The top Democrat in the Illinois House of Representatives said that he and his colleagues are cutting ties with the public relations firm SKDK after learning that the firm failed to disclose an apparent conflict of interest in a 2018 sexual harassment and retaliation scandal.
Emanuel “Chris” Welch, the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, made the announcement following NPR’s reporting that SKDK helped advise a powerful Illinois politician on how to respond to a sexual harassment retaliation lawsuit. SKDK was simultaneously working with a #MeToo advocacy group supporting the accuser in the lawsuit.
“The glaring conflict of interest and conduct in this case sends a chilling message to victims and survivors that they can’t even trust the people who claim to be their greatest supporters,” Welch said in a statement to NPR. “We find this to be deeply disheartening and disqualifying for us.”
Welch’s decision was first reported by Capitol Fax, a newsletter that covers Illinois politics. In his comments to Capitol Fax, Welch specifically called out Anita Dunn, who is currently a top adviser in President Joe Biden’s White House. […]
“While this error in judgment happened more than five years ago, we understand the decision made by Illinois House Democrats,” SKDK spokesperson Mike Czin said in an emailed statement. “We are proud of the work we have done to support survivors, and we will redouble our efforts to regain trust.”
What we should have made clear is that we find these practices disqualifying. What SKDK and Anita Dunn did in the Alaina Hampton case has impacts well beyond Ms. Hampton, and sends a chilling message to victims and survivors that they can’t even trust the people who claim to be their greatest supporters.
We will not engage SKDK or Ms. Dunn in the future.
House Republican Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement as the elimination of cash bail is now effective in Illinois:
“The end of cash bail means the legal deck is stacked against the victim and community in favor of the criminal. This law makes it more difficult for police officers and prosecutors to keep our communities safe by ensuring offenders in most cases can walk free shortly after committing a heinous offense. Ending cash bail has produced harmful results in other cities and states, and we have no reason to believe Illinois will be any different. We can only hope that innocent victims’ lives are not the ultimate price we have to pay.”
* Press release…
Cash bail ends September 18th and will be the last day the State of Illinois requires criminals to post bail for a crime they committed. State Representative Mike Coffey (R-Springfield) is very concerned about the repercussions that will occur and is supporting law enforcement through this transition. Rep. Coffey had this to say:
“Legislators on the other side of the isle refused to engage with local law enforcement about their concerns over eliminating cash bail,” said Rep. Coffey. “Apparently, public safety is not as important as a political agenda that favors criminals. Policies like this curate detrimental effects that will impact the safety of families across the state.”
The SAFE-T Act, which includes the elimination of cash bail has been nationwide news. The controversial law is aimed at reducing crime in Illinois; however, multiple legislators, law enforcement sheriffs, and the public share growing concerns over public safety. According to local sheriffs, they expect to see a rise in crime rates, officers losing morale, and more corporations not pressing charges, to name a few red flags.
Families across Illinois will be on edge even more after September 18th. The cuffs have been taken off the criminals and placed on those who are supposed to protect us.
* Press release…
In celebration of the elimination of cash bail in Illinois, State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement:
“Today we finally take the long-overdue step toward dismantling systemic racism and eliminating the practices which have created barriers to opportunities and obstacles to prosperity for far too long. Illinois continues to show the rest of the nation that monumental change is possible to make the criminal legal system fair, equitable and just for all.
“Finally, being poor is not a crime and will never be the sole reason a person remains incarcerated as they await their trial.
“We can take pride in the fact that Illinois has reformed its criminal legal system while focusing on community safety, combatting disparities, and removing wealth from decisions that should be about public safety. As much as we have achieved, more work is still ahead. Our work continues.”
— Chicago Ald. James Gardiner (45th) says he won’t seek re-election as ward committeeperson. “I am not seeking re-election as Democratic committeeman. To give my undivided attention toward surveying as alderman of the 45th Ward,” he told Playbook. Running for the seat so far are Joe Cook and Michael Rabbitt.
— State Rep. Jenn Ladisch-Douglass (45th) has announced she won’t seek re-election in 2024. “I absolutely love this work, and though I have made the very difficult decision to not seek re-election so I can focus on my family, I will continue to serve the great people of my district and the state until the end of my term,” the freshman rep said. Full statement here.
— Jackie Williamson has announced she’s running for state representative in the 47th District. Williamson, a Democrat, ran against Republican Rep. Amy Grant in 2022, receiving nearly 47 percent of the vote to Grant’s 53 percent.
— Tosi Ufodike has made it official: She’s running in the GOP primary for state representative in the 51st District. The seat is held by Democratic state Rep. Nabeela Syed.
