30 Best Political Satire Blogs and Websites Jan 21, 2023⋅Contents The best Political Satire blogs from thousands of blogs on the web and ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness
On Tuesday, Illinois Review broke exclusive newsthat former Republican Attorney General candidate Thomas DeVore had filed suit against Gov. JB Pritzker, State Senate President Don Harmon, D, House Speaker Christopher Welch, D, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, D, to stop their recent Assault Weapons Ban. DeVore’s motion for a temporary restraining order was heard on Wednesday during a two-hour hearingbefore Judge Joshua Morrison in Effingham County.
This afternoon, Judge Morrison granted DeVore’s motion and has halted Pritzker’s Assault Weapons Ban effective immediately while the lawsuit proceeds.
Pritzker signed the Assault Weapons Ban into lawjust last week. After the ceremony, Pritzker spoke to the press, where he had a stern warning for conservatives across the state: there will be consequences for not following the law.
After more than 80 sheriffs across Illinois signaled that they would not enforce the ban, Pritzker followed up with another stern warning: “[the sheriff’s] will in fact do their job or they won’t be in their job.”
DeVore’s suit is brought on behalf of more than 860 plaintiffs throughout Illinois and is based on alleged violations of the Illinois Constitution. One alleged violation is of the Equal Protection Clause, because the Assault Weapons Ban provides exemptions for certain groups – for instance, active and retired law enforcement are exempted from the ban, as well as active military and private security guards.
Retired military, however, much like the general population, are not exempted from the ban. DeVore argues that these exemptions create unconstitutional classes of citizens where legislators have decided who is subject to the ban and who is not.
By ruling in favor of DeVore’s motion for temporary restraining order, Judge Morrison has signaled that DeVore is likely to prevail on his lawsuit. The case will proceed towards a final judgment on the merits.
But in the meantime, the ban does not apply against the more than 860 plaintiffs as a result of the judge’s ruling today.
DeVore’s Complaint for Declaratory Judgement can be accessed here.
A copy of the Temporary Restraining Order can be accessed here.
The U.S. Supreme Court this week considered whether students with disabilities can seek financial relief under a federal law prohibiting discrimination even if they’ve already settled a case under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Comments and questions from the justices seemed to lean toward yes.
“All she wants is to be compensated for what she says occurred to her during the period of her education,” Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said, offering a hypothetical example of a senior who wants to drop out. “Does she have to sit in front of a hearing officer and talk about ways in which her education could be changed?”
While the arguments in the case are complex, they come down to whether Congress meant for students to give up their rights under IDEA — which does not provide monetary damages — in order to bring a lawsuit seeking a financial award under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Advocates for students with disabilities argue that was never the intention of the law, while those representing school districts are concerned about the potential for “dual-track litigation” under both IDEA and ADA.
“That could be extremely expensive for districts,” said Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director for AASA, the School Superintendents Association. A ruling in favor of the plaintiff, she added, “has the potential to shift parents’ and districts’ focus to money rather than educational needs.”
The case, Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, focuses on a deaf immigrant from Mexico, now 27, who entered the Michigan district in 2004, when he was 9. The district assigned Miguel Perez to an aide who didn’t know American Sign Language and invented hand signals to communicate with him.
“This shameful conduct permanently stunted Miguel’s ability to communicate with the outside world,” said his attorney Roman Martinez.
The family sued and agreed to a settlement under IDEA that allowed Perez to attend Michigan School for the Deaf. But his parents also sought monetary damages for emotional distress and lost income under ADA.
Shay Dvoretzky, representing the school district, said Congress didn’t want families to do an end run around the administrative process outlined in special education law — such as attending a resolution conference and filing a formal complaint — in order to seek damages.
“Congress carefully crafted those procedures, and it wanted parents and school districts to go through them” in order to ensure the student receives appropriate services, he said.
But Justice Elena Kagan, one of the liberals on the court, said it’s unlikely families would pass up services for a child under IDEA in order to reserve their right to sue.
