By Shia Kapos

Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. I hear thunder, and there’s a break in the heat.

Four more buses carrying asylum seekers will land in Chicago today, according to Mayor Brandon Johnson, who accused Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the MAGA world of using migrants as tools as the city prepares to host the Democratic National Convention in 2024.

“This is a direct response from governors, particularly in these red states, that are really trying to call attention to our values,” Johnson told a crowd gathered at the Promontory event center on the South Side for an evening discussion marking his 100-plus days in office. Some 150 buses of asylum seekers have arrived since the conventidon announcement by the Democratic National Committee, said Johnson, ticking off the work that’s been done in recent weeks to help find shelter for the migrants.

Johnson says he has a plan: The city has erected 18 shelters and worked with county and state governments to provide resources. And he said he’ll be “rolling out a stronger presentation” on the “humanitarian endeavor” later this week.

“Look, we have a lot of work to do,” the mayor acknowledged, adding he sees the influx of migrants to Chicago as “an opportunity. But we also have to be very clear that for a long time, we've ignored what has been the norm in this city of the displacement and the disruption of Black existence.” He was acknowledging the tensions in communities that worry existing unhoused residents aren’t also getting attention from the city.

Johnson made his comments on stage in a one-hour-plus Q&A with Ben Joravsky, a self-described left-leaning journalist and podcaster, and Injustice Watch’s Maya Dukmasova. It was a no-holds barred conversation and the longest Q&A with the mayor (as far as we know) since he took office May 15.

TAKE-AWAYS

On unfilled city jobs, including Cabinet positions, Johnson said he’s working on making the hiring process more flexible. “My effort is to undo a system that has had a lot of rigidity for a very long time,” he said. It was a reference to the the Shakman decrees that enforced rules for hiring so as to end political patronage but caused other challenges. “It undermined the Black middle class in the city of Chicago. Now, we have to undo a system that an entire generation of liberals said that they wanted, and then they’re asking me to hurry up and fix what they caused.”

On two key jobs: On why he kept James Franczek, the city’s chief labor counsel, and not Allison Arwady of the Health department, Johnson said, “For me, there’s criteria for my form of leadership. Having competence as well as the desire to be collaborative, those are two very important dynamics. The third one is to be compassionate.”

Johnson pushed back at the descriptions of him as “slow,” “unconscionable” and “overly cautious.” They are “microaggressions” that “perpetuate a particular view of blackness,” said the mayor. And the persistent claim that the Chicago Teachers Union dictates his every move, Johnson said, “A Black man executive can make decisions on his own.”

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Johnson has few wells to tap for his lofty spending goals as first budget looms, by Crain’s Justin Laurence

If you are Stacy Davis Gates, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email [email protected]

At Incobrasa Industries in Gilman at 10 a.m. for a groundbreaking — At Fairview Elementary School in Springfield at 3:30 p.m. with U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to celebrate back to school.

No official public events.

At Maggiano's Banquets at 11:30 a.m. to deliver opening remarks at City Club Chicago for a program titled: “The Physician Burnout Crisis: Barriers and Opportunities for a Better Chicago Health System” with Cook County Health CEO Israel Rocha Jr., American Medical Association President Jesse Ehrenfeld and Vice Dean of Education at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Marianne Green. Details here

Before you head out with the umbrella, send me a line: [email protected]

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— SCOOP: Tom Demmer, the former Republican state representative, says he won’t run for the state Senate seat now held by Sen. Win Stoller, who announced last week he wouldn’t seek re-election.

“I’ve decided not to run,” he told Playbook. “I like what I'm doing now. It’s great to be in town and home with my family. So, I’ve decided to pass on this year’s race,” he said, leaving a glimmer of an opening that he might run for public office down the road. Demmer is the executive director of the Lee County Industrial Development Association, a position he took after making an unsuccessful run for state Treasurer last year.

— Tosi Ufodike, an Ela Township trustee, has created a committee to run as a Republican against Democratic state Rep. Nabeela Syed in Illinois House District 51, according to a Board of Elections filing.

— Republican Jim Carris is running for Congress in 10th District, which is represented by Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider. Carris, the executive managing director and market leader for Colliers International, has been a member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, American Red Cross of Chicago and Plan Commission of Lake Forest.

— Republican Desi Anderson announces run against Democratic state Rep. Sharon Chung, by WGLT’s Ryan Denham

— Chicago Ald. Ruth Cruz (30th) is running for Democratic Committeeperson of the ward. She’s looking to take over the committee seat long held by former Ald. Ariel Reboyras.

— Rebuilding the Capitol North Wing is a wonder in progress: “Project workers have experienced the surprise of finding previously unknown, original elements of the building such as wall insulation made from horse hair and grass, hidden trusses and fireplaces, historic fire damage, and openings that haven't been seen in more than a century,” by Illinois Times’ David Blanchette.

— Giannoulias to testify at Durbin’s Senate hearing on growing number of book bans, Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet reports

— State Sen. Erica Harriss, a Republican from Glen Carbon, has filed legislation “to protect minors from exposure to harmful and inappropriate content online by implementing age verification requirements in Illinois.”

— ENVIRO SCORES: The Illinois Environmental Council released its 2023 Legislative Environmental Scorecard. It assigns a percentage score to legislators based on how they voted on bills affecting the environment. This year, 17 state representatives and 10 state senators received 100 percent scores based on their record on 28 bills during 2023 legislative business, according to the report.

— John Atkinson, managing director and chair of Marsh Chicago — and an ally to top Illinois Democrats — has been nominated as chair of Intersect Illinois’ Board of Directors. The organization promotes the state's economic development through public/private partnerships. Check out the release

— Laura Ricketts talks about Chicago Red Stars deal, investor group, coming out, via Andrew Davis for Windy City Times

— President Joe Biden has reappointed Leslie Bluhm to the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service and William Brodsky as director of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Bluhm and Brodsky are both noted civic leaders and allies of Biden.

