* Today is my mom’s birthday and Sunday is Mother’s Day. Here she is with all five of her sons back in the day…
My mom is an avid reader of this-here blog, so instead of answering a question today, please take a moment to wish my mom a happy birthday and happy Mother’s Day. Thanks.
* Ken Griffin puts another $25 million behind Irvin for governor: “Richard Irvin is the best candidate to tackle the severe problems facing our state,” Griffin said in a statement. “Richard will create jobs, fight corruption and reverse Illinois’ economic decline. As a former prosecutor he also has the expertise to reduce the senseless violence that is tearing apart our communities. Unlike the current governor, Richard will put people ahead of politics, which is what every citizen of Illinois wants, needs and deserves.”
I have no knowledge of this, but I’m guessing that some of that cash might be used to boost the rest of the Grif slate.
* Speaking of Griffin, here’s a question for Irvin from Shaw News…
Should the wealthiest Illinois residents pay more or less in taxes? Please explain.
With taxes already high and inflation out of control, the hardworking families, small business owners and family farmers across this state need us to come together to control spending and cut taxes. We can absolutely make that happen – lowering taxes for all families in Illinois. According to news reports, billionaire J.B. Pritzker hides his fortune in the Bahamas to avoid paying U.S. and Illinois taxes. He’s also under investigation for property tax fraud. It’s time to vote out a tax-avoiding billionaire who campaigns to raise taxes on everyone in Illinois.
tl/dr: No.
* DPI…
It’s now been 4 days since the Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked and Ken Griffin’s handpicked gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin still hasn’t told Illinoisians where he stands on protecting reproductive rights.
Instead, Irvin has been taking in baseball games and a new influx of $25 million dollars from Ken Griffin.
Does Irvin think Roe should be overturned? Would he seek to institute a harsh abortion ban like we’ve seen in Texas and Oklahoma? Does he agree with his running mate Avery Bourne that there should be no exceptions to abortion, including in cases of rape and incest?
Irvin’s silence is deafening and Ken Griffin knows it. Will $25 million more be enough to drown out Irvin’s flailing strategy of avoiding voters and the press?
Irvin’s campaign team found the time to comment on baseball this week, but can’t be bothered to weigh in on women’s fundamental rights. Illinois voters deserve more.
* Still with Irvin…
Today the Irvin for Illinois campaign is rolling out a new list of co-chairs; a group of over 50 grassroots Republican leaders who are endorsing Richard Irvin and Avery Bourne’s campaign to take back Illinois from out of control crime, corruption, and Democrat overspending. The new list adds to the continuous growing support of now over 200 leaders — including 18 current or former county sheriffs, 27 current mayors, and 17 state legislators. […]
The following have endorsed Irvin for Illinois as co-chairs for the campaign:
Edgar Alvaredo, Barrington Township Trustee, President Barrington Township GOP
Emily Bastedo, Elmhurst Alderman
Barry Bebart, 39th Ward GOP Committeeman
Sonia Berg, Former Moline Alderwoman, IHDA Board Member
Rocco Biscaglio, Leyden Township Supervisor
Shannon Bumann, Superintendent, AlWood Schools (Woodhull)
Nick Caiafa, Mayor of Schiller Park
Thomas Cauley Jr, Mayor of Hinsdale
Steve Chirico, Mayor of Naperville
Gina Cunningham, Mayor of Woodridge
Chris Curtis, Mayor of Kankakee
Nick Cuzzone, Mayor of Villa Park
Frank DeSimone, Mayor of Bensenville
Darren Duncan, Vermilion County Treasurer
Andy Ezard, Mayor of Jacksonville
John Farney, Former Champaign County Auditor and Former Treasurer
Dave Guerin, Mayor of River Grove
Jeff Hamilton, Livingston County Sheriff
Sandy Hamilton, Illinois State Representative (HD 99)
Greg Hart, DuPage County Board
Chuck Hernandez, 38th Ward GOP Committeeman
Mark Hosty, Illinois Republican Party State Central Committeeman 7th CD
Mike Houston, Former Mayor of Springfield
Katherine Keefe, McHenry County Circuit Clerk
Todd Koehn, Grundy County Treasurer
Jennifer Konen, Mayor of Sugar Grove
Jake Leahy, Vice President Bannockburn School District 106 Board of Education
