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Campaign notebook
Friday, Sep 9, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sen. Darren Bailey was in Sandwich yesterday…
Are you concerned about election integrity? You should be. Do you realize the Constitution has a position for us to serve in to monitor election integrity. It’s called poll watchers and election judges. The poll watchers, we’re training poll watchers, I am assigning pollwatchers into high-risk precincts that we’ve located. We’re going to train you, we’re going to equip you, we’re going to be there to support you. And as you’re keeping records and doing your job and see something that’s concerning, there’s going to be lawyers available that we can call and get advice and take care of business and activity if it so happens. Our state, our future, our children are depending on this, friends.
We’ve discussed his campaign’s emphasis on Chicago poll watchers before. It’s a huge waste of resources, unless he’s preparing the grounds for some sort of excuse about how he didn’t really lose. I mean, his campaign’s State Election Integrity Coordinator worked at a radio station which organized a January 6 bus trip.
* Equality Illinois…
Equality Illinois, the state’s civil rights organization for LGBTQ+ Illinoisans, on Thursday announced Illinois General Assembly and county-level endorsements for the November 8, 2022 General Election.
“Equality Illinois is excited to announce our state legislative endorsements today as we continue to make our state fairer and more just for LGBTQ+ people,” said Justin DeJong, Board Chair of Equality Illinois, a 501(c)(4) organization. “In recent years, Illinois has been a beacon of equality and inclusion. Ensuring our beacon continues to burn brightly is so important at a time when anti-equality forces have introduced more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state houses across the country. These endorsed candidates will continue to advance our progress as we keep fighting for equality and inclusion for all LGBTQ+ residents and visitors in Illinois.”
The full endorsement list is here. It’s quite long, so I asked my associate Isabel Miller to go through it and find Democratic incumbents who were not endorsed for reelection…
Sens. Patricia Van Pelt, Emil Jones III, Napoleon Harris III, Bill Cunningham, Patrick Joyce, Meg Loughran Cappel, Scott Bennett and Kris Tharp.
Reps. Jawaharial Williams, Angie Guerrero-Cuellar, Curtis Tarver II, William Davis, Mary E. Flowers, Cyril Nichols, Marcus Evans, Nicholas Smith, Frances Ann Hurley, Kelly M. Burke , Fred Crespo, Martin J. Moylan, Lance Yednock, Anthony DeLuca, Lawrence Walsh, Jr., Jehan Gordon-Booth, Sue Scherer and LaToya Greenwood.
* ILGOP…
Republicans from across Chicagoland joined together Wednesday night at the Jefferson Park Copernicus Center for a standing-room-only grassroots fundraising event to highlight the 65 Republican candidates running for office in Cook County and the City of Chicago - a historic number.
“Never before have we seen the grassroots energy that we’ve seen so far this cycle. A record number of Republican candidates stepped up and answered the call to run for office up and down the ballot in Chicago,” said Chicago Republican Party Chairman Steve Boulton.
Cook County Republican Party Chairman Sean Morrison added, “Voters are fed up with the dangerous ‘soft on crime’ policies of Kim Foxx and Toni Preckwinkle. We’re energized to take on their failed tax & spend policies that have given us record inflation across Cook County. It’s time to put an end to the institutional corruption of the Chicago Democratic Machine. Taxpayers can no longer afford it.”
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy echoed their sentiment, “Republicans are ready to take back our state after decades of mismanagement, corruption, and turning a blind eye to the rise in crime all across this great city. There’s no better evidence of this energy than the presence of so many great candidates who have stepped up and put their names on the ballot to take on this corrupt machine. The path to victory in November goes through Cook County and voters are clearly fed up with the status quo.”
Last month, the Cook County and Chicago Republican Party slated over 30 candidates for the November General Election. They joined the 35 Cook County and Chicago Republicans running for offices ranging from Illinois State Legislature, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, and Cook County Commissioner who were already on the ballot.
Several of their slated legislative candidates did not survive the petition process. Click here for the list of objections sustained and overruled. Only two were overruled.
* It’s tough to imagine the mild-mannered Demmer as some far-right MAGA guy, but I suppose the object here could be to make him deny that he is one…
With two months to go until the general election, it’s far past time for MAGA conservative candidate for Illinois treasurer Tom Demmer to explain why he has been a consistent anti-woman, anti-worker, pro-gun vote in Illinois.
Demmer refused to complete any candidate questionnaires during the primary, trying desperately to dodge his own far-right agenda and his support for former President Donald Trump, former Governor Bruce Rauner and GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey.
Voters are still waiting for answers to major questions such as:
• Do you stand by Darren Bailey’s extremist positions, his obstructionist voting record, and his divisive rhetoric?
• How will you prioritize fiscal responsibility after leading the voting bloc to help Rauner break the state by going two years without a budget?
• Why do you oppose common sense gun measures to restrict dangerous military-style weapons?
• Why did you vote against the Equal Rights Amendment?
• Why did you refuse to support critical health measures for working families such as a cap on out-of-pocket insulin costs?
Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs’ record of delivering for Illinoisans speaks for itself. Over two terms, he has:
• Created one of the best college savings plans in the country, increasing college savings from $7 billion to $17 billion and saving families more than $100 million in fees.
• Established a retirement savings program that travels with the worker, enabling over 100,000 workers who previously did not have a retirement plan to now save $85 million with Secure Choice.
