* The governor signed a bunch more bills this afternoon. Click here.
* My niece Isabel Miller is graduating this weekend from Northwestern University’s Medill Graduate School of Journalism. This pic is from ten years ago…
Izzie don’t take no guff, but she’s sweet as can be, a hard worker and smart as heck. Y’all will be finding out more about her in the coming weeks.
* You’ll recall that Gov. Pritzker gave the Democratic Party of Illinois $500,000 not long ago. I told subscribers on Monday about the first mailer (here and here). And this is their second mailer to Republicans…
As somebody noted in comments earlier, if this was mailed during the general election, the Dems would call him “100% anti-abortion” or “100% anti-choice,” not “100% pro-life.”
‘Tis a weird year, campers.
…Adding… From comments on a different thread…
I have to agree with Oswego Willy.
Richard Irvin and Avery Bourne are arguing that fundamentally, Bailey and the GOP are too conservative to govern.
Irvin is making the same argument that the DGA ads are making now, that Bailey is too Conservative for Illinois, and that is a real head scratcher.
On the one hand you say DGA ads are killing you, but now you are repeating them?
Also, I am gonna trust that OW knows that of which he speaks, but I can [tell] you that in a Democratic primary, when you complain that your opponent is too liberal, the liberals turn out for them in massive numbers…just ask John Fetterman.
Finally, if Bailey is too conservative, why is Avery Bourne on the ticket?
If Bailey has any sense, he is going back to the same message “This is a battle for the heart and soul of the GOP, and it’s pretty clear that the real Richard Irvin hates conservatives.”
A bill signed into law last month may provide a much-needed reprieve for Illinois’ rural counties. The law, spearheaded by Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, will provide financial relief to physician’s assistants and advance practice nurses who work in rural areas around the state.
Rural areas, defined as communities and locations that aren’t part of a city, face a challenge in health care access.
While large urban counties have 87.1 primary care physicians per 100,000 people, Illinois’ 62 rural counties have 45.5 primary care physicians, according to a 2018 report from the Illinois Rural Health Summit, a project of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
“The fact is that if you look at health care statistics, we have some third world health care statistics in this country,” said Charles James, Illinois Rural Health Association president.
* Governor’s press office…
Governor Pritzker today signed Senate Bill 3617, omnibus legislation aimed at addressing the shortage of mental health professionals in Illinois and increasing access to high-quality mental health services across the State. The bill temporarily allows professional licensees out of practice for less than five years to reactivate their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The bill also seeks to expand behavioral health training, incentivizes the hiring of individuals in recovery from substance use disorder or mental illness, and makes it easier for advanced practice registered nurses to treat patients.
“We need a mental healthcare workforce that is robust enough to get people help when they need it—not after months on a waiting list,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am proud to sign this mental health omnibus bill—training, expanding, and diversifying our behavioral health workforce—into law. This legislation invests in mental health infrastructure—and that infrastructure is people. Our therapists. Our social workers. Our crisis counselors. There is nothing more important than investing in the people who support the health and wellbeing of Illinoisans.”
The Mental Health Omnibus legislation builds on the Pritzker administration’s commitment to improving access to critical behavioral health services across Illinois, demonstrated by efforts that include expanding telehealth parity from emergency to permanent, as well as the recent appointments of state Behavioral Health Officer David Jones and Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative Director Dana Weiner. The FY23 state budget, which takes effect July 1, 2022, includes a significant investment in mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services that aim to increase access to the behavioral health system in every region of the state.
The legislation removes barriers to those wishing to re-enter the mental health workforce, such as continuing education credit completion, passing additional examinations, and fee payments. Former license holder must be in good standing to have their licenses reactivated. Mental health professionals out of practice for less than five years may restore their license with IDFPR only once without providing more information to the Department.
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic caused a spike in the need for mental and emotional support across the nation, BIPOC and rural communities faced greater disparities in accessing mental health care. Our administration has always been, and will always be, committed to fighting disparities and putting people first,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “And this legislation does that. Illinois is not only increasing the workforce in the mental and behavioral health field but expanding pathways for diverse, passionate, and qualified individuals to make a difference in their communities—especially ones that have historically been underserved and under-resourced.”
In addition, the measure enables advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to conduct any required psychiatric visits to patients in Special Mental Health Rehabilitation Facilities, in addition to physicians.
The Recovery and Mental Health Tax Credit is also created under SB 3617, which creates a program to provide tax incentives to qualified employers who employ eligible individuals who are in recovery from a substance use disorder or mental illness. IDHS will work with the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) to verify tax credit certificates issued to employers.
Additionally, the bill allows the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Mental Health to award grants or contracts to enhance training and supervision of behavioral health providers-in-training seeking licensure in specified fields. IDHS will oversee the application process; grants are subject to appropriations. Additionally, a 15-member Advisory Council will be established to advise DHS, examining mental illness and substance use disorder impacts on employment opportunities within minority communities.
* Sen. Simmons…
To make it easier for people to access HIV preventative care, State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) championed a recently signed law to allow pharmacists to provide HIV tests and preventative medications to help reduce new HIV infections.
Simmons’ law will allow pharmacists to dispense and administer drugs, order laboratory tests, and consult individuals on HIV pre-exposure drugs and post-exposure drugs. Pharmacists will first have to complete an educational training course on the administration of tests and medications prior to being permitted to assist patients.
“This law will effectively cut down on wait times and provide life-saving care to thousands of Illinoisans,” Simmons said. “Doing so will especially help reduce new HIV infections among cisgender Black women, LGBTQ+ people, Latinos, and those who lack health insurance.”
Under the previous law, pharmacists in Illinois were not permitted to consult or assess individuals on HIV infections. Pharmacists were also not permitted to administer or dispense preventative medications without a prescription from a health care provider.
“Far too many people in Illinois lack regular access to a doctor,” Simmons said. “Increasing access to these medications through community-based pharmacies will save lives.”
It is believed this law will help reduce new HIV cases by up to 90% by 2030, according to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Biomedical solutions PrEP and PEP medications are up to 99% effective in preventing HIV when taken as prescribed, according to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
House Bill 4430 was signed into law on Friday and takes effect immediately.
* Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease…
Governor JB Pritzker has signed into law legislation aimed at protecting senior citizens and other at-risks residents in Illinois from waterborne illnesses by requiring water utilities to notify healthcare and senior living facilities of water supply disruptions that could lead to water quality and microbial risks, such as legionella and other pathogens.
While water systems are generally well-managed, disruptions caused by water main breaks, flooding, construction, changes in water treatment, pressure and flow changes can dislodge biofilm in the distribution systems and release bacteria and contaminants downstream to high-risk populations. In required CDC reporting, Illinois typically reports 300 to 500 cases of Legionnaires’ disease annually.
Notifications from water utilities of disruptions as required under HB 4988 helps healthcare facilities to manage the water they receive and protect their occupants from waterborne bacteria such as legionella and other contaminants.
“This legislation is a great step forward in recognizing the need for a comprehensive and proactive approach to preventing Legionnaire’s Disease,” said Brad Considine, the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease Director of Strategic Initiatives.
