* Fox 32 has aired two reports about a new Ogden & Fry poll, but has yet to disclose what the actual toplines are except that Bailey leads Irvin by 14 points and Sullivan trails Irvin by about 6 points. The person who owns the firm, Republican Cook County Board candidate Matt Podgorski, did say that his toplines came very close to the Sun-Times result of 32-17 Bailey over Irvin, but that’s it.
By the second story, Fox 32 shared the factoid that when undecideds were pushed to make a decision, Bailey’s lead supposedly increased to 16 points…
No methodology was disclosed, including how many people were polled, how they were polled, what sort of Republicans were polled, when they were polled, the geographic breakdown and the MoE. Not exactly best practices, but I figured you’d want to know and hear some of the caveats.
Supposedly, we’ll find out more tonight during the 9 o’clock news, including maybe results in other races.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Toplines…
Darren Bailey 31
Gary Rabine 8
Jesse Sullivan 11
Max Solomon 1
Paul Schimpf 3
Richard Irvin 17
Undecided 30
Methodology…
Ogden & Fry conducted a nine-question poll June 11 - 12, 2022, with 662 respondents. Respondents were selected by random sampling of likely Republican voters. Responses were gathered through SMS to web. The margin of error for this poll is +/- 3.89% at the 95% confidence interval.
The poll was clear where Illinois Republican voters stand.
Nearly two-thirds of the Republicans surveyed supported tossing out Roe v. Wade, with less than a fifth in opposition.
Fewer than 20 percent of Republicans oppose tossing out Roe v. Wade, according to that poll. And not a single Republican in either state legislative chamber is pro-choice. Just more reasons why that recent “analysis” from Capitol News Illinois was so far off the mark.
Site selection experts say they don’t expect a Supreme Court ruling against Roe v. Wade to result in a sudden flood of new company headquarters moving to Illinois or Chicago. But promoting the state as a haven for reproductive rights could possibly burnish its reputation as a business hub.
“Companies are really in a battle to hire and retain the best talent, and young workers prefer to work for companies that prioritize environmental, social and governance issues,” and that now includes abortion, said John Boyd, principal of The Boyd Co., a national site selection firm. “I can certainly see (overturning Roe v. Wade) impacting some companies more sensitive to the abortion issue.” […]
“It is reasonable to anticipate that reproductive rights will receive the most attention given the history, the number of people impacted, and the extreme measures being implemented in some states,” [Ray Perryman, CEO of The Perryman Group, a Waco, Texas-based economic research and analysis firm] said. “While I would not expect either a mass exodus of firms from or a major initial slowdown in locations to the more restrictive states, I am confident that there will be long-term benefits to more inclusive areas.” […]
[World Business Chicago CEO Michael Fassnacht] said a shift in attitude is underway among business leaders in states such as Texas. He recently met with a group of about 50 from Austin, Dallas and other cities, and asked whether all the controversy now surrounding abortion would start affecting decisions on where to locate new business.
“Roughly half of them said yes,” he said. “That’s a pretty strong indication, I think.” […]
Abortion restrictions are already unpopular. A March survey by Morning Consult, a business intelligence firm, found that by a 2-to-1 margin, employed adults prefer living in states where abortion is legal.
Fassnacht is a committed and paid booster, and he’s likely meeting with people who are at least remotely open to the idea of possibly locating something here.
The Republican primary for Illinois attorney general pits a loquacious southern Illinois civil attorney who approaches folk hero status among some on the political right against a soft-spoken North Shore attorney making his third bid for statewide office.
Thomas DeVore entered the public consciousness early in the coronavirus pandemic as he launched unrelenting, if largely unsuccessful, legal challenges to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive orders.
Steve Kim, a partner in a boutique international law firm based in Chicago, has little name recognition outside political circles after two failed bids for statewide office, including a 33-point loss to incumbent Democrat Lisa Madigan in the 2010 race for attorney general.
Mr. Kim is the General Counsel and a Principal at Global Business Ventures, a Chicago-based international development firm formed to assemble the global alliances that have proven capabilities and experiences to launch world-class community developments that fulfill the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 master plan.
So, he works with the Saudis? The master plan’s mastermind is Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, or MbS, who was linked to the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Today, Congresswoman Marie Newman and Iymen Chehade called on Sean Casten and his backer Democratic Majority for Israel PAC (DMFI PAC) to remove their misleading attack ad and halt all deceptive messaging targeting Congresswoman Newman in Illinois’ new 6th Congressional District. The ad produced by the right-leaning DMFI PAC, and subsequent communications produced by Congressman Casten’s campaign, promote a false narrative intended to mislead voters ahead of the June 28th Democratic primary election.
“I will not remain silent while a conservative super PAC encouraged by my opponent spends hundreds of thousands of dollars pushing a contrived narrative meant to tarnish my name and reputation,” said Congresswoman Marie Newman. “I am calling on DMFI PAC to pull its dishonest ad from the air and on Sean Casten to immediately stop pushing this deceptive narrative in paid digital advertisements, on social media, and in email solicitations to his donors.”
“More than a year ago, a complaint meant to derail my candidacy was lodged with the Office of Congressional Ethics by a right-wing organization, and now my opponent and his backer, DMFI PAC, are willfully doing the bidding of the far-right group who initiated this spurious charge.”
“My opponent has a history of bending the rules and distorting the truth to silence progressive women. Enough is enough. I will not be silent.”
During a recent forum hosted by WTTW, Iymen Chehade directly addressed the right-wing complaint and ensuing Congressional Ethics review, affirming that the complaint was baseless.
“I was never a candidate for Congress. I never declared candidacy. I never hired anybody. I never fundraised. I never did any of those things. Did Marie and I sign a contract? Yes we did. Was it for me to drop out of the race? Absolutely not. I was not in the race. This is an issue that was brought on by a right-wing organization that the media has latched on to,” said Iymen Chehade.
“Marie and I have had our issues in the past but I can tell you this is a hit job on her, and I’m collateral damage for it. So read the facts. Take a look at the reality of the situation. I think the facts are going to come out after the primary, and you will see this is just what it was, just nothing but a hit job…”
Very lawyerly explanation. And does she mean this Iymen Chehade?…
Mary Miller is facing an ethics complaint submitted to the House Ethics Committee over misuse of public resources for campaign purposes. Miller used official video footage of House floor proceedings in a campaign ad, which is a clear violation of House rules. Punishment for a founded ethics violation against Miller may include a fine or censure by the House of Representatives.
“It’s no surprise that Mary Miller’s false ads against Rodney Davis have landed her an ethics investigation. Whether it’s having a convicted child sex predator serving as her campaign driver, being repeatedly fined for not paying taxes, or hiding from the local media in her basement just like Joe Biden, Miller’s personal and political habits are not on the up and up. Miller should take down her false ad and come clean to voters about her shady record.” - Davis campaign spokesperson Aaron DeGroot
* CD1…
TODAY, June 13, Jonathan Jackson, candidate for Congress, will host the “Jonathan Jackson Town Hall Meeting” at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church, 754 E. 77th St., from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. The Jonathan Jackson for Congress Ministers Committee is sponsoring the Town Hall meeting.
The topic of the Town Hall centers on Jackson’s vision of progress, improvement, and revitalization for the 1st District.
Santita Jackson will serve as moderator of a panel of journalists who will pose questions to Jackson about issues affecting the residents of the 1st congressional district. The journalists include Erick Johnson of the Chicago Crusader, Hermene Hartman, Publisher of N’digo, Lady Red from WSRB 106.3, and Sonya Tompkins of WVON radio.
“I am eager to share the points of my platform for the 1st District with the residents,” Jackson said. “I am very interested to hear from the people and engage in meaningful dialogue about how we can work together for the benefit of the region once I am in Congress.”
The next day, Jackson will participate with other candidates in the Illinois 123GO – Democratic Party Town Hall on Tuesday, June 14, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m., at Bethany Union Church, 1750 W. 103rd St. This forum features a “Coffee with the Candidates” segment from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., followed by the Town Hall Meeting from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
* CD7…
Today, the Chicago Tribune’s Editorial Board announced their endorsement of Kina Collins in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District. The Tribune, the largest newspaper in Chicago, endorsed Collins over 25-year incumbent Danny Davis for the first time in his career, citing her leadership on gun violence prevention in Chicago and the Biden administration, reproductive rights, and the time for a new generation of leadership in IL-7.
“It’s a tight decision and Davis’ decades of public service have our respect, but we think the time has come for new blood, and we endorse Collins,” said the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. “Collins’ strong suit is fighting gun violence. She is one of Chicago’s leading anti-gun violence activists, and served on the Biden-Harris transition team’s task force on gun violence prevention. Though Collins supports universal background checks, raising the legal age to purchase firearms to 21, and banning assault-style rifles, she knows that the gun lobby’s influence in Washington dooms any hope of passage of those measures. “So people need to start electing candidates and folks who will reject this corporate PAC money,” she told us. “I think the only way we will move these elected officials is we have to move the people.
“We have admired Congressman Davis for many years, and endorsed him in the past. But we also admire Collins’ energy, passion and activism, particularly for an issue so urgent in the 7th District — gun violence.”
“I am so proud to have the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune in this race to bring a new generation of leadership to our community,” said Kina Collins. “It’s time we build on the work and legacy of those who came before us to deliver the needs of our district with the urgency that the ongoing crises of gun violence, climate change, healthcare, housing, and reproductive rights demands. I am ready to take on corporate power in Washington and truly fight to deliver for the working families of Illinois’ 7th Congressional District.”
Sen. Dick Durbin is endorsing Lauren Beth Gash for the Democratic State Central Committee seat in the 10th District. “I’ve known Lauren for decades and I’ve watched what she’s done to change what had been considered a solidly Republican area into a mostly Democratic one,” Durbin said in a statement.
The endorsement is the latest move in a battle to control the Illinois Democratic Party. Gov. JB Pritzker is endorsing Gash’s opponent in the race, outgoing state Sen. Melinda Bush.
We’ll see if Durbin puts in any money like Pritzker already has.
* Supreme Court…
Today, the Teamsters Local 916 announced its endorsement of Judge Elizabeth Rochford for the Illinois Supreme Court’s Second District. The union represents over 4,000 individuals throughout the state of Illinois in a range of professions including highway maintainers, truck drivers, security guards, warehouse employees, manufacturers, road and bridge engineers, food technicians, security guards and others.
“I am humbled to receive the endorsement of the hardworking men and women of Teamsters Local 916,” said Judge Elizabeth Rochford. “I am grateful that they believe in my qualifications to serve the people of the Second District as an Illinois Supreme Court Justice, and will bring my lifelong commitment to equity and fairness under the law that I’ve upheld in my decades-long career to this position.”
The endorsement from Teamsters Local 916 builds on Judge Rochford’s strong union support, which includes the Illinois State AFL-CIO, Local 881 UFCW, LIUNA Chicago Laborers’ District Council, Plumbers Local Union 130 United Association (UA), the Lake County and McHenry County Building & Construction Trades Councils and their affiliates, which together include 44 local affiliate trade unions.
* DCCC on CD13…
It’s been nearly two years since President Joe Biden was elected to the White House, but that hasn’t stopped IL-13 candidates Regan Deering and Jesse Reising from refusing to acknowledge that reality.
The State Journal-Register reported this week that Deering and Reising are digging their heels into the Big Lie conspiracy that fueled the deadly attack on our nation’s Capitol – which led to the deaths of 5 police officers and injured nearly 150 others. In recent public appearances, Reising “did not directly answer” and Deering “wouldn’t commit” to the basic truth that Joe Biden won the 2020 election.
“Regan Deering and Jesse Reising are so desperate to make it through their wide open Republican primary they’ll say whatever it takes, even if it means lying about the results of the 2020 election and casting doubt on the democratic process,” said DCCC spokesperson Helen Kalla. “Clearly Deering and Reising care more about peddling disinformation to cozy up to their party leaders than focusing on the everyday issues that matter to Illinoisans.”
