| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Welcome to September, Illinois, and thank you for coming back. The elections are just 63 days away. Happening Thursday: Playbook live at the Hideout with CTU President Stacy Davis Gates. Details here
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Lisa Madigan speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention alongside National Urban League President Marc Morial. | YouTube screenshot | SCOOP: Lisa Madigan, the former Illinois attorney general, turned heads when she appeared on stage at the Democratic National Convention last month. She’s been off the political grid for the past five years, so we wondered how to read this very public appearance on the national stage. Is she dipping her toes back into politics, we wondered? “No, I'm very satisfied as a successful lawyer in private practice at Kirkland,” Madigan said in an interview with your Playbook host after her DNC appearance. Why she was tapped: Madigan took the stage because she’s known Kamala Harris since their days working as attorneys general. “We’ve known each other nearly 20 years, ever since we were in an Aspen Institute program for political leaders,” Madigan said. “We still text from time to time. I’ll send her hearts and thumbs-up emojis.” Harris’ campaign called Madigan a few weeks ago and asked about her “doing a segment” on the stage along with others who had worked with Harris during her prosecutor days. Subject matters: The campaign wanted Madigan to talk about the foreclosure crisis, which is something she worked on with Harris. Take it to the bank: In 2012, Harris was attorney general when she represented California in a huge case against big banks accused of foreclosure, winning an $18 billion settlement for her state. Madigan battled banks on the same issue when she was Illinois AG. “They were looking for somebody who knew her, knew her work, and then could testify to that,” said Madigan, who is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, handling high-profile legal cases. Madigan was part of the firm’s pro bono work assisting in the investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder, and she recently has been handling immigration cases. Looking ahead: Though Madigan acknowledged she’s been nudged to run for public office again, including for mayor of Chicago, she said that’s not on her radar. As for a possible White House appointment if Harris wins, Madigan said, “I’ve learned to never say never.” What her kids think: The former Illinois AG said she was just happy to be part of the DNC experience — she’s been going to Democratic conventions since 1996 in Chicago. Madigan took her children this time. Now that they're older —19 and 16 — they appreciate her work. “They used to be embarrassed when I was on TV, and now they're at the point where they're like, ‘Oh, you're kind of cool.’” What her dad thinks: Madigan’s father, former House Speaker Michael Madigan, also got a charge out of her speaking on stage. “He and my mom were excited,” his daughter said. DNC FOLLOW-UP — SCOOP: Bruce Heyman, the former U.S. ambassador to Canada, and Vicki Heyman, are leading the Americans Abroad effort to register U.S. voters who live overseas. The Heymans have helped raise nearly $150,000 for the effort, which also got a $300,000 boost from the Democratic National Committee. On Thursday, a national get-out-the-vote Zoom will be held. Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and actress Jane Fonda are scheduled to take part. Details here — After sharing his story at the DNC, Chicago teen continues mission to curb gun violence, by WTTW’s Emily Soto — Cardinal Cupich invocation at DNC stirs disappointment among pro-life activists, by Catholic News Agency’s Peter Laffin and Daniel Payne — Downtown lodging industry was big winner during DNC, thanks to higher room rates and full hotels, by the Tribune’s Brian J. Rogal
| | THE BUZZ | | BUDGET BROUHAHA: Chicago faces a nearly $1 billion shortfall, according to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s team, putting his office in a difficult position as it approaches the coming financial year. The cause: The budget deficit is mainly due to declines in two main revenue drivers: There’s been a dip in corporate tax revenue, and Chicago Public Schools has not made a payment to cover their employees' pension fund, according to the mayor’s office. The city is in talks with the state to address how its share of the corporate tax is distributed. And the mayor’s office and CPS are in talks to address the pension payment. Tension with CPS: Johnson has urged CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to take out a short-term loan to cover the pension payment, which the schools chief has rejected. That in turn has prompted the mayor to push for Martinez to be replaced. All that comes as CPS negotiates a contract with the Chicago Teachers Union. “We are going to be taking immediate action to further control our expenditures this year so that we can get to a balanced budget by the end of the year,” said Budget Director Annette Guzman, who worked in Cook County Toni Preckwinkle’s office before landing in City Hall. In the short term, the sacrifices will mean “further restrictions on hiring, reductions in discretionary spending and looking at projects that can be delayed,” Guzman told Playbook. One good thing: “Any type of shortfall is disappointing but a lot of what we look to do doesn't depend on the corporate fund,” Guzman said, pointing to the mayor’s recently announced $1.25 billion bond on expired TIFs and expansion of mental health services. From the Sun-Times: Johnson openly acknowledged “there are sacrifices that will be made” but hopes for a reversal on the school pension issue. A big question: Whether the mayor will look at a property tax hike. Neither Guzman nor the mayor would say. RELATED Four hundred Chicago school leaders sign letter backing CEO Pedro Martinez, by Chalkbeat’s Mila Koumpilova If you are Mike Madigan, Playbook would like to hear from you — and we’ll keep you anonymous! Email: skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | At the Skokie Village Hall at 10 a.m. to join ComEd for the electric vehicle rebate awards.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | At 300 West Wilson at 9:30 a.m. for the Uplift Community High School ribbon cutting ceremony.
