With her campaign failing to gain traction and voters hungry for change, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is getting increasingly desperate. Coming off a televised debate where she was “pushed off her typically measured script” according to the Chicago Tribune, Preckwinkle has now resorted to running ads that include a blatant, easily disproved lie about Alderman Brendan Reilly’s voting record. It’s not the first time Preckwinkle has been caught lying about her opponents – her political committee was forced to pay $1.5 million last year after losing a defamation lawsuit resulting from her lies and false statements.
In this case, Preckwinkle’s ad claims that Reilly voted for the recent city budget “including a property tax increase.” However, the final budget passed by a majority of City Council members over the objections of Preckwinkle’s protegee Mayor Brandon Johnson specifically did not include his proposed $300 million property tax increase. The only property tax increase that was included in the final City Council budget was a $9.1 million increase to the library tax, but Alderman Reilly did not vote on the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 Tax Levy legislation that authorized it.
“These statements made by the Preckwinkle campaign are demonstrably inaccurate, and continued publication or amplification of these claims risks misleading voters and undermining the integrity of the electoral process,” said Reilly campaign legal counsel Burt Odelson. “These actions constitute violations of applicable state laws governing deceptive political advertising, as well as possible defamation under established legal standards. While political speech is broadly protected, knowingly or recklessly spreading false factual assertions about an individual’s official voting record is not, and we therefore demand that the Preckwinkle campaign cease and desist from making these false statements immediately.”
*** Statehouse News ***
* STLPR | Illinois Republican Heidner wants to bring his business acumen to governor’s office: “When I looked at who was running, I saw zero path for any of the candidates, the other Republican challengers, to ever have a chance of beating JB Pritzker, so I said I needed to do this,” Heidner said on the latest Politically Speaking podcast. […]At the top of his priority list for the state is term limits, which would be a first-day conversation with state lawmakers, Heidner said. Pritzker is seeking a rare third term. Republican Jim Thompson, who was in office from 1977 to 1991, was the last governor to be elected to more than two terms. “We should have two terms for a limit for a governor,” Heidner said. “None of this would be this way if JB Pritzker wasn’t able to run for a third term.”
* Crain’s | Tom Pritzker’s Epstein ties shine light on lifestyle — and a family rift:In their correspondence, Tom and Epstein make reference to other members of the clan, including Penny Pritzker, 66, the former Commerce Secretary. Neither Penny Pritzker nor her brother, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, responded to a request for comment on the relationship between Tom Pritzker and Epstein. Neither sibling appears to have any connections or communications with Epstein, based on the emails.
* Capitol News Illinois | As Illinois increasingly becomes destination for abortion access, a new public-private partnership emerges: High demand is the catalyst for the new Prairie State Access Fund, the latest partnership between Illinois and providers to support access to reproductive care. The fund, managed by the Michael Reese Health Trust, will raise money to address specific, immediate needs to support the clinics and other organizations that provide abortion care in Illinois so they can continue their work. The fund is primarily meant to provide flexible funding to assist with the volume of out-of-state patients who aren’t covered by programs like Illinois Medicaid.
* Press release | State Universities Annuitants Association (SUAA) PAC Endorses Stephanie Kifowit for Illinois Comptroller: The campaign of Stephanie Kifowit for Illinois Comptroller proudly announces the endorsement of SUAAction, the Political Action Committee of the State Universities Annuitants Association (SUAA), for the March 17, 2026 Democratic Primary Election. In announcing its support, SUAAction emphasized the exceptional nature of this endorsement. While the organization has historically refrained from endorsing in primary elections, it cited Kifowit’s record and experience as uniquely aligned with the priorities of public employees and retirees.
*** Catching up with the congressionals ***
* Sun-Times | Frustrated Illinois congressional candidates call super PAC influence ‘buying a seat’:The 2nd District is especially hit hard by super PAC influence, with Fairshake, a pro-crypto PAC funded primarily by Trump megadonors and business partners Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, targeting state Sen. Robert Peters. Fairshake is spending at least $1 million to run anti-Peters ads. And it’s the third Trump-affiliated super PAC to play a role in the race. Andreessen is the founder and general partner of Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz — and a Trump adviser on tech and business policy — and he gave more than $4.7 million to advance the MAGA agenda in the 2023 and 2024 electoral cycle. Affordable Chicago Now!, which is AIPAC-affiliated, is spending money in support of Miller, while the Leading the Future PAC, funded by OpenAI stakeholders, is backing former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. in the race.
— In IL-09: State Sen. Mike Simmons is out with a new digital ad calling out a blooper by opponent Laura Fine’s campaign for the support she’s getting from the independent super PAC. […]
— In IL-07: Democratic state Rep. La Shawn Ford has been endorsed by Ald. Emma Mitts and the 27th Ward organization in his bid for the 7th District congressional seat.
