News : POLITICO Illinois Playbook: A Madigan October surprise

Monday, October 17, 2022

POLITICO Illinois Playbook: A Madigan October surprise

Oct 17, 2022

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Good Monday morning, Illinois. We caught Goodman Theatre's " Swing State " Sunday night. It's a powerful production that explores how challenging it is to cope when everything around us seems to be disappearing.

NEW POLL OUT THIS MORNING: Illinois voters don't want Pritzker or Biden to run for president – but they'd take either over Trump, via Sun-Times/WBEZ

TOP TALKER

A new federal criminal charge against former House Speaker Michael Madigan could be the October surprise that gives Illinois Republicans a midterm boost.

That's what Republicans are hoping. Republican nominee for Attorney General Tom DeVore has called on Democratic AG Kwame Raoul to return the $1 million campaign donation he received in 2018 from the Friends of Michael J. Madigan committee. DeVore describes Madigan as "the poster child for political corruption in Illinois," according to a statement.

Raoul responded: "That money was donated by the former head of the Democratic Party of Illinois four years ago, and it was spent four years ago. Since then, I've accepted donations from the new chairwoman of the party and other supporters, and I'm certainly not going to hand over those donations to someone who is under federal indictment," Raoul said in a statement. He called the new allegations against Madigan "very serious," adding, "I think the U.S. Attorney's Office is appropriately conducting their prosecution."

It's not just DeVore: Republicans Stefanie Hood and Jack Vrett, candidates in the 42nd and 53rd state House Districts, respectively, are calling on their Democratic opponents Reps. Terra Costa Howard and Mark Walker, to return monies their campaigns received from Madigan over the years, too.

Costa Howard was among the 19 Democrats who stood up against Madigan, calling him to resign. "The dollars I have received from the Democratic Party of Illinois over the years were contributed by many donors who support Democratic pro-choice policies and common-sense gun laws," she said in a statement to Playbook.

The political back-and-forth follows a new federal indictment against Madigan that essentially says the former Democratic House speaker traded votes for a cushy job at AT&T for one of his House allies. It mirrors the corruption claims in an earlier indictment involving ComEd. AT&T has agreed to a nearly $23 million fine, according to the Justice Department .

With Madigan out of office for nearly two years, his name and the word "corruption" haven't resonated much on the campaign. Republicans hope the new indictment changes that. They have 22 days to see if it works.

Tribune has a story here .

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THE BUZZ

HELP GUARANTEED: Women are outnumbering men three to one in applying for the Cook County guaranteed income program that will give $500 each month to recipients for two years.

Getting the word out is "not the challenge," Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle told Playbook. Applications for the Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot can be submitted through Friday. So far, the county has seen 160,000 applications. The accepted applications will skew toward Chicago's suburbs, since the city has its own program.

Just the beginning: Both programs are funded through the American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration's Covid-19 direct relief initiative. And after the Cook County pilot ends, Preckwinkle has committed to some version of guaranteed income becoming permanent, even after ARPA funds run out.

That's a big deal, Preckwinkle's office said, because the program is also the largest of its kind in the country. "It was a great idea during the pandemic. It's a great idea in ordinary times," Preckwinkle said.

The $42 million Cook County program will send monthly payments of $500 to 3,250 residents for two years, while Chicago's $31.5 million program has begun sending 5,000 Chicagoans $500 monthly for a year (the city had 176,000 applicants).

What the future holds: Preckwinkle said she hopes the lessons gained from the Chicago-area guaranteed income pilots — and similar programs across the country — will lead to a federal guaranteed income initiative. "The federal government should be doing this for all of our residents," she said.

Have a news tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? I'd like to hear from you: skapos@politico.com

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WHERE'S JB

No official public events.

WHERE'S LORI

No official public events.

Where's Toni

No official public events.

THE JUICE

— Republican Congressman Darin LaHood raised more than $446,000 in the third quarter of 2022 in his bid for the 16th District. Since the beginning of the 2022 campaign cycle, LaHood's campaign says it's raised over $3.68 million and has $4.3 million cash on hand.

— Democratic Congressman Sean Casten raised nearly $1.3 million in the third quarter and has raised about $5 million this election cycle, according to his campaign.

