Pritzker zeroes in on Roe- POLITICO

Happy Monday, Illinois. We’ve got something up our sleeve…

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Gov. JB Pritzker is working on various fronts to push back at the U.S. Supreme Court’s potential plan to overturn Roe v. Wade, as reported last week by POLITICO.

The billionaire governor will continue to look for ways to financially support efforts to protect abortion rights, according to a source close to his campaign. He’s also been in conversations with Democratic governors about how states might rally if access to abortion is taken away in red or purple states.

And he’s identified suburban women voters as a key factor in the race for governor.

Illinois expects to see people from Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa come to Illinois for reproductive care if Roe is overturned, Pritzker told MSNBC over the weekend. All of those states “have already started to restrict women’s reproductive rights or they have trigger laws that revert them to becoming anti-choice states,” he said. “We’re a protective island for anyone who comes here.”

Pritzker joined some 1,000 protesters in the Loop on Saturday for a rally supporting abortion rights. “I’m proud Illinois is an island for reproductive freedom in the Midwest,” he told the crowd. “Our shores remain open for any person left marooned by these extremist politicians.” The governor’s advocacy for abortion isn’t new. He’s often told stories of his late mom taking him to abortion-rights rallies and protests in the 1970s.

The state already offers funding to Planned Parenthood, and the governor’s office is keeping tabs on the needs of a newly built clinic in Metro East near St. Louis, Mo., as it provides housing and meals to those seeking reproductive health care.

All this is to say that the draft Supreme Court opinion on Roe has put the issue of abortion front and center for the governor in his official capacity as well as a political candidate.

Pritzker acknowledged as much. “In Illinois we have a heated gubernatorial race that I’m running in, a bunch of state legislators are in tough races, and we want to make sure we elect a pro-choice majority that we need,” he told MSNBC.

Pritzker’s concern is prompted by efforts for a nationwide ban on abortion if Republicans regain control of Congress and the White House.

RELATED

— Suburban women voters in Illinois are key in race for governor, by Tribune’s Rick Pearson

— ‘Call Jane’: How Chicago and suburban women defied authority to provide abortions in the 1970s, by Daily Herald’s Marni Pyke

— POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein, who broke the Roe story, says the Supreme Court was “not a terribly transparent institution” before the disclosure of the draft opinion but access is now “even harder,” via Twitter.

— Chicago protesters flood downtown in support of abortion rights with Roe v. Wade in the balance, by Sun-Times’ Mary Norko

— Richard Irvin noticeably quiet on Roe, by Capitol News’ Jerry Nowicki

— Mayoral candidate Willie Wilson weighs in: “The Supreme Court should leave things as it is. I’m definitely pro-choice. We shouldn’t tell anyone what to do with their bodies,” via Chicago Crusader’s Erick Johnson.

— Telemedicine abortion providers see a surge in interest, by POLITICO’s Ben Leonard

— Column: The abortion debate is a textbook example of American political polarization, writes WVON’s Kimberly Egonmwan in Center for Illinois Politics

— On this day in 1960, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved “the pill.”

DETAILS OF BIDEN’S VISIT TO ILLINOIS: President Joe Biden will headline a fundraising reception for the Democratic National Committee in Chicago on Wednesday. Pritzker will host the president at the event where top tickets are going for $365,000, according to Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet.

Earlier in the day, Biden will visit a Kankakee family’s farm to promote the administration’s work on food supply and inflation and how it’s been affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.according to the White House, which calls it the “Putin Price Hike.”

The president will also address the 40th International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ International Convention in Chicago.

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At McCormick Place at 9 a.m. to give remarks at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers International Convention. … At Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep School at 10:45 a.m. to announce funding for Lake County Regional Stormwater Projects.

At City Hall at 1 p.m. with community leaders to provide an update on reproductive health investments.

No official public events.

— SCOOP | Luis Gutierrez, Chuy Garcia endorsement divide in new Illinois Latino congressional district: “The Sun-Times has learned that ex-Rep. Luis Gutierrez and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza on Monday will endorse the Democratic primary bid of Ald. Gil Villegas,” by Lynn Sweet.

— IRVIN EMERGES: Republican governor candidate Richard Irvin will headline a press conference today at his campaign headquarters in Aurora to address the Illinois Auditor General’s report that scrutinizes the Pritzker administration’s handling of the Covid-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans Home that left 36 dead. Irvin will be joined by his running mate Avery Bourne as well as state Sen. Sue Rezin, the deputy minority leader, and state Rep. David Welter.

