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DPI roundup
Tuesday, Mar 2, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Some of the news coverage of yesterday’s developments wasn’t exactly clear on how big the news actually was. One headline…
Dueling Memos Raise Questions in Race for New Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, 2 Days Before Vote
Um, the memos actually say the exact same thing: If elected, Robin Kelly can’t be involved with raising or spending non-federal “soft money.” That’s huge. Beyond that, it’s just spin, some more clever than others.
* More…
The race for the reins of the Democratic Party of Illinois heated up on Monday with the release of a legal opinion contending that U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly may be ineligible to serve in the top state party post.
The congresswoman’s team called that “suggestion” both “false and offensive.”
Kelly released her own legal opinion conceding that, as a federal elected official, she would be barred from raising or spending money for state or local campaigns, something the Matteson Democrat suggested would empower other party leaders.
Except the party may have to do without contributions from organized labor.
* Illinois Democrats always snipe at their party’s governors, so this is just another level added to the mix…
It’s unusual that Illinois Democrats are haggling like this. In many states and even for the national Democratic Party, the person at the top of the ticket gets to choose who leads the party operations. President Joe Biden, for example, gave the nod for Jaime Harrison to lead the Democratic National Committee.
With that in mind, Pritzker would be calling the shots on party leadership ahead of the 2022 election where he and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will be the Democrats’ marquee candidates. Duckworth also backs Harris.
Some Democrats, however, have a nagging concern about Pritzker’s control over the party’s checkbook. The billionaire governor’s deep pockets would allow him to dictate which races get more attention than others.
Yes, but isn’t that the case already?
* From Robin Kelly…
Dear Fellow Central Committee Members:
Change isn’t easy. And it’s clear some are resistant to opening up the party and being inclusive. From the beginning, I’ve been committed to a positive and transparent vision for Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. If you’re afraid, don’t be. Help is on the way at 6:00 pm this Wednesday.
What we have seen over the course of the last 48 hours should not be what our party is about. Democrats unite and come together. You know me. I have always told you the truth, I have always been inclusive, and we can do this as long as we keep working together. Stay with me.
Together, we will build a party apparatus that acts collaboratively, not unilaterally - that includes raising the funds and resources to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. We’re about to make history together. Thank you, Robin
I’ve known Robin Kelly for years and have always had a high regard for her, but she was not up front about her inability to raise and spend soft money if she was elected and has not yet explained how she intends to get around that and who would be making those major multi-million-dollar decisions in her stead.
* Peter Janko…
Endorsement of Robin Kelly for Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois
- - - - -
We are about six months from the start of the 2022 election cycle, and the Democratic Party of Illinois needs to start rolling up its sleeves and getting to work on earning the vote of all Illinoisans. They say that it is the responsibility of Local Democratic Parties, but most local Democratic Parties don’t get all the resources that they need to be effective. They never have the funds they need because their economies do not even support small dollar donations. Let me see, “Do I put food on the table this week or donate $10 to the local Democratic Party or a local candidate who probably has no chance of winning?” Tough choice, right?
The Democratic Party needs to understand and value the needs of ALL of Illinois. This starts by finding and supporting good Democratic candidates for all offices across the entire state. We need to give all Illinois Democrats and independents a reason to vote.
From South Beloit to Cairo
From Quincy to Danville
From East Dubuque to Mt. Carmel
From Winthrop Harbor to East St. Louis
It is no secret that voters outside of Chicago feel that the Democratic Party of Illinois picks the winners and losers, only supporting Democratic candidates of their choosing. They won’t support candidates in a red district, claiming it would just be a waste of resources. Because of this, few Democrats step forward to run for office, leaving few or no local Democratic candidates on the ballot. Democratic voters stay home, and these districts stay red. It hurts statewide candidates on the ballot like the Governor and our two US Senators, but I am told not to worry; we have enough votes in the blue areas of Illinois.
This is our first opportunity in decades to break from underneath the thumb of the Chicago machine. We must avoid a continuation of the old. It is time for us to finally live up to what we say we are - The Democratic Party of ILLINOIS.
I believe Robin Kelly has the personal commitment and skills to lead us there.
Peter Janko
Democratic State Central Committeeman
14th Congressional District of Illinois
* Latest tally…
…Adding… I’m getting a bit fed up with some of the ill-informed comments. This is from Michael Dorf’s memo to Robin Kelly…
In addition, the DPI would be prohibited from spending soft money to the extent that you directly or indirectly “controlled” DPI.
