In a joint statement release today, Republican state legislators called on Governor Rauner to end his “shameful distortions and fabrications of Jeanne Ives’ record.” They further called on Republican voters to look beyond Rauner’s fraudulent ads, and compare Ives’ record to Rauner’s record.
The letter is signed by State Representatives Tom Morrison, John Cabello, Margo McDermed, Allen Skillicorn, and David McSweeney, and State Senators Tim Bivins and Kyle McCarter.
* The letter…
We call on Bruce Rauner to stop his shameful distortions and fabrications of Jeanne Ives’ record. He can’t defend his own policies, so he’s using deep campaign coffers to flood airwaves and mailboxes with bogus attacks.
Mike Madigan’s favorite candidate? It’s Bruce Rauner who enacted key elements of a progressive social agenda, including taxpayer funding of elective abortions.
It’s Bruce Rauner who signaled he’d accept an income tax increase, paired with reforms that never materialized. And it’s Bruce Rauner who just proposed a new budget that relies on those taxes to balance spending, rather than proposing cuts.
Illinoisans are overtaxed, which is why Rep. Ives voted against the 32% income tax increase. Ives argues that property taxes shouldn’t just be frozen at their already high levels but actually rolled back to provide taxpayer relief.
Who is funding and supporting Jeanne Ives’ campaign for governor? It’s thousands of pro-taxpayer, pro-family Illinois residents who have had enough of Bruce Rauner and his capitulation to liberal Democratic lawmakers.
In conclusion, we call on Republican voters to look beyond Bruce Rauner’s fraudulent ads and instead to examine the real Jeanne Ives compared to the real Bruce Rauner. They should decide, as we have, who is the better choice to lead our party and our state. The choice is clear: Jeanne Ives.
Today, attorneys from the Thomas More Society filed a Motion for Direct Appeal in the Illinois Supreme Court, seeking to have the state’s highest court take their appeal against taxpayer funding of abortion in the Land of Lincoln. In seeking a direct appeal, or alternatively, a supervisory order from the Illinois Supreme Court to expedite their appeal, the group of plaintiffs representing hundreds of thousands of Illinois taxpayers are calling out state officials and a lower court for actions that violate the Illinois Constitution.
The taxpayer lawsuit, filed at the end of November in the Sangamon County Circuit Court, was brought by county and statewide pro-life organizations, the Springfield Catholic Diocese, and a group of Illinois legislators from across the state.
Among the points raised in the filing:
· House Bill 40 (“HB 40”) reverses the prohibition on funding of elective abortions by the Illinois’ Medicaid and employee health insurance programs and mandates coverage by Medicaid.
· Under HB 40, approximately 30,000 of the state’s annual 40,000 abortions will become eligible for payment by Medicaid. This will cost Illinois taxpayers at least $10 million, and potentially upwards of $33 million.
· With the next two months, the State of Illinois intends to release funds to pay for elective abortions, despite the fact that the law can’t even be effective until at least June 1, 2018, per the Illinois Constitution and state statute.
· The constitution also requires the General Assembly to estimate revenues and make specific appropriations for all state spending, but there were never any funds estimated to be available nor any appropriation for the tens of millions in state abortion spending mandated by HB 40.
· Because the federal government does not recognize elective abortion as a reimbursable medical procedure, none of the state’s new expense for elective abortions will be eligible for the standard 50% Medicaid match from the federal government. Illinois taxpayers will assume the entirety of the expense for HB 40’s new reimbursements.
The motion also raises the issue of extraordinary public interest regarding the ability of Illinois courts to enforce the state’s Constitution. The Circuit Court previously ruled that the courts had no ability to review or hear cases alleging appropriations to be illegal or lacking an estimate of available funds. The Appellate Court has refused to expedite the plaintiffs’ appeal, which means that millions in taxpayer funds may be illegally spent for elective abortions, before the appeal is even decided.
The defendants in the case are Felicia Norwood, Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services; Michael Hoffman, Acting Director of the Department of Central Management Services; Michael Frerichs, Treasurer of the State of Illinois; and Susana Mendoza, Comptroller of the State of Illinois.
“The people of Illinois reject taxpayer funded abortion, and they shouldn’t be forced to pay for HB 40, especially before the law is even supposed to be effective,” stated Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Special Counsel. “This year’s budget is already $1.7 billion in the hole, and the General Assembly never identified any funds available to pay for HB 40. We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will allow our motion, so that we can bring this illegal abortion spending to a swift end.”
Staff members of elected officials would be granted the right to file sexual harassment claims under a measure from Senator Melinda Bush that advanced out of the Senate Executive Committee today.
“The claims that have come out over the past several months have made it clear that we need to change the way we handle sexual harassment and make sure everyone knows where to go to seek justice,” Bush (D-Grayslake) said. “The fact that staff of elected officials aren’t considered employees and therefore aren’t protected under the Human Rights Act is egregious.”
Under the Illinois Human Rights Act, immediate personal staff of elected officials are exempt from the definition of employee and are therefore unable to report human rights violations, including sexual harassment, to the Department of Human Rights. Senate Bill 576 would delete this exemption.
“It’s clear that the system was set up to protect perpetrators and leave victims with nowhere to turn,” Bush said. “Legislative staffers should’ve never been excluded from the Human Rights Act. This measure will give them the same rights as every other employee in the state.”
The pressure continues to mount on House Speaker Mike Madigan after the dismissal of a second high-ranking operative from his political organization. Now the state lawmaker who was the victim of what Madigan called “inappropriate behavior” is speaking out.
* But the story itself is not quite as advertised…
Just last week, Representative Deborah Conroy (D-Villa Park) told Madigan about incidents that happened during her 2016 campaign. Madigan quickly cut ties with lobbyist Shaw DeCremer, one of his top lieutenants. […]
Last week, Madigan fired another top campaign worker, Kevin Quinn, for sending inappropriate text messages to Alaina Hampton, who worked under him. Now there are renewed calls for Madigan to step aside. […]
But Conroy said those calls are about making political headlines. She defends how Madigan is handling things and does not believe he should step aside.
“How can you disqualify somebody from leading a charge to bring for a change when we’re just in it now? I believe it’s changing now. I believe standing up, and what Alaina Hampton said and what’s being done now are all a part of changing your culture, so you can’t condemn someone’s attempt to change something when it’s just starting,” Conroy said.
Your thoughts on this? Remember, Conroy herself was an alleged victim.
*** UPDATE *** From Rep. Deb Conroy via text…
Hi Rich, I just wanted to point out that while I am working very hard to change an entrenched culture others are seeking political headlines. Interesting that none of those have taken the time to reach out to me.
Chris Kennedy will be unable to travel to Springfield for tonight’s debate.
Kennedy spokeswoman Rebecca Evans released the following statement:
“During routine exercise this morning, Chris Kennedy injured his back. Under instructions from his doctor, Chris will be unable to travel to Springfield to participate in tonight’s debate. He has spoken to the organizers of the debate who have worked so hard to put together this important forum and sent his regrets. He also sends his regrets to campaign volunteers who helped organize more than a dozen debate viewing parties throughout the state. Chris will return to the campaign trail very soon and looks forward to next week’s debate on ABC 7 Chicago.”
Dr. Joseph Alleva, Chief, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at NorthShore University Health System, issued the following statement:
“During exercise this morning, Chris injured his back. In order to fully recover, he cannot travel to this evening’s debate. The travel would only cause the condition to worsen. With our treatment strategy, I am confident Chris will be able to resume a full campaign schedule in the next few days.”
Dude finally gets a couple of boosts today from the Pritzker poll and the Trib nod and he injures himself. Oy.
…Adding… Kennedy reportedly believes he will be back on his feet and campaigning by tomorrow, but his doctor thinks it could be a couple of days. Bernie Sanders is having a rally tomorrow and there’s been a rumor going around that Chuy Garcia (who has endorsed Kennedy) could bring him on stage even though Sen. Daniel Biss was endorsed by Sanders’ group Our Revolution Illinois.
…Adding… Seems reasonable…
I'm told @Ra_Joy asked forum organizers if he could fill in for Kennedy's absence. They said no. Not the first time Kennedy's health has become a concern on the campaign trail. Campaign insists he's in good health, just a minor accident. Won't commit to releasing a full physical. https://t.co/0At9qGO6yX
“Get them out of that home NOW,” Jeanne Ives, a conservative reform Republican for Governor, demanded in a press conference todaycalling for executive action in the legionella crisis that has continued unabated in a Quincy veterans home.
Since July 2015, 13 have died from Legionnaires’ disease. Eleven families have sued the state for negligence.
In July 2016, Governor Rauner said his administration was “really on top” of the situation at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy.
After that pronouncement, 3 more people got sick. A Korean war veteran died.
Recently, after his January PR stunt of staying at the home, Rauner told the Crain’s editorial board in response to a question as to whether he would’ve done anything differently in handling the crisis, “We handled it exceptionally well and we would not do anything different.”
Since that pronouncement, 4 more people have gotten sick.
