Illinois Insights: An update from Cozen O’Connor (8/25)

August 25, 2025

ILLINOIS

AROUND THE STATE 

Trump’s threat to deploy troops to Chicago draws criticism from city and state officials 

“Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who plans to hold a news conference Monday afternoon about Trump’s threats, blasted the president’s suggestion that federal soldiers were needed to combat crime, homelessness and undocumented immigration in some of the nation’s major cities,” by NBC.

Pritzker says no extra state money available for Chicago Public Schools 

“As city leaders fight to fill a budget deficit at Chicago Public Schools, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker warns that the state can’t step in to assist. The update comes amid a push to shore up Chicago Public Schools’ finances, with attention shifting to Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson,” by WGN9.

Senate President Harmon appeals $10M fine for improper campaign contributions 

“How long can a political candidate’s decision to loan their campaign money allow them to take unlimited donations from donors? As long as four years for a state senator, according to Senate President Don Harmon’s attorney,” by Capitol News Illinois.

Justice Department demands Illinois hand over voter data. Election officials are debating compliance. 

“Illinois election officials are weighing whether to comply with a demand from Republican President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice to turn over by Sept. 1 the state’s full voter registration list, including voters’ birth dates, driver’s license numbers, signatures and partial Social Security numbers,” by the Chicago Tribune.

Insurance industry opposes regulation, blames inflation, climate change for rate hikes 

“In testimony during a virtual meeting Wednesday of the Senate Insurance Committee, officials pushed back against criticisms by Gov. JB Pritzker and legislative leaders who said the hikes raise suspicions that Illinois homeowners are being charged extra to help cover insurance losses caused by wildfires, hurricanes and other natural disasters elsewhere in the country,” by Capitol News Illinois.

 

CHICAGO

MORE FROM CITY HALL

Brandon Johnson to propose 2026 budget in October

“Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City Council will likely be in negotiations over the 2026 budget into early December in what’s expected to be a fraught process without easy options to close a shortfall hovering around $1 billion. Johnson is tentatively scheduled to deliver his 2026 proposal on Oct. 16, according to a schedule provided to some members of the City Council obtained by Crain’s,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.

CTU chief hits Gov. Pritzker for ‘wrong answer’ to CPS funding plea 

“The Chicago Teachers Union slammed Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday for shutting the door on more state funding for cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools, deriding his thumbs-down as the ‘wrong answer,’” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Aldermen opting out of new tenant powers, but proponents defend anti-gentrification effort 

“While the Northwest Side Preservation Ordinance aims to slow gentrification by giving tenants a “right of first refusal” and discouraging development that decreases density, a pair of aldermen are opting out. They say the still-nascent law that affects neighborhoods including Avondale, Humboldt Park and Logan Square severely disrupts real estate deals and strips homeowners of the right to control their property,” by the Chicago Tribune.

Trump again threatens to deploy troops to Chicago, a move Brandon Johnson says would be ‘unlawful’ 

“In a statement Friday afternoon, Johnson said deploying federal troops to Chicago would be against the law and “undermine” the city’s progress in reducing crime,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

City Council should start policing its own bad behavior, Chicago’s watchdog says 

“Outgoing Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg urged the City Council Wednesday to flex its muscle in a way that it never has: by establishing rules to go after bad behavior by Council members,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

 

FEDERAL

Cozen Currents – The Battle for the Soul of the Democratic Party

The Democratic Party is searching for a path out of the political wilderness after being locked out of power on the federal level in last year’s elections.

The crypto industry notched its first major legislative victory with the passage of a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins. Now, both industry and lawmakers are turning their attention to the more expansive effort to create a regulatory framework for non-stablecoin digital assets.

Read the Cozen Currents here.

Beltway Briefing – In-Conversation with RealClearMarkets Editor John Tamny

RealClearMarkets editor John Tamny joins host Howard Schweitzer to share his counter-conventional thinking on today’s most pressing economic debates. From fiscal policy to the national debt, Tamny challenges widely held assumptions and urges business and political leaders to think differently. Featuring Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ CEO Howard Schweitzer and RealClearMarkets’ John Tamny.

Listen to the Beltway Briefing here.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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