CAMPAIGN MODE

— Pritzkers release tax returns | Last year's $18.5M in taxable income more than triple previous year: "Gov. J.B. Pritzker's campaign released partial 2021 state and federal tax returns, which also show the Pritzkers paid $4,733,028 in federal taxes and $883,780 in state taxes," by Sun-Times' Tina Sfondeles.

— Former broadcast journalist Charles Thomas was paid $50,000 by the People Who Play By The Rules PAC for those ads featuring him attacking Gov. JB Pritzker and boosting Darren Bailey for governor, according to State Board of Elections filings.

— Abortion rights at the forefront of Supreme Court race: "It's a race that's become more visible on the airwaves in recent days, with Gov. JB Pritzker chipping $500,000 into Elizabeth Rochford's campaign war chest. Her backers have aired ads that highlight Mark Curran's long history of anti-abortion rhetoric," by Capitol News' Jerry Nowicki.

— GOP state Rep. Tom Demmer questions Democratic tax, spending policies in race against Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs, by Tribune's Caroline Kubzansky.

— IL-17, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is out with a new ad that attacks Republican Esther Joy King. She's running against Democrat Eric Sorensen.

— Prodded by Pritzker to step down, state Sen. Michael Hastings faces first general election foe in a decade, by Daily Southtown's Mike Nolan

BUSINESS OF POLITICS

— Trump factor and abortion signal higher-than-normal midterm turnout: "One thing analysts and political scientists will be looking at is what's the turnout in the congressional districts downstate," said Matt Dietrich, spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections. "Trump endorsed GOP congressional candidate Mary Miller. He endorsed Rep. Mike Bost in far Southern Illinois. Is that going to drive a higher turnout in those Congressional districts?" Derrick Blakely reports for Center for Illinois Politics.

THE STATEWIDES

— POINT: Officials 'grinding to the bone' to prepare for cash-bail reform amid what they call misinformation, politicization: Supporters of the SAFE-T Act say lawmakers built in a nearly two-year period before the provision would take effect in order to allow agencies to prepare. 'The proof will be in the pudding, but the reason it took so long for implementation from the passage of this bill was because we wanted to make sure in the interest of safe communities that we had the infrastructures there,' Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said," by Tribune's Madeline Buckley

— COUNTERPOINT: Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow, a Democrat, is on a media blitz speaking out against the SAFE-T Act. He headlines Bill Cameron's podcast , saying "the drafting was poor and hard to understand." Glasgow says he wants to sit down with lawmakers to recraft the law to mirror the bail-reform law in New Jersey.

— ACLU: Pretrial Fairness Act Needs reform, not complete overhaul, by State Journal-Register's Patrick Keck

MIGRANTS IN ILLINOIS

— WELCOME: Chicago saw 181 new migrants arrive Friday and Saturday, according to the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. The city has now welcomed 3,408 asylum-seekers bused from the Texas border since Aug. 31.

— SCOOP: Biden's top border chief comes under internal fire, by POLITICO's Daniel Lippman.

2023 MUNICIPAL RACES

— Many Chicago progressives want to defeat Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Can they do it without hurting their movement?: "'If you wish to contrast yourself with someone, please contrast yourself to the current mayor,' quipped [progressive debate co-moderator Ken] Barrios, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. 'Nobody likes her,'" by Tribune's Gregory Pratt and Alice Yin.

— Mayoral candidate Raymond Lopez has opened a Northwest Side campaign office in his run for mayor. An open house is planned for Saturday. He also has a campaign office downtown.

— Nomination petitions at Ald. Tom Tunney's Ann Sather restaurants may violate election laws, Taylor Moore writes in the Reader

— Jessie Fuentes, Humboldt Park activist and Puerto Rican Cultural Center staffer, to run against Maldonado in 26th Ward , by Block Club's Mina Bloom

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CHICAGO

— St. Sabina Church stands by Rev. Pfleger amid new sex abuse allegation: 'Father Mike, this is your army': "During Sunday Mass, parishioners wore shirts saying, 'We stand with Father Pfleger.' The popular priest denies the latest allegation — the fourth against him," by Sun-Times' David Struett.

