A Rochester, Ill., man has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making a threatening communication against U.S. Congressman Rodney Davis. Randall E. Tarr, 64, of the 200 block of E. Mill St., Rochester, Ill., was arrested today and appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins in Springfield.
The affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges that in the morning of Nov. 25, 2019, Tarr called the Decatur, Ill., office of Congressman Davis and left a profanity-filled voicemail message in which he threatened to shoot the congressman.
According to the affidavit, the voicemail message was forwarded to U.S. Capitol Police, in Washington, D.C. Through caller ID, police identified Tarr as the alleged caller and U.S. Capitol Police contacted the Rochester Police Department to ask officers to make contact with Tarr. Rochester police officers made initial contact with Tarr on Nov. 25, at his residence. According to the affidavit, FBI officers subsequently interviewed Tarr.
The complaint charges Tarr with one count of communication of a threat to injure a person, which is punishable by up to five years in prison, and one count of making a threat to a federal official, which carries a statutory maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
During today’s hearing, Judge Schanzle-Haskins appointed the federal public defender to represent Tarr for purposes of determining bond. Tarr was released from custody under conditions, including home detention and location monitoring; prohibited contact with any victims and witnesses; prohibited from consumption of alcohol; and further, that Tarr cooperate in drug and alcohol screening and mental health evaluation. Judge Schanzle-Haskins scheduled the next court appearance for Tarr on Dec. 17, 2019.
Ugh. Days like today really make me despise the entire human race.
* Brian Mackey on Gov. Pritzker’s $5 million contribution to the Vote Yes for Fairness committee, which is pushing his graduated income tax plan…
Because voters have the final say, the Democratic governor and his Republican opponents are expected to spend a great deal of money on persuasion.
“Well certainly there’s been a threat by lots of well-funded right-wing organizations and individuals to preserve the unfair tax system that exists today,” Pritzker says.
“It was important to me to step up and support something that I’ve been talking about since day one of my campaign, something that I think is very important for the state,” he says. […]
The group on the other side of the issue is called “Vote No on the Blank Check Amendment.” It has yet to report any contributions and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
* Mark Maxwell doesn’t quote anyone from the opposition group, but did catch up with the Chamber’s point person…
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce has already come out against the proposal, and its President predicts more groups will soon join their ranks.
“When I saw that [Pritzker] put $5 million into his PAC, I think that indicates he’s afraid he’s going to lose,” [Chamber President Todd Maisch] said in a phone call Wednesday night.
“Illinoisans are incredibly skeptical of the competence of Illinois state government right now,” he said. “We think taxpayers are going to say, ‘We’re not going to send a whole lot of money to Springfield under the current circumstances.’”
Maisch and his allies are closely studying the campaigns to defeat a progressive tax push in Colorado, where Democrats put the question on the ballot three elections in a row, but voters rejected the idea all three times.
In the most recent election, “Colorado tied it to education,” Maisch said, “which is almost always the most popular priority for spending, and they still couldn’t get it done. Illinois has no tie to where the dollars are going to go. So you don’t know if it’s going to go for new bronze doors for the statehouse, or to pay the light bill, or to pay for plane trips out of state. We are confident we are going to win.”
And they’re so confident that they haven’t done any fundraising yet? Is that the logic?
Governor JB Pritzker today announced that the State of Illinois has taken an important step forward in selling the James R. Thompson Center. After a competitive RFP process to select a project manager, the State will enter into exclusive negotiations with Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors, LLC (EY) to provide an array of project management and technical expertise to generate the best value from the sale for taxpayers.
The EY team also includes Bauer Latoza Studio (a Minority Business Enterprise), Goodman Williams Group (a Women Business Enterprise), and Mayer Brown, LLP. Community outreach and inclusive procurement practices will be key focus areas throughout the disposition process.
“After years of neglect, the Thompson Center has outlived its useful life in its current state, requiring $17 million a year just to operate – and it’s time to generate value for the taxpayers from selling the building,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The Department of Central Management Services is working diligently to move forward with the sale and relocate employees to a more efficient work environment.”
Over the last six months, CMS has been working to identify a firm ideally suited to assist the State with the sale of the property. In August 2019, CMS issued a Request for Proposals to identify highly qualified teams with the requisite experience, capacity and capabilities to work with the State and ultimately deliver the goals of the project.
The RFP evaluation process determined that the EY team was the most qualified, and they will be responsible for the following:
• helping CMS sell the Thompson Center;
• assisting with relocation options to an alternate site(s);
• possibly negotiating the State’s ownership at an alternate site;
• assessing the State’s Chicago real estate portfolio for consolidation options;
• providing project management services including financial and real estate analysis; and
• providing other services related to the sale of the property.
* And because we’ve had some seriously soul-crushing stories on the blog today, here’s a little on-topic levity…
If the Thompson Center finds its way to upstate NY where it falls in love with a Christmas Tree Farmer/Christmas Cookie Factory Owner who is a widower/single dad & decides to give up its busy city life for love & the true meaning of Christmas then I am in.
And then that man told it it was beautiful while they stood in the snow on Christmas Eve and the Thompson Center cried bc it had been so long since someone told it it was beautiful and decided to stay in Vermont forever which is the happiest ending of all.
* ProPublica Illinois reporters Duaa Eldeib, Lakeidra Chavis and Haru Coryne and Chicago Tribune reporter Jennifer Smith Richards…
The knock came on Beth Sandy’s door late one Friday afternoon at the end of May.
Standing outside was an investigator with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the state agency charged with examining allegations of child abuse and neglect.
Sandy assumed she was in trouble for violating truancy laws. A week earlier, she had pulled her 7-year-old son from Gages Lake School, which serves young children in suburban Lake County with behavioral and emotional disabilities, after he complained of a scary office and began hiding under the bed when the school bus arrived. […]
But she wasn’t the target of the investigation; school employees were. An administrator at Gages Lake had reported concerns to DCFS that Sandy’s son Staley had been physically abused, the investigator explained. There was video. The investigator wanted to talk with the boy.
