Corn farmers tip hats to Rahm Emanuel

Politico

03-06-2025

Happy Tuesday, Illinois. There's a lot going on for a slow summer day.
TOP TALKER
🌽WE'RE ALL EARS: Rahm Emanuel wrote the book on cities — literally, it was called 'The Nation City: Why Mayors Are Now Running the World' — but since his time as U.S. ambassador to Japan, he has gained a new appreciation and expertise in agriculture.
A-maiz-ing: The Illinois Corn Growers Association is honoring the former Chicago mayor at an event today in Bloomington for his efforts to establish a partnership in 2024 among the U.S., Japan and the Philippines on an initiative that opened new doors for American corn-based ethanol producers. The alliance is seeing ethanol sourced from Midwestern corn, refined in the Philippines and used in vehicles manufactured in both the U.S. and Japan.
Kernels of truth: Garrett Hawkins, a Waterloo corn farmer and president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association, credits Emanuel with boosting ethanol sent to Japan. 'As recently as 2020, Japan would only allow 42 percent of their imported ethanol to be U.S. ethanol,' he told Playbook through a spokesman. At the time, Brazilian ethanol was the go-to source. That changed, Hawkins said, when Emanuel got involved. 'The U.S. enjoys up to 100 percent market share in Japan,' Hawkins said. 'We are also looking at long term market growth with E10 coming to Japan as soon as 2028 and E20 blends in the country as soon as 2040.'
No bull: Tom Vilsack, the former U.S. secretary of agriculture during the Obama and Biden administrations, also gave Emanuel farm props. 'He got not just one, but three deals done for America with Japan — soybeans, corn and beef — to help farmers all across America. That's really unheard of,' Vilsack said through a spokesman.
The timing is kinda corny: The Corn Growers award comes as Emanuel is weighing his political future: a possible run for president — or governor of Illinois. Having the Corn Growers tip their hat to Emanuel could resonate with downstate voters who wonder if he can relate to the big sky of farm country in the same way he embraces the speed of the city.
Awe, shucks: 'I've been in a lot of rooms negotiating a lot of deals,' Emanuel said in a statement to Playbook. 'But few have felt as close to home — or as important to the future — as the ones where we connected Illinois cornfields to the highways of Asia.'
🍿This pops, too: Emanuel is also being honored by the Chicago History Museum with the Harold Washington Making History Award for his work in public service.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: A delegation of high-level executives from Japanese companies interested in Illinois' growing prominence in the quantum technology space are set to visit Chicago next week, from June 8-10. The delegation is being organized by the Japan External Trade Organization along with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Intersect Illinois, World Business Chicago, Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park.
THE BUZZ
SUPREME NEWS: The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday that it will hear Congressman Mike Bost's appeal over Illinois allowing mail-in ballots to be counted 14 days after Election Day.
In his 2022 lawsuit against the Illinois State Board of Elections, Bost claimed counting ballots after the election violated federal election law.
The case has been through the lower courts, which have ruled that the case lacks legal standing, but Bost appealed and now the nation's highest court has agreed to hear it later this year.
Questionable outcome: 'It seems unlikely that the justices will deliver a definitive ruling,' writes POLITICO's legal affairs reporter Josh Gerstein. 'Lower courts dismissed Bost's lawsuit, in part, on the grounds that the harm he expected to suffer from counting late-arriving ballots was too speculative to give him legal standing to sue.' Josh's full story is here.
Staying optimistic: Bost praised the Supreme Court's decision. 'With the American people's confidence in our elections at a discouraging low point, it's more important than ever we work to restore their trust,' he said in a statement. 'A big part of that effort is ensuring all votes are tallied by Election Day, not days or weeks later.'
If you are Supreme Court Justice John Roberts, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: [e-mail]
WHERE'S JB
At the Hyatt Regency Chicago at 11:30 a.m. to deliver brief remarks at the Chicago Chamber of Commerce annual meeting
WHERE's BRANDON
At City Hall at 10 a.m. for a weekly media availability — At the Hyatt at 11:45 a.m. for the Chamber meeting
Where's Toni
At Daley Plaza at 11 a.m. for the annual Live Healthy, Discover Nature event — At the Hyatt at noon for the Chamber meeting
Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email [e-mail]
BUSINESS OF POLITICS
— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Junaid Ahmed is joining the Democratic race to replace Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi in the 8th Congressional District. Ahmed will be a familiar name to voters in the suburban district, having run against Krishnamoorthi in 2022 — and garnered nearly 30 percent of the vote.
'I've spent my life rolling up my sleeves — volunteering after natural disasters, distributing food to families in need, organizing and fighting corporate greed. This community welcomed my family and lifted us up. I'll never forget that,' Ahmed said in a statement ahead of today's campaign launch. 'It's time we turn the page on the special interests who put profit over people. It's time we send a progressive fighter to Washington.'
— In IL-09: Bushra Amiwala, who serves on the Skokie School Board, has launched her campaign for Congress for the seat now held by retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky. 'This campaign is rooted in a belief I've held since the very first time I ran for office: Government should reflect the people it serves — in values, in vision and in voice,' said Amiwala, a Democrat who was the first Gen Z elected official in the country when she won her school board seat in 2019.
— Krishnamoorthi's support: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has been endorsed for the U.S. Senate by Illinois AAPI Leaders, including state Sen. Ram Villivalam and state Reps. Janet Yang Rohr, Sharon Chung, Hoan Huynh and Kevin Olickal. The full list is here.
