Illinois Democratic gubernatorial candidates on women's issues

In the none too distant past, perhaps closer to mid-century America, the League of Women Voters held forums before elections, both local and national, where the candidates for office appeared to answer a slate of questions. Somehow, this seemed to disappear over the decades, perhaps in no small part to cable news and the internet; so it was gratifying to see this tradition continued by a new generation, their grandaughters, apparent, in the form of She Votes Illinois, on Thursday, when they presented a Women’s Forum for the Democratic Gubernatorial candidates, at the University of Illinois-Chicago Student Center.

In a nod to unity, the five candidates, Chris Kennedy, J.B, Pritzker, Daniel Biss, Tio Hardiman and Bob Daiber all gave a full-throated endorsement of the issues presented, without rivalry in key topic areas such as “Violence Against Women, Education, Employment and Healthcare and Reproductive Rights.”

Introduced by State Rep. Ann Williams, straight from the state capitol of Springfield, the evening was moderated by Liz Kersjes Chairman and Co-founder of She Votes Illinois, who noted in an earlier statement, “There might not be any women at the top of the ticket in this year’s race for Illinois governor, but through the Women’s Forum, we’re putting issues that are important to women at the center of the future Democratic candidate's agenda.”

While the candidates had not seen the questions beforehand, all gave passionate endorsements of key issues affecting Illinois women, and their responses were genuine, and well-considered.

In an evening that was chock full of memorable quotes, and lauded by applause, here are some of the highlights.

One of the most enduring examples of gender inequality, between women and men, is the pay gap,currently established as fifty-cents less per dollar than that of a man, with the disparity especially hard hit towards women of color, a fact noted by Biss.

Pritzker was especially adamant in his opposition and also that the impact was keenly felt with the often enjoining issue of domestic violence, and lack of paid child care, that further devolves families headed by single women, as well as co-earners; but with “2 years and 6 days without a budget,” things became even worse.

Kennedy, in turn, noted that current Gov. Bruce Rauner cut child care for Illinoisans, “by 90 percent.”

“The gender gap in pay has narrowed since 1980, particularly among younger workers, but it still persists. In 2015, women earned 83% of what men earned, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of median hourly earnings of both full- and part-time U.S. workers.”

Pew also noted that “based on this estimate, it would take an extra 44 days of work for women to earn what men did in 2015. (By comparison, the Census Bureau found that women earned 80% of what their male counterparts earned in 2015 when looking at full-time, year-round workers only.)”

There is good news, of a sort, “for adults ages 25 to 34, the 2015 wage gap is smaller. Women in this group earned 90 cents for every dollar a man in the same age group earned.”

While there are many reasons why this gap persists, one salient factor is that women take time off to raise families, and this absence lowers the pay scale as they may miss out on promotions, or have less opportunity to prove themselves in the workplace, or on the executive level create, implement or assess business, or other production plans. In fact, studies show that 4 out of 10 women took time off, from full-time employment to raise a family.

In contrast just 24 percent of men, who were fathers, did so.

Despite the increase in managerial and professional jobs, women continue to be overrepresented in lower paying jobs, further contributing to not only to wage disparities, but also to decreased economical support for families, both married, or unmarried.

Pritzker, and Biss equally bemoaned the often intertwined problem of domestic violence and its impact on women’s lives, and earnings. Close on their heels was Kennedy who bemoaned the “lack of paid maternity leave,” as an additional factor.

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research stated that they did not expect the pay gap to close till 2065, which bowled over most of the men, like Kennedy, who gave his unequivocal support to help closing that gap for Illinois women should he be elected;but emphasized that in his tenure as head of the Merchandise Mart, that “one half of our executive vice-presidents were women, and were paid equal to their male counterparts.

Racially, the data becomes even more disturbing: for Hispanic women to reach wage parity the year is 2248, and for African American women, the year 2124 is the target date.

