More commutation react
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A.D. Quig at Crain’s…
President Donald Trump’s commutation of the 14-year sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich sends the wrong message about the current corruption scandal roiling the state, lawmakers and the attorneys who prosecuted Blagojevich say.
The timing “couldn’t have been worse,” says Jeff Cramer, a managing director at Berkeley Research Group in Chicago and formerly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. “Here we are with the U.S. Attorney’s Office bringing several political corruption cases, there are elected officials wearing wires to bring other cases, there’s no indication that tide is going to stem anytime soon.”
Cramer, who was a member of the U.S. Attorney’s Office at the time of the Blagojevich prosecution, doesn’t see any apparent political upside to Trump releasing a Democratic official. “It’s a difficult message for the president, a law and order guy, as he postures himself, to have a couple weeks where he’s just throwing out gifts to the politically connected.”
* Tribune…
In August, of Blagojevich, Trump said, “And a lot of people thought it was unfair, like a lot of other things — and it was the same gang, the Comey gang and all these sleazebags that did it.”
The president was referring to former FBI Director James Comey, a frequent Trump target who he contends sought to politicize the nation’s top law enforcement agency in the 2016 election in which Trump faced Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. After taking office, the president fired Comey amid the investigation into Russia’s interference in the election and whether the Trump campaign was involved.
The president’s comments mirrored what Patti Blagojevich has said in not-so-veiled attempts to link her husband’s prosecution to some of Trump’s perceived political enemies.
In reality, Comey was in private practice from 2005 to 2013 — virtually the entire time Blagojevich was investigated and prosecuted. And Blagojevich’s prosecution was launched by a Justice Department under the George W. Bush White House.
* Sun-Times…
Trump has repeatedly erred when he said Blagojevich was sentenced to 18 years or so. Zagel gave Blagojevich 14 years, putting him on track for release in March 2024.
* Senate President Harmon…
* From Judge Zagel’s 2011 sentencing…
A corrupt governor can be “more damaging than any other office in the United States, except that of the president,” Judge Zagel said before announcing the sentence.
“When it is the governor who goes bad, the fabric of Illinois is torn, disfigured and not easily repaired,” Zagel said. “The harm here is not measured in the value of money or property. The harm is the erosion of public trust in government.”
* Mark Brown…
Whatever path he takes, Blagojevich will undoubtedly command our attention for the rest of his life.
We elected him, not once but twice, and now there’s no escaping him.
That’s our punishment.
…Adding… Capitol News Illinois…
Durkin questioned why Blagojevich should get “special treatment” when others who are imprisoned for drug offenses receive decades in prison without relief from presidential pardons.
“It’s just because of the celebrity of Rod Blagojevich,” Durkin said. “I think it’s wrong and it sends a bad message to people in this country that … you don’t have to pay your debt to society.”
“I’m never going to be able to figure out how the president messages, nor the decision making that he does,” Durkin said. “That’s something he’s going to have to explain, but I think he needs to explain to the people of Illinois who saw a governor destroy the integrity of this office but also did some very, very terrible things to the finances of this state. I hope that he could make a plausible explanation of why this is appropriate, because I haven’t seen anything yet.”
Durkin added “I guess he’s not concerned about the state of Illinois for next November.”
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* From 2015, after Rod Blagojevich appealed his conviction…
Bottom line: Several counts were tossed, but the judges decreed that Blagojevich’s sentence was more than fair and still justifiable even with fewer counts against him.
As Steve Rhodes wrote at the time, several news outlets got that simple fact wrong.
* From the opinion…
Blagojevich then turned to supporters of Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., offering the appointment in exchange for a $1.5 million “campaign contribution.” (We put “campaign contribution” in quotation marks because Blagojevich was serving his second term as Governor and had decided not to run for a third. A jury was entitled to conclude that the money was for his personal benefit rather than a campaign.) Blagojevich broke off negotiations after learning about the wiretaps, and he was arrested before he could negotiate with anyone else.
The indictment charged these negotiations as attempted extortion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 1951, plus corrupt solicitation of funds (18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 666(a)(1)(B)) and wire fraud (18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346). The indictment also charged Blagojevich with other attempts to raise money in exchange for the performance of official acts, even though federal law forbids any payment (or agreement to pay), including a campaign contribution, in exchange for the performance of an official act. See McCormick v. United States, 500 U.S. 257 (1991). We give just two examples.
First, when lobbyists for Children’s Memorial Hospital sought an increase in reimbursement rates for Medicaid patients, Blagojevich (through intermediaries) replied that he would approve an extra $8 to $10 million of reimbursement in exchange for a “campaign contribution” of $50,000. Blagojevich initially approved a rate increase but delayed and then rescinded it when waiting for a contribution; he was arrested before any money changed hands.
