Illinois lawmakers probably ought to take another whack at passing a graduated income tax amendment but should specifically tie much of the proceeds to paying off old pension debt.
That was the suggestion today from the new speaker of the Illinois House, Emanuel “Chris” Welch, as he came under strong questioning [during a webcast event hosted by the Economic Club of Chicago] about how the state should handle $144 billion in unfunded pension liability for state workers and educators. […]
Welch did not say what share of a new amendment should be promised to pensions. But he did predict that given the state’s fiscal problems, the income tax issue isn’t going to disappear.
“If we don’t change (the current flat tax) . . . we’re going to be talking about this in another five years,” Welch said. Adopting a graduated tax like most other states have is “one of the structural changes we need.”
I reached out to Welch’s spokesperson Sean Anderson, who said the House Speaker was “simply highlighting the unfairness” of the state’s tax system and that Welch “doesn’t think anything should be taken off the table.”
Asked if Welch was prepared to move legislation this spring, Anderson said “I think he’s prepared to have a conversation with his caucus and with the governor on the best way to move forward, given the budget, given the deficit.”
Considering that the Fair Tax seemed to drive Republican turnout last year and that many House Democrats were actively running away from it by the fall, I’m thinking they’re gonna need a much different approach than last time, if this is actually anything beyond some public spitballing during a webcast. Tying it to debt might help, I suppose, but people would rather pay for things they can touch and fixing past mistakes by throwing money at them is never an easy sell. And maybe applying it to annual income over a million dollars could work, too. Madigan put an advisory referendum on the ballot to do just that back in the day and it got a lot of votes.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE *** I asked Jordan Abudayyeh for a response…
The Governor believes the fair tax was the best option for addressing the state’s long term structural challenges, but for this year he looks forward to working with the General Assembly to pass a balanced budget that lifts up working families who have suffered amid this pandemic and that continues to rebuild our economy.
Unfortunately, under current state law, Illinois state legislators can claim a full month’s salary for just a day’s work. For this reason, Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza last year introduced her “No Exit Bonus” bill that would pro-rate legislator salaries so they get only a day’s pay for a day’s work.
Edward Guerra Kodatt was sworn in as state representative from the 22nd District on Sunday, Feb. 21. Two days later, on Tuesday, Feb. 23, Kodatt submitted his resignation. Our office has received his notice of resignation, but has not yet received his payroll information. Under current law, he is entitled to a full month’s salary, $5,788.66.
“In the spirit of good governance, I ask Mr. Kodatt to decline the month’s salary he is entitled to under this arcane law,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
Comptroller Mendoza introduced her “No Exit Bonus” bill in 2020 following a series of high-profile examples of bad behavior by state legislators of both parties caught in ethical clouds delaying their resignations until the first day of the following month so they could collect a full extra month’s salary.
Former State Rep. Luis Arroyo, charged with bribery; the late former State Sen. Martin Sandoval, who pleaded guilty to federal bribery and tax charges; and former State Rep. Nick Sauer, charged with online sex crimes, all exploited the same loophole in state law.
In all those cases, state taxpayers had to pay a full month’s salary to both the legislators resigning under an ethical cloud and also to their successors.
In this case, taxpayers could be on the hook for three full months’ salaries for: 1) Former House Speaker Michael Madigan; 2) former State Rep. Edward Guerra Kodatt; and 3) whoever committeemen now appoint to replace them, as early as Thursday.
“I would also ask the new appointee once she or he is sworn in to help restore faith in government by taking the principled stand to not take 30 days’ pay for two and a half days’ service – and to sign on as a co-sponsor of my ‘No Exit Bonus’ legislation,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
Comptroller Mendoza’s “No Exit Bonus” bill was introduced in the last legislative session, which was truncated because of COVID-19. The “No Exit Bonus” bill was one of many not acted on, though it was included in an ethics package introduced in the House on the last day of session.
This session, the proposal, SB484 and HB3104, has been introduced again by State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, and State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville. It may also be included as part of omnibus ethics legislation.
“Taxpayers don’t get a month’s pay for one or two days’ work, and taxpayers should not have to fund that undeserved gift for elected officials,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “It’s time to throw the General Assembly’s ‘Exit Bonus’ on the trash heap of bad traditions.”
Not sure he was even around long enough to fill out all the paperwork, but it’s still a good bill.
Amends the Election Code. Provides the procedure for filling a vacancy of a Senator or Representative in the General Assembly. Provides that within 3 days after a vacancy, the committee for that legislative or representative district shall create a uniform application for candidates seeking appointment and determine the date, time, and location at which the committee shall make the appointment (allowing for at least 7 days of public notice). Provides that applications received within 2 days before the appointment shall be made publicly available. Provides that candidates shall be granted an opportunity to present their credentials publicly and take questions from the committeepersons. Provides for a proxy for a committeeperson that is ineligible to vote for an appointment. Effective immediately.
With carjackings on the rise in Chicago and elsewhere, a South Side Democratic state representative has introduced a bill that would ban the sale of Grand Theft Auto and other violent video games.
Rep. Marcus Evans Jr. wants to amend a 2012 law preventing some video games from being sold to minors. Friday, he filed HB3531, which would amend that law to ban the sale to anyone of video games depicting “psychological harm,” including “motor vehicle theft with a driver or passenger present.”
Evans had been contacted in January by Early Walker, who started Operation Safe Pump to prevent carjackings at gas stations and shopping centers. Safe Pump positions security guards from the Kates Detective and Security Agency in areas with high numbers of carjackings.
“The bill would prohibit the sale of some of these games that promote the activities that we’re suffering from in our communities.” Evans said.
I contacted Evans, to get his reaction, floating the idea that there’s no connection between violent video games and real-life violence.
“That statement is an opinion about what doesn’t work, based off data,” said Evans, who represents the 33rd District on the South Side. “You say it doesn’t work. But it could be five kids, 10 kids, who it makes think this is normalized behavior. There is a reason we don’t have slavery games, games where we’re raping women, anti-Semitic games. You just don’t want to normalize behavior.”
He said studies are one thing, personal experience another.