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com
| | 2024 WATCH | | — PRITZKER ON THE TRAIL: Gov. JB Pritzker campaigned for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in New Hampshire over the weekend before delivering the keynote at the state’s AFL-CIO Labor Day breakfast. According to a copy of his remarks, Pritzker ticked off successes in his administration, including raising the minimum wage, and attacked New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu for vetoing a minimum wage increase. “A Granite Stater makes at least six dollars an hour less than you would in any neighboring state. That’s shameful,” Pritzker said. The Illinois governor also attacked Republican Donald Trump and his MAGA followers before pivoting to supporting Harris and Walz, saying, “They’re champions for working families and defenders of our most vulnerable.” — No ‘slated’ GOP candidates will be kept off ballot after rulings from Supreme Court, elections board: “Kennedy to remain on the Illinois presidential ballot, but two third-party candidates will be removed,” by Capitol News’ Jerry Nowicki and Jennifer Fuller. — In Oak Park, ranked choice voting will be on the ballot, via release.
| | 2025 Watch | | — Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss is running for a second term: “Biss said the city has avoided raising property taxes and ‘reached a historic agreement’ with Northwestern University ‘that brings unprecedented financial support to our community,’” by Evanston Now’s Bill Smith. — Parielle Davis, a community activist and long-time Evanston resident, is gathering petition signatures to run for Evanston City Council in the city’s 7th Ward. The seat is held by Councilmember Eleanor Revelle, who is not seeking reelection.
| | | AROUND THE STATE | | | — TRIB ANALYSIS: Big money floods Illinois campaigns with few rules and little enforcement: “The flood of money pouring into the state’s pliable political system has created a raucous campaign environment where the last two races for Illinois governor have become the most and third-most expensive governor’s races in the nation, and, in 2022, allowed the incumbent governor to spend as much as he wanted to help pick the Republican rival he correctly thought would be easiest to defeat,” by the Tribune’s Ray Long and Rick Pearson. Scroll through to see the Tribune’s Culture of Corruption series. — Women behind bars are often survivors of abuse. A series of new laws aim to reduce their sentences: State Rep. Kelly Cassidy has written legislation “designed to help survivors of gender-based and domestic violence, including the resentencing bill that was signed into law in August,” by The Associated Press’ Isabella Volmert. — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launches a new initiative today aimed at reversing the decline of young adults who are opting not to become organ donors. The statewide program encourages high school students to serve as “ambassadors” and encourage their peers to register as potential donors and earn community service hours by participating. — Report shows Illinois union participation declining despite growth in new petitions, by Capitol News’ Jerry Nowicki — POT POURI: As Illinois receives praise for its cannabis equity efforts, stakeholders still working on system’s flaws, by Capitol News’ Dilpreet Raju — Illinois to accept designs for new state flag, by the State Journal-Register’s Patrick M. Keck
| | CHICAGO | | — After a busy summer, city leaders look to build on business momentum, by the Sun-Times’ David Roeder. — Two years after migrants began to arrive, many have settled in Chicago even as some continue to struggle, by the Tribune’s Nell Salzman — HOLY COW! Harry Caray's most famous line is the focus of a new trademark lawsuit, by Crain’s Brandon Dupré
| | TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES | | — What state senators learned on summer road trip, as transit mega merger looms: “I don't know of another system that has four different agencies with 21 appointing authorities … in the world,” said state Sen. Ram Villivalam. “If the governance system was working so well, we would have the service that we all want — of course the funding has to happen.” The Daily Herald’s Marni Pyke reports. — Officials asked for public comment on proposed DuSable Lake Shore Drive redesign. They got an earful, by WTTW’s Nick Blumberg
