| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | | Presented by |  | | | Happy Thursday, Illinois. Thanks to Laura Washington and Craig Dellimore for the hot talk about the elections last night at the Cliff Dwellers Club.
|  | TOP TALKER | | HE'S GONE: Ronnie Reese is out as communications director for Mayor Brandon Johnson — a surprise given the two are friends and confidantes going back to their days with the Chicago Teachers Union. The mayor’s office won’t miss a step: Deputy Press Secretary Erin Connelly is taking the reins. “I am the acting communications director for the mayor’s office and will still handle the day-to-day operation of the press office,” she told Playbook. Connelly is a veteran communications consultant whose clients have included Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, state Sen. Robert Peters , the Organizing for Action group that advocated for Barack Obama and various nonprofits. She interned at CBS News while in college and earned her law degree from DePaul University. Connelly comes to the top comms job in City Hall at a key moment: The mayor is juggling tensions over appointing a new interim Chicago School Board, and he faces a tough budget season. Managing communication will be everything. The change at the top follows turnover in the comms department under Reese, who declined to comment about his exit. And though Reese has an innate understanding of the mayor’s passion and voice, he didn’t always create openings for the mayor to communicate his message. This is the second upheaval in Johnson’s comms department. The first was back in March, when the mayor brought in Joe Calvello, who headed comms for Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, as chief strategy officer. Reese was given a director title at that point. Since then, the mayor has been more open to taking questions from reporters, though there have been some tense interactions with the press corps. Reese’s exit also comes days after Jen Johnson, the deputy mayor for education and human services, stepped away on a leave of absence and a few weeks after intergovernmental affairs officials Sydney Holman and Erik Martinez left the mayor's office. From the Tribune: Comms team has struggled at times with media strategy, by Alice Yin and Jake Sheridan From WBEZ: The office saw a lot of comms staff turnover, by Mariah Woelfel and Tessa Weinberg From Crain’s: Reese’s departure is just the latest exit from the Fifth Floor, by Justin Laurence
| | THE BUZZ | | Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx appears briefly in Donald Trump’s latest attack ad on Kamala Harris. The 30-second spot posted on X claims Harris supports defunding the police. It’s a false assertion that Trump has made before, so it’s no surprise he would campaign on it with less than two weeks ahead of the Nov. 5 election. The facts: In wake of the George Floyd murder in 2020, Harris said she supported redirecting some funds and “reimagining” public safety. “This whole movement is about rightly saying, we need to take a look at these budgets and figure out whether it reflects the right priorities,” she said at the time. She later denounced the “defund” movement, via PolitiFact. In her two terms in office, Foxx has faced similar attacks with racial undertones from the right while she's worked to reduce the jail population, end cash bail and advocate for overturning wrongful convictions.
| | | WHERE'S JB | | | At Second First Congressional Church in Rockford at 10 a.m. to celebrate Reach Out and Read literacy program expansion — At the Owl’s Nest in Rockford at 11:30 a.m. to announce the U.S. Department of Energy grant award. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk will be there, too — At Harlem High School in Machesney Park at 1 p.m. for the mobilization ceremony for the 725th Transportation Company
| | | WHERE's BRANDON | | | No public schedule was available.
| | | Where's Toni | | At the Cook County Building at 10 a.m. to preside over a meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com
| | A message from Capital One: At Capital One, our affordable housing initiatives support inclusive, thriving, resident-centered communities right here in Illinois. We strive to promote individual well-being by financing both the development and preservation of affordable housing, along with services that directly respond to resident needs. From 2020-2023, we provided nearly $378 million in capital for community development across the state – primarily for safe, equitable, and quality housing to help transform resident lives. Learn more here. | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | — Chicago Teachers Union spends thousands on flyers attacking candidates for school board: "Accusing me of being a Trump puppet and a proponent of Project 2025, which couldn't be further from the truth," said Karin Norington-Reaves, one of four Chicago School Board candidates for the 10th District. She is a Democrat who ran for Congress two years ago, by CBS 2's Tara Molina. — Wealthy philanthropists Griffin and Duchoissois are among the top political donors this election cycle, by Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Eden Stiffman — ON THE TRAIL: Former Gov. Pat Quinn and Congressmen Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Danny Davis are teaming up today for a presser urging a yes vote on the Illinois Property Tax Relief Amendment Referendum that will be on the Nov. 5 ballot.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Jurors set to hear first of 200 secret recordings in Madigan corruption trial: “The start of Madigan’s racketeering conspiracy trial is largely mirroring the ComEd bribery trial, so far. Ex-state Rep. Lou Lang is expected to testify soon, and he was spotted Wednesday down the hall from Madigan’s trial courtroom,” by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel, Matthew Hendrickson and Dave McKinney. — Lawyer behind college affirmative action challenges is now targeting Illinois: The American Alliance for Equal Rights, founded by lawyer Edward Blum has sued Illinois over a minority scholarship program for aspiring teachers, by Crain’s Mark Walsh. — Poll shows support for merging Chicago area's transit agencies: “It’s one of the first indications of public support for the pending Metropolitan Mobility Act, a state bill that could combine the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, Pace and Regional Transit Authority,” by the Sun-Times’ David Struett.
