The Capitol Fax Blog

• Reader comments closed for the weekend September 25, 2020
  *Keb’ Mo’ will play us out… But now I’m sitting here looking back wearing this stupid sweater
• *** UPDATED x2 *** Madigan declines invite to testify before House committee, denies he’s taking the 5th, again calls hearing a “political stunt,” asserts innocence, says Durkin had “intense involvement” with ComEd bill September 25, 2020
  * Click the pic for a better view… *** UPDATE 1 *** From the committee’s chair, Rep. Chris Welch… “As of 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, the Special Investigating Committee has received no formal indication of any witnesses planning to testify. “The committee will proceed as scheduled with our Tuesday, Sept. 29 hearing at [...]
• Thanks, sheriffs September 25, 2020
  * The Marshall Project… Since March, The Marshall Project has been tracking how many people are being sickened and killed by COVID-19 in prisons and how widely it has spread across the country and within each state. Illinois ranked 28th in infections per 10,000 prisoners. * Each dot represents one new Illinois state prisoner infection… * [...]
• Fun with numbers September 25, 2020
  * Tribune… The Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce launched an initiative Wednesday to get the state to spend a larger share of its advertising dollars on Black-owned media. The Coalition for Black Media Equity is seeking at least 8% of the state’s annual $2 billion marketing budget, or about $160 million, be spent on Black-owned media, [...]
• Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign updates September 25, 2020
  There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
• Question of the day September 25, 2020
  * Center Square… As lawmakers from both sides of the aisle at the Illinois statehouse continue to offer up ideas they believe must be implemented to curb corruption and clean up ethics, one is looking to give local prosecutors power to wiretap public corruption suspects. […] State Sen. John Curran Thursday with other Republicans laid out measures [...]
• HGOPs, Pritzker trade barbs over Stratton comments, tax hikes, budget cuts September 25, 2020
  * Background is here if you need it. House Republican Leader Jim Durkin today… Yesterday, Lt. Gov. Stratton threatened Illinois citizens with at least a 20 percent across the board income tax increase if their cherished tax increase hike amendment fails in November. That 20 percent comment is just a starting point, it is just [...]
• Census ruling might have unintended consequences for Illinois September 25, 2020
  * From Gov. Pritzker’s Friday press conference… Before we begin, I want to acknowledge some news that came out this morning. We’ve learned that the courts have ruled against the Trump administration’s unjust attempts to and the census earlier. Here in Illinois, we are working diligently to ensure an accurate and complete count. And we will [...]
• *** UPDATED x1 - 17 counties at warning level *** 2,514 new cases, 25 additional deaths, 1,637 in the hospital, 3.6 percent positivity rate September 25, 2020
  * Press release… The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,514 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 25 additional confirmed deaths. [...]
• Folks, it’s creepy when you do it, too September 25, 2020
  * DuPage Policy Journal… If you live in Reid McCollum’s neighborhood you’ll want to keep an eye over your shoulder. The 37-year-old Democratic activist has a habit of taking photos from his house Bodin Street home overlooking Dietz Park in Hinsdale. McCollum has taken to snapping photos of children in the park, sometimes those in early [...]