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Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

You who choose to lead must follow
But if you fall you fall alone

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DPI crows about down-ballot wins; ILGOP chair upbeat

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Democratic Party of Illinois…

While the Illinois GOP may cling to Donald Trump’s divisive politics, the Democratic Party of Illinois has shown that our state will not go backward. This week’s down-ballot wins demonstrate how strategic organizing and coordination through Organize Illinois 2024 made a critical difference for Democrats across the state. By protecting key seats and making impactful gains in county and local races, the Party surpassed expectations and outperformed previous cycles, including 2016, despite facing significant headwinds at the top of the ticket. Not even in 2016 did Democrats perform as strongly down-ballot relative to the national line, and the Party is proud of the work done to achieve this success. Illinois voters chose unity, progress, and compassionate leadership.

“The structure and partnerships we built will continue to serve as a model for collaboration among DPI, partner organizations, and Democratic candidates. To every community we serve, these victories reaffirm our commitment to protecting our shared values of progress for working families, safeguarding freedoms, and advancing equality,” said DPI Chair Lisa Hernandez.

Key Wins in Districts Targeted by Organize Illinois 2024:

• DPI’s top congressional targets, Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Eric Sorensen (IL-17) will return to represent Illinois in D.C.
• A new Democratic majority in the McLean County Board with Buck Farley and Sean Fagan both flipping seats
• State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart was resoundingly re-elected in Lake County
• The Peoria County Democrats increased their majority with Marcia McCann’s victory over a Republican incumbent
• Democrats added to their majorities, winning county board seats in DuPage, Kane, and Peoria

Additional Notable County Board and County-Wide Wins in Targeted Districts:

• Democrat Laurie Brauer won her race for Champaign County Coroner
• Monica Silva unseated a Republican to become Kane County’s first countywide elected Latina
• Re-elected Chanda McDonnell to the Whiteside County Board
• Re-elected Elizabeth Johnston to the McLean County Board
• Re-elected Laura Kessel to the Fulton County Board
• Re-elected Marc Ayers to the Sangamon County Board
• Elected Kelly Hickey to the Will County Board
• Elected John “Jack” Collins to the McHenry County Board
• Elected Ted Penesis to the Kane County Board
• Elected Saba Haider to the DuPage County Board
• Elected Rita Kelly to the Whiteside County Board

Through Organize Illinois 2024, DPI engaged nearly 2 million voters through door knocking and phone calls, supported over 115 targeted candidates, hosted close to 200 get-out-the-vote events, and responded to 2,200 voter protection calls.

* From ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi…

We are finally unburdened by what has been. The American people have sent a powerful message: we are tired of the tax-and-spend policies that Democrats have championed. President Trump’s sweeping victory across the nation, including significant gains in Illinois, signals a brighter future for both our nation and our state. Under President Trump, we saw prosperity four years ago, and we will see it again as he focuses on securing our borders, lowering the cost of living, and protecting our individual liberties. Illinois Republicans have made tremendous strides, laying the foundation to welcome new voters and stand strong against the billionaire governor and his allies in Springfield. It’s time for us to get back on our horse and start working again as we prepare for the 2026 midterms.

As highlighted by Cook County Republican Party Chairman Sean Morrison, in Illinois, recent unofficial vote counts tell a compelling story: former President Donald Trump received 2,483,905 votes—48% of the state’s electorate—while Governor JB Pritzker, despite spending $200 million on his campaign, earned a maximum of 2,479,746 votes. This contrast highlights a surge of Republican support in Illinois and raises questions about Democratic efforts to retain power, particularly through the redistricting maneuvers of 2021.

With voter sentiment clearly leaning toward change, it’s time to end Illinois Democrats’ gerrymandering practices, which distort the true political will of our people. Illinois deserves fair representation that reflects the voice of its residents, not lines drawn to ensure one-party control.

These numbers offer hope and a promising future for Illinois and the Republican Party with President Trump back in the White House. We are rebuilding, investing, and laying a strong foundation through our historic Get Out the Vote (GOTV) program and our Election Integrity initiatives. Illinois Republicans have shown remarkable strength and resilience, standing firm against Pritzker’s millions. In McHenry County, for example, I congratulate County Board Chair Michael Buehler and county officials on their successful ground game, reinforcing the county’s solid red status.

A special recognition goes to State Representative Kevin Schmidt. Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Democrats spent millions to unseat Representative Schmidt, but for the second time, he prevailed. Representative Schmidt has shown that hard work, integrity, and commitment to the people will always triumph over self-serving political interests. In the coming weeks, we’ll highlight more Republican leaders who overcame Pritzker’s massive spending.

I extend my deepest gratitude to every candidate who ran in this election. Regardless of the outcome, each of you put your personal and family lives on hold to uplift our community and state. You stood firm in the face of challenges and attacks, championing our values with courage. While winning is always a triumph, each candidate sparked inspiration for a new generation of leaders and gave hope to those seeking a brighter future. Thank you for your dedication and unwavering commitment.

