>> AN EMERGENCY CITY COUNCIL
MEETING CALLED FOR FRIDAY AS
ALDERPEOPLE PUSH MAYOR LORI
LIGHTFOOT AND POLICE
SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN TO
TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO REDUCE
VIOLENT CRIME.
THE STATE OF ILLINOIS' CREDIT
OUTLOOK GOT ROSIER.
A LANDMARK CRIMINAL JUSTICE BILL
GOES INTO EFFECT AND THE SPREAD
OF THE DELTA VARIANT PROMPTS
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER MASK
MANDATES AND COVID RESTRICTIONS
SHOULD RETURN.
A LOT TO GET TO.
WELCOME BACK.
OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM OF
AMANDA VINICKY, HEATHER CHERONE
AND PARIS SCHUTZ.
HEATHER LET'S START WITH YOU,
PLEASE, HOW DID THIS SPECIAL
COUNCIL MEETING COME TOGETHER?
>> WELL, 19 ALDERMEN SIGNED A
LETTER CALLING A CITY COUNCIL
MEETING THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY
MORE THAN THE THREE ALDERMEN
STATE LAW REQUIRES FOR THIS
EMERGENCY MEETING.
AND THEY WANT ANSWERS FROM
SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN ABOUT
HOW HE PLANS TO TAMP DOWN
VIOLENT CRIME DURING THE FOURTH
OF JULY WEEKEND JUST AROUND THE
CORNER AND IS TYPICALLY ONE OF
THE MOST VIOLENT WEEKENDS IN
CHICAGO.
MAYOR LIGHTFOOT DID NOT WANT A
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SHE SAYS THE ALDERMEN HAVE BEEN
FULLY BRIEFED ON THE PLAN IF
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON
THAT IS UP TO THEM.
AND SHE PUT OUT A BLISTERING
STATEMENT ACCUSING THE ALDERMEN
WHO FORCED THE MEETING OF USING
PUBLIC SAFETY AS A QUOTE
POLITICAL WEDGE ISSUE.
AND WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT
THAT IS THAT MANY OF THOSE
ALDERMEN WHO SIGNED ON TO THE
CALL FOR THE MEETING ARE AMONG
HER CLOSEST ALLIES ON THE CITY
COUNCIL.
TENSIONS ARE CERTAINLY RUNNING
HIGH.
>> AND THIS COMES AS THE MAYOR
AND ALDERPEOPLE CONTINUE TO SPAR
PUBLICLY INCLUDING THAT HIGH
PROFILE SHOWDOWN BETWEEN
LIGHTFOOT AND JEANETTE TAYLOR
LAST WEEK IN CITY COUNCIL
CHAMBERS.
HERE IS MAYOR LIGHTFOOT
YESTERDAY ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT".
>> I THINK THAT WE HAVE VERY
STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH A GOOD
WORKING MAJORITY OF THE
ALDERMEN.
PROCEDURALLY, TWO PEOPLE CAN
SHUTDOWN THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, HISTORICALLY
THAT HAS BEEN USED VERY
SPARINGLY, BUT WE'RE SEEING IT
BEING USED MORE BY PEOPLE WHO
WANT TO TURN THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS INTO SOME KIND OF STAGE
PERFORMANCE RATHER THAN DOING
THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE.
>> WE SHOULD MENTION WE ALSO HAD
ALDERPERSON JEANETTE TAYLOR ON
THE SHOW MONDAY NIGHT AS WELL.
PARIS, ALL THE TENSION IS FRAMED
AS COUNCIL WARS 2.0.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE
IMPORTANT CITY BUSINESS THAT HAS
TO GET DONE AND THE PUBLIC
IMAGE?
>> IT IS PROBABLY A MISNOMER TO
CALL IT COUNCIL WARS 2.0 IT IS
NOT LIKE THE BLOCK OF WHITE
ALDERMEN IN THE 80s AND THE
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR
HAROLD WASHINGTON THIS IS A
DIFFERENT DYNAMIC IN CITY
COUNCIL.
