Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Lynn Sweet2024-03-19T20:06:54.848-05:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/lynn-sweet/rss2024-03-19T20:06:54.848-05:002024-03-19T22:22:07.299-05:00Trump goes on 'hamburger offensive' against J.B. Pritzker
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-700000" name="image-700000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5eba9cd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d9cf655/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/11d50ae/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="ELECTIONDAY-032024-20 (1).JPGPeople running for Democratic National Convention delegates pose for a photo during an Election Day stop at Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. I Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/11d50ae/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/925f2ea/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/11d50ae/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Candidates running for delegates to Chicago’s Democratic National Convention in August visit Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>Add Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to the long list of people who ex-President Donald Trump is demonizing, taunting him at a rally last weekend in Vandalia, Ohio — about his weight. About eating too many hamburgers, not that Trump would know. He makes stuff up. And people believe him.</p><p>And that’s where we are dangerously stuck. Tuesday's Illinois victories of Trump and President Joe Biden only rubber stamped how they already clinched their respective nominations in earlier primary states.</p><p>We have eight months until the Nov. 5 election. The Biden-Trump rematch is going to be a long, grueling, draining slog, punctuated by the Republican convention July 15-18 in Milwaukee and the Democratic gathering in Chicago Aug. 19-22.</p><p>I dropped by Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen, 1141 S. Jefferson St., on Tuesday because it is the traditional election day lunchtime gathering spot for the political tribe in Chicago, and the gang showed up, including the team organizing the Democratic National Convention and the Biden delegates who were on Tuesday’s ballot.</p><p>I talked to a bunch of Illinois Democrats, and my takeaway is Biden’s bid for a second term is facing daunting challenges — from energizing turnout of the Democratic base to addressing the voting boycott and demonstration threats coming Biden’s way because of his handling of the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank" >Israel-Hamas war </a>in Gaza. Biden’s efforts for a cease-fire — and yes, he is saying the word now — and his stepped-up efforts to rein in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — need to deliver some results.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/07/bidens-reset-on-the-israel-hamas-war-in-state-of-the-union-speech" >Biden’s reset on the Israel-Hamas war in State of the Union speech</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Negotiations continue as hostages Hamas took in Israel remain captive in Gaza and as Israeli military strikes have killed tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza. Biden talked to Netanyahu on Monday, and the prime minister agreed to send staff to Washington to discuss how Israel can fight Hamas without a ground operation in the Gaza city of Rafah.</p><p>Trump — who presided over bans on people coming to the U.S. from some Muslim countries — has yet to articulate any plan on how the Israel–Hamas war could end with Israel’s future security assured, the threat of Hamas terrorists ended and whether he supports the creation of a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank.</p><p>But Trump — who has not said whether Congress should impose any conditions on U.S. military aid sent to Israel – proposals to do so are in play – did have a mouthful to say about Pritzker.</p><p>Trump’s juvenile bullying was on display at the Ohio rally when he jabbed Pritzker and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who he calls “Newscum.”</p><p>Earlier this month, I wrote about how <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/02/in-virgina-gov-pritzker-steps-up-attacks-on-stupid-and-ignorant-donald-trump" target="_blank" >Pritzker, at a Democratic Party of Virginia </a>gathering, said Trump will “spew his hateful lies, his vitriol, his dark vision for this country, and he’ll do everything he can to claw his way back into office.” </p><p>Pritzker threw in that Trump was “stupid and ignorant,” and “everything Trump stands for is even worse this time around.”</p><p>But Trump’s hamburger offensive against Pritzker, a top Biden surrogate, was not a grilling about his policies. It was the bullying words of a juvenile.</p><p>Said Trump: “When you look at what Democrats have done, look at Illinois. I don't know how it continues. You have this guy Pritzker. I don't know, he's too busy eating. He wants to eat all the time. Would you like a hamburger? How many do you want? Five? I’ll have five burgers, please. You go to his office. Would you like a hamburger? Yeah. I’ll have five burgers, please. Who the hell orders five burgers?”</p><p>Who the hell eats poorly? The junk food-loving Donald Trump.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-480000" name="module-480000"></a>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><bsp-list-loadmore data-module class="PageListD" data-hide-categories="true" data-hide-dates="true"
><a class="AnchorLink" id="list-060001" name="list-060001"></a><bsp-listcarousel data-column-count=3
data-mobile-carousel="false">
<div class="PageList-header" >
<div class="PageList-header-title-wrap" >
<div class="PageList-header-title">2024 Presidential Election</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListD-items" data-list-loadmore-items>
<div class="PageListD-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoB"data-align-top>
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Trump, Biden win Illinois primaries as they gear up for a rematch" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2024/03/19/donald-trump-joe-biden-president-democrat-republican-illinois-primary-2024-results" ><picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ebb6a94/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3486x1956+0+184/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9e%2Fe6%2F2f744d7847ffa49b306dda79ccbf%2Felection-2024.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c5989ff/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3486x1956+0+184/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9e%2Fe6%2F2f744d7847ffa49b306dda79ccbf%2Felection-2024.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d428bb5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3486x1956+0+184/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9e%2Fe6%2F2f744d7847ffa49b306dda79ccbf%2Felection-2024.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Election 2024" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d428bb5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3486x1956+0+184/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9e%2Fe6%2F2f744d7847ffa49b306dda79ccbf%2Felection-2024.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f2fd604/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3486x1956+0+184/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9e%2Fe6%2F2f744d7847ffa49b306dda79ccbf%2Felection-2024.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d428bb5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3486x1956+0+184/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9e%2Fe6%2F2f744d7847ffa49b306dda79ccbf%2Felection-2024.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoB-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections" >Elections</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2024/03/19/donald-trump-joe-biden-president-democrat-republican-illinois-primary-2024-results" >Trump, Biden win Illinois primaries as they gear up for a rematch</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-description">Chicago voter turnout was at or near historic lows with both major parties nominating the same presidential candidates as in 2020.</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/dave-mckinney" >Dave McKinney | WBEZ</a> and <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jon-seidel" >Jon Seidel</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710905804000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListD-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoB"data-align-top>
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Trump goes on ‘hamburger offensive’ against J.B. Pritzker" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/19/lynn-sweet-illinois-2024-primary-election-democrats-gop-vote-campaign-washington" ><picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5eba9cd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d9cf655/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/11d50ae/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="ELECTIONDAY-032024-20 (1).JPGPeople running for Democratic National Convention delegates pose for a photo during an Election Day stop at Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. I Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/11d50ae/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/925f2ea/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/11d50ae/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7917x4443+0+419/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2Fa3%2F27fe757c4019b52ad9cd11425c27%2Felectionday-032024-20-1.JPG" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoB-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists" >Columnists</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/19/lynn-sweet-illinois-2024-primary-election-democrats-gop-vote-campaign-washington" >Trump goes on ‘hamburger offensive’ against J.B. Pritzker</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-description">The Biden-Trump rematch is going to be a long, grueling, draining slog until Nov. 5, Lynn Sweet writes.</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/lynn-sweet" >Lynn Sweet</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710896814000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListD-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoB"data-align-top>
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Who’s giving the big money in Illinois to Biden and Trump?" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2024/03/15/joe-biden-donald-trump-big-illinois-campaign-contributions-fec-super-pacs" ><picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3321981/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/acb436b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8597d3c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Headshots for President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8597d3c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2f56476/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8597d3c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoB-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs" >The Watchdogs</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2024/03/15/joe-biden-donald-trump-big-illinois-campaign-contributions-fec-super-pacs" >Who’s giving the big money in Illinois to Biden and Trump?</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-description">Using data from the Federal Election Commission, the Sun-Times and WBEZ analyzed the money from Illinois pumped into the 2024 race for the White House.</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/lynn-sweet" >Lynn Sweet</a> and <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/matt-kiefer" >Matt Kiefer</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710585000000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</bsp-listcarousel>
</bsp-list-loadmore></div>
</div><p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/19/lynn-sweet-illinois-2024-primary-election-democrats-gop-vote-campaign-washingtonLynn Sweet2024-03-17T20:32:22.442-05:002024-03-17T23:01:47.891-05:00Biden zings Trump, warns about threats to democracy at Gridiron Club dinner