I commend all Illinois Republicans for cutting the Democrat margin by more than half for President Trump. Our success came from embracing early voting and vote-by-mail, leading to historic turnout among Illinois Republicans. The groundwork has been laid for Republican victories in 2026, 2028, and beyond, as long as we stay united and work together. It’s time to help our communities heal and turn Illinois red.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign update

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated x2)

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Gov. Pritzker…

https://t.co/6h8XzPYAU1 pic.twitter.com/ETgdKJ1NMK

— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) November 8, 2024

* Some news…

From the docket: The Court finds in favor of the Plaintiffs and against the Defendants in these consolidated cases. The Court holds that the challenged provisions of the Protect Illinois Communities Act are unconstitutional under the Second Amendment to the United States…

— Bishop On Air (@BishopOnAir) November 8, 2024

…Adding… Gov. Pritzker…

The Protect Illinois Communities Act was the result of hundreds of hours of deliberation between legal experts, legislators, and advocates, and it makes Illinois a safer place for everyone. Despite those who value weapons of war more than public safety, this law was enacted to and has protected Illinoisans from the constant fear of being gunned down in places where they ought to feel secure. We look forward to the Attorney General filing an immediate appeal and the Governor is confident the constitutionality of the Protect Illinois Communities Act will be upheld through this process.

…Adding… AG Raoul…

Although this decision is disappointing, the Protect Illinois Communities Act remains in effect for the next 30 days. The law is an important part of the state’s comprehensive efforts to make communities safe from gun violence. We will continue to defend the law’s constitutionality, as we have in courtrooms throughout Illinois, and plan to appeal the court’s decision.

* Former Gov. Pat Quinn…

This Tuesday, November 12, at noon in the press room of the State Capitol in Springfield, former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will discuss the resounding victory of the Illinois Property Tax Relief Amendment Referendum on the November 5th statewide ballot and outline next steps for passage of a constitutional amendment for property tax relief in Illinois.

The referendum passed with more than 60% voter support and marks the first time ever that Illinois voters had a direct referendum opportunity to demand mandatory property tax relief.

The referendum asked: “Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds used for property tax relief?”

After New Jersey, Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the nation.

The property tax burden is a major factor in the cost of living for millions of Illinois households who pay more than $23 billion in residential property taxes every year.

* Stellantis strike? WIFR…

“A strike is seen as a necessary evil,” says John Mann. “We don’t want to do it, but we may have to.”

On Thursday, Mann and other Local 1268 members put their thoughts on the ballot – voting on a strike authorization (i.e., ability to hit the picket line, if required). Workers approved the measure by 91%. […]

More than 2,000 jobs sit in limbo without operations returning. The automaker maintains it will keep Belvidere open; most voters share the optimism – arguing the plant “works too well” to abandon. […]

Fresh off President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, UAW President Fain says the union must depend on itself to protect workers.

“We’ve said all along that no matter who is in the White House, our fight remains the same… It’s time for Washington, DC to put up or shut up.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Crain’s | Illinois government blamed for failing social equity cannabis businesses in new lawsuit: The seven cannabis transporter businesses claim in the new lawsuit, filed Nov. 1 in Circuit Court for the Seventh Judicial District of Sangamon County, that Pritzker and the IDOA changed course in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The change allowed the 22 existing licensed medical marijuana companies to transport their own cannabis goods, instead of following the original 2019 law which required such businesses to use independent transporters — a move that was never reversed.

*** Statewide ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois school Superintendent Tony Sanders discusses strategy to boost math scores: In a podcast interview recorded Wednesday, Nov. 6, State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders spoke with Capitol News Illinois about the report card and the need to address the sagging math scores.

*** Chicago ***

* WBEZ | A majority of the Chicago City Council is calling for an early vote on mayor’s property tax hike: A group of 29 alderpersons across the political spectrum are calling a special City Council meeting next Wednesday in hopes of voting on the proposed property tax hike, separate from the rest of the 2025 budget. “This support’s not there for a $300 million property tax increase — it’s just not there,” said Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th Ward. “So, the reality is: How do we have a real, candid discussion around how this is going to play out?”

* Chalkbeat | Results for two outstanding school board races called, with a third still too close: Karin Norington-Reaves, the District 10 candidate who finished second behind Smith, said she is not conceding and is considering legal steps. She said all mail-in and early ballots must be counted and she argued Thursday that voters receiving ballots for the wrong school district denied them the opportunity to participate in the city’s first school board election. She said she has retained a lawyer. “This isn’t about sour grapes,” she said. “When it’s this close, and we have this many uncounted ballots and this many irregularities, I’m not conceding.”

* WBEZ | Migrants in Chicago might find legal help tough to get as they try to meet asylum application deadlines: More than 50,000 migrants, most from Venezuela, have arrived in Chicago since August 2022, many who fled violence, threats and persecution and are seeking asylum. With few exceptions, they have one year from arriving to apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for asylum. So those who arrived last fall now face only a limited amount of time to do so.

* Crain’s | At Old Post Office, Vizient bulks up while Uber shrinks At Old Post Office, Vizient bulks up while Uber shrinks: The health care management consulting firm has signed on to add about 40,000 square feet to its office in the hulking riverfront property at 433 W. Van Buren St., according to people familiar with the matter. The expansion came from a three-party deal in which Vizient will take over space on the building’s 8th floor that has been occupied by Uber, but will lease it directly from the building’s owner, New York-based 601W, sources said.