Rabbitt ran for the House last year and lost to appointed Rep. Mike Kelly (D-Chicago). Ladisch-Douglass barely won in 2022 against then-Rep. Deanne Mazzochi. Rep. Grant’s district leans Democratic as does Rep. Syed’s.
* Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…
With the passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) two years ago, Illinois is on a path to 100% carbon-free energy by 2050 and has enabled the rapid expansion of clean energy installations.
The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition and Chi Hack Night are excited to announce the Illinois Solar Map (https://ilsolarmap.com), the most detailed tool ever released to track the state’s rapid expansion of solar projects. Our interactive map allows you to explore solar projects by Census Tract, City/town, County, and State Congressional Districts, as well as by project category.
As of May 2023, at least 1,622,000 kilowatts of operating solar capacity have been installed in the State of Illinois. For comparison, Prairie State, the State’s largest coal power plant, is 1,630,000 kilowatts, illustrating just how far we’ve come in a few years, but still how far we have to go to reach 100% renewable energy in Illinois.
There are nearly 35,000 solar projects throughout the state, ranging in size from a single 0.6 kW solar panel to the 200,000 kW (200 megawatts) Prairie Wolf Solar project in Coles County.
A system designed to alert Chicago Police brass about which officers have been the subject of repeated police misconduct allegations could have been rolled out citywide in May 2021 — but it has yet to be fully implemented nearly two and a half years later, according to records obtained by WTTW News.
The University of Chicago Crime Lab began work on the so-called Officer Support System, also known as OSS, in 2016, and began testing it in a South Side police district in September 2020, only to face repeated and lengthy delays, caused in part by decisions by CPD leadership to transfer the staff members assigned to run the system to patrol, according to a letter obtained by WTTW News through the Freedom of Information Act.
A Daily Herald analysis of 67 suburbs shows half those towns are operating with fewer employees now than before the pandemic.
The analysis shows 38 towns reported fewer employees working in administrative positions, 31 have fewer public works employees and 28 have fewer public safety workers.
In towns such as Lombard, Palatine, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Gurnee, Batavia and seven others, staffing levels are down in all three sectors, data from suburban audits show.
“That’s definitely the trend nationally, too,” said Chris Goodman, an associate professor of public administration at Northern Illinois University. “The private sector employment has recovered from the pandemic, but the public sector has not at all recovered.”
In 1990, a suburban Chicago race for the Republican Party nomination for state representative between Penny Pullen and Rosemary Mulligan unexpectedly became a national proxy battle over abortion in the United States. But the hard-fought primary also illustrated the overlooked importance of down-ballot contests in America’s culture wars. Patrick Wohl offers the dramatic account of a rollercoaster campaign that, after attracting political celebrities and a media circus, came down to thirty-one votes, a coin toss to determine the winner, and a recount fight that set a precedent for how to count dimpled chads. As the story unfolds, Wohl provides a rare nuts-and-bolts look at an election for state office from its first days through the Illinois Supreme Court decision that decided the winner–and set the stage for a decisive 1992 rematch.
A compelling political page-turner, Down Ballot takes readers behind the scenes of a legendary Illinois election.
* I haven’t watched it all yet, but what I’ve seen so far is pretty impressive. First Lady MK Pritzker takes viewers on an extensive tour of the remodeled governor’s mansion…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* AP | Centuries after Native American remains were dug up, a new law returns them for reburial in Illinois: Key to the measure is first-time authority for tribes to rebury recovered remains in Illinois, which they much prefer to relocating them to states to which the U.S. government forced their relocation nearly two centuries ago. The Illinois State Museum, which holds remains from about 7,000 individuals, is prepared to reunify 1,100 of them with their tribes, according to Brooke Morgan, the museum’s curator of anthropology. Overall, institutions in Illinois can identify nearly 13,000 individuals that must be repatriated.
* Center Square | Rules for Illinois’ firearms registry filed as some expect low compliance rate: The emergency rules, which have yet to be published in the Illinois Register maintained by the Illinois Secretary of State, must now go before the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. Their next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17, more than two weeks after the registry is set to open.
* AP | Low Mississippi River limits barges just as farmers want to move their crops downriver: This is the second-straight year drought has caused the Mississippi to drop to near-record lows. With no significant rain in the forecast, it’s likely to keep falling. The shallow river is especially striking given the height of the river just months ago. A huge snowpack in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin quickly melted, forcing riverfront communities such as Davenport, Iowa, and Savanna, Illinois, to hurriedly erect barriers to stay dry in late April and early May.
