Shoring up convention security

Jul 26, 2024

Bonjour, Illinois! It’s the opening day of the Olympics in Paris.

Illinois Playbook returns to the Hideout on Aug. 1 with featured guest Cristina Pacione-Zayas, chief of staff to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Details here

TOP TALKER

At the ready: Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, left, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker joined for a Democratic National Convention security briefing on Thursday, July 25, 2024.

A Secret Service briefing Thursday revealed details about the secured areas around the United Center and McCormick Place during the Democratic National Convention next month.

The big thing: We saw maps, but the real focus was on safety as concerns lingered about security stumbles that led to an assassination attempt on Donald Trump earlier this month.

The Pennsylvania shooting “was a terrible day for our entire nation,” said Secret Service Deputy Special Agent in Charge Derek Mayer. “Incidents like what took place in Butler, Pennsylvania must never happen again.”

There are no known threats to the convention, according to Lucas Rothaar, the FBI's chief acting special agent in charge, but he warned of “vast threats” that always face the nation. “We are living in an elevated threat environment.”

Dividing duties: The Secret Service will handle security in the “hard perimeter” that requires credentials. And Local law enforcement will handle security in the next zoned off area, where regular folks and protesters can walk but vehicles will need to be checked.

Chicago Police Chief Larry Snelling said officers are prepared for whatever comes their way. “Our job is to uphold the Constitution and that is exactly what we're going to do,” he said of protesters having a First Amendment right to demonstrate. “What we will not tolerate is vandalism [or] violent activity.”

Beefing up: Snelling said 500 police officers from areas across Illinois and some from out of state will assist CPD during the convention. They’ll undergo training beforehand and will likely be stationed at convention sites, allowing Chicago officers to continue working Chicago streets, since life in the city won't stop during the convention.

Gov. JB Pritzker also addressed safety, saying: “The eyes of the world will be on our great city and security and safety will be our top priorities.”

And Mayor Brandon Johnson assured that the city is prepared for the tens of thousands of delegates, guests and protesters who will descend on the city: “Let me state this unequivocally: Chicago is ready.”

— United Center map

— McCormick Place map.

— All the details: Pedestrian-only restricted zone around the United Center, from the Tribune

— Concerns loom over the Chicago Police Department's response to protests, by the Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba and Frank Main

— Sprucing up: Colorful neon lights coming to downtown Green Line Station ahead of convention, by Block Club’s Leen Yassine

— Street closures, via Block Club (scroll down)

THE BUZZ

QUANTUM IS THE WORD | Pritzker Secures $1B quantum tech win before the convention: “PsiQuantum Corp. will become the anchor tenant at the state’s new quantum and microelectronics park that will be built at a former US Steel plant on Chicago’s South Side, the governor’s office said in a statement. As part of the agreement, the Palo Alto-based company agreed to invest a minimum of $1.09 billion, creating at least 154 full-time jobs,” by Bloomberg’s Miranda Davis and Isabella Ward.

It will test the limits of quantum computing — and how much America is willing to invest in the experimental technology, by POLITICO’s Derek Robertson

The big goal: Pritzker wants to make Chicago “the Silicon Valley of quantum development,” via the Sun-Times’ Abby Miller.

How it will happen: “The first major quantum computer in the country — a machine that its creator promises ‘will change how the world lives, works and heals’ — will be assembled in Chicago,” by WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky.

WHERE'S JB

No official public events.

WHERE's BRANDON

On Calumet Avenue at 4 p.m. for a Take Back the Block activation event.

Where's Toni

No official public events.

Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com

Pro Briefing: Kamala Harris and the World. What we expect on foreign policy and trade. Join POLITICO Pro for a deep-dive conversation with our specialist reporters about the vice president’s approach to foreign policy. Register Now.

BUSINESS OF POLITICS

— BIG PROFILE: Sen. Dick Durbin says he will decide at the first of the year whether to seek reelection: “I’ll make up my mind and decide whether I’m going forward or not after the first of the year, and people on the bench then have to make decisions accordingly,” Durbin tells WBEZ’s Dave McKinney.

— It was unanimous: The Rock Island County Democratic Central Committee voted unanimously Thursday to endorse Kamala Harris for president.

THE STATEWIDES

— Ascension selling most of its Illinois hospitals to California health system, by Crain’s Katherine Davis

— Pritzker says Illinois' cannabis social equity program is poised to be 'national standard,' by Green Market Report’s John Schroyer

— The governor met with Sonya Massey's family earlier this week, by ABC 20’s Caroleina Hassett

CHICAGO

— Chicago Board of Education passes $9.9B budget for upcoming school year: It will “likely be amended after the district finishes negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union and the district’s new principals union. It does not currently account for increases to teacher salaries,” by Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin.