The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), yesterday, reported the fourth laboratory-confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy (IVHQ).
“What the hell is wrong with this Governor,” asked Ives, who has used her platform as a candidate to bring attention to the crisis. “Veterans and their families are getting sick and dying, Governor. Get them out of that home NOW.
“This is as uncomplicated as it is preventable and tragic. All the talk from politicians like Rauner about how much they value our veterans, about keeping our promises to our veterans, about respecting their service, about helping them when they’re in need whatever they need…all that talk.
“13 dead. And people keeping getting sick. And the governor who says he’s not in charge is living down to that description.
“There’s nothing left to say. On March 20, Illinois families will have their say.”
* DGA…
Nearly a month ago, Rauner infamously declared that he “would not do anything different” in the aftermath of a Legionnaires’ outbreak at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. Since then four residents have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ and new reports keep raising questions about Rauner’s response to the crisis.
Yesterday, Rauner’s administration dodged a legislative committee who wanted to know why the state never acted on a recommendation to replace water pipes back in 2016. After a WBEZ investigative report into the home, which prompted a Rauner stay at the home, his team requested an updated report. And they asked for the plumbing replacement as an “emergency project” since “frail, elderly residents at the home (are) still becoming sickened.”
Rauner told Crain’s Chicago this month, “We’ve handled it exceptionally well and we would not do anything different.”
Does that still hold true?
“Bruce Rauner’s team sat on a report for 18 months, but he still praises the state’s response to the Quincy Legionnaires’ outbreak,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner’s refusal to admit mistakes shows his failure to lead. Rauner owes the public an explanation why his administration failed to act on a water pipe replacement recommendation a year and a half ago. Instead, his team continues to play blocking games as more residents get sick.”
Gov. Rauner: It’s heartbreaking. We need to keep our veterans safe. We have done everything that the National experts from the CDC have recommended. They are baffled as we are why we’ve had a few more cases. We will be relentless. We are going to protect our veterans. We’ll be taking additional action. We’ll be announcing additional steps here in the very near future.
Reporter: Governor, there are increasing calls for the veterans to move out of that facility… Is it time, I know you’ve expressed concerns about their age, to move them, but is it finally time to take that step?
Gov. Rauner: Well, we will be evaluating every option, every day. Moving the veterans is an option that we’ve evaluated in the past. We will begin evaluating it again now and at all times. We are evaluating every possible opportunity to keep our veterans safe. Here’s the issue: Our veterans are very vulnerable. They’re very susceptible to injury, to illness. They’re very fragile. Moving them increases significant risk for infections and other physical ailments. Whatever we do we need to be very thoughtful and very careful about it. We don’t want to increase their risk of damage to their health.
* He makes some very good points. The state can’t move everyone. But veterans and their families should be allowed to make an informed medical choice. If they decide they want to leave, the state should pay to move them. Period.
It’s time to stop worrying about losing votes because of lost jobs or to avoid the political horrors of admitting that mistakes were made.
The residents of that veterans’ home are the reason the home is there, after all. They did their duty for us, we need to do our duty for them. /rant
…Adding… An Ives supporter, but he’s right about this one…
We had a hearing on Jan. 8th in which I and other members demanded that Governor Rauner immediately give us a detailed plan to construct a new facility in Quincy. Instead, we got a task force. Our heroes in the Elmore Building need to be relocated until a new facility is built.
Democrats are escalating their calls for a series new statewide gun control measures in the wake of last week’s mass school shooting in Florida, including bans on assault weapons, “ghost guns” and bump stocks, a mandatory license for gun dealers, and a new move to grant courts power to seize weapons from someone flagged as a danger to themselves or others.
“Do we have to wait until a Parkland happens in Illinois for us to take action or for us to take ownership of it,” Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) asked. “There is no reason for anyone to have an assault weapon. There just isn’t. It’s a military grade gun. It is not used for protection. It is not used for hunting. We need to ban those and let communities start piece-by-piece doing that until the federal government to figure out how they’re going to do it at the national level.”
Former NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde, who now represents gun dealers, opposes a ban on assault weapons and says he uses an AR-15 to hunt deer, coyotes and prairie dogs.
“I hope he enjoys eating that meat when it’s all full of bullet holes,” heckled state representative Marty Moylan, a Democrat from the Chicago suburbs. Moylan previously proposed a ban on assault weapons in the House, but it fell flat.
* Press release…
In a response to the massive Equifax data breach, the Illinois Senate Financial Institutions Committee today favorably reported out House Bill 4095 with a unanimous bipartisan vote (8-0). The legislation bars credit reporting agencies from charging consumers a fee to place or lift a freeze on their credit report. The bill, sponsored by Representative Greg Harris, passed with unanimous bipartisan support (109 yes, 0 no) in the House last fall. Senator Bill Cunningham is the Senate sponsor.
“The Equifax data breach impacted approximately half of all Americans, and the most effective way for people to prevent identity theft is to place a freeze on their credit reports,” Attorney General Lisa Madigan said. “But people should not have to pay for credit freezes, particularly when they cannot choose whether to do business with the credit reporting agencies.”
A credit freeze prevents new account identity theft by stopping credit reporting agencies from sharing a consumer’s credit report with potential new creditors. Most creditors will not issue new credit to a customer without a credit report from at least one of the big three credit reporting agencies. Credit monitoring services, often peddled to consumers in the wake of data breaches, provide inferior protection: they only alert consumers once identity theft has occurred.
“Making credit freezes free for all Illinois residents is the first of multiple steps the General Assembly should take to respond to the Equifax breach, which placed an estimated 5.4 million Illinois residents at heightened risk of identity theft,” said Illinois PIRG Director Abe Scarr.
House Bill 4095 makes it easier for consumers to protect themselves from identity theft by eliminating the fees charged by credit reporting agencies to place or lift a freeze on their credit report. Current state law allows credit reporting agencies to charge consumers $10 to freeze or thaw their credit report; fees are currently waived for residents 65 and older, active service members, and victims of identity theft with a police report. Indiana, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina already allow all residents to freeze and thaw their credit reports for free. Illinois is on track to be the first state to revise credit freezelaws in response to the Equifax breach.
In written testimony provided to the committee, Illinois PIRG suggested further policy changes the General Assembly should consider, including making credit reports frozen by default, creating a one-stop shop where consumers can freeze their report with the three major credit reporting agencies at once, and shortening the time credit reporting agencies have to respond to a freeze request from days to minutes.
The free credit freeze legislation is supported by Attorney General Lisa Madigan, AARP Illinois, Center for Changing Lives, Citizen Action Illinois, Digital Privacy Alliance, Heartland Alliance, Housing Action Illinois, Illinois PIRG, Navicore Solutions, Working Credit and Woodstock Institute.
In times of emergency, hospitals are where we go to feel safe and get help. But, some say lax security could turn them from safe havens to crime scenes.
Now, one lawmaker wants every hospital in the state to use metal detectors to keep all weapons out. It’s unfortunate the lengths we have to go to, but it’s a reminder of the day and age we live in.
The legislation was filed before last week’s shooting in Florida. It’s to protect nurses and other healthcare workers from acts of violence. Now, in the wake of Florida’s shooting, the bill’s sponsor says it’s needed now more than ever.
Whether you’re fighting a cold or fighting for your life, hospitals are there with open doors, 24/7. But, that open door policy is becoming a point of concern.
“It’s hard to know exactly who’s coming into the hospital and exactly what they may have on them.”
* I received several text messages about this the other day…
Yesterday Liberty Principles PAC filed a B-1 for $480K for IE spending on behalf of many of the candidates they are supporting but it also included $12K for mail supporting Mike Madigan. Very unexpected.https://t.co/MzgOymaMbj
Along with over $400,000 other expenditures on behalf of Liberty Principles PAC-backed candidates, the report mistakenly says a mailing Proft made in Madigan’s 22nd District was on behalf of Madigan, causing a bit of an uproar among Illinois political insiders Monday afternoon.
And one that Rauner’s campaign could easily - albeit deceitfully - use to mislead voters into thinking Ives’ associate Proft is working behind the scenes to assist the Democratic Party Chairman.
It was a clerical error that has since been corrected or is in the process of so being, Proft told Illinois Review.
“RHA Marketing is a direct mail fundraising firm I use. A clerical person who works for my election attorney (and doesn’t know IL politics) made a data entry mistake because the direct mail fundraising letter in question mentioned Mike Madigan–as in winning the 9 seats we need in the House to depose Mike Madigan as Speaker–so she thought it was on his behalf,” he explained.
“No mailing was sent out on behalf of Mike Madigan. Again, in fact, it was a letter to raise money for my PAC for the explicit purpose of defeating Mike Madigan-backed House candidates and removing him as Speaker. It was an innocent, clerical error. That’s all,” Proft said in an email.
Today Republican Gary Grasso, candidate for Illinois Attorney General, launched a new radio advertisement called “Conservative Choice” highlighting the major differences between the two candidates. The :30 second spot points out the fact that Miss Harold has never tied a case since her graduation in 2007.
