
The state will continue to diversify into service-providing industries while nurturing its more efficient and smaller traditional manufacturing core. Chicago will continue to develop as the transportation and distribution center for the Midwest and will increasingly develop its tech industry. The explosion of tech-related hiring on the Near North and West sides and corporate relocations from the suburbs—such as those by Walgreens, Mondelez International, Peapod, Hillshire Brands, Kraft Heinz, and United Continental Holdings—suggest that this economic engine has reached critical mass, enabling its growth to become self-perpetuating.
Professional/business services. Professional/business services will be critical to the economy’s success. Most of the growth in well-paying industries such as professional, scientific and technical consulting will take place in northern Illinois. […]
Financial services. Financial services, which employ 6.9% of the state’s workforce and 7.7% of Chicago’s workforce, compared with 6% nationally, will remain among the state’s core industries. One reason for this is that the outlook for Chicago’s commodities exchanges is promising. They have successfully adapted to new technologies and, through mergers, have increased their market share in the global marketplace. They also hold virtual monopolies over their most important products, thereby benefiting from strong pricing power. Chicago is considered the world capital of futures trading since it is now home to by far the world’s largest derivatives exchange.
An outsize tech industry and legacy ties to financial services make financial technology a promising area of development, but stiff competition from existing fintech hubs limits upside. The insurance industry also has a large footprint on Illinois’ economy, especially in Bloomington, where it makes up 17% of employment, almost nine times the U.S. average. Insurance will remain a reliable source of jobs and income. […]
Tourism. Illinois’ tourism-dependent industries are expected to outperform other parts of the economy over the next decade, but they will be crawling out of an extremely deep hole. […]
Weak demographic trends and deep-rooted fiscal problems such as mounting pension obligations and a shrinking tax base represent the biggest hurdles to the longer-term outlook. The forecast anticipates that the state will grow a step behind the Midwest average and a few steps behind the nation over the extended forecast horizon. Over the next five years, employment in Illinois is forecast to increase 3.9%, below the 4.6% increase for the Midwest and 5.5% rise nationally.
The recovery will proceed much more quickly than the last one, which was hampered by damaged household and business balance sheets and a fragile financial system. However, the economy will emerge somewhat altered, because the pandemic has accelerated the shift toward e-commerce and the consolidation of higher education. The near-term outlook for Illinois closely resembles that for the U.S., but the state will underperform in the long term because of poor population trends and extraordinary pressure on state and local governments.
Manufacturing. Manufacturing will occupy a slightly greaterthan-average share of the Illinois economy, but the state will have to fight to hold on to its manufacturing base. The long-run decline of manufacturing will prevail despite the industry’s short-lived resurgence. Manufacturing is of greater importance in northern and central Illinois than it is in Chicago. While the share of employment in manufacturing in the state, at 9.5%, is only somewhat higher than the national average of 8.5%, the share outside Chicago is higher at 12.7%. Illinois’ largest manufacturing industries, in order of number of jobs in 2021, are food processing, fabricated metals, machinery, chemicals and transportation equipment. Together, these industries account for about 59% of all manufacturing jobs, compared with 53.2% nationally. […]
Higher education. Although higher education has typically been insulated from the whims of the business cycle—and sometimes even been the beneficiary of economic downturns—the COVID-19 pandemic is hitting the sector head-on and thrusting into the spotlight problems that have long been simmering in higher education. Academia faces a looming demand problem not only due to rising costs but also due to changing demographic patterns. Longer-term structural issues in combination with pandemic-related stress will leave some institutions at risk of failure. If and when school failures occur, they are likely to be dominated by those already in poor financial condition due to sagging enrollment, poor student retention, and an overreliance on public funding. […]
Business climate. Illinois, and Chicago in particular, is an ap pealing location to corporate headquarters and companies that need highly skilled workers and are willing to pay for top talent. Despite Illinois’ advantages, however, the state’s financial problems threaten to discourage firms from locating to or remaining in the state. The state’s outlook is tarnished primarily by its bud get woes and weak population trends, not its high costs relative to nearby states. Firms in Illinois tend to pay more in taxes compared with those in neighboring states and labor is on the expensive side, but overall business costs are no higher than the national average. Illinois is gradually increasing its minimum wage, but dozens of other states and local governments are raising their wage floors as well. […]
Unions. Unit labor costs in the state are above the national average, in part because of a still-high presence of unions. The state’s unit labor costs are significantly higher than those of neighboring Indiana but lower than in Michigan and Wisconsin, three states that have adopted right-to-work laws. Under right-to-work laws, employees in unionized workplaces cannot be forced to pay union fees or join unions. Michigan passed a law after a number of businesses, mostly in manufacturing, cited the law as a factor in their decision to locate in Indiana. Less clear are the effects that right-to-work laws have on economic growth. The lack of clarity is mainly due to the fact that union strength is just one factor businesses look at when deciding whether to set up shop or relocate. Energy and other costs also matter, as do a slew of other factors including talent, infrastructure, and access to customers and capital that make it extremely difficult to gauge the precise effects of right-to-work laws on job creation and a state’s economic prosperity.