AND WITH THE ALDERMEN CALLING
THIS SPECIAL MEETING EVERYBODY
WANTS TO LOOK LIKE THEY ARE
DOING SOMETHING ABOUT VIOLENCE.
AND WHAT CAN ALDERMEN DO?
THEY CAN CALL HEARINGS AND HAVE
THE SUPERINTENDENT TESTIFY.
IT'S ALSO AS THE MAYOR SAID IT
IS A POLITICAL CO-JULY THAT THEY
CAN USE AGAINST THE MAYOR.
LOPEZ, AND JEANETTE TAYLOR AND
ED BURKE WHO IS NOT A FAN OF THE
CURRENT MAYOR.
AND THEY CAN CALL A MEETING LIKE
THIS OVER HER OPPOSITION SAYING
WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF YOU.
WE'RE [INAUDIBLE]
AND SOME MIGHT SAY IT'S
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION AND
DEMOCRACY CAN BE MESSY.
I MEAN WHEN THERE IS A BIG
LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE LIKE THE
BUDGET THE MAYOR HAS AND DOESN'T
HAVE 26 VOTES THAT IS WHEN WE'LL
KNOW.
WE ARE NOT AT THAT POINT YET.
>> AMANDA THERE IS THIS ONGOING
BATTLE OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS ADD
MANIC PREROGATIVE PUT TO THE
TEST LAST WEEK.
REMIND US WHAT IT IS.
>> ADD MANIC ALDERMANIC
PREROGATIVE GIVES SWAY ON WHAT
GOES ON IN THE WARDS THEY HAVE
THE ABILITY TO SIGN ON OR SIGN
OFF ON THINGS LIKE WHAT CAME UP
LAST WEEK WAS SIGNS IN THEIR
WARDS.
A PART OF THE PLAN MAYOR LORI
LIGHTFOOT WANTED TO MAKE IT
THESE ARE THE RULES YOU HAVE TO
FOLLOW PUT IT UNDER THE
ADMINISTRATIVE ARM AND INSTEAD
ALDERMEN SAID NO WE WANT TO KEEP
THAT ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHEN
THESE SIGNS CAN GO IN OUR WARDS
AND WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T.
AND THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR TWO
REASONS: NUMBER ONE, THE MAYOR
RAN ON ELIMINATING THAT
ALDERMANIC PREROGATIVE BECAUSE
IT'S BEEN ABUSED WITH SIGNS.
A BIG SIGN HERE REFERENCING
PARIS JUST MENTIONED
COUNCILMEMBER ED BURKE WHO, OF
COURSE, IS FACING AN INDICTMENT
FOR ALLEGEDLY NOT APPROVING SOME
SIGNAGE BECAUSE HE WANTED
INSTEAD MONEY TO BE KICKED BACK
TO HIS LAW FIRM.
>> AND HEATHER WE HAVE TO TALK
ABOUT THE PANDEMIC GROWING
CONCERNS OVER THE COVID-19 DELTA
VARIANT.
NOW, THE W.H.O., WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION NOW RECOMMENDING
THAT EVEN FULLY VACCINATED
PEOPLE WEAR MASKS INDOORS.
BUT THE CITY'S TOP DOCTOR SAYS
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY NECESSARY
IN CHICAGO.
HOW SHOULD WE MAKE SENSE OF THIS
LATEST MESSAGING?
>> WELL, THE CITY'S HEALTH
DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN IN LOCK STEP
WITH RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION AND THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
SAY LOOK THE DELTA VARIANT IS
CERTAINLY VERY CONCERNING IT WAS
THE VARIANT FIRST DISCOVERED IN
INDIA THAT HELPED FUEL THE HUGE
RISE IN CASES THERE.
ALL OF THE VACCINES THAT ARE
OFFERED THE PFIZER, MODERNA, AND
JOHNSON & JOHNSON APPEAR TO BE
SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECTIVE IN
STOPPING IT.
PEOPLE WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED,
TWO WEEKS POST THE FINAL DOSE
ARE PROTECTED FROM THE DELTA
VARIANT.
