Johnson’s flash mob deflection

Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln

Jun 22, 2023 View in browser   By Shia Kapos Happy Thursday, Illinois. It’s official. The Warehouse is a landmark, via Block Club. TOP TALKER Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wore a boutonnière in honor of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members visiting the Chicago City Council on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. | POLITICO's Shia Kapos Mayor Brandon Johnson is a thoughtful speaker. He chooses his words carefully and is skilled at talking sincerely about a problem without always giving a substantive answer. (Sounds like all politicians, you say.) As a good example: During a post-City Council press conference, Johnson was asked to address chaos caused earlier in the week by a flash mob of young people who caused mayhem at a South Side gas station when they jumped on cars and injured an 18-year-old woman. What’s the plan to stop that from happening again, Johnson was asked. The mayor acknowledged yes, it’s a “trend” for young people not necessarily from Chicago to come to the city to stir things up. He pointed to a similar incident at North Avenue beach some weeks back. But “for several weeks" since then "you haven’t heard about incidents [like this] in the news because we have been working strategically with law enforcement and other agencies to redirect these individuals who in some instances don’t mean us any good," Johnson told reporters. It’s true, reports of marauding young people are down, but the Monday morning headlines of weekend violence is still routine. Johnson then used humor to deflect, saying, “Clearly, these challenges do not go away overnight — much like my weight, which I'm working on. As long as we are diligent and as long as we are doing everything in a healthy way, I am confident our results will be better.” More from a day at City Hall ... NO BULL: The Chicago City Council passed an ordinance Wednesday allowing people who grow food on their property or in community gardens to sell their fruits and veggies. It was a resurrection: The Urban Agriculture Business License Enhancement Ordinance, as it’s called, was introduced last year by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration. But Ald. Raymond Lopez had concerns that it didn’t address enough issues, including raising livestock on personal property. When he and Lightfoot’s team couldn't reach an agreement (no surprise, given they butted heads for four years), Lopez moved to “defer and publish” the measure — which meant it would not get a vote. Enter the Johnson administration, which approached Lopez to unlock the ordinance. Lopez reiterated his concerns, and Johnson’s team created a working group to examine the livestock issue. “I was more than happy to usher in the ordinance that I stopped as a sign of good faith that we can in fact work together to resolve some of the outstanding issues from the past,” Lopez told Playbook. In Wednesday’s pre-council meeting, Beth Beatty, who’s the interim head of Intergovernmental Affairs, said she’s never seen a measure brought back to life like that. Call it fertile ground for negotiations for the next four years.. The Buzz SMILEY HAPPY PEOPLE: Illinois and Chicago have their economic problems, but we've seen a flurry of good-news economic headlines this week: In Belvidere, General Mills breaks ground on massive distribution plant, by Rockford Register Star’s Chris Green And Walmart announces a $1.2B distribution center in Belvidere, too, by 23 WIFR’s Jim Hagerty In Mascoutah, Boeing’s new $200M facility at MidAmerica Airport is moving along according to plan, by Biz Z Media’s Doug Jensins In Metro East, Gulfstream is adding 200 jobs, by St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Annika Merrilees And Chicago leads in U.S. meetings and events in May, according to Hotel Management's Esther Hertzfeld If you are Belvidere Mayor Clint Morris, Playbook would like to know what’s next for your town. Email skapos@politico.com. WHERE'S JB No official public events. WHERE's BRANDON At the El Valor Carlos Cantu Children and Family Center at 9:05 a.m. — At the Chicago Cultural Center at 1:30 p.m. to attend the Citywide My CHI, My Future youth program — At The Geraghty at 4:30 p.m. to keynote the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. Where's Toni At Lorraine L. Dixon Park in Chicago at 10 a.m. for a groundbreaking to mark the rehabilitation of three stations on the Metra Electric Line: 79th Street/Chatham, 87th Street/Woodruff and 103rd Street Rosemoor. Thank you for reading Illinois Playbook! Drop me a line sometime: skapos@politico.com   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.     