* Press release…
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill) released the following statement on his positive COVID-19 test:
“This morning, I tested positive for COVID-19. Since the beginning of this pandemic, I have taken my temperature twice daily because serving in Congress means I interact with many people, and it’s my duty to protect the health of those I serve. This morning, my temperature clocked in at 99 degrees Fahrenheit, which is higher than normal for me.
“Because of the high temperature, my wife and I received a test this morning. While my test came back positive, my wife’s test came back negative. My staff who I’ve worked with in-person this week have received negative tests as well. Other than a higher-than-normal temperature, I am showing no symptoms at this time and feel fine.
“Having consulted with the Office of the Attending Physician (OAP) of Congress and local county health officials, our office is contacting constituents I have met with in-person within the previous 48 hours, per CDC guidelines.
“My staff and I take COVID-19 very seriously. My wife is a nurse and a cancer survivor, which puts her in an at-risk category like so many Americans. My office and I have always followed and will continue to follow CDC guidelines, use social distancing, and wear masks or face coverings when social distancing cannot be maintained.
“I will postpone public events our office has planned for the coming days until I receive a negative test. I will continue to serve my constituents virtually from home while I quarantine. Our district offices throughout central and southwestern Illinois remain open for constituents as well.
“During these challenging times, protecting the public health is my highest priority. If you’re out in public, use social distancing, and when you can’t social distance, please wear a mask. All of us must do our part. That’s what it will take to get through this pandemic.”
Get well soon, Rodney.
…Adding… A bit of context…
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Why is HFS still stonewalling?
Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Here are the broad guidelines for the state’s Business Enterprise Program (BEP)…
• At least 51 percent owned and controlled by persons who are minority, women or designated as disabled
• Must be a United States citizen or resident alien
• Annual gross sales of less than $75 million
Rep. Chris Welch, who chairs the House Executive Committee, has been asking the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to provide him BEP spending by Managed Care Organizations. The department has sent him the overall numbers, but Welch wants those numbers broken down by category (race, gender and disabled).
Welch sent HFS Director Theresa Eagleson this polite yet firm letter a couple of days ago asking for more information. He has yet to hear back…
Director Eagleson,
Thank you for your response to my request for information. It was not exactly what I was requesting, but it provided some initial insight into the BEP spending by MCOs. I think we would both agree that while there has been some progress in the last year, compliance is woefully inadequate.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend you and your staff for taking steps to increase compliance with the BEP requirements. Your letter to the MCOs was direct and expressed the necessary urgency. It’s a solid beginning. My goal is to work with you to resolve this issue. Together, we can help develop a new generation of minority entrepreneurs.
I would appreciate some additional information to help me better understand the scope of the problem. In particular, I would like to be provided the following:
1. The BEP spend for each MCO by breakdown of the subgoals in the contract: minority-owned, female-owned, disability
2. All BEP Utilization Plans and letters of intent for each MCO provided to HFS from January 1, 2018 to present. Please also include any waivers that have been granted or any other communication between HFS and the MCOs regarding BEP for same time period.
3. Outreach and Special Initiatives Document (or deck/document in any form) for each MCO from January 1, 2018 to present (includes but not limited to the contracting activity, report on subcontracts, progress towards overall contract goal, outcomes, etc.
4. The MLR calculations, including but not limited to the administrative percentage, for each MCO for FY18, FY19, & FY20. Pursuant to 305 ILCS 5/5-30.1 the MCO MLR info is supposed to be on the website, but I just haven’t been able to find it. Thank you!
5. All quarterly reports to DCMS (or HFS) from the MCOs reporting in on BEP vendor payments for FY18, FY19 & FY20. As you know, I have been frustrated by the lack of timely response to my request for information.
6. The actuarial certification or other documents showing the “administrative allowance” calculation of the capitation. The contracts look like the BEP is only applied to the “administrative allowance”. It would be helpful if you please list both “care management” and “healthcare quality initiatives” amounts separately for each MCO. Please also provide everything that has been excluded from the calculation.
7. You provided the compliance letter HFS sent to BCBS. Can you please provide the corresponding letters you sent to each of the other MCO’s.
As you know, I have been frustrated by the lack of timely response to my request for information. It took 4 weeks just to get the chart your staff provided on Friday. I would hope that this request would be provided in a more timely manner. In the interest of time, please provide these documents as you get them, rather than waiting for the full package to send at one time
As evidenced by your letter to the MCOs, you feel as strongly about this issue as many of us in the Black Caucus. I am anxious to work with you to achieve our mutual goals by bringing the MCO’s into full compliance.
Sincerely,
Emanuel Chris Welch
State Representative - 7th District
Gov. Pritzker has repeatedly said he wants to help create wealth in Black and Brown communities. The BEP program is one way the state can do that, but we have no way of measuring its effectiveness unless and until state agencies start releasing this information. And it cannot be successful if agencies like HFS don’t start enforcing the contracts and clawing back the money which isn’t spent through BEP participants, which apparently isn’t being done.
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* The governor was asked today whether a COVID-19 vaccine (if/when it is developed) would be mandatory for students who want to return to school…
No, I can’t imagine that. What I do think is that once a vaccine is available, I think many, many people will want to get vaccinated. We obviously want to get to herd immunity. We have for example with the measles vaccine just to give you an idea about, I think 95% coverage in the state of Illinois, people actually getting the measles vaccine measles vaccine or at least above 90, actually I think we’re at 98.
Um, vaccines are already mandatory for public school attendance. Why wouldn’t this one be?
…Adding… It has been pointed out that there’s no vaccine testing being done on children and the approval process for kids could take longer. Still.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mary Schmich…
Every mask tells a story. What’s yours?
Obviously, this question presumes that you have a mask and use it, in which case, you’re not the prime target for the new Illinois ad campaign that comes with the slogan “It Only Works if You Wear It.” The $5 million campaign, which the governor announced Monday, is aimed at the mask resisters, the legions whose behavior is one reason a killer virus continues to stalk the land.
But if you do wear a mask when you should — generally indoors in public spaces, outdoors when you can’t keep proper social distance — you probably have a story, and that story makes the mask easier to wear. You can recount where you got it, when and why, maybe who made it.
“What’s the story of your mask?” I often ask people. It’s a good conversation starter, and I always learn something about the person that goes beyond the mask, often something about their relatives, friends, passions.
* The Question: Do you have a story about your mask(s)?
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* As we discussed yesterday, CPS has decided to start the school year with remote learning. Catholic schools in the city, however, are taking a much different approach…
August 5, 2020
Dear Catholic School Parents and Guardians,
This morning, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced a change in their planned reopening of school buildings. They have chosen to conduct classes via full-time remote learning for the first 10 weeks of the fall.
The Archdiocese of Chicago believes strongly that our reopening plan, which provides for full-time in-person learning, is in the best interests of children and our mission. In-person learning is essential for the intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual growth of our students. Our reopening plan maximizes the safety of our students and employees while allowing the resumption of in-person learning. It is therefore our intention to remain committed to our plan to offer five-day, in-person learning in addition to a remote, e-learning, option for those students who are unable or whose parents are unwilling to return to classrooms.