“With the Illinois EPA’s recent updated utility water supply management guidelines, Illinois has positioned the state as a national leader in proactive water management and true prevention of legionnaires’ disease. The new law just signed by Governor Pritzker recognizes that disruptions in water systems can create greater risks from waterborne contagions and it creates an environment where water managers are communicating more closely with healthcare facilities to protect patients and residents.
“It is not the final solution to Legionnaire’s Disease prevention, but it is a significant step forward.”
House Bill 4988 has been signed in law as Public Act 102-0960.
The state’s former public health director – a well-regarded advisor to Gov. J.B. Pritzker during the COVID-19 crisis – is under investigation by a state ethics agency for taking a CEO job at a medical non-profit overseen and funded by the state agency she led.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, a steady, reassuring figure alongside Pritzker during pandemic news conferences, stepped down from her $178,000-per-year state post in March. In April, she accepted an offer to lead Sinai Health System — one of the state’s top medical nonprofits.
The Illinois Ethics Act requires department heads like Ezike to wait a year before accepting positions with companies that hold contracts overseen by their departments, or with companies their departments license or regulate. And while in office they cannot engage in job negotiations with companies that lobby their agencies.
The law is designed to prevent the cozy revolving door between state officials and the companies their agencies fund and regulate.
The Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General opened an ethics investigation of Ezike amid inquiries by the Better Government Association.
Contacted by telephone, Ezike — once a fixture in daily media — declined to be interviewed. Instead she said the BGA would get a call from her attorney. “Let me have your contact information and I can have them reach out to you,” Ezike said.
One of her attorneys told the BGA Ezike’s new position was not subject to the state’s revolving door law because the more than $2 million in grant agreements Ezike signed with Sinai were not “contracts.’’
“I do not believe Dr. Ezike violated the revolving door,” said Heather Wier Vaught. “From a legal perspective, it’s not clear cut. That’s part of the problem with Illinois’ law. The revolving door law is not clear cut. It’s very gray.”
Let me begin by saying Dr. Ezike has been a phenomenal public servant. She truly saved lives. You all, I think, understand that. She has been a leader who has helped Illinois become a leader at vaccinating people and making sure that we had testing available, keeping people healthy. That story that you’re referring to about her indicates that there’s a debate about this provision that they’re looking at. And all I can tell you is Dr. Ezike left the Department of Public Health, not to take some big-time job at a major corporation pharmaceutical or otherwise, she went to a safety net hospital doing, yet again, more public service. So I want you to know, I believe now as I have throughout her tenure, that she’s one of the great public servants that we’ve had in Illinois, proud of her and I know, they’ll get through this, you know, look at all of whatever’s necessary. But I want to be clear, she is somebody who is always trying to do the right thing.
Aurora officials are pleased that Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed a bill which will limit how local and state police can cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
In a statement Monday, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said he was pleased to see the bill become law. He noted that Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman was at the bill signing ceremony.
“Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman and I joined with other leaders throughout the state to support this bill and encouraged the governor to sign it into law,” Irvin said in the statement. “It is the right, just and fair thing to do.
“The Illinois TRUST Act will forbid local police from holding people for immigration purposes without court-ordered warrants,” Irvin said in the statement. “It forbids local police from stopping, searching or arresting anyone based on their immigration or citizenship status. If someone is going to be detained in Illinois, it should be because an actual crime has occurred, not because of how they look, what they believe or what paperwork they may or may not have.”
By the way, Irvin is having a press conference this afternoon at 1:30 pm with AG Candidate Steve Kim, SoS candidate John Milhiser and law enforcement folks. Click here to watch it.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The governor was asked today about Irvin’s claim that a vote for Bailey is a vote for Pritzker…
Well, it’s a ridiculous statement. The idea of equating the most conservative person on the Republican side with me. I’m a Democrat. I believe in the values of the Democratic Party. He’s a right-wing conservative. He’s anti choice. I’m pro choice. He’s pro Trump. I clearly have not been an ally of former President Trump. And so there’s just no equating the two.
Oh, please.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Irvin’s running mate Rep. Avery Bourne just repeated the line today during the above-mentioned press conference.
Q: Why do you think your message hasn’t resonated with primary voters, and what will you do over the next few weeks to try and win them over?
A: Let me be clear, a vote for Darren Bailey is a vote for JB Pritzker. Let me say that one more time: A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote for JB Pritzker. You know we’ve got two and a half weeks left in this campaign. So that’s it’s a lifetime in politics. And I’m confident that my team will continue to get our message out and it will resonate because as I drive around the state I hear the same thing. People concerned that under JB Pritzker crime is out of control, taxes and wasteful spending is out of control. Corruption is out of control. And they want somebody to address it head on. That person is me, the Irvin-Bourne team. That’s my record. That’s my record as a prosecutor. That’s my record as mayor of the second largest city in the state of Illinois. Getting things done, reducing crime by supporting our men and women in blue, reducing property taxes every single year, by expanding our tax base and attracting new businesses and new residents and fighting against that Madigan Pritzker corruption that’s plagued our state for decades. Look, you know, as we work to make sure we get our message across and we’ve changed our plan you know, how we’re gonna get our message message across over the over the next couple of weeks, you know, as we look to cross that finish line first on June 28. You know, it’s necessary for us to reassess, just like all the other campaigns are changing their message. But let me tell you who’s not changing and who’s not reassessing. That’s JB Pritzker. JB Pritzker has spent, is on track to spend over $35 million in a Republican primary. A Democrat, a Democrat meddling in the Republican primary with negative campaign ads against me. 10s of millions of dollars to take me down and prop up Darren Baley. So you got to ask the question. Why is he doing? Why is he spending 10s of million dollars in negative ads against me? Because he doesn’t want to face me in the general election. That’s exactly why he’s doing it. And why is he spending just as much money to prop Darren Bailey up? Because he’s trying to choose the Republican candidate that he faces in the general, one that he knows he can beat. I’ll say it again. A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote to reelect JB Pritzker.
Q: Mayor Irvin, do you trust the poll numbers are showing or is your polling showing something different.
A: Look a poll is a snapshot in time. We’ve got two and a half weeks left. You know, polls will change you know daily. But as I said, we’re going to continue to send out our message. We’ve got we’ve just in this last week alone, we’ve had 200,000 calls and texts out to residents of Illinois. We’re on track to knock on 30,000 doors in central and southern Illinois. We’re gonna get our message out, you know, we’re gonna get it out strong and make sure people hear our message. But again, I can’t say this enough. This is JB Pritzker spending 10s of millions of dollars meddling in the Republican primary to prop up a Republican thaet knows he can beat. A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote for JB Pritzker. Period. […]
Q: Why do you need to reassess?
A: Again, as I said, over the next couple days we’ll change just like all the other campaigns have changed. I’ll say this one more time. What hasn’t changed is JB Pritzker’s position to spend 10s of millions of dollars in the Republican primary meddling in the Republican primary to take me down, to take our team down because he knows that if we face him in the general we will beat him. So he’s propping up a candidate and Darren Bailey that he knows he can be a vote for. A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote to reelect JB Pritzker.
