Illinois in Focus

The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares reaction to recent rhetoric from Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates about education philosophy. Jonathan Greenberg from Empower Illinois says Davis Gates' comments to the City Club of Chicago give more reason to support school choice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and us...

Greg Bishop airs highlights from dueling hearings in Washington D.C. over the issue of rule of law. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul took part in a "spotlight" panel with other Democrats while a U.S. House committee discussed issues around justice with U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of persona...

Greg Bishop shares reaction from members of Congress from Illinois to the weekend bombing President Donald Trump ordered on Iran. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – A federal judge sentenced Michael Madigan Friday to seven-and-a-half years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of $2.5 million for crimes committed during his tenure as the longest-serving speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Judge John Robert Blakey handed down the 90-month sentence Friday at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. He also i...

Greg Bishop shares a conversation with state Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, about the plan to set aside $75 million for Tier 2 pensioners and what he says is the real fix to Illinois' pension problems. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop shares some of the arguments Illinois Statehouse Republicans are leveling in a new lawsuit challenging alleged violations of the state Constitution's three readings rule. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop discusses Gov. J.B. Pritzker ending taxpayer subsidies for the health care of non-citizen adults while keeping the subsidies for non-citizen seniors and the warning from Republicans about the loss of federal funds if such policies continue. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – Although former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was expected to pay a $2.5 million fine quickly, his time in prison won’t begin until at least October. Judge John Robert Blakey ordered Madigan to immediately pay the $2.5 million, which was the maximum statutory fine the judge was allowed to impose. Madigan’s 90-month prison sentence is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on O...

(The Center Square) – In defending the state’s migrant sanctuary policies, Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he’d rather be arrested than to have Illinois residents arrested improperly. Joining the governors of New York and Minnesota Thursday in front of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Florida, asked the three governors for their response to threats of being arrested for alleg...

Greg Bishop provides highlights from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's testimony about migrant sanctuary policies to the U.S. House Oversight Committee. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop reviews the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement amid civil unrest. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is set to testify about migrant sanctuary policies and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson prepare for immigration enforcement and expected protests. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop shares some of a conversation he had with Illinois State Rifle Association's Richard Pearson about the status of the gun ban challenge in the appeals court. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection a...

Greg Bishop reviews the latest filings in the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in the case challenging Illinois' gun laws. Follow the links to the separate briefs:  Barnette: https://www.thecentersquare.com/tncms/asset/editorial/a871ecda-f114-4df5-a5ba-b141b14bef1d/  Langley: https://www.thecentersquare.com/tncms/asset/editorial/1c475803-2d23-4675-ad8d-b81b99c4c868/  Harrel: https://www.thece...

Greg Bishop talks live with Dr. Pamela Denise Long who is running for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate to fill the seat being vacated by Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield. Long discusses the latest in the debate around immigration enforcement and use of the National Guard in California, Illinois' migrant sanctuary status and President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill." Supp...

(The Center Square) – Several Republican state legislators say they will be irreparably harmed if a court doesn’t stop the state from enacting the recently approved Illinois state budget. They filed a lawsuit in Sangamon County Circuit Court laying out how the final language of the 3,300 page budget bill was filed with just 30 hours before the legislature was set to adjourn. The legislators argue...

Greg Bishop goes a little deeper into the tax and spend plan the Illinois Legislature approved for Gov. J.B. Pritzker's signature. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop talks with Andrew Gordon, an attorney and Certified Public Accountant, who just launched Main Street Crypto PAC, a new federal political action committee. The two discuss digital currency regulations and the future of investing in crypto. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop looks at the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court deciding to deny taking up the challenge to Maryland's gun ban, leaving open the door to a challenge to Cook County and Illinois' gun ban. This as Illinois legislators pass more measures impacting gun owners. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx H...

Greg Bishop provides a roundup of the long weekend at the Illinois Statehouse where the General Assembly approved the largest spending plan in state history with $1 billion more in tax revenue collections. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for...

Greg Bishop reviews some shell bill action happening at the Illinois Statehouse in the final days with an empty budget bill passed to the House by the Senate and a measure about food safety being gutted and replaced in the House to advance "medical aid in dying" legislation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...

(The Center Square) – Illinois taxpayers still don’t know how much of their money will be spent by the state of Illinois next fiscal year or whether they’ll be charged higher taxes to pay for it. Saturday is the deadline for legislators to approve the annual spending plan that begins July 1. Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker explained what he would veto if it’s included. “I've been opposed to any taxe...

Greg Bishop airs some of the floor debate from the Illinois House approving the "safe gun storage" measure, the final step before the bill can be sent to the governor's desk. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Greg Bishop reviews stories impacting firearms owners with the passage of a "safe gun storage" bill out of the Illinois House Gun Violence Prevention Committee and and upcoming appeals court oral argument in the case challenging Illinois' ban on carrying concealed on mass transit. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal...

Greg Bishop reviews some of the back and forth on where the Illinois legislature is with the annual spending plan with just a handful of days left before scheduled adjournment. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When legislators return to the Illinois State Capitol Tuesday, they’ll have just 11 days before the deadline to pass an annual plan on how to spend taxpayers’ money. Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed his budget of nearly $55 billion in February. If approved, that’d be the most expensive spending plan in state history. Despite revenue projections coming in lower than anticipated, Pritzker said last week...