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The Latest Breaking News from Jim Durkin

Big money, big problems. Deep-pocketed, self-funding candidates and dark money mar Illinois politics

Primary meddling, dark money and self-funding loopholes help skew Illinois politics to favor moneyed candidates. But there are also solutions — like fighting big money with public funding of campaigns.

Chicago Sun-Times

Former Illinois State Senate President James ‘Pate’ Philip dead at 93

The Republican Senate president was known for his influence in state government and often controversial blunt comments.

Chicago Sun-Times

Legislators should show some backbone and save Invest in Kids tax credit scholarships

This program is not broken. Invest in Kids is providing high-quality school choice for families, former Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin writes.

Chicago Sun-Times

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Too few dying and disabled inmates being released? Victims’ families might disagree.

It’s important to understand that a majority of the convicts seeking relief under the state’s compassionate release law took the life of a son, daughter, mother or father, former Illinois House Majority Leader Jim Durkin writes.

Chicago Sun-Times

Healthy communities need healthy first responders

To help our first responders cope with the stress they experience daily, we must provide them with critical treatment and support for mental health.

Chicago Sun-Times

‘Trump fever needs to be broken,’ says rare Republican willing to take on former president

‘I want to see more people stand up to Donald Trump on that stage,’ ex-Illinois House Leader Jim Durkin said of the first GOP debate next week in Milwaukee,

Chicago Sun-Times

More GOP lawmakers should back assault weapon ban

It’s hard to believe former House Republican leader Jim Durkin and only one other GOP legislator voted to ban assault weapons in Illinois.

Chicago Sun-Times

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I support the 2nd amendment — and an assault weapons ban

One mass slaughter after another proves the problem can’t be more clear: It is the person pulling the trigger, and it is also the weapon, former Illinois House Minority Leader Jim Durkin writes.

Chicago Sun-Times

Boeing’s misconduct hasn’t stopped Illinois politicians from taking campaign cash from the company

Based in Chicago until last year, the aerospace giant has given $50,000 to legislative leaders and other politicians since it admitted in 2021 it deceived regulators about a new aircraft that crashed twice overseas.

Chicago Sun-Times

Lemont Mayor John Egofske chosen to replace Republican Jim Durkin in state House

John Egofske will fill the seat left vacant by last month’s resignation of former House Republican Leader Jim Durkin. Egofske will continue to serve as mayor.

Chicago Sun-Times

Sneed: Jim Durkin’s shining career had its share of comical miscues

‘Identity politics’ fell flat, as he once was mistaken for a page and asked to fetch coffee.

Chicago Sun-Times

Departing state House GOP leader Jim Durkin giving up his seat in Illinois General Assembly

Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, who spent 22 years in the Illinois General Assembly, will resign Tuesday.

Chicago Sun-Times

Illinois House passes bills banning certain semi-automatic weapons, expanding abortion protections

With Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker seated in the front row of the chamber, the Illinois House early Friday approved a sweeping ban on high-powered firearms about two hours after voting to shore up the state’s already expansive protections for abortion rights.

Chicago Tribune

Illinois House approves assault weapons ban

After a lengthy debate that stretched into Friday, the House voted 64-43 to pass the measure that would also ban “rapid-fire devices” that turn firearms into fully automatic weapons. It must still clear the Illinois Senate.

Chicago Sun-Times

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The Independent UK

Critics expect chaos under Illinois bail ban despite ruling

Critics of a law to eliminate cash bail in Illinois starting Sunday fear a judge’s ruling that the plan is unconstitutional will create a chaotic system of pretrial release unless urgent action is taken

Chicago Tribune

Illinois governor aims to get assault weapon ban proposal ‘done in the first half of the year’

CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who made banning the sale of assault weapons a key component of his successful reelection campaign this fall, for the first time voiced support for the recently unveiled proposal by Illinois House Democrats that includes outlawing the sale of certain assault-style guns, barring most people…

Chicago Tribune

Confronted by GOP critics and confused constituents, Illinois Democrats made fixes to their sweeping criminal justice law

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — After months of blistering attacks from Republicans as well as some criticism from members of their own party, Democratic lawmakers came together during the final legislative session of the year to approve changes aimed at clarifying their controversial criminal justice overhaul.

Chicago Sun-Times

For the good of Illinois, Dems and GOP need to respect each other

One of the problems the super-majority Democrats have in both chambers is that when they know their bill is going to pass, they usually don’t take the Republicans’ objections seriously enough to fully engage with them.

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Chicago Sun-Times

After big losses last week, Illinois GOP vows big changes with new legislative leaders: ‘We certainly have a lot to rebuild’

House Republicans chose state Rep. Tony McCombie as their leader. The former Savanna mayor told the Sun-Times last week that the election showed “those that are on the extreme” are “not what Illinois wants.” Senate Republicans selected state Sen. John Curran of Downers Grove to guide their caucus.

Chicago Sun-Times

Illinois GOP fundraising base has badly eroded over the years

It’s either jump into the far-right political bed with billionaire Richard Uihlein, or deal with the GOP’s stark fiscal reality and scramble every day to raise a few bucks here and there.

Chicago Sun-Times

Man in the middle: Departing state House GOP Leader Durkin says Trump so ‘harmful’ to nation that RINO tag is ‘badge of honor’

In a no-holds barred interview with the Sun-Times — the 13th interview he gave on Thursday — Durkin rated the state’s last five governors, bashed former President Donald Trump and railed on the current climate of the state’s Republican Party.

Chicago Sun-Times

No bailing out on SAFE-T Act: Democrats only plan ‘strengthening and clarifying’ of criminal justice reforms — no ‘gutting’

The blue wave that washed over Illinois on Tuesday gives Democrats the political cover to argue that despite the GOP blitzkrieg of negative TV ads, voters agree the provisions in the SAFE-T Act are sound public policy. Democrats say they expect “clean-up” language, but no substantial changes, in…

Chicago Sun-Times

Only ‘wave’ Illinois Republicans see in Legislature is the farewell one from Durkin as House GOP leader

State House GOP Leader Jim Durkin’s decision not to seek reelection as minority leader reflects the dissatisfaction among many establishment Republicans. “I began this journey as a voice of moderation and conclude this journey the same way I started, a voice of moderation,” Durkin said.

The Independent UK

Illinois governor eyes legislative allies after reelection

Newly reelected Gov_ J_B_ Pritzker says his victory indicates that Illinois voters want the state to be a “beacon of hope and opportunity.”

Chicago Sun-Times

After successful fundraising, Democrats have zero excuses for failure

Republican fundraising could not even come close to keeping pace with the Democrats.

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