— Bally’s casino could open at Medinah Temple this weekend — if it aces practice sessions: “Bally’s will run supervised practice gaming sessions this week with about 350 guests in its temporary casino at Medinah Temple in River North. If all goes well, the casino could open by Saturday,” by Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout.

— Chicago’s Board of Ethics opened and closed a review of allegations against City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin: “The board doesn’t have the authority to investigate and the case was closed. The Office of the Inspector General won’t say if it is conducting an inquiry,” by WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: A Chicago City Council committee plans a key vote today on a proposal that would allow the city’s tipped service industry workers to be paid a full minimum wage. Nearly 70 Chicago restaurant owners are submitting a joint letter to council leaders urging them to move forward with the legislation. Letter here

— City government’s IT infrastructure inefficient to the point of ‘barely’ working, consultant tells City Council, by Tribune’s By Alice Yin

— A top CPS official ousted in PPP fraud investigation: schools inspector general, by Sun-Times’ Lauren FitzPatrick

— Chicago says employers should give contracts to domestic workers, but that’s not happening, by WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

— A Texan’s take on the dangerous city, via X

— After postgame brawl, Warren sets limits who can go to football games, but other districts don't, by Daily Herald’s Jake Griffin

— Circuit Judge Bonnie M. Wheaton was elected chief judge by the 18th Judicial Circuit in DuPage County on Tuesday. Her term starts Dec. 4, succeeding Chief Judge Kenneth L. Popejoy.

— Kane County jail's Recovery Pod stars in Amazon Prime documentary, by Daily Herald’s Charles Keeshan and Susan Sarkauskas

— Complaint alleges ComEd violated state law by raising fees on customer bills: “The complaint — centered on a portion of the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act that allows utilities to recoup carbon mitigation investments — alleges the utility failed to follow the proper regulatory channels laid out in Gov. JB Pritzker’s marquee climate policy,” by Capitol News’ Andrew Adams.

— WILD HEADLINE: Donald Trump Jr. to visit Illinois during ‘Letters to Trump’ book tour as DeSantis campaign supporter Jeanne Ives sends emissaries in hopes of securing an interview, share stage with VIP guest, via Illinois Review

— Berteau Consulting, founded by Zach Koutsky, has merged with Mercury Public Affairs where Koutsky is now managing director. We wrote about his move here.

JOIN US ON 9/12 FOR A TALK ON THE NEW AGE OF TRAVELING: In this new era of American travel, trending preferences like wellness tourism, alternative lodging and work-from-anywhere culture provide new but challenging opportunities for industry and policy leaders alike. Join POLITICO on Sept. 12 for an expert discussion examining how the resilience of the tourism and travel industries is driving post-pandemic recovery. REGISTER HERE.

We asked what band you always catch when they’re in town.

Laura Bagby: The cast of Hamilton

Brian A. Bernardoni: “I always catch Dead and Company as well as bands that are directly connected to the Dead.”

James Castro: Paul McCartney

Mark Heffington: Fred Eaglesmith and the Flying Squirrels

Ashvin Lad: Goo Goo Dolls

Warren Silver: Maybe April, a Nashville-based band featuring Alaina Stacey, the daughter of the Honorable Judge Chris Stacey of the Cook County Circuit Court 

Steven Smith: Buddy Guy

Myk Snider: A Giant Dog (from Austin Texas), Yard Act (from Yorkshire), The Hold Steady and Janelle Monaé.

Dale Swanson: Dweezil Zappa playing his father Frank Zappa’s music

Claude Walker: Dengue Fever with Chhom Nimol.

Steven Zaris: Camper Van Beethoven 

Phil Zeni: Decatur Municipal Band.

What’s your greeting when you gather petition signatures? Email [email protected]

— Enrique Tarrio, Proud Boys leader on Jan. 6, sentenced to 22 years for seditious conspiracy: “The sentence is the lengthiest among hundreds arising from the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol,” by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney.

— The longest Jan. 6 prison sentences handed down so far, by POLITICO’s Kierra Frazier

— DeSantis built a massive network of big donors. Many have ditched him, by POLITICO’s Alex Isenstadt and Jessica Piper

— Biden names new top aides to his campaign, by POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein

— McConnell pushes to silence health doubts as Senate returns, by POLITICO’s Burgess Everett and Ursula Perano

— Nina Idemudia is CEO of the Center for Neighborhood Technology nonprofit. “She most recently managed a $237 million fund for Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development dedicated to help the city’s most affected neighborhoods recover economically from the Covid-19 pandemic,” reports WBEZ’s y Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.

— Shannon Breymaier is now VP for comms and marketing at ComEd. She moves up from being comms director. Breymaier had worked for former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Congressman Bill Foster.

TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Ed Mazur for correctly answering that George Shultz held four Cabinet positions after serving as a University of Chicago faculty member.

TODAY’s QUESTION: What hotel and room did Illinois Secretary of State Paul Powell reside in when he died? Email [email protected]

Congressman Danny Davis, Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen, former state Rep. Keith Sommer, former Cook County Judge Jessica Arong O’Brien, World Chicago President Peggy Parfenoff, political data consultant Harold Moore, Walgreens property tax director Brian Grossman, orchestra leader Stanley Paul, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls comms director Mark Schmeltzer, data and sales pro Andrew Irving, comms specialist Ben Hammer, legislative liaison for the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Jacob Nelson, retired U. of I. systems comms chief Tom Hardy, and Luis Roman Garcia, program officer at the JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation.

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