The politics of electronic monitoring

Plus, a crisis facing nurses. Here's what you need to know today.

To view this email as a web page, click here. Today's Rundown is brought to you by WBEZ members and   by Hunter Clauss   Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and is anyone else watching “Severance” on Apple TV+? It is amazing. Here’s what you need to know today. 1. Why electronic monitoring has become a big political issue   Democrats are not on the same page when it comes to electronic monitoring as a series of elections quickly approaches — and Republicans and other challengers are seizing on a surge in crime. On one end of the debate is Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who has called for a moratorium on releasing defendants on electronic monitoring as they await trial. She is joined by various business leaders, such as Sam Toia of the Illinois Restaurant Association and Jaime di Paulo of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Lightfoot and the business leaders say the electronic monitoring program allows “violent offenders” to be released, in turn hurting public safety and jeopardizing the business community’s ability to bounce back from the pandemic. But supporters of electronic monitoring say that’s an exaggeration. Earlier this year, an analysis from the Chicago Tribune found that some of Lightfoot’s comments were “misleading.” [Tribune] Then there are Chicago Democrats like Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, state Rep. Margaret Croke and state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, who want to make tweaks to a state criminal justice law, the SAFE-T Act. They include preventing people charged with first-degree murder or other violent crimes from being released with ankle bracelets. Those proposals could be addressed this week in Springfield. Last but not least, there are Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, county State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and county Public Defender Sharone Mitchell Jr., who say critics are mischaracterizing the program. Voters will soon get to weigh in on this debate. State lawmakers are up for election this year. And the city elections in Chicago are penciled in for early next year. 2. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has a clear path to be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court   Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney said Monday night they will vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, meaning she’s got a clear shot to becoming the first Black woman to serve in the U.S. Supreme Court.  Romney said Jackson “more than meets the standard of excellence and integrity.” And Murkowski said she will “bring to the Supreme Court a range of experience from the courtroom that few can match given her background in litigation.” Sen. Susan Collins, a fellow Republican, last week said she’d support Jackson.  A final confirmation vote could take place as soon as Thursday. [AP] 3. Zelenskyy says Russia must be brought to justice immediately for war crimes   In a video address to the United Nations Security Council today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian troops of committing the worst war atrocities since World War II.  He made his plea to world leaders to mount an investigation as evidence continues to emerge of horrific civilian massacres discovered on the outskirts of Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv.  “Are you ready to close the U.N.?” Zelenskyy asked the U.N. Security Council. “Do you think that the time of international law is gone? If your answer is no, then you need to act immediately.” [AP] 4. Nurses, burned out from the pandemic, face another problem that’s the final straw for many   A former nurse in Tennessee last month was convicted of two felonies and now faces eight years in prison for a fatal medication mistake. Four days after the verdict, Emma Moore quit her job as a nurse at a community health clinic in Portland, Ore.  “It’s not worth the possibility or the likelihood that this will happen, if I’m in a situation where I’m set up to fail,” Moore said. Now, nurses and nursing organizations are denouncing the verdict and say it will have severe consequences. Nurses across the country say they feel demoralized and depleted as their already stretched then ranks shrink during the pandemic. [NPR] 5. Lost Darwin notebooks turn up 20 years later   Two notebooks that were reported stolen from Cambridge University’s library showed up this week in a pink gift bag with a note: “Librarian Happy Easter X.” The notebooks, which include Charles Darwin’s famous 1837 “Tree of Life” sketch, went missing in 2001 after being moved for photography. At first, it was believed the books were misplaced, but a search of the library’s 10 million books, maps and manuscripts failed to turn up the notebooks. The notebooks were found in the gift bag last month in a public area outside the librarian’s office, which is not covered by security cameras. [AP] SPONSORED BY POETRY FOUNDATION Celebrate Poetry This April! The Poetry Foundation will reopen its Chicago building to the public on April 7, 2022 — just in time for Poetry Month! After two years, the Foundation is excited to welcome guests back to the building for in-person events with poets from Chicago and beyond. Offerings in April include poetry readings, books clubs, writing workshops, free downloads of Poetry magazine, and a new art exhibition: Monica Ong: Planetaria. Here's what else is happening Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the U.S. needs to deploy more U.S. troops to eastern Europe to protect against Russian aggression. [AP] California may empower citizens to sue over illegal firearms. [AP] Chicago officials will offer free legal representation to low-income renters who are at risk of eviction. [Chicago Sun-Times] Four Chicago restaurants have won their first Michelin stars. [Chicago Tribune] Oh, and one more thing... A Chicago law firm today “leveled a damning set of accusations” against Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. The law firm, Edelson PC, argues a law firm founded by Jayne’s husband, Thomas Girardi, stole more than $100 million from its clients, co-counsel, vendors and others. Jayne was a “front woman” of a “criminal enterprise,” Edelson PC alleges, and she used her platform on the Real Housewives to lie about her own involvement. [Sun-Times] ABC News produced a documentary on the legal problems facing Jayne and Girardi, all of the twists and what they say about the public fascination with the wealthy. [Hulu] Tell me something good What are you planting in your garden or windowsill pots this spring?  Katy Kelsey-Morgan writes:  “I’m hoping to find some dwarf or patio sunflowers 🌻  to plant on my deck boxes to show support for Ukraine. They also look nice and tend to grow robustly.”  Feel free to email or tweet me, and your response might be shared here this week.  therundown@wbez.org | @whuntah Thanks for reading and have a nice night! I’ll see you tomorrow. — Hunter Clauss P.S. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up to receive The Rundown in your inbox. 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