* It was a sleepy morning at the Capitol, as most Fridays tend to be, but there was this one moment on the House floor when Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) got up on a point of personal privilege, congratulating her female colleagues — especially the working mothers — reaching their levels of professional success while dealing with systems set up for men in the workplace.
Then she stumped for the passage of the ERA (you’ll remember the vote was delayed Wednesday when Lou Lang said he didn’t have the votes because of an “attendance issue.”)…
“We need the Equal Rights Amendment now to ensure that women are not forced to completely sacrifice caring for themselves and their children in order to provide for their families. Gov. Rauner, you know I spoke to you this week and I said, ‘I love you and I bless you and I’m praying for you,’ but it is also your responsibility that falls heavy for this state. The responsibility to all the working mothers in Illinois to encourage — please encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and your Republican counterparts to do the right thing by women and support the Equal Rights Amendment.”
* Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) immediately responded to Chapa LaVia’s statement, warning that passage of the ERA would take away any special privileges women have gained through female-focused legislation in the past couple of years…
“While I appreciate the previous speaker’s remark, I’d like to point out that if we were to pass the ERA Amendment, everything she just spoke about and advocated for would be gone. There would be no distinction between sexes at all, there would be no breastfeeding rooms, there would be no bills, as Rep. Moeller even passed stating we should have a Women’s Task Force that dealt with women’s issues. All of that would be negated if we were to pass an ERA Amendment. It would literally say there is no distinction or difference between the sexes, which is absolutely ridiculous and unscientific. So, um, enough of this. Let’s just get back to the duties and the work that we’re supposed to do here. I’ll tell you what — personally, I have never felt that my progress at the statehouse has been impeded by my sex. Nor have I ever felt held back by my sex. Women have more opportunities than ever before in our lifetime. Women complete more college degrees than men do. Let’s just realize that scientifically speaking, there is a difference between the sexes, and you have come up with a number of bills, you have proposed a number of bills to recognize that distinction, and I’d just like to point that out.”
* Rae Hodge puzzled through it…
So there's this division in ERA opponent arguments I cant get my head around:
One hand: they say abortion rights'd be HARDER to deny bc it'd mean female sex desrimination. Other hand: they say breastfeeding rights'd be EASIER to deny bc it'd mean male sex discrimination.
If ERA would make it harder to deny abortion rights bc they're sex-specific rights, wouldn't that mean other sex-specific rights would likewise be harder to deny?
Both = sex-specific rights. So if ERA = no breastfeeding rights wouldn't it mean no abortion rights?
* From the governor’s recent amendatory veto statement on HB1468…
One recommendation of the School Safety Working Group that was well-received by the Legislative Public Safety Working Group and that requires legislation is amending the County School Facilities Sales Tax statute to expand the authorized uses of sales tax revenue approved by local referendum. The tax is currently restricted to improvements in physical facilities, such as locks and security doors. I ask that it be amended to include the hiring of school resource officers or mental health workers based on local determination of local need.
* From the original statute that the governor wants to amend, with emphasis added by me…
In any county, a tax shall be imposed upon all persons engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property, other than personal property titled or registered with an agency of this State’s government, at retail in the county on the gross receipts from the sales made in the course of business to provide revenue to be used exclusively for school facility purposes if a proposition for the tax has been submitted to the electors of that county and approved by a majority of those voting on the question as provided in subsection (c). The tax under this Section shall be imposed only in one-quarter percent increments and may not exceed 1%.
* The Question: Should local school infrastructure sales tax money be used to hire school resource officers and/or mental health workers? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
* Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs director Erica Jeffries tendered her resignation April 27. The governor’s office announced Elizabeth Pennix as her successor…
Gov. Bruce Rauner announced today Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) Director Erica Jeffries will be leaving IDVA after leading the agency for more than three years. Jeffries is returning to the private sector where she will serve as an executive in a large multinational, Fortune 100 company. Elisabeth Pennix, the current General Counsel at IDVA and Navy veteran will serve as the interim director of the agency until a permanent director is announced.
“Director Jeffries has done remarkable work for the veterans of Illinois during her tenure as director of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs,” Rauner said. “She has been a steadfast leader in providing the crucial services our heroes need and deserve. We are deeply grateful for her service, and are confident Elisabeth Pennix will lead the department and serve Illinois’ veterans tremendously until a permanent director is selected.” […]
Before serving as General Counsel at IDVA, Pennix served as Senior Program Manager for the Women Veterans Program, Gold Star Family Program, and Illinois Joining Forces.
During her military service, Pennix served seven years on active duty as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the U.S. Navy, and also deployed to Iraq in 2006-2007 where she conducted Geneva Convention legal reviews for Iraqi detainees. Pennix continues to serve part-time as a commander in the U.S. Navy JAG Corps Reserves.
“I’m honored to continue the work of Director Jeffries and the entire IDVA as we continue to strive to provide the best possible care for Illinois’ veterans today and in the future,” Pennix said.
Pennix is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and the Chicago-Kent College of Law. She lives in Chicago with her husband, a retired U.S. Army officer and active duty Chicago Police Sergeant, and their children.
* And it looks like IDVA’s Assistant Director is also out…
Just in: Sources say IL Veterans Affairs Assistant Director Harry Sawyer will "resign" within the week. Last month, IDVA slated Sawyer to fill in as interim director in place of Erica Jeffries who is also heading for the exits in the wake of the Quincy Veterans Home fallout. https://t.co/g2UflKCx5Q
The Department of Veterans Affairs confirms Sawyer’s exit. Spokesman says “We are very thankful and appreciative for his 36 years of service and wish him and his family the very best.” https://t.co/oDobWH1Smy
* Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti did a couple talk radio interviews Thursday with WJBC in Bloomington and WSOY in Decatur. Other than repeating she was “optimistic” a budget will be agreed upon before the end of the month, there was nothing else much notable.
However, I did find her comments on WSOY about Gov. Rauner’s amendatory veto of the gun bill interesting, if only for what was not discussed.
Before talking about anything else in the package, she pointed to the part of the governor’s AV that would provide more funding for school resource officers and mental health professionals and mentioned Wednesday’s attempted school shooting in Dixon, which thankfully ended with no fatalities.
* From there, the conversation jumped to JB Pritzker’s stance on gun control…
“We know that right now the package that we’re putting forward is fair on both sides. Whereas JB Pritzker — we know him to be hostile to the Second Amendment. And we also know that Pritzker is a big-money funder of state and national gun control groups, donating over I believe $100,000 to gun control groups.”