Since mid-May, DCFS has opened a total of 21 abuse investigations involving students at Gages Lake. Citing evidence from surveillance video, agency reports describe workers grabbing children by the wrists, shoving them into walls and throwing them to the ground in a cluster of four seclusion spaces — some with lockable doors, others open — that the school calls “the office.”
Two aides at the center of the investigations resigned from the school. One of them is facing criminal charges; Lake County prosecutors allege he used excessive force on students. […]
Two weeks into the current school year, a teacher contacted DCFS with a warning, records show. “None of the children at the school are safe,” he said. […]
During the 15-month period reporters examined, from August 2017 to December 2018, Gages Lake students were secluded more times than students at all but one Illinois school included in the analysis.
More recent data obtained by the Tribune and ProPublica Illinois shows that Gages Lake put students in isolation more than 1,700 times in the school year that ended in May. At least 23% of those timeouts occurred for no documented safety reason, reporters found. Instead, the students had disrespected staff, failed to comply with rules or engaged in verbal abuse.
The Special Education District of Lake County, the district that oversees Gages Lake and several other programs for students with disabilities, is one of eight districts under investigation by the Illinois State Board of Education in response to the Tribune/ProPublica Illinois report. SEDOL has joined other Illinois districts in taking the doors off seclusion rooms after the state banned isolated seclusion.
An aide named Nicholas Izquierdo, who was sitting in a rolling chair, leaned down and grabbed the boy by the ankles, causing the child to fall to the ground, according to DCFS records and his parents, who watched video of the incident.
After watching the footage, school officials reported the incident to DCFS and an investigator showed up at the boy’s home on the evening of May 17. The boy, who has ADHD and behavioral disabilities, told the worker he was sent to the seclusion space when he didn’t follow directions to walk — not run — in a hallway, according to agency records.
School officials watched more surveillance video from the office, which is kept for 30 days. They made another call to DCFS, then another, then another.
ProPublica Illinois and the Tribune reviewed confidential DCFS records that describe what school officials saw in the videos.
The Gurnee boy appeared on video several times. Footage from April 24 showed a different aide, Jennifer Aguirre, carrying him across a room and then throwing him into the timeout area, where he landed on a tile floor. On May 3, Aguirre grabbed the boy by the wrist, turned him around and picked him up.
Staley, the boy from Round Lake Heights, was shown in one of the rooms within the office on April 30. Aguirre, sitting on a rolling chair in the doorway, blocked him from leaving, once pinning his wrist against the wall. He got increasingly upset and kicked at her. She then stood up, chased Staley down and grabbed him around the neck.
On May 1, according to records describing the videos, Izquierdo pulled a 5-year-old boy’s legs out from under him, causing him to fall on his arm. “It is surprising (the boy’s) arm wasn’t broken,” a school administrator told DCFS, according to the agency records. A week later, on May 8, records show, Izquierdo pushed an 8-year-old boy in his chest and onto the floor when the student tried to leave the room.
In all, in a one-month period, school officials identified possible physical abuse involving eight children, from 5 to 8 years old, DCFS records show.
The grotesqueness of treating little kids this way just boggles my mind. I generally refrain from using the word “evil,” but it very well may apply here.
Attorney Micki Moran, who specializes in education law and has consulted with Gages Lake families, said the numbers illustrate that the use of timeouts was embedded in the school’s culture.
“They did it as if it’s what you do every day, like it’s the norm,” Moran said. “These kids weren’t always a danger to themselves or anybody. Frequently these happened because of noncompliance, period.”
For example, after Staley’s mother requested his records, she saw that he was taken to the office for hiding under a cubby, not following directions, flipping a chair and refusing to come inside from recess.
In October, a sheriff’s officer reported to DCFS that an 8-year-old boy had a scratch on his face and a possible swollen eye after a teacher grabbed him by the face and arm as he was running in the hall.
Two parents also reported that employees had pushed or grabbed their children. When DCFS interviewed one of the boys, he described the office as “a mean place where they put you in rooms with nothing in there and you have to sit” for 10 minutes.
A school employee reported that a 9-year-old boy told her he was elbowed in the face by a teacher. And a teacher called DCFS at the end of the school day on Aug. 29 to report that the school was unsafe for students and staff members. He said the school was “extremely understaffed” and students were wandering freely and physically fighting each other, DCFS records show.
* The root of the problem appears to be lack of qualified staff and employees who despise their charges…
“You have to use force. If you can’t, you have just kids running through the hallway doing what they want to do. Who will stop them? (Staff) are all scared,” said the former Gages Lake aide. “These kids are not kids, these are animals. They are strong.”
These kids are not kids?
*** UPDATE *** Rep. Jonathan Carroll…
It’s situations like this in Gages Lake that show how impactful the use of isolation is on all children. The fact that staff took it to another level with physical abuse angers me to the core. Where was the oversight? Who let this happen on his/her watch? What kind of monsters are these schools hiring? How can anyone live with him/herself when they see a child being thrown into a room and physically abused? Fixing this evil will be my number one priority this upcoming legislative session.
*Awesome* that after I tweeted this yesterday, I got a call from a guy at a 312 number saying he wanted to meet up because he had a scoop for me. Seems maybe legit. While arranging to meet, he propositions me:
* I asked Hannah for more details, and she provided this loose transcript that she wrote down almost immediately after hanging up with the guy…
*Phone rings, it’s a 312 number, I pick it up.*
Man: Hi, is this Hannah? I might have a scoop you’d be interested in.
Me: “May I ask who this is?”
Man: “I’d like to remain anonymous for now.”
(Guy says he’d like to meet this evening, I say I can’t but maybe tomorrow. He says he’s staying at the Hyatt on Wacker, and maybe we can meet there. I assume he means in the lobby.)
Man: “Should I give you my room number?”
Me: “For my personal safety, no I wouldn’t do that. We can meet in the lobby.”
Man: “Well, I’d certainly like to see you naked at some point tomorrow, but let’s start at the bar.”
Me: “No, sorry this conversation’s over.”
Man: “Hannah, I really think you’re going to be interested in what I have to tell you.”
Me: “What? No, I’m sure no scoop you claim to have is worth getting propositioned for.”
