* Background is here if you need it. Fox 32…
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be the “border czar” has issued a pointed response to Gov. JB Pritzker’s recent pledge to keep Illinois a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, suggesting the state’s policies will not deter ICE enforcement.
In an interview on conservative Charlie Kirk’s podcast, Tom Homan responded to Pritzker’s statement, in which the governor declared, “If you come for my people, you come through me.”
Homan replied, saying in part:
“Game on. We’ve got no problem going through him. I’ve got 20,000 men and women in ICE who are going to do their job with no apology,” Homan said. “And if any governor wants to stand in the way, go ahead and do it. We’ll see what happens. We’re not gonna be intimidated.”
Click here for the relevant portion of the interview.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* NBC Chicago…
An Illinois law designed to ensure victims of sexual assault receive proper care inside hospitals also includes a carve out that allows patients to be transferred if the hospital determines it can’t provide services like rape kit exams.
Advocates argue this can disrupt the chain of custody for things like evidence collection and creates a chilling effect where victims may decide to not travel further to get a rape exam.
“That now means a survivor has to go that much further, that’s where we see the real-life impact on a survivor,” said Carrie Ward with the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
An NBC 5 Investigates’ review of 185 Illinois hospital inspection reports filed by the Illinois Department of Public Health between 2018 and 2024 found hospitals across the state have failed to properly treat victims through a series of missteps – from poor record-keeping to more serious violations like failing to contact police and turnover rape kits – some which we found sat on the shelves for years.
* The Illinois Freedom Caucus announced its first Senate member…
Illinois’ most conservative Senator, Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport), today announced his decision to join the Illinois Freedom Caucus, making him the first Senator to join and launching the Caucus into the Senate.
“I’m here to defend American values, stand up for hard-working families, and fight back against the radical left policies we see in Springfield,” said Senator Chesney. “My record speaks for itself—I’ve never voted for a tax or fee hike in my life. I’m proud of that. By bringing the Freedom Caucus into the Senate, I’ll have allies standing with me as I keep fighting for conservative values.”
In joining the Freedom Caucus, Chesney is doubling down on his conservative leadership and commitment to fiscal responsibility, limited government, and protecting the rights of Illinoisans. Senator Chesney has earned a reputation as a no-nonsense, rock-solid conservative who isn’t afraid to call out the leftist policy agenda—or Republicans who vote against their principles.
“I had the pleasure of serving with Andrew Chesney in the House, where he showed he was a true, courageous conservative leader,” said State Rep. Chris Miller, Chairman of the Illinois Freedom Caucus. “He’s exactly the conservative leader we need bringing the Freedom Caucus into the Senate. In fact, he is the only Senator in Illinois with a track record of true conservatism. Working families and taxpayers can count on Andrew Chesney, and they can keep counting on the Illinois Freedom Caucus to fight for them.”
With this announcement, Senator Chesney and the Illinois Freedom Caucus are strengthening a new era of conservative leadership—one that defends Republican core values, refuses to bow to pressure, and will put Illinois families first. This is what the people want.
* Views in the Capitol…
* WAND…
Country star Megan Moroney is coming to perform at the Illinois State Fair next year.
Moroney will take to the grandstand on Saturday, Aug. 10.
Moroney has nearly 2 billion total global streams to date.
“The Illinois State Fair has a long tradition of showcasing artists early in their careers,” said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II. “We’re looking forward to Megan Moroney’s Grandstand appearance in August. She has a bright future in Country music.”
*** Madigan Trial ***
* Sun-Times | ‘Did the word ‘felony’ resonate with you?’: Defense attorneys grill star witness in Madigan case: One of those defense attorneys accepted wholeheartedly Wednesday, grilling Fidel Marquez over whether he’d forgotten last winter that he’d “pled guilty to a felony” and was “facing five years?” “Did the word ‘felony’ resonate with you on March 8, 2024?” attorney Patrick Cotter demanded. “Did you remember that part of the court proceeding?”
*** Statehouse News ***
* WTTW | State Republicans Call for Inclusion in Budget Talks as Illinois Faces $3B Deficit: President-elect Donald Trump’s victory last week should have a resounding message for Illinois politicians, according to the Republican leader of the state Senate, John Curran: “They want elected officials to focus on making life more affordable.” Curran said Illinois Democrats, who control state government and therefore its purse strings, should bear that in mind as they contend with a deficit projected to top $3 billion.
* Center Square | Bipartisan push to protect Central Illinois drinking water from carbon capture: Julie Fosdick, an opponent of carbon sequestration projects, said legislators seem to be protecting the aquifer now that news broke about the Archer Daniels Midland leaks. “People became much more aware that having carbon sequestration near an aquifer is a serious risk after learning ADM had two leaks,” said Fosdick. “The one leak had already occurred at ADM when the bill [Senate Bill 1289], but that was kept secret.”
*** Statewide ***
* WGLT | Illinois Farm Bureau expelled from national federation: The American Farm Bureau Federation [AFBF] has kicked the Illinois Farm Bureau out of the federation in a dispute over member dues. A letter from AFBF President Zippy Duvall to state farm bureau presidents said the action comes after a failed mediation session on Monday. The move is in retaliation for a decision by the Illinois Farm Bureau’s affiliate, Country Financial, to drop a Farm Bureau membership eligibility requirement for non-farm insurance policy holders in Illinois.
* FarmWeek | IFB president responds to AFBF’s decision: We believe AFBF is choosing to abandon our more than 70,000 Illinois farmer members because our affiliate insurance company does not want to force non-farmers to join.
* KFVS | Illinois Department of Agriculture Launches First-Ever Illinois Product Holiday Box: The Illinois Department of Agriculture has announced the release of the first of its kind Illinois Product Holiday Box. The box features nine different products from Illinois. We believe AFBF is choosing to put our farms, our families and our communities at risk at a time when we need support through federal policy. In short, we believe AFBF has chosen to break its promises to Illinois farmers.
