| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Good Thursday morning, Illinois. And happy 4/20 to all who celebrate (legally).
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Mayor Lori Lightfoot shakes hands with Peter Polacek of the City Clerk's Office at the start of the Chicago City Council meeting Wednesday, April 20, 2023. | POLITCO's Shia Kapos | TWO BIG MOMENTS in political history on Wednesday marked a turning point in Chicago after a brutal political year. One happened in City Council chambers, where aldermen put aside differences to salute each other and Mayor Lori Lightfoot for her successes over the past four years. The other was 201 miles away in Springfield, where Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson talked about a synergy between Chicago and the rest of the state and vowed to collaborate with lawmakers to get a handle on crime. Both events celebrated all the good stuff about Chicago. In City Hall, even aldermen who opposed Lightfoot’s reelection bid, had only praise for the outgoing mayor. “You’ve done more than any other mayor in this city,” said Ald. David Moore (17th). “That’s including Harold Washington, because he did not get a chance to do everything he wanted to do when we talk about investing in the South and West sides of Chicago.” Recognizing the challenges: Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) acknowledged Lightfoot was dealt “the hardest hand,” including leading the city through a historic pandemic. There were no negative critiques about personality. Instead, Lightfoot was lauded for having the “chutzpah” to get things done, from landing a casino in Chicago, after no mayor before her could get it done, to extending the Red Line into areas that lacked transportation. A matter of style. While Lightfoot didn’t make a farewell speech, leaving laudatory comments to aldermen, Johnson gave a rousing address during a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly.
|  Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson answers questions from the media outside the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., Wednesday, April 19, 2023, after addressing a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly. | AP Photo/John O'Connor | We’re all Chicago. Johnson said Chicago's challenges “are not that unique” compared to the rest of the state: “No one has to lose at the expense of someone else winning. There is more than enough for everybody.” His comments in the House Chamber drew cheers and standing ovations from state lawmakers, who later lined up to pose for photographs with the mayor-elect. Johnson also met with individual caucuses as well as Senate President Don Harmon, who many years ago gave Johnson his first political job, and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. SPOTTED: Bulls great Joakim Noah was in the state Capitol, too, on Wednesday. He visited with state Rep. Kam Buckner, Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch during a presentation honoring Johnson as the 57th mayor, via WBEZ’s Alex Degman. Pic! Reporting from Springfield: Johnson tells state lawmakers funding for schools, youth jobs tie into ‘mandate’ to tackle crime with investment, by Tribune’s Alice Yin and Jeremy Gorner Reporting from Chicago: Teary speeches, haikus and old war stories as City Council members bid farewell, by WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg and Mariah Woelfel Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman’s take | The long goodbye: City Council honors Mayor Lori Lightfoot, 13 departing members
| | THE BUZZ | | | | 
Chicago Ald. Edward Burke makes his last speech to the City Council on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. | POLITICO's Shia Kapos | THE BIG FAREWELL: After five hours of hugs and tears, haikus and praise, the Chicago City Council chambers fell silent as Ald. Edward Burke (14th) stood to say farewell. The longest-serving alderman — 54 years — spoke after being lauded for helping guide and mentor aldermen over the years. In the Chicago way, no one mentioned the federal indictment that has hung over him for four years. Burke didn’t either. He tipped his hat to his wife, former state Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, saying only their marriage outlasted his time in political office. And he paid tribute to the police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty over the course of his career. “As I leave here today with the other members who will retire, it is my hope that the 243 families of those brave police officers and firefighters whose funerals I have attended will be well and it will be well with them,” he said. Burke repeated a quote he attributed to Edmund Burke, that “‘In politics, there are no permanent enemies, no permanent friends, only permanent interests.’" "Those words are wise, are they not? And should be a goal for all who are in government," the alderman said. "Madam president and ladies and gentlemen with whom I’ve been proud to serve, if I have failed during these past 54 years in achieving that goal, please permit me to apologize.” More about Ald. Ed Burke’s storied career, by WTTW’s Heather Cherone If you are Ed Burke, Playbook would like to know the aldermanic moment you’re most proud of. Email skapos@politico.com.
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events.
| | WHERE'S LORI | | No official public events.
| | | Where's Toni | | | At South Suburban College at 9:30 a.m. for the grand opening of the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials. — At Provident Hospital of Cook County at noon to announce the launch of a scholarship fund for students pursuing health care careers. Thank you for reading Playbook! Drop me a line sometime: skapos@politico.com
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Bill requiring schools to teach Native American history heads to Senate floor: The legislation does not create curriculum for the history course, but “it does specify the unit should include Native American contributions in ‘government and the arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as the contributions of Native Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of their own nations and of the United States,’” by Capitol News’ Nika Schoonover. — POT POURRI : A new leaf: Legal assistance to expunge pot convictions goes unused across Illinois, by Sun-Times’ Andy Grimm
| | CORRUPTION CHRONICLES | | — ComEd bribery case — which shook Illinois politics to the core — goes into the hands of jurors next week: “The jury will have a mountain of evidence to sort through. Jurors heard from about 50 witnesses over five weeks, saw piles of emails and heard a cache of secret FBI recordings that form the backbone of the feds’ case,” by Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.