— Stratton's support: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has won endorsements for the U.S. Senate from Lake County, including from Lake County Democrats Chair Lauren Beth Gash and Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart. The full list is here.
— Republicans see Darin LaHood as 'best chance' for Senate flip in blue Illinois, by Washington Examiner's Rachel Schilke
— Not running: State Rep. Anna Moeller has announced she won't seek the congressional seat that opened up with Krishnamoorthi running for the Senate. A Democrat, Moeller said she was 'honored by the encouragement' to try for the federal job. She'll seek reelection to her seat in the Illinois General Assembly.
— In the state Senate: Rachel Ruttenberg is being endorsed by former state Sen. Jeff Schoenberg in her bid for the 9th District seat, which Schoenberg once represented. The seat is now held by state Sen. Laura Fine, who's running for Congress.
THE STATEWIDES
— Lawmakers OK new perks for manufacturers that stick with Illinois: 'Legislation passed over the weekend allows the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity to offer a tax credit of 3 percent to 7 percent for manufacturers who invest at least $10 million in upgrading or expanding their facilities,' by Crain's John Pletz.
— Illinois to raze and redevelop some state-owned properties, including in Lincoln and Dwight, by Lee Enterprises' Brenden Moore
— Legislators left Springfield without funding public transit (for now). What that means for CTA, Metra, Pace: 'Service cuts are not slated to start until Covid-19 relief funding runs out in January, or even later into next year. That means there is still time for lawmakers to go back to Springfield to take another stab at passing legislation that would plug the budget gap,' by the Tribune's Talia Soglin and Jeremy Gorner.
— A southern Illinois peach and apple farmer's uphill quest to feed poor families, and his own, by The New York Times' Elizabeth Williamson
— Online wagering tax in perspective: The new tax on each wager will effectively put Illinois' tax for top operators on par with New York's 51 percent, reports Chris Altruda for InGame.
— Amid challenge from banks, Illinois legislators move to delay ban on certain credit card fees, by the Tribune's Olivia Olander
CHICAGO
— ICE detains two in Pilsen without warrants, Ald. Sigcho-Lopez says, by the Sun-Times' Violet Miller
— Energy Department cuts federal grants for Kraft Heinz and Diageo's Illinois projects, by the Sun-Times' Amy Yee
— CTA launches annual 'Pride Train' to run on Red Line through June, by the Block Club's Jake Cox
— Mayor's photographer fired after allegedly bringing gun on city property, by the Tribune's Alice Yin
TAKING NAMES
— Jerry Payonk is the new board chair of American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois. In his day job, he's board chair at Clark Dietz and is an engineer specializing in traffic analysis and streetscape. Other officers include: Laura McGovern, Lou Gallucci, PJ Fitzpatrick and Amar Rajpurkar.
Reader Digest
We asked what national holiday you'd like to see created.
Michael McAuliffe, a former state rep: 'I believe we have enough, but day after the Super Bowl would make sense.'
Denise Barreto: 'Election Day needs to be a paid holiday.'
Nick Boyle: 'Malcolm X Day.'
Michael Burton: 'May Day to honor Chicago's Haymarket martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the eight-hour workday.' Burton's band sings about it.
Michael Churchill: 'James Baldwin's birthday on Aug 2.'
Dave Clarkin: 'Union Victory Day on April 9 to commemorate the day in 1865 when Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.'
Joshua Evans: 'National Disability Independence Day, which is an observed day but not a federal holiday.'
Lucas Hawley: 'May 22, Harvey Milk's birthday.'
Kevin Lampe: 'Election Day.'
Barry McAnarney: 'Ethnic Pride day for all those who don't fall under St. Patrick's, Juneteenth, Columbus Day, etc. And for non-ethnics, Happy Festivus!'
Ronald Micelotti: 'Opening day of baseball season for teams playing in the USA.'
Marilynn Miller: 'The day women got the right to vote.'
NEXT QUESTION: What's the one exercise you try to do every day?
KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION
— Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth have introduced the Wear Orange Resolution, designating June 6 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the entire month as National Gun Violence Awareness Month. The resolution honors Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot dead in 2013, a week after she performed in President Barack Obama's second inauguration. Her family and friends started the Wear Orange movement to raise awareness about gun violence.
— Congressman Danny Davis is urging the Trump administration to not dismantle the Job Corps. 'While the Job Corps program has not been perfect, it has trained millions of individuals who have gone on to secure jobs in high-demand industries and trades,' he said in a statement.
THE NATIONAL TAKE
— Insurers, states warn of Obamacare chaos due to GOP megabill, by POLITICO's Robert King
— Cuomo, reportedly under probe by Trump's DOJ, wants to organize Dems nationally, by POLITICO's Sally Goldenberg
— White House vows no Medicaid cuts — except to those who don't deserve it, by POLITICO's Adam Cancryn and Jake Traylor
EVENTS
— Wednesday: Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski headlines a panel discussion on 'how best to promote a policy agenda for today's working class.' Sponsored by the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Details here
— Thursday: The West Side United Annual Community Convening will be held. Details here
TRIVIA
MONDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Mary Kay Minaghan for correctly answering that Ernie Terrell was a boxer who lost to Muhammad Ali before he ran for alderman.
TODAY's QUESTION: Keeping the boxer theme: Who was the Golden Gloves champion who was elected alderman? Email [e-mail]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
State Sen. Jason Plummer, Ald. Derrick Curtis, Faegre Drinker Director Brad Tietz, Future Founders CEO Scott Issen, Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies Executive VP Patrick Martin, Playbooker Cindy Lynch, Tribune reporter Christy Gutowski and Crain's group publisher Jim Kirk
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