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This just in…
Tuesday, Jun 19, 2007 * 1:11 pm - The AT&T cable TV bill just flew out of the Senate, 54-0-1. It now goes to the governor. * 1:17 pm - The Senate has adjourned. Paul will have Rick Nielsen audio and photos soon. *1:38 pm - Here is the audio from Rick Nielsen; photos will be up shortly. Thanks to Tom from Metro Networks for the clip from inside the chamber.
* 1:55 pm - Alice Cooper is playing the DuQuoin State Fair this year. * 2:28 pm - Dick Gephardt will be one of the featured speakers at the governor’s dog and pony show for the legislative leaders. * 3:15 pm - AG Madigans appeal of the FOIA case has been turned down. Madigan wanted to represent Guv Blagojevich in a FOIA case seeking to compel his office to release federal subpoenas. The courts have ruled it woud’ve been a conflict since her office already advised the guv to release the info. * 5:25 pm - The leaders meeting just ended. Audio later. * 6:10 pm - Audio from after the leaders meeting:
- Posted by Rich Miller
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LIVE session coverage...
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- Just a suggestion - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 2:54 pm:
Swap Alice Cooper for Dick Gephardt at next legislative-leaders meeting and DuQuoin Fair.
- Bill - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 2:54 pm:
Dick Gephardt???????
What’s the topic today? I hope that they have power points!
- play by play - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 3:04 pm:
Rod’s scheduled to leave at 4:30. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/IDT99
Since he never leaves on time, that may not mean much, but considering the meeting was schedled for 2:30, he obviously doesn’t plan on getting much done.
- Commonsense in Illinois - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 3:16 pm:
Does Nancy know Dick is coming to Illinois?
What in the world is THAT about?
- the Other Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 3:24 pm:
I like Dick Gephart, but what the heck?! Between his blatant projection about his absence in Springfield, and completely irrelevant (even if interesting) guest speakers, I am convinced there’s something seriously wrong with the Governor’s grasp on reality.
- Good Grief ! - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 3:34 pm:
Dick Gephart is political dinosaur and irrelevant as Governor Milo Blagojevich.
- Rod's friend - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 3:38 pm:
so the attorney general’s petition for leave to appeal from the trial court to the appellate court has been denied by the appellate court?
- OneManBlog - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 3:44 pm:
Perhaps he wants to bore everyone into submission.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 4:11 pm:
Poor little Lisa.
- anon - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 4:23 pm:
The Republicans should counter with Bob Dole. At least he won a national primary.
- Milorad - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 4:23 pm:
Does Blago even know who Dick Gebhardt is? Maybe he saw him on the John Daly show at some point.
- Milorad - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 4:26 pm:
Alice Cooper!!! ROFLMAO! If they worked a little harder maybe they could have resurrected Bill Haley. Wow.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 4:42 pm:
The AG once again proves that she isnt up to the job. Just like Brickhead Joe told us.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 5:15 pm:
Even if her office’s opinion letter DID create a conflict of interest (and it doesn’t - it’s like telling your client that murder is illegal and that he/she shouldn’t do it), the legal precedents and state constitution basically still demand the AG’s office represent the governor. Regardless, this fight by Rod has just prolonged a story that could’ve been put to bed quickly had his office just released the subpoenas. They’d have been made public, talked about for a couple of days, then done. This just prompts more news cycles to talk about it and frankly, builds great fanfare for their eventual release. In any case, it’s great that the governor doesn’t comply with the law (FOIA), then demands that we pay for expensive private attorneys to defend him (not to mention that his office’s flagrant idiocy regarding FOIA means the state will again have to pay the PLAINTIFF’s legal fees too).
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 5:24 pm:
Anon 5:15 — how could one possibly argue that the governor would be fairly represented on anything the Speakers daughter?
- Harry C. - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 5:43 pm:
Gephardt is going to make the case for Ken Boyer. He’s furious with the Governor’s advocacy for Santo.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 5:46 pm:
BLAGO DOESN’T GET IT!
he’s importing a has-been out-of-stater in to lecture madigan and jones on OUR budget?
i bet this was a nix idea. its pretty lame and ineffective. like her.
- If It Walks Like a Duck... - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 6:07 pm:
Cheap Trick is recognized by the Senate - jeez, don’t they have anything else important to do? I’m surprised the Gov didn’t issue a proclamation stating, June 19th - The “I Want You To Want Me” Day.
- DeepFriedOnAStick - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 6:53 pm:
Does it seem to anybody else like Sheila Nix is in a trance when she speaks to reporters? Freaky.
- Dan, a voter - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 7:04 pm:
What is all this BS, get to work and PASS a Budget “boys” That is your “JOB”.