* WBEZ | Girls are in a mental health crisis. This Chicago program could help.: A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in 2021, almost 60% of high school girls in the U.S. felt persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, nearly 20% had experienced sexual violence, and 25% had made a suicide plan. Clinicians, educators and policymakers around the country are looking for solutions. A recent study suggests that a Chicago-based program could be a model to help girls throughout the U.S. — especially girls of color — cope with the trauma and distress many face.
* Sun-Times | Environmental justice plan pushed by Mayor Brandon Johnson: The proposals include new policies for city departments that include better response times to environmental complaints, measures to reduce air pollution from large diesel-fueled trucks, public engagement around planning and development and investments in so-called environmental justice communities, areas that receive a disproportionate share of pollution.
* WCIA | Eastern Illinois Foodbank holds largest annual event for Hunger Action Month: People who want to continue to help can also donate money to Eastern Illinois Foodbank during Hunger Action month. The food bank said they can feed two people a day for every dollar donated. They are trying to raise $40,000 this month, for the 40 years they’ve been fighting hunger.
* Block Club | City’s Last-Minute Street Closures Didn’t Stop Mexican Independence Day Celebrations Downtown: On Wednesday, the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications said no street closures were planned for the weekend, but “traffic may be diverted to control traffic flow if needed.” But by Friday evening, street closures went into effect with little warning. Downtown streets were closed as car caravan traffic snarled the Loop to a halt.
* WCIA | State Fire Marshal announces $4 million in small equipment grants: The money is coming from the Small Equipment Grant Program, which was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 to eligible departments. 64 departments and EMS providers received a total of $1.5 million in March thanks to this program.
* AP | Rural hospitals are closing maternity wards. People are seeking options to give birth closer to home: Ultimately, doctors and researchers say, having fewer hospital maternity units makes having babies less safe. One study showed rural residents have a 9% greater probability of facing life-threatening complications or even death from pregnancy and birth compared to those in urban areas — and having less access to care plays a part.
* Block Club | Don’t Be Alarmed By Swarms Of Flying Ants—They’re Just Having Sex In The Sky: It’s common for ants to fly in the fall and spring, though it can happen at any time throughout the year. Scientists don’t know exactly what triggers the ants’ flights, but decreasing amounts of daylight and increasing amounts of rainfall might provide “cues” that tell ants it’s time to take off, Suarez said.
* Tribune | Chicago skyline poses a risk as hundreds of millions of birds migrate south for the winter: As temperatures slowly drop in Chicago, 300 millions to 400 million birds are crossing the continent heading south to their nesting grounds for the winter, according to Annette Prince, director and president of Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, a nonprofit dedicated to the respite and protection of migratory birds through daily rescue efforts. It’s been a busy few weeks for the organization, Prince said. Volunteers at the nonprofit pick up more than 100 birds a day. Most early mornings, she said, a team of a dozen volunteers covers an area of about a mile and a half, responding to calls from people who live and work downtown and have found birds littering the sidewalks and gutters.
* Tribune | From ice cream to illusions, immersive attractions are here to stay, and they’re one of the brightest spots in retail: The Museum of Illusions Chicago, an interactive exhibit that presents dozens of optical illusions, just signed a deal expanding into a vacant storefront next to its location at 25 E. Washington St. in the Loop. The expansion takes over space once occupied by a clothing retailer, and will change how the building looks to pedestrians, said Dan Shannon, the property’s asset manager. “This is the first time in years that we’ve had 100% of our retail space leased,” he said.
* Press release | Illinois Discontinues Statewide Testing of Freshwater Fish for Organochlorine Pesticides: Organochlorine pesticides, including DDT and other similar chemicals, have been banned for decades, but the state had tested for them since 1974 because they are “environmentally persistent” and can build up in the tissue of fish and other animals. But the levels of these pesticides found through that testing has diminished to near zero over the past nearly 50 years, allowing the state to discontinue testing for those chemicals.
During the campaign, Johnson proposed a 1%-2% “Big Banks Securities and Speculation Tax” that would raise $100 million. So, naturally, there’s worry he will try to use his considerable contacts in the General Assembly and CTU’s clout to persuade Gov. J.B. Pritzker to reverse his position on allowing Chicago to impose a transaction tax and ease the city’s structural deficit.
When he was asked last month about the transaction tax, Pritzker said, “Obviously, what we all want is a thriving financial services economy in the state and the city. I have not stood for a transaction tax, because I think it would be easy for those companies’ servers to move out of the state.” […]
I reached out to the two legislative leaders to see where they stood on allowing home rule units like Chicago impose a tax on electronic transactions.
Spokespersons for both Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Chris Welch said their bosses opposed the idea.
“Harmon is opposed,” said Senate President Don Harmon’s spokesperson John Patterson after checking with his boss, who employed Johnson early in his adult life.