“It’s the parents that have the greater incentive to get the education fixed for their child,” she said.
‘Cannot remedy the harm’
Rebecca Spar, an attorney with the New Jersey-based Education Law Center, who has argued special education cases, said a key issue is Perez’s age. His parents brought the case after the district told him he would be eligible only for a certificate of completion, not a diploma.
If a child is denied services at a young age, the educational relief provided through IDEA can make a real difference in the child’s future, she said. But the options for older students are far more limited.
“When you get older, there are all kinds of complications,” she said. “Then you cannot remedy the harm.”
Kagan and Dvoretzky also exchanged words over the meaning of relief. Dvoretzky suggested it doesn’t necessarily mean money and that it was sufficient for the district to address Perez’s loss of an appropriate education by getting him into the school for the deaf.
“It’s … a situation where you may not get what you ask for, but you get what you need,” he said.
But Kagan said it’s clear what the family is seeking.
“It’s relief in the normal sense: What did you get? How much money was put on the table?” she said.
If the court rules for Perez, it’s possible districts would include language in any IDEA settlement that parents are giving up their rights to sue under other laws.
“That would close the door for ADA relief,” Pudelski said.
Martinez said he can’t predict whether the court will allow Perez’s ADA lawsuit to move forward, but the decision has “important implications not only for Miguel, but for parents and students across the country.”
A bill headed to the governor’s desk that gives paid leave to all Illinois workers is being criticized for hurting small businesses around the state.
The “Paid Leave for All Workers Act” guarantees up to 40 hours of paid leave per year for all employees. Under terms of the legislation, full- and part-time workers can earn up to one week’s worth of paid time off per year.
During debate on the House floor, State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, said the state spends millions to lure big businesses to Illinois, but constantly places mandates on small businesses.
“My major concern are the little guys,” Davidsmeyer said. “It’s the mom-and-pops that have 5, 10, maybe 13 employees. This has a significant impact on their budgets.”
Under terms of the bill, leave can be used for any reason. Employers can still require employees to give notice before taking time off.
Deputy Majority Leader Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, sponsored the bill in the House of the 102nd General Assembly. She said many labor groups are on board with the measure, including the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association.
“Small businesses are the backbones of all of our communities regardless of where we live at, but those employees are the backbones of those small businesses,” Gordon-Booth said.
State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, R-Elmhurst, agreed that the legislation will be detrimental to the bottom line for small businesses.
“What it’s going to mean is that more businesses close, more businesses can’t survive, and the very people you are trying to protect won’t have jobs at all,” Mazzochi said.
The governor is expected to sign the bill into law, which would make Illinois the 15th state to have laws regarding mandatory paid leave.
“Working families face enough challenges without the concern of losing a day’s pay when life gets in the way,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said is a statement
McDonough County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Nick Petitgout 110 S. McArthur St. Macomb, IL 61455
Media Statement
January 11, 2023
~House Bill 5471~
As your Sheriff, I wanted to give citizens of McDonough County an update on the recent passage of HB 5471, also known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act.
As your duly elected Sheriff my job and my office are sworn, in fact, to protect the citizens of McDonough County. This is a job and responsibility that I take with the utmost seriousness.
Part of my duties that I accepted upon being sworn into office was to protect the rights provided to all of us, in the Constitution. One of those enumerated rights is the right of the people to keep and bear arms provided under the 2nd amendment.
The right to keep and bear arms for defense of life, liberty and property is regarded as an inalienable right by the people.
I, among many others, believe that HB 5471 is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.
Therefore, as the custodian of the jail and chief law enforcement official for McDonough County, that neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the State, nor will we be arresting or housing law abiding individuals that have been charged solely with non-compliance of this Act.
As American citizens we must place our compassion in the right place: with the victims of crime, not the perpetrators.
There is an obvious truth that I increasingly feel the need to say out loud: We are all American citizens. We are all entitled to the same rights and protections, no matter where we live or what the color of our skin is. The reason I feel the need to say it is that on the South Side of Chicago where I live and minister, it’s not obvious.
