| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Presented by The Regional Transportation Authority Of Northeastern Illinois | Happy Tuesday, Illinois. The brutal cold isn’t stopping the political news, so let’s dig in.
|  | TOP TALKER | | BY A MILE: Former President Donald Trump won the Iowa caucuses Monday night, and now attention turns to New Hampshire. Illinois’ primary is March 19, and there’s drama about who will be on the ballot. Biden’s got opposition, too: Three objections to President Joe Biden’s statement of candidacy have been filed with the State Board of Elections, including by Beth Findley Smith, a La Salle County board member. She and a few others say Biden’s paperwork was wrongly notarized by a notary public in D.C. instead of one in Illinois. The objections will go through a hearing process just as Trump’s objections are. Judicial jiu jitsu: Attorney General Kwame Raoul has asked retired judges to step up to handle the objections against Trump, according to a letter sent to some retired judges, via the Illinois Judges Association. The goal is to avoid a circus that could interrupt the schedules of full-time judges. Speaking of Trump: He received a stream of endorsements ahead of his big Iowa sweep, including from Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood, who earlier in the campaign hosted a high-profile fundraiser in Peoria for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. State Rep. Blaine Wilhour also announced he backs Trump. JB hit Iowa: Gov. JB Pritzker took the stage in Iowa with fellow Democrats to draw distinctions between Trump and Biden. “Tonight’s contest is simply a contest of whether you like MAGA in its original packaging or in high heels or with lifts in their boots,” Pritzker said, taking a swipe at Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who’s drawn attention to wearing high heels, and DeSantis of Florida, who’s been poked for wearing shoes with lifts. NBC 5 has the full speech RELATED Trump flexes and the rest of the field fades: 5 takeaways from a big night in Iowa, by POLITICO’s Adam Wren and Natalie Allison
| | THE BUZZ | | MIGRANT MOVES: Plummeting temperatures have escalated concerns about the migrant crisis in Illinois. Fiscal chiefs from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administrations say they’ve been short-changed by the feds because of some bureaucratic bookkeeping, reports POLITICO’s Sally Goldenberg. Chicago Budget Director Annette Guzman and her New York counterpart asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to loosen rules around collecting identification numbers given to migrants when they enter the U.S. In a written request sent to Mayorkas Friday and obtained by POLITICO, the money managers say his agency only informed cities of the requirement to gather “A-numbers” in November, more than a year after migrants began arriving. Gov. JB Pritzker penned a letter, too: He wrote Texas Gov. Greg Abbott imploring him to stop sending migrants during the frigid weather, saying it’s “life-threatening.” The letter also appeared in an ad in the Austin Statesman. Pritzker reiterated his concerns on national TV, telling ABC’s “This Week,” that Congress and the White House need to step up. The governor said Abbott dismissed his request to stop sending migrants because of the “dangerous nature” of winter. “He’s refused to stop sending them. So he does not care about people. He doesn’t care about the migrants,” Pritzker said. About 15,500 asylum seekers have landed in Illinois since the summer of 2022. Most were sent from the Texas border via buses, but some were flown in and about 250 migrants are using O’Hare International Airport as a shelter until they can be placed in a proper setting. Other asylum seekers are waiting in Chicago’s “landing zone” also awaiting to be moved to a shelter. Teeing up in Springfield: Pritzker announced in February that $160 million would be diverted to migrant care. But don’t expect much more from state lawmakers, who start their 2024 session today. “The honest truth is, for generations we've been saying we don't have enough money to tackle systemic problems that we’ve known about for far too long, such as homelessness, food insecurity, mental health issues,” Senate President Don Harmon told Playbook. “It's really hard to convince the General Assembly to appropriate money to solve problems or a new cohort of people when we've been ignoring existing problems for far too long.” Republicans have ideas: GOP legislators are teeing up a measure that would rescind elements of the Trust Act that prohibits law enforcement from working with ICE officials to enforce immigration policies. That’s a key element in making Illinois a welcoming state. Regional meeting on hold: Metropolitan Mayors Caucus meeting on asylum-seekers is postponed due to cold weather: A new date hasn’t been set, reports the Sun-Times’ Kade Heather If you are Alejandro Mayorkas, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | A message from The Regional Transportation Authority Of Northeastern Illinois: Transit is critical to growing the Chicago region’s economy and increasing access to education and jobs – but the system is facing a $730 million operating shortfall starting in 2026. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has developed a 2024 legislative agenda to increase support for sustainable transit funding that can foster regional collaboration, improve access to jobs, lower emissions, and grow ridership. | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events.
