Bob Molaro was well known for his jovial spirit, positive attitude and innate ability to bring people together and build consensus. He had a way of making everyone comfortable, even in challenging times and debates. Bob will be greatly missed by all who knew him. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
Bob served in both the Senate and then the House before he became a lobbyist. He was diagnosed late last year with pancreatic cancer and passed away Monday evening surrounded by family. Bobby had a lot of friends in this business and they are heartbroken right now.
RIP Bobby - How do you create on homage to a guy like Bob Molaro? Coffee. I hope it doesn’t come off trite, because coffee was everything good about Bobby. He used it for kinship, advice, bonding, listening, laughter and mentorship. No matter his mood, you always got the best of him. When I got the job in 2009, he insisted I understand that it was a blessing, a thing to be cherished and used to advance good things. He gently reminded me that when you get elected, you’re on 3rd base, and don’t forget everyone else who hit the triple to get you there. I’ll miss him beyond words, and am thinking of Barbara, Robyn, Sam, Mike, Miranda, and Alex. Cancer is a thief, and Monday it stole too much.
It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the death of Bob Molaro. He was a true steward of the horseracing industry, which frankly would no longer exist in Illinois were it not for the impassioned, persistent and selfless leadership of Bob. As a legislator, he wrote laws so that Illinois horseracing would have an honest chance to survive and thrive. Though he was personally a fan of racing, he lobbied tirelessly on behalf of the industry because he cared so deeply about people, from the backstretch to the teller line, from the grandstand to the farm. He had genuine empathy for everyone. Especially in the most difficult times, Bob sought to build consensus, to lead with the best possible ideas and to provide relief with humor and humility. Always the optimist and always the storyteller, Bob shared a clear and exciting vision for the future of Illinois horseracing with anyone who would listen. In tribute to his undying spirit, we look forward hopefully to that future, and we pledge to “do all the good we can do” in loving memory of our dear friend.
When I first arrived in Springfield I quickly learned there were few people you could count on to tell you truths. Bob Molaro was one of those people for me. He was my political father figure. In 2007 he asked me to work on this little project with him, which turned out to be the first draft of the Chicago casino and statewide gaming bill. He made me attend countless negotiation sessions and take copious notes and later told me it was all because he wanted me to listen and learn. He saw something in me I hadn’t yet realized. Or he was just messing with me. Either way, it worked. In one of those meetings a legislator asked me to get him a cup of coffee and Bob said, “She’s not your maid. She’s a lawyer. Get your own damn coffee.” Through the years whenever I felt less than or unsure, Bob was there to push me along and be a cheerleader. No one told stories like Bob. I remember sitting listening to him for hours, usually wondering when there would be a punchline or a point. I swear he talked about pensions for 3 hours straight. We frequented the same coffee shop back home and I’d sometimes run in to him accidentally on purpose to hear his stories and get his advice. Bob cared about people. The harsh reality is many never have or will care the way Bob did. When you had has attention, he gave it to you fully. He actually cared about making people’s lives better. And now he’s gone.
I will miss his advice, his stories, and the way he made me laugh. I will miss his love of the horse tracks and perpetually saying “one more thing” before he proceeded to tell me 5 more things. He was an original. And I will miss him so much.
He was indeed an original. And, boy, was it ever hard to shut him up. But just about everyone loved him. He co-announced the House vs. Senate softball games with me the past few years and he was a natural. I mean, the man could’ve been a play-by-play announcer. Who knew? I was always in awe of his gift of gab. And he was so funny and learned things so quickly.
I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for Bob Molaro. He was my friend, my mentor in the legislature and one of the smartest people I have ever known. Bob was the “go-to” guy. Someone you could always depend on to look out for your best interests. More than anyone, I trusted him because I knew he would steer me in the right direction. Like a lot of my colleagues through the years, I looked to Bob as a navigator and he never let me down. To this day, in gaming and other areas, we are still building off the work he started as a lawmaker. I’ll miss him more than I can say. I’ll miss our dinners together, I’ll miss his support, his wisdom and his guidance. My heart goes out to his family, we have all lost one of the greats.
Salem Media Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SALM), owner of AM 560 The Answer, announced that Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has invited Salem Media journalist Amy Jacobson back to his press briefings in response to a federal lawsuit filed against him and his press secretary.
Jacobson, a longtime Chicago journalist, sued together with her station AM 560 The Answer after the governor barred her from attending press briefings. Jacobson and the station are represented by attorneys from the Liberty Justice Center, a public interest law firm that won the 2018 Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME.
