| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Happy February, Illinois. Back-to-back storms have prompted the General Assembly to cancel in-person meetings and go virtual. The governor will still deliver his State of the State on Wednesday. NBC 5 has details
|  | TOP TALKER | | Republican Rep. Rodney Davis and Democratic Rep. Sean Casten are outpacing their intra-party opponents in fundraising, though no one can keep up with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. The 8th Congressional District Democrat has banked $11 million — double what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has on hand at $5.4 million — after raking in $1.1M in the fourth quarter of 2021. In the race to represent the newly shaped 15th District, Davis raised $420,699 in the fourth quarter, according to FEC reports, and has $1 million on hand. His GOP opponent, Rep. Mary Miller, raised $164,262 in the same period and has $414,795 in the bank. In the 6th Congressional District, Casten raised $699,384 and has nearly $1.6 million on hand. His Democratic opponent, Rep. Marie Newman, raised $337,876 and has $573,120 cash on hand. And in the newly created 3rd Congressional District, Democrat Gilbert Villegas, a Chicago alderman, raised $386,473 and has $377,055 in the bank in his race to best Democratic state Rep. Delia Ramirez, who raised $113,2018 and has $110,443 cash on hand. In other races: Rep. Lauren Underwood in the 14th District said she raised $752,011 during the fourth quarterly FEC filing period and reported nearly $2.1 million cash on hand. And in the 17th District's open seat, Republican Esther Joy King raised $639,970 and has $655,957 in the bank.
| | THE BUZZ | | Illinois voters will have to weigh qualifications, integrity, expertise, and values when they vote in the June primary for the state Supreme Court justice seat that's opened in the newly configured 2nd District. In Nancy Rotering, voters will see an experienced public servant in her third term as Highland Park mayor, while Elizabeth Rochford has been an associate judge on the 19th Circuit Court since 2012. Judge René Cruz, of the16th Judicial Circuit Court, is also in the race. The primary contest has triggered some hand-wringing among some Democrats concerned about who is best positioned to beat a Republican candidate in November. Ethics vs. experience is at issue: Rotering, who practiced law for seven years (targeting fraud) and founded the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic, has spent the bulk of her career as an elected official. Rochford has the judicial experience but has baggage having donated $15,000 to Ald. Edward Burke, who three years ago was indicted for corruption. Rochford's campaign says the donations to Burke over the years were to honor Rochford's late father, a police officer who admired Burke, also a former cop. Weathered politicos know that Burke has taken donations from a sea of elected officials, many of whom (including Rotering) have received donations from utilities that have also been swept up in scandal. So, finger-pointing is a slippery slope. The high-court contest will likely come down to messaging. Rochford, who's endorsed by the Illinois AFL-CIO and UFCW Local 881, has about $220,000 cash on hand, while Rotering, who's backed by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and numerous members of the General Assembly, has $176,000 in the bank. Cruz has $26,000 cash on hand. Side note: Two sitting Supreme Court justices had to recuse themselves from hearing a case last month because it was connected to none other than Edward Burke, husband of Chief Justice Anne Burke. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: skapos@politico.com
| | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events.
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| | Where's Toni | | In Des Plaines on Ballard Road to join in an update on winter storm preparations across Cook County. | | Covid-19 Update | | 'Stealth' subvariant could stall Omicron surge's freefall: "Illinois logged another 6,664 Covid-19 cases on Monday — the lowest daily caseload in seven weeks. Hospitalizations and the number of deaths from the virus also dropped yet again. But that encouraging news was tempered a bit by a report of the first case of the Omicron subvariant in Illinois," by Sun-Times' Taylor Avery.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Teaching Black history: How educators in Illinois say it needs to evolve beyond the key figures: "There isn't much consistency in Black history curricula among schools statewide, according to a state task force survey of 617 of Illinois' 852 school districts. The Illinois State Board of Education's Black History Curriculum Task Force report paints a picture of disparate approaches that leave much room for improvement in how Black history is taught in prekindergarten through 12th-grade classrooms," by Daily Herald's Madhu Krishnamurthy. — Amy Blobaum spent four years in prison for a drug crime that wouldn't be prosecuted today. "Now free, she's not through paying," writes Tribune's John Keilman — Opinion | People of color live through discomfort. White kids will survive learning the truth about racism. writes Sun-Times' Rummana Hussain. | | LEGISLATIVE UPDATE | | — 6 education issues to watch as Illinois' legislative session heats up, by Chalkbeat's Samantha Smylie — Lawmakers propose funeral assistance funding for murdered children, via CBS 2.
