A quick take on what's happening in local politics, delivered weekday afternoons.
 From the Tribune's Lolly Bowean: "The five candidates running to replace Ald. Daniel Solis in the 25th Ward all agree that laws and official policies need to be put in place to curtail displacement and keep working-class immigrant families in Pilsen. "But while the candidates spent nearly two hours discussing their views on rent control measures, a city ordinance that would reform the Chicago Housing Authority and a community benefits agreement to protect residents from rising property taxes if the El Paseo trail is built, they could not avoid discussing the ward's outgoing alderman, whose involvement in a City Hall scandal was reported earlier this week." Read the full story here. |   |
 In an Op-Ed he penned for the Tribune, Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson says: "There is much public lamenting these days about codes of silence, whether it's about the Catholic Church, the Chicago Police Department or Hollywood. We might fairly ponder whether we should add the Chicago City Council to that group — when an alderman was reported to have violated that unspoken code, recriminations erupted. "In response to this week's reports that Ald. Danny Solis, 25th, wore a wire to record conversations with Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, who is the subject of a federal criminal complaint alleging attempted extortion, a chorus arose from some aldermen that is both discouraging and misguided and should not go unaddressed." Read it here. | |
 The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners confirms early voting for the municipal election will begin 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Loop "Super Site," 175 W.Washington St. Neighborhood polling sites throughout the city open next month. Technically, early voting should have started Jan. 17th — 40 days before the election, as prescribed by state law. But all those candidates trying to knock each other off the ballot in the mayor's race slowed things down. With the list officially winnowed from 20-plus to 14, it's go time. Find out everything you need to know about voting, from checking on whether you're registered (I did and found out I'm a voter in "good standing") to hours and locations for early voting sites, by visiting the official city election site here. Early voting goes until Feb. 25, the day before the election. And you also can to vote by mail. | |
 Durbin warned Maduro about 'sham' election: U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is taking sides as a political power struggle continues in Venezuela between President Nicolas Maduro and an opposition leader who has declared himself interim president. In a statement Durbin said he is standing with President Trump "and other nations in the region have appropriately recognized National Assembly President Juan Guaido as the constitutionally appropriate leader of Venezuela." On Twitter, Durbin also said he spoke with Guaido by phone Thursday and "I assured him of my strong support for a more peaceful and democratic future in Venezuela under his transitional leadership. The people of Venezuela deserve it." Durbin visited the South American country last year and warned him that moving ahead with a "sham election" would isolate and hurt his regime. "Tragically that is exactly what has happened," Durbin said in a statement. California Congressman and fellow Democrat Ro Khanna responded to Durbin on Twitter, saying in part: "With respect Senator Durbin, the US should not anoint the leader of the opposition in Venezuela during an internal, polarized conflict." Kelly to visit Chicago Coast Guard station as ranks go without second paycheck: A deal's afoot to reopen the federal government — if only temporarily — as a record shutdown put regular workers in the middle of a political battle between Trump and Democrats. That's not stopping Democratic U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly from doing a welfare check at the Calumet Harbor Coast Guard Station on Sunday. She'll meet with active duty guardsmen and guardswomen who missed a second paycheck on Friday because of the partial federal government shutdown. Considering they're called upon to help make rescues, among other duties, year-round — including subzero weather — that seems particularly cruel, Kelly's staff said. The Coast Guard is the only branch of the military whose ranks who have been working without pay during the shutdown. That's because it falls under the Department of Homeland Security. Other branches of the military are under the Department of Defense, which has been funded. | |
 From the Tribune's Mike Riopell: "The state's top ethics investigator wrote that "there is reasonable cause to believe" a former CTA staffer was hired because of his connections to a Democratic state senator, according to a report released Friday. The report from Illinois acting Executive Inspector General Susan Haling says Eric McKennie mentioned he was married to state Sen. Kim Lightford, D-Maywood, before his November 2016 hiring by the CTA to do diversity outreach work. And the report found that he didn't report working a full shift on 51 of the 57 days he was employed." Read the story here. ldonovan@chicagotribune.com Twitter @byldonovan | |
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