| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Happy Thursday, Illinois. I don't care what you say. The tree is up for a few more days.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Penny Pritzker, senior fellow at the Harvard Corporation, faces call to step down in wake of the university president's resignation. | Darko Vojinovic/AP | PENNY PRITZKER, the Chicago mover and shaker, is taking heat for her role as head of the governing board at Harvard — which just saw its president resign over controversies related to antisemitism and alleged academic plagiarism. Seeking her resignation: Bill Ackman, a hedge fund manager and outspoken critic of Harvard’s handling of claims of antisemitism, called on Pritzker to step down over the handling of Claudine Gay’s hiring and ultimate exit from the Ivy League school. Harvard got to the point: “Senior fellow Penny Pritzker is not resigning,” a university spokesperson said in a statement to your Playbook host Wednesday. Call it the battle of the billionaires. Ackman and Pritzker both sit on the Forbes billionaire list and are noted political donors to Democratic candidates. They are also both Jewish Americans and Harvard alums. Pritzker, like her brother, Gov. JB Pritzker, is a longtime supporter of Jewish organizations and causes and has spoken at length about their family’s immigration story. Those close to Penny Pritzker defended her handling of the thorny campus crisis. “She was trying to figure out how to do the right thing and how to make sure that [Harvard] balanced what are a whole bunch of really complicated dynamics,” Bruce Andrews, former deputy secretary of Commerce under Pritzker, told POLITICO colleague Haley Fuchs. “You’ve got students with multiple sets of views. You got faculty … you’ve got alumni with multiple sets of views. You have donors with multiple sets of views. You now have the dynamic of Congress weighing in and sort of trying to be part of university oversight,” Andrews said. “This is a Rubik’s cube of multiple stakeholders.” Read our full story here. Related: Former Harvard president blames ‘demagogues’ for her downfall, by POLITICO’s Olivia Alafriz
| | THE BUZZ | | BY THE NUMBERS: Illinois won its appeal to have nearly 47,000 Illinois residents added to the state’s Census population — which means more federal funding is headed to Illinois. Tickled pink: “I’m pleased that the Census Bureau has recognized the undercounting that I and many members of Illinois’ congressional delegation have worked to remedy since the 2020 census results were first released,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “This correction will bring in millions in additional federal funding for crucial programs and help to ensure future counts reflect the true number of Illinois residents.” Making corrections: Illinois was among six states requesting officials double-check their census figures. Illinois, with 12.5 million residents, was one of six states that had undercounts of its population, according to the Census Bureau. Among those initially omitted were residents in nursing homes, dorms, homeless shelters, residential treatment facilities and jails, Pritzker said in one of two letters submitted to the Census Bureau asking for the correction. If you are Penny Pritzker, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | No official public events.
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (gasp!) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | CORRUPTION CHRONICLES | | — TRIAL DELAYED: The racketeering trial for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been moved from April to October while the U.S. Supreme Court considers an unrelated case that could affect the Illinois matter. U.S. District Judge John Blakey set the trial for Oct. 8, saying, “I don’t do this lightly. I do it reluctantly. … But it’s better to do it right than to do it twice.” More details here from the Tribune, the Sun-Times and WTTW.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Troubled state agency charged with protecting abused and neglected children will get new leadership: “Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday that Department of Juvenile Justice Director Heidi Mueller will take over the embattled Department of Children and Family Services starting Feb. 1,” by Capitol News Illinois’ Beth Hundsdorfer. — Illinois among several states hit with bomb threats to their capitols: “The FBI said it was aware of ‘numerous hoax incidents.’ Statehouse offices or other government buildings in Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri and Maryland also received threats,” by the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner.
| | MIGRANT MOVES | | — More Chicago suburbs vote to restrict unscheduled migrant bus drop-offs: “Several additional suburbs pass ordinances limiting when buses can drop off migrants as bus operators are turned away from Chicago,” by WBEZ’s Michael Puente. — State’s intake center for migrants to open within weeks, by the Daily Herald’s Russell Lissau — Nearly 3,000 asylum seekers pass through DuPage County, according to the county’s website
| | 2024 WATCH | | — Ald. Beale, in danger of losing longtime ward boss job, says he couldn’t care less: “The 9th Ward alderman said he isn’t sure the once-powerful job, now largely ceremonial, is worth fighting for,” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman — Mike Bost, the incumbent congressman of the 12th District, is out with a TV ad ahead of the March primary against Darren Bailey. Watch here — Maria Sinkule, the Democratic candidate running for DuPage County Board District 1, has been endorsed by the Iron Workers Union - Local 63. Sinkule wants to unseat Republican County Board Member Cindy Cronin Cahill.
