| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Happy Thursday, Illinois. President Joe Biden’s farewell speech was grim, via POLITICO.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | 
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 19, 2024. | Paul Sancya/AP | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is still two years away from a reelection run, so he’s got plenty of time to fundraise. Still, we were surprised to see he raised a measly $971.77 in the fourth quarter, according to the latest filings with the Illinois Board of Elections. Turns out that’s not correct, and his team is filing an amendment, Christian Perry, Johnson’s political director, says the mayor raised about $200,000 (Hello, that’s more like it.) during the fourth quarter and has $1.1 million in the bank. About his expenditures: The report says the mayor gave $48,500.00 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee, $5,000 to the Chicago Federation of Labor and Industrial Union Council PAC and $100,000 to the After School Matters nonprofit. The fourth-quarter filings also show he spent thousands of dollars on catered meals and Uber rides and $3,400 on hair and makeup. Looking over his shoulder: Possible mayoral challengers Alexi Giannoulias and Susana Mendoza are also fundraising, though their fundraising could be used to run for their respective statewide offices, too. Giannoulias is secretary of state, and Mendoza is comptroller. By the numbers: Giannoulias has $3.3 million on hand after raising $922,000 in the fourth quarter, and Mendoza has $1.1 million after raising $259,000, according to their filings. Congressman Mike Quigley, another name batted about as a possible mayoral candidate in 2027, has $1.3 million on hand, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission filing.
| | THE BUZZ | | BUCKLE UP: Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Attorney Gen. Kwame Raoul are talking with state and local agency officials and immigration attorneys about what peoples’ rights are if President-elect Donald Trump makes good on his plan for the largest deportation operation in history. They worry that an indiscriminate dragnet by Trump’s border czar Tom Homan could jeopardize legal immigrants, too. “The conversations are ongoing, and they’re about how to react if certain things occur,” Pritzker said at an unrelated press conference Wednesday. Those conversations include talking to members of the clergy and to hospitals, both groups that are “concerned about protecting people” they serve, Pritzker said. Wait and see: Pritzker and others expect some of Trump’s talk on deportation is show-boating. Just a few days ago, Homan tempered Republicans’ expectations about the initial deportation operation, citing limited resources, according to a CNN report. Still, there is a concern that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials who target non-citizen criminals may also sweep up legal immigrants or separate families in the process. For that reason, Alds. Raymond Lopez (15th) and Silvana Tabares (23rd) proposed tweaking the city’s Sanctuary City status, which currently prevents local law enforcement from working with ICE. They want some exceptions added that would allow police to cooperate with ICE in cases targeting those who are convicted of crimes such as gang activity, sex trafficking or drug-related crimes. The City Council rejected the idea, voting 39-11 to table the proposal. ALSO FROM THE CITY COUNCIL 25 MPH speed limit reduction proposal hits the brakes: “Ald. Daniel La Spata has pushed the measure since last year in a bid to increase traffic safety, but some alderpeople worry Black and Brown Chicagoans will be disproportionately impacted by enforcement,” by the Block Club’s Quinn Myers. City Hall’s agenda in Springfield: Education funding and transportation issues are on the list, and so is the Local Government Distributive Fund, which is a portion of state income tax revenue that is allocated to counties and municipalities. “These are our tax dollars that the municipalities are essentially generating, and the state has seized control of those appropriations,” Mayor Brandon Johnson told reporters. “There will be a very rich and robust effort from municipalities, including the city of Chicago, to ensure that local government receives its fair share.” If you are Mike Quigley, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | No official public events
| | Where's Toni | | At the Cook County Building at 9:45 a.m. to recognize National Blood Donor Month. at 10 a.m. will preside over a meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — "It's a stunt. It's not going to happen," Gov. JB Pritzker said in response to our question about Indiana wanting to acquire Illinois counties that voted to look at seceding. "I'll just say Indiana is a low-wage state that doesn't protect workers, a state that does not provide healthcare for people when they're in need," he said. "So, I don't think it's attractive for anybody in Illinois where wages are higher where the standard of living is higher, and we do provide healthcare for people in need." — MADIGAN TRIAL: Jury in Madigan trial hears stipulated testimony from Gov. Pritzker as defense case comes to a close: ““If called as a witness, Gov. JB Pritzker would testify that he does not recall meeting with Michael Madigan on Dec. 4, 2018, and he does not recall Madigan ever discussing or recommending Daniel Solis or Maya Solis, either orally or in writing, for any position on a state board or commission,” stated a defense stipulation read into the record,” by the Tribune’s Jason Meisner, Megan Crepeau and Ray Long. Madgan’s Capitol lawyer Heather Wier Vaught takes the stand as defense case winds down, by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel and Tina Sfondeles. — Campaign contributions surge amid debate over hemp regulation in Illinois, by the Sun-Times’ Robert Herguth and Mitchell Armentrout — While the state faces a tighter budget, Illinois’ schools chief ask for a boost in education funding, by Chalkbeat’s Samantha Smylie
