* Background is here if you need it. From Mark Maxwell…
A Chicago man charged Wednesday for storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6th is also heavily involved in the campaign to elect state Senator Darren Bailey governor. […]
Gary Rabine, who is running against Bailey in the Republican primary contest, reacted to the news of Ligas’ arrest in an emailed statement.
“What happened on January 6th is not acceptable. Anyone convicted beyond a reasonable doubt of a crime on January 6th should be prosecuted,” Rabine said through a spokesman. “Standing up for law and order should unify – not divide – Democrats and Republicans.”
The campaigns for Republican primary hopefuls Jesse Sullivan and Paul Schimpf did not respond to requests for comment about Ligas’ involvement in the January 6 riot.
Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who has said he’s considering a potential run for governor, condemned the rioters and suggested Bailey is not fit to lead the state.
“The angry mob that stormed the United States Capitol on January 6 attacked our democracy and they deserve to be held accountable,” Kinzinger said. “Those who would encourage these perpetrators and continue to embrace the Big Lie are not equipped to serve as serious leaders.”
The morning after the insurrection, Bailey told his Facebook followers in a livestream video that he didn’t know who was behind the raid, despite overwhelming video evidence the rioters were Trump supporters.
…Adding… And yes, Rabine seems a bit unclear on this whole prosecution before conviction concept.
*** UPDATE *** I missed this in the Sun-Times coverage…
Bailey campaign spokesman Joe DeBose said in a statement the campaign is “shocked by this news and we do not condone any illegal activities.”
“[Ligas] has never been a member of our campaign staff,” DeBose said. “We support law and order and trust the court system to ensure anyone breaking the law is held accountable for their actions.”
…Adding… DPI…
Yesterday, news broke that Lawrence Ligas, a Chicago man arrested for his actions at the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection, was also on the campaign team of Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey. New reporting now shows Ligas was also paid by the Illinois Republican Party for campaign work in 2014.
None of the Republican candidates for governor have forcefully condemned the events that took place on January 6 and several of them refused to weigh in on Ligas’ traitorous, anti-democratic actions at all. The Illinois Republican Party, which previously employed Ligas for campaign work, has cowardly decided to not take a stand, calling into question whether they condone Ligas’ dangerous behavior in their party.
“Why is it so difficult for Illinois Republicans to say that the January 6 attack on our democracy was wrong?” said Democratic Party of Illinois Deputy Director Jake Lewis. “Instead of speaking out against those who attacked the U.S. Capitol Police and attempted to overthrow a free and fair election, Illinois Republicans seem to have gone into hiding. Again, we call on the Illinois Republican Party and all Republican candidates for governor to condemn Mr. Ligas’ actions and say that the failed coup on January 6 was wrong. This shouldn’t be that hard.”
…Adding… The ILGOP responded to the DPI release by pointing to its January 6 statement…
ILGOP Chairman Schneider: “Republicans stand for law and order. To support what is happening in DC today is to violate that principle. Supporting violence and rioting is Anti-American. The ILGOP condemns any and all violence towards our government officials and law enforcement.”
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* Block Club Chicago…
A Logan Square community activist has been arrested for allegedly storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Lawrence Ligas, 62, was charged with four counts in a criminal complaint released by federal authorities Wednesday. Charges include entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building and parading in a capitol building.
According to an FBI affidavit, someone who used to know Ligas saw him quoted in an NPR article titled “Trump Supporters Storm U.S. Capitol, Clash with Police.” In the article, Ligas says, “We’re not moving on … We are not Republicans. We are the MAGA party. We are patriots.”
Authorities were later able to identify Ligas based on YouTube videos and surveillance footage of him inside the capitol. The FBI also interviewed Ligas in 2017 about a separate matter, and the special agent who conducted the interview confirmed his identity, as well, the affidavit states.
Accompanying pic…
* Now, this was posted to Darren Bailey’s Facebook page on October 31…
 >
Click the link and you’ll see it’s tagged as being in Chicago. There are other photos, too.
