Michael J. Madigan today announced he will resign as the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI), and Vice Chair Karen Yarbrough will be appointed as interim chair of the party until a new chair is named.
First elected in 1998, under Madigan’s leadership, Democrats have held steady as the ‘blue wall’ in the Midwest, held supermajorities in the legislature, passed landmark legislation that has made Illinois a leader in progressive policy, and significantly increased the numbers of women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community serving in state elected office.
“Over the last two decades, we have elected a diverse array of Democrats across Illinois and helped send a hometown Chicago leader to the White House, turning Illinois into a Democratic stronghold in the Midwest,” Madigan said. “Together, we faced conservative extremism and stood up for working men and women. I’m confident the Democratic Party of Illinois will continue to cement our place as a beacon of progressive values. My work would not have been possible without the support of my family, Shirley, Lisa, Tiffany, Nicole and Andrew. I thank each of them for their unwavering love and support that has allowed me to do this work for so long.”
Karen Yarbrough will move into her new role as interim chair after most recently serving as vice chair of DPI.
“One thing everyone knows about Illinois is that it’s a reliably blue state in the Midwest and throughout the country, and that’s in large part because of the leadership of Mike Madigan,” Yarbrough said. “Democrats across Illinois owe Chairman Madigan a huge debt of gratitude for the support, resources and time he’s dedicated to candidates and races at every level. While our party enters a transition and looks to the future, I hope we don’t lose sight of the extraordinary contributions he has made. I thank him for his leadership and wish him the best in his next chapter.”
Madigan’s resignation as chairman is effective immediately. Madigan’s current four-year term as state central committeeman ends following the March primary in 2022. Pursuant to the Illinois Election Code, the 36 members of the Democratic State Central Committee will meet within 30 days to select a new chair to serve for the remainder of the term.
* Speaker Welch…
“I thank Michael Madigan for his 20+ years of service as the chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, which has left us with a supermajority in both chambers of the General Assembly. I have full confidence in the state central committee’s ability to select a new chair. The Illinois Democratic party remains strong, and we will continue our work to create a more equitable state.”
…Adding… From Madigan to party members…
Dear Friends,
I am writing you today to inform you that I am stepping down as the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Vice Chair Karen Yarbrough will serve as interim chair until the Democratic State Central Committee meets to choose a new chair.
I want to use this opportunity to express how honored I have been to lead Illinois Democrats through both challenging and rewarding times. Over the last two decades, we’ve increased the number of women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community serving in elected office in Illinois and helped send a hometown Chicago leader to the White House. We’ve faced conservative extremism and always stood up for the hardworking women and men of Illinois. Together we’ve held steady as the ‘blue wall’ in the Midwest, held supermajorities in the legislature and passed landmark legislation that has made Illinois a leader in progressive policy.
On a personal note, I’ve enjoyed working alongside all of you. Your commitment to Democratic ideals and progressive values has helped make our tent even bigger and put Illinois at the forefront on the most critical issues facing our country.
I’m confident the Democratic Party of Illinois will continue to cement our place as a beacon of progressive values and defender of hardworking men and women.
Of course none of this work would have been possible without the support and sacrifice of my family, Shirley, Lisa, Tiffany, Nicole and Andrew. I thank each of them for their unwavering love and support that has allowed me to do this work for so long.
With kindest personal regards, I remain
Sincerely yours,
Mike
*** UPDATE *** Notice, US Sen. Durbin is not on this list…
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Governor today announced their support for Alderman Michelle Harris to be the next Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois:
“As our nation moves on from the chaos of the Trump years and our state begins charting a brighter path forward under new legislative leadership, the next leader of the Democratic Party of Illinois must continue the progress we’ve made by supporting Democratic candidates who will help working families at the local, state and federal levels equally. We believe Alderman Michelle Harris is best qualified to lead our party forward in the years ahead and are hopeful the State Central Committee will select her to serve as the next Party Chair.”
Durbin has wanted to control the state party for a very long time. Stay tuned, but I doubt he can win this one.
…Adding… I was asked to remove the reference to Lightfoot from the release. Apparently, the statement hadn’t been approved yet by her.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-2) Announces run for Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois
“Today I am announcing my intention to run for Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. With democracy under siege, it’s more important than ever that we have leaders of our party that can appeal to the broad sector of our electorate that represent all 102 counties of our state. The Congressional district I represent is urban, suburban and rural which is a microcosm of the State and gives me a unique perspective and understanding to lead our party forward. I’ve been a strong leader in the party, I have the voice to move Illinois forward. As Chair, I will bring a fresh approach that includes my collaborative and inclusive work ethic. In the coming days, I look forward to sharing my vision about the future of the Democratic Party of Illinois with the members of the State Central Committee. I want to thank Mike Madigan for his service to the Democratic Party.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Sen. Durbin…
“Democrats in Illinois are in our strongest position ever. We cannot rest on our laurels, and we must take this opportunity to look honestly at where we are now, as well as look to the future and lead by example. That is why I am supporting my friend, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, to be the next Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“Robin spent twenty years in Peoria. She’s traveled to every corner of Illinois as a statewide candidate. And she represents a district that’s urban, suburban, and rural. Her experience in Congress, the state legislature, and managing an Illinois constitutional office afford her a breadth of important experience and skill sets. I cannot think of a better person to lead Democrats moving forward in Illinois.
“Alderwoman Michelle Harris is a friend, and she’s a proven leader — clearly evidenced by the trust the Mayor of Chicago has placed in her as City Council floor leader. I want to thank her for her candidacy, and know that whoever is Chair, our party will be in good hands.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** A member of the State Central Committee…
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I support my Good Friend Congresswomen Robyn Kelly to lead the Democratic Party of Illinois as our next Chair it’s time for a woman to lead this party. I am with Robyn 💯
I’m thinking this caption contest probably won’t be successful because 1) He’s a former Senator and y’all hate commenting about the Senate no matter what; and 2) He lost to Radogno in 1996, which is a very long time ago. But, whatevs. Let’s see. Maybe there’s enough old-timers interested in the Senate to push this up to double digits.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,246 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 34 additional deaths.
- Christian County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Cook County: 2 males 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 5 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 6 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 5 males 80s, 1 female 90s
- DuPage County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 80s
- Kane County: 1 male 50s
- Lake County: 1 male 70s
- LaSalle County: 1 female 90s
- Livingston County: 1 female 80s
- Madison County: 1 male 60s
- Peoria County: 1 male 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,175,655 cases, including 20,303 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 37,361 specimens for a total of 17,660,161. As of last night, 1,504 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 377 patients were in the ICU and 169 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 15–21, 2021 is 2.8%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 15–21, 2021 is 3.1%.
A total of doses of 2,256,975 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 445,200 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 2,702,175. A total of 2,211,700 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 282,820 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 55,499 doses. Yesterday, 59,748 doses were administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* Dr. Ezike has an op-ed in the Tribune which reminds folks that the WHO didn’t think there’d even be a vaccine until mid-summer of this year at the earliest…
To date, Illinois has administered the fifth highest number of vaccine doses in the nation, punching above our population rank to do so. Indeed, 12% of our population has received their first dose, which is 15% of our 16+ population — higher than New York and Texas, and tied with California and Florida at time of writing. Ours was one of the first states to announce that those 65 and older would be eligible for vaccine in Phase 1b, because the federal cutoff of 75 and older would deny vaccine to too many Black and brown Illinoisans who were dying at a much earlier age.
But none of this changes a simple truth: There is not enough vaccine in America, or anywhere in the world. And because of it, residents across the nation are scrambling, desperate to secure a place in line for themselves and their loved ones.
The numbers are clear: As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has delivered about 73 million doses nationwide, including roughly 2.7 million to Illinois. While the federal government earmarks which doses are first doses, which are second doses, which are for long-term care facilities and which are for large cities, like Chicago, let’s ballpark those numbers: To date, enough vaccine has gone out the door to vaccinate 36 million Americans, or roughly 11% of the population.
* Tribune live coverage blog headlines…
Far fewer COVID-19 deaths in Illinois nursing homes, where residents and workers were prioritized for vaccination.
A tight job market is forcing some Chicagoans to switch careers, return to school in hopes of landing a job
Preckwinkle, Evanston mayor to tour popup vaccine clinic at senior apartment building
With doses in short supply, thousands of frustrated COVID-19 vaccine seekers are turning to social media for help and getting it
3 days, 10,000 doughnuts. Community rallies around Palatine bakery that asked for help online
Suburbanites are getting COVID-19 vaccine appointments on Chicago’s South and West sides. But should they?
* Yes, I know that he hasn’t even signed the bill as this is published, but my inbox is filling up. Posted in the order they were received starting with the IPHA…
Tom Hughes, Executive Director of the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), released the following statement on Monday:
“As leaders of local health departments, we serve on the frontlines of defending the public’s safety. It is our responsibility to not only protect communities from threats to their health, but to also address threats to the safety of people’s lives and wellbeing, which includes those lost or hurt by systemic racism. Today, we fully recognize the fact that racism is a public health crisis, and commend Gov. JB Pritzker for taking steps to end this crisis by signing House Bill 3653 into law and reforming the criminal justice system in Illinois.”
“In 2020, we joined communities in mourning the lives lost to systemic racism, including the horrific killing of George Floyd, as well as the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and countless others. Structural racism has existed in the criminal justice system for far too long, and House Bill 3653 seeks to make significant changes to help ensure the protection of the civil rights of all people and abolish discriminatory law enforcement strategies, which are goals also shared by the IPHA.
“Structural and systemic racism are woven into everyday life for people of color. We have stood with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus in raising their voices against the injustices that have occurred in the past, and we thank them for developing policies to help prevent acts of racism and violence from happening in the future. As an organization, the IPHA will continue to encourage local health departments to educate the public on ways that structural racism damages lives and communities, and to take an active role in tracking and analyzing data on how racism creates further disparities in health and safety.
“Today marks a historic chapter in advancing our state and improving the physical, mental and emotional health of residents in Illinois. Again, we thank the governor for signing this legislation into law that will help end an epidemic that has threatened and claimed too many lives in our state. We look forward to continue working with the governor, our state legislature and our local community leaders to complete our mission of making a safer and healthier Illinois for all.”
Today Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is set to sign a dangerous bill into law that would end cash bail in Illinois.
Police officers say Illinoisians are “going to see a lot of criminals let loose on the streets.” New York’s experience with cashless bail law is evidence that they’re probably right.
So why have Sean Casten, Lauren Underwood, and Cheri Bustos been silent about a reckless policy that will put their constituents in danger?
Do Sean Casten, Lauren Underwood, and Cheri Bustos support Pritzker’s pro-crime agenda?
* Press release…
Since 2016, the Coalition to End Money Bond and (since 2019) the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice have been organizing alongside impacted communities, advocates, legislators, and faith leaders to end wealth-based pretrial incarceration. Today, that system will face its demise when Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signs the Pretrial Fairness Act into law. The legislation, written by members of the Coalition and Network, transforms the state’s pretrial justice system by implementing a series of common sense reforms, most notably ending the use of money bail to determine who is released while awaiting trial. A diverse array of organizations from across the state endorsed the historic legislation, including racial justice activists, former law enforcement officials, and advocates against domestic violence and sexual assault. In all, more than 100 community, faith-based, and policy organizations have endorsed the legislation, which will have a dramatic effect on the state’s pretrial system.
The Pretrial Fairness Act is contained in HB 3653, criminal justice omnibus bill championed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. The omnibus bill was developed in response to Black Lives Matter protests that erupted in every corner of Illinois and across the nation last summer. Legislators saw the unprecedented protests as a mandate to bring sweeping changes to the state’s criminal justice system.
“By signing this historic legislation into law, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois legislature have taken a bold step to stand with the millions of people that took to the streets in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. All too often, these calls for desperately needed changes to our criminal justice system have been met with empty rhetoric. By ending money bond, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois legislature are setting an example of what prioritizing racial justice and implementing real criminal justice reform looks like,” said Olivia Butts of Black Lives Matter Bloomington-Normal, a member organization of the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice.
From Rockford to East St.Louis and everywhere in between, wealth-based incarceration has destabilized communities by caging people not because they pose a danger to the community but because of the size of their bank account. Ninety percent of people incarcerated in Illinois’ 92 county jails are awaiting trial, and a majority of them are caged only because they can’t afford to pay a money bond. This destabilization has made our communities less safe, even while claiming to be done in the name of public safety. The Pretrial Fairness Act will impact tens of thousands of people every year who previously would have been incarcerated while awaiting trial, sometimes for years at a time, due to poverty.
“In 30 seconds, a judge set my money bond at $20,000 and changed the course of my life. I spent 14 months in jail. As a consequence, I lost my business, housing, and I nearly lost custody of my children. When I heard that Governor Pritzker was signing the Pretrial Fairness Act, I began to cry knowing that never again will families in our state experience the pain mine did,” said Lavette Mayes, an advocate with the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice and the Coalition to End Money Bond.
“The signing of the Pretrial Fairness Act is a victory for people across the state. It shows what is possible when communities organize together to address racism and systemic inequality. People incarcerated pretrial are coerced into accepting plea deals that result in longer prison sentences and even more arrests in the future. By ending money bond, Illinois is not just ending wealth-based pretrial incarceration, we are beginning to meaningfully address mass incarceration,” said Sharone Mitchell, Director of the Illinois Justice Project, a member organization of the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice and the Coalition to End Money Bond.
* Leader Durkin…
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) released the following statement on the signing of House Bill 3653 into law:
“The Governor’s support of House Bill 3653 is an insult to our first responders, law enforcement and the law-abiding citizens of Illinois who want to live free of violence and destruction from the criminal element. It’s clear that Governor Pritzker does not understand this bill and what it means to our criminal justice system. Illinois and its citizens will not be safer because of this bill.
We live in a civilized state where our elected officials’ greatest responsibility is the health and safety of Illinois citizens. This past year, Chicago has been traumatized with epic acts of violence through murders and car-jackings with no apparent end in sight. At a crucial time when we should coalesce around the good men and women of law enforcement, Governor Pritzker has turned his back on them with his signature on House Bill 3653.”