* House primary…
Illinois’ longest-serving Democrats, US Senator Dick Durbin and Secretary of State Jesse White have endorsed Jeff Deppe for State Representative in Illinois’ 72nd District, the campaign has announced.
“I am proud to support Jeff Deppe for State Representative because Jeff will fight for good jobs and an economy that works for everyone,” said Sen. Durbin.
“As a lifelong volunteer in his community, Jeff has put his own sweat equity to work building ramps for seniors and the disabled, repairing and rebuilding homes for those struggling, and giving his time working with children in need.
“In Springfield, Jeff will continue that mission of putting the people of his community first because that is just who he is,” Sen. Durbin concluded.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White was equally enthusiastic about Deppe.
White, the Democrats’ top vote getter since 1998, said, “I endorse Jeff Deppe for State Representative because he will do a great job. I appreciate the work he does helping aging and disabled veterans and keeping at-risk young people out of harm’s way.
White continued, “These are issues close to my heart and are a testament to Jeff’s character.”
Deppe is up against Gregg Johnson and Thurgood Brooks in an open-seat Quad Cities-area primary.
In her campaign for state representative, real estate broker Tina Wallace touts her small business experience—but records show she hasn’t brokered a real estate transaction in four years, which is roughly when she inherited approximately $8 million worth of rental properties. […]
In April of this year, Wallace filed a lawsuit alleging legal malpractice against the attorneys who represented her in court against her brother. During the probate case, Wallace went through five different law firms and often disputed her attorneys’ fees. Wallace is currently represented by The Gooch Firm, suing her former attorneys with Levin Ginsburg.
Wallace has two liens against her personal residence from contractors who claim she failed to pay them in full for services rendered. One of these contractors wrote a Yelp review for Wallace Properties, which currently has an overall rating of 1.5 stars. Jerry B., who says he installed siding on her house, wrote:
“She never paid me balance of 7000 dollars. As far as I’m concerned she owes money to everyone there working at her house. Everyone [has a] mechanical lean [sic] on her house…she’s not a human being.”
Emails obtained by People’s Fabric show Wallace lobbied Ald. Raymond Lopez in September 2021 to support a change to the Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) which would create additional hurdles for tenants seeking legal recourse against landlords who improperly withhold security deposits. Wallace wrote, “Chicago should be a place where landlords do not live-in fear of a frivolous lawsuit for a simple clerical mistake.”
Wallace has been sued at least twice by tenants alleging she improperly failed to return security deposits—neither involved simple clerical mistakes.
As previously reported by People’s Fabric, when Wallace was sued after her dog mauled a kennel worker, she unsuccessfully attempted to get Lopez to change the law to prohibit kennel workers from suing dog owners if attacked.
When Wallace wasn’t able to stop a brewpub from opening near her home, she used her connection to Lopez to dispatch city inspectors, demanding that the city revoke the business’ liquor license.
I don’t know who those people are at People’s Fabric, but, man, they sure do produce a lot of entertaining research about that part of the world. However, it’s not yet being used in this particular primary race.
* Speaking of that part of the world, Republican Cook County Board candidate Matt Podgorski is trying to play in the Democratic primary…
From what I gather, Podgorski would rather face Trevor than her well-funded primary opponent Sam Kukadia. So, he sent that text to Dem voters.
You may remember Trevor, who ran for the House twice against GOP Rep. Tom Morrison and lost. She lost her first House race by a razor-thin margin.
* More…
* Mark Brown: Mike Madigan has left the building — but the former House speaker’s shadow clouds the campaign trail - Attacks on Madigan’s influence over state government have been part of the Republican campaign playbook going at least as far back as Bruce Rauner’s election in 2014. There’s no reason to think that’s going to let up now that Madigan has been charged with racketeering and bribery.
* Secretary of State candidates field questions from disability rights group: “One of the areas we need to improve when talking about accommodations in Springfield, where I worked on getting our daily calendar to have more access for the visually impaired with not only larger print but also a brail standpoint,” Brady said.
* Some of these are either from Friday or over the weekend. Sen. Castro…
Construction workers who are not fairly compensated by subcontractors will soon be given an opportunity to collect unpaid wages, thanks to a new law spearheaded by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin).
“Wage theft is a real problem, especially in the construction industry, which can have a complicated web of involved companies,” Castro said. “This law will provide a mechanism for the workers who have been slighted to receive their fair compensation and encourage primary contractors to employ reputable subcontractors.”
In a typical construction project, commercial property owners or developers will hire a primary contractor, also called a general contractor, to oversee a project. The general contractor will hire and coordinate with subcontractors, such as ones specializing in painting, window installation, electrical and more. Subcontractors employ their own workers to carry out their part of the project.
Under the new law, if a subcontractor fails to pay an employee, goes bankrupt or cannot pay their employee for any other reason, that employee can file a legal claim with the general contractor for any unpaid wages and benefits. Additionally, it requires the subcontractor to compensate the general contractor if this happens.
“Last year alone, 52,000 construction workers in Illinois reported payroll fraud,” Castro said. “These are real people who are going without their earned compensation, highlighting the pressing need for this law. I am pleased to see this signed to ensure our workers have an opportunity to be paid.”
The law includes exemptions for residential rehab and small commercial projects and does not include projects where a homeowner acts as their own general contractor. Additionally, it adds a statute of limitations for when complaints can be filed and creates a task force to consider innovative ways to bring bond reform to the construction industry.
The law, originally called House Bill 5412, was signed by the governor Friday and is effective immediately.
* Sen. Feigenholtz…
Restaurants, bars and retailers will be protected from unscrupulous delivery services thanks to an initiative spearheaded by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz that was signed into law Friday.
“Businesses have been victims of deceptive delivery services without their knowledge or consent,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “There are reasons some restaurants and bars may decide not to utilize delivery services. Protecting the brand and reputation that small businesses have worked to establish was a top priority and focus of this new law.”
House Bill 3205, also known as the Fair Food and Retail Delivery Act, prohibits third party delivery companies from posting a menu, registered trademark or any intellectual property without the express written consent of restaurants, bars and retail establishments.
Feigenholtz’ law bans third-party delivery services from listing non-partnered restaurants or retailers on their platform. Several reports indicate that these delivery services have listed menus and items without the knowledge or consent of the restaurant or retail establishment.
“I’m proud of the work we have done with this new law,” Feigenholtz said. “I hope that people will continue to support our local economies.”
The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2023.
* Sen. Villa…
Legislation sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) requiring the Governor’s Office of New Americans to create and oversee the implementation of a New American Statewide Plan was signed into law on Friday.
“One in seven Illinoisans is an immigrant,” Villa said. “People from across the world come here to make a new life, and we should do all we can to assist them in that endeavor.”
House Bill 1567 seeks to address immigrant and refugee integration issues in Illinois through the establishment of a New American Statewide Plan. Under the legislation, the Governor’s Office of New Americans would be required to put together a plan to ensure their essential duties are being performed.
The Office of New Americans is responsible for welcoming and supporting immigrants and refugees in Illinois and ensuring they have the resources necessary to successfully integrate into the social, cultural, economic, and civic life of the United States, including access to quality English language learning programs.
“We want all immigrants and refugees who come to Illinois to feel welcome in their new home,” Villa said. “By working alongside the Governor’s Office of New Americans to ensure they have the necessary resources to thrive, we lay a strong foundation for new beginnings.”
The legislation will go into effect Jan. 1, 2023.
* Sen. Peters…
A task force to investigate missing and murdered women in Chicago will be established after a measure supported by Senator Robert Peters was signed into law.
“For too long, the families of Black and Brown women have been left with no answers about the loss of their loved ones,” said Peters (D - Chicago). “Everyone, regardless of zip code, deserves justice, and every community deserves real public safety. This task force will help us provide justice for these families and provide guidance on how to address these cases.”
The new law creates the Task Force on Missing and Murdered Chicago Women, which will examine and report on the systemic causes behind violence that Chicago women and girls experience.
The report will explore methods for tracking and collecting data on violence against Chicago women and girls, policies and institutions that impact violence against them, measures necessary to address and reduce violence against them, and ways to help victims and their families and communities.
“Women that go missing or turn up murdered anywhere is unacceptable, and in Chicago specifically, we’ve found this to be a pressing issue,” said State Senator Mattie Hunter (D - Chicago). “The families of Black and Brown women that are missing or murdered are even less likely to get answers. We need to get to the root of the problem to protect our women and girls.”
HB 3988 was signed into law Friday and the task force will submit its report by Dec. 31. 2024.
* Sen. Fine…
Thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) and Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview), pharmaceutical companies will now be required to establish a drug take-back program statewide, ensuring unused prescription drugs stay out of the hands of our children and our drinking water.
“Drug take-back programs are essential to keeping prescription medications out of the hands of our loved ones who could become addicted to these substances,” Senator Fine said. “In addition, these vital programs ensure prescription medications do not contaminate our environment.”
Many unused medicines are frequently flushed down the toilet or poured down the sink, causing harmful chemicals to end up in lakes, rivers, and groundwater, which can harm the ecosystem.
“Public safety is always top of mind for me, and the unsafe disposal of prescription drugs poses a real public health hazard,” said Rep. Gong Gershowitz, the House Sponsor of HB 1780. “40 million Americans drank from water sources contaminated by prescription drugs last year. It’s time we cut that number down to 0, and Illinois is going to do its part.”
While some counties in Illinois have already established similar programs, there is currently no statewide system in place. This law will provide a convenient way to safely dispose of unused medications, no matter what county you reside.
House Bill 1780 was signed into law June 10, 2022. It goes into effect immediately.
* Sen. Sara…
A measure sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz will allow Chicago firefighters to add MRSA to the list of occupational disease disability benefits if they contract the infection on duty.
“In recent years, firefighters have seen increased staph infections, including MRSA,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “Including MRSA on the list of covered protections for firefighters will aid in stopping the spread of the infection.”
The new law aligns Chicago firefighters with downstate firefighters by extending an occupational disease disability benefit to any active Chicago firefighter who has completed seven or more years of service and can’t perform their duties because of a contagious staph infection including MRSA.
“Firefighters risk their lives daily and serve as our first responders in many situations,” Feigenholtz said. “Aligning Chicago firefighter protections with downstate firefighters levels the playing field across the state. Illinois’ first responders have gone above and beyond to save many people in Illinois during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new law makes sense given the challenges they face every day.”
Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 4435 on Friday, June 10. The law took effect immediately.
* IPI…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill yesterday that amends Illinois’ Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship program to protect already-enrolled students. It is effective immediately.
House Bill 4126, sponsored by state Rep. Curtis Tarver, D-Chicago, grants super-priority status to current recipients of the Invest in Kids scholarship, providing assurance to families in the program that if students receive a scholarship one year, they will be first in line for a scholarship the next year. The legislation also gives schools greater flexibility to offer more partial scholarships.
But the program is currently set to expire Dec. 31, 2023, Illinois Policy Institute experts point out. That potentially leaves thousands of families’ futures uncertain.
“We’re pleased to see this bill signed into law as these scholarships can be life-changing for low-income families who wish to provide their children an education that fits their unique needs,” said Amy Korte, executive vice president for the Illinois Policy Institute. “The next step is ensuring the program will last beyond another year and can be there for the long term for students in need.”
* Gov. Pritzker…
In recognition of National Men’s Health Month, Governor JB Pritzker today signed legislation requiring health insurance and managed care plans to allow for prostate cancer screenings.
Under House Bill 5318, health insurance and managed care plans are required to provide prostate cancer screenings without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement. This legislation is effective Jan. 1, 2024.
“Preventative healthcare is the best healthcare of all, and it shouldn’t break the bank to access it,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “My administration is hard at work knocking down the walls that too often separate working families from their healthiest, happiest lives. In Illinois, we’re building the kind of healthcare system that people deserve because we know that healthcare is a right, not a privilege.”
About 1 man in 8 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, with an average diagnosis age of 66. Roughly 6 cases in 10 are diagnosed in men who are 65 or older, although diagnosis is rare in men under 40. In 2022 alone, there have been roughly 268,000 new cases of prostate cancer, with 34,500 deaths from the disease.
