Illinois Leaders relaunch effort to end partisan gerrymandering

Illinois leaders Bill Daley and Ray LaHood relaunch an effort to end partisan gerrymandering in state legislative maps.

Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Andrew Adams

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined former Commerce Secretary Bill Daley on the latest episode of the Capitol Cast podcast to discuss their renewed “fair maps” push.

SPRINGFIELD - Two veteran federal officials from Illinois are relaunching an effort to amend the Illinois Constitution and end partisan gerrymandering in state legislative districts.

Bill Daley, a Democrat from Chicago who served as secretary of commerce under President Bill Clinton, and Ray LaHood, a former Republican member of Congress from Peoria who served as transportation secretary under President Barack Obama, hope they can succeed where a similar effort in 2016 failed.

The two spoke with Capitol News Illinois for an episode of the Capitol Cast podcast. The interview is also available on CNI’s YouTube channel.

“We had a very, rather complicated, process that we put forward to the voters, if it had gotten on the ballot,” Daley said of the 2016 campaign, which he actively supported. “What we learned from that, and looking at the Supreme Court decision and looking at prior cases, (was) that we should simplify and not be as complicated as we became in 2016. We have a plan that's simple. We feel very confident that the courts will approve this.”

The 2016 effort

In 2016, supporters of the “Fair Maps” initiative gathered enough signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to establish an 11-member commission to redraw legislative maps after each decennial census. Seven of those members would have been chosen by a panel appointed by the auditor general, while the other four would have been appointed by legislative leaders. But before the proposal got on the ballot, opponents of the measure – including allies of then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan – filed a court challenge and the Illinois Supreme Court struck it down on technical grounds.

The court ruled that under the Illinois Constitution, citizen-initiated amendments must be limited to dealing with “structural and procedural subjects contained in Article IV” of the constitution, which deals with the legislature. By assigning new duties to the auditor general, the court said, the proposed amendment went beyond what is allowed in a citizen-initiated amendment and, therefore, was unconstitutional.

That case was filed by a group called People’s Map whose chairman, John Hooker, was an executive at the utility giant Commonwealth Edison. In July, Hooker was sentenced to 1 ½ years in prison and ordered to pay a $500,000 fine after being convicted as part of the “ComEd Four” for his role in bribing Madigan with jobs and contracts for his political allies in exchange for legislation favorable to the utility.

‘Picking your voters’

Daley and LaHood said the problem that existed in 2016 still exists today. That is, legislative maps are drawn in a way that protects the majority party.

Currently, that’s the Democratic Party, which holds 61% of the seats in the Illinois House and 68% of the seats in the state Senate, despite the fact that Democrats, on average, have won only about 55% of the vote in recent statewide elections.

“When the Republicans had the majority, they did the same thing that Democrats did,” Daley said. “Whether they did it as well or not, that can be debated. But this idea of picking your voters to maintain control, whichever party it is.”

The new proposal calls for establishing a 12-member “Legislative Redistricting Commission,” whose members would be appointed by the top Democrat and Republican in each legislative chamber. Each leader would appoint one member of the General Assembly and two members who are not lawmakers.

The commission would be barred from using voters’ party registration or voting history data when drawing maps. Districts also would be required to be compact, contiguous and drawn along existing county and municipal lines where possible.

Congress not affected

The proposal would not, however, change the method of drawing congressional district maps, a topic that has made national news in recent weeks when the Texas Legislature held a special session to redraw that state’s congressional maps to create five more Republican-leaning districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

These maps are reflective of where people live and having their friends and neighbors as their representatives

Daley and LaHood said the proposal is limited to state legislative redistricting because citizen-initiated amendments are limited to structural and procedural subjects contained in Article IV of the state constitution. Congressional redistricting is a power conferred on state legislatures from the U.S. Constitution.

Neither Daley nor LaHood would predict whether changing the mapmaking process would alter the makeup of the General Assembly significantly or change the kinds of legislation that passes through it. But LaHood — pointing to states like Iowa and California, which have adopted independent mapmaking commissions — said drawing fair maps is important for individuals and communities.

“They're not splitting up neighborhoods, they're not splitting up communities, they're not splitting up counties,” he said. “These maps are reflective of where people live and having their friends and neighbors as their representatives … and so I think in states where they have citizens drawing the maps and keeping friends and neighbors together, the voters are pretty happy.”