He ran a ton of TV ads attacking Pritzker almost from the get-go. He should have known that Pritzker wouldn’t allow those attacks to go unanswered. I mean, OK, Pritzker would’ve undoubtedly jumped in anyway, but just sayin.
A newly unsealed search warrant in the ComEd bribery probe centered on former House Speaker Michael Madigan provides the greatest detail yet about an alleged behind-the-scenes effort to kill an energy bill supported by Madigan’s daughter, the then-Illinois attorney general.
“We got — we’ve gotta kill it. Period,” Madigan’s longtime confidant, Michael McClain, allegedly told ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore in a recorded call in May 2018. “The problem is, any day now, the budget is gonna suck all the oxygen out of the building … and the members won’t be paying any attention to our lobbyists … and Lisa Madigan’s gonna walk in and say, ‘This is my legacy legislation, please vote for me.’ ” […]
As Attorney General Madigan negotiated with ComEd, prosecutors alleged in the ex-speaker’s indictment, her father was trying to get the utility to OK two deals for his political allies: Have Juan Ochoa, former chief of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, named to the utility’s board of directors, and get a $5,000-a-month contract for former Chicago Ald. Michael Zalewski, 23rd.
The speaker eventually got what he wanted: Paramaggiore got Ochoa appointed to the board following Madigan’s persistence, and Zalewski was also signed up, according to the charges.
And the bill Lisa Madigan supported stalled in the House.
Amid the alleged bribery scheme that led to ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s indictment, the feds say his close ally Michael McClain made a phone call and complained to a previously unidentified person about someone “offended when people ask for favors.”
Now, a newly unsealed FBI affidavit has for the first time named the person on the other end of that 2018 phone call — Andrew Madigan, the former speaker’s son. […]
The call in question occurred May 23, 2018. Earlier in the day, McClain had called Marquez, who said someone from another public utility company had complained about being pushed “really hard” to apparently hire someone, according to the affidavit. […]
Marquez told McClain that he told the person who had complained that “maybe one day you’ll have an ask and this will be remembered.”
McClain later called Andrew Madigan at 5:09 p.m., according to the affidavit. It said McClain shared his earlier conversation with Marquez. Andrew Madigan allegedly said, “Okay” and “Oh good, yeah.” McClain said Marquez told the person, “That’s what happens when you do, when you’re in this game. And you never know maybe someday you can ask for a favor.”
An FBI special agent took that as a reference to “pay-to-play.”
* A Darren Bailey campaign official told me today that the candidate and his running mate are making bus stops in every county in the next two weeks. Either Bailey or Stephanie Trussell or both will stop in all 102 counties, they claim.
Also hearing lots of chatter that former president Donald Trump’s operation is considering the Adams County fairgrounds for a late June event. So far, the only non-Trump focus of the possible event is US Rep. Mary Miller, who’s in a primary race against US Rep. Rodney Davis.
*** UPDATE *** Today…
Donald Trump told the House Freedom Caucus he's open to hosting a rally with Mary Miller in her member-on-member primary against Rodney Davis.
HFC members had pushed the former president to show further support for Miller, who belongs to the caucus. https://t.co/BXSdsTGdx4
* Meanwhile, here’s Decatur Tribune Editor Paul Osborne…
• Congressman Rodney Davis was at the Tribune one morning last week and we couldn’t help but reminisce about the first time we talked when he was running in the Republican Primary ten years ago. I remember Rodney telling me back then that, if he was fortunate enough to win election to Congress, he would always stay in touch. He has kept his promise and has always been willing to talk to me about any issue over the years. In fact, it is usually his office calling to see if I have some time, or some questions, to meet with him. That’s unusual in my long experience as a newspaper editor. Usually, the only time a candidate is available is when they are running for re-election.
• Rodney is running for election in the 15th IL District, against Congresswoman Mary Miller. Like the Macon County Sheriff’s race, the Republican Primary winner in the 15th is the same as being the winner of the General Election in November. While Rodney has always been available, Mary Miller has been almost invisible in Decatur and Macon County. I’m not sure why. Although I’ve received several news releases from her campaign, I have not talked with her, or even met her, which is highly unusual in my decades of experience in writing about candidates for office.
I have contacted one of her district offices and her office in D.C. and was finally told to send an email to her communications person, which I have done but have not yet received a reply. Other reporters I know have mentioned to me that Miller is a difficult interview to land. She has also never appeared (at least as I am writing this column) on my friend Brian Byers’ WSOY Byers & Co. program, which always has an open mike to candidates regardless of their views or party affiliation.
Hopefully, Miller will open up the lines of direct communication soon, because the primary election is less than three weeks away.
* In other news…
Great News! The City of Aurora has notified us that our permit for Sunday has been reinstated. The Aurora Pride Parade is on. We look forward to welcoming everyone on Sunday morning.
An effort to add a Workers’ Rights Amendment to the Illinois Constitution has received $4.7 million in donations. The proposal says employees have a fundamental right to organize and bargain collectively about wages, hours, and working conditions. Among the big donations: $1 million each from Liuna Chicago, International Union of Operating Engineers, and Fight Back Fund, which advocates for union families. In a statement, IUOE Local 150 President and Business Manager James M. Sweeney said: “Illinois workers have had enough of politicians in Springfield playing games with our livelihoods. The Workers’ Rights Amendment will ensure that workers have a voice.” Full list of donations. […]
Alexi Giannoulias is reporting nearly $637,000 today, including $250,000 from SEIU Illinois Council, $150,000 from Liuna, $59,900 from the Plumbers and Pipefitters union, $25,000 from UFCW 881, $25,000 from Chicago attorney Bob Clifford, and $10,000 from Grosvenor’s Paul Meister. […]
In a Chicago Tribune story published yesterday, Secretary of State Candidate John Milhiser lays out exactly why the last thing Illinois needs is another career politician as Secretary of State.
From the Tribune:
“Instead, he emphasized a need to “restore faith in government,” something he said he learned was needed, in part, from his most recent job teaching at the Lawrence Education Center in Springfield.
“What that has taught me is that students don’t trust government,” Milhiser said. “They think everybody’s corrupt. They read the headlines.”
…“When you look at the Democrats’ side with the two front-runners, Anna and Alexi, who are pointing fingers at each other, arguing who’s less ethical for the position … we don’t need a secretary of state coming in with this cloud of ethical concerns,” Milhiser said.
Milhiser is a career prosecutor with experience overseeing a large office covering 46 counties in Illinois. He has prosecuted public corruption, Republicans and Democrats, across Illinois including a case involving an employee of the Secretary of State’s office. Milhiser knows what to look for when it comes to cleaning up state government.
More career politicians won’t solve the problems in Illinois’s state government. A career prosecutor will.
