>> Good evening and thanks for joining us on the week in review.

I'm Nick Plummer.

It's politics prize poultry and pork chops on a stick as elected officials descend on the Illinois State Fair.

>> Illinois Democrats are showing what it means to truly fight for the people.

>> Illinois is not the writing.

>> Democrats and Republicans rally the troops ahead of November's general election, even as Dems are disappointed, the 2028 convention won't coming to Chicago where there as a private citizen asking them questions.

We don't distribute any kind of campaign literature.

We don't ask them for signatures.

Ethics flare ups in the Chicago mayor's race as John Kelly is hit for campaign videos at fire houses.

And Maria Pappas is accused of intimidation.

Meantime, the Chicago teachers Union files suit against a conservative think tank claiming defamation and the 2 was.

The Chicago Cubs.

Take 2 out of 3 from the White Sox at their Wrigley Field.

Face-off.

And now to our week in review panel.

Joining us are.

>> Justin Kaufmann of Axios, Chicago, John Mulcahy of the Chicago reader.

quick of the Chicago Tribune and freelance journalist Brandon Polk.

Thank you all for being here.

Let's get right to it.

So Justin, you are freshly back from the state fair.

Let's start off with Governor's day.

The Democrats ruled the day on Wednesday.

What you hear?

Well, I mean, the you know that the official campaign season starts at the fair.

The Illinois State Fair.

It's which is governor's Day and Republicans day both back-to-back Wednesday, Thursday.

>> The Democrats were all focused on.

Donald Trump as a fact of matter of fact, which I thought was pretty interesting.

They rarely talked about their Republican opponents.

They did not talk much about Darren Bailey.

Didn't talk much at all about down ticket races.

They are overlooking their opponents and talking specifically about Donald Trump on the Republican side.

>> Totally different story.

Jb Pritzker is in their sights.

It's all about that he's made on affordable for people.

also very straight think they did these placards ahead of these placards out.

The Republicans did that said Common sense over communism and they're going with this hard left.

The Democrats socialist, the progressive movements.

The winds just affirmed on in other places and trying to tie it to Illinois Democrats, which is a hard sell when the when the governor JB Pritzker, who is one of the biggest capitalists, we know.

So I think there's a hard sell, but they're going they're diving in on national topics like that.

Instead of get during the I will give a Darren Bailey a lot of credit.

He stuck to his script.

He talk specifically about Illinois is not easy to live.

It's too expensive and he blamed it all on.

Jb Pritzker didn't mention Trump.

What's interesting, staying very much on message.

You know, Brandon, one of the big stories was who wasn't there, which was House Speaker Chris Welch, who is >> in his home district for his kid's first day of school.

But, you know, despite that reason, it's still raise some eyebrows given the ethical questions that have been hanging over his speakership late.

Yeah, lots of questions going on there and investigations ongoing.

The House were going over.

What's going on with and him trying to cut a all the study, right.

So his absence very notable for sure it coming at a time where Democrats want to unify.

>> In their message around affordability, issues around the country and here in Illinois as well.

Yeah, not something they're looking forward to having us talk about on the campaign trail right Right?

Because this is something that will the party before we thought we'd gotten past that.

This is something that >> essentially help dethrone Mike Madigan.

They do not want to relitigate this well, another disappointment for Democrats that Chicago out of the running for the 2028 convention as well as Atlanta.

So we're down to Boston, Philly and Denver.

You know, a lot of folks are asking, does this at all hurt Governor JB Pritzker's chances?

Should he be a presidential contender in 2028?

Doesn't really matter Do things I noticed when is it was so fun to cover last time, but it would have been kind of stretch to have it back to back in Illinois.

I think part of the calculus figuring out what is a good swing state potentially are good tween jurisdiction to have the I think it Len officials are far more upset but Chicago officials vocally that.

Yeah, and I'm I'm not surprised given like how hot the Georgia contest, but I will say this.

You know, I don't think that's makes much of a difference of where the DNC is going to be Chicago's major economic driver.

They had great numbers are in the black for the for the convention.

They did.

They made money.

>> The issue is that for Governor Pritzker, if you are a serious presidential candidate, the Democratic National Committee has now done to moves the first denying Illinois an early primary slot which would have helped him instead giving it to South Carolina, which is gonna help a different candidate.

Right.

And and here are not giving him home to home field advantage what could be a big home coming from the Democratic National Convention.

Now that say that that's but it seems a little bit like the DNC's not playing favorites with JB Pritzker.