Personal income has been slower to rise in Illinois than na tionally, a trend that will extend through the new business cycle. Consumption depends mostly on the state’s income from labor, predominantly wages and salaries, which has lagged the U.S. and regional averages. Total personal income increased 3.6% per year on average over the course of the expansion that ended in 2019, less than the 3.7% regional average and 4.3% national average. Growth in the most important source of income, wages and salaries, averaged 3.3% per year over the 10-year period, versus 3.5% in the Midwest and 4.2% in the U.S.
The end of the pandemic will not resolve Illinois’ demographic woes. Population decline over the next few years will be the one of the worst among the states, and the deterioration in the workingage population will remain more severe than in other parts of the country. Fewer young adults will make it harder to fill jobs and keep consumer and housing demand afloat. The shrinking tax base will also aggravate state and local fiscal strain. Even as pandemic-related barriers to labor force participation diminish, persistent outmigration and increased remote work will weigh on the strength of employment gains.
Illinois navigated the COVID-19 downturn about as well as the U.S., though a performance gap materialized over the course of the recovery. The labor market has recouped a smaller share of the jobs lost in the recession than nationally, though the disparity stems from the larger-than-average setback in November and December of 2020. Employment growth gained momentum in 2021. Job growth from December 2020 to December 2021 was 4.7%, more than the regional pace of 3.7% and a bit higher than the national pace of 4.5%. At the end of the year, employment was 3.8% lower than in December 2019, versus 3.1% lower in the Midwest and 1.95% nationally.
The decrease in joblessness has been typical for the U.S. but slightly slower than in the Midwest. The unemployment rate at the end of the year was 5.3%, higher than the 4% regional average and 3.9% national average, but not as high as in many other large states. Jobless rates are generally lower outside of Chicago, but so is labor force growth. The state’s labor market conditions are about as tight as they are nationally judging by metrics such as the unemployment rate, the size of the labor force, the number of job openings, and wage growth.
Labor force participation has been volatile for the past two years, but it generally rose in 2021. The Illinois rate was 63.4% as of December, compared with the Midwest rate of 63.5% and the U.S. rate of 61.9%, and averaged 63% for the year, just slightly below the Midwest rate of 64% and above the U.S. rate of 61%. The labor force ended the year about 1.8% smaller than in the last month of 2019. That contraction was between the Midwest’s 2.2% gap and the nation’s 1.4% gap.
Inflation and wage pressures are in line with those at the U.S. level, though there is some variation across economies. Supplychain stresses are having the biggest impact in areas with a high concentration of manufacturing, exports or both, which helps explain why the consumer price index has risen more in factory centers such as Peoria than they have in the Chicago area. The Employment Cost Index for Chicago suggests that wages are rising at a pace similar to that nationally.
Most major industries are strengthening, and industries that started with strong recoveries such as transportation/warehousing have generally extended their leads. Green shoots are appearing in office-using industries such as professional/business services, which had been sluggish for most of the recovery. The leisure/hospitality industry has benefited meaningfully from the distribution and wide acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines in 2021: Employment in this industry is coming off an extremely depressed base, but job creation has gained significant momentum. Employment in some other parts of the economy, including manufacturing and government, is moving in the right direction at a tepid pace.
Bloomington’s recovery will be tepid. The outlook is tightly tethered to sluggish state government and financial services employment. Weak enrollment trends at Illinois State University will weigh on tuition revenue and limit the need for more faculty and staff. Financial services will remain a stable yet sluggish source of relatively high wage jobs, but a meaningful increase in finance jobs will not materialize in the near term. Rivian’s EV factory offers a glimmer of hope to an otherwise lackluster outlook. The manufacturer recently went public with one of the largest IPOs in years. The surge in production and hiring at the plant will have positive effects on downstream industries such as transportation/warehousing and business/professional services, as well as consumer-dependent industries. Growth will rise above our baseline if Rivian’s success and international attention draw other large investment projects to Bloomington.