Republicans, you do have a choice in the race for Attorney General – the tested, experienced and conservative Gary Grasso or the unproven, untested, liberal Miss Erika Harold.
Gary Grasso has been the lead counsel for hundreds of law cases, while Erika Harold has not even tried a single case.
Grasso, a former two term mayor, is proud to be pro-life. Grasso also opposes Illinois’ sanctuary state law.
Vote for Gary Grasso, the clear, conservative choice for Illinois Attorney General.
“J.B. Pritzker is spineless. Even as top Illinois Democrats and two of Illinois’ leading newspapers call on Mike Madigan to resign his post as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois for his mishandling of a sexual harassment scandal, Pritzker remains silent. Why? Because Mike Madigan is the man behind J.B. Pritzker’s campaign for governor.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
In what may be unprecedented editorials from two of Illinois’ top newspapers, the State Journal-Register and Chicago Tribune called on Illinois Democrats to force House Speaker Mike Madigan to resign his post as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois in light of Madigan’s mishandling of sexual harassment complaints within his political organizations.
From the State Journal-Register editorial:
.
..But it took public complaints for Madigan and company to act — an illustration of how unimportant it was for them to have a legislative inspector general until it became politically unpopular for there not to be one.
And now, Madigan faces similar issues about how his political operation is run. Once again, it appears it took negative public attention to push Madigan into motion.
…Organizations reflect their leadership. Even if Madigan was not initially personally aware of these allegations in his political operation, he has allowed an environment to flourish that allowed harassment and bullying.
…The concentration of power that Madigan holds isn’t healthy for Illinois Democrats. They should no longer accept that the speaker can also be the party chairman. It’s time for the state’s Democrats to demand change. They can start by insisting Madigan step down as chairman.
From the Chicago Tribune editorial:
It’s proper that House Speaker Michael Madigan acknowledges his failure to be a leader in the fight against sexual harassment and bullying in Illinois government and politics. It’s also stunning, given his clenched grip on power and his reluctance to take responsibility for the state of this state. We can’t remember the last time Madigan publicly displayed such humility.
…Now we are witnessing a political uprising against Madigan by a force he cannot ignore and may not outmaneuver: Female Democratic politicians — at first disappointingly, almost deafeningly quiet — have begun telling Madigan his promises to change the culture in Illinois aren’t enough. State Rep. Kelly Cassidy of Chicago wants an independent investigation of Madigan’s organizations to “rip the Band-Aid off” mistreatment. So does state Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake. Other Democrats, some in the thick of the primary campaign, are chiming in. Candidate for governor Chris Kennedy wants Madigan to resign as party chairman. So does Marie Newman, running for Congress against Madigan ally Rep. Dan Lipinski.
…It’s on other Illinois Democrats — his caucus members, other officeholders but also voters — to force Madigan’s hand. At minimum here must be an independent investigation of his legislative offices and political operations to detail precisely how he handled allegations of harassment and bullying. Beyond that, Democrats have to decide whether, for the good and reputation of their party and the legislature, Madigan should shed some of his titles.
Top names in the Democratic Party of Illinois are joining the State Journal-Register and Chicago Tribune in calling for Madigan’s resignation as party chairman as well:
Chris Kennedy:“[Madigan] no longer can lead our party.”
State Sen. Daniel Biss: Sen. Daniel Biss has called for Madigan to step down from his dual position as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois
State Sen. Kwame Raoul: “Is it time for new leadership in the party? Yea, I believe in passing the baton…”
State Sen. Melinda Bush: Madigan “should seriously consider” resigning as party chairman.
State Rep. Litesa Wallace: Rep. Litesa Wallace says that House Speaker Mike Madigan should resign as Chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, and is also questioning whether he can remain as Speaker.
State Rep. Scott Drury: Democratic attorney general candidate Scott Drury doubled down on his previous call for Madigan to resign.
Sharon Fairley: “Speaker Madigan should step down as the chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois - and as House Speaker…”
Marie Newman: “It is time for Michael Madigan to resign as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.”
Noticeably absent from the Democratic chorus demanding Mike Madigan’s resignation is J.B. Pritzker, Madigan’s candidate for governor.
When will J.B. Pritzker grow a spine and demand Madigan resign his post as party chairman? Most likely never because Madigan is the man behind Pritzker’s campaign for governor.
* That Kwame Raoul quote seemed like “new” news to me, so I checked. Here’s the full quote from an Illinois News Network (formerly Illinois Policy Institute) piece…
“Is it time for new leadership in the party,” state Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, said Tuesday. “Yeah, I believe in passing the baton independent of scandal, right. I think it’s healthy for us to push a refresh button and bring new leadership.”
* I asked the Pritzker campaign for a response and they referred me to a statement they’d sent me earlier…
“I stand by Alaina and the women who have bravely come forward to share their story and as I’ve said, it’s clear that not enough was done and there needs to be a completely independent investigation to get to the bottom of what took place and hold the right people accountable. I agree with Rep. Kelly Cassidy and believe the people investigating Speaker Madigan’s operation should have no political or other ties to the Speaker. I am also glad that a task force has been set up and know that Congresswoman Bustos, Comptroller Mendoza and Representative Ammons will help make our party and our state stronger, just as they always have. In Juliana and my administration there will be zero tolerance for harassment of any kind and we will ensure there is an independent and external body to investigate all allegations in a timely fashion.”
Now, as [in 2015], Rauner argues the state can save more than $700 million from the insurance changes he wants to make. That includes $470 million by forcing state workers to pay more of their health insurance costs, $125 million by eliminating a subsidy for the Teachers’ Retirement Insurance Program and $4.4 million from eliminating the same subsidy to an insurance program for retired community college employees.
Rauner said another $105 million can be saved by shifting some group health insurance costs to universities.
He couched the changes in a populist message meant to appeal to non-public workers.
“Taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for government health insurance policies that are richer than ones they can afford for themselves,” Rauner said. “It’s not fair.”
Health insurance for active state workers and retirees is being targeted for big savings in Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget plan.
Rauner wants to save $700 million by negotiating new insurance plans for active workers.
His budget also calls for an end to state subsidies to the health insurance programs for retired downstate teachers and community college workers.
“By bringing health care benefits more in line with those received by the taxpayers who pay for them, we save an additional $700 million,” Rauner said Wednesday in his budget speech.
Retired state workers stand to pay more for health insurance that thousands of them now get for little or nothing under legislation the Senate approved Thursday and Gov. Pat Quinn plans to sign.
The 31-20 vote represented the first major test of whether lawmakers trying to put together a new state budget can make deep cuts that will anger a large segment of voters in an election year.
“I am encouraged that legislators have taken this step toward restoring fiscal stability to Illinois,” Quinn said, adding that he will sign the bill into law. “This legislation will help ensure that our retirees continue to have access to quality health care while also lowering the cost to taxpayers.” […]
In urging colleagues to scale back retiree insurance, sponsoring Sen. Jeff Schoenberg said the escalating costs of the program could hit $1 billion in the budget year that starts July 1 if nothing is done now. The Democratic senator from Evanston said the costs are approaching $880 million this year alone, and the goal is to save $300 million or more.
…Adding… I didn’t notice this before, but the Pritzker people pointed to a weekend press release which includes this link from May 9, 2012…
The Illinois House voted Wednesday to pull free, taxpayer-funded health insurance from nearly 80,000 state retirees and retired suburban and downstate teachers, lawmakers and judges, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
SB 1313 was approved by a 74-43 vote. It takes aim at an $876 million annual subsidy that had been one of the most lucrative perks of public employment. See how the House members voted in the interactive graphic below, sorting by district, party and how they voted. The bill now moves to the Senate.
Tens of thousands of retired state employees could be stripped of their free health insurance benefit under legislation pending in the Illinois House.
House Speaker Michael Madigan and House Minority Leader Tom Cross said the $876 million cost is unsustainable at a time when the state budget is billions of dollars out of whack because of rising Medicare costs and employee pension problems.
On a unanimous vote, the House Executive Committee forwarded the proposal to the full House for further debate. It would allow a state benefits administrator to set the health insurance premium rate for 78,000 retired judges, lawmakers, prison guards, university workers and others.
Gov. Pat Quinn wants to eliminate state funding for two health insurance programs that provide coverage for retired schoolteachers and community college instructors across Illinois.
The idea, part of the new spending plan the governor unveiled last week, would cut roughly $92 million from the Teachers Retirement Insurance Program and the Community College Insurance Program. […]
Senate Republicans say state law requires the teacher retirement insurance money to be paid. Unless there’s a vote to change that law, they argue, Quinn’s proposed cut is artificial and won’t reduce spending.
State workers and public school teachers could face smaller paychecks under the budget proposal presented by Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday. […]
Increasing employee health-care contributions would bring in $200 million into state coffers. This would cost employees an average of $1,300 more annually, according to AFSCME.
