‘These men must resign.’ In no uncertain terms, Gov. Pritzker this morning called for two Democratic state lawmakers accused of wrongdoing to give up their seats.
■ A Sun-Times editorial is outraged at how cheaply Sen. Emil Jones III allegedly sold himself out.
■ Jones surrendered his leadership posts, but not his seat.
Pink slime, courtesy of the Daily Herald. A Chicago-area chain of publications masquerading as local news but in fact promoting a right-wing agenda has been going out under a postage permit registered to the Herald’s parent, Paddock Publications.
■ The Herald’s publisher tells Capitol Fax the company’s commercial printing operation is separate from the paper—even though he’s listed in state records as the parent company’s agent.
■ Tribune reporter Rick Pearson: “Paddock’s pursuit for cash outweighs its journalistic responsibility.”
‘Are Donald Trump and his kids a little screwed or a lot screwed?’ Vanity Fair’s Bess Levin scrutinizes New York Attorney General Letitia James’ “giant lawsuit” against the family and its business.
■ The Tribune explains Chicago’s role in the case against Trump.
■ Politico: Five juicy takeaways from the suit.
■ Slate: The fraud charges break down into four categories …
■ … and James seems to have the goods to back up her case.
■ Law professors explain that “You can get away with a lot when appraising property. But not this much” …
■ Meanwhile, things have gone south for Trump in his fight to keep classified records seized at Mar-a-Lago away from the Justice Department’s ongoing criminal investigation of him.
■ Political analyst Lauren Martinchek: “Trump’s in some serious sh*t.”
Election protection. Over Republican opposition, the U.S. House has approved legislation that would overhaul an 1887 election law to derail future monkey business like that attempted by Trump’s acolytes on Jan. 6, 2021.
■ Believe it or not, a similar bill is moving through the Senate with bipartisan support.
■ Seditionist supporter (Sept. 2 link) and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife, Ginni, has a date with the Jan. 6 committee.
‘There is only one Republican Party.’ Popular Information’s Judd Legum shreds President Biden’s assertion that “mainstream Republicans” exist—at least among those seeking office this year.
■ One of Trump’s favored congressional candidates in Michigan supported repeal of women’s right to vote.
■ Columnist Umair Haque: “Meet Dark Brandon, America’s best economist.”
‘It’s shocking.’ An engineer who helped uncover the Flint, Michigan, water crisis tells The Guardian that water tests conducted for Chicago residents between 2016 and 2021—results never publicly analyzed by the city—found astonishingly high levels of the neurotoxin lead.
■ A proposed ordinance would require all new homes and apartments in Chicago be wired to give residents an option for electric appliances instead of their polluting natural gas counterparts. (Cartoon: Charis JB at The Nib.)
‘A land deal benefiting a billionaire’s soccer team.’ ProPublica: A City Council vote yesterday clears the way for the Chicago Fire to build a practice facility on land once slated for public housing …
■ … but city or federal agencies could yet block the plan.
■ The council’s also designated Chicago an official “Bodily Autonomy Sanctuary City,” offering protection to out-of-staters seeking abortions.
■ Mayor Lightfoot’s proposing a permanent post-pandemic outdoor dining plan for Chicago.
■ Welcome the city’s youngest council member: Lightfoot ally Timmy Knudsen.
Tangled web. CWBChicago reports an off-duty Chicago cop shot in the face Tuesday had been stripped of her police powers days before.
■ Zion police have released video of an officer shooting and killing a suspect two weeks ago.
■ U.S. House Democrats have a deal to increase federal funding for police departments nationwide.
■ The Onion: “Police Apologize For Tasing Innocent Man They Meant To Shoot.”
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‘Welcome to the new abnormal.’ A geology professor says America’s summer of heat, floods and climate change is just the start.
■ Insider examines tension between younger Americans demanding political action to fight the planet’s climate crisis and aging politicians who don’t share that sense of urgency.
‘I survived pancreatic cancer. It’s a funny story.’ Monty Python veteran Eric Idle shares it for Time.
■ Critic Aaron Barnhart: How producer Norman Lear, whose 100th birthday will be celebrated in a TV special tonight, changed TV with All in the Family.
Chicago Public Square mailbag. Reader Matthew Tarpy writes about Wednesday’s edition: “The elections judge story got to me, so I went out, found the city’s election judge application website and just registered. I think it’s important we all do everything we can to make sure democracy works this fall, no matter what our party!”
■ If you’re inclined to follow Matthew’s lead, here’s where you can register to be an election judge in Chicago or Cook County.
■ Mike Braden made this edition better.