Epstein's shadow reaches Illinois

Politico

6 days ago

Happy Wednesday, Illinois. You can find me in the lake today. It's gonna be hot, via NPR.
TOP TALKER
What began as a scandal confined to elite Beltway circles is seeping into the political consciousness of the Midwest — and Illinois Democrats are sure to exploit it.
A revelation: Internal polling by the party shows the Jeffrey Epstein saga is gaining traction with everyday voters. Couple that with a growing swell of Epstein-related content across social media platforms.
'These aren't political people' posting about it, said Sabha Abour, a Democratic campaign consultant in Chicago and nearby suburbs. She said the issue resonates because 'it confirms that there are two systems of justice in this country: one is for the powerful, and one is for everyone else.'
And while kitchen-table issues like health care, immigration and inflation will likely shape the 2026 midterms, the Epstein scandal might make voters question whether Republicans stand by their values. At least that's what Democrats are hoping.
The GOP's response for now has been to duck and cover. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is sending the House home early for the August recess rather than risk a vote on disclosing the Epstein file — a move that raised more than a few eyebrows. President Donald Trump keeps trying to divert attention away from Epstein. And the Illinois GOP isn't responding at all.
The issue is about transparency, said Gov. JB Pritzker at an unrelated press conference Tuesday. 'I don't know why' Trump has 'problems with being transparent,' the governor said. 'People are quite curious and suspicious, frankly, about why the president doesn't want to do what he promised he would do and what seems like an obvious thing — which is to just reveal what the truth is.'
It's too early to say whether the Epstein case will sway voters in 2026, said Becky Carroll, the Chicago political strategist who's worked on national and local campaigns.
'Is this red meat for Democratic voters? Perhaps, but there are a lot of other things going on right now that are capturing the attention of voters and will continue to — like ICE raids and the gutting of Medicaid — that they are seeing, feeling and reading about every single day.'
And a warning from Ron Holmes, another Chicago political consultant, cautioned that 'the Epstein files are certainly good click bait, but ultimately Illinois Democrats need to talk about what they're for heading into the next election cycle rather than' focusing on Trump.
RELATED
Democrats coast to coast are plotting how to capitalize on the Epstein controversy, via POLITICO
House Dems find their mojo with the Epstein saga, by POLITICO's Rachael Bade
Deflecting Epstein questions, Trump urges DOJ to 'go after' Obama, by POLITICO's Eli Stokols
Epstein crisis forces Republicans to shut down House early, by POLITICO's Meredith Lee Hill
THE BUZZ
RULES OF CONDUCT: Mayor vows to curb smoking on the CTA after years of complaints: 'It has got to stop': Mayor Brandon Johnson issued an executive order that would dispatch city outreach teams to trains and buses to curtail smoking. Violators could be fined, by the Block Club's Quinn Myers and Mack Liederman.
Johnson said the city plans to launch public awareness campaigns to deter smoking on trains.
The order comes a month after Ald. Bill Conway (34th), a name that's popped up as a possible mayoral candidate in 2027, introduced his own resolution to City Council to pressure the CTA to deter riders who smoke on public transit.'
If you are Bill Conway, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: [e-mail]
WHERE'S JB
At Venue SIX10 at 1 p.m. to deliver opening remarks at the Global Quantum Forum and then at 2 p.m. in the same location he'll announce a new IQMP tenant
WHERE's BRANDON
At St. Leonard's Ministries at 10:15 a.m. for the Shelter Infrastructure Initiative press conference — At 4520 South State Street at 2:30 p.m. for the Legends South groundbreaking, part of the redevelopment of the former Robert Taylor Homes site
Where's Toni
At Maggiano's Banquets at noon to give opening remarks at a City Club luncheon featuring Brookfield Zoo CEO Mike Adkesson
Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or complaint? Email [e-mail]
BUSINESS OF POLITICS
— Senate race: Robin Kelly is drawing high-profile names to her Thursday fundraiser. Among them: Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. Here are details with more names
— Senate race: Juliana Stratton outlines LGBTQ+ rights platform and policy agenda in Senate bid, by Jake Wittich in the Windy City Times
— Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim has hopes for statewide post: 'This isn't just the next step on the political ladder for me — it's a continuation of the work I've already been doing,' she told Charles Selle in the Tribune.