*** Chicago ***
* Sun-Times | Durbin, Duckworth, House Democrats demand feds fix Legionella problem at Loop buildings: The Sun-Times reported in August that three Loop buildings — Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building, John C. Kluczynski Federal Building and Everett M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse — have Legionella and, in some cases, traces of lead or copper that exceed safe levels set by the government. The Metcalfe building also includes a children’s daycare that detected Legionella and lead. In their letter, the lawmakers said the Stanley J. Roszkowski U.S. Courthouse Building in Rockford was also found to have Legionella above safe levels.
* Tribune | Chicago-based Grubhub sold for $650 million to Wonder Group Inc.: Wonder Group Inc. is buying Grubhub from Just Eat Takeaway.com NV for about $650 million, acquiring the restaurant delivery service at a steep discount to the $7.3 billion price tag it commanded during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, Just Eat said in a statement on its website Wednesday. It expects net proceeds of as much as $50 million from the deal.
* Sun-Times | Family of Officer Enrique Martinez doesn’t want Mayor Johnson, Gov. Pritzker at funeral, FOP head says: The family has been “very clear they do not want the governor or the mayor to attend” the funeral on Nov. 18, Catanzara said in a video posted to the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police YouTube channel on Monday. He added that Pritzker has acknowledged the request and indicated he plans to honor it, but Johnson has yet to follow suit. “Shame on you, Mayor Johnson,” Catanzara said.
* Tribune | Nurses at University of Illinois Hospital walk off the job, in second strike since August: It’s the second time the nurses have gone on strike since August, which is when their last contract expired. The nurses are seeking better security to prevent patients from attacking them at the hospital, and they’re asking for higher pay. UI Health has proposed annual raises of less than 3%, according to the union, the Illinois Nurses Association. Meanwhile, the health system has said that the majority of its nurses are already better paid than 90% of nurses in the Chicago area.
* Tribune | How will Donald Trump’s plans for education affect Chicago Public Schools?: Trump repeatedly made promises on the campaign trail to dismantle the Department of Education and change funding priorities toward private schools and other educational expenses, which worries Reyes. Like other parents and educational advocates in Chicago, he said he would do whatever it takes to “ensure (his) kids get the proper education they need from all realms and all voices.” Education policy experts say the 47th incoming president’s plans to expand education savings accounts (where families get taxpayer money to help pay tuition for private schools), limit and reshape American history curriculums and shift budget priorities from programs that benefit low-income students have the potential to create a tumultuous transition for Chicago students.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Shaw Local | Will County state’s attorney calls for closure of SAFE-T Act ‘loophole’: The murder case filed against a man accused of killing a Chicago police officer has led Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow to call for lawmakers to close a “loophole” with the SAFE-T Act. But the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice, which supports the law, said in a statement that Glasgow’s solution would “effectively try to lock up everyone accused of any felony,” do nothing to improve safety and “distract the courts from their current careful focus on cases with serious allegations.”
* Daily Herald | Lake County sees a mix of incumbent leaders seeking reelection and those voluntarily ending their runs: Several incumbent Lake County mayors are seeking reelection and some will face challengers who submitted paperwork Tuesday, the first day to file nominating petitions for local offices in the April 1 consolidated election. Many candidates file when their local village halls open the first day to get a higher ballot position and there was plenty of activity with some mayoral candidates filing as a slate with incumbent trustees.
* Daily Herald | CMAP, DuPage County to host traffic safety open house: DuPage County and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning will host an open house in Bensenville to discuss traffic safety issues and hear suggestions from the public. The event is scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, in the Bensenville Community Public Library, Diamond Meeting Room, 200 S. Church Road.
*** Downstate ***
* WIFR | Winnebago County residents share experience on public defense in Illinois: State Rep. Dave Vella says public defenders are understaffed and overloaded with cases. He says the main Winnebago County public defender was tied up in court all day Thursday because of this. “We don’t have swift justice for either the victims or for the defendants, and it costs a lot more money for the taxpayers,” says Vella. That’s why Vella introduced the Funded Advocacy and Independent Representation, or FAIR Act, which in part will create an office of the state public defender to assess client needs, staffing and resources statewide.
* Crain’s | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor to step down: Robert Jones, the first African American chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, announced he will be stepping down at the end of this academic year, leaving a vacancy at the top of Illinois’ largest university as it plays an increasing role in the state’s economic future. Jones has led Illinois’ flagship land-grant university for nine years while also serving as vice president of the University of Illinois System, which oversees the Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield campuses. U of I System President Tim Killeen said in a written statement that Jones will remain with the system to “employ his considerable experience” in expanding its presence in Chicago.
*** National ***
* NYT | Mexico Signals It Could Hit Back With Tariffs at U.S.: “If you put 25 percents tariffs on me, I have to react with tariffs,” Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s economy minister, told a radio interviewer on Monday. “Structurally, we have the conditions to play in Mexico’s favor,” he added. The disclosure by Mr. Ebrard, who is poised to be one of Mexico’s top negotiators with the Trump administration, showcases the rising tensions between the countries in the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election.
* The Hill | Axelrod pushes for Rahm Emanuel as DNC chair: “If they said, ‘Well, what should we do? Who should lead the party?’ I would take Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, and I would bring him back from Japan and I would appoint him chairman of the Democratic National Committee,” Axelrod said Tuesday on his podcast “Hacks on Tap.” “He is the most skillful, political kind of infighter in the Democratic Party. … He’s been a member of Congress, he’s been White House chief of staff, he’s been the mayor of Chicago. Now, he’s been ambassador to Japan, and he ran, in 2005 and [2006], the campaign to take back the House,” Axelrod continued.
