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Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Happy Wednesday, Illinois. Let's be thankful for a moist turkey and table talk that keeps things interesting. PROGRAMMING NOTE: We’ll be off for Thanksgiving and Friday but back to our normal schedule Monday, Nov. 27. NEW LAST NIGHT: Inside the ‘excruciating’ 5 weeks that led to the Israel-Hamas deal, by POLITICO’s Alexander Ward
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Conservative blogger John Kass and Democratic Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx enjoyed the spirit of the holidays at the Serafin holiday party Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. | Kim Foxx | SERAFIN PARTY: Garish decorations glittered and drinks flowed at the Serafin & Associates holiday party at Butch McGuire's last night. Loving across the aisle: This annual event always draws a bipartisan crowd, thanks to political consultant Thom Serafin’s egalitarian view of the world. Still, heads turned when Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx approached John Kass, the former Tribune columnist-turned-conservative-blogger. Would they fight? Would she poke his chest and tell him to behave? Would Kass give her the Moutza? After all, for years he’s complained about how Foxx runs her office. Last year, he even tried collecting signatures to recall her. Bracing for fireworks: Everyone in eyesight watched as the two started talking. A holiday miracle: It was a pleasant conversation, Foxx told Playbook after the bash. “I said ‘hey’, and he noted that despite his criticism, I was always pleasant and never complained.” Just for fun. Foxx, who recently announced she wouldn’t seek reelection, asked Kass, “Who is going to be your new foil?” It was a funny moment. They even captured it with a pic. Richard, Richard: Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, the former Republican governor candidate, was at the party, too. He ran into Democratic political consultant Richard Streetman, who likes to take selfies. Irvin said “Let me stand straight,” prompting Streetman to say, “Let me stand gay.” They laughed like nobody's business. Check out the pic. "We can joke together. Not everything has to be a partisan war," Streetman said. Others putting down their swords at the holiday party: State Senate President Don Harmon, Senate Minority Leader John Curran, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, state Sen. Sue Rezin, state Reps. La Shawn Ford, Kimberly du Buclet, Jeff Keicher and Hoan Huynh, Alds. Bill Conway and Timmy Knudsen, water board Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos, Illinois Manufacturers' Association President Mark Denzler and mayoral candidate Paul Vallas, who's also been a Foxx critic. He gave Foxx a hug and wished her a merry retirement. You just never know what will happen at a holiday party. Close encounter: Eileen O'Neill Burke and Clayton Harris, candidates to fill Foxx’s seat, missed each other by seconds as they entered the party’s red-carpet entryway. That’s okay. They’ll run into one another plenty on the campaign trail along with Bob Fioretti. Filing day is Monday!
| | THE BUZZ | | Pritzker is chasing federal dollars with new $1B EPA bid: The goal is to turn Illinois into a hub for new technologies, from quantum computing to life sciences and electric vehicle manufacturing, report Bloomberg’s Isis Almeida and Shruti Singh. In the hunt: Illinois is battling other states for more than $2 trillion in federal funds coming by way of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act — all enacted since 2021. “We literally are going after every dollar that’s available,” Pritzker told Bloomberg. “We should get better than our fair share.” If you are Don Harmon, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here. | | | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | No official public event.
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| | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — Democratic PAC shifts cash out of its account as it gets hit with one of the biggest state election board fines ever: “A political committee that helped expand the Democratic majority on the Illinois Supreme Court and was backed by Illinois Senate President Don Harmon emptied its bank account just weeks after being notified it faced a fine for failing to timely disclose millions of dollars it spent until after last November’s election,” by the Tribune’s Rick Pearson and Jeremy Gorner.
| | | THANKSGIVING VIBES | | | — Gov. JB Pritzker shared what his family will be on the menu at his family’s Thanksgiving dinner. “My sister-in-law Rachel lives in Nashville, but our families spend most Thanksgivings together. She’s a spectacular professional chef and insists on making a Thanksgiving feast with no help from any of us!” he said through his spokeswoman. “Here’s what we are having on Thursday: Homemade green bean casserole. Homemade mac and cheese. Tenderloin. Turkey. Illinois grown horseradish. And pie made from Morton, Ill.-grown pumpkins (the best pie in the world).” And don’t forget the Malort, governor. — State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez went on his annual Chi-Care pre-Thanksgiving dinner giveaway Tuesday, to those living in encampments in his district. This is Gonzalez’s third year spreading early holiday cheer by serving hot meals dressed as Santa Claus. Pic!
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Ken Griffin in talks to buy the Dolphins: The billionaire hedge fund manager whose Citadel company has a huge presence in Chicago “is in talks with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross about buying a minority stake in the team, a league source confirmed Tuesday. The source said Ross' discussions are preliminary to sell a minority stake in the team, Hard Rock Stadium, and F1 Miami to Griffin,” via Miami Herald. — Steve Berlin, executive director of the Chicago Board of Ethics, has received the 2023 COGEL Award from the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws. Berlin was appointed as the head of the Ethics Board in 2008 and is being honored for co-authoring and implementing changes to the city’s ethics, lobbying and campaign finance laws and advising “tens of thousands of city employees, officials, lobbyists, contractors and others.” — State Rep. Tim Ozinga and Exelon executive VP Amy Best have been named to the Chicago Zoological Society’s board of trustees, which manages Brookfield Zoo.
| | | THE STATEWIDES | | | — Under new Illinois law, those convicted of a felony or crimes like bribery and perjury are barred from holding elected state office: The measure’s sponsor, state Rep. Curtis Tarver, a Chicago Democrat, said those “fortunate enough to be elected” should be held to a “higher standard.” WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky reports.
| | | 2024 WATCH | | | — Graciela Guzmán has been endorsed by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in her bid for the 20th District seat now hold by incumbent state Sen. Natalie Toro.
