Big casino/gaming roundup
Wednesday, Dec 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Greg Hinz…
As bidders for a proposed Chicago casino prepare to showcase their plans to the public next week, one is taking an argument by bidder Neil Bluhm and turning it against Bluhm himself.
Bally’s, which has proposed to open a casino either on truck marshaling yards west of McCormick Place or on the Tribune printing plant property at Halsted and Chicago, is arguing it is the only bidder without a conflict of interest that could drive down gambling revenue and the tax take at the Chicago facility.
That’s a reference to the fact that Bluhm’s Rush Street Gaming operates the Rivers Casino just west of Chicago in suburban Des Plaines, and that bidder Hard Rock has a casino just over the border in Indiana. […]
One prominent gaming consultant Bally’s referred me to, Matt Landry, the principal in New Hampshire-based Strategic Market Advisors, said that with tax rates in Chicago, Des Plaines and Indiana all at different levels, it will be tempting for a company to use marketing, incentive programs and the like to drive customers to where the tax rate is lowest.
Makes some sense.
* Mitchell Armentrout…
State regulators on Wednesday named their chosen developers to break ground on a new casino in Waukegan and another straddling the border of south suburban Homewood and East Hazel Crest, ending a selection process that dragged on for more than two years due to COVID-19 shutdowns and other delays.
While the location of the north suburban gambling emporium was never in doubt, the Illinois Gaming Board picked Las Vegas-based Full House Resorts Inc. to set up its high-stakes shop at the shuttered Fountain Square shopping center in Waukegan — though a legal challenge from a spurned competitor could still be looming.
The field was much wider for the south suburban casino license. The state gambling law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2019 that paved the way for the new casinos pitted a handful of suburbs against each other to bid for what is expected to be a cash cow for south suburban communities that have been economically neglected for generations.
Homewood/East Hazel Crest beat out Matteson with a proposal to build the casino just off Interstate 80 near 175th and Halsted streets. Calumet City and Lynwood were culled from the bidding process in October.
* Fran Spielman…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to lift the Chicago ban on sports betting — and impose a 2% tax on gross revenues from it — got stuck in a joint City Council committee Tuesday after a surprise buzz-saw of opposition from mayoral allies.
The trouble started when Connor Brashear, chief of staff to Chief Financial Officer Jennie Huang-Bennett, pegged the city’s annual take from a 2% tax on sports betting in and around Chicago stadiums at $400,000 to $500,000.
That’s based on an estimated $25 million in annual revenue from sports betting in Chicago.
“I just think $400,000-to-$500,000-a-year to the city of Chicago is really paltry—even when you add in the licensing fee that these guys are gonna have to pay. It seems like peanuts for an industry that is growing,” said Budget Committee Chairwoman Pat Dowell (3rd). […]
Even Ald. George Cardenas (12th), Lightfoot’s deputy floor leader, complained 2% was “not enough” and the city was “rushing” a sports betting ordinance with no minority participation — one that threatens to undermine the casino revenue needed to shore up police and fire pensions.
* A related media advisory…
A group of Black Economic Development Activists led by retired State Senator Rickey Hendon fight for Minority Ownership in Sports Betting. They are seeking a change in State Law which is needed to help the effort which failed yesterday to bring Sports Betting to Chicago. “Our hope is to help Mayor Lightfoot in her efforts and to give people of color a chance to get minority participation within ten blocks of the stadiums”, Hendon said. The Senator was Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Gaming and a Member of the Gaming Committee when he served in the Illinois Senate.
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker today joined elected officials, stakeholders, and labor leaders to break ground on the new Walker’s Bluff Resort and Casino. Made possible after the Illinois Gaming Board’s June 9, 2021 determination that Walker’s Bluff is preliminarily suitable for licensure, the new resort is slated to include a 116-room hotel along with a gaming floor, event center, and multiple restaurants, among other attractions.
“I was proud to work with the General Assembly to expand gaming and bring jobs and economic opportunity to Southern Illinois. Walker’s Bluff was already a popular attraction, bringing in tourists and business meetings from across the region. Now with the addition of hundreds of slot machines and game tables, and an on-site hotel, this expansion will bring in even more visitors to take advantage of the beauty and hospitality of Southern Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “That also means more opportunity for working families across the region – creating 1,100 construction jobs and 330 permanent roles at the resort.”
Since 2008, Walker’s Bluff has served as an entertainment and tourist destination for Southern Illinois, offering jobs and opportunities to hundreds of local residents and bringing thousands of visitors face to face with Southern Illinois’ natural beauty. Thanks to the gaming bill that Governor Pritzker signed during his first year in office, the Walker’s Bluff Resort and Casino will open the door to even more economic development.
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* The 2021 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager - Senate Democrats goes to Mavilen Silva, the clear crowd favorite…
Mavilen has jumped into her new role as the Chief of Staff for Senator Cristina Castro after working for the House Dems for 9 years. Mavilen had big shoes to fill but she stepped into her new role without missing a beat. She’s diligently worked at addressing every constituent need, working with various organizations on issues related to legislation, budget, etc. that the senator is working on. She’s hard working, very organized and is great at follow-up, and straight forward like her boss, which I really appreciate. After her 10 years of service, Mavilen is very deserving of the recognition here.
Honorable mention to Katie Holmes in Sen. Bush’s office. I freely admit to being partial to Sen. Bush’s entire team, so I was happy to see one of her peeps supported here.
* The 2021 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager - Senate Republicans goes to Tracy Weiters, another crowd favorite…
Tracy is one of the few people who hasn’t let the activities under the dome or her job change who she is. Just Sayin is correct: “She has always been kind (to everyone including the janitors), passionate and a perfectionist. She always gives credit to everyone else before herself.”
