Pritzker on Dems: ‘We've lost our way'
TOP TALKER
TESTING THE WATERS: Gov. JB Pritzker sounded like a candidate road-testing a stump speech Monday at the Aspen Ideas Climate conference in Chicago.
'We've lost our way,' Pritzker said of Democrats' recent messaging. 'Let's not walk away from Civil Rights because we lost an election. We haven't talked enough about Civil Rights. We haven't talked enough about health care,' he told a crowd of global climate leaders and thinkers at the Salt Shed.
During the Q&A with ABC News' Linsey Davis, Pritzker railed against the insurance industry's control on health care and called out the $7.25 federal minimum wage as a national disgrace. 'Why are Democrats not out there arguing for raising the minimum wage?' he asked, prompting applause from the crowd. 'What a great issue for Democrats.'
Democrats reclaiming the populist mantle is a message Pritzker is likely to use on the campaign trail running for his third term. And it's a message that could carry through to 2028, too.
On Monday, Pritzker toggled between policy and politics during the half-hour 'fireside chat.' He recounted legislative wins — like Illinois tripling its renewable energy output since 2021 — and painted a vision of a future where clean tech and climate action are economic drivers, not burdens.
'We're proving out the idea that you can accelerate progress even without the federal government's engagement,' he said, referring to the Trump administration's efforts to pull back on federal programs.
Illinois is still achieving wins, Pritzker said, in spite of 'disturbing' federal rollbacks. He pointed to Rivian's electric vehicle plant in Normal and its thousands of new jobs as a 'proof point' of how green energy and middle-class economics aren't mutually exclusive.
Everything's cyclical. Pritzker also looked ahead, saying, 'the nightmare … will end in three-and-a-half years.'
RELATED: New Rivian supplier 'Adient' set to bring dozens of jobs to town of Normal, by 25 News Now's Imani McClay
THE BUZZ
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The race for Cook County's 12th District commissioner seat is already taking shape with Elizabeth Granato, currently head of the Cook County's Bureau of Asset Management, officially jumping in.
In her campaign announcement, Granato struck a defiant tone. 'Cook County is on the front lines of the battle against the Trump MAGA Republican effort to take away health care from those who need it most, raise the cost of living and let the wealthiest corporations and billionaires dump their tax obligations on the middle class,' she said in a statement. 'I'm running to make sure nobody is left behind in Cook County.'
Granato is positioning herself as a progressive standard-bearer in a district up for grabs after news Monday that Commissioner Bridget Degnen won't seek reelection. Degnen has thrown her support behind Cat Sharp, chief of staff to Ald. Andre Vasquez in the 40th Ward and before that Degnen's outreach director.
Also considering a run: Jose 'Che-Che' Wilson, a noted LGBTQ+ policy advocate and community leader, is exploring a bid to replace Degnen, too.
Granato, a Latina and the first in her family to graduate from college, is leaning into her personal story as she courts Democratic voters.
She's already been endorsed by the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers ADC 1 Illinois and Ironworkers District Council of Chicago and Vicinity.
And Granato has the backing of her husband — state Sen Ram Villivalam. Look for Granato to file more than $200,000 in Illinois State Board of Elections filings today.
Degnen's announcement that she won't seek reelection comes on the heels of Commissioners Kevin Morrison and Donna Miller also announcing their exits from their county jobs as they seek higher office.
If you are Bridget Degnen, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@politico.com
WHERE'S JB
At Chicago's Union Station at 1 p.m. to deliver remarks for the site's centennial celebration honoring 100 years of service
WHERE's BRANDON
At Navy Pier at 9 a.m. for the Chicago Police Department recruit graduation and promotion ceremony — At Malcolm X College at 12:30 p.m. for People with Disabilities' Disability Pride Celebration — At City Hall at 3 p.m. to meet with reporters — At Salt Shed at 6:15 p.m. for the Aspen Climate: Chicago conference
Where's Toni
At La Rabida Children's Hospital at 10 a.m. to announce $25 million in community safety funding
Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
BUSINESS OF POLITICS
— Endorsement: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle endorsed Robert Peters on Monday in his bid for Congress in the 2nd District. The Tribune's Dan Petrella has details.
