Six months into COVID-19, the media and Illinois’ political elite continue to push cases and the case positivity rate as the key statistics of the pandemic. So much so, that Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot have threatened shut downs all over again if the case numbers continue to go up.
The persistent reporting of rising cases and high positivity rates invoke fear, but the public should know that cases alone don’t matter. What really matters are hospitalizations and deaths. And those have yet to rise in Illinois, even if cases have risen significantly for more than a month and a half. […]
We’re not implying that more hospitalizations and deaths won’t follow the increase in cases, as has happened in states like Texas, Florida and Arizona recently. A rise is inevitable in Illinois as the state loosens its strict and protracted shutdown.
What’s clear, however, is that cases in Illinois are currently decoupled from hospitalizations and deaths.
*Facepalm*
* First of all, case numbers have zero to do with the state’s phased mitigation plan (although Chicago does look at cases). The state’s regional plan is based on a sustained increase in positivity rates above 8 percent (which, despite what they’re claiming, is an all too real danger zone), or a sustained increase in positivity rates along with a sustained increase in hospitalizations or pending bed shortages.
Also, ignoring what happened in Illinois and now in Florida, etc. is kinda mind-boggling.
“As an owner of 2 small businesses, one essential (radon mitigation), one a restaurant … nothing I can say will express the absolute disdain I have for this man or his policies,” a commenter complained about Pritzker.
A Policy Institute staffer replied to her comment asking if she would be open to speaking to a member of the IPI team. “We’ve been doing our best to give our community a voice on our site and pressure JB to reopen the state’s economy.”
Another commenter predicted that Pritzker “and his boss lori lightfoot will kill Illinois.” An IPI staffer replied with the same request to speak with her about her story. “We’ve been featuring small business owners on our site to try to pressure the governor to reopen the state’s economy.”
…Adding… The IPI is also falsely claiming business owners face jail time, when that’s clearly not what the IDPH rules say…
* Want to open up? Deal with the virus. Encourage businesses to follow common sense guidelines and then we can hopefully get to where New York is…
Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren: : "Limited or inconsistent efforts by states to control the virus based on public health guidance are not only placing citizens at unnecessary risk of severe illness and possible death — but are also likely to prolong the economic downturn."
First it was Seattle. Then New York City. Then the novel coronavirus hit Arizona, Texas, and Florida with a vengeance, infecting hundreds of thousands of people and leading to backlogs of bodies in morgues that are still growing today.
The big question, as the weather begins to turn cold, flu season approaches, and schools reopen across the nation, is a simple one: Which city is next?
The modelers at PolicyLab, the think tank at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) whose projections are often used by the White House Coronavirus Task Force, think they have an answer: Baltimore, Chicago, and Boston. The reasons range from density to climate to behavior to demographic factors. But, cumulatively, they have created a dangerous and swelling disease burden within the cities and in their immediate environs, according to PolicyLab models and interviews with a slew of public health experts.
A federal appeals court greeted the Illinois Republican Party’s challenge to the governor’s limit on public gatherings with skepticism this week.
A 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel had a barrage of questions Tuesday for the lawyer representing the state GOP, which claims it should be allowed to hold gatherings of more than 50 despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s pandemic guidelines to the contrary.
The Illinois Republicans and other Republican organizations claimed the Democratic governor’s orders violate the First Amendment because they carve out an exemption for churches. The plaintiffs also claim Pritzker created another exemption by endorsing protests against racial injustice.
But if the governor didn’t draw constitutional lines in his executive orders, the three judges asked, where should they be drawn?
Judge Diane P. Wood said if the Republican Party is exempt from the regulations, “I see no logical stopping point.”
Counsel for the Illinois Republican Party urged a three-judge panel during oral argument to revive its bid to hold gatherings larger than the 50-person limit set in the latest coronavirus safety order, arguing the exemption for religious gatherings should apply to all protected First Amendment expression. But U.S. Circuit Judge Amy Coney Barrett said the party seems to be comparing its asserted speech rights to a group that has “an additional interest” under the amendment, which is the right to freely exercise religion. […]
Daniel Suhr of the Liberty Justice Center argued the party should receive the same exemption as religious groups because both religious and political speech rights “live at the heart of the First Amendment.” But Judge Barrett pushed back on that stance, saying the amendment itself treats free speech and free religious exercise “a little bit as apples and oranges” since they’re separated into two distinct categories. […]
U.S. Circuit Judge Amy St. Eve said the party’s argument leaves the court wondering where it would draw a line distinguishing First Amendment rights about political speech from First Amendment rights “about some other cause.”
Suhr argued in response that “it’s the governor’s job” to draw that line. But U.S. Circuit Judge Diane Wood quickly rebuffed that stance, saying it was the party’s job, “since you’re the one who’s attacking the governor’s executive order for not drawling the line that you think should have been drawn.”
“You should have some theory of relief,” she said.
There’s more in both stories, so click those linkies.
Public Health Officials Announce 1,645 New Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus Disease
State reports more than 42,000 tests in one day
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,645 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 16 additional confirmed death.
- Cook County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s
- DeKalb County: 1 female 70s
- Douglas Count; 1 male 50s
- Iroquois County: 1 female 80s
- Jefferson County: 1 female 80s
- Lake County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- LaSalle County: 1 male 80s
- Madison County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
- Perry County: 1 female 90s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- St. Clair County: 1 female 90s
- Williamson County: 1 male 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 198,593 cases, including 7,672 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 42,098 specimens for a total of 3,189,801. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from August 5 – August 11 is 4.1%. As of last night, 1,525 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 357 patients were in the ICU and 129 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for a death previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
Most students in Illinois will be learning remotely this fall, according to results from an Illinois State Board of Education survey.
Parents and students wondering what their school district’s plans for the fall semester are amid COVID-19 concerns can find out through a new portal from the Illinois State Board of Education.
ISBE has been surveying the state’s more than 850 school districts on reopening plans and it published a dashboard on the department’s website that allows everyone to see which options districts are planning to offer this fall.
Of the more than 850 districts, 671 that cover more than 1.6 million students had responded as of Wednesday.
Most of the districts, or 319, plan to offer a blended model. That will cover more than 525,000 students.
About 200 districts serving 153,000 students will be doing in-person instruction.
About 150 districts serving about 921,000 students will offer only remote instruction.
Some of that could change as districts get closer to their start date.
* From a reader on the new mask and gathering size rule…
Are folks who oppose the DPH rule actually serious in saying enforcement should be on individuals, not businesses? I get why businesses would argue that- to avoid legal responsibility. But they actually want enforcement at the individual level? They want businesses and customers to call police on the people in their communities, overload their local police and be responsible for having their customers hit with a misdemeanor? Or is it just something to argue?
On Tuesday, several members of the panel, particularly Republicans, said they continued to hear concerns from local businesses in their districts about why they were being held liable for enforcing the public health rules, but their customers who refuse to wear masks or keep a 6-foot distance from others were not.
Among those was Rep. Keith Wheeler, R-Oswego, who said callers to his office were concerned about actions of individuals leading to fines and potential misdemeanor charges for businesses.
But Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, a cochair of JCAR, said the graduated nature of the enforcement rules means businesses that genuinely are trying to comply should have nothing to fear.
“And I think it’s really important to understand what that points to is this rule is going to be enforced against rogue operators,” Cunningham said. “This is not something that is going to be easily applied even by the most zealous law enforcement agency or public health department against someone — a business that slips up once or twice. There’s just not an ability to do that based on the framework of this rule.”
I think Cunningham is right. The businesses will get a reminder and a warning. If and only if a business is ignoring those public health warnings, then the matter goes to the state’s attorney, who will have the authority to decide whether to proceed.
“As small business owners and residents across the state spoke out against this blatant attempt to shut down the Illinois economy again, Democrat state lawmakers are silent,” the party said in a news release.
The Will County GOP urged its supporters to call members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to “hold the Governor accountable.” Republicans asked citizens to “rise up again to combat yet another wrong done by this Governor,” according to the release.
The party also provided potential callers with talking points to argue it was “wrong to fine a business for a customer’s actions,” and that the rule would “hurt Illinois businesses and Illinois’ fragile economy.”
Again, a business would get a warning and then a threat of action before the state’s attorney would have to press charges…
The graduated enforcement of the emergency rules begins with education of the business and hopeful voluntary compliance. A written warning will follow additional violations and some or all patrons may be asked to leave the premises. The third and final consequence could include a Class A misdemeanor [with] a fine ranging from $75 to $2,500.
County health departments and local law enforcement agencies will issue the warnings and fines, while only a State’s Attorney is able to issue a misdemeanor.
The rules apply to businesses, schools, and childcare facilities, but not to individuals.
[Pritzker’s general counsel Ann Spillane] said the administration heard from law enforcement agencies that said a rule like this would be a help when officers are asked to break up large gatherings or address mask wearing.
The new version of the rule also makes it clear that different establishments face different circumstances, she said. A tiny story with one clerk on duty can’t do the same kind of enforcement as a larger store. Also, the earlier version made it appear that full compliance was required.
“Businesses are not expected to achieve 100% compliance,” she said.
Illinois Retail Merchants Association’s Rob Karr, whose group was among the first months ago to put out public service announcements about the importance of masks, said the rule requires businesses employees to stick their neck out for the mandate.
“This rule requires us now to have that interaction,” Karr said. “It is clearly putting employees and retailers at risk and the [Pritzker] administration now owns that responsibility.”
But somebody’s gotta do it. And, as noted at the top, somebody would still have to call the cops on recalcitrant customers.
State Sen. Paul Schimpf, R-Waterloo, said the governor circumvented the legislature by filing the rule and creating a tiered approach that could lead to criminal charges.