Tracy is KIND, HUMBLE, and has the historical knowledge/relationships to address constituent issues. She doesn’t have a personal agenda and isn’t here for the popularity contest. You’ll never (sigh) when working with Tracy. In this crazy cut throat world under the dome & the negativity in the world fueled by the pandemic.. the world needs us to be a little more like Tracy.
Congrats to everyone!
* On to our next category…
* Best House Democratic Campaign Staffer
* Best Senate Democratic Campaign Staffer
Please try your best to nominate in both categories and make sure to explain your votes or they won’t count.
Also, don’t forget to contribute to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois to help buy Christmas presents for foster kids. Click here. Thanks! After a slow and worrisome start, we’re now outpacing last year and part of the reason is a very generous $5,000 contribution from former state Sen. Susan Garrett. Wow. But you can give any amount you want. Again, please click here. Every little bit helps.
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COVID-19 roundup
Wednesday, Dec 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* IIS Radio…
Gov. JB Pritzker says he’s not planning to institute a new COVID-19 vaccine mandate like the one in New York City.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is enacting a mandate for private sector workers. Pritzker was asked if that’s something we could see in Illinois.
“That again is not something that we’ve been looking at,” said Pritzker. “We have people that are getting vaccinated every day in Illinois. We want more people to get vaccinated. I think you can see as more people get sick and go into the hospital nearly all of them are unvaccinated and that is causing a real problem.”
Mayor Lightfoot is also not interested in doing that.
* Center Square…
Pritzker was asked about Carroll’s bill [to deny COVID-19-related health insurance coverage for the unvaxed] on Tuesday. The governor didn’t sound enthusiastic about it.
“From my perspective, we want everybody to get vaccinated,” Pritzker said. “We certainly don’t want to penalize people.”
Not to mention that it violates federal law.
* Also from that story, Rep. David Friess (R-Red Bud) made his feelings known about the Carroll bill…
“It is not the role of the State to interject itself between its citizens and their health care providers.”
The lengths to which the right has gone to co-opt pro-choice rhetoric never ceases to amaze me.
* WBBM Radio…
Denying someone their job because of their vaccination status is discrimination, according to State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) and the “Freedom Act” that he is pushing for would outlaw this practice. […]
When asked if people should have the peace of mind to go to work with the assurance everyone around them is vaccinated, Niemerg responded by saying “Well, shouldn’t everybody that has the right to go to work understand that they are not going to be discriminated upon as a condition of employment?”
He only appears to care about people who are willing and even eager to spread disease.
* Rep. Niemerg represents part of Clay County…
Within Illinois, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Calhoun County with 1,203 cases per 100,000 per week; Vermilion County with 994; and Clay County with 925. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Is it time to start calling these people pro-covid legislators?
* Sun-Times…
Public health officials on Tuesday announced 78 more COVID-19 deaths across Illinois, the state’s highest one-day toll in 10 months.
That’s almost four times as high as Illinois’ daily coronavirus death rate over the past month, and it’s the most fatalities reported in a day since 102 lives were lost statewide Feb. 11, at the tail end of the state’s worst surge of the pandemic.
The state is now averaging 41 deaths per day over the past week, up from about 23 per day during the first week of November, according to figures from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
One day can be an anomaly, but yikes. Tuesday’s numbers haven’t been released as of this writing.
…Adding… It may have been an anomaly. The daily death toll dropped to 14 on Tuesday.
* It’s off the charts in Michigan…
As of Monday, 4,404 people were admitted to Michigan hospitals with confirmed cases of the virus. Of them, 40 were children, according to Michigan Medicine, which supplies the state health department with hospitalization data.
That breaks a pandemic record set on April 8, 2020, when 4,365 people were hospitalized with the virus during an initial surge that had the nation reeling as so little was known about the virus, how it spread and how to treat it.
Get your shots, people.
…Adding… Hannah Meisel…
According to IDPH data, only 0.05% of fully vaccinated Illinoisans have ended up hospitalized for a COVID infection, and even fewer — 0.014% — have died from the virus.
Again, get your shots.
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* CNI..
To Illinois prisoners, commissary is more than candy bars, shaving cream and socks. It represents normalcy and choice.
“It’s everything to them,” said Melly Rios, whose husband is in Stateville Correctional Center serving 45 years for murder.
A recent report from the John Howard Association, a prison watchdog group, detailed widespread supply shortages at Illinois Department of Corrections prison commissaries around the state. Soap, deodorant, detergent, writing materials, thermal shirts, socks, underwear and canned meat and noodles are all in short supply.
“It’s not like luxury items like candy bars or the hot new Christmas gift. These commissaries provide items that are basic necessities,” said Alan Mills, Executive Director of the Uptown People’s Law Center. Mills has litigated prisoner civil rights cases for more than 40 years.
* WUIS…
A decade after Illinois Department of Corrections inmate Anthony Rodesky began developing the blisters that would eventually lead to a below-the-knee leg amputation, a federal jury in Peoria last week awarded him $400,000, finding the state violated the Americans with Disabilities Act in its treatment of Rodesky’s type 1 diabetes.
The jury did not, however, side with Rodesky in his Eighth Amendment claims of “deliberate indifference to serious medical need” — a long-held interpretation of constitutionally prohibited “cruel and unusual punishment — against the warden of Pontiac Correctional Center, where Rodesky’s condition deteriorated, culminating in his 2015 leg amputation.
Alan Mills of the Uptown People’s Law Center, which represented Rodeksy in the case, called the jury award “extraordinarily satisfying…quite the vindication of what he’s been through for really a decade.”
But Mills said Rodesky’s path to a $400,000 jury award is emblematic of longstanding issues in the Department of Corrections, which is under a three-year-old consent decree for inadequate medical treatment for prisoners — a consent decree for which a federal monitor has repeatedly said isn’t being followed — along with a handful of settlements in other massive suits requiring institutional change within the department.