THAT IS WHY THOSE PEOPLE DON'T
NEED TO WEAR MASKS.
IF YOU ARE NOT FULLY VACCINATED
ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU
SHOULD BE WEARING MASKS AND
EVERYBODY SHOULD BE WEARING
MASKS IN SOME SETTINGS LIKE
HOSPITALS AND PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION.
THE CITY IS FOLLOWING THE
FEDERAL GUIDANCE, THE WORLDWIDE
GUIDANCE HAS CHANGED A LITTLE
BIT BUT BECAUSE AMERICA IS SO
MUCH MORE VACCINATED THAN ANY
OTHER COUNTRY, THE IT IS A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT HERE ON THE
GROUND.
>> MOVING OVER TO STATE
BUSINESS.
THIS WEEK MOODY'S UPGRADED
ILLINOIS' CREDIT RATING FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 20
YEARS.
HERE IS GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER
TALKING ABOUT THE STATE'S
FINANCES.
>> AID FROM CONGRESS WAS NOT
USED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET IN
2022.
THAT IS A FALLACY.
WHOEVER IS SAYING THAT HAS GOT
IT WRONG.
THE TRUTH IS WE HAD BOTH
INCREASED REVENUE FROM ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY IN THE STATE THAT WE
DIDN'T EXPECT.
I THINK NOBODY EXPECTED THE KIND
OF UPSURGE OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
THAT WE HAD THAT IS PART OF IT.
AND THE OTHER IS WE HELD THE
LINE ON SPENDING.
THAT IS HUGELY IMPORTANT.
MOSTLY FLAT SPENDING ACROSS
STATE GOVERNMENT OTHER THAN
EDUCATION VITAL SOCIAL SERVICES.
>> AMANDA HOW BIG OF A DEAL IS
THIS CREDIT UPGRADE FROM
MOODY'S?
>> IT IS A BIG DEAL CONSIDERING
ILLINOIS HAD BEEN ON THE BRINK
HAD IT GONE IN THE OTHER
DIRECTION ON REACHING BELOW
INVESTMENT GRADE STATUS.
ILLINOIS HAS BEEN THE LOWEST
CREDIT RATED STATE OF ANYWHERE
IN THE NATION.
THIS IS A BIG FIRST TIME IN 23
YEARS.
THE LAST TIME INSTEAD ILLINOIS
HAS SEEN DOZENS OF DOWNGRADES.
THE LAST TIME THERE WAS AN
UPGRADE WHICH SHOULD SAVE
TAXPAYERS MONEY IS BACK WHEN
GEORGE RYAN WAS GOVERNOR AND THE
BULLS WON A CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND SO, THIS IS TRULY VERY
SIGNIFICANT.
THAT SAID, ILLINOIS NOT OUT OF
THE WOODS.
ILLINOIS STILL HAS A RELATIVELY
LOW CREDIT RATING COMPARED TO
OTHER STATES AND WHILE THE STATE
WAS RECOGNIZED FOR BEING PRUDENT
MOODY'S POINTED OUT THAT IF
LEGISLATORS HAVE A TEMPTATION TO
SKIP A PENSION PAYMENT WHICH IS
SOMETHING THAT GOVERNOR J.B.
PRITZKER HAD PROPOSED DURING HIS
TENURE, THAT GIVING 140 BILLION
UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY THAT
ILLINOIS COULD SEE THINGS GO
BACK DOWN AGAIN.
>> GEORGE RYAN WAS GOVERNOR AND
THE BULLS WERE REALLY GOOD A
LONGTIME AGO.
WE'VE HEARD FOR SO MANY YEARS
ABOUT ILLINOIS' BELEAGUERED
FINANCES IS THE STATE TURNING A
CORNER?
>> I THINK THE BULLS WILL BE
GOOD AGAIN, TOO.
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.
YEAH, AS AMANDA SAID IT'S
SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF BUT NOT
TO BE THE DEBBIE DOWNER HERE.
THE PENSION LIABILITY IS 140
BILLION OR 200 BILLION.
