| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | | Presented by |  | | | TGIF, Illinois. The Caleb Williams era has begun! From the Sun-Times and the Tribune.
|  Southern California QB Caleb Williams celebrates after being chosen by the Chicago Bears with the first overall pick during the first round of the NFL draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. | Jeff Roberson/AP | |  | TOP TALKER | | Illinois politics is grand: A day after Chicago’s mayor and the Bears rolled out a plan that included state funding for a new stadium, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Illinois is tackling homelessness in Black communities. The details: The governor says research from a roundtable of residents is fueling the effort to add $50 million to Home Illinois, a program that he started in 2022 to find ways to help people out of homelessness. The program previously was funded at $200 million. To be specific, Pritzker wants to target Black communities, which have seen a higher percentage of homelessness than the rest of the state. “We’re dedicating $13 million specifically to work on reducing racial disparities in homelessness,” Pritzker said at a press event Thursday. Timing of the news: The funding plan comes on the heels of the Chicago City Council having a heated debate about increasing funding for migrants when so many in their own community need a hand. Pritzker said the Home Illinois funding is focused on existing residents, not new arrivals. When it came time for questions, reporters pressed Pritzker about the Bears’ efforts to build a new stadium on Chicago’s lakefront. His first comment: “What about women’s sports? Very little has been talked about the Red Stars,” Pritzker said, drawing some applause. Otherwise, he's still skeptical: “The proposal that was put forward didn't include [women athletes] and takes all the money that’s available and more just for the Bears. I’m skeptical of the proposal put forward, and I’m even more skeptical of the ability to get enough votes for it in the General Assembly.” JB on Queen B: Pritzker noted that the Bears are also “asking to keep all the revenue from other events that might take place at the stadium. If there’s a Beyonce concert, they want all that revenue, too. So there are aspects of this that are non-starters.” RELATED — Bears President Kevin Warren: 'I'm not going to think negatively' about stadium obstacles, by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman — Breaking down the politics at play in Bears' stadium plan, by Lee Enterprise’s Brenden Moore
| | THE BUZZ | | THEY’RE BACK: The communications team that worked with longtime former Secretary of State Jesse White has teamed up to form a new media and communications consulting firm. Buddy system: Druker, Yadgir & Haupt is headed by Dave Druker, Bob Yadgir and Henry Haupt, all friends and former colleagues. The firm will specialize in media relations, crisis comms, internal and external comms strategies, advocacy and public policy development, according to a statement to Playbook. Who does what: Yadgir and Haupt are founding partners, and Druker will serve as a senior adviser. It’s already got a client list, including Capitol News Illinois, the Village of Niles, the Jesse White Foundation, Jesse White Tumbling Team, and Dove's Nest and The HAP Foundation, both nonprofits. If you are Jesse White, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | A message from CVS Health: CVS Health is reshaping the future of drug pricing, bringing greater transparency and simplicity to the system with our new CostVantage and TrueCost programs. Learn more. | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | At Lurie Children’s Hospital at 10 a.m. to promote the Healthcare Protection Act.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | Traveling to Atlanta for the African American Mayors Association conference.
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | | | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Watch for Cedric Giles, who has served as chief deputy in the Cook County Clerk Office, to be tapped to fill the rest of the term of the late Karen Yarbrough. Cook County Democrats will also hear today from 17 candidates — or more if someone shows up out of the blue — before they vote on who will run for the seat outright in November. Among those candidates: state Sen. Napoleon Harris; county Commissioners Monica Gordon, Donna Miller and Kevin Morrison; Village of Matteson Clerk (and MWRD commissioner) Yumeka Brown, Evanston City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza. Out of the race is Kari Steele, who risks seeing her Metropolitan Water Reclamation District seat go to a Republican in November if she doesn’t run for re-election. Here;s a full report from the Tribune’s A.D. Quig. — Chicago Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) was selected Thursday to fill the Illinois State Central committeewoman seat that had been held by Yarbrough. Mitts drew praise from Congresswoman Danny Davis, who is the committeeman of the district, and from Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who said Mitts’ experience in elected office “will prove invaluable" as the Democratic National Convention approaches. — Kimberly Brown, an adjunct professor on faculty at Roosevelt University and Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, is running for Chicago Elected School Board in District 4, which includes Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, Roscoe Village, the Gold Coast and parts of Edgewater.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Mike Frerichs and Danny Davis say Treasury should allow states to return unpaid U.S. savings bonds to owners: “The federal government currently holds more than $30 billion in unpaid savings bonds that date back to the 1940s, [and] Black people represent a high percentage of unclaimed bond holders across the country,” reports WAND TV’s Mike Miletich.
