Capitol News

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO — The jury considering state Sen. Emil Jones III’s federal corruption trial indicated late Wednesday that it may be deadlocked on two of the three counts Jones is charged with after 18 hours of deliberations. The news came in a note to U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood, which she read to…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Protesters flooded the rotunda of the Illinois Statehouse earlier this month, urging legislators to increase wages for caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The ‘They Deserve More’ coalition — representing advocacy organizations, families and over 90 agencies providing community care — is asking that these direct support personnel,…

Capitol News Illinois Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more information about Durbin’s career and potential replacements. Longtime U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, announced he will retire after his term ends in January 2027. “I truly love the job of being United States Senator, but…

Capitol News Illinois When Gov. JB Pritzker tells audiences how he became interested in politics, it often starts with stories about his mother. As a child growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Pritzker often shares, he’d attend marches, rallies and protests with his mother in support of abortion, women’s rights and LGBTQ issues.…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO — As prosecutors gave their closing arguments Monday in the trial of state Sen. Emil Jones III, they cast doubt on Jones’ testimony last week that red-light camera entrepreneur Omar Maani made him “uncomfortable” when he hinted at a bribe in the summer of 2019, asking the jury why — if…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is asking state lawmakers for a $15 million increase in his General Revenue Fund budget for the upcoming year, saying his office needs a more “stable” system of funding as it takes on greater responsibilities, including the growing volume of litigation against the Trump administration.…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — When Illinois named small farmer Nathan Ryder a finalist for a federal $100,000 Local Food Infrastructure Grant, he made big plans for his farm in the southeastern tip of the state. Then the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut his funding. The Ryder family farm, a 10-acre operation in Pope County…

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois chapter of AARP played a role in the Trump administration reversing itself and allowing Social Security beneficiaries to have the option of filing for benefits over the phone. The continuation of phone-based filing is an about-face of a plan set forth in mid-March by the Social Security Administration…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO — Federal agents asked state Sen. Emil Jones III to wear a wire against a politically connected hospital CEO and his fellow lawmakers in Springfield, the senator testified Thursday in his own defense at his federal corruption trial. Jones, D-Chicago, said he was prepared to cooperate with the FBI in a…

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO — Red-light camera entrepreneur Omar Maani made a point of not saying much during an April 2019 meeting with state Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago, letting his co-founder and lobbyists for his company SafeSpeed do most of the talking. But as they dined at a suburban steakhouse two months later, Maani…