“The outcome [in Rodesky’s case] was particularly egregious but…unfortunately, the care is also typical,” Mills said. “People shouldn’t lose their legs because of a blister. And that’s what happened here. And it shows not only, I think, the poverty of medical care that’s being provided, but also it shows just how little the Department of Corrections does to deal with people who have a disability.”
* Meanwhile, from the AP…
Illinois courts are taking steps toward better understanding mental illness and its growing impact on the judicial system, which state Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke said Tuesday too often lacks compassion, treats mental disorders as a crime and skirts alternatives to jail.
Burke told reporters that her “call to action” came in response to a report her committee issued last year after months of study. It’s part of a national effort to review courts’ interactions with defendants or litigants who deal with mental health issues and so-called co-occurring disorders such as substance abuse.
“The prevalence of mental illness and co-occurring disorders has been greatly impacting our nation, our states and our communities and has had a disproportionate effect on our courts,” said Burke, adding that the courtroom’s approach to mental illness should be one of “compassion and hope.”
Research by the National Center for State Courts-led initiative found that defendants with a serious mental illness remain longer in jail than others facing similar charges, that access to appropriate health care is rare or often unavailable, and that courts rely too heavily on competency to stand trial, which leaves too many defendants waiting in jail for “restoration.”
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* Gov. Pritzker is making several stops in southern Illinois today…
Daily Public Schedule: Wednesday, December 8, 2021
What: Gov. Pritzker to announce the widening of Interstate 57 through Southern Illinois, funded by the historic Rebuild Illinois capital plan.
Where: Benton Municipal Airport, 1 Airport Road, Benton
When: 9:30 a.m.
Watch live: https://www.Illinois.gov/LiveVideo
Note: Parking is available in the lot south of the Benton Municipal Airport Terminal at the end of Airport Road. See map below.*
What: Gov. Pritzker to announce funding for new wastewater infrastructure in the Village of Alto Pass.
Where: Alto Pass Community Center and Village Hall, 23 Elm Street, Alto Pass
When: 11:30 a.m.
Watch live: https://www.Illinois.gov/LiveVideo
What: Gov. Pritzker to join labor leaders to tour the Carbondale Warming Center and help unload donations ahead of the holidays.
Where: Carbondale Warming Center, 608 East College Street, Carbondale
When: 12:30 p.m.
Note: No additional media availability.
What: Gov. Pritzker to attend the groundbreaking of the new Walker’s Bluff Resort and gaming expansion in Southern Illinois.
Where: Lot southeast of Tasting Room at Walker’s Bluff, 14250 Meridian Road, Carterville
When: 1:45 p.m.
Watch live: https://www.Illinois.gov/LiveVideo
Not a single question was asked by reporters at the first event. Not one. And the same thing happened at the second event.
…Adding… Some reporters showed up to the last event of the day and asked a few questions. None were particularly newsworthy for us, though.
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Unclear on the concept
Wednesday, Dec 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
The Rev. Michael Pfleger on Tuesday called on Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to make several changes to combat violent crime.
Pfleger called for residents who are scared to testify in gun cases to be able to do so anonymously.
Scroll down…
The Sixth Amendment allows a defendant a constitutional right to confront a witness testifying against them.
The crime problem is too serious to be spouting nonsense like this.
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* Darren Bailey was asked recently how he would counter Jesse Sullivan’s huge campaign finance advantage in the GOP primary…
I’m not a bit worried about that because every bit of his $10 million is Democrat-controlled money. If people will check Jesse Sullivan out they’ll see that his number one supporter that dumped in $5 million. All these people are from the Silicon Valley, from California and Colorado. Chris Larsen, his number one supporter, $5 million. He was on Joe Biden shortlist for vice president March of 2020. February of 2021, he donated $250,000 to Nancy Pelosi. This is nonsense. Go to Illinoissunshine.org. Look at all of his donors, click on his donors and you will see who else they have been donating money to. This is a Democrat ploy to put someone to make them look like a Republican and it’s nonsense. So the more people get educated about this, the more that they will see this, the more that they will understand this. Yes, that is, so that’s what’s going on. There is no doubt about this.
We’ve got almost 15,000 individual donors from $5 all the way to $200,000. Money is not going to win this election. Anyone in the state of Illinois from the primary all the way to Pritzker that’s going to sit here and tell us that money is going to win they are wrong. Grass roots is going to win the day. We’ve got people who have never been involved in the political process. Every one of these events that we’ve put on, people are showing up they’ve never been to a political meeting before. They’re getting engaged. They’re learning. That’s what we’re doing. That’s how we’re going to get Illinois back on track.
The most dangerous thing for Illinois to do is to elect the wrong Republican for the wrong reasons.
Wait’ll he finds out Sullivan’s spouse was a field officer for Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign. And, of course, the only campaign Sullivan is known to have volunteered on prior to this run was Democrat Colleen Callahan’s unsuccessful congressional bid..
I’m not saying, I’m just sayin’ this is a line of attack that could prove to be successful. Make him deny it. “I am not a plant!” The Republican Party’s conspiracy theorist wing is Bailey’s core constituency, after all. If they can believe there’s a microchip in every vaccine, or that you can “de-vaccinate,” they’ll probably buy into this.
* Moving right along, a press release…
Today, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC endorsed Congresswoman Marie Newman for re-election in Illinois’ 6th congressional district.
Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC Co-Chairs Mark Pocan, Pramila Jayapal, and Jamie Raskin released the following statement:
“The Progressive Caucus has delivered for working families this year thanks to dedicated champions like Congresswoman Marie Newman who consistently put the needs of their community before corporations and special interests. Since the moment she came to Congress, Representative Newman has been delivering for her constituents, fighting to close the gender pay gap by making it easier for women to access capital, tackling the climate crisis, and creating good paying jobs by supporting investments in the future of our transportation systems. Her leadership has helped pass legislation that will strengthen organized labor and move America one important step closer to finally establishing health care as a human right. We are proud to endorse Congresswoman Newman for re-election.”
