State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) released the following statement after a Minnesota jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of the 2020 murder of George Floyd:
“Today, a jury decided that Derek Chauvin will be locked up and will face justice for murdering George Floyd, but we are still a long way from delivering George and his family the justice they truly deserve.
“True justice would be creating a society where police don’t murder unarmed Black people.
“True justice would be ensuring people like George Floyd receive the support they need.
“True justice would be improving the lives of people like George Floyd by investing in and enriching their communities.
“We must recognize that real police accountability goes much beyond throwing officers in prison after they commit a murder.
“Until we can achieve a society where everyone is given the opportunity to fulfil their best lives, we must continue to fight for real safety and justice for all. Public safety must belong to us, the people.”
* Deputy Governor Mitchell…
The relief we all feel, the raw emotion, the weeping… it points toward the true shame of our system. That with 9 minutes of clear video, so many of us feared that Chauvin might escape justice. Good day. But we’ve got so much work to do. #DerekChauvinTrial
We should not have to be celebrating a guilty verdict in this case, because George Floyd should be alive. Justice isn’t Chauvin going to jail. Justice is George Floyd walking among us. More work to do.
“No courtroom can ever replace a life, but it can and should deliver justice. Today, the jury in Derek Chauvin’s murder trial honored that truth.
“My heart goes out to the family of George Floyd, who deserve to have him alive today. I’m also thinking of all our Black communities and other communities of color who see their children or their parents or themselves in George Floyd, and Daunte Wright, and Adam Toledo, and Breonna Taylor, and Laquan McDonald.
“This verdict marks an important milestone on the journey to justice, but the fullest measure of progress is how we deliver accountability, safety and meaningful change.
“In Illinois, we are addressing law enforcement reform, criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, educational equity and health care.
“We can and must make progress every day until we have a state and a nation and a justice system that truly serve everyone. And as long as there’s more work to be done, that’s what we’ll do.”
* Sen. Van Pelt…
Last summer, the entire world was horrified by a murder that lasted eight minutes and 46 seconds. Though a trial was not necessary to prove what we all saw with our eyes, I am satisfied that this time, the criminal justice system worked: https://t.co/DGTWgy9wJ7pic.twitter.com/TXQ5rILbju
Today, after 11 months, we have finally received a verdict that suggests we may have some common sense of justice. While it’s important to have faith in the future of our own humanity, it should not have taken George Floyd losing his life, Gianna Floyd losing her father, for our hearts and minds to change. Nonetheless, we are here, and Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of murder by a jury of his peers. There’s nothing to celebrate, though, as a system that allows this to happen still prevails. This year our legislature passed historic police reform, and we will continue to build on that. Simply put, our work here continues and we’re going to make sure our policies in Illinois value Black lives.
* Mayor Lori Lightfoot..
In May of 2020, I saw the harrowing footage of George Floyd’s life being extinguished beneath Derek Chauvin’s knee, and I cried. I said then and I say now, being Black in America cannot be a death sentence. I join my fellow Chicagoans, Americans, and human beings across the world as justice is being served in Minneapolis today. A jury of his peers listened to the evidence presented by both sides and came to the only reasonable verdict based on the overwhelming evidence presented by the Prosecution. I want to commend the jury, the prosecution and the people of Minnesota for their invaluable work to hold Mr. Chauvin accountable for his crimes. George Floyd’s death sparked a pivotal movement for Americans fighting to end systematic racism. Today marks a moment where future generations can look back and see that we as a nation came together and rightfully demanded justice and accountability. And justice was served. Let us pray that the Lord continues to watch over George Floyd’s family and loved ones. Pray for peace as we continue on our journey towards a more just and equitable world.
* SEIU Local 1 president Tom Balanoff…
“We are heartened to see the jury in the Derek Chauvin trial deliver a guilty verdict, but there is still more work to be done.
“Convicting Jason Van Dyke didn’t prevent an officer from killing Adam Toledo, and convicting Derek Chauvin today is bare-minimum accountability. Taking one bad officer off the streets still leaves in place a system that brutalizes Black and Brown people with impunity. George Floyd should still be alive today.
“SEIU Local 1 members across the Midwest will continue to fight to reimagine public safety and break down an unfair justice system that provides anything but. In this moment, we hope this verdict brings some measure of comfort to George Floyd’s loved ones.”
* US Rep. Bobby Rush…
“Today’s verdict — guilty on all three counts — is an important first acknowledgment of illegal police conduct. It holds one unlawful policeman accountable for murder. However, police accountability is not synonymous with justice.
“We still have a long way to go to ensure that every American has a guaranteed right to equal justice under the law — if America is indeed a nation built on equal justice under the law.
“Bottom feeding to populate our police forces in this nation must come to a screeching halt. Our police forces must be highly professional, highly educated, highly trained, and highly paid personnel who adhere to the highest standards of public safety and public protection.”
* Anti-Defamation League…
“The jury’s decision to hold Derek Chauvin accountable for the murder of George Floyd is a critically necessary first step in securing #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd.
And yet, no guilty verdict can change the fact that George Floyd — and Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, and too many others — should be alive today. Our country’s policing and criminal legal systems have targeted and devalued Black, brown, and Indigenous lives for centuries. The issue is much bigger than one traffic stop, one no-knock raid, one police shooting, one department, or one city. It is long past time for our country to tackle systemic racism, reimagine what public safety looks like, and create transformational change to ensure justice and fair treatment for all people. Black Lives Matter, and our society’s laws, practices, and institutions must reflect that.”
* Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago)…
“With today’s verdict, Derek Chauvin has been held accountable for the murder of George Floyd. At a basic minimum, this is what we need, and I am relieved to see the verdict. But we must ask ourselves now what justice will look like for George Floyd.
“Justice is broad and systemic, and this verdict tells us that the system must change from the ground up. George Floyd was executed on camera in a matter of minutes. His daughter will never see him again. Derek Chauvin has had many months and more of due process, all while communities across the country anxiously awaited this decision, not at all confident that Chauvin would face consequences even in light of the fact that his crime was caught on film.
“That this was in doubt, that we feel relieved that there will be consequences, speaks to how much the system needs changing. Chauvin is one officer whose misconduct will be punished. This must cease to be the exception, or more Black lives will be routinely taken from us.”
* AG Kwame Raoul…
“Today justice was served, and I hope this verdict brings some measure of peace to the family and friends of George Floyd, and allows them to begin recovering not just from Floyd’s tragic death but also from the trauma of the trial. I am also hopeful that this verdict will begin the healing our country needs.
“I would like to congratulate my colleague, Keith Ellison, on a well-conducted prosecution. It should be noted that the successful prosecution was obtained with testimony of fellow officers within the Minneapolis Police Department who refused to sign off on an illegal and unconscionable use of force. Let that be a new standard.
“While George Floyd was not the first unarmed Black man to die at the hands of police, his death galvanized Americans in a historic way. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of people to remain at home with little else to distract from the horror of the video depicting George Floyd’s cries for his mother as he struggled to breathe. As a result, streets throughout the country filled with people demanding change to the status quo.
“Today’s verdict must not mark an end to a struggle toward eliminating the systemic problems that have tolerated police misconduct. It would be a mistake to take the ‘bad-apple’ approach to evaluating the impact of this case. I, for my part, am committed to utilizing the tools and resources of my office toward confronting the systemic problems that have tolerated unconstitutional policing in departments throughout the country. I will also continue to partner with community leaders, advocates and law enforcement agencies to enact policies that facilitate preventing future tragedies.”
* House Republican Leader Jim Durkin…
“While today’s verdict won’t bring back the life of George Floyd, it delivers a powerful statement that no one is above the law. Derek Chauvin is now a convicted murderer, and bad actors like him have no place in law enforcement.”
* US Rep. Casten…
“For Americans who watched for the 9 minutes and 29 seconds as George Floyd was murdered, this trial wasn’t so much a question of guilt as it was a test of the American justice system. Today, our justice system prevailed, but in so many instances, it continues to fail Black and brown Americans.
“While I hope that today’s verdict paves the way for increased accountability for police brutality, it is also my hope that it doesn’t dissuade us from reckoning with the reality facing Black and Brown Americans or the long way we have left to go. Massive disparities in policing and incarceration, health care, housing, access to clean air and drinking water, and voting rights continue today and every day.
“In the wise words of John Lewis, ‘A democracy cannot thrive where power remains unchecked and justice is reserved for a select few. Ignoring these cries and failing to respond to this movement is simply not an option — for peace cannot exist where justice is not served.’”
* Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle…
I want to first extend my condolences to the family of George Floyd who have had to relive painful memories during the trial.
While the guilty verdict does not bring George Floyd back, today reminds the Black and Brown people of America that sometimes, with monumental effort on behalf of the people, a verdict reflecting the true meaning of justice can be returned.
The fact that for many, today’s guilty verdict was in question, tells us we still have a long way to go in bringing accountability to policing.
Still, today’s verdict is a step in the necessary direction of reforming the systems that have entrenched racism into the police departments of this country: the codes of silence, the inadequate disciplinary systems, the bloated budgets, and the fearmongering rhetoric whenever police departments come under scrutiny.
I envision a society where policing has a place alongside a variety of other services in responding to urgent situations and hope that the bad acts of a few officers do not define the many other officers who protect and serve with honor.
But, even in the best of situations, long term improvements in public safety will not be brought about by police departments.
To prevent crime, we must address the inequities in our society; we must continue to increase our investments in the communities most affected by both crime and policing; and we must repair the harm of decades of redlining, restrictive covenants, mass incarceration, and disinvestment.
