The updated legislative retirement list
Monday, Sep 25, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’ve been getting a lot of requests for the updated retirement list, but the dude behind this Twitter account was on vacation last week…
The list has been updated to include Rep. Cavaletto.
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* Normington, Petts & Associates poll, taken Sept. 11-13 of 500 registered Chicago voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percent…
Would you say things in Chicago are generally headed in the RIGHT DIRECTION or would you say things are pretty seriously off on the WRONG TRACK?
RIGHT DIRECTION 20%
WRONG TRACK 66
DON’T KNOW 14
Whew, man.
* Interesting that they don’t really know whom to blame, but more point at Gov. Rauner than anyone else…
Changing subjects, which of the following do you blame the most for Chicago’s financial problems? [READ AND RANDOMIZE]
GOVERNOR BRUCE RAUNER 22%
FORMER MAYOR RICHARD DALEY 20
MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL 16
THE STATE LEGISLATURE 16
THE CITY COUNCIL 10
UNIONS REPRESENTING CITY EMPLOYEES 4
(DON’T KNOW) 12
* And I’m betting that plenty of people outside the city believe this about state budget problems as well…
Do you STRONGLY AGREE, SOMEWHAT AGREE, SOMEWHAT DISAGREE or STRONGLY DISAGREE that the budget and fiscal problems at the city and state level are hurting business expansion in Chicago?
STRONGLY AGREE 64%
SOMEWHAT AGREE 21
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE 6
STRONGLY DISAGREE 3
(DON’T KNOW) 7
TOTAL AGREE 84%
TOTAL DISAGREE 9%
All emphasis was added by me.
* Meanwhile, the poll found that 16 percent of Chicagoans had a favorable opinion of President Trump, while 75 percent had an unfavorable opinion. Gov. Rauner’s numbers were 19 favorable, 59 unfavorable. Mayor Emanuel’s were 33 favorable, 45 unfavorable. JB Pritzker’s were 29 favorable, 21 unfavorable [10 percent very unfavorable]. And Chris Kennedy’s were 19 favorable, 18 unfavorable [8 percent very unfavorable].
* The poll also found that the Chicago Police Department rated a 50 percent favorable rating compared to a 30 percent unfavorable rating.
More from the accompanying analysis…
What most people want to know is how the results break down by race. Of African-Americans polled, it does change, although not as much as I expected. The breakdown is: 11 percent very favorable; 24 percent somewhat favorable; 23 percent neutral; 17 percent somewhat unfavorable; and 20 percent very unfavorable.
…Adding… From Kitty Kurth…
Hey Rich - this poll that you quoted is the Temkin/Harris poll commissioned by Max Temkin from Cards Against Humanity and Melissa Harris. They will be doing these “mood of the city” polls periodically.
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* Apparently, I’m told, the governor is saying this to people and word got back to Madigan…
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement Monday:
“Contrary to reports, I have received no requests from Governor Rauner for further meetings on the budget or to work towards reducing the spending levels contained within the budget. The bipartisan budget enacted in July, despite the governor’s refusal to negotiate, included nearly $3 billion in cuts to government bureaucracy. Even as Republicans and Democrats came together to make cuts and enact a budget based on the governor’s own revenue projections, Governor Rauner refused to participate in the process despite our repeated requests. As was true then, I remain ready to work with the governor to make further adjustments to the budget.
“I believe Representative Greg Harris’ budget working group, who was largely responsible for crafting the budget we passed, is best equipped to continue discussion on the budget. Therefore, I have directed Representatives Harris, Carol Ammons, Kelly Burke, Kelly Cassidy, Fred Crespo, Will Davis, Robyn Gabel, Will Guzzardi, Lisa Hernandez, Elaine Nekritz, Elgie Sims and Mike Zalewski to work with the governor’s budget office and our House and Senate colleagues.”
…Adding… Before you start firing off on Rauner in comments, the governor hasn’t said this in public that I can find and the Madigan people can’t point to anything the governor has said in public.
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* Kerry Lester…
Despite expressing interest in running for Illinois attorney general, outgoing state lawmaker Elaine Nekritz won’t be seeking the position after all.
“I’ve decided against it, it was a family decision,” Nekritz, a Northbrook Democrat, told the Daily Herald Sunday.
She said the move “simply wasn’t the right time for my husband and family,” and she dismissed questions of any political pressure placed on her to bow out of the race.
Nekritz’s announcement slightly narrows the already crowded field to replace four-term officeholder Lisa Madigan, a Chicago Democrat.
* Michael Sneed…
State Sen. Kwame Raoul has not only emerged as the Dem frontrunner for attorney general, but Sneed hears Senate President John Cullerton not only pitched him his support on the phone Friday — but “I’m helping him put together a team,” said Cullerton.
