FOR JOINING US ON CHICAGO TONIGHT.

I'M NICK BLUMBERG.

BRANDIS FRIEDMAN HAS THE EVENING OFF.

HERE'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS AN ABUSER.

LOCAL REACTION AFTER DONALD TRUMP IS INVITED TO SPEAK AT A BLACK JOURNALISTS CONVENTION THIS WEEK IN CHICAGO, OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON THAT AND MORE.

AND A HIGH NUMBER OF TORNADOES HAVE HIT ILLINOIS ALREADY THIS LOOK AT THE ROLE CLIMATE CHANGE MAY PLAY.

AND NOW SOME TODAY'S TOP STORIES, ACTIVIST AND FAMILY MEMBERS DEMAND JUSTICE FOR SONYA MASSEY.

THE 36 YEAR-OLD SPRINGFIELD RESIDENT WAS SHOT AND KILLED EARLIER THIS MONTH BY SAYING COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SEAN GRAYSON, REVEREND AL SHARPTON AND CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY BEN CRUMP, WHO IS REPRESENTING MASSEY'S FAMILY ARE IN TOWN FOR THE RALLY IN WEST GARFIELD PARK.

GRAYSON WAS FIRED AFTER THE SHOOTING ADVOCATES HAD PLANNED TO PUSH BACK ON A GRIEVANCE FILED BY THE ILLINOIS FOP LABOR COUNCIL TO GET GRAYSON REINSTATED.

BUT HOURS AGO THAT ORGANIZATION SAID IT HAD DECIDED NOT TO PURSUE THE CHALLENGE, NOTING THAT IT'S STANDARD TO FILE A GRIEVANCE SWIFTLY PENDING FURTHER REVIEW.

THE COUNCIL SAYS IN A STATEMENT, QUOTE, OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AND TO OUR MEMBERS DO NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE SYMPATHY.

WE FEEL FOR THE FAMILY AND LOVED ONES OF SONYA MASSEY.

OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THEM.

AND WITH ALL THOSE IMPACTED BY THIS TRAGEDY.

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITIES NEED 1.4 BILLION DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC FUNDING TO MEET THEIR MISSION.

THAT WAS THE MESSAGE FROM LAWMAKERS, UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS AND ADVOCATES TODAY WHO SAY STATE SCHOOLS AREN'T MEETING THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS OF COLOR AND LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.

LEGISLATORS HAVE JUST FILED A BILL CALLING FOR A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO FUNDING PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES ALLOCATING MONEY BASED ON THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND THE SCHOOLS WHERE THEY'RE ENROLLED.

THE BILL COMES AFTER A MULTI-YEAR STUDY OF THE STATE'S PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM THAT FOUND MAJOR DISPARITIES AND EQUITY GAPS.

THE STATE'S CURRENT FUNDING SYSTEM IS BROKEN.

IT DOES NOT CONSIDER STUDENT NEEDS OR UNIVERSITIES REALITIES OR STATE PRIOR THIS.

INSTEAD, IT IS LARGELY A POLITICAL DRIVEN PROCESS THAT ENTRENCHES HISTORIC INEQUITIES.

WE DO NOT NEED TO FURTHER ANY MORE SUSPECTS.

WE DO NOT NEED ANY MORE COMMISSIONS.

THAT DATA HAS TOLD US THE TRUTH.

NEED ACTION.

LIGHTFOOT SAYS THE PROPOSAL WOULD BOOST PUBLIC FUNDING BY 135 MILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS EACH YEAR FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

DISGRACED SINGER R KELLY WANTS THE SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW HIS ABUSE CONVICTION.

KELLY WAS CONVICTED IN 2022 OF 3 COUNTS RELATED TO CHILD AND ENTICEMENT STEMMING FROM HIS ABUSE OF HIS.

THEN 14 YEAR-OLD GODDAUGHTER AND OTHER MINERS IN THE LATE 90'S.

AND EARLY 2, THOUSANDS, HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEYS CLAIM THE CHARGES WERE BARRED BY THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.