| | CHICAGO | | — Chicago police blasted for mishandling cases of missing Black women, by WBEZ’s Michael Puente — Chicago Teachers Union report aims for alignment between district, mayor and union, by the Tribune’s Ikram Mohamed and Nell Salzman — A new city tree trim strategy produces big results. Not everyone is on board, by Illinois Answers Project’s Alex Nitkin — Looking to take a bite out of Apple, Google set to open first Chicago-area store at Oakbrook Center, by the Tribune’s Robert Channick
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Thornton Township meeting canceled as trustees, Tiffany Henyard dispute where to meet, by the Daily Southtown’s Olivia Stevens — How many lawyers does a county clerk need? DuPage board members question size of clerk’s legal team, by the Daily Herald’s Alicia Fabbre — Police explain how they solved 45-year-old North Aurora murder, by the Daily Herald’s Susan Sarkauskas
| | | | A message from Capital One:   | | | | | TAKING NAMES | | — Former Gov. Jim Edgar, state Rep. Carol Ammons, Southern Illinois University System President Dan Mahony and former Illinois state historian Sam Wheeler headline the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute’s third Renewing Illinois Summit that starts today. Details here — Former Secretary of State John Kerry emphasizes youth influence in climate action, by the Daily Northwestern’s Isaiah Steinberg — Dan Schneider is receiving the National Consumer Law Center's 2024 Rising Star award this weekend in Orlando for his efforts to establish discount rates for gas utility service for the poorest Peoples Gas customers.
| | Reader Digest | | We asked what your crazy airplane experiences. Lissa Druss: “I once flew back to Chicago from LA next to Chris Farley. He had four manuscripts for parts he was considering, and he asked me to read one of them — It was ‘The Green Mile.’ He passed on that film.” Christopher Deutsch: “A dozen years ago I saw John McCain in economy, so I offered him my seat in first class but he declined.” Courtney Groves: “Kids laying in the aisle playing music or watching movies with no headphones.” Jim Lyons : “Coming home from Arizona just before the lock down. Passengers had the row in front and back of them empty.” Joan Pederson: “Light snow falling in the cabin of an unpressurized plane from Copenhagen to Aalborg, Denmark, early July 1970.” Tomás E Revollo : “My family and I flew from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Asuncion, Paraguay, when I was around 10 years old. It was a small passenger airplane. The flight attendant opened the airplane door as we were getting ready to land to show us the ‘wonderful view!’ It was an exhilarating experience that I still vividly remember 63 years later now in Chicago.” Barry Tusin : “Flying back from Florida years ago on New Year's Day morning when on Southwest Airlines ... the flight crew was seemingly still in a party mood: free booze and a flight attendant calling herself Trixie LaRue opened the in-flight magazine to reveal a Playboy centerfold unfurling from within. Pretty much didn't see the crew after that ... memorable!” Judith Weinstein: “I remember sitting in Row 9 (non smoking) and having the passenger directly behind me in row 10, smoking cigarettes. I thank Sen. Dick Durbin for banning smoking on planes.” Next question: Have you ever had your heart broken in politics? Email skapos@politico.com
| | A message from Capital One: At Capital One, we are committed to changing banking for good here in Illinois. We proudly employ more than 1,700 Chicagoans – who support this city from our offices and Cafés each day.
In the last 10+ years, we’ve provided over 500 grants to nonprofit organizations in Illinois, including programs that focus on community service, education, and workforce development. Our efforts are informed by a long-standing belief that our partners—who are closest to the needs of the community—are best positioned to develop effective and sustainable solutions. Deep community relationships with affordable housing developers, nonprofit organizations, local government, and civic leaders are at the heart of our community programs.
We are committed to continuing to spend with diverse suppliers operating in the state of Illinois, with over $8M in one year period spent with businesses owned by people of color, veterans, and women. Learn more here. | | | | | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | — Sen. Tammy Duckworth has responded to the U.S. Department of Transportation issuing a $50 million penalty against American Airlines after the carrier mishandled thousands of wheelchairs between 2019 and 2023. “I know from personal experience that when an airline damages or breaks a wheelchair, it’s much more than a simple inconvenience — it’s the equivalent of breaking someone’s legs,” Duckworth said. “After writing the first law to require airlines to disclose the number of lost and damaged wheelchairs, this settlement between DOT and American Airlines is an important move to incentivize American Airlines — and all other carriers operating in the United States—to better handle wheelchairs and mobility devices, which millions of Americans rely on when traveling, in the future.”
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — LA Times editor resigns after owner blocked presidential endorsement, by POLITICO’s Tyler Katzenberger — ‘Trying to curry favor’: Lobbyists on tax matters hired Ways and Means leader Richard Neal’s son, by POLITICO’s Benjamin Guggenheim — DNC to run billboard bearing bombshell ‘Hitler’ headline outside Trump rally, by POLITICO’s Irie Sentner
| | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Jesse Magallon and Ed Mazur for correctly answering that Barack Obama was the winner in the 2004 U.S. Senate race, defeating Blair Hull in the primary and seeing Republican Jack Ryan drop out after his divorce case became public. Republican Alan Keyes would lose in the general election to Obama. TODAY’s QUESTION: Who is the nationally syndicated cartoonist and winner of the prestigious Silver Reuben Award who’s also married to a famous Loyola University Chicago alum? Email skapos@politico.com
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