And this is despite the fact that we are literally drowning in race these days. In the two years sinceGeorge Floydwas murdered, we have had theBlack Lives Mattermovement, the Defund thePolicemovement, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion movement, and the movement to remove ACT and SAT tests, stripping schools of honors classes and wasting valuable time on white privilege instead of educating our kids upward. The latest is the SAFE-T Act, which would abolish the cash bail system.
These movements have all been pushed by elites in the name of helping Blacks, but not one of these people has ever visited my neighborhood to ask what we think.
It’s almost like we have no say, like we are some sort of a social experiment, pawns without minds of our own.
That’s why Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s championing of the SAFE-T Act is such an insult. The Governor claims that his plan will make our city safer and more equitable. Sounds like a nice, sweet sentiment, doesn’t it? But what about the minorities in my neighborhood who suffer some of the worst violence in America? Don’t we matter?
This Democratic governor who descends from one of America’s richest families will never have to see the realities of his actions on the ground. But my community will.
It is unfortunate, but thanks to decades of failed liberal policies, many of our impoverished, abysmally educated youths resort to violence. And when they do, they prey on us, American citizens who are just trying to live our lives and make the world a better place.
One of those people is my friend Carol Claudio, who works at my non-profit community center, Project H.O.O.D. (Helping Others Obtain Destiny). She was recently carjacked and had a gun pointed at her face. She truly feared for her life, because mercy is on a short supply these days in my neighborhood.
“I felt violated and helpless,” Carol told me. “The police were called five times and never showed up, which made me feel as if I didn’t matter. I can’t even image the persons who did this not being held accountable for their actions, and being let out just to do it to someone else.”
It is Governor Pritzker’s job to protect Carol and countless others who are overcoming incredible odds for their shot at the American Dream. Yet he plans to make them less safe, to make that dream an impossibility.
And he can hardly plead ignorance; he knows that we have had over 500 murders so far this year, over 1,500 cases of sexual assault, over 6,400 robberies, 15,000 thefts, 13,000 car thefts. And his solution is to make things more equitable for criminals who happen to be minorities?
Down here, we don’t see them as minorities. We see them for what they are: criminals who must be removed from our neighborhood so that we may have peace to go to the store, to school, or church.
I say all of these things as someone who believes in rehabilitation with all my heart. For the last 10 years, Project H.O.O.D. has been rehabbing citizens fresh out of prison. Our neighborhood receives more than half of all the prisoners released in Chicago every year, and we strive to meet them all and offer them a pathway to the American Dream.
I asked my new friend, Pierre Blakney, what he thought of the Governor’s new plan. Pierre was recently released from prison and he is working at our community center to prevent youngsters from following his path.
“I ended up in prison for making bad choices,” Pierre told me. “I was trying to make fast and easy money to provide for my family, so I sold drugs and to protect myself, I carried a weapon.” To Pierre, the thought of free bail “sounds real good from the criminal mindset because anything short of murder or treason, I know I will be right back on the streets without having to post bail. It will only lead me to committing more crimes because I haven’t learned my lesson from the first crime. There was no accountability, nor any jail time, for me to reflect on my actions.”
What Pierre did not mention was that his victims were mostly minorities—the very ones that our governor ignores completely.
The Washington Post reported is reporting that tensions and frustrations are rising within the Kremlin with insiders saying it appears Putin “doesn’t know what to do.”
Several sources told the newspaper that they believe Putin does not have a plan for how to continue the invasion or how to bring it to an end.
An unnamed Russian billionaire, who is in contact with top-ranking officials, said “There is huge frustration among the people around him.
“He clearly doesn’t know what to do.”
The reports tie in with those of other news channels on Saturday, December 31 that suggest he is struggling to remain focused. Seemingly unwilling to appear in public he has even gone so far as to pre-record his annual State of the Nation address.
