SHAREWASHINGTON — The Biden White House said Sunday that John Lausch will continue as the U.S. Attorney based in Chicago, last week that he won’t be forced to resign.President Joe Biden’s team wanted all top federal prosecutors to resign as of Sunday, with only two exceptions. Lausch became the third, with the Biden White House reversal.“In very limited exceptions, including the Northern District of Illinois, the administration has opted not to seek new candidates for U.S. Attorney positions at this time,” said a White House official Sunday who did not want to named.Sen. Dick Durbin,...…SHAREWASHINGTON — The Biden White House said Sunday that John Lausch will continue as the U.S. Attorney based in Chicago, last week that he won’t be forced to resign.President Joe Biden’s team wanted all top federal prosecutors to resign as of Sunday, with only two exceptions. Lausch became the third, with the Biden White House reversal.“In very limited exceptions, including the Northern District of Illinois, the administration has opted not to seek new candidates for U.S. Attorney positions at this time,” said a White House official Sunday who did not want to named.Sen. Dick Durbin,...WW…

SHAREWASHINGTON — With a long-running federal review complete, the first pre-construction utility relocation work for the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park will start in April, with preliminary roadwork and site preparation to begin as early as August, the Obama Foundation and City Hall announced Wednesday.Former President Barack Obama, in a video message released Wednesday, said: “We know that by working together, we can unlock the South Side’s fullest potential — and help set up our city, our country and our world for even better years still to come.”I’m proud to announce that the...…SHAREWASHINGTON — With a long-running federal review complete, the first pre-construction utility relocation work for the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park will start in April, with preliminary roadwork and site preparation to begin as early as August, the Obama Foundation and City Hall announced Wednesday.Former President Barack Obama, in a video message released Wednesday, said: “We know that by working together, we can unlock the South Side’s fullest potential — and help set up our city, our country and our world for even better years still to come.”I’m proud to announce that the...WW…

SHAREWASHINGTON — Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., is launching on Sunday a “movement” to reclaim the Republican Party from conspiracy theorists and the forces leading to the Capitol attack and to provide a counter to ex-President Donald Trump, who is retaining his grip on the GOP.“This is no time for silence. Not after the last month. Not after the past few years. Someone needs to tell the truth. Someone needs to say what history needs to hear. So here I am. The Republican Party has lost its way,” Kinzinger said in a six-minute video posted Sunday kicking off his “Country First” drive. “My...…SHAREWASHINGTON — Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., is launching on Sunday a “movement” to reclaim the Republican Party from conspiracy theorists and the forces leading to the Capitol attack and to provide a counter to ex-President Donald Trump, who is retaining his grip on the GOP.“This is no time for silence. Not after the last month. Not after the past few years. Someone needs to tell the truth. Someone needs to say what history needs to hear. So here I am. The Republican Party has lost its way,” Kinzinger said in a six-minute video posted Sunday kicking off his “Country First” drive. “My...WW…

SHAREWith an urgent need to quickly organize mass COVID-19 vaccinations, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Friday said members of the Illinois National Guard may actually be administering the shots.Gov. J.B. Pritzker also said in a COVID-19 briefing that guard members will be deployed to set up a total of six mass vaccination sites in Cook County, with 25 smaller sites in high-demand areas, as the state enters Phase 1B of its distribution plan.Beginning Monday, about 3.2 million more residents will be eligible to start getting shots, including frontline essential workers and people 65 and older.As...…SHAREWith an urgent need to quickly organize mass COVID-19 vaccinations, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Friday said members of the Illinois National Guard may actually be administering the shots.Gov. J.B. Pritzker also said in a COVID-19 briefing that guard members will be deployed to set up a total of six mass vaccination sites in Cook County, with 25 smaller sites in high-demand areas, as the state enters Phase 1B of its distribution plan.Beginning Monday, about 3.2 million more residents will be eligible to start getting shots, including frontline essential workers and people 65 and older.As...WW…

SHAREWASHINGTON — Sheila Nix, an Oak Park resident who was a senior adviser in President Joe Biden’s campaign, will join the administration as chief of staff in the U.S. Department of Education.When ex-President Barack Obama was in the White House, Nix was chief of staff for then second lady Jill Biden, the new first lady.Last summer, after Biden tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to be his running mate, Nix became a senior campaign adviser to Harris, at the time a senator from California.Claudia Chavez, who served in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s City Hall and was the Biden campaign’s midwest...…SHAREWASHINGTON — Sheila Nix, an Oak Park resident who was a senior adviser in President Joe Biden’s campaign, will join the administration as chief of staff in the U.S. Department of Education.When ex-President Barack Obama was in the White House, Nix was chief of staff for then second lady Jill Biden, the new first lady.Last summer, after Biden tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to be his running mate, Nix became a senior campaign adviser to Harris, at the time a senator from California.Claudia Chavez, who served in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s City Hall and was the Biden campaign’s midwest...WW…