Man: “Hannah”
*Honestly, I think it went on a little longer than that because he kept insisting and I was shocked. I hang up.*
After some digging from Hannah and others, it seems that the guy’s phone number was some sort of spoof or burner number. She also says the mention of “Hyatt” was probably a clue this guy was trolling her - since Gov. Pritzker’s family owns the Hyatt Hotel chain.
Ugh. If I ever find out who did this, well, let’s just say that “man” is not safe.
* Hannah gets the last word…
Listen, I know this call was anonymous. I know it was a dumb "prank." I'm fine now, but I did feel a little unsafe for the rest of the day.
I know many women face much worse (TV reporters, women of color, those who fear for their jobs, elected officials) but NONE of it is okay.
* An unusual objection was filed this week against Republican congressional candidate Bill Fawell’s petitions…
Wut?
* Fawell, you may recall, is a conspiracy theorist who was rejected by the ILGOP last year…
State Republican party chairman Tim Schneider, Rock Island County Republican party central committee chair Drue Mielke, and Republican state central committeeman for the 17th Congressional District, Jan Weber, removed their support of Fawell on Tuesday.
All three officials cite posts on Fawell’s campaign Facebook page, Elect Fawell, in which Fawell appears to support 9/11 conspiracy theories, and called some mass shootings “false flag” events.
“Yesterday, the Illinois Election Commission repealed 235 years of legal precedent and accepted as a plaintiff, “Unknown”, to contest my petitions to appear on the ballot for Congress in the 17th Congressional District of Illinois in “Unknown vs Fawell,” Bill Fawell announced today. “Only in the hopelessly corrupt State of Illinois could government have raised the bar of unprecedented corruption and incompetence to a whole new paradigm.” […]
(I)n the entire 235 years of legal history in the United States of America, courts have required there be a plaintiff in all lawsuits and legal actions against persons or entities in accordance with the 4th Amendment, legal precedent and common sense. […]
“I must be a pretty dangerous fellow to attract the national attention of the Republican and Democratic party machines of corruption,… and I am,” Fawell confessed, “because I represent the People and support President Trump’s Inauguration Promise to return the powers of government back to the People. Clearly, anyone who has attracted the deranged enmity of both parties must be doing something very right.”
“Accordingly, my campaign slogans are “People B4 Parties” highlighted by my “Let the People Rule” legislation; and I will never bow nor surrender to the corruption that grips America today,” promised Fawell. “This is what scares them into committing desperate acts like this in, “Unknown vs Fawell.”
“Clearly We are Winning.”
* I reached out to Matt Dietrich at the Illinois State Board of Elections…
This was an objection that was filed at 4:58 p.m. on the final day of filing. During the intake process it was discovered that it did not contain the required identification of the objector. Since it was already time-stamped and entered into the system, our staff decided to leave it and let the board decide its fate. So it will go before the board at Tuesday’s meeting and the board members will vote whether to reject it or allow it to proceed.
State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) filed legislation today to revoke aspects of the comprehensive state energy bill passed in 2016 during the 99th General Assembly.
Representative Batinick was opposed to the initial legislation, SB2814, which required a statewide rate hike to prevent the closure of two nuclear power plants in Illinois. The rate increase provided for in SB2814 was expected to generate more than $200 million a year over the next ten years, but the legislation has come into question amidst the continuing federal probe into ComEd and its lobbying practices.
“The ComEd bailout bill is part of the FBI investigation and this is really a problem,” said Rep. Batinick. “Reviewing these subsidies with new legislation is the best path forward, to right this wrong.”
Representative Batinick led the charge against the legislation, and the need for a rate hike to accommodate this bailout of ComEd, the largest electric utility in Illinois.
“Like I stated in 2016 when the original bill was presented, anyone that uses electricity will be paying more. That leaves less money to run a school, a drug-rehabilitation facility, or a homeless center.”
The intent of the Rep. Batinick’s legislation, HB3987, would be to eliminate the bailout, but still include the green energy subsidies accounted for in the original legislation. Ratepayer-generated funding to support renewable energy in the state will continue to fund new wind and solar energy initiatives.
State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) is the chief-co sponsor of this initiative. “As an active proponent of clean energy legislation, I was disappointed to see a bailout for a profitable corporation linked to otherwise good policy. With recent revelations about the ongoing investigations, I hope that more of our colleagues agree that this flawed law deserves another look.”
As he took over a system riddled with errors and inequity, Assessor Fritz Kaegi vowed to change the way commercial properties are valued in Cook County.
Now his initial assessments are in, covering the north and northwest suburbs, and they show valuations for commercial, industrial and larger apartment properties increased by more than 74%, compared with less than 16% for homes, a Tribune analysis found.
The result may be a significant shift in how the property tax burden is divided up — with homeowners paying less and business owners paying more. A Tribune analysis shows that if Kaegi’s initial property values stand, businesses would pick up 44% of the combined taxes in those suburbs next year, up from 34% this year. That would shift 10 percent of the property tax burden from homeowners to businesses.
Those new, higher assessments on commercial properties triggered a backlash from the business community. They’re not only concerned about paying more, but they also say the uncertainty his assessments has caused is contributing to a slowdown in commercial property sales throughout the county.
Still, there are multiple opportunities to appeal the assessments, so those numbers could change and dampen the effects of the property tax shift to businesses. […]
Kaegi points to a recent nationwide survey of known cap rates by the CBRE real estate services firm. It shows that Kaegi’s rates are in line with those that businesses and real estate brokers used when evaluating and making purchases.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined forces with Fritz Kaegi on Wednesday and flatly denied that the assessor’s efforts to fix Cook County’s “broken” property tax assessment system would scare off the development needed to reverse Chicago’s population losses.
“Nobody is trying to shock the system. Nobody is looking to scare away investment from Chicago. We all want to see our residential, commercial and industrial real estate markets thrive. Our success as a city is inextricably tied to the growth and growth needs development to be real. That’s unimpeachable,” Lightfoot said.