* Rep. Mazzochi…
State Representative Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) released the following statement in response to the signing of House Bill 3653, an omnibus crime and policing bill:
“Governor Pritzker today is signing HB 3653 at a vacant college campus, and heralding it as a model of reform. It was a bill that could only be passed by squelching debate, the barest of majorities, in the dead of night, in a lame duck session. It was opposed by a bipartisan coalition of DuPage legislators. It also was opposed by the law enforcement agencies and municipalities in my and surrounding districts.
No-one disputes our police should be accountable to the people they protect and serve. But for any bill, you have to ask, who is better off as a result of this bill? Not honest police officers. Not prosecutors and judges who try to keep dangerous people off the street. Not families who live in neighborhoods that need law enforcement to keep them safe.
Governor Pritzker is one of the wealthiest men in the nation. He can afford to hire personal security and insulate himself from the consequences of this legislation. The rest of us are on our own.
In 2018, the General Assembly enacted sweeping bail reform changes so that the rest of Illinois would have to follow Chicago practices. It has not made us safer or better. In DuPage County we experienced the negative impacts of the last “reform”, including increased failures to appear in court; increased carjackings; and home invasions. As just one example, in August, three men terrorized and threatened two families in DuPage. One of those men was wearing an ankle monitor from a previous arrest and was able to participate in these heinous crimes as a result of previously lowering bail standards.
Rather than learn from that, the Democrats in the General Assembly and Governor Pritzker today are doubling down on dysfunction.
It is shameless pandering for political favor within the activist wing of the Democratic party, and comes at the cost of people’s personal safety. This is not acceptable.
Governor Pritzker is failing at Government 101: keeping our residents protected, safe, and secure in their homes and lives.”
I will probably put most legislative responses on the live coverage post, but I wanted to give you a sample here. Also, to my knowledge, the bill’s sponsors do not have bodyguards.
…Adding… ILGOP…
“Governor Pritzker will regret signing HB 3653, an outgrowth of the “defund police” movement. In signing this bill, the Governor is willfully undermining public safety - endangering citizens, emboldening criminals, and making Illinois less safe for families.
Don’t just take it from me. Every police association in this state has condemned this bill.
With the ending of cash bail, HB 3653 mandates the immediate release of persons arrested for burglary, arson, and kidnapping onto our streets while they await trial. The bill legalizes resistance to arrest in many cases and allows anonymous complaints to end a police officer’s career. If a body cam malfunctions or is not turned on properly during an incident, the police officer could now face a class 3 felony and up to five years in jail. Pritzker’s signing of this bill has ensured that police protection in Illinois will become more passive and criminals will become more aggressive.
It’s no surprise that in a recent statewide poll of law enforcement, 66% of police officers will now consider retiring early. Standing firmly behind the thin blue line, Illinois Republicans are appalled at the signing of this bill representing an all out attack on both public safety and the brave men and women who provide it.” - Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy
This anonymous complaints thing is truly weird to me. If somebody is eventually prosecuted for wrongdoing, who cares how the first tip came in the door? I mean, the police have been soliciting and acting on anonymous tips forever.
* Paul Schimpf…
Today, Senator Paul Schimpf, Republican Candidate for Governor released the following statement in response to Governor Pritzker signing House Bill 3653:
“By signing HB 3653 into law today, JB Pritzker failed the people of Illinois in terms of both policy and leadership. Adamantly opposed by nearly all Illinois law enforcement leaders, HB 3653 makes Illinois communities and families less safe. Even more troubling, the legislation’s passage during an overnight, lame-duck session vote lacked meaningful scrutiny and review. As Governor, I will veto all legislation that fails to comply with minimum levels of transparency.”
* The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge, FOP Labor Council, FOP Chicago Lodge 7, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police…
“In signing this bill into law, Governor Pritzker chose to listen to a few strident political voices rather than the 120,000 petition signing citizens who plainly saw the bill for what it is. This new law is a blatant move to punish an entire, honorable profession that will end up hurting law-abiding citizens the most. Because we are sworn to protect and serve the public, we sincerely hope that we will not be proven right about this new law, that it won’t cause police officers to leave the profession in droves and handcuff those who remain so they can’t stop crimes against people and property. Please don’t let us measure its dismal failure by the shattered lives it produces. We urge all citizens to remember who supported this law, and keep that in mind the next time they look to the police in Illinois for the protection they can no longer provide.”
* Alliance for Safety and Justice…
Governor J.B Pritzker today signed a comprehensive public safety reform package – spearheaded by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus – that prioritize rehabilitation and supports communities most impacted by crime but least served by the current criminal justice system. The legislation’s reforms include improvements to the state’s sentence credit program to reduce recidivism and over-incarceration, as well as a lowering of barriers for crime survivors to access victim services – changes championed by the Alliance for Safety and Justice, with widespread support among crime survivors throughout Illinois. HB 3653 is part of a years-long effort to make communities safer by tackling unaddressed trauma and ending cycles of crime.
“For far too long, the criminal justice system has focused on over-incarceration policies and ignored crime survivors’ public safety priorities – but today, Governor Pritzker has set Illinois on a course towards a safer and more equitable future,” said Aswad Thomas, managing director of the Alliance for Safety and Justice’s flagship program, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. “These reforms are critical to addressing trauma and fostering healthier communities, while focusing on rehabilitative approaches that stop cycles of crime. Governor Pritzker, the Legislative Black Caucus, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul deserve immense credit for prioritizing crime victims and public safety with this historic legislation.”
“Thanks to Governor Pritzker and the state legislature, Illinois is making major progress toward rethinking public safety and advancing new approaches to make communities safer,” said Lenore Anderson, President of the Alliance for Safety and Justice. “Through investments in prevention, rehabilitation, and the expansion of victim services, Illinois leaders are supporting communities that have been long neglected by the current system. Improving public safety and public health go hand in hand.”
“I know firsthand about the trauma and pain that comes from losing a loved one, but with today’s bill signing, communities across Illinois will now have the tools to heal and be made safer,” said Bertha Purnell, coordinator of the Chicago chapter for Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. “Illinois crime survivors supported this bill because we need policies addressing the root causes of crime, as well as expanded victims services for communities left behind by the current system. Thanks to Governor Pritzker, today is a victory for crime survivors and for those who want safer communities for all.”
“Today, Illinois has become a shining example for how we can approach public safety to make our communities safer, fairer, and more just,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth. “With the signing of this bill, we’re standing firmly on the side of crime survivors as we commit to addressing trauma and ending cycles of crime. The reforms we’ve enacted will shift our priorities towards prevention and rehabilitation – which has been proven to make communities safer. I’m proud to support this historic legislation alongside Governor Pritzker and the Legislative Black Caucus as we look towards a safer and fairer Illinois.”
* ILBC…
Members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus (ILBC) joined Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton Monday to celebrate the signing of House Bill 3653, a historic measure to advance fairness and equity in the criminal justice system, into law.
“These landmark reforms begin a process of building trust through accountability and addressing elements of our criminal justice system that contribute to mass incarceration and the unjust criminalization of people of color,” said state Rep. Sonya Harper, Joint Chair for the ILBC. “These measures begin to build a smarter system where sentencing and bail decisions are based on the safety of the public rather than the wealth and skin color of the defendant, and where bad actors in our police departments are held accountable while those who serve with integrity have the resources they need.”
“These reforms should merely be the first steps we take to transform criminal justice in Illinois,” said state Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, the chief sponsor of the law in the state senate. “We must reimagine accountability. We must reimagine transparency. We must reimagine incarceration. These reforms are a beginning.”
“This historic moment is the result of a monumental effort on the part of countless people, from those who testified during the 30 hours of public hearings on these issues, to those who have pushed for some of these reforms for years, and especially to the Illinoisans who signaled their support,” Sims said. “I thank them for lifting up their voices and never giving up, and I thank Gov. Pritzker for making these measures the law of the land. The journey continues.”
“HB 3653 is a bold and transformative initiative that comprehensively brings fairness and equity to our criminal justice system,” said state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, who shepherded the measure through the state house. “By effectively addressing police reform, mass incarceration and violence reduction, HB 3653 enhances public safety for all communities.”
“Today is a historic first step toward winning real safety and justice in our communities,” said Black Caucus Senate Chair state Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago. “The road to this point has been long and has been filled with difficulties, but after we celebrate today’s victory, we must keep up the fight. The public health, economic and systemic racism crises are still impacting our lives on a daily basis.”
“This is a great day for our community, and it also holds a special place for me personally. Long before I joined the Senate, I was a community organizer, and one of the major issues I fought for was ending money bond,” said Peters. “It’s a bit surreal to be standing here today to see that the fight paid off and money bond will soon be abolished at a state level, and it inspires me to keep up advocating for our communities. At the end of the day this isn’t about me, but all of us, working toward making everyone in this state whole.”
“The signing of HB 3653 is monumental. We built a broad coalition, led by advocates and activists, to push to create real reform. This legislation is a step forward to address generations of systemic inequity. We’ve called this criminal justice reform, but the truth is that we don’t actually have a criminal justice system because we have seen no justice,” said Black Caucus House Chair state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago. “No justice for victims, no justice for the criminally accused and criminally involved, and no justice for the communities that have been left in the wake. We have a criminal legal system that focuses more on convictions, sentencing and profits than on addressing deficiencies, people and correction. We now have an opportunity to lead the nation by showing what a more just, equitable, transparent and accountable system looks like. It’s time for all of us to turn the corner and push Illinois in the right direction.”
“I was touched when I heard from so many people from every walk of life that enough was enough during the Black Lives Matter movement protests last spring. That spurred me, as chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, to initiate our four-pillar policy reform process,” said Senate Majority Leader Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford, D-Maywood, who served as Black Caucus chair from January 2015 to January 2021. “I am so proud that we have taken this historic step to rid Illinois of systemic racism. As a Black woman and a mother, I look forward to a day when our children can turn to the police with trust instead of fear, and this law is the first step we need to get there.”
* Illinois Justice Project…
This package of criminal justice reforms is nothing short of historic. Long debated and long necessary, the changes in policing, prosecution and incarceration will make the system more fair and our communities safer.
Many in law enforcement have acknowledged the need for improvements and have embraced change. Yet, some opponents used scare tactics in an attempt to derail the reforms. We commend Gov. Pritzker for rejecting their demagogic and false claims and urge everyone in the system to work together to implement these steps to make our communities safer.
We are especially grateful to the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, whose members fought so hard for these reforms, listened to all sides and refined the bill for months prior to passage by the General Assembly. Sen. Elgie Sims and Representatives Robert Peters and Justin Slaughter were tenacious in their pursuit of these reforms, especially the abolition of the requirement to pay cash to leave jail before trial.
The end of cash bond – one of the most important reforms – will put meaning into our criminal justice system’s ‘presumption of innocence.’ When effective in two years, judges will be able to detain anyone determined to be a threat to the community or unlikely to return for a court date, but no one else will be required to come up with cash to buy their release from jail prior to a trial.
The dozens of organizations and individuals making up the Coalition to End Money Bond are indicative of the large number of supporters, which includes two of the state’s leading prosecutors – Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Lake County State’s Attorney Eric F. Rinehart.
* John Howard Association…
JHA is thrilled that the Governor signed House Bill (HB) 3653, omnibus criminal justice reform legislation, now known as the SAFE-T Act (Safety Accountability Fairness Equity Today) into law. There is more work to be done, but with the enactment of this law, Illinois takes an important step towards achieving a better system for our state — one that prioritizes equity and fairness along with public safety and smart resource allocation.
JHA is Illinois’ only independent citizen correctional oversight organization. Our work and mission are focused on increasing the transparency of our criminal justice system and shining a light on problems and unfairness in order to address issues and hold systems accountable. It is in identifying what we are doing wrong, exposing it, and advancing reforms to rectify these wrongs that we can begin to have a system that recognizes and respects the dignity and humanity of all people.
This legislation, in pieces, has been a long time in coming. Some key reforms ushered in by the SAFE-T Act include:
Eliminating a wealth-based system of bail that penalizes the poor without improving public safety or justice system outcomes
Reforming how police are trained, should behave on the job, and held accountable to performing their responsibilities with honesty and fairness
Recognizing the need to increase publicly available information about the men and women who die while in the custody of criminal justice agencies without loved ones available
Reducing unnecessary restrictions of liberty imposed upon criminal justice-involved people
These are not new ideas, conversations, or even legislative proposals in Illinois. It has taken years to recognize and respond to the urgent needs of people impacted by our criminal justice system that have too long been discussed but not addressed.
Improved systems of policing, criminal legal processes, and correctional outcomes help our communities and make better use of limited resources and taxpayer funds.
JHA believes that HB 3653 will lead to important system improvements. Included in the SAFE-T Act are two specific provisions that we championed: the modernization of the Mandatory Supervised Release (MSR) statute and the establishment of the Death in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA).
* Speaker Welch…
“For too long, systemic racism has plagued our criminal justice system. In fact, it has been used to perpetuate a system of injustice. Today, I am proud to say that our state is taking steps to end that. I applaud Governor Pritzker for swiftly signing this bill into law; and I especially applaud my colleagues in the General Assembly who have been working towards this for years. Being Black or Brown in America is not a crime. Being poor in America is not crime. Today our laws will reflect that a bit more. But there’s certainly more to do.”
* Restore Justice…
Thank you, Governor JB Pritzker and members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. This afternoon, Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 3653, Senate Amendment 2 into law.
This extensive, multi-faceted legislation will address some of the most devastating, racially unjust practices that plague Illinois communities. It will end wealth-based pretrial incarceration, improve Illinois’s sentencing laws, ensure police officers wear body cameras, require the Illinois Department of Corrections to provide information about deaths in custody, and end prison gerrymandering, among other much-needed changes. Here’s a summary of the omnibus legislation.
Restore Justice is particularly grateful legislators included felony-murder reform in this bill. Read our testimony about the felony-murder law. Until this newly passed proposal takes effect, Illinois has one of the broadest felony murder-statutes in the country. This law incarcerates children and young adults for murders they didn’t commit. It doesn’t make us safer, but it does rob these young people of their futures and their families and communities of their voices. The majority of states either don’t have felony-murder statutes or only hold people accountable for deaths they or their co-defendants cause. HB 3653, SA 2 will move Illinois into that category.
