THE ILLINOIZE: Big decision for Illinois GOP...The fire & brimstone response to criminal reform...Vaccine rollout...Ricketts likely out for Gov...Leone & Long...Happy Birthday, Mr. Speaker

February 5, 2021

Good morning.

As I kept reading about Governor JB Pritzker’s decision to allow the 177 members of the General Assembly to “skip the line” for the COVID-19 vaccination, my blood started to boil.

I thought about my sister-in-law. She’s young and has Multiple Sclerosis, an immune disorder of the central nervous system. I’ll spare you the details, but the pandemic has been hell for her, scared to death that one interaction with an infected person or one careless moment wouldn’t just make her sick, but it could be much, much worse.

You don’t have to tell me about continuity of government. I get it. We need a General Assembly, especially with a gigantic budget hole that the Democratic majority must (we hope) address. But, between masks and hand sanitizer and distancing, how much safer will legislators be? Yes, there were positive cases from the lame duck session, and they forced me to quarantine for two weeks and get tested.

I heard yesterday that the Governor’s decision just moved lawmakers into “Phase 1B” and they would still have to battle for an appointment like everyone else. Then rumors started to fly yesterday that the Governor was ordering a special vaccination site to be set up for legislators, potentially the one day the House is in session next week. The Governor’s office, of course, wouldn’t return our message confirming the plan.

I’m all for elderly lawmakers or those with pre-existing conditions to get vaccinated when they need to, but there’s no reason to have young and healthy lawmakers jump the line, especially over people like my sister-in-law, or the cancer survivor in your family, or the transplant recipient who lives down the street.

I know it’s just 177 vaccinations, and in a state of 12.7 million people, it doesn’t really change the game. But it’s bad PR and makes lawmakers look worse than ever. And it just makes no sense that Governor Pritzker, who has begged people to follow his rules for months, makes such a blatant exception.

Off soapbox.

Let’s get into it.

THE BIG GOP DECISION

The Republican party is in bad shape.

The recently deposed President never admitted he lost and inspired a throng of loyalists to raid the Capitol to stop the certification of the Electoral College.

A QAnon supporting member of Congress is getting more media attention than the policies the GOP is trying to support or legislation it’s trying to stop.

Then there’s Illinois, where the GOP has no state constitutional offices, the Governor has unlimited money, and they’re still in the super minority in the House and Senate.

So why do three guys want to be state GOP chairman?

Don Tracy, a Springfield attorney who ran for Lt. Governor in 2010, Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder, and Lake County GOP Chairman Mark Shaw will present to the 17-member GOP State Central Committee Saturday.

As I’ve talked to Republicans “in the know” in the last few days, they say Tracy can hang his hat on fundraising, Shaw on a grassroots party building plan, and Gryder seems to be the best potential media spokesman of the group.

For their part, committeemen say they’re keeping an open mind, but most think the race is truly “wide open,” though one voter said it appears like it will come down to Tracy and Shaw.

Here’s my full writeup on the race.

If you’re wondering why it matters who is state GOP Chairman, Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), one of the central committeemen, said its all about JB Pritzker.

“The Republican Party needs to remove JB Pritzker before he can do any more damage to the state. The person to help us do that is important,” Rose said. “He has poorly bungled the vaccine rollout, he’s signing budgets that are billions of dollars out of balance. And he’s changing the rules for the pandemic on the fly. We can’t afford four more years of JB Pritzker.”

FIRE AND BRIMSTONE OR FEARMONGERING?

The justice system failed Cassandra Tanner-Miller. Less than two years ago, she endured an unimaginable tragedy in her home in Joliet. Her estranged husband nearly beat her to death, badly hurt her daughter, and shot and killed her 18-month-old son. Her ex, Christopher Miller, then killed himself.

“I sit here every day struggling, wondering what we can be doing to protect people,” Tanner-Miller said Thursday. “The criminal justice system needs reforms, but this [legislation] is not reform, this is dismantling.”

She joined House Republicans Thursday urging Governor JB Pritzker to veto the sweeping criminal justice reform bill passed during last month’s lame duck session.

“More Christopher Millers are going to be let out, putting victims, particularly domestic violence victims, in harm’s way,” she said.