Normally he addresses Russia’s Federal Assembly before meeting with hundreds of journalists from across the country. Reports have suggested everything from his fear of questions that may show him and the war in a bad light to the latest today, his fear of catching the strains of flu and COVID-19 that are doing the rounds.
People The Washington Post spoke to said that lack of a speech in the Assembly is a sign that he is floundering: The billionaire said: “In the address, there should be a plan. But there is no plan.
“I think they just don’t know what to say”
He added that Putin is increasingly isolated: “He doesn’t like speaking with people anyway. He has a very narrow circle, and now it has gotten narrower still.”
Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that many of Russia’s elite are starting to lose faith in their leader.
That is because he seemingly “incapable of giving answers to questions.
“The elite does not know what to believe, and they fear to think about tomorrow.
“To a large degree, there is the feeling that there is no way out, that the situation is irreparable, that they are totally dependent on one person.”
Russian officials critical of the war effort but who wouldn’t be named for fear of recriminations have said: “How can [Putin] tell us everything is going to plan, when we are already in the 10th month of the war, and we were told it was only going to take a few days.”
He added the only tactic he appears to have right now is to urge the West and Ukraine to negotiate, but even that tactic has fallen on deaf ears in Russia with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov telling a different story the very next day.
Putin is said to be willing to talk “but only on his terms” and that makes any chance of negotiation remote, particularly when he is no longer holding the upper hand.
Despite the failure of the war effort to go the way it was planned, Putin retains a tight grip on power with many of those around him continuing to give him their full support. Many fear that should his presidency collapse they could be taken with him.
The Illinois Supreme Court halted the abolition of the cash bail system in the state on Saturday, the day before that landmark criminal justice reform was poised to take effect in much of the state.
The bail system overhaul — written into law as the Pretrial Fairness Act, the most controversial provision of state’s widely scrutinized SAFE-T Act — was thrown off this week when a Kankakee County judge sided with authorities in 64 counties who have sued to stop the reform, deeming it a violation of the state Constitution.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Friday had appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court to overturn that decision. Meanwhile, attorneys general in DuPage and Kane counties asked the top court to issue an order providing clarity with the state seemingly headed into the new year with more than half the state maintaining the old cash bail system and the remaining 38 counties — including Cook — ushering in a cashless bail era.
The Illinois Supreme Court has temporarily halted the implementation of the cashless bail provisions of the SAFE-T Act statewide, meaning the Pretrial Fairness Act will not go into effect on January 1st, 2023
The bail portion of the SAFE T Act was found to be unconstitutional by Judge Cunnington. It’s reported by multiple news outlets that this only will effect counties that filed/joined the lawsuit. An appeal to challenge this ruling would have to be made to the Illinois State Supreme Court.
The judge did agree with the plantiffs that the states attorneys and sheriffs who filed suit had standing (a reason to file the lawsuit).
The judge agreed that it is allowable for the defendants (state of Illinois) to pass the law in the manner that it was passed (overnight in over 700 pages).
The many portions of the law that were passed was said to be a “legitimate single subject” (I.e. criminal justice) that had a “natural and logical connection” to the subject.
The judge conceded that:
“This court finds that the undisputed facts of this case, and the history of how the safety act was passed in the legislature confirmed that this act was not read on three different days in each house as required by the Constitution.”
However the judge goes on to say:
“The Supreme Court has held that under the Enrolled Bill Doctrine, so long as the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President certified that the procedural requirements for passage have been met, that it is conclusively presumed that all procedural requirements for passage have been met.”
The judge also sided with the defendants saying the law is not vague.
– With the start of 2023 the New Year, there is always a new set of laws going into effect.
More than 180 new laws are set to take effect on January 1, 2023, covering a range of issues big and small that affect Illinoisans.
A complete list of all new Illinois laws taking effect next year can be found here.
Here’s a look at some of the most interesting laws set to go into effect.
Illinois SAFE-T Act
One of the most comprehensive, and likely the most contentious, laws to be signed into law this year was the Illinois SAFE-T Act, a massive criminal justice reform legislative package updating rules governing jail time while awaiting trial and the use of force by police.
