* Center Square…
A Logan County Circuit Court judge handed Gov. J.B. Pritzker his latest loss in a challenge to the governor’s executive authority.
Judge Jonathan C. Wright ruled Monday morning that Pritzker’s order that temporarily halted county jails from moving prisoners to state-run facilities ran afoul of state law.
The Illinois Department of Corrections must accept an inmate within 14 days of a transfer, but Pritzker’s order struck that language for the duration of his emergency orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic. There are about 36,000 inmates housed in IDOC facilities.
“The governor, nor the director of the [Department of Corrections], has independent discretion to determine what inmates they’re going to take or if they’re not going to take any,” said Jim Kaitschuck, director of the Illinois Sheriffs Association. “They just can’t have that unilateral ability to suspend or stop accepting inmates or parameters for who they would accept moving forward.”
He estimated there are about 2,000 inmates awaiting transfer to state facilities.
The ISA filed a lawsuit in late May, naming Pritzker, Illinois Department of Corrections Acting Director Rob Jeffreys, and wardens from four state prisons. The association sought not only to force the state prisons to accept transfers but also to compensate the counties for housing the inmates.
Attorneys representing the state requested a stay of the ruling while they ready an appeal. Another hearing is scheduled for Friday.
Meanwhile, a hearing in the governor’s lawsuit against some school districts over the mask requirement has been postponed.
*** UPDATE *** This is why the state blocked those transfers…
Two more inmates and two employees have now tested positive for COVID-19 at the McLean County jail, Sheriff Jon Sandage said Monday.
The first positive case (an inmate awaiting transfer to a state prison) was announced last Wednesday.
19 Comments  
|
Question of the day
Monday, Aug 3, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The governor was asked several times today about a fine for not wearing masks. He said locals should consider doing it…
In May, Pritzker asked a bipartisan legislative rule-making panel to consider a controversial rule change that would have businesses face a misdemeanor criminal charge, punishable by a $2,500 fine or 364 days in jail, for opening in violation of his stay-at-home order.
Amid complaints the penalties in that emergency rule proposal were too harsh, and when it appeared the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules may have been poised to block it, Pritzker backed off.
Pritzker on Monday said his administration is exploring another rule related to mask wearing.
“I asked JCAR to consider a rule that would impose fines when people are not requiring masks to be worn. They didn’t want to do that, they wanted to consider legislation and then didn’t bring up that legislation,” Pritzker said Monday of the four-day special General Assembly session in May. “We certainly are considering what rule we could put in place that JCAR would approve.”
The problem, of course, is that any new rule has to be based on state law, and the law currently imposes a misdemeanor, not a lower-level punishment like a business offense. As we’ve already discussed, the rule he submitted in May was also poorly drafted. Maybe he could just tighten it up and resubmit it. But because the GA didn’t act, the new rule would still have to include a misdemeanor penalty, which means a successful prosecution of a business for not requiring masks could include jail time if a state’s attorney and a judge ever agreed to go that far.
* The Question: Should the governor revamp and resubmit his emergency rule? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
find bike trails
…Adding… An example of the local enforcement Pritzker was talking about today…
Inspectors from the Sangamon County Department of Public Health cited two restaurants over the weekend for employees not wearing face coverings.
Chatham Café, 414 N. Main St., and The Main Gate Bar & Grill, 2143 N. 11th St., were each fined $250 for first-time violations, said director Gail O’Neill Monday.
49 Comments
|
*** UPDATED x1 *** COVID-19 roundup
Monday, Aug 3, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* New York Times…
It has been a comforting refrain in the national conversation about reopening schools: Young children are mostly spared by the coronavirus and don’t seem to spread it to others, at least not very often.
But Thursday, a study [led by the Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago] introduced an unwelcome wrinkle into this smooth narrative.
Infected children have at least as much of the coronavirus in their noses and throats as infected adults, according to the research. Indeed, children younger than age 5 may host up to 100 times as much of the virus in the upper respiratory tract as adults, the authors found.
That measurement does not necessarily prove that children are passing the virus to others. Still, the findings should influence the debate over reopening schools, several experts said.
* Tribune…
Some suburban and rural leaders got their wish when their counties were separated from Chicago’s for purposes of monitoring the coronavirus. But now officials warn that many collar counties are seeing higher rates of positive tests than the city, which could prompt tighter restrictions.