Scott Levin, Mayor of Elmhurst
Mike Marron, Illinois State Representative (HD 104)
John McPeek, Mayor of Harrisburg
Roger Orozco, Police Officer, School Board Member
Ruben Pineda, Mayor of West Chicago
Terry Prillaman, Former Mayor of Rossville
Don Puchalski, DuPage County Board
Tom Rader, Mayor of Riverton
Greg Ridenour, Grundy County Board
Ruben Rodriguez, Kendall County Board Member
Paul Santucci, Naperville Township Trustee
Frank Saverino, Mayor of Carol Stream
Skip Saviano, Mayor of Elmwood Park, Former Illinois State Representative
Jeffrey Schielke, Mayor of Batavia
Mark Senak, Mayor of Glen Ellyn
Jeffrey Sherwin, Mayor of Northlake
John Simonton, Lee County Sheriff
Brad Stephens, Illinois State Representative (HD 20), Mayor of Rosemont, Leyden Township GOP Committeeman
Steve Streit, Mayor of Lockport
Phil Suess, Mayor of Wheaton
Jason Taylor, Johnson County Commissioner
Tom Templeton, Former LaSalle County Sheriff
Lee Trejo, Roselle Trustee, Former DuPage Young Republican Chairman
Frank Trilla, Mayor of Willowbrook
Kevin Turner, Jo Daviess County Sheriff
Kerri Urbanski, 45th Ward GOP Committeeman
Kevin Wallace, Mayor of Bartlett
Andy Wheeler, Kankakee County Board Chairman
* SoS…
With the U.S. Supreme Court on the verge of potentially overturning Roe v. Wade next month, Democratic Secretary of State candidate Anna Valencia today joined Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, women elected officials and community leaders in vowing to fight to protect women’s fundamental right to make their decisions about their bodies. Valencia also highlighted the clear choice in the Democratic primary.
“With access to reproductive health under attack, I am fired up even more to ensure that we don’t go back,” said Valencia. “So let me be clear about who my opponent is. While we were fighting the Rauner administration, my opponent, Alexi Giannoulias, was nowhere to be found. When we were fighting the Trump administration, Alexi was nowhere to be found. He has been absent for the biggest fights facing our communities over the last 12 years. The one time he did pop up to speak out, it was to urge us to work with Donald Trump—are you kidding me, Alexi?
“Donald Trump’s presidency is the reason we find ourselves in the crisis we face today. The three Justices he placed on the Supreme Court are about to take the rights of women across our country away. And you wanted us to get behind his presidency? No way, no how,” said Valencia.
“Now you want to be our Democratic nominee here in Illinois. Where have you been, and what have you done? I’ve been here, standing up for women and all of our communities. I’ve used my voice and my platform to speak up for our rights. I’ve been in the streets marching for our freedoms. And I will continue to do whatever I can to use my platform to fight like hell to protect women’s right to choose,” said Valencia.
Valencia was joined by PPIA Chair Jennifer Welch, State Representative Kelly Cassidy, Grit and Grace CEO Cheryle Jackson, State Representative Ann Williams, MWRD Commissioner Josina Morita and several other women leaders who highlighted why Valencia is the best candidate in this race and why it’s critical to elect leaders for statewide office who will always stand up for women’s reproductive rights. In previous elections, PPIA has endorsed multiple candidates in races, but is only endorsing Valencia in the primary for Secretary of State.
* CD17…
Today, Jonathan Logemann, Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 17th Congressional District, announced the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 364. IBEW Local 364 represents nearly 800 workers in northwestern Illinois, and this endorsement marks Jonathan’s 12th endorsement from local labor unions representing workers in Illinois’ 17th congressional district. With more endorsements from local labor unions than all other candidates in the race combined, Jonathan is showing that he is the best choice for working families and organized labor.
* Media advisory…
Villegas to Announce Key Endorsements in Race for Congress
Chicago, IL - On Monday, May 9th, the Villegas for Congress campaign will hold a press conference at Plumbers Local 130 Union Hall to announce two new key endorsements in the race for Illinois’ newly created 3rd Congressional District.