| | SPOTTED | | POWER LUNCH: Bennett Lawson, the newly elected alderman of the 44th Ward, hosted fellow incoming freshmen City Council members for a get-to-know-each-other lunch Wednesday. Bennett has served as an aldermanic chief of staff for 15 years to outgoing Ald. Tom Tunney, so he’s a veteran of sorts to the council. Lawson organized the event at the Dearborn close to City Hall. The group “talked a lot about ward offices, staff and ward superintendents,” according to someone in the room. And they shared war stories about their campaigns. Pic!
| | CHICAGO | | — Chicago Park District employees are accused of defrauding federal pandemic-aid programs: “An internal investigation at the park district echoes similar accusations against workers at branches of Cook County government and courts,” by WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos and Sun-Times’ Frank Main. — Sen. Dick Durbin calls downtown Chicago violence 'disgusting, awful, terrible,' especially after DNC secured, via ABC 7 — Chicago police investigating officers’ response to mob attack in Loop after witness says police declined to help, by Tribune’s Jake Sheridan — Violent gathering of youths downtown takes center stage at South Side meeting on police superintendent search, by Tribune’s Sam Charles — City Council revives Congress Theater redevelopment plan, sets up key votes to advance $88M project, by Block Club’s Mina Bloom
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Evanston’s experience paying slavery reparations offers lessons for people on all sides of the issue, by Tom Harrison for Courthouse News Service — Teens get probation for starting fires that ravaged Pheasant Run Resort, by Daily Herald’s Susan Sarkauskas — DeVry University moving main campus from Naperville to Lisle, by Daily Herald’s Katlyn Smith
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Kirk Dillard has been appointed to Western Illinois University's Board of Trustees by Gov. JB Pritzker. A WIU alum, Dillard is the chair of the Regional Transportation Authority. — The Illinois AFL-CIO has honored state Rep. Lakesia Collins with the Margaret Blackshere, Women in Leadership Award; state Rep. Teresa Mah with the Zeke Giorgi Award; and state Sen. Linda Holmes, the Reuben Soderstrom Award.
| | | | GO INSIDE THE 2023 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage, insider nuggets and unparalleled insights from the 2023 Global Conference, which will convene leaders in health, finance, politics, philanthropy and entertainment from April 30-May 3. This year’s theme, Advancing a Thriving World, will challenge and inspire attendees to lean into building an optimistic coalition capable of tackling the issues and inequities we collectively face. Don’t miss a thing — subscribe today for a front row seat. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked what you want to see in Chicago’s budget: Maggie O'Keefe, 40th Ward Democratic committeeperson: “Reinstate funds for ash tree inoculation.” Mary Kay Minaghan, a government consultant: “Eliminate or reduce taxes that generate under $75 million in order to increase revenue through increased purchases.” When did you speak out at a city council meeting? Email skapos@politico.com
| | CAMPAIGNS | | — Paul Vallas outspent Brandon Johnson nearly 2-to-1 in losing mayoral bid: “Vallas raised $18 million and spent nearly $17 million of it enroute to a 52 percent to 48 percent loss to Johnson, according to recently filed state campaign finance records. Vallas ended the first quarter of 2023 with $1.7 million on hand. Johnson, meanwhile, raised $8.6 million and spent $9.3 million. Johnson ended March with $575,000 cash on hand,” by Tribune’s A.D. Quig and Gregory Pratt. — Why did Chicago’s Latino voters split on Election Day? ‘The biggest lesson is outreach,’ experts say, by Block Club’s Madison Savedra
| | ON THE STUMP | | — The Kennedy campaign the Kennedys don’t want to see: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. opened his longshot presidential bid with a crowd full of conspiracy theorists, vaccine skeptics and Republicans,” by POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky Chris Kennedy, the Chicago businessman and political player, told Playbook he didn’t attend his brother’s announcement. “I tried to persuade my brother not to run. But now that he is, my best hope is that he makes the Biden campaign stronger during the primaries so the president is in the best shape to win the General Election.” | | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Florida legislators worn out by DeSantis, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout — THE FIFTY: Democratic governors lose their grip as Republicans nab supermajorities, by POLITICO’s Liz Crampton — Biden rejects McCarthy’s debt-limit plan, by POLITICO’s Adam Cancryn, Jennifer Scholtes and Sarah Ferris
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Lauren DaValle and Ross Secler are now partners at the law firm Odelson, Sterk, Murphey, Frazier & McGrath. They were associate attorneys at the firm.
| | | EVENTS | | | — Today at 7 p.m.: Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger headlines a discussion titled “Where do we go from here?” at Elmhurst College. Your Playbook host moderates. Details here — June 1: Chicago and D.C. restaurateur Art Smith hosts a dinner to benefit the Alzheimer's Foundation. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Jim Montgomery for correctly answering a trick question that Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Zachary Taylor and Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis were three presidents stationed at Dixon’s Ferry in 1832. TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the perennial political candidate known to wear an Uncle Same suit and who used the FCC’s equal time rule to force radio and TV stations to give him coverage during the 1960 Kennedy v. Nixon presidential race? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Cook County Circuit Court Judge Eve Reilly, community organizer William Calloway, former aldermanic candidate Kevin Bailey, political fundraiser Amanda Latty, EY consultant Chukwudi Motanya and Sister Pat Murphy of Broadview Immigration Staging Center. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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