Happy Wednesday, Illinois. Whoever said all politics is local didn't see 2024 coming.

Don’t miss out: We’re sitting down with Cristina Pacione-Zayas, chief of staff to Chicago’s mayor, at the Hideout on Thursday. Details here

TOP TALKER

TRUMP BACKLASH: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will be greeted in Chicago today at the National Association of Black Journalists’ Convention and Career Fair by some of the same protesters who plan to march on the Democratic National Convention in August.

But the bigger drama will occur inside the Hilton Chicago, where the convention will be held and where Trump is scheduled to participate in a Q&A. The journalists are at odds over whether Trump should have been invited at all.

The former president accepted, of course, because it gives him an opportunity to connect with Black voters who weren’t with him in 2020.

And organizers defend the invite, saying it allows reporters “to vet the candidate right here on our ground,” according to association President Ken Lemon. Besides, Lemon said, it’s a tradition to host presidential nominees.

So, where’s Harris? Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is on the campaign trail. The Grio’s April Ryan reports that Harris tried for a virtual fireside chat but the request was “denied.” And the Tribune’s Olivia Olander says Harris’ “confirmation is pending.”

The fallout: Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah stepped down as co-chair of the convention, according to her post. Nikole Hannah-Jones, author of The New York Times’ 1619 Project, criticized Trump’s candidacy being normalized. Trump “is not a regular candidate and we must not treat him as such. By doing so, we abdicate our role as truth tellers,” she said before deleting her post.

And the Chicago-based Triibe, an African-American online news publication, ran a column denouncing the association for making the invite,

“Read the room,” writes Tyler J. Davis. “Donald Trump will attend a convention of journalists [who] he’s referred to as the enemy of the people. Donald Trump will talk to a room full of Black folks after he celebrated the elimination of affirmative action.”

Local Dems focused on Trump: House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Illinois’ first Black speaker, said: “A short, staged visit won’t heal the pain Trump caused through years of demeaning rhetoric, regressive policies, and insulting lies about Illinois and its residents.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who will attend the convention tonight, said, “My administration’s values and practices are in complete opposition to former President Donald Trump’s agenda.” His full statement is here.

And Gov. JB Pritzker had this: “Every time Donald Trump visits the Midwest he tells us how much he hates it. He called Milwaukee horrible. He called Detroit corrupt. He denigrated Chicago police. His visit to Chicago will no doubt be another attempt to distract from his flailing campaign with as many lies as there are vacancies at Trump Tower.”

More on the story from POLITICO’s Isabella Ramírez

CONVENTION ZONE

— CHILLING STATEMENT: Attorney General Merrick Garland told NBC News on Tuesday the man who shot at former President Donald Trump also searched online for the timing of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Understanding the motive: Garland said authorities are still trying to figure out the shooter's motive since there was no “manifesto” left behind as other “mass shooters and single shooters” have done, according to a transcript of the interview.

“The things that we have so far are the fact that he has photos of political leaders, Democrat and Republican, of celebrities, of infamous assassinations and attempts, the Kennedy assassination, the attempted assassination of the prime minister of Slovakia, he searched for the timing of the Butler rally. He also searched for the timing of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago,” Garland said, according to the transcript, which didn't reveal any further conversation on the convention.

— Amid the worries about disturbances, a city accustomed to drawing crowds keeps its perspective and hopes for an orderly event, by the Sun-Times’ David Roeder

If you are Merick Garland, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email: [email protected]

WHERE'S JB

At the Crowne Plaza Hotel O’Hare at 11:15 a.m. to sign workers' rights legislation — At Chicago O’Hare International Airport with Illinis Senate President Don Harmon and Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch at 1 p.m. to celebrate the first Sustainable Aviation Fuel powered United Airlines flight.

WHERE's BRANDON

At the Hilton Chicago at 6 p.m. for the National Association of Black Journalists Convention & Career Fair opening ceremony.

Where's Toni

No official public events

Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: [email protected]

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— FIRST IN FLIGHT: United Airlines is celebrating with Gov. JB Pritzker in Chicago today as the airline becomes the first to purchase sustainable aviation fuel at O'Hare International Airport, one of the world's busiest, reports POLITICO’s Jordan Wolman, who writes about sustainability issues.

United is set to purchase one million gallons of SAF through the end of 2024, with the first tranche landing in August. It follows similar United purchases made at airports in Los Angeles, London, San Francisco and Amsterdam.

The alternative to conventional jet fuel could cut emissions by up to 94 percent throughout the full life cycle, according to the Energy Department, and is a key part of its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. United also credited Illinois' tax incentives enacted by Pritzker to encourage the purchase of SAF.

Pritzker on the record: “Since Day One as governor, I’ve committed to making Illinois a national leader in sustainability and clean energy, which is why I was proud to support a nation-leading SAF tax credit last year,” Pritzker said in a statement.