Who:
Alderman Gilbert Villegas, two new key endorsements, and officials who have endorsed or are supporting his campaign. This list includes Cook County Clerk Iris Martínez, Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, Sen. Cristina Castro, Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, Rep. Marty Moylan, Mayor Skip Saviano, Mayor Rodney Craig, Members of the Joint Council 25 of the Teamsters Union, Members of Local 130 of the Plumbers Union, Members of SEIU Local 1, and more.
— Gil Villegas has been endorsed by the Latino Victory Fund, which works to elect progressive Latinos to Congress. Villegas is running in the newly created 3rd Congressional District.
— Former Congressman Luis Gutiérrez has endorsed Karin Norington-Reaves in her bid for the 1st Congressional District seat.
— Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky has endorsed Abdelnasser Rashid for 21st District state rep seat. Schakowsky cited Rashid as being “100 percent pro-choice.”
— Pat Dowell has been endorsed by SEIU Local 1 in her bid for the 1st District Congressional seat.
* DPI…
Today, the Democratic Party of Illinois formally indicated it intends to submit an application to the Democratic National Committee for Illinois to be selected as a “pre-window” state for the 2024 presidential nominating process, meaning it would be one of the first five states to hold its primary election. Click HERE to see the letter of intent sent to the DNC by the Democratic Party of Illinois today.
…Adding… With a hat tip to a commenter…
**** PRESS RELEASE ****
As your next Attorney General, I am proud to stand with the men and women of law enforcement,…
* Reported cases are up 24 percent from last Friday, about the same as last week’s rise. More importantly, hospitalizations are up 10.4 percent. While not good, that’s about half the increase of last week’s 19 percent rise. The number of deaths is unchanged from last week. IDPH…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 30,633 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 46 deaths since April 29, 2022. According to the CDC, 14 counties in Illinois are now rated at the Medium Community Level, including nine counties in the northeast part of the state and five in the central part. At the Medium Community Level, people at risk of severe health outcomes are advised to take additional precautions to protect themselves from the virus, including masking up in indoor spaces.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,169,315 cases, including 33,660 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.
As of last night, 808 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 66 patients were in the ICU and 24 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 240 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.
The CDC reported that 14 Illinois counties are now listed at the Medium Community Level: Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will and Winnebago in northeastern Illinois; and Sangamon, Champaign, Douglas, Logan and McLean in the center of the state. At the Medium Community Level, persons who are elderly or immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are advised to wear a mask in indoor public places. In addition, they should make sure to get up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines or get their 2nd booster, if eligible.
“The public should pay close attention to these rising Community Levels, but we would stress this not a cause for alarm,” said IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars. “People who are at risk of severe outcomes should exercise caution. And if someone does test positive, then they should consult with a healthcare provider about obtaining a prescription for one of the therapeutic treatments that are widely available. The treatments are much more effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths when they are taken early in the course of the illness.”
IDPH has been supporting pharmacies and healthcare providers in efforts to increase their inventories of the various FDA-authorized treatments. There are over 1,200 treatment locations in Illinois - including all the major retail pharmacies. More than 96.7% of the state’s population is within a 10-mile radius of one of these locations.
IDPH Director Tokars stressed: “It is not too late to get vaccinated if you have been waiting to do so. Vaccines are widely available, and everybody is welcome. If you need help finding a location near you, just go to www.vaccines.gov or call your local health department.”
A total of 22,018,536 vaccines have been administered in Illinois. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 14,163 doses. Since April 29, 2022, 99,144 doses were reported administered in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 76% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 68% of Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated, and more than 51% of the vaccinated population is boosted according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data indicates that the risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes from COVID-19 is much higher for unvaccinated people than for those who are up to date on their vaccinations.
State health officials are stressing the following precautions for those who are at high risk for serious illness:
• Get vaccinated and stay up-to-date on recommended booster shots to protect yourself, your loved ones and friends.
• If you are in an area with rising COVID-19 infections, wear a mask if entering indoor spaces with other people present and consider avoiding large gatherings.
• Stick to well-ventilated areas if you are not wearing a mask indoors around other people.
• If you feel flu-like symptoms, self-isolate and stay home from work as well as social gatherings; and obtain a test as quickly as possible.