“He is on the same page as the governor and Harmon,” said House Speaker Chris Welch’s spokesperson Jaclyn Driscoll about her employer, a Johnson friend.
So, all three state leaders are opposed and the mayor hasn’t revived the idea. But that didn’t stop a major news media outlet from claiming it is still somehow alive.
The letters are stamped all over the hallways of Chicago’s giant skyscrapers and grand office buildings. DRW, IMC, CME, Cboe.
These are some of the derivatives firms that collectively handle trillions of dollars a year in trades, greasing the wheels of global markets with everything from stock options to corn futures. Most of them have called Chicago home for decades — providing thousands of jobs within the city’s $75 billion finance industry.
Now, the firms’ commitment to the Windy City is being tested by some $800 million in taxes proposed by a new mayor staring down a budget gap that’s swelled to half a billion dollars. One idea is a levy on financial transactions, which has alarmed companies already worried about a jump in crime that shows few signs of abating.
Behind the scenes, market makers and exchanges are working together to press their case with policymakers, with firms that typically compete with each other sharing data to help explain their economic benefits to Chicago. While executives haven’t explicitly threatened to leave, in private conversations it’s clear they will consider quitting the city if crime remains an issue and the financial transaction tax passes.
The financial transaction tax is dead. Period. It’s not even being proposed. If they want to blame crime, that’s their right, but they shouldn’t hide behind the non-existent threat of a financial transaction tax.
…Adding… From comments…
It’s not pining. It’s passed on. This proposal is no more. It has ceased to be. It’s expired and gone to meet its maker. It’s a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. If you hadn’t printed it again in Bloomberg, it’d be pushing up the daisies. Its metabolic processes are now history. It’s off the twig. It’s kicked the bucket, it’s shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible. This is an ex proposal.
Court officials across the Chicago area say they’ll be ready when Illinois becomes the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail on Monday, but that doesn’t mean some are any less concerned about a law they once decried as a threat to public safety. […]
The Pretrial Fairness Act lists crimes eligible for detention, from violent felonies and gun cases to sexual assaults and domestic attacks. It also allows someone to be detained if they are a flight risk.
But it will largely be up to prosecutors to decide when to actually seek detention, and then they will have to prove their case before a judge within 24 to 48 hours.
Researchers at Loyola University estimate roughly 37% of all arrests in Illinois – about 70,000 people — are at least potentially eligible for detention. They estimate as few as 15,500 could actually be detained.
Under the new law, people who are charged with the state’s lowest level offenses will likely never set foot in a jail cell, including at a police station after their arrest.
People charged with an offense lower than a Class A misdemeanor — littering, some speeding charges and possession of marijuana over the legal limit — will likely be released with a citation and a court date without having to be processed at a police station.
In these cases, people usually face no more than six months in prison if convicted and often are released on probation without any incarceration.
However, law enforcement agencies will still be given discretion in certain cases. For example, if a person continues to commit the offense after being cited, they can be taken into custody and held until they appear before a judge, which must occur within 24 hours.
In addition to eliminating money as a factor for release, the Pretrial Fairness Act is also intended to level the playing field and offer defendants more time to make a case against pretrial detention or excessive supervision orders.
Under the new system, there will be an “initial appearance” court call, where defendants will mostly be released with conditions, such as regular check-ins with authorities, as well as a court call for detention hearings made up of the more serious cases in which prosecutors seek to keep defendants incarcerated while they await trial.
Those hearings will be longer, with defense attorneys able to call witnesses to speak on behalf of the arrestee.
“We’re expecting them to be a little more in depth than the current 60-second bond hearing,” said Takenya Nixon, an attorney supervisor for the Cook County public defender’s office. “It’s … no longer one-sided.”
* More…
* Capitol News Illinois | Disparately resourced public defenders prepare for the end of cash bail in Illinois: Some bigger counties are better prepared than others for the changes required by the PFA. Cook County, for example, is one of a few counties that has for years been moving toward limiting the use of cash bail. Additionally, the county’s criminal courthouse on Chicago’s near-south side has for years been holding bond court every day of the week – a practice shared by other larger county court systems in Illinois.
* NBC Chicago | Illinois leaders update as state becomes 1st in nation to end cash bail: Judges will also be asked to determine whether the defendant poses a flight risk if released, according to the text of the bill. So-called “forcible felonies” include first and second-degree murder, predatory criminal sexual assault, robbery, burglary, residential burglary, aggravated arson, kidnapping, aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm, or any other felony that involves the use or threat of physical violence. Hate crimes, attempts of crimes that are detainable, animal torture and DUI causing great bodily harm were added to the list in a subsequent amendment to the legislation.
