Corn farmers tip hats to Rahm Emanuel
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: skapos@politico.com
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 skapos@politico.com
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 skapos@politico.com
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
-30-
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
19 minutes ago
- New York Post
There's nothing ‘spontaneous' about radical ICE protests — here are the groups behind them
The same media who told you in 2020 that the violent Black Lives Matter riots were 'fiery, but mostly peaceful' are at it again, pretending that your eyes are lying to you: No, they claim, there are no rampaging throngs or marauders waving foreign flags and attacking the forces of order. And the peaceful protests in Los Angeles are spontaneous. Nobody is organizing them. Advertisement Or so pretends the media. 'The Trump administration's immigration raids in the California city prompted mostly peaceful protests,' blared the leftwing British paper The Guardian. Of course, these supposedly perfectly serene public gatherings then 'escalated when the president sent in the National Guard — and then the US Marines,' added the Guardian. So, no, the scenes of mayhem and invasion that played on TV for days before the first National Guard unit arrived in the City of Angels didn't prompt Trump to act — don't believe your lying eyes. Advertisement It's like Guardian writer Chris Michael has no idea of the mockery that CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez has succumbed to since August 2020, when he went on air in front of a building engulfed in flames and complete chaos behind him, and a chyron with the 'mostly peaceful' claim. One other key thing that the left-wing media is not telling you is who is organizing the disorder, and who is funding it. Ignoring this aspect leads the public to believe two things that aren't true: that the violence is spontaneous, and that it reflects true national discontent with the deportation raids. Advertisement In fact, the opposite is true. A Polling Insights newsletter that the pollster Scott Rasmussen sends out reports that, 'In the current stand-off, 57% approve of efforts by immigration officials to find and arrest illegal immigrants in Los Angeles. Fifty-two percent approve of President Trump's decision to send in the National Guard.' Other opinon surveys support this trend. So, if the American people largely support the deportation raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who is organizing the riots against them? Advertisement We can see, from the placards and signs captured in photographs, that one key group organizing the protests comes from what one can call the list of usual suspects: the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). The PSL, a communist party, has been involved with BLM and pro-Hamas terrorism violence. The PSL has organizational ties with the ANSWER Coalition, which the Network Contagion Research Institute says has ties with the Chinese Communist Party. ANSWER was involved with organizing a rally in sympathy with the Los Angeles rioters on June 10 in Columbus, Ohio. The PSL is an old-style communist party that will seize on any crises to try to dismantle the United States. It says that 'the United States today is a dictatorship of the capitalist class. This reality will not change without a socialist revolution.' It is funded indirectly by donations from Neville Roy Singham, an American millionaire with close ties to the CCP who lives in Shanghai. Advertisement Elias Rodriguez, the terrorist who shot and killed the couple at the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, in late May, was a member of both the PSL and ANSWER. Another group involved in organizing the LA riots is the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a radical leftist American union with extensive overseas ties. It is a regular attendee at the conferences and workshops held by the Foro de Sao Paulo, a hemispheric network of Marxist parties founded by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and Brazilian President Inazio Lula da Silva. Advertisement The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights LA (CHIRLA), also an organizer, received $33 million in government grants in FY2023. Then there are the 'charities' helping the rioters, such as Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network, Operation Healthy Hearts, LA Poverty Department, and Mutual Aid/Social Therapy. These riots are sure to expand in the days to come, which means that it is a good thing that some congressmen are looking to investigate who these groups are, and why they are seeking to destabilize our streets. Mike Gonzalez is a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation and co-author of 'NextGen Marxism: What It Is and How to Combat It.'
