Category: Government

Trump’s sins; Iran war circumventing law, procedure

Musings (special edition!): •The Sins of Donald J. Trump (chapter 17). He has: Sought to re-name Penn Station in New York City to “Trump Station” and Dulles International Airport to “Trump International Airport”; Floated the possibility of a fourth term in office; Threatened to block the opening of a bridge

Reader’s Commentary: Operations in Iran came from years of threats/terrorism

By Bela “Bill” Suhayda When someone says “I will kill you”…believe them. Only fools ignore threats against their lives. For 50 years Iran’s mullahs (an honorific title for a Muslim cleric, imam, or scholar) and ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei have threatened us saying “death to America” and “death to Israel.”

Preemptive war, permanent emergency: The real cost

By John & Nisha Whitehead “‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”—Jeremiah 6:13–14 The military-industrial complex and the American police state have joined forces. War abroad and war at home are no longer separate enterprises. They have fused. This did not happen overnight. Every modern president has stretched

Illinois lawmakers call for Epstein investigatory commission

By Maggie DoughertyCapitol News Illinoismdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois lawmakers are calling for an independent commission to investigate Illinois-linked crimes connected to international sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Democratic lawmakers Monday joined advocates for women and survivors of sexual abuse to introduce House Bill 5723, called the Illinois Epstein Files Investigation Act. The bill,

Illinois being sued by Trump admin. over access to voter data

By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Eighteen former U.S. Department of Justice attorneys filed a brief in federal court this week opposing the Donald Trump administration’s lawsuit that seeks access to sensitive personal information about every registered voter in Illinois. In a friend-of-the-court brief filed Monday in U.S. District Court in

Foster on Iran strikes, escalating nuclear risk

Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement regarding U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran. “The Constitution is clear: the President does not have the authority to take the United States into sustained military conflict without Congressional authorization. If these strikes risk escalation into a broader war, Congress must

Pritzker, Epstein connection false

By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker denied a since-recanted comment by former president Bill Clinton that Clinton thought the pair may have traveled together on a plane owned by convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. His denial was in response to a 90-second video clip of Clinton’s closed-door deposition

The Art of the Steal and the privatization of the presidency

By John & Nisha Whitehead In his State of the Union address, president Donald Trump declared that America is entering a “Golden Age.” Golden for whom? For a president who lives lavishly in a taxpayer-funded mansion, jets around to weekend golf getaways at taxpayer expense, and dismisses concerns about “affordability”

Illinois increasingly becomes destination for abortion

By Nikoel HytrekCapitol News Illinoisnhytrek@capitolnewsillinois.com Surrounded by states with abortion restrictions, Illinois has become a destination for patients from across the country since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Illinois abortion providers took care of 23% of the approximately 155,000 Americans who traveled out of state

Illinois bills to regulate pricing based on personal data

By Jenna SchweikertCapitol News Illinoisjschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com As top legislators emphasize affordability this session, several lawmakers are taking aim at regulating algorithmic pricing that uses consumers’ personal data. Algorithmic pricing is a price-setting practice where companies use everything from mouse movements to website searches and messages to set unique, individualized prices using

City of Aurora Names New Chief Human Resources Officer, Emergency Management Coordinator, and Director of Property Standards

On Tuesday night, the Aurora City Council approved the appointments of Michele Clark to serve as the City’s chief Human Resources officer, Theodore Van De Sampel to serve as the City’s Emergency Management coordinator, and Josue Alcaraz to serve as the City’s director of Property Standards. All three employees had previously been serving in interim roles until their

Rep. Davis responds to State of the State Address

Following the annual State of the State and Budget Address, State representative Jed Davis (R-Yorkville) released the following statement: “Governor J.B. Pritzker gave his annual State of the State and Budget Address. While there were a number of issues with his FY27 budget proposal, including $1 billion in increased spending

Rep. Kifowit responds to Gov. Pritzker’s address

State representative Stephanie Kifowit (D–Oswego), released the following statement in response to governor JB Pritzker’s State of the State and Budget Address: “Governor Pritzker’s address highlighted the continued progress Illinois has made and the importance of maintaining fiscal responsibility while investing in the priorities that matter most to families and

Lions learn Aurora development projects: Retail, residential

City of Aurora economic development projects are focusing on commercial and residential. That was the word February 19 from Aurora zoning and planning division director Tracey Vacek at Aurora Lions Club’s monthly luncheon meeting at Riverview Diner in Montgomery. Vacek said key retail projects include: •A Climate and Equitable Jobs

Protecting sex predators: The reality of the global elite

By John & Nisha Whitehead “No one, including the president of the United States, should be able to cover up crimes against children.”—James Talarico Nearly 30 years after the first complaints were filed, the Epstein files remain a masterclass in how the ruling class shields its own. We are long

Bears stadium has ‘positive momentum,’ hurdles remain

By Brenden MooreCapitol News Illinoisbmoore@capitolnewsillinois.com Legislation that would assist the Chicago Bears’ stalled effort to move from the lakefront to a new domed stadium in Arlington Heights has “positive momentum” after languishing for years at the bottom of Springfield’s priority list. But the emerging package hasn’t reached the end zone,