— George Danos, the Champaign County auditor, who's running for state comptroller, says his research shows he'd be the first CPA to serve as comptroller of Illinois if he won the seat — and the first openly gay statewide office holder, too. The Elgin native says his focus is on transparency. 'To keep the state on a sound financial basis, the legislature and governor must be assisted by honest, direct and timely financial reporting,' Danos said in a statement.
— Patrick Cortesi, chair of the McLean County Democrats and a longtime grassroots organizer, has launched his campaign for Democratic State Central Committee in Illinois' 16th District. Current Committeeman John Daniel is not seeking reelection and is endorsing Cortesi for the position.
— IL-09: Another look at who's leading the money race, by the Daily Herald's Russell Lissau
THE STATEWIDES
— Gov. JB Pritzker joins letter demanding release of federal education funding, with billions still in limbo: 'The grants, already appropriated by Congress, were abruptly frozen the day before they were set to be disbursed July 1. The paused funding included $241.8 million for Illinois schools and community colleges,' by the Tribune's Kate Armanini.
— Illinois joins suit to block Trump administration from barring undocumented immigrants from public benefits, by the Sun-Times' Violet Miller
— Following state rep's encounter, Pritzker signs 'squatter bill' into law, by Capitol News' Ben Szalinski
— Former ComEd CEO says she's innocent, even as judge gives her 2 years in prison, by the Sun-Times' Jon Seidel
— COLUMN: Illinois ranks last in financial reporting, by the News-Gazette's Jim Dey
CHICAGO
— Police Department brass accused Mayor Brandon Johnson's budget office of 'systemically' delaying paychecks: The mayor's office says it was an 'administrative' error that has since been rectified, by the Tribune's Alice Yin.
— Online sports betting, legal video gaming could be cash cow for Chicago, alderpersons say: 'But Chicago would only benefit if it demands a greater cut of video gaming tax revenue from Springfield, city officials say,' by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman.
— Steven Montano guilty of first-degree murder in killing of CPD Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso, by the Sun-Times' Sophie Sherry
— City leaders, including the mayor, call on state lawmakers to act to unmask ICE agents, by the Block Club's Francia Garcia Hernandez
— City Council v. Chicago Cops in 16-Inch softball: 'Despite the Police Knights batting opposite-handed, the City Council softball team showed their legislative skills don't transfer so easily to the diamond — though they still eked out a questionable win,' by the Block Club's Noah Asimow.
— American Airlines drops federal lawsuit, escalates Chicago O'Hare gate fight in local court, by View From The Wing's Gary Leff
TAKING NAMES
— NEW FELLOWS: In the often-fractured world of Illinois politics, the Edgar Fellows Program stands out as a rare and hopeful experiment in bipartisan collaboration. Next month, 41 new public policy leaders — from lawmakers to nonprofit directors — will gather in Urbana-Champaign for a weeklong crash course in ethical, solutions-driven leadership.
Launched in 2012 by former Gov. Jim Edgar, the program pushes civility over conflict and promotes bridging political, racial and regional divides. 'Though they each have their own unique life experiences, they find out that they have more in common than they have that separates them,' Edgar said in announcing the latest cohort.
Among this year's participants: state Sens. Mary Edly-Allen, Suzy Glowiak Hilton, Darby Hills and Craig Wilcox; state Reps. Harry Benton, Mary Beth Canty, Brandun Schweizer and Nabeela Syed; Chicago Alds. Ruth Cruz and Timmy Knudsen; Chief of Staff to the Illinois Speaker Clayton Harris III; Climate Jobs Illinois Executive Director Joe Duffy (the former campaign manager for Attorney General Kwame Raoul); Illinois Chamber CEO Lou Sandoval; Validus co-founder Nicholas Klitzing (the former Illinois GOP executive director); and Intersect Illinois Comms Director Amanda Vinicky. Here's the full list
— Darren Walker, the outgoing president of the Ford Foundation, is joining the Obama Foundation's board of directors on Nov 1.