A CLAIM THAT A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT HAS PREVIOUSLY REJECTED.

LAST WEEK, KELLY'S LAWYERS FILED A PETITION FOR THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT TO TAKE UP THE CASE.

KELLY IS CURRENTLY IN PRISON IN NORTH CAROLINA SERVING A 30 YEAR SENTENCE FOR A FEDERAL CONVICTION IN NEW YORK.

UP NEXT, ILLINOIS TAKES ON TORNADOES.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AFTER THIS.

CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART WHY THE ALEXANDRA AND JOHN NICHOLS FAMILY.

THE GYM AND K MAYBE FAMILY.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION.

AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE ILLINOIS IS STILL ASSESSING THE DAMAGE AFTER A SERIES OF SEVERE STORMS HIT THE STATE 2 WEEKS AGO.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS SO FAR REPORTED.

31 TORNADOES SURPASSING THE PREVIOUS DAILY RECORD OF 22 MEASURED JUST LAST YEAR.

WHILE THERE'S DEBATE OVER HOW THE STORMS SHOULD BE DEFINED, RESEARCHERS ARE LOOKING INTO THE FACTORS LEADING TO EXTREME WEATHER AND HOW TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES.

JOINING US WITH MORE ON THIS, OUR SCOTT COLLIS, A SCIENTIST AND DEPARTMENT HEAD AT THE ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY AND TRENT FORT, THE ILLINOIS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

AND WELCOME BACK TO CHICAGO TONIGHT.

SCOTT, I'D LIKE TO START WITH YOU.

PLEASE.

ARE WE BETTER ABLE TO PREDICT TORNADOS OR IS IT MORE THAT WE IDENTIFY THE INGREDIENTS THAT FUEL THEM?

THE ANSWER IS, NEW TECHNOLOGY FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, INCLUDING ADVANCED UP THE RAIN OUT TO A PARLIAMENTARY GRADE.

A AND YOU WANT ON FULL COST TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED.

ALLOW US TO BOTH DETECT AND PREDICT WHAT KIND OF STORMS ARE GOING TO LEAD TO THE KIND OF CONDITIONS.

THE PRODUCE A TORNADO OUTBREAK THAT IT COULD IN CHICAGO AROUND JULY.

15TH.

SO WE CAN SORT OF SEE THESE INGREDIENTS IN THE MAKING AND BE ABLE TO WARN FOLKS, THAT'S CORRECT.

YOUNG PEOPLE IS THIS MISCONCEPTION THAT MORE TORNADOES HAPPEN IN THE U.S. THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD, WHICH VERY GOOD AT DETECTING THEM AND VERY, VERY GOOD AT WARNING FOR THEM.

NOW, TRENT, YOU KNOW, STORMS OF THIS SEVERITY, SHOULD WE BE EXPECTING MORE AND MORE OF THESE IN THE COMING YEARS OR WAS THIS A PARTICULARLY RARE STORM SYSTEM THAT WE SAW?

I THINK BOTH COULD BE THIS WAS AN EXTREME EVENT, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT THE LARGEST SINGLE DAY TORNADO PHYSICIAN COUNTERED CHICO COUNTY WANT WARNING AND EXTREME NG, YOU NO MATTER WHAT THE RECORD BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND THINGS LIKE EXTREME EXTREME COLD, PRETTY AND THE EASY TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO REALLY SEVERE WEATHER.

I LIKE WHAT WE SAW WAS THIS KIND OF STORM STORMS CREATE TORNADOES.

HAIL.

CONNECTIONS ARE A BIT LESS WHAT WE DO SEE IS THAT OVER THE LAST 30, 40 YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN TRENDS OF INCREASING TORNADO ACTIVITY, ESPECIALLY EAST OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER, PARTICULARLY IN THE MID SOUTH.

BUT COMING UP IN THE MIDWEST AS WELL, WHETHER OR NOT THIS THE CLIMATE CHANGE IS TO BE A CONNECTION THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLIDIFIED AS WELL AS LOOKING AT PROJECTIONS INTO THE FUTURE.

