A RAUNER SCENARIO — REMEMBERING ED GENSON — FLATTENING THE CURVE

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Happy Thursday, Illinois! Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot appeared on Trevor Noah’s “The Daily Show” podcast and talked about the memes that keep appearing around town. “Humor is kind of the unifying thing, right?” she says.

TOP TALKER

Gov. J.B. Pritzker revealed what the rippling, crippling effect of the coronavirus could have on Illinois. Lawmakers expect budget shortfalls so severe that residents might dream of the Rauner years.

“Illinoisans are all too familiar with the pain the lack of a state budget can cause. So, let me just say upfront, we will not go without a state budget,” Pritzker said Wednesday, alluding to the years of fiscal stalemate under former GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner. “We will need to make extraordinarily difficult decisions on top of the difficult decisions that we’ve already made. But together with the state legislature, we will make them.”

Pritzker laid out the numbers, saying he expects a projected $2.7 billion shortfall in the budget year that ends June 30, and a projected $4.6 billion shortfall the year after that. The governor expects that to grow to $6.2 billion in short-term loan costs, and he says if the graduated income tax doesn’t pass in November, the state will be short $7.4 billion. See the forecast.

General Assembly members used words like “draconian” to describe how it will impact Illinois.

Rauner’s austere cuts of 5 to 10 percent impacted programs that helped children, seniors and the disabled. Back then, Democrats fought tooth and nail against the governor. This time, they will have to go along with the cutbacks, possibly of 10 to 25 percent.

“It’s going to be an extremely difficult time to be a state lawmaker,” said one House rep.

“Everything that just saw an increase in the last budget will go back to the Rauner days or worse,” predicted another.

House Majority Leader Greg Harris acknowledged to Playbook that lawmakers “are still trying to wrap their heads around the enormity of what could happen unless the federal government steps in to help.”

It will depend, he says, on whether Congress approves another relief measure that is focused specifically on helping cities and states repair their budgets.

This is separate from the CARES Act, which will bring billions of dollars to Illinois — but only for direct expenses for handling Covid-19. That will help, but it does nothing to address sinking revenues.

Not everyone sees a Rauner-like scenario playing out. After all, the Republican governor enacted cuts after budgets were passed and vetoed. This General Assembly appears to be working together.

Rep. Tom Demmer, the House Republicans’ lead budget negotiator, told the Tribune the GOP will be looking at a possible “maintenance budget, keeping things at current levels.”

And Democratic Sen. Andy Manar points to senators having “bipartisan calls every single day among budgeteers.” He describes them as “very productive as we work to fully define our challenge ahead knowing that we are looking at a set of incredibly difficult decisions.”

THE BUZZ

IN MEMORIAM: Edward Genson, a legendary Chicago defense lawyer known for his mastery of legal strategy and skill in the courtroom, has died. Genson, who represented a range of political figures and celebrities, was feared by prosecutors and beloved by judges.

“They loved his character, how he made the jury laugh and that he made the case interesting,” Carol Brook, the former head of the Federal Defender Program and now a criminal procedure instructor at UIC John Marshall Law School, told Playbook. “He was a master at strategy and a master of cross examination. And he would pull it all together in closing arguments in a human way. He was all about the people.”

Genson died Tuesday at age 78 after a three-year battle with cancer. He had retired in 2017.

Earlier in his career, he gained a reputation for representing mobsters. “I have no aversion to organized crime,” he once said.

He went on to work on all the infamous corruption probes: Greylord, Gambat, Silver Shovel, Operation Haunted Hall. “Mr. Genson defended the accused in all of them,” writes Sun-Times’ Neil Steinberg.

Genson represented R. Kelly when he faced pornography charges in 2008, and former Rep. Mel Reynolds when he was accused of having a relationship with an underage campaign worker.

“Eddie was part of an old era of defense attorneys in Chicago that has all but disappeared,” Genson’s law partner, Vadim Glozman, told the Tribune’s Jason Meisner. “He could look at a set of facts that everyone else just took as the truth and see something totally different about it.”

Chicago attorney Geena Cohen started her legal career working for Gensen. “He worked harder than anyone. He was always over-prepared… If someone was known to be dead and no one was contradicting that, he’d still make you go get the death certificate.”

Attorney Joe Power Jr. represented the Willis family in George Ryan’s license-for-bribes scandal. Gensen represented one of Ryan’s pals, Larry Warner, in the criminal case.

“Ed was relentless, formidable and tenacious in the courtroom,” said Power, but away from the office “he was friendly and gracious.”

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WHERE'S LORI

Visiting a new Lakeview Pantry satellite location at Wrigley Field with Cubs owners Tom and Laura Ricketts.

