* Qasim Rashid is challenging incumbent US Rep. Bill Foster in the Democratic primary. And this UAW endorsement of his candidacy was unexpected, to say the least…
Qasim Rashid’s campaign for US Congress in Illinois’ 11th District gains significant momentum as it announces its endorsement by the United Auto Workers (UAW) Union. The only candidate in IL-11 to receive the endorsement, UAW’s support of Rashid’s candidacy underscores his commitment to represent organized labor and champion the rights and well-being of working families in the Chicago suburbs and nationwide.
Rashid, a human rights lawyer raised in DuPage County, has dedicated his career to fighting for justice, equity, and opportunity for all. His platform seamlessly aligns with UAW’s steadfast commitment to economic, social, and climate justice.
“UAW is proud to endorse Qasim Rashid, a proven advocate for working people,” said John Gedney, UAW Illinois Legislative/Political Representative for Region 4. “Qasim is the only candidate in this race aligned with UAWs principles. He’s the only one who never accepted contributions from Ford or GM as they abused our workers for decades. He’s the only candidate who champions guaranteed universal healthcare, has experience protecting civil rights for all Americans, and advocates for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine.”
As one of the largest labor unions in the country, UAW’s endorsement of Rashid reflects his dedication to economic justice for all working families. He pledges to fight for debt-free college and trade schools, dismantle monopolies, combat price gouging, pass the PRO Act, advocate for a $17 federal minimum wage, and mandate paid sick and parental leave. His platform centers on holding billion-dollar companies accountable by advocating for campaign finance reform, penalizing companies that pay poverty wages, and curbing stock buybacks to prioritize investment in workers and infrastructure.
“I am grateful to UAW for recognizing my unwavering commitment to people and working families. For nearly 90 years, UAW has stood as a beacon of leadership and economic justice for tens of millions of working Americans, and I am honored to partner with them to build a future that continues to expand on worker’s rights,” said Rashid. “After the UAW won its contract negotiations with Ford, GM, and Stellantis, non-union automakers Hyundai, Toyota, and Honda all increased wages for their workers to keep up. I am excited to work with the UAW and other labor organizations to increase membership, improve pay and benefits, and build an economy that prioritizes working people.”
Rashid has made an issue out of Foster’s campaign contributions from automakers. Also, the UAW called for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine back in December. Congressman Foster has not done so.
* Even so, the endorsement is baffling because Foster has been a big UAW supporter, even inviting Belvidere’s UAW Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen to this year’s State of the Union as his guest…
“I’m honored to join Congressman Foster at this year’s State of the Union Address. After Stellantis idled the Assembly Plant last February, Bill was one of the first to call asking how he could help. From getting the White House involved to securing federal incentives, he played a vital role in ensuring the plant reopened and workers could return to Belvidere,” said Matt Frantzen.
* So, in a split with his region’s leadership, Frantzen told me his local will be endorsing Foster.
“Foster’s been here with us,” Frantzen said today. “He’s been here for us. He stepped up when we needed him. I see no reason to step away from him now.”
Frantzen also said he has “no idea why the region is making the decision they’ve made.”
[Thanks to Isabel for helping put this post together.]
…Adding… Rashid’s financial disclosure report indicates that he bought a BMW in November of last year, not long before the Belvidere plant was shuttered. Foster drives a Ford.
…Adding… And here it is…
Today, the Foster for Congress campaign announced that Congressman Bill Foster has been endorsed for reelection by Belvidere United Auto Workers Local 1268.
“Belvidere UAW Local 1268 is proud to endorse Bill Foster for reelection to Congress. Simply put, our plant would be closed and our jobs would be gone if not for Bill,” said Matt Frantzen, President of UAW Local 1268. “Last February, when Stellantis announced it was shuttering the Belvidere Assembly Plant, one of the very first phone calls we got was from Bill asking what he could do to help get the plant reopened. And Bill’s offer to help wasn’t just hollow words – he took action. He went to bat for us, getting the White House and President Biden involved and making it possible for the plant to reopen and for workers to return to Belvidere. The fact is, Bill Foster had our backs from day one. We’re proud to have his back so we can make sure he remains our representative in Congress.”
* ICYMI: Is Trump still on Illinois ballot? What to know after judge rules to remove his name. Sun-Times…
- The Cook County Judge put the ruling on hold until Friday, expecting an appeal from Trump’s lawyers.
- So for now, nothing has changed at the ballot box. If Porter’s ruling does go into effect, she ordered that “any votes cast” for Trump “be suppressed” through administrative procedures.