Second, after the state legislature had approved an extension of a program that taxed casinos for the benefit of racetracks—see Empress Casino Joliet Corp. v. Balmoral Racing Club, Inc., 651 F.3d 722 (7th Cir. 2011) (en banc); Empress Casino Joliet Corp. v. Johnston, 763 F.3d 723 (7th Cir. 2014)—but before Blagojevich signed the bill, he attempted to ensure that John Johnston, who owned interests in two of the racetracks, fulfilled a $100,000 “campaign” pledge. Blagojevich had intermediaries inform Johnston that the bill would not be signed until the money arrived. Blagojevich was arrested before he signed the bill (and before Johnston signed a check). […]
Blagojevich now asks us to hold that the evidence is insufficient to convict him on any count. The argument is frivolous. The evidence, much of it from Blagojevich’s own mouth, is overwhelming. […]
The district judge concluded that the Sentencing Guidelines recommend a range of 360 months to life imprisonment for Blagojevich’s offenses, and the actual sentence is 168 months. Instead of expressing relief, Blagojevich maintains that the sentence is too high because the range was too high. […]
Any error in the Guidelines calculation went in Blagojevich’s favor. After calculating the 360-to-life range, the judge concluded that it is too high and began making reductions, producing a range of 151 to 188 months. […]
The prosecutor has not filed a cross-appeal in quest of a higher sentence but is entitled to defend the actual sentence of 168 months (and to ask for its re-imposition on remand) without needing to file an appeal. Removing the convictions on the Cabinet counts does not affect the range calculated under the Guidelines. It is not possible to call 168 months unlawfully high for Blagojevich’s crimes, but the district judge should consider on remand whether it is the most appropriate sentence. […]
If the prosecutor elects to drop these charges, then the district court should proceed directly to resentencing. Because we have affirmed the convictions on most counts and concluded that the advisory sentencing range lies above 168 months, Blagojevich is not entitled to be released pending these further proceedings.
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You’re leaving me no choice, Secretary White
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* You may recall that I’ve been trying to find a way to get a list of people who have been banned from the Statehouse without a security escort. My FOIA requests were denied twice by the secretary of state’s office…
In balancing the privacy rights of the alleged victim, the banned individual and any witnesses, with the public interest in disclosure, the Office of the Secretary of State respectfully declines to invade the personal privacy of, or expose the victim, the banned individual and any witnesses to, potential harm either personally or professionally by revealing their identities through the release of the requested information.
* I then asked for any actual written policies or regulations that justify refusing to release the list of people banned from the Statehouse or even the number of people banned from the Statehouse. Reply…
The Secretary of State Police advised me that there are no documents in their files that comply with your request, Accordingly, your request is denied.
Donna M. Leonard
Executive Counsel
Illinois Secretary of State
So, basically they’re just saying: “We’re not gonna do it.”
I think I have to take this up the ladder now.
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* This problem is just way too big for the Illinois State Police to handle on its own. County prosecutors and law enforcement need to do their part, and it’s the biggest part. Why this hasn’t been done until now kinda boggles my mind…
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is calling for changes in how the judicial system handles defendants with revoked gun licenses following a Tribune investigation into the ballooning backlog of people declared too dangerous to own firearms and the state’s failure to address it.
The move comes after the Tribune highlighted the story of Christopher Miller, a Joliet man who fatally shot his 18-month-old son, Colton, with a gun he should have relinquished after having his firearm owner’s identification card revoked more than a year earlier. According to a Tribune analysis, Miller was among the more than 70% of revoked FOID permit holders statewide who ignored police orders to account for their weapons.
During his 20 months on the revocation list, Miller appeared before judges in two separate counties on criminal charges and never once was asked if he complied. No one at the hearings — one in DuPage County and one in Cook County — ordered the Illinois National Guardsman to give up the multiple firearms he kept in violation of state law. […]
Under Dart’s proposal, the FOID revocation status of all defendants would be checked and shared with a judge before bond is set. In a letter to Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans after the Tribune shared its findings with Dart, the sheriff said bond court, particularly, is “ideally situated to require compliance.” […]
Dart’s proposal has the support of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, whose office has access to a statewide database detailing residents who had their cards rescinded, the reason for the revocation and whether they complied with orders to account for their weapons. Currently, Cook County prosecutors look at FOID revocation status “where it is relevant to the case,” including charges that involve guns or violent crimes.
Again, why this wasn’t done years ago is beyond me.
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Check your sources
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ideas Illinois…
Budget Preview - Pritzker’s False Choice
It should be lost on no one that on the eve of Governor Pritzker’s tax and spend budget address, yet another publication is listing Illinois as the least tax friendly state in America.
Despite census numbers showing our population plummeting and list after list citing the state is the least tax friendly in the nation, Governor Pritzker tomorrow will tell voters that Illinois must spend and tax even more to solve our financial woes, but that is a false choice.
If one thing is clear, the governor is not talking with regular, middle class families and small business owners who continue to struggle under the weight of a state government that cannot curb its hunger for more spending and higher taxes.
* From the supplied link…
One surprise? California, widely considered a high-tax state, didn’t crack the top 10 least-friendly tax states in either analysis. (Of course, it’s important to point out that this Kiplinger’s ranking would look different if the hypothetical family and its income and dividends were different.)
Rocky Mengle, the tax editor for Kiplinger’s, told MarketWatch that’s because many people “when they talk about California tax, they focus on the 13.3% [income tax] rate, which is the top rate — but that is for people making more than $1 million.” For many others, the rate is much lower, he said, adding that “California has a fairly progressive income tax, with nine brackets.”
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* I’ll believe it when I see it because the president came pretty close to commutation months ago and was talked out of it by the Illinois GOP delegation…
* The Question: Do you support or oppose a presidential commutation for Rod Blagojevich? Please make sure to explain your position.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Some initial react…
*** UPDATE 2 *** NY Times says it’s a done deal…
President Trump has commuted the 14-year prison sentence of former Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois, the Democrat who was convicted of trying to essentially sell President Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat for personal gain, according to a person briefed on the decision.
Mr. Trump commuted the former governor’s sentence on Tuesday and is planning on announcing it soon, taking the action after saying for years that he was considering intervening in Mr. Blagojevich’s case.
By commuting the sentence, the president would free Mr. Blagojevich from prison without wiping out the conviction. Republicans have advised the president against it, arguing that Mr. Blagojevich’s crime epitomizes the corruption that Mr. Trump had said he wanted to tackle as president.
*** UPDATE 3 *** The president confirms…
…Adding… Common Cause Illinois Executive Director Jay Young…
While former Governor Rod Blagojevich will get to walk free, Illinois is still being held prisoner to the consequences of his long record of corruption, bribery, and abuse of power. President Trump’s commutation of Blagojevich’s sentence is the latest action by a lawless president to undermine ethics and accountability in our government. This decision is wrong and deprives the people of Illinois the justice they deserve. After consistently ignoring our nation’s ethics norms and laws for the last three years, President Trump has now chosen to side with the long line of Illinois politicians that have been imprisoned or had their careers ended due to corruption.
…Adding… Comptroller Mendoza…
No surprise. Birds of a feather flock together.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Gov. Pritzker…
Illinoisans have endured far too much corruption, and we must send a message to politicians that corrupt practices will no longer be tolerated. President Trump has abused his pardon power in inexplicable ways to reward his friends and condone corruption, and I deeply believe this pardon sends the wrong message at the wrong time. I’m committed to continuing to take clear and decisive steps this spring to prevent politicians from using their offices for personal gain, and I will continue to approach this work with that firm conviction.
*** UPDATE 5 *** Press release…
STATEMENT OF FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTION TRIAL TEAM AND FORMER UNITED STATES ATTORNEY REGARDING PRESIDENTIAL COMMUTATION IN U.S. V. BLAGOJEVICH
Reid J. Schar
Chris Niewoehner
Hon. Carrie E. Hamilton
Patrick J. Fitzgerald
CHICAGO ― The following statement was issued today regarding the President’s commutation of the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich:
“Although the President has exercised his lawful authority to commute the remaining portion of Mr. Blagojevich’s prison sentence, Mr. Blagojevich remains a felon, convicted of multiple serious acts of corruption as governor. The criminal conduct for which a jury unanimously convicted Mr. Blagojevich included the following actions:
(1) extorting the CEO of a children’s hospital by withholding important state funding to help sick children until the CEO provided campaign contributions;
(2) extorting the owners of a racetrack by intentionally holding up the signing of important state legislation until the owners provided campaign contributions in response to an explicit demand for them;
(3) extortionately demanding funding for a high-paying private sector job, as well as campaign contributions, in exchange for naming a replacement to an open U.S. Senate seat; and
(4) lying to the FBI to cover up his criminal activity.
The law and extensive facts underlying Mr. Blagojevich’s conviction were reviewed by independent judges on an appellate court and by the Supreme Court of the United States. These courts affirmed Mr. Blagojevich’s conviction and sentence, and the appellate court described the evidence against him as “overwhelming.”
Extortion by a public official is a very serious crime, routinely prosecuted throughout the United States whenever, as here, it can be detected and proven. That has to be the case in America: a justice system must hold public officials accountable for corruption. It would be unfair to their victims and the public to do otherwise.
While the President has the power to reduce Mr. Blagojevich’s sentence, the fact remains that the former governor was convicted of very serious crimes. His prosecution serves as proof that elected officials who betray those they are elected to serve will be held to account.”
Mr. Schar, Mr. Niewoehner, and Judge Hamilton are former Assistant United States Attorneys in Chicago who represented the government at trial in U.S.A. v. Blagojevich. Mr. Fitzgerald was the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois during the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Blagojevich. This statement is issued in their individual capacities.
…Adding… Jason Gerwig with Leader Brady’s office…
Leader Brady believes the sentence former Governor Rod Blagojevich received was justified and should have been served in its entirety.
*** UPDATE 6 *** Press release…
Congressmen Darin LaHood (IL-18), John Shimkus (IL-15), Adam Kinzinger (IL-16), Rodney Davis (IL-13), and Mike Bost (IL-12) released the following statement after the President commuted the sentence of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
“We are disappointed by the President’s commutation of Rod Blagojevich’s federal sentence. We believe he received an appropriate and fair sentence, which was the low-end of the federal sentencing guidelines for the gravity of his public corruption convictions. Blagojevich is the face of public corruption in Illinois, and not once has he shown any remorse for his clear and documented record of egregious crimes that undermined the trust placed in him by voters. As our state continues to grapple with political corruption, we shouldn’t let those who breached the public trust off the hook. History will not judge Rod Blagojevich well.”
*** UPDATE 7 *** Sen. Durbin has said he would support commutation for Blagojevich. But here’s what he said on commutation day…
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump commuted the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich:
“Former Governor Blagojevich betrayed the people of Illinois and engaged in a pattern of corrupt behavior for which he was held accountable and which cost him more than seven years of freedom.
“At a time when corruption by elected officials is still in the headlines, Illinois and Washington should move quickly to establish stricter ethics requirements, including the full detailed disclosure of income, net worth, and income tax returns by all elected officials.”
…Adding… From a Durbin spokesperson…
Senator Durbin has never lobbied any President to commute former Governor Blagojevich’s sentence.
…Adding… Press release…
Statement from Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs on President Donald Trump Granting Clemency to Former Governor Rod Blagojevich
“Eleven years ago, I voted to convict and remove a member of my own party who abused his office to further his own re‑election.
I wish that Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate had shown similar courage when a leader in their party abused his office to further his own re-election.
If that had happened, we would not be dealing with this today.
It is some comfort, however, that my motion to bar our former governor from ever holding public office again means he will no longer be able to abuse the public trust.”
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Paging Mayor Lightfoot
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* There are those who say Chicago shouldn’t opt in to video gaming because the gambling would cut in to an eventual casino’s profits. But that’s already happening on the black market…
If you forced me to choose, I’d take video gaming over a new casino every day. Video gaming helps small restaurants and taverns. A big Chicago casino will help a few rich people make more money.
But I don’t see why there isn’t room for both and these sweepstakes machines need to go away because they are demonstrably causing corruption (see former Rep. Luis Arroyo). The most equitable way to get rid of them is to opt in to already legalized video gaming and take away the liquor licenses from any venue with sweepstakes machines. /rant
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Let’s see the evidence
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady…
Gerrymandered districts are designed to shut out the opposing party. In 2012, the Illinois map allowed the Democrats — who drew the map — to win 40 seats out of 59 in the state Senate and 71 seats out of 118 in the state House. They were able to do this though they secured only 52 percent of the vote total in House districts and 54 percent in Senate districts.
Let me put it this way. If the maps were drawn to reflect the true will of voters, created in a non-partisan manner, Illinois Democrats would have won only 62 House seats instead of 71 (52% of all members) and 32 Senate seats instead of 40 (54% of all members).
That’s not a great statistic partly because Latinx districts have really low turnouts. Sen. Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) received 38,261 votes in his essentially uncontested 2012 reelection. Sen. Brady received 81,542 in his uncontested reelection.
Another way to look at the data is to compare Senate results to the top of the ticket. President Obama won 38 Senate districts in 2012. The SDems won 40.
* But this is where I really differ from Leader Brady…
I truly believe that the power of the Democratic Party to draw this supermajority, gerrymandered map is the root of the public corruption we are witnessing now. The Democrats do not feel accountable to anyone because of their ability to control every facet of the state Legislature.
This is not a unique position…
In language seldom used under the Capitol dome, Gov. J.B. Pritzker likened corruption among lawmakers to a “scourge,” saying it “infects the bloodstream of government.”
But there was something missing from the powerful prose in Pritzker’s State of the State address.
“There are an awful lot of us who think the scourge begins when lawmakers draw the lines and pick their own districts. That’s how it enters the bloodstream,” said Madeleine Doubek, executive director of Change Illinois, a nonprofit dedicated to cleaning up government.
It’s still a free country, so you can think or believe whatever you want. However, I’d like to see the data to back up what y’all are saying since you’re trying to pass actual legislation. It’s a hoop that everyone attempting to pass a bill needs to clear.
Because if gerrymandering is truly the root of all evil, then it stands to reason that the states which draw far worse districts, including Wisconsin, would have many more federal prosecutions than Illinois. Is that the case? Show us the numbers.
For the umpteenth time, I am for redistricting reform, but you don’t help your cause by pulling stuff out of thin air, no matter how “right” it may “feel.”
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Wishful thinking?
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Daily Southtown…
Supporters of the proposed South Suburban Airport near Peotone said Friday they recently met with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to discuss the project.
The meeting could signal some additional easing of historic political opposition to the project that was initially proposed in the 1980s.
“This was the first time in 20 years we met with the mayor of Chicago,” Rick Bryant, a senior aide to U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, told an audience of nearly 200 business and civic leaders at Bult Field in Monee. […]
“It was a very encouraging meeting,” he said. “She said she wants to work with us. We’re not trying to compete with Chicago, we’re trying to complement Chicago.” […]
Amazon representatives have not commented publicly on their interest in the proposed facility, but airport supporters continuously point to the online shopping company’s growth in Will and Cook counties as driving the need for a new air cargo facility.
* But…
Update: Lightfoot’s press office issued a statement later this afternoon the suggested she’s on the same page as her predecessors on the 5th floor of City Hall. “While the topic of a south suburban airport was discussed, the Mayor reiterated that her primary focus is on the continued success of O’Hare and Midway—where there is an excess of capacity to meet current and future aviation demands,” spokeswoman Lauren Huffman said in an emailed statement. “The Mayor also raised questions about the financial viability of Peotone as well as its potential impact on Midway.”
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The first two are worth a look, but putting a time limit on investigations can allow those under investigation to run out the clock…
After fielding calls from dozens of frustrated gun owners, several Southern Illinois lawmakers are pushing a package of bills they say aim to fix the state’s delays in issuing gun ownership card renewals.
Rep. Patrick Windhorst, lead sponsor of the legislation, said that his office hears from constituents more about issues with Firearm Owner Identification Cards, commonly known as FOID, and concealed carry permits, than any other topic. Windhorst said that most people who call the office are facing frustratingly long delays as they seek to renew their FOID card, something that must be done every 10 years. Sometimes, he said, people are concerned about how long it is taking to have an appeal heard upon a denial or revocation.
One would allow FOID card holders to start the renewal process much sooner. Current law says that a FOID card holder can file renewal paperwork no sooner than 60 days prior to its expiration date. The measure would allow people to begin the process about four months earlier.
Another bill would require the Illinois State Police to align the expiration dates of FOID cards with concealed carry permits for people whose FOID cards are set to expire in the next five years. FOID cards are good for 10 years, and are required for anyone who seeks a concealed carry license, which must be renewed every five years. Therefore, it’s possible that someone could be issued a concealed carry permit after going through all the required training and background checks, only to have it revoked a year or two later if their FOID card expires and they fail to realize it, said Windhorst, R-Metropolis.
The third bill would require the Illinois State Police to decide appeals to denials or revocation decisions within 60 days of receipt. As it stands, Windhorst said it can be months, and sometimes years, before an appeal is decided. If the state denies an appeal, a person has the ability to challenge the state’s decisions in court, a process that can also be lengthy.
* Synopsis of HB5030 by Rep. Avery Bourne…
Requires an agency that proposes a new rule or an amendment to an existing rule that may have an impact on persons or entities in downstate Illinois to consider specified methods for reducing the impact of that rulemaking and provide an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking process before or during the notice period utilizing specified techniques. Requires each agency to include in its regulatory agenda summary a statement of whether a rule will affect persons or entities in downstate Illinois. Defines “downstate Illinois”.
And what is Downstate?...
“Downstate Illinois” means all counties in this State other than the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will. For the purposes of a specific rule, an agency may define a region as encompassing downstate Illinois if it finds that the rule affects persons or entities both within and without downstate Illinois and such definition is necessary to adapt the rule to address the needs and concerns of downstate Illinois.
* “Immediately unclear”…
A piece of legislation was filed Friday that would undo a sports betting law Illinois passed in 2019.
Less than 12 hours after the Illinois Gaming Board submitted its Phase 2 sports wagering rules into the state registry to begin the 45-day public commentary period, a bill was filed in the state legislature to repeal the massive gaming expansion bill Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law last June.
HB 5561, which was filed Friday by state Rep. Allen Skillicorn, a Republican from the 66th District based in Crystal Lake, calls for a complete repeal of all aspects of the gaming provisions in the bill, which included legalizing of both retail and online/mobile sports betting.
The chances of the bill gaining any traction are immediately unclear.
Hilarious.
* Another bill likely to rouse the rabble. Also, notice the use of Comic Sans, which should probably be banned before gas leaf blowers…
* WICS TV…
A new bill would allow Illinois residents to register a digital license plate to their vehicle.
The bill, issued by Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Cicero, would let Illinoisans purchase a digital license plate to replace the car’s static, metal license plate.
A vehicle with a digital license plate would still have a metal plate on its front end.
If the bill is passed, it would go into effect immediately.
Is the station using faulty AI bots to write stories or something? First of all, Sandoval is from Chicago and resigned from the Senate on January 1. Perhaps more importantly, the bill passed the General Assembly last May and was signed into law last August.
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State Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch, a career attorney and certified administrative hearing officer, will lead the Qualifications Challenge Committee tasked with evaluating complaints against the appointment process of state Rep. Eva Dina Delgado. Welch released the following statement Tuesday:
“As a practicing attorney for more than 20 years and a certified administrative hearing officer trained to serve in a quasi-judicial role, I’ve dedicated my career to the pursuit of justice – and that same pursuit will guide the work of this committee. Just as in a court of law, our committee will pursue a fair process that reviews the complaints about the appointment process free of politics and outside influence.
“This process and these proceedings will be driven by the House rules, state statutes, the Illinois Constitution, the U.S. Constitution, and precedent – not by partisan politics.”
“It’s no secret that in recent months, bad actors in government have publicly marred the efforts of all legislators who serve with integrity. Restoring trust and confidence in our General Assembly demands we recommit ourselves to our fundamental belief in fairness and justice for all, free of bias or partisan influence.
“The committee will meet on Tuesday, February 25, at which time we will establish the rules and process for moving forward. Reviewing precedent and the House Rules, we know that this must be an expeditious process but also an equitable process that logically evaluates the complaints in the context of the existing rules and laws. All sides involved, as well as the people of our state, can know this committee will be fair, impartial and committed to a just and proper outcome.”
Since they’re not meeting until next week for an organizational meeting, they’ll have just nine calendar days to get this to the floor before the House adjourns for the spring primary. It could happen, but I’m not sure I’ll hold my breath.
…Adding… Rep. Welch tells me the other Democrats on the committee are Reps. Kelly Burke, John Connor, Fred Crespo and LaToya Greenwood.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Press release…
Below is the statement of Nidia Carranza, Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 3rd District, on today’s announcement of a Qualifications Challenge Committee to investigate the appointment of corporate lobbyist Eva-Dina Delgado to the seat formerly held by indicted State Rep. Luis Arroyo.
“I applaud today’s creation of a committee to investigate the appointment of corporate lobbyist Eva-Dina Delgado to the seat formerly held by indicted State Rep. Luis Arroyo.
“From the outset, I denounced the appointment process as rigged and corrupt–exactly the opposite of what the working people of the 3rd District deserve. The appointment allowed the allies of Luis Arroyo, who has been charged with bribery in federal court, to hand-pick his successor.
“My opponent was not only silent about the obvious ethical concerns surrounding this process, but put her own ambitions ahead of the good of the 3rd District to accept the position. Enough is enough. We don’t need another lobbyist engaging in pay-to-play politics in Springfield. Fortunately, the voters will have their say on March 17.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** House GOP…
The following members will serve on the Qualifications Challenge Committee:
Patrick Windhorst
Avery Bourne
John Cabello
Blaine Wilhour
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* Edward McLelland…
According to Ballotpedia, Illinois is one of only four states in which party officials fill legislative vacancies. In more than half the states, those vacancies are filled with special elections. (In 2018, 99 state legislative seats were filled in special elections.) In 10 states, they’re filled by the governor, and in seven, by county commissioners.
* From Ballotpedia…
Twenty-five states fill vacancies in the state legislature through special elections. Twenty-two states fill vacancies through appointments and three states fill vacancies through a hybrid system that uses both appointments and special elections.
Special elections…
Alabama • Arkansas • California • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Iowa • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • New Hampshire • New York • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • Texas • Virginia • Wisconsin
Governor appointments…
Alaska • Hawaii • Idaho • Maryland • Nebraska • North Carolina • South Dakota • Utah • Vermont • West Virginia
County commissioners…
Arizona • Montana • Nevada • New Mexico • Oregon • Washington • Wyoming
Political party…
Colorado • Illinois • Indiana • North Dakota
Hybrid system…
Kansas • New Jersey • Tennessee
Legislature…
Ohio
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* Hannah Meisel…
In his first 13 months in office, Gov. JB Pritzker has shaped a state government leadership that’s 43 percent female and 42 percent non-white through his picks for jobs and appointments.