* Block Club | Beloved ‘Mayor’ Of Armitage Brown Line Station Is Retiring In February: People call Janet Martin the mayor of the Armitage Brown Line station for a reason. Martin, a CTA customer service representative, arrives at the station at 5:30 a.m. daily. She cleans the lobby, picks up garbage on the platform and starts her shift at 6 a.m. While there’s a customer service office next to the fare gate area at every station, Martin hardly sits in there. Instead, she’s greeting people and helping with whatever they need: buying a ticket at the kiosk, pushing luggage through the fare gate and assisting people who use wheelchairs.

* Block Club | Venezuelan Couple’s Empanadas A Hit In Humboldt Park, Selling Out Daily As They Wait For Work Permits: The couple, asylum seekers from Venezuela, have become a staple at the neighborhood’s busy intersection of North and California avenues. They’re reaping the benefits of the area’s foot traffic, catering to people waiting in the long line at the state’s human services and family community resource building, many of whom are other asylum seekers from Latin America. “We’ve had a lot of opportunities to try new things like this,” Angelica said in Spanish. Block Club isn’t publishing their last name for safety reasons. “Even though we can’t work legally in businesses yet, we have made new friends and received a lot of support for migrants from the local community and organizations.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | 3 Aurora mayor hopefuls accused of conspiring to force a primary: The objections call Jazmine Garcia and Karina Garcia “sham candidates” and say they conspired with another candidate, Alderman-at-large John Laesch, by collecting signatures for each other or having supporters do so. They acted as a de facto political party, according to the objections, and Aurora’s election is nonpartisan. Doing so violates state election law, according to John Fogerty, the attorney for Tara Loza, who filed the objections. Loza collected signatures for Mayor Richard Irvin, who is seeking re-election.

* Tribune | Suburban voters approve more than $1 billion in school borrowing, but draw the line on some measures: Suburban voters outside Chicago generally bucked a national conservative trend in Tuesday’s election by supporting more than a dozen measures to borrow more than $1.1 billion to fund schools, and more for fire stations, park facilities and open land. Notable school spending plans that appeared on the way to approval in unofficial results include $151 million for Wheaton-Warrenville District 200, $150 million for Mundelein District 120, $89 million for Park Ridge-Niles District 64, $85 million for Mount Prospect District 57, and $75 million for Westmont District 201, $64 million for Barrington District 220, $48 million for Salt Creek District 48 in the Oak Brook area, $30 million for Bloomingdale District 13 and $20 million for Cary District 26.

* Shaw Local | Kendall County voter participation down in 2024: While Kendall County is the fastest growing county in the state, the vote count of the 2024 General Election reveals the surge in population has not translated to a significant rise in voter participation. Between the 2020 General Election and the 2024 General Election, the total number registered voters in the county increased nearly 9%.

* Tribune | Two suburban men charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot, first Chicago-area charges since Trump election: Two suburban men, one a retired professional boxer and another a convicted burglar, have been hit with federal charges alleging they stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and scuffled with police while chanting “Whose House? Our House!” The charges against Michael Mollo Jr., 44, and Emil Kozeluh, 41, are the first Chicago-area cases to be brought involving the events at the Capitol since the election earlier this week of Donald Trump, who repeatedly said on the campaign trail he’d consider issuing pardons if he returned to the White House.

* Daily Herald | Trump, turnout, taxes and more: 5 takeaways from Election Day in the suburbs: While the status quo largely prevailed throughout the suburbs in the wake of Tuesday’s election, some results did raise eyebrows. Suburban support for former President Donald Trump grew while every Democratic congressional incumbent handily defeated their Republican challengers. Turnout dipped, local improvements that will cost suburban taxpayers more won over voters and two coroners were ousted.

*** Downstate ***

A southern Illinois man charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol has sought to delay his guilty plea because "Donald Trump became President-Elect of the United States" and there will likely be a change in how such cases "will be handled in the near future." pic.twitter.com/QhnoqaJIjk

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) November 8, 2024

* WGLT | McLean County Democrats continue long march toward parity: A Twin City political scientist says McLean County Democrats have been building toward gaining control of the McLean County Board through changing demographics for two decades now. “With new voters, a diversification of our community’s population, and the fact that we’re the highest educated community outside of Chicago in the state, those are all things that have led our voting patterns toward the Democrats,” said Illinois Wesleyan University professor Tari Renner. Elections on Tuesday flipped control of the board from a 10-10 split between Republicans and Democrats to a 12-8 advantage for the Democratic Party.

* Rockford Register Star | From Rockford to Peoria to Springfield, fewer voters cast ballots on Election Day: Although Election Day felt busy as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris faced off for president, the number and percentage of voters who showed up were below expectations, Rockford Board of Elections Commission Chairman Ryan Brauns said. “It does seem like turnout is down all over, but then the swing states and places with hot races were up,” Brauns said. “I don’t know if it is the fact that Illinois isn’t in play, or that we didn’t have all that much on our local ballot and a lot of unopposed races.”