* Sen. Stadelman…
To help service members who are transitioning from active duty to the workforce, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) championed a law to designate the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs as the primary assistance agency under the U.S. SkillBridge Program that helps employers find skilled workers.
“We are assisting former military residents with transitioning back into the workforce by creating a hub of resources for them to use,” Stadelman said. “Through IDVA, veterans will find assistance where they can find benefits as well, and work toward returning to a job that fulfils them.”
The program was recently suggested by the AAR Corp. to help transition veterans to jobs within similar fields and to assist with efforts in increasing the workforce at the Rockford Airport.
House Bill 5385 designates IDVA as the primary statewide assistance organization under the U.S. Department of Defense’s SkillBridge Program, which matches service members who are transitioning from active duty with workforce development opportunities at participating employers.
The SkillBridge program helps active duty members gain job experience and transition to civilian workforce by matching service members with opportunities at participating businesses where their skill sets match.
“This program will help veterans return to work after their time in service,” Stadelman said. “Veterans should be able to find the assistance they need in a singular place, whether it be for health, home, or for a job, we are going to be here to help them.”
House Bill 5385 was signed by the governor on Friday.
* Sen. Joyce and Rep. Hurley…
A Senator Patrick Joyce and Representative Fran Hurley measure to give taxpayers more opportunities to provide support and resources to first responders was signed into law Friday.
“First responders put their lives on the line for our community and we should have an easier option to give back,” said Joyce (D-Essex).
House Bill 4161 aims to increase donations to the 100 Club of Illinois by making a convenient donation option on individual state income tax returns. The 100 Club of Illinois is a nonprofit that provides resources, financial support, training and moral support to both the families of first responders killed in the line of duty and active duty first responders. All sworn federal, state, county and local first responders stationed in Illinois are included.
“I will continue to fight for legislation that benefits first responders and their families,” said Hurley (D-Chicago).
Similar donation options on state individual tax returns include the Wildlife Preservation Fund, Diabetes Research Fund, Hunger Relief Fund, among others.
“The 100 Club of Illinois has been serving the first responder community for more than 55 years. We are grateful for the opportunity to further promote the mission of the Club,” said 100 Club of Illinois CEO Caitlyn Brennan. “Funds brought in through this program will assist the Club in providing support to the families of our fallen heroes and the larger first responder community of Illinois.”
House Bill 4161 takes effect immediately. The 100 Club of Illinois Fund checkoff will be available starting next year.
* Restore Justice Illinois…
Thank you Governor JB Pritzker, Senator Laura Fine, Representative Robyn Gabel, and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) for creating more transparency for families with loved ones who are incarcerated. Today, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3180 into law. Senator Fine and Representative Gabel ushered the bill through passage in their respective chambers.
SB 3180 will require IDOC to publish an annual report on issues being raised by family members. With the annual report, legislators can identify opportunities to address significant concerns in future policymaking.
“While I was confined in the Illinois Department of Corrections for more than 20 years, my loved ones visited many times. These visits were so important to me. On more than one occasion, a loved one traveled from out of the country to see me and was denied a visit. We did not have a meaningful remedy at the time,” said Marcelo de Jesus Velazquez.
“Thankfully, today, the calls and needs of people who are currently and formerly incarcerated and our families will no longer go unanswered.”
The Illinois General Assembly established the Family Liaison (also called the Point of Contact) in 2021 by unanimously passing Public Act 102-535. This position gives family members someone to call if they are turned away from or mistreated in visiting rooms; people with incarcerated loved ones can share complaints, suggestions, and requests with the Point of Contact to help ensure they are able to communicate with their family members. However, many family members who call and email the Point of Contact say their issues are left unresolved.
Senate Bill 3180 will ensure families have additional transparency and accountability by identifying significant areas for improvement.
“This legislation addresses family members and loved ones. We are talking about mothers and fathers, people who will now have recourse when their visits are denied or if they feel they have been mistreated,” said Julie Anderson, who has a son incarcerated in Illinois.
* Background is here if you need it. I asked Ed Maher from Local 150 of the Operating Engineers Union about the strike…
Hi Rich, we remain on strike against Lehigh Hanson, Vulcan Materials and Lafarge Holcim. They continue bringing in replacements, but shortages of material will likely cause asphalt plants to shut down this week, beginning to impact projects through the region.
We have reached an agreement with all other material producers, aside from the three we remain on strike against.
We have offered to meet to negotiate with these companies at any time, they are currently refusing to schedule any dates for bargaining, indicating that they will just continue to bring in replacements.
So far, unskilled replacement workers have damaged or destroyed multiple pieces of heavy equipment, flipped at least two trucks, and attracted a host of MSHA citations and fines.
These miners are skilled professionals, and their employers will find they are not so easy to replace.
* Asked for a response, the Chicago Area Aggregate Producers Association sent along these dot points…
Q: What is this strike about?
A: We don’t know. The Chicago Area Aggregate Producers Association (CAAPA) has been trying to get to the real issues since March 1, 2022, when we made the first of many requests to meet with the Union. The Union still has not even presented a wage and benefits proposal to consider. We have been negotiating in good faith.
Q: When did contract talks commence?
A: Local 150 did not agree to meet with the Association until after the contract expired on April 30. The Union also refused to extend the terms of the Agreement to avoid a work stoppage. The Union and CAAPA members had three meetings before they went on strike.
Q: Do CAAPA members treat their employees fairly?
A: Absolutely. CAAPA members work hard to treat their employees fairly and they value employee safety, health and well-being. Through industry-leading trainings and protocols, they ensure employees are equipped to do their jobs safely. CAAPA members also offer very competitive benefits. Local 150 members pay no premiums for their health insurance coverage – CAAPA members pay 100% of the costs. Local 150 members also have access to a comfortable pension plan and other savings opportunities.
Q: Are CAAPA members busing in outside replacement workers at their facilities?
A: No replacement workers have been bused in. Buses seen on site have been there for reasons completely unrelated to the strike activity.
Q: Did Lehigh Hanson fly-in replacement workers?
A: No, not at this time. The company has hired a national security firm to protect its properties. The security professionals are wearing hard hats and safety vests, just as required of others on site. They are not performing work that Local 150-represented employees perform.
Q: Are the operators using strike breakers on site to load trucks?
A: No. CAAPA members have relied on supervisory and management employees when necessary to serve customers. These employees have been Mine Safety & Health Administration task trained to do these tasks safely.
The easy explanation is that, despite the $50 million he was staked by Citadel chief Ken Griffin, Griffin may well be outspent by Election Day by a combination of incumbent J.B. Pritzker, Bailey benefactor and packaging mogul Dick Uihlein, and above all the Democratic Governors’ Association. All have run ads intended to help Bailey and hurt Irvin.
The Irvin folks have been left pretty much whining about it, griping—including via some film of me interviewing Bailey—that those bad ol’ Democrats are messing around in “our” Republican primary. They say their foes collectively could have spent $75 million by Election Day.
But there’s a bigger problem—beyond, that is, using my picture in an ad, which is never a good idea. The problem is that Irvin from the beginning has tried to walk an increasingly untenable tightrope, running as a tough-guy conservative in an increasingly hard-right party when, in fact, he’s pretty much a moderate. That may have been a good strategy to get to the general election, but first Irvin had to get through the primary, and in a year in which the primary is in June and not the usual March, his foes “had time to gang up on him,” says one top GOP insider.
Irvin in the time left seems to be trying to argue that he alone can beat Pritzker in the fall. But that message is all positive. On the issues that seem to count to the GOP base—abortion, COVID mandates, fealty to Donald Trump, et al.—Irvin has been unwilling or unable to distinguish himself from his foes. That, I suspect, leaves neither moderates nor conservatives terribly happy or inclined to go out and get him elected.
* I think there are other issues. Crime just doesn’t poll as well as most pundits would have you believe, for one. Irvin’s over-reliance on that issue without talking about things that people really care about have hurt him. Let’s go back to the original Sun-Times/WBEZ polling story…
In one of Bailey’s commercials, he displays a softer side of himself, emphasizing his worn hands holding two fistfuls of corn and tying the shoe of a granddaughter.
“These are the hands of a farmer, strong and determined, a grandfather’s hands, supportive and caring,” running mate Stephanie Trussell says in the ad. […]
“Bailey is courageous, and he says it very clearly what he is for, and I admire that,” she said. “He is not taking necessarily a popular opinion, but he’s doing the right thing.”
Keefe also said she considered Irvin’s reliance on Griffin’s tens of millions of dollars a liability and “very troubling.”
“There’s going to have to be some payback there,” she said, questioning whether Irvin truly could act independently of his uber-wealthy patron. “I’m not sure what side he’s [on] except the side to make Ken Griffin happy and to be the governor.”
Irvin just doesn’t seem authentic to too many people. And he hasn’t really given us a glimpse of that “softer” side of himself.
JB Pritzker knew in the 2018 primary that he had to somehow sell his billionaire self to liberal primary voters, who mostly hate billionaires. He ran several campaign ads designed to do that (talking about his late mom, driving an elderly woman to the polls, etc.). It worked.
If you’re coming out of almost nowhere and you’re relying almost solely on one person’s billions, then you’d better come off as authentic and independent and you’d better find a way to firmly connect with voters. Pritzker did. Irvin hasn’t.
Former Illinois attorney general Jim Ryan had success in politics despite never really being comfortable with the glad-handing that goes with it.
He once cut to five minutes a scheduled half-hour hand-shaking stop with voters on a chilly Michigan Avenue, telling an aide, “I got 10 votes and double pneumonia.”
A stoic politician whose life was beset by personal tragedies, Ryan rose from DuPage County state’s attorney to serve two terms as Illinois attorney general, but was twice defeated bids for governor.
Ryan 76, died at his home Sunday “after several lengthy illnesses,” according to a statement from Dan Curry, a family spokesman.
Jim was a good man who had to endure numerous health challenges. May he rest in peace.
* ILGOP…
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy has released the following statement in response to the passing of former Illinois Attorney General and 2002 Illinois Republican gubernatorial nominee, Jim Ryan.
“Jim Ryan embodied what it meant to be a statesman. He always put the people of Illinois before politics and faithfully served this great state with honor and integrity as our Attorney General. Jim overcame great personal tragedies and health difficulties to live an impactful public life as well as being a great husband, father, and grandfather. I pray comfort and healing will come to Jim’s family in this difficult time. May we remember his contributions to Illinois and his legacy of selfless service.”
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued the following statement regarding the passing of former Illinois Attorney General James E. “Jim” Ryan.
“Jim Ryan dedicated much of his career to public safety, first as DuPage County state’s attorney and then as Illinois Attorney General, and I strive to follow his example. Jim’s leadership as Attorney General and commitment to protecting all residents of Illinois is something that I have done my best to mirror since taking office.
“After being elected Attorney General, I had the opportunity to meet with Jim. I continue to be grateful for his graciousness and advice as I prepared to enter the office he once led with such integrity. His counsel has continued to guide how I, as Attorney General, have governed the office and expanded my focus on enhancing public safety.
“Jim Ryan will forever be known for his strength and dedication to service on behalf of the people of Illinois, even as he faced unimaginable personal tragedy. May his courage and selflessness in the face of adversity serve as inspiration to all. I extend my deepest condolences to Jim’s beloved wife Marie and their children, and those fortunate enough to call him a friend.”
…Adding… Gov. Pritzker…
The news that former Attorney General Jim Ryan has passed is a sad day for Illinois. MK and I offer our deepest condolences to his wife, Marie, and all of his children and loved ones.