| | | | 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 | | — Lightfoot, Chicago police leaders defend reform record as Jason Van Dyke set to be released from prison: "Lightfoot said the city isn't 'where we want to be' but has made 'remarkable progress in a difficult time,'" by Tribune's Paige Fry and Gregory Pratt. — Hate-crime charges could be pending after Jewish school, synagogue in Chicago vandalized: "Six incidents reported along West Devon Avenue in Chicago's traditional Orthodox Jewish neighborhood this weekend, police say," by ABC 7's Jessica D'Onofrio. … Statement from the mayor: "These crimes are undoubtedly a part of the troubling rise in anti-Semitism that we've seen both in our city and across the country. Make no mistake: this attack, as well as the deep hatred and bigotry that drives other anti-Semitic acts like it, is an attack on our city's Jewish community and social fabric. Those responsible must be held accountable. … As Chicagoans and as Americans, it is our responsibility to call hate speech and acts out and protect our Jewish brothers and sisters who endure this hatred year after year. Without our determined and collective action, anti-Semitism will continue to thrive." — Chicago welcomes 472 new citizens: "Whether you fled violence, like my great grandfather, whether you won the green card lottery, whether you came here for school, or for a job, or a loved one, or whether this is the only country that you've ever known, I am so very proud to stand beside you, as your fellow citizen," said Gov. JB Pritzker, who also talked about his own great-grandfather's immigrant roots. Sun-Times' Josephine Stratman reports. — Jackson Park advisory council wants to change who can vote at meetings: Critics say the move amounts to discrimination, by WTTW's Patty Wetli. — Statues outside Wrigley Field removed for refurbishing — will eventually form new "Statue Row" of Cubs greats: "The Ron Santo and Billy Williams statues were removed from outside the ballpark Monday," by Sun-Times' Mitch Dudek. — FanDuel plans to open sportsbook lounge at United Center, by SportsHandle's Chris Altruda — Rush Street Interactive enters Mexico market, via Casinos.org | | MEDIA MATTERS | | $61M in donations help complete Sun-Times sale to WBEZ parent: "Executives said the philanthropy is pledged over five years to help the paper improve its journalism, expand digitally and continue the print edition," by Sun-Times' David Roeder. … From WBEZ: "The deal creates one of the largest nonprofit news organizations in the country, and comes with multi-year pledges from nearly a dozen major philanthropies." | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | — Rep. Pat Dowell is launching a digital ad campaign in her bid for the 1st Congressional District. The initial ads will run on Facebook and Instagram. — Cassandra Tanner Miller, a domestic violence advocate, has announced her run as a Republican for Congress in the 11th District. — Valencia says she'll finally release disputed emails — in 10 days: "Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia will hand over messages requested by rival Alexi Giannoulias, as the two jockey for position in the secretary of state race," by Crain's Greg Hinz. | | HIGHER-ED | | College students are back in classrooms — but many say they're depleted and stressed: "College students are struggling academically and socially like never before as they grapple with the ongoing effects of the pandemic," by WBEZ's Anna Savchenko. | | Reader Digest | | We asked how you made ends meet during your poorest days: Political consultant Kevin Lampe remembers when he was doing stand-up comedy before working in politics. "There could be lean times. Besides extra work in Chicago-based TV shows like 'Crime Story,' I once wore a Bart Simpson head and costume outside an apartment complex to attract renters — for eight hours." … Cook County analyst Brady Chalmers was homeless as a teen and "sold records at Dr.Wax and won video game tournaments and rap battles to keep some money in my pocket." And Steve Hild created a Saturday program for at-risk kids at Plano Middle School, which added $60 a week at a time "when getting diapers and formula wasn't always a sure thing." Thank you all for sharing. When were you escorted out by security? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — How Trump's political groups are spending their huge cash haul, by POLITICO's Meridith McGraw, Alex Isenstadt and Scott Bland — Medical boards get pushback as they try to punish doctors for Covid misinformation, by POLITICO's Darius Tahir — Durbin says Biden's Black woman justice pick is about time, by Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet
| | IN MEMORIAM | | Chicago blues drummer Sam Lay dies at 86: "Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he also played with blues legends Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf as well as with Bob Dylan," by Sun-Times' Maureen O'Donnell.
| | TRIVIA | | MONDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Bill Henkel, Matthew Beaudet, and Clem Balanoff for correctly answering that Amanda Russ was the first African American to serve as commissioner of the Chicago Public Library. TODAY's QUESTION: What battle during the Anglo-Spanish War spilled over into modern-day Illinois? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | McLean County board member Hannah Beer, Kirkland & Ellis' William S. Singer, Rep. Jan Schakowsky comms director Miguel Ayala, Illinois Department of Commerce's Aaron Gold-Stein, 14th Street Strategies' Meaghan Burdick, and political analyst Charles Lipson. -30-
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