Patrick Gilsenan
@pat-chi.bsky.social
Fighting for more homes, reliable transit, fair wages, and progressive values that actually works for us.
Loyola University Chicago alumni x2 | attorney | Bucktown, Chicago
Loyola University Chicago alumni x2 | attorney | Bucktown, Chicago
Pinned
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Come knock some doors and then some pins 🎳 with two of our endorsed candidates, Miguel Alvelo Rivera (IL House District 40) and Elizabeth Granato (Cook County 12), on Sunday, January 25th! Rsvp at 32nd.org/canvass or the link in bio.
January 14, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Come knock some doors and then some pins 🎳 with two of our endorsed candidates, Miguel Alvelo Rivera (IL House District 40) and Elizabeth Granato (Cook County 12), on Sunday, January 25th! Rsvp at 32nd.org/canvass or the link in bio.
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
If you have the means, please consider donating to Juanita's family as they prepare for end of life expenses via GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-juani...
January 13, 2026 at 3:33 PM
If you have the means, please consider donating to Juanita's family as they prepare for end of life expenses via GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-juani...
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
hold on now, let him cook
January 12, 2026 at 4:15 PM
hold on now, let him cook
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Warren also explains how "abundance" is not just about residential zoning rules (Warren herself is a longtime critic of restrictive zoning.) Instead, Warren identifies the billionaires who have been propping up the movement as a means to shift Democrats away from regulation.
January 12, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Warren also explains how "abundance" is not just about residential zoning rules (Warren herself is a longtime critic of restrictive zoning.) Instead, Warren identifies the billionaires who have been propping up the movement as a means to shift Democrats away from regulation.
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Warren says she has been asked repeatedly about "Abundance" as a path forward for the Democratic Party. She explains that she is all for government efficiency. But Abundance fails to grapple with the wealthy interests who have sought to strangle government capacity at every turn
January 12, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Warren says she has been asked repeatedly about "Abundance" as a path forward for the Democratic Party. She explains that she is all for government efficiency. But Abundance fails to grapple with the wealthy interests who have sought to strangle government capacity at every turn
There have been so many moments demanding of a left-liberal coalition to stand up to fascism up until now, but yeah I'm fine with it if a political attack on the Federal Reserve is what builds it.
Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
Statement by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell
YouTube video by Federal Reserve
www.youtube.com
January 12, 2026 at 3:16 PM
There have been so many moments demanding of a left-liberal coalition to stand up to fascism up until now, but yeah I'm fine with it if a political attack on the Federal Reserve is what builds it.
Now that Sara Feigenholtz has ads running and is taking the progressive challenge from Nick Uniejewski more seriously, I'd be surprised if people don't start talking more about her islamophobia.
This is a good thing to ask any of the establishment politicians supporting her about!
This is a good thing to ask any of the establishment politicians supporting her about!
January 10, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Now that Sara Feigenholtz has ads running and is taking the progressive challenge from Nick Uniejewski more seriously, I'd be surprised if people don't start talking more about her islamophobia.
This is a good thing to ask any of the establishment politicians supporting her about!
This is a good thing to ask any of the establishment politicians supporting her about!
Imagine if Chicago still had a progressive DA
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner condemned the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good in a news conference Thursday, calling it the "Nazification of immigration enforcement."
He vowed to prosecute any officer in the city who behaved similarly.
www.inquirer.com/news/philade...
He vowed to prosecute any officer in the city who behaved similarly.
www.inquirer.com/news/philade...
DA Krasner condemns fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis, says officers who commit crimes in Philly will ‘be convicted’
Krasner said the actions of the ICE agent who shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good were unlawful.
www.inquirer.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:12 AM
Imagine if Chicago still had a progressive DA
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
ICE also shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old in Illinois in September and lied about what happened
January 7, 2026 at 9:51 PM
ICE also shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old in Illinois in September and lied about what happened
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
AOC: ICE has less accountability than virtually any law enforcement agency in the U.S., yet they are some of the most well-funded, operating with impunity—and we just saw them murder an American citizen in cold blood in the street.
January 7, 2026 at 10:55 PM
AOC: ICE has less accountability than virtually any law enforcement agency in the U.S., yet they are some of the most well-funded, operating with impunity—and we just saw them murder an American citizen in cold blood in the street.
