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Friday, May 22, 2009

* 10:50 am - We’ll have more on this in a few minutes because the governor is holding a press conference right now, but it looks like the Republicans are trying to force the Senate Democrats’ hands on campaign finance caps…

Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) postponed action today on a series of ethics proposals, with aides saying he wanted to spend more time working with members of Gov. Pat Quinn’s reform panel. […]

But Senate Democrats were concerned when they learned that Republicans had offered to pick up recommendations from Quinn’s reform panel that were at odds with what Democratic legislative leaders had proposed. There has been ongoing tension between the most zealous reform advocates and legislative leaders who have been more cautious about a number of proposals that target the concentration of power at the Statehouse.

Some key Senate Republicans have blasted the SDems’ idea of capping all contributions except for transfers from leadership campaign committees and state parties to candidates. Like I said, more in a bit.

* 10:56 am - Gov. Pat Quinn just told reporters that he will not sign the capital bill until the budget and reform legislative packages are completed. Quinn had promised earlier not to link capital with the budget. We’ll have video in a few minutes.

* 11:02 am - The Senate Executive Committee meeting scheduled for today will be postponed until sometime next week. Reform commission chairman Patrick Collins was scheduled to testify today. The Senate does plan to take up House-approved reform bills today, however.

* 11:10 am - We missed this today. I’m very happy for Shaw. He’ll be a great fit over there…

Sneed hears former Channel 7 political reporter Andy Shaw is this/close to becoming the new head of the Better Government Association, an independent government watchdog group.

*** 1:31 pm *** Change of plans. Patrick Collins will testify before the two Senate committees. Actually, he has testified to one, and he’s heading to Senate Exec soon. Stay tuned.

*** 3:14 pm *** The Executive Committee did not hear testimony on the commission’s proposal after all, and Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno accused Democrats of trying to run out the clock. More soon.

- Posted by Rich Miller

27 Comments

- Six Degrees of Separation - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 11:00 am:
Quinn had promised earlier not to link capital with the budget.

Starting with the Burris special election/no special election/special election/no special election fiasco, I think it all depends on the day the question is asked.

- Vote Quimby! - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 11:12 am:
This could end badly for Quinn. Was he paying attention at all to how Blago behaved, or did he just absorb some bad inter-branch habits by osmosis?

- Chicago Cynic - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 11:19 am:
That’s great news for Andy. I agree Rich, it’s a perfect fit for him.

- George - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 11:34 am:
relax - they haven’t even sent the capital bill to the governor yet. He probably wouldn’t have signed it before may 29 anyway.

- Skirmisher - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 11:34 am:
I am clueless. What governor in his right mind would sign the capitol bill that the legislators want until those same legislators have signed on to the responsible state budget that they don’t want???? The General Assembly does not have much of a record of doing the right thing when things get tough. I doubt if Quinn has the fortitude to stand by his guns on this, but I hope that he does.

- Louis Howe - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 11:44 am:
Since Madigan didn’t object to the Gov waiting to sign the Capital Bill until the FY10 budget passes, that means Madigan is working with the Gov to pass a reasonable budget. Members will realize that Capital projects in their districts are in play and will be more likely to get on the train before it leaves the station.

- wordslinger - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 11:51 am:
Everybody’s starting to play their cards…

- Quinn to win - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 12:12 pm:
Quinn is right to play his Capitol Bill signing card, however, he better be willing to compromise on his income tax and fee proposals otherwise no one will get anything. He should also use his signing leverage to pass real reforms.

“Greed is good” when trying to get legislator’s votes.

- Reddbyrd - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 12:13 pm:
Looking morelike Blagoof everyday

- Louis Howe - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 12:23 pm:
I am betting that Quinn’s Capital Bill signing switch was a Madigan setup from the beginning. The Spreaker knows his members better than anytone, but wanted Quinn take the heat for putting them in a box.

- Niles Township - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 1:02 pm:
Without revealing my indentity, as they say, to someone who once was closely affiliated with the BGA, I offer my congratulations to Andy Shaw. I can only hope that the BGA’s glory days return under his stewardship.

With respect to Quinn, this is all a negotiation ploy. Mmbers want the captial bill. It will happen, but Quinn wants a little more than he is getting on the budget & reform. It will play out and there will be compromise from all sides if everyone (Madigan & Quinn) is reasonable.

- Ghost - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 1:04 pm:
=== Everybody’s starting to play their cards…====

and move their chess pieces….

- Easy - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 1:21 pm:
So what is the one constant among Democrat leaders over the last 7 years—Madigan. Why did we expect this year would be any different.