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-0c0000" name="image-0c0000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cfacf20/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x1697+0+1167/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9d%2F74%2Fd6cb34674e6abd954484f3f3aa48%2Fimg-5837.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9e8b5b8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x1697+0+1167/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9d%2F74%2Fd6cb34674e6abd954484f3f3aa48%2Fimg-5837.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d74a623/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x1697+0+1167/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9d%2F74%2Fd6cb34674e6abd954484f3f3aa48%2Fimg-5837.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="IMG_5837.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d74a623/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x1697+0+1167/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9d%2F74%2Fd6cb34674e6abd954484f3f3aa48%2Fimg-5837.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3d9a03a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x1697+0+1167/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9d%2F74%2Fd6cb34674e6abd954484f3f3aa48%2Fimg-5837.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d74a623/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x1697+0+1167/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9d%2F74%2Fd6cb34674e6abd954484f3f3aa48%2Fimg-5837.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>President Joe Biden talks to guests after wrapping up at the white-tie Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner on Saturday night in Washington.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Lynn Sweet/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>WASHINGTON — With President Joe Biden and Donald Trump heading toward a rematch, Biden, speaking at the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner on Saturday night, zinged Trump, mocked himself with self-deprecating jokes and on a serious note talked about the threats to our democracy triggered by Trump.</p><p>Turning around questions about age dogging Biden, he quipped, “Of course, the big news this week is two candidates clinched their parties’ nomination for president. One candidate is too old and mentally unfit to be president. The other is me.”</p><p>And in another well-received line Biden said, “Kamala and I and the members of the administration here tonight are proud — proud of our accomplishments on behalf of the American people: record job growth, wages rising, rigging the Super Bowl for Taylor Swift.”</p><p> Joking at Trump’s expense — the former president faces a fine of more than $400 million in a New York civil fraud case, Biden said, “Our big plan to cancel student debt doesn't apply to everyone. Just yesterday, a defeated-looking man came up to me and said, “I'm being crushed by debt. I'm completely wiped out.” I said, “Sorry, Donald, I can't help you.”</p><p>Turning to the challenges to democracy the U.S. is facing, Biden said, “The lies about the 2020 election, the plots to overturn it, to embrace the January 6th insurrectionists pose the gravest threat to our democracy since the American Civil War.”</p><p> Saturday marked the 139th Gridiron dinner. Biden, who took his daughter, Ashley, to the dinner, delivered his first speech to the club as president. Vice President Kamala Harris also attended with second gentleman Doug Emhoff.</p><p>The members put on musical skits lampooning Democrats and Republicans in politics, the White House and Congress. I'm a member and was president in 2017. I was in the chorus and had a bit part in a skit about Biden’s dog Commander biting Secret Service agents.</p><p>It’s a white tie affair — the men wore tails, women gowns. More than 650 journalists, media executives, members of Congress, administration officials, military officers, ambassadors, governors and other notables gathered at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel — including the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, the former Chicago mayor and ex-President Barack Obama’s first chief of staff.</p><p>Utah Gov. Spencer Cox spoke for Republicans. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose name is often mentioned as a future White House contender, represented the Democrats, and she ribbed Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and jabbed at California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a riff about her potential presidential rivals.</p><p>“Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the only guy with more gold bars in his house than Bob Menendez,” she wisecracked, playing off the New Jersey senator’s criminal indictment, which allegedly involved receiving gold bars in exchange for favors.</p><p>“I love J.B. I'm just not sure that a billionaire hotel heir is the right profile after the last guy,” she said, a reference to Trump. </p><p> “But hey, at least J.B. is actually a billionaire,” Whitmer said.</p><p>In the Republican skit, in a parody about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sending migrants to cities led by Democrats — and to the tune of the “Yellow Rose of Texas” — the Chicago Tribune’s Clarence Page, another former Gridiron president, portrayed Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and others played New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.</p><p>Sang the Gridiron’s “Johnson,” “Chicagoland progressives say Bienvenido folks. Just keep out of our cities 'cause we ain't all that woke. Go ahead and cross the border, but watch out where you roam. Us lib’ral blue-state bosses will send you right back home.”</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/17/joe-biden-washington-gridiron-dinner-donald-trump-gretchen-whitmer-news-media-politicsLynn Sweet2024-03-16T05:30:00-05:002024-03-18T07:30:27.52-05:00In Illinois, who's giving the big money to Biden and Trump?
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-470000" name="image-470000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3321981/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/acb436b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8597d3c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Headshots for former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8597d3c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2f56476/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8597d3c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7000x3929+0+536/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22011387%2Fmerlin_93695892.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Getty file</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>WASHINGTON — Though Illinois' primary on Tuesday won't factor into the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have already clinched — Illinois money directly and indirectly boosted the two remaining White House contenders.</p><p>Using data from the Federal Election Commission, the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ analyzed the money from Illinois pumped into the race for the White House. </p><p>The major super PAC bolstering the Biden bid is the FF PAC, established by Future Forward USA Action, with four contributors from Chicago, including Fred Eychaner the top executive of Newsweb Corp. and the chairman and president of the Alphawood Foundation. </p><p>Eychaner is a major philanthropist and arts advocate, and has been for years a mega-contributor to Democratic causes.</p><p>In November, Eychaner donated $2 million to FF PAC. In March 2023, Biden honored him with a National Medal of Arts, saying at the ceremony, “Supporting the arts is a calling. For decades, he’s been a top patron of dance companies, art museums, historic preservation — especially in his beloved Chicago.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-floatLeft>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-980000" name="image-980000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/907522e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/340x191+0+42/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16046491%2Ffred_eychaner.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9af35c2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/340x191+0+42/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16046491%2Ffred_eychaner.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/05966b3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/340x191+0+42/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16046491%2Ffred_eychaner.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Fred Eychaner " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/05966b3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/340x191+0+42/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16046491%2Ffred_eychaner.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f8a5d4f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/340x191+0+42/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16046491%2Ffred_eychaner.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/05966b3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/340x191+0+42/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16046491%2Ffred_eychaner.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Fred Eychaner, top executive of Newsweb Corporation and the chairman and president of the Alphawood Foundation.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>AP file photo</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p>Contributors have choices when they want to help a presidential candidate. They can contribute directly to the campaign committee of a candidate, or they can send the money to a super PAC supporting the bid.</p><p>A super PAC can accept unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other political action committees. So a super PAC supporting a presidential candidate often becomes a powerful and influential force.</p><p>Federal law places contribution limits on direct giving to the campaigns of candidates running for federal office — that’s the House, Senate and White House — and bans donations from corporations and labor unions. For the 2024 campaign cycle, an individual can give $3,300 per election, per candidate. That’s $3,300 for the primary race and $3,300 for the general election.</p><p>Wealthy donors work around federal contribution caps — and help candidates — by channeling blockbuster donations to super PACs. A super PAC makes what are called independent expenditures to bolster a campaign indirectly. Super PACs are forbidden from coordinating and communicating with a candidate’s campaign.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2024/03/17/illinois-march-primary-joe-biden-gaza-write-in-muslim-protest" >Muslim community leaders urge Illinois voters to protest Biden by writing in ‘Gaza’ on primary ballot</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p></p><h3>Illinois’ direct contributions to Biden campaign</h3><p>According to the latest FEC records, of the $7,135,239 Illinois individuals directly gave to presidential campaigns, Republican candidates collected $4,293,027. Democratic candidates got $2,570,371. The difference results from Biden not facing a significant primary, while Republicans did.</p><p>In November 2020, the Biden campaign voluntarily released a list of bundlers — people who use their personal networks to raise at least $100,000 for a campaign. For 2024, the Biden campaign so far has declined to release a bundler list. Trump has never released a bundler list.</p><p>Real estate mogul Neil Bluhm and his daughter, Leslie, were among the Biden 2020 bundlers. Biden headlined a fundraiser at his home in 2019. Neil Bluhm personally and through his trust gave $1 million to FFP.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-floatLeft>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-d90000" name="image-d90000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cb6e22/2147483647/strip/true/crop/250x140+0+94/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16057881%2Fneil_bluhm.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3d5d0f0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/250x140+0+94/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16057881%2Fneil_bluhm.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/98470c8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/250x140+0+94/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16057881%2Fneil_bluhm.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Neil Bluhm" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/98470c8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/250x140+0+94/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16057881%2Fneil_bluhm.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/240d910/2147483647/strip/true/crop/250x140+0+94/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16057881%2Fneil_bluhm.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/98470c8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/250x140+0+94/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16057881%2Fneil_bluhm.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Real estate mogul Neil Bluhm</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Sun-Times file photo</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p>Leslie Bluhm, a social entrepreneur, donated $500,000. Biden nominated her to the AmeriCorps Board of Directors and she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in July 2022.</p><p>Glen Tullman, CEO of Transcarent and a major Democrat contributor, directly and through his trust gave $400,000 to FF PAC. In November, Biden appeared at a fundraiser hosted by Tullman at Ignite Glass Studios, 401 N. Armour St.</p><h3>Where Trump’s Illinois money comes from</h3><p>One of the major Trump super PACs is Make America Great Again Inc., known as MAGA Inc.</p><p>There is one major contributor from Chicago, Eloise Gerson, who in all donated $150,000. Gerson, who lists her occupation in FEC records as real estate, is a former chair of the Chicago Republican Party and is currently, according to the Cook County Republican Party website, the committeeperson of the 2nd Ward. She also once led the 42nd Ward GOP organization.</p><p></p><p>She is allied with a group of staunch Trump backers in Illinois, including Darren Bailey. She donated to his congressional and gubernatorial campaigns. A visitor to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort multiple times, Gerson is also running in Tuesday’s primary as a Trump delegate from the 5th Congressional District.</p><p></p><p>Gerson was on the 2020 ballot as a Trump delegate, but in 2016, when Trump ran for his first term, she ran as a Marco Rubio delegate.</p><p></p><p>Here’s a snapshot of Illinois direct contributions to the 2024 Biden and Trump presidential campaigns:</p><p><b>President Joe Biden</b> (D), $2,485,533</p><p><i>Top contributor locations</i><br></p><ul><li>Chicago, $1,267,311</li><li>Evanston, $107,413</li><li>Winnetka, $67,033</li><li>Highland Park, $65,761</li><li>Wilmette, $34,872</li></ul><p><b>Former President Donald Trump</b> (R), $1,720,669</p><p><i>Top contributor locations</i></p><ul><li>Chicago, $140,189</li><li>Springfield, $47,533</li><li>Naperville, $39,279</li><li>Rockford, $23,358</li><li>Decatur, $19,978</li></ul><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-3d0000" name="module-3d0000"></a>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-floatLeft><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-e10000" name="module-e10000"></a>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-c80000" name="image-c80000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/73/8b/9fce517f4f36b2c33c895842be65/vector.svg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="illinois-primary-election-logo-bug" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/73/8b/9fce517f4f36b2c33c895842be65/vector.svg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