• Returned a record $1.5 billion in unclaimed property and tripled the number of claims paid per year, streamlining the process such that some residents do not even have to file a claim in order to be paid.
* Pritzker campaign…
A new ad from longtime political loser Dan Proft and January 6-supporting megadonor Dick Uihlein calls Darren Bailey a “practical problem solver” — but his legislative record tells a different story.
Candidate Darren Bailey is quick to point out issues facing Illinois, but State Senator Darren Bailey has roadblocked progress by consistently voting against solutions every chance he got and is best known for trying to separate Chicago into its own state.
Following decades of financial mismanagement by previous administrations, Gov. JB Pritzker has enacted four consecutive balanced budgets and delivered an unprecedented amount of tax relief to working families. Darren Bailey voted against all four budgets and voted against pension consolidation, which takes pressure off of property taxes. Bailey also voted to raise property taxes 81% while serving on a local school board.
While Bailey often calls out “high crime rates” as a key issue plaguing the state, he’s also spent the last four years standing in the way of budgets that prioritize public safety and voting against bipartisan legislation that supports law enforcement. Bailey voted against the single largest investment to expand cadet classes in Illinois history, $10 million for a local law enforcement retention grant program, and $8 million for a multi-year equipment replacement program at the Illinois State Police.
This ad is just the latest in Bailey’s long pattern of saying one thing while doing the opposite. While he parades himself around as a “practical problem solver” — Illinoisans know the truth: on the issues that matter most, he’s all talk and no action.
* Pritzker campaign highlights the founding chair of Personal PAC…
Lifelong conservative and Winnetka-native, Marcie Love, is the latest Illinois Republican to denounce Darren Bailey and his radical plans in a new video released today. Bailey’s extremism continues to show he’s unfit for office, and Illinois Republicans are speaking out against his cruel and hypocritical stances on abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and health care.
LISTEN TO LIFELONG REPUBLICAN MARCIE LOVE ON BAILEY’S CRUEL PLAN TO ROLL BACK RIGHTS TO PRIVACY AND AUTONOMY
In my mind, no Republican woman and no man who loves a woman should vote for Darren Bailey. Unless you want him in your bedroom.
I’m Marcie Love, an 84-year-old lifelong Republican. I live in Winnetka.
I think of myself as a limited government person. I do not believe that the government should come between individuals and what they do in their bedroom or at their doctor’s offices.
That, to me, is very important. It’s a privacy issue.
When I hear that Darren Bailey is against abortion for rape or for incest, I think he must be a very cruel man. How can anybody be against abortion for a ten-year-old who’s a rape victim?
Rape and incest?
Tell me that. Tell me where their heart is.
If Daren Bailey wants to intrude in our private lives on the issue of choice, what else does he want to intrude in? What else, in personal liberties, does he want to take away?
…Adding… ILGOP…
llinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs has a long history of changing his facts. Last week, he lashed out against State Rep. Tom Demmer and the media for repeating comments he made about taxing retirement at the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce Forum in 2020.
FACT: Frerichs added one argument for the progressive tax is the consideration of taxing retirement income of those who can afford it.
Daily Herald, June 17, 2020: ‘Frerichs added one argument for the progressive tax is the consideration of taxing retirement income of those who can afford it. He said he knows people who receive 6-figure yearly pensions and do not pay income taxes, but the current system doesn’t differentiate between them and retirees who barely get by on their savings or pensions.
“One thing a progressive tax would do is make clear you can have graduated rates when you are taxing retirement income,” he said. “And, I think that’s something that’s worth discussion.”
FACT: Frerichs has been flip-flopping on whether he supports combining the offices of the Comptroller and Treasurer.
Chicago Tribune, September 21, 2014: “I think his statements on Israel bonds weren’t carefully thought out. It’s been one of the better investments in the state treasurer’s office,” Giannoulias said of Frerichs.
Giannoulias also appeared critical of Frerichs’ back-and-forth on the issue of combining the offices of state treasurer and comptroller. Frerichs had supported the idea, later appeared to back off the position, but then said he was in favor of combining the offices.”
FACT: Rather than taking accountability for his statement on retirement income or repeated flip-flops on the Comptroller’s Office Frerichs said everyone else is lying.
Herald-Whig September 1, 2022: “It is good to hear that Tom Demmer agrees with me in that retirement income should not be taxed and that the comptroller’s office should be folded into the treasurer’s office,” Frerichs said, in an email to The Herald-Whig. “I’ve been saying the same thing for years. Anything that contradicts these statements simply is not true. Anyone who contradicts these statements should be asked, ‘Why are you lying?’
FACT: Frerichs has been supporting a progressive income tax as a way of raising taxes since 2007.
Frerichs introduced his own constitutional amendment to create a progressive income with SJRCA69 in 2007 and followed with two more amendments SJRCA92 and SJRCA89 in 2008, SJRCA101 in 2010, SJRCA17 in 2013.
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* Click here for the A-1. The billionaire Richard Uihlein has already given $280K to McConchie this year.
* Statement from the Senate Republicans…
Since becoming Leader, McConchie has dedicated himself to significantly growing his Caucus. His commitment to doing so is proven by continuing to dramatically improve fundraising results, putting Senate Republicans in a position to achieve victory this November. As our fundraising continues to accelerate, he will ensure that voters across Illinois know they have a choice this election.
