The woman who accused a high-ranking political aide to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan of sexual harassment said Wednesday that she is being targeted in retaliation for speaking out.
Hampton told NBC 5 she was forced to send a cease and desist letter to Jack Hynes, an associate of Madigan’s who lives in the powerful Democrat’s 13th Ward and has ties to his political organization - including the supervisor she said harassed her.
The 28-year-old political consultant, who worked for Madigan’s organization intermittently beginning in 2012, said her attorney sent the letter after learning that Hynes was reaching out to men who know her “in an effort to get ‘dirt’ on her and determine whether she has had inappropriate relationships with those men,” the letter reads. […]
Hynes refuted Hampton’s claims in a statement, saying, “It’s unfortunate that a casual conversation among two friends has been escalated to the level of involving lawyers.”
“In an effort to advance an economic and political agenda, I have been thrust into the spotlight, despite the fact that I didn’t act on behalf of anyone, consult anyone or discuss this with anyone (other than the person I was talking to), especially Speaker Madigan or his staff,” he continued. “Any words spoken by me were innocuous and unrelated to the pending legal matter. To the extent my words offended Ms. Hampton, Speaker Madigan or anyone else for that matter, I apologize, that wasn’t my intent.”
* React from a Madigan member…
To be clear - he doesn’t deny asking about her personal life…he just describes it as “a casual conversation between…
The lawyer for political consultant Alaina Hampton sent a “cease and desist” letter to Jack Hynes on Thursday, accusing her former boss at the nonprofit Chicago Heights Economic Development Corporation of trying to smear Hampton — and claiming that Madigan’s team put Hynes up to it.
“It has been brought to our attention that you, on behalf of the 13th Ward Democratic Organization and Michael J. Madigan, have been conducting an investigation to build a case to disparage Ms. Hampton’s professional and personal reputation,” wrote the lawyers with Kulwin, Masciopinto & Kulwin. “In so doing, you have contacted several of Ms. Hampton’s male colleagues, friends and acquaintances, in an effort to get ‘dirt’ on her and determine whether she has had inappropriate relationships with those men.”
The political operative booted from his job with House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Democratic organization over inappropriate texting to a female campaign worker was arrested Thursday on a charge of violating a protective order because of texts and calls to another person, suburban police said.
Kevin Quinn, 41, allegedly made calls and sent text messages on Feb. 10 in violation of the protective order, two days before Madigan announced Quinn had been ousted from the organization. Quinn is the brother of Marty Quinn, the alderman in Chicago’s 13th Ward, where Madigan has ruled for decades.
The issue erupted Monday when Madigan issued a statement announcing he had cut Quinn loose from the speaker’s government and political operations.
Quinn was arrested at his home on the city’s Southwest Side around 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Evergreen Park police said. He had pleaded guilty in January to disorderly conduct.
In a blockbuster report with huge political implications, an outside consultant concluded that Cook County’s residential property tax system is stacked against the little guy, with assessments far more variable and “much more regressive” than they should be, especially in the city of Chicago.
The problem starts with proposed assessments issued by Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, and actually gets worse as some homeowners, generally those well-off enough to hire a lawyer, appeal to the Board of Review. And in the end, the owners of relatively low-priced homes, many of them African-American and Latino, end up paying more than they should, with a relative break given to owners of more expensive properties, many of them owned by whites. […]
If the report is accurate, it’s striking how far the system is from performing as it should. For instance, by the coefficient of dispersion (COD) measure used by assessors, most homes should be valued within 5 percent to 15 percent of their true market value. In the county as a whole, that standard barely has been met, the report found. But in Chicago, the average COD was 25—almost five times the low end of the recommended variability range. […]
In the South township of the city, the average COD found was 21. In Hyde Park Township, it was 30; in Lake Township on the West Side, 44; and in south suburban Calumet, almost 50. The population in all of those is predominantly black.
In comparison, the CODs in the north lakefront’s North and Lake View Township were 13 and 11, respectively. And in suburban Elk Grove, Palatine and Orland, the CODs all were 8 or less.
* From Clem Balanoff, chairman of Our Revolution Illinois/Chicago…
“The Civic Consulting Alliance today released a scathing report confirming that Assessor Joe Berrios runs a regressive residential assessment process. The report, which Joe Berrios has been relying on to save his failed tenure as Assessor, reinforces what many have been saying for months: Berrios runs a corrupt, pay-to-play office that overtaxes working and middle-class families in order to reward his campaign donors.
It has been 254 days since the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica exposed Joe Berrios’s corrupt assessment process. Since then, another cycle of assessments has passed, forcing many residents to pay more than their fair share in property taxes, including costs passed on to renters, while billionaires like Donald Trump get millions in tax breaks.
Joe Berrios faces $41,000 in fines from the Board of Ethics for accepting illegal contributions from property tax lawyers doing business with his office. His actions have also led to a major lawsuit against Cook County by community organizations seeking to correct the unjust system.”
Democrat Andrea Raila’s bid to run for Cook County assessor suffered a serious blow Thursday, when county election officials kicked her off the March 20 primary ballot.
Raila, though, said she will appeal in court. If a judicial ruling doesn’t reverse Cook County Electoral Board’s decision, the Democratic primary will feature a one-on-one matchup between two-term incumbent Joe Berrios and asset manager Fritz Kaegi.
The Electoral Board signed off on a recommendation made last week by hearing officer Christopher Agrella, who found a “pattern of fraud” within the Raila campaign’s collection of petition signatures to run for office. That alleged fraud wiped out thousands of signatures, putting her below the threshold needed to get on the ballot.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
Following is a statement from Fritz Kaegi, the progressive Democrat running against incumbent Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios in the March 2018 primary election, in response to the newly released Civic Consulting Alliance (CCA) property tax assessment report commissioned by the Cook County Board.
“Today’s CCA report is the latest in a mountain of expert analysis that over the years all point to one indisputable conclusion: Assessor Berrios has failed the taxpayers of Cook County.
“Berrios campaigned on a promise to fix property tax regressivity in 2010–but during his tenure as Assessor, he has focused on filling his own campaign coffers and serving the interests of clouted property tax attorneys and wealthy property owners.
“Under Joe Berrios, wide swaths of the South Side, West Side and Southland have suffered greatly under a property tax assessment system that leads to tremendous inequity. It’s time to give Cook County taxpayers the property tax assessment system that they deserve and expect.
“As Assessor, I will bring integrity, fairness and transparency to the Assessor’s office and end the nepotism, corruption and pay-to-play politics that have come to define Berrios’s tenure.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Chris Kennedy…
Today’s report proves that Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios knowingly gutted the economic future of so many homeowners, particularly in African-American and Latino communities, while our schools are underfunded, so that his wealthy and well-connected friends could save money. He’s been unapologetic and shameless throughout this investigation.
His tenure as assessor is a complete complete disgrace, and it’s exactly what’s wrong with the political establishment in Illinois. I called on Joe Berrios to resign months ago and today I renew that call. JB Pritzker took 48 hours to criticize the way Speaker Madigan handled a sexual harassment complaint and has been silent for months on Joe Berrios’ corrupt property tax system. With the evidence outlined in today’s study, he has no choice but to denounce Berrios and join my call for him to resign.