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* Isabel and I were chuckling about reporters asking the governor if he plans to run for president in four years. I mean, it’s not like he’s gonna use some little press conference somewhere to make such a big announcement.
So, we thought about a better way to get at his thinking and maybe see if it knocked him off his stride a bit and made him somehow take the bait. From earlier today…
Isabel: At this moment in time, what qualities would you like to see in the next Democratic presidential nominee?
Pritzker: Well, gosh, let’s start with I’d like them to hold Democratic values. And you know, there are a lot of things about standing up for the middle class, a lot of things about making sure that we’re addressing their freedoms and protecting them that I think that the next Democratic nominee ought to hold. And so I think we’ve got quite a number of really highly qualified people on the Democratic side. I think you saw some of that the people you know during the last year or two who you know, been pushing back on the proposed agenda of the Trump potential Trump administration at that point, some of those leaders, I think, are terrific people who hold those values.
He’s not bad at this game.
* Another reporter took a crack at it…
Q: With Think Big America, with the Polis group that you put together, with the gun issue, Why should anyone think that you are not running for president in 2028?
Pritzker: [Laughs] That’s kind of funny. I mean, it’s, first of all, it’s 2024. I still have two years left to serve in the term that I’m in as governor. As you all have heard me say time and time again, I love this job and there’s an awful lot about it that I believe I can do to protect people from the problems that seem to want to come from Washington, DC, over the next two years. So I’m looking forward to doing that. And you all should - and you’ve been asking me about re election. I think that’s the relevant conversation.
…Adding… Pritzker was also asked about who he’d like to see as the new Democratic National Committee chair…
I know there are probably four or five people that I’ve heard, whose names I’ve heard. I like all the names that I’ve heard. So I’m not going to make a decision about that now, about who I might support. But I can say we need to do a lot of building across the nation, especially in states where, not just the battlefront states, but I’m talking about states where we need to lift up the Democratic party that has been less competitive than it should be. An example of that would be the Indiana Democratic Party, where there’s an opportunity in Indiana, because it appears to be, anyway, the Democrats are doing better, and the opportunity to elect more to their general assembly and potentially to statewide office.
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* Last week…
“People have often said that I’m a happy warrior, and I’ve always taken seriously my role as a happy warrior on behalf of this state,” Pritzker said in a news conference Thursday. “Even today, when I’m struggling with many of the difficult questions this election poses, my optimism for the future remains undiminished.”
“To anyone who intends to come take away the freedom and opportunity and dignity of Illinoisans: I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior,” he said. “You come for my people, you come through me.”
* Senate Republican Leader John Curran yesterday…
Unlike other Democratic governors in other states, like Pennsylvania, that have approached the election results with calls for collaboration and working in a more bipartisan manner, Governor Pritzker recently with his press conference, has doubled down on his anti-Republican rhetoric, bashing Donald Trump and telling Illinoisians he was going to be protecting them from the incoming administration. Despite the electoral outcome, he still does not seem to understand that he represents all Illinoisians, including the 2.4 million that voted for Donald Trump.
Governor, the people of Illinois are not happy with the incompetent governance your administration has displayed. They’re not happy that your administration continues to fail our most vulnerable populations, where your failure to meet the requirements of our consent decrees with abused and neglected children under the state’s care, as well as develop adults with developmental disabilities. Illinoisans are not happy paying the highest property tax rate in the nation, as well as the highest overall effective tax rate. Illinoisans are not happy about living in a state that continues to be known for crime and corruption, and they certainly are not happy with your repeat broken repeated promise that you broke with regards to not signing a map drawn by politicians and instead signing the most gerrymandered map in the nation. Illinoisans are now seeing the dramatic effect from that gerrymandered map with this last election, where they’re able to hold on to power for he and his allies and really thwart the will of the electorate that are looking for new leaders.
You know what would make Illinoisans happy? A state government that meets its obligations. So maybe instead of reaching into Illinois’ pocketbooks for more of their hard earned dollars and being happy leading an administration that continually fails our most vulnerable population, Governor, you should stop with the national campaigns. Come home, sharpen your budget pencil, and let’s get to work. It is time for you and your administration to work with both parties in approaching the upcoming budget. In that spirit, on behalf of all Illinoisans, regardless of who they voted for, I am calling on Governor Pritzker to pledge to not increase taxes on Illinois families and businesses in this upcoming budget year, Illinois has real Illinois problems right here that need to be dealt with. It is time for Governor Pritzker to take a break from the national campaigns and to start to think Illinois.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* Wirepoints.org’s Ted Dabrowski was on WLS Radio yesterday…
Q: I guess the place we start with you is, when did Governor Pritzker become a warrior of any kind?
Dabrowski: Well, he’s always been a culture warrior. He’s been, I guess, very tribalistic, separating people, dividing. He’s really good at delivering his talk. He’s smooth, he’s controlled. But underneath it all, he’s always dividing people, and that’s why I think he’s a warrior. He’s saying, ‘Look, you come after the people that I’ve segmented out, the ones that I’ve instilled fear in. If you come after them, I’m going to defend them. And that’s basically the message he had for Trump right after Trump won. So you know, he didn’t, he didn’t waste any time in telling Trump, stay away from Illinois. He went right at it. […]
Q: The election here, and we saw these gains being made by Republicans here in Illinois. I mean, not enough to swing this state red. But is part of that playing into Pritzker coming out and saying, ‘Hey, don’t screw with me’. Because, I mean, I think there’s a real chance that 10 years from now, this state might be swinging the other direction.
