* Pritzker dipping into the trust fund to get around the spending caps…
You gotta figure Elizabeth Rochford will get that as well.
* Speaking of contribution caps, DeVore busted his with a loan to himself, then has bitterly and repeatedly complained about a large contribution to his opponent…
This is about my favorite Devoreism. Raises spending cap, complains about Raoul campaign spending for the rest of the election cycle. pic.twitter.com/OM2PzgAkXC
@TPUSA Students and I had the opportunity to join Republican Women of Park Ridge for brunch today, as well as hear from speakers Attorney Tom Devore, Attorney Kathy Salvi, and Stephanie Trussel! pic.twitter.com/M2wVFeasvq
Prosecutors charged the suspected gunman in the shooting rampage at a Fourth of July parade in this Chicago suburb with seven counts of first-degree murder Tuesday, hoping to put him behind bars for the rest of his life.
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said that, if convicted, Robert E. “Bobby'’ Crimo III faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. […]
Crimo can be seen in a widely circulated Chicago Tribune photo of a Trump rally. The man standing to Crimo’s right in the photo is Peter Christos, 18, according to Deerfield resident Natalie Reed, 18, who attended school with Christos at Glenbrook North.
“He’s very anti-mask, anti-vaccine,” Reed said of Christos. “He would kind of harass other students for wearing masks. He rallied up a bunch of people and did a lot of Trump rallies. He’s the one who got people together for most of them in Northbrook.”
Democratic oppo file on Christos is here. He was close to the Bailey campaign for a while and Bailey’s running mate was reportedly at that Republican Women of Park Ridge event.
Rep. Mary Miller (IL-15) is the only member of the state’s Republican congressional delegation not to condemn last week’s violent attack on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The silence from Miller shows how divided politics has become, especially since Jan. 6 when protesters stormed the Capitol calling out for Pelosi.
Others in the GOP spoke up: Congressmen Mike Bost (IL-12), Rodney Davis (IL-13), Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) and Darin LaHood (IL-18) all expressed outrage at the assault. They followed the lead of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Mike Pence, who also condemned the attack.
* Illinois early vote totals…
The @illinoissbe has updated early vote totals (10/31/22): Total VBM requested: 841,270 Total VBM returned: 400,385 Total VBM outstanding: 440,885 Return Rate: 48% Total Early Vote: 290,868 Total Grace Period: 3,770 Total Already Voted: 695,023https://t.co/44ga6Axjmq
The most up-to-date Early Vote and Vote By Mail totals in Chicago, night of Sunday, October 30, 2022.
The Early Vote total stands at 52,599 ballots cast.
Additionally, 61,643 Vote By Mail ballots have been returned to the Board – total VBM applications stands at 203,119.
The grand total is 114,242 ballots cast so far in Chicago for the November 8th General Election.
Chicago has about 21 percent of the state’s population, but turnout so far is only about 16 percent of the statewide total. That’s up from before, but not there yet.
…Adding… Ahead of 2018, but people are getting accustomed to the process…
* Judge allows GOP AG candidate Thomas DeVore’s defamation lawsuit against girlfriend’s mom to proceed: In his decision, Christian County Associate Judge Kevin Parker wrote that he couldn’t properly evaluate whether DeVore’s lawsuit fell under the state law without first determining whether Craig wrote or helped publish the article in question. “At this pleading stage of the case, that material fact is in no way settled,” Parker wrote.
* Vote no on the Workers’ Rights Amendment: As Crain’s business columnist Joe Cahill pointed out on Oct. 3, if the WRA passes, Illinois will stand out for giving broader constitutional protections to organized labor than any other state. The amendment bars any legislation that interferes with unions’ bargaining rights, and—going further than any of the handful of states that constitutionally protect collective bargaining—explicitly prohibits “right-to-work laws” like those recently adopted by neighboring states.
* Tulsi Gabbard endorses Bailey for governor: “It’s time for new leadership, and I urge you to elect Darren Bailey as your next governor,” Gabbard said. “He is a farmer who knows what it means to put in an honest day’s work, puts people first and is not beholden to the political insiders who have corrupted the Illinois government.” Gabbard will speak at a Bailey campaign rally with Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy Monday night in Glen Ellyn. The downstate lawmaker said Gabbard understands that Illinois voters need to stand up to extremists, put people ahead of politics and do what’s right. Bailey said he can unite Illinoisans by focusing on tax relief, safer streets and improving schools.
* RTMD offering free rides to the polls in southern Illinois: Rides Mass Transit District (RMTD) is offering free rides to the polls for the General Election on Tuesday, November 8. The transportation company says it is offering the free rides on their regular routes in southern Illinois.
* Kifowit, West square off in Illinois House 84th District race: If re-elected, Kifowit said she hopes to continue serving as the chair of Veterans Affairs and serve as a voice for veterans as the only female veteran in the House. She also looks to focus on ensuring mental health is on par with physical health for residents, working toward more ethics reforms and balancing the state’s budget, she said.
…Adding… From Dan Proft’s PAC…
Former Democrat, congresswoman, and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard appeared on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan Proft & Amy Jacobson Monday morning before scheduled appearances with Illinois GOP candidate Darren Bailey later in the day in both Palatine and Glen Ellyn.
The whole interview can be listened to here:
http://morninganswerchicago.com/2022/10/31/fmr-us-rep-tulsi-gabbard-on-her-exit-from-the-democratic-party/
Gabbard: “I just came from being with [GOP gubernatorial candidate] Tudor Dixon over the weekend in Michigan, and I know a lot of the same challenges that people are frustrated with and feeling in Michigan are the same things that Darren is telling me folks are frustrated with here in Illinois. Things obviously, like incredibly-rising crime rates…heavily restricted controls by the government throughout the COVID pandemic…parents being told ‘Hey you don’t have a right to have a say in what your child is being taught in school.’ These are all things that aren’t Democrat or Republican, they are issues that are affecting every person and every family in this state, and that this governor, Governor Pritzker, has failed on.”
She went on to say: “My message to voters here in the state of Illinois:…Do you feel like our economy is working for you? Do you feel like you are being honored and empowered as parents with policies that actually strengthen families, rather than trying to tear us apart? And if the answer to any of those is NO then I urge you to really take a hard look and consider casting your vote for [DARREN BAILEY] because he is a man of the people.”
Dan Proft is president of People Who Play By The Rules PAC.
When Emerson College unveiled its latest Illinois poll last week, its press release included three “key takeaways.” At the very top of its list was this: “Fifty-two percent (52%) majority of voters think things in Illinois are on the wrong track, while 48% think things are headed in the right direction.”
The college is based in Massachusetts, a liberal state with a popular Republican governor. A recent poll taken in Massachusetts by Suffolk University found that 59% believed their state was on the right track, while 33% said it was on the wrong track.
So, while I can easily see why people in Massachusetts would highlight an inverse opinion in Illinois as bad news, that poll result was actually pretty darned good news.
Way back in 2008, when Rod Blagojevich was nearing his fateful end, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute found that 75% of Illinoisans believed Illinois was heading in the wrong direction, while 12.4% believed it was going in the right direction.
In 2010, the Simon Institute had the wrong/right track result at 81%-11%. In 2011, the Institute poll pegged the numbers at 75%-15% wrong/right, and it stayed there for a while. The Simon poll’s 2012 wrong/right results were 70%-20%. The 2013 Simon poll had it at 75%-16%.
In early 2015, shortly after Republican Bruce Rauner was sworn in as governor, Illinoisans’ mood improved a little.“Only” 63% said the state was headed in the wrong direction, while 22% said it was moving in the right direction.
By 2016, after all heck had broken loose in Springfield amid Rauner’s refusal to negotiate a budget until he won his war with organized labor, things got even worse. The Simon poll found a whopping 84% of the state’s voters believed Illinois was off on the wrong track, while only 10% thought it was following the right path. The Simon poll numbers were essentially unchanged two years later (84%-9%) as Rauner was finishing up his first and only term.
Illinoisans have overwhelmingly agreed on one thing over the years: Illinois sucks. It’s quite a remarkable consensus.
And it isn’t like people were totally wrong.
We have more than our share of crooked politicians. We had three governors in a row who made a complete mess of things. Our former House speaker had more concentrated power than anyone in our state’s history, and he often used his office to play other people and institutions for sport.
Issues were ignored, everything seemed to be in decay, there was never enough money to achieve basic goals.
Entire cottage industries sprang up to take advantage of Illinoisans’ collective hatred of their state by giving them often-massaged data to feed their rage. Everything is bad all the time to these groups. “Death spiral” was one of their favorite phrases to describe Illinois’ predicament. People have been paid quite well to live in nice homes and tell everyone else their lives were miserable because of state employee pensions, or whatever the current bogeyman was.
Then something happened that upset a lot of people at the time but turned everything around. A super-majority of Republicans and Democrats overrode Rauner’s veto of an income tax hike. Oh, there was such blinding, white-hot rage from the well-paid doomsayers at the time. But I think they knew the gig was up.
It took some years to pay off the crushing short-term debts incurred under Rauner and his predecessors, but the state started to right itself again thanks to that extra revenue. After some decent governance, the “death spiral” people have mostly moved on to opposing COVID-19 mitigations, or complaining about “Critical Race Theory” or whatever.
Because of that increased tax revenue, our pension debt, while high, has become far more manageable. Businesses and nonprofit organizations that do much of the actual physical work of government don’t have to worry about not being paid in a timely manner. Subsequent tax hikes on motor fuel and gaming expansion and legalizing cannabis have provided needed funds to fix our decrepit roads and bridges, repair our dilapidated public buildings and invest in neglected communities.
Again, I don’t strongly disagree with popular sentiment over the years. Illinois has often been a basket case, even without the deliberately provocative exaggerations from the doom-and-gloom types. And I also agree with what appears to be current sentiment that Illinois is slightly more negative than positive. We still have a ways to go. But, at least now, the destination might possibly be in sight.
It sure would be nice to live in a more “normal” state.
In August, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration alerted the public to the existence of bright-colored fentanyl pills that resemble candy — now dubbed “rainbow fentanyl.” The DEA warned that the pills were a deliberate scheme by drug cartels to sell addictive fentanyl to children and young people.
Although the agency didn’t mention Halloween specifically, people remain alarmed this holiday following the DEA’s warning.
Drug experts, however, say that there is no new fentanyl threat to kids this Halloween. […]
Dr. Ryan Marino, medical toxicologist, emergency physician and addiction medicine specialist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, also points to the upcoming midterm elections.
“It also seems to have become heavily politicized because this is a very tense election year with very intense partisan politics,” he said. “It also seems as if people are using fentanyl for political purposes.”
* Today, Fox News published an opinion piece online titled “Halloween fentanyl from Biden’s border crisis the latest horror from this administration” but with no examples. Rep. Mary Miller is also guilty of this Halloween hoax…
The Biden Border Crisis is posing a serious threat to our children. As Halloween approaches, we must warn parents that cartels are trafficking and selling rainbow fentanyl to appeal to kids. These pills are deadly, and parents should carefully check over Halloween candy this year pic.twitter.com/9MlHzsl8mm
DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick was looking over bulletins from other law enforcement agencies when he saw something that chilled him — an alert about a new kind of fentanyl that he said, “looks exactly like SweeTarts candy.” […]
He relayed his concerns to state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) and recently she and some Republican colleagues introduced a bill that would add five years to the prison sentence of anyone convicted of selling fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, in that guise. […]
Laura Fry, of Live4Lali, an overdose prevention group that serves the northern suburbs, was even more skeptical.
“Because of the work we do I know a lot of dealers, and no, they’re not going to be bagging it up and giving it out at Halloween,” she said. “It’s just scaremongering at its best.”
* Earlier this month Danville PD posted on Facebook that parents should be aware of traffic, using sidewalks and fentanyl…
Halloween is right around the corner and our community enjoys being involved in the festivities and giving or receiving “Tricks or Treats”. The Danville Police Department wants to help keep everyone safe. Trick-or-Treating will be permitted in Danville from 5 pm – 8 pm on Monday, October 31st.
Our primary concern is pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the roadways and other risks to our children’s safety. We must also remain concerned with Covid-19 for those who are most vulnerable to it. Parents and guardians must remain vigilant again this year. The choice of allowing your children to trick or treat and responsibility will, as it should, fall on the individual parents, guardians and families. As with any contagious illness, if a parent, guardian or child is not feeling well, please consider not taking the risk. […]
Unfortunately, we always have to keep our guard up for additional risks that could jeopardize the community’s safety. There has been attention given to “rainbow colored” Fentanyl. We have not seen this variation of the deadly drug in Danville or Vermilion County but we want to warn that all candy collected by our children should be inspected by an adult prior to its consumption. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) this variation of the street version of Fentanyl has been located and seized in 18 states and the distributors are targeting the younger population. There is no indication of a threat in our area but we know that the question will be asked based on the coverage by national media. Anything suspicious should be reported to local police. Any unsealed candy should be discarded. Use your best discretion as you would for anything involving our most precious commodity, our kids.
