Governors <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tony-evers">Tony Evers</a> (D-WI) and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gretchen-whitmer">Gretchen Whitmer</a> (D-MI) announced plans this week with two other Midwest states to design a scenic route along Lake Michigan for electric vehicles (EVs), which currently make up less than <a href="https://graphics.reuters.com/AUTOS-ELECTRIC/USA/mopanyqxwva/">1% of all vehicles</a> on the road in the U.S.
The 1,100-mile route near the Great Lake’s shoreline is being heralded as an “eco-tourism attraction” and will include numerous EV charging stations to make the scenic drive convenient for EV owners. The so-called “electric Route 66” will connect major cities and tourist attractions, such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and Traverse City, Michigan.
Evers celebrated the plan as a win for the environment. “Making our beautiful coastal communities not only more accessible to EVs but protecting them through lower emissions is a win-win for Wisconsin,” the Wisconsin governor <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/325c3ad">said</a>. “We’re proud to support this multi-state partnership as we work to implement our first-ever Clean Energy Plan and continue our efforts to bolster Wisconsin&#8217;s tourism industry.”
Evers and Whitmer will join forces with J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) and Eric Holcomb (R-IN) on the project dubbed the “Lake Michigan EV Circuit Tour” that could cost up to $4 million.
In a previously signed <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/leo/-/media/Project/Websites/leo/Lake_MI_Circuit_MOUdocx1.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>, the four neighboring states said that one of the objectives of the EV route was to “support organizations to build, maintain, and encourage use of a robust EV tourism attraction around Lake Michigan.”
Michigan’s Democratic governor first announced the “Lake Michigan EV Circuit Tour&#8221; last September at the Mackinac Policy Conference. At the time, the project was estimated to cost between $3.5 and $4 million, <a href="https://www.govtech.com/fs/multi-state-partnership-to-bring-ev-circuit-to-lake-michigan">according</a> to GovTech.com.
Whitmer said the EV route will help bolster the state’s economy and provide more jobs for autoworkers while giving EV drivers the option to travel longer distances.
“Today, Michigan is proud to lead the Lake Michigan Electric Vehicle Circuit Tour, a partnership between fellow Midwestern states to grow our economy, create more good-paying jobs, and lead the future of mobility and electrification,” Whitmer <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2022/08/03/whitmer-announces-michigan-joining-three-other-midwest-states-to-build-lake-michigan-ev-circuit">said</a> in a statement released Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Michigan’s largest employer, Ford, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-plans-to-cut-8000-jobs-so-it-can-fund-ev-push-report">reportedly</a> preparing last month to cut thousands of jobs to help the company fund its EV projects. It was unclear how many of those cuts would affect Michigan-based jobs.
In March, Ford admitted that its EV project would not be profitable until at least 2025 when its next generation models come out. Ford CEO Jim Farley also said at a conference in February that EV portfolios were “under-earning.”

Electric Vehicle

‘Electric Route 66’: Midwest Governors Collaborating On Scenic Road Trip Circuit Designed For EVs

Midwest Governors Collaborating On Scenic Road Trip Circuit For Electric Vehicles

electric vehicles

Gretchen Whitmer

Illinois

Indiana

JB Pritzker

Michigan

Tony Evers

Wisconsin

The 21-year-old charged with killing 7 and injuring 48 more during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, has pleaded not guilty.
The suspect, who is not being named per Daily Wire policy, previously told police that he fired more than 80 shots from a rooftop above the parade route. On Wednesday, however, the suspect pleaded not guilty, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/highland-park-shooting-suspect-robert-crimo-pleads?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=news_tab">reported</a>.
Last week, the suspect was indicted on 117 counts for the mass shooting, including 21 counts of first-degree murder – three counts per deceased victim – the outlet reported. The charges also include 48 counts of attempted murder and another 48 accounts of aggravated battery with a firearm – one count of each for every person injured in the attack.
Forty-seven people were named as victims in the filing charges (even though there are more victims), the judge said at the suspect’s Wednesday arraignment. Around two dozen family members and friends of the victims appeared in court at the time.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-highland-park-mass-shooting-suspect-confesses-to-firing-more-than-80-shots-at-parade-attendees-prosecutors-say">reported</a>, Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon told a judge at the Lake County Courthouse in early July that the suspect made “a voluntary statement confessing to his actions.”
Dillon further told the judge that the suspect confessed to finding a position on a rooftop along the parade route and “looked down his sights and opened fire.” Dillon added that police discovered 83 shell casings on that rooftop.
Defense attorney Scott Greenfield explained to The Daily Wire why someone who confessed in this matter would still plead not guilty.
“The defendant is always told to plead ‘not guilty’ at arraignment in order to allow his lawyer to engage in discovery, motion practice and plea negotiations,” Greenfield said. “It’s entirely normal and reflects nothing about ‘innocence’ per se, but allows the lawyer room to do his job of zealously representing the defendant, no matter how overwhelming the evidence of guilty.”
Five people died at the scene, while two more died after being taken to a hospital. Dozens more were hit during the attack.
The suspect was concerned that police would recognize him following the shooting, so he dressed in women’s clothing and makeup to cover his tattoos and avoid detection. He climbed down a fire escape and disappeared into the crowd, leaving the rifle he used on the rooftop. Police were able to identify him from surveillance cameras, however.
The suspect then went to his mother’s house and drove her car to Madison, Wisconsin, in a <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/07/05/suspected-highland-park-parade-gunman-traveled-madison-wisconsin-afterward-robert-crimo/7815967001/">possible</a> attempt to throw off authorities. The suspect left his phone, which was being tracked by police, in Madison, and then drove back to Chicago where he was arrested.
While the suspect had no criminal record, he had been on the police’s radar due to two calls from family members in 2019. The first call came in response to a suicide attempt, and the second came from a family member who said the suspect threatened to “kill everybody.” That family member also told police at the time that the suspect had a large collection of knives. Police removed 16 knives, one dagger, and one sword from the suspect’s home before filing a “clear and present danger report” with the Illinois State Police, the Chicago Sun-Times <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/6/23196101/highland-park-mass-shooting-suspect-robert-crimo-iii-ordered-held-without-bond">reported</a>.
Despite this determination, the suspect was able to purchase the firearms used in the Independence Day attack because his father co-signed his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, something all gun owners in Illinois must have, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-reveal-how-highland-park-shooter-was-able-to-buy-guns-despite-threatening-to-kill-everyone">reported</a>. At the time the card was issued, the suspect was just 19, even though the minimum age in Illinois to purchase a firearm is 21.

