THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Assault weapons ban...Bears...La Schiazza
September 19, 2024
Good morning, Illinois.
After the resignation of Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell at the end of August, the County Board last night approved the appointment of longtime Springfield Police officer Paula Crouch as the new sheriff.
We’ve been doing some digging the past few days, and it doesn’t appear she’s the first female sheriff in the history of the state, but she’s one of just a handful.
It appears that there have been appointed female sheriffs in DeKalb, DeWitt, and Hardin counties, mostly to fill unexpired terms of their husbands. Though the story of Helena Dolder in DeKalb County is kind of awesome.
It does appear Dolder was elected at least once in DeKalb County, so if Crouch runs in 2026, she would be the first woman to be elected sheriff in Illinois in almost 100 years.
Governor Pritzker speaks at an Army National Guard mobilization ceremony in Freeport at 1pm.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR THURSDAY FREE FOR ALL
(note: we’re not responsible for paywalls and restrictions from other news outlets, because good journalism isn’t free)
Gun expert says assault weapons ban ‘describes the most popular firearms I’m involved with’ (Capitol News Illinois)
A firearms expert testified Wednesday that the weapons restricted under Illinois’ assault weapons ban include many of the most common firearms that American consumers use for self-defense.
Steven Randall Watt, a combat veteran and retired law enforcement officer who now owns a private firearms training company, also said he personally owns many types of weapons restricted by the law, as well as large-capacity magazines that he said are an important element in self-defense.
Watt said he subscribes to the adage that says, “You never know how much ammunition you’re going to need, so you want to keep as much as possible.”
Watt was the final witness called by plaintiffs in a case challenging the constitutionality of the state’s assault weapons ban, formally known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act, or PICA.
Illinois lawmakers passed that law in January 2023 in response to the many mass shootings that have occurred in recent years involving gunmen using assault-style weapons. Among those was the shooting at a Fourth of July parade the previous summer in Highland Park that left seven people dead and dozens more injured or traumatized.
The law prohibits the manufacture, sale and possession by most people of a long list of firearms that are defined as “assault weapons.” Those include various kinds of semiautomatic rifles, pistols or shotguns that have features such as detachable magazines, adjustable stocks and flash suppressors.
“That description describes the most popular firearms I’m involved with,” Watt said when read provisions of the law defining assault weapons.
Related: Trial challenging state's assault weapons ban gets underway in southern Illinois (WBEZ)
Downstate federal trial poses latest test for Illinois gun ban (Chicago Tribune)
New Bears lakefront stadium would only be a 'playground' for the rich, opponents say (Chicago Sun-Times)
Parks advocates on Wednesday tried to throw more blocks in the way of the Chicago Bears’ stalled drive for a new stadium on the lakefront.
Leaders from Friends of the Parks, Landmarks Illinois and People for Community Recovery voiced their opposition outside Soldier Field, arguing the plan would intensify an existing gap in development throughout the city and use public money in a way opposed by many taxpayers.
“Ensuring Chicago’s lakefront remains forever open, clear and free is not the responsibility of one but the work of many,” said Gin Kilgore, interim executive director of the influential Friends of the Parks. “With all the issues of inequity in Chicago, we cannot take our eyes off the real goal of accessible health care, addressing food deserts, affordable housing and abundant amenities in all of our parks for everyone to enjoy.”
The Bears are seeking upwards of $1 billion in public funding for the proposed stadium, backed by an extension of the 2% city hotel tax used to build Guaranteed Rate Field and renovate Soldier Field. But Gov. JB Pritzker and the state lawmakers who would need to sign off on that idea have all but rejected it, with Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf targeting the same public dollars for another baseball stadium.
The Bears never got any legislative momentum behind their initial plan to move to Arlington Heights either, a proposal that remains stalled due to a property tax dispute with suburban school districts.
But team president Kevin Warren has said the team will keep pushing for the $4.7 billion domed stadium just south of Soldier Field, the 100-year-old home to the Bears that would be largely demolished under the proposal.
Demolishing most of the stadium aside from its colonnades and memorials raised alarm for the group Landmarks Illinois. Advocacy manager Kendra Parzen pointed to the stadium’s status on the National Register of Historic Places and its history as a landmark in Chicago as reasons to oppose new development.
Friends of the Parks, a primary protector of the lakefront, announced their opposition to the plan but declined to give a preferred location for the Bears to play. The group has met with Bears leaders and urged the team to take things slow and include the public in any decisions.
“The Bears are lucky. It’s a privilege to play on the lakefront,” Kilgore said. “That doesn’t mean they get to leave and keep their place in line. The lakefront does not need development.”
Related: Legislators say they’re still skeptical about public funding for new White Sox stadium after team-sponsored cruise (Chicago Tribune)
Jury deliberates second day with no verdict in trial of AT&T Illinois boss accused of scheme to bribe Michael Madigan (Chicago Tribune)
A federal jury deliberated for about seven hours Wednesday without reaching a verdict in the bribery trial of former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza, who is accused of funneling payments to an ally of Michael Madigan to win the powerful speaker’s support for key legislation in Springfield.
The jury of four men and eight women returned to the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse at 9 a.m. for more discussions after deliberating for about 90 minutes Tuesday without reaching a verdict.
Shortly after returning, the jury sent the judge their only note so far, which read: “The government indicates that for a bribe there only needs to be ‘intent’ and no exchange. Is this consistent with the law?”
This question seemed to hit at the heart of the case. U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman called the jury back out and reread several pages of the jury instructions dealing with the elements of the bribery counts, then urged them to read it again back in the jury room.
The instructions define bribery as a person giving or offering something of value to another person “with the intent to influence or reward an agent of state government in exchange for an official act.”
Gettleman told the lawyers he wasn’t surprised by the jury’s confusion because the issue is complicated.
There was no further contact from the jury, which left the courthouse about 4:15 p.m. In total, the panel has been deliberating for about 8 1/2 hours.
Deliberations will resume Thursday morning.
Related: Jurors begin deliberations in trial of former AT&T chief accused of bribing Michael Madigan (Chicago Sun-Times)
Case of former AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan heads to jury (Capitol News Illinois)
Madigan's 'bandits' comment barred from trial again (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Madigan central to trial of ex-AT&T chief (Champaign News-Gazette)
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Central Illinois lawmakers propose ban on carbon sequestration within Mahomet Aquifer (Bloomington Pantagraph)
City Council votes to keep ShotSpotter, but Mayor Johnson pledges veto (Chicago Tribune)
State GOP leaders talk about Trump’s safety, and protest votes (Daily Herald)
State Supreme Court hears arguments in Jussie Smollett’s effort to overturn conviction (Capitol News Illinois)
17th District race heats up as McGraw debuts first TV ad (Bloomington Pantagraph)
Casten’s GOP rival defends Trump, Vance on debunked claims about migrants eating pets (Daily Herald)
DeKalb man pleads guilty to Keicher assassination threat (Shaw Media)
Editorial: A year later, cashless bail in Illinois is working, but tweaks are needed (Daily Herald)
Editorial: An electricity crisis is looming for Illinois. Is anybody paying attention in Springfield? (Chicago Tribune)
Opinion: Property tax reform is the long-term goal, but homeowners need some short-term relief now (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Is Jesse Jackson Jr. seeking a second act? (Chicago Tribune)
Opinion: Mexicans Are the Fastest-Growing Ethnic Group in Chicago — and Underrepresented (Chicago Magazine)
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