SO AS AS GET MORE ADVANCES, COMPUTATION GOOD.

MORE ADVANCED WERE ABLE TO SEE MORE AND MORE OF THOSE CONNECTIONS.

WE'RE STARTING TO RESEARCH LAST 10 YEARS OR YOU LOSE TODAY, SOME OF THOSE CONNECTIONS THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CONNECTION BETWEEN TORNADO FREQUENCY, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDWEST, MID SOUTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

I THINK A LOT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO TO REALLY SOLIDIFY WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS IS CERTAINLY LOOK AT COMMUNITY PLANNING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES.

WHAT THAT MEANS FOR STORMS LIKE WHAT WE SAW IN JULY.

15TH.

YEAH.

AND WHAT MORE WOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR, TRENT?

YOU KNOW WHAT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE THAT MIGHT HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT QUESTION A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

YES.

SO JUST USE A TERRIBLE THE TOOLS THAT WE USE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT PROJECTIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FUTURE.

WE CAN THINK OF THOSE KIND OF BROAD SCALE TOOLS.

HATCHET, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE A TORNADO OR A TORNADO PRODUCING SYSTEM, OFTENTIMES VERY FINE SCALE PROCESSES THAT LEAD TO THAT.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY REQUIRES MORE OF A SCALPEL KIND OF LOOKS RIGHT NOW.

SCIENTISTS ARE USING HATCHET FOR SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES MORE OF A SCALPEL.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE GOT TO GET DOWN OR MODELS IN THE COMPUTATION TO GET DOWN TO THE SCALES IN THE PROCESSEES THAT ARE ACTUALLY DRIVING THE STORMS.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND MORE AND MORE.

WE'RE ABLE TO GET CLOSE TO THEIR ACTUALLY.

SCOTT CAN TELL YOU ABOUT ALL THE WORK THEY'RE DOING ARE GONE WITH SUPERCOMPUTING AND OTHER MODELING SYSTEMS TO TRY TO GET DOWN TO THAT SCALE.

THE THE ADVANCEMENTS MADE OF THE LAST 10 ARE ARE UNPRECEDENTED.

I EXPECT THOSE THOSE ADVANCES TO ACCELERATE THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

SO OUR STAR RESEARCHERS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER.

BUT I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP OR THAT THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND TORNADOES, TREE ACTIVITY IN THE U.S. IS SO CLEAR THAT WE CAN MAKE STATEMENTS TO SAY WE'LL EXPECT MORE JULY 15TH IN THE FUTURE.

FOR EXAMPLE.

WELL, I'M NOT A SCIENCE GUY.

SO EVEN IF IT'S A BAD ANALOGY, I WILL ABSOLUTELY TAKE A I MEAN, WHAT ABOUT THAT?

GOT TO ME, WHAT WHAT SORT OF WORK.

AND WE DOING IT.

YOU KNOW, THINGS I MAY BE PLAYING A ROLE IN THE MODELING HERE.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO KIND OF BUILDING WANT TRENT SAID IS AS WE KIND OF ZOOM IN FURTHER AND FOR THE WEEKEND WE START TO RESOLVE THESE FEATURES WILL THE LIVES OF THE FEATURE, THE EASIER IT IS BUILD THAT CONNECTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

HURRICANES, EASY, HEATWAVES, EASY.

LOT OF STORMS ARE COMPLETE.

HE WAS TOLD IS KIND OF COMES DOWN TO WARM A AND HOLDS MORE WATER.

IF YOU INCREASE THE TEMPERATURE OF A BY ONE DEGREE CELSIUS, 1.8 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

IT DOES.

THE AMOUNT OF WOULD HOPE GOES UP BY 7% TORNADOES AND THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT MAKE TORNADOES LOVE MOISTURE.

THEY NEED THAT MOISTURE TO PERSIST WHEN IT COMES TO A CITY LIKE CHICAGO.

AND BY THE WITH BUSTED THE YOU DO NOT GET TORNADOES.

COUPLE OF WAYS.

NOW GREW UP BELIEVING IT WRONG.

