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Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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COGFA increases revenue forecasts, but FY26 prediction is still below Pritzker’s estimate

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability’s latest report…

When the Commission released its FY 2025 revenue estimate in March, it noted that “if income tax revenues come in strong during the upcoming final tax period, and if other revenue sources, such as the sales tax, continue to improve, the Commission could potentially make another upward revision in May.” As discussed earlier in this publication, April revenues did indeed come in above expectations. While the level of growth is only moderately above initial projections, the revenue gains were high enough that a modest upward revision could be made.

As shown in the table below, the Commission is increasing its overall FY 2025 revenue total by $317 million from $53.614 billion to $53.931 billion. Due to the solid performance of many of the State sources over the past couple of months, the Commission is increasing the FY 2025 revenue projection for most revenue categories, though the increases are relatively minor (between 0.4% and 2.1%). Combined, the upward adjustment for these State sources is $664 million.

However, offsetting a large portion of these upward adjustments is a negative adjustment to the Federal Sources line. As discussed on pages 2 and 6 of this publication, revenues from Federal Sources through the end of April are $354 million below FY 2024 levels. To reach GOMB’s February estimate for this revenue line (adopted by CGFA in March), Federal Sources would have to grow $623 million over the final two months of the year, which seems unlikely. Therefore, the Commission is lowering its revenue estimate for Federal Sources by $347 million to $3.750 billion for FY 2025.

The details of CGFA’s revised revenue projection of $53.931 billion are provided on the following page. This revised estimate is now $31 million above GOMB’s February ’25 FY 2025 forecast of $53.900 billion and $650 million above the $53.281 billion assumed in the FY 2025 Enacted Budget.

* Table…

* On to the coming fiscal year…

The revenue growth seen over the past couple of months in many of the economically-tied revenue sources has increased the base to which growth factors can be applied. A higher taxable base creates upward pressure on revenue estimates. In practice, a revenue adjustment for FY 2025 typically results in a similar upward adjustment to FY 2026. However, growing economic uncertainty suggests a more cautious approach to growth expectations should be adopted in the coming fiscal year. […]

Because of the more dire outlook of the economy in recent polls, the Commission is softening its growth factors for FY 2026 for many of the economically-tied revenue sources. To be clear, the growth in the tax base as a result of recent activity in FY 2025 provides a bump to the Commission’s estimates. However, the extent of the increase is diminished by weaker growth expectations. Therefore, the revenue adjustments for FY 2026, as shown in the table below, are less than those shown in FY 2025. A negative adjustment to Federal Sources is also included due to its recent performance and uncertainty in how Federal dollars will be handled by the Federal Government.

The Commission’s revised FY 2026 estimate is $54.490 billion, which is a $266 million upward adjustment from the March estimate of $54.224 billion. This figure remains $471 million below the Governor’s February 2025 “current law” estimate of $54.961 billion and $963 million below the Budget Book estimate of $55.453 billion (when including the Governor’s proposed revenue adjustments).

* Table…

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

Almost three years later, buses sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have stopped arriving from the more closely surveilled southern border. The city has closed down most of the facilities it scrambled to stand up to meet waves of asylum-seekers, mostly from Venezuela. Thousands have transitioned to permanent housing. Police stations, once overflowing with newly arrived people, are empty.

What remains is a new, merged shelter network officials have dubbed the One System Initiative, which houses anyone, from anywhere, who doesn’t have a place to go. The city and state were running 28 migrant-exclusive facilities at the peak of arrivals in January of last year, according to city census data. They have collaborated with nonprofits to run 51 total sites across the system, city officials said. […]

Challenges remain. The number of people who need a short-term place to sleep still exceeds the 7,400 beds available in the merged systems. Some facilities are still dealing with bilingual staff shortages. Even if Chicago’s emergency shelters were perfectly equipped to meet demand, advocates say that issues with homelessness will persist unless the city addresses its inadequate supply of affordable housing. And in Kenwood, some residents are pushing back and may take legal action to try to prevent a shelter that once opened for migrants from becoming a permanent fixture in their area.

Inside the shelters, residents and workers say there is empathy among the people staying there.

“Some come because their house burned down, others because they just arrived in the U.S. and have nowhere else to go, some are fleeing violence from places like Mexico, Venezuela, or Haiti,” said Marcos Sanchez, a Venezuelan migrant who now works at a state-funded shelter near Midway Airport. “People support each other emotionally.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Plan to overhaul higher education funding meets U of I opposition: Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Westchester, the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 13, said it is designed to bring equity and stability to the state’s higher education system. “This bill does not just aim to increase funding,” she told a Senate committee Wednesday. “It tells us for the first time in our state’s history what students and universities need to succeed and how to adequately fund universities over time to actually meet that need. It defines what universities require to educate, support and graduate students successfully, and then it directs resources to do just that.”

*** Statewide ***

* Press Release | IDPH Issues Updated Sport Fish Consumption Advisories: IDPH maintains an interactive Fish Advisory Map that includes consumption advisories for more than 100 publicly accessible bodies of water across the state. The advisories detail how frequently certain types of fish from various waterways can be eaten without posing a health risk. While there is no known immediate health hazard from eating contaminated fish from any Illinois water body, there are concerns about effects of long-term exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and methylmercury in fish.

* NPR Illinois | Loving Lincoln author sheds light on the Great Emancipator’s work, relationships with women:” And I remembered an acquisition editor at SIU press had told me years ago to call her first when I was ready to write my book about Lincoln. And I did. I called her and the book that was written, it kind of just magically happened. Maureen, honestly, I sat down to write a collective biography of all these women, these stories of women’s mothers and sisters and friends of Mary Lincoln, of the women who Lincoln helped in his law practice … and the women who came to see Lincoln when he was president, asking him to help them with their sorrows, to get a loved one back from a battlefield, or to help them find a job in the government.”

