Economic relief talks screeched to a halt Tuesday as President Trump ordered Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to stop negotiating with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi until after the election.
* From the governor’s office…
State and local governments have been on the frontline fighting this pandemic and providing essential services like healthcare, education and public safety. The failure of revenue due to the pandemic is not a blue state vs. red state issue, it’s a challenge that every single state across this nation is grappling with. Florida’s governor likened their budget to the red wedding scene from Game of Thrones and Texas’s budget went from surplus to billions in the red. The Governor strongly urges the President to be responsible and resume talks because the people of this nation deserve a federal government that works for them.
* Comptroller Mendoza…
The president of the United States is now officially holding Americans hostage and attempting to bribe them for votes. While Americans suffer because of his shameful mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump tweets that he has called off negotiations on a stimulus bill until and unless he wins re-election. To be clear, Illinois and other states seek federal assistance not for legacy problems that, at least here in Illinois, we are dealing with. The stimulus request is to cover lost revenues directly caused by the COVID crisis that would not have cost the United States nearly as much in lives and money had the president done his job responsibly. His selfish action will further drive up his already indefensible death toll and further hurt Americans and states that are struggling financially.
At an unrelated news conference Tuesday afternoon, Lightfoot declined to confirm reports that her office had asked labor unions representing the city’s 33,000 employees to agree to $200 million in cuts through a combination of layoffs, pay cuts or furloughs to balance the budget. […]
But Lightfoot acknowledged she has “engaged” with organized labor and urged their leaders to come to the table “with real concrete solutions” and warned the clock was ticking. […]
Lightfoot grew emotional when asked about the city’s precarious financial condition, which includes an additional $799 million shortfall in the 2020 fiscal year.
“Kicking the can down the road, not who I am,” Lightfoot said. “Our moment of reckoning is right now.”
The city has no good solutions to close the gap, Lightfoot said, adding that she has warned aldermen that the looming vote on the budget will be the toughest they have ever faced.
* I was just on the phone with a friend and we were talking about Eddie Van Halen’s untimely death. All of a sudden, I remembered exactly when I heard Van Halen’s first hit song for the very first time. I was riding in my buddy Art Tryon’s car and we were leaving his trailer park when it came on the radio. We were both just completely blown away by their out of this world cover of the Kinks classic. RIP, Eddie. You meant a lot to so many of us…
After a long stretch in which Pritzker had appeared to hold the upper hand on the tax amendment, its outcome now may be in jeopardy. The combination of a news cycle that has turned against him with a relentless focus on corruption allegations involving Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and an all-out campaign against the tax that sort of constitutes Bruce Rauner’s revenge has Team Pritzker a bit back on its heels, whether it wants to admit it or not.
The latest polling made available to me by a reliable source shows the amendment’s fate is now very uncertain. Support for the proposition is less than the 60 percent that would guarantee its approval as a stand-along proposition, but more than the 50 percent that would allow it to pass under a different rule that enacts any amendment backed by more than half of those who turn out for the election.
I think it’s always been somewhat in that range, but closer to the 60 mark early on. The governor didn’t start out with much of a cushion, put it that way.
* The Question: What’s your gut telling you on the passage of the graduated income tax? Explain.
State Representative Tom Demmer (R-Dixon), who serves as the minority spokesperson on the Special Investigating Committee II, released the following statement:
“At last week’s meeting of the Special Investigating Committee, a motion to subpoena key witnesses was ruled out of order by Chairman Welch, and no vote of the committee was taken. After the meeting, we sent copies of the requested subpoenas to Chairman Welch for his review. Still now, a week later, he has not responded nor issued any subpoenas.
Instead, Chairman Welch sent a letter to ComEd requesting a data dump of all communications in the last decade between ComEd or Exelon and any staff member, employee, contractor, or consultant of Governors Quinn, Rauner, and Pritzker, Senate Presidents Cullerton and Harmon, Senate Minority Leaders Radogno and Brady, House Minority Leaders Cross and Durkin, and Speaker Madigan—only one of whom is actually identified in the Deferred Prosecution Agreement. This request involves hundreds of people and could take months for ComEd to respond.
In contrast, I requested from ComEd documents directly related to the DPA—documents they acknowledged during testimony in last week’s meeting. Since the Special Investigating Committee was created by a petition with a specific charge about Speaker Madigan, and with direct references to the DPA, I believe it is appropriate for the committee to call witnesses and request documents that are relevant to the committee’s charge.”
* From Chairman Welch…
“Since Republicans initiated the Special Investigating Committee, Democratic members have sought a cooperative and collegial process. We promptly made appointments, scheduled hearings, contacted the U.S. Attorney, and invited every Republican-requested witness to come before the committee. The first of which led to more than four hours of public questioning of a ComEd representative last week.
“Throughout this process, however, we have been made well aware that our Republican colleagues are wearing two hats. While sitting on a committee that is charged with conducting an impartial investigation based on the petition filed by Leader Durkin, the Republican members of this committee are also engaged in competitive political campaigns in which they have chosen to campaign almost exclusively against the Speaker. Nowhere was this more clear than yesterday when two Republican members of the Special Investigating Committee held a campaign press conference effectively confirming their assumption of guilt and chiding Democratic opponents for not jumping to the same conclusion.
“At every step of this process, our cooperation has been accompanied with the proviso that we will not allow this committee to be used as a stage for political theater – an admonishment our Republican colleagues appear to have taken more as a challenge than as a reflection of this committee’s serious work.
“The committee will meet again in person on November 5 in Springfield – without the backdrop of a political campaign. In the interim, the committee’s work continues; we are reaching out to attorneys for Fidel Marquez to arrange his testimony, and engaging in a thorough review of our subpoena power, so members of this committee can make a fully informed decision and set responsible precedent for years to come.
“Additionally, Republican members have requested documents from ComEd related to its communications with Speaker Madigan or individuals purported to be acting on his behalf, and Democrats have requested more information related to ComEd’s hiring and oversight of lobbyists and consultants. This information provides critical context for the committee’s work. We cannot conduct a thorough investigation with blinders on; if we are to consider whether ComEd’s admissions in the deferred prosecution agreement constitute conduct unbecoming of a lawmaker, we need to understand the full extent of ComEd’s actions – including interactions with other elected officials instrumental to the passage of their legislation.”
…Adding… Response soon…
MEDIA ADVISORY: House Republicans to Discuss Special Investigating Committee
WHO: State Representatives Tom Demmer (R-Dixon), Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) and Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville)
WHAT: House Republicans members of the Special Investigating Committee will discuss details of the Special Investigating Committee.
Governor JB Pritzker today proposed seven guiding principles that will be foundational in the administration’s plans to take action, in partnership with the General Assembly, to reform and modernize the state’s criminal justice system. From ending cash bail to reducing recidivism and modernizing sentencing laws to increasing police accountability and training, these principles aim to keep all Illinois families safe and build opportunity in all of our communities.
These principles build on the agenda outlined by Governor Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton in January of this year, at an event announcing the administration’s Justice, Equity, and Opportunity initiative. The governor commends the decades of tireless work by of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and organizations and advocates across the state to bring Illinois to this point, and the Governor is resolutely committed to working in partnership with these leaders, the General Assembly, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul to bring about meaningful reform. In addition to working with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus to further build out a criminal justice reform agenda, the governor is also committed to working with the caucus on the additional pillars of their agenda: education and workforce development, economic access and opportunity, and health care and human services.
“We’re building toward an Illinois that works for everyone – and criminal justice reform is a key element of that holistic approach. Together we will shape a more equitable system of justice that makes our state stronger and safer and expands opportunities for all our residents to improve their lives,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “At the state level alone, we spend billions of dollars a year keeping too many people in an overcrowded prison system that has proven itself too expensive, too punitive and wholly ineffective at keeping Illinois families safe. As we move forward with the General Assembly to pass comprehensive criminal justice reform, it is my hope that the nation will look to Illinois as a leader in true equity and justice for generations to come.”
“As I’ve always said, we cannot truly have justice without equity and opportunity. These principles will guide us on a path of repairing the historic harm caused by our justice system, especially in Black and Brown communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “Comprehensive justice reform will help to reverse the systemic cycles that tear apart families, lay barren communities, lead to overcrowded jails, put strains on criminal justice infrastructure, and burden taxpayers. Illinois is enacting change, and setting a standard, that illustrates how compassion in policy can positively impact our nation.”
The governor’s principles focus on a holistic approach that addresses the structural flaws of a criminal justice system that disproportionately impacts people of color and often traps people in a cycle of incarceration and system-involvement.
The seven principles for an equitable criminal justice system are the following:
• End the use of the cash bail system and limit pretrial detention to only those who are a threat to public safety. The governor remains committed to ending a system that disproportionately forces low-income families and people of color into a disruptive cycle of unearned detention and instability. The cash bail system would be replaced by a risk assessment to determine the likelihood of a defendant’s appearance at trial and if there is a threat to public safety posed by a defendant’s pre-trial release.
• Modernize sentencing laws on theft and drug offenses and use a public health approach to address mental health and addiction. Illinois will decrease unnecessary admissions into prison, match modernized sentencing standards across the country, and limit criminal justice system involvement for non-violent offenders who need and would benefit from a public health intervention.
• Reduce excessive lengths of stay in prison by providing pathways for people to earn opportunities for rehabilitation. The state will increase access to sentence credit and time-limited supervised release while limiting penalty enhancements and short-term commitments that disproportionately trap low-income families and people of color in generational cycles of incarceration.
• Prioritize rehabilitation and reduce the risk of recidivism by increasing access to housing and healthcare for returning residents. The state is committed to expanding opportunities, supports, and services for people who are exiting the prison system so that they are set up to succeed upon return to their communities, and which will save taxpayers money by reducing the number of people trapped in a cycle of recidivism.
• Increase police accountability and transparency for police officers and police departments. Illinois will set the standard for the nation in professionalizing and setting statewide standards for police officers. We will advocate for licensing of police officers, strengthen the role of the State Police Merit Board, work alongside police departments to ensure compliance and proper use of body-worn cameras, create a state-level avenue to investigate systemic police misconduct, and remove barriers for civilians to report officer misconduct, like the signed affidavit requirement.
• Update and strengthen statewide standards for use of force by police officers. Illinois is committed to modernizing the legal standard for use of force and implementing common sense policies and trainings that are consistent with best practices and will improve police-community relations. This includes requiring police officers to apply first aid after using force, prohibiting no-knock search warrants, requiring the use of de-escalation techniques, and requiring officers to intervene and report when excessive force is used by another officer.
• Improve interactions with police by decriminalizing minor non-violent offenses, improving police response to crowd control, and increasing language and disability access. By decriminalizing minor non-violent offenses, creating policies and trainings for police response to non-violent crimes and protests, and increasing language and disability access for civilians, Illinois will establish a framework to improve community safety and trust.
“We will only see true, meaningful change within our criminal justice system when we as state leaders work together to eliminate the racism that has plagued it for centuries,” said State Senator Elgie Sims. “I commend the governor for his support of the Black Caucus’ efforts to bring justice and fairness to Black communities throughout the state. I look forward to working with him to pass legislation during the fall veto session.”
“Decades of tough on crime policies have done nothing to reduce gun violence, and are rooted in a history of racist ‘tough on crime’ safety policies,” said State Senator Robert Peters. “There is nothing prideful or righteous about clinging to failure. If we truly do want to win real safety and justice in our communities, then we must commit to real, tangible change. Half measures are not working, and we’ve seen that over the years and years of failed policy. It is now, in the midst of an economic, public health and systemic racism crisis, that we must remember the famous words of one of our country’s greatest leaders: ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’”
“Reforming our criminal justice system is a major step towards addressing systemic racism. In creating equity for black communities across Illinois it is paramount that we implement policies to eradicate mass incarceration, advance police reforms, and reduce violence. We commend the Governor and Lieutenant Governor for their steadfast dedication and commitment to criminal justice reform in Illinois,” said State Representative Justin Slaughter.
The administration is building on its ongoing efforts to create a more just criminal justice system. In partnership with the General Assembly, the administration has established policies for discretionary parole for young adults facing long sentences and increased the amount of incentives available for educational and wellness programming through sentencing credits. Illinois has also banned private correctional centers and private immigration detention centers.
The governor also signed legislation that ensured that the 20,000 people detained pre-trial each year have an opportunity to participate in our democracy and can vote while in detention. Those efforts are in addition to offering first-time registration forms to interested eligible voters in custody, as well as nonpartisan educational sessions on the voting process, current events, and government institutions for those near the end of their incarceration.
Through the law legalizing cannabis, Governor Pritzker has already pardoned over 11,000 individuals for low-level cannabis offenses, and more are expected over the coming months. Through these pardons, thousands of families are no longer prohibited from having access to human services, financial aid for school, professional licensing, jobs, and housing.
Thoughts?
…Adding… ACLU of IL…
Governor Pritzker’s release of principles to address long-term problems in Illinois’ criminal legal system is a welcome contribution to a discussion that brought thousands of Illinoisans out into the streets this summer to demand change. This process must result in a policing system in our state that reduces unnecessary interactions between police and residents and eliminates the corrosive racial bias that has cause so much harm. Our criminal legal system must be reoriented to focus on rehabilitation and return to community, rather than lengthy sentences that do not serve communities or make our state safer.
We welcome these principles and are ready to work with the Gov. Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Stratton, members of the general assembly, including Senators Sims, Peters and Rep. Slaughter, and other advocates to pass bold legislation that lead to meaningful and sustained change.
The infection of a Macon County circuit court judge with COVID-19 caused a cascade of effects in the local legal world: a debate between state’s attorney candidates was suddenly scrubbed and two assistant state’s attorneys are now on home quarantine.
Associate Judge Jeffrey Geisler received a positive test for the virus over the weekend, according to Presiding Judge A.G. Webber IV.
“He had kind of a nagging cough last week and he felt fine but, in an abundance of caution and I think with the encouragement of his wife, he went and got tested and, to his surprise, it came back positive,” said Webber.
“And that was also a surprise to all of us.”
Do NOT endanger others like that. The world has changed, whether you like it or not. Deal with it.
* Yikes…
SARS-CoV-2 can survive for up to 9 hours on human skin compared to nearly 2 hours for influenza A virus. Both were completely inactivated on human skin within 15 seconds by ethanol. The 9-h survival of SARS-CoV-2 on human skin supports hand hygiene needs https://t.co/kZQMpLqC61pic.twitter.com/hAwrjmUqrH
American attitudes and their usage of masks have shifted broadly as President Trump has been hospitalized for COVID-19, a National Geographic and Morning Consult poll taken over the weekend has found.
More than 6 in 10 Americans questioned say they are more favorable toward people wearing a mask, and there have been steady increases in mask usage among people of all ages, demographic groups, and political leanings since a similar poll in July.
Despite noisy no-mask protests, 92 percent of 2,200 Americans polled say they wear a face mask when leaving their home, with 74 percent saying they “always” do. That “always” percentage is up nearly a quarter since July, according to the poll, which has a 2 percent margin of error.
* Yes, this two-day event was outside. But Christian County has an average positivity rate of 11.6 percent…
This is just one more reason why we can’t have nice things.
Rep. Sean Casten released his third TV ad of the cycle today. This ad follows Rep. Casten’s first two TV spots “Molecular” and “Grade” and is part of the $2.4 million ad buy previously announced by the campaign.
Campaign spokesman Jacob Vurpillat released the following statement:
“Since the pandemic started, Jeanne Ives has shown an irresponsible commitment to spreading COVID. She’s falsely stated that children cannot contract COVID. She continuously attends in-person, indoor events and doesn’t wear a mask. Rep. Casten believes in following science and facts. Jeanne Ives believes in following the President.”
DONALD TRUMP: “We have it totally under control. When it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away. It is what it is”
SUSAN NEDZA, MD: “Donald Trump ignored the health experts. He pushed our healthcare system to the brink. And Jeanne Ives gives Trump an A.”
JEANNE IVES: “Yeah, I give him an A.”
NEDZA: “And she ignores science, even claiming children can’t get COVID.”
SEAN CASTEN: “We know what we need to do. Stand up to Trump, trust the science, and listen to the experts. That’s how we get this virus under control and our economy back on its feet.”
CASTEN: “I’m Sean Casten and I approve this message.”
* NRCC…
Hi –
Betsy Dirksen Lobbyist continues to dodge on questions about her ties to Mike Madigan, like during last night’s debate.
That’s because she doesn’t want Illinois voters to know she’s just another cog in the corrupt Springfield machine whose campaign is bankrolled by Madgian’s cronies.
* First of three debates held in Champaign: The two also bickered over which one is more beholden to corporate interests. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which does take money from corporate PACs, supports Londrigan. Davis Monday tried to distinguish Commonwealth Edison – embroiled in a bribery scandal – from donor Exelon, Com Ed’s parent company.
(V)eteran defense attorney Michael Ettinger said it’s not enough to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
“You need specific proof,” Ettinger said.
Ettinger has dealt with similar issues before. He represented Robert Blagojevich, charged in the federal corruption case against Blagojevich’s brother, ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Since then, a U.S. Supreme Court opinion has further clarified the boundaries of public corruption prosecutions by defining an “official act.”
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in that case involving former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell that a public official “must make a decision or take an action” involving a formal exercise of governmental power to qualify.
He also wrote that, “setting up a meeting, talking to another official, or organizing an event (or agreeing to do so) — without more — does not fit that definition of ‘official act.’”
In order to bring such a case, Ettinger said, “you’ve got to tie it up with money or exchange of assets.”
“We’re dealing with political acts that happen every day,” Ettinger said. “And to tie it to a criminal act there’s got to be a quid pro quo.”
Last week, federal prosecutors discussed an investigation in which Commonwealth Edison agreed to pay $200 million in fines connected with accusations of insider dealings like trading profitable legislation for cushy jobs handed out as favors to connected politicians.
Court filings referenced Public Official A, once a moniker for disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but now an alias for House Speaker Madigan, who has controlled both the General Assembly and state Democratic Party for decades. […]
Madigan should pack up and leave the General Assembly. He should cede control of the state party and its fundraising. This alone would not be enough to remove the stain of his dominance — Madigan has been speaker for 35 of the last 37 years, effectively stifling any dissent from within his ranks such that there is no Democrat serving in Springfield who doesn’t reliably adhere to the speaker’s agenda — but it’s the only plausible political move.
What’s more, the few Democrats who have issued statements for Madigan to step down, but conditioned those remarks on further investigative developments, should refine their message. They need to pressure Madigan to vacate with expedience and then turn their focus to the legislative ethics commission he barely tolerates, otherwise they’ll cede any moral high ground.
The mark on [McHenry County Board chairman Jack Franks’] record is an ongoing Illinois State Police investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. Franks, however, has not been charged with a crime.
“I’m not going to say much about it today besides saying once again that I’ve done nothing wrong,” Franks told the County Board in February.
Illinois State Police recently executed a search warrant at Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Capitol offices as part of a sexual misconduct and stalking investigation of Jack Franks, a former state representative who now serves as McHenry County Board chairman, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
State police got records from Madigan’s offices on Wednesday afternoon, the same day Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered his State of the State address in a packed Capitol.
The search warrant — obtained by the Sun-Times via a Freedom of Information Act request — says state police justified the search because “probable cause exists for the crimes of criminal sexual abuse, criminal sexual assault, official misconduct, stalking and aggravated battery.”
Is state Rep. Amy Grant a homophobic racist unfit for office? Or is she someone who was set up in a deceitful phone call and then compounded her problems with careless language?
Our editorial board has struggled with these two questions for the past two weeks. We had endorsed Grant, a Wheaton Republican, just before three Democratic leaders released selected excerpts from a 25-minute phone call in which she made statements regarding LGBTQ issues and the legislative Black Caucus. We were forced to consider the unusual step of rescinding that endorsement.
From her opponent…
@dailyherald -A candidate ( or person ) cannot be “goaded “ into racist or homophobic language.The journalism here is irresponsible. I am not speaking as a candidate, I am speaking on behalf of all the people that are bullied into silence https://t.co/tOrUvSlHjG
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,617 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 32 additional confirmed deaths.
• Boone County: 1 female 90s
• Bureau County: 1 male 80s
• Clinton County: 1 female 70s
• Coles County: 2 males 70s
• Cook County: 1 male 60s, 2 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• DeKalb County: 1 male 80s
• DuPage County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 70s
• Grundy County: 1 male 60s
• Kane County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
• Lake County: 1 male 40s
• Logan County: 1 female 80s
• Marion County: 1 male 70s
• Monroe County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
• Pike County: 1 female 90s
• Richland County: 1 male 80s
• Schuyler County: 1 female 60s
• St. Clair County: 1 female 80s
• Tazewell County: 1 male 80s
• Will County: 1 female 70s
• Winnebago County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 100+
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 305,011 cases, including 8,836 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from September 29 – October 5 is 3.4%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 49,513 specimens for a total of 5,974,469. As of last night, 1,673 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 384 patients were in the ICU and 159 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting separately both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for a death previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
A political fundraising breakfast held over the weekend in Park Ridge has caused backlash from the mayor and residents.
A fundraising event called The Red, White and Blue Breakfast, hosted by the Republican Women of Park Ridge, was held Saturday morning at the Park Ridge Country Club.
Members of the group, as well as several top Republican candidates running for office, were in attendance. Organizers posted photos of the breakfast to Facebook, then later took them down after backlash on social media from community members.
“From the pictures it certainly looked like they were making very little effort to social distance,” said resident Ginger Pennington. “In that case, I wish someone in the club would have stepped forward and asked them to wear their masks when they weren’t eating and follow some of the public health guidelines all the rest of us have been trying to follow.”
Meetings and social events are limited to 50 or fewer guests or 50% of the overall room capacity. Guidelines also state attendees should wear a facemask except while seated.
All attendees removed their masks to eat. After sitting down and starting to eat, attendees were asked to stand to recite the pledge of allegiance, and some did not put on their masks as they recited the pledge. Some individuals removed their masks momentarily after the event when taking a photo. The very limited times when attendees were not wearing masks were warranted and reasonable.
This is why people should avoid indoor events. You don’t get a hall pass from the virus when you eat or take photos or whatever. And keep in mind when viewing these pics that the limit is the lesser of 50 people or 50 percent occupancy…
In the wake of Republican National Committee Chairperson Ronna McDaniel’s positive test for coronavirus, Illinois’ Tenth Congressional District Democrats (Tenth Dems) is urging caution after McDaniel recently headlined a large, unmasked fundraiser in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Video of the large, September 18th gathering was posted the next day by Lake County Republicans on “the official Facebook page for the Lake County IL Republican Central Committee.” It can be viewed on Tenth Dems’ Facebook page, where it was saved in case Republicans removed the video.
Meh. That event was a few weeks ago, so I seriously doubt McDaniel’s presence poses a current hazard. Also, much of the event was outside.
That region has an average positivity rate (excluding Champaign County) of 7.2 percent. I shudder to think what’s gonna happen if the state has to impose its mitigation protocols.
In December 2019, before he assumed the office of Senate President, Senator Harmon took advantage of the self-funding provision in Illinois’ election code by loaning his campaign committee $100,001 to allow it to take in unlimited contributions from donors.
Republican leaders have been using the self-funding loophole since 2016, and Speaker Madigan began using it in 2018 to great effect. Former Senate President Cullerton, however, never opted to use it. \
Since joining the fundraising fray in December, Senator Harmon has taken in $2.4 million from donors who gave more than they would have been allowed to if contribution limits were in place. That’s more than half his total fundraising since December.
Armed with a record war chest, embattled Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan is hitting the TV waves in an unprecedented fashion this election season, with at least a dozen Democratic House candidates now running televised ads and at least a few more expected to go that route in the final weeks of the campaign. […]
Particularly notable is the amount of money being spent not on cable TV, which can be localized to some degree, but on broadcast stations in the Chicago media market. […]
Such an expenditure was unheard of until the last couple of elections, and even then limited to just a couple of districts. […]
The Democratic candidate, Michelle Darbro so far has more than $300,000 in ads, most on broadcast TV, according to the latest reports, with a spokesman for Stephens saying he fears another half million dollars worth of ads is on the way. The ads slash Stephens and kin for enriching themselves at taxpayers’ expense
Madigan’s operation spent about a million bucks each on Chicago broadcast in at least a half-dozen races two years ago, plus St. Louis. The Senate Democrats did the same for four of their candidates.
What’s more notable this time around is how early the HDem expenditures began. Two years ago, the Chicago broadcast buys weren’t launched until the final week. This time, they started on September 15th. Lots of folks are voting early this year.
The HGOPs have no money to respond.
But what’s most notable, I think, is that the House Democratic candidates are all being positioned as reformers who will take on the mean ol’ Springfield establishment. Subscribers have been getting regular updates on this topic, so I swear I am not making this up.
The approach obviously polls well or they wouldn’t be doing it, but the massive amount of cognitive dissonance this requires to pull off is simply mind-blowing.
* Background is here and here. As I told subscribers this morning, this was not his best-ever idea, to say the least…
12 minutes before it was scheduled to begin, @ILTreasurer’s presser has been canceled. But he made sure to clarify that he opposes creating a retirement income tax. pic.twitter.com/T3lVbb40qd
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider today released the following statement after Governor JB Pritzker forced State Treasurer Michael Frerichs to call off his press conference to explain the details of Pritzker’s plan to tax retirement income if the constitutional amendment passes:
“Earlier today, Governor Pritzker put the muzzle on Treasurer Frerichs who was minutes away from telling the people of Illinois the truth: Pritzker has a plan to tax retirement income in Illinois and needs the constitutional amendment to get it done. Pritzker can muzzle Frerichs all he wants but the secret is already out. To protect retirement income from Pritzker’s tax plan, Illinois voters must vote no on the constitutional amendment.”
…Adding… Press release…
Today, Vote Yes For Fairness Chairman Quentin Fulks released the following statement:
“The facts are absolutely clear: the Fair Tax does not tax retirement income, nor does it make it any easier to do so. Treasurer Frerichs supports the Fair Tax because it helps our working families and like the Governor and the General Assembly, opposes taxing retirement income.
“Opponents of the Fair Tax are simply trying to confuse Illinoisans, while attempting to hide the fact that they, as recently as yesterday, have advocated for taxing retirement income and raising the flat tax on all Illinoisans by 20%. These attacks are nothing more than political rhetoric from those who are desperate to ensure millionaires and billionaires avoid paying their share and the burden stays on middle and lower-income families.
“The Fair Tax means 97% of Illinoisans will receive a tax cut, while millionaires and billionaires finally pay their fair share.”
Democratic State Treasurer Michael Frerichs abruptly canceled a Tuesday news conference to rebut comments he made in June about taxing retirement income, an issue now being used by opponents fighting a proposed graduated-rate income tax amendment.
Ten minutes before he planned to speak at the downtown James R. Thompson Center, a Frerichs aide told reporters the event had been canceled. Asked for a reason, the aide offered none. […]
Before Frerichs called off his news conference, the lead group opposing the proposed amendment, the Coalition to Stop the Proposed Tax Hike, issued a statement contending the state treasurer had “admitted taxing retirement income is on the table.”
“No amount of backtracking can change the fact this is the worst possible time to raise taxes, and we simply can’t trust Springfield politicians,” said Lissa Druss, spokesperson for the coalition.
What a mess. lol
…Adding… Frerichs narrowly won his first statewide bid. From his 2014 victory statement…
“Tens of thousands of Rauner-Frerichs independents in Central Illinois were critical to this race”
…Adding… Press release…
“Today is a perfect example why retirees can’t trust Springfield Politicians with new taxing powers and why our bipartisan coalition against the Tax Hike Amendment is growing.
“The Illinois Treasurer admitted taxing retirement income is on the table, exposing just how devastating it would be for middle-class families, small businesses, and family farmers if the Tax Hike Amendment passes.
“No amount of backtracking can change the fact this is the worst possible time to raise taxes, and we simply can’t trust Springfield Politicians.”
Lissa Druss
Spokesperson for the Coalition to Stop the Proposed Tax Hike Amendment
Revenues flowing into state coffers from legalized gambling operations plummeted during the fiscal year that ended June 30 as casinos, racetracks and other video gambling venues were forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many people also slowed down on buying lottery tickets, according to a new report by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or CoGFA, which said total state tax revenues generated through legalized gambling fell 13.4 percent, or about $200 million, compared to the previous fiscal year.
“This decline is in large part due to the suspension of video gaming and casino operations between March 16 and June 30, which thereby prevented any revenues from being generated from these sources during this time period,” the report stated. “Although this suspension has been since lifted, gaming has only returned on a limited basis and it remains unclear how long these limitations will last. Even with the resumption of wagering, it is expected that the ramifications of the pandemic on public confidence will persist for some time.”
The report noted that casinos suffered the biggest declines, with adjusted gross receipts falling by 30 percent, or more than $400 million, compared to the previous year. That included a $119 million drop in receipts at the state’s largest casino, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, but all other casinos reported significant declines as well.
Illinois’ recreational marijuana industry continues to surge as many other businesses struggle to survive during the pandemic, with statewide sales surpassing $67.6 million in September.
According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, adult-use cannabis sales in August climbed nearly 5.8% over July, when the state had nearly $64 million in sales.
Sales of recreational pot have increased each month since February, which saw a slight drop in sales from January, the first month of legal weed in Illinois.
But…
Yes, yes, you all tell me you're drinking more in 2020 but State of Illinois (sky high) alcohol gallonage taxes are down 4.2% vs last fiscal year.
The St. Clair County Health Department is encouraging people to get a coronavirus test in hopes that the county’s positivity rate will decrease.
A lower positivity rate is one of the metrics needed to help the county no longer be deemed at a COVID warning level by the Illinois Department of Public Health. […]
Organizational Communications Manager Brenda Fedak told FOX 2 the county is encouraging people to go get tested.
“Unfortunately we need those negative tests to bring the positivity rate down,” Fedak said.
It didn’t really work miracles. The county’s seven-day rolling positivity rate was 7.1 percent the day that story was published a month ago. It was 6.7 percent a few days ago and it’s now 6 percent. Madison County has about the same number of people as St. Clair, and St. Clair has been testing, on average, only about 100 more people a day, but Madison’s average positivity rate is 7 percent.
While the metro-east remains under coronavirus restrictions and one additional death was announced in Monroe County, St. Clair County officials on Sunday once again urged all residents to get tested for COVID-19, even if they are not showing any signs of the illness.
The message announced during a St. Clair County daily briefing on Sunday echoed one that was issued on Sept. 11 as a way to lower the region’s coronavirus test positivity rate. […]
“IDPH uses a metric of positivity percentage based on those tested, not based on the size of a community,” said Sam Bierman, the emergency response coordinator for the St. Clair County Health Department. “So when they do that, it doesn’t matter the size of the population for whatever that area or that county is, we’re looking at the actual individuals that we’ve tested so that is why we encourage everyone to go out and get tested for two reasons.
“One, we’ve been shown that, you know, someone can test positive without having a single symptom and we want to test those individuals and stop the spread but then, two, if we only tested those that were symptomatic and only tested those we thought were positive, our percentage of positivity would be off the charts.”
* I asked the governor’s office for a response. Here’s Jordan Abudayyeh…
Since the start of the pandemic, this administration has worked around the clock to build one of the most robust testing operations in the nation. The Governor has urged Illinoisans around the state to take advantage of these resources and get tested because testing is one of the most effective tools we have to curb the spread of this virus.
One of the benefits of mass testing is the ability to catch asymptomatic carriers of the virus early so they can isolate before they continue to spread it to more people.
We applaud the county touting the importance of testing, but the administration will not allow misinformation about how data is used to impact decisions concerning public health.
As the Governor has said, working together to follow the recommendations of the public health experts to bring down the positivity rate will result in lifting mitigation. St. Clair County has been working to do that and other counties in the region should follow their lead.
I dunno, maybe just do what everyone knows will work instead of trying to game the system and providing false hope?
“Based on a complaint, a COVID-19 Compliance check on Fast Eddies Bon Air in Alton, IL was conducted,” said Sgt. Delila Garcia, a deputy chief with the Public Information Office. “ISP officers issued a Notice of Non-Compliance to the manager on duty and advised them of a time frame to get into compliance.”
“After approximately, one hour, ISP officers returned and issued a dispersal order to the same on-duty manager,” Garcia said. “After approximately another 30 minutes, ISP officers returned and issued a Madison County Non-Traffic complaint to the business for the observed violations. The manager signed and accepted the written complaint on behalf of Fast Eddies Bon Air.”
ISP said it’s up to the state’s attorneys to proceed with such cases. The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office couldn’t be reached for comment. A manager at Fast Eddies wasn’t immediately available.
Local topics only, please. There are plenty of places to spout off about national politics. I suggest you find one of them if you simply can’t contain yourself.
I had the honor of being elected by my peers in 2010 and have taken my role as a trustee very seriously. As the first African-American male President of the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund it has been my honor to serve as a fiduciary in a leadership capacity. After heavy reflection and much consideration I am making an announcement that cannot be delayed any longer. I ask my fellow trustees for their indulgence as what I am about to say will not be easy.
For the last year and a half I have been witness to some of the most abhorrent, disturbing and despicable actions by former and current trustees on this board. There is a culture of intimidation, intentional misinformation, discrimination, slander, misogyny, fear-mongering, blatant racism, sexism and retaliatory actions from trustees towards staff and vendors. I cannot and will not be silent anymore. My silence will no longer be used as complicity to enable unethical and terrible behavior from Trustees. I have reviewed audio of verbal abuse from trustees to staff during board and committee meetings. I have been on the receiving end of sabotage, intimidation, and racist comments from individuals that I believed were my colleagues and friends. I have witnessed former trustees slander, harass and defame vendors simply because they can. This behavior stops today. There are at least 12 active complaints that have been filed on behalf of staff against several current trustees. I am aware of documented harassment and targeted bullying from one former trustee and one current trustee to a vendor who represents us in Springfield. I am also aware of trustees being approached by members of the Chicago Teachers Union who want us as trustees to hire former Madigan staffers who are now contract lobbyists. Let me be clear. We are not in the business as fiduciaries of hiding Madigan lobbyists at the fund under the guise of an RFP.
To add insult to injury, several executive board members of this fund have received notice that trustees are deliberately and viciously targeting women of color. I have witnessed a Trustee who refuses to engage or legitimize a Director in her area of expertise without first corroborating her claims with her white subordinate. African American staff, particularly women, are subjected to inappropriate comments, insensitive behavior, and mental intimidation ON A DAILY BASIS. This is the type of behavior that we as teachers would never tolerate and fight against in our own grievances, mediations and arbitrations. As an African-American President, I have even been on the receiving end of gamesmanship that has stalled, delayed, and disrupted our meetings. According to Board policy, the Trustees establish the dates and times for meetings during our Annual Meeting in November. Regular Board of Trustees’ meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of January, March, May, August, September, November and December. This year, the published meeting schedule called for special meetings in February, April, June, and October. These meetings were to be primarily used for committee business. NO board meeting was scheduled for July at the Trustees’ request in recognition of summer schedules, and the difficulty of achieving a quorum due to vacations and holidays. According to Fund policy, special meetings maybe called by the President or by three Trustees provided public notice of the meeting is given in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. There were two special meetings called for in July by groups of three or more trustees. These special meetings were not included on the published schedule for the year, and they failed to achieve a quorum. Not all members will be able to attend every meeting, especially those scheduled on short notice. A lack of attendance by trustees at unplanned meetings is not a breach of fiduciary responsibility or fund policy. In fact, it was a direct act to protect our mental health from the barrage of inexcusable behavior at our participant’s expense. Systemic racism is a form of racism that is embedded as normal practice within society or an organization. Systemic racism is not always as blatant as using a racial slur or refusing service based on a person’s race, sexual orientation, or religion. Instead it can reveal itself as comments against African emerging managers as an unfounded suspicion that they will steal money. Systemic racism is a repeated coordinated effort by a former trustee to end a vendor’s contract WITHOUT CAUSE by pushing for an unnecessary RFP. It can rear its ugly head by abusing staff and intentionally blocking consequences for unethical and morally wrong behavior. Lastly, systemic racism can be perpetuated by the Chicago Teachers’ Union who has been made aware of the despicable discriminatory practices of trustees and who choose to remain silent. As I stated before I can no longer sit idly by while the morale of staff and vendors are destroyed. Ultimately it is the participants who suffer.
In a move that is unprecedented, but ultimately necessary I will be instructing the Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director and Chief Legal Officer to compile all grievances, complaints, harassment claims, audio clips of verbal abuse, and recommended consequences from external counsel and submit them to the Public Access Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office, the Illinois Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Legislative Inspector General and the Office of the Mayor for what I believe are violations of the Illinois Human Rights Act, the City of Chicago Human Rights Act, the City of Chicago Human Rights Ordinance, the State Official and Employer Ethics Act, and the Illinois Whistleblower Act. As trustees we cannot condone racism, harassment or targeted discrimination. We will no longer allow former trustees and active trustees to terrorize our fund with unethical behavior and acts. If we are not a part of the solution then we are part of the problem.
The political woes facing Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan expanded to a new front today with the disclosure of a gripe from the president of the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund that his board was asked to hire lobbyists close to the speaker. […]
Blackwell has not been available for comment today. Chuck Burbridge, the executive director of the $12.3 billion retirement system, said in an email only that, “The board will be looking into the governance issues Mr. Blackwell raised” and that day-to-day fund operations continue. […]
CTU had no comment, and Madigan’s office has not responded to a request for comment.
In a statement, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin said: “Once again, we see a pattern of Speaker Madigan trying to intimidate and abuse his vast power to award his allies with jobs. His reach and corruption know no bounds.”
* The ILGOP also issued a press release today…
JB Pritzker has a big problem. He hasn’t taken a position on whether Democrats should subpoena Mike Madigan to testify before a House probe investigating his corruption. He hasn’t called on Democrats to vote to issue that subpoena. He’s hoping this will all go away so he can stay friends with Madigan, his biggest political booster.
Predictably, however, the probe of Madigan’s corruption is about to widen beyond ComEd. It stands to reason (in line with longstanding Springfield rumors) that if Madigan pressured ComEd to hire his cronies in exchange for legislative considerations, he did this to others. We already knew that the US Attorney had issued subpoenas to other companies in Illinois. Now comes another bombshell.
From Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund Board of Trustees President Jeffery Blackwell:
I am also aware of trustees being approached by members of the Chicago Teachers Union who want us as trustees to hire former Madigan staffers who are now contract lobbyists.
To say that CTU and Madigan have played hardball in Springfield for years is an understatement. So it was a great surprise to read in the spring of 2019 that Madigan allowed a CTU-backed bill out of the House that repealed a 1995 law that had narrowed collective bargaining topics for Chicago public schools. During the Rauner years, Democrats had floated expanding the 1995 law statewide to help school districts save money and lower property taxes; now Madigan was giving the green light in the opposite, pro-CTU direction. Madigan followed with support for a CTU-backed school board election bill.
First ComEd. Now CTU. No doubt the list is endless if people ever came forward. It has always been a wonder that Madigan could operate a Capone-style machine without ever getting caught. But until now, he was considered unchallengeable, all-powerful, invincible. As Madigan’s power wanes, the drip-drip will continue.
The question for Pritzker: a smart politician would be running away at light speed and calling for Madigan to resign. What does Madigan have over Pritzker that the governor can’t even call for a subpoena?
There’s a fantasy popular in certain Illinois Democratic circles that goes something like this:
Democratic legislative candidates wipe out suburban Republicans in the November election, allowing House Speaker Michael Madigan to expand on his party’s overwhelming majority.
Flush with his latest success, the nation’s longest-serving House speaker cites the election results as a repudiation of his critics, declares he’s done all he can for Illinois and calls it quits after 50 years as a state representative — to spend more time with his grandchildren.
Then, those engaged in this fantasy snap out of it and remember this is Mike Madigan, who gives up nothing without a fight, never voluntarily cedes power and ain’t going nowhere yet.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in Springfield?
Sen. Rob Martwick: I hear many concerns from my constituents. People are worried about civil unrest, violence and creating a more just system of criminal justice. They are very concerned that the state ensures a smooth and stable, yet robust recovery from the pandemic that allows the middle class to thrive, but protects society from potential future outbreaks. Although, I come from a solidly middle class district and my constituents are a strong willed and hard working bunch and their greatest priority for me continues to be that every level of government work to provide opportunities to them and their families, and fix our financial problems.
Sen. Cellina Villanueva: Since March the #1 issue I have heard most from constituents is the IDES/Unemployment system in the state. My team and I have spent countless hours working to get every case that comes our way in front of the staff at IDES so that people can get their benefits and have one less thing to worry about during this pandemic. I do not believe there is ever going to be just one priority for lawmakers because this pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of our lives. Dealing with the current effects and aftermath of COVID is going to have to be one of many of our top priorities as lawmakers. COVID has impacted jobs, small business, education, higher education, food accessibility, housing, and other social needs. Everything has been impacted and we have to focus on helping people in as many ways as possible.
Rep. Karina Villa: The primary issues in my house district when I first ran were property taxes, education funding and affordable healthcare. From a baseline perspective, that hasn’t changed but the economic reality of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic has forced unanticipated priority adjustments. My work with the manufacturing facilities in my district regarding essential worker safety is an example of an unexpected adjustment. It is also imperative that we must work diligently to protect our students, teachers and staff as we reopen schools, and do what we can to support our small businesses. The 2020 census success will be critical in obtaining the federal funding we will need to support these efforts.
Sen. Patrick Joyce: Lowering property taxes.
People are desperately trying to just get by during extremely difficult times.
WBEZ has been asking you what you want Illinois politicians to be talking about heading into November’s elections — and beyond. Our goal: Cover government and politics based on the issues that matter most to constituents, rather than covering politics like a game of thrones. […]
More than anything, you told us you want answers about how government officials are responding to the pandemic – both from the economic and public health perspectives. You also wanted them to address the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on Black and Latino communities. About half of the responses dealing with COVID-19 had to do with how officials plan to keep the virus from spreading, especially among vulnerable populations like frontline workers. […]
You told us you want to feel safe in your neighborhoods from violence in all of its forms – including robberies, gang violence, and harassment from police. […]
The right to a quality education was top-of-mind for many of you. In particular, people wanted to hear their officials talking about ways to distribute school funding resources and educational opportunities equitably, from childcare to remote learning resources to affordable higher education. […]
You also told us you wanted to hear how elected and government officials plan to address the unequal investment in neighborhoods and areas around Chicagoland – particularly, through the lens of racial equity. […]
Even as the pandemic remains a major healthcare concern, we heard from many people worried about the cost and availability of healthcare beyond the pandemic.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,853 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 14 additional confirmed deaths.
• Champaign County: 1 female 90s
• Christian County: 1 male 80s
• Cook County: 2 males 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
• DuPage County: 1 female 80s
• Fayette County: 1 male 90s
• Knox County: 1 male 50s
• Monroe County: 1 male 80s
• Wayne County: 1 male 50s
• Williamson County: 1 female 70s
• Winnebago County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 100+
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 303,394 cases, including 8,805 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from September 28 – October 4 is 3.4%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 38,538 specimens for a total of 5,924,956. As of last night, 1,631 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 382 patients were in the ICU and 155 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting separately both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,453 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 17 additional confirmed deaths.
Cook County: 1 female 30s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 2 males 60s, 4 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
DeKalb County: 1 female 70s
DuPage County: 1 male 70s
Monroe County: 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
Will County: 1 male 70s
Williamson County: 1 male 60s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 301,541 cases, including 8,791 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from September 27 – October 3 is 3.3%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 51,656 specimens for a total of 5,886,418. As of last night, 1,521 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 384 patients were in the ICU and 140 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,442 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 31 additional confirmed deaths.
Christian County: 1 male 80s
Cook County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 2 males 60s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
Crawford County: 1 male 50s
Greene County: 1 female 70s
Kane County: 1 male 60s
Livingston County: 1 male 60s
Macon County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
Madison County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
Mercer County: 1 female 90s
Monroe County: 1 female 60s
Morgan County: 1 male 80s
Peoria County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
Rock Island County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
Tazewell County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Vermilion County: 1 male 70s
Will County: 1 male 70s, 3 females 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 300,088 cases, including 8,774 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from September 26 – October 2 is 3.4%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 71,634 specimens for a total of 5,834,762. As of last night, 1,535 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 361 patients were in the ICU and 140 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, causes trouble in Springfield (in a good way) because he doesn’t go with the flow. He challenged Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-home directives in court as executive order overreach. He calls out members of his own party if he believes they’re leading the state in the wrong direction. On taking a legislative pension, which he declined, he says: “I believe that the position of representative and senator are not careers, but should be treated as times of service to our state. It is irresponsible to collect a pension for an elected position while the working-class pensions are in jeopardy.” Right on. Bailey faces Olney business owner Cynthia Given. Voters in this district should send Bailey to the Senate where he can continue to challenge the status quo. He is endorsed.
Investors who won a chance for a license to sell recreational marijuana in Illinois have filed a lawsuit asserting it’s illegal to give other applicants a second chance.
The lawsuit sets up a potential court battle over when to hold a lottery to award 75 new retail licenses.
Three finalists filed a petition asking the Illinois Supreme Court to order that the licenses be awarded without recent changes to the application process they say were made because of “political expediency.”
Last month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced new procedures that would allow applicants to correct any deficiencies in their applications and get re-scored for a second chance at qualifying for the license lottery.
Keep in mind that the winners all had perfect scores. The losers are not allowed to change their applications to add, say, military veteran ownership or whatever. The losers can only challenge what they believe to be subjective decisions or errors by the company hired to do the scoring.
So, I kinda doubt that much will change even if the courts deny this legal move. As I told subscribers several days ago, though, politically speaking, it’s far better for the governor to be on the side of the multitude of losers than to be with the handful of winners.
* Related…
* Canopy to bring cannabis beverages to U.S. next summer - Canopy Growth, the cannabis company that attracted Corona beer producer Constellation Brands of Chicago as an investor, will first roll out the drinks in Illinois and California
* What follows are the results from contact tracing efforts in Illinois between August 1 and September 29. “Other” is described as a catchall for anything not covered by the specific categories below, including things like vacations, family gatherings, weddings and college parties….
Click the pics for a larger image. The graph was provided by the governor’s office.
Two former Illinois politicians have formed a bipartisan campaign committee to urge residents to vote against Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride’s retention.
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and Congressman Ray LaHood joined former state lawmaker and political commentator Jim Nowlan to discuss their goals for “Citizens for Judicial Fairness.”
They feel Kilbride has been a “puppet” for House Speaker Mike Madigan over the last 20 years. The group claims he received more than $4 million from Madigan political committees during his first two campaigns.
“Madigan is the issue, and I can tell you he is detested in downstate Illinois. People hate him,” said Jim Nowlan, a former University of Illinois faculty member who is leading the charge against Kilbride.
Labeling Kilbride as a “puppet” of Madigan, Nowlan likes to ask members of his audiences if they would like to vote against the 78-year-old Chicago politician.
“They come out of their seats,” said Nowlan, a former Republican state legislator who’s worked in the administrations of what he describes as three “unindicted” Illinois governors.
If they want to vote against Madigan, Nowlan says, they can vote against Kilbride’s retention.
* Capitol News Illinois has been distributing Nowlan’s column, so I reached out to CNI editor Jeff Rogers to see if that would continue…
After receiving requests from a number of editors, Capitol News Illinois agreed last year to distribute Jim Nowlan’s columns to Illinois newspapers. Jim has been writing those columns free of charge, and he is not an employee of Capitol News Illinois. After his Aug. 21 commentary, Jim voluntarily suspended the writing and distribution of his commentaries until at least after the Nov. 3 election.
Rogers is also the director of the Illinois Press Foundation, which is the “nonprofit, charitable arm of the Illinois Press Association.” The IPA is an association of newspaper publishers and lobbies in Springfield.
The libertarian-leaning Illinois Policy Institute on Monday filed suit in an effort to derail Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature policy proposal — changing Illinois’ constitution to allow for a graduated income tax — by forcing the state to issue “corrective notices” about the intent of the tax change, or declaring the vote on the amendment “void.” […]
Among other arguments, the suit alleges the explanation and arguments in favor of the amendment could “induce retirees into voting to impose on themselves a tax on retirement income.”
“If approved by voters, the [Progressive Income Tax] Amendment would eliminate important structural safeguards that deter legislators in the General Assembly from imposing new taxes on retirement income and deter legislators from imposing higher taxes on individuals with middle or low incomes,” the suit alleges.
Although Pritzker himself has repeatedly said he would not move to tax retirement income, and the pamphlet also explicitly says “This amendment does not tax retirement income,” opponents to the tax change have fixated on a comment made by Democratic State Treasurer Mike Frerichs this summer, in which he suggested the graduated income tax would open the door to taxing retirement income.
They look like they’re taking a political argument and trying to make it in court.
Vote Yes For Fairness Chairman Quentin Fulks released the following statement in response to the lawsuit the Illinois Policy Institute filed in Cook County today:
“When the facts aren’t on your side, you’re forced to rely on blatant stunts and outright lies, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing from the Illinois Policy Institute today. This is just the latest attempt by an organization bankrolled by the wealthiest people in the state to ensure the burden remains on middle and working-class families, while millionaires and billionaires avoid paying their fair share. IPI is the organization that brought Illinois’ two-year budget impasse and 8 credit downgrades, but won’t support a policy that gives 97% of Illinoisans a tax cut. They can continue to waste their time with frivolous lawsuits – Vote Yes For Fairness remains focused on educating voters on how the Fair Tax will help them, their families, and their communities.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** John Bouman, chairman of Vote Yes for Fair Tax…
“The wealthy few who benefit from the state’s unfair tax system are desperate. They will do anything to prevent paying their fair share, even try to silence the voices of Illinois voters. The frivolous lawsuit filed by an extreme far-right front group is the latest example of their dirty tricks.
“The people of Illinois won’t be denied their right to vote Yes for a tax cut for everyone who makes less than $250,000, Yes for new funding for schools and health care, and Yes to make the very rich finally pay their fair share.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Jordan Abudayyeh…
Working families in Illinois are used to seeing lies from the billionaires and millionaires who don’t want to pay their fair share, and this latest desperate doozy from the Illinois Policy Institute is just more of the same to protect their wealthy donors and make the middle class pay. The Governor has been abundantly clear that Illinois will remain one of the few states that will not tax retirement income and retirees will get a tax cut under the fair tax plan. The General Assembly passed and the Governor signed into law the tax rates that would go into effect. Illinoisans can go online and see how the fair tax would impact them and the fact is that 97 percent of Illinoisans will see a tax cut.
* No more Chicago/STL baseball and our NFL team was not exactly great yesterday. What off-topic stuff are we gonna talk about now? Whatever it is, let’s leave the national politics to other sites for the moment. Keep it local, be polite to each other and, above all, remain calm.
Alby Gallun at Crain’s Chicago Business recently reported that sales at Chicago’s bars and restaurants plunged 64 percent during the first half of 2020.
The worldwide pandemic crashed a lot of businesses. The city’s particularly tight restrictions in response to the crisis made things even tougher. In comparison, the six-county Chicago metropolitan area saw bar and restaurant sales fall “only” 30 percent.
This is not a criticism of the city’s restrictions. Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her team had to do what they had (and have) to do to keep the virus contained. Chicago was slammed hard by COVID-19 in the early going, and no sane person wants to risk a repeat or even an echo of that madness again.
But the restrictions, and the coming cold weather, mean the city’s bars and restaurants are facing annihilation. Something has to be done. But only a fool would depend on Congress for adequate help. Illinois’ coffers aren’t exactly flush with cash, and Chicago’s budget is deeply in the red.
So the city ought to let these barely surviving businesses help themselves by finally opting in to legalized video gaming.
The games were approved by the state over a decade ago, but Chicago has never allowed them. Some folks had moral objections, and others wanted to make sure a potential downtown casino would have a gambling monopoly.
The end result is that the perpetually cash-strapped city has left a ton of tax revenues on the table while it waited for a casino that never materialized.
And now, when a Chicago casino has finally been approved by the General Assembly, the city’s leaders are even more reluctant to approve video gaming.