— In IL-07: Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, a Democrat, has been endorsed by River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci, Westchester Village President Greg Hribal and Hillside Mayor Joe Tamburino in his bid for Congress. They’re among supporters hosting a fundraiser for him Tuesday. Details here.
— In IL-04: Democrat Patty García has been endorsed by the Chicago Federation of Labor in her bid for the seat held by her former boss, Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
* More super PAC money is heading to 7th CD candidate Jason Friedman…
* Daily Herald | Quigley, challengers differ sharply on U.S. relations with Israel: Quigley, who is seeking his 10th term in Congress while also planning to run for Chicago mayor next year, was joined by opponents Matthew Conroy and Ellen Corley at the League of Women Voters forum Saturday in Barrington. Fellow Democrat Anthony Michael Tamez did not appear. Quigley said Israel is a critical ally in the Middle East, but also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
* Press release | U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders Endorses Junaid Ahmed for Congress in Illinois’ 8th District: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders announced his endorsement of Progressive Congressional candidate Junaid Ahmed today, cementing national progressive support for his campaign to represent Illinois’ 8th Congressional District.
“Junaid Ahmed will stand up to the billionaire class in this country and fight for working people,” said Senator Bernie Sanders. “The son of working-class immigrant parents, Junaid is a grassroots leader, a small business owner, and helped launch a nonprofit that has delivered over one million meals and supplies to people struggling to make ends meet across Chicago. Now more than ever we need Members of Congress who will say: ‘No, I won’t take your dark money; No, I won’t take your AI money; No, I won’t take your AIPAC money — because I answer to the people, not the oligarchs.’ Illinoisans deserve political leaders like Junaid, unafraid to take on the wealthy and powerful and ready to fight for the working class.”
* Press release | CAIR Action Midwest Endorses Morgan Coghill in IL-10: Morgan Coghill’s campaign for Congress today announced an endorsement from CAIR Action Midwest, a political arm of the Council on American Islamic Relations. The endorsement places a national spotlight on a grassroots campaign that has centered on human rights and working-class priorities from day one. CAIR Action cited Coghill’s consistent record of protecting Muslim communities and defending civil liberties in its endorsement of Coghill’s campaign.
*** Chicago ***
* WTTW | Excessive Force Allegations Against CPD Officers Rose 46% Since 2022: Data: CPD officers used the highest level of force against a member of the public — including a gunshot, chokehold or a baton strike to the head or neck — 84 times in 2024, more than double the number of times officers used the highest level of force in 2023, according to CPD data cited by the coalition.
* WTTW | CPD Officer Accused of Violating Rights of Black Drivers During Downtown Traffic Stops Stripped of Police Powers: Officer Richard Rodriquez is the fifth member of the Near North (18th) Police District tactical team to be stripped of his badge and gun after the agency tasked with investigating misconduct by Chicago police officers identified a troubling pattern of undocumented and unprofessional traffic stops of Black Chicagoans. Rodriquez was identified by a database published by Inspector General Deborah Witzburg designed to identify “hot spots” of alleged misconduct as having the most complaints of any other officer beside Officer Joseph Vecchio, another member of the 18th District tactical team.
* Block Club | Chicago Traffic Deaths Reach A 9-Year Low, But Funding Cuts Could Threaten Progress: The city recorded 100 traffic deaths — which includes people walking, biking or driving — last year, according to data from the Chicago Department of Transportation. That’s the lowest fatality total since 2016 and represents a 46 percent drop compared to 2021, a peak year for traffic deaths with 186 fatalities. […]CDOT’s budget for Vision Zero and Complete Streets comes from local, state and federal funding, according to the improvement program. But general-obligation bond funds, or long-term loans the city uses for public works projects, have been central to the city’s progress in reducing traffic deaths, said Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st), a member of the city’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety.
* Sun-Times | Archdiocese has ‘no plan’ to reopen 6 Catholic schools despite families’ push: “When the schools are in trouble, the archdiocese is silent,” said Angel Garcia, whose child attends the school, at a news conference. “This falls on Cardinal Cupich.” Hours later, the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Catholic Schools said the decision was made “with heavy hearts after months of discussions,” but it maintained that enrollment was too low and deficits too high.
* Sun-Times | Letter carrier union kicks off bargaining season with rally: ‘First-class service deserves first-class pay’: More than 100 workers with the National Association of Letter Carriers kicked off bargaining for their next contract Sunday with a rally, calling for fair wages and worker protections at the local branch’s Bronzeville headquarters. They were joined by Gov. JB Pritzker. […] “The postmaster general needs to do right by you and get you the contract you deserve,” Pritzker said before exiting to chants of “48.” “And we’re gonna have to yell it. … Every worker in the United States needs a better wage, so your fight is for them too.”
