TGIF, Illinois. We’re dusting off the barbecue as soon as this posts.PROGRAMMING NOTE:We’re taking Monday off, but will be back in your inbox Tuesday.
AT THE HIDEOUT: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson “unequivocally” condemned the killing of two people who worked at the Israeli Embassy in Washington by a gunman who echoed the “free, free Palestine” chant of progressives.“I’m calling on the entire city of Chicago in particular, and really our country, to rally around our Jewish siblings, to ensure that they are safe and secure,” Johnson said in an interview with your Playbook host at the Hideout.Increasing security: The progressive mayor said he’s also called for an increased police presence in Jewish neighborhoods and schools, synagogues and places of work. And Ald. Debra Silverstein, who represents Chicago’s largest Jewish population, said she has been talking with Police Superintendent Larry Snelling and district commanders about increasing patrols in the 50th Ward.The D.C. attack renewed attention on the protest movement across the country and some pro-Palestinian activists worry the shooting, which federal authorities called a targeted act of antisemitism, could set back any progress they’ve made in their policy goals, writes POLITICO’s Irie Sentner.In our interview, Johnson indicated it shouldn’t be difficult for activists on either side to respond.“I believe we can call for peace and call for the release of hostages and condemn all forms of violence,” the mayor said. “And if someone is calling for peace in Gaza and the end to bombing and the releasing of hostages, that doesn’t make them antisemitic.”He quickly added: “We can also make sure that what is antisemitic is condemned in very certain terms. We all do have a responsibility to make sure that we’re showing up with our humanity.”Also condemning the killings were Gov. JB Pritzker, who issued a statement saying, “Make no mistake: this was an attack on the Jewish community.” And Congressman Brad Schneider, who like Pritzker is Jewish, visited the site of the Wednesday night attack along with other members of the Congressional Jewish Caucus. Schneider said he has known of antisemitism his whole life, but it is at an “unprecedented” level since the Middle East war began.And the progressive United Working Families, which is the Chicago political organization connected to the Chicago Teachers Union and SEIU Healthcare, also condemned the attack. “We unequivocally denounce antisemitism, political violence and all forms of dehumanization,” the organization said in a statement.Confusion reigned as FBI agents descended on the Chicago apartment of alleged shooter Elias Rodriguez and media organizations and others tried to discern his political affiliations.His background: Rodriguez was raised in Chicago, earned a BA from University of Illinois Chicago and was once a member of a local branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, though he has not been affiliated with them since 2017, the group said Thursday, reports the Sun-Times.On social media, Ald. Raymond Lopez and former mayoral candidate Ja’Mal Green posted a photo in which they misidentified a person as the shooter in a group with United Working Families supporters, including Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, the mayor and others. United Working Families issued a letter calling for the posts to be taken down.Feds charge Elias Rodriguez with murder in embassy shooting: ‘I did it for Gaza’: “Authorities say Elias Rodriguez, of Chicago, continued to fire on one of the two Israeli Embassy employees as she tried to crawl away,” by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.SCOOP: Chicago Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., who also serves as vice mayor, is considering a run for Congress should U.S. Rep. Danny Davis not seek reelection. Davis, who is 83, has yet to file election paperwork for the 2026 race. In the meantime, Democrats are lining up for a chance at his seat: state Rep. La Shawn Ford, businessman Jason Friedman and stand-up comedic commentator John McCombs have all filed with the federal elections commission.FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s campaign says he has raised $1 million since jumping into the U.S. Senate race two weeks ago. “Thousands of donors have chipped in what they can,” said Raja for Illinois Campaign Manager BrextonIssacs in a statement to Playbook. Krishnamoorthi joined the campaign with more than $19 million in the bank, so he’s now cracked $20 million ahead of the 2026 Democratic primary that so far includes Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who haven’t shared their fundraising numbers.— SENATE: Pamela Denise Long, a political commentator who also works as an occupational therapist, is joining the U.S. Senate race on the Republican ticket. In her campaign launch statement, Long addressed “the flood of illegal immigrants into Chicago” as a reason she was propelled to run. “The Black American voting bloc has finally begun to divorce the Democratic Party. At the same time, Americans of all stripes are sick of the divisive rhetoric that gets politicians elected but keeps neighbors apart,” she said.— IL-02: Eric France, who runs The France Group management consulting firm, has thrown his hat in the ring to run for Congress in the 2nd District. France, a Democrat, is the son of the late Erwin A. France, who served in government under multiple mayors.— IL-10: Morgan Coghill, a Mundelein resident who owns a wood-products distribution small business, is running as a Democrat in the 10th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Congressman Brad Schneider. “I’m tired of watching Democrats with safe seats act like they’re afraid to take a side,” Coghill said in a statement. “I grew up poor. I know what it’s like to ration gas, to skip meals, to work third shift for someone who couldn’t care less. I’m not here to play the game. I’m here to break the game open.”
—Historical records about the pope’s grandfather unveiled by the Cook County clerk’s office: Mariyana Spyropoulos’ staff did a deep dive that led them to a man named Salvatore Giovanni Riggitano — “the paternal grandfather of Pope Leo XIV,” by the Tribune’s Carolyn Stein.