* WCIA | Here’s how voter turnout compares in Central IL counties: Some counties, like Ford and Iroquois, both had more than 70% registered voter turnout rates reported. Champaign County was also unable to match its 79% turnout from 2020. Sangamon County saw slightly lower numbers than in 2020. In the last Presidential election, the county had a 75% registered voter turnout rate. In 2024 they saw a 72% turnout rate.

* WSIL | Wife of southern Illinois judge who was shot and killed, appears in court: Megan S. Valentine faces murder charges, along with other felony charges, after police said her husband Michael Valentine, was shot and killed. On Friday, November 8, Megan Valentine had her first court appearance. Online court records state the defense attorney, on behalf of Megan, did not object to his client remaining in custody until the new court date.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: Veto session update

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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A vile example of why wireless companies need to crack down hard on mass texting

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* CNN…

Authorities across the United States are investigating after racist text messages – some with references to “slave catchers” and “picking cotton” reminiscent of the country’s painful and bigoted past – have been received by children, college students and working professionals from unrecognized phone numbers

* A sample…

* NBC…

It is unclear who is behind the mass text messages, what motivated them or how they obtained phone numbers for swaths of Black people. But some of the anonymous numbers appear to be tied to TextNow, a text messaging service that allows users to obtain untraceable, “burner” phone numbers.

A TextNow spokesperson told NBC News in a statement that it is aware of the messages. “As soon as we became aware, our Trust & Safety team acted quickly, shutting down the accounts involved within the hour,” the statement said. “TextNow is proud to be an inclusive service offering free mobile text and data to millions of Americans. We do not tolerate or condone the use of our service to send harassing or spam messages and will work with the authorities to prevent these individuals from doing so in the future.” […]

A spokesperson for the CTIA, the official trade association representing the wireless communication industry, told NBC News in a statement that several wireless carriers were impacted by the mass texts and the association is “pushing back on the aggregators which handle text message campaigns like this from the outset.”

Those wireless companies have got to crack down hard on all of these mass texts. Yeah, they make money off of them, but too bad.

* The vile messages were sent to Illinoisans, too…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued a statement in response to reports of racist text messages from anonymous senders to Black and Brown Americans, including students, around the country.

“Hate has no place in the state of Illinois. Full stop. I am outraged by reports of these offensive, racist texts and am particularly saddened to learn these hate-filled messages have even been received by students, including in Illinois. I urge any Illinois resident who has received one of these racist text messages to contact local law enforcement or the Help Stop Hate Helpline, or to file a complaint with my office’s Civil Rights Bureau.”

* Raoul has been active on this topic for quite a while now. From a 2022 press release…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul expressed support for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) proposal to help cut down on unwanted text messages by requiring mobile wireless providers to block texts from invalid, unassigned, or unused numbers, and from numbers on a Do Not Originate (DNO) list. In addition, Raoul and a bipartisan collation of attorneys general are asking the FCC to continue pushing the wireless industry to help protect consumers. […]

Illinois is a member of the national Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force, which investigates and takes legal action against the telecommunications companies involved in illegal robocalls.

In 2022, Raoul joined a coalition of 33 attorneys general in filing a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court defending the anti-robocall provisions of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

In August 2019, Raoul joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from all 50 states and Washington D.C. in partnering with 12 phone companies to create a set of principles for telecom companies to fight robocalls. In June 2019, Raoul, in cooperation with the Federal Trade Commission, announced a major crackdown on robocalls that included 94 actions targeting operations around the country that were responsible for more than 1 billion calls. Raoul has also submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission urging the adoption of its proposed rules on enforcement against caller ID spoofing.

This has to stop.

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Uber’s Local Partnership = Stress-Free Travel For Paratransit Riders

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The Pace Rideshare Access Program subsidizes Uber trips, leaving riders with a co-pay of just $2.

The impact: “This program has been a godsend for me. It offers flexibility, independence, freedom and the ability to maintain a beautiful life on so many levels,” says one rider.

CTA: See how it works.

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Trump stuff

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Democrats tend to beat themselves up pretty badly when they lose elections. Jimmy Carter was a pariah for many years after he lost. Hillary Clinton was pilloried after her 2016 loss. Locally, lots of Democrats have still not forgiven Pat Quinn for his 2014 loss to Bruce Rauner…

Amazing that every single person in Democratic politics knows what went wrong in this election, but none of them knew how to keep it from happening a few days ago.

— Mark Jacob (@MarkJacob16) November 8, 2024

The Republicans aren’t nearly as tough on their losing candidates. They basically just doubled-down after Donald Trump lost in 2020. Locally, after losing to Pat Quinn, Bill Brady eventually became the Senate Republican Leader. Neither of these are hard and fast rules, of course, because life isn’t completely black and white. I’m just sayin’ “in general.”

* What I would suggest to Democrats is that instead of solely focusing on their endless internal blame games, that they try to learn from Trump’s success this year. I saw various iterations of this TV ad during the campaign and it was just about a perfect play to working people…

No taxes on tips, no taxes on Social Security and no taxes on overtime…

The people who work overtime are among the hardest working citizens in our country. And for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them. One man will refuse to fall so America and its workers can continue to stand great again.

