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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Block..
* Press release…
* IPM Newsroom has two stories worth reading on school discipline. One examines Springfield’s Lanphier High School, which suspends Black students at one of the highest rates in Illinois…
The other looks at Chicago’s Kenwood Academy, where suspensions are rare…
* Injustice Watch | Immigrants in Illinois are finding success challenging their detention in federal court: Before 2025, such habeas cases were rarely filed by people held in immigration detention. During the four years under the Biden administration, only 10 immigrants filed habeas cases in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, which covers Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. But in the first 15 months of President Donald Trump’s second term, 274 immigration habeas cases were filed in the Northern District of Illinois. The vast majority were filed after the launch of Operation Midway Blitz, the federal immigration enforcement campaign that began in September and led to the detention of nearly 3,800 immigrants across the Chicagoland area. * Click here for Citizen Action/Illinois’ 2026 State Legislative Scorecard. * WGLT | Illinois looks to fast track schools to install rooftop solar panels: Illinois lawmakers want to make it quicker for schools to connect solar energy to the grid. One Central Illinois grade school has been waiting two years to connect rooftop solar panels. The bill requires energy companies to give priority to schools and companies have 30 days to give an evaluation on a project. They will also have to disclose upgrade costs to the grid and construction timelines to the school. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk to be signed. * Shaw Local | Joliet-area legislators blast Bears on stadium deal, one calls team ‘a liar’: State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, labeled the Bears “a liar” in her comments during a panel discussion in Joliet hosted by the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce. “Having to call their bluff, that is not good negotiation,” Ventura said. “If you come to the table in Springfield and you are a liar, it doesn’t bode well for you.” * Crain’s | Mike Quigley to make mayoral bid official with Saturday kickoff: U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley is making his long-anticipated run for Chicago mayor official this weekend, with a campaign kickoff event scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the historic Uptown Theatre. […] Quigley, who has represented the 5th Congressional District since 2009, previously served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. He’s entering an already crowded field of candidates seeking to unseat Johnson or succeed him should the mayor decide not to seek a second term. * Block Club | Why Is Mayor Johnson Keeping Secrets About The Parking Meter Deal?: Johnson and his aides have refused to disclose records showing what analysis or calculations they made while putting their bid together out of the public eye. Even members of the City Council have been left in the dark. Still, the council is now under pressure to approve a new meter sale, to different private investors, that alderpeople and the public know almost nothing about. * Tribune | Chicago Media Report: Rising TV pundit Adam Mockler, ABC 7 enlists viewers in FCC battle and CNBC to hit Cboe: During an April 30 appearance on “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip,” Mockler so rattled Scott Jennings during a discussion about the war in Iran that the network’s seemingly unflappable resident conservative commentator blew up and unleashed on-air profanity at his young foil. The incident went viral, boosting Mockler’s social media following and his progressive pundit street cred, helping the 23-year-old to launch his own weekly debate series on YouTube. * Tribune | Michelin retired its Green Stars to the dismay of sustainable chefs in Chicago: Last month, Michelin quietly announced that it was phasing out the Green Star distinction and chefs would no longer be able to advertise that they have it. Besides Daisies, Feld is the only other restaurant in Chicago to be given a Green Star. “Is it a let-down? Of course,” Frillman said. Chefs like Frillman have widely expressed disappointment in Michelin’s decision, saying that the abrupt removal of the designation undoes years of high-caliber sustainability recognition. * Lake County News-Sun | D128 appoints new member as grooming allegations prompt shakeup: ‘There’s a culture problem within 128’: Former board President Jim Baston retired suddenly earlier this year, despite winning a four-year term in 2023. Although no official reason was given for why Batson left with just months of the school year left, his departure came shortly after controversy rocked the district. A lawsuit filed in March accused Parker Rohde, a teacher at Libertyville High School, of grooming an unidentified 15-year-old girl with Down syndrome, starting during the fall 2024 semester. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council OKs Mayor John Laesch’s slate of new board members for Paramount, other venues: The appointments are said to represent Laesch’s vision for the future of the Aurora Civic Center Authority — namely, that it will offer more diverse programming and be more financially stable. The organization owns the Paramount Theatre, the Copley Theatre, Paramount School of the Arts and North Island Center, and manages the city-owned RiverEdge Park and Stolp Island Theatre. * Daily Herald | ‘I want to feel the freedom’: Elgin honors 30 new American citizens: The event is coordinated by a group of community volunteers representing Centro de Información, the city of Elgin, Chinese Mutual Aid Association, Elgin Community College, Elgin Area Historical Society, Gail Borden Public Library, The Literacy Connection and YWCA of Elgin. The Elgin Master Chorale performed patriotic selections during the ceremony. Afterward, the League of Women Voters hosted a voter registration table, and the Kane County Clerk’s office demonstrated how to use the county’s voting machines. * WGLT | Bloomington-Normal’s homeless count drops. Advocates worry federal policy changes could erase gains: The Bridge has largely been at capacity ever since. It made a big dent in the community’s homeless population. One week later, volunteers canvassed McLean County to track the homeless population. It’s called the Point-In-Time [PIT] count, an annual, national effort to see who is unhoused and try to connect them with services. The count is one of several factors that determines federal funding for homeless services. On Jan. 29, a night when temperatures fell below zero, volunteers found three people outside in Bloomington-Normal. The year before, on a night not quite as cold, they found close to 40. * Muddy River News | Plan Commission votes to deny special use permit for proposed solar farm at 36th and Payson Road: Brink, the city’s director of operations, cited an ordinance that the city council passed in 2024 that recommended solar facilities only be constructed in the 1 ½-mile buffer outside the city limits if that area is zoned industrial. “This was not one of those,” Brink said. The parcel of land proposed for this solar facility is located just outside Ward 5 and zoned RU1 (rural and agricultural). * WTVO | Rockford committee deadlocks on spending taxpayer dollars on mobile grocery store: The committee considered an agreement with Angelic Organics Learning Center, operating as Farmers Rising, in partnership with City Center Market, to launch the program. The plan called for up to $822,000 in casino tax funds to support startup costs and three years of operations. After discussion, the committee voted 2–2 on the funding agreement, meaning the motion failed to advance due to the tie. * WSIL | Shawnee National Forest Urges Visitors to Help Stop the Spread of Invasive Zebra Mussels: Even small amounts of leftover water can carry zebra mussel larvae, allowing them to spread to previously unaffected waters forest service officials stated. “Do your part—clean, drain, and dry,” the agency advises, encouraging visitors to help safeguard the region’s “big backyard” for future generations. * 404 Media | The Tokenpocalypse Is Here: Companies Are Scrambling To Stop Spending So Much on AI: “What we’re seeing right now is just rapid escalation in AI token spend,” he says “As companies start to scale AI, moving from like simple chatbots into use cases that feature agentic workflows and automation and then enterprise-wide deployment of some of these tools like Copilot, Claude Code, and Codex, we’re hitting this inflection point where AI is becoming material to the cost structure; spend is becoming very unpredictable; and leadership, especially at the CFO, COO, and CIO level, are still asking the question of whether they’re getting value from what we’re spending on in the context of AI.” * Cal Matters | Uber passed an insurance law in California. It did not disclose key info, a lawmaker says: As the ride-hailing giant pushed to lower the required insurance coverage it must carry for uninsured and underinsured motorists, Uber told lawmakers that passing Senate Bill 371 would be good for consumers because insurance costs were rising. It passed, reducing Uber’s liability for uninsured and underinsured motorists from $1 million to $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident. But a May report from Consumer Watchdog found that the company mostly self-insures, meaning it was paying its own subsidiary insurer and amassing a stockpile of tax-free reserves. * Guardian | ‘Extremely overwhelmed’: apartment renters face rising tide of fees: Long lists of fees are common at buildings operated by Greystar, a private equity-backed conglomerate that owns or manages more than 1m apartments across the US. According to tenants, housing attorneys, public officials and court claims, this tangle of extra charges fattens the company’s bottom line, increases renters’ risks of eviction and undermines fair competition in the apartment market by muddying the real price they pay for shelter.
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Pritzker on mail-in ballots threat: ‘We’ll see them in court’
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Today…
More…
* Isabel asked Gov. Pritzker about this today…
You’ll recall that AG Kwame Raoul’s budget was cut by $10 million this spring.