Advocates warn that some of the alarms being sounded by politicians and officials are wrong and potentially dangerous. Among those ideas: that tightening control of the U.S.-Mexico border would stop the flow of the drugs, though experts say the key to reining in the crisis is reducing drug demand; that fentanyl might turn up in kids’ trick-or-treat baskets this Halloween; and that merely touching the drug briefly can be fatal — something that researchers found untrue and that advocates worry can make first responders hesitate about giving lifesaving treatment.
All three ideas were brought up this month in an online video billed as a pre-Halloween public service announcement from a dozen Republican U.S. senators.[…]
Jon DeLena, the agency’s associate special agent in charge, said at the National Crime Prevention Council summit on fentanyl in Washington this month that there’s “no direct information that Halloween is specifically being targeted or young people are being targeted for Halloween,” but that hasn’t kept that idea from spreading.
Joel Best, an emeritus sociology professor at the University of Delaware, said that idea falls in with a long line of Halloween-related scares. He has examined cases since 1958 and has not found a single instance of a child dying because of something foreign put into Halloween candy — and few instances of that being done at all.
The Illinois Poison Center (IPC) is giving out tips to keep your children safe on Halloween.
Officials say it is rare for Halloween candy to be poisoned but IPC manages cases each year involving dry ice, glow sticks, and more.
“It is very rare to get poisoned from Halloween candy, but parents should still check their child’s candy as a safety precaution, especially with the recent increase in the use of candy-like products that contain THC or fentanyl,” said IPC Medical Director Michael Wahl, MD. “While IPC doesn’t typically see poison incidents involving candy during this time of year, we do get calls about glow sticks, dry ice, and other potentially harmful items children eat.”
Three former Illinois prison guards face life behind bars after the 2018 fatal beating of a 65-year-old inmate in a case marked by the unpunished lies of other correctional officers who continue to get pay raises, records obtained and court documents show.
Juries convicted Department of Corrections Officer Alex Banta in April and Lt. Todd Sheffler in August of federal civil rights violations owing largely to the cooperation of the third, Sgt. Willie Hedden. Hedden hopes for a reduced sentence — even though he admitted lying about his involvement until entering a guilty plea 18 months ago.
But Hedden’s account of what happened to Western Illinois Correctional Center inmate Larry Earvin on May 17, 2018, is not unique. Similar testimony was offered by six other correctional officers who still work at the lockup in Mount Sterling, 249 miles southwest of Chicago.
Like Hedden, all admitted under oath that initially, they lied to authorities investigating Earvin’s death, including to the Illinois State Police and the FBI. They covered up the brutal beatings that took place and led to Earvin’s death six weeks later from blunt-force trauma to the chest and abdomen, according to an autopsy reports.
Documents obtained under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act indicate that none of the guards has been punished for the coverup. Despite admitting their indiscretions, Lts. Matthew Lindsey and Blake Haubrich, Sgts. Derek Hasten, Brett Hendricks and Shawn Volk and Officer Richard Waterstraat have flourished — three have been promoted, one has been on paid leave, and on average, they’ve seen salary hikes of nearly 30% and increases in pension benefits.
* The John Howard Association helped push Illinois into compliance with federal and state disclosure laws…
JHA led the effort to bring IL into compliance with the federal Death in Custody Reporting Act; more transparency is critical to identifying preventable deaths, abuse, and neglect & addressing these problems. @ICJIA_Illinois Learn more here: https://t.co/qYkcntauzX
Mailers like this perpetuate dangerous stereotypes and put the lives of our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors at risk. These unhinged conspiracies have led to legitimate threats on doctors, nurses, and hospitals and fuel the acts of violence that have become all too common in our political discourse.
When a federal court threw out two Illinois laws that barred both out-of-state contributions to judicial races, and donations from groups that don’t disclose their donors, the chief legislative sponsor of the laws wasn’t particularly surprised. […]
In his decision, U.S. District Court Judge John Tharp Jr. ruled in favor of Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center saying the state “does not and cannot explain why money is more corrupting simply because its source is from outside the state.”
The campaign finance laws were pushed by Democrats as part of an effort to preserve their 4 to 3 majority on the state high court. The Illinois Supreme Court has had a Democratic majority since the state adopted a new constitution in 1970. But the 2020 defeat of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride, the first member to the high court to lose a retention bid, sent shockwaves through the Democrats political establishment and set up the possibility that Democrats might lose control of the high court in the 2022 elections.
* Pritzker campaign…
In a final move of desperation, Darren Bailey announced he will campaign with noted Russia sympathizer and conspiracy theorist, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard, who is most famous for polling at only 1% in the early days of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, has a long history of apologizing for Vladimir Putin’s brutal regime and spreading conspiracy theories.
In the early days of the Ukraine war, Gabbard spread decidedly pro-Russia propaganda, saying, “This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO.” Gabbard has made repeated appearances on Fox News to parrot false Russian propaganda.
Gabbard has been widely criticized for pushing a Russian-backed conspiracy about U.S.-backed biological labs in Ukraine. Experts have warned that the baseless conspiracy theory “could serve as justification for Russia to use biological and chemical weapons against Ukraine.”
“It is no surprise Darren Bailey has to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find campaign surrogates in the final days of this election,” said JB for Governor spokeswoman Eliza Glezer. “Disliked by Republicans and Democrats alike, Tulsi Gabbard has repeatedly shown that her loyalties lie with foreign adversaries. Darren Bailey should answer for why he is so proud to campaign with a Trump-aligned, Russian apologist.”
We can verify the passing of Amendment 1 does not guarantee a property tax increase. There is no language in the amendment regarding property taxes. […]
You may have seen the [Illinois Policy Institute’s] campaign claiming property tax could increase by $2,100 for the typical Illinois homeowner.
The IPI reached that number by taking the average property tax increase since 2010 and projected future annual property tax increases for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Those four years of increases were combined and equal around $2,100.
Bryce Hill came up with the formula.
The Verify team asked Hill why the future tax numbers wouldn’t still apply if Amendment 1 fails. The formula is based on tax averages since 2010 when Amendment 1 protections were not in place.
Hill answered, “Not necessarily…You could get a reform-minded candidate in there who wants to lower property taxes or freeze them.”
He added, “We have a much more likely scenario for property tax reform and cost of government coming down if Amendment 1 does not pass.”
Yeah, they always have a magical solution at the ready if only everyone would just do what they say.
It’s election season in Illinois, and politicians are running on the promise of property tax relief as usual, including every major candidate for governor.
Illinois’ property taxes are already the second-highest in the nation and a major reason taxpayers are fleeing to lower-tax states. That problem could be made worse on Nov. 8 when voters will be asked to decide the fate of Amendment 1, a tax hike disguised as a “workers rights amendment.”
The change would prevent commonsense reforms to reduce homeowners’ tax burdens while giving government union leaders virtually limitless new ways to demand higher costs from taxpayers. If it passes, Illinois’ trend of large annual property tax increases will likely grow faster than ever. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has failed to deliver on property tax relief during his term – the average family paid $1,913 more during his administration.
Amendment 1 would guarantee that family pays at least $2,149 in higher property tax bills over the next four years, no matter which politicians win this November or how well they try to follow through on their promises.
This is a conservative estimate, assuming the rapid growth of Illinois’ property tax burden holds steady. It’s likely property taxes would grow at an even faster rate, because Amendment 1 would give Illinois government unions unprecedented bargaining powers that don’t exist in any other state. Exactly how much faster is an open question.
You have to read it closely, but, aside from the headline, they’re not saying the Workers’ Rights Amendment would in itself guarantee property tax hikes. They’re claiming it would be next to impossible to lower the historical rate of increase if Amendment 1 passes.
So, essentially, they cover themselves with the full explanation. A more honest pitch would be: “If you vote No on this thing then your property taxes might possibly if everything works out the way we hope not go up as fast,” but that probably wouldn’t be effective, or even believable. So, they stick to the shorthand with a long explanation that few will likely read.
Darren Bailey’s not telling you the truth. He’s just trying to scare you. You deserve to know the facts about the Illinois SAFE-T Act. There is no such thing as a purge law in Illinois. We will be able to keep violent offenders behind bars, where they belong. And convicted criminals will not be released. I’m tired of politicians trying to fool you. Darren Bailey is all lies and no solutions. It’s JB Pritzker I trust to keep Illinois safe. Go to JB’s website to see the facts for yourself.
The Pritzker campaign points to a Bailey Facebook ad that claims Pritzker “passed laws to let criminals out of prison. Darren Bailey will repeal Pritzker’s pro-crime laws.”
…Adding… John Oliver had a long segment on cash bail reform last night. Click here.
* Pritzker’s ex-tollway chairman accused in lawsuit of trying to steer contracts, hire pals at agency: Not long after taking office in 2019, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation that restructured the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, promising “transparency and accountability” and declaring: “Our new leadership will uphold the highest ethical standards, deliver the value to taxpayers and serve Illinoisans in every corner of our state.”A new lawsuit filed by two former high-ranking tollway officials paints a different picture of the state agency under Pritzker’s chosen team, accusing now-former board chairman Will Evans of trying to steer contracts to favored firms and engaging in patronage hiring.
* House candidates in south, southwest suburbs differ on benefits, drawbacks of SAFE-T law: Several candidates responded to questions about the law sent by the Daily Southtown. Not all candidates returned completed questionnaires. Republican candidate Patricia Bonk said the law in its current form “makes law enforcement less effective and jeopardizes our safety.” Democrat Fran Hurley, whose 35th District is home to many Chicago police officers, said she voted against the legislation. She said she had spoken with officials throughout law enforcement who raised concerns.
* Tom Cullen, longtime brain in Madigan political operation, provided testimony for feds: Now, the Tribune has learned that Cullen, a lobbyist who played political point man for years on Madigan’s government staff, has testified before the ongoing federal grand jury looking into broad aspects of Madigan’s political world, which prosecutors allege included a criminal enterprise aimed at providing personal financial rewards for Madigan and his associates. Any details Cullen offered in his testimony about Madigan and his former associates are still secret, but the blanks he could have filled in as part of Madigan’s famously tight inner circle are manifold.
* After a tumultuous first term, Gov. J.B. Pritzker spends big and plays it safe in reelection bid: The governor is all but assured to lose the Nov. 8 balloting in surrounding Franklin County. In the June Democratic primary, he garnered just 777 votes, compared with the 3,230 ballots cast for the Republican primary winner, conservative southern Illinois state Sen. Darren Bailey. No Democratic candidate for governor has won the county in the general election since Rod Blagojevich in 2006, a trend that holds across much of southern Illinois. But as he seeks a second term, Pritzker, who’s spent much of his adult life nursing political ambitions, is casting a wide net for support, an effort aided by a personal fortune that can underwrite months’ worth of TV ads and a robust campaign operation.
* What drives Pritzker, Bailey on transportation issues?: Transportation has taken a back seat in the gubernatorial election to hot-button topics like abortion and crime. Not in this column, however. If elected, Bailey would consider tolled lanes that run parallel to untolled roads to “create new transportation options and help pay for the maintenance of existing roads. There were previous proposals to create dynamic-priced lanes that would run parallel to I-55 going southwest from Chicago,” he said in answering questions from the Daily Herald. […] Pritzker is promising more capital improvements with the $45 billion Rebuild Illinois program, funded by raising gas taxes and other fees in 2019.
* Right-wing “zombie” papers attack Illinois Democrats ahead of elections: That erosion of local news has created an opening for these newer publications, which lie dormant and then spring up at election time. They look a lot like hometown newspapers — nothing flashy, just long, printed broadsheet pages, with color photos and graphics — but without any real interest in local news.
* Highland Park parade shooting suspect returning to court Tuesday for pretrial hearing: The man accused of killing seven people at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade is due back in court Tuesday, his first appearance there since he was indicted on more than 100 felony counts. Robert Crimo, 22, of Highland Park, is scheduled to appear in Lake County Court in front of Judge Victoria Rossetti. Crimo’s case is scheduled for case management, which is often a routine appearance intended to ensure that evidence is being shared and attorneys are working through any pretrial issues.
* Court Ruling Opens Crucial State Supreme Court Races to Fundraising Free-for-All: When a federal court threw out two Illinois laws that barred both out-of-state contributions to judicial races, and donations from groups that don’t disclose their donors, the chief legislative sponsor of the laws wasn’t particularly surprised. “I was disappointed but not exactly shocked,” Illinois Senate President Don Harmon told Center for Illinois Politics. “The U.S. Supreme Court with its Citizens United decision really threw the doors wide open into the Wild West of campaign finance.”