The greatest controversy in the SAFE-T Act is the key provision for ending cash bail, which advocates said causes poor people to sit in jail because they can’t make bail, even on minor charges, while affluent people can pay for their pre-trial release, even for more serious crimes.
The cash bail provision became a hallmark campaign issue in the race of Illinois governor and state attorney general. The law gives judges discretion to keep suspects they deem dangerous locked up without bail, and amendments signed by Gov. JB Pritzker in December expanded the list of detainable offenses and included some non-violent crimes.
The amendments also clarified other controversial elements of the bill, including that police can still arrest someone for trespassing, and that judges can issue arrest warrants when someone misses court.
The SAFE-T Act also requires that all Illinois police officers wear body cameras by 2025, establishes a more defined system for police complaints, and requires more law enforcement training.
Worker’s Rights Amendment
Illinois is a strong union state and just got stronger after voters approved the Workers Rights Amendment in the 2022 midterm election.
The amendment to the state constitution to guarantee government employees the right to organize and collectively bargain over terms of employment.
Supporters say it will ensure workers will always be able to use collective bargaining to secure better pay, hours and working conditions. It also will prevent the legislature from enacting a so-called right-to-work law, should it undergo a shift to the right, that would allow workers covered by union contracts to not pay dues.
The amendment passed with more than 50% support from the overall vote in the midterm.
No Fees for Carjacking Victims (HB3772)
You shouldn’t be on the hook for tickets when your car gets stolen. This law ensures people whose cars have been stolen will not be liable for violations, fees, fines or penalties when their vehicles are caught on red light or speed cameras.
Streamlining ID of missing persons (SB 3932)
Driven by the death of Jelani Day, this law requires a coroner or medical examiner to notify the FBI if human remains in their custody are not identified within 72 hours of discovery.
Time Off for Miscarriage (SB 3120)
This law allows women who have a miscarriage, still birth, or other diagnosis or event that impacts pregnancy or fertility to take 10 days of unpaid leave.
Safer Food Prep (HB209)
This law bans latex gloves for the use of handling and preparing food, as well as for emergency responders like paramedics, thus making it safer for people with latex allergies to eat and to receive emergency medical care.
Electronic Orders of Protection (SB 3667)
Filing paperwork to take your abuser to court should not be dangerous. To better protect survivors, this law allows anyone to file for a protective order at any time by email or online in addition to the in-person option. It also requires counties with populations above 250,000 to offer the option of a remote hearing.
Crown Act (SB 3616)
Expanding on the anti-discrimination law that went into effect in 2021 and applies to schools, this law changes the Illinois Human Rights Act to include traits associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles like braids, locks and twists to combat hair discrimination in the workplace.
Helping Women Afford Treatment (HB 5254)
In order to prevent osteoporosis and other medical conditions, this law requires health insurance plans to cover medically necessary hormone therapy treatments for women who have undergone a hysterectomy and therefore induced menopause.
Another law, HB 4271, requires state-regulated private insurance to cover medically necessary breast reduction surgery.
Made In Illinois (SB 3609)
To encourage Illinoisans to support the state economy, this law reduces vehicle registration fees for cars and small trucks if they are manufactured in Illinois.
Senior Vehicle Registration (HB 5304)
To ensure senior citizens are saving their money, this law reduces the vehicle registration fee for seniors from $24 to $10.
Honoring Illinois Service Members (SB 3459)
When families of fallen Illinois service members who died during state or federal active duty are honored, their next of kin will be presented an Illinois state flag.
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“Roy F. McCampbell Blog” for the Third Year in a Row is Recognized as the Number 8 in the 30 Best Political Satire Blogs and Websites
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30 Best Political Satire Blogs and Websites
Jan 21, 2023⋅Contents
The best Political Satire blogs from thousands of blogs on the web and ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness
30 Best Political Satire Blogs and Websites
Jan 21, 2023⋅Contents
The best Political Satire blogs from thousands of blogs on the web and ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness
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