
Afternoon Briefing: Marines moved into Los Angeles amid protests
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan arrived today at the federal courthouse in downtown Chicago for his historic sentencing in a long-running corruption case that shook the state's political world to the core.
Madigan, 83, who for years was widely hailed as the most powerful politician in the state, gave a slight smile as he strode past a horde of television news cameras with his lawyers and family members without comment. Carrying a briefcase and umbrella, he then headed to the 12th-floor courtroom of U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey.
The hearing is expected to last two hours or more. Check back at chicagotribune.com for updates.
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
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A lot of attention has been given to the Sox since the fandom of Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, for the South Side baseball team was revealed. But religious women from local orders have frequented Sox games for decades. Read more here.
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An immigrant in Wisconsin has been released on bond after false accusation he threatened Trump
Crestwood fire officials suspect natural gas was cause of deadly house explosion
President Donald Trump's administration this week provided deportation officials with personal data — including the immigration status — on millions of Medicaid enrollees, a move that could make it easier to locate people as part of his sweeping immigration crackdown. Read more here.
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Air India survivor Vishwaskumar Ramesh recalls harrowing moment the plane went down
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Andrew Vaughn, the No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft, had been a prominent component of the Sox lineup since arriving in the majors in 2021. But he got off to a slow start this season and the Sox optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte on May 23. Read more here.
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As Chicago Bears separate for summer, Ben Johnson will stay dialed in — and connected with QB Caleb Williams
NASCAR's first Cup Series race outside the US hits travel snags to Mexico City
Juneteenth is more than just a holiday. It's a celebration of freedom, community and the rich tapestry of Black culture that continues to shape Chicago and the rest of the country. Read more here.
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John C. Reilly will bring his show 'Mister Romantic' to Steppenwolf this fall
Amy Morton is back on stage in 'You Will Get Sick' at Steppenwolf Theatre. What took her so long?
After a week of tense protests over the federal immigration raids, about 200 Marines have moved into Los Angeles and will protect federal property and personnel, a military commander said. Read more here.
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Air raid sirens sound across Israel following an Iranian missile attack on the country
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The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Former AG says FBI can't return Texas lawmakers who fled state
Former Attorney General Eric Holder said Sunday that the FBI does not have jurisdiction to return Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled their state. 'Texas lawmakers are digging in. You heard Governor Abbott there talking about the FBI, Senator Cornyn calling the FBI to help locate those Democratic lawmakers who fled the state. I wonder, do you think that the FBI has jurisdiction to intervene here and try to bring back those Democrats who are in other states?' NBC News's Kristen Welker asked on 'Meet the Press.' 'Short answer, no. I mean, you're asking the FBI to get involved, to find these legislators who are in the process of trying to defend democracy in Texas,' Holder responded. 'And they're not hard to find, but the question after that is, 'Well, what's the federal jurisdiction? What federal statute has potentially been violated? What's the basis for any federal government interaction?' And I would say that there is none,' he added. Texas Democratic state House members last weekend left the Lone Star State amid a redistricting battle between themselves and Texas Republicans. The move resulted in outcry from members of the state's GOP, who have been trying to move ahead with a controversial redistricting plan that could cost Democrats seats in Congress. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Thursday that FBI Director Kash Patel approved a request to assist state and local law enforcement find the absconded Texas Democrats. 'I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,' Cornyn said in a statement Thursday morning. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) also said Thursday that the FBI was 'tracking down' the Democratic lawmakers. 'Texas DPS and the FBI are tracking down the derelict Democrats. They will be taken directly to the Texas Capitol,' Abbott wrote on the social platform X.