“This is not going to make more people wear masks,” Schimpf said. “In fact, I think this is going to cause people to dig in their heels a little bit more.”
Schimpf said the governor should get the consent of the people and call a special session to deal with pandemic-related issues instead of issuing unilateral mandates.
State law, approved by the General Assembly, requires IDPH to promulgate rules in the event of unusual things like novel virus pandemics. It’s set up that way because the legislature is not exactly a quick responder.
* A mask mandate wasn’t the only JCAR agenda item yesterday. Press release…
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced today that permanent rules have been adopted for adult use cannabis dispensary licensees to be selected when there are two or more applicants in the same Bureau of Labor Statistics Regions with tied high scores. The rules, which were filed in June, may be found here.
The approval of these rules allows IDFPR to move forward in awarding the 75 conditional adult use cannabis dispensary licenses that were authorized by the 2019 Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Consistent with the new rules, IDFPR will provide a public notice announcing the applicants with tied high scores who, if they meet the requirements in the rules, may participate in the selection process for a conditional license.
“We are pleased that these rules have been adopted, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to ensuring these licenses are issued in a fair and objective way that implements Illinois’ equity-centric law,” said Toi Hutchinson, Senior Advisor for Cannabis Control to Gov. Pritzker. “Additional licenses will be made available in the coming years and these rules will help ensure a strong foundation is established for the licensing process in the future.”
Once IDFPR awards a conditional license, the licensee will have 180 days to find a location within its BLS Region to operate. A license to operate cannot be issued if the location is within 1,500 feet of an existing licensed dispensing organization. More about the awarding of the conditional adult use dispensing organization licenses may be found under 410 ILCS 705/15-25 and 15-30 of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.
In addition, application scoring for craft grower, infuser and transporter licenses is being finalized, and the Illinois Department of Agriculture will announce award dates in the near future.
* Rep. Darren Bailey’s attorney Tom DeVore explained yesterday’s JCAR actions to his Facebook audience late Tuesday afternoon…
The main reason that the General Assembly was never convened in my opinion is because the governor’s office and the Illinois Department of Public Health were working with those JCAR members - probably the Democrats, it’s just reality of the times we find ourselves in - to try to put a rule together through all of them working together in concert that would be able to get through the JCAR process.
That was much easier for them than going to the General Assembly and having the General Assembly pass comprehensive legislation and the voice of all of you be heard. No, no, no we can’t do that. They admitted on that transcript, over and over again that the Illinois Department of Health and the governor’s office was working with this JCAR group of committee members - and again I would suggest you working with it you know could they have talked to the Republicans too, you could’ve if but if you saw the vote, and I’ll tell you about that in a second, there was no Republican in favor of this rule - I would suggest to you humbly that that’s how government works, it’s not out in the front for all the people to watch, because you know what we haven’t been watching. Why would they care?
It was done in these backdoor conversations to get this new rule put together, that they knew, they knew before they walked in the door today that they had the votes they needed. If you heard one of the Republican senators I believe a senator, or a Republican member of the committee, said that the governor called him today and he talked to the governor about it. So the governor, by admission of this member, has been lobbying these people, didn’t have to lobby the whole General Assembly just had to lobby twelve people, really only had to get two of them. […]
And there was efforts by the administrative, body being the Department of Health and the governor’s office, to work with JCAR. Why is an administrative body in the governor’s office working with the oversight committee? Independent! You bring us a rule we’ll vet it and we’ll decide whether it passes muster, not work with us and let us give you our thoughts on what kind of rule you can present, and then we might pass it. Does anybody find that inappropriate but me? They admitted that on the record today, and they weren’t even bashful about it. And shame on all of us, for letting it get this far. Shame on us. Because I listened to that and I was like are you kidding, independent body is supposed to be an oversight, worked and gave their recommendations it seems on how this rule could be amended to get past them and not suffer from eight votes against it. I found that horrific.
Whew. A whole lot to unpack there. The GA wasn’t convened because of the pandemic. It had to eventually be convened one way or another to pass a budget and move some other necessary bills.
And, yes, how terrible that JCAR members worked with the administration to craft a better emergency rule. Just shameful.
That video, by the way, was viewed 8,400 times and shared 109 times. 321 comments were posted.
They should have added an elimination factor to the MLB season. More than 3 people in your org test positive for COVID and you're out for the year. You have to win AND keep people safe to make the post-season. Watch how much more seriously teams would take it.
— Julie DiCaro is writing a book (@JulieDiCaro) July 30, 2020
Maybe more than three, but the general concept seems sound.
We are filled with pride and joy upon hearing that our Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister, Kamala Harris, has been selected to join Joe Biden as his vice-presidential running mate. While individual members can support who they want, this history-making selection of Harris—the first Black woman on a major party ticket—is exciting for so many who never thought they’d see this day.
This year, our nation is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. But for decades, that guarantee did not include women of color. Now Harris will bring with her to the ticket, the spirit of women like Suffragist Ida B. Wells, Civil Rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer, and the first black woman to run for president, Shirley Chisholm.
The legacy of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated is that of excellence and community service, traits which Kamala Harris has exemplified throughout her career. And we are so very proud to witness this historic day.
Juliana Stratton
Mattie Hunter
LaToya Greenwood
Toi Hutchinson
* More…
Congratulations to my Soror and Link sister @KamalaHarris on making history with your nomination as Vice-President! The party is energized and ready for the win! Let’s protect our democracy and bring honor and respect back to the White House! #BidenHarris2020pic.twitter.com/i9Rg6PIva7
Prominent women who are or have been AKA members include Eleanor Roosevelt, Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Star Jones, Alicia Keys, Phylicia Rashad, Mellody Hobson, Wanda Sykes, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Hazel O’Leary, Sheila Jackson Lee, Suzanne Malveaux and Karen Yarbrough. In the Illinois General Assembly, my colleagues Sen. Mattie Hunter, Sen. Toi Hutchinson and Rep. Monique Davis are members of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
A north suburban legislator who has benefited from nearly $247,000 in contributions from House Speaker Michael Madigan is now calling for the beleaguered political powerhouse to step down, saying the Legislature can’t function below a cloud of “distractions, doubt or distrust.”
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz is joining the slowly growing list of House Democrats calling on Madigan to immediately step down from his leadership roles in the Illinois House and the state’s Democratic Party, saying federal investigations into corruption “at the highest levels have created a crisis of confidence and undermined the integrity and public trust that leadership demands.”
“If we are to move our state forward, Speaker Madigan must not continue to serve in the role of Speaker of the House or as Chair of the Illinois Democratic Party,” the Glenview Democrat said in a statement. “I understand and agree with many of my colleagues’ concerns about due process.
“I fully support due process for Speaker Madigan and anyone else with respect to ongoing criminal investigations. However, whether someone should retain leadership positions in the General Assembly and the Illinois Democratic Party is a question of moral, ethical, and personal judgement, not criminal process. Leadership is a privilege, and we must hold our leaders to a higher standard.” […]
Gong-Gershowitz joins six other members of Madigan’s caucus calling on him to step down immediately: North Siders Jonathan “Yoni” Pizer and Kelly Cassidy, Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego, Lindsey LaPointe of the Northwest Side, Terra Costa Howard of Glen Ellyn and Anne Stava-Murray of Naperville.
IT IS ORDERED that the emergency motion for supervisory order is denied. On the Court’s own motion, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 384, Darren Bailey v. Governor Jay Robert Pritzker, in his official capacity, Clay County No. 20 CH 6, is transferred to the Circuit Court of Sangamon County and consolidated with Riley Craig et al. v. Governor Jay Robert Pritzker, etc., Sangamon County No. 20 MR 589.
What this means is, the Supreme Court punted on deciding the issue at hand and moved the case to Sangamon County, where the governor has previously prevailed.
Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 384, James Mainer et al., etc. v. Illinois Department of Public Health et al., etc., Clay County No. 20 CH 13, is transferred to the Circuit Court of Sangamon County and consolidated with Governor J.B. Pritzker, etc., et al. v. Board of Education of Hutsonville CUSD #1 et al., etc., Sangamon County No. 20 MR 557.
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) are elated that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has canceled the process to build a new privately-operated immigration detention facility in Dwight, Illinois. ICE was still working on the Dwight plan even though the General Assembly passed and Governor Pritzker signed the Private Detention Facility Moratorium Act in 2019 to block for-profit detention centers from being built and operated in our state. Thanks to the leadership of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Sen. Robert Peters, who spoke up forcefully in response to ICE’s continuing movement on the Dwight bid, ICE has received the message and ended the process.
Our organizations will continue to fight to hold DHS and ICE accountable, to stop the harms they are inflicting and the fear they are creating in our communities, and to make Illinois welcoming for all.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement no longer has a requirement for a Contract Detention Facility within a 180 mile radius of the ICE Chicago Field Office located at101 W. Ida B. Wells Drive, Suite 4000, Chicago, IL 60605-1074.
No word yet on why it no longer has such a requirement.
By their own admission, the plaintiffs’ lawyers filed this lawsuit for political purposes. I have occasionally made job recommendations for good people seeking jobs, believing that the applicant could and would do successful work. That is commonplace in all industries. Sometimes the applicant is hired, and sometimes the applicant is not hired. The decision is the employer’s and I do not act differently either way. And I have not, and would not, make a job recommendation believing that the applicant wouldn’t be asked to perform work by their employer.
