| | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos and Maria Carrasco | Happy Thursday, Illinois. HISTORIC! Donald Trump was impeached a second time, and now the most press-hungry president in history has gone dark (and yes, there are other ways for the leader of the free world to get his views out besides Twitter). PROGRAMMING NOTE: Illinois Playbook won't publish Monday, Jan. 18, in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. We'll be back Tuesday. |  | TOP TALKER | | | 
House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch held his first press conference with reporters immediately after being sworn in. | Pool photo by State Journal-Register's Justin Fowler | There was no ignoring the history being made in Springfield on Wednesday as Michael Madigan voted for Emanuel "Chris" Welch to take over as House speaker, becoming the first Black to hold the position in Illinois. Welch took the stage calling for unity at a time when the country's politics feel more corrosive than ever. "Today will be the last time I talk about us as Democrats or Republicans because I want to talk about us being united," he told lawmakers. So heads turned and some lawmakers booed when House Minority Leader Jim Durkin took his turn to speak and leveled anti-Madigan talking points. Durkin accused the longtime speaker, who remains head of the Illinois Democratic Party, of leaving a legacy that "failed its citizens with unbalanced budgets, broken pension systems, tax increase after tax increase with nothing to show for it. The saying goes if power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle thought Durkin wasn't reading the room. Swearing-in events are more about pageantry than politics. When Welch took questions from reporters — yes, it really is history in the making! — he brushed off Durkin's vitriol saying, "He's so conditioned right now to just fight and punch and do things like that... I hope he will see by my actions that this is a new day, a new opportunity to develop a new relationship in this space. It's hard to just flip the switch when you've just been doing something for so long. So I'll give him a pass today." But will Durkin be able to let it go? The Madigan-is-the-root of-all-evil storyline is the crown jewel in the GOP message vault — and so much easier than criticizing the national head of their own party for feeding a toxic environment that helped fuel chaotic and tragic events in Washington. A weakened, tarnished Madigan at center stage would have been helpful to Republicans in 2022 but Rome didn't fall in a day, so there'll likely still be a few gems for Republicans to mine. Still, with his exit from the speaker's seat, Madigan has snatched Durkin's most precious asset. And Durkin knows it. RELATED — Illinois elects Chris Welch its first Black speaker after decades of Madigan rule: The race for one of the most powerful positions in state government had its share of drama, by your Playbook host. — Michael Madigan, a speaker for the ages, ends his historic hold on Illinois politics: "Madigan held the House gavel when Illinois abolished the death penalty, legalized gay marriage, strengthened abortion rights, established an open records law, built a new stadium for the Chicago White Sox, helped renovate another one for the Chicago Bears and impeached a governor. The minimum wage rose 13 times while he was speaker," by WBEZ's Dave McKinney. — Why Cassidy voted 'present': Chicago Democratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy voted "present" in the speaker election because of "troubling allegations" about his past treatment of women outlined in a Chicago Tribune story. Welch has denied the allegations. "We certainly have seen plenty of examples of Black men being wrongfully accused," Cassidy said in a statement. "I feel strongly that I have been too outspoken on issues of sexual harassment and domestic violence to simply ignore these questions." | | THE BUZZ | | A sweeping police reform bill approved by Illinois lawmakers in the final hours of a lame duck session in Springfield could put pressure on Chicago's police union to reach a contract deal with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The measure was part of the Legislative Black Caucus' omnibus Black Agenda, a giant, 764-page bill written in wake of the social unrest that rocked Illinois and the nation last summer. It was the kind of measure that in the past might have taken weeks to debate. But in these pandemic times, with a short window to approve legislation, lawmakers worked an all-nighter to see the bill through the Democratic-controlled General Assembly. It's now headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk. As the Sun-Times notes, it doesn't eliminate qualified immunity for police officers, which would have made it easier for officers to be sued for actions they take on the street. "But the other reforms in the bill will dramatically strengthen Lightfoot's hand in negotiations with the union representing rank-and-file Chicago Police Department officers, whose contract expired nearly four years ago," according to Fran Spielman and Frank Main. The bill requires police officers to be licensed by the state, an idea that was championed by state Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Another hallmark: It ends cash bail. The legislation goes far beyond Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Tim Evans' 2017 order to set bond as low as possible. And anonymous complaints against police officers would be permitted, stripping away the requirement that accusers sign a sworn affidavit. Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson has argued that too many investigations are dropped because accusers fear signing their names to complaints. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: skapos@politico.com | | | | HAPPENING TODAY - THE COVID-19 VACCINE ROLLOUT: What are the logistical challenges facing the coronavirus immunization campaign? Who is overseeing the process and working to overcome obstacles to ensure that vulnerable groups have access to the vaccine? Join POLITICO for a virtual discussion on the outgoing Trump administration's plan to prioritize lower-income, rural, and communities of color for vaccine distribution and what the Biden administration can do to streamline plans and fill in any gaps. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