I WAS NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO HAVE HIGHER RESOLUTION STUDY, BASICALLY A BETTER DIGITAL CAMERA GIVES YOU MORE DETAIL.

WE ALSO NEED TO BUILD NEW PHYSICS INTO THE CLIMATE MODELS.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE PHYSICS OF CITIES, THE PHYSICS OF THESE SMALL SCALE STRUCTURES.

THE PHYSICS, FRANKLY, HAVE A LAKE INTERACTS WITH THE CITY AS WELL.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING AND ON THAT GROUPS, INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY ILLINOIS IN THAN A CHAMPAIGN ARE DOING IS TAKING THOSE NEW MEASURES TO BUILD THE NEW PHYSICS INTO THAT COMPUTER CODE THAT RUNS ON OUR OR A SUPERCOMPUTER.

WELL, AND SPEAKING OF, YOU KNOW, EXTREME HEAT WHICH WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, TORNADOES GET A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT EXTREME HEAT, WHICH WE KNOW IS DRIVEN BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

IS PRETTY DEADLY.

ANY WHAT KIND OF AN IMPACT IS THAT HAVING A PLACE LIKE CHICAGO EXTREME HATE?

IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE A BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE LIKE TWIST AS KUZ.

IT HAPPENED.

SLOW AND IT'S VERY AND SIP A IN THAT WAY.

IN THE 30 YEARS UP TO 2022, AROUND ABOUT 76 PEOPLE.

KILLED BY TORNADOES OVER 170 PEOPLE.

YEAH.

KILLED BY EXTREME HEAT AND EXTREME DISCRIMINATES BECAUSE IT WILL GO OFF TO THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

THOSE WITHOUT ACCESS TO CONDITIONING, THOSE THAT CANNOT TAKE REST BREAKS AND THOSE WITH UNDERLYING COMORBIDITIES AT THE SAME TIME.

YEAH.

WELL, IT IN TREND.

THERE WERE NO DEATHS DURING THIS MONTH'S STORMS.

YOU KNOW, HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE TRACKING AND WARNING SYSTEMS WE HAVE AND IN PARTICULAR, WHAT'S THE POTENTIAL RISK IF THEY LOSE GOVERNMENT FUNDING AS SOME HAVE PROPOSED?

YEAH.

SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WHAT SCOTT MENTIONED MAYBE SOME FOLKS HAVE GOING ON SCENE TWISTERS, RIGHT?

AND THOSE KIND OF MOVIES STAY SORT OF SCENARIO.

WELL, WE HAD A FEW MONDAYS AGO WAS CLOSE TO WE HAD DOZENS LITERALLY DOZENS OF TORNADOES IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA AT NIGHT WHEN PEOPLE ARE MORE VULNERABLE WITH A FAST-MOVING SYSTEM, MEANING THAT THE WARNING TIME WAS LESS THAN IT WOULD BE TIPPED FOR A TYPICAL KIND OF SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM.

AND YET THERE WERE NO DEATHS.

AND THAT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT SOME SORT OF MIRACLE, THAT'S THE WORK OF RESOURCES AND RESEARCH AND JUST THE HARD WORK OF FOLKS, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN COUNTY AND STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND IT'S GOT THOSE KIND OF EVENTS WE HAD A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT REALLY SHOW THE VALUE OF OF INVESTMENTS IN THOSE SERVICES, PARTICULARLY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

SO YOU WANT TO GET NICE DAYS LIKE SORT OF WHAT WE HAD TODAY A LITTLE BIT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE NICE DAYS WHEN YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT THE WEATHER TOO MUCH, WE CAN TAKE THOSE SERVICES FOR GRANTED, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WE DEDICATE THE RESOURCES AND APPRECIATION TO NATIONAL ISSUES THAT IT DESERVES BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE ANOTHER EVENT LIKE WHAT WE HAD COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WARNINGS ARE ACCURATE.

THEY'RE TIMELY AND THEY CAN GET A SAFE.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED ON MONDAY LAST MONDAY.

AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN DEDICATE THOSE RESOURCES TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER IS JUST AS PARAMOUNT.