2024 WATCH — NARAL Pro-Choice America has included Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) among a slate of endorsements for frontline House Democrats ahead of the 2024 General Election. — McHenry County Board member Kelli Wegener is entering the race for McHenry County Board chair. A Democrat, Wegener has served on the county board since 2018. She'll challenge Republican incumbent Michael Buehler. Here’s her list of endorsements. THE STATEWIDES — Criticism continues against Gov. Pritzker’s move closing health care enrollment for immigrants: “The budget deal placed responsibility for the program squarely in Pritzker’s lap, and the move is proving to be a growing political liability for the governor early in his second term,” by Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner. Separate but related: A new Illinois bill would allow noncitizens to receive standard driver's licenses, via Fox 32. SPOTTED — The Chicago fundraiser Tuesday for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri drew a high-profile crowd, including former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who headlined. Also in the room: State Rep. Margaret Croke, Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Iris Martínez, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, Metropolitan Water District Commissioners Mariyana Spyropoulos and Marcelino Garcia, 43rd Ward Committeewoman Lucy Moog and Unite HERE Local 1 President Karen Kent. CHICAGO — Candidate Brandon Johnson wanted police out of schools. Mayor Johnson says otherwise: “Johnson on Wednesday said he would defer to elected Local School Councils at individual schools, who are responsible for voting on whether to keep officers,” by WBEZ’s Sarah Karp and Sun-Times’ Nader Issa. — 2 more Chicago Public Schools vote to remove resource officers from their buildings, by WTTW’s Matt Masterson — Chicago now averages nearly one mass shooting a week: “The fact that gun violence — including mass shootings — has been in some sense ‘normalized’ when it happens in Chicago should force us all to look in the mirror and question our priorities,” said Roseanna Ander, executive director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, which pulled data about shootings in Chicago, Crain’s Greg Hinz reports. — “Completely inappropriate.” That’s what Anthony Driver, president of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, said about the letter we told you about Wednesday from aldermen complaining that a top-level candidate wasn’t interviewed for the Chicago Police superintendent job. Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba and Fran Spielman have more. — Vintage business signs could be saved under proposed ordinance, by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman — Lincoln Park Ald. Timmy Knudsen proposes stricter anti-idling ordinance for Chicago drivers, by Block Club’s Jake Wittich — Restaurant owners hope outdoor dining changes the mindset of the West Side, by Sun-Times’ Michael Loria and Emmanuel Camarillo — A last-ditch effort is underway to prevent CPS takeover of all-boys Chicago charter school, by WBEZ’s Sarah Karp — Discipline eased for cops who lounge in former Congressman Bobby Rush’s office during looting, by WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell — REVVING UP: Here’s a map of the NASCAR race, via NBC 5 COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS — Sales taxes and job vacancies add up to budget surplus for Cook County, but $85M deficit is expected in 2024: “Among the brightest spots for this year and next: The vast majority of the county’s planned spending of federal pandemic funding is yet to come. Of the $1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act money Cook County received directly, just $230 million has been spent to date. More than $700 million has been allocated but not yet spent,” by Tribune’s A.D. Quig. — Schaumburg abandoning plans for performing arts center, shifting $27.5M already saved: “The performing arts center was initially proposed to open in conjunction with the convention center and Renaissance Hotel in 2006, but it was indefinitely delayed due to financial concerns over constructing all three at once,” by Daily Herald’s Eric Peterson.   SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY.     Reader Digest We asked for your July Fourth grilling preferences. Dennis Potthast: “At the lake food: pork burgers, brats and hot dogs!” Patricia Ann Watson: “Beyond burgers and spicy Italian sausage links.” John Wober: “Skirt steak with chimichurri sauce.” What’s a vintage sign you hope is forever saved? Email skapos@politico.com THE NATIONAL TAKE — Is Barack Obama ready to reassert himself? POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin reports — House GOP’s latest fracture: How fast to try to impeach Biden, by POLITICO’s Olivia Beavers, Nicholas Wu and Sarah Ferris — Biden world once rolled their eyes at Gavin Newsom. Now, they love the guy, by POLITICO’s Christopher Cadelago and Jennifer Haberkorn — House GOP votes to censure Schiff over role in Trump investigations, by POLITICO’s Nicholas Wu Transitions — Monica Medvedec is now Midwest finance director at the Democratic National Committee. She was national finance director for Sen. Tammy Duckworth. — Rory McHale is now director of legislative and external affairs for the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. McHale is the former first deputy for Chicago’s Inspector General’s Office and was a candidate for Cook County commissioner in 2022. EVENTS — Tonight: The 25th Anniversary at Gilda’s Club’s annual awards dinner at Rockwell on the River. Film and Television star Bonnie Hunt will host. Details here TRIVIA WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Robert Christie and Roger Flahaven for correctly answering that Anna Langford (16th) was the first woman sworn in to the City Council. Marilou von Ferstel Hedlund (48th) was sworn in the same day. But back then, they were sworn in by ward order so Langford was actually first. TODAY’s QUESTION: Where is the Twin Sisters rock formation located? Email skapos@politico.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY Former state Sen. Chuck Weaver and restaurateur Michael Kornick. -30-   Follow us on Twitter Shia Kapos @shiakapos   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

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