ABC7
— No masks, no distancing at large downstate political gathering – Chuck Goudie
https://abc7chicago.com/health/no-masks-no-distancing-at-large-downstate-political-gathering/8507260/
— Illinois COVID-19 Update: IL reports 10,526 cases, 148 coronavirus deaths; officials detail vaccine distribution plan – Craig Wall, Eric Horng and Jesse Kirsch
https://abc7chicago.com/health/il-reports-10526-covid-cases-148-deaths;-vaccine-distribution-details-released/8492103/
— Biden to call for 100 days of mask-wearing among first acts amid COVID-19 pandemic “On the first day I’m inaugurated, I’m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask. Just 100 days to mask – not forever, just 100 days. And I think we’ll see a significant reduction” in the virus, Joe Biden said. – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/health/among-first-acts-biden-to-call-for-100-days-of-mask-wearing/8477181/
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: House votes to decriminalize marijuana at federal level – AP (DIERSEN: To push pot on an individual, municipality, township, county, state, or country is to destroy that individual, municipality, township, county, state, or country.)
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/house-votes-to-decriminalize-marijuana-at-federal-level/8494692/
— Northern Illinois Food Bank meal distribution up 50% due to COVID pandemic needs; helping is more important than ever – Yukare Nakayama
https://abc7chicago.com/8472857/
WGN RADIO
— Biden officially secures enough electors to become president – AP
https://wgnradio.com/news/political-news/biden-officially-secures-enough-electors-to-become-president/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Illinois to distribute first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine to 50 counties with highest death rates, possibly by mid-December – DAN PETRELLA and JAMIE MUNKS
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-illinois-vaccine-update-20201204-7grdhuh7gzf5bif5tpmx5vdbj4-story.html
— 10,526 new COVID-19 cases and 148 additional deaths reported Friday as state says first vaccines will go to 50 counties with highest death rates
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-covid-19-pandemic-chicago-illinois-news-20201204-qmlgt5qnufh2zaqonevr5icqqe-story.html
— Record number of Illinois residents voted in the Nov. 3 election, and turnout of close to 73% was highest since 1992 – RICK PEARSON
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-illinois-election-certification-20201204-zalzjruuwfgt7ec64grozercli-story.html
— He ain’t Fast Eddie no more – JOHN KASS
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/john-kass/ct-fast-eddie-vrdolyak-kass-20201205-bvhmze7gmbablncjlay57stv2a-story.html
— ‘He knew exactly where to draw the line.’ Madigan’s record more than enough reason for ouster – EDITORIAL
https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-michael-madigan-step-down-20201204-72g4r2gyy5h7bftsec2mogbn5e-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-hater says “Trump is obsessed with winning. But he keeps losing election lawsuits.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/election-2020/ct-nw-trump-election-lawsuits-20201205-qwdcp2o7wfap3lrlsz5oykhzeu-story.html
— Joe Biden officially secures enough electors to become president after California certifies his victory in the state – AP
https://www.chicagotribune.com/election-2020/ct-nw-biden-electors-20201205-k7dellhnezfixorx62iosy4bzu-story.html
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— What happened when a House Dem leader told Mike Madigan she’ll vote against him for speaker Kathleen Willis talks about the decision that made her the highest-profile Democrat to turn against Madigan in the wake of the Com-Ed scandal. – Rich Miller
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/12/4/22154322/state-rep-kathleen-willis-house-speaker-mike-madigan-democratic-caucus-rich-miller
— Why Biden, ex-presidents Obama, Bush, Clinton will take COVID-19 vaccines: Need to build trust in new drug President-elect Joe Biden and former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have volunteered to get a COVID-19 vaccine in public — when it’s their turn. – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/12/3/22151557/why-ex-presidents-barack-obama-george-bush-bill-clinton-will-take-covid-19-vaccines-to-build-trust
— Over 6 million Illinois residents cast ballots in 2020 election Voter turnout for the Nov. 3 election was 72.9%, the highest since the 1992 general election. – Rachel Hinton
https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2020/12/4/22153939/illinois-presidential-election-turnout-voting
— Ex-Ald. Edward Vrdolyak sentenced to 18 months in prison — but it’s unclear when he’ll report The feds asked a judge to send Vrdolyak to prison for more than two years. Vrdolyak’s defense attorneys asked for probation or home confinement. They said he had a brain tumor and pointed to the pandemic. – Jon Seidel
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/12/4/22152622/edward-vrdolyak-sentencing-tax-evasion-tobacco-settlement-fast-eddie
DAILY HERALD
— The suburbs need hundreds of good candidates for April election. – Editorial (DIERSEN: In your municipality, what are the demographics of those who the leaders in your municipality encourage to run?)
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20201204/editorial-you-could-be-a-part-of-the-solution
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters say “Dangerously viral: How Trump, supporters spread false claims.”