Addressing, movers and shakers at the Cook County Assessor’s Market Analyst Day in the South Loop, Lightfoot said she recognizes that “change isn’t easy.” But she argued that “change has to come” because property owners and investors “deserve to know if they’re being treated fairly and uniformly.”
“There needs to be a focus on predictability and stability….I know that predictability is important. But predictability cannot be about enshrining the status-quo,” she said.
* The Edgar County Watchdogs spotted it and posted about it…
Everyone we showed this job opening announcement to said the same thing: “They can’t do that, it violates the law!”
Township Supervisor Vera says the part-time job requirements include: “Interested candidates must live in Joliet Township and must have voted in a Democratic primary election.”
We believe Joliet Township is violating the law by requiring prospective employees, such as assistants to the Clerk, to have voted in the Democrat Primary.
Sorry Republicans, Independents, Communists, Libertarians, and even those who decide not to vote at all – there are no jobs for you in Joliet Township.
I reached out to Joliet Township Supervisor Daniel Vera this morning and he told me since the deputy township clerk is “sworn in” and “performs the duties of the clerk in the absence of the clerk,” he was under the impression that the post needed to be filled by someone of the same party as the township clerk, who is a Democrat.
But, after the Watchdogs whacked them, Vera said he reached out to his attorney who said the obvious: This is not a Democrat-only job.
“We’ll be taking the ad down this afternoon,” Vera said.
Patterson is smart, kind and is a go-to for reporters to understand process, which is so essential in reporting. He’s weathered plenty of Senate controversies with a lot of grace — and good advice.
Yep. The man is a true gem.
Jordan Abudayyeh, another gem, receives honorable mention.
* The 2019 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Government Staff/Official goes to Anne Caprara…
Anne deserves an unbelievable amount of credit for steering this ship. She has won a lot of fans inside and outside the government, mostly for her strong judgment and focus on executing the governor’s agenda. She is a force of nature who has proven to Illinois’ political class that a fresh perspective is good for this old boys’ club.
She’ll probably hate it that we didn’t give this award to one of her staffers, but she earned every bit of this and more.
Congrats to our winners!
* On to today’s categories…
* Best Illinois State Representative - Republican
* Best Illinois State Representative - Democrat
Please explain your nominations or they won’t count and please nominate in both categories. Thanks. Have fun!
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is overworked and understaffed to the point that it is putting residents’ health in danger, according to a report from the University of Chicago.
“Despite the laudable efforts of many IEPA employees, the agency lacks the assets it needs to protect the environment and public health sufficiently,” the report said. “These deficiencies hinder its capacity to execute its historical mission and are barriers to overcome if Illinois chooses to step up efforts to ensure that environmental protection is not compromised.”
The report said the agency’s workforce has been cut by about 50 percent from 2003 to 2018. At the same time, the agency has been given more responsibility for regulating businesses and less in federal support in recent years. Mark Templeton, clinical professor of law at the University of Chicago, said the department isn’t capable of doing all it should to protect residents. […]
Since 2003, inspections of air-pollutant emitting facilities have declined by 81 percent, air-monitoring technology throughout the state is outdated and needs to be replaced, the report said.
The solution, the report said, is more funding from the state in the form of increased business fees and statewide charges on plastic bags and bottles and a statewide stormwater fee.
“There are costs that are incurred from, for example, runoff that picks up pollutants,” Templeton said. “The idea is to encourage practices such as retaining stormwater on property or building what’s called green infrastructure.”
IEPA spokeswoman Kim Biggs said the agency was working with Gov. J.B. Pritzker to find solutions.
“The Illinois EPA appreciates the report’s acknowledgment of some of the challenges faced by state government regulators,” she said. “Like many Illinois state agencies, headcount and resources have decreased steadily over a number of years and under a number of directors and administrations. The Pritzker Administration and the Illinois EPA have been actively working to boost hiring, find creative ways to increase revenues, and effectively enforce environmental laws and regulations.”
No stranger to tax hikes, Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker is looking to impose even more egregious costs on working families. In his first year as governor, Pritzker pushed for 19 tax hikes totaling nearly $7 billion, setting the tone for an administration hellbent on paying for his big government agenda out of taxpayers’ pockets.
Now Pritzker is at it again. He’s already thrown his weight behind a plan to scrap Illinois’ flat tax, and has donated $5 million of his own money to support a ballot initiative to implement a $3.4 billion progressive income tax that could cost a typical Illinois family up to $3,500.
But that’s not all! Behind the scenes, Pritzker appears be interested in following in the footsteps of failed New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and former Maryland Governor Martin “Unidentified Man” O’Malley by taxing the rain.
A blistering new report from the University of Chicago characterizes Pritzker’s Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) as, “overworked and understaffed to the point that it is putting residents’ health in danger.” The proposed fix? New fees on plastic bags and bottles and “a statewide stormwater fee” – a.k.a. a rain tax.
True to form, Pritzker’s administration left the door wide open to imposing a rain tax on Illinois citizens. A spokeswoman for the IEPA stated that the agency and Pritzker “have been actively working to…find creative ways to increase revenues.”
“Illinois taxpayers know all too well that when Governor Pritzker gets ‘creative’ with raising revenues, it means more money out of their pockets,” said RGA Communications Director Amelia Chassé Alcivar. “Illinois residents already pay the highest total tax rate in the country, but instead of running an efficient and effective government, Governor Pritzker continues to treat working families and small businesses as his administration’s piggy bank.”
* I asked the Pritzker administration for a response and this is from Press Secretary Jordan Abudayyeh…
Nice to see the RGA using their post-Kentucky and Louisiana free time to come on over to Illinois and make stuff up. While you won’t find any rain taxes here, what you will find is a governor working with bipartisan legislators to pass a balanced budget, cut taxes on business while creating tax credits for apprenticeship programs and R&D, and launching the first bipartisan capital plan in more than a decade. Sorry to rain on this parade, but these silly attacks from Republicans in DC just don’t hold water.