IT'S THESE KIND OF EVENTS THAT REALLY SHOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS SKY.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE OFTEN HIT HARDEST BY SEVERE WEATHER LIKE TORNADOES.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO TO TRY MITIGATE THAT, TO PROTECT THOSE ILLINOIS AND IN A CHANGING CLIMATE?

IT'S VITAL THAT WE HAVE A JUST TRANSITION TO CLIMATE RESILIENCY BECAUSE THIS WAS A TERRIBLE TORNADO OUTBREAK, BUT IS PROBABLY ONE OF US WINS SO FAST.

SO BUILDING RESILIENCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT COMMUNITIES.

WELL, ANDERSON, BUILDING CELL TO SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE SHELTER JUNE.

THESE EVENTS GOING FOR IS SUPER IMPORTANT.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

SCOTT COLLEGE, TRENT FORD, THANK YOU BOTH TO FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

AND UP NEXT, THIS WEEK, SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.

SO STAY WITH US.

CHICAGO BRACES FOR FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ARRIVAL TOMORROW TO SPEAK AT A CONVENTION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME THAT CONTROVERSIAL APPEARANCE WAS BEING ANNOUNCED.

GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER APPEARED ON A WHITE DUDE IS FOR HARRIS ZOOM CALL ALREADY HERE.

WITH ALL THAT AND MORE IS OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS AND OF IN A KEY AND HEATHER, SURE FIRST OFF, LET'S GET RIGHT TO THAT SURPRISING ANNOUNCEMENT JUST YESTERDAY NIGHT THAT TRUMP IS SCHEDULED TO BE INTERVIEWED AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS CONVENTION TOMORROW.

HERE'S HOW MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON REACTED TO THAT NEWS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PREPARED AS A CITY.

IF HE DECIDES TO ACTUALLY ARRIVE IN CHICAGO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NASTINESS IN THE INIQUITOUS FORMATION THAT HE BRINGS THAT THAT DOESN'T.

STAY IN THE SOUTH OF CHICAGO.

SO HAVING THIS PIN, PLENTY OF BACKLASH ALREADY FROM ANY PJ MEMBERS FROM CHICAGO.

THERE'S A PROTEST SCHEDULED TO COINCIDE WITH TRUMP'S ARRIVAL.

YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF RECEPTION HAS HE GOTTEN ON PREVIOUS VISITS WERE NOT NECESSARILY HIS FAVORITE CITY KNOW HE IS TARGETED CHICAGO A NUMBER OF TIMES WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE.

AND OF COURSE, BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED, HE HAD TO CANCEL A PLANNED RALLY HERE IN CHICAGO ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO BECAUSE OF MASSIVE PROTESTS THAT REALLY ERUPTED AROUND THE ARENA, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE PAVILION.

AND OF COURSE, HE ONLY TRAVELED TO CHICAGO ONCE WHILE PRESIDENT BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2019 WHEN HE SPOKE AT A U.S.

HE GAVE A SPEECH THAT REALLY ATTACKED CHICAGO AS BEING LESS SAFE THAN AFGHANISTAN.

OF COURSE, THAT'S FALSE.

AND HE REALLY TARGETED.

THEN SUPERINTENDENT EDDIE JOHNSON WHO SKIPPED THAT SPEECH IN SORT OF PROTEST OF TRUMP'S ATTEMPT TO YANK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GRANTS FROM CHICAGO.

AND OF COURSE, THERE WERE MASSIVE PROTESTS OUTSIDE TRUMP TOWER DURING THAT SPEECH, EVEN THOUGH THE PRESIDENT DID NOT EVEN SPEND THE NIGHT IN CHICAGO.

SO IT'S UNCLEAR WHEN HE WILL ARRIVE TOMORROW, WHETHER HE WILL SPEND THE NIGHT AT HIS TRUMP TOWER.

BUT IT IS CLEARLY GOING TO BE A HOT BED OF ACTIVITY DOWNTOWN OUTSIDE THE HILTON HOTEL, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS, OF COURSE DIFFERENT.

THIS ISN'T A RALLY.

