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Pritzker, Bailey, liars and debates

Good Monday morning, Illinois. It was nice to get caught up on all the political ads watching Saturday Night Live.

Facing off this week are Gov. JB Pritzker, left, seen during a press conference in Chicago on Sept. 14, 2022, and state Sen. Darren Bailey, photographed at a primary election night party in Effingham, Ill., on June 28, 2022. | Pat Nabong/Chicago Sun-Times via AP and Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

DEBATE WEEK: Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey are taking swipes at each other ahead of Thursday’s face-to-face debate.

Over the weekend, Bailey questioned Pritzker’s patriotism, saying the governor’s campaign events don’t prominently show the flag, according to the Tribune’s Rick Pearson.

The irony of it: In fact, during a virtual forum on Friday, it was Pritzker appearing with an American flag, not Bailey, as Pritzker’s campaign manager, Mike Ollen, pointed out in a tweet.

That forum also revealed the candidates have “a starkly different vision for Illinois,” reports ABC 7’s Craig Wall.

They each called the other a liar. NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern.

Two curtain-raisers offer better context about the candidates and their accomplishments, as opposed to their campaign rhetoric.

Pritzker’s record: Pritzker says his most important accomplishments have been improving the state’s finances and guiding the state through the pandemic. “Popularity is not something you think about when you’re thinking about every day, looking at a dashboard as I did, how many people died the previous day. And so, I learned a lot going through that,” he told Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles.

Bailey’s record: Bailey’s developed a public persona of a working farmer tackling cultural issues. “I have to sit at the end of every day and consider, what am I going to tell my family, my grandkids, someday?” Am I just going to serve here and collect a check and go back home and tell my voters that I’m fighting for you but all the time knowing that there’s nothing that I can do? Or am I going to expose the problem that Illinois is in decline?” he told WBEZ’s Dave McKinney.

Thursday’s debate is at 7 p.m. and can be viewed across the state. All the details.

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SCOOP: Gov. JB Pritzker has given $350,000 to Democrat Josh Shapiro in his run for Pennsylvania governor. It’s all part of Pritzker’s effort to fund governor candidates who he sees as key to keeping abortion rights legal in their states. Pritzker has given an additional $100,000 to Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The Midwestern governors had previously received $250,000 from Pritzker this election cycle.

The Illinois governor also gave $100,000 each to Maine Gov. Janet Mills and Democratic governor challengers Charlie Crist in Florida and Beto O’Rourke in Texas.

Notable as they are, the donations pale compared to the nearly $11 million Pritzker gave to Illinois Democrats up and down the ticket in recent weeks.

From the campaign: “JB is focused on pro-choice candidates up and down the ballot in Illinois,” Pritzker campaign manager Mike Ollen told Playbook. “He also won’t hesitate to support leaders in other states who are on the right side of history supporting women in the wake of Roe’s repeal.”

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Chicago’s transportation, distribution and logistics (TD&L) industry is one of the nation’s largest, and a significant pillar in our local economy. The metro area boasts the nation’s #1 port (by value), the largest intermodal facility, the most TD&L firms in the country, and the second largest TD&L workforce in the U.S. Chicago’s logistics tech vertical saw a 802% increase in growth capital, private equity and VC between 2019 and 2021. Find out why Chicago leads by following the Chicago Venture Summit online.

Erika Harold, speaking to students at Southern Illinois University on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, isn't ruling out another run for office.

Erika Harold, speaking to students at Southern Illinois University on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, isn’t ruling out another run for office. | POLITICO’s Shia Kapos

Erika Harold isn’t on the midterm ballot, but she’s not ruling out a future run for office.

Harold’s history: She’s a former Miss America — she ran to pay to go to Harvard Law School — ran unsuccessfully for Illinois attorney general in 2018 and Congress in 2014. Now she’s executive director of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. The organization is charged by the high court with promoting “integrity, professionalism and civility” among lawyers and judges in Illinois.

That’s the issue she discussed Friday at a Paul Simon Public Policy Institute forum at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, saying a lack of civility “discourages people from running” for office or working in the legal field. She should know, she practiced law before her current job.

On public office: Asked whether she might consider running again, Harold said: “I don’t know. Not anytime soon. Right now, I very much love what I’m doing and am making the kind of impact that I want.”

Have a news tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? I’d like to hear from you: [email protected]

No official public events.

In City Hall at 10 a.m. to deliver the 2023 Budget Address to the City Council.

No official public events.ti

— Illinois criticized over funding equity for low-income schools: “According to a recent report from the Partnership for Equity and Education Rights Illinois and the Education Law Center, despite five years of using the state’s new Evidence-Based Funding formula, 1.7 million students from 83 percent of Illinois school districts still attend underfunded schools,” by Tribune’s Karen Ann Cullotta.

