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Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | TGIF, Illinois. We’re 10 days from the Iowa caucuses, when the real fun starts.
|  | TOP TALKER | | Illinois became the 18th state to see a 14th Amendment challenge to former President Donald Trump getting on the 2024 ballot. A group of Illinois voters filed paperwork to keep Trump off the ballot for the March 19 primary, claiming he isn’t eligible to hold office because his actions led to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in the U.S. Capitol. WBEZ’s Dave McKinney had the scoop. Illinois challengers are following a playbook used in Colorado, Maine and other states citing a clause in the 14th Amendment that says elected officials can be prevented from holding office if they “engaged in insurrection or rebellion.” The challenge came Thursday, just as Trump, President Joe Biden and other presidential campaigns turned in paperwork to get on the Illinois ballot for the March 19 primary. Today is the deadline to file. Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, has described efforts to keep Trump off the ballot as “bad-faith, politically motivated attempts to steal the 2024 election,” according to a New York Times report. What the Illinois challenge means: Trump’s campaign will have to defend itself in hearings with the State Board of Elections and, possibly, the Illinois Supreme Court. Trump’s case will follow procedures set for any campaign that faces objections, Elections Board spokesman Matt Dietrich told Playbook. Trump’s case will be assigned to a hearing officer at a special board meeting Jan. 17. There will be a follow-up hearing “and then a report and recommendation will be drafted and forwarded to our general counsel,” Dietrich said. A recommendation will be made to the full board at a Jan. 30 special meeting, and the board will vote on the objection. After any appeals, the case could go to the Illinois Supreme Court, which has a Democratic majority. Wildcard: The U.S. Supreme Court could step in, too, now that Trump has asked it to in the Colorado case, and take discretion away from states. Point being: This is a complicated process. Thursday’s scene at the Board of Elections on MacArthur Boulevard in Springfield saw Biden’s Illinois team carting in signatures. Pic! Also filing: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley’s campaigns. Ryan Binkley, a little-known Texas businessman also filed for the Republican ballot. Congressman Dean Phillips of Minnesota and self-help author Marianne Williamson, both Democrats, filed petitions for the presidential preference portion of the ballot but did not put in paperwork for any delegates, according to the Tribune. RELATED SPEECH ALERT: The president will speak today, the eve of the Jan. 6 anniversary about what happened that day and what it means for the country. He’ll speak from Valley Forge, a symbolic Revolutionary War site located in the 2024 battleground state of Pennsylvania. Biden is aiming for a George Washington v. Donald Trump contrast, writes POLITICO’s Jonathan Lemire NEW AD ALERT: Biden’s campaign is out with its first ad of the new year, which describes “MAGA extremism” as an “existential threat” to the country, according to a campaign press release. Watch it here
| | THE BUZZ | | PARTY POLITICS: Chicago Ald. Anthony Beale didn’t gather enough signatures to get on the ballot for 9th Ward Democratic committeeman seat, so he pulled his paperwork. That allows him to avoid a ballot challenge. But with no one else running for the seat, Beale says he’s now considering running as a write-in candidate instead. He's “evaluating” and “taking the temperature” of the ward about what he’ll do, he told Playbook through a spokesman. Beale can file as a write-in candidate up to Jan. 19. If you are Steven Cheung, 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 | | At the Cook County Building at 11 a.m. along with commissioners to talk about the count's Paid Leave Ordinance. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (gasp!) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Illinois lawmakers stress school safety as top priority following Iowa school shooting: “A law that took effect Monday requires school emergency and crisis response plans to include procedures for law enforcement to quickly enter buildings during emergencies. Lead sponsor Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) said school shootings are sadly happening at record rates and Illinois schools need to be prepared,” by WAND’s Mike Miletich. — Judge closes Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center after 'facility in crisis' fails to meet new state standards, by Capitol News’ Molly Parker. — Sangamon County sheriff won't arrest owners of banned assault weapons for not registering, by the State Journal-Register’s Patrick M. Keck
| | CHICAGO | | — MIGRANT MOVES: Mayor Brandon Johnson to meet with Illinois’ congressional delegation today to talk about asylum seekers: “The session, with some members attending via a remote video hookup and others visiting Johnson’s office personally, is unlikely to break any new ground, according to senior mayoral adviser Jason Lee.” Crain’s Greg Hinz reports. Side note: NYC is suing bus companies in latest move against Gov. Abbott, by POLITICO’s Jason Beeferman Cost note: Chicago paid at least $138M to care for migrants in 2023, far less than projections, according to data, by WTTW’s Heather Cherone. — Arbitrator reaffirms police disciplinary ruling, urges City Council to reconsider its rejection, by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman — CTA’s Yellow Line is reopening — seven weeks after a crash, by the Sun-Times’ David Struett
| | CORRUPTION CHRONICLES | | — Ed Burke still in line for hefty payouts from pension, campaign funds after corruption conviction: “The Chicago City Council icon turned felon is entitled to more than $540,000 he paid into a city pension fund and a nearly $2.5 million payout from his campaign fund,” by the Sun-Times' Mitchell Armentrout and Tim Novak
| | | DAY IN COURT | | | — Judge’s health puts sentencing for ComEd bribery defendants in limbo: “U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber has yet to decide whether those hearings should also be postponed until after the Supreme Court considers an Indiana corruption case,” by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel. — Man who allegedly punched Palestinian neighbor, shouted epithets in Orland Park is charged with hate crime: “Police say Terrence Clyne, 68, grew angry at neighbors who moved trash cans. He is also charged with two misdemeanor counts of battery in the incident Wednesday,” by the Sun-Times’ Emmanuel Camarillo.