City Chief Financial Officer Jennie Huang Bennett said last month that video gaming “could have a ‘cannibalization’ effect on revenues the city is counting on from an in-the-works casino and cost thousands of jobs,” according to WTTW.
So, I reached out to one of the most trusted voices in all of Chicago’s hospitality industry, the @ChicagoBars Twitter account. The fact that a Crain’s editor gave me the go-ahead to interview a Twitter account should tell you how authoritative the source is.
It’s well known that the Illinois House Republicans (along with pretty much all Illinois Republicans) are using House Speaker Michael Madigan’s bad reputation to bludgeon their Democratic opponents.
Madigan has been enormously unpopular in Illinois. And he’s probably more unpopular now because he’s been in the news so much during the long federal investigation into ComEd and the company’s resulting deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. attorney in Chicago.
A special Illinois House investigating committee has been impaneled to take testimony about the federal probe and consider whether to discipline Madigan for “conduct unbecoming a legislator,” which is helping to keep him in the news.
Add the more recent news about Democratic Rep. Stephanie Kifowit’s announcement last week that she will run against Madigan for speaker in January, and it’s been a complete media circus for the longtime pol.
Kifowit has not yet identified any allies and isn’t exactly an odds-on favorite to defeat Madigan. She’s votes more conservative than many in the House Democratic caucus. She was the only House “present” vote on the minimum wage increase bill and she hired a public relations person who is raising money for the Republican opponent of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. That puts her at odds with her party, the Black Caucus and labor unions that fund the Democrats.
But the mere fact that she stood up and announced her bid is an indication that Madigan’s political strength is not what it used to be.
Anyway, the last time the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute polled Speaker Madigan’s job approval rating was last year. It found 71% disapproved of the way Madigan did his job while only 20% approved — a 51-point difference.
Those results weren’t all that different from the same poll’s question on whether Illinoisans supported a new state tax on retirement income. Seventy-three percent opposed it while 23 percent supported — a 50-point margin.
Normally, opposition to a retirement income tax is an easy layup for Illinois legislators in both parties. Just score some no-brainer points with the folks back home and move on to the next question.
But some brainiacs always want to start a “discussion,” and it often blows up in their faces.
This time, it’s blowing up in others’ faces.
“One thing a progressive tax would do is make clear you can have graduated rates when you are taxing retirement income,” Treasurer Michael Frerichs, a Democrat, told the Daily Herald back in June. “And, I think that’s something that’s worth discussion.”
Frerichs’ quote has opened the door to House Republican attack mailers in numerous districts against Democrats who voted “Yes” on the graduated income tax last year and also against Democratic House candidates in general.
“Mary Edly-Allen supports the tax hike amendment,” one recent HGOP mailer exclaimed about the freshman Democratic state Representative from Libertyville. “Her Springfield pals admit the amendment would open the door to a brand-new tax on retirement income. That means your pension, your 401(k) plan, and your retirement plan would be taxed and sent straight to Springfield.”
The mailers are being sent to other districts (Metro East and Southern Illinois, for example) where the tax is also not polling great. But, said one House Republican source of the tax issue, “We’re talking about that everywhere.”
The mailers have the added benefit of ginning up opposition to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “Fair Tax” constitutional amendment, which House Republican Leader Jim Durkin has vowed to defeat. So, it’s a twofer.
“Politician Janet Yang Rohr wants to tax your retirement income,” another Republican mailer warns about Rep. Grant Wehrli’s, R-Naperville, Democratic opponent.
“Yang Rohr is backing the graduated income tax. This plan would not only raise taxes on the middle class, but also on retirees. The state treasurer has admitted this is a tax on retirees. There’s no question that ordinary people will suffer. Protect your retirement. Vote ‘No’ on Janet Yang Rohr.”
To be fair, if Treasurer Frerichs hadn’t said what he said, the Republicans would’ve found another way to make the same argument. But Frerichs did make their easier.
And Pritzker can’t really complain about taking somebody’s mention of a graduated tax on retirement income and twisting it into an attack on all retirement income taxation because he did the very same thing in the 2018 Democratic primary. His top two Democratic opponents, Chris Kennedy and Daniel Biss, both tentatively supported a tax on upper-income retirees, but Pritzker distorted that into TV ads claiming the two wanted to tax all retirement income.
Karma can be problematic.
…Adding… From Rep. Kifowit…
Good afternoon Rich, I had a busy Monday but I wanted to address some points you made in your post.
First, the public relations person that you reference in your post took time out of her dedication to making masks for her community to help facilitate my announcement. Due to a technological glitch in my Facebook live stream, she accepted a friend request from you to allow you to see the FB live stream on her page. It is disappointing that you would review her page and attribute her private views as a reflection of my record. In a democracy, private citizens are allowed to have different views. In this case, while I do not share this same view as hers, I appreciated her willingness to assist me with the announcement.
After my first year in office, I ended being on the “target program” which included the watch list (otherwise known as the watch chart or target list) which often listed IL House Black Caucus members’ bills as being “soft on crime” and intimidated “targets” to vote no. Since then, I have offered my support to I believe almost all, if not all, of the bills proposed by members of the IL House Black Caucus and I have spoken out about the need to end institutional racism without any time to reflect. As Speaker, I will eliminate the watch chart and the intimidation that is incorporated against new members to vote in accordance with it, and work with members to vote for the best interest of their districts and their views.
In addition, my labor voting record is solid. You mention the minimum wage bill, which I voted present on, as a feeble attempt to again sow division. I have a long-standing promise to my residents to not vote for legislation that is rushed through the process. I believe in our democratic system, and I hold fast that there should be constructive debate and discussion with regards to legislation, and the minimum wage bill in particular I had some concerns with. I was told there would be no changes to the bill - so while I did support raising the minimum wage, the manner in which the bill was presented was the reason I voted present.
As Speaker, I do believe that working together and treating members with respect on all manners is so important to our system of government. To have a separate and equal branch of government gives rise to a higher standard of integrity and a proper check and balance that our founding fathers established. When we stray from our principals, is when the public loses faith in our state.
Thank you,
Stephanie Kifowit
The PR person didn’t just facilitate the Facebook video, she sent out media alerts and a press release.
Every citizen has a right to the truth about what Governor Pritzker and Mike Madigan’s tax increase will mean for our state: the continued exodus of families and businesses, loss of jobs and inevitably higher taxes on everyone. Well informed voters are increasingly speaking out against this tax hike, and I am committed to ensuring each of us has the facts to make a thoughtful decision about this catastrophic constitutional amendment.
With less than 5 weeks to go until Election Day, Ken Griffin is growing increasingly desperate to ensure he can keep the special deal he gets under our current tax system that allows him to pay the same tax rate as our essential workers. Mr. Griffin and his fellow opponents have already made clear they want to raise taxes on working families and retirees rather than pay their fair share.
Mr. Griffin’s now spent more than he would have paid additionally last year under the Fair Tax in an attempt to defeat it. This may be nothing more than a calculation to him, but the future of our state is at stake. We remain committed to passing the Fair Tax in this election and giving a tax cut to 97% of Illinoisans.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Coalition To Stop The Proposed Tax Hike Amendment spokesperson Lissa Druss…
It is clear people are responding to the message that giving Springfield Politicians more power to raise taxes in the midst of a health and economic crisis is the wrong direction for our state.
With each passing day, the people of Illinois realize that the actual tax rates are not what they are voting on, but rather they are being asked to trust Springfield Politicians with a blank check.
The Coalition’s support continues to grow from small businesses, family farmers, and middle-class families who all believe now is the worst possible time to raise taxes.