— In IL:14: Rep. Lauren Underwood has massive fundraising lead primary and likely November challenger, by the Daily Herald's Russell Lissau
— In IL-08: Christ Kallas and Junaid Ahmed, both Democrats running for this open seat, have signed on with the U.S. Term Limits movement to support an amendment to term limits in Congress, according to the nonpartisan organization.
— In the Illinois General Assembly contests: James O'Brien, an attorney who's worked on the House Democratic staff and is an adviser for the Illinois Commerce Commission, is set to announce he's running for state representative in the 13th District Illinois House seat now held by Rep. Hoan Huynh, who's running for Congress. 'I've seen the good that government can do when it's at its best and having experienced candidates with a record of results is critical to making more of those moments a reality,' he said in a statement. O'Brien has also worked on school-funding reform legislation.
THE STATEWIDES
— Some ComEd customers seeing triple-digit bill increases as supply rate jump, heat wave converge: 'The spike in the wholesale cost of electricity, which ComEd buys at an annual auction and then passes through to its customers, paired with increased energy usage, added $67.28 month-over-month to the average June 30 bill, the utility said,' by the Tribune's Robert Channick
— HIGHER-ED: Changes to federal student loans leave aspiring medical students scrambling to cover costs, by the Tribune's Kate Armanini
— Local groups step up as undocumented immigrants lose state health coverage, by Borderless magazine's Tara Mobasher and Lucy Baptiste
— Federal housing credit expansion could increase affordable rental units in Illinois, according to a report, via Capitol News' Ben Szalinski
— Illinois' school system rates toward the top of this Wallet Hub study
CHICAGO
— CPS board members ask Pritzker, lawmakers to call special session on school funding: 'CPS is grappling with a $734 million deficit. Board members say schools across Illinois are facing budget troubles and need state help,' by WBEZ's Sarah Karp.
— Due process: Ald. Andre Vasquez, chair of the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, will host a hearing Thursday in the City Council chambers to address potential due process violations and infringements on free speech rights by the Trump administration.
— Chicago Housing Authority resident leaders voice opposition to Ald. Walter Burnett as potential next CEO, by the Tribune's Lizzie Kane
— Pritzker, transportation leaders celebrate Union Station's centennial as Chicago-area transit fiscal cliff looms, by WTTW's Eunice Alpasan
— Netflix sets Jussie Smollett documentary with 'new evidence': Alleged hate crime hoax 'might just be a true story,' by Variety's Ethan Shanfeld
COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS
— Arlington Heights board divided on public sleeping ban, by the Daily Herald's Christopher Placek
— Lake Bluff, Lake Forest leaders discuss their communities' current infrastructure projects, by the Pioneer Press' Daniel I. Dorfman
— Naperville's No. 19 on safest places to live in the U.S. list compiled by U.S. News & World Report, by the Naperville Sun's Carolyn Stein
ILLINOIS' POPE
— South Loop family gifts Pope Leo XIV a 'Da Pope' T-shirt: 'There's such a sense of pride': 'The Muñoz family waited two hours in the heat to meet the pope after Mass on Sunday at the Cathedral of Albano in Albano Laziale, a town outside Rome, near where Leo is spending a six-week summer break at the papal retreat,' by the Sun-Times' Selena Kuznikov.
TAKING NAMES
— Rahm Emanuel, the former ambassador to Japan, is scheduled to testify today before the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and Chinese Communist Party. The hearing is titled 'United We Stand: Strategies to Counter PRC Economic Coercion Against Democracies.' Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is a ranking member. The live broadcast starts at 10 a.m. Watch here
— Antonio Romanucci, a founding partner of the national Romanucci & Blandin personal injury firm based in Chicago, has been awarded the Richard D. Hailey Distinguished Service Award by the American Association for Justice. It recognizes members of the association's board for their work.