BUSINESS OF POLITICS

— Dems choose former Ald. Michael Scott for vacant Cook County Board seat: “Scott, surrounded by many of his former colleagues from the Chicago City Council, emerged victorious after a brief open interview and a short behind-the-scenes vote by party officials whose wards and townships overlapped the County Board’s 2nd District. In the end, Scott won more than 50 percent of the vote on the first ballot, among four candidates,” by the Tribune’s A.D. Quig.

— In IL-04: Lupe Castillo, the 22nd Ward Republican committeewoman, is set to announce her campaign for Congress for the seat held by incumbent Democratic Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.

— Now, there’s an Illinois Women for Harris: It’s led by Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and co-hosted by Sen. Tammy Duckworth and includes Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton; Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza; Congresswomen Nikki Budzinski, Robin Kelly, Delia Ramirez and Jan Schakowsky; first lady of Illinois MK Pritzker; Illinois Democratic Party Chair Lisa Hernandez; and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

— Quigley is a Pritzker fan, but says Harris should choose someone else for VP, by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman

— Arlington Heights Trustee Jim Tinaglia, who opposed initial Bears plans, is running for mayor, by the Daily Herald’s Christopher Placek

— Can a ‘mom from Englewood’ win an elected seat on Chicago’s school board? Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin and Samantha Smylie report.

THE STATEWIDES

—  ‘I'm ashamed that this person would ever call himself a law enforcement officer,’ sheriff says about fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, by the State Journal Register’s Steven Spearie

— In Chicago, civil rights leaders want Sonya Massey's killing to be a catalyst for police reform: “The Rev. Al Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump join the family of Sonya Massey,” by the Sun-Times’ Emmanuel Camarillo.

— Pritzker signs measure tightening child labor regulations, by The Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner and Olivia Olander

— What is carbon capture? A new state law puts much-anticipated and controversial plans on hold — for now, by WTTW’s Nick Blumberg

CHICAGO

— City begins to clear out North Park homeless encampment Tuesday, leaving some residents unsure where they’ll sleep, by the Tribune’s Sylvan Lebrun

— Abused Chicago lifeguards receive more than $6.5M in legal settlements, by WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos

— City lawyers say Dexter Reed was stopped by Chicago cops over tinted windows, contradicting earlier claim, by the Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba and Mary Norkol

COOK COUNTY

— New life for Cook County medical examiner's office at $15.5M West Loop site? “The office submitted a request to buy two buildings on a full city block at 325 N. Ashland Ave. and 1532 W. Fulton St. The office has been at its current location for over 40 years,” by the Sun-Times’ Kaitlin Washburn.

Reader Digest

We asked about a club you’d like to see created.

Megan Honda: “I would join a club of ‘Realtors who will never live anywhere but Chicago!’"

Charles Keller: “White dudes for Trump's right ear.”

Josh Mogerman: “A club for old hipsters who want to get out and see concerts again.”

Barbara Moore: “A club for spouses of political activists with storage rooms full of campaign memorabilia who want a museum to donate it all to.”

Kathy Posner: “The Sumptuary Club would make prostitution legal in the U.S. and then tax it heavily. Then the country would have revenue from a real sin tax.”

Warren Silver: “Gather the country's top bridge Grand Masters to form the Grand Slam Club with the motto, ‘24 No Trump.’”

Erika Weaver: “Honesty ONLY. They could give everyone a large necklace that changes colors when people lie! So, basically it would be empty!”

NEXT QUESTION: Would you rather hear a big speech live or watch it virtually? Email [email protected]

THE NATIONAL TAKE

— Fed poised to cut rates, ignoring Trump and GOP lawmakers, by POLITICO’s Victoria Guida

— The fate of Biden’s Supreme Court proposal may lie with Kamala Harris, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Samantha Latson

— Biden was faltering in Georgia. Harris is putting it back on the map, by POLITICO’s Megan Messerly

— Harris to hold first rally with running mate Tuesday in Philadelphia, by POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein and Eugene Daniels

TRANSITIONS

— Rodney Davis, the former congressman, has been appointed head of government affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Davis said in a statement he was "excited" to join the Chamber and advocate for ‘sound policies that allow businesses to grow and succeed,’” by Lee Enterprises’ Brenden Moore.

— Sharla Roberts has been appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson to serve as the commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Procurement Services, where she'll lead the city’s contracting, certification and compliance operations. Roberts had been director of procurement diversity at the University of Illinois.

TRIVIA

TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to JuanPablo Prieto for correctly answering that Forrest Claypool worked for Mayors Richard M. Daley and Rahm Emanuel and also advised Barack Obama.

TODAY’s QUESTION: When Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer, what key piece of evidence did he produce to disprove testimony that a murder occurred in the moonlight?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

State Rep. Mary Flowers, former House GOP leader Tom Cross, Edwardsville Township Supervisor Kevin Hall, former state Rep. Helene Miller-Walsh, Chicago Mayor’s Political Director Christian Perry, Department of Human Services Chief of Staff Amanda Elliott, Sen. Dick Durbin’s Deputy Legislative Director James Floyd, real estate attorney Langdon Neal, Public Communications Inc.’s Katie Heinz and Senate legislative affairs expert James Floyd.

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