• If you test positive, talk to your provider immediately so you can get COVID-19 treatment within five days of starting to feel sick. Also, communicate about the positive result with any persons you have been in close contact within two days of falling sick or testing positive.
• Continue to frequently wash your hands and cover coughs and sneezes.
All data are provisional and are subject to change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
The federal government has established a new website that provides an all-purpose toolkit with information on how to obtain masks, treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all areas of the country at: https://www.covid.gov/.
Governor JB Pritzker today applauded S&P Global Ratings’ upgrade of Illinois bonds. This latest action means that Illinois has now received two-notch bond rating upgrades from the three major credit rating agencies in the last year – a total of six upgrades in less than a year. This fiscal progress was attained due to strong fiscal leadership by Gov. Pritzker and Democrats in the General Assembly, despite a global pandemic and the economic challenges left by previous administrations.
S&P Global Ratings announced on Friday its second upgrade of Illinois’ bonds since July 2021. Fitch Ratings upgraded Illinois’ bonds by two notches this week, the first Fitch upgrade for Illinois’ General Obligation bonds since June 2000. Illinois received an upgrade from Moody’s Investor Service last month, the second such upgrade by Moody’s in 10 months.
“These achievements bear repeating: balanced budgets four years in a row, paying the state’s bills on time, early repayment of pandemic-related borrowing, clearing out debts left by previous administrations, making higher-than-required pension payments, setting aside $1 billion in savings for a rainy day. After more than 20 years without receiving a credit upgrade, the rating agencies are taking notice of our tremendous progress,” said Governor Pritzker. “Along with our partners in the General Assembly and my fellow constitutional officers, we will continue to build on our success and lead this state in a fiscally responsible manner.”
“The upgrade reflects what we view as improvement in the state’s financial flexibility and monthly revenue reporting transparency, continued timely budget adoption and elimination of the bill backlog, as well as recent surplus revenues being used to promote what we view as longer-term financial stability, although credit pressures remain,” S&P Global stated.
S&P last upgraded the state’s bonds in July 2021, and today’s analysis credited stronger-than-forecast tax revenues and transparent reporting both from the Comptroller and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget aiding in addressing longstanding credit weaknesses.
The Governor thanked House Speaker Chris Welch, Senate President Don Harmon, Leader Greg Harris, Senator Elgie Sims, Comptroller Susana Mendoza and Treasurer Michael Frerichs for their ongoing commitment to Illinois’ fiscal well-being.
The upgrades follow the enactment of the state’s fourth balanced budget in a row, while providing $1.8 billion in tax relief to the working families of Illinois and marked Illinois’ first contribution to a Rainy-Day Fund in 18 years, as well as a $500 million extra payment toward the state’s pensions. The historic budget places Illinois it its strongest financial position in a generation while funding key investments for education, human services, law enforcement and violence prevention.
S&P Global upgraded Illinois’ rating on its General Obligation bonds to BBB+ (stable outlook) from BBB (positive outlook), and also upgraded Build Illinois sales tax bonds to A- (stable outlook) from BBB+ (positive outlook).
Fitch upgraded Illinois’ rating on its General Obligation bonds to BBB+ (stable outlook) from BBB- (positive outlook), and also upgraded Build Illinois sales tax bonds to A (stable outlook) from BBB+ (positive outlook).
Moody’s upgraded Illinois’ rating on its General Obligation bonds to Baa1 (stable outlook) from Baa2 (stable outlook), and also upgraded Build Illinois sales tax bonds to Baa1 from Baa2 while maintaining their stable outlook.
The rating of a state’s bonds is a measure of their credit quality. A higher bond rating generally means the state can borrow at a lower interest rate, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
Between 2015 and 2017, the State of Illinois suffered eight credit rating downgrades and sat at the top of many analysts’ lists of the worst managed states in the nation. At its worst, Illinois’ bill backlog hit nearly $17 billion.
Key Actions – Responsible Fiscal Management
Fiscally responsible choices over the last three years have resulted in historic progress toward financial stability in Illinois.
Illinois’ FY2023 budget:
· Deposits $1 billion to the Budget Stabilization Fund (BSF) across FY2022 and FY2023 - the first deposits in 18 years. Also creates ongoing, permanent funding for BSF for the first time.