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Pritzker signs Reproductive Health Records Privacy Act (Updated x2)
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* More… * Daily Herald | Four years after Roe’s reversal, Illinois still a destination for women seeking abortion care: Thirteen states prohibit abortion and 10 have restrictions banning the procedure starting anywhere from six to 22 weeks into a pregnancy, according to KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization. Abortion is outright banned in Indiana and prohibited after six weeks of pregnancy in Iowa. About 155,000 individuals left their home states for abortion care in 2024, and 35,470 of them came to Illinois, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research institution. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois’ abortion landscape continues to evolve amid persistent growth in demand: The Chicago Abortion Fund, which provides financial, logistical and material assistance to abortion seekers, is the largest of its kind in the nation. Since June 2022, the fund has assisted more than 60,000 callers and distributed more than $25 million in direct support. In 2025, about 13,760 people, or 43% of the nearly 32,000 people who came to Illinois from out-of-state, were given direct support from the fund, an increase from the 28% of callers who received that level of support in 2024, according to data released by the group. * KFF Health News | Despite state bans, abortions have almost doubled. The reason? Pills via telehealth: But because medication abortion is now the most common form of abortion in the U.S., restricting mifepristone would have a wide impact even in states without abortion bans. “Stopping the FDA’s unlawful mail-order mifepristone scheme will surely decrease the number of chemical abortions across the country,” said Gabriella McIntyre, a lawyer for Alliance Defending Freedom, which partnered with Louisiana in its suit. * Pritzker campaign…
…Adding… Bailey…
“Made-up”? …Adding… From the governor’s press release…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] For over 30 years, Marc Maslauski has helped men look and feel their best at Jim Herron Ltd. in Springfield. Known for quality menswear and exceptional personal service, Marc takes pride in creating a shopping experience that keeps customers coming back. Whether you’re searching for a tailored suit, sport coat, or everyday style upgrade, Jim Herron Ltd. delivers timeless fashion with a personal touch. Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Marc in Springfield who serve their communities with dedication and pride. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Chicago Bears still looking to piece together stadium legislation in Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker says. Tribune…
- Pritzker said his office has been a player in the ongoing Illinois negotiations with the NFL franchise, which has been considering elements of two bills that each passed one chamber of the Illinois General Assembly this spring. - The state still needs the Bears to put together specific provisions of a bill, Pritzker said. Once the team is able to put together a proposal, he said, “they need to begin conversations with members of the legislature that they weren’t able to win over before, and again, we’ve been advising and trying to help out wherever we could.” * Related stories… * At 11:30 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will sign legislation that protects reproductive freedom on the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs decision. Click here to watch. * Sun-Times | As ‘Broadview Six’ prosecutor faces reckoning, Boutros yet to escape cloud hanging over his office: U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros has launched a review of cases involving veteran prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg, whose apparent misconduct has led to the collapse of the Broadview case and two others. But attorneys for the Broadview defendants have raised alarms about “what appears to be a determined effort to blame a single prosecutor.” * Sun-Times | Gov. JB Pritzker to sign Illinois abortion legislation shielding patients’ medical records: On the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down Roe v. Wade, Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday will sign the latest legislation bolstering Illinois’ status as a haven for abortion care in the Midwest. The measure passed by the General Assembly last month will shield patients’ abortion-related digital medical records from access by outside authorities who have sometimes used them to pursue criminal cases in states where the procedure has been outlawed. * Capitol City Now | Organization applauds extension of affordable housing-related tax credits: The Illinois Housing Council says the ten year extension of tax credits that were about to expire is important, given how housing in general, and affordable housing in particular, is in short supply. “We are, really, in a severe housing shortage,” said Allison Clements, Executive Director, on the WTAX Morning Newswatch. “The state faces a deficit of nearly 300,000 affordable rental homes for our lowest income residents. We really just haven’t been building enough housing. We know that between 2017 and 2023, our housing production rate fell 33 percent.” * Patch | Shelter CEO To Step Down Amid State Senate Run: helter Youth & Family Services CEO Carina H. Santa Maria will transition from her role in September as she pursues her candidacy for the Illinois State Senate, the organization’s Board of Directors announced. Santa Maria has led the Arlington Heights-based organization since 2018. She is also an Arlington Heights village trustee and previously announced her candidacy for the Illinois State Senate. Current State Sen. Mark Walker, a Democrat from Arlington Heights, has said he will not seek reelection at the end of his current term. * CBS Chicago | CPS holds first budget hearing; CTU wants Illinois lawmakers to convene to fund schools: Tuesday marked the first Chicago Public Schools budget hearing of the summer, as the district faces a $ $733 million shortfall. This comes as the Chicago Teachers Union is calling