Filed under:Several Illinois Democrats in Congress also called for Trump to be ousted from office, as did Democratic Senate and House leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.WASHINGTON — A day after deadly riots in the Capitol encouraged by President Donald Trump, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., on Thursday became the first Republican in Congress to call for invoking the 25th Amendment to force Trump out of office.“The President is unfit. And the President is unwell,” Kinzinger said. Trump must step down either voluntarily or involuntarily, he said.Trump’s once-solid wall of Republican support...…Filed under:Several Illinois Democrats in Congress also called for Trump to be ousted from office, as did Democratic Senate and House leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.WASHINGTON — A day after deadly riots in the Capitol encouraged by President Donald Trump, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., on Thursday became the first Republican in Congress to call for invoking the 25th Amendment to force Trump out of office.“The President is unfit. And the President is unwell,” Kinzinger said. Trump must step down either voluntarily or involuntarily, he said.Trump’s once-solid wall of Republican support...WW…

SHAREWASHINGTON — The new Congress kicked off Sunday, with Illinois House Republicans divided over challenging Joe Biden’s presidential win on Wednesday and with the addition of freshmen Democrat Marie Newman and Republican Mary Miller, a record number of women in the delegation.Here’s the latest, with Republicans — in Illinois and nationally — at a crossroads as the on Sunday posted shocking leaked audio of a desperate President Donald Trump pressuring Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Saturday to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s win in that state.Rep. Adam...…SHAREWASHINGTON — The new Congress kicked off Sunday, with Illinois House Republicans divided over challenging Joe Biden’s presidential win on Wednesday and with the addition of freshmen Democrat Marie Newman and Republican Mary Miller, a record number of women in the delegation.Here’s the latest, with Republicans — in Illinois and nationally — at a crossroads as the on Sunday posted shocking leaked audio of a desperate President Donald Trump pressuring Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Saturday to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s win in that state.Rep. Adam...WW…

SHAREWASHINGTON —Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said Sunday he’s concerned about “people being driven to violence” as President Donald Trump, frantically trying to overturn the election, is urging his backers to demonstrate here when Congress counts Electoral College votes on Jan. 6.The claims of Trump and his supporters about the potential of the election being reversed is a “grifting scam,” Kinzinger said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”There is one final step to locking in Joe Biden as president, and that is when, at the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress, the Electoral College results from...…SHAREWASHINGTON —Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said Sunday he’s concerned about “people being driven to violence” as President Donald Trump, frantically trying to overturn the election, is urging his backers to demonstrate here when Congress counts Electoral College votes on Jan. 6.The claims of Trump and his supporters about the potential of the election being reversed is a “grifting scam,” Kinzinger said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”There is one final step to locking in Joe Biden as president, and that is when, at the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress, the Electoral College results from...WW…

SHAREWASHINGTON-Only two House Democrats on Monday voted against boosting COVID-19 benefit checks from $600 to $2,000 for eligible adults, and one of them was U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., who is winding up his final term in Congress.The measure sailed through the Democratic House on a 275-134 roll call after President Donald Trump threatened last week to not sign the $900 billion pandemic relief bill unless Congress enhanced the payments.The legislation Trump signed on Sunday night did not increase the size of the checks. Democrats jumped on Trump’s call for more cash with the House...…SHAREWASHINGTON-Only two House Democrats on Monday voted against boosting COVID-19 benefit checks from $600 to $2,000 for eligible adults, and one of them was U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., who is winding up his final term in Congress.The measure sailed through the Democratic House on a 275-134 roll call after President Donald Trump threatened last week to not sign the $900 billion pandemic relief bill unless Congress enhanced the payments.The legislation Trump signed on Sunday night did not increase the size of the checks. Democrats jumped on Trump’s call for more cash with the House...WW…

SHARESix weeks ago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned Chicago would face “really difficult or impossible choices” without another round of stimulus money to replace revenue lost during the coronavirus pandemic.The following day, she acknowledged the stay-at-home shutdown of the Chicago economy had blown a $700 million hole in her 2020 budget — and she refused to rule out a dreaded property tax increase.Now, in a letter to Illinois’ congressional delegation, the mayor is joining forces with her counterparts across Illinois in sounding the alarm about what the consequences might be if Congress...…SHARESix weeks ago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned Chicago would face “really difficult or impossible choices” without another round of stimulus money to replace revenue lost during the coronavirus pandemic.The following day, she acknowledged the stay-at-home shutdown of the Chicago economy had blown a $700 million hole in her 2020 budget — and she refused to rule out a dreaded property tax increase.Now, in a letter to Illinois’ congressional delegation, the mayor is joining forces with her counterparts across Illinois in sounding the alarm about what the consequences might be if Congress...WW…