· Contributes an additional $500 million directly towards state unfunded pension liabilities, reducing long-term liabilities by an estimated $1.8 billion.
· Pays down $4 billion in debts across FY2022 and FY2023, including eliminating the payment delays in the employee and retiree health insurance program through $898 million in FY2022 supplemental appropriations.
· Keeps pace with payment of the state’s bills, with estimated bill payment delays at the lowest levels since before the Great Recession, saving taxpayers hundreds of millions in unnecessary interest costs.
...Adding… Speaker Chris Welch…
“Another day, another credit upgrade. The consensus is clear— Illinois is getting its fiscal house back in order. Instead of the typical defer and delay we grew accustomed to under previous administrations, Democrats are facing our financial challenges head on and it’s paying off.”
…Adding… From S&P…
The upgrade reflects what we view as improvement in the state’s financial flexibility and monthly revenue reporting transparency, continued timely budget adoption and elimination of the bill backlog, as well as recent surplus revenues being used to promote what we view as longer-term financial stability, although credit pressures remain. […]
The upgrade reflects our view that Illinois’ enacted $46 billion fiscal 2023 budget, along with the state’s plans for using fiscal 2022 surplus revenues and deploying federal aid, will likely support its trend of financial stability. […]
Although Illinois’ fiscal 2023 general fund budget is balanced in terms of current-year obligations, we do not view it as structurally balanced due to the treatment of pension obligations. Overall, the budget is 3.9% larger than the fiscal 2022 initially adopted budget, but 5.0% smaller than estimated general fund final spend in fiscal 2022. […]
Upside scenario
If the state continues to improve pension, OPEB, and BSF funding levels, while shrinking the statutorily created structural deficit without experiencing meaningful deterioration in other credit factors, we could raise the rating. Although not required for us to consider an upgrade, a return to a more abbreviated audit-release period would be in line with that of higher-rated peers.
Downside scenario
We could lower the rating if a structural deficit were to increase, derived from economic uncertainties; worsening revenue collection; or increases in pension, OPEB, or other fixed-cost obligations.
…Adding… Comptroller Mendoza…
A 6th upgrade in less than a year proves Illinois is on the right path toward fixing its finances.
S&P Global Ratings praised Illinois’ responsible budget as it raised the state’s rating Friday – the second time in less than a year it has upgraded the state’s rating. All three major ratings agencies have now raised the state’s ratings two notches in less than a year. This comes after 20 years of downgrades – the bulk of them – eight – under the previous administration.
“These upgrades are good news for Illinois taxpayers because they lower the costs for public works projects like roads and bridges that taxpayers pay for,” Comptroller Susana Mendoza said.
In her six years in office, Comptroller Mendoza has paid down bills and shortened the time state vendors wait to be paid.
“I’ve paid the backlog down from $16.7 billion to an accounts payable of $2.5 billion today,” Comptroller Susana Mendoza said. “The oldest bill in my office is 14 working days old, down from 210 business days when I took office. In all their upgrades, the rating agencies have noted that progress.”
Comptroller Mendoza also championed a series of transparency reforms that passed the General Assembly by unanimous or near-unanimous margins, opening the state’s books for taxpayers, legislators and the rating agencies to see.
“Stronger-than-forecast tax revenues and transparent reporting both from the comptroller and the governor’s office of management and budget aiding in addressing longstanding credit weaknesses,” S&P said in its announcement Friday.
S&P, like Fitch ratings on Thursday, praised the responsibility of this budget passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pritzker that included savings championed by Comptroller Mendoza. It included $1 billion for the state’s Rainy Day Fund and $500 million in additional payments to the pension fund, lowering that fund’s shortfall by $1.8 billion.
Comptroller Mendoza supported an effort to require regular ongoing payments into both funds. The budget includes $45 million a year for the Rainy Day Fund, but Comptroller Mendoza will continue seeking to raise that number.
“Six upgrades in less than a year make it clear that Illinois is continuing on the right path that the Comptroller’s Office, working together with the Governor’s Office and the legislative leaders, began when I took office to make strategic and fiscally responsible cash management decisions,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “I’ve been laser-focused on transparency of fiscal information, paying down the state’s debts, and prioritized saving for a rainy day. Let’s keep it going.”
