The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs today announced that Acting Assistant Director Anthony Vaughn will serve as the interim Administrator of the LaSalle Veterans’ Home as a search begins for a permanent replacement. Vaughn is assuming responsibilities from former Home Administrator Angela Mehlbrech, who was terminated by the Department. Additionally, the Director of Nursing at the home has been placed on administrative leave pending the ongoing investigation.
These personnel changes follow the announcement of an independent investigation into the outbreak at the home led by the Acting Inspector General of the Illinois Department of Human Services. The response to the outbreak has also included site visits by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, with IDVA fully adopting all recommendations in both reports in the LaSalle Home as well as all state veterans’ homes.
Acting Assistant Director Vaughn is a 24-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps where he reached the rank of Master Sergeant and served as Administrative Chief and Personnel Chief, among other roles. Upon his retirement from active duty in 2005, he joined the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs where he has served for the past 15 years. Currently, he oversees the IDVA’s team of Veteran Service Officers who provide direct support to veterans across the state.
“IDVA mourns the tragedy of the veteran heroes lost to COVID-19 at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home. We will ensure that CDC and IDPH protocols are followed and full accountability occurs for any lapses in protocols,” said Acting Assistant Director Anthony Vaughn. “All measures will be taken to ensure the health and well-being of the residents we serve and we will continue to support their families and loved ones during this heartbreaking period.”
“I am fully committed to ensuring complete transparency and accountability at all of our veterans’ homes and our department will fully cooperate with the independent investigation as it moves forward,” said IDVA Director Linda Chapa LaVia. “It is our moral obligation to do everything in our power to take care of our veteran heroes. I have full confidence that Acting Assistant Director Vaughn is the right person to take command of the home’s operations during the search for a new home administrator. His background in administration in the United States Marine Corps will serve our residents and their families well during this process.”
While a Marine, Vaughn served at all levels of command including an infantry rifle company, infantry battalion, helicopter squadron, air control squadron, vehicle maintenance battalion, and a tour at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. His assignments also included a deployment to Beirut, Lebanon in support of the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force and mobilization of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. He supported the Battalion from Camp Pendleton, CA during their deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004 – 2005. Vaughn is the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, Marine Corps Commendation Medal with 2 gold stars and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 3 gold stars.
The new COVID-19 surge is hitting Illinois’ most vulnerable residents harder than ever, with a record 480 deaths recorded in the past week among people living in long-term care facilities.
A Tribune analysis found the surge in deaths was particularly steep outside the greater Chicago area, underscoring the challenges of keeping the virus out of nursing homes and assisted living facilities when infections are spreading in the surrounding communities.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker offered a deep sigh Friday when asked what more could be done to tamp down the surge in long-term care deaths.
“This is frankly the same challenge that exists in all the other populations, and even more so, when we’re at the highest levels of the pandemic,” he told reporters.
A striking, informative study was just released from South Korea, examining a transmission chain in a restaurant. It is perhaps one of the finest examples of shoe-leather epidemiology I’ve seen since the beginning of the pandemic, and it’s worth a deeper dive.
If you just want the results: one person (Case B) infected two other people (case A and C) from a distance away of 6.5 meters (~21 feet) and 4.8m (~15 feet). Case B and case A overlapped for just five minutes at quite a distance away. These people were well beyond the current 6 feet / 2 meter guidelines of CDC and much further than the current 3 feet / one meter distance advocated by the WHO. And they still transmitted the virus.
That’s the quick and dirty of it. But there’s a lot more detail here, and like many stories, it is best told through a picture:
At a time when many Joliet-area restaurants and bars are not following Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s rules outlawing indoor dining amid the coronavirus pandemic, Aurelio’s Pizza has announced it is joining that group.
If Aurelio’s kept obeying Pritzker, Joliet’s long-time pizzeria at 3101 West Jefferson St. will be an empty building at this time next year, the restaurant management predicted.
* Down under…
If you’re wondering what life is like in Australia… pretty much back to normal. Thanks to decisive action, lockdowns, mandatory international quarantine, and stringent contact tracing, the current number of active cases in the whole country (pop. 25 million)?
A nationwide shortage of substitute teachers was a chronic problem long before the arrival of the pandemic. But now, a dearth of available subs across the Chicago area has reached a crisis level at many school districts, where the roster of educators available to step in when teachers are absent has dwindled precipitously at a time of unprecedented need for their services.
The current rise in hospitalizations began in late September, and for weeks now hospitals have faced unprecedented demand for medical care. The number of hospitalized patients has increased nearly every day: Since November 1, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has doubled; since October 1, it has tripled. […]
It is clearest in a single simple statistic, recently observed by Ashish Jha, the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. For weeks, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 had been about 3.5 percent of the number of cases reported a week earlier. But, he noticed, that relationship has broken down. A smaller and smaller proportion of cases is appearing in hospitalization totals.
“This is a real thing. It’s not an artifact. It’s not data problems,” Jha told us.
Why would this number change? As hospitals run out of beds, they could be forced to alter the standards for what kinds of patients are admitted with COVID-19. The average American admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 today is probably more acutely ill than someone admitted with COVID-19 in the late summer. This isn’t because doctors or nurses are acting out of cruelty or malice, but simply because they are running out of hospital beds and must tighten the criteria on who can be admitted.
GALESBURG — At Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing, Gov. JB Pritzker gave one local hospital worker a pleasant surprise.
Terri McCrery, infection preventionist at OSF Healthcare’s St. Mary Medical Center was recognized as one of five Healthcare Heroes by the governor at his daily COVID press briefing. The recognition came for her work alongside her husband and Lisa Kelly, who co-own Monmouth-based MC Sports and More, and a generous donation they made to OSF employees.
McCrery’s husband Troy had the idea to make shirts and donate them to raise the spirit of those working in the hospitals. This was when Heart Hunters, the locally founded movement encouraging people to put colorful hearts in their windows to cheer on healthcare workers, was near the peak of its popularity.
[Illinois Restaurant Association President Sam Toia] met with the governor in early November with plans to propose policy recommendations that include partial reopening. […]
Toia—already a high-energy, nonstop worker—is constantly working the phones. Boehm estimates he’s called Toia hundreds of times since the pandemic began. Ald. Tom Tunney, 44th, owner of the Ann Sather restaurant chain and a former chairman of the association, says Toia is talking to leaders as often as possible, too, even amid tensions.
