| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Good Tuesday morning, Illinois, and happy Paczki Day to those who celebrate. Breaking: Ukraine aid heads to the House
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Emanuel "Chris" Welch, speaking to reporters after he was named Illinois speaker, in 2021. | Pool photo by State Journal-Register's Justin Fowler | MANAGEMENT COURSE: Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is bringing together his leadership team today to discuss “The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek — a book about achieving success through teamwork. Since taking the gavel in 2021, Welch has wrangled everything from redistricting to the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) to the SAFE-T Act and all the legal battles surrounding that. Big numbers: Now he has a Democratic Caucus that’s even larger than when he started (It’s the largest caucus since the 1980 cutback amendment reduced the number of representatives from 177 to 118.). Managing the current 78 Democrats and all and their views and personalities can be a little like wrestling a bear. Sure, they have a “D” behind their names, but they also have diverse opinions on issues based on their backgrounds, and they split up into smaller sub-caucuses based on their interests: Progressive vs. moderate, Black vs. Asian, and so on. “None of them have 60 votes by themselves,” Welch told Playbook, referring to the number of votes needed to pass legislation. “So at some point, you’ve got to work with everyone in the caucus.” He’s incorporated a few management tools to avoid too much infighting. He’s created working groups, most recently to examine the migrant issue, that allow frank conversations in a smaller group of members. They’ll hash out differences and then bring educated solutions to the full caucus. Not Mike Madigan’s caucus: Welch has also asked members to sign “leadership agreements” that include rules of decorum when debating issues. Today’s leadership meeting will create those rules of engagement. Who’s signed: All the Democratic caucus members have signed the pledge — even state Rep. Mary Flowers, who was ousted from leadership after pushing back at the new rules. Welch’s goal is to keep the group moving forward and not to get distracted from the work at hand, he told Playbook. “The key is putting people together in settings where they feel safe.”
| | | THE BUZZ | | | 
Daniel Squadron, left, and Adam Pritzker sit for a portrait in New York on Oct. 6, 2023. | Calla Kessler/ for POLITICO | Adam Pritzker and Daniel Squadron, founding Partners of Future Now Action, have teamed up to purchase WCPT 820 Radio and Heartland Signal Newsroom, from Chicago media mogul and Democratic political donor Fred Eychaner. Pritzker, a second cousin to the governor, and Squadron also head The States Project, a nonprofit that invested $4.5 million in helping Democrats flip the Virginia House and keep control of the state Senate. We wrote about it here What it means: Their purchase of the Illinois radio stations signals they want to grow their presence in the Midwest. Long-range plan: “For years, we have been dedicated to improving people’s lives by shining a light on what’s happening in states across the country. WCPT and Heartland Signal provide another opportunity for us to advance that mission,” Pritzker and Squadron said in a statement. And they gave a nod to nonprofit newsrooms: “They have never been more essential than they are right now." If you are Mary Flowers, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | At the Youth Services Network in Rockford at 9:30 a.m. and then at Aldridge Early Learning Center in East Moline at 12:45 p.m. to highlight Smart Start investments.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | No official public events.
| | Where's Toni | | In Evanston at 4:30 p.m. to celebrate the purchase of the Margarita Inn by Connections for the Homeless. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S GOVERNORS SUMMIT: Join POLITICO on Feb. 22 to dive into how Governors are wielding immense power. While Washington remains gridlocked, governors are at the center of landmark decisions in AI and tech, economic development, infrastructure, housing, reproductive health and energy. How are they setting the stage for the future of American politics, policies and priorities? How are they confronting major challenges? Explore these questions and more at the 2024 Governors Summit. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | 2024 WATCH | | — MONEY WAR: Senate President Don Harmon’s Illinois Senate Democratic Fund plunked $100,000 into state Sen. Natalie Toro’s re-election campaign. As if on queue, the Chicago Teachers Union gave $92,151 to challenger Graciela Guzman’s campaign. — Justice Joy Cunningham runs to keep seat on Illinois Supreme Court, facing primary challenge from Judge Jesse Reyes: “Cunningham seeks to hold onto the position she was appointed to in 2022, but Reyes says it’s time for a Latino justice on the state’s highest court,” by the Sun-Times’ Sophie Sherry — In IL-07, Congressman Danny Davis has been endorsed by the Clergy Coalition. — In IL-11, Qasim Rashid, who’s running in the Democratic primary, has been endorsed by Common Defense veterans group and Gen Z for Change. — In IL-12, Congressman Mike Bost has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business. — In the Cook County state’s attorney’s race: Eileen O’Neill Burke has been endorsed by Chicago Alderman and Democratic Committeeman Brendan Reilly, and Clayton Harris III has been endorsed by Equality Illinois. — Sierra Club Illinois announced its endorsements for the primary, including for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District: Precious Brady-Davis (2-year term), Marcelino Garcia (6-year term), Dan Pogorzelski (6-year term) and Kari Steele (6-year term). Full list here
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Gun rights groups ask SCOTUS to review Illinois’ assault weapons ban, by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock — Insurers would be required to cover expanded infertility care under proposed Illinois laws, by WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky — Bill requiring a lawyer for kids under 18 during interrogations backed by Pritzker, reports WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell
| | CORRUPTION CHRONICLES | | — Tim Mapes gets 2 1/2 years for lying to federal grand jury. U.S. District Judge John Kness uses a mafia term to describe the possible motivation behind Mapes’ actions. Omerta. “It’s the idea that you don’t rat on your friends,” Kness said, the Tribune’s Jason Meisner and Ray Long report. — Former state Sen. Annazette Collins convicted of cheating on taxes, in a case tied to corruption probe that led to Madigan indictment, by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel — It was a split verdict for Collins, by the Tribune’s Megan Crepeau and Jason Meisner — Former state Sen. Sam McCann won't represent himself on wire fraud, money laundering charges, by the State Journal-Register’s Zach Roth
