Afternoon Briefing: Illinois lawmakers pass Prisoner Review Board reforms
Good afternoon, Chicago.
Illinois lawmakers advanced a bill that would emphasize domestic violence awareness training for members of the state's Prisoner Review Board, which came under criticism after releasing a man from state custody who then allegedly attacked a former girlfriend and fatally stabbed her young son.
The bill's passage came 14 months after authorities say Crosetti Brand broke into his ex-girlfriend's apartment on Chicago's North Side and attacked her before fatally stabbing her son, 11-year-old Jayden Perkins, when the boy tried to come to her rescue. The 39-year-old Brand is on trial for the attack and Jayden's family has filed a lawsuit against the review board alleging negligence in the case.
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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Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into war-torn Gaza, decrying the violence and suffering in the Middle East during his first general audience as pope today in St. Peter's Square. Read more here.
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Jameson Taillon (3-3) scattered one run and four hits over seven innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out two to snap a two-start losing streak. Read more here.
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Some artworks bring the suppressed queerness of their makers or their subjects to the fore. 'The Man in Black' is a 1913 portrait of Art Institute benefactor Robert Henry Allerton by Glyn Philpot, an acclaimed British painter whose work appears throughout 'The First Homosexuals.' Read more here.
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New York Post
10 minutes ago
- New York Post
How Trump special envoy's move to bring Tate brothers to US caught president unaware
WASHINGTON — White House special envoy Ric Grenell caught President Trump off-guard when he advocated for the notorious Tate brothers to travel to Florida while awaiting trial in Romania earlier this year, leaving administration insiders frustrated and questioning Grenell's motives. In mid-February, Grenell, 58, approached Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference and convinced him to release accused sex traffickers Andrew and Tristan Tate into US custody as they await trial on charges including rape and human trafficking in eastern Europe — without notifying anyone else in the administration, according to multiple sources and Hurezeanu's own admission. 'We learned about the Tate brothers after the fact,' a high-ranking White House source told The Post last week. Advertisement Grenell's actions — both in the matter of the Tates and in other delicate situations — exemplify the problems raised by special envoys, who play roles similar to ambassadors and assistant secretaries of state but often do so without the obligation to obey a formal chain of command and while carrying added responsibility as the president's personal representative. 'This was yet another example of Grenell going outside the chain of command to pursue his own goals, rather than the president's,' a source close the the White House familiar with discussions told The Post. 3 President Trump (right) walks with special envoy and interim Kennedy Center executive director Ric Grenell March 17. AP Advertisement On Feb. 27, 11 days after the Munich conference wrapped, the Tates, who were born in the US, touched down in Fort Lauderdale on a private jet. The same day, Trump hosted British Prime Minister Kier Starmer and was asked whether the president's administration had 'pressured' Romania to hand over the accused sexual predators. 'I don't know. You're saying he's on a plane right now?' a visibly confused Trump asked. 'I just know nothing about it. We'll check it out, we'll let you know.' Shortly after, when Starmer spoke about the brothers facing investigation in the United Kingdom, the president said to him, perplexed: 'You're aware? You're aware of this? I didn't know anything about it.' Risky game Advertisement While much of the media scorned Trump's comments, White House officials confirmed the president's surprise and bewilderment — and rounded on Grenell for putting the commander in chief in a tight spot. 'President Trump is on recording saying he know nothing about the Tate brothers' flight to Florida, so why did Ric Grenell even raise the issue with a Romanian official?' a source close the the White House familiar with discussions told The Post. 3 Andrew Tate, left, and his brother Tristan outside a Romanian police station May 21. AP The Tates' release caused bipartisan blowback — with big GOP names like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) as well as conservative media personalities Ben Shapiro and Megyn Kelly speaking out against the White House. Advertisement It also sparked a congressional inquiry by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who penned a letter asking the State Department to what extent the US government was involved in Romanian officials' decision to release the brothers. Almost immediately after the letter — which cc'd Grenell — was sent to the State Department, the envoy called to 'berate' a Raskin staffer, saying 'you're going to ruin my reputation,' according to a person familiar with the conversation. The interaction was first reported in early April by NOTUS. 'The State Department has failed to answer the Committee's questions and address our concerns,' the person said. 'All we have received was a short, non-substantive response from the State Department more than a month after the letter was sent.' While the blowback over the release has died down, the question that has puzzled Grenell's critics remains: Why risk the administration's credibility on Andrew and Tristan Tate? Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence, has been open about his support for the Tate brothers, whose followers among the far-right include longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone and Paul Ingrassia, the newly appointed head of the Office of Special Counsel. Andrew Tate has similarly expressed support for Grenell, tweeting the day before his release from Romania that the envoy is helping Trump 'sav(e) America along with the entire western world by extension.' Grenell also has extensive experience in eastern and southeastern Europe, dating back to at least his role facilitating peace talks between Serbia and Kosovo during Trump's first term. 'Was this motivated by a personal, political or business interest, or is he just a Tate Brothers fanboy?' asked a former friend of Grenell's. 'Either is a massive red flag.' Advertisement In a comment to the Financial Times in February, Grenell acknowledged his support for the Tates, 'as evident by my publicly available tweets' But he has since scrubbed all posts about the brothers, including a retweet of Stone crediting Grenell for 'securing the release of the Tates.' However, a Grenell associate says he kept up ties with the Tates even after their return, sitting ringside when the brothers made an appearance at the UFC 313 card in Las Vegas on March 8. 'Not Ric's job to make sure State knows' Since the Tate fiasco, Grenell has continued to ruffle feathers in his various roles, sounding a rare discordant note in an administration whose key players seem to be mainly on the same page. Advertisement 'It's like Festivus inside the White House, and the airing of the grievances is heavy on Grenell,' said one source close to President Trump, referencing an episode of the classic sitcom 'Seinfeld.' Last month, Grenell — in an apparent attempt to apply lessons from the Tate incident — briefly mentioned to Trump that he had reached a deal with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro to return an American detainee, but left key White House and State Department officials without any clue of his foreign dealings, according to senior administration officials. 'State Department was intentionally left in the dark, as was Rubio,' confirmed Tactic Global lobbyist Caroline Wren, who told The Post she helps Grenell with his public relations and worked on the Venezuela initiative with him. 'It's not Ric's job to make sure State knows.' Advertisement 3 Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro speaks to Iranian officials in Caracas last month. via REUTERS Wren did not elaborate on why the department was left out of the loop, but Grenell had asked Maduro to free Air Force veteran Joe St. Clair as a sign that the dictator was willing to work with the Trump administration, multiple sources say. In return, Grenell suggested to Maduro that Trump would extend Chevron's license to import Venezuelan oil — but that was news to the administration, which has consistently supported the president's desire to expire the license May 27, according to senior officials. Some far-right influencers — such as firebrand Laura Loomer and many of Grenell's closest associates, including Wren — say the license should be extended to block China from cornering the Venezuelan oil market. Advertisement When The Post contacted Grenell May 15 to ask whether he was holding discussions with Caracas about extending the Chevron license, Grenell directed another lobbyist — former Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) — to contact The Post to push the China angle. Schock, who according to Wren also helps Grenell with PR, also consults for South Florida oil magnate Harry Sargeant, whose license to operate his oil-trading company in Venezuela was canceled by Trump's anti-Maduro policy, a former friend of Sargeant's told The Post. Schock did not reply to a request for comment on his association with Sargeant, whom Wren called a 'good friend' she 'talks to all the time.' Sargeant, however, denied that Schock or Grenell were advocating on his behalf. On a more ominous note, law enforcement sources say Grenell's deal with Maduro to return a single detainee could encourage Caracas officials to direct the Tren de Aragua cartel to kidnap more Americans for use as bargaining chips to reduce US sanctions. The FBI has said that the Venezuelan dictator controls the brutal cartel recently listed as a foreign terrorist organization. The same day the Chevron oil license expired, the State Department issued a stark travel warning to Americans, urging them not to visit Venezuela due to risk of wrongful detention, torture, kidnapping and crime. Closer to home, Grenell — who is also president and interim executive director of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — caused another firestorm when he dismissed center vice president Floyd Brown May 28 after Brown refused to disown comments promoting 'traditional marriage' and criticizing the influence of gay staffers in the Republican party. 'The only explanation is the one given to me at the time of my firing: 'Floyd, you must recant your belief in traditional marriage and your past statements on the topic, or you will be fired,'' Brown posted to X May 29. 'Needless to say, I refused to recant and was shown the door. My beliefs are much more common to Biblical Christianity.' As multiple sources pointed out, the firing appeared to run counter to Trump's main reason for appointing Grenell, who is openly gay, in the first place: To rid the DC venue of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. 'From being rebuked on the Chevron license, to his connection to the Tate Brothers, to allegations of firing a Kennedy staffer over Christian beliefs, Ric Grenell keeps finding new and creative ways to embarrass himself and those around him,' a source close the the White House familiar with the situation said. The State Department, Romanian Foreign Ministry, Schock, Grenell and an attorney for the Tates did not respond to requests for comment.