It’s long past time to make Illinois’s laws fairer and to acknowledge the role racism plays at every stage of the criminal legal system. Passing this omnibus bill and fixing the felony-murder statute are important steps in advancing justice in our state.
Lawmakers held more than 30 hearings about this bill and have been discussing the provisions for years. Committee leaders invited all stakeholders to the table for these conversations. The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus crafted the bill and included proposals that have been debated and made progress in previous sessions. Thank you to the entire Legislative Black Caucus, especially Illinois Senate Criminal Law Committee Chairman Elgie Sims (D-Chicago), Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), and Representative Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago). Thank you for leading the way to make Illinois a better state.
…Adding… Gov. Pritzker…
Building on efforts to create a more equitable and safe criminal justice system, Governor JB Pritzker signed landmark legislation that transforms Illinois’ criminal justice system. This landmark legislation ends a pretrial detention system that benefits the wealthy, expands training and wellness programs for law enforcement, modernizes sentencing laws, and prioritizes treatment and rehabilitation for low-level drug crimes.
“This legislation marks a substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism that plagues our communities, our state and our nation and brings us closer to true safety, true fairness and true justice,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In this terrible year, in the middle of a brutal viral pandemic that hurt Black people and Brown people disproportionately, lawmakers fought to address the pandemic of systemic racism in the wake of national protests. This bill was also infused with solutions from individuals most directly impacted: survivors of domestic violence, survivors of crime, and those who have been detained pre-trial only because they are poor. Today we advance our values in the law – progress secured despite the pandemic, because of the passion and push of the Legislative Black Caucus, activists, advocates, and residents intent on leaving a better Illinois for all our children.”
“Black History is about monumental moments and movements that serve as catalysts for change. Today, with the signing of HB 3653, it is both,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for Governor Pritzker and members of the Illinois Black Caucus. They used their seats of power to effectuate change that will alter the trajectory of lives, families, and entire communities for generations to come.”
House Bill 3653 expands safety, fairness, and justice by transforming the state’s criminal justice system and enacting statewide police reforms through the following:
• Moves Illinois from a system of pretrial detention that prioritizes wealth, to one that prioritizes public safety.
• Diverts low-level drug crimes into substance use programs and treatments.
• Modernizes sentencing laws and streamlines the victims’ compensation system.
• Requires more investments in officer training, mental health, and officer wellness.
• Expands training opportunities for officers, requires health and wellness services for officers, and protects officers from unjust lawsuits based on their reasonable actions.
• Sets statewide standards on use of force, crowd control responses, de-escalation, and arrest techniques.
• Requires the use of body-worn cameras by police departments statewide.
• Professionalizes policing through the creation of a more robust certification system and lays out clear standards and processes for decertification.
• Expands accountability across police departments by requiring the permanent retention of police misconduct records and removes the sworn affidavit requirement when filing police misconduct complaints.
• Requires police departments to develop plans to protect vulnerable people present during search warrant raids.
• Eliminates license suspensions for unpaid fines and fees due to red light camera and traffic offenses.
• Ends prison gerrymandering.
• Expands services for crime victims.
“These reforms should merely be the first steps we take to transform criminal justice in Illinois,” said State Senator Elgie Sims. “We must reimagine accountability. We must reimagine transparency. We must reimagine incarceration. These reforms are a beginning. This historic moment is the result of a monumental effort on the part of countless people, from those who testified during the 30 hours of public hearings on these issues, to those who have pushed for some of these reforms for years, and especially to the Illinoisans who signaled their support. I thank them for lifting up their voices and never giving up, and I thank Gov. Pritzker for making these measures the law of the land. The journey continues.”
“HB 3653 is a bold and transformative initiative that comprehensively brings fairness and equity to our criminal justice system,” said State Representative Justin Slaughter. “By effectively addressing police reform, mass incarceration, and violence reduction, HB 3653 will enhance public safety for all communities. The time is now to go from protest to progress.”
“As a former community organizer, I fought side by side with the Coalition to End Money Bond,” said State Senator Robert Peters. “Today, to see that the fight paid off and that money bond will soon be abolished at the state level inspires me to continue fighting for our communities. Together we must continue to work toward making everyone in this state whole.”
“The historical inequities of our criminal justice system do not just disappear with the passage of time; that takes effort and courage,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “Today I thank the Governor and our legislators for their effort and courage, doing what it takes us to lead us into a brighter future. For a decade now we’ve worked to reduce our reliance on the antiquated system of cash bail in Cook County; and our efforts have shown that we have been able to do so safely. This work, coupled with the decades of advocacy and expertise from throughout the state and from the communities most affected by crime, have informed this brave and just piece of legislation.”
“The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence commends Governor Pritzker on signing into law HB 3653,” said Amanda Pyron, Executive Director of The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence. “This bill provides for detention hearings for those accused of domestic and sexual violence, while ensuring those accused of non-violent crimes are not punished for being poor. Survivors will have notice of hearings and the opportunity to obtain orders of protection in the pre-trial phase. The Network applauds Governor Pritzker and the Legislative Black Caucus for protecting survivors and advancing racial equity through criminal justice reform. Justice for survivors cannot be achieved without racial and economic justice.”
HB 3653 was the result of years of work by community advocates, lawmakers, and members of law enforcement. The legislation was an initiative of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and the culmination of nine public hearings, 30 hours of testimony, and countless meetings with law enforcement, community members, and advocates.
HB 3653 is effective July 1, 2021, except for certain provisions that are effective either January 1, 2022 (use of force changes), January 1, 2023 (Pretrial Fairness Act), and January 1, 2025 (prison gerrymandering).
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today applauded Governor JB Pritzker for signing into law criminal justice reform legislation that includes Raoul’s initiative to improve the police certification and decertification process. The measure is part of Attorney General Raoul’s ongoing work to advocate for policies that make lasting, systemic change to policing in Illinois. The new law also includes Raoul’s proposals to allow the Attorney General’s office to conduct pattern-and-practice investigations of civil rights violations by law enforcement and improve services for survivors of crimes.
“By signing this law, Governor Pritzker puts Illinois firmly on the path toward improved services for crime victims, comprehensive criminal justice reform and constitutional policing,” Raoul said. “I am proud of the continued work and collaboration between my office, law enforcement, advocates and legislators to enact meaningful new laws that will not only promote professionalism, increase transparency and restore the public’s trust in law enforcement, but also enhance services available to victims of crime. While today is a significant step forward, lasting reform is a constant work in progress, and I am committed to continuing to work alongside our partners in law enforcement to improve policing in communities across Illinois.”
“This legislation marks a substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism that plagues our communities, our state and our nation and brings us closer to true safety, true fairness and true justice,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In this terrible year, in the middle of a brutal viral pandemic that hurt Black people and Brown people disproportionately, lawmakers fought to address the pandemic of systemic racism in the wake of national protests. This bill was also infused with solutions from individuals most directly impacted: survivors of domestic violence, survivors of crime, and those who have been detained pre-trial only because they are poor. Today we advance our values in the law – progress secured despite the pandemic, because of the passion and push of the Legislative Black Caucus, activists, advocates, and residents intent on leaving a better Illinois for all our children.”
House Bill 3653 was sponsored by Sen. Elgie Sims and Rep. Justin Slaughter and includes Raoul’s proposal for improving the police certification and decertification process that focuses on three key areas for reform: creating uniformity for officers and departments across the state, promoting professionalism in law enforcement, and increasing transparency.
Before this new law, the ways in which law enforcement and state’s attorneys investigate and take action in response to officer misconduct varied from department to department. Additionally, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) could decertify an officer only in the event of a felony conviction and a limited list of misdemeanors. Raoul’s measure will improve the police certification and decertification process in Illinois by creating uniformity during the review process to allow for investigations of serious officer misconduct that may not automatically lead to decertification but still warrants a review of the officer’s actions. The law also promotes professionalism by creating a mandatory reporting system to ensure officers are in compliance with state professionalism standards. Additionally, Raoul’s measure will increase transparency by improving information sharing between hiring departments, departments and prosecutors, and the ILETSB and the public.
Attorney General Raoul’s proposal to give the Illinois Attorney General’s office clear authority under state law to investigate and resolve patterns or practices of unconstitutional policing by local and state agencies also was included in the legislation and signed into law today. Raoul previously led discussions with Congressional leadership to ensure federal law gives state attorneys general authority to conduct investigations into patterns or practices of unconstitutional policing. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 was amended as a result, and the legislation was passed last year by the U.S. House of Representatives – but not by the U.S. Senate. The law signed today codifies the Illinois Attorney General’s authority to conduct such investigations in state law.
Additionally, Governor Pritzker signed into law Raoul’s improvements to the state’s Crime Victim Compensation Program that would enable the Attorney General’s office to more efficiently administer benefits in order to make resources more accessible to survivors. Modernizing the program not only will allow the Attorney General’s office to better meet crime victims’ immediate needs but also will contribute to breaking the cycle of community violence.
The Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau enforces state and federal civil rights laws to prohibit discrimination in Illinois, and advocates for legislation to strengthen those laws. Raoul encourages people who need to file a complaint to do so online or by calling the Civil Rights Hotline at 1-877-581-3692.
Attorney General Raoul encourages individuals who have been impacted by a violent crime to call his office’s Crime Victims Assistance Line at 1-800-228-3368 or visit the Attorney General’s website.
* Sen. John Curran on behalf of the SGOP caucus…
On Monday, Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 3653 into law. The 700+ page legislation makes sweeping changes to Illinois’ criminal justice system, and the bill was opposed by nearly every law enforcement organization in the state. In response to the signing of the legislation, Illinois State Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) issued the following statement:
“Gov. Pritzker has enacted this hyper-partisan legislation against the strong objections of nearly every law enforcement organization in the state, and against the great concern of the general public.
“This 700-plus page proposal was rammed through in the middle of the night with just hours left in a Lame Duck session without the transparency and discourse expected in a democratic process.
“There are some positives in this legislation – specifically the changes that make it easier to reprimand and de-certify bad actors in law enforcement who have broken the public’s trust. Unfortunately, the negatives, which could have been further negotiated had the sponsors been open to bipartisan support, will undoubtedly make our communities less safe.
“Since House Bill 3653 passed, Senate Republicans have hosted about 30 virtual town halls with our local law enforcement groups in an attempt to better understand how these provisions will negatively affect their departments and our communities. We will be addressing some of their biggest concerns through legislation to be introduced this session to help ensure Illinois communities are safe for all.”
* Press release…
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said Monday he was proud to participate in the enactment of a law adding new criminal justice protections including the end of cash bail, a mandate for police body cameras and increased police training.
The SAFE-T Act, which includes the Pretrial Fairness Act, was signed into law Monday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“While we are finally ending the injustice of dangerous people buying their freedom, we are also codifying what each of us know to be true — no one should be in jail simply because they are poor,” State’s Attorney Rinehart said.
He joined several other officials, including Attorney General Kwame Raoul, in explaining the importance of the new law in establishing both equality and increased safety.
“Unjustly jailing those who pose no risk to the community creates a ripple effect, perpetuating cycles of poverty and crime,” Rinehart said, thanking the governor, as well as other leaders and legislators, who championed the reform bill.
“Thank you to the General Assembly for boldly proclaiming that the criminal justice system must do more to protect all people,” he said.
State’s Attorney Rinehart said reforms in the bill will better protect victims from their abusers, “because judges can end the turn-style that releases those who would use their wealth to evade jail.”
“For this reason, the most pre-eminent victims’ advocate groups support this reform,” he said. “The most accomplished and passionate advocates for victims support this bill”
The State’s Attorney said that instead of turning questions of liberty and justice “into ones of dollars and cents,” judges will have to clearly state why they believe someone should be held or released.
“This transparency will take us inside a judge’s reasoning, and is critical in a system that has failed to live up to the ideal of “’equal justice for all,’” he said
“Good and principled people now have the tools they need to fight systemic discrimination, to bring transparency and accountability to policing, and to ensure that justice is determined by the merit of the matter, and not race, gender, access to money,” Rinehart said.
* Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities…
“With Governor JB Pritzker’s signature on House Bill 3653, Illinois has taken real steps to further safety, justice, and behavior health interests for all communities across the state.
The TASC Center for Health & Justice’s recommendations to the State’s deflection statute, incorporated in the new law, move deflection toward a broader public health and prevention design, encouraging implementation consistent with emerging best practices, and supporting development and implementation in marginalized communities.
The new law connects substance use programs with first responder duties by expanding the definition of “deflection” to also make non-law enforcement first responders—EMS and fire departments—eligible to lead deflection programs and apply for state grant money. The law also explicitly acknowledges co-responder approaches that incorporate behavioral health professionals, social workers, or peers at the scene and in follow-up care.
Moreover, an end to the State’s wealth-based incarceration through the elimination of cash bail and an end to prison gerrymandering that counts people in prison at their prison residences (rather than legal home residences) for purposes of redistricting are fundamental, needed, and transformational changes.”
* Sen. Jason Barickman wants to recriminalize small amounts of cannabis possession for those under 21 with SB299…
Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Provides that a person under 21 years of age who possesses 30 grams or less of cannabis is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor (rather than a civil law violation). Provides that a person under 21 years of age who possesses more than 30 grams of cannabis is subject to the penalties provided in the Cannabis Control Act. Effective immediately.
* Meanwhile, similar telehealth legislation was proposed last May and didn’t survive…
The Coalition to Protect Telehealth has announced support for a legislative proposal to protect Illinoisans’ access to the innovative telehealth services they have relied on receiving from health care professionals and providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Introduced by State Rep. Deb Conroy (46th House District), House Bill 3498 ensures quality, affordable and safe virtual healthcare that improves patient outcomes by reducing access barriers will continue to be provided after the COVID-19 pandemic. Critically, the legislation aligns telehealth coverage and payment with in-person care, making appropriate patient access to care the priority.
“Over the last year, we’ve seen significant, rapid development in telehealth technology. Initially spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, both state and federal government enacted policy changes to make telehealth services easier to access and, as a result, healthcare providers, professionals and patients have seen that virtual care preserves quality and safety, while also accommodating patients’ individual needs,” said Rep. Conroy. “Illinois should support this continued investment in telehealth and the important role it will play in modernizing healthcare delivery and empowering patients.”