- Leigh - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 7:04 pm:
Why doesn’t the governor ever talk? Is it because he is a coward? Nobody voted for Sheila Nix and I don’t care how wonderful a person she is, this is ridiculous. Illinois has to have the lamest excuse for a governor ever. Obviously he doesn’t care that the state will shut down in a few weeks. He is not working for the people of this state with these dog and pony show antics and I for one am fed up.
- Fake Bill - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 7:17 pm:
Will all State planes stop flying if a budget isn’t passed soon? Might have to string up some soup cans and try and catch the Gov playing ball to talk to him.
Really fellas (and fellet), lets get something in writing instead of trying to make you fellow Democrats bend to your will.
- El Salsa - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 7:34 pm:
Does Madigan hate all democrats other than his House members that kiss his ring and his daughter? First Alexi Gianullias. Then Emil. Always Blago. Now Gebhart. Madigans comments were very disrespectful. All bc Madigan is against health care, it doesnt mean that its not important to democrats. Its called compromise.
Need I remind everyone he is chairman of the state Dem party. Some job he’s doing.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 7:43 pm:
On a dial up connection the sound clips are just that, a few seconds then more buffering.
That aside, I have to agree with the Speaker, what exactly does having Dick Gephardt have to do with the state budget? This is governot ignoring the minor fact that the GRT went down in flames.
Having guest speakers come into the budget “negotiations” does nothing toward getting a budget passed. Universal health care is too big of an issue to cram through an 3 months.
governot has to get over himself and figure out what he has to do to work with the legislature and get a budget passed.
I think that the comment attributed to governot - “What’s the rush.” is very telling. He does not care about anything except himself. From what little I can see, he won’t care one little bit if the state government gets shut down.
- Disgusted - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 8:25 pm:
Milarod has the most amazing capacity to avoid work that I have ever seen. He puts up more roadblocks than an IDOT worker when having to negotiate, speak, be here, interact, etc. If he expended half the energy he puts into avoiding work, this would all be over with. Is he lazy or just incompetent or both? He has never worked much in any of the public offices he has held. I think maybe the light bulb is just not on.
- Me - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 8:31 pm:
The leaders meeting should include leaders, not Sheila Nix. If the gov’s office is to be represented, he should do so himself. If not, the whole lot should be excluded.
I didn’t vote for Nix either. This whole administration is a sham and a scam. Somebody, please, grow some and take this state back from the greedy, self-serving “leaders” who are destroying it.
- View from Within - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 9:06 pm:
Most of the Governor’s appointed people that I have run across just shake their head at this whole situation. There is not much confidence in Rod’s abilities to lead this State any longer.
What a disappointment the old time Democrats have been to this state. There are some bright spots in Hynes, Lisa Madigan, and Alexi, but the rest of these people are dinosaurs who need to retire.
- Sick Of It! - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 9:25 pm:
With the warmer weather we have been having the folks up North should start getting their higher Com-ed bills soon. Legislators phones will start ringing shortly after and then Rod and his fembot Sheila will be the only ones who still wont want to discuss the issue!
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 9:36 pm:
What a concept- spend a buck on health care, save two. (I’m not making this up, as Dave Barry used to say. Listen to Nix if you don’t believe AA.)
That is even more ludicrous than ENRON accounting!
Oh well, it was a good day to run that up the flagpole when Cheap Trick was in town.
- A Citizen - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 10:18 pm:
Lee Daniels always had to have his speeches re-written with his directive being “More Global, More Global”. Sounds like guv nixblago is trying to go global. He has become intractable as far as the budget goes. It is time for the House to get Emil(where was he today?) to closure on the energy issue, get the House Budget over to the Senate and get it passed, nixblago can veto, and then they should overide and go home. nixblago can then regroup and try again next year, like the Cubbies they are. They have struck out. Bill, drmgrrl, please tell them!
- A Citizen - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 10:28 pm:
I just heard tomorrow’s presentation from nixblago will not use Power Point, they’ll be using Neutered Point.
- Gregor - Tuesday, Jun 19, 07 @ 11:01 pm:
The only reason they brought in Gephart is Rod’s weakness for anything or anyone that smacks of celebrity, no matter how faintly. As if anybody is supposed to be impressed by this guy? Who’s next, Marshal Brodini? Some eliminated runner-up from American Idol?
I was hoping for someone, I don’t know, like maybe a professor of advanced economics or two from the University of Chicago, to come share insights on taxes and budgets. Call me crazy, I know… What’s the chance his next time in town, he flies down Ernie Banks? Rod and his people make me twitch like Lewis Black on adrenaline.
- Nimrod - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 12:43 am:
After listening to Nix the budget crisis has been resolved. Spend 24 billion on universal heaalthcare and this will generate 48 billion to pay off the pension deficit. Then we can spend another billion on healthcare and generate 2 billion for electric rate relief. Good job.