As part of an occasional series on the diversity of Pritzker’s picks for these positions, The Daily Line has been tracking racial and gender diversity of those the governor has appointed to head up state agencies and serve on state boards and task forces. So far in his term, the governor has made 385 appointments to state boards, commissions and to lead agencies. […]
Illinois is one of the nation’s most diverse states. According to the latest stats available from the U.S. Census Bureau, the people of Illinois were 61.3 percent white, 17.3 percent Hispanic, 14.6 percent black and 5.7 percent Asian. […]
Pritzker has mostly met those diversity goals, with 165 women named to director posts for state agencies and to state boards and commissions, and 162 people of color appointed by the governor since last January.
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
All six Democratic candidates vying to replace former Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, gathered for a candidates’ forum last week moderated by Laura Washington of the Sun-Times. Feigenholtz was recently appointed to the Illinois Senate.
After their introductory remarks, Washington’s first question was: “How many of you think it’s time for Mike Madigan to step down as speaker of the House?”
All six raised their hands.
”So, it’s unanimous,” Washington said. “That’s news.”
I reached out to five of the six to follow up, asking, among other things, if this meant they wouldn’t be voting to re-elect Madigan next January. I didn’t bother asking Jimmy Garfield, who’s made opposition to Madigan a centerpiece of his campaign. And I wasn’t able to reach Kimberly Walz, but, as it turns out, she had by then decided to drop out of the race.
Yoni Pizer, who is backed by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and lots of others, said “The culture in Springfield is broken. It’s clear that the status quo simply isn’t working anymore. My constituents have lost faith in their elected officials, and I will do everything I can to ensure that we regain their faith. That’s why I support legislative leadership term limits, so the same people aren’t in power for years and years.”
But Pizer will be voting for Madigan if he runs again. “As a Democrat, I will vote for the Democrat for speaker over the Republican,” Pizer said. “There is too much at stake this session and we need to get to work on passing the Clean Energy Jobs Act, repealing the Parental Notification Act, and ensuring Illinois never becomes a right to work state.” Repealing the PNA is the top priority of pro-choice groups this year. The cash-rich, pro-choice Personal PAC has not yet taken sides in this primary, but could do so soon.
Margaret Croke, who works for the Pritzker administration and has been endorsed by organized labor, confirmed that she thought it was time for Madigan to step down: “I answered yes because I believe that Springfield would benefit from a new generation of leadership.”
”However,” Croke added, “as I have said on several occasions, I will vote for the Democrat for speaker which in all likelihood will be Mike Madigan.”
Croke had about $110,000 cash on hand at the end of the year, the most of any candidate in this primary. She has reported raising $21K since then. Pizer had $56K on hand and has reported raising about $30K since January 1. No other candidate is close to those two. Walz had raised some money, but apparently not enough to effectively compete.
Marty Malone, who worked for Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer before quitting to run for the House, but reported raising no money in the fourth quarter and had only about a thousand dollars on hand, said he “Absolutely wouldn’t vote present,” in the House Speaker’s race.
”If he’s in the running I’d vote yes because there’s no way my 5% property tax cap legislation would have a chance without him,” Malone said of Madigan. “I believe he should consider personally stepping down, yes. Much like Cullerton. And I guess I could plug here that I believe in term limits.” But you can’t be term limited if you don’t win.
Another candidate, Ryan Podges, did not respond. Podges raised just over $3K in the fourth quarter and has reported no contributions since then.
Jimmy Garfield, by the way, says he was endorsed by the Independent Voters of Illinois - Independent Precinct Organizations last week. “I won’t back Michael Madigan for speaker,” he announced in his press release. Garfield reported raising $25K in the fourth quarter, including a $5K loan from himself. He spent about $15K, almost all of it on consultants and staff. He’s reported raising $15K since then, including another $5K loan from himself.
Madigan’s spokesperson Steve Brown would only say in response, “I think Laura Washington wandered into a news desert.”
Usually, viable Democratic candidates dodge or even flat-out run away from the “Madigan question.” All but one of the Democratic 12th House District Democratic candidates have found a new path: Say he should step down without actually committing to making him go away. Whatever works, I suppose. But it’s certainly different than what we’re used to, and likely for good reason because that’s a pretty liberal independent district. Let’s see if it spreads.
* Laura Washington saw what I wrote for subscribers last week and asked for permission to use it in her own column. I said yes, of course. Here’s some of her take…
While Pizer supports legislative leadership term limits, he said he would vote for Madigan over any Republican because “there is too much at stake” for the Democrats’ policy initiatives.
He sounds like the Republicans in Washington who are terrified of taking on President Donald Trump. […]
Hypocrites, all. They haven’t even been elected but are ready to surrender.
Springfield is swamped with allegations of corruption, malfeasance, discrimination and conflicts of interest. Madigan presides over it all.
It will stay that way as long as party and power “trump” doing the right thing.
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* Sun-Times…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s second-year budget will include a $147 million increase in funding for DCFS to boost staffing and increase support for investigations.