Congresswoman Marie Newman released the following statement:
“We are at a pivotal moment in this country and the Progressive Caucus is leading the charge to create an economy that works for all of us, championing policies that will uplift every single American. I’m honored to receive an endorsement from the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC and I look forward to the opportunity to continue working with my colleagues in the caucus to rebuild our economy so that it is stronger, more equitable, and rooted in worker and climate justice.”
In 2020, the PAC raised $4.4 million and launched its first-ever independent expenditure arm, helping elect eight new candidates to Congress.
* And Rachel Hinton…
Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia on Wednesday garnered the backing of the Illinois Nurses Association in her bid to succeed Jesse White as Illinois secretary of state.
Tori Dameron, the president of the union, said in a statement nurses “need the support of strong union allies in office now more than ever” as the pandemic continues to “strain” frontline workers and others in health care.
“Anna Valencia understands that more than any other candidate in this race,” Dameron said. “We know she will always fight for us the same way we fight for our patients every day. The INA is proud to endorse her.”
Valencia wrote that she is “committed to using the Secretary of State’s Office to advocate for all working families and make sure that our nurses, who are a critical part of the community, are supported in every effort.”
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL) is touting Republican victories in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), legislation that authorizes military spending and enacts Department of Defense policies for FY22. Rep. Davis proudly voted in support of the FY22 NDAA last night.
The legislation passed the House last night by a vote of 363-70. Republicans were crucial to bringing the bill across the finish line, providing a majority of the Yes votes. 51 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted against the legislation. You can find the roll call of the House NDAA vote here.
“We must never allow our military to be defunded, which is what voting No on the NDAA would have done.”
US Rep. Mary Miller, who may challenge Davis in a primary, voted “No,” along with Danny Davis, Chuy Garcia, Jan Schakowsky and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
…Adding… From Miller’s statement…
The NDAA still creates a federal vaccine mandate that allows President Biden to discharge healthy active duty service members from my district. The bill also includes leftist Critical Race Theory “equity” training requirements for the military that my constituents strongly oppose.
I am proud that as a result of hard work by conservatives, the gun confiscation and draft for teenage girls provisions were removed from the bill. I will always oppose radical leftwing policies being rammed through Congress by President Biden, and I will never vote for policies opposed so strongly by the constituents I represent.
It was so radical and left-wing that AOC and Jan Schakowsky voted against it. Right. She’s caught on this one.
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* Recent Daily Herald editorial…
“What’s going on at the tollway?” seems to be a perennial concern in Illinois politics. Perhaps a Senate hearing scheduled for Dec. 7 will help provide some new insights into management of the agency.
It was natural to hope in 2019 that a sweeping shakeup of the tollway Board of Directors following years of questionable spending and contracts would produce a settling of affairs at the agency. But we have not exactly seen anything like what one might call “a new era” in tollway management.
Although the then-new board quickly went to work revising the tollway’s ethics rules, things got off to a rocky start when it was discovered that freshly appointed Chairman Will Evans voted on a proposed contract involving a previous employer. Evans called the lapse an “inadvertent” mistake and promised to do better in the future.
Certainly, no similar controversies have erupted as his tenure continued, but there have been opportunities to question leadership at the tollway. The most recent, and the one prompting the Dec. 7 hearing, is an Oct. 21 management directive in which the tollway board gave Evans authority to reorganize the agency’s leadership structure. Evans promptly brought the chief financial officer directly under his wing, instead of reporting solely to Executive Director Jose Alvarez, and he shifted supervision of two key offices from Alvarez to the CFO.
* Marni Pyke has two stories today. Here’s part of one…
Illinois tollway Chairman Will Evans’ assertion during a Senate hearing Tuesday that he’s the top dog at the agency has some lawmakers wondering if that aligns with state law and where it leaves Executive Director José Alvarez. […]
The executive director is paid more than $220,000 a year to run the day-to-day operations of the agency, but Evans made the chief financial officer report to him as well as Alvarez. Evans also shifted the procurement department from Alvarez to the CFO and fired two of Alvarez’s top executives, giving rise to concerns about a power struggle.
As chairman, “my responsibility is to have general supervision over all power, duties, obligations and functions of the authority,” Evans testified, referring to the Tollway Highway Act.
He also said tollway bylaws state the chairman shall be the chief executive officer, allowing him to combine both roles. Such combinations aren’t that unusual in corporate America, Evans said, referencing his credentials as a former president of People’s Gas.
Democratic Sen. Celina Villanueva of Chicago disagreed. She said the situation “has left some of us scratching our heads to understand exactly what happened.”
* The other one…
A letter from two former tollway executives warns of what they describe as a power grab at the agency by Chairman Will Evans that is undermining Executive Director José Alvarez and raising concerns about conflicts of interest.
The letter obtained by the Daily Herald Monday was sent to tollway board directors from former Chief Administrative Officer Kimberly Ross and former Chief Procurement Compliance Officer Dee Brookens in November after they were dismissed in late October. It describes “continuous inappropriate conduct, overreaching authority and abuse of power” by Evans.
On Tuesday, the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee met to ask Evans about his reorganization of tollway leadership that removed certain responsibilities from Alvarez, including the procurement department. The changes were approved by the tollway board.
The shift creates conflicts of interest because Evans “gave himself the authority to direct procurements, then vote on and approve those same procurements as the chairman of the board,” Ross and Brookens wrote.
Evans, when asked by senators about the letter, testified that there were no conflicts of interest and that state law gives him supervisory authority over “all powers, duties, obligations and functions” of the tollway authority.
