A Terrible Week for IL Democrats (It is Only Wednesday)

CHICAGO - Illinois Democrats are having a terrible week. It started with a disastrous press conference for the mayor in which he threw the governor under the bus, layoffs for law enforcement to pay for CTU’s pipe dream demands, the kicking off of Speaker Mike Madigan’s long awaited corruption trial, and worst of all..

It is only Wednesday. 

Take a look at the no good, very bad week Illinois Democrats are having:

Chicago Tribune: Editorial: Brandon Johnson’s reckless Chicago Public Schools maneuvering must be vehemently opposed
When Chicagoans elected a neophyte as mayor of Chicago, there was trepidation among those who didn’t vote for Brandon Johnson about what the future held. But many among them, this board included, hoped he would grow into the job after a little time in the office and act as if he represented all Chicagoans, not just those at the Chicago Teachers Union, his former employer.

But it’s clear now that the CTU, which backed Johnson with organizing muscle and millions in donations, viewed his unlikely victory as a green light for its fiscally reckless agenda. Friday’s extraordinary mass resignation of all seven of Johnson’s own, handpicked Chicago Board of Education members, just one month before Chicago voters will elect 10 new board members for the first time in city history, underscored that this mayor shares CTU’s blank-check agenda despite his duty to represent the interests of Chicago taxpayers.

WGN: Mayor Johnson considers layoffs, property tax hike to address $1 billion budget deficit
Johnson is looking to cuts and potential layoffs to tackle the city’s nearly $1 billion budget shortfall.

The Chicago Sun Times reports Johnson has canceled two months of police academy classes as part of the effort to close the gap.

…In terms of trying to fix the billion-dollar deficit, Johnson has told city department leaders to find personnel cuts in their budgets in an “exercise” in case the city has to lay off employees, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) made it clear it does not support a budget plan that includes layoffs and issued the following statement:

“AFSCME will oppose a budget plan that includes employee layoffs or furloughs. The city of Chicago has reduced frontline staffing in recent years and now has imposed a hiring freeze; further cuts to frontline staffing would hurt the city services that residents need. We’re ready to work cooperatively toward a budget plan that keeps Chicago working.”

The mayor has also reportedly considered a property tax increase, which would go back on a campaign promise, but could avoid layoffs and, with them, a disagreement with unions.

Chicago Sun-Times: Brandon Johnson’s public spectacle of grievance is getting old
Respect the mayor. No matter what he says or does.

I’m semi-serious here. As Brandon Johnson boils and accuses and flails about, a certain clarity sets in among the onlookers. Well, me, anyway.

This is not a guy charting a course, but someone reacting to the chaos going on around him, much of his own making. He isn’t building bridges, but burning them. How else could he snap at every single shiny lure dangled in his face?

Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ: CPS board resignations expose Mayor Brandon Johnson’s inability to build consensus, critics say
It is hard to overstate how astonishing a moment this is for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

That much was said to WBEZ as alderpersons and others react to the news that every one of Johnson’s handpicked Chicago Public Schools board members are resigning by the end of the month.

The expected resignations come after months of tension over who - the city or CPS - should pay for pensions for CPS employees who are not teachers, whether to take out a loan to pay for those pensions plus a new teacher’s union contract, and whether CPS CEO Pedro Martinez should be fired for not agreeing to Johnson’s loan idea.

ABC Chicago: Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard booed out of board meeting after making late appearance
That meeting was held at the park district building since Village Hall cannot legally accommodate the crowds at a typical meeting.

But Henyard tried to hold a separate board meeting at Village Hall anyway.

She had to abruptly cancel it after not enough trustees were there.

Henyard then drove a few minutes down the road to where trustees were going through the agenda, but was booed out of the room.

WTTW: Jury Selection Underway in Michael Madigan’s Landmark Corruption Case
Madigan is alleged to have orchestrated multiple corruption schemes, wielding his substantial political power to reward loyal allies and enrich himself.

Among the allegations included in Madigan’s 23-count indictment are claims he arranged contract jobs for his associates - who did little actual work - with Commonwealth Edison and AT&T Illinois, and in exchange he offered political backing on Springfield legislation that was favorable to those companies.

Chicago Tribune: Woman who reported sex harassment in Madigan camp to testify at ex-speaker’s racketeering trial
The Tribune broke the story in February 2018 of Hampton’s #MeToo-era accusations against 13th Ward Democratic insider Kevin Quinn, the brother of Madigan’s handpicked alderman, which led to Quinn’s high-profile ouster. But she likely will testify mainly about her experiences working in the ward, Madigan’s base of power.

Prosecutors had hoped she could also testify about reporting the harassment directly to Madigan, though she would have been instructed not to say she was the alleged victim or that the misconduct was sexual in nature.

But after strong objections Tuesday from Madigan’s defense, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey agreed that to avoid a diversion into irrelevant and “emotionally inflammatory” testimony, the attorneys will instead read a stipulation to jurors saying Hampton reported “misconduct” to Madigan and when.