https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20201204/news/312049991/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— What Madigan still has going for him Money. Big money. Money to buy ads, hire operatives, punish enemies and make sure members of his caucus know who butters their bread. – GREG HINZ
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg-hinz-politics/what-madigan-still-has-going-him
QUAD CITY TIMES
— Illinois GOP gains 1 seat in House; Dems gain 1 in Senate – PETER HANCOCK
https://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/illinois-gop-gains-1-seat-in-house-dems-gain-1-in-senate/article_55f88c07-dfe3-5b08-a6e7-b293722e55b9.html
FOX ILLINOIS
— Black Lives Matter faces growing rift with local chapters over finances and transparency – Julian Baron
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/black-lives-matter-faces-rift-with-local-chapters-over-finances
WIREPOINTS
— Illinois still fails its elderly, veterans as COVID deaths hit record highs – Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-still-fails-its-elderly-veterans-as-covid-deaths-hit-record-highs/
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— RESCUE ILLINOIS RALLY AT DALEY PLAZA SATURDAY
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/12/rescue-illinois-rally-at-daley-plaza-saturday.html
— THORNER: ONLY THE BLIND CANNOT SEE TRUTH ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/12/thorner-only-the-blind-cannot-see-truth-about-the-2020-election.html
— THE CENTER SQUARE: A THIRD OF ILLINOIS SMALL BUSINESSES CLOSED SINCE JANUARY
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/12/the-center-square-a-third-of-illinois-small-businesses-closed-since-january.html
CAPITOL FAX
— Illinois turnout hit 72.92 percent; Voting evenly split between early, mail and in-person
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/04/illinois-turnout-hit-7292-percent-voting-evenly-split-between-early-mail-and-in-person/
— 10,526 new confirmed and probable cases; 148 additional deaths; 5,453 hospitalized; 1,153 in the ICU; 10.3 percent case positivity rate; 12.1 percent test positivity rate
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/04/10526-new-confirmed-and-probable-cases-148-additional-deaths-5453-hospitalized-1153-in-the-icu-103-percent-case-positivity-rate-121-percent-test-positivity-rate/
— COVID-19 roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/04/covid-19-roundup-62/
— 10.4 percent of all new unemployment claims were filed in Illinois last week
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/04/94-percent-of-all-new-unemployment-claims-were-filed-in-illinois-last-week/
— Despite losing by 1.4 percentage points, Oberweis launches discovery recount
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/04/despite-losing-by-14-percentage-points-oberweis-launches-discovery-recount/
GOPUSA
— CANCEL EVERYTHING! Democrats Call For Massive Lockdowns… For Everyone Else – Bobby Eberle
https://www.gopusa.com/?p=98747
REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Chicago Mayor Lightfoot: Trump “Has Added To Public Skepticism” About COVID Vaccine – Ian Schwartz
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/12/03/chicago_mayor_lightfoot_trump_has_added_to_public_skepticism_about_covid_vaccine.html
THE HILL
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: House passes sweeping reform bill to decriminalize marijuana – ALEX GANGITANO (DIERSEN: To push pot on an individual, municipality, township, county, state, or country is to destroy that individual, municipality, township, county, state, or country.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/528787-house-passes-sweeping-reform-bill-to-decriminalize-marijuana
NEW YORK TIMES
— Millions of U.S. workers have the skills to earn 70 percent more than they do today. (DIERSEN: In 1976, when I was 27 years old, the Democrats who ran IRS started to underpay me when I earned an MBA from Loyola and underpaid me even more in 1979 when I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt. In 1980, the Democrats who ran GAO underpaid me big time when I transferred from IRS to GAO and underpaid me even more a) in 1980 when I earned a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul, b) in 1981 when I passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA, c) in 1990 when I became a Certified Fraud Examiner, d) in 1994 when I became a Certified Government Financial Manager, e) in 1996 when I became a Certified Financial Services Auditor, f) and in 1997 when I became a Forensic Accountant and earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT.)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/12/04/business/us-economy-coronavirus#millions-of-us-workers-have-the-skills-to-earn-70-percent-more-than-they-do-today
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Judge Orders Government to Fully Reinstate DACA Program Up to 300,000 additional undocumented immigrants could be allowed to apply for protection from deportation under a new court ruling. President Trump had sought to cancel the program. – Caitlin Dickerson and Michael D. Shear
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/us/daca-reinstated.html
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— China Is National Security Threat No. 1 Resisting Beijing’s attempt to reshape and dominate the world is the challenge of our generation. – John Ratcliffe
https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-is-national-security-threat-no-1-11607019599
BLOOMBERG
— U.S. Downtowns Yearn for Vaccine as Merchant Traffic Off 70% – Michael Sasso and Andre Tartar
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-03/u-s-downtowns-yearn-for-vaccine-as-merchant-traffic-falls-70
NARFE
— Tell Congress to Block Executive Order Politicizing Federal Jobs (DIERSEN: Democrats run the federal government. They use Affirmative Action, Diversity, Inclusion, unfair job assignments, unfair performance expectations, unfair performance appraisals, up-or-out, etc. to not hire and to get rid of their employees who are Republican, and especially those who are White, male, and/or non-veteran who they did not promote to GS-13 (currently $101,176) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $119,559) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $140,634) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $170,800) by age 40.)
https://www.narfe.org/legislation/index.cfm?fa=voterVoice&vvsrc=%2fCampaigns%2f77989%2fRespond%3fvvcgUT%3dm-SPaa5ejEZe9sbLYRIdzQ%26vvcgRD%3dBbGzz9MU9F2gf5%26vvsbr%3dlqFLk_1UqtSU8JVYoNzF_w
(FROM THE ALERT: The President signed Executive Order (EO) 13957 on October 21, which threatens the integrity of a professional, nonpartisan civil service – a standard since the late 1800s. The EO does so by creating a broad new exception, Schedule F, to competitive civil service requirements that could convert upwards of hundreds of thousands of civil service positions into essentially political appointments. Civil service rules ensure federal employees are hired or fired based on their competence for the job, or lack thereof, and not their political connections, or lack thereof. The rules protect employees from being removed for choosing adherence to the Constitution, laws and professional standards over politically motivated actions or perceived allegiance to a political party. A competitive, merit-based civil service provides continuity through changing administrations, preserves institutional knowledge and expertise within the federal government, and safeguards the rule of law.)