Importantly, House Bill 3498 prohibits geographic or facility restrictions on telehealth services, and allows patients to be treated via telehealth in their home. The legislation establishes patients will not be required to use a separate panel of providers or professionals to receive telehealth services, nor would they be required to prove a hardship or access barrier in order to receive telehealth services. The legislation further protects patient preference by establishing a patient cannot be required to use telehealth services.
Additionally, House Bill 3498 gives healthcare providers and professionals the professional latitude to determine the appropriateness of specific sites and technology platforms for telehealth services, while upholding federal and state privacy laws.
Even as in-person visits have resumed, telehealth use has remained at a persistent and significant level, with strong indication from patients, healthcare providers and professionals that this flexibility to access care must be maintained permanently.
Telehealth use has been demonstrated to increase care plan adherence and improved chronic disease management, and in recent surveys, over 70% of Illinois hospital respondents and 78% of community-based behavioral healthcare respondents reported that telehealth has helped drive a reduction in the rates at which patients missed appointments. Surveys of Illinois physicians, community health centers, and specialized mental health and substance use disorder treatment providers have also revealed similar dramatic reductions in missed appointments.
Like clockwork, an Illinois lawmaker proposes a bill each legislative session to remove public notices from newspapers and instead post them only on government websites.
This session is no different. Rep. Jonathon Carroll (D-Northbrook) has introduced House Bill 811 with two co-sponsors — Rep. Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove) and Rep. Sam Yingling (D- Round Lake Beach). So far, the proposal has not been assigned to a committee.
But just as bills that have come and gone before it — Rep. Joseph Sosnowski introduced a similar proposal that was defeated in 2017 — HB 811 is a bad idea. And again, lawmakers should reject it.
Newspapers have played a vital role in providing transparency about government by publishing public notices. It has worked for more than 150 years. As the neutral third party, newspapers help protect government from denying the public information they have the right to know about such as meetings, hearings, court actions, contract bidding, unclaimed funds and more. Along with open meetings, freedom of information laws, public notices are an essential element to keeping government transparent.
But with Madigan still heading the statewide Democratic Party — the party to which Welch, Pritzker and Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park belong — and with Madigan’s continuing control of the political funds, Republicans would have even more ammunition to tie Democratic candidates to “dirty money” from Madigan, according to Redfield.
Madigan’s involvement with the campaign money also could confuse donors who in the past maximized the amount of money they could legally give to Democrats by donating to one of four funds controlled by Madigan, Redfield said. Madigan was able to legally transfer the money between funds.
But with Madigan no longer directly involved with legislation, donations to some of those funds would come with less assurance the money would influence bills or gain access to lawmakers, Redfield said.
Um, setting the “Madigan” question aside, wouldn’t it be a good thing if DPI contributions were no longer tied to state legislation? Some parts of that story were just… odd. For instance, despite the “Madigan” warnings to Senate Democrats, that caucus actually picked up a net seat last year, which wasn’t mentioned.
Bill Houlihan, a Springfield resident and an Illinois Democratic State Central Committee representative for the 18th Congressional District, wouldn’t comment on whether Madigan should resign.
Houlihan is Dick Durbin’s guy. Durbin has long wanted to control the state party and called on Madigan to quit the DPI chairmanship last year. Interesting that Houlihan wouldn’t comment now.
“I’m going to be an active Democrat. I will be an active Democrat in whatever role is available to me,” he said. Asked if he had made a decision about stepping down from the state party chairmanship, Madigan said, “We haven’t gotten to that bridge yet.” Asked when that would be, he said, “I have no idea.”
“I don’t feel a need to step down,” he said.
Others would differ, of course. Lots of others.
* The Question: Should Michael Madigan step aside as DPI Chair? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
* WGN-TV Political Reporter Tahman Bradley recently interviewed House Speaker Chris Welch. An excerpt…
TB: Let’s move on and discuss what the House will look like under Speaker Welch. Now, all bills filed on time will be required to be assigned to committees, but the committee chairmen can still decide whether or not they come to a vote. In other words, your committee chairmen can kill Republican ideas before they’re even brought up. So what’s different?
SCW: Well I mean first of all, I think that this is representative of a democracy. We are a super majority and we have the ability to govern the state because we won elections. But what our colleagues on the other side of the House should do is instead of complaining about rules that they helped to write many, many years ago - many of these same rules were in place when Lee Daniels was a Republican Speaker of the House - they should work their bills, they should work with those chairmen and get those bills out of committee, because the chairmen are in charge of those committees. And I think that’s very important. Not the speaker, not the minority leader, it’s each individual chairperson of those committees. They taught me as a freshman legislator eight years ago, work your bills, go to both sides of the aisle. Democrats and Republicans and my friends on the other side of the aisle should do that as well.
TB: Mr Speaker, why not allow an up or down vote on every bill that’s filed?
SCW: Well, you know, one of the things that the rules allow us to do is manage this process. Tahman, you’ve covered Springfield for a long time, a lot of bills get filed. We have to be out of there by May 31st at midnight, or a different process kicks in. And our friends on the other side of the aisle use a tactic to slow things down. We want to get things done, and they want to slow things down. And so if you don’t have rules in place that allow you to manage the process, they’ll kill good legislation just by slowing you down.
TB: Mr. Speaker, the Springfield practice of unveiling major pieces of legislation at the 11th Hour has long been complained about. What steps have you taken to end the practice of a lawmaker filing an amendment with only a few hours left in session? There are a couple minutes of debate and the next thing you know people are voting on something they’ve not read.
SCW: Well let me correct something that you said there. It’s been a long standing practice, but not because it’s a surprise. The negotiation process, many times you’re in working groups that have been going on for weeks and months, and the work of those working groups come about the agreement at the very last minute. And so, we have to eliminate the political spin and get past that rhetoric and recognize that a lot of amendments that are filed is the work of bipartisan working groups, agencies and several different parties. Just like with this past lame duck session with the Black Caucus pillars. Those bills were worked on for months, several people at the table. And so when there’s this talk that amendments were popping out at the last minute, that’s not quite true. Those things have been worked on for weeks and months as part of the process.
* The governor included funding for programs connected to the criminal justice reform bill in his proposed budget last week. The only real question was when he would sign the bill. Today’s the day…
Gov. JB Pritzker will sign a massive criminal justice reform bill Monday.
The bill, which is over 700 pages in length, will eliminate cash bail in Illinois. It will let [accused] criminal offenders be set free without waiting in jail for their court date if they cannot afford bail. A judge would issue pre-trial release conditions for Illinois offenders.
In addition, the bill would mandate the use of police body cameras for all officers and limit the use of force, among other changes.
The bill was met with some criticism by law enforcement and groups such as the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association, which said the bill “will profoundly undermine public safety and overturn long-standing common-sense policies and practices in the criminal justice system.” Others were critical of the bill potentially not being fully read through before it passed.
“In the wake of the last summer’s protests against police violence and the responses to the release of the video showing the humiliation and harassment of Anjanette Young, there is little doubt about the strong support for additional police accountability and criminal justice reform,” said Khadine Bennett, director of advocacy and intergovernmental affairs at the ACLU of Illinois in a statement.”
“Some of the backlash that you were hearing that you’re talking about is partisan in nature, so it shows to me that it is not about policy – it is about politics,” said state Sen. Elgie Sims Jr. (D-Chicago).
“There are some provisions in the bill that do take time to accomplish – so they don’t necessarily – the bill’s signed, and they need to implement it tomorrow,” said state Sen. David Welter (R-Morris). “There are portions of this bill that’ll be one, two years out.”
* It used to be, Bernie or somebody would ask statewide candidates if they’d ever smoked pot. Now, there may be a new question for Republican hopefuls…
Former state senator Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo) and 2022 GOP gubernatorial hopeful said he had no regrets voting for former President Donald Trump in 2020, but acknowledged that Trump “had his day in court” and “did not win.”
* It’ll be fun to hear Bailey answer this same question…
For the past week, State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Louisville, has been teasing an “important announcement about the future of Illinois” on Monday night.
Bailey is expected to announce he’s running for Illinois governor in the 2022 election.
His kickoff event is scheduled Monday from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Thelma Keller Convention Center in Effingham.
Bailey has already announced a multi-day tour through downstate Illinois with events in Marion, Highland, Bloomington, Utica, Loves Park and Shorewood throughout this week.
Schimpf also broke with former Illinois Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and said he thought the U.S. Supreme Court “wrongly decided” the case of Janus vs. AFSCME when the high court ruled in favor of an Illinois state worker who objected to paying non-member union dues.
“I would say I’m a centrist on union issues,” Schimpf said. “I think that unions play a positive force for good. When I think they are they are right, I will agree with them. For instance, I am opposed to right to work. But when I think they are wrong, for instance, when the unions heavily pushed for an increase in the minimum wage for Illinois teachers, I voted against that.”
His lifetime AFL-CIO voting record as of the end of 2019 was 35 percent.
“The 22nd District is a garden,” then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan told reporters several years ago when asked about his House district. Some thought it was funny, but he was serious. And he’s most definitely the head gardener.
I’ve often said that Madigan, who officially resigned from the House on Thursday after more than 50 years in the Legislature, ran the speaker’s office like he ran his ward and district offices. So the House was an even bigger garden than his home turf.
Madigan was, of course, a master fixer who took care of his members’ every need. And since he often preferred electing the sort of folks to his chamber who, um, didn’t always have the ability to fend for themselves, electorally or otherwise, his entire operation was like a big feedback loop. He elected members who needed his help and then he would help them whenever they asked, whether that was something as simple as tickets to a ballgame, campaign money, jobs and contracts, or even moving a state prisoner closer to home. You name it, he probably did it.
The more he did for them, the more control he had over them, although nothing was ever explicitly said. Favors for favors don’t have to be explained.
But it was far more than just mundane things. Madigan made the House’s trains run on time, and the way he did it required an immense amount of work and control. He said he was a fan of the way President Franklin Delano Roosevelt would bring all sides to the table to try and work out agreements, but balancing competing interests on countless pieces of legislation every year was never an easy task.
The result, however, was that most folks — including business groups — knew they could get a fair shake as long as Madigan was controlling things, even if they had to take it on the chin occasionally. There’s a reason why Illinois approved only tiny minimum wage increases until a billionaire liberal governor demanded much more.
Madigan spent endless hours every Sunday during session months reviewing details of every single introduced bill and amendment and figuring out what to do about the proposals and the sponsors and the involved interests groups. Conference committee reports used to be a thing (when there were disputes between the two chambers over amendments, small special committees were appointed to resolve the differences) but Madigan put an end to them after people other than himself tried to sneak through big stuff during the end of session rush.
Madigan wanted total control. He was convinced that was a good thing for his members, the House and, by extension, the state. And what he wanted, he usually got.
The careful planning, preparation, execution and, most importantly, control extended to the political side of his endeavors. Actually, it was all one thing. He set up some flimsy firewalls, but there was no real difference. His House chief of staff was also the executive director of his state party. His alderman ran his field operation. His best former campaign staffers became successful contract lobbyists and then oversaw House campaigns. A tiny handful of those elite lobbyists/campaigners even sat in on those aforementioned Sunday bill review meetings.
I asked Madigan years ago if he thought he’d ever get tired of it all. He said he viewed the job as a big, challenging puzzle, and as long as he enjoyed putting the puzzle together he would stick around. In the end, he didn’t have a choice in the matter. But the word I hear most from people who speak to him these days is that he’s “relieved” to be done with it all.
It just wasn’t fun anymore. Madigan took some big and justified heat a couple of years ago for his approach to sexual harassment within his sprawling operation. He’d always tried to quiet things down with, in his own words, “knock it off” warnings to the violators. In his mind, at least, that worked for years, but he belatedly realized it wasn’t enough. In order to maintain control, he was forced to dramatically change courses.
That intense scandal was the beginning of the end. The deep well of support for Madigan no longer was there when the feds busted ComEd and indicted some of his pals and publicly zeroed in on “Himself” like never before. And some of his members also grew tired of having their noses forcibly wiped for them and the submission to a flawed leader that act required. Enough of them revolted that they blocked his reelection as speaker, and now Madigan is left to tend a much smaller, friendlier garden, supposedly in peace.
* Meanwhile, here’s a roundup of the stories written about yesterday’s appointment of Madigan’s House successor Edward Guerra Kodatt and Madigan’s first press availability in many moons. Hannah Meisel’s story, posted first, has a special treat at the end…
* I have to run some errands for a bit, so I’ll be back later this afternoon. From WJBC…
On Wednesday, Gov. Pritzker unveiled his 2021 budget proposal, which did not include a tax hike. However, Senator Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) said the speech did have unnecessary rhetoric.
“First of all, I was stunned at the harsh partisan rhetoric that I heard from the Governor in his budget address. I can’t point you to another budget address for which the person standing at the microphone took so many just over-the-top rhetorical political swings at Republicans. And for me, I’m a guy who worked with this Governor over the years. I mean, I’ve broken with the party and worked with him to try to forge bipartisan agreements.
“For him to make those attacks, I think, were totally unjustified. I think the public is fed up with that level of rhetoric, and they expect more. I tell you, I expect more out of all of us, including the Governor.”
Two months ago I asked Republicans in the General Assembly for their proposals to close this year’s budget deficit. I was met with silence. Apparently their idea of bipartisanship ends when hard choices must be made.
I won’t pretend that these tough decisions don’t have a human impact, because we are operating within one of the most bare-bones government infrastructures in the country. While the right-wing carnival barkers have used our state as a laboratory to undermine essential public investments, the fact of the matter is Illinois state government spends less money per person than the majority of states in this nation.
Twenty years ago Illinois had about 30% more employees than it does today. We had 40% more Illinois State Police to protect the 58,000 square miles of our state. Our Environmental Protection Agency had nearly 60% more people protecting our air and water. And state government’s share of spending on education has steadily dropped to the lowest in the nation – leading your cities and your counties and your school districts to impose suffocatingly high property taxes in order to maintain quality public education. Government cannot be bloated, but it must have the resources to provide for the needs of our state’s residents. […]
For decades, Illinois has been forced to send billions more tax dollars every year to the federal government than we receive back from them in support of our citizens. Federal spending is rigged against Illinois. We’ve been subsidizing public services for other states, like Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana, and Missouri.