Simple and effective. Yes, no taxes on Social Security income will be disastrous to the system, but the Dems didn’t really pivot on it and push it back in his face. And the Democrats’ own economic messaging required a lot of explaining because it was less than clear.

Trump also talked constantly about inflation, and had a simple solution for job losses by imposing tariffs.

Messaging 101: Keep it simple, stupid.

* Remember this Sun-Times/WBEZ story about the city’s school board election?…

But based on what’s been landing in many voters’ mailboxes, texts and on their television screens, it would be hard to blame them for thinking they were choosing between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Trump. […]

“Donald Trump and out-of-state billionaires are pulling the strings of Angel Gutierrez,” reads a campaign flyer that depicts Gutierrez as a puppet. The [CTU] flyer tells voters to “expect Angel Gutierrez to dance to Donald Trump’s Project 2025 agenda.” That’s a far-right plan for the federal government under Trump if he’s elected president.

Flyers supporting Gutierrez, meanwhile, show Johnson’s picture next to statistics about CPS student achievement. “In Brandon Johnson’s Chicago Public Schools 3 of 4 students CAN’T READ at grade level.”

“Angel Gutierrez will say NO MORE to Brandon Johnson!” the flyer reads.

Four CTU-endorsed candidates are winning out of ten. But one of those four, Jennifer Custer, has credibly pledged independence from the union and the mayor, although the CTU did do some Trump hits on her opponent. And another, Aaron “Jitu” Brown, was unopposed on the ballot (a write-in candidate did file).

So, in admittedly simplistic terms, the anti-Johnson/CTU message defeated the anti-Trump message. In Chicago. Let that sink in for a bit.

* Illinois Freedom Caucus…

The Illinois Freedom Caucus says the election of Donald Trump as the 47th President has permanently changed the Republican Party and it is the strength of the Trump coalition that has delivered the US Senate, the US House and prevented major losses in Illinois.

“President Donald Trump has transformed the Republican Party into the party of the middle class and working families. His message of hope, optimism and patriotism has brought a broad coalition of voters into the Republican Party. The transformation is real, and it is permanent.

The Trump coalition has propelled US Senate candidates to victory and appears to also preserve Republican control of Congress. Here in Illinois, Trump gained in the collar counties in Illinois and will lose Illinois by only a thin margin. In fact, Donald Trump has INCREASED his margins in Illinois every time he has run.

It appears Republicans in the Illinois House will hold onto their 40 seats. The fact that we did not lose seats is a testament to the strength of the Trump coalition which ran strong even in a deep blue state like Illinois.

Certainly, holding seats is better than losing seats, but the truth is it should have been a better night for Republicans in Illinois. We should have capitalized on the Trump momentum. If we want to bring the national success of the Trump coalition to Illinois, we need to embrace the change he has brought to our party instead of fighting that change. It is time for our party’s leaders to put head in the sand politicians like Jim Edgar, Jim Durkin, Ray LaHood, and Adam Kinzinger to bed. Their political acumen is on par with Adam Kinzinger’s gun safety skills. Illinois Republicans can and will win in Illinois. All we have to do is follow the blueprint set by our 47th President. It turns out the American people really do want secure borders, safe streets, a thriving economy, lower energy costs and they don’t want to pay more in taxes. The values of the Freedom Caucus are American values that appeal to everyone regardless of race. These are the values we have and will continue to fight for as we rebuild and remake the Illinois Republican party.”

Illinois House Democrats have had difficulties every time Trump’s name has appeared on the ballot here. They lost four House seats and one House seat in 2020. This year, it’s starting to look like a wash.

Their record in Trump’s mid-term election was much better, picking up seven seats in 2018.

* Politico…

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: President-elect Donald Trump’s new White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, comes from Mercury Public Affairs, the same firm where former Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos is a partner.

Bustos runs Mercury-Illinois and its Midwestern operations and handles federal affairs in D.C.

Her firm’s intimate connection to Wiles could be a big plus for Mercury-Illinois, which opened its doors less than two years ago, right after Bustos left Congress after serving five terms.

Mercury CEO Kieran Mahoney said Wiles’ appointment as White House chief of staff “is great news for the country. Susie has been a valued colleague. We are all proud of her and wish her the best.”

Any thoughts on whether this will be a “big plus” for Mercury-Illinois’ lobbying operation?

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Another update to today’s edition

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small.

We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Kasia and Britni, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

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Welch says he has secured the votes for another term as House Speaker

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I interviewed Speaker Welch this morning and he said nobody in his caucus told him “No” when he asked for their votes…

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch released the following statement Friday:

I am grateful to the people of the 7th District for re-electing me to represent them in Springfield, and I am pleased to announce that I have secured the votes of my colleagues to continue to serve as Speaker of the House. I am honored by the trust my community and colleagues have placed in me.