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* Background, including the memo, is here if you need it. From Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea…
Executive Board Members:
While the Illinois AFL-CIO remains neutral in the decision of the Democratic Party of Illinois to select a new chair, we would like to bring your attention to the attached memo from the law firm PerkinsCoie regarding the contribution of soft money to an elected federal office holder serving simultaneously as a political party chair.
After reading the memo and receiving questions for our affiliates , we asked IL AFL-CIO General Counsel, Joel D’Alba to review the memo and offer his legal opinion on how Illinois labor unions would be affected when making contributions under such a scenario. His response follows:
Dear Tim,
You have asked me to review the legal issues that have been raised in a legal memorandum prepared by a law firm that has an excellent, national reputation in advising political candidates and officials. The memorandum deals with the issues that would arise if a federal office holder becomes the chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. The related legal consequences under the federal election laws include control by a federal office holder over political funds that are solicited, received, directed, transferred and spent outside the limits and restrictions established by the Federal Election Commission.
The main point of the memorandum is that federal law, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, was enacted to bar the use of “soft” money as a means of influencing federal office holders, and the chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois has significant responsibility over the use of such funds. The chair as a federal officer holder according to this memorandum could expose the DPI and possibly its labor donors and labor recipients of solicitations for funds to federal scrutiny by the Federal Election Commission.
Accordingly, it would be prudent for the State Federation and its affiliates to be quite cautious about making such contributions to a political organization that is governed by a federal office holder.
Regards and be safe,
Joel D’Alba
Joel A. D’Alba
Asher, Gittler & D’Alba, Ltd.
Organized labor is the lifeblood of the state party.
*** UPDATE *** From Rep. Kelly’s spokesperson…
Nancy Pelosi asked Robin Kelly to raise 1 million dollars, Robin Kelly raised 3 million. No one can sincerely challenge her ability to raise money for Democrats.
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* Memo to DPI central committee members…
* Perkins Coie attorney Brian G. Svoboda…
You have asked under what circumstances a federal officeholder or candidate may serve as Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois (“the DPI”). The DPI maintains a federal account that raises and spends funds within the limits, restrictions and reporting requirements of federal campaign finance law. It also maintains a nonfederal account that raises and spends funds outside these same limits, restrictions and reporting requirements in connection with nonfederal elections. Federal law prohibits a federal officeholder or candidate from directly or indirectly establishing, financing, maintaining or controlling an entity that raises and spends funds outside of federal limits and restrictions in connection with nonfederal elections.
For an individual who is now a federal officeholder or candidate to serve as Chair of the DPI, one of the following events would need to occur:
1. The individual would need to resign from federal office and cease to be a federal candidate;
2. The DPI would need to cease raising and spending funds outside federal limits and restrictions; or
3. The DPI would need to curtail the Chair’s duties and powers so that he or she does not “establish, finance, maintain or control” the DPI for purposes of federal campaign finance law. While possible in theory, such action is impractical in fact. It would essentially turn the Chair into a purely honorary role, without power to direct large portions of the DPI’s activities. Because even such a restricted role would almost certainly result in a complaint to, and potentially an investigation by, the Federal Election Commission (“FEC”), we would advise against this approach without an FEC advisory opinion approving the specific arrangement.
The full memo is here.
The vast majority of money raised by DPI is under non-federal rules.
I’ll be asking for responses.
…Adding… My favorite comment so far is from somebody who said he was more interested in what Speaker Pelosi’s attorneys say. Um, Perkins Coie works for the DCCC. That firm represents basically everybody in national Democratic politics, including Sen. Durbin.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Response…
“A suggestion Congresswoman Robin Kelly is ineligible to be the Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois is false and offensive. Federal and state elected officials follow all applicable election laws. Congresswoman Robin Kelly can be and would be the best person to lead the Democratic Party of Illinois as its next chair.”
“Illinois Democrats watched Georgia Democrats execute a winning strategy in November - led by their Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, Congresswoman Nikema Williams. Georgia Democrats were energized, mobilized and followed the law to big wins. Illinois Democrats can too. But it starts with new ethical and transparent leadership for a new day for Illinois Democrats — that’s with Robin Kelly as our next Chair.”
Pointing to someone else who might also be in violation is not a solid defense, but OK.
*** UPDATE 2 *** US Rep. Kelly has released a letter from attorney Michael C. Dorf. Most important part…
In its most basic interpretation, Section 300.62 would prevent you from raising or spending soft money in state and local elections. In addition, the DPI would be prohibited from spending soft money to the extent that you directly or indirectly “controlled” DPI. […]
I believe that policies and procedures can be constructed to permit you to serve as Chair within the provisions of federal law. These will include the delegation by you to others of certain spending authority as well as the erection of firewalls for designated activities to ensure that you are not directly or indirectly controlling decision making in those activities. Your ability to raise funds for use in state and local elections will be limited, but your ability to ascend the “bully pulpit” to advocate for Democratic policies, principles, and candidates on behalf of DPI should not be impinged.