In a region where nursing homes once accounted for the majority of cases, health officials say now large gatherings of young people without proper precautions are sparking outbreaks. Positivity rates have been rising in the counties surrounding Chicago, prompting Gov. J.B. Pritzker to ask local officials to start tightening the leash on COVID-19 restrictions. […]
Officials from DuPage County called for freedom from those restrictions, saying they shouldn’t be lumped together with the high caseload in Chicago. Sheriffs from Kane and Kendall counties declared that they wouldn’t enforce the governor’s orders. […]
While Chicago had a positivity rate of 4.5% as of July 25, Lake County’s rate stood at 5%, suburban Cook and McHenry each were at 5.4%, DuPage 4%, Kane 5.8%, Will 5.9% and Kendall ― the highest in the area ― was at 6.8%.
* NY Times…
More than a century ago, as the 1918 influenza pandemic raged in the United States, masks of gauze and cheesecloth became the facial front lines in the battle against the virus. But as they have now, the masks also stoked political division. Then, as now, medical authorities urged the wearing of masks to help slow the spread of disease. And then, as now, some people resisted.
In 1918 and 1919, as bars, saloons, restaurants, theaters and schools were closed, masks became a scapegoat, a symbol of government overreach, inspiring protests, petitions and defiant bare-face gatherings. All the while, thousands of Americans were dying in a deadly pandemic.
* Derek Barichello…
Forty-seven new COVID-19 cases were confirmed Monday in La Salle County — the highest single-day total since the beginning of the pandemic.
Additionally, the health department confirmed a man in his 80s and a woman in her 80s died from complications related to COVID-19, increasing the number of deaths related to COVID-19 in La Salle County to 20.
The new cases are two boys younger than 13, a teenager, a man in his 20s, eight women in their 20s, two men in their 30s, a woman in her 30s, two men in their 40s, three women in their 40s, three men in their 50s, five women in their 50s, two men in their 60s, two women in their 60s, a man in his 70s, two men in their 80s, eight women in their 80s, two men in their 90s and two women in their 90s.
* For good measure, they also drove a Confederate battle flag around the track…
* Chicago Tribune live blog…
A Chicago farmers market kicks out a vendor alleging COVID-19 safety violations
CTU president says Mayor Lori Lightfoot ‘doesn’t have the guts to close the schools’
Chicago Public Schools parent: ‘My kids are not an experiment’
University of Illinois plans twice-weekly COVID-19 testing for students, faculty who have in-person classes
Naperville-area school districts reverse course, will have students do remote learning through October
* Sun-Times live blog…
Big Star restaurant closes after employee tests positive for COVID-19
South Siders revel in Jeremiah Collier’s ‘uplifting’ porch session music jams
Teachers, activists rally to keep CPS schools closed during COVID-19 pandemic
We continue to fail to protect the elderly in nursing homes and their caretakers from COVID-19
*** UPDATE *** DeVore goes fishing for more clients…
I need a parent with kids in each school district within each of these counties who is dissatisfied with their district following the face mask mandate to message me please.
Just these counties for now please
Posted by Thomas DeVore on Sunday, August 2, 2020
37 Comments
|
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker launched a new $5 million awareness campaign today to encourage Illinois residents to wear a face covering every time they’re in public — because it only works if you wear it. Following the data-driven approach that has guided Illinois’ coronavirus response, the campaign uses local information to advertise on broadcast and cable television, radio, billboards and social media to the communities with the greatest risk from COVID-19.
The Governor launched the campaign from the State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield with those who are helping to lead the state’s response: Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, and Alicia Tate-Nadeau, Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. As of Friday, 11 counties have now reached IDPH’s “warning level” for virus spread, including here in Sangamon County.
“I’m proud to launch a new public awareness campaign today that has a straightforward message for Illinoisans: A mask is like anything that keeps us safe. It only works if you wear it,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We’ve made so much progress since the beginning of this pandemic. Let’s protect that progress. This is our moment to pull together as families, friends and neighbors. We’re all safer and stronger when we go all in, Illinois.”
“This campaign connects the dots between daily actions we take to keep ourselves safe and one the best things we can do to fight COVID-19: wearing a mask,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. When you get in a car, you buckle your seatbelt to protect yourself in case you get into an accident. When you play football or ride your bike, you put on a helmet to reduce your risk of seriously injuring your head or brain. When you’re on the water, you put on a life jacket so you don’t drown. And when you’re in the bedroom, you use a condom to protect against STIs. A mask is no different. It only works when you wear it.”
“Governor Pritzker, Dr. Ezike and I spend each and every day poring over the numbers, making decisions to keep people safe and planning for what’s ahead,” said IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “If we continue on the track we’re on, we’ll need to look at bringing back some restrictions that we’ve seen over the last few months. Nobody wants that. We haven’t seen enough people wearing face coverings and following the rule we put in place on May 1. If more people do their part by wearing a mask in public, we can move forward, not backward. Let’s go all in, Illinois.”