Aftermath of Highland Park parade shooting

Highland Park Shooting Suspect — Who Confessed To Firing More Than 80 Rounds — Pleads Not Guilty

Highland Park Shooting Suspect - Who Confessed To Firing More Than 80 Rounds - Pleads Not Guilty

Highland Park

Mass Shooting

Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL) replied to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gun-control">gun control</a> critic on his official Twitter account Friday night in a profanity-laced tweet after he voted to pass a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gun-grab-houses-passes-bill-banning-certain-semi-automatic-guns">gun-grabbing bill</a> in the House.
Garcia, who supported the House’s legislation that would ban certain semi-automatic firearms, tweeted his celebration of the bill’s passage. ​​&#8221;I just voted to reinstate the assault weapons ban. Now it’s the Senate’s turn to pass it and send it to President Biden’s desk,” he said.
An anonymous Twitter account wasn’t happy with the congressman’s support of the gun control legislation and replied to Garcia’s tweet, writing “Never even heard of this guy and I won’t comply even if his silly law passes.”
Instead of letting the jab go like most politicians do on social media, Garcia’s official Twitter account responded to the tweet with obscene language.
“You are borderline retarded, ya f***ing dips***,” Garcia tweeted.
The response was taken down two hours later, according to Fox News’ Joseph Wulfsohn, but not before multiple people captured screenshots of the congressman&#8217;s profanity-laced insult.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rep. Chuy García (D-IL) tweeted profanities and a slur in response to a random Twitter account with 531 followers who trolled him. <a href="https://t.co/LUjqWnDoxd">pic.twitter.com/LUjqWnDoxd</a>
&mdash; Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) <a href="https://twitter.com/JosephWulfsohn/status/1553274816144228352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Garcia issued a statement Saturday, explaining that the tweet was not approved by him and was written by someone on his staff.
&#8220;Last night a member of Congressman García&#8217;s staff posted an unauthorized tweet from the Congressman&#8217;s account using profanities and offensive language to individuals living with disabilities,&#8221; the statement read. &#8220;The language used was absolutely inappropriate and inconsistent with Congressman Garcia&#8217;s history, values, and character. The individual responsible will be held accountable and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Statement from Congressman García’s Spokesperson, Fabiola Rodríguez-Ciampoli: <a href="https://t.co/SyagCscHA0">pic.twitter.com/SyagCscHA0</a>
&mdash; Congressman Chuy García (@RepChuyGarcia) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepChuyGarcia/status/1553373617509093377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The gun control legislation passed by the House in a 217-213 vote Friday night is not expected to survive in the Senate. The bill would reinstate the assault weapons ban that was in place from 1994 to 2004 and prohibit the sale or manufacture of certain rifles (including AR-15s), shotguns, and pistols based on the features that they have, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gun-grab-houses-passes-bill-banning-certain-semi-automatic-guns">reported</a>.
The gun-grabbing bill was also celebrated by President Joe Biden. “Today, House Democrats acted by unifying to pass an assault weapons ban to keep weapons of war off our streets, save lives in this country, and reduce crime in our communities,” Biden said in a statement. “The majority of the American people agree with this common sense action.”
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

Chuy Garcia

Dem Rep. Calls Gun Control Critic ‘R*******’, A ‘F***ing Dips***’ On Official Twitter Account, Blames Staff Member For ‘Unauthorized’ Tweet

Rep. Chuy Garcia's Official Twitter Account Tweets Obscene Response To Gun Control Critic

