* Democratic gubernatorial candidate JB Pritzker gave his campaign fund $7 million today, his campaign just confirmed. I’d been hearing about this for much of the afternoon.
$7 million is still $43 million less than Gov. Rauner put into his own campaign fund a few months ago, but vastly more cash than any other Democratic hopeful has on hand or has immediate access to. The A-1 hasn’t been officially filed yet, but if you click here it appears they’re having some technical difficulties with the Board of Elections’ website.
Meanwhile, Democrat Bob Daiber’s campaign reported raising $49,410 during the quarter. He spent about $12K and had $37,530.17 on hand at the end of March.
*** UPDATE 1 *** That was quick…
“J.B. Pritzker’s decision to drop $7 million into his gubernatorial campaign is more proof that he wants to be Madigan’s financial muscle. His deposit comes after Pritzker gave Madigan over $1.2 million in 2016 to stop reform, and just a day after Pritzker met with Madigan insiders and revealed to the press that he’s been conversing with Madigan himself. J.B. Pritzker’s talks with Mike Madigan and secret meeting with Madigan insiders reveal his true colors. He will work for and strengthen the Chicago machine at all costs.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe
*** UPDATE 2 *** The Larry Dominick jab is a nice touch…
Please find below the statement from the Biss for Illinois campaign in reaction to reports that JB Pritzker has put $7 million into his campaign account this evening:
“In the public eye, Mr. Pritzker talks about ‘progressiveness’ and ‘independence’ but if today taught us anything it’s that his campaign is more of the same. We’ve seen self-funding billionaires like Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner wreak havoc because of their accountability to no one but themselves. Illinoisans simply can’t afford four more years of the same.”
Earlier today, it was reported Pritzker met with Larry Dominick, the Republican President of the Town of Cicero, who among other things has been under investigation for giving out government contracts in exchange for campaign contributions, groping and fondling multiple female employees, and repeatedly using racially derogatory terms for Latinos.
That response was sent yesterday, but I didn’t see it until Saturday.
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* AP…
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner is opposing legislation that would allow the state to cover abortions for its employees and Medicaid recipients. […]
The legislation is sponsored by Democratic Rep. Sara Feigenholtz. She says the measure would protect women’s access to abortions in Illinois if federal law legalizing the procedure is overturned. It also would remove prohibitions on state employee health insurance and Medicaid funds from covering the procedure.
Rauner has signed previous legislation expanding access to birth control and requiring physicians who refuse to perform abortions to inform patients where they can go instead.
* From Rauner’s spokesperson Eleni Demertzis…
“Governor Rauner is committed to protecting women’s reproductive rights under current Illinois law. However, recognizing the sharp divisions of opinion of taxpayer funding of abortion, he does not support HB40.”
The legislation is here. Medicaid money is already used at Cook County Hospital for abortions, and most non-state university and local government health insurance policies also cover it in Chicago.
But the governor was getting tremendous heat from his right flank on this bill and he needs to keep them together through this impasse.
…Adding… Illinois Review…
[State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington)] called on the governor to make his position clear earlier this week, saying whether Illinois becomes one of the few states where taxpayers pay for abortions for any reason could rest in the hands of Governor Bruce Rauner - even before the bill made it to his desk.
“If Governor Rauner makes his intentions known before HB 40 is called, there’s a very good chance that the bill will not pass the House,” McSweeney told Illinois Review Wednesday.
“I’ve talked to several Democrats that tell me they are torn on the issue, and if the governor said he was going to veto the measure, I’m fairly certain it wouldn’t get the 60 they need to pass it.” […]
McSweeney said he was expecting pro-abortion lawmakers to call the vote on the floor April 25th, when a “Women’s March” was being planned on the State Capitol.
“The vote was very close at last count,” McSweeney said. “This is very good news that the governor has announced he will veto HB 40 if it gets to his desk. I’m very happy he’s made his position clear.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Press release…
Today, JB Pritzker released the following statement on Governor Rauner’s plan to veto HB40, which would cover abortions for women on state employee health insurance and Medicaid, and would remove a “trigger provision” that would make abortions illegal if Roe v. Wade was overturned.