In designing our reopening plan, we consulted guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as input on safely reopening and important mitigation efforts from the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), state health officials and infectious disease experts on our own task force. CDPH has recognized that our school system is different from CPS and supports our specific plan to reopen. If this guidance were to change, we would adjust our plan accordingly.
In the meantime, schools are working hard to implement health and safety requirements ahead of the start of the year. Schools are also preparing a virtual learning option with support from the Archdiocese. More information about virtual learning will be released to parents in the days ahead.
I realize this is a time of anxiety and stress. Know that we deeply care about the needs of our child and are looking forward to the year to come. If you have questions, I encourage you to contact your school’s principal or the Archdiocese at ReopenSchools@archchicago.org.
Thank you for your partnership and trust.
Yours in Christ,
Jim Rigg, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Catholic Schools
Archdiocese of Chicago
* In related news…
Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery released the following statement on Chicago Public Schools’ decision to start the 2020-2021 school year remotely:
“We applaud the Chicago Teachers Union for their continued dedication to students, teachers, and the community. Their commitment to equity and justice prevented Chicago schools from becoming COVID-19 hot spots.
“COVID-19 lifted the veil on the disparities that exist among our students and families, especially our Black and Brown students, who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus. The decision to start the 2020 school year remotely presents many challenges, but it is the safest path for our students, teachers, and staff as COVID-19 cases are surging in Chicago. This moment requires stability and equity for our families and children, so we call on the Chicago Public Schools to provide wide broadband access and devices. We acknowledge that remote learning will create logistical and financial challenges for thousands of Chicago parents. For this reason, we continue to ask that all educational institutions work to identify the families that need childcare and work to provide opportunities with local partners and organizations in helping fill gaps during the instructional day.
“We call on Illinois school districts to follow Chicago’s lead and base their decision on science. In the current environment, the safest option for students and staff is to start school remotely.”
* Also from the IFT…
Hundreds of faculty, staff, and students from 42 Illinois institutions logged on to Zoom last night to participate in a virtual town hall hosted by a coalition of higher education unions statewide. The hour-and-a-half conversation included a presentation and commentary by a panel of expert scientists followed by a Q&A session.
John Miller, President of the University Professionals of Illinois, IFT Local 4100, and an organizer of the event was sympathetic but frank: “The desire to return to normal should not take the place of science.” Columbia Faculty Association President and event organizer Diana Vallera introduced the purpose of the event: “To ensure faculty, staff, students, and parents have the scientific information needed… so that we can all make informed decisions when it comes to safety.” Vallera also had good news to share on Columbia College specifically: after major collective action on the part of the CFAC union, college administration announced new safety measures and the movement of more classes to an online setting. “This is a start,” said Vallera.
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A sea of red ink
Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Peter Hancock at Capitol News Illinois…
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is adding her voice to those warning that the state will face dire consequences if the federal government does not approve an economic aid package for state and local governments. […]
Mendoza, a Democrat who has served as comptroller since December 2016, noted that the state began the fiscal year on July 1 with a backlog of past-due bills totaling nearly $5.4 billion. But that was only because the state borrowed $1.2 billion from the Federal Reserve’s Municipal Liquidity Facility – money that has to be paid back in its entirety, with 3.52-percent interest, during the current fiscal year that ends June 30, 2021.
She also noted that the state has borrowed another $400 million from the state treasurer’s office and the state’s general revenue fund still owes about $763 million that it borrowed from other funds in previous years, which has to be repaid in installments through 2024.
She said the total amount due in the current fiscal year between borrowing from the Fed, the treasurer’s office and interfund borrowing is $1.63 billion.
* House GOP Leader Jim Durkin spoke at an online Paul Simon Public Policy Institute event yesterday…
Durkin faulted Pritzker and majority Democrats for pushing ahead on a new state budget that relies on $5 billion in borrowing from the Federal Reserve while lacking significant spending cuts to reflect the economy’s decline due to the pandemic.
“We should not have spent at that level the governor asked for, plain and simple. You don’t ask for more spending when you are in an economic downturn, and that is my biggest fault with the governor and how he’s handled the economics of the state during this crisis,” he said.
“I’m not sure how we’re going to repay that $5 billion that was taken out unless the feds come back and bail us out on that, but I don’t expect that anytime soon,” Durkin said, reflecting deadlocked talks between congressional Democrats and Republicans on a new coronavirus relief package.
Borrowing that money was a gigantic risk on the governor’s part. No doubt about it. But economic downturns are precisely when government spending is so important. We found that out the hard way during the Great Recession when inadequate federal aid to states and cities made the economic problems worse.
So, hopefully the leader has called his congressional allies and asked them to help out his state. Maybe the governor could pick up the phone and ask him.
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* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,759 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 30 additional confirmed deaths.
Carroll County: 1 male 80s
Clark County: 1 male 60s
Coles County: 1 female 80s
Cook County: 1 male 40s, 3 males 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
DuPage County: 2 females 80s
Gallatin County: 1 male 70s
Jefferson County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
Kane County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
Lake County; 1 female 40s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
LaSalle County 1 male 90s
Rock Island County: 1 female 80s
St. Clair County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s
Union County: 1 female 70s
Will County: 1 male 50s
Winnebago County: 1 male 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 186,471 cases, including 7,573 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 46,668 specimens for a total of 2,896,063. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from July 29 – August 4 is 3.9%. As of last night, 1,552 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 368 patients were in the ICU and 129 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
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* The governor filed the motion to consolidate the cases…
This cause coming to be heard on the motion of movant, Jay Robert Pritzker, due notice having been given, and the Court being fully advised in the premises;
IT IS ORDERED that the motion to transfer and consolidate pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 384 is allowed.
Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 384, Kirk Allen et al. v. Governor Jay Robert Pritzker, etc., Edgar County No. 20 MR 45, Thomas DeVore v. Governor Jay Robert Pritzker, etc., Bond County No. 20 MR 32, Steve Gorazd et al. v. Governor Jay Robert Pritzker, etc., Clinton County No. 20 MR 79, and Daniel English v. Governor Jay Robert Pritzker, etc., Richland County No. 20 MR 48, are transferred to the Circuit Court of Sangamon County and consolidated with Riley Craig et al. v. Governor Jay Robert Pritzker, etc., Sangamon County No. 20 MR 589.
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ComEd pleads not guilty
Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Megan Crepeau and Jason Meisner at the Tribune…
ComEd pleaded not guilty to an expansive federal bribery charge Wednesday during what will likely be its final court hearing until 2023.
The plea was a formality, since the company has entered an agreement to defer prosecution. ComEd will pay a record $200 million fine and cooperate in the ongoing probe of its lobbying practices in Springfield in exchange for the charges being dropped at the end of the agreement period.
