THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Suspicious package at State Board of Elections...The CPS mess...Juvenile detention facilities
September 26, 2024
Good morning, Illinois.
The Mayor of New York is under indictment and he’s still getting better press than the Mayor of Chicago. Good times.
I taped a video on the state of the presidential race with my friend Tom LoBianco on his 24Sight page yesterday. You can watch it here. Go subscribe to his newsletter, too.
Governor Pritzker is at the opening of a Training and Business Development Center.
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)
FBI investigating after Illinois, more than a dozen other election offices receive 'suspicious' package (Chicago Sun-Times)
The Illinois State Board of Elections in Springfield was evacuated Friday after receiving a suspicious package — joining a growing list of election offices that have been targeted nationwide.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said last week they were investigating the origin of suspicious packages that have been sent to, or received by, elections officials in more than 20 states. The Associated Press reported last week that some of the packages contained “an unknown substance.”
Illinois is now part of that investigation after the state elections board office received an envelope Friday morning, prompting the evacuation of about 15 to 20 employees, according to Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman Matt Dietrich. The FBI came to the office and determined the envelope wasn’t harmful, he said.
“By Thursday, over 20 other states had already received something, and we were prepared,” Dietrich said. “We knew what to look for. We knew, don’t open it, and handle it with gloves.”
Dietrich said it had a return address of U.S.T.E.A, which stood for “U.S. Traitor Elimination Army” — the same return address sent to other election authorities.
Dietrich said the office was aware they could join the list of states receiving suspicious deliveries, but Friday marked the first time the office has had to call law enforcement to help secure the office.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a “series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states,” the FBI said in a statement.
“Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely collect the letters. We are also working with our partners to determine how many letters were sent, the individual or individuals responsible for the letters and the motive behind the letters,” FBI Springfield spokeswoman Rebecca Cramblit said. “As this is an ongoing matter, we will not be commenting further on the investigation, but the public can be assured safety is our top priority.”
CNN on Friday reported the states that have received the packages included Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
The mailings came as election authorities prepare for crucial voting deadlines. In Illinois, Thursday marks the first day election authorities can mail an official ballot to a registered voter who has requested one.
As Chicago’s mayor tries to oust CPS’ Pedro Martinez, the CEO’s contract is a major hurdle (Chicago Sun-Times)
When Chicago Schools Chief Pedro Martinez took the bold step last week of rejecting Mayor Brandon Johnson’s request that he resign, Martinez did it knowing his contract would make it difficult to quickly oust him.
Sources tell WBEZ and the Sun-Times that Martinez is waiting for the Board of Education to decide his fate and he is holding out hope the members will save him. In statements and in a Chicago Tribune op-ed, he says the school district needs the stability he brings.
The board gathers Thursday for a regular monthly meeting, but CPS spokeswoman Mary Fergus said there are no plans on the agenda to take action on Martinez’s contract.
In some ways, turning to the school board is a risky move for Martinez: The board members are appointed by the mayor, have historically done the mayor’s bidding, and Martinez knows that behind closed doors, his relationship with the board has been strained. In January, a new board comes in. It will become partially elected, but the mayor will continue appointing the majority of members.
This summer, the board appeared to side with Martinez on a key conflict with the mayor over whether the school district should take a loan to address a budget deficit.
But information obtained by WBEZ and the Sun-Times shows that for nearly a year, board members have had some concerns about Martinez’s performance, particularly about the way he interacts with the board.
Related: Martinez: Why I’m not resigning as CPS chief and we’re not closing any schools (Chicago Tribune)
Editorial: Why CPS needs CEO Pedro Martinez (Chicago Sun-Times)
Editorial: CPS crisis is mobilizing establishment Chicago against Brandon Johnson’s agenda (Chicago Tribune)
Opinion: CTU can't get the contract it wants, and Pedro Martinez is taking the fall (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Survivors of sex abuse at Illinois juvenile detention facilities hope for justice (Associated Press)
Michael Moss said he felt shame and guilt for years after he was sexually abused as a teenager by guards at a troubled Chicago juvenile detention center.
Moss, now 30, spoke publicly Tuesday about his traumatic experiences as one of hundreds of survivors who’ve filed lawsuits recounting disturbing allegations of systemic sex abuse in youth detention facilities in Illinois.
“I wouldn’t wish my situation on anybody,” he said during a news conference with about half a dozen other survivors surrounding him. “I hope that justice is granted for the pain and suffering we all went through as kids.”
The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they consent to being identified or decide to tell their stories publicly, as Moss and others who’ve filed lawsuits have. Most plaintiffs in the lawsuits are identified by initials.
Overall, 667 people have alleged they were sexually abused as children at youth facilities in Illinois through lawsuits filed since May. The complaints are part of a wave of similar lawsuits against juvenile detention in states including Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire, California and New York.
Related: Illinois juvenile detention centers facing hundreds more sex abuse claims (Chicago Sun-Times)
TOP STORIES SO FAR THIS WEEK ON THEILLINOIZE.COM
POLITICAL POTPOURRI
Court records show two Springfield insiders profited from a controversial state government program (WBEZ)
Judge not ready to retry former AT&T Illinois exec accused of bribing Mike Madigan (Chicago Sun-Times)
Ex-Ald. Edward Burke reports to prison, where he’s now federal inmate No. 53698-424 (Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Supreme Court rulings address FOID seizures, hospital room privacy (Capitol News Illinois)
Early voting kicks off Thursday for most suburban counties, but not Cook (Daily Herald)
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Chicago to push for abortion rights, Democratic votes (Chicago Tribune)
‘Not a real problem’ or ‘mission critical’? State senate hopefuls differ on climate change (Daily Herald)
Sun-Times seeks dismissal of defamation suit centered on Trump Tower reporting (Capitol News Illinois)
The Man Leading Illinois’s Energy Transition (Chicago Magazine)
Opinion: Why is Dorval Carter Jr. still head of the CTA? (Chicago Tribune)
Opinion: How two dysfunctional relationships are hindering a Bears-Sox stadium deal (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Opinion: Republicans are holding up Farm Bill; that's bad news for Illinois (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Madigan can't feel too good about mistrial for former AT&T exec (Champaign News-Gazette)
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