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* Tribune…
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by McHenry and Kankakee county officials, clearing the way to end detention of federal immigration detainees at their county jails.
McHenry County officials said they would appeal the ruling and continue in their efforts to overturn the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits county jails from being used to detain those accused of being in the country illegally.
On average, about 180 federal detainees had been held at the McHenry jail in Woodstock this year. In the past, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement paid the county about $8 million a year to imprison the detainees while they waited for court hearings on their immigration cases.
Likewise, Kankakee made about $4 million a year from jailing about 120 immigrants.
* Injustice Watch…
“States are sovereigns. Counties are not,” Reinhard wrote in his decision granting the state’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. “The State of Illinois, by legislative act, has decided that its political subdivisions may not enter or remain in such agreements.”
McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally said in a statement Tuesday that the counties intend to appeal Reinhard’s ruling to the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
“The Illinois Way Forward Act is another example of how the current legislative assembly is likely one of the most partisan and dogmatically rigid in Illinois history,” said Kenneally, a Republican who was first elected in 2016. “As such and when legally tenable, we at the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office will continue to push back against the obscurity and futility that the Chicago bulwark in Springfield wishes to consign us to.” […]
“This ruling is a victory for the state of Illinois and for immigrant communities and anyone else across the country who cares about fairness and dignity for immigrants,” said Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
* The decision is here…
“[B]oth the Federal Government and the States wield sovereign powers, and that is why our system of government is said to be one of ‘dual sovereignty’”. In contrast, “[p]olitical subdivisions of States—counties, cities, or whatever—never were and never have been considered as sovereign entities. They are instead subordinate governmental instrumentalities created by the State to assist in the carrying out of state governmental functions.” States are sovereigns. Counties are not.
As plaintiffs concede, generally the “Illinois legislature is vested with the power to make laws prohibiting intergovernmental cooperation by units of local government,”
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* As I’ve been telling you, this argument is at the core of the Democratic defense of its state legislative redistricting law and it was prominently featured during oral arguments yesterday. From the Capitol News Illinois report…
“Illinois in 2020 is not your grandfather’s Illinois,” Sean Berkowitz, an attorney defending the maps passed by the General Assembly in August and signed by Pritzker in September, told the judges.
Berkowitz pointed to the fact that there are a number of Black lawmakers in the Statehouse who do not come from predominantly Black communities. He also pointed to the fact that even though whites make up the largest racial group in Illinois, the current lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state are all Black while one U.S. senator, Tammy Duckworth, is Asian American.
“Crossover voting in Illinois is the norm, not the exception,” he said, adding that Illinois today “is not Mississippi in 1965 or Illinois in 1980.” […]
[Plaintiffs] attorneys spent the morning trying to convince the judges that racially polarized voting does continue to exist in Illinois and that if the maps approved by the legislature are allowed to stand, Latino and Black voters will lose political influence in state government.
In particular, they argued that many of the minority members of the General Assembly were first appointed to their seats after their predecessors stepped down in the middle of their. That gave the appointed lawmakers a significant advantage by allowing them to run as incumbents.
There was also a dispute about how any problems should be remedied, either through court action or sending it back to the GA, so click here to read the rest.
*** UPDATE *** Related press release…
The Illinois Supreme Court today announced the lifting of the pause order regarding the judicial redistricting in Public Act 102-0011 (Act), which will change the judicial district boundaries for the first time since they were established in 1964. Effective January 1, 2022, the Court’s order pausing the implementation of redistricting pursuant to the Act will be vacated.
The new order is available on the court website by clicking here.
On June 7, 2021, the Court entered the order which paused the transition to a new judicial redistricting statute. That order directed that appeals and other matters shall continue to be filed in the judicial districts as they existed on June 3, 2021, the day before Gov. Pritzker signed the Act into law on June 4, 2021. The Act was paused to give the courts sufficient time to plan and implement the significant changes it required.
Beginning on January 1, a notice of appeal initiating an appeal to the appellate court or a direct appeal to the Supreme Court pursuant to Rule 302(b) shall be transmitted by the clerk of the circuit court to the appropriate appellate district as established by the Act. Additionally, a petition or application or motion under Rule 303(d), Rule 303A, Rule 306, Rule 307(d), Rule 308, Rule 335, Rule 604(c), or Rule 606(c) will be filed in the appropriate appellate district as established by the Act. These provisions will apply regardless of the date of the judgment appealed or sought to be appealed.
Circuit courts will remain subject to the rule that states that when conflicts arise among the districts the circuit court is bound by the decisions of the appellate court of the district in which it sits. In a redistricted circuit, the appropriate appellate district will be the district in which the circuit was located at the time that the circuit court action was initiated.
If a case is heard by one appellate district on appeal and if a subsequent appeal in that case is heard by a new appellate district pursuant to this order, the new district will treat the decision of the prior district as the law of the case. That the decision of the prior district applied the law of the prior district that is contrary to the law of the new district will not be a basis for departing from the decision of the prior district.
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*** LIVE COVERAGE ***
Wednesday, Dec 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If you’ve contributed to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois during our December fundraising drive, thanks. If not, please click here. Follow along with ScribbleLive…
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* Press release…
Tomorrow morning, State Rep. Delia Ramirez will launch her historic bid to be the first Latina Congresswoman in the Midwest running to represent Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District. Rep. Ramirez currently serves the 4th house district in the Illinois General Assembly, a position she’s held since 2018. In the legislature, she successfully passed legislation expanding affordable housing, Medicaid coverage to senior citizens regardless of immigration status, and the creation of an elected school board in the City of Chicago. She now serves as Assistant Majority Leader and is running for Congress to elevate her working people’s agenda in Washington.
