* Yet another abortion clinic is being opened in Carbondale…
The Tulsa Women’s Clinic will officially close its doors Thursday, as staff prepare to move the facility to Carbondale, Ill., a nearly eight-hour drive from Tulsa.
The clinic is owned by Dr. Alan Braid, who made headlines last year when he wrote an opinion essay in the Washington Post titled “Why I violated Texas’s extreme abortion ban”.
Braid is also shuttering his San Antonio abortion clinic, the Alamo Women’s Clinic, in preparation of moving that location to Albuquerque, N.M.
“It’s bittersweet. We have always been in the fight for both states, Texas and Oklahoma,” said Andrea Gallegos, executive director of the Tulsa Women’s Clinic. “We stayed open as long as we could.”
The other clinic is owned by Choices Memphis.
* Rockford…
A Wisconsin doctor has purchased two clinical buildings in northern Illinois where he plans to offer abortion pills as early as this week at one location and surgical abortions within six months at the other site.
The move comes after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion rights last month. That led abortion providers in Wisconsin to stop the procedures while the courts determine whether the state’s 1849 law banning most abortions stands. Abortion remains legal in Illinois.
Dr. Dennis Christensen says he is part of a group trying to revive abortion services in Rockford, Illinois, in part to accommodate women from Wisconsin. Christensen is an obstetrician-gynecologist who has provided abortions in Madison and Milwaukee and is now mostly retired, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. […]
The only exception to Wisconsin’s abortion ban involves a risk to the mother’s life. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit last month challenging the old law, arguing that 1980s statutes supersede the ban and that it has been dormant so long it should be unenforceable.
* The move has created a bit of a local stir…
Anti-abortion activists demonstrated in Rockford on Wednesday. They are concerned about the potential opening of a reproductive health clinic that would offer medication abortion.
Eric Scheidler is with the Pro-Life Action League. He joined demonstrators at an intersection on the east side of Rockford. Many held signs depicting graphic imagery of aborted fetuses. Scheidler says he’s troubled at the prospect of northern Illinois becoming a destination for women seeking abortion care.
“Well, we’re here in Rockford because, you know the state of Illinois becoming an abortion Mecca,’ said Scheidler. “The governor has called on women from all over the United States to come to Illinois for abortions. And that has prompted abortionists all over the region to try to establish abortion facilities here.”
* ABC7…
On Thursday, the Planned Parenthood organizations from Illinois and Wisconsin will announce a partnership.
Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Wisconsin are coming together to make sure women have access to the care they need. […]
Later Thursday morning, Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin will host a joint virtual press conference announcing a partnership to meet patient need for abortion care and increase access.
…Adding… Related press release…
Nearly three weeks following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, leaders of the Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) and Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI) affiliates held a virtual press conference on July 14, to announce an innovative partnership to bring medical professionals to Illinois to meet the growing patient need for abortion care.
The Waukegan PPIL Health Center opened in 2020, near the Wisconsin border, in anticipation of PPWI patients losing access to care. Now that Roe has been overturned, and PPWI has been forced to suspend abortion care, Wisconsin clinicians, nurses and staff are traveling to the Waukegan Health Center to provide care and expand capacity at that health center as well as across Illinois through telehealth.
“Because abortion is safe and legal in Illinois, we are now an oasis for care, as millions of patients are stranded in a vast abortion desert, including Wisconsin residents,” said Jennifer Welch, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Illinois. “Fortunately, trained medical professionals from Wisconsin are providing the care patients need in Illinois, and Illinois has the space to accommodate this increase of staff and patients. So, while PPWI is temporarily suspending providing abortion care, Wisconsin patients can access services in Illinois. Together, we are working to ensure all of our patients get the care they need.”
“At PPWI, we have anticipated this difficult moment for years and worked with our health care partners at PPIL and others to do what we can to protect and enhance access to safe, non-judgmental abortion care for patients traveling across state lines,” said Tanya Atkinson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. “Despite the devastating impact of Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban, we are grateful to the dedicated patient services team who are doing everything they can to meet the growing patient demand next door.”
The abortion ban has forced people in Wisconsin to travel far distances for health care at great cost and disruption to their personal lives. Since the Supreme Court’s decision, PPWI’s and PPIL’s call volume has doubled and all abortion patients in Wisconsin are being referred out of state for care. PPIL’s abortion care for Wisconsin residents has increased 10 fold since Roe was overturned.
* This is Dan Proft’s PAC…
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision overturning Roe V. Wade, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker envisions Illinois as a state women can turn to for abortions.
The governor asked the Biden administration for more federal funding to support doctors providing telehealth services, the Chicago Tribune reported.