* Six candidates from three parties fighting for two offices voters know little about — but probably should: Illinois is on a path of financial recovery. Or is it hurtling downward in a fiscal free fall? Depends on whom you ask: the Democrats seeking to maintain their long hold on the state comptroller’s and treasurer’s offices — or the Republicans looking to replace them. In a little over a week, voters will get to decide which narrative they believe — and who sits in the two relatively obscure fiscal offices.
* Incumbent Kifowit faces challenge from West in 84th Illinois House District: Kifowit said the state’s prospects are brighter with new legislative leadership in Springfield and a balanced budget that is resulting in credit-rating upgrades for the state. The incumbent likes to point out that she was the first to challenge former Speaker Michael Madigan, leading other lawmakers to denounce Madigan and paving the way for a new speaker.
* Rockford man challenges Stadelman’s bid for 4th term in Senate: Stadelman, 61, is a former TV news anchor first elected to the state senate representing the Rockford region in 2012. He supported legislation that expanded gaming in Illinois and gave Rockford a casino license, a bill that incentivizes the growth of the electric vehicle and battery manufacturing industry in Illinois and secured $275 million to restore passenger rail service in Rockford. He also supported legislation that provided River’s Edge redevelopment funding that was instrumental in the redevelopment of properties in downtown Rockford. But Reyes, 50, says Stadelman “skipped the vote” on the controversial SAFE-T Act, the criminal justice reform bill that made body cameras mandatory for police, standardizes use-of-force training and seeks to end the cash bail system in Illinois.
* Newcomers from Bloomington, Normal face in 91st Illinois House District: A newly drawn district is giving two newcomers a chance for a statehouse seat this November. Democrat Sharon Chung and Republican Scott Preston each secured commanding leads in their respective primary races. To win the new 91st District of the Illinois House, however, they’ve had to reach outside their home base.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), after several days of tracking and observing a mountain lion on the west side of Springfield, made the decision today to tranquilize the animal and transport it to a sanctuary specializing in the care of large felines.
Wildlife experts and public safety officials from IDNR, the Illinois Conservation Police, the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services (USDA WS), and the Springfield Police Department determined that the mountain lion, or cougar, that had strayed into residential and business areas of Springfield posed an imminent threat to residents and property and therefore needed to be removed.
The animal, which is wearing a GPS collar and has made its way to Illinois from Nebraska, was detected by satellite in western Springfield Wednesday morning. IDNR officials conferred with their counterparts at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, who declined an offer to send the mountain lion back to their state.
USDA WS staff tranquilized the mountain lion around noon on Friday and will be transporting the animal to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center (ERFC), a 260-acre feline sanctuary in Center Point, Indiana that provides homes and veterinary care for large and exotic cats.
“Thank you to our hardworking wildlife staff and conservation police and our partners across federal, state, and local agencies for handling this difficult situation with the professionalism and care that this beautiful wild animal and concerned residents deserve,” said IDNR Director Colleen Callahan. “I am confident that the mountain lion will be protected and cared for at its new home. I also want to thank the families of Springfield for being cautious and keeping their distance while our experts worked to ensure the safety of the community and the mountain lion.”
Earlier this week, IDNR notified residents living west of Veterans Parkway in Springfield that the mountain lion was detected on the western edge of the city and was being tracked by researchers.
The cougar is a young male that has been moving through central Illinois the past couple weeks. It was captured and fitted with a GPS collar by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in November 2021 as part of an ongoing research project. IDNR continues to cooperate with biologists and researchers in Nebraska. It previously was detected in McDonough and Cass counties.
Although classified as an animal of “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on their Red List of Threatened Species, mountain lions are protected in Illinois, and it is unlawful to harm, harass or kill them unless they pose an imminent threat to a person or property, which rarely occurs. While cougars can travel great distances, they tend to avoid conflict with humans.
For more information about mountain lions in Illinois, visit https://bit.ly/ILmountainlions.
* For whatever reason, RCP has moved the Illinois governor’s race from Likely Dem to Lean Dem, with a projection for Dem Hold. The RCP poll list did not include either the Proft or Bailey polls, which had the race tight, but also didn’t include the Civiqs poll, which had it as a blowout.
* Halloween…
GOP candidate for IL Governor Darren Bailey is holding an event Monday night with former Democratic presidential candidate turned independent Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. IL Republican Chairman Don Tracy will also be on hand.
This morning we had an awesome, early stop at the Fullerton CTA station meeting with voters on their commute alongside Tommy Hanson! Friends, I promise you we are working hard every dayto meet new people no matter where they are at. We will #firepritzker on November 8th! pic.twitter.com/hiBCpsCXRc
Recently uncovered public records indicate that, since Keith Pekau became Mayor in 2017, Orland Park Police have been sent to Pekau’s home over 260 times for “extra watch”, including the day of an armed robbery at the Orland Square Mall.
Taking hours of police time and costing taxpayer resources, these calls are unprecedented in Orland Park history and pull officers away from keeping the rest of their community safe.
“From his self-interested misuse of law enforcement to being investigated for using taxpayer money to enrich himself, Keith Pekau has shown us who he prioritizes as mayor – himself”, said Casten for Congress campaign spokesman Trevor Nyland.
“As voters and constituents grow increasingly concerned about crime and safety, Mayor Pekau wasted police resources to check on him more than 260 times. Meanwhile, Congressman Sean Casten was fighting for local law enforcement in Congress, bringing home millions of dollars in police funding through the American Rescue Plan & sponsoring the Invest to Protect Act, which provides local law enforcement the resources they need to fight crime,” Nyland continued.
* Illinois early vote totals…
The @illinoissbe has updated early vote totals (10/28/22): Total VBM requested: 832,456 Total VBM returned: 362,604 Total VBM outstanding: 469,852 Return Rate: 44% Total Early Vote: 224,595 Total Grace Period: 3,134 Total Already Voted: 590,333https://t.co/44ga6Axjmq
A federal judge Friday ordered a southern Illinois couple to each spend 14 days in jail for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
U.S. District Senior Judge Thomas Hogan said he would allow Christopher and Tina Logsdon, of Sesser, to serve their sentences intermittently, on weekends. He said Tina Logsdon could start serving her time after her husband finished his sentence.
But the judge also put both of them on probation for three years — noting that it would last until after the next presidential election. […]
Tina Logsdon plans to serve as an election judge in November, according to her husband’s letter. She told the judge Friday that she has “no ill will toward any of our government.”
Sure, Jan.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Facebook’s parent is fined nearly $25M for violating a campaign finance disclosure law: Washington’s transparency law requires ad sellers such as Meta to keep and make public the names and addresses of those who buy political ads, the target of such ads, how the ads were paid for and the total number of views of each ad. Ad sellers must provide the information to anyone who asks for it. Television stations and newspapers have complied with the law for decades. But Meta has repeatedly objected to the requirements, arguing unsuccessfully in court that the law is unconstitutional because it “unduly burdens political speech” and is “virtually impossible to fully comply with.” While Facebook does keep an archive of political ads that run on the platform, the archive does not disclose all the information required under Washington’s law.
Illinois’ annual school report card was released Thursday, with the state’s board of education touting the highest graduation rate in a decade and academic growth in students outpacing pre-pandemic levels.
While officials noted there’s still much work to be done following a disruption during the coronavirus pandemic, the numbers show gains in a variety of areas.
Last year, the Illinois State Board of Education noted data illustrated “the significant impact of the pandemic and remote learning on student enrollment, attendance, and academic achievement.”
This year, the report card showed average student growth rose in English language arts and math compared to 2021’s metrics. That growth stretched across every demographic group, officials said.
The 2022 state report card also shows continuing disparities among racial and ethnic groups, English language learners, and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), according to a Chalkbeat analysis.
On the IAR and SAT, Asian American and white students far outpaced their Black and Hispanic peers, who were among the hardest hit by the pandemic.
The 2022 data shows that, on the IAR, only 6.9% of the state’s English language learners were proficient in reading and 6.8% were proficient in math. English language learners make up over 13% of the student population. […]
During Chicago’s school board meeting on Wednesday, district CEO Pedro Martinez acknowledged “significant drops in proficiency in math and reading” in both NAEP and state tests results. The declines are consistent with results from other school districts across the country, he said.
“This is data that is very sobering,” Martinez said, calling it “a reflection of the pandemic,” not of students’ abilities or the hard work of faculty.
The Tribune has some great background if you want data visualizations broken down by county.
While eight elementary schools in School District 186 moved into the “commendable” category, the district lags behind the state in graduation rates and chronic absenteeism, according to the 2022 Illinois State Board of Education report card, released Thursday.[…]
“Not having test scores for two full years has left a big gap in us being able to look at trend data or anything else,” [Superintendent Jennifer Gill] said. “We were so used to looking at three years to five years to seven years of trend data. Now, it really needs to be a start over and use this data as a kickoff to our next three- to five-year look.” […]
Much like initiatives started in the district, Gill projected it would be an overall “three- to five-year recovery” for the district from the effects of the pandemic, including students who engaged in online learning or who were otherwise affected by COVID. […]
Before the pandemic, 14 schools were in the “improvement” category, including eight “targeted” and six “comprehensive,” Gill said.
Test scores continued to decline in Lake Forest High School during the 2021-22 school year, newly released data from state education officials shows. […]
From 2021 to 2022, the percentage of Lake Forest High School 11th graders scoring at or above state standards on the test declined by 8 points to 60.6 percent in English language arts and fell by 2.6 points in math.
Back in 2017, more than 80 percent of LFHS juniors were scoring at or above state standards in English, with nearly 73 percent meeting math standards.
Test scores at Lake Forest High School are still better than the state average. Last year, just 29.8 percent of students met or exceeded English standards and just 28.8 percent met math proficiency standards statewide.
The 2022 Illinois State School Report Card indicated that every demographic in Illinois experienced accelerated growth in both English language arts and math, outpacing pre-pandemic levels. Children in grades 4 and 8 scored above the national average in reading and math, and high schoolers showed the highest graduation rate in over a decade.
“Illinois has taken monumental steps in ensuring that all children receive quality education that prioritizes their needs,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood). “Today’s news is a positive step toward making education equitable and no longer letting ZIP codes determine the quality of a student’s education.”
The 2022 State School Report Card also showed an increase in teachers in Illinois. More than 2,500 full-time teachers joined the workforce, including more than 500 Black and Hispanic teachers. Teacher retention also hit a nine-year high with 87% of current teachers returning to the same school year to year.
Some highlights of the 2022 state report card include increased student growth in English language arts and math across all demographics, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
Illinois students also recorded an 87.3 graduation rate, the highest in 12 years. “Largely driven by black and Hispanic students,” Pritzker said. […]
While Illinois still faces challenges, Pritzker said the state is heading in the right direction.
“Nobody is suggesting the report card is perfect, it is not. But it is an indicator of directionally, things are getting better and accelerating in a way that I think is unexpected as compared to many other states,” Pritzker said.
[State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala] identified student absenteeism as one area of focus for the state. The state report card shows 30% of students statewide as chronically absent — meaning they missed 17 or more days of school last year.
Absentee rates were higher across the state for students of color, low-income students and English language learners. Ayala noted states across the country saw similar absentee rates.
The Illinois State Board of Education has earmarked $12 million to help combat chronic absenteeism. Each of the state’s Regional Offices of Education received from $180,000 to $1.2 million this fall to address absenteeism through truancy intervention services, including counseling, home visits, transportation and mentoring.
“This school year we have an opportunity and obligation to work toward addressing those challenges,” Ayala said.
* More…
* McLean County districts react to 2022 Illinois Report Card: The 2022 Illinois Report Card is the first since 2019 to include summative designations, though some administrators say schools have not yet recovered enough from the pandemic for those to be fair measures, if they ever can be.
* Report card designates four area schools as ‘targeted’: The report card, released Thursday, designates Iles Elementary and Lincoln-Douglas Elementary as “targeted” schools along with Hamilton Elementary based on performance of children with disabilities. LaHarpe Elementary was designated as “targeted” due to performance of low-income students, while other schools across Adams, Brown, Hancock and Pike counties were designated “commendable.”
* State identifies Sauk Valley’s Exemplary, Targeted schools in latest report card: Six schools in the Sauk Valley region were categorized as Exemplary by the 2022 Illinois Report Card, the Illinois State Board of Education released Thursday morning. Another four schools carried the Targeted tag, requiring them to develop a four-year action plan to address a specific need; in their cases, how they can improve education for children with disabilities.