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Group opposing Mayor Brandon Johnson and allies raises $10 million, progressives decry ‘sucker politics’: The Common Ground Collective has raised $10 million, according to its executive director, Chuck Swirsky. It’s a sum that’s sure to grow but that is already similar to the combined amount Johnson received in his 2023 campaign from his top funders, the Chicago Teachers Union, Service Employees International Union and related unions. The group, a nonprofit, is not required to publicly disclose its donor list, and Swirsky declined to do so. But he said the money came from around 90 donors, none of whom have contributed more than 5% of its total. And Swirsky said among the contributors is GCM Grosvenor CEO Michael Sacks, a Democratic donor and close friend of former Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Sacks declined to comment when contacted by the Tribune.

* Crain’s | Microsoft drops law firm that cut Trump deal — and turns to Chicago’s Jenner & Block: The move, first reported by The New York Times, gives Jenner a notable vote of confidence from one of the world’s largest companies at a time when the legal world is navigating intense political crosscurrents. The case involves Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard. According to court filings, Simpson Thacher lawyers told the Delaware Court of Chancery on April 22 it would no longer represent Microsoft. That same day, Jenner attorneys filed their appearance in the case, taking over legal duties in a shareholder lawsuit challenging the merger, the Times reports.

* Crain’s | Amid Trump attacks on higher ed, UChicago faculty want to see more from leadership: UChicago faculty have circulated a petition, which has now been signed by more than 260 members, that calls on Alivisatos to join other school leaders in publicly defending academic freedoms and opposing any effort by the government to undermine them. They implore Alivisatos to sign on to the American Association of Colleges & Universities’ letter, signed by almost 600 university leaders, including those at Northwestern and seven Ivy League universities, which opposes “undue government intrusion” by the Trump administration and its “coercive use of public research funding,” which has been used as a cudgel to force colleges to comply with its demands.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools’ second-in-command leaving in June: Bogdana Chkoumbova, the Chicago Public Schools chief education officer and outgoing CEO Pedro Martinez’s second-in-command, is leaving the district at the end of the school year. Chkoumbova’s departure could herald more high-profile defections from the district as Martinez prepares to leave CPS in June. In late December 2024, the school board fired him without cause, which gave him another six months on the job under his contract.

* Sun-Times | Solution for Chicago’s empty office buildings could be microapartments, study says: Converting vacant office buildings into residential co-living units — akin to dorm-style housing — would help solve a trio of real estate problems bogging down Chicago, as the city tries to revitalize its downtown corridor. That’s according to a study by architecture firm Gensler and the Pew Charitable Trusts. The report, released Monday, looks at the feasibility of flexible co-living spaces in Chicago’s Central Business District.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Man sentenced to 53 years in prison in hate-crime attack on Palestinian-American boy, mother: A former Plainfield Township landlord who murdered a 6-year-old Muslim boy and severely injured the boy’s mother in a vicious hate-crime attack days after the war in Gaza began was sentenced Friday to 53 years in prison. Joseph Czuba, 73, was found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder and hate-crime charges in the death of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mother, Hanan Shaheen.

* Daily Herald | ‘You have to get through Rolling Meadows’: Mayor stresses city’s place in Arlington Park redevelopment: The 326-acre Arlington Park property that could one day host a Chicago Bears stadium is within the village of Arlington Heights, but Rolling Meadows Mayor Lara Sanoica is quick to remind people her town will be a key player in redevelopment discussions, too. “Anything that comes here is going to require cooperation with us, because no matter what happens, you have to get through Rolling Meadows to get there,” Sanoica said Thursday during the annual state of the city address.

* Tribune | 20 years of conversations beat money, big names in historic Skokie mayor race: In the historic election for mayor of Skokie, candidate David “Azi” Lifsics spent big dollar amounts and garnered big-name endorsements. When Election Night was over, though, he had lost to candidate Ann Tennes, who spent only a fraction of what he had shelled out. Her winning formula in the April 1 race? Twenty years’ worth of community involvement, volunteer service and face-to-face connections in the suburb of about 67,000. She worked as Skokie’s director of marketing and communications for two decades, had been elected to Oakton (Community) College’s Board, and had volunteered for Skokie civic and arts organizations.

* Evergreen Park | Evergreen Park teen turns trash into heat for homeless as nonprofit effort grows: Billy Duffner was just trying to warm up his family’s fireplace with some handmade paper bricks when the idea struck. What if these could help someone who didn’t have a home? That moment became the foundation for Heat4Homeless, a grassroots nonprofit that repurposes recycled paper and sawdust into fire bricks. Each one is a portable source of warmth for people living on the streets during Chicago’s coldest months.

* Daily Herald | ‘Groundhog Day’ inn gets another role, this time in upcoming Christmas movie shot in Woodstock: The film is “about an ambitious hotel manager who returns to her family’s B&B for Christmas to find all three of her high school exes staying there,” producer Chris Charles said. The movie has parallels with the three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, said Eliza Toser, who co-wrote the film with her husband, Jake Jarvi.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Heartland Head Start ’shocked’ by proposed funding elimination but still hopeful: Heartland Head Start interim executive director Chuck Hartseil said it’s not clear what options they would have to sustain programming if Congress were to approve wiping out funding. “We are almost solely funded through the federal government,” Hartseil said in an interview on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. […] The early childhood program that serves more than 200 low-income families in McLean and Livingston counties gets about $4.4 million annually from the federal government.

* KSDK | Hubbell-Wiegmann plant announces closure by 2026; 110 workers to be laid off: — More than 100 people in one Metro East community will soon be out of a job after their employer announced plans to close next year. Since 1958, the Hubbell-Wiegmann plant has been a staple in Freeburg. “They manufacture electrical boxes like disconnects for your air conditioner,” Freeburg Mayor Seth Speiser said. […] According to the WARN notice, those jobs will be split up between Hubbell’s Aurora, Illinois factory and a location in Juarez, Mexico. “If they can go to Mexico for $3 an hour versus Freeburg at $20 an hour it’s just business,” Speiser said.

* Edgar County Watchdogs | Nason, IL. Board Meeting Descends into Chaos: Resignations, Applause, and an Arrest –: The turmoil did not end with the adjournment. As citizens exited the building, a physical altercation reportedly broke out between incoming Alderman Alan Colle and current Alderman David Page. Sources indicate that Mr. Page allegedly assaulted Mr. Colle for filming the public meeting after it had concluded – an act constitutionally protected under the First Amendment. Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene by Mr. Colle. According to witnesses, Mr. Page initially found the situation amusing until law enforcement arrived with a transport vehicle. Alderman David Page was subsequently arrested and taken into custody on unknown charges.