*** UPDATE *** The Senate Democrats just sent over a spreadsheet showing that committees controlled by Senate President Don Harmon filed disclosure reports today totaling $2.2 million, which is of course larger than the Uihlein contribution to the Senate Republican Leader. Click here.
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* Gov. Pritzker said this yesterday about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s sending people seeking asylum to Illinois…
At the staff level, our staffs have been in contact with one another. But they have been wholly uncooperative in Texas. They are trying to sow chaos around the country, not just here in Chicago.
* Tina Sfondeles called Texas…
The Texas Republican’s office in turn told the Sun-Times Pritzker and his staff “have at no point made any effort to reach out to Governor Abbott or his office.” […]
But Pritzker’s office countered that Illinois Emergency Management Agency head Alicia Tate-Nadeau has made repeated efforts to reach Abbott’s emergency management director, including phone calls, voice mail messages and a letter emailed on Thursday morning.
The Democratic governor’s administration provided a copy of that letter to the Sun-Times. It was sent to W. Nim Kidd, who serves as chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
The letter requests that a liaison officer be able to work with the Texas Department of Emergency Management to provide demographics and population of those on the buses, departure and arrival times and “anypertinent information related to overall medical disposition.”
* WGN…
WGN Investigates has learned several dozen of the migrants Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent to Chicago have now been relocated to a hotel in the suburbs without advance warning to the local mayor.
“I am concerned neither the village administrator nor I were told about this,” Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso told WGN. “We want to know: Why Burr Ridge?”
Just days ago, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot blasted Abbott for treating the migrants like “cargo” and not providing her with advance notice they were arriving.
“My frustration comes from the actions of the governor of Texas,” Lightfoot said Sunday, when the first bus load of 50 migrants arrived. “There could be a level of coordination and cooperation, but he chooses to do none of those things and instead tries to send human beings — not cargo, not freight — human beings across the country to an uncertain destination.” […]
The governor’s spokesperson issued the following statement:
The state is working with our partners at the City of Chicago and Cook County along with advocacy organizations to welcome those seeking asylum in the United States and provide them stability as they work to build a new life in Illinois. The state has a prior relationship with the hotel being used in the suburbs and their staff has done amazing work welcoming refugees and asylum seekers before, so it is interesting that local officials are choosing this specific instance to gripe to the press about this specific group of asylum seekers that consists of about 30 families. Gov. Pritzker has made it clear that Illinois is welcoming state and xenophobia has no home here.
Um, the hotel is in DuPage County.
* Fox News is making a big deal out of this seeming hypocrisy. But there’s a huge difference here. Texas is busing migrants to Chicago and publicly dumping them at Union Station without care…
Sources told the Sun-Times Texas officials opted to drop off the immigrants at the very public Union Station, instead of a welcoming center, where local officials had implored bus operators to send them.
Burr Ridge doesn’t have to do anything because the migrants are being brought directly to a welcoming center with experience dealing with this sort of thing. They’re not being dumped at some random bus station, where the town would have to expend finite resources to handle the influx. It isn’t remotely the same thing.
Still, a heads up might’ve been nice.
…Adding… The state also housed Afghan refugees in that hotel and not a peep was heard from Mayor Grasso or Fox News.
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Live coverage
Friday, Sep 9, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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* We talked about this last Friday. Here’s Greg Hinz…
Chicagoans in search of reliable political coverage in today’s fractured media environment have a new source this campaign season. But whether that source is news or recycled propaganda from a prominent political activist is most debatable. As are the actions of the big donor who’s apparently picking up the tab.
At issue is the recent appearance in mailboxes all around town of Chicago City Wire, a broadsheet publication that bills itself just below its nameplate as “Real data. Real News.”
In fact, articles in recent editions of the newspaper mostly are negative pieces about Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot, mixed with a little positive coverage of GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey. […]
Particularly striking in one issue are two pages of mug shots of people accused of violent crimes who may be released without bail under terms of a criminal justice reform bill Pritzker signed into law. At least 25 of the 36 men pictured are Black.
* Mary Ann Ahern…
In DuPage County, one of the papers, entitled the “DuPage Policy Journal,” showed two full pages of photos of men – mostly Black and Latino – whom the publication says will be released from prison because of the new legislation. […]
Pritzker says that the mailers are not marked properly as campaign material, and says that the reduction of local media outlets throughout the state has allowed the paper to gain circulation.
“When you get one of these in the mail, you should know that this is not a real newspaper,” he said. “It isn’t even marked properly as campaign material. It’s put out by this right-wing network of newspapers that we all know exists in Illinois, and they’re trying to take over where local, real journalism unfortunately has receded.”
Proft dismissed Pritzker’s concerns about the publications in an email to NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern.
“Newspapers spreading misinformation and representing only one point of view? Pritzker must be talking about the Chicago Tribune and the NPR/AFL-CIO (Chicago) Sun-Times.”
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about the papers again today…
Well, first of all, this is a messaging that’s coming from a racist political consultant, who used to associate himself with Illinois, now lives in Florida. And he’s sending messages that are, you know, if you look at what he’s printed, it’s clearly all about the idea that, again, what he’s printing, that Black people are threatening your way of life. That’s essentially what he’s putting in these publications.
It’s a scare tactic. It’s meant to have people you know, concern for their safety. And the truth of the matter is that what he’s purveying here is complete hogwash. I’m probably being polite when I say that. It’s disgusting. It’s a terrible thing to do. We’re seeing it more and more in American politics, and unfortunately, we hadn’t seen it as much in Illinois, until this guy, Dan Proft, I think it’s missing an ‘i’ because it’s really all about profit for him. But that’s what he does.