“J.B. Pritzker has an extreme and ghoulish position on abortion,” said Mike Koolidge, spokesman for the political action committee, People Who Play by the Rules. “He supports allowing it to a healthy mother and child all the way up to birth, or even after birth if the parents don’t want their child. That’s infanticide. This is an extreme and disturbing position and polls show it thankfully represents the views of a very small sliver of our state.”
What?
Guttmacher Institute…
In Illinois, the following restrictions on abortion were in effect as of June 28, 2022:
• An abortion may be performed at or after viability only if the patient’s life or health is endangered.
* The LG testified to a US Senate committee…
Stratton also highlighted how racial inequalities to abortion access and healthcare could leave lasting impacts on minority communities.
“Recognizing that after a child is born that they do not have access to resources, they are not given what’s needed to address the systemic racism that they are gonna experience throughout their lives, to make sure there’s no help that’s given to these Black and brown families across our country in the wake of these abortion bans and restrictions. It’s contradictory to what so much of what we’ve heard today. This is not about helping. This is only gonna harm and cause immeasurable suffering,” Lt. Gov. Stratton said.
Her full testimony is here.
* WaPo dispatched a reporter out on one of those classic East Coast adventures to fly-over country. In this case, it’s Granite City, which has an abortion clinic…
People in Granite City usually don’t focus on the clinic unless they have to. When the subject comes up, there’s nervous laughter. Long pauses. Eventually, someone changes the subject.
When the clinic asked to build a four-foot fence around its property in the fall of 2020, to minimize contact between patients and the protesters, the city council turned down the proposal, without any members voicing an opinion on the matter before they took a vote.
City officials seem to prefer avoiding the topic altogether.
Mayor Michael Parkinson, who was elected last year, did not respond to requests for comment on this story. Nor did nine of Granite City’s 10 city council members.
“That place needs to leave,” said city council member and longtime Granite City resident Bob Pickerell, referring to the abortion clinic, before he excused himself and hung up the phone.
* Also in the Metro East…
The Catholic Diocese of Belleville announced Tuesday it will sell the historic mansion that housed its bishops for more than 70 years and use the proceeds primarily for a maternity fund for expectant mothers.
Bishop Michael McGovern is planning to move from the bishop’s residence at 925 Centreville Ave. to the rectory of the Cathedral of St. Peter on Harrison Street in downtown Belleville this summer. […]
Myler noted the decision to give proceeds of the home sale to a maternity fund comes on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month to overturn the Roe vs. Wade decision of 1973.
While the proceeds will primarily be used for a maternity fund, money also will be used in “support of Catholic education, youth ministry and evangelization,” according to Myler and the diocese’s news release.
* Meanwhile, in Colorado…
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis — a Democrat up for reelection — signed an executive order [last] week that will, essentially, protect Colorado from having to cooperate with other states’ investigations into people seeking or providing abortions.
Polis’ executive order states that Colorado will not help out with any criminal investigations or civil actions that originate in other states that are aimed at curbing access to abortion or punishing those involved in the procedure. Here’s the language of that part of the order, it’s seems rather sweeping:
“All state agencies and principal departments shall not, unless pursuant to a court order, provide information or data, including patient medical records, patient-level data, or related billing information, or expend time, money, facilities, property, equipment, personnel, or other resources to assist or further any investigation or proceeding initiated in or by another state that seeks to impose criminal or civil liability or professional sanction upon a person or entity for conduct that would be legal in Colorado related to providing, assisting, seeking, or obtaining reproductive health care.”
Polis also ordered the state Department of Regulatory Affairs to put measures in place to protect anyone who holds a Colorado professional license from “disciplinary action against a professional license or disqualified from professional licensure” for performing or seeking abortion care in any state.
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a 10-year-old survivor of rape in Ohio was forced to travel to Indiana to obtain an abortion. For weeks, Republicans have placed doubt upon the story and failed to acknowledge the destructive nature of abortion restrictions in their own states.
Now, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has indicated that he wants to investigate the doctor who performed the abortion and challenge her medical license. Instead of going after the rapist who attacked an underage girl, today’s GOP is more concerned with prosecuting doctors providing critical care.
Darren Bailey voted against the Reproductive Health Act, which codified the right to choose into state law and removed the law in Illinois that holds doctors criminally liable for performing an abortion. Bailey even served as a co-sponsor of a bill that would repeal the Reproductive Health Act entirely.
“As more and more states implement dangerous anti-abortion legislation, it is essential that Illinois remains an island for reproductive freedom. Voters need an answer from Darren Bailey: does he stand with protecting doctors or with the man who sexually abused a 10-year-old?” said JB for Governor Press Secretary Eliza Glezer. “We deserve to know just how far Bailey is willing to go to restrict women’s rights in Illinois. In Darren Bailey’s Illinois, doctors providing essential health care and the patients they treat could face greater burdens than abusers.”
Bailey has stated that he does not support allowing abortions even in cases of rape or incest. His extreme beliefs are a danger to women and girls in Illinois and in our neighboring states like Indiana and Ohio.
