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Forbes
18 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Tax Cutting Governors Also Embrace Tort Reform In 2025
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed Senate 328 last week, making it easier to sue companies that do business in Illinois but are based elsewhere. The new law requires 'companies registered to do business in Illinois to consent to what is known as the state's 'general jurisdiction,'' notes Joe Tabor, director of legal research as the Illinois Policy Institute, adding that SB 328's enactment will allow businesses to be sued in Illinois courts 'even if the plaintiffs were not from Illinois and even if the harm did not occur in the state.' 'What that means in practice is that any company registered to do business in Illinois would be opening itself up to a higher-than-normal level of litigation,' Tabor added. Governor Pritzker's red state counterparts, meanwhile, have sought to reduce the threat and cost of litigation in their states through tort reform, underscoring another aspect in which red and blue state lawmakers are pursuing contrasting policy goals. In April, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) signed into law Senate Bills 68 and 69, a two-bill tort reform package that aims to bring down insurance rates and other business costs. The reforms enacted in Georgia focused on 'phantom' damage awards and 'jury anchoring.' ''Phantom' damages are awards based on inflated medical bill amounts that were never actually paid — Georgia courts often base awards on these billed amounts rather than real payments,' notes the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA). 'Jury anchoring is a practice in which lawyers suggest an unreasonably large award before a jury with that number becoming an 'anchor' point in jurors' minds. The tort reform package enacted in Georgia this spring also addresses liability issues that were saddling employers with significant litigation costs. Protecting American Consumers Together, an advocacy group dedicated to ending lawsuit abuse that was the only outside group to run television ads in support of Governor Kemp's tort reform package, praised its enactment, saying that SB 68 and 69 will 'make Georgia more affordable for families and small businesses while fixing a broken system to ensure consumers and victims can still seek the justice they deserve.' SB 68 addressed the expansion of premises liability, which was causing Georgia business owners to be held liable for criminal acts committed on or even near the business property, even in instances when the business owner had no involvement and no ability to prevent the crime. Chris Clark, president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber said that the tort reform package signed into law by Governor Kemp this year 'fulfills the Georgia business community's promise to do right by Georgians by restoring balance to the civil justice system so our courts can focus on justice—not jackpots.' One month after Governor Kemp and Georgia lawmakers enacted tort reform, Governor Kevin Stitt (R) and Oklahoma state legislators followed suit. At the end of May, Governor Stitt signed Senate Bill 453, which sets a $500,000 maximum award for non-economic damages related to physical injuries, and a $1 million cap for permanent mental injury. Not only did Governor Stitt and Kemp both enact tort reform this year, they also both approved further income tax relief. The same week that Governor Stitt signed tort reform into law, he also signed legislation cutting Oklahoma's personal income tax from 4.75% to 4.5%. Meanwhile in Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law a retroactive income tax cut that will take the rate in 2025 from 5.39% to 5.19%, then down to 5.09% in 2026, followed by another cut to 4.99% in 2027. The enactment of tort reform in Georgia has been noticed in competing states. As Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) noted shortly after the passage of tort reform in Georgia, many are 'urging Texas legislators to pass similar reforms through SB 30,' legislation introduced by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R). SB 30 aimed 'to prevent abusive lawsuit practices by many plaintiff lawyers that wrongfully inflate medical damages in personal injury lawsuits,' explains TLR. 'Critically, SB 30 would limit the evidence of medical damages that plaintiffs may submit at trial to 300% of the 2025 Medicare reimbursement rate with an adjustment for inflation,' TLR noted. 'The provision is meant to prevent lawyers from 'colluding with providers who over-diagnose, overbill and overtreat' victims to come up with inflated medical charges. Additionally, SB 30 makes clear that noneconomic awards cannot be used to punish defendants, make an example to others or serve a social good.' Another piece of the tort reform package that the Texas Senate passed this year is Senate Bill 39, legislation introduced by Senator Brian Birdwell (R) that clarifies the commercial vehicle litigation process in an effort to stop frivolous lawsuits that threaten the livelihood of truckers. 