* SEIU Healthcare Illinois President Greg Kelley…
“As a union of mothers and fathers, of hard-working women and men who give their all to protect and provide for their children, we are now breathing a sigh of relief that the jurors in the Derek Chauvin trial have delivered the most just verdict within their power.
“But we are all too aware that the verdict will not bring George Floyd back and will not protect more of our children from the same fate.
“It’s no surprise that it was a multi-racial jury that delivered this verdict—it took a multi-racial coalition to ensure that a trial was even held. And it will take an even larger multi-racial coalition powered by anger, grief and ultimately our collective love for our children to bring about the deep systemic change needed to prevent the future repetition of the all-too-familiar pattern of murder followed by denial and injustice.
“Today is a day for breathing a little more deeply and feeling the full weight of this moment—deep grief only partly relieved by this rare just verdict.
“And in the days to follow, we will again add our voices and our efforts to the growing coalition working to rethink the role of police and to reimagine public safety in this country.
“Together we have the power to bring about a world where all of us have what we need to thrive, no exceptions. Our members have long been committed to dismantling structural racism and today we recommit to doing so in the memory of George Floyd.”
* Senate GOP Leader McConchie…
“Nearly a year ago, the world watched in horror as George Floyd begged for air while being murdered by Derek Chauvin,” said Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “Today, we watched a jury of Chauvin’s peers declare him guilty on all counts. Nothing will return George Floyd to his family, but today’s verdict is justice under our judicial system.
“George Floyd’s life and death will forever affect the trajectory of race discussions in the United States. His trial ignited strong emotions of pain and mistrust throughout the country. I pray that the public’s reaction here in Illinois is one that remembers George Floyd’s life and death by pursuing peaceful progress for all those who are hurting in America.”
* Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart…
His name was George Perry Floyd, Jr., and he was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020.
A jury has returned its verdict and confirmed what we have all known about those nine horrifying minutes. Through this verdict, our legal system has kept this case on the road toward justice. The sentence in this case will further reveal whether real reform is within reach.
Eleven months ago, our nation and our legal system started a journey to this historic verdict. We have grieved, marched, listened, learned, shouted, cried, voted, and waited. We have waited for this day not because we were unsure of the truth, but because we were unsure of a system that for too long has ignored its own structural flaws and refused to hold accountable those who have caused the deaths of black and brown Americans.
As criminal justice reform surged forward, as new groups and younger people joined the political process, and as our communities reverberated with intense debate and calls to action, we may have felt a renewed sense of hope about our ability to effect change.
Sadly, the recent deaths of Adam Toledo and Daunte Wright have shown us that there is so much more work to do – more accountability, more investment in communities, more listening. This verdict does not solve all of our system’s problems, nor does it change our nation’s history, but it gives us hope.
The jury listened to the evidence, and its verdict speaks the truth that this was murder. It is time for us to carry that truth with us, in honor of Mr. Floyd, as we go forward in this work toward justice for all.
* US Sen. Durbin…
“The image of Derek Chauvin staring straight into the camera as George Floyd died under his knee haunts me to this day. The injustice of his killing is undeniable. And so is the fact that systemic racism continues to plague America.
“The verdict of this jury gives me hope that we can strive for a system of justice in our nation that is applied equally to all.
“As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have the forum and the means to help move our nation nearer to that goal. To that end, the Committee will hold a hearing next month on police reform.
“I know today’s ruling provides only a small measure of comfort to the Floyd family. His loss will be forever felt. We will honor George Floyd’s memory by continuing the fight for racial justice.”
* Senate President Don Harmon…
George Floyd’s murder reignited the fight for justice across this country in the never-ending hope that someday justice might be found.
This verdict will not undo the tragedy and suffering.
But it should serve as a historic marker in our ongoing work to build a just and equal society.
* U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth…
“Last year, the world watched in horror as Derek Chauvin put his knee on George Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as he cried ‘I can’t breathe’ and called out for his mother while the life drained from his body. George Floyd was murdered at the hands of a police officer who betrayed his oath to protect and serve.
“While today’s ruling won’t bring George Floyd back, it brings his family—and the entire community—closer to some semblance of justice, sends a message that our nation cannot ignore police violence and reminds us all that accountability is still possible.
“Though today’s verdict is a just result, it is only a beginning. Our work is not complete. In order to make justice the norm rather than the exception and truly bring us closer to achieving equal protection under the law for everyone, Congress must pass the comprehensive George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and begin to rebuild trust between law enforcement and our communities.”
* Lt. Gov. Stratton…
This verdict is our Selma moment. In Selma, men and women marched to demand that Black people be seen and treated with the same respect and dignity as others, that our humanity be recognized in this country. Now, in Minneapolis, a diverse jury of men and women with various lived experiences have handed down a guilty verdict that tells this nation, and the world, that the humanity of Black people matters. Finally, this is what accountability looks like. But make no mistake, George Floyd should be alive today and the system still needs to change.
As many cheer this guilty verdict, this act of justice for George Floyd, let us not forget others for whom no justice or police accountability was found: Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Tamir Rice, and so many others. We will still speak their names along with George Floyd as we work to bridge our differences, fix our problems, and search for a more perfect union in this country.
God bless the Floyd family, including his daughter, Gianna, who will grow up without her father. May we spend our days working to ensure that no other person or family will have to go through this again.
* Rep. Justin Slaughter…
Today we’re reminded of the importance of the ongoing discussions surrounding police reform in this country, and here in Illinois. While justice prevailed today, we must not forget the systemic disparities that have plagued our communities of color for decades. When our General Assembly passed the historic police reform package in January, we made a commitment to form a task force that would continue these conversations deliberately and inclusively. The goal of the Task Force on Constitutional Rights and Remedies is to produce a report that clearly outlines how we better hold police accountable, and allow all stakeholders to operate from the same set of facts. We remain committed to moving these discussions forward, not only with the legislature but with communities across the state.
* IEA President Kathi Griffin…
“Everyone wants to be safe in their community – no matter where they live, no matter the color of their skin. The jury’s verdict today helps remind us that no one should be above the law, even if they are the law. Derek Chauvin was hired to serve and protect his community. Instead, he took the life of George Floyd over the alleged passing of a fake $20 bill, in broad daylight, on a Minneapolis street, ignoring onlookers who were warning Chauvin he was killing Floyd.
As Chauvin’s co-workers and supervisors testified at the trial, he violated the department’s Use of Force policies. Their testimony indicated they believed Chauvin’s actions showed he lacked a moral compass.
There has been a long list of crimes committed against Black and Brown people by police over the years. Now, more are being caught on camera. As a result, justice is more likely to be served.
The Illinois Education Association, wherein part of our mission is “to effect excellence and equity in public education” is asking people to ask their Senators to support the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which calls for common sense police reforms, including:
• Requiring the use of dashboard and body cameras;
• Mandatory de-escalation training;
• The end of racial and religious profiling;
• The end of no-knock warrants;
• And, the prohibition of potentially fatal measures that block blood flow to the brain (like that which killed George Floyd).
It is our responsibility to look out for the safety of our students — all our students. And, we believe changes such as these will help.”
* Comptroller Mendoza…
I want to commend and thank the prosecutors and the jury for delivering justice with today’s guilty verdict. To all who gave their testimony, including the individuals who taped the last fateful 8 minutes and 46 seconds of George Floyd’s life and the police officers who had the courage to testify against another policeman, thank you. Today, we can be thankful that justice was served, but we must recognize this is just the beginning as we strive for a fairer justice system that treats everyone equally.
* Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago)…
“Today’s verdict is a consequence, an action to hold one police officer accountable. We can be thankful for the dedication and bravery of those who brought the truth of this incident to light and the decency and courage of a diverse jury. Yet, I hesitate to call today’s verdict justice.
“True justice would have been for George Floyd to walk away from his encounter with Derek Chauvin with his life. I am hopeful that this is the beginning of the broader change we must make for a criminal justice system that actually delivers justice, and a police presence that truly serves and protects all Americans.”
* HBC…
Illinois House Legislative Black Caucus Statement on Derek Chauvin Trial Verdict. pic.twitter.com/BJNpPiInOV
#twill Please sign the petition so we can show Governor Pritzker that parents in this state reject Critical Race Theory as a corrosive and divisive worldview that should not be taught to our children >> https://t.co/NpRxQbcpzp
“I applaud the jury for serving justice and providing accountability for the murder of George Floyd. This is an essential first step in the right direction, but we must remember that one verdict does not erase the generations of pain and trauma caused by a system of policing that’s been broken by centuries of systemic racism and that enables and perpetuates the terrorization of people of color.
“Americans of all backgrounds are demanding action to increase transparency in law enforcement and hold abusive police officers accountable for their actions. I’m proud to continue to stand with those calling for an end to racial injustice and systemic racial discrimination – that’s why I cosponsored and voted for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and why I will continue to urge the Senate to pass it.
“Justice and accountability should be the norm in America, not the exception.”
“Justice would be George Floyd being alive and present in the lives of those who loved him.
“Accountability is what was served to Derek Chauvin.
“As we waited with bated breath on behalf of a man who cried out that he couldn’t breathe, today is a small measure toward healing. His murder has forced us as a nation to reckon with its racist legacy, that permeates all institutions — particularly the criminal justice system.
“May this moment be the inflection point to demanding and delivering justice and accountability to all of our communities.
“May we actualize in truth and policy that Black Lives Matter.”