on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to call lawmakers back to Springfield. The union said a special session is needed to fund schools fully. * Sun-Times | Gov. Pritzker is leading Chicago fundraiser for Senate candidate and rising Democratic star James Talarico: Talarico, 37, spent about two weeks in the Chicago area last year during the walkout. On Wednesday, Pritzker will serve as a “special guest” at a Chicago fundraiser in support of Talarico. Federal Election Commission records show Pritzker contributed $3,500 to Talarico’s campaign in March. Former White House chief of staff Bill Daley is among several prominent Chicagoans listed as hosts of the fundraiser, according to the invite. Suggested contributions range from $500 to $5,000 for hosts. The top tier is $13,500. * Center Square | Bill filed to repeal ‘punitive’ digital asset tax: State Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, filed House Bill 5798 on Monday. “There’s a lot of constituents and other folks that have interests that think this is going to raise revenue and tax them around $60 million or more,” Cabello told The Center Square. * NBC Chicago | ‘Data center capital’ of the Midwest expands as Pritzker calls for regulations: Mayor Craig Johnson said all of the data centers are located in the town’s business and industrial parks, far away from residential neighborhoods. […] He said the data centers generated $26 million in revenue to the village last year alone. In some years, the windfall is so high that the town issues $200 gift cards to residents as tax rebates. * The Southern | Carbondale passes moratorium on data center development: The Carbondale city council adopted a resolution putting a one-year moratorium on data center development during its regular meeting on Tuesday. The resolution passed on a 4-1 vote, with Nancy Maxwell voting against it. Clare Killman was absent from the meeting. It comes in response to a community meeting in May at the Unitarian Church where several city staff and council members were present. The Southern provided coverage on that meeting, where the impacts of data center development were discussed. * Data Center Dynamics | Closed incinerator near Chicago eyed for potential data center development: Robbins Mayor Darren Bryant said he was open to the idea of a data center being developed at the site. “I know there are a lot of negative stories out there, but my job as mayor is to be innovative,” he told NBC. “Water, electricity, noise, pollution, and environmental all are concerns of mine too, but we are in the discovery phase. If we cannot solve those issues, it will never enter Robbins. We are in talks with the owner to explore.” * AP | 40 mayors worldwide endorse a pact to shape data center development: About half of participating mayors are from the U.S. That includes Seattle and the California cities of Palo Alto and Riverside. In the Southwest, Phoenix and Albuquerque, New Mexico, joined. On the East Coast, Beverly, Massachusetts, signed, as did Lincoln, Nebraska; Chicago and Cleveland in the Midwest and Miami in the South. […] The pact lists several standards for data center developments. Urban data centers should be built on abandoned or underutilized land in an area that minimizes negative impacts on noise, heat and air pollution. Developments should be fueled by renewable energy and battery storage, and data centers should reduce water use and emissions, as well as capture waste heat. * WIRED | Some Electricians Think Building Data Centers Is for Sellouts: Threads about how AI will affect the economy now pepper r/electricians, a subreddit with around half a million monthly visitors. Some users wonder whether the work will eventually prompt widespread job losses. Others aren’t sure if their labor makes them complicit in the damage done to local communities or whether it’s unethical to take on data center work. For some, the answer is a firm no. Ultimately, they argue, work is work. One electrician based in the Midwest says he no longer tells people what he does for a living. * WBEZ | Air pollution is often worse in the summer. Now, Chicago can monitor it neighborhood by neighborhood: The air monitors are part of a 5-year project that went live last fall. They’re designed to collect local air data that can show Chicagoans real-time pollution figures that can help officials develop guidance for permitting, urban planning, and air-quality control. The network is about to be put to the test as it faces its first Chicago summer — the season when air pollution tends to worsen, in part, due to climate change. * CBS Chicago | Payroll in jeopardy for healthcare workers at Roseland Community Hospital, union says: Roseland is a 134-bed safety-net hospital that has operated on the Far South Side for more than a century, but SEIU healthcare union leaders say about 200 healthcare workers could possibly not get paid. The union represents a good portion of the more than 500 staff members at the hospital, which includes support and professional services. It’s not clear what’s behind the potential payroll problem, but the SEIU vice president says, “I can confirm that on June 11, the union was informed that the payroll due our members on June 30th was in jeopardy.” * Sun-Times | Chicago’s first F1 Arcade to open in August: “About 1% of people get to actually experience an F1 race [in person] in their lifetime. So if we can bring that experience and what an F1 driver gets to experience in that seat and that adrenaline, … I think that’s that whole thing we want to recreate as much as possible,” he said. There will be 61 full-motion racing simulators with multiple game modes, allowing visitors to race individually or in teams. There will also be private event spaces. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox sit alone atop the AL Central standings after 2-1 win against the Cleveland Guardians: Chicago White Sox designated hitter Randal Grichuk doubled and scored on a single by shortstop Colson Montgomery in the second inning of Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas led off the sixth inning with a home run. Those were the only three hits in the game for the Sox. And it was just enough to defeat the Guardians 2-1 in front of 28,883 at Rate Field. * Sun-Times | State’s Attorney’s office says it will make it harder for ICE to access sensitive data: Don Black, chief of staff to Cook County States Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, said the office is working with Appriss on new contract language that would further restrict data sharing. “The goal is to close any ambiguity in the contract and make sure the data is used only for the purpose it was intended,” Black said. * Evanston Now | Biss says he will resign in October: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss said Tuesday afternoon he plans to resign from office on Oct. 18 to allow for a special election next spring, where voters will have an opportunity to select the city’s next mayor. In his annual and final State of the City Address, Biss said the purpose of his resignation “is to be absolutely certain” a special election could occur in the spring. After his speech, he told reporters he intends to write a formal letter “soon” outlining his resignation plans. * Press release | Northwestern Tech Helps Power Apple Vision Pro Wheelchair-Control Feature: Apple recently unveiled a new Vision Pro accessibility feature that allows users to control powered wheelchairs using only their eyes. Northwestern University technology helps make it possible. The feature uses the Vision Pro headset’s advanced eye-tracking system to send driving commands to compatible wheelchairs. Software developed by Northwestern’s Project DRIVE acts as a bridge between the headset and wheelchair’s control system, translating eye movements into signals the wheelchair can understand. * Reuters | Constellation Energy to supply nuclear power to Walmart facility under 15-year deal: Retail bellwether Walmart, opens new tab has signed a long-term nuclear power purchase agreement with Constellation Energy (CEG.O), opens new tab, the companies said on Tuesday. Under the agreement, Constellation Energy will supply nuclear power from its Dresden Clean Energy Center in Illinois to Walmart’s previously announced “high-tech” perishable distribution center, currently in development in Belvidere, Illinois. * STLPR | Illinois EPA takes ‘toxic tour’ through these contaminated Metro East sites: Local residents and activists took three top officials from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency on a “toxic tour” of the Metro East on Friday. The goal was to show them what life is like in the communities confronting sewage-contaminated floodwaters, as well as foul emissions from a hazardous waste incinerator. Among the attendees were Illinois EPA Director James Jennings, Deputy Director of Environmental Policy Amanda Raddatz and Environmental Justice Coordinator Chris Pressnall. * WSIL | Jefferson County Tornado Victims Begin Long Road to Recovery: Volunteers are helping the Thompson family clean up their property after a tornado destroyed their home. Where the house once stood is now a cleared lot. Kelley Thompson says she’s grateful for the support from her community. Youth camp kids from her church and vollunteers came out to help run machinery and pick up debris. “I can’t thank God enough for sending all these people,” Thompson said. * WGLT | Murals add color and hope for youths in juvenile detention: The McLean County Juvenile Detention Center [MCJDC] commissioned Champaign artist Leslie Kimble to paint the two murals in the common areas of the facility. The project was made possible by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Program Coordinator Brianna Nelson said the initiative started last October. […] Nelson said Kimble asked the youths to pick colors, images and words they’d like to see on the walls every day. * STLPR | East St. Louis connects youth with food through Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s new project: After six Olympic medals and over a decade of dominating track and field, Jackie Joyner-Kersee has spent her post-athletic career giving back to her hometown of East St. Louis. Her newest contribution is the Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation Center. The center will give East St. Louis youth opportunities to get hands-on experience with agriculture and prepare them for STEM careers. It features classrooms, labs and kitchens, and has summer and after-school programs to introduce kids to plant science. * WCIA | Springfield EMS worker sentenced to probation in 2022 patient death: WCIA previously reported that body camera footage shows 35-year-old Earl Moore Jr. was strapped face-down to a stretcher in the midst of a hallucinatory episode Moore was experiencing. The coroner ruled that the 35-year-old died of asphyxiation. Although Cadigan’s case saw its resolution Tuesday, the case involving the other EMS worker — Peggy Finley — remains ongoing. She appeared in court on Monday for a planned trial call hearing. The next court date in Finley’s case is scheduled for Aug. 24. * Bloomberg | Stephen Miller Said to Drive DOJ Memo Eroding Disability Rights: Miller, the president’s powerful deputy chief of staff, was frustrated that the department’s Civil Rights Division was still reaching settlements compelling states to transfer those experiencing mental illness out of institutions, added the individuals, who spoke anonymously out of fear of retaliation. They said Miller felt DOJ’s agreements—including one reached with South Carolina in December—would increase homelessness and didn’t adhere to President Donald Trump’s July executive order pressuring cities and states to move homeless people into treatment centers * WaPo | Nation’s second-largest school district passes strict new screen time rules for students: Los Angeles public schools will ban screens for its youngest learners and limit device usage for other students, marking one of the most aggressive attempts to restrict the amount of time children spend on devices at school The new rules, approved on Tuesday, will be phased in starting in August following backlash to the devices districts nationwide have spent billions on since the coronavirus pandemic. The Los Angeles school board had passed a resolution in April that required the district to limit students’ screen time.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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