THE ILLINOIZE: Monday Free for All...Abortion...Another corruption trial...Bears stadium standstill
September 9, 2024
Good morning, Illinois.
The Bears are 1-0 and the Packers are 0-1. All is well in the world.
There are 57 days until the November 5 general election and 64 days until the start of the fall veto session. It’s not going to get easier the next eight weeks and one day.
There’s nothing on Governor Pritzker’s public schedule today.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR MONDAY FREE FOR ALL
(note: we’re not responsible for paywalls and restrictions from other news outlets, because good journalism isn’t free)
Illinois law mandating abortion coverage doesn't violate religious freedom, judge rules (Crain’s Chicago Business)
A Sangamon County Circuit Court judge has thrown out a request to halt enforcement of a state statute requiring Illinois-regulated health insurers that cover pregnancy to also cover abortion services.
Employers in Illinois have the right to choose health plans that refuse abortion coverage, such as federally sponsored insurance and out-of-state plans, so there is no undue burden on organizations in coverage requirements of the Illinois Reproductive Health Act, Judge Christopher G. Perrin ruled Sept. 4.
The Illinois Baptist State Association sued the Illinois Department of Insurance in June 2020, seeking an injunction on IDOI's enforcement of the abortion coverage rule in the Illinois Reproductive Health Act. The Springfield-based religious organization said the state requiring insurance coverage was an unconstitutional infringement on an employer's right to choose not to pay for abortions.
The association claimed the 2019 legislation violates religious freedoms contained in the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The Illinois attorney general's office filed a motion for summary judgment against the lawsuit on behalf of IDOI.
Perrin ruled against the Baptist group and granted the summary judgment for the state.
Ex-AT&T Illinois president in big trouble over 'small contract' for Madigan ally — trial starts Tuesday (Chicago Sun-Times)
AT&T Illinois had finally scored a big win in Springfield in 2017, securing legislation that could help save it millions of dollars with the support of then-Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan.
But its victory came only after the utility agreed to pay $22,500 over nine months to a key Madigan ally. And later that summer, Madigan’s son came calling with another financial request. Paul La Schiazza, the utility’s president at the time, griped that “this will be endless.”
“We are on the friends and family plan now,” he told a colleague in an email.
Prosecutors say that quip helps prove the $22,500 amounted to a bribe. But soon, it’ll be up to a jury to decide whether they’re right. La Schiazza faces trial Tuesday on a five-count indictment handed up in October 2022 amid the feds’ larger Madigan prosecution.
The trial, expected to take three weeks, is the last of a series of trials set to play out before Madigan faces his own racketeering trial Oct. 8. The once-powerful Southwest Side Democrat is also charged in the alleged scheme involving La Schiazza and AT&T Illinois. The utility previously agreed to pay a $23 million fine.
Other key players in La Schiazza’s case include Madigan’s longtime confidant, Michael McClain, and former state Rep. Edward “Eddie” Acevedo, recipient of the $22,500.
Acevedo, who allegedly did no work for that money, already has gone to prison for tax evasion.
But La Schiazza’s defense attorney argues his indictment is flawed. Tinos Diamantatos has said it “does not allege that Madigan even knew of AT&T’s hiring of Acevedo.” There’s no evidence of a so-called “quid pro quo,” he said, nor that La Schiazza knew he was acting unlawfully.
“Currying favor with a politician or politically influential person is not a crime,” Diamantatos wrote in court filings.
Chicago Bears CEO sticking to his game plan for Chicago lakefront stadium (Chicago Tribune)
On the eve of a football season that’s been billed as the beginning of a new era for the Chicago Bears, team President and CEO Kevin Warren continues to push for public financing for a new lakefront stadium for the charter NFL franchise despite ongoing skepticism from state officials who would have to approve a deal.
Warren, arguing a new domed stadium near where Soldier Field is located would be a boon both for the team and the city, largely stuck to a familiar script as he spoke Thursday evening in front of a group of Chicago business leaders.
Warren said the nearly $5 billion stadium project would create short-term construction jobs and long-term economic activity for the city. He reiterated his expectation the stadium also will enable the city the opportunity to host Super Bowls and NCAA Final Fours, among other high-profile events.
“If we can’t figure this out, Chicago, shame on us,” Warren said in a wide-ranging conversation with Conagra Brands President and CEO Sean Connolly before the Economic Club of Chicago.
At the same time, Warren continued to keep the door open, at least slightly, to the possibility the Bears could decamp for northwest suburban Arlington Heights, where the team last year spent $197.2 million to buy the former Arlington International Racecourse. Plans for a new stadium and mixed-use development there were in the works as Warren early last year was being brought on to lead the team, and he subsequently shifted the focus to rebuilding in Chicago.
But other than expressing a willingness to work with other pro sports teams that are in the market for public assistance to build new stadiums — including the Chicago White Sox and the Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League — to get a deal done, Warren did little during the hourlong Economic Club chat to indicate how he intends to convince state lawmakers and Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker to support the Bears’ request. The football team is seeking more than $2 billion in taxpayer money for the project as part of a proposed public-private partnership.
With lawmakers set to return to Springfield for six days after the Nov. 5 election, there’s been no outward sign the team has built sufficient support in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to move its plan forward during the days remaining on this year’s legislative calendar.
Related: Bears CEO on stadium pitch: 'If we can't figure this out in Chicago, shame on us' (Crain’s Chicago Business)
‘Love’ for Arlington Heights: Bears president keeps open door to stadium, but complains about taxes (Daily Herald)
Opinion: With stadium plans, the Bears are proposing a barely veiled takeover of the lakefront (Chicago Tribune)
TOP STORIES LAST WEEK ON THEILLINOIZE.COM
POLITICAL POTPOURRI
CTA boosted security spending, but violent crime rate remains above pre-pandemic levels (Chicago Tribune)
Raja Krishnamoorthi on China policy — and why it matters to the Midwest (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Doug Emhoff raises $1.5 million for Harris campaign during Chicago visit, lashes out at Trump (Chicago Sun-Times)
Ahead of the DNC, City Hall spent $814,000 on a fence to lock out homeless people (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Does Illinois have a path to public pension reform? (Daily Herald)
Opinion: Let's stop using clever language to hide dangers of legalized gambling (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Money isn’t a total fix to state’s woes, but often an essential element (Shaw Media)
Opinion: August tax collections in Illinois are nothing to brag about (Champaign News-Gazette)
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