— PENCE VISIT: Former VP Mike Pence headlines the Peoria-Tazewell Lincoln Day Dinner next month. Congressman Darin LaHood’s campaign says Pence will keynote the June 20 event. The address will come eight days before the Illinois primary. “Illinois will be a key battleground for taking back the House this November, and I look forward to welcoming Vice President Pence to Peoria,” LaHood said in a release. Details on how to sign up are still being finalized.

— State Rep. Ann Williams is endorsing Anna Valencia for secretary of state.

— Chris Butler has been endorsed by ministers, including Bill Dukes, James Ford, and E. Charles Moodie, in his bid for the 1st District congressional seat.

— Kathy Salvi has been endorsed by the Lake County GOP in the crowded Republican race to challenge Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth.

Machine politics never dies: Firefighter Eric Mattson, who’s running to represent the 43rd state Senate seat that’s been held by former Sen. John O’Connor, was appointed to the seat over the weekend.

How convenient: The move was designed to give Matson an edge in the June primary over Democrat Rachel Ventura, a Will County board member who’s also running for the seat. O’Connor stepped down a month ago to care for a family member.

Ventura shaking her head: “The local political machinery decided to give their guy an advantage and to once again put their thumb on the scale in this primary election,” Ventura said in a statement. “They could have just as easily appointed a qualified person who is not running for this seat.”

Political power play: Insiders have worried that Mattson, a moderate Dem with establishment support, will have a tough time against Ventura, a progressive who ran for Congress in 2020 and has higher name recognition.

The machine chugs along: It is the third instance in a few weeks in which seated state Democratic senators made room for their buddies to take over their legislative seats.

Last month, state Sens. Antonio Muñoz and Steve Landek stepped away from their campaigns, allowing their close allies to ease into the seats with no challengers in their primaries.

— Illinois’ bond rating gets another upgrade: “S&P Global is the third ratings agency to raise the state’s credit following last month’s budget enactment. Good news for Gov. Pritzker on the eve of his re-election bid,” by Crain’s Steve Daniels.

… Illinois credit rating history, chart via NPR’s Hannah Meisel on Twitter

— Ceremony honors officers killed in the line duty, by Capitol News’ Grace Kinnicutt

— On Mother’s Day, these moms and activists gather to bring attention to missing children, by Tribune’s Tatyana Turner

— Illinois credit rating history, chart via NPR’s Hannah Meisel on Twitter

Chicago mayor’s race 2023 lineup: Who is in, who is out, who is undecided, by Tribune’s Gregory Pratt

— The Polish Constitution Day parade drew a crowd in downtown Chicago on Saturday. Lightfoot addressed the crowd, praising the Polish community for “standing up for Ukrainians.”

— Violence resonates downtown as city’s center reflects troubles in its neighborhoods: “Chicagoans feel like they own the Loop. If the center of our city experiences this kind of violence, it hits everybody in a way,” Northwestern University’s Bill Savage tells the Tribune’s Annie Sweeney and Paige Fry

— Court says city of Chicago overcharged residents for vehicle sticker violations: “Attorney Jacie Zolna, who represents three residents in a lawsuit that led to the ruling, said the decision sets the stage for a possible class-action lawsuit that could see hundreds of millions of dollars in ticket debt come under scrutiny,” by Tribune’s John Keilman and Gregory Pratt

— Chicago rolls the dice on Bally’s. Hedge fund owner Soo Kim says casino company will deliver, by Tribune’s Robert Channick

…Ald. Brendan Reilly condemns 11th-hour ‘switcheroo’ to Medinah Temple as site for temporary casino, by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman

… Mary Mitchell Column: The prospect Roe v. Wade might be overturned could bring back painful memories for many, via Sun-Times

— CPS expands access to remote learning program: ‘For kids who are high risk … this is a very good option,’ by Tribune’ Tracy Swartz

— Why Boeing’s exit is causing a shrug: “The company mostly kept to itself here. Those who expected it to do more ended up being very frustrated,” by Robertt Reed in Crain’s.

… Column | Sun-Times’ Neil Steinberg to Boeing: Don’t let the door hit you in the …

— Chuoy the buoy is latest technology to gather data on Lake Michigan, by WTTW’s Patty Wetli

— The floodgates are opening. “The next 3 nights will see the biggest migration movement of the season so far in Chicago. Millions of birds will fly through Cook County, including warblers, who are frequent collision victims,” according to Chicago Bird Collision Monitors via Twitter.

