Campaign notebook
Wednesday, Aug 24, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Vote Yes for Workers’ Rights is now up on broadcast TV in Chicago with an ad bolstering its proposed constitutional amendment that had been running on cable TV for the past couple of weeks. The group has already purcahsed about $4 million in TV ads in advance.
* Today at the Illinois Farm Bureau’s candidate forum, Sen. Darren Bailey was asked about whether he’d keep the Livestock Management Facilities Act in place. His answer…
I spread about 16,000 ton of chicken manure each year. So I know the advantage and the importance of you know, the regulatory process. I believe it’s working. A lot of people come, especially in the, being in the minority chair on Ag, people come and say, Well, what new laws, what are you thinking about?
My answer is always the same. You know, our current problem in Illinois that when we think about our elected officials, we think about new laws. Our state representatives and senators, they shouldn’t be writing new laws. They should be really representing you in helping us work through these laws and these problems.
We don’t need any more laws, especially where we’re at with agriculture. As far as I know, everything’s fine. Leave it alone, government stay out. I’ll even look to places that we can reduce regulation.
“We don’t need any more laws.” OK.
* Background is here. From a Tribune story on Gov. Pritzker’s recent campaign contributions…
The funding from Pritzker comes after Welch earlier this month made two contributions totaling $5 million to the state party from his individual campaign fund. Pritzker in June gave the state party three contributions totaling $1.5 million. Representatives from the Democrats for the Illinois House committee did not return requests for comment.
I checked and was told that money was a pre-payment for mailers. That Pritzker money was also for mailers in order to receive the postage discount.
* Raja…
Today, a bipartisan group of eleven Mayors launched the “Mayors for Raja” coalition and endorsed Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s re-election campaign to continue to represent Illinois’ 8th Congressional District in the U.S. Congress. The growing list of elected leaders in the 8th Congressional District included:
• Addison Mayor Richard Veenstra
• Carol Stream Village Mayor Frank Saverino
• Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain
• Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson
• Hanover Park Village President Rod Craig
• Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod
• Itsasca Village President Jeff Pruyn
• Oak Brook Village President Gopal Lalmalani
• Schaumburg Village President Tom Dailly
• Roselle Mayor David Pileski
• Villa Park President Nick Cuzzone
* CD11…
* Press release…
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs was unanimously elected president of a bipartisan organization that brings together state finance officials to address government financial management issues.
Frerichs’ Democratic and Republican colleagues from across the country picked him to be president of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers (NASACT), the group announced today.
“It’s such an honor that my peers chose me to lead this bipartisan organization that works to solve the challenges of government,” said Frerichs, who had been the organization’s treasurer. “Making sure state governments work for the people is not a Republican or Democratic issue, and I’m especially proud that colleagues across the aisle supported my election as NASACT president.”
The election caps Frerichs’ ascension within the organization. After less than a year as Illinois State Treasurer, Frerichs’ peers selected him in 2015 to join the NASACT Executive Committee. In 2016, Frerichs received the NASACT president’s award. The late Judy Baar Topinka, a popular former Republican Illinois state treasurer and comptroller, received that same award in 2015.
In addition to his NASACT role, Treasurer Frerichs was elected by his bipartisan peers to serve as secretary-treasurer of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) in 2021. He serves on the NAST Executive, Long-Range Planning, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committees.
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* Press Release…
Two Illinois men, who are brothers, were arrested today on felony and misdemeanor charges for their actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Daniel Leyden, 55, of Chicago, was arrested along with his brother, Joseph Leyden, 56, of La Grange. Daniel Leyden is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with the felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon. Joseph Leyden is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers.
Both also are charged with the felony offense of interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder, as well as four related misdemeanor offenses. Daniel Leyden was arrested in Chicago and his brother was arrested in La Grange. They are to make their initial court appearances today in the Northern District of Illinois.
According to court documents, Daniel and Joseph Leyden were among the rioters who were illegally on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. Shortly after 12:50 p.m., Daniel Leyden was in a crowd that confronted law enforcement officers at metal barricades near the Peace Circle. Daniel Leyden and other rioters repeatedly lifted and pushed a metal barricade.
* The brothers were captured on police body cameras which were used to identify them…
* NBC Chicago…
Federal prosecutors say Daniel Leyden was part of a crowd that assaulted Capitol police officers as they broke through one of the first lines of defense near Peace Monument on the West Side of the grounds, knocking one officer unconscious with a concussion.
That took place in the same area where Officer Caroline Edwards testified before the Jan. 6 special congressional committee that she was pinned down under a bike rack. […]
Both are charged with a variety of felony and misdemeanor charges. They appeared in court Tuesday afternoon and were released on bond.
Attorneys for the Leyden brothers confirmed that the two are both electricians but declined to comment on the case.
* The two brothers are among more than 30 Illinois residents to be charged in the Capitol breach. Tribune…
[Daniel Leyden] and other rioters repeatedly lifted and pushed a metal barricade that ultimately toppled and pinned an officer and the barricade was also used to attack other officers, including one who was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion, according to the statement.
“Daniel Leyden’s actions contributed to injuries that these officers sustained and prevented officers from defending themselves and providing aid to one another,” the statement said.
His brother was also charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers.
“Joseph Leyden advanced and rushed toward an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department. He then lunged at and pushed the officer,” according to the statement.
* A former Chicago police officer also charged is refusing a plea deal, NBC Chicago reported …
A former Chicago police officer is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, according to authorities.
And while court records show that a plea deal is on the table for the former officer, he has so far rejected it.
Officer Karol Chwiesiuk, 29, faces a slew of charges including entering a restricted building without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to a criminal complaint against him. […]
Chwiesiuk, a 2.5-year member of CPD’s force, was relieved of his police powers on June 2, 2021, according to Supt. David Brown.
* WBEZ…
Chwiesiuk was on medical leave from CPD when he traveled to Washington to attend a Jan. 6, 2021, rally supporting then-President Donald Trump, according to a criminal complaint filed in June that year.
The police officer said in a text to a friend that he was going “to save the nation” and was “busy planning how to [expletive] up commies.”
Inside the Capitol, Chwiesiuk texted photos of himself while wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with a Chicago Police Department logo, according to prosecutors.
Chwiesiuk was also part of a mob that broke into the office of Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, prosecutors alleged. The office ended up trashed.