- Once Trump’s lawyers appeal, what happens next will likely depend on action by the First District Appellate Court, the Illinois Supreme Court or even the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump delegates on the March 19 ballot have been certified and would still be free to vote for Trump at the Republican National Convention no matter how the court battle here plays out.
The real votes are the ones cast for delegates, who then cast those votes at the convention.
* Tribune | Migrants report reusing soiled diapers on babies amid essential goods shortages in Chicago shelters: Hygiene products, including diapers and toilet paper, are provided by the city’s emergency operations center’s logistics section, which was created to coordinate and allocate resources for migrants. The city receives supplies from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and outside vendors. Mary May, a spokesperson for the city, acknowledged that “supply shortages from IEMA and FEMA can result in temporary shortages of some supplies” for migrants, but said in the statement last Friday that officials had “received a large delivery of supplies” that included diapers to deliver to shelters.
* Daily Southtown | Dolton trustee candidate who lost in 2023 accuses Mayor Tiffany Henyard of libel, defamation: The two mailings targeted Tammie Brown, Steave and Stubbs as well as Williams, portraying them as “failed leadership” and being poor choices for elected office. One mailing, indicating it was paid for by Residents for a Better Dolton, accused Williams of committing theft of services from the village by forging medical documents related to a paid time-off fraud under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, according to the lawsuit.
Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria is apologizing for a controversial recruitment ad that referenced a violent video game. […]
“There was no ill intention there. Obviously it was a play on words to really target the younger generation and relate to a younger generation,” said Echevarria.
Echevarria said he takes ownership for the ad. […]
Going forward, Echevarria said they will vet recruitment ads with non-police partners to ensure the messaging is right.
* Sun-Times | At Democratic convention in Chicago, perks for big Biden campaign donors include coveted credentials, hotels: In June, the Chicago Host Committee perk packages for donors and sponsors — an important incentive tool needed to help the committee fulfill its promise to raise $84.697 million for the convention — included VIP access to credentials, exclusive hotels and suites in the United Center. The $5 million contributors get the most perks. For sponsors, custom packages will be available, with “other potential options signage within United Center, building out activation spaces, sponsoring hospitality spaces, etc.”
* Chicago Reader | Best new legislation that supports freelance workers: Thanks to the new Freelance Worker Protection Act (HB1122), cosponsored by Rep. Will Guzzardi, Illinois freelancers will soon be required to receive a written contract, compensation within 30 days of completing work, and protection from discrimination and retaliation when pursuing payment. It will also allow for double damages if freelancers aren’t paid on time.
* Daily Herald | 49th District GOP rivals debate their electability in November showdown with Hirschauer: Hannah Billingsley of West Chicago and Aris Garcia of Streamwood are business owners who say they don’t feel represented in Springfield by the Democratic party or Hirschauer. […] “I think it would be tough for … a male to beat Maura, and I’m not trying to make this a gender thing,” Billingsley said. “I was like, ‘Hey, it’s not personal, Aris, it’s you and I both want the same thing,’ we both want to flip this seat, and if I were a betting person I’d be be betting on me.”
* NBC Chicago | Emails show Chicago mayor pushed Sox for unified messaging amid stadium funding ask: The emails obtained via Freedom of Information Act request show a spokesman for the Sox reached out to Johnson’s communications staff at 4:38 p.m. on Jan. 16, asking for a call. Six minutes later, the Sox spokesman sent over a draft of a possible White Sox statement, reading “White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and team representatives met last week with Mayor Johnson and his staff to discuss potential future ballpark opportunities within the city of Chicago. While we look forward to continuing these conversations, we cannot respond to specific reports or speculation at this time.
* Center Square | Transportation leaders urge Pritzker to not divert road funds to Chicago transit: Kevin Artl, president and CEO of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois, said he doesn’t think it’s a shock to anyone that work travel has changed post pandemic. “It’s not right, at this point, to begin diverting funds from the Road Fund, designed for roads and bridges … to fund a system that I think everyone has concerns with and is going to be going through some sort of major reform over the next couple of years,” Artl said, referring to Chicago public transit.
* Tribune | Melissa Conyears-Ervin gets backing from pastors in bid for Congress: Among those backing Conyears-Ervin were several high-profile Black clergy members who are known to help candidates they support get out the vote. They included the Rev. Byron Brazier, head of the Apostolic Church of God where Barack Obama spoke during his successful run for president in 2008, and Bishop Larry Trotter of the Sweet Holy Spirit Church.
