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CTA arson attack suspect was on Illinois release status after 72 prior arrests. The suspect in the November 17 CTA Blue Line attack, in which a victim was doused with gasoline and set on fire, is a person who had previously been arrested on serious criminal charges and then released into what the court called “home confinement.” A pervasive pattern of home-confinement violations has been repeatedly observed in Chicago and Cook County. After being placed in “home confinement” suspect Lawrence Reed ignored the court advice, left his home, filled a container with gasoline, and climbed aboard a Blue Line electric train. A search of Reed’s criminal record showed that he had 72 prior arrests. The arson victim, Bethany MaGee, survived with critical injuries.
Current Illinois law, the so-called ‘SAFE-T Act,’ allows (and, in the views of many jurists and law enforcement officials, encourages) the courts to grant pre-trial release to persons awaiting trial on serious criminal charges. Illinois House Republicans unanimously oppose the SAFE-T Act and demand that Illinois courts be given the power to keep dangerous criminals in confinement rather than releasing them to go back out onto the streets. The CTA incident has led to many other voices joining this call, including a powerful editorial in the Chicago Tribune. However, many Illinois Democrats continue to hold what, from their point of view, is an uncompromising position that the SAFE-T Act must continue to operate and must continue to let dangerous criminals free, especially in the Chicago area.
The U.S. Department of Justice has removed the Reed-MaGee case from the umbrella of Illinois jurisdiction, including the SAFE-T Act. The accused perpetrator has been charged with an act of terrorism and will be imprisoned pending his trial.
· Leader McCombie Talks Failed SAFE-T Act
Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie recently talked about the failed SAFE-T Act in an interview with WCIA; she spoke about the horrific CTA attack last month in Chicago and how that heinous crime could have been prevented.
Leader McCombie said the latest CTA crime is not an isolated incident. “Across Illinois, families are suffering because of this broken SAFE-T Act,” said McCombie. “Criminals awaiting trial are being released back into our communities, repeat offenders evade accountability.”
In a statement issued after Governor Pritzker expressed his willingness to amend the SAFE-T Act, McCombie said:
“Let’s be honest: the SAFE-T Act had bipartisan opposition when it passed. Republicans have offered solutions every year; working groups, open-door collaboration, and common-sense bills to repeal dangerous sections or strengthen penalties. While Republicans continue to put public safety and victims first, the majority party keeps choosing policies that protect offenders instead of communities.
“Law enforcement morale is at a crisis point, recruitment is collapsing, and now the majority is eyeing the removal of qualified immunity. If that happens, good officers will walk, and communities will be left vulnerable.
“It’s time for Democrats to admit their mistake and fix this law. Illinois families, victims, and law enforcement deserve better than political spin.”
BUDGET
November CGFA revenue report shows income tax, sales tax cash flows diverging. Income taxes and sales taxes are both based on overall economic activity within Illinois. These taxes are reported and remitted by employers, taxpayers, and retailers to the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR). While personal and corporate income tax cash flows are based on Illinois worker pay and profits, Illinois tax cash flows from sales taxes are based on spending – primarily spending by people and businesses to buy the things they want or need.
At the end of November 2025, IDOR shared with the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA) that during the recently concluded 30-day Thanksgiving month these two cash flows had veered apart from each other. CGFA published this news in its monthly revenue report to the General Assembly. The pattern became visible when comparing cash flows, on a year-over-year basis, with comparable cash flows enjoyed by the same accounting line one year earlier. While Illinois income tax cash flows were up by $242 million in November 2025 as compared to November 2024, Illinois sales tax cash flows were down by $81 million during the same period.
When two lines of monetary cash flow which usually move in synchrony with each other suddenly start to diverge, and this divergence is charted on a two-dimensional graph, the divergence creates a V-shape or ‘delta-shape’ on the graph, and analysts look at it carefully. In many cases, odd 30-day statistical data patterns are of no significance because they cancel themselves out in the following month. CGFA analysts point to the Illinois “tax amnesty” of early November 2025 as one reason for an upward spike in income tax payments during this time period. Entities that owed past due income taxes were able to make payments, during this time window, and avoid certain standard penalties usually imposed upon past-due Illinois taxpayers and tax payments.
In other cases, patterns of this sort can be significant as indicators or even warning signs of future outlook. November 2025 Illinois state tax cash flow data reported this week by CGFA could be a sign that some concerned Illinois households and customers are sharply altering their financial decisions and spending patterns. People and entities who have a negative economic outlook may be more reluctant to spend money, particularly in the implementation of spending decisions when part of the money is typically borrowed. This is significant with regards to big-ticket items such as real estate, motor vehicles, personal equipment, and home furnishings. Other data indicates many Americans currently have a cautious attitude towards the financial pictures facing their families, and this attitude could be affecting Illinois spending patterns and sales tax cash flows.
CORRUPTION
9 months after federal bribery conviction, former Speaker Madigan disbarred. Nearly six decades after becoming a lawyer, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been disbarred following his convictions on federal corruption charges — including bribery — earlier this year.