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* NBC…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is calling out a conservative super PAC over a new attack ad aimed at Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, accusing the group of using “racist tropes” to create a scary image of Black Chicago and altering her skin to appear darker in the ad.
The ad opens with Lightfoot, who is Black, saying, “This will be the summer of joy in Chicago.” It then cuts to sounds of gunshots, screams and scenes of shadowy figures in the streets shooting. The words “Chicago violence is coming to the suburbs” appear on the screen. The clip of Lightfoot, a fellow Democrat, is from a speech she gave to the City Club of Chicago in April. Her skin color appears noticeably darker in the ad compared to the original video.
“News flash. I’m Black and I’m proud. Everyone knows it. No need to use cheap tricks to darken my skin and try to scare voters with false narratives about Chicago,” Lightfoot said in a statement to NBC News.
The ad was run by the People Who Play By the Rules super PAC, which is fronted by longtime Illinois conservative operative Dan Proft and largely funded by billionaire GOP financier Richard Uihlein. The PAC supports Pritzker’s Republican opponent, Darren Bailey, for governor in this fall’s election. Uihlein, who did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment, has given the PAC at least $26 million so far this year. The ad is filled with scenes of live shooting, sometimes prompting a warning on YouTube before it can be viewed. Three unaffiliated political ad makers — two who work mainly with Democrats, one who works with Republicans — who reviewed the ad after being contacted by NBC News said the mayor’s skin appeared noticeably darker than in the original video.
* The video was pulled from Lightfoot’s City Club of Chicago speech, here is a side-by-side comparison of both videos…
* Since the ad debuted Aug. 15, the People Who Play By The Rules PAC has reported spending more than $1 million on TV ads according to state campaign finance records. The video is age restricted on YouTube so click here for the link.
* The Sun Times…
Pritzker’s campaign said GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey should demand that “his allies” take the ad off the air.
“It is disappointing but unsurprising to see Republicans relying on dangerous dog whistles to deflect from their own miserable records,” Pritzker spokeswoman Natalie Edelstein said. “Instead of insulting elected officials and Illinois’ economic engine, members of the GOP ought to figure out why they have to keep apologizing for everything that comes out of their mouths.” […]
Lightfoot accused “Bailey and his ilk” of using “dog-whistle tactics.”
“Darren Bailey says he wants to represent the whole state? Well then, enough of these dog-whistle tactics,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “He cannot be the governor of this great state by using racist tropes against Black Chicago. Real leadership addresses the root causes of violence and proposes solutions that bring people together. Darren Bailey and his ilk have proven once again he’s not the man for the job.”
* President of People Who Play By The Rules PAC Dan Proft’s official statement in response to Lightfoot…
“The assertions by Pritzker and Lightfoot as to Lightfoot’s presentation in the ad are insane–and par for the course from inveterate race hustlers like Lightfoot and Pritzker who are trying to misdirect attention away from the fact that she has turned the city over to repeat, violent predators and he aims to do the same statewide with his elimination of cash bail.
How are people enjoying Lightfoot’s ‘Summer of Joy’ so far? 1186 shot. 213 murdered. Most of the victims? Black residents of Chicago.
We did nothing to Lightfoot’s pigmentation in the ad just as we did nothing to the pigmentation of our pasty blowhard of a governor. The video of Lightfoot was pulled from the web from her City Club speech.
We are not ’scaring’ suburbanites. Are suburban prosecutors like Jim Glasgow and Bob Berlin also ’scaring’ suburbanites?
In fact, we are warning them about what is to come if they don’t make changes to the leadership of the city and state.
The two of them, Pritzker and Lightfoot, are two of the worst human beings on the planet who together have accomplished nothing other than to abdicate their collective, primary responsibility to provide for the physical safety of law-abiding families.”
* The Chicago Tribune…
Uihlein gave the PAC $8 million during the Republican primary, much of which was spent aiding Bailey by attacking the GOP credentials of Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, one of Bailey’s top opponents in the six-man race. While the PAC is prohibited from coordinating directly with any candidate, Uihlein also gave more than $9 million directly to Bailey’s campaign.
Since the primary, the Uline packaging supplies founder has given $20 million to Proft’s committee but nothing to Bailey’s campaign, state records show.
Despite the committee supporting Bailey’s candidacy, his campaign noted in a statement Tuesday that it has “no communication with or control” over the PAC.
Bailey spokesman Joe DeBose said Pritzker and Lightfoot have control over crime afflicting Chicago “and they should be more concerned with the people being killed and set on fire in the city.” […]
According to the ad, criminal suspects will be “set free” if they’re charged with myriad violent offenses, including kidnapping and robbery. But proponents of that provision say the ad’s claim is “patently not true.”
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* Mike Miletich…
Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) said keeping kids in school is the first step of his education agenda in his battle against Gov. JB Pritzker. Bailey said Pritzker’s COVID-19 lockdowns “decimated” education in Illinois. Bailey challenged the governor over his COVID executive orders and the closing of schools during the worst period of the pandemic.
Now, Bailey said Illinois children suffered without in-person learning, and he will keep them in school if elected governor this fall. The Republican gubernatorial nominee also said Pritzker should apologize to students and parents for moving schools to virtual learning early into the pandemic.
Bailey argues that Illinois should provide scholarships to students in school districts that require remote or virtual learning. His campaign said Monday night that the change could allow children to have other learning options regardless of their economic status.
Data from the Illinois State Board of Education show students struggled with their English and math courses throughout the 2021 school year and younger students saw significant drops in proficiency.
“While Pritzker can more than afford to hire private tutors or pay for private schooling, many hardworking Illinois families don’t have that option,” Bailey said. “When their children fall behind, they have nowhere to turn which is shameful.”
* Pritzker campaign…
“Darren Bailey’s so-called ‘education agenda’ is yet another desperate attempt to cover up the fact that he has no coherent policies or plans. His only real agenda is regurgitating the far-right, ultra-MAGA talking points he gets from Donald Trump,” said JB for Governor Press Secretary Eliza Glezer. “From his comments downplaying the severity of COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic, to his votes against increased funding for education across the state, Bailey has proven time and time again that he doesn’t have Illinois students’ backs. Our kids, parents, and educators deserve better.”