* WTTW | Chicago Taxpayers Pay $99K to Ex-CPD Officer Who Said Boss Ordered Her to Protect His Bridgeport Block During 2020 Unrest: Former Chicago Police Sgt. Cassandra Williams, who worked for the Chicago Police Department for 32 years, retired after the harassment and retaliation she said she endured caused her such significant stress that she became ill as she watched as her career “went down the drain” in 2021. “I crossed the blue line,” Williams said, referring to the so-called “code of silence” that keeps Chicago Police officers from complaining about misconduct by other officers, even when it puts members of the public at risk.
* ABC Chicago | Loyola University Chicago students fueling shuttle buses with biodiesel made by used vegetable oil: They use cooking oil flows in from all sorts of places including Loyola cafeterias, other universities, museums and restaurants, Waickman said. […] “If you drop off your used cooking at Loyola, we’re then going to filter out any solids from it, run a chemical reaction to remove the glycerin molecule, clean up the resulting biodiesel with a little bit of water and then the final result is biodiesel fuel ready for a diesel engine,” Waickman explained.
* SJ-R | Reopening of longtime Springfield restaurant appears to be delayed: Fans of Fritz’s Wagon Wheel Restaurant continue to await the promised reopening of the landmark establishment. But that goal seems a little further off with the recent expiration of the business’s liquor license. […] “We relinquished (our liquor license) until such a time as we are either ready to reopen or to do something else entirely with the location,” Bart wrote in an email. Bart said the restaurant’s chef and kitchen manager are still working to assemble a reliable staff.
* Daily Southtown | Leap Day baby celebrates turning 100 at her 25th birthday party: Loretta, who was born Feb. 29, 1924, “used to joke that she was younger than her own children,” said her daughter, Maria Gotfryd. Her family members gathered a few Saturdays ago to celebrate Loretta’s 25 birthdays and century of life, throwing the party early to accommodate travel arrangements for 65 relatives, many from out of town. It was an advent that even garnered a note from the office of Pope Francis in Rome, imparting a “requested Apostolic Blessing” on Gotfryd.
As city and state lawmakers discuss public funding for the Chicago White Sox and Bears to build new stadiums, the Chicago Red Stars are making a move to be part of the conversation.
The National Women’s Soccer League club’s current stadium in suburban Bridgeview is not ideal for the team, and it has been a pressing issue predating the new ownership group. If elected officials use taxpayer dollars for new stadiums for the White Sox or Bears, then Red Stars executives contend they also should be included in whatever funding is allocated.
Red Stars Executive Chairperson Laura Ricketts and team President Karen Leetzow recently met with Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch in Westchester and are scheduled to meet this week with Illinois Senate President Don Harmon at his district office in Oak Park.
Just to be clear, “meetings” do not equal “support.”
The Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox are being urged to cobble together one financial request for their stadium proposals that state legislators can consider rather than dueling plans that could box each other out.
Representatives for the teams are hearing the same message from state officials as they jockey for public subsidies to build new stadiums. State Senate President Don Harmon specifically has told both teams there is little appetite in the General Assembly to approve separate stadium legislation.
“I’m not planning to referee fights between billion-dollar sports franchises,” Harmon told Crain’s in a statement. “I hope the teams took heed of the governor’s expression of reluctance to use tax dollars to subsidize new stadiums.” […]
In the past week, White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Related Midwest President Curt Bailey, the developer of The 78 property where the Sox are looking to build a ballpark, met with Bears Chairman George McCaskey, team President and CEO Kevin Warren and Chief Financial Officer Karen Murphy, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.
Mischaracterizing or even just leaking details of meetings with a legislative leader may get you a sweet headline (“Bears and Sox told to team up on stadium financing pitches”), but it won’t move the Statehouse ball forward, and it may actually do the opposite. Also, read Harmon’s statement carefully.
…Adding… Harmon is out with a slightly revised statement that makes his intent more clear…
“I share the governor’s reluctance to spend taxpayer dollars to subsidize private stadiums. I’m not going to referee fights between billion-dollar sports franchises.”
The teams probably need to stop listening so much to their PR people and start listening more to their lobbyists.
If the object is to pass a bill, then this ain’t the way to do it.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about the latest Crain’s story today…
I think organizing it together seems to make some sense if they can do that. I mean, these are different businesses. They will be in different locations. I’m not exactly sure how that will work.
I know that they, what do they have in common? They’re looking for taxpayer dollars. So that’s, as far as I can tell, the thing that they have most in common. And I think you’ve heard me say over and over, and I’ll repeat it one more time, which is taxpayer dollars are precious, and we ought to treat them as if we have priorities in this state. And I’m not sure that supporting private sports teams in their desire for a new stadium is more important than, for example, building jobs here and a grant program and across the state, or, as I said the other day you know, building birthing centers, in communities that where we’ve got maternal mortality rates that are three times what they are, let’s say in white communities versus a black family, we ought to be building birthing centers. So there’s so many priorities that I think rise above investing in you know, building a stadium for private enterprise.
