Accountability after Laquan McDonald

By Shia Kapos

With help from Olivia Olander

Good Monday morning, Illinois. It’s Eagles v. Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

Graphic videos showing Memphis police officers beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols revealed the nation has a long way to go in shifting from old-school methods of policing.

Officers sent Nichols to the hospital for having “shortness of breath” from what should have been a routine traffic stop, but body-camera and other videos told the real story of his injuries, as The Washington Post notes.

Some progress. Even before the videos were released, the five officers involved were charged with murder thanks to the cameras.

Remembering Laquan McDonald. He was shot 16 times by a police officer, and it took authorities 13 months to release the video of the confrontation.

"That these five officers are being held criminally accountable for their deadly and brutal actions gives us hope as we continue to push for justice for Tyre,” Nichols’ attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who is based in Chicago, said in a statement.

It’s little comfort for Nichols’ family or a nation emotionally frayed by another death when confronted with people sworn to protect.

Mostly peaceful protests were held across the country. In Chicago, cold temps and snow seemed to temper any street demonstrations. Activists still found a place to share their message, gathering at Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Push Coalition headquarters. They also plan to gather at Federal Plaza today at 6 p.m.

"It's very disturbing because it reminds us of what happened to Rodney King," activist Darius Randall said at Rainbow Push, reports ABC 7’s Evelyn Holmes.

Calls for action: Activists are urging the U.S. Justice Department to launch an investigation into the deadly traffic stop. Elected officials also called for change.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin: “Elected officials must continue taking steps to create a justice system that is truly equal for all. I’m committed to working with Senator (Cory) Booker and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to finally achieve critical reforms.”

Gov. JB Pritzker: “We must recommit ourselves to pursuing real justice and peace in the name of Tyre Nichols and so many others who have never had their stories told.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot: “It is dismaying that these officers were young in their profession and men of color themselves. … It's clear that there is much more systemic work that must be done.”

Also responding were some of Lightfoot’s political challengers. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Ja’Mal Green, Brandon Johnson, Sophia King, Roderick Sawyer, Paul Vallas.

RELATED— Memphis police disband unit that beat Tyre Nichols, by The Associated Press

— ‘Diversity alone won’t change policing,’ by POLITICO’s Brakkton Booker

— Another disturbing body-cam video: It shows the attack on Paul Pelosi in excruciating detail, by POLITICO’s Jeremy B. White

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaking to reporters Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, at Maggiano's for a City Club discussion on city finances. | POLITICO's Shia Kapos

Changing the narrative: The subject driving the mayor’s race is crime, but the debate is starting to shift to other issues. On Friday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot touted Chicago's economic turnaround since the pandemic. ABC 7’s Craig Wall has that with video.

After her speech, Lightfoot urged the General Assembly to do its share to bail out city pension funds: “After paying down $1.3 billion in pension debt over four years, Lightfoot’s $16.4 billion 2023 budget went further, prepaying $242 million in future pension debt. But the General Assembly should take it from here, the mayor said,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

The Tribune has a piece on schools: Declining enrollment, empty schools and union battles will challenge the next mayor, write A.D. Quig, Alice Yin and Gregory Pratt.

And Chalkbeat asks 10 questions on education, by Becky Vevea and Mauricio Peña

If you are Rev. Jesse Jackson, Playbook would like to hear your thoughts about why change is so hard. Email skapos@politico.com.

JOIN POLITICO ON 2/9 TO HEAR FROM AMERICA’S GOVERNORS: In a divided Congress, more legislative and policy enforcement will shift to the states, meaning governors will take a leading role in setting the agenda for the nation. Join POLITICO on Thursday, Feb. 9 at World Wide Technology's D.C. Innovation Center for The Fifty: America's Governors, where we will examine where innovations are taking shape and new regulatory red lines, the future of reproductive health, and how climate change is being addressed across a series of one-on-one interviews. REGISTER HERE.

At College of Lake County Lakeshore Campus at 11 .m. for the opening of its student center.

No official public events.

No official public events.

Have a news tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? I’d like to hear from you: skapos@politico.com

WHO GOT THE UIHLEINS’ CASH AFTER JAN. 6: “A nonprofit led by GOP megadonor Richard Uihlein contributed millions of dollars in 2021 to conservative groups who played roles in promoting falsehoods of widespread voter fraud following the 2020 election or are linked to efforts to challenge the election results, including more than $2 million within a week of the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol,” reports Caitlin Oprysko in POLITICO’s Influence newsletter.