The longtime Democratic power broker, known for his fastidiousness, even beat the Illinois Supreme Court to the punch.
Two months before he reported to a West Virginia prison in October, Madigan filed a motion with the high court to have his name stricken from the roll of attorneys admitted to the state bar, according to court records. An administrator for the Supreme Court’s Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission wrote that “on the date” Madigan filed his Aug. 19 motion, she was investigating Madigan’s criminal conduct.
“Had Movant’s (Madigan’s) conduct been the subject of a hearing, the Administrator would have introduced the evidence described below, and that evidence would have clearly and convincingly established the misconduct set forth below,” ARDC Administrator Lea Gutierrez wrote before spending the next four pages explaining Madigan’s convictions.
She then concluded that the former speaker deserved to be disbarred for having “committed criminal acts that reflect adversely on his honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer” due to his February convictions on bribery and wire fraud.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court approved Madigan’s motion, although the official order mistakenly listed his middle name as “James” two of the five times it appeared on the document. The others correctly stated it as Joseph.
Read more from Capitol News Illinois.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Human Trafficking Happening in Illinois. Human trafficking is a hidden crisis that devastates lives. Often described as modern-day slavery, trafficking involves the exploitation of vulnerable individuals for sex or labor. While it thrives in secrecy, the data and survivor testimonies reveal its presence in communities large and small. Illinois lawmakers, advocates, and survivors are working to expose this crime and strengthen protections for victims.
According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Illinois has reported over 10,000 trafficking signals since 2007, leading to thousands of identified victims. In 2024 alone, the hotline received 792 signals from Illinois, resulting in 385 identified cases and 627 victims. Of those victims, 83 were minors and 289 were adults, with the majority being women.
Sex trafficking remains the most common form, often occurring in hotels, illicit massage businesses, and online platforms. Labor trafficking is also prevalent, particularly in industries such as construction, hospitality, and domestic work. Illinois’ central location, with major highways, airports, and railroads, makes it a hub for traffickers moving victims across state lines.
For years, Illinois faced criticism for inadequate support for trafficking survivors. In 2024, Shared Hope International gave Illinois an “F” grade for its response to child sex trafficking, citing gaps in victim services and over-reliance on criminalizing survivors.
But in 2025, Illinois made significant progress. The Illinois Statewide Trauma-Informed Response to Human Trafficking Act (SB 2323) was signed into law, mandating trauma-informed training for law enforcement, expanded screening for youth in state care, and coordinated services across agencies. As a result, Illinois’ grade improved from “F” to “A”, a dramatic turnaround that reflects the state’s commitment to survivors.
A key driver of this progress has been State Representative Nicole La Ha, who has championed legislation to strengthen protections for survivors and hold traffickers accountable.
“Earlier this session, I presented three bills I wholeheartedly believed in, measures designed to strengthen protections for survivors of human trafficking”, Rep. La Ha said. “I proposed these bills in an effort to close loopholes traffickers have used to escape accountability, strengthen definitions, expand protections for minors, and increase penalties for those who knowingly facilitate trafficking. Survivors deserve a justice system that refuses to look the other way. I’m grateful to every advocate and survivor whose voices helped define these bills, and I’ll continue fighting to ensure Illinois remains committed to ending human trafficking and supporting those on the path to healing.”
Her legislative package addressed critical gaps:
- Extending the statute of limitations for trafficking-related crimes.
- Strengthening legal definitions and eliminating defenses like “mistake of age.”
- Requiring traffickers convicted of crimes such as sexual servitude of a minor to register as sex offenders.
Read more at The Caucus Blog.
JOBS
U.S. Steel’s Granite City Works announces it will restart one of its two blast furnaces. The steelmaking furnaces, the heart of the steel plant’s production complex, were shut down in September 2023. Although auxiliary operations continued at the plant complex after the end of active steelmaking, the closure of the blast furnaces sparked serious concerns among local workers and Granite City residents about the overall future of a keystone local employer.
In 2025, Granite City Works’ U.S. Steel became a subsidiary of an international steelmaking firm. As a condition of the merger, the Trump Administration imposed conditions upon buyer Nippon Steel that were intended to protect remaining American steelworkers’ jobs. Nippon’ Steel’s U.S. Steel unit announced this week its intent to restart Granite City blast furnace “B.” The restart of the production unit will enable the hiring or re-hiring of approximately 400 workers. Blast-furnace steelmaking is a labor-intensive process involving high temperatures and the coordinated operation of many different pieces of machinery, including the oxygen pumps and valves that “blast” oxygen into the kiln or furnace where the steel is made.
TRANSPORTATION
Holders of non-REAL ID cards will be charged a $45 fee in airports. Federal law strongly encourages people seeking access to U.S. secured areas, including airport departure gates, to have and show a “REAL ID”-compliant state identification card. The REAL ID compliancy emblem, which is a white star printed inside a gold circle, is included on the drivers’ licenses of all Illinoisans who have submitted a valid application to the DMV division of the Office of the Secretary of State. The application for a REAL ID includes a mandate that an applicant present several documents that are intended to create proof of legal residency in the U.S. The REAL ID application procedure is carried out in all 50 states. The Office of the Illinois Secretary of State has created a webpage to enable Illinoisans to walk through the REAL ID application process and to gather the required documents.