— Central Illinois police training for mental health cases questioned, and involuntary commitment issues remain, reports Kelsey Turner of Invisible Institute, headed by Jamie Kalven

— Q&A with Illinois State Museum director of tribal relations: “I’ll be responsible for the management and caretaking of the historic sites across Illinois that have a significant tribal presence [including] two state boarding school sites that will be in need of some interpretation and some caretaking,” Heather Miller tells Native News Online.

— Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced Friday that her office has paid $107 million in Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants for higher-education students some two-and-a-half months early. “It’s a far cry from the bad old days of the budget impasse [that] left Illinois universities with decimated funding,” she told students at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Democratic state Treasurer Michael Frerichs and Republican state Rep. Tom Demmer, both in file photos, are competing for the state treasurer seat in November.

State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, left, speaks during an Illinois Bicentennial event in 2018 in Springfield, Ill. And State Rep. Tom Demmer answers questions from the media at the Illinois Capitol in 2020. | John O’Connor/AP Photo and Pool Photo by Ted Schurter

— Illinois treasurer candidates Mike Frerichs, Tom Demmer spar over role of office: “Demmer, a five-term Republican state representative from Dixon, called Frerichs a ‘rubber stamp’ for Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration who has supported various tax hikes over the years…. Frerichs, a Democrat, argued that Demmer would be an obstructionist rather than an advocate. He said Demmer acted as former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s floor leader on failed budgets that led to a two-year budget impasse during Rauner’s single term in office,” by Daily Herald’s Jake Griffin.

— Supreme ad buy: The independent expenditure committee All for Justice placed $3 million ad buy for an ad titled “One Seat” attacking Republican Supreme Court candidates Justice Michael Burke and Mark Curran on the issue of reproductive rights. The committee also “plans to spend millions more” against Burke and Curran, who the group describes as “extremist.” Burke faces Justice Mary Kay O’Brien in the 3rd District, and Curran faces Judge Elizabeth Rochford in the 2nd District.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Nikki Budzinski reports her campaign has raised more than $1 million in the third quarter of 2022. A Democrat, Budzinski, is running in the IL-13 Congressional District.

— In IL-06, Congressman Sean Casten has a six-figure digital ad featuring the endorsement of Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. Both Casten and Dart are Democrats. The ad focuses on Casten’s support of funding for law enforcement.

— FOR THE BOOKS: Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White joined Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic nominee for the seat, on the campaign trail in Metro East last week. They visited a library to voice opposition to Proud Boys and other far-right groups pushing for books to be banned or removed from libraries.

— Mystery gift: A $200,000 donation was made to Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison’s personal campaign fund by Coalition to Cut Taxes. The unknown group is registered at 440 S. LaSalle, according to the campaign disclosure. Crain’s says “that’s the same building in which mega-GOP fund-raiser Ron Gidwitz’s business has an office.” Morrison chairs the Cook County Republican Party.

— In the 55th State House District, Republican candidate Michael Lupo has been endorsed by the Metropolitan Alliance of Police Chapter 240 representing Des Plaines police patrol officers.

— The national wave of unfounded election-fraud accusations does not spare Illinois: “Conspiracy theorists inundate election officials across the state with form letters demanding voter records and threatening lawsuits,” by WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos and Dave McKinney.

— ARRIVALS: Chicago saw 120 new migrants arrive Friday and 76 migrants Saturday, according to the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. The city has now seen 1,934 asylum-seekers bused from the Texas border since Aug. 31.

— SWEET | How alderman plan to spend their $100K sweetener from the mayor: From private security to funding Catholic schools: “The mayor’s $5 million ‘microgrant fund,’ split among the 50 wards, was billed as a flexible “tool” to tailor public investments across a diverse city to individual communities’ needs. Lightfoot often boasts that she doesn’t buy votes, but the program was also seen as a bargaining chip for aldermanic support for the $16.7 billion budget that ultimately passed,” reports Tribune’s Alice Yin. The mayor presents her budget today.

— Chicago is offering 12 weeks of paid parental leave to city employees: “The new policy applies to birthing and nonbirthing parents,” reports Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— Medinah Temple casino won’t have big impact on River North traffic, says report — which Ald. Brendan Reilly dismisses as ‘thin gruel’: He’s led opposition against Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan for a temporary gambling house in his ward and is “skeptical” of the traffic study commissioned by Bally’s, report Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman and Mitchell Armentrout.