JB has spent $50 million in this campaign upping his profile but that money hasn’t bought any courage to stand up to the political insiders who are hurting the people of Illinois.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Andrea Raila…
In a much anticipated decision, the Cook County election board upheld the decision to remove Andrea Raila’s name from the March 20 primary ballot after thousands of military ballots with Andrea Raila for Cook County Assessor have already been mailed.
By refusing to drop his challenge, Frederick “Fritz” Kaegi continues his efforts to keep a qualified woman off the ballot because of technicalities, which have allowed other candidates on the ballot, but are called a pattern of fraud in Raila’s case.
“The inconsistencies of this board’s decisions is an embarrassment to the democratic process. 14,500 voters—supporters who signed Raila’s petitions lost today. Today was an example of the typical good ole boys sticking together,” said Raila.
Raila said, “The decision amplifies the disenfranchisement of women and minorities who are working so hard to gain access to the democratic process. It is unAmerican.”
In the year of the Woman, we are witnessing a man running for office under the banner of a Progressive, but using old school democratic tactics to knock the first Democratic woman to run for this office in 85 years off the ballot.
“My election attorney was not even allowed to present witnesses and affidavits that show Frederick “Fritz” Kaegi’s name on petitions that were circulated before the legal date allowed.” Raila added.
In the bowels of the board of elections, some twenty plus women clutching the special Newsweek edition SHE PERSISTED, gasped when the ruling announced and shouted. ‘SHAME ON YOU!” We will prevail!
*** UPDATE 5 *** Biss…
Today, Daniel Biss released the following statement in response to the release of an independent study reviewing Cook County’s property tax assessment process.
“Middle-class families like mine don’t need a study or high-priced consultant to tell us property taxes are stacked against us, and neither do wealthy homeowners like JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy who have, for years, exploited the system for six figures in tax breaks. We all understand that the system is rigged, but that’s where the similarities end: I have a personal stake in fixing the system while my opponents benefit from its continuation. That’s why I’ve worked with ordinary homeowners, advocacy groups, and my colleagues in the legislature to find ways to root our corruption and hold wealthy homeowners accountable for paying their fair share. I was proud to introduce the HOME Act in June to bring transparency and fairness to our property tax system and will continue fighting for progressive reforms when I’m governor.”
Craig Wall: The Reader cover. Is this helpful in the conversation, does this hurt in the conversation?
Ald. Sawyer: It’s hurtful. I just happened to see the cover right before I started my speech, and that’s the equivalent of putting gasoline on a fire. Someone’s doing that intentionally to stir up race when we should be talking about disinvestment on the South and West Side. We should be talking about… employment opportunity. We should be talking about educational opportunities. Instead, we’re talking about something that happened nine years ago. I get it. It was wrong. The man apologized. Let’s move forward and talk about what’s important for Illinois, what’s important for the City of Chicago and not continue to race bait. That’s all the Reader did and I think they should apologize for doing that. That cover was offensive. That cover was offensive to whoever looks at it, you know whether… It’s offensive to JB I would imagine. I think that they’re race baiting. I think better of them than that.
“There was a time in America when certain things were socially acceptable without any thought to how dehumanizing they were to someone else. The image of the lawn jockey symbolizes the wink-and-a-nudge ignorance that puts racism into context historically and in this contemporary situation. As a Democrat, Pritzker indeed needs the black vote, and he puts all his weight on it in a most disrespectful manner.”
Not sure I get what he’s saying there.
* The magazine also published a column by Neil Steinberg about Pritzker…
To make it worse, Pritzker responded by apologizing to everyone in sight. Which, to be honest, doesn’t make him seem very gubernatorial. He might have said instead, “Why should an American citizen not accused of any crime, like me, be confronted with his mildly judgmental small talk a decade later?”
Yeah, smugness always works. Right.
* The Reader’s new editor interviewed Pritzker and asked him: “What are you doing to change? Will you seek counseling?”
* The mag also published another piece by Adeshina Emmanuel. The first one, entitled “Pritzker the sneak disser might as well have said the N-word,” is here. And this is the part of the new one…
That’s why I called out the African-American elected officials who accepted Pritzker’s apology and still back him in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. To me, a black millennial, their seeming willingness to consider the way Pritzker spoke about race issues as displaying an acceptable level of racism is part of the problem too.
They stood behind Pritzker and offered forgiveness that suggests to a lot of people-white people, that is-that they too should get a pass for sneaky racism so long as they don’t speak in vicious racial slurs. There are a lot of people-African-Americans and people of color across this city-who don’t forgive him. Some fear electing Pritzker is trading one racially insensitive billionaire governor for another. If you haven’t heard from those people, it’s because their opinions don’t matter much to the Democratic machine or the mainstream media.
That said, Pritzker’s political apologists deserve a chance to explain why they think African-Americans should see Pritzker as a friend to their communities. […]
The black politicians supporting Pritzker that did talk to me all shared a common message: We should judge Pritzker’s history and entire person, not words from a decade-old private conversation. They touted him as the Democrats’ best chance to beat Governor Bruce Rauner. They said that Pritzker wouldn’t abandon them once the polls close, and would stay engaged through his tenure with economic development, income inequality, crime, and other issues plaguing many African-American neighborhoods. […]
But Pritzker being sensitive to what words he says doesn’t mean we know what he really thinks about African-Americans. Then again, the same goes for any politician. However, the difference is most politicians don’t have wiretaps released with their problematic language just weeks before a closely contested primary as they make a hard push to court black voters.
Discuss.
…Adding… Statement from Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, 6th Ward Alderman and Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus Chairman Roderick Sawyer and Chicago City Treasurer Kurt Summers…
“The Chicago Reader says its cover art featuring the image of a lawn jockey is a ‘wink and a nudge’ that provides historical context for racism. A ‘wink’ infers subtlety. This cartoon is not subtle and cannot do the work of contextualizing racism because it is in itself racist. At a time when we are having a debate as a state and as a nation about who we are and how insidious racism infects our politics, this image does not advance the thoughtful debate we need and is therefore disappointing.”
Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker was not exactly excited to pick up this week’s Reader and see himself in exaggerated caricature form sitting on top of a lawn jockey. Nope. He characterized the cover illustration by artist Greg Houston as “not the right approach.”
“Well, I guess I knew they intended to be provocative at the Reader, but I think this is not the right approach,” he said while addressing a seniors’ luncheon hosted by Captain’s Hard Time Dining & Josephine’s Cooking soul food restaurant on 79th Street. […]
Reader executive editor Mark Konkol responded in a statement: “Today’s Reader included a variety of opinions about J.B. Pritzker’s wiretapped interaction with former governor Rod Blagojevich, including the candidate’s own statements in his defense. Alderman Sawyer is entitled to his opinion. We stand by our decision to engage readers on important issues of the day by producing journalism and social commentary that gets people talking.”
* On Tuesday IDPH reported “two laboratory-confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease among Illinois Veterans’ Home residents” in Quincy. Here’s the latest…
The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are reporting a third laboratory-confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy (IVHQ). The positive test result was reported late yesterday. The resident is in stable condition.
IDVA is boosting disinfection levels in its water to further reduce any potential exposure to residents or staff. IDVA is also implementing modified water restrictions across the IVHQ campus, including:
• Installing Laminar flow devices on all sinks. This filter reduces the aeration of the water as it flows from the faucet.
