Happy Wednesday, Illinois. Out in the big world, it’s hold-your-breath time as Russian troops have entered Ukraine and sanctions have begun.

Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton endorsed Anna Valencia for secretary of state Tuesday, setting the stage for a Democratic battle royale leading up to the June 28 primary.

In a statement, the governor sang the praises of outgoing Secretary of State Jesse White, and called Valencia a worthy successor. Valencia is “a capable leader with a proven record of success. … I am thrilled to support her history-making candidacy to be the first woman and first Latina to serve as Illinois secretary of state," Pritzker said.

Pritzker’s endorsement brings more weight to Valencia’s campaign, which suffered a blow when the powerful Cook County Democratic Party chose to endorse Alexi Giannoulias for the secretary of state job.

The governor could back Valencia financially, too, though it wouldn’t be a windfall. There’s a $250,000 cap to contributions — only Valencia donating above that to her own campaign could break the cap.

So far, Giannoulias, the former state treasurer, has outpaced Valencia and Chicago Ald. David Moore in fundraising for the statewide seat.

Pritzker’s endorsement is a big win for Valencia, and it signals the governor’s distaste for party politics. Cook County Democrats required candidates to sign a loyalty pledge “solemnly” promising not to support candidates not on the party’s slate. Playbook broke that story: check out The Buzz.

During December slating, Pritzker told Playbook he wouldn’t sign the pledge.

The party let it slide. It responded to Pritzker endorsing Valencia with a statement saying “there are a number of qualified, excellent candidates running for the seat.” And it reiterated it backs Giannoulias and noted he’s received "broad support from elected officials, Democratic groups and organized labor.”

The party added that it “wholeheartedly supports Governor Pritzker and will work hard to get him elected as he heads our ticket in November.”

Moore also responded to Pritzker’s endorsement, saying, “The party establishment didn’t support my candidacy the first two times I ran for alderman. I didn’t ask permission then and I’m not asking permission now.” Moore said he’s not surprised by the endorsement for Valencia given Pritzker has a “very close relationship” with White.

Background on Pritzker and White: In 2008, secret government wiretaps recorded Pritzker talking to then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich about the Senate seat being opened by Barack Obama’s presidential win. Pritzker called White the “least offensive” among the candidates. When the Tribune made the conversation public in 2018, Pritzker issued an apology to the Black community, saying, “On that call, I was not my best self. I can be better.” Since then, Pritzker has always been in White’s corner.

Like we said, this race is full of intrigue.

Three House lawmakers were kicked out of the chamber yesterday for not wearing masks. Republican Rep. Steven Reick apologized to Rep. Lakesia Collins for his aggressive behavior last week on the House floor. And tensions were calmed after a 90 minute bare-their-soul discussion on the House floor.

“Don’t lose your passion,” House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch told lawmakers. Just “lower the divisive rhetoric.”

Welch and Minority Leader Jim Durkin reminded their members that they were in Springfield to do the people’s work.

As we told you yesterday, Reick pointed his finger in Collins’ face and used profanity over the debate about masks. WCIA’s Mark Maxwell posted a video yesterday of the tail end of the confrontation. You can see Reps. Marcus Evans and Maurice West trying to diffuse the situation.

On Tuesday, Reick acknowledged he was angry that Collins had initially lumped him in with a group of lawmakers who weren’t wearing masks. “So, when I went over to the representative and had words with her, it came from an anger of the fact that I was being somehow taken and made into something I was not," he said in an apology on the floor.

Sun-Times’ Taylor Avery has more from Tuesday’s action.

The three Republicans voted off the island, err floor, for not wearing face-coverings were Reps. Adam Niemerg (Dieterich), Blaine Wilhour (Beecher City) and Dan Caulkins (Decatur).

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At Decatur Civic Center’s City Council Chambers at 10 a.m. to discuss plan for property tax relief with local officials.

In City Hall at 10 a.m. to preside over the City Council meeting.

No official public events.

— Chicago will drop mask and proof-of-vax mandates at month’s end; Cook County follows suit: “Under the statewide and newly announced city rules, face coverings will still be required in schools, health care settings and public transportation,” by Tribune’s Gregory Pratt.

— The Illinois Supreme Court is adjusting its mask policy, too.

— The League of Chicago Theatres “will continue with current mandatory mask/proof of vaccination policies,” reports Sun-Times’ Miriam Di Nunzio

— Comptroller says 12 percent penalty unnecessary because state is paying bills on time: “This program has allowed private lenders to loan money to state vendors, then rake in the 12 percent interest that state taxpayers were on the hook for with these late bills,” Mendoza said. “Now happily the days of connected private lenders profiting off the state’s financial problems can and should be over.” Capitol News’ Peter Hancock reports.