Close on the heels of that discussion was the violence perpetuated on women, be they transgendered, binary, or nonbinary, and Hardiman recounted his protection of two trans women, who were being threatened by two men. He also gave his unequivocal support for the rights of trans women and, by extension, the LGBT community.

Hardiman faced a hard question about his own domestic battles with his wife. in 2013 Hillsdale prosecutors charged him with battery; he was later arrested, but subsequently his wife dropped the charges saying that she wanted to work on her marriage.

In response, Hardiman noted that he was cleared of all charges within one week, and that the incident mostly involved a third party, and that he “would not tolerate any abuse of women.”

Citing the exposure of Harvey Einstein, and the “#Metoo” movement, that accompanied his sexaully predatoiry bahavior toward women, Kennedy noted that he “didn’t know of a single woman,” who has not had to deal with this form of violence, and that the larger culture of violence has “fed this problem.”

Rauner was definitely present in the room, for these men that want his job, even though his presence was more like that of Jacob Marley; while his budgetary failures were especially apparent, as the candidates despaired over the $14 billion of dollars in unpaid bills, and as Biss pointed out, “funding these women’s organizations” was especially important as “vulnerable people rely on them.”

Especially revealing, was not only the Weinstein episodes, but the fact that women in Springfield, the Illinois state capitol, including elected officials, have complained about unwanted sexual advances in an open letter that had over 160 signatures from candidates, consultations, fundraisers, and lobbyists.

“I think Harvey Weinstein has triggered this combustion of women coming out and finally speaking about the pink elephant in the room,” Ald.. Sara Feigenholtz said. “As a person who wants to see more women in government, more women in the policy arena, this is very painful. These women are the future and to see what they’re going through — it’s some very painful stuff.”

Kennedy’s reaction was that the problem was both “daunting and disgusting,” and Pritzker said, “those who harm women need to come forward.”

He especially bemoaned the 800 social service organizations that were so inequitably funded that “the CTA is the largest shelter” for young homeless people,” who are themselves examples of a “shrinking economy.”

With the impact of these candidate forums on the issues, for all Illinoisans, but especially for those that are vulnerable, as Biss emphasized, it’s a certainty that those that are most vulnerable, will face a vastly different landscape than has been seen before should a change occur in the governor’s office.

Cook County agrees to repeal hated soda tax

In a move that everyone wanted, but that had heads scratching as to how best to do it, without rancor, the much maligned sweetened beverage tax will be repealed on Dec. 1 of this year, after deep negotiations from Cook County commissioner, it was learned late Friday night.

Commissioners were responding to constituent complaints that were loud and insistent that they were already burdened by high sales tax, a Chicago city bag tax, and increased water and sewer taxes; and for Chicago residents increased property taxes to pay for pensions for municipal workers, and and fire and police; plus the specter of another one to help pay for Chicago Public Schools, who have been awash in red ink.

Families complained that it was harder to meet that weekly grocery challenge,and that the tax crept into other beverages, besides soda pop, forcing those with means to travel to nearby Lake County for a Prohibition era style fix.

Some local distributors refused to deliver beverages and others cancelled contracts with local stores, and some laid off sales staff, many of whom were heads of households.

“Mom and Pop” stores suffered the most, as the tax affected not only their overheads, but their bottom lines, as more and more consumers either cut back or eliminated, or shopped outside the county.

“Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison announced Friday that he and 11 colleagues have reached an agreement to end the tax, giving them enough to override a veto by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. They say a vote on the deal will be held on Tuesday and if it is passed, the tax will end on December 1,” reported local affiliate, ABC7Chicago.

“The news of the repeal comes a day after Commissioner John Daley said he no longer supports the tax. Others followed suit, including Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, another close ally of Preckwinkle,” they added.

With close allies defecting, the writing was on the wall for Preckwinkle after she had threatened layoffs with the loss of the expected $200 million, and also that the absence of the money would affect public health and safety provisions, which had 75 percent earmarked for them.