* CD1…
Democratic candidate for the 1st Congressional District, State Senator Jacqui Collins, announced new endorsements today from the following elected officials:
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, (D-Peoria)
Rep. Latoya Greenwood, (D-East St. Louis)
Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, (D-Chicago)
Rep. Camille Lilly, (D-Chicago)
Rep. Anna Moeller, (D-Elgin)
Iris Martinez, Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court
“I’m running for Congress to be the first Congresswoman in the 1st Congressional District, and I’m grateful to my fellow female colleagues for their support,” said State Senator Jacqui Collins (D-Chicago). At a time when our rights as women are facing existential threat, it’s more important than ever that we continue to elect women to office with strong records of fighting for justice.”
…Adding… What in the world is this dude thinking?…
Enjoyed spending the evening with the Illinois Legislative Latinx Caucus in Little Village. Our Latinx community is a vital and vibrant part of what makes Chicago great, and it was a joy to be with these fantastic public servants. pic.twitter.com/qazRKziveh
A total of 32% of respondents said they’d vote for Bailey if the primary were held this past week. Only 17% chose Irvin. And the downstate lawmaker was beating Irvin not only on his own rural and small-town turf but also in the vast stretch of Chicago suburbs, where the Aurora mayor had been expected to do well. […]
But besides Bailey and Irvin, only Sullivan finished in the double digits in the poll, with 11%. Rabine had 6%; Schimpf — recipient of the Chicago Tribune’s endorsement — had 4%, and Solomon just 2%. The automated poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points, found 27% of respondents were still undecided. […]
Not surprisingly, Bailey appears to be carrying his home base, leading Irvin downstate 38% to 14%. But in an ominous turn for Irvin, Bailey was also ahead in the collar counties, 29% to 18%, and in suburban Cook County, 29% to 21%. Suburban Chicago had been believed to be an Irvin stronghold, and the Chicago television market is where Irvin had concentrated much of his ad buying. […]
The poll found that 44% considered the economy their top issue of concern. Crime and corruption came in second with 11% each, while taxes polled at 10%. Just 8% of those polled called abortion their top concern. […]
The poll found 52% of respondents said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who supported Trump, while 36% said it wouldn’t make a difference. Another 8% said they were less likely to vote for a candidate who supported the former president.
Crime is not the campaign issue some people think it is in a race like this. Go read the rest.
…Adding… DGA…
Richard Irvin, Ken Griffin’s $50 million candidate, has woken up to find his campaign in free fall with just under three weeks until the primary election. A game-changing poll by the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ shows State Senator Darren Bailey with a stunning 15-point lead over mega billionaire-backed Irvin.
This comes just as Irvin’s campaign pulls down ad coverage from the entire downstate media market where he has floundered to find a message that resonates with voters. Irvin even admitted he can’t be himself downstate. But ultra-conservative Bailey isn’t just leading downstate, he’s also pulled in Irvin’s own backyard, outpacing Irvin in the Chicago suburbs.
It’s no wonder his numbers are plummeting. Voters can see right through his constant flip-flopping and fence-sitting. With months and $50 million to take a stand on pertinent issues and claim ownership of his record, Irvin has done everything but.
Even with Griffin’s war chest, it seems Irvin has taken this race and Illinois voters for granted. The Irvin campaign is grasping at straws to reinvent a disingenuous candidate in the last leg of this race, but with early voting already underway, their failing strategy is likely unrectifiable.
“After months of dodging reporters and the public, the Irvin campaign is paying the price,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “The only candidate for governor prepared to represent all Illinoisans is JB Pritzker.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent with ties to key backers of Democratic congressional candidates Delia Ramirez and Jonathan Jackson, is endorsing them, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. […]
In a statement, Sanders said, “Ramirez has been a champion of working families in Illinois. As a state legislator, she has expanded Medicaid for all seniors regardless of legal status, has secured millions of dollars for affordable housing and defended reproductive rights by codifying Roe Vs Wade in Illinois. I am proud to endorse her campaign for Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District.”
🚨 NEW AD ALERT - The past two years, the PEOPLE have been paralyzed by FEAR and allowed J.B. Pritzker to rule as a KING. I'm running for Attorney General to Educate, Empower, and Equip the PEOPLE to take back their GOVERNMENT and restore the power where it belongs… within the hearts and minds of the PEOPLE of this great state. The time is NOW to restore the POWER to the PEOPLE and Law and Order to society.
With gas prices hitting record numbers in Illinois, local Republican lawmakers addressed the pain at the pump and potential solutions.
Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Darren Bailey held a press conference on the state’s soaring gas prices. He said one of the biggest issues is Illinois’ gas tax.
In 2019, the gas tax doubled and now sits at 39 cents per gallon. Bailey said the first step toward relief is cutting out the taxes that he said are exacerbating the problem.
* CD1…
Today, the New Democrat Coalition Action Fund announced its endorsement of Karin Norington-Reaves to represent Illinois’ 1st Congressional District. Karin announced her run following Rep. Bobby Rush’s decision to retire from the House of Representatives.
A third-generation Chicagoan with an unparalleled passion for workforce development and decades of experience as a law professor, advocate, and non-profit leader, Karin is uniquely qualified to represent the families in Illinois’ 1st District. She recognizes the potential of individuals and communities in Illinois and has dedicated her life to connecting Chicagoans with economic opportunities. Under Karin’s leadership as the CEO of the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, roughly 100,000 people have been placed in lasting careers. She will be a fierce advocate for Chicago workers, families, and businesses in Congress.
“Over her 30 year career as a public servant and change agent, Karin has demonstrated an unmatched commitment to creating economic opportunities for all Chicagoans,” said Congressman Brad Schneider, Chair of the NewDem Action Fund. “In Congress, Karin will be a strong voice for strengthening the middle class and ensuring every American can climb the economic ladder.”
“My life’s work has been to create jobs and connect people to pathways to economic empowerment, giving them the hope and opportunity to better themselves and care for their loved ones,” said Karin Norington-Reaves. “With innovative solutions and hard work, I’ve seen that these jobs create thriving, safer communities. Being endorsed by the NewDem Action Fund is recognition that my work is making a difference, and that my experience is needed in Congress. When I’m elected to office, I will continue supporting working families and finding new ways to support economic growth in the 1st District.”
The New Democrat Coalition is the largest ideological caucus amongst House Democrats, counting more than forty percent of the caucus as members. The 98 NewDems represent a central core of the Democratic Party and advocate within Congress, and the party as a whole, for innovative approaches and constructive solutions to move America forward. Formed by Members of the New Democrat Coalition, the NewDem Action Fund helps re-elect NewDems and elect new, like-minded leaders who can help develop a positive policy agenda and message.
The state chair for former President Donald Trump’s 2016 Illinois primary campaign is challenging a member of the state Republican leadership in the Illinois House in a battle of contrasting styles in the new 95th District.
Kent Gray, a local attorney who has served as a Republican operative, member of the Lincoln Land Community College board and member of the advance office in two separate presidential administrations, is challenging state Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, in the June 28 Republican primary in the newly redrawn district.
