By Shia Kapos

TGIF, Illinois and Happy New Year to all those who celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It starts at sundown.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, campaigning in Iowa last month, is attacking Illinois' new law banning cash bail. | AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

While he’s struggling to make headway in the presidential race, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has returned to a favorite punching bag: Illinois and its progressive criminal justice reform laws.

DeSantis’ official pitch: Instead of criticizing from the campaign trail, he's doing it by way of his official government office. Florida has taken out three billboard ads in Chicago offering $5,000 signing bonuses to police officers who move to Florida.

Pouring it on thick: “I look forward to welcoming the Illinois men and women in blue to the law-and-order state,” DeSantis said in a statement.

By the numbers: The Florida governor’s office says the billboards are part of a 2022 recruitment law that DeSantis signed. It has attracted 2,700 officers from around the country — but only 37 from Illinois.

The billboards are pegged off Illinois’ Pretrial Fairness Act. Starting Monday, Illinois will be the first state to end cash bail as a condition of pretrial release. The ads also take a dig at another Illinois law that allows non-citizens to apply for police jobs if they are legally authorized. Take a look.

It's a familiar refrain. Earlier in the year, DeSantis was in Illinois speaking to members of the Fraternal Order of Police and blaming crime on politicians who put "woke ideology ahead of public safety."

Big eye-roll: Gov. JB Pritzker called the DeSantis' billboards a “lame attempt to get headlines.” And Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office said it’s a “political stunt” pure and simple.

Pritzker explained the new Illinois law while also taking a swipe at Florida, saying, “There are alleged murderers, child sex offenders and abusers who are out on the streets of Florida because they have enough money to buy their way out of jail," the governor said in a statement to POLITICO. Florida’s ‘robust bail bonds program’ isn’t doing too well at keeping dangerous criminals off the street, but in Illinois, those criminals won’t have the ability to buy their way out.”

The Florida billboards are located in Chicago at 601 W. Adams, 109 W. Harrison and 1233 S. Wabash, across from the Jewel-Osco Marketplace.

RELATED

Advocates say new bail reform law should make victims of domestic and sexual violence safer, by Sun-Times’ Sophie Sherry

JOHNSON TO LOBBY D.C.: The City Council approved a $33 million grant from Homeland Security to care for asylum-seekers — a band-aid to get a handle on the growing crisis — and Mayor Brandon Johnson announced that he and Deputy Mayor of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights Beatriz Ponce de Leon will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to talk to federal officials about how to “better coordinate our efforts.”

Looming over every debate about new arrivals are concerns that homeless residents already in communities are not also receiving support.

The council also approved spending $1.5 million in TIF dollars to buy a former Marine Corps property to be converted into a shelter for up to 550 migrants. Sun-Times' Fran Spielman reports.

Roseland residents express concerns about plan to house migrants in tents nearby, by CBS 2’s Shardaa Gray and Sabrina Franza

More action from the Council:

How Thursday’s council meeting was a big moment for progressives: “From a tax to help the unhoused to raising the minimum wage for restaurant workers, a slew of plans progressives have long wanted got introduced — but passage remains miles away, by WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel and Tessa Weinberg.

South Side Weekly's Jim Daley also has a full rundown, including honors for the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Plan to hike real estate transfer tax to fund homelessness prevention moves forward, by Block Club’s Quinn Myers

Sun-Times' Fran Spielman says getting the transfer tax passed will be an uphill battle.

Aldermen approved one of the city’s largest police misconduct settlement awards in years, by Tribune’s Alice Yin and Gregory Royal Pratt

If you are Ron DeSantis, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email [email protected]

No official public events.

No official public events.

At the Sand Ridge Nature Center in South Holland at 11:30 a.m. for the  Queerness of Nature Walk as a part of Cook County's Racial Equity Week.

Fantasy football can be stressful, but emailing me isn’t: [email protected]

GO INSIDE THE WORLD’S BIGGEST DIPLOMATIC PLATFORM WITH UNGA PLAYBOOK: The 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly will jam some of the world's most influential leaders into four city blocks in Manhattan. POLITICO's special edition UNGA Playbook will take you inside this important gathering starting Sept. 17 — revealing newsy nuggets throughout the week and insights into the most pressing issues facing global decision-makers today. Sign up for UNGA Playbook.

— SPOTTED: The Democratic Party’s National Finance Committee wrapped up a three-day quarterly retreat in Chicago with a celebratory dinner at the Pritzker Pavilion on Thursday.

Speakers for the affair included Sen. Dick Durbin, DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg. Also attending: campaign chief of staff to the VP Sheila Nix and Chicago CEOs Smita Shah and John Atkinson, who is the incoming head of Intersect Illinois.

Securing an invite: The DNC Finance Committee operates in conjunction with the Biden Victory Fund, which can accept donations up to $929,600 from individuals. Only the highest donors get an invite to quarterly retreats.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Mark Shaw, a long-standing Illinois GOP leader, is joining Donald Trump’s presidential campaign as a political adviser. Shaw, who backed Trump in 2016 and 2020, says he supports him for 2024 “because I believe his straight-forward policies as president were, and are, in the best interest of the United States.”

His bio: Shaw, an attorney, has served as Illinois Republican Party vice chair since 2021, and before that as state GOP co-chair, Republican County Chairman’s president and Lake County Republican chair.