* You don’t often see congressional candidates roll out initial endorsement lists which are this extensive, let alone a first time Illinois House candidate…
Today, Margaret Croke announced the endorsements of IUOE Local 399, Commissioner Bridget Gainer, 24th Ward Alderman Michael Scott Jr., and City Clerk of Chicago Anna Valencia. Croke also received the endorsement of community leaders Bernard Cherkasov, former CEO of Equality Illinois, Deputy Governor and former Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, former Ambassador Bruce Heyman and Vicki Heyman, former Ambassador Wally Brewster and Bob Satawake, and Anne Caprara. Margaret is running to succeed State Representative Sara Feigenholtz in Illinois House District 12.
City Clerk of Chicago, Anna Valencia praised Margaret’s entrance into the race saying, “I personally know Margaret from her many years organizing and advocating for women and working families in Illinois. Margaret works tirelessly to stand up for our values and create opportunity for our community, our generation, women, and working families.”
Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer added, “Margaret is a champion for women and creating economic opportunity. Margaret represents the next generation of leaders for our community. We need her voice and the voice of her generation at the policy-making table.”
Margaret Croke said, “I am honored to have the support of Local 399 and leaders of my community. Their support is a testament to the work I have done as a public servant, where I have been a champion for creating economic opportunity, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and animal welfare. As a millennial, I know the challenges my generation faces and as a State Representative, I will fight to create economic opportunity for my community and I will be an advocate for women and working families.”
###
About Margaret Croke: Margaret Croke is a native of Illinois and a dedicated public servant. Margaret previously worked for Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, the City of Chicago and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. She was the lead organizer for the inaugural Young Feminist Conference. Most recently, Margaret worked on Governor JB Pritzker’s campaign, serving as the statewide Women’s Outreach Director. She is currently the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Margaret lives in Old Town with her husband, Patrick, and her two rescue dogs Winston and Charlie. Margaret and Patrick are expecting their first child in January.
It’s not noted in the release, but Anne Caprara, of course, is the governor’s chief of staff.
Rep. Feigenholtz filed to run again, but she’s hoping to be appointed to the Senate after Senate President John Cullerton steps down. Five other Democrats filed to run. Croke is fourth on the ballot.
State Senator Dave Syverson helped write the gaming bill and used his local clout to steer the city of Rockford to approve just one casino developer. The investor group that won the city's approval has political and financial ties to Syverson.https://t.co/4atrrlgHVn
State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) went all in for a casino project that would directly benefit his business partner and top campaign donors.
Public records and communications obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show Syverson was in close personal contact with local and county officials during the pivotal moments leading up to the city’s decisive vote to award the casino project to an investor group that included his friends, campaign donors and associates. […]
Syverson chafed at Mayor Tom McNamara’s insistence that city aldermen abstain from talking to anyone about gaming until the city rolled out its own presentation. […]
Syverson claims he complained to the Gaming Board and sought a ruling that would allow him to speak directly to the Rockford City Council, even as they were under a prohibition to speak to any lobbyists or agents of the casino operators. […]
On Saturday, September 28th, 2019, the local newspaper reported Mayor Tom McNamara wanted to send the Illinois Gaming Board multiple options, and rank them in order of preference, in order to have a backup plan in place.
“The mayor’s initial preference, and might have been his preference if we had three viable applicants, was to send more than one down so that we had backup if any of them did not make it,” Holzwarth said.
That weekend, ahead of a pivotal city council vote, Syverson used his state Senate letterhead and communications staff to lobby support for the city to select just a single developer, and urged the public to consider what he saw as disqualifying differences between his business partner’s bid and the other developers’ application, which he discounted as merely a “dream.”
The Syverson business partner referenced above is Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen, whose wife Karen is a casino investor. There’s more, so click here.
Today, Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx filed motions to vacate more than 1,000 low-level cannabis convictions. The State’s Attorney’s Office is providing this relief for Cook County residents in advance of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act taking effect on January 1, 2020. The new law makes cannabis legal in Illinois and requires the expungement of minor marijuana offenses.
The convictions vacated today were for non-violent Possession of Cannabis cases under 30g. Today’s filings, initiated by Foxx, make it as though these convictions never happened. They will now be expunged and permanently removed from criminal records.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) handles approximately 19,000 petitions for conviction relief each year, averaging approximately 1,500 each month. Today, the CCSAO processed more than 1,000 convictions in one court call.
“Today, we made history and took the first step in the single largest and most equitable piece of criminal justice reform Illinois has ever seen,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. “As prosecutors who implemented these convictions, we must own our role in the harm they have caused – particularly in communities of color – and play our part in reversing them. Clearing records is not only a critical part of righting the wrongs of the failed war on drugs, but an intentional step to give people the chance to move forward, which benefits all of our communities.”
Despite being low-level and non-violent in nature, these cannabis convictions can create barriers to employment, housing, and education, as applicants are often asked if they have ever been convicted of a crime.
In January of 2019, State’s Attorney’s Foxx announced that her office would be pursuing conviction relief for low-level, non-violent cannabis offenses. In the months that followed, she worked closely with legislators to ensure that the new law included the broadest and most equitable conviction relief possible.
“Statewide, hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans are held back by their low-level cannabis-related records, a burden disproportionately shouldered by communities of color. And hundreds of thousands of others have had to watch their friends and loved ones struggle because of an arrest or conviction they got for something that will be legal starting on January 1st,” said Governor J.B. Pritzker. “This is to say nothing of the fact that arrest rates and prosecution have never reflected consumption rates across racial lines.”
“We will never be able to fully remedy the depth of that unfairness and the damage it visited upon so many families. But we can govern our state with the courage to admit the mistakes of our past—and the decency to correct the record and set a better path forward,” Pritzker added.
In August, State’s Attorney Foxx announced an innovative partnership with a non-profit organization, Code for America, to process these records quickly, efficiently, and at no cost to individuals seeking relief. With the aid of Code for America’s technology, the CCSAO can securely evaluate eligibility for record clearance by reading and interpreting conviction data in just a few minutes. This faster approach to conviction relief allows the CCSAO to focus more of its limited resources on the drivers of violent crime.
The convictions vacated today will now be expunged and removed from individuals’ records as though they never happened. Once that record has been removed, the Clerk of the Circuit Court will mail or email notice to the individual’s last known address. Cook County residents or former residents whose convictions took place in Cook County can update their address at www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/address.
