THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Trump bounced...Sports organizations regroup...Dems go all-in to defeat Flowers
February 29, 2024
Good morning, Illinois.
I’m headed into a downstate House Democratic primary today to get the skinny for subscribers tomorrow.
Oh yeah, you should subscribe.
The General Assembly is back next week. Governor Pritzker speaks at the Legal Services Corporation’s “Take A Leap For Justice” symposium at 1:30.
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)
Cook County Judge Removes Trump from March Ballot (The Illinoize)
Cook County Circuit Judge Tracie Porter removed former President Donald Trump from the Illinois ballot Wednesday, just twenty days before the March 19 primary.
The ruling was essentially following many of the same arguments of Colorado’s ruling to remove Trump from the ballot in that state based on the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court is widely expected to overturn that ruling.
“Until the U.S. Supreme Court renders a decision in the [case], now pending before it, reviewing courts are still under a constitutional obligation to apply and interpret the law, and especially, continue the momentum of the electoral process in light of the March general primary elections,” Porter wrote, essentially explaining why she didn’t wait for the Supreme Court ruling.
“This court’s final determination on this issue is that [Trump] fails to meet the Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment’s disqualification provision based on engaging in insurrection on January 6, 2021, and his name should be removed from the ballot,” Porter wrote in her 38 page order.
Republicans were quick to condemn the ruling.
“As we've stated repeatedly, the Illinois Republican Party believes the people, not activist courts or unelected bureaucrats, should choose who represents them in the White House," Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy said in a statement. "This decision to remove President Trump from the ballot without due process is an affront to democracy and limits the voting rights of Illinois citizens."
Porter stayed her own ruling until March 1 to allow for the Appellate Court of the Illinois Supreme Court to rule on an appeal, which is almost guaranteed to come. It is also stayed until the Supreme Court rules on the issue, meaning early and mail votes for Trump can still be cast.
Related: Cook County judge kicks Trump off Illinois ballot — but puts her own order on hold (Chicago Sun-Times)
Cook County judge orders Donald Trump removed from Illinois primary ballot for his role in Jan. 6 riot at US Capitol (Chicago Tribune)
Trump removed from Illinois ballot by Cook County judge's ruling (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Illinois judge tosses Trump from state's primary ballot; appeal likely (Bloomington Pantagraph)
Bears and Sox told to team up on stadium financing pitches (Crain’s Chicago Business)
The Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox are being urged to cobble together one financial request for their stadium proposals that state legislators can consider rather than dueling plans that could box each other out.
Representatives for the teams are hearing the same message from state officials as they jockey for public subsidies to build new stadiums. State Senate President Don Harmon specifically has told both teams there is little appetite in the General Assembly to approve separate stadium legislation.
“I’m not planning to referee fights between billion-dollar sports franchises,” Harmon told Crain’s in a statement. “I hope the teams took heed of the governor’s expression of reluctance to use tax dollars to subsidize new stadiums.”
The comment came a day after Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he was “a bit reluctant” to prioritize public subsidies for team owners.
While no combined plan has materialized and one is unlikely to emerge anytime soon, the teams have had an initial conversation.
Related: Gov. Pritzker ‘reluctant’ to ask taxpayers to subsidize new White Sox stadium in South Loop (Chicago Sun-Times)
Editorial: Gov. Pritzker’s reluctance to fund Jerry Reinsdorf’s field of dreams is the right call (Chicago Sun-Times)
Following unions’ lead, lllinois House Speaker Chris Welch directs $560K to effort to oust Rep. Mary Flowers (Chicago Sun-Times)
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is leading an effort to direct more than $560,000 to oust Chicago Democratic State Rep. Mary Flowers — whose leadership was stripped last year over allegations of abusive behavior.
Unions have already contributed more than $500,000 to support Flowers’ opponent, Michael Crawford, in the 31st District, which stretches from the city's Auburn Gresham neighborhood to Hickory Hills.
House Democratic leaders are publicly supporting Crawford with a hefty $560,500 contribution, according to TaQuoya McConnico, executive director for Illinois House Democrats. Welch himself contributed to Crawford $68,500 from his campaign fund.
“The leader’s decision to support Michael Crawford comes after much consideration of the future of our caucus,” McConnico said in a statement Tuesday. “We are working to build a better Illinois for all. We have to do that with individuals who can come to the table, work collaboratively, and do the work that makes a difference.”
Flowers, in office since 1985, was stripped of her deputy majority leader title and barred from attending House Democratic caucus meetings last year amid complaints from her colleagues that she was disrespectful and conducting what Welch himself called “abusive behavior.”
Related: We’ve covered this issue extensively here, here, and here,
TOP STORIES THIS WEEK ON THEILLINOIZE.COM
POLITICAL POTPOURRI
After Alabama frozen embryo ruling, Pritzker has message for in vitro fertilization seekers: ‘Come to Illinois’ (Chicago Sun-Times)
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, whose daughters were born through IVF, pushes to safeguard access to IVF nationwide (Chicago Sun-Times)
If Pritzker is successful in ending Illinois grocery tax, Peoria might add its own tax (Peoria Journal Star) [note: state law would have to be changed to allow municipalities to add their own grocery tax]
Pritzker introduces pension reform plan that could save taxpayers billions. Will it work? (State Journal-Register)
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias backs bill for digital driver’s licenses and IDs in Illinois (Chicago Sun-Times)
Gov. J.B. Pritzker pushes maternal health funding at planned South Side birthing center (Chicago Tribune)
Feds say ex-state Sen. Terry Link deserves probation after helping uncover bribery scheme (Chicago Sun-Times)
‘This place is horrific’: 10-week-old complaint details ‘filthy’ conditions at Centralia funeral home (Capitol News Illinois)
The Democrats running to replace State’s Attorney Kim Foxx answer five key questions (WBEZ)
In House Democratic primary, Rep. Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia challenged from the right by Ald. Raymond Lopez (Chicago Sun-Times)
Melissa Conyears-Ervin gets backing from pastors in bid for Congress (Chicago Tribune)
Longtime Rep. Bill Foster, challenger Qasim Rashid face off in 11th District primary, differ over Gaza war (Chicago Sun-Times)
Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Bost touts experience amid challenge from ‘outsider’ Darren Bailey (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Go big on the Child Tax Credit to slash poverty — and boost Illinois' economy (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Opinion: Ideological litmus test doing state GOP no favors (Champaign News-Gazette)
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