2 days ago
The politics of bipartisanship
Happy Thursday Illinois. Don't forget the sunscreen for the parades.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: We'll be off Friday, but back in your inbox Monday.
TOP TALKER
FRIENDLY MOVES: While Gov. JB Pritzker isn't shy about throwing elbows at President Donald Trump, he's been talking unity and bipartisanship at home.
At Peach's Restaurant in Chicago on Wednesday, Pritzker brushed off a reporter's question about whether choosing fellow Chicagoan Christian Mitchell as a running mate signals he's ignoring the rest of the state.
'You don't just represent the people in your district,' Pritzker said about state lawmakers. 'You are also voting on things that are good for people all across the state. We have passed bills that have been highly beneficial to job creation, expansion of health care, funding education for people who live in Anna, Carbondale, Quincy or Champaign.'
Campaign wingman Mitchell had his own take on unity: 'I plan to go everywhere, be everywhere, meet people where they are — from the street to a bar or coffee shop,' he told reporters.
Earlier in the week in Peoria, the Democratic governor stood alongside two Republicans — state Sen. Dale Fowler and state Rep. Ryan Spain — to sign a bill aimed at lowering prescription drug costs. It was a moment of unity in an era of shouting matches.
And it didn't go unnoticed: Democratic State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth called attention to it, saying 'Bipartisanship still plays in Peoria. It also plays in the state of Illinois.' Joining her were state Sen. Dave Koehler and State Rep. Natalie Manley, both Democrats.
In a moment when politics feels like a brawl, Pritzker and Mitchell are making a calculated move: a little unity could sell in Chicago — and Peoria.
As for Illinois Republicans, we might see more bipartisanship at home as the midterms approach — and they find themselves attached to legislation out of Washington that could take health care away from millions.
RELATED
BOOT CAMP: Sen Tammy Duckworth and Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, both Democrats, and Congressman Mike Bost, a Republican, have joined in introducing bipartisan legislation to ensure U.S. troops wear quality, safe and reliable footwear that's 'entirely manufactured in America and made with U.S.-sourced materials.' Budzinski explains more in this video.
THE BUZZ
About the megabill: After pulling an all-nighter, U.S. House members appear close to approving Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' meeting the president's arbitrary July 4 deadline, write POLITICO's Mia McCarthy and Lisa Kashinsky this morning.
Illinois lawmakers are waiting to see how the numbers will play out. 'We're going to have to evaluate the bill when it's all done,' Pritzker told reporters at an unrelated event Wednesday. 'If they take away the Affordable Care Act, for example, as much as they are threatening to do, we might need to take … our matching funds and figure out how we're going to distribute those among the critical-access and safety-net hospitals that are threatened to close as a result of what they're doing in Washington, D.C.'
The governor emphasized: 'We're going to do everything we can to preserve health care, but there's no way we can [cover the] billions of dollars that they're taking away.'
RELATED
Proposed health-care cuts threaten rural hospitals, including Danville's OSF Sacred Heart, by News Channel 20's Brianna Moreland
Trump's political realignment is missing in the megabill, by POLITICO's Charlie Mahtesian
If you are Dale Fowler, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@
WHERE'S JB
No official public events
WHERE's BRANDON
At City Hall at 11 a.m. for a press conference with the Chicago Police and Fire departments and the Office of Emergency Management to address safety around the July 4th weekend
Where's Toni
No official public events
Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@
BUSINESS OF POLITICS
— Big money: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi's campaign has announced it has raised more than $3.1 million in the second quarter. He's now got $21 million cash on hand for the competitive Democratic senatorial primary.
— Joining the race: Kevin Ryan, a former Chicago Public School teacher, has launched his bid for the U.S. Senate in the Democratic primary. His video is here.
— Statehouse action: Sunjay Kumar has announced he's running for the state representative seat in the 13th District. 'Whether your ancestors first came to Chicago over a hundred years ago, during the Great Migration, or you just arrived last week, you belong here, and I will fight for your rights.' Kumar, a Democrat, said in a statement. He's already been endorsed by state Rep. Theresa Mah and state Sen. Ram Villivalam. The seat is held by state Rep. Hoan Huynh, who's running for Congress.
— More 13th District action: Watch for Demerike 'Demi' Palecek, a self-described progressive Army veteran and president of the 46th Ward Democrats, to throw her hat in the ring to run for state representative on Chicago's North Side on Monday.
— Fundraising: Neil Khot, a Democratic candidate for Congress in the 8th District, says he raised $563,000 in the second quarter that ended Monday and has $526,000 cash on hand.
— Liz Nicholson, a Democrat running for the down ballot Cook County Board of Review seat, says she raised $50,000 in the last quarter 'without taking any property tax, appraisal or developer industry contributions.'
THE STATEWIDES
— State ends fiscal year with record revenue: 'The record revenues also don't alleviate any uncertainty for the current or future fiscal years as Congress considers drastic reductions to the social safety net and aid to states,' by Capitol News' Ben Szalinski.
— Three high-profile Illinois casinos have now faced allegations over contractors with reputed mob ties, by the Sun-Times' Robert Herguth and Mitchell Armentrout
CHICAGO
— VETO POWER | From banning the sale of rancid meat to vetoing a snap curfew, Chicago mayors have long flexed political muscle: 'Mayor Brandon Johnson recently issued the first veto by a Chicago mayor in 19 years. But mayoral vetoes once were common. A look at the history of the mayor's veto power to the 1850s reveals surprising details,' by WBEZ's Mariah Woelfel.