| | CHICAGO | | — Chicago braces for first post-pandemic property tax assessment: “Chicago’s challenges underscore the commercial property distress that’s hitting lenders from New York to Japan. Lenders have been stung by losses on souring property loans, particularly tied to office properties. And a few more sales in recent months have increased the risk that more lenders and owners will need to confront valuations that have changed drastically since interest rates started rising in 2022,” by Bloomberg’s Shruti Singh. — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The Sueños Music Festival is more than three months away, but it’s already sold out. The Latin music event has grown from 75,000 attendees in its inaugural year in 2022 to 90,000 last year. This year’s May 24-26 event in Grant Park is a sell-out with 130,000 tickets sold. Organizers see becoming an economic driver the way Lollapalooza is. “It’s a testament to the power of Latino economic impact,” Jaime Di Paulo, CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, told Playbook. — Chicago Public Schools plans to end Aramark cleaning contract: “The move comes after years of concerns and complaints over school cleanliness from staff, parents, and students,” by Chalkbeat’s Becky Vevea and Samantha Smylie. — Who's behind the full-page, $2.6K Chicago Sun-Times ad supporting Mayor Brandon Johnson? ABC 7’s Craig Wall reports — The Second City comedy institution has opened a complex in New York, by Bloomberg’s James Tarmy
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — JOINT VENTURE | New weed dispensary and bakery in Evanston to direct tax revenue to reparations fund: "Profit and purpose don't have to be at odds with one another," said OKAY Cannabis CEO Ameya Pawar. ABC 7’s Leah Hope reports. — Park Ridge mayor addresses fire station update, salt dome, flashy signs at State of City speech, by the Tribune’s Richard Requena
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Lincoln Laureates: Gov. JB Pritzker announced the 2024 recipients of the Order of Lincoln, the state’s highest civilian honor for professional achievement and public service. The Lincoln Laureates are retired Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman, accountant and civic leader Lester McKeever Jr., National Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Thome, agriculture pioneer Evelyn Brandt Thomas, higher-education leader Lewis Collens, country singer Alison Krauss and The Resurrection Project co-founder Raul Raymundo. They will be honored April 13 at the Chicago History Museum. — Cheri Bustos of Mercury Public Affairs is now representing cloud computing giant Oracle. Bustos, a former Illinois congresswoman and chair of House Democrats’ campaign arm, began lobbying for Oracle at the beginning of the year on tech issues and “raising awareness of key products and technology,” according to a newly filed disclosure, via POLITICO’s Influence newsletter. — Tonika Lewis Johnson, a Chicago artist and creator of the Folded Map Project, headlines The Broad Cast podcast to discuss race, segregation and the role art plays in social justice. — Carmen Rossi, a Chicago restaurateur and political donor, and partners are launching DIVAN Chicago, a steakhouse and supper club in the old MK Restaurant in River North. Doors open March 7.
| | | | YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS: From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked what recipe you went to great lengths to replicate. Dave Dahl: “We realized it took exactly twice the Durkee's Red Hot Sauce to mix with butter to replicate what we enjoyed at our favorite restaurant. We didn't save any money and caused a small fire in the oven.” Michael Gascoigne: “I made Laura Bush’s cowboy cookies once. The recipe was in Reader Digest and it was surprisingly complex.” Charles Keller: “Gary Wiviott's ribs and pulled pork. I had to purchase a Weber Smokey Mountain and learn how to control the heat by using lump oak charcoal and manipulating the vents on it. There were numerous trips to The Spice House in Evanston to recreate his rub and to Peoria Packing for pork shoulder and spare ribs before hours of smoking and eating ‘till I got it down. “ Mark Michaels: "It took a couple of years to figure out how to make my father’s Barbadian Rum Punch. The recipe wasn't written down, but I would watch him make it. It includes the liquor Falernum, which he would have to import. I used to special order it. Now it can be bought by the caseload." NEXT QUESTION: Who’s your favorite president and — in a sentence — why?
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Column: Get used to it: Biden isn’t going anywhere: “Boss Daley isn’t walking through that door,” by POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin. — Why Biden couldn’t resist TikTok, by Rebecca Kern, Hailey Fuchs and Brendan Bordelon — Trump asks Supreme Court to block ‘immunity’ ruling, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Jon Margolis, a former Tribune political columnist, has died: He’s credited with coining the phrase, “gender gap,” writes Bob Goldsborough in the Tribune.
| | | EVENTS | | | — Thursday: Kathy Salvi headlines a Chicago GOP fundraiser. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | MONDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to former state Rep. Keith Wheeler and Playbookers Bill Velazquez and Stephen Sadin for correctly answering that Bronko Nagurski and Harold “Red” Grange tied to be the first Chicago Bears players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963, the same year as head coach George Halas was inducted. TODAY's QUESTION: Who did Abraham Lincoln lose to in a U.S. Senate race even before being defeated by Stephen Douglas? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | State Rep. Marcus Evans Jr., Illinois Appellate Judge Joe Birkett, Nikki Haley campaign manager Betsy Ankney, Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega, Chicago Department of Business Affairs Assistant Commissioner Chris Jessup, campaign veteran Jessica Gutierrez, public affairs consultant Brian Bernardoni, Secretary of State Administrative Hearings counsel Ted Gibbs, Boca Media Group President Xavier Nogueras and Discovery Partners Institute’s Morgan Diamond. -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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