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*** UPDATED x1 *** CUB scorched in WBEZ profile

Monday, Sep 21, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

After winning Springfield’s support for a multibillion-dollar piece of legislation in 2016, Commonwealth Edison decided to celebrate with a pair of invitation-only events at a Gatsby-esque River North nightspot once known as the Montgomery Club.

The first party featured cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and was to last two to three hours. At the second, more exclusive soiree, ComEd’s retiring top lobbyist was being toasted for getting the bill passed and for a long career in and around state government.

The guest list included more than two dozen executives from ComEd and its parent, Exelon. There were also company lobbyists and the bluest of blue-chip political luminaries: Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, whose son was also invited.

But there was another invitee who stood out.

David Kolata and the organization he has led for 15 years, the Citizens Utility Board, are supposed to be thorns in the sides of ComEd and Exelon. But in 2016, Kolata’s consumer advocacy group instead sided with the power companies, enabling them to boost ratepayers’ electricity bills by billions of dollars over a decade to subsidize underperforming nuclear plants.

The story eventually becomes far more nuanced than the fire and brimstone beginning might indicate, so go read the rest.

*** UPDATE *** CUB is out with a long response. Click here to read it.

28 Comments

*** UPDATED x4 *** Rep. Grant: “These comments do not reflect my heart or my faith”

Monday, Sep 21, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Media advisory…

State Reps. Will Davis, Camille Lilly, Greg Harris and Emanuel Chris Welch will present evidence of racist and homophobic statements made by a member of the General Assembly at a virtual press conference on Monday, Sept. 21 at 10 a.m. The offensive statements were recorded and will be released to the public during this event.

Rep. Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) is the subject of the recording. She speaks in the call about her opponent, Democrat Ken Mejia-Beal, who is a gay, Black Democrat. This was supposedly a fundraising call. Click here for what the House Dems say is evidence that Rep. Grant knew she was being recorded, although she is not heard giving permission. “To her recollection, Rep Grant did not give permission to be recorded,” said a House Republican spokesperson. However, the Democrats also claimed that there is little to no expectation of privacy for a legislator or a candidate.

* Grant excerpt…

I mean he’s just another one of the Cook County people. That’s all you’re gonna vote for is Cook County, another, ya know, Black Caucus, that’s all we need is another person in the Black Caucus. Yeah, so anyhow. And I’m all for, ya know, I work across the aisle and Will Davis is a buddy of mine and he’s in leadership and I am a friend of his and he respects me.

* Another Grant excerpt…

GRANT: Well, I think he’s afraid to come into the district actually, into the heart of the district anyhow.

CALLER: Why? Why do you think so? Why do you think he’s afraid? I’m just curious.

GRANT: I just think that maybe he’s afraid of the reaction that people might give him. Not because he’s Black, but because of the way he talks. He’s all LGBTQ. He wants to work for the chronically ill. He just gives us like crazy, and every week it’s a different reason for why he wants to get into the race.

The Democrats said they wouldn’t release the entire recording because of issues with personal identification. “She talks about other people, is disparaging of other people,” Rep. Welch said, adding “I just thought that it wasn’t our place to reveal the entire call.”

* From Rep. Grant…

I deeply regret the comments I made about Ken Mejia-Beal, and reached out to apologize to him this morning. These comments do not reflect my heart or my faith.

* I asked the Democrats about the apology and Rep. Welch said this…

We have to question her questioning an opponent talking about the chronically ill. If you’re living with diabetes, you’re living with high blood pressure, you have pancreatic cancer like Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and you fought, you’re fighting like a champion like she did. Rep. Amy Grant has a problem with you speaking for the chronically ill. We heard that on that tape. Do we want someone like that in the Illinois legislature? This call questions her character and is completely inconsistent with her apology that she makes now, because she was caught on tape. But what’s she saying when she’s not on tape?