… FIND YOUR TAX REFUND: Comptroller Susana Mendoza is set to announce today a new service for Illinois taxpayers that would send an alert when their state income tax refund is on the way. Sign up at My Refund on the comptroller’s web page.

— Decatur City Council to consider increasing deployment of license plate cameras from 60 to 100, by Lee Enterprises’ Brenden Moore

Referendum launch: Ahead of today’s Chicago City Council meeting, supporters of the coalition map are set to launch their referendum campaign. The group includes members of the Latino Caucus and a few other aldermen as well as CHANGE Illinois Action Fund. The group wants greater representation for Latinos on the City Council and has butted heads with the Black Caucus and members of the Rules Committee, which is drawing a map that so far doesn’t add more Latino-majority seats to the council. A referendum would give voters the choice on how to draw the city’s wards.

— Parliamentary maneuver likely to delay City Council showdown on gang asset forfeiture ordinance, mayor’s deputy floor leader says: “Any two City Council members — no reason needed — can delay a vote for one meeting. Ald. George Cardenas expects that stalling tactic to be used to delay a vote on s proposal to sue gangs and seize their assets,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— Ald. Roderick Sawyer wants pay hike for Uber, Lyft drivers: The alderman’s proposed ordinance would stop ride-hailing firms from making “record profits” while drivers barely make ends meet. “They need a decent increase. They feel like they’re getting shafted,” Sawyer said. Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— Motorola Solutions looks to shed nearly a third of downtown HQ: “The company has joined the pool of downtown office tenants looking to cut back on space as the COVID-19 pandemic lingers,” by Crain’s Danny Ecker.

— Get out the hanky: Thousands of CPS students — and some parents — to get full college scholarships: ‘This is life changing’: “Hope Chicago stunned families at Benito Juarez H.S. with the announcement Tuesday, and officials say more schools benefiting from the program will be revealed soon. Eventually 24,000 students and 6,000 parents will get scholarships,” by WBEZ’s Sarah Karp.

— AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: City Bureau has pulled together years of reporting to explain how real estate development happens in Chicago, including how government agencies are involved and who the major players are. The People’s Guide to Community Benefits Agreements and Alternatives is designed to inform and equip Chicago residents to advocate for their own communities. The guide, which was written by Alma Campos and edited by Sarah Conway and Phoebe Mogharei, is also available by requestin print.

— Before massive Albany Park fire, landlord with long history of violations was cited for various issues at building: “Gary Carlson owns dozens of buildings in Albany Park and Irving Park, including the one that caught fire along with two neighboring businesses Monday. The cause of the fire is under investigation,” by Block Club’s Alex Hernandez and Colin Boyle.

— Ultra-rare ticket to Michael Jordan’s NBA debut is setting auction records, by Tribune’s Alison Bowen

CTA aims for all-electric bus fleet by 2040: “The CTA has 11 electric buses in service, and 14 more are expected to hit the streets this year. The rest of its 1,800-plus fleet run on diesel,” by Sun-Times’ Mitch Dudek.

— J Street drops endorsement of Rep. Marie Newman: “Logan Bayroff, a spokesman for the liberal Jewish Middle East policy group, said Tuesday that the decision was mostly the result of redistricting, which cast Newman against another J Street PAC endorsee, Sean Casten. Bayroff said that the ethics investigation factored into the decision,” by Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s Ron Kampeas.

… And Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch notes: J Street “stood by Newman in September when she was one of just eight Democrats to vote against a $1 billion supplemental funding package for Israel’s Iron Dome missile-defense system — legislation that J Street supported. The group held a fundraiser for Newman days after the vote.”

— Lawyer who helped dismantle Pritzker’s school mask mandate announces run for attorney general: “We’ve got to put an end to this executive fiat of running our state by executives that think tyrannical behavior is OK,” said Tom DeVore, whose challenges to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Covid-19 restrictions were mostly unsuccessful until this month. “And it’ll get nasty, but that’s OK. I’m not scared.” Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout reports.

— Declared or not, the mayoral campaign has most definitely begun: “How effectively Lightfoot runs for re-election depends on who’s running against her. Of course, it takes somebody to beat somebody. And quite a few contenders are sizing up their chances,” by Crain’s Greg Hinz.

— Patrick Sheehan has launched his campaign to represent the 19th state Senate District, which now encompsses Homer Glen, Mokena, Frankfort, and Country Club Hills. Sheehan, a Republican, is a 15-year veteran of the Lockport Police Department and a commissioner on the Lockport Township Park District Board.