In other words, it’s time the teams made a case for why these would be smart investments for government instead of publicly spiking the ball every time they set up a meeting. What would taxpayers get out of their proposals? What even are their proposals? Let’s hear it.
* In the days leading up to Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address, the Illinois Municipal League pushed a plan that would cost the state’s budget $800-875 million per year…
The [Local Government Distributive Fund] share is 6.47% of individual income tax collections and 6.845% of corporate income tax collections. Before 2011, 10% of state income tax dollars were dedicated to LGDF and distributed to cities and counties. IML is supporting a bill to reinstate the 10% number.
Tons of mayors, including Chicago’s, hotly opposed the state income tax increase back in 2011.
* In seeming reply, the governor’s budget office noted in its analysis of the proposed spending plan how much the state is spending on local governments since Pritzker took office…
The operations of local governments are a critical part of the state financial infrastructure. When possible, the State has provided additional funding mechanisms to help local governments, including one-time and permanent revenue supports to minimize the need for local property tax increases. Examples of on-going support, totaling over $1.3 billion annually, enacted since Governor Pritzker took office include:
• An additional $200 million a year in sales taxes from the passage of internet sales tax language following the Wayfair decision, including the Leveling the Playing Field for Illinois Retail Act, to help ensure compliance with state tax laws on internet sales.
• Over $680 million annually in additional motor fuel taxes directed to local governments and transit districts to support needed transportation projects through the passage of Rebuild Illinois.
• Granting $1.5 billion in state transportation bond funds directly to local governments for road and highway project expenditures, saving local governments $110 million annually in debt service costs from not issuing local bonds.
• Authorization of adult-use cannabis, generating an estimated $100 million in additional revenues for local governments.
• Increased allocations through the Local Government Distributive Fund process totaling $46 million annually from business loophole closures included in PA 102-0016.
• Increased tax rates and positions for video gaming operations expected to generate an additional $80 million a year for local governments Additional local revenues from the opening of new casinos authorized under the Rebuild Illinois plan, including the first revenues from the new Chicago casino licensed in 2023.
• Increased percentage of individual income taxes that state government shares with municipalities and counties from 6.16 to 6.47 percent of total individual income tax collections. This increase is worth $88 million annually.
Illinois distributed to smaller local governments $250 million from its Coronavirus Relief Fund allocation and established the infrastructure necessary to distribute the $740 million Local Fiscal Recovery Fund payment received pursuant to ARPA. These key sources of funding helped small local governments maintain services during uncertain fiscal times.
* So now, instead of focusing on expanding the LGDF, the Municipal League is playing defense against the governor’s proposal to eliminate a state-collected but locally distributed and very regressive tax…
A major element of the governor’s proposal of eliminating the 1% grocery tax will be entirely on the backs of local governments.
“That’s for the rest of time, hundreds of millions of dollars annually impact against local governments,” Cole told The Center Square. “That grocery tax solely goes to municipalities. There is no state money in there at all. So when the governor offered to reduce that, he eliminated local funding. So, take away three- or four-hundred million dollars, [cities] are going to have to come up with it somehow.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s plan to eliminate the grocery sales tax will result in an $800,000 loss in revenue to the village of Montgomery.
At Monday’s Montgomery Village Board meeting, trustee Steve Jungermann voiced opposition to the proposal: “State officials, you need to do your jobs and pass an honest, balanced budget.”
After the meeting, Jungermann was interviewed by WSPY News: “…The state, they need to pass an honest, balanced budget and not depend and fall back onto the municipalities. You’re essentially stealing money from the municipalities. We depend on that money.”
To be clear, Pritzker isn’t proposing that the state spend the $350 million or so per year from the grocery tax. He just wants to get rid of the tax altogether and allow locals to impose their own replacement if they want.
“They say ‘If you take this away and you save taxpayers $1 for every 100 they spend on groceries … they’re gonna have to raise taxes elsewhere.” So, the reporter asked Pritzker, “Are you willing to reconsider this? Because it’s going to hurt communities across the state of Illinois by taking away that source of revenue.”
No, I’m not willing to reconsider it. Here’s what I’m saying about the grocery tax. It’s the most regressive tax you could have, really We think about all the regressive taxes that exist in the state of Illinois. This one goes after people who are just trying to buy food. And when you say it’s, ‘Oh, it’s a dollar out of every 100.’ Well, that could be hundreds of dollars for a family across a year. So you know that that matters to many people.