Democratic Party

Gun Control

Guns

U.S. House of Representatives

Lawyers for 500 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/health-care">health care</a> workers who sued a hospital system over a COVID <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vaccine-mandate">vaccine mandate</a> said Friday that the workers had settled for over $10 million. 
The workers, who alleged discrimination, had been denied religious exemptions from the NorthShore University Health Care System vaccine mandate. 
“As a result of the settlement, NorthShore will pay $10,337,500 to compensate these health care employees who were victims of religious discrimination, and who were punished for their religious beliefs against taking an injection associated with aborted fetal cells,” Liberty Counsel, which represented the former and current workers, <a href="https://lc.org/newsroom/details/072922-health-care-workers-settle-covid-shot-mandate-for-dollar103-million-1">announced</a>.
According to Liberty Counsel, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/illinois">Illinois</a>-based hospital system will also change its policy regarding religious exemptions and “provide religious accommodations in every position across its numerous facilities.”
The Christian and conservative legal group also said that if employees had been fired because of a refusal to get the COVID vaccine and had been denied a religious exemption, they could be rehired at their former position within 90 days of court approval of the settlement. 
NorthShore confirmed in a <a href="https://evanstonnow.com/report-northshore-to-pay-10-3m-in-covid-vaccine-settlement/">statement</a> to Evanston Now that the hospital would be changing its policy related to vaccination. 
“The settlement reflects implementation of a new system-wide vaccine policy which will include accommodation for team members with approved exemptions, including former employees who are rehired,” it <a href="https://evanstonnow.com/report-northshore-to-pay-10-3m-in-covid-vaccine-settlement/">said</a>. 
The system also said that it still supports, “system-wide, evidence-based vaccination requirements for everyone who works at NorthShore – Edward/Elmhurst Health and thank our team members for helping keep our communities safe.”
The settlement, which Liberty Counsel said was the first of its kind, does not mean an admission of guilt from the hospital system. 
&#8220;NorthShore continues to deny all claims as to wrongdoing, liability, damages, penalties, interest, fees, injunctive relief, and all other forms of relief, as well as the class allegations asserted in the action. This agreement cannot and will not be construed as an admission of liability on any claim or in any form against NorthShore,” it <a href="https://lc.org/072922NorthShoreSettlementAgreement(FILED).pdf">says</a>. 
Those workers who were fired or quit because of the mandate will get about $25,000 each, and those who asked for an exemption but ended up getting the shot will get $3,000. 
Matt Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, told Evanston Now that the settlement should be “a big wakeup call for employers” about “blanket dismissals” for religious exemptions to the vaccine. 
The Northern District Court of Illinois, a federal court, will still need to give final approval to the settlement.

Preparing injection with covid-19 vaccine

Health Care System To Pay Over $10 Million To Workers Who Sued Over Vaccine Mandate, Lawyers Announce

COVID-19 Vaccine

Health Care

Religious Liberty

Vaccine Mandate

Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/j-b-pritzker">J.B. Pritzker</a> (D-IL) blasted Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, formerly the richest man in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/illinois">Illinois</a>, for moving himself and his company from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/chicago">Chicago</a> to Miami, <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/florida">Florida</a>, amid soaring <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/crime">crime</a> in the Windy City.
Griffin — whose $29 billion net worth places him among the 50 richest men on the planet, according to the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">Bloomberg Billionaires Index</a> — moved to Miami after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wealthiest-man-in-illinois-moves-his-business-from-chicago-to-miami-amid-feud-with-democratic-leadership">voicing concerns</a> about the lackluster business environment and rising crime rates in Chicago. He announced last month that Citadel, which manages $51 billion in assets, will likewise relocate to Florida.
In <a href="https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000182-0c83-d06c-afbb-8d9354400000">prepared remarks</a> for a meeting of Florida Democrats last weekend, Pritzker criticized Griffin for leaving Illinois and for supporting Governor <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis">Ron DeSantis</a> (R-FL).
“So like a spoiled rich kid, Griffin announced he was taking his toys and leaving Illinois,” Pritzker said. “Where did he move to? You guessed it. His $400 million, 20-acre Palm Beach estate. And he’s one of Ron DeSantis’ largest donors.”
“Really really sorry about that,” he continued, adding that supporting DeSantis over former President Donald Trump is “a little bit like saying you’ve never been a fan of Darth Vader but you support the Empire’s political agenda.”
Florida, however, saw the nation’s largest net domestic migration between July 2020 and July 2021, with over 220,000 people moving to the state, according to the U.S. <a href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2021/2021-population-estimates.html">Census Bureau</a>. Florida was followed by Texas and Arizona, while New York, California, and Illinois led the nation in terms of numeric decline.
Pritzker also defended the reputation of Chicago which, under the leadership of Mayor <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/lori-lightfoot">Lori Lightfoot</a> (D), recorded <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lightfoots-chicago-records-797-homicides-in-2021-most-among-u-s-cities">797 homicides</a> in 2021 — the highest of any other American city that year.
“Just for the record, Chicago should be no one’s punching bag,” Pritzker argued. “It’s a beautiful city that boasts glorious summer festivals, the very best cultural institutions, entertainment and food, and the kindest and most amazing people you will ever meet. It’s the birthplace of gospel music and the Blues Brothers. It’s where Barack Obama came from. We’re a diverse, compelling place with a proud history.”
Citadel is one of several major companies to move its headquarters out of Chicago in recent months. Construction machinery maker <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/caterpillar-inc-to-move-global-headquarters-out-of-chicago-area-into-texas/2857142/">Caterpillar</a> and airplane manufacturer <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/05/05/boeing-will-move-headquarters-from-chicago-to-dc-metro-area/?sh=2ffb83d863cf">Boeing</a> are respectively moving to Irving, Texas, and Arlington, Virginia.
Nevertheless, the office of Pritzker — with whom Griffin has feuded — said in a statement to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ken-griffin-moving-citadel-from-chicago-to-miami-following-crime-complaints-11655994600">The Wall Street Journal</a> that “countless companies” are still opting to stay.
“We will continue to welcome those businesses — including Kellogg, which just this week announced it is moving its largest headquarters to Illinois — and support emerging industries that are already creating good jobs and investing billions in Illinois, like data centers, electric vehicles and quantum computing,” Pritzker spokeswoman Emily Bittner said.
Chicago is slated to host the Democratic National Convention in 2024. As President Joe Biden’s poll numbers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-americans-even-a-majority-of-democrats-dont-want-biden-to-run-in-2024-poll">continue to fall</a>, many Democrats — including Pritzker and Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) — have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newsom-buys-ad-space-in-florida-desantis-campaign-responds">ventured</a> into the Florida political sphere, fueling speculation of <a href="https://www.wbez.org/stories/pritzkers-florida-speech-fuels-presidential-ambition-buzz/d347918e-7308-4a62-af28-e30d83cdf135">presidential ambitions</a>.

