THE ILLINOIZE (holiday break edition): Legislature coming back Jan. 8...Dems planning to go it alone?...A protracted Speaker battle?...McConchie and Righter team up...35th LaSalle resident dies

December 31, 2020

Happy New Year’s Eve. Instead of stuffing our faces with the New Year’s Eve taco and guacamole specials at Mercadito, it will be considerably less exciting around here tonight. We hope you’re able to raise a glass with those you love and toast to what has to be a better 2021.

I told you we would only come back with another newsletter if something big happened, and here we are.

HOUSE RETURNS JAN. 8

The General Assembly, well, the House, at least, will return to Springfield for the first time since May.

Embattled Speaker Michael Madigan’s Chief of Staff, Jessica Basham, sent a memo to members yesterday informing them there will be a lame duck session beginning at January 8, and members should be prepared to stay in Springfield through inauguration January 13, or longer. More on that in a moment.

The House will again meet at the Bank of Springfield Center, formerly known as the Prairie Capital Convention Center in downtown Springfield.

What is on the lame duck agenda? We don’t really know. It’s expected there will be a push for police reform legislation, and we’re expecting some sort of elections bill to allow things like ballot drop boxes for the spring election. Beyond that, we’re not hearing much. Madigan reportedly told the House Black Caucus that he would pass a tax increase at the request of Governor JB Pritzker, but it appears Pritzker has not asked for such legislation. Though, don’t be surprised to see some sort of legislation closing tax “loopholes” before you see the Democrat supermajority legislature approve major spending cuts.

The Senate, by the way, has not informed members if they will be back on January 8, but Senators we’ve spoken to say they’re expecting to be back in Springfield around the same date as the House.

DEMS GOING IT ALONE?

We haven’t received official confirmation of this from either House Republicans or Senate Republicans, but I’m told by numerous legislators that no members of GOP leadership have been involved or informed about what Democrats expect to move during the aforementioned lame duck session.

That potentially means a couple of things: either Democrats don’t care about GOP input because they already have a supermajority in each chamber or they know they would never get Republican votes on anything they plan to move, so why bother with engaging them beforehand?

It could be a little of both.

“…AND POTENTIALLY LONGER.”

Those three words from Jessica Basham’s memo to House Democrats stuck with me.

Typically, the first day of session is a celebratory inauguration. The Speaker gets re-elected, everyone wears a boutonniere, and a freshman lawmaker’s kids are happy to get the day off school.

With the warning to prepare for session after January 13, Democrats may be settling in for a protracted battle for the Speaker’s gavel.

19 Democrats remain opposed to Madigan’s re-election as Speaker. If that bloc stays together, it would prevent Madigan from getting the 60 votes he needs. While Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) has announced her intention to run for Speaker, she has yet to announce any legislative endorsements.

A long battle for Speaker, especially during a pandemic, could be exhaustive and jam up major legislative initiatives.

From House Rules: “No legislative measure may be considered and no committees may be appointed or meet before the election of the Speaker.”

There’s precedent for this, too. In 1975, Democrats were split and it took 93 votes before two Republicans crossed party lines to elect Rep. Bill Redmond speaker. In 1977, it took the Senate 186 ballots and six weeks before they could name a new Senate President.

Only one member of the House remains from that 1975 battle for Speaker: Michael Madigan.

THE “RIGHTER” STUFF

State Senator Dale Righter (R-Charleston) didn’t seek re-election to the chamber this fall, but he isn’t going away.

Incoming Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) turned a few heads this week when he announced Righter would serve as his Chief of Staff. Righter will replace Brian Burian, who will stay on staff in another role.

The selection of Righter, who has been in Springfield as a State Representative then Senator since 1997 was met with praise throughout Republican circles.

Righter, 54, served as floor leader for former Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno and has long had the respect of members and staff (and me, for the record) for his understanding of policy and the operation of government. He is smart, thoughtful, organized, and will bring some much-needed policy chops to the role.

McConchie will get a new spokesperson, too. He’s hiring Whitney Barnes, currently with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, to replace Jason Gerwig, who is leaving Senate staff.

(Disclosure: I worked on Senate GOP staff from 2013-2014.)

35 DEAD IN LaSALLE

The LaSalle Veterans’ Home has announced a 35th resident has passed away following a COVID-19 outbreak that hit the facility in early November.

Here’s what we know:

• The facility ordered the inadequate hand sanitizer that was in resident rooms as well as PPE (like masks) that didn’t meet CDC standards.

• The facility administrator has been fired and the nursing director has been placed on leave.

• No IDVA employees, including Director Linda Chapa LaVia, who oversee the facility have been fired or resigned.

• We still don’t know why it took 12 days for the Illinois Department of Public Health to inspect the facility. It was their inspection that found the inadequate hand sanitizer and PPE.

• There is an Inspector General investigation ongoing, but there’s little telling how long it will take.

• The Attorney General is not, as far as we know, investigating the actions that have killed 35 veterans, nor are the State Police, though they haven’t confirmed that for us. The local State’s Attorney isn’t aware of any criminal investigation.

• The Governor’s office has continually railroaded our efforts to ask questions about the outbreak and what the Pritzker administration knew and how it acted (or failed to act).

Let’s just say, we’re not letting this go.

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR

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Happy New Year.