* She also said she looks at the gun debate through the lens of the daughter of a Cuban immigrant. Sanguinetti’s mother was a refugee from the communist regime…
“The first thing [Fidel] Castro did to us was take away our guns, and what followed that was taking away our freedoms”
The tie-back to her mother’s story growing up in communist Cuba was something Sanguinetti mentioned Monday at the announcement of the governor’s AV…
“The first thing Fidel Castro did was take away our ability to defend ourselves, take away our guns. The second thing he did to the people of Cuba was take away their properly. And then thirdly was our freedom. So I remember growing up with these stories of oppression. I remember my mother and family members telling me what it was like to not be able to read a book of your choosing, not be able to be able to practice a religion of your family’s choosing. That’s what a dictatorship does. And it doesn’t work. And I think we can all agree on that. So needless to say, my mother always raised me to be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment.”
Curiously, though, nothing about what many consider the main tenets of the original bill — the 72-hour waiting period — was discussed in detail, and the blockbuster announcement of the AV dealing with putting the death penalty back in place for cop killers and mass murders was not mentioned at all.
There are excessive executive compensation packages, and then there are outright giveaways. Put Tronc’s recent payment of $15 million to former Chairman Michael Ferro in the latter category.
The publisher of the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers disclosed last week that it accelerated payment of $15 million in fees under a three-year consulting agreement with Ferro and his private company, handing over the entire amount in the first quarter. Ferro retired from Tronc in March, shortly before Fortune magazine reported that two women had accused him of making unwanted sexual advances. A month later, he announced plans to sell his controlling stake in Tronc to a group including a distant relative of the McCormick family that once ran the Tribune. […]
Tronc has provided scant detail on what services Ferro has performed or will perform under the consulting agreement. The agreement itself, attached to a Tronc filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, contains no clause requiring a lump-sum advance payout of the entire $15 million under any circumstances. […]
Tronc’s financial outlook only grows darker, as online revenue sources fail to offset the impact of digital competition on print advertising dollars. The top line dipped again in the first quarter, falling 3 percent to $355.6 million, and the net loss quintupled to $14.8 million. (By the way, Tronc blamed most of the loss on the $15 million payment to Ferro.)
So, almost its entire quarterly loss is blamed on the accelerated Ferro payment. Great business practices.
* Tribune writer and union member Michael Hawthorne noted earlier today that tronc paid $1.3 million to lease a jet from a Ferro company and paid a half million dollars for stadium suite leases, including apparently paying for Ferro to go to the Cubs’ World Series while tronc “fired sportswriters, cut back on travel and operated a bug-riddled website seemingly designed to drive readers away.” His conclusion…
6/6 Why is Tronc wasting $15 million on Michael Ferro, when it could be investing that money in journalism that serves Chicago and other cities? This is one reason why the Tribune newsroom organized a union. #FerrosMillions#TribUnionpic.twitter.com/zCH0Ac6b5a
The @CTGuild is holding a picket outside of the @tronc shareholder meeting this morning to find out why Michael Ferro got a $15 million for consulting work through 2020. @tronc — you owe your shareholders and explanation. pic.twitter.com/Tte78xSJMU
Durkin said last summer’s state income tax hike is making things easier. Democrats – joined by some Republicans – imposed the $5 billion tax increase over the governor’s veto in 2017, breaking a two-and-a-half-year budget impasse.
“I’m not going to be overly optimistic until I see more progress made, but the fact is we’re in a better place than we were last year and the year before,” Durkin said.
Cullerton said if talks do break down this year, as they did last summer, Democrats are prepared to go it alone.
“Then we’ll have to go ahead and pass our own budget with as much cooperation from Republicans as we can get,” he said.
It’s a lot easier this year because no tax increases are involved, but this governor has yet to prove that he can negotiate a real budget and the Democrats believe they may have enough Republican votes to override a potential Rauner veto.
Democratic Senate President John Cullerton emerged from behind the closed doors of another lengthy budget meeting in Gov. Rauner’s Capitol office Thursday and announced the group had come to an agreement.
“We had a nice discussion,” Cullerton said. “I would say everybody heard ‘Laurel.’ ”
He was, of course, referencing the recent internet phenomenon in which people hear an audio clip as either “Laurel” or “Yanny.” But befitting the way budget talks go in Springfield, Cullerton quickly hedged on the idea there was some agreement.
“I heard Laurel,” he said. “You’ll have to ask the governor and the speaker what they thought.”
Gov. Bruce Rauner is joining humanitarian and mayoral candidate Dr. Willie Wilson at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Bruce Montgomery Operation HOPE, 815 W. 63rd St., 4th Floor, Chicago, IL, to sign an executive order that will give African Americans a fair share of all state contracts.
* Legislative Black Caucus members wanted to get their own views on record before that press pop with Wilson...
The Illinois Black Legislative Caucus accuses him of showboating for political gain. They say, in reality, his administration only made this problem worse by failing to enforce laws they’ve already passed.
At a press conference Thursday morning, the caucus shared data from the Business Enterprise Program (BEP), a state program designed to help women, minorities and disabled business owners partner with the state. While participation has grown, it shows over the last two years, the amount of money spent on black vendors has dropped 22%.
“All we’re trying to do is ask him to be fair and honest instead of playing lip service with these very important issues and pay attention to a lot of things we put into that bill,“ says Rep. Al Riley (D- Chicago). […]
Most of the suggestions found in the commission were made by Black Caucus members, outlined in a 2016 law and a task force. Members say he sat on these initiative for two years and could’ve delivered on his promise then.
“It’s appalling that the governor would try to come out as our champion today when he had an opportunity to actually become the champion if he wanted to solve this over the years,” Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D- Maywood).
* Rauner press release…
The Task Force was formed recognizing that African Americans represent 10% of business ownership in Illinois, yet only 1% of the total spending of the State of Illinois on state contracts. “This disparity is unacceptable,” Rauner said in announcing the order.
The Rauner administration is a staunch ally of minority business development. In recent years, African-American businesses have been growing under the Business Enterprise Program. Though they earned only $210.4 million from FY12-14, African-American businesses have earned $243.1 million from FY15-17 through BEP. Rauner’s executive order is intended to further accelerate growth of African-American businesses in state contracting. […]
“This Task Force was a bipartisan effort for which I would like to thank Gov. Rauner, Sen. Mattie Hunter, and Rep. Will Davis,” said Wilson. “We recognized that these important measures needed to be taken to strengthen economic development and job creation in the African-American community. The State’s engagement with African-American vendors will help lead to reduced unemployment and crime in areas that need job opportunities the most.” […]
“Thanks to the governor for giving us this unique opportunity,” said Rep. Will Davis, D-Hazel Crest. “I appreciate his desire to help and support African-American businesses. This executive order is a great first step in the right direction.”