THIS IS SPEAKING TO A CONVENTION OF JOURNALISTS.

AND NICK, AS YOU NOTED, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONSTERNATION, EVEN AMONG MEMBERS, SOME WHO FEEL LIKE THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE PLACE FOR CONVERSATION.

FEEL ATTACKS.

OTHERS WHO SAY YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS IS A NEWSMAKER.

FORMER PRESIDENT POTENTIAL NEXT PRESIDENT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AN AUDIENCE WEST.

SO THERE THERE'S SO MUCH TO THIS STORY.

AS HEATHER NOTED, I THINK DEFINITELY GAINING A LOT OF ATTENTION HERE IN CHICAGO.

BY THE WAY, THIS IS HUGE CONVENTION AND WE'RE NOT TALKING PROPORTIONS OF THE DNC START OF A CONVENTION.

BUT NONETHELESS, VERY HIGHLY TENSION.

HUGE GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT TOMORROW.

IN OTHER PRESIDENTIAL RACE NEWS, ALTHOUGH THIS ISN'T TRADITIONALLY RALLY, CERTAINLY TRUMP IS IN FULL SWING IN THE CAMPAIGN.

GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER YESTERDAY JOINED NOTABLE NAMES LIKE JEFF BRIDGES, MARK HAMILL, LANCE BASS AS WELL AS SOME RUMORED VP CONTENDERS IN THAT WHITE DUDES FOR HARRIS VIRTUAL AND WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE GOVERNOR.

I MEAN, I WANT TO HEAR, BUT LIKE MARK RUFFALO'S.

YEAH, I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE OF SORT OF SITUATIONS WHERE DEMOCRATS ARE RECOGNIZING THAT THIS IS A VULNERABILITY.

THIS IS A WEAKNESS, PARTICULARLY IN THE MIDWEST.

TRUMP IS OUTPERFORMING KAMALA HARRIS, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS RISEN IN SOME RECENT POLLS.

BY THE WAY, POLLS STILL A WAYS OUT FROM THE ELECTION.

LET'S NOT PAY TOO MUCH HEED TO THAT.

BUT YOU DO NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO FUNDRAISING.

THIS GOT A WHOLE LOT MONEY RAISED FOR THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN.

I THINK YOU'RE SEEING THE DUDE'S DID ABIDE OR MILLION DOLLARS PRITZKER READ RECOGNIZE IN HIS REMARKS.

HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WHITE DUDES FOR ANYTHING ISN'T GENERALLY THE SORT OF SAYING THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO BE ON BOARD WITH IT.

JUST REALLY NOT THE VERNACULAR THAT HE USES.

AND HE, IN FACT IS, I THINK ON OUT OF HIS WAY TO REALLY GIVE SUPPORT TO THE NOTION OF BLACK LIVES MATTER IN THAT SPORT.

SO WHAT DO IT'S ALWAYS QUARTER THAT HE'S INTO, BUT IT HE'S SAYS THAT HE WILL ANYTHING THEY CAN FOR THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN AND TO GET HER ELECTED.

AND THEN THIS IS PART OF REALLY SEEMS LIKE AN EFFORT TO COMBAT THIS NOTION THAT WHITE MALE VOTERS AREN'T GOING TO A FEMALE CANDIDATE, A WOMAN, A BLACK AND SOUTH ASIAN DESCENT.

MEAN, HEATHER, DO YOU EXPECT THAT MESSAGE TO BREAK THROUGH SHORT?

AND THERE'S A REASON WHY ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL SHORT LISTS ARE WHITE MIDWESTERN DUDE'S TO USE THE VERNACULAR, AND IT'S BECAUSE THAT VICE PRESIDENTS ARE TYPICALLY TYPICALLY CHOSEN TO FILL SOME SORT OF GAP IN THE RESUME OF THE PRESIDENT OR FILL SOME SORT OF NEAT.

AND THAT IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE.

NOW.

ALL OF US LIVED THROUGH 2016 WHERE A MAJORITY OF MEN VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP OVER HILLARY CLINTON AND EVEN BEFORE SORT PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCED HE WOULDN'T RUN FOR OFFICE.

THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER A WOMAN COULD WIN AS PRESIDENT.

AND THIS IS AN ATTEMPT BY THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN AND HER SUPPORTERS TO SORT OF ATTACK THAT BUT NOT DIRECTLY BY USING HUMOR AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND SORT OF REALIZING THAT IT'S KIND OF UNCOMFORTABLE.

BUT LET'S MAKE A JOKE OUT OF IT.

MAYBE THAT MAKES THE MEDICINE GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND BRINGING THOSE CELEBS.

I'M JUST WAITING WELL, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S A RALLY FOR SONYA MASSEY HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK.

THERE WAS ALSO A LISTENING SESSION CONVENED BY THE DOJ LAST NIGHT IN SPRINGFIELD.

WE HEARD FROM THE SAME IN COUNTY SHERIFF.

HERE'S SOME OF WHAT HE TOLD THE CROWD OF SOME 500 PEOPLE.

TIME.

FELT YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS FEEL THE COMMUNITY.

I STAND HERE TODAY BEFORE YOU MY ARMS WIDE AND ASK FOR IT.

I ASKED MASK AND HER FAMILY FOR FORGIVENESS.

I NO EXCUSES.

I DO IS OFFER OUR TENT TO DO THAT.

AND AMANDA, YOU KNOW, VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS SPEAKING OF REPORTEDLY CALLED THE MASSEY FAMILY LAST WEEK.

IS THIS AN INDICATOR OF HOW MUCH NATIONAL ATTENTION THIS CASE IS GETTING RIGHT NOW?

YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S ALSO AN INDICATOR OF JUST HOW REALLY GRAPHIC AND TO MOST PEOPLE INCREDIBLY HORRIFYING.

THAT VIDEO THAT THERE ISN'T REALLY A LOT OF ROOM LEFT FOR DEBATE.

I BELIEVE THAT EVEN THAT UNION THAT HAD BEEN SUPPORTING THE FIRE DEPUTY SEAN GRAYSON IS BACKING AWAY FROM TRYING TO GET HIS JOB FIRING REVERSED.

SO THINK IT'S A RECOGNITION OF ALL OF THAT AND OF CALLS FOR CHANGE, PARTICULARLY INTO WHAT CAN BE DONE TO BETTER VET CANDIDATES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON THE STREETS IT, TRYING TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OR WHO YOU CAN CALL IT, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT SONYA MASSEY SO THIS IS A REALLY TENSE MEETING IN SPRINGFIELD AS WELL.

I WOULD LIKE TO AND AND I THINK THAT THAT SHOWS THAT THEY CONTINUED CALLS, EVEN THOUGH THE OFFICER WAS FIRED, THEY'RE THE APPETITES OF THOSE SEEKING CHANGE ARE NOT SATISFIED YET.

SEEMS VERY LIKELY.

THIS IS FAR FROM THE LAST WE HEAR ABOUT THIS.

YOU KNOW, HEATHER AND IN OTHER POLICING RELATED NEWS, YOU'VE BEEN REPORTING ON THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD AND THE CITY'S POLICE MISCONDUCT AGENCY A LITTLE BIT WE THERE.

WHAT ARE THE DETAILS OF THE STORY?

WELL, I THINK THAT THIS SORT OF WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS THE CIVILIAN OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY IS CONDUCTING MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS.

AND WE'VE HEARD QUESTIONS RAISED BY SUPERINTENDENT LARRY SNELLING AND THE WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THE COMMUNITY COMMISSION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

A MOUTHFUL ASKED CITIES WATCHDOG TO INVESTIGATE COPA, ESSENTIALLY GIVING PERHAPS MORE CREDENCE TO SNELLING CONCERNS.

NOW, WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT EVIDENCE IS COMPELLING.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT EVIDENCE IS AND WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS GOING TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION.

BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, I THINK EVER CHICAGO HAS A VERY ACTIVE POLICE MISCONDUCT AGENCY THAT IS NOW FACING REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS CREDIBILITY.

