Illinois in Focus

Greg Bishop reviews recent comments from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker reacting to political rhetoric from President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

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Greg Bishop shares a conversation with New Illinois Chairman G.H. Merrit about ballot questions on several county ballots across Illinois and the path she sees of making "New Illinois" a new state out of Illinois that excludes Cook County and Chicago.

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Greg Bishop reviews comments from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker following former President Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden rally and calls for mass deportation of violent non-citizen migrants.

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Greg Bishop reviews some of the recently released audio at the center of the corruption trial against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and codefendant Michael McClain.

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Wiretapped conversations have taken center stage at the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain. Prosecutors played a series of recordings during testimony from FBI Special Agent Ryan McDonald Thursday afternoon. McDonald said he had been working on the Madigan investigation since 2014. He also said that the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays for investigators. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Greg Bishop talks with The Center Square reporter Jim Talamonti about his coverage of the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain.

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Greg Bishop reviews the statement from the Illinois State Rifle Association reacting to a shooting incident involving former Illinois Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger at a Democratic Missouri U.S. senate candidate's event where a fired bullet sent shrapnel, injuring a local reporter.

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Witness testimony has resumed in the bribery and racketeering trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain. Former State Rep. Scott Drury, D-Highwood, returned to the stand for additional cross-examination Wednesday morning after beginning his testimony on Tuesday. Drury and Madigan defense attorney Todd Pugh had several combative exchanges over a variety of issues. U.S. government prosecutor Amarjeet Bhachu said the prosecution planned to call utility company executive Scott Vogt next, followed by former State Rep, Lou Lang, D-Skokie. Lang was on Madigan's leadership team before stepping down in 2019 amid harassment allegations.

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Prosecutors and defense attorneys selected a jury along with six alternates on Monday before breaking for lunch, making way for opening arguments to begin this afternoon in the high-profile corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Madigan appeared in court Monday with his legal team. He also had some supporters in the gallery. His daughter, former Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and wife, Shirley. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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A ruling on whether Illinois’ gun and magazine ban is unconstitutional is expected to come sometime after Monday. Illinois banned the sale and possession of more than 170 semi-automatic firearms and magazines over certain capacities during lame duck session of the Illinois General Assembly in January 2023. Federal lawsuits were then filed against the law. Southern District of Illinois federal Judge Stephen McGlynn gave litigants in the consolidated case a month to file final briefs when he wrapped up the four-day bench trial last month. He closed out the trial in East St. Louis, questioning what would have been different from the 1917 race riot in that city if the Black victims were able to protect themselves with the very firearms being debated. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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