* More…
…Adding… Steve Daniels at Crain’s…
Exelon CEO Chris Crane said [yesterday] the company will decide early next year whether to close nuclear plants in Illinois, even as he acknowledged the company’s standing in Springfield had been damaged by the revelations of corruption at its Commonwealth Edison unit.
Crane in his comments during the quarterly earnings call with analysts attempted to walk a line between contrition for ComEd’s recent acknowledgements of paying off close associates and lieutenants of House Speaker Michael Madigan and the pressure tactics he’s used before to win state support for subsidies.
“We will not run plants and lose free cash flow or earnings on assets that are not supporting themselves,” Crane said.
“It’s reality,” he added. “We’ve shut two units down in recent years if we could not see a path to sustainability of those assets in the portfolio. Not the greatest decisions we’ve ever had to make, and we understand the impact of that on communities we serve and the environmental goals and economic impact of the states. But maintaining an investment grade (rating) that can support the remaining facilities is our main focus.”
Good luck with that, dude.
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* June…
A group of landlords have accused Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker of overstepping his authority by extending his hold on evictions statewide amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The landlords say Pritzker has illegally interfered with their private contracts, unconstitutionally seized their property, and forced them to subsidize housing for tenants – including some who simply have refused to pay. […]
In short, the landlords said, the public health emergency that was used to justify the eviction moratorium no longer exists, or at least has abated to the point that the moratorium should now be considered illegal.
In addition, the plaintiffs claimed the evictions moratorium exceeded the governor’s authority.
* Circuit Judge John Anderson has ruled against the plaintiffs. The copy I have doesn’t allow for copy and paste, so I’ll summarize.
Judge Anderson noted that five federal judges and “virtually every” Illinois state court judge have upheld the governor’s authority to issue the executive orders. Just one judge, in Clay County, has ruled against the governor.
Anderson then went on to write that the Clay County judge’s rulings are “bereft of any meaningful legal analysis, and are wholly unpersuasive for that reason.” He also pointed out that the Clay County judge’s rulings, “like other trial court rulings,” aren’t binding on his court.
Heh.
The judge then went on to explain why he felt the other rulings by judges outside Clay County were persuasive and rejected the plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary injunction on all but one count, which he said didn’t look like a strong argument. It’s worth a read.
* Now, on to Clay County…
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is now facing an Indirect Civil Contempt Motion in the Darren Bailey lawsuit to include a request he be placed in custody in the county jail.
The motion is based on the fact the Governor has ignored the Court’s prior orders and continues to issue Executive Orders as it relates to COVID-19.
The motion requests that Pritzker “be placed in temporary custody within the Clay County Jail until he purges himself by rescinding the above-mentioned executive orders.”
*** UPDATE *** The governor was asked about the Clay County filing today…
All I can say is the rulings out of Clay County have been ridiculous. There’s no other court that has ruled as they have on the matter that they ruled on. And in fact there’s a judge on Friday who specifically pointed to Clay County and said that the decision by that judge was bereft of any legal analysis. And I think that’s accurate.
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* I checked and the amount of unclaimed property returned by the treasurer’s office during the previous five years was $700 million. So, this is a significant increase…
A record-shattering $1 billion in unclaimed property has been returned to Illinoisans and their families in the past five years, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs said today.
It is the most that has been returned in any five-year period in the program’s 58-year history.
“Government needs to work smarter. The numbers show our improvements to the unclaimed property program created a faster, better, and more efficient service,” Frerichs said.
Unclaimed property refers to property or accounts within financial institutions or companies in which there typically has been no activity for several years. In Illinois, the state treasurer is tasked with safeguarding unclaimed property, such as unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards. The state treasurer is legally required to return the property to the rightful owners no matter how long it takes.
Frerichs inherited a cumbersome, paper-driven system upon becoming treasurer in 2015. The $1 billion milestone was possible because Frerichs prioritized changes in technology, efficiency and state law to streamline the unclaimed property process, which also is known as I Cash. Key to these enhancements was securing bi-partisan support to change state law. This included enacting Money Match, which allows the automatic processing of one-owner claims of up to $2,000 when records confirm the claimant’s identity and connection to the property.
“While $1 billion is a significant achievement that only could be obtained by working collaboratively with our staff and state lawmakers, it is the stories behind the unclaimed property that I find most memorable,” Frerichs said.
• A Chicago-area woman adopted two children after their family perished in an auto accident. Years later, the state treasurer’s office obtained more than one hundred thousand dollars for the woman after auditors discovered an unpaid life insurance policy.
• A Chicago man, World War II Army veteran and life-long bachelor left nearly $2 million to several Chicago-area philanthropies. These monies were from an investment account that languished because the decorated soldier’s surviving family members passed away before he did.
• The Carver Community Center in Peoria received $19,000 from The (Richard) Pryor Foundation. The legendary comic is a Peoria native who spent time at the Carver Center as a youth.
• Orphans of the Storm animal shelter in Riverwoods received $19,000, nearly all of it from the life insurance policy of a Rolling Meadows woman who worked as a secretary at Ford Motor Company.
• Monument of Faith Evangelistic Church in Chicago received $38,000 from a church member’s life insurance policy.
An estimated one-in-four people in Illinois have unclaimed property. Currently, there is more than $3.5 billion in the unclaimed property fund. Individuals can search the state treasurer’s database for their name or the name of their business or non profit atwww.illinoistreasurer.gov/ICASH. Because unclaimed property is surrendered to the treasurer’s office twice each year, it is recommended individuals check the database twice each year; for example, on a birthday and six months later.
The guy takes this program seriously.
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Unclear on the concept
Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Southern…
According to IDES, the scam involves filing unemployment claims using false identities and then attempting to have the payment method switched from the debit cards that people receive when they qualify for benefits to a direct deposit account to which scammers have access.
On July 6, the FBI reported that, “U.S. citizens from several states have been victimized by criminal actors impersonating the victims and using the victims’ stolen identities to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims online.” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and U.S. Rep. Mike Bost are among those who have received prepaid debit cards issued by KeyBank who didn’t apply for unemployment benefits. […]
[Rep. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro] said she asks herself if the fraud cases are actually spread throughout all 50 states or if they are in states where Deloitte holds the contract for the unemployment assistance tools. “I cannot get that question answered,” she said.
Well, maybe if you’d stop asking yourself and ask the Google or something you’d get an answer, Representative.
This has nothing to do with the state website or system contractor. The contractor isn’t being hacked. The victims’ identities were already stolen and those identities are then used to apply for unemployment benefits. She’s putting the cart before the horse here.
* From the FBI…
The FBI has seen a spike in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims complaints related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic involving the use of stolen personally identifiable information (PII).
U.S. citizens from several states have been victimized by criminal actors impersonating the victims and using the victims’ stolen identities to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims online. The criminals obtain the stolen identity using a variety of techniques, including the online purchase of stolen PII, previous data breaches, computer intrusions, cold-calling victims while using impersonation scams, email phishing schemes, physical theft of data from individuals or third parties, and from public websites and social media accounts, among other methods. Criminal actors will use third parties or persuade individuals who are victims of other scams or frauds to transfer fraudulent funds to accounts controlled by criminals.