Gray is positioning himself as a more conservative, Trump-friendly option to Butler, who is a relatively moderate member of Republican leadership in the General Assembly.
Gray and Butler have known each other for 30 years, but the key difference between the two comes down to a fundamental matter in the modern Republican Party: to what extent should one support Donald Trump, in his prior, present and future roles in American society?
* CD1…
Alderman Greg Mitchell of Chicago’s 7th Ward is announcing his endorsement of Pat Dowell for Democratic Nomination for Congress in the First District of Illinois.
“Ald. Dowell and I share a vision for safe streets, quality schools, and economic development that ensures every community - especially those longest denied - thrives. I know she will be a workhorse in Congress to deliver resources to every corner of the district. It has been a pleasure to work with her on City Council to build coalitions and implement solutions that deliver real results for people. I look forward to continuing to work with her when she is in Congress,” said Mitchell, 7th Ward Alderman.
“Everyday Alderman Mitchell and I give voice to the residents of our wards. We have worked together to find solutions and then make sure those plans are turned into action,” said Ald. Pat Dowell, candidate for the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 1st Congressional District.
* More…
* GOP candidates for secretary of state offer contrasting messagesin bid for a post their party hasn’t held for more than two decades : In an interview, Milhiser offered few specifics about his vision for running the office, aside from improving technology and streamlining services for customers. Instead, he emphasized a need to “restore faith in government,” something he said he learned was needed, in part, from his most recent job teaching at the Lawrence Education Center in Springfield. … While praising White, Brady said the secretary of state’s office needs better computer systems and a greater focus on cybersecurity to more effectively prevent driver’s license or state ID data theft. With the secretary of state being Illinois’ official librarian, Brady has also talked about developing a better system for broadband Internet connectivity in libraries throughout the state, especially those in rural areas. He’s also called for more mobile driver’s services for senior citizens.
Disclosed campaign contributions made by his committee have so far totaled $1.37 million, almost all of that was contributed in the second quarter, which began April 1.
During the first quarter, Irvin reported spending about 85.5 percent of his expenditures on media placement. That means overhead was 14.5 percent, but it costs extra money to get things up and running.
* An ad buyer for a campaign not affiliated with any of the GOP candidates running for governor put together a detailed report for me detailing Richard Irvin’s media spending. I’m not allowed to post it, but here are the results…
* $1.705 million on social media (Facebook and YouTube);
* $27.048 million on thirty-second ads;
* $913K on sixty-second ads
* Grand Total: $29,665,712.67
That includes radio, but obviously doesn’t include mail. Irvin has spent a ton on mailers, including a recent 4-page newspaper. We got a glimpse at how much he was spending per mailer when his mail house in-kinded $152K for a mailer after failing to put the “Paid for by” on the original. My guess is he’s spent at least $3 million on mail, maybe more. We could say 5 just to be on the safe side, because some of those mailers were expensive because they were sent to a wide audience.
If he’s still spending about 14.5 percent on overhead, that’s $8 million or so, but I kinda doubt it’s that high. Say 5-7.
* So, that gives him somewhere around $7 to $9 million for the homestretch.
According to that buyer’s document, he spent about $3.6 million the last week of May on paid media. But then he spent $798,401.81 the first week of June.
Meanwhile, the other members of the “slate” have received very little money for their campaigns.
Governor JB Pritzker today signed the Family Bereavement Act, an amendment to the Child Bereavement Leave Act that expands leave time requirements to cover pregnancy loss, failed adoptions, unsuccessful reproductive procedures, and other diagnoses or events impacting pregnancy and fertility. SB3120 also mandates leave after the loss of family members previously not covered in the act. The bill was originally proposed and written by Kyra Jagodzinski, a sixteen-year-old volunteer for State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake).
“Illinoisans should have time to mourn and heal after an unimaginable loss like a miscarriage or stillbirth,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “There are no words to erase such immense grief, but today, we take action to ensure that our residents are given the support and grace they deserve. This bill would not have been possible without the advocacy of one of Senator Bush’s dedicated volunteers, Kyra Jagodzinski. Illinois is a better, more compassionate state because of your hard work.”
The Support Through Loss Act requires employers in the state to provide for two weeks of unpaid leave for employees who experience a miscarriage, an unsuccessful round of intrauterine insemination or other assisted reproductive procedure, a failed or non-finalized adoption match, a failed surrogacy agreement, a diagnosis affecting fertility, or a stillbirth. Employees can also utilize this time off to support a spouse or partner experiencing one of these losses.
The original Child Bereavement Leave Act, signed into law in 2016, allowed parents and guardians to take leave in the case of the loss of a biological or adopted child, a foster placement, or a stepchild. The amended act addresses the immense grief parents feel during pregnancy loss and failed adoptions, both of which are often under-recognized as traumatic events requiring time for recuperation and healing.
The act also requires employers to provide ten days of leave to employees attending the funeral of a covered family member, making arrangements necessitated by the death of a covered family member, or grieving the death of a covered family member. The bill expands the definition of a covered family member to include children, stepchildren, spouses, domestic partners, siblings, parents, parents-in-law, grandchildren, grandparents, or stepparents.
These provisions ensure employees across the state can take time to grieve before returning to work without fear of termination. The act also specifies that the employee does not have to identify which category of event they are taking leave for, even if they are required to provide documentation. The Department of Labor will provide forms for health care practitioners to verify the leave-inciting event without violating patient privacy.
“When we say we are one Illinois, we mean it. When an Illinois family faces the unspeakable grief of losing a loved one, we carry that sadness with them and we recognize there is no one definition of grief,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “By signing this legislation, Illinois is enacting compassionate policy that provides residents comfort and support for healing at a time when it is needed the most. I commend Kyra Jagodzinski for having the vision and the heart to be a caring advocate for others.”
“The emotional anguish suffered after a miscarriage or stillbirth is often debilitating,” said Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake). “Returning to work sooner than they’d like leaves little room for grief, mourning and healing. I am proud to have passed this law alongside the help of a passionate, young teen who saw the need for change and pushed to make it happen.”
“Over my life, I watched as my parents struggled with the loss of family, and saw people close to me struggle with fertility challenges and pregnancy loss,” said Kyra Jagodzinski. “As a 17-year-old, I did my best to comfort them but found a system that left them without support. The Act provides Illinois residents with time to grieve the loss of immediate family members and to-be family members. I am grateful to have worked with a leader in our legislature, Senator Melinda Bush, attorney Ashley Stead, Governor Pritzker, and the Illinois Legislature to support our communities in their time of need.”\
“Expanding bereavement leave to cover miscarriages, failed IVF procedures, failed adoptions, failed surrogacy agreements, the loss of a close family member and other similar losses is a vital step towards equality in Illinois,” said State Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin). “All loving families are tragically impacted by the loss of a child or family member. This law will help deliver much-needed relief to workers who are overcoming huge personal tragedies, and I thank Governor Pritzker for his support.”
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker today announced the establishment of the Healthy Foods Access Program, furthering the administration’s efforts to provide equitable access to healthy food in every corner of the state.
