>> GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER
PRESENTS AN ELECTION YEAR BUDGET
FILLED WITH TAX RELIEF AND MORE
SPENDING ON PROGRAMS.
AND ROD BLAGOJEVICH WEIGHS IN ON
A CONGRESSIONAL RACE IN OUR
SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.
HERE WITH ALL THAT AND MORE ARE
AMANDA VINICKY AND HEATHER
CHERONE.
SO LET'S FIRST TALK ABOUT THE
POLITICS OF GOVERNOR J.B.
PRITZKER'S STATE OF THE STATE
AND BUDGET ADDRESS IN THIS
ELECTION YEAR.
PRITZKER'S PLAN INCLUDES NEARLY
A BILLION DOLLARS IN TEMPORARY
TAX RELIEF.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> RIGHT NOW, EVERYONE IS
FEELING THE CRUNCH OF RISING
PRICES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES.
THE HIGHER COST OF EASTERN BASIC
NECESSITIES IS MAKING IT HARDER
TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
WHETHER IT'S SUPPLY CHAIN
INTERRUPTIONS OR INCREASING OIL
PRICES, INFLATION IS SQUEEZING
ILLINOIS FAMILIES.
GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO DO MORE TO
EASE THE PAIN AND PUT MORE MONEY
IN THE POCKETS OF HARD-WORKING
ILLINOISIANS.
>> AMANDA THE OBVIOUS QUESTION
FIRST IS THIS JUST A POLITICAL
BUDGET PURELY POLITICAL?
>> WELL, BRANDIS, POLITICS ARE
INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING EVEN WHEN
IT IS COUPLED WITH DEEPLY HELD
BELIEFS.
SO I AM NOT GOING TO RIGHT NOW
GIVE ANY SORT OF CHARACTERIZE
WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION BEHIND
THIS.
BUT CERTAINLY, YES, THERE IS
NOTHING THAT THE GOVERNOR IS
GOING TO BE DOING THIS YEAR
WITHOUT AN EYE TOWARD HIS
REELECTION EFFORT.
AND CERTAINLY THIS DOES APPEAR
IN MANY WAYS TO BE AT LEAST
TAILOR MADE FOR THAT.
YOU COULD SAY HOWEVER THERE ARE
FUNDAMENTAL REASONS BEHIND THESE
CHOICES.
THERE'S THE INFLATION ASPECT AND
ALSO YOU TALK TO SOME MEMBERS OF
THE GOVERNOR'S TEAM AND THEY
POINT OUT IF YOU HAVE ONE TIME
COST THAT IS NOT BEING BUILT
INTO THE BUDGET BECAUSE THERE IS
A RECOGNITION RIGHT NOW REVENUES
ARE EXCEEDING ESTIMATES THAT IS
NOT GOING TO CONTINUE INTO THE
FUTURE NOR BY THE WAY WILL
ILLINOIS GET THAT FEDERAL
STIMULUS MONEY GOING FORWARD.
THERE MIGHT BE REASON TO DO
THAT.
BUT, SURE, IF YOU ARE A
REPUBLICAN, OR A CHALLENGER YOU
ARE GOING TO RAISE YOUR EYES AND
SAY WAIT A SECOND THAT IS
TAXPAYER MONEY AND BY THE WAY
WHERE ARE SOME OF THE CHANGES
THAT COULD STRUCTURALLY ALLOW
THIS TO HAPPEN IF YOU CAN AFFORD
PROPERTY TAX BREAK FOR ONE YEAR,
WHY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT
FORWARD?
AND POLITICS IS BEHIND THAT THAT
IS WHY ILLINOIS FOR SO MANY
YEARS HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DEAL
WITH THAT PROPERTY TAXES BEING A
BIG ALBATROSS FOR MANY
RESIDENTS.
>> HEATHER IT IS NOT NECESSARILY
UNPRECEDENTED FOR GOVERNORS TO
OFFER TAX BREAKS OR INCREASE
SPENDING IN AN ELECTION YEAR?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
THIS IS THE POWER OF INCUMBENCY.
I IMAGINE WE'VE ALREADY SEEN A
LOT OF HEADLINES PRITZKER OFFERS
$1 BILLION IN TAX RELIEF.
AND THAT'S THE SORT OF HEADLINE
THAT CANDIDATES ANYTIME OF THE
DAY OR YEAR DIE FOR.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE
GOVERNOR WAS GOING FOR.
ALTHOUGH AMANDA IS RIGHT.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE IT
SORT OF UNTOWARD IF IT'S GOOD
POLITICS AND GOOD POLICY.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO SORT OF
NOW DIG INTO IF WE GET THE
NITTY-GRITTY OF THE BUDGET
PROPOSAL THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS IN
THE DETAILS.
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT J.B.