“The guy is a star,” he said.
“Just watch.”
* Meanwhile, Tom Bowen was on Rick Pearson’s WGN Radio show yesterday morning and made an interesting point about why so many mostly unknown unknown people are talking about running for this office. Donald Trump’s election, he said, “showed everybody that unconventional things can happen.” Bowen said it has “caused a lot of folks to reevaluate,” and ask themselves “Why not me?”
*** UPDATE *** Speaking of “Why not me”…
Ten days after a ballyhooed kick-off, the chief administrator of Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability has told Mayor Rahm Emanuel she is planning to resign to run for Illinois attorney general, City Hall sources said Monday.
Sharon Fairley’s departure would be a stunning blow for a newly-created agency struggling to regain public trust shattered by the police shooting of Laquan McDonald and prove that it is more than just a name change from the widely-discredited and now-abolished Independent Police Review Authority.
* Related…
* Candidates scramble in unexpected open attorney general race
* Former Blagojevich Lawyer Joins The Race For Illinois Attorney General
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* We all know what President Trump said about the NFL protests, and we know what happened with the Steelers before Sunday’s game in Chicago, but here’s what Gov. Rauner says…
GUESS WHO HAS A FINANCIAL STAKE IN THE STEELERS? Gov. Bruce Rauner. And on Sunday, the governor called the NFL protests disrespectful to veterans, to the U.S. flag and to the anthem.
“I strongly disagree with those who disrespect our flag and our anthem,” Rauner told POLITICO through a spokesman. “To me they are disrespecting the foundations of our country, the veterans who risked their lives for our democracy, and the men and women who fight every day and make the ultimate sacrifice to defend our liberties.” […]
While Rauner’s statement supports Trump’s characterization that the demonstrations are a sign of disrespect, he didn’t go as far as the president in urging a boycott of teams or the firing of players as retribution.
“I personally cannot and will not condone such behavior,” Rauner’s statement continued. “That said, our country is great because it guarantees freedom of expression, so people can choose to be disrespectful.”
Keep your comments confined to what the governor said, please. Thanks.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Press release…
Daniel Biss released the following statement in response to Governor Rauner’s condemnation of NFL protests.
“Our country was founded on relentlessly pursuing liberty, fighting injustice, and doing our part to build a more perfect union. So let’s be clear—protests at NFL games this weekend and over the past year are responding to police brutality and institutional racism, and there isn’t anything more fundamentally American than that. We should all be taking a knee.
“But by embracing Donald Trump’s condemnation, Bruce Rauner joins his fellow inexperienced billionaire in misleading the public about the purpose of these protests. As a father, husband, state senator, and candidate for governor, I know that it is my responsibility to be part of the solution—especially as Rauner and Trump have continued to be part of the problem.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Pawar campaign…
“It’s frightening when our leaders frame peaceful and non-violent demonstrations against racism, bigotry, and injustice as disrespectful to our flag and military. Make no mistake, this is the same tactic Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner use to suppress the voices of Black Lives Matter activists who speak out on police brutality and institutional racism. They get labeled as anti-police and are accused of disrespecting the job of first responders. This is wrong.
“That said, it’s equally frightening when our elected leaders drive wedges between people based on race, class, and geography so that their political base becomes the largest group that remains. This is how racists and bigots hold onto power. By changing the frame of the protest, Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner continually fail to understand and express empathy for the experiences of the marginalized in the United States of America. This is the definition of white privilege. And it’s a slap in the face to everyone who has marched, fought, and given their lives for civil rights,” said Ameya Pawar, 47th Ward alderman and Democratic candidate for governor.
“Gov. Bruce Rauner is quick to take a stand against professional athletes who choose to take a knee to peacefully protest police brutality and institutional racism, but he won’t take a stand on the Graham-Cassidy bill which would cause a million Illinoisans to lose health insurance. He also refuses to take a hard stand on H.B. 40, a bill which aims to protect women’s medical rights in Illinois.
“As Illinois residents and voters, I think it’s our right to know where the Governor stands on the issues facing our state. Whether we agree or disagree with any given position, we need a governor with enough courage to state his position and then defend it. That’s honorable. Bruce Rauner is a coward,” said Tom Elliott, communications director for the Ameya Pawar for Governor campaign.
*** UPDATE 3 *** JB Pritzker…
“The decision of NFL players to take a knee to protest racial injustice is entirely American. It is an expression of our country’s foundational rights and beliefs. I would urge Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner to redirect their outrage to our broken criminal justice system instead of a peaceful protest. Let’s have a conversation about how we address what they’re protesting, not their right to protest.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** DGA…
“The fact that Bruce Rauner will comment on a sports debate and not on legislation that can take away health care from a million Illinois residents shows just how misplaced his priorities really are,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Time after time Rauner has refused to protect or fight for Illinois families on issues of extreme consequence. His abdication of leadership on issues like Trumpcare will only lead to families getting hurt. But just like he did on the state’s education bill, Rauner’s decided to play into the politics of division in support of his political future. Rauner’s statement on the NFL protest is just another example of his failed leadership.”