Many victims of identity theft related to unemployment insurance claims do not know they have been targeted until they try to file a claim for unemployment insurance benefits, receive a notification from the state unemployment insurance agency, receive an IRS Form 1099-G showing the benefits collected from unemployment insurance, or get notified by their employer that a claim has been filed while the victim is still employed.
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* Harvard Magazine…
“At the moment, the United States has no semblance of public-health testing” for the coronavirus, says Michael Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology at both Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. What does Mina—an expert in viral testing protocols—mean by that?
Current tests for active infection with SARS-CoV-2 are highly sensitive—but most are given to suspected COVID-19 patients long after the infected person has stopped transmitting the virus to others. That means the results are virtually useless for public-health efforts to contain the raging pandemic. These PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, which amplify viral RNA to detectable levels, are used by physicians, often in hospital settings, to help guide clinical care for individual patients. In general, members of the public have not had access to such tests outside clinical settings, but even if they did, would find them too expensive for frequent use.
Furthermore, such tests detect tiny fragments of viral RNA even after the patient has recovered. Mina says that means “the vast majority of PCR positive tests we currently collect in this country are actually finding people long after they have ceased to be infectious.” In that sense, a positive result can be misleading, because the results can’t be relied on to guide the epidemiological efforts of public-health officials, which are focused on preventing transmission and controlling outbreaks: “The astounding realization is that all we’re doing with all of this testing is clogging up the testing infrastructure,” with results arriving a week or more after tests are administered, “and essentially finding people for whom we can’t even act because they are done transmitting.” In fact the testing backlog is so dire, and so “absolutely horrendously useless as a system for public-health surveillance,” that Mina believes the United States should at the very least throw away the millions and millions of samples that are waiting to be tested—and perhaps even halt the current testing regime and just start over.
“We need to change the whole script of what it means to test people,” he says. “In our country, we have always assumed that testing belongs in the clinical sphere, in the diagnostic sphere, and has to be run by laboratories or diagnosticians. The result is that we have a system for coronavirus testing…which is flailing, with raging outbreaks occurring.” What the country needs instead are rapid tests, widely deployed, so that infectious individuals can be readily self-identified and isolated, breaking the chain of transmission.
To do that, Mina says, everyone must be tested, every couple of days, with $1, paper-based, at-home tests that are as easy to distribute and use as a pregnancy test: wake up in the morning, add saliva or nasal mucous to a tube of chemicals, wait 15 minutes, then dip a paper strip in the tube, and read the results. Such tests are feasible—a tiny company called E25Bio, and another called Sherlock Biosciences (a start-up spun out of Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the Broad Institute in 2019) can deliver such tests—but they have not made it to the marketplace because their sensitivity is being compared to that of PCR tests.
Mina says that is beside the point. “Imagine you are a fire department,” he says, “and you want to make sure that you catch all the fires that are burning so you can put them out. You don’t want a test that’s going to detect every time somebody lights a match in their house—that would be crazy: you’d be driving everywhere and having absolutely no effect. You want a test that can detect every time somebody is walking the streets with a flame-thrower.”
Go read the rest.
* Meanwhile…
Most classes at Illinois State University will be online-only when the fall semester begins later this month, officials announced Tuesday.
President Larry Dietz said in an email to students and faculty that the university learned late last week it would not receive some testing equipment and supplies that were expected before classes started. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “reallocated” the equipment and supplies to other agencies, he said. HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Yeah, that federal government. Always doing the right thing by the people. Yep.
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Cairo finally gets its due
Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WPSD…
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker made several stops in southern Illinois on Tuesday. One of those stops was in Cairo, where the governor announced the state will provide $40 million through the Rebuild Illinois capital plan for a port at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
Cairo has been working on the port development for eight years. Now, the community is one step closer to making the project a reality. The port project is expected to create at least 500 jobs and bring in more than $100 million in economic activity.
The development will be one of the largest investments in southern Illinois in decades. Leaders hope the project will make Cairo a national hub for the shipping industry.
“This port project has the potential to represent the very best of our state’s future. This is more than just a port. It’s fuel for new jobs and economic prosperity all across the region. A region that’s been left out and left behind for far too long,” said Pritzker.
* The Southern…
Pritzker and State Sen. Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg, said there were real dollars coming with Tuesdays announcement. Fowler remarked that the port project is a real line item in the state’s recently-passed capitol bill, which allots funds for various development and improvement projects throughout the state.
Immediately, the state will give $4 million in grants for the project, but a total of $40 million has been allocated to fund the design and development of a river port that has been in the works for nearly a decade. This is about $35 million short of the $75 million that was hoped for, but, as previously reported by The Southern, the rest will be leveraged by private investors. […]
[Pritzker] added that 80% of the country’s river traffic passes by Cairo every day, making it an ideal shipping and transportation hub.
Fowler, since being elected to his seat in 2016, has taken Cairo’s revitalization as a personal project. He has said on more than one occasion, Tuesday included, that the port will be a shot in the arm not just to the city but for the region. A total of 500 direct jobs will be generated when the project is complete, Fowler and Pritzker said Tuesday.
Sen. Fowler deserves so much credit for pushing this project forward. While the concept predates his legislative service, he’s turning it into a reality. He’s a throwback to a time when southern Illinois politicians worked hard to bring things back to their districts. And Cairo isn’t exactly Republican turf. Good for him.
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* Zorn…
Democratic state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe this week has thrown in with the brave band of rebels in her party calling for Michael Madigan to step down from his role as Illinois House speaker and state Democratic Party chair.
“I’m not really interested in issuing a press release or making a big announcement, but yes, I think he should resign,” LaPointe told me in a phone interview. “That’s what I’m prepared to say on the record.”
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
The following is a joint statement from Ald. Matt Martin (47th), Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th), Ald. Maria Hadden (49th), Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd) and Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st):
“As progressive leaders on the Chicago City Council, we feel strongly that our current circumstances require a change in leadership. Speaker Madigan’s entanglements in multiple scandals cast a pall of corruption at a time when we must be focused on protecting working families, seniors and students. He should do what is best for the state and step down from his roles as Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois.”
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Orland Park loses round in federal court
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mike Nolan at the Daily Southtown…
Orland Park elected officials have been dealt a serious setback in a lawsuit filed in June challenging Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s restrictions put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A federal judge denied a motion by the village seeking a temporary restraining order as well as a preliminary injunction to overturn a series of executive orders issued by the governor.
The ruling, spelled out in an Aug. 1 opinion, doesn’t end the lawsuit, but U.S. District Court Judge Andrea Wood clearly indicated the village’s odds of ultimately being successful were very slim.
Filed June 16 in federal court in Chicago, the lawsuit alleges the state-imposed restrictions violate the due process and equal protection clauses of the Constitution and that Pritzker overstepped his authority. […]
As far as whether the governor overstepped his authority with the restrictions, Wood wrote that the governor “has sweeping powers in the event a disaster strikes all or part” of the state, and even if he did not properly interpret the law it would not necessarily render his actions beyond his legal authority.”