Illinois’ COVID-19 infection rate hit its lowest point in two weeks Tuesday, boosting optimism that the state is tamping down its latest viral resurgence. […]
The positivity rate hit an all-time low of 2.1% in mid-March but shot up to 4.4% within a month, throwing off Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan and prompting officials to sound the alarm on a potential third wave of COVID-19 sweeping Illinois just as a historic vaccination effort gained steam.
The numbers have now trended in the right direction for eight straight days, including in Chicago, where the regional positivity rate has inched down to 5.5% after more than a month of troubling increases.
“Things are looking up a little bit,” city Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said during an online Q+A. “Just over the last three to four days, we’ve seen stabilization or just a little decline. … That’s exactly what we want to see.”
“In order to reopen, our plan requires Illinois to meet several metrics precisely because of the current situation: despite vaccinations increasing, too many have lowered their guard and we are closely monitoring our trajectory,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in a statement. […]
Tuesday was the first day since Pritzker announced his reopening plan that the trend line of daily cases showed “no significant change” rather “increasing,” according to the Department of Public Health.
“We are cautiously optimistic that the day-to-day growth in cases and hospitalizations seems to be slowing in recent days,” Abudayyeh added.
Hospitalizations remain troublesome. As of Monday night, 2,288 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 522 patients in intensive care units and 223 patients on ventilators. The seven-day average of total hospitalizations is 2,126, the highest since an average of 2,156 was recorded Feb. 10.
Test positivity, COVID hospitalizations and deaths among Black Chicagoans remain high while vaccination rates among Black adults are half the city’s average, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at an event celebrating the mass vaccination site at Chicago State University on the city’s Southeast Side. The mayor called it a “disturbing trend,” and said in some places, only 12 or 15 percent of Black adults had received a shot.
“Black Chicagoans are once again getting sicker, requiring hospital care and dying more than any other demographic in our city,” she said, and while “we understand the trepidation, the fears and concerns… we need to send out the alarm, make sure Black South Siders understand you must get the vaccine, it is safe.”
The current test positivity for Black Chicagoans is 8.2 percent, according to the city’s COVID dashboard. For Latino Chicagoans it’s 9.4 percent, and for white Chicagoans it’s 4.5 percent. The city’s current average test positivity is 5.5 percent, down from 5.7 percent a week ago.
Effingham County Board Chairman Jim Niemann Monday said, “it is a nightmare”.
“It” is the status of the Census and the inability of counties to comply with the law as far as redistricting.
Niemann told other board members “I’m supposed to be giving the Board a plan, but no Census data is available.” […]
The redistricting involves making sure the nine County Board districts have approximately the same population. All of the work is to be completed and in place in advance of the Fall 2022 election, when all nine Board seats are up for grabs. There is some sentiment for delaying the election to allow more time to get redistricting completed, which Governor J.B. Pritzker could do by executive order, but Niemann said Pritzker stated that he is getting away from issuing executive orders.
The governor, of course, cannot delay an election by executive order.
* The Question: If you were king of Illinois for a day, what orders would you issue?
* It might be helpful if the board would tell Illinoisans if this had anything to do with his job or whether it was on his own time…
This comes a little over two weeks after that board placed him on administrative leave after he reported being the victim of an online extortion attempt.
Illinois State Board of Elections Executive Director Steve Sandvoss has informed the board that he intends to retire effective June 30.
“We thank Steve for his service to the agency over more than three decades,” said Chair Charles Scholz.
Sandvoss, 55, joined the State Board of Elections in 1988, served as its general counsel from 2004 to 2015 and was named executive director in 2015. He has been on administrative leave since April 5. Acting Executive Director Bernadette Matthews has led the Board of Elections in the interim and will continue as head of the agency until a permanent director is named.
Director Sandvoss’ administrative leave was related to a personal online extortion attempt against him that he reported to the Illinois State Police. In response to these events, the board immediately ordered an internal investigation by its chief information security officer. The investigation revealed that no SBE data or systems had been compromised in the incident.
The State Board of Elections is an independent state agency charged with the responsibility of having general supervision over the administration of election laws of the State of Illinois. Elections are administered locally by the State’s 108 election authorities.
In a letter to Senate President Don Harmon, House Speaker Chris Welch and leaders of the Latino and Black caucuses, groups including the Chicago Urban League and Latino Policy Forum stop short of endorsing a bill proposed by Lightfoot to elect only a few members of the board, allowing the mayor to continue to appoint most.
But the letters emphasize the importance of certain clauses that are in Lightfoot’s bill, but not the CTU’s. Included are steps to help undocumented immigrants have a voice, limits on campaign contributions and a requirement that any candidate have prior service on a Local School Council.
The net effect may be to boost chances of a compromise and slow momentum of the CTU’s bill, which easily passed the House last week and could come up for a vote in the Senate as soon as later this week, according to its Senate sponsor, Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago. […]
“What we’re trying to do is slow down the process,” [Latino Policy Forum President Sylvia Puente], who said she did discuss the letter with Lightfoot’s office before sending it.
One quick thing. The House bill is different than the Senate bill. The House bill, which passed the full chamber last week, would sunset the entire law after five years. I asked why there’s a sunset provision in the House bill last week and have yet to hear back.
* You can read the entire letter here. Signatories…
Tom Vanden Berk, CEO, UCAN
Karina Ayala-Bermejo, President & CEO, Instituto del Progreso Latino
Tasha Green Cruzat, Executive Director, Voices for Illinois Children
Ricardo Estrada, President & CEO, Metropolitan Family Services
Jim Hayes, President & CEO, YMCA Metropolitan Chicago
Dorri McWhorter, CEO, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
Rev. James T. Meeks, Founder & Sr. Pastor, Salem Baptist Church
Sylvia Puente, President & CEO, Latino Policy Forum
Raul I. Raymundo, CEO, The Resurrection Project
Audra Wilson, President & CEO, Shriver Center for Poverty Law
Karen Freeman-Wilson, President & CEO, Chicago Urban League
* For context, Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago) issued this press release shortly after the House passed her bill…
“HB 2908 creates an elected and representative school board for CPS, putting the district in line with every other public school district in the state which gets to elect school board members. Chicago parents deserve to have a say in who represents them and their children’s interests, on the city’s school board,” Ramirez said.
“School boards are a critical part of our education system and should be transparent and open to public input. For too long, CPS parents have not had a voice in the process as mayoral-appointed school boards unilaterally closed schools, increased classroom sizes, and eliminated vital related services that destabilized communities. Educators and parents have been working towards this policy parity for years now. The data shows that the overwhelming majority of our families favor an elected school board and the democratic thing to do is make that happen.”
The bill now goes to the Illinois Senate for further deliberation between legislators and local stakeholders. Rep. Ramirez urges swift passage so that the families and children served by CPS can finally have a fair say in how their schools are run.
The global pandemic and economic crisis have taken the heaviest toll on communities of color, especially Black Americans and Latinos on Chicago’s South Side and in the southern suburbs.
Together, the pandemic and economic downturn have widened the inequality gap in Illinois, one that Gov. J.B. Pritzker has vowed time and time again to close.
But the governor has a great opportunity to do something about that — and to keep those promises. He could get behind a stalled development project in Joliet that would create 10,000 permanent jobs, most of them in my congressional district, providing an average salary of $42,000. That would be a living wage, not just a minimum wage.
The project is ready to break ground and put Illinois folks to work within a matter of weeks. The governor just has to give the word.
Critics say the notion that Pritzker could snap his fingers and order IDOT to approve the bridge is a gross distortion and oversimplification of the issue. Three lawsuits are pending in Will County courts over Joliet’s annexation of land and support for the project.
Opponents include the villages of Elwood and Manhattan; local townships and school districts; Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts; Openlands, the Sierra Club and other environmentalists concerned about the project’s impact on Midewin; and numerous neighborhood groups in Joliet.
* From Jordan Abudayyeh at the governor’s office…
The North Point development is a complicated transaction that would require sign off from multiple municipalities, the people who live in these communities and their representatives in the General Assembly. Gov. Pritzker prioritizes economic development in every region of this state and is pleased to see many communities engaged on moving forward with this project. The administration would encourage the corporation to engage the other municipalities before asking the state to step in and take drastic measures to seize land for this effort.
…Adding… From Northpoint…
• NorthPoint is located in Joliet – there is no requirement or need for other municipalities to sign off.
• NorthPoint has engaged every local public official whose district is near the project. Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Cong. Rush, Cong. Kinzinger, Cong. Kelly support the project.
• The only officials who refuse to meet live in Elwood.
• No land would be seized. The City of Joliet and NorthPoint are asking that the State extend authority of an industrial, public roadway that it took over in 2015.
• This would keep truck traffic off local roads, reduce truck congestion on I-80 and I-55, and would create more than 10,000 permanent Illinois jobs and 1,600 PLA-protected union jobs – even after construction.
• In addition, NorthPoint is working to secure favorable MBE/WBE agreements and opportunities outside of what is required for the project and offering a variety of community benefits, including: a $5 million contribution to a Joliet community fund before construction begins; an on-site workforce training center; a second-chance program for released offenders; programs to combat food deserts in underserved areas; and ongoing traffic studies to prevent future traffic issues.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,587 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 9 additional deaths.
- Champaign County: 1 male 50s
- Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s
- Madison County: 1 male 60s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 80s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 70s
- Will County: 1 female 60s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,306,787 cases, including 21,694 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 62,406 specimens for a total of 21,839,226. As of last night, 2,288 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 522 patients were in the ICU and 223 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from April 13-19, 2021 is 3.8%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from April 13-19, 2021 is 4.5%.