And the grocery tax, by the way, we’re in the vast, vast minority of states that still have a grocery tax. Almost every other state has gotten rid of their grocery tax. We still have one, that’s not right.
Now, municipalities I absolutely believe that the state should be supporting municipalities. And indeed, as long as I’ve been governor, we’ve added $1.3 billion to the coffers of local governments across the state. That didn’t happen under my predecessor. It’s because I believe in investing in local government. It’s closest to the people. They deserve to have the kind of funding that they need to support local projects and local government, but the grocery tax doesn’t seem like the best way to do it.
But I want to be clear, I have said that the bill that would be put forward should include the ability for local governments, if they want to impose a grocery tax on their local residents, they should be able to go do that. I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. I wouldn’t do it locally. Having said that, I understand the need for the dollars and if they feel like they need them, they should think about imposing that tax on their own.
I have increased LGDF, that’s the Local Government Distributive Fund, which is one of the ways in which we send money from the state to local governments. I have increased the dollars that local governments get for infrastructure. By passing rebuild Illinois sending dollars directly without any conditions other than as for us for infrastructure to local governments. So I’m you know, I’m a believer in continuing to fund them. But you know, we have a tight budgetary situation this year, so we won’t be able to do as much more as we have done in previous years, but we’ll continue to look at ways to support them. Grocery tax, it seems to me, it’s time for us to end this regressive tax.
I’m thinking the mayors absolutely do not want to have the power to impose the tax on their own, up to and including Chicago’s progressive mayor.
Thoughts?
…Adding… Good point in comments…
I do wish the governor had chosen his words more carefully when talking about the savings that families will see. I doubt many families will even see $100 of savings in a year let alone “hundreds of dollars” a year as he said. I know groceries have gotten more expensive but a family would have to spend $10,000 on groceries a year to see even a $100 savings.
It is Hereby Ordered, that the City of Chicago’s Motion to Stay is denied for the following reasons:
On February 26, 2024 this Court denied the City of Chicago’s Petition for Leave to Intervene as a Matter of Right pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-408(a)(2). On that same day, the City of Chicago filed a Notice of Appeal to the Illinois Appellate Court stating, “the City of Chicago will ask the appellate court to reverse the circuit court’s judgment and orders and grant such other relief as it may be entitled to on this appeal.” (Notice of Appeal, p. 2, February 26, 2024).
This Court does not have jurisdiction to hear such a motion because “when the notice of appeal is filed, the appellate court’s jurisdiction attaches instanter, and the cause is beyond the jurisdiction of the trial court.” Daley v Laurie, 106 Il. 2d 33, 37-38 (1985) (while taking notice that the defendant’s Notice of Appeal preempted the defendant’s motion for a new trial, causing the trial court to lose jurisdiction).
Pursuant to the Supreme Court Rule 305(d), the City of Chicago is not foreclosed from obtaining the necessary relief of a stay from the Appellate Court. Il. Sup. Ct. Rule 305(d).
The City of Chicago’s Motion to Stay is also denied because the City of Chicago as non-intervenor, and ultimately as a non-party under the facts of this case has no standing to seek a stay on the final merits.
Intervention. (a) Upon timely application anyone shall be permitted as of right to intervene in an action: … (2) when the representation of the applicant’s interest by existing parties is or may be inadequate and the applicant will or may be bound by an order or judgment in the action
The suit was designed to prevent the Board of Elections from counting the votes. The City of Chicago does not count votes. So, the city wasn’t allowed to intervene.
This Section sets three threshold requirements: (1) timely application; (2) inadequate representation of petitioner’s interest by the existing parties; and (3) a finding that the petitioner will or may be bound by an order in the case.
The Petition should be denied because Petitioner does not satisfy any of these three requirements for intervention. First the petition is not timely, and will, necessarily delay the agreed upon schedule for prompt resolution of the case. Second, the interest Petitioners claim to have is adequately represented by the Defendant, Board of Elections, which has filed exactly the same pleadings – a motion to dismiss and a response to the motion for judgment on the pleadings – that Petitioner seeks leave to file. Third, Petitioner will not be “bound” by any judgment of this Court because the relief sought in the Complaint – that the referenda not appear on the ballot and that, if it does, any votes cast on the question not be counted - can only be provided by the Defendant Board. Petitioner plays no role in preparing ballots or counting votes.
With the Chicago White Sox and Bears both in the hunt for taxpayers’ help building new stadiums, the city’s women’s professional soccer team has a message for local and state lawmakers: Count us in, too.