“All Illinoisans deserve access to healthy foods,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Especially throughout the pandemic, food insecurity has been a major concern in our underserved communities. It has always been my administration’s mission to ensure that no child, no family, no elder goes without the food they need to stay nourished and healthy. That’s why I am proud to sign this bill into law to bolster the health and wellbeing of our residents while transforming food deserts into food oases.”
“No one should wonder where their next meal is coming from, but this is a reality for far too many people. Food insecurity is severely impacting the most vulnerable—children, college students, and seniors—who often live in our most underserved areas,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “I am so proud that our state is taking a holistic approach to fighting food insecurity by uplifting the work of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger, along with collaborative efforts between state agencies, private partners, and community stakeholders that will launch this amazing program to increase access to fresh, nutrient-dense food.”
“Affordable and healthy fresh food is a necessity of life,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “Every person and child deserves access to nutritionally balanced meals and this legislation helps our state provide that, especially for systematically disadvantaged communities. I want to thank Representative Sonya Harper for her continued passion in creating a sustainable food supply for communities in need.”
“This measure is necessary to ensure that our communities have access to food that will nourish their bodies and cater to their overall wellbeing,” said State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago). “Food insecurity is one of the issues I’ve been fighting for a long time, and I am confident that this law will help end food deserts in our state, starting with addressing the gap left open by the departure of the Whole Foods in Englewood.
Our communities need access to affordable, nutritious food now.”
“Residents on the South and West sides of Chicago, as well as elsewhere in our state, continue to struggle to find places to buy healthy and affordable foods,” said State Representative Sonya Harper (D-Chicag0). “This has contributed to health disparities and even shorter life expectancies in these areas. I applaud Governor Pritzker for signing The Healthy Food Access Development Program into law today. Food is medicine and everyone deserves a right to access it. I’m hopeful this new law will help strengthen our small businesses and create new options for healthy food in our most vulnerable communities across the state while bringing in food and jobs to those that need them most.”
“There are too many neighborhoods across our state where people do not have access to fresh, healthy food,” said State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria). “Let’s take advantage of our nutritional, locally-sourced food and spur connections with communities that have been left behind. Healthy food can have immense benefits for an individual, but we have to make sure it’s easily available.”
“One of the best ways to promote healthy lifestyles and overall wellness is to ensure access to nutritious, well-rounded food options,” said State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria). “By bringing these options to communities across the state, we empower residents to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families.”
House Bill 2382 enables the Department of Human Services in coordination with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to establish the Healthy Food Development Program to expand access to healthy foods in underserved areas. Grocery stores, corner stores, farmers’ markets, and other small retailers may receive assistance through grants, loans, equipment, or other financial assistance to be awarded on a competitive basis.
While the exact program design has not yet been established, too implement the program, DCEO and DHS may partner with non-profit organizations on implementation and DHS will designate a grocery ambassador to assist the state’s healthy food retailers by providing research and data on eligible areas with insufficient grocery access. Through this ambassador, small grocery retailers in the state will be provided technical assistance and support.
The establishment of this program builds on the administration’s efforts to increase access to healthy food in the state. These efforts include public-private partnerships to expand purchasing options for those who receive SNAP benefits, empowering the Illinois Commission to End Hunger to advance the From Food Insecurity to Food Equity: A Roadmap to End Hunger plan, a three-part strategy for connecting residents in need to nutrition assistance programs, and promoting equitable access to food for every Illinoisan.
In Cook County alone, one in six children experience food insecurity on any given day. Statewide, 17 percent of children live in poverty. Federal programs, such as SNAP, School Breakfast and summer meal programs, are widely underutilized. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, 1.6 million Illinoisans were participating in SNAP. During the initial months of the pandemic, SNAP applications soared to over 35,000 applications a week, up from an average of 9,000 weekly. In April 0f 2020, food insecurity doubled in the population overall and tripled for Illinois households with kids. In addition, Illinois has seen a 60% increase in food insecurity for older adults during the pandemic.
This legislation is effective January 1, 2023.
* Sen. Belt…
Burning toxic synthetic chemicals will be banned thanks to a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt that was signed into law Wednesday.
“PFAS can harm people and the environment,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This initiative stems from concerns that our neighbors have surrounding the waste incinerator in Sauget, which puts Metro East residents at risk of exposure to these harmful substances.”
The new law bans incinerating materials covered under the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory that contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. Thermal oxidation for the purposes of pollution control, combustion of gases at landfills, medical waste incinerators and byproducts generated by municipal wastewater treatment facilities are exempted.
The Veolia Environmental Services waste incinerator in Sauget will now be prohibited from incinerating firefighting foams, a product that often contains PFAS chemicals.
“I’d like to thank Leader Greenwood for championing this in the House,” Belt said. “We worked on this measure for over a year and I’m proud that we are able to prioritize Metro East residents.”
The new law takes effect immediately.
* Sen CP-Z…
A law to help identify families in need of additional financial assistance for college savings accounts was signed Tuesday, thanks to the hard work of State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas.
“A big part of helping families afford college is making sure they know what financial assistance resources are available,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “This law will not only allow for additional deposits in a Children’s Savings Account for students from financially unstable households, it will also help us understand who is taking advantage of the program and allow us to target outreach to families who might not be aware of it.”
The Illinois Children’s Savings Account program will go into effect in 2023. Under the current program, applicable families will receive a seed deposit of $50. The new law, formerly Senate Bill 3991, allows the state treasurer’s office to supplement CSA’s for financially insecure households with additional funds.
Additionally, the law requires the treasurer’s office to collect more data on program participants to keep track of the social and geographic makeup of those who are utilizing these accounts. This will help further ensure equitable roll out of the program.
“As a parent of three children, I have spent years advocating for a statewide children’s savings account program. I didn’t go to college, but my son was lucky enough to receive a scholarship,” said Liliana Olayo, Co-President POWER-PAC IL and member of the Steering Committee of Financial Inclusion for All Illinois. “With a statewide CSA program that promotes equity, more families like mine will have hope for the future and an investment in their children’s potential early on.”
The law was signed Tuesday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023.
* Sen. Bush…
The burden of silence many people face when returning to the workplace almost immediately following the loss of a pregnancy can cause emotional upheaval. State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) passed a newly signed law to allow people to take leave following pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or other fertility issues.
“The emotional anguish suffered after a miscarriage or stillbirth is often debilitating,” Bush said. “Returning to work sooner than they’d like leaves little room for grief, mourning and healing.”
Bush’s Senate Bill 3120 creates the Support Through Loss Act by providing up to 10 days of unpaid leave following a pregnancy loss, stillbirth or an unsuccessful intrauterine insemination, among other issues negatively impacting pregnancy or fertility.
The idea for the law came from Kyra Jagodzinski, a then 16-year-old intern of Bush’s who came to her with the issue and worked alongside the Senator, governor and the legislature to pass the measure to support families in their time of need.