Yeah, I mean, do voters really, you know, in terms of turnout, how much to folks necessarily care, Sean, of like where the convention is?

Yeah, I mean, I think it doesn't really.

I think it has a lot impact in the moment for the city.

But I think like in terms of like long-term effect on like voters, I can.

>> Imagine that not having the DNC in Chicago is really going to have that big of an impact.

You know, I think it's like kind of a set up in 2 the longer campaign season for sure.

Yeah.

I don't think any Chicago or Illinois Democrats are going to change their their voting patterns FaceTime not getting the convention.

>> Well, and you mentioned, you know, the Republicans Republicans day at the state fair and Darren Bailey really staying on message.

It was very much, you know, kind of how he set up, you know, set the table for this campaign.

Have a contrast to the last time he ran, right?

I mean, >> it's got a hangover.

Darren Bailey is had the entire time that he cut he he reference Chicago Leahy reference Chicago last time him when and he's owned up to it.

And he's also given a lot of his campaign, set of responsibilities to his Lieutenant Governor, candidate Aaron del Mar from Cook County from Chicago.

He's taking the lift on that.

But yeah, and also both of these parties are saying they're the party of affordability.

That's kind of a head scratcher here.

Republicans will say we're for affordability.

Was Joe Biden.

We're cleaning up Joe Biden's mess Democrats alike straight on.

It's Trump's mass and they just don't want to do this and then pepper and they both kind of want to paint both Illinois part parties as as extreme.

I think Don Tracy, who's a senatorial candidate against Juliana Stratton, said vote against crazy vote for Tracy Triton Rimington working maybe work.

Shannon at the it was that kind of thing.

really trying to paint that the Democrats in Illinois are just like those Democrats that are that are, you scaring everybody around the country.

I just don't know if that message is going to play.

Yeah, trying to you know that the specter of czar Dani or something hanging over it past the Chicago teachers union.

If they think any of the candidates on the statewide.

All right for her rat socialist state GOP that has to figure out its identity as we're getting into this kind of.

>> They got something about the post Trump of it.

All right.

What are they going to leaned hard into then?

If you talk to, you know, former GOP chair like Pat Brady, many Republicans in the state lamented that right?

Is there opportunity for more of the Pat Brady willing to come back and river back to sort of the center of that right for the Illinois GOP.

even if can, they fund it.

Read that part 2.

Where is the money coming from, right?

Yeah, yeah.

They that they do not have Bruce Rauner and you know, have to pocketbook.

These days can act.

Yesterday took S took his ball and went to What you know, its interesting one of Darren Bailey is big campaign talking points is.

>> The state tollway system should be free.

So what does he want to do about the massive hit in revenue that that would be for end of the state budget doesn't seem like he's getting much of an answer for that.

So that's kind of the big question.

The math isn't really mapping right.

The way you get a great write-up about this, actually the way the system actually works that be a huge cut.

He does not want the money to go towards Chicago.

Mass That's not a way to win over Chicago.

year that we shouldn't be spending our money on Chicago anything yet.

And I think that that if you know that that is a massive toll hike that's coming just they just voted.

85.

75 >> You know, there were promises at the beginning of time where that was free by 73 that it says can pay itself back.

>> There 2 to be fair to the Republicans in the state in Illinois.

There are 35 40 states that don't do tolls.

They have their eye way.

Systems are They're through.

There is there is there is precedent for and there are some that have actually done that where they built that whole system did the tolls and then rolled it back when the told when it was finished when was paid for Chicago and Illinois, a little different in the sense that they just kept adding depth to it and adding as they won on things like 7 billion they're still ongoing.

They did say figure out how you're going to pay for going forward the way that state officials are are saying this is.

>> Coming back to drivers is that it will be a faster.

I do not to be idling as much and that the road conditions are going to bettors are actually paying for repairs all the time.

Yeah, I'll be very interested to see if that pencils.

All right.

Yeah.

I mean, we all heard that with the Jane Byrne interchange is going to solve everything.

And think any time you drive through that.

But I mean, it's interesting to this argument about, you know, what, who's funding, you know, Chicago and transit, I think overlooks what a lot of, you backers say is that Chicago is a huge economic engine for the state, right?

We need we need people and goods to be able to move quickly and efficiently and where right next door to the crossroads of America.

My home state of Indiana played major logistics.

