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Wednesday, Jan 23, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WBEZ’s city hall reporter…

"Where I come from, if you wear a wire, someone is going to kick your ass," Ald. Matt O'Shea of Beverly on the news of Ald Solis wearing a wire.

— Claudia Morell (@claudiamorell) January 23, 2019

This quote should get played back for him any time he comments about lack of cooperation with police in black neighborhoods.

— the whole fruth (@mattfruth) January 23, 2019

…Adding… The great Fran Spielman…

Ald. Rod Sawyer says wearing a wire to snare colleagues and save his own neck is “not how I was raised.” Where he comes from, if you get caught doing something wrong, you “take your punishment and keep your mouth shut.”

— Fran Spielman (@fspielman) January 23, 2019

More…

Ald. Carrie Austin (34th), the always outspoken Budget Committee Chairman, was suddenly speechless when asked to comment about Solis.

“Not about Danny. I might cry,” Austin said. “You don’t do that. You just don’t.”

Rules Committee Chairman Michelle Harris (8th) offered a variation on Don Corleon’s infamous admonishment to his son in the movie, “The Godfather”: “Don’t take sides against the family.”

“I try to think that we’re a family down here and we all work together. So, I got to say it’s probably a little disheartening for me,” Harris said.

…Adding… Paul Vallas…

My fellow candidates have been extremely and unusually quiet today, so let me be the first to call out the latest episode around corruption at City Hall. I said it first and I will say it again – there is a “code of silence” amongst Chicago’s political elite – including many elected and appointed officials and those who lobby to them, many of whom have made generational wealth of the city. Today’s revelation that Alderman Solis wore a wire to tape criminally-charged Alderman Ed Burke is just the latest scandal at City Hall.

There was a code of silence around Laquan McDonald and cover up of the video tape. There was a code of silence around former Country Assessor Berrios and his outrageous tax assessment practices that punished working families. There was a code of silence around the $22 million no-bid contract that landed CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett in prison. There was a code of silence around Emanuel and McCarthy’s degradation and scapegoating of the police department. This has got to stop!

There are only two reasons someone would wear a wire when conversing with public servants: they are in trouble themselves and are seeking to lighten the consequences through cooperation, or they have a sense of integrity. I won’t pretend to know which is the case in this instance of Alderman Solis taping conversations with the charged Alderman Ed Burke.

However, the sense of betrayal that is being expressed today by some other aldermen is frankly disgusting. One alderman said Solis was like “family,” with the clear inference that Solis betrayed the family. If there is a family of aldermen like that, then it is a crime family with a code of silence – and every one of the machine candidates who got into this race after Emanuel bowed out is connected to Alderman Burke in some way or another. I will be holding a press conference tomorrow to talk more about those connections. It is time for a clean sweep at City Hall. We need a Mayor and a City Council that are honest and puts our citizens first.

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Pritzker signs EO committing Illinois to Paris Climate Agreement

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Surrounded by environmental advocates in the state capital’s Southwind Park, Governor JB Pritzker took executive action joining the U.S. Climate Alliance, becoming the 18th governor to uphold the environmental protections despite President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.

“I ran on a bold agenda to protect our environment, help our workers thrive and build the 21st century economy our state deserves, and now I’m taking action to join the U.S. Climate Alliance and stand on the side of science and reason,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “I’m proud to join the bipartisan coalition of governors and states committed to upholding the provisions of Paris Climate Agreement. While the president is intent on taking us backwards, I will work hard every day to move our state forward. We know that climate change is real. We know it’s a threat. And we know we must act.”

Advancing a key environmental priority, the governor officially signed on to the U.S. Climate Alliance which commits the state to the principles of the Paris Climate Agreement in order to protect Illinoisans from the damaging effects of climate change. President Trump pulled out of the international agreement on June 1, 2017.

Executive Order 2019-06 also directs the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to monitor the Trump Administration’s environmental proposals and identify opportunities to protect Illinoisans from environmental harm. The executive order takes effect immediately.

“Communities across America are facing the impacts of climate change. We need more leaders like Governor Pritzker that are committed to deploying climate solutions, promoting sustainable economic growth and creating high-quality jobs,” said Julie Cerqueira, executive director of the U.S. Climate Alliance. “We welcome the state of Illinois into the Alliance, and look forward to supporting their priorities and learning from their experience.”

“The governor’s commitment to clean energy will improve public health and bring new economic opportunities and investment to Illinois,” said Jennifer Walling, president of the Illinois Environmental Council. “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found that we have just 12 years to limit carbon emissions in order to keep climate change at moderate levels. Governor Pritzker’s executive action commits Illinois to the goals of the U.S. Climate Alliance.”

“By joining the U.S. Climate Alliance as one of his first acts in office, Governor Pritzker is showing the world that, even though Donald Trump wants out of the clean energy economy, Illinois is all in,” said Jack Darin, director of Sierra Club Illinois. “We can and must reach these climate goals, and we know we need to do so in a way that puts our workers and disadvantaged communities first. We know Governor Pritzker shares these values and can unite Illinois in planning for the 100% clean energy future we all want, and that starts today.”

“Climate change is real and Illinoisans are already experiencing its harmful effects,” said Sen. Melinda Bush (D-31st), who chairs the Senate Energy and Environment committee. “I’m proud to stand with Gov. Pritzker in acknowledging science and taking action to preserve and protect our planet. We must make every effort to secure Illinois’ place as a leader in the green economy”

“The governor’s actions today will put Illinois at the forefront of efforts to develop and use clean energy and take concrete steps to reduct carbon emissions,” said Rep. Ann Williams (D-11th), who chairs the House Energy and Environment committee. “We must get serious about pushing back on the dangerous environmental policies of the Trump administration which have left our communities vulnerable and put the public health at risk. Today, under the leadership of Governor Pritzker, we’ve done just that.”

The EO is here.

One thing he could do is come up with some reasonable and uniform statewide siting requirements for solar and wind power to prevent local NIMBYs from stopping reasonable developments. Counties are developing patchwork quilts of regulations, some reasonable, some less so. We need to standardize this across the state, but the various interest groups haven’t been able to reach an agreement on their own. An engaged governor could knock some heads and offer some capital plan goodies to convince folks to go along.

…Adding… Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…

While the Federal Government remains shut down, today’s announcement is an important reminder that the responsibility to protect citizens from the harms of climate change has fallen to the states. By signing on to the U.S. Climate Alliance, Governor J.B. Pritzker has taken an important first step in fulfilling his commitment to put Illinois on a path to 100% renewable energy by 2050, and he has demonstrated his leadership on climate action in the Midwest.