</figure>
</div>
</div></div>
</div><hr><bsp-listcarousel class="PageListE" data-module data-column-count=4 data-hide-authors="true" data-hide-categories="true" data-hide-dates="true" data-hide-descriptions="true"
><a class="AnchorLink" id="list-a80001" name="list-a80001"></a><div class="PageList-header" data-no-title>
<div class="PageList-header-title-wrap" >
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListE-items">
<div class="PageListE-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoB"data-align-top>
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Voter Guide 2024" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/voter-guide-2024" ><picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/82cdd17/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F5a%2F66e15be24d60b35dfafda6d910ba%2Fballot-box-copy-1-1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/09423fc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F5a%2F66e15be24d60b35dfafda6d910ba%2Fballot-box-copy-1-1.png 2x"/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ba56803/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F5a%2F66e15be24d60b35dfafda6d910ba%2Fballot-box-copy-1-1.png"/>
<img class="Image" alt="ballot_box_election_2024_smaller.png" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ba56803/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F5a%2F66e15be24d60b35dfafda6d910ba%2Fballot-box-copy-1-1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4434c4b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F5a%2F66e15be24d60b35dfafda6d910ba%2Fballot-box-copy-1-1.png 2x" width="490" height="275"
src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ba56803/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F5a%2F66e15be24d60b35dfafda6d910ba%2Fballot-box-copy-1-1.png">
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoB-content">
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/voter-guide-2024" >Voter Guide 2024</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-description">The news and information you need to know to make your choices in the Illinois primary. Early voting has begun, and election day is March 19.</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author"><div class="PagePromo-date"><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1706028088000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListE-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoB"data-align-top>
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Candidate questionnaires" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/candidate-questionnaires" ><picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a3c365f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff9%2F06%2F00c91d8e40d3b2d6ccb8dfb5e51f%2Fpodium-copy-1-1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e7163d8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff9%2F06%2F00c91d8e40d3b2d6ccb8dfb5e51f%2Fpodium-copy-1-1.png 2x"/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e280c95/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff9%2F06%2F00c91d8e40d3b2d6ccb8dfb5e51f%2Fpodium-copy-1-1.png"/>
<img class="Image" alt="podium_election_2024_smaller.png" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e280c95/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff9%2F06%2F00c91d8e40d3b2d6ccb8dfb5e51f%2Fpodium-copy-1-1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7590f0b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff9%2F06%2F00c91d8e40d3b2d6ccb8dfb5e51f%2Fpodium-copy-1-1.png 2x" width="490" height="275"
src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e280c95/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff9%2F06%2F00c91d8e40d3b2d6ccb8dfb5e51f%2Fpodium-copy-1-1.png">
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoB-content">
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/candidate-questionnaires" >Candidate questionnaires</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-description">Candidates in contested Illinois March 19 primary races share their views on a range of issues through the Sun-Times/WBEZ candidate questionnaire.</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author"><div class="PagePromo-date"><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1706028792000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListE-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoB"data-align-top>
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Latest election news" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections" ><picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e83794f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9a%2Fa0%2Fb8af0b284b6e84aab8f994dad675%2Fcapitol-springfield-gradient-1-1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c2fe9b1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9a%2Fa0%2Fb8af0b284b6e84aab8f994dad675%2Fcapitol-springfield-gradient-1-1.png 2x"/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e0a3a6b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9a%2Fa0%2Fb8af0b284b6e84aab8f994dad675%2Fcapitol-springfield-gradient-1-1.png"/>
<img class="Image" alt="capitol-springfield-gradient_election_2024_smaller.png" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e0a3a6b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9a%2Fa0%2Fb8af0b284b6e84aab8f994dad675%2Fcapitol-springfield-gradient-1-1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b2e2793/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9a%2Fa0%2Fb8af0b284b6e84aab8f994dad675%2Fcapitol-springfield-gradient-1-1.png 2x" width="490" height="275"
src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e0a3a6b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9a%2Fa0%2Fb8af0b284b6e84aab8f994dad675%2Fcapitol-springfield-gradient-1-1.png">
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoB-content">
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections" >Latest election news</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-description">Complete coverage of the local and national primary and general election, including results, analysis and voter resources to keep Chicago voters informed.</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author"><div class="PagePromo-date"><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1555366274000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListE-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoB"data-align-top>
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="How to vote in the March 19 primary" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/2/5/24062422/how-to-vote-march-19-illinois-presidential-primary" ><picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c26a3af/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa2%2F39%2Ff9dfbe1d4c8a8ffca657e294468f%2Fvote-1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c511865/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa2%2F39%2Ff9dfbe1d4c8a8ffca657e294468f%2Fvote-1.png 2x"/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0e7f807/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa2%2F39%2Ff9dfbe1d4c8a8ffca657e294468f%2Fvote-1.png"/>
<img class="Image" alt="vote_election_2024_small.png" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0e7f807/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa2%2F39%2Ff9dfbe1d4c8a8ffca657e294468f%2Fvote-1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e02b5b7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa2%2F39%2Ff9dfbe1d4c8a8ffca657e294468f%2Fvote-1.png 2x" width="490" height="275"
src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0e7f807/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+378/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa2%2F39%2Ff9dfbe1d4c8a8ffca657e294468f%2Fvote-1.png">
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoB-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/democracy" >Democracy Solutions Project</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/2/5/24062422/how-to-vote-march-19-illinois-presidential-primary" >How to vote in the March 19 primary</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-description">Here’s a guide to casting your ballot — whether you’re looking to register to vote, vote by mail or vote in person.</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><span class="Link">Tony Arnold | WBEZ</span>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1707158860000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</bsp-listcarousel></div>
</div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h3></h3><p></p><p></p><p><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h3></h3><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h3></h3><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h3></h3><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h3></h3><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h3></h3><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h3></h3><p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2024/03/15/joe-biden-donald-trump-big-illinois-campaign-contributions-fec-super-pacsLynn SweetMatt Kiefer2024-03-14T18:24:43.197-05:002024-03-15T13:10:48.134-05:00Slain Palestinian American boy honored with Congressional resolution
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-2d0000" name="image-2d0000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1555c2b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1122+0+211/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25005155%2FUntitled_design__14_.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/93a22d4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1122+0+211/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25005155%2FUntitled_design__14_.png 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/50cad67/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1122+0+211/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25005155%2FUntitled_design__14_.png" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume wears a “Happy Birthday” hat and a plaid shirt." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/50cad67/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1122+0+211/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25005155%2FUntitled_design__14_.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f8f3dab/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1122+0+211/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25005155%2FUntitled_design__14_.png 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/50cad67/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1122+0+211/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25005155%2FUntitled_design__14_.png" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Wadea Al-Fayoume, 6, was stabbed to death Oct. 14, 2024, in Plainfield. His mother was badly wounded. Police say the suspect made anti-Muslim statements during the attack. The victims are Palestinian Americans.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Provided</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>WASHINGTON — Twelve members of Congress from Illinois introduced a resolution to honor Wadea Al-Fayoume, the 6-year-old Palestinian American boy from Plainfield who law enforcement officials said was slain Oct. 14 in an anti-Muslim hate crime.