PRITZKER GOING INTO AN ELECTION
CYCLE TO POINT TO THE BUDGET AND
SAY I KNOW TIMES ARE TOUGH I'M
TRYING TO HELP YOU OUT.
THAT IS A POTENTIALLY VERY
POWERFUL MESSAGE ON THE CAMPAIGN
TRAIL.
>> AND AMANDA, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
FOR THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL IN A
GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT IS
MAJORITY DEMOCRATS?
IS THIS GOING TO BE SMOOTH
SAILING FOR THE GOVERNOR?
>> WE GOT THAT SIGNAL FROM THE
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS OF THE HOUSE
AND SENATE THEY ARE DARNED
PLEASED.
THEY LEFT OPEN THERE'S GOING TO
BE ROOM FOR NEGOTIATIONS.
AND WE'VE HEARD FEEDBACK
PARTICULARLY FROM PROGRESSIVES
THAT THEY WANT MORE.
IF YOU HAVE A SURPLUS THERE'S
MOST CERTAINLY A TENDENCY TO
WANT TO SPEND IT ESPECIALLY WHEN
LEGISLATORS THEMSELVES ARE ALSO
RUNNING FOR REELECTION.
NONETHELESS THEY HAVE A QUICK
TIMELINE BECAUSE OF THE PRIMARY
IN THE SUMMER HOPING TO GET OUT
OF THE CAPITOL BY EARLY APRIL
THE EXPECTATION IS BY AND LARGE
THAT DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO PUSH
FORWARD PRITZKER'S PLAN.
>> JASON VAN DYKE WAS REPORTEDLY
RELEASED TO A HALFWAY HOUSE IN
THE KILLING OF LAQUAN
McDONALD.
ALTHOUGH THE STATE IS SAYING
THAT HE IS STILL IN THE CUSTODY
OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS.
NOW, SENATORS DURBIN AND
DUCKWORTH WANT THE U.S. ATTORNEY
GENERAL CONSIDER CHARGING THE
CHICAGO FORMER POLICE OFFICER
FEDERALLY.
HEATHER EXPLAIN WHY FEDERAL
CHARGES WOULD NOT BE DOUBLE
JEOPARDY BECAUSE VAN DYKE WAS
TRIED AND CONVICTED IN STATE
COURT.
WHAT OTHER FEDERAL CHARGES COULD
HE FACE?
>> HE COULD POTENTIALLY BE
CHARGED WITH VIOLATING LAQUAN
McDONALD'S CIVIL RIGHTS.
OR ACTING AGAINST THE
CONSTITUTION UNDER THE COLOR OF
AUTHORITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE SENATORS
WANT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
TO LOOK AT.
NOW, BACK WHEN JASON VAN DYKE
WAS CONVICTED BACK IN THREE
YEARS OR SO AGO EVERYBODY SORT
OF BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF AND
THE PRESSURE ON THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO ACT WAS REDUCED
BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO PRISON.
AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE NOW
TALKING ABOUT THIS MORE BECAUSE
THEY ARE LOOKING AT SORT OF THE
RELATIVELY SHORT TIME THAT JASON
VAN DYKE SPENT IN PRISON BECAUSE
OF THE RULINGS THE TRIAL COURT
JUDGE MADE SAYING MAYBE WE WANT
TO LOOK AT THIS.
SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR HAPPENED
IN MINNEAPOLIS IN THE TRIAL OF
DERRICK JONES THE OFFICER --
DERRICK CHAUVIN HE WAS CONVICTED
IN STATE COURT OF MURDER BUT HE
FACED FEDERAL CHARGES.
AND THE THREE OTHER OFFICERS
INVOLVED WITH GEORGE FLOYD'S
DEATH ARE ON TRIAL FACING
FEDERAL CHARGES.
THIS WOULDN'T POTENTIALLY BE
UNUSUAL.
ALTHOUGH IT WOULD POTENTIALLY
SORT OF BRING UP EVERYTHING THAT
LAQUAN McDONALD HAS AND
REOPENED THE WOUNDS AND WE'VE
HEARD FROM HIS FAMILY THAT THAT
IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT
TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
AND OF COURSE, THERE IS A LOT OF
PRESSURE IN AN ELECTION YEAR TO
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT
IS BEING DONE TO ADDRESS LAQUAN
McDONALD'S MURDER IS BEING
DONE.
>> AMANDA DOES THIS PRESSURE
FROM THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE
JUDICIARY DICK DURBIN, OR THE
N.A.A.C.P. FOR THAT MATTER DOES
THAT MATTER TO ATTORNEY GENERAL
MERRICK GARLAND OR JOHN LAUSCH
HERE IN CHICAGO?
>> AGAIN THIS IS GOING TO GET
BACK TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
OF COURSE IT DOES.
HOW CAN IT NOT?