* WAND | No cash bail law goes into effect in Illinois: If the judge makes any of those determinations, then the defendant may be held in jail before going to trial. Detention hearings would not be mandatory for crimes that include probation as a possible punishment, but judges can still make the determination to keep those defendants incarcerated pending trial if they determine they are a risk to the public.
* ABC Chicago | Illinois becomes 1st state to abolish cash bail as Pre-Trial Fairness Act takes effect: The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Assault supported the end to cash bail, saying judges will now take more careful consideration of the risk posed by defendants. “Our now former system, which I’m very excited to say, didn’t make survivors safe,” Madeleine Behr with the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Assault said. “People could get out of jail simply because they had the money to pay.”
* WGEM | Adams County prosecutors, deputies talk about the official end of cash bail: “I think the law could have been written in a way that was much clearer and much easier to implement, but we’re beyond that point now,” said Adams County Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Jones. Jones made it clear, that come Monday, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office isn’t releasing any one from the jail because of the new law. Instead, it will change the procedure by which someone is arrested or not and if they will remain in jail.
* Shaw Local | Will County prepares for cashless bail that goes into effect Monday: The most important issue for defense attorneys Monday will be filing petitions to get their clients a detention hearing as soon as possible, said Jeff Tomczak, a prominent defense attorney who was the Will County state’s attorney in the early 2000s. […] “It’s going to be a big rush, real early on,” Tomczak said. “I don’t envy the chief judge or the presiding judge of the felony division.”
* Amanda Pyron | Court actors must implement SAFE-T Act for crime survivors: When our elected officials and law enforcement perpetuate misinformation about the law, they put survivors at risk by misstating their rights under this new system. Survivors deserve to know how exactly their county state’s attorney and local law enforcement will enforce the new law, and ensure it upholds public safety for all people. It is imperative we set aside political differences and implement the law correctly so all survivors across Illinois can get the rights and opportunities afforded to them under the SAFE-T Act.
* Daily Herald | Moving beyond bail: How suburban court officials have prepared for dramatic change: Third District Presiding Judge Jill Cerone Marisie anticipates it will be business as usual on Monday at the Rolling Meadows courthouse. Preparation for cashless bail began 18 months ago. For the last six months, courthouse personnel have participated in weekly and biweekly meetings as well as in-house training. That training culminated in a procedural run-through last week with about 100 judges, prosecutors, assistant public defenders, pretrial services division representatives and officers from 20 police departments.
* CBS Chicago | Illinois becomes first state to end cash bail: Opponents of the law have said judges need more discretion than currently allowed to decide whether a defendant should remain in jail. Special Assistant State’s Attorney Alan Spellberg, representing Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow, argued that the pretrial release provisions of the SAFE-T Act “unduly interfere with the judiciary’s authority to set bail.”However, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that “the legislature has long regulated the bail system.”
* Block Club Chicago | Illinois Is Officially Done With Cash Bail As Pretrial Fairness Act Begins: “Cash bail does not make communities safer, and it never has; it has simply exacerbated existing inequities and disparities in the criminal legal system,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement over the summer. “Pretrial detention, as a result of the inability to pay bail, further decimates communities that have long been most impacted by mass incarceration, and the destabilization of households and families.
The Illinois State Police (ISP) has filed an emergency rule with the Illinois Secretary of State to implement the Protect Illinois Communities Act (Act). On January 10, 2023, Governor JB Pritzker signed into law Public Act 102-1116 regulating the sale and distribution of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and switches in Illinois. The Act went into effect immediately upon signing. Individuals who possessed an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge before the Act took effect are required to submit an endorsement affidavit through their Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) Card account prior to January 1, 2024. A copy of the emergency rule will be posted on the ISP website at www.isp.illinois.gov/Home/AssaultWeapons, but in the interim, can be found in this news release posted on the ISP website.
Individuals can begin submitting their endorsement affidavits online beginning October 1, 2023. Affidavits must be submitted online through a FOID Card account. Individuals can access their FOID Card account from the ISP Firearms Services Bureau website, or going directly to www.ispfsb.com/Public/Login.aspx. If you have forgotten your username or password, links on the login page will help you recover or reset your information. The same Firearm Service Bureau links can be used to create an account for those who do not have one. You will need an email address, driver’s license or State ID, and FOID card to create an account. A tutorial video on how to create an account can be found on the ISP FOID webpage under Application Help.