Dabrowski: Look, he’s certainly on defense, right? I mean, you know, he tried that, if you look at his rhetoric, especially like at the DNC, and even before that, you know, he’s always calling Pritzker all kinds of things. Pritzker all kinds of names, misogynistic, all those names, homophobic, blah, blah, blah. He was aggressive. And then the press has been aggressive against Trump here in Illinois. So, you know, they didn’t, they weren’t successful in slowing down the move, right? So Trump got, Trump did the best he’s ever done in the three different elections he’s had. He got 45% of Illinois. Nobody expected that. So the other side is under threat. And a lot of people, I should say, are sick of kind of this culture wars and tribalism that Illinois pushes.
Q: Yeah, but realistically, what can Pritzker do to stop, I mean, the federal government’s the federal government, you know? I mean, like, what’s Pritzker thinking he can really accomplish here by, by saying, ‘Hey, Trump, don’t come after me and my people.’
Dabrowski: Well, you know, he’s trying to create a mecca for the kind of vision he has, trying to invite everybody from the rest of the country here. Whereas a lot of people going to Florida and Texas, yeah. So, you know, you will have some movement from Florida to Illinois and in from Texas to Illinois, for those people who are of the issues that Pritzker pushes so hard, the whole LGBTQ and the abortion and things like that. So he’s going to try to attract people that way. But, you know, it’s not a winning strategy, it’s a divisive strategy. And this is my problem with Pritzker, he’s not standing on just general American principles of merit and achievement and accomplishment. And you know, in the just being generally good people to everybody. He really points out who are those who’ve been aggrieved. He wants to single them out, and then he wants to act like he’s gonna be the one to save them. And that’s why he’s calling himself the warrior. He’s gonna save those people. It’s a bad strategy, because he’s not saving all Americans. He’s not saving all Illinoisans. He’s picking out people that he wants to, quote, protect.
* Today, Pritzker was asked how he thought it had reached the point where “we need to be protected from our own president”…
Well, that’s not exactly what the purpose of it is. We’re protecting democracy, and we do believe that between the Congress and the President, that there are proposals that I’ve heard, like we heard recently, I think the last few days, about the potential for passing laws that would take money away from states where we don’t allow prayer in schools. Now, you could say that’s a constitutional issue for the Supreme Court, or you could say it’s an attack on a state, where we need to protect the separation of church and state. So that’s something that comes out of the President-Elect’s transition, and I’ve heard echoed by members of the Congress.
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Pritzker, Welch talk Trump
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ABC7…
Governor JB Pritzker is now the co-chair of a new non-partisan coalition of the nation’s governors.
Governors Safeguarding Democracy is said to be committed to protecting American democracy at the state level ahead of Donald Trump’s Presidency.
Pritzker will be joined as co-chair by Governor Jared Polis of Colorado.
The coalition will be supported by GovAct, an organization “championing fundamental freedoms,” according to a press release. […]
The group assured that coalition is not funded by Pritzker but paid for by other “philanthropic dollars.”
More…
The action items are vague. Pritzker described the goal as one to “leverage our collective strength, experience and institutional knowledge to drive policies that protect the rule of law” among the states.
“We’ll design and implement affirmative strategies to protect the rule of law and deliver for people in the states. We’ll work to reinforce key state institutions to protect executive agencies, elections, state courts and other democratic bodies. Then we’ll develop playbooks to enable governors and their teams to anticipate and swiftly respond to emerging threats,” he said.
When fully implemented, the initiative will be a “peer opportunity for governors to learn from one another on best practices and policies,” Polis said.
* House Speaker Chris Welch appeared on the 21st Show today…
Q: What are you and other Illinois Democratic leaders looking at in regard to what may be coming from President Elect Trump’s second term?
Welch: Well, I will tell you, one of the things I’m proud about is and proud to be an Illinoisan, is the work we’ve already done in this space. In 2019 we passed the Reproductive Health Act. In 2022 we put workers’ rights in our constitution. In 2023 we strengthened the Reproductive Health Act. So we’ve already done a lot of things that make Illinois a beacon, not just in the Midwest, but across the country. But, you know, we started having conversations before the November 5 election, because of the possibility of a Trump presidency, and certainly those conversations have intensified since his re election, and so those conversations are happening. But I want to underscore something. The work ahead of us is bigger than Donald Trump, and it’s not going to be done or resolved in a two-week veto session. The House that is returning for veto session, and the House that will take office in January, we’re committed to defending the rights of Illinoisans every time we show up, and we’re also committed to controlling costs for families every time we show up. We’re committed to rebuilding our fiscal house and ensuring everyone who wants to work hard has a chance to get ahead. And those are the things we’re going to focus on in the veto session in January and beyond that. That’s what the voters have sent us to do.
Q: I am wondering, though, because there could really be some federal/state friction coming up. Let’s say, for example, Trump federalizes the Illinois National Guard and orders them to begin rounding up migrants who do not have legal permission to be in America, undocumented people. How does Illinois respond to that? How should Illinois respond to that?
Welch: That’s a hypothetical that I certainly don’t know how to address, because I certainly hope that something like that doesn’t occur. You know, the only thing I can say is that we’re going to continue to have conversations with the governor, with the Senate President, with our respective caucuses. And under our leadership, we’ve already proven that Illinois is a place that believes in freedoms and protects people. And we’re going to continue to be a place that people can count on. We’re not just a beacon in the Midwest. We’re a beacon in the country. I can’t predict what Donald Trump will do. We know what he said. We know what he said he would do. We have to continue to have conversations with everyone and come to alignment on what we’re going to do to continue to the state. […]
Q: Last week, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget put out its annual report on the state’s finances, and it predicted a budget shortfall of $3.2 billion, billion with a B, for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. It’s a pretty drastic increase from the $900 million deficit state government had to deal with last year as the work to create a new budget begins for the General Assembly next year. What? What options are on the table for dealing with this potential shortfall?
Welch: Let me answer the question this way. You know, because I’ve been really proud of the work that we’ve done on the budget since I’ve been Speaker. We balanced the budget every year I’ve been speaker. In some of those years, we have had grim forecasts, just like we do now, and we’ve still managed to produce budgets with surpluses, additional payments to our pension obligations and credit rating upgrades. I think we’re at nine so far. So I fully expect the General Assembly that takes office in January, we’ll approach the next budget with the same responsible approach of going line by line, weighing priorities and making smart decisions for our future like we’ve done the last four years. And my calls with my caucus members the last couple of days, many, I’ve lost count, talked about the budget work ahead. There’s things that rolled up, they’re ready to get to work, they’re ready to do it in a responsible and compassionate way.
Q: Last thing I want to ask you about, we have talked on this program a number of times now about, I think it’s 25 counties. At this point, voters have approved some sort of referendum saying that Chicago Cook County, maybe the entire Chicago land area, I don’t remember the exact language should become a separate state and down state, Illinois would become the 51st state people, even people who support it. We talked to somebody from the Madison County Board who supports this, and said it’s more symbolic, because it feels like Democrats aren’t responsive to the concerns of their voters. How do you respond to this idea that Democrats have steamrolled and certainly we’ve seen the success of the map has has made it very difficult for Republicans to make inroads and represent their constituents in the way they would choose to.
Welch: Listen, Democrats represent folks all over the state. We have to listen to their concerns and try to address their concerns. We have to try to be unifiers and not dividers, and I’d love to continue to listen to those folks. Illinois is a great state to live, work and play. If there’s some things that we’re not doing that they think we should be doing, I’d love to hear from them. I’m Speaker of the House, I’m not Speaker of the Democrats. If there’s a concern they’d like to addressm call the Speaker’s office, come talk with me. We’re here to help the entire state, and the things that Democrats have done, especially since I’ve been Speaker the last four years, I’ve helped every single corner of this state. And if there’s more things we can do. I want to do that we’re playing an infinite game, and we want to make this state better. Each and every day we go to work. And so there’s some things, some ideas that people think we need to make them better? Love to hear from them.
Please pardon any transcription errors.
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New rules (Updated)
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I told subscribers about this earlier today…
Security has been beefed up here at the state Capitol. The Secretary of State’s Office has added more police officers to statehouse grounds, and visitors who aren’t government employees will need to go through a metal-detection screening. The office said it just wants to make sure visitors know that “safety and security are a priority.” The changes were in the works before last week’s election.
I’m not quite seeing the relative threat posed by reporters and lobbyists compared to, say, a random state employee who doesn’t even work in the building.
Your thoughts?
…Adding… ILCA…
Dear Secretary Giannoulias,
We at the Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association appreciate your efforts to keep the Capitol Complex safe. But we were disappointed that the changes to Capitol security instituted today were made without any advance warning to our organization.
It is thus unclear to us, at this time, how the new policy came about, whether it will be permanent, and whether the needs of the press corps were considered.
Several members of our organization, including photographers and videographers, carry heavy equipment and must frequently and quickly enter and exit the building for rallies on the grounds and other job necessities.
We’d appreciate if you’d consider those needs in formulating future policy decisions, as the number of credentialed reporters are far fewer than the lobbyists who carry similar credentials, and many reporters office daily from the Capitol similarly to state employees.
If the rules rolled out today are temporary, we would further appreciate if you’d consult with our organization about to best meet the needs of the press corps while also ensuring everyone’s safety as permanent rules are finalized.
Again, we recognize changes to protocol are likely necessary to better secure the building. But we think there are better ways to do so than the process we’ve experienced thus far in the veto session.
And we stand ready to work with you to better the process in the new session.
Sincerely,
Members of the ILCA board
Dave Dahl, President
Brenden Moore, Secretary
Jeremy Gorner, Treasurer
Jerry Nowicki
Mike Miletich
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* Capitol News Illinois…
The former chief lobbyist for electric utility Commonwealth Edison has spent the last week telling a federal jury how he bent over backward to accommodate hiring requests from former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Led by the prosecutor questioning him, ComEd exec-turned-cooperating witness Fidel Marquez repeatedly said he and other utility leaders agreed to hire or contract with the powerful speaker’s allies in order for Madigan “to be more positively disposed toward ComEd’s legislative agenda.”
But on Tuesday, an attorney for Madigan co-defendant Mike McClain, ComEd’s longest-serving contract lobbyist, began his cross-examination of Marquez by drilling down on his previous testimony – and his guilty plea in 2020 for bribery conspiracy.
“Are you not saying and are you not testifying at this trial that in your mind, the purpose of this conspiracy was to trade jobs at ComEd for Mike Madigan taking action?” Cotter asked, referring to action Madigan is alleged to have taken on legislation ComEd pushed in Springfield.
“I said it was to consider ComEd’s agenda favorably,” Marquez said.
* WTTW…
Madigan had previously been “hostile” toward electrical utilities like ComEd — Marquez testified he knew the speaker “didn’t like” the company — but through his relationship with McClain, he came to have a “favorable disposition” toward ComEd’s legislative agenda.
“It was part of Mike’s job to do everything he could to have the best communication between the speaker and his staff, and ComEd?” Cotter asked Marquez.
“Yes,” he replied.
“It made sense, did it not … that Mike McClain spent an enormous amount of time on Speaker Madigan?” Cotter asked.
“Yes,” Marquez answered.
* Center Square…
McClain defense attorney Patrick Cotter asked Marquez about several pieces of legislation that affected ComEd.
Cotter played a recording of McClain talking with Marquez and then-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore in 2018 about a plan to kill a low-income bill that ComEd opposed. In the recording, McClain suggested including vendors, unions and municipal leaders. Marquez admitted that, during the call, none of the participants asked to include Madigan.
Cotter also asked Marquez about favors and job recommendations. Earlier, Marquez had described requests from McClain that ComEd hire individuals that Madigan wanted the utility to hire.
Marquez testified that ComEd also considered job recommendations from then-Senate Majority Leader John Cullerton, D-Chicago, and then-Illinois State Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs.
* Sun-Times…
Prosecutors have gone to great lengths to show constant communication between Madigan and McClain through secret FBI recordings and testimony from various witnesses. But Cotter noted that it was McClain’s job, as a lobbyist, to know what special interests motivated Madigan, as well as the political dynamics at any one time.
“The amount of attention that a lobbyist spends or gives to an elected official is often based on how important that official is, in the political sense?” Cotter asked, making note of Madigan’s vast power over the Legislature at the time.
“That may be a factor,” Marquez said.
Cotter also confirmed with Marquez that, as vice president of external and governmental affairs, Marquez was “ultimately in charge of all the lobbyists” at ComEd. That would theoretically include a group of Madigan allies paid as subcontractors through a ComEd contract with Doherty.
* Tribune…
As Marquez’s direct examination wrapped up Tuesday, prosecutors showed another slew of emails and recordings in which McClain pushed ComEd to hire people with political connections.
Madigan seemed particularly interested in getting a job for Vanessa Berrios, daughter of then-Cook County Democratic boss Joseph Berrios. The speaker apparently first floated the idea to McClain in a December 2018 phone call, which was played for jurors.
“My thought was that there might be a place for her at ComEd,” Madigan told McClain.
In the ensuing months, McClain emailed Marquez at least twice about getting ComEd to hire Berrios, who had worked for her father when he headed the Cook County assessor’s office.
Berrios ultimately was offered an interview with ComEd, Marquez testified Tuesday, but declined.
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Click here for some background if you need it. Rep. Carol Ammons introduced HB5907 yesterday…
Creates the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act. Provides that all general operating expenses for public universities shall be distributed by the Board of Higher Education through a funding formula for eligible public institutions and shall be administered by the Board. Defines “eligible public institution”. Sets forth provisions concerning the adequacy targets and resource profiles of eligible public institutions. Provides for the distribution of State appropriations and the calculation of the base funding minimum for each eligible public institution. Provides that the Board shall oversee an accountability and transparency framework for assessing the distribution and use of all funds appropriated by the funding formula and evaluating the funds’ effects on institutional outcomes pertaining to student affordability, enrollment, persistence, and outcome metrics. Provides for reporting and the establishment of an Accountability and Transparency Committee. Provides that the Board shall establish a Funding Formula Review Panel tasked with studying and reviewing topics pertaining to the implementation and impact of the funding formula. Contains provisions concerning the Board’s annual budget request and the collection of data. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Removes certain provisions concerning budget proposals. Effective immediately.
* Statehouse reporter Brenden Moore…
* We Are One Illinois…
Today, state legislators and public service workers unveiled the Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act (HB5909/SB3988), legislation sponsored by State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) and State Sen. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) that will make significant progress in fixing the broken Tier 2 pension system. Thousands of public service workers are expected to rally in Springfield at noon today in support of the legislation as they demand lawmakers take action.
The current broken system undercuts retirement security for public employees and makes it harder for schools, universities, cities, counties, and the state of Illinois to attract and retain needed workers.
The four key provisions of the Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act are designed to solve the current system’s major problems:
Problem: Compared to Tier 1 participants, Tier 2 participants pay the same amount toward their pension from every check, yet must work longer and retire later.
Solution: The Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act aligns the Tier 2 retirement age with Tier 1.
Problem: Tier 2 participants now receive a diminished cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that fails to keep pace with inflation.
Solution: The Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act implements an across-the-board 3% simple-interest COLA for all Tier 2 participants.
Problem: Tier 2 participants’ pension benefit amount is reduced by a lesser final-average-salary calculation.
Solution: The Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act brings the final average salary calculation back in line with Tier 1.
Problem: Tier 2 participants are subject to a pensionable salary cap that runs afoul of federal law (the so-called “Safe Harbor” problem).
Solution: The Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act adjusts the pension salary cap to match the Social Security wage base.
In addition to the key elements above, the bill makes a number of minor but meaningful changes to the pension code to address issues specific to particular job titles or pension concerns.
* NBC Chicago…
A suburban mom is hoping that lawmakers will pass a bill during their veto session in Springfield to allow for aid-in-dying medication for terminally ill patients.
Suzy Flack’s son died after a battle with cancer two years ago, an experience that taught her about the importance of allowing physicians to render medical aid for those who are dying with a terminal illness. […]
She’s become a fierce advocate for end-of-life options, and is hoping the Illinois General Assembly passes the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. […]
“It is not a decision that anyone takes lightly,” House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel said. “Many people feel at peace just to get the medicine.”
Under provisions of the law, medication can only be obtained by individuals 18 years of age and older, who are diagnosed as terminally ill with less than six months to live. The patient must be mentally capable of making decisions, and two physicians must sign off on the process.
Patients are allowed to change their minds, and must be informed about all end-of-life care options. Finally, doctors are not required to participate in the administration of the medication.
* Rep. Curtis Tarver introduced HB5906 yesterday…
Amends the School Finance Authority Act of the School Code. Reinstates the School Finance Authority and reverts any powers, duties, rights, or property granted to the Chicago Board of Education upon the abolition of the original Authority established by the Article back to the Authority. Provides that any powers, duties, rights, or property granted to the Board before the abolition of the original Authority and after the reinstatement of the Authority under the amendatory Act shall remain vested in the Board. Updates the expiration dates of terms of the Chairman, the 2 Directors of the Authority appointed by the Governor, and the 2 Directors of the Authority appointed by the Mayor. Requires the Board to adopt and submit for approval a financial plan on or before March 1, 2026 and adopt and submit for approval a budget on or before February 1, 2026 with respect to the remaining portion of the fiscal year ending in 2026. Requires the Board, beginning in fiscal year 2028 and every second year thereafter, to adopt a financial plan covering a period of 2 fiscal years. Requires the Board to submit a staffing plan for the fiscal year ending in 2026 to the Authority within 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes other changes.
* Tribune…
Other unresolved issues include gun safety measures that Democrats haven’t been able to bring over the finish line.
Legislation that’s become known in Springfield as “Karina’s Bill” would require law enforcement to remove firearms from people who have orders of protection against them, clarifying when and how authorities can confiscate such weapons. As it stands, guns aren’t always taken from people in those situations even if the owner’s firearm identification card is revoked. […]
Another holdover proposal would require gun owners with valid FOID cards to report their guns lost or stolen within 48 hours, instead of 72 hours, upon discovering their guns are missing. Another measure would prohibit storing or leaving a firearm outside an owner’s immediate possession or control unless it’s unloaded and secured in a lock box, making it inaccessible to a minor or anyone else who is barred from using guns.
“We know that the bills that we pass in Springfield have real life and death consequences. It is clear that we must address child access to firearms and safe storage,” Rep. Maura Hirschauer, a Democrat from Batavia, said at a news conference on Chicago’s West Side in October. “We know that gun owners can help make their homes and communities safe by storing their guns securely. A comprehensive statewide safe storage policy will have an impact on this.”
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Open thread
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
9 Comments
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ICYMI: Lawmakers return to Springfield as projected budget deficit looms. Capitol News Illinois…
Illinois lawmakers returned to Springfield Tuesday for the first time since May following news earlier this month that they’re facing a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
The news didn’t surprise Republicans, who condemned “drunken spending” policies, but the Senate’s top Democratic budget leader defended the state’s spending priorities and cautioned next year’s budget is still more than six months away from passage.
“This was not unexpected and certainly there’s a long time between now and the end of the fiscal year and we’ll be prepared,” Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, said.
The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget released a report on Nov. 1 projecting the state will face a $3.2 billion deficit for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1. The annual report from the governor’s budget office typically sets a benchmark for state lawmakers as they begin budget talks early in the year.
* Related stories…
* At 11 am Governor Pritzker will give remarks at the Willard Ice Building 40th Anniversary Celebration. Click here to watch.
*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***
* Sun-Times | Pritzker, Colo. Gov. Polis launch governors’ coalition to protect against ‘threats of autocracy’ under Trump: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis have formed a coalition of governors to fight against “increasing threats of autocracy” and strengthen democracy during a second Donald Trump presidency. The goal of Governors Safeguarding Democracy, or GSD, is to protect state-level institutions of democracy — and to utilize their collective legislative, budgetary, executive and administrative powers. Pritzker said it will “catalyze collaboration across state lines.”
* Capitol News Illinois | Amid flurry of gun ban challenges, federal appeals court considers Cook County assault weapon law: A panel of federal judges is weighing whether to overturn a Cook County ban on semiautomatic weapons in a case that could upend other local bans and call into question the statewide prohibition on the controversial class of firearms. But the appeal under consideration at the federal 7th Circuit Court of Appeals faces potentially long odds of success. The constitutionality of local bans on “assault weapons,” the phrase used in such laws, has been upheld by the 7th Circuit three times in the past 10 years, including once in 2023
* WCIA | IDOA pitches new hemp regulations to lawmakers: The new rules center around testing and licensing, specifically for hemp at academic institutions. “For the universities that get this license, they wouldn’t have to comply with all the various testing requirements,” Sam McGee, a counsel for IDOA, said. “They would just have a little bit easier of a testing requirement and they could do research.”
*** Statehouse News ***
* Capitol News Illinois | Capitol Briefs: Former Gov. Quinn pushes for ‘millionaire tax’ amendment; Underground Railroad task force issues findings: A task force created by a 2023 law to explore ways chronicle Illinois’ Underground Railroad history announced its findings on Tuesday, recommending the state create a commission that would organize historical sites and stories about the network. “Too many in Illinois believe we need to travel to the East Coast to visit locations on the Underground Railroad, unaware of the enormous activity that took place in their own backyards here,” task force member and Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman said.
*** Statewide ***
* Tribune | Attorney General Kwame Raoul launches unit to investigate innocence claims: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is launching a unit to investigate cases in which new evidence could prove the innocence of people convicted of serious crimes. “Wrongful convictions destroy lives. Wrongful convictions diminish faith in our criminal justice system,” Raoul said Tuesday at a downtown news conference, flanked by state’s attorneys and members of the new unit. “They put victims and public safety at risk by allowing the true perpetrators to escape unpunished.”
*** Chicago ***
* Tribune | Embattled CPS CEO criticized in meeting with mayor as Johnson administration continues moving to fire him: Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez got chewed out this week by allies of Mayor Brandon Johnson over impending charter school closures, in a contentious City Hall meeting that could spell the next step in Johnson’s monthslong push to oust the embattled schools chief. The Monday meeting, which the mayor attended, featured a presentation by Martinez over the looming closures of seven Acero charter schools, according to attendees. It took a hostile turn when several progressive aldermen began grilling Martinez on the slideshow.
* ABC Chicago | ‘Collaborator in chief’: Chicago mayor willing to negotiate with aldermen working to defeat tax hike: Aldermanic sources said, at this point, behind-the-scenes budget negotiations could result in the property tax hike being reduced to $135 million, or maybe even $100 million. The mayor would not confirm any figures, but said he’s willing to work with the Council.