The notion that the passage of two consequential pieces of energy legislation were tied to the hiring or retention of a few individuals is seriously mistaken. Those bills had broad support—from Democrats and Republicans; from the other legislative leaders, sponsors, and individual legislators; and from labor supporters, consumer advocates, and environmentalists. The bills couldn’t have passed otherwise, and they were the product of years of deliberation, negotiations, and consensus building. Nothing I or my staff did in the course of those bills was influenced by a company’s decision to hire or retain a person, nor did I ever suggest that such a decision could influence me.
I have never made a legislative decision with improper motives. We intend to defeat this transparently political lawsuit, which is wrong on both the facts and the law.
There have always been differences within the Democratic party. I have devoted my entire career to working with all Democrats in Illinois. I will continue to do that, especially as we face defeating Donald Trump, who has a track record of sowing division and suppressing minority voices. As Trump ends the Census count early, ensuring all of our communities are fairly and fully represented has been and will continue to be a main priority of mine as the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** One more MJM statement…
Vice President Biden has made an excellent choice in selecting Senator Kamala Harris as our next vice president of the United States. Senator Harris has an impressive legislative and legal background that will help guide our country out of one of our darkest periods. Senator Harris has compassion and strength and is the right woman for the job.
* One of the Midwest’s largest tourist attractions is in serious trouble. Press release…
Per State and City orders, Navy Pier was closed to the public from March 17 to June 10 to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Since its reopening, the organization has sought to find solutions that would enable it to continue its operations with the safety and security measures currently in place. While we have been able to resume partial operations and safely welcome guests back to the Pier, we are seeing only about 15–20% of our typical summer attendance, making it difficult to generate revenues that support our standard operations.
Navy Pier has operated as an independent nonprofit organization since 2011. Although the organization maintains facilities on publicly-owned property, Navy Pier does not receive any public tax dollars to support its operating costs. The Pier relies on generous philanthropic support from individuals, foundations and corporations with the majority of revenues earned through operational income, such as rent and fees from on-site partner establishments (restaurants, retail shops, cultural anchors, etc.), private events, consumer and trade shows, parking and ticket sales from attractions.
To date, the Centennial Wheel and other Pier Park attractions—a primary source of revenue—have not been able to open and operate. On-site cultural anchors, such as Chicago Children’s Museum and Chicago Shakespeare Theater, have also not yet reopened. Additionally, the Pier has extended rent relief to all of its on-site tenant partners. The parking garages have also seen a significant drop in parking activity, even with discounted parking rates currently in place. And all private events, consumer/trade shows and other bookings have been canceled in our East End event facilities. We rely heavily on these sources of revenue. Furthermore, restrictive capacity limitations for many of our events, restaurants and venues have prevented the Pier from resuming full operations and offering full experiences to guests. The loss of those earnings has been devastating to the organization’s budget, resulting in a projected deficit of $20 million.
With the support of the government funding program, the CARES Act, we were able to temporarily retain staff through the Payment Protection Program (PPP) loan. Our hope was that once we reopened, revenues would be restored at a more sustainable level. Unfortunately, that has not been realized.
Financial Adjustments
To help limit costs, Navy Pier has implemented the following financial adjustments and measures:
• Navy Pier President and CEO has taken a 44% compensation reduction and the executive leadership team members have taken a 33% reduction since mid-May
• Many full-time administrative staff members have been furloughed
• Planned capital improvements have been postponed
• Hiring of critical positions has been suspended
• Contractual services have been significantly reduced
• Budgets have been drastically reduced
• As of Monday, July 27, we made the difficult decision to reduce our full-time administrative staff through layoffs (approximately 20 percent of our employees, totaling 11 positions, in addition to 9 trades workers)
These decisions are not ones that were made lightly and were done after a long and careful review of the Pier’s projected financials with knowledge that many good people would be affected. As an organization that cares deeply about its employees, we held off on making these changes for as long as our finances would allow.
PPP Loan
Navy Pier sought and secured a PPP loan, which granted the organization $2.5 million to help preserve the salaries and benefits for eight weeks to retain 55 full-time administrative employees while revenue generation was completely halted during the Pier’s closure. The loan also made it possible for Navy Pier to retain and provide essential job training remotely with pay to 170 part-time seasonal guest service and Pier Park employees to prepare for summer and retained 26 full-time tradespeople, 21 whom were previously laid off who were able to return and begin preparing the Pier for its impending reopening.
As outlined within the parameters of the PPP loan, funds were used to cover up to $100,000 of each full-time employee’s salary, support benefits, satisfy rent/mortgage payments, cover utilities, etc.
Unlike other similar nonprofit cultural institutions, Navy Pier does not receive public funding from city, county or state tax revenue, nor does it have an endowment to rely upon. The PPP loan was a critical source of funding that is helping to bridge the gap created by the Pier’s closure and lost revenues.
Payal Patel, a spokeswoman for the private operator of the government-owned pier, said the company “is not going out of business. Navy Pier is not going bankrupt. They’re looking at full closure, partial closure.”
Patel said the not-for-profit company has no plans to walk away from the pier, which it began leasing in 2011 under a $1-a-year lease from the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, whose board is appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. […]
The company — whose board includes former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s daughter Nora Daley Conroy — had more than $57.9 million in debts at the end of 2018, according to records it filed with the Internal Revenue Service. It’s required to pay slightly more than $3 million on those this year. Patel wouldn’t say how it will make those payments.
Overheard in the hallway as lawmakers walk into the JCAR meeting, Senator Bill Cunningham assures @GovPritzker’s lawyer Ann Spillane there will be “no surprises.” Cunningham apparently expects the fines for businesses who defy Pritzker’s mask mandate to pass. pic.twitter.com/AIIVlDSolX
…Adding… The afore-mentioned DCEO emergency rule on distribution of federal aid to local governments has been approved.
…Adding… Press release…
Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole issued the following statement regarding the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules’ approval of guidelines for the distribution of local funding from the federal CARES Act:
“Today’s rulemaking by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Administration is both unfortunate and untimely. It is unfortunate that the state has chosen its own bureaucracy over the betterment of its communities, by disallowing local governments from using their allotted CARES Act funds in full compliance with federal guidelines. And it is untimely in that the state continues to withhold millions of federal dollars that were intended to aid suffering local governments, aid that was enacted by Congress and the President almost five months ago, on March 27.”
The core disagreement was that the “suffering local governments” wanted near carte blanche authority to distribute federal money to local businesses. If the locals had violated federal rules, state taxpayers would be held responsible.
*** UPDATE 1 *** JCAR took up a motion to oppose and suspend the IDPH emergency rule. That motion required a majority of 8 votes. It failed 6-5. The rule stands.
…Adding… IRMA isn’t pleased…
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) has released the following statement after the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules failed to stop Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to fine retailers for the failure of individuals to wear face coverings as required by the state:
“We are disappointed the administrative rule was not stopped. Contrary to the false narrative peddled by the administration in recent days, retailers have never been against masks. In fact, the retail industry helped develop many of the safety guidelines put in place by the state, including the use of face coverings in public,” said Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
“Instead of cooperation and collaboration, the Administration chose politics and confrontation in developing this rule, abandoning the partnership with retailers that has helped guide our state through this pandemic. While the Administration preaches the importance of individuals wearing face coverings, they are clearly not interested in taking responsibility for their own orders. Instead, they are exporting their enforcement responsibilities to others and playing politics with the pandemic. Make no mistake: their actions have once again put retailers and their employees in harm’s way.
“Throughout this pandemic, Illinois retailers of all types and sizes including but not limited to grocery, hardware, restaurant, taverns, pharmacy, apparel, fitness, convenience stores, and gas stations, have done all that has been asked of them, and so much more. That is why the enactment of today’s emergency rule is such an injustice to retailers large and small.”
IRMA is usually not so strident.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement following JCAR upholding enforcement rule.
I have always put the health and safety of Illinoisans first, and I’m gratified that local governments now have an additional way to keep their communities safe.
I want to thank the broad coalition of Illinoisans from around the state for their input and advocacy in support of science. Groups such as the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, the Illinois Public Health Association, Open Safe Illinois and our Safety Net Hospitals. As well as the Chicago Federation of Labor, the Illinois AFL-CIO, the Illinois Restaurant Association, National Nurses United Organizing Committee-Illinois Chapter and SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana worked together to ensure the state remains focused on beating this pandemic.
The vast majority of our communities and business owners are doing what’s right. Working alongside these partners, these rules will provide multiple opportunities for compliance before any penalty is issued and will help ensure that the minority of people who refuse to act responsibly won’t take our state backward. These rules will ensure that there is a commonsense way to enforce public health guidelines with an emphasis on education first so that Illinois can continue to make substantial progress in our fight against COVID-19.
…Adding… Press release…
The Illinois Fuel and Retail Association, representing the state’s gas stations and convenience stores, today issued the following statement in response to the decision by a legislative panel not to block a rule requiring masks in public places.
“Doing business in Illinois during this unprecedented time of conflict and challenge is now even harder.
A panel of legislators known as JCAR today could not find enough votes to block a misguided rule from Gov. Pritzker’s Administration requiring masks in stores and public places and fining business owners for violations. We will be considering other options, but for now, this policy will move ahead.
We do not oppose a strong public push for wearing masks and taking other protective measures in the fight against COVID-19. Our stores have detailed policies in place to keep customers protected themselves and from others through masks, social distancing and more. These steps are saving lives.
But requiring masks and punishing business owners, not customers, for not using them just doesn’t make sense. Businesses are struggling to open and stay open. We are not the problem, and yet again we are being treated as criminals. It’s not right, and it will not work.
We urge the Pritzker Administration to rethink this misguided policy that will make life harder for our small businesses, and instead partner with and support us to end this pandemic as quickly as possible and get our state back on the right track. Every moment counts.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,549 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 20 additional confirmed death.
