Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Live coverage
Next Post: Open thread
Posted in:
* ICYMI: No migrants living in Chicago police stations for the first time since spring. Sun-Times…
* Related stories…
* Isabel’s top picks…
* Sun-Times | Feds close corruption case against Ed Burke by telling jurors his words on secret recordings are ‘absolutely devastating’: Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker said the words of the former 14th Ward alderperson are more significant than any testimony jurors would have heard if prosecutors called FBI mole Danny Solis to the witness stand. “Think about what’s the best evidence of defendant Burke’s intent?” Streicker said. “The words that came out of his mouth. … Those words were captured on recordings. That is why we didn’t need to call Mr. Solis to tell you what Mr. Burke was thinking.
* Illinois Times | Haley suspended by NAACP: The news release also said NAACP branch presidents from throughout Illinois met Dec. 13 and “unanimously supported Haley’s quintessential leadership skills.” But the national NAACP, based in Baltimore, said in a statement Dec. 15 that it suspended Haley Dec. 13.
* Sun-Times | Fermilab’s ‘muon shot’ could see suburban lab become site of revolutionary particle collider: They also called for exploring the possibility of building a revolutionary new particle collider more powerful than any ever created — a groundbreaking device they said would fit perfectly on the Fermilab campus. The P5 report also noted the critical computing might of Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, reinforcing the Chicago area as a hub for the future of particle physics.
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* WSJ | Illinois Concedes on Pregnancy Centers: Illinois has been trying to use its fraud laws to target pro-life pregnancy help centers, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared this summer that he was “confident” the law was constitutional. If he still believes that, then Mr. Pritzker ought to explain why the state is backing down in federal court, unless he’s too embarrassed now by his role in this cautionary tale of Democratic overreach.
* Patch | Committee To Appoint Replacement For 82nd District Representative: “John Egofske is a tremendous leader in the community, and we thank him for his continued service as Mayor of Lemont,” DuPage Republican Chairman Jim Zay said in a release from the House Republican Organization. “Our committee looks forward to a transparent and thorough process to fill this important position.”
* Tribune | Cook County court clerk getting boost in reelection bid from her government employees: The first-term clerk won the office in 2020 after pledging to “adhere to the highest ethical standards” in replacing a scandal-scarred outgoing clerk, Dorothy Brown, whose tenure was marked by various controversies that included criticism she took campaign cash from her employees.
* Jim Dey | High court action puts ComEd bribery case back in the news: Stop the sentencing hearings! So say the lawyers for the ComEd Four. They argue a case accepted last week for review by the U.S. Supreme Court could undermine legal ground on which their clients were convicted.
* Patch | 2 Run For Elmhurst State House Seat: Elmhurst Alderman Marti Deuter is running as a Democrat to succeed Jenn Ladisch-Douglass, a Democrat who decided not to run again after one term. The Republican candidate is Elmhurst resident Dennis Reboletti, who is the elected supervisor of Addison Township.
* Sun-Times | Ex-Cook County Land Bank Authority official gets a year in prison over secret land deals: Mustafaa Saleh, 37, resigned from the county government agency in June 2019 and pleaded guilty to wire fraud last March. In May 2021, a federal grand jury subpoenaed records from the agency on 24 properties, including an abandoned hotel in Harvey and other properties overseen by Saleh, and land bank contractors he secretly owned.
Chi
* Tribune | City to remove West Loop homeless encampment in order to clean area: The encampments near Union and Ogilvie stations are the subject of an ongoing debate between Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office and Ald. Bill Conway, 34th. Conway previously told the Tribune that a top Johnson adviser tied an offer to address safety concerns there to the alderman’s votes on two key City Council ordinances.
* WaPo | Dozens of assisted-living residents died after wandering away unnoticed: Since 2018, more than 2,000 people have wandered away from assisted-living and memory-care facilities unnoticed or been left unattended for hours outside. Nearly 100 have died, and state inspectors frequently found evidence of neglect.