| | CHICAGO | | — Northwestern students set up pro-Palestinian encampment, joining protesters nationwide: “Students linked arms and formed a line against police after Northwestern leaders said the tent encampment violated university policy,” by the Sun-Times’ Isabel Funk. — Chicago Public Schools CEO defends new budget formula as schools consider next year’s funding, by Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin — Dexter Reed shot 13 times by Chicago police officers, autopsy finds: Reed family attorney Andrew M. Stroth said the findings show “officers used excessive and unreasonable force,” by the Tribune’s Sam Charles — Influential West Loop group relaunches — But keeps who’s behind it a secret, by the Block Club’s Melody Mercado — Iconic South Side Blues Bar Lee’s Unleaded reopens after long hiatus, by the Block Club’s Maxwell Evans
| | | | A message from CVS Health:   | | | | | SPOTLIGHT | | Hot topic: The effort to keep adult consensual sex workers safe drew a packed crowd at the City Club luncheon discussion Thursday. Look for this to be a big issue in the next legislative session. Factoid: 75 percent of sex workers report experiencing sexual violence. Leading the discussion were Equality Illinois President Brian Johnson and board member and activist Reyna Ortiz. Spotted: State Sen. Celina Villanueva, Ald. Bennett Lawson, County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, MWRD Commissioner Precious Brady Davis, Equality Illinois Chair Justin DeJong, Planned Parenthood of Illinois CEO Jennifer Welch, Personal PAC CEO Sarah Garza Resnick, NAMI President Alexa James, Brave Space Alliance President Channyn Lynne Parker and C-Strategies CEO Becky Carroll.
| | SPOTTED | | — Thresholds raised close to $1.3 million at last night’s 65th anniversary gala. Guests included Illinois House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, Deputy Gov. Grace Hou, Deputy Mayor Garien Gatewood, City Clerk Anna Valencia and Intersect Illinois Chair John Atkinson. Also spotted: nonprofit consultant Kevin Conlon, NielsenIQ’s Elizabeth Buchanan, Chicago Urban League’s Karen Freeman-Wilson, Access Living’s Karen Tamley and Nourishing Hope’s Kellie O’Connell. Dr. Inger Burnett-Zeigler led an interview with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, who hosts the Therapy for Black Girls podcast.
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas was interviewed by CNN in Romania. “People aren’t interested in finance. They want to know how much gas costs and what’s their electric bill,” she said. Watch here (starts at 45 seconds). — City Clerk Anna Valencia teamed up with Chicago Public Schools Social Science Department and CPS Intergovernmental Affairs to host a mock City Council meeting for 50-plus students at City Hall. Mayor Brandon Johnson and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez joined. Pic!
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT: The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked for your thoughts on the Bears stadium plans: Bill Cameron: “The Bears’ $2 billion commitment is nothing to sniff at, but the remaining financial and legal issues feel like another ‘double-doink’ is coming for da Bears.” Michael Dorf: “Like most of Brandon Johnson’s plans, big, aspirational, and feel good, but when you dig in, there’s no money to pay for it.” Mike Gascoigne: “The State of Illinois (or City of Chicago) should get a share of future Bears profits equivalent to the percentage of the project that is publicly funded.” Charles Keller: “I'd rather it was in Arlington Heights.” Bob Kieckhefer: “I can smell the meat a’cookin! It’s an old Springfield adage, referencing preparation of a back room deal with servings available for those who knew where to line up.” Michael Marsh: “The plan is fine as long as they don't use public money.” Marilynn Miller: “Great, IF the Bears pay for it all!” Joan Pederson: “I would have preferred the Mercy Hospital site.” Kathy Posner: “Gov. Pritzker has said there’s no public appetite for taxpayer subsidies, so a new stadium’s nourishment is that of a non-coastal bear whose diet is carrion: dead and rotting flesh.” Andy Shaw: “No Bears stadium on the lakefront. No tax dollars. Let billionaire owners pay.” James Straus: “This is a slick presentation you can rank next to the time they wanted to put the World’s Fair on Cermak Road. Watch the Bears go to Arlington Park.” John Straus: “Would welcome it for the chance to host a Super Bowl.” Timothy Thomas Jr.: “Taxpayers, hold on to your wallets.” NEXT QUESTION: What’s your spring cleaning routine?
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Susie Wiles is the most feared and least known political operative in America, by POLITICO’s Michael Kruse — David Pecker gave prosecutors just what they were looking for in Trump hush money testimony: “He linked the ‘catch and kill’ agreements to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign,” by POLITICO’s Erica Orden. — Pecker also testified that he caught and killed a story about former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, by POLITICO's Ben Feuerherd — Meanwhile in SCOTUS case: Justices appear unlikely to give former presidents the kind of get-out-of-jail free card Trump is seeking, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney
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CVS Health is reshaping the future of drug pricing at pharmacy counters across America. Learn more. | | | | | TRIVIA | | THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Ashvin Lad, Jim Bray and John Fritchey for correctly answering that Olney is the city famous for white squirrels. Fritchey adds: “Three generations of my father’s side of the family are from there and buried there.” TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the Illinoisan behind building Mar-a-Lago?
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: State Sen. Robert Peters, Village of Coal City Trustee Tim Bradley, University of Illinois State Relations Associate Director Nolan Drea, “King” and “Ali” author Jonathan Eig, comms specialist Maura Possley, AKPD Message and Media CEO Larry Grisolano, Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky, Wilton Brands Corporate Counsel Nathan Buikema, Helios Partners President Janelle Rau-Clauson and Pensions & Investments Executive Editor Julie Truck Tatge. Saturday: State Rep. Will Guzzardi, Ald. Samantha Nugent and Illinois Environmental Council Executive Director Jen Walling. Sunday: State Rep. Ann Williams, Peoria County Board member Jennifer Allison, businessman and fundraiser Les Coney, Duckworth comms director Ben Garmisa, Four Corners Global Consulting co-founder Daniel Weyl and Kasper & Nottage public affairs consultant David Dring. -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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