Illinois in Focus

Former Commonwealth Edison chief lawyer Tom O’Neill said Wednesday that over time he came to work hand-in-hand with associates of then-House Speaker Michael Madigan to secure jobs for them in high-profile positions. O’Neill took the stand for a second day in the ComEd bribery trial at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago. Former House Speaker Michael Madigan called the shots on a bill that was worth $1.8 billion to Illinois' largest electrical utility. That's what the state lawmaker who sponsored the measure told jurors Tuesday in the bribery trial of four former ComEd executives and lobbyists. Libraries in Illinois, including at K-12 schools, could see their funding cut if there are efforts to restrict books under a bill that passed the House Wednesday. House Bill 2789 would limit federal pass-through tax dollars through the Illinois Secretary of State’s office for libraries that remove or restrict certain books.  

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The specter of indicted former House Speaker Michael Madigan loomed large during opening arguments in the “ComEd 4” bribery trial at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse Wednesday. The longest serving legislative leader in U.S. history seemed everywhere during arguments while he personally was nowhere to be found during the daylong proceedings in the overflow courtroom of U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber. As part of her opening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker left little to the imagination, telling jurors, “In short, Madigan wanted, the defendants gave and the defendants got. It’s that simple.” Longtime Madigan confidant Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, ex ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and Jay Doherty, a lobbyist and consultant who once served as the head of the City Club of Chicago, are all on trial in a case that charges each of them with playing a role in masterminding a scheme to funnel jobs, cash and other perks from the utility giant to associates of Madigan in exchange for him taking a favorable stance on legislation the company stood to benefit from. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. Madigan is slated to go on trial in connection with the scheme in the spring of 2024, when he will also face a separate racketeering indictment accusing him of being involved in an assortment of other corruption-related schemes. Madigan also has pleaded not guilty. With state and federal cases challenging Illinois’ gun ban pending, Gov. J.B. Pritzker remains confident the law he signed will withstand constitutional scrutiny, though he says he’s not an expert. The governor also continues to respond to perceived conflicts of interest around his $2 million in donations to Illinois Supreme Court justice candidates who now sit on the bench. The high court accepted to hear the gun ban challenge from Macon County where the governor is a lead defendant. He signed the law Jan. 10.

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Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker doesn’t just appear at the top as a defendant in the Macon County gun-ban challenge in front of the Illinois Supreme Court. He’s also the top donor for two supreme court justices’ campaigns. Pritzker donated a total of $2 million to then-Illinois Supreme Court candidates Mary O’Brien and Elizabeth Rochford, $1 million each. The governor signed a law in 2022 that capped contribution limits in such campaigns to $500,000 from “any single person.” Despite that, to each candidate, half a million came from each of Pritzker’s political campaign and his revocable trust. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday that despite his million-dollar donations to two Illinois Supreme Court justices last year, they are independent and should not have to recuse themselves from two high-profile cases before them in which the governor is a defendant. Attorneys separately challenging Illinois' gun ban in state court continue to differ in their approach. On behalf of state Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, and others, attorney Jerry Stocks secured a final judgment against the ban in Macon County Friday. “When the law is declared facially unconstitutional, it is invalid as if it never existed,” Stocks told The Center Square. “So, that deceleration in a judgment here in Macon County triggers [Illinois Supreme Court] jurisdiction under a very specific rule.” The 80-year-old man once called the "Velvet Hammer" for his successful dominance of Illinois politics is arguing the state's bribery and official misconduct statutes are unconstitutional ahead of his corruption trial. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021. From 1997 to 2021, he served as speaker of the Illinois House, making him one of the state's most powerful politicians. He faces 23 counts of racketeering, bribery and official misconduct as part of a federal indictment. Madigan said he was just doing his job as a politician and that the state's laws are overly broad.

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Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

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Lori Lightfoot's tenure as Chicago mayor will end after her first term. Lightfoot – widely criticized as rising violent crime plagued the city during her four years in office, for her strict COVID-19 restrictions, and as students in Chicago Public Schools struggled to perform at grade level – conceded in her race for re-election in Tuesday's primary. A judge is expected to rule on key motions that seek to limit what the jury will hear before a high-profile corruption case involving longtime former Illinois House Speak Michael Madigan begins in March. With four federal lawsuits consolidated and a schedule of responses and oral arguments set, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association is officially taking sides in the case against the state’s gun ban. Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Greg Bishop on this episode of Illinois in Focus.