“The mayor and the governor—this is pretty unusual—they’re talking to the restaurant association every week,” Tunney says. […]
Toia’s focus is on negotiating with Pritzker, whose orders take precedence over city rules.
Proposing policy recommendations, talking with the governor on a weekly basis, negotiating with the governor. Hmm.
“Lobby” and “lobbying” means any communication with an official of the executive or legislative branch of State government as defined in subsection (c) for the ultimate purpose of influencing any executive, legislative, or administrative action.
Yet, Toia is not registered. I’ve been asking the Restaurant Association why he hasn’t registered for weeks, and the answer has been that he isn’t required to do so, even though he has registered with the city.
Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) acknowledged Monday he “made a mistake” by allowing some of his regular customers to dine inside his Ann Sather Restaurants in defiance of state and city orders banning indoor dining. […]
On Monday, Tunney openly acknowledged having defied the governor’s order.
“We have, on occasion, sat regular diners in the back of the restaurant. I acknowledge that. It’s not OK. I made a mistake, and I’m owning up to it. I should have not sat regular customers in my restaurant whatsoever,” said Tunney, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s handpicked chairman of the City Council’s Zoning Committee.
“I have a lot of repeat customers over the years. On a sporadic basis, I have let regular customers — very few and far between — in my store. I made an error.”
The first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine could be distributed to health care workers in Illinois and Chicago between Dec. 20 and Dec. 26 if federal officials grant an emergency use authorization, as expected, to pharmaceutical company Pfizer, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Friday.
Illinois expects to get 109,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, including 23,000 doses reserved for Chicago, in the first shipment, Pritzker said. However, that depends on federal officials voting to authorize its distribution on Thursday.
But that will only be enough for a fraction of the 654,598 health care workers in Chicago and Illinois, Pritzker said. The first doctors and nurses to be vaccinated will be in the 50 Illinois counties with the highest death rates per capita, officials said.
That includes DuPage, Kane, Will and Lake counties as well as suburban Cook County, officials said.
OK, let’s pause it right there.
First, keep in mind here that this round of vaccines is going to doctors and nurses, not the general public. But the administration is using a general public metric - county death rates - and not a frontline metric, like, perhaps, hospitals with the highest patient loads.
Several of those counties feed their patients into regional medical centers in places like Springfield, Quincy and Peoria. But the three counties with those hubs are not on the list.
Again, perhaps if the metric was “counties where people actually die in the hospital,” it would make more sense. But why should Tazewell County get aid for its workers when COVID-19 patients are being sent to Peoria? If you Google “Tazewell County Hospitals Illinois,” the list is almost purely Peoria facilities. Same for Christian, Shelby, Morgan, etc. and their medical hub in Springfield.
Again, we’re supposed to be helping frontline medical workers with these vaccines. The metric isn’t based on those medical workers. So, a whole bunch of hard-working nurses and doctors are being left out of this round.
* I asked the governor’s office for a response…
Decisions about how best to distribute limited doses of the vaccine are of course wrenching, but using deaths as the determinant was important because death is the ultimate worst outcome that we hope to prevent. Next week, health care workers in places with lower death ratios will begin to receive vaccines. And in the meantime, local health departments should prioritize distribution of the vaccine to facilities where residents of the hardest-hit counties receive their care. Healthcare workers are a part of their community and the healthcare workers who live in communities with the highest rates of death will get the first doses. The state expects regular shipments that will roll out to all healthcare workers soon after the first round.
* Weekend case and death numbers always tend to low…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 8,691 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 90 additional deaths.
- Champaign County: 1 female 90s
- Cook County: 1 female 30s, 2 males 40s, 4 females 50s, 5 males 50s, 3 females 60s, 3 males 60s, 10 females 70s, 8 males 70s, 7 females 80s, 13 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 5 males 90s
- DuPage County: 1 male 60s
- Fayette County: 1 male 90s
- Ford County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s
- Kane County: 1 female 20s, 1 male 50s
- Lake County: 1 female youth, 1 male 80s
- Madison County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Marion County: 1 female 70s
- Mason County: 1 female 60s
- Massac County: 1 male 80s
- McHenry County: 1 female 70s
- McLean County: 1 female 80s
- Mercer County: 1 male 70s
- Peoria County: 1 female 70s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 50s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s
- Warren County: 1 female 50s
- Will County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s
- Woodford County: 1 female 100+
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 796,264 cases, including 13,343 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 77,569 specimens for a total 11,178,783. As of last night, 5,190 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,123 patients were in the ICU and 648 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from November 30 – December 6, 2020 is 10.3%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from November 30 – December 6, 2020 is 11.9%.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
Q: Another big decision that Democrats in the majority of Illinois have to make regards Speaker of the House Mike Madigan. He’s now embroiled in the controversial ComEd bribery scandal and the subject of an investigation in the legislature. He is losing support among some Democrats. Where do you stand?
A: Well, it’s certainly going to be a difficult question for all of us. We’re looking forward to getting together as a caucus, I don’t know if it’s going to be in person or virtually, to talk through these issues and try to make a decision. It’s an important conversation that we need to be having going into next year especially with the difficult time we’re going to be facing both on the budget, some of the reform agenda that’s coming up, ethics reform, property tax relief. We have a very full plate that we need to get started addressing as soon as possible.
Q: Should he still be the Speaker?
A: You know, I think that’s the question that we’re going to be talking to each other over the next couple of weeks. You know, I think we have a very diverse caucus, with a lot of different viewpoints, and I think we need to have that conversation collectively as a Democratic family, and try to come to a solution that way.
Q: Will you vote for him as Speaker and if not him, who?
A: Well, again, it really depends on what candidates are out there. And you know I generally tend to not litigate our internal caucus matters publicly. And so I think it’s a conversation that we need to have amongst ourselves and then come out and and having made that decision internally. I know there’s a proposal from Republican leader Durkin that the Democrats should vote for him as Speaker, and that’s certainly just not an option. But we need to talk about it within our own party with our own caucus to come to what that answer is going to be.
This is not the sort of decision that should be kept behind closed doors.
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) released the following statement following Mike Madigan’s pitch for Speaker including an income tax increase on Illinoisans:
“Fresh off the indictment of his confidant and gatekeeper Mike McClain, Michael Madigan is selling his candidacy for Speaker with the promise of another tax increase. It was just over one month ago when Illinois taxpayers resoundingly rejected the graduated tax and sent a message that everyone heard but the Democratic Party. It is time for Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats to take a hint from the November election: don’t go back to the taxpayers and job creators to solve the self-inflicted troubles facing our state.”