| | CHICAGO | | — The owner of 111 W. Jackson building in the Loop is hit with $105M foreclosure lawsuit: “It's another addition to the long list of downtown office buildings poised to be seized by lenders as weak demand for offices and a surge in borrowing costs have pummeled property values. High-profile towers such as the Civic Opera Building, 161 N. Clark St., the Chicago Board of Trade Building and an array of vintage towers along LaSalle Street are part of a historic wave of distressed properties infecting Chicago's urban core,” by Crain’s Danny Ecker. — PUSHING BACK AT THE MAYOR: Ald. David Moore is taking issue with Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration designating a library and park district buildings in his 17th Ward as warming stations as temperatures fall. Moore says he and residents weren’t consulted. “I am pushing back on the administration’s actions to essentially turn the 17th Ward library and parks into migrant shelters,” he wrote in a letter to the mayor. — Berlin nightclub closes after 40 years: “The iconic nightclub, a home to Chicago’s queer community for four decades, closed Sunday amid a boycott over stalled contract negotiations with its staff,” by Block Club’s Jake Wittich and Amber Stoutenborough. — Rolling Stones are coming to Soldier Field on June 27 as part of the AARP tour, by the AP’s Maria Sherman — Details about the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago, via the Tribune.
| | The Trial of Edward Burke | | — ‘I’d also like to get some of his law business’: Jurors hear evidence of the former alderman’s alleged attempt to extort Burger King owners, by WTTW’s Matt Masterson and analysis by WTTW’s political team
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — IN MEMORIAM: Longtime DuPage County Republican leader James 'Pate' Philip Jr. dies, via the Daily Herald — Justice reform groups partner with Vic Mensa’s pot company to provide care packages to people released from jail, by the Sun-Times’ Matthew Hendrickson — Local Republican Party seeks ban on providing gender-affirming care in Huntley School District 158, by Shaw Local’s Clair O’Brien
| | | | GET A BACKSTAGE PASS TO COP28 WITH GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Get insider access to the conference that sets the tone of the global climate agenda with POLITICO's Global Playbook newsletter. Authored by Suzanne Lynch, Global Playbook delivers exclusive, daily insights and comprehensive coverage that will keep you informed about the most crucial climate summit of the year. Dive deep into the critical discussions and developments at COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.N. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked which presidential candidate you think would be a fun Thanksgiving guest: Mel Huang: “Vivek Ramaswamy, since several members of my family (middle-aged adults, mind you) make him look like the adult in the room.” Lucas Hawley: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hands down would be the most interesting and historical.” Charles Keller: “There is only one answer. Play 18 holes with you-know-who in Florida and then sit down to dinner to hear him poke fun at all the other contenders.” Patricia Ann Watson: “President Joe Biden, mix of humor and honed leadership backbone.” For Monday, do you have a story about filing to run for office?
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez among leaders of cease-fire movement for Israel-Hamas war: Congressmembers Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01) and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04) — all Chicago Democrats whose constituencies stretch into the suburbs — “were three of the original co-sponsors of a resolution calling for Biden to facilitate an immediate cease-fire in Israel and Gaza and for humanitarian assistance to be allowed to enter Gaza,” writes the Daily Herald’s Russell Lissau.
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — THE FIFTY: GOP states are embracing vouchers. Wealthy parents are benefitting,: by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury — Nikki Haley is consolidating the ‘Never Trump’ vote, by POLITICO’s Sally Goldenberg, Natalie Allison and Meridith McGraw — Cuomo weighs run for NYC mayor amid Adams’ woes, by POLITICO’s Nick Reisman and Jeff Coltin — The twentysomething mayor-elect making history in Indiana, by POLITICO’s Jesse Naranjo
| | EVENTS | | — Dec. 8 and 9: The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation is holding a policy summit featuring business and community partners and subject matter experts discussing a range of issues. Details here.
| | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Chicago’s Thanksgiving Parade evolved over the years and didn’t actually take place on Thanksgiving Day until 1999. TODAY's QUESTION: Who was the first Chicagoan to receive a patent and what was it for? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke, former state senator and cannabis consultant Pamela Althoff, Human Rights Campaign’s John Gruber, Metropolitan Peace Initiative’s Bridget Hatch, Disparti Law Group marketing director Jason Baumann, Young Invincibles’ Midwest program manager Jorge Arteaga, author Lili Wright and Julie Biehl, director of the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern law school. Thursday: Congressman Sean Casten, former Congressman Bobby Rush, Rust Belt Rising comms leader Matthew Farrauto, Global EY senior health analyst Crystal Yednak, Metro West Council of Government executive director Lesli Melendy, Cook County policy director Kristina Kaupa, North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic attorney Charlotte Coats, Republican strategist and blogger Patrick Pfingsten and architect Julie Gross. Friday: State Rep. Lakesia Collins, ComEd VP of governmental affairs Michael Fountain, Burling Builders founder Elzie Higginbottom, Turing Strategies political consultant John Kamis, Financial Health Network President & CEO Jennifer Tescher and music and media producer Lynn Orman Weiss. Saturday: Empower Illinois strategy director Juan Rangel, Cook County external affairs director Angela K. Waller, Genpact digital strategies VP John Hergert, comms consultant Charles McBarron and former QB Donovan McNabb. Sunday: State Senate President Don Harmon, lobbyist and former state Rep. Lou Lang, Mac Strategies Group’s Ryan McLaughlin, RTA government affairs director Rob Nash, Cresco Labs EVP John Sullivan, software entrepreneur and former CPS CEO Ron Huberman, Brightpoint chief external affairs officer Paula Corrigan-Halpern and e-Drop-Off founder Corri McFadden. -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 | | | | |  |