You deserve better. I’m fighting for better. Congress must act decisively, and I urge every Illinoisan to add their voice to this demand. So far, not a single Republican Congressman from Illinois has supported you getting back what you paid for. If not in a national crisis, when will they stand up for us? Now is the time.
Let’s be clear. Congressional action will help us today, but it won’t solve Illinois’ remaining fiscal challenges. That’s why any money we receive from the federal government needs to be spent wisely, by paying down borrowing and our bill backlog. Anything remaining must be used to invest in expanding jobs and economic growth. More jobs, more businesses, more economic activity – means a higher standard of living for our citizens, a healthier budget and a healthier state government.
* The Question: Was the governor’s rhetoric justified or unjustified? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
Around 50% of patients who have been hospitalised with severe COVID-19 and who show raised levels of a protein called troponin have damage to their hearts. The injury was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at least a month after discharge, according to new findings published today in the European Heart Journal.
Damage includes inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), scarring or death of heart tissue (infarction), restricted blood supply to the heart (ischaemia) and combinations of all three.
The study of 148 patients from six acute hospitals in London is the largest study to date to investigate convalescing COVID-19 patients who had raised troponin levels indicating a possible problem with the heart.
This ain’t the flu, campers. Be careful out there.
For the second year in a row, the Illinois State Board of Education is seeking a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education for standardized tests normally given during schools’ spring semester.
Earlier this month, State Superintendent Carmen Ayala sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education asking for the waiver on assessments, noting that more than a million Illinois students are still receiving their education completely through remote learning.
“We believe that bringing students back in-person only to immediately begin state assessments will have a very harmful effect on their social-emotional wellbeing, mental health, and more importantly their re-connection with the school community,” Ayala told the Board of Education during its monthly meeting Thursday.
If the feds agree, tests like the SAT and certain graduation requirements — like high school civics — would be waived for the Class of 2021.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defends spending $281.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief money on police payroll, says criticism is ‘just dumb’
Chicago reports improvement in COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts among city’s Black and Latino population
Lightfoot, city officials to give vaccine update
“In 22 minutes, everything was full”: Thousands of Chicagoans receive COVID-19 vaccine at UIC arena as dentistry, nursing and medical students pitch in.
Illinois identifies 17 more cases of U.K. coronavirus variant.
Will County approves $3 million for health department COVID-19 vaccinations.
Lan’s Old Town restaurant shut down after weekend party violates COVID-19 restrictions.
In a Feb. 17 story about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the proposal relied for revenue on federal COVID-19 relief money still under debate in Congress to close a $3.9 billion deficit. The budget plan does not rely on any of that money. In addition, after adjustments for recent tax revenue performance, the deficit is $2.6 billion, not $3.9 billion.
We all make mistakes. Stuff happens. Good on them for issuing a correction.
The two linchpins to Pritzker’s budget: D.C. and Democrats
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 depends on two main events: COVID-19 relief money from Washington and compliant Democratic lawmakers here in Illinois. He might get both.
Waiting…
*** UPDATE *** An example of a newspaper editorial board trying to be helpful, but unclear on the facts…
But critics of Pritzker’s proposal are rejecting his idea of planning on federal aid.
Arguing against the federal government sending Illinois billions of dollars in pandemic relief aid is baffling. To what end? The state won’t get style points or extra credit for rejecting federal funds.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to veto a bill boosting pensions for thousands of Chicago firefighters, arguing it would saddle beleaguered taxpayers with perpetual property tax increases and cripple a pension fund dangerously close to insolvency.
The bill, introduced by state Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, a Lightfoot political nemesis, passed in the waning hours of the lame duck session and awaits Pritzker’s signature or veto.
It removes the “birth date restriction” that prohibits roughly 2,200 active and retired firefighters born after Jan. 1, 1966 from receiving a 3% annual cost of living increase. Instead, they get half that amount, 1.5% — and it is not compounded.
Martwick has argued the “birth date restriction” already has been moved five times as a way of masking the true cost to the pension fund.
Lightfoot strongly disagreed.
Her letter to Pritzker argues that the bill amounts to ill-timed and unaffordable pension sweetener that would saddle Chicago taxpayers with up to $823 million in added costs by 2055.
There’s really nothing to strongly disagree with. The city has routinely moved the birth date restriction, but it’s been done in a way that the costs are not funded, which pushes the fund closer to insolvency. This bill would essentially take that routine practice, make it official and force the city to finally pay for it.
…That’s the utter turmoil that seems to have overtaken one of the larger public retirement systems in the state, the $11 billion Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund, which receives a nice chunk of Chicago homeowners’ property tax payments every six months.
When I last looked at the fund in October, its executive director and other key officials had just resigned, one commissioner had been censured by other board members, and board President Jeffery Blackwell was publicly complaining of an agency “culture of intimidation, intentional misinformation, discrimination, slander, misogyny, fear-mongering, blatant racism, sexism and retaliatory actions.” But interim Executive Director Mary Cavallaro said in a statement there was no reason to worry, and that “the fund is committed to ensuring financial stability, operational efficiencies and seamless service to members.”
Well, guess who now has resigned—with a blast? That would be Cavallaro. “I can no longer tolerate the chaos and toxicity of the boardroom, along with the vile disrespect and insults directed toward me, the leadership team and the hard-working staff of the fund by certain misinformed trustees,” she said in a letter to the board. “I have grave concerns about the ability of fund operations to sustain the continued loss of key staff members because of bad trustee behavior and poor board governance.”
Public Health Officials Announce 2,219 New Cases of Coronavirus Disease
Over 2 million vaccines administered in Illinois and highest single day total of over 83,000 vaccines administered in past 24 hours
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,219 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 63 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 female teen, 1 female 90s
- Champaign County: 2 females 70s
- Clinton County: 1 female 60s
- Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 50s, 3 females 70s, 3 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 3 females 90s, 2 males 90s
- Cumberland County: 1 female 80s
- Douglas County: 1 female 60s
- DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Edgar County: 1 male 60s
- Effingham County: 1 male 80s
- Ford County: 1 female 90s
- Henry County: 1 male 70s
- Kane County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 80s
- Lake County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Livingston County: 1 male 80s
- Macon County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
- Macoupin County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s
- Madison County: 1 male 70s
- Massac County: 1 male 70s
- McLean County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- Peoria County: 1 male 70s
- Piatt County: 1 female 80s
- Pike County: 1 male 90s
- Rock Island County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- Saline County: 1 female 80s
- St. Clair County: 2 females 50s, 1 female 70s, 2 males 70s
- Stephenson County: 1 male 80s
- Tazewell County: 1 male 50s
- Union County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s
- Wayne County: 1 male 70s
- White County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s
- Williamson County: 1 female 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,170,902 cases, including 20,192 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 85,963 specimens for a total of 17,474,319. As of last night, 1,596 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 366 patients were in the ICU and 190 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 12–18, 2021 is 2.8%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 12–18, 2021 is 3.3%.
A total of doses of 2,186,775 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 445,200 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 2,631,975. A total of 2,060,706 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 271,142 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 59,460 doses. Yesterday, 83,673 doses were administered, marking the highest single day amount of vaccines administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* From Cook County Public Guardian Charles P. Golbert…
The Child Welfare Advisory Council (CWAC) is an important council that advises DCFS on all aspects of child welfare policy and practice. To the best of our institutional memory, for the entire history of the council, our office, which represents nearly half of the children and youth in DCFS’s care, has always had a representative. Until now.
Last month, Marc Smith, the Acting Director of DCFS, advised us that we would no longer have a seat at the table. In fact, there is no one on the current roster who is appointed to represent children in their Juvenile Court cases. Most of the appointees work for organizations under contract with DCFS.
This is part of a disturbing recent pattern of DCFS seeking to silence dissenting voices. Recent examples include the midnight replacement of DCFS’s outspoken Inspector General (IG) with someone with no child welfare experience. The new IG released his first annual report last month. The report is wholly lacking in substance, in fact, the shortest IG report in 20 years. Another recent example is DCFS’s attempt to stop a 17-year-old from speaking to the press about his experience being locked up in a psychiatric hospital for more than 2 months of his life because DCFS had nowhere to place him. We had to file emergency motions in court to vindicate the youth’s First Amendment rights to free speech and expression to talk about his ordeal, which the court granted.
DCFS’s widespread dysfunction will improve only if dissenting viewpoints can be heard. We call on DCFS to reverse this unfortunate decision.
* I asked DCFS for a response. Here are Child Welfare Advisory Council co-chairs Zack Schrantz, Strategic Advisor for UCAN, and Beverly Jones, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Lutheran Child and Family Services…
As leaders of the Child Welfare Advisory Committee, we recognize the importance of diverse voices in our committee and made a commitment to increase diversity in CWAC membership. As such, we followed a fair and inclusive process to recruit and vet new members, which resulted in an increase of 10 more diverse voices at CWAC. We doubled our African American representation and tripled LatinX representation, while also adding an alumni representative and the first parent advocates, along with a representative from the Shriver Center.
We were pleased to submit such a diverse group for our committee, and excited to note that for the first time ever, CWAC is even more diverse than the youth that we are serving. We look forward to working with all members to influence changes to DCFS systems, policies and practices. We recognize and appreciate the previous contributions all past members, including those from the Office of the Public Guardian. Even if previous members were not nominated, and do not have an official position on the committee, they are still welcome to participate and contribute to our meetings and work. It is our intent to be inclusive and not exclusive.
* DCFS Spokesman Bill McCaffrey…
DCFS has emphasized the importance of diversity to all of our advisory boards, as it is important that we listen to the broad array of voices from across the varied communities in our state. We are working to eliminate bias and achieve parity in the services we provide, and we believe the best way to make lasting, impactful change is by allowing new voices an opportunity to contribute. These voices complement, as opposed to replace, long-time advocates such as the Office of the Public Guardian, who still meet regularly with DCFS on a variety of issues.
* Meanwhile, CBS 2 has an horrific story about systemic failure of a little girl who was allegedly sexually abused by several men…
Police and child protective services are scrambling to explain why multiple men who sexually abused a 10-year-old girl remain free, even though the suspects are known.
CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini revealed Thursday night how the system failed to protect the little girl, despite years of warnings and calls for help.
At the Grand Motel at 10022 S. Halsted St., on the top floor, in room 324, something terrible happened to a little girl just 10 years old. Not even out of elementary school yet, she was taken there by a 47-year-old man from her neighborhood and sexually exploited. […]
No one from the motel would talk about the incident. But CBS 2 Investigators obtained police records showing motel staff called 911 and told officers the man’s name and date he checked in with the girl. It has been four months, yet no one has been arrested. […]
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was alerted to these and other abuses dating back to 2016. Numerous reports called into the abuse hotline including calls from her school.
President and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association
Toia was noticeably missing from the November 5 press conference where the mayor announced emergency relief grants for Chicago restaurants and bars. By then, he was on to bigger things — namely, advocating for federal restaurant stimulus funds. Early on, he’d been an optimistic team player for statewide messaging on business restrictions. When those restrictions started to bite as the COVID crisis dragged on, Toia became a consummate political tactician, pushing back against indoor dining bans without alienating the governor, with whom Toia has spoken regularly throughout the crisis, while reining in angry restaurateurs, who might have invited a harsher crackdown had they flouted the bans in large numbers, as happened in other states.
Dude brought a guy to a meeting with the governor who later tested positive for COVID.
Also, if he’s speaking regularly with the governor on behalf of his members, shouldn’t he register as a lobbyist?
Officials from the hotel, restaurant and convention industries told a state Senate panel Thursday that they need a clear plan for how they will be allowed to reopen as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, warning that without such a plan, many will go out of business permanently.
“We need to know … a strategy, we need to know the metrics as we move forward because we cannot, we cannot lose another summer here in the state of Illinois,” Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, told the state Senate’s newly-formed Tourism and Hospitality Committee during its first virtual hearing. […]
Currently, all regions of the state are under Phase 4 mitigations, which limits private gatherings to no more than 50 people. But Toia argued that many restaurants are capable of handling larger numbers of people safely, and he said there should be a more specific plan that would allow bars, restaurants and hotels to gradually move out of Phase 4 toward Phase 5, which is full reopening.
“We just want to know when we can go back to having conventions, having parties, private parties, figuring out when we can have some fans in stadiums. This is very, very unclear,” he said. “And we just want to get adjusted of what Phase 5 is going to look like. I don’t think we can wait 12 to 18 months.”
How is anyone supposed to know that for sure right now? There are international, national, state and local supply problems, distribution issues, variants popping up.
* Most of the coverage focused on yesterday’s press releases and well-known references to the past. I figure we’ll see more retrospectives in the coming days, but here’s Brenden Moore…
Lawmakers and political observers in downstate Illinois say his first focus was ultimately Chicago, but that Madigan also had a statewide lens that he used to both pass policies that helped areas outside the city and to elect Democrats from those areas.
“He understood that for Democrats to be a vibrant force in Springfield, they needed to have some power outside of Chicago,” said John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. “So I do think that he worked to advance the statewide agenda, and not just the Chicago exclusive agenda.” […]
But there are almost no Democrats left who represent mostly rural, conservative constituencies, a stark change from the early days of Madigan’s House tenure, when his best friend, the now-indicted Mike McLean, was a Democrat from Quincy. And Jim McPike, a Democrat from Alton, was his majority leader from 1983 to 1995.
Yet, just as the elder Daley — Madigan’s political mentor — worked with the opposite political party, Madigan “was willing to work with downstate Republican governors like (Jim) Edgar and George Ryan,” Shaw said.
Edgar, a native of Coles County who was the state’s moderate Republican governor from 1991 to 1999, said that “downstate probably did better off of Madigan’s speakership than they might have thought.”
Even as he battled to maintain his grip on the speaker’s gavel, Madigan remained a prodigious fundraiser, bringing in more than $6 million in contributions to his Friends of Michael J. Madigan campaign fund in the final three months of 2020.
