THE ILLINOIZE: Saturday Update
April 23, 2022
Good morning, Illinois.
Happy Saturday. We had a few things go out for paid subscribers late yesterday that I wanted to share with you this morning.
If you want to be in “the know” as things happen, I hope you’ll join us as a paid subscriber. It’s just $75 for a year or $7.99 per month. The rates go up May 1, which we’ll have more on in Tuesday’s newsletter. But, hey, save some coin now.
Let’s get to it.
CROWE NOMINATED AS U.S. ATTORNEY
The White House has chosen Sen. Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.
The Southern District encompasses 38 counties in the southern third of the state, including Madison and St. Clair Counties, as well as Effingham, Mt. Vernon, and Carbondale south to the southern tip of the state.
Crowe has represented the 56th District in the Metro East region of the state since 2019, winning an election to replace longtime Sen. Bill Haine. Crowe had served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Madison County for 12 years before joining the Senate.
She has positioned herself as a moderate, especially on criminal issues. Crowe also chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. Her Madison County based district has trended slightly more conservative in recent years. Her redrawn district left her considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the Senate this fall. President Trump won her new district by 3 percentage points in 2020 while Governor Pritzker won the district by about 8 points in 2018.
When reached Friday afternoon, Crowe told The Illinoize she was unable to discuss the appointment in depth. But she issued a statement.
“I’m honored to be nominated for the position of U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, and I’m looking forward to the nomination process,” she said.
More here.
SENATE CANDIDATE FACES ORDER OF PROTECTION FROM WIFE
Winnebago County GOP Chairman Eli Nicolosi, who is challenging longtime incumbent Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) in the June 28 primary, says he will not step aside after his estranged wife was granted an order of protection against him.
(Disclosure: I worked closely with Syverson while I was on Senate Republican staff in 2013-2014.)
The victim, who we will not identify in our story, filed the order of protection in Winnebago County Circuit Court Tuesday. She had filed for divorce from Nicolosi last May and alleged that he threatened her and picked the lock to enter the room she was staying in at the Rockford home the couple shared.
In the filing for the order of protection, the woman alleges she is unable to sleep because she fears for her own safety.
In a statement Thursday, Nicolosi says he is “absolutely” staying in the race and is blaming Springfield for the information coming to light.
“The allegations are 100% untrue, and because I am running against a 30-year establishment incumbent, Springfield sadly drags my wife and 4 children into the public eye,” he said.
Court filings are public documents.
More here.
TWO SENATE DEMS WITHDRAW TO GIVE SEATS TO CHOSEN SUCCESSOR
Two longtime Democratic Senators have withdrawn from the June primary ballot to pass on their seats to preferred successors.
Both Sen. Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) and Sen. Steve Landek (D-Bridgeview) withdrew from the ballot Wednesday, as had been expected after they engineered the filing of a family member or longtime ally on the ballot.
Munoz’s soon-to-be son-in-law, Javier Cervantes, filed nominating petitions just before the deadline on the final day of the nominating window in March.
Landek’s former Chief of Staff, Lyons Township Trustee and Public Works Director in Bridgeview (where Landek is Mayor) Mike Porfirio, did the same in Landek’s south suburban 11th District.
By filing before the closing date and withdrawing, no other Democrat can file to face Cervantes or Porfirio.
Read more here.
JOIN US