The people of Illinois have asked for leadership that is both smart and compassionate. The House Democratic Caucus is tasked with understanding and responding to the messages they’ve heard from their constituents at the doors and that the people across our state have sent by their votes. We’ll be guided by families’ real concerns, seeing their budgets stretched thin by the rising costs of everyday essentials. We’ll stand up for the rights of all people, even those who do not always agree with us, and defend the dignity of everyone who calls Illinois home—and those nationwide who look to us as a bastion of hope and safety. And we’ll work to deliver for everyone tired of having to choose between being a state that works and a state that cares. We choose to be both.

I’ll have more on the Welch interview for subscribers next week.

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Some views from Little Village

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Laura Rodríguez Presa at the Tribune…

In the five wards with the highest rate of Latinos, Trump got from 27% to 41% of the vote in this week’s election, according to a Tribune analysis of voting and demographic data.

It is difficult to compare that to how those same areas voted four years ago, because the city redrew ward maps and changed voting precinct boundaries. But one clue can be found in comparing the voting patterns in precincts within Little Village, known as the Mexico of the Midwest and a gateway for immigrants, including many of the new migrants.

In precincts within Little Village, the support for Trump appeared to have more than doubled: from 13% in 2020 to 32% in 2024, according to an analysis of unofficial results. That type of swing mirrors national data that suggests the Latino vote helped Trump get into office despite his use of rhetoric during the campaign that his opponents decried as racist and anti-immigrant.

For some naturalized citizens in Chicago, children of immigrants and even some people in the U.S. illegally, the promise of a better economy and stronger border security outweighs the threat of mass deportation and stricter immigration policies. Many said they shifted to the right because they felt left out and betrayed by the Democratic candidates after recent migrants received financial support and work permits but longtime undocumented immigrants were seemingly forgotten.

Barajas was one of them. While sipping on his brandy, he said he was hopeful that the new administration “would know who to deport.” […]

Though [President-elect Trump] has said he would invoke the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used 1798 law that allows the president to deport any noncitizen from a country the U.S. is at war with, he has spoken about deploying the National Guard, which can be activated on orders from a governor. Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser, has said troops under sympathetic Republican governors would be sent to nearby states that refuse to participate.

Lots more in that very well-written piece, so go read the whole thing..

* Coincidentally, I had a text conversation with Rep. Edgar Gonzalez on Wednesday. He’s a twenty-something progressive Democrat who represents Little Village…

Rep. Gonzalez: I fully expected him to win - not the popular vote tho, that was a surprise, but it makes sense in hindsight. Young Latino dudes are getting a bad rap so I’m preparing for that.

Miller: How so?

Rep. Gonzalez: Young people, Latinos, and Latino men in particular broke for Trump - a lot of people are oversimplifying the why to machismo, which is a big but not the only reason.

Miller: What are the other reasons?

Rep. Gonzalez: Distrust in politicians - Dems and GOP are basically the same (however erroneous that sounds) especially after Dems went right on border security, so they looked at other issues.

Economic injustice - Latinos are overrepresented in sectors hard-hit by outsourcing and automation, the type of jobs Trump promised to bring back.

Graduates and non - Latino men are graduating less than their Latina counterparts (adds to their reliance on lower skilled jobs). It freezes their socioeconomic mobility, opens them up to misinformation and conspiracy theories.

I would add that some of the misinformation he spoke of was claimed in the above Tribune story, which quoted people who believe, for instance, that migrants receive food stamps. That’s not to say their grievances are false. They’re absolutely right to say that nobody from the government helped them when they came here to work.

* Meanwhile, this is from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights…

Today we are launching a community defense plan that will:

• Activate our deportation defense infrastructure through a series of public know-your-rights trainings,
• Further restrict data-sharing with ICE and bolster hard-won defenses that protect our people from federal immigration authorities.
• Build out our statewide rapid response infrastructure to meet the needs of immigrants beyond Chicago and its suburbs.
• Extend a hand to all other progressive social movements to work in solidarity and across our differences to create the vision we need for collective liberation.

32 Comments

Roundup: Madigan corruption trial

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

Jurors in the corruption trial of former House Speaker Michael Madigan on Thursday heard a wiretapped phone call in which the speaker’s longtime confidant laid out his rather old-school worldview when it came to political hiring recommendations.

It was May 23, 2018, and Michael McClain was talking to Madigan’s son, Andrew, about his frustration that representatives of a gas utility were complaining they were being pressured to hire someone recommended by the speaker as part of the state’s entrenched pay-to-play system.

“That’s what happens when you’re in this game,” McClain said on the call, which was being secretly recorded by the FBI. “And you never know, maybe someday you can ask for a favor, so. I mean, that’s how this is, you can’t be offended with that. Oh, so you got pressure too? Are you kidding me?”

Later in the same call, McClain continued his diatribe, saying, “I just love these people.”

* Sun-Times…

McClain called Madigan’s son that evening to tell him about the chat with Marquez. McClain said “that’s how the sys[tem], it is, you can’t be offended with that. Oh, so you got pressure too, are you kidding me? Yeah, we got pressure. Okay, okay.”

Madigan’s son said, “that’s funny” and told McClain he appreciated the call. “It’s not easy working with people,” he added. […]

“Yeah, I mean, it’d be easier if everybody would just obey right?” McClain said.