And frankly, he’s doing it on behalf of Darren Bailey. And that says as much as you need to know about Darren Bailey
*** UPDATE 1 *** We have some react. Rep. Deb Conroy…
The DuPage Policy Journal and the “papers” Dan Proft puts out are trying to scare people with lies. They printed and doubled down on the hateful líes that caused months of threats to my life and prevented me from not only doing my job but going out and gathering petitions to run for DuPage County Board Chair. This is not journalism, this is paid for lies for political gain.
* Senate Black Caucus Chair Robert Peters…
The following is a statement from State Senator Robert Peters, Chair of the Illinois Senate Black Caucus, responding to the growing number of racist attack ads paid for by far right conservatives. These include “The Summer of Joy” ad, the People Who Play By The Rules PAC’s ad, and the mailer in the form of a fake newspaper, “Chicago City Wire” with the lead story titled, “It’s going to be the end of days,” referring to the end of money bond:
“The drumbeat of racist attack ads intended to decieve and scare suburban voters into supporting anti-abortion, pro-assault weapon right wing radicals must be called out for what they are: Willie Horton-level propaganda harkening back to Birth of a Nation that has nothing to do with working towards real public safety.
“The SAFE-T Act is based on evidence, data, and solving root causes of violence. It dares to imagine a world–that actually existed up through the 1970s–where people who never posed a threat to others weren’t rounded up and thrown into jail. And, it’s the only criminal justice reform legislation that has the full support of domestic violence, sexual assault, and victims rights organizations because it protects victims over perpetrators.
“These right wing groups have no intention of keeping us safe–they only want a rope around our necks. The SAFE-T Act will not be part of a Willie Horton-style lynch mob carried out by January 6th Oathkeeper zealots.”
* His papers seem to have quite the fixation on the governor’s daughter…
*** UPDATE 2 *** Proft responds…
Governor JB Pritzker continues to attack private citizen, radio host and People Who Play By The Rules PAC President Dan Proft during press conferences around the state, first in Chicago yesterday, and then again today in Harvey while talking about the extremely controversial SAFE-T Act. On January 1st, thousands of violent alleged perpetrators will be let out of jail when HB 3653 applies statewide. 100 of 102 Illinois State’s Attorneys of both parties oppose the law. According to NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern, Pritzker said the following yesterday in Chicago regarding Proft’s association with local newspapers that have printed photos of some of the violent alleged perpetrators who will be released: “It’s pretty awful. These are lies and they’re putting them out in various forms, attacking people based on their background.”
All of the photos in the stories are accurate and publicly available, and all of the information printed is 100% objectively factual.
Pritzker comments in Harvey today: “Well, first of all, this is a messaging that’s coming from a racist political consultant, who used to associate himself with Illinois, now lives in Florida. And he’s sending messages that are, you know, if you look at what he’s printed, it’s clearly all about the idea that, again, what he’s printing, that Black people are threatening your way of life. That’s essentially what he’s putting in these publications.”
Dan Proft’s response:
“Pritzker infuses race into every, single policy debate. He never deals on the merits, particularly on public safety. He signed the state’s death warrant with his no cash bail law. Challenge to JB: name one specific item in the newspaper you excoriate that is untrue or inaccurate.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice takes up Proft’s challenge…
We have detailed four of the most egregious lies featured in the mailer here as a resource for journalists:
1. The mailer’s centerfold includes pictures of people—the vast majority of whom are Black—who it suggests are currently incarcerated in Cook County Jail. It then claims that under the Pretrial Fairness Act, they will be “released to Cook County’s Neighborhoods.” This is a lie. After January 1, 2023, judges will still have the ability to detain every person pictured.
Right now, any of the people pictured could be released from jail at any time by paying their money bail. In the current system, the amount of money someone has determines whether they can be released—not whether they pose a threat to someone else or are likely to flee prosecution.
The Pretrial Fairness Act ensures that the facts of a person’s case will be the main factor determining who is jailed and who is released pretrial, instead of the size of their bank account. When the Pretrial Fairness Act takes effect, a robust, individualized hearing will determine who is able to safely return to the community while awaiting trial.
2. “The Summer of Joy” section of the mailer claims that the Pretrial Fairness Act “mandates” that people charged with murder are released while awaiting trial. This is a lie. Any person charged with murder may be denied pretrial release under the Pretrial Fairness Act if they are found to be a danger to others or a flight risk.
3. The mailer features a list of charges that they claim are “non-detainable” under the Pretrial Fairness Act. This claim is factually incorrect; most of the charges listed are detainable if the person poses a flight risk. And anyone who is arrested for one of these charges while already on pretrial release for another crime can be denied release until trial.
4. Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow tries to sow fear by suggesting that Drew Peterson—a person convicted of both the murder of his wife and of attempting to hire someone to kill State’s Attorney Glasgow himself—would not have been able to be detained under the Pretrial Fairness Act. This is completely false.
Anyone charged with murder who poses a specific, real and present threat to another person can and would be denied release under the Pretrial Fairness Act. In fact, State’s Attorney Glasgow lays out in the article the exact facts that he would be able to present to a judge to have Mr. Peterson jailed without money bond under the Pretrial Fairness Act.