— Krystal Rivera's family calls for independent investigation into officer's death at hands of partner: They want the release of camera footage and information about the officer who killed her. The investigation, they argue, should be handled the way it would 'had she been shot and killed by someone not wearing a CPD uniform,' by Block Club's Alex V. Hernandez.
— Student group banned by DePaul continues to run covert birth control delivery service, by WBEZ's Lisa Kurian Philip
— It's been 30 years since the Grateful Dead's final concerts at Soldier Field in Chicago, by Bob Gendron for the Tribune
COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS
— Dolton buying Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in village, price uncertain: 'The Village Board at a special meeting Tuesday voted unanimously to move forward on buying the house at 212 East 141st Place, and said there are plans to buy an adjacent home,' by the Daily Southtown's Mike Nolan.
— Aurora mayor catching heat over fireworks comments: Critics say he encouraged residents to shoot off fireworks illegally, by the Daily Herald's Susan Sarkauskas.
— Cook County's troubled tech overhaul boils over, as political leaders start pointing fingers, by the Tribune's A.D. Quig
— First modular homes open as part of Cook County pilot program boosting homeownership, by the Sun-Times' Abby Miller
— On 40th anniversary of 'Back to the Future,' Allstate celebrates its role in creation of DeLorean time machine, by the Tribune's Robert Channick
TAKING NAMES
— Hakeem Jeffries, the U.S. House Democratic leader, will headline the Illinois Democratic Chairs' Brunch in Springfield next month. Details here
— Dan Webb, the Chicago attorney who also is a leader with the No Labels political organization, says the group is interested in talking to Elon Musk — who's looking at starting a third party. 'What he's talking about is that partisanship in the two parties has created so many huge problems that the country isn't working, as evidenced by what's going on in Congress right now,' Webb said.' More via POLITICO's Andrew Howard
— Chicago native Marty Cooper pioneered the cellphone. It changed how people around the world talk to each other — and don't, by The Associated Press
Reader Digest
We asked about the best fireworks displays in Illinois.
Robert Christie: 'Watching fireworks from a boat on Lake Michigan with the Chicago skyline in the background.'
Cliff Dolbeare: 'Pleasant Hill and Heyworth. Small towns put on the best shows.'
Robert Kieckhefer: 'Batavia — a volunteer-run, community-funded 'Sky Concert.''
Ed Mazur: 'Navy Pier — so loud and colorful you think we are being attacked by forces beyond our galaxy.'
Joan Pederson: 'My neighbors who annually set up shop in a pocket park in my South Side neighborhood (which I won't identify to protect them and to avoid inviting a traffic jam).'
NEXT QUESTION: What's your secret to a great barbecue meal?
KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION
— Duckworth asks IRS why on-time taxpayers are getting late notices, by the Daily Herald's Marni Pyke and Russell Lissau
— Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) has reintroduced the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act. 'This legislation is designed to increase access to health care in underserved areas and diversify the health care providers to meet the needs of different populations,' she said in a statement.
THE NATIONAL TAKE
— Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down state's 1849 abortion ban, by POLITICO's Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing
— CIA review of 2016 Russia election probe finds no major flaws, by POLITICO's Amy Mackinnon and John Sakellariadis
— Trump allies caught off guard by Pentagon's Ukraine weapons freeze, via POLITICO
Transitions
— Kendall Woods is now a shareholder attorney at the Buchalter litigation practice group in Chicago. She was at Laurie & Brennan.
EVENTS
— July 22: State Reps. Dagmara 'Dee' Avelar and Natalie Manley and state Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel host a 'Friends of Labor Fundraiser.' Details here
TRIVIA
WEDNESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Cristina Nonato for correctly answering that Walt 'Moose' Moryn was the Cubs outfielder who made a sparkling catch to preserve Don Cardwell's no-hitter.
TODAY's QUESTION: When did Navy Pier hold its first fireworks extravaganza? Email skapos@
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Today: Legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti, former state Rep. Eileen Lyons, Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson, C-Strategies Senior VP Lara Cooper, Gibsons Managing Partner Kathy O'Malley Piccone, Swirlz Cupcakes' Pam Rose, activist JQ Holland Darden, real estate broker Terry Schwartz, Fair Oaks Farms Creative Director Mariana Vallejo and Indigov Senior Manager of Client Success Maya Serkin
Friday: Businessman and former political candidate Chris Kennedy, former first kid Malia Obama, Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady, former state Rep. Sam Yingling, businessman former DuPage County commissioner Pete DiCianni, Fein Solutions founder David Fein, DDA & Associates co-founder Kris Adams, WISN anchor Diana Gutierrez and Goodman Theatre Comms Director Denise Schneider.
Saturday: Congressman Darin LaHood, Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke (who turns the big 6-0), attorney and former state Rep. James Brosnahan, O'Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies VP Mark Copeland, Thinkinc public affairs CEO Laurie Glenn, Progressive TurnOut Project's Julio Guzman, attorney Kelley Merwin, Baird & Warner senior broker Helen Jaeger Roth and filmmaker Gregory Quarles
Sunday: Former President George W. Bush, former state Rep. Kelly Burke, former state rep and former State Liquor Commission Director Sam Panayotovich, PNC Asset Management Group EVP and former Chicago CFO Carole Brown, XLN Services founder Josh Witkowski, social media consultant Nikki Kanter, Service Club Philanthropy Director Pam Capitanini, SEIU Assistant Comms Director Jennifer Owens, Democratic State Central Committeeman Thomas Maillard, American Osteopathic Association Brand Marketing Director Thelma Sardin, SKDK public affairs strategist Jill Zuckman, Pastor Will Boyd, journalist Robert Loerzel and POLITICO Head of Standards and Practices Anita Kumar
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