A 16-year-old girl was already a sex trafficking victim – and we have learned the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services placed her with a three-time convicted felon who is accused of forcing her into prostitution. […]
“They licensed him as a foster parent,” said Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert. “They licensed this 24-year-old pimp as a foster parent for a 16-year-old girl who had a history – they were paying tax money as a foster parent while he was trafficking a 16-year-old girl in DCFS care.” […]
His name is Erick Johnson, and he is also an accused sex trafficker. […]
A court order we obtained says while the teenage girl has waited to get the care and placement she needs, the teen has been trafficked, sexually assaulted, and shot, and has lived on the streets. And ultimately, the order said, “the agency made a pimp the child’s foster parent.” […]
Johnson has a lengthy criminal record. The teen was placed with him just months after he was released from federal prison after a 24-month sentence on a firearms charge.
Before that, Johnson spent three years in state prison for two robbery convictions. […]
Johnson’s latest charges detailed in the court record say the “juvenile victim was being advertised” and prostituted on “a known sex website.”
Savini asked Golbert what this says about the background-checking system at DCFS.
“It says that they’re not doing background checks. It says that it’s broken. It says that it’s dysfunctional,” Golbert said. “It says that maybe we’re at point that we should just abolish DCFS altogether.”
A psychological dated October, 2020 diagnosed xxxx with posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder and borderline intellectual functioning. Since that time, according to her attorney, the Cook County Public Guardian, she has been raped, shot and sexually trafficed. When she first came into the system, according to the Public Guardian, DCFS put her in a foster home from which she ran within hours. DCFS then placed the child in a shelter from which she again ran. While on the run, according to the DCFS reports, she was at a hotel and being trafficked to multiple men. She was later psychiatrically hospitalized and then DCFS placed her in yet another shelter. At that placement she jumped out of the 2nd floor window and DCFS then placed her in a hotel with one on one staff. She ran from the hotel as well. On or about May 26, 2020 she was placed in another foster home where she remained for 2 days before running. She was located on or about June 19, 2020 and placed in a non-secure facility for victims of sex trafficking. While there she threw chairs, punched holes in the walls and was ultimately psychiatrically hospitalized. The staff at that facility said they were unable to care for.
On or about November 17, 2020 DCFS placed the child at Indian Oaks, a residential facility where she remained until March, 2022. While at Indian Oaks she ran on multiple occasions.
In April 2022 DCFS a DCFS consulting psychologist wrote an 11 page report in which the first recommendation was for DCFS to provide her with a “Secure Residential Treatment Facility – Sex Trafficking Program.”
No such placement was obtained and there is no evidence that the agency ever attempted to find such a placement.
In July 2022 the child had a seizure while riding on a CTA train and was brought to St. Bernard’s hospital. It was recommended she receive psychiatric hospitalization at that time but she ran away before she could be so placed. In August, 2022 she had another seizure on an elevated train and was allegedly attacked by 3 men on the train. Chicago Police Department brought her to a psychiatric facility. She ultimately ran from that facility and on August 12, 2022 was shot. The bullet remains in her leg which is causing her continued distress.
In December, 2022, according to the public guardian, the child self-selected a placement with a 24-year-old man, named Erick Johnson. “Ultimately, Mr. Johnson passed placement clearance and was approved by DCFS to be her fictive kin foster parent.” Apparently, Mr. Johnson was a pimp with a lengthy criminal history. Presently he is incarcerated at the Cook County jail.
* From the governor’s office…
In this case, the 16-year-old was placed with a friend of the family with the support of both her birth and adoptive mothers and the guardian ad litem in an effort to provide her with stability due to her history of running away from previous placements.
Over the next several months DCFS regularly met with the friend of the family as well as the adoptive and birth mothers and the guardian ad litem on a placement plan. These are the individuals with parental rights and responsibilities related to the child and DCFS, therefore, works closely with them to determine an appropriate plan of action for the child.
The child has since been removed from this household and there are no other foster or adoptive children living in this household. The child is currently in the care of a DCFS private partner and DCFS is working expeditiously to find a permanent and medically appropriate placement for this child that will provide her with the care she requires.
*** UPDATE *** It turns out, the Cook County Public Guardian is the girl’s guardian ad litem. From Charles Golbert…
I saw DCFS’s disingenuous statement. We are the child’s Juvenile Court-appointed attorney and guardian ad litem. It’s true that the girl expressed an interest in living with Johnson. DCFS represented that Johnson had passed DCFS’s placement clearance, and that DCFS had approved Johnson as a paid fictive kin placement for her. Under DCFS’s regulations, DCFS must perform a criminal background check on an individual before he or she can pass DCFS’s placement clearance.
DCFS either never did this required background check on Johnson or, if DCFS did do this required background check, it did not do so competently or was not concerned about his lengthy record. We most certainly never told DCFS, or anyone else, that we supported DCFS placing her with Johnson if DCFS’s required background check came back to DCFS with a record as long as an arm including Johnson being a three-time felon. Moreover, as is clear from the judge’s order entered yesterday in the case, DCFS also never disclosed to the court that Johnson had this extensive criminal background despite DCFS passing him for placement clearance and approving him as a paid fictive kin placement.
Two officers at Pontiac Correctional Center were attacked earlier this week, marking the third assault on staff at the facility in just five months.
According to Will Lee, President of AFSCME Local Chapter 494, two inmates jumped on the officers in the law library Wednesday morning. Both officers were taken to the hospital, with one released the same day. The other required additional treatment, and was taken to a different hospital to have more work done. There’s no word on his condition, per privacy reasons.
Both of the inmates are identified. Their names are confidential, pending more information from the Department of Corrections. It’s unknown if they’re facing charges.
The latest in a string of attacks at Pontiac, Lee says not much has changed since their demonstrations last fall calling for additional security measures at the facility. He points to a continued lack of staffing as the primary reasons. For now, the union has monthly meetings with facility management, with union members bringing up consistent issues.
* Pantagraph story about a teacher who quit after parental rage…
A Heyworth teacher has resigned following public backlash over a sex education book in her classroom.
The Heyworth school board approved a separation agreement at a special meeting Thursday with eighth grade English teacher Sarah Bonner. The vote came after a closed session and more than an hour of public comment, generally in her favor.
Bonner declined a request for an interview with The Pantagraph following the meeting.
The book in question was Juno Dawson’s “This Book is Gay,” a young adult nonfiction work on sexuality and gender. It was not in the school library but was Bonner’s own book in her classroom, Superintendent Lisa Taylor said.
Parent Jeff Klawitter, who spoke twice, said the issue had nothing to do with Bonner’s teaching style but he believed the book was inappropriate and was brought into the classroom without his or other parents’ knowledge.