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* Center Square…
Fentanyl-laced mail is making its way into Illinois’ corrections system and some are demanding a change in policy to make it stop.
Scot Ward, president of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Corrections Lodge 263, said there are ongoing issues concerning safety of staff and inmates.
“There’s always a staffing issue, there’s always mental health for the offenders and the officers,” Ward told The Center Square. “There’s all kinds of things going on in the [Illinois Department of Corrections] that needs to be spoken about.”
But, Friday, in a statement Ward was critical of what he characterized as a system being watered down to appease special interest groups.
Keep in mind that Lodge 263 does not collectively bargain on behalf of corrections’ workers. AFSCME does that. The Lodge is a fraternal organization in this case.
* Ward’s full statement…
The environment in Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) facilities is becoming increasingly more dangerous for both correctional officers and offenders and there seems to be little or no movement toward improving the situation, according to the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Corrections Lodge 263.
According to Lodge 263, during the Pritzker administration the Governor’s appointee Camile Lindsay, who gives direction to IDOC, has dangerously shifted focus to an anti-law enforcement, criminal-centered environment that placates social justice advocates at the expense of accountability for criminal behavior.
“Over the last several months working conditions for IDOC officers have become increasingly more stressful and dangerous,” said Lodge 263 President Scot Ward. “There is no valid plan in place to improve the situation, and frightening tragedies will undoubtedly occur unless something is done soon.”
Illegal, synthetic drugs are entering IDOC facilities at a more rapid pace through mail sent to the offenders. These drug-soaked cards, letters and fraudulent attorney-client correspondence has led to an increase in offenders being under the influence of drugs, carrying out violent acts on staff and other offenders. In addition, IDOC officers handling the mail have been unknowingly exposed to these substances, and as a result several officers have required a dose of Narcan or an emergency room visit.
“Many correctional agencies in the United States scan the offenders’ mail and then deliver those scans to the offenders, which keeps illegal drugs from entering the prison through the mail,” Ward said. “We have suggested this solution to top IDOC officials, but to date no action has been taken to stem this postal poison flow.”
The system that holds incarcerated offenders responsible for their actions has been watered down through policy and law changes, Ward said, and the result is that offenders no longer fear repercussions if they harm or kill a fellow offender or an IDOC officer. Restrictive housing for offenses has been reduced or eliminated, fewer cases of offender violence are being sent to county state’s attorneys for prosecution, and parolees are not being sent back to prison for violating the terms of their parole.
“Offenders are no longer concerned about being punished for their violent acts, and that means they literally have nothing to lose by assaulting any human being they encounter in prison,” Ward said. “And if they are not accountable on the inside, how can you ever hope to safely return them to society once their sentences are over?”
The mental health of IDOC officers is also a major concern. Ward said that these men and women work in some of the state’s most dangerous environments and they are under the constant threat of violence, intense scrutiny, lawsuits, investigations, drug exposure, and the daily fear of walking into an environment where anything can, and often does, happen.
“What makes matters worse is that these officers are forced to work excessive amounts of overtime to deal with critical staff shortages,” Ward said. “The mental health assistance systems in place do not offer the anonymity that officers need to avoid the stigma and negative scrutiny of both offenders and their fellow officers.”
“Mental health professionals with experience in helping law enforcement officers must be made available to assist IDOC officers when needed,” Ward said. “IDOC administrators must also be open to the idea of mental health time off, assignment changes, and small acts of appreciation for officers.”
Camile Lindsey has only been in the governor’s office for a few months.
* I asked the governor’s office for a response. Here’s Jordan Abudayyeh…
The way the Fraternal Order of Police Corrections Lodge 263 views the system in which they work is problematic, but that should come as no surprise from the organization that previously sold shirts depicting its members as cage fighters and members of the incarcerated population as devils in hell.
While smuggling contraband through the mail is a challenge for corrections institutions across the country, let’s look at the facts— the Department of Corrections houses approximately 29,000 individuals and this year there have been less than 230 instances of synthetics being discovered in the mail. If every individual in custody received just one piece of mail, that comes out to less than one percent. We remain committed to ensuring that staff are safe and instances of synthetics being smuggled into facilities are treated with the utmost importance.
What seems to be the real problem for the union is that a Black woman is in a position of power and is working diligently to carry out this administration’s mission to clean up the Department of Corrections and ensure we are treating those in our custody with respect and with a focus on rehabilitation.
* Background from the governor’s office…
• The Department’s evolution to an incentive-based corrections model is an administration-wide initiative and has resulted in a reduction of violence within DOC facilities. The restrictive housing reform is in accordance with the Department of Justice’s guiding principles and ACA standards.
• The Department offers staff wellness training, which uses best-in-class curriculum as well as providing staff wellness teams that provide peer support for facility staff statewide on an as needed basis. The health and safety of staff and the individuals in custody is the Illinois Department of Correction’s top priority.
It was also noted that the shift iaway from placing individuals in restrictive housing is part of active litigation. IDOC is apparently trying to avoid a consent decree.