AND THE STATE PUT 7 BILLION A
YEAR ABOUT 30% OF ITS BUDGET AND
IT BARELY MAKES A DENT IN THAT
BELIEVE LIABILITY.
AS THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
POINTED OUTDO NOT EXPECT THE
RATINGS TO GO UP UNTIL SOMETHING
IS DONE ABOUT PENSIONS WHETHER
IT BE MORE TAX REVENUE DEDICATED
TO PAYING DOWN THE LIABILITIES?
OR DOING SOME REFORM THAT IS
WITHIN CONSTITUTIONAL BOUNDS
WHICH DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE IS
ANY OR STRETCHING OUT HOW LONG
IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO PAY OFF
THOSE LIABILITIES.
RIGHT NOW 30 YEARS, 40 YEARS,
MAYBE IT HAS TO BE 50 YEARS.
BUT BEYOND THAT THE STATE STILL
HAS IF NOT THE WORST ONE OF THE
WORST PENSION LIABILITY
SITUATIONS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SO IT CAN BALANCE A BUDGET
FROM YEAR TO YEAR BUT THAT
LONG-TERM CLOUD LOOMS.
>> THE 2022 ILLINOIS PRIMARY
THAT IS EXACTLY ONE YEAR AWAY
AFTER LEGISLATORS MOVED IT TO
JUNE STARTING NEXT YEAR.
HEATHER WHY THIS MOVE?
AND WHAT IS THE POLITICAL
FALLOUT GOING TO BE HERE?
>> WELL, THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS
THAT THE CENSUS IS LATE AND THAT
THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
WON'T BE READY FOR PEOPLE TO
PULL PAPERS AND GET THEIR
CAMPAIGNS IN GEAR.
EVERYBODY DECIDED TO JUST PUSH
IT BACK AND LET THAT CENSUS DATA
FLOW IN WE EXPECT IT IN
MID-AUGUST A LITTLE BIT LESS OR
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO GET
GOING.
IT'S JUST TO GIVE EVERYBODY
BREATHING ROOM AS THE CENSUS WAS
DELAYED BY FIRST THE PANDEMIC
AND THEN COURT CHALLENGES
BROUGHT BY FORMER PRESIDENT
DONALD TRUMP.
>> AMANDA WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT
THE GOVERNOR'S RACE?
>> YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE TIME
FOR HIM TO MAKE A DECLARATION
SOON.
WHEN HE WAS LAST ON "CHICAGO
TONIGHT" WE ASKED HIM ARE YOU
PLANNING TO RUN AGAIN?
AND HE SAID YOU I HAVEN'T
DECIDED I HAVE TO HAVE SERIOUS
TALKS WITH MY FAMILY.
THAT SAID, HE HAD PUT $35
MILLION WHICH TO HIM MAY NOT BE
THAT MUCH, BUT THAT A HEFTY
CHUNK OF CHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO
SPENDING ON ADS AND WHAT HAVE
YOU FOR A CAMPAIGN IT CERTAINLY
SEEMS AS IF HE IS GEARING UP AND
WHAT A TIZZY IT WOULD BE FOR THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY IF THAT THIS
POINT HE WERE TO BACK OUT.
I'M EXPECTING HE WILL BE NEEDING
TO MAKE PUBLIC DECISION SOMETIME
SOON.
BUT ALL THE BETS ARE THAT THAT
IS JUST HE DIDN'T WANT TO SAY
THAT HE WAS RUNNING PUBLICLY AND
THAT WE WILL GET THAT DELAY IN
THE PRIMARY DATE GAVE HIM
BREATHING ROOM.
>> IN WASHINGTON D.C. HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES TODAY FORMED A
COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE
JANUARY 6TH INSURRECTION AT THE
CAPITOL BUT GETTING TWO VOTES
FROM REPUBLICANS.
LIZ CHENEY AND ADAM KINZINGER.
WHAT DO YOU THINK KINZINGER'S
CALCULUS IS HERE?