</p><p>The measure is backed by Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and House representatives Jonathan Jackson, Robin Kelly, Delia Ramirez, Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, Mike Quigley, Sean Casten, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Jan Schakowsky, Bill Foster and Lauren Underwood — all Illinois Democrats. The resolution states, “the United States has zero tolerance for hate crimes, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination.”</p><p>“Targeting someone based on their ethnicity or religion is un-American, and targeting an innocent child based on those characteristics is pure hatred,” Durbin said. “Our nation mourns with the family” of the boy, “a mere child who was taken too soon. By introducing this resolution, we are honoring and remembering his life and condemning all forms of hate. We must keep speaking out against anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim hate everywhere.”</p><p>Duckworth said the boy was “a precious, innocent 6-year-old who lost his life in an unimaginably cruel way, just because of his Palestinian Muslim identity. This barbaric, cold-blooded murder was a chilling act of hate against the Palestinian community in Illinois, and we must do everything in our power to denounce and stop more hatred and violence. I’m proud to introduce this resolution with Senator Durbin and Representatives Ramirez and Underwood today honoring Wadea’s life and legacy. May his memory live on and serve as a reminder that we must be united in our shared goal of ending — rather than perpetuating — the needless suffering of innocent human beings.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-db0000" name="image-db0000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a5ce912/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3240x1818+0+171/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25011043%2FWadea_Vigil.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/919c484/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3240x1818+0+171/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25011043%2FWadea_Vigil.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dce2236/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3240x1818+0+171/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25011043%2FWadea_Vigil.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="A large crowd at Prairie Activity and Recreation Center for a vigil in honor of Wadea Al-Fayoum." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dce2236/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3240x1818+0+171/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25011043%2FWadea_Vigil.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0849d01/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3240x1818+0+171/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25011043%2FWadea_Vigil.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dce2236/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3240x1818+0+171/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25011043%2FWadea_Vigil.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A large crowd turned out in October at Prairie Activity and Recreation Center for a vigil in honor of Wadea Al-Fayoum. The event was sponsored by American Muslims Assisting Neighbors. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p>The boy’s landlord, Joseph Czuba, 71, faces criminal charges in Will County. He's accused of attacking the boy and his mother, Hanan Shaheen, with a knife.</p><p>The Department of Justice has opened a hate crime investigation into the events leading to the attacks.</p><p>The boy died at the start of the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/israel-hamas-war" >Israel-Hamas war.</a> Hamas fighters from Gaza attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 and taking hostages, many of whom are still held captive in Gaza. In the five months since, Israeli military strikes in Gaza in pursuit of Hamas have killed tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, forced massive relocations of residents, and destroyed homes and hospitals, leaving the population with little food and other resources.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2023/10/17/23921879/plainfield-honors-memory-slain-6-year-old-muslim-boy" target="_blank" >Slain Palestinian American boy remembered at community vigil</a>
</li>
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2023/10/16/23919368/palestinian-boy-wadea-al-fayoume-fatally-stabbed-funeral-plainfield" target="_blank" >Thousands attend funeral for Palestinian American boy </a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Underwood’s district includes Plainfield. The Chicago area is home to the largest Palestinian and Palestinian American population in the U.S.</p><p>Wadea “brought so much joy and light to our community in Plainfield. He deserved to live a full and happy life. Instead, he was killed in a brutal attack driven by bigotry and bias,” Underwood said. “Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate have no place in Illinois, or anywhere in our country, and I’m honored to have worked with Wadea’s family, leaders in our community, and my colleagues in Congress on this resolution that honors his life and memory.”</p><p>“The rise of hate crimes, anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and hateful rhetoric is taking precious lives away from our communities and putting all of us in grave danger. We must ensure that no other children, families, or communities suffer as a result of vile rhetoric,” Ramirez said.</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/suburban-chicago/2024/03/14/hate-crime-palestinian-american-boy-killed-jwadea-durbin-duckworth-underwood-ramirez-resolutionLynn Sweet2024-03-14T00:30:57.106-05:002024-03-14T21:27:11.608-05:00Palestinian community leaders won't meet with White House officials in Chicago in protest of Gaza war
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-a00000" name="image-a00000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fb653a0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F77%2Ff0%2F85b959b65c775cc87b066d8fe002%2F58b9-x098-2595-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6ed09b4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F77%2Ff0%2F85b959b65c775cc87b066d8fe002%2F58b9-x098-2595-7.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ffb4d59/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F77%2Ff0%2F85b959b65c775cc87b066d8fe002%2F58b9-x098-2595-7.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Thousands of pro-Palestinian and Palestinian Americans in Chicago protest the war in Gaza in October. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ffb4d59/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F77%2Ff0%2F85b959b65c775cc87b066d8fe002%2F58b9-x098-2595-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a0201f1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F77%2Ff0%2F85b959b65c775cc87b066d8fe002%2F58b9-x098-2595-7.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ffb4d59/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F77%2Ff0%2F85b959b65c775cc87b066d8fe002%2F58b9-x098-2595-7.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Thousands of pro-Palestinian and Palestinian Americans in Chicago protest the war in Gaza in October. This week Palestinian leaders in the Chicago area are refusing a meeting with White House officials. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>At least two-dozen Palestinian, Arab and Muslim community leaders declined to meet with White House officials in the Chicago area on Thursday in protest of the Biden administration’s handling of the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/israel-hamas-war" >Israel-Hamas war</a> in Gaza, several sources confirmed to the Chicago Sun-Times.</p><p>The White House had hoped to regain support after similar rejections by leaders in Michigan — home to the largest Arab American population in the nation — and the decision by more than 100,000 Democratic voters in that state to select “uncommitted” on their ballots instead of President Joe Biden in Michigan's Feb. 27 primary election.</p><p>But top White House officials may be facing the same push-back in Chicago with <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2024/03/04/chicago-cook-county-early-voting-expands-50-wards-suburbs" >early voting already underway</a> in <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/voter-guide-2024" >Tuesday’s Illinois primary</a> and as President Joe Biden has been stepping up pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.</p><p>A source familiar with the meeting said the White House officials expected to travel to the Chicago area were: Mazen Basrawi, White House liaison to Muslim-American communities; Tom Perez, White House intergovernmental affairs director; Perez’s deputy Daniel Koh; Steve Benjamin, White House public engagement director; Benjamin’s deputy Jamie Citron; and Curtis Ried, the National Security Council chief of staff.</p><p>Their visit also came as Chicago is preparing to host the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024-democratic-national-convention" >Democratic National Convention</a> in August and as the Israel-Hamas war has created rifts among Democrats in the wake of the mounting death toll in Gaza as a result of Israeli bombing attacks.</p><p>A letter signed by 20 local community organizations and 14 local leaders was sent to the White House Thursday explaining the decision to rebuff the administration officials. The letter noted that the U.S. has continued to fund Israel and blocked votes at the United Nations calling for a cease-fire, meaning a “meeting of the minds is nowhere in sight.”</p><p>Groups that indicated their intent to boycott the meeting included the Palestinian American Council, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, Doctors Against Genocide, the Muslim Civic Coalition, American Muslim Health Professionals, the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Human Dignity Project and the Muslim Bar Association of Chicago.</p><p>Sources said a few Muslim and Arab community members were expected to meet with the White House officials.</p><p>The Chicago area is home to the largest Palestinian and Palestinian American population in the country.<b> </b>State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Berwyn, the only Palestinian American elected official in Illinois or Chicago government, said he’s among those who declined the meeting because “really there isn’t much more to be said.”</p><p>“There have been many meetings and conversations since October with the White House,” Rashid said. “And the reality is our position is extremely clear that there needs to be a permanent cease-fire and we need our country to stop providing arms to Israel.”</p><p>Rashid said he hopes the rejection shows the White House that it “ought to listen to the American people, who overwhelmingly support a cease-fire.”</p><p>Rashid wouldn’t say if he planned to participate in an organizing effort to boycott Biden in next Tuesday’s Illinois primary, saying he’s “voting only for Democrats as I always have.” Illinois doesn’t have a choice for “uncommitted” on its ballot like other states, so community leaders have urged those who want to protest the war to write in “Gaza” or leave the presidential ticket blank.</p><p>A source familiar with the White House’s plans said officials planned to hold a private meeting to hear community leaders speak openly about their concerns on the war in Gaza and rising Islamophobia here in the U.S.</p><p>Asked for comment on the meeting, a White House spokesperson confirmed "senior officials are in Chicago for a series of meeting with community leaders, part of an ongoing process to engage with communities impacted by the Mideast conflict." They didn't say how many meetings would be held.</p><p>Biden’s recent public rhetoric has reflected an effort to distance his administration from ongoing Israeli attacks that have now killed nearly 31,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children. The UN has said <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/israel-hamas-war/2024/02/19/chicago-doctors-aid-gaza" >the risk of starvation and famine in Gaza is acute</a>, as efforts have failed to bring needed food and medical supplies into the besieged enclave. Biden had consistently supported Israel after a Hamas attack on Oct. 7 killed around 1,200 people in Israel, with hostages taken that day still held captive in Gaza.</p><p>The U.S. airdropped aid into Gaza this month, and Biden announced in his State of the Union address last week that the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/07/bidens-reset-on-the-israel-hamas-war-in-state-of-the-union-speech" >U.S. military is building a pier off Gaza’s coast</a> to deliver supplies coming through the Mediterranean Sea.</p><p>But humanitarian groups have said all efforts to deliver relief — land, sea and air — are falling short as children are beginning to die of malnutrition.</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/washington/2024/03/14/palestinian-community-leaders-white-house-officials-chicago-meeting-israel-hamas-conflictNader IssaLynn Sweet2024-03-11T05:30:00-05:002024-03-11T09:35:11.316-05:00Is time running out on April Perry to become Chicago's first female U.S. attorney?