* More…
* Unimaginable abortion stories will become more common. Is American journalism ready?
* Lt. Gov. Stratton tells Senate panel that Illinois needs federal help as ‘island’ for reproductive rights
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LIVE COVERAGE
Thursday, Jul 14, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Pritzker takes ILGOP heat for Florida trip
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Politico…
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who is running for reelection this year, will be the keynote speaker at the annual Leadership Blue Gala that Florida Democrats will hold this Saturday in Tampa.
On the rise— Pritzker’s appearance comes nearly two weeks after the mass shooting in Highland Park thrust him into the national spotlight. Pritzker’s reaction — where he said he was angry and furious about gun violence in the nation — was seen by some as an illustration of the type of passion Democrats need heading into the midterms and 2024.
Here to help— Pritzker’s decision visit to Florida will also be sure to stoke longrunning whispers about a possible presidential bid, especially since he’s spending time in the home state of Gov. Ron DeSantis, himself a potential GOP presidential candidate. “Florida is in dire need of a pro-choice, Democratic governor, and Governor Pritzker is proud to support the Florida Democratic Party in their efforts to flip the state blue,” campaign spokeswoman Natalie Edelstein said in a statement sent to Shia Kapos, author of POLITICO’s Illinois Playbook. […]
Pritzker’s keynote speech will come on the heels of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s splashy decision to air ads bashing DeSantis and urging Floridians to move to his state. In that case, DeSantis has fired back and is now even fundraising off Newsom’s attacks. Expect his campaign team to fashion their own greeting for Pritzker.
* ILGOP…
A normal person following Governor JB Pritzker’s extensive travel schedule in recent months would be racking up the frequent flier miles. Luckily for our trust-fund billionaire governor, Pritzker has private jets to whisk him around the country - and even overseas - as he continues to give a wink and a knowing nod to the idea he may be just what national Democrats need in order to keep the White House in 2024 as Biden stumbles mightily.
After a recent trip to Europe to stump for Green New Deal policies, and political stops in New Hampshire (wink, wink) and Maine, Pritzker is headlining an annual Democratic gala in Florida this week. His spokeswoman said, “Florida is in dire need of a pro-choice, Democratic governor, and Governor Pritzker is proud to support the Florida Democratic Party in their efforts to flip the state blue.”
“Illinoisans don’t care what Florida needs and neither should Governor Pritzker at a time when working families are drowning under historic levels of inflation and high gas prices,” said ILGOP spokesman Joe Hackler. “Illinois has the highest taxes in the nation, highest gas prices in the midwest, an economy lagging far behind our midwest neighbors, and the imminent threat of power outages across almost all of the central and southern parts of the state. If Pritzker wants to run for President, he should start by doing his current job as Governor of Illinois - and doing it better.”
Frankly, I don’t think anyone in their right mind should be going to Florida in July. Yuck.
* Greg Hinz…
“Out-of-touch trust-fund billionaire J.B. Pritzker doesn’t have to worry about the cost of gas or groceries, but Illinois families are paying through the nose thanks to Pritzker’s tax increases and record-breaking inflation,” GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey said in a statement. “Instead of coming to Springfield to do his job, Gov. Pritzker is gallivanting with his rich friends in Europe, New Hampshire, DC, Maine and Florida.”
Added Bailey, “Illinois families have a message for J.B.: Repeal the Pritzker gas tax hike. Stop campaigning for president and do your job.”
The Europe reference is a trip the governor took to England last November to promote policies designed to curb climate change.
Bailey wants Pritzker to call lawmakers back into session to deal with inflation and gas prices. Lawmakers are expected to meet around Labor Day to deal with abortion-rights legislation and perhaps new gun-control laws—not gas prices, though.
So, that’s three trips in 9 months.
…Adding… Natalie Edelstein with the Pritzker campaign…
“Florida is in dire need of a pro-choice, Democratic governor, and Governor Pritzker is proud to support the Florida Democratic Party in their efforts to flip the state blue. As a lifelong Democrat, Governor Pritzker is committed to supporting his party in every corner of our country. If the governor can play even a small role in helping Florida Democrats elect a Black woman to the US Senate, flip the governor’s office, and elect pro-choice, pro-science, pro-worker candidates to the legislature––he will gladly do so.”
The governor was apparently invited in April to speak at the event by the state party chair.
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*** UPDATED x2 *** Oppo dump!
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From The Lever…
In the wake of a July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park, Ill. that killed 7 people and injured 46, Illinois’ billionaire Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker declared: “We need to ban assault weapons, not just in the state of Illinois, but nationally.”
He also criticized the National Rifle Association (NRA), the controversial gun lobby, tweeting, “As Governor, on behalf of the people of Highland Park — leave us the hell alone.”