* WGLT | Brady sworn in as Bloomington mayor, with housing and infrastructure top of mind: Brady said housing and infrastructure are his day one priorities. He plans to pick up where the previous mayor — Mboka Mwilambwe — left off, advancing plans for a tiny home village for unhoused community members and the downtown streetscape project. “And then I think the next area you talk about, and you look at, is what we’re doing with the quality of life within Bloomington,” Brady told WGLT. “Meaning our water, our potholes, infrastructure — those type of things.”

* WCIA | ‘Significantly crossed the boundaries’: report details misconduct of former GCMS teacher: Through a FOIA request, WCIA received a redacted version of the statement detailing the charges against former Gibson City Middle School math teacher Robbie Dinkins Thursday evening. The report explains how Dinkins would send emotional text messages to confide in students about stressors in his personal life, including the deaths of people close to him. He also admitted to investigators he would sometimes be intoxicated when texting students.

*** National ***

* Crain’s | Rivian begins its first big marketing push — here’s a look behind the campaign: Rivian is tapping into this passion as part of its first full-fledged marketing campaign, called “Real Rivian Adventures,” which turns stories from real owners into ads. The Irvine, California-based automaker has a community engagement and content team dedicated to connecting with the owner groups. The team played an instrumental role in sourcing user stories for the campaign, which was handled by Mojo Supermarket. The agency won the assignment last year after a competitive review.

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Moody’s cuts Illinois GDP growth forecast by half, but its national jobs prediction is, so far, off the mark

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Crain’s…

Moody’s Analytics, which prepared a sobering long-term economic forecast for COGFA in February, already has been trimming its growth projections for Illinois and other states. Recently, Moody’s cut its forecast for Illinois GDP growth by half to 0.8% for 2025 and reduced its expectation for employment growth to 0.4% from 0.6%.

“Revenue growth is going to be weaker than we were expecting in previous forecasts, and state and local government hiring is going to slow because funds are going to be drying up,” says Sarah Crane, an economist at Moody’s Analytics. “It’s going to be a tight budget situation for most state and local governments.”

Job growth, which climbed modestly in the first quarter, “is going to flatten out for sure,” Crane says. “We already were expecting things to wind down in terms of job growth. Now we’re all but certain it’s going to happen. We’ve been surprised before by the strength of the U.S. labor market and job creation, but . . . we do think that things will go sideways for a few quarters.”

* So far, though, jobs are holding up…

The U.S. labor market remained resilient in April, with employers adding 177,000 jobs, a solid showing despite ongoing economic uncertainty that has caused many employers to put hiring plans on hold.

The unemployment rate held steady at 4.2 percent, near historic lows, according to a jobs report released Friday by the Labor Department. Economists had largely expected growth to cool, following the addition of 185,000 jobs in March, figures that were revised downward.

The labor market has been a pillar of strength for years, helping to prop up the economy through a period of high inflation and elevated interest rates. Economists have been on high alert that surrounding weakness — including data this week showing the U.S. economy shrank in the first three months of 2025 — could drag down the labor market. But, so far, the slowdown has been gradual.

As I’ve noted before, jobs are the real issue here. If jobs crater, we’re in for a world of hurt. And the same applies if Congress approves huge cuts to Medicaid and other programs that the state relies on.

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George Ryan (Updated x2)

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* NBC Chicago…

Ryan, who served as Illinois’ governor from 1999 to 2003, passed away Friday morning after spending the last few days in hospice care, according to former Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, a close friend of Ryan’s.

No cause of death was immediately given. […]

During a 2015 talk, Ryan said serving time on corruption charges gave him a new perspective on the criminal justice system.

“Justice is supposed to be blind, but the fact is most people are blind about the justice system,” Ryan said. “Those of us who have been there and are coming out of prison wondering what is going on. There are people concerned about what is going to happen to us, but I am not sure they care that much.”

People have and will say many bad things about him, but he got a lot of stuff done in four years.

…Adding… More coverage…

Tribune

* Sun-Times: Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan dead at 91

* CBS2: Former Illinois Governor George Ryan dies at age 91, sources confirm; served prison time for corruption

* ABC7: Former IL Gov. George Ryan dead

* Fox32: Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan dies at 91

…Adding… Brad Cole…

Below is a statement from Brad Cole, CEO of the Illinois Municipal League, regarding former Gov. George Ryan. Cole served as Ryan’s Deputy Chief of Staff:

“Governor Ryan was a very good friend of mine. He was also fundamentally a good man, and I wish more people knew that about him. He dedicated himself to helping people when others wouldn’t and did so quietly and out of the spotlight. I will always be grateful for our more than 25-year relationship and am comforted that he and Lura Lynn are now together once again.”

* Curran…

Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) released the following statement on the passing of former Illinois Governor George Ryan:

“I join the many Illinoisans who are remembering the contributions that Gov. Ryan made to our state. He was a bold leader who wasn’t afraid to reach across the aisle and bring people together for the greater good. His investments in infrastructure, technology, and education to help create a brighter future for Illinois will long be remembered. I am thinking of his family and those who loved him, and wishing them strength and peace as they say goodbye.”

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The last acceptable prejudice

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From CNN’s “Inside JB Pritzker’s public and private efforts to counter Trump and challenge fellow Democrats”…

Several party operatives working their way around the weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner events were gaming when to reach out about signing up with him, while focus group research has already quietly been passed around about whether the governor’s weight is a positive or negative with voters, according to people who’ve seen the findings.

* Therefore…

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) went ahead and came up with his own nickname for President Donald Trump to use against him since the president has already mocked the governor’s weight.

Pritzker joined late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday to discuss his viral speech on Sunday in which he called for “mass protests” against the administration and for Democrats to “fight everywhere and all at once.” The governor called out “do nothing Democrats” in his talk as well, earning praises from others dissatisfied with the party’s efforts to date.