* River Trails District 26 schools receive ‘commendable’ designations in state report card: Euclid Elementary School, Indian Grove Elementary School and River Trails Middle School were placed into the second tier of summative designations. The district’s fourth school, Prairie Trails, did not receive a designation based on its status as an early learning center. “The report card results support what we already knew - River Trails’s students and staff are impressive,” Superintendent Dr. Jodi Megerle said. “I could not be prouder of what the district has accomplished in the past year or more eager to see what we can accomplish moving forward.”
One surprising finding coming out of our research on Illinois’ implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act—which, among other big changes, will eliminate the use of cash bail when it goes into effect next year—is that the current cash bail system results in much less pretrial detention than is generally assumed. This is true even when the charges are serious. Statewide, on any given day, almost two-thirds of those with pending felony charges are not in jail custody or under any kind of supervision or monitoring.
This finding casts doubt on a central assumption behind much of the current criticism of the PFA—that the cash bail system protects the community by keeping dangerous people behind bars until their cases are resolved. What we’ve found is that, while it’s true that many people are jailed under the current cash bail system, most jail stays are brief. Most people pass through jails, being held for relatively short periods before bonding out—and that includes people charged with the kinds of serious offenses that are designated “detainable” under the PFA.
We don’t have statewide numbers for this. But data from a range of urban, suburban, and rural counties we’ve examined so far suggest that, under current practice, the majority of those charged with detainable offenses are released within a week.
More Americans say crime is up in their area than at any point over the last five decades, according to new polling from Gallup.
The survey, conducted in October, found 56% of respondents reported crime has increased over the last year in their neighborhood, up from 51% in 2021, and just 38% in 2020. 78% say there’s more crime in the country overall, similar to last year.
Public safety is playing a starring role in the midterms as Republicans highlight crime in campaigns and promising a tougher approach.
Not coincidentally, Gallup found the increase in perceived crime was driven by a major shift among Republicans —73% said local crime was up last year, versus 51% of independents and 42% of Democrats, whose views have barely moved over the last two years. […]
Philip Bump of the Washington Post tracked a massive explosion in crime coverage over the Fall led by Fox News, but followed by other networks, as Republican campaigns pivoted to the issue in ads and messaging. A story in Bloomberg earlier this year documented a similar phenomenon in New York City, where media coverage and voter fears surged alongside high-profile attacks in subways and a crime-focused campaign by eventual Mayor Eric Adams — even as murders hovered around 2009 levels, a time when the city was widely hailed as a national model for crimefighting.
To give you an example of how intense the media coverage is, check out this story from WBBM Radio…
A man was robbed Wednesday night while dining at a restaurant in Streeterville, Chicago police said.
The man, 52, was sitting inside a restaurant in the 500 block of North Michigan Avenue about 7:30 p.m. when another man walked inside and approached his table from where he grabbed the 52-year-old’s cell phone and personal items, then fled the area, police said.
No injuries or arrests were reported.
I was in Paris many years ago and was sitting at a cafe. I put my mobile phone on the table and the waiter advised me to put it away because of the danger of theft. It’s just kinda crazy to me that something like that is elevated to a news story. Fear sells, I guess.
Pritzker: “Opponents of this law don’t want any change…and are preying upon fear of change to lie and fear monger in defense of the status quo.”
“Fearmongers and liars.” That’s what JB Pritzker called the opponents of his Purge Law.
Among the opponents are 100 of Illinois’ 102 county state’s attorneys, Democrats and Republicans alike.
Pritzker has claimed, “there is no such thing as non-detainable offenses.”
Adding, “No one gets out…if they do that’s on prosecutors.”
“Well obviously that’s not the truth,” said fellow Democrat and Will County State’s Attorney Jim Glasgow “for the vast majority of these people committing forcible felonies, they can’t be detained.”
Here’s what will happen in Will County to the 500 prison inmates with pending cases according to Glasgow: “About half of them would walk out on day one and that’s not on the prosecutor, that’s on the statute…It’s the most lenient criminal law in the country.”
When it comes to your personal safety, who do you believe? Punish Pritzker. Purge him from Illinois Politics.
Paid for by People Who Play By The Rules PAC.
* More…
* Civic Federation demands more transparency in Chicago Police Department spending: Civic Federation President Laurence Msall said it is “very difficult to track how much is going into policing,” how much is tied to complying with a federal consent decree and where exactly the nearly $100 million increase in the Chicago Police Department’s $1.87 billion budget is going. … “There’s just a lack of transparency and a lack of data on how the police department allocates staff, whether we have adequate staff and what we need to do to make sure we have adequate staff in the future. … We urge the city to conduct and publish an independent workforce allocation study of the police department.”
* Sheriff Tom Dart wants more restrictions for people on electronic monitoring: Electronic monitors can track where defendants are located, and Dart told county commissioners during yearly budget hearings on Wednesday that he has to “literally shut their machine off” during those 48 hours of “essential movement.” There is nothing in the SAFE-T Act that mandates Dart turn off machines or stop surveillance — the law only requires that people on EM have the ability to leave their house for essential tasks.
* Little common ground between Attorney General Kwame Raoul and challenger Tom DeVore - The incumbent and his Republican opponent on the November ballot are on opposite ends of, among other things, the fight over a major criminal justice reform signed into law last year: “Everywhere you go, people are wanting to talk about crime,” DeVore said.
* GOP candidates: SAFE-T Act will only cause new problems
* Senate candidates McConchie, Peterson debate SAFE-T Act, abortion at Palatine forum: “(The Act addresses) the chaotic situation that we have in the criminal justice system, where dangerous criminals can pay their way out back onto the street, even before a police officer has an opportunity to finish the paperwork,” the North Barrington resident said. But McConchie, the Republican leader in the state senate, said the legislation makes Illinois less safe. “It ties the hands of judges who are working to try to keep us safe” and keep the most dangerous people in jail, the Hawthorn Woods resident said.
* Beyond the heated rhetoric about bail, what else is in the SAFE-T Act? The massive criminal justice bill that ends cash bail in Illinois also supports crime victims and increases police oversight: 1. Expands services for victims of crime … 2. Increases police oversight and accountability … 3. Ends so-called “prison gerrymandering” … 4. Narrows the felony murder law … 5. Requires documentation of deaths in custody
Today, Nikki Budzinski, Democratic candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, released her 4th and final TV spot of the campaign.
Titled, “Work for a Living”, the spot focuses on Republican Regan Deering’s recent announcement of support for making cuts to social security and Medicare. The TV and matching digital ads will run on broadcast television in the St. Louis, and Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign markets. Budzinski was the first candidate in the race to begin paid communications and has significantly out-communicated Deering in every platform. The ad can be viewed here.
Nikki Budzinski made the following statement: “I am proud of the issue-focused campaign that we have run. I want to go to Congress to fight for working families and protect them from people like Regan Deering that would cut Social Security and Medicare. We cannot afford to send Regan Deering to Congress.”
Times are tough. Especially if you work for a living.
But Regan Deering – the wealthy heiress who inherited millions – doesn’t get it…
Deering wants to slash the Social Security and Medicare you paid into.
Cutting the retirement benefits you earned.
Regan Deering’s not for us.
Nikki:
I’m Nikki Budzinski. I grew up middle class and the only thing I inherited was my mom’s common sense.
I approve this message because I’ve spent my life fighting for working people.
…Adding… Whitney Barnes…
Hey, Rich. I wanted to personally respond to the most recent hypocritical, sexist (and boringly unoriginal) campaign ad from the Budzinski camp.
Regan was adopted into a loving family and is proud of her career giving back to her community as a science teacher, small business owner and advocate.
Nikki Budzinski campaigned and worked for heir to the Hyatt fortune Gov. JB Prtizker and now, in an overwhelming display of sexism and hypocrisy, she’s spending millions of her special interest dollars painting Regan as an ‘heiress’ because apparently to Nikki, inherited wealth is only ok if you’re a man.
She’s desperately trying to use Regan’s finances to distract from a week of bad press around the fact that she can’t answer simple questions like, “What services did you provide as a consultant to lobbyists and special interest groups to earn half a million dollars?”
‘Working people’ in the 13th District can generally say what they do for a living, and I assure you their response is never, ‘I followed all ethics laws.’
Nikki is out-of-touch and out of time and the people of the 13th Congressional District are not going to be fooled by her sexism or lies.
The IL Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in Illinois with respect to employment, financial credit, public accommodations, housing and sexual harassment, as well as sexual harassment in education.
Sec. 2-101. Definitions. The following definitions are applicable strictly in the context of this Article.
(A) Employee.
(1) “Employee” includes:
(a) Any individual performing services for remuneration within this State for an employer […]
“Employee” does not include: […]
Elected public officials or the members of their immediate personal staffs
* Sen. Melinda Bush introduced Amendment 1 to SB576 in February of 2017. It passed the Senate 56-0, but went nowhere in the House because Speaker Madigan bricked it…
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Deletes language providing that “employee” does not include members of the immediate personal staffs of elected public officials. Effective immediately.
Bush introduced the bill again in 2019 and it went nowhere.
* Whether you believe Elly Fawcett-Neal’s story about Rep. Jonathan Carroll or not, it just seems obvious to me, at least, that elected officials’ personal staffs should not be specifically exempted from the Illinois Human Rights Act.
Your thoughts?
…Adding… Press release…
Today, Jack Vrett, candidate for State Representative in the 53rd district, called on State Representative Mark Walker to donate $21,250 in tainted funds from accused abuser, State Representative Jonathan Carroll.
Carroll is accused of firing a staffer who refused to have an abortion, subjecting her to a toxic and abusive work environment where she endured the type of harassment, intimidation, and retaliation known to occur in state government under Democratic rule.
“Mark Walker continues to benefit from Springfield’s most corrupt politicians,” said Vrett. “Whether it is Mike Madigan, Kim Foxx, or Jonathan Carroll, we must turn the page on corruption and purge Illinois of self-dealers and unethical politicians who put families at risk.”
In taking funds from Carroll, Walker continues his pattern of funding his campaign with donations taken from questionable sources. Walker previously accepted $1,924,914 from indicted former Speaker Michael Madigan, even after investigations, indictments, and arrests of Madigan’s closest allies.
…Adding… Press release…
Today, Rich Janor, candidate for State Representative in the 41st district, called on Rep. Janet Yang Rohr to donate $35,800 in tainted funds from accused abuser, State Representative Jonathan Carroll.
Carroll is accused of firing a staffer who refused to have an abortion, subjecting her to a toxic and abusive work environment where she endured the type of harassment, intimidation, and retaliation known to occur in state government under Democratic rule.
“After taking over a million dollars from Mike Madigan, Janet Yang Rohr continues to fund her campaign with donations from men who do not respect women,” said Janor. “While Springfield corruption continues unchecked, Yang Rohr not only stands by silently, but is part of the financial ecosystem that allows these men to stay in positions of power.”
Yang Rohr previously accepted over $1 million from indicted former Speaker Michael Madigan, even after allegations swirled around Madigan and his closest allies, including a rape cover-up and allegations of sexual harassment in Madigan’s 13th Ward office.
We looked at presentation, too: Duckworth, who’s been senator six years and was in Congress two terms before that, focused on her experience. Salvi was in challenger mode, mostly on the attack, calling the senator a “radical extremist” on abortion rights and a “rubber stamp” to President Joe Biden.
Here’s the video of the forum, which was moderated by WTTW’s Paris Schutz and Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles. WBEZ also was a sponsor.
Zinger of the night: Salvi tried to pin crime problems in Chicago on Duckworth, who pushed back, saying: “I think she’s running for mayor of Chicago in the municipal elections next year, not for Senate. We’re here to talk about November.”
It was testy. But … Duckworth and Salvi found one area of agreement. They both support the Bears moving from Chicago to the suburbs.
Duckworth: “I do think they should go to Arlington Heights with a new stadium because more people will get to it, and I think there’s a greater chance of having greater growth out there.”
Salvi: “I’d love to see the Chicago Bears in the Arlington Heights area, too, but don’t you love Soldier Field? It’s an iconic place, a lot of history.”
With the nation’s ongoing gun violence epidemic, the sitting senator said “we need to pass an assault weapons ban and a high-capacity magazine ban that will get those guns off the streets.”
Duckworth went after Salvi for her “A” rating from the National Rifle Association.
“She’s never going to vote for an assault weapons ban,” Duckworth said of Salvi, who said the emphasis should be on treating mental illness rather than restricting firearms.
Asked if they own guns, both candidates said no. Salvi said some of her adult children own firearms with concealed carry licenses, for “target practice and for protection.”
Duckworth defended Biden’s one-time student-loan forgiveness program, which has been put on hold by a judge, from Salvi’s criticism by noting that the Mundelein lawyer took a $200,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan during the COVID-19 pandemic — and then took advantage of a provision allowing it to be forgiven.