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* Subscribers were told about the probability of this happening on Friday. From the Tribune…
A Democratic state senator said he will lift his procedural hold on a bill that would expand taxpayer-subsidized abortions for women who have Medicaid or state employee health insurance coverage, sending the measure to a Republican governor who’s offered mixed signals on the issue.
Sen. Don Harmon’s move Monday means Gov. Bruce Rauner will have 60 days to decide what to do with House Bill 40. The legislation has become the focus of abortion rights groups that contend the re-election-seeking Rauner won his first term by saying he had no social agenda and noting his prior financial support of organizations that back women’s reproductive health rights.
Harmon said he had not received any assurances that Rauner would sign the measure after the governor’s prior veto pledge, but said he believed it was time to officially send the measure to Rauner’s desk. […]
Abortion rights advocacy groups had said they did not want to see the measure go to Rauner’s desk until the governor had committed to sign it as is. Harmon said he expected the groups would strengthen their current campaign pushing the governor to sign the bill after it reaches his desk.
I asked the governor’s office for a response early this morning, but have yet to hear back.
* Related…
* Abortion Legislation Puts Gov. Rauner In Political Bind
*** UPDATE 1 *** Press release…
Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) released the following statement today after withdrawing the hold he had placed on House Bill 40:
“The work of constituents and advocates who have urged the governor to sign this legislation appears to be having some effect, as the governor recently backed away from his promise to veto it. I believe Gov. Rauner understands that he has made a commitment to support women’s reproductive rights, and I look forward to him signing this bill as it passed the General Assembly.”
House Bill 40 protects the right of women to make decisions about their reproductive health by ensuring that abortion remains legal in Illinois even if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
The measure moves to the House now, which is expected to send it quickly to the governor’s desk.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Planned Parenthood…
“We urge Governor Rauner to sign HB 40 and safeguard the right of women to safe and legal abortion regardless of how much money they make or how they get health care coverage.” said Planned Parenthood of Illinois President and CEO, Jennifer Welch. “With reproductive rights under attack at the federal level, it is essential to make sure that women will have access to safe and legal abortion in Illinois.
HB 40 repeals the “trigger” language in the Illinois Abortion law of 1975, which stated that Illinois would revert back to criminalizing abortion if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the decision in Roe v. Wade. The authority to outlaw or severely restrict abortion would return to the states, if the court were to overturn Roe. HB 40 ensures that no matter what happens, federally, abortion will remain legal in Illinois. In addition, HB 40 strikes bans on abortion coverage by the Illinois’ Medicaid and State Employee Health Insurance programs. Coverage bans were enacted in the 1970s by politicians who wanted to keep as many women as possible from accessing abortion without running afoul of the Roe decision.
“Signing HB 40 into law will demonstrate that Illinois respects women to make their own personal decisions,” added Welch. “The women of Illinois are depending on Governor Rauner to do the right thing.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** I’m told that HB40 has been received by the governor’s office.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Pritzker campaign…
“HB 40 is now on Bruce Rauner’s desk, but women and families in our state still don’t know if their governor will sign this critical legislation,” said JB Pritzker. “Illinoisans shouldn’t have to force Bruce Rauner’s hand to stand up for their basic rights. Even though he promised to veto HB 40, I urge the governor to sign the bill without delay, and if he won’t, then HB 40 will be the first bill I sign into law as governor. It is time to send an unwavering advocate for women to Springfield – not someone who campaigns as one and then turns his back after getting elected.”
*** UPDATE 5 *** Sen. Daniel Biss…
“After promising to sign every provision of HB40, Rauner is playing politics instead of standing up for a woman’s right to choose. But as Rauner waits to see where the wind blows, hundreds of thousands of women wonder what Trump’s America could mean for them. Amidst attacks from Washington, we have a responsibility to defend every Illinoisan—that’s why I co-sponsored HB40, and why I’m calling on Rauner to sign it into law today.”
*** UPDATE 6 *** Kennedy campaign…
Bruce Rauner has the chance to prove that he is the pro-choice candidate he said he was when he was ran for office. Illinois should be the kind of state that builds on the great accomplishments of the past - Roe v. Wade, Title IX, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act - and guarantees that women have fair and equal rights.
We cannot go back to a time when anyone tells a woman what she can and cannot do with her body. If you take away a woman’s reproductive freedom, you’re taking away her economic mobility. Bruce Rauner needs to sign HB 40 to protect women’s rights and the future of our state.
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