So, a party chair who can’t raise or spend money. Pure figurehead.
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Teacher shortage persists
Monday, Mar 1, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Capitol News Illinois on the teacher shortage…
Education researchers in Illinois say the reasons for the teacher shortage are numerous and complex, but it boils down to the fact that there are more veteran teachers around the state retiring or leaving the profession than there are new teachers coming out of university schools of education.
James Anderson, dean of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of Education, said in an interview that for a variety of reasons, including the cost of a college education and the salaries teachers earn after graduating, teaching has become a less attractive career than many other professions.
“You graduate from high school, you come to college to become a teacher, you borrow a significant amount of money along the way, then you go into the profession with a very low salary,” he said. “And then you try to pay off your student debt and perform your job as a teacher. And that’s a very difficult invitation to accept.”
The minimum wage for a teacher in Illinois is $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year and is scheduled to increase under state law to $40,000 by the 2023-2024 school year.
An analysis of the survey results showed a strong correlation between the severity of the shortage and the average teacher salary in a given district. As teacher salaries increase, superintendents report less of a problem with teacher shortages.
In other words, treat your people well and make sure they can earn a decent living.
The full survey is here.
…Adding… Press release…
Golden Apple, an Illinois nonprofit committed to preparing, supporting, and mentoring aspiring teachers, is working to resolve this crisis. Golden Apple prepares future teachers to serve in schools and communities in need, resulting in not only adding more teachers to our classrooms, but also increasing diversity within the profession. Over half of Golden Apple’s Scholars are teachers of color, compared to only 15% of Illinois teachers statewide.
Golden Apple President Alan Mather released the following statement re the report:
“Today’s report is sadly no surprise to those of us who work every day to support and prepare future teachers to serve in schools- and districts-of-need. Over the past few years, there’s been a series of taking two steps forward and then one step back; the shortage continues despite programs like our Scholars and Accelerators that are boosting the number of teachers, especially teachers of color, entering Illinois classrooms. We have willing partners in State government who recognize the teacher shortage cliff we face, but Illinois can’t go it alone; the federal government needs to join in this critically important fight for our children’s futures.”
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Chicago GOP censures Kinzinger
Monday, Mar 1, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Lynn Sweet…
Several Illinois county GOP organizations and the Chicago Republican Party have censured Kinzinger in the wake of his impeachment vote. The Chicago GOP party vote on Feb. 23 was among 34 ward committeemen; the organization has 16 of those 50 ward spots unfilled.
What’s noteworthy is that the Illinois Republican Party is not pursuing a Kinzinger censure.
According to the GOP party spokesman, the view of the new state GOP party chair, Don Tracy, is that the state party “will not be censuring Congressman Kinzinger. His goal is to unite the party and stop the circular firing squad.”
* Rick Pearson…
“Darkness has replaced light. Conspiracy has replaced truth. Division has replaced unity and worst of all, courage is fading and fear is rising,” Kinzinger said in a new video on behalf of his anti-Trump PAC.
“Rather than dispel the fear, most of our leaders stoke it. Gone are the days of inspiration. Now they amplify fear for their own selfish gain. Yet what’s good for them is bad for the nation,” said Kinzinger, who turned 43 on Saturday. “Division is widening. Anger is growing. Fear creates more fear, and it leads to the conflict that will tear America apart. Enough is enough.”
Kinzinger’s vote to impeach Trump and subsequent actions to take on Trump supporters have earned him a sanction of disapproval from the Illinois GOP and censure motions by county GOP organizations within his 16th Congressional District. He also now has an announced 2022 primary opponent, Catalina Lauf of Woodstock, who finished third in an unsuccessful bid last year for the GOP nomination in the 14th Congressional District.
Of Lauf, Kinzinger said that anyone declaring their candidacy against him now, so early in the campaign cycle and before new congressional district boundaries are drawn reflecting the 2020 federal census, are “making it clear that they have no interest in representing the people they live with. They’re more interested in representing the interests of a man.”
The video is here.
* Press release received yesterday…
Earlier this week, at a Zoom meeting of the Chicago Republican Party Central Committee, a resolution to censure Illinois Congressional Rep. Adam Kinzinger was presented, discussed and voted upon. The resolution passed and is presented below.