“Over my life, I watched as my parents struggled with the loss of family and I saw people close to me struggle with fertility challenges and pregnancy loss,” Kyra said. “As a 17-year-old, I did my best to confront them but found a system that left them without support. The Support Through Loss Act provides Illinois residents with a time to grieve the loss of immediate family members and to-be family members.”
One in six women who have a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy suffer from long-term post-traumatic stress, and approximately 15% of those who experience pregnancy loss develop severe depression or anxiety. Pregnancy loss not only has physical impacts, but mental and psychosocial implications. It also causes immense emotional stress for their spouses.
Bush’s law allows those impacted by these traumatizing circumstances to take time off work to address both their physical and emotional needs.
“It’s important that we recognize that anyone experiencing this kind of loss need time to grieve,” Bush said.
Under the law, people will also be allowed 10 days of unpaid leave for the death of an immediate family member.
When Democrats redrew the state’s Supreme Court districts last year for the first time in 58 years, they hoped the new map would maintain their party’s majority on the court.
A longtime Democratic justice had just lost his seat, and state legislators from his party knew that maintaining their 4-3 dominance of the state’s top court would require the party to win just one of the four districts outside of Cook County, which has already sent three reliably Democratic justices to the court.
But the retirement of a Republican justice created a rare open seat race in the northwest suburban 2nd District. And that could tilt the Democratic leaning 4-3 court into Republican hands — if the race in the 3rd District, where Democratic Justice Thomas Kilbride lost his bid for retention two years ago, also goes Republican.
The 3rd District does not have a contested primary.
That is far from the case in the 2nd District, where four Republicans and three Democrats are vying for the seat previously held for two decades by retired Justice (and former Chicago Bear) Bob Thomas. That district now covers a large part of northeastern Illinois, including DeKalb, Kendall, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties.
* Here’s Personal PAC’s social media ad for Supreme Court candidate Nancy Rotering…
* The Illinois Judges Association voted to elevate Rotering’s Democratic primary opponent…
Lake County Associate Judge Elizabeth Rochford was installed as 3rd Vice President of the Illinois Judges Association during the annual meeting on June 3, 2022. The Illinois Judges Association, which represents 1,250 active and retired Illinois state court judges, was founded in 1972 to provide services, support, and education to its member judges and raise public understanding of the Illinois judicial system.
Judge Rochford has been a judge for 10 years and is also an active member and past president of the Lake County Bar Association. Judge Rochford took the leadership role in Access to Justice by establishing the first family law courtroom committed to serving self-represented litigants, the Guardianship Help Desk, and the “Page It Forward” initiative to advance literacy.
Judge Rochford has been recognized by legal and social groups for leadership, advancing diversity, access to justice, and as a Woman of Vision.
* Same district, Republican Party…
The Lake County Bar Association released ratings this week of candidates for the Illinois Supreme Court, giving Judge Daniel Shanes their highest rating, “highly recommended.”
The Lake County Bar Association joins a growing list of organizations praising Shanes’s qualifications for the state’s highest court. The Illinois State Bar Association also rated Shanes “highly recommended,” and Shanes received the highest overall rating in a survey conducted by the ISBA among lawyers and judges in the Second Judicial District, easily outperforming his primary opponent as well as the Democrats running for the seat.
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police also endorsed Shanes, citing his “deep commitment to upholding justice and the rule of law.” As a major crimes prosecutor, Shanes earned the respect of law enforcement for his fair and impartial application of the law.
Businesses know that an even application of justice impacts their environment as well, which is why Judge Shanes has also been endorsed by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. They know that when the rule of law is supported in our state, businesses can thrive.
“I am profoundly grateful to the Lake County Bar Association for their faith in my qualifications for the highest court in our state,” said Judge Dan Shanes. “I have dedicated my career to supporting the rule of law and ensuring justice is done in the courtroom. To have these attorneys, judges, and members of law enforcement acknowledge my qualifications for the bench is an honor, and I promise to represent the people of the Second Supreme Court District with distinction as their Supreme Court Justice.”
Judge Shanes has received endorsements from legislative, law enforcement, and community leaders from across the Second District including former Rep. Jeanne Ives, the Lake County GOP, Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin, Sen Don DeWitte, Sen Craig Wilcox, Rep. Mark Batinick, Rep. Dan Ugaste, Rep. Chris Bos, Rep. Jeff Keicher, Rep. Tom Weber, and many more. See more endorsements of Judge Shanes HERE.
STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE: FUNDING TO BECOME THE EARLY FRONTRUNNER
• Provides instant credibility to a political newcomer, while raising name ID
• Unlocks the next round of large Chicago donors who will back the leading candidate
• Dissuades new entrants by establishing a dominant position
• Avoids a long primary that forces candidates to take more extreme positions that leave them unelectable in the general
Yeah, well, that didn’t happen.
And Sullivan has moved far to the right as Irvin took over the slot he hoped for. But now with Irvin fading in the polls and pulling his Downstate ads, can Sullivan make a move?
* Lately, Sullivan has been trying to poach Darren Bailey’s voters. Let’s look at some ads. Here he says “schools are the “front lines in this battle against the left’s woke agenda”…
Script…
Today, Illinois schools are the front lines in this battle against the left’s woke agenda. Our children aren’t allowed to say prayers at school, yet boys are allowed to play in girls’ sports. Our students are failing the basics, but they’re teaching sexuality to second graders. It’s crazy. As a parent, it is my right to have a say in my child’s education. As governor, I’m going to push back against the left injecting their ideology into our curriculum. And bring excellence back to our schools.
in 2004, I road a bus to March for Life. Today, my wife and I are foster parents because we try to live our pro-life values. But Governor Pritzker, he celebrates a culture of abortion over a culture of life, using our tax dollars to turn Illinois into the abortion capital of the Midwest. That’s wrong. I’m Jesse Sullivan. I will never apologize for my faith. And I will always fight for life.
* The Question: Considering all that’s happened this week, what’s Jesse Sullivan’s best path forward?
Irvin’s ad strategy: Finally, all sorts of political chatter Wednesday centered on why gubernatorial hopeful Richard Irvin has pulled down his Downstate TV ads with just two and a half weeks to go before the primary election.
He’s still up in Chicago. And candidates always shuffle their ad mix. But with the Irvin people loudly complaining that he’s been outspent by his opponents, Pritzker and the Democratic Governors’ Association—despite tens of millions of dollars in help from hedge fund mogul Ken Griffin—the move does suggest that whatever Irvin’s doing isn’t working and that he indeed may be trailing state Sen. Darren Bailey, as one recent poll suggested.
“We are reassessing our ad strategy,” campaign spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis told Playbook, rejecting the idea that it’s a case of a campaign low on cash. (The Republican candidate’s campaign does have all that Ken Griffin money coming in after all.)
“Richard Irvin’s strong record as a tough-on-crime prosecutor, combat veteran and mayor has the Democrats running scared as Pritzker and his Democrat allies are on track to spend the most money in a Republican primary in the history of our nation,” Demertzis said in a statement to Playbook.
“It could be someone’s pulled the money from him. Sometimes we hear of elections doing hard restarts and switching their messaging. I think two weeks out is a little late for that.”