The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses for Illinois is 10,162,155. A total of 8,201,830 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 122,531 doses. Yesterday, 81,963 doses were reported administered in Illinois. However, data from Walgreens on the number of doses administered yesterday is not included due to a technical issue and will be added in tomorrow’s total.
*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.
ICU admissions have not been this high since January 29th. Deaths are a lagging indicator.
Tuesday, Apr 20, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
A coalition of 35 diverse organizations has come together with a common goal: to modernize healthcare and empower patients. To achieve this goal, The Coalition to Protect Telehealth—which includes Illinois healthcare providers, professionals and patient advocates—is united behind patient-centered virtual care that’s high-quality, accessible and safe.
The pandemic brought the coalition together, as it brought the need for telehealth to the forefront. Coalition members include:
• AARP Illinois;
• American Academy of Pediatrics, Illinois Chapter;
• American Nurses Association, Illinois;
• Community Behavioral Healthcare Association;
• Heartland Alliance;
• Illinois Association for Behavioral Health;
• Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network;
• Illinois Primary Health Care Association;
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society; and
• The Kennedy Forum.
The Coalition to Protect Telehealth strongly supports House Bill 3498, which was introduced by State Rep. Deb Conroy and has 46 bipartisan co-sponsors. This bill advances health equity by allowing patients to be treated via telehealth in their home, prohibiting geographic or facility restrictions on telehealth services, and reimbursing telehealth services at the same rate as in-person care.
Tuesday, Apr 20, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Employers in Illinois provide prescription drug coverage for nearly 6.7 million Illinoisans. In order to help keep care more affordable, employers work with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), who deploy a variety of tools to reduce prescription drug costs and help improve health outcomes. In addition to helping employers, PBMs also work with the Illinois Medicaid program in the same way to help control costs. Over the last five years, PBMs have saved the state and taxpayers nearly $340 million.
Today, Illinois faces a multibillion budget shortfall as more Illinoisans are relying on Medicaid to help meet their health care coverage needs. As legislators work to address these challenges, one way to help ensure continued cost savings is by strengthening the PBM tools that the State and employers use, which are poised to save employers, consumers and the State $39 billion over the next 10 years. These are meaningful savings that will help continue to contain costs, ensure consumer access to medicines and drive savings in public health programs.
Amid a pandemic and economic challenges, now is the time to strengthen, not limit, the tools that employers, consumers and the State rely on to manage costs and ensure consumers can access the medicines they need.
The Chicago-based Franklin News Foundation, sometimes characterized as ideological by its critics, oversees the Illinois Radio Network and The Center Square reporting service. Both entities act as traditional news outlets, a status that puts them on equal footing with more established news outlets like The Chicago Tribune.
* Rent control advocates have come up with new proposal…
A coalition of affordable housing advocates that is pushing to repeal a law banning rent-control measures by Illinois local governments is moving forward with a new bill that would give local jurisdictions the right to lift the ban by passing a binding referendum. If passed, local governments could then debate and potentially enact rent-control measures for their communities. Rep. Lakesia Collins, architect of the new bill, stated, “People who are impacted the most should have some say so on how best to solve their housing problems. HB116 will give constituents the right to decide if rent control is a good solution to help stabilize their community. Let’s let democracy decide.”
The statewide Lift the Ban Coalition of Black and Latinx community organizations, unions and mobile-home associations is holding a news conference Tuesday morning regarding HB116, the Democracy in Rental Housing Act, which would amend the 1997 law that bans rent control. This week, Rep. Will Guzzardi (39th) chief sponsor of HB116, submitted the AMENDED bill allowing local governments to opt out of the ban by passing a binding referendum.
“Throughout this fight, we’ve said that communities should have the autonomy to decide if and how to keep rent increases in check,” Guzzardi said. “This amendment goes even further, allowing voters to decide whether or not to lift the ban. It’s a reasonable measure, and I’m eager to get it passed.”
* Rep. Sonia Harper said during last week’s debate on this bill that the township supervisor, whom she knows, opposed it. What Rep. Harper didn’t mention was that this issue was part of the reason the supervisor lost her reelection bid…
Legislation to bring natural gas to Pembroke Township and Hopkins Park is moving on to the Illinois Senate.
HB 3404, which is sponsored by State Rep. Jackie Haas, R-Kankakee, was approved 88-14 Thursday with a bipartisan vote. […]
Pembroke Township Supervisor-elect Sam Payton said ensuring the pipeline becomes a reality was one reason he ran against current supervisor Brenda Miles.
“I can see the bill [passing] and see the future of Pembroke, the Nestlé plant and the jobs it will bring,” Payton said. “I’m excited.”
* Via Politico, here’s a draft version of the cannabis cleanup bill. Some changes are expected…
1. Creates a new Qualifying Applicant lottery of 110 licenses to be conducted for current social equity applicants. The lottery is only open to applicants that scored over 85% of available points. The definiFon of social equity for purposes of this lottery applies to applicants that have lived in a disproportionally impacted area for 5 of the past 10 years OR have been convicted of a cannabis offense eligible for expungement or have a close family member that has been convicted of a cannabis offense eligible for expungement. No applicant may be awarded more than 3 licenses in this lottery. This is in addition to the 75 dispensary licenses intended for Social Equity applicants provided for in the current law which has been delayed and takes the place of the 110 licenses set to be awarded in 2021 and must be conducted by December 21, 2021.
2. Allows for relocation of exising Early Approval Adult Use Dispensaries within the same zip code or within 1⁄2 mile of the existing dispensary 90 days after the issuance of the 185 social equity licenses
3. Creates a Social Equity Justice Involved Medical Lottery to issue 5 medical cannabis dispensary licenses to social equity applicants, defines social equity applicant as 51% owned and controlled by an individual who lives in a disproportionally impacted area for 5 of last 10 years OR who has been convicted of a cannabis offense eligible for expungement under the CRTA or a close family member has been convicted of a cannabis offense. This license would also allow the dispensary to hold an adult use license at the location of the medical dispensary and allows an additional adult use dispensary at a second site.
4. Allows medical cannabis patients to purchase cannabis at any medical cannabis dispensary instead of registering with a single dispensary
5. Allows cannabis business employees to begin working while waiting for the required background check needed for obtaining a cannabis business ID card
6. Clarifies that the Cannabis Regulation and Oversight Officer serves a coordinating role between the various cannabis regulatory agencies and adjusts the timing of the required disparity study until after each round of licenses are awarded
7. Removes requirement that IDFPR inspect location prior to receiving authorization to build out the location
8. Removes cap on the number of cannabis Community College programs, currently a cap of 8 programs
9. Matches FOIA requirements in Medical Cannabis Act with the CRTA to allow for more transparency on the ownership of license holders. Adds disclosure requirements to the sections governing each cannabis business license type.
*** UPDATE *** The amendment has surfaced. Click here.
* The House’s Third Reading deadline is Friday, so a bill introduced on Monday is probably gonna have to be grafted onto an existing piece of legislation. But it did get a press pop…
A state lawmaker who represents the city’s West Side introduced legislation Monday that would require all police officers in Illinois to be schooled on the intersection of law, race and racism in the hopes of teaching officers “the culture and the lifestyles of different communities and people.”
“If we want to change the behavior of police, we have to educate them,” state Rep. La Shawn Ford said.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, has introduced House Bill 1872, which would repeal a law that prohibits people in prison from voting.
John Jackson, visiting professor at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, said this bill is part of a shift away from the strict mentality concerning law and order that started in the 1970s.
One way to look at the situation is to measure the average number of doses on hand each day, compared to the average daily number of residents getting vaccinated. That formula shows three regions — West-Central, Metro East and South — have enough doses to vaccinate their residents, at their current paces, for more than three weeks.
Near Chicago, inventory levels are far smaller. IDPH doesn’t track the city of Chicago’s inventory, but for the four regions that encompass the suburbs, supply levels have lingered at 10 days or less.
The shortest supply can be found in the region that combines Lake and McHenry counties, which had on hand a supply good for barely four days’ worth of vaccinations.
Mark Pfister, director of Lake County’s health department, told the Tribune last week that his Lake County department has no trouble still filling up all appointment slots at clinics it runs. It also cannot keep up with all of the physicians and pharmacists vying for the doses provided by IDPH.
10 days isn’t bad. Four days, however, is way too tight. As we’ve already discussed, the state has changed the way it’s distributing the vaccines to deal with these regional differences.
…Adding… The governor’s office says the Tribune story is based only on one sort of distriction, via local health departments. There are, of course, several other dose sources, including mass vaccination sites, the federal government (to pharmacies), state strike teams, etc.
For the Southern Seven Health Department, the average population for completely vaccinated adults is about 18.3%.
The average across Illinois is 25%.
“That shows you how much of a lag there is between the state average for fully vaccinated, and Southern Seven’s fully vaccinated average. And that is just because we don’t have people coming out to get vaccinated,” said Nathan Ryder, the Southern Seven Health Department outreach coordinator.
This trend is showing up not only in Southern Seven counties.
Jackson and Egyptian Health Departments have seen similar issues.
“They’re still seeing strong demand in larger cities and urban areas across the state. But just like many other places across the United States, rural populations are just not coming out to get vaccinated,” said Ryder.
Amidst the pause in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, there has been no change in Americans’ likelihood to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
* Currently, 20% say they are not at all likely to get the vaccine, as soon as it’s available to them. This number has remained steady since early January 2021.
* At the same time, the number of American adults that report receiving at least one dose of the vaccine continues to climb (now at 56%).
I hope you are all enjoying your snowy April Tuesday.
Beginning today, the Senate will now provide wristbands to lobbyists and media who have tested negative for COVID and are cleared for access to Senate offices, press boxes and TV galleries.