RESOLUTION OF THE CHICAGO REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, President Donald J. Trump was impeached by the United States House of Representatives without justification as there was not a proper investigation of the causes of the January 6, 2021 riot at the United States Capitol; and, Whereas President Trump was denied basic due process rights at the hasty and hyper-partisan impeachment proceedings conducted in the House of Representatives; and,
WHEREAS, subsequent and ongoing investigations of the riot have established that many of the unlawful activities were premeditated having been planned in advance of January 6, 2021 and therefore were not incited by President Trump’s speech delivered on that date; and,
WHEREAS, the resulting impeachment trial in the United States Senate was unconstitutional as the Senate lacked proper jurisdiction over a former President; and,
WHEREAS President Donald J. Trump was nonetheless acquitted by the Senate despite the unethical conduct of the House Managers throughout the trial; and,
WHEREAS, United States Representative Adam Kinzinger from the 16th Congressional District of Illinois has repeatedly engaged in conduct injurious to Republican Party harmony and unity in terms of his wholly unwarranted criticisms and defamatory attacks upon President Trump throughout the impeachment hearings and the trial before the United States Senate;
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CHICAGO REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE:
RESOLVED, that Congressman Adam Kinzinger shall be and hereby is censured by this Committee; and
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chair is directed to transmit this Resolution to Representative Kinzinger and publicize the Resolution by means of an official press release to Illinois media outlets.
I certify that the above resolution was approved by affirmative vote of the Ward Committeepersons of the Chicago Republican Central Committee of the City of Chicago on February 23, 2021.
Stephen F. Boulton
Chair of the Committee
…Adding… The Chicago GOP is inconsequential in local races, but it has an important place in statewide bids…
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* Background is here if you need it. Pearson…
The contest for Illinois Democratic Party chairman is down to two candidates after state Sen. Cristina Castro dropped her bid Sunday and her supporters sided with U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly over Ald. Michelle Harris. […]
Despite Sunday’s shift, Harris still holds the early lead over Kelly in securing the votes needed to replace Madigan, who resigned the post last week.
With Gov. J.B. Pritzker in her corner, the veteran 8th Ward alderman so far has public support from party leaders who represent about 44% of the weighted vote, while Kelly of Matteson has nearly 19%, including the 5% Castro had collected.
It’s not just a race between these two candidates. It’s also a race to 50 percent plus one weighted vote…
* The Kelly folks were demanding a vote this coming Saturday, but the acting DPI chair, a Harris supporter, is calling a meeting instead for this Wednesday night. Just saying, but you usually call the vote when you have the votes rounded up…
The Sun-Times has learned the vote will be held during a virtual meeting of the state central committee members at 6 p.m. Chicago time on Wednesday.
According to a notice sent to members on Sunday night by party executive director Mary Morrissey, “the meeting will also be livestreamed so that Democrats across the state can be present for the meeting.”
* Not a bad question…
Kelly, you will recall, demanded a probe last week of some transfers Madigan did with the party’s federal money before his resignation took effect.
…Adding… Back when Mike Madigan and Gary LaPaille took the state party away from Vince Demuzio, Vince sent out a lot of press releases announcing endorsements of his candidacy by people who didn’t have a vote on the state central committee. Kelly has been doing much the same thing the past week…
Today, Congressman Sean Casten, Congressman Mike Quigley, Congressman Brad Schneider, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Congressman Bill Foster announced their endorsement of Congresswoman Robin Kelly for Chair of the Illinois Democratic Party.
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* Sun-Times…
The Biden White House said Sunday that John Lausch will continue as the U.S. Attorney based in Chicago, confirming the Chicago Sun-Times report last week that he won’t be forced to resign.
President Joe Biden’s team wanted all top federal prosecutors to resign as of Sunday, with only two exceptions. Lausch became the third, with the Biden White House reversal.
“In very limited exceptions, including the Northern District of Illinois, the administration has opted not to seek new candidates for U.S. Attorney positions at this time,” said a White House official Sunday who did not want to named.
* Tribune…
Lausch’s office is investigating Commonwealth Edison’s alleged bribery scheme to funnel money and do-nothing jobs to then-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s loyalists in exchange for his help with state legislation. Madigan has not been charged with wrongdoing, but the scandal helped topple him from power.
The White House statement Sunday was the first official comment by the Biden administration on the situation. The White House did not elaborate on the reason for the change of heart and stopped short of confirming that Lausch would stay on until a new U.S. attorney is installed.
*** UPDATE *** Seems pleased…
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