Assault weapons ban. The Illinois House has sent the Senate a bill that would outlaw the sale of assault weapons in the state and severely restrict sales of large-capacity magazines carrying more than 12 rounds …
■ … with an exemption for active-duty law enforcement and retirees who’ve served more than 10 years.
■ Also Senate-bound: Protection from out-of-state legal repercussions for Illinois abortion providers and patients.
‘I can’t wait for Lin-Manuel Miranda to make a musical out of it.’ Late-night hosts including Jimmy Kimmel have been feasting on Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s repeated defeats in his attempt to become House speaker.
■ Stephen Colbert devoted his whole monologue to the fiasco.
■ New York: “A House without rules makes for C-SPAN gone wild.”
■ The Onion explains (mockingly) “How The House Speaker Is Elected.”
■ Columnist Lauren Martinchek: “This is what happens when people are elected who have absolutely no interest in governing.”
■ And so, Congress was paralyzed today—which Esquire’s Charlie Pierce considers a fitting way for Republicans to spend the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.
‘That death is on President Trump.’ Revisit an online video chat among Chicago-based political commentators—including your Chicago Public Square columnist—convened by now-Axios Chicago author Justin Kaufmann as the Capitol riot unfolded.
■ Columnist and former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich: “Two years have passed, yet the top lawmakers … who were most directly involved in the insurrection … have not been held accountable.”
■ President Biden planned a solemn memorial today.
■ Charlie Sykes at The Bulwark: “Today’s GOP is still the Jan. 6 Party.”
■ Politico’s Jack Shafer: “Trump’s worst fear is coming true: He’s being ignored.”
■ Illinois’ dishonor roll: The Tribune updates the cases of 35 Illinoisans charged for joining the insurrection.
‘Any individual who is tasked with protecting the public cannot be trusted to do so equitably when they associate with an openly racist, bigoted, and misogynistic organization.’ The Southern Poverty Law Center is slamming Mayor Lightfoot and her top cop for not firing an officer who lied about his ties to the Proud Boys.
■ The department’s planning to relaunch its “gang database,” widely criticized for unfairly targeting Blacks and Latinos.
■ Cops say a carjacker is dead after his victim accelerated her car—in which he was riding—into an L support column in the Loop.
‘Countless American lives are still sacrificed on the altar of America’s pigskin passion.’ Columnist Neil Steinberg reflects on the injury of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
■ The game where it happened won’t be completed.
Liars in the news.
■ More Cook County workers face firing for fraudulently seeking federal pandemic relief cash.
■ Steven Waldman, who chairs the Rebuild Local News Coalition: The election of dissembling U.S. Rep. George Santos reveals the catastrophic collapse of local news.
Screwed by Southwest? The nation’s new most-hated airline has begun trying to rehab its reputation, offering frequent-flyer freebies and refunds for things stranded passengers paid out of their own pockets.
■ Here’s where to get yours.
News quiz! Past Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner Fritz Holznagel has whipped up a fresh challenge.
■ Your Chicago Public Square columnist got seven of eight questions right. Can you top that?
■ Ready to join the roster of those who help keep Square—and the quiz—coming? Your name can appear there for as little as $1 …
■ … but $10 a month (about 50¢ an issue) gets you early access to the weekly quiz.