—Senate approves bill raising age for senior road exams: “Legislation raising the age for mandatory road exams for seniors from 79 to 87 passed the Illinois Senate unanimously Thursday. The bill also allows family members to report unsafe drivers of any age,” by the Daily Herald’s Marni Pyke.—Summer electric price spike fuels policy tensions in Springfield: “Price hike due to lack of energy supply comes alongside rocky transition to renewable power,” by Capitol News’ Andrew Adams.—Bill establishes commission to increase communication on public health issues: “The commission will include Illinois doctors, veterinarians and public officials,” by Capitol News’ Jade Aubrey.— Newly appointed state Sen. Darby Hills, a Republican from Barrington, passed her first piece of legislation — the Tracking Infectious Cases Knowledgeably (TICK) Act — which supports sharing information about alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy that’s triggered by tick bites.
—Cook County assessor gave $930,000 in wrongful tax breaks, then waived penalties, interest over its errors: “We do not bill interest or penalty in the event of an assessor error,” says an aide to Assessor Fritz Kaegi. The agency’s records show it’s made them on 287 properties,” by the Sun-Times’ Tim Novak.
We asked for your favorite lines from Norm on “Cheers.”Robert Christie: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and I’m wearing Milk-Bone undershorts.”John Fritchey: “I’m in a gambling mood, I’ll take a glass of whatever comes out of that tap.”Fred Lebed: “Women. You can’t live with ‘em. Pass the beer nuts.”Steve Smith: “Asked ‘what are you up to, Norm?’ he says, ‘My ideal weight if I were 11 feet tall.’”NEXT QUESTION:In a sentence, what’s one thing you wish people understood better about the political process?
— Jennifer Welch has been named chief policy officer for the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She was the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Planned Parenthood of Illinois Action and earlier was policy director and women’s policy adviser at the Attorney General’s Office.— Dorri McWhorter has been named president and CEO of the Executives’ Club of Chicago. She starts June 2. McWhorter was CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. More from the Sun-Times.— Joseph Kyle has been named president of Wynndalco Enterprises, an IT managed services firm based in Lombard. He’ll oversee company operations, innovation and expansion in delivering technology solutions to its clients from across the country. Kyle is a 40-year industry veteran who most recently was VP of strategy at NTT DATA Services.
THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Liam Bodlak for correctly answering that Paul Simon’s 1984 Senate campaign helped launch the political careers of David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel.Saturday: Bloomingdale Township Democratic Organization Chair Terrell Barnes, restaurateur Jimmy Bannos and political insider and lobbyist Shaw Decremer.
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AT THE HIDEOUT: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson “unequivocally” condemned the killing of two people who worked at the Israeli Embassy in Washington by a gunman who echoed the “free, free Palestine” chant of progressives.“I’m calling on the entire city of Chicago in particular, and really our country, to rally around our Jewish siblings, to ensure that they are safe and secure,” Johnson said in an interview with your Playbook host at the Hideout.Increasing security: The progressive mayor said he’s also called for an increased police presence in Jewish neighborhoods and schools, synagogues and places of work. And Ald. Debra Silverstein, who represents Chicago’s largest Jewish population, said she has been talking with Police Superintendent Larry Snelling and district commanders about increasing patrols in the 50th Ward.The D.C. attack renewed attention on the protest movement across the country and some pro-Palestinian activists worry the shooting, which federal authorities called a targeted act of antisemitism, could set back any progress they’ve made in their policy goals, writes POLITICO’s Irie Sentner.In our interview, Johnson indicated it shouldn’t be difficult for activists on either side to respond.“I believe we can call for peace and call for the release of hostages and condemn all forms of violence,” the mayor said. “And if someone is calling for peace in Gaza and the end to bombing and the releasing of hostages, that doesn’t make them antisemitic.”He quickly added: “We can also make sure that what is antisemitic is condemned in very certain terms. We all do have a responsibility to make sure that we’re showing up with our humanity.”Also condemning the killings were Gov. JB Pritzker, who issued a statement saying, “Make no mistake: this was an attack on the Jewish community.” And Congressman Brad Schneider, who like Pritzker is Jewish, visited the site of the Wednesday night attack along with other members of the Congressional Jewish Caucus. Schneider said he has known of antisemitism his whole life, but it is at an “unprecedented” level since the Middle East war began.And the progressive United Working Families, which is the Chicago political organization connected to the Chicago Teachers Union and SEIU Healthcare, also condemned the attack. “We unequivocally denounce antisemitism, political violence and all forms of dehumanization,” the organization said in a statement.Confusion reigned as FBI agents descended on the Chicago apartment of alleged shooter Elias Rodriguez and media organizations and others tried to discern his political affiliations.His background: Rodriguez was raised in Chicago, earned a BA from University of Illinois Chicago and was once a member of a local branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, though he has not been affiliated with them since 2017, the group said Thursday, reports the Sun-Times.On social media, Ald. Raymond Lopez and former mayoral candidate Ja’Mal Green posted a photo in which they misidentified a person