* I followed up with Welch and asked if this rose to the level of conduct unbecoming a legislator, since Welch chairs the committee that’s considering whether to punish House Speaker Michael Madigan for that very thing…

I think people should listen to that tape and listen to it repeatedly, and that’s a question for everyone to ask themselves. I think Leader Durkin should ask himself that question. I think Rep. Mazzochi [a fellow investigative committee member] should ask herself that question, Grant Wehrli [another investigative committee member] should ask himself that question, and honestl, answer that question because listen to the tape, she has a problem with Blacks, LGBTQ people, and the chronically ill. And so, I’ll let others answer that question for you, Rich.

“Release the tapes,” said House GOP spokesperson Eleni Demertzis this morning.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Press release…

On a recorded fundraising call, Rep. Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) made racist and homophobic remarks aimed at her Democratic challenger, Ken Mejia-Beal, a Black gay man. We the undersigned members of the Illinois House LGBTQ Caucus condemn this hateful rhetoric in the strongest terms possible.

The LGBTQ Caucus believes this kind of hate speech has no place in Illinois, especially from an elected state representative. The fact that these comments were made when Rep. Grant knew the call was being recorded demonstrates the emboldening and normalization of racism and homophobia, a deeply troubling trend that we have witnessed during the Trump era. To criticize and ridicule someone for who they are and who they love is despicable and unacceptable.

People in our community have fought for decades against discrimination and to be represented in our government at every level. There are LGBTQ people in every town and village and every corner of our state. For Ms. Grant to talk about needing fewer members of the Black Caucus and fewer LGBTQ members is just wrong.

This is a stark reminder that we as elected officials must continue the fight for equality and inclusion in the face of hate.

SIGNED,

Majority Leader Greg Harris
Representative Kelly Cassidy
Representative Yoni Pizer
Representative Lamont Robinson
Representative Sam Yingling

*** UPDATE 2 *** Senator Laura Ellman…

“We’ve gone through so much this year, fear, anger, uncertainty, distrust, outrage. And now this. Grant’s racist, homophobic remarks, and her words on the chronically ill, knowing she was being recorded, not only show her small mind and her cold heart, but show how little she cares for the people she represents. We don’t have time for this, the stakes are too high. We need people with expansive minds and compassionate hearts who work hard in Springfield. We need Ken Mejia-Beal.”

*** UPDATE 3 *** Ken Mejia-Beal…

“I am a DuPage County resident. I’m a financial professional. I’m a husband. I’m an advocate for property tax relief, access to health care, and other issues I am passionate about. But in her hurtful, degrading, and wholly unacceptable comments which have now come to light, Representative Grant makes it clear that she sees only the color of my skin and my sexual orientation – and that in her mind disqualifies me as a leader and even disqualifies me as a member of our community.

“Nowhere in Representative Grant’s one-line public response or the phone message she left me reading that same message is any acknowledgement that the statements she made so matter-of-factly on those recordings were also a grievous insult to every member of our community. Where is Representative Grant’s apology to those who hear her comments and wonder if they fit into her vision of our community? Where is the apology to all whose faith calls them to love their neighbors as themselves? Where is her apology to all in our area who are sick of politicians dividing people with their rhetoric? And where is Representative Grant’s commitment to use the time she has remaining in office to finally represent all of our unique community?

“I am running because I know we are a stronger, better community than the one Representative Grant depicts in her hurtful words and extreme agenda – and the people I talk to in every part of our district know that too.”

*** UPDATE 4 *** Equality Illinois…

Equality Illinois condemns the racist and homophobic comments made by State Rep. Amy Grant against her challenger, Ken Mejia-Beal, a Black gay man.

In a phone call to a donor released today, Grant said: “He’s afraid of the reaction people might give him, not because he’s Black, but because of the way he talks. He’s all LGBTQ, he wants to work for the chronically ill…” We at Equality Illinois and in the LGBTQ community recognize this age-old homophobic attack against gay men. Grant also made a pointed racist remark by saying “all we need is another person in the Black Caucus.”

Even in the age of Trump, Illinoisans expect their elected officials to act with integrity and in accordance with Illinois values of equality and inclusion. Amy Grant fails even that basic test. She is clearly unable to represent all of her constituents with equal care and respect. Her apology is insufficient for an elected official in 2020.

