THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Did Irvin get charges against girlfriend reduced?...GOP candidates for Gov square off again...Congressional race log jams...Illinois' abortion haven
May 19, 2022
Good morning, Illinois.
It was an honor to be on WLS-AM in Chicago with the great Steve Cochran the other morning. He was very kind to overlook when I walked outside due to a screaming baby and then the neighbor dogs started barking. Things that happen at 6am. You can listen to that audio here.
I’ll be joining my friend Jim Leach on WMAY in Springfield this afternoon at 4:10pm. You can listen live by downloading the WMAY app on your mobile dee-vyce. We may have a big announcement, too. BIG. YUGE.
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Richard Irvin said charges last year against girlfriend would be ‘taken care of’ at scene of her arrest in the suburb, police report shows (Chicago Tribune)
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who is now running for Illinois governor, arrived last year at the scene of an arrest by Aurora police in which his then-girlfriend was accused of hitting a security guard at a marijuana store.
The charges against her “would be taken care of,” a police officer overheard him say, according to a police report of the incident obtained by the Aurora Beacon-News and Chicago Tribune. She was charged with an ordinance violation for battery, a minor municipal charge.
Irvin disputes the characterization of his comments that were included in the police report and that it might have implied he used his influence as mayor to affect the charges against his then-girlfriend, Laura Ayala-Clarke, saying that was “actually incorrect.”
Ayala-Clarke went to the store to buy cannabis products and needed to get $100 from an ATM that was inside the store. When the ATM didn’t work, she became frustrated, the report states, and when she complained to store employees they told her to contact the business that runs the ATM. Ayala-Clarke said she would not leave until her boyfriend, Irvin, arrived, according to the report.
After Ayala-Clarke refused for an hour to leave, a security guard told police that she attempted to grab Ayala-Clarke’s right arm to get her to leave but that Ayala-Clarke kicked the security guard in the leg and struck her in the abdomen before the guard pepper sprayed Ayala-Clarke in the face, according to the report.
You can almost be sure this was leaked by the Pritzker campaign or the DGA as they try to knock Irvin out in the primary. I tweeted last night that "police officer says candidate promised to 'take care of' charges against girlfriend arrested for fighting a security guard at a pot shop" is probably not the headline the Irvin campaign was hoping for right now.
Daily Herald Editorial Board interview with Republican candidates for governor (Daily Herald)
Candidates discussed issues including the state budget, the duties of the governor to work effectively with lawmakers, why they can succeed in addressing the state's needs and other topics.
I haven’t had time to watch the whole thing as of this morning, but I’ll get into it this morning and post something on the website.
Poll finds Jackson, Collins and Dowell lead race to succeed Bobby Rush (Crain’s Chicago Business)
We finally have a poll in the race to succeed the retiring Bobby Rush in Congress, and though I’d take the results with a grain of salt, the survey’s bottom line probably is right: In a contest with 17 candidates competing to be heard in the Democratic primary, name recognition will be very important.
The survey was released by the campaign of state Sen. Jacqui Collins. Conducted by pollster Celinda Lake’s Lake Research Partners, it has businessman Jonathan Jackson ahead with 19%, followed closely by Collins and Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd, at 14% each.
Given that Collins and Dowell are elected officials, and that Jackson is the brother of a former congressman and the son of civil rights icon, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, I’d expect them to do well in an initial horse race matchup. It’s also worth noting that Rush has endorsed Norington-Reaves.
The question, though, is whether, with just over five weeks to go until the June 28 vote, any of the candidates have the resources to reach significant numbers of voters to tell them their story—particularly all those undecided voters.
Related: In race to replace US Rep. Bobby Rush, candidates try to break through the clutter in densely crowded field (Chicago Tribune)
Where six Rockford Democrats for Congress stand on guns and economy (Rockford Register-Star)
Illinois clinics, an 'oasis' for abortion access, prep for post- SCOTUS Roe v. Wade restrictions (State Journal-Register)
The number of out-of-state patients seeking abortions in Illinois tripled between 2015 and 2020. But with the future of federal abortion protections uncertain, it's no longer just patients crossing the border.
Between Illinois and the five states that border it, Illinois is the only state not expected to restrict or outright ban abortion access if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
Neighboring Planned Parenthood affiliates also are looking to Illinois. The Planned Parenthood affiliate in St. Louis operates Missouri's only remaining abortion clinic and in January opened a facility across the border in Illinois' Fairview Heights.
Pritzker and other Democrats in the state have taken an increasingly progressive stance on the issue.
As COVID-19 new cases surge, booster for kids comes just in time, expert says (Daily Herald)
With new COVID-19 cases in Illinois more than doubling in May compared to April, the likely approval of a booster shot for children ages 5 to 11 this week is perfect timing, experts said Tuesday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer Inc.'s third shot for youngsters Tuesday, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is expected to follow suit Thursday.
Locally, "we are seeing an increase in pediatric cases both of COVID as well as non-COVID illnesses now -- fortunately they're largely milder respiratory cases," pediatrician Dr. Michael Bauer said.
Related: Is it COVID or something else? Parents of young kids navigate an unusually long flu season (WBEZ)
10th contempt citation filed against DCFS director as 13-year-old locked in psych ward (Capitol News Illinois)
Leah is a 13-year-old girl under Department of Children and Family Services care who lives in a psychiatric ward in a Chicago hospital.
Capitol News Illinois is using a pseudonym to protect her identity, but has confirmed she’s been held for months behind locked doors despite a doctor saying she was well enough to leave the hospital and a judge ordering that she should be moved.
On Thursday, Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith received his 10th contempt of court citation for failing to comply with that judge’s order in Leah’s case.
Related: Auditor General Report Blasts DCFS Performance (The Illinoize)
Opinion: State must rebuild DCFS before foster family recruitment will succeed (Shaw Local)
SOME TOP LINKS FROM THE WEEK SO FAR
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