In a letter sent on behalf of the governor, Jacobson “is eligible to participate in the Governor’s press access on the same basis as other journalists … Jacobson may participate fully in the Governor’s press access, including but not limited to press briefings and conferences, to the same extent that any other media is allowed to participate.”
Liberty Justice Center President and co-founder Pat Hughes said the governor’s response to the lawsuit represents a major victory for all Illinoisans who seek to hold their elected officials accountable.
“Gov. Pritzker’s ban on Amy Jacobson was a complete overreach and he’s right to walk it back. The governor may not like when journalists ask tough questions and he may not always agree with their coverage, but Americans have a constitutional right to hold their elected officials accountable. One of the most important ways they do this is through a free and vibrant press,” Hughes said.
I’m told she attended a press conference at the Thompson Center a few days ago.
Up until recently, there were two ways to ask questions of the governor during his daily news media briefings: 1) You could contact one of the pool reporters who were selected by electronic and print reporters and they would ask your question; or 2) You could log in to the state’s Webex page with a password provided by the governor’s press office and submit your question that way. Jacobson was no longer being sent the daily password, which is what the suit was about. But the governor’s press office stopped using the Webex system on June 5th.
*** UPDATE *** I am told that Amy Jacobson is the only reporter at today’s Pritzker press conference. Might wanna click here to watch.
…Adding… It sounds like reporters have texted Jordan Abudayyeh some questions.
In a press conference this morning, the Illinois Republican Party announced they have filed a federal lawsuit against Governor JB Pritzker for his violations of the First Amendment. In recent weeks, the Governor has selectively endorsed and participated in large scale rallies and gatherings of thousands of individuals not practicing social distancing. Meanwhile, his COVID-19 executive orders ban Illinois Republicans, and other groups, from gathering in groups larger than 10 people.
“Governor Pritzker is ruling Illinois like an unaccountable king where only he gets to decide which violations of his executive order have his blessing. The Illinois Republican Party will not sit idly by while the Governor of Illinois applies one rule for himself and his political allies and another rule for everyone else. We agree that peaceful protesters have just cause to exercise their first amendment rights, but they aren’t the only ones. The days of Governor Pritzker picking winners and losers is coming to an end. The hypocrisy has to end. The violation of our First Amendment rights has to end.” - ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider
This past week, the Illinois Republican Party was forced to hold its’ quadrennial convention virtually, eliminating in-person collaboration, networking, and training. The 2020 general election is five months away and the only opposition to Pritzker and Illinois Democrats’ control is indefinitely barred from meeting for normal party functions.
This isn’t the first time Governor Pritzker has played by a different set of rules. When restrictions barred travel to vacation homes and the Governor lectured Illinoisans daily about not crossing state borders, Pritzker’s family was traveling to and from their equestrian estates in Florida and Wisconsin. And now, we see Pritzker continue to restrict funerals, weddings, festivals, youth sports - and political gatherings - at the same time he marches with thousands of protesters on a crowded street.
The lawsuit was filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The Illinois Republican Party will be represented by the Liberty Justice Center.
Political parties are for political expression what churches are for religious expression: the corporate manifestation of speech and interaction within a community of shared belief. Political parties’ events and rallies are also like protest rallies and marches. And like churches and marches, political parties operate in a world where time matters; the 2020 election is only months away. Also similarly, they operate best in a physical setting; in-person contact is the most persuasive form for communicating ideas.
Yet, unlike churches, political parties are barred from gathering in groups greater than 10 under the Governor’s Executive Order 2020-38. And unlike protestors against police brutality, they have not been given an exemption based on his sympathy, recognition, and participation. This disparate treatment of similar expressive activities violates both the First and 14th Amendments.
“This is about scoring political points and criticizing civil rights protests supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. The courts have repeatedly upheld the Governor’s executive orders as based on public health guidance. And as the Republicans who attended protests against the public health guidance are well aware, the State has never prevented people from exercising their First Amendment rights” said Jordan Abudayyeh, the Governor’s Press Secretary, in a statement. […]
Mary Morrissey, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois:
“We recall large groups of Republicans freely gathering at the Capitol and in downtown Chicago to protest Governor Pritzker’s handling of how to reopen the state without legal ramifications. This lawsuit is a distraction from the real issue — a Republican president who the IL GOP considers the ‘man of our time,’ but has let over a hundred thousand Americans die because of his inaction. We support Governor Pritzker and the exemplary leadership he’s shown throughout this public health crisis,” said a prepared statement, from Mary Morrisey, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
* The ILGOP is also fundraising off the issue…
As you can imagine…suing a billionaire governor is expensive. We’re expecting Governor Pritzker will throw whatever he needs at this battle to silence it. But we won’t stop fighting, especially if we have you behind us.