WHERE'S JB

At the Thompson Center for a 2:30 p.m. press briefing. Watch here

Where's Toni

At Cook County Building for the unveiling of the Social Vulnerability Index and the Medical Examiner’s new Covid-19 dashboard. Watch here

THE LATEST NUMBERS

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,346 new cases of coronavirus in Illinois on Wednesday, including 80 deaths. IDPH reported a total of 24,593 cases, including 948 deaths, in 89 counties in the state.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

— MAYOR: CHICAGO HAS FLATTENED THE CURVE: “New data show social distancing measures are working, but the mayor’s office says Chicagoans shouldn’t resume their normal habits just yet,” by WBEZ’s Kristen Schorsch.

— Illinois looks to ramp up contact tracing of coronavirus patients: “Pritzker on Wednesday said he’s been in touch with officials in Massachusetts who announced an initiative earlier this month to deploy 1,000 people to conduct contact tracing in that state,” by Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba.

— Gig workers struggle to claim unemployment relief: “Weeks after Congress designated benefits for contractors, states are still lagging on doling out aid,” by POLITICO’s Megan Cassella and Rebecca Rainey.

— As coronavirus cases rise, public health experts race to reach Latinos: “Latinos make up 60% of the population in the 10 ZIP codes in Illinois with the fastest growing number of new COVID-19 cases, according to a recent analysis,” by Sun-Times’ Carlos Ballesteros.

— Ken Griffin, CEOs from McDonald’s, United among those advising Trump on reopening the economy: “President Donald Trump held a marathon series of calls on Wednesday with hundreds of U.S. business leaders to discuss the coronavirus outbreak, after rejecting a separate plan to create a smaller task force to advise him on re-opening the economy,” via Bloomberg.

— More unemployed come forward after single mom is denied benefits due to past overpayment: “Pritzker: ‘We Should Be Looking For How To Rescue Them Out Of That’,” CBS2/s Dana Kozlov reports.

— Artist Theaster Gates talks about how creativity keeps him going during this period of sheltering in, via WTTW’s Firsthand Stories.

— What if back to normal is never? Leaders in arts and entertainment are feeling increasingly pessimistic: “Some hard data (although limited and time-bound) is emerging that audiences, especially those of mature age, will be reluctant to gather in the old ways any time soon. Perhaps not until there is a vaccine — and that would mean not just the vaccine’s development, but its widespread availability in a politically dysfunctional country that already has struggled mightily with the logistics of crucial medical supplies,” reports Tribune’s Chris Jones.

— Hillary Clinton, a native of Park Ridge, joined the “All in Illinois” campaign urging residents to stay inside. The former presidential candidate also praised Illinois’ “terrific governor” for his work. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is a friend and former campaign co-chair to her 2008 campaign. Video here

— 23 coronavirus-related deaths reported at Symphony of Joliet nursing home, spokeswoman says: “Twenty-two residents and one staff member at Symphony of Joliet nursing home have died of COVID-19, a spokeswoman for the facility said Wednesday. The number of deaths at Symphony has risen sharply since early last week, when it reported a total of three deaths, including the staff member,” by Tribune’s Robert McCoppin.

— Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin talks about the Community Catalyst Fund during an interview on Crisis Cast. The fund offers emergency loans to small businesses. “I just pray we just all get through this and that it brings us together closer,” she says. Details here

— Promised testing still hasn’t arrived to West Side site: “‘How can the governor say we’re bending the curve when they’re not testing an entire segment of the population?’ Rep. LaShawn Ford said,” via Patch’s Mark Konkol.

IN MEMORIAM

— Remembering lives lost to coronavirus in Illinois, by Tribune staff.

BUSINESS OF POLITICS

— Cook County Democrats re-elect Preckwinkle: After their video-conference, a separate group of Dems met face-to-face in Berwyn to appoint former Republican Frank Aguilar to replace Dem County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski, reports Sun-Times’ Rachel Hinton.

— Madigan pays $462K-plus from campaign fund to law firm that employs former Mayor Daley: “The fees represent legal counsel engaged over the past year to monitor ongoing investigations,” Madigan spokeswoman Eileen Boyce wrote in an email late Wednesday. “The speaker’s status with respect to any probe remains unchanged, and he expects to continue to engage counsel to monitor the situation and provide counsel until investigations conclude.” Tribune’s Dan Petrella and Jamie Munks report.

— Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 2019 campaign team has awarded five Pollie awards by the American Association of Political Consultants. Lightfoot campaign pollster Jason McGrath of GBAO Research + Strategy received the Campaign Excellence Award for Democratic Pollster of the Year. Lightfoot’s campaign also received the top award for Best Television Campaign and Best Television Ad for a Mayoral Campaign. Lightfoot’stelevision ad campaign, produced by Beacon Media, focused on her status in the race as a political independent, and featured her daughter in amemorable ad with a lighthearted spin. The campaign took the bronze award for the Best in Show category, and Lightfoot’s digital strategy team, headed by MiQ Digital and the Dover Strategy Group, received silver for Best Ad Technology Innovation.