Altogether, the four funds under his control, which also include the 13th Ward Democratic Organization, the Democratic Party of Illinois and Democratic Majority, ended 2020 with more than $18.8 million in the bank.
Madigan’s main campaign fund continued to cover his legal fees related to the ongoing federal investigation, paying more than $1 million to law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman in the final three months of 2020, according to state campaign finance records. In all, his campaign fund paid Katten more than $1.7 million in legal fees last year.
State campaign finance law allows Madigan to continue covering legal expenses out of his campaign fund regardless of whether he remains in office.
Michael J. Madigan, never one to tell anybody outside the family what he’s thinking, let us in Thursday on a surprising secret.
Not that he was resigning the Southwest Side legislative seat he has held for 50 years. No, that’s been expected since he was supplanted as House speaker last month.
The surprise was to learn that Madigan cares what the public thinks about him.
In a carefully crafted announcement laying out his accomplishments in office, the oft-maligned Democratic politician took a belated stab at reshaping his tarnished legacy.
Where many of us saw a career chiefly characterized by the shrewd accumulation and exercise of power, Madigan now asks us to see a life of public service dedicated to improving “the lives of the most vulnerable” and helping “hardworking people build a good life.”
* Related…
* PHOTOS: The career of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan
Friday, Feb 19, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
9 out of 10 (91%) Illinois voters support legislative efforts that hold police accountable for misconduct.
69% of voters agree that reform is necessary now because of racial bias in policing. Nearly 9 out of 10 Illinois voters back:
• Holding law enforcement accountable for violating individuals’ constitutional rights (89% say it should be a major priority)
• Establishing clear and consistent statewide limits surround the use of force by police, including deadly force (80% say it should be a major priority)
• Training all police to a clear and consistent standard surrounding the use of force by police, including deadly force (90% say it should be a major priority)
• Rules mandating that officers are held responsible when they use force without justification resulting in a death (88% support)
• Establishing consequences for not turning on dashboard or body cameras (88% support)
More than 3 out of 4 voters in Illinois support:
• banning chokeholds (76%)
• requiring a state agency to report when a police officer uses force (78%)
• 69% of voters want to end special protections for police officers – known as qualified immunity – that allows officers to escape from many lawsuits, denying victims of real harm a day in court.
Will County Republicans voted overwhelmingly Thursday night to censure Rep. Adam Kinzinger for his vote to impeach former President Donald Trump.
The 111 to 5 vote (and one abstention) for censure “is meant to remind the representative who he represents: the people who elected him, not his self-interests,” said Will County Republican Chairman George Pearson, adding that Kinzinger’s decision to start a PAC that “goes against other Republicans was a betrayal.” Pearson said his next task is to find a challenger for Kinzinger’s seat.
* Press release…
Following the Will County GOP vote tonight to censure the Congressman for his vote of conscience and vote to defend democracy, Adam Kinzinger released the following statement:
“Not long ago, Will County was a staunchly conservative county where Republicans controlled the board and held county wide offices. Unfortunately, the current leaders of the Will County GOP have changed that. Under their leadership, Democrats took control of the County Board and Republicans have lost all county wide offices over the course of multiple elections.
“The leaders of the Will County GOP have proven they are unable to assist Republican candidates in winning these especially important elections. As the last federal Republican official representing Will County, I have been saddened by this ineptitude.
“Maybe if the Will County GOP spent the same amount of time and energy helping local Republicans as they do with petty censure votes to go after those that vote their conscience, they might actually win a few races.
“I look forward to continuing my part in helping Republicans get elected in Will County to make up for the lack of support they are receiving on the local level. As I have long said, we need leadership—and we need it now.”
He ain’t wrong about the decline of the Will County GOP’s influence and power.
The Iroquois County Republican Central Committee has censured Congressman Adam Kinzinger.
Committee Chairman Lyle Behrends said the committee voted on the censure Feb. 14. Kinzinger has faced criticism from Republicans since he voted to impeach President Donald. J. Trump.
In a statement from the committee sent over the weekend, committee chairman Lyle Behrends wrote, “Congressman Kinzinger, your vote to impeach President Trump has made crystal clear what many of us have known for years: You don’t represent the majority of voters in Iroquois County. When you were first elected to Congress, we were confident that you would reliably serve and advance the conservative principles of the 16th District in Washington. Unfortunately, you have chosen again and again to serve your personal and political agenda. At a time when our nation is imperiled by the left’s radical agenda, you have chosen to impeach President Trump, the foremost defender we had against the left’s obvious program to encroach on our liberties. We have made a choice as well, Congressman Kinzinger. The Republican Committeemen of Iroquois County have voted to censure you for your self-serving vote to impeach President Trump.”
“While representing the hardworking constituents of Iroquois County, Congressman Kinzinger has delivered for them again and again. He delivered by supporting policies that led to Iroquois County constituents keeping more of their hard-earned money. He delivered by supporting policies that benefited the agriculture community and the family farms. Kinzinger delivered by ensuring much-needed broadband was brought to Iroquois County, and perhaps most importantly, Congressman Kinzinger prevented Iroquois Memorial Hospital from closure during a pandemic.
“Congressman Kinzinger has reliably served Iroquois County and delivered real results for his constituents. Some — not all — members of the ICRCC believe blind loyalty to one man is how best to represent the interests of Iroquois County constituents. And Congressman Kinzinger does not agree with that method.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** As subscribers know, there was an attempt to slow this down today. Didn’t work. MJM gonna MJM. Looks like no Latino replacement…
NEW: Sunday 10am Committeemen will meet to choose Madigan successor, hearing Madigan’s favorite to replace him appears to be 13th Ward Superintendent Moeen Zahdan, however this may not sit well with those who want a Latino chosen #MadiganResigns
Madigan has more than half the weighted vote, so the other committeepersons don’t really matter.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Here’s the meeting notice…
WHAT:
Committee hearing to seek a replacement to the 22nd Illinois House District seat.
WHO:
Anyone interested in seeking to serve as state representative in the 22nd Illinois House District seat can present their resumes and field questions from constituents.
WHERE:
Balzekas Museum ballroom
6500 S. Pulaski Rd.
2nd Fl. North
Chicago, IL 60629
WHEN:
Sunday, Feb. 21
10 a.m.
His district/ward/campaign offices are in the museum building.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Press release…
Congresswoman Marie Newman gave the following statement regarding the resignation of Michael Madigan and the forthcoming process to appoint a successor to his 22nd District State House seat.
“For the first time in more than half a century, Chicago’s Southwest Side will have a brand new state representative. Public officials at every level of government have a fundamental obligation to ensure the voices of 22nd District residents are heard loud and clear when choosing Michael Madigan’s successor. We cannot allow history to repeat itself. Allowing this Individual to handpick his own successor not only shortchanges our residents and effectively shuts them out of the process but also discredits any sense of transparency and inclusion that our government strives for. It is absolutely imperative that this process is open and transparent and that the public is involved at every step so we can finally ensure that the residents of the 22nd District receive the representation they deserve.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** As I just told subscribers, 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn says Moe Zahdan will not be getting the appointment.
A legislative panel on Wednesday allowed the Illinois State Board of Education to move forward with new rules that call on colleges and universities in the state to change the way prospective teachers and administrators are trained in order to make them more accommodating to diverse students.
On a party-line vote, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, or JCAR, declined to block the new “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards” from going into effect, despite objections by Republicans who argued the rules would ultimately require licensed teachers and administrators to adhere to a particular political ideology. […]
“So I do believe that what you’re doing is you’re taking teachers who may object to some of the things that are in this rule, and thus are saying that their inability or unwillingness to abide by this (is) making them, in effect, incompetent,” [Rep. Steve Reick, R-Woodstock] said.
But Amanda Elliott, executive director of legislative affairs for the state board, said the new rules do not change the way licensed teachers or administrators are evaluated, only the way they are trained in schools of education.
Opponents made this out to be some kind of thought police by which teachers would have to admit bias. State Rep. Andre Thapedi (D-Chicago) asked the state school board’s Amanda Elliott, “Are these rules designed to in any way affect potential internal biases in terms of developing their craft?”
“It is meant for teachers to recognize those biases and how they may affect their teaching practices,” said Elliott, the Illinois State Board of Education’s executive director of legislative affairs. “We want to make sure they are accepting all students and making sure the students feel welcome in their classroom.”
Elliott said the hope is to recruit minority teachers into what’s become a high-turnover profession.
Cultural responsiveness means recognizing and incorporating all that a student brings into the classroom, so you can bring the curriculum to life in a way that is relevant to their lived experience. As a person of faith, I understand that examining and reflecting upon the way you view the world can be uncomfortable and difficult. But self-reflection gives us the opportunity to learn about ourselves and grow, which is ultimately what education is all about. All educators must be prepared to teach and serve children whose cultural backgrounds and identities are different than their own. These standards will support classrooms that embrace multiple viewpoints, experiences, and perspectives; promote inclusiveness; and encourage critical thinking. This will ultimately foster classroom and school environments that are more, not less, inclusive of all students, regardless of race, upbringings, potential language barriers, or any other aspect of one’s identity. As the data shows, creating environments that provide students with a sense of belonging is one that will nurture engagement, which will lead to academic success — something I believe we all want for Illinois’ students.
PolitiFact: “Natural gas, not wind turbines, main driver of Texas power shortage. Of the power shortfall that hit Texas, over 80% was due to problems at coal- and gas-fired plants.”
Chicago Tribune: “Texas blackouts in winter storm falsely blamed on renewable energy, Green New Deal”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott: “It’s frozen in the pipeline. It’s frozen at the rig. It’s frozen at the transmission line. The natural gas providers are incapable of being able to come up with the gas that feeds into the generators that send power to people’s residences …”
Kansas City Star: “One lesson that should not be taken away from this weekend: that it underscores the need for more natural gas and fossil fuel production…”
When Illinois experienced the Polar Vortex in 2019, it was coal plants that shut down in freezing temperatures.
Reject the noise. Get the facts in this new video from the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition.
Citadel founder Kenneth Griffin named and shamed local corporations that have taken tax incentives from the state’s financially strapped government in a Monday evening speech to a prominent Chicago business group.
“The last election cycle I called a local CEO to talk to him about supporting a pro-business candidate … ,” Griffin, a billionaire and Republican hedge fund manager, told the Economic Club of Chicago. “And I asked straightforward and simple, and he said, ‘No. No. I’m not going write a check. You see, if Illinois is not hospitable to my business. We’re just going to move.’
“And then I learned what the word ‘hospitable’ meant. For a few weeks later, it was announced that his company received tens of millions of dollars in tax incentives. His silence was bought and paid for,” Griffin said.
Griffin said the story was “sadly’ not unique. Citing Chicago Tribune reporting, Griffin put logos of Illinois businesses that had accepted tax incentives on a large screen behind him.
A few people in the sold-out crowd at the Palmer House Hilton began to applaud, but many appeared stunned as the names of corporations, either theirs or those run by people they knew in the audience, appeared on screen.
Just something to consider when reading budget coverage this week.
Two LGBTQ+ bills have already been introduced in this year’s General Assembly session.
One bill would make it easier for transgender and intersex people to change the gender on their birth certificate. The current law requires a statement from a health care professional. The version proposed in the Illinois House right now would remove that requirement altogether.
Lars Avis, a trans man who’s the secretary for Peoria Proud, said the bill would have made his transition easier. He said the bill is a matter of safety, especially for people who haven’t been able to get their gender marker changed. […]
Democratic lawmakers in the state House and Senate also reintroduced the REACH Act this month, which would require age-appropriate sex education in Illinois public schools. The bill calls for instruction that’s inclusive of “people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.” […]
“In Illinois, only 10% of LGBTQ students receive any kind of LGBTQ inclusive sex ed,” said [Mike Ziri, the director of public policy with Equality Illinois]. “We want to change that.”
* From the International Pentecostal Assembly Ecumenical and the Community Action Network…
IPAE is announcing a campaign for the creation of the DWAIN (Driver Was Assaulted In Need) Alert System as well as the DWAIN Community Academy. The DWAIN Alert System will be named after retired Chicago Lieutenant Fireman Dwain Williams who was killed during a daytime carjacking on the south side of Chicago on December 3, 2020. Incidents like the one that involved Lieutenant Williams and hundreds of others have sparked a need for community involvement.
The DWAIN Alert System will respond in similarity as the Amber Alert System, a national early warning system to help find abducted children. It will notify the community of carjackings, allow them to report the location of carjacked automobiles, giving police the opportunity to prevent other crimes and carjackings.
Illinois State Senator Patrick Joyce (40th District) will sponsor legislation to create the DWAIN Alert System. Legislation will focus on funding and implementation to make this effort a reality to provide an additional layer of public safety for citizens throughout the State of Illinois.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, IDES has seen a deluge of 1.8 million new unemployment claims. With all of the new claims and people entering into the unemployment system for the first time, the agency has struggled to keep up with the demand.
The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which funds unemployment payments, is in the red.
Rob Karr, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said the current deficit is far worse than during the Great Recession of 2008.
“We have to keep in mind the problem that is front of us,” Karr said. “The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund projected deficit over three years is somewhere between $8 to $11 billion dollars. To put that in perspective, the biggest challenge we’ve had in the past was $2.35 billion.”
…Adding… Meant to include these stories and forgot…
Weekly unemployment claims unexpectedly surged last week, rising above 800,000 as the labor market recovery stalled.
The Department of Labor released its weekly report on new jobless claims Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET. Here were the main metrics from the report, compared to consensus data compiled by Bloomberg:
Initial jobless claims, week ended February 13: 861,000 vs. 773,000 expected and an upwardly revised 848,000 during prior week
Continuing claims, week ended February 6: 4.494 million vs. 4.425 million expected and an upwardly revised 4.558 million during prior week
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates 67,750 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Feb. 8 in Illinois, according to the DOL’s weekly claims report released Thursday. […]
There were 40,008 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Feb. 1 in Illinois.
There were 95,481 new unemployment claims filed during the week of Jan. 18 in Illinois.
There were 95,472 new unemployment claims filed during the week of Jan. 11 in Illinois.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,966 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 72 additional deaths.