• Limiting bathing to showers only, which are protected with legionella blocking Pall filters.
• Instituting temperature checks every two hours while residents are awake, and full vitals every four hours.
Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have returned to the home in Quincy, at the request of IDPH on Tuesday, February 13th, to review testing protocols for individuals with respiratory illness.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is outraged at third confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy today.
“Three cases this week alone and still no real solutions from the governor. Obviously his leadership throughout this entire process — from the initial 2015 outbreak to where we stand now — has been an abysmal failure. The time to act is now. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle in both chambers are willing to take action the moment the governor decides he cares.”
The [governor’s budget] plan relies in part on roughly $1.5 billion in savings from shifting pension costs away from the state and onto school districts, slashing health insurance benefits for retirees, and reducing rates for doctors, hospitals and pharmacies that participate in the state’s Medicaid health care program for the poor. It also calls for raiding $600 million from specialized funds that would not be repaid. […]
“He’s asking us to pass laws that his own Republicans will not vote for,” Cullerton said during an appearance on “Illinois Lawmakers.” “He wants to take money away from the state employees, take money away from pensions, take money away from health care. He wants to cut funding for education? We’re not gonna vote for that.” […]
“Every budget requires legislation,” said a top budget official during a background briefing with reporters. “There’s a misapprehension that passing legislation somehow constitutes an unbalanced budget. That’s absolutely, completely false.” […]
CPS would be asked to pay $228 million for teacher pensions after the state just last year had agreed to pick it up as part of an overhaul of the school funding formula. Suburban and downstate districts would take on about $262 million a year for the next four years.
A similar plan was floated several years ago by Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, the governor’s chief political nemesis, but was pulled amid pushback from Republicans who argued the change could drive up property taxes or result in program cuts as schools take on the added cost.
The Tribune’s budget story was very good, but I have one quibble. CPS’ cost-shift would be completed in just one year, but the governor has proposed a four-year shift of 25 percent per year for suburban and Downstate schools. From Rauner’s address…
We will ask school districts to begin sharing the cost of their own pensions. We’ll phase in the shift over four years— in 25 percent increments per year
So, suburban and Downstate school districts would be shifted $262 million in pension costs in the first year. By the second year, the total local cost would escalate to $524 million. In the third year, $786 million. The last quarter of the state’s cost shift would up the total annual local pension costs to $1.048 billion (based on this year’s dollars).
We will… give schools and local governments the tools they need to more than offset the costs. The tools include increased education funding, the power to dissolve or consolidate units of local government, and more flexibility in contracting, bidding and sharing services.
More flexibility in contracting. Ah, the good ol’ Turnaround Agenda, aka Magic Beans. “My plan will not raise property taxes because I’m definitely gonna pass something into law that the Democrats will never give me!”
Rauner’s budget would increase K-12 education by $420 million, including $350 million that was required to continue fully implementing the funding reform plan. But Manar said the money doesn’t make up for the increased expenses of the pension shift and would make funding inequity among schools even worse.
So, he increases state funding by $420 million, but decreases state spending elsewhere by sending local schools a new $490 million tab in just the first year.
* And this isn’t just about K-12. From his speech…
We will ask universities to pay their pension costs also phased in over four years and to pick up their health care costs
The pension shift would cost $101 million and it’ll be $105 million for healthcare in the first year, for a total of $206 million. It’s offset by a $205.7 million GRF approp, but, again, that cost shift is just for the first year. By the second year, the shift would total $412 million, then $618 million in the third year and $824 million by the fourth year.
Whew.
* Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady has in the past called a cost-shift a “deal killer” because it would jack up property taxes and tuition. But now that the governor has proposed one, Brady is on board.
…Adding… From Brady’s office…
It’s worth noting. Not all cost shifts are the same. Leader Brady didn’t believe the Speaker’s cost-shift proposal was sound policy because unlike the Governor’s proposal, it included legacy costs.
Back in 2014, then-Republican state Rep. Darlene Senger became a co-sponsor of HR1267…
States the opinion of the Illinois House of Representatives that the proposed educational pension cost shift from the State of Illinois to local school districts, community colleges, and institutions of higher education is financially wrong.
Senger is now running for comptroller on Rauner’s ticket. Hmm.
That resolution was sponsored by Rep. Dave McSweeney. He has filed another anti-shift resolution during this General Assembly and it picked up 14 new bipartisan co-sponsors yesterday, to bring his total to about three dozen.
Today, the Pritzker campaign is launching a new series, highlighting where Dan Biss’ campaign rhetoric is at odds with his record. Dan Biss says he’s a proven progressive, but he voted for unconstitutional cuts to pensions and healthcare. Let’s check the record.
In 2013, Biss wrote the unconstitutional bill that cut pension benefits for 467,000 downstate teachers, university workers, and state employees. This followed a 2012 vote where Biss tried to slash healthcare benefits from nearly 80,000 state retirees and retired suburban and downstate teachers. Both of those efforts were opposed by the Illinois AFL-CIO and ruled unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court.
“Dan Biss led the charge on unconstitutional efforts to undermine pensions for public servants, only to get smacked down by the Supreme Court,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “From cutting pensions for almost half a million Illinoisans to slashing healthcare for 80,000, the Biss record looks a lot closer to Rauner’s latest budget address than that of a true progressive.”
I’m guessing the “series” is a bunch of press releases, but the campaign does have a new “Biss Please” Twitter account.
* And while Biss does have a problem with his voting record in the past, he does have stuff like this in his present…
People’s Action is proud to join our member organization Reclaim Chicago in endorsing Sen. Daniel Biss (D) for governor of Illinois. As a middle-class candidate and father of two children in public schools, Biss has championed progressive issues his entire career and is the only candidate for governor who has real government experience, passing nearly 90 bills during his time in the state legislature.
Biss has pledged to support the People’s Action Protest to Power Platform and promote a bold racial and economic justice agenda. Biss will lead Illinois’s working families into a future with prosperity for all – not just the wealthy few.
By the way, I’m also kind of a fan of Biss’ new “JB Spends” website. You enter any dollar amount you want and it tells you how fast Pritzker’s campaign could spend it. It also gives you some examples. For instance…
JB Pritzker’s campaign spends the average cost of buying a gas station in Cook County in 5 days, 4 hours, 17 minutes, and 51 seconds. source
A true test of someone’s character is what they say when they don’t think anyone’s listening.
On FBI wiretaps, JB Pritzker said what he really thinks of black folks.
Pritzker used insults and code language to put down our entire community.
We shouldn’t be surprised by Pritzker insulting ourcommunity, Pritzker called Barack Obama a mediocre President
Danny Davis, Bobby Rush, myself and many more Black leaders are supporting Chris Kennedy for Governor.
Chris’ father Robert Kennedy and his uncle President Kennedy fought and struggled and sacrificed alongside Dr. King in the civil rights movement.
Chris has devoted his life fighting for those who are left behind.
That’s the Kennedy way.
It’s time to unite, fight and get it right.
Support Kennedy for Governor.