* For no reason in particular, here’s the Illinois unemployment rate since 1976…
* ICC…
Chicago, IL – The Illinois Commerce Commission released its annual report on accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials (hazmat) on Illinois railroads. Of the 8,549 rail cars inspected in 2022, the ICC found violations in just 1.3 percent of all inspections. When these inspections first started in 1981, violations topped 12 percent.
“The disaster in East Palestine has rightfully turned attention to our nation’s rail safety efforts. Our hazardous materials report is an important resource for understanding the kinds of incidents that occur on Illinois railways and helps the Commission to inform its ongoing safety measures,” said ICC Chairman Carrie Zalewski. “Investigating these incidents when they occur is critical, but the goal of routine inspections is ultimately to minimize and prevent these disasters from occurring in the first place.”
To help prevent hazmat disasters, ICC inspectors conduct frequent field checks to evaluate signals, track structure, operating practices, and hazardous materials transported by rail. In cooperation with Federal Railroad Administration inspectors, ICC inspectors focus on railroad mainline tracks, rail yards, and the industrial facilities of shippers and consignees of hazardous materials. Any violations or defects discovered, regardless of severity must be corrected to prevent serious incidents.
In addition to routine inspections, the ICC’s Hazardous Materials Safety Program includes technical assistance to shippers, consignees, and rail carriers; the inspection and escort of nuclear materials; and education and outreach activities. To keep communities safe in the event of a derailment, ICC works with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to provide technical aid to local emergency responders and investigate the cause of hazmat incidents.
The ICC is required by law to prepare a report on hazmat accidents for the General Assembly including the location, substance involved, amounts involved, and the suspected reason for each accident, as well as the rail line and point of origin of the hazardous material involved in each accident. Three categories of information contained in the report have also been added by the ICC’s Railroad Safety Section to make the report more useful. These include the type of equipment involved, date of incident, and the amount of hazardous material released in the accident. “Amount Released” is distinct from the required “Amount Involved.” “Amount Involved” is simply the quantity of commodity that was being transported; the “Amount Released” into the environment by an accident is far more critical.
To read the report on accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials on railroads in Illinois click here.
* “Entry is free for high school and college kids”…
Looks like grooming /s.
…Adding… I forgot about a pic I had. This press release reminded me…
Last night, Illinois State Representative Jennifer Sanalitro (R-Bloomingdale) celebrated the unanimous passage of her first bill through the House of Representatives. The legislation – HB2094 – aims to protect homeowners from deceptive mortgage marketing practices. The bill cracks down on bad actors who take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners, specifically those who are new to the home buying process and seniors who may be more vulnerable to deceptive marketing tactics.
She was wearing a red jacket loaned to her by former Rep. Randy Ramey. It used to be, freshmen were compelled to wear Ramey’s red jacket during floor debate on their first bills. But like most other freshman hazing rituals, the tradition was (thankfully) abandoned…
That’s just a wee bit big on her.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WBEZ | Illinois Democrats spending big to combat ‘extremist conservatives’ in school board races: Historically, voter turnout for school board elections are low, and don’t make headlines beyond the given community. But in recent years, school board meetings and elections across the country have become more contentious over topics like COVID-19 mitigation policies, book bans and diversity, equity and inclusion curriculum.
* Daily Southtown | Palos Park mayoral candidates share their plans to increase community engagement: Milovich-Walters said she’d like to establish a welcome committee made up of community members to help get the word about businesses, events and organizations. The committee would make brochures with information and talk with residents, particularly new residents, to engage them with the community.
* WGN | CPD officer Danny Golden files lawsuit against now-closed Beverly bar: Sean’s Rhino Bar and Grill — which closed last year and remains for sale — violated its liquor license, ignored capacity restrictions and did not have security guards working on the night that Golden was shot last July, according to the lawsuit filed last month by Golden and his brother, who was also wounded in the shooting.
* AP | Rap artist Afroman sued by officers who raided his home: Seven law enforcement officers have sued rap artist Afroman, accusing him of improperly using footage from a police raid on his Ohio home last year in his music videos. Four deputies, two sergeants and a detective with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office brought the suit earlier this month, claiming invasion of privacy. Other law enforcement officers who were involved in the raid are not named as plaintiffs.
* Yesterday was the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan…
A commemoration of Muhammad’s first revelation, the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.
Fasting from dawn to sunset is fard (obligatory) for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, breastfeeding, diabetic, or menstruating. The predawn meal is referred to as suhur, and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar
* For the first time, the Illinois House has two Muslim freshmen. The House paused at sunset so the two members, Reps. Abdelnasser Rashid and Nabeela Syed, could speak. It’s definitely worth a look…
Speaker Welch catered the subsequent iftar.
* Rep. Syed’s speech was particularly touching…
I just wanted to add on that it is so cool to be here, to have the privilege to be on the House floor observing my fast. And even cooler is to have such kind and understanding colleagues who have checked in on me throughout the day, who have asked me questions about this important month, my favorite month of the year. And I’m just so, so grateful to live in a state that is so inclusive and so welcoming to religious minorities, to racial minorities, to women. So, thank you to my fellow legislators for making this state as inclusive as it is And Ramadan Mubarak. Thank you.
…Adding… From the meal…
When it was time for Iftar, we took a break from voting on bills for @reprashidil and I to speak about the importance of this month. Then, a few of us gathered in the back to eat a wonderful, halal meal that was catered by @SpeakerWelchIL. pic.twitter.com/HlfSgOg0Bz
In the latest poll conducted by Victory Research on March 20-22, Paul Vallas saw his lead over Brandon Johnson shrink from six points to two, 46.3% to 44.2%, from the previous poll conducted March 6-9. […]
While nearly 10% of voters remain undecided, 15.5% say they could still change their mind.
More here, but some trends outside of the 3.45 MoE are emerging as voters get to know the two candidates better.
By far the most important trend is that even after several high-profile endorsements by Black leaders, Vallas’ support among Black voters has dropped by 13 points since the last poll taken March 6-9. Johnson’s Black support is up by 11 points.
Johnson’s support is rising among women (up 4 points), men (up 6 points), age 46-60 (up 5.5 points), and progressives (up 11 points). Again, at least some of this is because people are just finding out who he is (and are overcoming their anger/disappointment that their first round candidate lost).
Vallas is up among men (4 points), White voters (10 points), Latino voters (6 points) and conservatives (10 points). His support among women is essentially unchanged, which is not a good sign.
And undecideds are down from 16 to 10.