* Tribune | WWE’s ‘Elimination Chamber’ is coming to the United Center — and wrestling fans have been waiting: Illinois has a rich history in professional wrestling — it witnessed one of the more memorable moments in pro wrestling in recent years when Chicago icon CM Punk made his return to the WWE during “Survivor Series” at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont in 2023. But “Elimination Chamber” will be a rare treat for Chicago fans, as it marks the first premium live event in the city since SummerSlam at the United Center in 1994.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Press release…
Today, the Pat Hynes for Cook County Assessor campaign released two new digital ads exposing continued assessment failures under Fritz Kaegi’s leadership and the consequences for homeowners and renters across Cook County.
In Fritzed, Hynes highlights how Kaegi’s own home assessment has gone down, even as many Cook County residents have seen their assessments rise. The ad underscores growing concern among taxpayers that under Kaegi, the system has become unpredictable and unfair.
In Apartment Building, Hynes calls attention to the Chicago Tribune’s investigation that revealed Kaegi’s office underassessed hundreds of buildings across Cook County resulting in $444 million in missed property value in a single year.
* Press release | Reps. Chuy Garcia, Delia Ramirez, and Assessor Fritz Kaegi Rally with Advocates Against Pay-to-Play Corruption in Assessor’s Race: U.S. Representatives Chuy Garcia and Delia Ramirez joined Assessor Fritz Kaegi, elected officials, and advocates on Monday morning to sound the alarm on pay-to-play donations in the Cook County Assessor’s race that would drive up property taxes for working class homeowners. “This race for Assessor is about whether the property tax system works for Cook County families or the wealthiest individuals and biggest corporations. Just look at who’s funding my opponent’s campaign. It’s the same property tax attorneys who get rich by rigging the rules. They help their corporate clients pay less, forcing everyone else to pay more. Cook County families deserve to know that the Assessor is fighting for them and no one else,” said Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi.
* Crain’s | AbbVie investing $380M on two new plants in North Chicago, adding 300 employees: AbbVie is doubling down on its drug manufacturing expansion at its North Chicago campus by building two facilities to support production of neuroscience and obesity medications. The move is part of the pharmaceutical giant’s $100 billion commitment to add to domestic drug-making capability and R&D, under a voluntary agreement it signed with the Trump administration in January.
* Daily Southtown | Records show Thornton Fractional District 215 previously investigated teachers charged in sexual assault: Records show Thornton Fractional High School District 215 began investigating a former teacher and wrestling coach more than a year before he was charged with sexual assault of high school students. Andre Richmond was charged Jan. 8 with criminal sexual assault and child pornography involving two high school students after being arrested by Lansing police. His twin brother, Aaron Richmond, who also taught and coached wrestling in the district, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse in December 2024, after being arrested by Glenwood police.
* Pioneer Press | Niles referendum in March primary election asks about new term limits for mayor, trustees: The advisory referendum for Niles voters’ consideration in the March 17 election asks: “Shall the following term limits apply to all current and future elected officers in the Village of Niles, Cook County, Illinois? Prospectively, no person elected at the next Village election and all subsequent elections may serve more than five (5) full four (4)-year terms, or a maximum of twenty (20) years, in the same elected office.” The question ended up on the ballot after a resident approached Alpogianis about the issue. The mayor, who is currently in his second term after being reelected last year and is a former two-term village trustee, said he answered the resident’s questions and helped guide him on the process, including circulating a petition to help get the referendum on the ballot.
* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora committees make recommendations on public safety, housing and more: Increased public oversight of the police, guaranteed basic income and increased housing density in some areas of the city — those are just a few of the recommendations that are being made by Aurora Mayor John Laesch’s transition committees. The Public Transition Committees were formed last year to gather community-based feedback to shape the city’s priorities during the Laesch administration across topics such as finances, sustainability, housing, public safety and education. The committees’ full recommendations are set to be published later this week on the city’s website, but overviews were presented during a public forum held at the downtown branch of Waubonsee Community College on Saturday.
*** Downstate ***
* Capitol News Illinois | Former deputy in Sonya Massey killing serving prison sentence, but state officials won’t say where: A source close to the case said he has been moved out of state. “For safety and security purposes, the Department will not discuss details concerning Individual Grayson,” an IDOC spokesman said in an email Thursday. This could be for a number of reasons, including the high-profile nature of the crime, the fact that Grayson was a police officer, or that he is suffering from advanced forms of cancer and needs specialized care, one expert said.
* STLPR | Failure to warn: How East St. Louis became a battleground against an international chemical giant: The East St. Louis lawsuits, which have been filed by people nationwide, have been folded into a Multidistrict Litigation, or MDL, which combines lawsuits against a common defendant into a single federal court. Almost all the paraquat cases are still pending. And unlike the lawsuits against Bayer’s herbicide Roundup, they have yet to lead to a bellwether trial — perhaps one reason that controversy around paraquat has yet to bubble into mainstream consciousness. For now, at least, America’s courthouses are the only places the Parkinson’s patients, or surviving family members who have lost someone to the disease, can push to obtain compensation for their pain and suffering.
