THE ILLINOIZE: Drama for Dem chair...Parents want kids back in school...GOP wants outside investigation into LaSalle Vets Home...Welcome to the virtual General Assembly...More hot water for Miller?
March 2, 2021
Good morning.
The race to replace former House Speaker Michael Madigan as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois took a bit of a twist yesterday as lawyers tried to argue Congresswoman Robin Kelly was ineligible to serve as state party chair.
This is already a proxy fight between Governor JB Pritzker and Senator Dick Durbin, and this may get ugly. Or uglier.
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Let’s get into it.
UGLY DEM PROXY WAR TO BE SETTLED WEDNESDAY
What began as a proxy battle between two of the state’s top Democrats to assume control of the state party turned ugly Monday as a group of party leaders alleged Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-Matteson) was ineligible to serve as state chair.
The congresswoman’s team called that “suggestion” both “false and offensive.”
Kelly released her own legal opinion conceding that, as a federal elected official, she would be barred from raising or spending money for state or local campaigns, something the Matteson Democrat suggested would empower other party leaders.
“I will not only make sure we follow the letter of the law, but have an inclusive, team-approach to all decisions that involve the party’s finances,” she said in a statement.
“This is something that’s at the core of how I plan to lead our party.”
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin supports Kelly, while Governor JB Pritzker supports Harris.
At a news conference Friday, Durbin played down the divisions.
“We may have a difference of opinion of which may be the better among them, but there is a common belief, I think, that all three are excellent,” Durbin said. A third potential candidate, Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), removed herself from consideration for the post over the weekend. “If it was a real family feud, I wouldn’t be here today.”
The meeting will be livestreamed tomorrow night.
Here’s our story this morning.
VIRTUAL SCHOOL FRUSTRATION
No matter what part of the state you’re in, downstate, the suburbs, or in the high profile fight in Chicago Public Schools, getting kids back in the classroom remains a top point of contention.
It’s frustrating parents so much in some places they’re standing up and screaming I’M MAD AS HEL….ok, you get the idea.
Our Ben Garbarek spoke to parents in Champaign and Geneva, and they’re desperate for answers…but, unfortunately, they aren’t getting many right now.
“We wanted to provide our buildings’ newest students, freshman and 6th graders, with time in the building to become adjusted to a school they may have never been in before,” said Stacey Moore, the chief communication officer for the [Champaign] district. “We will continue to follow guidelines from the CDC and the [Champaign-Urbana Public Health District] to guide our decisions.”
When asked whether there were any discussions about speeding up the transition to in-person learning with the acceleration of vaccinations, Moore simply said, “no”.
Governor JB Pritzker has repeatedly said he was leaving decisions on returning to classrooms up to local school districts.
GOP WANTS LaSALLE REFORMS
Two Republican lawmakers say they want an independent investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, which killed 36 residents of the facility.
Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) and Rep. David Welter (R-Morris) have introduced pieces of legislation in their chambers.
Welter is requesting the independent Auditor General look into the outbreak. Currently, the investigation is being conducted by the Inspector General of the Department of Human Services, who is hired and fired by the Pritzker administration.
“[Pritzker’s] Inspector General [from the Department of Human Services] is reviewing this and is going to come back with his findings,” said Welter. “Frankly, that’s not an independent person. He’s hired by the Governor and at the will of the Governor. The Auditor General is appointed by the House and Senate and that is where we want to see this investigation go.”
Meanwhile, Rezin has introduced legislation in the Senate to adopt outbreak suggestions from the Auditor General in the wake of the Legionnaire’s outbreak at the Quincy Veterans’ Home in 2015 (the previous administration, by the way.)
Just a note from me here: The Pritzker administration has been very reluctant to talk about its response, especially in the early days of the outbreak at LaSalle. They refused to send IDPH staff to legislative hearings about the first 11 days of the outbreak at the site and I was cut off before I could ask IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike about it in December. I’ve sent Freedom of Information Act requests to the Governor’s office, IDPH, and IDVA, and they were all mostly rejected. They’re before the Attorney General now.
Transparency is a good thing and we’re not getting it from the administration.
THE VIRTUAL LEGISLATURE
For the first time ever, the Illinois House and Senate are both holding committee hearings this week, but none of them are at the Illinois Capitol.
There is no floor action, so all committee hearings are being held virtually. The House has 30 different hearings scheduled while the Senate has 10. There aren’t gigantic issues out there this week, it seems. A bill from freshman Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) making Daylight Saving Time permanent would have provided some theater, but I’m told he won’t call that bill this week.
The only difference is I don’t have to put on a suit and lace up a pair of Allen Edmonds. I can just wear a comfy t-shirt and sip coffee to keep up on the action.
Pandemic perks.
REP. CHRIS MILLER PUNISHMENT
It appears as if House Democrats are preparing to pass a condemnation resolution aimed at Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland), for his presence at the January 6 Capitol riot (even though his wife is a member of Congress), his taped remarks that day, and displaying a window sticker for an anti government militia group.
Yesterday, Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) filed a resolution condemning Miller for “violating his oath to the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Illinois.”
(Disclosure: I worked in a primary against his wife, Congresswoman Mary Miller, last spring. Chris Miller and I had a confrontation in the final days of that campaign.)
One of the 30 or so co-sponsors of the resolution is House Speaker Chris Welch.
We’ve heard rumblings that House Democrats may actually ask for a Special Investigative Committee into Miller, the first step in potentially expelling him from the House. I’ve heard the term “conduct unbecoming of a legislator,” which is one of the same charges GOP members lobbed at then-Speaker Michael Madigan when they launched an investigation into him last year. Nobody, though, will confirm that plan with me.
Miller is a member of the informal “Eastern Bloc” group of hardline conservative members from southeastern Illinois.
Morgan says he believes Miller violated his oath of office.
I’ve reached out to Rep. Miller’s spokesman for comment and haven’t heard back.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday today to former State Representative Penny Pullen and former State Representative and former Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey.
BEFORE WE GO…
You guys, it’s March! Illinois basketball has taken over my life this winter for the first time in many years. The #4 ranked Illini face # ranked Michigan tonight and #7 ranked Ohio State on Saturday before the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament, which will all take place in Indianapolis. (By the way, the Big Ten moved the BTT from Chicago to Indy.)
Secondly, I just wanted to note as we turn the calendar over we’ve finished six months of this newsletter venture. I’ve had more than a few doors shut in my face (and hundreds of e-mails and phone calls ignored) so far, but the outpouring of support from so many of you has reminded me why I love being involved in Illinois politics and government. We’re going to keep busting our rear ends to bring you the best information we can.
How are we doing? E-mail me at patrick@theillinoize.com. I love all feedback, even if you think I’m no good at this. (But don’t say that, my fragile ego will crumble.)
Have a great week, everyone.