…Adding… I chatted last night with an elected official who said the same exact thing, but I didn’t check all three of the pollster’s results today. Vallas is in the mid 40s, where he has been pretty much the whole time. Is 45-46 a Vallas ceiling? The elected thought it was and that Johnson would overcome it. We’ll see…
Victory Research has done three polls of a Johnson-Vallas runoff:
2/12-15: Vallas 46, Johnson 33 3/6-9: Vallas 45, Johnson 39 3/20-23: Vallas 46, Johnson 44
Vallas steady at 46 while Johnson is consolidating support. Looking to be a very tight race. https://t.co/Z6cBRY86HE
* Eric Zorn makes a good point today that Johnson’s endorsements are almost all expected in one way or another. Vallas’ backing, however, has included some shockers, including Jesse White. Whether it does him any good or not is yet to be seen.
* Oh, for Pete’s sake…
In debate, Brandon Johnson says the CTU never called for the removal of police officers from CPS schools, but the union signed a 2020 resolution asking the school board to phase out SROs. (CBOE shot it down, but LSCs did vote individually to remove some): https://t.co/HmWySrqd2Ipic.twitter.com/9LYPtzS7pX
Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas will be endorsed Thursday by leaders of Cook County Democratic Women, a grass-roots organization that works to ensure that women have a presence and a strong voice in national and local elections.
* And now let’s look at Senate Bill 2339, which was introduced back in 2018…
Provides that if a law enforcement officer detains a minor for an act that if committed by an adult would constitute vehicular hijacking, aggravated vehicular hijacking, or possession of a stolen motor vehicle, the officer shall deliver the minor to the nearest juvenile officer as provided under the Act. … Provides that should the court order detention, the minor shall be detained, pending the results of a court-ordered psychological evaluation to determine if the minor is a risk to himself, herself, or others.
The bill was sponsored by then Sen. Tony Muñoz. It was amended in the House and then died in the Senate. Brandon Johnson weighed in at the time…
More legislation that criminalizes black children? This is stale & reinforces the attitudes that have led to the mass incarceration of Black people in our nation. Tired of being scapegoats to ignite fear and outright fantasies about the nature of crime in our city #VoteNo#SB2339
Chicago is dealing with a major spike in carjackings, with the Chicago Tribune recently reporting that vehicle thefts are up 55% since last year, the largest increase of any U.S. city. But when the state senate unanimously passed a bill to remove loopholes that allowed carjacking suspects to be immediately released with little penalty, Brandon Johnson spoke out against it.
Johnson’s opposition to this common sense public safety measure, coupled with his embrace of the extreme “defund the police” movement, raises significant questions about whether he can be trusted to make Chicago safer according to State Senator Antonio Munoz, who was the lead sponsor of the car theft legislation. Senator Munoz is announcing his endorsement of Paul Vallas for Mayor.
“Chicago has a serious crime problem and we need a Mayor who will side with the victims, not with the perpetrators like Brandon Johnson has done over and over again,” said Senator Munoz. “Brandon Johnson’s approach of defunding the police and opposing stricter penalties for carjacking is the last thing Chicago needs, and that’s why I’m supporting Paul Vallas for Mayor.”
Senator Munoz will be available for comment, if you would like to schedule an interview please contact xxx@xxxxxx.com.
Johnson’s extreme position on crime is clearly out of the mainstream in Chicago, with numerous public opinion polls showing that public safety is the number one issue and residents want more police presence in their neighborhoods.
“Carjacking is an epidemic in our city and it’s shocking that Brandon Johnson tried to stop legislation to ensure that car thieves are held accountable,” said Vallas. “I’m proud to have Senator Munoz’s support because he has a real record of making our community safer, and Brandon Johnson has proven that he can’t be trusted to reduce crime.”
Separately, Johnson’s campaign has manufactured an endorsement and claimed it’s Vallas’.
Context: Oppo research revealed Vallas on a conservative radio show a few years ago claiming Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot “act like dictators” for their pandemic executive orders.
The oppo prompted Republican Darren Bailey to talk about it on his Facebook live page, which Johnson’s team is calling an endorsement for Vallas. Bailey didn’t endorse anyone.
Johnson’s team isn’t giving up on pinning the Republican label on Vallas, who was officially endorsed Wednesday by former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn. Vallas was Quinn’s running mate in his failed 2013 race against Bruce Rauner. Though Vallas’ more recent stumble might be spending too much time on conservative talk shows.
It’s right that Bailey didn’t endorse Vallas, as we discussed yesterday. But Bailey didn’t just “talk about” Brandon Johnson. Bailey said that if Johnson was elected, “it’s going to be a dark day.”
Also, it’s not just that Vallas spent a lot of time on talk radio shows, for crying out loud, it’s what he said on those shows and in other venues. For instance…
After enacting $5.4 bi. in permanent tax hikes Pritzker thinks he can fool voters by offering $1 bi. in temporary election year tax relief. Meanwhile proposed state budget is unbalanced for 21st straight yr despite in $8.1 new Fed COVID relief.@MaryAnnAhernNBC@AmyJacobson@wttw
Vallas: Pritzker of course just announced that he’s lifting the mask mandate. You know, the science, it’s like, it’s more political science.
“Political science” was a common phrase used by covid deniers. Just sayin.
* An excerpt from the Sun-Times story on Johnson’s meeting with the Crain’s editorial board…
“Of course, we need the support of Springfield and the City Council [for things like the transaction tax]. … Yes, there’ll be some push and pull on this,” Johnson said.
“That’s why I’m best suited for this position. … I am collaborative. I have relationships in Springfield. My opponent has to figure out how he’s going to convince Democrats to work with him.”
He noted he “used to work” for Illinois Senate President Don Harmon and that Johnson’s three kids “grew up together” with Speaker Chris Welch’s children.
Johnson contrasted his relationship-building approach to Paul Vallas, whose Republican supporters condemned Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his stay-at-home orders during the pandemic.
“You certainly can’t expect the governor to respond to someone who calls him a dictator,” he said.
Johnson could probably offer to babysit the Speaker’s kids for free anytime, anywhere and he still couldn’t pass that transaction tax. It’s folly. But, yeah, decent point about Vallas. A case can be made that New York City’s mayor hurt the Democratic Party last year by focusing on their soft on crime ways. Vallas could be much, much worse.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Chalkbeat | Chicago school leaders foresee declining revenue but promise more investments: A district report last fall noted the city has shifted costs onto the district and could offload more expenses amid a transition from mayoral control to an elected school board. The report described the district’s financial outlook as “fragile” and warned of a potential $628 million deficit by 2026, which represents about 6% of this year’s $9.5 billion budget.