Adams County: 1 male 90s
Coles County: 1 male 80s
Cook County: 1 male 60s, 3 males 70s, 1 female 80s
DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 90s
Franklin County: 1 female 70s
Jackson County: 1 female 60s
Kankakee County: 1 male 60s
Lake County: 1 male 80s
Livingston County: 1 female 60s
Logan County: 1 male 70s
Peoria County: 1 female 90s
Perry County: 1 female 90s
Wayne County: 1 female 70s
Will County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 196,948 cases, including 7,657 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 41,362 specimens for a total of 3,147,703. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from August 4 – August 10 is 4.1%. As of last night, 1,459 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 336 patients were in the ICU and 127 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* The city’s police superintendent did his best to pull stuff out of the air yesterday in order to shift the blame to the state’s attorney…
Brown went so far as to imply that looters reoffended this weekend after getting away with the same crimes during the widespread unrest earlier this year, eliminating any deterrent. […]
Foxx, who is no stranger to accusations that she is soft on crime, flatly rejected that narrative at a news conference Monday. Her office has not dropped any looting cases related to recent unrest, she said, calling for a response “beyond a sound bite and a finger point.”
Neither the superintendent nor the mayor have been able to point to any actual data backing up this claim. If they have it, they should use it. If they don’t have it, then they should apply for a job as a Tribune columnist.
Nearly 5,000 people were arrested countywide after the death of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer sparked days of protests and also looting, Foxx said.
In a statement released after the new conference, Foxx wrote that the Chicago Police Department arrested roughly “300 individuals [for looting and rioting] and none of these cases have been dropped. They are currently awaiting trial. These cases will be brought to trial beginning in August.”
Of 5,000 countywide arrests, 1,000 were for city ordinance violations, such as being out after curfew, she said. Another 1,000 were misdemeanor arrests, and 400 to 500 of those involved people she said were involved in what her office considers peaceful protests. Foxx said her office has “no role in the prosecution of city ordinance violations.”
Foxx announced in June that her office would focus on dismissing charges stemming from arrests at demonstrations and for citywide curfew violations after a week or protests and civil unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Critics said looters were additionally emboldened by a Foxx policy that raised the bar for prosecuting shoplifting as a felony — a theory Foxx also rejected Monday.
Retail theft charges are intended for people who walk out of an open store without paying for merchandise, not those who break into a store or loot, she said.
At her own press conference Monday afternoon, Foxx noted that in 2017, 2018 and 2019 — the three years analyzed by the Tribune — violent crime, shootings and homicide rates dropped in Chicago.
“In the wake of 2016’s violence, we saw communities come together… We cannot talk about ‘all hands on deck’ and seek simple solutions to complex problems, we must continue to work together,” Foxx said.
Foxx acknowledged her office enacted a policy not to prosecute peaceful protestors arrested in May and June, but said conflating peaceful protestors with rioters and looters, whom her office has prosecuted, was wrong and disingenuous. According to Foxx, the majority of charges filed in Cook County during those protests were misdemeanors and municipal violations.
“Last night was not an extension of a peaceful protest. Last night was not an extension of righteous anger. Last night was a blatant display of criminal behavior,” Foxx said.
* Foxx definitely has a different interpretation of yesterday’s widely shared Tribune story about how her office dropped lots more felony charges than her predecessor. For instance, Anita Alvarez’ homicide conviction rate was 83 percent during the three-year time period studied by the Tribune and it was 80 percent under Foxx in her first three years, something Foxx called “statistically insignificant.” I asked her office for a statement about the Tribune story…
State’s Attorney Foxx has secured over 2,700 more convictions related to violent felony offenses than her predecessor in the last three years of her tenure.
These violent and most serious offenses include cases of gun violence, homicide, sex crimes, aggravated battery, violence against police officers, robbery, domestic battery, and kidnapping. These cases represent 28% of the cases prosecuted by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The conviction rate on these cases has increased from 81% to 83% under the Foxx Administration.
Yes, I know this goes against common beliefs, but the state’s attorney’s office has compiled a list of serious violent felonies and compared the two administrations’ record and there’s little to no statistical difference. Click here to see it.
Vehicular Highjacking conviction rates rose from 81 to 88 percent. Domestic battery conviction rates rose from 86 to 88 percent. Robbery conviction rates went from 87 to 90 percent. UUW went from 72 to 77 percent. Some went down, but mostly within a very narrow percentage range, or because of the low actual case numbers involved.
I watched on television Monday morning as Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Police Supt. David Brown engaged in fingerpointing, casting blame on Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and the judiciary. Then Lightfoot exploded on a mild-mannered television reporter who rightly called her out on it, displaying a character trait that is growing tiresome.
Brown wanted us to know how smart police had been to deploy 400 officers to respond to the downtown unrest as soon as they caught wind of it on social media, never fully explaining why that was insufficient to quell the disturbance. Could it be that he needed to send 800?
The mayor had spent the weekend obsessing over an embarrassing party at Montrose Point where social distancing was not observed. She was so busy solving the problem by petulantly erecting snow fences around the shoreline that she may not have noticed her police brass were still unprepared to adequately respond to a real public safety emergency.
Later I drove downtown to see Foxx respond in person to what she called “dishonest blame games,” and not surprisingly, she did not accept any.
There’s always room for improvement, and Foxx definitely should’ve acknowledged that and did not. If everybody is all in, everybody needs to admit their shortcomings and mistakes. Everybody, Foxx included, needs to look inward to see what they can do to not only make things better, but to also stop making things worse.
At least one reporter at Foxx’s availability yesterday tried to make her the scapegoat for cops standing by in May while looters ravaged stores. That was on the police superintendent, not Foxx.
* Lots of progressive names on this list. Mostly unsurprising. But, as subscribers know, state central committee member Peter Janko had been keeping his powder dry on this topic even though he did not vote for Madigan’s reelection. See anyone else who surprises you?…
We come from across Illinois; from Bloomington to Rockford and from Carbondale to Chicago. We are or were elected officials, Democratic Party officials, or Democratic candidates. We represent the socioeconomic and geographic diversity that is the true strength of the Democratic Party of Illinois, and today we echo the call for new leadership for our party and for the Illinois House.
We’re each brought to this point by different circumstances, but are united around a simple belief: Illinois Democrats are in dire need of new leadership.
We’re not commenting here on guilt or innocence in the legal sense. This is about the ability to lead our party as we enter the most important election in living memory, and to lead the House as we encounter the most difficult challenges Illinois government has faced in decades.
We survived the Rauner administration, we’re making our way through this pandemic, and our hope for rebuilding this state lies in the Fair Tax amendment and our candidates up and down the ballot. It has become clear due to the ongoing corruption scandal that Michael Madigan’s leadership is threatening Illinois Democrats’ ability to achieve these goals.
Illinois Democrats are strong. We support the brave women in the General Assembly who called for new leadership before we did. We know when this anchor is lifted, our people and our ideas will rebuild our state. We urge Michael Madigan to do right by the people of Illinois and step down from his roles as Speaker and as Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
Sincerely,
Florence Appell, DuPage County Precinct Committeeperson
Nathan Arroyave, Winnebago County Democrats Young Dems Chair
Daniel Biss, former State Senator and State Representative
Erica Bray-Parker, Wheaton City Council member and DuPage County Precinct Committeeperson
Muriel Briel, Plainfield Township Democrats Vice Chair and former IL-16 congressional candidate
Jennifer Carrillo, Bloomington City Council Member
Today, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan’s campaign released its first television ad, “Personal,” which introduces Dirksen Londrigan’s personal health care story. In 2009, her 12-year-old son, Jack, spent nearly a month in the pediatric intensive care unit in critical condition from a rare, life threatening illness during which he was in a medically-induced coma and read his last rites twice before starting his long road to recovery.
Jack’s story drives Dirksen Londrigan to fight to keep the health protections we have in place while working to fix the parts that need fixing, like lowering the costs of prescription drugs and premiums.
The 60-second ad will air in the Champaign-Springfield-Decatur media market as part of a districtwide buy that includes broadcast, cable and digital platforms. It highlights Dirksen Londrigan’s commitment to ensuring access to quality, affordable health care for Central Illinois families.
“I know health care is personal to you, especially now,” said Betsy Dirksen Londrigan. “I’ll fight for every family to have quality, affordable care that won’t bankrupt them if they get sick.”
What I see families going through today reminds me a lot of what our family faced eleven years ago…
A rare infection put my son Jack in intensive care for 21 days, he was on a ventilator and read last rites twice before finally going home.
Without good health care we could have never afforded all the bills.
I’m Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and I know health care is personal to you, especially now.
I’ll fight for every family to have quality, affordable care that won’t bankrupt them if they get sick…
With lower premiums and prescription prices that guarantee your choice of doctors and health plans.
But the drug and insurance industries are standing in the way.
They’ve given millions to Washington politicians to vote their way on health care…
To gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions…
And overcharge patients for prescription drugs.
Corporate special interests can’t buy me. I don’t take their money.
I approved this message, because when your family’s health is at stake, your Congressman shouldn’t be working against you.
* Rodney Davis campaign…
CQ Roll Call has moved the race for Congress in IL-13 towards Rodney Davis and away from Betsy Londrigan. Last week, Roll Call moved the race to “Tilt R” from its previous “Toss-up” rating. And today, in her first TV ad, Londrigan continues to push the false claim that she doesn’t take campaign contributions from corporate interests, even though news reports say otherwise.