Can you chip in $5, $10, $20 or whatever you can afford to our official Sue JB Pritzker Fund?
We’re relying on donations from supporters throughout the state to break through this case and bring justice to our state.
Don’t sit this one out. This is big time.
The attorney general handles lawsuits like this one.
*** UPDATE *** The 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday ruled against a church which wanted to prevent Gov. Pritzker from ever reimposing his 10-person limit on church service attendance. From that opinion…
Feeding the body requires teams of people to work together in physical spaces, but churches can feed the spirit in other ways.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following statement today after testing positive for COVID-19.
“After experiencing minor symptoms over the weekend, I consulted with my health care provider using telehealth services. Upon the advice of my doctor, I was tested yesterday and informed today that I have tested positive for COVID-19.
“I have been self-isolating since the onset of my symptoms, and I will continue to do so in accordance with guidance from my doctor and public health authorities. Additionally, we are in the process of notifying individuals I may have come into contact with so that they can self-isolate and seek telehealth guidance.
“My symptoms continue to be mild, and I am in regular contact with my staff in order to continue to manage the operations of my office. As I join the countless Illinois residents working from home, the programs and services provided by the Attorney General’s office will continue uninterrupted.
“Although the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Illinois is decreasing, I urge people to follow guidance from public health officials by staying at least six feet away from others, wearing a face mask when around others, and washing your hands often.
“I am fortunate to be otherwise healthy and am following recommendations to protect those around me. I encourage all Illinois residents to take precautions to protect themselves and vulnerable residents from contracting COVID-19.”
…Adding… Comments are now open on this post…
I know we have moved phase 3, but I am an example that nobody is out of its reach and we must continue to take precautions. Today I tested positive for Covid 19. I am coping just fine and appreciate all of the well wishes.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, prompting Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other Democrats to vow to get retested after attending a south suburban event with the attorney general 10 days earlier.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is planning to get tested for the coronavirus after attending the event.
But Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has no plans to get retested, even though she also was at the Calumet City event on June 6 that Raoul attended.
“Their paths never crossed,” Preckwinkle’s spokesman said.
Gov. Pritzker has tested negative for COVID-19. He re-tested yesterday when Illinois AG Kwame Raoul revealed he tested positive. Pritzker has a press conference at 1:30 in North Lawndale. https://t.co/AQP7IvW4M1
* Press release from the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois…
This weekend, thousands of people across Illinois once again will gather together to protest anti-Black racism and the police killing of George Floyd and countless other Black people. These inspiring protests have taken place throughout Illinois, including small towns like Anna in Southern Illinois to the City of Chicago and its suburbs.
These protests – and the ability of people to be outdoors for other permissible activities – should not be limited by indefinite curfews. Curfews are a blunt tool that invite unnecessary police interactions and often result in arbitrary and selective enforcement aimed at Black people and people of color, the type of biased policing challenged by many protesters.
Many Illinois cities and towns imposed unnecessary curfews last weekend that have continued throughout this week. It is time for the curfews to be lifted everywhere in our state.
Thoughts?
…Adding… Press release…
ACLU of Illinois Responds to the End of Chicago’s Curfew
The below statement can be attributed to Colleen Connell, Executive Director, ACLU of Illinois:
“Finally! The curfew in the City of Chicago has been lifted. The limitation went on too long and caused disruption for too many of the City’s residents, including those protesting anti-Black racism and police violence, journalists, people experiencing homelessness, and essential workers.
As we said the night the curfew was put in place, the indefinite and vague nature of the curfew invited discriminatory enforcement against Black and Brown communities in the City.”
I want to apologize for my delay in addressing you about the recent protests and, more importantly, the underlying reason for them. Part of why I delayed was that I needed time to process my own anger and the thoughts that arose from it.
In my journey to become Attorney General, I was advised along the way to control my anger and not to let it inform my words and actions. Some of this advice was helpful, but at other times it failed to acknowledge the reality with which I live.
As an African American male who has had my own negative experiences with law enforcement, I’m angry.
As an African American male who has felt myself to be the subject of profiling for most of my life, I’m angry.
As the father of two black children whose wellbeing I worry about, I’m angry .
I’m angry because even to this day, at this stage in my career, I get nervous when I walk or drive by a police officer. I’m angry because when I walk into a store, I have to go out of my way to demonstrate that I’m there lawfully, to buy and not to steal. I’m angry because when I walk down a sidewalk or get in an elevator, I have to think about how to show I’m not a threat to someone’s purse.