“The donations from the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation include a $1 million gift the day after the insurrection to the Conservative Partnership Institute, the nonprofit home to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Cleta Mitchell.”

— Gov. JB Pritzker has vowed to bring preschool to every Illinois child. That’s easier said than done: According to recent research, "Illinois enrolled less than a quarter of preschool-age children in 2021, when the state would have needed an estimated $505 million in additional funds to enroll all low-income children alone,” by Tribune’s Sarah Macaraeg and Zareen Syed.

— Hear them roar: Illinois House Republican Leader Tony McCombie named deputy GOP leader Norine Hammond as chief budgeteer for the Republican caucus and state Rep. Amy Elik as the GOP’s deputy budgeteer. They join Democratic Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, who is the first woman, and first African American lawmaker to run budget negotiations for the House as chief Democratic budgeteer. She works alongside House Majority Leader Robin Gabyl.

— Utility shutoffs for nonpayment soar across Illinois: Three different findings show “Illinois has the most disconnections among states that disclose that information. ComEd is part of the report’s ‘Hall of Shame,’” by Sun-Times’ David Roeder.

— Old State Capitol preservation and renovation efforts get a $15M investment, by State Journal-Register’s Patrick Keck.

— Illinois poised to lift restrictions on felons who want to legally change their names, by Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner

— Pritzker announces $13M expansion of pre-apprenticeship program to promote diversity, inclusion, by Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles

— Paul Vallas gets money in mayor’s race from ex-CPS board member who left after scandal: “The former CPS CEO has taken $7,500 from Deborah Quazzo plus $10,000 from her husband,” by WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos.

— Lala land: Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia is turning to Los Angeles to raise money for his mayoral campaign. He’ll be there on Saturday along with former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Details here

— Brandon Johnson is profiled by Derrick Blakley for Center for Illinois Politics

— Gov. JB Pritzker is endorsing Ronnie Mosley for alderman in the 21st Ward. Current Ald. Howard Brookins is not seeking reelection. Here’s a look at all 21st Ward candidates, via Block Club’s Atavia Reed.

— The governor is drawing criticism for endorsing in ward races. The Coalition of African-American Leaders sent out a letter saying Pritzker “may be the first Illinois governor” to get involved in city politics at such a granular level. “Who does he think he is? Ward boss? Party boss? Billionaire?” Here’s the full letter

— New 34th Ward set to play key role as city looks to reenergize downtown, by Tribune’s A.D. Quig

Deputy Governor Christian Mitchell, speaking at an Illinois Environmental Council event last year, is leaving the Pritzker administration. | POLITICO's Shia Kapos

— Christian Mitchell, a deputy governor, is leaving the Pritzker administration. No word yet on his next move. But the announcement sparked talk that Mitchell could move to a political position to help Pritzker in a potential presidential run. “Absolutely not,” said a person familiar with Mitchell’s exit.

— Allison Arwady, Chicago’s top doctor, is still standing: “Frayed public health leaders left their posts in droves as the pandemic wore on. Not Arwady — she is steeling herself for her next front,” by WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers.

— Smita Shah, CEO of Chicago-based SPAAN Tech, is stepping up her civic work. She helped launch a series of regional economic summits aimed at supporting Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders as part of her work with President Joe Biden’s Advisory Commission on those communities. The summits kicked off last week in Philadelphia.

— Roosevelt Square applies fresh approach to ‘hallowed ground’ of public housing: “The $172 million development phase on the old ABLA Homes site continues a vision of improving a neighborhood by adding mixed-income housing and other amenities,” by Sun-Times’ David Roeder.

— MIGRANTS IN ILLINOIS: New shelter in Woodlawn could open in the coming week, by Tribune’s Shanzeh Ahmad

— Clusters of pandemic relief loans went to the same Chicago addresses, including homeless shelters, by Sun-Times’ Frank Main and Lauren FitzPatrick

— City Council members infuriated by $1M settlement in police shooting case, by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman

— Chicago cop arrested in drunken Milwaukee bar fight has been hired by a suburban police department, by Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba

— New FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert ‘Wes’ Wheeler sets agenda for Chicago office, by NBC 5’s Charlie Wojciechowski

— Lunar New Year parades held in spite of cold temps in Uptown on Saturday and Chinatown on Sunday, via Sun-Times.