The Democratic governor also plans to increase the agency’s headcount to 3,056 employees, up from the 2,758 employed in 2018. That’s intended to reduce caseloads for overwhelmed investigators and to boost staffing at a hotline set up to receive calls about cases of child abuse and neglect.
Pritzker’s budget also proposes funding a third simulation lab in Illinois, to help train investigators on finding signs of abuse and neglect. […]
There were 123 deaths of children who had been in contact with the Department of Children and Family Services last year, according to an inspector general’s report released in January. Pritzker said he has personally reviewed each case with DCFS heads. He described the agency as being in a “terrible downward spiral” and blamed the budget impasse for the staffing declines and shuttered social service agencies that could have helped parents with substance abuse or mental health problems.
* Daily Line…
DCFS Director Marc Smith told The Daily Line that ACSCME Council 31, which represents many DCFS employees, has worked with the agency and with Central Management Services “to give us the flexibility and capacity to respond to the needs as we see them on the field.”
Eighty-five percent of services provided to children and families in Illinois are actually done by private social service agencies that contract with the state, and are arranged and overseen by DCFS.
Those agencies were hit hard between 2015 and 2017, when Illinois went without a full operating budget for more than two years. While some agencies shuttered in the face of severely delayed state funding, others were kept afloat by a combination of personal loans and stripping down to bare-bones operations.
Even before the impasse, the network of private agencies struggled to keep staff on payroll, as many move on to jobs with DCFS after a year or two, lured by higher pay and benefits, as well as union protections. But the high turnover rate, which DCFS puts at 40 percent, has taken a toll and costs both private agencies and the state in the long run.
Pritzker’s budget includes $21.2 million to provide a 3 percent cost-of-living increase for private agency employees, some of which is tied to increases in the state’s minimum wage, which is set to increase to $10 an hour in July and continue rising to $15 by 2025. […]
Pritkzer’s proposed budget includes an additional $6.1 million for institution and group home care, which represents about 4 percent of the agency’s budget. It also includes $3 million in construction grants for residential services, with the goal of increasing bed capacity.
The budget document details the losses in residential and shelter beds — approximately 600 in the past five years — and foster homes, which decreased by 2,300 since 2015.
* Shaw Media…
The proposal also includes $44 million from the general revenue fund for increases in foster care, adoption and family services.
“I am also pleased that money is being allocated for both more personnel and more placements,” Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert said in a statement. “The money to make drug kits available for workers in the field is long overdue and will save the state money in the long run in addition to improving child safety outcomes.
“I’m also pleased that private agency workers will see a 3% COLA to allow their salaries to keep place with the minimum wage. However, a bare minimum wage salary is not nearly enough to reduce the 40% turnover rate for private agency workers, which is key because 85% of DCFS’s caseload is privatized. These are incredibly important, high stress jobs with educational requirements that should be compensated well above minimum wage.”
* WGN TV…
For decades, the ACLU Illinois has monitored DCFS. On Monday, it applauded the funding boost.
“We’ve seen time and again that’s it’s not just about resources — although those are important — but it’s about having the ability to say what does this child need and how do I provide it?” ACLU Illinois spokesperson Ed Yohnka said.
* WTTW…
Meanwhile, the Illinois Policy Institute, which advocates for scaling back government and government spending, supports sending more money toward DCFS.
“We do need to invest more in DCFS and a range of other agencies. The thing is we can’t invest more in those things sustainably and in the long term if the only plan for more investment is higher taxes,” said the IPI’s Adam Schuster.
Schuster said spending on pensions is overcrowding spending on other needs – like DCFS – and proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow Illinois to scale back state employees’ retirement benefits.
Pritzker is adamantly opposed to that, and instead on Wednesday will likely highlight a constitutional amendment that is on the ballot, which would allow the state to tax income at graduated rates.
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I’ll have whatever they’re having
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune endorsement…
55th District. Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, ousted an establishment House Republican in 2018 and has been fighting the establishment ever since. He has opposed his own GOP leadership on tax hikes and the state budget, which he says is not, and was not, balanced when it got approved last year. “We need more people to stand up and fight,” he says of his party. He also understands and appreciates the diversity of interests in the legislature: He has hosted Chicago-area lawmakers in his district and also visited their home turf. Bailey is endorsed for this Senate seat, which is open due to the retirement of Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon. Also on the ballot is attorney Jeffrey Fleming of Olney. Bailey has earned a promotion to the Senate. He is endorsed.
David Reis was an establishment Republican? OK.
And Bailey “understands and appreciates the diversity of interests in the legislature”? While I take him at his word that he’s hosted some Chicago-area legislators in his district, he’s also a co-sponsor of the kick Chicago out of Illinois resolution and is co-hosting this upcoming event…
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Mike Bloomberg And Working People
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
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