Strength at the University of Illinois’ flagship campus will be a major advantage for Urbana-Champaign’s economy. The Illinois Board of Higher Education approved a fiscal 2023 budget, which calls for a 7% funding increase for the state’s higher education system, including 4% more for the University of Illinois system. It still requires approval by the General Assembly and Governor J.B. Pritzker. One of UofI’s priorities is faculty hiring and retention to keep up with the growing student body. If the request for UofI is granted, the larger budget will lend upside to our forecast for a slowdown in state government employment gains.
Springfield’s lack of dynamic drivers will keep it from picking up much momentum. The state government will have some breathing room over the next few years. However, this temporary cushion will not translate into hiring or solve Illinois’ deeper structural issues. Longer-term fiscal challenges such as massive unfunded pension liabilities will continue to put pressure on the budget and on job growth in Springfield. Healthcare will provide the best avenue for growth because of the continued graying of the population. Providers’ struggle to fill open positions as well as the contraction of the overall population will keep the industry a step behind the national average.
Overall business costs in the state are slightly lower than in the country as a whole, with energy costs a bright spot. The overall tax burden is relatively high, but not extraordinarily so, with Illinois getting an index rating of 104 with the nation as a whole 100.
At least one of the core problems facing Illinois is that with a declining population, the state has a smaller tax base to pay off old pension debt, the report says.
The bottom line of the report, prepared for the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability: “Illinois has what it takes to remain a top business center, so long as it can solve the fiscal problems that are eroding its edge in the competition for talent, jobs and capital.”
Today Jesse Sullivan, Republican candidate for governor, launched a new ad campaign showcasing support from sheriffs across the state for his Safe Streets plan.
The 0:30 spot will be supported by a six-figure ad buy in target markets across the state.
Including 14 active Illinois sheriffs, Sullivan’s Safe Streets Leadership Council is the strongest coalition of active law enforcement leaders among a crowded Republican primary field.
“I’ve known Jesse Sullivan since long before he decided to step into public service,” said Menard County Sheriff and Safe Streets Leadership Council co-chair Mark Oller.
“Not only has he always supported law enforcement, but he has also worked with inmates at our county jail, praying with them and trying to help them find a better path. The Safe Streets Leadership Council is an example of his dedication to listening to the people on the front lines of keeping Illinoisans safe. There is no doubt in my mind that he is committed to restoring public safety and justice to the entire state of Illinois.”
Proposed action steps in the Safe Streets plan include:
Filling every officer vacancy across the state, augmenting with National Guard assets and State Police where necessary.
Reversing the elimination of cash bail for violent offenders and relaxing the restraints on pretrial / preventive detention.
Scaling positive models like DuPage County’s Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigations Team (MERIT).
Providing support to local police departments for witness / victim protection programs.
1. Fully staff and support state and local police officers.
• Fill every officer vacancy across the state; augmenting with National Guard assets and state police where necessary.
• Fully staff every Illinois State Police crime labs to prevent large backlogs of DNA testing, rape kit testing, weapons processing, and other evidence.
• Fully utilize National Guard support capabilities, such as helicopters, to reinforce law enforcement in areas where crime is surging.
2. Remove violent criminals from the streets to keep communities safe.
• Swiftly enforce warrants for violent criminals and leverage National Guard assets to track down and incarcerate violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
• End electronic monitoring statewide for violent criminals so they cannot menace their communities.
• Reverse the elimination of cash bail for violent offenders and relax the restraints on pretrial / preventive detention so that criminals cannot terrorize their communities and intimidate witnesses while awaiting trial.
3. Forge multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency partnerships that get results. Criminals do not abide by lines of jurisdiction, so our solutions need to be flexible and adaptive.
• Do what Gov. J.B. Pritzker cannot by working with neighboring states to share data, information, and tactics to target illegal drugs, guns, and gang activity.
• Grow positive models like DuPage County’s Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigations Team (MERIT) system, to allow smaller counties to train, work, and share information with larger ones.