“I am running for Congress because the people of the new 3rd congressional district deserve a Congresswoman that is rooted in our communities and ready to champion working families in Washington. I plan to bring the neighborhood first agenda I delivered on in the General Assembly to Congress. I have a proven track record of building strong and diverse coalitions and this campaign will reflect the people and priorities of the communities in the 3rd district. As I have done in the state legislature, in Congress I will fight for legislative and policy changes to make sure every community in my district and beyond have a thriving and empowered local economy, health care for all, accessible and affordable housing, and high-quality public education from pre-k to college.” said Leader Ramirez.
“In a time where our families are struggling to recover from the pandemic, and we have attacks on people of color, women’s rights, and our voting rights, we need someone who is not afraid to take on these difficult fights on behalf of our communities. I am confident that I am the candidate uniquely qualified to do this because I have spent my entire career fighting these fights. I will bring this unique perspective to the halls of Congress and will work harder than anyone to get results for our communities, just as I have in Springfield.”
Senator Omar Aquino, Delia’s partner in the Senate is a key member of her team and will announce her official candidacy and his endorsement at a launch event Wednesday evening. Sen. Aquino notes “During our time at the state legislature, Delia has been a trusted collaborator and fighter for our communities. She shares my deep commitments to progressive values, building power for working families, and growing Latino representation. I am proud to endorse such a trusted partner to represent our communities as the first Latina congresswoman in the Midwest.”
Leader Ramirez will host listening sessions throughout the 3rd district in Portage Park, West Chicago, Addison, and Humboldt Park. She will join her supporters and announce her candidacy at a kick-off celebration in Avondale tomorrow night.
Senator Karina Villa, from West Chicago will help lead a conversation with community leaders and seniors tomorrow as part of Rep. Ramirez’s listening tour. She says “I strongly endorse Rep. Delia Ramirez for Congresswomen in the Illinois 3rd district. We’ve worked together in Springfield, and she’s proven she is a legislator who gets results. Delia will work to build consensus and is the best person to balance the interests of all constituents and fiercely represent our suburban community. Delia will listen, lead and deliver on her campaign promises. I know she will work tirelessly to build a better government that works for all of us.”
Delia Ramirez is endorsed by: Senators Omar Aquino, Karina Villa, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Robert Peters, Representatives Will Guzzardi, Kelly Cassidy, Lindsey LaPointe, Kam Buckner, Maura Hirshauer, Anna Moeller, Deb Conroy, Lakesia Collins, Theresa Mah, Robyn Gabel, Mark Walker, Nick Smith, Kelly Cassidy, Carol Ammons, Lamont Robinson, Alderpersons Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, Maria Hadden, Daniel LaSpata, Byron Sigcho-Lopez, Jeanette B. Taylor, Andre Vasquez, Mayor of Evanston Daniel Biss, County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Josina Morita, Commiteeperson Anthony Quezada, Triton School Board Member Norma Hernandez, and The Honorable Barbara Flynn Currie.
[The endorsement list has been updated to include Rep. Dagmara Avelar, who was unintentionally left off the original list.]
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* Jake Griffin…
State health officials today reported 3,029 COVID-19 patients were being treated in hospitals throughout Illinois.
That’s up 187 patients from the day before and the largest single-day surge in patients since November of 2020, according to Illinois Department of Public Health records.
Of those hospitalized, 610 are in intensive care.
IDPH officials also reported another 78 COVID-19 deaths, while 7,068 new cases were diagnosed.
That’s the highest single-day death toll from the virus since Feb. 11.
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* Our commenter Candy DoGood summed this task up best…
Given all of the challenges that have been faced by staff throughout I think all of the legislative assistants/district office managers deserve a shout out. 2020 was a tough year and 2021 has also been a tough year and part of their job involves keeping some of the challenges they’ve faced or that they’ve helped others face to themselves.
They all most certainly deserve praise. What crazy times to have to do what they do.
* With that in mind, the 2021 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager - House Democrats goes to Mika Baugher…
Mika Baugher has been spectacular in the Speaker’s Office, She has most definitely kept the trains coming on time. We all know how Energetic the Speaker can be. Mika has kept him grounded and always on target in terms of meetings and the like. She is most deserving of this award.
Mika was the crowd favorite. She’s awesome. Honorable mention goes to Lea Negron.
* The 2021 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager - House Republicans goes to Cheri Hermes…
Cheri does all the normal stuff so well but in addition brings some fun and flavor to the capitol with many skills that aren’t easily seen by the public.
She deftly handles putting up with certain lobbyists who think they have dibs on the chair by her desk on a daily basis. She always keeps the office stocked with supplies you didn’t even know you needed till 9pm on a session night rolls around. She has an unnatural ability to know just about everyone in the greater Sangamon County area and can quickly secure anything from seamstress services to after-hours restaurant delivers in mere moments. She also can trim your hair if you are a bit shaggy.
Another awesome person. Didn’t know about the haircuts, though. Hmm.
* On to today’s categories…
Best Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager - Senate Democrats
Best Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager - Senate Republicans
As always, make sure to explain your nominations and do your very best to nominate in both categories. Thanks.
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* I hadn’t heard of this until Abdon Pallasch called me to point it out. National Illinois Day?…
House Majority Leader Greg Harris has a daily Facebook post telling us the weird national days (National Microwave Day was yesterday, for example), but even he hasn’t posted about it. I feel almost superior right now.
* People and groups are using the “holiday” to publicize various events and milestones, like banning foam…
[Earlier tweet has been removed.]
* Any angle will do…
* These folks made a video…
* Origin claim…
In 2017, National Day Calendar® began celebrating each state in the order they entered the union starting the week of Independence Day and ending with Hawaii. We highlight a small part of each states’ history, foods and the people who make up the state. Many states have their own state celebrations, and National Day Calendar’s observances in no way replace them.