* Perhaps stung by the criticism, Wilson sent out a press release yesterday after the event on a totally different topic…
Mayoral Candidate Willie Wilson stands up to condemn Governor Bruce Rauner’s recent proposal to reinstate the Illinois death penalty that was outlawed nearly a decade ago.
Southern Illinois University President Randy Dunn is pushing back against claims that he colluded with SIU Edwardsville officials in developing a proposal to shift $5.1 million in state appropriations from Carbondale to Edwardsville.
In a guest opinion column published in The Southern Illinoisan on Thursday, former SIUC Faculty Senate President Kathleen Chwalisz claimed that budget-related documents and correspondences obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests reveal how Dunn kept SIUC Chancellor Carlo Montemagno in the dark about the proposal, which ultimately failed to pass the SIU Board of Trustees on April 12.
In one internal email, Dunn said he was using certain funding distribution figures “simply to shut up the b*tchers from Carbondale” who opposed the reallocation.
I want to take this opportunity to respond to the Guest View written by Dr. Kathleen Chwalisz recently published in The Southern Illinoisan which I find to be both misleading and frankly intentionally and grossly misrepresenting the situation.
First, I want to take an opportunity to address what was a mistake on my part in referring to individuals in the Carbondale area who have questioned, as it is their right to do, this process regarding campus budget reallocations with a less than complementary [sic] term. I was wrong to characterize them in that way. Many are friends and colleagues and to them, I apologize for how I characterized those who reflexively refused to discuss the issue or engage in a dialogue about it.
The university president received harsh rebukes on the Illinois House floor. Republican state Rep. Terri Bryant of Murphysboro said the newspaper piece makes it “quite clear that (Dunn) is not working for the Carbondale campus and he’s in fact colluding with officials” at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She called on him to resign “immediately.”
“President Dunn, calling the people of my district, the constituents that I serve, ‘bitches’ is not acceptable,” Bryant said. “Those are fellow southern Illinoisans, and they’re fellow Illinoisans. Those are hardworking people that are fighting to protect what they have built.”
Bryant referred to herself as “a loud, proud b*tcher” in solidarity.
Republican state Rep. Chad Hays of Catlin also called for Dunn’s resignation, noting he graduated from the Downstate campus and sends his two sons there. He brought up the school’s iconic mascot in his dismissal of Dunn.
“On behalf of all Salukis, you go to hell, sir,” Hays said.
I will let the statements that have been shared speak for themselves. I am, of course, dismayed and disappointed by what appears to be an active, deliberate effort to undermine the Carbondale campus and, by extension, the entire SIU system. The process and lack of transparency did not serve us or our colleagues at Edwardsville. I must add that the disrespect to Carbondale’s faculty, staff and community is especially disturbing. However, these concerns are best addressed by the Board of Trustees and system leadership.
To the other matter at hand, Dr. Chwalisz weaves an interesting story in her attempt to discredit my reputation in our community and I want to respond to her allegations:
Chwalisz Claim: Budget-related documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act show that SIU President Randy Dunn actively concealed from SIUC Chancellor Carlo Montemagno his plan to transfer $5.125 million from the Carbondale to Edwardsville campus.
Chwalisz Claim: Montemagno was never briefed on the reallocation proposal, becoming aware of it with the general public when the April Board of Trustees agenda was posted online on March 30.
Chwalisz Claim: FOIA documents provide evidence that Dunn purposefully kept Montemagno in the dark about the reallocation proposal.
Dunn Response: There was never any concealment from anyone on the Carbondale campus regarding this item for the Board agenda. In fact, there cannot be any concealment because of our Board agenda process. The facts are, campus Chancellors, including Chancellor Montemagno, and senior staff have a conference call that occurs at least three weeks before every Board of Trustees meeting. In this case, for the April 11-12 Board of Trustees meeting, we gathered on March 21 for our usual conference call where we discuss items to be included for discussion at the upcoming Board meeting. Regardless if a Chancellor is present or not on this call (as Chancellor Montemagno was not), his staff was present in my office and on the call and following procedure had background on the items discussed for the upcoming meeting, including the FY 2019 campus budget reallocations.
Additionally, there was another opportunity for the Chancellor to discuss this with me at what has been coined the “Good Friday Ambush.” However the Chancellor cancelled that meeting and never rescheduled – even up until the time of the board meeting twelve days later. During this time period this matter was publically posted with all other Board agenda items, the Chancellor did not reach out to me to discuss the reallocation issue or any other posted Board agenda items. However, he saw fit to do a blog post on April 4 protesting the proposed board action.
Yikes.
Maybe while Gov. Rauner is down in southern Illinois touring areas hit hard by this week’s water shortage today he could convene an emergency private meeting of SIU honchos and try to work things out.
On May 1, our president reportedly surpassed the 3,000th falsehood of his term in office thus far, fewer than 470 days in at a rate of 6.5 lies per day — though he’s picked up the pace over the last couple months — according to the Washington Post’s Fact Checker squad.
As Bloomberg put it, “How did we go from a president who could not tell a lie to politicians who cannot tell the truth?” We’ve fallen a long way in almost 230 years.
Evidently Illinois’ governor would not be outdone. Last week Bruce Rauner told something of a whopper at an event in Chicago regarding the status of the former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, according to reporting in Springfield’s State Journal-Register.
“We tried to get another … car manufacturer to take over the plant” following the Japanese automaker’s departure in 2016, Rauner said. “No one would come in. No one would even take the plant if we gave it to them, because our regulations are so hostile to business and our taxes are so high.”
Just one catch, of course: In fact the central Illinois plant was purchased by Rivian Automotive, an electric car manufacturer, early last year. The Rauner administration touted that when it happened. Rivian potentially could receive nearly $50 million in state tax credits, thanks to a deal negotiated by Rauner’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Rauner visited the place a few months later.
To be sure, vehicles aren’t rolling off the Rivian assembly line yet. The company employs a fraction of the workers Mitsubishi did in its heyday here. Nonetheless, the governor’s information was clearly wrong. It wasn’t the first time. He continues to dance around it. When the facts don’t fit the narrative — Illinois is broken, only I can fix it, in this case — you make something up. […]
Once upon a time in this country, honesty was a virtue, and character destiny. This stops when voters stop rewarding it. Meantime, what are we teaching our children?