A former contractual employee for the state treasurer’s office has pleaded not guilty to charges that he allegedly solicited a child using the Internet.
Bradley Graven, 38, of Downstate Sullivan, is due back in court Aug. 18. […]
According to authorities, Graven contacted a Villa Park police officer who was posing as a teenage boy in an Internet chat room on June 28. During the exchange, which began around 10:30 p.m., the topic of whether the two should meet was raised. Graven allegedly agreed to meet the “boy” in a drugstore parking lot in Villa Park to engage in sexual activities, authorities said.
Villa Park police set up surveillance at the location. Graven arrived in the suburb early the next morning. He was taken into custody and charged with indecent solicitation of a child, a Class 3 felony.
A quick Google search for the perp’s name has that Trib story at the very top of the first page as well as this one from 2005…
A former contractual employee for the state treasurer’s office was sentenced to 40 days in jail and 2 years of probation for solicitation of a child while using the Internet.
Bradley Graven, 40, pleaded guilty in October and was sentenced by DuPage County Judge Perry Thompson Wednesday.
Andy Roth, president of the State Freedom Caucus Network was in Chicago yesterday to promote the new Illinois Freedom Caucus. “If ever there was a state that needed a Freedom Caucus, it’s Illinois,” he told a group of supporters at Trump Tower Chicago, after acknowledging he’s a die-hard Cubs fan.
State Rep. Chris Miller, chairman of the Illinois group, said, “I’m here to promise you that freedom isn’t a lost cause.” He blamed “Democrats and some squishy Republicans” for problems such as “less morals, less family values and less freedom.”
Congresswoman Mary Miller was expected to be on hand for the press conference (Chris Miller is her husband). Your Playbook host saw her arrive and go into a back room instead. Her husband declined to comment on a report about the congresswoman having taken on a campaign volunteer with a sex-abuse conviction.
“Having taken on”? That’s a passive way of saying it, but there’s no excuse for this. And Graven has apparently played a very significant role in US Rep. Miller’s campaign.
Graven has recently been seen driving the congresswoman’s family’s vehicle to campaign events on three occasions.
In March, Graven was seen driving Miller to a Jacksonville parade in an SUV with state legislative plates, according to pictures obtained by the Washington Examiner.
Photos also show Graven driving Miller and her husband to Lincoln Day fundraising dinners in Schuyler and Bond counties. Another photo shows Graven seated with the congresswoman at the Bond County event.
Graven was also responsible for collecting more than 50% of the signatures Miller needed to get on the ballot, according to documents provided to the Washington Examiner.
* Rodney Davis campaign…
Mary Miller hid in a backroom during a press conference she was scheduled to attend so she could dodge questions about her relationship with a child sex predator.
“Mary Miller likes to say politicians are known by the people they hang around with. If that’s the case, she must explain why a man who served jail time for soliciting sex from a minor on the internet is working for her campaign. Miller’s continued silence on this issue and refusal to address questions from local media speaks volumes about her character and lack of judgement. Voters deserve answers. It’s time for Mary Miller to break her silence.” - Aaron DeGroot, Davis campaign spokesperson
State Rep. Chris Miller, wife of Mary Miller, chairs the Illinois Freedom Caucus and held a press conference yesterday announcing the creation of the Caucus. Chris Miller was asked a question from a reporter about why his wife wasn’t participating in the press conference even though their media advisory said members of Congress would be participating in the presser.
Reporter: “The press release talked about members of Congress being a part of this, and I know your wife is in a backroom. Is she not here with you because of that report there’s a sex offender working [crosstalk]?”
Chris Miller refused to answer the question because it wasn’t on-topic, even though other press conference participants answered questions that were off-topic during the question-and-answer period. You can watch the full press conference here.
Andrew Roth, President of the State Freedom Caucus Network, then gave a bizarre excuse as to why members of Congress weren’t able to attend, saying there were logistical issues causing members’ absence, even though Mary Miller was in a backroom at the same location of the press conference, as a reporter earlier noted. Roth previously worked for the DC-based dark money Super PAC Club for Growth, which is single-handedly keeping Miller’s campaign for Congress afloat to the tune of millions of dollars.