At a rally last year, Trump joked that Pritzker is “too busy eating” to be an effective governor. […]

Kimmel said he was shocked Trump hadn’t landed on a nickname — a longtime signature move for the president — for Pritzker and he pulled out a list of suggestions, all a play on Pritzker’s size.

The names included: JB Pizza, JB Back Ribs, JBiggy, JB the Hutt, JPritz His Pants-ker, Pritz Crackers, Gov. Big Shorts, and JB “The Refrigerator” Pritzker.

The governor revealed he’s already been mulling his own nicknames the president could use and he has a favorite.

The governor has obliquely referenced his size many times, but never like that Kimmel appearance. Click here to watch it.

* I found the interview uncomfortable to watch. But the online vitriol about the man’s weight has got to be addressed. I mean, it’s extreme stuff. Go read the comments on any of his posts. Vile.

But, as the headline says, it’s the last acceptable prejudice. Lots of people, even those who are open-minded types, often believe overweight people are “weak” and that it’s OK to make fun of them.

* Anyway, more from the Tribune…

“I have not even decided if I’m running for reelection as governor yet. So there’s, there’s a lot of time between now and where you’re suggesting,” he said in response to a question from Kimmel about his presidential aspirations.

Asked if he was deciding between a third term as governor or opting out to seek a presidential bid, Pritzker said, “No, none of that has anything to do with that.”

“I love the job that I have. It’s just a question of, you know, it’s a hard job, right? I mean, I’ve been doing it for six and a half years now. And the question is, you know, another, add another well, one-and-a-half plus four, right?” Pritzker said of a reelection bid. “That’s 12 years total, right? That’s an awful long time. But we have a lot to accomplish. We’ve done an awful lot in Illinois, and so those things weigh on me.”

People close to Pritzker say they expect the 60-year-old billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune to seek a third term after the Illinois General Assembly’s spring session ends, which is scheduled for May 31. But some top Democratic strategists have said Pritzker should opt out of a third term, particularly due to potential issues that could develop as the state copes with federal funding cuts being pushed by Trump and Republicans who control Congress.

Getting out while the getting is good has its advantages, but running away from trouble is not a very presidential look, IMHO.

Also, most “top Democratic strategists” in 2017 insisted that an overweight Jewish billionaire had no chance in an Illinois Democratic primary against Robert F. Kennedy’s son. That Pritzker team has never paid much attention to “top Democratic strategists.”

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Group rebuts, fact checks Comptroller Mendoza’s SAFE-T Act remarks

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice…

Today at the Illinois Police Officers Memorial Ceremony in Springfield, Comptroller Susana Mendoza railed against the Pretrial Fairness Act, claiming that it “permits violent offenders accused of heinous crimes to be released on electronic monitoring.”

Comptroller Mendoza was referring to the murder of police officer Enrique Martinez. Our hearts continue to break for Officer Martinez’s loved ones, who undoubtedly feel the pain of their loss daily. We would like to leave our comments there, but because of the Comptroller’s weaponization of this tragedy, we cannot.

As Comptroller Mendoza undoubtedly knows, Darion McMillian, who fired the fatal shots, was on pretrial release for possessing between 300-500 grams of cannabis, an offense that falls under no definition of “heinous” or “violent” anywhere in the country. Nothing about the allegations against McMillian indicated that he would participate in a shooting that would result in an officer’s death.

We should always evaluate how we can make our communities safer, including reviewing data and research, which is exactly what underlies every aspect of the Pretrial Fairness Act. Mendoza also took aim at a policy included in the law that allows people on pretrial electronic monitoring two periods of movement each week to complete essential tasks like going to the grocery store and laundromat or visiting a doctor. These provisions were put in place because the Cook County Sheriff’s Office had created a human rights crisis by preventing people on his electronic monitoring program from doing those tasks as well as activities like taking out the garbage or getting the mail. The program was so impractical and inhumane that Cook County began sunsetting it last month.

Mendoza also repeated the false talking point that people on pretrial electronic monitoring have “two days a week off the monitoring grid.” This three-year old piece of misinformation has already been debunked through reporting and simple consultation of actual law and practice. People on pretrial electronic monitoring are under GPS surveillance 24/7, including during any periods of essential movement.

Since the Pretrial Fairness Act took effect, violent and property crimes have decreased in urban and rural areas across the state. While we are not claiming this is a direct result of ending money bail, it does make clear that the claims that this law has made our communities less safe are quite simply false.

In a moment where misinformation is being used by officials in Washington D.C. to undermine our most basic rights, we should put a premium on facts. We hope that the Comptroller will stop spreading lies to court conservatives and spread fear.

Background on Darion McMillian’s case:

- On May 12, 2023, he was charged with Manufacture/Delivery/Possession with Intent to Deliver 300-500 grams of Cannabis, a class 3 felony. The Will County State’s Attorney declined to file a detention motion using the law’s Willful Flight standard.
- McMillian was ordered to submit to drug testing as a condition of his pretrial release. A violation was filed on October 16, 2024, and McMillian was subsequently charged with attempting to defraud a drug test and ordered onto electronic monitoring.
- On October 21, 2024, the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a motion to revoke pretrial release based on the second charge. Instead of hearing that motion, the judge issued a continuance and allowed Mr. McMillian to remain on electronic monitoring pending the revocation hearing.

Background on Pretrial Release:

On September 18, 2023, Illinois implemented the Pretrial Fairness Act and ended the use of money bond. Pretrial release decisions are now focused on safety and not access to money. A study of the law’s implementation conducted by researchers at Loyola University found that:

- Comparing the first six months of 2023 (before the law took effect) to the first six months of 2024 (after the law took effect), the statewide volume of reported crimes declined 11%. Violent crime declined 7%, and property crime declined 14%.
- The number of people incarcerated pretrial decreased by 14% in urban areas and 25% rural counties after the law went into effect. While fewer people are being jailed now than before the Pretrial Fairness Act took effect, a significantly higher proportion of those who are jailed are facing violent or weapons-related charges than before the Pretrial Fairness Act.
- Analysis of court data from 22 counties indicates that overall failure to appear warrant rates actually declined from 13.6% before the Pretrial Fairness Act to 12.5% after.
- Detention hearings are longer under the Pretrial Fairness Act (median 10-30 minutes) than under the money bond system, when people were routinely jailed for weeks or months after very short hearings (median 4-6 minutes).
- Detention hearings are now more transparent, with judges articulating reasons for their decisions, pointing to case-specific facts to support them, and establishing a record for appellate review.
- Families were estimated to have paid over $140 million per year in money bond before the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act. An estimated $14 million was kept as administrative fees by counties, even for accused people whose cases were dismissed or who were found not guilty.