— Bill Adair is joining the line-up of the Printers Row Lit Fest in September. Adair, who won a Pulitzer for his work at PolitiFact, is among seven Pulitzer Prize winners at the event.
Reader Digest
We asked what album you'd take with you on a desert island.
Denise Barreto: 'Black On Both Sides' by Mos Def (also known as Yasiin Bey).
Josef Michael Carr Jr.: 'Songs in the Key of Life' by Stevie Wonder.
David Eldridge: ''We Are' by Jon Batiste. When I am down, I place this album on my record player to be uplifted.'
Mike Gascoigne: 'Stand for Myself' by Yola.
John Howell: 'Herb Alpert's 'Whipped Cream' (a masterpiece).'
Robert Kieckhefer: 'Jazz Samba' by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd.
David Kohn: 'The Power and the Glory by Gentle Giant.'
Joan Pederson: ''John Prine,' his first.'
Fred Lebed: 'The Burning Spear.'
Ron Michelotti: 'Tapestry.'
Marilynn Miller: 'Any album of Frank Sinatra's that includes 'My Way.' It's my theme song.'
Jeff Nathan: 'Big Boat' by Phish.
Timothy Powell: 'The only album that matters by 'The Only Band That Matters': 'London Calling' by The Clash!'
Alison Pure-Slovin: 'Sounds of Silence' by Simon and Garfunkel.
Elliot Regenstein: 'The new EP 'Vacation Home' from the Illinois-based band North Grove!'
Ebony Scott-Anderson: ''The Lion King: The Gift by Beyoncé.' It's full of hope and reminders of one's inner strength. Something I'd need to survive until I'm rescued.'
Scott Simon: 'Erik Satie's 'Gymnopedies.' Moves from pensive to haunting to joyful and back again.'
Steve Smith: 'Rubber Soul.'
John Straus: 'Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto recording featuring Arturo Toscanini leading the NBC Symphony Orchestra with Vladimir Horowitz soloist.'
Michael Strautmanis: 'Prince's 'Sign O' the Times' — an experimental narrative from our generation's Mozart.'
Matt Sullard: ''Reggatta de Blanc' by The Police, just to play 'Message in a Bottle' on repeat unironically.'
Wendi Taylor Nations: 'Guns N' Roses' 'Appetite for Destruction' because I grew up with Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin and 'Sweet Child O' Mine' reminds me of home.'
Timothy Thomas: 'Stevie Wonder's 'Songs in the Key of Life,' the first album I bought with hard-earned paper-route money.'
Patricia Ann Watson: 'Stevie Wonder's 'Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants.''
Judith Weinstein: 'Talking Book' by Stevie Wonder.
Steve Weiss: 'The Tour de Force by Brian Wilson.'
NEXT QUESTION: If you had to filibuster for 12 hours straight, what topic could you ramble about?
THE NATIONAL TAKE
— GOP megabill's final score: $3.4T in red ink and 10 million kicked off health insurance, CBO says, by POLITICO's Jennifer Scholtes, Robert King and Benjamin Guggenheim
— Frustration and fear ripple through NPR and PBS affiliates, by POLITICO's Aaron Pellish and Irie Sentner
— Why Ross Perot caught the zeitgeist — and Elon Musk might not, by John Ganz for POLITICO
DELEGATION
— Congresswoman Robin Kelly joined in introducing the Gun Safety Incentive Act. The bill promotes safe gun storage practices by providing a federal tax credit for individuals who purchase certified firearm safes and secure storage devices.
IN MEMORIAM
— Veteran Chicago defense attorney Thomas Anthony Durkin dies at 78, by the Tribune's Jason Meisner
TRIVIA
MONDAY's ANSWER: The Forum in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood was known for its large ballroom and being a go-to place for Jazz and Blues music.
