THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Mapes to prison...Bailey/Proft coordination case to be tossed...Bears stadium update
June 13, 2024
Good morning, Illinois.
Happy U.S. Open weekend to all who celebrate. Pinehurst No. 2 is the site of the tournament this weekend, and it is so cool. (PS- respect to Johnson Wagner’s mustache.)
If you’re a betting man or woman, the answer is Scottie Scheffler. You’re welcome.
I’ll be on this weekend’s Heartland Politics show on WVIK, the NPR affiliate in the Quad Cities. It airs Saturday at 12:30. You can listen live here or click the previous link for the podcast.
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Just a note for paid subscribers: we’re out of the office today, so unless something wild happens, there won’t be a Friday newsletter.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR MONDAY FREE FOR ALL
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Tim Mapes, former Madigan chief of staff, reports to federal prison (Chicago Tribune)
Former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s longtime chief of staff is now a federal inmate, the highest-ranking associate of America’s longest-serving speaker to go to prison — so far.
Tim Mapes, 69, Madigan’s fierce gatekeeper for decades, reported Tuesday to a medium-security federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, to begin serving his 30-month sentence for perjury, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Under federal rules, Mapes must serve 85% of his sentence, meaning with good behavior, he can expect to be released sometime in July 2026. An official release date will be set later by the prisons bureau.
It’s the latest stop on a downward slide for a man who served for years as Madigan’s chief of staff, House clerk and executive director of the Madigan-run Illinois Democratic Party. The penitentiary is also a huge comedown for a guy who used to march throughout the House and bark orders to lawmakers at will — all with Madigan’s imprimatur.
Records show Mapes has at least one familiar face behind bars. The same Pensacola prison currently houses former state Rep. Luis Arroyo, a Chicago Democrat convicted in an unrelated bribery scheme involving sweepstakes gaming legislation. Arroyo was sentenced to 57 months last year and is due to be released in December 2025.
Mapes was convicted by a jury in August of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice charges alleging he lied to a grand jury in 2021 in a failed attempt to protect Madigan from a widening political corruption investigation.
Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign (Capitol News Illinois)
A hearing officer is recommending the Illinois State Board of Elections dismiss a complaint that alleged conservative radio host and political operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated with former Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey during his 2022 campaign for governor.
Proft, a one-time gubernatorial candidate himself, is behind an independent expenditure committee dubbed the “People Who Play By The Rules PAC,” which received $42 million from GOP megadonor Richard Uihlein, and in turn spent $36 million during the 2022 campaign cycle.
The complaint, filed by a top Democratic party official in the waning days of the campaign, claimed Proft’s PAC coordinated campaign spending with Bailey in violation of state law.
Under Illinois election law, “independent expenditure committees” like Proft’s PAC are barred from making expenditures “in connection, consultation, or concert with or at the request or suggestion of” public officials or candidates for office.
But in an opinion published this week ahead of the election board’s next meeting Tuesday, hearing officer James Tenuto agreed with Proft and Bailey’s contention that the complaint actually relied on federal law prohibiting independent expenditure coordination and wrote that “Illinois has no laws or rules governing independent expenditures.”
Though Tenuto recommended that the Board of Elections adopt rules or the General Assembly clarify state law about what is and isn’t allowed by independent expenditure committees, his broader take was that the evidence in the case didn’t support the claims of Proft and Bailey’s illegal coordination.
In an April hearing on the matter, attorneys for Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Ben Hardin, who lodged the complaint, painted a picture of illegal campaign coordination via a secret meeting, use of Bailey’s campaign footage in advertisements produced by Proft’s PAC, and Bailey’s appearances on Proft’s AM radio show.
The day after Bailey won the four-way Republican primary for governor in June of 2022, he and his campaign manager flew via helicopter to a Chicago-area country club for a meeting requested by Proft.
At that meeting, Proft told Bailey that Uihlein had agreed to provide $20 million to Bailey’s campaign – and allegedly presented Bailey with an envelope containing a check to that effect – if Bailey fired his campaign staff and Proft was given the reins.