— After controversy, mayor says standards coming for Des Plaines Theatre bookings, by Daily Herald’s Russell Lissau

— City, Cook County, United Way unveil new 211 line to help residents find social services, by Sun-Times Stefano Esposito

— Turning left at a Chicago intersection? New road barriers may make it safer, by Tribune’s Sarah Freishtat

— Uber and Lyft used to be much cheaper than taxis. Now cabs are leveling the playing field, by Crain’s Sophie Rodgers

— O'Hare is gaining on Atlanta in pandemic rebound, by Crain’s John Pletz

— Two local universities receive millions in federal funding to expand high-speed internet access: “The Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program awarded $2.6 million to St. Augustine College and $2.5 million to Dominican University,” by Sun-Times’ Kaitlin Washburn.

— Former Coles County prosecutor charged with bribery, by WCIA’s Bradley Zimmerman

— Disaster workers in deadly Kenwood high-rise fire accused of stealing $19,000 from tenant, by Tribune’s William Lee

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We asked who would play your parents in a movie about your life:

Patrick Nagle: “Assuming that Matt Damon plays me (same birth date!), my parents would be Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn. It might not be an exciting movie, but there will be many scenes filmed at Wrigley Field!”

Omari Prince: “Phylicia Rashad and Laurence Fishburne.”

Kathy Posner: “Lucille Ball, as the character in “I Love Lucy” and Phil Silvers as the Sgt. Bilko character on the old Phil Silvers Show.”

Ed Mazur: “ Robert De Niro, a raging bull with a heart of gold, and Loretta Young, always smiled and tough as nails.”

Andy Shaw: “Doris Day and a slimmed-down Dennis Franz.”

Brent Zhorne: “Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman from ‘Casablanca.’”

What political campaign motivated you more than any other? Email skapos@politico.com

— Congressman Bill Foster brought the house down at a fundraiser for state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit on Saturday. After being introduced by emcee Ken Mejia-Beal, Foster took the stage, saying the emcee made a mistake in the introduction because 'I’m Congressman George Santos.” The crowd roared at the joke because it was so out of character for the usually serious Foster.

Also spotted: Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, state Rep. Michelle Mussman, Aurora City Council’s Mike Saville, Scheketa Hart-Burns, Ed Bugg and Ted Mesiacos; DuPage Forest Preserve Commissioner Barb O’Meara, Kane County Board Chair Corrinne Pierog and Commissioners Mavis Bates and Michelle Gumz; Kendall County Commissioner Brooke Shanley and Naperville councilman Benny White.

— Meet Ron DeSantis’ inner circle, by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon

— Schumer plots debt ceiling course against McCarthy: 'We'll win,’ by POLITICO’s Burgess Everett and Olivia Beavers

— Trump hits the trail again, eager to show he's still the GOP King Kong, by POLITICO’s Meridith McGraw

— Chicago protesters decry ‘massacre’ after Israeli raid left nine Palestinians dead, by Sun-Times’ Emmanuel Camarillo

— Ayse Kalaycioglu and Anthony Pascente have launched the K+P Advisory consulting firm. Both worked for the state Department of Central Management Services. Pascente was director and Kalaycioglu was COO. They were behind the sale of the James R. Thompson Center and will now offer project management, infrastructure advisory, real estate and other consulting services in their new firm.

— Anda Tatoiu is part of the business litigation practice of Dykema, a Chicago law firm. She was an attorney with Deutsch, Levy & Engel.

— Jared Rutecki is an investigative reporter/producer at WTTW. He was with Better Government Association’s Illinois Answers Project.

— Feb. 12: Sen. Cory Booker will be feted at a fundraiser hosted in part by Wendy Heltzer, a Chicago political donor and New Jersey native. Details here

FRIDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Kristin DiCenso and Robert Christie for correctly answering that Rev. Peter Cartwright of Pleasant Plains was a revivalist minister known as the “backwoods preacher” who ran unsuccessfully against Abraham Lincoln for Congress.

TODAY’s QUESTION: What famous crime victims met at and attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale? Email skapos@politico.com

Emily’s List Midwest Finance Director Sarah Carrillo, former Ald. Ricardo Munoz, radio personality Maze Jackson, Insider sales manager Arjun Kumar, NBC News reporter and POLITICO alum Natasha Korecki and POLITICO Senior Editor Bob Hillman, who keeps the trains running for Illinois Playbook.

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