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January 11, 2018 | ||
Morning Spin | ||
Topspin Democratic governor candidate Chris Kennedy is continuing his war of words with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, accusing the mayor of "sitting on the sideline" over the property tax assessment system run by Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios. "For the mayor to be sitting on the sideline when Joe Berrios runs a system of assessments in Cook County that absolutely, absolutely punish people of color, whether it's in suburban Cook County or the African-American wards in the city itself, if I shouldn't criticize the mayor, are you saying the mayor shouldn't criticize Joe Berrios? Where is his voice now?" Kennedy said at a news conference on Wednesday in Pilsen. Kennedy has called for Berrios' ouster after the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois published "The Tax Divide," an investigation that found Berrios' office's assessments were so riddled with errors that they created deep inequities favoring owners of expensive commercial properties and homes at the expense of owners of smaller business properties and less expensive homes. Emanuel has not criticized Berrios and has said little about the issue, other than acknowledging there needs to be an "look" at the system to "make sure there is fairness." Kennedy's latest comments came after he last week accused Emanuel of leading a "strategic gentrification plan" aimed at forcing African-Americans and other minorities out of Chicago to make the city "whiter" and wealthier. In response, Emanuel accused Kennedy of making a "hallucinatory" insult. The mayor also said the heir to the iconic Massachusetts political family had asked for Emanuel's endorsement. Kennedy on Wednesday denied it. "I did not. No," Kennedy told reporters. "I didn't do that, and frankly, I'm not sure his endorsement would be helpful with the voters." Asked for a response, Emanuel's team did not address Kennedy's comments about Berrios. They did, however, address the issue of an endorsement request. "Yes, he did ask," Emanuel spokesman Adam Collins said later. "Chris knows the truth." (Rick Pearson, Bill Ruthhart)
What's on tap *Mayor Emanuel will announce nerve centers in two police districts. *Gov. Bruce Rauner has no public events scheduled. *The State Board of Elections will meet and consider challenges to the ballot spots of more than two dozen candidates, including Democratic attorney general hopeful Scott Drury. What won't be decided at this meeting: Whether state Sen. Ira Silverstein will be on the March primary ballot. That case is handled by the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners and is ongoing. *Two council committees meet, and one is scheduled to talk about "textalyzer" technology that purports to tell if a driver was using a phone before a wreck.
From the notebook *Pritzker gets more teacher union backing: Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker now has the backing of the state's two major teachers' unions after the endorsement of the Illinois Education Association. Pritzker got the support of the Illinois Federation of Teachers last month, and the IEA endorsement represents a further consolidation of organized labor money and resources behind the billionaire entrepreneur and investor. IEA President Kathi Griffin cited "Pritzker's strong commitment to funding K-12 education, his promise to invest in higher education, his pledge to protect collective bargaining rights and his willingness to enact a progressive income tax that matched our goals for public education in Illinois" as the reason behind the endorsement. The IEA has more than 135,000 members and becomes one of 30 union and organized labor groups that have backed Pritzker's candidacy. (Rick Pearson) *Hastings gets title on White's re-election campaign: State Sen. Michael Hastings of Tinley Park raised some eyebrows when he filed petitions appearing to challenge longtime Democratic Secretary of State Jesse White. But Hastings has formally withdrawn from the March primary. And now White has named him as an "honorary co-chair" of the re-election campaign. White was first elected to the post in 1998. Hastings filed petitions for secretary of state as a backup after he said he had heard from forces backing White that the 83-year-old secretary of state might drop out in favor of a political protege. That didn't happen. (Rick Pearson) *Quick spins: "I'm not goin' away! All right!" is how former Gov. Pat Quinn responded when "when asked if it isn't time for him to let the next generation to run for attorney general," according to a tweet from WLS-AM radio reporter Bill Cameron. ... Weeks after congressional Republicans approved their tax overhaul, U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam has moved from head of the Ways and Means Committee's tax policy arm to the Subcommittee on Health. ... Jesus "Chuy" Garcia won the endorsement of the SEIU State Council in his bid to replace U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez in Congress. ... The Illinois AFL-CIO endorsed Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski of Western Springs in his primary bid for re-election against challenger Marie Newman.
What we're writing *Rauner hits Pritzker with Blagojevich wiretap ad, Pritzker responds with veterans' deaths spot. Read the June Tribune scoop on the audio. *More than two years after bacteria outbreak, Rauner proposes task force to figure out veterans home fixes. *City agrees to pay $9.3 million for wrongful conviction tied to Burge detectives. *Racism, sexism persist at Chicago water department despite leadership change, workers allege. *Appointment of Chicago school board member to top CPS post conflicts with law. *Car booted in a private lot? Getting it back soon could cost $30 more. *Chicago "Dreamers" study, save and plan for the worst while Congress debates immigration relief. *Admission fee hikes approved for Museum of Science and Industry and the Chicago History Museum. *CTA extends 31st Street bus service through June. *Wisconsin launches ad blitz to lure Chicago millennials. (Fact check: In the video, the sleepy-looking people on a CTA train aren't looking at their phones.)
What we're reading *Chicago radio's Milt Rosenberg dies at 92. *A good mechanic is hard to find, and even harder to lose. *Lyft launching Chicago craft beer to offer ride discounts, push its brand.
Follow the money *Democratic candidate for attorney general Sharon Fairley reported giving her campaign $100,000. *Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here.
Beyond Chicago *Trump doesn't commit to Mueller interview. *Congress considers bringing back earmarks. *Trump calls libel law a sham. *Death toll rises in California mudslides. |
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