'The explosion of lawsuits (many of them frivolous) against trucking companies in Texas has caused insurance rates to skyrocket, hurting Texans and our businesses,' Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said back in April after the Senate passed SB 39. 'By passing SB 39, the Texas Senate has taken a major step toward providing judges a clear approach to collision cases. These changes will speed up collision trials involving commercial motor vehicles so victims get justice quicker while decreasing legal costs for Texas businesses.' Florida's Tort Reform Success Story Lt. Governor Patrick, Senator Birdwell, and other tort reform proponents in Texas can see the benefits of tort reform by looking at what has transpired in Florida. A July report from the Consumer Protection Coalition (CPC), a group affiliated with the Florida Chamber of Commerce, highlights how insurance rates have plummeted since Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and the Florida Legislature enacted lawsuit abuse reform in 2023. The CPC touts the fact that the amount of litigation in the state has declined by 30% since Governor DeSantis signed legislation in 2023 that 'reduced risk-free litigation through the elimination of the one-way attorney fee statute that forced insurers out of business or out of the state.' 'In addition to the property insurance stabilization, auto insurance costs are also dropping in Florida with major companies recently filing for rate reductions between 6% to 10.5%,' the group added. 'For 2025, Florida's top five auto writer insurance groups are indicating an average -6.5% rate change, down from an average +4.3% in 2024 and a staggering average of +31.7% in 2023,' noted a July 29 statement from the Florida Office of Insurance. 'The top five auto writer insurance groups amount to 78% of Florida's auto market. In addition to optimistic auto rate changes, Florida is reporting a remarkable reduction in the personal auto liability loss ratio, down to a 53.3% on average in 2024—the lowest in the nation.' 'Thanks to Governor DeSantis and recent strong legislative reforms, Florida's auto insurance market is turning the corner,' said Blaise Ingoglia, Florida's Chief Financial Officer. 'When the top insurers in the state are cutting rates by up to 11.5%, that's not just a statistic, it's money back in the pockets of Florida residents.' Tort Reform Opponents Helped Finance Texas Walkout It's not lost on many in the Texas capitol that the same interests who blocked tort reform from passing during the regular session earlier this year also helped finance Texas Democrats' latest quorum-blocking walkout. As the Texas Voice recently reported, 'campaign finance records show that one of the leading groups working to thwart Republican redistricting efforts has received significant funding from George Soros and personal injury trial lawyers.' 'The political arm of the American Association for Justice, a national trade association for personal injury trial lawyers, has donated $50,000 to the National Democratic Redistricting Committee so far this year,' the report added. It's not surprising that trial lawyers would work against a redistricting effort that could result in more tort reform supporters being elected to office. Though tort reform was not part of the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4 on account of reconciliation constrictions, its inclusion in the House-passed version of the bill indicated that tort reform is a priority for many in Congress. Democratic takeover of the U.S. House next year would mean that federal tort reform is no longer an imminent threat, so it's logical that the trial bar would want to help thwart congressional redistricting in Texas that would make a Democratic House takeover in 2026 less likely. Texas is notably the place where trial lawyers most recently defeated tort reform. Though the aforementioned reforms passed out of the Texas Senate this year, they subsequently died after Texas House members added poison pill amendments. Many expect those proposals to be reintroduced at some point in the future, likely for the next regular session in 2027. Aside from Texas, tort reform also came up short this year in South Carolina. Despite those setbacks, proponents of tort reform notched significant legislative victories in 2025, which will likely be emulated by lawmakers in other state capitals in the coming year. The results from Florida, meanwhile, will likely encourage tort reform proponents in Texas, South Carolina, and elsewhere to persist, as will the actual experiences of employers. Trial lawyers can continue to bring legislators campaign checks, but lawmakers in Austin, Columbia, and other state capitals will continue to field employer complaints about rising insurance rates and litigation costs.