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-0f0000" name="image-0f0000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/608d8ea/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa6%2Fd3%2Ff41f984645bd8b46f1c9b34ff06f%2Faprilperry.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ec3b04b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa6%2Fd3%2Ff41f984645bd8b46f1c9b34ff06f%2Faprilperry.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9fbe55d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa6%2Fd3%2Ff41f984645bd8b46f1c9b34ff06f%2Faprilperry.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="April Perry in a close head shot." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9fbe55d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa6%2Fd3%2Ff41f984645bd8b46f1c9b34ff06f%2Faprilperry.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6eeae1a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa6%2Fd3%2Ff41f984645bd8b46f1c9b34ff06f%2Faprilperry.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9fbe55d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa6%2Fd3%2Ff41f984645bd8b46f1c9b34ff06f%2Faprilperry.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>April Perry was nominated in June 2023 by President Joe Biden to be Chicago’s U.S. attorney.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Provided</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>President Joe Biden’s nominee to become the first female U.S. attorney in Chicago is in increasing danger of falling victim to Washington politics, a year after the city’s top federal prosecutor left office and with the clock running out on Biden’s first term. </p><p>April Perry has waited eight months for a confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate, longer than any of Chicago’s last eight U.S. attorneys dating back to 1981. And for Perry, there’s no end in sight. That’s <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/7/5/23779886/april-perry-nomination-biden-illinois-top-u-s-attorney-zero-emission-trucks-letters" target="_blank" >despite her potential to make history</a> and a campaign by Biden and Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, both Democrats, to diversify the nation’s court system.</p><p>One of Perry’s colleagues recently said the local legal community had “embraced” the idea of a woman finally serving as the top federal prosecutor here. But Saul Ewing LLP partner Nancy DePodesta said the ensuing delay has since become “disheartening.”</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/7/5/23779886/april-perry-nomination-biden-illinois-top-u-s-attorney-zero-emission-trucks-letters" >April Perry’s nomination to be Chicago’s top U.S. attorney is a historic first</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>“The fact that she has not been confirmed has absolutely nothing to do with her,” said DePodesta, who previously worked as a federal prosecutor here.</p><p>Perry’s confirmation has instead been <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/9/14/23874081/jd-vance-us-attorney-chicago-april-perry-senate-conformation-block" >blocked by U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio,</a> to protest the indictments of former Republican President Donald Trump. Vance also blocked confirmation of the top federal prosecutor in Cleveland. Senate rules <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2023/9/19/23881237/tammy-duckworth-hillbilly-elegy-jd-vance-april-perry-us-attorney" target="_blank" >allow any senator to hold up a nominee</a>.</p><p>Vance has obstructed Perry’s nomination long enough to raise questions about whether she will be confirmed at all. When they announced her nomination in June, White House officials said Perry would be "indispensable to upholding the rule of law as a top federal law enforcement official."</p><p>Perry could not be reached for comment. Vance’s office did not respond to messages. But Durbin’s office referred to his multiple floor speeches on the need for Perry’s confirmation.</p><p>“We have a responsibility here to keep Americans safe,” <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2023/9/20/23883248/jd-vance-hillbilly-elegy-confirmation-vote-april-perry-us-attorney-chicago" >Durbin said</a> in September. “We can’t keep them safe by using a political reason to hold up the nominations of these well-qualified people. If you are truly for law and order, if you are truly for law enforcement, if you want the prosecutors across America to keep us safe, then for goodness’ sakes, lift the hold on these nominations.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-820000" name="image-820000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f73fbe4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1440x808+0+46/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24964203%2FScreen_Shot_2023_09_29_at_3.15.11_PM.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7704996/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1440x808+0+46/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24964203%2FScreen_Shot_2023_09_29_at_3.15.11_PM.png 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9842703/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1440x808+0+46/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24964203%2FScreen_Shot_2023_09_29_at_3.15.11_PM.png" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on the Senate floor in fall 2023, trying to convince Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, to allow a vote on Chicago U.S. Attorney nominee April Perry." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9842703/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1440x808+0+46/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24964203%2FScreen_Shot_2023_09_29_at_3.15.11_PM.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/85b8836/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1440x808+0+46/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24964203%2FScreen_Shot_2023_09_29_at_3.15.11_PM.png 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9842703/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1440x808+0+46/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24964203%2FScreen_Shot_2023_09_29_at_3.15.11_PM.png" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on the Senate floor in fall 2023, trying to convince Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, to allow a vote on Chicago U.S. Attorney nominee April Perry.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Senate floor video feed</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p></p><h3>A year without a U.S. attorney</h3><p>The U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago has gone a year without a top prosecutor confirmed by the Senate. <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/1/12/23552263/chicago-attorney-john-lausch-leave-justice-department-resign" target="_blank" >Former U.S. Attorney John Lausch left office March 11, 2023</a>. Since then, the office has racked up <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-corruption-trials" target="_blank" >a string of blockbuster verdicts</a> under the leadership of Morris "Sonny" Pasqual. He’s a well-respected veteran of the office who immediately took over as acting U.S. attorney.</p><p>But Pasqual’s old job — first assistant U.S. attorney — has since gone unfilled. The position of criminal division chief has also been vacated recently. And the office awaits permanent leadership needed to make institutional changes and set big-picture priorities.</p><p>Former First Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Shapiro, who left the office in 2014 after 15 years in that role, also spent about 15 months there as acting U.S. attorney. He did so between the June 2012 resignation of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and the October 2013 confirmation of his successor, Zachary Fardon.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-890000" name="image-890000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0b2cc81/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16042717%2Fdea_031017_07_67576971.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d13d9e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16042717%2Fdea_031017_07_67576971.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b4f1eeb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16042717%2Fdea_031017_07_67576971.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="U.S. attorney Zachary Fardon announces the drug charges against more than 65 people arrested through "Operation Sweet Dreams" at a press conference held in the U.S. Attorney's Office on March 9, 2017. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b4f1eeb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16042717%2Fdea_031017_07_67576971.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c58be22/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16042717%2Fdea_031017_07_67576971.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b4f1eeb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16042717%2Fdea_031017_07_67576971.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>U.S. attorney Zachary Fardon announces the drug charges against more than 65 people arrested through “Operation Sweet Dreams” at a press conference held in the U.S. Attorney’s Office on March 9, 2017. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Max Herman/For the Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p>Shapiro described the interim role as “awkward” but “a lot easier when you have a very good office with very good assistant U.S. attorneys.” At the time, he said, Justice Department policies also prevented him from hiring and promoting people within the office.</p><p>Beyond that, Shapiro explained that a confirmed U.S. attorney “has much more influence where it matters” than an acting U.S attorney.</p><p>“You get a lot more done when you’re ‘The Man,’ so to speak — or ‘The Woman,’” Shapiro said. “When people believe you are the ultimate decision-maker. And that’s true not only with local issues, but it’s true when you’re dealing with all the folks in Washington.”</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/1/12/23552263/chicago-attorney-john-lausch-leave-justice-department-resign" >Chicago U.S. Attorney John Lausch to leave office by early March</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Shapiro’s experience shows the current one-year vacancy in the U.S. attorney’s office is not unprecedented. However, Fardon wasn't nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama until May 2013 — and after that, Fardon waited only five months for confirmation.</p><p>In fact, since the nomination of Dan Webb for the office in 1981, the average wait from nomination to confirmation has been less than three months, records show.</p><p>Perry has waited nearly three times as long.</p><p>And Durbin has said every U.S. attorney since 1975 — whether nominated by a Democrat or Republican — has been confirmed unanimously, bypassing a roll call vote.</p><p>Still, the current priority of the Democrat-controlled Senate is to use the limited floor time it has to confirm Biden’s judicial nominees. Unlike Perry and other potential U.S. attorneys, judges have lifetime appointments and would remain beyond the Biden administration.</p><h3>Clock running out</h3><p>Currently senior counsel at GE HealthCare, Perry worked as a federal prosecutor in Chicago from 2004 until 2016. She told the Senate Judiciary Committee she became Civil Rights and Hate Crimes supervisor in the U.S. attorney’s office “within days of Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke killing Laquan McDonald” in 2014.</p><p>Van Dyke was found guilty in 2018 of McDonald’s second-degree murder, but the former officer <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/4/18/23030955/jason-van-dyke-no-federal-charges-u-s-attorney-john-lausch" target="_blank" >never faced federal charges</a>.</p><p>“I was faced with leading one of the most critical investigations in the City of Chicago, in which the investigative work performed by the federal government was relied upon to support the successful state prosecution of Van Dyke,” Perry wrote in a questionnaire for the judiciary committee.</p><p>Perry also participated in the 2010 trial of Jon Burge, the late Chicago police commander tied to torture allegations who was ultimately convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-050000" name="image-050000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ad22404/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4229x2373+0+138/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F25%2Ffa%2Fbd0ac9ca44b4ad16e9387eb2b54b%2Fperrypic.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0e7b2f7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4229x2373+0+138/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F25%2Ffa%2Fbd0ac9ca44b4ad16e9387eb2b54b%2Fperrypic.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/33cc729/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4229x2373+0+138/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F25%2Ffa%2Fbd0ac9ca44b4ad16e9387eb2b54b%2Fperrypic.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="6-28-10_Hein_Burge_6.