Republicans are continuing to turn up the heat on the legislation, which was passed in the House about 15 minutes before the 101st General Assembly adjourned sine die.

They complain the elimination of cash bail will allow more violent, or potentially violent criminals, like Christopher Miller, out on the streets.

But a top House Black Caucus member says the GOP is fearmongering.

“That suggests we’re going to open up the prison doors and everybody who is out there committing crimes is going to be let go and they’re just going to go back in the streets and [start] committing crimes again. I’m trying very hard not to pull the race card, but you tell people in certain communities, ‘the Black Caucus just wants to let everybody out of jail, so you better be careful,’ there’s no need for that.”

Here’s our story from Ben Garbarek.

VACCINE ROLLOUT

Almost 300,000 COVID-19 vaccines are sitting on shelves and have not been distributed in the state.

The state is reporting 1,156,453 vaccines have been distributed, but nearly 300,000 are still awaiting to be distributed.

Republicans have criticized Govenror JB Pritzker for the slow rollout of the vaccinations in Illinois, and columnist Mark Konkol writes he doesn’t even trust Pritzker’s math.

Republican legislators have been outspoken, too.

“Our dismal vaccine distribution ranking isn’t new news, yet nothing seems to be changing. It is beyond frustrating that communities with high numbers of vulnerable populations, such as Monroe County, have only been allocated a few hundred doses per week,” said Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro). “We shouldn’t have eligible residents who have waited in fear for months being turned away at vaccine clinics.”

CVS announced yesterday it was sending 80,000 doses that had been set aside for nursing homes to pick up vaccinations downstate.

Pritzker is touring a mass vaccination site in Rockford this morning.

RICKETTS STAYS IN RNC POST

Here’s the Sun-Times story on how Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts has been reappointed as fundraising chairman for the Republican National Committee.

Ricketts had been said to be considering running for Governor in 2022, though his close association to Donald Trump was likely complicating those prospects.

I didn’t hear back from his spokesman last night, but we’re under the impression staying in the RNC post means Ricketts won’t run for Governor next year.

CONDOLONCES

Two fixtures in Springfield-area politics passed away Wednesday.

Sangamon County Republican Chair Rosemarie Long passed away after contracting COVID-19 in November.

Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) memorialized Long on the House floor yesterday.

“I know that without Rose’s guidance, without Rose’s friendship, without Rose’s support, I would not be blessed to serve as a member of Congress. And one thing about Rose, she was not shy at all about letting me know of her concerns about what we may or may not be doing right for her in this institution,” he said.

Tony Leone also passed away Wednesday.

He served as Chief Clerk or as Assistant Clerk of the Illinois House from 1979-1992. He was House Clerk for George Ryan’s term as Speaker from 1981-1983.He was then Director of the Index Department for the Secretary of State (1992-1995). He later lobbied and, in recent years, became known for his incredible work restoring the Pasfield House in downtown Springfield.

Former State Representative Sara Wojcicki Jimenez, who used to be a reporter at WICS-TV, told us she was always drawn to Leone’s love for the community.

"I met Tony very early in my career and he was always available for an interview or to share a story. We loved his love for history, Springfield, the capitol and the Pasfield House. My husband, Jose, and I had our rehearsal dinner there and Tony was the ultimate, warm host. He always wanted you to feel comfortable and welcome. We are praying for his family during this difficult time and will always be grateful to them for sharing Tony with our community."

I met Rose Long in 2012 during Rodney Davis’ first campaign for Governor and I met Leone for the first time when I somehow wound up at a Dan Hynes event at the Pasfield House in, I think, 2007. Both were kind and welcoming and wonderful people.

Our prayers for their families.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday tomorrow to new House Speaker Chris Welch. He was born 2/6/71, almost exactly a month after his predecessor, Michael Madigan, was sworn in to the House for the first time. Welch, a former baseball player at Northwestern, will be 50. No word on if he can still hit a curveball.

He also reads the newsletter, so Mr. Speaker- call me!

Rep. Robyn Gabel celebrates on Sunday.

(PS- send birthdays of note to me at patrick@theillinoize.com. Even if you think I probably have it. You’d be surprised how many legislators don’t have theirs out publicly. I’m just one guy and I don’t have the birthdate of everyone!)

ONE LAST THING…

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Have a great weekend.