THE ILLINOIZE: My run-in with Gov. Pritzker...Mask mandate...White Republicans don't want vax...Labor, Dems want larger crowds for conventions and tourism...IDES offices not opening anytime soon...
March 5, 2021
Good morning.
I started this newsletter six months ago, in part, because of my frustration with traditional media.
Specifically, I worked a congressional race last spring that the media wouldn’t (and probably wasn’t allowed to, in many cases) cover candidates and issues. You know, things that don’t impact people.
Governor JB Pritzker has done a lot of media events in recent weeks, and there have been more than a few where no reporters even show up to question the Governor of Illinois. Seriously?
I’ve been having a hard time getting the Governor’s office to play ball with me.
I just checked, nobody on the Governor’s press staff has returned one of my e-mail requests for comment (I like e-mail for the paper trail) since January 27. It was early December the last time the Governor’s actual Press Secretary returned my note.
So when the Governor had an event in Waukegan the other day, I decided to hop the 40 minutes or so up 294 and 94 to see how many of my stack of questions for the Gub I could get out.
As luck would have it, no other media members showed up. (I specifically avoid calling myself a reporter anymore since I write opinion pieces and have a political background that I’ve been 100% open with you about.)
Clearly, the Governor’s people think I’m just some Republican hack, and someone prepped him accordingly before I started asking questions. (I think I’ve proven here, here, and here that I’m not a hack for anybody.)
I asked him about the race for Democratic Party of Illinois chair and Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s eligibility for the position, which was a big topic earlier in the week. Before answering the question, he felt the need to point out “I know that you worked for the other party in this state, and so you know how these things work…” before launching into a not-so-subtle hit at Kelly.
It was an obvious effort by the Governor to discredit me and the work I’m doing. But, guess what? It’s not going to work. I’m here, and I’m not going away. (And, by the way, I’m holding GOP feet to the fire, too. If you don’t believe me, keep reading in the coming days.)
Anyway, that’s story time with Patrick.
Let’s get into it.
PRITZKER DOESN’T COMMIT TO MASK MANDATE FUTURE
Governor JB Pritzker instituted a mask mandate in May of last year and has extended it through early June.
Now that some states are stating to roll back mandates and vaccines are beginning to ramp up, we asked Pritzker if he had any plans to end it early or extend it.
WHITE REPUBLICANS LEAST LIKELY TO GET VACCINE
The state has focused much of its messaging to get more African American and Latino residents of the state to take the COVID-19 vaccine. But a new poll from online polling firm Civiqs says it’s actually white Republicans who are the least likely to get the vaccine.
41% of Republicans say they don't plan to get a vaccine if it's available to them. Only 33% say they do plan to get vaccinated.
Pritzker says he doesn’t plan to change the state’s messaging, or find another messenger even though many downstate white Republicans may not be big fans of his.
CHICAGO LABOR LEADERS PUSHING FOR LARGER CROWDS
One of the highest profile supporters of Illinois Democrats, the Chicago Federation of Labor, is breaking with Governor JB Pritzker over his limits on gathering sizes.
CFL President Bob Reiter told a Senate committee yesterday some 25-30,000 union employees in things like hotels and convention centers like McCormick Place are currently unemployed.
“We can’t exist in the Phase 4 limbo and hope a regulation is going to change in the next two weeks or next three weeks as the numbers get better,” Reiter said, referring to the Governor’s regulations. “One thing I don’t want to do is litigate the past. I don’t think we need to have capacity limits. We need to have percentages that account for what actual space is.”
The Governor’s Phase 4 regulation limits gatherings in all places, whether it be a church basement or the 2.6 million square foot McCormick Place at 50 people.
The issue is the convention industry, as three gigantic shows that are typically held in Chicago have already pulled up stakes for this year to places where there are fewer restrictions on crowd sizes.
The prognosis is bad for all corners of the city’s tourism and entertainment industries. Even Navy Pier is at risk of not being able to re-open.
They want some ramp up to “Phase 5,” which essentially gets the state back to normal. 25% or 33% occupancy at Wrigley Field, the 2,500 seat Cadillac Palace Theater, or McCormick Place is a heck of a lot more than 50.
Here’s our story on the issues in the industry.
LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE WON’T REOPEN SOON
Speaking of legislative hearings yesterday, a joint House Committee grilled Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Kristin Richards over long wait times and struggles addressing cases for the multitudes of unemployed Illinoisans.
After the complete meltdown of the system at the beginning of the pandemic, IDES implemented a callback system.
Richards said the department is still receiving 12-13,000 calls everyday. Some days, that number still reaches as high as 20,000. As they push to resolve cases and inquiries, callbacks still take up to 4 weeks in some cases.
Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) says a constituent has survived the past seven weeks on a total of $221, as the person waits for the state to release $4,500 in unpaid benefits. Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur) says her office has received calls from people contemplating suicide.
“We have to see these people face to face,” said Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates.) “I can’t even tell you how many boxes of [tissues] my office has gone through because we don’t even know what to tell them anymore.”
But there’s plenty of frustration, too.
“Legislators on both sides of the aisle are extraordinarily frustrated with the office,” Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) said. “The state has just so fallen down on the job on this. The same old bureaucracy approach to this is clearly not working. Whatever you guys have been doing, it’s not been working.”
Here’s our write up on the hearing yesterday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday today to former State Representative Jim Sacia. The retired FBI agent turns 77.
Former State Senator Tim Bivins celebrates Sunday.
Sen. Steve McClure turns 37 on Monday.
BEFORE WE GO
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Have a great weekend, everyone.