Discuss.

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US DOJ: Illinois’ workplace privacy law impedes federal immigration authority

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Courthouse News…

The Department of Justice sued the state of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Labor, its director Jane Flanagan and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul Thursday over a state workplace privacy law it says impedes on federal immigration authority.

The DOJ, in its lawsuit filed in the Northern District of Illinois, says Illinois’ Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act — specifically recently-enacted amendments to the bill, which went into effect on January 1 — usurps the federal government’s control of employment eligibility verification. […]

Federal immigration legislation created the E-Verify program, which allows employers to determine that a prospective employee is legally authorized to work in the U.S, in 2003. The program electronically compares the information from an employee’s I-9 form to records already available to the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

If the records don’t match, the E-Verify program notifies the employer and prompts further action to confirm employment eligibility, which typically entails the employee contacting the Department of Homeland Security or the Social Security Administration. If an employee can’t correct the mismatched information, they could be terminated.

The amendments to the Illinois law prevent employers in the state from terminating employees if their information doesn’t match other forms in the E-Verify program, and require employers to notify employees of their rights under E-Verify programs and similar systems.

* US Department of Justice…

Based on its enumerated constitutional and sovereign powers to conduct relations with foreign nations, the Federal Government has broad authority to establish immigration laws, the execution of which States cannot obstruct or take discriminatory actions against. Despite these prohibitions, the employment of unauthorized aliens by United States employers remains a substantial problem and encourages illegal entry into the country. Indeed, employment is one of the primary reasons aliens choose to enter the country illegally.

The United States’ complaint alleges SB0508 violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, along with laws enacted by Congress to combat the employment of illegal aliens, including the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which prohibits employers from knowingly hiring, recruiting, referring, or employing aliens without appropriate work authorization.

Moreover, SB0508 imposes additional notification requirements on employers (at times delineating the time, place, and manner in which notification must be provided) and prohibitions that go beyond federal law. SB0508 also imposes sanctions on employers for failure to adhere to those requirements with civil fines as high as $10,000. Not only are these fines inconsistent with federal law, but such advance notice requirements could prompt an alien employee to not show up to work on the day of inspection or avoid detection by immigration authorities.

This isn’t the first time the DOJ has challenged Illinois’ immigration policies. In February, the Trump administration sued Illinois, the city of Chicago and Cook County over their sanctuary city laws.

* From the complaint…

As amended, SB0508 discourages the use of E-Verify, frustrates innovation of employment eligibility verification, and obfuscates E-Verify and Form I-9 inspection requirements by adding layers of protection for employees and imposing onerous and confusing notice requirements for Illinois employers beyond those required under the federal E-Verify program and the INA. Additionally, SB0508 allows the Illinois Department of Labor and employees to commence actions in an Illinois circuit court to enforce these new amendments. […]

In August 2024, Illinois enacted amendments to the state’s Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act (“the Workplace Act”). 2 The SB0508 amendments: (1) regulate Illinois employers’ use of employment eligibility verification systems; (2) impose restrictions on use of those systems; and (3) provide civil and criminal sanctions for any violations of SB0508. These amendments, which took effect on January 1, 2025 (enacted under Illinois Public Act 103-0879 (SB0508) (“SB0508”)), are preempted and should be enjoined because they violate the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution in at least three ways.

First, certain provisions of SB0508 are expressly preempted by 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(h)(2), which disallows any state or locality from imposing civil or criminal sanctions on employers of unauthorized aliens (other than through licensing and similar laws). Second, the challenged provisions of SB0508 are field preempted because they provide additional regulation in the field of administrative processes governing (1) Form I-9 documentation and inspection, (2) and E-Verify even though Congress has occupied the field. Third, the challenged provisions of SB0508 are conflict preempted by IRCA because SB0508 stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress—to root out unauthorized employment and to encourage an employer’s voluntary participation in E-Verify.

* The Lever in August…

This push for E-Verify aligns with mandates set by Project 2025, a nearly 900-page initiative for a second Trump presidency that seeks to reshape the federal government. The document argues that state or local governments receiving federal emergency aid should be required to use E-Verify to prove their employees’ documentation status. Additionally, the document states that “Congress should also permanently authorize E-Verify and make it mandatory.”

* SB508’s sponsor Sen. Javier Cervantes is working to expand the law to give more protections to immigrant employees. Press release…

“For many immigrant workers, the E-Verify system can be confusing and complicated,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This initiative will give people the option to utilize legal support in communications with their employer so they are not taken advantage of, and establish the rights they are entitled to as legal, hardworking employees.”

Federal immigration law requires employers to verify the legal work status of their employees through the E-Verify system, which compares information from an employee’s I-9 Form to records available to the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm eligibility. If discrepancies are found, immigrant workers have the possibility of receiving a “no match” letter for a variety of reasons, including instances where the individual changed their name due to marriage. Many employers terminate employees upon receiving this notice, even though they could be legally working in the United States.

Last year, Cervantes passed legislation that required employers to give employees time to correct documentation discrepancies, and bar employers from taking any adverse action against the employee because of a discrepancy. This year, he is expanding on the law with his new legislation, Senate Bill 2339.

The new initiative would ensure that employees’ rights are protected if an employer has received notice of E-Verify document discrepancies, including the right to be free from adverse action solely because of a receipt of a discrepancy notice from a federal entity, the right to receive notice from the employer within five business days after their receipt of the notification, and more. It also would establish a procedure to resolve violations of these protections, and would create pathway for the employee to take legal action against the employer should these rights be violated.

Additionally, the measure would enable attorneys or others to act as an employee’s authorized representative with written notice to the employer in discussions of their E-Verify status. It would also require employers to provide an explanation of the employee’s right to have legal representation present during any meetings between the employee and the employer in notices sent between them.