* Sun-Times | Johnson won’t identify ‘plan B’ for revenue if City Council, legislature resist tax hikes: Johnson’s plan to help bankroll an array of new social programs is the cornerstone of his anti-violence strategy. It initially included a “Metra city surcharge” to raise $40 million “from the suburbs.” It still includes taxes on high-end home sales and financial transactions; a revived employee head tax; increased taxes on jet fuel and hotel rooms; and “new user fees for high-end commercial districts frequented by the wealthy, suburbanites, tourists and business travelers.”
* ABC Chicago | Vallas, Johnson spar over Kim Foxx’s performance and policing in schools: “She has led with an incredible amount of integrity. She’s been part of the type of reform that’s needed,” Johnson said. But, Vallas voiced his concerns about Foxx. “She has not been aggressive at keeping dangerous criminals off the street, and the data clearly states it,” Vallas said. … “He remains a paid employee from the Chicago Teachers Union. At the end of the day, what has he run? What has he managed? He’s voted on budgets. He’s never managed a budget,” Vallas said. “We all know someone like Paul who has failed over and over again and continues to be allowed to fail up,” Johnson said.
* CBS Chicago | Johnson, Vallas get heated in attacks on each other’s positions in roundtable forum: One question raised at the forum to which the candidates’ positions has not made headlines before was whether Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has made Chicago safer. Neither Johnson nor Vallas directly answered the question, but their responses did not suggest they are on the same page about Foxx.
* CBS Chicago | What would Vallas, Johnson do to reverse downtown retail exodus? Both are short on specifics: “Michigan Avenue may have a vision for how they can revitalize – but yet the city regulatory department seems to be an obstacle,” Vallas said. Is Vallas short on specifics? Yes. But so is Johnson. “I’ve thought about this a lot,” Johnson said at a mayoral question-and-answer session earlier this week. “This is really about attracting innovative corporations to the city of Chicago.”
* The Crusader | Coalition of women in ‘spirit of Mayor Washington’ endorses Johnson: Among the scores of women attending a press conference at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in support of Johnson, was Dr. Jacqueline Jackson, wife of Reverend Jesse Jackson. She told the Chicago Crusader, “We intend to win with Brandon because he’s the best man for the job and I’ve always been for the very best.”
* Read Paul Vallas’ answers to Crain’s candidates’ questionnaire : “From the outside, from information that is publicly available, one might reactively advance proposals for spending and program cuts. But that would make proposals and prioritize solely on the basis of the portion of the iceberg that is above the surface, knowing that the greater mass warranting consideration is beneath the surface. This is further complicated by the fact that the city data is routinely flawed or fluffed, that most portions of the city operate without data-driven program and policy performance metrics and milestones, and more at the margin but not inconsiderable, a practice we came to learn in the last cycle of budget hearings of funds appropriated for specific purpose which the administration did not allow expenditure and implementation.”
* Tribune | Public safety and environmental concerns are at the forefront in 10th Ward runoff: Chico and Guajardo made the April 4 runoff out of the five candidates in the Feb. 28 general election. None of the five won a majority of the vote, forcing the runoff between the top two vote-getters. Chico garnered 40.5% of the vote in February while Guajardo got 26.5%, or about 1,000 fewer votes than Chico, but she’s been steadily beating Chico in fundraising.
* The Hill | Chicago mayoral race underscores city’s racial divisions: “Chicago has always been a city that has been very explicitly divided by racial politics,” explained Twyla Blackmond Larnell, associate professor of political science at Loyola University Chicago and faculty affiliate for the school’s Institute for Racial Justice. “Race is definitely one of the major cornerstones of how politics gets done in the city,” she continued. “Power is divvied up according to racial groups, but also you have to account for who in those groups has access to the social, economic and political resources that are needed to win elections as well.”
* The Triibe | What anti-CTU rhetoric in the mayoral runoff election reveals about Chicago: According to several people who spoke to The TRiiBE, anti-CTU rhetoric during the election is grounded in a perceived fear that if Johnson becomes mayor, the issues that CTU has been organizing around for more than a decade, such as education, housing, and healthcare, would lead to the disruption of the city’s status quo and the interests of Chicago’s elite.
* Block Club | 36th Ward Candidates To Debate Northwest Side Ward’s Issues Thursday In Ukrainian Village: Villegas is headed to a runoff April 4 after failing to garner a majority of the votes to secure reelection to his third City Council term. As alderperson, the retired marine has pushed for a universal basic income program and to reinstate the City Council’s Office of Veterans Affairs. He’s also endorsed a plan to reopen the closed 13th Police District in West Town, which was closed in 2012 as part of a citywide consolidation of police resources.
* Lynn Osmond, Larita Clark | Don’t forget tourism in the economic development equation: We all agree that Chicago is a great destination to live, work and play. As we look to the future, we want to work with the next mayor to continue to build a positive narrative about Chicago. This does not mean ignoring our challenges; rather, it is about recognizing our strengths while working to address our weaknesses. We need to share the positive stories about the city we love and talk about why Chicago is a great place to visit.
* Block Club | Tickets, Signs Not Stopping Illegal Parking In Bike Lanes Where 2 Cyclists Killed, Northwest Siders Say: The 3800 block of North Milwaukee Avenue near North Kilbourn Avenue — which has seen two cyclists killed since 2019, car crashes, illegal parking and ongoing construction — has been set to receive concrete curb barriers since the second half of 2022 as part of the city’s bike safety upgrade to the area — but less than half of the Milwaukee stretch has completed barriers.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias on Thursday plans to announce $21 million in grants to police departments and task forces across the state in an effort to tamp down on a three-year surge in armed carjackings.
More than half of that funding is earmarked for the Illinois State Police and the Chicago Police Department as the city grapples with some of its highest numbers of carjackings in at least a generation.
“It’s destroying communities,” Giannoulias told the Sun-Times ahead of the grant announcement. “It’s causing people to leave the state, making people second-guess putting their kids in the backseat. It can happen at 10 in the morning or 2 in the afternoon.
“We want to give law enforcement every resource we can to help identify and prosecute these criminals,” said Giannoulias, the first-term Democrat elected last year to replace the long-serving former Secretary of State Jesse White.
* Press release…
In an effort to combat the surge of carjackings and motor vehicle thefts in Illinois, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is awarding grants totaling more than $21 million to six police organizations.
The funding originates from the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council, which is overseen by Secretary Giannoulias’ office. The Secretary of State’s office convenes regular meetings of council members and awards funding to assist law enforcement entities – including the Secretary of State Police – to combat carjackings and prevent motor vehicle thefts.
