Illinois Dems revisit assault weapons ban

Plus, Mayor Lightfoot raised $1.25 million in the last couple of months. Here's what you need to know.

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 Friday, and details are emerging about how Gov. JB Pritzker and his fellow Democrats plan to respond, in legislation, to the Fourth of July mass shooting in Highland Park. Here’s what you need to know today. 1. Illinois Democrats are working to drum up support for an assault weapons ban   Democrats are also discussing a ban on large-capacity magazines and moves to bolster the state’s red-flag law, which failed to block the suspect in the Highland Park mass shooting from buying guns despite a troubling past, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. State Rep. Bob Morgan, who was marching in Highland Park’s Fourth of July parade with his wife and young children when shots were fired, said “everything has to be on the table and we have to look at this as a comprehensive problem. Because it really is a comprehensive problem.”  The Sun-Times also reports that Gov. JB Pritzker’s office is discussing the possibility of lowering the level of proof needed to block someone from buying weapons if authorities deem them a “clear and present danger.”  The suspect in the mass shooting had been investigated twice in 2019 by Highland Park police after allegedly threatening to commit suicide and “kill everyone.”  But in early 2020, the suspect was able to obtain a gun permit when he was 19 years old because his father sponsored his application, authorities say. And Illinois State Police said there was “insufficient basis” to deny the application, partly because the suspect’s family did not press charges in the 2019 investigations.  “There are loopholes that we need to address, and if not, what is it that we can do to better implement some of these laws and safeguards that we have,” Morgan said. [Sun-Times] 2. Meanwhile in New York, gun applicants will have to list their social media accounts for a review   The suspect in the Highland Park shooting posted disturbing videos online that raised questions over whether anything could have been done before he killed seven people and wounded dozens more. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed a bill that requires people applying for gun permits to submit a list of their social media accounts for a review of their “character and conduct,” reports The Associated Press. The new requirement goes into effect in September. But some experts question this strategy’s effectiveness.  “Often the sticking point is: How do we go about enforcing this?” said Metro State University criminal justice professor James Densley, cofounder of research initiative The Violence Project. “I think it starts to open up a bit of a can of worms, because no one quite knows the best way to go about doing it.” [AP] 3. An 8-year-old boy is in serious condition after the Highland Park shooting   Cooper Roberts, whose conduction was upgraded to “serious” today, was shot in the chest at Monday’s Fourth of July parade.  His family says they believe the boy is paralyzed from the waist down. “It’s going to be a new normal for him going forward,” said family spokesman Anthony Loizzi. Cooper’s mother was also shot and is recovering, and his twin brother was treated for shrapnel wounds to a leg. The boy, who loves sports, has gone through “several surgeries” and is “fighting as hard as he can,” according to a GoFundMe set up with a goal of raising $1 million to help the family cover medical costs. [Sun-Times] 4. Lightfoot reports having $2.5 million in her campaign war chest   Mayor Lori Lightfoot raised $1.25 million in the last couple of months, giving her a total of $2.5 million so far to help her “bankroll what is almost certain to be an uphill battle for re-election,” reports Fran Spielman at the Chicago Sun-Times. But she has to step up her fundraising efforts to overcome a 25% approval rating in recent polls, says veteran political operative Victor Reyes, who estimates Lightfoot needs anywhere from $6 million to $8 million. “She needs to do better. If your polling numbers aren’t where you want them to be, you need to be able to tell your story. And the only way to tell your story is to communicate, which costs a lot of money,” Reyes says. [Sun-Times] 5. A new ballet looks at the migrant experience through the eyes of children, with inspiration from Puerto Rico, skyscrapers and Beyoncé   If you’re looking for something to do this month, you’ll have seven chances to see — for free — the Joffrey Ballet’s “Rita Finds a Home.” “When the Joffrey Ballet decided to commission a new story ballet for kids, it turned to a trifecta of female creatives: a choreographer who worked with pop megastar Beyoncé on one of her world tours, a writer who drew on her experience as a Puerto Rican transplant, and an illustrator who specialized in designing children’s books,” writes Isabella DeLeo for WBEZ. [WBEZ] If you’re looking for more free things to do in Chicago this summer, DeLeo and my good colleague Cassie Walker Burke created this very handy guide. [WBEZ] But maybe you’re interested in the call of nature? “In search of a lifeline during a grueling pandemic, more area residents picked up paddling. Eager conservation groups have taken notice,” writes Zachary Nauth for WBEZ. [WBEZ] SPONSORED BY ALPHAWOOD FOUNDATION Exhibitions Extended by Popular Demand at Wrightwood 659! Now through July 30, there’s so much to experience at Lincoln Park’s Wrightwood 659, designed by luminary architect Tadao Ando. Explore a soaring three-story wood-frame structure in our atrium; a gallery recast as a communal dining space for sharing curry, creating art, and reflecting on social protests; and rare paintings of Japanese women and children from the 1930s. Get tickets at wrightwood659.org. Here's what else is happening President Joe Biden signed an executive order today that takes incremental steps to preserve abortion access. [NPR] The Wisconsin Supreme Court says ballot drop boxes aren't allowed in the state. [NPR] Lisa Holder White became the first Black woman to serve as a justice on the Illinois Supreme Court in the institution’s 203-year history. [Chicago Sun-Times] If a recession is coming, it’s not showing up in a jobs report released today. [AP] Oh, and one more thing... I posted this on Twitter and would like to share it here.  I don’t say this enough, but thank you to everyone who reads The Rundown. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy seeing YOUR emails in my inbox. And I am eternally grateful to my editor, Mike Lansu, and my boss, Jennifer Tanaka, who have supported me in very difficult times. Tell me something good What’s a good podcast you recently listened to? Ken Jurish writes:  “I Spy, hosted by Margo Martindale which covers fascinating stories of true life, and you guessed it, spies and all their fascinating activities.  If you’re into James Bond or Jason Bourne, this is the real thing.  I literally am lost when the season ends.” Michael writes:  “Unboxing Queer History from Gerber/Hart Library and Archives — Chicago’s nonprofit LGBTQ library! Episodes tell the stories of some of the amazing people and organizations whose collections are preserved at Gerber/Hart, and bring local queer history to life in a fabulous way!”  And Sharon Whalen writes:  “If you’re looking for cool up-and-coming podcasts, a favorite of mine is No Bad Reviews: A Coffee Podcast. It’s about coffee but not only about coffee. The hosts are funny, foul-mouthed and irreverent but really smart and they tell awesome stories on the history side of coffee and other companies.” Thank you so much to everyone who shared their favorite podcasts. I’m sorry I couldn’t share them all, but it was nice hearing from y’all. therundown@wbez.org | @whuntah Thanks for reading and have a nice night! I'll see you on Monday.  — Hunter Clauss P.S. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up to receive The Rundown in your inbox. VIEW OUR BROADCAST SCHEDULE ©Chicago Public Media Inc 848 East Grand Ave, Navy Pier Chicago, IL 60611 Please do not reply to this email. 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