There will be a different color wristband each day.
You should pick up your wristband at the table at the north entrance of the Capitol building. You can show your negative COVID test there as well.
You will need to get a new wristband each day of session.
Thank you for your understanding. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best,
Liz Mitchell
Deputy Press Secretary
Senate President Don Harmon
“We’ve got to actually hold people accountable who are wreaking havoc in our streets. The fact that we have gone now 13 months and we don’t have criminal trials in Cook County” is shameful, the mayor said.
In fact, jury trials began March 22 at the Cook County courthouse at 26th and California and March 29 at the Bridgeview courthouse, court officials say. But there haven’t been many requests by defendants for jury trials this year, officials said. […]
Lightfoot also took aim at the widening practice in recent years of Cook County judges setting relatively low bails for people charged with felonies like gun crimes and having them await trial at home on electronic monitoring.
“We just charged somebody yesterday. Two brothers who murdered a person — 11 bullets into them, in front of witnesses,” Lightfoot said. “And at least one of them was out on another gun charge, on electronic monitoring. This isn’t working. We need to have trials and we need to put dangerous people behind bars so that the community is actually safe.”
Cook County’s 2017 bail reform required judges to set affordable bail for defendants they deemed could be released while awaiting trial without endangering the public. In 2019, Chief Cook County Judge Timothy Evans wrote an opinion piece in the Chicago Sun-Times in which he said, “99.8% of felony defendants released on bail don’t receive charges of new gun-related violent crime while their cases are pending.”
A proposal requiring the city to digitize and publish a database of closed complaints against police officers going back decades stalled in committee Friday over the objection of the city’s top watchdogs, who said the city is “out of runway” to earn the trust of residents on police reform.
The ordinance was sponsored by Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) in response to a lawsuit that found the city has illegally withheld documents on complaints against police officers in violation of the Freedom of Information Act.
Waguespack’s ordinance authorizes the city’s Office of the Inspector General to digitize and publish an online database of complaint reports going back to 1994, while automatically publishing some information of newly closed cases going forward.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she opposed the ordinance “as is” at an unrelated news conference Thursday, citing the “significant” expense and saying there’s already a “robust” amount of information previously made available through various lawsuits. […]
Deborah Witzburg, the deputy inspector general for Public Safety, told the joint committee on Finance and Public Safety Friday the database would require a first-year $709,500 investment and cost just less than $2 million over five years.
The city has paid out more than a half billion dollars in police misconduct settlements in the last 10 years.
Tuesday, Apr 20, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Bribery, corruption, and formula rates have decimated public trust in utility regulation.
Instead of passing another rate hike, let’s pass a comprehensive clean energy bill.
Illinois’ legislature has an opportunity to finally hold utilities accountable, while addressing the climate crisis, creating thousands of equitable clean energy jobs, and lowering electric bills all at the same time.
The Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) is the only energy bill that installs an independent monitor in the headquarters of ComEd and Ameren. CEJA also refunds customers for ComEd’s violations and creates a new Accountability Division at the Illinois Commerce Commission to protect residents against future offenses. You can read the full list of CEJA’s accountability measures here.
As we get closer to May 31st, profit-hungry utilities are getting more aggressive. Missouri-based Ameren spent more than $40,000 on Facebook ads alone in just the last few weeks as they try to pass a bill that would drastically increase electric formula rates and expand them to gas customers.
We have just five weeks left to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Let’s get it done.
At the request of the City of Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker is activating 125 personnel from the Illinois National Guard to stand by to support the Chicago Police Department with a verdict expected in the trial of Derek Chauvin. Members of the Guard will deploy to Chicago beginning tomorrow, April 20, to pre-position and support the Chicago Police Department as needed.
The Illinois National Guard will carry out a limited mission to help manage street closures and will not interfere with peaceful protestors exercising their First Amendment rights, much the same role as Guard members played in previous deployments.
“At the request of Mayor Lightfoot, I am activating members of the Illinois National Guard to support the city in keeping our communities safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “It is critical that those who wish to peacefully protest against the systemic racism and injustice that holds back too many of our communities continue to be able to do so. Members of the Guard and the Illinois State Police will support the City of Chicago’s efforts to protect the rights of peaceful protestors and keep our families safe.”
“Our greatest priority at all times is ensuring the safety and security of the public,” said Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “While there is no actionable intelligence at this time, we want to be fully prepared out of an abundance of caution. Our city has a long history of peacefully expressing its First Amendment rights and I encourage residents to exercise their rights to free speech this coming week thoughtfully, respectfully and peacefully.”
“The Illinois National Guard Soldiers assigned to this mission are trained, equipped and prepared to assist law enforcement authorities with protecting lives and property of Illinois residents,” said Maj. Gen. Rich Neely, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard.
Governor Pritzker also directed the Illinois State Police (ISP) to support the Chicago Police Department with additional troopers. The troopers will work closely with the Chicago Police Department and other local law enforcement, supporting efforts to keep the community safe.
“The Illinois State Police will work closely with Chicago Police Department, other local law enforcement and the Illinois National Guard to protect peaceful protests and keep the community safe,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “We appreciate the assistance of these agencies in our continuing mission to protect people, peaceful protests and property.”
The State Emergency Operations Center is monitoring operations throughout the state and is poised to fulfill requests from local governments, if they arise. All Soldiers will be tested for COVID-19 prior to deployment and they will be offered a COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, Soldiers will be outfitted with personal protective equipment, such as face shields and masks, to address the threats of our current COVID environment.
Soldiers assigned to this mission are from the Illinois National Guard’s 33rd Military Police Battalion. These individuals are specially trained in riot control operations. The 33rd Military Police Battalion is comprised of Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, based in Machesney Park, the 233rd Military Police Company, based in Springfield, the 333rd Military Police Company, based in Freeport, and the 933rd Military Police Company, based in Fort Sheridan. The battalion is drawing Soldiers from each of these companies.
* Dean Olsen at the State Journal-Register about bickering between the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the foundation which shares a name and which is now persona non grata…
[Melissa Coultas, ALPLM acting executive director] said the [Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation] has a “parasitic” relationship with the ALPLM, adding that the ALPLM has “faced delay or outright rejection from the foundation when we’ve requested simple information on fundraising efforts and basic finances that purport to support the ALPLM. … I have never experienced anything close to this level of stonewalling and hostility.”
When comparing the foundation’s reported income to what ALPLM receives, Coultas said, “the amount is just over 7 cents on every dollar — a mere 7%.
“We concede some foundation spending, such as payment on its Taper Collection debt, indirectly benefits the ALPLM. But the details on that are hazy — and other spending is a complete mystery to us,” Coultas said.
On the other side, foundation CEO Mast said the ALPLM has issued “misleading narratives that aren’t supported by the facts.” She said the foundation has raised $42 million to benefit the ALPLM since the site’s inception, with half going toward paying for the Taper Collection.
And in the past year, about 70 cents out of every dollar raised or earned by the foundation — not 7 cents — was “put toward ALPLM expenses,” Mast said. She added that the foundation has “robust practices” to promote financial accountability as a nonprofit and posts financial documents that it files with the IRS on its website.
Of that, the foundation spent $823K on salaries and benefits, $407K on interest payments, $90K on office expenses, $65K on lobbying expenses and $61K for “other” expenses, among other things.
In support of the library, the foundation lists $502.5K in direct support, $240.5K for grant expenses, $217K for special events and $25.6K for investment expenses and $24K for investment expenses.
So, that’s neither 70 percent nor 7 percent.
* I reached out to ALPLM spokesperson Chris Wills…
When we talk about seven cents on the dollar, we are examining the Foundation’s claim that it provides about $2 million a year to the ALPLM. Most people hearing that would assume it means giving the ALPLM $2 million to spend on our needs — exhibits, equipment, marketing, etc. That may be the amount that flows through the Foundation’s accounts, but it is wrong to think they give us that amount to spend. In fact, if you look at their wording, the Foundation says the money merely “supported expenses for ALPLM.”
In the attached document, look at the section labeled “Foundation Average Expenditures by Function FY18-20.” That is our best estimate of how the Foundation spends its money.
First, 40 percent of that money goes to the Foundation’s own payroll. Another big chunk, about 19%, goes to interest on the Foundation’s debts. About 12 percent is grant money that comes from other institutions (and ALPLM staff, not the Foundation, are often the ones writing the grant requests and other administrative work). Another 12 percent goes to “special events” which we presume are costs associated with the Foundation’s fundraising events. The Foundation will not explain to us how that money is raised or where it goes. There are other spending categories we don’t fully understand. The amount we can verify that they actually raise and then make available to the ALPLM is about 7.5 percent of their claim.
So of the $2 million they claim, only about 7 cents of every dollar is actually the cash support most people would envision when talking about the Foundation assisting the ALPLM. As we said in the hearing, we think the ALPLM does benefit from some of the other Foundation spending. If they had met with us or even answered our written questions, we might have a clearer idea of the total impact.
I should also note that we put together the attached document because we kept getting questions from our board and from the administration about how the Foundation did or didn’t assist the ALPLM. We could not provide concrete answers from the Foundation, so we did our best to come up with an overview on our own. The Foundation says its financial picture is discussed at meetings that include ALPLM representatives. What they don’t mention is that the ALPLM representatives are NOT given copies of the financial reports their board discusses.
Governor JB Pritzker today announced Gary Johnson will be the new Chair of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Board (ALPLM). Johnson was appointed to the ALPLM Board of Directors in September 2019 after serving as President of the Chicago History Museum for 15 years. He previously spent 28 years as a lawyer and partner in international law at Mayer Brown and Jones Day.