New Chicago Red Stars principal owner Laura Ricketts and team President Karen Leetzow met with Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch last week and are expected to meet soon with Illinois Senate President Don Harmon to discuss the National Women’s Soccer League club’s inclusion in any discussions about public funding for new Chicago sports team stadiums, according to people close to the franchise. The Red Stars did not have a specific request for Welch or top state political leaders to consider, according to sources, but are said to be working on a formal proposal to put before lawmakers for a new soccer venue in Chicago as part of any potential Sox or Bears stadium legislation. […]
“Over the last century, as local and state governments have invested in professional sports stadiums, women’s professional teams have never been included,” Leetzow said in a statement to Crain’s. “A true commitment to equity means that women’s sports have a seat at the table when there are discussions about public/private partnerships to build the next generation of sports stadiums. This is a historic opportunity for Illinois leaders to make a major statement that women in sports are just as important as men in sports.”
…Adding… Press release…
The following is a joint statement from the Illinois Latino Agenda, Latino Leadership Council, and the HLAI- Serving the Hispanic Lawyers of Illinois in response to Justice Joy Cunningham’s comment in the Daily Line, “to suggest that our Supreme Court is not diverse because it does not have a Latino on it, in many respects really makes no sense…I think when the court was completely male and completely white, then you could call it a non-diverse court. But now it has five women; it has three Black people.”
“We are shocked by Justice Joy Cunningham’s statements that imply our state’s highest court is ‘diverse enough’ without the presence of a Latino Justice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is not a zero-sum game.
“We applaud that our highest court has more women and Black justices, however, that does not diminish the need for Latino representation. Such remarks not only overlook the critical importance of inclusive representation but also ignore the unique perspectives and contributions that a qualified Latino justice could bring to our judiciary. To suggest otherwise sets diversity, equity, and inclusion advancements in America, and the legal field, back decades.
“Latinos make up more than 26% of the population in Cook County and 18% in the state, yet there’s never been anyone on the state’s Supreme Court with the lived experience to truly understand the needs of our community and how the laws of our state impact our lives. This perspective is essential for a judiciary that aims to serve justice equitably and with a deep understanding of all its constituents.
“We cannot dismiss the lack of equitable representation on the Court and we certainly cannot accept the failure to recognize the importance of having a more inclusive court. Equity is not only a matter of fairness, but also a matter of justice and democracy, to ensure all perspectives and experiences are valued and respected in our legal system. It is incumbent upon us to advocate for a judiciary that mirrors the diversity of its people, ensuring justice that is informed, equitable, and inclusive for all.”
— Dick Uihlein, the billionaire Republican donor, has just plunked $150,000 into state Rep. Chris Miller’s campaign fund. Miller doesn’t have a race but is running to be an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention.
— Gov. JB Pritzker hit Las Vegas on Saturday to kick off a signature-gathering campaign to qualify an abortion rights constitutional amendment for the 2024 Nevada ballot. Pic!
— Endorsements: The Teamsters Joint Council 25 is out with its endorsements for the March 19 primary. It’s backing state Sen. Natalie Toro, who’s in a competitive race in District 20 (see above), and Michael Crawford in the state House District 31 race over incumbent state Rep. Mary Flowers. Here’s the full list.
* Shaw Local | Illinois lawmaker to join Bolingbrook event on abolition of cash bail: The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice coalition will hold the event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Fountaindale Public Library District, 300 W. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook. State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, D-Romeoville, will join the event as a special guest.
* Sun-Times | Gov. Pritzker says he’s ‘reluctant’ to help subsidize White Sox stadium in South Loop: The Democratic governor also said a new $1.2 billion South Loop stadium isn’t high on his priority list. “The idea of taking taxpayer dollars and subsidizing the building of a stadium as opposed to, for example, subsidizing the building of a birthing center, just to give the example, does not seem like the stadium ought to have higher priority.”
* Tribune | White supremacist group’s anti-Semitic comments are cut off at Evanston City Council meeting: The incident began during in-person public comment at the Feb. 22 meeting where council was set to discuss the 15-year lease of a downtown office for city operations. A man who identified himself as Sunny came up to the podium clad in sunglasses and a hat bearing the logo of the Goyim Defense League and began spouting anti-Semitic rhetoric. The group has been deemed an anti-Semitic, white supremacist hate group by the Anti-Defamation League.
* Tribune | Cook County judge denies extension on stoppage of police discipline cases:The ruling from Judge Michael T. Mullen came after an hour of arguments from attorneys for the city and Fraternal Order of Police. Disciplinary cases before the police board — 21 in all — were paused late last month after the City Council again voted to reject a provision of the tentative police union contract concerning the most serious police misconduct allegations.
