It's Thursday morning, Illinois. What a messed up world. A democracy is under attack by Russia, and parents of trans kids in Texas are going to be "investigated."

Vladimir Putin used glossy language to describe Russia's invasion into Ukraine, calling it a “special military operation.”

But Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) and congressional leaders across the country see it for what it really was: An “unprovoked attack” to dominate a democratic neighbor. It’s an action that’s being compared to Germany’s invasion of its European neighbors 80 years ago.

It begins “a war of choice entirely of President Putin’s making, despite months of intense diplomacy,” Quigley, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said in a statement. “The price that Ukrainians will pay for that choice is unfathomable.”

Sen. Dick Durbin tweeted last night that the invasion was “a dire threat to the established international order and must be resolutely deterred.”

Illinois senior senator, who is of Lithuanian descent, added: ”As someone who has strong ties to the region, my prayers are with the Ukrainian people and all of Eastern Europe.”

Here are the headlines:

— UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: “We will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country. Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities.” via POLITICO Playbook

— FROM POLITICO’s NAHAL TOOSI | The line Biden won’t cross on Ukraine: “The president says he won’t send American troops to battle Russian forces in Ukraine. That, some critics say, is a stance Russia will exploit and China will remember.”

— A clear message to the U.S. | Putin warned foreign powers not to interfere: “If you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. All relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me,” Putin said. POLITICO’s Alexander Ward, Nahal Toosi and Paul McLeary report

— Lawmakers of both parties condemn Russia's invasion: “Putin must be made to rue the day." Myah Ward reports.

— ‘Keep an alarm suitcase ready’ | Scenes from a Kyiv facing Russian invasion: “ATM lines, crowded gas stations, clogged highways, subway rides to work, distant explosions,” by POLITICO’s Sergei Kuznetsov.

— From comedian Jim Gaffigan: “I guess now we know the new variant is Putin.”

JOB OPENING: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is gearing up for a process to fill the council seat that opened up when Patrick Daley Thompson was forced out by a conviction.

A four-person search committee will screen and interview applicants before narrowing down candidates that will advance to the mayor, who will make the final pick. The council will then give the final thumbs up or down.

This all seems like a standard hiring procedure, but the 5th Floor hasn’t always been known for following employment handbooks.

Ald. Silvana Tabares, for example, was appointed by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel to replace Mike Zalewski, who retired in 2018. There initially were a number of applicants, but most dropped out once it appeared Tabares’ selection was a done deal because she was backed by former House Speaker Michael Madigan.

In 2013, Emanuel appointed Deb Mell alderman in the 33rd Ward after a screening of candidates found she was the best person to replace the outgoing alderman at the time: her father, Dick Mell.

This time, a committee is interviewing candidates for the open seat. The mayor’s floor leader, Ald. Michelle Harris is on the panel, but otherwise the group’s members don’t seem chummy with Lightfoot or the Daleys, who are still a force in the 11th Ward.

Also on the committee: attorney Salvador Cicero, community leader Grace Chan McKibben (she heads the Coalition for A Better Chinese Community), and radio host Jamie Trecker.

Chan McKibben’s voice on the committee is a signal that the mayor may appoint an Asian American person to the seat. The Asian community already has considerable sway in the ward and the upcoming remap is expected to make that even more potent.

Lightfoot told reporters Wednesday she’s “open” to appointing someone who’s Asian American. “I’m going to pick who I believe is going to serve that community the best,” she said after the City Council’s regular meeting. “Somebody who has a great knowledge and passion for that community, which is very diverse. I want to make sure that we have someone who understands what it takes to be an alderman, which is a very hard job.”

Candidates have until March 11 to submit applications to City Hall or by email to [email protected].

Once the application process closes, names and resumes of each applicant will be made public. A final candidate will be selected by Lightfoot with the goal of being sworn in at the March 23 City Council meeting. The newly appointed alderman will remain in place until the next municipal election in February 2023.

Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: [email protected]

At Mi Tierra at 9 a.m. with Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Rep. Chuy García, and Ald. Mike Rodriguez for “a special campaign announcement.” (Psst. Watch for Garcia to endorse Pritzker’s reelection bid.)

At UCAN at 2 p.m. to announce new initiatives in the administration's fight toward ending poverty.

At Sauk Trail Woods at 11 a.m. to talk about the Connecting People to Nature Challenge, a nearly $1 million initiative to benefit Sauk Trail Woods in South Cook County, Miller Meadow in Central Cook County, and Caldwell Woods/Bunker Hill Woods in North Cook County.

—State’s top court asked to rule on Pritzker’s mask mandate — a move governor says is needed to be ready for ‘next emergency’: “Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a petition for appeal, along with a motion for an emergency stay of a Sangamon County judge’s order to block enforcement of the rules. ‘Today, parents, teachers, school staff, and members of their communities are faced with impossible choices,’ the appeal argues,” Capitol News’ Peter Hancock reports.