Earlier she had said that she was going to fund health care in case of cuts from Washington, yet in recent days she was forced to admit that first and foremost it was about revenue. As she stated a day earlier, it was “chosen as a revenue generator.”

Threatening, this time, she gave weight to cuts with a specific number: 11 percent across the board. She also added that "Those sort of reductions could substantially impact the services provided by the public defender's office and the state's attorney."

"That is bologna, quite frankly. There are a lot of ways we could cut," Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison countered.

“As the lead sponsor of the repeal, Morrison believes revenue can be generated by temporarily freezing infrastructure projects and cutting government waste.”

It’s no secret that regressive taxes, much beloved of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, are ultimately self-defeating, as people find a way out of them. But Chicago kicked the can down the road for decades on pension debt, lacked the creativity to look at other ways, such as city receiverships reminiscent of New York CIty in the 1970’s, or taking a transactional tax on trades by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the so-called LaSalle Street tax, touted by others.

Preckwinkle who has many fans for her stance on social issues, especially the jailing of black and brown offenders on low level crimes, was beginning to lose her home field advantage with the upcoming 2018 election, as her name would be on the ballot, along with the others on the Board.

It was a sure bet, had she kept the tax, that she would have been defeated and there were others waiting in the wings for a shot at leading the nation's second largest county. And, a smart politician never gambles all of her political capital on a single issue.

“County Board members aren’t off the hook, either. It will be their job to poke and press every cavity of the county budget. The board’s budget hearings for department heads are coming soon. Will board members press for cuts? Or, having killed the soda tax, will they nonsensically try to spend the money it would have provided?”, said the Chicago Tribune in an editorial.

They also issued this caution: “Taxpayers, county officials know you’re watching them closely. They know you’re invested. You just rose up to defy their soda tax. And they know that if they try to introduce another cockamamie tax to balance their 2018 budget, you’ll be back at the barricades.”

With that caveat, it’s back to the drawing board for Cook County, because, as one legendary heroine said, in part, "Tomorrow is another day.”

Illinois public colleges have less freshmen due to state budget delays

The fall semester has begun on American college campuses, and as the reading assignments have increased, students face new instructors, as well as an uncertain future for reporting sexual assaults, thanks to further politicization, and desensitization by Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, but in the nation’s heartland, Illinois freshmen will see less of each other because the near two year state budget crisis caused their ranks to decrease.

“I don't think there's any question there's a connection," said Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities in Washington, D.C. "The state funding situation was in the papers every day for months and months. It goes to public confidence in the institutions,” in a report by the Chicago Tribune.

Western Illinois University saw drops of 21 percent, with incoming freshmen, along with Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois, at about the same rate as last fall.

Faced with a well-publicized uncertainty, many parents were forced to look at what might, or what might not happen for the next four years, and some of them made the decision to go to nearby states, such as Michigan.

That was certainly the case for Bill Riddle of Elmhurst, Illinois who commented, "I did feel like the state was showing such a poor overall commitment to financing their higher education, so it definitely made me feel like we would know what we were getting with a private school going in," he said. "We were confident that with the endowment and the financial situation of a private school, I could depend on it for the four years she would be at school. One less thing to worry about."

The loss of the budget impasse will have a deleterious effect on the social capital of the state, as well as attracting business to the state, far more so than the oft repeated wails by  Republican Bruce Rauner, who, like Cassandra, has proclaimed doom for those that upheld unions, and workmen compensation “advantages.”

Paradoxically, there was a modest increase: “fighting off enrollment declines at the state's public universities, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign posted a modest increase this fall to set a record for its total student enrollment, according to data released Wednesday,” said the Tribune.

“Even more striking was the sharp increase at one of its sister campuses, the University of Illinois at Chicago, which posted the biggest percentage gain in freshman enrollment among the state's 12 public universities this fall.

However, their Springfield campus trended to the decline with “total enrollment there dropped 9 percent,” according to university figures.

