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Presented by Uber: Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | | | Happy Wednesday, Illinois. And best wishes to all who celebrate Eid al-Adha.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Baseball fans watch the sun set starkly against the smoky sky before the Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. | AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast | President Joe Biden’s visit to Chicago today might seem reminiscent of that smoke-filled room era — and not just because of the haze in the air. (Thanks a lot, Canada.) His quick trip will include two fundraisers and an official speech on the economy, maybe so taxpayers can help foot his travel bill. This is friendly territory for Biden so he'll be basking in the attention. Some new details: Biden lands at O’Hare this morning before taking a separate quick helicopter flight to a Soldier Field landing zone. He’ll then be whisked a few blocks away to the newly restored Old Post Office, where Sen. Dick Durbin will introduce him. This starts at noon. Watch it here. Econ 101: Biden will take the stage to talk about his favorite subject these days: “Bidenomics” and his vision for growing the economy “from the middle out and the bottom up,” according to the White House. Then it’s campaign time: Biden will headline a fundraising luncheon at the nearby JW Marriott Hotel hosted by Gov. JB Pritzker for about 200 people. Scoop from Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet: A second fundraiser also at the hotel “is being organized by a group of trial lawyers: Joe Power, Robert Clifford, Kevin Conway, Larry Rogers Jr. and Pat Salvi. Power said about 50 are expected, with donations of at least $3,300 encouraged.” Biden will return to D.C. the same way he came, by way of the Soldier Field’s landing zone and then to O’Hare. RELATED Biden puts all his chips on the table with a push on ‘Bidenomics’, by POLITICO’s Adam Cancryn and Jonathan Lemire A DEM PRE-PARTY: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Gov. JB Pritzker hosted a dinner Tuesday to support the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Special guest was House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The event at Glen Tullman’s Ignite Glass Studios in Chicago drew about 100 guests, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene, Congress members Robin Kelly (IL-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Danny Davis (IL-07) and numerous state lawmakers, city council members and county commissioners. The event raised $1.5 million for the DCCC, the largest fundraising event the organization has ever had in the Midwest, according to a person familiar with it. Krishnamoorthi is now one of just two members of the House Democratic Caucus who have contributed their full dues requirement for the 2024 cycle. — Biden hosts Obama for lunch at the White House, by The Hill's Alex Gangitano
| | THE BUZZ | | ABOUT THE BAD AIR: Chicago’s air quality was among the world’s worst on Tuesday: “Conditions are expected to improve as the week progresses, according to the National Weather Service,” by Sun-Times’ Stefano Esposito and Jacquelyne Germain. From Block Club: “The World Air Quality Index ranked Chicago as the worst for air quality among major cities, with Minneapolis, Dubai, Detroit and Delhi rounding out the top five. Chicago’s air is labeled an “unhealthy” 200 by the index,” reports Quinn Myers. With graphic. From the Tribune: “Factors like atmospheric conditions, how large the fires are and existing air pollutants in the city make it difficult to pinpoint exactly why Chicago has such bad air quality, despite other cities experiencing similar issues, Zac Adelman, executive director of the Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium, told the Tribune. It looked apocalyptic, tweeted Sun-Times’ Neil Steinberg. If you are Glen Tullman, Playbook would like to know if any of the party guests took a turn at glass-blowing. Email skapos@politico.com.
| | WHERE'S JB | | At the Old Post Office at noon for the president’s speech on the economy.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | At the Old Post Office at noon.
| | Where's Toni | | At the Old Post Office at noon. If you can read this through the haze, thank you for sticking with me and email sometime: skapos@politico.com
| | A message from Uber: What the City of Chicago uncovered about Uber. An independent study by the City of Chicago found that most Uber and Lyft drivers make $21-$30 per hour and earn over $1,000 a week* on average. Learn more about the City of Chicago’s study.*Full-time TNP driver avg hourly and weekly earnings, PPV Study April,'23 | | | | | THE STATEWIDES | | — ENTERPRISE: Abortion bans are fueling a rise in high-risk patients heading to Chicago hospitals: “Even in states that allow abortion if the life of the mother is in danger, doctors say fear of prosecution is leading many to send high-risk patients to Illinois,” reports WBEZ’s Kristen Schorsch. — Pritzker signs bills altering Illinois’ health insurance market: “The measures establish a state-based exchange for policies sold under the Affordable Care Act and give the Illinois Department of Insurance the authority to modify or reject proposed rate increases,” by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock. — Watch for protests: Members of March for Our Lives, which supports gun-control legislation, will rally at the Seventh Circuit courthouse in Chicago today to call for protecting the Illinois’ state assault weapons ban from a constitutional challenge. Oral arguments in the case are set to begin today.
