Stand by… Stand down
Friday, Aug 18, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Not sure yet what’s going on…
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* Tina Sfondeles for the Sun-Times…
At the official rally on the Director’s Lawn, Illinois House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, addressed Pritzker’s remarks a day earlier accusing Republicans of persuading GOP voters to “believe their lies.”
“The problem is that here in Illinois, we have a low tolerance for bull—-,” Pritzker said on Wednesday.
“Democrats’ tolerance for bull—— might be low, but their tolerance for corruption is apparently sky high,” McCombie said Thursday to cheers from fellow Republicans. “They’re huddled up right now on yet another trial brought on by bribery, lying and self-interest.” […]
Illinois Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, said most voters “don’t want the extreme, expensive, unsafe policies being shoved down their throats by the Democratic majorities in this state.”
* Capitol News Illinois…
Illinois’ National GOP Committeewoman Demetra DeMonte, meanwhile, strategized on how to deal with the issue of abortion.
“Abortion is a topic that kind of sounds tough to talk about,” she said. “And that’s pretty much what our candidates did in 2022.”
While the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade put the decision on abortion rights back to the states, DeMonte said, Republicans should push back against claims that it did more than that. And they should pressure Democrats to define the acceptable limits for abortion, she said.
“The Democrats won by spewing lies in 2022,” she said. “Make no mistake, abortion will be their number one on their playbook in ‘24. Why change a winning strategy? We are the ones that must change – we Republicans must put Democrats on the defensive on abortion.”
* Rick Pearson…
Party leaders also acknowledged that abortion rights, which motivated Democratic voters — particularly women in the once GOP-rich suburbs — and led to election successes last year, will remain a critical 2024 election-year issue that they will have to try to counter.
“Why change a winning strategy?” Demetra DeMonte, the state’s Republican national committeewoman, said of Democrats during a breakfast meeting of GOP leaders. “We are the ones that must change. We Republicans must put Democrats on the defensive on abortion.”
Noting an “unending drumbeat” of Democratic ads on abortion rights last year, DeMonte and other Republicans said the GOP must work to label Democrats as extreme on the issue.
* Craig Wall…
Republicans held their annual breakfast meeting Thursday, where navigating the abortion issue was another touchy topic.
“In Illinois, we’re not talking about life or choice. We’re talking about extremes,” McCombie said. “We’re talking about late term abortions. We’re talking about repealing parental notification. We’re talking about taxpayer funding. We’re not talking about choice or life in Illinois.
*** UPDATE *** Personal PAC CEO Sarah Garza Resnick responds to Leader McCombie…
At Personal PAC, we’ve been crystal clear: abortion rights. No exceptions. Leader McCombie’s rhetoric crosses a dangerous line, indeed calling reproductive choice back into question. This moment calls for the principled expansion of abortion access and improvement of equity across the state. As a non-partisan advocacy organization, we would welcome the partnership and support of any General Assembly member or candidate in this fight.
* The Pantagraph…
Still, even if Illinois Republican leaders wanted to redirect the conversation away from the former president and his legal troubles, there were signs of his continued hold over his party, including Trump campaign signs.
It is a reminder of the conundrum facing state Republicans as the former president is politically toxic, with moderate suburban voters needed to win general elections, but remains a favorite of the party’s downstate base.
This was clear in the Republican primary race for the 12th Congressional District, which features incumbent Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and former GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey. Both have endorsed Trump.
“It’s bogus, it’s a complete witch hunt,” Bailey told reporters at the fairgrounds on Thursday. “What’s going on should be illegal. We need more attorney generals across the United States actually filing indictments against Joe Biden and many of the other people in office.”
* State Journal-Register…
Bailey concluded his term in the state Senate in January after a failed gubernatorial attempt in 2022. He never ruled out a return to politics in the months following and announced his run for the Illinois 12th Congressional District in July.
There, he will face off against U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, a five-term congressman representing 34 counties in southern Illinois. Bost was not in attendance for GOP Day, but was joined by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for an O’Fallon campaign event that afternoon.
Bailey characterized the Bost-McCarthy event as a “sign of desperation,” from his primary opponent and attempted to link him as a Washington insider.
“Mike Bost has been very loyal to DC and I expect DC to be very loyal to Mike Bost,” Bailey contended. “When I get elected, my loyalty is going to go to the people in the 12th congressional district.”