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
As news breaks in Minneapolis, we’re uplifting this story by our friends @unraveledpress.com during the Chicago surge.
Agents shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old father in Sept —and their initial narrative of events was quickly disproven by witness videos.
unraveledpress.com/what-happene...
Agents shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old father in Sept —and their initial narrative of events was quickly disproven by witness videos.
unraveledpress.com/what-happene...
What happened to Silverio Villegas González
Immigration agents shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old father outside Chicago on Friday—and their initial narrative of events was quickly disproven by videos captured by witnesses.
unraveledpress.com
January 7, 2026 at 6:38 PM
As news breaks in Minneapolis, we’re uplifting this story by our friends @unraveledpress.com during the Chicago surge.
Agents shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old father in Sept —and their initial narrative of events was quickly disproven by witness videos.
unraveledpress.com/what-happene...
Agents shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old father in Sept —and their initial narrative of events was quickly disproven by witness videos.
unraveledpress.com/what-happene...
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
It's very clear from the commentary exploding on the timeline right now that hardly anyone outside Chicago knows ICE shot and killed a man in his car here in the fall.
It's probably not your fault—too much news.
But if you're choosing to jump in & *report* today, please contextualize. Thanks.
It's probably not your fault—too much news.
But if you're choosing to jump in & *report* today, please contextualize. Thanks.
January 7, 2026 at 4:42 PM
It's very clear from the commentary exploding on the timeline right now that hardly anyone outside Chicago knows ICE shot and killed a man in his car here in the fall.
It's probably not your fault—too much news.
But if you're choosing to jump in & *report* today, please contextualize. Thanks.
It's probably not your fault—too much news.
But if you're choosing to jump in & *report* today, please contextualize. Thanks.
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Immigration officers shot and killed a man and shot and severely injured a woman in/near Chicago w/in the last 4 mo
And lied about both incidents, as well as many other uses of force
It's responsible to wait for independent confirmation of any "fact" from officials before reporting or sharing it.
And lied about both incidents, as well as many other uses of force
It's responsible to wait for independent confirmation of any "fact" from officials before reporting or sharing it.
With news of yet another DHS shooting breaking, a reminder that DHS’s initial statements should not be trusted without further verification, given previous post-shooting statements which crumbled under further investigation. In addition, be wary of short context-free video clips shared virally.
"My public safety team is working to gather information on an ICE related shooting this morning" near Portland Avenue and 34th Street in Minneapolis, says Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
"We will share information as we learn more. In the meantime, I ask folks to remain calm."
"We will share information as we learn more. In the meantime, I ask folks to remain calm."
January 7, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Immigration officers shot and killed a man and shot and severely injured a woman in/near Chicago w/in the last 4 mo
And lied about both incidents, as well as many other uses of force
It's responsible to wait for independent confirmation of any "fact" from officials before reporting or sharing it.
And lied about both incidents, as well as many other uses of force
It's responsible to wait for independent confirmation of any "fact" from officials before reporting or sharing it.
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
unhappy 5th anniversary of unpunished unprosecuted undigested televised live heinous crime against democracy day to all who celebrate
January 6, 2026 at 2:55 PM
unhappy 5th anniversary of unpunished unprosecuted undigested televised live heinous crime against democracy day to all who celebrate
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
America creates the refugees it complains about.
January 4, 2026 at 12:55 AM
America creates the refugees it complains about.
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Great talking to our neighbors today with @peoples32nd.bsky.social! And we’ll be back out tomorrow too.
Join us! ⬇️ www.mobilize.us/nickforillin...
Join us! ⬇️ www.mobilize.us/nickforillin...
January 4, 2026 at 1:13 AM
Great talking to our neighbors today with @peoples32nd.bsky.social! And we’ll be back out tomorrow too.
Join us! ⬇️ www.mobilize.us/nickforillin...
Join us! ⬇️ www.mobilize.us/nickforillin...
I signed up for Saturday- come join me!
Is one of your New Year's resolutions to support a new slate of progressive candidates fighting for a better future for Illinois? Then come join the People's 32nd and knock doors for @nickforillinois.bsky.social in Roscoe Village this weekend! You can sign-up for a shift at bit.ly/44MVb4p
December 30, 2025 at 5:15 PM
I signed up for Saturday- come join me!