Collage Maker-22-Jul-2022-12.32-PM

Illinois Governor Takes Parting Shot At State’s Richest Man For Moving To Florida

Illinois Governor Pritzker Blasts Billionaire As He Leaves For Florida

Chicago

Florida

Ron DeSantis

The office of Illinois Gov. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/j-b-pritzker">J.B. Pritzker</a> arranged to have the state secretly pay a former campaign aide who had been fired from her government job for stealing after she threatened to use her connections to get out of trouble, a state official claimed in a newly unsealed legal filing.
The state attorney general filed to dismiss the whistleblower&#8217;s lawsuit, which would mean allegations of improper political influence will not be probed. But the now-public allegations tell a disturbing tale of corruption and patronage in the Land of Lincoln.
Jenny Thornley was the chief financial officer and director of legislative policy for the Illinois State Police Merit Board, an anti-patronage agency which exists to &#8220;<a href="https://www.illinoistrooper.com/">remove</a> political influence and provide a fair and equitable merit process.&#8221; Although she lacked a college degree, she boasted on her resume that she has &#8220;been heavily involved with the following IL races at a high level, Cheri Bustos, Tammy Duckworth, Susana Mendoza, JB Pritzker&#8230; and many more,&#8221; according to court documents. Facebook photos picture her with a who&#8217;s who of Democrat elite.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1"></a>
In January 2020, Thornley&#8217;s boss, Jack Garcia, wrote to the Merit Board&#8217;s chairman that he had caught Thornley forging his signature to pad her salary with overtime, according to court documents. Then-Program Administrator Emily Fox &#8212; who is now the Merit Board&#8217;s executive director and who filed the lawsuit &#8212; said, for example, that Thornley billed for 32.5 hours in overtime in September 2019 even though camera footage showed that not only did she not work overtime, but she frequently left during regular hours.<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3"></a>
On January 27, 2020, Thornley texted a mutual friend of her&#8217;s and Garcia&#8217;s and told him, &#8220;Garcia does not know who he is messing with, and that the Governor&#8217;s office would get involved if Mr. Garcia did not back off,&#8221; according to an affidavit.<a href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4"></a>
<div id="attachment_413077" style="width: 246px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-413077" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-413077" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fb3.jpg" alt="" width="236" height="383" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/fb3.jpg 236w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/fb3-185x300.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px" />Jenny Thornley and Nancy Pelosi / Facebook</div>
Four days later, Thornley filed a workers compensation claim saying she had suffered bruising and PTSD from being sexually assaulted by Garcia on January 23, the day after Garcia reported her alleged embezzlement, according to court documents. On the claim form, she listed her employer as the &#8220;Governor&#8217;s office,&#8221; and said that she worked directly for the governor, the documents show.<a href="#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5"></a>
An independent investigation commissioned by the state later found that the next day, Thornley emailed the governor&#8217;s chief of staff Anne Caprara; that she spoke on the phone with Pritzker&#8217;s general counsel, Ann Spillane, and said she &#8220;looks at the Pritzkers as friends&#8221;; and that on February 2, she texted the governor&#8217;s wife, M.K. Pritzker.
On February 3, the Merit Board moved to fire Thornley and seek criminal prosecution, according to lawsuit papers. Around that time, Thornley told the governor’s Deputy General Counsel Scott Lerner that &#8220;I just really want to make sure that this doesn&#8217;t look bad for Governor Pritzker and MK Pritzker,&#8221; the state investigation found.
According to court filings, the governor’s office advised the board to hold off on firing Thornley and instead put both her and Garcia on leave. The governor&#8217;s office also advised the Merit Board to hire the law firm of McGuire Woods to do an independent investigation, Merit Board Chairman Reeve Waud wrote in an email contained in court filings.
<div id="attachment_413078" style="width: 1198px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-413078" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-413078" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/mugshot.jpg" alt="" width="1188" height="694" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/mugshot.jpg 1188w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/mugshot-300x175.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/mugshot-986x576.jpg 986w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/mugshot-768x449.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1188px) 100vw, 1188px" />Jenny Thornley mugshot</div>
McGuire Woods conducted a thorough investigation costing $550,000, the lawsuit says. As it dragged on, leaving Thornley paid and the Merit Board with no leader even though he had passed a lie detector test corroborating that he did not sexually assault her, Waud wrote to the governor’s office in April that “The Board is unanimously of the view that this has gone on long enough, that your intervention was and remains unwise and inappropriate&#8230; If the Governor feels differently, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the entire situation with him.&#8221;<a href="#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6"></a>
<h2>&#8220;Your intervention was and remains unwise and inappropriate&#8230; If the Governor feels differently, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the entire situation with him.&#8221;</h2>
In July, McGuire Woods produced a 133-page report concluding that the evidence showed that Thornley stole from taxpayers, and that it did not support that Garcia sexually assaulted her. It also said that Thornley falsely claimed to have COVID to avoid being interviewed by the investigators. She was fired.<a href="#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7"></a>
But in September 2020, Fox discovered that Thornley had been receiving workers comp, even though she had already been terminated and even though this would normally require the Merit Board, her employer, to be aware of it and have the opportunity to challenge it, according to the lawsuit. A claims adjuster said it was being handled by Kevin Richey at Central Management Services (CMS), an office close to the governor, the suit said.<a href="#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8"></a>
&#8220;Mr. Richey stated he has the authority to override any case, which he did in this particular case,&#8221; Fox wrote in a contemporaneous memo. &#8220;Mr. Richey reiterated he could not provide detailed information, but that the Governor’s Office was involved in all communication and decisions regarding this case&#8230; stating that he must be &#8216;evasive&#8217; with me.&#8221; That meant that Thornley was being paid 75% of her salary, &#8220;tax free with benefits and insurance coverage.&#8221;<a href="#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9"></a>
Garcia attempted to get the Inspector General to investigate the workers comp claim involving Thornley allegedly claiming she worked for the governor, and the governor’s office’s mysterious cooperation, but it did not seem interested, according to the lawsuit.
That led Fox to file a qui tam whistleblower suit, which allows people with knowledge of government fraud to pursue it through the courts, and can allow them to share in recovered funds as a reward.
&#8220;The success of Thornley&#8217;s most recent false statements is a consequence of the direct involvement of the Governor&#8217;s Office,” the lawsuit said. “There is no reason the Governor&#8217;s Office should be involved in Thornley&#8217;s schemes, except for Thornley&#8217;s personal and political relationships with the Governor and/or M.K. Pritzker.&#8221;<a href="#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10"></a>
<div id="attachment_413079" style="width: 630px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-413079" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-413079" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fb1.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="625" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/fb1.jpg 620w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/fb1-298x300.jpg 298w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/fb1-571x576.jpg 571w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/fb1-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px" />Jenny Thornley and JB Pritzker / Facebook</div>
Thornley was indicted on seven felony counts related to the alleged timekeeping fraud in September 2021, and her workers compensation benefits terminated a few days before the indictment. But she has not been charged for filing a workers comp claim over a sexual assault that the government concluded did not occur, or for falsely stating that she worked for a different office.
In December 2021, attorney general Kwame Raoul moved to have the whistleblower complaint thrown out, stating, &#8220;The State moves to dismiss Relator’s Complaint based on an exercise of the State’s discretion to do so.&#8221; The case was dismissed, causing the case to no longer be under seal. Fox intends to appeal.
Four of the five Merit Board members, including Waud, have since been replaced. The legislature inserted a provision into a spending bill that had the effect of forcing Garcia out of his position.
A spokesman for Gov. Pritzker did not return a request for comment from The Daily Wire.
Thomas Devore, a Republican running to replace Raoul as attorney general who has studied the case, said &#8220;this is exactly why our state is corrupt. These kind of issues on a grand scale are exactly why people don’t trust the government.”