“I do think it is hypocritical to ask for loan forgiveness for yourself and your law firm but not for students,” Duckworth said.
Salvi did not answer a number of questions, including whether she would support a proposal to ban assault weapons; vote to support the bill proposed by Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham from South Carolina that would ban abortions after 15 weeks or vote to allow participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program permanent. DACA prevents the deportation of immigrants who entered the United States illegally as children.
Salvi also did not answer what her first piece of legislation would be if elected, and did not name a living Republican on the national stage she admires. After naming Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant and Ronald Regan, Salvi when pressed mentioned the two U.S. senators from Iowa “to our east” but did not name them. Iowa is west of Illinois.
* Pritzker: ‘SAFE-T Act is to keep our neighborhoods safe,’ needs changed: Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who signed the act in 2021, was campaigning in Lake County this week. When asked about the controversy around the measure, Pritzker said there needs to be changes to clear up what he calls misinformation regarding the measure. “So let us amend the act to make it very explicit,” Pritzker said. “That violent criminals that are in jail awaiting trial, that Jan. 1 is not some deadline to let people out.”
* Meet the 6 Latina GOP Candidates That Are Driving Democrats Nuts: Running to flip a seat in America’s heartland is Catalina Lauf, who is up against longtime Democratic Rep. Bill Foster, who was first elected to Congress in 2012. Lauf is a second-generation Latin American and was one of the youngest presidential appointees at the United States Department of Commerce.
* Federal lawsuit threatens validity of potentially tens of thousands of Illinois mail-in, military ballots: The lawsuit, led by four-term U.S. Rep. Mike Bost of Murphysboro echoes some of the rejected court challenges filed by former President Donald Trump in other states in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election that he falsely contends was stolen. Bost is being assisted in the suit by a nonprofit conservative advocacy organization that has backed a number of Trump’s efforts.
* Illinois Chamber of Commerce backs Demmer for Treasurer: The Chamber appreciated that Demmer has been able to work across the aisle to get proposals passed even though he is in the minority party. Kaericher said Demmer can also serve as a bipartisan check on uniparty control in Springfield.
The Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index enables business leaders, government policymakers, and taxpayers to gauge how their states’ tax systems compare. While there are many ways to show how much is collected in taxes by state governments, the Index is designed to show how well states structure their tax systems and provides a road map for improvement. […]
The absence of a major tax is a common factor among many of the top 10 states. Property taxes and unemployment insurance taxes are levied in every state, but there are several states that do without one or more of the major taxes: the corporate income tax, the individual income tax, or the sales tax. Nevada, South Dakota, and Wyoming have no corporate or individual income tax (though Nevada imposes gross receipts taxes); Alaska has no individual income or state-level sales tax; Florida has no individual income tax; and New Hampshire and Montana have no sales tax.
This does not mean, however, that a state cannot rank in the top 10 while still levying all the major taxes. Indiana and Utah, for example, levy all the major tax types but do so with low rates on broad bases.
“If your daughter, at age 13, had become pregnant, would you not have wanted to be notified of it, so you could process it with her and work through this with her?” Craig Wall asked Pritzker.
“Sure, but my daughters’ going to come talk to me if that happens and most daughters will,” he answered. “It is those under threat by family; victims of incest are a perfect example of that.” […]
“I do make the exception, always, when the life of the mother is at stake,” Bailey admitted, but he wouldn’t say the same for cases of rape or incest. “Personally, in my heart, I don’t. But regardless of what I think, nothing is going to change in Illinois because of the makeup of the legislature.” […]
“Amendment One is a hostile, liberal, it’s a takeover by special interests, because now, teachers unions, instead of bargaining just for wages and benefits, see, that’s not under threat in Illinois, but teachers unions now can begin to bargain for curriculum,” Bailey said.
* I cannot believe they let Bailey get away with saying this without so much as a mention that he pledged to “roll out the red carpet” for Trump in 2024 earlier this year…
Bailey, who appeared with Trump at a rally prior to the June primary, says he is proud of the endorsement, but does not know whom he’ll support in the 2024 election.
Friends, I’ve made a promise to President Trump that in 2024 Illinois will roll out the red carpet for him because Illinois will be ready for President Trump.
He locked himself in. But, down the memory hole it goes since the candidate doesn’t wanna talk about it.
Recently, the Pritzker campaign has paid for yard signs noting former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Bailey in the primary.
“Are they embarrassed because Darren Bailey is supporting Donald Trump?,” [Pritzker] asked.
* Dan Proft-funded yard sign…
* Going strong in DuPage…
DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek announces a record-breaking start to voter turnout for the Nov. 8th election, with 2022 nearly doubling 2018 so far. At the start of today, voter turnout was 49,177 voters out of 615,626 registered voters for a turnout percentage of 8.0 percent. At the same point in 2018, two weeks out from the General Election, total voter turnout stood at 27,915 voters out of 639,752 registered voters for a turnout percentage of 4.4 percent. Total voter turnout in 2018 ended up at nearly 58 percent; turnout in 2014 was 49 percent.
The expansion of mail voting has made a significant difference. So far, 82,060 voters have requested mail ballots.
Of those who have voted so far in the 2022 election, 12,370 voters have voted early in-person and 36,807 vote-by-mail ballots have been returned. At the same point in 2018, 15,986 voters had voted early in-person and 11,929 vote-by-mail ballots had been returned.
“I’m pleased with the numbers, but not surprised,” Kaczmarek says. “My top priority as county clerk was to increase voter turnout. To achieve this goal, I had to increase voter access. Promoting mail voting and doubling the number of Early Voting locations has us off to a strong start, and voters also will have the option to Vote Anywhere on Election Day.”
Voters who have applied for a mail ballot are urged to complete it and return it via mail or drop box as soon as possible.
“Voters who have not yet applied for a mail ballot can still do so, but should not wait until the last minute,” Kaczmarek says. “It takes times for a mail ballot to be processed, printed and delivered to a home. After this week, voters should instead consider voting in-person at one of our 22 Early Voting locations or any of our 269 polling locations on Election Day.”
* By comparison, Chicago’s vote totals are abysmal…
The most up-to-date Early Vote and Vote By Mail totals in Chicago, night of Wednesday, October 26, 2022.
The Early Vote total stands at 25,829 ballots cast.
Additionally, 44,142 Vote By Mail ballots have been returned to the Board – total VBM applications stands at 196,958.
The grand total is 69,971 ballots cast so far in Chicago for the November 8th General Election.
And then on election day, most Chicago voters are gonna have to deal with the fact that the board just recently moved their polling places.
…Adding… Statewide…
The @illinoissbe has updated early vote totals (10/27/22): Total VBM requested: 826,189 Total VBM returned: 336,511 Total VBM outstanding: 489,678 Return Rate: 41% Total Early Vote: 182,316 Total Grace Period: 2,588 Total Already Voted: 521,415https://t.co/44ga6AxRbY
* Candidates will often go to train stops during busy times to show their faces to as many people as possible…
This morning we had an awesome, early stop at the Fullerton CTA station meeting with voters on their commute alongside Tommy Hanson! Friends, I promise you we are working hard every dayto meet new people no matter where they are at. We will #firepritzker on November 8th! pic.twitter.com/hiBCpsCXRc
* Can Bailey win over suburban voters to become governor as Republicans have in the past?: Suburban Cook and collar county voters were crucial when the governor’s mansion flipped in elections won by GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2014 and Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2018. And there’s no doubt the suburbs loom large in the Nov. 8 throwdown between Pritzker and Republican challenger Darren Bailey.
* Labor vs. big business(man)? Most corporate interests AWOL in battle with unions over workers rights amendment: Business lobbying groups have declined to spend money against the proposal, leaving the fight to a conservative policy group and megadonor Richard Uihlein. Other major donors spent heavily during the primary and expect more funding requests from mayoral candidates. “It comes down to donor fatigue,” a political consultant said.
* Pritzker gives state Dems another $2 million as campaigns hit the home stretch: For the third time this month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s campaign gave $2 million to the Democratic Party of Illinois, an infusion of cash as candidates up and down the ballot enter the home stretch of the election cycle. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, JB for Governor made the transfer on Oct. 24. This follows contributions made by Pritzker’s campaign of $2 million each on Oct. 20 and Oct. 14.
Newly released court records show the ex-wife of powerful Illinois State Sen. Michael Hastings accused him last year of elbowing her in the face in the presence of their small children and harassing, intimidating and threatening her in a series of text messages during their highly contentious divorce. […]
In the newly unsealed divorce files, Kathleen Hastings provided further details regarding that alleged incident two years ago. Her lawyer wrote that Michael Hastings “slammed Kate’s head against the door leading to the garage multiple times and put her in a choke hold — all because she asked Mike where he was working that day,” according to a filing in the divorce case in October 2021.
Kathleen Hastings alleged the assault took place at about 7 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2020, “in front of” one of their children and woke up their other child, according to the filing.
“Not wishing to disrupt Mike’s political and social image, and frankly not knowing what to do, Kate did not report the abuse to the authorities at the time,” wrote Kathleen Hastings’s lawyer Brett Buckley.
In the same court filing, Kathleen Hastings alleged that “Michael cannot control his anger in front of the children,” and the lawyer wrote that the senator “elbowed Kate in the face in front of the children.”
I’ve asked the Senate President’s office for comment.
“Sen. Michael Hastings has been on the receiving end of every type of personal and political attack and misrepresentation throughout this divorce, and each of the accusations are inherently false and just not true,” Hanania told WBEZ. “To use a family’s divorce in a political manner as it has been, to influence an election, is reprehensible.
“Sen. Hastings continues to work tirelessly for his constituents throughout the South suburbs and will continue to defend his family and reputation from these baseless personal and political attacks.”
Illinois Senator Michael Hastings lost his battle to keep his court records sealed and it only took moments to reveal serious problems. Within those records is a document that reflects Hastings earned $108,901.00 in 2020 from Geld Solutions, LLC, a company for which he is listed as the Agent of Record and Manager. Hastings did not disclose these earnings on his 2020 or 2021 required Statement of Economic Interest Documents.
That failure is part of an OIG complaint filed against Hastings last week.
Hastings’ spokesman told WBEZ that “Everything was done by the book,” on that topic. He didn’t explain what the company did or why Hastings didn’t disclose any income from it.
* On the campaign front, Hastings is busily sending out negative mailers against his opponent. Just FYI, a court overturned that IG finding against Don Tracy. Click here to read it…
…Adding… ILGOP…
“This is yet more behavior unbecoming of a State Senator. Our legislators are supposed to exemplify the very best of Illinois. Senator Hastings has repeatedly demonstrated behavior this year that shows he is unfit to hold public office.
He should do the honorable thing and resign to save South Suburban voters the trouble of throwing him out of office in disgrace. However, as Hastings’ past behavior has proven, doing the right thing seems to be something he is not capable of doing.
Further, Governor Pritzker has already done the right thing and called on Senator Hastings to resign. It’s a partisan sham that Senate President Don Harmon continues to stay silent regarding whether or not he feels Senator Hastings is still fit to serve in his caucus and hold public office.”
Harmon said of Hastings in July of 2021 after Hastings dropped out of the race for Secretary of State, “Though I am saddened the people of Illinois won’t benefit from the leadership and dedication to working families Senator Mike Hastings would bring to the office of Secretary of State, I’m happy that the people of the 19th District and our colleagues in the Senate Democratic Caucus will continue to have him fighting for Democratic values in the General Assembly.”
Harmon kicked Hastings out of leadership, so it’s not like he’s done nothing.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Senate President Don Harmon…
“There have been a series of troubling elements brought light by Senator Hastings’ ongoing personal divorce case.
Accusations of domestic violence are to be taken seriously. I took immediate action to remove him from Senate leadership given the circumstances. The situation remains under review.
This week, I asked my staff to reach out to Senator Hastings regarding his ethical disclosure filings and to recommend he update them if needed. At first glance, it appears this situation may very well highlight how ineffective the previous forms were and why Illinois Senate Democrats led efforts to update them and make them relevant.
Good government practices built around meaningful ethical disclosure and a safe workplace are necessary steps toward rebuilding public trust in state government.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Leader McConchie…
In light of new allegations found in recently unsealed court documents obtained by WBEZ, Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) has made the following statement:
“These new troubling and disturbing allegations against Senator Michael Hastings further prove why he should step down from office—just as he should have weeks ago. Even Governor Pritzker has called for his resignation, but instead, Sen. Hastings has put his ego over what is best for his constituents. These allegations are so beneath the office he holds, and the people of the South Suburban district deserve representation that is beyond reproach.”
Claims data from State Farm, the largest insurer of automobiles in the U.S., shows that between July 2021 and June 2022 catalytic converter theft has grown 109% nationally, in terms of the number of claims filed, compared to the previous 12 months. During this recent period more than 43,219 of these parts were stolen and reported by State Farm customers compared to just above 20,600 in the previous 12 months (July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021).
