| | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Presented by Voices for Cooperative Power | Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. Opa, Milwaukee and The "Greek Freak." GOOD CATCH: Rep. Cheri Bustos caught a ball at the Nationals game! |  | TOP TALKER | | Gov. J.B. Pritzker holed up in a downtown Chicago office yesterday talking to political reporters one by one about the unfinished business he wants to tackle in a second term. "Lifting up working families," lowering taxes for the middle class, expanding child care, and the "worthy pursuit" of making college free for families earning up to the median income. "These are all things that state government can do. And we've got to do it in the context of keeping our fiscal house in order," Pritzker told Playbook of the "kitchen table" items that make Democrats swoon. | 
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker talks Covid and the economy during a one-on-one with Illinois Playbook. | Screen shot | That was a theme. Pritzker more than once pointed to the work of Democrats guiding the state out of its financial morass. "Democrats in the Legislature have wanted to make sure this state is on solid fiscal footing. We're the ones who put us in a strong fiscal position." Republican opponents will challenge him. They already say it was the federal government's Covid assistance that led three credit agencies to give Illinois a boost. Pritzker seems to be banking on voters not caring how the economy will improve, as long as it does. And he will share the message with voters as he works to prop up Democrats up and down the ticket. The other big theme is Covid. Pritzker anticipates criticism from the right, especially downstaters who pushed back at his mitigation efforts. But he brushed it off. "People who don't support me and people who don't support health and safety during the Covid crisis are people who aren't going to vote for Democrats anyway," he said. Interesting side note: Pritzker's done extensive research trying to figure out how to motivate people to get the Covid vaccine. He's talked to behavioral economists who focus on "how to motivate people to do something that they may not naturally be inclined to do," he said. "A lot of good ideas are coming from that discussion." Pritzker similarly researched Covid last year. "I read an awful lot" about the 1918 influenza pandemic. Pointing to research by MIT and the Federal Reserve, he said, one of the things that comes through is that the cities that "clamped down" and "stuck to their guns" on mitigations emerged financially sound. FROM HIS OTHER INTERVIEWS — "If we need them, we'll consider them ," Pritzker tells WGN/9's Tahman Bradley about whether he will enforce more mitigations to counter Covid variants. — "If they're all going to run a pro-Trump line, I think that's a losing effort," Pritzker told ABC/7's Craig Wall regarding Republicans in 2022. — " I've always liked and respected Robin Kelly — she's been a great U.S. congressperson ... so I'll continue to support her," Pritzker told Sun-Times' Rachel Hinton, in regard to Kelly being head of the Illinois Democratic Party. — House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch is a "breath of fresh air," the governor told Tribune's Rick Pearson. — "If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have hired her," Pritzker told NBC/5's Mary Ann Ahern, referring to Linda Chapa LaVia, who saw 72 deaths to Covid during her tenure at homes run by the state's Veterans' Affairs Department. | | THE BUZZ | | Sozo Illinois cannabis company has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Gov. J.B. Pritzker over a new law that allowed the process of awarding 185 cannabis dispensary licenses to move forward. The lawsuit seeks to stop three upcoming lottery drawings, claiming the state's updated rules are unfair. Alan Nicgorski, lead counsel for the firm representing Michigan-based Sozo, said the company plans to move the court later this week to halt the licensing process. "My client believes there are serious constitutional issues both in terms of due process, equal protection, and favoritism of in-state interests in violation of the commerce clause," Nicgorski said. "We believe the issues need to be addressed now so the cannabis industry in Illinois can confidently move forward on sound constitutional footing." The governor's office declined to comment, saying it cannot discuss pending litigation. Key context: The licensing process was delayed after questions arose about how Illinois scored the first lottery last year. The recently enacted legislation was supposed to fix those flaws, but also introduced a new kink in the process. At issue is a provision that previously allowed dispensary applicants to earn social equity status simply by hiring employees from communities disproportionately hurt by criminal marijuana enforcement. That provision sparked criticism from other social equity applicants, who derided it as the "slave master clause." The new law eliminates applicants who qualified for social equity status through the hiring provision from one of the upcoming lotteries. Sozo's lawsuit argues that this amounts to changing the rules in the middle of the licensing process. "This is fundamentally unfair and damages applicants like Sozo who relied on the original Act and [regulatory] guidance in structuring their businesses and preparing their applications under the employee method," the lawsuit states. What's next? A source familiar with the licensing process expects the state to move ahead with the new round of lotteries — the first one is July 29. Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a sharp critic of the original licensing process, called the lawsuit "predictable," and said it's proof that the industry "continues to be monopolized by a small group of men." He added: "The law was written to support men, women, families and communities destroyed by the war on drugs. The law is intended to help repair the harms to those people and communities." Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: skapos@politico.com | | | | A message from Voices for Cooperative Power: Lawmakers are on the verge of passing legislation that would raise electric rates and turn Illinois into an exporter of jobs and importer of energy from states with higher carbon intensity. While masquerading as a clean energy bill, the proposal would shut down highly efficient, state-of-the-art power plants in Illinois in favor of energy from states that are far behind carbon reduction goals. Legislators: reject this plan, keep energy affordable, reliable, and made in Illinois! | | |
| | WHERE'S J.B. | | No official public events. | | WHERE'S LORI | | Presiding over the City Council meeting at 10 a.m. | | Where's Toni | | In Forest Park at 1 p.m. and Des Plaines at 2:30 p.m. to mark the closing of mass vaccination sites. | | Covid-19 Update | | — As state says unvaccinated kids should wear masks, here's what suburban schools are doing so far: "On Monday night, the state's second-largest school system, Elgin Area School District U-46, mandated masks in elementary classrooms, St. Charles Unit District 303 made face coverings voluntary, and Geneva Unit District 304 deferred a decision," by Daily Herald's Katlyn Smith, Marni Pyke and Lauren Rohr. — Chicago expands travel advisory, and mayor warns restrictions could return as Covid-19 numbers creep up: "Chicago also added Florida, Louisiana, Nevada and the U.S. Virgin Islands to its Covid-19 travel advisory Tuesday. City Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady urged people to reconsider traveling to those places," by Tribune's John Byrne. | | CHICAGO | | — BIG VOTE TODAY: The City Council's Public Safety Committee voted 12 to 8 late Tuesday to create an elected board of residents to oversee the Chicago Police Department. The compromise measure has the support of Mayor Lori Lightfoot as well as community groups. "Chicago is on the cusp of a new era of civilian police oversight in which citizens would get much more input than they have now, but resulting rules would give a strong mayor lots of power to keep setting Police Department policies and picking who serves as police superintendent," writes Tribune's John Byrne. After the vote, Lightfoot tweeted: "A big, historic step in Public Safety was taken today. The most important piece happens tomorrow on the floor of City Council. Is Chicago ready for reform? We need 34 yes votes for change." WTTW's Heather Cherone live-tweeted yesterday's meeting. — FED UP WITH KIM FOXX's OFFICE, alderman wants city to take some matters into its own hands: "At Wednesday's City Council meeting, Ald. Anthony Napolitano wants to take some crimes normally prosecuted by the state's attorney's office and divert them to city hearing officers," by Sun-Times' Fran Spielman. — Chicago police again face criticism for response to unrest over George Floyd murder, as federal monitor files report, by Tribune's Paige Fry and Annie Sweeney — Council paves the way for city's next megadevelopment: "The City of Chicago is selling 50 acres that used to be home to Michael Reese Hospital to a team of developers for $97 million. That's approximately the same price the city paid for the property along the Bronzeville lakefront in 2008," by WBEZ's Becky Vevea, Mariah Woelfel, and Claudia Morell. — Feds to break up city's monopoly on $145M for Head Start programs: About $95 million will be divided among "five community organizations, including one led by former Illinois First Lady Diana Rauner. City Hall will hold on to $51.8 million of the grant," by Chalkbeat's Cassie Walker Burke. — Aldermen: Inspector General should join investigation of lifeguard abuse at park district: "The stories that we saw about the horrific sexual assault and harrassment of park district employees, especially the lifeguards, were pretty appalling," said Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd), chairman of the City Council's powerful Finance Committee. He filed the proposal with Ald. Michele Smith (43rd), by WBEZ's Dan Mihalopoulos. — Activist loses nephew to gun violence: 'If you think this can't happen to you, think again,' by Sun-Times' Maudlyne Ihejirika — Big-dollar buyers are back in the downtown condo market: "A $6.7 million purchase at the St. Regis Chicago tower is one of several signs affluent buyers are confident enough to live in and around the Loop, even as agents worry that negative headlines are a drag on sales," by Crain's Dennis Rodkin. — Petterino's to reopen under the ownership of a newly formed restaurant group: "The 20-year-old Loop mainstay has been closed throughout the pandemic, and when it reopens, it will no longer be part of the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant empire," by Crain's Ally Marotti. — Chicago comedy institution iO Theater will reopen after sale: "The storied improv center closed under the financial strain of the pandemic, but a buyer has purchased both the building and the brand," according to the New York Times. | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | |
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — 'A size 10 foot into a size 4 shoe': Palatine commission turns down plan for affordable housing: "The plan came from Northpointe Development of Wisconsin, which is partnering with Lutheran Social Services for the approximately $20.4 million proposed project that was allocated $15 million in low-income housing tax credits by the Illinois Housing Development Authority," by Daily Herald's Elena Ferrarin. — She played for Northwestern and now lives in Buffalo Grove, but she'll play for Italy in Olympics: "A star softball player at Northwestern, Andrea Filler got the opportunity to play professionally in Italy after she graduated about five years ago," by Daily Herald's Patricia Babcock McGraw. — Growing your own backyard prairie takes patience, but the results can be rewarding, by Illinois Newsroom's Tim Shelley | | TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES | | — A real rail squeal: BNSF Railroad, which owns a 250-acre intermodal rail and maintenance yard in suburban Cicero, has been accused in a lawsuit filed in Cook County Court by the town of "trespassing." Extensive rail yard paving has triggered "excessive stormwater runoff," flooding the streets and property of nearby residents and straining the suburb's sewage system, according to the Berwyn-based Del Galdo Law Group, which is representing the town. The suit also alleges that the heavy industrial site's stormwater runoff "likely contains pollutants" and poses a public health risk. Cicero wants BNSF to build drainage ponds or install other drainage system options, among other fixes, to halt the flooding. | | DAY IN COURT | | — Getaway driver in Hadiya Pendleton murder sentenced to 42 years in prison: "During a sentencing hearing Tuesday, Pendleton's mother and brother made clear they feel Kenneth Williams, 28, was just as responsible for Hadiya's death as Micheail Ward, the man who fired the fatal shots into Harsh Park in the Kenwood neighborhood in January 2013," by WTTW's Matt Masterson. — 88 people say they were framed by corrupt former Chicago cop: "[It's] the latest development in one of the darkest chapters in the history of the city's police force. A unit led by a Black sergeant, Ronald Watts, for nearly a decade until 2012 planted drugs or falsely accused housing project residents and others of drug crimes unless they paid the officers off," by the AP's Don Babwin. — CPS worker testifies at principal's trial on charges he hit her with a bottle: 'The blood was just coming out': " Witnesses testified they saw Kurt Jones throw the bottle at Faye Jenkins last year at a North Side school. Jones' attorney said the incident was just a game and vigorously denied it was a criminal act," by Sun-Times' Matthew Hendrickson and Nader Issa. | | THE STATEWIDES | | — Illinois' unemployment fraud losses: Nearly $15 million and counting: "The Illinois Department of Employment Security for months has declined to disclose how much it lost to fraudulent claims, even as other state agencies release the same information… [But] the agency reported to the U.S. Department of Labor that it lost more than $14.8 million to fraud since the pandemic began," by WGN/9's Lourdes Duarte and Andrew Schroedter. — Fact-check: Downstate senator wrong on Medicaid eligibility for Illinois undocumented immigrants: "The state created a program to provide healthcare benefits to noncitizens at least 55 years old who are ineligible for Medicaid. But despite assertions from Republican state Sen. Terri Bryant, those individuals must meet the same income criteria as qualifying citizens," reports Better Government Association's Kiannah Sepeda-Miller. — When companies and top talent leave California, the Midwest opens its arms, by Entrepreneur magazine — We can dig this: Pritzker signs law to add media literacy to high school curriculum, by Center Square's Andrew Hensel — Illinois Caverns — a 'hidden gem in southwest Illinois' — reopens after being closed for more than a decade to protect the bat population, by Tribune's Talia Soglin | | | |   | | |