— Masks are staying in Chicago Public Schools, but some parents clamor for ‘Covid-19 off-ramp’, and Catholic schools are dropping the rule, reports Tribune’s Tracy Swartz.

— Vax mandate upheld for Chicago police: “FOP president calls on officers to ‘hold the line’ but concedes they’re now ‘forced’ to get shots,” by Tribune’s Gregory Pratt, John Byrne and Alice Yin.

— New legislative watchdog ‘Maximum Mike’ unleashed on lawmakers: ‘I want them to be a little scared of me’: “For the first time, the position of legislative inspector general will be held by a former federal judge. Michael McCuskey has faced murderers, corruption and greed during his more than 30 years on the bench. He’s known for handing down tough sentences, earning him the nickname ‘Maximum Mike,’” by Capitol News’ Beth Hundsdorfer.

— Despite hurdles, automatic voter registration law adds to voter rolls: “An additional 111,000 voter registration applications have been processed at Illinois Secretary of State facilities annually thanks to a 2018 state automatic voter registration law, according to an analysis by Illinois PIRG,” WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky.

… Chicago City Council unanimously passes electronic voting resolution, via Fox 32

— Cancer patient owes ‘astronomical’ debt despite ‘continuity of care’ protections in law: “The months-long contract dispute between Illinois’s largest health insurance provider and Springfield Clinic does not appear to have an end in sight. Meanwhile, urban and rural patients alike, spanning 20 counties in the central part of the state, are forced to choose between paying more to see the providers they trust and navigating an online directory to find a new doctor,” by WCIA’s Mark Maxwell and Renée Cooper.

— Domestic violence victims could file for online order of protection, attend court via video conference under Senate bill, reports WCIA’s Mark Maxwell

Latino Caucus chairman ‘1,000% certain’ voters will decide new ward boundaries: “Unfortunately, we’ve come to an impasse,” on a new map of Chicago’s 50 wards, said Ald. Gilbert Villegas. “So we’ve decided to let the voters decide. ... From here forward, we’re in campaign mode. We’re going to raise the necessary funds to get our message out.” Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman reports.

— Police issues dominate City Council meeting: “Parliamentary maneuvers were used to delay final action on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Gang Asset Forfeiture Ordinance and a $1.67 million settlement for a woman dragged out of a car by Chicago police officers at Brickyard Mall in May 2020,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

… Delaying vote on gang asset forfeiture plan indicates mayor needs to round up more support: “After the City Council meeting, Lightfoot disputed that the ordinance lacked votes, saying aldermen need to be 'educated' on the proposal even though the ordinance has been up for discussion since last fall. ‘We made a decision that we were going to delay putting it ... for the final vote to continue to educate people,’ Lightfoot said,” by Tribune’s John Byrne, Gregory Pratt and Alice Yin.

— City Council confirms mayor’s pick to lead COPA after months of controversy: The council voted 31-14 to confirm Andrea Kersten to lead the agency charged with probing misconduct by members of the Chicago Police Department after “months of controversy that began when the agency released a report that recommended that Officer Ella French, slain in August, be disciplined for conduct during the botched raid of Anjanette Young’s home in February 2019,” by WTTW’s Heather Cherone.

— Lawsuit claims failure to implement foot-chase policy leaves city, police responsible for death of Anthony Alvarez, by Tribune’s Megan Crepeau, Stephanie Casanova and Annie Sweeney.

— Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) is endorsing Anthony Vega for Lake County Clerk.

— Ald.Howard Brookins (21st) is endorsing community activist and small-business owner Willie Preston for state Senate in the 16th District.

— Vernard Alsberry Jr., mayor of Hazel Crest, has won the endorsement of 11 south suburban mayors (and a few former mayors) in his bid for Cook County commissioner of the 5th District, according to his campaign. Country Club Hills Mayor James Ford, Markham Mayor Roger Agapawa, and Blue Island Mayor Fred Bilotto are among the mayors backing Alsberry. Here’s the full list.

State Sen. Thomas Cullerton resigns, pleads guilty in federal embezzlement case: “The 2019 indictment against Cullerton came days after former Chicago Teamsters boss John T. Coli pleaded guilty in an extortion case. The charges that followed against Cullerton revolved around Cullerton’s role as an organizer for Teamsters Joint Council 25,”by Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.

We asked for the best books about war: Thomas Leinenweber says “Ghost Wars” by Steve Coll about the CIA in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion and up to 9/11 “is the best non-fiction book I have ever read.”… Bill Cameron and Jim Montgomery raved about “The Guns of August” by Barbara Tuchman. “It’s about how vain glorious leaders of Europe blundered their way into World War I, killing millions. Hopefully, the lessons learned will prevent World War III in the current climate,” writes Cameron… Chris Mooney: “Goodbye to All That” by Robert Graves about WWI… Alfredo Navarro likes “Johnny Got His Gun” by Dalton Trumbo... Sharon Rosenblum: “The Naked and the Dead,” by Norman Mailer… John Carpenter: “Crusade in Europe” by Dwight D. Eisenhower…. Ted Cox says "Battle Cry of Freedom" by James McPherson “is the best single-volume Civil War book.”