* Meanwhile…
Chris Kennedy’s Campaign for Governor is sending the following letter today to Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Treasurer Michael Frerichs, State Senator Andy Manar and county chairs who endorsed JB Pritzker:
Dear Friend of JB,
As candidates for governor, my opponents and I all need to be vetted by the press and by the voters. No one should be exempt from that, but unfortunately, JB Pritzker has decided he will not attend the only televised debate taking place outside of the Chicago market.
I am sure that you will agree with me that Pritzker is denying Illinois voters the chance to hear where he stands on the issues facing residents throughout our state.
You have spent years as a champion for communities throughout Illinois, reminding the Democratic party that we should not ignore the voters outside of Chicago. Since you have endorsed JB Pritzker, I am calling on you to encourage your candidate to respect the voters of Central, Southern, Western, Northern and Eastern Illinois and join the debate in the Springfield-Champaign-Decatur market on WCIA-TV on March 5th.
Unfortunately, WCIA may now cancel the debate because Pritzker declined to participate.
We, as Democrats, believe that there should be a free exchange of ideas, that talking about issues isn’t a bad thing. That’s why debates are so important; they allow us to work through important issues and give voters the opportunity to decide.
All voters in our state deserve the same opportunity as those in Chicago. The Governor of Illinois is not responsible to only Chicago but to the whole state. If the debate is cancelled, it sends a message that the only voters who matter are those in Cook County.
In order to win back the governorship, Democrats need the support of not only voters in Chicago but across the state. It would be a colossal mistake to cancel the debate.
Do not let JB Pritzker deprive Illinois voters from hearing from all of us. Please join me in calling for the WCIA debate to continue as scheduled.
Sincerely,
Christopher G. Kennedy
Candidate for Governor
…Adding… Ouch…
Hey @KennedyforIL - I got your letter. It reminded me of the downstate forum I held in Peoria last summer- the one your campaign said you’d attend before ghosting on us. Downstate knows @JBPritzker because he’s been here repeatedly & has a plan to grow our economy. #twill#ilgov
After JB Pritzker announced that he was unwilling to participate in the only televised debate outside of Chicago, the corporate owner of media host WCIA Channel 3 in Springfield said they were considering canceling the event. In response, the Biss campaign launched a petition to Save Our Downstate Debate, inviting people across the state to add their name to a petition urging WCIA to carry on with the program, so voters can hear from the candidates who aren’t afraid to be heard.
The response to the petition was overwhelming, with 2,400 signatures collected in the last week.
“Clearly, JB Pritzker is worried,” said Biss communications director Tom Elliott. “And Illinois voters clearly want to see this debate continue with or without him. Daniel Biss agreed to participate in this debate early on, and he’s eager to share his vision for our state and how middle-class progressive values drive our campaign. On the first day of expanded early voting across the state, it seems JB is afraid to answer the tough questions being raised about his campaign, which raises serious doubt about whether he’s actually prepared to face Bruce Rauner in the fall.”
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget on Wednesday will propose having Chicago Public Schools, downstate and suburban school districts and state universities pay more of their teachers’ pension costs, in an attempt to save state government millions of dollars a year. […]
In all, Rauner will propose spending about $37.6 billion of the roughly $38 billion the state is estimated to bring in from taxes and fees, leaving a surplus of $351 million. Roughly $1.3 billion in proposed savings will come from shifting pension costs onto schools, as well as a proposal to slash health insurance benefits for retired teachers and state employees. The plans were outlined in budget documents Rauner’s office provided to legislative staff on Tuesday night, which were obtained by the Tribune. […]
Even so, Rauner will lay out some lofty goals. That includes $7.8 billion in new spending on a statewide construction program. Of that, $50 million would be used to upgrade facilities at the veterans home in downstate Quincy, where 13 residents died in an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease that began in 2015. It’s unclear from the brief budget documents how the construction program would be paid for.
Though he vetoed the tax hike that went into effect last summer and has been a vocal critic of it on the campaign trail, Rauner’s budget relies on the money the increase takes in. The governor does, however, offer “a path” to dropping the 4.95 percent income tax rate. That proposal relies on putting in place a new pension plan first floated by Senate President John Cullerton. It suggests state worker and teacher retirement benefits can be scaled back, but only if they agree to the changes and are given something in return.
Rauner estimates that plan could lead to $900 million in savings and would allow for a 0.25 percentage point cut in the income tax rate.
* Rauner Budget Counts On Tax Hike: Rauner wants more money to go to education and less to be spent on things like prisons and the judiciary. And according to a preview document obtained by public radio, the governor will not call for an immediate rollback of the tax increase. The day before, Democratic Senate President John Cullerton predicted that would be difficult: “If he wants to cut the income tax by 1 percentage point, that equates to $3.7 billion in lost revenue.”
* Cullerton dubious about Gov. Rauner’s budget promises: “My advice to him is why don’t you do the best budget you’ve ever done — a balanced one. And then run on that,” Cullerton said. “Be honest with people and maybe you won’t be so unpopular.”
* All of these posted stories say they are “developing” news, so you can keep clicking the links for updates. ABC 7…
A Chicago police spokesman says an officer has been shot while assisting a tactical team at a state government office building downtown.
Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says the off-duty officer was shot around 2 p.m. Tuesday at the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph. It wasn’t immediately clear if the shooting occurred inside or outside the building. The officer was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The victim was found in a stairwell in the building.
Guglielmi says that Superintendent Eddie Johnson is on his way to the Thompson Center. Gugliemi said on Twitter the officer was shot by “an assailant.” The ABC7 I-Team has learned the officer is in critical condition. The I-Team has also learned that the officer shot is a high-ranking district police official who was trying to break up a gun deal.
There will be a media availability with Heather Wier-Vaught and Speaker Madigan in Room 114 of the State House at the conclusion of the caucus that is just beginning. There is no way to estimate the exact time, but I am guessing at least one hour from now. I will try to offer a more precise timetable when information becomes available.
A political consultant on Tuesday said House Speaker Mike Madigan would have never fired his top aide, Kevin Quinn, the brother of Ald. Marty Quinn, if she hadn’t gone public with accusations that Kevin Quinn had sent her a series of harassing text messages.
The consultant, Alaina Hampton, held a news conference Tuesday that outlined her complaints against Kevin Quinn and Madigan. Hampton said she had never wanted to go public.
“I asked him to stop seven times. It never stopped,” Hampton told reporters at a Chicago press conference of Kevin Quinn’s repeated text messages. “I feared not responding to my supervisor because I didn’t didn’t want him to tell the speaker or Ald. Quinn that I was not cooperating with my work,” Hampton said. “My first instinct was not to complain about him. It was my last option.”
Hampton read a letter directed at Ald. Quinn (13th), whom she called a mentor. She said telling him about his brother “was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.”
Lorna Brett, a former president of the Chicago chapter of the National Organization for Women who is serving as a pro bono advocate for Hampton, questioned the timing of Madigan’s announcement. Brett, a media strategist working with attorneys on legal matters brought against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, said the speaker’s spin “doesn’t pass the smell test.”
[Madigan attorney Heather Wier Vaught] said Kevin Quinn did not contact Hampton again after she told Ald. Quinn about the harassment and noted that Ald. Quinn had requested that she keep working with the organization. Wier Vaught said the alderman told Hampton she could report to him rather than to his brother. She also said Hampton previously had made it clear she didn’t want Kevin Quinn fired.