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — CTA Blue Line shooting: Four dead after being shot while sleeping, Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins says, via WGN 9 — Pritzker disaster proclamation could help south suburbs receive federal storm assistance, by the Daily Southtown’s Olivia Stevens — How Salt Creek is being restored with dam gone, by the Daily Herald’s Katlyn Smith — Detention in brutal Russian prison years ago still haunts Ukrainian now living in Highland Park, by the Tribune’s Angie Leventis Lourgos
| | TAKING NAMES | | — REPERCUSSIONS: Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson, the conservative radio commentators on WIND-AM 560, got themselves in hot water after poking fun at Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz’s teen son. Gus Walz made headlines when he tearfully cheered, “That’s my dad!” during the Democratic National Convention. Profit and Jacobson apologized — but Proft was kicked off the board of Envision Unlimited, which serves people with developmental disabilities, and Jacobson resigned from coaching volleyball at one of Chicago’s public high schools. — On the board: Chicago Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf, NielsenIQ North American President Elizabeth Buchanan and TCCI Manufacturing President Richard Demirjian have been named to the board of Intersect Illinois, which is working to attract businesses to Illinois.
| | | Reader Digest | | | QUESTION: How will you be helping on the campaign trail? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Where the race between Trump and Harris stands on Labor Day, according to our polling expert, by POLITICO’s Steven Shepard
— Harris puts her Biden balancing act on display in Pennsylvania, by POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein and Eli Stokols
— States struggle to vet coders of election software, by POLITICO’s John Sakellariadis
— ‘We all failed you.’ Heartbreak at funeral for Israeli-American hostage in Jerusalem, via The Associated Press
| | Transitions | | — Lenny Williams is the next assistant adjutant general for the Army of the Illinois National Guard and commander of the Illinois Army National Guard, Gov. JB Pritzker has announced. Williams was Illinois Army National Guard chief of staff. — Yanzi Mendez is now a general reservist at Innovated Emergency Management, where she will manage emergency operation centers. Mendez previously worked for the City of Chicago, helping manage care for asylum seekers coming to the city. — Jaylin McClinton is now a Building The Bench counsel for the Alliance for Justice, a D.C.-based judicial advocacy group. He'll be based in Chicago. McClinton had stints at the Obama Foundation and in the state House. — Nathan Armstrong has been named executive director of Injustice Watch. He was senior director of foundation and corporate relations of WTTW | WFMT.
| | | IN MEMORIAM | | | — Jack Conaty, longtime political reporter for Fox-owned Channel 32, dies at 77, by the Tribune’s Bob Goldsborough — Government Watchdog Adam Andrzejewski, who died at age 55, collected information on the salaries of public employees in Illinois and across the country, by the Patch’s David Giuliani.
| | | TRIVIA | | | TODAY’s question: Why were tenders so important to Chicago?
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: SEIU Political Director Candis Castillo, former Lake County Clerk Willard Helander, former aldermanic candidate Marianne Lalonde, Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation Executive Director Jason Rothstein and journalist and historian Rick Perlstein. And belated shoutouts … Sept. 1: Former first lady of Illinois Brenda Edgar, former state Rep. Barbara Giolitto, Miramar Group CEO Juan Ochoa, Brightpoint Chief Financial Officer Angelica Stapert and McDonald’s Senior Director of Franchising Ashli Nelson. Sept. 2: state Rep. Curtis Tarver II, former state Rep. Flora Ciarlo, former state Rep. Andrea Moore, property-tax expert Stella Black, attorney Maura Georges, journalist Jim DeRogatis and Block Club co-founder Shamus Toomey. And Aug. 29: podcast host Mark Santana. -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 | | | | |
