Topspin The Democratic governor candidates will take part in the first televised debate of the campaign at 6 p.m. Tuesday. You can watch the hourlong event live on NBC-Ch. 5 and Telemundo, which will carry Spanish subtitles. It'll stream live online too. The debate comes as Kenilworth businessman Chris Kennedy is trying to clarify his much-criticized remark from Friday that Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner should be "applauded" for speaking truth to power. On Monday, Kennedy said the governor deserves credit for taking on Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan and rival J.B. Pritzker. But Kennedy also said he has been an "absolute critic" of the GOP governor he wants to succeed and called Rauner "reprehensible" and "inhuman" in his treatment of state social programs. Pritzker and Evanston state Sen. Daniel Biss have hit Kennedy over the remark. It was Pritzker who was at the center of an attack-filled forum Friday as Democratic governor rivals accused him of being an insider who benefited from property tax breaks and questioned his relationship with former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. A live TV debate gives the candidates another opportunity to go after each other and a chance to get broadcast face time that they don't have to pay for. The platform also can amplify mistakes. All six Democratic candidates are scheduled to appear, according to organizers. The station describes the event as having a "roundtable-conversation format" that will include audience questions. It will be moderated by NBC-Ch. 5 political editor Carol Marin. Ahead of the televised forum, Pritzker will announce endorsements by four Democratic African-American elected officials: retiring state Sen. Donne Trotter of Chicago, and state Reps. Elgie Sims of Chicago and Al Riley of Olympia Fields, along with Chicago Ald. Howard Brookins. What's on tap *Mayor Rahm Emanuel will help open a company headquarters at noon, then later receive an award from Mobilitie. *Gov. Rauner has no public events. From the notebook *CTU backs Raoul: State Sen. Kwame Raoul got the backing of the Chicago Teachers Union on Monday, prompting a bit of a scuffle between the Chicago Democrat and one of his rivals. In backing Raoul, the CTU spurned former interim Chicago Public Schools CEO Jesse Ruiz, a lawyer who's also part of the crowded field vying to replace Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Raoul highlighted his support for one of the union's cherished policy demands: replacing Emanuel's appointed school board with an elected one. "We need to come to consensus in both the House and Senate and get this elected school board bill on the governor's desk," Raoul said during an appearance at CTU headquarters. "Democracy should not be denied to the citizens of the city of Chicago." Ruiz, who was the Chicago Board of Education vice president, fired back by repeating his own support for an elected board. He also accused Raoul of bragging "to me and to others that he was actually working to delay a pending bill" during a closed-door meeting in March. "I am sorry that the Chicago Teachers Union has been deceived by Kwame Raoul's empty rhetoric. Illinois voters don't need a duplicitous, ethically challenged attorney general," Ruiz said in a statement. A Raoul campaign spokesman said in an email Monday that "Sen. Raoul denies that this action took place." For the CTU, the attorney general race showcases its interest in wielding influence over who is the state's top legal officer. Last year's school funding debate featured a CPS-led (and failed) lawsuit that challenged Madigan and state government over how money is distributed to public schools. Legal battles, labor disputes and civil rights concerns are a regular feature of how the city's education policies play out. "The attorney general actually has become an important office for us," CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey told reporters while standing with Raoul at union headquarters. (Juan Perez Jr.) *Nothing to see here?: The Rauner administration and Illinois Secretary of State's office put out an email late Monday saying that the Capitol complex water system tested positive for legionella bacteria. Testing was done out of an abundance of caution after a pipe burst. Unlike the Quincy Veterans Home, there aren't a bunch of showers at the Capitol (Legionnaire's disease can be contracted after inhaling the bacteria in water during a shower). Our Springfield reporter Monique Garcia tweeted about the situation. *Endorsements: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle endorsed Ram Villivalam for Illinois Senate. He's running for the seat held by state Sen. Ira Silverstein. ... Citizens Action announced a slate of endorsements, including Pritzker for governor, Preckwinkle for board president and asset manager Fritz Kaegi for assessor. ... Biss announced endorsements from National Nurses United and Reclaim Chicago. ... And the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Service Employees International Union Illinois State Council are backing Jesus "Chuy" Garcia in the primary race to replace U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez in Congress. *Quick spins: Democratic attorney general candidate Aaron Goldstein announced a first TV ad themed "Standing Next to You." ... Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, who is running for re-election, announced that her office no longer will charge a $1 fee to pay property taxes online. The first installment is due March 1. ... The Illinois Department of Revenue announced state income tax return filers can start doing so on Jan. 29. Here is way more detail than you need: Given the tax hike halfway through the year, the agency announced most filers "will use a blended rate of 4.3549 percent." What we're writing *Kennedy: Rauner social service cuts "inhuman," but praises his anti-Madigan stand. *Federal workers in Chicago go home for the day, even as officials move to end the shutdown. *Rauner takes new jab at Madigan on property tax appeals, but impact likely limited. *Fumes and floods disrupt surgeries, emergency services at Jesse Brown VA. What we're reading *Campus pastor at North Park University suspended indefinitely for officiating gay wedding. *John Coleman, former Chicago meteorologist and Weather Channel co-founder, dies at 83. *Canada Goose sues alleged Chinese web counterfeiters, warns knockoff coats might not keep you warm. Follow the money *Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here. Beyond Chicago *Shutdown ends as Trump signs stopgap measure into law. Why Democrats lost their nerve in the shutdown battle. *How everyone voted on ending the shutdown. *Liberals angry that an immigration plan wasn't part of the deal. *Pence: U.S. Embassy will move to Jerusalem next year. | 
沒有留言:
張貼留言