If not, Bailey was told, Uihlein would instead direct the money to Proft’s PAC, according to testimony during the April hearing. Bailey refused to accept the deal, and Proft’s PAC went on to produce pro-Bailey ads funded by Uihlein’s millions.
Tenuto was unconvinced by Hardin’s contention that because Bailey refused the $20 million, he tacitly agreed to Uihlein’s alternative plan to give Proft the money in order to indirectly boost Bailey’s campaign.
Related: Hearing officer recommends elections board dismiss illegal coordination complaint against Dan Proft, Darren Bailey (Chicago Tribune)
Warren: Bears not ready to sell Arlington Park or minority stake in team (Daily Herald)
The McCaskey family isn’t considering selling a minority stake in the team to free up cash to get a Bears stadium deal done in Chicago.
They’re also not ready to put their 326-acre Arlington Heights property — initially envisioned to be home of the team’s new domed structure — up for sale.
Those were among the takeaways Tuesday from Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, who spoke during a Lincoln Forum/Union League Club of Chicago luncheon and took questions from reporters afterward.
“That’s something that we have not talked about. That’s something that is not on the table at this point in time,” Warren said when asked if Bears ownership would sell minority shares to help pay for a stadium. “It’s just not, and I don’t ever visualize that becoming a part of the discussion. We don’t think it’s necessary to do.”
“Never say never,” he later added. “But that is not something that we would ever focus on.”
The NFL franchise has committed more than $2 billion toward the proposed lakefront stadium, which would be publicly owned. But the team has asked for the rest of the estimated $3.2 billion stadium cost — as well as infrastructure redevelopment of the surrounding campus — to be covered with public funds.
The team’s contribution is expected to come from a mix of equity, debt and a loan from the NFL. It could also include the sale of personal seat licenses to season ticket holders and naming rights. The team also wants to collect revenue from non-football events at the stadium, such as concerts.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has called that last proposal in particular a “non-starter.” He and the two top legislative leaders have so far rejected the Bears’ ask for state subsidies and permission to extend Illinois Sports Facilities Authority bonding authority to pay for a new stadium, and a formal bill never made it to the floor in the General Assembly’s recently concluded spring session.
Related: ‘Aurora is here waiting’: Mayor renews Bears stadium pitch (Daily Herald)
Lou Canellis' conversation at the Lincoln Forum with Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren (FOX 32)
Opinion: With Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce support, is there hope for Bears stadium plan? (Chicago Tribune)
TOP STORIES THIS WEEK ON THEILLINOIZE.COM
POLITICAL POTPOURRI
Pritzker heads to Canada to discuss trade opportunities. Here are his 2 focal points (State Journal-Register)
Illinois Legislature puts the brakes on a carbon capture boom (WBEZ)
Biz leaders give Pritzker, legislators solid marks after spring session (Crain’s Chicago Business)
More than $20M in state funds going to City of Springfield. Here's how it will be used (State Journal-Register)
Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident (Capitol News Illinois)
Ed Burke’s lawyers swamp judge with glowing letters of support ahead of sentencing: ‘I know who Ed really is' (Chicago Sun-Times)
New initiative to expand gender-affirming care across Illinois (WBEZ)
Abortion bans drive demand for residency programs in states like Illinois (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Illinois Planned Parenthood clinics see uptick in Southerners seeking abortions since overturning of Roe (Chicago Sun-Times)
Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details (Capitol News Illinois)
Democratic National Convention poised to drive up hotel room rates this summer (WBEZ)
Bally's a bad bet? Johnson casts doubt on permanent casino in River West (Chicago Sun-Times)
Meet the man who wants to help Illinoisans better understand Native American culture (State Journal-Register)
Southwest suburban residents plead guilty in Jan. 6 case (Chicago Sun-Times)
Illinois made a bold promise to end poverty. In Alexander County, it’s hard to tell. (Capitol News Illinois)
Secretary of state brings the DMV to the driver (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Virtue is being crushed by Illinois' tax vice (Champaign News-Gazette)
Opinion: Even after final gavel, any bill can come back from the dead (Shaw Media)
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