| | FEELING '22 | | Nikki Budzinski's domain name: The former chief of staff in the Office of Management & Budget says she's not ready to talk about what's next as she returns to central Illinois. But her name has popped up on a Domain Name System list , adding fuel to the buzz she could run for office. As they say — stay tuned! | | REMAP ROAD MAP | | Welch, Harmon seek to dismiss redistricting lawsuits: "Lawyers for Illinois' Democratic legislative leaders last week filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit from Republicans and a Mexican American advocacy group regarding newly drawn legislative maps, calling the challenge 'purely speculative' until full U.S. Census data is released," reports Capitol News' Jerry Nowicki. | | THE FIFTY | | THE FIFTY: Republicans aren't just targeting voting rights. They're going after ballot campaigns, too . "There's a wave of legislation moving through GOP-controlled legislatures that's intended to combat progressive policymaking at the ballot box — from Medicaid expansion to marijuana legalization," report POLITICO's Liz Crampton and Mona Zhang. | | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — Duckworth wants to change stigma around miscarriage: "There's growing recognition that people who go through a miscarriage need time to heal, physically and emotionally. Earlier this year, New Zealand became the second country in the world to provide paid leave in the wake of a miscarriage. Meanwhile, individual companies are beginning to offer miscarriage leave for employees — the Pill Club, a company providing online birth control prescriptions, announced such a benefit earlier this year. And on Tuesday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) [introduced] the Support Through Loss Act, which would provide paid leave for people experiencing miscarriage," via Vox. — Durbin says Biden's ATF pick has 'a lot of issues': Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin says that the whip count "is not where we want it yet, but there's always a chance," by POLITICO's Marianne LeVine. | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | |
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | | 
President Joe Biden listens to Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady speak during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House,. | AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta | — Tom Brady zings Donald Trump (at about the 2:40 mark) at the White House on Tuesday — and took a jab at Chicago, too, by POLITICO Nick Niedzwiadek — Inside Schumer's infrastructure gamble, by POLITICO's Burgess Everett and Marianne LeVine — 'It's a nightmare': Covid Delta variant rocks a recovering Capitol complex, by POLITICO's Sarah Ferris and Katherine Tully-McManus — Trump adviser Tom Barrack arrested on foreign-agent charges, by POLITICO's Josh Gerstein — Former Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar is scheduled to testify today in a House Financial Services subcommittee meeting on banking the unbanked and public banking. | | IN MEMORIAM | | Hugo Sonnenschein, 11th president of the University of Chicago, 1940-2021: He was "a renowned economist and longtime university administrator who led the University of Chicago through a transformational period as its 11th president," according to U. Chicago News. | | EVENTS | | Today at 10 a.m.: Tim Knight, the president and CEO of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, headlines a virtual conversation with Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Director John Shaw. The subject: "Understanding Our New World." | | TRANSITIONS | | — Tumia Romero is chief of staff to Rep. Danny Davis, the veteran lawmaker who serves on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Romero was previously Davis' director of comms, a position she's held since 1995. Romero also had stints in the offices of Mayors Harold Washington and Richard M. Daley, and was assistant director of labor in Gov. Pat Quinn's administration. — Trisha Miller is head of innovation and development at Elevate, an organization that supports public policy work, including in the area of climate change. Miller previously worked at the Gates Foundation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. | | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Jimmy Dean, the former mayor of Johnston City and a political junkie, for correctly answering that Ford County is the youngest county in Illinois, established in 1859. TODAY's QUESTION: Who was the longest-serving mayor in Illinois history? Email to skapos@politico.com | | | | A message from Voices for Cooperative Power: Coming online in 2012 during the Obama-Biden Administration and purpose-built with $1 billion of emissions controls, Prairie State Energy Campus stands apart from older, traditional coal plants. Employing more than 650 full-time workers and another 1,000 union contractors, Prairie State has partnered with state and federal officials to study ways to further cut emissions. Illinois Electric Cooperatives and municipalities that own Prairie State are committed to keeping energy affordable and reliable while we invest in a cleaner energy future, but we cannot let policy get ahead of technology. Prairie State is the bridge to Illinois' energy future. | | |
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | State Sen. Bill Cunningham, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Erika Orr, former state Sen. John Mulroe, NBC/5 reporter Mary Ann Ahern, PR pro Amanda Berrios, and Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing executive director Mark Swartz. -30-
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