Hampton said “things really took a bad turn” when Wier Vaught contacted her, saying in the EEOC filing that the attorney had “minimized the sexual harassment.”
Wier Vaught, who works part time as a special counsel to Madigan, said in response that she was “surprised” by the characterization and that it was “never my intention” to do so.
Hampton said she felt Madigan and others covered up her complaint and Kevin Quinn would still be in his job if she hadn’t gone to the media. Madigan’s Monday news release announcing his termination was “pre-emeptive,” she said, because the longtime House speaker knew the Tribune story was about to be published.
“They thought that I was too loyal to ever come forward,” she said.
Hampton’s attorney, Shelly Kulwin, said Tuesday that action should have been taken the second Hampton’s allegations became clear.
“At a minimum there should be an investigation by an independent party, usually an outside law firm, to investigate whether there’s any truth,” Kulwin said. “That’s what every credible organization does.”
I agree with Kulwin. State harassment and discrimination laws don’t cover campaign committees (and it’s doubtful that they could because of 1st Amendment issues), so the best way to handle something like this is to retain outside counsel rather than just dealing with it internally, no matter how respected the internal attorney is (and she is).
Wier-Vaught’s investigation lasted about the same time as the LIG probe of Sen. Ira Silverstein. And the resulting banishment of the alleged perp made sense. But sending out a press release about the actions just 12 hours before the Tribune story went live undermined the investigation’s credibility.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner presents his budget proposal Wednesday, and the pregame positioning already has begun.
Democratic Senate President John Cullerton had an op-ed published in the Springfield State Journal-Register claiming the governor has to overcome $9 billion in red ink, even as the governor says he wants to lower taxes.
Not only that, Cullerton says, but school spending must rise by $350 million to satisfy the new education funding law Rauner signed last year.
“Anything less undermines the governor’s accomplishment,” the op-ed reads. That quote appears to be a thinly veiled reference to Rauner’s naming education funding reform as his No. 1 accomplishment.
That said, not everything in our budget worked. We sent the governor a Republican-backed pension reform plan, one his administration initially said could save $500 million annually. Turns out the pension agencies weren’t ready to put it in motion. Those savings haven’t materialized.
Same thing with estimated state revenues. They came in $500 million lower than the estimates used to produce our bipartisan budget agreement.
That’s state budgeting for you.
Not everything works as planned. It’s state government. We’re not perfect.
* Cullerton held a press conference today. Raw audio is here. One tidbit…
Senate President John Cullerton speaks ahead of @GovRauner’s budget address scheduled for tomorrow: “We certainly hope we don’t have to override another veto to pass a budget.”
Sen. Pres. Cullerton speaks ahead of @GovRauner’s budget address: My advice to him is why don’t you do the best budget you’ve ever done, a balanced one, and then run on it. And really don’t have phony holes in it and be honest with people and maybe you won’t be so unpopular.
Cullerton said he and his staff have not yet been briefed and doesn’t know if they will be ahead of tomorrow’s unveiling.
*** UPDATE *** Here’s some of the info that was distributed at today’s presser…
FY 2019 budget pressures.
The FY 18 budget utilized several one-time revenue sources that all expire at the end of the budget year. The governor will need to account for this in his FY 19 budget:
Fund sweeps: $300 million
10 percent cuts to LGDF and Mass Transit Districts: $200 million
Transfers out halted: $130 million
Personal Property Replacement Tax fund appropriations: $160 million
Total: $790 million
There are several known spending increases required for the FY 19 budget that the governor will need to address:
Spending pressures:
New school funding formula: $350 million
Payment to pension systems: $500 million
Debt service on borrowing to pay bills: $780 million
Asked by the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board to explain what he’d done wrong in his relationship with victim rights advocate Denise Rotheimer, [Sen. Ira Silverstein] said: “Inappropriate, maybe some stupid banter.”
Inappropriate in what way, he was asked.
“Maybe some joking around that people might take the other way,” Silverstein said. […]
When pressed, however, he also made it clear he still does not share [legislative inspector general Julie Porter’s] view of his “unbecoming” conduct.
He said he “did not go over every paragraph” of the inspector general’s report and doesn’t know what Porter meant about maintaining an appropriate professional distance.
He didn’t read the whole report?
* Press release from Democratic primary rival Ram Villivalam…
Springfield has been a mess and Senator Ira Silverstein is part of the problem. Voters are tired of business as usual. The fact that Senator Ira Silverstein couldn’t be bothered to read the full report about his own involvement in a sexual harassment allegation is appalling but not surprising. And it’s no wonder he didn’t want to read it. The IG report found he violated the Ethics Act, and described his conduct as a Senator as unbecoming.
After 20 years in Springfield, Senator Ira Silverstein has failed our district. And if he can’t see he’s part of the problem, I’m confident voters will choose effective, ethical, and truly progressive leadership on March 20th.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Another Democratic opponent responds, Caroline McAteer-Fournier…
It is unacceptable that someone who has been a legislator for nearly two decades doesn’t read an Inspector General’s report on his own conduct. I don’t find this to be a ‘joking’ matter. If an investigation finds that one needs ethics counseling the very least that person can do is read the report written by the investigator.
If Senator Silverstein can’t make time for this, I question what else he is not making time for. It’s time for a new independent voice in Springfield.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Meanwhile…
Advocates and domestic violence survivors to ask @DanielBiss to return Blair Hull's $25K saying he has a history of domestic violence (Hull lost to Obama 2004 Senate primary) will hold press conf outside Biss office Tuesday
Police Chief Jerry Mitchell abruptly stepped down from his post Friday in the wake of a City Hall investigation into complaints of inappropriate behavior involving a female subordinate.
* This was released yesterday morning at 10 o’clock…
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement Monday:
“In November, a courageous woman made me aware that a high-ranking individual within my political operation had previously made unwanted advances and sent her inappropriate text messages. I immediately consulted with my attorney, Heather Wier Vaught, and directed her to conduct a thorough investigation. Ms. Wier Vaught conducted numerous interviews, reviewed the evidence, and recently came to the conclusion that the individual engaged in inappropriate conduct and failed to exercise the professional judgment I expect of those affiliated with my political organizations and the Office of the Speaker.
As a result, long-time aide Kevin Quinn is no longer an employee of any of my political committees. Mr. Quinn has worked with my political offices for nearly 20 years. While this is the only allegation of such conduct, Mr. Quinn also recently pled guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Based on the culmination of events, Alderman Marty Quinn and I decided that Kevin should no longer be affiliated with the political organization. For the record, Kevin was previously an employee of my State office, and he will not be returning to that role.
Further, Ms. Wier Vaught made several recommendations aimed at preventing inappropriate behavior and improving methods for reporting and responding to such allegations. My political committees are actively taking steps to implement those recommendations.
A key staffer in House Speaker Michael Madigan’s political operation made unwanted advances to a female campaign worker and sent her inappropriate phone texts, Madigan acknowledged Monday in cutting the longtime aide loose.
Madigan, who chairs the Illinois Democratic Party, praised the “courageous woman” who had come forward to complain. But in an interview with the Tribune, the woman said the action took far too long.