Despite the rhetoric, Pritzker and his powerful administration have done nothing to help pass an assault weapons ban that has been languishing in his state’s legislature since February. Even worse, the Pritzker family’s hotel chain, Hyatt Hotels, has been hosting NRA events for years — including as recently as late May.
The NRA’s relationship with Hyatt creates ethics concerns for Pritzker, said Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist for the good government group Public Citizen. “This is clearly a conflict of interest,” he said. “It’s the same kind of conflict of interest we saw so rampant with Donald Trump.” […]
The [Pritzker] spokesperson added, “The Governor does not have a financial interest in Hyatt and has never had a role in the business, other than one part-time summer job as a teenager.” […]
Despite Pritzker’s spokesperson’s claim that the governor “does not have a financial interest in Hyatt,” he is commonly described as an heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune. While the governor’s financial disclosure does not show direct Hyatt holdings, a 2019 investigation by the Chicago Tribune pointed out, “The complex and vast nature of Pritzker’s wealth and a lack of transparency illustrate how difficult it can be to learn when a wealthy politician’s financial interests might butt up against what’s in taxpayers’ best interests.”
* The Lever is a David Sirota project. Sirota published a newsletter for the Bernie Sanders campaign…
Bern Notice received attention Monday for having promoted a Guardian column by Zephyr Teachout, a Sanders surrogate, that accused Joseph R. Biden Jr. of having “a big corruption problem” hours before Mr. Sanders disavowed the column. (That newsletter edition was erased from the internet as of Tuesday morning.)
And Sirota is not happy with the pushback on this latest piece…
The bill in question didn’t pick up a single co-sponsor until June - long after session ended. It didn’t pick up any more until after the Highland Park massacre.
* The sponsor…
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, on Thursday was calling Democratic colleagues to gauge their support once again. Hirschauer, who helped start a chapter of the gun violence prevention group Moms Demand Action before taking office in January 2021, said “it has some momentum behind it now.”
“It’s a pretty simple bill. It bans military style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The general public in Illinois has clearly said that those types of weapons are designed for the battlefield, not for hunting or any reasonable use,” Hirschauer said.“So, we are moving forward with it. I’m working it from the ground up, roll calling, gathering support and just really doing my homework on it.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** And now you know it’s oppo - likely combined with “out of town stupid” - because now they’re claiming the governor and the Democrats are actually “blocking an assault weapons ban”…
*** UPDATE 2 *** I sent the sponsor the link to this post and at first glance thought it was a Republican attack. I pointed out that this was a left-wing group and Rep. Hirschauer said this…
Well, that’s a head scratcher and doesn’t match up with the thoughtful and supportive conversations I have been having daily with members of my caucus and folks in the Democratic Party. My statement stands:
My co-sponsors and I are extremely serious about taking action that will get weapons of war off our streets and I invite my colleagues across the aisle to join me instead of playing tired political games that only serve the NRA agenda.
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* Illinois Policy Institute…
The Volcker Alliance, a non-partisan government watchdog, has issued a new report showing Illinois is at risk of facing a “fiscal cliff” once one-time federal relief funds dry up. That means the state will have to either cut programs or raise revenues to maintain spending that has been enabled by the federal funds, once those funds run out. The report shows Illinois has allocated nearly 60% of its $8.1 billion in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Only California and Pennsylvania have allocated more of their recovery funds.
* From the Volcker Alliance…
Illinois has a potential for a fiscal cliff if it uses a portion of the SLFRF appropriations or reserves to pay for recurring spending. Its history of using one-time revenue sources to finance recurring needs led to the state’s D average grade, the second-lowest mark, in budget maneuvers for fiscal 2015–19.
So, the Volcker Alliance is essentially warning the state to not do what it did under Bruce Rauner’s administration, which was supported almost wholeheartedly by the… Illinois Policy Institute.
Also, the Volcker Alliance could not point to any hard evidence that Illinois is using federal assistance for ongoing spending. It just figures it is because Rauner.
But it’s true that Illinois needs to watch its spending and conserve cash and not go on any spending binges now, particularly since revenues are indeed expected to decline in the coming years.
* With that in mind, here’s Center Square…
Either remaining federal funds Illinois still holds, or a recently reported windfall in state revenue, should go to pay down the state’s remaining unemployment trust fund debt, a state lawmaker says.
Illinois state government accumulated more than $4 billion in unemployment trust fund debt during the COVID-19 pandemic economic restrictions imposed by the governor. Earlier this year, lawmakers approved using $2.7 billion in federal COVID-19 relief tax funds to pay some of that down. About $1.8 billion remains unpaid.
State Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, is calling for a special session so lawmakers can pay off the debt with either remaining federal funds or a recently reported windfall of more than $1.8 billion in state revenue as reported by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.
Thoughts?