SPOTTED
— A REAL MIXER: A who's-who from Chicago's hospitality industry packed new Gold Coast hotspot The Alston for state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz's 6th District reelection campaign. Host Committee members Sam Toia, CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, and Scott Weiner, whose Fifty/50 Group owns The Alston, spoke about Feigenholtz's work, including authoring the state's cocktails-to-go legislation during the pandemic. Spotted: Alds. Bennett Lawson and Brian Hopkins, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Democratic Committee members Lucy Moog and Paul Rosenfeld. On the host committee: The Dearborn's Clodagh Lawless, Gibsons Restaurant Group's Liz Lombardo Stark, restaurateur Sam Sanchez, Manny's Deli's Danny Raskin, Vaughan Hospitality's Kevin Vaughan, Lucca Osteria's Steven Hartenstein, Eli's Cheesecake's Marc Schulman and entrepreneur and former Ald. Ameya Pawar.
Reader Digest
We asked what subject you could filibuster on for 12 hours.
Janice Anderson: 'How cheap people are and they can't even admit it.'
Matthew Beaudet: 'The rise and fall of cultures since antiquity.'
Mimi Cowan: '19th century urban riots.'
Jules Gray: ''The Godfather' movies parts one and two.'
John Mark Hansen: 'I'm an academic and could go on about the history of Congress or the matrix algebra and its applications in the social sciences.'
Colby Huff: 'Disney World, starting with the history of the parks, how Disney acquired all that land so cheaply, the evolution of each park and finishing with a couple of hours worth of tips and tricks to vacationing there today.'
Ed Mazur: 'Railroads and their importance for the growth of Chicago's commerce, industry and population.'
Ronald Michelotti: 'Major League Baseball with an emphasis on the stars I have witnessed playing our national pastime over these many years.'
Joe Platt: 'How shorts, exposed shoulders and open-toed shoes are not appropriate for airplane travel.'
Brent Pruim: 'Housing.'
Steve Smith: 'Women's reproductive health.'
John Straus: 'Alexis deToqueville's Democracy in America.'
Michael Strautmanis: 'Each frame of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' and why the western movie takes us on the hero's journey and creates the foundational story beats of so many of the pop culture movies we love. Superman meet Nat Love!'
Timothy Thomas: 'World Wars I and II, including the time leading up to and their post war ramifications.'
Patricia Ann Watson: 'The TV show 'Babylon 5' and human hierarchies.'
Brent Zhorne: 'As a retired high school sociology teacher, I could talk about sociology and sociological phenomena for an entire semester. Twelve hours? Mere child's play!'
NEXT QUESTION: What's the craziest thing you've seen riding the El?
THE NATIONAL TAKE
— Trump announces trade deal with Japan, by POLITICO's Daniel Desrochers, Ari Hawkins and Doug Palmer
— White House eying education cuts for next funding clawback package, by POLITICO's Calen Razor, Juan Perez Jr. and Eli Stokols
— Republicans want to rename Kennedy Center's opera house after Melania Trump, by POLITICO's Gregory Svirnovskiy
TRIVIA
TUESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Anders Lindall and Don Davis for correctly answering that 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,' which is one of August Wilson's 'Pittsburgh Cycle' plays, is based in Chicago.
TODAY's QUESTION: What is a traditional 'Chicago handshake'? Email your answer to: [e-mail].
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Former state Sen. Miguel del Valle, BOMA/Chicago Government Affairs Director Amy Masters, former AG official and a General Assembly candidate Adam Braun, attorney Sam Royko, PwC tax partner Jennifer Darling, Burson Corporate Affairs VP Stephani Englund, ABC 7 political reporter Craig Wall and former state Rep. Edward 'Eddie' Acevedo
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