“There is no single solution, but these grants give law enforcement needed financial resources, which will provide a greater sense of focus and effort to recover stolen vehicles and prevent carjackings that have been occurring all too frequently throughout our state,” said Giannoulias. “People doing something so routine as getting in their car and driving shouldn’t have to fear that they’ll be robbed of their vehicle at gunpoint. Working together, we will continue to not only make our roads safer but also our communities, neighborhoods and business districts.”
“ISP’s expressway safety enforcement effort brings together the full force of patrol, investigations, license plate readers, air operations, and other assets,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “These grant funds will energize and sustain those efforts to pursue violent offenders and keep reducing violence.”
“Partnership is essential as we work to prevent and investigate vehicular hijackings and motor vehicle thefts,” said Interim CPD Superintendent Eric M. Carter. “This grant funding will help us bolster these efforts and create a safer Chicago.”
“The Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Taskforce (ISATT) will use this money to expand our investigations into crimes related to vehicular hijacking, auto theft, insurance fraud, rogue tow operators and recyclable metal left,” said Secretary of State Police Lieutenant Adam Broshous, Director of ISATT. Lieutenant Broshous noted that nine of the 22 sworn officers that make up ISATT are part of the Illinois Secretary of State Police.
In 2022, there were 1,655 reported carjackings in Chicago, more than triple the amount in 2012, according to city figures. Meanwhile, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that Chicago saw auto thefts rise 55% in 2022, an increase greater than every other city in the nation. In 2021, the NICB reported there were 13,856 auto thefts in the city, which increased to 21,516 auto thefts in 2022. Statewide, vehicle thefts rose from 28,557 in 2021 to 40,505 in 2022, according to NICB’s most recent data.
Over the course of the next several weeks, Giannoulias will provide the police organizations the below grants. These initial funds are earmarked for use in the upcoming year, and organizations can request full or partial grant renewals over the next three years to continue efforts to prevent carjackings and motor vehicle thefts:
Expressway Safety Enforcement Group (ESEG) $10,264,503
Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force (ISATT) $3,381,759
Metro East Auto Theft Task Force (MEATTF) $2,456,527
Greater Peoria Auto Crimes Task Force (GPACT) $2,150,700
Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force (TCAT) $1,841,000
Chicago Major Auto Theft Investigations (CPD) $1,451,011
[Total] $21,545,500
The Secretary of State’s office collects an annual $1 assessment on automobile insurance policies from the insurance industry to fund grant awards. In addition, the Illinois General Assembly appropriated an additional infusion of $30 million last year to combat statewide carjacking and motor vehicle theft.
The council is made up of 11 members who discuss strategies to prevent carjackings, motor vehicle theft and recyclable metal theft. This council fell under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority from 1991-2017. Since 2018, the council’s work has led to 4,726 recovered vehicles valued at $92 million.
*** UPDATE *** From the governor’s office…
Today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) announced $20 million in grants have been awarded to 116 non-profit organizations across the state through the 2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The funding will be used to help organizations strengthen efforts to protect against public safety and security threats. Many of the grantees are places of worship, reproductive health providers, cultural institutions, and education centers who were deemed at high-risk of a terrorist attack.
“As Governor, my top priority has always been—and will continue to be—keeping Illinoisans safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This $20 million investment will provide grantees—from mosques and synagogues to education centers and cultural institutions—the resources they need to enhance safety measures amidst the rising tide of extremism. From Skokie to Peoria, Illinoisans deserve to be able to congregate safely with their communities, and that’s exactly what the Nonprofit Security Grant Program achieves.”
“When the nonprofits that provide spaces to worship, create, and educate are secure, our communities grow and thrive,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “In Illinois, we stand against extremism and hate. These statewide grants are part of our sustained commitment to help broaden protective measures so all Illinoisans can feel safe and well.”
Funds must be used for target-hardening activities, which include active shooter trainings, the purchase/installation of security equipment on property owned or leased by the not-for-profit organization, and the hiring of contracted security personnel. Security enhancements must be for the locations that the not-for-profit occupies at the time of the application, and the projects must be fully completed during the three-year (36 month) performance period.
“At a time when threats against cultural and religious institutions have occurred in record numbers, this critical security funding is particularly important,” said State Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield). “I am grateful to Governor Pritzker and IEMA for getting these resources to the places they are needed most.”
“Though we have taken historic steps to make Illinois the most welcoming state in the nation, there has been a rise in anti-Semitism, anti-Asian American hate, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and hate crimes,” said State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). “We must stay vigilant and provide as many tools in the toolbox as possible to root out hate. In that vein, I am grateful to the advocates and the work that was done to allocate resources to organizations in our communities to protect our constituents from harm.”
“The 116 non-profit groups will be able to immediately purchase and implement safety measures at their facilities,” said IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Security equipment, facility hardening, and other operational actions are just some ways these groups are increasing safety measures for their organizations.”
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the IEMA Office of Homeland Security will continue to identify all expanding threats and work collaboratively with partners to monitor all enhancements and document proven successes.
* On December 21, 2021, when Paul Vallas was substitute hosting for Dan Proft on WIND, 4,178 people were hospitalized with COVID-19. More than 300 people died from the virus that week, bringing the total number up to more than 27,000. Hospitalizations surged to 7,380 just a few weeks later, on January 12th. Hospitalizations didn’t fall back to the December 21st level for a month, and didn’t fall below a thousand until late February…
Amy Jacobson: It’s a two-week peak. So, we’re going to have a two-week peak here. So as soon as the cases rise, that’s quickly as they are going to fall. And they are going to say it worked because of the vaccine mandates. You know that. Because two weeks from now on January 10th, this is going to be a nothing-burger.
Paul Vallas: We’ll be having strains every year and this is going to be the new normal.
OK, let’s stop right there. We’ve never again had a peak like the horrific winter of 21/22. The mini hospitalization spike we had this past December was around 1,800. That earlier winter’s spiral hasn’t become the “new normal,” as Vallas predicted, because vaccines work.
Paul Vallas: But I think for people like Lightfoot and others this is an opportunity. Well first of all, this gives them the ability to make decisions unilaterally with no input. How many executive orders has Pritzker [issued]?
Amy Jacobson: 24.
Paul Vallas: 24. Illinois Policy does great work, great work in terms of reporting on these things. I mean, really them and CWB, and of course, Wire Points and I mean, they just do great work on providing really independent research and reporting. On these executive mandates, no legislative input whatsoever. So it gives them the ability to act like dictators. The second thing it does is it creates the perception that somehow they’re being decisive leaders.
That “dictator” stuff is the exact same rhetoric used by Darren Bailey and his ilk. The courts ruled again and again that the executive powers already existed in state law.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I do not envy Chicago voters.
…Adding… Speaking of Darren Bailey, this was posted by Bailey in May of 2022, during the Republican primary…
Caption?