* Rolling Stone | Elon Musk’s Big Lie About Tesla Is Finally Exposed: Out of all the scandals over the last decade or so of venture capital-fueled excess, Tesla’s dangerous and hype-happy approach to driving automation technology has been one of the most important but also one of the most hidden in plain sight. Just like the Mechanical Turk of 1770, everyone has been so focused on the technology itself that they’ve missed the human factors that power the entire spectacle. Just as worryingly, regulators have missed that forcing humans to babysit incomplete systems introduces entirely new risks to public roads.
* Sun-Times | Richard Hunt, iconic Chicago sculptor, dies at 88: Abstract sculptor Richard Hunt, a lifelong Chicagoan who in 1971 became the first African American artist to receive a solo retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, died Saturday at age 88. Hunt “passed away peacefully” at his Chicago home, according to a statement posted to his website. A cause wasn’t released.
* CBS Chicago | Chicago photographer Barry Butler captures beauty of city in new calendar, book: Renowned photographer Barry Butler’s 2024 calendar is available now. Images include a breathtaking winter sunrise at the Lincoln Park lagoon from January, Navy Pier fireworks taken from the Willis Tower in June, and for July, a bird on cue in the center of a glorious sunset.
* NYT | With a Deadline Looming, the United Methodist Church Breaks Up: Until July, White’s Chapel was the second-largest United Methodist congregation in the country. The conservative-leaning church lost its status this year not because it shrank — it is growing, leaders say — but because it left the denomination.
posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 7:42 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Live coverage
Next Post: Open thread
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
WSJ showing that it doesn’t know the difference between Gov. Prtizker and AG Raoul.
Comment by Anon E Moose Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 8:07 am
“cautionary tale of Democratic overreach”
WSJ is always good for a laugh. Talking about a Dem governor’s response to a handful of decidedly unpopular and untrusted hard right Catholic fanatics on the Court undoing 50+ years of legal precedent and stripping away the bodily autonomy of half the population. “what are the Dems gonna do now!?@! They’re probably embarrassed to discuss the topic!”
Absolute goo brain stuff.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 8:45 am
I was sad to learn of Richard Hunt’s passing. He was a great artist and a fine human being.
Comment by JoanP Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 9:05 am
Jenn Ladisch-Douglass deserves a medal for defeating her 2022 opponent. She will be missed.
Comment by low level Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 9:21 am
That hit piece in Tribune attacking Martinez is something.
Question: Is every elected official who has state employees (who want to help) help on their campaign operating in bad faith or corrupt? What about every GA member, or the Speaker, or President, or Governor, or Mayor? I assume those articles questioning their ethics are on the press now being sent out?
Comment by Wobblies United Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 9:48 am
Maybe the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk website wouldn’t be down constantly if the employees were focusing on their actual jobs.
Comment by Big Dipper Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 9:57 am
==That hit piece in Tribune attacking Martinez is something.–
I dunno, donating money right around the time you get a $10k raise kinda looks like a kickback. I guess we’ll see what the feds think.
Comment by Big Dipper Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 10:03 am
It is fair to think that this is a problem, but then lets talk about everyone who does this, not just a moderate Latina.
What about AFSCME who just negotiated a massive raise (which they deserved) after contributing and working on the campaign the individual who approved that pay increase?
What about every CTU member who knocked a door for Mayor Johnson or contributed to his campaign?
If we think it is a problem then lets call it out across the board.
Comment by Wobblies United Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 10:16 am
She is to the right of moderate. She played footsie with Republicans and disguised Republicans.
Comment by Big Dipper Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 10:44 am
==“You’ve got a constitutional right to not participate in politics as a condition of government employment,” he said. “Forcing someone to or threatening someone”…==
Was this standard not adhered to? Was anyone threatened? If so then bring that evidence. If not, then there is nothing here.
Comment by low level Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 10:47 am
===muon shot===
This is a very bad pun that I will be promptly repeating to everyone I know.
Comment by Suburban Mom Monday, Dec 18, 23 @ 11:05 am