Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Tuesday, November 14, 2017.
- Former alderman Fioretti running against Preckwinkle for Cook County Board president
Former alderman Bob Fioretti is running against Toni Preckwinkle for Cook County Board president, he announced Monday. The once popular Preckwinkle lost a lot of public goodwill for her support of the controversial penny-per-ounce sweetened beverage tax. In Cook Country, “a penny earned is not a penny saved, it is a penny taxed,” Fioretti said. [Sun-Times]
- Illinois GOP congressman on Moore: “This is a bridge too far and the Republican Party ought to disown every aspect of him”
Illinois Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger is calling on his party to “disown” Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, who has been accused of sexually assaulting several women when they were teenagers. “Roy Moore needs to step aside now. These allegations are disgusting and I believe them against him. And there is no way to defend this,” the Channahon-based congressman told CNN. “This is a bridge too far and the Republican Party ought to disown every aspect of him.” Kingzinger’s fellow GOP congressman Peter Roskam of Wheaton said the allegations were “disturbing” and has called on Moore to “step aside and remove himself as a distraction from Senate and House members.” [Tribune] [NPR]
- Alderman Cochran returns to work but won’t run again
Alderman Willie Cochran has returned to work after collapsing during a City Council hearing November 2, but has decided to not run for reelection. “That was my plan anyway,” the alderman said. “Three terms and out. I believe in term limits.” Cochran said he’s feeling much healthier since the incident. “Blood pressure dropped. It was my fault because they changed my medication. I had a problem with the medication—the way I was taking it,” he said Monday. “We’ve gotten it straightened out. Everything seems to be OK. But they’re still running tests on me.” [Sun-Times]
- Rauner starts his reelection tour of Illinois in Decatur, Champaign
Governor Bruce Rauner kicked off his reelection campaign tour Monday with stops in Champaign and Decatur and plenty of criticism of his nemesis, Illinois house speaker Mike Madigan. “You can ask anybody who’s running for your vote, ask them ‘You gonna vote for Mike Madigan to be speaker again after 35 years?’ No,” he said while visiting T/CCI Manufacturing in Decatur. “Let’s get new leadership; term limits, new leadership, roll back the tax hike, get more jobs by helping companies like T/CCI grow. Then we’ve got a great future for the people of Illinois.” [WBBM Radio]
- Construction on Nobu Hotel delayed due to funding issues
Construction on the highly anticipated, Robert DeNiro-backed Nobu Hotel and Restaurant has been halted due to financing issues, Crain’s Chicago Business reports. The ground was broken on the project six months ago, but M Development is soliciting a $52.5 million construction loan to finish work on the 119-room hotel and restaurant in the Fulton Market District, according to Crain’s. [Crain’s Chicago Business]
- Taylor Swift announces June 2 Soldier Field concert
Taylor Swift has announced dates for her upcoming Reputation tour, including a June 2 show at Soldier Field, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Tickets are expected to sell out quickly—Swift is still a sales powerhouse, with Reputation selling more than 700,000 copies in its first day of release despite receiving mixed reviews. [Tribune]