* WTTW | Chicago Will Remain a Sanctuary City, Despite Donald Trump’s Threats, Mayor Brandon Johnson Says: In his first remarks on the outcome of the presidential race, Johnson said Chicago will not allow Chicago Police officers to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents deport Chicagoans. That assistance is now prohibited by city ordinance. “We will not bend or break,” Johnson said. “Our values will remain strong and firm. We will face likely hurdles in our work over the next four years but we will not be stopped and we will not go back.”
* Tribune | With CPD a possible target for personnel cuts in budget plan, consent decree monitor raises alarm: “Cutting these positions permanently could be a devastating blow to the future of CPD reforms,” Maggie Hickey, head of the independent monitoring team, told U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer during a consent decree status hearing Tuesday. “The proposed budget cuts would be a step backward for the CPD reform process at a pivotal point,” Hickey said, “just when progress is starting to be felt.”
* Crain’s | Outrage over delivery fees has waned, but lawsuit against Grubhub lives on: Grubhub co-founder Matt Maloney, who stepped down as CEO nearly three years ago, says he’s about to be deposed in a lawsuit filed against food-delivery app companies by the City of Chicago when Lori Lightfoot was mayor. The suit was filed in late 2021, during the peak of both the COVID-19 pandemic and restaurants’ outrage over delivery fees and other charges that often totaled 30% or more of the retail price of the food.
* WBEZ | Five of the best Amtrak adventures from Chicago for train lovers: I’m a bit of a rail fan myself, and I’ve taken multi-day trips from Chicago to California and Florida, along with multiple shorter Amtrak trips across the country. (I’m currently on the inaugural run of the Floridian, the first train to connect Chicago and Florida since 1979.) It’s a fantastic way to see the country, and the routes from Chicago are some of the most scenic train trips you can take in the U.S.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Southtown | State tells Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard her pick for cop chief not cleared for duty: A state agency has told Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard her temporary choice for police chief is “not authorized to exercise law enforcement authority” and urged her to remove him from public service. Tiffany Henyard, at a Nov. 6 Village Board meeting, named Ronnie Burge Sr. to a temporary 30-day posting as chief, after trustees voted against the appointment. A Nov. 8 letter from the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board states Burge “has been wearing a Dolton Police Department uniform and carrying a firearm publicly for the last few weeks,” even though he’s not authorized to do so.
* Daily Herald | Mayoral races heating up in Lisle, West Chicago: Incumbent Mayor Chris Pecak is expected to face at least one opponent: Mary Jo Mullen, a current village trustee. Mullen is campaigning under the banner “Lisle Forward” with a slate of village board candidates. “I’m running for mayor because I think Lisle really needs change,” said Mullen, who served as Lisle Township supervisor before being elected to the village board in 2021. “We’ve been making progress around development and economic development very, very slowly.”
* Tribune | Evanston/Skokie School D65 was asked to consider pausing school in historically Black area: memo: With the district’s deficit standing at more than $10 million, the best financial course of action would be to pause construction on Foster School, Robert Grossi, the financial consultant, suggested in the memo, while also acknowledging the historic significance of the district’s desire to provide a neighborhood school for 5th Ward children. Many in the community have voiced support for building Foster School, however, and some public commenters at an Oct. 15 special Board meeting saw the building of the school as necessary to further racial equity in Evanston.
* Tribune | Berwyn woman says far-right streamer Nick Fuentes allegedly assaulted her: Marla Rose, 57, a self-described progressive, said she approached Fuentes’ home Sunday after friends who knew she lived in Berwyn encouraged her to go see if rumors of prank deliveries to his home were true. Fuentes’ home address had been leaked online in response to his posts on social media where he boasted, “Your body, my choice. Forever” last week in an apparent reference to abortion rights after Donald Trump won the presidential election. […] She said Fuentes opened the door before she could ring the doorbell. “In that same movement, he pepper-sprayed me in the face … screamed an expletive at me,” Rose said.
* NBC Chicago | Canadian Pacific’s Holiday Train returning to the Chicago area later this month: Canadian Pacific’s Holiday Train will tour Canada and the U.S. from, Nov. 21 through Dec. 20, raising donations for food banks across the company’s network, according to a news release. As it treks across the nation, the holiday train will make not just one — but three stops in the Chicago suburbs. Last holiday season, the train held events in Gurnee and Pingree Grove. This time around, a stop in Franklin Park will be added to its itinerary.
*** Downstate ***
* Rockford Register Star | New technology could help reduce the need for high-speed vehicle pursuits in Rockford: The Rockford Police Department would like to tap a $125,888 Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity grant to purchase vehicle-mounted and handheld StarChase systems that can fire GPS tags at fleeing vehicles. The fleeing vehicle can then be tracked electronically rather than being followed in a high-speed pursuit.
* WCIA | Rock Springs Nature Center in Decatur receiving $900K upgrade: Rock Springs Nature Center is receiving a new indoor-outdoor classroom that will change the way they host people and events thanks to an almost $900,000 grant. The new space in Decatur will let classes in the center move from inside to outside with ease. The people at the center are excited about adding these new options to their curriculum. The Macon County Conservation District applied for the money last summer and got it from the Park and Recreational Facility Construction Act Program earlier this year.
*** National ***
* Crain’s | Rivian announces formal launch of $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen: The automakers announced the deal in June. Since then, the size of VW Group’s investment in Rivian and the joint venture has risen from the initial estimate of $5 billion. Rivian is bringing its technology to the table and Volkswagen Group is bringing its global scale, executives said. “The partnership with Rivian is the next logical step in our software strategy,” said Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group. “With its implementation, we will strengthen our global competitive and technological position.”
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