* DGA…
“Another week and instead of leadership, we get more lies from this failed Governor,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “The fact is that Bruce Rauner’s entire election campaign is built upon lies and deflections to explain away three years of failed leadership.”
“This is the sort of legislation that comes out of the General Assembly under Madigan’s Democrats that really, it just creates hassles for businesses and honest business owners — red tape, filings and fees,” Rauner said Thursday morning on WJPF, a radio station in southern Illinois. […]
As for insinuations that the powerful speaker is in charge of the measure, [sponsoring Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park)] said he hasn’t spoken to him about the bill.
“I never talked to the speaker as I was redrafting the bill and building a bipartisan coalition,” Harmon said. “He likes to blame the speaker for everything. He may be the politician most influenced by the speaker in Illinois.”
Rend Lake Conservancy District announced early Friday that 35 hours after a water main break, water is flowing from the Inter-City Water Plant. But things are not back to normal yet.
The district had a breach in a pipe at the plant Wednesday that caused several communities in Southern Illinois to be without water by Thursday.
“The close of one very long day is within sight,” reads a statement from the district distributed by the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency.
A bypass is completed and is now pumping some water into the system while the broken pipe is repaired, according to the statement.
Marion Mayor Anthony Rinella said Thursday that schools were shutting down early and that a variety of businesses, including restaurants, hotels, and dental offices, for example, were following suit. Carwashes and laundromats were closed Wednesday. Hospitals have not been evacuated.
“We’re getting no water from Rend Lake right now,” Rinella said. “They’re telling us that they hope to have the repairs done within 24 hours, but even if that is the case, it will probably take another 24 hours or more to fill the tanks and get back to normal production.” […]
“Don’t water your garden or your lawn. Don’t wash your car. Use as little water as possible inside your home, too,” the mayor cautioned.
Local stores like Kroger, Walmart and Sam’s Club were selling out of bottled water rather quickly Thursday. Rinella said weekend shows at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center were canceled and will have to be rescheduled.
Gov. Bruce Rauner is keeping a close watch on the communities impacted by the Rend Lake Water Conservancy Water Disruption. He has been briefed on the situation several times today and issues the following statement:
“The Rend Lake Water Conservancy District, which supplies water to more than 175,000 people in southern Illinois, experienced a major water main break late yesterday afternoon. Efforts by the district to repair the break are on-going at this time. While there currently have been no requests for state assistance, state agencies are actively preparing to provide support needed to ensure the public health and safety of the many communities served by the district.
“Earlier today the Illinois Emergency Management Agency convened a conference call with several state agencies and mutual aid partners to assess the whole community impacts of situation and prepare for potential deployment of state resources t0 impacted communities until the water supply is restored.
“Our primary concern is the well-being of the people affected by this situation. I want to assure everyone affected that the State of Illinois will do everything in our power to ensure public health and safety is protected until this situation is resolved.”
The governor, I’m told, is heading to the region today. The governor’s office says the Marion mayor spoke personally with IEMA Director Robbie Robertson. A retired firefighter, Mayor Rinella had been the city’s finance commissioner and was automatically elevated to the top post when Mayor Bob Butler, who’d held the office for 55 years, retired earlier this year.
Marion Mayor Anthony Rinella, in an interview with POLITICO last night, expressed anger that the state hadn’t done more to help his community and surrounding towns served by the Rend Lake Water Conservancy District that are struggling with little or no water since Wednesday’s water main break. Rinella issued an emergency declaration. All schools, hotels, restaurants and other businesses were ordered closed by 3 p.m. on Thursday and were not to reopen until further notice.
“It’s just been a nightmare,” Rinella said last night. “It’s very disconcerting that 160,000 people can be out of water and the state of Illinois has got its head stuck in the sand, like they didn’t know it was going on.” […]
To that, Rinella responded: “I’m not going to apologize for the governor. He could have taken it upon himself to make a call down here,” Rinella said. “I would think that if I was a governor and I knew that 160,000 were without water, I would have reached out.”
Stoking frustrations? Someone else did call Rinella on Thursday: Rauner‘s November opponent J.B. Pritzker.
“J.B. Pritzker has contacted me three times today. I know JB’s running for governor, but he was kind of wondering why the state hadn’t reached out to me,” Rinella said.
Nice move by Pritzker, but I’m not sure the governor is expected to personally call all 40-some water-starved mayors in the region. Then again, the squeakiest wheel should always be given early attention.
…Adding… Texts from a pal in southern Illinois…
It’s crazy down here, all the restaurants and most all gas stations closed. Cars coming off I 57 from Mt Vernon to Marion driving around aimlessly looking for gas or food and there is nothing open, no signs no direction. Crazy.
Selling bottles of water for $6 in Franklin County last night. People going crazy rich.
I’ve been driving all morning nothing is open between Mt Vernon and Herrin.
Today, the Illinois state Senate voted 35-18 to pass Senate Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 337, which would shut down your local gun stores with onerous red tape and regulations. Governor Bruce Rauner has previously vetoed two of these egregious dealer licensing bills, but anti-gun legislators are not giving up.
Even after the Democratic sponsor of a gun dealer oversight measure made changes and brought in bipartisan support, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday called a revamped effort “political grandstanding” while also blaming a familiar foe: Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. […]
“This is the sort of legislation that comes out of the General Assembly under Madigan’s Democrats that really, it just creates hassles for businesses and honest business owners — red tape, filings and fees,” Rauner said Thursday morning on WJPF, a radio station in southern Illinois. “And it really doesn’t improve public safety and it doesn’t really stop criminals. This is the kind of legislation that really, it’s more for headlines than it really is to keep the people of Illinois safe.”
Rauner said the motivation for the new bill is “political grandstanding, grabbing for headlines rather than trying to get real improvement for the people of Illinois.”
“That happens far too often with Madigan, the Democrats and the General Assembly,” Rauner said.
The governor’s office said the “burden on small businesses” is the chief concern regarding the new bill, but noted they will fully review the bill if it makes it to his desk.
* Pritzker campaign…
After Bruce Rauner announced his opposition to the second bipartisan gun dealer licensing bill, JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“There are lives on the line as Bruce Rauner plays the lowest form of election year-politics,” said JB Pritzker. “This callous governor vetoed a commonsense Gun Dealer Licensing Act that would have helped keep families and communities safe. Now, after bipartisan legislators came together on a compromise that addresses Rauner’s concerns, he still plans to shamefully oppose the bill. It’s past time for this failed governor to put people before politics and do something about the senseless gun violence ravaging our communities.”
