‘I don’t know.’ That’s Donald Trump, asked on NBC if he has to “uphold the Constitution.”
■ Lawyer and columnist Robert B. Hubbell calls it “the most remarkable interview of a president … ever.”
■ Columnist Jeff Tiedrich reviews other “scenes from a crazypants interview.”
■ Law Dork Chris Geidner: A federal judge’s ruling against Trump’s law firm shows how to respond.
■ Contrarian editor-in-chief Jennifer Rubin calls it “an opinion for the ages” …
■ … which you can read here.
■ The Washington Post: Federal courts are increasingly frustrated with Trump lawyers’ “shoddy work.”
■ Historian Heather Cox Richardson: “Authoritarian governments are based on … the idea that some people … don’t have to listen to experts, who just muddle the clear picture the leader can see.”
■ At least 13 state legislatures are now considering bills to criminalize any abortion as homicide.
Trump’s weekend. A sample of what else the president’s been up to since Friday—as tracked by the Chicago Public Square account on Bluesky:
■ He shocked the movie biz by threatening to slap a 100% tariff on productions outside the U.S.
■ He called for reopening one of the nation’s most infamous prisons, Alcatraz.
■ USA Today’s Rex Huppke: “The president seems to be losing it. Perhaps we should be concerned.”
■ His White House media team twisted Star Wars imagery to show him holding a red lightsaber, just like the series’ bad guys.
■ He drew fire with an AI-generated image of himself as pope.
A ‘broken system.’ A new report from Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas confirms what anyone who’s navigated the present setup can confirm: The property tax appeals process is stacked against the poor—favoring business owners and wealthy homeowners.
■ Read the report here.
Student loan crackdown. The Trump administration today planned to resume collecting defaulted payments from people who’ve gotten a break since the pandemic’s onset.
■ In a move that may be in conflict with Illinois government’s code of personal conduct, Gov. Pritzker’s appointed his brother-in-law—a University of Illinois alumnus—to an unpaid position on the U. of I. board of trustees.
Old order changing? Axios looks ahead to today’s annual “Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch” in Chicago, where host U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, 80, was reportedly ready to announce her retirement.
■ The AP: A New York Republican congressman’s town hall session yesterday devolved into “a chaotic chorus of boos as attendees were removed by law enforcement.”
Hand it to the resistance. A coalition of political organizations aims to demonstrate for democracy Sunday, May 18, with “Hands Across Chicagoland chain of conscience”—people clasping hands along sidewalks from Aurora to Chicago’s Douglass Park.
■ You can book a spot here.
■ Law prof Joyce Vance: “It’s time to ask again. Could the fever finally be breaking? And what can we do to encourage it?”
‘The appropriate response … is for business leaders to act normally.’ Columnist Matthew Yglesias says the most disturbing aspect of Trump’s second presidency is those leaders acting like he’s already a dictator.
■ Popular Information: “Trump promised no new business deals with foreign governments. He lied.”
■ Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich: “Don’t call them ‘potential conflicts of interest.’ They’re corruption.”
■ The American Prospect: “DOGE is obliterating American industry.”
■ Wired celebrates: “Carmakers are embracing physical buttons again.”
‘Absolutely enraging.’ That’s HBO’s John Oliver last night, condemning some Democrats’ apathy toward Trump’s “breathtakingly cruel” immigration policies.
■ Oliver also called out journalists who still aren’t holding Trump’s feet to the rhetorical fire.
■ Semafor: Parent company Paramount—hoping to curry administration favor for a merger—has derailed a plan to encourage people across the country to run for local office …
■ … but sibling 60 Minutes last night spotlighted lawyers fighting back against Trump’s presidential orders.
Profile in cravenness. A Daily Beast headline: “Mike Pence Is Too Scared to Mention Trump While Picking Up ‘Courage’ Award.”
■ Notus: Five people who served with a Florida Republican Congressman awarded a Bronze Star for saving his fellow soldiers’ lives say they don’t remember him being there.
No indication he was … um … framed. The president of Chicago’s Art Institute is on leave after allegedly stripping on a flight to Europe.
■ The institute for now gets to keep a contested work of art allegedly looted by Nazis.
Passages. Funeral services are set for Thursday to honor a governor with one of Illinois’ most divisive legacies: George Ryan, who ended the state’s death penalty and went to prison for corruption.
■ One of Chicago’s most influential political players, Lori Healey—most recently overseeing construction of the Obama Presidential Center—is dead at 65.
‘The conscience of Chicago journalism.’ Rest in peace, former Reader editor and media columnist Michael Miner …
■ … who in 2008 praised a forerunner to Chicago Public Square …
■ … in 2013 hailed “a step fast-forward for radio news” …
■ … and in 2016 said kind things about a national Edward R. Murrow Award for your Square columnist’s team at Rivet.
Here we go again. As has become an occasional Square tradition, here again we begin a random roll call of those whose financial support has over the last eight-plus years underwritten the cost of producing and distributing this service. So thank you, Ben Goldgar, Harry Politis, Tina Birnbaum, Jerry Wolin, Charlene Thomas, Dawn Haney, Stephanie Zimmermann, Frederick Nachman, Elaine Soloway, Liz Fitzgerald, Michael Soriano, Marlen Garcia, Phil Huckelberry, Margaret Brennan, Phil Vettel, Denise Joyce, John Teets, Donna Barrows, Maureen Gannon, Dave Hodgman, Jennifer Packheiser, Brian J. Taylor, Sarah Russe, Heather Alger, Amy Fazekas, Kevin Wallace, Daniela Dolak, Leslie Hodes, Colleen Fahey, Sarah Hoban, Matthew Pestine, Gregory Dudzienski, Charles Kepner, Sandra Slater, Jan Czarnik, MJ Garnier, Mark Wukas, Bill Oakes, Laurie and Mark Jolicoeur, Ben Segedin, Bruce Steinberg, Harla Hutchinson, Jenny Wittner, Judee Barone, Aris Georgiadis, Suzanne Vestuto, John Gilardi, Debbie Becker, Scott Sachnoff, Rupa Datta, Janet Grimes, Angelika Kuehn, Kevin Parzyck, Julie Martin, Marc Magliari, Ron Magers, Patty Wallenberg, Nina Ovryn, Robert A. Shipley, Norm Spiegel, Crissy Kawamoto, Maureen King, Karen Conti, Michael Brooks, Michael Collins, Beth Bales Olson, Jean and John Meister, Tom Barnes, Doug Berman and Jean Lubeckis.
■ Join their ranks—for as little as just $1, once here—and see your name atop tomorrow’s list.