| | | Reader Digest | | | We asked where you’d hide an elephant: LauraJane Hyde: “Lincoln Park Zoo.” Ed Mazur: “Under a pile of Democratic Party campaign placards.” Steven McKenzie: “In plain sight in downtown Milwaukee from July 15 to 18 when the Republican National Convention will be in town.” Gail Morse: “In the U.S. House of Reps. Plenty of them are hiding out there already.” Joan Pederson: “In a basement storeroom at Mar A Lago.” Andy Shaw: “Master bedroom at Mar-a-Lago to keep you know who warm.” Barry Tusin: “In City Hall with all the others in the room!” Bill Velazquez: “In the room.” Larry Bury: “Inside Lucy in Margate, N.J.” Next question: Where have you traveled that you don’t ever want to visit again?
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Trump is attacking Haley in N.H. His real problem is the expectations game, by POLITICO’s David Siders — The war in Gaza may widen. It could come during a bruising re-election campaign, by POLITICO’s Erin Banco, Lara Seligman and Alexander Ward — Arrest footage of Trump co-defendant provides glimpse into Jack Smith probe, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Levi Todd is now field representative and comms assistant in Congresswoman Delia Ramirez’s district office. Todd was on the campaign side. — Destiny Brown is now comms manager on Ramirez’s official office in D.C. She was on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s press team. — Tim Brinkley is now a partner at Quarles & Brady in Chicago in the franchise and distribution, and business law practice groups. He was deputy general counsel at Subway. — Richard Harris, Michael Stephenson and Abby Van Grinsven, all Chicago attorneys, and Rockford attorney Eric Borneman were promoted to partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson.
| | EVENTS | | — Tuesday: A conversation about “The Decline of Truth and What We Can Do About It” with Michael Rich, president emeritus of RAND. A University of Chicago program. Details here — Wednesday: Trans-Atlantic panel discussion, “Between Two Worlds: Racial Profiling by Police in the United States and France.” The program is part of Investigative Project on Race and Equity and will include French cultural journalists, WBEZ data editors Alden Loury and Matt Kiefer, and Investigative Project director Angela Caputo. Moderators: French journalist Rokhaya Diallo and NPR’s Cheryl Corley. Sign up here — Thursday: A Union League Club luncheon forum featuring Cook County state's attorney Democratic primary candidates Eileen O'Neill Burke and Clayton Harris and Republican Robert Fioretti. Moderator: Andrea Hanis, editor of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Sign up here.
| | TRIVIA | | THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Mary Kay Minaghan for correctly answering that O.W. Wilson was a South Dakota native and 1960s Chicago Police superintendent. TODAY's QUESTION: Whose death in 1906 prompted the Chicago Board of Trade to shut down to honor them? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: Former Congressman Rodney Davis, Obama Foundation President David Simas, former state Rep. Chad Hayes, writer Nash Jenkins and Chicago Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey, who is 101. Saturday: State Rep. Marty Moylan, G-PAC President Kathleen Sances, activist Terry Cosgrove, Kivvit Managing Director Eric Herman, lobbyist Al Kindle, Rose Capital Group CEO Rob Rose, Ketchum Managing Director Claire Koeneman, University of Chicago professor emeritus Stuart A. Rice, Associated Press-NORC Center senior research scientist David Sterrett, judicial law clerk Alexandra Dakich and journalist Eric Zorn. Sunday: Ald. Silvana Tabares, North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Rosa Silva, Cicero trustee Blanca Vargas, retired judge and cannabis entrepreneur Shelli Williams Hayes, Illinois Commerce Commission adviser Bryant Hitchings, Katie Porter for Senate campaign manager Alex Milofsky and businessman and brother to the governor Tony Pritzker. -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 | | | | |  |