* IEA President Kathi Griffin…
We have yet to see any plan from Sen. Bailey on how he plans to enhance public education and enrich our students’ lives. What we have seen is Gov. Pritzker in action. He has always put our students’ and communties’ health and safety above all else. During the height of the pandemic, he made difficult decisions to keep us all safe. When the pandemic started there were no vaccines, no medication, no testing and our hospitals were being pushed to their limits. When testing, vaccines and treatments became available and hospitals began to recover, the policies changed. Then, individual school districts were able to decide when to open. We are thankful the governor looked out for the health of our students, their families and those who work in our schools.
We are looking forward to this new school year and all the possibilities it brings for both our members and our students. We believe every student has the right to a high-quality public education, and we are glad Gov. Pritzker shares that vision.
The IFT chose not to comment.
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* You’ve probably already heard about this…
* Sophie Rodgers digs into the numbers for Crain’s…
On average, Illinois student loan borrowers owe $38,526, the seventh-highest average debt in the United States. This statistic is not alarming to Constantine Yannelis, associate professor of finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. “Illinois, like New York, is an area which is dominated by one metro area where you disproportionately see a lot of young, educated people living. This is why you have high student loan debt.” […]
Recent graduates in Illinois age 25 to 34 … owe an average of $36,806. […]
But younger borrowers in Illinois are not among those hit hardest by student loan debt. On average, of Illinois student loan borrowers, those age 50 to 61 owe the most: $50,757. Those age 62 and up owe an average of $46,959. […]
And this outstanding debt will almost certainly negatively impact their retirement. “They can’t even get out of that debt by defaulting because, due to court rulings, Social Security income can be garnished,” Yannelis said. As a result, older Illinois borrowers still deeply in student loan debt might delay retirement and will consume less in retirement, which will affect the overall economy.
Discuss.
…Adding… LG Stratton…
Today, millions of people are receiving news about long-awaited financial relief. With President Joe Biden’s announcement to forgive thousands of dollars in student loan debt for most borrowers, a burden is being eased.
As part of my office’s initiative to build a strong, diverse teacher pipeline, I traveled across Illinois to hear from leaders and students at our state colleges and universities.
On these campuses, I heard and felt the deep concern people in all fields had about the looming presence of student loan debt and how it would not only impact their careers, but also their quality of life.
This student loan plan takes major steps to address that. Up to $20,000 in debt relief for Pell Grant recipients ensures that forgiveness intentionally uplifts those from lower-income backgrounds. Additionally, restructuring the repayment system will provide increased borrower support after the freeze on payments ends. More needs to be done, but this is a historic move forward that will change the lives of millions.
I commend the administration for these tremendous efforts. May this drive us to continue the work for equitable, affordable education in Illinois and across the nation.
* Sen. Durbin…
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced his Administration’s plan to eliminate $10,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 a year and to extend the student loan payment freeze until December 31:
“Tens of millions of Americans are plagued by student loan debt in pursuit of a quality education. Today’s announcement by President Biden is a crucial step to enable low- and middle-income borrowers—especially communities of color—to eliminate their debt so they can buy a home, start a business, save for emergencies, and fully participate in our economy. President Biden and Congressional Democrats are delivering on our promises and focused on lifting up working families and the economy.”
Today’s announcement also allocates up to $20,000 of debt cancellation for Pell Grant recipients. On average, Illinois students owe $38,526 in debt after graduation.
Durbin has long been an advocate for widespread student debt relief. In August 2021, Durbin introduced the bipartisan FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act, which would restore the ability for struggling borrowers to seek a bankruptcy discharge for federal student loans after a waiting period of ten years. Unlike most other types of debt, student loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy except in rare circumstances.
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued the following statement regarding the announcement from President Joe Biden’s administration that it plans to cancel $10,000 in debt for borrowers who earn less than $125,000 per year and $20,000 in debt for Pell grant recipients.
“Higher education should be within reach for all Illinoisans without the fear that they will be saddled with lifelong debt. The administration’s announcement today is a clear acknowledgment of the burden student loan debt imposes, and a response to repayment and forgiveness programs that have been historically and systemically flawed.
“While long-term reforms to the student loan system in this country are desperately needed, I commend the Biden administration for offering some immediate relief to millions of student loan borrowers.”
Attorney General Raoul has long advocated for protections for student loan borrowers. In May, Raoul called upon President Biden to cancel federal student loan debt, and he was joined by other attorneys general. Earlier this month, Raoul led a coalition of attorneys general calling on the U.S. Department of Education to give public servants more opportunities for loan forgiveness.
The Illinois Attorney General’s office continues to be a national leader in investigating and enforcing consumer protection violations in the higher education field. In 2022, Raoul’s office led a nationwide settlement against Navient, the country’s largest student loan servicer, that resulted in $5 million in restitution, and more than $133 million in debt cancelation, for Illinois borrowers. In 2021, Raoul’s Know Before You Owe legislation was enacted, ensuring that Illinois student borrowers have information about their federal aid eligibility before they turn to more costly private loans. And along with overseeing the rollout of the state’s first Student Loan Ombudsman, a position created by the Student Loan Servicing Rights Act to provide resources for borrowers who are struggling to make payments, Raoul’s office has recently provided $14 million in relief to private student loan borrowers who attended ITT.
Student borrowers who have questions or are in need of assistance can call the Attorney General’s Student Loan Helpline at 1-800-455-2456. Borrowers can also file complaints on the Attorney General’s website.
* US Rep. Mary Miller…
CONGRESSWOMAN MARY MILLER (R-IL) released the following statement on President Biden’s announcement on student loan “forgiveness”:
“Today, Joe Biden announced a $300 billion taxpayer-funded bailout for leftist colleges and universities that prey upon young people by selling them worthless “humanities” degrees so they can become foot soldiers in the Marxist revolution destroying America,” Miller said. “In the midst of the Biden Recession, Joe Biden is using working class taxpayers to pay off his donors and voters at a time of historic debt, and record inflation.”
“The blue-collar working class is now saddled with the cost of paying off “elite” institutions with billion dollar endowments. They defrauded young people by exaggerating their future earning power that would enable them to pay back those loans.”
“Parents sacrificed for years to save for their children’s college expenses and many students forfeited going to the school of their choice and instead choose community college or instate tuition. Some didn’t go to college because it was unaffordable and didn’t want to pay back loans. Many people worked full time and lived at home to pay for college and lots of graduates have been making college loan payments for YEARS! President Biden’s decision to bailout colleges and universities adds insult to injury and is completely irresponsible.”