* BND | Why does East St. Louis have its own board of elections, and what does it cost?: The short answer as to why East St. Louis still runs its own elections despite its population plummet? The board can only be dissolved by ballot proposition, and although a referendum has appeared on East St. Louis ballots at least twice, it hasn’t passed. The East St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners has been the subject of some controversy. Opponents of the board say closing it could save East St. Louis hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Other concerns about the board have included alleged voter fraud and questions about the accuracy of voter registration rolls in the city.
* WCIA | Nearly 7K show up to see an Olympian, support the Illini at gymnastics meet vs. UCLA: The Illini haven’t competed in State Farm Center since 2018, when they hosted the Big Ten Championships. Usually, they’re in Huff Hall, but when UCLA and two-time Olympian Jordan Chiles came into town, they knew they needed more space. […] “Like I told the team at the end, I said, ‘There’s so much orange here. There’s orange all over in the stands. These are people that came to watch us, you know, and obviously Jordan,’” [Illinois Women’s Gymnastics Head Coach Josh Nilson] said. “But, I expect to see some blue in the stands. I saw a lot more orange, so it was just a lot of fun. The girls work hard, and for them to actually be here and be able to feel that is incredible.”
*** National ***
* Penn Capital-Star | Louisiana mifepristone lawsuit could hinder telehealth abortion nationwide: Guttmacher Institute Principal Federal Policy Adviser Anna Bernstein said in a statement Friday that reinstating the in-person dispensation requirement for mifepristone would hinder abortion access. “If access to telehealth and mifepristone by mail is curtailed, more patients would be pushed toward in-clinic care, straining provider capacity and increasing wait times in an already chaotic landscape,” she said. “Given that travel is out of reach for many people, the result would likely be increased delays and more people unable to get the abortion care they need and deserve.”
* Politico | Dem AGs plot to thwart Trump election interference: Trump and his allies’ rhetoric is the type of “red-alarm fire that people need to take very seriously,” said Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, who leads the Democratic Attorneys General Association’s election protection working group. “He will try anything,” Brown said, so “we have to just sort of think creatively about: If you were the president and you were trying to invalidate an election or undermine an election, what are the oddball, ludicrous, unconstitutional theories that you might advance?”
* NYT | He Was a Climate Activist. One Day, the F.B.I. Came Knocking: Climate activists can prove to be especially vulnerable, Dr. Fisher said, because they often equate environmental justice with economic and racial justice, joining protests against other Trump-era actions, such as mass deportations. The Trump administration, in turn, will “try to pick off what they see as the lowest hanging fruit of activists,” she said. The Department of Justice said in a statement that it would “continue to hold accountable any individual that crosses the red line between peaceful First Amendment activity and obstructing, impeding or attacking federal law enforcement agents. No matter the cause, no one is above the law.”
Illinois Future PAC released a new television ad, Sold Us Out, making Raja Krishnamoorthi’s ten-year record of selling out Illinoisans clear and responding to misleading attacks from his stalled U.S. Senate campaign.
The ad highlights Krishnamoorthi’s decade long record of accepting campaign donations from an ICE contractor while repeatedly voting to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement. During a period when immigrant communities in Chicago were facing aggressive raids and family separations under Donald Trump, Krishnamoorthi continued taking that money and even voted to honor ICE.
The new ad comes as Krishnamoorthi’s campaign escalates negative and misleading television attacks, a move that reflects his inability to defend his own record and failure to climb in the polls despite millions in spending.
Raja Krishnamoorthi is trying to distract voters with dishonest and desperate attacks while Juliana Stratton has a strong record of action in defending Illinois values. As Lieutenant Governor, Juliana has consistently stood with immigrant families, opposed Trump’s cruel immigration agenda, and worked with Gov. Pritzker to make Illinois a firewall of protections against federal overreach. She has been a clear, vocal advocate for humane immigration policies and a partner to community leaders fighting back against ICE abuses.
Today, one of the two dark-money super PACs backing Juliana Stratton – which earlier this year got caught violating “federal disclosure requirements” to mislead Illinois voters – released yet another misleading ad. The super PAC’s new spot aims to distract voters from Stratton’s hypocritical record of accepting corporate and MAGA money, relying on ICE contractor donations to boost her Senate bid, and getting caught breaking federal law.
“Raja Krishnamoorthi is an immigrant who has fought like hell to rein in ICE and hold Donald Trump and his roving gangs accountable. Stratton’s dark money super PAC – which has already gotten caught misleading Illinois voters – is trying to distract from the fact that she is backed by MAGA donors and ICE contractors who helped run the Broadview ICE facility. Illinoisans cannot trust Juliana Stratton or her super PAC friends,” said Raja for Illinois spokesperson Hannah Goss.