…Adding… Press release…
With the latest $100 million deposit into the Budget Stabilization Fund, the state’s “Rainy Day” Fund, Illinois now has more than $850 million in the bank to weather potential economic turbulence. Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly worked together to ensure the state would have a record $1 billion in the account this fiscal year, and today Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza announced the deposit of $100 million of that commitment.
The improved Budget Stabilization Fund, now at $854 million, is one of the many steps towards financial responsibility that has resulted in six recent credit upgrades for the state.
“I’m thrilled to announce that we’ve deposited an additional $100 million into our state’s Rainy Day Fund,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This is just one of the ways that we are building long-term financial sustainability—and we are seeing tangible results in real-time. From tax relief for Illinoisans to our six credit rating upgrades, we are creating an Illinois that is economically prosperous for all. I want to thank Comptroller Mendoza for swiftly depositing this funding early in the fiscal year.”
Illinois’ Budget Stabilization Fund had been decimated by budget impasses and mismanagement. At one point the fund held less than $60,000, an amount that would have sustained state operations for less than thirty seconds. Beginning in FY24, state law requires minimum payments of $45 million dollars a year will be required in each state budget to continue stabilizing the fund.
Credit rating agencies pointed to the Budget Stabilization Fund as a key reason for Illinois’ six ratings increases during Gov. Pritzker’s term. S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings both cited the fund’s improvement in their decision to increase its rating, as well as responsible payments to pension funds and up-to-date bill payments. These upgrades allow the state to borrow money at a lower interest rate, saving taxpayer dollars.
The “Rainy Day” Fund, also known as the Budget Stabilization Fund, protects the state services that Illinoisans rely on every day. It is in place to meet state needs in case of deficits or shortcomings in a budget, provide credit stability, and reduce the need for short-term borrowing. Its increased balance offers Illinoisans protection in times of immediate need while building a stable, long-term financial groundwork for the state.
In addition to the recent $100 million deposit and the extra pension fund payments, the Fiscal Year 2023 budget passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pritzker is providing financially responsible relief for Illinois working families. On July 1, residents began to receive over $1.8 billion of tax relief, including tax relief for gas, property, groceries, and school supplies. Direct payments to Illinois families are expected this fall, according to the Comptroller’s office. The budget also made unprecedented investments in college affordability, the Illinois State Police and proven violence prevention programs across the state.
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* Politico…
RESULTS ARE IN: State Sen. Melinda Bush has won the 10th District Democratic State Central Committeewoman race. In an email to supporters, former state Rep. Lauren Beth Gash said late-arriving vote-by-mail ballots have been counted, and “it appears our campaign will come up just short.” Out of 50,681 ballots cast, Bush received 50.2 percent of the vote to Gash’s 49.8 percent.
Bush had the endorsement and financial backing of Gov. JB Pritzker, so political insiders expect she could be his candidate when the central committee meets in the coming weeks to elect the head of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Also in the running will be the current party leader, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who has the support of Sen. Dick Durbin.
Sen. Bush has told me on several occasions that she had no interest whatsoever in the party’s top job. I never wrote that because, well, nobody has even so much suggested it. But I checked back in with her today just to make sure and Bush’s response to the story was, um, unprintable. Suffice it to say, she doesn’t want the post and won’t seek it. I’m not sure where that even came from.
Whatever. At this point, I’m kinda doubting there will be much of a fight, if any. If the governor thought he had the votes, you’d think there’d be some sort of an announcement by now.
…Adding… Sen. Bush…
Today, State Senator Melinda Bush released the following statement on her victory in the race for Democratic State Central Committeeperson for the Tenth District:
“I am humbled that Democratic voters of the tenth district have chosen me to represent them on the Illinois Democratic State Central Committee and am thrilled to be given the opportunity to identify, recruit and re-elect great candidates to expand our representation across the district. Working in concert with a great team of talented activists and organizations like Lake County Democratic Women, I know what it takes to position Democrats to win tough races - recruit good candidates, surround them with talented staff, run strategic campaigns and then hold them accountable after they take office. This is an approach that has worked well for us in Lake County and I look forward to partnering with my fellow members of the Democratic State Central Committee to bring it statewide.
“Thank you to everyone who supported my campaign and stood by our side. You forever have my gratitude. I would also like to thank Lauren Beth Gash for her years of dedicated service to the district and our party. Her continued engagement in this work will be welcomed and is needed.”
Senator Bush won the race for Democratic State Central Committeeperson for the Tenth District by 247 votes. She won 60% of the vote in McHenry County, 55% of the vote in Lake County, and 31% of the vote in Cook County.
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LIVE COVERAGE
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Please, stop doing this
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* An overly hyped Sun-Times story…
Federal health officials say the COVID-19 risk level has fallen from “high” to “medium” in Chicago and suburban Cook County — but across Illinois, hospitals are admitting the most patients they’ve seen with the virus in almost five months.