* More…
* WAND | Illinois Republicans bash Pritzker, push for conservative family values in state politics: House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) said she’s optimistic for a productive session when she was sworn in for the 103rd General Assembly in January. While McCombie’s team consistently asked for meetings with Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, she said Welch was not honest or transparent with the House Republican Caucus. McCombie said the spring session was chaos and Welch showed he is the “master of mismanagement.”
* WGN | ‘Let’s talk about Illinois’: GOP leaders turn focus away from Trump at State Fair: There was visible support for the former president at a picnic on Thursday despite the allegations that he orchestrated a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. “I believe an indictment does not prove that you’re guilty,” Republican voter Paul Hofmann said. “I would like to see a change in venue. All of this is politics and politics can be a very brutal sport.”
* Sun-Times | Copi dokey? Illinoisans getting hooked on renamed invasive carp delicacies at State Fair: “We have been very busy,” said Darla Drainer, co-owner of the Grafton-based shack, which was contracted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to serve up copi. “People have been seeing the signs all over the place. People just absolutely have loved it. Every time I ask: ‘Thumbs up. Very good.’”
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* Highlights…
Illinois Hits New Record For Job Creation
- Today, the state of Illinois reported 6,153,500 non-farm jobs beating our previous record from January 2020 of 6,145,400.
- Illinois reported 5,334,000 private sector jobs, beating the previous record of 5,130,000.
- In the last month the state added 11,200 jobs, a .2% increase—that’s double the rate of increase of the nation as a whole.
“Illinois has experienced consecutive job growth every month this year, and today’s record-breaking total payroll jobs data is clear indication of the marked level of strength in the labor market throughout the state,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “As the state continues to prioritize investments in workforce opportunities, IDES and its partners stand ready to provide the services needed for individuals to take advantage of the new and expanding job possibilities across Illinois.”
* Full press release…
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.0 percent, remaining at the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic, while nonfarm payrolls increased by +11,200 in July, surpassing the pre-pandemic number of total nonfarm payrolls, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The June revised unemployment rate was 4.0 percent, unchanged from the preliminary June unemployment rate. The June monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +8,400 to +9,700 jobs. The July unemployment rate and payroll jobs estimate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.
In July, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job gains included: Educational and Health Services (+6,400), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+4,500), and Government (+1,900). The industry sectors with monthly payroll job declines included: Professional and Business Services (-3,000), Other Services (-900) and Manufacturing (-500).
“Illinois has experienced consecutive job growth every month this year, and today’s record-breaking total payroll jobs data is clear indication of the marked level of strength in the labor market throughout the state,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “As the state continues to prioritize investments in workforce opportunities, IDES and its partners stand ready to provide the services needed for individuals to take advantage of the new and expanding job possibilities across Illinois.”
“It’s clear that Illinois is making significant progress as we achieve this notable milestone for payroll jobs,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “Illinois is experiencing a banner year for economic development and DCEO remains committed to providing resources and support to job seekers and job creators across the state.”
The state’s unemployment rate was +0.5 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for July. The national unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in July, down -0.1 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was down -0.4 percentage point from a year ago when it was at 4.4 percent.
Compared to a year ago, nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +89,700 jobs, with gains across most major industries. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Educational and Health Services (+42,500), Government (+27,200), and Leisure and Hospitality (+26,500). Professional and Business Services (-12,400), Manufacturing (-10,200), and Information (-5,200) reported declines in payroll jobs. In July, total nonfarm payrolls were up +1.5 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +2.2 percent in the nation.
The number of unemployed workers was 255,100, the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic. The number of unemployed was down -1.2 percent from the prior month, and -11.0 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force was down -0.2 percent over-the-month and down -0.3 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.
In June 2020, Governor Pritzker launched Get Hired Illinois, a one-stop-shop website to help connect job seekers with hiring employers in real time. The site features virtual job fairs, no-cost virtual training, and includes IllinoisJobLink.com (IJL), the state’s largest job search engine, which recently showed 53,334 posted resumes with 107,599 available jobs.
…Adding… Crain’s with a little context…
The record comes almost a year after the nation passed its pre-pandemic total last September. But gleeful officials in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration trumpeted the news, saying it proves Illinois is on the right path.