Moments after he played that call in court Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu began the task of walking jurors through a mountain of emails that showed McClain’s relentless pressure on ComEd to hire people, allegedly at Michael Madigan’s behest.

* Capitol News Illinois…

But on Thursday, jurors got a glimpse of Marquez’s overflowing inbox as prosecutors took him through nearly 80 email exhibits related to job and internship requests for everyday people, mostly from Madigan’s 13th Ward power base on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

McClain could be relentless in his requests, sometimes refusing to take ‘no’ for an answer, even when Marquez told him that an applicant was rejected by a certain ComEd department because he or she was unqualified.

The jury saw three months’ worth of emails about one applicant who, Marquez told McClain, didn’t have the minimum qualifications for even an entry-level analyst job . Still, Marquez secured the candidate an interview for ComEd’s IT support team in the winter of 2014 after McClain told him Madigan “asks about him every week.”

But it didn’t go well.

In addition to lacking technical skills, the applicant didn’t even have the sort of “soft skills that might compensate,” ComEd’s vice president for IT told Marquez in an email.

* WTTW…

“Attached is a request for a person to work in our legal department this year,” McClain wrote in an April 16, 2013 email to Marquez, “He will not learn very much and he will not be able to contribute much, if anything, but that is still the ask.”

That “ask,” McClain explained in the email, had come from “our friend” — a reference to Madigan. Other applicants were also suggested by 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn, according to Marquez.

“I have to say that generally Fidel tells me that the company is very happy with the quality and work ethic of the individuals you sponsor,” McClain wrote to Quinn in a Feb. 23 2016 email. “Kudos to the 13th Ward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

According to Marquez, ComEd eventually expanded the number of spots it reserved for 13th Ward applicants from six up to 10.

* Center Square…

In another email, McClain asked Marquez to accept an internship candidate with a 1.1 grade-point average, even though Marquez wrote, “I don’t think our standards are that low.”

When McClain read that the student’s GPA was 1.1, he responded in an email, “Holy Mackerel! Even mine was higher than that.”

Marquez also testified about job candidates that McClain, at Madigan’s request, had asked ComEd to hire. Marquez said he agreed to take one candidate into his organization even though the candidate “bombed” an initial interview.

Marquez wore a recording device to a meeting with McClain and recently named ComEd CEO Joe Dominguez on March 5, 2019. During the recorded conversation, McClain explained how ComEd would hire people chosen by Madigan in the days when the utility company still used workers to read meters.

7 Comments

Open thread

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…

10 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Pritzker Says Illinois Democrats Discussing How to ‘Shore Up’ Protections Ahead of a Second Trump Presidency. WTTW…

“We’re gathering, you know, I would call it, a list of things that we may need to address,” Pritzker said.

The governor said it may not happen when the General Assembly meets in November, and could wait until the legislature reconvenes in 2025.

“There is time to do that,” he said. “We have a lot of work that we’re looking at doing.”

* Related stories…

∙ Tribune: Illinois’ Democratic leaders vow vigorous defense of personal rights and public policies under a second-term Trump
∙ Sun-Times: Pritzker vows to be ‘happy warrior’ defending Illinois from harmful Trump policies: ‘You come for my people. You come through me.’

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | JB Pritzker studies Project 2025 and Trump, ponders his own political future: Gov. JB Pritzker is combing through thousands of pages of Project 2025, shoring up legal resources and finding ways to further expand reproductive rights and environmental protections — all while he explores his own political future. It’s not the election night Pritzker wanted or expected. And while it has opened up a political path for the Democratic governor, a second administration under former President Donald Trump has the potential to unravel many of the policies that Pritzker has championed since taking office in 2018.

* Capitol News Illinois | Consumer groups rail against Chicago gas utility as state investigation nears end: Activists went to the ICC on Thursday, hoping to sway the commissioners into reining in the program, with several citing the report’s findings. Aria Brown, a student at the University of Illinois Chicago, said she wants the commission to require that pipeline replacement be done through a “targeted program that focuses on their most dangerous pipes.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Center Square | Illinois legislators hear challenges facing substance use treatment providers: Other hearings dealt with issues such as high workforce turnover, Medicaid reimbursement rates and budget limitations. It is estimated that over $770 million of opioid settlement money will go to the Remediation Fund, which will be used for substance abuse programs.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | 29 City Council members call special meeting to reject Johnson’s $300 million property tax increase: If 26 members show up, they’ll have the quorum they need to proceed with a special meeting. However, they will need 34 votes to suspend the rules and immediately consider and then vote on the increase, which has not yet been approved by committee. Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) and Anthony Beale (9th), Johnson’s leading Council critics, are certain there will be enough votes to both suspend the rules, and then kill the tax hike. In fact, Lopez predicted all 50 members would show up, fearing it will send the wrong message to tax-weary constituents if they don’t.

* Tribune | Aldermen to try defeating Johnson’s $300 million property tax hike: Although 29 aldermen signed the letter and even more are opposed to the tax hike, it remains to be seen whether the coalition holds and votes to defeat it. Johnson has nearly a week to threaten or cajole a few of the malcontents into backing down, or could also use a procedural maneuver to try to block the vote. And Chicago budget history is full of examples of council members talking about opposing some unpopular mayoral proposal only to have a change of heart when it came time to say aye or nay.