* Excerpt from governor’s remarks…
Today marks another important step in righting the injustices of the past. The 1,000 names that State’s Attorney Foxx began to read in that courtroom represent 1,000 real people who will be given a second lease on life. And this is only the beginning.
Before we take questions, I want to remind everyone that yesterday kicked off the application window for a new group of cannabis dispensaries and a chance for new entrepreneurs to succeed in this new market. Social equity applicants will be eligible for the 75 licenses that will be granted in the next few months – and they’ll be able to get business loans to get off the ground, funded by the existing industry. Applicants have until January 2nd to submit their applications for a cannabis dispensary. Now and in the coming weeks, our Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will be hosting workshops across the city of Chicago and throughout the state to answer questions and assist applicants. In fact, I was pleased to see that we had a full house at their workshop in Englewood on Monday night.
And before I introduce the next speaker, I want to take a moment to recognize the solemnity of the proceeding we witnessed today in Judge Evans’ courtroom. We honored the victims of the War on Drugs and we will continue to do so in the days and months ahead.
* The 2019 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Illinois Senate Democratic Campaign Staffer goes to Miles Sodowski…
Not content with doing a great job on the legislative side with marijuana and everything else, Miles also works incredibly hard on the campaign side. His most recent campaign victory with Aud Crowe is proof of this. Having a first timer Democrat in downstate Illinois is tough these days but he never shirked the hard work necessary to win.
* The 2019 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Illinois Senate Republican Campaign Staffer is a tie: Jake Ford and Adam Zmarzlinksi…
Jake Ford and Adam Zmarzlinksi never flinched when asked to get petitions for the caucus this year. Rain, snow and wind storms didn’t stop them from getting the job done. I respect their dedication and expect to see great things from them next year.
Congrats to everyone!
* On to today’s category…
* Best government spokesperson
* Best government staff/official
The categories can apply to any level of government, whether legislative, executive or even local as long as there’s some state connection. Elected officials and agency directors are not eligible. As always, explain your nominations or they will not count and do your very best to nominate in both categories. Have fun!
Hoping for another productive legislative session, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday vowed to tackle pensions, early child education, criminal justice reform and health care next year — as well as the elusive Chicago casino.
“I’m very hopeful that in the session of the Legislature that is coming up starting in January that we’ll begin to put together a bill, and get it passed,” the rookie governor said when asked about a Chicago casino. […]
“Criminal justice reform is an area that I’ve already done a lot on in the spring session last year, but now I think we’ll be revisiting some of the issues that came up over the last few years that never got passed,” Pritzker said. “I’m also very focused on making sure that we’re expanding opportunities for working families to get ahead of — you know, I‘ve talked a lot about lowering the cost of healthcare, lowing the cost of childcare, lowering the cost of education, so that we can raise the standard of living and people who are working in our state.”
And the billionaire Chicagoan remains bullish about finally winning the casino Chicago has been pursuing off and on for more than a quarter of a century.
* McGuireWoods Consulting published its own 2020 session preview. Here’s part of it…
Vaping
2019 saw a breakout of respiratory illness among vape users. With 5 deaths this year, Illinois leads the nation in vaping-related deaths. In response, law makers in Springfield have sought to enact various new regulations on vaping and vaping products. House Bill 3887, which would create the Flavored Tobacco Ban Act, prohibiting the sale of flavored e-cigarette and tobacco products was filed in September. Although a hearing was held, the legislation failed to move forward, but will likely come up again next year. Governor JB Pritzker has stated his support for a ban on flavored vaping products.
Ethylene Oxide
Ethylene oxide, a chemical used by medical device cleaning facilities and various manufacturers was thrown into the political spotlight in this year. One facility, Sterigenics, was shut down in February 2019 following an EPA report showing higher cancer rates in the areas surrounding the facility. The first ethylene oxide related bills to come through the legislature were passed in the spring. SB 1852 and SB 1854 were passed with broad bi-partisan support and have been touted as the most stringent ethylene oxide regulations in the country. Despite this, some members of the public and of the legislature believe the new laws do not go far enough. During veto session, two additional pieces of legislation were introduced including HB 3888, a bill to completely phase out the use of ethylene oxide in the state. While HB 3888 passed the Senate, both bills have been postponed and will be taken up again once the legislature comes back into session in January. The Governor has vowed to sign the legislation if it passes.
Gig Economy Taxation
A bill presented by State Representative Will Guzzardi aims to require online based companies, like Uber, to treat staffers as employees and not as independent contractors. This would require the companies to comply with minimum wage and other employee protections and would require their incomes to be taxed at a normal rate. This bill is based off of a similar one that California passed in September and is expected to come up in the 2020 session.
As the state embarks on a historic $45 billion capital program, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation today to strengthen a pillar of Rebuild Illinois and increase diversity in apprenticeships for construction and the building trades.
“Rebuild Illinois is the largest, most robust capital plan in state history. We’re working with our partners to make sure every community in the state benefits from these good jobs – especially those who have been left out for far too long,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We’re putting Illinois’ government back on the side of working families, designing a state that is economically prosperous not just for the few, but for every Illinoisan, no matter the color of their skin or their zip code.”
The Illinois Works Jobs Program will help ensure that Illinois residents from all communities not only benefit from capital projects, but also have access to careers in the construction industry and building trades. Today’s effort includes especially those who have been historically underrepresented in those trades.
The law makes a $25 million investment and works through community-based organizations to recruit new apprentices to work on the construction projects and sets strong apprentice participation goals of 10 percent on public works projects. Through this pre-apprenticeship program, bid credit program and review panel, the new law ensures the Illinois Works Jobs Program can deliver on its goal of building and maintaining a diverse workforce on Rebuild Illinois projects.
“In order to build a healthy and comprehensive economy, we must supply minority businesses with full and fair access to local and state contraction opportunities,” said Sen. Napoleon Harris III (D-Chicago). “I applaud Gov. Pritzker for seeing the significance of this measure and hope to see local governments taking advantage of the business enterprise program to decrease the inequality gap for minority, veterans and female-owned businesses.”