“A new majority in Congress must investigate the staggering increase in costs for college degrees, the disconnect between those rising costs and the job prospects of graduates who cannot pay back these loans, and the corrupt endowment system! The U.S. Department of Education’s role is to protect and defend the TAXPAYERS, not the leftist colleges and universities with billion dollar endowments that prey upon borrowers! It’s time to defund and eliminate the U.S. Dept. of Education.”
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* From the end of an Illinois Times story about how “A New Berlin man who admitted to pointing a handgun at state Sen. Elgie Sims as the two were driving separate vehicles in Springfield in March 2021 was sentenced to nine months of probation on Aug. 17″….
The Chicago Tribune reported in early August that Sims was approached by the FBI in its investigation of potential “influence peddling” by Axon Enterprise Inc. The Tribune reported that Axon, an Arizona law-enforcement technology company, hired law firm Foley & Lardner LLP to lobby the legislature. Sims is an of-counsel attorney at Foley.
According to the Tribune, “Investigators are looking into whether Axon – either directly or through other lobbying entities – improperly tried to influence Sims in his official duties as a member of the Illinois Legislature working on the criminal-justice legislation.”
Sims declined comment on the Tribune story.
His attorney, Thomas Anthony Durkin, said in a statement to IT: “There is a good reason federal investigations are required by law to be secret. It is to protect people who have not committed crimes. Senator Sims has committed no crime and has not been charged with any crime. Obviously, someone not happy with this historic and long overdue crime-reform bill – and many in law enforcement are unhappy – is baselessly attempting to smear Senator Sims’ good name and hard work by leaking this investigation.”
That’s a bold move.
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Good news is always, always, always somehow bad
Wednesday, Aug 24, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Policy Institute…
A Truth in Accounting report argued state authorities should have used billions in federal aid to pay down interest on existing pension debt rather than save it for a rainy day. Experts warn this could lead to more state borrowing.
Um, what?
The governor’s office pointed to this Federal Register passage from the US Treasury Department…
For all recipients except Tribal governments, funds may not be used for deposits into a pension fund. […]
Subsection 602(c)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act provides that ‘‘[n]o State or territory may use funds made available under this section for deposit into any pension fund.’’ Similarly, subsection 603(c)(2) of the Social Security Act provides that ‘‘[n]o metropolitan city, nonentitlement unit of local government, or county may use funds made available under this section for deposit into any pension fund.’’
For purposes of this restriction on pension deposits, the interim final rule defined deposit to mean ‘‘an extraordinary payment of an accrued, unfunded liability.’’
* From the reported cited by the IPI…
On the heels of credit rating upgrades, Illinois has sold $1.6 billion worth of bonds to fund a pension buyout program and construction projects. As the Chicago Tribune reported, Gov. J.B. Pritzker touted the upgrades lauding Democratic leaders for their work “to make sure that we’re back in good fiscal order, that the state is building its fiscal foundations for the road ahead.” But as Hetty Chang of Moody has stated, ratings are not “public policy report cards, although politicians may use them as such.” Credit ratings do not focus on the overall financial condition of the state; they focus on the likelihood of bonds being paid.
And if the state is in such “good fiscal order,” then why did it need to borrow money?
You don’t spend cash to buy a house, and you don’t spend cash to fix a bridge, build a transit line or fund a pension buyout program, which would’ve put more immediate pressure on the state budget for no good reason.
* And Jordan Abudayyeh pointed to some past instances when IPI denounced the state for its essentially non-existent rainy day fund…
The state also kicked in $500 million for extra pension payments on top of what the state was obligated to pay by statute.
…Adding… When Senate President Don Harmon asked for a federal bailout of its pension funds, IPI and others freaked out…
* IPI: Why Congress should reject Illinois’ $44 billion bailout request
* Wirepoints: Illinois Senate Democrats Seek Massive Federal Bailout for State, Going Far Beyond Coronavirus Impact
* Sun-Times: GOP Illinois congressmen blister state senate Democrats for using COVID-19 coronavirus as excuse for pension bailout request
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* Center Square…
Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey, the GOP gubernatorial candidate who got Trump’s endorsement, said he saw the Trump raid as a bad sign.
“I find it very upsetting,” Bailey told WMAY. “I personally look at this, I believe it is political. And I want to tell you what, watching this all unfold, I am very concerned about the future of our country.”
Audio is here.
* Related…
* U.S. National Archives identified 700-plus pages of classified records at Trump’s home: “Among the materials in the boxes are over 100 documents with classification markings, comprising more than 700 pages. Some include the highest levels of classification, including Special Access Program (SAP) materials,” Wall’s letter said, referring to security protocols reserved for some of the country’s most closely held secrets. … The letter shows that Trump’s legal team repeatedly tried to stall the Archives from letting the FBI and intelligence officials review the materials, saying that he needed more time to determine if any of the records were covered by a doctrine called executive privilege that enables a president to shield some records.
* Documents recovered at Mar-a-Lago were among government’s most classified, letter shows: “I mean, if he had actual special access programs — do you know how extraordinarily sensitive that is? That’s very, very sensitive. If that were actually at his residence, that would be a problem,” said Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), a member of the House Intelligence Committee.
* FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search followed months of resistance, delay by Trump: Trump’s lawyers do not appear to have argued to Steidel Wall that Trump had declassified the documents that bore classified markings before he left office. While presidents have widespread authority to declassify documents, there is a process for doing so, and even declassified documents are required by the Presidential Records Act to remain in Archives custody.
…Adding… Good point…
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Open thread
Wednesday, Aug 24, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Have at it, but keep it about Illinois, please. Thanks.
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Aug 24, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Campaign notebook
Tuesday, Aug 23, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Review…
The question everyone interested in Illinois’ conservative politics is wondering is “Where’s Dick Uihlein?” and “Who’s the key influencer that is apparently steering Uihlein’s political investments away from Darren Bailey’s bid to oust JB Pritzker?”
It’s a fair question. Conservative gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey is fighting hard among the state’s grassroots to win support against Pritzker, who is nationally recognized as a Leftist COVID tyrant and a radical criminal comforter - exactly the kind of political figure Uihlein would be happy to defeat.
But nothing from Uihlein?
After all, Uihlein has been writing checks this summer to certain, specific House races, one specific Chamber leader, two statewide races (including Tom DeVore and Dan Brady), and a couple of countywide races.