Politico
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Pritzker, Texas Dems ‘undeterred' amid threats
Good Thursday morning, Illinois. The butter cow has made her appearance, so the Illinois State Fair can begin now. Illinois Playbook at the Hideout tonight with Congressman Mike Quigley. We've got a lot to talk about. Walk-ins welcome. Details here TOP TALKER THE REDISTRICTING STANDOFF took a jarring turn Wednesday when a bomb threat was reported at the St. Charles hotel and convention complex where Texas state legislators and their teams have been staying. Here's our story. The threat prompted the Democrats from Texas to postpone a rally they had planned with Sen. Dick Durbin to mark the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 'We are safe, we are secure, and we are undeterred,' caucus leadership said in a statement. Safety first: At an unrelated event in Springfield, Gov. JB Pritzker said the threat is under investigation and that his administration is working with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the visiting lawmakers. Pritzker is playing a prominent role in the national redistricting battle, which has put him at loggerheads with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The two ambitious governors have a history that's fueling the acrimony. It dates back to August of 2022, when Abbott started sending migrants to Illinois. It was a gambit to draw attention to the nation's porous borders and the burden it imposed on border states like Texas. But it was also designed to turn the tables on blue states with sanctuary laws — like Illinois — and call out blue state leaders for their 'hypocrisy' on the issue. Today's firestorm over a proposal to redraw the Texas congressional map has enabled Pritzker to return the favor. Read our home page story here. More headlines... Blue state Republicans helped win the House Majority. The redistricting wars may end their careers, by POLITICO's Jonathan Martin Republicans are full steam ahead on redistricting — and not just in Texas, by POLITICO's Andrew Howard RELATED NEW POLL: The Illinois Policy Institute is out with its Lincoln Poll results that show voters at this moment care most about high taxes, state governance, the economy and crime. That's all predictable. What might surprise is a statistic about Gov. JB Pritzker's favorability. The poll shows 47.2 view him favorably, and 50.2 percent rank him unfavorably — the first time the governor's been underwater on that question in this poll, which is conducted quarterly. Details in the cross tabs. M3 Strategies conducted the survey. The group leans right as does the Illinois Policy Institute. But the cross tabs show that of the 752 people polled, 54 percent were Democrats and 39 percent were Republicans. The poll was conducted July 15 through 18 and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.57 percent. Respondents were 'randomly selected from a pool of individuals who are likely to vote in the 2026 General election,' according to Illinois Policy. The polling memo has more. THE BUZZ SANCTUARY SOLIDARITY: In an era when a politically unified voice seems rare, the Illinois Democratic congressional delegation has found a singular point of agreement: defending sanctuary policies. All 16 Democratic members — Congress members and senators — have signed onto a joint letter, a rare show of solidarity, aimed at the Trump administration. Addressed to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, the message is clear: back off. Their letter is a direct rebuke to what they describe as federal overreach — efforts by the Trump administration to undermine Illinois laws that limit local law enforcement involvement in federal immigration enforcement. The Illinois Democrats argue the laws are carefully considered policies designed to 'promote effective policing strategies that foster trust between police and the communities they serve.' Full letter here A line in the sand. The lawmakers contend that dragging local law enforcement into the federal immigration dragnet only promotes fear among immigrant communities — not safety. According to their letter, which is led by Sen. Dick Durbin and Congressman Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia, the Illinois lawmakers are 'deeply concerned' by the Trump administration's immigration stance, which reverberates through ICE raids and Justice Department rhetoric. RELATED: Justice Department publishes new list of 35 'sanctuary' jurisdictions, vowing to bring more immigration lawsuits, by CBS News' Kaia Hubbard If you are Kristi Noem, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB At the State Fairgrounds main gate at 10 a.m. to kick off the State Fair with a ribbon cutting — At Conservation World at 11:15 a.m. to give remarks — At the Director's Lawn at 11:30 a.m. to present the 'County Fair Person of the Year' award at the County Fair Luncheon — At the Director's Lawn at noon for photo ops with the 2025 County Fair Queens — At the Illinois Community College Board tent at 1 p.m. to give remarks for the group's 60th anniversary WHERE's BRANDON At 3517 W. Arthington St. at 10 a.m. for the Dennis Deer honorary street naming ceremony — At the 26th and California courthouse at 4 p.m. for the Officer Ella French honorary street naming ceremony Where's Toni No official public event Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — State Rep. Kam Buckner is running for reelection. He had been mulling a run for Congress in the IL-07 seat. 