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Chicagoans - please take a moment to tell the OIG to investigate aldermanic prerogative in housing development
Survey closes Dec 31
igchicago.org/2026-annual-...
Survey closes Dec 31
igchicago.org/2026-annual-...
December 23, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Chicagoans - please take a moment to tell the OIG to investigate aldermanic prerogative in housing development
Survey closes Dec 31
igchicago.org/2026-annual-...
Survey closes Dec 31
igchicago.org/2026-annual-...
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Henceforth this shall be known as the Shut the Fuck Up About Chicago decision.
@harebrained.bsky.social
@harebrained.bsky.social
#BREAKING The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with the State of Illinois on National Guard deployment.
Under the law invoked by President Trump, he must be unable "with the regular military" to "execute the laws of the United States," it finds.
Full ruling here: cst.brightspotcdn.com/80/88/05a75e...
Under the law invoked by President Trump, he must be unable "with the regular military" to "execute the laws of the United States," it finds.
Full ruling here: cst.brightspotcdn.com/80/88/05a75e...
![SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
_________________
No. 25A443 _________________
DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, ET AL. v. ILLINOIS, ET AL.
ON APPLICATION FOR STAY [December 23, 2025]
Federal immigration-enforcement efforts have encoun- tered significant resistance, as well as some violence, in Chicago. According to the Government, federal officers have been obstructed, threatened, and assaulted as they at- tempt to perform their duties. The Government also alleges that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Broadview, Illinois, has been the site of frequent and sometimes violent protests, damaging federal property and threatening the safety of federal officers. These at- tacks, the Government says, have greatly impeded its ef- forts to enforce the immigration laws.
On October 4, 2025, the President called 300 members of the Illinois National Guard into active federal service to protect federal personnel and property in Illinois, particu- larly in and around Chicago. The following day, members of the Texas National Guard were also federalized and sent to Chicago. In calling forth the Guard, the President relied on 10 U. S. C. §12406(3), which empowers him to federalize members of the Guard if he is “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”
The United States District Court for the Northern Dis- trict of Illinois entered a temporary restraining order bar- ring the federalization and deployment of the Guard in Illi- nois. The Seventh Circuit denied in relevant part the Government’s motion for a stay, permitting the Guard to](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:elipdmmf5istuvtyituspske/bafkreigkgum5sfni47efippr7j6ykofa7anuo6cqpkfjztkzkfnvubdafe@jpeg)
![remain federalized within Illinois but maintaining the bar on deployment.
The Government asked this Court to stay the District Court’s order. After the response and reply were filed, JUSTICE BARRETT referred the application to the Court. We directed the parties to file supplemental letter briefs on an issue that the District Court had addressed but the parties’ initial briefs had not: the meaning of the term “regular forces” in §12406(3). In its supplemental brief, the Govern- ment argues that the term refers to civilian law enforce- ment officers, such as those employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Federal Protective Service. Respondents, echoing the District Court, maintain that the term refers to the regular forces of the United States mili- tary.
We conclude that the term “regular forces” in §12406(3) likely refers to the regular forces of the United States mili- tary. This interpretation means that to call the Guard into active federal service under §12406(3), the President must be “unable” with the regular military “to execute the laws of the United States.” Because the statute requires an assess- ment of the military’s ability to execute the laws, it likely applies only where the military could legally execute the laws. Such circumstances are exceptional: Under the Posse Comitatus Act, the military is prohibited from “execut[ing] the laws” “except in cases and under circumstances ex- pressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress.” 18 U. S. C. §1385. So before the President can federalize the Guard under §12406(3), he likely must have statutory or constitutional authority to execute the laws with the reg- ular military and must be “unable” with those forces to per- form that function.
At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois. The President has not in- voked a statute that provides an exception to the Posse](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:elipdmmf5istuvtyituspske/bafkreico7h4hdwfyr6byznbn2d7y2wuhraae6jhvupnyew5s7kwjegnpva@jpeg)
![Comitatus Act. Instead, he relies on inherent constitu- tional authority that, according to the Government, allows him to use the military to protect federal personnel and property. But the Government also claims—consistent with the longstanding view of the Executive Branch—that performing such protective functions does not constitute “execut[ing] the laws” within the meaning of the Posse Comitatus Act. See Supp. Letter Reply Brief for Applicants 8; 1 Supp. Op. OLC 343, n. 1 (1971) (collecting sources). If that is correct, it is hard to see how performing those func- tions could constitute “execut[ing] the laws” under §12406(3). See Azar v. Allina Health Services, 587 U. S. 566, 574 (2019) (“This Court does not lightly assume that Congress silently attaches different meanings to the same term in the same or related statutes”). Thus, at least in this posture, the Government has not carried its burden to show that §12406(3) permits the President to federalize the Guard in the exercise of inherent authority to protect fed- eral personnel and property in Illinois. We need not and do not address the reviewability of findings made by the Pres- ident under §12406(3) or any other statute.