SA 3 to SB 337 will now go to the House of Representatives for further consideration, where anti-gun legislators are also attempting to override Gov. Rauner’s veto on a bill which would arbitrarily expand waiting periods for certain commonly owned semi-automatic firearms. Please contact your state Representative and urge them to OPPOSE SA 3 to SB 337 and to OPPOSE overriding the veto of HB 1468. Click the “Take Action” button below to contact your state Representative.
The NRA apparently understands that a big part of the reason for the governor’s amendatory veto to partially reinstate the death penalty was to distract from the fact that he’s actually vetoing a bill to expand waiting periods for assault weapons.
* Related…
* Madigan sets up vote on Rauner death penalty plan, creating political minefield: Lawmakers on both sides who vote against the measure could find themselves targeted by political opponents as being soft on crime and weak in their support of law enforcement by refusing to lift the state’s seven-year ban on capital punishment. That could particularly impact suburban Democratic lawmakers in a region where the party has made increasing inroads on traditionally Republican territory. … While reinstating the death penalty has its appeal to Republican voters, Rauner’s plan also would create a 72-hour waiting period for all guns, not just military-style firearms contained in the original bil. An expansion of the waiting period is opposed by the politically powerful National Rifle Association and is at odds with many voters in rural Illinois legislative districts represented by Republicans who champion their support for gun rights.
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan released the following statement Friday:
“House Democrats agree that action must be taken to protect the health and wellbeing of our military heroes in the Quincy Veterans Home, and we stand ready to work with the governor. Concerns and questions raised by our caucus remain unaddressed by the administration, but need to be resolved in order for us all to make the best decisions on behalf of our veterans and their families.
“We know all too well that we are in this situation entirely because for three years Governor Rauner failed to act, attempted to shift blame, and hid the truth even from our veterans, their loved ones and their caregivers. We must now work together to correct these failings and protect our veterans through the careful, considerate process that should have been this administration’s policy all along.”
Notice he didn’t say what questions “remain unaddressed.”
*** UPDATE *** Rachel Bold with the Rauner adminstration…
We hope this isn’t an attempt to play politics with the health and safety of our heroes at the Quincy Veterans Home or to hold up funding for this vital project. Our administration has cooperated with House and Senate hearings and provided hours of testimony, thousands of responsive documents, and has offered to collaborate with legislators to answer questions. In 2015 we acted immediately in conjunction with CDC scientists. If Speaker Madigan, or the members of his caucus have remaining questions it’s time for them to clearly articulate them.
In 2008, a collection agency took him to court and obtained a court order known as a “judgment” allowing it to be more aggressive in pursuing him. That meant his debt began to be subject to the state-set annual interest rate of 9 percent.
Today, Majcher owes $21,821 — more than ten times what he originally spent.
“The feeling is like suicide,” Majcher said. “You end up in the situation in which comes suicidal thoughts. No exit.” (Majcher is not currently having suicidal thoughts.)
A group of Illinois lawmakers are now working on a package of legislation designed to increase state protections for debtors like Majcher. Advocates say, if passed, these bills would lift the economic fortunes of thousands of Illinoisans struggling with debt. But opponents argue that the legislation would be harmful to the low-income people it is meant to help. […]
Democratic Illinois state representatives Barbara Flynn Currie, Juliana Stratton, Will Guzzardi, and Christian Mitchell are sponsoring a package of legislation that would increase protections for debtors. Notably, HB 5487 would cut Illinois’ post-judgment interest rate for small claims from 9 percent to 2 percent. Another bill, HB 5483, would reduce the amount of time a judgment can be pursued from 27 years to five years. Other bills in the package would make it harder for creditors to take people’s wages or money from the sale of their home or vehicle, and establish a “debtor’s bill of rights.”
* Other bills…
* Illinois considers changing gun transfer rules following Waffle House shooting: The Illinois Senate on Wednesday advanced new rules about the transfer of firearms in response to the mass shooting at a Waffle House last month in Nashville, Tenn. Travis Reinking of downstate Morton has been charged with four counts of criminal homicide in the killings. Authorities have said his firearm owner’s identification card previously had been revoked and his guns transferred to his father, who returned them. The measure aims to prevent similar situations by allowing for a minimum of one year in jail for people who return firearms without first checking to see if the recipient has a valid license. There’s currently no punishment on the books.
* Gun dealer licensing compromise passes Senate: “Every gun used in the state of Illinois to kill someone starts as a legal gun,” Harmon said. “Somewhere between the manufacturer and the crime scene, someone who is pretending to be a law-abiding gun owner is not. This bill attacks that problem.”
* Illinois Rep. Says Grad Student Union Is Disrespectful To Military: State Rep. Jeanne Ives, a Republican from Wheaton, is a proud West Point grad, and not a fan of unions. So when state Rep.Will Guzzardi, a Chicago Democrat, proposed expanding grad student union benefits to include research assistants, Ives was outraged by an anti-military petition on the group’s website, and a verbal firefight ensued. Guzzardi: “Representative your political disagreements with the positions of this union have not the slightest bearing with either the merits of this legislation or the first amendments rights of employees to collectively bargain.” Ives: “This has everything to do with this legislation because these are not the people that we should be expanding benefits for.”
Justice Charles E. Freeman, the first African-American to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court and as Chief Justice, has announced he will be retiring effective June 14 after a long and distinguished career as a lawyer and judge. Justice Freeman, 84, is the fifth-longest serving justice in Illinois Supreme Court history at 27 years, six months.
“I have been honored to serve with Justice Freeman for nearly 13½ years. As one of the most senior and experienced members of the Illinois judiciary, Justice Freeman brought to the court not only a wealth of legal knowledge, but also unparalleled insight into the court as an institution,” Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier said. “As the first African-American to sit on the high court, he inspired generations of attorneys of color to pursue careers in public service and positions of leadership. As a colleague, he was the embodiment of collegiality.
“It is impossible to overstate Justice Freeman’s impact on Illinois law. In the course of his long tenure, he has participated in resolution of some of the most difficult and important controversies to come before the courts of Illinois. Research nearly any point of Illinois law and you will find controlling precedent that he authored. While Justice Freeman may be retiring from office, the extraordinary body of legal decisions he helped craft will serve as an enduring legacy of his commitment to justice and to the people of Illinois.”
