Bailey provided NBC 5 with a copy of the two-page income tax cover sheets for his last five years worth of returns.
According to those documents, his Adjusted Gross Income in 2017 was $1,776. The following year, it increased to $211,000. In 2019, it declined slightly to $189,000.
Amid the COVID pandemic, Bailey reported a loss of $164,000, while in 2021 he reported a loss of $99,000.
Bailey cited the purchase of new equipment for businesses for reported losses of income.
During those two years, ProPublica reported that Bailey received more than $570,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans, and the Chicago Tribune reported that he received $280,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
…Adding… Pritzker will release his tax returns when he files next month, the Sun-Times tells us…
Pritzker’s campaign offered praise for the governor’s rival for peeling back the curtain on his federal tax obligations but questioned why Bailey withheld the release of his state tax returns for the period.
“We’re glad to see Bailey releasing his federal returns,” Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Natalie Edelstein said. “We look forward to the release of his state returns, as the governor has done every year.”
* My associate Isabel Miller was at today’s Pritzker press conference today and asked the governor if anything needs to be changed in the SAFE-T Act before January 1st and if he wanted any specific changes. His response…
Well, let’s just set the record straight with everybody. The SAFE-T Act is designed to keep murderers, domestic abusers, violent criminals in jail. And to address that, the problem of the current system, which allows those people, murderers, domestic abusers, and so on, to buy their way out of jail by just paying bail.
So what we’re addressing the problem that exists today, making sure that we’re also addressing the problem of a single mother who shoplifted diapers for her baby who is put in jail and kept there for six months because she doesn’t have a couple of hundred dollars to pay for bail. So that’s what the SAFE-T Act is about.
Are there changes or adjustments that need to be, of course. And there have been adjustments made and there will continue to be. Laws are not immutable. They are not, you know, there with no change that’s ever made to them. Of course, of course.
And then the press conference ended.
…Adding… House Republican Leader Jim Durkin…
Yesterday, once again, Governor Pritzker claimed that the SAFE-T Act wasn’t a rushed disaster of a law. Today, he admits that his SAFE-T Acts needs a fourth trailer bill but is unable to explain how the law needs to be changed. How can anyone trust this governor when he talks about crime and the SAFE-T Act?
Republican governor candidate Darren Bailey is out with a new ad that leans hard on his role as a farmer, showing him working his farm in southern Illinois as Paul Harvey’s famous speech, “So God Made a Farmer,” plays. The ad ends with a frame that says, “Illinois needs a farmer.”
But, whatever, here’s the non-campaign affiliated video anyway…
To mark the start of Hispanic Heritage Month tomorrow, the Democratic Party of Illinois today launched a new ad campaign featuring its first-ever Spanish-language ads.
“These unprecedented Spanish-language ads are the first of many efforts to expand voter outreach under my leadership at the Democratic Party of Illinois,” said Chair Lisa Hernandez. “The Party is committed to new approaches and innovative ideas that will engage underrepresented communities leading up to the general election in November and beyond.”
“This is a big deal. With this early investment in its first-ever Spanish-language ads, the Democratic Party of Illinois is demonstrating its deep commitment to Latino communities in Chicago and across Illinois,” said U.S. Representative and State Central Committeeperson Chuy García. “Initiatives like these are exactly how we’ll connect with voters in every corner of our state ahead of the November election. I look forward to working with DPI to do just that in the months ahead.”
The broader campaign, focused on minimum wage and support for working families, consists of six 16-second digital videos running on YouTube. The Spanish-language ads, titled “Para Nosotros” and “Ninguno,” specifically target Latino voter-heavy zip codes across the state, with an additional version playing in the 25th Senate district in support of State Senator Karina Villa.
With this key initiative, the Democratic Party of Illinois is working to reach and mobilize traditionally underrepresented voters. DPI will continue to invest in ads in a variety of languages — focusing next on Asian American communities — to connect with diverse groups of voters in the home stretch leading up to the November election.
* A September 4 letter to US Rep. Sean Casten from Awake IL…
Re: Cease and Desist - Defamation
Dear Sir:
This is written on behalf of Awake IL, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Illinois. Awake IL engages in social welfare advocacy on behalf of communities across the state.
It has come to our attention that you, Sean Casten, are unlawfully exploiting the mission of Awake Illinois with defamatory claims per the common law elements of “defamation” (see attachments).
Accordingly, Awake IL demands that you immediately cease and desist from further acts of defamation to any third party and remove committed acts of defamation from any third-party sites to which defamatory statements have been posted (e.g. https://castenforcongress.com, Daily Herald, etc).
Please contact us upon your receipt of this letter to confirm that you will comply with these demands and to discuss an appropriate resolution. In the event we do not receive the foregoing from you within ten (10) days from the date hereof, Awake IL will take additional steps necessary to protect its rights and/or seek all remedies available under applicable laws as a result of your unlawful acts of defamation.
Awake IL may file a civil action in local state court requesting damages and attorney’s fees wherever applicable.
The foregoing is not intended to be a complete recitation of the facts pertaining to your infringement. Nothing herein shall be deemed an admission or waiver of any of Awake IL’s rights or remedies, all of which are expressly reserved.
Sincerely,
Shannon Adcock
President, Awake IL
Josh McBroom
Vice President, Awake IL
Steve Lucie
Director, Awake IL
CC:
Attorney Thomas DeVore
Silverlake Law Group
* The Casten campaign issued a press release on today’s “deadline”…
Last week, after U.S. Congressman Sean Casten called on Keith Pekau to disavow Awake Illinois and the award Pekau received from them, Casten received a cease and desist from Pekau’s allies at Awake Illinois.