| | WHERE'S LORI | | At Daley College at 9:15 a.m. for an update on Covid-19. | | WHERE'S J.B. | | No official public events. | | Where's Toni | | No official public events. | | THE LATEST NUMBERS | | The Illinois Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported 97 new deaths and 5,862 new confirmed and probable cases of the coronavirus. That's a total of 17,840 fatalities and 1,046,030 cases in Illinois. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from Jan. 6 through 12 is 7.3 percent. Chicago's positivity rate is at 10 percent. | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | — Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week: "While the city is still focused on vaccinating front-line health care workers in the first phase of the vaccine distribution, Dr. Allison Arwady said hospitals might be allowed to start reaching out themselves next week to at-risk patients age 65 and older," by Tribune's John Byrne. — How to get more information on vaccines in your county: "Look below for information on how to sign up for updates on your place in line for the vaccine in Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, McHenry and Will counties," writes Sun-Times' Caroline Hurley. — 10 businesses in Chicago cited for violating Covid restrictions, by Fox/32. | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | | 
ST LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 09: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump sits on stage during the town hall debate at Washington University on October 9, 2016 in St Louis, Missouri. This is the second of three presidential debates scheduled prior to the November 8th election. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) | Win McNamee/Getty Images | — 'Right side of history': Kinzinger among 14 Illinois members of Congress to vote to impeach: "The House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. All 13 Illinois Democrats and Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Channahon voted to remove the president from office, citing his role in encouraging the marauding mob that left five people dead, dozens more injured and members of Congress fearing for their lives as they hid in the Capitol," writes Tribune's Bill Ruthhart. — Duckworth: Senate has a shot at convicting Trump: "The Illinois senator says 'there need to be consequences' for someone who 'fomented insurrection,'" reports Crain's Greg Hinz. — Censuring Mary Miller: "Chicago Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said she will introduce a measure to censure fellow Illinois Rep. Mary Miller. A day before the attacks at the Capitol, Miller invoked the name of Adolf Hitler during a speech, saying he was 'right on one thing: Whoever has the youth has the future,'" via ABC/7. — Column: Impeachment was the only way to prove that an insurrection and civil unrest are not the same: "In the end, it was not the final bipartisan vote tally that was so astounding. The arguments Republicans made for why Donald Trump should face no consequences for his actions are what should give us pause. One after the other, House Republicans took to the floor to compare last week's violence in Washington with the violence that occurred across the country last summer after Minneapolis police killed an unarmed Black man," by Tribune's Dahleen Glanton. — Chicago man arrested on federal charges of entering Capitol during attack: Kevin Lyons, 40, of the Gladstone Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side, was arrested Wednesday on federal charges alleging he participated in last week's riot at the Capitol, posting a photo of the plaque outside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's ransacked office on social media while he was in the building… Agents then confronted him with a photo he'd posted to Instagram and then deleted showing the name plate outside Pelosi's office with the caption, "WHOS HOUSE?!?!? OUR HOUSE!!" Tribune's Jason Meisner, Annie Sweeney and Megan Crepeau report. — Who's the capitol-attack suspect wearing a 'CFD' hat? "Chicago Fire Department officials say they're aware that federal authorities are seeking information about a suspect photographed in the Capitol attack wearing a knit hat with the initials 'CFD,' but they have not identified any current or former member from the image. Department spokesman Larry Langford said the photo of the man was distributed to dozens of bureau heads and department chiefs in CFD," by Tribune's Annie Sweeney and Jeremy Gorner. | | | | KEEP UP WITH THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WITH TRANSITION PLAYBOOK: It was a dark week in American history, and a new administration will have to pick up the pieces. Transition Playbook brings you inside the last days of this crucial transfer of power, tracking the latest from President-elect Biden and his growing administration. Written for political insiders, this scoop-filled newsletter breaks big news and analyzes the appointments, people, and the emerging power centers of the new administration. Track the transition and the first 100 days of the incoming Biden administration. Subscribe today. | | | | |
| | LEGISLATIVE UPDATE | | | 