* The court has already appointed First District Appellate Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. to fill Freeman’s seat, effective June 15 through Dec. 7, 2020.
Freeman is 84, and is the fifth-longest serving justice in the court's history, according to a release. He was first elected in 1990.
* Freeman has had an interesting and varied career in the law. He was born in Richmond, Virginia and was descended from slaves freed by Quakers before the American Civil War. He came to Chicago to pursue a law degree from the John Marshall Law School in 1962, and remained in Illinois ever since.
After serving as an Illinois assistant attorney general, Cook County assistant state’s attorney, he was appointed by various governors (Otto Kerner, Dan Walker) to state administrative law positions.
Justice Freeman won election to the Cook County Circuit Court in 1976 and served for 10 years, during which time he swore in longtime friend Harold Washington as Mayor in 1983. The two had shared an office in Chicago as attorneys.
Freeman was elected to the First District Appellate Court in 1986, and then was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court in 1990, defeating his opponent Robert Chapman Buckley 62 percent to 38 percent.
In 1997, Freeman was chosen by his colleagues to serve as Chief Justice, a role he served in for three years, making him the first African-American to lead a branch of Illinois government.
Asked about the significance of being the first African-American Chief Justice, Freeman responded, “I’m an African American who now has become chief judge; I’m not an AfricanAmerican chief justice. I have no different perception on what course I would take because of my heritage.”
* Freeman is known for his opinions upholding defendants’ rights, including a 1994 case in which the court ultimately overturned a wrongful conviction and saved the man from death row.
* Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) on yesterday’s shooting at Dixon High School…
“The decisive actions taken by Officer Mark Dallas today prevented what could have been a tragedy on a massive scale at Dixon High School. I know I am joined by many in the Dixon-area and throughout the state in thanking him for his bravery; he is a true hero. His actions today also show the importance of school resource officers and the essential role they play in public safety by protecting students and teachers each and every day,” said Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon).
* Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin…
“Our hearts are heavy with the news of another school shooting. The quick, brave actions of Dixon Police Department School Resource Officer Mark Dallas stopped the gunman and saved many lives,” said IEA President Kathi Griffin. “Today’s events will undoubtedly cause some to wonder if arming teachers will somehow be a deterrent, a way to keep our children and our schools safe. But that’s not what our educators have signed up for. It’s the job of a school resource officer, and we commend him for keeping our students and staff safe.”
A school resource police officer is being lauded as a hero for intervening when a former student at Dixon High School opened fire Wednesday morning near the school gym where students were gathered for a graduation rehearsal, authorities said.
The officer, identified by the city as 15-year department veteran Mark Dallas, shot and injured the gunman after the suspect fired at the officer while trying to flee, police said.
The suspect, identified as 19-year-old former student Matthew A. Milby, was taken into custody, and no one else was injured in the gunfire exchange, authorities said. […]
According to WGN-Ch. 9, a woman who identified herself as the gunman’s mother told reporters, “My son has been very, very sad for a long time.”
She said her son was bullied and ostracized at school, and was beaten up in October. She said she doesn’t know where her son got a gun, according to WGN.
Howell said Dallas ran toward the shots, coming face-to-face with Milby, a former student, holding a gun.
Milby ran away and out of the school. Police said he fired at Dallas when he tried to chase him down. That’s when the officer fired back, hitting and injuring Milby. […]
“I could not be more proud of the police officer and the way he responded to the situation. While shots were ringing out through the hallways of the school, he charged towards the suspect and confronted him head on,” Howell said. […]
Julie Milby, the alleged shooter’s mother, said her son was ostracized at school and left to finish his credits outside of class.
“I know that he’s been very sad for a long time,” she said. “Well, my kid is laying up at the hospital shot. Thank god they didn’t kill him, that’s a blessing. Thank god he didn’t kill anyone else.”
Julie told NBC that she did not believe he was trying to hurt anyone and suspects he was “thinking they were going to kill him.” She said her son had been sad for so long.
According to Julie, Matt was on the football team but had been kicked off for smoking marijuana. She also said kids had stolen from him and his friends stopped talking to him, so he felt isolated.
Julie grew up with Officer Mark Dallas and told NBC they saw each other while she waited outside of the school yesterday. She was waiting for her son like other parents were, at this point she had no idea her son was the shooter.
According to Matt’s mother, he was badly beaten by a 25-year-old in October and said other kids just watched. After being beaten, Julie says the principal, Dr. Grady would let him stay in his office.
Although several of his friends said he had not been to school in months, Milby was not expelled, as previously reported, did not drop out, and was eligible to graduate with his class, Superintendent Margo Empen said. She said she could not provide further details because of school privacy laws.
In fact, Milby went to the school this morning to pick up his cap and gown, his mother said.
Senior Caleb Carlson, 19, said he’s known Milby since middle school, when they were friends.
Tom Miller: It’s interesting because Governor I couldn’t help but see yesterday’s Dixon event without using the filter of the proposal in Springfield to remove police officers and replace them with counselors.
Governor Rauner: Yes that’s exactly wrong. It’s fine for schools to have counselors as well, being proactive to deal with mental illness health issues that’s good and appropriate. And I think that was also included in my public safety proposal. I said let’s free up local sales tax revenues so schools have that choice, if they choose to, to have a resource officer, a security trained police officer or person as well if they also want mental health professionals that would be great. I supported that as well.
* But that bill he referred to was changed before it passed the House…
State Rep. Chris Emanuel Welch, D-Westchester, said he amended his House Bill 4208 to take out some of the language that would have encouraged schools to phase out armed resource officers in favor of mental health professionals. Welch’s amended measure would create a new grant for schools “that would expand or create restorative justice programs, hire school psychologists, social workers and other mental health and behavioral specialists,” Welch said in floor debate Friday.
* More background is here. Bloomington radio station host Sam Wood said he “laid into” Gov. Bruce Rauner during his radio show yesterday over this…
Gov. BRUCE RAUNER again falsely said in an appearance in Chicago last week that no auto company would take over the former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, omitting the fact that an electric vehicle manufacturer bought it in 2017 in a deal his own administration touted. […]
“We tried to get another … car manufacturer to take over the plant. No one would come in. No one would even take the plant if we gave it to them, because our regulations are so hostile to business and our taxes are so high.” […]
His Chicago remarks were similar to a story — minus the race of the United Auto Workers member involved — that Rauner told talk-show host TOM MILLER in December on Carterville-based WJPF, a station which bills itself as “the voice of southern Illinois.”
