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Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Happy Thursday, Illinois. The puzzler of the day: How to hold a public trial when the key evidence is classified, via POLITICO.
|  | TOP TALKER | | Mayor Johnson approves $10M payment to extend ShotSpotter deal he vowed to end — aide blames automatic signature: “A top mayoral aide said Johnson’s signature was unwittingly attached to a document authorizing the payment, which covered a contract extension that was approved by Lori Lightfoot,” report Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba and Fran Spielman. Also from the Fifth Floor: The transition report is in the works. Transition teams have turned in a version of their ideas, which are being cleaned up before a final version is posted for all to see. The ideas in the transition report aren’t set in stone, but they give a glimpse beyond campaign rhetoric, what the new mayor’s goals are. Lots of talk: “These groups are having substantive and enlightening conversations,” Johnson’s senior adviser, Jason Lee, told Playbook. “Those conversations are wrapping up and the goal is to have them done by the end of the month.” Lips sealed: Transition team members were told not to speak publicly about the plans, though a few were willing to share some insight as long as their names weren’t used. The general consensus: There have been so many voices in the room, it’s taken some time to make sure everyone is heard. There’s also been pushing and pulling on issues. Still up in the air: Members of the Bring Chicago Home advocacy group are talking to the transition team about a renewed effort to get a referendum on the ballot to increase the real estate transfer tax, also known as the “mansion tax.” Advocates are hopeful the tax makes in the final report, but those with business interests don’t believe it will. Johnson may be finding out that he can’t fulfill all the promises he made on the campaign trail because there’s just not enough money the city offers to do it — unless he raises taxes, and that opens a whole other can of worms. Other progressive ideas to watch: a minimum wage for tipped workers — Crain’s Justin Laurence has more on that — and making “treatment not trauma” a reality. Johnson is understandably a little behind in issuing his transition report, compared to his predecessors. In 2011, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, released his 100-day list of goals in a transition report a week ahead of his May 16 swearing in. He had a long lead time to prepare since he wasn’t in a runoff. In 2019, Mayor Lori Lightfoot released her transition report on the Friday before her May 20 swearing in. She was in a runoff, but her polling showed her 30 points ahead a month before she was elected, so her team jumped on the transition. Johnson’s race was much closer, so his team was focused solely on winning before it could even think about transition plans. — Meanwhile, the Civic Federation is out with its recommendation for revenue and cost-cutting options: One idea is to cut the 50-member City Council in half, by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.
| | | THE BUZZ | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto will keynote the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association brunch on Aug. 16. The brunch at Bank of Springfield Center will kick off Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair. Her credentials: Cortez Masto was elected to the Senate in 2016 and reelected in 2022, when she helped secure a Democratic majority in the Senate. Before she became senator, Cortez Masto served as the Nevada attorney general. It’s a big brunch: The County Chairs’ Brunch is the largest annual Democratic event in Illinois. Previous headliners have included former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who subbed that year for Joe Biden, who couldn’t make it. If you are Catherine Cortez Masto, Playbook would like to know if you’ve ever tried a horseshoe? Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com.
| | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | No official public events.
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events. Thank you for reading Illinois Playbook! Drop me a line sometime: skapos@politico.com
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | 2024 WATCH | | — Republican Regan Deering is running for state representative in the 88th House District. Deering lost her bid for Congress’s 13th District last year. The state House seat is currently held by Rep. Dan Calkins, also a Republican, who has said he won’t seek reelection. — A Trump, Bailey, Bost conundrum: Darren Bailey is considering a run against fellow Republican Congressman Mike Bost. Both received Donald Trump’s endorsement in 2022, when Bailey ran for governor and Bost for Congress. Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles has more.