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/33cc729/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4229x2373+0+138/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F25%2Ffa%2Fbd0ac9ca44b4ad16e9387eb2b54b%2Fperrypic.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b22a5c7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4229x2373+0+138/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F25%2Ffa%2Fbd0ac9ca44b4ad16e9387eb2b54b%2Fperrypic.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/33cc729/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4229x2373+0+138/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F25%2Ffa%2Fbd0ac9ca44b4ad16e9387eb2b54b%2Fperrypic.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>April Perry appears third from the left in this photo taken June 28, 2010, in which then-U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald comments on the verdict against former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge. Perry has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as Chicago’s next U.S. attorney, the job Fitzgerald once held.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Rich Hein/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p>Later, Perry served as chief ethics officer for Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx from 2017 until 2019. Perry resigned from that position in May 2019, and she has said Foxx declined to follow her advice during the prosecution of actor Jussie Smollett.</p><p>Vance, author of "Hillbilly Elegy," <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/9/29/23896717/jd-vance-us-attorney-illinois-chicago-jussie-smollett-senate-confirmation-durbin" target="_blank" >at one point cited the Smollett case</a> as a justification for his hold on Perry’s nomination, but he has mostly pointed to problems he sees in the Biden Justice Department.</p><p>Perry’s current limbo is due in part to the timing of her nomination in June. Like most presidents, Biden began to clean house early in his term by asking nearly all U.S. attorneys for their resignations.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-350000" name="image-350000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d53ae0f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1690x948+0+2/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa0%2Fa5%2F262a3f9349f482cfcdf9c9fec7eb%2Fperrysc.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b645195/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1690x948+0+2/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa0%2Fa5%2F262a3f9349f482cfcdf9c9fec7eb%2Fperrysc.png 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b4a84c9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1690x948+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa0%2Fa5%2F262a3f9349f482cfcdf9c9fec7eb%2Fperrysc.png" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="April Perry in 2014." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b4a84c9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1690x948+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa0%2Fa5%2F262a3f9349f482cfcdf9c9fec7eb%2Fperrysc.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/557f129/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1690x948+0+2/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa0%2Fa5%2F262a3f9349f482cfcdf9c9fec7eb%2Fperrysc.png 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b4a84c9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1690x948+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa0%2Fa5%2F262a3f9349f482cfcdf9c9fec7eb%2Fperrysc.png" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>April Perry in 2014.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>NBC 5 Chicago</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p>That same custom is how Lausch came to succeed Fardon, who was fired in the early days of the Trump administration in 2017.</p><p>Durbin and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, another Democrat, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/2/23/22297820/john-lausch-keeps-job-chicagos-top-federal-prosecutor-for-now-dick-durbin" target="_blank" >convinced Biden to keep Lausch in office</a> to conclude “sensitive” investigations. That was taken as a reference to the probe of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago.</p><p>Lausch left office a year after <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/3/2/22958533/michael-madigan-indicted-charges-illinois-house" target="_blank" >Madigan’s indictment</a>.</p><p>But that meant Biden had a nomination to make in the third year of his term. And he wound up nominating Perry roughly 16 months ahead of the 2024 presidential election.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/9/14/23874081/jd-vance-us-attorney-chicago-april-perry-senate-conformation-block" >Ohio Republican senator will block confirmation vote for next U.S. attorney in Chicago</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Half of that 16-month clock has already run out, and practical questions now surround Perry’s nomination. If Democrats lose the White House in November, a new president would likely replace the top prosecutors across the country, including in Chicago.</p><p>So even if the Senate were to suddenly confirm Perry now, she might leave her job at GE HealthCare to achieve a historic milestone in a prestigious office — but find herself unemployed in less than a year.</p><p>Meanwhile, DePodesta points out that any top prosecutor needs “a solid year” to assess the office, meet with law enforcement counterparts, identify issues and decide “what institutional changes need to be made.”</p><p>It’s not clear how this year’s presidential election will play out, though. Biden might win re-election. And in the meantime, DePodesta noted, “the work of the office goes on.”</p><p>So she said there’s “no reason” for Perry not to get started.</p><p>“I think they should confirm her today,” DePodesta said.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2024/03/10/april-perry-us-attorney-john-lausch-jd-vance-confirmation-senateJon SeidelLynn Sweet2024-03-07T22:06:44.964-06:002024-03-08T07:31:16.401-06:00Biden's reset on the Israel-Hamas war in State of the Union speech
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-1c0000" name="image-1c0000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d6320ac/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2999x1683+0+158/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F6b%2F53%2Fcb1dbd374fd8a55be9f4241a48eb%2Fap24068099257234.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1c4db86/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2999x1683+0+158/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F6b%2F53%2Fcb1dbd374fd8a55be9f4241a48eb%2Fap24068099257234.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1e5770a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2999x1683+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F6b%2F53%2Fcb1dbd374fd8a55be9f4241a48eb%2Fap24068099257234.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt=""My purpose tonight is to wake up the Congress and alert the American people," President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address. "Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been more under assault."" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1e5770a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2999x1683+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F6b%2F53%2Fcb1dbd374fd8a55be9f4241a48eb%2Fap24068099257234.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ccb0a30/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2999x1683+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F6b%2F53%2Fcb1dbd374fd8a55be9f4241a48eb%2Fap24068099257234.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1e5770a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2999x1683+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F6b%2F53%2Fcb1dbd374fd8a55be9f4241a48eb%2Fap24068099257234.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>“My purpose tonight is to wake up the Congress and alert the American people,” President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address. “Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been more under assault.”</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Andrew Harnik/AP</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p> WASHINGTON — With the recent Michigan primary vote foreshadowing a potential problem in winning re-election, President Joe Biden used <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/washington/2024/03/08/joe-biden-state-of-the-union-congress-washington-israel-hamas-ukraine-healthcare-jobs-money-election" >his State of the Union speech</a> to take more leadership on delivering desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza while sending a strong message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.</p><p>Biden on Thursday ordered the U.S. military to build a temporary pier off the Gaza coast to expedite more food shipments getting in as the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank" >Israel-Hamas war</a> drags on.</p><p> “I know the last five months have been gut-wrenching for so many people, for the Israeli people, the Palestinian people, and so many here in America,” Biden said.</p><p> Biden issued some of his strongest public words yet to Netanyahu’s government, saying directly that saving civilian lives in Gaza must be a “priority” and that Israel can be secure only with the two-state solution that Netanyahu does not embrace.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2024/03/07/chicago-reaction-president-biden-state-of-the-union-speech-2024-politics-washington-election-ukraine" >Chicago-area voters offer mixed reactions to Biden’s State of the Union speech</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p> “Israel has a right to go after Hamas. Hamas could end this conflict by releasing the hostages, laying down arms and surrendering those responsible for October 7th,” Biden said. “But Israel has an added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population like cowards under hospitals, daycare centers and all the like. But Israel also has a fundamental responsibility, though, to protect innocent civilians in Gaza,” he said to applause.</p><p>Embracing use of the word cease-fire, which he has avoided until recently, Biden said, “I’ve been working nonstop to establish an immediate cease-fire that would last for six weeks” in order to get all the hostages home and “ease the intolerable humanitarian crisis, and build toward something more enduring.”</p><p>Not waiting for the Israelis, Biden said, “Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters. No U.S. boots will be on the ground. The temporary pier would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.</p><p>“But Israel must do its part. Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the crossfire. ... To the leadership of Israel I say this: Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip. Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority.”</p><p>“And to look to the future, the only real solution to the situation is a two-state solution over time.”</p><p> The Democratic coalition is fracturing over the war, which started when Hamas launched terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, with hostages taken still in captivity in Gaza. Biden will need all the members of the different Democratic factions to turn out in November, including the progressive far left whose ranks include pro-Palestinian activists.</p><p>Relatives of American hostages still in Gaza were in the House chamber for the Biden speech, invited by both Republican and Democratic members.</p><p> Biden’s speech showed how clearly he is displeased with Netanyahu’s relentless bombing of Gaza, leaving massive civilian deaths, destruction and displacement in its wake.</p><p> Though Israel receives substantial military assistance from the U.S. Biden has been unable to substantially influence how it is conducting this war.</p><p> The term "cease-fire," which Biden and administration officials have avoided using, is now being said. Getting caught up in the legalistic definition and differences between a cease-fire and a pause was a mistake.</p><p>On Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris, using some of the strongest language to date — until Biden’s Thursday speech — said, “Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire — for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table.”</p><p>Cracks in the Democratic coalition have emerged over the war.</p><p> Michigan is a key swing state, and the path to a second term for Biden and Harris is very tough without it.</p><p>Michigan has a substantial Arab-American and Muslim population, and a campaign to cast “uncommitted” votes in the Democratic primary sent a strong message to the Biden team: In the Feb. 27 primary more than 100,000 voters, or 13%, cast “uncommitted” ballots.</p><p> Biden’s speech set the stage for the reset he needs on the Israel-Hamas war.</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/07/bidens-reset-on-the-israel-hamas-war-in-state-of-the-union-speechLynn Sweet2024-03-06T19:50:51.191-06:002024-03-07T15:37:36.066-06:00Here are the guests of Illinois members of Congress for Biden's State of the Union address