…Adding… Abdon’s boss…
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Campaign stuff
Tuesday, Dec 7, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* McHenry County Blog…
From Kane County Circuit Court Judge John Noverini comes this announcement of his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Supreme Court Justice.
Noverini served on the Kane County Board as a Republican from Dundee Township. He served as Chairman of the Dundee Township Republican Central Committee. Then, to the surprise of pretty much everybody, Noverini ran for Judge as a Democrat.
That was thirteen years ago.
I’m told Noverini attempted to get Democratic Party support, but was rebuffed. So, he switched back to the GOP.
* Keep in mind that Martinez is backing Kari Steele over Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Carmen Navarro Gercone over Sheriff Tom Dart…
The Cook County Democratic Party is demanding that candidates slated next week for the upcoming primary sign an “agreement, promise and pledge” that they won’t endorse anyone who is not backed by the party.
“We want to show that the slate is a team. We are stronger together in that regard,” Jacob Kaplan, executive director of Cook County Dems, said in an interview.
The new party directive made in an executive committee meeting without discussion from the 80 committee persons that make up the party leadership is drawing criticism.
“I’m absolutely upset with this especially after what I went through with the party,” Clerk of the Court Iris Martinez told Playbook. She was referring to party leaders backing county Board of Review Commissioner Michael Cabonargi over her run for clerk in 2020. Martinez, however, emerged the victor.
Now she and others are concerned the party is trying to control the democratic process by preventing individuals from backing anyone they want. It’s one thing for the party to endorse incumbents — in this case that’s Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Sheriff Tom Dart. But left in the cold by the decision are the women of color who are running for their seats: Kari Steele for assessor and Carmen Navarro Gercone for sheriff.
The pledge is here.
* Speaking of the assessor’s race…
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and Comptroller Susana Mendoza endorsed Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s campaign for re-election in the June 28, 2022 Democratic primary.
“I am grateful to Comptroller Mendoza and Treasurer Frerichs for joining the broad coalition of support for our campaign,” said Assessor Kaegi. “I am proud to have them standing with us as we continue to fight to ensure a fairer and more equitable property tax system in Cook County.”
“Our communities must be able to rely on Assessor Kaegi to continue his steadfast work to fix Cook County’s broken property tax system,” said Comptroller Mendoza. “These challenges were created over the course of decades, and they won’t be fixed overnight. But every day, Fritz Kaegi and his team are working hard to ensure the very wealthy and big corporations are paying their fair share, and that we are lessening the undue burden on working families.”
A broad coalition of other officials have endorsed Assessor Kaegi, including Illinois Congressional delegation members Cheri Bustos, Sean Casten, Danny K. Davis, Tammy Duckworth, Bill Foster, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Marie Newman, Mike Quigley and Brad Schneider.
* Press release…
Assistant Senate Minority Leader Donald DeWitte (R-St. Charles) has announced he will seek re-election to the 33rd District Senate Seat of Illinois. Senator DeWitte was initially appointed to the seat in September of 2018, before winning election to the seat in November of that same year.
“It is an honor and privilege to represent the hard-working people of Kane and McHenry Counties in Springfield, and I look forward to continuing to work diligently on behalf of the families and business owners in the region,” said Senator DeWitte. “I have worked hard to develop beneficial and respectful working relationships with both Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate, and have always taken a collaborative approach to passing legislation.”
Shortly after taking office, Senator DeWitte assumed the role of chief Republican negotiator of the $45 billion “ReBuild Illinois” infrastructure bill, which addresses the state’s most pressing road and bridge needs, as well as the capital investment needs for health care facilities, education, and municipal infrastructure. Through a lengthy negotiated process, the legislation was signed in 2019. Of the $45 billion capital outlay, close to $200 million was channeled to the 33rd Senate District for road and bridge improvements in northern Kane County and southern McHenry County. It was the most significant capital investment in the region in decades.
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A blatant plea for your help
Tuesday, Dec 7, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I asked the good folks at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois to send me some photos of foster kids who received Christmas presents last year. We are well behind last year’s fundraising pace, so I wanted to show you where your donations go. Please, click here and help these kids…
* Wordslinger was a champion of LSSI, particularly during the long impasse. The Tribune published a letter from his sister today…
In the spring of 1977, my parents and my 13-year-old brother, Karl, made a much anticipated trip to Washington. Enthusiastic but unsophisticated travelers, they spent a lot of time wandering around the Capitol, no doubt on occasion looking a bit lost. After encountering U.S. Sen. Bob Dole several times, he laughingly said, “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” and proceeded to take them under his wing.
Dole shepherded my family for several hours, giving them a VIP experience, which included sitting in on a committee meeting and being introduced to my parents’ idol, Hubert Humphrey. They were not the senator’s constituents, and as their strong accents conveyed in their conversation, my parents were Norwegian immigrants who were unable to vote, as well as die-hard Democrats!
My brother’s interest in politics and public affairs intensified and grew. As an adult, he was a regular and much respected contributor, known as “wordslinger,” to the Illinois political blog Capitol Fax, where he once recounted his memorable trip to Washington and encounter with Dole. Tragically, Karl died two years ago from injuries he suffered when he was hit by a car on his nightly walk home from the train station. As a tribute, Capitol Fax republished Karl’s account — it can be found at capitolfax.com/2019/07/02/one-of-wordslingers-best-stories. When this was brought to Dole’s attention, he took the time to find out Karl’s name and his address, and he sent a personal note of condolence to Karl’s wife, Sue, and their children.
With the death of Sen. Dole, America has lost a brave patriot, a dedicated public servant, and a kind and decent man. His life holds many lessons from which we can all learn. Thank you, sir.
Click here and make a difference. Thanks!