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Jim Reynolds accepted the Lincoln Leadership Prize on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in Chicago. | POLITICO's Shia Kapos | Jim Reynolds, chair and CEO of Loop Capital and a longtime civic leader, jolted guests to attention at the Hilton on Michigan Avenue Wednesday night when he accepted the Lincoln Leadership Prize from the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. Not your traditional acceptance speech: Reynolds talked about violence and how to solve it, receiving applause when he called for more early childhood care and support for police officers. One idea: “Police officers cannot protect and serve and have respect from people that they don't know. We need to provide free housing and other benefits to encourage police officers to choose to live in some of the toughest communities,” he told the crowd. Introducing Reynolds was Bryan Traubert, chair of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation. They’ve been friends for 30 years. Also in the room: Rev. Jesse Jackson, Ald. Michelle Harris, Ald. David Moore, state Rep. Ann Williams, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, World Business Chicago’s Michael Fassnacht, Vistria CEO Marty Nesbitt, Anita Blanchard, Allstate Corp.’s Tom Wilson, Lincoln Library board member Carrie Hightman, University of Chicago Crime Labs’ Roseanna Ander, Walgreens’ Donovan Pepper, CS Insurance Strategies’ Michael Smith, nonprofits consultant Kevin Conlon, marketing exec Ashvin Lad, Haymarket Center CEO Dan Lustic and accountant Florencio Guereca.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — The fine print of Illinois’ ban on book bans: “Gov. JB Pritzker signed a measure that will withhold state funds from libraries that ban books. The move sparked a lot of questions,” by WBEZ’s Alex Degman — State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Chicago Democrat, is attending the White House State Legislative Convening on Reproductive Rights today. On the agenda: protections for patients and providers, focusing on the work Illinois has done such as the Patient & Provider Protection Act. — Legislative watchdog Michael McCuskey sees job as educational opportunity: “ The former federal judge was nearly unanimously approved for a full five-year term in spring session,” by Capitol News’ Nika Schoonover. — Illinois continues to enact abortion protections a year after Roe v. Wade reversal, by WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal — Promotions: State Rep. Natalie Manley is now deputy majority leader, and state Rep. Camille Lilly is assistant majority leader in the Illinois House.
| | CHICAGO | | — Second round of interviews complete in search for next CPD superintendent: “Anthony Driver Jr., president of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, said this week that he’s ‘a billion percent’ confident that the commission will “meet or exceed” its July 14 deadline to send three finalists to Mayor Brandon Johnson,” by Tribune’s Sam Charles. — NASCAR pledges safety — and big money for city — ahead of July 1-2 street race in Grant Park, by Block Club’s Quinn Myers — Residents want large festivals out of Douglass Park, say they pose a danger to patients at nearby hospitals, by Sun-Times’ Emmanuel Camarillo — Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich set to lead Mass for LGBTQ+ Catholics this weekend, by Block Club’s Jacqueline Cardenas
| | CORRUPTION CHRONICLES | | — Michael Acevedo sentenced to 1 month in prison in tax fraud case stemming from Madigan probe, by Tribune’s Jason Meisner and Ray Long — Businessman accused of bribing lawmakers was ‘getting bang for his buck,’ prosecutor says with case poised to go to jury: “The jury of five men and seven women is expected to begin deliberations Thursday in the trial of James Weiss, “by Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked what the rules should be for saving seats. Warren Silver: “No coats, extra programs or such across the seat.” Patricia Ann Watson: “For small targeted groups, like private meetings it’s OK. For general admission gatherings, no holding seats, no line jumping — this includes boards of elections filing events.” What do you hope for when you attend a fundraising dinner? Email skapos@politico.com
| | DELEGATION | | — Congressman Eric Sorensen, a former TV weatherman, says working in a competitive media market prepared him to be a frontliner, in that both parties see his district as a potential flip in 2024. “I never worked at a No. 1 affiliate where you could just skate by. We were always trying as hard as we could,” he told Timothy Cama in POLITICO’s Long Game newsletter.
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — One of Kevin McCarthy’s biggest legislative tests is still ahead, and it’s going to be messy: the farm bill, by POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill — Green groups give Biden an early endorsement, by POLITICO’s Eli Stokols — Miami GOP Mayor Francis Suarez jumps into presidential race, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout and Brakkton Booker
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Chicago broadcast legend Merri Dee honored with youth technology lab: “The lab named in her honor is designed to give underrepresented kids the tools they need to succeed in the fast changing tech world,” via CBS 2. Friends of the late broadcaster attended the Merri Dee Youth Technology Lab in Maywood, including marketing exec Andrew Hayes and Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who credited Dee with helping him land an internship and a job.
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Dennis Welsh, senior VP and general manager of the FOX-owned duopoly in Chicago (WFLD FOX32 and WPWR MY50), is retiring at the end of June. He's been in this role since January 2013 and with the FOX Television Stations for 26 years. — Rachael Trummel has joined Jenner & Block’s litigation and class action ranks. She was a partner at King & Spalding in Chicago and provided outside counsel to Northern Trust.
| | | EVENTS | | | — Tuesday: State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin host the Advancing Equity in Banking Commission to examine what the banking industry has done to fight systemic racism. Register here
| | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Michael Lieber for correctly answering that J.B. Lenoir wrote and sang the “Eisenhower Blues.” The song title was considered controversial, prompting it to be removed from stores and retitled “Tax Paying Blues.” TODAY’s QUESTION: Who were the two most famous people born in what was Chicago's Edgewater Hospital? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | State Rep. Chris Miller, Cook County Judge Neil Cohen, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Chris Stacey, Associate Judge Martha-Victoria Jimenez, political commentator Art Friedson, U. of Chicago ethics professor Laurie Zoloth and educator Tim King. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