Individuals who need help submitting an endorsement affidavit can refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page or visit one of the ISP FOID Kiosks, both of which can be found on the ISP website at www.isp.illinois.gov/Home/AssaultWeapons.com. Do not bring your weapon, ammunition, or accessories if you visit a Kiosk. A tutorial video on how to submit an endorsement affidavit through your FOID account will be available on the ISP website by October 1, 2023.
That’s why this plan is a roll of the dice with potentially serious consequences. Hundreds of accused felons who would otherwise be in jail or tethered to a cash bond will be on their own.
Gov. Pritzker may be unconcerned about it. But he lives in the kind of crime-free neighborhood and is protected by the kind of personal security to which most people can only aspire.
It’s not an unfair hit on a billionaire governor who has 24/7 Illinois State Police protection. However, the legislators who sponsored the legislation and those who voted for the bill along with the advocates who fought for passage have no special law enforcement protections. And some of those folks spoke up today.
* Here’s one of the bill’s chief sponsors, Rep. Justin Slaughter, who lives on the city’s South Side…
What we’re doing here is reworking our system, streamlining our system to address those higher level more violent, dangerous alleged offenses. But at the same time addressing the vicious cycle of poverty that’s had such a negative impact on communities of color. […]
I want to preempt some of the questions and first say please be patient as the state rolls this out. There is a transition period. … Let’s start to pay attention to what offenses are not in detention and which ones are. Keeping it kind of basic here, your lower level of nonviolent offenses are not going to be eligible for detention, but those higher level offenses will be, indeed, eligible for detention. We’re putting a lot in place for speedy trials and remote hearings. Start paying attention to that. Also one hallmark of this is building out a statewide, warm and robust statewide public defenders program. We’re going to be seeing more accurate, more robust hearings comes along with is having more public defenders and ultimately that will manifest into judges having more discretion to make these critical decisions.
This law is rooted in true community safety. And if folks do their job, They’ll set us up on to a path of fairness, safety and equity. We’ve done the Obamacare-like shenanigans in the court, have seen multiple elections both local and state, and right wingers have engaged in literal misinformation, fake newspapers, literal fake newspapers. I ask that they set aside their politics and their old ways, and join us in giving their constituents a better life. To quote FDR, there’s nothing to fear but fear itself. And those who peddle fear are only going to make matters worse. I repeat, the agents of fear who don’t do their jobs are going to make their communities less safe.
* During a separate press conference today by proponents, Greg Bishop asked about concerns expressed by the Sangamon County sheriff that jail populations will actually increase (the opposite of The Purge) because people will skip out due to no cash bail. Benjamin Ruddell of the ACLU responded…
There’s no reputable research that shows that requiring people to pay money bond is actually an effective way of getting people to come back to court. People come back to court because of the incentives that exist, that you know they can have a warrant for their arrest, they can be brought to jail if they don’t come to court. And what other jurisdictions that have have lessened the use of money bond have demonstrated is that sending somebody a court reminder via text or a phone call is a much more effective way of getting people to come back to court than charging money bond, which has not been shown to increase court appearance. So all the research as well as the experience of states that have begun to phase out money bond suggests that rates of court appearance won’t go down as a result of this law. So we don’t think that the fear is well-founded, that jail populations will increase because of an increase of people failing to appear in court.
* There’s so much info out there today that I thought I’d divide the SAFE-T Act implementation day into some chunks. Let’s start with electronic monitoring. Here’s Hannah Meisel…
While Illinois isn’t any closer to creating a statewide public defender system, the Illinois Office of Statewide Pretrial Services represents a major step forward in providing resources to judicial systems across the state. Starting Oct. 1, OSPS will partner with 71 counties. For months, it’s been offering services such as compiling information about new arrestees. […]
In August, OSPS began oversight of electronic monitoring in participating counties, and began picking up the tab for those ordered to wear the GPS tracking devices – fees that would sometimes drive the poorest defendants into debt.
[St. Clair County Public Defender Cathy MacElroy] said she was glad her clients would no longer be saddled with the cost. But she also noted that in St. Clair County, electronic monitoring isn’t used “a ton.”
She predicted that, under the PFA, judges might even order ankle monitors less often, as prosecutors would have to present specific findings for why the GPS tracking would be necessary. The PFA requires judges to find the “least restrictive” pretrial conditions necessary for a defendant, and the law provides that individuals on electronic monitoring can have two days per week to move freely so they can accomplish daily tasks.
Last month, the state rolled out a new program that will provide electronic monitoring in 70 counties, the first time it has been overseen by one agency across such a wide swath of Illinois, according to the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services.
But the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice, an organization that worked to pass the abolition of cash bail, put out a statement criticizing the statewide electronic monitoring program, arguing that expanding such programs violate the “spirit” of the Pretrial Fairness Act.