“The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is a treasured institution that pays homage to not only the country’s first president from Illinois but also our great state’s incredible history,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am pleased to announce Gary Johnson will serve as Chair of the Museum’s Board, bringing years of prior, award-winning service with him. I am confident he will excel in the role and work to ensure the ALPLM remains a top destination for Illinoisans and visitors alike.”
Under Johnson’s leadership, the Chicago History Museum received the National Medal from the Institute for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest award for museums and libraries. He also served for 10 years as President of Museums in the Park. Additionally, he worked as Vice Chair on the Special Commission on the Administration of Justice in Cook County.
“It is an honor to become the chair of this board. This is an important time for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum,” said Gary Johnson. “It has accomplished so much for both Springfield and the nation. At the time of its anniversary, we look ahead to making it become even more relevant in our national dialogues.”
Gary Johnson is a member of the American Law Institute and a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Illinois State Bar Association Foundation, and he served as president of the Chicago Council of Lawyers. Johnson earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, his Master of Arts from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and his Bachelor of Arts from Yale College. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Lake Forest College.
Johnson’s appointment to ALPLM Board Chair is effective immediately.
Despite broad bipartisan support for measures to reduce the tax Illinois levies on trailers, legislation has failed to advance.
State Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond, has House Bill 636. There are 62 co-sponsors on the bill, more than enough to pass the House with a simple majority of bipartisan lawmakers.
Bourne said there are nine identical bills from Republicans and Democrats that decrease the trailer fee that was increased in the governor’s capital bill enacted in 2019. […]
State Rep. Mike Zalewski, who is the chairman of the House Revenue and Finance Committee, said despite having more than enough cosponsors to pass the measure in the House, he won’t let it out of committee.
“Until I’m provided with a funding alternative, I’m not going to willy nilly send every single bill to the floor,” said Zalewski, D-Riverside.
The following day on the House floor, state Rep. Tim Butler said the fee increase wasn’t negotiated as part of the governor’s capital plan. Some Republicans said they were told it was a drafting error, but Butler said it’s led to as many as 150,000 fewer trailer plate renewals and needs to be addressed because people can’t afford it.
Chairing that committee means telling lots of people “No” when you’d rather just say “Yes.” Zalewski told me last week they’re trying to work it out. We’ll see.
Illinois could be moving closer to a ban on the sale of dogs and cats that have been sourced from breeders at retail pet stores.
House members have approved a measure that would prohibit a pet shop operator from offering for sale a dog or cat that has been obtained through a breeder or a person reselling animals from a breeder. Retail pet stores still would be allowed to offer dogs and cats obtained from an animal control facility or an animal shelter.
State Rep. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, says the stores don’t have an incentive to make sure families can take on the financial burdens of these pets, which often end up with serious health problems.
“These pet stores want to buy really, really cheap animals, really, really, really young,” Chesney said. “They want to pull the heartstrings of an uninformed buyer. They want to sell it at a very expensive cost. And any time they get a buyer that’s unhappy, they’re going to just pay them a bunch of money to go away because they have so much profit built into these animals.”
* Email from Rep. Stoneback’s office…
Rep. Stoneback introduced HB 3483 to strengthen our state’s Firearm Restraining Order. The bill is timely in light of all the mass shootings our country has seen this past year. I wanted to bring this to your attention in hopes of having it included as part of your “It’s just a bill” segment. I’ve included a quote below that you may use as part of the post. Thank you for your time and consideration.
“In the wake of the over 150 mass shootings our country has experienced so far this year, our state legislature must do more. The Firearms Restraining Order (FRO) in Illinois is a crucial—but vastly underutilized—tool to prevent tragedies by temporarily removing firearms from those who pose a significant danger to themselves or others. My bipartisan bill, HB 3483, would strengthen this law by closing loopholes and providing much-needed educational resources for law enforcement as well as the general public.”
Provides that the Department of Public Health, subject to appropriation or other available funding, shall conduct a program to promote awareness of firearms restraining orders to the general public. Provides that beginning July 1, 2022, the program must include the development and dissemination, through print, digital, and broadcast media, of public service announcements that publicize the options victims of domestic violence have to seek help with special emphasis on the firearms restraining order. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall develop and approve a standard curriculum for a training program on the Firearms Restraining Order Act. Provides that the Board shall conduct a training program that trains officers on the use of firearms restraining orders, how to identify situations in which a firearms restraining order is appropriate, and how to safely promote the usage of the firearms restraining order in a domestic violence situation. Officers who have successfully completed this program shall be issued a certificate attesting to their attendance. Amends the Firearms Restraining Order Act. Provides that a firearms restraining order includes the seizure of the respondent’s ammunition. Provides that “family member of the respondent” includes a former spouse and a person with whom the respondent has or allegedly has a child in common. Provides that a petition for a firearms restraining order may be filed in any county where an incident occurred that involved the respondent posing an immediate and present danger of causing personal injury to the respondent or another by having in his or her custody or control, or purchasing, possessing, or receiving, a firearm or ammunition. Includes printing a petition for a firearms restraining order for which no fees may be charged by the circuit clerk. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall submit a yearly report to the General Assembly concerning the applications and issuance of firearms restraining orders.
Community colleges across the state now have the ability to provide the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s (UIUC) innovative, saliva-based COVID-19 test at no cost to any state resident who wants one.
The testing will be funded through an agreement between the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and SHIELD Illinois, the University of Illinois System unit that is deploying the test throughout the state.
Under the agreement, the state’s 49 community colleges can test their own students and staff, and can choose to serve as community testing sites where any Illinois resident can get a free test.
There are currently five active SHIELD Illinois community testing sites – Black Hawk College, Heartland Community College, Lincoln Land Community College, Oakton Community College, and Sauk Valley Community College – and more in development.
The agreement is being funded with money the state received through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan.
UIUC’s innovative, saliva-based COVID-19 PCR test has held the virus in check at the U of I System’s three universities thanks to widespread testing with rapid results. The test, known as covidSHIELD, was granted emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February.
The Illinois GOP has never been a fundraising juggernaut, and yet the first quarter numbers were still pretty bleak.
For the first quarter, Illinois GOP reported receiving a little more than $115,000 in donations, leaving $74,374 in the bank after expenses, according to the State Board of Elections.
Usually, the ILGOP does much better with its federal fundraising, but they only raised about $100k in January and February and had about $230K on hand.
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin raised $125,000 in the first quarter and had about $267,00 on hand after expenses. His House Republican Organization, which funds GOP reps’ campaigns, raised $111,000, leaving a mere $200 in the bank after expenses. And Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie raised $68,000 and has $432,000 cash on hand. His caucus committee raised $206,000 and has $209,000 in the bank.
As I told subscribers on Friday, HRO reported raising $219K since the end of the quarter. Their new House Republican Majority committee reported $48,500 in contributions this month.
The Democratic Party of Illinois, meanwhile, received about $2 million, leaving it with $2.6 million cash on hand. And Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker reports having $35 million in the bank, thanks to his self-funding.
DPI reported raising just $2,500 since Robin Kelly was elected party chair. That $2 million was a transfer from Democratic Majority before Chairman Madigan left office. He then moved half of that back to the caucus committee.
Democrats currently have five active party-wide committees. Each of these committees may broadly distribute funds to other Democratic committees across the state, helping pool and direct party funds to various strategic races. Put together, the five Democratic committees had a total of $5,411,409 in available funds as of March 31st, and raised $3,139,147 from January 1st to March 31st. By contrast, Republicans have four active party-wide committees. As of March 31st, all of them totaled $434,280 in available funds, having raised $432,559.68 from during the same time period - a startling advantage for Democrats, giving them a major financial edge of more than 12 times the current funds of Republicans.
Much the same holds true for the committees of each party’s leadership: Senate President Don Harmon’s individual committee had $5,988,860 in available funds as of March 31st, with newly-elected Speaker Chris Welch holding $1,223,835 (Note: Madigan had over $10 million in his individual campaign account). By contrast, Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie only had $432,323, with House Minority Leader Jim Durkin holding $266,564. Outside of the General Assembly, Governor Pritzker’s committee currently has $35,084,460 in available funds ($35,000,000 of which was donated by Pritzker himself on March 12th), while Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton’s committee holds $33,663. Once again, Democrats take the lead - and it bears mentioning that funds in these individual committees can also be transferred to other candidates. These well-funded individual committees may also serve as party-wide assets.
Democrats are clearly poised to have a strong financial advantage next year - a lot more money is going to start trickling into political committees as the year goes by, but the Democratic Party has a formidable head start. However, it remains to be seen how much difference it will ultimately make: Democrats poured millions into political committees supporting last year’s progressive tax ballot initiative, yet it still failed to pass when a single Republican donor (Ken Griffin) stepped up and matched the pot. As always, it will ultimately come down to individual Illinoisans, and for whom they choose to cast their vote.
Note: Additional leadership funds were collected by both parties via A -1 filings: Republicans received $133,750 and Democrats received $288,000.
Much colder temperatures bring the possibility of snow beginning late tonight and into Tuesday. Accumulations are expected to be light and mostly confined to grassy areas, but be extra cautious on bridges, overpasses and ramps. #ilwxpic.twitter.com/ristHafAHM
In the House, state Rep. Ann Williams, D-Chicago, is carrying legislation to establish a path for ratepayers to win restitution if a utility company engages in criminal wrongdoing. In its deferred prosecution agreement, ComEd said its corrupt lobbying yielded legislative victories valued at more than $150 million for the company.