* Open Secrets took a look at fundraising by Generation Z candidates and found that Nabeela Syed easily topped the list with $251,000…
At least 14 Gen Z candidates have collectively raised more than $734,000 for their state races so far this election cycle, an OpenSecrets analysis of campaign finance filings found.
A new generation of state leaders could challenge existing legislatures that remain predominantly male and white. The average age of all state leadership is 58, despite the average American being only about 38-years-old. […]
Run for Something recruits and supports young progressive Democrats running for city, county and state offices through mentorship and direct funding.
Two Run for Something-endorsed state House candidates, Nabeela Syed in Illinois and Joe Vogel in Maryland, are two of the three top Gen Z state candidate fundraisers during the 2022 midterm election cycle.
Syed raised over $251,000 for her primary race against Chelsea Laliberte Barnes to represent Illinois’ 51st District in the statehouse. After winning her June primary with over 73% of the vote, Syed will face off against incumbent state Rep. Chris Bos (R-Ill.), who has raised only about $34,000.
In an emailed statement to OpenSecrets, Syed said that her campaign spent the vast majority of money raised leading up to the primary election and is now pivoting to focus on the general election.
Gaining endorsements from several state senators as well as Everytown for Gun Safety, Syed has utilized her platform to advocate for gun violence prevention, access to abortion and empowering Muslim women to lead.
Syed said there was initial hesitation among some voters given her younger age, but her team knocked on doors and talked with the community. She’s received over $33,000 in political contributions of $150 or less.
She’s quite something.
* Press release…
Today, the Chicago Board of Elections released new ward and precinct maps for the City of Chicago ahead of the upcoming November 8, 2022 General Election. A ward-by-ward break down of precinct changes is included at the end of this press release.
The new ward boundaries were adopted by the Chicago City Council on May 19, 2022, as required every 10 years after the U.S. Census. The Illinois General Assembly recently passed legislation that gave the Board the authority to create new precincts containing up to 1,800 registered voters.
The Chicago Board of Elections is now creating 1,290 precincts across all 50 Wards in Chicago, for a reduction total of 779 precincts. The average number of precincts per ward is 26, and the average number of voters per precinct is 1,165.
Just previously, the City of Chicago had 2,069 voter precincts, with an average of 550-750 voters per precinct. For comparison during the last redistricting process in 2010, the Chicago Board of Elections reduced its precincts from 2,570 to 2,069, for a total reduction of 501 precincts.
Please click here to view and download the new City of Chicago ward and precinct maps
Text from Rickey Hendon, slightly modified by me….
The Chicago Board of Elections is trying to close 1,100 polling places!! It’s HORRIBLE!! People won’t know where to vote, Seniors can’t go far to vote and Black people lose. Meet me at 69 West Washington 9AM Wednesday (tomorrow) outside the Board of Elections with Willie Wilson for a press conference where we will have Attorneys there threatening to sue they *ss!!
If this was Georgia the Democrats would be screaming!!! Voter Suppression!! Racism!! Etc.
* IDCCA…
* Politico…
— Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic nominee for Illinois secretary of state, is getting an endorsement and campaign support from AFSCME Council 31, the public services employees union that represents more than 90,000 active and retired members in Illinois. AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch praised Giannoulias for his work as former state treasurer, saying “he’s experienced, energetic, and he values working people and their unions.”
*** UPDATE ***
The ad is here.
* More…
* Arlington Heights residents want the Bears — but they don’t want to foot the bill, poll finds: “Our polling shows Arlington Heights voters strongly believe they shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill as taxpayers,” added Costin, who tells Sneed the ARW survey was a phone poll of 300 voters living in the village — population 77,000 — with a margin of error of 5.6 percentage points.
* Koehler, Anderson make their cases for representing the new 46th State Senate District: Anderson said she thinks a decision on how what direction the state takes on abortion rights should be up to the citizens. “That’s the beauty of having a democracy like this: Voters get to turn out and vote on amendments they want, and you’ve got individuals that are running that should hopefully represent what their constituents want. That is up to the voters and whatever voters decide and whatever way that goes, and so be it,” she said.
* Illinois voting rights landscape widens with permanent vote by mail option - As in the last two elections, Illinois voters will be in for some changes when they hit the polls on Nov. 8, 2022.
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* KSDK…
This is the first year AAPI history courses will be taught in East St.. Louis School District and all other Illinois public schools.
The Teaching Equitable Asian American History (TEAACH) Act was signed by Gov. JB Pritzker in July 2021 to educate students and help combat false stereotypes at the height of hate crimes during COVID-19 pandemic.
We spoke with the Director of Curriculum for East St. Louis School District, Antoinette Johnson, who said the curriculum will be worked into social studies, history, science and math classes for students.
She adds, teachers have been attending several monthly meetings leading up to the first day of class to design the lesson plans for the new AAPI curriculum.
* PBS interview with North Grand High School teacher Mueze Bawany…
“The biggest blessings of being educators is getting our students to understand who exists and who’s out there and also kind of pushing them towards the lens of humanity.
Why the stories of others matter and why we should lens why should we should see it as an appreciation, but also an opportunity to reach out and make some connections and build community together. It’s beautiful, right?
I often thought about my experiences and not being able to live understand my story in my history. And that kind of felt like looking in the mirror and not seeing anything back.
So the opportunity for Asian American students in our district to be able to learn, to learn their stories, and also for others from so many different backgrounds to learn the stories of Asian Americans in this country. It’s just beautiful. I mean, this is what education is about right?”
* NPR explains required topics after JB Pritzker signed the act into law in 2021…
The Teaching Equitable Asian American History (TEAACH) Act comes at a time when growing numbers of Asian Americans have become the targets of hate crimes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Americans are facing hate incidents at a higher rate than ever reported before, and the Democratic governor says teaching students about Asian American history will help combat false stereotypes. […]
Required topics that will be covered in the new school year include the Asian Americans advancing civil rights and the contributions Asian Americans have made in government, the arts, sciences, economics and politics.
Asian American history is American history. Yet we are often invisible. The TEAACH Act will ensure that the next generation of Asian American students won’t need to attend law school to learn about their heritage,” said State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, who sponsored the legislation.
“Empathy comes from understanding. We cannot do better unless we know better. A lack of knowledge is the root cause of discrimination and the best weapon against ignorance is education,” she said.