TODAY's QUESTION: Which of August Wilson's 'Pittsburgh Cycle' plays is actually set in Chicago? Email your answer to: skapos@politico.com.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar, lobbyist and former Ald. Joe Moore and lieutenant governor's Comms Director Taylor Brown
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Trump arrives in Scotland for golf and bilateral talks as EU trade deal nears
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Trump, facing the biggest domestic political crisis of his second term, expressed frustration about ongoing questions about his administration's handling of investigative files related to Epstein's criminal charges and his 2019 death in prison. "You make it a very big thing over something that's not a big thing," Trump told reporters in Scotland, urging them to focus on other prominent Americans with ties to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton. "Talk about Clinton. Talk about the former president of Harvard. Talk about all of his friends. Talk about the hedge fund guys that were with him all the time. Don't talk about Trump," he said. "What you should be talking about is the fact that we have the greatest six months in the history of a presidency." The Epstein issue has caused a rare breach with some of Trump's most loyal Make America Great Again supporters, and majorities of Americans and Trump's Republicans say they believe the government is hiding details on the case, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. White House officials are hoping the controversy dies down while Trump is abroad, two people familiar with the matter said. Trump will stay at his Turnberry property on Scotland's west coast this weekend, before traveling on Monday to a golf property in Aberdeen, where he will open a second 18-hole course named in honor of his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod. MacLeod was born and raised on a Scottish island before emigrating to the U.S. As he left the White House, Trump said he looked forward to meeting both Starmer and Scottish leader John Swinney, who had publicly backed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. 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Since being elected last year, Starmer has prioritized good relations with Trump, stressing the importance of Britain's defense and security alliance with the U.S., while working to clinch the first tariff-reduction deal with the U.S. in May. The framework agreement reaffirmed quotas and tariff rates on British automobiles and eliminated tariffs on the UK's aerospace sector, but left steel tariffs in place. Starmer is expected to press for lower steel tariffs, but sources close to the matter said it was unclear if any breakthrough was possible during Trump's visit. Trump has described Scotland as a "very special place" and made a similar trip there in 2016 during his earlier presidential run, but he will not necessarily receive a warm welcome. About 70% of Scots hold an unfavorable opinion of Trump, while 18% have a favorable opinion, according to an Ipsos poll conducted in March. 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The Tribune's Quotes of the Week quiz for July 26
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The Hill
33 minutes ago
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Five unanswered questions around Trump and the Epstein saga
The controversy over Jeffrey Epstein rumbles on, despite President Trump's efforts to put it behind him. It's been almost three weeks since a joint, unsigned memo from the FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ) insisted 'no incriminating 'client list'' had been found among material related to Epstein. The memo also contended that there had been 'no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.' The statement caused a firestorm – including among many Trump supporters, who had been primed to expect big revelations about Epstein, the sexual predator and disgraced financier who died, apparently of suicide, in 2019. Attorney General Pam Bondi had said in a February Fox News interview that an Epstein client list was 'sitting on my desk right now to review.' In previous years, people very close to Trump, including his eldest son Don Jr. and Vice President Vance, had suggested there was a nefarious motive behind the failure to disclose more material about Epstein. But even as the controversy moves on, there are many unanswered questions. Here are five of the biggest. What happens with Ghislaine Maxwell? Developments around Maxwell, the British socialite and Epstein associate, have been among the most intriguing new developments. Todd Blanche, the second highest ranking figure in the DOJ, met with Maxwell in Tallahassee, Fla., on Thursday and Friday. Maxwell received a 20-year prison sentence in 2022 for conspiring with Epstein in his abuse. The unusual move by Blanche, who served as one of Trump's personal attorneys before ascending to his current role at the DOJ, has become a partisan flashpoint. Democrats and other Trump critics are warning of the prospect of some kind of quid-pro-quo deal, in which Maxwell would be offered a pardon, or at least some level of clemency, in return for exculpatory words on Trump. 