“Overall, the University of Illinois system grew its collective enrollment by 2.9 percent, to 83,321, adding more than 2,300 students to last year's record total,”and that is good news with much of that coming from the Near West Side campus, which “had 4,064 new freshmen, about 700 more than last year — a 23 percent increase that accounts for more than half of the overall enrollment jump,” said the Tribune..

Contrasted with the others “that is a marked improvement over 2016, when total enrollment in Chicago went up but freshman numbers dropped more than 5 percent.”

To even return to pre-impasse levels will take years, and “it's turning a fairly large ship," State Higher Education Executive Officers Association's Rob Anderson said. "Students right now are making their enrollment decisions for next fall. Some will feel bolstered and might want to choose an Illinois college where they wouldn't before, and others might want to see how this trend plays out."

Brightening the skies was a report from the oft sought recommendations by U.S. New and World Report magazine that touted Northeastern Illinois University's as the most diverse and affordable school in Illinois.

In a statement from NEIU, they noted that in the “annual publication of “Best Colleges,” U.S. News & World Report announced that Northeastern Illinois University boasts the most diverse student population among Midwest regional universities and graduates its students with the least amount of student debt.”

In an era marked by increasing tuition costs for both private and public schools, “This marks the fourth year in a row that Northeastern has earned the No. 1 spot for students who graduate with the least amount of debt among Midwest regional universities. Only 55 percent of Northeastern’s 2016 graduating class incurred debt, and those students borrowed an average of $16,247.”

“Earning a degree from Northeastern means getting a high-quality, academically rigorous college experience and a post-graduation experience that is free of the overwhelming financial burdens faced by many college graduates,” Northeastern Interim President Richard Helldobler said. “We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report has again recognized Northeastern’s accomplishments in serving our diverse community of students with an affordable, high-quality education.”

The school, which celebrates its 150th anniversary, this weekend, has been on U.S. News & World Report’s list of most diverse universities since 1997, the first year the publication established the category in its “Best Colleges” rankings. The data for the diversity rankings were drawn from each institution’s 2016-17 enrollment numbers. According to U.S. News & World Report, the rankings factored in the proportion of minority students—excluding international students—and the overall mix of groups in each institution’s student body. The groups forming the basis for the calculations were African-American (non-Hispanic), Hispanic, American Indian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, White (non-Hispanic) and multiracial.”

“We take great pride in the diversity of our community,” Helldobler said. “We are committed to welcoming, accepting, respecting and embracing our differences because we value learning from others.”

Rauner signs new school funding bill; costs high to Chicago taxpayers

It is being called historic -- and the label is accurate --- school funding in Illinois, one of the less equitable states, for low income districts in the nation, has changed with the signing of Senate Bill 1947, by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

“It’s a good bill. It’s a compromise bill. We got a best-in-the-nation education funding formula. We got regulatory relief, unfunded mandate relief for our schools so the teachers can teach without a lot of restrictions. We got a lot of opportunity for homeowners in school districts that are um, adequately funded, to reduce their property taxes. That’s a really big deal. We got opportunity for more school choice for low-income families who would like the opportunity to choose a school the way higher-income families can,” Rauner said after the Thursday ceremony, by way of explaining what he got out of it in exchange. “There are many wonderful things in this bill.”

This, of course, was a dramatic change from his original feelings for SB!, sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, who has fought for funding equity for ages, on the lack of parity, for students, that had previously been based solely on property taxes.

Rauner had called it a bailout for Chicago schools to tackle the pension payment crisis that had swallowed huge chunks of taxpayer dollars, to right what was a sinking ship, and that it was not fair to downstate school districts.

Ironically, as local Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown reported, in late July, “contrary to the governor’s assertions that their communities are being shortchanged, these downstate superintendents say the legislation is fair and are asking Rauner to sign it.”