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* The CTU has been claiming that Mayor Lightfoot wants the union to force the schools to close so she doesn’t have to. Welp…
* In other news…
Today, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) announced a medical review panel that will determine if school district re-opening plans are safe for students, staff and communities.
The panel, which will consist of more than a dozen doctors, will review district plans that educators fear may not be safe under public health guidelines. The panel will then determine whether the plans meet a list of commonly agreed upon protocols.
“We will be watching to make sure our students’ and educators’ health and safety is being protected. And if the panel finds a district is operating in a way that puts lives at risk, we will do everything in our power to keep people safe,” IEA President Kathi Griffin said.
The partnership came about after the IEA discovered that the State of Illinois had encouraged districts to resume in-person learning and set forth public health guidelines, but did not design a system where districts’ “Return to Learn” plans could be either assessed or enforced.
IEA President Kathi Griffin said the IEA has worked collaboratively with the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Department of Public Health, with all of the education stakeholders in Illinois, but when it became clear there was no method of assessment or enforcement of health and safety measures for the in-person education plans, the union decided to make its own.
“There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of the students of this state and those who work to teach, feed, lead, drive, coach, mentor and provide essential services to them in our schools,” Griffin said. “We kept asking, ‘OK, so if we don’t think the district’s plan meets the state standards or the AAP’s standards, where do we go?’ No one could answer. So, we turned to our longtime partners at ICAAP.”
ICAAP has enlisted a dozen doctors to review plans and is working to secure more.
“ICAAP is happy to partner with the IEA to provide expert guidance on our shared goal of opening schools safely in Illinois,” said Daniel Johnson, MD, FAAP member of ICAAP Executive Committee and Interim Chief of Section of Pediatric Infectious Disease at University of Chicago.
“Schools are an important safety net for children and we look forward to working to protect the health of students, teachers and staff while working to ensure access to the essential services provided at school.”
If a district’s plan is deemed unsafe by the panel of medical experts from ICAAP, the local will inform the district of the changes that need to be made to ensure all are safe and the environment is healthy. If that isn’t done, the IEA will work with the local to enforce the health and safety guidelines that have been set forth by experts.
“As we promised last week when we announced in partnership with the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), no avenue or action is off the table – the courts, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board – nothing, including health and safety strikes. The entire weight of the IEA and the IFT will be used in whatever way is necessary to protect the students of this state and those who educate them,” Griffin said.
*** UPDATE *** The two-step completes…
Chicago Public Schools is expected to announce as soon as Wednesday an all-remote learning plan to start the school year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a move that could avert a potential Chicago Teachers Union strike, sources said.
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Crackdowns have consequences
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* July 8…
Following an especially bloody holiday weekend in Chicago that saw dozens wounded and at least 17 killed by gunfire, police Superintendent David Brown has announced plans to create a permanent, specialized citywide unit to stop sudden flare-ups in violence and other crime, officials said.
Brown first told the Tribune in May he was contemplating forming such a unit, a controversial crime-fighting strategy that has occasionally been used here.
Details of the new unit were still being worked out this week, but once formed, it will be the first time CPD has used such a roving team on a permanent basis since 2011. That’s when two similar citywide units were disbanded amid concerns about their aggressive style and after a previous unit was rocked by a corruption scandal.
* Former House Deputy Majority Leader Art Turner, Sr. told me he thought he had prepared himself Saturday to drive to the suburbs to pick up a new F-150 truck by donning a pro-police shirt. But he never made it that far. Turner, who retired in 2010 after representing the city’s West Side for decades, managed to drive a block and a half from his home before he was pulled over by two CPD officers because he had no front license plate.
“I had my registration, I had the title, I had my insurance card and a driver’s license,” said Turner, who said he gave it all to the officer.
While the officers ran him through the computer, Turner called his wife and asked her to bring his plate to his car. But just after he hung up, he was ordered out of the car. He asked what was going on and was told they had a warrant for his arrest, he said.
Turner said he insisted to the officers that there must’ve been a mistake. He has no warrants out for him. But he was cuffed tightly, tossed in the back of the squad car and they were off to the station, with the other officer driving his car.
Except, Turner said, the officer driving the squad got lost. The two, he said, were part of that new roving citywide unit and apparently weren’t familiar with the area. So, he gave the police officer directions to the local station and the driver made a U-turn, while Turner complained that the cuffs were on too tight.
Turner said as soon as they walked into the station he shouted for a desk sergeant, but nobody came. He was placed into a cell and told to surrender his belt and his shoe laces.
Finally, a lieutenant who Turner knew from his years living in and representing the area came down to see what was going on.
Turns out, the Art Turner they were looking for was born in 1986, has tattoos up and down both arms and is over 6 feet tall. Art will be 70 soon, has no discernible tattoos and is not a tall man. A case of “mistaken identity” this is not.
This is all bad enough, but in the age of COVID-19, Turner is worried he may have been exposed to the virus while in the cell. “For the last five months, I can tell you the six people I’ve been around,” Turner said.
Turner, who had hernia surgery two months ago, went to the hospital to get his wrists checked and they referred him to an orthopedic doctor. He’s also filed a complaint.
* All of y’all who want the cops to get tough and crack down, just know that this sort of thing is an inevitable consequence in certain neighborhoods. Good and innocent people, particularly Black and Brown people, are swept up for no good reason. And then anger builds.
I’ve known Art Turner a very long time and I’ve never heard him so furious as he was yesterday on that phone call.
We gotta do better.
…Adding… CPD…
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) strives to treat all individuals our officers encounter with respect and any misconduct by officers will not be tolerated. A complaint has been received regarding this incident and an investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) is currently ongoing. Due to the open investigation, we are unable to comment further on this incident but we will ensure that if any wrongdoing is discovered by COPA, officers will be held accountable.
As a reminder, anyone who feels they have been mistreated by a CPD officer is encouraged to call 311 and file a complaint with COPA, who will investigate allegations of misconduct.
Also, this was a summer mobile unit.
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* Background is here if you need it. From Logan Lanes bowling center in Lincoln…
VERY EXCITING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!
The Illinois State Bowling Proprietors have settle their lawsuit against the State of Illinois and are now allowed to have 50% of their occupation instead of 50 people. We do need to separate groups of 50 by one pair of lanes. This means that all of our fall leagues are a go. All leagues will start after Labor Day this year. The schedules will be up at loganlanes.com on Thursday 8/6. This is a major decision for all the bowling alleys in Illinois and I am very thankful. I have many friends who have still not been able to open their centers in other states at all yet. GO BOWLING ITS NOT ONLY A FAMILY SPORT IT’S A LIFETIME SPORT!!!! PERFECT TIMING FOR THIS SINCE NATIONAL BOWLING DAY IS SATURDAY 8/8. Please share this big news on your page it will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Shawn
Logan Lanes
I checked with the governor’s office and was told “The lawsuit is in the process of being settled,” but the spokesperson didn’t have the exact parameters yet.