Homophobia and bigotry must have no home in DuPage County or anywhere in Illinois. Grant must drop out of the election. If she does not, the voters of the Forty-Second District must reject her and send a message on Election Day that love trumps hate.

59 Comments

Illinois politicos, others eulogize RBG

Monday, Sep 21, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Posted in the order they were received on Friday. US Rep. Lauren Underwood…

It is impossible to put into words the sadness and grief our country feels with the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg was a giant for justice and a force that represented the best of our judicial system and our country. I am personally shaken and devastated. Her fierce advocacy for the protection of rights for all people under the law—women, workers, LGBTQ people alike—and her guardianship of the Constitution must not be taken for granted. As a lawyer, she challenged and defined ‘equal justice under the law’ in a way that changed our country to make it fairer and better. As a Supreme Court justice, she upheld those sacred principles. Her life and work paved a way for women like me to challenge norms and fight for people and causes that make our country stronger.

Our democracy depends on the American people having a voice by electing a President who will fill this vacancy.

* US Sen. Tammy Duckworth…

There are no words to adequately express just how devastated and heartbroken I am to learn of the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Not only did our nation lose a brilliant jurist, we lost a hero—a 5’1” giant who gave a voice to girls and women everywhere and moved the needle forward in our long fight toward justice and equality for all.

Like so, so many other Americans tonight, I am deeply grateful for all that Justice Ginsburg did to ensure equal protection under the law for women across this country and to defend the rights of so many others. She will be sorely missed, but her unparalleled legacy and impact will never be forgotten.

Tonight we are devastated, but tomorrow we will roll up our sleeves and keep working. We must honor her legacy by redoubling our efforts to safeguard the rights of women, the rights of Americans with disabilities and the rights of all Americans for future generations. We cannot let up now.

* Gov. JB Pritzker…

America has lost an icon and inspiration. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was first a trailblazer and then a bulwark for equality, whether you are a woman, gay, a person of color or disabled. Just as importantly, she was a shining role model for girls everywhere - a testament to working hard and fighting for what’s right. Her legacy will endure, but only if we fight as hard as she did to protect it.

MK and I grieve for Justice Ginsberg’s family, friends and followers - but most of all, our entire nation. Our prayer is that we honor this giant by honoring her fervent dying wish.

* US Rep. Bill Foster…

The passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a devastating loss for the Supreme Court and our country, and my thoughts go to her family during this very difficult time. Americans of all backgrounds benefitted from her fierce commitment to defending the rights enshrined in our Constitution. She was truly a pioneer in the legal world and an American hero.

Very soon, the principles of personal integrity and fair play on which the Senate has always operated will be tested, as each Senator decides whether to abide by recent precedent that a vacancy on the Court should not be filled before the American people have a chance to make their voices heard in an upcoming presidential election.

* US Sen. Dick Durbin…

The Supreme Court’s most valiant champion for justice in our lifetime is gone. Justice Ginsburg was an American hero.

Please remember Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s demand that Supreme Court vacancies go unfilled during a presidential election year, which was also Justice Ginsburg’s dying wish. Senator McConnell pleaded with us to let the voters have the last word. Every member of the Senate should be asked to commit to the McConnell Rule.

Rest in peace, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

* Republican Cook County State’s Attorney Candidate Judge Pat O’Brien…

I am deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A brilliant lawyer and justice who not only fought valiantly for the rights of women and minorities but also became a mentor for generations.

Justice Ginsburg broke barriers to become a respected and formidable legal mind and force on the court. Her work earned her the respect from leaders on both sides of the political aisle and her influence was evident from millennials to seniors. This is truly a sad day for all Americans.