In the first half of 2022 State Farm has received over 23,000 catalytic converter theft claims. The data from the most recent 12-month period indicates that the ranking of the top 5 states in catalytic converter theft is currently led by California - with more than 2 out of 10 (24.5%) claims being filed in the Golden State- followed by Texas -with roughly 1 out of 10 (13.58%) of these claims- Illinois (3rd), Washington (4th) and Minnesota (5th).
- In 2019, State Farm paid $651,000 for just over 480 catalytic converter theft claims in Illinois.
- In 2020, State Farm paid over $1.1M for 740 catalytic converter theft claims in Illinois.
- In 2021, State Farm paid $3.1M for 1,985 catalytic converter theft claims in Illinois.
- In the first eight months of 2022 (January – August), State Farm alone has paid $5.3M for 2,770 catalytic converter theft claims in Illinois.
National Date:
- In 2019, State Farm paid $4.6M for 2,535 catalytic converter theft claims nationally.
- In 2020, State Farm paid $20M for 10,265 catalytic converter theft claims nationally.
- In 2021, State Farm paid $62.6M for 32,265 catalytic converter theft claims nationally.
- In the first eight months of 2022 (January – August), State Farm alone has paid $70.6M for 31,835 catalytic converter theft claims nationally.
Summit Processors, a scrap metal business in East Alton, Illinois, now has a large sign posted at its gates which reads, “Party over – CLOSED – for retirement.”
The scrapyard was the target of a police sting operation, which resulted in the seizure of all 287 of the catalytic converters on site. […]
Summit Processors routinely bought converters but failed to have sellers fill out paperwork and show photo ID as required by state law, authorities said. […]
The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office has now filed for permanent forfeiture of all 287 converters, saying the scrapyard did not buy any of them legally.
State Representative Amy Elik filed legislation aimed at reducing the theft of catalytic converters following a recent letter from Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine suggesting that lawmakers amend the Recyclable Metal Purchase Registration Law to make it a felony to stockpile multiple catalytic converters. […]
The legislation filed by Representative Amy Elik (HB 5828) on October 26 provides that any recyclable metal dealer or other person who knowingly fails to record the purchase of 100 or more catalytic converters is guilty of a Class 4 felony.
Rep. Elik’s legislation is co-sponsored by lawmakers representing Madison County which include State Representatives CD Davidsmeyer and Charlie Meier. Madison County area lawmakers want to see the legislature take action on this important legislation in the upcoming veto session scheduled to begin on Tuesday, November 15.
Have you or someone you know had their catalytic converter stolen? I know a few myself.
* I told subscribers more than a month ago about the possibility that Darren Bailey could run for Mike Bost’s congressional seat in 2024. Bost has a nothing-burger race, but he’s up on broadcast TV and his campaign told me they’ve also made “hundreds of thousands of grassroots voter contacts to ensure folks understand all Mike Bost is doing to fight for our conservative values in Congress.”
Even so, this looks more like Democratic shenanigans to my eyes than something from Bost. But, hey, who really knows with this stuff. Here’s Brenden Moore…
It’s just under two weeks until the votes are counted in the race for Illinois governor. But could Republican nominee Darren Bailey already be looking past it and toward the next election in 2024?
That’s apparently the thought of some supporters of U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, in Southern Illinois, who have distributed a flyer accusing Bailey of a “plan” to accumulate as many votes in Illinois’ 12th Congressional District and use that as a springboard for a primary challenge of Bost in 2024. Bost faces Democrat Homer “Chip” Markel in the current election cycle.
The flyer, obtained by Lee Enterprises, says that “Bailey knows he cannot win the governors (sic) election because of liberal votes in crooked Chicago. So the plan is for Bailey to campaign as much as possible in Mike Bost’s district and secure as many supporters and votes as possible so he can challenge Mike Bost in 2024.
“Mike has always been a friend of ours ever since he was a state representative,” the letter continues. Though not encouraging a vote for Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the flyer explicitly asks voters not to vote for Bailey. “Keep Bailey’s vote totals down in Mike’s district,” it concludes.
* I’m not sure what poll Mr. DeVore is looking at, but the Emerson poll doesn’t have Raoul up by 6 with 10 percent undecided as he claims. The poll says Raoul is up by eight with nine percent undecided…
Elly Fawcett-Neal, a former staffer to Democratic state Rep. Jonathan Carroll, says she was wrongly fired in June after getting pregnant.
In an interview with Playbook: Fawcett-Neal, who now lives in the United Kingdom, said she filed a complaint with the Legislative Inspector General earlier this month.
“It was awful,” she said of working in Carroll’s office. Before she was fired, Fawcett-Neal said Carroll’s chief of staff, Michael Amarilio, urged her to get an abortion.
Carroll denied the accusations, telling Playbook, “I want an investigation. Full stop.” Amarilio didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
To be clear: In a separate statement, Carroll said, “I take these allegations very seriously and I believe they should be reviewed by the Legislative Inspector General. While I have not been informed of any official complaint, I plan to request such an investigation myself. My office and I will cooperate fully, and the investigation will guide further actions.”
Timing of Fawcett-Neal’s story is curious, given the approaching elections, but the former legislative aide said that’s coincidence. She told Playbook she had been pursuing different avenues to complain and turned to the “Dear White Staffer” anonymous Instagram account to see if someone could guide her.
How it became public: A person with the account asked if her emailed message could be posted. Fawcett-Neal said she agreed. Her story first appeared in Rich Miller’s newsletter, Capitol Fax.
* From Fawcett-Neal’s Instagram post…
Amarilio told me “I dispute these allegations,” and pledged to cooperate with any LIG probe.
Also, Rep. Carroll does not have a significant opponent. The dude running against him only raised five grand in the third quarter and the HGOP did one mailer for him a couple of weeks ago. The 57th District is pretty solidly Democratic, so the timing is basically irrelevant.
* House Speaker Chris Welch released this statement yesterday…
“I take all allegations very seriously and I want to encourage Ms. Fawcett-Neal to file a report with our Legislative Inspector General, if she hasn’t done so already, so a full, fair, and thorough investigation can occur.
“I want to be clear that those involved in these allegations are not employees of the Office of the Speaker and no employee of my office was made aware of these allegations against Representative Carroll or his Chief of Staff prior to them being made public. Representative Carroll has expressed how seriously he takes these matters, and he is prepared to cooperate fully with the Legislative Inspector General.
“Restoring trust in Springfield and in the Illinois House of Representatives has been one of my top priorities since I was elected Speaker. In addition to passing a comprehensive ethics package, we’ve appointed a well-respected judge with a reputation for fairness and accountability to fill that role as LIG and provided his office with the resources it needs to do this important work. Restoring trust in government is a continuous effort and I don’t take that responsibility lightly.
“In the coming weeks my staff will conduct additional ethics and workplace harassment trainings for all members and their staffs. As always, my office, our HR Department, and our Ethics Officer are at the disposal of the LIG as he thoroughly investigates these allegations.”
* The House Republicans released this statement today…
Illinois State Representatives Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) and Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) respond to the revelations of harassment and emotional abuse at State Representative Jonathan Carroll’s office after a victim came forward who detailed harassment, sexism, and pressure by office staff to have a medical procedure against her wishes.
“The toxic and hostile work environment that Ms. Fawcett-Neal was subjected to by Rep. Jonathan Carroll and his staff is unacceptable and we wish her the best as she deals with the hurt and pain this experience has caused her,” said State Rep. Tony McCombie. “This situation amplifies the culture of harassment, intimidation, and retaliation that we have seen permeate state government for decades under Democratic majority rule. We are hopeful the Legislative Inspector General will be swift in their investigation, and we urge anyone with additional information or knowledge of this to please put their loyalties aside and share the information with LIG. Representative Carroll and his staff who were complicit in this untenable situation should consider resigning immediately.”
“We seem to have yet another example of how Springfield Democrats’ supposed political principles end once political insider power begins,” said State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi. “Ms. Fawcett-Neal has alleged horrible experiences involving Representative Carroll and his staff. She claims that she could not get meaningful relief because his political allies would protect him. But is anyone surprised that Springfield’s culture of corruption constantly creates fresh stories of victims who feel knocked down, locked out and hopeless? To protect their corrupt practices from real oversight, Democrats rendered the Legislative Inspector General toothless. As we saw with the Special Investigating Committee involving Mike Madigan, they refuse to call out their own. With no accountability, it is inevitable that abusive practices will continue go unchecked.”
* NASW-IL has withdrawn its endorsement…
The Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW-IL) was dismayed to hear of the allocations against Representative Johnathan Carroll this week. The NASW-IL Political Action Committee (PAC) has publicly endorsed Representative Carroll for the 2022 election, the serious public accusations have resulted in the PAC questioning the candidate’s alignment with social work values and, as such, feel it is important to rescind the endorsement. The representative has been notified of this action.
NASW-IL PAC supports women in sexual harassment allocations and women’s rights in the workplace. The endorsements of the PAC reflect those values.
…Adding… A question was raised in comments about Fawcett-Neal’s employment status when she left for the UK. She saw the comment and then reached out to confirm she “was still completing all my work while in the UK and was working 14 hour days in some cases due to time zones.” She also attached an email as an example.
These allegations are very troubling and the behaviors alleged are unacceptable. The Governor urges that these allegations be fully and quickly investigated. Anyone who has committed any wrongdoing should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Thursday, Oct 27, 2022 - Posted by Advertising Department
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* Bailey references ‘transphobic’, ‘antisemitic’ conspiracy theory at debate: During the second Governor’s debate, Darren Bailey deflected when asked about how he would change Illinois’ abortion laws. Instead of answering the question, Bailey changed the subject, referencing a conspiracy theory about current Governor J.B. Pritzker and his family foundation’s investments in healthcare.
* Race Between Pritzker, Bailey May be Tightening as Voting Turnout Remains Sluggish: Early voting in Chicago is also off to a sluggish start compared to the 2018 election. At this point four years ago, there were 29,000 residents who had cast early ballots, compared to 19,000 this year, according to the Chicago Board of Elections. “I don’t see a lot of voter enthusiasm,” political strategist Thom Serafin told NBC 5.
* We Asked Every Republican in a Tight Race Whether They’d Denounce Alex Jones: More than 70 Republican candidates in competitive congressional and gubernatorial races across the country declined to denounce Alex Jones for popularizing the myth that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting never happened.
* Walker, Vrett Square Off In 53rd House District Forum: Discussing gun violence, both Walker and Vrett harkened back to their experiences in the military. Both men were Army soldiers. Vrett served in Afghanistan and Walker in Vietnam. Vrett said education about guns needs to be brought back to schools so students can learn to respect weapons and rules, such as keeping them under lock and key.
Announcer: This was a crime against democracy. But to Catalina Lauf, it’s legitimate political discourse. asa a Trump loyalist, Lauf is all-in on the MAGA agenda. She supports banning abortion without exception, spouts conspiracy theories and opposes gun safety.
Foster: MAGA extremists are tearing this country apart, turning neighbors against each other and putting women in danger. I’m Bill Foster. I approved this message and I’m using facts and science to bring us back together.
* Related…
* ‘They should be banned’: Foster calls for restrictions on military-style firearms: Lauf’s campaign website once included text about gun rights. In a section labeled “Protect Our Individual Liberties,” Lauf assailed the erosion of gun rights and other rights, saying “governments at all levels (are) trying to take away the 2nd Amendment rights of its lawful citizens.” “We must be tough against the attack on Free Speech, 2A, and all individual liberties,” Lauf said on the site. But after winning the 11th District GOP primary in June, Lauf removed the references to the Second Amendment from those statements. The missing text can be found on the nonpartisan Ballotpedia website.
* Foster, Lauf on opposite sides of abortion debate: During her first bid for Congress in 2020, when she unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination in the 14th District, Lauf said she was against “any legislation that would be proposed on a federal level for funding contraception or abortion measures.” Additionally, Lauf’s campaign website for her current race once proclaimed she was a “vocal opponent of the Left’s radical position in support of late-term abortion, partial-birth abortion, and infanticide.” But after winning the 11th District GOP primary in June, Lauf removed a section about her stance on abortion from the site.
This report contains the results of a Civiqs survey of 659 likely voters in Illinois from October 22-25, 2022.
The survey was conducted online, among selected members of the Civiqs research panel. Sampled individuals were emailed by Civiqs and responded using a personalized link to the survey at civiqs.com. The survey results are weighted by age, race, gender, education, and party identification to be representative of the population of likely voters in Illinois. The general design effect due to weighting is 1.26. The survey has a margin of error of ± 4.3% at the 95% confidence level, accounting for the design effect.