The lawsuit was filed in Dixon.
*** UPDATE *** From the governor’s office…
Under the sports guidance released last week, bowling was included and was classified as a lower risk sport. Bowling alleys will need to follow that guidance like other sports facilities, as well as the bars and restaurant guidance for those portions of their facilities. These terms were agreed to in the settlement with the understanding that the venues will be subject to further mitigation if a region’s data requires it.
* Background…
The new guidance will allow 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is less.
Following IDPH guidance regarding their restaurant and bar portions of the venue will be required.
Owners will need to outline how they will provide 30 feet of distancing between groups and they will have to leave two lanes unused between large groups.
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ILGOP takes aim at Kilbride
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This will matter a whole lot more if they put some resources behind their words, but Kilbride has to get to 60 percent to be successfully retained, although no party affiliation will be next to his name on the ballot…
During the most recent State Central Committee meeting of the Illinois Republican Party, the ILGOP voted unanimously to formally recommend a vote of non-retention for Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride of the 3rd Judicial District. Justice Kilbride is up for retention on the November 2020 ballot and must meet the 60% retention threshold in order to keep his seat on the Illinois Supreme Court.
The ILGOP recommends removing Kilbride from the bench because of his very close ties to corrupt House Speaker Michael Madigan. In 2010, the last time Kilbride faced retention, Mike Madigan made Kilbride’s retention one of his top political priorities because he knew Kilbride was essential to retaining his power over the Supreme Court.
Chicago Sun-Times: “The speaker’s greatest victory, arguably, is the retention of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride. With Madigan’s massive help, Kilbride remains on the bench, maintaining Democrats’ 4-3 majority on the court. That majority will be critical to the party in redistricting the political boundaries of this state.” (“Mr. Speaker, you’ve got work to do,” Editorial, Chicago Sun Times, Nov. 7, 2010)
Chicago Tribune: “And Madigan elected Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride, despite a stop-Kilbride campaign, as the speaker prepares that new political map.” (“Mike Madigan wins big,” Editorial, Chicago Tribune, Nov. 4, 2010)
Chicago Tribune: “Kilbride’s response? He has raised a whopping $2.48 million to save his job. The money is coming largely from the same sources that funded his 2000 campaign: House Speaker Michael Madigan and organized labor. The Madigan-controlled Democratic Party of Illinois has kicked in $1.42 million.” (“Kilbride & Madigan,” Editorial, Chicago Tribune, Oct. 27, 2010)
In return for millions in campaign cash from Madigan, Kilbride has reliably voted to protect Madigan’s power and sided with Madigan’s powerful allies. Kilbride ruled against term limits and struck down pension reform in spite of criticism that he took millions of dollars from those with a stake in the decision.
Worst of all, in 2016, Kilbride wrote the majority opinion striking down the citizen-led ballot (“Fair Maps”) initiative that would have given voters a say in redistricting and taken the power away from Madigan to draw gerrymander maps. The decision was all about Madigan, as evidenced from the Chicago Tribune headline immediately following the decision on August 26, 2016: “Supreme Court’s Democratic majority sides with Madigan on redistricting. Surprise!” August 26, 2016.
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Caption contest!
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A pal of mine is on vacation this week…
Am I crazy or does the statue of Lincoln in Ottawa look like MJM?
The pic…
Have fun.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I posted this story earlier, but I’m moving it here because it’s more relevant to our discussion…
Governor JB Pritzker says the COVID-19 outbreak is now worse in southern Illinois than it is in Chicago.
Gov. Pritzker made the statement during a stop Tuesday at SIU Carbondale. He was joined by SIU System President Dan Mahoney, Carbondale Mayor Mike Henry, and Jackson County Health Department Administrator Bart Hagston.
“I’m here today because the COVID-19 pandemic, which once seemed tame in Carbondale and throughout the entire region, is surging here. It’s worse than in Chicago. And I’ll be frank, if we don’t see some change here, the virus will cause some businesses to close and an increasing percentage of people to get sick and some will even die,” said Gov. Pritzker.
Jackson County is one of eleven counties listed at the “warning level” for COVID-19 by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Seven of the eleven counties are in southern Illinois.
“Southern Illinois and Metro East are both seeing troubling trends, with seven-day rolling positivity rates of 7.4% and 7.3%, respectively. These are the highest in the state of Illinois,” added Pritzker.
* Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) on Facebook today…
Governor Pritzker is scheduled to be at SIUC today. You will not see me there. I called his staff yesterday to ask if I missed my invitation. I was told I’m not invited.
She goes on to ask several questions that have been asked and answered before, except maybe for this one…
Is there a long-standing relationship between Deloitte and the Pritzker Group?
Um.
* I reached out to the Pritzker administration’s Jordan Abudayyeh to ask why Bryant wasn’t invited to an event in her district…
The representative was not invited to attend a press conference discussing the state’s COVID-19 response because she has not been supportive of the administration’s COVID efforts and has not voted to support the necessary funding needed to continue combating the virus.
Abudayyeh pointed to a couple of Facebook posts by Bryant, including this odd one in June…
How many of you are going out of state to eat, shop, play…? Time for Governor Pritzker to get real and does anyone know how IDPH got so powerful? Why is Dr. Ezike calling all the shots? Is she more knowledgeable than the scientists in 49 other states? Just some thoughts going through my mind today.
* The Question: Foul or fair to exclude Bryant? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
online polls
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Things are really bad all over
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Capitol News Illinois…
Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday that Illinois faces the prospect of having to make deep spending cuts over the rest of the fiscal year if Congress does not pass an economic relief package that helps states make up for the massive loss in revenue they’ve seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I continue to do my part to make calls, to make sure that people understand that Republican-led states and Democratic-led states all have this challenge of revenues that fell off a cliff because of COVID-19,” Pritzker said during a news conference in Springfield. […]
Without federal aid, however, Pritzker said Monday that there will be significant cuts and job layoffs in Illinois and throughout the country.
“But this is going to be up to the Congress. They’re the ones who have the ability to help us and to help all 50 states with the challenge we all have. But there are going to be layoffs across the country, not just related to state government, but when you don’t fund state and local governments you’re going to see, and you’ve already seen to some degree, layoffs,” Pritzker said. “Not to mention those who provide services to state and local governments, private companies whose contracts no doubt will be put aside because the money isn’t flowing, because we don’t have the ability to balance the budget in the way that we had originally intended to.”
There’s a raging debate in this country about whether to “defund the police” (and about what that phrase even means). Well, if the federal government doesn’t step in, lots of states and local governments are gonna have to make cuts, and those cuts will almost definitely include first responders. So, the same DC people arguing against defunding the coppers will actually accomplish that very goal through inaction. Funny how that works.
* WLDS…
According to data collected by the Urban Institute’s State and Local Finance Initiative, from March to May, Illinois’ tax revenue was down 23% compared to last year, or a total of $1.1 billion. That percentage is 6 points better than the 29% average across the country.