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-240000" name="image-240000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ba3a622/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16191019%2Fduckworth.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f4d33e4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16191019%2Fduckworth.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b77604c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16191019%2Fduckworth.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Sen. Tammy Duckworth, whose two daughters were born using IVF, was the first sitting senator to give birth while in office." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b77604c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16191019%2Fduckworth.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5f04be5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16191019%2Fduckworth.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b77604c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1123x630+39+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16191019%2Fduckworth.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Sen. Tammy Duckworth, whose two daughters were born using IVF, was the first sitting senator to give birth while in office. She has invited Illinois reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist Dr. Amanda Adeleye as her guest for Thursday’s State of the Union address.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Associated Press</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p> WASHINGTON — When President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address Thursday to a joint session of Congress, the gallery above the House chamber will be filled with guests invited by him, the first lady and House and Senate members, with many of them there to put a human face on a policy, cause, tragedy or heroic act.</p><p>Here’s who members of Congress from the Chicago area — they are all Democrats — are bringing:</p><h3> U.S. SENATE </h3><p>With access to in vitro fertilization now an issue, <b>Sen. Tammy Duckworth</b>, whose <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/washington/2024/02/28/sen-tammy-duckworth-congress-ivf-birth-women-health-reproductive-rights-roe-wade" >two daughters were born using IVF</a>, invited Illinois reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist Dr. Amanda Adeleye to be her guest “as part of the senator’s continuing efforts to protect access to in vitro fertilization.”</p><p><b>Sen. Dick Durbin</b>, the first senator to call for a cease-fire in the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank" >Israel-Hamas war</a>, is bringing Dr. Zaher Sahloul, a critical care specialist at Advocate Christ Medical Center and St. Anthony’s and president of MedGlobal, which provides medical services to crisis services, including in Gaza.</p><p> “His most recent work in Gaza is a stark reminder of the dire humanitarian needs unfolding in this current crisis that started with the horrific Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel,” Durbin said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/1/11/24034451/sen-dick-durbin-protesters-gaza-cease-fire-israel-hamas-war" >Sen. Dick Durbin, a target of protesters calling for Gaza cease-fire, has already called for one</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p></p><h3>U.S. HOUSE</h3><h5>1st District Rep. Jonathan Jackson</h5><p>Jackson invited a minister in his district, the Rev. Donald Parson, leader of the Logos Baptist Assembly in Chicago.</p><h5> 2<sup>nd</sup> District Rep. Robin Kelly </h5><p>Kelly has worked on <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2022/6/21/23177220/vice-president-kamala-harris-visits-chicago-plainfield" >Black maternal health</a> issues for years. Her guest is Dr. Lisa Green, a Black maternal health specialist and CEO of the Family Christian Health Center in Harvey.</p><h5>3<sup>rd </sup>District Rep. Delia Ramirez</h5><p>Immigration activist Elvira Arellano, who in 2006 sought refuge in a Chicago church after a deportation raid at O’Hare Airport, where she worked, threatened her livelihood and her family. She and her son, Saul, were sheltered at Adalberto Memorial United Methodist Church in Humboldt Park while her <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/11/28/23966004/repealing-sanctuary-welcoming-city-ordinance-undocumented-immigrants-deportation-saul-arellano" >asylum application was pending.</a></p><h5> 4<sup>th</sup> District Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia</h5><p>Given the threats to abortion rights and access to IVF treatments, Garcia is bringing the chief development officer of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Abby Favro, a constituent from Elmhurst.</p><h5>5<sup>th</sup> District Rep. Mike Quigley</h5><p>After 15 years of taking as guests, teachers, state senators, alderpersons, artists and other important members of the community, Quigley held an office raffle for the spot with the winner, Taylor Ortiz, a staff assistant.</p><h5>6<sup>th</sup> District Rep. Sean Casten</h5><p>Casten invited Priscilla Steinmetz, founder and executive director of the Bridge Teen Center, a nonprofit that provides free programs during after-school and unsupervised hours where students can develop mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually in a safe environment.</p><h5>7<sup>th</sup> District Rep. Danny Davis</h5><p>Davis asked Sheyann Webb Christburg, who was 8 years old when she marched from Selma to Montgomery on what is known as Bloody Sunday.</p><h5>8<sup>th</sup> District Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi</h5><p>Planned Parenthood of Illinois President and CEO Jennifer Welch is Krishnamoorthi’s guest, as access to IVF and <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/6/12/23758431/planned-parenthood-of-illinois-reports-spike-in-abortion-patients-since-roe-v-wade-overturned" >abortion are at risk</a> since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.</p><h5>9<sup>th</sup> District Rep. Jan Schakowsky</h5><p>She is bringing her husband, Robert Creamer, a political consultant.</p><h5>10<sup>th</sup> District Brad Schneider</h5><p>Schneider’s guest is Abby Polin, the Skokie resident whose nephew, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, is being <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/10/21/23926392/hersh-goldberg-polin-hamas-hostage-israel" >held hostage in Gaza</a> after being taken during the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. Goldberg-Polin's parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, were born and raised in Chicago.</p><h5>11<sup>th</sup> District Rep. Bill Foster</h5><p>In recognition of the push to reopen the Stellantis Belvidere Assembly Plant, Foster’s guest is Matt Frantzen, president of UAW Local 1268 in Belvidere.</p><h5>14<sup>th</sup> District Rep. Lauren Underwood</h5><p>Rashad Bilal, CEO of media and online education platform Earn Your Leisure, is Underwood’s guest.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/06/here-are-the-guests-of-illinois-members-of-congress-for-president-joe-bidens-state-of-the-union-addressLynn Sweet2024-03-06T17:44:26.309-06:002024-03-07T09:55:29.553-06:00New details released on Obama Presidential Center 88-foot immersive exhibit 'Power of Words'
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-020000" name="image-020000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/48971aa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2f%2Fef%2F593a79914688b09b56338c45c603%2Fobama-athletic-center-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/67043a4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2f%2Fef%2F593a79914688b09b56338c45c603%2Fobama-athletic-center-1.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d3e94f7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2f%2Fef%2F593a79914688b09b56338c45c603%2Fobama-athletic-center-1.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Obama_Athletic_Center_1.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d3e94f7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2f%2Fef%2F593a79914688b09b56338c45c603%2Fobama-athletic-center-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/61d92c8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2f%2Fef%2F593a79914688b09b56338c45c603%2Fobama-athletic-center-1.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d3e94f7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2f%2Fef%2F593a79914688b09b56338c45c603%2Fobama-athletic-center-1.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A rendering of the athletics/conference facility at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Courtesy of the Obama Foundation</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama will be in Chicago Thursday to see a 44-foot prototype of the largest of 50 video installations slated for the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/5/23/18339201/city-council-approves-obama-presidential-center" >Obama Presidential Center,</a> where construction starts next week for a 45,000-square-foot athletic and conference center.</p><p>Since August 2021, the sprawling complex has been <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2021/9/28/22698626/barack-obama-michelle-groundbreaking-presidential-center-jackson-park-chicago-south-side" >taking shape in Jackson Park</a> on what will be a 19.3-acre campus along Stony Island Avenue, from 59th Street stretching south to 62nd Street.</p><p>In an exclusive interview Wednesday, Obama Presidential Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett updated the Chicago Sun-Times on the combo sports/meeting building and what will be a focal point of the museum — images from seven projectors telling the story of the “Power of Words” on an 88-foot, four-story interior wall.</p><p>Jarrett said the exhibit is intended as “an immersive experience for those who come to visit. They can see it on the various floors, and they can also see it if you stand on one floor and look all the way up."</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2023/10/13/23914983/obama-presidential-center-construction-halfway-point-jackson-park" >Halfway built, the Obama Presidential Center is already a South Side landmark</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Obama’s belief in the power of words and storytelling is a theme for the museum — from design to content. In 2021, the foundation announced words will be part of the exterior design, with two upper walls of the museum tower featuring quotes from Obama’s 2015 speech marking the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march that include, “America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.’"</p><p>Before heading to McCormick Place to see the prototype, Obama, who has been hands-on in developing the Obama Presidential Center, will be in briefings covering the interior designs of the furniture, the retail store, the restaurant, the café and everything in between.</p><p>“He really enjoys going through the details of what this campus is going to look like down to the finishes,” Jarrett said. </p><p>Construction starts Monday on the athletic/conference center, which Jarrett said will be the first part of the campus to open to the public when it is completed in next year. </p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/8/16/22627785/obama-presidential-center-jackson-park-costs-detailed-low-key-groundbreaking-on-monday" >Obama Presidential Center costs detailed as groundbreaking takes place at Jackson Park</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p></p><h3>Obama visits mock-up of 88-foot installation</h3><p>Jarrett said the museum will have 50 video installations, with some interactive. Screen sizes could range from an iPad to the largest, the 88-foot high “Power of Words.” Obama will see how the half-size model works Thursday.</p><p>The 44-foot mock-up was built in McCormick Place “because we want to test out the technology and give him an opportunity to see how this film will be projected onto a multifloor canvas" using seven projectors, Jarrett said. "We will be using four projectors for the prototype tomorrow. So in a sense, we're going to give him a mini version of what the 'Power of Words' installation will look like once it's installed.”</p><p>The film itself is under development. It will be projected onto a stretched fabric designed to highlight the unique dimensions of the building.</p><p>“The president has been deeply involved in all aspects of the center's design, including the selection of the exhibit, the art commissions, dining experiences, interior design and furnishing, and of course, the development of programming that we will offer at the center —all of which we will update him on tomorrow,” Jarrett said.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-390000" name="image-390000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c12b5cc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F84%2F57%2F80d4afea4fe68a2702c0217f5ff3%2Fobama-athletic-center-2jpg.