— đŽđđđđđđ±đđđŹđ (MrJM) (@MisterJayEm) September 12, 2018
* The Cook County judge in the Jason Van Dyke case regarding the killing of Laquan McDonald was a Vietnam veteran who was apparently suffering from severe PTSD. In 1970, he was living with his parents while attending law school. Steve Bogira at the Chicago Reader explains what happened next…
At 3 AM the following morning [after a traffic accident scuffle], the couple next door was awakened by gunfire. Two bullets had shattered their bedroom window and pierced the wall above their bed, according to [Bill Mullen’s Tribune] story. The couple ran from the bedroom, and the husband, Darius Latchin, called police. When two officers arrived at the home, Latchin showed them into his dining room. He was talking with them when two more shots came through a window, narrowly missing the officers.
Police soon determined that the gunfire had come from the third floor of the Gaughan home (Mullen’s story doesn’t explain how), and officers swarmed on the home. Gaughan called down the stairway, saying he wanted to talk with Father John Richardsonâa priest at DePaul and a friend of his. Richardson, who was DePaul’s vice president, was soon in Gaughan’s foyer, discussing the situation with sergeant Charles Adamson and other officers. According to Mullen’s Tribune story, Richardson told the officers he knew Gaughan well, and that “he won’t hurt me.”
As the priest started up the stairs, Gaughan called down: “WaitâI want a policeman to come too. An Irish sergeant.”
“That broke the tension,” Mullen wrote. “The policemen smiled, and the guns went down.” Adamson said he was Irish, and volunteered to accompany Richardson upstairs.
Inside his bedroom Gaughan laid down the M1 rifle he’d fired. “He came downstairs and outside with Father Richardson, where both got into a squadrol,” Mullen wrote. Gaughan’s father asked to go to the station too, and an officer “put his arm on the old man’s shoulder” and offered to take him in his squad car.
Mullen reported that Gaughan was charged with aggravated assault, unlawful use of a weapon, failure to register a weapon, and discharging a firearm in the city. But there was a warm and uplifting tone to the story nonetheless. Police had worked to calm Gaughan and had responded with restraintâextraordinary restraint, if indeed four people, two of them police officers, had nearly been shot. The officers called to the scene hadn’t tried to chase Gaughan from his room with tear gas, which could have led to a deadly shootout on the stairway.
I wondered if the fact that Gaughan was white and a war hero had played a role in this patient response. Gaughan had been armed with a rifle that had a range of 500 yards. (Laquan McDonald had a folding knife with a three-inch blade.) A perilous threat had been mitigated, and no one had been harmed.
* Feder: Van Dyke trial to air on CLTV: WGN reporter Julie Unruh will lead the stationâs coverage, starting with opening statements by the prosecution and defense through the conclusion of the trial. Jury selection is currently underway. CLTV is carried on Comcast Xfinity Channels 352/1091, RCN Channel 616 and Mediacom Channel 215.
The Illinois Commerce Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to revoke Lincoln Towing Serviceâs state license, effective immediately.
The decision comes about two months after an administrative law judge recommended that the North Side firm keep its license despite hundreds of alleged violations.
ICC Chairman Brien Sheahan issued the commissionâs order overturning the judgeâs decision, citing a preponderance of evidence showing Lincoln Towing âhas not conducted its business with honesty and integrityâ and was unworthy to hold a commercial vehicle relocators license.
Lincoln was ordered âto immediately cease and desist from operating a relocation towing business in the state of Illinois,â Sheahan said during a regular commission meeting in Chicago.
During the relevant time period of July 24, 2015 through March 23, 2016, Respondent has towed without proper authorization over eight-hundred (800) times;
The evidence shows that Lincoln has no regard for Commission Rules
Headline explained here. This has been a long time coming.
Takeda Pharmaceuticals announced Sept. 10 plans to close its U.S. headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois and continue consolidating its operations in Boston, according to Crainâs Chicago Business. The Deerfield office houses around 1,000 employees.
The biopharma companyâs decision to shutter its Illinois-based headquarters comes despite having enjoyed one of the most lucrative tax credit arrangements in the state, calling into the question the efficacy of Illinoisâ Economic Development for a Growing Economy, or EDGE, tax credit program.
From 2003 to 2013, Illinois issued more than $60 million in EDGE tax credits to Takeda via two separate agreements, according to documents obtained from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. In exchange, the company promised to create 566 new jobs.
No other company in the state received more EDGE tax credits over that time.
…Adding… From Austin Berg at the Institute…
Hey Rich, worth noting that the second Takeda EDGE agreement extended beyond 2013, so they have very likely received even more than $60 million in credits. According to the most recent report from DCEO, Illinois also issued EDGE credits to them in 2014, 2015 and 2016, though it does not disclose the amount.
We published what we knew for sure according to the most recent FOIA data we had on hand from DCEO, which followed the EDGE program from 2001-2013
The move is not entirely unexpected. Its parent company, based in Tokyo, is in the process of buying Irish drugmaker Shire for $62 billion as the drug industry continues to consolidate.
Takeda has been shrinking its workforce in Deerfield, shifting some R&D resources from Chicago to Cambridge, Mass., where it acquired two companies in the past decade. […]
Takeda, which set up operations in the Chicago area in 1977, has been reducing operations in Deerfield for several years. When it announced the proposed deal with Shire, Takeda said it expected to reduce R&D costs by about $600 million a year and trim overall expenses by $1.4 billion. Management expects to reduce the companiesâ combined workforce about 7 percent.
But Takedaâs latest move heralds more than consolidation. The health care industry is moving away from traditional drug compounds toward biologics and gene-based treatments. Boston, like San Francisco and San Diego, is a major hub for such research. Although Chicago has some of this capabilityâat AbbVie, in local universities and in some emerging companies, such as AveXisâit doesnât have the same scale as Boston.
Takeda Pharmaceuticals, shuttering its Lake County U.S. headquarters and moving 1,000 jobs to Boston, saw its property tax bill rise 66 percent over the last decade, from $1.37 million in 2008 to $2.28 million last year, according to the Lake County Treasurer’s office.
That’s down from a high of $2.7 million in 2012.
In all, the company has paid more than $22 million in property taxes on his since 2008 on its 380,000 square foot tower that straddles Lake Cook Road and Interstate 294 in Deerfield.