Fair enough. Complex issue. Requires nuance. And much more discussion. More important, the people the decision affects deserve more. So we’ll continue give them that.
Appreciate the feedback of those truly in the struggle.
As thousands of Illinois residents and businesses struggle to abide by current state COVID-control regulations, a downstate Christmas party held Thursday night reveals the battle that Gov. JB Pritzker and health officials now face: some people in the state aren’t following government rules, including a pair of well-known state representatives.
Illinois State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-102nd) held a supporter Christmas party Thursday that featured Illinois State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-109th) who was just elected to a state senate seat, the 55th district. The party’s location was Yoder’s Kitchen, a popular banquet hall south of Champaign.
The seemingly happy function featured dozens of full tables with no one apparently abiding by current protocols that prohibit crowds and require masks.
As the photos on Bailey’s campaign Facebook show, there were more than 100 people, no masks and no social distancing. Masks are not even seen on the tables and the elected officials are pictured in very close proximity to other people.
The event’s featured speaker was former state representative Jeanne Ives, who recently lost her race for a U.S. congressional seat.
Todd Ricketts isn’t ruling out a run for governor, according to a source close to the Cubs co-owner.
The revelation follows Tim Schneider’s announcement over the weekend that he is stepping down as state party chairman, prompting chatter that Ricketts, who is also chairman of the Republican National Committee’s finance committee, may be a possible — though unlikely — replacement.
“Todd thinks Tim did a great job as state chair. As Todd is continuing as RNC Finance chairman, he will not be a candidate for state chair,” the source said, which leaves Ricketts’ options open for a statewide run.
Todd, the youngest, has at times felt overlooked. Shortly after the Rickettses bought the team, Todd e-mailed his father and older brother Pete complaining that Tom seemed to be getting all the credit. Deadspin published the missive: “My kids live in the same neighborhood and go to the same school as Tom’s kids, and I don’t want them to have to constantly [be] explaining that there are equal owners when they are told that their uncle owns the Cubs. The reason I am so sensitive to this is that even today I feel as though my input and ideas are disregarded among our family, just as they were when we were kids.” As if to underscore his relative anonymity, a year later, Todd starred in an episode of “Undercover Boss,” growing a beard and taking odd jobs at Wrigley Field. No employees recognized him.
Todd Ricketts became deeply involved in Republican politics by working alongside his dad, who had staked out a position as a big conservative donor. (One of Todd Ricketts’s friends told me that Todd wanted to talk politics so much that it became difficult to spend time with him.) In 2013, Todd became the C.E.O. of one of the nation’s wealthiest political-action committees, Ending Spending, which his father founded and whose mission is to take on what it deems wasteful government funding. He and his father were, in many ways, a smaller version of the Koch brothers, whom Joe once reportedly called “great heroes.”
In 2013, Ricketts made a political decision that suggested the kind of compromises he was willing to make. That year, the pac Ending Spending spent four hundred thousand dollars on ads for the Virginia gubernatorial campaign of Ken Cuccinelli, who would ultimately lose to Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat. Cucinnelli, who is now the acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, spoke to Ricketts’s belief in limited government—especially his opposition to the Affordable Care Act—but he also adamantly opposed same-sex marriage and said homosexuality was “against nature and harmful to society.” For Ricketts, whose sister is gay and active in L.G.B.T. advocacy—and whose uncle was gay and died of aids—Cuccinelli seemed like an odd political bedfellow. Moreover, that same year, Ricketts personally lobbied four key Republican state legislators to vote to legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois. “Todd is not a ‘single-issue’ voter,” Danny Diaz, Ricketts’s spokesperson, told me in an e-mail. “Todd obviously does not agree with Cuccinelli’s position on same-sex marriage.” One friend of Ricketts’s calls him “a principled pragmatist.”
Scott Walker, the former Wisconsin governor, is close to Ricketts. They bonded at an event at the American Enterprise Institute shortly after Walker signed Act 10 in Wisconsin, which reduced collective-bargaining rights for most state and municipal workers, including all teachers. Ricketts told Walker he admired what he was doing in Wisconsin—and so, when Walker faced a recall, Ricketts and his parents came to Walker’s aid. Ricketts held a fund-raiser, serving Wisconsin beer and bratwurst at his home in a suburb north of Chicago. “We get wonky, geeky, about policy,” Walker told me.
[…]
Despite his father’s experience, Todd Ricketts can be surprisingly unfiltered. In comments on his Facebook page, Todd referred to covid-19 as the “the kung flu”—weeks before Trump used the demeaning phrase at a rally in Tulsa. In a post of a video in which New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to call the city if they witnessed large gatherings of people, Ricketts commented, “All snitches will be given priority when applying for jobs as security guards at the concentration camps that will be opening later this year.” […]
“The challenge in our conversations,” [talk show host Maze Jackson] told me, “is how do you address the systemic racism. Sometimes Todd would say, ‘How come you guys can’t just . . .?’ and I’d explain we haven’t had the opportunities.” […]
I asked Ricketts’s spokesman how Trump inspired Ricketts, and in return I received a twenty-page document titled “Trump Administration Accomplishments.” It’s clear from the list that Ricketts believes Trump has delivered for conservatives, including his crackdown on immigration and his emphasis on law and order. (Nearly three pages of bullet points argue that Trump has led a “comprehensive and aggressive” campaign against the coronavirus.) Additionally, as Walker mentioned, Ricketts sees in Biden’s candidacy a looming socialist threat. Ricketts’s spokesman cites endorsements by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders as evidence of this, along with Biden’s belief that the government can serve to protect the public’s well-being, including his call for eliminating carbon emissions by 2050, for expanding Social Security, and for lowering the eligibility age for Medicare to sixty. “Todd believes that President Trump represents an agenda that advances freedom for all Americans and expands opportunity for people at every level of the socioeconomic ladder,” Ricketts’s spokesman told me.
Illinois House Democratic Caucus Chair Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, told me last week that her decision to oppose Speaker Michael Madigan’s reelection was a process she’s been struggling with since the summer.
Willis became the 19th House Democrat to declare opposition to Madigan, putting him six votes shy of the 60 he needs to win.
“Over the last couple of weeks, it’s been getting more and more troubling,” she said. It boiled down to “an ethical decision, a moral decision.”
Willis’ father had heart surgery the previous weekend and, while sitting with her mother, she remembered what her mom had told her when she first ran for the House in 2012: “Don’t ever let your morals or standards decline.”
“And I was looking at my mom and I thought, ‘I want her to continue to be proud of me.’ And this is what I had to do.”
When I initially received Willis’ email announcing her decision, I checked the return address to make sure it wasn’t a hoax. Willis said several people asked her whether the email was legit. She was the first member of House Democratic leadership, after all, to publicly break with Madigan. This was no small deal. It felt to me and to others that this one was different.
Willis said she didn’t know if her decision would allow other House Dems to come forward. “I think everybody has to come to their own decisions their own way,” she said. “Maybe it’ll give them strength to be able to do that, but it’s not intended to push people to do something they’re not ready to do.”
She said she didn’t have anyone in mind to be the next House speaker but wants to support someone who is “willing to be a collaborative leader, so that it’s not just all controlled by one person. I think we need to see a change in leadership style.”
Asked if she was interested in the top job herself, Willis would only say, “That’s not the purpose of what the statement was. It was more to really free myself up.”
I told Willis I had just been talking on the phone with a union lobbyist who said there was no way that Madigan will ever give up. He’s just going to wait for everyone to flip back, the labor guy said with supreme confidence. There will be no surrender.
“I honestly don’t think they’re gonna flip back,” Willis said about the 18 House Democrats who preceded her in vowing to vote against Madigan.
“When I made the decision to do a written statement, it was knowing that there was no point of return, there was no going back by doing a written statement. That forced my hand. And I think the other members that did the same thing, if they were to ever turn back they could never run for office … that would be a career-ending move.”
None of them took the decision lightly, Willis said. “I think they all realize that it’s a point of no return.”
As you might imagine, the paranoia level among House Democrats is pretty high these days. So, it wasn’t too surprising that moments after Willis issued her statement, members were asking whether this might be some sort of Madigan plot to place one of his own leaders behind enemy lines. Willis flatly denied anything of the sort.
“If you had been on the conversation I had with him earlier this morning, you’d know that he did not put me up to it,” Willis said with a laugh.
Willis wouldn’t talk too many specifics but said she called Madigan as a courtesy.
“He did not want me to release the statement, and I told him I had no choice. I have made the decision to do it, and I wanted to do it. He really felt strongly that I should not release a statement and I said, ‘Well, the only way I won’t release the statement is if you withdraw from running for speaker,’ and he assured me that he was going to continue to be a candidate. There were a few other things that got said in between, but that’s the gist of it.”
Madigan didn’t lose his temper and was “very reserved,” she said.
“It was the most difficult call I’ve ever made in my life. But after the call was done, I felt like a ton of bricks was off of my shoulders.”
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said Saturday he’s prepared to vote for an increase in the state’s income tax rate and said he’s working with “building blocks” to get to 60 votes in his fight to secure another term in the leadership post he’s held for nearly four decades.
“My pledge to the caucus, on state finances and also on redistricting, is to provide the same type of strong leadership that I provided to our caucus when we were fighting against Gov. [Bruce] Rauner,” Madigan said while making his case before the House Black Caucus to remain speaker. […]
A showing of that strong leadership may come if Gov. J.B. Pritzker asks the legislature to raise the state’s flat income-tax rate, which Madigan said is “very possible,” according to a recording of the closed candidate forum reviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I’m prepared to vote for that, presuming it’s the governor’s request,” Madigan said.
He acknowledged that could be a “very difficult issue for the caucus” as it tries to maintain services — and insisted a strong leader is needed to persuade others to vote for an increase.
IL GOP Chair Tim Schneider stepping down: “after 6+ years, and a very successful cycle, and with the ILGOP positioned well, I believe it’s a good time for me to transition out(average length of State Chairmanship in US in less than 2 years)”
Chairman Schneider has selected the following State Central Committee members to serve on a committee that will recommend a process and timeline for choosing a successor Chairman at the party’s next meeting on January 9, 2021.
Mike Bigger - 18th Congressional District (Chairman)
Char Foss-Eggemann - 9th Congressional District
Fred Floreth - 13th Congressional District
Judy Diekelman - 2nd Congressional District
Schneider will serve as Chairman until the full State Central Committee chooses a successor Chairman.
*** UPDATE *** No endorsement…
Statement from Rep. Camille Lilly Regarding the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus House Forum Today
“Today the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus House met with the two candidates who expressed interest in presenting to the Caucus. Both Speaker Mike Madigan and Rep. Stephanie Kifowit addressed the caucus on how they would work with members and the collective body as whole to address the challenges facing our State. The discussion provided an opportunity for the caucus to ask questions expounding on the candidates vision, goals and experiences. This is the first time in decades that a process of this nature has been formed to engage the candidates seeking to become Speaker. The steps in our process are about democracy and fairness. We will continue to dialogue amongst ourselves and other members of the House as we approach the upcoming session. We are committed to working through this process in an open and transparent manner.”
* Sources close to the former legislator said he had a very bad case of COVID-19 and had been hospitalized.
His attorney Dylan Smith at Freeborn & Peters spoke with me today about his former client…
I was very proud to have represented Marty Sandoval. He was someone who had considerable talents and had accomplished a lot of good in his life. He obviously had made mistakes and strayed from his own standards and from the time I spent with Marty, what I saw was that he was sincerely remorseful for the mistakes he had made.
He was going through a process of genuinely trying to make amends for those mistakes through his cooperation with the government. And in his own way trying to contribute to the US Attorney’s efforts to clean things up in Springfield. I hope that the larger public and his former colleagues will remember him not only for his mistake but for the larger good that he did in his life. I will remember him as someone with a big heart who had a very deep love for his family. I would ask that everyone keep his family in his thoughts and prayers right now and give them the space to mourn with the degree of privacy that they deserve.
* The US Attorneys office recently praised Sandoval for his cooperation…
From the feds this morning on former state Sen. Martin Sandoval, who pleaded guilty early this year. He "has provided valuable cooperation that is expected to last at least several more months." pic.twitter.com/DUobzAoX0w
* I was listening to this song the other night and realized it was darned near perfect for our times. It’s about a holiday spent alone this year. But “next year” all our troubles will be “out of sight” and “miles away.” It’s no surprise that the song, originally recorded by Judy Garland, was a huge hit among World War II troops stationed overseas as well as with their families back home.
We’re reassured that, in due time, “Once again, as in olden days, happy golden days of yore; faithful friends who were dear to us, will be near to us once more.” And the closing line, “So, have yourself a merry little Christmas now,” could be written today for those celebrating in solitude…
Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow
Wear a mask, keep your distance and wash your hands so you stay alive to participate in what we can only hope will be large and wondrous celebrations this time next year.
* Greg asked DeVore whether he’d paid the $1,000 bounty of footage of Pritzker celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and family. As you know, I posted a photo of Pritzker and his wife on a Zoom chat during Thanksgiving dinner. DeVore’s response…
Well one, I want to clarify that. The thousand dollars that I offered for footage from a journalist to take a picture of the governor should they see him out celebrating with friends and family. Friends and family being a generic term. I didn’t even know he had kids until I put that out. So he has kids, OK, I don’t care about that. But no, I didn’t pay it out because, again, you know I was looking for the governor. He’s using the word bounty, I didn’t use the word bounty. But no, I didn’t pay it out.
Chief of Staff Jessica Basham
300 Capitol Building, Springfield, IL 62706 (delivered via electric deliveiy)
Re: Subject Matter Hearing regarding the LaSalle Veterans Home COVID Outbreak
Dear Ms. Basham:
As Chair of the Illinois House Veterans Affairs committee, I am requesting an in-person meeting of the Committee for a Subject Matter Hearing regarding the LaSalle Veterans Home COVID Outbreak.
With the failure of SB 2135 (by one vote) on May 23, 2020, the Illinois House of Representatives is unable to conduct committee hearings in a remote virtual setting, such as Zoom. As we have seen over the summer months the Illinois State Senate, through legislation that successfully passed the Senate in May, has been able to conduct joint subject matter hearings with various House committees.
Over the weeks since the outbreak was discovered, I have requested on numerous occasions, to include the Illinois House Veterans Affairs committee in Senate Subject Matt er hearings. Joint Veterans Affairs meetings have been held in the past, most notably addressing the Quincy Home Outbreak.
The Illinois House Veterans Affairs committee needs to properly discharge the duties it is established to do. For the reasons: (1) the failure of SB 2135, (2) the denial of the Senate Veterans Affairs committee chair to allow members of the Illinois House Veterans affairs committee to participate, and (3) the extreme concern and mourning of the death of 30 Veterans in the LaSalle Veterans Home by myself and members of the committee, I have no other choice but to call for an in-person Subject Matter Hearing of the Illinois House Veterans Affairs committee during this global pandemic.
I realize it will be challenging and costly to ensure that all the proper health protocols are in place to provide for a safe environment for us to conduct business. As Chair of the committee, I will be requiring that all committee members be COVID-19 tested prior to the committee date, all members will be requir ed to wear a mask, and I am requesting that all other details regarding the meetin g adhere to the COVID safety guidelines by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Center for Disease Control.
Thank you for your assistance with this request. I am requesting that this meeting be scheduled as quickly as possible given the seriousness of the LaSalle Veteran Home situation.
*** UPDATE *** From Rep. Kifowit…
As you posted we are in a position to only have an in-person meeting. This comes at the conclusion of a week of trying to work with the Senate collaboratively, to no avail. I would like to thank Rep Thapedi for his inquiry as well. The situation is multi-dimensional and I believe his committee will look at this situation through a different lens of the Judiciary - Civil Committee. While in some areas might overlap, it is worthy of inquiry and I welcome it. I have spoken to staff and we will be posting the meeting as soon as we can confirm a reasonable date to ensure all protocols can be followed for the safety of all involved.
The judge has also spoken about COVID-19, Vrdolyak's advanced age and his good works. However, he also said he finds it "impossible to believe" Vrdolyak didn't understand a levy sent to him by the IRS regarding his co-defendant's taxes.
Finally, Vrdolyak speaks briefly to the judge. He takes off his mask, apologizes, and says, "what happened was my own fault and I take full responsibility."
What tripped up Vrdolyak this time was possibly the sweetest score of his career, finagling a piece of Illinois’ giant class action settlement against tobacco companies, which to date has paid him more than $12 million.
How exactly he managed that without actually working on the case remains unclear, despite pages and pages of documents filed by both sides offering partial explanations of how a Seattle lawyer, hired by then-Attorney General Jim Ryan to represent the state, gave Vrdolyak a 10% cut.
That’s really all I’ve ever wanted from this case, not another pound of flesh but the truth of how he pulled it off, in Vrdolyak’s own words. And sadly, I’m not expecting it to emerge at sentencing.
The great irony is Vrdolyak was never charged with taking the money. Hell, he even paid taxes on it all along.
His mistake was in failing to respond honestly to an IRS levy trying to recover funds from a co-conspirator, Daniel Soso, who was trying to avoid paying taxes on his share of the fee Vrdolyak was splitting with him.
Vrdolyak got too cute in his efforts to mislead the IRS — and ended up pleading guilty to aiding Soso in his tax evasion. Now Judge Robert Dow controls his fate.
* The Question: Your thoughts on Ed Vrdolyak’s second prison sentence?
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 10,526 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 148 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 male 90s
- Boone County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s
- Champaign County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- Christian County: 1 male 90s
- Coles County: 1 male 80s
- Cook County: 2 females 40s, 3 females 60s, 4 males 60s, 3 females 70s, 5 males 70s, 4 females 80s, 5 females 90s
- Crawford County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- Douglas County: 1 female 70s
- DuPage County: 1 male 30s, 3 females 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 90s, 1 female 100+
- Edwards County: 1 female 90s
- Effingham County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
- Fayette County: 1 male 70s
- Ford County: 1 male 80s
- Franklin County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
- Fulton County: 1 male 80s
- Greene County: 2 females 80s
- Grundy County: 1 male 70s
- Iroquois County: 1 female 70s
- Johnson County: 1 female 60s
- Kane County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
- Kankakee County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
- Kendall County: 1 male 70s
- Knox County: 1 male 90s
- Lake County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 4 males 80s
- LaSalle County: 2 males 70s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
- Logan County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s
- Macon County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
- Macoupin County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 100+
- Madison County: 1 female 70s
- Mason County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Massac County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- McHenry County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Ogle County: 1 female 80s
- Peoria County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 100+
- Perry County: 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- Randolph County: 2 females 90s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Sangamon County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 100+
- Shelby County: 1 male 80s
- St. Clair County: 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- Stephenson County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Vermilion County: 1 female 90s
- Warren County: 1 male 80s
- Washington County: 1 male 70s
- Wayne County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s
- Whiteside County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s
- Will County: 1 male 40s, 3 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 3 males 70s
- Winnebago County: 2 females 70s, 3 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 770,088 cases, including 12,974 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 112,634 specimens for a total 10,918,998. As of last night, 5,453 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,153 patients were in the ICU and 703 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from November 27 – December 3, 2020 is 10.3%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from November 27 – December 3, 2020 is 12.1%.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale will bestow an honorary Doctor of Community Health degree on Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the Illinois Department of Public Health director who has guided the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic month after grueling month.
The SIU Board of Trustees approved awarding of the honorary degree at its Thursday meeting, upon the request of Chancellor Austin Lane.
Ezike, the resolution stated, in part, “has widely been praised for her dedicated efforts as part of a leadership team within the State of Illinois to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the citizens of the Land of Lincoln.” Quoting from a New York Times profile on Ezike, SIU also highlighted her “trained eye on the most vulnerable, including essential workers, many of whom are from minority communities.”
* The New York Times has developed an app to give you a preliminary and rough guesstimate of where you are in the line to receive a vaccine. Click here…
Nearly 213,000 new coronavirus cases were reported across the United States on Thursday, the highest figure yet. And at least 2,500 covid-19 deaths were reported for the third consecutive day, marking the deadliest stretch since the pandemic began.
But the government’s top infectious-disease expert said the record-setting surge doesn’t fully account for the expected increases after Americans traveled and gathered for Thanksgiving. “We have not yet seen the post-Thanksgiving peak,” Anthony S. Fauci said Friday. “That’s the concerning thing, because the numbers in and of themselves are alarming.”
* And that claim is downright scary when you see numbers like this…
Region 3, which includes Springfield, has just *15* ICU beds available. The region encompasses 18 counties https://t.co/f8RZSj2gxJ
* Speaking of Springfield, the alderman said earlier this week that he had asthma. Nope…
Springfield Alderman Chuck Redpath says he will now wear a mask during City Council meetings, or will participate via Zoom, after the controversy this week when Redpath got angry over a reporter that he felt was too close to him while Redpath was maskless.
Masks are required in the Council chambers under the city’s mask mandate ordinance, but Redpath says a breathing problem makes it uncomfortable for him to wear one throughout the meeting. But he now concedes that he doesn’t specifically have a medical exemption to not wear a mask.
Ward 1 Alderman Chuck Redpath asked Langfelder this week to return to indoor service with a 25 percent capacity limit, but the mayor says concerns about coronavirus cases and the strain on hospitals are valid, so for now he says the prohibition will remain in place. […]
If indoor dining can’t resume, Redpath says at least businesses should be allowed to reopen their video gaming areas, where people can wear masks while they’re playing, in order to generate some revenue.
How are they gonna do that when the state has shut off the terminals, Chuck? Sheesh, man. Give it a rest, already.
Thapedi said he was withholding judgment on Pritzker’s actions or the performance of Illinois Department of Affairs Director Linda Chapa LaVia, with whom he served in the Illinois House for a decade.
But Thapedi said using the power of the committee to investigate the handling of the outbreak and its root causes is his obligation as committee chair.
“It’s definitely a legal matter, a civil legal matter, and definitely within the province of the Judiciary - Civil committee,” Thapedi said. “I have a duty and responsibility to the people of the state to make sure that all civil-related matters are addressed by our committee at a bare minimum.” […]
In his letter to House officials, Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul advising of the investigation, Thapedi called the massive outbreak and resulting deaths “deplorable” and said preliminary reports released by the Pritzker’s administration “show a pattern of conduct indicative of wanton disregard” for the health and safety of the LaSalle home’s residents.
* More from Hannah…
Here's a visual representation of when the LaSalle Veterans' Home reported new infections among residents and staff members, and eventually deaths among residents. It was a steep upward climb in early November before @IDPH and @DeptVetAffairs made site visits to the facility. pic.twitter.com/m97w26eZX2
Edwardsville officials are getting serious about their mask mandate.
The City Council passed an ordinance Tuesday night that provides a way to enforce a Nov. 17 executive order by Mayor Hal Patton, requiring people to wear face coverings in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The ordinance allows violators to be ticketed by local police and fined $25 to $250. In addition, owners or managers of businesses, stores and venues can be fined $50 to $500 for not enforcing the mandate on their properties.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is announcing that Driver Services facilities statewide will remain closed for in-person transactions until Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. White is reminding the public that expirations for driver’s licenses and ID cards have been extended until June 1, 2021.
Expanded Online Services
White also has expanded online services for the public, which they can take advantage of by visiting www.cyberdriveillinois.com. Some of these services include:
• Renewing a license plate sticker;
• Renewing a valid driver’s license for qualifying drivers;
• Renewing a valid ID card for those age 22-64 (seniors 65 and older have free, non-expiring IDs);
• Obtaining a driver record abstract;
• Filing Business Services documents, such as incorporations and annual reports; and
• Customers with issues involving administrative hearings may contact adminhearings@ilsos.gov.
Select Facilities Open to Serve New Drivers ONLY
In addition, White announced that the following facilities will be open for new drivers ONLY:
Bradley, 1111 Blatt St.; Charleston, 1010 E. St.; Chicago North, 5401 N. Elston Ave; Chicago South, 9901 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.; Danville/Tilton, #5 Southgate; DeKalb, 1360 Oakwood St.; Marion, 1905 Rendleman St.; Mascoutah, 9221 Beller Dr.; Moline/Silvis, 2001 Fifth St., Ste. #10; Olney, 1302 S. West St.; Peoria, 3311 N. Sterling Ave., #12; Princeton, 225 Backbone Rd. East; Quincy, 2512 Locust St.; Rantoul, 421 S. Murray Rd.; Rockford, 4734 Baxter Rd.; Salem, 1375 W. Whittaker St.; and Springfield, 2701 S. Dirksen Pkwy.
Chicago North and Chicago South facilities will be open for new drivers only Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The other facilities listed above will operate under normal hours.
Select Facilities Open to Serve CDL Applicants ONLY
White also reiterated that 18 CDL facilities remain open for CDL written and road exams. These CDL facilities include:
Bradley, 1111 Blatt St.; Charleston, 1010 E. St.; Danville/Tilton, #5 Southgate; DeKalb, 1360 Oakwood St.; Elk Grove Village, 650 Roppolo Dr.; Marion, 1905 Rendleman St.; Mascoutah, 9221 Beller Dr.; Moline/Silvis, 2001 Fifth St., Ste. #10; Olney, 1302 S. West St.; Peoria, 3311 N. Sterling Ave., #12; Princeton, 225 Backbone Rd. East; Quincy, 2512 Locust St.; Rantoul, 421 S. Murray Rd.; Rockford, 4734 Baxter Rd.; Salem, 1375 W. Whittaker St.; South Holland, 41 W. 162nd St.; Springfield, 2701 S. Dirksen Pkwy.; and West Chicago, 1280 Powis Rd.
“Commercial truck drivers provide essential services by ensuring goods can be transported safely and efficiently throughout the state and country during this pandemic,” White said.
CDL driving tests are by appointment only by calling 217-785-3013.
Seven Facilities Offering Drive-thru Services for License Plate Stickers
Lastly, White again reminded the public that seven facilities will continue offering drive-thru services for license plate sticker transactions ONLY. These facilities were selected due to the configuration of the buildings that allowed for drive-through transactions. The seven drive-through facilities are: Chicago North, 5401 N. Elston Ave.; Chicago South, 9901 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.; Chicago West,5301 W. Lexington St.; Danville/Tilton, #5 Southgate; Macomb, 466 Deer Rd.; Rockford-Central, 3720 E. State St.; and Springfield, Dirksen 2701 S. Dirksen Parkway.
Expanded Online Renewals for Driver’s Licenses and ID Cards
In an effort to reduce future facility visits for in-person service, White has expanded online renewals for driver’s licenses and ID cards. Not everyone qualifies, particularly those who are required to pass a written or road test. For qualifying drivers, if the driver’s license or ID card expired between Feb. 1, 2020, through Jan. 31, 2021, then the individual will receive a letter this month with a unique PIN needed to renew online. If the driver’s license or ID card expires after Feb. 1, 2021, the individual will receive the PIN letter approximately 90 days before the expiration date. For more information on determining whether an individual qualifies for online renewal, visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com and click on “Read more on how to renew your driver’s license or ID card online” near the top of the main page.
Thousands of customers have already taken advantage of the expanded driver’s license and ID card online renewal program, which results in fewer customers waiting in person at Driver Services facilities once they reopen.
“As the health and safety of employees and the public are paramount, we decided to extend the closure of Driver Services facilities until Jan 4, 2021, due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic,” said White. “Unfortunately, face-to-face transactions potentially increase the further spread of the virus, and protecting the health and safety of our residents is my top priority. We have extended expiration dates to assist people during this difficult time. We are also offering services to CDL holders and new drivers at select facilities. In addition, I am encouraging customers to consider using online services that are available for many office transactions.”
All other Secretary of State departments are open to serve the public. Check www.cyberdriveillinois.com for more information.
The Illinois State Board of Elections on Friday certified the results of the Nov. 3 General Election, which featured the highest statewide turnout since 1992 and set records for total number of votes cast and total registered voters.
Despite being held amid the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 General Election saw 6,098,729 voters cast ballots, exceeding the 2016 total of 5,666,118, which was a record at the time. There were a record 8,364,099 active registered voters eligible to participate in the election, surpassing the 2016 record of 8,029,847.
Turnout was 72.92 percent, the highest statewide voter turnout since the 1992 general Election’s 78.24 percent and more than 2 percentage points higher than in 2016.
Official vote totals for the 2020 general elections can be found on the SBE website’s Election Results page. The official Vote Totals book is available as a downloadable pdf file in the Vote Totals section of the website’s publications page.
As the coronavirus pandemic intensified following the March 17 primary, the Illinois General Assembly passed an election bill that enacted many special provisions to ensure a safe General Election for voters and poll workers. Chief among these was an emphasis on voting by mail that resulted in a record number of Illinois voters casting ballots without entering a polling place.
Likewise, promotion of early voting to mitigate potential Election Day crowding led to an unprecedented number of votes cast during Illinois’ 40-day early voting period.
Based on pre-election ballot reports, SBE estimates that the total statewide vote was split roughly evenly between early voting, voting by mail and in-person voting on Election Day, each accounting for about 2 million votes. Board staff is currently collecting data from the state’s 108 local election authorities that will provide a more precise summary of voting trends in the 2020 general election. That data will be submitted to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission in early 2021 for inclusion in the Election Administration and Voting Survey. […]
“The strong turnout in this election is a testament to the voters of Illinois and the state’s 108 local election authorities,” said SBE Executive Director Steve Sandvoss. “Amid a historic public health crisis that presented a formidable obstacle, the election community statewide rose to the occasion.”
The Fair Tax failed, the Yes vote only received 46.73% support. Because of the low dropoff rate it could have passed if the Yes vote had reached 53.10% support (assuming my math is correct).
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell as the nation celebrated Thanksgiving last week to a still-high 712,000, the latest sign that the U.S. economy and job market remain under stress from the intensified viral outbreak.
Thursday’s report from the Labor Department said that initial claims for jobless aid dropped from 787,000 the week before. Before the virus paralyzed the economy in March, the number of people applying for unemployment benefits each week had typically amounted to roughly 225,000. The chronically high pace of applications shows that nearly nine months after the pandemic struck, many employers are still slashing jobs.
“Thanksgiving seasonals likely explain the drop’’ in jobless claims last week, Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote in a research note. “Expect a rebound next week.’’
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported 74,131 new unemployment claims were filed across the state last week, the week of Nov. 22. That is up 13 percent from the week before.
About 10 percent of the national total yet again.
* There is clearly something amiss here. The governor has blamed the inordinately high numbers on fraudulent claims. CBS 2 reports that “roughly 297,000 people in Illinois” are “lumped into the IDES’ fraudulent claims pile.”
Illinois has lost more than a third of its small businesses since the beginning of the year, according to TrackTheRecovery.org. […]
The data compiled by Harvard and Brown universities and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation shows as of Nov. 16, 2020, the number of small businesses open decreased by 35.4 percent compared to January of this year.
The national average businesses not open compared to January is 28.9 percent fewer. Washington D.C. had the worst loss at 47.1 percent fewer small businesses. Nebraska and North Carolina had the best showing at 20.5 percent fewer.
Small business revenues have also taken a hit nationwide. The national average is a decrease of 32.1 percent in small business revenue since January. Washington D.C. had the worst loss in the nation at 61.6 percent. Oregon small businesses lost 16.3 percent. Illinois small businesses saw 39.2 percent decline in revenue since January.
[Headline changed to reflect an error on my part. I’ve donated more money to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. This week needs to end before I go broke /s]
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
With identity fraud tied to unemployment claims in Illinois at an all-time high, Illinois State Representatives Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City), Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), and Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) held a press conference Friday and said Governor Pritzker needs to stop pointing fingers and start proposing solutions.