“Betsy Londrigan is taking her ‘no corporate money’ lie to the airwaves because she knows this race is moving away from her. Her hypocrisy is stunning. Londrigan’s campaign is funded in part by corporate lobbyists from Madigan’s ‘inner circle,’ ‘Big Pharma,’ and others. Londrigan knows the only way she can win is if she lies her way into Congress.” – Aaron DeGroot, Davis campaign spokesperson
Londrigan pushes “no corporate money” lie in first TV ad
In her first TV ad of the General Election season, Londrigan says “I don’t take” campaign contributions from “corporate special interests,” but news reports reveal that’s not true. Londrigan’s campaign is funded in part by corporate lobbyists and executives to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Londrigan’s campaign is funded in part by corporate lobbyists and executives
From WCIA’s 7/24/20 story titled, Despite corporate PAC pledge, Dirksen Londrigan takes campaign cash from corporate lobbyists:
“…Since launching her bid for Congress, Dirksen Londrigan has accepted at least $82,930 in campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists, including some who have represented pharmaceutical companies, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, gambling companies, red light camera companies, suburban municipal governments, telecommunications giant AT&T and utility company ComEd.
“She’s taken far more from corporate executives, many of whom are also regular donors to Democratic causes.
“The donations from ComEd and AT&T lobbyists in particular came under scrutiny after ComEd agreed to pay a $200 million fine to avoid federal bribery charges last Friday, and federal agents delivered a subpoena to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office searching for documents related to AT&T and its lobbying practices.”
“…Dirksen Londrigan reported $284,278 in household income so far this year, all of it coming from her husband’s salary at his corporate lobbying firm. It represents pharmaceutical clients like Horizon Pharma, which raised the price on an arthritis drug 11 times in seven years, reaching a price point of $2,979 for a 60-pill bottle.
“Another one of his pharmaceutical clients, Kaleo, was flagged in a recent Senate subcommittee report on the increasing prices of opioid overdose reversal drugs. The report found Kaleo contracted with pharmacy benefit managers to hike its prices from $575 per unit up to $4,100 — a spike of more than 600%.
“Londrigan’s campaign declined to comment on how she would handle any real or perceived conflicts of interest that could arise in Congress if she is ever in a position to vote on matters that pertain to her husband’s lobbying portfolio.”
Corporate lobbyists in Madigan’s “inner circle” are funding Londrigan’s campaign
A group of corporate lobbyists associated with Madigan, some of whom have lobbied for ComEd at varying times, have contributed a combined $9,350 to Londrigan’s campaign this election cycle. The Chicago Tribune referred to those lobbyists as members of Madigan’s “inner circle.”
Betsy is still holding onto corporate lobbyist cash from Mike Madigan’s cronies, and 16 days after she was called out for being a corporate money hypocrite, she remains SILENT as to whether or not she will return the money.
NRCC Comment: “No amount of television advertising can change the fact that Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is a corporate money hypocrite whose campaign is funded by Mike Madigan’s corrupt cronies.” -NRCC Spokeswoman Carly Atchison
On July 2, 2020, the Circuit Court of Clay County entered an unenforceable and nonappealable partial summary judgment order against Defendant-Petitioner J.B. Pritzker in his official capacity as Governor of the State of Illinois. On August 7, 2020, that court ordered the Governor to appear in the Clay County Courthouse on Friday, August 14 and show cause why he should not be held in indirect civil contempt for his purported disregard of the July 2 order. The Governor requests that this Court exercise its supervisory authority under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 383 on an emergency basis to immediately stay the contempt hearing set for August 14, 2020, pending the resolution of this motion. Additionally, the Governor asks this Court to exercise its supervisory authority to answer the underlying legal question raised by this case, which is whether the Governor acted within the scope of his authority under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act (“Act” or “IEMAA”), 20 ILCS 3305/1 et seq., and Illinois Constitution in issuing disaster proclamations and executive orders in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. […]
Defendant-Petitioner J.B. Pritzker, in his official capacity as Governor of the State of Illinois, requests that under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 383, this court immediately stay the contempt hearing scheduled for August 14, 2020, in this case pending the resolution of this motion. Additionally, the Governor requests that this Court answer the underlying legal question raised by this case, which is whether the Governor has acted within the scope of his authority under the Act and Illinois Constitution in issuing disaster proclamations and executive orders in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the course of definitively answering that important question, this Court should stay the proceedings below, expedite the response to this motion, and ultimately reverse the circuit court’s July 2, 2020 order.
* This Tribune editorial omits some important historical context to make its point. Lee Daniels’ Republicans had the map for ten years, but Daniels only controlled the chamber for two, which eventually caused his top contributors to soften their support. His longtime political patron was Gov. George Ryan, who, along with the Medical Society, saved him from a coup attempt after the 1990 electoral debacle. Ryan who was on his way out in 2002 and appeared headed for his own legal troubles. Attorney General Jim Ryan was the new party standard-bearer and he was running for governor on an ethics reform platform. And the then-Speaker of the US House, Dennis Hastert, wanted his own guy in as the state’s House Republican Leader…
In June 2002, then-Illinois Republican Party Chairman Lee Daniels abruptly announced his resignation from that party post as pressure mounted, including from the GOP state attorney general, to remove unwanted “distractions” in an election year. Daniels and his chief of staff had fallen under the radar of federal prosecutors who were investigating whether GOP staff members did campaign work on state time. […]
Not long after, the House Republican caucus voted 33-18 to install a new House leader, Rep. Tom Cross, after Daniels lost support among his colleagues in that role too. Daniels had not been charged and was only peripherally linked to a time sheet scandal, but the whiff of a federal corruption probe pushed his members to force him out of leadership. […]
Shortly after [Daniels’ former chief of staff Michael Tristano’s] indictment in 2005, Daniels announced he would retire from his remaining position as a state representative. Daniels was not implicated in Tristano’s indictment, and he was never charged with wrongdoing. But he left anyway. A top GOP party and policy leader in the state who once held three positions of power was gone, pushed out by his own members and a nudge from the previous GOP attorney general, Jim Ryan, who had forwarded corruption allegations to federal investigators.
Under the lens of compare and contrast, then and now, one takeaway is this state’s breathtaking tolerance for corruption. It has settled into the system of governance and politics as its own permanent institution. Corruption is an expected byproduct of serving in public office, like wind makes waves.
Now it’s happening again with Madigan. He’s at the heart of a wide-ranging bribery probe involving utility giant ComEd. He has been served with subpoenas. At least three of his top aides’ and allies’ homes have been raided, along with other confidants targeted in inquires involving red-light camera bribes, sexual harassment payoffs, property tax clout and nepotism.
* The Question: Your thoughts on what Madigan should do now?
1. Voting is a fundamental, constitutional right that is central to our American democracy.
2. Governor J.B. Pritzker violated this right by signing into law a partisan voting scheme that is designed to harvest Democratic ballots, dilute Republican ballots, and, if the election still doesn’t turn out the way he wants it, to generate enough Democratic ballots after election day to sway the result. See Public Act 101-0642 a/k/a SB 1863, 101st General Assembly (“SB 1863”). The remaining Defendants are charged with carrying out this partisan scheme.
3. This civil action for declaratory and injunctive relief is filed to stop SB 1863 from going into effect. The claims arise under the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution; 42 U.S.C. Section 1983; 28 U.S.C. § 2201(a); and Article III, Section 4 of the Illinois Constitution.
The Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly snuck through SB 1863 in five days, from May 18-22, 2020, by hijacking a bill about the Freedom of Information Act, amending it to advance their partisan election agenda, and rushing it to passage before the people of Illinois could weigh in with their opposition.
SB 1863 was introduced in the Senate on February 15, 2019, as an amendment to the Freedom of Information Act, passed the Senate on April 4, 2019, underwent First Reading in the House on April 9, 2019, underwent Second Reading in the House on May 22, 2019, and languished for a year.
SB 1863 was suddenly rewritten in 2020 by House Floor Amendment 5, which was filed on May 19, 2020, and House Floor Amendment 6, which was filed on May 21, 2020. The bill passed the House later the same day, with only one Republican voting in favor. The Senate passed it the next day, with no Republicans voting in favor. […]
SB 1863 creates a partisan voting scheme that is designed to directly disenfranchise voters disfavored by Pritzker, to dilute the votes of those disfavored by Pritzker, and to violate the secrecy of voting in Illinois.
Many aspects of SB 1863 work together to create the scheme by which Pritzker plans to disenfranchise the Republican Party
The scheme begins by putting as many ballots into play for the election as possible by mailing an application for a mail-in ballot to every voter who voted in the 2018 general election, the 2019 consolidated election, or the 2020 general primary election. 10 ILCS 5/2B-15(b). That amounts to roughly 5 million mail-in ballot applications, which were supposed to have been sent by August 1.
A high likelihood exists that applications were sent to people who may no longer be eligible to vote in Illinois. For example, the Wall Street Journal discovered that at least one former voter in Washington state recently received his ballot in the mail at his new address in Texas.
The states that use mail-in voting took years to perfect their process as they enlarged eligibility gradually before launching statewide. Implementing vote- by-mail is a learning process. State officials must identify qualified vendors for printing ballots, develop tracking systems so voters can be assured their ballots will arrive on time, and develop methods of reviewing signatures that reduce the number of rejected ballots. Doing so takes “decades, not months.”
Attempting to implement a process overnight in a state as large as Illinois will inevitably lead to thousands of lost and delayed ballot applications and ballots. A recent election in another large state that rushed into voting by mail shows the perils that lie ahead for Illinois. Over 80,000 New York City Democratic presidential primary ballots were not counted in the June 23 election because they arrived late, lacked a postmark, failed to include a signature, or contained other defects. This number meant that a staggering 21% of the votes cast were not counted.
