Today, Politico did a great job outlining the team of Madigan loyalists and lawyers generally unknown to the public that are representing Democrat leaders - House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon - in their fight to preserve their politician-drawn redistricting map.
“The legal team representing the Democratic-led General Assembly on the remap includes attorneys who have for years worked for the former House speaker.”
“Michael Kasper, the noted election lawyer and former general counsel to Madigan when he was speaker, is heading up the legal team.
“Other attorneys are Heather Wier Vaught, who was chief counsel to Madigan and represented him when his team was accused of ignoring sexual harassment claims. Adam Vaught, her husband, is also on the General Assembly’s legal team and has represented Madigan, too, including when the former speaker was sued for allegedly orchestrating sham political candidates. And Devon Bruce is with the well-connected Power Rogers law firm, which has donated to Madigan’s campaign fund.”
Madigan’s team has a long history of using the legal system to keep their leader’s iron-grip on power. Kasper was lead counsel and argued before the Illinois Supreme Court to strike down the 2016 Fair Maps citizen referendum. The 4-3 majority decision was written by Madigan’s Favorite Judge, Tom Kilbride, who Madigan spent millions to put on the Supreme Court, and the plaintiff in the case was John Hooker, former ComEd lobbyist who was indicted last November in the ongoing federal corruption probe.
The Madigan Machine is not dead - it’s leader is simply within the shadows. Why else would Mike Madigan’s top lawyers and longtime friends be the lead litigators for the House and Senate remap team? They’re protecting their investment as they’ve done for years.
ILGOP Spokesman Joe Hackler: “There could be a world where Mike Madigan and his remaining lieutenants do not infect every part of state government with their corrupt tentacles. But Illinois Democrats don’t want that world. Democrats are still loyal to the man who brought them into power and the people of Illinois suffer the consequences every day.”
* Something not mentioned in the above article, nor broached by the ILGOP in its press release is that the House Republicans are using Mayer Brown for legal counsel on the redistricting case. Mayer Brown was on the team that defended House Speaker Madigan in the lawsuit brought (and lost) by Jason Gonzalez.
Madigan was like McDonald’s. Just about everyone worked for him at some point.
…Adding… Good point from Rep. Walker in comments…
Only a few attorneys are experienced experts on Illinois laws regarding redistricting. If they were defending the Dems’ map ten years ago, who else would they be?
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) has released the following statement regarding Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reinstatement of a statewide indoor mask mandate:
“Retailers remain dedicated to the health and safety of employees, customers and our communities. We support the governor’s mask mandate as a measured approach that ensures shoppers continue to have access to needed goods, food and medicine with minimal disruption,” said Rob Karr, president and CEO of IRMA. “We ask all customers to abide by this public health order in a respectful manner. We strongly encourage local law enforcement agencies to promptly assist us in ensuring employees are not subjected to verbal and physical abuse as we have seen in the past and call on local health departments to enforce this order in uniform fashion. We must all work together to ensure the health and safety of our communities.”
Republican responses are here. This post will likely be updated.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Another one…
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) released the following statement regarding efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus:
“The scientific data is irrefutable: vaccines and mask wearing are safe and effective ways of slowing the spread of the deadly virus. These lifesaving vaccines were created by American manufacturers under federal oversight and are the best way to protect our communities and restore our economy,” said Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “The IMA and our members across the state support vaccinations and mask wearing to slow the spread of this virus. We cannot cede the progress that has been made in restoring our nation’s health and economy.”
…Adding… I asked an IMA spokesperson if this means the group specifically supports the new mandates…
The statement speaks for itself, but to answer your question – Yes
*** UPDATE 2 *** HCCI…
The Health Care Council of Illinois (HCCI), representing over 300 skilled nursing facilities, 55,000 residents and 100,000 employees in Illinois, issued the following statement regarding Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s announcement today to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all healthcare workers, which HCCI called for earlier this week:
“We support Gov. Pritzker’s move to require all healthcare workers receive the COVID-19 vaccine and call on those implementing the Governor’s order to ensure that all segments of the industry are covered, including home and community-based services.
Operators of Illinois’ skilled nursing facilities have spent countless hours formulating plans to educate, encourage and collaborate with residents and staff to get vaccinated, from working one on one with unvaccinated employees, employing infectious disease experts to answer questions and concerns about the vaccine, and partnering with trusted community groups to deploy information campaigns about the importance of the vaccines.
With the rise of the highly contagious Delta variant, we recognized bolder action was necessary to protect the most vulnerable.
The vaccine is the most effective way to put an end to this pandemic. This mandate is a step in that direction.
We are committed to continuing to collaborate with our state leaders, regulatory agencies, unions, workers and community partners to identify the best strategies to keep our patients safe and healthy.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Press release…
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce released the following statement regarding the statewide mask mandate:
“With COVID-19 cases rising across Chicago and the state of Illinois, we must do everything in our power to protect ourselves, those around us, and our path to economic recovery. Businesses are in a unique position to change the trajectory of this pandemic, which is why the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce has called on businesses to review and implement policies that require all employees be vaccinated before returning to the worksite, unless a valid health or religious reason is presented. Masks are an essential tool in preventing the spread of the virus, and we support the Governor’s indoor mask order as a common-sense way to help ensure businesses stay open and are able to get people back to work,” said Jack Lavin, president & CEO, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.
*** UPDATE 4 *** IPHA…
Tom Hughes, Executive Director of the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), released the following statement on Thursday:
“As local health providers, we know that vaccinations and wearing a mask are two effective ways to help end this global pandemic. On behalf of the 88 certified local health departments our association represents, we strongly support the new mask and vaccination mandates issued by the governor today to help protect the health and safety of the people of Illinois against this highly transmissible COVID- 19 variant.