“I can’t give this plant away,” Rauner said then, adding, “No auto company wants to invest in Illinois because of (House Speaker MICHAEL) MADIGAN’s power, because of regulations and taxes.”
* Gov. Rauner told Wood his staff was monitoring Wood’s radio program, so he decided to call in unannounced…
Wood: We’ve been talking a little bit about the news — CapitolFax reported out earlier today about some comments you made at a press conference about Rivian Automotive. I have not been filled in on why you’re calling. I’m assuming this is related to that?
Gov: It is. My team listens to you every day. I’m over in Quincy right now at the Veterans home meeting with our heroes here and talking about the new water sources at the veterans home. My team told me that some of our political opponents are spinning up a bunch of kind of false spin in the media and the blogs and with a reporter in Springfield.
Wood: Well I’m going to cut you off there, Governor. What spin? Because we don’t have much time. How is this being spun?
Gov: So quickly, somehow there’s some spin out there that I’m critical of Rivian or don’t think Rivian’s good or gonna do well, and that’s just not true. I love Rivian. We worked hard to recruit them. We cut a deal with them to give them EDGE tax credits and I’m all in for them to succeed. What some of our political opponents are taking out of context is my concern that our regulations and our taxes are not competitive and attractive for manufacturing firms, especially auto companies. The auto industry is booming around the country especially in Indiana and other states. We are not booming like they are we had a hard time finding someone to take that Mitsubishi plant. It had 1,000 UAW workers there and I want tens of thousands of UAW jobs created in Illinois, but our regulations and taxes are pushing us out. So we took a gamble with Rivian, they’re at 40 employees, which is awesome, they hope to add hundreds and we gave them EDGE credits to do it, but it’s frustrating because if we had better competitiveness as a state, we could already have thousands of jobs working in and around that facility. That’s, that was the point I made and it’s being spun, I think, in not a valid way.
Wood: But you can understand why a lot of people in Bloomington-Normal feel like — I mean, this is not the first time you have failed to mention Rivian Automotive. At the Kemp Forum, you completely dismissed the fact that there is an occupant inside that former Mitsubishi plant. It’s Rivian. Why the confusion? Why do you forget that plant is occupied?
Gov: It’s not forgetting, and it’s not being critical of Rivian. The fact is, if we were competitive, if we had the regulations and the tax structure to be attractive to major manufacturing firms, that plant would already be full. That’s not a criticism of Rivian. I’m cheering for them. We worked hard — I worked hard to bring them.
Wood: Gov. Rauner, where does the 1,000 employee number come from? Were you not aware of the benchmarks that were set up as a part of these tax incentives that were offered to Rivian?
Gov: Rivian has nothing to do with 1,000. We hope they get big. We don’t know how big. They’re a startup. The 1,000 was who was there before with Mitsubishi —
Wood: It was more than 1,000.
Gov: Well at the very end that’s what it was, it was way more than 1,000. We could have had thousands of folks there if we were competitive. That’s my point. That’s my only point. It’s not at all critical of Rivian. Rivian’s a great start-up. We want more high-tech start-ups in Illinois. But that plant could have and should have been full with UAW members if we were competitive. That was the point I was making.
Wood: But do you disagree with the fact that Rivian is meeting their benchmarks in terms of what was agreed-upon?
Gov: Uh, I haven’t looked at their latest benchmarks. They are a start-up doing well and we’re cheering for them and I’m a big advocate for Rivian. Different issue from what could have been in that plant if we were competitive, that was the point I’m making.
Wood: All right, fair enough.
Nobody said or even implied that the governor was “critical of Rivian or don’t think Rivian’s good or gonna do well.” The point was he continually talks like Rivian never opened its plant.
The Illinois State Board of Education took on sweeping authority to supervise special education at Chicago Public Schools on Wednesday, voting to appoint an outside monitor who for at least three years will have to approve any changes to the district’s special ed policies and procedures.
ISBE will now meet with CPS to map out what state schools Superintendent Tony Smith described as “the road to transformation” after officials concluded that the district’s 2016 overhaul of special ed violated a swath of federal law and regulations.
“The corrective action and recommendations we offered today are the right first step to helping CPS fully serve all children and families,” Smith said in a statement. “The common good requires uncommonly good public schools.”
The ISBE vote Wednesday followed a state probe begun last fall after a group of special education advocates, bolstered by reporting from WBEZ, Chicago’s public radio station, asked for the state’s help in examining sudden and unpopular changes to special education at CPS, changes they believed were illegal and “driven by budgetary concerns.”
Among other things, state investigators held three public meetings in March and also collected some 8,600 pages of documents before releasing their report April 18.
In a press conference held after the state made its decision, Jesse Sharkey, vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, said the city’s board of education were “deaf, dumb and blind judges made of stone” to complaints that union members and parents brought before them.
“If they’re going to say ‘We’ve turned over a new leaf’ and ‘We hear you, and we’re going to now fix the problem,’ I want to know why they didn’t do anything to fix this problem for over a year when we brought them specific instances of this system being broken,” Sharkey said.
Advocates say a single independent monitor won’t be enough to clean things up.
“We cannot change this culture or practice at CPS without robust supports,” said Amy Zimmerman of the Legal Council for Health Justice, “and that’s going to require a significant amount not only of monitoring and ensuring compliance with the remedies that ISBE has put forth, but there’s also a requirement for a lot of technical assistance that they’re going to need.” […]
The district will have to get approval from the monitor to make any changes to special education policies or procedures, access to any and all meetings and trainings, as well as serving as the third party when staff, parents or advocates have a concern to raise.
Even the state board acknowledges it will be a heavy lift.
“It is a robust report,” said Stephanie Jones, general counsel for ISBE. “There’s a lot of requirements, and it’s probably more than one person can do. We acknowledge that. But we do believe that we have the staffers in the agency to support the monitor and provide the services that ISBE is requiring of itself to provide, through the recommendations, and also provide the oversight that we believe CPS needs.”
* Cook County Clerk David Orr sat down with the Sun-Times editorial board to lay out three reform ideas…
Between the deadline for candidates to file their petitions and the start of early voting, there simply isn’t enough time to fairly settle all ballot challenges. Most recently, candidates had to file by Dec. 4, and early voting started on March 5.
Orr wants to add two more weeks, and the Legislature should go for it, although his companion idea to move the primary to May might not get much support.
