* Fran Eaton’s latest column talks about a bill introduced by Rep. Darlene Senger which would’ve required much stricter standards at abortion clinics…
State Rep. Darlene Senger (R-Naperville) found Illinois’ law to be inadequate concerning standards for abortion clinics. Senger’s concern about women’s safety caused her to introduce a bill that would have raised those standards.
Senger said this week she’s giving up on the bill, however, HB 3156 would have required a facility performing more than 50 abortions a year to install a statutory number of scrub stations and halls and doors wide enough for patient ambulance gurneys in case of emergencies. It also would have required that ceilings be washable in the procedure and recovery rooms and proper ventilation be available and working.
“Surgical outpatient centers are built for surgery, and that means if something goes wrong, they’re equipped to deal with it,” she said.
Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t want basic, fundamental health care facility requirements for abortion clinics?
Except she left something out of her column about why Rep. Senger withdrew the bill. Eaton did include some of that reasoning in a post at Illinois Review…
Democrat State Rep. Elaine Nekritz (a beneficiary of Personal PAC money) filed a hostile amendment that she knew would kill Senger’s requirement as soon as she added it to the bill. Nekritz muddied the issue of women’s health by expanding the scope of the regulations in order to bring into the debate the powerful Illinois Medical Society lobby, which has often been a partner with the pro-abortion industry in Illinois; and a major contributor to many state legislators.
So, thanks to Rep. Nekritz’ efforts the legislation has been stopped.
But she still didn’t explain what actually happened. As I’ve already told subscribers, Nekritz’s hostile amendment would require all clinics to abide by the higher standards that Senger wanted to impose only on abortion clinics. Rep. Nekrtiz’s rationale was if they want to increase standards for abortion clinics, why shouldn’t all clinics fall under the stricter regulations?
And that was what brought the Illinois State Medical Society into the debate. Senger withdrew from the fight because she knew she couldn’t beat the docs.
A dispute over who ought to distribute beer and perhaps other drinks in Illinois is building a big froth in Springfield, with Anheuser-Busch Cos., the company that just bought Chicago’s Goose Island brewery, hiring some very heavy lobbying talent.
In the past couple of days, Anheuser-Busch has retained recently retired state Rep. James DeLeo, a close ally of state Senate President John Cullerton; and Tom Taylor, the lobbying partner of former Senate GOP staff chief Carter Hendren.
A little earlier in the session, Anheuser-Busch hired Michael Thomson and Michael McClain, both of whom previously served as top aides to House Speaker Mike Madigan, as well as former state Liquor Control Commission chief William O’Donaghue.
Springfield insiders say that Anheuser-Busch — whose lobbyists failed to return phone calls — clearly wants to cut out the middle man in Illinois’ odd liquor distribution system, in which companies that sell the product must use a wholesaler to get it to their customers.
The reason for all this is that a federal judge ruled that the state cannot allow Illinois craft brewers to self distribute their product and at the same time not allow anybody else to do so.
The General Assembly is now attempting to work out a compromise (allowing out of state craft brewers into the game and setting limits on how much they can distribute) while attempting to maintain the traditional “three-tiered” system of brewers, distributors and servers. But that ain’t easy because the microbrewers want in on the action and the big brewers are always hovering above while the distributors are attempting to protect their turf.
The judge said he’d wait to see what the Legislature does before issuing a final ruling. There’s probably no way that the Legislature will allow Anheuser-Bush into the distributing business (the beer distributors are major heavy hitters), so I’m told the brew magnate likely wants to kill off any attempt at finding a Statehouse resolution. Gridlock would send the matter back to the court, which could then result in a very big win for A-B. They already own 30 percent of a distributor here, and they want to buy the whole thing.
* John Bambenek has an e-mail that was sent out by the Illinois Department of Public Health last week which claims that Bank of America is canceling credit cards used by state employees…
Folks:
Not to send panic, but just a heads up to each of you as to what’s happening.
Bank of America is cancelling the contract with the State of Illinois effective April 22, 2011. They will not do another contract extension for the State of Illinos. So what does that mean? On April 23, 2011 at 12:01 a.m., the cards currently held by IDPH employees will no longer be valid. The State has been trying to finda new vendor, encourage BoA to give us a few more months, but as of this writing has been unsuccessful on all fronts. So what does this mean to our travelers? Most establishments will not direct bill especially conferences, (prior approval needed by travel office for this process) so persons required to travel will have to put charges on their personal charge cards or set aside personal funds on prepaid travel card, or pay cash out of pocket. For those who are non-GRF [General Revenue Fund] this should be not big deal, but to those traveling on GRF, this could have an impact.
One additional details are received. I will share that information with you so that you can share with our travelers.
Unti then . . . this is just a heads up!!!!
I’m checking on this one.
*** UPDATE *** From the administration…
The statewide contract with Bank of America for state employee travel credit cards has not been canceled, but is expiring April 21, 2011.
* The annual fundraiser for the Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus was the other night. I couldn’t make it, but here’s a photo of Sen. John Sullivan auctioning while Rep. Jim Sacia works the crowd. Both are professional auctioneers…
* And the bonus caption if you’re in the mood…
That’s Rep. Dan Reitz holding the gun.