- MOON - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 1:35 pm:
EASY

You are correct. Madigan is the one constant that for the past 6 plus years stood in the way of Blago. It takes a stronged will person with high ethical standards to do that when you consider Watson, Cross, and Jones rolled over and played dead!

- fed up - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 1:35 pm:
I hope Quinn holds out for real ethics reform, but I doubt he can take on King madigan. One can only hope we dont end up with mike and lisa ruling the state.

- Easy - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 1:37 pm:
Moon-

Yeah, madigan really stood in blago’s way when he chaired his re-election campaign. that was a real profile in courage.

- Steve - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 1:39 pm:
Andy Shaw is a good man. Let’s hope this happens.Although, I’ll bet Alderman Burke can’t be happy.

- MOON - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 1:50 pm:
EASY

To refresh your memory. During the 2006 election there were accusations that Blago was under investigation. There was no indictment or conviction in place at that time.

Are you implying an investigation means one is guilty, and therefore you should not endorse that person?

- Ghost - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 2:03 pm:
=== that was a real profile in courage. ===

You mean when madigan refused to turn billions and billions of dollars over to a corrupt goernor despite the GOP’s demands that blago be given 50 billion in pay to play construction contacts and money to fund raise from? Or do you mean when Madigan refused to give into the pressure from the GOP campaigning with Blago and standing side by side with Blago to push for 50 Billion be given to Blago.

I agree, Madigans refusal to give into the demands of the Combined GOP/Blago push took real courage.

If only Cross and Watson had not been such cowards afraid to stand up to Blago or sell themselves for the promise of a few construction dollars in their districts. I guess the GOP was only opposed to Blago when they didnt see a payout to them as well.

- Easy - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 2:05 pm:
What I am saying is you cannot selectively ignore all the times Madigan enabled Blago.

You cannot say Madigan stood up to blago because he rejected some of his budgets while ignoring the fact that Madigan chaired his campaign during the period that Rezko was indicted and his friend was giving his daughter $1500 birthday checks.

sure he stood up to Blago on some instances, but when Blago’s job was on the line in 2006, Madigan stood with him.

- What? - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 2:27 pm:
Madigan is the master. He is setting Quinn up for a fall - remember Quinn was on the Blago team and Madigan doesn’t like that team.

So, he’s put a plan in place to help Quinn self-destruct. Quinn will be seen as a Blago stooge who goes back on his word, is ineffective, kept to many of Blago’s people for to long, and on and on…….

Even if Lisa doesn’t run - the path will be open for a Madigan pick for governor - ah, life is good - got to love the game. Pass the popcorn and soda pop.

- MOON - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 2:39 pm:
EASY

Madigan supported Blagos re- election because he was a Democrat. Again , I emphasize, Blago was under investigation, not indicted or convicted. To listen to you one has to assume anyone under investigation is automatically guilty. God forbid you ever serve on a grand jury!

- Truthful James - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 3:09 pm:
Mr Collins can meet with everyone from the Capitol janitor to Pope Benedict. His points are well taken but internal reform is a sometimes creature — undisciplined.

The only meaningful reform will come when Illinois voters have the same influence on legislation as California voters do. That means the use of referendum. California voters at referendum turned down four count them four proposals to raise spending to ridiculous new heights. That forces the governor and the legislature to control spending

One person’s analysis shows that if they limited incrfeases in spending to the rate of inflation, California would be sitting on a surplus. As it is, they have a humongous current and cumulative deficit.

- Rich Miller - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 3:19 pm:
===The only meaningful reform will come when===

This is the very center of the problem with reform. I’m not trying to pick on a commenter, but just about everyone has their own idea of the “One reform” which will change everything, and if that reform isn’t passed, then nothing will change. You simply can’t pass all of them.

- Truthful James - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 3:35 pm:
Rich –

I was speaking of reform generically. Mr. Collins is trying to solve things inside the box. IMHO that will just give the legislators more money to play with.

To my mind proper reform will come only when we have outside controls such as California has.

- party of one - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 3:49 pm:
Moon, it wasn’t just Madigan’s ill-concieved decision to be Blago’s co-chair (I don’t believe he was the dem gov candidates co-chair in 2002, 1998 or 1994 so it is not standard operating procedure for him). It was his williness to let Blago divert all that pension money into GRF so that Blago could run in 2006 and cover up the massive structural budget deficit. That is the real crime. In that sense, he drove the get away car for Blago.

- BGA Dave - Friday, May 22, 09 @ 10:18 pm:
Niles Township,

Returning to the glory days - that’s the plan. We’ve got a lot of work to do but I think we’re off to a good start. Hope you join us.

Dave (BGA Prez)

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