Mark Michaels: “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque and “Red Badge of Courage” by Stephen Crane. (Like many of us, he read them in high school.)... Pamela Calvert: “To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion” by Adam Hochschild and about WWI….Thomas Day: "The Long Gray Line" by Rick Atkinson about West Point cadets during the Vietnam War… Patricia Ann Watson: “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe… Timothy Thomas Jr.: “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu…. Daniel Goldwin: “Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War” by Karl Marlantes… Jim Strickler: “The Face of Battle” by John Keegan.

What got purchased on your credit card when it was hacked? Email [email protected]

— Now Casten is embroiled in an ethics complaint: “The FEC confirmed that it has received a complaint against the campaign of Downers Grove Rep. Sean Casten, who’s battling to retain his job in the Democratic primary against Rep. Marie Newman of La Grange. The complaint alleges that Casten's campaign committee in 2018 illegally colluded with a super PAC funded by his wealthy father in airing $130,000 worth of ads attacking a Casten primary rival then, Kelly Mazeski,” by Crain’s Greg Hinz.

— Rep. Bobby Rush calls on CDC to revisit hospital visitation policies: “While limiting the spread of Covid-19 remains critical, I believe that the restrictive visitor policies currently in place at many hospitals in Illinois and around the country should be updated to reflect the latest science and the tools we now have at our disposal,” Rush said in letter. Chicago Crusader reports.

— How a 1990 law Biden helped pass gives us a clue about his SCOTUS pick, by POLITICO’s Laura Barrón-López and Burgess Everett

… Why Obama didn't nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court before Biden, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein

… Biden’s Supreme Court short list, by POLITICO’s Nick Niedzwiadek

— The red state Senate race where loyalty to Trump is proving costly, by POLITICO's Samuel Benson

— Kelly Welsh stepping down at Commercial Club of Chicago: “The former top City Hall lawyer says a search has begun for his successor at the influential business group,” by Crain’s Greg Hinz.

— Spencer Waller, an antitrust professor from Loyola University Chicago, has joined the Federal Trade Commission as senior adviser to FTC Chair Lina Khan.

Chicago CEO Glen Tullman has teamed up with Rush University System for Health — better known as Rush hospital — to offer more than 9,000 Rush employees a new way to find health care options. Tullman’s company, Transcarent, uses a combination of digital technology, health guides, and data science to identify “unbiased information” for users, according to a company statement. Tullman is a longtime tech CEO who’s also a familiar name in political circles having donated to Illinois D’s and R’s over the years.

Today: Tickets are on sale until noon for this year’s FOIA Fest, which starts today and runs through Saturday and offers tips and insight about using public records.

— John Kinsella, former Leo Burnett chief, dies at 93: “He revitalized the ad agency's creative product and helped start the Big Shoulders Fund to support Chicago-area Catholic schools and their students,” by Crain’s Steven Strahler.

— Julio Cruz, a catalyst for 1983 White Sox division champions, dies at 67: “You couldn’t find a more energetic guy.” Tribune’s Lamond Pope reports

WEDNESDAY'S ANSWER: Congrats to attorney Graham Grady and University of Chicago political science professor John Mark Hansen for correctly answering that Abner Mikva was the “nobody nobody sent.”

h/t to Jacob Mikva, who of course got it right because he’s the grandson of Abner Mikva. And props to Jack Leyhane for giving the most complete answer:

“The late Abner J. Mikva, who became quite a Somebody, tried (and failed) to volunteer for the 8th Ward Regular Democratic Organization in 1948. Mikva is quoted in Milton Rakove's ‘We Don't Want Nobody Nobody Sent’: “The year I started law school, 1948, was the year that Douglas and Stevenson were heading up the Democratic ticket in Illinois. I was all fired up from the Students for Douglas and Stevenson and passed this storefront, the 8th Ward Regular Democratic Organization. I came in and said ‘I wanted to help.’ Dead silence. ‘Who sent you?’ the committeeman said. I said, ‘Nobody.’ He said, ‘We don't want nobody nobody sent.’”

TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the Chicago millionaire who for a time was the largest individual holder of wheat in the history of the grain trade before it all came crashing down in the late 1800s? Email [email protected]

Former Gov. George Ryan, State Rep. Mark Batinick, political operative David Feller, who’s managing Sheriff Tom Dart's reelection campaign, Ravinia Festival CFO Peggy Papaioannou, and nonprofit leader Angelique Williams-Power.

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