'The work we're doing in the Illinois House is too important to walk away from. We've built real momentum, and I'm proud to be part of a caucus that's not only delivering results for our communities, but standing as one of the most critical lines of defense against the radical, anti-democratic agenda coming out of Washington,' he said in a statement. — Senate endorsers: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has been endorsed by former Congressman Bobby Rush and former Secretary of State Jesse White in her bid for the open U.S. Senate seat, Fox 32's Alex Ortiz has more. — In IL-09: State Sen. Laura Fine has been endorsed by state Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl. Here's a full list. — In IL-09: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss has been endorsed by Local 881 of the United Food and Commercial Workers. — Tim Ruestman, the Woodford County coroner, announced he's running for the Republican nomination for state representative in the 105th District, following the recent decision by current state Rep. Dennis Tipsword that he won't seek reelection. Tipsword is instead running for Woodford County sheriff. — Double the fun: State Rep. Kevin Olickal is running for both reelection and for Niles Township committeeman. State Sen. Ram Villivalam is among his endorsers. Here's a full list. — State House race: Pastor John Harrell is running for the 8th District seat that's been held by state Rep. La Shawn Ford, who's now running for Congress. Harrell has the support of more than two dozen African American pastors from Chicago's South and West sides, according to spokesman Ray Hanania. — Cat Sharp has been endorsed by the 43rd Ward Democrats in the Cook County Board 12th District race to replace Bridget Degnen. THE STATEWIDES — 50 AGs ask DOJ to fight illegal online casino, sports betting sites, by Legal Sports Reports Matthew Waters — COMMENTARY: Contrary to Trump's rants, Illinois criminal justice reforms have been effective, write Democratic state Reps. Gregg Johnson and Will Guzzardi in the Sun-Times CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson's office denied pushing to weaken CPS board voting rules — but email confirms it was a 'goal': 'The mayor and members of his staff have argued that the CPS board's two-thirds requirement handicaps its ability to govern the nation's fourth-largest school district and does not apply to other elected school boards in the state,' by the Tribune's Nell Salzman, Alice Yin and Gregory Royal Pratt — Chicago Ald. Gil Villegas calls on mayor to make a deal with ComEd that includes relief as bills skyrocket: 'The utility is operating under an expired power-service agreement. That could provide leverage to get more money for people struggling to pay their electric bills, Ald. Gilbert Villegas says,' by WBEZ's Mariah Woelfel and the Sun-Times' Brett Chase. — Trump dismisses General Iron, aldermanic housing cases in Chicago to focus on 'real concerns', by the Sun-Times' Brett Chase — United Airlines flights grounded nationwide because of technology problem, by the Associated Press' Jack Brook and Lisa Baumann COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS — Predominately Black Matteson names first African American police, fire chiefs, by the Daily Southtown's Mike Nolan TAKING NAMES — Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) has launched the Lifting Up All Families nonprofit to address maternal health issues. The goal is to coordinate community, state and national efforts to combat maternal mortality rates that are on the rise, particularly in Black communities. About the launch: Underwood, who leads the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus, announced the nonprofit at a roundtable discussion on Black veteran moms and their maternal health experiences in Norfolk, Virginia, which has one of the highest veteran populations in the country, according to Underwood's team. — State Sen. Andrew Chesney, a Republican from Freeport, has been recognized as the most conservative state senator in Illinois, according to the legislative scorecard released by the American Conservative Union Foundation. — State Rep. Adam Niemerg has been honored with the 2025 Public Service Award from the Illinois Electric Cooperatives, based on his support for rural communities and advancing energy initiatives throughout Illinois, according