I was saddened to hear of the passing of former IL Attorney General Jim Ryan. My condolences to his family and friends. Jim Ryan will long be remembered as a selfless, dedicated public servant who worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Illinois. https://t.co/FB88ar80iS
— Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton (@LtGovStratton) June 13, 2022
…Adding… Comptroller Mendoza…
Jim Ryan was a dedicated public servant who could collaborate & build consensus. His moral compass aimed true – toward doing right for the people of Illinois. He'll serve as inspiration for many years to come. May he rest in God’s peace & eternal glory. https://t.co/rNFzmhufPI
— Illinois Comptroller (@ILComptroller) June 13, 2022
* Click the pics for access to the full Sun-Times/WBEZ stories. I went over some of these races with subscribers today (even though the email hasn’t sent yet), so I’ll just leave them here for y’all…
* Bill Brady ran for governor three times, so one explanation is that Dan has the better ballot name…
The Illinois Republican Party has successfully avoided being dragged into the hard-right camp at the state level for decades. Those days may be over.
With relatively liberal Republicans Jim Thompson, Jim Edgar and then George Ryan as governor, the state never embraced the sweeping policy changes that emerged from the “Reagan Revolution” and defined the national party for decades.
The Illinois AFL-CIO endorsed Thompson’s last re-election bid. The National Abortion Rights Action League endorsed Edgar’s first gubernatorial run. Ryan campaigned to the left of his 1998 Democratic opponent on guns, abortion and gay rights. They were all from the “governing wing” of the party, eschewing the rabble on the far right and occasionally batting them off like flies.
While Bruce Rauner defined himself by his rabidly anti-union stance, he was pro-choice enough to sign a bill that provided Medicaid funding for abortions. He never supported Donald Trump, even though the two shared several personality traits.
That distance from the far right helped statewide Republicans win general elections in moderate-to-liberal Illinois, particularly after the state leaned harder Democratic when Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992.
But if a recent Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ poll is even close to accurate, those days may finally be behind the party. And, consequently, their statewide fate will likely be sealed without a sea change in Illinois political behavior and demographics.
The new poll has Sen. Darren Bailey trouncing the establishment’s choice, Richard Irvin, by 15 points, 32-17. Bailey not only leads among Downstate Republicans by 24 points, he’s also ahead in the suburbs. Another 27% were undecided, with Jesse Sullivan the only other candidate polling in the double digits (11%).
This is the second poll in a row showing a Bailey lead. Hard-right activist and radio host Dan Proft released a poll at the beginning of last week showing Bailey with a seven-point margin.
What has happened to Irvin and his $53 million war chest, most of it supplied by the state’s wealthiest resident Ken Griffin?
One huge factor is Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the Democratic Governors Association and Bailey along with his big-money backer Dick Uihlein, have so far managed to turn this race into the same sort of “traditional” GOP primary that other, more conservative states have seen for years and years, but that Illinois has generally avoided. They have reshaped the playing field, and it has become untenable for the more moderate Irvin.
After months of Irvin pounding Bailey for being some sort of closet Democrat, the Democrats, Bailey and Proft spent millions to prove without a shadow of a doubt that Bailey was a solid Trumpster.
And by deriding Bailey for being “too conservative” for Illinois, the Democrats have also apparently managed to so far convince many rank-and-file Republicans they aren’t actually trying to advance Bailey’s candidacy (even though the Democrats are clearly doing that very thing).
The Irvin campaign claims the Democrats are on pace to spend $32 million against their guy, although their numbers show the Dems have “only” spent $15+ million so far. Uihlein has contributed $17 million to Bailey and Proft’s “People Who Play by the Rules PAC,” more than he’s ever done here. Uihlein’s big spending and the willingness of the Democrats to literally spend whatever it took seems to have caught Irvin’s team by surprise.
A weekly overview of opinions, analysis and commentary on issues affecting Chicago, Illinois and our nation by outside contributors, Sun-Times readers and the CST Editorial Board.
Another factor could be that voters finally caught on to a big Irvin lie. Bailey is one of the most far-right legislators in the state. Once voters saw through Irvin’s game, everything else he said could be disregarded. And Pritzker has come on strong in recent days with two very hard-hitting ads trumpeting some opposition research on Irvin that clearly left deep marks.
Irvin spent $3.6 million on advertising during the last week of May. By the first week of June, that spending had dropped to less than $800,000. The Irvin campaign allowed all of its Downstate broadcast TV ads to expire last week. They’re now focusing solely on the Chicago media market.
The story from inside is that “regular” Downstate Republicans are already with Irvin, so they want to focus on city, suburban and exurban Republicans with more Illinois-style Republican messaging. But the party has clearly changed. They have only one narrow path out, and it’s pretty rocky and steep.
Irvin has taken to repeating a mantra that Pritzker is backing Bailey because he knows Bailey can’t win. But by doing so he’s essentially making the Democrats’ own case that Bailey is “too conservative” for Illinois. And that risks firing up the hardcore base even more.
* The governor signed a bunch more bills this afternoon. Click here.
* My niece Isabel Miller is graduating this weekend from Northwestern University’s Medill Graduate School of Journalism. This pic is from ten years ago…
Izzie don’t take no guff, but she’s sweet as can be, a hard worker and smart as heck. Y’all will be finding out more about her in the coming weeks.
* You’ll recall that Gov. Pritzker gave the Democratic Party of Illinois $500,000 not long ago. I told subscribers on Monday about the first mailer (here and here). And this is their second mailer to Republicans…
As somebody noted in comments earlier, if this was mailed during the general election, the Dems would call him “100% anti-abortion” or “100% anti-choice,” not “100% pro-life.”
‘Tis a weird year, campers.
…Adding… From comments on a different thread…
I have to agree with Oswego Willy.
Richard Irvin and Avery Bourne are arguing that fundamentally, Bailey and the GOP are too conservative to govern.
Irvin is making the same argument that the DGA ads are making now, that Bailey is too Conservative for Illinois, and that is a real head scratcher.
On the one hand you say DGA ads are killing you, but now you are repeating them?
Also, I am gonna trust that OW knows that of which he speaks, but I can [tell] you that in a Democratic primary, when you complain that your opponent is too liberal, the liberals turn out for them in massive numbers…just ask John Fetterman.
Finally, if Bailey is too conservative, why is Avery Bourne on the ticket?
If Bailey has any sense, he is going back to the same message “This is a battle for the heart and soul of the GOP, and it’s pretty clear that the real Richard Irvin hates conservatives.”
A bill signed into law last month may provide a much-needed reprieve for Illinois’ rural counties. The law, spearheaded by Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, will provide financial relief to physician’s assistants and advance practice nurses who work in rural areas around the state.
Rural areas, defined as communities and locations that aren’t part of a city, face a challenge in health care access.
While large urban counties have 87.1 primary care physicians per 100,000 people, Illinois’ 62 rural counties have 45.5 primary care physicians, according to a 2018 report from the Illinois Rural Health Summit, a project of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
“The fact is that if you look at health care statistics, we have some third world health care statistics in this country,” said Charles James, Illinois Rural Health Association president.
* Governor’s press office…
Governor Pritzker today signed Senate Bill 3617, omnibus legislation aimed at addressing the shortage of mental health professionals in Illinois and increasing access to high-quality mental health services across the State. The bill temporarily allows professional licensees out of practice for less than five years to reactivate their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The bill also seeks to expand behavioral health training, incentivizes the hiring of individuals in recovery from substance use disorder or mental illness, and makes it easier for advanced practice registered nurses to treat patients.
“We need a mental healthcare workforce that is robust enough to get people help when they need it—not after months on a waiting list,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am proud to sign this mental health omnibus bill—training, expanding, and diversifying our behavioral health workforce—into law. This legislation invests in mental health infrastructure—and that infrastructure is people. Our therapists. Our social workers. Our crisis counselors. There is nothing more important than investing in the people who support the health and wellbeing of Illinoisans.”
The Mental Health Omnibus legislation builds on the Pritzker administration’s commitment to improving access to critical behavioral health services across Illinois, demonstrated by efforts that include expanding telehealth parity from emergency to permanent, as well as the recent appointments of state Behavioral Health Officer David Jones and Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative Director Dana Weiner. The FY23 state budget, which takes effect July 1, 2022, includes a significant investment in mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services that aim to increase access to the behavioral health system in every region of the state.
The legislation removes barriers to those wishing to re-enter the mental health workforce, such as continuing education credit completion, passing additional examinations, and fee payments. Former license holder must be in good standing to have their licenses reactivated. Mental health professionals out of practice for less than five years may restore their license with IDFPR only once without providing more information to the Department.
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic caused a spike in the need for mental and emotional support across the nation, BIPOC and rural communities faced greater disparities in accessing mental health care. Our administration has always been, and will always be, committed to fighting disparities and putting people first,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “And this legislation does that. Illinois is not only increasing the workforce in the mental and behavioral health field but expanding pathways for diverse, passionate, and qualified individuals to make a difference in their communities—especially ones that have historically been underserved and under-resourced.”
In addition, the measure enables advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to conduct any required psychiatric visits to patients in Special Mental Health Rehabilitation Facilities, in addition to physicians.
The Recovery and Mental Health Tax Credit is also created under SB 3617, which creates a program to provide tax incentives to qualified employers who employ eligible individuals who are in recovery from a substance use disorder or mental illness. IDHS will work with the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) to verify tax credit certificates issued to employers.
Additionally, the bill allows the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Mental Health to award grants or contracts to enhance training and supervision of behavioral health providers-in-training seeking licensure in specified fields. IDHS will oversee the application process; grants are subject to appropriations. Additionally, a 15-member Advisory Council will be established to advise DHS, examining mental illness and substance use disorder impacts on employment opportunities within minority communities.
* Sen. Simmons…
To make it easier for people to access HIV preventative care, State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) championed a recently signed law to allow pharmacists to provide HIV tests and preventative medications to help reduce new HIV infections.
Simmons’ law will allow pharmacists to dispense and administer drugs, order laboratory tests, and consult individuals on HIV pre-exposure drugs and post-exposure drugs. Pharmacists will first have to complete an educational training course on the administration of tests and medications prior to being permitted to assist patients.
“This law will effectively cut down on wait times and provide life-saving care to thousands of Illinoisans,” Simmons said. “Doing so will especially help reduce new HIV infections among cisgender Black women, LGBTQ+ people, Latinos, and those who lack health insurance.”
Under the previous law, pharmacists in Illinois were not permitted to consult or assess individuals on HIV infections. Pharmacists were also not permitted to administer or dispense preventative medications without a prescription from a health care provider.
“Far too many people in Illinois lack regular access to a doctor,” Simmons said. “Increasing access to these medications through community-based pharmacies will save lives.”
It is believed this law will help reduce new HIV cases by up to 90% by 2030, according to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Biomedical solutions PrEP and PEP medications are up to 99% effective in preventing HIV when taken as prescribed, according to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
House Bill 4430 was signed into law on Friday and takes effect immediately.
* Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease…
Governor JB Pritzker has signed into law legislation aimed at protecting senior citizens and other at-risks residents in Illinois from waterborne illnesses by requiring water utilities to notify healthcare and senior living facilities of water supply disruptions that could lead to water quality and microbial risks, such as legionella and other pathogens.
While water systems are generally well-managed, disruptions caused by water main breaks, flooding, construction, changes in water treatment, pressure and flow changes can dislodge biofilm in the distribution systems and release bacteria and contaminants downstream to high-risk populations. In required CDC reporting, Illinois typically reports 300 to 500 cases of Legionnaires’ disease annually.
Notifications from water utilities of disruptions as required under HB 4988 helps healthcare facilities to manage the water they receive and protect their occupants from waterborne bacteria such as legionella and other contaminants.
“This legislation is a great step forward in recognizing the need for a comprehensive and proactive approach to preventing Legionnaire’s Disease,” said Brad Considine, the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease Director of Strategic Initiatives.
“With the Illinois EPA’s recent updated utility water supply management guidelines, Illinois has positioned the state as a national leader in proactive water management and true prevention of legionnaires’ disease. The new law just signed by Governor Pritzker recognizes that disruptions in water systems can create greater risks from waterborne contagions and it creates an environment where water managers are communicating more closely with healthcare facilities to protect patients and residents.
“It is not the final solution to Legionnaire’s Disease prevention, but it is a significant step forward.”
House Bill 4988 has been signed in law as Public Act 102-0960.