Until now, people at airport security checkpoints who present an old-fashioned, non-compliant state drivers’ license or state ID card have been subject to a brief supplemental security check, and then have been allowed through the checkpoint without further trouble. However, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has now announced plans to charge a $45 fee upon non-REAL ID air travelers. The fee, which will become effective on February 1, 2026, is described as recompense to TSA for the supplemental security check procedure. The TSA fee will be supplemental to all other costs to the traveler for the flight. Illinoisans who are legal residents in the U.S. will continue to be able to apply for, and get, a compliant REAL ID card to avoid the additional fee. In addition, other compliant forms of U.S. identification, such as passports and permanent resident cards, will continue to be compliant with TSA requirements at airports.
PEARL HARBOR
84th remembrance of the attack on Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, in a daring but infamous assault, torpedo planes and dive bombers from the Imperial Japanese Navy carried out a massive strategic action against the principal U.S. naval base in the Pacific. There had been no Japanese declaration of war or formal warning of hostilities, and the Navy was caught unprepared. Ordinary seamen and personnel, such as CPO (3rd cl.) Doris Miller, had to man antiaircraft guns and mount a defense of their anchored ships. Although 2,403 U.S. service personnel were killed, guns and scattered American fighter planes eventually beat off the assault.
Every December 7 since 1941 has been National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Many survivors of the assault returned to Pearl Harbor in later years to share their memories. This year, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day will be observed on Sunday, December 7. Places covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act, which includes many public buildings, will fly their flags at half-staff on December 7 to mark the day.
JOBS
U.S. Steel’s Granite City Works announces it will restart one of its two blast furnaces. The steelmaking furnaces, the heart of the steel plant’s production complex, were shut down in September 2023. Although auxiliary operations continued at the plant complex after the end of active steelmaking, the closure of the blast furnaces sparked serious concerns among local workers and Granite City residents about the overall future of a keystone local employer.
In 2025, Granite City Works’ U.S. Steel became a subsidiary of an international steelmaking firm. As a condition of the merger, the Trump Administration imposed conditions upon buyer Nippon Steel that were intended to protect remaining American steelworkers’ jobs. Nippon’ Steel’s U.S. Steel unit announced this week its intent to restart Granite City blast furnace “B.” The restart of the production unit will enable the hiring or re-hiring of approximately 400 workers. Blast-furnace steelmaking is a labor-intensive process involving high temperatures and the coordinated operation of many different pieces of machinery, including the oxygen pumps and valves that “blast” oxygen into the kiln or furnace where the steel is made.
TRANSPORTATION
Holders of non-REAL ID cards will be charged a $45 fee in airports. Federal law strongly encourages people seeking access to U.S. secured areas, including airport departure gates, to have and show a “REAL ID”-compliant state identification card. The REAL ID compliancy emblem, which is a white star printed inside a gold circle, is included on the drivers’ licenses of all Illinoisans who have submitted a valid application to the DMV division of the Office of the Secretary of State. The application for a REAL ID includes a mandate that an applicant present several documents that are intended to create proof of legal residency in the U.S. The REAL ID application procedure is carried out in all 50 states. The Office of the Illinois Secretary of State has created a webpage to enable Illinoisans to walk through the REAL ID application process and to gather the required documents.
Until now, people at airport security checkpoints who present an old-fashioned, non-compliant state drivers’ license or state ID card have been subject to a brief supplemental security check, and then have been allowed through the checkpoint without further trouble. However, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has now announced plans to charge a $45 fee upon non-REAL ID air travelers. The fee, which will become effective on February 1, 2026, is described as recompense to TSA for the supplemental security check procedure. The TSA fee will be supplemental to all other costs to the traveler for the flight. Illinoisans who are legal residents in the U.S. will continue to be able to apply for, and get, a compliant REAL ID card to avoid the additional fee. In addition, other compliant forms of U.S. identification, such as passports and permanent resident cards, will continue to be compliant with TSA requirements at airports.
PEARL HARBOR
84th remembrance of the attack on Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, in a daring but infamous assault, torpedo planes and dive bombers from the Imperial Japanese Navy carried out a massive strategic action against the principal U.S. naval base in the Pacific. There had been no Japanese declaration of war or formal warning of hostilities, and the Navy was caught unprepared. Ordinary seamen and personnel, such as CPO (3rd cl.) Doris Miller, had to man antiaircraft guns and mount a defense of their anchored ships. Although 2,403 U.S. service personnel were killed, guns and scattered American fighter planes eventually beat off the assault.
Every December 7 since 1941 has been National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Many survivors of the assault returned to Pearl Harbor in later years to share their memories. This year, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day will be observed on Sunday, December 7. Places covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act, which includes many public buildings, will fly their flags at half-staff on December 7 to mark the day.