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bfbbad6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F84%2F57%2F80d4afea4fe68a2702c0217f5ff3%2Fobama-athletic-center-2jpg.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bcf102d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F84%2F57%2F80d4afea4fe68a2702c0217f5ff3%2Fobama-athletic-center-2jpg.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="A rendering of an athletics/conference facility to be built on the campus of the Obama Presidential Center." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bcf102d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F84%2F57%2F80d4afea4fe68a2702c0217f5ff3%2Fobama-athletic-center-2jpg.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/30ca07b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F84%2F57%2F80d4afea4fe68a2702c0217f5ff3%2Fobama-athletic-center-2jpg.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bcf102d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2155+0+2/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F84%2F57%2F80d4afea4fe68a2702c0217f5ff3%2Fobama-athletic-center-2jpg.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A rendering of an athletics/conference facility to be built on the campus of the Obama Presidential Center.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Courtesy of the Obama Foundation</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p></p><h3>The Athletic/Conference Center</h3><p>Construction fences around the south portion of the complex were being erected Wednesday for the athletic/conference center, a stand-alone 45,000-square-foot building. It will be a glass pavilion set in a smooth metal shell, with some details inspired by the design of a basketball net. It will be a contrast to the stone-sheathed museum tower anchoring the north end of the complex.</p><p>The architect is Moody Nolan, an African American-owned firm that designed the Wintrust Arena. The other construction contracts and subcontracts will follow Obama Foundation guidelines requiring 50% minority participation.</p><p></p><p>The project changed through the years. The original design for this combo structure was 28,000 square feet.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/1/14/21065766/nike-pledges-5-million-obama-presidential-center-athletic-conference-building" >Nike pledges $5 million for Obama Center athletic/conference building</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>The building is being built to handle meetings and events as well as host athletes — and will have an NBA-size basketball court for the hoops-loving Obama.</p><p>“It was important to us that this incredible amenity for the community be the first thing that is open and available for both community residents as well as we'll be able to rent out space for events there. I think it's going to be a jewel on the South Side of Chicago ,” Jarrett said.</p><p>“We will be able to convert the basketball court into a venue if people want to hold large dinner parties or other large events,” she said.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop="">
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-b90000" name="image-b90000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fbc4a8c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22363851%2F677964464.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b78e114/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22363851%2F677964464.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/62e1f5b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22363851%2F677964464.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="Barack Obama Hosts Community Event For Obama Presidential Center" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/62e1f5b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22363851%2F677964464.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e301f07/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22363851%2F677964464.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/62e1f5b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22363851%2F677964464.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Former President Barack Obama points out features of the planned Obama Presidential Center during a gathering at the South Shore Cultural Center in 2017. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Scott Olson/Getty Images</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p>I reported in October 2023 that the target date for completing the complex was October 2025. Jarrett said the grand opening for the center now will be in 2026, timed for weather warm enough for visitors to enjoy the entire landscaped campus.</p><p>The campus will have parklike space and four structures: the athletic/meeting center; the museum tower; a Chicago Public Library branch; and a forum with an auditorium, recording studio, meeting places and an indoor winter garden.</p><p>Adjacent to the athletic/conference center site is a new Chicago Park District athletic field at 63rd and Stony Island, across from Hyde Park Academy High School. It replaces the athletic field demolished to make way for the Obama center. The South Side YMCA is a block away.</p><p>“Our goal is to use that space for programming for both youth and adults," Jarrett said. "And we're working with a variety of partners now on what that programming will look like. … We have been surveying the market to ensure we're not duplicating existing programs. We're going to be creating new programs that help support the youth and the adults in the surrounding area.”</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/8/24/23839037/obama-presidential-library-hoffman-estates-nara-archives-records-colleen-shogan" >New details on little-known Obama Presidential Library, tucked away in Hoffman Estates</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/06/obama-presidential-center-athletic-conference-facility-groundbreaking-tower-museum-exhibit-prototypeLynn Sweet2024-03-02T20:05:37.408-06:002024-03-04T20:07:19.765-06:00In Virginia, Gov. Pritzker steps up attacks on 'stupid and ignorant' Donald Trump
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-ab0000" name="image-ab0000"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/457518c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2016x1131+0+35/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F3c%2F22%2F77db373041ba80c886d622ccf61c%2Fimg-5753.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7402747/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2016x1131+0+35/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F3c%2F22%2F77db373041ba80c886d622ccf61c%2Fimg-5753.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a4f5f87/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2016x1131+0+35/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F3c%2F22%2F77db373041ba80c886d622ccf61c%2Fimg-5753.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="IMG_5753.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a4f5f87/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2016x1131+0+35/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F3c%2F22%2F77db373041ba80c886d622ccf61c%2Fimg-5753.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b530c66/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2016x1131+0+35/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F3c%2F22%2F77db373041ba80c886d622ccf61c%2Fimg-5753.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a4f5f87/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2016x1131+0+35/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F3c%2F22%2F77db373041ba80c886d622ccf61c%2Fimg-5753.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks to Virginia Democrats Saturday at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Lynn Sweet/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>ARLINGTON, Va. — Gov. J.B. Pritzker is swinging even harder at ex-President Donald Trump now that he is the likely GOP presidential nominee. </p><p>The governor delivered the blows in a Saturday speech to Virginia Democrats where he called Trump “stupid and ignorant.” And in a reference to President Joe Biden, said, “I don’t want to hear any bs about anyone’s age.”</p><p>It’s an overcast Saturday afternoon and I’m at the Army Navy Country Club in this Washington suburb, situated on rolling hills not far from the Arlington National Cemetery. I’m here to cover Pritzker’s keynote at the Democratic Party of Virginia’s get out of the vote rally in advance of the Tuesday primary in this state.</p><p>Virginia is one of 15 states and one territory to vote on what’s called “Super Tuesday.” </p><p>Given Trump’s early state victories, the trend and polls for the next series of votes in the coming days are in his favor over former South Carolina governor and ex-U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. On Saturday, Trump won caucuses in Idaho and Missouri and collected Michigan delegates at the state party’s convention. If Trump maintains his momentum, he may well have almost enough delegates to clinch the nomination by the March 19 Illinois primary.</p><p>The Democratic Party of Virginia’s pre-primary party fundraiser is billed as a “thank you” to Pritzker, and here’s why: His “Think Big America” operation — funded by the billionaire Pritzker — last year donated a total of $250,000 to four state Senate campaigns and the state party. Now both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly have abortion rights majorities.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
<ul class="RelatedList-items">
<li class="RelatedList-items-item">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/washington/2024/02/29/gov-pritzker-washington-abortion-ivf-joe-biden-harris-nevada-democrats-ohio-virginia-2024-election" >Gov. Pritzker in Nevada, Virginia, pushing for reproductive rights, fundraising for state parties</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/10/18/23921603/abortion-rights-jb-pritzker-national-effort-ohio-referendum" >Think Big America</a> was created by Pritzker with a mission to bankroll candidates and ballot measures in states to support reproductive rights. With the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are children, the Think Big America purpose is amplified with in vitro fertilization bans brewing.</p><p>“That's why I founded Think Big America,” Pritzker said, not mentioning the donations to bolster Virginia Democrats.</p><p>“It's a group that's taking this fight to states all across the country until we can once again establish reproductive freedom on a national basis," the governor said. "We're committed to moving state by state to support state constitutional amendments and candidates protecting a woman's right to choose. Since Republicans have now made abortion a state issue, well fine, we'll make it a state issue.”</p><p> On the Trump front — well, Pritzker has been punching at Trump since he first ran for governor in 2018. </p><p>As hard as Pritzker’s swings have been, his speech on Saturday was the first time he slammed Trump since he likely had the nomination almost locked up.</p><p>Pritzker noted that for years he’s been calling Trump “racist, misogynist, homophobic and xenophobic” and that Trump was campaigning in Richmond, Virginia, Saturday, “getting ready to rile up his extremist MAGA base."</p><p>“He'll spew his hateful lies, his vitriol, his dark vision for this country, and he'll do everything he can to claw his way back into office. But we're not going to let him, are we?” asked Pritzker.</p><p>“Everything Trump stands for is even worse this time around. There are promises to jail political enemies. There are flirtations with dictatorships. There is Donald Trump's hand-picked Supreme Court working to delay his date with justice.</p><p>"Here's the thing: Trump can barely string a coherent sentence. But he has surrounded himself and his party with a circus of carnival barkers. People who yell about liberty all while working to strip our freedoms away from us.</p><p>"Their vision for our nation should scare every American," Pritzker said, warning that Republicans want doctors who provide abortions and the women who are their patients in jail.</p><p>"They want to ban books, and they want to take away voting rights," he continued. "They're OK with Russia and Putin attacking our allies. Our democracies in Europe… he would simply throw them by the wayside.</p><p>"One conservative activist recently suggested that it was time to ban recreational sex. I would like to officially encourage Republicans to get in on that,” he said to laughs and applause.</p><p>Pritzker, also a top surrogate for Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, took on the age issue — which polls show is punishing Biden, 81 and not Trump, 77.</p><p>"And I don’t want to hear bs about anyone's age. … Donald Trump was stupid and ignorant long before he got old,” the governor said.</p><p>Pritzker said he learned an important lesson in the 2016 presidential election when Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton: “Don't mince words in the fight of your life. Don't hold back. This is an existential battle, everyone."<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/03/02/in-virgina-gov-pritzker-steps-up-attacks-on-stupid-and-ignorant-donald-trumpLynn Sweet