as the shooter in a group with United Working Families supporters, including Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, the mayor and others. United Working Families issued a letter calling for the posts to be taken down.Feds charge Elias Rodriguez with murder in embassy shooting: ‘I did it for Gaza’: “Authorities say Elias Rodriguez, of Chicago, continued to fire on one of the two Israeli Embassy employees as she tried to crawl away,” by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.SCOOP: Chicago Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., who also serves as vice mayor, is considering a run for Congress should U.S. Rep. Danny Davis not seek reelection. Davis, who is 83, has yet to file election paperwork for the 2026 race. In the meantime, Democrats are lining up for a chance at his seat: state Rep. La Shawn Ford, businessman Jason Friedman and stand-up comedic commentator John McCombs have all filed with the federal elections commission.FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s campaign says he has raised $1 million since jumping into the U.S. Senate race two weeks ago. “Thousands of donors have chipped in what they can,” said Raja for Illinois Campaign Manager BrextonIssacs in a statement to Playbook. Krishnamoorthi joined the campaign with more than $19 million in the bank, so he’s now cracked $20 million ahead of the 2026 Democratic primary that so far includes Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who haven’t shared their fundraising numbers.— SENATE: Pamela Denise Long, a political commentator who also works as an occupational therapist, is joining the U.S. Senate race on the Republican ticket. In her campaign launch statement, Long addressed “the flood of illegal immigrants into Chicago” as a reason she was propelled to run. “The Black American voting bloc has finally begun to divorce the Democratic Party. At the same time, Americans of all stripes are sick of the divisive rhetoric that gets politicians elected but keeps neighbors apart,” she said.— IL-02: Eric France, who runs The France Group management consulting firm, has thrown his hat in the ring to run for Congress in the 2nd District. France, a Democrat, is the son of the late Erwin A. France, who served in government under multiple mayors.— IL-10: Morgan Coghill, a Mundelein resident who owns a wood-products distribution small business, is running as a Democrat in the 10th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Congressman Brad Schneider. “I’m tired of watching Democrats with safe seats act like they’re afraid to take a side,” Coghill said in a statement. “I grew up poor. I know what it’s like to ration gas, to skip meals, to work third shift for someone who couldn’t care less. I’m not here to play the game. I’m here to break the game open.”
—Historical records about the pope’s grandfather unveiled by the Cook County clerk’s office: Mariyana Spyropoulos’ staff did a deep dive that led them to a man named Salvatore Giovanni Riggitano — “the paternal grandfather of Pope Leo XIV,” by the Tribune’s Carolyn Stein.
—Senate approves bill raising age for senior road exams: “Legislation raising the age for mandatory road exams for seniors from 79 to 87 passed the Illinois Senate unanimously Thursday. The bill also allows family members to report unsafe drivers of any age,” by the Daily Herald’s Marni Pyke.—Summer electric price spike fuels policy tensions in Springfield: “Price hike due to lack of energy supply comes alongside rocky transition to renewable power,” by Capitol News’ Andrew Adams.—Bill establishes commission to increase communication on public health issues: “The commission will include Illinois doctors, veterinarians and public officials,” by Capitol News’ Jade Aubrey.— Newly appointed state Sen. Darby Hills, a Republican from Barrington, passed her first piece of legislation — the Tracking Infectious Cases Knowledgeably (TICK) Act — which supports sharing information about alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy that’s triggered by tick bites.
—Cook County assessor gave $930,000 in wrongful tax breaks, then waived penalties, interest over its errors: “We do not bill interest or penalty in the event of an assessor error,” says an aide to Assessor Fritz Kaegi. The agency’s records show it’s made them on 287 properties,” by the Sun-Times’ Tim Novak.
We asked for your favorite lines from Norm on “Cheers.”Robert Christie: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and I’m wearing Milk-Bone undershorts.”John Fritchey: “I’m in a gambling mood, I’ll take a glass of whatever comes out of that tap.”Fred Lebed: “Women. You can’t live with ‘em. Pass the beer nuts.”Steve Smith: “Asked ‘what are you up to, Norm?’ he says, ‘My ideal weight if I were 11 feet tall.’”NEXT QUESTION:In a sentence, what’s one thing you wish people understood better about the political process?
— Jennifer Welch has been named chief policy officer for the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She was the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Planned Parenthood of Illinois Action and earlier was policy director and women’s policy adviser at the Attorney General’s Office.— Dorri McWhorter has been named president and CEO of the Executives’ Club of Chicago. She starts June 2. McWhorter was CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. More from the Sun-Times.— Joseph Kyle has been named president of Wynndalco Enterprises, an IT managed services firm based in Lombard. He’ll oversee company operations, innovation and expansion in delivering technology solutions to its clients from across the country. Kyle is a 40-year industry veteran who most recently was VP of strategy at NTT DATA Services.
THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Liam Bodlak for correctly answering that Paul Simon’s 1984 Senate campaign helped launch the political careers of David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel.Saturday: Bloomingdale Township Democratic Organization Chair Terrell Barnes, restaurateur Jimmy Bannos and political insider and lobbyist Shaw Decremer.