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
State leaders warn of crackdown if ‘No Kings' protests take a turn toward violence
Porchse Miller, an organizer with Black Lives Matter Grassroots Atlanta takes part in a peaceful immigration protest against LA ICE raids in Atlanta on Monday. State leaders are warning protesters to avoid violence during planned weekend protests. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Georgia leaders say they are prepared to respond if weekend protests turn violent. 'My office remains in close contact with state and local law enforcement and stands ready to take whatever appropriate action is needed to safeguard our communities from crime and violence while also respecting the constitutional right to peaceful assembly,' Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement on social media. 'My support for public safety officers and the rule of law is unwavering, and any violence against those who protect and serve will be met with quick and heavy accountability.' Organizers around the country are planning demonstrations Saturday against the Trump administration as part of the 'No Kings' events. More than two dozen protests are planned in Georgia, from Dalton to Valdosta, according to organizers. Tensions are high across the country as photos and footage from Los Angeles depict smoldering vehicles and clashes between protesters and police – fallout from protests over tactics used in raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The situation in California intensified after President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, who said local law enforcement was sufficient to keep the peace. The last time a president called up the National Guard to a state without the approval of its governor was in 1965 when President Lyndon Johnson deployed troops to protect civil rights activists against the wishes of segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace. The second Trump presidency has already seen numerous protests in Georgia over immigration, federal spending cuts and other actions by the administration. One of them turned violent Tuesday night when immigration protesters allegedly threw fireworks and rocks at police officers and their cars. No officers were seriously hurt, but at least six people were arrested, according to multiple news outlets. Kemp previously called in the National Guard over heated protests, including in 2020 when protests over the deaths of George Floyd and other Black Americans turned violent and in 2023 after protests over the Atlanta police public safety training facility known as 'Cop City' led to burning cop cars. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who is running for governor in 2026, issued a stern warning via a press release Wednesday: 'All Americans have the right to peacefully protest. No American has the right to destroy property, loot businesses, or attack law enforcement officers. It's very simple. Protesters use words. Rioters use violence. There is no gray area. In Georgia, if you engage in violence for the purpose of changing public policy, you can be charged with Domestic Terrorism. The penalty for Domestic Terrorism is 5-35 years in jail.' Many protesters say it's the tactics used by the Trump administration and ICE that should be illegal. 'I grew up in a sundown town up north, so them being able to come in and violate that sanctity of homes, schools, businesses, it triggers something in me, and it makes me so uncomfortable with what's going on,' Melissa Steach, a member of the Union of Southern Service Workers who works at Waffle House, said at a peaceful protest outside ICE headquarters Monday. 'It needs to stop,' she added. 'We're going to keep protesting until the raids stop. These people do so much for us, and I'm gonna keep standing with our brothers and sisters.' Georgia Recorder reporter Maya Homan contributed to this report.
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Airline Cancels Flights, Tells Passengers Not To Go to Airport
Passengers on a Florida-based airline will either need to cancel their trips or find an alternative airline to fly with, as one company abruptly ceased operations on Wednesday. Silver Airways released a statement on social media explaining that all flights scheduled for June 11 were canceled, and that the airline would no longer serve customers. "We regret to inform you that we are ceasing operations as of today," the statement reads. "In an effort to restructure in bankruptcy, Silver entered into a transaction to sell its assets to another airline holding company, who unfortunately has determined to not continue Silver's flight operations in Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean." The airline then told passengers "please do not go to the airport," and ensured that full credit card refunds would be offered through the passenger's bank or travel agency. FlightAware says 52 total flights from Silver were canceled on Wednesday. The airline launched in 2011 and was based out of the Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale areas of Florida. It also had hubs in Tampa and Orlando, but filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy late last year. At the time, Silver said that it believed filing for bankruptcy would allow the company to raise funding and remain competitive with other businesses. Silver served more than a dozen destinations and also operated a subsidiary airline called Seaborne that sent seaplanes to islands like St. Croix and St. Thomas. The cancellations and abrupt end for the company are just another example of poor fortune for a beleaguered airline industry. Several airlines have dealt with delays and cancellations amid air traffic control shortage, while others are navigating a drop in customer sentiment. United Airlines apologized to passengers after severe issues related to meals last month, citing "significant disruptions to its in-flight food and beverage service" after switching to a new catering company. Tragic accidents out of major American cities like Washington and Philadelphia have also eroded trust in the safety of air travel this year. We'll see if and when Silver is able to bounce back from Wednesday's termination of service, and whether or not their former passengers will be able to reach their destinations. Airline Cancels Flights, Tells Passengers Not To Go to Airport first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2025