- Carroll County: – 1 female 90s
- Champaign County: 1 male 90s
- Cook County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 4 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 4 males 70s, 4 females 80s, 9 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 female 100+, 1 male 100+
- DeKalb County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s
- DuPage County: 1 male 50s, 2 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 3 females 90s
- Grundy County: 1 female 80s
- Hancock County: 1 male 70s
- Kane County: 2 males 60s
- Kankakee County: 1 male 70s
- Kendall County: 1 female 90s
- Lake County: 1 female 40s
- LaSalle County: 2 females 70s
- Macoupin County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
- Madison County: 1 female 70s, 3 females 80s
- McLean County: 1 male 30s
- Menard County: 1 male 80s
- Peoria County: 1 female 80s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s
- St. Clair County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
- Stephenson County: 1 male 90s
- Tazewell County: 1 male 60s
- Whiteside County: 1 male 40s
- Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 50s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,168,683 cases, including 20,129 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 67,542 specimens for a total of 17,388,356. As of last night, 1,655 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 386 patients were in the ICU and 184 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 11–17, 2021 is 2.7%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 11–17, 2021 is 3.3%.
Weather continues to cause vaccine delivery delays from the federal government. We are in contact with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies to understand the logistical challenges and if there is anything Illinois can do to expedite getting vaccine. A total of doses of 2,106,800 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 445,200 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 2,552,000. A total of 1,977,033 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 266,037 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 61,132 doses. Yesterday, 73,091 doses were administered.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* You have to wade through a whole lot of heat to get to the light, but at least there is some in this Capitol News Illinois story, including…
The budget calls for a full pension payment and increases funding for the Department of Children and Family Services by 7.9 percent. Pritzker also asked lawmakers to pass a standalone bill increasing spending for the Illinois Department of Employment Security by $60 million in federal funds for the current fiscal year and called for an added $73 million for the current fiscal year in federal funds. […]
Pritzker’s budget proposal also calls for an 8 percent reduction, or $638 million, in Medicaid expenses. That’s because the federal government has increased its share of Medicaid funding by 6.2 percentage points through the end of 2021 as part of its pandemic response plan.
Local governments also would see a cut in financial assistance they get from the state. The Local Government Distributive Fund, or LGDF, which gives local governments a share of the income tax revenue the state collects, would only be funded at 90 percent, but officials in the governor’s office said they expect that cut to be offset by gains the municipalities would realize through the closing of corporate tax loopholes.
Budget officials also claimed the budget shortfall for the current fiscal year has been addressed through the federal borrowing, $700 million in operational cuts and revenues performing better than projections. The state is now projecting a surplus of $77 million for the current fiscal year, along with the ability to prepay some of the Municipal Liquidity Facility borrowing from the previous fiscal year.
City and county leaders in McLean County said Wednesday one of Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget proposals is a bad idea.
The governor has proposed taking 10% of the income tax money it currently shares with cities, towns, and counties through the Local Government Distributive Fund.
Normal Mayor Chris Koos said the proposal is ruinous.
“This will be crippling to municipalities across the state of Illinois if this is to go through. We’re already seeing a significant decrease in revenues because of COVID-19 and this is just another slap to cities,” said Koos.
I mean, even the Illinois Municipal League admits it…
However, the Governor is also proposing that various tax loopholes for corporations be closed or modified. The Governor’s Office projects that these changes, if enacted as proposed, will provide local governments with an increase of $228 million statewide in LGDF disbursements.
That would more than offset the proposed $152 million reduction.
State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, who is expected to announce a run for governor in 2022, said he sat for “30-plus minutes today and listened to a grown man whine, complain and blame absolutely everything — past and present — except himself and his own party, as to the woes and the demise of the state of Illinois.
“This budget remains at least $1.7 billion out of whack,” Bailey said. “And this budget has several provisions that he claimed as corporate loopholes that are nothing but tax increases on business and job killers for the state.”
The Senate Republicans are claiming the budget is $1.7 billion out of balance because politically difficult statutory changes will be required to capture that revenue (corporate loopholes and fund transfers). It’s a legit hit.
But, Senator, now you know how the rest of us feel about your antics.
Click here for a one-pager on the loophole closures. Click here for more on the proposed fund transfers.
“Just months ago, the voters of this state rejected the administration’s attempt to increase personal income taxes and now that tough decisions have to be made to compensate for the governor’s irresponsible spending, the governor is doubling down,” Bryant said in a statement provided to the newspaper.
“The budget put forth today is $1.7 billion out-of-balance, cuts funding to our Department of Corrections, redirects critical funding from Illinois’ infrastructure and eliminates hundreds of millions of dollars in business incentives.
“At a time when the hardworking families and the job creators of this state need responsible leadership the most, Gov. Pritzker is once again failing them,” Bryant said.
You can’t really say it’s $1.7 billion out of balance if you also claim it eliminates corporate loopholes because that’s where the money is coming from to fill the hole. Also, most of the IDOC decrease is due to phasing out Illinois Correctional Industries. They’re going with a more rehab-oriented system.
Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) says it fails to include a plan to pay off $5 billion in unpaid bills.
“And there is no realistic plan to pay of the $4.3-billion the state recently borrowed,” Elik says, as a Certified Public Accountant, she doesn’t believe it’s at all a balanced budget.
The state’s bill “backlog” is indeed about $5 billion. But when it gets to somewhere around $3 billion, the state can pay bills within 30 days. Paying off the complete backlog wouldn’t make much sense at a time like this. Then again, it always seems like we’re having those times.
And the state is budgeting for some debt repayment this and next fiscal year, although payments on some internal debt to special funds is being pushed off.
Republicans immediately pounced, criticizing the plan for relying on unrestricted federal aid to help fund state health departments and pay off debt. Pritzker’s plan does not include any additional stimulus money from the Biden administration.
Pritzker’s budget will now be dissected by the Democratic-led General Assembly, where lawmakers will have their way with the numbers.
What really sticks in the craw of Republicans is Pritzker’s proposal to pull back on tax loopholes for businesses, which the governor’s offices says would create $1.5 billion in new revenue. They see it as Pritzker seeking vengeance on business groups who opposed the graduated income tax measure that failed in November.
No doubt there’s at least some vengeance here, but you gotta get the money from somewhere.
And it seems like everything sticks in their craw these days.
* The Tribune skipped past most of the budget and went right to politics…
“None of these items are loopholes. They are incentives to grow jobs and educate children,” Durkin said.
“Loopholes, on the other hand, are what tycoons use to avoid paying taxes in Illinois, like parking money in the Cayman Islands or using questionable property tax exemptions,” he said, making note of personal tax practices for which the billionaire governor previously has been criticized.
While Pritzker seems eager to blame Republicans for the failure of the graduated income tax proposal, Durkin said, it was rejected by a “tri-partisan effort” of Republicans, Democrats and independents.
“It’s time for the General Assembly to bring the governor back to reality,” he said.
Thursday, Feb 18, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
9 out of 10 (91%) Illinois voters support legislative efforts that hold police accountable for misconduct.
69% of voters agree that reform is necessary now because of racial bias in policing. Nearly 9 out of 10 Illinois voters back:
• Holding law enforcement accountable for violating individuals’ constitutional rights (89% say it should be a major priority)
• Establishing clear and consistent statewide limits surround the use of force by police, including deadly force (80% say it should be a major priority)
• Training all police to a clear and consistent standard surrounding the use of force by police, including deadly force (90% say it should be a major priority)
• Rules mandating that officers are held responsible when they use force without justification resulting in a death (88% support)
• Establishing consequences for not turning on dashboard or body cameras (88% support)
More than 3 out of 4 voters in Illinois support:
• banning chokeholds (76%)
• requiring a state agency to report when a police officer uses force (78%)
• 69% of voters want to end special protections for police officers – known as qualified immunity – that allows officers to escape from many lawsuits, denying victims of real harm a day in court.
As of last month, Michael Madigan has dedicated 50 years of service to the Illinois House of Representatives. I thank the former Speaker for his sincere and meaningful contributions to our state. Under him, we’ve had strong, sustained Democratic leadership in Springfield. We legalized same-sex marriage, abolished the death penalty and solidified abortion rights. Illinois also became the first state in the Midwest to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. These laws gave underserved populations a new sense of hope.
Now we must build on that with a new generation of leadership focused on racial and gender equity in all dimensions, improving government transparency, and leading with the kind of conviction, compassion and cooperation expected by our constituents. I truly appreciate his contributions and I join Illinoisans across the state in wishing him well.
I’m thinking this post will be updated.
…Adding… Illinois AFL-CIO…
The Illinois AFL-CIO, representing nearly 1 million working families across the state, today issued the following statement on the retirement of longtime Illinois House Speaker and State Representative Michael J. Madigan:
“The Illinois AFL-CIO and all of organized labor in Illinois wish to sincerely thank Michael J. Madigan for his indelible impact on Illinois public policy and politics, and his historic legacy of accomplishments for working families.
For the past 50 years, Michael J. Madigan has had unprecedented influence on our legislative process. Time after time, he has put the interests of working men and women first, even under dire circumstances and serious threats.
Speaker Madigan knew better than anyone that leading the Legislature means keenly understanding each legislative district and how best to support legislators representing their constituents back home and in Springfield. He knew how to bring people together behind the most important initiatives to move our state forward, while making the right political calculations to ensure his majorities grew and never lost touch with the will of the people.
When Illinois needed revenue to support the vital public services and programs we all depend on, Speaker Madigan put together the right recipe to get the job done. When Illinois desperately needed capital construction programs to create and support thousands of good-paying jobs, Speaker Madigan led the way.
When Bruce Rauner and other radical politicians threatened working families, Speaker Madigan stood firm.
And when legislators needed his help to advance the agenda that supports working men and women, time and time again Speaker Madigan was there for them.
Speaker Madigan strengthened and protected the prevailing wage to build our communities, stabilized our workers’ compensation system costs while protecting injured workers, fought for our collective bargaining rights, stopped senseless right-to-work crusades and expanded voter access for working families.
We wish Michael J. Madigan, his wife Shirley and his family well on his well-deserved retirement. Thank you for making Illinois a better place for working families, today and tomorrow.”
Tim Drea, President
Pat Devaney, Secretary Treasurer
* CFL…
Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter released the following statement regarding the resignation of Michael J. Madigan from the Illinois House of Representatives:
“Speaker Michael J. Madigan has been a steadfast, dedicated, and courageous champion of workers and their families in Illinois for a generation. His leadership in the fight for collective bargaining rights and worker protections in the state of Illinois spans more than five decades. In that time, Speaker Madigan partnered with labor on countless pieces of legislation to protect workers and protect the middle-class, keeping Illinois a strong pro-union state while many of our neighboring states joined the race to the bottom.
“Under Speaker Madigan’s leadership, the Illinois General Assembly enacted sweeping ethics reform laws, the first campaign finance limits in state history, equal pay requirements for women, landmark education funding reform, health care protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions, minimum wage increases, and many more pieces of vital legislation to move Illinois forward. He led the charge for increased infrastructure investment that has resulted in countless Illinoisans receiving a decent paycheck and benefits while building the foundation of our state.
“Speaker Madigan served alongside seven different governors, finding common ground and moving our state forward by working in a bipartisan way with lawmakers from across the political spectrum. However, he never compromised on his core values and he stood strong for four years against the attacks of former Gov. Bruce Rauner, the most fervent anti-union ideologue Illinois has ever seen.
“Speaker Madigan never forgot the constituents he served nor did he lose sight of the needs of working families in Illinois. His leadership and partnership will be missed, and we wish him and his entire family well as he begins the next chapter in his life.”
* David Orr…
The sudden resignation of former Speaker Mike Madigan is a clear indication Democrats are moving towards a more progressive political direction. Old politics has done extraordinary harm and enveloped around Madigan, leading to the loss of Democratic state seats, the recent Fair Tax Amendment, and most importantly the trust in government by Illinois voters. We can thank those who stood up to Madigan for change, clearing a path for a new speaker and a more accountable government for Illinois residents.
* Terry Cosgrove…
On behalf of Personal PAC, I extend my deep gratitude to Speaker Madigan for his many years of leadership in helping to steer Illinois in the direction of protecting the health care decisions of all women. First and foremost, he worked with Personal PAC to recruit, elect and re-elect our many outstanding pro-choice leaders in the Illinois General Assembly which has put Illinois at the forefront of protecting reproductive rights. Speaker Madigan fully understands that good politics is good policy and vice-versa. When Governor Rauner and his operatives were working overtime to sabotage HB 40 in the Illinois General Assembly, Speaker Madigan stood down Governor Rauner and helped to ensure that HB 40 landed squarely on Rauner’s desk where he was finally forced to keep his word and sign the bill into law. Speaker Madigan worked with then President Cullerton and Governor Pritzker in making the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) the law of our land in response to Trump’s numerous attacks on reproductive rights. In my 32 years at Personal PAC, beyond reproductive rights, the people of Illinois have witnessed unthinkable progress just a decade or two earlier, including marriage equality, abolishment of the death penalty and real criminal justice reform. Thank you Speaker Madigan for leaving Illinois in a much more equitable and better place than how found it 50 years ago.
* Former Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie…
“As Michael J. Madigan resigns his post in the Illinois House of Representatives, it’s time to recognize the contributions he made that have led to better lives for people across the state of Illinois.
“I served with Mike for 40 years, more than half as Majority Leader. Mike led the battle to improve and protect the state’s Freedom of Information Act, providing people the opportunity to know more about how their public officials, state and local, were making decisions affecting them. He took the lead on efforts to establish reasonable limits on campaign contributions and spending. And it was he who championed ethics reform and an end to pay-to-play politics in the state’s executive branch.
“Without Mike’s leadership, Illinois would not have approved same-sex marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court established that right nationwide. Without Mike’s leadership, the state would not have expanded voting opportunities for our citizens. Without Mike’s leadership, the state would not have led the nation in criminal justice reforms.
“With Mike at the helm, Illinois expanded access to health care and strengthened reproductive rights. With several increases in the minimum wage, Illinois showed its people that we value workers and their families.
“I am grateful for Michael J. Madigan’s leadership. He understood the meaning of public service: helping those in need and ensuring everyone a chance to succeed. His legacy is a proud one, and I am confident his successors in Springfield will continue to build on that legacy.”