Republican state Rep. Dave McSweeney got to work early Wednesday, his last day as a state representative. He did not seek re-election in 2020. | Pool photo by State Journal-Register's Justin Fowler | — Bill banning locked seclusion and face-down restraints in Illinois schools stalls as lawmakers run out of time: "The bill had unanimously passed the Senate on Tuesday and was on track for a concurrence vote in the House, but other measures put up for approval instead and last-minute maneuvering by some private schools scuttled plans to call the seclusion bill for a vote," report Tribune's Jennifer Smith Richards and ProPublica Illinois' Jodi S. Cohen. — Lame duck legislative session ends with no passage of Chicago elected school board bill: "The bill received multiple hearings in the session, but it did not get called for a final vote in a session that had been dominated by behind-the-scenes political maneuvering to replace Speaker Michael Madigan, the state's powerful longtime speaker of the House. It will be up to the next legislature whether to take up the bill or back another effort," by Chalkbeat Chicago's Samantha Smylie. | | CHICAGO | | — Teachers who refused to work at school say they were punished — even though none of their students chose to return for in-person learning: "Fighting back tears as he delivered a message to Chicago Public Schools and city leaders Wednesday, special education teacher Brian Yuhas suggested the district acted punitively when it locked dozens of educators out of their online classrooms this week, a move he said hurt the students more than teachers. The Uplift Community High School teacher said many of his students live in a residential care facility rather than their family homes and are among those with 'the greatest needs in all of CPS,'" reports Tribune's Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas. — Will Police Union President John Catanzara resign? Don't hold your breath: "The public has no role in choosing the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 president and, according to WBEZ interviews with cops and police retirees, Catanzara retains widespread support among lodge members — especially white members," reports WBEZ's Chip Mitchell. — How Chicago-area schools are addressing the Capitol riot: "As much as I can allay their fears and concerns, that's the first piece," said Michael Christensen. "But when we can then make historical connections, that's the frosting on the cake." By Tribune's Karen Ann Cullotta | | DAY IN COURT | | — Pair charged in 1998 Hammond triple murder cold case: "Thanking new DNA technology, the Hammond Police on Wednesday announced two men have been charged in the deaths of a woman and two teens in 1998. James H. Higgason III, 51, was arrested in Hammond and David L. Copley Jr., 46, was arrested in Franklin, Indiana. Both have been charged with murder and murder during the commission of a robbery, a release from Hammond Lt. Steve Kellogg said," via the Post-Tribune. — Former Whiting mayor gets probation, home detention for wire fraud, false tax return charges: "In September, Joseph Stahura pleaded guilty to the charges tied to the misuse of approximately $255,000 in campaign funds on gambling and personal bills since 2014, according to court records," by Post-Tribune's Alexandra Kukulka. — Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking: "Kyle Rittenhouse flashed a hand sign adopted by some white supremacist groups and was 'loudly serenaded' with a song reportedly adopted by the far-right group the Proud Boys as the 18-year-old drank at a Wisconsin bar last week, prosecutors said in a court filing Wednesday," by Tribune's Dan Hinkel. | | POT-POURRI | | Bill creating 75 more pot shops dies in Springfield, yet another failure in bid to diversify white weed industry: "[State Rep. La Shawn] Ford said the major sticking point was the prospect of allowing existing medical dispensaries to relocate without losing their ability to sell recreational weed — something some major pot firms have long been pushing for. Industry insiders have estimated the state is missing out on roughly $100 million in tax revenues by blocking dispensaries from moving," by Sun-Times' Tom Schuba and Rachel Hinton. | | TAKING NAMES | | YOHANNES ABRAHAM's political career didn't start off so well. As a young staffer working for Obama's primary campaign in 2007, he was given the responsibility of driving around top Obama adviser VALERIE JARRETT on a snowy day in Des Moines, Iowa. He got lost. Not wanting to look dumb, however, he just kept driving. Keep cool, ya know? But after they passed the same gas station three times, Jarrett spoke up and suggested he ask for directions. She didn't hold it against him — Abraham later became her chief of staff. Now, he's set to be the chief of staff for Biden's National Security Council. (H/T POLITICO Transition Playbook) | | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Trump gutted the agencies charged with keeping the country safe, by POLITICO's Garrett M. Graff — Koch network pledges to 'weigh heavy' lawmakers' actions in riots, by POLITICO's Maggie Severns — Biden looks to Obama alums for help selecting temporary Cabinet secretaries, by POLITICOs Natasha Korecki | | JOB BOARD | | Mike Unes, the outgoing state representative from the 91st District, is now VP of the UnityPoint Health — Methodist Proctor Foundation, which provides healthcare in Greater Peoria and surrounding communities. Unes didn't run for re-election so he could make a move in the private sector. Unes sat down with the Journal Star's Chris Kaergard to talk about his work in the General Assembly. | | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Jon Maxson, comms director for the House Democratic Caucus, for correctly answering that Olivet Baptist Church was home to John John W. E. Thomas, the first African American elected to the Illinois General Assembly, and specifically the Illinois House of Representatives. TODAY's QUESTION: Who was the Republican congressman from Illinois who joined Democrats to draft the article of impeachment against Richard Nixon? I'll take the third correct answer! Email to skapos@politico.com. | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, Chicago Realtors Association government affairs director Kristopher Anderson, and singer and nonprofit leader Maria Kotsinis. -30-
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