Second, Orr points out that it makes no sense to require some candidates for office in Cook County to gather more than 8,000 signatures when only 5,000 are needed to run for governor. To run for mayor of Chicago, a candidate must collect 12,500 valid signatures, which in the real world of city politics usually means having to collect at least 25,000 signatures to weather the storm of petition challenges. […]
A little excessive, can we agree? A 5,000-signature cap on signatures for all state and local offices would be prudent.
A third promising idea is to follow Denver’s lead and allow people circulating petitions to use internet-connected tablet computers that would instantly determine whether a signature on a petition is valid. That would cut down on the time needed to deal with signature challenges after candidates file.
A May primary would be a nightmare for legislators stuck in session. I just don’t see that happening.
Bruce Rauner told us he could grow jobs, but after three years in office Illinois is growing fewer jobs than before Rauner. Invest in our state, stop attacking working families, and let's get Illinois back on track!
* Kathleen Chwalisz, co-chair of the SIUC Faculty Senate Budget Committee, in a Southern Illinoisan op-ed…
After Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the rest of the region were blindsided last month by a $5 million reallocation threat to campus and the associated $39 million threat to the region, the SIUC community has been wondering, “How did we get here?”
Budget-related documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act show that SIU President Randy Dunn actively concealed from SIUC Chancellor Carlo Montemagno his plan to transfer $5.125 million from the Carbondale to Edwardsville campus. He sought to use the fictitious 60/40 split formula to — in Dunn’s words in an email exchange with Vice President Duane Stucky, SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook and SIUE Budget Director William Winter — “shut up the b*tchers from Carbondale.”
Randy Dunn’s email reveals his contempt for the Carbondale campus and community, as he denigrates us for questioning the rationale, process and timing of the proposed reallocation move.
In emails and meeting notes, it is apparent that Dunn charged SIUE officials to come up with justification for a manufactured dollar amount — and Board of Trustees Chair Amy Sholar was in on the plan.
*** UPDATE *** Rep. Terri Bryant, who represents SIUC, just delivered a thundering address on the House floor calling for Randy Dunn to resign immediately.
…Adding… Rep. Bryant did a radio interview after her floor speech. Click here.
“The issues the governor raised in his amendatory veto of House Bill 1468 deserve a full hearing and consideration before the House. With this in mind, we have filed an amendment to Senate Bill 2580, containing the exact language the governor suggested. The amendment will be sent directly to the House floor this morning and a subject matter hearing on the measure will be held on Monday afternoon. We look forward to hearing from stakeholders and continuing our effort to keep our children, our schools and our communities safe from senseless gun violence.”
As state lawmakers delay a vote on the Equal Rights Amendment, the Democrat running against Gov. Bruce Rauner is pushing him to say where he stands on it. […]
The Rauner campaign responded with this statement: “The Governor supports equal rights for everyone.”
Democrats have clearly calculated that bringing up the ERA at this time puts Republicans, especially Rauner, in a tough spot.
For the governor, declaring himself in favor of the amendment would risk further alienating the conservative wing of the Republican Party that he is trying to win back after a divisive primary election against Rep. Jeanne Ives.
Conservative Republicans argue the ERA would open the way for government-paid abortions and co-ed prisons, which ERA supporters deny.
But openly opposing the ERA would hurt Rauner’s chances with women voters, particularly the suburban independent women who provided an important part of his winning coalition in 2014.
With concerns about taking any stand that might further anger his base this election year, Governor Rauner has refused to directly support the Amendment.
“I’ve made my position clear, I support equal rights for everyone,” Rauner said.
Rauner also urged lawmakers to act quickly to authorize $230 million to rebuild the post-Civil War era veterans home, including replacing aging water pipes that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contends may be the source of bacterial contamination.
“We need that bill to pass,” Rauner said, adding “that bill should have been sent to my desk already.”
“For the legislation, the General Assembly’s meeting today. They’ve been meeting every day. They could get this done, like today, tomorrow,” he said.
They need a few more days than that.
The administration-backed bill authorizing the money was introduced Wednesday. The House and Senate need three days each to pass a new bill.
Thursday, May 17, 2018 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
For the fifth year in a row, DuPage Credit Union will host its annual “We’ve Got Your Back” fundraiser in partnership with the DuPage Regional Office of Education and Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet. This event raises money for students across DuPage County who are in need and exemplifies the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People.” The credit union expects to raise more than $10,000 this year; 100% of the proceeds will go towards school supplies for students in DuPage County. The “We’ve Got Your Back” fundraiser has raised more than $50,000 and provided more than 4,200 DuPage County students in need with backpacks packed with school essentials since its inception. This year’s event has recently kicked off, and donations will be accepted through July at any branch location or at https://www.dupagecu.com/backpacks/.
* Michael O’Brien and Jon Seidel from the Sun-Times have been following this story for months now, in November publishing an expose on former Olympic volleyball coach turned suburban club coach Rick Butler’s alleged sexual abuse of his female team members.
* Earlier this week, two of Butler’s former players testified in front of a special Senate committee hearing on sexual harassment about the alleged sexual abuse and even rape they endured while being coached by Butler decades ago.
They asked lawmakers to consider extending the statute of limitations in sexual abuse cases, in situations when the accused abuser threatens to sue victims for defamation to try to keep them from coming forward.
Three women who in the 1990s accused a popular west suburban volleyball coach of sexual abuse have long said he was never prosecuted because they didn’t make their accusations until crucial legal deadlines had passed.
But Tuesday, one of them told state lawmakers Rick Butler could have faced criminal charges if another accuser, who remains anonymous to this day, had come forward at the same time. Instead, she was allegedly threatened into silence.
“She’s still ‘Jane Doe,’ as you can imagine,” Sarah Powers-Barnhard said during a hearing in Springfield. “And that came from being threatened.”
“He told me I had to follow him blindly. That if I wanted to reach my goals to play in college and the Olympics, I had to understand I was different from everybody else. I had to follow him blindly. I just listened and he just leaned over and kissed me. I hadn’t even kissed a boy at that point,” Powers Barnhard said.
She said kissing was just the beginning. And while she played for him, he sexually assaulted her hundreds of times.
“When we were in Germany as a team, we were on a train, and he grabbed me and took me into the bathroom and raped me there with my teammates close by,” she said.
“We were staying in tents and our host put is in a room. Rick slept on the floor next to me and he fondled me during the night with my teammates next to me. I could do nothing about it.”
“I’m not here today because I want to relive all of the horrible things that Rick Butler did to me when I was a child entrusted to his care,” Julie Romias said in a hushed Capitol hearing room. “I’m here because I feel that I have to be because change needs to happen.”