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Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

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The attorneys with state-level challenges against Illinois’ gun ban disagree on whether the cases should be consolidated. Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted a ban on more than 170 different semi-automatic firearms and magazines over certain capacities on Jan. 10. Since then, a series of lawsuits have been filed in federal and state courts challenging the law. The law exempts individuals in certain occupations, such as law enforcement, prison staff and security officers from the gun ban. An appeal is expected in the case challenging Illinois’ and Naperville’s gun and magazine ban. Gun rights groups expect the ruling to be overturned. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Illinois leadership for its stance on several issues during a Monday visit to the state. On Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker responded. The Republican governor of Florida just started his second term and made a stop in Elmhurst, Illinois, to speak with police groups. He criticized what he said was "woke" policies impacting public policy and education in Illinois and elsewhere. Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Greg Bishop on this episode of Illinois in Focus.

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America in Focus: A weekly feature of the top TheCenterSquare.com stories of the week out of Washington D.C. with commentary from The Center Square editors and more!

America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.

Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

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Join The Center Square’s Publisher Chris Krug & Executive Editor Dan McCaleb they discuss with the threat of a possible recession on the horizon, some are worried that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed budget is trending toward future tax hikes. Representatives from the state's five pension systems testified to lawmakers over the past few weeks with updates on their unfunded liabilities, leaving lawmakers to come up with a fix. The state’s motion seeking a delay in its required response to a federal lawsuit challenging Illinois’ gun ban was denied Thursday.

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Listen to Other ATN Productions:

America in Focus: A weekly feature of the top TheCenterSquare.com stories of the week out of Washington D.C. with commentary from The Center Square editors and more!

America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.

Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support

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Join The Center Square’s Publisher Chris Krug & Executive Editor Dan McCaleb they discuss that about 2,100 more Illinois citizens are now safe from the state enforcing Illinois’ gun ban against them after a third temporary restraining order was issued Wednesday. Recent court cases across the country challenging gun regulations could be an issue for conversation at the Illinois statehouse as the state faces a bevy of lawsuits over its gun and magazine ban. An ally of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan doesn't want a jury to hear about a 2012 email he sent that mentioned an alleged rape in Champaign and fraudulent payroll practices. In 2024, Illinois will become the third state to mandate employers provide employees with paid time off for any reason, but now there are groups lobbying for more paid time off.

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Listen to Other ATN Productions:

America in Focus: A weekly feature of the top TheCenterSquare.com stories of the week out of Washington D.C. with commentary from The Center Square editors and more!

America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.

Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support

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Join The Center Square’s Publisher Chris Krug & Executive Editor Dan McCaleb they discuss the temporary restraining order against Illinois’ gun ban issued by an Effingham County judge has been upheld by the Fifth District Appellate Court of Illinois. The state of Illinois is expected to ask for an expedited review by the Illinois Supreme Court after a temporary restraining order was upheld Tuesday against Illinois’ gun ban on behalf of 866 plaintiffs who sued in Effingham County. Now that the end of disaster proclamations in Illinois has been announced, a nonprofit is calling for changes in executive powers. School choice advocates in Illinois are urging lawmakers to renew the Invest in Kids program during the 103rd General Assembly.

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Listen to Other ATN Productions:

America in Focus: A weekly feature of the top TheCenterSquare.com stories of the week out of Washington D.C. with commentary from The Center Square editors and more!

America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.

Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support

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Join The Center Square’s Publisher Chris Krug & Executive Editor Dan McCaleb they discuss lawsuits brought against Illinois’ new gun ban that are working their way through the judicial process. Board officials from Illinois' second most populated county heard from residents on both sides of the debate about whether the sheriff there should enforce the state's gun ban. Illinois voters rejected a proposal in 2020 to change the state's flat income tax to a graduated tax. There are currently discussions to try the measure again. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, however, said that's not on his radar. Illinois state lawmakers in the 103rd General Assembly received a $12,000 pay increase for the new year, making them among the highest paid legislators in the country.

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Listen to Other ATN Productions:

America in Focus: A weekly feature of the top TheCenterSquare.com stories of the week out of Washington D.C. with commentary from The Center Square editors and more!

America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.

Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support

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Join The Center Square’s Publisher Chris Krug & Executive Editor Dan McCaleb they discuss the first federal lawsuit against Illinois’ gun ban and registry has been announced by the Illinois State Rifle Association. It follows two others that were filed in state court Tuesday. With a ruling on a temporary restraining order against Illinois’ gun ban expected before the end of the day Friday, each side of the issue says they’re confident they’ll prevail. With two different U.S. presidents being found in possession of classified documents, Illinois’ governor has different takes.

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Listen to Other ATN Productions:

America in Focus: A weekly feature of the top TheCenterSquare.com stories of the week out of Washington D.C. with commentary from The Center Square editors and more!

America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.

Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

Future of Freedom: Future of Freedom is a bi-weekly podcast highlighting the work of the non-profits which are shaping the future of the freedom movement. Listeners will hear civil, intellectual conversations about why the organizations exist, what their mission is, and how they work to achieve it. Hosted by Scot Bertram.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support

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