The application for stay is denied.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:elipdmmf5istuvtyituspske/bafkreigpypa435od2mqkxeftymwgbg2uepclp6razy2u5gc3efakb7v2kq@jpeg)
December 23, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Henceforth this shall be known as the Shut the Fuck Up About Chicago decision.
@harebrained.bsky.social
@harebrained.bsky.social
I have to say, I really appreciate these executive orders. It's never pointless to try to at least mitigate the harms created from bad policy making if you can't prevent them.
NEW: Mayor Johnson announces he has signed two executive orders:
(1): prohibits the sale of city medical debt to private firms and sets "clear standards for transparent and stable debt collection practices"
(2) New restrictions on CPD's use of overtime @wttw.bsky.social
(1): prohibits the sale of city medical debt to private firms and sets "clear standards for transparent and stable debt collection practices"
(2) New restrictions on CPD's use of overtime @wttw.bsky.social
December 23, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I have to say, I really appreciate these executive orders. It's never pointless to try to at least mitigate the harms created from bad policy making if you can't prevent them.
Relevant slides from the presentation by Alds Waguespack and Lee. Swapping a garbage fee increase with a shopping bag increase and video gaming tax among other changes to their initial proposal.
December 16, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Relevant slides from the presentation by Alds Waguespack and Lee. Swapping a garbage fee increase with a shopping bag increase and video gaming tax among other changes to their initial proposal.
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
This year, #GirlIGuess is awarding a whopping NINE #GoldenShrug endorsements. Yes, there are that many races that we just cannot afford to sleep on.
Shrug Nation, this is the slate! Show up, show out, VOTE!
Shrug Nation, this is the slate! Show up, show out, VOTE!
December 16, 2025 at 2:39 PM
This year, #GirlIGuess is awarding a whopping NINE #GoldenShrug endorsements. Yes, there are that many races that we just cannot afford to sleep on.
Shrug Nation, this is the slate! Show up, show out, VOTE!
Shrug Nation, this is the slate! Show up, show out, VOTE!
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Housing advocate Doug Schenkelberg, executive director of @ChiHomeless, weighs in on the sticky issue of encampments. www.chicagomag.com/chicago-maga...
Why You Shouldn't Look Away From Tent Cities
A housing advocate weighs in on the sticky issue of encampments.
www.chicagomag.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Housing advocate Doug Schenkelberg, executive director of @ChiHomeless, weighs in on the sticky issue of encampments. www.chicagomag.com/chicago-maga...
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
To this point, now that the map is official, unfortunately for the 32nd Ward less tape always seems to be cut when it comes to eliminating hurdles to build housing in our ward. That pink 'Zone 8' with all the Waguespack imposed restrictions definitely sticks out.
(Map by Steven Vance)
(Map by Steven Vance)
December 11, 2025 at 1:50 PM
To this point, now that the map is official, unfortunately for the 32nd Ward less tape always seems to be cut when it comes to eliminating hurdles to build housing in our ward. That pink 'Zone 8' with all the Waguespack imposed restrictions definitely sticks out.
(Map by Steven Vance)
(Map by Steven Vance)
Reposted by Patrick Gilsenan
Neither the EY report nor the mayor’s Chicago Financial Future Task Force mentioned a totally free option for raising revenue: changing land use controls to grow the tax base
Stef explains what City Council can do. @aldconway.bsky.social
Stef explains what City Council can do. @aldconway.bsky.social
Budget Talks are Missing One Key Option
Importantly, an option completely in City Council’s control
citythatworks.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Neither the EY report nor the mayor’s Chicago Financial Future Task Force mentioned a totally free option for raising revenue: changing land use controls to grow the tax base
Stef explains what City Council can do. @aldconway.bsky.social
Stef explains what City Council can do. @aldconway.bsky.social