In the race for the U.S. Senate in Illinois, incumbent Democrat Tammy Duckworth leads Republican Kathy Salvi by a substantial margin, 56% to 40%. Duckworth has a positive favorability rating, 51% favorable to 43% unfavorable. Salvi is both less popular and less well known among likely Illinois voters, with a 28% favorable rating, 36% unfavorable rating, and 36% who are unsure about her.
Democrat JB Pritzker holds a 17 percentage point lead over Republican Darren Bailey in the election for Governor of Illinois, 56% to 39%. Pritzker is viewed favorably by 50% of Illinois likely voters, and unfavorably by 45%. Likely voters have a negative opinion of Bailey, who gets a 29% favorable rating and a 56% unfavorable rating, with 16% unsure.
Likely voters in Illinois give President Joe Biden a 46% favorable rating, with 49% viewing him unfavorably.
* During last night’s attorney general debate, Tom DeVore claimed that AG Kwame Raoul’s negotiations over police certification “abruptly stopped” when the language was folded into the SAFE-T Act. He said the FOP was upset about it. Amanda Vinicky asked Raoul if that’s how it went down…
Raoul: No, we had, in fact, in my direct conversations with the state FOP, they thanked me for for engaging them.
DeVore: Chris Southwood would probably disagree with him.
DeVore made an accurate prediction for a change…
Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge President Chris Southwood and Chicago FOP Lodge 7 President John Catanzara issued the following statements regarding Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s assertion that the FOP “thanked” him for including the organization in discussions while the SAFE-T Act was making its way through the Illinois General Assembly in 2021. Raoul made the assertion during the Attorney General debate on October 25 with Republican candidate Tom Devore:
Illinois FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood: “Mr. Raoul needs to get his facts straight. Why would we thank him for promising to include us in those fateful discussions, only to have him ‘ghost’ us at the most crucial time in the negotiations and let the bill’s supporters completely exclude us from providing any input whatsoever? All you need to do is look at the SAFE-T Act to know that Mr. Raoul didn’t keep his pledge to us, and caved in to the pressure from his own political party.”
Chicago FOP Lodge 7 President John Canzara: “Thank Mr. Raoul? For what? For promising one thing to our faces and then breaking off the knife he stabbed us in the back with? You’d have to be crazy to think that there was any FOP input in the monstrosity that should be called the UN-SAFE-T Act by any Illinoisan who is sick of coddling criminals and punishing the police.”
According to Mark Maxwell of KSDK, Budzinski lists her assets and investment portfolio in the ballpark of $700,000 and $1.9 million.
Meanwhile, Budzinski’s opponent, Regan Deering, lists her net worth between $35 million and $142 million. Deering is the granddaughter of Dwayne Andreas, former chairman and CEO of Archer-Daniels-Midland.
* Illinois early vote totals…
The @illinoissbe has updated early vote totals (10/26/22): Total VBM requested: 817,276 Total VBM returned: 307,512 Total VBM outstanding: 509,764 Return Rate: 38% Total Early Vote: 122,827 Total Grace Period: 2,046 Total Already Voted: 432,385https://t.co/44ga6Axjmq
The most up-to-date Early Vote and Vote By Mail totals in Chicago, night of Tuesday, October 25, 2022.
The Early Vote total stands at 18,724 ballots cast.
Additionally, 38,672 Vote By Mail ballots have been returned to the Board – total VBM applications stands at 195,203.
The grand total is 57,396 ballots cast so far in Chicago for the November 8th General Election.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* GOP eyes Indiana upset amid national push to diversify party : Democrats have represented this industrial, union-friendly corner of northwest Indiana in Congress for nearly a century. But Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan’s reelection bid is in question as the party faces headwinds around the U.S. this year, buffeted by President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings and high inflation. The contours of this district, encompassing Gary, have been redrawn to be slightly more friendly to Republicans.
* Your vote on workers’ rights, Illinois Supreme Court can help improve the lives of working families: The other two races, at the end of the ballot, are just as important. Maintaining a worker-friendly majority on the state Supreme Court will assure that the Workers’ Rights Amendment, if passed, will be upheld. Indeed, it will do more than that. The two Supreme Court vacancies are arguably the most significant races on the ballot; the justices who sit on our state’s highest court are the ultimate arbiters of Illinois law. The seats at stake are for the 2nd judicial district, which includes Kane and Lake counties; and the 3rd district, which includes DuPage and Will counties.
* Candidates for Illinois treasurer take different approaches in campaigning: Demmer has done a series of Facebook videos and has hosted news conferences to share ideas. Recently, Demmer was on PBS and explained why should be elected. … Earlier this week, Frerichs, seeking a second term, released his first TV ad, calling himself the watchdog and touting things he says are accomplishments since being elected.
* How votes are cast and counted is increasingly decided in courtrooms: In the United States, election season has turned into lawsuit season. One legal challenge in Michigan seeks to remove thousands from the voter rolls. Two lawsuits in Wisconsin seek to have more absentee ballots counted, even if they are missing some information. In Arizona, a judge is reviewing a new law requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. And in Pennsylvania, lawsuits challenge the state’s no-excuse absentee voting law, as well as the policy to count undated mail-in ballots.
As families across the nation prepare for festive Halloween fun, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers to focus on safety when selecting and creating costumes and home decorations.
Over the past three years, CPSC estimates that an annual average of 3,200 Halloween-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments.
Here’s how the injuries break down:
• 55% were related to pumpkin carving;
• 25% were due to falls while putting up or taking down decorations, tripping on costumes or walking while trick-or-treating;
• 20% of the injuries included lacerations, ingestions and other injuries associated with costumes, pumpkins or decorations, and allergic reactions or rashes.
Among the injured, 54 percent were adults 18 years and over, 46 percent were under 18 years old, and about 10 percent of all injuries were to children 6 years old or younger.
Fire safety is important year-round, with special awareness during holiday seasons. A new CPSC report estimates that candles and electrical cords/plugs were associated with an annual average of 5,600 and 1,600 fires, respectively, from 2017 through 2019.
* The Question: Your favorite Halloween memory? Bonus points if you can connect it to Illinois politics.
“[The] total investment going into K-12 Education is $3.7 billion less than what the evidence indicates is needed for every school district to have the resources it requires to educate the students it serves,” [Ralph Martire, the executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability] said.
Martire co-wrote the evidence based funding model which is designed to use certain metrics to determine the amount of money schools need to give students a proper education. Those metrics include total enrollment, and the number of English learners, low income students and students with disabilities. It passed in 2018 under Republican Governor Bruce Rauner. […]
The model is supposed to be fully funded by 2028 but he said now, it won’t reach that until 2040.
“We’re very far away from fully funding the model, and you skip another year, skip another two, that means another generation of kids has to go through a K-12 education system that doesn’t have adequate resources to implement the evidence based practices that have been shown to allow every student to receive the kind of education they need to achieve academically,” Martire said.
* I asked Martire for an explanation of that evidence-based funding ramp…
The EBF establishes two ongoing funding metrics for state-level investments in K-12 Education. First, the EBF sets a target of having state-level formula funding for K-12 Education increase on a year-to-year basis by at least $300 million (the “Minimum Target Level”). Note that is $50 million less than the $350 million amount actually specified in Section (g) of the EBF. The reason for this is the Property Tax Relief Grant or “PTRG” established in paragraph 9.5 of Section (g) of the legislation. Under the statute, the dollar amount of any year-to-year increase in funding the state appropriates to the EBF in a given fiscal year that is in excess of $300 million, up to and including $350 million, is dedicated to the PTRG—not to formula funding.
In addition to creating the aforesaid target for increasing K-12 funding on a year-to-year basis, the EBF also committed the state to fund the formula fully within 10 years of its initial implementation, which would be June 30, 2027. According to ISBE, at the start of FY 2023, the EBF was underfunded statewide by some $3.68 billion. At its current rate of increasing EBF funding, the state is not close to being on track for satisfying the obligation to fund the EBF fully by 2027.
Figure 1 shows that if the state continues the practice of increasing year-to-year funding for the EBF at the Minimum Target Level, the legislation will not be fully funded in real, inflation adjusted terms, until FY 2038, which is 20 years after the EBF was first implemented—or double what is required in statute.
To meet the statutory deadline of fully funding the EBF in real, inflation adjusted terms by 2027, starting in the 2023-2024 school year and continuing thereafter, Illinois would have to increase K-12 funding by $912 million each year—or more than triple the current Minimum Target Level—as shown in Figure 2.
Unfortunately, according to the Illinois State Board of Education, the current amount of K-12 funding in Illinois is some $3.7 billion less than what the evidence indicates is needed for each school to have the resources to educate the children it serves. And Bailey wants to cut school funding?
Even more curious is Bailey’s head-scratcher of a rationale for reducing state spending on education. According to Bailey, the high-quality academic programming offered in excellent schools like New Trier — you know curriculum designed to ensure students who graduate high school are college and career ready — isn’t needed in downstate communities like Clay County, because “Most, many of our children, some of our children are going to the military. They’re going right into the workforce,” where they get employed as ‘pipe fitters,’ ‘welders,’ and ‘linemen.’”
Wait, what? There’s so much wrong with that thinking it’s impossible to unpack it all in one column.
When Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s campaign bus came to town recently, the local conservative talk radio station covered the event, dutifully informing its audience on social media that “counter protesters were in attendance.”
The “counter protesters” were the radio station’s employees. They mugged for photos in front of the governor’s bus, held up signs that said, “Fire Pritzker” — then turned around and covered the Democrat’s event.
Since President Biden’s election, the talk radio station Cities 92.9 has upended the traditional media ecosystem in this part of Central Illinois with an unusual mix of hyperlocal news coverage — crime, weather and the like — and election misinformation. Replying on Facebook to a social media post about the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, the station turned its focus to the 2020 election results: “What about the insurrection on Nov. 3?”
Cities 92.9 organized a sold-out bus trip to the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, supported a man accused of making a Nazi salute at a school board meeting and co-hosted a fall “freedom” festival during which a former Marine and Jan. 6 attendee called for revolution, saying, “Violence is always the answer.” […]
[Catrina Petersen, the station’s program manager] posted a photo of herself on her personal Facebook page last year posing before a banner that said, “Q Sent Me,” writing, “Yeah I’m ‘Q’ what of it.” Asked whether she was an adherent to the extremist ideology embraced by many on the far right, she responded, “As much as you are BlueAnon, I suppose.”
Gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey hired David Paul Blumenshine, who hosts a talk show on Cities on weekends, as his election integrity program director. Back to the WaPo story…
Blumenshine, too, soon had a different story [about January 6], spinning tales of mysterious tour buses arriving and claiming he saw a weak security perimeter at the Capitol — assertions he has repeated to this day. In the interview, he dismissed the police officers who were assaulted by rioters during the attack — more than 140, some who suffered traumatic injuries such as brain damage and crushed spinal disks — as “political theater.”
* WMBD reported on the group’s return from the rally on Jan 7, 2021…
Trump supporters from the Twin Cities returned home Thursday afternoon after participating in the “Stop the Steal” Rally.
The group of 49 said the thousands of supporters were “reminiscent of Dr. Martin Luther King” and said they didn’t see any violence or rioting first hand. Group organizer David Paul Blumenshine said the mood was celebratory and the president promoted peace during his speech.
“There were other speakers that day, but the president was just magnificent, he also continued to preach peace and a peaceful protest,” Blumenshine said. “Upon delivering his message, along Constitution Ave and Pennsylvania Ave, people marched, reminiscent of Dr. Martin Luther King.”
Blumenshine said the group from Normal did not participate in the “small group” that breached the Capitol Building and condemned the group that turned the event into a deadly tragedy. He said all forms of political violence should be prosecuted.
* Legacy media giving up on endorsements could cede public opinion to these kinds of “alt” outlets. The AP…
Some readers have difficulty distinguishing between news and opinion, or flat-out don’t believe that a paper’s editorial stance doesn’t affect its news coverage, said Hunter, whose Iowa newspaper is owned by Gannett.
Gannett didn’t ban political endorsements, but strongly advised its more than 220 newspapers to cut back on national opinion and focus on local issues. The Des Moines Register’s opinion pages, for example, now run twice a week. The Register is being selective in its choices this fall, weighing in on the Iowa governor’s race and a referendum on guns. But the state’s top newspaper won’t endorse in federal races, including U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s bid for an eighth term. […]
Many politicians view the dwindling state of endorsements with a collective shrug. News organizations were once seen as objective, but Republican consultant Alex Conant said many voters his candidates are trying to reach consider newspapers as partisan as politicians. […]
Advertisements — often filled with disinformation — become the primary source of information, she said. By contrast, American Presidency Project co-director John Woolley said, newspaper endorsements “are a good thing in that they model how to think, and clarify to people what the big issues are.”