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

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DOJ Memo Sparks Outcry as Durbin Demands Epstein File Disclosure

Democrats wanting transparency now is “asinine”, says White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

By Greg Bishop .::. Illinois Editor
The Center Square

CHICAGO - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, is joining the chorus of congress members calling for the release of files involving Jeffrey Epstein.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice released a memo about Epstein, who died in jail awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges in 2019. The unsigned two page memo concluded that the 300 gigabytes of materials related to Epstein included graphic video of child pornography.

“This systematic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list,’” the memo said. “There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

The announcement caused waves of criticism among President Donald Trump supporters, saying he promised to reveal the client list.

[Trump] wants to move on from the story.

In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Durbin called for the files release.

“We call upon you to follow the bipartisan directive of the Appropriations Committee and release the Epstein files without delay,” the letter said. “From the lenient plea deal he received in Florida in 2008 to the end of his case with his death in prison in 2019, survivors of his abuse have been denied the full accounting of his crimes and the justice they deserve.”

Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Democrats wanting transparency now is “asinine.”

“The Democrats had control of this building, the White House, for four years, and they didn't do a dang thing when it came to transparency in regards to Jeffrey Epstein and his heinous crimes,” Leavitt said. “[Trump] wants to move on from the story.”

Many believe Epstein did not kill himself

Prominent figures like the U.S. House speaker and the U.S. Senate minority leader have voiced support for releasing the Epstein files.

Leavitt said the president stands by the DOJ’s decision that they wouldn't release any of the child sex abuse materials. She was asked about any other releases of court records surrounding the case, even redacted files.

“Those are also questions for the judges who have that information under a seal,” Leavitt said. “And that would have to be requested. And a judge would have to approve it. That's out of the president's control.”

Epstein died in jail awaiting trial in 2019. While the official conclusion was suicide, many believe Epstein did not kill himself and had high profile clients.

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Members of Congress are calling for the release of the Epstein's files. Give us three reasons why you believe the President Trump should or should not follow through on his campaign promise make the files public? .::. Here is how and where to sent it

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi tosses hat into the ring for Senator Durbin's seat in 2026

As a member of the House, Raja Krishnamoorthi is the ranking member on the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.

by Ben Szalinski
Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi is the latest Democrat to enter the 2026 U.S. Senate primary for retiring Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat.

Krishnamoorthi, of Schaumburg, has represented the 8th Congressional District since 2017. He was born in India and grew up in Peoria. He earned a law degree from Harvard and has worked in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and led a small tech company in the Chicago suburbs.

Describing his middle-class upbringing, Krishnamoorthi said he’ll “never be quiet while billionaires like Elon Musk and a convicted felon deny the dreams of the next generation for their own egos.”

"People want to know: At this moment, in this time, where is the power to fight back?” Krishnamoorthi said in a video launching his campaign. “What does it look like? Well, I’ll tell you. It looks like you ... all of us ready to step up and fight back.”

Krishnamoorthi represents parts of Kane, DuPage and Cook counties. As a candidate for Congress, Krishnamoorthi has often wooed voters with TV commercials showcasing casual mannerisms and his name, telling voters “just call me Raja.” It’s a theme he is continuing as he joins the Senate race.

“I worked on a friend’s campaign that showed Illinois will give you a shot, even if you have a funny name,” Krishnamoorthi said, referring to his stint as an advisor to Barack Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign. “And inspired by Barack’s example, I was elected to Congress.”

As a member of the House, Krishnamoorthi is the ranking member on the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. He also serves on the House intelligence committee.

Like other Democrats around the country, Krishnamoorthi recently visited areas of Illinois outside of his district that are represented by Republicans in Congress to highlight the impacts of the Trump administration’s policies.

Krishnamoorthi is the third Democrat to enter the race and begins with a big cash advantage. Federal election records show he has $19.4 million in his campaign fund and has consistently raised more money than other members of Illinois’ congressional delegation. His campaign reported raising $3 million in the first quarter of 2024.

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, a Matteson Democrat, have also joined the race. Records show Kelly has $2 million on hand while a political action committee launched by Stratton earlier this year has not reported any contributions yet.

Krishnamoorthi’s war chest could be a leg up in the competition as U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Gov. JB Pritzker – two of the state’s top Democrats – endorsed Stratton before any other candidates joined the race. U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, a Naperville Democrat, is also exploring a run for the Senate.

No major Republican candidates have entered the race so far.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly enters upcoming Democratic primary to fill Durbin’s Senate seat

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly joins Democratic primary to fill Durbin’s Senate seat. Former state party chair once again challenging a Pritzker-backed candidate.

by Ben Szalinski
Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly is the second Democrat to step into the 2026 primary race to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. Kelly, a resident of south suburban Matteson, has represented Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District since 2013 and recently served a short stint as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

“This moment requires proven leaders who have the experience to take on the toughest battles,” Kelly said in a statement. “I’ve never backed down – not from gun lobbyists, not from MAGA extremists, and certainly not from a fight for what’s right.”

Kelly won a crowded 16-person primary in a 2013 special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, who resigned while under investigation for misuse of campaign funds and eventually went to prison. Kelly received more than half the primary vote before easily winning the special election.

Kelly currently represents one of Illinois’ most geographically diverse congressional districts. The 2nd District stretches from the South Side of Chicago more than 100 miles south to Danville.

Kelly also served two terms in the Illinois House and unsuccessfully ran for state treasurer in 2010.

As a member of Congress, Kelly has focused much of her time on health care and gun violence issues. In a video launching her campaign, Kelly reflected on the time she refused to stand for a moment of silence in the U.S. House following a mass shooting.

“And the next time, someone else sat down with me,” Kelly said. “And then another, until a moment of silence felt more like an echo of inaction.”

Kelly joins Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the race. Stratton has already received endorsements from Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth.

Her entrance into the race also sets up another battle with Pritzker.

With Durbin’s support, Kelly was elected chair of the state Democratic Party in 2021 to replace Mike Madigan after the long-time party head bowed out of politics amid a then-ongoing federal investigation. Kelly beat Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris for the party leadership job, but her success was short-lived.

Kelly ended her bid for reelection as party chair in 2022 after it became clear she would not have enough support to beat State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero, for party leadership. Pritzker supported Hernandez while Kelly continued to have Durbin’s support.

In the 2026 primary, however, Durbin told reporters last month he likely won’t endorse any candidate for his Senate seat in the primary. Durbin announced last month he will retire when his term ends in 2027 following 44 years in Congress.

Kelly enters the primary with $2 million in her campaign account, according to federal election records.

“You could say I’ve been an underdog my whole life,” Kelly said in the video.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood and Raja Krishnamoorthi are still contemplating entering the race for Senate, but Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs announced Monday he will not join the fray.

State Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, posted on social media Tuesday he is considering next steps in his career and possibly running for Kelly’s congressional seat in 2026.

SAVE Act faces scrutiny as advocates warn of voter suppression risks

A new voting bill could make name changes a voting hurdle for many women. Illinois leaders are speaking out.

URBANA - A newly revived federal voting bill is drawing renewed scrutiny, especially in Illinois, where voting rights advocates warn it could create significant barriers to ballot access.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the U.S. House last week with unanimous Republican support and four Democratic votes, would require all voters to present proof of U.S. citizenship — such as a passport or birth certificate — when registering or updating their registration. The bill now awaits consideration in the Senate, though no vote has been scheduled.

This is not the first time the legislation has surfaced. A previous version passed the House during the last session of Congress but stalled in the then-Democratic-controlled Senate.

Proponents of the SAVE Act argue it is essential for protecting the integrity of elections by ensuring that only American citizens can cast ballots. However, critics see it as a thinly veiled attempt to suppress voter participation under the guise of security. The League of Women Voters of Illinois (LWVIL) delivered that message directly to lawmakers during a subject matter hearing before the Illinois House Ethics and Elections Committee on April 22 in Springfield.

Kathy Cortez, LWVIL’s Vice President for Issues and Advocacy, testified that the legislation risks disenfranchising large swaths of the voting population by introducing new hurdles that disproportionately affect low-income individuals, women, and others who may have difficulty assembling documentation.

No citizen should have to make the choice between meeting their basic needs and exercising the right to vote

“We believe every citizen should be protected in the right to vote, and that electoral systems should encourage participation and enhance representation for all voters,” Cortez said. “The League of Women Voters opposes the SAVE Act because, by imposing inequitable economic and administrative requirements, the bill would create unnecessary barriers to voting participation.”

A major point of concern raised during the hearing was the bill’s disproportionate impact on women. Cortez explained that because many women in Illinois changed their names after marriage, the SAVE Act would require them — and not men — to produce documentation of name changes through marriage, divorce, or remarriage in order to vote.

The League also highlighted the financial implications of the legislation. For many residents living paycheck to paycheck, obtaining official documents like certified birth certificates or divorce decrees could present a real hardship.

“No citizen should have to make the choice between meeting their basic needs and exercising the right to vote,” Cortez said. “We believe that even one individual losing their ability to vote because they could not afford to comply with the requirements of the SAVE Act is one voter too many.”

Despite their opposition to the measure, LWVIL expressed a willingness to support voters if the bill becomes law. With a statewide network and long-standing relationships with Illinois' 108 election authorities, the League says it is prepared to help residents navigate any new requirements.

As the debate continues, Illinois remains a microcosm of a broader national conversation — one that pits concerns over election integrity against the practical realities of access and participation.

Farm households will see more tax liability when Trump tax cuts expire

Photo: Steven Weeks/Unsplash

by Sky Chadde
Investigate Midwest

One of President Donald Trump’s first-term achievements was a major tax cut, which he signed into law in 2017. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act largely benefited the wealthiest families in the U.S.

But farm households also saw their tax rates decrease.

That means many farms will see their tax liability increase when the tax cuts expire at the end of the year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture research.

Currently, farm households have an average credit of about $3,800. Unless Congress acts, it could be about $1,300.

Congress could extend the tax cuts through legislation, and Trump has said he wants more changes to the tax code.

If the tax cuts do expire, which is scheduled for midnight on Dec. 31, 2025, farm households of varying sizes would be affected in different ways.

Child tax credit

For instance, fewer farm households would receive the Child Tax Credit. The 2017 law temporarily increased this credit and raised the income threshold for eligibility. Under the current law, about 36% of all farm households are eligible for the tax credit. When the law sunsets, about 27% of farm households will be, according to USDA research.

The tax credit amount will also decrease. Currently, farm households have an average credit of about $3,800. Unless Congress acts, it could be about $1,300.

Qualified business income deduction

Another 2017 tax cut that farmers were eligible for was the qualified business income deduction.

It is for businesses that are not organized as C-corporations, which allows owners and shareholders to separate their tax liability from that of the corporation (such as publicly traded corporations). The new deduction was intended to “provide parity with C-corporations” for farms and other businesses, according to the USDA.

Almost half of farm households receive the deduction. If the deduction is eliminated, the farms’ average tax bill would increase by 9%, or about $2,500.

Estate tax

Another part of the tax cut that could sunset is the provision related to the estate tax, which applies to the transfer of property after a relative dies. The tax only affects the wealthiest families in the U.S. and has become a persistent target of Republicans, who have labeled it the “death tax.”

Though implemented in 1916, the estate tax has “never directly affected a large percentage of farmers,” USDA researchers wrote.

USDA researchers estimate that, currently, just 0.3% of all farm households would be eligible to pay the estate tax. If this part of the 2017 tax cut expires, though, 1% of all farm households would be eligible.

This mostly affects the largest U.S. farms, which generate more than $1 million in annual gross income.

This article first appeared on Investigate Midwest and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Other articles:

Small business employ 44% of workers in Illinois, two laws set to expire will hurt if not renewed

by Terri Dee
Illinois News Connection

A large tax hike could appear soon, that would affect Illinois' small businesses still rebounding from the pandemic. One group hopes Congress will act before two bills expire, and the tax increase takes effect.

A small business advocacy group, The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) says one of them - the 20% Small Business Deduction Act - was created to align small business tax rates with those of larger corporate competitors.

The group's Vice President for Federal Government Relations Jeff Brabant said...

"It's difficult for small businesses to be able to compete with a lot of their larger competitors, and increasing prices isn't always a great option for them," said Brabant. "If you're an employee and you go to a small employer who may not have the money to be able to offer great benefits, versus a large employer who can offer those benefits, it's always going to put the smaller employer at a little bit of a disadvantage."

If Congress decides not to renew the 20% Small Business Deduction Act, Brabant predicted that 90% of America's businesses would face additional barriers to growth and hiring more workers.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration's 2023 Profile report, Illinois has slightly more than 2 million small business employees - which account for 44% of the state's employees.

The other law up for review by the House is the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, which permits small businesses to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income and make it a permanent deduction.

Brabant noted that the NFIB strongly supports both measures, which expire on December 31, 2025 - and have bipartisan support.

As the country waits to see the presidential election results, he said he believes the plight of small businesses should be the "number one issue" on Congress's mind.

"It shouldn't be a Republican or Democratic issue," said Brabant. "This should be 'small businesses are the foundation of the economy,' and I don't think anyone wants to see Main Street businesses have a tax hike."

Brabant said the organization is glad both presidential candidates have talked about small businesses, because these discussions don't always occur.

He said NFIB's focus is to educate and increase Congress' awareness, and he said he hopes they will act sooner rather than later.

Keywords: Illinois small business tax increase, 20% Small Business Deduction Act, Main Street Tax Certainty Act, Small business tax reform 2025, Impact of tax hike on small businesses

Commentary |

Our tax code reward corporate price gouging. Next year, we can change that.

by Rakeen Mabud
OtherWords.org

Rakeen Mabud

Next year, we’ll have to make one of the most important decisions about the future of our economy. Will we hand more power and wealth to big corporations and the rich — or invest in a healthy and resilient economy that works for all of us?

In 2017, Republican lawmakers passed tax loopholes and cuts that primarily benefited the wealthy and big corporations. President Trump signed these giveaways into law, spiking inequality and setting off a wave of corporate profiteering.

Next year, parts of that law will begin to expire, which gives us the opportunity to make changes.

For decades, both parties have created an economy where big corporations and the wealthy aren’t pitching in like the rest of us. We’ve been sold a bill of goods known as “trickle down” economics. Trickle down goes like this: Feed the rich the best cut of meat and maybe we’ll get a bit of gristle that falls on the floor — and we’ll thank them for it.

The rich and most profitable corporations aren’t just contributing less and less to our collective coffers. They’re using their power to enrich themselves further while more of us struggle. Senator Elizabeth Warren recently described this as a “doom loop” for our tax code: the wealthy and corporations get richer from tax giveaways and then use their wealth and power to boost their profits — and then lobby for more tax cuts.

For example, the 2017 Trump tax cuts dropped the top corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent (compared to 40 percent in 1987). Supporters argued this would lead to better wages and supercharge economic growth. Instead, economic growth continued at about the same pace as before the tax breaks. And while 90 percent of workers did not see a raise, billionaire wealth has doubled.

In the same period in which corporations have enjoyed lower taxes, they’ve also raked in record profits. As my colleagues at Groundwork Collaborative have highlighted, lowering corporate tax rates actually incentivized corporate profiteering in the wake of the pandemic, as companies that overcharged us got to keep more of their winnings.

Trickle down theory says these windfall profits and lower taxes should encourage companies to invest more in workers and innovation. But in an economy run by big corporations with enormous market share, that money ends up being funneled to shareholders instead of increasing worker wages, investing in new or more productive technologies, or holding critical inventories in case of a crisis.

If we want corporations to invest more in wages and productive investments, we should raise their taxes, since wages and research are mostly tax deductible.

In other words, corporate profiteering is not a foregone conclusion. Raising corporate taxes has the potential to boost investment, productivity, and economic growth — and get Americans some of their money back.

The Biden administration has taken critical steps to push back against failed trickle down economics and corporate profiteering. It capped the price of essential drugs like insulin, empowered regulators to go after corporations abusing their market power, and made historic investments in a green future. But more can be done by raising taxes on the largest, most profitable corporations.

Fundamentally, the coming tax debate is about who holds the reins in shaping our economy: megacorporations and their wealthy shareholders, or the everyday people who keep the economy humming. Next year is an opportunity for Congress to stand firm against the rich and powerful and build the economy that we want to see.

Commentary |
The Speaker’s Slippery Balancing Act

Khalil Bendib / OtherWords.org

The House Leader isn't so much "leading" as "trying not to plummet."

Illinois Leaders relaunch effort to end partisan gerrymandering

DOJ Memo Sparks Outcry as Durbin Demands Epstein File Disclosure

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi tosses hat into the ring for Senator Durbin's seat in 2026

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly enters upcoming Democratic primary to fill Durbin’s Senate seat

SAVE Act faces scrutiny as advocates warn of voter suppression risks

Farm households will see more tax liability when Trump tax cuts expire

Small business employ 44% of workers in Illinois, two laws set to expire will hurt if not renewed

Commentary |

Our tax code reward corporate price gouging. Next year, we can change that.

Commentary |
The Speaker’s Slippery Balancing Act

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