Illinois Governor’s Office Made Secret Payments To Former Campaign Aide After She Was Caught Stealing From Taxpayers, Lawsuit Says

Illinois Gov. Pritzker’s Office Made Secret Payments To Former Campaign Aide After She Was Caught Stealing From Taxpayers, Lawsuit Says

Fraud

Nancy Pelosi

Podcaster Megyn Kelly slammed the family members of the suspected Highland Park shooter and said they need to &#8220;be a better parent&#8221; because &#8220;our society depends on you.&#8221;
During Wednesday&#8217;s Sirius XM &#8220;The Megyn Kelly Show&#8221; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izvtTKY6B4s">podcast</a>, the host spoke with Chicago-based columnist John Kass about the Independence Day tragedy. Kelly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izvtTKY6B4s">claimed</a> that society is often hesitant to scrutinize mass shooters&#8217; families, and maybe reversing that tendency would stop future massacres.
&#8220;Well, it got me thinking, maybe we&#8217;re putting, maybe we&#8217;re too reluctant to take a hard look at the families who produce these mass shooters,&#8221; the host said. &#8220;If your son is a sociopath, that&#8217;s one thing. You can&#8217;t therapize him out of it.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="How SHAME Can Help Reduce the Number of Mass Shootings, with John Kass" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/izvtTKY6B4s?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;But if your son is somebody who was, a well child in terms of his brain chemistry,&#8221; she added. &#8220;And got bullied or just didn&#8217;t fit in. And became reclusive and became obsessed with online sites like 4-Chan or whatever it is, and you, in this case, understood he was suicidal as recently as 2019.&#8221;
&#8220;And then you assist him in getting a firearm [as has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-reveal-how-highland-park-shooter-was-able-to-buy-guns-despite-threatening-to-kill-everyone">reported</a>],&#8221; Kelly continued. &#8220;And the uncle, who I guess reportedly may have lived with them&#8230;He comes out and says &#8216;there were no signs&#8217; that would make him. Bulls***! Be a better uncle. Be a better parent. Our society depends on you. Our free society can only do so much.&#8221;
The former Fox News anchor added that we as a society can &#8220;do more,&#8221; but &#8220;there are limits to our powers.&#8221; She noted how the family of the alleged <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-highland-park-mass-shooting-suspect-confesses-to-firing-more-than-80-shots-at-parade-attendees-prosecutors-say">shooter</a> and needed to &#8220;pay attention.&#8221;
Kass replied that back in the day, when he was a young boy surrounded by Greek immigrants, there was a &#8220;feature&#8221; in this country called &#8220;shame.&#8221;
&#8220;Shame was the overriding cudgel when I grew up,&#8221; the columnist noted. &#8220;Shame was a real thing, and not only for Greeks but for everybody in this country. Like &#8216;what will the neighbors say&#8217;&#8230;I think that we&#8217;ve forgotten that.&#8221;
&#8220;That shame can inspire people to behave better and judgment is required,&#8221; he added.