The hurried nature of implementation is not the only hurdle Illinois faces. Illinois state government is one of the most inept in the Union, and the public has no reason to expect a vote-by-mail system to work any more smoothly than a variety of projects Illinois has stumbled through in recent years.
For example, Illinois has suffered more than 120,000 cases of unemployment fraud during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Among many of the practical deficiencies of the Illinois vote-by-mail scheme is that it does not comport with recommendations issued by the United States Postal Service.
According to the USPS Inspector General, “ballots requested less than seven days before an election are at a high risk of not being delivered, completed by voters, and returned to the election offices in time.”
But Illinois allows voters to request an absentee ballot as late as October 29, 2020 – three business days before the election.
Indeed, the Inspector General’s report indicates that the Illinois deadline “put[s] ballots at high risk of not being delivered to voters before an election.”
Also, the Inspector General’s report states that “election offices should be educated on the benefits [that Intelligent Mail Barcodes] provide.” Id. at 7. Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMbs) allow mailers and the Postal Service to track each ballot and would enable the Postal Service and election authorities to track ballots and identify delays.
SB 1863 makes no provision that mail ballots be tracked with IMbs or any other tracking device; therefore, thousands of voters will be disenfranchised when their ballots are lost in the mail.
For the ballots that are received by election authorities, the system for counting so many mail-in ballots will be overtaxed, leading to lax procedures for ensuring the secrecy of the ballot.
In addition to incompetence, SB 1863 will breed corruption. While other states may use mail-in voting, implementing a system overnight “in a state as notorious for election fraud as Illinois is” will open the door to criminal activity. Nader v. Keith, 385 F.3d 729, 733 (7th Cir. 2004). As the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals already recognized, “Oregon, for example, has switched to a system of all- mail voting. O.R.S. § 254.465. But what works in the state of Oregon doesn’t necessarily work in Illinois, especially in light of the colorful history of vote fraud we’ve seen.”
The provision of the voting scheme that is most important to committing voter fraud is ballot harvesting. SB 1863 allows for ballot harvesting, in which a paid, partisan operative may collect Democratic mail-in ballot applications and ballots to ensure that they are turned in and counted and may collect Republican mail-in ballot applications and ballots to ensure that they are not turned in and counted.
As he was planning last month for the rollout of the state’s new rules concerning mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 election, Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray said he wouldn’t be using the option of having drop-boxes.
Gray, whose office oversees elections in the county, had said that he had “concerns about the chain of custody of ballots” if they weren’t mailed or brought to his office in person during business hours.
But after receiving a copy of an ominous letter from the general counsel of the United States Postal Service, Gray is rethinking his position.
″… (U)nder our reading of Illinois’ election laws, certain deadlines for requesting and casting mail-in ballots are incongruous with the Postal Service’s delivery standards,” said the July 30 letter from Thomas Marshall. “This mismatch creates a risk that ballots requested near the deadline under state law will not be returned by mail in time to be counted under your laws as we understand them.”
* You gotta figure this money will go fast. Like lightning fast…
Illinois residents struggling to pay their rent because of a lost a job or reduced income due to COVID-19 can now apply for state assistance through the Emergency Rental Assistance program.
“For too many people weathering this crisis begins with keeping a roof over their family’s heads,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday. “Even before this pandemic, over 70% of low-income families dedicated more than half (of their) income to rent, and now nearly 1 in 3 renters are worried about (their) ability to pay August rent.”
The Illinois Housing Development Authority has set aside $150 million in federal funds to help approximately 30,000 residents pay their rent due to a pandemic-related loss of income. To be eligible for the grant, renters must have fallen behind on rent on or after March 1 and have a household income at or below 80% of the area median income. Interested renters can also check their eligibility online.
The one-time $5,000 grants will be paid directly to a renter’s landlord to pay back missed rent and cover rent payments through December.
I mean, before this crisis began, 450,590 Illinois households were classified as “extremely low income,” which is 27 percent of the approximately 1.8 million renting households in this state.
I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but the federal government really needs to get its act together.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,319 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 1 additional confirmed death.
- Cumberland County: 1 female 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 195,399 cases, including 7,637 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 32,353 specimens for a total of 3,106,341. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from August 3 – August 9 is 4.1%. As of last night, 1,481 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 352 patients were in the ICU and 138 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* Sunday…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,382 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 8 additional confirmed deaths.
Cook County: 1 female 20s, 1 female 40s, 1 male 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s
Pulaski County: 1 male 60s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 194,080 cases, including 7,636 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 41,354 specimens for a total of 3,073,988. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from August 2 – August 8 is 4.1%. As of last night, 1,488 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 322 patients were in the ICU and 114 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
* Saturday…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 2,190 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 18 additional confirmed deaths.
Bureau County: 1 female 80s
Cook County: 1 male 40s, 2 males 70s, 1 male 80s
DuPage County: 1 female 80s
Kane County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Lake County: 1 male 60s
Madison County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
Mercer County: 1 female 80s
Rock Island County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
St. Clair County: 1 male 60s
Whiteside County: 1 male 80s
Winnebago County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 192,698 cases, including 7,631 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 48,016 specimens for a total of 3,032,634. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from August 1 – August 7 is 4.2%. As of last night, 1,538 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 338 patients were in the ICU and 125 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
With gun violence at a crisis, Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday said he is in talks with Illinois State Police and the Illinois National Guard to see if more police officers can be deployed to the streets of Chicago.
Two lawmakers who believe violence has become so rampant in Chicago that the Illinois National Guard must be called in to help made a public plea to Gov. Pat Quinn on Sunday to deploy troops.
A recent surge in violent crime, including a night last week that saw seven people killed and 18 wounded — mostly by gunfire — prompted the request from Chicago Democratic Reps. John Fritchey and LaShawn Ford. They were joined by Willie Williams, whose son was shot and killed in 2006.
As Chicago capped off its deadliest month in almost 20 years, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday ruled out the idea of deploying the National Guard to help combat street violence in the city, saying that to do so would be an “emotional” reaction that “wouldn’t make sense.”
* Today…
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) released the following statement on the looting, rioting and violence that has occurred in the city of Chicago:
“Once again, Illinois government has failed to protect its residents and businesses. It is time to bring in the National Guard and accept any and all federal assistance to stop the chaos that is destroying our state. No more excuses. No more failures.”
Also today…
The mayor said that she and the governor "believe this is not an incident that requires the National Guard," adding "We're not going to spare resources. If we need them, but we want to make sure that we're proven in the resources that we need." (MORE)
The Big Ten has voted to cancel the 2020 college football season in a historic move that stems from concerns related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, multiple people with knowledge of the decision confirmed to the Free Press.
The sources requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the decision. A formal announcement is expected to Tuesday, the sources said.
The presidents voted, 12-2, Sunday to end the fall sports in the conference. Michigan and Michigan State — which both has physicians as presidents — voted to end the season, sources said. Only Nebraska and Iowa voted to play, Dan Patrick said on his radio show Monday.
The move comes two days after the Mid-American Conference became the first in the FBS to cancel ts season, and sources told the Free Press the Big Ten is trying to coordinate its announcement with other Power Five conferences.
* Just remember that anyone can sue anyone for just about anything, but this may leave a mark…
Earlier today, a putative class of Commonwealth Edison customers filed a civil racketeering lawsuit against Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, Commonwealth Edison Company (“ComEd”), ComEd’s parent Exelon Corporation, and several other defendants.
Stuart Chanen and Ariel Olstein of Chanen & Olstein; Patrick Giordano of Giordano & Associates, Ltd.; and Paul G. Neilan of The Law Offices of Paul G. Neilan, P.C., all Chicago-area lawyers, filed a two-count class action Complaint in federal court under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), Potter et al. v. Madigan et al., 20 cv 4675, Dkt. 1 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 10, 2020).
The lawsuit, a copy of which is attached, alleges one count of racketeering under RICO’s civil provisions and one count of RICO conspiracy. The lawsuit asks for the following relief for ComEd’s consumers:
1. Payment by Defendants of at least $450 million in damages to ComEd consumers, including the $150 million in ill-gotten gains ComEd has admitted to and an additional $300 million under the RICO Act’s treble damages provision.
2. Immediate injunctive relief preventing Michael Madigan from participating in legislative activities involving electricity matters affecting Commonwealth Edison and Exelon.
3. Immediate injunctive relief preventing Michael Madigan from continuing to Chair the Democratic Party of Illinois and running it as a corrupt organization.
4. Additional injunctive relief enjoining ComEd from continuing to charge consumers for subsidies of Exelon-owned nuclear power plants.
Attorney Stuart Chanen, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney who in private practice has won major civil rights cases on behalf of wrongfully convicted individuals, said: “We filed our civil RICO case now to protect Illinois ratepayers from further damage by Michael Madigan – in both his capacity as Speaker and as Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois – and also to get our clients back the damages they have suffered from ComEd’s and Madigan’s bribery scheme.”
Mr. Chanen pointed out that neither the U.S.’s July 17 federal criminal case against ComEd, nor the fact that Madigan has not yet been included in that case, prohibit ComEd customers from obtaining injunctive relief against Madigan or from pursuing damages against ComEd in a civil RICO action.
In addition to Michael Madigan, among the prominent figures named as Defendants, are: former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore; former ComEd EVP John Hooker; former ComEd SVP Fidel Marquez; Jay Doherty, the longtime President of the City Club of Chicago; and former City of Chicago Alderman Michael R. Zalewski.
