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Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | TGIF, Illinois. The mayor got his Lolla on last night at Grant Park. Inside the courtroom: Donald Trump, Jack Smith and a historic glance, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney
|  | TOP TALKER | | | |  Gov. JB Pritzker, photographed during the 2022 campaign, has an outsized role for the 2024 campaign as a trusted ally of President Joe Biden. | AP file photo/Charles Rex Arbogast | | Gov. JB Pritzker says he’s laser focused on getting President Joe Biden re-elected, but “it’s lost on no one that if Biden were to step aside and Kamala Harris were to falter, Pritzker would be without peer in his ability to fund a last-second campaign,” according to a New York magazine story. Other take-aways from Gabriel Debenedetti’s one-on-one interview: Pritzker on DeSantis: “You get the sense of somebody who doesn’t actually care about people. He’s just got a shtick that he puts on for the purposes of a campaign,” the Illinois governor says, referring to what’s “killing” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the polls. The Pritzker-Bustos connection: “From a financial perspective, it would be hard to find a hard-core Democrat who JB hasn’t helped,” said former Illinois congresswoman Cheri Bustos. “When you have money, it really does help. Who does he owe?” asked Bustos. Pritzker, she explained, is beholden to no donors but himself, so he approaches his job differently. “I think it’s liberating that he doesn’t have to spend one second in the call-time room.” Early in his career, Pritzker was a staffer for Illinois senator Alan Dixon, whose chief of staff was Bustos’ father, the story notes. Pritzker’s message to Biden: The president visited Chicago soon after the draft Supreme Court opinion was leaked about Roe v. Wade being overturned. Pritzker used their shared motorcade ride to McCormick Place to insist, “We need you to be out there. You can’t have the vice-president doing all the talking; you are the president of the United States. You have to — every day, every day — go out and say, ‘We are working to protect women however, wherever, we can,’” the governor recounted to Debenedetti.
| | THE BUZZ | | The most important legislation: That’s how Gov. JB Pritzker described a bill he signed Thursday that works to identify how children are affected by trauma and mental illness. It codifies recommendations making sure young people are mentally and emotionally healthy, which can help them succeed in school, he said. From the Tribune’s Dan Petrella: “The plan calls for the Illinois State Board of Education to develop a publicly reported ‘Children’s Adversity Index’ at the community or school district level that will ‘measure community childhood trauma exposure across the population of children 3 through 18 years.’” From the Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles: “The goal is to give Illinois schools the training to identify warning signs of mental illness, trauma and suicidal behavior.” “Our schools had been functioning on a 1954 model that hadn’t caught up with the current needs of the children and the families,” state Rep. Carol Ammons said at the bill-signing. “And so we saw this systemic thing not just in criminal justice, but we saw it in economics, we saw it in education, we saw it in health care, and Covid pulled back all these layers. And we needed to respond. And we did.” Video of the bill-signing ceremony, which features Pritzker, Ammons, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, Advance Illinois’ Robin Steans and other nonprofit leaders as well as Congressman Danny K. Davis and state Rep. La Shawn Ford. RELATED — In other new Illinois laws: Full-day kindergarten, new aid for grandparents coming soon, via NBC 5 — Chicago public schools run by principals given more independence saw better student achievement, study finds. Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin reports If you are Cheri Bustos, Playbook would like to hear how your new gig is going. Email skapos@politico.com.
| | WHERE'S JB | | At Trickster Center in Schaumburg at 2:30 p.m. to sign bills establishing expanded protections for Native Americans in Illinois.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | At Harold Washington Library at 9 a.m. for the Chicago Summer Business Institute graduation.
| | Where's Toni | | At the Cook County building at 10:30 a.m. to announce nearly $7.8 million in funding for transportation infrastructure projects. Before you get lost in Lollapalooza, send me a line: skapos@politico.com
| | | | A NEW PODCAST FROM POLITICO: Our new POLITICO Tech podcast is your daily download on the disruption that technology is bringing to politics and policy around the world. From AI and the metaverse to disinformation and cybersecurity, POLITICO Tech explores how today’s technology is shaping our world — and driving the policy decisions, innovations and industries that will matter tomorrow. SUBSCRIBE AND START LISTENING TODAY. | | | | | | | THE STATEWIDES | | — McCombie adds context: House Republican Leader Tony McCombie put perspective on a new law that allows DACA residents to become police officers. At a time when police departments are having a hard time recruiting officers, McCombie said the new law allows “DACA folks who were born here, who have been here for 30 years… who have the legal ability to purchase and possess a firearm” to apply to become police officers. “So, these folks are not the folks that are coming here illegally,” she told Tom Miller on WJPF, adding that’s why “every single Republican” voted for the bill. — Injunction halts Illinois' new law aimed at ending pregnancy center deceptive practices: "The bill is painfully and blatantly a violation of the First Amendment," Judge Iain Johnston said Thursday in federal court in Rockford. Rockford Register Star’s Chris Green reports.