Today, Ted Dabrowski, conservative candidate for governor, released new ads that will air on television, digital & social media platforms and radio. The spots hold the tandem of J.B. Pritzker & Brandon Johnson — and they are a tandem — accountable for both their anti-law-enforcement rhetoric and their shared, dismal public safety record.
In addition to standing with the victims and their families in the tragic and shocking cases referenced, Dabrowski is aligned with police and state’s attorneys statewide and even the former Democrat Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court who warned of, and since documented, the devastation wrought by JB’s purge law and BJ’s support of defunding police.
Dabrowski’s top priority is to restore public safety by repealing the SAFE-T Act and sanctuary state statute and backing law enforcement statewide.
JB & BJ are the liars and the fearmongers. They are the sickness that is killing Illinois and Illinoisans.
They give sanctuary to foreign predators and sanction to domestic, repeat offenders while vilifying police.
A Cook County study found 74% of criminal defendants failed to show up to court after being released under Pritzker’s SAFE-T Act.
I will repeal Pritzker’s Purge Law and end JB and BJ’s killing spree before it hits you.
The “study” referred to in the ad was widely panned…
But in response to questions on Wednesday, Martinez declined to discuss her office’s methodology or explain how it reached some of the figures cited in the letter. For example, the total number of cases during the period Martinez cited was 30,000 higher than those released by Chief Judge Timothy Evans’ office.
And an independent study had completely different results…
In 21 counties examined, overall FTA rates (with and without a warrant issued) decreased after the PFA, from 25.1% to 22.8%.
JB & BJ are the liars and the fearmongers. They are the sickness that is killing Illinois and Illinoisans.
They give sanctuary to foreign predators and sanction to domestic, repeat offenders while vilifying police.
Listen to this suburban police chief…”Who are we keeping safe here when you call it the SAFE-T Act?”…not you.
I will repeal Pritzker’s Purge Law and end JB and BJ’s killing spree before it hits you.
The police chief in question complained loudly that he couldn’t keep someone behind bars for a misdemeanor theft charge.
Also, “JB and BJ’s killing spree.” Whew.
* Let’s move on to Holly Kim’s new digital ad. Press release…
Holly Kim, candidate for Illinois State Comptroller, this weekend released her first state-wide digital ad ahead of the March 17th primary.
Titled “Protector,” the ad features scenes from the campaign trail, highlighting Kim’s months-long state-wide ground game making her case directly to voters. The ad also underscores Kim’s experience as the only candidate in the race already doing the job.
Raja: I’m Raja Krishnamoorthi, and I approve this message.
VO: Juliana Stratton keeps getting caught. Stratton says she doesn’t take corporate or MAGA money, but that’s just not true. Stratton’s taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from corporate lobbyists and Trump donors. Stratton super PACs caught taking money from a company that helps run the worst ICE facility in Chicago. And even violating federal election law.
Juliana Stratton, corporate and maga donations, ICE contractor money, accused of breaking federal laws. Hypocrisy we can’t trust.
* Back to Raja’s press release…
Stratton’s hypocrisy has already been exposed. Don’t take our word for it — see the reporting below.
THE TRUTH: Stratton has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from corporate, lobbyist, and Trump donors.
Chicago Sun-Times: “Stratton vows to not take corporate PAC money in Senate bid but has history of getting corporate backing.” “But Stratton has a history of accepting corporate PAC and direct corporate contributions into her state campaign funds since 2016….This year, she also received $5,000 in corporate PAC money and $46,000 from corporations in her super PAC.”
Chicago Tribune: “Federal campaign finance records show a separate committee she set up a few months before launching her Senate bid, Level Up PAC, accepted contributions from corporate PACs and directly from corporations.”
Capitol Fax: “Stratton’s Campaign Took Nearly $40,000, Or 2% Of Her Fundraising, From MAGA & Trump Donors.”
THE TRUTH: Stratton’s super PAC got caught taking money from a company that helps run the worst ICE facility in Chicago.
- CBS Chicago: “The Democratic Lieutenant Governor’s Association, which is helping get Stratton elected, has received a six-figure donation from ICE contractor CoreCivic.”
- WBEZ: “Prison company hiring for Chicago-area ICE centers ready to cash in on Trump deportation campaign.” “CoreCivic is looking for administrative workers to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chicago and at ICE’s Broadview processing facility.”
THE TRUTH: Stratton’s other super PAC got caught breaking federal election law.
- Capitol News Illinois: “But within hours of its launch, the PAC had to update the ad after Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s campaign noted it appeared to violate federal campaign finance law by failing to disclose that it was not authorized by Stratton or her campaign.”