to a release. — Village of Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson has been appointed to the Illinois High-Speed Rail Commission, filling the only vacant seat on the 21-member body created to design the state's first high-speed rail network. — Democratic state Rep. Marcus Evans Jr. was named the president of the National Conference of State Legislatures at the annual Legislative Summit in Boston this week. Details here Reader Digest We asked about your late-night viewing habits. Charles Keller: ''This is Gavin Newsom.' I like comedy before bed.' Laura Kotelman: 'Gutfeld!' Jim Lyons: 'The Daily Show.' Ed Mazur: ''Tombstone Territory' on the Western Channel.' Marilynn Miller: ''The New Detectives.' The voice of the narrator, Gene Galusha, calms me.' Dennis Rendleman: 'Criminal Minds.' Scott Simon: 'Law & Order reruns.' Jonathan Trey Scott: ''The Wire.' It's one of the greatest shows ever produced and still relevant to this day.' Mark Swartz: 'Mindless, trashy TV. The latest: 'The Hunting Wives.'' Timothy Thomas: 'The Andy Griffith Show.' Corrine Williams: 'WGN 9 am hour that I DVR, followed by Gilmore Girls.' Brent Zhorne: 'A recorded episode of 'Jeopardy' or 'Gutfeld.' Or both.' NEXT QUESTION: What's the most underrated amendment to the Constitution? KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION — Sen. Tammy Duckworth demands answers from FAA on airplane evacuation safety, by CBS News' Kris Van Cleave — Congresswoman Delia Ramirez's comments on her Guatemalan heritage draw backlash from conservatives, White House: Speaking in Spanish at the Panamerican Congress in Mexico City, Rameriz said, 'I could say a few words in Spanish because I'm Guatemalan and proud of it — first, before American,' by the Sun-Times' Cindy Hernandez. A Tribune editorial also takes her to task. THE NATIONAL TAKE — Mexico was the only country to get a 90-day tariff reprieve from Trump. Here's why, by POLITICO's Megan Messerly — Trump says he will put 100 percent tariff on semiconductors, by POLITICO's Doug Palmer — New Indiana immigrant detention center could triple ICE beds in Chicago region, by the Sun-Times' Elvia Malagón and WBEZ's Michael Puente TRANSITIONS — Elizabeth C. Babcock is now president and CEO of the Field Museum. She has held leadership roles at the California Academy of Sciences and Smithsonian American Women's History Museum, and from 2002 to 2010 had leadership roles at the Field, via the Sun-Times' Dorothy Hernandez. — Mitzi Baum is now CEO of Nourishing Hope. Most recently, she was CEO of the nonprofit Stop Foodborne Illness and before that she spent 23 years at Feeding America, one of the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organizations. EVENTS — Aug. 11: Democratic state Rep. Amy 'Murri' Briel is hosting a town hall at Illinois Valley Community College. RSVP here — Aug. 26: Michael Cabonargi is having a kick-off fundraiser for his judicial election. Sen. Dick Durbin is headlining. Details here TRIVIA WEDNESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Roger Flahaven for correctly answering that Abraham Lincoln appointed a 10th justice to the Supreme Court. TODAY's QUESTION: What Illinois town was originally named after Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando De Soto? Email to: skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Congresswoman Mary Miller, Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino, former Ald. Ariel Reboyras, Ignite Blue Partners founding partner Kelsey Nulph, former Senate candidate Alan Keyes, Illinois Department of Commerce Federal Policy Manager Chad Phillips, Rush Medical Center Senior Media Relations Strategist Polly Tita, A Better Chicago Comms Director Kamaria Morris and former FBI Director Robert Mueller -30-
Chicago Tribune
20-07-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Snapshot of food insecurity in Illinois and the U.S.
Before July 4, food insecurity was already a growing issue across the United States. Here are some of the reasons why: The legislation expanded work requirements for SNAP recipients in the following categories who were previously exempt: If SNAP recipients in those categories don't find 80 hours of work per month, they will lose their benefits. Nearly 2 million Illinoisans were using SNAP benefits in 2024 — 15.7% of the state for the seventh-highest percentage in the nation, the Illinois Policy Institute reported. SNAP recipients are not the only ones in need of food assistance, though. Mike Havala, president and CEO of the Naperville-based nonprofit Loaves & Fishes Community Services, explained the 'SNAP gap' at a roundtable event in Geneva earlier this month. Here's the idea: Many people in the 'SNAP gap' and on SNAP benefits depend on food pantries to supplement the limited food they can afford. Because of the 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' even more people will need help from nonprofit food banks and pantries.