| | | WHERE's BRANDON | | | No official public events.
| | | Where's Toni | | No official public events. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (gasp!) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — General Assembly kicks off today: “Legislators are generally loath to confront controversial issues in an election year,” write the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner and Dan Petrella. — Illinois lawmakers created an arson registry. 20 years later, it's still empty, by Lee Enterprises’ Brenden Moore. — WBEZ’s Alex Degman has more on bills to watch. — About appropriations: Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch announced he’s hired Endra C. Curry as research and appropriations director. Curry comes to Illinois by way of South Carolina. She starts Jan. 22. — Working group: The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association has teamed up with members of the General Assembly to form the new bipartisan, bicameral Illinois Manufacturing Caucus. The caucus is co-chaired by state Reps. Amy Elik (R-Alton) and Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago); and Sens. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) and Patrick Joyce (D-Essex). — Drought that affected Illinois, other states was most expensive billion-dollar disaster in 2023, but extreme cold can be costly in other ways, by the Tribune’s Adriana Pérez — What a permanent child tax credit could mean for families in Illinois, by WTTW’s Acacia Hernandez — Illinois lands $14.9M federal grant to expand electric vehicle charging network: “The 273 new charging spots statewide add onto Illinois’ current network of 1,249 public stations,” by the Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout
| | | | JOIN 1/31 FOR A TALK ON THE RACE TO SOLVE ALZHEIMER’S: Breakthrough drugs and treatments are giving new hope for slowing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and ALS. But if that progress slows, the societal and economic cost to the U.S. could be high. Join POLITICO, alongside lawmakers, official and experts, on Jan. 31 to discuss a path forward for better collaboration among health systems, industry and government. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | 2024 WATCH | | — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Eileen O'Neill Burke has been endorsed by the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), Local 150, in her bid for Cook County state’s attorney. Local 150 represents thousands of workers in the construction industries. — Faye Abushaban, a Democrat running against state Rep. Kevin Olickal, has been removed from the ballot for the March 19 primary, according to the State Board of Elections. — Graciela Guzmán, running for state Senate in the 20th District, is out with a new ad featuring Congresswoman Delia Ramirez.
| | CHICAGO | | — Six-figure skimming from city sticker sales, $200K in rogue debt collection fees highlight inspector general’s quarterly report: “In her final report for 2023, Deborah Witzburg details a clerk’s office worker who allegedly pocketed cash payments; and a contractor suspected of taking more than $200,000 in debt collection fees on paid-up accounts,” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. — Mayor Brandon Johnson talked Al Sharpton on MSNBC about the city’s plan to look at reparations in Chicago. Watch here — Illegal bribe or legitimate ‘gratuity’: How a $13,000 payment to an Indiana mayor could alter political corruption cases in Chicago, by the Tribune’s Jason Meisner, Megan Crepeau and Amy Lavalley — Ground collision of two Boeing planes in Chicago sparks FAA investigation, by The Associated Press’ Claire Savage
| | | | A message from The Regional Transportation Authority Of Northeastern Illinois:   | | | | | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s cancer charity fails to file financial records, by WGN’s Ben Bradley and Andrew Schroedter — Homeowner exemptions raising tax rates, undercutting savings in some towns, Cook County report finds, by the Tribune’s A.D. Quig — Highland Park fires rec director who’s suffering from mass shooting-induced PTSD, the Raw Story’s Alexandria Jacobson
| | SPOTLIGHT | | Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations drew crowds across the state. In Chicago: Mayor reflects on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy at Youth Guidance Unity event, via Fox 32 ‘There’s too much at stake.’ Rainbow/PUSH calls for educational equity on MLK Day, by the Tribune’s Olivia Stevens Suburbs observe MLK Day with service, prayer, by the Daily Herald’s Madhu Krishnamurthy In DuPage: The “I Have a Dream” breakfast drew 1,200, including: Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Treasurer Mike Frerichs, Congressman Bill Foster, former Congressman Bobby Rush, state Sen. Seth Lewis, DuPage Board Chair Deb Conroy, DuPage State’s Attorney Bob Berlin, Illinois Chamber CEO Lou Sandoval and former DuPage Commissioner Greg Hart.
