EXPANDED SPORTS COVERAGE SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE Questions? Call 1-800-Tribune Friday, January 11, 2019 Breaking news at chicagotribune.com Pritzker’s GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN trust just partially blind Loopholes seen in gov.-elect’s tool for walling off wealth By Todd Lighty Chicago Tribune Billionaire J.B. Pritzker on Thursday promised to shift some of his immense wealth into a blind trust to avoid conflicts of interest, but it’s unclear whether he will be able to fully wall off his fortune from his official duties as Illinois governor. Pritzker said he has ap- pointed Chicago-based Northern Trust Co. to act as an independent trustee and make all investment deci- sions about his personal assets. Those same rules won’t apply to the extended Pritzker family fortune that’s held in secretive on- shore and offshore trusts. Pritzker said the terms gov- erning the family trusts do EVAN VUCCI/AP not allow for the assets to be President Trump, right, salutes as a U.S. Customs Border Protection helicopter passes as he tours the Rio Grande area Thursday in Texas. moved into the blind trust. In addition, Pritzker is divesting “his personally- held direct interests in com- panies that have contracts” Trump takes a step closer with the state, his campaign said. Pritzker, who on Monday will become the nation’s richest governor, declined to taking emergency action to identify those companies or the dollar amount of those state contracts. Nor President digs in on funding would Pritzker disclose the dollar amount of his per- sonal assets going into the for border wall in Texas visit blind trust or reveal how By Eli Stokols and declaration is becoming more much he benefits from vari- Molly Hennessy-Fiske likely. And already-slim pro- ous family trusts. Los Angeles Times spects for a deal with Congress The complex and vast seemed to evaporate as Trump nature of Pritzker’s wealth McALLEN, Texas — Presi- was in Texas. and a lack of transparency dent Donald Trump moved Vice President Mike Pence, at illustrate how difficult it can closer Thursday to declaring a the Capitol in Washington to be to learn when a wealthy national emergency to bypass confer with lawmakers over the politician’s financial inter- Congress to secure funds for a impasse, told reporters the ad- ests might butt up against border wall and resolve a gov- ministration would not support what’s in taxpayers’ best ernment shutdown now into its any compromise giving legal interests. 20th day. protections to undocumented Pritzker, a Democrat, ANTONIO PEREZ/CHICAGO TRIBUNE “I have the absolute right to immigrants who years ago came said his efforts to avoid Victim information referral advocate Patricia Alexander has declare a national emergency,” to the country illegally as chil- conflicts go further than worked at the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline office for 10 years. Trump said to reporters before dren. A bipartisan group had what was done by outgoing departing the White been negotiating a Republican Gov. Bruce House for McAllen, FEDERAL trade-off between Rauner, a wealthy private Shutdown could hurt state where he toured WORKERS: such protections and equity investor who Border Patrol facili- Friday is first wall funding, but by stopped short of setting up a ties and met with payday without afternoon Sen. Lind- blind trust. domestic violence hotline agents along the U.S.- sey Graham, R.-S.C., By Kate Thayer pay. Nation & When he took office in throughout the state. Mexico border. World, Page 10 said a deal was all but 2015, Rauner set up a power Chicago Tribune But that help could cease in “If this doesn’t dead, adding, “We’re of attorney to handle much the coming weeks if the federal work,” he said of get- kind of stuck.” of his wealth to try to avoid In a building on Chicago’s government shutdown lingers. ting Congress to include wall Senate Majority Leader conflicts between his per- Near Northwest Side, inspira- The hotline is mostly funded money in its final government- Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., re- sonal investments and his tional quotes and colorful deco- through a Victims of Crime Act funding bill, “probably I will do buffed efforts by Democrats on public duties. Rauner gave rations brighten a basement grant, administered by U.S. De- it. I would almost say definitely. Thursday to pass spending bills that power to Roundtable room where several phone op- partment of Justice employees, This is a national emergency.” that would reopen shuttered Investment Partners, a New erators are heard repeatedly said Amanda Pyron, executive Administration officials say government agencies, including York firm he’s intertwined asking callers, “Are you safe?” director of the Chicago Met- the move could