These additions intend to strengthen the legal protections for employees facing E-Verify no match notifications, which can be a confusing process enflamed by hostile actions from their employers.

“Even with the new protections in place, employees may still face retaliatory action,” said Cervantes. “This initiative will ensure workers have the opportunity to fight against unjust treatment based on their E-Verify status, and advocate for the rights they are entitled to as workers in Illinois.”

Sen. Cervantes’ bill is awaiting House action.

6 Comments

What the heck?

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This doesn’t make any sense to me. “Damaged goods”? How is that in any way an effective argument against US Rep. Lauren Underwood? How was she ever “damaged”? So why would the Pritzker people allegedly use that line against her if it cannot possibly be explained or proved?

This is just a weird and puzzling development…

One public poll released last month showed Underwood and Krishnamoorthi leading Stratton, and the Pritzker team, according to multiple sources, is focusing first on discouraging Underwood from a Senate run. […]

Multiple sources told NBC 5 Chicago Pritzker and his team are working behind the scenes, telling donors Underwood is “damaged goods.” […]

At a news conference Monday, Pritzker denied he was discouraging anyone from entering the Democratic Senate primary.

Pritzker was asked by the same reporter Monday whether he was telling any candidates that “it’s not their turn.” He said it was a “ridiculous” claim…

Remember, I ran for Congress when I was 31 years old, and there were an awful lot of people who said to me that ‘it’s not your turn.’ I ran anyway. I think in fact, we need, you know, more young people in the new generation. You know, we’ve had lots of people serving in public office when there’s an open opportunity, everybody who’s interested in running should step forward and do so. I would not dissuade somebody from running for public office.

Now we’ve moved on to “damaged goods.”

Also, the alleged “damaged goods” claim is never explained. Perhaps because it can’t be explained.

This whole thing is odd.

* And that poll? C’mon. The organization backing Underwood has yet to disclose who conducted its alleged poll despite repeated requests for disclosure, which never, ever happens…

This group has yet to disclose the name of their pollster https://t.co/WEcQTtDotK

— Capitol Fax (@capitolfax) May 2, 2025

Fishy as all getout. I refuse to believe anything out of that operation until I see the actual poll, if it really exists. Could that possible survey concoction be why Underwood is labeled as “damaged”? Seems like a stretch. She didn’t run the “poll.” And if it is the case, then why were the “poll” results prominently mentioned in the story?

* Underwood’s consultant made a very good argument that the alleged attack is nonsensical and wouldn’t work…

That post was deleted, by the way.

* Hey, maybe it’s all true. The Pritzker folks do have super-sharp elbows, after all. And three Black women (Robin Kelly, Lauren Underwood and Juliana Stratton) are interested in the job, so something may have to give. But if Team JB did say this, then they’re really stupid. They ain’t usually stupid. And I’ve not heard a peep about any Underwood oppo.

Something just doesn’t smell right here.

Gonna be a wild year, campers.

Your thoughts?

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Healing Communities: UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Provides Free Physicals For Special Olympics

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

To participate in Special Olympics, aspiring athletes must first get a physical. Yet some children who want to compete don’t have insurance, a primary care doctor or transportation to get an appointment. That’s where UChicago Medicine AdventHealth comes in. For the past three years, at Special Olympics Screening Events held in Bedford Park, UChicago Medicine AdventHealth residents have provided the needed physicals for free.

“One of the things that drew me to medicine is to be able to give back,” said Dr. Sravani Sagireddy. “It’s really nice to be able to step into the community and help people who really need it.”

At the screening events, the residents perform vision, hearing and motor ability tests. They carefully assess each child for medical conditions that might make it unsafe for that child to participate in athletics.

Special Olympics President and CEO Peter Beale-DelVecchio said UChicago Medicine AdventHealth “has been an incredible partner for us” and that the four-hospital health system is “helping us do more and more all the time.”

Beyond the 24/7 care provided within their facilities, hospitals and health systems across Illinois are having a positive impact on communities by addressing community needs and providing accessible care. Learn more about how Illinois hospitals are healing communities.

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Today’s must-read

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From Steve Metsch at the Tribune…

East Leyden High School science teacher Víctor Gómez knew something was up Wednesday morning thanks to a maintenance worker.

Just before noon, the worker told Gómez he and his students had to evacuate their classroom and relocate to the band room because of a broken water pipe.

“I didn’t see any water. I thought, this is odd,” Gómez said.

Moments later, he was proven correct as he led his students into the band room.

Gomez broke into a huge smile when he walked through an archway made of yellow, blue and white balloons just inside the doorway.

Festive music filled the air, courtesy of Mariachi Estrellas De Chicago. And as Gómez walked in, school officials, teachers, parents, students and his family began applauding and cheering for the 2025 Illinois Teacher of the Year, as declared by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Go read the whole thing…

“You can give as many speeches as you want but if you’re not working with people, nothing will get done,” [Gómez] said.

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Working Together To Support The Health Of Our Families, Communities, And State

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

‘You showed up in my life at the perfect time’

On any given day, nearly 26,000 Illinois residents experience homelessness.

Last summer, “Trinity,” a 33-year-old mom from central Illinois, was one of them.

Trinity and her children had moved into an emergency shelter, which partners with a Medicaid health plan to host mobile clinic events at their facility.

When Trinity showed up at an event, the scope of her family’s medical needs became clear. The family had visited emergency rooms twice in the past week. All of her children were overdue for well-child exams. And Trinity was 16 weeks pregnant—without any prenatal care.

Practitioners acted swiftly, checking up on the kids and performing prenatal assessments on Trinity. She was prescribed medication for extremely high blood pressure and monitored at three subsequent clinic events.

In November, Trinity delivered a healthy baby boy. And she brought him home to long-term housing she secured near the shelter—with assistance from her health plan.

“You showed up in my life at the perfect time,” Trinity says. “You have helped me so much, and I don’t feel alone.”