* Thomas More Society Founder, President and Chief Counsel Tom Brejcha…

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will go down in legal history as a Jurist of very high stature and lasting repute who played a pioneering and pivotal role in paving the way for the advancement of women lawyers to their present positions of power and influence in our legal profession. She was supremely gifted and dedicated in her singular devotion and masterly contributions to the legal and associated social reforms that brought about this monumental progress over the many decades of her labors. But what marks her as a truly legendary jurist is her fidelity to the law, as a body of principles that stands apart from, and transcends, mere policy preferences and political partisanship, however deeply felt and ardently fought for. Thus we witnessed her voting twice in favor of our advocacy, which was assailed (stridently albeit baselessly) in so many quarters in the marathon NOW vs. Scheidler litigation, which gave birth to our Thomas More Society, a public interest law firm. The case lasted over 28 years from start to finish, and it culminated in a pair of successive U.S. Supreme Court decisions against the use of the federal racketeering and extortion laws against peaceable non-violent political protest. In that case, Justice Ginsburg joined an 8-1 majority in Scheidler II, handed down in 2003, and then again she joined an 8-0 majority in Scheidler III, handed down in 2006 (Justice O’Connor having retired, or it would have been 9-0) — proving herself faithful to the operative legal principles that proved dispositive, despite the fact that she was casting her vote against the National Organization for Women, another high profile advocate for the cause, so styled, of women’s rights. We deeply disagreed with her about abortion rights, but we too, at the Thomas More Society, salute her record of judicial service and mourn her passing.

* Illinois Holocaust Museum…

According to Jewish tradition, a person who dies on Rosh Hashanah, which began tonight, is a person of great righteousness. That is certainly true of Justice Ginsburg.

“As an institution, we have been lucky enough to be telling her remarkable story for the last 7 months, whether in person in our Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg exhibition or virtually,” says VP of Education and Exhibitions, Kelley Szany. “She has become a friend to us.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an amazing woman, full of spunk and grace and a quiet yet steely determination. She came of age in a time that was not supportive of women and the role they play in society. She fought discrimination at Harvard Law and when trying to find a job.

When she volunteered at the ACLU and saw the many challenges faced by women through their letters, it informed her life’s work. She used the law as a vehicle for change. And to reinforce the tenant that all people are created equal.

Her commitment to changing society was consistent and deliberate, and she argued case after case with the underlying theme that people should not be defined by their sex.

RBG was not just an attorney and judge, but a woman of huge heart, giant vision, and remarkable work ethic. She also became a cultural icon, gaining the attention and respect of so many through her humor, workouts, and fashion sense, using her collars to indicate her point of view for Supreme court decisions.

“While we will continue to tell RBG’s story at our Museum through January, we will always be inspired by her and will work to build on her legacy in the ongoing fight for human rights,” says Museum CEO Susan Abrams.

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg explores the life of mother, lawyer, judge, Supreme Court Justice, and pop culture icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg and is on display through Jan. 3, 2021. The exhibition tells Ginsburg’s story using a dynamic array of gallery interactives, listening stations, historical artifacts, and contemporary art.

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is organized and circulated by the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California.

* US Rep. Dan Lipinski…

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a trailblazer and a giant of the Supreme Court who had a tremendous impact on our country. Before we begin the political talk about her replacement, we should remember her life and her legacy. Part of this legacy that is especially important to remember in this time of ideological vitriol was her friendship with the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. The two justices disagreed strongly in their opinions yet maintained a friendship throughout their time on the court. Our nation should learn from these two late justices the way to live together in spite of differing beliefs. My thoughts and prayers are with the Ginsburg family during this difficult time.

* Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton…

Tonight, when I learned of the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I felt a profound and deep sadness. This feeling is not only for the grief that her loving family must bear, but because of the devastating loss to our nation, and to women everywhere. Ruth Bader Ginsburg possessed a great legal mind and she used it to advocate for the rights of women and to be a voice for the underserved.

For women, the path to a law degree has extra hurdles. I am sorry to say that sexism is still prevalent in our society where women and men are not equally paid, and little girls are not always told to dream big. But Ruth Bader Ginsburg achieved and dreamed big for herself, and for all women. As a young black woman lawyer, Bader Ginsburg was one of my role models. I admired her intellect, her fearlessness to speak openly about issues, and her tenacity in court. She made it clear that it is the right and duty of every woman to be her best, and to expect equity, and to fight for herself and others, if she does not get it.