— Bally’s board taking the casino company private. Plans for Chicago casino unchanged, by the Tribune’s Robert Channick

COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS

— In the suburbs, proposed water rates spark outrage from residents, advocates: “At issue was a proposed rate increase that would drive the average monthly bill for residential customers of Illinois American Water up by nearly $30. Illinois American, which serves about 1.3 million people across the entire state, is one of two privately held water utilities seeking rate increases before state regulators,” by Capitol News’ Andrew Adams.

Reader Digest

We asked when you walked out on a speech.

Samantha White: “Last time I walked out of just a regular speech was during my grandma’s funeral (there's a backstory, I promise). In terms of political speeches, when Sen. Andrew Chesney was on the floor speaking to HB156 (the menstrual products in schools bill).”

NEXT QUESTION: What Olympic sport will you be watching during the Olympics? Email skapos@politico.com

DELEGATION

— Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, who represents the district where 36-year-old Sonya Massey died in her home at the hands of a sheriff’s deputy, called newly released body-camera footage of the incident “horrific” in an interview with POLITICO’s Inside Congress newsletter.

“She was an unarmed woman basically asking for help,” said Budzinski. “She thought there was an intruder in her home, called the police, the police showed up. And it quickly escalated to a senseless, senseless act of violence and then she died.”

“What we need is healing, but I also think we need to continue to work on building trust and relationships in our community, and I do see law enforcement doing that,” Budzinski said.

The space economy is already woven into our lives in ways we don't always appreciate, creating a global backbone for communications, media, data, science and defense. It's also becoming an increasingly competitive zone among nations - and a venue for complex and important public-private partnerships. Join POLITICO on July 30 for a conversation about what Washington needs to understand is at stake – which sectors of the global economy see their growth arc in space, and what the role of government leaders is in both growing and regulating the explosion of orbital ideas. REGISTER HERE.

THE NATIONAL TAKE

— Obamas endorse Harris’ presidential bid, by POLITICO’s Myah Ward. Here’s the video.

— US arrests 2 leaders of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel: ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and son of ‘El Chapo,’ by the Associated Press

— Trump struggles to find line of attack against Harris: ‘They are literally grasping at straws,’ by POLITICO’s Irie Sentner and Jared Mitovich

— The 2024 map just got a major shakeup, by POLITICO’s Charlie Mahtesian

TRANSITIONS

— Steve Edwards has been named executive vice president for external affairs and civic engagement at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago effective Aug. 13. Edwards was managing director for Koya Partners executive search and before that was chief content officer and interim chief executive of Chicago Public Media, which includes WBEZ.

EVENTS

— Saturday: Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza and Illinois Democratic Party Chair Lisa Hernandez will headline "Democrats Day in Stephenson County." For info, email: StephensonCountyDemocrats@gmail.com

— Sunday: Congressman Brad Schneider headlines a “Behind the Scenes Look at Congress.” Sponsored by 10th Dems. Details here

— Tuesday: A fundraiser for state Rep. Mary Beth Canty Is being hosted by state Rep. Bob Morgan and attorney Juan Morado. Details here

TRIVIA

THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Mary Kay Minaghan and Kirk Dillard for correctly answering that Carol Fox, Ardis Krainik, William Mason and Anthony Freud were all general directors of the Lyric Opera of Chicago — and constitute all of the general directors since Lyric's founding in 1954.

TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the Chicagoan to become the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Today: Former Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson, former Ald. Michael R. Zalewski, public affairs consultant Thom Serafin, SEIU Local 1 Political Director Mario Lopez, former University of Illinois administrator Barry Munitz, Earth Friendly Products founder John Vlahakis and former Bear Tarik Cohen.

Saturday: National Security Council Deputy Spokesperson Sean Savett, former congressional candidate Jonathan Swain, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Commerce Secretary for Manufacturing Chandra Brown, Lime Chief Policy Officer David Spielfogel, Chicago Department of Family Services Public Affairs Director Brian Berg, Conlon Strategies Executive VP Barbara Lumpkin and Jenner & Block Chicago Managing Partner Melissa Root.

Sunday: State Treasurer Mike Frerichs, Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin, governor’s Chief of Staff Anne Caprara, former state Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, former state Rep. Darlene Senger, political and media consultant Delmarie Cobb, tech entrepreneur and former mayoral candidate Neal Sales-Griffin, education advocate and comms expert Peter Cunningham, Blue Raven Campaigns founder Joshua Kaufman, former White Sox exec Sam Mondry-Cohen and broadcast legend Walter Jacobson.

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