Gov. Bruce Rauner today announced that Executive Inspector General Maggie Hickey will leave the administration in March to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. She will join Schiff Hardin, a general practice law firm representing clients across the country and around the world.
“Inspector General Hickey has served the residents of Illinois with integrity and enhanced the accountability of agencies under her jurisdiction,” said Gov. Rauner. “For the past three years, state employees and the public could count on Maggie for timely and thorough investigations. Her objectivity and fairness can be a model for public servants. I wish her the very best in her next endeavor.”
Hickey oversaw a number of successful programs including the Governor’s Illinois Health Care Fraud Elimination Task Force, which saved the State more than $450 million in fraudulent or wasteful spending in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. She also led the creation of the Division of Hiring and Employment Monitoring (HEM) to ensure that State agency hiring decisions are compliant with governing authority.
Prior to joining the administration in 2015, Hickey worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois for ten years and also served as chief of staff to Republican U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois.
The executive inspector general investigates misconduct complaints against the executive branch, multiple state agencies and more than 300 boards and commissions. A replacement will be announced closer to Hickey’s mid-March departure date.
The harassment issue comes at a time of a surging progressive movement within the Democratic Party that threatens the stability of a party establishment that has ruled for decades. Those battles are playing out across the Democratic primary ballot, including contests for governor, Congress and even Cook County assessor.
There is no better example of the fight between the new-guard progressives and the old-guard, Madigan-led establishment than the speaker’s backyard — the Southwest Side and suburban 3rd Congressional District, home of Madigan’s 13th Ward organization.
On Tuesday, Democratic challenger Marie Newman added her name to the list of those calling for the speaker to give up his party chairmanship. Newman is taking on 13-year Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, who succeeded his father, William, a 22-year congressman.
“It is time for Michael Madigan to resign as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Anything less would put the Democrats’ political prospects at risk in November — and more importantly, would send a signal to all victims that their voices don’t matter, and that the status quo will never be disrupted,” she said.
Lipinski, however, said Madigan has taken responsibility and admitted he must do better: “He appears to have taken a number of steps to ensure that women are better protected in the statehouse and on the campaign trail and that action will be taken against perpetrators,” Lipinski said. “I have confidence that Mike Madigan in his roles as Democratic Party Chairman and Speaker of the House will be a powerful force for change for women.”
Ald. Marty Quinn (13th) showed his face at City Hall Wednesday for the first time since his brother was fired, but refused to answer questions about the sexual harassment scandal swirling around his ward committeeman and powerful political mentor, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
With Curtis Franklin, the City Council’s burly assistant sergeant-at-arms as lead blocker, Quinn blew past reporters on his way into and out of a meeting of the City Council’s License Committee.
Quinn twice said, “good morning, everybody,” but otherwise remained silent and stared straight ahead as reporters asked him to comment about the sexual harassment allegations made against his brother and about the burgeoning scandal surrounding Madigan, the alderman’s political patron.
The alderman spoke during the hearing, but only to explain his proposal to declare yet another precinct of his Southwest Side ward off limits to new listings on Airbnb. Five other precincts are proceeding with the painstaking petition process, the alderman said.
Quinn has been under fire for the go-between role he played in the sex scandal surrounding Madigan’s vaunted and once impenetrable political organization.
* Video…
Alterman Marty Quinn ignores reporters and refuses to answer questions about his brother's firing for harassing a female subordinate in Mike Madigan's political organization @ABC7Chicagopic.twitter.com/MIlBQy9Ky6
WATCH: It's clear that Alderman Marty Quinn is not interested in addressing the issue of his brother Kevin Quinn's inappropriate texts with a female campaign worker that got him fired from Mike Madigan's political organization in the 13th Ward @ABC7Chicago#twill#politicspic.twitter.com/8mXwKhfuE1
A first-time candidate for state representative in an Illinois House district west of Champaign is calling for an independent investigation of sexual harassment in the Democratic Party in Illinois and for Michael Madigan to step down as head of the state party.
But Jen McMillin of Decatur, the only Democratic candidate in the 101st House District, said she isn’t calling for Madigan to step down as Speaker of the House “at this time.” […]
“I believe that we need to have an independent investigation and while that happens Chairman Madigan should step down only from the Democratic Party of Illinois,” McMillin, 32, said Wednesday. “We need to encourage more people to come to the Democratic Party of Illinois and know that we are open and inclusive. And I’m afraid that during this investigation that openness is called into question if Madigan continues as the chairman.”
She cited the appointment of three top Democratic elected officials — U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos of Moline, State Comptroller Susana Mendoza and state Rep. Carol Ammons of Urbana — as leaders of a statewide discussion about the role of women in the party “a wonderful step in the right direction.
Trump won that district by 31 points and Rauner won it by 39. The only statewide Democrat to have won the 101st since 2012 was Secretary White in 2014.
So, basically, McMillin can freely speak her mind because she has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
The prayer cards were collected a year ago. Bost delivered them to the White House ten months ago. He and President Trump took a photo together. The White House finally got around to sending Bost the pic the other day, which he then posted on Facebook.
Idiots on parade: In a bizarre and asinine gesture Rep. Mike Bost delivers a big bag of prayers to President Trump after the Florida school shooting.
The outrage was real after Rep. Mike Bost posted a picture of himself delivering a big bag of “thoughts and prayers” to President Donald Trump. Many of Bost’s constituents on Facebook were livid after the Illinois lawmaker posted the bizarre and insensitive photo to his Facebook feed
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been sent that link. It’s totally false.
* If you see something this insane posted on social media, take a few seconds to see if it’s true before launching into your own tirade or forwarding it to your friends.
Today, the Chicago Tribune joined the Daily Herald in endorsing Chris Kennedy for Governor because he is an independent voice willing to stand up to the political insiders in Springfield. He is the progressive, anti-establishment choice to bring change to Springfield.
The Tribune endorsement comes on the same day that JB Pritzker’s campaign released polling information showing Chris Kennedy is surging in the polls, while Pritzker and Biss are dropping.
The momentum behind Chris Kennedy’s campaign continues to build, as voters realize he’s the only candidate with the courage and the vision to bring radical change to our state government.
* Rauner campaign…
Chicago Tribune Slams Pritzker as ‘Yes Man’ and Blagojevich Groveler
In their endorsement of Chris Kennedy for governor in the Democratic primary, the Chicago Tribune clearly articulated JB Pritzker’s complacency with the Democratic status quo. The Tribune labels Pritzker as a ‘yes man,’ dependent on the Madigan Machine for his political success.
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board has declined to endorse Illinois Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner J.B. Pritzker, citing Pritzker’s extensive moral failings and ties to the state’s crooked Democrat establishment. It’s just the latest piece of evidence that Illinois Democrats are on the verge of nominating a weak general election candidate with extensive baggage ranging from his conduct on the Rod Blagojevich FBI wiretaps to being a “yes man” to House Speaker Mike Madigan.
Democratic primary voters on March 20 will choose from six candidates running for governor: a philanthropist, a state senator, an educator, a physician, a businessman and an anti-violence activist. Any candidate merits another title, “politician.” But some carry it better than others.
Today we endorse the Democrat who has stumbled in that role and, in so doing, demonstrated his authentic and independent character. Chris Kennedy, chairman of a family investment firm and son of the late Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy, hit the campaign trail without a prepared script. He answers questions bluntly. He can be awkward. To satisfy angry voices within his party, he backtracked after acknowledging that Democrats’ sworn enemy, Gov. Bruce Rauner, should be applauded for speaking truth to power in taking on entrenched Democratic interests (hello there, House Speaker Michael Madigan). We did our own scolding of Kennedy for his over-the-top assertion that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to drive minorities out of the city through gentrification.
So if you’re choosing a nominee for governor based on conventional campaigning, style points and fealty to party poobahs, Kennedy isn’t your candidate.
But if you want an anti-establishment governor who’ll pursue a progressive agenda yet not bow to the Democratic machine, well, Kennedy has done both. He was first to call out Cook County Assessor and county Democratic Party Chairman Joseph Berrios for his clouted, discriminatory property assessment system, and Speaker Madigan for profiting from it. Kennedy rocked the cozy world of valuations and appeals by declaring that, if elected, he’ll seek a ban on elected officials serving as tax appeals lawyers. That’s a dart tossed at Madigan, whose law firm wins assessment reductions for many of Chicago’s most expensive properties.
Today, the Pritzker campaign concludes its new series with a new TV ad, highlighting where Dan Biss’ campaign rhetoric is at odds with his record. Dan Biss says he’s a proven progressive, but he’s had the lowest lifetime rating of any Senate Democrat from the Illinois AFL-CIO. Let’s check the record.
Dan Biss has taken a number of votes to reduce worker benefits and limit collective bargaining rights, earning him a dismal 21% rating from the Illinois AFL-CIO in 2012 and the lowest lifetime rating among Senate Democrats. Biss’ votes include cutting pension benefits from 467,000 teachers and nurses, stripping healthcare from over 80,000 retirees, and weakening collective bargaining rights for some public employees.
“Dan Biss has voted against the interests of working people throughout his career and earned the lowest lifetime rating from the Illinois AFL-CIO of any Senate Democrat,” said Pritzker communications director Galia Slayen. “When you check the record, it’s clear that hardworking Illinoisans know they can’t trust Biss to stand up for them.”
Dan Biss says he’s a friend of working people. But Biss has the lowest lifetime rating from the AFL-CIO of any Democratic state Senator. And he even voted to cut pension benefits from teachers and nurses.
Scott Drury, Democratic candidate for Attorney General, has launched his first television ad. Titled “Imagine,” the ad asks Illinois residents to “Imagine an Illinois without corruption.” Drury has long battled public corruption in Illinois – first, as a federal prosecutor who locked up corrupt public officials, regardless of party; and then as a state representative where he has been an outspoken critic of Illinois’ corrupt culture. The ad addresses the problem of a political machine that is content with the status quo, and Springfield powerbrokers’ real fear of an Attorney General, like Drury, who has demonstrated that he truly works for the public – not politicians. “What are they scared of,” asks Drury, referring to Springfield insiders and machine politicians. “An Attorney General who is not scared of them.”
* I’m hearing he only bought 161 statewide points for the week, but let’s rate it anyway…
* Script…
Imagine – an Illinois without corruption.
Unfortunately, machine politicians like things the way they are.
I’m Scott Drury. I’m a Democrat, but I’m not like those guys.
As a federal prosecutor, I locked up corrupt public officials, regardless of party.
And I’m the only Democratic legislator in the last 30 years with the courage not to vote for Mike Madigan for House Speaker.
Springfield power brokers don’t want me to be your attorney general.
What are they scared of? An Attorney General who’s not scared of them.
Andrea Raila filed papers today on the 12th floor of the Clerk of the Circuit Court to ensure that her name is on the early voting ballots in Cook County and Chicago for the primary election on March 20, 2018.
The first woman to run for Cook County Assessor in 85 years is making history. Kaegi and his inside team may have counted Andrea Raila out, but SHE PERSISTS!
The Board of Elections had a representative on site to take a photo of the filing and sent it to the super site where ballots are waiting to be printed. Andrea Raila’s Name Will Be On The Ballot.
The hearing date for judicial decision is March 2, 2018.
County and city election officials said Tuesday they were sending the ballots to print with Raila’s name on them, even though the election officials last week voted to kick her off and asset manager Fritz Kaegi asked the court to keep her off.
That’s because she appealed that decision in court earlier Tuesday, leaving her status as a candidate uncertain for now.
“We’ve run out of time” to wait any longer, said Nick Shields, spokesman for county Clerk David Orr, who is in charge of suburban Cook elections and certifies the county candidates. “It’s unfortunately about deadlines.”
Kaegi wants a one-on-one matchup against Berrios, and so Kaegi’s lawyers filed a legal motion late Tuesday to keep Raila’s name off the ballot, saying otherwise “voters might be fooled into casting votes which will not be counted.
Clerk Orr is supporting Kaegi, so that had to be a bitter pill.
J.B. Pritzker’s campaign released new internal numbers to POLITICO that show him leading the next closest challenger, Chris Kennedy, by 14 points with Biss in a close third. The Global Strategy Group conducted a live telephone survey of 802 likely Democratic primary voters from Feb. 9-13 asking “if the Democratic primary election were held today who would you vote for?” Results: 37 percent of the those polled backed Pritzker, with Kennedy at 23 percent and Biss with 21 percent.
* OK, let’s compare these new numbers to a poll released by the Pritzker campaign on February 1st…
JB currently leads with 41% of the vote, ahead of Daniel Biss at 22%, Chris Kennedy at 16%, and 20% of voters undecided.
So, Pritzker is down four, Biss is down a point, and Kennedy is up 7.
* On Friday, Speaker Madigan said his campaign operation had “retained an independent counsel who is available to receive and investigate harassment allegations. Kelly Smith-Haley of Fox Swibel Levin & Carroll, LLP will provide independent review of allegations, conduct investigations, and provide recommendations for updating policies and procedures, including clear rules for conduct and penalties for violations.”
Smith-Haley’s bio is very impressive. She specializes in employment law, including harassment issues. She co-edits the Illinois Employment Law Letter. She’s a board member of the Chicago Foundation for Women. The list goes on and on. She’s obviously very sharp and talented.
Smith-Haley’s two brothers, Mike Smith and Bill Smith, both work at Cornerstone Government Affairs - a public relations and lobbying firm that hired another top Madigan aide, Will Cousineau, eight months ago.
Cousineau worked for the speaker for 18 years, according to his biography on Cornerstone’s website, and served as Madigan’s political director for eight years. In that role, Cousineau oversaw legislative races across the state – including the 2016 campaign during which sources said allegations of misconduct surfaced against another high-ranking Madigan staffer Shaw Decremer, who was quietly dismissed last week. […]
Smith-Haley confirmed Tuesday that her brothers work with Cousineau, though she said she has “no ties to Cornerstone” and has met Cousineau “briefly” but “never spoken with him in a one-on-one setting.”
“This is exactly what I do for all my clients,” the employment attorney said, adding, “I would not have taken the assignment if I was not going to be independent.”
Smith-Haley said Mike Kasper, Madigan’s longtime attorney, asked her to take on the role. She said they know each other because their daughters attend school together, but she has never done any work for Kasper before.
I strongly believe a sister can be totally independent of her brothers. And finding a quality lawyer who has no connections to Speaker Madigan’s empire would be tough. But this is probably gonna give plenty of people pause and I wouldn’t blame them. The idea itself is good. The person he picked seems immensely qualified. But the rest of it is classic Michael J. Madigan.
…Adding… And for those who seem a bit unclear about what I meant, “classic MJM” is exactly the wrong way to go about things right now. Classic MJM is what got him into this position, it won’t get him out. In fact, it could bring on the end.
Cassidy said she has reached out to Women Employed and the National Women’s Law Center for recommendations on how to create a more independent process.
Rep. Cassidy told me earlier today that there may be some precedent in California.
State Sen. Toi Hutchinson of Olympia Fields said “the reason you don’t have hordes of women running forward and telling their stories and naming names is because we are still not safe to do that.”
“Independence has to be connected to fair and impartial, and I don’t know if any of us know what that looks like right now,” said Hutchinson.
…Adding… From earlier today…
Speaker Madigan spox on @RepKellyCassidy's call for NEW independent investigation to #Harassment "will fully cooperate and I will ask independent counsel Kelly Smith-Haley to assist." Cassidy says Madigan never mentioned Smith-Haley to her, so confusion persists #twill
* From Madigan’s spokesman via e-mail with the subject line: “Clarification”…
Kelly Smith-Haley was asked to reach out to Rep. Cassidy as potential resource. I believe that has taken place.
Hope that helps.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Unlike, say, the Tribune, the SJ-R’s editorial board has not been a knee-jerk Madigan hater, so this is interesting…
Organizations reflect their leadership. Even if Madigan was not initially personally aware of these allegations in his political operation, he has allowed an environment to flourish that allowed harassment and bullying.
His actions — telling House Democrats in a letter that he takes responsibility and promises to do better, or appointing U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, state Comptroller Susana Mendoza and state Rep. Carol Ammons to facilitate a discussion about the role of women in the state’s Democratic Party — seem more about giving his own hide political cover than helping the people who have been hurt.
The concentration of power that Madigan holds isn’t healthy for Illinois Democrats. They should no longer accept that the speaker can also be the party chairman. It’s time for the state’s Democrats to demand change. They can start by insisting Madigan step down as chairman.
I strongly disagree on Rep. Ammons. She’s not about providing cover. But I’d bet you a dollar that there will be plenty more editorials like this in the coming days, even hours.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Rep. Kelly Cassidy on the Smith-Haley controversy…
It is hard, if not impossible, to find someone locally who can’t be connected to someone in the organization. The question becomes how that’s disclosed and handled.
*** UPDATE 3 *** JB Pritzker…
“I stand by Alaina and the women who have bravely come forward to share their story and as I’ve said, it’s clear that not enough was done and there needs to be a completely independent investigation to get to the bottom of what took place and hold the right people accountable. I agree with Rep. Kelly Cassidy and believe the people investigating Speaker Madigan’s operation should have no political or other ties to the Speaker. I am also glad that a task force has been set up and know that Congresswoman Bustos, Comptroller Mendoza and Representative Ammons will help make our party and our state stronger, just as they always have. In Juliana and my administration there will be zero tolerance for harassment of any kind and we will ensure there is an independent and external body to investigate all allegations in a timely fashion.”
* The fourth since the start of last week, that is…
The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are reporting a fourth laboratory-confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy (IVHQ). The positive test result was confirmed earlier today. The resident is in stable condition.
Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) returned to the home in Quincy last week, at the request of IDPH, to provide additional support and guidance. Staff from CDC are working with IVHQ and IDPH staff to:
- Conduct environmental and epidemiological assessments to identify potential exposure sources;
- Augment clinical testing protocols for individuals with respiratory symptoms to include not only testing for Legionella, but also influenza and other respiratory viruses;
- Conduct clinical and environmental sample testing at CDC;
- Identify important public health and infection control interventions; and
- Partner in communications with the local hospital to streamline testing.
In addition to infectious disease control and testing protocols, the teams will continue working to trace potential sources of Legionella bacteria and conduct additional environmental health testing.
Tell me again, why are we keeping those residents at that facility?
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
Hours after Bruce Rauner’s administration skipped a legislative hearing on Rauner’s fatal mismanagement of the Quincy Veterans’ Home, a fourth case of Legionnaires’ disease was confirmed.
Outbreaks have plagued the home each year Rauner has been governor, and 13 Veterans and spouses have died on Rauner’s watch. A report late Friday revealed that Rauner’s Director of Veterans’ Affairs hid the real cost of replacing the water system at the home, once estimating it at over $500 million when it actually costs $8 million.
“After 13 lives were lost in Quincy, Bruce Rauner and his administration are desperately trying to cover up his fatal mismanagement and inability to stop the crisis from spiraling out of control,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Instead of just dodging questions, Rauner’s administration is now ditching hearings altogether, failing in their responsibility to protect the health of our nation’s heroes.”
Today, the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter announces their endorsement of Daniel Biss for Illinois Governor.
“Daniel Biss is the bold leader Illinois needs at this crucial time, with Donald Trump taking America backward and Bruce Rauner putting polluters first,” said Jack Darin, Director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter. “Daniel Biss knows that clean energy is the right choice for our future, and that clean air and water are a basic right of all Illinoisans. We know Daniel Biss will put people over polluters as our Governor because that is exactly what he has done in the General Assembly. That’s why Sierra Club is mobilizing our members and supporters in this race, to elect a bold champion for our future.”
“I’m proud to receive the endorsement of the Illinois Sierra Club, especially in an election with such drastic consequences for the environment,” said Daniel Biss. “Bruce Rauner, JB Pritzker, and Chris Kennedy all hold personal investments in dirty energy. We’ve seen how this financial stake has guided Bruce Rauner’s decision-making as he’s invited polluters to rewrite emissions standards, jeopardized funding for public resources, and failed to provide economic opportunity for communities that rely on the declining fossil fuel industry. We can’t allow another businessman to line his own pockets at our expense.”
“As a middle-class parent, community organizer, and progressive state senator, I’ve joined with the Sierra Club for years to fight for policies that prioritize our families and the future of our planet above corporate profits. We’ve organized around policies to support wind farm research, help local governments and businesses invest in renewables, and create clean energy jobs, and we’ve fought for the progressive revenue sources we need to do even more. It’s an honor to welcome them to our team.”
In endorsing Daniel Biss, the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter joins other progressive leaders and organizations including National Nurses United, MoveOn, BlackRoots Resistance, Reclaim Chicago, U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly, former Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon, State Representatives Kelly Cassidy, Carol Ammons and Will Guzzardi, and many more.
Kennedy criticized Biss as a “career politician” after the forum, attacking him for taking donations from Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who recently fired a top aide for making “unwanted advances” with a political consultant.
Kennedy’s comments came minutes after the Biss campaign released a statement that called for Madigan to step down as chair of the Democratic party in Illinois.
Asked what else he wanted Biss to do, Kennedy said he should have been calling for Madigan to resign from the position last week. “To be part of the Springfield elite, to be a part of that system, and to promise change, I don’t think that’s possible,” he said.
Both candidates clarified that they are not necessarily calling for Madigan to step down as speaker.
“We’ve seen now days of evidence of evasion, dodging the question, trying to hide the problem instead of solve the problem. It’s time for him to step down,” Biss said.
* Speaking of which, I’m not totally sure why this never got any traction…
Advocates and domestic violence survivors to ask @DanielBiss to return Blair Hull's $25K saying he has a history of domestic violence (Hull lost to Obama 2004 Senate primary) will hold press conf outside Biss office Tuesday
I grew up right here in this neighborhood.
That’s the apartment we brought our kids home to.
I’ve seen gun violence outside my home.
Like every parent, I worry about my two kids.
So when I was asked to fill Barack Obama’s seat, I started our work.
Tougher laws for reckless gun dealers, keeping kids safe from online predators, and reforming the criminal justice system.
I’m Kwame Raoul.
This is the work of my life…and I’m just getting started.
* The Question: Your rating? Don’t forget to explain.
One candidate running for the state Senate has accused her primary opponent of hacking into her Facebook account.
Tanya Hildenbrand, who is running for the Republican nomination in the 57th State Senate District, filed a police report accusing Bob Romanik, a radio show host who is also running in the March 20 GOP primary, of hiring a private investigator to find incriminating evidence against her and of having someone hack into her Facebook account.
Romanik denied the accusations. […]
Hildenbrand said pictures were downloaded off of her page, altered and placed on Facebook pages supporting Romanik. Photos were altered to say she was supported by Black Lives Matter and that she received $500,000 in campaign funds. Hildenbrand said the statements are false. […]
Hildenbrand told police that a photo of her and Jason Madlock, a black Republican running for the state House of Representatives, was taken off her page and it later was posted to show support from Black Lives Matter. This was done on Martin Luther King Day, Hildenbrand said.
You don’t necessarily have to hack into a Facebook page to download somebody’s pics. Who knows what’s really going on here. But, man, some of those Romanik Facebook posts are just… really way out there. You can find a link to them in the BN-D’s story if you care to look around.
A candidate seeking an Illinois House seat says his wife was followed from Troy to Fairview Heights by a private detective, and he suspects involvement by the incumbent, state Rep. Charlie Meier.
Meier said the accusation is nonsense.
Don Moore, of Troy, is running in the Republican primary March 20 against Meier, who is from Okawville and has represented House District 108 since his first election in 2012.
“I believe a distinct line has been crossed, whenever a private investigator is following my wife,” Moore said in an interview Saturday. “As a husband and father, I take that personally and seriously.”
Announcer: For Norine Hammond, the “MeToo” movement means me-tooing Chicago Democrats. First, Hammond voted for Mike Madigan’s massive 32 percent increase. Then Hammond tried to protect a Chicago Democrat state Senator from a sexual harassment investigation by refusing to let a whistleblower tell her story.
Denise Rotheimer: There’s nobody in Springfield you can go to.
Announcer: That Chicago Democrat state Senator was later found to have broken the law. Norine Hammond protects the Chicago Democrats who prey on us.
Denise Rotheimer: I know these people don’t care.
Announcer: Isn’t it time we had someone in Springfield who did?
Hammond sits on the Legislative Ethics Commission and Rotheimer believed the commission should’ve allowed her to testify about her case.
* If you watch the ad, Rotheimer’s segments are in black and white, so it might look like the two clips were taken from news footage. Rep. Hammond (R-Macomb) apparently thought so and took to Facebook to denounce her Republican primary opponent Josh Griffith…
“Using the experience of any survivor to get himself closer to winning an election is sickening, and I won’t allow any victim to be used in that manner… No decent human being would use the sexual victimization of another for political gain… The 93rd District needs someone who represents its values, not someone who preys on victims and survivors.
Hi, my name is Denise Rotheimer. I’m a whistleblower who was the subject of a recent statement by Rep. Norine Hammond. Miss Hammond claimed that her opponent is using my experience of being sexually harassed for political purposes.
In fact, it’s Norine Hammond doing that which she accuses her opponent of doing. The ad for Mr. Griffith has given me more of a voice than Norine Hammond ever did.
It was Norine Hammond who left the Legislative Inspector General’s office vacant for three years while dozens of complaints, including mine, went uninvestigated. Hammond is lying about me, she is lying about her opponent and she is lying to you.
Norine Hammond is not in my corner. She never even allowed me to testify before her committee about my case.
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee plans a hearing Tuesday on a 2016 engineers’ report that estimated an $8 million cost to replace plumbing at a veterans’ home stung by Legionnaires’ disease.
The Associated Press reported last week that the estimate is far below the $25 million to $30 million cost Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration had cited to lawmakers. Experts have said since the first outbreak at the Quincy home in 2015 that antiquated plumbing could house Legionella bacteria responsible for the deadly pneumonia-like malady.
Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Erica Jeffries initially told WBEZ Chicago that new plumbing could cost more than $500 million.
Not $500 million, not $25-30 million, but $8 million.
Also, the Senate has been trying to get that 2016 report for a while, but the AP finally obtained it late last week.
* The hearing didn’t accomplish much because nobody showed up to testify…
Veterans Affairs Committee about to adjourn after @GovRauner’s agency department heads didn’t show up to answer questions about Quincy vets home. Republicans cry foul, say they weren’t given enough notice of the hearing. Some GOP Senators say they got first notice this morning. pic.twitter.com/ZZzokiYhR5
Three new cases of Legionnaires' disease were revealed last week. The legislative branch is willing to consider this issue an emergency. The executive branch's job is to ensure the job gets done.