* The Juliana campaign fired back with a press release responding to Raja’s negative ad. But if it ain’t on TV, etc., nobody’s gonna know about it…
After spending more than $25 million on TV ads, Raja Krishnamoorthi went negative today, desperately resorting to attacking Juliana Stratton as momentum solidifies behind her campaign. Krishamoorthi has flooded the airwaves since July with little movement in the polls. Entering the final stretch of the race, Juliana’s campaign is soaring with major endorsements, standout debate performances, and a clear belief among voters that she’s the strongest candidate to take on Donald Trump and fight for Illinois in the U.S. Senate.
Statement from Juliana for Illinois spokesperson Allison Janowski:
“Juliana Stratton has the momentum in this race, and Raja Krishnamoorthi has gotten desperate. Despite spending $25 million, he’s failed to move the needle because voters know who he really represents: corporate PACs, MAGA allies, Trump advisors, and ICE contractors. It’s clear Juliana is the strongest candidate to take on Donald Trump and fight for Illinois in the U.S. Senate, and no amount of Raja’s lies can change that.”
The content of the attack ad shows that Raja is trying to run from his own record of being weak on Trump and weak on ICE. Reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times in December revealed that Raja has taken more $90,000 dollars from key Trump and MAGA allies, including $30,000 from the Chief Technology Officer of Palantir, an ICE contractor that helped enable the agency’s terror campaign in Chicago and across the country.
THE FACTS:
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar contributed more than $30,000 to Krishnamoorthi’s campaign. Sankar personally toured “a new high-tech immigrant tracking system” with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and is profiting off of Trump’s deportation agenda, becoming an “overnight billionaire” during his administration. Krishnamoorthi doubled down on the donations before donating it after facing public backlash.
- Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi didn’t just take ICE contractor money – his record in the House shows he refuses to stand up to ICE when it counts. In June, Krishnamoorthi joined Republicans on a resolution to “express gratitude” to ICE “for protecting the homeland.” The vote came as ICE was already making arrests in Chicago’s South Loop and executing mass immigration raids in Los Angeles. He knew what ICE was doing, and he still chose to thank ICE.
- Krishnamoorthi has also faced criticism for accepting tens of thousands in campaign funds from donors with direct ties to Trump’s MAGA agenda, including a Project 2025 author and Heritage Foundation advisor.
- Krishnamoorthi also accepted $30,000 from Dr. Vijay G. Prabhakar, who “saluted Trump’s historic leadership,” and praised Kristi Noem for her role in Trump’s “Leadership Team Built for Victory.”
- Krishnamoorthi took $5,000 from Space X even after Elon Musk was announced as the head of DOGE and joked about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris being assassinated. He only returned it when he got caught.
- Juliana’s campaign is not taking any money from corporate PACs, ICE contractors, or MAGA allies. The Krishnamoorthi campaign knows this, but is resorting to launching misleading attacks on third party organizations to distract from the fact that he has personally solicited and accepted money from ICE contractors, corporate PACs, and MAGA allies for the past decade to fund his Senate campaign.
* More…
* Sun-Times | As Stratton airs ad with anti-Trump expletive, Krishnamoorthi launches first negative TV ad attacking her: The final weeks of a heated U.S. Senate race have proven to be feisty during live forums and debates, but a bit tamer on television — until now. Krishnamoorthi’s foray into an attack ad is the first to go negative on television in the statewide race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. And it comes as Stratton airs her first TV ad — and a pro-Stratton super PAC with $5 million of Gov. JB Pritzker’s dollars being used to run pro-Stratton ads.
* Press release | International Association of Machinist and Aerospace workers endorses Juliana Stratton for US Senate: Today, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) endorsed Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton for United States Senate. IAM represents more than 600,000 members across the country. Juliana has been a champion for workers across her career, and has worked hand and hand with organized labor to make Illinois the best state to work. “I’m deeply honored to be endorsed by the Machinists’ Union. For generations, IAM members have shown that when working people stand shoulder to shoulder, they create real change,” said Juliana Stratton. “We share a commitment to protecting workers’ rights, fighting for fair wages, and ensuring safe, dignified working conditions. Together, we’ll build an economy that respects the value of every worker and proves that our greatest strength has always been our solidarity.”
* Biss goes after Sen. Laura Fine in his own ad. Press release…
Today, Biss for Congress (IL-09) announced the release of “Not Standing With Us,” a new broadcast and digital ad highlighting the overwhelming amount of AIPAC and Trump donor money powering Laura Fine’s campaign for Congress.
Fine has taken more than $1 million from donors to AIPAC and nearly $60,000 from donors to Donald Trump, raising more money from Trump donors than she did from residents of the 9th District last quarter. Last week, she admitted at a forum that she is the only candidate for IL-09 who is taking contributions from donors to Donald Trump. Laura Fine won’t stand up to MAGA – because MAGA is funding her campaign.
Transcript:
Do you take donations from Trump supporters? [Fine holds up “YES” sign]
Laura Fine’s campaign is bankrolled by MAGA donors and hard-right groups.