Also…
Feds provide $5 bil. in new COVID funds for IL public schools and Pritzker agrees to increase state K-12 funding by another $350 mil. Yet, Governor still tries to SLASH Tax Credit Scholarships for poor families who send kids to private schools, saving a paltry $14 mil. Shameless!
*** UPDATE *** From Natalie Edelstein at the Pritzker campaign…
Throughout the pandemic Governor Pritzker spent every day fighting to save people’s lives and livelihoods. He did it by following the advice of the nation’s best virologists and epidemiologists, many of whom are at Illinois’ world class research institutions and hospitals. Leadership requires making tough choices and not pandering to the loudest voices driven by politics. The next mayor of Chicago may be called upon to lead in a similar type of emergency and residents deserve to know if their next Mayor will listen to experts or instead to right wing talk show hosts when making decisions about people’s lives.
Vallas campaign…
“Paul Vallas looks forward to working with state leaders in tackling all the issues facing Chicago, from making the city safer to improving education to confronting crisis situations whenever they emerge. As a lifelong Democrat, Paul respects Gov. Pritzker’s leadership and voted for him in the past election.”
WHO:
Sarah Hartwick, Executive Director, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association Education Foundation
Rev. Courtney Carson, Assistant Vice President of External Affairs, Richland Community College
Sen. Don DeWitte
Rep. Amy Elik
Rep. Suzanne Ness
Rep. Katie Stuart
Rep. Travis Weaver
WHAT:
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) Education Foundation will call for passage of several bills designed to build a workforce of the future by increasing education opportunities and removing barriers that prevent students from exploring jobs in the manufacturing industry.
Nationally, there are nearly 800,000 open jobs in the manufacturing industry, including tens of thousands of available jobs in Illinois. The IMA Education Foundation is dedicated to working with employers, educators, and lawmakers to enact policies that help attract, retain, and grow a skilled workforce. These efforts are vital to ensuring Illinois can continue to experience strong economic growth in the coming decade as more and more baby boomers are expected to exit the job market and companies will seek to fill the resulting knowledge and experience gaps.
WHEN:
Wednesday, March 22
10:30 a.m.
* HB361 is currently on Second Reading. Block Club Chicago…
The Illinois Work Without Fear Act — House Bill 361 — would fill gaps in Illinois employment law to ensure companies can be punished if they retaliate against workers by calling immigration officials or making other immigration-related threats when the workers report violations, state leaders and policy experts said.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and state Rep. Lilian Jiménez were joined by members of workers rights’ groups Arise Chicago, Raise the Floor Alliance and United Workers Center to announce the bill Monday morning. […]
Raoul’s office has investigated unsafe working conditions during the pandemic, but many employees were fearful of speaking to authorities due to potential retaliation, he said.
“To encourage people to stand up, we need to ensure they will not be punished for doing so,” Raoul said.
Lawmakers are considering a bill that would treat ride-share companies such as Uber and Lyft as “common carriers,” opening them up to the same level of liability as other forms of public
transportation.
House Bill 2231 passed on the House floor this week with a 73-36 vote. The bill now awaits consideration in the Senate.
The common carrier status is defined as a “standard of care” under which passengers surrender their safety to certain modes of transportation. Currently in Illinois, this includes taxicabs, railways and elevators, among others. […]
“One of the reasons these entities have been so successful has been costs aren’t as great as they are with other entities,” Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, said during the House debate. “So by increasing regulations or burdens on business then we may drive them out or make them less successful.”
* Pastor Walter P. Turner, III of New Spiritual Light MB Church…
Dear Illinois General Assembly Member:
RE: House Bill 2231
As leaders representing communities throughout Illinois, we are writing to express our concerns about the impact House Bill 2231 could have on our neighborhoods. As written, the current bill will hurt Black & Hispanic residents who rely on Uber and Lyft for both income and reliable transportation.
By making Illinois the only State in the nation to treat Transportation Network Companies / Transportation Network Providers (“TNCs”) as common carriers, the legislature would drastically increase insurance costs, likely making it difficult for many in our communities to afford rides. Worse yet - the increased costs wouldn’t go to drivers, who would see decreased demand, forcing many of the tens and thousands of residents who use these platforms to earn money to find other work. With far fewer drivers, and unaffordable rides, TNC’s will end up serving only areas of our state that can regularly afford rides.
Importantly, if passed, the bill would likely require rideshare drivers to get fingerprinted in order to work with Uber or Lyft - the only state in the country that would have such a requirement. Unfortunately, the FBI’s national fingerprint database lacks complete information, and is biased against Black & Hispanic Americans. When someone is arrested police take their fingerprints and submit them to the FBI. However, more than half of the submitted records do not reflect whether someone was even charged much less convicted for the alleged offense. Since Black & Hispanic Americans are wrongly arrested at disproportionate levels they’re overly represented in the database, and hence are unfairly impacted.
A report from the National Employment Law Project found that, “[N]early half of FBI background checks fail to include information on the outcome of a case after an arrest— fundamental information such as whether a charge was dismissed. These inaccurate and incomplete records seriously prejudice the employment prospects of an estimated 600,000 workers every year.”1 Thousands of residents could lose access to work overnight for crimes they didn’t commit. It’s why civil rights and law enforcement experts alike agree that fingerprint background checks should not be used for employment.
The proposed law aims to make Uber and Lyft more like taxis. Unfortunately, taxis have a long history of ignoring our communities and discriminating against people of color and any move to recreate the taxi system is likely to recreate the same issues. Uber and Lyft are not perfect, but they’ve provided safe reliable transportation to communities left behind by taxis and mass transit. HB2231 looks to turn back the clock and leave our communities behind. I’d urge you to vote no.
* Illinois Freedom Caucus…
The Illinois Freedom Caucus is issuing the following statement on the proposals to bring Rank Choice voting to Illinois.
“One of the major issues facing our state is rank choice voting, which is a system of voting allowing voters to rank their list of candidates.
It is an expensive and impractical form of voting especially for a state the size of Illinois. Voting has always been based on the premise of ‘One Person – One Vote.’ We already have frequent voting irregularities undermining voter confidence in the safety and security of our elections. Turning our electoral process into something akin to the convoluted Hall of Fame balloting process is not the way to restore confidence in our elections.
Instead of focusing on rank choice voting, we need to prioritize restoring integrity to our elections. Elections should be free and fair. We support reforms such as measures to require the State Board of Elections to set up and maintain a system to track all mail in ballots (HB 1139), to ensure deceased individuals are removed from voter rolls (HB 1140) or to require photo IDs for voting (HB 1141). We need to be debating these reforms instead of completely upending our electoral process with rank choice voting.”
