* Marni Pyke at the Daily Herald…
It’s one thing for new CEOs to bring in their own teams. But recruiting five former co-workers for top positions at the Illinois tollway and paying them nearly $900,000 a year, collectively?
“It seems excessive,” said Republican state Rep. David McSweeney, a budget hawk.
Since the summer, tollway Executive Director José Alvarez, the former chief operating officer at the Chicago Housing Authority, has hired five former colleagues for two existing and three newly created positions. […]
“I, too, have noticed some interesting hiring practices,” said Democratic Sen. Laura Murphy of Des Plaines, who prompted a hearing on tollway procurement policies in 2018.
“We are in the process of coordinating a meeting so I can talk to the tollway. I look forward to hearing their explanation and reviewing the (hiring) process they use,” Murphy said.
According to Marni’s article, the three new positions Alvarez created are chief procurement and compliance officer, chief of contract services and chief of compliance.
* In other tollway-related news, the lede of this story doesn’t match the reality…
Autobon AI, a technology company based in Lisle, Illinois, has begun testing its self-driving semi truck on the Illinois Tollway.
After undergoing months of testing on the Chicagoland Speedway track in Joliet, the truck is now operating on the road as a result of the permission and cooperation of the Illinois Tollway. A driver will be behind the wheel at all times during testing.
“The driver still has full control,” according to Krystian Gebis, the co-founder and chief executive of Autobon AI, via The Register-Mail. […]
According to Gebis, the company’s autonomous technology is not designed to replace truck drivers. Instead, it is designed to help make truck driving less difficult and safer.
…Adding… The truck was tested at Chicagoland Speedway and a member of the Tollway board is president of the track…
Director [Scott] Paddock has more than 20 years of industry experience in sales, marketing and general management. Since 2011, he has served as the president of the Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway, the largest sports facility in the state of Illinois.
* Related…
* Illinois Tollway approves $1.54 billion budget for 2020
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Because… Madigan!
Monday, Dec 9, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jeanne Ives press release…
It’s the Chicago Machine Democrat Way. Have Mike Madigan pick your voters through gerrymandering. And then you pick the voters who you will allow to address you.
Rep. Sean Casten announced a series of town halls that are invite only. Tickets required.
“Sean Casten is a master illusionist,” said congressional challenger Jeanne Ives. “He doesn’t practice representative government; he and the selected voters he casts for only simulate it.”
She’s repeated that invite-only claim on other occasions.
* BGA…
Ives said Casten has held numerous “invite-only” town halls.
But her own press release on the subject makes clear she was referring to a public event page the congressman’s team created that allowed anyone interested in attending to reserve a seat for free. Those events, and the sign-up link, were advertised in advance online.
We rate her claim Pants on Fire!
…Adding… Good point in comments…
Kinda ironic that Ives brings up gerrymandering when Casten won a district drawn to be Republican
* Press release…
State Representative Mark Batinick challenged his opponent, Harry Benton, today to provide a simple “yes” or “no” on whether he supports Mike Madigan’s continuation as Speaker. Representative Batinick recently called for Speaker Madigan to resign in light of multiple federal investigations involving the Speaker’s inner circle of confidants.
“Our first vote as a state representative is to elect a Speaker of the House,” said Batinick. To reform Illinois, we must take that vote seriously and be honest with the voters. I have consistently voted no in allowing Speaker Madigan’s unchecked power to continue and call upon my opponent, Harry Benton, to provide a straightforward answer as well.”
Rep. Batinick has been a leading advocate for reform and to end the culture of corruption in Springfield. Batinick has supported legislation to bring substantive structural changes to how government operates, including term limits, fair maps, revolving-door bans, and other measures to increase government transparency – pieces of legislation that Speaker Madigan refuses to bring to a vote.
“Candidates cannot change Springfield by embracing the status quo and allow Speaker Madigan to continue as the House leader,” stated Batinick. “I am running to reform the culture of corruption in Springfield, and that starts by voting no on Madigan. Voters deserve to know if Harry Benton will continue to empower Michael Madigan. How Mr. Benton responds to the question will tell voters everything they need to know about his candidacy for state representative.”