— Chelsea Laliberte Barnes, Democratic candidate for state representative in District 51, has won the endorsement of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, the campaign said in a statement.

GOP dominates ad spending in top five gubernatorial races — except Illinois: “In Illinois, Democrats are ahead of Republicans — $5.8 million vs. $3.2 million in terms of ad spending across TV, radio and digital—the nation’s third-highest tally so far,” reports Ad Age.

— Column: Aurora’s first celebrity mayor, Paul Egan’s controversial tenure brought the city national attention, by Aurora Beacon-News’ Denise Crosby

— Naperville Exchange Club’s Ribfest moving to Wheaton, Father’s Day weekend, by Naperville Sun’s Suzanne Baker

— Former top cop wants Lightfoot to give deposition in sexual assault and harassment case: “City Hall lawyers have argued that written questions are more appropriate under the standard for seeking information from high-level government officials,” by Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.

— CPD chief’s niece told cops who busted her boyfriend for heroin, ‘My auntie’s probably your boss,’ source says: “Officers pulled over a Lexus belonging to internal affairs chief Yolanda Talley on Feb. 1. Talley’s niece was driving, and a man in the passenger seat was charged with possession of 42 grams of heroin, but the car wasn’t impounded,” by Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba, Frank Main, and Matthew Hendrickson.

— A reclusive Chicago artist’s work set to become subject of a court battle: “Henry Darger died in 1973, leaving behind hundreds of pieces of his artwork and writings. Now, a court may have to decide who really owns his work,” by Sun-Times’ Stefano Esposito.

— Family of a military veteran found dead in a Chicago police cell is suing the city, by WBEZ’s Patrick Smith

— Jason Van Dyke was kept off online corrections database while in prison, and he’s far from the only one, reports CBS 2’s Tim McNicholas

Man arrested in Chicago on charges of breaching Capitol with mob; ‘I was tear-gassed … but I still stayed on the front lines’: A tipster said Athanasios Zoyganeles, 44, “was also part of a group going into offices and going through books and files, according to the complaint,” by Tribune’s Jason Meisner.

We asked about your most extravagant purchase ever: Prairie Group Consulting CEO Fred Lebed last year purchased a greenhouse for his backyard with “all the bells and whistles. It replaces my downtown office that I closed due to Covid. I work from there, have most of my meetings there and snack on some of the ‘crops.’ I have more than a 100 plants growing there!”… The City Club’s Ed Mazur bought a 1967 red mustang convertible…And policy analyst Mark McCombs’ big purchase: “My divorce.” Ba-dum ching.

The best books about war? Email [email protected]

Some Republican-controlled states are supporting a 15-week abortion ban: Legislators say it’s a politically and legally safer approach, even if it means the vast majority of abortions in their states could still take place, report POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein and Megan Messerly.

— U.S. imposes sanctions on Russian banks, sovereign debt and elites after Ukraine invasion, by POLITICO’s Kate Davidson and Quint Forgey

— Republicans descend into foreign policy factionalism over Russia-Ukraine standoff, by POLITICO’s Andrew Desiderio, Tara Palmeri and Meridith McGraw

— The 2024 presidential race has already started online, by POLITICO’s Elena Schneider and Scott Bland

Pedro Guzman has been named CIO for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. His previous jobs with the state include child of enterprise infrastructure and manager of IT security business alignment.

— Today: Rep. Danny Davis headlines a virtual panel discussion on “African Americans in politics: A seat at the table.” The event starts at 10 a.m. and is free.

— Thursday through Saturday: It’s FOIA Fest! The Chicago Headline Club holds a jam-packed virtual program featuring journalists and experts sharing insights and anecdotes about how they’ve used public records for reporting and community organizing. You don’t have to be a journalist to attend. Anyone interested in learning about public access laws will find it fascinating. Tickets are on sale now through Thursday at noon.

J. Ira Harris, Salomon Brothers’ Chicago dealmaker, dies at 83: “In the 1980s, Ira Harris was Chicago’s best-known dealmaker. ‘I like Chicago better than New York,’ he once said. ‘It’s a friendlier city, a fine place to raise my children,’” via Bloomberg.

TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Timothy Thomas Jr. for correctly answering Anna Langford became the first Black woman elected to Chicago’s City Council on Feb. 23, 1971.

TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the “nobody” that “nobody sent” and where was this person trying to gain access? Email [email protected]

Joyce Foundation education program director Stephanie Banchero, “American Pharaoh” author Elizabeth Taylor, Cresset Capital Chief Marketing Officer Jessica Malkin, Forefront director of public policy Bryan Zarou, professor Joseph Topinka, NewsNation’s Erenia Michell, and Ziya Smallens of Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin’s office.

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