Fine accepted over a million dollars from supporters of AIPAC, a Trump-aligned pro-Netanyahu lobbying group.
She’s taken $60,000 from Trump donors and a MAGA-aligned group even called her a fighter of her own.
Laura Fine doesn’t want you to know who’s standing with her because then we’ll know she’s not standing with us.
The Biss for Congress campaign released the following statement:
“Daniel Biss is running for Congress because he understands that this moment needs real leaders with a proven track record of fighting Donald Trump. Laura Fine is running for Congress to be a rubber stamp for AIPAC and her MAGA donors – just like she was a rubber stamp for Mike Madigan and the health insurance lobby in Springfield. Ninth District voters won’t be fooled by these slimy dark money ads, and they won’t allow right-wing special interests to pick our next member of Congress.”
Daniel Biss was one of the first leaders in Illinois to call for Mike Madigan’s resignation – Laura Fine stayed quiet. In 2018, Biss became the first legislative Democrat in Illinois to call for Madigan’s resignation as Illinois Democratic Party chair as sexual harassment allegations. In 2020, Biss was one of 53 Illinois Democratic leaders to call for Madigan’s resignation in an open letter. Laura Fine was notably absent.
The “Madigan-funded super PAC” referenced in AIPAC’s ad was an anti-Trump PAC funded by JB Pritzker, Illinois labor unions, and prominent Laura Fine donors. The PAC the ad attacks spent all of its funds on ads against Donald Trump in 2016. Its largest donors included JB Pritzker and prominent unions while its single largest donor was Michael Sacks (a donor to Laura Fine).
In 2012, Daniel Biss and the state legislature voted to save Medicaid from “the brink of collapse.” State legislators overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan legislative package to protect Medicaid for more than 99% of enrollees by bringing the program in line with other states and passing a $1 per pack tax increase on cigarettes. The National Association of Medicaid Directors said Illinois’ actions were considered “very consistent with what you’ve seen in other states.”
Laura Fine voted to cut Medicaid for 30,000 Illinoisans just last year. In 2025, Illinois passed a budget that eliminated the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program, which provided Medicaid-like coverage to immigrants in Illinois. While Laura Fine skipped the final vote, she voted for an earlier version of the budget just two days earlier. This program, which Fine voted to cut, had covered 30,000 Illinois residents.
In Springfield, Laura Fine voted with Republicans to kill health insurance reforms and then took tens of thousands of dollars from insurance and pharma companies. Fine was just one of just a handful of Democrats who split from the party, voting with every Republican and the insurance industry, to block HB 23, a bill to create an independent Office of the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel that would have represented the interests of consumers against health insurance companies. Perhaps that’s why insurance and pharma companies have given Fine tens of thousands of dollars worth of campaign donations.
* Even more super PAC money is heading to the 9th and 8th congressional districts. NBC…
A new progressive group is promising to spend at least $10 million to boost preferred Democratic candidates and counter pro-Israel groups that have spent tens of millions of dollars to shape party primaries in recent years.
The group, called American Priorities, has already reported spending more than $500,000 to boost North Carolina Democrat Nida Allam in her primary challenge against Rep. Valerie Foushee. It also spent $72,000 to support the Rev. Frederick Haynes III in his bid for a Dallas-area congressional district. […]
American Priorities plans to target at least 10 more races with a commitment to spend “eight figures,” according to a news release announcing the group’s creation. It says it’s “focusing on competitive primaries where independent expenditures can move outcomes.” […]
A source familiar with the group’s planning told NBC News it’s considering getting involved in other brewing contests, including: […] Open Democratic primaries in Illinois’ 8th and 9th districts in the Chicago area.
A crypto-funded super PAC is poised to shake up two Illinois Democratic House primaries with seven-figure ad buys targeting state lawmakers running for Congress who backed legislation that the industry opposes.
The super PAC, Fairshake, will spend at least $1 million each against Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford, who is running to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Danny Davis, and state Sen. Robert Peters, who is vying to succeed Democratic Rep. Robin Kelly as she runs for U.S. Senate. […]
Both Ford and Peters voted for state-level crypto legislation imposing new rules on digital asset firms that became law last August. Peters — who is backed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a leading crypto critic — was a co-sponsor of the measure, which forces crypto companies to comply with a range of new consumer protection standards.
The super PAC said in a statement that the “legislators voted for and pushed draconian rules that would have led to a patchwork of state-by-state rules that kills American competitiveness and job creation and undermines consumer protections.”
In Chicagoland, the industry found those sympathetic candidates in Jesse Jackson Jr., son of the recently deceased former progressive presidential candidate, who is hoping to regain his old seat in the Second Congressional District, and Melissa Bean, running for her old seat in the Eighth District. Jackson is hoping to make a comeback after he was investigated for misuse of campaign funds in 2012, resigned from the seat, pled guilty, and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. After leaving her seat, Bean spent over a decade in the banking world and is no stranger to the role of big money in politics.