— Lightfoot reverses course and promotes 30 to lieutenant in Fire Department: “It was not immediately known whether mayoral critic Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th) was among those promoted from that list,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— After 3-year-old killed, activists address growing risk of guns and road rage: “Tio Hardiman, president of Violence Interrupters, wants officials to distribute 100,000 flyers to educate the public about the risks of road rage and shootings,” by Sun-Times’ David Struett.

— City has a new weapon to target drag racing at Big Marsh Park: It’s giving out $150 tickets for drag racers and spectators for parking in the bike lane, reports Better Government Association’s Casey Toner.

— Appellate court rules June 28 votes to recall Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard are invalid: “The people of Dolton elected me in a fair and free election, and these efforts to mislead and manipulate them have been an utter and shameless waste of taxpayer dollars and time,” Henyard said Friday in a statement. Dolton voters elected Henyard to a four-year term as mayor in April 2021. Daily Southtown’s Ted Slowik reports.

— Threats that shut down Downers Grove library drag bingo show included envelope with a letter — and a bullet: ‘More to come’: “Downers Grove Commissioner Greg Hosé said he regretted not speaking out at a Village Council meeting earlier this month over the library. At that meeting, he said, the chambers were filled with ‘hateful, anti inclusive rhetoric,’” by Sun-Times’ Manny Ramos.

— Antioch wants a tax hike to build $16.5M multipurpose center: Proceeds would be used to build a township hall, multipurpose senior center and community hub, reports Daily Herald’s Mick Zawislak.

A message from World Business Chicago:

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— The plight of undocumented workers who grow America’s illegal weed: “Lured with false promises of high pay and decent labor conditions, immigrants are held against their will by outlaw farmers who withhold their wages,” by POLITICO’s Natalie Fertig and Eleanor Mueller.

— Courts could throw state marijuana markets into disarray, by POLITICO’s Mona Zhang.

We asked what you use to fill out your ballot:

Janice Anderson: “I use the sample ballot and letter provided by my Lisle Township 13 Republican precinct committeeman — which is me.”

Alexander Hawley: Injustice Watch’s judicial voting guide.

Sarah Cole Lewis: The Girl, I Guess Progressive Voter Guide.

Steve Smith: Personal PAC Voter Guide.

What’s your plan for Halloween decorating? Email [email protected]

— Officials assess massive hurricane damage as Florida begins long recovery, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout and Olivia Olander

— Why Biden world isn’t overly worried about House GOP investigations, by POLITICO’s Eugene Daniels, Jonathan Lemire and Jordain Carney

— A shaken Supreme Court returns to chambers, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein

— Bruce Sagan’s unwavering crusade: “At 93, his commitment to save local news is truly remarkable,” writes newsman James O’Shea in his blog.

— New podcast: The Public Money Pod explores the “budgets, bonds and bureaucrats” of state and local public finance. It’s produced by University of Chicago’s Center for Municipal Finance.

— Kristopher J. Anderson has joined United Airlines as director of local and state affairs. He was government affairs director for the Chicago Association of Realtors and before that was with Illinois Realtors Association.

— Anthony Driver is now executive director of the SEIU Illinois State Council. Driver has been president of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. He previously was political and legislative coordinator at SEIU Healthcare Illinois.

FRIDAY’s ANSWER: In 1910, 3,000 members of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union marched to Chicago’s City Hall, demanding Mayor Fred Busse enforce Revised Municipal Code of 1905, which forbade operating a house of ill-fame, otherwise known as a brothel. (It’s a tricky question since the group was known for opposing alcohol.)

TODAY’s QUESTION: Who’s the governor whose post-Springfield career saw him selling cars and then real estate? Email [email protected] 

State Rep. Mike Marron, Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell, government affairs pro Andrew Proctor, Forest Preserves General Superintendent Arnold Randall and political campaign consultant Hugo Jacobo.

And congratulations to Barack and Michelle on their 30th wedding anniversary!

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A message from World Business Chicago:

Chicago has long been heralded as the world’s best transportation, distribution, and logistics, hub. The Chicago Venture Summit Future-of-Logistics will put this history on display showing the world how Chicago is leading the way globally in capital investments for logistics tech.

“Chicago is the country’s leading transportation and logistics hub. From a central location to our diverse talent pipeline and rapidly expanding tech and innovation, logistics tech companies and startups are well positioned for success here,” said Michael Fassnacht, President and CEO of World Business Chicago, and Chief Marketing Officer for the City of Chicago. “With an 802% increase in growth capital between 2019 and 2021, we’re excited to host investors, corporate innovators, and founders from around the world at the inaugural Chicago Venture Summit, Future of Logistics.”

Join us for the city’s flagship startup and venture capital conference on October 6. Learn more at ChicagoVentureSummit.com

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