* Bailey’s campaign website advertised a fundraiser on October 31 and the contact person is Lawrence Ligas…
* Bailey’s own Facebook page had a reference to the October 31 fundraiser, but it was deleted. However, it does show up in a Google search…
* On Target Radio’s Facebook page…
Ligas was also spotted by a couple of people I know at the Illinois State Fair this past summer as a Bailey supporter.
I’ve reached out to Bailey’s campaign and Ligas for comment. I’ll post whatever I get as soon as I hear back.
…Adding… Hmm…
…Adding… OK, I remember him now. Very weird dude…
* Pic on the bottom right…
…Adding… DPI…
Today, Lawrence Ligas of Chicago was arrested and charged in connection with the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. As reported on CapitolFax.com, Ligas has been working with and representing the campaign of Darren Bailey, Republican candidate for governor. Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Abby Witt released the following statement:
“The January 6 attack on our democracy was one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. Now, we find out that one of the attackers has since been working with and representing the campaign of Darren Bailey, a Republican candidate for governor. When it comes to the traitors of January 6, there must be no equivocation: Darren Bailey must immediately denounce Mr. Ligas and revoke any and all association with him at once. The governor’s office is no place for associates of traitors to this great nation.”
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Flash Index rises slightly
Wednesday, Dec 1, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Institute of Government and Public Affairs…
The University of Illinois Flash Index in November rose slightly to 105.5 from its 105.4 level last month. However, the reading from November does not reflect the economic impact of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
“This suggests the economy may remain in a twilight world for some time in which concerns about the virus remain unresolved,” said University of Illinois economist J. Fred Giertz, who compiles the monthly index for the Institute of Government and Public Affairs.
But, Giertz said that longer-term prospects for the economy remain positive. “There is strong pent-up consumer demand, although the picture is clouded by supply chain problems, the threat of inflation and, now, the new virus concern,” he said.
All the components of the Flash Index (individual income tax, sales tax, and corporate tax receipts) were up slightly compared to the same month last year after adjusting for inflation. The Illinois unemployment rate fell to a post-recession low of 6.0% compared to the 8.1% rate a year ago. The Illinois rate is still well above the national level of 4.6%.
The Flash Index is a weighted average of Illinois growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income as estimated from receipts for corporate income, individual income, and retail sales taxes. These are adjusted for inflation before growth rates are calculated. The growth rate for each component is then calculated for the 12-month period using data through November 30, 2021.
Even though more than a year has passed since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, ad hoc adjustments will still be needed for some time because of the timing of the tax receipts resulting from state and Federal changes in payment dates both this and last year.
More here.
* Meanwhile, I found this piece interesting because it upends so much conventional “wisdom.” From Matthew Boesler, Joe Deaux and Katia Dmitrieva…
Fattest Profits Since 1950 Debunk Wage-Inflation Story of CEOs
In the past two quarters, U.S. corporations outside of the finance industry posted their fattest margins since 1950 — one reason why stock markets keep hitting all-time highs.
On earnings calls, plenty of executives complained about the squeeze from rising costs of labor as well as materials. But overall, profits were up 37% from a year earlier, according to data out last week from the Commerce Department.
Businesses have been paying out more cash to their employees too, with total compensation up 12% in the last quarter from a year earlier. That’s partly because millions of Americans went back to work — but also because many got a raise when they did so. Hourly earnings broadly kept up with the fast-rising cost of living, and in some low-pay industries like leisure and hospitality they comfortably outpaced it. […]
U.S. consumer prices rose 6.2% in the 12 months through October, the most since 1990. The new data on corporate earnings suggest business can comfortably pass on all its higher costs, which means there may be more inflationary pressure to come.
That seeming willingness by businesses to pass along higher costs rather than try to keep prices low and, therefore, eat into their record profits is likely gonna trigger action by the Federal Reserve.
