Illinois public universities struggle with enrollment

Some Illinois lawmakers are looking to find solutions for higher education declining enrollment and financial concerns as more graduating high school students are enrolling out of state. Figures from the Illinois State Board of Education show 46 percent of 2016 Illinois high school graduates who enrolled in a four-year university went out of state.

House races offer Democrats best shot at claiming a chamber in Congress

Democrats want to take back at least one chamber of Congress this year, and the House of Representatives may be their best shot. The party needs to win 24 seats to make that happen and, as seen in the races below, Democrats are counting on swing districts, those held by retiring or resigned Republicans, districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016, and the female candidates running in record numbers this year.

AG Madigan Supports Chicago in DOJ Lawsuit

Attorney General Lisa Madigan, along with 15 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in support of the City of Chicago in its lawsuit challenging the Department of Justice's efforts to punish so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions by putting immigration-related conditions on federal law enforcement grants. The attorneys general argue that the conditions far exceed DOJ's authority and interfere with the right of states and localities to set their own law enforcement policies.

Tom Kacich: Cross-partisan group endorses Ebel’s integrity

Jon Ebel of Urbana, one of five Democrats seeking to run against U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis next fall, has received the endorsement of a cross-partisan group dedicated to more integrity and civility in politics and to getting more military veterans into Congress. The group, called With Honor, last week announced its support for five Republicans and four Democrats running in March primaries.

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"I had my legs blown off in Iraq, and because I had my legs blown off in Iraq, people are listening to me. I'm not going to get my legs back, and that's fine, but if that gives me a platform to talk about the things that are important to me, like education and jobs, that's great."

Government watchdog: Illinois fudged jobs data to get federal OK to…

A government accountability group says the state of Illinois is fudging employment data in order to allow more healthy Illinoisans to receive taxpayer-funded food stamps without having to work. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved an Illinois Department of Human Services waiver request in October for the entire 2018 calendar year.

13 Children Hospitalized, Parents Jailed on Torture Charges

U.S. Warned Jared Kushner About Wendi Deng Murdoch - Officials said the businesswoman could be trying to further Beijing's interests, people familiar with the matter say - WASHINGTON - U.S. counterintelligence officials in early 2017 warned Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son US officials warned Kushner about friendship with Wendi Deng Murdoch: report - last year that his friend, Chinese-American businesswoman Wendi Deng Murdoch, could be taking advantage of her close friendship with Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump - , to promote China's business interests, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

Kennedy targets gun violence in Illinois governor campaign

In this Jan. 3, 2018 photo, Democratic Illinois gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy, left, gathers with community leaders to discuss gun violence in Chicago at a press conference accompanied by, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, center, and U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush in Chicago. Few people running for public office have been more personally affected by gun violence than Chris Kennedy.

Midwest Democrats Warn Party To Change Or Get Used To More Losing

A group of Democratic politicians from Midwestern states is calling on the party to change or face a minority for years to come. "The number of Democrats holding office across the nation is at its lowest point since the 1920s and the decline has been especially severe in rural America," Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos, a Democrat, wrote in a new report .

Trump dismisses Haiti, African countries with vulgarity

Trump's contemptuous description of an entire continent startled lawmakers in the meeting and immediately revived charges that the president is racist. The White House did not deny his remark but issued a statement saying Trump supports immigration policies that welcome "those who can contribute to our society."

Report shows federal bloat in Illinois

A new searchable map of government bloat shows there are almost as many federal government employees in Illinois as there are state employees, and their benefits are generous. OpenTheBooks.com 's latest project, "Mapping The Swamp: A Study of the Administrative State," allows visitors to search their ZIP code to find out how many federal employees are in their backyard.

Illinois legislators react to possible DOJ move on marijuana prohibition

State lawmakers are unclear what the U.S. Department of Justice's threats Thursday to enforce federal marijuana prohibition on states with legal pot sales will mean for Illinois. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and reports from Washington suggest that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions intends to give district prosecutors more discretion to enforce cannabis prohibition at the state level.

Democrats vying to oppose Roskam give views on health care

With three candidates who are cancer survivors, health care issues are personal for several of the seven Democrats hoping to earn their party's nomination to face incumbent Republican Rep. Peter Roskam next November in the 6th Congressional District. Candidates Amanda Howland, Kelly Mazeski and Becky Anderson Wilkins each told a crowd of 800 at a recent forum in Carol Stream the basics of their cancer survival stories as they explained why affordable health care matters.

2018 brings governor’s race, other big contests in Illinois

All statewide offices will be on the ballot on Nov. 8, but no contest will be as fevered i 1 2 or costly i 1 2 as the governor's race. Already, the candidates are raising and spending money at a pace that could make this the most expensive governor's race in U.S. history.