The state’s former public health director – a well-regarded advisor to Gov. J.B. Pritzker during the COVID-19 crisis – is under investigation by a state ethics agency for taking a CEO job at a medical non-profit overseen and funded by the state agency she led.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, a steady, reassuring figure alongside Pritzker during pandemic news conferences, stepped down from her $178,000-per-year state post in March. In April, she accepted an offer to lead Sinai Health System — one of the state’s top medical nonprofits.
The Illinois Ethics Act requires department heads like Ezike to wait a year before accepting positions with companies that hold contracts overseen by their departments, or with companies their departments license or regulate. And while in office they cannot engage in job negotiations with companies that lobby their agencies.
The law is designed to prevent the cozy revolving door between state officials and the companies their agencies fund and regulate.
The Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General opened an ethics investigation of Ezike amid inquiries by the Better Government Association.
Contacted by telephone, Ezike — once a fixture in daily media — declined to be interviewed. Instead she said the BGA would get a call from her attorney. “Let me have your contact information and I can have them reach out to you,” Ezike said.
One of her attorneys told the BGA Ezike’s new position was not subject to the state’s revolving door law because the more than $2 million in grant agreements Ezike signed with Sinai were not “contracts.’’
“I do not believe Dr. Ezike violated the revolving door,” said Heather Wier Vaught. “From a legal perspective, it’s not clear cut. That’s part of the problem with Illinois’ law. The revolving door law is not clear cut. It’s very gray.”
Let me begin by saying Dr. Ezike has been a phenomenal public servant. She truly saved lives. You all, I think, understand that. She has been a leader who has helped Illinois become a leader at vaccinating people and making sure that we had testing available, keeping people healthy. That story that you’re referring to about her indicates that there’s a debate about this provision that they’re looking at. And all I can tell you is Dr. Ezike left the Department of Public Health, not to take some big-time job at a major corporation pharmaceutical or otherwise, she went to a safety net hospital doing, yet again, more public service. So I want you to know, I believe now as I have throughout her tenure, that she’s one of the great public servants that we’ve had in Illinois, proud of her and I know, they’ll get through this, you know, look at all of whatever’s necessary. But I want to be clear, she is somebody who is always trying to do the right thing.
Aurora officials are pleased that Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed a bill which will limit how local and state police can cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
In a statement Monday, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said he was pleased to see the bill become law. He noted that Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman was at the bill signing ceremony.
“Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman and I joined with other leaders throughout the state to support this bill and encouraged the governor to sign it into law,” Irvin said in the statement. “It is the right, just and fair thing to do.
“The Illinois TRUST Act will forbid local police from holding people for immigration purposes without court-ordered warrants,” Irvin said in the statement. “It forbids local police from stopping, searching or arresting anyone based on their immigration or citizenship status. If someone is going to be detained in Illinois, it should be because an actual crime has occurred, not because of how they look, what they believe or what paperwork they may or may not have.”
By the way, Irvin is having a press conference this afternoon at 1:30 pm with AG Candidate Steve Kim, SoS candidate John Milhiser and law enforcement folks. Click here to watch it.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The governor was asked today about Irvin’s claim that a vote for Bailey is a vote for Pritzker…
Well, it’s a ridiculous statement. The idea of equating the most conservative person on the Republican side with me. I’m a Democrat. I believe in the values of the Democratic Party. He’s a right-wing conservative. He’s anti choice. I’m pro choice. He’s pro Trump. I clearly have not been an ally of former President Trump. And so there’s just no equating the two.
Oh, please.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Irvin’s running mate Rep. Avery Bourne just repeated the line today during the above-mentioned press conference.
Q: Why do you think your message hasn’t resonated with primary voters, and what will you do over the next few weeks to try and win them over?
A: Let me be clear, a vote for Darren Bailey is a vote for JB Pritzker. Let me say that one more time: A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote for JB Pritzker. You know we’ve got two and a half weeks left in this campaign. So that’s it’s a lifetime in politics. And I’m confident that my team will continue to get our message out and it will resonate because as I drive around the state I hear the same thing. People concerned that under JB Pritzker crime is out of control, taxes and wasteful spending is out of control. Corruption is out of control. And they want somebody to address it head on. That person is me, the Irvin-Bourne team. That’s my record. That’s my record as a prosecutor. That’s my record as mayor of the second largest city in the state of Illinois. Getting things done, reducing crime by supporting our men and women in blue, reducing property taxes every single year, by expanding our tax base and attracting new businesses and new residents and fighting against that Madigan Pritzker corruption that’s plagued our state for decades. Look, you know, as we work to make sure we get our message across and we’ve changed our plan you know, how we’re gonna get our message message across over the over the next couple of weeks, you know, as we look to cross that finish line first on June 28. You know, it’s necessary for us to reassess, just like all the other campaigns are changing their message. But let me tell you who’s not changing and who’s not reassessing. That’s JB Pritzker. JB Pritzker has spent, is on track to spend over $35 million in a Republican primary. A Democrat, a Democrat meddling in the Republican primary with negative campaign ads against me. 10s of millions of dollars to take me down and prop up Darren Baley. So you got to ask the question. Why is he doing? Why is he spending 10s of million dollars in negative ads against me? Because he doesn’t want to face me in the general election. That’s exactly why he’s doing it. And why is he spending just as much money to prop Darren Bailey up? Because he’s trying to choose the Republican candidate that he faces in the general, one that he knows he can beat. I’ll say it again. A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote to reelect JB Pritzker.
Q: Mayor Irvin, do you trust the poll numbers are showing or is your polling showing something different.
A: Look a poll is a snapshot in time. We’ve got two and a half weeks left. You know, polls will change you know daily. But as I said, we’re going to continue to send out our message. We’ve got we’ve just in this last week alone, we’ve had 200,000 calls and texts out to residents of Illinois. We’re on track to knock on 30,000 doors in central and southern Illinois. We’re gonna get our message out, you know, we’re gonna get it out strong and make sure people hear our message. But again, I can’t say this enough. This is JB Pritzker spending 10s of millions of dollars meddling in the Republican primary to prop up a Republican thaet knows he can beat. A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote for JB Pritzker. Period. […]
Q: Why do you need to reassess?
A: Again, as I said, over the next couple days we’ll change just like all the other campaigns have changed. I’ll say this one more time. What hasn’t changed is JB Pritzker’s position to spend 10s of millions of dollars in the Republican primary meddling in the Republican primary to take me down, to take our team down because he knows that if we face him in the general we will beat him. So he’s propping up a candidate and Darren Bailey that he knows he can be a vote for. A vote for Darren Bailey is a vote to reelect JB Pritzker.
He ran a ton of TV ads attacking Pritzker almost from the get-go. He should have known that Pritzker wouldn’t allow those attacks to go unanswered. I mean, OK, Pritzker would’ve undoubtedly jumped in anyway, but just sayin.
A newly unsealed search warrant in the ComEd bribery probe centered on former House Speaker Michael Madigan provides the greatest detail yet about an alleged behind-the-scenes effort to kill an energy bill supported by Madigan’s daughter, the then-Illinois attorney general.
“We got — we’ve gotta kill it. Period,” Madigan’s longtime confidant, Michael McClain, allegedly told ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore in a recorded call in May 2018. “The problem is, any day now, the budget is gonna suck all the oxygen out of the building … and the members won’t be paying any attention to our lobbyists … and Lisa Madigan’s gonna walk in and say, ‘This is my legacy legislation, please vote for me.’ ” […]
As Attorney General Madigan negotiated with ComEd, prosecutors alleged in the ex-speaker’s indictment, her father was trying to get the utility to OK two deals for his political allies: Have Juan Ochoa, former chief of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, named to the utility’s board of directors, and get a $5,000-a-month contract for former Chicago Ald. Michael Zalewski, 23rd.
The speaker eventually got what he wanted: Paramaggiore got Ochoa appointed to the board following Madigan’s persistence, and Zalewski was also signed up, according to the charges.
And the bill Lisa Madigan supported stalled in the House.
Amid the alleged bribery scheme that led to ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s indictment, the feds say his close ally Michael McClain made a phone call and complained to a previously unidentified person about someone “offended when people ask for favors.”
Now, a newly unsealed FBI affidavit has for the first time named the person on the other end of that 2018 phone call — Andrew Madigan, the former speaker’s son. […]
The call in question occurred May 23, 2018. Earlier in the day, McClain had called Marquez, who said someone from another public utility company had complained about being pushed “really hard” to apparently hire someone, according to the affidavit. […]
Marquez told McClain that he told the person who had complained that “maybe one day you’ll have an ask and this will be remembered.”
McClain later called Andrew Madigan at 5:09 p.m., according to the affidavit. It said McClain shared his earlier conversation with Marquez. Andrew Madigan allegedly said, “Okay” and “Oh good, yeah.” McClain said Marquez told the person, “That’s what happens when you do, when you’re in this game. And you never know maybe someday you can ask for a favor.”
An FBI special agent took that as a reference to “pay-to-play.”
* A Darren Bailey campaign official told me today that the candidate and his running mate are making bus stops in every county in the next two weeks. Either Bailey or Stephanie Trussell or both will stop in all 102 counties, they claim.
Also hearing lots of chatter that former president Donald Trump’s operation is considering the Adams County fairgrounds for a late June event. So far, the only non-Trump focus of the possible event is US Rep. Mary Miller, who’s in a primary race against US Rep. Rodney Davis.
*** UPDATE *** Today…
Donald Trump told the House Freedom Caucus he's open to hosting a rally with Mary Miller in her member-on-member primary against Rodney Davis.
HFC members had pushed the former president to show further support for Miller, who belongs to the caucus. https://t.co/BXSdsTGdx4
* Meanwhile, here’s Decatur Tribune Editor Paul Osborne…
• Congressman Rodney Davis was at the Tribune one morning last week and we couldn’t help but reminisce about the first time we talked when he was running in the Republican Primary ten years ago. I remember Rodney telling me back then that, if he was fortunate enough to win election to Congress, he would always stay in touch. He has kept his promise and has always been willing to talk to me about any issue over the years. In fact, it is usually his office calling to see if I have some time, or some questions, to meet with him. That’s unusual in my long experience as a newspaper editor. Usually, the only time a candidate is available is when they are running for re-election.
• Rodney is running for election in the 15th IL District, against Congresswoman Mary Miller. Like the Macon County Sheriff’s race, the Republican Primary winner in the 15th is the same as being the winner of the General Election in November. While Rodney has always been available, Mary Miller has been almost invisible in Decatur and Macon County. I’m not sure why. Although I’ve received several news releases from her campaign, I have not talked with her, or even met her, which is highly unusual in my decades of experience in writing about candidates for office.
I have contacted one of her district offices and her office in D.C. and was finally told to send an email to her communications person, which I have done but have not yet received a reply. Other reporters I know have mentioned to me that Miller is a difficult interview to land. She has also never appeared (at least as I am writing this column) on my friend Brian Byers’ WSOY Byers & Co. program, which always has an open mike to candidates regardless of their views or party affiliation.
Hopefully, Miller will open up the lines of direct communication soon, because the primary election is less than three weeks away.
* In other news…
Great News! The City of Aurora has notified us that our permit for Sunday has been reinstated. The Aurora Pride Parade is on. We look forward to welcoming everyone on Sunday morning.
An effort to add a Workers’ Rights Amendment to the Illinois Constitution has received $4.7 million in donations. The proposal says employees have a fundamental right to organize and bargain collectively about wages, hours, and working conditions. Among the big donations: $1 million each from Liuna Chicago, International Union of Operating Engineers, and Fight Back Fund, which advocates for union families. In a statement, IUOE Local 150 President and Business Manager James M. Sweeney said: “Illinois workers have had enough of politicians in Springfield playing games with our livelihoods. The Workers’ Rights Amendment will ensure that workers have a voice.” Full list of donations. […]
Alexi Giannoulias is reporting nearly $637,000 today, including $250,000 from SEIU Illinois Council, $150,000 from Liuna, $59,900 from the Plumbers and Pipefitters union, $25,000 from UFCW 881, $25,000 from Chicago attorney Bob Clifford, and $10,000 from Grosvenor’s Paul Meister. […]
In a Chicago Tribune story published yesterday, Secretary of State Candidate John Milhiser lays out exactly why the last thing Illinois needs is another career politician as Secretary of State.