| | DAY IN COURT | | — Former Chicago Citi vice president charged with elder fraud: “Helen Caldwell is charged with bilking $1.5 million from elder banking clients in Chicago by steering them to invest in her slasher movie company,” by Injustice Watch’s David Jackson.
| | | | YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS: From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked what elected position you’d like to hold: Zachary Brown: “Treasurer of Illinois. I work at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (previously at the U.S. Department of the Treasury), and it seems like Illinois's finances have some room for improvement!” Lucas Hawley: “Cook County assessor, because I’d bring more accountability to the office.” Gail Morse: “Alderperson, because all politics is local and local is where so much work is needed and can be effective.” Omari Prince: President. Next question: What do you listen to while working?
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — ‘Scared to Death’: Local election officials on edge ahead of 2024 vote, by POLITICO’s John Sakellariadis — Congress readies ‘laddered’ March funding patch as shutdown looms, by POLITICO’s Caitlin Emma and Jennifer Scholtes — This is the real reason for the Obama-Biden camp divide, by POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein and team
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Ryan Tolley has been named executive director of Change Illinois and Change Illinois Action Fund. He was policy director of Change Illinois. Tolley takes the helm from Madeleine Doubek, who's semi-retiring and will remain with the organization as a strategic adviser. — Seth Jenkins is now a constituent advocate for Congressman Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.). He was an aide to Sen. Dick Durbin. — Matthew T. Hays and Lindsay S. Henry have joined Dykema’s Chicago law office as partners. Hays specializes in business litigation and was a law clerk at Global IP Law Group. And Henry specializes in corporate finance and was an associate at Chapman and Cutler.
| | A message from The Regional Transportation Authority Of Northeastern Illinois: The Chicago region’s transit system provides access to 80 colleges and universities, representing a majority of schools in the state. Our transit system also connects workers to 4.2 million jobs across six counties, delivering over $17 billion in regional benefits in 2022 alone. And for individuals, transit provides an affordable, accessible alternative to driving. Improving and expanding public transit is critical to increasing access to education and jobs – but the system is facing significant challenges brought on by decades of underfunding and made worse by the pandemic. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has a plan and clear legislative priorities that, if enacted, will improve service and grow ridership, supporting greater economic growth. Pledge your support for transit today. | | | | | EVENTS | | — Wednesday: A luncheon discussion on reviving the Equal Rights Amendment legislation. Speakers: Winston & Strawn partner Linda Coberly and former Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine Banks. Details here — Wednesday: Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Maryum, and grandson, Jacob, will talk about their late father’s commitment to justice and peace. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | FRIDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Colby Huff for correctly answering that Ulysses S. Grant’s real name was Hiram Ulysses Grant. The name switch was due to Ohio Congressman Thomas Hamer accidentally writing “Ulysses S. Grant” when he nominated him to attend West Point. Despite Grant’s best efforts to correct the record, the name stuck. TODAY's QUESTION: Where and when was the state’s hottest temperature recorded? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, City of Chicago Clerk Anna Valencia, comms consultant Joanna Klonsky, Illinois Department of Labor Legislative Director Anna Koeppel, public health consultant Sameena Mustafa and game developer Max Temkin. Monday: Axel Springer’s Mathias Döpfner, retired Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Evans, Instacart public policy manager Kelley Foxx, Illinois State University politics professor Erik Rankin and Ascension Health chief advocacy officer Julie Mirostaw. -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 | | | | |