Bader Ginsburg once said, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” Those words guided me to bring my full self into rooms, and to sit at tables with the clarity that I’m there for a reason and must be boldly and courageously me.

Now Bader Ginsburg is gone, but her ideals and her example will live on. In her memory, we must fight for justice, equity and inclusion for all women, regardless of race, class or religion. In this 100th anniversary year of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, women should flock to the polls to vote for transparency, integrity, and leadership in the White House. It’s the right thing to do. It’s the Bader Ginsburg thing to do.

* Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx…

Our nation lost a legal powerhouse this weekend. Justice Ginsburg leaves behind a legacy of grace, principles and perseverance—to say she will be missed is an incredible understatement.

Through her position on our highest court Justice Ginsburg never wavered from her driving force to use one’s power in law to ensure social equity. She believed in justice and fairness for every American regardless of their race, gender, country of origin, sexual orientation and religion.

A true force in law, Justice Ginsburg turned a century-and-half policy on its head at Virginia Military Institute, finally granting women the right to attend this state-funded school. She believed a woman—not the government—should be able to choose how to approach her body, including having the right to have an abortion. As a result of Justice Ginsburg’s voice on the groundbreaking Lilly Ledbetter case, workers today can now sue their employers when discriminated against and paid less based on gender. These few examples of her heft and social activism affect life for each of us today as we know it—our country is better because of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s pioneering ways as a woman in law.

While some might argue the law is not a place for social activism, Ginsburg didn’t listen to this noise, always rising above the critics to bring justice and equality for the American people. Simply put: Justice Ginsburg unapologetically changed the course of our history.

A honorable woman, Justice Ginsburg carried her strength and fight for the American people until her very end. May she rest in power.

* Michael Madigan, in his role as DPI Chairman…

We have lost a giant – of the court, of truth and justice and of America. There is no replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She represents the best of us, and fought her entire life for human rights, gender rights and equality for all. An unmatched icon, Ruth Bader Ginsburg shouldered intense burdens and historic decisions with grace and integrity. She meant so much to so many. May she rest in peace and may her legacy carry on as the rest of us pick up the fight with her same passion and fervor. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, colleagues and our entire nation.

I did not include tweets and fundraising emails.

…Adding… Senate President Don Harmon…

The passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an enormous blow to the millions of women and men in Illinois she spent her entire life fighting to ensure are equal under the law. While her legacy and place in history are secure, the issues she championed are under assault.

Healthcare is on the ballot in 2020 with devastating consequences now that we know Donald Trump and Republicans will strip away protections for those with preexisting conditions through the Supreme Court.

In the middle of a global pandemic made exponentially worse by Donald Trump’s failed response, Republicans have denied science to keep Illinois families safe, aid to those in need, and now they are marching forward to deny people healthcare. It is abhorrent that Republicans in Illinois support ending protections for preexisting conditions - especially those potentially resulting from COVID-19 infections - while 700,000 Illinoisians are out of work and at least 275,000 have been infected by this terrible disease.

Make no mistake, Democrats in Illinois will not let this stand. We will fight tooth and nail against Donald Trump, Republicans, and the corporate special interests that back their crusade to overturn Obamacare and kick millions of people off the healthcare rolls.

This moment underscores the stakes of this election now more than ever. We will make sure the voters of Illinois know how important their vote is this November 3rd.

…Adding… Comptroller Susana Mendoza…

I was heartbroken to hear Friday that my all-time Shero, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the “Notorious RBG” left us too soon at 87, while she was still such a force for good and for equality, writing opinions to uphold our rights. This tiny woman was such a massive, brilliant, powerful voice for disenfranchised communities, upholding rights to health care, marriage equality, fair treatment for Dreamers and so much more. In both her legal and judicial career, she opened so many pathways for people like me. Women across the United States and frankly the American people as a whole owe her a debt of gratitude for everything she made possible for us. Ruth Bader Ginsburg represented the very best of America. She made our country better. We will never have another Supreme Court justice quite like her. As our country mourns, may she rest in peace.