In crafting the Complaint, Plaintiffs’ lawyers rely heavily on the admissions ComEd had already made in its Deferred Prosecution Agreement with U.S. Attorney John Lausch. ComEd’s admissions strongly implicated all of the Defendants. The Complaint puts particular emphasis on ComEd’s admission that it profited from the bribery scheme in excess of $150 million.
Because ComEd admitted the over $150 million bonanza and because the RICO statute specifically includes a treble damages award to punish racketeers, Attorney Patrick Giordano said that ComEd should carefully consider this choice: “Pay back the $150 million to ratepayers now or pay a joint and several $450 million judgment down the road.”
This case is not these lawyers’ first battle with ComEd. Attorney Patrick Giordano has 40 years of experience in litigation against ComEd and has won over $3 billion in refunds and rate reductions for consumers. Paul Neilan has twenty years of experience litigating against ComEd, including a 2013 lawsuit in Cook County challenging one of the very statutes, the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (“EIMA”), which we now know was procured through a bribery scheme. Mr. Chanen was co-counsel with Mr. Neilan in that case, Hawkins v. Commonwealth Edison Company, 2015 IL App (1st) 133678.
Mr. Neilan summed up matters this way: “Back then, our clients were the lone wolves crying foul. We knew that EIMA was bad for the ratepayers and obliterated any true regulation of ComEd as a utility. We also knew that Speaker Madigan had crammed the legislation through the General Assembly – we just didn’t know then that he did so as payback for numerous bribes ComEd had paid to his associates. But we know it now.”
“We apologize for the past conduct that did not live up to our values and have made significant improvements to our compliance practices to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again,” said ComEd Vice President of Communications Paul Elsberg. “The improper conduct described in the deferred prosecution agreement, however, does not mean that consumers were harmed by the legislation that was passed in Illinois.”
“The DPA makes no such allegations, and in fact the bipartisan legislation resulted in substantial benefits for ComEd’s customers, including 70 percent improved reliability since 2012 and billions of dollars in savings for customers, while residential customers’ bills are lower than they were nearly a decade ago and ComEd recently requested a third delivery rate decrease in a row, its fifth in 10 years,” Elsberg said. “ComEd has made some of the largest improvements in service at the best value of any utility serving a U.S. major metro area. This in no way excuses the conduct described in the DPA, but that is a distinct issue from the effect of the legislation for ComEd’s customers.”
“We filed our civil RICO case now to protect Illinois ratepayers from further damage by Michael Madigan – in both his capacity as Speaker and as Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois – and also to get our clients back the damages they have suffered from ComEd’s and Madigan’s bribery scheme,” said attorney Stuart Chanen.
* After weeks of prodding, HFS finally released the racial data for Medicaid managed care providers. And the results are not pretty. Press release…
State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, is calling on Illinois Medicaid providers to face consequences for failing to meet fair contracting goals for businesses owned by racial and ethnic minorities and women.
“As the largest health insurance program in Illinois, Medicaid offers the ability for the state and its health care partners to demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion in contracting for services,” Welch said. “Unfortunately, most providers in the Illinois Medicaid program have failed to meet fair contracting goals. This failure is a disservice to the patients served by Medicaid, the health care professionals that serve those patients, and all the people of Illinois.”
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) recently released fair contracting data for Illinois Medicaid providers after a request by Welch. The six Medicaid providers for the state, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, CountyCare, IlliniCare, Meridian, Molina, and Next Level, met just 52% of their combined fair contracting goal. Only one of the six providers, IlliniCare, met or exceeded fair contracting goals. Without the inclusion of IlliniCare, the other five providers met less than 40% of their combined fair contracting goals.
Welch is demanding that HFS explore penalties against Medicaid providers for failing to meet fair contracting goals. Penalties could include clawing back money paid to the providers, fining the providers, or banning them from doing business with the state.
“Economic justice is a critical aspect of racial justice and the goal of fair contracting standards is to advance economic justice. Unfortunately, most health care providers in Medicaid are failing to meet fair contracting goals and failing to meet the urgent need for economic and racial justice,” Welch said. “The health care providers that have failed to meet contracting goals for Medicaid need to face consequences for their lack of commitment to economic justice and fair contracting.”
CountyCare is run by Cook County. I cannot imagine how President Preckwinkle justifies those numbers. An $18.8 million goal and Black-owned businesses make up less than a million bucks?
And does it look to you like Molina is even trying?
This is not some new program that was foisted on companies a few months ago. HFS needs to crack down hard on managed care groups that don’t or won’t live up to statutory expectations. And the maximum allowable $100,000 fines will be just a drop in the bucket. I mean, that’s equivalent to the cost of maybe one employee.
Our politicians like to talk a lot about our state’s diversity, yet the state can’t even meet smallish goals on huge multi-billion-dollar programs. It’s just downright shameful.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker was joined by several medical experts Sunday afternoon to urge Illinoisans to mask up and help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
At a news conference at Northwestern’s Prentice Hospital, Pritzker called mask requirements and physical distancing during a pandemic “common sense,” noting the majority of Americans support a mask mandate, and that health professionals with whom he has spoken all count masking and distancing among the most effective ways to slow the virus’s spread.
“In the last few months, research has evolved from the early days of the coronavirus, when it was shown that wearing masks protected others you’re with,” Pritzker said. “Now, study after study after study has shown us that if you wear a mask, it protects you too.”
Pritzker said having rules requiring masks and proper social distancing makes “common sense.” But his new rule changes were met with some opposition.
The Illinois Retail Association on Friday issued a statement, saying Pritzker should focus on the customers who refuse to wear a mask rather than “demonize innocent businesses.” In the political realm, Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin on Friday called on Pritzker to “abandon his mask rule” and work with legislature on the issue.
On Sunday, Pritzker said a public health crisis shouldn’t be politicized.
“The worst possible outcome for public health right now is to turn this into political football,” he said. “There’s an unfortunate tendency in our politics these days to dig in your heels in a debate — but our actions in a public health crisis should be inspired not by elected officials, but by the scientists and doctors and researchers who know this stuff firsthand.”
Pritzker’s comments come as the state continues to face an increase in coronavirus cases, with nearly 1,400 more cases reported Sunday alone. The state’s 7-day rolling positivity rate currently sits at 4.1%, which is significantly lower than it was at the peak of the pandemic, but is much higher than it was at the metric’s low-point in June.
The governor says that the new rules on enforcement actions are designed not to punish violators, but to encourage them to adhere to rules that many businesses and individuals are following across the state.
“We’re doing this for the businesses that are following the rules while their competitors flout them,” he said. “We’re doing this for the people who have to work in the stores where their bosses won’t enforce public health rules, thereby putting their lives and health at risk.”
* Some press releases issued yesterday. From Illinois State Medical Society President Robert W. Panton…
I was proud to stand with Governor Pritzker today to demonstrate the Illinois State Medical Society’s support for widespread public mask use. It is incredibly important that Illinoisans take mask use seriously. Our state can’t bring any semblance of normal back if our COVID-19 infection rates continue to increase. Illinois is in real danger of a major setback and the likely reintroduction of more restrictions. Businesses will suffer because the economy will continue to struggle if the pandemic is not contained. Not to mention the unnecessary suffering and deaths that this virus brings with it.
The simple action of mask use will make a huge difference. To those of you wearing masks and social distancing. Good job! To those of you choosing not to wear a face covering, listen to your doctor. Wear a mask.
* A.J. Wilhelmi, President & CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association…
The Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) and the hospital community strongly support the Governor and IDPH in taking this decisive action – based on public health and science – to protect Illinoisans against a rapidly spreading, deadly pandemic. Numerous studies demonstrate that face coverings are highly effective in slowing the spread of the coronavirus, which is critically important now as communities across the state are seeing troubling increases in new COVID-19 cases. We respectfully urge the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to allow the emergency rules on face coverings to move forward to help ensure the health and safety of students and teachers, employees and customers, healthcare professionals who are on the frontlines providing lifesaving care, and our loved ones and neighbors.
* George N. Miller, board member of the Illinois Association of Safety Net Community Hospitals (ASNCH) and President and CEO of The Loretto Hospital…
As safety-net hospitals, we have seen firsthand the devastating effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on some of the vulnerable communities in our state, disproportionately affecting low-income and minority populations. The toll this pandemic has taken on safety net healthcare providers has never been more evident, exhausting what limited resources and scarce reserves they have to help provide care and services to an overwhelming number of patients. The time has come and passed for there to be policies put in place to help protect people from further exposure and provide consequences for those who knowingly disregard them, putting everyone around them at risk.
We stand in support of the governor’s proposed rules requiring face coverings for businesses, schools, and childcare providers. It is up to our elected leaders to make the decisions needed to help stop the spread of COVID-19, and while they are never easy, they are now more than necessary. Black and brown communities have unfairly suffered the brunt of this pandemic since the beginning, with a loss of life and economic activity that will take years to recover from. These proposed rules are a more than reasonable step to help lower the transmission of this virus and ultimately help halt the pandemic that has devastated the communities we serve.
* Illinois Public Health Association…
On behalf of the 88 certified local health departments our association represents, we stand in support of these emergency rules proposed by the governor to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of the public. The last few days have shown an alarming increase of COVID-19 cases, and it’s clear that in order to protect the safety and wellness of our communities, something must be done to enforce the needed precautions to help save lives. Leadership in these uncertain times requires tough decisions that are rooted in fact and science to help slow the spread of this pandemic, and those who knowingly put others at risk of exposure must be held accountable.
These proposed rules allow for multiple opportunities and flexibility to help businesses and others come into compliance. As frontline defenders of the public’s health, we have a responsibility to support initiatives that are proven to help prevent the spread of this virus, and we believe these proposed rules are a measured and necessary step to reduce future transmission of coronavirus and ultimately save many lives across our state. It is incumbent on all of us to do our part to keep Illinois citizens safe. We implore the public to voluntarily comply with these emergency rules in order to combat the spread of COVID-19.