Paid for by the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans

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Open thread

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Punk poetry…

When there’s no future, how can there be sin?
We’re the flowers in the dustbin
We’re the poison in your human machine
We’re the future, your future

“Guitar work and progression is like mine,” Chuck Berry said of the song. “Good backbeat,” As much as they claimed to be a filthy rotten break from the past, the Sex Pistols built on that past to create their sound.

The drum syncopation in the repeated lines “No future, no future, no future for you” just blew me away when I first heard it - and it still does today.

* Anyway, tell us what’s happening in your local world.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Bally’s halts Chicago casino construction over questions about waste hauler dogged by mob allegations. Sun-Times…

- Two decades ago, the company’s involvement in the construction of a proposed casino in Rosemont helped torpedo the project over concerns by regulators of organized crime influence.

- The state government agency, which ultimately answers to Gov. JB Pritzker, released a written statement Thursday saying: “The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) issued an order to cease construction work on the Bally’s Chicago permanent casino in connection with a pending IGB investigation into the use of undisclosed and unapproved vendors at the construction site.

* Related stories…

∙ Tribune: Gaming Board stops construction at Bally’s Chicago casino site over unauthorized waste hauler
∙ Sun-Times: Bally’s drops minority investor requirement from Chicago casino IPO

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Illinois Answers Project | Gun Stolen From a Room Full of Chicago Cops Ended Up Being Used in a Series of Shootings: Last month, the Illinois Answers Project and the Chicago Sun-Times reported on the stolen gun and how — 16 months later — the police appeared to have made little progress in finding out who stole it or how a type of gun notoriously used in street violence wound up in the hands of a teenage boy. Now, newly obtained police records show, it turns out that the gun is known to have been used in three violent crimes after it was stolen from the police station.

* Capitol News Illinois | ‘Never asked to be a part of this somber club’: Illinois honors fallen police officers: Treasurer Mike Frerichs also gave an emotional speech honoring his cousin, a California police officer who recently died. Frerichs’ office provides a college scholarship fund for children of first responders who died on the job. Former ISP Trooper Kim Cessna, who leads a nonprofit for family members of fallen police officers, gave a personal remembrance of her colleague Thompsen, who was killed in a crash last October. “We take these memories with us, allowing them to guide us, reminding us the beauty they brought into our lives,” Cessna said. “We carry their love in our hearts, and we let that love become a source of strength.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | Illinois House GOP strongly oppose potential tax hikes in FY26 budget: House GOP budgeteers told reporters in Springfield Thursday that they have ongoing discussions with Gov. JB Pritzker’s Office of Management and Budget. Although, the minority party has only participated in a few budget meetings with House Democrats. Republicans said some progressive Democrats are calling for a graduated income tax. The Illinois Revenue Alliance is also calling for multiple revenue enhancements which could raise taxes by $6 billion.

* Sun-Times | Gov. JB Pritzker creates nicknames for Trump to call him, including ‘JBeefy,’ in Jimmy Kimmel appearance: Pritzker called Trump an authoritarian who is “tearing apart the things that really matter to working families across the United States.” And he urged Americans to show their displeasure in Republican-led districts. “We’ve got to be out there, loud, proud, stand up, speak out,” Pritzker said. Kimmel told Pritzker, “when you go to New Hampshire, it’s because you’re planning to run for president.” “Or you’re going skiing. There are other reasons to go to New Hampshire,” Pritzker said.

*** Statewide ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois’ most endangered buildings list includes Bernie Mac’s high school, a Frank Lloyd Wright home: Landmarks Illinois on Thursday included Chicago Vocational, at 2100 E. 87th St., on its yearly list of the state’s 10 most endangered buildings. The preservation group cited the school’s shrunken enrollment and its vacated and fenced-off Anthony Avenue wing, “which formerly housed the heavy industry vocational programs,” as reason for the listing. Designed by the school system’s chief architect, John C. Christensen, Chicago Vocational is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Restaurant group bets big on the Loop with new spots anchored to hotels: “Our bread and butter is the Loop,” said Chief Operating Officer Brad Alaoui. “We believe 100% in the neighborhood. It’s coming back. We’ve gone through the trenches of it, but I feel like there’s a bright future.” It’s not just optimism driving the restaurant group. As it expands, Roanoke is building a new kind of business model indicative of the post-pandemic reality for downtown restaurants. No longer able to rely solely on heavy five-days-a-week daytime traffic, restaurants must pursue other options. For some, that means relying more on catering or to-go orders than walk-in business, or shifting hours of operations.

* ABC Chicago | Woman accused of squatting in South Side home arrested, charged with burglary, forgery: The couple said when they arrived with police, the woman inside claimed she was the new owner and had so-called mortgage documents to prove her purchase. The couple said police wouldn’t arrest the woman because it was a civil matter. But after doing some digging, the couple said they got a call from a CPD detective informing them they’d be taking a closer look at the case. “I knew the ID was fake,” Marcia Lee said. I knew the documentation was fake. I’m just super excited that they finally got her out.”

* Sun-Times | Loss of longtime Uptown day care center leaves families devastated: Her troubles with the landlord began in 2015, when Parker began renovations and discovered leaks in the ceilings of some of the storefronts. Parker paused the remodel and contacted the landlord, but she said the problems weren’t fixed. By 2019 the conditions worsened. Water “rained” down walls from a plumbing problem in one of the apartments above the day care, damaging books and other supplies. A substance that appeared to be mold developed.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* ABC Chicago | Chicago doctors frustrated as measles cases spread into Cook County: ‘This is an effective vaccine’: “We’ve had 11 people hospitalized, three deaths, more than 800 cases throughout the U.S., a clear difference from years prior,” said Dr. Max Brito, an infectious diseases professor at University of Illinois Chicago. […] “The other thing that makes measles different is people can have long-term consequences; so, years later, they can get encephalitis,” Davis said. Infectious disease experts say over 90% of people who get measles are not vaccinated.

* Daily Southtown | Harvey Ald. Colby Chapman removed, arrested at council meeting, city says: A Harvey alderwoman has been charged with misdemeanor offenses after being forcibly removed by police during Monday’s City Council meeting, according to the city. It was the latest skirmish involving 2nd Ward Ald. Colby Chapman, charged last year after a dispute with the city’s administrator, although the matter appears not to have advanced in court. Chapman did not respond to messages seeking comment on the latest arrest. She has previously said her vocal criticism of city affairs under Mayor Christopher Clark had resulted in retailiation by the mayor.