Her legislation also would do away with automatic rate increases for ComEd customers based on a preset formula. It would bar utilities like ComEd from billing ratepayers for charitable contributions or for legal fees tied to criminal investigations.
And Williams’ measure would establish a czar to oversee utility ethics compliance at the Illinois Commerce Commission, which regulates utilities.
That czar would have access to a database that ComEd and other utilities would be required to log, showing “requests for anything of value” sought by public officials or their staffs. But those records of potential job or contract asks wouldn’t be directly accessible to the public under current language in Williams’ bill — something she said she’s willing to reconsider.
Her legislation also would prevent ComEd-hired lobbyists from subcontracting, which the company acknowledged in its deferred prosecution agreement as a way political friends of Madigan’s were funneled rewards. That practice, which evaded state lobbying disclosure rules, enabled ComEd lobbyists to hire Madigan associates as consultants, who did little to no work.
“It’s really a shame that we have to babysit the utilities in this way,” Williams told WBEZ. “But unfortunately, ComEd has shown us that they were really willing to make a mockery of the legislative process.”
* AARP Illinois, Illinois PIRG and the Environmental Law & Policy Center recently released a laundry lists of reforms they’d like to see…
Restitution
Make ComEd really pay for its $200 million settlement by taking it out of future revenues, in turn lowering customers’ bills
Explore other ways to get money back for ComEd customers, as the General Assembly has done before
Regulation
End automatic “formula” rate hikes for ComEd and Ameren
End “Rider QIP,” a mini-formula rate for gas utilities
Commission an independent audit of ComEd’s grid
Establish integrated grid planning for ComEd and Ameren
Provide the Illinois Commerce Commission with increased resources and staffing to effectively carry out its mission
Reform
End utility political giving
No longer allow utilities to charge customers for charitable giving
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), asked about the $2,000 he got from [embattled US Rep. Matt Gaetz], told Forbes he “probably got 5 million bucks” in campaign contributions in the 2020 cycle and said to “ask the TV stations and radio stations that got my money where it’s at… ask them what charity they’re gonna give it to.”
* Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association President Kristina Zahorik…
“Rodney Davis has now refused to donate to charity the tainted campaign cash he received from Matt Gaetz and continues to deflect from commenting on the damning allegations surrounding Matt Gaetz. While three of Rodney Davis’ colleagues have donated Matt Gaetz’s money to charity, Rodney has only made jokes and now quips that he already spent the money — well we have the receipts.”
“Rodney Davis closed out his reelection with money in the bank, but pretends he’s spent it all to avoid having to unburden himself and his constituents of Matt Gaetz’s dirty money. Either Rodney Davis is lying, or he’s unable to keep his own finances in order just like the FEC has recently questioned him about.”
In 2020, Rodney filed FEC campaign disclosures showing he had $229,247 cash on hand after the campaign, and $140,435 at the end of the year. On February 9, 2021, Rodney Davis’ campaign received a Request for Additional Information (RFAI) from the Federal Election Commission regarding debts he owed. The RFAI mandated a response by March 16, 2021, but Rodney Davis’ campaign has so far apparently not filed the required, amended report with the requested “…clarifying information as to why this activity was not disclosed on your original report.” The FEC states that “Failure to adequately respond by the response date noted above could result in an audit or enforcement action.”
53% of those 18 years and older and 50% of those 16 years and older in Illinois receive at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,959 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 22 additional deaths.
- Cook County: 1 female 50s, 3 males 50s, 2 males 60s, 1 male 70s, 3 males 80s, 2 females 90s
- DuPage County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 80s
- Mason County: 1 male 60s
- Peoria County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- St. Clair County: 1 female 80s
- Will County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 50s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,304,200 cases, including 21,685 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 47,506 specimens for a total of 21,776,820. As of last night, 2,128 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 491 patients were in the ICU and 227 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from April 12-18, 2021 is 4.0%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from April 12-18, 2021 is 4.7%.
The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses for Illinois is 9,930,945. A total of 8,119,867 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 125,212 doses. Yesterday, 65,233 doses were reported 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.
One month ago today, the average daily doses figure was 102,775. That’s a 22 percent increase.
After a year of grim milestones, Sunday marked a hopeful statistic in America’s fight against the coronavirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of all American adults have now gotten at least one vaccine dose.
After months of limited vaccine availability, every adult in the country will be eligible to sign up for vaccination on Monday. The only remaining states still with certain adult age restrictions — Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont — will open vaccine registration to all people age 16 and older, meeting a federal deadline for all adults to be eligible set earlier this month.
About 130 million adults have gotten at least one vaccine dose, the CDC reported Sunday. And 84 million, or about a third of all adults, are fully vaccinated. (The CDC considers people “fully vaccinated” if they have received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.) The U.S. has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.
The City of Chicago has reached a milestone in its vaccine rollout with 50% of Chicago adults having received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. About four times as many Chicagoans have now received a first dose of vaccine as have ever been diagnosed with COVID. The vaccine numbers – more than a million Chicagoans and another almost 350,000 non-Chicago residents who have received the vaccine – is equivalent to the number of regular vaccines the City would administer in three years.
The City has officially moved into Phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility today, meaning all Chicagoans age 16 or older are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Anyone 16+ living in the City of Chicago can look for vaccine appointments at zocdoc.com/vaccine or use the City’s COVID-19 Vaccine Finder to identify additional vaccine providers. For Zocdoc, Chicagoans under 18 must have a parent or guardian book vaccine appointments on their behalf.
The governor’s office says that 53 percent of 18+ Illinoisans have received at least their first shot. 50 percent of Illinoisans 16+ have had at least one shot.
Just remember, though, that a member of Gov. Pritzker’s own staff who had received their first shot contracted COVID. Unless you got the J&J, one ain’t done.
The nationwide pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine is likely to end by Friday, Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, said in a series of interviews on Sunday.
“By Friday, we should have an answer as to where we’re going with it,” Fauci said on ABC News’s “This Week.” “I would think that we’re not going to go beyond Friday in the extension of this pause.”
* Back to vaccines. According to IDPH, 26.14 percent of all Illinoisans (3,330,480 people) are fully vaccinated. That’s a tiny bit above the national rate of 25.4 percent, according to the CDC.
The disparity in vaccination rates has so far mainly broken down along political lines. The New York Times examined survey and vaccine administration data for nearly every U.S. county and found that both willingness to receive a vaccine and actual vaccination rates to date were lower, on average, in counties where a majority of residents voted to re-elect former President Donald J. Trump in 2020. The phenomenon has left some places with a shortage of supply and others with a glut.
* Meanwhile, this sort of fraudulent behavior is gonna increase demand for vaccine passports…
One eBay user sold more than 100 blank CDC vaccination cards. The Post found the eBay account belongs to a Chicago-area pharmacist. by @ddiamond. https://t.co/U63A6le7wM
Several private companies have started developing vaccine passport apps that can be downloaded on smartphones. And in late March, New York became the first state to launch a free, voluntary vaccine passport available to all the state’s residents.
In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been relatively mum on the issue. When asked by reporters in March, he said that he likes the idea “that everybody will have with them easily on their device some way to show that they’ve been vaccinated.”
“Look, your friends, your neighbors, we all want to get together,” Pritzker said. “You may also want to show each other that ‘hey, it’s okay, we can take our masks off … as the CDC has allowed, as long as the group of people getting together have all been vaccinated.”
Pritzker said “there’s nothing wrong with that as long as it’s your choice,” but said that a vaccine passport should not be required to enter an event.
* The 2019 budget implementation bill is preventing thousands of autistic kids from getting therapy. Here’s Megan Valley and Raymon Troncoso from the Belleville News-Democrat…
(D)espite a 2014 federal mandate that states cover autism treatment through Medicaid, Illinois was one of a handful of states that didn’t provide Medicaid coverage for behavioral therapy until 2019.
However, an error in implementation created restrictions on who could provide behavioral therapy, an obstacle that has functionally prevented Illinois’ Medicaid plan from covering behavioral therapy despite it technically being included in Medicaid spending on paper. […]
A notice from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services released in October confirmed that dual credentials would be required to receive Medicaid funds through the department for behavioral therapy.
But the Illinois Autism Task Force, based in the Illinois Department of Human Services, warned in a February letter to Gov. JB Pritzker and the General Assembly that “the dual credential requirement will result in devastating barriers to access.” That same letter said only 26 BCBAs possessed one of the other required certifications and it was unclear whether any of the 26 provided behavioral therapy.
The Autism Task Force, in a 2020 meeting, claimed that $42 million placed in the state’s FY 2020 budget for behavioral therapy through Medicaid remained untouched due to the mistake.
Paul estimated there are about 3,500 ASD-diagnosed children under age 5 who are covered by Medicaid in Illinois.
Former State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias released his first ad of the 2022 campaign season today that features his fight to successfully save jobs at Illinois suit maker Hartmarx and protect worker rights at Republic Windows.
The new ad entitled “Working Together,” which was produced by Adelstein & Associates, discusses the impact of Covid crisis and the resulting hardships facing workers and middle-class families, but it also offers hope.
“When times get hard, it means we need to fight hard,” Giannoulias says in the ad. “Because the stakes are so high. We know what we need to do: Fund projects to put folks back to work; protect the right to organize; and help working families get ahead. We need to do it together, in solidarity. That’s how we win. That’s how we bring back the middle class.”
The ad also highlights Giannoulias’ efforts as Illinois State Treasurer to prevent Hartmarx from closing and laying off hundreds of workers.
Giannoulias threatened to pull the state’s $8 billion investment portfolio from Hartmarx’s main creditor, Wells Fargo, in 2009 after it planned to shut down the plant and liquidate the hundreds of jobs. Wells Fargo relented, agreeing to sell the factory to an owner willing to preserve the jobs at the Des Plaines plant.
In addition, the ad mentions Giannoulias’ role in helping to reach a settlement between Bank of America and Chicago-based Republic Windows to ensure its workers receive wages, vacation and health care after the factory shut down.
“We’re excited to release our first ad and committed to reemerge from this pandemic with a stronger economy that is focused on renewed opportunities for working families, a stronger middle class and better lives for all Illinoisians,” Giannoulias said.
* The Illinois Constitution requires that new legislative maps be enacted by June 30th, but the census data won’t be available until September or so. The National Conference of State Legislatures has suggested using the population estimates from the US Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey and Illinois Democrats have come up with a bit of spin to cast aspersions on the official numbers…
Democrats have said they intend to finish the legislative mapmaking process by June 30, ensuring they will be relying on alternative data to the actual federal 2020 census.
“That’s our constitutional responsibility and that’s our goal to be done by June 30,” said state Sen. Elgie Sims, the Chicago Democrat who is vice chair of the senate redistricting committee. […]
Illinois’ Constitution does not require the use of federal census data for legislative redistricting, and some leading Democrats question the accuracy of the final census data by pointing to efforts by former President Donald Trump’s administration to block the counting of undocumented immigrants.
“There’s nothing that says that this (census) data is going to be accurate anyway because there were significant steps made to impact and influence some of that data,” Sims said. […]
Kathay Feng, the national redistricting director for Common Cause, said to rely on survey data to draw maps “is a guaranteed malapportionment lawsuit.”
Every redistricting cycle involves lawsuits. You can bet your house there will be filings on this topic.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Speaking of redistricting and possibly getting dragged into lawsuits, here’s Lynn Sweet…
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, the most prominent Republican in Illinois, said if Democrats carve up his congressional district in the pending remap, he would consider a statewide run for senator or governor in 2022.
Kinzinger made the comment Thursday on the Chicago Sun-Times political show “At the Virtual Table. On the show another guest, new Democratic Party of Illinois chairwoman Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., said freshman Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill. — not Kinzinger — should be the Democratic target if a district needs to be eliminated.
With Democrats having the upper hand in a remap and Illinois likely to lose at least one seat because of population declines, Kelly said, “If we have something to say about it, I don’t think that it’ll be Adam’s seat.” […]
It is “fine with me” if “her seat is no longer there,” [Kelly said about Miller].
*** UPDATE 2 *** Meanwhile…
Dear Governor Pritzker:
On Monday, April 12, 2021 we requested from the Chairs of the House and Senate redistricting committees that yourself or a high-level member of your office testify at the only scheduled joint House-Senate redistricting hearing. The hearing is scheduled for this next Monday, April 19, 5:00 p.m. in East St. Louis.
At a House Redistricting Committee the evening of Friday, April 16, 2021, the Chair of the Committee that evening stated House Democrats had yet to receive a response to our request.
As the Spokesmen on the respective Senate and House redistricting committees, we ask for your attendance at this hearing.
Comments from Members of the Democratic party during hearings on the 2021 redistricting process lead us to believe that the majority fully plans to enact new maps, without using decennial census data, for both the Legislature and U.S. House of Representatives through a process that includes your approval of new maps by June 30, 2021.
To date, with over 30 hearings being conducted, not a single House or Senate hearing has included testimony from your office.
Given your numerous stated positions in favor of fair mapping, as well as a commission process for redistricting, it is vital that both the people of Illinois and our Committees hear directly from your office in a public hearing as to your views and plans for redistricting.
Sincerely,
Senator Jason Barickman
Representative Tim Butler
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot rebuked rumors of her resignation that began circulating on social media late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, saying she will serve “today, tomorrow and into the future.”
Community activist Ja’Mal Green said in a now-deleted tweet Saturday night that Lightfoot would resign from her position on Sunday, with later rumors speculating a potential resignation was due to rumors of personal infidelity.
Lightfoot responded to the rumors Sunday morning in a series of tweets, where she said “it’s shocking and disappointing” to see people with a prominent social media presence “peddling this trash as truth.”
“It’s shocking and disappointing to see some media members and verified Twitter handles are peddling this trash as truth,” Lightfoot said. “If people hadn’t noticed, we have major challenges in Chicago we need to address TOGETHER. This nonsense that some apparently have the luxury of indulging in has not fed one person, stopped the pandemic, housed anyone living on the street or saved one young person.”
On Saturday, Activist Ja’Mal Green, a frequent Lightfoot critic, posted — and then deleted — a tweet saying Lightfoot was going to resign. On Sunday, Green tweeted that he was “sorry” he helped spread the rumor that she was resigning. […]
Rumors about politicians are nothing new, particularly on social media. But it’s rare for elected officials to publicly respond to unsubstantiated rumors unless reporters ask about them at a news conference. Lightfoot’s unorthodox decision to address the tweets opens the door to more of the public finding out about the rumors than otherwise would have.
Green said the rumors about Lightfoot were “circulated” by members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, the union that represents Chicago’s rank-and-file police officers.
In a Facebook post Sunday, the FOP urged its members to “temper their public comments” while attempting to distance John Catanzara, the union’s embattled president, from the conversation.
“There are many rumors flying around about the Mayor,” the FOP said. “Several posts and comments have mentioned President Catanzara being in possession of proof and that he is pushing the issue. BOTH ARE FALSE!!!”
“Pushing rumors,” the FOP added, isn’t the proper way to address the “extreme differences” between the union and the mayor.
“No parent would want their child to read disgusting rumors about them, including US. Extend that courtesy in this situation also,” the FOP said. “Have some empathy and use common sense.”
* It’s tempting to just laugh this whole thing off, but…
Weaponized gossip. It's designed to undermine the credibility and marginalize the person who is the target. It often has no basis in reality. I know - it happened to me as an elected official. It's got a name. It's a tactic. Recognize it when you see it, and push back.
Attack her on her policies, her positions - have at it. This is the oldest sexist/homophobic/racist trick in the book & some of you peddling this crap should know better. https://t.co/MeNlAQWD8P
Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford really has her work cut out for her if she wants to forge a compromise on an elected Chicago school board.
Lightford agreed to become the sponsor of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s alternative school board proposal last week. Sen. Rob Martwick (D-Chicago) has been pushing a bill for years that would elect 21 school board members, which have long been appointed by the city’s mayor. Leader Lightford has a reputation among the education establishment for being an honest broker and, frankly, she excels at negotiations like this, but this one will be particularly difficult.
Mayor Lightfoot’s proposal was privately criticized by numerous House and Senate members in both parties last week when it finally emerged.
It puts off the first school board election until 2026, and then only elects two out of seven members. Seven years from now, in 2028, the city’s voters would elect a third member, but the mayor would appoint three more, giving appointed members an 8-3 majority. Mayor Lightfoot said often during her campaign that she supported a “fully elected” school board. This proposal is more like tokenism.
The mayor can currently appoint school board members without any sort of confirmation process. They are direct appointments without input or oversight by the City Council, and her bill would keep it that way.
Some opponents who testified in committee last week against Sen. Rob Martwick’s elected school board bill criticized the measure for having no provisions to allow undocumented immigrants to serve on the board, as they currently can on local school councils. But Lightfoot’s proposal only requires that the mayor’s appointments “strive to achieve representation that reflects the diversity of the City of Chicago,” although it does remove both citizenship and voter registration requirements for the elected positions (which will create quite a stir on the political right).
Martwick’s bill would prohibit school board employees and contractors from running for the board. Lightfoot’s bill would do essentially the same, but would also require that all election candidates must have served on a local school council, the governing board of a charter school or contract school or the board of governors of a military academy. That would severely limit the types of people who can run for the tiny handful of seats, and particularly helps lock out candidates affiliated with the Chicago Teachers Union, which is the major force behind the Martwick bill.
Leader Lightford criticized Martwick’s proposal in committee for not specifically guaranteeing districts be created on the city’s West Side, but Martwick pointed out that his bill mirrors the city’s representation in the Illinois House. With only two initially elected members and considering the large populations on the city’s North and South Sides, no guarantees can be given that the mayor’s proposal would give the West Side a seat at the table in the first round of elections.
Martwick’s bill would let the General Assembly draw the initial district maps and then turn it over to the elected board for the remap. Lightfoot’s bill would give the mayor pretty much complete and permanent control over the map-making process.
This is the mayor’s first volley, but it’s such a lowball offer that it doesn’t appear to be taken all that seriously by members. Some legislators had been intrigued by the idea of a “hybrid” school board, but this is far more SUV than Prius and they appeared to be laughing it off.
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin claimed during debate on the House’s own elected school board bill that Mayor Lightfoot told him the Democratic leaders had walked away from a hybrid plan and wouldn’t call her proposal for a vote. That was denied, and I doubt the mayor did herself any favors by claiming such a thing.
The House passed its version of the bill, which mirrored Martwick’s legislation except for sunsetting the entire process in five years, with 71 votes. Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) was the lone Republican in favor. A couple of Democrats voted “Present” and some were absent. The bill was backed by both teachers’ unions.
The Democratic leaders themselves both said through their spokespersons that the mayor’s proposal was under review.
Sen. Martwick pledged to negotiate in good faith, but pointed to the strength of his position (including that House vote and the Senate committee approval) compared to Lightfoot’s.