ONE OF THE ISSUES IS THAT THERE'S REALLY NO MECHANISM FOR THE WATCHDOG TO CLEAR COAT.

BUT IF IF SHE LOOKS AT THIS INFORMATION SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE'S NOT ANYTHING HERE.

THE CITIES PROCEDURES DON'T ALLOW THAT AND WHETHER IT WILL UNDERMINE TRUST IN SORT OF THAT PROCESS, I THINK IS A REAL QUESTION, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE WHAT, 20 DAYS AWAY FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION, WHICH WILL JUST BE A MASSIVE TEST FOR THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WITH THE ARRIVAL OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS FACING PERHAPS AN ADDITIONAL TEST, ONE THAT THEY WERE PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT LESS PREPARED FOR.

YOU KNOW, BRIEFLY, AS WE WRAP UP HERE, YOUNG GOVERNOR PRITZKER SIGNED A NEW BIRTH EQUITY BILL, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS MEASURE INTO LAW YESTERDAY WITH THE DETAILS THERE.

SO THIS IS BASICALLY GIVING ADDITIONAL INSURANCE PROTECTIONS.

AND THIS IS JUST 4 STATE COVERED PLANS.

SO NOT ALL INSURANCE PLANS, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT SAY YOU ARE GOING TO THAT THESE PLANS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COVER JULY'S.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COVER MIDWIVES LACTATION SERVICES FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS AFTER BIRTH AND THEN ALSO TELLINGLY, IT'S A BIG DEAL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COVER ALL ABORTION SERVICES WITHOUT INSURANCE AND HELP.

AND THEN NICK ACTUALLY PART-TIME I WANT TO RETURN A QUESTION TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DID SOME REPORTING ON ANOTHER LAW THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY SIGNED AND REALLY PUT A TWO-YEAR MORATORIUM ON CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION.

SO A BIG DEAL.

WHAT IS THE IDEA HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ENERGY PRODUCERS LIKE ETHANOL PLANTS, THEY CAN CAPTURE THE CARBON.

THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE WOULD JUST BE GOING INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

A HUGE DRIVER OF HUMAN CAUSED CLIMATE CHANGE.

IT WOULD GET PRESSURIZE PUT INTO THESE PIPELINES AND THEN SEQUESTERED IN UNDERGROUND WELLS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS SEE AS A HUGE, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL BOON FOR ILLINOIS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME TAX INCENTIVES INVOLVED AND ARE, YOU KNOW, RECENT FEDERAL LAW AND ALSO SOMETHING THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE CLIMATE CHANGE OUTCOMES.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN FROM LANDOWNERS ABOUT WHERE THESE PIPELINES ARE GOING TO BE PLACED, WHETHER THE SEQUESTRATION, WELL, HE'S TOO CLOSE TO THE AQUIFER PROVIDES WATER FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS, TWO-YEAR MORATORIUM UNTIL WE GET FURTHER FEDERAL RULES.

BUT I EXPECT THIS IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

IT'S SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN.

AND AS ALWAYS, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN TALKING WITH THE 2 OF YOU, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT END OF AN ICKY.

HEATHER SURROUND.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND WE'RE BACK TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

AND THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS TUESDAY NIGHT.

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THAT'S WTTA W DOT COM SLASH NEWS.

YOU CAN ALSO GET THE SHOW VIA PODCAST AND THE PBS VIDEO APP AND BE SURE TO JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT AT 5, 30 10 GROWING CALLS FOR JUSTICE IN THE FATAL SHOOTING OF SONYA MASSEY BY A DOWNSTATE SHERIFF'S OFFICER.

AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT A SUMMER SURGE IN COVID CASES WITH CHICAGO'S PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER.

NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE IN CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M NICK LAMBERT.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

ACTION NEWS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFF AND CLIFFORD SHOULD CONGO PERSONAL INJURY AND WRONGFUL DEATH THAT HE'S PROUD TO RECOGNIZE ITS FOUNDER AND SENIOR PARTNER ROBERT CLIFF, WHO RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS BY