Good morning, Chicago.
Promising a “fight” to protect all Chicagoans, Mayor Brandon Johnson said yesterday he has not reached out to the White House in the face of Republican President Donald Trump’s ongoing threats against immigrants — and Democratic officials such as Johnson himself.
In an interview with the Tribune’s Alice Yin and Jake Sheridan, Johnson said “no” when asked whether his team has sought a meeting with Trump’s administration about immigration actions in Chicago or other topics. The mayor also wouldn’t budge when confronted with the threat of prosecution by Trump’s Justice Department, saying his job as leader of Chicago does not change.
Asked to explain his lack of outreach to the White House, the mayor said his focus remains at home.
“I have a responsibility to protect the residents of the city of Chicago, and so that is my responsibility, and I’m going to do that,” the mayor said. “We’re going to protect the working-class folks, whether you are an immigrant or whoever you are, my job is to protect working people, and that’s what I’m doing.”
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Senate advances Pete Hegseth as President Donald Trump’s defense secretary, despite allegations against him
The Senate advanced the nomination of Pete Hegseth as President Donald Trump’s defense secretary yesterday on a largely party-line vote, despite grave objections from Democrats and stirring unease among Republicans over his behavior and qualifications to lead the U.S. military.
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The ‘Make Michael Madigan Money Plan’ was powerful speaker’s focus, feds argue in waning days of corruption trial
In his testimony earlier this month, former House Speaker Michael Madigan cast himself as a champion of the working class, a consensus-builder who used his power to bring people together on legislation and protect constituents from greedy utilities and corporations.
But federal prosecutors say the speaker had a different goal in mind: The “Make Michael Madigan Money Plan.”
That’s the unflattering phrase coined during closing arguments yesterday in Madigan’s corruption trial, where prosecutors alleged the once-powerful speaker and leader of the state Democratic Party schemed for years to line his own pockets, dangling official action to pressure well-heeled developers to hire his private law firm for tax appeal work.
Attorney general: Madigan’s former chief of staff should forfeit state pension
The onetime chief of staff to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan should permanently forfeit a $154,000 annual state pension because of his 2023 conviction on charges he lied to a federal grand jury and attempted to obstruct a probe into his ex-boss, according to the Illinois attorney general’s office.
Timothy Mapes, Madigan’s longtime aide who also was clerk of the Illinois House and executive director of the state Democratic Party, has not been receiving his pension since February 2024 after it was temporarily suspended following his sentencing to 2 ½ years in federal prison for lying to the grand jury despite being granted immunity from prosecution. Mapes’ effort to obstruct the federal investigation was ultimately unsuccessful as prosecutors moved forward with charges against Madigan and several others as part of the sweeping probe.
But the letter from Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office recommends making that suspension permanent. It came Wednesday, the same day federal prosecutors began closing arguments in their wide-range bribery and racketeering case against Madigan and longtime confidant Michael McClain, both of whom have pleaded not guilty.
Matteson farm loses entire flock of hens to bird flu outbreak
Farmers at Kakadoodle, a family chicken farm in south suburban Matteson, were in its coops on a recent Sunday because a water pipe had frozen when they discovered about 30 dead birds.
The next day, they found hundreds of dead hens.
Testing confirmed the hens were dying of bird flu. By the time a team of U.S. Department of Agriculture workers in hazmat gear came out to the farm to kill the remaining hens, only about 500 still were alive. About 2,500 were already gone.
CPS and CTU start ‘fact-finding’ in an attempt to settle monthslong contract negotiations
After being unable to reach a deal on a teachers contract Tuesday, Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union met with a third-party law arbitrator Wednesday to commence fact-finding in an attempt to reach an agreement.
On Wednesday, both parties presented extensive briefs to the fact-finder.
Progress of young players will be a measuring stick for the 2025 Chicago White Sox
Coming off a modern-day MLB record 121 losses last season, Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz will be measuring success in 2025 in a number of ways.
“We’re looking for our players — both individually and as a team — to make steps forward,” Getz said Thursday afternoon at Rate Field. “Now, sometimes it’s going to show up with wins, sometimes it’s going to show up with losses — and that’s just part of the game. It’s truly understanding each player, what they need to do to be successful at the major-league level. And certainly it’s playing together and understanding what it takes to win baseball games.
Chicago Blackhawks call up defenseman Ethan Del Mastro and sign forward prospect AJ Spellacy
With a pair of moves yesterday, the Chicago Blackhawks advanced the development of a couple of high-profile prospects, signing forward AJ Spellacy and calling up defenseman Ethan Del Mastro from the AHL Rockford IceHogs.
The Hawks also placed forward Craig Smith (back) on injured reserve.
Column: Did the Oscars just issue an executive order in support of ‘Emilia Pérez’?
In a culture divided against itself in ways far exceeding but never entirely free of politics, the 13 nominations for the Netflix offering “Emilia Pérez” — a faux-Mexican trans cartel musical melodrama directed by a Frenchman, Jacques Audiard — send a message, writes Tribune film critic Michael Phillips.
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Review: Simply put, Handspring’s ‘Life & Times of Michael K’ raises the art form of puppetry
Mention the Handspring Puppet Theatre of Cape Town, South Africa, to any knowledgeable puppeteer and eyes invariably widen with admiration. The 44-year-old company, collaborators with Britain’s National Theatre on the beloved play “War Horse” and the creators of the puppet Little Amal seen in Chicago in 2023, is always described as among the best in the world and thus its presence this week at the Studebaker Theater is something of a coup for the 7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, writes Tribune theater critic Chris Jones.
Readers’ Choice Food Awards: It’s time to vote for your favorite Chicagoland restaurants, bars and more
We’ve reviewed the nominations, selected five finalists in each category and now it’s time to vote for who will be the ultimate winners of our 2024 Tribune Readers’ Choice Food Awards.
Readers can vote daily for their favorite finalists here.
What to do in Chicago: ‘Disney on Ice,’ Meshell Ndegeocello and movie trivia at the Music Box
Also around the area this weekend, comedian Pat McGann at the Chicago Theatre and a Manual Cinema show for kids.