Alaina Hampton, who identified herself as the political worker who complained, shared texts with the Tribune that detail a relentless series of entreaties from her supervisor, Kevin Quinn, to go out with him. In one, he called her “smoking hot.” Hampton spoke to the Tribune on Sunday night, hours before Madigan made his announcement that he had cut ties with Quinn.
“Kevin should have been fired a year ago,” Hampton said Monday.
Quinn, a longtime Madigan state government and political staffer, is the brother of Ald. Marty Quinn of Chicago’s 13th Ward, where Madigan has reigned as committeeman for decades. Hampton said she informed Marty Quinn about the harassment in February 2017 and left the Democratic organization a few months later. She said she wrote a letter to Madigan in November describing her problems with Kevin Quinn. […]
Her [EEOC] filing contends that she was discriminated against in retaliation for complaining about the harassment and a sexually hostile work environment. The action names two Madigan-controlled political funds that paid her.
Hampton said she thinks she was denied the chance to advance in an organization where she worked hard for years because she raised the harassment issue. Asked what she is seeking, she said she wanted to “make sure they’re not able to do this to anyone else.”
A press release about the news conference calls the firing “pro-active but a cover up” — showing the woman is not pleased about how her allegations were treated. […]
Hampton — who now has her own political consulting firm — is currently a campaign manager for Bridget Degnen, a Cook County Commissioner candidate. In a statement, Degnen thanked Hampton for coming forward: “By demanding accountability, Ms. Hampton is sending a message that discrimination has no place in our culture.” […]
Kevin Quinn had worked for the state between mid-March 2016 until June 30, 2016, before working for the political side between July 2016 and Nov. 8, 2016. The text messages were sent during that time period, according to Madigan spokesman Steve Brown.
Kevin Quinn returned to his state work on Nov. 9, 2016, until July 31, 2017, and again moved to the political side on Aug. 1, 2017, until he was dismissed, Brown said.
The text messages are here. Notice that some messages were sent after November 9.
* Full statement from Rebecca Evans at the Chris Kennedy campaign…
[Speaker Madigan] should definitely fire Marty Quinn. Instinctively, I think he should also resign. The two of them had the knowledge and the power to remove Kevin so she could work freely. They also had the knowledge and the power to decide NOT to remove Kevin, instead leaving him in place so he could continue to harass her and/or someone else. They made a choice to disregard her claims and leave him in place.
If what Madigan is saying is true and he didn’t know about it until November, the question really is: when was the investigation? Did it begin immediately in November or did it just happen last week? And, if it started in November, why did this investigation take three months? He should resign, either way. Whether Madigan found out about it in February 2017 or November 2017, it all took too long. Women don’t have the luxury of waiting months and months for decisions like this, instead they have to endure months and months of that behavior until something happens. If he truly cares about shifting the culture and removing harassment in the workplace, then Madigan should get out of the way and resign.
* Hampton is holding a press conference today at 10 o’clock. Here is her full statement…
– In November last year Speaker Michael J. Madigan simultaneously fast tracked legislation to eradicate sexual harassment in Illinois politics and killed the political career of Alaina Hampton for reporting sexual harassment in his own organization.
Yesterday Speaker Madigan released a statement saying a thorough investigation of the harassment led him to fire Kevin Quinn, the harasser. “One meeting in a coffee shop for an hour is not a thorough investigation. In fact, the lawyer he sent to speak to Ms. Hampton said if this were a serious situation we would not be meeting in a coffee shop,” said Lorna Brett, former president of Chicago NOW who is also currently providing pro bono strategic assistance to Harvey Weinstein’s accusers.
“The irony of Michael Madigan protecting a sexual harasser while championing laws to fight it cannot be overstated,” said Brett.
In 2016 Alaina Hampton was employed by Friends of Mike J. Madigan and the Democratic Party of Illinois and worked out of the office of Alderman Marty Quinn. It was then when her supervisor, Kevin Quinn, started sending her inappropriate text messages asking her out and complimenting her on Facebook photos taken while on vacation. She asked him to stop many times over the course of many months. Finally she went to his supervisor Alderman Marty Quinn, brother of Kevin Quinn.
“The only reason this is not a sexual harassment complaint is because they led her on and ran the clock,” said, Brett.
In February 2017 Ms. Hampton went to her supervisor’s boss Alderman Marty Quinn who listened and seemed sympathetic. He told her Kevin would not be bothering her anymore but did not say he would be removed from a supervisory position for any other women. He asked her about her interest in being a precinct captain for Speaker Madigan, considered an honor in the hierarchy of Illinois politics unfortunately Ms. Hampton knew if she were a precinct captain she would have to work closely with Kevin.
Distressed by the Democratic Party’s lack of response to her complaint, and the prospect of having to continue to work with Kevin Quinn, she quit her employment with Friends of Michael J. Madigan and the Illinois Democratic Party in April 2017.
Frustrated not working in a career she enjoyed and feeling her fealty might be in question in an organization that above all demands it Hampton wrote directly to Speaker Madigan and mailed it on November 1st 2017. It was only then that Heather Weir Vaught, an attorney for the speaker, called and asked her to meet for coffee.
At the meeting on November 15, 2017 meeting Hampton gave Vaught print outs of the text messages and told her all she wanted to do was work, not cause trouble for anyone. Ms. Vaught joked about her wanting a “big Tribune story” or a $25K financial payout. Vaught said, “This is not sexual harassment in the work place” because Hampton technically did not work for them. However, Friends of Michael J. Madigan and the Democratic Majority Party paid both Ms. Hampton’s and her supervisor’s salaries.
She reiterated her loyalty to Speaker Madigan and Alderman Quinn and her desire to work on a specific campaign. She was told they were not working that campaign while in fact they were. Vaught said she would be in touch.
On January 15 of this year, after not hearing from Vaught, Ms. Hampton reached out to Alderman Quinn directly asking if she could speak with him, but in instead she received a phone call from Ms. Vaught. It was then that she knew her political career was over.
“This a litmus test for every legislator who publically supported and voted for SB 402. Time’s up for Mike Madigan he needs to step down,” said Lorna Brett.
“I believe that the conduct Alaina Hampton had to endure is something that women throughout this country have had to put up with in the workplace on a far more widespread basis than people realize. Hopefully, this case will be another step on the long road to freeing women, regardless of whether they work on the factory floor, in the halls of government or in the corporate suite, from this kind of exploitative and unlawful behavior,” said Shelly Kulwin, of Kulwin Masciopinto & Kulwin, LLP.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Press release…
STATEMENT FROM ALDERMAN MARTY QUINN
“In February 2017, I met with Ms. Hampton to discuss her future with the political organization. As one part of this conversation, Ms. Hampton told me that Kevin Quinn, my brother, had sent her personal text messages and she didn’t want him communicating with her. She made it clear she wanted the text messages to stop. She did not share the text messages with me or advise me of the number of times Kevin had asked her out. Hampton’s request was that Kevin cease all communications with her. She also asked for my discretion, and indicated she did not want others to know about the situation, and that Kevin not be further reprimanded. I told her I would make sure he never contacted her again. I told Ms. Hampton she would never need to speak with Kevin again, and that all communications could be directed to me. I had hoped Ms. Hampton would continue to work with me, but I understand her desire to remove herself.