Rep. Casten has released the following statement:
“I will not cease nor desist in supporting the interests of everybody in the community I represent and making sure that there’s space for decency and kindness and love,” said Rep. Casten. “Keith Pekau and Awake Illinois should be ashamed of themselves for the unsafe environment they have created in our community. They have used their platform to promote hatred, homophobia, and bigotry.”
Tom Devore, the Republican nominee for Attorney General in Illinois, was CC’d on the cease and desist.
This week, the Downers Grove Public Library announced it was canceling an upcoming Drag Queen Bingo program after it received severe threats regarding the event, including calls to bring weapons to the event. These threats occurred after Keith Pekau and Awake Illinois issued a call-to-action to their supporters.
In July, Uprising Bakery in Lake in the Hills was attacked after it announced it was hosting a kid-friendly drag show. This occurred after Awake Illinois and Members of the Proud Boys’ Northern Illinois chapter promoted a protest of the event.
In January, the St. Charles Public Library was forced to temporarily close due to threats after Awake Illinois publicly criticized the library’s COVID-19 safety measures.
Geoffrey Stone, a First Amendment scholar at the University of Chicago Law School, said the statements included with Awake Illinois’ letter provide no legal backing for a claim of defamation.
“They are just ordinary political statements that are fully protected by the First Amendment,” Stone wrote in an email. “Only factually false statements made can constitute defamation, and even then they have to be either negligently or recklessly made.”
* Darren Bailey held up a copy of the Sun-Times front page today during his daily Facebook live video and said…
Last night at Washington Park, nine were shot on a drive-by shooting. Two were killed. The victims range from 19 to 46. Why isn’t that the headline? Why aren’t the press reporting on the failures of JB Pritzker, Lori Lightfoot and Kim Foxx? I think that it’s appalling that, uh, they’re not, you know, last night, just within minutes after one of these massive shootings, Lori Lightfoot tweeted that, Hey, Darren Bailey, welcome to Chicago, leave your woke ideas and, and thank you for your, your tax money. Why isn’t that the headline? I think we should demand more out of our press. I think we should demand more out of the people that are reporting this. And if they won’t do it, then boycott ‘em. Push ‘em to the side. Get away from the TV, get away from these news sources that won’t report the truth because these need to be the headlines.
This may be a nitpick, but any time someone uses the word “truth,” I cringe. Truth is from a deity. Facts are from humans.
2 killed, 7 others wounded by gunfire in Washington Park: ‘It’s another tragic incident’
At least nine people were shot, two of them fatally, when gunfire erupted Tuesday night during a pickup softball game at Washington Park on the South Side.
An argument broke out between two groups and escalated into an exchange of gunfire around 7:45 p.m. at 5531 S. King Drive, Deputy Chief Fred Melean said during a news conference at the nearby University of Chicago Medical Center.
Curious whether he’ll still attend the debates, since they’ll be hosted by a TV news outlet.
…Adding… This is what Lightfoot actually tweeted…
Hi Darren. Welcome to Chicago. If you need help finding a clue, here’s a map. In the meantime, we welcome your tourism dollars. Check out the architectural boat tour. But do the other passengers a favor—leave your right wing nonsense at the dock. https://t.co/UivKhoJ6Ndpic.twitter.com/b0Xwaq0kRD
Lori, this may be a joke to you but there are people dying everyday on your streets because of your dangerous policies and failed leadership. You’re laughing, but there are at least 13 families crying tonight because of a shooting in Washington Park. Shame on you. https://t.co/vdNGHnWlqQ
This morning our office was attacked. Security footage shows a brick was thrown through one of our windows around 5 am by an individual who then fled northbound towards Bryn Mawr. Police are investigating. Board up is on the way and we will still be here to help our constituents. pic.twitter.com/T8GvnSFcSX
— Illinois State Representative Kelly Cassidy (@ILRepCassidy) September 14, 2022
…Adding… The tweet was deleted and replaced by this one because the footage suggests the brick-thrower was a woman.
CLAIM: Anyone charged with a “non-detainable offense” will be released immediately after arrest. See graphic below, which is making the rounds on social media.
FACT: The SAFE-T Act does not create any “non-detainable offenses.” Illinois law has no such thing.
Certain crimes, including forcible felonies, stalking, and domestic abuse, guarantee the revocation of pretrial release; meaning, they will not be released after arrest. This is outlined in the act’s section 110-6.1.a.
Some of the crimes listed in the graphic will lead to revocation pretrial release, such as arson and kidnapping. These are defined as forcible felonies by Illinois law.
However, that does not mean perpetrators of other crimes are guaranteed to be let out of jail free. A judge may revoke pretrial release from ANY perpetrator who “poses a specific, real and present threat to any person or the community.” That can include perpetrators of any of the crimes listed in the image above.
Keep in mind: pretrial release is just that–release before a person’s trial. An alleged criminal is not free forever. Once they are tried, they are either found guilty and sentenced or found innocent and released.
[Story has been updated with a small change in the fourth graf.]
As I told you yesterday, there’s lots of Democratic talk behind the scenes about changing the law because there are some significant problems with it. But none of the proponents have wanted to admit this in public. That’s a huge mistake, IMHO.
First, let's check out this "news story." Notice how it is a "staff report," and doesn't include a reporter's name. Only in very rare instances will a reputable publication do this, and that's often to protect sources who have risked their own safety. Not the case here. Red flag. pic.twitter.com/o45onTUYyh