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | CHICAGO | | — Unemployment is nearing record low around metro Chicago: “At the same time, other federal data shows the state and metro area still haven't quite regained all the jobs they lost during the COVID-19 pandemic — a sign of the tighter-than-tight nature of the current employment market,” reports Crain’s Greg Hinz. — ACLU lawsuit accuses Chicago police target minorities for traffic stops, by Sun-Times’ Andy Grimm — Chicago’s minimum wage is increasing July 1: “The minimum wage will increase 2.5 percent on the first of the month, a percentage that does not match inflation, which grew at a 4 percent annual rate in May,” by Tribune’s Talia Soglin. — OPEN LETTER: Ald. Raymond Lopez calls on President Biden to address migrant issues: “It is imperative... to process and adjudicate all asylum cases as quickly as possible wherever the migrants and asylum seekers presently find themselves,” Lopez writes in his letter published in Crain’s. — 2 arrested after people seen stomping, dancing on cars for hours near Lakeview CTA station, by ABC 7’s Leah Hope and Stephanie Wade — Stretch of the CTA Blue Line to close this summer and fall for work to remove slow zones, by Tribune’s Sarah Freishtat — Encore! Ald. Bill Conway (34th) introduces a City Council resolution honoring Chicago Symphony Orchestra Maestro Riccardo Muti on his last official performance as director of the CSO, by WTTW’s Paris Schutz. — 100 mph speeds, party decks and more: Here's what the upcoming Chicago NASCAR race has to offer, by ABC 7’s Craig Wall and Tre Ward — Black cowboy culture in Chicago lives on, by WBEZ’s Bianca Cseke and Meha Ahmad — $1,000 available to survivors of gender-based violence through Chicago program, by Sun-Times’ Elvia Malagón
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | 2024 WATCH | | — Seeking reelection: DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin announced Tuesday that he will seek re-election. Berlin was appointed to the job in 2010 and was elected three times in 2012, 2016 and 2020.
| | | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | | — Will County judge orders Republican clerk candidate, attorney to pay $35,000 in sanctions for election fraud lawsuit, by Daily Southtown’s Alexandra Kukulka — District 214 board member to Bears president: Schools want certainty on taxes, too: School board member Frank Fiarito agrees with Bears CEO “that both sides need to restart stalled negotiations over property tax payments and assessments,” reports Daily Herald’s Christopher Placek. — Aurora council OKs zoning, conditional use requests for new casino site, by Daily Herald’s Susan Sarkauskas — Congressman Brad Schneider brings town hall to Antioch, now in his district, by Lake County News-Sun’s Steve Sadin
| | DAY IN COURT | | — Former lawyer gets more than 3 years in prison in bankruptcy fraud scheme tied to collapse of Bridgeport bank, by Tribune’s Jason Meisner — Latin School refuses parents’ request for records of son who died by suicide after bullying, new lawsuit says, by Tribune’s Zareen Syed — Lawsuit that pushed Eric Ferguson off the air at WTMX is dropped without explanation, by Christy Gutowski
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Patti Bellock, who serves on the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation board, is missing the group's annual meeting today. She'll be in Nashville, Tenn., with about two dozen other family members to cheer on her grandson, Will Smith, a likely first-round draft pick in the National Hockey League. Smith was named tournament MVP repping Team USA at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World U-18 championships in Switzerland. He’s committed to play at Boston College next season before turning pro. — Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx got a shout-out in the second season of “The Bear,” the Hulu show that takes place in Chicago. Viewers were confused, though, when her name came up because she was referred to as District Attorney Kimberly Foxx. — John Kass, the blogger and former Tribune columnist, graduated from the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Homewood. “I’ve been in therapy with Shirley Ryan, both at the downtown hospital and in the south suburb, for six months, rehabilitating from a heart attack, quadruple bypass and stroke in January,” he wrote. Here’s his column.
| | | | 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 you’d feature in an Illinois tourism ad. Stella Black: “The beauty of downstate Illinois.” Lucas Hawley: “Lincoln's life trail throughout all of Illinois.” Bob Kieckhefer: “Springfield’s horseshoe sandwiches.” Patricia Ann Watson: “Dining and drink possibilities, from the stockyard steak, to the field grains and fresh lake fish.” What presidential policy speech do you remember most? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — How the Supreme Court’s decision on election law could shut the door on future fake electors, by POLITICO’s Zach Montellaro, Kyle Cheney and Madison Fernandez — Harris on the hot seat: Veep has critical stretch ahead as campaign heats up, by POLITICO’s Eugene Daniels — Russia mutiny revives stagnant talk of increasing Ukraine aid in Congress, by POLITICO’s Joe Gould, Connor O’Brien, Lee Hudson and Paul McLeary
| | | IN MEMORIAM | | Rev. Dr. John Edward Mulvihill, a former adjutant judicial vicar for the Ecclesiastical Court of Appeals of the State of Illinois, has died. Obit here
| | A message from Uber: Going where taxis won’t go
The City of Chicago’s own study found that nearly 30% of Uber & Lyft rides start in underserved neighborhoods like Avalon Park and Pullman.*
Learn more about the City of Chicago’s study.
*PPV Study April,'23 | | | | | TRANSITIONS | | — Sarah Gilbert will become president and chief content officer of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. She succeeds Ivo Daalder, who will now become the think tank’s CEO. Gilbert is the former VP of NPR.
| | | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Drew Beres for correctly answering that Chicago, by Carl Sandburg, is the hog butcher of the world … and “as fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action.” TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the first sitting U.S. president to visit Chicago? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Environmental Law & Policy Center’s Illinois Legislative Director David McEllis, political consultant Robert Creamer, Boeing VP of government operations Ziad Ojakli, actor/producer John Cusack, technology consultant Mark Zivin, businessman Eric Zwiener and Illinois Gaming Board comms director Beth Kaufman. -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 | | | | |  |