“I’m talking to these kids,” he said. “I grew up at 85th and Blackstone. I know kids who are carjacking. They steal the car, they drive it around. They’re stealing these cars because this behavior is being normalized. Some of them do believe it’s fun and games. I’m telling you, it’s reality. They’re scaring the sh-t out of women. My mom lives in this neighborhood, and she’s afraid. This is an emergency situation that needs all the attention we can give it. That’s why I filed the legislation, proudly.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,022 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 44 additional deaths.
- Cook County: 1 female 60s, 3 males 60s, 4 females 70s, 3 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- DuPage County: 1 male 60s
- Ford County: 1 male 80s
- Henderson County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Johnson County: 1 male 70s
- Kane County: 1 female 60s
- Kendall County: 1 female 70s
- Lake County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- LaSalle County: 2 females 90s
- Macoupin County: 1 male 60s
- McHenry County: 2 males 80s
- Monroe County: 1 female 70s
- Saline County: 1 female 70s
- Stephenson County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Union County: 2 males 60s
- Will County: 1 female 70s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,179,342 cases, including 20,374 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 82,976 specimens for a total of 17,804,537. As of last night, 1,511 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 338 patients were in the ICU and 172 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 17–23, 2021 is 2.6%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 17–23, 2021 is 2.8%.
A total of doses of 2,584,125 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 445,200 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 3,029,325. A total of 2,310,929 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 291,273 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 58,141 doses. Yesterday, 55,947 doses were administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
Wednesday, Feb 24, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Governor Pritzker,
Happy Black History Month? The State of Illinois does not do enough to ensure that Black people and businesses get a fair opportunity. What’s worse, the state often tries to silence those Black voices that speak out. That, in itself, is racism. A systematic process that oppresses Black people. And if that is racist, then one can only reasonably assume the State of Illinois is racist. That would mean that you Governor, whether intended or not, now head a racist institution. The truth hurts. So, fix it. Not half-heartedly, but really take the uncomfortable steps to make Black people feel like they matter. Be courageous. Be intentional. Be a Governor that isn’t looking for friends every four years, but rather an ally to the Black community who truly understands our plight. Especially, during this one short and cold month dedicated to remembering our pain, suffering, abuse, trauma, rape, murder… but also our triumph, perseverance, courage, strength, determination and hope. We spent this whole month showing you glaring issues facing Black businesses. We are asking our ally, the Governor of the State of Illinois, to please DO SOMETHING…ANYTHING…BUT ESPECIALLY…SIGN SB1608!
As of Monday, state data showed the DuPage health department held a vaccine inventory of 3,120 doses, while providers had 45,487. The county overall had a total inventory of 28,386 doses available for use in the first week of the month.
“Like every state in the country, Illinois receives limited doses from the federal government, so it’s imperative that every single dose coming to the state is used as quickly as possible,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said. “DuPage County currently has three times more doses on hand than other collar counties.”
Abudayyeh said, “IDPH has urged local health departments with large numbers of vaccine doses on hand, like DuPage County, to reach out to providers to express a sense of urgency and provide support so any backlog can be administered as soon as possible.”
“As the state’s allocation is expected to increase in coming weeks,” she said, “it is vital that county health departments get a handle on their inventory and operations so they can manage the next phases of vaccine rollout efficiently and vaccine is not sitting on shelves in their community.”
It’s actually a few thousand less than that because of a coding error that put Copley in DuPage. But click here for the spreadsheet and you’ll see where the doses are sitting.
The county needs to tell its provider partners to get a move-on or they’re taking the doses back before the state steps in and does just that. DuPage has plenty of vaccines, but they’re deflecting blame on others when the problem is in their own back yard.
Illinois expects to begin administering an average of 100,000 doses per day by mid-March, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said after touring a vaccination site in West Peoria on Wednesday. He said the increase is based on “public commitments from the White House and from vaccine manufacturers.” […]
With the Food and Drug Administration’s decision on Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine moving forward this week, the governor added that an approval of the third vaccine would result in a 20% increase in the state’s incoming vaccine supply by the end of March.
The FDA on Wednesday confirmed the J&J vaccine, which is 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, compared with Pfizer’s 95% and Moderna’s 94.1%.
In terms of preventing death and severe illness, all three vaccines are 100% effective, Monica Hendrickson, public health administrator for the Peoria County Health Department, said Wednesday.
* Comcast’s latest ad buy report shows the Republican Accountability Project has made a small $3,090 cable TV ad buy in Rockford, Pontiac, Joliet, DeKalb, La Salle-Peru, Streator-Ottawa, Sterling-Rock Falls and Pontiac. Here it is…
* Meanwhile, here’s Politico with its usual deadpan manner…
CATALINA LAUF, who spoke at the Republican convention last summer, is challenging Rep. Adam Kinzinger in the 16th Congressional District GOP primary, setting the stage for one of the most high-profile primaries in the country as former President Donald Trump targets Republicans who have been disloyal to him.
Lauf declined to say whether she’s talked to Trump about her entry into the race. But it’s no secret she’s a darling of the right. Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski tweeted his support Tuesday night, calling Lauf a “strong candidate…She can win and will support the American First Agenda,” which is a Trump motto.
Lauf told Playbook the race “isn’t just about [Kinzinger] voting for impeachment… He’s just not representing the values of voters in the district.”
If elected, she said she would focus on “preserving free enterprise,” fixing problems with immigration, and supporting individual liberties.
Should Trump declare his support, Lauf will likely see a swell in fundraising. Watch for Trump donors like Dick Uihlein to emerge in this race.
Kinzinger, a six-term congressman, has had an easy go of elections in recent years. In the 2020 General Election, he secured 65 percent of the vote in his district. Trump, by comparison, won the district by 56.9 percent over President Joe Biden’s 40.9 percent. A primary, however, is different.
Lauf ran unsuccessfully in the GOP primary for the 14th Congressional District last year. She doesn’t have to live in the district to file to run in the 16th. The upcoming remap may include her current address, which she said is near the border of Kinzinger’s district. And she’s willing to move if the remap doesn’t include her current home.
She may be a darling of the DC right, but she finished third last year in an open-seat race despite getting loads of coverage from the national conservative media hive…
A conservative young Latina from Illinois is running for Congress as the anti-AOC.
Republican Catalina Lauf, 26, who is hoping to snag a Democratic-held seat outside Chicago, supports President Trump’s border wall, cites Ronald Reagan as an idol and hopes to be a counterweight to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional “Squad.”
If Lauf wins the seat, she would break the Bronx-Queens representative’s record as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.
* Her announcement video…
Fake Republican Adam Kinzinger won’t put AMERICA FIRST— I will.
That’s why I’m challenging him for his seat in Congress
I am the daughter of LEGAL immigrants, a small business owner, & PROUDLY served in the Trump administration.
Exelon Corp. (Nasdaq: EXC) today announced its Board of Directors has approved a plan to separate Exelon Utilities (RemainCo), comprised of the company’s six regulated electric and gas utilities, and Exelon Generation (SpinCo), its competitive power generation and customer-facing energy businesses into two publicly traded companies with the resources necessary to best serve customers and sustain long-term investment and operating excellence. The separation gives each company the financial and strategic independence to focus on its specific customer needs, while executing its core business strategy. […]
SpinCo will operate the nation’s largest fleet of carbon-free nuclear power plants, which produced 150 million megawatt hours of electricity last year – enough to power 13.6 million homes and avoid more than 106 million metric tons of carbon emissions. The company also operates approximately 12,000 megawatts of hydroelectric, wind, solar, natural gas and oil generation assets, which provide a mix of baseload, intermediate and peak power generation. These characteristics make SpinCo uniquely positioned to advance the nation’s clean energy strategy and priorities.
To maintain the generation fleet’s legacy of safety, operational excellence and financial stewardship, the company will retire uneconomic assets that negatively affect its ability to provide a reliable source of clean power to tens of millions of American homes and businesses.
So, the fight over closing Illinois nuke plants will continue.
Approvals are needed from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and New York’s utility regulators. Illinois, where Exelon is based, will have no official say.
Exelon has faced calls from consumer advocates and others for years that it ought to split its regulated utilities like Commonwealth Edison from its unregulated power plants like the nuclear stations in Illinois.
…Adding… Illinois PIRG Director Abe Scarr…
Exelon’s ownership of ComEd has created long-standing conflicts of interests and Illinois consumers have suffered as a result.. Separating Exelon’s generation assets from its regulated utilities is good news for ComEd’s customers and the public. At the same time, Illinois policymakers should recognize that conflicts persist and take action to address them.
Every year, Exelon bills hundreds of millions of dollars of services to ComEd, a subsidiary it controls, a subsidiary which can fully recover those costs from its captured customers. Illinois policy has so far failed to adequately recognize, much less mitigate, the numerous potential conflicts inherent in this relationship.
The Illinois General Assembly has the opportunity this spring to begin undoing the policy harms of the ComEd bribery scandal. That means winning restitution for ComEd customers, restoring effective utility regulation by ending automatic rate hikes through formula rates, and reforming utility political influence by no longer allowing utilities to charge their customers for charitable contributions. Addressing the conflicts of interest that persist beyond an Exelon breakup should remain on the General Assembly’s agenda.
Wednesday, Feb 24, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Most of the young women in my practice involve a parent or trusted adult in their abortion decision. And the younger the teen, the more likely she is to involve an adult. These facts are true in my office and throughout Illinois. Those who do not involve an adult do so with good reason — often because they are survivors of abuse or neglect. Some fear for their safety or the loss of shelter and food if their parents discover their pregnancy or their abortion decision. Others believe they will be forced to continue a pregnancy they did not plan and do not want.
Long expected by racing industry observers and feared by horse owners, trainers and fans, Arlington International Racecourse’s status as a gem for the sport of kings is about to come to the finish line.
Churchill Downs Inc., owner of the storied Arlington Heights track where horses have raced since 1927, announced Tuesday it plans to put the 326 acres near Euclid Avenue and Wilke Road up for sale. Churchill will use Chicago-based real estate firm CBRE to market the “redevelopment opportunity,” officials announced in a Tuesday afternoon news release.
And after previously casting doubt on whether a 2021 race meet would be held, Churchill officials on Tuesday said they’re committed to running Arlington’s 68 live race dates, scheduled from April 30 to Sept. 25.
They said they don’t expect a sale to close before the end of the race meet, or that the sale process will affect Arlington’s racing operations this year.
* React from the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association…
Illinois thoroughbred owners and trainers appreciate the opportunity to race this year at Arlington Park, a world-class track, but are disappointed that Churchill Downs will renege on its longstanding promise to preserve and grow jobs in Illinois racing while also serving the best interests of Illinois taxpayers.
Churchill spent two decades lobbying Illinois lawmakers for the authority to develop a casino at Arlington. But since purchasing the majority stake in the nearby Rivers Casino, Churchill has all but abandoned any meaningful commitment to Illinois racing. Churchill abruptly reversed course, deep-sixed that Arlington development plan, and instead devoted itself to ensuring that Arlington could not become a gaming competitor to Rivers.
Churchill’s anticompetitive behavior was so brazen, in fact, that its CEO publicly dismissed the prospect that racing might continue at Arlington under another owner and insisted the property would “have a higher and better purpose for something else.” Even in its statement today, announcing its plan to sell the Arlington property, Churchill obviously is disingenuous when it claims that it will move the Arlington racing license to elsewhere in Illinois.
“The license is not Churchill’s to move,” said Mike Campbell, ITHA president. “Moreover, the notion that a seasoned gaming operator would relocate a racing license away from a state of the art, modern racing facility near the heart of the Chicago metropolitan region to some yet-to-be-determined location is absurd. Churchill is just trying to obfuscate from the fact that it cares only about maximizing profit and will gladly sacrifice the spirit of Illinois law and the livelihood of working Illinoisans to serve its greed.”
The Illinois gaming expansion law was intended to boost overnight purses and otherwise invigorate thoroughbred horse racing in this state for the purpose of creating jobs, sparking economic opportunity and diversifying the tax base for the state and local communities. Illinois owners and trainers are appalled by Churchill’s contempt for live racing and the working men and women, from backstretch workers to breeders, who have devoted themselves to Illinois racing and who depend on racing opportunities and overnight purses to support themselves and their families.
Biss’ challengers are Evanston resident and grassroots activist Lori Keenan and 2018 Evanston Township High School graduate Sebastian Nalls. Last Sunday, Evanston Fight for Black Lives published a statement on Facebook endorsing Nalls.
Nalls responded in a statement Thursday that Pritzker’s endorsement of Biss showed “desperation.”
Results for the Democratic primary election for Calumet City mayor were unclear Tuesday, according to unofficial results.
State Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, had recently been returned to the ballot to challenge incumbent Mayor Michelle Markiewicz-Qualkinbush, who is seeking a fifth term.
With all 24 precincts reporting, the Cook County clerk’s election website showed Markiewicz-Qualkinbush had 100% of the vote but no totals for Jones.
*** UPDATE *** The Illinois Supreme Court ordered the results suppressed yesterday because the other side asked it to take up the appellate court decision that restored Jones to the ballot. So, while Rep. Jones is declaring victory today, it’s up to the top court to decide whether he was on the ballot legally to begin with…
The results of the elections in Calumet City are clear, I have won the Democratic Nomination to become the First African American Mayor in the 120-year history of Calumet City! I want to thank the voters of Calumet City for believing in me and for wanting a new direction for Calumet City. I want to thank my family and friends for their loyalty and support. My wife Saprina and sons Thaddeus Jr and Preston Jones. I also want to thank Speaker Chris Welch, Senator Napoleon Harris and Rep Rita Mayfield who played a enormous part in this election. Today, it is time to get to work on behalf of all residents of Calumet City.” Jones received an estimated 1655 (54%) votes out of the 3,029 ballots cast and the Mayor received 1,374 votes. Jones will be having a zoom announcement at 10:30am today.
Former state senator and gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann of Plainview pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges that allege he illegally spent more than $200,000 in campaign funds on cars, debts, other personal expenses and pay for himself. […]
Public defender Rosie Brown entered McCann’s not guilty plea, and McCann didn’t comment during the hearing except to answer questions from Long about whether he understood the charges against him and when describing his finances, his education and medical needs. […]
He said his wife’s earnings as a nurse working in the Washington, D.C., area, make up his sole income, and he has $500 in a personal checking account. He said he lives in Plainview with his 13-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son. […]
McCann must meet several conditions to remain free while his case goes through court, including the sale or transfer of 75 firearms in the personal collection at his home, [U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Eric Long] said.
Governor Pritzker sounded off on State Sen. Darren Bailey’s campaign kick-off event that took place Monday night with a mostly maskless crowd.
“I heard that that announcement last night was in a room of hundreds of people and no one was wearing a mask,” Pritzker said at an event on Tuesday. “So I am concerned about a super spreader event being caused by someone who’s running for governor.”
This is the second event Bailey has held in Effingham this month with a largely maskless crowd. The first was a forum on February 8th. At that event, WCIA Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Maxwell pressed him on concerns of coronavirus transmission.
“As a matter of fact, my jacket’s sitting over there,” Bailey told him at the event. “I carry the mask with me everywhere. I wear it when I feel like I need to wear it. There are places, you know, that mandate it and if I need to go in there, I did this from day one, I’ve always had a mask and got one of my masks.”
But, as Lask reports, there is a mask mandate at the Keller Convention Center, which was the Monday night venue.
Governor Pritzker says, he admits that we’ve lost population for years. But he says it’s no big deal. 150,000 people is not a trickle, governor. It’s a torrent. That’s more population than the combined cities of Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Rockford and Springfield. Gone. People are leaving our state not because of problems with our state, they’re leaving our state because of problems of a failed government.
I’ve been working on this since day one. This was a problem before I became governor. I think you all know that we had more people leaving the state than coming to the state. We had a significant deterioration of immigration to the state over the last several years as a result of former President Trump and his policies.
What I’ve been working on is making sure that we’re attracting and keeping students in the state because that’s been part of the numbers of people who have left the state. Many students who are eligible to go to school at a reduced rate in the state of Illinois, get a better deal leaving the state to go to another school, out of state. That shouldn’t be and that’s why I’ve increased every year the amount that we put into our scholarships and made it easier at the schools for kids who are at median income levels and families are or below to get a free education. And we’ve seen that at many of our universities now since I took office.
So these are that’s just one way that we’re trying to make it better for the state to attract more people to the state, to keep people in the state.
And lastly, I think it’s very important to recognize that building jobs from the ground up, building up our small businesses, which is really where most of the job growth takes place in every state all across the United States, that is what we ought to be focused on. And in the wake of the pandemic, that’s where we ought to be putting our resources.
You know I’ve talked about the corporate loopholes that we need to close in order to balance our budget. The corporate loopholes that were closing, the vast majority of that is all about and effects the largest corporations, who we all know did extraordinarily well during this pandemic. Wealthy people and wealthy corporations did very very well. You know who got hurt? It’s everybody who earns roughly $40,000 and under. We need to be able to create new jobs, new businesses and make sure that those folks have an opportunity to get a job, a new job or the job back that they already had.
[Bumped up to Wednesday from Tuesday night for visibility.]
* I’ve been working on a story about newly appointed state Rep. Ed Kodatt (D-Chicago) since yesterday. This is from 13th Ward Democratic Committeeman Michael Madigan and 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn…
“After learning of alleged questionable conduct by Mr. Kodatt, it was suggested that he resign as state representative for the 22nd District. We are committed to a zero tolerance policy in the workplace.”
There’s some question about whether a resignation was properly filed today.
Anyway, the guy replaced the longest-serving House Speaker in history for what may be the briefest period in history.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Madigan says he will back Angelica Guerrero Cuellar this time around. She was supported by Ald. Silvana Tabares last Sunday. Ald. Tabares, you will recall, refused to make the appointment vote unanimous…
13th Ward Committeeman Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement on the process to select the next representative of the 22nd Illinois House District:
“After a fair and robust process on Sunday, we are prepared to proceed with selecting a replacement for the 22nd District Illinois House seat from the pool of candidates who already presented to the selection committee. I believe the most equitable way to proceed is to nominate the candidate who received the second-highest vote count. It is my intention to nominate Angelica Guerrero Cuellar.”
WHO:
Committee members
Michael J. Madigan (13)
Rep. Aaron Ortiz (14)
Ald. Derrick G. Curtis (18)
Ald. Silvana Tabares (23)
Vince Cainkar (Stickney)
WHERE:
Balzekas Museum ballroom
6500 S. Pulaski Rd.
2nd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60629
WHEN:
Thursday, Feb. 25
10 a.m.
Doors will open at 9:30 a.m.
Due to COVID restrictions set by the Centers for Disease Control and the Illinois Department of Public Health, in-person seating will be limited.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Food for thought…
As far as I can tell with some quick Googling, only three living former state legislators served in an Illinois General Assembly that didn't include Michael Madigan: Nonagenarians Harris Fawell and Raymond Ewell and 26-year-old Edward Kodatt.
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after it was reported that the Biden Justice Department will retain John Lausch as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois until his successor is confirmed. Durbin and Duckworth first voiced their desire to retain Mr. Lausch until his successor is confirmed in November 2020. On February 9, they wrote a letter to the President renewing this request.
“We are pleased the Biden Administration is acting on our request to retain U.S. Attorney Lausch until his successor is confirmed by the Senate. Mr. Lausch has served with professionalism and without partisanship. While the President has the right to remove U.S. Attorneys, there is precedent for U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Illinois to remain in office to conclude sensitive investigations. After our repeated calls, we appreciate that Mr. Lausch will be given this opportunity.”
No word on whether they intend to push Lausch for another term.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is facing a decision on legislation that will either anger a group of those he’s politically allied with or others who represent the front line in the pandemic response. […]
Should he sign it, personal injury lawsuits in the state would be subject to an annual prejudgement interest of 9%. That means a potential civil monetary judgment would see a required increase in the payout for any time that passes between when the injury occurs and the date of a potential settlement.
Prejudgment interest would represent a major shift in trial dynamics in Illinois and, according to Paul Gaynor, Healthcare Heroes Illinois spokesman, a devastating blow to the state’s front lines in the COVID-19 pandemic response.
“Doctors, nurses and first responders have risked their lives to protect patients since day one of this pandemic. In return for their steady, selfless service, the General Assembly passed a bill that would place an even greater financial burden on health care providers,” Gaynor said. “Gov. Pritzker needs to stand up for all those providers who responded to the call of duty by vetoing this lame-duck legislation that was designed to enrich the TV lawyers who are seeking to profit off the pandemic.” […]
The governor’s office has said it’s concerned with the financial ramifications of the bill.
The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, a powerful force in Illinois politics and prominent supporter of Illinois Democrats, says the legislation simply places Illinois in line with the majority of other states.
“Stalling and delaying resolution of meritorious claims exacerbates the harm suffered by the wrongfully injured,” ITLA President Larry Rogers Jr. said in a Jan. 13 statement. “Justice that is delayed is justice denied.”
Pushing infrastructure reform as a matter of racial equity, Chicago business and civic groups have launched a legislative campaign to get state transportation officials to throw out the pork barrel and instead use detailed, apolitical criteria in deciding how to spend billions of dollars on road and transit projects.
In a press conference, the Metropolitan Planning Council and the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club announced their support for a measure introduced by Rep. Kam Buckner and Sen. Ram Villivalam, both Chicago Democrats.
The bill would direct the Illinois Department of Transportation to develop “risk-based” and “needs-based” systems to use in deciding which projects to fund—and which not to fund.
Illinois transportation funding often has devolved to a political scrum, with projects such as building a third airport or the proposed Illiana Expressway advancing or failing because of political factors.
* Press release…
Ill. Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) and Ill. Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) are co-sponsoring a bill to establish more transparent and equitable investment practices for state infrastructure expenditures. Transparency “will help ensure the most beneficial projects are selected every year, and taxpayers can easily understand the reasoning behind them,” according to a new report by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute.
Illinois’ historic capital bill passage in 2019 infused billions into state coffers, but taxpayers don’t currently have visibility into which transportation projects are funded and why. This opaque process erodes trust in government and misses an opportunity to garner the greatest public good from each infrastructure dollar. Meanwhile, our transportation outcomes show troubling trends: an increase in traffic crashes, particularly involving pedestrians, and people struggling to access jobs and services.
There is a better way to achieve greater transportation outcomes and public accountability; it’s performance-based planning, a commitment to using data to compare proposed infrastructure projects. Buckner and Villivalam’s bill would require the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to use performance metrics in evaluating projects.
“Whether we want to improve a highway or update a train station, there are equity- and data-driven methods to guide our decision making,” said Ill. Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Performance-based planning is akin to when automobile shoppers build a spreadsheet to compare one car model to another before purchasing. It’s not a strict playbook, but rather a flexible technique.
“This isn’t about any particular project,” said Ill. Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago). “This is a simple, but consequential change: visibility. Billions of dollars shouldn’t be locked in a black box. We want to ensure we’re being accountable to our taxpayers across the region.”
IDOT has implemented successful reforms to some of its programs in the recent past. For example, IDOT reformed its State Planning and Research program by opening it up to a public call for projects and publishing the criteria it uses to evaluate projects. The state also established a new way to rank and select projects when it received funding from a new freight program created by Congress in 2016. Lastly, the General Assembly included a legislative requirement to transparently evaluate and rank projects competing for the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP), a joint federal-state program that provides funding for bicycle, pedestrian, and other projects that improve transportation. Transparent decision-making can promote access to jobs, improve safety, aid the environment, increase public health, advance equity, and offer multimodal choices.
“What you see on Google Maps is one thing, but the reality on the ground looks different,” said Rochelle Jackson, member of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council. “I spent two weeks documenting with a friend broken sidewalks, missing signs, and dangerous intersections in our neighborhood. These aren’t just inconveniences. They make it difficult to get to work, to live our lives.”
Performance-based planning is a best practice within the transportation industry, common in many states including Minnesota, Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia. The Federal Highway Administration is strongly supportive of the practice.
“States with performance-based project selection systems are required to show how specific economic, safety, or maintenance needs are driving project selection,” said Mary Tyler, transportation policy analyst, Illinois Economic Policy Institute. “A performance-based program for project selection would ultimately give the public more confidence that these massive investments will deliver the best possible returns.”
In an era in which a pandemic further stresses our limited public dollars, the time is right for honest conversations. The stakes are high.
“Transportation investment is one of best tools Illinois has to attract and retain businesses to our state, but we can’t know which projects produce the best benefits without measuring how these projects impact economic growth, improve access to jobs, or reduce the costs of transportation,” said Tom Kotarac, senior vice president, Transportation and Infrastructure, Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
“I have lived next to roads like Pulaski, Cermak, Ogden, and Cicero, and there is a stark difference between walking and biking on these roads compared to other roads in Chicago. These differences impact the livability of my neighborhood and at times, severely impacted my mobility,” said Chicago resident Ruth Rosas.
Success looks different in different places. That’s why Buckner and Villivalam’s bill does not require IDOT to evaluate projects across the state the same way. Metrics will and should vary by geography.
“We want to make sure that every project is the best it can be at solving any given transportation problem in any part of the state, whether that is access to jobs, improved active transportation, or better freight connections,” said Audrey Wennink, director of transportation, Metropolitan Planning Council. “The beauty of performance metrics is that they allow us to get the most benefits out of our public dollars.”
Better infrastructure helps Illinois residents live better lives. Roads, bridges, trains, sidewalks, and bike lanes impact how people spend their time, and ultimately their access to opportunities. We can do more to improve people’s lives through transportation access and reliability by accounting for equity when making transportation decisions.
* Let’s start with the Politico story, which is pretty good…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker made his move to have greater control of the party by joining with Sen. Tammy Duckworth to endorse Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris.
Harris is seen as a strong candidate because she’s worked behind the scenes in Democratic circles. Harris served in the Cook County Democratic Party on committees handling recruitment, pre-slating and other appointments. Harris’ challenge could be that her career is focused on Chicago and Cook County politics, but Pritzker knows that to win statewide elections, northern Illinois is where the votes are.
“The next leader of the Democratic Party of Illinois must continue the progress we’ve made by supporting Democratic candidates who will help working families at the local, state and federal levels equally,” Pritzker and Duckworth said in a joint statement, adding they believe Harris “is best qualified” to do that.
Loyalty could matter, too. Harris was an early backer of Pritzker’s run for governor, and her daughter works for Duckworth.
Another big name in play is Rep. Robin Kelly, who tweeted her interest in the job and is endorsed by Sen. Dick Durbin and Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez. Kelly’s challenge is that she would have to split her time between D.C. and Illinois, so she likely would lean on Durbin’s downstate aide, Bill Houlihan.
In a statement, Durbin praised Harris as “a proven leader” but endorsed Kelly, noting she lived 20 years in Peoria and was a statewide candidate when she ran unsuccessfully for Illinois treasurer. “Her experience in Congress, the state legislature, and managing an Illinois constitutional office afford her a breadth of important experience and skill sets,” he said, adding he “can’t think of a better person” to lead the party.
While Kelly could be a good fundraiser for the party — which was Madigan’s strength — it’s Pritzker’s wealth that is likely to fuel the organization in the coming years. And if that’s the case, he’d want his own candidate in the top position.
Latino activists are pushing state Sen. Cristina Castro for party chairman. She is a member of the Democratic Central Committee. Still, other candidates could emerge in the next 30 days when an appointment must be made. In the meantime, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough will serve as interim chair.
Durbin and Houlihan have had their eyes on the state party for a very long time. And while it’s true that Pritzker’s wealth would be a boon to the party’s finances, and that in most normal states the governor is the party’s titular head (and that’s also true here with Republican governors), what happens after he leaves?
Here are some other questions I’m still trying to find answers for: Why would the state’s senior US Senator go up against his party’s governor and his state’s junior US Senator in a battle over control of the state Democratic Party? And how far will Durbin and Pritzker push this? And what happens if Pritzker loses yet another political fight? And where’s the mayor in all of this?
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,665 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 27 additional deaths.
- Christian County: 1 female 90s
- Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 60s, 2 females 70, 8 males 70s, 1 female 90s
- DuPage County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Kane County: 1 male 60s
- Knox County: 2 females 70s, 3 females 80s, 1 male 80s
- Madison County: 1 male 90s
- Marion County: 1 male 70s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 20s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,177,320 cases, including 20,330 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 61,400 specimens for a total of 17,721,561. As of last night, 1,488 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 361 patients were in the ICU and 172 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 16–22, 2021 is 2.8%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 16–22, 2021 is 3.0%.
A total of doses of 2,307,685 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 445,200 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 2,752,885. A total of 2,254,982 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 291,269 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 55,917 doses. Yesterday, 43,282 doses were administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* Meanwhile, from a press release…
A federal district court judge presiding over the Society Insurance Business Interruption Coverage MDL, which involves the potential applicability of insurance coverage for restaurants suffering financial losses due to COVID, ruled late Monday (Feb. 22, 2021) that the cases may move forward in determining whether their insurance policies cover such losses.
The Hon. Edmond E. Chang, U.S. District Court Judge of the Northern District of Illinois, ruled in a 31-page written opinion that plaintiffs in the consolidated bellwether cases survive defendant’s motions to dismiss and for summary judgment. The court granted summary judgment only as to the coverage theories under the Civil Authority and the Contamination provisions of the policies. All of the restaurants in the MDL maintain coverage by Society Insurance, headquartered in Wisconsin.
Shannon M. McNulty, partner at Clifford Law Offices who heads the class action/mass torts practice area at the firm and a co-lead counsel of one of the bellwether cases, said, “This decision is highly significant for businesses, particularly here in the Midwest, who have suffered financial losses due to the pandemic and paid insurance premiums to protect against those losses. We will continue to work on behalf of our client in the bellwether case, Valley Lodge Corp., as well as all of the businesses with claims pending in the MDL, to see that justice is carried out to the end under their insurance policies.”
Valley Lodge has two restaurants in Illinois in the northern suburbs of Chicago.
In its decision, the court recognized that, “All have been forced to modify their normal business operations due to the pandemic – for example, suspending in-person dining and relying only on take-out orders – and all alleged that they have lost significant revenue as a result” in the past year since the pandemic took hold.
After quoting significant and relevant passages from plaintiffs’ insurance policies, the court found at the very least that its “policy does not contain a specific exclusion of coverage for losses due to a virus or pandemic … a standard exclusion in the insurance industry.” [Italics in original] In fact, the court held that, “Exclusions are narrowly or strictly construed against the insurer if their effect is uncertain” and “a reasonable jury can find that the Plaintiffs did suffer a direct ‘physical’ loss of property on their premises.”
Notably, the court stated that Society Insurance may have acted in bad faith in denying coverage to the Illinois plaintiffs and that issue may be litigated as the bellwether cases of Valley Lodge Corp. and Big Onion Tavern Group, LLC, move forward. The court, citing to Plaintiffs’ arguments that “Society, which denied coverage across-the board, allegedly misrepresented the true scope of the insurance policies; failed to investigate individual claims, as required, and instead issued hasty denials not based on individual claims; and Society’s actions have caused an improper and lengthy delay in receiving payment,” ruled that these matters must be decided by a jury and not as a matter of law at the pleadings stage.
Indiana opens up COVID-19 vaccine to residents age 60 to 64
Wisconsin, Indiana moved down on Chicago’s emergency travel order that now exempts vaccinated people
Cinemark 18 closes, leaving downtown Evanston without a movie theater
Hundreds of Oak Park educators, staff receive COVID-19 vaccine at health department clinics
Cosmetic procedures are in demand during the pandemic, suburban plastic surgeons say
Park District to finally reopen lakefront, playgrounds, as well as indoor pools
New state mass vaccination site opens Tuesday in Rockford
Woman who died after transplant surgery in Michigan got COVID-19 from donated lungs
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Gov. Pritzker Announces One Million Illinois Children to Receive Monthly Food Aid Following Expansion of Pandemic EBT Program
Up to $110 Million Federal Dollars Will be Brought into State Per Month, 200 Thousand More Children to Receive Support This Year
SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker today announced that beginning next month, approximately one million children across Illinois will receive additional federally funded food benefits, valued at up to $110 million per month. Following a state request to expand eligibility for the program, the additional food support, funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, is expected to reach about 200,000 more eligible children this school year compared to last year.
Eligible children across the State will automatically receive these benefits on an “EBT Card” mailed directly to their homes. The funding will be distributed by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to Illinois students who are eligible for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) support.
“Today, we move another step closer to ending hunger for all of Illinois with a benefits program that will support approximately 1 million children across our state. Starting next month, eligible families across Illinois can be on the lookout for a benefits card in the mail to provide additional, federally funded food benefits for their children,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m excited to announce that we’ll be able to serve about 200,000 more children who have previously received this support, each with a larger daily benefit than in the past. My administration is proud to secure more federal funding for Illinois to make this expansion possible.”
Illinois’ P-EBT program brought approximately 764,000 children more than $259 million worth of nutrition benefits during the 2019-2020 school year. In the coming weeks, eligible Illinois families will begin to receive this year’s expanded benefits. Families will receive $6.82 for each day the child did not have access to school meals. This represents a 19% increase over the 2019-2020 school year, when the daily benefit was $5.70.
“At IDHS, we are committed to ensuring Illinois school children and their families have access to food assistance when they need it and will continue to apply for and maximize any opportunities,” said IDHS Secretary Grace B. Hou.” “We are proud to be one of 16 states to receive the federal approval from the USDA to continue these critical P-EBT benefits that put food on the table for Illinois families and bring in hundreds of millions of federal dollars to Illinois.”
Through P-EBT, eligible school children receive temporary emergency nutrition benefits loaded on EBT cards that are used to purchase food. Children who would have received free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program if their schools were not closed or operating with reduced hours or attendance for at least 5 consecutive days are eligible.
“Research shows that children who are hungry are not able to focus and learn,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “Schools have served more than 113 million meals to students since the pandemic began, and the P-EBT builds on this care and commitment to ensure all Illinois children have their nutritional needs met. The fact that eligible families do not have to take any action and will receive these benefits automatically is a huge sigh of relief. We are proud to collaborate with other state agencies to make this happen and excited share this good news with our students’ families across the state.”
Families do not need to apply for this round of P-EBT benefits. In the coming weeks, they will receive one P-EBT card per eligible child, and the cards can be used to purchase food items at EBT-authorized retailers, which include most major grocery stores in Illinois. Cards will be mailed to the address the school has on file for the child.
Additionally, in the coming month, the Illinois Commission to End Hunger – a public-private partnership organized by the Governor’s office and stakeholders from across the state – will release a new “Roadmap” to end hunger in Illinois. The forthcoming plan focuses on strategies to better connect Illinoisans to nutrition assistance programs, including P-EBT, and promote equitable food access.
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) is part of the U.S. government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, go to https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=131776.
He also took aim at opponents of the law, saying they “don’t want any change, don’t believe there is injustice in the system and are preying upon fear of change to lie and fear monger in defense of the status quo.”
* I asked the governor’s office for a point by point response…
When the Governor, bill sponsors and advocates decry the misinformation from opponents who want to protect the status quo, this social media post is exactly what they are talking about. Misinformation can easily spread on social media, and those who oppose efforts to make our criminal justice system more equitable prey on fear and misinformation to keep a system in place that disproportionately harms black and brown communities around our state.
The SAFE-T Act (HB 3653), does not prevent police officers from using force against individuals who actively threaten people’s lives. If a person does not pose such a risk, the law requires that officers prioritize non-lethal methods, including de-escalation, citations, and non-lethal force, as appropriate and based upon the totality of the circumstances. This law is consistent with best practices for law enforcement and will improve public safety for both the community and our police officers. Through additional training and codifying these best practices, the law aims to end the fear and trauma black and brown communities deal with every day because of the systemic racism that is part of our criminal justice system.
In each of these scenarios, the description of how the police can respond under the new law blatantly ignores the options that continue to be available to police who are seeking to protect the safety of an individual or the community.
1. “Critical Situations: There is an Active Shooter at a local high school. Police arrive and the suspect flees the scene. Uniformed officers catch up to the suspect who is still armed, no longer actively shooting and forcibly resisting arrest. The officers know who the suspect is and he could be identified & apprehended at a later date. Officers cannot use force against the suspect even though he just shot people moments ago.”
• The SAFE-T Act does not prevent law enforcement from appropriately using force against a person who poses an imminent threat of serious bodily harm or death to another person or people. In order for an officer to use deadly force, the shooter must be an active threat. This bill does not change that requirement.
2. “Criminal Trespass: You arrive home and notice an unknown person sitting in your backyard. You call the police and wait for them to arrive. The police confront suspect and he refuses to leave. The individual cannot be arrested & no force can be used to make him leave, only a ticket can be issued.”
• This description of how police can respond under the new law ignores the clear provision in the law giving officers discretion to respond to individuals who pose a threat to the community or any person. Specifically, the SAFE-T Act amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require that “a law enforcement officer shall issue a citation in lieu of custodial arrest . . . for those accused of traffic and Class B and Class C criminal misdemeanor offenses, or of petty and business offenses, who pose no obvious threat to the community or any person . . . .” Outside of these low-level offenses, officers retain discretion to arrest.
3. “Disorderly Conduct: You own a local store and an individual is causing trouble. The suspect is being loud and yelling obscenities at customers. Police arrive and realize he’s disturbing the peace of the store. The suspect will be issued a ticket, a court date within 21 days and officers will leave. The suspect cannot be forcibly removed & the store owner is left with the same problem.”
• Under the SAFE-T Act, police have the authority to cite instead of arrest for a breach of the peace violation, which is a Class C misdemeanor. However, police have discretion to arrest if the individual poses an obvious threat to the community or any person, or who has an obvious medical or mental health issues that poses a risk to their own safety.
4. “Obstructing: Police are investigating a homicide. A body is on the ground & the area is surrounded with crime scene tape. A person decides to enter the area after being told not to by a uniformed officer, walks through the crime scene and jeopardizes the investigation. This person would no longer be arrested for obstructing a police investigation & force cannot be used to remove the individual from the scene.”
• The SAFE-T Act does not prohibit an officer from making an arrest for the described offense.
…Adding… I checked in with sponsoring Sen. Elgie Sims to see if he had any differences with the governor’s responses and he said he did not. “Those are right on point.”
Text from former Governor Bruce Rauner celebrates the end of Madigan’s career: “In the end, we took each other out.”
Except Democrats voted Madigan out after federal prosecutors weakened him. If anything, Rauner was the one last ingredient galvanizing Democrats to back Madigan.
The Republican Rauner strengthened and unified unions and Democrats in this state more than anyone in my lifetime ever has, and they flocked to Madigan for protection. A big reason why Madigan survived the intense 2018 sexual harassment scandals was because Rauner was still in office.
Tuesday, Feb 23, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The facts about voter support for House Bill 3653:
9 out of 10 (91%) Illinois voters support legislative efforts that hold police accountable for misconduct.
69% of voters agree that reform is necessary now because of racial bias in policing. Nearly 9 out of 10 Illinois voters back:
• Holding law enforcement accountable for violating individuals’ constitutional rights (89% say it should be a major priority)
• Establishing clear and consistent statewide limits surround the use of force by police, including deadly force (80% say it should be a major priority)
• Training all police to a clear and consistent standard surrounding the use of force by police, including deadly force (90% say it should be a major priority)
• Rules mandating that officers are held responsible when they use force without justification resulting in a death (88% support)
• Establishing consequences for not turning on dashboard or body cameras (88% support)
More than 3 out of 4 voters in Illinois support:
• banning chokeholds (76%)
• requiring a state agency to report when a police officer uses force (78%)
• 69% of voters want to end special protections for police officers – known as qualified immunity – that allows officers to escape from many lawsuits, denying victims of real harm a day in court.
“We’ve been used, we’ve been mocked, we’ve been marginalized,” Bailey said. “People in Illinois have been ignored based on their race. They’ve been ignored based on their class, their zip code, or by special interest, all while a political class has done absolutely nothing but enrich themselves while destroying our state and robbing our children and our grandchildren of our future.”
“… the days of putting the interests of the corrupt political class above the people is over,” Bailey said.
It’s the victim campaign.
Bailey’s campaign committee had $179,214.29 at last report.
Criticizing Pritzker’s signature on community justice legislation opposed by law enforcement groups, Bailey said he was “going to be eager to see what kind of law enforcement protection” the governor had in touring the state. The legislator credited law enforcement for working to “protect and serve” in the wake of “just demoralizing behavior that seeks to destroy everything you stand for.”
He also cited progressive efforts to change the state’s college curriculum for incoming teachers aimed at avoiding personal biases, as another example of Chicago and liberal idealism interfering with Downstate cultural values.
“Now, right in the heartland of America, Illinois has become a stronghold for this evil, wicked stuff. So we just got to take it back and then we’re going to reverse all this,” he said to his Facebook followers. “Something’s going to start here in Illinois, in the heartland of this land and it’s going to spread across this nation.”
* WCIA…
Bailey’s base is the religious right. His “Standing for you” slogan comes from the Bible passage painted on the door of his campaign bus, which suggests he sees his mission in politics as one to stand up and fight “spiritual wickedness in high places.” pic.twitter.com/buJwA55mZo
When we got here, there were multiple bowls of wristbands - each color signifying social distancing comfort levels. I’m told not too many people have picked up the red ones. pic.twitter.com/lax6UnAlUc
Speech ended. We hurried out. I spotted this table in lobby as we were leaving. Doesn’t look like too many masks were picked up. pic.twitter.com/mN2PGverJA