Governor Pritzker introduced Illinois’ mask-wearing requirement on May 1, the same day Illinois moved into Phase 2, and called for a national mask mandate during testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives on July 8.
Building on decades of public health campaigns that have helped the public adopt safety precautions as daily practices, the campaign reminds Illinoisans that wearing a mask is just like wearing a seatbelt, a helmet or lifejacket, tools used every day to prevent serious injury or even death. Research has found that highlighting these commonsense comparisons is the most effective messaging to change behavior and increase mask usage. Research also demonstrates that wearing a face covering is one of the most effective ways of decreasing the spread of the virus, and new research indicates it could also provide important protection to the wearer.
The $5 million campaign will reach residents statewide in both English and Spanish through a variety of traditional and online media channels, including broadcast, cable and connected TV; streaming audio and radio; billboards; digital display and video; and social media. Like other coronavirus-related expenses, costs are reimbursable by the federal government.
To view or download the videos, audio and images, CLICK HERE.
Driven by real-time data, the awareness effort will respond to the latest trends in cases and mobility at the county level, following the evolving on-the-ground conditions in communities across the state. For example, if both cases and mobility are high in a county, platforms in that county would receive the maximum amount of funding, while counties with lower cases and mobility would receive baseline funding. The funding model was built to ensure all counties have ample coverage of this vital public health messaging.
‘It only works if you wear it’ was developed by Illinois-based ad agency OKRP, directed by world-renowned photographer Sandro and produced with SAG-AFTRA talent. The campaign is supported by TimeZoneOne and Spurrier Group and guided by data insights from the state’s COVID-19 modeling team and Civis Analytics.
Click the link, take a look around and tell us what you think.
*** UPDATE *** I do love this country…
12 Comments
|
* I just can’t even…
…Adding… I’m not sure what this proves, but OK…
Hi Rich,
My name’s Jim Minardi and I am the Communications Director for the Curran campaign.
I am responding to the post you did today on your website of a tweet THREAD the campaign put out in response to the change in IHSA sports schedules. Why did you leave out the rest of the thread? There were two other tweets in the reaction Mark wrote. Please correct immediately and provide your readers the full context of Mark’s thought, tweets 1-3. The other tweets were written by staff as the account is primarily staff managed which is clearly stated in the bio.
Screen shot of tweet two and three (the remaining context of Mark’s thoughts) are attached. Please update your post accordingly. And clarify with your readers.
Thank you.
Here it is…
100 Comments
|
MJM calling around to his members
Thursday, Jul 30, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Subscribers know more…
…Adding… NBC 5…
Four Democratic Illinois lawmakers told NBC 5 Thursday that House Speaker Michael Madigan contacted them individually to ask if he should step down, as calls for him to resign continue to grow after he was implicated in a federal court filing alleging a bribery scheme with ComEd that lasted nearly a decade.
One of the legislators said Madigan called at around 9 a.m. Thursday. Another lawmaker who Madigan consulted said they told him he should not resign - saying that Democrats needed to focus on defeating President Donald Trump in November, and that a vacancy in party leadership less than 100 days before the election would harm that effort.
NBC 5 is not identifying the lawmakers, who requested anonymity to openly discuss the ongoing developments. A spokesman for Madigan did not immediately respond to request for comment.
…Adding… I told subscribers about this earlier…
The sources, two members of Madigan’s 73-member House majority, said the 78-year-old speaker was asking members of his caucus if they agreed with two Democrats, state Reps. Terra Costa Howard of Glen Ellyn and Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego, who have asked Madigan to step down from his governmental post. Howard also said Madigan should resign as state Democratic chair.
64 Comments
|
* Leader Durkin had previously issued one of those “if true” statements about Speaker Madigan. Gov. Pritzker mentioned Durkin’s comments yesterday to defend his own “if true” demand. Welp…
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin released the following statement regarding the call for Speaker Madigan’s immediate resignation and will be filing a House resolution to call for another vote on Speaker for the Illinois House of Representatives:
“The federal charges outlined in the ComEd prosecution highlight a scheme solely for the benefit of Speaker Madigan. These facts are a disgrace of the highest level to the citizens of Illinois and to the institution of which we serve, the Illinois House of Representatives.
The House Rules for the 101st General Assembly provide great responsibilities and duties of the Speaker of the House. After reviewing the facts contained in the ComEd deferred prosecution agreement, it is abundantly clear that Michael J. Madigan is unable to execute his responsibilities as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives and as state representative for the 22nd House District.
