Published July 17, 2026 at 11:49 AM CDT

President Trump is reiterating his belief that alleges voting systems are rigged and the elections are vulnerable to being stolen. While experts reject his claims, his comments have some worried about the threat of federal interference with the upcoming midterms.

The Department of Justice recently sent a letter warning election officials in Illinois and other states that they could face prosecution if undocumented individuals cast ballots. Evidence shows that has rarely occurred.

The latest campaign finance numbers are out. Republicans in Illinois are struggling to raise funds. We also get the latest of Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) and her husband, who appeared in court this week for the first time since a federal indictment came down.

And we hear about a report on Illinois' evidence-based funding formula for schools and why problems still exist.

Host Sean Crawford is joined by Capitol News Illinois reporter Peter Hancock and political writer Dan Petrella with the Chicago Tribune.