CORRUPTION/ETHICS
Amid Ongoing Controversy, Murri Briel Steps Down from Welch’s PR Working Group
According to Capitol Fax, State Representative Murri Briel has stepped down from Speaker Chris Welch’s Workplace Culture and Accountability Working Group, adding another setback to an initiative that was supposed to address workplace culture in the Illinois House but has instead been revealed by other Democrats to be a one-sided, Democrat only working group, with members who appear to have conflicts of interest.
Briel’s departure comes amid allegations involving her conduct toward a former employee, including allegations that she supplied drugs in her campaign office and sexually harassed a former employee.
The timing raises serious questions about Welch’s decision to put an alleged sexual harasser on a working group tasked with addressing the very workplace culture issues now surrounding her.
The working group was already struggling before it got off the ground. Three other Democrats reportedly withdrew after learning their names had been publicly announced without agreeing to participate. Now, a fourth member is leaving amid serious allegations of workplace misconduct.
It is difficult to understand how Speaker Welch will fix a broken workplace culture by creating and filling a working group with lawmakers from only one party, one of whom had serious misconduct allegations and others who publicly rallied to the Speaker’s aide when news of this problem broke earlier this year. Instead of demanding accountability, Welch appears more focused on managing the political fallout from scandal after scandal.
Meanwhile, House Republicans have pushed for concrete ethics reforms and remain ready to work with the Democrat supermajority to pass them and put an end to this extremely problematic culture.
Ammons wants case delayed due to general election duties
A Central Illinois state lawmaker and her husband, both being tried in federal court for charges related to her time in office, want to delay their prosecution until after the general election in November.
Following pretrial hearings for discovery, lawyers for State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Champaign, and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, seek new dates in their federal trial, citing the upcoming election.
Court records show the duo’s final pretrial hearing is scheduled for election day, Nov. 3, followed by a trial start date of Nov. 17, the deadline for ballots to be counted in the state and when lawmakers return to Springfield for their fall session.
In a motion filed Aug. 24, J. Steven Beckett, lawyer for Aaron Ammons, wrote that the scheduled dates “directly conflict with Defendant Ammons’s responsibilities as an elected official serving the citizens of Champaign County.” […]
Carol and Aaron Ammons were charged with multiple counts of wire fraud and obstruction of justice respectively, stemming from an FBI investigation into the couple.
The lawmaker is alleged to have misused campaign funds and conducted a kickback scheme – when state grant money was given to nonprofits in the district employing their daughter, Titianna Ammons.
Titianna Ammons is also being tried in the Central District of Illinois for unrelated charges.
Read more on the Ammons’ corruption trial from The Center Square.
BUDGET
Illinois sees strong revenue growth to start fiscal year
Fiscal year 2027 revenue is up 7% through the first two months, according to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. That’s been boosted by strong performances for corporate and personal income taxes and sales tax growth.
While it is early in the fiscal year that began on July 1, revenue numbers shed some light on the state’s economy. Positive numbers at the beginning of a fiscal year can also provide a cushion for the state’s budget if the winds change. The budget signed by Gov. JB Pritzker anticipated very little revenue growth in FY27, despite large tax increases.
The 7% overall growth in July and August means revenue is up $515 million through the first two months of FY27 compared to the prior year. And the three main revenue sources for the state are largely responsible for it. Personal income tax is up 5%, corporate income taxes, which have been sluggish over the last year, are up 50.9%, and sales taxes are up 11.6%.
“While this level of growth is unlikely to continue at such an elevated rate, the stronger than expected totals to start the year will provide additional financial cushion if revenues were to weaken later in the fiscal year,” COGFA’s report said.
Read more on CGFA’s Monthly Briefing from Capitol News Illinois.
JOBS
Unemployment Rate Down for Nearly All Metros in July
Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in 4 metropolitan areas, including a record number of jobs for Chicago and eight consecutive months of year-over-year growth for Lake County, and decreased in 8 areas. Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in 11 metro areas and increased in 1 for the year ending July 2026, according to data released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES).
The metro areas that posted the largest over-the-year percentage decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Illinois part of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA (-2.0%, -1,700), followed by a tie between the Elgin MSA (-1.3%, -3,800) and the Springfield MSA (-1.3%, -1,400). The metro areas with the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Decatur MSA (+0.8%, +400), followed by a tie between the Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metro Division (+0.3%, +10,500), the Lake County Metro Division (+0.3%, +1,200) and the Peoria MSA (+0.3%, +500). Industries that saw job growth in the majority of the twelve metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services (10 areas), Mining and Construction (9 areas), and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (7 areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment decreases were the Illinois part of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA (-1.5 point to 3.7%), followed by a tie between the Decatur MSA (-1.2 point to 4.9%) and Rockford MSA (-1.2 point to 4.3%). The only metro area with an unemployment rate increase was the Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metro Division (+0.4 point to 5.2%). The unemployment rate decreased over the year in 96 counties and increased in 6. It should also be noted that our Labor Force Participation Rate (the number of people working or looking for work) continues to decline from the year prior. Illinois unemployment was at 4.9% for the month of July versus 4.1% nationally.
NATURAL DISASTERS
More than 240 tornadoes in Illinois so far in 2026
To the surprise of many, Illinois has become the tornado capital of the United States in 2026. With more than 240 tornadoes counted so far by radar, Illinois has far outstripped traditional “tornado alley” states such as Oklahoma and Kansas. This year’s count made Illinois the leader of the new United States record for most tornadoes in a single state during the course of a storm year. The proliferation of tornadoes and severe weather is expected to place further upward burdens on Illinois’ soaring rates for homeowners’ insurance. Weather experts and climatologists are puzzled by Illinois’ 2026 storm count.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency has posted a “Severe Weather Preparedness Guide.” Key elements of this guide include:
- Familiarizing yourself with the standard signals used by smart phones, broadcast media, and local sirens for tornado alerts, including the distinction between a tornado watch, a tornado warning, and a tornado emergency.
- Determine ahead of time where to go in a house when a tornado warning is issued. Many Illinois homes do not have underground floors, making a fully interior walk-in closet or bathroom the best choice.
- Maintain an emergency supply kit.
- Maintain careful property records, kept in a safe place such as a safe deposit box.
UPCOMING EVENTS
FREE Shred Event & Food Drive – Elgin
Join State Sen. Don DeWitte and me for a free paper shredding event and food drive in Elgin.
Please bring only unexpired and non-perishable food items for donation to the Food for Greater Elgin pantry.
Details:
- Please follow the flow of traffic and stay in your vehicle while staff members unload your documents for shredding.
- No electronics will be collected for recycling.
- Residential shredding only – limit of 3 boxes per resident.
- Event will conclude at 11 a.m. or once the shred truck hits capacity.
FREE Senior Health Fair – St. Charles
Join State Sen. Don DeWitte and me for a FREE Senior Health Fair on Tuesday, September 15, at the St. Charles Park District’s Pottawatomie Community Center.
Close to 50 vendors and agencies that cater to the needs of seniors will be under one roof to share resources. Refreshments will be served.