Abundant the better things and people can get through economists and heard from the state fair for the Republicans to they did do the rhetoric that says, you know should be for everybody, not just Chicago.

think they stayed in that lane and that's because it was intended attended.

And you know, they honestly is mostly like downstate Central Illinois Republicans there, but they really liked crowd really got Roundup win.

>> Chicago became a bogeyman.

Well, we know we have to play that right?

Another political boogeyman for some Republicans, Sean, the Chicago teachers union filed a defamation lawsuit.

>> Against the conservative right leaning, however, one phrase in Illinois Policy Institute saying API defamed the union, accusing them of cooking the books may be saying they're doing fraudulent accounting.

you surprised to see them actually file suit?

I mean, in some ways, yes, as a journalist, I mean, I'm I think we are all like I'm not immune to defamation suits or threats of defamation suits.

I think this one is maybe a little interesting.

But I mean it I want pause in to do and to you have been going back and forth.

>> Against each other for a very long time.

I'd be curious to see like that actual merits of the case like this.

I know that, you know, there is, you know, sort of a back and forth and there's a lot you have to really show to prove defamation, including like actual malice.

So I'd be curious see how this plays out.

Well, and you also, you know, the CTU, I think a lot of folks have said they're opening themselves up to discovery to actually maybe they are starting, you know, they will have to show their books, which could be, you not necessarily that there's anything wrong with them.

But that's a level of public exposure.

They may not actually want.

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, I think that that could make for a really interesting.

You know what?

I don't want come.

Yeah, I'm very curious to see where this I mean, there the Illinois Policy Institute has done a lot of work in and not elect Trump.

And this way of like reinventing how you tell stories, especially in social media.

>> They're very good at means in real thing, almost come across as opinion, opinion opinion.

And they're trying to be funny and push the edge and if they get something wrong, you know, that's where you open yourself up with the union says, hey, we have been odd.

wrong and you're auditing.

We've been audited.

You're putting out false information.

We're going to you.

But I think absolutely right.

I mean, you open up discovery in the Chicago teachers union is going to have to least open their books, right?

One the argument that the seat he was making is that IPA should be well aware of what is the books because they sued to get So I'll be very interested in the discovery on both sides of this.

If it gets that far, pretty much say Yeah.

As point out yeah.

So we will watching this case closely.

>> All right.

Well, you mentioned Indiana's.

We have to put a quarter in the Indiana jar.

you know, the governor here signed disaster proclamation trying to get some some aid money flowing to places that have really been battered by local storms.

But, you know, President Trump very quickly signed an emergency declaration for Indiana, not Illinois.

I mean, what are we hearing from from local officials about that?

>> Local officials, what a way to see pattern right now.

We know this administration has this way of using this is a political football and being very partisan where they put their dollars and different side of the state line, there's damage there, right?

really going to see front and center here in the coming months, you activating that to set disaster.

A proclamation helps kind of ease up some of the things you need to have.

The national federal funds come in.

But it's a wait and see period to see if Trump is going to actually apply the support equally to India almost becomes apples and oranges in the way that, you know, any napoles got hit.

>> And that's really what Mike Braun, flooding there.

And they said so they were quick because they were Infrastructure issues with bridges.

It almost became as you're seeing right now with Nipsco and north with Indiana.

That storm, which is one of the most historic storms that hit that spot has become afterthought to the governor of Indiana, meaning they are more concerned about what's happening in Minneapolis, what they are in Gary, Indiana and unfortunately because of politics, Gary, a predominantly black town is the last town that is on the list of Mexico to get their power back.

we're talking 70 now.

They said last week.

They said all it's going to be by Tuesday.

It's going to Thursday right now.

They're saying next Tuesday.

Now I understand I'm not an expert when it comes to how do you get fixed?

Like pull, know, like I don't know how that works.

But if I can understand with this country's history racial inequality, if you're black and you're out of power in your 9 day 10 you start to go is this inequality staring me in the face?

Is this what the issue The flip side might be that you're talking about infrastructure and Gary, unfortunately, that might be a little older.

The cat with they say that was the center of the storm.

So there is some to say that maybe it's not that case.

But you are hearing from residents right now.

They're where's Mike Braun?

You I mean, B, why are we the last one sleeve enough?

It is aging infrastructure.

That's also has a very heavily racialized component to it.

going to see we're going to see if this does it display straight weekend.

We get to Tuesday.

I think this will become a national story.

I used to cover the area in that northwest.

Indiana area Nipsco was infamous for the stuff.

Is this long wait times when it comes to getting power back on?