“This legislation creates economic opportunity for working people that have typically been left out of the construction industry,” said House Assistant Majority Leader Will Davis (D- Homewood). “The Rebuild Illinois capital program makes an unprecedented investment in our state, and we’re making sure that benefits all of our communities.”
Senate Bill 177 takes effect January 1, 2020.
This is a pretty important new law because African-American politicians and groups have been complaining about the lack of diversity in trade union membership for decades. So, the Black Caucus and the governor pushed the idea to pump $25 million into apprentice recruitment with a concurrent goal of 10 percent apprentice employment on public works projects and some oversight, study and enforcement mechanisms.
We have so many people that helped us with this project. We would like to thank Steve and Karen Stivers, Marty Smith, George Abrahams, Anna Sharratt, Adrienne Alexander, Dave Lowitzki, Ty Petersen and Joanna Klonsky for sharing our survey. And the biggest thank you to Rich Miller from Capitol Fax whose post got over half of the responses to our survey. We would also like to thank our parents, Anders Lindall, Julie Sampson, and Mike and Anika Byrley who have supported us so much throughout the project and our whole lives.
They received 600 completed surveys, so that means over 300 of y’all responded to the call. I really do have the best readers. Thanks for helping those kids.
When we asked about the Green New Deal, Baby Boomers supported it by a 10-point margin (51% support to 41% oppose) and Gen Xers by 9 points (49-40). But Millennials held the most progressive view, supporting it by 19 points (54-35).
Regarding open borders, Baby Boomers opposed them by 12 points (41% support to 53% opposed). Gen Xers weren’t much more liberal, opposing by a 10-point margin (41-51). Millennials again were more progressive, opposing by 7 points (43-50).
When we asked about socialism and capitalism, there was a much bigger difference. In all, 43% of Millennials supported socialism with 53% opposed. That -10 margin was far more favorable than Baby Boomers (32-59, a -27 margin), with Gen X just as conservative at 32-62, a -30 margin. We guess that’s because Millennials identify socialism with Democratic Socialist countries like Sweden and Norway with high levels of happiness, free college and medical care, and familiar stores like Ikea, but Boomers and other older people associate socialism with the Soviet Union and the Cold War.
On the other hand, Baby Boomers supported capitalism by a whopping 75 points (82-7). Dropping about 20 points behind that was Gen X, with a 59-point margin (75-16). Millennials still had a favorable of capitalism but much less than Boomers, only +41 (65-24). Total opposition to capitalism almost quadrupled among Millennials versus Boomers.
Crazy video: Watch as Park district truck slides off into Lake Michigan. The two employees inside got out safely. @ABC7Chicago pic.twitter.com/tPVNL5R8jQ
Through 25 years in the public eye, Patti Vasquez has worn a lot of hats: comedian, consultant, political activist, and until June, WGN radio host. Through all of it, she’s used her mother’s maiden name, Vasquez, rather than her father’s surname, Bonnin.
That wasn’t a problem until August, when Vasquez, 48, announced her run for the 19th District state house seat currently occupied by Lindsey LaPointe, who was tapped to fill the vacancy in July.
Now, faced with a requirement to use her legal name on the ballot, Vasquez risks forfeiting years of hard-earned name recognition against an incumbent.
Even stickier, her solution — to appear as Patricia D. Bonnin “Patti Vasquez” on the ballot — has led to accusations that she’s using two names to pander to different sets of voters: Vasquez for Latinos, and Bonnin for whites.
But the truth is more complicated: Vasquez’s half-brother was Michael Bonnin, one of 33 young men killed by John Wayne Gacy — a fact she’s kept private until now. At the time of his disappearance in 1979 at age 17, Vasquez was four, living with their shared father and her mother, his second wife, in Norwood Park. When they found his body in the crawl space of Gacy’s house, she was seven.
Leading up to Gacy’s execution in 1994, Vasquez was just beginning her comedy career, performing at open mic nights around town. “That first summer I did standup was when he was being executed,” she says. “It was insane how many comics had a joke about it. There were nights when I had to leave the room.”
And so, to detach herself from the Gacy tragedy and not allow it to define her, Patti Bonnin became Patti Vasquez. And when her comedy career gave way to one in radio, the name stuck. “I knew our name was going to be in the paper again,” she says. “I didn’t want [the murder] to precede every conversation and interview I gave.”
Wow.
* Other political stuff….
* Objections filed against two dozen suburban candidates: Two of the three Democratic challengers — Inam Hussain and Mohammed Faheem — who are seeking to unseat 8th District congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi face objections. Catalina Lauf is the lone Republican 14th congressional district candidate in a seven-way primary race to face an objection, according to the Illinois Board of Elections. Democratic congressional challengers Andrew Tarnasiewicz-Heldut and Adam Broad, in the 9th and 10th districts respectively, also saw their petitions challenged. Both incumbent 22nd District state Sen. Cristina Castro and challenger Rae Yawer had objections filed against them. They are Democrats.
* Petition objections fly while Villanueva files for Sandoval’s seat: Of the 13 petition challenges filed against Senate candidates, nine were filed in the race for the 40th Senate District, currently occupied by State Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex), who was appointed last month to fill the seat vacated by Toi Hutchinson, who went to work in Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration. Joyce is running to retain the seat, along with Legislative Black Caucus Foundation Executive Director Monica Gordon, Chicago Heights City Clerk Lori Wilcox, Kankakee County Democrats spokesperson Marta Perales, and former Rich Township High School District 227 Board MemberDavid Morgan. Cook County GOP Co-Chair Eric Wallace is running as a Republican. Wallace, Wilcox and Gordon each received a petition challenge, while Perales received two and Morgan received a grand total of four. … In the 9th House District, where seven Democrats have filed to replace retiring State Rep. Art Turner (D-Chicago), a challenger named Archibald Walker filed petition objections to four candidates, including Turner’s brother Aaron Turner, entrepreneur Sandra “Sandi” Schneller, political consultant Ty Cratic and Nicole “Nikki” Harvey. Harvey also received another petition challenge. Others running for the 9th District seat include Maurice Evans, SEIU Healthcare activist Lakesia Collins and Trina Mangrum, chief of staff to Ald. Jason Ervin (28).
