THE ILLINOIZE: Monday Free for All...More on Highland Park...Holder White officially to Supreme Court...Crowe replacement
July 11, 2022
Good morning, Illinois.
I had to take a few days off last week after coming down with COVID. It was not a fun week. But we’re back and better than ever and ready to hit the ground running today.
I’ll be filling in for Jim Leach on WMAY in Springfield this afternoon from 4-6pm. I have a lot to talk about in terms of where the GOP stands after the Trump/Bailey takeover of the primary and where it goes from here. I’m scheduled to be joined by former Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady and Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield). Tune in if you’re in Springfield or listen online here.
I had a rundown ready last week of all of our post-election stories for last Tuesday, but plans changed after the coward in Highland Park opened fire on kids and families. So, I wanted to share my updated spreadsheet of primary election results (here).
Three races remain uncalled by the Associated Press. (Though, McHenry County State Rep. candidate Arin Thrower has conceded her primary to Connie Cain. Essentially, a concession is just a promise from a candidate they won’t contest the results from an election and I, and the AP, it seems, don’t know how many ballots are left in that race, so it hasn’t been called). In a Quad Cities Democrat House primary, Gregg Johnson leads Thurgood Brooks by 28 votes. The GOP 2nd District primary for Supreme Court still isn’t called, but it doesn’t look good for establishment pick Daniel Shanes.
Working on more on those races and others for our newsletter tomorrow.
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Let’s get to it.
YOUR MONDAY FREE FOR ALL
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Should Illinois’ red flag law have stopped the Highland Park parade shooting? (WBEZ)
Illinois’ “red-flag” law could have stopped the suspect in the Independence Day parade shooting from buying a gun or at least delayed the purchase of the weapon he’s accused of using to kill seven people and wound dozens.
Police in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park were called twice to the home of Robert Crimo III in 2019 — once after he tried to commit suicide and again when he allegedly threatened to “kill everyone” in his family. On either occasion, they could have immediately exercised part of the law that allowed them to seek a restraining order to prevent Crimo from buying guns for anywhere from 14 days to six months.
Obtaining such a delay could have bought critical time for police to seek more information to ask a judge for a longer order preventing a gun purchase.
But Highland Park police did not seek such an order, and they were not required to do so. And just four months after the reported threat that prompted officers to seize 16 knives, a sword and a dagger from Crimo’s home, Illinois State Police approved him for a firearms permit. The agency explained the decision in part by saying that it didn’t consider him a “clear and present danger” because he didn’t consider himself such a danger.
“When police went to the home and asked the individual if he felt like harming himself or others, he responded no,” the state police said in a statement this week, adding “importantly” that Crimo’s father assured officers that the collection of knives seized from the home was his and would be stored safely.
I talk a lot about keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. This is someone who shouldn’t have had a gun, and our laws should reflect these kinds of situations.
Related: Opinion: Only blocking assault gun access will lead to fewer mass shootings (Crain’s Chicago Business)
FOID, red flags and restraining orders: How state laws regulate firearm purchases (Capitol News Illinois)
New Justice Holder-White: 'I'm hopeful the entire community sees this as a moment of celebration' (State Journal Register)
A Black woman will serve on the highest court in Illinois for the first time in history.
Lisa Holder White was sworn in to the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday with First District Justice Mary Jane Theis administering the oath.
Holder White replaces Justice Rita B. Garman, who announced her retirement in May. Garman, 78, was the longest-serving judge in Illinois.
During the ceremony, Holder White said taking the oath in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum felt surreal.
"My heritage is a heritage that once involved minds and bodies that were shackled and doors that were so long closed," Holder White said. "Taking my oath in this place today goes far beyond personal professional achievement, taking my oath in this place today recognizes the undeniable value of what I as a Black woman, mother, daughter, sister, wife, and jurist have to contribute to the work of our state's highest court."
The Supreme Court's first Black justice, Charles Freeman, retired in 2018 after serving the court 28 years. Garman was the first woman to serve on the Fourth District Appellate Court when she was appointed in 1995.
Related: Lisa Holder White sworn in as first Black woman on state Supreme Court: ‘We need not limit our dreams or settle for less’ (Chicago Sun-Times)
New state senator for parts of St. Clair, Madison counties talks about his top issues (Belleville News-Democrat)
A committee of Democratic party leaders from Madison, St. Clair and Jersey counties have announced who will replace State Sen. Rachelle Aud Crowe in the 56th District after her resignation.
Capt. Kristopher Tharp, of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, was sworn in Friday as the region’s new senator through the end of Crowe’s term.
The term ends Jan. 11, 2023, when the new General Assembly is sworn in. Tharp is also expected to be the committee’s pick to run for the 56th District seat in the Nov. 8 General Election, according to Randy Harris, Madison County Democratic party chairman. They have until July 25 to announce their nomination for the ballot.
Crowe resigned from the state Senate to take a job as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The 56th District includes parts of Madison, St. Clair and Jersey counties.
Related: Cain declares victory in 66th House District Republican primary after opponent concedes (Shaw Local)
Major fundraising underdogs among challengers to unseat incumbents (Capitol News Illinois)
Abortion in Illinois imperiled if GOP takes control of the state Supreme Court in November (NBC)
(note: this is a rubbish piece. The court kicked it back to the states, so it’s almost impossible for any court, no matter which party holds it, to reject abortion legislation.)
Editorial: Funding primary candidates from opposing party goes against democracy (Chicago Sun-Times)
Funding primary candidates from another party with the intent to set them up for a loss in the general election undermines the American idea of democracy.
An example of this trending political strategy will be at the top of the Illinois November ballot: Gov. J.B. Pritzker vs. state Sen. Darren Bailey.
The ploy began a few months back when the Democratic Governors Association and Pritzker began investing millions of dollars through advertisements boosting Bailey’s views — bringing more eyes on the Donald Trump-endorsed state senator than the more moderate Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who had $50 million in donations on his side and dubbed himself as “Pritzker’s worst nightmare.”
Pritzker got what he wanted when Bailey won the Republican nomination for governor in the June primary. Now it’s up to the voters to decide between him and a candidate who is anti-abortion, pro-guns and known for wanting Trump’s approval.
I’m sure Governor Pritzker was moved by this editorial as he looked at his polling showing with a 17-20 point lead (just a guess) in November.
Related: Opinion: Why isn’t Darren Bailey ashamed? (Chicago Sun-Times)
Editorial: Darren Bailey should release his tax returns (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Is J.B. Pritzker The Democrats’ Only Hope For 2024? (Current Affairs)
SOME TOP LINKS FROM LAST WEEK (AND THE WEEK BEFORE)
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