Key Speakers At Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Conference

‘Bulls***’: Megyn Kelly Slams Family Of Highland Park Shooter, ‘Be A Better Parent,’ ‘Our Society Depends On You’

Megyn Kelly Slams Family Of Highland Park Shooter, ‘Be A Better Parent,’ ‘Our Society Depends On You'

Megyn Kelly

If the Highland Park parade murder suspect&#8217;s gun was legally purchased, as officials say, strict state and local gun laws were powerless to stop the Independence Day massacre.
The Daily Wire is not naming the suspect, or his family members, due to a company policy aimed at depriving mass shooters of the notoriety they often crave.
A gunman perched atop a local business killed seven and injured dozens more after opening fire on a Monday Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois. The gun used, a Smith &amp; Wesson M&amp;P15 semi-automatic rifle, was purchased legally in 2020 despite the alleged killer’s documented history of threatening and suicidal actions.
Illinois has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States, and gun control groups consistently rank the state high on their lists for gun safety. <a href="https://www.everytown.org/state/illinois/">Everytown For Gun Safety</a> ranks Illinois sixth in the nation for “Gun Law Strength.” The <a href="https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-laws/states/illinois/">Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence</a>, a non-profit launched by former Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, scores Illinois gun laws an “A-.”
“Illinois has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, and much of its gun violence is due to guns trafficked in from neighboring states with weak laws,” the Giffords Law Center says of Illinois.
The gun used in the Highland Park mass shooting was bought legally under the current slate of Illinois gun restrictions. The alleged gunman also purchased several other firearms in addition to the Smith &amp; Wesson M&amp;P15 after obtaining a firearm owners identification (<a href="https://link.axios.com/click/28290243.95/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaXNwZnNiLmNvbS9QdWJsaWMvRk9JRC5hc3B4P3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1zZW5kdG9fbG9jYWxuZXdzbGV0dGVydGVzdCZzdHJlYW09dG9w/612428039e4cf5278e161cc7B4af4d0e6/email">FOID</a>) card from the Illinois State Police, according to authorities.
Lake County Deputy Sheriff Chris Covelli <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX5StF0Cxk4">said</a> Tuesday that authorities dealt with the suspected gunman on at least two instances prior to the Highland Park massacre. In April 2019, Highland Park police visited the alleged gunman’s parents’ home, where the suspect lived, after receiving a tip that the suspect had attempted suicide.
“The matter was being handled by mental health professionals at that time. There was no law enforcement action to be taken, it was a mental health issue handled by those professionals,” Covelli said.
The second instance took place in September 2019 when a family member reported the suspect to police for saying “he was going to kill everyone,” Covelli said. Police officers again responded and confiscated a collection of 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword. No further police action was taken after members of the suspect’s family refused to sign an official police complaint.
“At that time, there was no probable cause to arrest. There were no complaints that were signed by any of the victims. The Highland Park Police Department did, however, immediately notify the Illinois State Police of the incident,” Covelli said.
Four months after the September incident, the Illinois State Police (ISP) approved a request from the suspected gunman for a FOID, necessary to purchase a firearm in Illinois. The suspect then bought several guns in 2020 and 2021, one of them being the firearm used in the Monday mass shooting.
ISP officials said that because the suspect was never arrested, law enforcement had no grounds to deny him the FOID. “No one, including family, was willing to move forward on a complaint” after the September 2019 incident, ISP officials told <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2022/07/07/highland-park-shooter-robert-crimo-guns">Axios</a>. “There was insufficient basis to establish a clear and present danger and deny the FOID application.”
The suspect’s father sponsored and cosigned the suspect’s application for the FOID. The father&#8217;s attorney <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-highland-park-gun-trace-20220706-3z6krxp2irb4pi7cj6y3ak3r4e-story.html?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top">claimed</a> that the father was unaware of the September 2019 incident when he sponsored the FOID. According to ISD officials, the suspect&#8217;s father later retrieved the items confiscated in September 2019, claiming they “were his and they were being stored in the [son’s] closet for safekeeping.”
Because the shooting occurred after the suspect turned 21, the suspect&#8217;s father is free from liability as a sponsor and co-signer of the suspect’s FOID, however, Axios reported.
Illinois is one of 19 states in the U.S. that have a “red flag law” in effect, according to <a href="https://www.everytown.org/solutions/extreme-risk-laws/">Everytown</a>. The law allows family members or law enforcement to petition a judge to temporarily restrict someone’s ability to purchase a firearm if they are deemed a threat to the community or themselves. The law has its limits, however, as seen in Highland Park when the suspect&#8217;s family failed to raise the alarm over his repeated instances of mental instability.
In addition to the red flag law, Illinois mandates that gun purchasers apply for and receive a FOID, then pass a state background check in order to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed dealer.

