THE ILLINOIZE: "Tension" between Senate Democrats and Pritzker administration over appointments...Springfield Bishop Paprocki supports Alabama IVF ruling

April 2, 2024

Good morning, Illinois.

It’s the first week of April, it’s wet, it’s cold, and there’s snow in the forecast in suburbia this week. Happy spring!

Thanks, as always, to the folks at WMAY in Springfield for asking me to fill in on their morning show a couple of times last week. Always fun to break out the old radio muscles (a business I left more than 13 years ago!)

The Senate is out this week. The House is in at noon. There is nothing on Governor Pritzker’s public schedule.

Let’s get to it.

“SERIOUS TENSION” BETWEEN SENATE DEMOCRATS AND PRITZKER ADMINISTRATION OVER APPOINTMENTS

A rift spanning more than two years may be about to break open and implode an already tenuous relationship between Governor JB Pritzker, Senate President Don Harmon, and members of the Senate Democratic caucus over the Governor’s executive appointments, namely to the Prisoner Review Board.

The PRB, which is Illinois’ version of a parole board, lost two members last week, Donald Shelton, the Chairman, and LeAnn Miller, after a recent parolee was accused of attempting to kill his pregnant ex-girlfriend and murdering her 11-year-old son who tried to protect her.