| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Happy Wednesday, Illinois. We're bracing for a wild one in City Hall.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch answers questions at the City Club of Chicago luncheon discussion on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. | Brandon Petrizzo/Video Parachute | PLAYBOOK Q&A: Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch sat down with your Playbook host during a sold-out City Club luncheon Tuesday and talked about the upcoming legislative session and his strategy for running campaigns. Welch said it’s still too early to commit to what bills the Illinois General Assembly will take up during the so-called “veto” session in November. We’ve mentioned a few issues that legislators are talking about. Not on the table for November’s session: The proposal to consolidate transportation agencies. “We have to let the process play out,” Welch said, of wanting to hear from the legislative working group that’s studying the idea. “We have to listen to the folks that are going to be impacted by this. It’s a big deal.” “So probably not in veto,” he said. “But maybe in the spring.” Also not on the table: Funding for stadiums for the Bears, White Sox or Red Stars. Welch acknowledged, though, that talks are ongoing and that he took part in a pop up baseball game on The 78, the area where the Sox want to build their field. Enjoying the view: “I was there. It was a beautiful baseball field and a great view. But again, that doesn't change the position. It’s certainly something I think would be a great economic development project for the City of Chicago,” he said. “But again, I think when it comes to a baseball stadium, that might be something private investors might want to look at” as opposed to taxpayer funding. Welch said he’s also feeling positive about the upcoming elections and down-ballot races, even though those contests won’t get a lot of help from the top of the ticket: Neither Kamala Harris nor Donald Trump are running big ad campaigns in Illinois. Seat flipper: Asked why Illinois Democrats are still wanting to spend money on flipping districts given they have a supermajority after picking up seats in the redistricting process, Welch said it's simple. Why he does it: “As a Democratic leader in the state, I think my job is to support Democrats,” Welch said, giving a hat tip to fellow Democratic Party leader Toni Preckwinkle, who sat at the head table with Welch during lunch. “I want to work with people who share our values, people who share our beliefs,” Welch said. Like herding cats: Your host asked if it’s a challenge to manage a caucus that continues to grow. “We may differ from time to time, but that's a reflection of the diversity in the Democratic Party, and we have to embrace that," Welch said. "I think part of the fun and joy of being a Democrat is enjoying sometimes having those discussions and those disagreements.” More on stadium funding: White Sox should seek private funding — Not yaxpayer money, speaker says, by WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky Legislators say they’re still skeptical about public funding for new White Sox stadium after team-sponsored cruise, by the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner
| | THE BUZZ | | OVERHEARD: If City Council parliamentary procedures were football, today might be characterized as the Super Bowl. That’s the take of a City Hall insider about today’s debate about the future of ShotSpotter, the gunshot detection technology that’s set to expire over the weekend. The debate: Mayor Brandon Johnson, keeping a campaign promise, doesn’t want to renew the ShotSpotter contract, saying it hasn’t addressed the root cause of crime. But an apparent majority of aldermen want to keep it, saying it helps police do their jobs and save lives. Police Superintendent Larry Snelling has expressed support for it. There’s some research that says it slows police work, according to WBEZ. And a new poll shows there's public support for the technology. Today’s vote will call on council members to decide its future. If the support for ShotSpotter fails, there’s a separate ordinance set for a special City Council meet that would bring in the director of the Public Safety Administration to help negotiate an extension for ShotSpotter. RELATED Facing a $1B budget gap, mayor hasn’t said if he’ll take a pay raise next year, by WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg and Mariah Woelfel
| | WHERE'S JB | | At the Merchandise Mart at 11:45 a.m. to take part in a panel discussion at Climate Tech Week
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | | In City Hall at 10 a.m. to preside over the City Council meeting — At Soldier Field at 7 p.m. for the Gold Star Families Candlelight Vigil honoring fallen Police Officer Luis Huesca
| | | Where's Toni | | | At the George Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 8 a.m. to mark the one-year anniversary of the Pretrial Fairness Act Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Tyrone ‘Ty’ Fahner, former state attorney general and head of Tylenol task force, dies at 81: “A product of Jim Thompson’s stable of assistant federal prosecutors, Fahner’s career included leading a task force that investigated the Tylenol murders and becoming chair at the law firm Mayer Brown, where he was a legal mentor to former Mayor Lori Lightfoot,” by the Tribune’s Rick Pearson.
| | TRANSITIONS | | — BIG EXIT: Kristi Lafleur is stepping down as CEO and board member at the Skyway Concession Company (Chicago Skyway), where she’s served for nearly eight years. Kara Lawrence becomes interim CEO. Lafleur previously was executive director of the Illinois Tollway, where she led the largest capital program in the agency's history. She also worked at HNTB Corporation, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Chicago Treasurer’s Office. — BIG HIRE: Metropolitan Planning Council taps Obama, City Hall alum as new CEO: “Dan Lurie will take the top job at the planning and policy organization effective Sept. 30,” by Crain’s Rachel Herzog.