“Our state is facing a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, and are now straining the demands placed on hospitals, healthcare workers and those charged with protecting the public health, including members of our association. This new surge of cases and hospitalizations has resulted in just one ICU hospital bed available for a region of Illinois covering 20 counties, and more children being hospitalized for COVID-19 than in previous surges. These alarming facts show that something must be done immediately to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed and unable to care for new patients and to protect those that remain vulnerable.
“Members of our association has been on the frontline of protecting the public’s health since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. We strongly support these new mandates that will help save many lives across our state and prevent more hospitalizations. The vaccine is a safe and proven way to help end this pandemic and to prevent future mitigation efforts from being placed on regions in Illinois. We strongly encourage members of the public to support these efforts and get vaccinated to protect their health and stop the spread of COVID-19.”
*** UPDATE 5 *** IHA…
The Illinois Health and Hospital Association and the Illinois hospital community continue to urge all individuals, including hospital employees, to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to safely protect themselves, their families and their communities against severe disease, long-term health consequences of infection and possible death.
COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective. The U.S. currently has the safest vaccine supply in its history. The nation’s long-standing vaccine safety system ensures that vaccines are tested and safe.
From the outset of the administration of these life-saving vaccines that began last December, hospitals across the state have been a critical source of vaccines for their patients, the public and communities.
Over the past few months, many hospitals and health systems in Illinois have put in place mandatory vaccination policies for their healthcare employees.
As the prevalence of infection from the Delta variant grows, vaccination is increasingly important to protect the public by mitigating the spread of this variant and preventing hospitalizations and deaths.
We believe the Governor’s vaccination requirement is another important tool to assist hospitals in their ongoing efforts to encourage vaccination of their staff as they work to address their local workforce needs while ensuring the health and safety of their employees, patients, and communities.
Statement of AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch:
“AFSCME has been working steadily to encourage every union member and retiree to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their family and their community.
“In discussions around vaccine requirements with the state and other employers, we have urged exactly the kind of flexible, vaccinate-or-test requirement that Gov. Pritzker and teacher unions are announcing for Illinois teachers today. It is also the same vaccinate-or-test requirement that President Biden has made of federal employees.
“The Pritzker Administration should now work collaboratively with our union to develop a similar flexible approach for state employees.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Maybe Council 31 can do something about this sentiment at Fox Developmental Center in Dwight, where this sign was posted…
*** UPDATE 2 *** AFSCME Local 3605 president Kelley Beal’s Facebook page…
*** UPDATE 3 *** Jordan Abudayyeh…
This administration has worked – and continues to work – diligently to ensure there is a comprehensive testing regimen in state run congregate care facilities, but with unvaccinated employees transmitting the virus to vulnerable residents, it is clear that we must do more to protect our most vulnerable and those in our care and custody by requiring vaccination to prevent the spread of this deadly virus.
* Letter to the governor from House GOP Leader Jim Durkin…
August 26, 2021
Governor J.B. Pritzker 207 State House
Springfield, II 62706
Governor Pritzker,
When your experts told you to lift your mask mandate back in May of this year, I too was ready for the pandemic to be over. When you started running election commercials declaring ‘mission accomplished’, I too was hopeful that the worst was behind us. I thought of all the residents of our state and country who lost their lives during the last year and a half, especially our heroes in the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, and prayed for them and their loved ones.
But when your commercial buy changed, now touting your words from over a year ago that you ‘would put the full weight of the state behind the pandemic response’, I remembered the 18 months of your go-it-alone attitude. This past year, you ran the length of the field with mandates and executive orders without the General Assembly.
That is why your phone call last night asking for suggestions on how to get this new wave of the pandemic under control was so unexpected. I would apologize for thinking you were being insincere with that call asking my advice, but immediately after hanging up, I received a breaking news update from the Chicago Sun-Times that you had, once again, laid out your plan without input.
You are willing to negotiate with your biggest supporters, the public sector unions, on the pandemic response, but still will not listen to the General Assembly or the residents of Illinois most impacted by your actions. I will reiterate my plea on our call yesterday to please make your experts available to the General Assembly so that we can examine their data and plans, review the results of your many previous mandates and together plot a course of action that will work. You have the authority to call for a Special Session of both Chambers to address this very critical issue, and I am imploring you to do so immediately .
Additionally, instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on secret lotteries and giveaways, direct that money to buying KN95 masks for children in schools that still cannot receive the vaccine. That would lift a financial burden on families while also providing real, tangible results.
Regards,
Jim Durkin
House Republican leader
82nd District
P.S. Your administration is still stalling our requests to receive documents about your Administration’s failures at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home. The sooner those documents are turned over, the General Assembly can begin a thorough review of the repeated shortcomings that led to the deaths of 36 veterans and make the necessary adjustments to the state’s laws to ensure that history does not repeat itself.
Notice that he didn’t take a side on the actual mandates.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Gov. Pritzker was asked about this during today’s press conference…
I have always been available to the >eader for any calls that he wants to make with ideas, and to any other Republican legislator, Democratic legislator. And when the legislature talks to me I listen and I have asked for ideas from both sides of the aisle. People, as you recall, early on in COVID-19 in this pandemic, I worked with a Republican legislator to ultimately put in place a mask mandate for the state back in May. I continue to listen to try to adjust things and make them work for all parts of our state. […]
I’m always open to hearing formal input from the legislature and I think that he should go do whatever it is that he needs to do. They’re a co-equal branch of government, they should, what Republicans can call hearings and if they don’t, you know, if they want to invite Democrats to it they should and can if they don’t want to, they can still hold hearings. I’m sure you all will cover them. And, you know get ideas. I have asked all along here for any new ideas that anybody has about how to bring down the number of hospitalizations, how to bring down the spread of COVID, and I’ve listened when people have offered up those ideas.
Please pardon all transcription errors. Also, the GOP can’t call a special session.
…Adding… Press release…
Paul Schimpf, Republican candidate for Governor of Illinois, issued the following statement in response to Pritzker’s mask mandate issued today:
“JB Pritzker has lost all moral authority to lead on pandemic response by failing to follow the rules he set for others. If Democrats believe our current situation is so dire to require a mask mandate, they should take up the issue during their legislative session that is scheduled for August 31st. Absent legislative action, these executive edicts are yet another divisive act by a failed governor who believes he wields unlimited power.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Letter from the governor…
Leader Durkin,
I appreciate that as the leader of Illinois House Republicans, you support the real and tangible results of students wearing masks in schools. As you know, we have offered surgical masks to schools throughout the state over the course of the pandemic. I appreciate your request to additionally furnish KN95 masks to schools; my administration will immediately reach out to superintendents to inform them that KN95 masks are available at their request through our normal PPE distribution channels.
I will continue to do everything within my authority as governor to keep the people of our state safe, and as I have said many times, in addition to those necessary steps that doctors have recommended, I welcome any further ideas from you or members of your caucus.
I encourage you and members of your caucus to continue to bring ideas forward, and to propose legislation that would help save lives, end this pandemic and pass in the General Assembly.
…Adding… Gary Rabine…
Gary Rabine, candidate for Governor is issuing the following statement on the Governor’s latest act of authoritarianism in his statewide order demanding all employees at schools to get vaccinated and a new statewide indoor mask mandate.
“It is unconscionable that the Governor would mandate all school employees to be vaccinated. It is not the government’s role to make healthcare decisions for its citizens. This is a dictator-like government overreach, and it is one we, as a society, must stand up to adamantly oppose. School employees should not, as a condition of employment, be forced to be vaccinated. They as individuals should be free to make healthcare decisions for themselves.
Governor Pritzker, who comes from royalty-like wealth, seems to think the way to solve this problem is to play Chief Health Expert and King. We are not going to stop COVID-19 with authoritarian rules. People need to be free to make their own healthcare decisions. If you want to wear a mask – wear a mask. But forcing people to comply with these arbitrary rules is not accomplishing anything but stoking fear, anger and resentment.”
Individuals should be free to make healthcare decisions for themselves, but this is not about them. It’s about everyone around them, and those around them, and those around them, and…
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to double down Thursday on his efforts to deal with a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic’s delta variant as schools reopen by requiring all educators from kindergarten through college to be vaccinated.
Additionally, Pritzker plans to require a statewide mandate of masking of people age 2 and above in indoor locations, according to two sources familiar with the governor’s actions, as the variant has led to increasing hospitalizations among younger people and the unvaccinated, along with increasing reports of “breakthrough cases” among those who are vaccinated.
The Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association, the two statewide teachers unions, welcomed the vaccine mandate to help “provide the greatest possible level of safety” for in-person school.
“The surge of COVID-19 cases in our state reminds us that this vaccine mandate is a public health imperative,” the unions said in a joint statement. “To implement it properly, widespread education and access to vaccines will be essential. For members who cannot, or will not, get vaccinated, we are glad to see the governor has implemented twice weekly COVID testing.”
The labor organizations said they would work with their locals to negotiate the terms and implementation of the mandate in districts, colleges and universities.
…Adding… Now that we have details, let’s move this conversation here
* GOP bans on school masks draw federal civil rights challenges: The legal challenges — filed separately in recent weeks against Texas, Florida and South Carolina — argue that those states‘ bans on universal masking in schools run afoul of federal anti-discrimination laws meant to protect children with disabilities.
How about turning the James R. Thompson Center into a waterpark resort, complete with thrilling waterfalls? Or adding a conical spire to showcase 3D LED images? Maybe its glass skin could be tinted, with occupants controlling it for their comfort.
Those were among the proposals chosen as finalists in a competition for ideas to reuse the longtime hub for state government at 100 W. Randolph St. The distinctive product of the late architect Helmut Jahn and regarded by many as landmark-worthy is an asset the state wants to sell, raising the specter of its demolition.
Seven proposals for saving the 17-story building were named finalists Tuesday in a competition sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Center and the Chicago Architectural Club. A jury of leading experts in design and preservation chose the finalists from 59 entries. A winner will be announced Sept. 14.
Scott Kennedy’s tongue-in-cheek idea to convert the building into a water park was submitted as a proposal by David Rader, Jerry Johnson, Ryan Monteleagre and Matt Zelensek of Perkins & Will. And it’s now a finalist for the prize.
* I asked Kennedy for comment today…
I actually love that this has taken on an energy of its own. It’s outgrown me and that’s great.
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR AFSCME MEMBERS IN ILLINOIS STATE GOVERNMENT
RIGID VACCINE MANDATES WON’T WORK
Vaccinations are an essential tool in halting the spread of the coronavirus and our union has worked diligently to educate members about the importance of getting vaccinated to protect themselves, their families, and their co-workers. Thousands have already done so.
Oppose Rigid, Universal Mandate
However, we know there are union members who remain fearful of the COVID vaccine, as well as others who have medical contraindications or religious objections. That’s why AFSCME opposes rigid, universal vaccine mandates that effectively threaten employees with termination if they do not get vaccinated.
And that’s why our union is opposed to the plan Governor Pritzker recently put forth to mandate COVID vaccinations for all state employees who work in congregate facilities in DOC, DJJ, DHS, and DVA.
Employees in these facilities have been on the job daily since the onset of this pandemic, providing care for some of our state’s most severely disabled individuals and ailing veterans, as well as maintaining order and providing rehabilitative services in prisons and youth centers.
A punitive universal mandate only serves to undermine morale and heighten the stress of these already stressful jobs.
Bargaining Required
While the courts have consistently affirmed that employers have the right to mandate vaccinations (as they have done in the past to address other types of health threats), both private sector (NLRA) labor law, as well as state public employee labor laws (e.g. IPLRA), require employers to bargain over the impact (implementation) of such a decision.
In announcing this employee mandate earlier this month, Gov. Pritzker recognized the administration’s duty to bargain with unions representing state employees and quickly moved to initiate such negotiations with our union.
With a union bargaining team that includes all members of the Council 31 Executive Board who currently work in a state congregate facility, those negotiations are now underway.
A Better Path
Based on input from local union leaders from around the state, the AFSCME team pointed out to management that a key problem in controlling the spread of the virus is operational laxity in the administration of some of the congregate facilities: Too often safety protocols are neglected, testing is not rigorous, visitors are often not required to wear masks, and quarantines are frequently not put in place in the wake of exposure to the virus.
AFSCME argued that the State should work with the Union to address these unsafe conditions before turning to employee vaccination mandates. CMS responded that they are prepared to work cooperatively to address these safety problems, but they want to do so in conjunction with a mandatory vaccination program.
The union bargaining team has also pointed to the federal government and other state governments that have put more flexible forms of vaccination programs in place, such as providing for a strict testing regimen as an alternative for those who object to vaccinations.
In addition, we have expressed serious concern that if a significant number of employees are discharged as a result of this plan, understaffing in these agencies—which are finding it increasingly difficult to hire new employees—would be greatly exacerbated and overtime pressures on the remaining employees would grow.
Noting that it is now well documented that the Delta variant can also strike the vaccinated, as well as the unvaccinated, the Union is also urging that if the Employer is serious about combatting COVID in these settings, it should act immediately to restore the policy whereby employees who become sick with COVID—or are quarantined by the employer or a public health body—are granted paid time off rather than having to file workers’ compensation claims.
Bargaining Should “Freeze” Implementation
The governor’s plan sets October 4th as the deadline for employees to be fully vaccinated—and the relevant agencies have been notifying employees that they must get vaccinated in the next few weeks in order to be in compliance. That’s flat-out wrong. AFSCME has informed Management that pursuant to state labor law, the employer cannot proceed to implementation of its plan while negotiations are ongoing.
Standing Together
Our union will continue to push for flexibility rather than the rigid, universal vaccination plan that the State is now proposing for state employees. We take very seriously our obligation to safeguard the health and safety of union members, as well as the public they serve. Our actions have been—and will continue to be—guided by the conviction that encouragement and education, not punitive measures, are the best path forward in combatting the deadly coronavirus and its variants. Our best hope of achieving that goal is rooted in the grassroots solidarity that has long been the hallmark of our union.
Pandering of the worst sort.
*** UPDATE *** OK, let’s go through this a bit. First, a religious exemption is required under Supreme Court rulings, so AFSCME knows it will be in there. And federal law requires medical exemptions. Those are red herrings.
Second, who controls actual access to prisons and other congregate settings? Well, that would be AFSCME members. If they have a beef about visitors not wearing masks, then enforce the policy. Also, while testing is being performed pretty frequently right now, it could be ramped up more. But, really, this should go beyond testing, particularly in the veterans’ homes and homes for mentally and developmentally disabled. AFSCME should stop pandering to IDOC workers.
Third, unlimited extra paid time off for unvaccinated workers seems just bizarre to me. If you’ve got a legit exemption, fine. If you get a little sick after taking the shot, fine. If you have a breakthrough case and you’re sick, fine.
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced that, effective October 15, 2021, the City of Chicago will require all City employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, joining many other major municipalities and government agencies in taking this important preventive step. While masking and social distancing requirements in the workplace remain, the best protection against COVID-19 is vaccination.
“As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, we must take every step necessary and at our disposal to keep everyone in our city safe and healthy,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Getting vaccinated has been proven to be the best way to achieve that and make it possible to recover from this devastating pandemic. And so, we have decided to join other municipalities and government agencies across the nation, including the U.S. military, who are making this decision to protect the people who are keeping our cities and country moving. We have also been in close communication with our partners in the labor movement to create a vaccination policy that is workable, fair and effective,”
“Fully vaccinated” means two weeks past the second dose of a two-dose mRNA vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna) or two weeks past a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Employees will be asked to submit their proof of vaccination via a secure, online COVID-19 Vaccine Portal.
“We have worked closely with our partners to ensure that the reporting system is secure, effective, and confidential,” said Commissioner Christopher Owen, Chicago Department of Human Resources. “Human resource leads within every City department are prepared and available to assist employees through this process and answer their questions.”
This policy applies to all City employees and volunteers. Employees can apply for medical or religious exemption from this policy. Such requests will be reviewed by the Department of Human Resources on a case-by-case basis.
“The data shows that getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and those you come in contact with from serious illness, hospitalization, or death from COVID-19,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. “Adopting and implementing this requirement is the responsible, common-sense approach, which is why we’re seeing so many other government agencies, companies, institutions, and organizations pursue this course of action.”
More than 70 percent (more than 1.6 million) of Chicago residents over 18 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are widely available at pharmacies, health care offices, and through special events across the City at no cost to the public. No insurance or government ID are required to receive a vaccination. To learn more, visit Chicago.gov/COVIDvax or call 312-746-4835.
The FOP is about to flip its lid. But, whatever.
Your move, Gov. Pritzker.
*** UPDATE 1 *** CFL sides with anti-vaxer union members…
Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter released the following statement regarding the announcement of a vaccine mandate for City of Chicago workers:
“City of Chicago and other public employees have been sacrificing their health from the very beginning of this crisis, putting their own safety on the line to keep this city moving. The Chicago labor movement has worked tirelessly to protect these heroic workers, from fighting for proper safety procedures to holding vaccination clinics for thousands of union members that were hailed as a ‘model for the country’ by Vice President Kamala Harris.
“We believe in the benefits of vaccination to help protect workers and residents, but we do not believe punitive mandates are the right path to significantly increase vaccine uptake. In fact, we believe this announcement may harden opposition to the vaccine instead of protecting the workers who have sacrificed so much over the past 18 months. We are still in very preliminary discussions with the city about a proposed vaccination policy and we hope this process can be resolved through policymaking, not public communications. However, any discussion around a vaccine policy should include not only medical and religious exemptions, but also testing alternatives as we continue to build trust around the benefits of voluntary vaccination.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara in the Sun-Times…
“This has literally lit a bomb underneath the membership. They’re more engaged in this than they were even in the contract. And what are they gonna do when four or five thousand coppers say, ‘Screw you. I’m staying home. You’re not making me get this f—ing vaccination. Don’t pay me. That’s fine. We’ll see you in court.’”
Catanzara said he’s not threatening a blue-flu style protest. He claims the city is literally talking about “putting people on no-pay status who refuse to get” the vaccination.
“You’re not gonna pay me. You’re gonna make me stay home. But you’re gonna have thousands of coppers willing to stay home, not getting paid to not get a vaccine and then, what are you gonna do for manpower on the streets?” he said.
“They’ll be drowning in the creek. They won’t just be up a creek. They’ll be sinking in the creek.” […]
“We’re in America, G-ddamn it. We don’t want to be forced to do anything. Period. This ain’t Nazi f—ing Germany, [where they say], ‘Step into the f—ing showers. The pills won’t hurt you.’ What the f–k?” he said.
*** UPDATE 3 *** CFL President Reiter called and said he took umbrage with my characterization of his statement. From our conversation…
We believe in vaccines. We’re very clear in our statement. We are saying we have to negotiate a policy with the city. And we believe that testing should be provided as an alternative as we educate people more on the vaccine because government intervention in a punitive way could set us back as we look to get people vaccinated going forward and getting booster shots. … And the way to build trust and confidence is not to announce a mandate on anything before we’ve had an opportunity to work through what the policy actually is. We’ve barely sat down with the city to move forward with this. So we are still at the beginning of this. I don’t think it’s fair to put us in the same category as other people that are rejecting the advocacy of vaccines.
Gov. Pritzker Signs Legislation Creating the Local Journalism Task Force
Task Force Aims to Promote and Aid Local Journalism
Governor JB Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill 134, which creates the Local Journalism Task Force. The Task Force will conduct a comprehensive study of the status of journalism and make recommendations for improvement to the Governor and General Assembly.
“Many communities across our country have become news deserts – through this legislation, Illinois is taking a step toward addressing that challenge,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Robust local journalism is vitally important and I look forward to reviewing the recommendations from the Task Force as we seek to maintain and grow a strong press corps in Illinois.”
“I’ve dedicated years of my life to journalism, so I understand the importance of having access to local news,” said State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford). “People deserve to know what’s going on in their community, regardless of where they live.”
“Many of the residents of the state are deprived of comprehensive local news coverage,” said State Rep. Dave Vella (D-Rockford). “Local news coverage provides a shared sense of community and a vital check on local government. SB134 creates a task force that seeks to find out what can be done to save it.
Senate Bill 134 creates the Local Journalism Task Force, which will:
• conduct a comprehensive study relative to communities underserved by local journalism in Illinois,
• review all aspects of local journalism including, but not limited to, the adequacy of press coverage of communities, print and digital business models for media outlets, the impact of social media on local news, strategies to improve local news access, and public policy solutions to improve the sustainability of local press business models and private and nonprofit solutions, and
• submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by January 1, 2023.
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will be required to provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. The Task Force is also required to meet a minimum of five times.
The membership of the Task Force will consist of the following 15 members:
• one member of each chamber appointed by the caucus leader,
• one member appointed by the Governor,
• one representative of the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University,
• one representative of the Public Affairs Reporting Program at the University of Illinois at Springfield,
• one representative of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
• one representative of the School of Journalism at SIU-C,
• one representative of the Illinois Press Association,
• one representative of the Illinois Broadcasters Association,
• one representative of the Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association,
• one representative of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association,
• one representative of the Illinois Public Broadcasting Council, and
• one representative of the Illinois Municipal League.
SB 134 is effective January 1, 2022.
The legislation was supported by numerous publishing/broadcasting groups.
* The Question: What are your suggestions to improve local news?
*** UPDATE *** How about we start with not running ubiquitous and goofy stories like this?…
A Freeport lawmaker wants the state to let local school boards and health departments determine if students and staff should wear masks at school.
Rep. Andrew Chesney (R) filed HB 4131 on Friday. […]
Rep. Chesney hopes the bill be discussed during the state’s Special Session on Aug. 31 to discuss the political maps.
Um, yeah, no. The bill hasn’t even been assigned to a committee yet and the only way it will be “discussed” during the special session called for a specific purpose that has nothing to do with masks in schools is if Chesney gets up to speak about it during a lull. A quick phone call could’ve cleared that up.
Facebook is helping kill off local journalism, but that doesn’t mean local news stories ought to be just like Facebook posts. How about, maybe, you know, report the thing out a bit? There’s literally nothing in that story which actually challenges Chesney’s claims.
Defense attorneys for four former ComEd executives and consultants with close ties to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan are seeking to dismiss some of the federal charges filed against them last year, arguing the bribery indictment against them “fails to allege any quid pro quo.” […]
“The indictment loosely strings together an assortment of events over a ten-year period of time—largely hiring decisions made by ComEd made at the recommendation of Public Official A—and alleges that, because such recommendations were made in the same decade that legislation affecting ComEd was passed, a crime must have been committed. But the indictment fails to allege any connection between these hiring decisions and any agreement or understanding with Public Official A that he would take (or refrain from) any action on ComEd’s behalf in exchange for the things of value Defendants allegedly provided,” attorneys wrote.
Further, the defense team argued that accepting federal prosecutors’ stance that an explicit quid pro quo is not necessary to uphold the bribery charges “would put huge numbers of American citizens at risk of prosecution for their ordinary participation in the political process.”
“These gaps are fatal to the indictment because giving things of value to public officials can be perfectly legal. The Supreme Court has unanimously held that it is not a crime to give something to a public official ‘to build a reservoir of goodwill that might ultimately affect one or more of a multitude of unspecified acts, now and in the future,’” defense attorneys wrote.
The attorneys argued that allowing the bribery charges to stand without an explicit quid pro quo “would provide the government essentially unlimited discretion to prosecute anyone who has provided a benefit to a public official, and convict them on evidence that the public official took some official act that the defendant favored, without ever proving that the official’s actions were taken in exchange for the benefit provided, or even that the defendant understood or expected that the benefit would influence the official’s actions.”
Federal prosecutors argued Monday that a bid from four members of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle to convince a judge to toss part of the indictment filed against them ignores the alleged corruption at the heart of the case.
“The illegal conduct alleged in the indictment did not consist merely of lobbying, and it did not include campaign contributions made by ComEd,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu wrote in a new 74-page court filing.
Instead, Bhachu wrote, the four allegedly delivered benefits to Madigan’s associates with the hope Madigan “would give favorable treatment to ComEd legislation” — an arrangement that could be understood as a quid pro quo. […]
Bhachu countered Monday that the four sought “to influence and reward Public Official A in his capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives with significant power over legislation affecting ComEd’s interests.
“These were not bona fide arrangements made in the usual course of business,” Bhachu wrote, “and there is no legal basis to dismiss these charges from the indictment.”
But in a 74-page response filed late Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu wrote the federal bribery law does not require a quid pro quo, and even if it did, the allegations in the indictment make clear that Madigan — identified only as Public Official A — was in on the scheme. […]
“Here, the charges are not based on political logrolling, but rather, on private benefits in the form of jobs, contracts, and payments offered to be paid by a private company in order to influence and reward a legislator in carrying out his official duties,” the motion stated.
Bhachu also blasted arguments by the defendants that some of the bribery charges should be dismissed because they could not be tied to a specific “official act,” citing former Republican Gov. George Ryan’s corruption conviction.
Bhachu said the 7th Circuit ruled in the Ryan case that a “stream of benefits” was provided to the governor over time, “more like a meal plan in which you don’t pay for each item on the menu.” The indictment in the ComEd case alleges a similar scenario, he said.
* Related…
* Ed Burke’s lawyers say feds spent four years investigating him before tapping phones: Additionally, Burke’s lawyers responded to a revelation by the feds last spring that Burke allegedly made a “distasteful” comment about Jewish people. His attorneys insisted Friday the comment is too prejudicial, and any relevance to the racketeering case is outweighed by “the risk that the jury will infer from the statement that Ald. Burke is anti-Semitic.”
Today, Nikki Budzinski, a labor activist, former senior advisor to Governor JB Pritzker, and former member of the Biden administration at OMB announced her campaign for Congress in Illinois’ 13th congressional district with a coalition of support.
Born in Peoria, Nikki’s parents taught her the importance of family, community, and service to others. From her grandpa, a union painter, she saw how unions built and sustained the middle class. From her grandma, a public-school teacher, she learned the value of a good education. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign, Nikki traveled the country fighting to get hard-working people the pay and workplace protections they deserve while working with the IAFF firefighters union and UFCW.
As Governor JB Pritzker’s senior advisor, Nikki helped pass a $15 minimum wage in Illinois and expand high speed internet across the state. As the Chief of Staff in President Biden’s Office of Management and Budget, she helped implement the American Rescue Plan and established the Made in America office.
Budzinski also announced the endorsement of UFCW Local 881, Pastor Ray McJunkins, the Lead Pastor of Union Baptist Church in Springfield, State Representative Katie Stuart, Sangamon County Democratic Chairman Bill Houlihan, Christian County Democratic Chairman Ben Curtin, Jersey County Democratic Chairman Mark Pohlman, Calhoun County Democratic Chairman Paul “Snow” Herkert, and Macoupin County Democrats Chairwoman Pam Monetti.
Budzinski made the following statement: “I’ve spent my whole life fighting for working people and I’ll do the same in Congress. I want to make sure every Illinoisan has access to the same middle-class opportunities that my grandparents did as union painters and teachers.
Rodney Davis isn’t getting the job done. The stakes are too high for middle class families like the one I grew up in to have ineffective leaders in Congress and I plan to go to Congress and deliver for Illinois.”
Steve Powell, President of Local 881 and UFCW International Vice President made the following statement: “Nikki has spent her entire professional life fighting for working people. As we recover from COVID19 and build a new 21st-century economy, we need leaders like Nikki in Congress that are going to stand up for our members and make sure labor has a seat at the decision-making table. My job is to deliver for our members and having advocates like Nikki in Congress makes that easier. That’s why UFCW Local 881 is supporting Nikki.”
Pam Monetti, Chairwoman of the Macoupin County Democrats made the following statement: “Working people need allies in Congress that will make sure middle-class families get a fair shake. We haven’t gotten that from Rodney Davis the entire time he’s been in office. We need a true ally to working people which is why I’m supporting Nikki. She’s walked the walk - working in the labor movement, working to pass a $15 minimum wage in Illinois, and working on the American Rescue Plan in President Biden’s administration. Nikki will get the job done and I encourage others to support her.”
Pastor Ray McJunkins made the following statement: “Nikki Budzinski’s career spans over 20 years as a public servant. With an impressive and extensive background in government and political science Nikki is an exceptional individual when it comes to her passion of making a difference. She understands the importance of involvement in the decision-making process while working for the common good. With her education and experience, I am confident she will be a strong voice for the working class. Nikki Budzinski will bring to Capitol Hill knowledge, skill, experience, integrity, determination, and character. In fact, my descriptive summary of Nikki includes words such as competent, committed, talented, and innovative. She is an asset to local and state government and will be an even greater asset to federal government as she works for the people.”
Keep in mind that we don’t yet know what the districts will look like, and probably won’t until late October.
*** UPDATE *** Aaron DeGroot at the Rodney Davis campaign…
Hey, Rich.
Here is a quote from me as Davis campaign spokesperson regarding the Nikki Budzinski announcement:
“Nikki Budzinski is a lifelong Democrat political operative who is steeped in corrupt, Madigan-style politics. When she was a top staffer for Governor Pritzker, she helped Mike Madigan put his allies in patronage jobs throughout state government. Illinois voters have had enough of corrupt Madigan Machine politicians like Budzinski.”
And since Budzinski is Dick Durbin’s candidate for Congress against Rodney, I’ll note that Durbin is 0-5 against Rodney.
* Gov. JB Pritzker was asked today how the FDA’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine and subsequent Pentagon vaccine mandate for service members alters his “leverage” with state employees, teachers or other people. “Will you expand vaccine mandates now that this full approval is here?” His response…
Well, it’s not about leverage. I mean, let’s start with the idea that there are people who have been hesitant to get vaccinated because these vaccines were only under emergency use authorization. At this point now today, as a result of what the FDA has done, there is reams and reams of research that has now been done to prove that these vaccines are effective, especially the mRNA vaccines, like Pfizer. And so I’m very happy about that. I think so many people who may have been hesitant, wondering whether it was approved too quickly, now, literally almost a year later, we now have so much research to show these work. I’m very happy about that. I think that that means many more people will choose to get vaccinated. And I do think that there will be private institutions that will choose to require vaccinations now that it’s no longer under EUA.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* The Question: How long should the governor wait before mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for all state employees? Make sure to explain your answer, even if you believe that he shouldn’t ever mandate the vax.
“City employees are absolutely going to be required to be vaccinated,” she said, adding that discussions are still ongoing with the unions that represent most city workers, but specific announcements would land in the coming days. “We absolutely have to have a vaccine mandate. It’s for the safety of all involved, particularly members of the public, who are interacting with city employees on a daily basis.”
About 6 in 10 Americans say students and teachers should be required to wear face masks while in school, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Similar shares say teachers and eligible students should also be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. […]
The poll shows 59% of Americans support vaccination requirements for teachers and nearly as many — 55% — say the same for students age 12 and over, who are eligible to be vaccinated. Among parents, support was lower, with 42% backing vaccine mandates for students.
[Dr. Marc Shelton, HSHS senior vice president and chief clinical officer] said the delta variant is more likely to hospitalize unvaccinated people younger than 65 because older people are more likely to be vaccinated. The variant also appears to make people sicker and in a shorter time period, he said.
A year ago, a rise in COVID-19 diagnoses typically was followed by a surge in hospitalizations eight to 15 weeks later, Shelton said. Now, because of the delta variant, it takes five weeks for patients to show up at the hospital after being diagnosed, he said. […]
The average age of COVID-19 patients in MHS hospitals now is 58, compared with 69 in 2020. These patients are requesting more interventions to maximize their chance of survival, and those interventions, such as using a ventilator to help a patient breathe, must take place in inpatient settings, Govindaiah said.
The rising hospitalizations has prompted Memorial officials to open new COVID-19 units and redeploy some staff from other jobs to provide more support at the bedside, he said.
* This is far worse than scamming the government to get a handicapped parking pass and should be treated far more harshly…
An Oregon school superintendent is telling parents they can get their children out of wearing masks by citing federal disability law. […]
In some cases, he said, he believes those problems justify an exemption under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 because they interfere with learning.
But Laurie VanderPloeg, an associate executive director at the Council for Exceptional Children, an advocacy group, cautioned that under the federal law, children would not be allowed to go maskless simply because they asked.
Under the law, she said, school districts would have to go through a formal process to establish whether a child does, in fact, have a particular mental or physical disability, such as a respiratory condition, that would warrant an exception to the mask rule.
In Kansas, the Spring Hill school board is allowing parents to claim a medical or mental health exemption from the county’s requirement that elementary school students mask up. They do not need a medical provider to sign off.
I recently saw a video online of an anti-mask Illinois parent citing ADA at a school, so I presume this scam has arrived here. I’m so old I remember when we used to be disgusted when people lied about a disability to obtain undeserved special treatment.
As Chicago Public Schools students prepare to return to classrooms next week, a group of City Council and General Assembly members say they are “deeply concerned” about the district’s COVID-19 safety plans.
“The delta variant of COVID-19 has demonstrated its stronger transmission among unvaccinated young people, and we are deeply concerned that Chicago Public Schools’ current plan for students and staff to return to school buildings rolls back many important safety mitigation standards that can undermine the district’s objective of increasing equity for students especially in light of an ever-changing pandemic that is increasingly harming younger age groups,” Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th, and Democratic state Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas wrote in a letter Sunday to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago Board of Education President Miguel del Valle and interim CPS CEO José Torres.
The full letter is here. The full list of signatories is here and here.
Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union have hammered out about 25% of a COVID-19 safety agreement with just a week to go until students return to classrooms for full-time in-person learning, the union said Monday as it called on Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her team to “get serious” about working out a full deal.
* Press release…
Rev. & Mrs. Jesse Jackson’s COVID-19 Update
Sunday, August 22, 2021, 6:00 p.m.
Statement by son, Jonathan Jackson
Chicago, IL — Both of my parents have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and especially because of their ages, physicians at the Northwestern University Memorial Hospital are carefully monitoring their condition.
Both are resting comfortably and are responding positively to their treatments.
My family appreciates all of the expressions of concern and prayers that have been offered on their behalf, and we will continue to offer our prayers for your family as well. We ask that you continue to pray for the full recovery of our parents. We will continue to update you on a regular basis.
Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) appointed Jeremy Margolis, Co-Chair of White Collar Criminal Defense & Investigations at Loeb & Loeb,to serve on the Legislative Ethics Commission’s search committee tasked with finding qualified candidates for the position of Legislative Inspector General.
“Jeremy’s extensive legal accolades and accomplishments will allow him to bring an experienced perspective to this very important process,” McConchie said. “Specifically his prosecutorial experience and tenure as Director of the Illinois State Police make him uniquely qualified to see the talents, skills and dedication to ethical behavior we need in Illinois government.”
Margolis practices law internationally with an emphasis on grand jury, white collar, and internal investigations, compliance counseling, investigations and complex commercial litigation.
“I am honored to be able to serve Illinois’ Senate leadership in this role,” Margolis said. “I will do all that I can to help enhance the level of integrity in state government and to restore public confidence in what is often viewed as a broken and self-serving system”.
He has tried dozens of United States District Court jury cases to verdict, both for and against the government, and he has briefed and argued over 30 cases in the United States Court of Appeals.
Prior to entering private practice, Jeremy served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Chicago for 11 years, handling many cases of national interest. He conducted complex and sensitive investigations and prosecutions of sophisticated financial schemes, official corruption involving high-ranking federal and state elected and appointed public officials, and organized crime cases ranging from loan sharking to murder. His cases included both domestic and international terrorism involving bombings, air piracy, hostage taking and seditious conspiracy. Jeremy was one of the co-founders and coordinators of the multiagency Chicago Joint Terrorist Task Force, directly responsible for many matters directly affecting national security.
He also served for four years as Director of the Illinois State Police (ISP), a full-service law enforcement agency numbering over 2,500 officers and 1,000 support and laboratory personnel. The ISP’s law enforcement responsibilities include uniformed and tactical patrol, investigations, operating the State Police Academy, and delivering crime laboratory services to Illinois law enforcement agencies through a network of regional laboratories.
In addition, Jeremy served as Illinois Inspector General for three years, overseeing both criminal and regulatory investigations involving child abuse, public health, the environment and public safety. During his appointment as inspector general, he briefly served as Illinois Acting Director of Public Health during a statewide salmonella crisis caused by contaminated milk, which affected over 10,000 child and adult victims. The crisis was resolved with the coordinated involvement of the U.S. FDA and CDC.
Jeremy has lectured extensively at law schools, bar associations and civic organizations, and he has conducted training for state and local prosecutors and local, state and federal law enforcement officers. He is regularly quoted in local and national media, including in hundreds of case-related newspaper and magazine articles, and he has been interviewed on radio and television programs.
Margolis earned his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before graduating cum laude from the Northwestern University School of Law. He has received many awards and honors throughout his career including the Anti-Defamation League’s Civil Rights Award, the United States Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service and the United States Secret Service Honor Award.
He is a member of the FBI Chicago Chapter of the Society of Former Special Agents and a member of the Board of Governors of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists and a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
*** UPDATE *** From one of my syndicated newspaper columns way back in the day…
Margolis is a walking conflict of interest, and that’s the least of his faults. A former director of the Illinois State Police, he first gained notoriety in the 1998 governor’s race, when George Ryan brought him in to investigate allegations that secretary of state workers were handing out commercial drivers licenses to anyone who bought George Ryan campaign-fundraiser tickets.
Margolis took a quick look and declared there was no organized effort to sell licenses for campaign donations, and insisted that no follow-up investigations were needed. And then he began aggressively, and dishonestly, defending Ryan in the media.
“This is campaign time,” he told reporters with a dismissive tone. “Six-hundred-dollar bribes which you wouldn’t normally report are big news now.”
Margolis reviewed a diary kept by secretary of state whistle-blower Tony Berlin, but he claimed when his investigation was complete that the whistle-blower had a “lengthy arrest record,” so Berlin was chalked up as untrustworthy. But after Ryan was safely elected governor, the U.S. attorney revealed that Berlin’s diary was crucial in making bribery cases against Marion Sieble, Berlin’s boss, and others. And Berlin’s supposedly “lengthy” arrest record? He was busted once for DUI. Margolis smeared him.
One of the documents Margolis never mentioned was a memo written a week after the Rev. Scott Willis drove over a piece of metal that had fallen off a semi, which caused his van to blow up and kill all six of his children. In the memo, Secretary of State Inspector General Dean Bauer said he suspected the truck driver, who didn’t speak any English, had bribed his way to a driver’s license. The memo didn’t surface until many months after the 1998 election.
The Margolis influence was felt beyond the license-for-bribes scandal. A Margolis friend at Ryan’s secretary of state office was given the job of spying on a separate state-police investigation into campaign work done on state time.
After Ryan was elected governor, Margolis chaired a gubernatorial transition committee and began “monitoring” the federal corruption investigation for the governor.
It wasn’t long before Ryan’s campaign was paying Margolis to represent almost all the Ryan employees who were receiving visits from FBI agents and testifying before grand juries.
* My parents had five boys. Whenever we were on a road trip and their passel of sons was starting to get restless and unruly, my father would warn us with what he called “The three S’s”…
Rod Blagojevich is looking for some heavy-duty polish to spiff up his sullied reputation. He thinks he may have found it. The disgraced ex-governor has filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify the ban on him running for office — either statewide or locally.
“If I were to fall dead right here, my obituary in tomorrow’s papers wouldn’t be that good,” he told a gaggle of reporters earlier this month outside the Dirksen Federal Building, adding that he wanted to pursue “things with my life where that obituary can be corrected.” […]
We have a message for Rod. You can spiff up that reputation faster than you can say Roland Burris. Simply make the ultimate sacrifice, and step away from that limelight you crave so dearly. Your 15 minutes are up. Just walk away. Embrace a private life.
I’d add an admonition to ABC 7 for producing a “documentary” on Blagojevich that the station hyped with “exclusive” coverage of his goofy lawsuit.