Ben Szalinski, Legislative Reporter with The Daily Line, tweeted about how Miller was scheduled to attend the press conference, but didn’t show up.
The report in question: KSDK: “Miller campaign volunteer was convicted for luring young boy for sex; The conservative firebrand quickly made a name for herself in Congress purporting to protect children from ideas she considers offensive”
To watch KSDK’s 6pm news coverage on this story from Wednesday, click here
* That explanation by Roth was classic. And, yes, Club for Growth is going all-in for US Rep. Miller…
Illinois has the highest taxes in the country, costing the average family more than $9,000.
I’m Jesse Sullivan.
And with budgets and taxes this high, you don’t bring a scalpel, you bring an axe. I’ll slash gas taxes, saving folks on average $200. Burn down the grocery tax and pledge to veto any tax increase that comes in front of my desk.
When Illinois families are suffering, you take action, you slash and burn. Let’s go save Illinois
Boeing said Thursday it plans to move its headquarters to Arlington, Virginia, close to the nation’s capital. It said the new location also will serve as a research hub.
“We are excited to build on our foundation here in Northern Virginia. The region makes strategic sense for our global headquarters given its proximity to our customers and stakeholders, and its access to world-class engineering and technical talent,” Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said. The Wall Street Journal first reported the move.
Boeing said it will maintain a significant presence at its Chicago location and surrounding region but did not offer specifics. “We greatly appreciate our continuing relationships in Chicago and throughout Illinois. We look forward to maintaining a strong presence in the city and the state,” Calhoun said.
Calhoun offered thanks to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., for their support. Details about local incentives were not immediately known.
Boeing has had about 500 employees in Chicago at the 100 N. Riverside Plaza headquarters, but the number of people present there fell dramatically during the pandemic.
The move will not lead to major Chicago job cuts or relocations, and the company will continue to employ more than 400 people in the city, Boeing spokesman Paul Lewis said. Still, the company will cut office space, needing less as telecommuting has led to more flexible work options.
Boeing is the latest company to shrink its space in Chicago, as the city’s downtown and office market reel from two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. In December, United Airlines announced it would move 900 employees — more than a quarter of its downtown workforce — from its Willis Tower headquarters to Arlington Heights. […]
Boeing’s downsizing will now open another hole in the downtown Chicago office market. The company occupies 285,000 square feet on 13 floors in the 36-story riverfront tower, which totals more than 1.1 million square feet, according to CoStar Group.
And even though thousands of office workers recently began streaming back to the Loop for at least several days a week, more empty spaces keep popping up in 2022, a sign that the market still hasn’t recovered from the two-year-old pandemic. The downtown vacancy rate jumped to 19.7% by the end of March, according to a report from commercial real estate firm Colliers International, up from 17.9% at year’s end.
My own opinion is downtown was over-built during Rahm Emanuel’s tenure.
Critics often complain that Boeing itself brought relatively few jobs for the tens of millions in subsidies state and city leaders shelled out. And it’s true that the Boeing corporate headquarters only employed a few hundred.
But the parade of companies that came in Boeing’s wake boosted that total many times over. Eventually, companies were moving here without getting a dime of taxpayer money.
The main benefit of Boeing’s move was reputational. It’s hard to put a price on it, but the value is undeniable. […]
Boeing’s exit comes as Chicago’s reputation has plummeted to lows we haven’t seen since the 1970s. The city and state have become known globally for uncontrolled crime, surging taxes, corruption and fiscal disarray. Downtown office buildings that drew new tenants in the last two decades haven’t been able to reverse the exodus of workers during the pandemic, and Loop landlords are handing the keys to lenders.
A new headquarters across from Washington will allow Boeing to assert itself in the world of national security, with more than half of the $62 billion it generated in sales last year coming from military contracts. The Arlington location will place top executives near political leaders, many of the nation’s top defense contractors and a stone’s throw from one of Boeing’s top clients: the Pentagon.
Boeing’s decision “shows that the Commonwealth is the premier location for aerospace companies,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) said in a statement.