— Group serving immigrants on Northwest Side gets new warehouse-size space: "Onward Neighborhood House plans to install a food pantry there, plus eventually turn it into a community hub," by Sun-Times' Michael Loria.

— How Chicago put Louis Armstrong on a path to jazz greatness 100 years ago, by Mark Guarino for WBEZ

TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES

— CTA working to fix 'unreliable' bus service: "The agency has also said a driver shortage is partly to blame for long wait times, and it is hiring operators and changing schedules as a result," by Tribune's Sarah Freishtat.

— Pace would drop routes and transfer fees but boost electric buses under new budget, by Daily Herald's Marni Pyke

— DAY IN COURT: BNSF Railway loses first case to go under trial under Illinois' biometrics privacy law , by Tribune's Sarah Freishtat

...SWAMP THINGS...

— Chicago cop will keep his job despite links to the Proud Boys and failing to disclose he was under FBI investigation, by Sun-Times' Tom Schuba

POT-POURRI

— Minnesota's weird weed experiment: "What's developed so far is a peculiar experiment in quasi-legalization — one that's sent cities and counties scrambling to put guardrails around the fledgling industry and raised concerns about public health and safety," by POLITICO's Paul Demko.

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 .

Reader Digest

We asked how you handle the playoffs when Chicago isn't in the mix:

Ron Abrams: "Picking up husband points by watching 'Bachelor in Paradise' with the wife. ... Don't tell anyone."

Jeff Lande: "Going for a hike."

Ed Mazur: "Watching all the shows I've taped instead of watching 'alien' teams."

Mark Michaels: "Cheering Rickie Ashburn, Mike Schmidt and Robin Roberts. Go Phillies!"

Gail Morse: "I root for my childhood team. Go Padres!"

Rey Nonato: "I watch political ads as a diversion."

Chris Ruys: "Watch a foreign film or bury myself in a really good Netflix series with a glass of Prosecco."

Betsy Shepherd: "Designing and sewing 200 Santa large bags for former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije's annual 'Shop with a Cop' event."

Jim Strickler: "I count down the days until spring training starts for the Cubs."

What theater scene startled you out of your seat? Email skapos@politico.com

THE NATIONAL TAKE

— Kinzinger: Not clear what will happen if Trump refuses to testify, by POLITICO's David Cohen

— The sleeper state Republicans are targeting to win the Senate, by POLITICO's Natalie Allison

— How Warnock's church highlights the key to Georgia's Senate race, by POLITICO's Eugene Daniels

WEDDING BELLS

Christopher Reel, a writer and editor for the EPA, and Kevin Hauswirth, a marketing pro and former City Hall digital director, were married Saturday evening at the Harold Washington Library. Reel's grandfather, Rural Valley, Pa,, Mayor Tom Krizmanich was among notables at the ceremony. Also attending: LGBTQ rights pioneers and wedding officiants Art Johnston and Pep Peña, state Sens. Mike Simmons and Sara Feigenholtz, Illinois House majority leader Greg Harris, City Clerk Anna Valencia and chef Art Smith, who made the couple's wedding cake. Pic and pic!

EVENTS

— Nov. 5: The True Blue Gala, a fundraiser that supports the work of the Chicago Police Foundation, will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Headliners will be the Chicago Police Department's command staff "and the brave men and women who protect our city," says CPF Chairman Richard Simon. Details here

— Today's debate watch: Three big debates all CT: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams 6 p.m. ( Watch here. ). In Ohio, Senate hopefuls Rep. Tim Ryan and J.D. Vance meet at 6 p.m. ( Watch here. ). In Utah, Sen. Mike Lee and independent Evan McMullin square off at 7 p.m. ( Watch here. ).

TRIVIA

FRIDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Janet Mathis, executive director of the Edgar Fellows Program, for correctly answering that the Chicago River was dyed blue in 2016 for the World Champion Chicago Cubs and to Rina Ranalli for answering that the river was dyed hot pink in 2018 for Easter. h/t to Steve Niketopoulos for the question.

TODAY's QUESTION: Which three Illinois universities have buildings named after this former Illinois governor? Email skapos@politico.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Congressman Mike Quigley, Metropolitan Family Services CEO Ric Estrada, Roycemore School admissions director Angela Peters Murphy and Carrier government relations director John Monsif.

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