Illinois received a “C-” for making critical information about how governments are subsidizing business projects with taxpayer dollars readily available to the public online, according to a new report from Illinois PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group. Following the Money 2019, the organization’s tenth evaluation of online government spending transparency, gives 17 states a failing grade, while only four states received a grade of “B” or higher.
Illinois received an “C-” grade because researchers could not find any statewide grants report, nor reporting on whether or not economic development subsidies are producing the promised benefits, among other scoring criteria.
“As taxpayers, we should be able to see how government spends our money down to the dime,” said Abe Scarr, Illinois PIRG Education Fund Director. “That includes the billions of dollars that state and local governments give away each year to lure businesses into their backyards.”
U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group’s Following the Money reports have evaluated states on online spending transparency since 2010. While many states have made progress towards providing citizens access to government spending information online, this year’s report finds economic development reporting is still lagging behind.
“It’s often easier for citizens to see when a state hands a company $50 for printer ink than when it hands a company a million dollars to relocate its headquarters,” said R.J. Cross, report lead author and policy analyst at Frontier Group. “States have moved light years ahead in the last decade when it comes to providing information on basic government spending online. But when it comes to economic development subsidies, most are still in the dark ages.”
The report graded each state’s transparency efforts from “A” to “F” based on the availability of online reports detailing how much the state spends through tax breaks and direct grant programs; the availability of information on individual payments to companies on the state’s transparency site; and the existence of state laws that require ongoing reporting of information on economic development subsidies to the public.
“Transparency checks corruption and enables citizens to hold their elected officials accountable,” finished Cross. “Without access to information, it’s impossible to know how fully these corporate subsidies are serving the public’s interest.”
According to the report, Ohio is the only state to receive an “A” grading. Three states, including Wisconsin, received a “B.” Illinois was one of 15 states to receive a “C-range” grade. Indiana and Minnesota were among 14 states to receive a “D” grade. Seventeen states, including Michigan, failed.
I’ve asked the governor’s office for comment and will let you know if and/or when they respond.
Sources who have been interviewed by federal agents told The Hill that authorities are also looking into the relationships between several small towns around Chicago and people in Madigan’s orbit. In September, the FBI raided government offices in McCook, Lyons, Schiller Park and Summit, all towns in Sandoval’s state Senate district.
All four towns have insurance contracts with Mesirow Insurance Services, a Chicago-based company that employs Andrew Madigan, the Speaker’s son.
One source interviewed by federal agents, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, said agents asked about several Madigan allies who lobbied for ComEd and about the relationships between the suburban cities and the Speaker’s political operation. The agents specifically asked about Andrew Madigan, the source said, and whether the towns were told to sign contracts with his firm in exchange for legislative favors in Springfield.
“They know it’s happening, it’s just really difficult to prove,” the source said.
One thing the Madigan people point out is that stories like this one never report what the people who were interviewed actually said to the feds.
Also, a strong hunch is one thing, proving it is true in a court of law is quite another task.
But, and this is a very important but, if the feds are indeed taking a look at the House Speaker’s only son, then hold onto your hats.
* Dragging ComEd execs to a hearing to explain what the heck is going on may not be the end-all be-all, but it’s more than anyone at the Statehouse has come up with so far…
The hit to Commonwealth Edison’s political agenda from the federal investigation into its lobbying is being felt now in the city of Chicago in addition to Springfield.
With ComEd’s franchise agreement up for renewal for only the third time in more than 70 years, Mayor Lori Lightfoot is calling now for a public airing before City Council into ComEd’s political behavior as it and parent Exelon have secured a series of lucrative legislative victories in Springfield over the past eight years.
“I think there’s got to be a level of accountability that ComEd has to make publicly to make sure that we understand the magnitude of the problem there because clearly it’s a problem; it’s not just news reports and smoke,” Lightfoot said today in a taping of Bill Cameron’s “Connected to Chicago” program, which airs this coming Sunday morning on WLS. “There’s something real there, and there’s got to be a measure of accountability to the public on that. So we haven’t fully thought out what that would look like, but my expectation is we’re going to call them for some kind of hearing and make them answer some questions in the public about the broader framing of what they were doing, how they were using their shareholders’ dollars and give us assurances that we can be comfortable doing business with them.”
It’s unclear whether Lightfoot actually has the appetite to seek to end the city’s agreement with ComEd. But she can certainly call ComEd officials on the carpet for a City Council hearing to make them sweat a bit while answering questions.
FYI, the committee says they are an "independent organization" (🤔…even though it's chaired by Pritzker's former deputy campaign manager… and the governor will 100% be the top donor to this committee.)
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Gov. J.B. Pritzker just pumped $5 million into the “Vote Yes for Fairness” committee that’s out pressing for a graduated income tax amendment to the state Constitution — an early signal of an all-out political campaign willing to compete for air time while presidential candidates duke it out.
The Legislature gave their blessing to changing the tax code earlier this year but voters must still support altering the constitution in November 2020 before it can take effect. If approved, taxes would be raised on income greater than $250,000.
Quentin Fulks, who heads Vote Yes for Fairness, has said the committee will spend whatever it takes to secure a graduated income tax amendment. It’s a matter of communicating the message to voters — and that takes money.
Enter Pritzker, whose $5 million donation recorded with the state board of elections may be a drop in the bucket of what will ultimately be spent on the campaign to push the amendment since opponents have launched their own efforts attacking the graduated income tax.
The Vote No on Blank Check Committee headed by Greg Baise claims amending the state’s tax structure would only lead to future tax increases.
1) Obviously, it’s not first appearing in that publication.
2) Pritzker didn’t “just” pump that money into the committee, the contribution was made a week ago and the disclosure was made over the weekend and everybody who writes about politics apparently missed it until that legislator’s text. Oops.
3) Good point by Kyle…
And when I first read this today my reaction was - meh. Second thought - 5m is actually a lot of money —-campaigns have gotten so obscene it doesn’t feel like it is anymore. https://t.co/Ae6WHg6FQY