Illinois’ Strict Gun Laws Failed To Stop The Suspected Highland Park Shooter

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/over-1-million-raised-for-2-year-old-who-lost-both-parents-in-highland-park-shooting">two-year-old boy</a> who lost both parents during the July 4 Highland Park, Illinois, mass <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shooting-sends-4th-of-july-parade-into-chaos-multiple-feared-injured-or-dead">shooting</a> Monday was protected from the 80-round fusillade by his dying father, according to the boy’s grandfather. 
Kevin McCarthy, 37, died shielding young Aiden after a shooter climbed atop a business roof and fired into a crowd of parade goers Monday. Aiden’s mother Irina McCarthy, 35, also was among the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/highland-park-death-toll-rises-to-7-officials-release-victims-names">seven killed</a> in the mass shooting, tragically leaving the boy an orphan. 
Aiden’s maternal grandfather Michael Levberg <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/5/23195969/highland-park-mass-shooting-fourth-july-parade-irina-kevin-mccarthy-aiden-victims">told</a> the Chicago Sun-Times that the boy&#8217;s father “had Aiden under his body when he was shot.” The toddler was found “walking the street” alone after the shooting, according to his grandfather. 
When Levberg picked up Aiden from the police station, he said his grandson told him, “Mommy and Daddy are coming soon.” 
The boy’s paternal grandmother Margo McCarthy joined the family during the parade and was reportedly struck by a bullet in the ear and survived. 
“She was holding Aiden when the shooting started,” Margo’s cousin Montgomery Kersten told the Sun-Times. “As she fell, Aiden was under his father,” Kersten said. “I’m sure it was God looking out for him. The Lord saved Aiden and saved Margo.”
After Aiden was separated from his parents during the shooting, the two-year-old was taken by good Samaritans Dana and Greg Ring, who had found him with another person who was in shock, CBS Chicago <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/both-parents-of-toddler-killed-in-highland-park-mass-shooting/">reported</a>.
“​​She was physically shaking, her whole body, which told us that … she shouldn’t be having to hold, and/or deal with a little one at the same time,” Dana Ring explained.
The couple tried to locate Aiden’s parents but were unsuccessful, describing the scene as “carnage.” The Rings then took the child to a fire station where a police detective later picked him up and managed to locate his grandparents.
The day after the shooting, a GoFundMe was set up for Aiden and, within four hours, it surpassed $1 million in donations. 
“At two years old, Aiden is left in the unthinkable position; to grow up without his parents,” the GoFundMe <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/irina-and-kevin-mccarthy">page</a> organized by Irina Colon states. “Aiden will be cared for by his loving family and he will have a long road ahead to heal, find stability, and ultimately navigate life as an orphan. He is surrounded by a community of friends and extended family that will embrace him with love, and any means available to ensure he has everything he needs as he grows.”
The GoFundMe page says that the money will go toward helping “the caregivers who will be tasked with raising, caring for, and supporting Aiden as he and his support system embark on this unexpected journey.”
Aiden’s fundraiser has now raised over $2.5 million.

Highland Park Memorial

Highland Park Father Died Shielding Toddler Son During July 4 Mass Shooting, Family Says

Highland Park Father Died Shielding Two-Year-Old Son During July 4 Mass Shooting, Family Says

Shooting

The 21-year-old suspected of killing seven people and injuring dozens more over the weekend during Highland Park, Illinois’ July 4th parade has allegedly confessed, prosecutors say.
The suspect, who is not being named per Daily Wire policy, allegedly told police that he fired more than 80 shots from a rooftop above the parade route, the Chicago Sun-Times <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/6/23196101/highland-park-mass-shooting-suspect-robert-crimo-iii-ordered-held-without-bond">reported</a>. Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon told the judge at the Lake County courthouse on Wednesday that the suspect made “a voluntary statement confessing to his actions.”
Dillon further told the judge that the suspect, who faces seven counts of first-degree murder, confessed to finding a position on a rooftop along the parade route and “looked down his sights and opened fire.” Dillon added that police discovered 83 shell casings on that rooftop.
Five people died at the scene, while two more died after being taken to a hospital. More than two dozen people were hit during the attack.
The suspect was concerned that police would recognize him following the shooting, so he dressed in women’s clothing and makeup to cover his tattoos and avoid detection. He climbed down a fire escape and disappeared into the crowd, leaving the rifle he used on the rooftop. Police were able to identify him from surveillance cameras, however.
The suspect then went to his mother’s house and drove her car to Madison, Wisconsin in a <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/07/05/suspected-highland-park-parade-gunman-traveled-madison-wisconsin-afterward-robert-crimo/7815967001/">possible</a> attempt to throw off authorities. The suspect left his phone, which was being tracked by police, in Madison, and then drove back to Chicago where he was arrested.
While the suspect had no criminal record, he had been on the police’s radar due to two calls from family members in 2019. The first call came in response to a suicide attempt, and the second came from a family member who said the suspect threatened to “kill everybody.” That family member also told police at the time that the suspect had a large collection of knives. Police removed 16 knives, one dagger, and one sword from the suspect’s home before filing a “clear and present danger report” with the Illinois State Police, the Sun-Times reported.
Despite this determination, the suspect was able to purchase the firearms used in the Independence Day attack because his father co-signed his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, something all gun owners in Illinois must have, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-reveal-how-highland-park-shooter-was-able-to-buy-guns-despite-threatening-to-kill-everyone">reported</a>. At the time the card was issued, the suspect was just 19, even though the minimum age in Illinois to purchase a firearm is 21.
His bail was denied on Wednesday. While he is thus far charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, he also faces &#8220;dozens&#8221; more charges in relation to Monday&#8217;s shooting, according to Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart.
This report has been updated to include additional information.