* SB1444 has been re-referred to Assignments. Press release…
To promote child care access and affordability, State Senator Mike Simmons took part in the White House State Legislative Convening on Tuesday, speaking on Illinois’ paid leave legislation and his proposed child tax credit.
“It was an honor to meet with White House officials and fellow Federal and State legislators today,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Working parents are struggling more than ever before, and it is time we find solutions at State and Federal levels to help provide families with affordable and accessible child care and services. I want the next generation of moms, dads, caretakers, aunts, uncles, grandparents and children to live dignified and abundant lives where they are not always struggling to meet the most basic expenses.”
During the meeting, Simmons highlighted Senate Bill 1444, which would create an Illinois Child Tax Credit for eligible low- and middle-income Illinois families. Families would receive a $700 tax credit for each child under the age of 17, benefitting joint filers earning less than $75,000 and single filers earning less than $50,000.
“Children need to feel secure that their needs are being met,” said Simmons. “And every parent deserves to raise their children without chronic economic stress. I am proud of the recent steps forward Illinois has taken to support childcare access, and the proposals that are being considered this session, such as the state-level child tax credit I’ve introduced. The Biden Administration has made many important strides in passing policy that has provided families with relief, and I am honored to join the White House today for this timely discussion.”
Simmons also spoke about the recent signing of the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, chief-sponsored by Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood). The Act made Illinois the third state in the U.S. to guarantee paid leave. Under the new law, employees in Illinois will be provided a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave per year that can be used for any reason. Starting on March 31, 2024, or 90 days following commencement of employment, workers can begin using their earned time off for any reason without the requirement of providing documentation to their employer.
* HB1374 was re-referred to Rules Committee on the 10th. Center Square…
Police and firefighter shortages are an issue for many communities across Illinois. State Rep. Dave Vella, D-Rockford, told The Center Square that the workforce is aging and vacancies need to be filled.
Vella introduced House Bill 1374 to give local high school students a community college track that will lead directly to law enforcement and firefighting careers. […]
Vella’s vision is to develop a two-year community college degree that includes an internship in police work or firefighting. When the students complete the two-year associate degree, they will be prepared to take the police or the firefighter academy tests. […]
Offering a community college associate degree along with internships designed by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board is the pipeline that Vella envisions.
…Adding… Press release…
Leaders from the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association (IHHA) will testify before the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 3 PM in room 212 of the State Capitol. The subject of the Committee will be SB1732 and a portion of the law that gives Hawthorne Racetrack veto power over any entity that seeks to build a racetrack within 35 miles of the Hawthorne Racetrack in Stickney. The IHHA will testify in favor of sunsetting the 35-mile rule.
While IHHA members would be happy to race at any track owned by Hawthorne, the organization must act in the best interests of its members. Hawthorne has been slow to secure financing to develop a racino at their current racetrack during the last two years. Therefore, there is considerable concern that Hawthorne will be able to secure funding for a second racetrack and casino at the same time that they work to finance the build-out of what they call a shovel ready racino.
Horse racing is an agricultural and economic engine in Illinois that has ramifications well outside of Chicago. With the closure of Arlington Racetrack, Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses must share a racing calendar at Hawthorne Racecourse, the only track left in the Chicago region. The horse racing industry in Illinois desperately needs a second racetrack so that each breed can race in a dedicated space.
Because the second racetrack must be located in southern Cook County, and Hawthorne Racecourse has voiced their intention to build that racecourse, no other entity is even able to float a plan for construction without at the very least, bringing Hawthorne in as a partner. Unless a change is made, more breeding farms, training centers and jobs will be lost to other states.
The 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act is best remembered for the bailout of two nuclear power plants, which funneled more than $230 million of revenue annually to Exelon thanks to surcharges on monthly electric bills statewide.
That was just one portion of a heaping plate of revenue. While most of the focus — and controversy at the time — was on the nuke subsidies, the value of that law to Exelon’s utility subsidiary, Commonwealth Edison, was an estimated $1.8 billion. […]
But what likely accounts for the surprisingly lucrative aspect of FEJA for ComEd is that it was allowed for the first time to profit on its investments in energy efficiency — programs designed to help households and businesses use less power. Those programs existed before FEJA, but the charges to ratepayers were mere pass-throughs and included no profit kickers. […]
Asked to react, ComEd spokesman Paul Elsberg declined to discuss the $1.8 billion estimate. But, he said, “Without commenting on specific witness testimony, the bottom line is that FEJA provided substantial benefits to customers served by all electric utilities across Illinois, including by significantly expanding energy efficiency programs that have saved ComEd customers more than $7 billion on their electric bills, preserving nuclear plants that provide 24/7 carbon-free energy and the thousands of jobs associated with them, spurring new investment in renewable energy projects, and funding programs that train workers for clean energy jobs.”
But the utility’s fortunes really turned with the passage of the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act in 2011 – another of the laws central to the government’s theory of ComEd’s alleged bribery scheme. Included in that law, also known as “Smart Grid” legislation, was an overhaul of the way consumer electric rates were calculated. The new process, known as formula ratemaking, created a new tool for ComEd to recoup what it said was the true cost of running and improving electric service for its customers in northern Illinois. […]
However, the 2011 law included a provision that automatically “sunset” the formula rates a few years after they first took effect, necessitating ComEd to go back to the General Assembly to ask for the renewal of formula rates.
Toward the end of Vogt’s lengthy testimony on Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Schwartz asked Vogt “what control” the sunset provision gave Madigan “over ComEd’s financial future.”
“A fair amount,” Vogt said.
He loved sunsets more than any southwest Florida resident.
* We talked yesterday about the Senate Democrats’ 2018 TV ads that pushed legislative leader term limits and mentioned Madigan by name. The Sun-Times has the full exchange, but here’s a telling excerpt where Madigan is mulling what he’s going to say to then Senate President John Cullerton…
MADIGAN: And number three, John, do you understand the position you’ve put me in? In terms of do I do something or do I do nothing. So, do I just do nothing about this or do I do something about it?
You did not want to be on the receiving end of that sort of message. Whew.
Illinois state Rep. Bob Rita told jurors in the “ComEd Four” bribery trial Monday that former House Speaker Michael Madigan for years had “total control” of the state General Assembly and ruled his fellow Democrats “through fear and intimidation.” […]
Rita also said Madigan was “very good at raising money,” and that his control of the purse strings come election time made members dependent upon his support for their political survival.
Rita said Madigan valued “loyalty to himself, to the caucus, to the party” above all else. He said he counted himself as among Madigan’s loyal supporters in the 18 years they served in the House together.