CAMPAIGN MODE

— Ives’ campaign accused of plagiarizing Trib story: “A fundraising email sent this week from suburban congressional candidate Jeanne Ives plagiarized a Chicago Tribune article about mail-in voting,” reports Tribune’s Bill Ruthhart.

CHICAGO

— City Council holds its first virtual meeting: “Chicago’s aldermen joined the ranks of the stay-at-home workforce during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic Wednesday, logging in remotely for the city’s first-ever online City Council meeting. Members of the public got a chance to speak and the council and Mayor Lori Lightfoot adopted rules to allow them to hold a more substantive remote meeting next week,” by Tribune’s John Byrne.

— David Brown takes reins as Chicago’s acting top cop: “At a ceremony in police headquarters for outgoing interim Superintendent Charlie Beck, he presented his superintendent’s star to Brown, who is now in charge of the nation’s second largest police department,” by Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner and John Byrne.

— Lightfoot blames inspector general for not releasing report on incident that got Eddie Johnson fired: “It’s been six months since Chicago’s top cop was found slumped over the wheel of his police SUV near his Bridgeport home, and the mayor is “extremely unhappy” a final report on the matter has not been released,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— Chicago grocers removing limits on some items, not TP: “Walgreens has removed limits on buying milk, and some Jewel stores are rolling back limits on milk, eggs and water,” by Sun-Times’ Mitch Dudek.

COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS

— Preckwinkle announces alternative housing plan: “Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced at a news conference Wednesday an alternative housing plan that will provide temporary accommodations for populations most vulnerable during the Covid-19 pandemic,” by Tribune’s Antonia Ayres-Brown.

— 500 new recruits are about to start boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes: “The military won’t say how many coronavirus cases are on the north suburban base,” reports Tribune’s Dan Hinkel.

DAY IN COURT

— Lawsuit filed after smokestack demolition sent dust cloud into Little Village: “The complaints seek damages for personal injury including building a system to monitor the medical conditions of residents who could be affected, said Sean Driscoll, a partner at Clifford Law. At a virtual news conference Wednesday, Driscoll said the complaints are filed on behalf of Katherine Ramirez-Mercado, a resident of Little Village who lives near the former power plant,” by Tribune’s Jessica Villagomez.

— ME says Oak Park attorneys were stabbed to death: “On Wednesday evening, the medical examiner ruled both Leslie Ann Jones, 67, and her husband, Thomas E. Johnson, 69, were killed as a result of “multiple sharp force injuries.” Both deaths were ruled homicides,” by Pioneer Press’ Steve Schering.

— ‘Windy City Rehab’ sued again for fraud, this time over $1.3M home dubbed ‘House of Horrors’ on HGTV show: “The lawsuit alleging shoddy work on a home in Bucktown says the buyers were “just another young family to woo and take advantage of” by the show’s stars,” by Sun-Times’ Stephanie Zimmermann.

THE STATEWIDES

— How Covid-19 is hurting Illinois livestock farming, with VIDEO: “Bacon: It’s never really been something the Illinois Pork Producers had to actively promote. In recent years, it’s become so popular you can find it in places you’d have never have thought possible, like bacon-flavored mints, bacon-infused vodka and even bacon-shaped Band-Aids. But like so much else these days, the coronavirus has changed all that,” by WTTW Amanda Vinicky.

— Opinion: Gaming ‘push tax’ could kill Waukegan’s golden goose: “Adopting a proposed budget in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is a bold move. Or a risky wager,” writes Lake County News-Sun’s Charles Selle.

POT-POURRI

— Weed shops prepare for a very mellow 4/20: “The cannabis industry’s big annual celebration got short-circuited by the coronavirus. Toking alone or virtually will have to do,” by Crain’s John Pletz.

— Dispensaries go online, roll out new rules to keep customers safe: “Some dispensaries are letting customers stock up to limit visits, others have stopped selling to recreational customers during the pandemic,” reports Block Club’s Justin Laurence.

NATION

— Progressive movement wary of Warren for VP after bitter clash with Sanders, by POLITICO’s Alex Thompson and Holly Otterbein

— The shutdown backlash is coming soon — with a vengeance, by POLITICO’s John F. Harris

— Stephen Miller’s hardline policies on refugee families make a comeback at HHS, by POLITICO’s Dan Diamond

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Political operative and Our Revolution Chicago Chairman Clem Balanoff, government relations consultant Kristen Bauer, and musician and political donor Chance the Rapper.

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