From the Tribune:
“Instead, he emphasized a need to “restore faith in government,” something he said he learned was needed, in part, from his most recent job teaching at the Lawrence Education Center in Springfield.
“What that has taught me is that students don’t trust government,” Milhiser said. “They think everybody’s corrupt. They read the headlines.”
…“When you look at the Democrats’ side with the two front-runners, Anna and Alexi, who are pointing fingers at each other, arguing who’s less ethical for the position … we don’t need a secretary of state coming in with this cloud of ethical concerns,” Milhiser said.
Milhiser is a career prosecutor with experience overseeing a large office covering 46 counties in Illinois. He has prosecuted public corruption, Republicans and Democrats, across Illinois including a case involving an employee of the Secretary of State’s office. Milhiser knows what to look for when it comes to cleaning up state government.
More career politicians won’t solve the problems in Illinois’s state government. A career prosecutor will.
* CD1…
Democratic candidate for the 1st Congressional District, State Senator Jacqui Collins, announced new endorsements today from the following elected officials:
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, (D-Peoria)
Rep. Latoya Greenwood, (D-East St. Louis)
Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, (D-Chicago)
Rep. Camille Lilly, (D-Chicago)
Rep. Anna Moeller, (D-Elgin)
Iris Martinez, Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court
“I’m running for Congress to be the first Congresswoman in the 1st Congressional District, and I’m grateful to my fellow female colleagues for their support,” said State Senator Jacqui Collins (D-Chicago). At a time when our rights as women are facing existential threat, it’s more important than ever that we continue to elect women to office with strong records of fighting for justice.”
…Adding… What in the world is this dude thinking?…
Enjoyed spending the evening with the Illinois Legislative Latinx Caucus in Little Village. Our Latinx community is a vital and vibrant part of what makes Chicago great, and it was a joy to be with these fantastic public servants. pic.twitter.com/qazRKziveh
A total of 32% of respondents said they’d vote for Bailey if the primary were held this past week. Only 17% chose Irvin. And the downstate lawmaker was beating Irvin not only on his own rural and small-town turf but also in the vast stretch of Chicago suburbs, where the Aurora mayor had been expected to do well. […]
But besides Bailey and Irvin, only Sullivan finished in the double digits in the poll, with 11%. Rabine had 6%; Schimpf — recipient of the Chicago Tribune’s endorsement — had 4%, and Solomon just 2%. The automated poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points, found 27% of respondents were still undecided. […]
Not surprisingly, Bailey appears to be carrying his home base, leading Irvin downstate 38% to 14%. But in an ominous turn for Irvin, Bailey was also ahead in the collar counties, 29% to 18%, and in suburban Cook County, 29% to 21%. Suburban Chicago had been believed to be an Irvin stronghold, and the Chicago television market is where Irvin had concentrated much of his ad buying. […]
The poll found that 44% considered the economy their top issue of concern. Crime and corruption came in second with 11% each, while taxes polled at 10%. Just 8% of those polled called abortion their top concern. […]
The poll found 52% of respondents said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who supported Trump, while 36% said it wouldn’t make a difference. Another 8% said they were less likely to vote for a candidate who supported the former president.
Crime is not the campaign issue some people think it is in a race like this. Go read the rest.
…Adding… DGA…
Richard Irvin, Ken Griffin’s $50 million candidate, has woken up to find his campaign in free fall with just under three weeks until the primary election. A game-changing poll by the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ shows State Senator Darren Bailey with a stunning 15-point lead over mega billionaire-backed Irvin.
This comes just as Irvin’s campaign pulls down ad coverage from the entire downstate media market where he has floundered to find a message that resonates with voters. Irvin even admitted he can’t be himself downstate. But ultra-conservative Bailey isn’t just leading downstate, he’s also pulled in Irvin’s own backyard, outpacing Irvin in the Chicago suburbs.
It’s no wonder his numbers are plummeting. Voters can see right through his constant flip-flopping and fence-sitting. With months and $50 million to take a stand on pertinent issues and claim ownership of his record, Irvin has done everything but.
Even with Griffin’s war chest, it seems Irvin has taken this race and Illinois voters for granted. The Irvin campaign is grasping at straws to reinvent a disingenuous candidate in the last leg of this race, but with early voting already underway, their failing strategy is likely unrectifiable.
“After months of dodging reporters and the public, the Irvin campaign is paying the price,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “The only candidate for governor prepared to represent all Illinoisans is JB Pritzker.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent with ties to key backers of Democratic congressional candidates Delia Ramirez and Jonathan Jackson, is endorsing them, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. […]
In a statement, Sanders said, “Ramirez has been a champion of working families in Illinois. As a state legislator, she has expanded Medicaid for all seniors regardless of legal status, has secured millions of dollars for affordable housing and defended reproductive rights by codifying Roe Vs Wade in Illinois. I am proud to endorse her campaign for Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District.”
🚨 NEW AD ALERT - The past two years, the PEOPLE have been paralyzed by FEAR and allowed J.B. Pritzker to rule as a KING. I'm running for Attorney General to Educate, Empower, and Equip the PEOPLE to take back their GOVERNMENT and restore the power where it belongs… within the hearts and minds of the PEOPLE of this great state. The time is NOW to restore the POWER to the PEOPLE and Law and Order to society.
With gas prices hitting record numbers in Illinois, local Republican lawmakers addressed the pain at the pump and potential solutions.
Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Darren Bailey held a press conference on the state’s soaring gas prices. He said one of the biggest issues is Illinois’ gas tax.
In 2019, the gas tax doubled and now sits at 39 cents per gallon. Bailey said the first step toward relief is cutting out the taxes that he said are exacerbating the problem.
* CD1…
Today, the New Democrat Coalition Action Fund announced its endorsement of Karin Norington-Reaves to represent Illinois’ 1st Congressional District. Karin announced her run following Rep. Bobby Rush’s decision to retire from the House of Representatives.
A third-generation Chicagoan with an unparalleled passion for workforce development and decades of experience as a law professor, advocate, and non-profit leader, Karin is uniquely qualified to represent the families in Illinois’ 1st District. She recognizes the potential of individuals and communities in Illinois and has dedicated her life to connecting Chicagoans with economic opportunities. Under Karin’s leadership as the CEO of the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, roughly 100,000 people have been placed in lasting careers. She will be a fierce advocate for Chicago workers, families, and businesses in Congress.
“Over her 30 year career as a public servant and change agent, Karin has demonstrated an unmatched commitment to creating economic opportunities for all Chicagoans,” said Congressman Brad Schneider, Chair of the NewDem Action Fund. “In Congress, Karin will be a strong voice for strengthening the middle class and ensuring every American can climb the economic ladder.”
“My life’s work has been to create jobs and connect people to pathways to economic empowerment, giving them the hope and opportunity to better themselves and care for their loved ones,” said Karin Norington-Reaves. “With innovative solutions and hard work, I’ve seen that these jobs create thriving, safer communities. Being endorsed by the NewDem Action Fund is recognition that my work is making a difference, and that my experience is needed in Congress. When I’m elected to office, I will continue supporting working families and finding new ways to support economic growth in the 1st District.”
The New Democrat Coalition is the largest ideological caucus amongst House Democrats, counting more than forty percent of the caucus as members. The 98 NewDems represent a central core of the Democratic Party and advocate within Congress, and the party as a whole, for innovative approaches and constructive solutions to move America forward. Formed by Members of the New Democrat Coalition, the NewDem Action Fund helps re-elect NewDems and elect new, like-minded leaders who can help develop a positive policy agenda and message.
The state chair for former President Donald Trump’s 2016 Illinois primary campaign is challenging a member of the state Republican leadership in the Illinois House in a battle of contrasting styles in the new 95th District.
Kent Gray, a local attorney who has served as a Republican operative, member of the Lincoln Land Community College board and member of the advance office in two separate presidential administrations, is challenging state Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, in the June 28 Republican primary in the newly redrawn district.
Gray is positioning himself as a more conservative, Trump-friendly option to Butler, who is a relatively moderate member of Republican leadership in the General Assembly.
Gray and Butler have known each other for 30 years, but the key difference between the two comes down to a fundamental matter in the modern Republican Party: to what extent should one support Donald Trump, in his prior, present and future roles in American society?
* CD1…
Alderman Greg Mitchell of Chicago’s 7th Ward is announcing his endorsement of Pat Dowell for Democratic Nomination for Congress in the First District of Illinois.
“Ald. Dowell and I share a vision for safe streets, quality schools, and economic development that ensures every community - especially those longest denied - thrives. I know she will be a workhorse in Congress to deliver resources to every corner of the district. It has been a pleasure to work with her on City Council to build coalitions and implement solutions that deliver real results for people. I look forward to continuing to work with her when she is in Congress,” said Mitchell, 7th Ward Alderman.
“Everyday Alderman Mitchell and I give voice to the residents of our wards. We have worked together to find solutions and then make sure those plans are turned into action,” said Ald. Pat Dowell, candidate for the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 1st Congressional District.
* More…
* GOP candidates for secretary of state offer contrasting messagesin bid for a post their party hasn’t held for more than two decades : In an interview, Milhiser offered few specifics about his vision for running the office, aside from improving technology and streamlining services for customers. Instead, he emphasized a need to “restore faith in government,” something he said he learned was needed, in part, from his most recent job teaching at the Lawrence Education Center in Springfield. … While praising White, Brady said the secretary of state’s office needs better computer systems and a greater focus on cybersecurity to more effectively prevent driver’s license or state ID data theft. With the secretary of state being Illinois’ official librarian, Brady has also talked about developing a better system for broadband Internet connectivity in libraries throughout the state, especially those in rural areas. He’s also called for more mobile driver’s services for senior citizens.
Disclosed campaign contributions made by his committee have so far totaled $1.37 million, almost all of that was contributed in the second quarter, which began April 1.
During the first quarter, Irvin reported spending about 85.5 percent of his expenditures on media placement. That means overhead was 14.5 percent, but it costs extra money to get things up and running.
* An ad buyer for a campaign not affiliated with any of the GOP candidates running for governor put together a detailed report for me detailing Richard Irvin’s media spending. I’m not allowed to post it, but here are the results…
* $1.705 million on social media (Facebook and YouTube);
* $27.048 million on thirty-second ads;
* $913K on sixty-second ads
* Grand Total: $29,665,712.67
That includes radio, but obviously doesn’t include mail. Irvin has spent a ton on mailers, including a recent 4-page newspaper. We got a glimpse at how much he was spending per mailer when his mail house in-kinded $152K for a mailer after failing to put the “Paid for by” on the original. My guess is he’s spent at least $3 million on mail, maybe more. We could say 5 just to be on the safe side, because some of those mailers were expensive because they were sent to a wide audience.
If he’s still spending about 14.5 percent on overhead, that’s $8 million or so, but I kinda doubt it’s that high. Say 5-7.
* So, that gives him somewhere around $7 to $9 million for the homestretch.
According to that buyer’s document, he spent about $3.6 million the last week of May on paid media. But then he spent $798,401.81 the first week of June.
Meanwhile, the other members of the “slate” have received very little money for their campaigns.
Governor JB Pritzker today signed the Family Bereavement Act, an amendment to the Child Bereavement Leave Act that expands leave time requirements to cover pregnancy loss, failed adoptions, unsuccessful reproductive procedures, and other diagnoses or events impacting pregnancy and fertility. SB3120 also mandates leave after the loss of family members previously not covered in the act. The bill was originally proposed and written by Kyra Jagodzinski, a sixteen-year-old volunteer for State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake).