* Secretary of State Jesse White
As a state legislator, I had the honor of working with Mike Madigan for 16 years. During that time, I found Speaker Madigan to be one of the smartest people to ever serve in state government. His in-depth knowledge of so many issues was and is incredible. His commitment to those most in need in our society and the working men and women of our state was unwavering. In my current role as Secretary of State, Speaker Madigan was a strong supporter of our office’s road safety agenda, including legislation to strengthen teen driving laws, battle distracted driving, and toughen DUI laws. I wish Speaker Madigan and his wife Shirley the very best.
* IRMA…
“Throughout his historic service to the state, former House Speaker Mike Madigan proved time and again he was sensitive to the needs of the retail community. He demonstrated a keen awareness of the importance of the retail sector to the state economy and its unique position as a major contributor to state and local governments,” said Rob Karr, president & CEO, Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “Even in time of disagreement, he encouraged and ensured genuine dialogue and worked in a collaborative fashion. On behalf of the state’s retail industry, IRMA thanks the former Speaker for his distinguished service and wishes him, Shirley and his family well.”
* Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Executive-Secretary Treasurer Gary Perinar…
“On behalf of the 30,000 hardworking men and women of the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, I thank Speaker Madigan for a truly distinguished career in government highlighted by his unparalleled record of fighting for the working families of Illinois. No other elected official in our state has done more to advance the cause of the labor movement, and we will always be grateful for his stalwart leadership.
While organized labor is perennially under attack in states across the nation through Right-to-Work laws, bans on Project Labor Agreements, and other anti-worker initiatives, that has never been case here in Illinois during Speaker Madigan’s tenure. Thanks to his leadership, workers’ rights are protected and labor unions in Illinois have the strength to collectively bargain for their members so they can earn fair and decent wages and benefits that ultimately lift the middle class.
We are forever grateful for Speaker Madigan’s commitment to the labor movement.”
* ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy…
“Chairman Madigan’s legacy is that of presiding over the decline of a once great state, ballooning pension liabilities by hundreds of billions of dollars, and the accumulation of historic political power that primarily benefited government insiders and special interests. Chairman Madigan may no longer be a state representative, but he is still Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois where he personally controls over $15 million in campaign cash.”
* House Republican Leader Jim Durkin…
“Today’s news of Rep. Madigan’s retirement comes as no surprise to me and every other Illinoisan, and I have been looking forward to this ‘new day’ in Illinois for some time. I urge the Democrats in both Chambers and the Governor to reflect on how we can use this opportunity to improve Illinois. Rep. Madigan’s autocratic rule over the decades has not made Illinois a more prosperous nor competitive state. Our state is in shambles – financially, structurally and ethically. New ideas and sincere collaboration between the parties is the only pathway forward.”
* Gov. JB Pritzker…
“When you dedicate your career to public service, it’s your loved ones who make the biggest sacrifices – whether it’s because you’re away from home, working long hours or spending time with constituents,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Michael J. Madigan and his family dedicated countless hours to serving Illinois families, particularly during the Rauner years, when he served as the bulwark against constant cruelty to the most vulnerable.
Over his decades in office, he shepherded through some of the most consequential changes to our state: bringing about the legalization of gay marriage, fighting on the frontlines for workers’ rights, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, expanding access to voting and protecting women’s reproductive rights. The people of Illinois have much to be grateful for thanks to his dedicated public service, and the many sacrifices he and his family made to make a difference in our lives. I know how dearly he loves his wife Shirley, their children and grandchildren, and I hope that in this next chapter, his family can begin to make up for lost time.”
* Former Gov. Rauner…
React to #MadiganResigns from former Gov Bruce Rauner: “One of best birthday presents I’ve ever had.” Today is Rauner’s 65th birthday.
“Leading by example, Speaker Madigan has taught me many invaluable lessons. His unwavering commitment to his family has instilled in me how to be a good husband and father. Speaker Madigan has always fought for the little guy, ensuring people have the opportunities to build a good life for themselves and their families. I’m particularly proud of our accomplishments to provide nearly $250 million in quality educational opportunities to students of all ages throughout the district. Working alongside Speaker Madigan has been the honor of a lifetime. The immense sacrifices the entire Madigan family has made for the people of Illinois and the residents of the 22nd district will be felt for years to come.”
* Lt. Gov. Stratton…
Michael Madigan has retired after 50 years as state representative of the 22nd district. He worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents in his southwest side district, and fought for the rights of all Illinoisans when it came to advancing resources and rights in gaining fair wages, voting, women’s empowerment, and more. He leaves a legacy of service and sacrifice that is to be admired and is deserving of our gratitude.
It is simply not possible to give so much to the people of Illinois without sacrifice. From my family to his, I wish him and his wife Shirley happiness and joy as they enjoy these retirement years together after a long career in public service.
* Rep. Lindsey LaPointe
Today marks the end of an era in Illinois politics.
In looking back, all of us who share a progressive vision for Illinois owe a debt of gratitude to Speaker Madigan for his tireless and successful efforts on behalf of workers’ rights, marriage equality, reproductive healthcare, and many other issues that are crucially important to the people of Illinois.
I also have deep gratitude for my House colleagues and others who stood up for increased public integrity and accountability and called for new leadership for Illinois that will put power back in the hands of the people, where it belongs.
As we begin the 2021 legislative session, I am hopeful that this will be a turning point, and that a new generation of leaders will meet this moment, lead us out of the current crisis, and rebuild people’s trust in both government and politics.
The following is a statement from Michael J. Madigan:
“Today I am announcing that I will resign as state representative of the 22nd district at the end of the month. It has been my great honor to serve the people of Illinois as speaker of the House and state representative of the 22nd District. This journey would not have been possible without my wonderful wife, Shirley, and children, Lisa, Tiffany, Nicole and Andrew, who have stood by my side year after year, providing their love and support despite the pressure of growing up in the public spotlight. I am fortunate to have them in my life.
“Fifty years ago, I decided to dedicate my life to public service. Simply put, I knew I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. I believed then and still do today that it is our duty as public servants to improve the lives of the most vulnerable and help hardworking people build a good life. These ideals have been the cornerstone of my work on behalf of the people of Illinois and the driving force throughout my time in the Illinois House.
“As speaker, legislator and member of the Illinois Constitutional Convention, I worked to make the General Assembly a co-equal branch of government, ensuring it acted as a check on the power of the governor and the executive branch, especially around a governor’s abuse of the amendatory veto. Many heated battles were fought to keep governors from rewriting legislation sent to them by the General Assembly.
“I am particularly proud of our work to increase the diversity of voices in the House Democratic Caucus to include more women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community. In my tenure as Illinois House speaker, we worked to elect representatives across all backgrounds and beliefs to truly represent the interests of the people of our state.
“With the partnership of this diverse and talented group of Illinois Democrats and with our colleagues across the aisle, we were able to level the playing field and strengthen the middle class while workers in other states saw their wages diminished.
“We achieved school funding reform to increase investment for schools in need and address inequalities in our state’s education system. We made Illinois a welcoming state by passing the Illinois Dream Act and providing drivers’ licenses for undocumented residents.
“We strengthened the rights of workers, increased the minimum wage, expanded access to health care for Illinois’ most vulnerable residents, and protected a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.
“We upheld the rights of all Illinois residents by passing marriage equality, finally recognizing the rights of men and women to marry the people they love. We enacted criminal justice reforms to break down laws that too often target people of color and led the country in expanding voting rights as other states weakened them.
“Collaborating with leaders in the retail, hospitality, manufacturing, health care and other industries, we built a partnership with job creators to encourage economic development and address crises in our unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems. We also expanded opportunities in the tourism and film industry, created the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority that reinvented McCormick Place and Navy Pier, and established the Illinois Sports Facility Authority that kept the White Sox in Chicago.
“When were confronted with the Rauner administration and the interests of the wealthy, who sought to weaken unions and the labor movement in Illinois, we stood up for working people.
Rauner went on to plunge our state into a budget crisis, nearly bankrupting social service agencies, eliminating funding for higher education, and racking up billions of dollars in state debt in the process. House Democrats stood as the last line of defense to protect our state from collapse.
“Under my leadership, we increased transparency of state and local government by creating the Freedom of Information Act and protecting it from attempts to water it down, impeached Rod Blagojevich and repeatedly strengthened the state’s ethics and campaign finance laws.”
“It’s no secret that I have been the target of vicious attacks by people who sought to diminish my many achievements lifting up the working people of Illinois. The fact is, my motivation for holding elected office has never wavered. I have been resolute in my dedication to public service and integrity, always acting in the interest of the people of Illinois.”
“My achievements would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of many members of my staff through the years. I thank them for their efforts on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus and the people of Illinois. I also want to thank the many volunteers and supporters who worked on behalf of the residents of the 22nd District. It is with the collective support of many that we have made Illinois a bastion of Democratic values.
“I leave office at peace with my decision and proud of the many contributions I’ve made to the state of Illinois, and I do so knowing I’ve made a difference.”
Altamont Unit 10 will continue its search for a superintendent after “rather excessive” community backlash to the hiring of a former professional wrestler and Jerry Springer guest caused him to withdraw.
David Martin plans to remain in his current position as superintendent at the Tennessee School for the Blind in Nashville, Tennessee. He told the Effingham Daily News that he didn’t want to be a distraction in Altamont.
“The board was very supportive and wanted me to come up and still be the superintendent there,” Martin said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “But after the community responded in the way that it did, I just felt it was important for the community not to be a distraction and do what’s right for them. That’s why I asked them to be released from the contract.”
Martin said he wrestled professionally in Memphis and Nashville from 1996 to 2002, during a time when “The Jerry Springer Show” hired professional wrestlers as guests.
When it gets really cold, it can be hard to produce electricity, as customers in Texas and neighboring states are finding out. But it’s not impossible. Operators in Alaska, Canada, Maine, Norway and Siberia do it all the time.
What has sent Texas reeling is not an engineering problem, nor is it the frozen wind turbines blamed by prominent Republicans. It is a financial structure for power generation that offers no incentives to power plant operators to prepare for winter. In the name of deregulation and free markets, critics say, Texas has created an electric grid that puts an emphasis on cheap prices over reliable service.
It’s a “Wild West market design based only on short-run prices,” said Matt Breidert, a portfolio manager at a firm called TortoiseEcofin.
And yet the temporary train wreck of that market Monday and Tuesday has seen the wholesale price of electricity in Houston go from $22 a megawatt-hour to about $9,000. Meanwhile, 4 million Texas households have been without power.
To get a sense of the magnitude of the power crisis hitting Texas, take a look at how it compares to the blackouts that roiled California last summer during a searing heat wave.
The California grid was short about 1 to 2 gigawatts for two evenings, while Texas has been short about 15 to 25 gigawatts for two straight days, according to Andy DeVries, a power analyst at CreditSights. And while California’s rolling blackouts left customers in the dark for a couple of hours at a time, customers in Texas have been without power for more than a day.
“Texas is a gas state,” said Michael Webber, an energy resources professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
While Webber said all of Texas’ energy sources share blame for the power crisis, the natural gas industry is most notably producing significantly less power than normal.
“Gas is failing in the most spectacular fashion right now,” Webber said.
* Texas also has a power grid that covers 90 percent of the state and is isolated from the rest of the country, so they can evade federal regulations, but that also means state shortages can’t be replaced with out of state electricity…
During this power shortage, Texas could be tapping into electricity sources from far-flung parts of the country if it were connected.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s 2020 Interconnections Seam Study found that the cost savings from a nationwide high-voltage transmission network would outweigh the investments needed to build it. An expansive transmission buildout would not only enhance the resiliency of the grid, it would also help to balance wind and solar resources as they reach higher penetrations, O’Boyle said.
* The wind power failure argument made by elements on the right turns out not to be true…
Wind power is currently producing about 4,000 MW, or 2/3 of the ~6,000 MW that ERCOT was counting on wind to contribute during winter peaking events. Solar is coming online now and helping during daytime, exceeding the <300 MW it is counted on for in system planning. pic.twitter.com/51VkbEHDZF
* So, I asked the chairs and minority spokespersons of the two legislative energy committees a question via text: Are there any lessons to be learned in Illinois from the Texas blackouts?
Here are their responses in the order they were received.
* Rep. Ann Williams, House Energy & Environment Chair…
Despite what we’ve been seeing on social media, the reality is that the crisis in Texas is primarily a result of the fact that two-thirds of coal and gas plants went offline because their equipment is frozen, or they cannot get gas from the pipelines. The fossil fuel plants throughout Texas and the Plains states are trying to recover from a major and unprecedented winter storm event that they simply weren’t prepared for.
Of course, wind farms in Illinois and Minnesota do just fine when the temperature gets down below zero. This is a problem with Texas, not wind farms!
Texas has one of the most hands-off approach to energy policy in the country, and the fate and livelihood of millions of residents and businesses are now in the hands of companies who chose to save a few dollars building their coal and gas plants, or building gas pipelines, that couldn’t stand up to the weather. Weather proofing and prepping for an extreme emergency like this needs to happen across the board not just in one particular segment of the industry. Any focus on wind turbines freezing as the cause of the Texas grid crisis is just right wing talking points without basis in fact. It’s like something Trump would say - I guess his approach to messaging continues, facts notwithstanding!
* Sen. Michael Hastings, Senate Energy and Public Utilities Chair…
We have a reliable energy source, namely our nuclear fleet, which provides billions of dollars in economic activity and thousands of jobs across Illinois. Our newly assembled General Assembly must address the potential closures of our baseload while investing in other clean energy resources across the state.
* Rep. David Welter, House Energy & Environment Spokesperson…
We need to keep our nuclear plants OPEN, productive and strong!
* Sen. Sue Rezin, Senate Energy and Public Utilities Spokesperson…
The ongoing brownouts in Texas should serve has a reminder to all Illinoisans how important our nuclear fleet is to our electrical grid. All six of Illinois’ nuclear plants have been able to run 24/7 despite the extreme weather conditions we have been experiencing the last few days.
Currently, our nuclear fleet produces around 50 percent of our state’s electricity. Without this reliable and carbon-free source, it could be quite possible that Illinois would be experiencing the same devastating brownouts.