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COVID-19 roundup
Tuesday, Dec 7, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Drudge…
That hospital has 15,000 employees, meaning the hospital achieved a 99 percent vax rate. That’s pretty darned great.
* Center Square headline…
Poll shows a mistrust of mainstream media on vaccination information
Read the story, though, and you’ll see that the main source of mistrust is among unvaccinated people who are also parents. From the polling memo…
● 75 percent of unvaccinated parents distrust mainstream media sources and get most of their information from social media. In contrast, 58 percent of vaccinated parents prefer to get most of their COVID-19 information from mainstream media.
● About half of American parents who are worried about catching or spreading the Delta variant blame social media for the spread of this variant.
● Two out of three of all parents agree that health misinformation is a problem in social media
* Hmm…
The Police Department is no longer the least-compliant city agency when it comes to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s vaccine mandate.
As of Monday, 89.37 percent of Police Department workers have reported their vaccination status, according to city data. The department had trailed in complying with the mandate for months, and one of its unions has fought the requirement in court, though its compliance rate has slowly ticked up.
Now, City Council staffers — employees who work with aldermen’s offices, though aldermen themselves are not required to report their status — have the lowest compliance rate. Just 84.27 percent of City Council workers — or 300 out of 356 workers — have reported their vaccination status.
* Peoria County Sheriff Brian Asbell press release…
I am devastated to report the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the unexpected death of one of our own. Corrections Officer Camron “Cam” Passie, 25, passed away (died) earlier today (Sunday, December 5, 2021) from complications related to COVID-19. Officer Passie had been an employee of the Sheriff’s Office since Dec. 31, 2018. He last worked on Thursday, Dec. 2 when he was sent home after testing positive for the virus.
The jail was placed on outbreak status last week due to multiple detainees and employees testing positive for the virus.
* Meanwhile, Rep. Carroll got his headlines. Here are some of them along with the number of paragraphs you have to read through before finding out that federal law actually prohibits his legislation…
* Patch: Unvaccinated To Pay Out-Of-Pocket Under IL Rep’s New Bill (5)
* WGN: State representative files legislation that would force unvaccinated residents to pay for own COVID-19 bills (6)
* WCIA: Unvaccinated patients would pay their own hospital bills under new proposal (Last paragraph)
* Sun-Times: Proposal puts unvaccinated people on the hook for COVID-19 health care costs (11)
* Fox TV: Unvaccinated Illinois residents to pay own COVID-19 hospital bill, state lawmaker proposes (Federal prohibition not mentioned)
* WICS: Bill would make unvaccinated pay all their COVID-19 expenses (Federal prohibition not mentioned)
* NBC 5: Illinois State Rep. Introduces Bill Requiring Unvaccinated Residents to Pay For Their Own COVID Care (Federal prohibition not mentioned)
* ABC 7: Bill proposes unvaccinated Illinois COVID patients pay out of pocket for treatment (Federal prohibition not mentioned)
* Newsweek: Unvaccinated Illinoisans Would Pay COVID Hospital Bills Under New Proposals (Federal prohibition not mentioned)
* Only one outlet, WUIS, put the steak ahead of the sizzle…
* Unvaccinated COVID patients can’t be denied insurance coverage for hospitalizations as one Dem lawmaker wants, but employers, including Ill., have other options
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Foster could be handed a reelection gift
Tuesday, Dec 7, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As we’ve discussed before, US Rep. Bill Foster is beatable next year. But an opponent tying herself so closely to a guy who lost the new district by 16 points last year is probably not the best way to do it…
Republican Catalina Lauf, a Trump supporter who has billed herself as the anti-AOC, is running for Congress in Illinois’ 11th District against Democratic Rep. Bill Foster.
Key context: Lauf, a conservative Latina, was a Trump appointee to the Commerce Department and spoke at the GOP convention in 2020. Earlier this year, she set out to challenge Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an ardent Trump foe, in the 16th District. When the Illinois remap eliminated Kinzinger’s district, Kinzinger announced he’d retire instead of challenge GOP Rep. Darin LaHood. […]
Lauf ran unsuccessfully in the 2020 GOP primary in IL-14, losing the nomination to former state Sen. Jim Oberweis, who lost to Democratic Rep. Lauren Underwood in November. That district has been redrawn to give Underwood a little more breathing room in 2022.
The Trump factor: This time around, Lauf is better funded, thanks in part to her association with Trump. In an interview, she said her campaign has raised $1 million so far. Lauf is also hoping for Trump’s backing, though an endorsement is not easily won. “The endorsement process is a long one,” she said.
The 11th District: The seat has new boundaries as a result of the remap. It still includes Naperville, where Foster lives, and it now extends farther north into Lake County to include the towns of Volo and Wauconda. Lauf’s home in suburban Woodstock is also in the district. The seat got a little more competitive in redistricting: Now-President Joe Biden carried Foster’s old district by 26 points last year, but his margin was about 16 points under the new lines.
She may have raised a million, but she’s reported $810K. And she’s spent about $600K. Quite the burn rate.
* Also, she was in “Facebook jail” for a while…
You gotta do something pretty wild to warrant that treatment. But Lauf did hire a consultant who spoke at a “Stop the Steal” rally in DC.
…Adding… DPI…
Today, Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Abby Witt released a statement following the announcement that Catalina Lauf is running for Congress in the 11th District:
“Catalina Lauf is a zealot and an extremist, full stop. Her campaign seems to exist only to demonstrate her loyalty to Donald Trump and satisfy her desire to appear on Fox News. Illinois families deserve better than someone who downplays the January 6 insurrection or peddles dangerous conspiracy theories about life-saving vaccines.”
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Open thread
Tuesday, Dec 7, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Please make sure to contribute to Lutheran Social Services today so they can buy Christmas presents for foster kids. Click here. Thank you!
What’s up in your neck of the woods?
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