* WGN Radio…
David Krupa is a DePaul University sophomore running for 13th Ward Committeeperson in an effort to lessen the power of House Speaker Mike Madigan in the ward. When David joined John in October, he explained what Madigan’s office did to harm his campaign for Alderman. And he talks about some of the issues he wished to address.
He didn’t, however, talk about the allegations of sexual assault and abuse against Krupa. Indeed, the program’s host John Williams referred to himself as a “champion” of Krupa’s.
* This, however, is intentionally funny. Rex Huppke titled this segment: “Federal investigators appear to be at least Madigan-adjacent”…
These might be sweaty holidays for Democratic Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Four people interviewed by federal investigators told the Tribune they have been “asked about connections between Commonwealth Edison lobbyists and Madigan, lobbyists giving contracts to people tied to the speaker, and city, state and suburban government jobs held by his associates.”
During the fall legislative session, Madigan was asked if the feds are targeting him.
He said: “I’m not a target of anything.”
Yeah. And I’ve got a sleigh and some real estate up at the North Pole to sell you, buddy.
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* You just knew this would happen…
Chicagoans caught smoking weed on front porches and in backyards — even high-rise balconies — that are visible to the public could still face fines after the drug is legalized next year, Chicago police say.
But Chicago cops are being encouraged to explain the new law to residents caught violating it rather than take punitive measures right away, particularly in the initial months. […]
Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, nevertheless raised concerns about the CPD policy. He noted that the law shouldn’t be enforced against those using cannabis in places that are “clearly out of the view of the street,” like backyards and enclosed porches.
“The spirit of the law and the letter of the law in terms of the state law is the notion that as long as whatever behavior is happening is out of public view, it wouldn’t be subject to any kind of punishment,” Yohnka said. “Because they’re expanding what is sort of the spirit of the law, it just provides for more opportunities for enforcement.”
Yohnka also worries that ticketing and enforcement related to cannabis will continue to disproportionately affect people of color. Though the number of pot arrests has plummeted since the city decriminalized weed, a Sun-Times analysis last year found that African-Americans continued to bear the brunt of that enforcement.
From that above-referenced Sun-Times analysis…
In 2017 and the first four months of 2018, 94 people were busted in Chicago for petty marijuana possession. Seventy-six of them were black. Sixteen were Hispanic. Two were white.
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** Statement from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Interim CPD Superintendent Charlie Beck…
Righting this City’s generation-old wrongs and overturning the unjust, cannabis enforcement laws of our past has been at the heart of our efforts since day one, which is why we’ve taken the important step forward in reducing overly punitive fines and fees for minor cannabis violations by passing a smart, sensible and safe cannabis enforcement ordinance that truly prioritizes public safety of all residents in this City.
While the state law prohibits cannabis consumption in a “public place,” which is defined as anywhere you can be observed by others in the public, the Chicago Police Department recognizes that an individual using cannabis in their own backyard or balcony poses no direct threat to public safety, and no resident should be arrested or ticketed solely for such a scenario. Any characterization to the contrary is simply wrong. Over the past several months and throughout December, all 13,000 of Chicago’s police officers are being trained on the reformed cannabis enforcement laws, including how they should use discretion of their enforcement powers to educate residents on the new legalization laws, rather than issuing tickets as a default response.
As we prepare for legalization next year, the Mayor’s Office and CPD are wholeheartedly committed to working in partnership with Chicago’s community advocates and leaders to ensure that the days of unfair and unequal targeted enforcement for low-level cannabis violations have come to an end.
Good for them.
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* Wednesday press release…
Governor JB Pritzker signed ethics reform legislation today and appointed four members to the newly formed Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform.