Politico
4 hours ago
- Politico
Abbott blasts Crockett, Democrats over redistricting critiques
But in an interview with host Shannon Bream, Abbott dismissed Crockett's concerns. 'The problem that Democrats have in the state of Texas is Hispanics, Black voters and other voters, they have learned now that the ideas that Democrats stand for are contrary to the ideas that the Hispanic community and Black community stand for.' Crockett's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This weekend is not the first time the two Texans have lobbied insults at each other. Earlier this year, Crockett called Abbott, who uses a wheelchair, 'Governor Hot Wheels' and a 'hot ass mess.' Though she denied she was mocking Abbott's disability, her words drew swift condemnation. Abbott responded by saying Democrats 'have no vision, no policy' and have nothing but hate to offer. The latest remarks come as Republicans in the state rush to follow President Donald Trump's directive for a new congressional map, one that could secure as many as five new congressional seats for the GOP. The directive has drawn backlash from Democrats nationwide, with many arguing the map is designed to silence voters of color. In the first draft of the new map publicly released last month, voters of color in Tarrant County were split among multiple neighboring Republican districts, according to The Texas Tribune. The area is now represented by Democrat Rep. Marc Veasey, who is Black. The shape of the 35th District in Central Texas was also changed, despite being created after a court ordered the state to protect the voting rights of people of color. That district is represented by Democrat Rep. Greg Casar, who is of Mexican descent. Abbott on Sunday said that in the maps the Republican-led legislature is drawing, four of the new seats will be predominantly Hispanic seats. The demographic, he added, 'are now voting for Republicans.'


The Hill
4 hours ago
- The Hill
Freedom will keep the city lights shining
The other side of the pond dropped into a brief but sobering relapse into the dark ages. Spain and Portugal suffered a massive electricity shortage in April, plunging them into darkness. It is no coincidence that this occurred only days after the country announced that so-called renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro) had supplied all the country's electricity for an entire day. Before the total blackout, one of Spain's utility companies also boasted that solar and wind supplied 40 percent of the nation's electricity last year. The government's obsession with phasing out fossil fuels in favor of renewables is squarely to blame. We can only avoid Europe's energy fumble by allowing property owners and businesses the freedom to exercise their ingenuity to tap our vast natural resources, fossil fuels included, to keep the lights on. If the market demands fossil fuels to meet our energy needs, we should give businesses the freedom to meet that demand. As we develop, our energy needs will only increase. This means we cannot afford to keep energy resources locked in the ground. As Alex Epstein explains in ' Fossil Future, ' the physics of fossil fuels are especially cost-effective because they have high 'energy density' compared to renewables. Higher productivity ultimately leads to increased income, life expectancy, and higher population growth. In short, freedom to develop resources brings prosperity. Our recent history underscores the importance of giving people the freedom to unleash our natural resources. In the early 2000s, California suffered recurring power blackouts partly because it failed to build enough new power plants. In August 2020, California experienced mass blackouts, this time due to insufficient fossil fuel sources when renewable energy sources went offline. Our energy needs will only grow as we fuel the AI technology revolution, which requires massive amounts of electricity. But despite our growing energy needs, calls for stricter regulations on natural resource development and use have continued to increase. In 2009, the U.S. House passed a cap-and-trade carbon emissions bill that would have limited companies' carbon emissions. (The Senate never voted on the bill.) New York has passed a ban on fossil fuel cooling and heating systems in new buildings, effective 2029. And California seeks to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles starting in 2035. And it's not just fossil fuels the government is going after; it's virtually all natural resource development. Take the federal government's 2012 decision to restrict timber harvesting in parts of Louisiana, purportedly to protect a frog that had not lived in the area for 50 years. Or consider the federal government's 2021 decision to abruptly limit the amount and types of trees in Alaska that timber companies can harvest after those companies had already invested significant time and money into developing their timber operations. The prescription to fix energy shortages is more freedom to develop natural resources, not more restrictions. Property rights create the necessary incentives for developers to invest in energy projects by providing them with certainty that the government won't shut down their project after they have spent time and money on it. For example, the Biden administration halted the Keystone Pipeline Project by denying the necessary permits. Although President Trump announced that he would reverse the decision and make obtaining permits 'easy,' the private developers who were once interested in the project have reportedly ' moved on.' President Ronald Reagan once called America a ' shining city on a hill.' We are a 'beacon,' he said, 'for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home.' The shining light we have long offered the world is freedom, including the freedom to use our bounteous natural resources. We will keep the city light shining as we embrace that freedom, even if the rest of the world goes dark.