— Federal grant will fund work to digitize historical maps of Chicago, according to the University of Chicago

— Cubs’ attendance is down, their payroll down more, their starting pitching down for the count, by NBC Sports’ Gordon Wittenmyer

— Chicago artist Hebru Brantley’s first statue inspires ‘wonderment’ at Navy Pier, by Mary Norko

— GREAT READ | A suburb at a crossroads held its first Queer Prom. It sold out: “Organizers behind the Fox River Valley’s first Queer Prom worried there might be protesters. No protesters came, but plenty of teens and their parents did, all searching for a place where they could feel accepted,” by Aaron Gettinger for WBEZ with photography by Brittany Sowacke.

— HIGHER-ED: How suburban colleges are helping students get jobs in growing green economy, by Daily Herald’s Doug T. Graham

— Why Buffalo Grove is buying warehouse for $13M to house public works, by Daily Herald’s Katlyn Smith

— Judge soundly rejects resentencing bid backed by prosecutors and sends man back to prison: “Have a safe trip to Danville,” says Cook County Judge Stanley Sacks in denying prosecutors’ bid to release a man from prison a year early. It would have been “a preliminary test of the State’s Attorney’s new initiative to push for resentencing longtime inmates ‘in the interest of justice,’” writes Tribune’s Megan Crepeau.

— Tom Dart, in an about-face, says he’ll comply with judge’s order banning furloughs for defendants on home confinement: “The sheriff initially defied Judge Edward Maloney’s order, saying a new law requires the furloughs, but changed his mind after the Sun-Times posted a story Friday about the case,” by Sun-Times’ Frank Main.

— Class action accuses Cook County sheriff of overcharging people to serve court papers: Tom Dart’s office is accused of “ignoring” the $35 statutory cap on filing lawsuits and instead, “charging litigants $60 for each attempt at Service of Process,” according to the lawsuit, via Cook County Record’s Jonathan Bilyk

— Judicial watchdog files complaint against appellate judge accused of interfering in nephew’s case, by Injustice Watch’s Jonah Newman

We asked what unusual fact you still remember from high school: Community activist Mike Matejka memorized Cicero’s second oration against catiline in Latin. … Comms exec Kristin Tassi: “From high school biology, I will never forget that amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Can’t think of a time I’ve needed that intel, but I have it if I ever do!” … And NFP Consulting’s Kelly Kleiman was in 6th grade when she made a papier-mache brain with a black wool spot representing a tumor. “I still remember that the dura mater is the hard (dura) covering over part of the brain and that there’s also something called the pia mater.”

In a few words, what personality traits make Chicagoans different from the rest of the country? Email [email protected]

— Democrats’ last, best chance to save the House, by POLITICO’s Ally Mutnick and Sarah Ferris

— How the Jan. 6 panel broke through Trump allies’ stonewalling, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney and Nicholas Wu

— Zelenskyy tells Putin not to ‘appropriate’ victory against Nazis, by POLITICO’s Camille Gijs

— U2’s Bono performs in Kyiv bomb shelter, by The Associated Press… Watch here, and here, via Twitter

Second City alum and prolific character actor Mike Hagerty dies: The ‘Somebody Somewhere’ star’s “face and blue-collar Chicago accent were immediately recognizable,” by Sun-Times’ Mitch Dudek.

— Yael Sheinfeld is now Illinois press secretary for the Democratic Governors Association. Sheinfeld previously was press secretary and digital director for Massachusetts’ Rep. Lori Trahan.

— Elizabeth Pickerill is now chief information officer at the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. She most recently was a consultant at IDJJ.

— MEDIAWATCH: Isis Almeida has been named the new Chicago bureau chief of Bloomberg News. She currently is the team leader for gas, power and renewables in Europe for Bloomberg

Congrats to winners of the Headline Club of Chicago’s best political and government reporting: Bloomberg’s Jason Grotto, Caleb Melby, Mira Rojanasakul, and Paul Murray for “America’s Inequitable Property Tax;” Hyde Park Herald’s Aaron Gettinger for “Why Ald. Taylor, hesitant of the vaccine, got her shot;” and WTTW News Team for “Chicago Tonight: January 6th Special.” Here’s the full list of winners.

FRIDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Aaron Lowe and John Mark Hansen for correctly answering that the 8th Illinois Infantry Regiment was the first American regiment to be commanded entirely by African American officers. They served in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. The 8th Illinois Regiment would later become the 370th U.S. Infantry Regiment and was the only African American regiment commanded entirely by Black officers in World War I.

TODAY’s QUESTION:When a mob-backed scheme to sell horse meat mixed with beef was discovered, what derisive nickname did the Chicago Tribune give to the resulting hamburgers? Email [email protected]

World Business Chicago CEO Michael Fassnacht, Personal PAC founder Marcie Love, Heartland Alliance senior policy advocacy director Rachel Ruttenberg, BuiltIn senior editorial director Nicholas Jackson, and the late Mayor Chicago Anton Cermak.

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