And residents are still being urged to mask up when gathering indoors in more than two-thirds of counties statewide, including most of the Chicago area.
The latest troubling numbers were released Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health, which reported 1,309 people hospitalized with the coronavirus, the most since Feb. 21, when the state was subsiding from its worst resurgence of the pandemic. At least 149 of the latest patients are receiving intensive care, the most since the first week of March.
Hospital admissions have more than doubled since mid-April, following a steady increase in cases since the early spring — a trend playing out in most other parts of the country, too.
* From about the middle of May until the end of June, hospitalizations ranged from 1,055 to 1,192. Then they dropped a bit, but rose to 1,309 on July 7. Today’s report is 1,252.
To put this into perspective, the all-time hospitalization high was 7,353 on January 10. The previous spike saw hospitalizations hit 6,175 on November 20, 2020. And yes, they went way down this year after the massive Omicron wave infected a kabillion people and more folks got their shots and boosters.
Tellingly, not a single expert was quoted to back up the paper’s hospitalization hype.
ICU usage is also still relatively low. The all-time high was 1,290 on April 28, 2020. Today, it’s 134.
* Remember, this was all an exercise in preventing our hospital system from being overrun. They’re not doing great (for lots of reasons), but they’re currently not being inundated and I’ve yet to see one expert warning that such a thing was imminent or even likely. We have vaccines. We have treatments. And lots of people have been previously infected (more than once). It’s always good to take care of yourselves and others. Use some common sense and don’t be an idiot.
But, if we ever do see a fast-spreading variant that evades vaccines as well as antibodies from prior infections and forces hospitalizations up in a scary way, it’s possible, even probable, that fewer people will believe the danger because of “Boy Who Cried ‘Wolf’” stories like that one.
…Adding… Again, people need to use common sense and continue to use caution in congregate settings…
The Illinois Veterans’ Home at Quincy is experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases among its veterans and staff. Based on robust rapid testing and the support of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) laboratories, in quick succession the Department identified 16 residents and 10 staff positive for COVID-19. Most of the positive residents are presenting with mild symptoms. However, in the last several days, four veterans were transported to the emergency department out of an abundance of caution. Two veterans remain hospitalized for conditions unrelated to COVID-19 symptoms.
All the residents who tested positive have been moved to the negative pressure isolation unit and are being closely monitored and cared for by dedicated Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) personnel. All positive residents have received at least two doses of the vaccine, and 11 of the 16 veterans are up to date with their boosters. A staff physician is assessing residents’ need for anti-viral post exposure medication. Quincy staff are in close communication with the families and loved ones of the residents in the isolation unit.
“Our top priority remains the health and safety of our military veterans and the dedicated IDVA staff who care for them,” said IDVA Director Terry Prince. “The Department continues to adhere to current regulations and is receiving assistance from the local health department and the IDPH. We are grateful to our team for remaining highly vigilant for signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and for responding swiftly, appropriately, and professionally to any potential cases.”
Protocols include continuing daily health screenings of our veterans, rapid COVID-19 testing of staff at shift change and regular testing of residents, use of N-95 respirator masks with eye protection, maintaining social-distancing practices, using gloves and gowns, and intensified cleaning and disinfection protocols. During an outbreak, residents are encouraged to stay in their rooms to minimize movement within the facility. IDPH and the Department’s Infection Control Specialist have been on site, working with the Quincy team to ensure staff compliance with our infection control directives, COVID testing, and care of our veterans.
Communal dining and activities have been curtailed in the affected areas until the outbreak ends. Activities and social services staff continue to provide leisure activities, in accordance with social distancing practices, to care for the psychosocial wellbeing of our veterans. Visitation is allowed to continue, per CDC guidelines however, families have been notified that we are in outbreak status and that rescheduling visitation should be considered.
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IDPH gets new acting director
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker has appointed Dr. Sameer Vohra, a distinguished pediatrician and healthcare policy expert, to lead the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) beginning August 1. Dr. Vohra, the Founding Chair of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s (SIU-SOM) Department of Population Science and Policy, follows Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who stepped down in March after leading IDPH and the State of Illinois through the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m proud to announce the Illinois Department of Public Health’s next visionary leader: Dr. Sameer Vohra,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Dr. Vohra is accomplished in every sense of the word. His experience and education transcend sectors and fields, bringing a well-rounded perspective to this agency. As a leader in state and national health policy, I have absolute confidence in Dr. Vohra’s ability to continue shaping a stronger IDPH for the 21st century.”
Dr. Vohra is a general pediatrician who holds degrees in law and public policy. He is a cross-disciplinary leader in state and national health policy formulation, and his recent focus has been on improving health outcomes in Central and Southern Illinois. An Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Public Health, Medical Humanities, and Law at SIU-SOM, he currently serves the State of Illinois as the Interim Chair of the Children’s Mental Health Partnership.
He completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Chicago and earned a Master of Arts in public policy from the University of Chicago. He holds a medical doctorate from SIU-SOM; a juris doctorate from SIU School of Law graduating first in his class; and a Bachelor of Arts in political science and science in human culture with honors from Northwestern University.
“I am humbled that the Governor has entrusted me to serve the people of our State as the 20th Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health,” said Dr. Sameer Vohra. “Governor Pritzker, along with the dedicated staff of IDPH, have served our State admirably during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am honored to lead this agency into the future, continuing to keep us safe from emerging illnesses, supporting our public health workers, and promoting wellness in every community across Illinois.”
Dr. Vohra also serves on IDPH’s Illinois State Board of Health, the Illinois Medicaid Advisory Committee, the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, and recently completed a term on the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund Steering Committee. He has previously served on national committees for the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American Medical Association, and on the Board of Trustees for the Illinois State Medical Society and Chicago Medical Society.
He has received numerous honors including a United States Fulbright Scholarship in 2009, an American Medical Association Foundation’s Excellence in Medicine Leadership Award in 2014, and was named an Edgar Fellow in 2016 as one of 40 emerging political and policy leaders in Illinois. In 2020, he was named a Presidential Leadership Scholar, chosen by the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Clinton Presidential Center, the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, and the LBJ Foundation.
Since Dr. Ezike’s departure, IDPH has been led on an interim basis by Amaal Tokars, PhD., the department’s Assistant Director.
“It has been my great honor to serve the people of Illinois and Governor Pritzker as leader of IDPH during this interim period at a time when we are facing public health challenges on a number of fronts,” said Dr. Amaal Tokars, who will remain as IDPH Assistant Director, having served in that capacity since June 2020. “I applaud Governor Pritzker’s appointment of Dr. Vohra, a distinguished leader in the healthcare policy arena who is well-known among Illinois stakeholders for his expertise and dedication to improving health outcomes and addressing healthcare disparities that have been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
IDPH has 200 different programs that benefit each state resident and visitor. With the assistance of local public health agencies, these essential programs and services make up Illinois’ public health system, a system that forms a frontline defense against disease through preventive measures and education.
…Adding… ISMS…
Statement attributable to Clarence W. Brown Jr., MD, JD, President, Illinois State Medical Society:
“The Illinois State Medical Society is pleased to see long-time member Dr. Sameer Vohra appointed to lead the Illinois Department of Public Health. Dr. Vohra is a true public health advocate and is an excellent choice as the next leader of this vital department. Congratulations Dr. Vohra! Your physician colleagues know the citizens of Illinois are in good hands with you looking out for their health and well-being.”
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Synopsis of Rep. Maura Hirschauer’s HB5522…
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Makes it unlawful to deliver, sell, or purchase or cause to be delivered, sold, or purchased or cause to be possessed by another, an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge. Makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly possess an assault weapon, .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge 300 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, except possession of weapons registered with the Illinois State Police in the time provided. Provides exemptions and penalties. Prohibits delivery, sale, purchase or possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices. Provides exemptions and penalties.
Full text is here. The bill now has more than 50 co-sponsors.
* The Question: Do you support this bill? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
* Related…
* Illinois Doesn’t Ban Assault Rifles. A Petition Demanding It Gains Rapid Support: Within 13 hours, as of about 9 p.m. Thursday, his petition calling on legislators to pass Hirschauer’s proposal and for Pritzker to sign it into law, had amassed more than 26,600 signatures.
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Pritzker White House visit coverage roundup
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Coverage roundup…
* Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering urge President Biden to push federal action on guns: During his remarks to hundreds of guests on the South Lawn, Biden acknowledged Rotering and Pritkzer and thanked them for their response to the July 4 shooting, which authorities say was carried out with a legally purchased semi-automatic rifle. “We had a number of conversations immediately after the attack in Highland Park, and I’ve been impressed with the way they’ve handled things,” Biden said. “It’s been extraordinary. And as the three of us have discussed, we have more to do.”
* Pritzker, other Illinois officials call for more action on gun control at White House event: The new law “will make a difference,” the governor said. “But there is so much more to do. We need an assault weapons ban. We need a ban on high-capacity magazines. The president indicated he will be fighting for that as well. We’re grateful for that.” Asked whether there was legitimate interest in going further than the new law, Pritzker said, “Are you kidding me? I think there is a lot of interest in getting more done. Whether or not they can bring enough Republicans along is a question. Whether or not you have to wait until after November when maybe there will be more pro-gun safety Democrats in the Senate and the House, that may be the case. But for many of us, the fight goes on.”