Boeing is also planning to develop a research and technology hub in Arlington “to harness and attract engineering and technical capabilities,” according to a company statement. The hub will focus on developing innovations in cybersecurity, autonomous operations, quantum sciences, and software and systems engineering. […]
Youngkin’s administration has been working with Boeing for the past couple of months to lure the company to the state, according to three people familiar with the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the company had planned to wait until next week to make the announcement. They said the governor, a former Carlyle Group executive, has a personal relationship with Calhoun.
The state did not offer Boeing any “significant” financial incentive, according to the three people. Arlington County offered no incentives.
Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) had long casually nudged Calhoun and senior Boeing leadership about moving to Virginia. But he said he had a more serious conversation with Calhoun about the benefits last year, pointing to Virginia drawing major tech and defense companies, such as Amazon and Northrop Grumman. Warner also credited Virginia Tech, noting that the university’s new innovation campus — slated for nearby Alexandria in 2024 — likely also was appealing as Boeing plans its research hub.
Gov. Pritzker has been pushing to make Illinois a quantum research hub, so this can be seen as a blow to that effort as well.
* Mayor Lori Lightfoot…
Chicago is a world-class city and in the last year, 173 corporations relocated or expanded here, and 67 corporations have made that same decision since the start of 2022. While Boeing has decided to move their headquarters to another city, they will still maintain a presence in Chicago. We have a robust pipeline of major corporate relocations and expansions, and we expect more announcements in the coming months. What remains to be true is that Chicago is a major hub for global corporations that recognize our diverse workforce, expansive infrastructure, and thriving economy.
* Richard Irvin campaign…
Chicago’s business community took yet another hit yesterday as Boeing announced it is moving its headquarters out of Illinois to Virginia. The loss of Boeing adds to the growing list of businesses, big and small, fleeing the state, and creates more vacancy in the downtown area that has already been struggling to bounce back since the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the official line is that Boeing executives wanted to be closer to Washington D.C., it should be lost on no one that the undercurrents of J.B. Pritzker’s pro-criminal policies are clearly not helpful. The police beat that includes Boeing headquarters had 43 public batteries, 29 assaults, 27 robberies and 29 motor vehicle thefts last year alone. Just last weekend, nine people were killed and 26 wounded including a man who was shot and killed in a Streeterville hotel and a woman who was murdered at State Street and the Chicago River.
“Another day, another company heads for the exits on J.B. Pritzker’s watch - make no mistake his pro-criminal policies and anti-business agenda are the undercurrents driving businesses to greener pastures,” said Irvin for Illinois campaign spokesperson Eleni Demertzis. “Illinois businesses and families need a leader who will make this state a better place to live and thrive, and that simply is not possible with a governor who chooses criminals over safety in our communities.”
…Adding… Jesse Sullivan…
Sadly, news about leaving Illinois barely qualifies as “news” any more. For families, neighbors, and businesses big and small, Democrat leadership in Chicago and Illinois has made workers feel unsafe and businesses feel unwanted. Jesse Sullivan, outsider candidate for governor, released the following statement:
“Boeing’s departure is the latest example of how Democrat leadership is completely failing Chicago and Illinois. Temporary tax bribes to companies cannot paper over decades of fiscal mismanagement and the worst tax burden of any state. Add in rising crime that makes workers feel unsafe, as well as a corruption tax and politicians who care more about the next election than the jobs of the future, and we’re in for a lot more stories like this one. We need a change.
“For businesses, we need regulatory reform and a long-term commitment to growth to move Illinois from a temporary stopover to an attractive forever home to new families and businesses.
“For workers and families, we need to clean up our streets, crack down on corruption, and fix our worst-in-the-nation tax burden, or we’re going to keep leading the nation in losses, not growth.”
The annual Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award is presented to a former or current state or local government official in Illinois who has demonstrated a pattern of public service characterized by vision, courage, compassion, effectiveness, civility, and bipartisanship.
Former Governor Jim Edgar and the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute invite you to nominate an Illinois elected official who has displayed this kind of exceptional leadership.
We created the Simon-Edgar Statesmanship Award to shine a spotlight on remarkable public service that is taking place in our state and local communities. Please join us as we celebrate the Prairie State’s best traditions. Nominate an Illinois statesperson by June 1.