* Illinois Times | City may pay $95,000 to settle civil rights complaint: Springfield city officials are asking the City Council to approve a $95,000 settlement of a civil rights complaint filed by a transgender former city employee who was denied medical coverage for gender-affirming care. The proposed ordinance, which went through first reading on Feb. 20 and is scheduled for a council vote March 5, would allocate $70,000 to settle Katherine Anastacia Holt’s compensatory damages claim. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which provided legal representation to Holt, would receive $25,000 in the settlement.
* Daily Herald | The Central Tri-State Tollway is getting smarter with addition of digital messaging: Similar to the Jane Addams Tollway (I-90) SmartRoad, the Tri-State version will feature overhead gantries with traffic messages and alerts. That includes digital signs with arrows indicating what lanes are open and a message board with up-to-date information about crashes, road conditions and travel times.
* Block Club | The Fields Film Studio Gets $5 Million From City As It Nears Opening: The Fields Studios is a $250 million project that will bring nine sound stages, creative and production offices and more retail to the 21-acre Fields campus at Diversey Avenue and Pulaski Road. The $5 million grant will help complete the interior buildout of the studio’s production support space, city officials said in a press release.
* Crain’s | JPMorgan commits to Loop with Chase Tower renovation: Developers eyeing plans for new office towers have tried to lure JPMorgan out of Chase Tower for years, some even floating the idea of buying the building from the bank as part of a larger deal to anchor a new skyscraper elsewhere. Such a move to the West Loop or Fulton Market District would have dealt an enormous blow to the Loop by adding to the massive blocks of empty workspace that plague it today. It also would have aligned with the pandemic-fueled trend of companies flocking to the newest and most updated offices they can find to encourage employees to show up more regularly.
* Sun-Times | How long do you need to save to buy a home in Chicago? 4 years, experts say: Shane Lee, a data scientist at Realty Hop, said the analysis the real estate company conducted last year determined it would take more than five years to save for a down payment, meaning the timeline has shortened. “Because of the interest rates, the median list price for typical homes adjusted itself, and also the household income in 2023 was lower,” Lee said. “In some ways, inflation has helped families with a higher income — granted, things are also more expensive in general.”
* AP | U.S. sues to block merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, saying it could push prices higher: The FTC filed an administrative complaint against the companies Monday, which will be considered by an administrative law judge at the agency. It also filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court in Oregon requesting a temporary injunction blocking the merger. That lawsuit was joined by the attorneys general of eight states and the District of Columbia.
* Tribune | 75 on Tuesday, an ice-free lake, little snow: Climate change blunts winter in Chicago: According to Trent Ford, the state climatologist, all four seasons have seen warmer temperatures because of human-driven climate change, but winter temperatures have increased at a much faster rate than all other seasons. “Winter warming is probably the most substantial trend that we can see over the last 100 years as far as how our climate has changed, and is also strongly tied to sort of the global warming forcing,” Ford said.
* SJ-R | Unsettling weather, wild swings in temperatures on tap for central Illinois: Scattered thunderstorms developing in the central Illinois area Tuesday could bring large hail and damaging wind gusts, according to a forecast from the National Weather Service in Lincoln. A “hazardous weather outlook” posted by the NWS Monday morning detailed that “a tornado can’t be ruled out” for Tuesday.
* Bloomberg | Elon Musk’s Vegas Tunnel Project Has Been Racking Up Safety Violations: The muck pooling in the tunnel at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip had the consistency of a milkshake and, in some places, sat at least two feet deep. The tunnel-to-be, which would eventually stretch about half a mile, was part of a system intended to connect two hotels, the Encore Las Vegas and the Westgate, with the enormous Las Vegas Convention Center. Workers doing the digging later said they had to wade through the mud every day. It splashed up over their boots, hit their arms and faces and soaked through their clothes. At first, it merely felt damp. But in addition to the water, sand and silt—the natural byproducts of any dig—the workers understood that it was full of chemicals known as accelerants.
* Crain’s | Metra back online after system outage causes halts on multiple lines: The issue, which started at about 10:50 this morning, occurred because of an outage that meant “dispatchers couldn’t access a database that they use to load information about trains,” said Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile. The PTC database includes all the information about the particular train it monitors, allowing personnel to check for overspeed incidents and related issues, Reile said.
* Background is here if you need it. The judge in the Bring Chicago Home case has filed a written opinion. Kinda. Click here…
THIS MATTER coming to be heard on Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the Complaint, Plaintiffs’ Motion to Expedite Consideration of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, and Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, the Court being duly advised in the premises, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:
1. For the reasons stated in open court and on the record, Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the Complaint is Denied.