Washington Post
02-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Trump rides to the rescue of Chicago's flailing mayor
Two years ago, Chicago voters dumped their unpopular incumbent mayor, Lori Lightfoot, a standard-issue Democratic progressive, and replaced her with Brandon Johnson, who is, if anything, an even harder-left progressive. It was as though voters thought there was only one way to run a city, and they were ready to keep trying until they got it right. Fast-forward to this year, and Johnson's approval rating is 14 percent, according to an Illinois Policy Institute poll in January. Of the 798 registered Chicago voters polled by M3 Strategies, nearly 80 percent had an unfavorable view of Johnson, including 65 percent 'very unfavorable.' Johnson defends his record by pointing to a decline in crime that has been dramatic by some measures — this past April saw the fewest murders in that month since 1962, though violent crime has been declining nationwide. And you might figure a drop in crime should make the mayor's approval numbers rise, not fall close to the level of disdain Americans show for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin (8 percent, according to a Pew Research poll). Beyond crime, the story of Johnson's first two years is a familiar one: lousy public services with a high cost of living exacerbated by seemingly endless tax increases. The Chicago budget passed in December included $181 million in new taxes and fees. These included hiking a cloud services and digital goods tax from 9 percent to 11 percent; raising the streaming and cable TV tax from 9 percent to 10.25 percent; and increasing the parking tax to 23.25 percent. Oh, and adding a $3 ride-hailing surcharge on weekends and increasing the single-use bag tax from 7 cents to 10 cents. Johnson wanted even higher taxes. In 2024, the mayor offered a ballot referendum called Bring Chicago Home that would have raised transfer taxes on properties that sell for more than $1 million and used the revenue to fund homelessness programs, but 52 percent of voters rejected it. When Johnson was a mayoral candidate, one of the few areas where he didn't want to raise taxes was property taxes, and no wonder. The Civic Federation, a nonpartisan local research organization, noted in a report last fall that 'a taxpayer in the City of Chicago pays property taxes to 7 or 8 local governments, depending on which part of the City they live.' (Those local governments include Cook County, the city of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools, City Colleges of Chicago, Chicago Park District, Forest Preserve District of Cook County and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Chicago residents living south of 87th Street also pay property taxes to the South Cook Mosquito Abatement District.) But despite Johnson's campaign promise, he proposed $300 million in property tax hikes in October that the City Council unanimously rejected. After the defeat, the Wall Street Journal editorial board called Johnson 'America's worst mayor.' In Johnson's defense, at the time of that editorial, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) had yet to be photographed posing for photos at a cocktail party in Ghana while the Palisades Fire was torching a good chunk of her city. This is why we need a playoff system. Living in a big city almost always costs more than in the suburbs or rural areas, but Chicago's city government seems dead-set on wringing money from residents in every way imaginable. Now, they are rationally concluding that the mayor and his administration aren't delivering. With such an abysmal approval rating and no sign of Johnson reconsidering his governing philosophy, you might think it would take a miracle to resuscitate his popularity and political future. Well, that miracle seems to be arriving in the form of the U.S. Justice Department. On May 19, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon wrote to Johnson, informing him that the Justice Department is investigating his administration to see if it 'engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race.' The day before, in a speech at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood, Johnson boasted that his deputy mayors, budget director, chief operations officer and senior advisers were Black, and added, 'When you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else. We are the most generous people on the planet.' That's a thin reed on which to base an accusation of racial discrimination in city hiring, and you're forgiven if you doubt that's the wisest use of Justice Department resources. (If prosecutors can prove that the city is turning away qualified applicants because of their race, that's a different story.) It isn't as if bringing down a Democratic mayor would boost Republican prospects in Chicago; Donald Trump received just 28 percent of the vote in Cook County in November, his worst performance in any Illinois county. If anything, the Trump administration is helping Johnson by going after him; few things could make Chicago Democrats instinctively unite like an attack on the mayor by this White House. If Johnson's numbers improve and the severely underperforming mayor tightens his grip on City Hall, that will ensure Chicago remains a prime example of progressive failure. Perhaps that would be Trump's ultimate, if unintended, revenge on Chicago voters for preferring Kamala Harris to him — getting them to sign up for four more years of Johnson's mismanagement.
The Guardian
14-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Trump administration sued over tariffs in US international trade court
A legal advocacy group on Monday asked the US court of international trade to block Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on foreign trading partners, arguing that the president overstepped his authority. The lawsuit was filed by the Liberty Justice Center, a legal advocacy group, on behalf of five US businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the tariffs. 'No one person should have the power to impose taxes that have such vast global economic consequences,' Jeffrey Schwab, Liberty Justice Center's senior counsel, said in a statement. 'The Constitution gives the power to set tax rates – including tariffs – to Congress, not the President.' The Liberty Justice Center is the litigation arm of the Illinois Policy Institute, a free market thinktank. According to the group's statement, the case was filed on behalf of five owner-operated businesses who have been severely harmed by the tariffs. The businesses include a New York-based company specializing in the importation and distribution of wines and spirits, an e-commerce business specializing in the production and sale of sportfishing tackle, a company that manufactures ABS pipe in the United States using imported ABS resin from South Korea and Taiwan, a small business based in Virginia that makes educational electronic kits and musical instruments, and a Vermont-based brand of women's cycling apparel. Representatives of the White House did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The Trump administration faces a similar lawsuit in Florida federal court, where a small business owner has asked a judge to block tariffs imposed on China.