* At White House gun law event a week after parade massacre, Biden wears ‘Highland Park Strong’ ribbon: This big event to highlight the new law Biden signed on June 25 — the first gun control measure in almost three decades — only underscored, especially in the wake of Highland Park, the inability of Congress to pass an assault weapons ban or even put limits on high-capacity magazines.
* Gov. Pritzker pushes president for assault weapons ban: “Well, we expressed to the President our desire to see more done at the federal level, particularly a ban on assault weapons ban on high capacity magazines,” said Gov. Pritzker. “He agrees that more needs to be done and he is passionate about this.”
* Highland Park mayor, Gov. Pritzker visit White House: “We all share a love of freedom. We all share a love of helping our children grow up in a clean and safe society. We also love and share an appreciation for our first responders. Our first responders are out gunned by these combat weapons,” Rotering said. “I think if people listen to what has happened week, after week, after week, in our communities and recognize that this is not what our freedom was fought for. We are, in fact, going in reverse.”
* Highland Park mayor, Gov. Pritzker call for federal assault weapons ban: The legislation will also help states put in place red flag laws that make it simpler for members of law enforcement to take weapons away from people believed to be dangerous. “So the parent, a teacher, a counselor can flag for the court that a child is a danger to themselves and to others,” said the president.
* Pritzker, Highland Park Mayor in Attendance as Biden Signs New Gun Law
* Response from the Right. Darren Bailey…
Republican nominee for governor and State Senator Darren Bailey has called for special sessions to address rising crime, inflation, mental health issues, and taxes in Illinois. Unfortunately, instead of acting swiftly to address these issues, Pritzker is again running from his failures to enforce current laws and his pro-criminal agenda that puts Illinois families and jobs in jeopardy to campaign for president in Washington, D.C. Darren Bailey released the following statement:
“J.B. Pritzker is in D.C. hobnobbing with his elite friends when he should be home answering for his soft on crime bills, like the no cash bail and the so-called SAFE-T Act. This morning six men were in a shootout in the South Loop, which is starting to look like the O.K. Corral. Families and jobs are fleeing daily due to rising crime and taxes. This is all on your watch, Pritzker. Stop running for president, J.B., and do your job. It’s time to provide relief, catch criminals and keep families safe. Lives depend on it.”
* And Wirepoints moves on to a new conspiracy…
The scenario is straightforward: Pres. Joe Biden resigns “for health reasons” or is pushed out of office. Vice President Kamala Harris thereby becomes president and, under the 25th Amendment, submits her nominee for a new vice president to Congress, who takes office if approved by both houses by majority vote.
Who would be that nominee?
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker now appears as likely a possibility as anybody, provided you see it through the lens of progressives now in charge. […]
Many Illinoisans will find it absurd to think of Pritzker as a presidential or vice-presidential prospect. That’s because his chances of winning in a general election are an entirely different story. But from the viewpoint of progressives at the national level who dominate the Democratic Party, it’s not absurd.
…Adding… Press release…
The Senate Judiciary Committee released Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton’s prepared testimony during today’s hearing entitled “A Post-Roe America: The Legal Consequences of the Dobbs Decision.” Stratton is the first Black woman to serve as Illinois’s Lieutenant Governor, a position she has held since 2019. Her testimony focuses on the steps that Illinois has taken to protect access to abortion, the challenges of out-of-state patients coming to Illinois to seek care, and the significant racial disparities that already exist for abortion access and maternal mortality.
Key quotes as prepared:
“I come before you today because people throughout the entire Midwest are relying on our commitment to protect and preserve women’s rights—namely the right to an abortion.”
“[Illinois is] not just an oasis of reproductive care, but an island… It looks like disenfranchised yet determined patients coming from every surrounding state, but also from as far away as Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. It looks like the entire staff in our state’s abortion clinics fielding phone calls for appointments because the number of out-of-state patients has doubled since Roe V Wade was overturned.”
“[W]e know that inequities are amplified within the Black and Latinx communities. A post-Roe America will be devastating for Black women, whose maternal mortality rate is already two to three times higher than that of white women because of structural racism and misogyny. One study… projects that without access to safe and legal abortions, that number will increase by over 30 percent among Black women and nearly 20 percent for Hispanic women.”
“We are facing a future rife with needless death, despite 61% of Americans believing abortion should be legal… Before the threats to Roe V Wade were fully realized, Illinois was proactive, upholding bodily autonomy, and protecting the right to an abortion. And still, the overturning of Roe V Wade has sent us down a dark, agonizing path.”
“I say this, not just as the Lt. Governor of Illinois, but as the mother of four daughters. My daughters, who now have fewer rights than I had. And based on Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurring opinion, it is likely this may not be the last rights that will be stripped from future generations.”
Full text of Lt. Gov. Stratton’s prepared remarks are available here.
Full hearing on the impact of gun violence on children can be watched live here; on Twitter here; and on Facebook here.
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