• Work with federal partners to ensure carjackers, cop killers, and gang leaders are charged with the stiffest penalties in federal court, as in initiatives such as Detroit ONE
Protect our Heroes
1. Repeal the anti-police bill and defend qualified immunity for law enforcement.
• Repeal the anti-police “Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equity- Today Act.”
• Strongly oppose additional changes to qualified immunity doctrine from the radical left.
• Protect police officers from threats of frivolous civil lawsuits in the course of doing their jobs and safeguard municipal budgets that would otherwise face increased litigation and insurance rates.
• End the allowance of anonymous citizen complaints against officers.
2. Increase penalties for assaulting law enforcement.
• Strengthen minimum sentencing requirements for violent criminals who assault law enforcement.
• Require that individuals who assault police officers or bring weapons into penal institutions serve at least 85 percent of their sentence (before parole eligibility).
• Call for federal action to ensure that killing any state or local law enforcement officer is considered a federal crime.
3. Compensate law enforcement fairly for the risk they assume.
• Introduce fair pay for sheriffs so that sheriff pay is structured to match the State’s Attorney scale (two-thirds paid by state, according to population).
• Join states like Florida, Washington, Arizona and New Jersey by offering temporary signing bonuses to attract new law enforcement officers from out of state.
• Create retention incentives to help retain law enforcement officers who are approaching retirement eligibility.
Restore Accountability
1. Take ownership and lead in the fight against crime.
• Incentivize collaboration and reward high performance across government.
• Create a new position of Anti-Violence Director, reporting directly to the governor, to oversee all efforts to reduce criminality of those in state systems (e.g. DOC, DHS, DCFS, DJJ, DHFS).
• Strengthen collaboration between sheriffs, police chiefs, and prosecutors, with fact-finding and showcase sessions led by the governor.
• Create performance-based incentives for prisons based on recidivism rates, and offer other prisons the opportunity to learn from these successes and implement their models.
2. Invest in witness protection to help convict criminals.
• Make it safe for people who “see something” to “say something” by enacting mandatory sentencing penalties for the intimidation and the threatening of witnesses.
• Provide financial support in the form of grants and housing vouchers to local police departments that establish comprehensive witness and victim protection programs.
3. Refocus on reducing recidivism.
• Reprioritize budgets to ensure adequate resources to allow qualified prisoners to take classes and access training while in prison.
• Double the Illinois Tax Credit for Hiring Ex-Offenders to a credit amount equal to 10% of qualified wages paid or up to $1,200 per hire, and establish a statewide hiring network for employers and qualified prisoners in advance of release.
• Strengthen relationships between Illinois Parole Agents and local law enforcement to prevent backsliding, including placing geographical restrictions on parolees to prevent them from falling back into their prior lifestyle.
• Increase penalties for violent ex- offenders who are rearrested while on parole.
* Gov. JB Pritzker asked the pension systems last night to explore divestment of Russian assets…
February 28, 2022
Dear Colleagues:
With the continued invasion by Russia of the sovereign nation of Ukraine, the State of Illinois stands with the people of Ukraine and nations around the world supporting peace in the country. As such, I am writing to request that your respective boards take all steps within your existing authority to explore the potential of divesting state pension assets from Russian-based companies and Russian assets and the feasibility of doing so.
Across our five statewide pension systems, the state holds nearly $100 billion in pension fund assets. My administration will continue to work closely with you to ensure minimal disruption to the strong progress we have made in recent years in shoring up the financial stability of the funds. I look forward to being briefed on what you determine at the soonest possible date, and I look forward to sharing those findings with the General Assembly.
Thank you for your continued service and please contact Deputy Governor Andy Manar should you have questions regarding my request.
Thoughts?
…Adding… Press release…
STATEMENT FROM MAYOR LORI E. LIGHTFOOT
“In light of recent events and upon reflection over these last few days, I believe that Chicago needs to go further in its definitive actions against Russia. That is why yesterday, I directed World Business Chicago to suspend Chicago’s sister city relationship with Moscow. While this is not a decision I enter into lightly, we must send an unambiguous message: we strongly condemn all actions by the Putin regime. This suspension will be upheld until the end of hostilities against Ukraine and the Putin regime is held accountable for its crimes. We must continue to support freedom-loving people everywhere and ordinary Russians in their desire to be free.”
...Adding… More…
Trust me, you will not want to miss the emotional backstory behind the raising of this flag, and the Ukrainian woman who helped raise it.