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
GOP tax and spending bill dings states that offer health care to some immigrants here legally
Demonstrators gather for a protest organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee calling for the continuation of MinnesotaCare for undocumented adults outside of the Governor's Reception Room at the Minnesota State Capitol Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer) The Republican budget bill the U.S. House approved last month includes a surprise for the 40 states that have expanded Medicaid: penalties for providing health care to some immigrants who are here legally. Along with punishing the 14 states that use their own funds to cover immigrants who are here illegally, analysts say last-minute changes to the bill would make it all but impossible for states to continue helping some immigrants who are in the country legally, on humanitarian parole. Under the bill, the federal government would slash funding to states that have expanded Medicaid and provide coverage to immigrants who are on humanitarian parole — immigrants who have received permission to temporarily enter the United States due to an emergency or urgent humanitarian reason. The federal government pays 90% of the cost of covering adults without children who are eligible under Medicaid expansion, but the bill would cut that to 80% for those states, doubling the state portion from 10% to 20%. That's the same penalty the bill proposes for states that use their own money to help immigrants who are here illegally. Ironically, states such as Florida that have extended Medicaid coverage to immigrants who are here on humanitarian parole but have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act would not be harmed by the bill, said Leonardo Cuello, a Medicaid law and policy expert and research professor at the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. It is 'wildly nonsensical and unfair' to penalize expansion states for covering a population that some non-expansion states, such as Florida, also cover, Cuello said. 'It would appear that the purpose is more to punish expansion states than address any genuine concern with immigrant coverage.' Republican tax bill could slash billions for Oregon Health Plan, state officials say West Virginia is one of the states where lawmakers are nervously watching U.S. Senate discussions on the proposed penalty. Republican state Rep. Matt Rohrbach, a deputy House speaker, said West Virginia legislators tabled a proposal that would have ended Medicaid expansion if the federal government reduced its share of the funding, because the state's congressional representatives assured them it wasn't going to happen. Now the future is murkier. Cuello called the proposed penalty 'basically a gun to the head of the states.' 'Congress is framing it as a choice, but the state is being coerced and really has no choice,' he said. There are about 1.3 million people in the United States on humanitarian parole, from Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Ukraine and Venezuela as well as some Central American children who have rejoined family here. The Trump administration is trying to end parole from some of those countries. A Supreme Court decision May 30 allows the administration to end humanitarian parole for about 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Not many of those parolees qualify for Medicaid, which requires a waiting period or special status, but the 40 states with expanded Medicaid could be penalized if immigrants qualify for the program, said Tanya Broder, senior counsel for health and economic justice policy at the National Immigration Law Center. It would appear that the purpose is more to punish expansion states than address any genuine concern with immigrant coverage. – Leonardo Cuello, Georgetown University research professor Meanwhile, an increasing number of states and the District of Columbia already are considering scaling back Medicaid coverage for immigrants because of the costs. The federal budget bill, named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is now being considered by the Senate, where changes are likely. The fact that so many states could be affected by the last-minute change could mean more scrutiny in that chamber, said Andrea Kovach, senior attorney for health care justice at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law in Chicago. By her count, at least 38 states and the District of Columbia would be affected by the new restrictions, since they accepted some options now offered by Medicaid to cover at least some humanitarian parolees without a five-year waiting period. 'They're all going to be penalized because they added in parolees,' Kovach said. 'So that's 38 times two senators who are going to be very interested in this provision to make sure their state doesn't get their reimbursement knocked down.' The change to exclude people with humanitarian parole was included in a May 21 amendment by U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, a Texas Republican who chairs the House budget committee. Arrington's office did not reply to a request for comment, though he has stressed the importance of withholding Medicaid from immigrants who are here illegally. '[Democrats] want to protect health care and welfare at any cost for illegal immigrants at the expense of hardworking taxpayers,' Arrington said in a May 22 floor speech urging passage of the bill. 