“We’ve been counting on southern and central Illinois winning the primary for us from day one. I would suggest he’s realizing that as well.”
In a stunning snub to downstate voters, Richard Irvin has stopped running ads outside of the Chicago media market. Time and time again, Irvin has made clear he wouldn’t be a governor for all of Illinois, and this latest move solidifies that.
Irvin’s campaign is in free fall, with polling showing him down to far-right conservative Darren Bailey. For weeks, Irvin has been scrambling to course-correct his disastrous campaign, but with Bruce Rauner’s advisors at the helm, his train wreck of a candidacy is likely beyond repair.
As Irvin courts the furthest right wing of the party, lauds President Trump’s policies, and tries to court Bailey voters, it’s clear that Irvin’s lack of conviction isn’t resonating. His numerous policy flip-flops, failure to be honest about his record, and decision to write off millions of voters are just the latest moves in a series of failures from the Rauner Reboot candidate.
Ken Griffin’s $50 million can only go so far, as it is hard to prop up a candidate that lacks a backbone to begin with.
“Richard Irvin’s decision to abandon downstate voters reaffirms that he isn’t running to represent all Illinoisans,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “This is just the latest in a long string of missteps proving the Irvin campaign is completely out-of-touch and falling apart as Darren Bailey surges in the polls. If this is how he campaigns, how will he govern?”
That “abandon downstate voters” line is something that Bailey and everyone else in the race will likely be picking up on if they’re smart. Sullivan has so far been silent.
* Background is here if you need it. More to come, but these are the Richard Irvin campaign ads “that will be running moving forward,” according to a campaign spokesperson. This first one was from March…
I’m Richard Irvin. When I ran for mayor, Mike Madigan campaigned against me. I beat him. Now Governor Pritzker is afraid that I’ll beat him, too. There’s nothing the left fears more than Republicans who look like me and think like us; that all lives matter; that cops should be defended, not defunded; that handouts keep people down. But maybe that’s what liberal politicians want. I’m Richard Irvin. And I’m their worst nightmare.
* This state’s wealthiest resident has made billions and billions of dollars off of market-making. Here’s CNN…
The agency that oversees Wall Street has proposed major changes to the way millions of everyday investors buy and sell stocks. That could be bad news for so-called free-trading apps like Robinhood as well as the lesser known firms that underpin their business models.
Trading could be made fairer for everyday retail investors with some tweaks to the stock market’s plumbing, Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler said at the Piper Sandler Global Exchange Conference in Washington Wednesday. Gensler asked the SEC to consider giving retail traders access to some of the perks available only to the biggest players on Wall Street, including the ability to buy stocks for fractions of a penny, get better visibility into the market’s mechanics and invite more buyers and sellers to ensure everyday investors are getting the best price on a purchase or sale. […]
Here’s how it works: When you tap buy or sell, Robinhood (or your broker of choice), takes your order to a firm known as a wholesaler or market maker — the middlemen who are supposed to get you the best price and who pay the brokers for the privilege of executing the trades. They typically make pennies off each transaction.
That process is known as “payment for order flow,” and it has come under intense scrutiny by regulators following the fallout from the January 2021 run-up in meme stocks like GameStop. […]
Gensler and other critics of the process say the brokers and market makers, such as Citadel Securities, have a clear conflict of interest, and that payment for order flow screws over everyday investors while amassing huge wealth for Wall Street firms.
The SEC is considering whether to add more competition at the middleman level to ensure retail investors are actually getting the best prices. In that scenario, orders would be routed into auctions where trading firms would have to compete to execute them.
* In most normal states (with some exceptions) it’s generally a given that governors control their state parties. That’s also been the case whenever this state had Republican governors. Yes, we did see challenges from the far right under Thompson and Edgar and Ryan, but those rebels were generally treated as the outliers they were because, well, governors ought to control state parties. Illinois Democrats have been different. One guy controlled the state party and made sure he always had a pliable majority on his central committee that would sit back and stay quiet and let him do whatever he wanted. The Democrats’ state central committee was, as a result, a backwater populated with a bevy of assorted characters, some more colorful than others.
When Mike Madigan stepped down as chair, US Sen. Dick Durbin saw an opportunity to expand his power beyond the County Chairs’ Association and he took it, deftly outmaneuvering the governor and installing his own choice to head the operation, with his longtime trusted aide Bill Houlihan working behind the scenes.
No doubt, some really good people have been brought in by Chair Robin Kelly. Some long-needed changes have been made. But just look at the tortuous committee they had to form to run the coordinated campaign to be extra special sure that Chair Kelly had no official role, because if she came too close to state money she could get everyone in trouble with the feds.
* No politician likes to lose. And I have no idea if Pritzker can win this time, either. But he’s the governor and governors everywhere are the titular heads of their parties and therefore, as far as I’m concerned, he has the right to intervene here…
The latest signs of a mostly behind-the-scenes but intense civil war of sorts came when an ally of state Democratic Chair Robin Kelly publicly released a letter to a close associate of Gov. J.B. Pritzker urging him to abandon the “destructive path” of trying to dump Kelly.
The letter was from Carol Ronen, the Democratic committeewoman from the 9th Congressional District, to Dan Hynes, a former top aide to Pritzker who still is involved with the governor’s political operation.
In the letter, Ronen took Hynes to task for allegedly working this spring to elect Democratic Central Committee members who will vote to replace Kelly when the chairmanship comes up for election after the June 28 primary. Pritzker aides have not confirmed that Hynes is working as the governor’s agent, but do concede that the governor now is involved in more than six committee races that are on the ballot.
“By every measure, Robin Kelly’s short tenure as DPI Chair has been a success,” Ronen wrote. “Why would we want to create division and strife among Illinois Democrats through an unwarranted effort to replace her just months before the November election?”
Ronen asks a good question, but, really, does anyone outside of DPI and perhaps a few of us in the news media actually care these days who the party chair is? It’s likely a low-risk move. We’ll see. But if people want to threaten to blow up the fall election because the governor didn’t respect their authoritah and came after their phony baloney jobs, well, that says something about them.
When one of us is at the table. That’s when change happens. Like when Delia Ramirez went to the Statehouse. Delia banned politicians from becoming lobbyists. In Congress, she’ll ban shady money too. But not Gil Villegas. He is a lobbyist for big oil, private prisons and for ComEd, which was caught giving out bribes. Gil is part of the problem. We need to send one of us like Delia Ramirez to Washington. I’m Delia Ramirez. I approve this message.
* Having a total of $751 million in a statutory rainy day fund (with an eventual target of a billion) would never be noteworthy in most other states. In Illinois, however, it’s definitely worth a mention…
Bond rating agencies in recent months have raised Illinois' credit rating in part because we are responsibly fortifying our long-neglected Rainy Day Fund to safeguard the state through rough patches. I'm proud to announce another big payment this week. Stay tuned for more!#twillpic.twitter.com/77ZDxRItYj
— Illinois Comptroller (@ILComptroller) June 9, 2022