| | CHICAGO | | — New Chicago school board sworn in as CTU president pushes to reach deal over contentious contract: Olga Bautista won the position of vice president of the board in a 12-7 vote. She served on Johnson’s transition team on the Environmental Justice Subcommittee, by the Tribune’s Rebecca Johnson and Ikram Mohamed. — CTA chief of staff named acting president as Dorval Carter prepares to leave office: “Nora Leerhsen joined the CTA in 2014 as a project coordinator and took on the role as President Dorval Carter’s chief of staff in 2018. She will be the first woman to lead the agency,” by the Sun-Times’ David Struett. — Chicago Teachers Union alleges paycheck errors, asks new school board to help reach contract deal, by Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin and Becky Vevea — Al Capone's 'sweetheart pistol' now on display in Las Vegas museum, by The Associated Press’ Rio Yamat
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Former Cook County employee Frank Calabrese will get $180,000 in a legal settlement: “He filed a federal whistleblower suit last year against Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele, an Evanston Democrat,” by WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos. — Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows clash before state Supreme Court: The question is whether Rolling Meadows should pay Arlington Heights more than $1 million “in misallocated sales taxes from Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant,” by the Daily Herald’s Christopher Placek. — Amid furor by foes, Mayor Biss’ ‘bold’ Evanston vision dealt a delay, by the Daily Northwestern’s Shun Graves
| | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — Ben Wikler, the Wisconsin Democratic Party chair, has been endorsed by Illinois-based Operation Swing State co-founders Patrick Hanley and Ben Head in his bid to be DNC chair. — Ken Martin gets an endorsement in DNC race as James Skoufis drops out, by POLITICO’s Elena Schneider — Endorsements: All four Democratic candidates for Elk Grove Township trustee — Phil Dukes, Rob Lugiai, Monika Stajniak and Jason Wynkoop — have been endorsed by the Chicago Federation of Labor.
| | MEDIA MATTERS | | — The Chicago Reader announces restructuring and layoffs: “In addition to the layoffs, CEO Solomon Lieberman submitted his resignation,” via the Reader.
| | Reader Digest | | We asked for the wildest place you’ve seen a coyote. Alexander Domanskis: “About 7 a.m. crossing Columbus Drive just north of Monroe Street from one side of Millennium Park to the other.” Daniel Goldwin: “On an NHL ice rink in Phoenix.” Charles Keller: “Besides my front lawn, the coyote that was caught at Quiznos in downtown Chicago in 2007.” William Kresse: “Near Roosevelt and Clark in the South Loop. It looked more frightened than fierce.” Jim Lyons: “Attacking the wild geese around the Sawyer Water Purification Plant.” Mike Matejka: “In my backyard in Normal, Ill.” Marilynn Miller: “In the grocery store produce department!” Chris Ruys: “In a fenced-in lot near my Streeterville home. She was there for days, running back and forth to the fascination of neighbors.” Barry Salzman: “Recently while taking a Lyft from an Aldi's to O'Hare Airport.” Michael Stokke: “My yard. Probably because I feed the deer.” Next question: When do you volunteer? Email skapos@politico.com
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05) spoke from the House floor to criticize President-elect Donald Trump and his allies for “threatening retribution against the Democrats and Republicans who served on the committee that investigated Jan. 6.” Quigley also called for Speaker Mike Johnson to approve the hanging of a plaque commemorating the police officers who defended the Capitol that day. Watch here. — Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) delivered a speech on the House floor earlier this week honoring activist José “Cha Cha” Jimenez, who died Jan. 10. Watch here.
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Israel, Hamas agree to halt fighting and free hostages, mediators say, by POLITICO’s Eric Bazail-Eimil, Eli Stokols and Nahal Toosi — Rubio’s not terrible, no drama, very cordial day: “Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who has lambasted other Trump Cabinet nominees, heaped praise on Rubio during the hearing,” by POLITICO’s Robbie Gramer — Why can’t Mike Johnson and John Thune just get along? by POLITICO’s Rachel Bade
| | EVENTS | | — Today at 1 p.m. CT: Attorney General Merrick Garland will deliver his farewell address to the Justice Department. Livestream here
| | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Jim Bray, Andy Shaw and John Straus for correctly answering that Joliet Junior College was founded in 1901 as an experimental postgraduate high school program. It was the first public community college in the country. TODAY’s QUESTION: Aside from their presidencies, what do Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan have in common? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | 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, game developer Max Temkin and political consultant John Lopez, who turns the big 6-0. -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 | | | | |