'But by the results of this last election, it's abundantly clear: The people see through this too and they have totally rejected the Democrats' radical agenda.' Some states already are considering cutting Medicaid coverage for immigrants, though Democratic lawmakers and advocates are pushing back. Washington, D.C., Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser has proposed phasing out a program that provides Medicaid coverage to adults regardless of their immigration status, a move she says would save the District of Columbia $457 million. Minnesota advocates protested a state budget deal reached last month with Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to phase out health care coverage for adults who are here illegally, a condition Republican lawmakers insisted on to avoid a shutdown. Similarly, Illinois advocates are protesting new state rules that will end a program that has provided Medicaid coverage to immigrants aged 42-64 regardless of their legal status. The program cost $1.6 billion over three years, according to a state audit. The state will continue a separate program that provides coverage for older adults. 'Our position is that decision-makers in Illinois shouldn't be doing Trump's work for him,' said Kovach, of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law. 'Let's preserve health coverage for immigrants and stand up for Illinois immigrant residents who have been paying taxes into this state for years and need this coverage.' Illinois state Sen. Graciela Guzmán, a Democrat whose parents are refugees from El Salvador, said many of her constituents in Chicago may be forced to cancel chemotherapy or lifesaving surgery because of the changes. 'It was a state budget, but I think the federal reconciliation bill really set the tone for it,' Guzmán said. 'In a tough fiscal environment, it was really hard to set up a defense for this program.' Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek is among the governors holding firm, saying that letting immigrants stay uninsured imposes costs on local hospitals and ends up raising prices for everyone. 'The costs will go somewhere. When everyone is insured it is much more helpful to keep costs down and reasonable for everyone. That's why we've taken this approach to give care to everyone,' Kotek said at a news conference last month. Medicaid does pay for emergency care for low-income patients, regardless of their immigration status, and that would not change under the federal budget bill. Franny White, a spokesperson for the Oregon Health Authority, said her state's Medicaid program covers about 105,000 immigrants, some of whom are here illegally. She said the policy, established by a 2021 state law, can save money in the long run. 'Uninsured people are less likely to receive preventive care due to cost and often wait until a condition worsens to the point that it requires more advanced, expensive care at an emergency department or hospital,' she said. California was among the first states, along with Oregon, to offer health insurance to immigrants of all ages regardless of their legal status. But it now is considering cutting back, looking to save $5 billion as it seeks to close a $12 billion budget deficit. In May, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed freezing enrollment of immigrant adults who are here illegally, and charging them premiums to save money. 'It's possible that other states will decide to cut back these services because of budgetary concerns,' said Drishti Pillai, director of immigrant health policy at KFF, a health policy research organization. If the federal budget bill passes with the immigrant health care provision intact, states would have more than two years to adjust, since the changes would not take effect until October 2027. 'We have time to really understand what the landscape looks like and really create a legal argument to make sure folks are able to maintain their health care coverage,' said Enddy Almonord, director for Healthy Illinois, an advocacy group supporting universal health care coverage. Stateline, like the Capital Chronicle, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Double-decker bus roof ripped off in bridge crash
A double-decker bus had its roof torn off when it crashed into a railway bridge in London. The incident occurred shortly after midday on Thursday when the vehicle collided with Norwood Junction railway bridge in south London. The vehicle, which had markings identifying it as a training bus, was carrying two people at the time, but it is unclear if anyone was injured. Videos captured at the scene showed debris strewn across the road. A nearby sign reads: 'Warning to buses – low bridge ahead.' Portland Road was closed in both directions and National Rail confirmed on X that while rail lines reopened quickly, some disruption was expected to continue further into the afternoon. James Wilson-Beales, 42, who lives in the area, stumbled across the crash on the way back from the gym. He said: 'I was on the way back from gym and saw all the commotion. 'I spoke to somebody who said they were diverting traffic before police arrived. 'I think it was just a misjudgment with the height of the bridge.' The Metropolitan Police has been contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