As I reflected on my anger, I found it important to identify the person I’m angriest at - myself. I’m angry at myself because I’ve accepted the burden of making these adjustments in my daily life as an African American man, rather than confronting the reasons for my fear and discomfort.
So I’ve challenged myself and our senior staff to look at the work we do in the Office of the Attorney General with an eye to how we may have tolerated inequities and, as a result, contributed to the circumstances we have all witnessed.
We are having this discussion, born of our outrage over the death of George Floyd, only because a 17-year-old girl had the presence of mind to record the horrific act of a law enforcement officer purporting to be working in the line of duty. This is far from the first time we have risen up in resonse to police conduct caught on tape. I feel good about having led efforts, prior to assuming the role of Attorney General, to set protocols for the use of body-worn cameras and dash cams, and to have clarified that Illinois law allows members of the public to record officers in the performance of their duties. But I’m angry at myself for having accepted pats on the back for such reforms, knowing that most abusive policing is not recorded. Part of the reason I sought the position of Attorney General was to take on the challenge to do more.
We’ve been engaged in the implementation of a consent decree designed to change the patterns and practices of the Chicago Police Department. We have also recognized that the same communities that suffer disproportionately from law enforcement abuse also experience more heavily the trauma of normalized violence. This is why we’ve enhanced our crime victim services, taking a wider view of who is a victim. At the same time, we are actively reviewing legislation to further reform the way policing is done in this state.
Additionally, I know this time of public health crisis has been stressful for us all. I cannot express to you enough how deeply I appreciate your adjustment to working remotely while handling increased workloads. I also acknowledge that as I have struggled to process my thoughts and emotions concerning recent events and their relation to my lived experiences , so many o f you have felt the direct impact. I encourage you to take advantage of the Employee Assistance Program through which you can access free, confidential counseling services. You can reach them at (866) xxx-xxxx, 24/7, 365 days a year.
I also want you to know that I - and this office - stand in support of you.
The pandemic and both its health and economic effects have disproportionately harmed certain communities. Now, we witness livelihoods being destroyed - in many cases by outsiders - at a time when small businesses were already barely clinging to survival and people were just beginning to go back to work. While we have an eye toward assisting neighborhoods affected by this destruction, we will not allow our focus to be pulled away from our responsibility to look in the mirror and promote ethical, responsible and constitutional law enforcement in all areas that we touch .
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued a statement regarding implementation of a consent decree between the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois that requires the city to implement wide-ranging reforms of the Chicago Police Department (CPD). In a status hearing today regarding the consent decree and the CPD’s response to protests taking place throughout Chicago, attorneys from Raoul’s office argued that the city has failed to implement the consent decree in a timely manner.
“My commitment to enforcing the consent decree between the city of Chicago and state of Illinois has never wavered. If anything, the horrific murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, two in a long list of black lives lost at the hands of police, have strengthened my resolve to do my part to end pervasive police violence against our black and brown residents.
“We cannot let another day go by where the CPD hides behind a broken accountability system, inexcusably misses dozens of court-ordered deadlines with no plan in place to catch up, and fails to take the necessary steps to remedy the problems outlined in the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2017 report. The city owes the community it serves meaningful reform, not lip service, not Band-Aids, and not politics.
“I am calling on the city to recommit to implementing structural change within the Chicago Police Department, to publicly reject systemic racism, and to truly and transparently commit to gaining the trust of communities of color. I look forward to the independent monitor’s upcoming special report that will give us a more complete picture of how the CPD is responding to the protests that are continuing throughout Chicago. The protests are proof that the residents of Chicago are tired of waiting. I am calling on the city to do the hard work it assured people would be done to end systemic racism and restore accountability.
“I was pleased to hear Mayor Lightfoot’s recent comments acknowledging that implementation of the consent decree has been too slow. After several months of missed deadlines, one would be hard-pressed to disagree.
“The obstacle to implementation has never been the consent decree; rather, it has been the Chicago Police Department’s failure to prioritize the consent decree by committing sufficient resources to implement the court-ordered reforms. The city and the Chicago Police Department must finally take meaningful steps to implement the consent decree with the sense of urgency this moment in time demands. As tens of thousands of Chicagoans raise their voices to mourn and cry out for change, the city’s leadership owes them no less.”
Raoul is urging the city to deliver to the court, the monitor, and the Attorney General’s office a plan detailing when and how it will meet all of the consent decree deadlines missed.
To find more information, visit the Attorney General’s consent decree website.