In that same column, Brown reported Rolf Silverstein, school superintend in Canton, saying, “Why is [Rauner] whipsawing downstate against Chicago?” who also noted that “The children of Chicago are just as important as all Illinois children.”

Rauner’s subsequent amendatory veto sent the General Assembly into panic mode and there was some serious horse trading going on, to use an old cliche; and it seemed that compromise was the only way to go. Now, that’s certainly not a new concept, but with the governor being at loggerheads with the Democratic majority, and his refusal to sign a budget deal for nearly two years, it was significant.

Some are saying that his wife, First Lady Diana Rauner, had something to do with it, as the power behind the throne, and a series of recently published emails, certainly supported the view that her husband’s profile and legacy were important to her, in this area.

Many have pointed out that Rauner got little of what he wanted out of the bill, and that his AV showed his true feelings about CPS, that he once said had teachers that “are virtually illiterate,” and who taught in schools that were “crumbling prisons.” And, while he apologized, the damage was done.

Within that vein, most observers, and pundits, are saying that the $75 million tax credit scholarship, (while not technically the vouchers that Rauner wanted), was the key to winning bipartisan support to avoid the severe cuts that the AV wanted: Chicago to get $145 million less than in Manar’s bill; and a reduction from $220 million to $148 million, plus a loss of a decades old block grant.

That scholarship which critics complain is a thinly disguised voucher system, is set for a sunset in 5 years, yet many don’t believe it.  And, one of them is gubernatorial candidate Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) who said: “There are components of this legislation that cross what is for me a red line. The introduction of a voucher system to direct public funds towards private schools is for me dangerous,”and “It for me sets a problematic precedent that will I fear allow for long term systematic undermining of our public school systems.”

Local PBS station, WTTW, reported the Chicago Teachers Union’s objection, and that it  has the massive ability to radically destabilize public schools going forward,” CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said. “You don’t build a new machine for school funding and then attach a time bomb to it. And I know that sounds kind of hyperbolic but the truth of the matter is that we see vouchers as very much a time bomb. And something that will undermine the exact intent of the legislation in the first place.”

The supporters of vouchers, who have an advocate in the Federal Cabinet, Education secretary, Betsy DeVos, are determined to gnaw away at financial support for public schools. And, in Chicago, they have their greatest chance, which means that shattering support for a traditionally blue state, and its future voters, is worth a compromise.

A lawsuit from the CTU may be also coming down the road, and they are “contemplating a lawsuit challenging the tax scholarship program. A spokesman says the union’s lawyers are contemplating constitutional and civil rights issues, and well as a clause in the measure which ties the scholarship program to its copious other changes, meaning that if one provision of the bill is killed off in court the rest would likely die with it,” was also reported.

In their corner, was the unlikely support of the Chicago archdiocese, Cardinal Blaise Cupich, who knows that much of the “voucher” money will be directed to parochial schools, which, are in fact, are the largest private school system in the United States.

Estimated, but not confirmed, figures claim that this can be used for as many as 6,000 students.

Rather coyly, and underneath a pastoral mantle, he told the news media on Thursday, that he just wanted the governor and the powerful Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan to “trust each other.”

Of course, Cupich, had a dog in this fight, and despite his previous far flung Western diocese, seems to have become very adept in urban politics, and has remodeled himself in the fashion of the old brick-and-mortar Catholic bishops, such as his predecessor Cardinal Stritch, and others, like Cushing in Boston, and McIntyre in Los Angeles.

Reacting to union criticism, he said, “I don’t understand that for two reasons. First of all, they have all the money that they asked for, that they got for their pensions. And I think that’s important.”

“Vouchers are a double whammy aimed at the heart of public education, and to be frank, amount to stealing from the same Black and Brown children to whom he claims to be providing sanctuary and equity, said CTU President Karen Lewis, of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, but could easily be extended to the cardinal.

Some have said that the program violates the Blaine Amendment that does not allow any public monies for any church, or sect, yet the opposition has lost in previous court battles, as the tax credit, not the direct use of public monies is used.

