THE ILLINOIZE: End of session special edition...What both parties got wrong about the remap...2022 Primary...Mapes

May 29, 2021

Good morning. Considering that unless you live under a rock, you likely heard from someone that Democrats in the House and Senate passed their census-free remap proposals on party line votes yesterday, so I wasn’t inclined to spam your inbox this morning.

But, a few things have been grinding my gears over the last week that were exasperated by the debates and votes yesterday.

Paid subscribers got the first dibs on what this map means politically. Who has primaries, who got hosed by Democrats, and what Republicans got saved in the second version of the map. Only paid subscribers will get any breaking news and intel I get throughout the rest of the weekend. I hope you’ll consider taking a few minutes to join us. It’s just $7.99 per month or $75 per year.

Let’s get into it.

WHAT KEPT ME UP ABOUT THE REMAP

Yes, I worked political campaigns for ten years and was a political reporter before that, so I get excited like everyone else when I see potential primaries and the rat race part of what a new map means.

But, in the end, I’m trying to look at things a little differently than I always have, and I’ve been bothered that both Republicans and Democrats seem to have missed the point on the problems with this redistricting proposal.

Republicans, specifically in the House, have gotten tons of media coverage on the redistricting issue, but they’ve made their argument almost solely on process.

I’ve found process stories in politics and government are the things that politicians and insiders seem to care about most. But real people, the ones who don’t spend Memorial Day weekend glued to what’s happening in Springfield and are more focused on graduation parties, cookouts, and the Indy 500, couldn’t care less about the process that leads to a redistricting proposal. Hearings and data and block level data arguments go in one ear and out the other.

Democrats, on the other hand, stayed almost completely silent until seemingly every House Democrat got up yesterday and said the map was good because Bruce Rauner is bad, or because Republicans want to roll back Roe, or because Republicans voted against Democrat legislation.

But, in my opinion, it’s the potential voter disenfranchisement, the marginalization of communities that have been chopped in half or in thirds, or the reality that many voters will never get a choice that is the real issue here.

I think about communities in Kankakee County. Grant Park, population 1,400, is nearly 100% white and completely rural. Or Manteno, population 8,500, located along interstate 57. These communities have more in common with Kankakee, Bradley, or Bourbonnais than they do Chicago and would surely fit better in districts represented by Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Bourbonnais) or Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex).

But, yet, Grant Park will (continue) to be represented by Rep. Nick Smith (D-Chicago) and Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago). Their district is only 2.5 miles wide at one point along the Indiana border, connecting these rural communities with the southside. Smith lives near 95th and the Dan Ryan, while Sims lives a couple of miles north of that.

Manteno (and Peotone across the Will County line) will be represented by Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D-Calumet City) and Sen. Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey). These districts run north to nearly 115th & State on the far south side.

There are multiple, less egregious, examples like this throughout the state.

It’s not just a black/white issue or a Republican/Democrat issue. In fact, I think Manteno has a Democratic Mayor. This is about whether mostly rural Grant Park, Momence, Peotone, Beecher, or Manteno share any government interests with the far south side. Their issues are different, their taxes are different, their problems are different.

Do Orland Park and Auburn Gresham share the same issues? Do Oak Brook, Western Springs, and LaGrange share the same issues as the Austin neighborhood in the city?

It seems only our friends at CHANGE Illinois have it right. From their release last night:

Our state’s fastest growing populations, Asian American and Latinx communities, as well as the fastest growing counties of Kendall, Kane, Champaign, and Monroe, also are highly likely to be undercounted in the ACS 5-year estimates.

Using ACS data was not lawmakers only choice. Despite being given advice and options to seek relief from state courts by National Conference of State Legislatures’ experts, lawmakers ignored the recommendation.

More than a year ago, the Census Bureau rolled out an adjusted timeline to ensure an accurate count in response to unprecedented challenges. California, Oregon and Michigan sought relief from constitutional redistricting deadlines from their state courts. While Illinois officials had the same option, they chose to proceed with the remap without the census count.

The proponents of these maps like to say they’re protecting the rights of people of color. But is drawing maps that are intended to help incumbents win helping people of color who are challengers? How are candidates of color helped by maps designed by, and for, incumbents?

The vote to adopt these maps will disenfranchise tens of thousands of voices for a decade by creating representative maps that do not include them. Again we ask, how is this equity for Illinois?

Everyone should count. Everyone deserves representation. Illinois deserves equitable redistricting.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Obviously, given his flip-flop on maps last month, Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign the maps into law.

That’s when the courts will step in, most likely. I haven’t confirmed, but I’ve been told the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) is planning a lawsuit. Latinos are now the second-largest population in the state, so it’s no surprise groups supporting their rights would be frustrated at this map.

When I asked Madeleine Doubek of CHANGE Illinois if they were planning a suit, she told me it’s “too early to tell.”

I’m told if a court throws this map out (which would surely wind up at the Supreme Court), it would be the court drawing the map, not kicking it back to the legislative commission.

The Governor is surely to sign the maps, once that happens, the snowball will start rolling.

JUNE PRIMARY

There’s plenty of chatter in the Statehouse that there will be legislation to move the 2022 primary from March to June. I don’t have any confirmation, but here’s what the Chicago Tribune says:

The final census data is not expected to arrive until just before candidates in next year’s March primary would begin circulating candidacy petitions at the end of August. That prompted Democrats to look at moving the primary date to June, which would provide additional time for candidates to circulate petitions.

It’s not the first time a primary has been moved. You may remember, then-House Speaker Michael Madigan moved the 2008 primary to February to benefit then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama’s run for President.

I’m sure there’s some grumbling from Democrats who could face progressive challengers or Republicans who will face more conservative challengers as they will be stuck in Springfield taking controversial votes in May right before the primary. We’ll keep an eye on it.

MAPES UPDATE

Tim Mapes, the longtime Chief of Staff to former House Speaker Michael Madigan pleaded “not guilty” to charges of Perjury and Obstruction of Justice in federal court yesterday.

Per the Sun-Times, Mapes appeared before a judge virtually.

The arraignment of Timothy Mapes, 66, took place during a remote hearing before U.S. District Judge John Lee. Mapes could be heard in Lee’s courtroom giving only simple answers like “yes, sir” to the judge’s questions.

Lee said Mapes would remain free pending trial on an unsecured $10,000 bond. Prosecutors asked that Mapes also give up his Firearm Owner’s Identification card. Mapes’ attorney, Andrew Porter, did not object but said Mapes was “concerned that he’s able to locate it.”

Mapes’ arraignment had initially been scheduled as an in-person hearing. That would have forced Mapes to stroll past news cameras in the lobby of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, a ritual faced by scores of public corruption defendants that’s been lost in the coronavirus era.

Mapes’ attorneys denied the charges against their client in a statement earlier this week. They said the case was really all about one man: Madigan.

“Tim Mapes testified truthfully in the grand jury,” they wrote. “His honest recollections — in response to vague and imprecise questions about events that allegedly took place many years ago — simply do not constitute perjury. This case, of course, is not about him — but about the government’s continued pursuit of his former boss. Tim Mapes has in no way engaged in obstruction of justice, and looks forward to prevailing at trial when all of the facts are aired.”

With an ethics bill still in limbo with 3 session days remaining, more Madigan corruption saga is going to make this a little more complicated to get done.

BEFORE WE GO…

We’re down in Springfield and will be doing everything we can to keep up on developments throughout the weekend. Remember, paid subscribers will get first dibs on the big news.

Please drop me a note at patrick@theillinoize.com if you have any thoughts or questions.

With that, I’m going to find some coffee better than hotel room swill. Have a great day.