…Adding…[From Rich] Speaking of news vacuums, here’s the Tribune…
No part of the Lincolnwood Public Library’s collection will be moved or restricted after a heated group of public commenters forced an abrupt end to an Oct. 24 meeting of the library’s board of trustees.
Library Director Josephine Tucci said more than 60 members of the public attended Monday night’s meeting, where videos show conflict erupted in the audience over the library’s collection and programming.
Tucci said some of the commenters were misinformed about a program they thought the library had held but which had not taken place — “something to do with a drag queen storytime where the drag queen conducted the program, and that never happened,” she said.
Tucci said other commenters were objecting to a book called The Bare Naked Book that the library does not have in its collection. […]
Eventually, the meeting was dismissed by the board and police came onto the scene at the request of library officials. Officers dispersed the attendees from the room immediately upon adjournment, according to Lincolnwood Police Chief Jay Parrott.
* That Cardboard Box in Your Home Is Fueling Election Denial: Flush with profits from their shipping supply company, the Uihleins have emerged as the No. 1 federal campaign donors for Republicans ahead of the November elections, and the No. 2 donors overall behind liberal financier George Soros. The couple has spent at least $121 million on state and federal politics in the last two years alone, fighting taxes, unions, abortion rights and marijuana legalization.
* How ‘pink slime’ journalism exploits our faith in local news: As local outlets have disappeared, many have been replaced by algorithmically managed pink-slime outlets that use the good will earned by news institutions of yore to help push political agendas from outside those communities. […] Poorly paid freelancers replaced staff reporters who had made living wages at newspapers like the Chicago Tribune. Part of my job was to write local news stories for the Houston Chronicle — even though I lived in Chicago — and select fake American-sounding bylines for stories written in virtual sweatshops in the Philippines. A Filipino writer named Junbe, for instance, might be renamed Jimmy Finkel, thanks to a built-in drop-down menu, and Gisele Bautista could instantly become Jenni Cox. These “reporters” earned pennies per story, and much of the content was plagiarized. “It would pay off to have you both write and edit these stories only if you could write the stories in about 90 seconds,” my remote supervisor told me.
* Why false claims about Brazil’s election are spreading in far-right U.S. circles: It’s the latest example of how debunked election fraud narratives are going international. In many cases, the false claims about Brazil are being pushed in English to American audiences by right-wing influencers and conservative media sites who falsely assert that Donald Trump won the 2020 U.S. presidential election and appear to be planting the idea that similar fraud will occur in the upcoming midterms.
* ‘They’re not newspapers’: The not-so-mysterious publications in your mailbox: Before reading the articles published in the paper, Yamshon thought it looked like a normal local news operation, with typical advertisements and a back page featuring the names and photos of former high school football players from the area now playing in college. But then, she started to read. A box in the top left corner of the front page read, “Special Sex Education Edition: What are they teaching your child in 2022?” Below that was a reference to an article on page 2 about a Naperville elementary school teacher, with the phrase “Teaching boys to be girls.”
With two weeks to go until the November election, the Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI) this week launched a new ad campaign focused on reproductive choice. The campaign includes ads in both Spanish and English, and will reach Latino, Black, and downstate communities in over 230 zip codes across the state.
“Abortion is on the ballot this November. While Republicans are committed to turning back the clock on reproductive rights, we’re working hard to make sure voters know that the Democratic Party is the party of reproductive freedom,” said DPI Chair Lisa Hernandez. “We’re sharing our message with underrepresented communities in over 230 zip codes to make sure they know that with Democrats in office, Illinois will remain a safe haven for women everywhere.”
The ad campaign consists of two 15-second digital videos entitled “Saw This Coming” and “Ready” (“Listo”).
The new ads follow the launch of DPI’s first ever Spanish-language ads last month. With this critical initiative, DPI is continuing its work to reach and mobilize traditionally underrepresented voters in the home stretch leading up to the November election.
…Adding… I do not think this is on TV…
As your next Attorney General, I will fight like hell to end the NO BOND SAFE T Act. pic.twitter.com/ubASLytAUO
Woman 1: For 50 years, Illinois women have had freedom over their own bodies.
Woman 2: Those rights are under attack.
Woman 3: With the Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade,
Woman 4: Extremists are trying to take us backward, ban abortions, criminalize women.
Woman 1: We need Kwame Raoul now more than ever.
Woman 3: He’s fighting for our freedoms in the court and on the frontlines.
Woman 2: Standing up to the extremists, fighting back.
Kwame Raoul: This extremist attack on women’s freedoms — not in Illinois, not while I’m Attorney General. I’m Kwame Raoul. This is the work of my life, and there’s so much more to do.
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Global Strategy Group
DATE: October 25, 2022
RE: NEW POLL: Making Significant Gains Since Summer, Rochford Even Better Positioned to Win
Survey results from Global Strategy Group’s recent research show an electorate focused on electing a candidate who is highly qualified and will protect abortion rights in our state’s highest court – and that candidate is Democrat Elizabeth Rochford. With voters getting to know her in the last few months, Rochford now enjoys positive personal ratings and a 6-point lead against Republican Mark Curran, of whom voters now have mixed opinions. Still, there is room to consolidate key voting blocs further in the next two weeks. And with so many voters unfamiliar with the candidates, the race is still wide open. Should Rochford be able to stay in front of voters, push back on misleading attacks, and communicate her experience and support from pro-choice groups, she has a path to victory. Takeaways from a survey of 500 likely 2022 generical election voters are as follows.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• After learning more about her this fall, voters like and support Elizabeth Rochford. While there is still work to do to educate voters on the candidates for Illinois Supreme Court Justice, Rochford has significantly increased her name ID so that now 41% of voters can rate her (up from less than a third in August). Those voters who know her like her by a 7-point margin (24% favorable/17% unfavorable). Still, more than half of the electorate needs to learn about Rochford’s background and qualifications.
• While Mark Curran remains the better-known candidate, voters have mixed opinions. Over half of voters are familiar with Curran. But given that a plurality of the electorate is hearing something negative about him (33% positive/39% negative), his ratings have now weakened to a draw (27% favorable/27% unfavorable).
• As a result of communications on behalf of Rochford up to this point, she now leads Curran just under 50%. Voters now choose Rochford over Curran by a 6-point margin – Rochford 49%/Curran 43%. Between our first poll in August and now, Rochford has successfully consolidated key groups like Democrats, especially women Democrats; women over 55; college women; and voters in Lake County.
ABOUT THIS RESEARCH
Global Strategy Group conducted a survey of 500 likely 2022 general election voters in Illinois Supreme Court District 2 between October 18 and October 23, 2022. Interviews were conducted via live telephone as well as a text invitation to a web-based survey. Care has been taken to ensure the geographic and demographic divisions of the population of likely 202 2 general election voters are properly represented.
Justice Mary Jane Theis was selected for the office of Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court at the Court’s November 2022 Term. She will serve a three-year term commencing today, October 26, 2022, succeeding Anne M. Burke, whose tenure as Chief Justice ended on Oct. 25, 2022.
Justice Theis will be the fourth woman to serve as Chief Justice following the late Justice Mary Ann McMorrow, Justice Rita B. Garman, and Justice Burke. She will be the 122nd Chief Justice in Illinois history.
“I would like to thank my colleagues for giving me this opportunity to serve the people of Illinois as Chief Justice. I also would like to congratulate Justice Burke for her successful term as Chief and her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Justice Theis said. “I look forward to working with the bench, bar and community at large to further the Court’s mission of providing access to equal justice, ensuring judicial integrity and upholding the rule of law. Our goal continues to be increasing public trust and confidence in the courts.”
As Chief Justice, Justice Theis will serve as the chief administrative officer of the Supreme Court, which is constitutionally vested with general administrative and supervisory authority over the more than 900 judges in the statewide judicial system.
Among other duties, the Chief Justice selects the items to be placed on the Supreme Court’s agenda for the Court’s consideration during its constitutionally-mandated five terms each year; supervises all appointments to Supreme Court committees, serves as chairperson of the Executive Committee of the constitutionally-mandated Illinois Judicial Conference and presents the Court’s annual budget request to the General Assembly.
…Adding… ILGOP…
With Election Day drawing near, Democrat Elizabeth Rochford’s campaign for Illinois Supreme Court is showing signs of desperation. This morning, Rochford’s campaign released a polling memo in an attempt to signal to her Madigan Machine donors and backers that she’s in desperate need of additional millions.
Rochford’s call for help comes even after she’s raised $3.5 million for her campaign, and the so-called “All for Justice” group has raised nearly $6.8 million, spending much of it on Rochford. Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Shaun McCabe released the following statement in response:
“Elizabeth Rochford and her Madigan Machine allies are desperate, even after spending millions of dollars on her failing campaign. Rochford knows if voters learn about her Machine ties and record, she will lose her election and the Madigan Machine will lose a vote on the Supreme Court. Mark Curran is in a strong position to win because he’s an independent outsider with extensive law enforcement experience who will uphold the rule of law, not the rule of Madigan.”
Madden Mental Health employees to demonstrate over lack of staff
Frontline employees who support individuals with mental illness at Madden Mental Health Center in west suburban Hines, Ill., are raising awareness of a severe staff shortage at the state-operated facility and throughout state government.
Members of the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) and the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 will hold an informational picket outside Madden MHC TOMORROW (Wednesday) morning, Oct. 26.
AFSCME and INA members say the lack of staff threatens to erode the quality of care for patients at Madden, poses a safety risk to employees, and is driving out-of-control overtime—including mandatory overtime—that is leading to burnout among workers.
* Background from AFSCME…
Madden MHC is a short-term psychiatric hospital treating people who are acutely mentally ill. The average length of stay is about three weeks.
In the first quarter of calendar 2022, Madden had 96 staff (monthly average) at any given time. Five years ago the facility had an average 138 staff; 10 years ago 168. (Although the average patient census has also declined, it has not dropped as steeply—to 92 patients today from 114 five years ago and 139 ten years ago.)
The staffing shortage is driving excessive overtime:
• The latest available is from July, when 91 AFSCME members at Madden worked nearly 2,000 hours of overtime.
• There were only 36 mental health technicians on staff (the largest direct-care job title) who worked nearly 1,000 overtime hours in the month. 983 hours.
• The 25 support service workers (housekeeping and dietary) worked more than 600 overtime hours in the month
• Even doctors and social workers were doing overtime, as were employees represented by other unions, including a substantial number of registered nurses, security employees and tradespeople.
Lack of staff has also led to:
• The closure of one of Madden’s five units
• The use of more than 20 expensive agency nurses while trying to hire RNs.
• Sometimes no security staff on site, or just one, during weekend shifts. At other times, mental health technicians are made to cover security officer vacancies.
Keeping new hires is a problem, too: Of a recent class of 11 mental health technicians, four alreafy left. Five new support service/housekeepers were promised in the spring; only two were hired and both quit. So far only one has been replaced.
It’s a difficult work environment and short-staffing makes it much worse.
* Illinois governor race: Where JB Pritzker, Darren Bailey stand on immigration, guns, crime: “So let’s explicitly put into the Safe-T Act with an amendment saying that we’re not going to let anybody out, any of the violent criminals out on January 1,” Pritzker said. […] “He’s thinking about amending it because he’s finally learning what it actually says, otherwise why on earth did the man sign it if he knew what it said?” Bailey accused. “So, I know, I completely believe that public sentiment has shifted and turned.”
* How the abortion ruling transformed midterm political advertising: In terms of spending on abortion-related ads, Democrats ($21.7 million) and Republicans ($20.9 million) had near-parity in the pre-Dobbs period. Post-Dobbs, Democrats’ spending on abortion-related ads surged (to $57.9 million) while Republicans’ spending on abortion-related ads plunged (to $5.7 million).
* Rashid, Schultz spar at 21st District candidate forum: The candidates also had different views about banning the sale of automatic weapons. Schultz said he would consider such a ban as a last resort but said that prohibitions usually don’t work, and the more immediate problem is a shortage of police. […]“The issue in Highland Park on July 4 was not ‘not enough police.’ The issue in Uvalde, Texas, was not ‘not enough police,’ the issue at Sandy Hook was not ‘not enough police.’ The issue is guns getting in the hands of the wrong people and we absolutely do need to ban assault rifles,” Rashid said.
* State House District 62 candidates spar over guns, criminal justice and abortion rights: Though Dias and Shores are far apart on the SAFE-T Act, their views on a woman’s right to decide to terminate a pregnancy are closer together, though not aligned. Shores said he opposes late-term abortion and would reinstate parental notification for women under 18. “Personal health care decisions are unique to every woman, and they should be between the woman and her doctor,” Shores said, though he would still require parental notification and a late-term ban if he could.