HE HAS BEEN A FREQUENT TRUMP
CRITIC AND FLOATED AS A
CANDIDATE FOR STATE-WIDE OFFICE.
>> THE HOUSE SPEAKER GETS TO
APPOINT 8 MEMBERS IF THE HOUSE
MINORITY LEADER KEVIN McCARTHY
WANTS TO GO ALONG WITH IT GETS
APPOINT FIVE.
THE FACT THAT ONLY TWO HOUSE
REPUBLICANS VOTED FOR THE
COMMITTEE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM
OF WHAT HAPPENED WHEN DEMOCRACY
WAS THEIR LIVES WERE UNDER
THREAT.
IT'S STAGGERING AND IT TELLS ME
THE HOUSE MINORITY LEADER
PROBABLY WON'T WANT TO BE PART
OF THIS.
IS WOULD MAKE SENSE TO PUT A
REPUBLICAN KINZINGER ON A
COMMISSION TO GIVE IT THE
CREDIBILITY OF BIPARTISANSHIP.
WHATEVER THEY COME UP WITH CAN'T
BE DISMISSED AS A PARTISAN WITCH
HUNT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND CONGRESSMAN KINZINGER HAS
EXPRESSED INTEREST IN DOING
SOMETHING LIKE AND LIZ CHENEY IN
WYOMING.
I THINK THEY HAVE GONE FOR BROKE
HERE.
THEY ARE THE HOLD OUTS IN THEIR
PARTY SAYING WE NEED TO RID THE
PARTY OF THE LIES AND RID THE
PARTY OF THE EXTREMISM AND MOVE
ON FROM DONALD TRUMP.
AND CLEARLY, THE VAST MAJORITY
OF THE PARTY IS NOT WITH THEM.
HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THEIR
POLITICAL CAREERS?
I DON'T KNOW.
IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE
IF ONE OF THEM IF NOT BOTH OF
THEM GETS PUT ON THAT
COMMISSION.
>> HEATHER CIRCLING BACK TO CITY
NEWS, IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE
CHICAGO'S POLICE UNION'S
CONTRACT EXPIRED WITH THE CITY.
HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED POLICING
IN THE CITY?
IS THERE ANY SIGNS THE TWO SIDES
WILL BE ABLE TO COME TO AN
AGREEMENT SOON?
>> NOPE, THERE IS NO DEAL IN
SIGHT IT EXPIRED FOUR YEARS AGO
TODAY THE LARGEST CONTRACT
NEGOTIATION NOW IN THE CITY'S
HISTORY.
AND THE ISSUE IS TWO FOLD.
THE CITY WANTS REFORMS AND THE
FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE DOES
NOT WANT REFORMS.
BOTH SIDES ARE DUG IN.
AND EVEN THOUGH THE CITY IS
PREPARED TO GIVE OFFICERS A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
RETROACTIVE PAY TO MAKEUP FOR
PAY RAISES THEY HAVE MISSED,
THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY IN
SIGHT TO BREAK THE LOGJAM
BECAUSE THE MAYOR WILL NOT
ENDORSE A DEAL THAT DOES NOT
HAVE REFORMS AND THE UNION WILL
NOT.
>> THIS IS THE HOLD PUT ON BY
THE MEASURE'S SPONSOR WHILE
SOMETIMES CAN YOU PLAY TRICKS
AND SOMEBODY AGAINST THE BILL
WILL USE THIS TO PREVENT THIS
FROM COMING LAW.
IT COMES AFTER STATE
REPRESENTATIVE DELIA RAMIREZ MET
WITH LORI LIGHTFOOT NOT A LOT OF
NEWS.
I DON'T THINK EITHER SIDE IS
BUDGING IT'S GOING TO THE
GOVERNOR WHO SAID HE WILL SIGN
IT.
C.P.S. ON THE WAY TO AN ELECTED
SCHOOL BOARD.
>> MORE TO TALK ABOUT ON THE
NEXT SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.
THANKS TO AMANDA VINICKY,
HEATHER CHERONE AND PARIS
SCHUTZ.
AND YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT