Citizen Bulletin: Newly Elected State Reps Sworn In & Other News in Politics
The Citizen Bulletin’s news highlights from this week include: Curtis Tarver, the newly elected state representative (District 25) and Robert Peters, the newly appointed state senator (District 13), were sworn into their offices this week. President Donald Trump has held to his threat to veto any government funding bill that does not include funds for a wall on the US-Mexico border; the ensuing government shutdown has now lasted 24 days, making it the longest in US history
Chicago City Government
Alderman Leslie Hairston (5th Ward) ~ call your alderman! (773) 324-5555
Jan 3 -- Donated $20,000 received from Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s campaign to four community organizations
Alderman Willie Cochran (20th Ward) ~ call your alderman! (773) 955-5610
[No News]
Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) ~ call your mayor! (312) 744-3300
Jan 12 -- Proposed new ethics reforms for City Hall
Cook County Board
President Toni Preckwinkle ~ call your Cook County board president! (312) 603-6400
Jan 7 -- Returned over $100,000 in donations from Alderman Ed Burke, who faces federal corruption charges
Illinois State Government
Representative Curtis Tarver (D–District 25) ~ call your state rep!
Jan 9 -- Was sworn into the Illinois House of Representatives
Senator Robert Peters (D–District 13) ~ call your state senator!
Jan 6 -- Sworn into state senate to fill Kwame Raoul’s seat after Roul was appointed state Attorney General; some called for a special election
Governor Bruce Rauner (R–IL) ~ call your governor!
Jan 11 -- Granted 30 clemency requests on his last full day as governor; he will be replaced by J.B. Pritzker on January 14
US Federal Government
Representative Bobby Rush (D–IL1) ~ call your representative! (773) 779-2400
Jan 9 -- Criticized President Trump’s border security demands
Jan 9 -- Saw the bill on civil rights cold cases he introduced, originally written by a group of high school students in his district, signed into law
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D–IL) ~ call your senator! (312) 886-3506
Jan 4 -- Warned that the government shutdown may begin impacting farmers who will not receive payments which they were promised
Jan 9 -- Introduced legislation to ban the sale of assault weapons along with Senator Durbin and 38 other senators
Jan 11 -- Criticized President Trump for suggesting that he may declare a national emergency in order to fund the border wall
Senator Richard Durbin (D–IL) ~ call your senator! (312) 353-4952
Jan 3 -- Announced his plans to run for re-election in 2020
Jan 8 -- Reintroduced, along with Senator Duckworth and 38 other senators, the “Background Check Expansion Act,” which would expand federal background checks to cover all gun sales
President Donald Trump (R) ~ call your president! (202) 456-1414
Jan 13-- Dismissed allegations that he had concealed details of meetings with Vladimir Putin
Jan 12-- Held to his threat to veto any government funding bill that does not include funds for a wall on the US-Mexico border; the ensuing government shutdown has now lasted 24 days, making it the longest in U.S. history
The Citizen Bulletin is a product of the University of Chicago Democracy Initiative (UCDI). UCDI is proudly supported by the Andrew Goodman Foundation’s nonpartisan Vote Everywhere project.To learn more about the UChicago Democracy Initiative, please visit ucdemocracy.weebly.com.
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