“Illinoisans should have time to mourn and heal after an unimaginable loss like a miscarriage or stillbirth,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “There are no words to erase such immense grief, but today, we take action to ensure that our residents are given the support and grace they deserve. This bill would not have been possible without the advocacy of one of Senator Bush’s dedicated volunteers, Kyra Jagodzinski. Illinois is a better, more compassionate state because of your hard work.”
The Support Through Loss Act requires employers in the state to provide for two weeks of unpaid leave for employees who experience a miscarriage, an unsuccessful round of intrauterine insemination or other assisted reproductive procedure, a failed or non-finalized adoption match, a failed surrogacy agreement, a diagnosis affecting fertility, or a stillbirth. Employees can also utilize this time off to support a spouse or partner experiencing one of these losses.
The original Child Bereavement Leave Act, signed into law in 2016, allowed parents and guardians to take leave in the case of the loss of a biological or adopted child, a foster placement, or a stepchild. The amended act addresses the immense grief parents feel during pregnancy loss and failed adoptions, both of which are often under-recognized as traumatic events requiring time for recuperation and healing.
The act also requires employers to provide ten days of leave to employees attending the funeral of a covered family member, making arrangements necessitated by the death of a covered family member, or grieving the death of a covered family member. The bill expands the definition of a covered family member to include children, stepchildren, spouses, domestic partners, siblings, parents, parents-in-law, grandchildren, grandparents, or stepparents.
These provisions ensure employees across the state can take time to grieve before returning to work without fear of termination. The act also specifies that the employee does not have to identify which category of event they are taking leave for, even if they are required to provide documentation. The Department of Labor will provide forms for health care practitioners to verify the leave-inciting event without violating patient privacy.
“When we say we are one Illinois, we mean it. When an Illinois family faces the unspeakable grief of losing a loved one, we carry that sadness with them and we recognize there is no one definition of grief,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “By signing this legislation, Illinois is enacting compassionate policy that provides residents comfort and support for healing at a time when it is needed the most. I commend Kyra Jagodzinski for having the vision and the heart to be a caring advocate for others.”
“The emotional anguish suffered after a miscarriage or stillbirth is often debilitating,” said Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake). “Returning to work sooner than they’d like leaves little room for grief, mourning and healing. I am proud to have passed this law alongside the help of a passionate, young teen who saw the need for change and pushed to make it happen.”
“Over my life, I watched as my parents struggled with the loss of family, and saw people close to me struggle with fertility challenges and pregnancy loss,” said Kyra Jagodzinski. “As a 17-year-old, I did my best to comfort them but found a system that left them without support. The Act provides Illinois residents with time to grieve the loss of immediate family members and to-be family members. I am grateful to have worked with a leader in our legislature, Senator Melinda Bush, attorney Ashley Stead, Governor Pritzker, and the Illinois Legislature to support our communities in their time of need.”\
“Expanding bereavement leave to cover miscarriages, failed IVF procedures, failed adoptions, failed surrogacy agreements, the loss of a close family member and other similar losses is a vital step towards equality in Illinois,” said State Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin). “All loving families are tragically impacted by the loss of a child or family member. This law will help deliver much-needed relief to workers who are overcoming huge personal tragedies, and I thank Governor Pritzker for his support.”
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker today announced the establishment of the Healthy Foods Access Program, furthering the administration’s efforts to provide equitable access to healthy food in every corner of the state.
“All Illinoisans deserve access to healthy foods,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Especially throughout the pandemic, food insecurity has been a major concern in our underserved communities. It has always been my administration’s mission to ensure that no child, no family, no elder goes without the food they need to stay nourished and healthy. That’s why I am proud to sign this bill into law to bolster the health and wellbeing of our residents while transforming food deserts into food oases.”
“No one should wonder where their next meal is coming from, but this is a reality for far too many people. Food insecurity is severely impacting the most vulnerable—children, college students, and seniors—who often live in our most underserved areas,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “I am so proud that our state is taking a holistic approach to fighting food insecurity by uplifting the work of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger, along with collaborative efforts between state agencies, private partners, and community stakeholders that will launch this amazing program to increase access to fresh, nutrient-dense food.”
“Affordable and healthy fresh food is a necessity of life,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “Every person and child deserves access to nutritionally balanced meals and this legislation helps our state provide that, especially for systematically disadvantaged communities. I want to thank Representative Sonya Harper for her continued passion in creating a sustainable food supply for communities in need.”
“This measure is necessary to ensure that our communities have access to food that will nourish their bodies and cater to their overall wellbeing,” said State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago). “Food insecurity is one of the issues I’ve been fighting for a long time, and I am confident that this law will help end food deserts in our state, starting with addressing the gap left open by the departure of the Whole Foods in Englewood.
Our communities need access to affordable, nutritious food now.”
“Residents on the South and West sides of Chicago, as well as elsewhere in our state, continue to struggle to find places to buy healthy and affordable foods,” said State Representative Sonya Harper (D-Chicag0). “This has contributed to health disparities and even shorter life expectancies in these areas. I applaud Governor Pritzker for signing The Healthy Food Access Development Program into law today. Food is medicine and everyone deserves a right to access it. I’m hopeful this new law will help strengthen our small businesses and create new options for healthy food in our most vulnerable communities across the state while bringing in food and jobs to those that need them most.”
“There are too many neighborhoods across our state where people do not have access to fresh, healthy food,” said State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria). “Let’s take advantage of our nutritional, locally-sourced food and spur connections with communities that have been left behind. Healthy food can have immense benefits for an individual, but we have to make sure it’s easily available.”
“One of the best ways to promote healthy lifestyles and overall wellness is to ensure access to nutritious, well-rounded food options,” said State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria). “By bringing these options to communities across the state, we empower residents to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families.”
House Bill 2382 enables the Department of Human Services in coordination with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to establish the Healthy Food Development Program to expand access to healthy foods in underserved areas. Grocery stores, corner stores, farmers’ markets, and other small retailers may receive assistance through grants, loans, equipment, or other financial assistance to be awarded on a competitive basis.
While the exact program design has not yet been established, too implement the program, DCEO and DHS may partner with non-profit organizations on implementation and DHS will designate a grocery ambassador to assist the state’s healthy food retailers by providing research and data on eligible areas with insufficient grocery access. Through this ambassador, small grocery retailers in the state will be provided technical assistance and support.
The establishment of this program builds on the administration’s efforts to increase access to healthy food in the state. These efforts include public-private partnerships to expand purchasing options for those who receive SNAP benefits, empowering the Illinois Commission to End Hunger to advance the From Food Insecurity to Food Equity: A Roadmap to End Hunger plan, a three-part strategy for connecting residents in need to nutrition assistance programs, and promoting equitable access to food for every Illinoisan.
In Cook County alone, one in six children experience food insecurity on any given day. Statewide, 17 percent of children live in poverty. Federal programs, such as SNAP, School Breakfast and summer meal programs, are widely underutilized. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, 1.6 million Illinoisans were participating in SNAP. During the initial months of the pandemic, SNAP applications soared to over 35,000 applications a week, up from an average of 9,000 weekly. In April 0f 2020, food insecurity doubled in the population overall and tripled for Illinois households with kids. In addition, Illinois has seen a 60% increase in food insecurity for older adults during the pandemic.
This legislation is effective January 1, 2023.
* Sen. Belt…
Burning toxic synthetic chemicals will be banned thanks to a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt that was signed into law Wednesday.
“PFAS can harm people and the environment,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This initiative stems from concerns that our neighbors have surrounding the waste incinerator in Sauget, which puts Metro East residents at risk of exposure to these harmful substances.”
The new law bans incinerating materials covered under the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory that contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. Thermal oxidation for the purposes of pollution control, combustion of gases at landfills, medical waste incinerators and byproducts generated by municipal wastewater treatment facilities are exempted.
The Veolia Environmental Services waste incinerator in Sauget will now be prohibited from incinerating firefighting foams, a product that often contains PFAS chemicals.
“I’d like to thank Leader Greenwood for championing this in the House,” Belt said. “We worked on this measure for over a year and I’m proud that we are able to prioritize Metro East residents.”
The new law takes effect immediately.
* Sen CP-Z…
A law to help identify families in need of additional financial assistance for college savings accounts was signed Tuesday, thanks to the hard work of State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas.
“A big part of helping families afford college is making sure they know what financial assistance resources are available,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “This law will not only allow for additional deposits in a Children’s Savings Account for students from financially unstable households, it will also help us understand who is taking advantage of the program and allow us to target outreach to families who might not be aware of it.”
The Illinois Children’s Savings Account program will go into effect in 2023. Under the current program, applicable families will receive a seed deposit of $50. The new law, formerly Senate Bill 3991, allows the state treasurer’s office to supplement CSA’s for financially insecure households with additional funds.
Additionally, the law requires the treasurer’s office to collect more data on program participants to keep track of the social and geographic makeup of those who are utilizing these accounts. This will help further ensure equitable roll out of the program.
“As a parent of three children, I have spent years advocating for a statewide children’s savings account program. I didn’t go to college, but my son was lucky enough to receive a scholarship,” said Liliana Olayo, Co-President POWER-PAC IL and member of the Steering Committee of Financial Inclusion for All Illinois. “With a statewide CSA program that promotes equity, more families like mine will have hope for the future and an investment in their children’s potential early on.”
The law was signed Tuesday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023.
* Sen. Bush…
The burden of silence many people face when returning to the workplace almost immediately following the loss of a pregnancy can cause emotional upheaval. State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) passed a newly signed law to allow people to take leave following pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or other fertility issues.
“The emotional anguish suffered after a miscarriage or stillbirth is often debilitating,” Bush said. “Returning to work sooner than they’d like leaves little room for grief, mourning and healing.”
Bush’s Senate Bill 3120 creates the Support Through Loss Act by providing up to 10 days of unpaid leave following a pregnancy loss, stillbirth or an unsuccessful intrauterine insemination, among other issues negatively impacting pregnancy or fertility.
The idea for the law came from Kyra Jagodzinski, a then 16-year-old intern of Bush’s who came to her with the issue and worked alongside the Senator, governor and the legislature to pass the measure to support families in their time of need.
“Over my life, I watched as my parents struggled with the loss of family and I saw people close to me struggle with fertility challenges and pregnancy loss,” Kyra said. “As a 17-year-old, I did my best to confront them but found a system that left them without support. The Support Through Loss Act provides Illinois residents with a time to grieve the loss of immediate family members and to-be family members.”
One in six women who have a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy suffer from long-term post-traumatic stress, and approximately 15% of those who experience pregnancy loss develop severe depression or anxiety. Pregnancy loss not only has physical impacts, but mental and psychosocial implications. It also causes immense emotional stress for their spouses.
Bush’s law allows those impacted by these traumatizing circumstances to take time off work to address both their physical and emotional needs.
“It’s important that we recognize that anyone experiencing this kind of loss need time to grieve,” Bush said.
Under the law, people will also be allowed 10 days of unpaid leave for the death of an immediate family member.
When Democrats redrew the state’s Supreme Court districts last year for the first time in 58 years, they hoped the new map would maintain their party’s majority on the court.
A longtime Democratic justice had just lost his seat, and state legislators from his party knew that maintaining their 4-3 dominance of the state’s top court would require the party to win just one of the four districts outside of Cook County, which has already sent three reliably Democratic justices to the court.
But the retirement of a Republican justice created a rare open seat race in the northwest suburban 2nd District. And that could tilt the Democratic leaning 4-3 court into Republican hands — if the race in the 3rd District, where Democratic Justice Thomas Kilbride lost his bid for retention two years ago, also goes Republican.
The 3rd District does not have a contested primary.
That is far from the case in the 2nd District, where four Republicans and three Democrats are vying for the seat previously held for two decades by retired Justice (and former Chicago Bear) Bob Thomas. That district now covers a large part of northeastern Illinois, including DeKalb, Kendall, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties.