Multiple people shot at July 4 parade in US state of Illinois

Highland Park Mass Shooting Suspect Confesses To Firing More Than 80 Shots At Parade Attendees, Prosecutors Say

Crime

Kevin and Irina McCarthy’s lives tragically ended Monday after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shooting-sends-4th-of-july-parade-into-chaos-multiple-feared-injured-or-dead">shooter</a> allegedly climbed to the rooftop of a Highland Park, Illinois, building and gunned down a crowd celebrating the July Fourth holiday. Their deaths left two-year-old Aiden orphaned.
Aiden was separated from his parents Kevin, 37, and Irina, 35, as dozens fled the chaotic scene while gunfire rained down on them. The parents were among the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/highland-park-death-toll-rises-to-7-officials-release-victims-names">seven killed</a> in the shooting. Just a day after the tragedy, a GoFundMe was set up for the orphaned toddler, and within four hours, it surpassed $1 million in donations.
“At two years old, Aiden is left in the unthinkable position; to grow up without his parents,” the GoFundMe <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/irina-and-kevin-mccarthy">page</a> organized by Irina Colon states. “Aiden will be cared for by his loving family and he will have a long road ahead to heal, find stability, and ultimately navigate life as an orphan. He is surrounded by a community of friends and extended family that will embrace him with love, and any means available to ensure he has everything he needs as he grows.”
After Aiden was separated from his parents during the shooting, the two-year-old was taken by strangers Dana and Greg Ring, who had found him with another stranger who was in shock, CBS Chicago <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/both-parents-of-toddler-killed-in-highland-park-mass-shooting/">reported</a>.
“​​She was physically shaking, her whole body, which told us that &#8230; she shouldn&#8217;t be having to hold, and/or deal with a little one at the same time,” Dana Ring explained.
The couple tried to locate Aiden’s parents but were unsuccessful, describing the scene as “carnage.&#8221; Dana and Greg then took the unharmed child to a fire station where a police detective later picked him up and placed him in the care of his grandparents at the hospital.
At the time of publishing, Aiden’s fundraiser had reached $1.3 million. The GoFundMe page says that the money will go toward helping “the caregivers who will be tasked with raising, caring for, and supporting Aiden as he and his support system embark on this unexpected journey.”

Highland Park Shooting

Over $1 Million Raised For 2-Year-Old Who Lost Both Parents In Highland Park Shooting

Fundraiser For 2-Year-Old Who Lost Both Parents In Highland Park Shooting Hits Over $1 Million

GoFundMe

The man accused of shooting dozens of people at a parade in Illinois on Independence Day was able to purchase the firearms used in the attack because his father co-signed his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, which gun owners must have in that state.
The revelation comes after local law enforcement officials revealed earlier in the day that the suspect had already been on law enforcement&#8217;s radar due to a pair of incidents that happened back in 2019, including the suspect attempting suicide followed by an alleged threat to &#8220;kill everyone&#8221; several months later.
The Daily Wire is not naming the suspect due to company policy about not giving notoriety to mass killers because <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-daily-wire-will-no-longer-publish-names-or-ben-shapiro">studies</a> suggest that the media’s coverage of mass shootings sparks more mass shootings.
&#8220;At the time of the incident, [the suspect] did not have a FOID card to revoke, and did not have a pending FOID application to deny,&#8221; Fox 32 <a href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/highland-park-shooting-police-to-provide-update-after-7th-victim-dies-in-parade-shooting">reported</a>. &#8220;Then, in December 2019, at 19, [the suspect] applied for a FOID card and was sponsored by his father. At the time, [Illinois State Police] said there were insufficient bases to establish a clear and present danger and deny the application.&#8221;&#8216;
Axios reporter Monica Eng said that ISP did not have the basis to deny the suspect the FOID card because the suspect&#8217;s family did not press charges against him after he allegedly threatened to &#8220;kill everyone.&#8221;
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Christopher Covelli <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-police-were-told-in-2019-that-parade-shooter-vowed-to-kill-everyone-did-not-arrest-him">detailed</a> at a press conference earlier in the day the incidents from 2019 that law enforcement officials responded to.
“I’m going to relay some information from two prior instances that occurred here in Highland Park,” Covelli said. “The first was in April of 2019. An individual contacted Highland Park Police Department a week after learning of [the suspect] attempting suicide. This was a delayed report, so Highland Park still responded to the residence a week later, spoke with [the suspect], spoke with [the suspect’s] parents, and the matter was being handled by mental health professionals at that time, there was no law enforcement action to be taken. It was a mental health issue and handled by those professionals.”
“The second occurred in September of 2019,” Covelli continued. “A family member reported that [the suspect] said he was going to kill everyone and [the suspect] had a collection of knives. The police responded to his residence, the police removed 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword from [the suspect’s] home. At that time, there was no probable cause to arrest, there were no complaints that were signed by any of the victims. The Highland Park Police Department, however, did immediately notify the Illinois State Police of the incident.”
This report has been updated to include additional information.

US-NEWS-CHICAGO-PARADE-SHOOTING-4-TB

Officials Reveal How Highland Park Shooter Was Able To Buy Guns Despite Threatening To ‘Kill Everyone’

Highland Park Shooter’s Father Sponsored Firearm Owners Identification Card Application

Police

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