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| By Shia Kapos |
Good Tuesday morning, Illinois. It’s hard to talk about temps in the teens knowing people are sleeping outside.
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 | TOP TALKER | |
JAIL TIME FOR SAUR: Disgraced former state Rep. Nick Sauer pleaded guilty Monday to distributing nude pictures online without permission of the alleged victims. Sauer will serve 90 days in jail for the Class A misdemeanor and will be placed on 24-month probation. He’ll serve his jail sentence starting Dec. 29. He’s also been ordered to perform 120 public service hours. Fall from grace: The former Republican lawmaker stepped down from office Aug. 1, 2018, hours after POLITICO’s story was posted about his revenge porn actions. Our report was prompted by an official complaint filed by a former girlfriend who accused the first-term state rep of creating a fake Instagram account and populating it with nude photos of her to lure men into “graphic” discussions. Another victim came forward later. Read the original story here. Victim feels little relief: On Monday, the first victim told POLITICO the misdemeanor jail time for Sauer doesn’t make up for the “terror” she felt from his online actions. “This was a systematic level of abuse that was secretly inflicted on me for years. I am merely one of the victims and I grieve for the other women preyed upon,” she said in her victim’s statement supplied to Playbook. “I am relieved that the defendant's true character and lack of moral compass has been brought to light.” Props for persistence: Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart praised prosecutors who stuck with the case. “[They] worked very hard to hold this offender accountable through a jail sentence and to make sure he is monitored closely by probation in order to protect the community,” Rinehart said in a statement to Playbook. The case stunned the Capitol community, especially since Saur was serving on the Illinois State Sexual Harassment Task Force in 2018 when our story broke. He fought the case at every turn, pleading not guilty and arguing the charges violated his freedom of speech. Then a change of tune: “We decided to accept the State’s Attorney’s offer to plea to a misdemeanor” when two key witnesses “became unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances,” Sauer’s attorney, Steven Landis, said in a statement to Playbook. “Mr. Sauer has been wanting to resolve this matter for over five years and is ready to move forward.”
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| | THE BUZZ | |
| FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Eileen O'Neill Burke leads Clayton Harris III in the Democratic primary for Cook County state's attorney, according to polling done by O’Neill Burke’s team. Burke currently takes 25 percent of the vote to Harris' 13 percent, with 62 percent undecided. The pollster also presented an informed ballot that the memo says presented "balanced information" about both candidates to respondents. Polling memo here If you are former Mayor Richard Daley, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
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| WHERE'S JB | |
At the IDOT Sign Shop in Markham at 10 a.m. to celebrate key milestones in the I-57 rebuild. — At Koval Distillery in Chicago at 12:30 p.m. to highlight Illinois small businesses.
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| WHERE's BRANDON | |
| At Grace and Peace Lutheran Church at 10 a.m. to announce efforts to provide housing and resources for asylum seekers. — On Lincoln Avenue at 11:30 a.m. for the American Blues Theater ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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| Where's Toni | |
No official public event. Before you doze off from that hot toddy, email at skapos@politico.com
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| BUSINESS OF POLITICS | |
— State Rep. Mike Marron to step down in December: He’s been named president and CEO of Vermilion Advantage, an economic and workforce development organization. “The Vermilion County Republican Party will appoint someone who will serve out the rest of his term,” reports WCIA’s Danny Connolly. — Judge reschedules Sam McCann's fraud trial for February after he decides to represent himself, by the State Journal-Register’s Zach Roth
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| 2024 WATCH | |
— No primary pass for six Congressional Dems on first filing day: “U.S. Reps. Danny Davis, Jan Schakowsky, Sean Casten, Bill Foster, Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia and Mike Quigley all filed their required nominating petitions on Monday, and at least one Democratic challenger filed petitions in each of their races,” by the Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles. — In frigid temperatures, candidates line up to submit petitions for March 19 primary, by the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner and Rick Pearson — WTTW’s Heather Cherone gives a good recap — Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart, a Democrat, filed nominating petitions Monday at the Lake County Clerk’s office for his reelection bid. — More on Cook county races, by the Daily Herald’s Barbara Vitello and Mick Zawislak — Qasim Rashid has been endorsed by the American Postal Workers Union 604/605 and the Chicago Federation of Musicians. Rashid is running for the Democratic nomination in Illinois’ 11th Congressional District.
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| | MIGRANT MOVES | |
| — Chicago changing migrant arrivals playbook: “Taking advantage of a slowing number of buses arriving in Chicago and with an eye toward winter, the city is retooling its approach to welcoming migrants, aiming to soon empty all police stations,” by the Sun-Times’ Michael Loria and Fran Spielman — There’s confusion about when Brighton Park migrant tent camp will open, by Block Club’s Madison Savedra — As Chicago’s shelter rule for migrant families takes effect, here are three student rights to know, by Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin — BIG DONATION: Fish Potter Bolaños law firm is announcing a $350,000 donation to fund services for asylum seekers.