His appointment raised eyebrows among some members of the GOP’s right flank, which views Shaw as not being conservative enough for Trump’s team. That’s ironic, since establishment Republicans view Shaw as far right.

Shaw’s take: It’s a lot like negotiating a legal settlement. “If neither side is happy," he said, "you must be doing something right.” (Journalists say the same thing, Mr. Shaw.)

— Democrat Maria Peterson is running for state rep in the 52nd House District to challenge Republican state Rep. Marty McLaughlin. Peterson lost a close race against then-Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie last year. Peterson’s announcement video here.

Penny Pritzker, speaking in 2016 as U.S. Commerce Secretary, will coordinate U.S. efforts to channel private sector reconstruction assistance to Ukraine. | AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File

— Penny Pritzker has been appointed by President Joe Biden as U.S. special representative for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery.

It’s an appointment that hits close to home for Pritzker, the former U.S. Commerce secretary in the Obama administration, and sister of Gov. JB Pritzker. The Pritzkers’ grandparents immigrated from Ukraine.

The family’s immigration story has fueled their philanthropy and their public service efforts. “When my great-great-grandparents came here, they came with nothing. They left then-Russia, Kiev, with nothing. Their story really is a foundation of the views and values that we've carried through the family for the last 130-plus years,” Penny Pritzker told me in an interview in 2015. 

Her appointment: Biden said Penny Pritzker “will drive the United States’ efforts to help rebuild the Ukrainian economy," including mobilizing public and private investment and working to open export markets and businesses shut down by due to the war with Russia.

— Illinois House speaker’s staff could test limits of Workers’ Rights Amendment: “Efforts to unionize have thus far been stymied by a provision in state law that specifically exempts the General Assembly from the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act,” by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock.

— Downstate leaders say they will need help handling the historic end to cash bail: “Judges will be limited in who they can hold in jail pretrial. Rural leaders say they don’t have the staffing to handle the change,” by WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal

— Former trooper seeks restoration of driving privileges nearly 16 years after fatal crash: “Secretary of state’s office will hold hearing later this month,” by Capitol News’ Beth Hundsdorfer.

— City, state libraries shuttered due to bomb threats, CPD says, by Sun-Times’ Rosemary Sobol.

— Dem Gov. JB Pritzker and GOP House Leader Tony McCombie find common ground on AI, via NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern

— Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton says Japanese businesses find Illinois workforce, infrastructure attractive, by WAND-TV’s Mike Miletich

— What dollar stores cost Chicago's South and West side communities: "(Those stores) take resources out of the community and don't give us an opportunity to circulate the dollar within the community," says Tonya Trice of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce. Crain’s Corli Jay and Ally Marotti report.

— Mayor says elected officials should be held to high standard as he sidesteps questions about city Treasurer Conyears-Ervin, by Tribune’s Gregory Royal Pratt

— Open House Chicago is back with more behind-the-scenes access to “historically, culturally and architecturally important sites,” including Stone Temple Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave numerous speeches.

— Column: Netflix documentary on Mike Veeck’s life is a balm for angst-ridden Chicago White Sox fans, by Tribune’s Paul Sullivan

— Delta-8, other mind-altering hemp products would be tightly restricted in Chicago under new proposal: “The substances exploded in popularity after a federal law unintentionally allowed businesses to sell the weedlike substances without regulations,” by Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba and Emmanuel Camarillo.

Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here.

We asked about the last political poll you took.

Janice Anderson: “It was a while ago and about the DuPage County board chairman race.”

Mel Huang: “It was a Hill/WGN poll about what I thought of the state legislature.”

What’s the best political book you’ve ever read? Email [email protected]

— Auto workers hit picket lines in three states, by POLITICO’s Nick Niedzwiadek and James Bikales

— Hunter Biden’s lawyer accuses House Republicans of ‘congressional manipulation,’ by POLITICO’s Betsy Woodruff Swan

— ‘It will take years to recover’ from Tuberville blockade, top Navy nominee says. POLITICO’s Connor O’Brien reports

— Third GOP debate to be held in Miami, by POLITICO’s Meridith McGraw and Zach Montellaro

— Tuesday: Chicago's Pension Challenge: Understanding Why the Pension Funds are Underfunded. Presented by Amanda Kass of DePaul University’s School of Public Service. Details here

— Sept. 29: Writer and activist Baratunde Thurston will receive Brushwood Center’s Environmental Leadership Award at the Smith Nature Symposium Awards dinner. Emcees: Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra. Details here

On Sept. 17, 1961, Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706 crashed on take-off from O'Hare International Airport, killing all 37 on board. Here’s the backstory

THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Ashvin Lad and Dale Sachtleben for correctly answering that Henry Horner was a Cook County probate judge before he became a two-term governor of Illinois.

TODAY’s QUESTION: Where did "a smoke-filled room" originate and what event did it refer to? Email [email protected]

Today: State Rep. Kim Du Buclet, former Sen. Mark Kirk, Illinois Soybean Association Public Policy Manager David Kubik, teacher and event organizer Shayla Rosen and NBC Deputy Political Editor Ben Kamisar.

Saturday: Cook County Circuit Court Judge Toya Harvey and former Des Plaines Ald. Malcolm Chester.

Sunday: State Sen. Mike Halpin, Edelman GM of Capital Markets Katie Spring, Brightpoint CEO Mike Shaver, TransUnion Market Strategy Director Tracey Lazos, comms consultant Grace Vargas and former Bulls Coach Phil Jackson.

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