THE ILLINOIZE: Let the summer of the billionaires begin...Read the room, guys...Why Pritzker won't let the school mask mandate go anytime soon

February 15, 2022

Good morning.

I hope you had a great Valentine’s Day. If you hit any particularly good restaurants, let me know. Once little man is a little bigger, mommy and daddy would like to get out for dinner dates once in a while.

If you’re wondering, it’s 133 days to the June 28 primary and 266 days to the November 8 general election.

I’ve had a few of your questions stacked up for a couple of weeks, so I should probably knock either a Q&A column or video out for you. So, send me what’s on your mind. I can’t promise I’ll be right, but I’ll at least try to be entertaining. Send your questions to patrick@theillinoize.com and I’ll promise to always protect your privacy.

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Let’s get to it.

RICH UNCLE KENNYBAGS

If I had any Photoshop talent at all, I would have inserted a moustache, top hat, and morning dress on to this photo of Ken Griffin.

As expected, Illinois’ richest human looked under his couch cushions yesterday to give $20 million to Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, a sort of-Republican running for Governor.

In a statement, Griffin praised Irvin’s experience and backstory.

“Richard Irvin is self-made, and his life story epitomizes the American dream. I have tremendous respect for all that he has accomplished,” he said. “Richard Irvin will bring people together in Illinois and fight to turn our state around. It is time we reclaim our state from the damaging politics of Governor Pritzker and his corrupt cronies.”

Griffin says he believes Irvin can defeat Pritzker.

“I care deeply about Illinois,” Griffin said. “I came to Chicago thirty years ago to start my career and my partners and I have built an incredible firm in our state. The policies of JB Pritzker are hurting not only our firm, but also countless other Illinois success stories. I am fortunate enough to have the resources to support Richard Irvin in his mission to return Illinois to being the land of opportunity.”

A Griffin spokesman confirmed the $20 million contribution, though it has not yet been reported to the State Board of Elections.

If Griffin expects his preferred candidate to compete with Democratic billionaire JB Pritzker in the November election, it will require far more than $20 million. Pritzker already dropped $90 million into his campaign this year and spent more than $170 million of his own fortune to win the race in 2018.

Pritzker spokesperson Natalie Edelstein tied Griffin and Irvin to former Governor Bruce Rauner.

“Ken Griffin would conveniently like us all to forget he bankrolled the very governor that decimated the social services that prevent violence, caused our colleges and universities to nearly lose accreditation, and devastated our state’s finances in previously unseen ways,” she said in a statement. “Moreover, Ken’s chosen candidate is entirely unserious about addressing the issues facing Illinois and spent fifteen years profiting off of the defense of violent criminals. The wounds left by Bruce Rauner’s incompetence are still fresh and Illinoisans see Irvin’s candidacy for exactly what it is: another empty suit for Ken Griffin to drag our state backwards.”

Obviously, this is turning into a billionaire vs. billionaire you-know-what measuring contest. Pritzker and Irvin are the only two up on cable this week, Irvin spending around $53,000 on Comcast in Chicago and central Illinois while Pritzker’s campaign is spending around $149,000. Prtizker’s campaign has also been outspending Irvin on broadcast TV statewide. We’ll see how long each campaign decides to stay up.

Irvin can make this about Pritzker all he wants, but he still has to win a primary, and Lord knows he doesn’t have that sewn up yet. Irvin has yet to spend a single day on the campaign trail, has only done a handful of controlled interviews with Chicago media, and has done little engagement with voters on social media or other web means.

The GOP, especially downstate, is more conservative, older, whiter, and more Trump-y than the campaign Irvin’s people are trying to run so far. If he wants to be considered a Republican frontrunner, he needs to start acting like it.

NO GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD

If you didn’t see yesterday, Chicago alderman Patrick Daley Thompson, grandson of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley and nephew of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, was convicted of federal tax fraud charges.

The most baffling headline came in the Tribune last night, which proclaimed fellow aldermen complained because he “got the ‘royal screw job because of what his name is.’

Fact check: false.

Daley Thompson was convicted by a jury of his peers for filing fraudulent tax returns and lying to regulators about it. A lot of business owners and regular Joe’s make tax mistakes don’t face criminal charges, true. But, Daley Thompson used a line of credit at a failed bank and filed false tax forms to go along with it.