It was the fourth highest corporate property taxpayer in Lake County, after Abbott Laboratories ($9.2 million), Gurnee Mills Shopping Center ($4.8 million) and Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan ($2.9 million).
* The Free Beacon is often a good place to dump oppo for some Republicans. With that being said, you may recall this story from late August…
Democratic congressional hopeful Sean Casten said he thought President Donald Trump had a “tremendous amount in common” with al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden, the man responsible for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives.
Illinois Democrat Sean Casten, who found himself in hot water after his belief that President Donald Trump has a “tremendous amount in common” with terrorist Osama bin Laden was revealed by the Free Beacon, has also told voters there are “Nazis” in the White House. […]
“I don’t think you need to be an engineer to know that it’s a bad idea to have Nazis and racists in the White House,” Casten said during the August [2017] event.
In October [2017] he only slightly amended his statement, saying, “Nobody should have to use a calculator to answer the question whether it’s a good idea to have Nazis and racists in the White House.”
Illinois Democratic congressional candidate Sean Casten insisted Monday that an advisor to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh intentionally made a white supremacist signal during a televised Senate confirmation hearing.
Casten and Republican incumbent Rep. Peter Roskam, who represents Illinois’ 6th Congressional District, met Monday for a live-streamed debate moderated by suburban Chicago newspaper The Daily Herald. During the debate, moderators asked about Casten’s claim that there were “Nazis” working in the Donald Trump administration.
The energy executive defended his comments, citing former Trump advisor Sebastian Gorka as someone he thought was a Nazi who worked in the administration. “We have an obligation to call that out when we see it,” he said.
“There’s a problem when we have Zina Bash this week flashing white power signs behind the Brett Kavanaugh hearings,” he said. “How do we not stand up to that?”
Take a very deep breath before commenting, people. Then thoroughly exhale. Maybe walk around a bit. Have a drink of water. Thanks.
* Related…
* GOP U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam says Democrat Sean Casten is ‘channeling’ President Trump: âThe irony is: Sean, who is Donald Trumpâs biggest critic, is ironically emulating him insofar as heâs advocating the politics of ridicule,â Roskam said during a meeting of the Daily Herald Editorial Board. âAnd the proof of that is calling Republicans a party of deplorables. Heâs retweeted that. Heâs called Republican donors morons.â Casten, a businessman from Downers Grove, said heâs apologized for the bin Laden comment but attacked Roskam for not being more critical of Trump. âIf Peter doesnât appreciate my sense of humor or is offended by me, Iâm sorry,â Casten said. âBut we have a big problem with silent complicity in the overwhelming majority of the Republican House right now. We are facing an existential crisis to democracy. We have a president who believes that he is above the rule of law.â
* ‘We are really, totally at odds on this;’ Roskam, Casten sharply disagree on 2017 tax law: Those cuts won’t pay for themselves, [Casten] says. And failing to address income inequality puts the country “at levels that, in history, are getting dangerously close to the levels that preceded revolutions,” he said. Roskam criticized the implication of a potential revolution as “hyperbole.” “Sean, we are not at risk of revolution in this country,” he said. “Peter, I certainly hope you’re right,” Casten said.
Rauner, the re-election-seeking governor who has used his campaign wealth to heavily subsidize Durkinâs candidates for the Illinois House, called the House âthe barricadeâ against Democratic plans to approve a proposed state constitutional amendment that would ask voters to approve a graduated-rate income tax to replace the currently mandated flat tax. The proposal is backed by Raunerâs Democratic challenger, J.B. Pritzker.
âThe only way they can get that done is by having a super-majority back in the General Assembly. And the barricade, the wall, the barrier against that happening is the House of Representatives. Hold the House. Pick up seats in the House. Thatâs what itâs all about,â Rauner said.
Democrats hold a 67-51 majority in the House, led by Raunerâs chief political nemesis, House Speaker Michael Madigan, who also chairs the state Democratic Party. It takes 71 votes in the House to approve a proposed constitutional amendment and 36 votes in the Senate, which Rauner is not heavily contesting this election. Democrats have a 37-22 Senate majority.
Interesting how the Republican State Leadership Committee announced yesterday that it was busting the contribution caps for Durkin just before Durkin’s contributors descended on his event.
Rauner spoke briefly to the crowd, saying he had to attend to another dinner and speech. But the embattled Republican governor told the stateâs Republicans that the Illinois House âis the barricade against a massive new income tax hike in the state of Illinois.â […]
âEven though the president unfortunately lost Illinois, we picked up four seats in the House, two seats in the Senate two years ago. And weâre going to put together the biggest ground game in Illinois history this election cycle. Weâre going to work our tails off and pick up more seats in the House.â
The Senate Republicans are hosting their annual “Fall Classic” today and tomorrow in southern Illinois. Golf, skeet shooting, fishing, boating. Will the governor show up with a check in hand?
* Photo from yesterday’s event…
At Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin fundraiser, Gov. Rauner tells crowd âeven though the president unfortunately lost Illinois, we picked up four seats in the House, three in the Senate.â Rare mention of Trump, and not by name. Money shot below with Garry McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/pkkCjOclET
However, he said he has made two important promises in the months since he announced his retirement from Congress.
“Not too long ago, I made a promise to my daughter, Jessica, who is running for alderman in the 30th ward that I would put her future first. … “She is carving her own path as a young, independent progressive leader, and a part of the exciting new movement coming to the forefront across our nation. The last thing I want to do is undermine her independence or undercut her avenues for success. I’m a dad first.”
And, while he loves Chicago, he said his heart is with Puerto Rico, the home of his parents, and he has promised to “be the guy” to help “abolish” Donald Trump and rebuild Puerto Rico.
“Puerto Rico deserves my time and my energy and I will not rest until my work there restores it to its proper place as a home for hard working people and a haven for prosperity,” he said. But “Rebuilding Puerto Rico can’t be done with Donald Trump as president.”
He noted that he and GarcĂa began as children of the movement that elected Harold Washington, who “said no to hatred and bigotry and yes to equality … and Chuy can make that happen and heal the city.”
First, I want to thank Congressman Gutierrez for his confidence and support in my ability to lead Chicago and to serve as a bridge to unite our increasingly divided city. And, certainly, as a father, I understand his decision and admire the love he has for his daughter and unwavering support to the people of Puerto Rico.
Calls and messages have been coming in from people all over the city urging me to run, including Congressman Gutierrez. And, I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and support from the bottom of my heart.
As I take a closer look at the Mayorâs race I will continue to dialogue with Chicagoans from across our great city to talk about solutions that will both unify us and improve everyoneâs quality of life. While we have great challenges ahead of us we also have an opportunity to bring peace to a city that has been too much at war with itself. And, I look forward to forging that peace together.
* Related…
* Rep. Luis Gutierrez won’t run for Chicago mayor, calls on Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia to seek the office instead: Garcia, who has been running for the congressional seat Gutierrez will vacate, could not be reached Wednesday morning for comment on his plans. As Gutierrez pushed Garcia for mayor, Garcia was nowhere to be seen at the county board meeting. He was present earlier in the morning for committee meeting, but went back to the offices and didnât reappear.
* Woke up early this morning with a sore throat. Went back to bed. Woke up again with a sore throat. Had some tea. Didn’t feel much better. Checked my e-mail and various news sites for anything major. Saw nothing important. Going back to bed. Be nice to each other and keep it Illinois-centric, please. Thanks.
The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) today announced the launch of a six-figure digital ad campaign in Illinois House District 82 in support of Republican Leader Jim Durkin. The RSLC has a history of supporting Durkin, along with key Republican candidates in all fifty states. The RSLCâs 2010 REDMAP Project helped flip nearly 1,000 state legislative seats from Democrat to Republican in the past decade, on district boundaries largely drawn by Democrats.
âWe want to remind voters in Leader Durkinâs home district that he has kept his promise to stand up for Illinois families against Speaker Madiganâs liberal, tax-and-spend agenda,â said Matt Walter, President of the Republican State Leadership Committee.
They’re starting with a website. Durkin has only token opposition, so this likely isn’t about saving him.
What this is about is Speaker Madigan busting the contribution caps for his own personal committee (Friends of MJM) last month with a $100,001 personal contribution. I asked for clarification, because I assumed if the RSLC is gonna spend “six figures” on Durkin they’ll spend at least $100,001 because a dollar less wouldn’t undo the contribution caps. I was told they will spend at least that amount.
So now, contributions to Durkin’s personal committee won’t be capped, either. By the way, Gov. Rauner did this for Durkin two years ago by independently buying radio ads for him.
I really should sell blog ads to people who do this stuff. I’m sure at least one person in Durkin’s district (Durkin) reads the blog. Man, what a racket that would be.
There are two big things that are driving the exodus that’s occurred from Illinois. The first is that we have very high property taxes, and the reason for that is that we pay for our schools improperly in the state. Most of the funding for local schools comes from local property taxes and it really should come from the state. We should be about half and half.
Local property taxes fund about $18 billion in school spending out of about $29 billion in total. Subtract out the 12.3 percent supplied by the federal government and “other local” funding, and you wind up with about $25.4 billion. Half of that would be $12.7 billion. So, that would have been a 2015 increase in state funding, and corresponding decrease in local property tax funding for K-12 education of $5.3 billion.
* My “guesstimate” last month for Pritzker’s proposed spending figured he’d increase K-12 by about $500 million. If we take Pritzker at his word, my guess was too low by maybe $5 billion.
So my earlier guesstimate of $5.7 billion for new net revenue needs should be revised upward to $10.7 billion.
On Rauner running ads saying residents may have to leave the state if Pritzker’s elected because he will raise taxes
“That’s just false. Like everything else with Gov. Rauner, he’s been an utter failure and now he’s lying. I put forward a plan to implement a fair tax in the state which would lower taxes for the middle class and those striving to get there, and would raise taxes on Bruce Rauner and people like him and me. It’s a fair tax system like the ones that exist in most states in the United States, and of course the federal government has a progressive income tax system as well.”
C’mon, dude. You’ve never put forward a tax plan. You haven’t even discussed an outline. It’s barely a vague concept. If you say you have a plan, then let’s see the plan. Otherwise, don’t say you have a plan. /rant
Labor has been good to Susana Mendoza, whoâs expected to file nearly $260,000 into her comptrollerâs campaign account today. The bulk of thatâabout $178,000âis from unions. The latest infusion of funding comes from A-1 donations and will bring her cash on hand to $1.6 million for the comptrollerâs race.
Mendozaâs also as a possible candidate for mayor, though sheâs declined to say whether sheâs running. Mendoza filed the comptroller campaign donations while on an extended trip to Washington, D.C., to engage donors and policy makers.
Mendoza has the luxury to poke around at the idea of a mayoral run as she has a commanding lead over her Republican challenger for comptrollerâMendoza sits at 52 percent to Darlene Sengerâs 34 percent, according to a poll conducted by Global Strategy Group. Most of Mendozaâs support (71 percent) is from Chicago.
Well, that was certainly a flattering piece. Way to go, Mendoza camp.
* I asked for a polling memo and it turns out the numbers in the above story only reflect a two-way contest, not the actual three-way matchup. And, more importantly, despite their portrayal, these are not current numbers in any way. The survey was conducted way back in July…
Key findings from Global Strategy Groupâs July survey of 600 likely general election voters in Illinois are as follows:
âą Susana Mendoza holds a strong lead in the race for Illinois Comptroller. Mendoza currently leads a multi-candidate ballot by double-digits (47% Mendoza, 25% Senger, 9% Ball, and 19% undecided) as well as the two-way ballot with Darlene Senger where Mendoza breaks the 50% threshold (52% Mendoza vs. 34% Senger). Democrats (84%), particularly liberal Democrats (89%), voters in the city of Chicago (71%), African-American voters (65%), and voters under the age of 45 (60%) are driving Mendozaâs lead on the two-way ballot.
âą Mendoza is better known and more well-regarded than Senger. Those who are familiar with Mendoza feel warmly toward her (43% familiar; 29% favorable vs. 14% unfavorable). That gives Mendoza a 30-point name ID advantage over Darlene Senger (13% familiar; 9% favorable vs. 4% unfavorable). Mendozaâs favorability is driven largely by her popularity in Chicago where almost six in ten voters are familiar (57% familiar) and those who know her like her (41% favorable vs. 16% unfavorable). The same is true for Democrats (54% familiar; 46% favorable vs. 8% unfavorable), liberal Democrats (62% familiar; 51% favorable vs. 11% unfavorable), and African- American voters (51% familiar; 35% favorable vs. 15% unfavorable).
ABOUT THIS POLL: Global Strategy Group conducted a live telephone survey of 600 Illinois general election voters from July 23- July 26, 2018. The results of this survey have a margin of error of +/-4.0%. Care has been taken to ensure that the survey is weighted to reflect the expected makeup of the 2018 general electorate.
A few quick takeaways. But keep in mind that this is just one poll taken for the comptroller and it was conducted in late July and all we have to go on is this cherry-picked memo. Also, this is a three-way race so she doesn’t need 50 percent plus one to win.
1) The poll may be old, but the memo was apparently crafted on September 9th, so the language is deliberately skewed to highlight a potential Chicago mayor’s race. But, if the numbers are close to accurate, she’s pretty well-liked in the city and by liberals and African-Americans. That’s a powerful combo. Notice, however, they didn’t include Latinx voters. But, again, while old, those are not discouraging numbers at all. And since Rauner is so wildly unpopular in the city, she can definitely use her constant fights with him to her advantage if she runs for mayor.
2) The Libertarian candidate seemed to be hurting Senger more than Mendoza, which might not be good news for the rest of the statewides, either. Mendoza’s one-on-one margin was 18 and her three-way margin over Senger was 22. Um, twenty-two? And that was in July, before national trends shifted even further away from Republicans. Hey, they can also shift back. I’m just sayin: 22. (And if she was up by 22 in July, just imagine what Jesse White’s lead might’ve been over the guy who whined again this week about how he can’t get any traction because the Chicago media doesn’t take him seriously.)
3) Senger had 13 percent statewide familiarity with just 9 percent favorability in July. Yikes. Even for July, that’s a yikes. She’s reported a mere $11,200 in contributions this quarter (plus an in-kind of $1,634 for an event room rental and food), compared to $340,100 for Mendoza, who was sitting on $1.4 million at the end of June, compared to just $32K for Senger. In other words, she’s definitely gonna need some Rauner bucks, but there might not be enough Rauner bucks in the world to win that one. Plus, he’s so far given no indication that big cash is forthcoming. He’s funding himself and the House Republicans and throwing some money at the attorney general’s race. But he’s also been clearly saying that others need to “chip in” to his effort.
4) While Mendoza had a big lead in July and currently has a decent pile of cash, there could be a temptation to sit on her advantage and hoard her dough for next year. One election at a time. The Republicans have tried to make a tiny bit of hay out of her possible mayoral bid, but that could intensify. Aside from “Because… Madigan!” it’s all they really seem to have. Will she serve out her full term if elected in November? Nobody has yet asked her that question.
While it's fun to see Rosie the Bloodhound enjoying her chase, the fact is Southern Illinois faces serious challenges that requires real leaders to stand up for our values in Springfield. David Friess repeatedly failed the taxpayers of Red Bud by missing half of his city council meetings. Would you still have your job if you failed to show up half the time?
âThe fact of the matter is David Friess voted on Dec. 5, 2016 to raise the property tax levy in Red Bud by $24,725 as compared to the previous year,â Costello said. âHis attempt to run away from his record is an effort to rewrite history and mislead taxpayers. Quite frankly, if David Friess did not realize he voted for a tax increase as an alderman in Red Bud, what makes anyone trust heâll know what heâs voting for in Springfield?â […]
âIâm not sure where Jerry got his numbers. Over the last 4 years, our spending has been virtually stagnant. If anything, the cityâs portion of the property tax bill has decreased because of our growing tax base in Red Bud. I wish Jerry would stick to the facts,â said Red Bud Alderman, Glenn Linnertz.
Sometimes the value of a house may be adjusted from year to year affecting how much the owner has to pay in property taxes.
The owner of a house that was worth $201,950 in 2014 paid $499 to the city in property taxes. That house then was worth $197,550 for the 2015 tax year, and the owner paid $502. In 2016, the house was valued at $200,530 and the owner paid $499. For the 2017, the house was worth $206,780 and the owner paid $509.
The levy went up, but rates went from $0.81 per $100 EAV in 2014 to a high of $0.85 in 2016 to $0.82 in 2017. So, they went up, then came down a bit. But we’re talking tiny fractions here and “He raised your property taxes by TEN WHOLE DOLLARS!!!” ain’t much of an ad. Liberties are often taken in these instances. And that’s why we need local political reporters to cover this stuff and explain it to people.
* Even though Friess probably has a right to be upset, voters too often don’t try to understand and therefore “don’t do nuance” and Costello’s new ad is even more brutal than the first one. Sorry for the video’s poor quality. It was sent via mobile phone…
Man, that’s an effective spot. Whew.
* Including cash-on-hand Rep. Costello has raised and/or others have spent (via in-kinds) a total of $601,554 this quarter. Friess’ number is $77,805.39. That’s almost 8 to 1, which is even more painful than those Costello hits. Friess has no money yet to put his response into his own TV ads. He’ll have to settle for an article in the BN-D. (That’s not a knock on the BN-D, by the way.)
* The Question: Since JB Pritzker used Amanda Vinicky for his TV ad and previously declined WTTW’s gubernatorial debate invitation, should Pritzker now grant Vinicky an exclusive one-on-one preelection interview? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
* Some minds were changed about outlawing the death penalty and legalizing marijuana when skeptics were shown how much tax money could be saved (and gained, in the case of pot) by changing current laws. The fact that police misconduct lawsuits cost Chicago taxpayers $662 million between 2004 and 2016 has been attracting growing interest in a city that can’t afford those costs.
A new study has determined that taking civilian complaints more seriously could substantially reduce the most serious cases of police misconduct and the costs to Chicago taxpayers from legal settlements.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports legal scholars from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago reviewed some 50,000 misconduct complaints filed against Chicago police officers between 2002 and 2014.
The scholars, Max Schanzenbach and Kyle Rozema, found most complaints don’t lead to lawsuits. They say “the worst 1 percent” of officers generate nearly five times the number of legal payouts than the average officer.
The two concluded that âremoving the worst 1 percentâ of Chicago Police officers â about 120 people â and replacing them with âan average officerâ would have saved Chicago taxpayers more than $6 million in payouts between 2009 and 2014.
* I hope he’s out there to finally nail down some of those “thousands” of Japanese jobs he’s been promising since his Asian trip almost exactly a year ago…
Daily Public Schedule: Tuesday, September 11, 2018
What: Gov. Rauner attends the Midwest U.S.-Japan Conference, delivers remarks at the closing ceremony
Where: Grand Ballroom (2nd floor), Hilton Omaha, 1001 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68102
Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Time: 10:30am
Note: No additional media availability.
Or, maybe he’ll stop by the Ricketts family corporate headquarters and try to raise some campaign cash.
Or, maybe he’s just leaving the state to give a speech, which seems kinda odd considering the polling. Weird year.
…Adding… This announcement was reported by the Tribune today…
Japanese pharma giant Takeda announces it will be closing its Deerfield, IL headquarters and eliminating 1,000 jobs
I'm very disappointed in the news that Takeda Pharmaceuticals is closing its U.S. headquarters in Deerfield. Iâm even more disappointed that the Rauner administration did nothing to prevent these job losses. pic.twitter.com/fEE19HiB6v
* Yesterday, you’ll recall, Sen. Sam McCann introduced legislation to repeal HB40 and the JB Pritzker and Kwame Raoul campaigns used that bill to bash their respective Republican opponents. Well, here’s today’s McCann release…
Today, Conservative Party gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann introduced a Senate resolution to support nearly 30 Illinois counties that adopted resolutions designating themselves “gun sanctuaries,” which will not enforce gun control they believe to be unconstitutional.
The resolution reads that “we commend these counties and their decision to provide sanctuary for their Citizens who wish to exercise their fundamental right under the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois.”
McCann issued the following statement:
The word “sanctuary” has been misused by liberals in recent years to fool the public into accepting the lawless and dangerous abdication of basic public safety practices. A sanctuary is a place where people can go to feel safe, and in the true spirit of the word, we should support sanctuaries that protect citizens’ rights to protect themselves and their families.
With this resolution, Senators can show our support for local governments and citizens who are unwilling to let their unalienable rights be abused. I call upon all of my colleagues in the Senate to support this resolution so that Illinois can begin to remind America what a sanctuary really is.
* Under that [now-deleted 911 image was] this text…
âMarty N-Eightyâ to Walsh Freedom Volunteers
The Islamic terrorists attacked the USA and our American way of life on September 11, 2001. Not just New York or the Pentagon or an empty field in Pennsylvania. Their objective was to bring down the federal government and collapse our nation. Now the leftists progressives with the willing assistance of mainstream media and some politicians are continuing on that path by pushing globalism and socialism.
And a lot of our fellow Americans, even friends and family members of mine, are falling for the false promises of socialism and a world without borders. We have seen evil fly planes into buildings full of people going about their lives. But we must be vigilant and fight off those who are intent on bringing down our government and our duly elected officials in far more insidious ways. They come in the form of a pretty young woman or a very old man who has never worked a 9-5 job preaching a form of government that has been responsible for more human tragedy in all of recorded history . Or an eloquent former president who could never utter the words “radical Islam” but had no trouble apologizing for the USA at every world stage. #neverforget #alwaysremember is a battle cry to protect our flag and our nation. God bless America!
Oh, for crying out loud. I’m old enough to remember when September 11th was supposed to be a national day of unity and remembrance. Now, apparently, some people want to twist it to bash the media and warn of a vast internal conspiracy to destroy the nation.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Democratic Party of Illinois interim executive director Rep. Christian Mitchell…
Itâs disgusting that Rep. Helen Miller Walsh has chosen to commemorate 9/11 by spreading vitriolic hatred on the internetâŠagain,â said DPI Executive Director Christian Mitchell. âRep. Walsh is leveraging a day of unspeakable national tragedy to spread conspiracy theories about her political opponents and attack the news media. This is not the first time that Rep. Walsh has pushed extremist rhetoric on social media, but that did not stop Republican leaders from elevating her to a legislative position. We expect more from our elected officials, and the representative should set a better example on a day when all Americans should come together as one.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Rep. Miller Walsh has taken down her divisive post. The person who pointed me to the post in the first place says FB commenters were posting screen shots of their online contributions to her Democratic opponent.
Bruce Rauner applauds Donald Trump as he gives a tax cut to corporations and the wealthy at the expense of the middle class, tries to dismantle healthcare, and puts forward a nominee to the Supreme Court set to end a womanâs right to choose. This failed governor thinks this president is doing a great job, but for some reason canât focus long enough to tell Illinoisans if he voted for Trump in 2016.
* The Question: How would you rate this new TV ad? Don’t forget to explain.
* Mary Shaw passed away recently. She was only 42. Mary worked for the Senate Democrats for a dozen years. She ran campaigns and then moved on to work for the Illinois Retired Teachers Association. I think I’ll mainly remember her as one of those unique people who could hold everything together and make things happen. You could always count on her. Always. Excerpt from Toby Trimmer’s tribute…
There really arenât words that can wrap up the impact that Mary Shaw has had on the lives to so many of us under the âdome of make believe.â
Pumpkin⊠Maybe thatâs a word. It was her go-to label to show endearment, comfort, genuine interest and love for many of us.
Mary was a fixer. She could maneuver the personalities of the statehouse like few others Iâve known. In my role as an administrator at one time, I knew Mary as strong ally and a partner â not a subordinate. She wasnât to be managed. She didnât need to be.
And now Mary needs us…
Marebear's cancer treatment was harder than anyone I've ever heard of. She was in and out of Barnes and Northwestern as well as day-to-day care in Springfield. The bills will be staggering. The GoFundMe is still accepting donations. https://t.co/xO1ElhQRiL
If you worked with or were friends with Mary Shaw you always knew one thing â through good times and bad, Mary had your back.
Mary recently lost her battle with cancer.
Thank you to all who have given to help cover costs associated with her cancer care. This fund is going to continue in an effort to assist and support her husband Shawn and son Lucas.
Mary always had our backs. Now, we need to have hers.
Gov. Bruce Rauner and top Illinois Dept. of Transportation officials called for a halt to Amtrak Hiawatha Line expansion project plans, which include building freight holding tracks in Glenview and Lake Forest, until concerns by the two towns are given more study.
âWe have heard loud and clear the concerns expressed by Lake Forest and Glenview,â Rauner said in a written statement issued late Friday, Sept. 7. âWe listened to you. Clearly, a timeout on this project is needed so you can get the answers you deserve. This project will not proceed until that happens.â […]
Since a plan to expand Amtrak Hiawatha service between Chicago and Milwaukee from seven round trips (14 trains) to 10 round trips (20 trains per day) was announced in 2016, which included adding tracks to hold freight trains in Glenview, Northbrook, Lake Forest and Bannockburn, leaders and residents in those communities have expressed serious concerns about potential impacts from noise, vibration, pollution from diesel engines and impacts to traffic as trains slow to enter and exit holding tracks.
In Glenview, six neighborhoods would be impacted by a proposed two-mile holding track, which would run from West Lake Avenue to Willow Road. Additionally, trains which were moving at 50 mph through the village would now be slowing in and out of that holding area, affecting rail crossings at West Lake.
To build the freight train holding track, a 20-foot retaining wall would need to be built to hold the rail bed, officials said. Building the retaining wall would mean the green space that provides a buffer between the nearby residential areas and the existing tracks would be cut down.
“The combination of Metra’s opposition to a third main for at least a few decades, and IDOT now stepping back from approving an [environmental assessment] for the foreseeable future, effectively defers such a project being approved for a very long time, if ever,” [Lake Forest Mayor Rob Lansing] said, in response to Blankenhorn’s letter.
* It’s far too early to pick horse-race winners and losers with robopolls like these. These are just fun snapshots in time, and perhaps blurry snapshots at that. Here’s Mary Ann Ahern…
In a brand new SEIU poll conducted by Public Policy Polling, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle leads the field with 25 percent of the vote. Preckwinkle is expected to announce Monday that she will form an exploratory committee to run in the February contest. […]
Undecided voters check into second place in the poll, with 19 percent of voters saying they are unsure as to whom they will support.
Paul Vallas is in third at 16 percent, former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy is in fourth at 13 percent, and businessman Willie Wilson is in fifth with 10 percent of the vote.
The poll spoke to 600 likely voters, with a plus or minus average of 4.9.
Several possible candidates weren’t tested in the poll, however, including Chi Party Aunt, my own personal favorite
Pitted in a head-to-head contest, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez gets the support of 21 percent of respondents. That puts him just ahead of former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, at 18 percent, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s 16 percent.
Trailing are former Police Board President Lori Lightfoot and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, at 10 percent each. Both already were running before Emanuel folded his re-election race. City Treasurer Kurt Summers got just 4 percent.
Fifteen percent of those questioned said they are undecided, and 7 percent said they back another, unspecified candidate.
Given the results, the totals appear largely based on name recognition, though the finding that Preckwinkle trails Gutierrez and McCarthy may indicate voters remain upset at a series of tax hikes she pushed through.
How does someone put together an undertaking as vast as a mayoral campaign with so much to do in so little time? Where does one even start?
Obviously, the path is different for a major elected officeholder with an existing political infrastructure such as County Board President Toni Preckwinkle or state Comptroller Susana Mendoza than it would be for 2011 mayoral candidate Gery Chico, who in effect must put the band back together.
But the essentials are the same: assemble a team, raise money, pass petitions to get on the ballot, formulate a message, assemble a field operation that can identify supporters and get out the vote, and develop a media strategy that includes television advertising, direct mail and making connections via social media.
As far as that team goes, minimum needs are a professional fundraiser, a scheduler, a campaign manager, a press secretary, a media consultant, a direct mail consultant, a social media consultant and maybe an additional fundraiser to pay for the above.
Go read the whole thing. I would only add one point: There is a finite list of experienced people who can do all these jobs and an almost infinite number of candidates right now.
* Other stuff…
* Amanda Kass: Some Looming Pension Questions: As I see it candidates have three choices: First, they could pledge to cut pensions, thereby reducing pension contributions. But, the Emanuel administration already tried that, and the state supreme court ruled that effort unconstitutional. The other two options are: cutting spending or raising revenue. While many of the already announced candidates havenât given detailed plans the common themes have been: a) stated commitment to make the payments; b) criticism of increased property taxes (which were increased to make the pension payments); and c) a desire to have a progressive revenue structure. I havenât seen much discussion on cutting spending. Thus, it seems like most candidates are going with the raising revenue option.
* Post-âRahmboâ Chicago and the Death of Triangulation: Without that threat, individual aldermen could very well break free of their infamous ârubber stamp councilâ label and substantively push back on the next mayorâs agenda. And the cityâs activist community, which is deservedly viewing Mr. Emanuelâs exit as a victory, is poised to draw more clout, if not a big seat at the table.
* Mariame Kaba: Social Movements Brought Down RahmâNow They Can Transform Chicago: I said at the beginning Iâm surprised that heâs not running, but not shocked. He was under relentless pressure from the moment he won. He was under pressure before he won because people knew what kind of Democrat he wasâfrom the corporate wing of the Democratic Party. The protests have been relentless. Rahmâs wife Amy Rule said in an interview a few days ago that âitâs no fun for [his family] having their front yard picketed.â Weâre supposed to feel sorry for him because of that statement, when in fact what that shows is that people were relentless in pushing back against him all the time, which is exhausting and it can feel so futile. It can feel like peopleâs suffering is increasing and youâre having to fight like hell but seeing only minimal positive results.
Brady: The people want a change. They want Mike Madigan to leave office, frankly. They want term limits. In tying Democratic candidates to [Speaker Madigan] it really resonates. I mean, look at this, we go back to this example where three Democratic challengers against three of our candidates are running term limit ads on Mike Madigan and yet he still had the ability to force them to pull those ads. Because that’s what he wanted and people are tired of that dictatorship that they believe has put Illinois into the position that we’re in. He is the pivotal point of what people want to see different in Illinois. And that’s one of the reasons my candidates - John Curran, Tom Rooney and Mike Connelly - are for term limits. I’m for term limits. Bruce Rauner is for term limits. They believe more power should be given back to the people.
Pearson: But, I mean you’ve had a lengthy tenure in the Legislature.
Brady: I have.
Pearson: And even if we adopted a term limits amendment, it wouldn’t take effect for years.
Brady: It probably wouldnât have any effect on the tenure of Mike Madigan, but it would stop future politicians from ever having that type of reign in Illinois government.
He’s probably right, of course. He’s just off-message.
Illinois Senate Republican leader Bill Brady said Sunday that voters are seeing state elections as being separate from a national referendum on President Donald Trump.
âWhat I see happening are people realizing that this is not a national agenda. Thereâs no question that the national scene and some of the presidentâs tweets and other things go south on people even though I think heâs done much in terms of policy,â Brady said on WGN AM-720.
âBut as people realize this isnât a national election, itâs a state election about the future of Illinois and itâs about whether or not you want to give control and another (redrawn legislative boundary) map to (House Speaker) Mike Madigan and (Senate President) John Cullerton, they realize how important this is,â he said.
The Bloomington Republican said he is seeing renewed enthusiasm among GOP voters, particularly among core social conservatives who have been divided over Republican Gov. Bruce Raunerâs tenure and his support of laws expanding abortion, immigration and gay rights.
But, hey, Billy might be right. Who knows anymore?
* Related…
* Rauner falsely claims graduated income taxes always hurt the middle class: Rauner said that in “every state that has put in a graduated income tax, the middle class always pays more.” But 11 of the 32 states that tax income at graduated rates would tax an individual earning the national median at lower rates than Illinois. In some of those states, the rate would be significantly lower. Whatâs more, tax rates tell only part of the story. Many states, including some with much higher rates, also offer taxpayers generous exemptions and deductions, significantly reducing their actual tax burden.
* Rogue billionaires are giving the GOP and Democrats a migraine: In Illinois, where Uihlein resides, he backed state Rep. Jeanne Ives to the tune of $2.5 million as she challenged GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner in the primary. Rauner survived, but is considered to be one the most vulnerable governors running for re-election this fall.
* September 7th Facebook post by Peoria Journal Star columnist Phil Luciano …
Once again, GateHouse has decided that the best way to serve the Journal Star readership and Greater Peoria community is by enacting layoffs.
Today, four newsroom employees — Shannon Countryman, Chris Kaergard, Thomas Bruch and Aaron Ferguson — will be terminated; a fifth, Wes Huett, will be terminated Sept. 21. To be clear, GateHouse and the Journal Star remain profitable enterprises; these cuts were made to âget to a certain number,â as we were told this week.
The Peoria Newspaper Guild tried to find reasonable alternatives and compromises, including the transitioning of employees to other, necessary work now going undone. We were told no; five employees had to be terminated.
As always, this is done by seniority: each of these gents is a rock-solid journalist who made the paper and Peoria a better place. Further, these cuts occur on top of two layoff-triggered departures just weeks ago, along with the sports editorâs exit today via a buyout offer. Not only do these cuts decimate our ability to cover and report local news, but we do so now (among a great many other losses in recent times) with no sports editor, city editor or opinions editor — and this at the largest newspaper in downstate Illinois. There was no need for these terminations, except to increase the bottom line of a corporation already solidly in the black. This is a dark day not just for the Journal Star and our Guild, but for anyone who cares about communities, public discourse, and justice.
Kaergard is the political columnist perhaps best known as “the budget beard.”
Attendance and sales at the Illinois State Fair declined from last year, vendors said.
Vendors also said the mostly favorable weather didn’t help boost sales for the fair that’s seen a downward trend over the past decade, The State Journal-Register reported.
“We’ve had our busy nights, don’t get me wrong,” said Kelsie Vose, whose family runs the Vose Corn Dogs stand. “But I’ve heard from a lot of vendors, not just ourselves, but most of the vendors we’ve spoken to have all been on the same page about that. It’s not just us, it’s everybody.”
McMeen’s Taffy Owner Joan Ehlers said her family has sold taffy at the fair most years since 1924. She said her business is down 50 percent from 10 years ago.
The Illinois State Fair in Springfield saw 369,144 people walk or drive through its gates last month, an 8 percent drop compared to last yearâs fair, state officials reported Friday.
Officials noted, however, that fairgoers this year appeared to spend more money than in 2017, according to an early look at vendorsâ sales receipts.
This yearâs attendance total was lower than the 401,648 who attended the 2017 fair but higher than the 347,855 who passed through the gates during the 2016 event that was plagued by flooding rains, extreme heat and power outages. The 2015 state fair, the first to be counted using a different formula, attracted 411,547. […]
The Illinois Department of Revenue reports that as of Aug. 31, fair vendorsâ sales receipts totaled $1,392,497.21, an increase of 16 percent over the same date last year. Vendors have until Dec. 31 to submit their fair receipts to the state.
I watched a couple of football games Sunday (ugh, those Bears will kill me one day) and I saw the new Pritzker ad four times, but I only saw the original Rauner spot once and have yet to see the RGA’s ad.
Anyway, what do you think of the ad?
…Adding… I suppose it’s what definition you have for “propose,” but I disagree with this take from the Rauner campaign…
Hey, Rich-
Actually, Pritzker did propose a VMT, emphasis added:
Charging gas taxes based on how many miles people drive instead of how much fuel they burn could pump up revenues to help fix Illinois’ roads and bridges, Democratic candidate for governor J.B. Pritzker told the Daily Herald editorial board.
Called a vehicle miles traveled or VMT tax, it’s an idea worth exploring, the billionaire Hyatt hotel heir said in a Thursday interview where he also pushed for a graduated income tax, but gave few specifics.
…
“In some states (such as Oregon) they have done tests recently for a VMT tax because we have more and more electric cars on the road, more and more hybrids, and because gas mileage is rising. It’s only fair if you’re on a road and traveling on that road that you should pay your fair share,” he said.
A VMT tax “is something we should look at … we have to careful how it gets implemented and that’s why it should only be a test at this point.”
* Looks like a tracker is gonna win a bonus. JB Pritzker and Speaker Madigan had always studiously managed to avoid appearing in the same photograph with each other, but check this out from a weekend event…
Not exactly embracing each other, but it’s something.
The J.B. Pritzker campaign slapped a new label on Gov. Bruce Rauner the other day, calling him âGovernor Vetoâ because heâs vetoed several bills that the Democratic candidate supports.
Since the legislative session ended, Gov. Rauner has vetoed 75 bills. By my count, 44 passed with veto-proof majorities in both legislative chambers.
So, he may or may not be âGovernor Veto,â but he might turn out to be âGovernor Overrideâ come veto session in November.
The governor issued a Total Veto on 46 bills, and exactly half passed with enough to override. However, a bunch of those vetoes were slapped on bills that were duplicates in one way or another.
The more important issue is his amendatory vetoes. Rauner used his amendatory veto power to rewrite 29 bills, and 21 of those (72 percent) were passed with enough votes to override.