* Also, I’m having a hard time buying the “several officers have required a dose of Narcan or an emergency room visit,” line. The FOP swears this is true, and I don’t doubt that officers have asked for Narcan doses or visited emergency rooms. However…
* Fact Check-Overdose of fentanyl just by being in its presence is not possible, experts tell Reuters: “You cannot overdose just by touching fentanyl or another opioid and you cannot overdose just by being around it,” said Dr Ryan Marino, medical director of Toxicology & Addiction at University Hospitals, Cleveland. “It will not get into the air and cause anyone to overdose.” … Lewis S. Nelson, professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and director of the Division of Medical Toxicology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey, agreed with these comments, explaining that an overdose from fentanyl by being in its presence was “not possible”. … “All of the findings that we see on this, and other videos, are inconsistent with fentanyl poisoning and are fully consistent with a stress/anxiety response.”
* Accidental Occupational Exposure to a Large Volume of Liquid Fentanyl on a Compromised Skin Barrier with No Resultant Effect: The high prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply has generated concern among first responders regarding occupational exposure. Social media sharing of unconfirmed first responder overdoses after brief exposure to fentanyl may be contributing to an inappropriate risk perception of brief dermal fentanyl exposure. This case details a dermal exposure to a large dose of analytically confirmed pharmaceutical fentanyl (fentanyl citrate, 10 microgram fentanyl base per ml), over a large skin surface area. Additionally, the exposure occurred at a site with some skin barrier compromise, a factor that can increase fentanyl absorption. The patient underwent appropriate decontamination and underwent a brief medical assessment with no clinical effects of opioid exposure observed.
* Cops say touching fentanyl is making them sick. Doctors say it’s impossible: Pharmaceutical fentanyl is used in hospitals — often in the form of a patch — for patients with extreme pain. But even then, said Dr. Ryan Marino, an emergency medicine physician and toxicologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who uses #WTFentanyl to bust myths surrounding the drug, it’s not easily absorbed . “Fentanyl patches require putting fentanyl into special liquid vehicles so it can be absorbed through skin, and then sealing them against the skin for 72 hours at a time,” Marino said. “The patches took decades and millions of dollars to develop and are still incredibly slow and inefficient.”
* Jail Time For An “Imaginary Crime”: It’s Almost Impossible To Overdose Just By Touching Fentanyl, But People Are Being Locked Up For It Anyway: Despite this, people who use the drug are facing serious legal repercussions — such as charges of assault or endangerment of officers — for supposedly causing these impossible overdoses.
…Adding… FOP Lodge 263 response…
The Pritzker administration, once again, has decided to try and divert attention from a serious and deadly issue instead of taking care of the problem. They are playing the race card while putting lives at risk by their inaction.
The men and women who staff our prisons, many of them people of color, are facing more dangerous situations every day. As recently as Sunday, at the Western Illinois Correctional Center, an 18-page drug-soaked book caused several offenders to need medical attention and posed an extreme risk to staff.
So while the Pritzker administration plays the race card, they ignore the incompetence and inaction of the person who should be their advocate for change and safety in our prisons.
Color doesn’t matter, competence does. The 50 percent of our executive board and the large percentage of our membership who are people of color join all of their brothers and sisters in Lodge 263 in just wanting to go home safely to their families each night.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Sep 8, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Campaign notebook
Wednesday, Sep 7, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sen. Darren Bailey on Facebook yesterday…
And then finally as your children are off to school again today in public schools all across Illinois, unfortunately, they’re being taught woke ideology. They’re being taught CRT, they’re being taught sex education, and these curriculums have been elevated. That’s all that’s been talked about over the last couple of years instead of the math, the science, the reading, all of the history. History. We have got to start teaching our children how to live, how to work, how to thrive. History is very important, the real history because history repeats itself. History is repeating itself right now. History will repeat itself in a dangerous way if we allow it, but we can stop this.
* Vanity Fair interviewed Gov. Pritzker early last month, when people were talking about runs for president and stuff like this…
“I think it is disgusting,” outgoing Illinois congressman Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans on the January 6 committee, told CNN in late July of the strategy [by Democrats to help nominate far-right Republicans in primaries].
Pritzker brushed off the criticism.
An overwhelming majority of voters in the Illinois Republican primary selected Bailey of their own volition, and it’s insulting to their intelligence to suggest they were tricked into it, he told me. What’s more, “the ads that were run in the primaries were all ads that I could run today in the general election,” he said.
The GOP was fighting to “transform the state of Illinois into what Donald Trump wants the country to be transformed into.” What was he supposed to do?
“I was being attacked,” he said. “Don’t tell me I’m not allowed to attack back.”
* Kelly Bauer and Colin Boyle at Block Club Chicago report that US Rep. Chuy Garcia will soon announce a decision about a mayoral bid…
Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García is considering a run for mayor, he said Wednesday.
García — a longtime local politician and community organizer — would be entering an already crowded field, but he could pose a significant challenge to Mayor Lori Lightfoot. In the 2015 elections, when he last ran for mayor, he forced then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel into a runoff. […]
“I don’t want to pressure myself,” García said at a news conference where he and other leaders announced who they’re endorsing in various races. “I want to be as deliberate and as understanding of all of the issues that are facing the city of Chicago. The public safety challenges, the promise of new endeavors, and the area of public safety … .” […]
“In all seriousness, I am conflicted because of the responsibility that I have to help save and protect our democracy and our republic,” García said. “The threat against our democracy remains so violent. We’ve been hanging by a thread for the past year now or so. So I’m conflicted.”
* Speaking of which, here’s Mary Ann Ahern…
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is already facing a large field of challengers in the upcoming mayoral election, but a familiar face may join that crowd as former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says he is mulling a run.