I call for the immediate resignation of Speaker Madigan from the Illinois House of Representatives, and will be filing a resolution to have the House Chamber vote on a new Speaker immediately.”
…Adding… HRO…
State Representative candidates Amy Elik, Lisa Ciampoli, and David Friess released the following statements regarding the ongoing corruption scandal surrounding House Speaker Michael Madigan and State Representatives Monica Bristow (IL-111), Katie Stuart (IL-112), Nathan Reitz’s (IL-116), continued silence on the matter as their Democratic legislative colleagues call for Madigan’s resignation.
“It’s impossible to reform Illinois as long as Speaker Madigan remains in power,” said Amy Elik, state representative candidate for the 111th district. “Speaker Madigan continues to block any chance of ethics reform, property tax reform, and term limits, and Monica Bristow is a willing conspirator by remaining silent.”
“The people are demanding change to how Springfield operates,” said Lisa Ciampoli, state representative candidate for the 112th district. “Speaker Madigan has a clear conflict of interest to continue serving as speaker. It’s time for him to step down, and for Katie Stuart to stop playing follow the leader by remaining silent on the matter.”
“Speaker Madigan cannot lead the House of Representatives, and must resign,” said David Friess, state representative candidate for the 116th district. “It’s time for Nathan Reitz to end his silence and let his constituents know if he’s with them or Speaker Madigan.”
This incident is not the first-time area state representatives failed to speak out. When WBEZ covered the story alleging a “powerful former Springfield lobbyist and close friend of House Speaker Madigan” covered up a rape in Champaign and ghost payrolling of government workers, State Representatives Bristow, Stuart, and Reitz failed to hold Madigan accountable.
Alaina Hampton, the individual who sued and settled with Madigan’s operation for sexual harassment, noted in a July 26, 2019 tweet to the Democratic Women’s Caucus, saying:
“I’ve now been waiting a year & a half for you to support me publicly, or even address me by name in a statement. Where are you? What is your stance? We all want to know.”
Why are Representatives Bristow, Reitz, and Stuart among the few House Democrats yet to speak out on Speaker Madigan?
23 Comments
|
*** UPDATED x1 *** ComEd on the hot seat
Thursday, Jul 30, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dan Mihalopoulos at WBEZ…
In his first public comments since Commonwealth Edison admitted a Springfield bribery scheme, CEO Joe Dominguez said Wednesday he was sorry for the power company’s conduct – but quickly added that he did not think the public suffered as a result of the scandal.
“I wanted to apologize on behalf of the entire company,” Dominguez told officials at a meeting of the Illinois Commerce Commission, which regulates ComEd and other public utilities in the state.
Dominguez quickly pivoted from that mea culpa to show the limits of his contrition. He focused largely on defending the company’s overall performance as excellent – and protecting the legislative gains ComEd achieved during the eight-year-long bribery scheme. […]
In an effort to add what he said was “context” for his company’s state regulators, Dominguez told the ICC that the “deferred prosecution agreement,” or DPA, with the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago “is not a criminal conviction of ComEd” and that “a few orchestrated the improper conduct” but most employees do a superb job.
Dominguez also said the state laws mentioned in the deal with federal law enforcement authorities actually had benefited the people of Illinois, even though lawmakers locked in electricity delivery rate hikes.
* ComEd is borrowing from its parent…
ComEd doesn’t have $200 million in cash flow to pay the fine, Dominguez told commissioners, so it would borrow the money from its parent company, Exelon. […]
“In order to pay the government, Exelon, like other large holding companies, has a cash balance, is able to use some of that cash. It goes down to ComEd so that it meets its obligation under the [deferred prosecution agreement] to make that payment. In the future, when we otherwise would have provided our profits to the shareholder, our profits are actually going to repay that $200 million. At the end of the day, the capital structure remains the same and shareholders, not customers, will pay all of the fine.”
* Iulia Gheorghiu at Utility Dive…
The utility is strengthening its compliance practices outside of the federal investigation, Gomez told Illinois regulators. Cost changes and percentages that will fall on ratepayers for the compliance function are not available, she added.
ICC commissioners insisted that ComEd’s ratepayers should not fund any changes the utility makes in reaction to the deferred prosecution agreement.
* The person leading that particular charge was the embattled ICC Chair…
Commission Chair Carrie Zalewski told Dominguez and Glockner that she wasn’t comfortable “with one penny” of ratepayer money going to an improved compliance system made necessary by actions over nearly a decade at ComEd that resulted in a criminal charge of bribery.
