Oct. 15--Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield.
Topspin
It's Thursday, Oct. 15, the day the Cubs will find out whether they fly to New York or Los Angeles to start their National League Championship Series. Remaining at Wrigley Field will be a certain home run ball.
Chicago aldermen were battered about this week after it was reported that the Cubs offered them the chance to buy playoff tickets at face value. The team and some aldermen were quick to note the tickets weren't free, but it's still the kind of perk that rankles regular people who don't have such access.
Given the blowback, one alderman wanted it known that he sold his tickets to a playoff game and raised $1,500 for charitable causes.
Ald. Nicholas Sposato, 38th, has muscular sclerosis and gets around in a wheelchair, so the Cubs offered him four spots in the disabled seating section of Wrigley Field. Sposato said he went to the first playoff game with the Cardinals, taking state Rep. Robert Martwick and a childhood friend.
But Sposato said he posted the second set on Facebook, offering them to the highest bidder, with the proceeds to go to charity. Two cops from his ward offered $1,500, with $500 going to New Horizon Center or Children Adults with Developmental Disabilities Autism, and $1,000 to the cash-strapped family of a young man with serious medical issues and the bills that often go along with that.
Sposato plans to do the same for the next playoff round. "If I got $1,500 for this round, there's got to be more for the next round," he said. (Hal Dardick)
What's on tap
*Mayor Rahm Emanuel will speak at the opening of a new O'Hare runway.
*Gov. Bruce Rauner will be out in the Quincy area, visiting businesses and addressing business groups.
From the notebook
*Foxx gets endorsements: Two days after Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez launched her re-election campaign with an Internet video, challenger Kim Foxx announced the endorsement of several African-American politicians from Chicago.
Her endorsers included city Treasurer Kurt Summers, state Sen. Kwame Raoul and 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer, chairman of the City Council Black Caucus.
"This is a critical moment for us to expose the disparities and inequities associated with the prosecution and incarceration of black and brown males in our criminal justice system," Raoul said. "Kim Foxx is an accomplished prosecutor, and I trust her to restore integrity to the state's attorney's office."
Foxx also has the backing of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, while Alvarez has some more traditional powerhouses behind her. They include House Speaker Michael Madigan and Ald. Ed Burke, 14th.
Also in the race is Donna More, a former prosecutor who is now in private practice, who on Wednesday dismissed Alvarez as "a case processor who is easily influenced by politics." (Hal Dardick)
*Party bus licensing: Aldermen introduced a proposal Wednesday to try to regulate alcohol consumption on party buses, less than a week after three people were shot during a fight among riders on one of the buses in the South Loop.
The ordinance, sponsored by Finance Committee Chairman Ald. Edward Burke, 14th; Public Safety Committee Chairman Ald. Ariel Reboyras, 30th; and three others, would require "charter parties" that arrange trips on sightseeing vehicles where liquor will be served to be licensed to sell alcohol.
It would also require the operator of the vehicle to designate somebody at least 25 years old to check IDs and "make reasonable efforts" to stop minors from drinking alcohol on the buses.
About 3 a.m. Sunday, the driver of a party bus stopped for cigarettes at a gas station in the 1100 block of South Jefferson Street when people on the bus started arguing, according to authorities.
People got out of the bus, continuing to fight, when someone outside turned around and began shooting into the bus. Three people were shot, police said. (John Byrne)
*Emanuel, Cubs, French words: Mayor Emanuel on Wednesday gave a shout-out to the "esprit de corps" shown by the Cubs while talking about what state lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner can learn from the North Side National League ball club's success to help them get out of their budget stalemate.
"First of all, leadership counts," the mayor said when asked what lessons Springfield should take from the Cubs victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series. "And I give both Theo (Epstein) and (Joe) Maddon a lot of credit."
The mayor repeatedly has urged Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan to find a way to achieve mutual trust so the budget can move forward.
And Emanuel, who officially introduced his own budget plan to the City Council Wednesday, couldn't resist also contrasting what he expects will be a successful Oct. 28 vote on his plan with the political rancor that has ground budget processes to a halt both downstate and on the federal level. "In about two weeks we're going to pass a budget. Washington and Springfield can both take a lesson from that," he said. (John Byrne)
*Radogno leading Kasich effort: Illinois Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno has been named chairman of Ohio Gov. John Kasich's bid for the GOP presidential nomination in Illinois.
Kasich's team also named 10 co-chairs of the Illinois campaign, including GOP state Reps. Ed Sullivan of Mundelein, David Harris of Arlington Heights, Ron Sandack of Downers Grove, Tom Demmer of Dixon and Randy Frese of Paloma, and state Sen. Dave Syverson of Rockford.
Also in the group are Jim Schultz, director of the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison, former state GOP chair Pat Brady and DuPage County Board chairman Dan Cronin. (Rick Pearson)
*Rubio gets LaHood backing: Not yet a month into federal office, the state's newest congressman, Republican Darin LaHood of Peoria, is endorsing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's bid for the GOP presidential nomination.
"Marco is a transformational leader, with a bold vision for a New American Century," LaHood said in a statement.
LaHood is the highest-ranking elected official in Illinois to back Rubio and will serve as co-chairman of Rubio's campaign along with Lisle state Sen. Michael Connelly.
LaHood also said he will run as a Rubio presidential nominating delegate on the March 15 ballot in central Illinois' heavily Republican 18th Congressional District. He is the son of former Republican congressman and former Obama White House Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. (Rick Pearson)
*J Street in Chicago: The liberal-leaning Israel advocacy group J Street is holding its annual luncheon Thursday in Chicago with addresses by Illinois Democrats U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky.
The group describes itself as a national "pro-Israel pro-peace advocacy organization" and more than 300 people are expected to attend the event at the Standard Club.
The event also will honor philanthropist Howard Gottlieb, a member of J Street's National Board of Directors. Gottlieb, a founding general partner at Glen Eagle Partners, a private investment firm, sits on many local boards in addition to serving on the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. (Rick Pearson)
What we're writing
*Preckwinkle wants to tax bowling, cable TV.
*Emanuel not budging yet on budget plan.
*State budget impasse means delayed pension contributions, lottery payouts delayed.
*Duckworth outpaces Kirk in 3Q fundraising in U.S. Senate race.
*Barbara Byrd-Bennett's co-defendants plead not guilty.
*Could find out Thursday if Hastert will strike plea deal.
Follow the money
*A couple of House Speaker Michael Madigan's Democratic targets reported getting some union campaign cash. Rep. Deb Conroy of Villa Park received $72,400, including $53,900 from the Laborers' fund and $10,000 from the Operating Engineers Local 399. Rep. Cloonen of Kankakee got $53,900 from the Laborers. Both seats could be targeted for pickups by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and his allies.
*DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin reported a $25,000 contribution from the national fund of the plumbers/pipefitters union.
*Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash
Beyond Chicago
*Presidential race, Republican side: It's all about money today.
*Presidential race, Democratic side: Clinton debate performance impact on Biden.
