WATCH: Pritzker says Trump’s first year a failure; Raoul discusses prosecuting fraud
January 21, 2026/
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square’s Greg Bishop discusses some of the highlights President Donald Trump provided from his first year in office of his second non-consecutive term. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Trump’s first year has been a “failure,” while Republicans in Illinois say Pritzker’s policy are not making the state safe or affordable.
Bishop also delves into the start of an investigation into overpayments in the state’s child care funding operations, with reaction from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul saying fraud should be prosecuted.
Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.
Today Jun 16
59°
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
Latest News Stories
WATCH: FOIA reveals 725% increase in Medicaid for IL children without SSNs
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A candidate for the Illinois Statehouse worries there could be a dark side to the 725% increase...
Chicago inspector general hopes for urgency to address OT mistakes
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago’s inspector general says she hopes there is urgency to correct mistakes after the city paid $26.5...
Poll shows most Americans support legal limits to abortion
By Tate MillerThe Center Square Pro-life groups celebrate the 53rd annual March for Life event in the wake of a Knights of Columbus-Marist Poll showing that most Americans support legal...
Bill would give parents access to expulsion evidence
By Cat Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers are weighing legislation that would require public schools to share all evidence used to...
WATCH: Pritzker IDs half billion in ‘reserves;’ SCOTUS considering gun ban challenge
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square's Greg Bishop discusses a recent announcement...
Proposed Illinois bill would let local voters approve rent control, drawing sharp criticism
By Cat Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A proposed Illinois bill, the “Let the People Lift the Ban Act," SB2884, would let local...
Businesses close in Minnesota for anti-ICE ‘economic blackout’
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Many businesses across Minnesota closed today as part of an ‘economic blackout’ to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This comes in response to calls...
House GOP: Climate lawyers could be improperly influencing judges
By John O’Brien | Legal NewslineThe Center Square WASHINGTON – The U.S. House Judiciary Committee is asking for answers from one of the lawyers pushing climate-change cases against Big Oil,...
Illinois Quick Hits: Higher ed board pushes for more spending
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Board of Higher Education has approved a 4.5% spending increase in its budget for fiscal...
County Committee Proposes Federal Study on “Legacy Pollution” Near Joliet and Romeoville Refineries
Article Summary: In a draft lobbying platform presented to the Will County Board, the Legislative Committee outlined a request for a federal study to identify and mitigate health risks in...
ABA can’t end anti-white scholarship discrimination lawsuit
By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square The American Bar Association can't escape a lawsuit accusing the group, tasked with setting national ethical and professional standards for lawyers and...
Winter storm to cause widespread disruption, states of emergency
By Andrew Rice and Ava OttThe Center Square A major winter storm is expected to bring significant snowfall and widespread disruption across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast this week, according to...
AGs call on ‘climate cartel’ to uphold consumer protections
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Six state attorneys general called on the nonprofit climate company Ceres, Inc. to halt all conduct they say is in violation of antitrust and consumer...