| | | 2024 WATCH | | | — Former President Barack Obama teamed up with social media content creators Tuesday to call attention to National Voter Registration Day. Here he is with LaRon Hines on X. The goal was to call attention to the IWillVote.com voter registration website. — School daze: Ald. Andre Vasquez told supporters in an email that he’s supporting two Chicago School Board candidates, given there are two District 2 seats: Kate Doyle and Ebony DeBerry. One seat will be filled by the election and the other will be an appointee. — Kelli Wegener, who’s running for McHenry County board chair, has been endorsed by Sen. Dick Durbin.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Illinois Sells $1.09B in general obligation bonds, by Morningstar’s Chris Wack — Former police lieutenant Paula Crouch nominated to replace Campbell as sheriff, by the State Journal Register’s Claire Grant — A woman found dead in 1991 in an Illinois cornfield is identified as being from the Chicago area, by The Associated Press — U.S. EPA investigates whether carbon dioxide leak at ADM storage complex in Decatur violated water regulations, by the Tribune’s Nara Schoenberg — State Rep. Bob Morgan has created a national coalition of state legislators focused on gun violence prevention, called Legislators for Safer Communities. Morgan will serve as one of six co-chairs to lead the coalition of nearly 200 legislators, according to a statement.
| | | DAY IN COURT | | | — Jussie Smollett lawyers ask Illinois Supreme Court to overturn verdict that he falsely claimed hate crime, by the Sun-Times’ Matthew Hendrickson — Case of former AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan heads to jury, by Capitol News’ Hannah Meisel — Ford Heights officials testify at Mayor Charles Griffin’s corruption trial, by the Tribune’s Olivia Stevens
| | CHICAGO | | — SPOTTED: Mayor Brandon Johnson was in Madison, Wis., on Monday for the Cap Times Idea Fest, where he met Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Pics — Why the city smells bad: Reports of “gross, fishy wafts of stank” across Chicago are likely due to a lack of rain, meaning sewers are primarily filled with wastewater, by the Block Club’s Leen Yassine. — Chicago-area schools face wave of violent threats as new school year begins, leading to lockdowns and remote learning, by the Tribune’s Sylvan Lebrun — Explaining Chicago Public Schools: The employees, by Chalkbeat’s Becky Vevea — Look up: The city has kicked off a digital billboard campaign. Th signs, “Welcome to Chicago, Where Abortion is Healthcare,” run along roads and highways until Oct. 15 and include a link to information about abortion care and resources.
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Senate Republicans ignore mother of slain Plainfield Palestinian American youth at hate crime hearing: “Dilara Sayeed, president of the Chicago-based Muslim Civic Coalition, said the hearing was notable because it was ‘the first of its kind to actually name a 6-year-old Palestinian American child as the first victim on American soil of a hate crime,’” by the Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet. — Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin calls for sheriff to take back remarks: “He wants Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain to retract remarks where he blamed the Aurora Police Department for a 2023 shooting,” by the Daily Herald’s Susan Sarkauskas.
| | | Reader Digest | | | We asked what event changed your life. Daniel Goldwin: “Unfortunately, Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of Israel.” Charles Keller: “I’ve been concerned about racial divisiveness and think Barack Obama ignited the problem during a speech at a funeral for police officers in Dallas in 2016.” Fred Lebed: “July 21, 1969. First human on the moon.” Mike Gascoigne: “The Great Recession in 2008. I was a spring 2009 college graduate.” Gracia Livie: “The Covid-19 coordinated response changed the trajectory of my family’s life and the way we view health, medicine and government.” Jim Lyons: “When President Kennedy was shot.” Marilynn Miller: “When I was a high school sophomore in 1950, I saw Sen. Robert Taft, who was running for president. The experience made me a politics and news junkie.” Joan Pederson: “The 1963 bombing of Birmingham's 16th Street Baptist Church, which killed four girls close to my age (early teens).” Kathy Posner: “Covid-19 led to major lifestyle changes including having to cook my own meals instead of dining out, which resulted in considerable weight loss.” Roberto Robaina: “The attacks of 9/11. Even as a young boy, I knew my life, and the lives of everyone in my generation, would be changed forever. It deeply affected us growing up.” Alison Pure-Slovin: “The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.” Timothy Thomas Jr.: “The untimely passing of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington in 1987.” Erika Weaver: “The 1991 killing of teenager Latasha Harlins.” Steve Weiss: “When Anwar Sadat stepped off the plane to sign a peace treaty with Israel.” Next question: What Illinois news moment should be made into a play? Email skapos@politico.com
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | — Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski saw her first bill pass the House. The Clear Communications for Veterans Claims Act “would simplify VA communications and make it easier for veterans to get the benefits they've earned,” she said on social media. Also signing on to the bill: Congressman Mike Bost.
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Republicans again block Duckworth’s bill on IVF protections, by POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein and Ben Leonard — SPOTLIGHT: For Duckworth, preserving IVF access is personal, by The New York Times’ Maya C. Miller. — A Chicago woman has been imprisoned in China for 10 years. Her family is calling on the US to bring her home, by the Tribune’s Karina Atkins
| | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Andy Shaw for correctly answering that Marc Smith started poetry slams at the Get Me High Lounge and later moved them more to the Green Mill in Chicago TODAY’s QUESTION: What was the name of the canine sleuth adopted by the Better Government Association from PAWS in 2014? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Lucas James Talent Partners’ Amy Dordek — and belated greetings to Investments & Reinsurance Vice Chair Michael McRaith, who celebrated Tuesday. -30- Correction: In Tuesday’s Illinois Playbook, Marjorie Craig Benton's first name was misspelled. | | | | 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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