Hastings: they had report since 2016; delivered to us last Friday at 5pm; argument about notice is moot. Rauner admin is example of negligence, failed leadership resulting in 13 deaths. Their excuse of not being prepared is horrible.
* Gov. Rauner appeared before the Northwest Herald’s editorial board the other day and was asked how shifting the state’s pension burden to school districts over four years will affect property taxes in a place like McHenry County. His response…
We’re not only shifting pension responsibilities to where the decisions are made on what the pension costs will be in terms of deciding who gets what salaries, when they retire, what their terms are. We need to align responsibility for decision-making with responsibility for paying.
And other states have done this as well. Maryland Democrats did exactly the same thing. The Democrats in Maryland, a few years ago. If you look at the states that have deep financial trouble, and unfunded pensions and pension problems, the top twelve, I think states that have the biggest problems, they all have the state pick up pension payments, even though the decisions and responsibility for who’s getting the pensions and how they’re structured is done at the local level.
There’s a disconnect. If we align the interests, there will be economic incentive to keep the pension costs reasonable.
* He said that needed to be combined with “tools to local school districts and local governments to bring their costs down.” Those “tools” included more education funding, plus…
Local control of bargaining. Local control of bidding and contracting. Local control of consolidation. Local control of shared services. Local control of property tax levy. We will bring down our property tax burden and we’ll align our interests and get more money for our schools and it’ll be a win on every level. That’s how we’re gonna do it.
I agree that, over time, the state’s pension costs should be shifted to school districts for all the reasons the governor mentioned.
But doing it so quickly will definitely put pressure on property taxes. Also, his budget proposal doesn’t give K-12 schools much more money, he’s not gonna get that local control of collective bargaining.
It’s all a fantasy.
* Even the Belleville News-Democrat, which has been more supportive of Gov. Rauner than even the Chicago Tribune, has turned a big thumbs down on the cost-shift with an editorial entitled “Rauner’s budget plan makes property taxpayers cringe”…
Gov. Bruce Rauner is asking Illinois to do as he says, not practice what candidate Rauner preaches.
He delivered a budget address Wednesday that would do things very differently than what he advocates as the Illinois ideal. The biggest concern for most of Illinois is what would happen to property taxes.
“I spoke with Kelly Cassidy today. I told her I will cooperate fully and I will ask independent counsel Kelly Smith-Haley to assist.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** I checked in with Rep. Cassidy via text about her chat with Speaker Madigan today. “I spoke briefly to him as a professional courtesy that I was releasing the statement,” she wrote.
What did Madigan say? “He asked me how to accomplish the independence, and indicated he would be willing to cooperate.”
Also: “He never mentioned the firm or the attorney.”
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago)…
“The slow and steady drip of accusations and dismissals has turned into an endless cycle of lather, rinse, repeat, highlighting the culture of harassment in the legislature and political campaigns.
I am calling for an independent investigation into this culture that appears to pervade the organizations led by Speaker Madigan. Because of the unique interconnectedness of his Capitol and political operations, the investigation must not be hampered by organizational boundaries. The investigator(s) should not be Democratic elected officials, individuals or firms with pre-existing ties to the Speaker and should have demonstrated experience with investigations of this nature.
We must get to the bottom of this with confidence in the independence of the investigator. We need to force the very real culture change required to truly show that #timesup.”
“We need a real, independent law firm, not someone that is hired by the chair of the party, and that’s what’s happened,” said Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake. “Whether or not they are wonderful people, it doesn’t matter. They’ve been hired by him. If you are going to do a true independent council, a true independent group, they have to be people that are clearly independent from the head of the (Democratic Party of Illinois).”
Bush said she did not believe the chair of the Democratic Party should serve as speaker of the House or president of the Senate. Bush stopped short of calling for Madigan to step down from his chairmanship of the party, but said “I think it’s something he should seriously consider, however, for the good of the party going forward.”
“I think there is an incestuous relationship that occurs there that is not healthy,” Bush said.
Asked about the calls for Madigan to step down as head of the party, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said “that’s not going to happen.” He pointed to comments Madigan made last week following calls to resign by Democratic Rep. Scott Drury, a frequent critic of Madigan who is running for attorney general.
Rep. Drury, who is now back on the AG Dem ballot, has written a letter to Speaker Madigan, calling on him to step down as speaker and agree to testify under oath about sexual harassment and abuse; also wants an independent special counsel to conduct a statewide investigation.
Today, Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and State Representative Carol Ammons issued the following joint statement regarding the sexual harassment panel they are in the process of developing:
“We agreed to serve on this panel because it is clear that institutionalized systems have perpetuated sexism, sexual harassment, and inequality in our state’s political system. We thank the women who have come forward with their experiences for their bravery and courage.
“We recognize the importance and benefit to everyone when women are in positions of influential leadership and are active in all levels of our political system, from campaign staff to candidate. All women should be able to engage, achieve and excel in the workplace without fear of being excluded, harassed, discriminated, or retaliated against. It shouldn’t matter whether you work in a restaurant, a factory, a board room, a state capitol or a political campaign.
“When any woman finds herself being sexually harassed, resources should be readily available for her to seek justice and hold the perpetrators accountable. Survivors of sexual harassment must feel that their claims will be taken seriously, addressed promptly and that they can report incidents without fear of retribution. The culture of the ‘good old boy’ network is not changing fast enough and our panel will seek to accelerate the change of that culture.
“Since the hashtag MeToo caught fire in 2017, we have seen a flood of sexual harassment victims come forward. This is a problem on all levels of government and in all parties. The only significant and sustaining solution will be to change the dynamics and composition of leadership in politics.
“We have begun discussions about how to structure this panel and define its mission to include the voices of women around Illinois and make recommendations. At its core, in order for this panel to be effective in presenting legitimate findings and effective solutions, it must be completely independent. We take this responsibility seriously and, in the coming days, we will be publicly outlining the scope of the panel’s goals and our timeline after we have the opportunity to discuss the most effective path forward as a team.”
With a month to go before the March 20 primary, several statewide candidates are trying to ramp up their campaigns with a wave of television ads as voters start to tune in to the approaching election.
On Monday, governor hopefuls Jeanne Ives, a Republican, and Chris Kennedy, a Democrat, launched new TV spots […]
On the Republican side, in recent days Rauner has turned his attention away from Pritzker and toward his GOP primary challenger, Ives, a three-term Wheaton representative whom he earlier sought to dismiss as a “fringe” candidate. Now Rauner is employing his most-turned-to political attack, seeking to link Ives to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, his chief political nemesis.
In response, Ives is up with a new ad in which a narrator calls her the only candidate for governor who “consistently fights for Illinois taxpayers.”
Only one candidate for Governor consistently fights for Illinois taxpayers.
(Ives): Our economy is too weak for a tax hike, and you know it. You know we need jobs. You complain about it all the time. And you won’t fix our job creation problems.
That’s why the tax watchdog group, Tax Accountability, endorsed Jeanne Ives over Bruce Rauner.
And made her the first State Representative to earn a perfect score from the group.
Jeanne Ives: The consistent conservative for Illinois Governor.
Kennedy gave his campaign another $250K a few days ago. But he still trails the pack.
* Script…
I come from a family that has embraced the notion that we are all in this together. I’m Chris Kennedy. I’m running for governor because I’ve seen the potential of this state. Then I’ve seen the failings of the government.
The state needs to change. We have to make sure that education is paid for at the state level, and not through local property taxes.
I believe in building things up, not in tearing things down. I believe that compromise is not surrender.
I know this is doable, I know that we can do it. Let’s go where we need to go.
IL Sen. Kwame Raoul released the following statement regarding the latest alleged reports of inappropriate behavior during a Illinois political campaign:
“Last night, I was troubled to read the latest reports of allegations of “inappropriate behavior by a volunteer toward a candidate and staff during the 2016 election.” The details surrounding this situation remain unclear; however, what is clear is that we all must do more to prevent sexual assault, harassment and inequality in every workplace.
No single action or policy change will solve this problem. We all must work together to provide safe places for victims to come forward. In that same spirit, we also must commit to efficient and a just resolution of complaints. As Attorney General, I’ll work every day to ensure every survivor of abuses of power has access to justice.”
Last night, Raoul donated previous campaign contributions from Decremer to the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund. That fund will provide subsidized legal support to women and men who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or abuse in the workplace while in pursuit of their careers.
Raoul also signed on to the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association (IDCCA) zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy and pledge yesterday. You can view his tweet here: https://twitter.com/KwameRaoul/status/965760862056337408 and learn more about the pledge here: http://ildcca.org/2018/02/sexual-harassment-policy-and-pledge/
“There is still more work to do,” Raoul added.
Decremer didn’t make many campaign contributions and he only reported giving Raoul $250. But in a crowded race like the AG contest where everyone is looking for a way to get noticed, Raoul’s people made a smart move before a rival pointed it out.
* Quinn, in Decatur, calls for utility rate cuts: Attorney general candidate and former governor Pat Quinn, known for elaborate public messages over the decades to draw attention to Illinois political issues, on Monday made a campaign stop in Decatur to bang the drum on a familiar Quinn topic: keeping utility companies in check. In the pouring rain outside Decatur’s Ameren Illinois offices, the Democrat called for big utility companies to reimburse customers based on smaller federal tax bills for corporations that arose in Washington in December.
* Raoul blasts prevailing anti-worker agenda in Springfield: Raoul said the new unit would focus on prevailing minimum wage, employment classification and wage theft. He characterized opposition to the new unit as support of wage theft. “We have a governor and legislators who turn a blind eye to this,” he said. “In some cases, these (labor law) violations are slow walked (through the review process). We need to make sure the attorney general can go after these rogue contractors.”
* Former governor Quinn says he’ll fight for consumers as AG: Mr. Quinn said data collection and credit reporting companies, such as Equifax, were violating privacy laws. “Today, in the 21st century, your data is being taken from you without your compensation or permission,” he said. “Illinois does have in its constitution a privacy provision which is unlike most states,” he said. “Very few have an express provision of privacy, and it’s not in the federal constitution. But we do.
* Quinn: State Attorneys General ‘Last Line Of Defense’ Against Trump: Quinn also expressed a willingness to pursue more public corruption cases through the Illinois attorney general’s office. During Democrat Lisa Madigan’s tenure as attorney general, most of the high-profile corruption cases have been brought by federal prosecutors. (Madigan is not seeking re-election.) Quinn said he’s not afraid to confront other elected officials. He recalled his work on a legislative pay issue that upset some state lawmakers; Quinn said he was once booed during a trip to the Statehouse. “I’m not afraid to do that. If I get booed again, so be it,” Quinn said.
* Democratic AG candidates all want to put Peoples Gas on trial: “When you talk about specific instances like what is happening here, I believe in fact the attorney general should take action,” said former federal prosecutor Sharon Fairley. “When you have a polluter who has done harm to our community, you seek full remediation, you make sure they put in whatever preventive measures that need to happen to make sure it doesn’t happen again and you put in penalties that are not just perceived as the cost of doing business.”
This afternoon, WCIA-TV in the Champaign-Springfield-Decatur media market notified our campaign that they’ve officially decided to cancel their debate.
Somewhere in this state, hiding behind more than $30 million in TV ads, JB Pritzker is breathing a sigh of relief that he’s no longer obligated to face voters during what was to be the only televised debate happening outside of the Chicago market.
Pritzker’s decision that downstate voters aren’t worthy of hearing his positions on issues so they can vet the candidates against each other ultimately led to the debate being canceled.
The good news is Chris Kennedy still cares about voters throughout our state and he isn’t afraid to face them. Chris still plans to host a meet and greet in Champaign on Monday, March 5, the date this debate was to happen. He looks forward to hearing from voters and sharing his vision to bring radical change to Illinois.
* Also…
Campaign Manager Abby Witt released the following statement in response to WCIA’s decision to cancel to only televised downstate debate.
“JB is borrowing a page from the billionaire playbook, avoiding debates and shunning reporters who ask tough questions.
“This is a critical election for middle class and working families. They are deciding who they trust to fight for them—and if he won’t show up for a Democratic debate, how can we trust him to show up when they need him the most.
“Our campaign is focused on meeting with voters and reporters in every community, and that’s why we’ll be hosting our own town hall in Champaign on March 5.”
Speaking on Illinois Public Media’s daily talk show, The 21st, Pritzker said he’s already done almost 50 forums and joint appearances.
“We actually have agreed back in December to do six debates, and that was very well known”, said Pritzker. “This debate came up later.”
A campaign spokesperson later reached out Monday evening to say Pritzker “misspoke” about the timing of the invitation for the Springfield debate, but did not provide another explanation for not participating.
* The official letter…
Our General Manager released this statement today explaining the company’s decision not to move forward with the March 5th debate. pic.twitter.com/tNfsuA9Wyu
I’m told by a good source that “not one” reporter in WCIA’s newsroom supports the station’s decision to kill the debate. The decision was “made by Nexstar corporate in tandem with CBS2 and KMOV in St Louis,” the source said. “Way above our heads.”
Last year’s state budget caused some real consternation among local government leaders because the General Assembly slashed their share of the state income tax by 10 percent for one year and skimmed 2 percent off the top of several local sales taxes.
Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed that budget. His veto was overridden, but the governor’s new budget recycles those same two ideas as well as the overall concept of off-loading state costs onto local taxpayers.
The biggest is Rauner’s proposal to shift some teacher and higher education pension costs to the local and university/college levels. The governor would shift 25 percent of costs per year to school districts and universities over just four years. That means, in four years, taxpayers in downstate and suburban school districts would pay over $1 billion a year for pension payments that they don’t pay now. And Chicago Public Schools would lose 100 percent of its state pension assistance in the first year, costing the city’s taxpayers an extra $228 million.
I just don’t see how the governor could ever pull this one off. And that means whoever drafts the final budget will have to patch a $591 million hole.
The budget proposal for next fiscal year also relies on an assumption that the General Assembly will pass an emergency $1.1 billion supplemental appropriations bill for this fiscal year by March. Much of that money is for the Department of Corrections. Now that a new budget is in place, creditors are demanding payment.
Not to mention that other creditors are going to be forced to wait in long lines until somebody can figure out how to reduce the state’s current $9 billion backlog of unpaid bills because the governor’s budget proposal almost totally punts that problem into the future.
Yes, the governor has lots of new money from the tax hike, so he should’ve been able to propose a far more balanced budget without all these gimmicks that probably won’t pass (like the pension cost shift) and the deferrals (like the backlog problem) which have to be dealt with eventually.
Rauner also avoided making direct budgetary cuts with his tax reduction proposal that claims to cut the income tax rate by a miniscule quarter of a percentage point by relying on revenues from a pension reform idea that may be unconstitutional and has not yet been endorsed by House Speaker Mike Madigan.
We’re now left with two major unanswered questions.
First, is the governor finally serious about negotiating the budget? He had the legislative leaders over to his office last week, which is the first time that’s happened in 14 months. But it was just a quickie budget briefing.
Second, will the Democrats work with Rauner to solve those problems in an election year or will they wait to see if Rauner loses?
Senate President John Cullerton issued a statement last week that may answer both questions: “I met with the governor this morning. He said he wants to roll back taxes and put more money in education. Here’s the problem. His budget does the opposite. He spends the entire tax increase. And he cuts money for education. It’s almost like he doesn’t know what his budget does. I can’t explain the disconnect. It seems intentionally deceptive and it’s troubling.”
So, probably a “no” on both.
* Related…
* Finke: Don’t spend that tax cut all at once: Being the fiscally prudent guy he is, Rauner will not proceed with the tax cut unless the latest reform plan is found constitutional. At the pace the court works, that should be around the year 2021, assuming the law is passed this spring. If the law is found unconstitutional, we’ll probably hear more about the courts being under House Speaker MICHAEL MADIGAN’s control. If the reform should stand, you, dear taxpayer, will see a cut of 25 cents on every $100 of your state income tax bill. Go crazy.
* Rauner’s pension shift proposal ‘financially devastating’ to QPS: Quincy Public Schools Superintendent Roy Webb says a proposal by Gov. Bruce Rauner to shift pension costs to local schools would be “financially devastating” to the district. “It’s not in our budget at all. It’s not projected to be in our budget at all,” Webb said. “It would be very tough for Quincy Public Schools to try to take that on.”
* Editorial: School pension-cost shift still cause for concern: But if we try to fix what’s broken by merely shifting those cost to local taxpayers it will add to the crippling property tax burden that has homeowners moving to Iowa and other neighboring states.
* Kacich: Pension-cost shift a ‘nonstarter’ for many lawmakers: The keystone of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 2019 budget — a plan to shift the cost of pension payments from the state to universities and local school districts over four years — is “a nonstarter,” says state Rep. Chad Hays, R-Catlin. He’s not alone in his assessment. Hays is among 46 House members (out of 118) who have signed onto a resolution (HR 27) sponsored by Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, that says that “an educational pension cost shift is financially wrong and would only serve to shift pension burdens from the state to the status of an unfunded mandate.”
* Opponents: Rauner insurance changes would hurt state workers, retired teachers: Rauner said his budget recommends “right-sizing employee health insurance plans so that government compensation is more in line with what the taxpayers have who are paying for it. Today, we pay almost 90 percent of the premiums for government employee health insurance policies that are way more expensive than plans in the private sector.” Rauner wants the split between the state and workers to be closer to 60/40. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents about 38,000 state employees, said the governor’s numbers are misleading. The union says the state pays 76 percent of health care costs and employees pay 24 percent, which is the national median according to a 2014 study on state employee health plans by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
* The House isn’t in this week, but there are some Chicago committee hearings scheduled. The Senate convenes at noon. Watch it all in real time with ScribbleLive…