* Here’s Personal PAC’s social media ad for Supreme Court candidate Nancy Rotering…
* The Illinois Judges Association voted to elevate Rotering’s Democratic primary opponent…
Lake County Associate Judge Elizabeth Rochford was installed as 3rd Vice President of the Illinois Judges Association during the annual meeting on June 3, 2022. The Illinois Judges Association, which represents 1,250 active and retired Illinois state court judges, was founded in 1972 to provide services, support, and education to its member judges and raise public understanding of the Illinois judicial system.
Judge Rochford has been a judge for 10 years and is also an active member and past president of the Lake County Bar Association. Judge Rochford took the leadership role in Access to Justice by establishing the first family law courtroom committed to serving self-represented litigants, the Guardianship Help Desk, and the “Page It Forward” initiative to advance literacy.
Judge Rochford has been recognized by legal and social groups for leadership, advancing diversity, access to justice, and as a Woman of Vision.
* Same district, Republican Party…
The Lake County Bar Association released ratings this week of candidates for the Illinois Supreme Court, giving Judge Daniel Shanes their highest rating, “highly recommended.”
The Lake County Bar Association joins a growing list of organizations praising Shanes’s qualifications for the state’s highest court. The Illinois State Bar Association also rated Shanes “highly recommended,” and Shanes received the highest overall rating in a survey conducted by the ISBA among lawyers and judges in the Second Judicial District, easily outperforming his primary opponent as well as the Democrats running for the seat.
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police also endorsed Shanes, citing his “deep commitment to upholding justice and the rule of law.” As a major crimes prosecutor, Shanes earned the respect of law enforcement for his fair and impartial application of the law.
Businesses know that an even application of justice impacts their environment as well, which is why Judge Shanes has also been endorsed by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. They know that when the rule of law is supported in our state, businesses can thrive.
“I am profoundly grateful to the Lake County Bar Association for their faith in my qualifications for the highest court in our state,” said Judge Dan Shanes. “I have dedicated my career to supporting the rule of law and ensuring justice is done in the courtroom. To have these attorneys, judges, and members of law enforcement acknowledge my qualifications for the bench is an honor, and I promise to represent the people of the Second Supreme Court District with distinction as their Supreme Court Justice.”
Judge Shanes has received endorsements from legislative, law enforcement, and community leaders from across the Second District including former Rep. Jeanne Ives, the Lake County GOP, Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin, Sen Don DeWitte, Sen Craig Wilcox, Rep. Mark Batinick, Rep. Dan Ugaste, Rep. Chris Bos, Rep. Jeff Keicher, Rep. Tom Weber, and many more. See more endorsements of Judge Shanes HERE.
STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE: FUNDING TO BECOME THE EARLY FRONTRUNNER
• Provides instant credibility to a political newcomer, while raising name ID
• Unlocks the next round of large Chicago donors who will back the leading candidate
• Dissuades new entrants by establishing a dominant position
• Avoids a long primary that forces candidates to take more extreme positions that leave them unelectable in the general
Yeah, well, that didn’t happen.
And Sullivan has moved far to the right as Irvin took over the slot he hoped for. But now with Irvin fading in the polls and pulling his Downstate ads, can Sullivan make a move?
* Lately, Sullivan has been trying to poach Darren Bailey’s voters. Let’s look at some ads. Here he says “schools are the “front lines in this battle against the left’s woke agenda”…
Script…
Today, Illinois schools are the front lines in this battle against the left’s woke agenda. Our children aren’t allowed to say prayers at school, yet boys are allowed to play in girls’ sports. Our students are failing the basics, but they’re teaching sexuality to second graders. It’s crazy. As a parent, it is my right to have a say in my child’s education. As governor, I’m going to push back against the left injecting their ideology into our curriculum. And bring excellence back to our schools.
in 2004, I road a bus to March for Life. Today, my wife and I are foster parents because we try to live our pro-life values. But Governor Pritzker, he celebrates a culture of abortion over a culture of life, using our tax dollars to turn Illinois into the abortion capital of the Midwest. That’s wrong. I’m Jesse Sullivan. I will never apologize for my faith. And I will always fight for life.
* The Question: Considering all that’s happened this week, what’s Jesse Sullivan’s best path forward?
Irvin’s ad strategy: Finally, all sorts of political chatter Wednesday centered on why gubernatorial hopeful Richard Irvin has pulled down his Downstate TV ads with just two and a half weeks to go before the primary election.
He’s still up in Chicago. And candidates always shuffle their ad mix. But with the Irvin people loudly complaining that he’s been outspent by his opponents, Pritzker and the Democratic Governors’ Association—despite tens of millions of dollars in help from hedge fund mogul Ken Griffin—the move does suggest that whatever Irvin’s doing isn’t working and that he indeed may be trailing state Sen. Darren Bailey, as one recent poll suggested.
“We are reassessing our ad strategy,” campaign spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis told Playbook, rejecting the idea that it’s a case of a campaign low on cash. (The Republican candidate’s campaign does have all that Ken Griffin money coming in after all.)
“Richard Irvin’s strong record as a tough-on-crime prosecutor, combat veteran and mayor has the Democrats running scared as Pritzker and his Democrat allies are on track to spend the most money in a Republican primary in the history of our nation,” Demertzis said in a statement to Playbook.
“It could be someone’s pulled the money from him. Sometimes we hear of elections doing hard restarts and switching their messaging. I think two weeks out is a little late for that.”
“We’ve been counting on southern and central Illinois winning the primary for us from day one. I would suggest he’s realizing that as well.”
In a stunning snub to downstate voters, Richard Irvin has stopped running ads outside of the Chicago media market. Time and time again, Irvin has made clear he wouldn’t be a governor for all of Illinois, and this latest move solidifies that.
Irvin’s campaign is in free fall, with polling showing him down to far-right conservative Darren Bailey. For weeks, Irvin has been scrambling to course-correct his disastrous campaign, but with Bruce Rauner’s advisors at the helm, his train wreck of a candidacy is likely beyond repair.
As Irvin courts the furthest right wing of the party, lauds President Trump’s policies, and tries to court Bailey voters, it’s clear that Irvin’s lack of conviction isn’t resonating. His numerous policy flip-flops, failure to be honest about his record, and decision to write off millions of voters are just the latest moves in a series of failures from the Rauner Reboot candidate.
Ken Griffin’s $50 million can only go so far, as it is hard to prop up a candidate that lacks a backbone to begin with.
“Richard Irvin’s decision to abandon downstate voters reaffirms that he isn’t running to represent all Illinoisans,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “This is just the latest in a long string of missteps proving the Irvin campaign is completely out-of-touch and falling apart as Darren Bailey surges in the polls. If this is how he campaigns, how will he govern?”
That “abandon downstate voters” line is something that Bailey and everyone else in the race will likely be picking up on if they’re smart. Sullivan has so far been silent.
* Background is here if you need it. More to come, but these are the Richard Irvin campaign ads “that will be running moving forward,” according to a campaign spokesperson. This first one was from March…
I’m Richard Irvin. When I ran for mayor, Mike Madigan campaigned against me. I beat him. Now Governor Pritzker is afraid that I’ll beat him, too. There’s nothing the left fears more than Republicans who look like me and think like us; that all lives matter; that cops should be defended, not defunded; that handouts keep people down. But maybe that’s what liberal politicians want. I’m Richard Irvin. And I’m their worst nightmare.
* This state’s wealthiest resident has made billions and billions of dollars off of market-making. Here’s CNN…
The agency that oversees Wall Street has proposed major changes to the way millions of everyday investors buy and sell stocks. That could be bad news for so-called free-trading apps like Robinhood as well as the lesser known firms that underpin their business models.
Trading could be made fairer for everyday retail investors with some tweaks to the stock market’s plumbing, Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler said at the Piper Sandler Global Exchange Conference in Washington Wednesday. Gensler asked the SEC to consider giving retail traders access to some of the perks available only to the biggest players on Wall Street, including the ability to buy stocks for fractions of a penny, get better visibility into the market’s mechanics and invite more buyers and sellers to ensure everyday investors are getting the best price on a purchase or sale. […]
Here’s how it works: When you tap buy or sell, Robinhood (or your broker of choice), takes your order to a firm known as a wholesaler or market maker — the middlemen who are supposed to get you the best price and who pay the brokers for the privilege of executing the trades. They typically make pennies off each transaction.
That process is known as “payment for order flow,” and it has come under intense scrutiny by regulators following the fallout from the January 2021 run-up in meme stocks like GameStop. […]
Gensler and other critics of the process say the brokers and market makers, such as Citadel Securities, have a clear conflict of interest, and that payment for order flow screws over everyday investors while amassing huge wealth for Wall Street firms.
The SEC is considering whether to add more competition at the middleman level to ensure retail investors are actually getting the best prices. In that scenario, orders would be routed into auctions where trading firms would have to compete to execute them.
* In most normal states (with some exceptions) it’s generally a given that governors control their state parties. That’s also been the case whenever this state had Republican governors. Yes, we did see challenges from the far right under Thompson and Edgar and Ryan, but those rebels were generally treated as the outliers they were because, well, governors ought to control state parties. Illinois Democrats have been different. One guy controlled the state party and made sure he always had a pliable majority on his central committee that would sit back and stay quiet and let him do whatever he wanted. The Democrats’ state central committee was, as a result, a backwater populated with a bevy of assorted characters, some more colorful than others.
When Mike Madigan stepped down as chair, US Sen. Dick Durbin saw an opportunity to expand his power beyond the County Chairs’ Association and he took it, deftly outmaneuvering the governor and installing his own choice to head the operation, with his longtime trusted aide Bill Houlihan working behind the scenes.
No doubt, some really good people have been brought in by Chair Robin Kelly. Some long-needed changes have been made. But just look at the tortuous committee they had to form to run the coordinated campaign to be extra special sure that Chair Kelly had no official role, because if she came too close to state money she could get everyone in trouble with the feds.
* No politician likes to lose. And I have no idea if Pritzker can win this time, either. But he’s the governor and governors everywhere are the titular heads of their parties and therefore, as far as I’m concerned, he has the right to intervene here…
The latest signs of a mostly behind-the-scenes but intense civil war of sorts came when an ally of state Democratic Chair Robin Kelly publicly released a letter to a close associate of Gov. J.B. Pritzker urging him to abandon the “destructive path” of trying to dump Kelly.
The letter was from Carol Ronen, the Democratic committeewoman from the 9th Congressional District, to Dan Hynes, a former top aide to Pritzker who still is involved with the governor’s political operation.
In the letter, Ronen took Hynes to task for allegedly working this spring to elect Democratic Central Committee members who will vote to replace Kelly when the chairmanship comes up for election after the June 28 primary. Pritzker aides have not confirmed that Hynes is working as the governor’s agent, but do concede that the governor now is involved in more than six committee races that are on the ballot.
“By every measure, Robin Kelly’s short tenure as DPI Chair has been a success,” Ronen wrote. “Why would we want to create division and strife among Illinois Democrats through an unwarranted effort to replace her just months before the November election?”
Ronen asks a good question, but, really, does anyone outside of DPI and perhaps a few of us in the news media actually care these days who the party chair is? It’s likely a low-risk move. We’ll see. But if people want to threaten to blow up the fall election because the governor didn’t respect their authoritah and came after their phony baloney jobs, well, that says something about them.
When one of us is at the table. That’s when change happens. Like when Delia Ramirez went to the Statehouse. Delia banned politicians from becoming lobbyists. In Congress, she’ll ban shady money too. But not Gil Villegas. He is a lobbyist for big oil, private prisons and for ComEd, which was caught giving out bribes. Gil is part of the problem. We need to send one of us like Delia Ramirez to Washington. I’m Delia Ramirez. I approve this message.
* Having a total of $751 million in a statutory rainy day fund (with an eventual target of a billion) would never be noteworthy in most other states. In Illinois, however, it’s definitely worth a mention…
Bond rating agencies in recent months have raised Illinois' credit rating in part because we are responsibly fortifying our long-neglected Rainy Day Fund to safeguard the state through rough patches. I'm proud to announce another big payment this week. Stay tuned for more!#twillpic.twitter.com/77ZDxRItYj
— Illinois Comptroller (@ILComptroller) June 9, 2022
