Stories by Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois

Gov. J.B. Pritzker will present his seventh budget proposal Wednesday as the state faces a projected $3.2 billion revenue shortfall for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance used his first major speech as vice president to lambast European politicians for suppressing free speech, losing control of immigration and refusing to work with hard-right parties in government.

Critics see the task force initiative as unnecessary and pandering to Trump’s base. But some Christian supporters said it is overdue, claiming the Biden administration had discriminated against them through actions and inactions.

Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, and five high-ranking Justice Department officials resigned Thursday after she refused an order to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams — a stunning escalation in a dayslong standoff over the Trump administration prioritizing political aims over criminal culpability.

Nearly 1,300 probationary employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — roughly one-tenth of the agency’s workforce — are being forced out under the Trump administration’s move to get rid of all probationary employees.

The General Assembly Retirement System of Illinois sent the former Illinois Speaker of the House notice by mail, according to the State Retirement Systems. The suspension comes days after Madigan was convicted on 10 felony counts of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud in his landmark corruption trial.

A push to require proof of citizenship when you register to vote. And love it or hate it — we explore the history of dibs.

Republican lawmakers are championing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, Act that would require voters to show proof of citizenship like a REAL ID, a passport, a birth certificate or other eligible documentation.

While recovering from open heart surgery in 2021, Chicago-based artist Shar Coulson experienced trippy visions that ultimately shaped her artwork.

The Department of Law “selectively acts in opposition to the OIG’s investigative work when OIG’s work may result in embarrassment or political consequences for city leaders,” Inspector General Deborah Witzburg wrote.

Civilian Office of Police Accountability Chief Administrator Andrea Kersten much of the last 12 months at odds with the city’s top cop and the head of the city’s police oversight board.

The judge’s ruling came after a lawsuit was filed earlier this month on behalf of families with transgender or nonbinary children who allege their health care has already been compromised by the president’s order.

The Super Bowl is over, and we are now in the 40th year since the Chicago Bears won the big game. Meanwhile, the arts and culture scene in Chicago just keeps winning. Here are a few favorites and underdogs to place your bets on.

The agency’s main role is financial. Annually, it distributes billions in federal money to colleges and schools and manages the federal student loan portfolio. Closing the department would mean redistributing each of those duties to another agency.

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, was the only “no” vote among Republicans, mirroring his stands against Trump’s picks for the Pentagon chief and director of national intelligence.

CTU vice president Jackson Potter said the union is “very concerned” about Linda McMahon’s potential confirmation as she’s expected to carry out orders to essentially dismantle the Department of Education.

The upgrades at North America’s longest-running outdoor music festival will take place in phases over the next few years. Everything is expected to be renewed and enhanced by the 2029 season, when Ravinia celebrates its 125th anniversary.

A band of dry air crashed Chicago's snowstorm party Wednesday.

The latest survey from the monitoring team charged with enforcing the consent decree found that Chicagoans’ confidence in CPD and the reform effort is exceedingly low, despite a reform push that began six years ago.

Asked by reporters how soon he would like the department closed, President Donald Trump responded: “Oh, I’d like it to be closed immediately. The Department of Education is a big con-job.”

A split verdict in the landmark corruption trial of Michael Madigan. And what funding cuts could mean for local early childhood programs.

In a statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the verdict an “important message to anyone in government” that “if you choose corruption you will be found out, and you will be punished.”

Michael Madigan, once the state of Illinois’ most powerful politician during his decades-long run as Illinois House Speaker and chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, has now joined the long list of local and state powerbrokers convicted on federal corruption charges.

A federal judge on Wednesday cleared the way for President Donald Trump ’s plan to downsize the federal workforce with a deferred resignation program.

In the early morning hours of July 6, Massey called 911 to report a prowler outside her home, setting in motion events that left Massey dying on her kitchen floor and former Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson facing charges of first-degree murder.

Critics complain the independent agency, funded by the Federal Reserve System, lacks sufficient supervision and regularly exceeds its regulatory authority. Defenders argue the bureau’s watchdog mission has strong bipartisan support.