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It’s been a very busy news week already. Get caught up with these stories from WTTW News.
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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul speaks at a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (WTTW News)
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Illinois is wasting little time in joining with other states in asking the courts to immediately block President Donald Trump’s sudden pause of federal funding.
A memo issued by the White House’s acting budget director instructs federal agencies to pause “disbursement of all Federal financial assistance,” and directs agencies to conduct an analysis to ensure that spending in line with Trump’s edicts to end “wokeness” and to make government more efficient.
Agencies are to review federal financial assistance to weed out “wasteful” spending, like support for diversity, gender and inclusion initiatives or for immigrants without legal status, per the memo from Matthew Vaeth, acting management and budget director.
What it means: The freeze on federal funding and grants has wide-ranging implications and impacts everything from funding for child care, university research and roads and bridges. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a Democrat, said it will have a “devastating impact on the public safety, prosperity and quality of life.”
“On Jan. 20, our nation had a peaceful transfer of power,” Raoul said Tuesday. “But let’s be clear. Jan. 20 was an inauguration, not a coronation. Congress is given the power to appropriate the funding. The executive branch cannot unilaterally disregard those appropriations passed by a separate and equal house of government.”
What's next: On Tuesday afternoon, just before the funding freeze was scheduled to take effect, a federal judge issued a temporary stay that lasts until Monday afternoon.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a news conference on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (WTTW News)
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Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday declined to respond to a request from the Republican chairperson of the U.S. House Oversight Committee about the city’s self-proclaimed status as a sanctuary city. Instead, Johnson referred questions to the city’s top lawyer, Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry who said the letter sent by U.S. Rep James Comer, R-Kentucky, was under “legal review.”
The letter from Comer, which does not have the legal force of a subpoena, also invites Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing Feb. 11. If Johnson refuses to appear as requested, it could open a new front in the ongoing battle between the GOP-controlled U.S House and the Trump administration, which is attempting to strip self-proclaimed sanctuary cities of all federal funding.
What he did say: At his first formal news conference since Trump returned to office, Johnson again said Chicago will remain a welcoming city and Chicago police officers will remain prohibited from helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents deport undocumented Chicagoans.
Trump’s reelection has already prompted many undocumented immigrants to return to life in the city’s shadows, for fear of exposing themselves or their families to deportation, immigrant advocates said.
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Miami to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo / Mark Schiefelbein)
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Illinois and other states were temporarily cut off Tuesday from the portal that’s used to request and manage Medicaid spending, according to officials in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office. The move follows President Donald Trump’s directive to pause nearly all federal funding. Medicaid, the health care program for low-income people and families, is jointly administered by the federal and state government, which also share costs.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Pritzker said Illinois’ access was restored. The Democratic governor said he does not believe White House claims that the issue was due to a website problem that happened to coincide with the funding order.
Pritzker, in a Tuesday afternoon news conference, said Trump is either lying, or the problem shows the Trump administration is incompetent. “Don’t let them fool you that there was some sort of website outage. That’s now what happened,” Pritzker said.
He said the website is used daily to reimburse doctors’ Medicaid claims, and that Illinois was delayed in getting back $1.4 million on Tuesday alone.
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Back in the Day: January 29, 2009 - Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Removed From Office
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On this day 16 years ago, the two-term Democratic governor of Illinois was removed from office after the Illinois Senate voted to impeach him and to ban him from holding future public office in the state. Rod Blagojevich, who was facing corruption charges after being accused of selling a Senate seat for personal profit, refused to appear at his own impeachment trial, instead choosing to make several media appearances pleading his innocence. “How can you throw a governor out of office who is clamoring and begging and pleading with you to give him a chance to bring witnesses in, to prove his innocence, to do more than just ask for a presumption of innocence?” Blagojevich asked in his closing argument to state senators. They didn't listen as the Illinois Senate voted unanimously, 59-0, in favor of ousting him from office.
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Local Live Music Recommendations for Jan. 29-Feb. 4
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Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.
Thursday, Jan. 30:
Porridge Radio, Sluice at Thalia Hall. Tickets.
The English post-punk band caps off a phenomenal run in this farewell tour.
Friday, Jan. 31:
The Dirty Nil, Grumpster, House & Home at Subterranean. Tickets.
Canadian rock that’s loud, fun and pummeling.
Tim Heidecker, Neil Hamburger at Thalia Hall. Tickets.
The popular comedian is also a stellar songwriter, bringing a full band for this tour.
Sunday, Feb. 2:
David Gray at Chicago Theatre. Tickets.
The British songwriter behind the classic album “White Ladder” returns to Chicago.
Tuesday, Feb. 4:
Neko Case (in conversation) at Studebaker Theater. Tickets.
The veteran songwriter is releasing a memoir and will be interviewed by local writer Lior Phillips.
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Where's the best bagel in the Chicago area? Tell us where and why it's your favorite.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. |
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Members of Chicago's transgender community react to the Trump administration's rolling back of protections.
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Why some Chicagoans are afraid to go to the South and West sides. Local authors explore that question.
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5:30 PM | 10:00 PM |
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Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more. |
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry |
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