Since March, more than 212,000 fraudulent claims have been filed with the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Most fraudulent activity involves unemployment benefit debit cards with money on them that are being received by Illinoisans who did not file for benefits, or business owners who cannot obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds because their identities were stolen and money due to them was channeled to a cyber-hacker.
“Governor Pritzker continues to blame the federal government for his department’s failings, but it’s time for JB Pritzker to take responsibility for the fact that his IDES has failed at every turn during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said State Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro). “Rather than continuing to play the blame game, the Governor needs to fix this failed system once and for all and share with the General Assembly his plan to protect the identities of Illinoisans at risk of having their personal information compromised.”
State Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City) said Illinoisans who receive no help or no callbacks from IDES are turning to their legislators for assistance, often in a state of desperation. “Helping constituents who are having difficulties applying for benefits and receiving answers from IDES has become the number one issue which I and my district office staff have been spending time on since the outbreak began in March,” said Bennett. “Meanwhile groceries still have to be bought and bills still have to be paid while the applicants wait. The delays and failures at IDES are unacceptable. Government must do better!”
While the Attorney General’s Office recommends that all people use strong account passwords, monitor their credit reports, register for fraud alerts by text or email, and pay close attention to all financial accounts, Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) said that’s not nearly enough, and that state government needs to do more to protect people from fraud. “Telling families who need to put food on the table to monitor their credit reports for potential unemployment fraud is a completely unacceptable abdication of the government’s responsibility to the people,” said Murphy. “Then telling victims who are just trying to stay afloat to repay the government for its failure to protect against fraud adds serious insult to injury. We are long overdue for public hearings, the legislature needs to convene and concrete answers to address the ongoing problems at IDES must be provided.”
Jim Oberweis, candidate for Congress in the 14th District, is issuing the following statement on the discovery recount his campaign has formally launched.
“Today my campaign has formally initiated the process to begin a discovery recount. We are seeking a discovery recount in each of the seven counties within the 14th Congressional District. A discovery recount does not change a single vote, but it does allow us to see if the outcome might change with a full recount. Election law provides campaigns the ability to request a discovery recount in close elections. As we have said for the last few weeks, we would be seeking a discovery recount and the first of these recounts have been formally filed in DuPage County. We will be filing paperwork in the other counties in the coming days.”
Unofficial totals showed Underwood, of Naperville, with 203,209 votes, or 50.7%, compared with 197,835 votes for Oberweis, or 49.3%, in the west and northwest suburban and exurban district. […]
A discovery recount involves a partial sample of votes cast in the congressional district, which includes DuPage, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. Unofficial results showed Underwood winning in all but McHenry and DeKalb counties.
If results from a discovery recount differ, the result of the election would not automatically change. But the recount could be used as the basis for a court challenge to the election results.
Needless to say, don’t expect a change in the end result. A 1.4 percentage point lead doesn’t just vanish.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Lauren Underwood for Congress released the following statement in response to news reports regarding Jim Oberweis’ pursuit of a discovery recount. This statement is attributable to Underwood spokeswoman Andra Belknap:
“The votes in this race have been counted and Mr. Oberweis lost. As he has acknowledged, a discovery recount cannot change the outcome of this election. Congresswoman Underwood is in Washington focused on the job she has been elected to do.”
Embattled House Speaker Michael Madigan, his bid for reelection to the post in jeopardy, will appear Saturday at a “candidate’s forum” hosted by one of his most loyal constituencies — the House Black caucus.
With 19 of the projected 73 Democrats who will sit in the next session of the House opposing Madigan’s reelection — leaving him six short of approval — the move by the nation’s longest-serving speaker is aimed at both shoring up and demonstrating support from a highly active caucus of House Democrats.
So far, of the Black caucus’ 22 members, only Rep. Maurice West of Rockford has said he will not vote for Madigan’s reelection as speaker, a post the Southwest Side Democrat has held since 1983 with the exception of two years in the mid-1990s when Republicans controlled the chamber. […]
The Black caucus traditionally meets prior to the inauguration of a new legislature to elect a member for the House Democratic leadership team. But one caucus member said privately that the meeting’s role this year was expanded to include the speaker candidate’s forum as a way to provide Madigan with a formidable reelection endorsement.
Members of the House have until noon Friday to make their interest known to Rep. Camille Lilly, D-Chicago, who chairs the caucus, according to the release. The forum was first reported by Capitol Fax.
Steve Brown, a spokesman for the speaker, said Madigan plans to take part.
Lilly said it will be a private forum for the candidates.
“We wanted to open it up to those who are interested [in being speaker] and we wanted to make ourselves available,” Lilly said.
*** UPDATE 1 *** I meant to include this here and forgot. Pearson was interviewed by CNN about Madigan. Here’s one exchange…
Cillizza: Finish this sentence: “In January the next Speaker of the Illinois state House will be ________.” Now, explain.
Pearson: I don’t mean to weasel out here but this is very much an open question. In the past, there were heirs apparent to Madigan should he have stepped down. But Madigan has outlasted them. The women’s caucus is sizable and has now become a political force. The Black caucus in the House has always been influential. Progressives have become a larger factor in the chamber and they will want to be represented. Members of Madigan’s current leadership team want consideration.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
“The Illinois Legislative House Black Caucus will host a forum for all interested candidates for House Speaker on Saturday, December 5th. At noon today, we received the final list of interested candidates who wish to appear and present their leadership credentials to the caucus members. We are committed to a transparent and open process. We look forward to hearing from all those interested and providing an opportunity for the caucus members to make the best decision that represents our collective constituency and residents of Illinois. This is strictly a forum.” - Rep. Camille Lilly, Chair - Illinois Legislative House Black Caucus
* You know the drill. Illinois-centric and polite. And if you haven’t yet contributed, please click here and contribute to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. Thanks for everything.
The days of Boone’s Saloon are over, as new owners Mike Zengilani and Chris Stone are closing the popular bar and grill on College & Edwards to give it a re-branding.
The new venture will be simply called Boone’s. Zengilani will draw from his ten years of experience at Cafe Moxo to tweak the menu, while plans also include an expanded outdoor beer garden. Already considered one of the best beer gardens in Springfield, the new Boone’s will have more space in the garden, as well as video gaming.
Stone told me yesterday they’re dropping the Confederate dish names from the menu. That’s a relief.