THAT IMMENSE PRESSURE.
AND IT'S COMING FROM SIGNIFICANT
PLACES AND ALREADY BY THE WAY
WHILE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
IS CONTENDING WITH INFLATION,
CONTENDING WITH A LOT OF OTHER
MATTERS WHERE THERE ARE FEARS
DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO LOSE
CONTROL IN WASHINGTON, SO, YES,
IT FEEDS INTO THAT.
NONETHELESS THERE IS AN
EXPECTATION A BELIEF THAT THESE
DECISIONS ARE MADE BY
PROSECUTORS WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING
AT THE JUDICIAL BRANCH IS FAR
REMOVED FROM THAT POLITICAL
PRESSURE AS POSSIBLE.
SO IT IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE
CONVERSATION.
I BELIEVE WITH I WISHES WAS
PRIVY.
IT CANNOT BE IGNORED BUT I THINK
THEY WOULD SAY THAT IS NOT THE
DRIVER BEHIND WHAT WE DO AND
WHY.
>> OK.
IN THE 6TH CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT, DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN
SEAN CASTEN IS RUNNING AGAINST
MARIE NEWMAN EMBROILED IN AN
ETHICS INVESTIGATION.
AND ROD BLAGOJEVICH WAS PAID TO
WEIGH-IN ON IT.
>> WHAT SHE IS ACCUSED OF DOING
MIGHT NOT SMELL GOOD TO SOME
PEOPLE IS STANDARD PRACTICE IN
POLITICS AND IN GOVERNMENT AND
HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG, LONG
TIME.
>> THAT IS A CAMEO.
THE WEBSITE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO
KNOW IT.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHO DID THIS?
$500 FOR A CAMEO IS SIGNIFICANT?
>> YES, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY I
WATCHED THAT CAMEO WENT ON FOR
QUITE A BIT AND WHEN YOU PAY ROD
BLAGOJEVICH YOU WILL GET MORE
THAN 30 SECONDS THAT A-LIST
CELEBRITIES WOULD GIVE YOU.
THIS WENT ON FOR QUITE SOMETIME.
IT WAS PAID FOR BY A POLITICAL
OPERATIVE WHO THROUGH REPORTING
IN THE "WASHINGTON POST" WE
FOUND IT WAS SOMEBODY CONNECTED
TO A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
WORKING FOR CAST 10'S CASTEN'S
ELECTION.
NOT THAT THIS IS AN APPROVED
EXPENSE OF HIS CAMPAIGN BUT A
PACT THAT IS WORKING FOR HIM.
IT MAYBE BACKFIRES IT COULD BE
SEEN AS A DISTRACTTION GIVING
MONEY TO BLAGOJEVICH WHEN THE
HEART OF THIS ETHICS SCANDAL
HOUNDING MARIE NEWMAN IS SERIOUS
IN NATURE REGARDING THAT SHE IS
THE BELIEVED TO HAVE TRIED TO
FEND OFF HAVING ANOTHER
CHALLENGE BY PUTTING SOMEBODY ON
THE PAYROLL ULTIMATELY ON HER
CAMPAIGN NOW WORKING TO GET HER
REELECTED AGAINST CASTEN.
>> CASTEN HAS $1.6 MILLION ON
HAND AND NEWMAN HAS A THIRD OF
THAT AT $573,000.
WHAT WILL THIS RACE COME DOWN
TO?
ABOUT FUNDRAISING?
THE ETHICS ISSUE FOR HER?
>> IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS
IS AN INTRAPARTY RACE WHERE THE
CANDIDATES AGREE ON MOST OF THE
ISSUES.
CASTEN AND NEWMAN ARE
PROGRESSIVE MEMBERS OF THE
HOUSE.
NOW, WHILE NEWMAN MIGHT BE MORE
PROGRESSIVE THAN CASTEN ON SOME
ISSUE, CASTEN HAS BEEN OUTSPOKEN
ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND THE
NEED FOR ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY.
THERE IS NOT A LOT OF ROOM
POLICY WISE FOR THEM TO
DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES WHICH
IS WHY THIS SORT OF ETHICS CLOUD
CAN REALLY COME INTO PLAY.
AND IT ALWAYS HELPS TO HAVE
PLENTY OF MONEY AT YOUR
DISPOSAL.
YOU CAN BUY TELEVISION ADS AND
YOU CAN GET OUT THE VOTE AND USE
SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S GOING
TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW
THIS PLAYS OUT.
BECAUSE, OF COURSE, MARIE NEWMAN
WAS HERALDED AS THE GIANT PLAYER
BECAUSE SHE DEFEATED DAN
LIPINSKI WHO HAS BEEN IN THE
SEAT FOR SO MANY YEARS.
>> AND IT US DID'S HURT THERE IS