“Bruce Rauner should be ashamed of himself. No pro-choice governor would take this position and restrict access to these critical services for Illinois women,” said JB Pritzker. “Rauner is proving yet again that he not only shares an extreme agenda with Donald Trump, but also lied to voters when he claimed that he cares about a woman’s right to choose. This decision is deeply hurtful to me and to women across this state. I have been fighting to protect women’s healthcare and reproductive rights my whole life and will do the same as Illinois’ next governor.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release from Rep. Tom Morrison…
“I am pleased Governor Rauner has chosen to veto HB 40 should it come to his desk. The Democrat lawmakers behind this initiative want to force Illinois taxpayers to pay for elective abortions through all 9 months of pregnancy. Taxpayers would be on the hook for abortions for any reason - even sex selection abortions would’ve been covered. This may come as a surprise a lot of people, even those who hold ‘pro-choice’ views. The Governor is doing the right thing by promising to veto HB 40.”
Press release…
Paul Caprio, Director of Family-Pac, today commended the decision of Governor Rauner to oppose HB 40…legislation to provide taxpayer funding for abortion.
Said Caprio: “It’s clear that the majority of Illinois voters oppose the use of their hard earned tax dollars to fund abortions at a time when Illinois is facing a fiscal crisis, regardless of their personal views.”
“I wish to thank also the many pro-family legislators who have met with the Governor regarding this issue as well as the many thousands of Illinois citizens who have contacted their legislators urging them to oppose HB 40.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Chris Kennedy campaign…
Politicians like Bruce Rauner have no business deciding when and if women can get access to health services - period. He is putting politics before women’s health and that’s just shameful. All women deserve nothing less than full access to doctors and health services of their choice. As Governor, I would sign any legislation that would affirm a woman’s right to choose is protected in Illinois.
*** UPDATE 4 *** From Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a co-sponsor of the bill…
Representative Morrison uses tired misinformation to launch a baseless attack on one of our state legislators. The reality is that State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (and her colleagues who are supportive of HB 40) are working to build a future where insurance coverage for necessary healthcare isn’t denied just because someone doesn’t make enough money.
However we may personally feel about abortion, no one should have that personal decision taken away by politicians who deny insurance coverage—which is exactly what the Hyde Amendment does to low-income families. Representative Feigenholtz’ bill would correct that injustice.
Voters agree. A poll from Hart Research Associates shows 86 percent of voters agree that “however we feel about abortion, politicians should not be allowed to deny a woman’s health coverage because she is poor.” And there is broad consensus across age groups (90 percent of voters ages 18 to 34 and 84 percent of voters 65 and over) and parties: 85 percent of independents, 79 percent of Republicans, and 94 percent of Democrats all agree.
This is about more than politics. The stakes for a woman whose decision is denied by Hyde are high: a woman who wants to get an abortion but is denied is more likely to fall into poverty than one who can get an abortion.
Representative Feigenholtz’s legislation simply affirms something that women in Illinois already know: that the legal right to an abortion is legal fiction if a woman can’t access and afford the care.
Nothing about HB 40 changes the law as it relates to when a person can have an abortion in Illinois.
Representative Feigenholtz wants to ensure that whatever happens in the future—the right to abortion is real for those in our state who already face too many barriers to care. I call that admirable and am grateful for this champion of health and women’s ability to make our own decisions.
*** UPDATE 5 *** Press release…
Sen. Daniel Biss made the following statement in response to Gov. Rauner’s announcement that he would veto House Bill 40, a bill that would protect the women of Illinois from dangerous attacks on their reproductive freedom coming from President Trump and his right-wing Supreme Court appointments:
“Since taking office out-of-touch billionaires like Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner have done everything in their power to wage a war on women. Bruce Rauner lied on the campaign trail when he said he didn’t have a social agenda — on the contrary, he’s now supporting President Trump’s dangerous efforts to take Illinois women back to the dangerous days before Roe v. Wade was the law of the land.”
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* Eastern Illinois University President David Glassman testified at a House committee hearing yesterday about the impasse…
Glassman said, “EIU will come through this storm stronger, bolder … not because of the impasse, but in spite of it.”
I get the defiant bravado aspect and the fact that if a university president says his campus is doomed it would scare away even more students than are already fleeing to other states.
But one can also come away from that statement thinking the impasse may have done EIU some good.
* Meanwhile, at SIU…
Susan Davenport, associate dean for students and curricular affairs in the College of Liberal Arts, said the state budget impasse is affecting the university’s ability to recruit students.
[Interim Provost Susan Ford] agreed, saying parents are telling their children not to come to Illinois for college right now.
“We are swimming against a tsunami of bad press from the state budget crisis,” Ford said. “It harmed us last year, and we know it’s harming us this year.”
Compared to the financial health of other state universities, [SIU President Randy Dunn] said SIU falls in the middle of the pack. Eastern Illinois University, Western Illinois University and Chicago State University have all declared financial emergency, but Dunn said the University of Illinois system would likely be able to sustain operations indefinitely despite the budget impasse.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From EIU…
Rich,
Hey. Saw your post highlighting yesterday’s House Higher Education Appropriations hearing as well as some mistaken comments apparently made by or attributed to the President of SIU.
First, and most importantly, the Board of Trustees of Eastern Illinois University has NEVER considered, let alone approved, a declaration of fiscal exigency/emergency. It is regrettable that such inaccurate statements would be made let alone reported and then re-reported.
Second, the full line you are pulling a quote from is this: “Drowning out the negative narrative that the State has created for its public universities – that is, the crisis in confidence which permeates the conversations of most students, parents and high school guidance counselors – is not easy, but EIU will come through this storm stronger and bolder and wiser – not thanks to the impasse [sic], but in spite of it.” You are correct in characterizing the comment as “defiant” and the President’s full testimony included specifically explaining that the impasse-related layoffs have actually resulted in inefficiencies.
-Katie
Katie M. Anselment ‘02
Director, Constituent Relations
Eastern Illinois University
*** UPDATE 2 *** From SIU President Randy Dunn…
My comments you picked up from the Daily Egyptian’s reporting of an all-faculty meeting held at SIU Carbondale were in response to a question raised about the fiscal health of SIU as compared to the other state universities. While I agree that words do matter, we may be dancing on the head of a pin here. The EIU and WIU boards may not have done explicit declarations, but both boards in fact passed resolutions so as to access payment providing for “financial support for essential operations” under the authority of P.A. 99-0524, the second stopgap signed into law on June 30. Enabling provisions included in the BIMP amended the Board of Higher Education Act to provide: “In fiscal year 2017 the Board…shall conduct a review to determine the existence of a financial emergency at a public institution of higher education that requires financial assistance from the Board, but only after the institution’s governing board has formally requested the review by adopting a resolution stating that the institution is in a state of financial emergency that requires financial assistance from the Board.”
While I felt I should offer a response to a legitimate question posed at the faculty meeting, there was no attempt to drag any other institution down. We very much value the relationship we have with all the public universities in Illinois, and we’re all in this together. Indeed, the SIU Board is itself in the midst of considering a financial emergency declaration for the Carbondale campus within the coming months. But given the larger background, I stand by my comments made.
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* Tom Robb at the Journal & Topics…
The 10th annual Northwest Suburban Lincoln Day Dinner, an event which provides a who’s who of area Republican leaders, takes place next week in Palatine.
Three speakers are set to address the major area GOP fundraiser: U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Gov. Bruce Rauner and Tim Schneider, Illinois GOP chairman and 15th District Cook County commissioner.
The event’s master of ceremonies is Dan Proft, a conservative radio host and Liberty Principles Political Action Committee founder. […]
It is scheduled to begin with a private “Trump Wine & Wisconsin Cheese” gathering at 5:30 p.m. for those willing to pay a little extra for the exclusive reception, followed by a general reception at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. chicken dinner. [Schaumburg Township Republican Committeeman Ryan Higgins] said Trump Wine would be served at the event.
Higgins told the Journal that Rauner is expected to unofficially kick off his run for reelection at the event.
…Adding… From a top Team Rauner dude…
Saw your post - sorry Higgins but no campaign kickoff at that event
* Let’s hope the governor gets a better reception than he apparently did yesterday in Quincy…
Many in the crowd nodded as Rauner went through his talking points, but there was not much applause. Some of Rauner’s staff members clapped at key points in his speech, but the audience generally didn’t take up the applause as they sat or stood quietly.
The applause was fairly loud and often at his Marion stop, however.
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* Press release…
– Governor Rauner today discussed the administration’s efforts to cut the red tape in state government and make Illinois more competitive with surrounding states at the Illinois Competiveness Council Forum.
“Excessive red tape has been a barrier blocking small business and entrepreneurs from wanting to grow and expand in Illinois,” said Governor Rauner. “That’s why we created the Illinois Competiveness Council nearly six months go to see where we can streamline and improve the restrictions in government.”
Governor Rauner signed an executive order last year to form the Illinois Competiveness Council and undertake a comprehensive review of the Illinois Administrative Code. The governor has directed the agencies working with the Illinois Competitiveness Council to reduce regulations by 20 percent. The Council led by U-Jung Choe will work with agencies from those areas to reduce regulatory burdens and cut the red tape.
“We are deeply committed to this mission. We will listen to all suggestions, make immediate changes when possible, and do all we can to advance Illinois’ economic climate,” said U-Jung Choe, chairwoman of the Illinois Competiveness Council.
The Council solicited assistance from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University to analyze the Illinois Administrative Code to best understand where red tape existed, where to cut it, and how to improve Illinois’ business climate. Illinois’ current administrative code is significantly larger than a majority of states, according to the analysis by the Mercatus Center. Illinois has more than 259,000 restrictions that make up more than 15 million words.
Additionally, the Mercatus Center found that most regulatory restrictions were in five areas: public health, environmental protection, social services, professional occupations and transportation.
* From SourceWatch…
The Mercatus Center was founded and is funded by the Koch Family Foundations. According to financial records, the Koch family has contributed more than thirty million dollars to George Mason University, much of which has gone to the Mercatus Center, a nonprofit organization. […]
The Mercatus Center is an “associate” member of the State Policy Network, a web of right-wing “think tanks” in every state across the country.
* Anyway, if you click here and go to about the 10-minute mark, you’ll see Gov. Rauner talking about how state spending has increased while state employment has remained flat. And then he says…
And they say, well, we need more regulations to force companies to pay people more.
No. It’s not gonna happen. Companies will just leave. That’s what they’re doing, they’re voting with their feet.
And they say, we don’t want to compete with Texas, they don’t have regulations there, their workers, you know, they need more protections down, they don’t have enough protections in Texas.
Well, you know what? Texas workers, factory workers make way more than factory workers in Illinois. Why? It ain’t because regulations are forcing their pay up, it’s because it’s a booming, healthy competitive economy with companies competing to hire workers. That’s why. And that’s the answer to long-term prosperity for the people of Illinois. And that’s the key to a better future for our children and our grandchildren, which is the reason I decided to be governor.
Setting aside the obvious minimum wage argument for now, click here for the BLS definition of production workers. Now, click here for the BLS Illinois page and you’ll see the median wage for production workers is $15.95 per hour. Click here and you’ll see that same median wage in Texas is $15.62 per hour.
Illinois has a higher cost of living in general than Texas, so those TX workers are putting more in their pockets. But do they make “way more” in Texas?
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Following is the response of SEIU Healthcare Illinois Communications Director James Muhammad to news that Gov. Bruce Rauner today voiced opposition to raising the Illinois wage floor, even as momentum grows to raise it to $15, via House Bill 198:
“When he opposes raising the wage for Illinois workers, Bruce Rauner continues to describe his belief that labor should be cheap and that workers are not central to the health of our economy. He paid for his many mansions via the profits from cheap labor and yet he wants to deny any economic security to the working families of Illinois? This is wrong and hypocritical.