…Adding… I meant to add these stories and forgot…
* EV versions of Dodge muscle cars may be on track for Belvidere factory. The expected move to build the Charger and Challenger where Stellantis now manufactures Jeep Cherokees is part of a reshuffling of plants as the automaker develops a new platform for its electric vehicles.
* Finally, a tech sector Chicago can call its own. Why the city appeals to startups and giants in the growing agriculture technology sector.
* Natural gas plunges on demand-killing weather outlook. Forecasts shifted warmer through the middle of next month, allaying concern about tight domestic natural gas supplies.
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* Sun-Times…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is in DC through Friday, kicking off her visit on Tuesday night with a dinner Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., hosted for the delegation in his Capitol office, and – to my surprise – since usually only Democrats show up at this sort of thing – in walked GOP Rep. Rodney Davis. […]
Before he left, Davis made a bold political prediction […]
Not so fast on that 14-3 outcome Democrats are claiming they will have [with the new congressional district map], Davis told me. […]
Some of those 14 districts have Democratic supermajorities; the Democratic edge in two or three other districts outside of Chicago is much thinner, and I asked Davis – we were out of earshot from the others - about their potential as swing districts.
“I’ll be happy to say very loudly here, we are going to compete in a lot more districts then what the Democrats in Springfield who drew this map thought we would,” he said.
The only people who are publicly saying this is a 14-3 map are some discredited DC “experts” who have said all sorts of weird and flat-out false things since the remap process began.
It’s probably 14-3 in an optimal Democratic cycle, but I don’t know anyone who believes that the Democrats will reverse the overwhelming historical trend and actually gain seats nationally next year.
* Look at the off-year numbers on this chart…
Remember, 2018 was a great year for Democrats in Illinois because it was an off-year for an unpopular Republican president and the Republican governor up for reelection here was a walking dumpster fire.
I tend to look at the AG results, the closest of the bunch. There are three “Democratic” congressional districts on this chart where Kwame Raoul won by about 3 points. That’s the best place to start: Casten/Newman, Foster and the new 17th (formerly Bustos). And then go from there, perhaps even to the 2016 comptroller’s special election. Factor in a likely Democratic slump, and you can see that anyone who claims this is definitely a 14-3 map might wanna lay off the weed.
* Here’s what Rodney Davis told Dave Dahl when asked about that purported 14-3 split…
I certainly hope the Democrats thinks that. I certainly hope that the Illinois Democrats believe that that Republicans are only going to have three members of Congress after this next election. Because I think they’re going to be shocked, just like many in the media might be shocked.
We’re going to win. We’re gonna win more seats than the three that they’ve planned. Esther Joy King will be a member of Congress in the 17th district. We will have candidates in all of the districts that we see that are competitive, be it the new 13th district, we will have Republican candidates there that will be able to compete and win that district. And then the suburban districts. We saw in Virginia, we saw in New Jersey that even safe Democratic districts are no longer safe in a year where the American people are very frustrated with the Democrats lack of willingness to address the violent crime that’s plaguing our major cities in our country right now.
…Adding… McHenry County Blog…
On Monday, Cook Political Report with Amy Walter issued its initial ratings for the 2022 congressional elections for Illinois’ 17 congressional districts.
Based on Cook‘s estimated partisan voting index (PVI) of the new districts, the following ratings were assigned:
IL-17 (open): Tossup, estimated PVI of Democrat +3
IL-13 (open): Leans Democrat, estimated PVI of Democrat +4
IL-14 (Underwood): Leans Democrat, estimated PVI of Democrat +4
IL-06 (Casten & Newman): Leans Democrat, estimated PVI of Democrat +5
IL-11 (Foster): Likely Democrat, estimated PVI of Democrat +5
All 12 other districts are rated “safe” district, based on the Democrat or Republican incumbent representing them currently or who’ve declared their reelection.
Cook’s famous PVI is based on presidential election years, however.
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