I immediately met with Kevin and told him to stop all communication with Ms. Hampton. I advised him that such behavior would not be tolerated, and that any further communication with Ms. Hampton would result in immediate termination. He was remorseful and acknowledged his poor judgment.
I did not take further action, such as advising the Speaker, because I was attempting to protect Ms. Hampton’s privacy and honor her wishes. I thought I took swift action and handled the matter as she requested.
After Ms. Hampton advised the Speaker and the investigation was conducted, I realized the extent of the text messages and the nature of the conduct. Although the investigation found that the text messages had ceased immediately at my direction, the Speaker and I discussed the full extent of the situation and decided Kevin should no longer be affiliated with the political organization. I asked for Kevin’s resignation. The Speaker accepted his resignation from the political organization and the State office.”
Candidate Merry Marwig calls for law change to “end sexual harassment culture” in state politics.
The Democratic candidate for Illinois House District 20 Merry Marwig said she plans to propose legislation extending “the ridiculously short time” a sexual harassment victim has to file suit against her alleged abuser.
Officials let the statute of limitations run out before taking action against political consultant Kevin Quinn, denying his victim Alaina Hampton her day in court.
Candidate Marwig said “this protracted delay is evidence of the culture of sexual harassment in Illinois politics.”
If elected, Marwig would extend the current 300-day statute of limitations “by at least one year.”
She says her outrage is compounded by the fact that she knows the victim, whose character she strongly vouches for. “Alaina Hampton is a sharp-minded, diligent, and devoted Democrat. I’d hire her in a heart-beat to run my next campaign.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Very good points…
She did everything she was “supposed” to do. She sought help through her chain of command. And it still took a year. And we ask why women don’t come forward? #twillhttps://t.co/lhIxBISXIN
“We need to support Alaina Hampton and get to the bottom of this story immediately,” said Daniel Biss. “It’s clear there was inappropriate, unwanted, and unrelenting contact from Kevin Quinn. What isn’t clear is why it took until the day after a Chicago Tribune reporter started asking questions, for Speaker Madigan to make a public statement and terminate that staffer.
“This is further evidence of the larger culture of misogyny that must be addressed and why the misuse of power and privilege must be stopped.”
*** UPDATE 6 *** Kennedy campaign…
Alaina Hampton has given voice to the blatant, suffocating harassment that so many women experience. The allegations she made today are very serious and must be fully investigated by the appropriate authorities. This harassment she experienced prevented her from working freely and achieving equality, and the fact that people in positions of power alledgely knew about it and only took action when contacted by reporters is exactly what is wrong with the power structure in Illinois.
As this investigation proceeds, Speaker Madigan should temporarily step down as Chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party. In the course of further investigation, if it is found that Speaker Madigan knew about these allegations and chose to protect his machine political allies instead of the women who were abused by them, he no longer can lead our party. We must be a party that stands up for the victims of sexual harassment and not protect the abusers. This behavior reinforces that there is a corrupt system in place in Springfield that allows behavior like this to go on, even protecting those who perpetrate it. We need to end this broken system and bring radical change to the state of Illinois.
*** UPDATE 7 *** Pritzker campaign…
JB Pritzker: “It takes unimaginable courage to do what Alaina did today. I’m inspired by her bravery and strength, and the bravery and strength of women speaking up across the country. Women should not be forced to accept sexual harassment as the price of admission to a career in politics. Today should be about Alaina and Alaina’s story. I’m proud of Alaina for telling her story and paving the way to a future where women never experience this type of harassment again. I stand with her in that fight and today, we should focus on conducting a thorough investigation and ensuring that there are systems in place to protect all women.”
Juliana Stratton: “Today, Alaina showed strength and honesty in joining powerful women across this country who are standing up against the type of harassment that has become all too familiar. She spoke on behalf of women who have come before her, women who are not able to come forward, and our daughters who should grow up in a society free from harassment and retaliation. I was proud to have Alaina as my campaign manager and I’m proud of her today for standing up and speaking her truth. This type of harassment should never happen and I will continue the work ahead to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting two laboratory-confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease among Illinois Veterans’ Home residents. Both residents are at the Illinois Veterans Home Quincy (IVHQ) and are doing well.
After learning of the lab-confirmed cases, IVHQ engineering staff immediately removed faucets from the residents’ rooms and collected water samples and mixing valves to analyze for the presence of Legionella bacteria. Staff also increased water temperatures and flushed fixtures to provide an enhanced level of protection for residents.
The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and IDPH continue to collaborate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Adams County Health Department to coordinate the safety and well-being of the residents and staff at the home. An investigation is underway to identify where the residents may have acquired the bacteria.
Legionella bacteria occur naturally in the environment. As such, the source is rarely identified in cases of Legionnaires’ disease. Approximately 300 cases of Legionnaires’ disease are reported each year across in Illinois.
The IVHQ completed an extensive renovation of its plumbing systems last year in response to the 2015 Legionnaires’ disease outbreak. Renovations included construction of a water treatment plant capable of providing higher-quality water for the Home’s sensitive population. IDVA continues to test and treat its water for harmful bacteria, including Legionella. Along with additional chlorine treatments, IVHQ maintains hot water at 150 degrees to prevent the growth of Legionella. Hot water is then mixed with cold water to a temperature of 110 degrees, which allows for the maximum control of bacteria while protecting residents from scalding.
* This morning…
State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is outraged at news of two more confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy.
“While the governor continues to live in a fantasy world, creating bureaucratic task forces and dodging requests for information, two more of our nation’s heroes have tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease,” Cullerton said. “Gov. Bruce Rauner has failed our veterans once again. Our nation’s heroes need a solution now. They cannot afford to wait another three years for the governor to finally do his job.”
* And…
Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) this morning reacted to news that two more cases of Legionnaires’ disease were found among residents at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy.
“The governor has dragged his feet long enough on this issue,” said Castro. “While he waits for someone else to take charge our veterans suffer. How many people need to die on his watch for him to take charge and do something?”
“We don’t need another task force to come up with a plan in 90 days.”
The first Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy in 2015 contributed to the deaths of 12 residents. The disease, which returned in 2016, 2017 and now 2018, took another life this past fall. Dozens more were sickened.
* Pritzker campaign…
Yesterday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that two more residents at the Quincy Veterans’ Home have been infected by Legionnaires’ disease.
The report is the latest in a years-long crisis for Bruce Rauner, whose fatal mismanagement led to the deaths of 13 residents. As the failed governor has come under increasing scrutiny, he has repeatedly sought to dodge responsibility through spin, cover ups, and desperate attacks on the staff at the home.
“Thirteen veterans and spouses died at the Quincy Veterans’ Home and Bruce Rauner is still failing to get this crisis under control,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “This is fatal mismanagement from a governor who is either unable or unwilling to lead as innocent families pay the price.”
* Ives campaign…
According to a new report, The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting two new laboratory-confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease among Illinois Veterans’ Home residents.
Thirteen residents of the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy have died from Legionnaires’ disease since July 2015.
Eleven families are suing the state for negligence.
In July 2016, Governor Rauner promised, “We’re really on top of the situation.” In the fall of 2017, three more people got sick and a Korean War veteran died.
In his Crain’s Chicago Business editorial board interview, Governor Rauner was asked, “How could your administration have better handled the Legionnaires’ outbreak in Quincy?” He responded, “We handled it exceptionally well and we would not do anything different.”