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Another day, another DeVore loss
Thursday, Aug 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
A downstate judge on Tuesday dismissed a trio of lawsuits brought by a former Republican attorney general candidate challenging Illinois’ sweeping gun ban, citing last week’s state Supreme Court ruling that upheld the law in a separate case.
The outcome was expected after the high court in a 4-3 decision said the ban on an extensive list of high-power semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines does not violate the state constitution’s equal protection clause.
In that case and those brought by attorney Thomas DeVore, the plaintiffs argued the law violated the constitution by creating exemptions for certain trained professionals and for people who owned the now-banned firearms at the time the prohibition took effect, among other issues.
DeVore, who last year ran unsuccessfully for attorney general, said he plans to appeal Tuesday’s lower court ruling. […]
In addition to dismissing the case with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled, Jarman vacated temporary restraining orders that had blocked enforcement of the law against more than 150 licensed gun dealers and other entities as well as thousands of individual gun owners who were plaintiffs in the cases.
* From the judge…
This matter is taken off advisement. This matter having previously come on for hearing on Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, having considered the pleadings, the arguments, and applicable authority, now being more fully advised in the premises, I find and Order as follows: Plaintiffs filed the First Amended Complaint For Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief challenging the constitutionality of the Protect Illinois Communities Act, also known as Public Act 102-1116 or House Bill 5471.
In Count I, Plaintiffs allege the act violates the three reading rule contained in the Illinois Constitution. In Count II, they allege that exceptions to the prohibition of possession, and sale of certain weapons, and devices contained in the act, violate the right to equal protection. Count III seeks a permanent injunction against enforcement based on the grounds alleged in Counts I and II.
Since this court heard arguments on Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, the Illinois Supreme Court issued its Opinion in CAULKINS v. PRITZKER, etal. 2023 IL 129453. In that case the Court held that the exemptions contained in the act did not deny equal protection, and went on to say that the Plaintiffs in that case are not similarly situated to the trained professionals to which the exceptions apply. Based on CAULKINS v. PRITZKER, Count II is dismissed with prejudice.
The Court did not address the three reading rule, because the Plaintiffs in that case failed to cross-appeal from the denial of relief on those grounds in the trial court. The Illinois Supreme Court has, however previously held that because of the enrolled bill doctrine upon certification by the Speaker and the Senate President, a bill is conclusively presumed to have met all procedural requirements for passage, including the three readings rule. GEJA’S CAFE, v. METROPOLITAN PIER & EXPOSITION AUTHORITY, 153 Ill. 2d 239, 258-260 (1992). Based on the enrolled bill doctrine, Count I is dismissed with prejudice.
Because both Counts I and II are dismissed with prejudice, there is no underlying claim to pursue, Count III is dismissed with prejudice. Based on the foregoing, The pending Motions to Quash Non Party Subpoena and Motion to Quash Discovery Request are moot and not addressed.
The Temporary Restraining Order previously entered is vacated.
* DeVore’s response…
From the time Dan Caulkins copied and pasted my client’s complaint and filed it as his own and then hastily ran to the Supreme Court woefully unprepared to make a compelling case for gun owners in this state, I raised the strong likelihood that he would lose his case for the exact reasons the Supreme Court ruled. The lack of effort taken by Caulkins and his legal team is why the Court ruled that he had failed to meet their burden. I called it from the beginning. I commend the AG’s office for their skillful defense and ability to get Caulkins to do what they wanted, and I’m sure they are laughing at the naivety and ignorance exhibited by Caulkins.
Having said that, the IL Supreme Court’s decision that Caulkins failed to meet his burden does not bar my clients from being able to proceed to make their case that they are in fact similarly situated to all or part of the exempt class. The decision for dismissal by the circuit court in Effingham county was premature and in error as my clients have a right to make their case. The circuit court dismissed our client’s case without even so much as a hearing on the matter. As such, we will file a motion to reconsider immediately. In the event the motion to reconsider should fail, we will appeal to the Appellate Court and eventually the Supreme Court. We have evidence to prove the exempt class has nothing to do with training and our clients have a right to present it. Moreover, we will not waive our procedural constitutional violation of the three-readings clause, which Caulkins foolishly did, and we will present this argument to the Supreme Court as well.
Sadly, Caulkin’s ineptitude, and desire to have his five minutes of fame, has presently harmed millions of law-abiding gun owners in this state.
Caulkins’ Facebook comments have been bombarded. Click here for the vitriol. Whew.
…Adding… Heh…
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