* CBS Chicago | Sentencing Friday for Illinois landlord convicted in hate crime murder of Palestinian boy: Joseph Czuba was convicted of one count of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery, and two counts of hate crime in the attack that killed Wadee Alfayoumi and seriously injured his mother, Hanan Shaheen, in 2023. […] Czuba could face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Sentencing is expected to start at 9:30 a.m. at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet.

* Daily Herald | ‘We need to voice our concerns’: Suburbs join in on global May Day rallies: As the work day concluded Thursday afternoon, hundreds of people lined both sides of Northwest Highway in Palatine to protest President Donald Trump’s policies as part of May Day, or International Worker’s Day, rallies held around the globe. With Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime” playing in the background, protesters carried signs, urged observers to “rise up/fight back,” waved flags and cheered drivers who honked their horns in solidarity.

* Naperville Sun | Water main replacement at Ogden and Washington in Naperville going to be ‘disruptive’: Work began last week and is expected to continue until about October, he said. It will be completed in stages. The existing water main along Ogden and Washington dates back to the 1930s, according to Parrish. It’s also undersized for what the city needs it to do, he said. Typically, water mains have a 100-year lifespan, Parrish said. Replacing them as they near the end of their useful life is important because it helps the city avoid leaks from aging infrastructure, he said.

* Daily Herald | Mount Prospect relaunches downtown alfresco dining on Prospect Avenue: Once again, six on-street parking spaces will be converted into a protected outdoor dining area in front of the Lady Dahlia Tequila Bar, 127 W Prospect Ave., and the Patina Wine Bar, 133 W Prospect Ave. Outdoor diners will be sheltered within concrete barriers — village officials said Lady Dahlia and the Patina Wine Bar collaborate with the village on such beautification elements as planter boxes, umbrellas and decorative lighting.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Solar farm, energy storage facility proposed in Iroquois Co.: The project, estimated to cost $100 million, is expected to produce enough renewable energy to power approximately 8,000 homes each year while creating more than 100 local jobs. It is also supposed to generate economic benefits including an estimated $8-9 million in new local property tax revenue over the project’s life span to the Paxton-Buckley-Loda school district, Buckley Fire Protection District, Parkland Community College, Iroquois County and Artesia Township.

* WCIA | Carle doctors testing out ‘digital intelligence technology’ in certain appointments: Some doctors now use Nabla, digital intelligence technology that transcribes the symptoms patients are telling doctors about. Dr. Ryan Porter, an ear surgeon, has been using it with most patients for about six months. He feels it helps him better connect with the person in front of him. Plus, it’s faster. “It takes the history of the patient at the same time I’m hearing it, so we essentially have two ears hearing the same story,” he explained. “When I get back to my office, I open that same encounter in Epic, which is all privately transferred, and I review that information.”

* KWQC | Lawmakers want answers from Army about future of Rock Island Arsenal: “They have a significant portion of our GDP in the region from the manufacturing they do there,” he said of the base. “And so, that’s always been a critical operation of the Quad-Cities, for the health of the economy, for keeping our residents employed.” The Arsenal is the Quad-Cities’ largest employer, with 7,500 workers. First Army’s headquarters is on the Island, as well as the Army’s only active foundry.

* KWQC | Illinois Lt. Governor, senate hopeful Juliana Stratton slams proposed job cuts at the Rock Island Arsenal: Stratton joins a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Illinois and Iowa who have tried to convince federal leaders to back off of cuts to the Arsenal. Senators Dick Durbin (D) and Chuck Grassley (R) along with Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) and Eric Sorensen (D).

* KFVS | Southern Illinois strawberry season now underway after historic rainfall: Co-owner Austin Flamm said strawberries do better in a drier environment, and the only effects to this year’s crop was a later start by about three weeks. “We were able to open on Saturday. We’re a few weeks later opening later this year. That’s due to the cool and wet weather we had early in the spring. We finally got some sunshine and warm days that really pushed the berries along. Typically when we open we are worried about the supply because we aren’t in full production yet. But it seems how late before we got started, production does not seem to be an issue right now,” Flamm said.

*** National ***

* USDA | United States and Mexico Reach Agreement to Resume Eradication Efforts on New World Screwworm: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced today that Mexico has committed to eliminate restrictions on USDA aircraft, and waive customs duties on eradication equipment aiding in the response to the spread of New World Screwworm (NWS). Due to this agreement the ports will remain open to livestock imports, however if at any time these terms are not upheld, port closure will be revisited. This agreement follows Secretary Rollins’ letter to Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Julio Antonio Berdegue Sacristan on Saturday pushing for a resolution of the restrictions.

* ARS Technica | RFK Jr. rejects cornerstone of health science: Germ theory: It’s important to note here that our understanding of Kennedy’s disbelief in germ theory isn’t based on speculation or deduction; it’s based on Kennedy’s own words. He wrote an entire section on it in his 2021 book vilifying Fauci, titled The Real Anthony Fauci. The section is titled “Miasma vs. Germ Theory,” in the chapter “The White Man’s Burden.”But, we did reach out to Health and Human Services to ask how Kennedy’s disbelief in germ theory influences his policy decisions. HHS did not respond.

* Politico | Trump to rename Veterans Day as ‘Victory Day for World War I’: In a late-night Truth Social post, Trump wrote that the move was needed to honor the unique U.S. sacrifices in both World Wars. Trump also announced he would rename Victory in Europe Day, which is commemorated on May 8, to “Victory in World War II Day” to recognize that “we did more than any other Country, by far, in producing a victorious result on World War II.”

* Sun-Times | Trump signs executive order directing federal funding cuts to PBS and NPR: The broadcasters get roughly half a billion dollars in public money through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and have been preparing for the possibility of stiff cuts since Trump’s election, as Republicans have long complained about them. Paula Kerger, PBS’ CEO and president, said in a statement last month that the Trump administration’s effort to rescind funding for public media would “disrupt the essential service PBS and local member stations provide to the American people.”

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Friday, May 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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