“It feels like a half-baked plan that somebody put together to convince someone the (state is) doing something so that the streets aren’t running wild with criminals,” said James Kilgore, who works for a reentry program in downstate Champaign and is a researcher for an organization challenging electronic monitoring programs.
Kilgore said awaiting trial on house arrest can make it difficult for people to keep jobs and meet daily needs.
The advocates are also voicing concerns about the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services, a new agency created by the Illinois Supreme Court. Cara Smith, the office’s director, announced in August that OSPS was assuming responsibility for electronic monitoring in 70 of the state’s 102 counties. Her announcement talked up EM as “a tool to reduce jail populations, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to monitor domestic violence and other high-risk offenders.”
As of [last] week, those 70 counties have roughly 100 individuals on EM, Smith told WBEZ.
Smith’s announcement tied the electronic monitoring effort to this coming Monday, when cash bail ends: “By September 18th, active GPS electronic monitoring will be available to all OSPS counties at no cost to the county and at no cost to the defendant.”
But Smith said the timing does not mean her office is urging judges to order EM as a substitute for cash bail.
“It couldn’t be farther from the truth,” Smith said. “We are working to try to serve the counties whom we serve as their pretrial agency and have been working virtually around the clock to transition those existing cases over.”
[McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally] said his office will find ways to ensure dangerous offenders remain behind bars pre-trial. When that is not possible, he said measures, such as electronic monitoring, will be put in place to minimize risk.
Among other things, sitting Illinois judges are prohibited by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 4.1 from making “speeches on behalf of a political organization” or soliciting funds for a political organization or candidate, except when they’re up for election or retention.
So, you might ask, what the heck was Illinois Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Rochford thinking when she decided to accept an invitation to be the keynote speaker at the Lake County Democratic Women’s annual fundraising gala on Sept. 9?
The registered political action committee is one of the most influential independent countywide campaign groups of its kind in all of Illinois, having helped recruit, train and then elect dozens of local candidates over the years (including Rochford herself).
“Illinois voters deserve a fair and impartial state Supreme Court that’s free of and from politics, which does not appear to be the case here,” said Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Shaun McCabe in a press release last week about Rochford’s speech.
“The Illinois Supreme Court’s Code of Judicial Conduct (Canon 4, Page 48-50) is clear: sitting judges who aren’t up for election shall not speak at political functions supporting the election of candidates,” the Illinois Republican Party’s press release claimed. A Republican Party official said later we can expect a formal complaint will be filed soon.
The controversy boils down to two questions about the Supreme Court’s rule: 1) Did Rochford make a speech on behalf of a political organization? And 2) Did her role as keynote speaker mean she was soliciting funds for the Lake County Democratic Women PAC?
Rochford’s defenders say “no” to both questions. She gave a non-political speech “to” a political group, not “on behalf” of it. And she didn’t do anything to solicit any money for the political action committee.
Rochford herself issued a rare statement to me last week: “I receive speaking requests from many groups and organizations. I believe it is important for judges to appear in public and help educate people about the Judicial Branch. My speech at this event was about the work of the Illinois Supreme Court, its non-partisan nature and the collegiality that is fostered by our unique lodging arrangement during court terms. The content of my speech was not political in any way and so should not be construed to have been provided on behalf of any political candidate or organization.”
Others who were at the event confirmed Rochford’s claim she said nothing that could be construed as partisan or campaign related in nature.
I totally get the narrow and lawyerly interpretation. Any formal Republican complaints are likely doomed because of it. These are lawyers, after all. Words are carefully chosen for good reason.
And, more importantly, we elect our judges in Illinois, so that means we do have to accept they are inherently political beings. If they were all appointed and confirmed by the state Senate, or whatever, it would be a different story.
But, I mean, come on.
Keynote speakers are usually invited because they help legitimize the organization and, as a result, drive increased attendance. And robust attendance is obviously very crucial to the success of any annual fundraiser.
So, while Rochford didn’t technically speak “on behalf” of the group, she did help the Lake County Democratic Women further prove its bona fides by agreeing to speak.
And while she did not directly raise money for the group that helped nominate her in a competitive Democratic primary and then elect her over a Lake County Republican general election opponent, it should have been abundantly clear her very presence undoubtedly helped the group raise at least some campaign money that it might possibly not have brought in without her.
Rochford has been around politics for a very long time. She most certainly knows this speech was far different from presenting to a law school symposium or bar organization.
I’m not saying judges and justices should cloister themselves away like monks. But they should at least try to keep up appearances when they’re not actively campaigning, especially during an era when every decision by just about every Supreme Court in the land, including the U.S. Supreme Court, is being analyzed for political bents.