I've had many friends and family members impacted by that.

This is probably the worst we've ever seen when it comes to that its dire and the racial lens becomes exposed even more.

When you look at that.

But even to look at the governor, they're trying to get a bear stadium in Hammond, Indiana.

He open the books today.

We'll tell you got some bigger fish to fry when it comes infrastructure in the area, especially with power going out, people without it for so long.

It's life and death stuff.

All right.

Well, not life and death stuff.

The Chicago mayor's race, but still some interesting stories this week.

>> 80 former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin says Treasurer Maria Pappas, intimidated him engaged in misconduct.

produce text were she called him a turncoat says he has no character.

He wants an apology so far she's backing down.

It sounds like no.

She says this is the way friends talk to each other.

Just get salty.

Sometimes this is not the first time we've heard of Rae Pappas using salty language and not backing up from it.

>> This involves a press release that Merrill candidate Millie, Willie Wilson put out basically talking about how many other mayoral candidates are running for 2 jobs at once County treasurer has all but declared but has not officially in right and has been a longtime friend of Richard Boykin and basically said how dare you in this press release from Lee Wilson come after me for this.

I can't believe I ever supported you.

Richard Boykin referred back and forth.

Sure, the receipts which is and referred it to the county's inspector general.

This has happened before where Pappas got into it with Tyler Technologies that the county they submitted a complaint to county's inspector general.

They made a recommendation that she retake training.

She said I will take it if everyone else the county takes it, OK?

And we also have Chicago ethics board investigating mayoral candidate John Kelly who >> film campaign videos in fire stations which violates the ban on not using city property for political purposes.

Kelly basically says he did nothing wrong with economy.

Looking at those videos that seems fairly cut and dried.

Yeah.

I mean, the city's ethics ordinance is like very clear.

I mean, I think back to I think it's the last mayoral campaign where to Garcia had to pull an ad because there where he was talking to uniform, Chicago police officers and that like.

>> It seems very clear to me that this the era of Trump.

I mean, I do want to say like their many times or ethics ordinances and bills and laws things in Congress.

>> And they just kind of blow through it and hope that people just don't push it.

So I you what sealed things asked for forgiveness instead of permission.

So I feel like that's Mr Kelly did in this case and we will see what the board fines also.

You know, thinking a lot about mayor, but there are 50 council seats up for election ad.

You reported on a pledge that candidates are being asked to take.

Tell us about that.

This is the ice out pledge.

I think so far.

21 aldermen a sign on to this is basically saying we're not going to accept any campaign contributions from a list of 12 companies.

>> That an outside advocacy said have done business in some way with ISO includes companies like Target.

Home Depot, ACP parking to what my colleague Jake shirt and I found is that these companies have not historically given a ton to alderman in the past, whether they would this time is an open question.

But basically everyone, it's taken a pledge saying this is an important stand for me to take regardless of how much money is on the line and other folks should sign But the advocacy group pushing this as this is kind of like an introduction to campaign finance reform, which has never really happened here.

Not so that you can dream big.

Yeah.

We can't.

We certainly can.

>> Alright, Sean, the sitting has getting some calls from South East Side.

Residents who are not happy about that big quantum computing campus.

He got a pretty pretty big your full at a recent town hall to somehow yeah, you got a frosty reception in last weekend.

Southside together is a community group that has been organizing against the quantum computing campus known as Quantum Shore.

The large development that's going on.

The former South works site.

They've been organ that the South side been organizing against this for a while and has been asking the mayor sit down with them for a town hall.

He finally joined them last weekend and it was did not go He took the stage to people yelling, you know, to stop this and at one point was asked, like point Blank, do you support this?

Is this part of your vision?

He kind of, you know, Waffle didn't give a straight answer, touted the benefits of environmental re remediation.

And eventually kind of got yelled off the stage and just walked out.

He's kind of taken credit in part for quantum deciding to locate.

There's like a big economic brain development.

Boone.

>> How much credit he deserved, I think is and open question.

Governor Pritzker was a big part of that Cook County Board.

President Toni Preckwinkle was a big part of that.

So to go from taking healthy credit to this kind of meandering gets no support was interesting in the real issue at play here is like the data center issued a quantum campus alone is not a data center attempts to data center.

However, there's a stike stipulation that there could be one added to this campus, right?

And so while a quantum computing campus doesn't use as much energy.

>> As an AI David Dennison and what if you add one to the campus that could have some real impact?