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* From Red State Secession…
Brown County and Hardin County will vote November this year on splitting Illinois into two states, according to a map released by organizers today. The referendums are non-binding. Two townships in the northeastern corner of Madison County will also vote on such referendums. County clerks had verified earlier this month that the organizers had submitted enough valid signatures to force the questions onto the ballot.
If these areas vote in favor of the referendums, they will join 24 conservative counties in southern and central Illinois that have voted in favor of this idea in the last couple of years. The referendums ask voters “Shall the board of your county correspond with the boards of the other counties of Illinois outside of Cook County about the possibility of separating from Cook County to form a new state, and to seek admission to the Union as such, subject to the approval of the people?”
Illinois state legislators introduced legislation regarding the idea, and were granted a hearing, but the bill failed to clear the legislative committee. There would be financial benefits to northern Illinois to allow downstate Illinois to go, because these counties are a drain on the state budget. Yet, a financial comparison of rural Illinois counties to rural Indiana counties shows that incomes are the same. Apparently the beneficial effect of state spending that Illinois bestows on these counties is canceled out by the negative effect of Illinois taxes and regulation.
State legislators in Kentucky and Missouri have expressed interest to the organizers about acquiring downstate Illinois by moving a state border, but have not taken action. The most recent relocation of a state border was in 1999 when the Nebraska/Missouri border was adjusted slightly to accommodate changes in the course of a river, but two whole counties switched states after West Virginia became a state in 1863.
Brown County has a population of not quite 7,000. Hardin County’s population is less than 4,000.
I’ve asked Darren Bailey’s campaign for comment.
…Adding… Can’t help but wonder how long it will now take him to double down on his original take…
Also, there are plenty of nice Chicago neighborhoods outside of the lakefront and downtown.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From Joe DeBose at the Bailey campaign…
“Many people across Illinois are struggling under JB Pritzker’s negligent watch. Darren Bailey will fight to make Illinois safe and affordable for everyone, not just the elites.”
Not sure how that answers my question, but whatevs.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Natalie Edelstein at the Pritzker campaign…
For someone who has only passed two bills throughout his entire tenure in office, you’d think Darren Bailey would be more proud of his only legislative proposal to ever make the news. Bailey introduced serious legislation to separate Chicago from the rest of Illinois and even claimed he would put his Lieutenant Governor in charge of the region. His latest watered down walk back of his offensive comments should be seen for exactly what they are: yet another lie to get elected.
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More debate over cashless bail
Tuesday, Aug 23, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ted Slowik…
Republicans and law enforcement are winning the messaging war over police reform legislation that the Legislative Black Caucus championed. […]
The Pretrial Fairness Act is part of a broader package of reform legislation known as the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today, or SAFE-T, Act. Many lawmakers who represent the south suburbs had pushed legislation for years to address police misconduct and racial and wealth disparities in the criminal justice system.
Members of the Legislative Black Caucus rejoiced when they passed the bill in January 2021. But since then they seem to have dropped the ball on messaging, and critics of the legislative have rushed in to fill the void. Public discourse about the law seems decidedly one-sided.
* Lake County News-Sun…
[Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart] alluded to how the legislation has been received around the state by the media and residents, and said, “the media has not always done the best job of explaining this.”
“But I will say it one more time, it’s not that violent offenders no longer have to post cash bail,” he said. “It’s that they no longer get to post cash bail. That’s a very important distinction.”
* Knowable…
Social scientists have spent decades studying the devastating effects of high US incarceration rates on individuals and communities. But in recent years some of them have also begun to focus on the equally devastating effects of the US cash bail system. Their findings, as well as prospects for reform, are documented in the 2022 Annual Review of Criminology by sociologist Joshua Page of the University of Minnesota and criminologist Christine Scott-Hayward of California State University, Long Beach.
Knowable recently spoke with Page about what he, Scott-Hayward and other scholars are finding out about bail. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. […]
* Wirepoints…
Although some other state’s attorneys and many HB 3653 critics in the legislature and elsewhere continue to call for the outright rescinding of the entire bill, [DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin] takes a more moderate tack. He says, “This law is very fixable. It really is.” He argues that lawmakers can still allow a general presumption against cash bail as in New Jersey’s law, but that also like that state, they can allow too for firm exceptions when deemed necessary by judges.
“And that’s really what the State’s Attorneys have been pushing for. Many of us are not just saying, ‘repeal the whole thing, just get rid of it.’ We have to respect the fact that the General Assembly passed a law. But fix it.”
However in contrast, a group of four county state’s attorneys in Illinois recently telegraphed another line of attack. It forcefully accents the essential right of Illinois communities under the state’s constitution to be protected through a robust bail-setting process.
They wrote that the abolition of cash bail embodied in the bill “denies crime victims their constitutional rights. Article 1, Section 8.1 of the Illinois Constitution, codified in the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act, mandates that crime victims shall have the right to have their safety and that of their families considered in denying or fixing the amount of bail, determining whether to release the defendant and setting conditions of release after arrest and conviction. Eliminating bail clearly contradicts previously established and superior law, places crime victims at a greater risk to be re-victimized, and unnecessarily subjects witnesses to threats and intimidation.”
And Berlin himself is thinking about legal remedies if need be. He says the Illinois Supreme Court in Hemingway v. Elrod has affirmed “on the issue of bail…it’s supposed to be a balancing process. Judges are supposed to balance the right of an accused against the right of the general public to receive reasonable protective consideration by the courts.” The Hemingway ruling reads in part, “…the constitutional right to bail must be qualified by the authority of the courts” with sufficient evidence “to deny or revoke bail” for a defendant before trial “to prevent interference with witnesses or jurors or to prevent the fulfillment of threats.”
* Sun-Times…
A coalition of national, state and city nonprofit organizations is looking to help some people with housing while their cases move through the courts.
People released on individual recognizance, or I-bonds, can get help paying rent or finding housing from a program backed by the Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund, The Bail Project and the Lawndale Christian Legal Center.
Six people have been housed since the groups started working together in mid-June. The program has 50 units waiting to be filled by any Chicago residents on personal recognizance who qualify, meaning they make less than 30% of the city’s area median income: $21,900.
The Lawndale Christian Legal Center interviews new arrestees to weigh their needs. If housing is one of them, the process starts, and the Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund — which specializes in helping low-income residents with rent assistance — will work with landlords and clients to find them housing.
Amy Campanelli, the vice president of restorative justice at Lawndale Christian Legal Center and former Cook County public defender, said the program is largely about stabilizing people so they can get back on their feet.