'The conflict of interest just stares you in the face,' Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a speech on Thursday. Blanche has defended the meetings as a straightforward pursuit of more information. In a statement on Tuesday, he said, 'President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence. If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.' There are reasons to be skeptical about whether lenient treatment of Maxwell would quel the controversy. It might just as easily ratchet it up. But on Friday, before leaving for a trip to Scotland, Trump notably did not rule out a pardon or clemency of Maxwell. 'I'm allowed to do it but it's something I have not thought about,' he told reporters at the White House. How does Trump's case against the Wall Street Journal go? The Epstein matter has seen Trump go into full legal battle against the Wall Street Journal, its parent company News Corporation and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Trump says he was defamed by a Journal story that alleged a letter bearing his name and a drawing was included in an album put together by Maxwell to mark Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003. The president is seeking $10 billion in damages. The Journal has stood by its story and has continued to report vigorously on Trump and Epstein. On Wednesday, days after Trump filed his suit, the Journal reported that Trump had been told by the DOJ back in May that his name was mentioned in the Epstein files – though the news organization noted that such a mention is not, in itself, evidence of wrongdoing. The fact that neither Trump nor Murdoch are inclined to back down sets up a striking clash, not least because of the Murdoch family's role at Fox News. Is Pam Bondi in trouble? Some Republicans and other Trump allies plainly blame Bondi for at least part of the political mess in which they find themselves. They contend that the attorney general's comments in the February Fox interview were the spark that ignited the flame of controversy that is now burning the president. A former attorney for Trump and Epstein told the BBC this week that the DOJ had 'jumped the gun a bit' in overhyping the information that they had. 'They were in favor, for good reasons, of disclosing and full transparency, but they didn't know what they had yet,' David Schoen told the BBC's 'Newsnight.' Meanwhile, Politico reported this week on GOP disquiet over Bondi's role, quoting one unnamed senior House GOP aide saying, 'I think she, from pillar to post, handled this thing so badly and bizarrely.' But voices close to Trump, including White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, have publicly defended Bondi, stressing her work to advance Trump's broader agenda. The New York Times also reported on Thursday that Bondi 'felt blindsided and annoyed' by demands from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that the DOJ should probe actions taken by the Obama administration in relation to Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Will Republicans rally around Trump? The Epstein controversy has been unusually damaging to Trump because it has cracked the unity of the GOP and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) base. A Wall Street Journal poll released on Thursday evening, found that 69 percent of all registered voters – and a striking 54 percent of Republicans – had either little or no confidence that the DOJ had fully investigated the Epstein matter. Elected Republicans have also made a stand, at least in some cases. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is leading an effort to force the DOJ to release as much documentation as possible on Epstein. In a separate, closely-watched vote on a House panel this week, three Republicans – Reps. Nancy Mace (S.C.), Brian Jack (Ga.) and Scott Perry (Pa.) – voted with Democrats to subpoena the DOJ for Epstein documents. Republicans are also expected to receive plenty of hostile questioning on the Epstein matter from their constituents while the House is on its summer recess. All of that being said, Trump's overall grip on the GOP is tight. He may well be able to bring his party into firmer line. How long does the story keep making headlines? The new lease of life for the Epstein story shows no real signs of dying down – much to Trump's displeasure. Indeed, actions that he or his allies have taken have injected new fuel into the furor. Trump's case against the Journal and Blanche's meetings with Ghislaine Maxwell both fall into that category. Critics allege that some other actions taken by the Trump administration, including the rash of loud allegations against the Obama administration over the 2016 election, are intended as a distraction from the Epstein matter. If that's the case, they haven't really worked. It's always possible that some major domestic or world event could intervene and banish Epstein from the headlines. But Massie, the maverick Kentucky Republican leading the fight for more disclosure, told reporters this week that he expected public demands on the issue to grow stronger over the summer. If that proves true, it's very bad news for Trump.