Decades ago in Michigan, there was a proposal called “parochiaid” that was soundly defeated, mostly under the shadow of religious instruction, or as some said indoctrination, a fear held by supporters of the Blaine Amendment.

For those supporters that claim student achievement will rise, especially in reading and math, by going to a private school, studies do not support that assertion; with the exception of math in Washington, D.C. schools, and that was only statistically significant. Yet others go further, and say, that over time, gains will be seen.

While the criticism of the tax credit plan will undoubtedly increase, Cupich claims that putting a lot of children in public schools mystifies him. He remarked, “If those kids, in fact, were all in public schools, that would be even more of a pressure on the budget and the schools,” Cupich said. “So I guess I don’t understand the thinking.”

One thing that will be well understood is the effect on Chicago and Illinois taxpayers already burdened by the sweetened beverage tax, the bag tax, high sales tax, water and sewer tax increased tax and now another property tax hike to help fund the now $169 million, needed additionally, for CPS.

Expected is a tax increase of $130 million per year, yet CPS officials claim that they always want to separate pension expenses from operating, but that is still under discussion.

All in all, Chicago property owners can expect to see an addition to the already $543 million in taxes, they already pay. Not to mention, the phase in of the burgeoning contributions to police and firefighters pension fund, pegged at 10 percent, and those living in the North and South Suburbs can see a surge of 6.5 and 3.9 percent.

These are part of four-year increases set to expire in 2019, but more will continue when the ARC payments begin; these are formally known as Actuarially Required Contributions, which require payment from the city to the pension fund while the city sets aside enough money for future payments.

When the dust settles, while the state gives $5 million out each year, from general revenue funds, it really is how $350 million is distributed, that is key to understanding the new funding.

There seems to be truth in the old adage, “be careful of what you ask for, you just might get it.”

Unprecedented police conviction in Chicago opens door for reform

Marco Proano

On Monday a federal judge and prosecutor made history by charging a veteran Chicago police officer, Marco Proano, of using unreasonable force and wounding two teens, based on a December 2013 dash cam video. The 16 shots that he fired into a stolen car driven by black teenagers, turned the circle on a long, and painful episode of police abuse that had been the bane of those seeking lawful, and effective policing.

For Chicago history, it was doubly significant because in the past decades there were never convictions when the police used excessive force, mostly resulting in death, but also torture, as the infamous police Cmdr. John Burge, who did with black men, in the most vicious manner.

The 42 year-old police officer had also been charged earlier, and escaped prosecution, but remained on the force, in fact, for the August 2011 shooting of another teen, 19 year old, Niko Husband, at close range, but he was cleared of wrongdoing for the shooting, and also given a commendation for valor.

A judge later awarded his mother $3.5 million dollars, but it was overruled, and is currently on appeal.

The significance of this charge, and conviction, was a surprise to many, but in one manner helps to begin to close the circle on a long, and sad history, that had as its apex the, by now infamous police shooting, and videotaping, of 16 year- old, Laquan McDonald, being shot 16 times; which in turn, set a series of public protests, the defeat of States Attorney Anita Alvarez, and demands for the resignations of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. All of which garnered national headlines.

Coming on the heels of an 11th hour Obama era Department of Justice investigation, the attempt to right the wrongs of the past, especially racial justice, with not only the McDonald case, but others, was the revelation of inadequate police training, from a recent Department of Justice investigation.

U.,S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, made the announcement, this January, accompanied by U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon, and Vanita Gupta, the Justice Department head of civil rIghts. The three held a news conference at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago's Loop, where Lynch said the report “found “reasonable cause” that the Chicago police department engaged in a pattern of using excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. She blamed that partially on “severely deficient training procedures” and “accountability systems.”

“Chicago police have shot at fleeing suspects who weren’t an immediate threat, failed to address racially discriminatory behavior within the department and put their own officers at risk”, the Chicago Sun-Times, reported at the time.

