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US Rep. Rodney Davis has tested positive for COVID-19

Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill) released the following statement on his positive COVID-19 test:

“This morning, I tested positive for COVID-19. Since the beginning of this pandemic, I have taken my temperature twice daily because serving in Congress means I interact with many people, and it’s my duty to protect the health of those I serve. This morning, my temperature clocked in at 99 degrees Fahrenheit, which is higher than normal for me.

“Because of the high temperature, my wife and I received a test this morning. While my test came back positive, my wife’s test came back negative. My staff who I’ve worked with in-person this week have received negative tests as well. Other than a higher-than-normal temperature, I am showing no symptoms at this time and feel fine.

“Having consulted with the Office of the Attending Physician (OAP) of Congress and local county health officials, our office is contacting constituents I have met with in-person within the previous 48 hours, per CDC guidelines.

“My staff and I take COVID-19 very seriously. My wife is a nurse and a cancer survivor, which puts her in an at-risk category like so many Americans. My office and I have always followed and will continue to follow CDC guidelines, use social distancing, and wear masks or face coverings when social distancing cannot be maintained.

“I will postpone public events our office has planned for the coming days until I receive a negative test. I will continue to serve my constituents virtually from home while I quarantine. Our district offices throughout central and southwestern Illinois remain open for constituents as well.

“During these challenging times, protecting the public health is my highest priority. If you’re out in public, use social distancing, and when you can’t social distance, please wear a mask. All of us must do our part. That’s what it will take to get through this pandemic.”

Get well soon, Rodney.

…Adding… A bit of context…

Last week, @RodneyDavis told me he, "felt safe" at the Capitol despite news @replouiegohmert had tested positive, says he's been wearing masks in the halls and on the House floor.#NexstarDC pic.twitter.com/dP65fWoORu

— Raquel Martin (@RaquelMartinTV) August 5, 2020

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Pritzker: “I can’t imagine” COVID-19 vaccine mandate for schools

Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The governor was asked today whether a COVID-19 vaccine (if/when it is developed) would be mandatory for students who want to return to school…

No, I can’t imagine that. What I do think is that once a vaccine is available, I think many, many people will want to get vaccinated. We obviously want to get to herd immunity. We have for example with the measles vaccine just to give you an idea about, I think 95% coverage in the state of Illinois, people actually getting the measles vaccine measles vaccine or at least above 90, actually I think we’re at 98.

Um, vaccines are already mandatory for public school attendance. Why wouldn’t this one be?

…Adding… It has been pointed out that there’s no vaccine testing being done on children and the approval process for kids could take longer. Still.

27 Comments

ComEd pleads not guilty

Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Megan Crepeau and Jason Meisner at the Tribune…

ComEd pleaded not guilty to an expansive federal bribery charge Wednesday during what will likely be its final court hearing until 2023.

The plea was a formality, since the company has entered an agreement to defer prosecution. ComEd will pay a record $200 million fine and cooperate in the ongoing probe of its lobbying practices in Springfield in exchange for the charges being dropped at the end of the agreement period.

* More…

ComEd attorney Reid Schar entered the plea during a telephonic arraignment this morning for the company. Though attorneys earlier said a plea would not be necessary, U.S. District Judge John Kness insisted on it.

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) August 5, 2020

…Adding… Steve Daniels at Crain’s…

Exelon CEO Chris Crane said [yesterday] the company will decide early next year whether to close nuclear plants in Illinois, even as he acknowledged the company’s standing in Springfield had been damaged by the revelations of corruption at its Commonwealth Edison unit.

Crane in his comments during the quarterly earnings call with analysts attempted to walk a line between contrition for ComEd’s recent acknowledgements of paying off close associates and lieutenants of House Speaker Michael Madigan and the pressure tactics he’s used before to win state support for subsidies.

“We will not run plants and lose free cash flow or earnings on assets that are not supporting themselves,” Crane said.

“It’s reality,” he added. “We’ve shut two units down in recent years if we could not see a path to sustainability of those assets in the portfolio. Not the greatest decisions we’ve ever had to make, and we understand the impact of that on communities we serve and the environmental goals and economic impact of the states. But maintaining an investment grade (rating) that can support the remaining facilities is our main focus.”

Good luck with that, dude.

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*** UPDATED x1 - Pritzker responds *** Will County judge says Clay County rulings “bereft of any meaningful legal analysis,” as Rep. Bailey asks Clay County judge to hold Pritzker in contempt, toss him in jail

Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

* June…

A group of landlords have accused Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker of overstepping his authority by extending his hold on evictions statewide amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The landlords say Pritzker has illegally interfered with their private contracts, unconstitutionally seized their property, and forced them to subsidize housing for tenants – including some who simply have refused to pay. […]

In short, the landlords said, the public health emergency that was used to justify the eviction moratorium no longer exists, or at least has abated to the point that the moratorium should now be considered illegal.

In addition, the plaintiffs claimed the evictions moratorium exceeded the governor’s authority.

* Circuit Judge John Anderson has ruled against the plaintiffs. The copy I have doesn’t allow for copy and paste, so I’ll summarize.

Judge Anderson noted that five federal judges and “virtually every” Illinois state court judge have upheld the governor’s authority to issue the executive orders. Just one judge, in Clay County, has ruled against the governor.

Anderson then went on to write that the Clay County judge’s rulings are “bereft of any meaningful legal analysis, and are wholly unpersuasive for that reason.” He also pointed out that the Clay County judge’s rulings, “like other trial court rulings,” aren’t binding on his court.

Heh.

The judge then went on to explain why he felt the other rulings by judges outside Clay County were persuasive and rejected the plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary injunction on all but one count, which he said didn’t look like a strong argument. It’s worth a read.

* Now, on to Clay County…

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is now facing an Indirect Civil Contempt Motion in the Darren Bailey lawsuit to include a request he be placed in custody in the county jail.

The motion is based on the fact the Governor has ignored the Court’s prior orders and continues to issue Executive Orders as it relates to COVID-19.

The motion requests that Pritzker “be placed in temporary custody within the Clay County Jail until he purges himself by rescinding the above-mentioned executive orders.”

*** UPDATE *** The governor was asked about the Clay County filing today…

All I can say is the rulings out of Clay County have been ridiculous. There’s no other court that has ruled as they have on the matter that they ruled on. And in fact there’s a judge on Friday who specifically pointed to Clay County and said that the decision by that judge was bereft of any legal analysis. And I think that’s accurate.

45 Comments

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