Quinn, who served as governor after the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich and who was defeated by Republican Bruce Rauner in 2014, says that he will make his final decision within a matter of weeks as petitions begin to circulate for candidates.
“I think Chicago needs someone who can step in and rescue our city,” he said.
Quinn says that polling data shows a strong performance if he were to jump into the race.
“I did a poll earlier, just recently, and I had 42% and I think the incumbent mayor had 31%,” he said.
* Yesterday…
Today, the Illinois AFL-CIO criticized Regan Deering, Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, for her tone-deaf and anti-worker comments in her interview with WCIA’s Cole Henke on Labor Day.
Deering said that she “doesn’t believe we need to enshrine union power” when asked if she supports the Workers’ Rights Amendment on the ballot in Illinois this year. Deering, who is worth up to over $142 million was asked if she supports a minimum wage – after previously complaining about having to pay workers $10 per hour – said that she would look at the “$10 to $13” – which would be a decrease from Illinois’ $15 dollar minimum wage that fully goes into effect in less than three years.
“When you’re worth up to $142 million, you probably don’t need to worry about enshrining the right to bargain collectively and fight for fair wages and safe working conditions,” said Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “For the rest of us, we do. That’s why organized labor exists – to stand up for the worker against people like Regan that would exploit them.
“Regan left no room for doubt – she is anti-labor and anti-worker. She is advocating to pay workers less than the Illinois minimum wage.”
* Today…
Candidate for the 13th Congressional District in Illinois Nikki Budzinski has spent her career championing policies that cause tax increases, higher gas prices, and inflation, all of which are the triple threat faced by working families today all across Illinois. Now, Budzinski wants to take her attack on middle-class families a step further, and repeal the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
According to Budzinski’s policy agenda, her top economic priority is repealing the 2017 tax cuts legislation that save Illinois families over $1,000 a year.
“This is the absolute worst time to raise taxes on Illinois families,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. “As families across our state grapple with Gov. JB Pritzker’s high taxes and President Joe Biden’s inflation, the last thing we need in Congress is another tax-and-spend-happy politician. Whether working for Pritzker or Biden, one thing is consistent about Nikki Budzinski - she’s made a career out of championing policies that have caused pain at the pump, higher taxes, and the generationally high inflation that we’re facing today. She will do even more damage if elected to Congress.”
In 2019, while Nikki Budzinski was serving as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Governor, JB Pritzker signed a $45 million package of bills that doubled the gas tax, while indexing annual gas tax increases to inflation. She was also in a senior role in advocating for Pritzker’s failed tax referendum that would have changed the Illinois Constitution to give politicians more opportunities to raise income taxes.
In 2021, Budzinski joined the Biden Administration as Chief of Staff to the Office of Management and Budget to - you guessed it - advance higher taxes and higher inflation while turning a blind eye to skyrocketing energy costs. Budzinski led the office that was in charge of implementing Biden’s vision for America that included canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline, which eliminated more than 1,000 great jobs and cut Americans off from much-needed additional energy resources. Budzinski continues to champion the American Rescue Plan, despite dire warnings from respected Democrat economists that it would cause the severe inflation that we are now seeing.
“Nikki Budzinski’s solution to solving the inflation problem she helped create is implementing higher taxes on working families. Central Illinois families cannot afford Nikki Budzinski,” said Chairman Tracy.
* 3rd Supreme Court District…
Justice Mary Kay O’Brien, candidate for Illinois Supreme Court, 3rd District receives the strong backing of the Coalition of Frontline Police Officers. The coalition comprises Illinois Police Benevolent & Protective Association (“PBPA”), Metropolitan Alliance of Police (“MAP”), Illinois Council of Police and Sheriffs (“ICOPS”), and Association of Professional Police Officers (“APPO”), representing over 20,000 active and retired law enforcement officers across Illinois.
“Judge Mary Kay O’Brien earned our support because she has made the safety and advocacy of law enforcement officers in the line of duty a priority,” said Sean M. Smoot, Chairman of the Coalition and the Director and Chief Counsel of PBPA. “Judge O’Brien’s extensive career serving Illinoisians over the last 25 years as a State Representative and Appellate Court Justice is the experience we need on the highest court in Illinois.”
“I am honored to have the support of the Police Benevolent and Protective Association of Illinois,” said Justice Mary Kay O’Brien. “As an association who protects the rights of our working men and women in law enforcement, I am proud to have the support of law enforcement across the Third District.”
“Accordingly, the Coalition strongly endorses Justice Mary Kay O’Brien to the Supreme Court of Illinois.”
The Coalition of Frontline Police Officers was established in 2022 to provide a voice for frontline officers who serve and protect our communities across Illinois.
* Equality Illinois…
In an unprecedented move, Equality Illinois, the state’s LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, endorsed Judge Elizabeth Rochford and Judge Mary Kay O’Brien for election to the Illinois Supreme Court in the 2022 General Election.
“Equality Illinois has not traditionally engaged in judicial races but the alarm bells are ringing loudly for our democracy and our rights. That’s why we today are proud to endorse Judge Elizabeth Rochford and Judge Mary Kay O’Brien for Justices on the Illinois Supreme Court,” said Justin DeJong, Chair of the Equality Illinois Board of Directors. “We are confident Judge Rochford and Judge O’Brien will ensure every person receives equal protection and due process under the law and that they will also protect the tenets of democracy.”