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| | THE STATEWIDES | |
| — Illinois is back, Gov. JB Pritzker declares: “We’re now in discussions with 25 companies, big companies with billions to invest and up to 4,000 jobs,” Pritzker said at a fireside discussion Monday with Crain’s Group Publisher Jim Kirk. “Companies are coming to us. They want to do business in Illinois,” Crain's Greg Hinz reports. — ‘Devastated’: 160-year-old covered bridge, one of few left in Illinois, severely damaged by truck, by the Tribune’s Jonathan Bullington — What’s popping: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office is opening two new pop-up facilities today — a walk-in senior DMV in Westchester and a first-of-its-kind Road Testing Center in DuPage County. Giannoulias has partnered with village halls and municipalities to open up the expanded service pop-up. Two other senior-only pop-ups operate in Evanston and Bridgeview.
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| CHICAGO | |
— Foundation of late Chicago entrepreneur Sue Gin announces $21M donation for nonprofit to fight gun violence in the city: “It’s transformational,” says Arne Duncan, the former secretary of the U.S. Department of Education who co-founded the gun violence prevention non-profit Chicago CRED. The Tribune’s Robert Channick reports. — CIVICS: Chicago students work to improve their schools, and find their voice along the way, by WBEZ’s Sarah Karp — Mayor, CPS honor high-achieving student ‘Champions’ as the ‘best part of who we are,’ by the Sun-Times’ Violet Miller
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| COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | |
— Her family called police for help, then her lease was terminated: “Diamond Jones is challenging Richton Park’s crime-free ordinance, saying it violated her constitutional rights. The suburban Cook County community is among several municipalities with similar laws on the books,” by the Sun-Times’ Elvia Malagón.
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| The Trial of Edward Burke | |
— Covid-19 dogs trial, but no plans to halt rest of week’s testimony: “Covid-19 is arguably one of the reasons it took so long for the feds to take former Ald. Ed Burke to trial in the first place. The FBI raided his offices five years ago this week. Criminal charges followed in 2019, but the pandemic helped scuttle plans to begin the trial in 2021,” by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.
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| Reader Digest | |
We asked which politician you’d like to have a beer with: Brian Bernardoni: Illinois Senate President Don Harmon “to talk guitars, not politics.” Vince Brandys: State Sen. Bill Cunningham “to celebrate our alma mater Mt. Carmel winning its 15th state football championship this past weekend — a record!” James Castro: “If he were living, former Mayor Richard J. Daley at his favorite Bridgeport saloon.” Andrew Davis, Windy City Times’ senior writer: “If she could be brought back, Judy Baar Topinka — a pro-LGBTQ+ Republican who spoke her mind.” Jim Dunne: Former Gov. Jim Edgar “to hear his thoughts on Donald Trump and whether he’d support him for the GOP nomination.” Mark Heffington: State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer. “He’s a down-to-earth, level-headed fellow.” Raymond Sendejas: State Treasurer Michael Frerichs. “He is originally a downstater who moved to Chicago (like me) and just seems like a genuinely nice person.” Ed Mazur: RTA Chair Kirk Dillard “for his sense of history of Illinois politics, Illinois sports — and a rare practitioner of bipartisanship.” Ashvin Lad and Marilynn Miller would like to hoist one with Gov. JB Pritzker. Alison Pure-Slovin: House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. Andy Shaw: Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, “our most innovative public official.” Barry Tusin: “If they were living, a beer with former Mayor Harold Washington and a glass of wine with former Sen. Paul Simon.” For tomorrow, what are your thoughts on the tradition of challenging competitors’ ballot signatures?
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| FROM THE DELEGATION | |
— Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in the spotlight: Washington wants to get tough on China, and the leaders of the House China Committee are in the driver’s seat, by Foreign Policy Magazine’s Robbie Gramer
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| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | |
| — INSPIRING: Brian Wallach on fighting ALS, via CBS’ Reed Cowan — How Hunter Biden started fighting back — and what it means for the president, by POLITICO’s Betsy Woodruff Swan and Eugene Daniels — Bid to hold Trump accountable for Jan. 6 violence stalls at appeals court, by Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein — In South Carolina homecoming, Haley’s ‘town hall’ turns into a full-blown rally, by POLITICO’s Natalie Allison
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| TRANSITIONS | |
— Mariana Osoria is first deputy of Human Services for the Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration. Osoria was previously senior VP of strategy, partnerships and engagement at the Family Focus nonprofit.
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| | EVENTS | |
| — Wednesday: Jill Wine-Banks, a Chicago attorney and former Watergate prosecutor, talks to Tribune columnist Laura Washington talk about the scandal and the 50th anniversary of the "Saturday Night Massacre." Details here
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| TRIVIA | |
MONDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Andy Shaw for correctly answering that Frank Duryea won the first U.S. motor-car race, which was held on a 54-mile course along the lakeshore from Chicago to Evanston on Nov. 29, 1895. TODAY's QUESTION: What’s another name for the flood plain of the Mississippi River in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois? Email skapos@politico.com
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| HAPPY BIRTHDAY | |
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, Executive Ethics Commission’s Patty Schuh, not-for-profit and political fundraiser Lisa Wagner, Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago President and CEO Michael Crowley (a former City Hall'er), PR pro Judy Pardonnet Hilkevitch and John Straus, former head of Illinois Commission on Science & Technology. -30- |
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