Itâs rare for the General Assembly to accept an amendatory veto, mainly because House Speaker Michael Madigan will often kill them in his Rules Committee dungeon. If there arenât enough votes to override, the vetoes are allowed to die. But legislators can and do override AVs if they can find the votes, and it sure seems like Rauner could be in for a bunch of those.
Take, for instance, House Bill 3418, which unanimously passed the Senate and cleared the House with 88 votes, 17 more than necessary to override. The bill would allow local governments to use tax incentives to create urban agriculture zones. The bill had no real opposition when it passed, but Rauner stripped out its tax incentives, stunning the billâs supporters.
The General Assembly passed legislation to increase the amount that the Illinois Court of Claims can pay out in lawsuits against the state to $2 million, up from the current $100,000. Senate Bill 2481 was touted as a way to help the families of those who died at the Quincy veterans home. Raunerâs AV reduced that $2 million to $300,000. It passed the House 79-33 and cleared the Senate 42-7 and the sponsors are itching for an override.
I think the governor has gotten somewhat of a bum rap on that veto, by the way. A $2 million lawsuit cap could cost the state a bundle of dough that it currently doesnât have. But $300,000 seems a little low. The $100,000 cap passed in 1971, and thatâs $600,000 today, which seems more justifiable.
The governor signed all of Comptroller Susana Mendozaâs bills this year after getting thoroughly whacked last year when the House and Senate nearly unanimously overrode his veto of Mendozaâs legislation to require agencies to disclose how many unpaid bills they were sitting on.
So, Rauner instead turned his negative attention to Treasurer Michael Frerichs, vetoing several of Frerichsâ bills including an amendatory veto of legislation that wouldâve allowed Frerichs to use money from the Unclaimed Property Act to buy a Springfield office building. Frerichs says buying one building instead of leasing two buildings would save taxpayers hundreds of thousands. But Rauner vetoed a Frerichs bill last year that allowed the treasurer to use third-party contingent fee auditors to make sure the life insurance industry was actually paying out claims. Rauner was overridden on that bill, so he used this yearâs bill to again try to undo Frerichsâ law from last year.
âWe donât want officeholders to create their own empires, running their own little mini-governments,â Rauner told reporters when asked about that amendatory veto.
Rauner used his amendatory veto powers to rewrite HB4923 â Frerichs-backed legislation designed to tweak the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program â to make the entire program optional instead of mandatory.
He AVâd a bill designed to loosen some state treasurer investment decision restrictions to say those investments could only be made with the approval of the governor. SB2661 passed with just 2 âNoâ votes.
Rauner rewrote SB2857 that passed with large super-majorities to allow the treasurer to keep up to $12 million in administrative charges to pay for operations. Rauner also outright vetoed another Frerichs bill (HB4922) that wouldâve stopped banks from charging fees on rebate cards.
Last year, the governor vetoed 42 bills and AVâd another 10. So, heâs way ahead of that pace, particularly with amendatory vetoes. Fifteen of his total vetoes were overridden last year while just 3 AVs were overridden. Iâm thinking those numbers could be higher this time around.
So, why did he AV so many popular bills? You got me, but, other than his ire at Frerichs, some think he finally decided to fully engage with the General Assembly after session ended.
Sam McCann Introduces Bill to Repeal HB40, Ending Taxpayer-Funded Abortions
SPRINGFIELD, IL â Friday, Conservative Party gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann filed legislation to overturn House Bill 40, a law signed by Governor Rauner earlier this year that allows public funds to be used for abortions. McCannâs Bill would restrict public funding of abortions and return provisions that would bring Illinois in line with federal law in the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned.
McCann issued the following statement:
I am taking action on behalf of conservative families in Illinois to send HB40 to the trash heap, where it belongs. This abominable law is not only immoral, but fiscally reckless, and Illinois can afford neither at this critical time.
After years of failed efforts to address Illinoisâ financial crisis, Governor Rauner diverted badly-needed tax dollars to fund the expansion of abortion coverage across Illinois. This law forced taxpayers not only to accept the continued deaths of thousands of innocent babies, but to finance them as well.
I am hereby calling for colleagues in both parties to support this effort to protect innocent life and end forced public funding for abortions.
* Meanwhile, a letter to the editor from a 27-year-old small business owner supporting McCann has made it into two newspapers so far. The gist…
1. He is the only pro-life candidate running for governor (Gov. Bruce Rauner stabbed conservatives in the back when he signed a bill that allowed taxpayer money to fund abortions). J.B. Pritzker and Kash Jackson support the same abortion policies.
2. Sen. McCann is strongly against Gov. Raunerâs transgender birth certificate policy. J.B. Pritzker would also support transgender policies like this. Policies like this endanger children. Sen. McCann will protect children from dangerous transgender policies.
3. Sen. McCann is strong for the Second Amendment.
4. Sen. McCann is against Gov. Raunerâs sanctuary state policy.
âUnlike Bruce Rauner who waffled on HB 40 and supports a Supreme Court nominee who could overturn Roe v. Wade, JB Pritzker has always stood up for a womanâs right to choose and will fiercely defend that right as governor,â said Pritzker campaign communications director Galia Slayen. âJB opposes this draconian rollback of reproductive rights and would veto an HB 40 repeal if it reached his desk â but the question remains: will Rauner join him or will this failed governor abandon Illinois women once again?â
*** UPDATE 2 *** Now comes Raoul…
Kwame Raoul, Democratic candidate for attorney general, opposes legislation that state Senator Sam McCann introduced last week to reverse the protections in House Bill 40, raising the question of whether Republican attorney general candidate Erika Harold supports his move. HB 40 protects a womanâs right to choose and access healthcare even if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
âWe simply canât trust Erika Harold to defend a womanâs right to choose,â said Aviva Bowen, spokesperson for Raoul. âWhile she tells voters sheâll âenforce the law,â her anti-choice allies, like Sam McCann and Peter Breen, are working hard to repeal a critically important law protecting women and their access to reproductive healthcare. Voters deserve to know; does Erika stand with McCann or would she actually defend HB 40 in court?â
Harold opposes abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. Last month, state Representative Peter Breen, the ringleader of opposition to HB 40 who even filed a lawsuit to try to block it, hosted a fundraiser featuring Harold.