Texas revenues were off by 29 percent in the same period. Florida’s were down by 26 percent, Arizona’s dropped 27 percent and Indiana’s decreased by 23 percent, the same as Illinois.
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* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,471 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 19 additional confirmed deaths.
- Adams County: 1 male 70s
- Cook County: 1 teen, 1 female 50s, 1 unknown 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- DuPage County: 2 males 80s, 1 male 90s
- Iroquois County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s
- Mercer County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Morgan County: 1 male 90s
- Rock Island County: 1 female 70s
- Will County: 1 male 80s
- Winnebago County: 2 female 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 184,712 cases, including 7,545 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 42,598 specimens for a total of 2,849,395. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from July 28 – August 3 is 3.9%. As of last night, 1,496 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 365 patients were in the ICU and 125 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*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.
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* There are some noteworthy people and groups on this list, but I thought I’d highlight this one…
Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame announces 2020 inductees, virtual ceremony
The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame was founded in 1991 to honor people and entities, nominated by the community, who have made significant contributions to the quality of life or well-being of the LGBT community in Chicago. The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame inductees for 2020 were selected from a slate of candidates submitted by Chicago’s LGBT community. This year’s individuals, organization, businesses and “Friends of the Community” ( allies ) inductees are as follows: […]
Judy Baar Topinka (posthumous): for her support of LGBT causes when it was politically risky for anyone, Democrat or Republican, to be associated with the movement. The fact that she did so as a Republican showed an incredible amount of political courage. She supported the Illinois’ Marriage Equality Bill and during the November 20, 2013 ceremony at the University of Illinois at Chicago, when the state’s marriage equality bill was signed into law, Judy Baar Topinka was the only Republican speaker at the event. Judy Baar Topinka was “a consistent and firm supporter of gay rights. Even when attacked by members of her own party for her gay rights support, she never wavered.” She was truly a friend of the LGBTQ community.
They just don’t make ‘em like her anymore.
…Adding… Classic JBT…
“I just want to end by noting that I am available to be a flower girl and I’ll even waive the fee.”
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* Sun-Times…
Northwestern has halted football workouts after a player tested positive for COVID-19.
The university tweeted a statement Monday saying the university “medical staff will implement the University’s rigorous contact tracing and quarantine protocols.”
The player is isolating and several teammates are quarantining, the school said Monday. The team’s most recent workout was Friday. The next one will be Wednesday at the earliest.
Northwestern’s news comes shortly after Illinois’ athletic department announced it has recorded 23 positive COVID-19 test results since players started arriving on campus for voluntary team activities in early June.
The football team’s more than 100 football players have accounted for greater than 75% of the athletic department’s positive tests, the university said, though it’s unclear the exact number of players the virus has infected.
* Meanwhile…
After Thanksgiving break, all University of Illinois classes will move online, Chancellor Robert Jones announced Monday in a mass email.
Nov. 20 will be the last day of in-person instruction for the fall semester, so the last week of classes and exams will be held online or through “alternative delivery methods,” Jones said.
The Illini have two football games scheduled after all classes move online on November 20th: One against Ohio State; the other against Northwestern.
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Oops
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. Joyce Mason is a Gurnee Democrat. Rep. Monica Bristow is an Alton Democrat. Somehow, some wires got crossed…
These things do happen.
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Fawell on Madigan, Mapes and the feds
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Scott Reeder…
“Nobody gets in to see the wizard. Not nobody, not no how.”
Those words quoting the “Wizard of Oz” hung from the wall of the statehouse office of Tim Mapes.
And they summed up his job nicely. He was the gatekeeper to Mike Madigan, speaker of the House and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.
He routinely turned away legislators, lobbyists, businessmen and others seeking an audience with the most powerful politician in Illinois.
But in the wake of a recent plea deal between Commonwealth Edison and federal prosecutors: people are asking: What does Tim Mapes know and what will he say?
There is no indication that Mapes has done anything wrong, but it was the nature of his job to be in the know.
After all, for 26 years, he was Madigan’s chief of staff. And he also was the director of the Illinois Democratic Party – while Madigan was speaker of the House and chairman of the Democratic Party.
Tim Mapes was once one of the most important people in Springfield. But unless you are an inside player in state government, you’ve likely never heard of him.
In the recent plea deal, ComEd essentially admitted to giving bribes to Madigan. The bribes would be in the form of contracts and jobs at the giant utility that Madigan could dole out to his supporters.
Through a spokesperson, Madigan has said he is innocent of wrongdoing. And he has not been charged with a crime.
That said, it would appear that Madigan is the target of federal prosecutors. And this is why questions have been percolating through Springfield as to whether prosecutors will seek Mapes’ cooperation in pursuing a case against Madigan.
When George Ryan went to prison, it was after his former chief of staff, Scott Fawell, testified against him. When Rod Blagojevich was locked up, it was after his chief of staff Bradley Tusk testified against him.
So, it’s no stretch to assume the feds may be hoping for some cooperation from Mapes or one of Madigan’s other confidants.
“Madigan plays it pretty close to the vest,” Fawell said. “He only has a few people who he tells what he is thinking and Mapes was one of them. I anticipate the feds are going to put pressure on him to see if they can get him to talk. The thing is when you are chief of staff, you’re the go-to guy to get things done.”
Fawell, who was sentenced to more than six years in prison on corruption charges, said the pressure to testify is enormous.
“They will go through your taxes and see if there is anything there that they can prosecute you on. Then they will lean on your friends and family members and threaten them with prosecution if you don’t cooperate. There is a reason the federal government wins 99 percent of its cases.”
Mapes did not return phone calls seeking comment Monday. He has not been accused of any crime.
But all has not been well between Mapes and his former boss.
In 2018, Madigan removed Mapes from his jobs, after he was accused of fostering “a culture of sexism, harassment and bullying that creates an extremely difficult working environment.”
It’s worth noting the sexagenarian was not accused of making sexual advances toward any staff members. Accusations centered on remarks that just a few years before would likely not have resulted in any disciplinary action. He was an early casualty of the #MeToo movement.
Whether the circumstances of his ouster would make him more or less likely to cooperate with federal investigators is not known.
“It’s an extremely isolated position he’s in right now,” Fawell said. “I remember showing up at a golf tournament when the feds were investigating George Ryan. Nobody wanted to talk to me because they feared being subpoenaed. You feel very alone.”
Longtime statehouse reporter and political observer Charles Wheeler III, said he doesn’t anticipate criminal charges being made against Madigan.
“Mike Madigan knows where the line is and he doesn’t cross it. He’s not going to cross it in public and he’s not going to cross it in private when he’s talking to Tim Mapes or anyone else. If the prosecutors had anything on Madigan, they would have already charged him.”
But Fawell said dealing with federal prosecutors is rarely so straight forward.
“I’m not saying that people lie. But after they have been interviewed several times by prosecutors, what they remember being said in a particular conversation can change.”
Discuss.