allow Trump to several that had nothing to do with both financially and The voices on the other end ropolitan Battered Women’s tap money already approved by with border security. politically. Rauner is an in- of the line are looking for help Network, which runs the hot- Congress for other purposes, “It won’t solve the problem vestor in the private equity through the Illinois Domestic line. Those funds are on hold as including funds for military because the president has made firm and several of its funds. Violence Hotline — a 24/7 long as furloughed DOJ em- construction and disaster relief. clear he won’t sign them,” Mc- And Roundtable employees confidential call center where ployees aren’t working, she said. Insisting he would prefer Connell said. donated to his campaign operators refer victims of abuse As of the first of the year, the that Congress approve $5.7 bil- Trump, in remarks at the fund. to local shelters, counseling hotline has had to dip into its lion he’s requested for the wall, White House as he departed for Northern Trust, which centers, legal advocates and a Trump left some wiggle room, number of other resources Turn to Hotline, Page 6 but signaled that an emergency Turn to Border, Page 10 Turn to Pritzker, Page 7 Burke charges Having made history, Rep. Underwood eyes future take center stage Freshman finding photographers, reporters, police officers, fresh-faced at mayoral forum her feet in House staff members and curious The event marked the first after flipping 14th tourists. time the large mayoral As she lingered to an- candidate field shared a By Patrick M. swer questions from re- stage, and the embattled O’Connell porters, three women alderman loomed large. Chicago Tribune inched toward the 32-year- Chicagoland, Page 4 old Democrat, the youngest WASHINGTON – Lau- black woman ever to join ren Underwood, bundled the House of Representa- against the January chill in tives. The trio leaned in as Cohen will testify her now-familiar bright Underwood, a Naperville green coat, beamed for the native and former intern publicly before a cameras as she stood shoul- for then-Sen. Barack der to shoulder with the Obama, spoke candidly House committee highest-ranking woman in about balancing the work President Donald Trump’s American politics. on Capitol Hill as a mem- former lawyer is bound for With the U.S. Capitol ber of a diverse, young set prison, but wants to “state dome as a backdrop, of Democratic women rep- publicly all he knows.” Underwood, the newly resentatives with the reali- Nation & World, Page 8 elected congresswoman ties of representing a sub- from the 14th District, chat- urban Chicago district long ted with House Speaker held by Republicans. Nancy Pelosi, then posed “I think the opportuni- ‘STAN AND OLLIE’ for photos with the women ties are all around us,” STACEY WESCOTT/CHICAGO TRIBUNE of the Illinois House dele- Rep. Lauren Underwood, a Naperville native, is greeted by supporters in Washington as Michael Phillips’ ★★★ 1/2 gation amid a crush of Turn to House, Page 6 she heads back to her office for a reception after her official swearing-in last week. review in A+E Chicago Weather Center: Complete $2.50 city and suburbs, $3.00 elsewhere High Low Tom Skilling’s forecast 34 28 forecast on back page of A+E section 171st year No. 11 © Chicago Tribune 2 Chicago Tribune | Section 1 | Friday, January 11, 2019 ANTONIO PEREZ/CHICAGO TRIBUNE John Kass Is there a ‘Counterpart’ parallel universe of Chicago? ACCURACY AND ETHICS Margaret Holt, standards editor You can’t use the internet without Anything can happen in all those each other. being mugged by bizarre and ques- parallel worlds. Though it is spy-fi, there’s no sense The Tribune’s editorial code of principles governs tionable scientific theories like the I did find out about the father of the of “Minority Report” or action heroics professional behavior and journalism standards. Every- ones I spotted the other day, “Early multiverse. The theory was developed from Tom Cruise. one in our newsroom must agree to live up to this code of Humans Mated with Inbred Neander- some 60 years ago by a young, brilliant Instead, Simmons’ Howard Silk has conduct. Read it at chicagotribune.com/accuracy. thals,” and “Your Bed Has More Poop yet aloof Princeton physicist named the seen-it-all burnt weariness of the Corrections and clarifications: Publishing information Than a Chimp’s.” Hugh Everett III. Alec Leamas character in John le quickly and accurately is a central part of the Chicago These are quite charming, but there Some thought him to be crazy. His Carre’s “The Spy Who Came in from Tribune’s news responsibility. is one bizarre scientific theory that kids considered him as completely the Cold.” beats all the others time and again. emotionally unavailable, describing Simmons is a fine actor.