This fall, two newly-redistricted seats on the Illinois Supreme Court are up for election: the 2nd Judicial District (DeKalb, Lake, Kane, Kendall and McHenry Counties) and the 3rd Judicial District (Bureau, DuPage, Grundy, Kankakee, LaSalle and Will Counties). Rochford is in the 2nd Judicial District and O’Brien is in the 3rd Judicial District.
With the United States Supreme Court controlled by justices opposed to the foundational rights underpinning reproductive freedoms and marriage equality, the Illinois Supreme Court is the last line of defense to protect the rights grounded in Illinois law. If anti-equality and anti-family forces take over the Illinois Supreme Court, many hard-won freedoms will be in jeopardy. In Illinois, the non-discrimination protections in the Illinois Human Rights Act, the marriage equality law, the conversion therapy ban, and the requirement to teach LGBTQ+ contributions in public schools are examples of laws that could be annihilated. We are also gravely concerned about judicial attacks on free and fair elections, access to justice, voting rights, reproductive rights, workers rights, and criminal justice reforms.
“For voters in the 2nd and 3rd Judicial Districts, we urge all who care about LGBTQ+ equality and justice to vote for Rochford and O’Brien,” said Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois. “Vote like your rights depend on this election. Because they do.”
* AFFI…
Today, the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI) announced its endorsement of Judge Elizabeth Rochford in her campaign for Illinois Supreme Court in the Second District. The Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois is the state’s foremost authority on, and advocate for, issues related to professional union firefighters and EMS providers. The AFFI does not base its political endorsements on party affiliation, but on support of issues important to firefighters in general and to their members in particular.
“The Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois recently met to consider the candidates in this race, and it was clear that Judge Elizabeth Rochford is the most qualified to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court in the Second District,” said AFFI President Chuck Sullivan. “Judge Rochford’s extensive experience and qualifications in and around the court system has positioned her to be an excellent Justice, and we are proud to support her campaign.”
This endorsement builds on Judge Rochford’s strong support in both the primary and general elections, including the Illinois State AFL-CIO, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Personal PAC, Secretary of State Jesse White, Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court Iris Martinez, and multiple pro-choice legislative leaders.
“Our firefighters are an incredibly important part of the fabric of our communities, risking their lives everyday to keep us safe,” said Judge Elizabeth Rochford. “I’m honored to receive the endorsement of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois in my campaign, and am committed to bringing equity and justice to the Illinois Supreme Court.”
* DuPage County…
Dear Honorable Deb Conroy:
The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150 is a proud labor union with a long history of representing the interests of working men and women on the job, at the bargaining table, and in the halls of government. In addition to workers’ rights, we value commitment to a strong and reliable infrastructure that supports Illinois’ economy and creates job opportunities in every industry.
I am proud to inform you that IUOE Local 150 has endorsed your candidacy for DuPage County Chair in the General Election, and this endorsement will be communicated to our membership.
Hardworking Illinoisans are counting on determined leaders to stand up for their rights and ensure that we have a safe infrastructure that is a strength rather than a weakness when it comes to economic activity and job creation.
Good luck in the upcoming election.
In Solidarity,
James M. Sweeney
President-Business Manager
…Adding… Press release…
Today, three Mayors- Inverness Mayor Jack Tatooles, Gilberts Village President Guy Zambetti, and Rolling Meadows Mayor Joe Gallo- announced their decision to join the “Mayors for Raja” coalition, endorsing Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s re-election campaign to continue to represent Illinois’ 8th Congressional District in the U.S. Congress.
“I have been in contact with the Congressman on a regular basis to discuss and address our local issues and needs,” said Inverness Mayor Jack Tatooles. “I am confident our community will be well served by Raj.”
“Congressman Raja reached out to me when I was sworn in as Village President and maintained communication since,” said Gilberts Village President Guy Zambetti. “Being able to pick up the phone when I have questions or concerns means a lot to me.”
“Congressman Krishnamoorthi and his office have been instrumental assisting residents of Rolling Meadows through the immigration process and a path towards citizenship,” said Rolling Meadows Mayor Joe Gallo.
“I humbly accept these endorsements,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “The new Illinois 8th Congressional District spans across the West and Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, from the 41st Ward in the City of Chicago to St. Charles, Illinois. Having the support of the many bipartisan local leaders who represent these communities is absolutely instrumental, and it speaks to my track record of working collaboratively and in a bipartisan fashion on the pressing economic and social issues impacting working families in Illinois.”
The growing list of 14 Mayors now includes:
• Addison Mayor Richard Veenstra
• Carol Stream Village Mayor Frank Saverino
• Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain
• Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson
• Gilberts Village President Guy Zambetti
• Hanover Park Village President Rod Craig
• Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod
• Inverness Mayor Jack Tatooles
• Itsasca Village President Jeff Pruyn
• Oak Brook Village President Gopal Lalmalani
• Schaumburg Village President Tom Dailly
• Rolling Meadows Mayor Joe Gallo
• Roselle Mayor David Pileski
• Villa Park President Nick Cuzzone
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Open thread
Wednesday, Sep 7, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My uncle was in good spirits after his surgery yesterday. He’s looking at several weeks of recovery, but he’s one of the toughest people I know (along with having one of the biggest hearts of anyone I’ve ever met), so he should eventually be OK.
Anyway, how are you doing?
…Adding… My brother found these photos in my late grandfather’s wallet while he was visiting my uncle before I got there. My granddad was my uncle’s father…
Granddad was born in 1904.
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Sep 7, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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