“The Rauner budget impasse has slowed growth in Illinois and the quickest way to put money back into the economy is to give a raise to the 2.3 million Illinois workers, more than 40 percent of the workforce, who make less than $15 per hour and who would benefit from passage of House Bill 198.
“As Gov. Rauner dismantles education, healthcare, social services and all the tools that helped grow the Illinois middle class from the bottom up in the first place, we hope he abandons his trickle-down opposition to raising the wage floor for the women and men who work hard while others, like him, reap the profits of the sweat of their brow.”
* Related…
* Democrats push for minimum wage increase: Rep. Litesa Wallace, D-Rockford, said the state has to “pick up where employers leave off” through government programs and subsidies. “I am really tired of working poor people being the bogeyman in the way that we talk about this,” Wallace said. “Let’s change the narrative, because you’re receiving welfare too.”
* Editorial: Find a way, lawmakers, to give Illinois residents a pay raise: Illinois residents who make the minimum wage are overdue for a raise. The same is true for Americans across the nation. Workers are more productive than ever, but you wouldn’t know it based on their wages. In the last four decades, their pay has lagged far behind their contributions in the work force. The disparity helped make “income inequality” a catchphrase of the decade.
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* Sun-Times…
The alleged getaway driver in the fatal shooting of Cook County Associate Judge Raymond Myles said the killer surveilled the judge’s house for a few weeks before the deadly incident, Cook County prosecutors said Thursday.
Joshua Smith said in a videotaped statement to authorities that Myles was being watched for at least two or three weeks, an Assistant State’s Attorney Guy Lisuzzo said.
The motive for the shootings was robbery, and 66-year-old Myles was targeted — but the shooting had nothing to do with his position as a judge, police had said on Wednesday.
Smith’s accomplice, who shot Myles and his girlfriend at 4:50 a.m. Monday in the 9400 block of South Forest, took the woman’s gym bag, expecting to find cash inside, Lisuzzo said. But there was no cash inside, and the killer threw the bag away. […]
Smith drove himself to the Area South Detectives division later that day “to speak with detectives” and has been in custody ever since, Chief of Detectives Melissa Staples said at a news conference Wednesday evening.
* But DNAInfo says it was Judge Myles’ female friend who was actually targeted…
Assistant State’s Attorney Guy Lisuzzo said at the hearing Thursday that Smith and an unnamed accomplice attempted to rob the woman, who left the judge’s home for the gym shortly before 5 a.m., the same time every day. The accomplice allegedly watched the woman for 2-3 weeks to learn her habits.
He stole her gym bag, but became enraged when no cash was inside, prosecutors said.
Myles saw the two arguing and came outside, where he was killed, police have said. The woman was also shot.
Smith drove the getaway car, an orange Pontiac Sunfire registered to his ex-girlfriend, Lisuzzo said. He allegedly told the girlfriend and her daughter to lie and say the car had been stolen.
* Background…
An early riser, Myles was up before dawn Monday, getting ready to go to the gym with his girlfriend before reporting to his courtroom. But as the 52-year-old woman left the two-story brick residence shortly before 5 a.m., she was confronted near the garage by a gunman who shot her in the leg, according to police. Hearing the commotion, Myles, 66, ran outside and exchanged words with the assailant before he was shot and killed.
A neighbor and friend of the judge told the Tribune he was awakened by the shouts of the woman and the crack of about six gunshots. “She was screaming, ‘Don’t kill him, don’t kill him!’ ” the neighbor said.
An autopsy found Myles had been shot multiple times, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said Tuesday. […]
Sheriff Tom Dart’s office investigates about 10 death threats against Cook County judges a year but had no record of any threats against Myles in recent years.
*** UPDATE *** They were targeting the girlfriend. Tribune…
Assistant State’s Attorney Guy Lisuzzo said Smith told police that he and the other man planned to rob the judge’s girlfriend and that the other man had conducted surveillance on her movements for two to three weeks.
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