* WBEZ | Bracing for a shrinking budget, Chicago’s health department scales back: There are currently no plans in 2025 to reopen more mental health clinics that were closed years ago. Instead, the city plans to continue to bring services to where people are or lean on connections with other organizations. For example, nurses already visiting families with newborns can also screen for everything from depression and traumatic exposure to domestic violence and access to guns in the home.

* WBEZ | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointed CPS board members could stay on past January: When the entire Board of Education resigned in October and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced their replacements, he said he hoped they could stay on the 21-seat board that will take office in January. The way the law is written, that wasn’t a given. But, as it turns out, all six can stay on. The mayor’s office said it hopes most will agree to continue.

* Sun-Times | Three city-run shelters for newly arrived immigrants to merge into unified system: Three city-run and two state-run migrant shelters will remain open past the new year and become part of the One System Initiative intended for all residents experiencing homelessness starting in January, according to a spokesperson for the mayor’s office. The city shelters that will be merged are the former site of the Young Women’s Leadership Academy in the Douglas community on the South Side, a facility that was used by the Marine Corps in North Park and the American Islamic College in Uptown. The two state-run shelters are the Holiday Inn in West Lawn and a former hotel in Hyde Park.

* WTTW | Judge Upholds Decision to Fire CPD Sergeant Who Led Botched Raid at Home of Anjanette Young:
The Police Board voted 5-3 in June 2023 to terminate Sgt. Alex Wolinski, finding that he committed multiple rule violations and a “failure of leadership … so serious as to be incompatible with continued service.” Wolinski sued the city to overturn that decision, but Cook County Judge David Atkins found that his termination was “neither arbitrary nor unreasonable.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | ‘This is such a great partnership’: District 211 program giving students experience in home construction: A new educational partnership in Schaumburg is being celebrated for giving area high school students a hands-on experience in the construction trades. The partnership includes Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211, Nitti Development and the BuilderEDU curriculum, which is the brainchild of attorney and Conant High School graduate Jim McKenzie.

* WBEZ | Collar county voters back funding for forest preserves: If you voted in Kane, McHenry, Lake or DuPage county, you had the opportunity to decide whether you’d like to pay a little extra to fund forest preserves. Use of the preserves is up 83% since 2006, and even more since the pandemic, when many people “discovered” their counties’ green spaces.

* Sun-Times | With south suburban casino set to open, is Chicago area’s gaming market getting oversaturated?: Leaders of the Wind Creek Chicago Southland gave reporters a first look Thursday at the East Hazel Crest casino that’s awaiting state regulatory approval to start welcoming gamblers as soon as this week. The $529 million, 1,400-slot emporium will mark the sixth and final new casino added to the state’s glut of gambling options, part of a 2019 expansion that also introduced sports betting and thousands more slot machines in bars and restaurants.

*** Downstate ***

* WSIL | Jackson County State’s Attorney candidates comment on tied election results: With 99% of the ballots in from Tuesday’s election, there’s a deadlock tie between Republican incumbent Joseph Cervantez and Democratic challenger Marsha Cascio-Hale. They each have exactly 10,805 votes. The Jackson County clerk says it will come down to mail-in ballots and provisional ballots to decide a winner.

* WIFR | Illinois Department of Transportation offers update on Rockford passenger rail service: The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) says Rockford is the largest city in the state without a train service, but people could soon be able to hop on a train there and get to Chicago in roughly two hours. The ticketing process and prices for these trips are also being worked out. “This is a high priority for IDOT and we’re working as hard as we can to get this delivered,” says Scott Speegle, IDOT passenger rail marketing manager.

*** National ***

* AP | Who will buy Infowars? Both supporters and opponents of Alex Jones interested in bankruptcy auction: Both opponents and supporters of the bombastic internet show and radio host have expressed interest in bidding on the Infowars properties he has built over the past 25 years. They include Roger Stone, an ally of Jones and Donald Trump, and anti-Jones progressive media groups. If Jones supporters buy the assets, he could end up staying on Infowars. Up for sale are everything from Jones’ studio desk to Infowars’ name, video archive, social media accounts and product trademarks. Buyers can even purchase an armored truck and video cameras. For now, Jones’ personal social media, including his account on X, formerly known as Twitter, with 3 million followers, are not up for sale, but court proceedings on whether they should be auctioned are pending.

* ArtNet | The National Archives Museum Is Under Fire for Allegedly Scrubbing Difficult Historical Events: The museum on the National Mall that is devoted to preserving and presenting the nation’s archives is under fire for allegedly declining to display documents relating to dark episodes in U.S. history, apparently to avoid inflaming opinions among those on the political right. The National Archives Museum, under the leadership of U.S. Archivist Colleen Shogan and her top advisers at the National Archives and Records Administration, has allegedly modified planned and existing exhibits involving subjects like the government’s treatment of Native Americans and the history of birth control medication in favor of more anodyne subjects, according to numerous anonymous staffers speaking to the Wall Street Journal, which broke the story.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Friday, Nov 8, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* You can click here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.