“I find it very hard to believe Exelon was going to enhance their policies regardless,” she said.
* Some legislators and other elected officials may be alarmed about this…
As part of the deal to defer prosecution of bribery charges against the company, ComEd and its parent company Exelon agreed to pay the fine, to cooperate with a continuing federal investigation, to adopt internal policies and controls regarding their dealings with public officials to prevent similar crimes from occurring again and to file reports with the U.S. Attorney’s office at least once every 12 months detailing how it is complying with the terms of the agreement.
“They create, among other things, a detailed tracking system to capture information about our interactions with public officials,” said David Glocker, Exelon’s executive vice president for compliance and audit. “Going forward, beginning when these policies went into effect on July 6, any request, recommendation or referral from a public official has to be reported, has to be tracked, and it can only be acted on with the concurrence of a series of people within the organization, including, importantly, the compliance function.”
Legislators and other electeds routinely forward constituent complaints to utility companies.
*** UPDATE *** From ComEd…
All requests, referrals and recommendations from public officials for things of value for themselves or others will be reported and tracked. The only exceptions are routine requests for constituent assistance or information.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* And, of course…
Here’s an opening sentence one might only get to write in an Illinois newspaper:
Nearly two weeks after admitting to a bombshell bribery charge, ComEd executives outlined their ethics reform plan to a panel of state regulators led by the relative of an alleged player in the criminal plot.
Illinois Commerce Commission Chairwoman Carrie Zalewski, whose agency oversees utility rates and safety practices, opened Wednesday’s meeting with demands for “transparency” and “accountability” in light of federal court records that allege ComEd engaged in a “yearslong bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments to allies of House Speaker Michael Madigan.
One of the Madigan associates that prosecutors say got such a job? Carrie Zalewski’s father-in-law, former 23rd Ward Ald. Michael Zalewski.
That connection was largely ignored during the hearing, however, even as Zalewski herself called the payments “unethical.”
* Steve Daniels…
“I have not done anything wrong,” Carrie Zalewski shot back, and added, “I take umbrage at the assumption.”
Oliva is a Republican appointee of former Gov. Bruce Rauner. Rauner’s ICC chairman, Brien Sheahan, was quickly replaced with Zalewski after Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office. Zalewski since has reversed some of Sheahan’s policies and priorities.
17 Comments
|
* Oy…
Gross domestic product from April to June plunged 32.9% on an annualized basis, according to the Commerce Department’s first reading on the data released Thursday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a drop of 34.7%.
Still, it was the worst drop ever, with the closest previously coming in mid-1921.
* And…
In yet another sign that the economic recovery is teetering in a resurgence of coronavirus cases, the number of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims rose for the second week in a row.
Some 1.4 million people filed for initial jobless claims last week, up 12,000 from the prior week’s revised level, which was the first increase in 16 weeks.
On an unadjusted basis, 1.2 million people filed first-time claims, down 171,000 from the week before. The seasonal adjustments are traditionally used to smooth out the data, but that has tended to have the opposite effect during the pandemic.
Continued claims, which count workers who have filed for at least two weeks in a row, stood at 17 million for the week ending July 18, up 867,000 from the prior week’s revised level. These seasonally adjusted claims peaked in May at nearly 25 million.
*** UPDATE 1 *** One Illinois…
The news was far better in Illinois, where new claims dropped 4,000 to 32,000 last week from 36,000 the week before. Claims for expanded federal benefits for independent contractors, freelancers, and so-called gig workers not eligible for conventional unemployment dropped precipitously, from a record 74,000 the week before to just 6,000 last week.
That PUA spike last week was really odd.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
“Today’s announcement of a 32.9 percent drop in U.S. GDP, the largest on record, reiterates what the Chamber has been saying all along - that the government must address both the economic and public health crises simultaneously,” said Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch.
“These dual crises necessitate that the administration weigh the priorities of job creators on equal footing with the dictates of scientists. While Illinois is releasing daily public health metrics, we cannot have state government considering economic metrics as an inconvenient afterthought. COVID-19 has created both crises, but we have to recognize that government decisions have contributed to the implosion of our economy.
That is why the Chamber is reiterating our call for four actions:
· Suspension of the minimum wage increase, that makes it even harder for small businesses to reopen;
· Immediate suspension of support for the progressive income tax amendment, that will put another burden on job creators forcing them across state lines;
· A complete repudiation of CEJA, a piece of legislation that threatens all Illinoisans with increased energy costs; and
· A rapid review of regulations to reduce red tape and administrative costs on employers.”
21 Comments
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