From the Trib story:

He was always there, doing the work, always engaged,” said [Alderman George] Cardenas, whose ward borders the 11th Ward and who sits near Thompson in the City Council chambers. ”I don’t think this reflects badly on the council as a whole, because this doesn’t have anything to do with his official duties. This was a personal matter that didn’t get handled in the right way.”

“Unfortunately, we’re in the eye of the storm. We’re trophies,” Cardenas added. “It’s par for the course for anyone who serves the public. Anything can become an issue.”

Northwest Side Ald. Nick Sposato, 38th, said it wasn’t just what Thompson did for a living that made him a federal target, but the fact he’s a Daley. “I just think he got the royal screw job because of what his name is,” Sposato said. “If his name had been John Smith, they would have said, ‘Pay us what you owe us and we’ll call it even.’”

Sposato said he thinks Thompson “took on too much while trying to make a better life for his family,” and got sloppy with his books.

Come on, guys. Daley Thompson is the 37th current or former alderman to be convicted of a crime in the last 50 years or so. Two others are under criminal indictments right now.

The Chicago City Council seems to have little interest in cleaning itself up. At least the General Assembly passed some window dressing legislative ethics reforms last year, but that is too difficult a task for the most corrupt body in all the land.

I hope Chicago voters see in 2023 its time to vote the bums out.

PRITZKER DRAWS CHANCE CARD

A lot of folks keep asking me why I think Governor JB Pritzker continues to fight the school mask mandate that’s under review by the Fourth District Appellate Court in Springfield. The Daily Herald had a good story yesterday explaining where we’re at:

Children and teenagers represent the lion's share of new COVID-19 cases, Illinois Department of Public Health data showed Monday.

Since Jan. 3, the state has reported 217,731 new COVID-19 infections among ages 19 and younger, contrasted with 121,301 cases in people in their 20s, the second-highest demographic. Younger Illinoisans also comprise the largest rate of increase in cases since Jan. 3, at about 48% compared to other cohorts.

That's all the more reason to be cautious about dropping face mask policies in schools, health experts say. Numerous school districts are diverging on whether masks are required or optional amid a legal battle challenging the state's mandate that erupted after a judge issued a temporary restraining order Feb. 4.

"I think that there will be spots of increasing rates of COVID due to taking masks off with kids and depending on what the testing policy is and other mitigation measures," said Dr. Sharon Welbel, director of hospital epidemiology and infection control for Cook County Health.

Welbel noted that COVID-19 metrics are still high thanks to a surge in cases caused by the COVID-19 omicron variant compared to the summer, even though they've lessened significantly.

"I feel we could all be a little bit more patient. I know there are so many more factors -- economic, political and psychosocial. But coming from my perspective as an epidemiologist and infectious disease physician, I would like to see the mask mandates continue," Welbel said. "I feel we're not ready for this."

I have a really hard time believing the Governor’s people are going to move on their position that keeping all of these students in close quarters while unmasked is not a particularly smart idea.

I’m not saying he’s right or he’s wrong, but I know a lot fewer kids are vaccinated than adults and they’re sitting in a classroom all day. I try to stay away from people pandemic or not, but few of us are in that close contact with people all day, everyday.

It is frustrating that the latest Republican position on masks has gone from “I don’t like mandates” back to “masks don’t work.” Anyone who can objectively look at the data knows they do and anyone who listens to scientists hears they do. So why the fight over the effectiveness?

The fight over masks is just the dumbest thing. Nobody is asking you to stay masked forever, in fact, the requirement drops very soon. Are there questions about the data and metrics the Governor used to make the decision? Absolutely. And we can question that (and I do, his office just never bothers to respond to little old me.) But to act like kids are being traumatized or delayed because they’re having to put a silly mask on while in class is such a red herring.

My niece and nephew are 9 and 7 and students in Chicago Public Schools. They’ve been on planes, they’ve worn masks around our newborn, and they wear masks in school. You know what? They seem incredibly unbothered by the whole situation.

I was at a concert about 10 days ago in a crowd of around 16,000. Again, with a newborn, I’m wearing a mask more than I would normally. Is it uncomfortable? Yes. Is it hot? Yes. Is it worth it to keep our baby safe? Absolutely.

I am no expert and I know you aren’t either, but we’re just trying to get through this. Can we do it without the screaming and shouting?

(Angry emails and unsubscribes blow up in 3…2…1…)

IF YOU’RE STILL HERE…

Thanks for letting me get some things off my chest. I hope you’ll chime in on Facebook and Twitter.