Asked how Madigan typically exercised his power, Rita paused for a second before saying flatly, “Through fear and intimidation.”
And when asked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker if he’d personally experienced that aggressive tactic, Rita responded, “yes.”
If anyone gets angry at Rep. Rita for saying what he said, they must’ve either forgotten that Madigan wanted people to fear him, or they were part of his mechanism. It’s just how things were done. Nobody ever denied it. He deliberately cultivated the image.
Federal prosecutors planned to have Rita testify about McClain’s role in the gaming legislation. They alleged in a court filing that Rita met with the speaker in his office in 2013, where Madigan told Rita that Rita would sponsor a major gaming bill. When the meeting ended, Madigan walked Rita out of his office and McClain was standing near the doorway.
Madigan pointed to McClain and said “he will guide you,” according to the feds.
U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber barred prosecutors Monday from getting into the topic of gaming at the request of defense attorneys, though. Rita is also likely to testify about the influence that McClain — a ComEd lobbyist —Â had on the passage of another bill Rita sponsored: the Future Energy Jobs Act, or FEJA.
FEJA is one of the key pieces of legislation at issue in the trial.
Rita says he grew "frustrated" that he wasn't more involved in more meetings about the legislation, which were being run by Heather Wier Vaught. "I was looking forwqrd to being more involved in the process."
* Speaking of “our friend,” this is from a federal transcript introduced yesterday where McClain is explaining why he refers to Madigan that way…
I generally never refer to the speaker. I just say our friend. […]
—its uh, it’s just more, it’s easier because um, um I’ll never forget there’s one time one of the ComEd people were at a coffee shop, and it was the Speaker this, and the Speaker that, and the Speaker this, the Speaker that and the, right next to her at the table was Tiffany Madigan. […]
And so suffice it to say, about two weeks later she was no longer working for ComEd. […]
(Laughs.) And so um, the um, so if you just say our friend, no one really knows what we’re talking about so. So, uh that’s the way I’m gonna talk, if that’s okay?
…Adding… Ken Dunkin was mentioned in the trial yesterday as an example of Madigan’s power. Dunkin was again a topic today during cross-examination…
The Madigan-led Democratic Party of Illinois successfully ran a candidate against Dunkin.
"And that's politics. That's politics, isn't it sir," Cotter asks.
* Organized labor has been divided on Chicago’s mayoral race for months, but the split has been mostly amicable and professional until this week.
During the first round, the unions were scattered around, with progressive labor organizations like the Chicago Teachers Union backing Brandon Johnson, numerous trade unions staying with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Local 150 of the Operating Engineers and various Teamsters locals endorsing Chuy Garcia, and the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police going with their former labor negotiator Paul Vallas.
Since the runoff began, however, the unions quickly polarized, with trade unions lining up behind Vallas (Local 150 quickly switched gears, for instance, and pledged $1 million for Vallas) and more progressive public employee unions uniting with Johnson (including SEIU Local 1 and AFSCME, which sat out the first round).
* Tensions have been building in the runoff, including over race, and they escalated quickly yesterday when CTU President Stacy Davis Gates spoke to a national publication about the contest…
Organizers in Johnson’s camp say the CTU is the glue holding together a coalition, not the sole force of his campaign. Davis Gates noted that she and the heads of the local SEIU and SEIU Healthcare, also behind Johnson, are all Black, and her members are mostly women.
That shows union membership isn’t just “white guys in hard hats,” she said.
“The organized labor that’s behind Brandon are unions that have routinely fought for issues that lift up working people,” said Bill Neidhardt, a campaign adviser for Johnson.
“White guys in hard hats.” OK.
…Adding… The CTU membership is not exactly representative of the city nor the public school student population. From the Tribune in 2021…
Of the 22,000 CPS teachers, 48.8% are white; 22.3% are Hispanic; 20.7% are Black; and 4.2% are Asian.
About 330,000 students are enrolled in CPS, with 46.6% Hispanic; 36% Black; 10.8% white and 4.4% Asian.
* Trade unions have been criticized for a lack of diversity, mainly by Black and Brown politicians, but rarely has that criticism come from within labor itself. And the CTU president’s comments badly stung some trade union leaders yesterday. From the Building Trades Council…
“There is no room in the labor movement or politics for divisive statements like Stacy’s,” said Mike Macellaio, President of the Chicago and Cook County Building Trades Council, which represents 15 unions and more than 80,000 members. “The building trades are a diverse group of highly skilled men and women of every race, color and creed; and we committed to protecting the rights of every worker and opening doors for the next generation. Building trades unions funded the vast majority of the Workers’ Rights Amendment campaign, which protects every worker in Illinois, and we have invested millions in programs to increase access to apprenticeship programs and provide skill training to a diverse new generation of workers. We call on Brandon Johnson to make clear where he stands on Stacy’s comments as well.”
Tensions between the two union sides have existed for years, even before the issue of pension reform bitterly divided the house of labor in the past decade. Teachers unions and AFSCME refused to contribute to then-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s personal campaign fund after he pushed through a pension reform package. Some of the trades, which backed Madigan, then began publicly calling for pension reform to free up state money for things like infrastructure.
But then Bruce Rauner came along and his strident anti-union rhetoric and his publicly admitted decision to hold the state budget hostage until Democrats went along with his “right to work” agenda fused organized labor together like it had never been before.
The bond has mostly held since then because both sides have done pretty darned well under the current governor and there’s no reason to fight over crumbs, but the split has been particularly obvious in the mayoral runoff as the trades congregate behind the conservative White guy and the public employee unions align with the lefty Black man.
Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor is also concerned. “The labor movement fights every day to provide pay and opportunity to members. But we have to make sure that we can disagree with each other without getting to a point where it divides us — because the labor movement has to endure.”
Staying neutral: Neither the CFL nor the trades council have endorsed anyone in the mayor’s race.
Gates responds: “I truly don’t understand the response to my comment. And, I think we are saying the same thing: Labor is diverse, and its leadership is diverse, too. It is important especially for women during Women’s History Month to know they are represented at the highest levels of union leadership,” Gates said in a statement.
But it’s obviously more than just her comments about women which have sparked the ire of the trades.
* In response to the Johnson campaign’s statement that “supporters of Brandon tend to be the people who lift workers up,” a high-level member of the building trades pointed out that their unions - the so-called “white guys in hard hats” - put their money where their mouths were last year to back the Workers Rights Amendment…
The official noted that the money spent by teachers’ unions on the amendment ($162K) pales in comparison to the seven-figure sums those unions are now putting behind Johnson. That difference, the official said, “tells the story about lifting up workers vs. getting a contract this summer.”