Like finally my colleague Monica wrote about this this weekend access just about the concept that he said, I'm a promise, no data center and then they're like, well, that wasn't really part of the plan have he kind of shifted a little bit.

He kind of gave him a promise that wasn't really part of the plan.

So it was a good way for the mayor to get points and be like I'm on your side.

But it was kind of an issue.

That's a non-issue for right now.

I think the issue with the quantum park >> is truly they're gonna have a narrative problem because the the people of this country are going all these data centers are not great Southern's technology, not great.

And so this is not a I this is not data says something completely different.

But now you have a much more would you educated electorate.

Now that is interested in what's happening with the future of our resources.

And that's something I think when when President Preckwinkle and Governor Pritzker were lining up the cash for this thing was not an issue.

And so they gave it to Johnson.

It's now he's for that area to trust story, not technologies that work site.

They're used industrial products coming in a promising big things and not delivering before we run out of time.

Shawna, another story that I wanted to get to you recently wrote about this.

>> Fairly costly new visit visitation center at the Cook County Jail.

Kind of meant to be says this.

This trauma informed place officials sort of stonewalled you, but a lot of the advocates for incarcerated folks and their families.

You talk to Lee on board with this idea.

Yeah, I mean, this project really cut folks by surprise.

The only reason I really came to learn about this was by digging through the county's budget this year.

It was a line the county budget.

So I started asking about it.

>> Construction already underway on the 7 million dollar trauma informed enhance visitation center at the Cook County Jail.

This I really think is going to be like the future of what we're going to see in terms of like the Cook County Jail.

But also we're having, you know, similarly, there's this plan to build 2 new prisons within the state prison system.

This I think is really direction folks are going to go.

Is this idea of like humane friendly trauma, informed jails?

This was something they really stressed the county stressed in, you know, interviews with me is this is, you know, sort of the future of incarceration.

It's friendly year.

It's, you know, trying to sort of put a nicer light on an issue that has been very you know, difficult to handle lately before we run out of time.

And I know said a minute left but ad.

>> Yet again, Cook County property tax bills going out Is there any hope that they're going to start going out on time any time soon?

I think Okay.

Totally out a minute.

Yes, I think so.

Yeah.

I have a more about what they need to fix with a technology upgrade which I've talked about many times on the show.

>> Have largely been addressed.

That does not mean there will not be other problems in the property tax system which I'm eager to report.

You are our Tyler Technologies correspondent.

Just like that.

You which you may not have.

>> But, yeah, I mean, it seems like hopefully things have moved along in the pipeline.

usually takes a couple cycles when there's a big delayed to catch up because the entire property tax system is on like a rolling basis.

And I think we're like the role is slow, slowing down.

And I think we'll get Bakish on track.

The only reason that they were delayed this past spring was to get people a bigger break between bills.

So at the next one is essentially automatic.

We'll see what it's like next summer.

But I'm feeling OK, OK?

Well, I'm feeling better than OK, because the 4 of you are great.

But unfortunately, we are out of time.

So our thanks to Justin Kaufmann, Sean Mulcahy.

quick and Brandon Pope.

We're back to wrap things up right after this.

>> Tonight's presentation of Week in review is made possible in part by an and rich com BNSF railway.

And Francine and Doctor Anthony Brown.

Chicago tonight is made possible in part by the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation, additional support is provided by.

>> And that's our show for this Friday night.

Are you trying to squeak out every last bit of summer?

Yes.

Then check out our online festival guide for details on street fests.

Art shows outdoor concert and more.

It's all at W T Tw dot com slash festivals.

Now for all of us here at the week in review.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy, stay safe and stay informed.

Have a great weekend.

>> Alright Cubs take 2 out of 3 with crosstown.

>> Unknowns, Foggo.

World serious.

>> all ready.

Ina.

It's exciting.

And I think I think the craw that's going to be amazing.

>> I was there on Monday night, like first pitch solo shot was not and then says if you came up right an overdue becomes there becomes a Good Sox are good talk it.

That is both good right now is really incredible.

It's a it's a beautiful thing.

We I don't think there's anything we can do cooked.

Yeah.

I mean, listen 10 year anniversary of the 2016 World Series, you Nice having all Chicago.

If he's Shohei Ohtani people back to the mound first pitching in a September done deal.

He's going to be doesn't if they hold in home.

>> I think people are starting to bring you talk about bank.

Sammy Sosa rights and and that's it.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law offices, a personal injury law firm,