Days later, two new cases of legionnaires have been reported.
“The Rauner Administration’s response to the outbreak in Quincy has been a disaster,” said State Representative Jeanne Ives, a conservative reform Republican. “Political stunts and lip-service don’t make a problem go away. Good intentions are not enough. Grief isn’t enough. This is a real problem. People are getting sick. People are dying. You can’t spin it. All the sanitized talking points in the world won’t ‘Turnaround’ anything, if you’re not willing to put your back into it. You have to get in there, stay in there, and do the hard, grueling work until you’ve fixed the problem.
“Governor Rauner doesn’t have the grit to do this job. By his own admission, he is ‘not in charge.’ Thirteen veterans, or spouses of veterans, are now dead. And, now, two more have gotten sick.
“I have been to the Illinois Veterans Home. I have met with administrators. They have a plan to correct this problem. Since the people closest to the problem are often best equipped to solve it, their plan deserves a full vetting. At the same time, we should be talking to the VA about getting financing for the plan that will ultimately be implemented. And residents of the Illinois Veterans home should be placed in an alternate facility or temporary residence of their choice while the state acts. As Governor, I would work hand-in-hand with those on the ground in Quincy until being ‘on top of the situation’ is accurate testimony, not just political misdirection and propaganda.”
* Biss campaign…
Daniel Biss released the following statement in response to news of two more confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home.
“This is heartbreaking news, and the latest tragic consequence of Bruce Rauner’s failure to lead. He’s underestimated the extent of this crisis, evaded questions from the public and the press, and claimed, falsely, that he has the situation under control. Our veterans deserve better. We need an prompt investigation into Rauner’s negligence to bring justice for residents in the Illinois Veterans Home and their families.”
* I told you Friday about the PPP poll taken for Our Revolution Illinois/Chicago that had Fritz Kaegi leading Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios 44-27. The group, which supports Kaegi and appears to be leaning toward Sen. Daniel Biss, did not release its full poll, however. It also surveyed the governor’s primary…
If the Democratic Primary Election for Governor were held today and the candidates were JB Pritzker, Chris Kennedy, and Daniel Biss, who would you vote for?
JB Pritzker 31%
Chris Kennedy 25%
Daniel Biss 22%
Not sure 22%
Keep in mind that these are only Cook County Democratic primary voters.
If that poll is accurate, then Biss absolutely has to find a way to appeal to the state’s largest county’s African-American voters or he cannot win. And, remember, neither Biss nor Kennedy are yet advertising in Downstate markets.
Also, Kennedy has done almost nothing to target younger Democrats, but if this poll is accurate then his “change” message is certainly resonating with them.
Joe Berrios has been fined $41,000 recently by the Cook County Ethics Board for taking political contributions from those who do business with his office. They have received massive tax breaks while property taxes for homeowners have skyrocketed. He has taken pay-to-play to a whole new level.
More likely 6%
Less likely 69%
Doesn’t make a difference 15%
Not sure 11%
* Meanwhile, the Chicago Reader’s Adeshina Emmanuel made a big splash with his new column about that infamous FBI wiretap recording…
When I first heard the audio recording there was something that struck a chord in me, something I know I’m not alone in feeling.
Beyond the coded language, as the two men brainstorm ways to mitigate or eschew black political power, a smug and mocking tone permeates the conversation.
It’s like they’re both in on some joke.
It feels like one of them is about to laugh and say, “You know how n****rs are.”
* In other news, word has been going around for days that Rep. Jeanne Ives is about to get another $7 million or so from GOP moneybags Dick Uihlein. That would put her at $10+ million and she therefore may very well be in the hunt. She’s still the underdog, but don’t count her out if the cash comes through. Ives’ new TV ad…
* Script…
[Screen text: Brian McCann - Brother was murdered by an illegal alien]
My brother – Denny, we called him – he was crossing Kedzie Avenue…
Saul Chavez, who was severely inebriated, hit my brother and dragged him the better part of a block.
[Screen text: Dennis McCann - Killed on June 8, 2011]
My brother died a violent death.
Saul Chavez bonded out and he absconded to Mexico, where he remains to this day.
[Screen text: Governor Rauner made Illinois a sanctuary state. He stands will illegal immigrants over Illinoisans. Jeanne Ives stands with you.]
* Related…
* J.B. Pritzker continues apology tour at Black Women of Illinois forum: Martese Chism, a South Sider who attended the forum, said she didn’t accept the apology and that “the great civil rights leaders weren’t ‘safe blacks.’” Chism is a board member of National Nurses United, which endorsed Biss. “Pritzker is young, so to hear him say that after all these great leaders have done is unbelievable,” Chism said. “If he wins the primary, I’d vote for him, but he would have to invite ‘unsafe blacks,’ people who are outspoken, to a meeting and put those same people in cabinet positions. That’s how we get our fair share.” Deborah Cosey-Lane also attended the forum and said Pritzker’s focus on the labor movement, “reforming our prison system and protecting the environment” help make him the only candidate who can get the state back on track and beat Gov. Bruce Rauner. “JB acknowledged that he made a mistake and I stand with him and know that he will fight for all working families as governor,” Cosey-Lane said.
* On apology tour, Pritzker pledges an administration with ‘African-American leaders at all levels’: More than just speaking about issues of race, Pritzker went further to make a commitment of large-scale participation in his administration if he becomes governor. Saying his campaign is one “where the voices of every community are heard,” Pritzker pledged that “we will build an administration like that, with African-American leaders at all levels making the decisions that guide us forward and the decisions that affect the economic health of the African-American community.” … During a Friday appearance before the Crain’s Chicago Business editorial board, Pritzker said he believed that people “understand that you can make a mistake, but that you’re actions over decades are really what speaks louder than a single conversation.” “I’m not going to get every vote in the African-American community, but I feel very strongly that I’ve earned the support and (am) receiving the support of many, many people,” he said.
* Under siege, Pritzker rips Rauner but is vague on Madigan: If elected, Pritzker said he would submit legislation to impose term limits for top legislative leaders. But asked about what he would do to insure that the new maps are not gerrymandered like current ones, Pritzker said only that he would back an eventual constitutional amendment and “work with the Legislature” in the short run. He did not say he would hire his own remap consultant, hold public hearings or submit his own plan. But, in an answer to a question from Crain’s, he did say he’d consult with Republicans.
* Democratic Candidates Attend Church Services to Shore Up African-American Support: Today, Bishop Trotter told his congregation why he told Pritzker he was no longer welcome at Sweet Holy Spirit. Trotter says “we have an insult level” and “what he did was wrong.” Pritzker has asked Trotter to pray for him and hopes to meet this week with Trotter. Trotter said “I decided to un-invite him” because “if you don’t stand for something, you fall for anything.” … [Kennedy] said “dignity comes with the job, dignity that comes with respect” and told the Holy Spirit parishioners that he sees government’s role is to “bring everyone along” and “we see government as an extension of that family.” … [Biss] also introduced Wallace, who spoke of the candidates who are “coming up on our television screens… with empty promises” and “never every come back and never being held accountable.” Wallace noted that in the African American community she and Biss want to “amplify their voice” because “we deliver votes time and time again; get nothing that’s promised back to us.”