* Richmond is in McHenry County…
A Richmond man was arrested after he allegedly complained to his apartment management company that there were “illegal foreigners” in the parking lot and he was “ready to shoot to kill them.”
David L. Nelson, 53, of the 400 block of Cunat Boulevard in Richmond, was charged with disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Nelson sent an email to his property management company, Lakes Management, on August 9.
In the email, Nelson complained about “illegal foreigners hanging around the parking lot,” the complaint said.
“My gun is ready to shoot to kill them. The revolution had started. Down with commie democrats!” the email said, according to the complaint. […]
Nelson was released from the McHenry County Jail after posting 10% of a $20,000 bond, records show.
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* WTVO…
A federal appellate court judge has dismissed a $150 million class action lawsuit against Illinois energy company ComEd and its parent company, Exelon, over a bribery scandal involving former House Speaker Michael Madigan. […]
ComEd admitted that it arranged jobs, subcontracted work, and monetary payments related to those jobs to Madigan in order “to influence and reward the official’s efforts to assist ComEd with respect to legislation concerning ComEd and its business,” prosecutors said. […]
The suit was dismissed in 2021, with a judge citing that the suit did not establish a firm link between bribery and the passage of the bills that allowed it to raise its rates. The plaintiffs appealed the decision, which was dismissed today.
* From the opinion…
Nine Illinois energy consumers sued their electricity provider, Commonwealth Edison Company, and its parent, Exelon Corporation, on behalf of themselves and those similarly situated for damages under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) alleging injury from increased electricity rates. These rates increased, the plaintiffs allege, because ComEd bribed the former Illinois Speaker of the House to shepherd three bills through the state’s legislature. The district court dismissed the suit. Because paying a state’s required filed utility rate is not a cognizable injury for a RICO damages claim, we affirm.
The plaintiffs acknowledge that the rates they paid to ComEd were filed with the ICC. And although that would seem to trigger the filed rate doctrine’s bar on judicial adjustments to filed utility rates, the plaintiffs seek monetary damages (and not declaratory or equitable relief) for “overpay[ment] for electricity” from ComEd under RICO. See 18 U.S.C. § 1964(c). In effect, they request a federal judgment retroactively adjusting the electricity rates they paid. To allow such a claim to proceed, we would need to hold that the filed rate doctrine has been displaced by RICO. We must therefore decide whether Congress, in passing the broadly applicable civil RICO statute, authorized federal courts to award damages in contravention of the filed rate doctrine. We hold that it did not. […]
If this suit were allowed to proceed, the plaintiffs could not rest on their allegations as they can here at the motion-to-dismiss stage; they would need to conduct discovery for facts supporting their contention that ComEd’s bribery of Madigan directly caused the three pieces of legislation to pass. See Anza v. Ideal Steel Supply Corp., 547 U.S. 451, 459–60 (2006) (civil RICO damages claim requires “a direct causal connection” between the predicate offense and the alleged harm). That would necessarily involve probing the motives of individual state legislators who voted to enact the le islation to understand Madigan’s influence on them. Yet judicial tribunals rarely dive so deeply into the legislative process or into legislators’ motives. […]
At bottom, when the plaintiffs paid their electricity bills based on rates which had been properly filed with the ICC, they paid the state’s required legal rate. Based on our above analysis, we hold that the plaintiffs suffered no legally cognizable injury by paying this legal rate and thus were not “injured in [their] business or property,” as required to pursue a claim for damages under § 1964(c) of RICO.
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IL SGOP press secretary is new Mrs. America
Tuesday, Aug 23, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Senate Republican Leader a few days ago…
My press secretary Nicole La Ha Zwiercan is also Mrs. Illinois! Nicole is the mother of two, Homer Glen village trustee,…
Posted by Dan McConchie on Saturday, August 20, 2022
* She won. Fox 32…
A Homer Glen village trustee is the new Mrs. America.
Nicole La Ha Zwiercan won the crown Saturday night in Las Vegas, competing against 51 national contestants.
Earlier this year, FOX 32 spoke with her about her efforts to make Homer Glen more inclusive for individuals with disabilities. Zwiercan’s five-year-old daughter Ashlynn was born with cerebral palsy. Zwiercan has encouraged the village to make three public playgrounds more accessible.
Zwiercan will compete in the Mrs. World pageant this December in Las Vegas.
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* Wirepoints…
Good news of sorts was recently released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Illinois led the country with the largest increase in manufacturing employment in July, up 6,300 workers.
In a state that’s been in the bottom ten nationally for economic growth and job creation since Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office in 2019, the new manufacturing jobs are certainly good news for Illinoisans looking for work.
But context matters and a look at Illinois’ manufacturing employment over the last two decades is sobering at best. That’s also true for the last three years under Gov. Pritzker, where manufacturing continues to sputter.
Even with the 6,300 increase, Illinois is still down almost 300,000 manufacturing jobs since 2000.
And it goes on.
* From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics…
Two million [manufacturing] jobs were lost [nationally] between 1980 and 2000 and 5.5 million [manufacturing] jobs were lost between 2000 and 2017.
Huge increases in productivity, trade imbalances, a “skills mismatch,” changes in migration patterns, etc. are all blamed for the loss. Yes, Illinois can do much better. And it appears to be doing better.
* This wasn’t a one-month thing, either. Illinois’ year-over-year was pretty darned strong, too. From the National Association of Manufacturers’ chief economist…
Texas has more than twice Illinois’ population. Michigan is a bit smaller than Illinois.
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* Lever News…
An elderly, ultra-secretive Chicago businessman has given the largest known donation to a political advocacy group in U.S. history — worth $1.6 billion — and the recipient is one of the prime architects of conservatives’ efforts to reshape the American judicial system, including the Supreme Court.
Through a series of opaque transactions over the past two years, Barre Seid, a 90-year-old manufacturing magnate, gave the massive sum to a nonprofit run by Leonard Leo, who co-chairs the conservative legal group the Federalist Society. […]
As President Donald Trump’s adviser on judicial nominations, Leo helped build the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority, which recently eliminated constitutional protections for abortion rights and has made a series of sweeping pro-business decisions. Leo, a conservative Catholic, has both helped select judges to nominate to the Supreme Court and directed multimillion dollar media campaigns to confirm them. […]
Seid, who led the surge protector and data-center equipment maker Tripp Lite for more than half a century, has been almost unknown outside a small circle of political and cultural recipients. The gift immediately vaults him into the ranks of major funders like the Koch brothers and George Soros.