* Chicago is not a member of the state public health association, but the city’s public health commissioner, Dr. Allison Arwady, released this statement yesterday…
Wearing masks and practicing proper social distancing are absolutely vital to containing the spread of this virus. We have seen a recent uptick in cases so need everyone to continue to follow this and other health guidance as the response to COVID-19 continues.
On p. 22 of its new Credit Outlook released today (attached), Moody’s notes last week an appellate court for the State of Illinois (rated Baa3/negative outlook) reversed a lower court’s dismissal of a case challenging approximately $14 billion in outstanding general obligation (GO) debt for non-capital needs. The ruling is credit negative for the state because it prolongs a legal challenge that, while unlikely to prevail, carries severe risk and limits the state’s financial options at a time when the coronavirus pandemic is weighing on revenue. A court-ordered debt service disruption would harm bondholders and other parties, as well as the state’s capital market access.
Nothing in the appellate court opinion signals support for the plaintiff’s stated goal of forcing the state to stop paying debt service on bonds still outstanding from a $10 billion pension issue in 2003 and a $6 billion payment backlog financing issue in 2017. The state’s debt also includes $13 billion of GO bonds for capital projects and another $1.2 billion of one-year GO notes issued under state law allowing borrowing for unexpected deficits. We still view an ultimate ruling in favor of the plaintiff as highly unlikely, in view of the state’s constitutional power to borrow for statutorily defined needs.
An appellate court ruling at this stage supporting the lower court (and dismissing the case) could have settled questions on the state’s ability to use statutorily authorized debt for pension or bill-payment purposes and potentially alleviated some of the investor concern that has driven up Illinois’ borrowing costs compared with other issuers. The state’s fiscal year 2021 (ending June 30, 2021) general fund budget includes the potential issuance of about $1.3 billion in additional backlog bonds, which could provide a cushion if budget pressures intensify in the fiscal year’s second half. The existence of litigation against the backlog bonds would likely keep the state from using this option even if voters in November defeat a proposal to allow the state to raise revenue by imposing a progressive income tax.
Moody’s declaration of “credit positive” or “credit negative” does not connote a rating or outlook change. It is indicative of the impact of a distinct event or development as one of many credit factors affecting the issuer.
Trump announced an executive order Saturday that extends additional unemployment payments of up to $400 a week to help cushion the economic fallout of the pandemic. Congress had approved payments of $600 a week at the outset of the coronavirus outbreak, but those benefits expired Aug. 1 and Congress has been unable to agree on an extension. Many Republicans have expressed concern that a $600 weekly benefit, on top of existing state benefits, gives people an incentive to stay unemployed.
But under Trump’s plan, the $400 a week requires a state to commit to providing $100.
Many states are already facing budget crunches caused by the pandemic. Asked at a news conference how many governors had signed on to participate, Trump answered: “If they don’t, they don’t. That’s up to them.”
Trump expressed a different view on Sunday night, following a day of state officials questioning how they could afford even $100 per person in additional weekly payments. He told reporters as he returned to Washington that states could make application to have the federal government provide all or part of the $400 payments. Decisions would be made state by state, he said.
Because Congress has not authorized an extension of extra federal unemployment assistance, the state will have to set up an entirely new system to deliver the additional aid.
“The state has to enter an agreement saying not only can they pay the benefit, but that they have some ability to administer the benefit,” said Michelle Evermore, an unemployment expert at the National Employment Law Project.
Building a brand new program could take states months to accomplish, Evermore said. She added Trump needed to do it this way because “in order for states to administer a benefit it has to be authorized by Congress, so they can’t use their administrative systems to pay a benefit that hasn’t been authorized by Congress.”
Few will be helped. Evermore, one of the nation’s leading experts on unemployment, told CNN she considered the chances of this effort helping many of the newly unemployed due to Covid-19 “low.”
Lastly, according to the memorandum, an individual can only receive the $300 federal benefit if he or she first qualifies for $100 in aid from their state. Evermore said this will cut out a large group of people. “There are so many problems with people getting a benefit under this,” she said.
* Statement from Gov. JB Pritzker…
Serious problems require serious leadership, which is why it’s a shame Donald Trump is in the White House. The President needs to do what’s right and work with Congress to pass a comprehensive aid package that supports working families instead of legally questionable theatrics.
“I need to be able to look myself in the mirror every day,” was how Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) explained to me recently why she decided to call for House Speaker Michael Madigan’s resignation.
“More importantly,” the freshman suburban Democrat said, “I had to look at my daughters and remind them what it means to do what’s right.”
Costa Howard said she didn’t take a poll before making her decision. “My data collection is what I hear when I talk to people, the emails I receive, the comments that are on my Facebook pages. That speaks volumes,” she said. “I live in a community where I am out publicly all the time, so I talk to people all the time.” And they have all been giving her an earful about Madigan.
“There are people who are unhappy that I stepped out on this,” she said when pressed. And some of those folks run labor unions. “We have labor unions who are upset. They’re disappointed that I would say anything.”
But she quickly pointed to her own pro-labor voting record, saying, “I’m not really sure how much more I can say about where I stand about unions. It’s incredible to me that anybody would question those values.”
She did, however, vote against the minimum wage hike, which was a major union priority last year — although Madigan himself has blocked or watered down several such pay increase proposals in the past.
Costa Howard also talked about a confrontation at a recent weekend event with a “buddy” who is also a “high-ranking labor person.”
“It got really ugly,” she said. “And the beauty of it was everybody around me went after him about it.”
“What I found to be so ironic was him having this whole conversation about power and, you know, keeping the working person” in power. “And I looked at him and I’m like, the only reason anybody has power is if somebody gave it to them. When you take that away, who are they? The emperor has no clothes in that situation, and people need to wake up and see that.”
That’s what I’ve been telling the “mushrooms” for years: You’re the ones who have all the power. Without you, Madigan has no majority. And no majority means no power. The entire caucus has revolved for decades around getting Madigan’s most vulnerable members re-elected, whether they agreed with those decisions or not. Vote your conscience and then make him go out and re-elect you, not the other way around.
They never listened.
While Costa Howard was quick to say she didn’t want to “make it sound like it’s all organized labor,” she did claim that she knows colleagues who “received calls from ‘certain groups’ to say, ‘Stand down, don’t expect us to financially support you if you [call on Madigan to resign].’ And I find that really troubling.”
And what about her colleagues? “Do I have colleagues who are upset because they may feel I put them on a hot seat? Well, I can’t control other peoples’ districts, I can only control myself and what’s best for me and my district and what the people of the state of Illinois are looking for with leaders.”
Costa Howard said she will not vote for Madigan if he runs again for House Speaker. But she said she won’t reject any money spent on her behalf by the state party he controls.
“I am the Democratic candidate for the 48th District. So, saying I’m not supposed to be supported by the Democratic Party is not fair. It’s my party, I represent the party and when individuals make contributions to the Democratic Party they expect it to be used on Democratic candidates, which I am one of.”
She did say, though, that she would refuse direct cash contributions from Speaker Madigan’s personal campaign committee.
And what about objections made by some of her colleagues that she and others have no plan for what happens after Madigan steps down? What should happen?
“Exactly what happened in the Senate,” when Senate President John Cullerton abruptly retired last year, she said. “There is a caucus, a conversation about who should step up to be speaker. They were able to do it in the Senate.”
Terra Costa Howard is genuinely liked by many of her colleagues and she hasn’t been a showboat who instinctively sought refuge with the knee-jerk anti-Madigan’s of the world. It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens to her in the coming weeks and months.
Subscribers have more details, but the Democratic Party of Illinois has continued spending on Costa Howard’s race.
Two people were shot, more than 100 people were arrested and 13 police officers were injured as crowds broke windows and looted stores along Michigan Avenue and on the Near North Side overnight and into Monday morning. […]
[Supt. David Brown] said “the seeds for the shameful destruction we saw last night” started with a police-involved shooting in Englewood Sunday afternoon. About 2:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of a man with a gun. He fled as they arrived, Brown said, and fired at officers. They returned fire, striking the man, who was taken to the University of Chicago Hospital and is expected to survive. The 20-year-old man had previously faced charges of domestic battery, reckless conduct and child endangerment, Brown said.
After the shooting, a crowd gathered in the area. “Tempers flared, fueled by misinformation,” Brown said. Shortly after that, police became aware of “several social media posts” about looting planned downtown. He said the department reacted by deploying 400 officers to the downtown area. […]
The first looting incident, Brown said, was at 87th Street and the Dan Ryan Expressway, but “soon, car caravans were headed into the Loop” to begin looting.
* This sounds a lot like what happened the last time…
Witnesses said the looting appeared to be a coordinated effort with multiple cars dropping off groups of people, who then smash-and-grab merchandise in the store, and take off running in opposite directions before police can respond to each incident.
The looting began shortly after midnight as people darted through broken store windows and doors along Michigan Avenue carrying shopping bags full of merchandise. Cars dropped off more people as the crowd grew. At least one U-Haul van was seen pulling up. […]
The looting seemed to be centered in Streeterville and North Michigan Avenue, but some looting was reported on State Street in the Loop and on the Near North Side. By 4 a.m. police appeared to be getting things under control.
But some vandalism continued into the daylight hours, and the CTA suspended train and bus service into downtown during the morning rush, while the Illinois state police blocked off ramps from expressways. Bridges across the Chicago River were raised, except for the one on LaSalle Street for emergency vehicles.