After 1½ weeks of trying, Rolling Meadows resident Frank Leo got a lucky break — an appointment to renew his driver’s license.
It was 49 miles away in Joliet, but with his license due to expire Monday, the 83-year-old wasn’t taking any chances.
“It has been impossible to get an appointment” within a reasonable distance, Leo said. “It is a fight every morning to find what facility has openings. And they disappear in seconds. It’s absolutely ludicrous.”
A number of other drivers, mainly seniors, described similar problems using the Illinois secretary of state’s new Skip the Line system that debuted Sept. 1.
The SoS will have two mobile units for seniors soon, and time slots will be blocked out for seniors.
I’ve heard of other problems with the new appointment system, but I was wondering if any of y’all have had any difficulties with the new system so far.
* Capitol News Illinois | Disparately resourced public defenders prepare for the end of cash bail in Illinois: “As a defender, one of the hardest things I have to do is have conversations with mothers, sisters…how are they gonna pull together the money to get their person out of jail?” Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell, who was heavily involved in crafting the law in his previous job at the Illinois Justice Project, said at a recent media briefing about the end of cash bail.
* WBEZ | As state leaders fight to protect access to books, Chicago-area libraries keep getting threats: Michaela Haberkern figured a bomb threat at Aurora Public Library would happen sooner or later. It did on Tuesday. “I knew that [bomb threats were] happening across northern Illinois over the past six weeks or so,” said Haberkern, the library’s executive director. “We made sure that our emergency procedures were up to snuff, we made sure all the staff had recent and up-to-date training and so that they would know what to do. So when it happened, I don’t really know that I had any feelings. I was just like, ‘OK, we’re doing this.’”
* WSPY | Democrat announces election bid for 70th District: Randi Olson, of Cortland, is announcing that she’ll seek the Democratic nomination to run for State Representative of the 70th District which covers parts of DeKalb, Kane, and McHenry counties.
* Windy City Times | Pritzker and Brady-Davis honored at Planned Parenthood gala: In a press release, PPIA President and CEO Jennifer Welch said, “This is one of the most important evenings for our supporters. Together we are celebrating recent legislative victories that strengthen protections for providers and patients in Illinois and those forced to flee from another state, expand access to abortion and gender-affirming care, and ensure Illinois continues to be a haven in the Midwest.”
* Tribune | Markham’s ex-public library director charged with embezzling more than $770,000 from cash-strapped town: According to the charges, Menzies was executive director of the Markham Public Library and managed the library’s finances, employees and services. He also oversaw funds provided by the neighboring village of Posen, which paid Markham thousands of dollars every month for its residents to be able to access Markham’s library facilities, the indictment stated.
* The Intelligencer | Troy man released from custody after posting bail in first-degree murder case: Perham’s bond was set at $1 million, so he would have had to post 10% or $100,000 to be released. Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine announced Wednesday afternoon that Perham was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the wake of the early Tuesday death of Maha Tiimob, with whom he had a relationship, according to authorities.
* Reuters | Rahm Emanuel takes the spotlight with snarky China tweets: Emanuel, a legendary Washington political fighter who has served three Democratic presidents, had written on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that the recent disappearances of top Chinese officials resembled Agatha Christie’s best-selling crime novel “And Then There Were None,” which follows the mysterious deaths of guests at a mansion in Britain.
* WBBM | Lt. Governor positive about business, trade after leading delegation in Japan: “When I think about how important it is, this is an example of why these types of trips and relationship-building opportunities are so critical. There is a real opportunity to attract those businesses or grow those businesses right here in Illinois.”
* The Guardian | Post-Roe, anti-abortion groups target law protecting clinics from violence: It was 22 October 2020, and one anti-abortion advocate was livestreaming a group of activists who were at the Washington DC-area clinic to, in their view, “rescue” people from having abortions. […] The woman in the video is Lauren Handy, a prominent anti-abortion activist who, along with four other defendants, was convicted late last month over her actions that October day. (Three more defendants in the case were convicted on Friday.) Specifically, the defendants were found guilty of illegally blockading the clinic in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or Face Act, a federal law that penalizes people for going beyond peaceful protest to threaten, obstruct or injure someone who is trying to access a reproductive health clinic, or to vandalize a clinic. They may now spend up to 11 years in federal prison.
* Crain’s | Jim McMahon to launch cannabis line in Illinois: Jim McMahon finally found his target. The former Bears quarterback has lined up a partner to manufacture and distribute his Mac 9 brand of weed in Illinois. Revenant Holdings, the company co-founded by McMahon and fellow NFL players Kyle Turley and Eben Britton, has been looking for a way into the Illinois market for about a year.