2. For the reasons stated in open court and on the record, Plaintiffs’ Motion to Expedite Consideration of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is Granted.
3. For the reasons stated in open court and on the record, Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is Granted.
4. The Defendant Board is ordered to not count and suppress any votes cast on the referendum question at the March 19, 2024 primary election, and not to publish any tallies or results of any votes cast on the referendum question.
Except…
Hi there! Reporter who was in the room. Judge did not cite on what grounds she was deciding the case, so that may be why
Hi Rich – we just received the attached written court order. This confirms that Early Voting and Voting By Mail will not be paused. The question will remain on the ballot, but currently votes will not be counted for the question.
This is subject to change by future court order, so the votes for the question are being sequestered but will not be counted at this time.
The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners will decide upon an appeal tomorrow – I will reach out about the decision with a statement ASAP.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The judge in the case denied the City of Chicago’s motion to intervene on Friday. The city is now asking for a stay of that order, among other things…
The City of Chicago, through its attorneys, move pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 305 to stay the order denying the City’s Motion to Intervene and the Court’s February 23, 2024 order granting Plaintiffs’ motion for judgment on the pleadings and entering declaratory judgment in Plaintiffs’ favor and granting injunctive relief suppressing the vote on the advisory referendum in the March 19, 2024 election.
Keep in mind that the city waited until Friday 35 days after the complaint was filed to file its motion to intervene…
The City’s petition was timely, the City moved to intervene before the parties finished briefing on the Plaintiffs’ motion for judgment on the pleadings. The Court cited no authority that supported its denial of a petition to intervene as untimely before judgment had been entered. First District authority contradicts the court’s ruling. Citicorp Sav. of Illinois v. First Chicago Tr. Co. of Illinois, the court reversed the trial court’s denial of the appellant’s petition to intervene as untimely for abuse of discretion where appellant filed its petition 31 days after receiving notice and prior to final judgment. … Here the City filed its petition to intervene 35 days after the complaint was filed, before any defendants had filed a responsive pleading, and before the Plaintiffs’ improper motion for judgment on the pleadings was fully briefed.
The Board defendants could not and did not adequately represent the City’s interests. The Board failed to raise any substantive arguments in response to the Plaintiffs’ arguments that the referendum violated the Illinois Municipal Code and the Illinois Constitution. This is because the Board Defendants were not authorized to raise such arguments. See Kozenczak v. Du Page Cnty. Officers Electoral Bd., 299 Ill. App. 3d 205, 207 (2nd Dist. 1998)(holding local election officials acted “in an adjudicatory or quasi-judicial capacity” and thus Illinois election law did not authorize their advocacy on behalf of prospective candidate in opposition to a voter challenge to his qualifications.) One of the Board Defendants even averred that it was improper for the Board to weigh in on the referendum’s constitutionality.
Because the City was not allowed to intervene, these arguments were not raised. If the City had been allowed to intervene, the Court would have considered these arguments, which were raised in the City’s proposed Motion to Dismiss. Instead, the Court granted the Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings with no opposition to the substantive arguments.
Plaintiffs failed to allege any harm they would suffer should the vote on the referendum go forward as scheduled. Plaintiffs further failed to allege what harm they would suffer should the City Council ultimately enact the ordinance, but for our purposes here, there is no harm in letting an election on an advisory referendum go forward. Even if it were to pass, it would still require enactment by City Council and would still be subject to all of Plaintiffs’ challenges raised in their complaint. On the other hand, early voting on the referendum has already begun. For the past week, Chicagoans have been voting and today the Court decided their votes should be suppressed. The Illinois Supreme Court stated the harm in such an injunction:
[A]n election is a political matter with which courts of equity have nothing to do, and that such an attempt to check the free expression of opinion, to forbid the peaceable assemblage of the people, to obstruct the freedom of elections, if successful, would result in the overthrow of all liberties regulated by law.
Intervenor/Nonparty-Appellant, CITY OF CHICAGO, by its attorney, the Corporation Counsel of the City of Chicago, hereby appeals to the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, from the circuit court order entered on February 26, 2024 denying the City of Chicago’s petition for leave to intervene as a matter of right pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-408(a)(2), and the circuit court order entered on February 26, 2024 granting plaintiffs’ motion for judgment on the pleadings for the reasons stated in open court and on the record, and ordering the defendant Board of Election Commissioners of the City of Chicago “not to count and suppress any votes cast on the referendum question at the March 19, 2024 primary election, and not to publish any tallies or results of any votes cast on the referendum question.”