| | CHICAGO | | — City’s 2024 budget takes effect: Mayor Brandon Johnson starts making a “down payment” on campaign promises amid the migrant crisis. Good primer by WTTW’s Heather Cherone. — Three things to know about the Chicago Board of Ed’s resolution on school choice, by Chalkbeat’s Becky Vevea and Reema Amin — Retired teacher demands city adopt Black economic agenda, by The Crusader’s Chinta Strausberg
| | TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES | | — Metra overhauling fares, eliminating ticket windows: “The transit agency is changing ticket prices Feb. 1, reducing zones from 10 to 4 and cutting 10-ride passes,” by the Sun-Times’ David Struett and Phyllis Cha.
| | | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | | — Evanston’s streets have become safer for cyclists. What’s the suburb doing right? Illinois Answers Project’s Alex Nitkin reports
| | Reader Digest | | We asked what supplies you’d take to survive a month in the wilderness: Andrew Davis: “A well-equipped cabin." Mike Hansen: “A blanket, a month's supply of water, animal crackers, and a golf club and some golf balls.” Jerry Harrison: “A 40-foot RV, access to a drone 'drop area' and a generator.” Charles Keller: “A 32' Winnebago motor home.” Kevin Lamm: “Fresh water to last, 4 pounds of bacon, 8 pounds of beans, my fishing tackle, a 10’ by 10’ tarp and my hammock.” Jeff Nathan: “A White Castle franchise.” Omari Prince: “Dry fruit and plenty of water.” Dan Vosnos: “A lighter, LifeStraw, tent, knife and some toilet paper.” Next question: If you had to hide an elephant, where would you put it?
| | MEDIA MATTERS | | — WTTW advisory board's annual report filled with 'concerns': The board has “express concerns” about why the station’s news show has been moved around to different time slots. "The viewing public was blindsided and had to work to find where 'Chicago Tonight' was on the schedule," said Joseph Morris, chairman of the WTTW community advisory board. "We shouldn't make it hard for the people of Chicago to find our programs." Crain’s Corli Jay reports.
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Speaker Johnson ratchets up pressure for stricter border policy — but stops short of calling for shutdown, by POLITICO’s Jordain Carney — Nikki Haley ratchets up her attacks on Donald Trump, by POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky — TAKING NAMES: Unsealed documents name associates of Jeffrey Epstein but offer few revelations, by POLITICO’s Erica Orden. Hyatt’s Tom Pritzker is on the list, too, via Messenger’s Richard Teitelbaum and Christian Berthelsen — Judge attacked by defendant during sentencing in Vegas courtroom, by The Associated Press. Startling video is here.
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Edward “Ed” Smith, CEO and board chair of Ullico Inc., has died. Smith was a notable name in union circles having served as a leader for the International Union and LIUNA. Democrats know him for his party activism, including serving on the Democratic National Committee and as a delegate to three Democratic National Conventions. Smith also was an adviser and confidante to numerous political candidates over the years. Gov. JB Pritzker’s team called Smith “a force for good” over the course of the governor’s campaigns. Comptroller Susana Mendoza said he was a “ferocious fighter for his brothers and sisters in the Labor Movement.” Deputy Gov. Andy Manar described Smith as a “proud Southern Illinoisan who never left his roots.” And Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who tapped Smith as a transition chair after his election, called him “a legend of a human being.” They’re pictured here. WPSD’s Marilyn Halstead has more about Smith here.
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Kara Michels and Kevin Schneider have been promoted to partners at Neal Gerber Eisenberg in Chicago. Michels specializes in intellectual property, and Schneider is a real estate attorney. — Alexander Reich was promoted to partner, and Brandon Clark was promoted to counsel at Saul Ewing’s Chicago law office. Reich is an employment attorney, and Clark advises on commercial construction projects. — Jeremy Iloulian has been promoted to counsel at Crowell & Moring in Chicago.
| | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Jesus Magallon and Jason Lee for correctly answering that Andre Iguodala, a Lanphier High School (Springfield) grad who recently retired from the NBA, played in all-star games, won two all-defensive team awards and four NBA championships. Side note: Iguodala will be among those inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame next month. H/T Phil Gonet TODAY's QUESTION: Who was the South Dakota native who served as Chicago Police superintendent? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity’s Tiana McCall, Global Strategy Group research VP Melissa Bell, business consultant Jeff Angevine, Bloomberg sales VP Rob Recklaus, Jewish United Fund of Chicago endowment administrator Judah Gavant, NewsGuard Executive Editor Jim Warren and journalist Gabby Birenbaum. -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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