* Barre Seid was well-known in Illinois several years ago. James Merriner called him a “conservative angel” in 1996. Seid was one of an elite group of wealthy businessmen who funded conservative challengers against moderate Republicans, with limited success…
Two Chicago industrialists, Barre Seid and Denis J. Healy, have sunk a combined $3.4 million into conservative causes and candidates in Illinois since 1989. Despite this impressive bankroll, candidates they backed were losers and organizations they subsidized are struggling.
In fact, Republican moderates regularly prevail over the party’s right wing in this state. You might think hard-headed businessmen would demand a better return for their money. In other states, conservatives have realized a payoff for their efforts. They’ve managed to take control of Republican organizations in Iowa, Virginia, Texas and South Carolina. So what gives in Illinois?
As elsewhere, conservatives in this state regularly divide along theoretical and strategic lines, but, as much as anything, personal rancor explains why conservatives can’t seem to top 40 percent of the Illinois GOP primary vote.
Seid and Healy, though far from the whole of the conservative movement here, stand at the head of a class of right-wing donors who consistently play politics at its most pure and personal. The practical give-and-take of mainstream candidates doesn’t appeal to them, nor do the tactics of professional campaign organizers. Thus, beyond nudging the GOP middle toward the right on occasion and nettling one another endlessly, Illinois conservatives have been unable to make any statewide electoral gains.
* An article published in the Washington Post in 1990 shows how Barre bet heavily against Secretary of State Jim Edgar and on losing Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Baer…
Internal enmities that tore the Republican Party asunder in 1964 have reappeared here, with enraged conservative activists firing off a letter to Republican National Committee Chairman Lee Atwater condemning his endorsement of the party establishment’s candidate for Illinois governor.
Atwater has broken precedent by putting the national party organization behind Illinois Secretary of State Jim Edgar for the Republican nomination against an unknown insurgent challenger. That produced this protest from 13 prominent businessmen and industrialists associated with the party’s right wing: ‘’Sending to Illinois a pedigreed pack to go after a plucky underdog is both comic and meretricious. This action will embarrass you and Republicans throughout the country, including us.'’
This view is shared by rank-and-file conservative GOP loyalists who consider Edgar a clone of Gov. James Thompson, finishing a record 14 years as a high-taxing, pro-union Republican. Whereas politicians of both parties see Edgar an easy winner against Democratic State Attorney General Neil Hartigan in November, grass-roots Republicans could sabotage the probable nominee. […]
Stunned Illinois conservatives went to an ally on the National Committee — Morton Blackwell of Virginia — to check it out. When he found out from Deputy Chairman Mary Matalin that the national party was truly endorsing Edgar, Blackwell told her: ‘’One gets on the wrong side of Phyllis Schlafly in Illinois only at your peril.'’
Then came the Jan. 12 letter to Atwater from the 13 businessmen, all URF and Baer backers, asserting the state’s economy and politics have been ‘’pillaged'’ by high taxes and that the signers ‘’would be affronted personally'’ by a national party endorsement. ‘’I didn’t pay much attention to it,'’ Atwater told us, though the signers include some of the state’s heaviest givers: Jack Roeser (Otto Engineering), Frederick Wacker (Liquid Controls), Barre Seid (Tripp-Lite), Dietrich Gross (Mercury Stainless).
Edgar won the three-way primary with 63 percent of the vote. Baer received 34 percent.
* Let’s look at some of Seid’s history of funding Illinois politicians…
* As Steven Baer began his third-party bid for governor the Chicago Tribune reported in 1994, Seid used the United Republican Fund to back him, putting around $715,997 into the fund.
* In 1998, Seid contributed $35,000 to Chris Lauzen, a former Republican member of the Illinois State Senate, when he unsuccessfully ran for Illinois comptroller.
* Seid gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Paul Caprio Family - PAC to support candidates throughout Illinois.
* Seid gave $12,500 to Appellate Judge Robert Steigmann’s failed run for Illinois Supreme Court in 2002. Steigmann wanted to “get buzz” and used the University of Illinois mascot in his TV advertisements, despite a protest from the college.
* The New York Times reported yesterday about how Leo’s trust received the funds to “avoid tax liabilities”…
The Marble Freedom Trust could help conservatives level the playing field — if not surpass the left — in such nonprofit spending, which is commonly referred to as dark money because the groups involved can raise and spend unlimited sums on politics while revealing little about where they got the money or how they spent it.
The cash infusion was arranged through an unusual series of transactions that appear to have avoided tax liabilities. It originated with Mr. Seid, a longtime conservative donor who made a fortune as the chairman and chief executive of an electrical device manufacturing company in Chicago now known as Tripp Lite.
Rather than merely giving cash, Mr. Seid donated 100 percent of the shares of Tripp Lite to Mr. Leo’s nonprofit group before the company was sold to an Irish conglomerate for $1.65 billion, according to tax records provided to The New York Times, corporate filings and a person with knowledge of the matter. […]
Mr. Seid has kept a low political profile in recent years. His last federal campaign donation, in 2008, was to a Republican running for Congress in Illinois, and his name has previously appeared only once in The Times, in 1990, for lending a Republican candidate for governor of Illinois nearly half a million dollars.
* Background on Leonard Leo, now wielder of the unprecedented sum, from CNN…
Marble Freedom is led by Leonard Leo, the co-chairman of the conservative Federalist Society, who advised former President Donald Trump on his Supreme Court picks and runs a sprawling network of other right-wing nonprofits that don’t disclose their donors, which are often referred to as dark money groups. […]
The massive donation instantly makes the Utah-based group one of the most well-funded organizations bankrolling conservative causes in the US – a staggering distinction for a group with zero public profile or even a website. In comparison, the single contribution is more than double the total amount raised by Trump’s presidential campaign committee during the entire 2020 election cycle.
Robert Maguire, the research director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, called the donation “stupefying,” and “by far” the largest known contribution to a dark money political group.
“I’ve never seen a group of this magnitude before,” Maguire said. “This is the kind of money that can help these political operatives and their allies start to move the needle on issues like reshaping the federal judiciary, making it more difficult to vote, a state-by-state campaign to remake election laws and lay the groundwork for undermining future elections.”
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Aug 23, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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