“The people of Illinois deserve a state government they can trust, and that means we need to put stronger ethical safeguards in place, prioritize transparency and demand more accountability from public servants,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “While we took important steps in November to tighten ethics requirements and improve transparency, it’s critical to take additional action to end the unconscionable self-enrichment and corruption that has been uncovered. I expect this commission to deliberate swiftly and report their recommendations with the greatest possible urgency.”
Senate Bill 1639 strengthens the detail of information required on statements of economic interest, increases lobbyist disclosure requirements – including whether they are elected officials anywhere in Illinois, whether they are registered lobbyists in any unit of local government and whether they subcontract – and requires the Secretary of State’s office to create a publicly accessible and searchable database combining registered lobbyist disclosures, contributions by registered lobbyists and statements of economic interest.
Created by HJR 93, the joint commission will review and make recommendations to change state ethics laws, examine best practices from other state and local governments, and seek expert and public input on improving ethics in Illinois state government.
Comprised of 16 members from Illinois’ executive and legislative branches, members of the joint commission are prohibited from lobbying Illinois state government during their service on the commission or at any time during the last five years.
* Emphasis added because of this appointment…
Steven A. Andersson serves as a Commissioner of the Illinois Human Rights Commission. Andersson has been a licensed attorney for more almost three decades. He is a partner at the law firms of Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi and Andersson, P.C. and the Elder Law Center, P.C. He is admitted to practice law at all Illinois courts, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Andersson was also the state representative for Illinois’ 65th legislative district from 2015 to 2019 where he served as Republican floor leader in 2018. During the 99th General Assembly, Andersson was a leader of the Republican coalition that joined with the Democratic caucus to end the longest state budget impasse in U.S. history. He has also been a strident defender of the rights of all people, including being the chief co-sponsor for the ERA, a two-time sponsor of the Equal Pay Act and chief co-sponsor of the LGBTQ curriculum bill. Prior to joining the Illinois House of Representatives, Andersson served his community as a trustee and treasurer on the Geneva Library District Board for approximately 5 years, including serving 2 years as treasurer. Andersson is a past president of the Kane County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Kane County Bar Foundation; Illinois Bar Association; American Bar Association; National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys; and served on the governing board of the Aurora Family Counseling Service and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Um, he’s a good guy for sure, but Andersson was a registered lobbyist until June 28th of this year.
*** UPDATE *** From the Pritzker administration…
Steve Andersson is a dedicated public servant and the administration appreciates his willingness to serve. However, given the requirements of the resolution, we will be submitting a different appointee.
That was fast.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
Christine Radogno will serve on the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform. Radogno is the former Senate Minority Leader, the first female leader of a political party in the Illinois Legislature. She served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate, representing a Legislative District in Cook, DuPage, and Will Counties from 1997 to 2017. She also serves as a co-chair of the Governor’s Pension Consolidation Feasibility Task Force. Prior to serving in the state senate, Radogno served for eight years as a Village Trustee in LaGrange. Radogno received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in social work from Loyola University in Chicago. She was employed in the field of mental health before entering politics.
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* AFSCME Council 31’s Anders Lindall reached out to me this morning and asked if it was OK if his daughter got in contact with me about a school project. I said of course it was OK and Greta sent me this email…
Dear Rich Miller,
I have heard a lot about your blog and I was wondering if you would be willing to help me out.
I am in 7th grade and working on a science fair project about the correlation between age and beliefs about certain “controversial” issues—eg Green New Deal and voting behind bars.
For my survey I need a lot more Republican and Independent answers than I have now and I was wondering if you would help me get there. All I ask is that you post it on your blog and ask Republican and Independent readers only to answer it.
Here is the link to the survey:
https://forms.gle/gKitqoVA7Zu9PGj37
Thanks in advance,
Greta Lindall
Please don’t “freep” the survey if you’re a Democrat. She’s a kid. This is a school project. Thanks!
*** UPDATE *** Greta has updated her survey page…
Hi! Right now we DON”T NEED ANYMORE REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS we only need Independents-but also need NO MORE MALES, only females (but females of any political party) thanks–Greta
Click here.
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