The 164 page report came after an initial rejection by Emanuel, calling it “misguided,” but facing a mountain of criticism, including increased calls for his resignation, he relented. And, in response, he said that he would, in breaking a long-held use of police overtime, ask for 970 new police officers, although not specifying how he would pay for them in a city with a previous legacy of financial mismanagement, mostly over delayed pension payments for city, and municipal workers.

The mixture of neglect, denial, economic problems, and partisan bickering has made an unenviable position for the city, as it deals with record crime, but also has to contend with President Trump who faces off his critics, and inflames his base by citing  Chicago as an example, of the horrors of reformed policing, by liberal advocates.

Added to the mix is Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has adamantly said, that he would not agree to a consent decree to enforce the DOJ recommendations made by Lynch.

Monday’s unprecedented move carries a maximum of ten years, although legal experts say that since Proano, has no priors, this could be reduced, but also signals that there is a new dawning in police even being convicted.

“The vast majority of Chicago police officers do their job with vigilance and with respect for the constitutional rights of the citizens that they protect,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joel Levin said after the verdict was read. “In this situation, that’s not what Marco Proano did.”

As the Chicago Sun-Times reported, not all are pleased with the decision. Kevin Graham, president of Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police, reacted with a statement that said, “the pressure on the police is making the job extremely difficult.”

“It seems that the criminal elements in our society are not accountable in our justice system, while the police face an intense scrutiny for every split second decision they make,” Graham said. “We will meet with our legal advisers to consider the next steps.”

Chicago city politics almost always reveal, more than is seent, and in this view Proano’s charge also gives rise to continue the DOJ recommendations, and while Emanuel has said that he wants to partner with State Attorney General Lisa Madigan in tackling the myriad of CPD related issues, there is much more to be probed.

Lisa Madigan

Veteran Sun-Times City Hall reporter Fran Spielman asked the question, “If Emanuel was really embracing federal court oversight over the Chicago Police Department, why did City Hall ask a judge just the other day to dismiss a similar lawsuit on grounds that CPDs “extensive, ongoing reform efforts” made the legal claims a moot point?”

Taking it even further, “And if Emanuel and Madigan were truly partners, why did the attorney general feel the need to file a federal lawsuit that holds a legal hammer over the mayor’s head?”

It appears that this may be a necessary first step, Spielman noted, “Corporation Counsel Ed Siskel said there’s a simple explanation for the seemingly adversarial lawsuit. It’s the necessary legal step before a federal judge will order the parties to negotiate a consent decree.”

Certainly, there is pressure for Emanuel to honor his commitment for a consent decree and that this first step, also supported by University of Chicago law professor, Craig Futterman, may be it.

“The Trump administration wasn’t even willing to pursue the concept they proposed themselves,” the mayor said. “I am proud that the Illinois attorney general is standing up for our city, for its residents and for our police officers where the Trump administration fell flat.”

Madigan added, “We are essentially stepping into the shoes of the Department of Justice — shoes that the DOJ has abandoned.”

Whether forced, or not, the Madigan effort merits some praise by many, but not by Graham who calls it a “potential catastrophe,” and would further “handicap the police force.”

While that argument has been promulgated before, the sense of justice, by police reform advocates has merit as does, Emanuel’s reservations that in previous cities’ efforts have “come at the expense of public safety.”

Futterman does make a valid point when he says, “If this just turns into another deal between politicians that excludes the community from a formal role in negotiating what’s in the deal and enforcing the deal, it lacks any credibility and it won’t be trusted,” he said.

The old adage, of one step forward, two steps back seems to apply, but maybe it should be two steps forward and one back, the first being the Proano conviction, and the second Madigan’s lawsuit.

In a philosophic vein, can the city afford to go forward without the consent decree, and despite Graham’s negative assertions, can the city afford more cases like McDonald, and the ensuing negative publicity, especially as Emanuel seeks reelection?