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Rep. Cabello takes heat for online comment
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This story doesn’t mention it, but Rep. Cabello is also a Rockford police detective. WREX TV…
After a comment made by State Representative John Cabello on Facebook causes controversy, some local leaders are speaking up. On Saturday, a Facebook user thanked Rep. Cabello for holding a Back the Blue rally. In his comment, he asked Cabello “now is it time to lock and load? Asking for a friend”. Cabello responded by saying “not yet but be ready”. Winnebago County Board Chairman Frank Haney says he does not agree with the comments Cabello made.
“The comments themselves were just unhelpful. This is coming from someone who is in John’s party, I like John, I don’t have any issues on a personal level, but I fundamentally disagree on law enforcement officers making comments like that,” said Haney. […]
Mayor Tom McNamara released a statement on Sunday condemning Cabello for this comment. Monday, he said everyone, including leaders in the community, needs to understand the impact their words have. He also says now is the time to stick together as a community.
“Right now, we have a huge need to fill this massive void in our community of the threads of the fabric that bring us together and there is a number of areas that we should be focusing on that bring us together,” said McNamara.
* The exchange in question…
If you click here, you’ll see there were some confrontations after Rockford’s Back the Blue rally. The county sent out its SWAT team, which seems excessive.
* Register-Star…
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara has asked that Cabello’s comments be reviewed and addressed by city officials.
“I am extremely concerned by a Facebook post by State Rep. and Rockford Police Officer John Cabello that was worded at worst to incite violence and at best not promote peace,” McNamara said Sunday in a social media post. “We must expect high levels of professionalism and performance from those who serve and represent us and his post was incendiary and not befitting of a public servant.”
* More from the mayor…
There have been a number of high-tension incidents in our community in the last 48 hours that I want to address.
The Rockford Police Department and Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office lawfully arrested numerous people on Friday night on East State Street near the City Market pavilion. I appreciate the work of both departments as they work to keep our streets safe for all citizens and visitors.
During the arrests, there were reports of citizens assisting officers and deputies. Though we may have seen a legal explanation that citizens have the right to be involved, I want to be clear–we do not need or want civilians engaging in police activities when the scene is under control by law enforcement.
* Cabello’s response…
I replied to a comment on Facebook that has somehow become “controversial” as it related to a five word short response to a Facebook comment. These five words have been contorted and twisted around to something that it is not. Am I surprised that my political opponents and their supporters, none of whom showed up this past Saturday to “back the blue”, is now trying to use this to “cancel” me. No.
This particular Facebook friend, like many of the people in my district is concerned over the lawlessness he has seen both locally and nationally. He expressed that view and his concerns in a way which elicited a similar tongue in cheek response from me that some posters on Facebook have implied means that I was advocating for violence. Not only do I reject that interpretation but I will not yield my support for law enforcement.
Everyone needs to be treated fairly and humanely and in my speech Saturday morning at the Back the Blue rally at the First Responders memorial I passionately spoke out about the need for those of us in blue to try to achieve perfection even though it is tough to do sometimes.
Saturday was an opportunity for people to show their admiration for those of us who wear the uniform of law enforcement. In the past few months my brothers and sisters in blue have been vilified and lumped together with a very few bad actors. We needed that rally on Saturday and so did the people who were in attendance. We had over well over 600 people there. Our speeches did not “incite” anyone nor did they even come close to advocating for lawlessness. We are all tired of the lawlessness and the politicians who don’t support the men and women of law enforcement. Another rally is being planned!
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Republicans play the Madigan money card
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Center Square…
Republican members of the Illinois Legislature are using the cloud over Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to go after those who get Madigan-connected campaign money. […]
After rattling off Democratic legislators and former legislators who have either been arrested, charged or pled guilty to corruption in the past year, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said the Democratic Party of Illinois, or DPI, should be labeled a corrupt organization and called it Madigan Inc.
“Mike Madigan runs DPI like he runs his caucus with absolute control,” Durkin said. “A handful of his members have asked for a resignation while the majority have not and will continue to feed from the DPI trough.”
A spokesperson for the DPI called Durkin’s comments “noise.”
“We’re still trying to make sense of Leader Durkin’s comment ourselves,” DPI spokesperson Eileen Boyce said, “but one thing is certain – the Democratic Party and its leaders have fought to provide the people of our state and our country with access to healthcare, living wages, civil rights, affordable housing and clean air and water – all priorities that President Trump and former Republican Governor Bruce Rauner have worked to destroy.”
State Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, said Madigan put a lot of money against him in the last election nearly two years ago.
“I expect to have somewhere between $2 and $4 million spent against me again this cycle, it was close to $2 million last time. I’m sure they’re going to top that,” Batinick said. “We just have to reject this. It’s disgusting.”
Batinick demanded his Democratic opponent Harry Benton denounce what Batinick called Madigan’s “ill-gotten gains.” Benton couldn’t be reached for comment.
* WTTW…
“All these candidates that say they’re going to fight corruption have actually made an agreement that they’re going to vote for him for speaker. We need to fight corruption, fight Mike Madigan, return the tainted funds,” Batinick said during a Zoom press conference Monday.
Political scientist and campaign finance expert Kent Redfield said it’s not that explicit a quid pro quo, but campaign contributions do engender loyalty, and that has helped to keep Madigan in charge of both the House and the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“Campaign contributions create relationships and they create understandings. People have an allegiance to the speaker and they understand that the speaker controls the process,” Redfield said. “The speaker is interested in someone voting for the House rules … and he wants the person to vote for him as speaker. But the speaker remains speaker by keeping his members happy, getting them reelected.”
Redfield said Republican efforts to tie their Democratic opponents to Madigan may be effective, especially with voters in suburban districts that could easily flip party control.
But Madigan is only part of the equation that could impact who wins or loses close races such as those in the 47th and 97th suburban districts.
“Is it effective? Sure. If you are in a suburban race then that can be an issue that you can run against a Democrat that this person will not be independent, they will take orders from the speaker,” Redfield said. “But Donald Trump is going to be on a ballot in the suburbs and all of that’s going to have an impact on turnout. Are you going to get more people to turn out against Donald Trump? You know, is that going to energize turnout? Or are you going to energize turnout against Mike Madigan?”
This will likely be the most nationalized campaign in many a year. And it takes money to overcome something like that, which the HGOPs don’t yet have. But, hey, they gotta keep swinging if they hope to make any progress.
* ILGOP…
Governor JB Pritzker yesterday said he would not provide any new contributions to campaign committees controlled by House Speaker Michael Madigan. But Pritzker didn’t comment on the $10 million he has already contributed to Madigan-controlled committees.
Will Pritzker ask Madigan to return the $10 million?
Also, will Pritzker call on all Illinois Democrats to reject any contributions from Madigan-controlled committees?
Pritzker will be in Southern Illinois this morning. Will he ask 116th State Rep. Nathan Reitz to return and reject contributions from Madigan too?
Will Reitz himself return the money already given to him by Madigan and reject any future money from Speaker controlled funds?
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