| | | CHICAGO | | | — Temporary Chicago casino now expected to open in September: “Bally’s executives initially aimed for a mid-August opening at the Medinah Temple. The corporation still needs the final green light from state gambling regulators,” by Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout. — Chicago Police Department must improve methods for reporting officer misconduct, watchdog report finds, by WTTW’s Matt Masterson — SPOTLIGHT: After troubled youth, first-term Ald. Jessie Fuentes turns her ‘pain into propane,’ by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman — Dem leaders seek $837M in federal funding to revamp Chicago’s Union Station, by Sun-Times’ Allison Novelo — In some city wards, residents vote on how tax money is spent. Should all Chicagoans get a seat at the budget table? WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel reports — Homicides, shootings in July down compared with last year; 60 percent of carjacking arrests are juveniles, police say, by Sun-Times’ Mohammad Samra — TEASER: Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot talks about her term in office and her future in an extended interview with WGN 9 political analyst Paul Lisnek. Location: A bar over drinks. On Sunday at 9 a.m.
| | POT-POURRI | | — Mundelein will host a music festival that will allow on-site cannabis consumption, reports Daily Herald’s Doug T. Graham
| | 2024 WATCH | | — Making their pitch: Candidates and organizations are wooing members of the Cook County Democratic Party ahead of the Aug. 14 and 15 slating period. That’s when party leaders will decide who to endorse for 2024. The Illinois Latino Agenda met with Toni Preckwinkle, chair of the county Dems, to urge the endorsement of a Latino Supreme Court Justice candidate. And state Rep. Rep. Kelly Cassidy and other LGBTQ elected officials called on the party to endorse Precious Brady-Davis as a water board commissioner. An endorsement can be key to running a robust campaign because the party helps candidates collect petition signatures and pays for mailers. — Max Solomon, who lost in the GOP governor’s primary in 2022, announced on Facebook this week that he’s running for the 19th District state Senate seat now held by Democratic Sen. Mike Hastings. Solomon is a Hazel Crest attorney.
| | | SPOTTED | | | Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton held her first big fundraiser Thursday as she works to build up her political war chest for possible future political plans. Gov. JB Pritzker introduced her to the supporters, which was a trip down memory lane since it was almost six years to the day since he announced her as his running mate. Spotted: AFL-CIO President Tim Drea, Pritzker political adviser Mike Ollen, Planned Parenthood’s Jennifer Welch, state Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet, Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Chicago Foundation for Women’s Felicia Davis Blakley and political insiders Becky Carroll, Christian Perry, Chakena Perry and Eileen Dordek.
| | DAY IN COURT | | — Black Northwestern players forced into watermelon-eating contests, new hazing lawsuit alleges: “One lawsuit also alleges the former Northwestern University football player had his Afro cut off by upperclassmen players at the team’s camp in Kenosha,” by Sun-Times’ David Struett. — Attorneys for final defendant charged in murder of CPD Officer Clifton Lewis argue judge is biased, but fail in bid to replace him, by Tribune’s Madeline Buckley — Chicago sues property management firm over alleged ‘rent-to-own’ scheme targeting South Side residents, by Tribune’s Lizzie Kane
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked what makes a good police chief. Nancy Rotering, mayor of Highland Park: “Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen epitomizes an excellent police chief. He is accessible, compassionate, professional, engaged with the community, creative and prioritizes support for his entire department team along with the public’s safety.” Mel Huang: “One who listens to the community served, one who listens to officers serving the community, and — most importantly — one who is able to bridge the two.” Ed Mazur: “A good police chief needs technical knowledge, interpersonal skills and conceptual skills. MahZahL, or luck and good fortune, helps too.” Alison Pure-Slovin: “Understanding and upholding the law, strong managerial skills, integrity, humility, strong people and communication skills, non-judgmental, dedication and a willingness to learn.” What book do you want to write? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Biden beware: Dems see a massive dip in grassroots donations as enthusiasm wanes, by POLITICO’s Jessica Piper — Kagan enters fray over Congress’ power to police Supreme Court, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein — House GOP worries that hardliners actually want a shutdown, by POLITICO’s Sarah Ferris and Caitlin Emma
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Randy Garrett, who helped overturn wrongful convictions in Jeanine Nicarico’s killing, dead at 64, by Sun-Times’ Thomas Frisbie
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Samuel Thomas starts next month as senior VP and general manager of McCormick Place. “Thomas will move to Chicago from the nation's capital, where he most recently served as chief operating officer for Events DC, the district's convention and sports tourism authority,” reports Carin’s Danny Ecker. — Berenice Alvarez is now a partner at Morreale Communications. Alvarez has been with the firm six years and before that worked at Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
| | | TRIVIA | | | THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Neil Cohen for correctly answering that University of Chicago’s Arthur Compton was the scientist who consulted with Robert Oppenheimer about the atom bomb. TODAY’s QUESTION: What book did Abraham Lincoln use to secure an acquittal in an 1857 murder case? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, former President Barack Obama, minister and former state Sen. James Meeks and former Cook County Judge Larry Axelrood. Saturday: Cook County Circuit Court Judge Jeanne Wrenn, former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride, former State Sen. Melinda Bush, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres associate and former mayoral aide Maria Virginia Martinez, YMCA Donor Relations Manager Mariam Pera, Tipsy Cake founder Naomi Levine, journalist Jim O’Shea, comms consultant Stephan Benzkofer and Kinship marketing founder Chip Bouchard Vassil. Sunday: State Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, former state Rep. Kathy Ryg, former state Rep. Terry Steczo, McGuireWoods government relations VP Arielle Maffei, Thames Strategies CEO Cory Thames, Cook County Clerk’s Veterans Services Director Brian Cross, architecture writer Blair Kamin and Mike Milstein, the Chicago Police Department's deputy director of community policing. -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 | | | | |  |