In Jackson’s case, the AI PAC money is going up directly against AIPAC, which has driven donors to Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, while also spending big money through Affordable Chicago Now on pro-Miller ads.
As of February 19, a PAC called Think Big has spent over $1 million on both Jackson and Bean. Think Big is the Democratic affiliate of the super PAC Leading the Future, which says it and its associates have raised $125 million in commitments and have $70 million in cash on hand. Leading the Future is funded by major tech donors, including Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz (of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz) and Greg and Anna Brockman. Greg Brockman is the co-founder and president of OpenAI; in 2024, alongside his wife Anna, he gave $25 million to pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. […]
Jackson spokesperson John Digles tried to justify the Leading the Future support as part of the candidate’s future agenda in Congress. “The AI economy is here. Jesse Jackson Jr. believes that underserved communities must not miss another economic shift. He knows many have been left behind too many times. In this campaign, there are voices who claim to be progressive, yet promote regressive fear that will further marginalize those in the Second Congressional District. AI technologies must be developed and regulated to meet ALL of their needs,” he said in a statement.
Fine was also the sole candidate to respond “YES” to supporting continued arms funding for Israel, after asking for further clarification of the question.
Bushra Amiwala, a Skokie School District 73.5 board member, criticized “three candidates on this stage (Biss, Fine and Abughazaleh) who have red boxes on their websites,” a way to discreetly signal to outside spending groups and super PACs the kinds of ads they want, without directly coordinating with the outside groups, which would violate FEC laws. […]
Simmons, who many in the crowd seemed to buzz about after the forum concluded, took issue Thursday night with Abughazaleh’s recent assertion that only three candidates remain viable one month from election day.
“I think it’s erasure,” Simmons said. “It erases me, I’m a Black LGBTQ state senator who represents nearly a quarter million people who has built an amazing campaign with endorsements from all three counties in the 9th District … I’ve got a scrappy campaign operation with over 100 volunteers, if that’s not a viable campaign then I don’t know what is.”
* Moving on to the 8th CD…
Democratic congressional candidate Dan Tully announced the launch of a new 30-second and 15-second campaign advertisement highlighting his commitment to accountability, economic fairness, and protecting democratic institutions. The ad is supported by a six-figure media buy and will air across digital platforms throughout Illinois’ 8th Congressional District. […]
The six-figure investment signals growing momentum behind the campaign and ensures voters across the district will see the message in the weeks ahead. The ad will run on streaming platforms and targeted digital placements to reach voters where they consume news and information.
The launch comes as the campaign continues to build grassroots support through town halls, community events, and voter outreach efforts across the district.
Army lawyer Dan Tully resigned from the Trump administration to defend our Constitution against its authoritarian agenda
And now he’s running for Congress to stop it.
Tully’s plan will:
Reclaim the Justice Department
Abolish ICE, prosecute and jail lawbreaking MAGA cronies, end the corruption and billionaire giveaways. And lower our damn costs
* Press release…
Today, Progressive Democrat Patty García announced the endorsement of the Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL). The CFL represents nearly 300 affiliate unions, who in turn represent 500,000 working people across Cook County, including more than 26,000 workers in the Fourth Congressional District.
“Patty has a proven record of delivering for working people,” said Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter. “An ally to labor both on and off the picket line, she understands how building worker power is key to solving the affordability crisis. The CFL is proud to endorse Patty García in this race.”
Garcia has received support from a broad coalition of labor unions representing over 1.5 million members (see list below), reflecting her long-standing advocacy for protecting workers’ rights, strengthening collective bargaining, and expanding economic opportunity for working Americans.
* More…
*Evanston Roundtable | Call-outs over cash take over Pink Poster Club congressional forum: After state Sen. Laura Fine (9th District) answered this by saying her donors support her record on health care and other issues, opponents Kat Abughazaleh, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and state Sen. Mike Simmons (7th District) each took time in their answers to call out Fine over the large amount of money she’s received from people who’ve also donated to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and right-wing politicians and groups. AIPAC has backed Fine’s campaign by fundraising for her and reportedly backing millions in super PAC ads, but has not publicly endorsed her.
* Press release | IL-07: Black Interfaith Leaders Across Chicago’s South & West Sides Endorse Anabel Mendoza, Launch “Faith Leaders for Anabel”: In a powerful show of grassroots momentum, more than ten prominent Black interfaith leaders from across Chicago’s South and West Sides will formally endorse IL-07 Congressional candidate Anabel Mendoza during a press conference on Sunday, February 22, at 1:45 pm CST. They will also sign a public Unity & Accountability Pledge and launch “Faith leaders for Anabel,” declaring their support for her to unite and transform Illinois’ 7th Congressional District.