* The winner of our last caption contest of Sen. Bill Brady speaking at a panel discussion with the Illinois Partners for Human Services was Wordslinger…
Under the watchful eye of legendary JC Penney fashion designer Alotta Oreos, aspiring model Bill “Zoolander” Brady strikes “the look” in his audition for the Spring catalog.
Wordslinger wins a free “premium” beverage at the upcoming House vs. Senate softball game, of which I am a proud co-sponsor. The winner(s) of this contest will be awarded the same prize.
There seems to be a deliberate misunderstanding by some state Senate Republicans these days.
They’re claiming that Gov. Pat Quinn’s nomination of Terry Cosgrove to the Illinois Human Rights Commission is a disgusting example of “pay to play” politics.
But that’s just silly.
Pay to play means I give you something so that you’ll give me something.
For instance, Gov. Rod Blagojevich wanted to engage in some pay to play when he sought out campaign contributions, a job for himself or his wife and other nefarious things in exchange for appointing somebody to the U.S. Senate.
Now, that’s pay to play. All the way.
State contractors were banned from contributing to gubernatorial candidates because their businesses and, therefore, their personal bank accounts, could directly benefit by the outcomes of those races. State employees are barred from donating to the governor for the very same reason.
But governors in every state have a long history of appointing political supporters to state boards and commissions.
And this appointment is no different.
Cosgrove runs Personal PAC, a pro-choice group that raises and spends hundreds of thousands of dollars every campaign season. Cosgrove also has a long history of working for gay rights. He helped pass a human rights ordinance in Champaign and Urbana decades ago.
Last year, Cosgrove cranked up his fund-raising machine for Quinn.
State Sen. Bill Brady, Quinn’s Republican opponent, was (and remains) 100 percent pro-life. Brady is for no exceptions for rape or incest.
Cosgrove jumped in with both feet, spending more than $400,000 to beat Brady, whom he saw as the greatest threat to his pro-choice cause in many a year.
Brady led in almost all the polls right up to the end and then just barely lost to Quinn on Election Day.
One of Brady’s top campaign staffers told me after the election that Cosgrove’s direct mail and cable TV ads in the northern suburbs were what tipped the balance to Quinn.
So, as you might expect, the Republicans are not at all pleased with Cosgrove’s nomination.
And because they can’t just come right out and say that their avowed political enemy shouldn’t be appointed to a state commission, they’ve taken to calling the move “play to play.”
Ridiculous.
This is pure politics attempting to hide behind corruption allegations.
It’s merely an attempt at political payback for the crushing defeat of one of their colleagues last year. No more, no less.
To consider this a corrupt act, you’d have to believe that Cosgrove supported Quinn simply because he wanted to snag a plum job.
Anybody who knows Cosgrove realizes this is crazy bunk.
He went after Brady because Brady presented himself as a gigantic, scary target. Personal PAC’s whole reason for existence is to keep people like Brady out of office.
Now, if you want to say that no campaign supporter should ever be appointed to a state job, well, maybe we can talk.
I think the idea would be way overboard, but, OK, let’s kick it around.
Extending that logic too far out would mean, however, that the Senate Republicans couldn’t put people on their state staff who worked campaigns last year — which would be most of them.
You could argue that Cosgrove doesn’t have the “neutral” temperament required to serve on the Human Rights Commission. I might not disagree with you there. He has never been a neutral sort of guy. But to claim that this appointment, which was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday, is somehow corrupt is little more than political posturing. I really hope the media doesn’t fall for this game.
* The Question: Should anyone who contributed campaign money or services, or worked for a campaign be barred from holding a state job if their candidate wins? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please. Thanks.
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford said Thursday he has cut his office’s vehicle fleet in half and reduced mobile phone use. […]
The treasurer’s office had 12 cars, which has been reduced to six. The vehicles will be returned to the Department of Central Management Services. Rutherford said he hopes they will be used by other agencies.
Two Southern Illinoisans were honored recently by Gov. Pat Quinn with a 2011 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award.
The awards were presented to 25 Illinoisans in five regions for volunteers who make a difference in their community.
Amy Simpson of Carterville was honored for her service to Gum Drops and Jean Domingez of Mount Vernon was honored for service to One Hope United Foster Grandparent Program.
Jamie Dimon made nearly $21 million last year in cash and stock awards as CEO of J. P. Morgan Chase & Co., but the giant bank still covered $421,458 in real estate commissions and related costs in selling his Gold Coast mansion. […]
Mr. Dimon, 55, moved from New York to Chicago in 1999 to become CEO of Bank One Corp., then Chicago’s biggest bank. Five years later, he engineered Bank One’s $58-billion sale to New York-based J. P. Morgan, a deal that positioned him to become CEO of the combined bank and enabled him to move home to New York.
He kept the Chicago home for several more years to allow his children to finish high school in Chicago. Mr. Dimon sold the mansion last year to billionaire energy-industry magnate Michael Polsky for $6.8 million after Mr. Dimon slashed the original asking price of $13.5 million a few times before reaching agreement.
Mr. Dimon paid $4.7 million for the home in 2000, property records show.
The agency that oversees the College Illinois prepaid tuition program didn’t follow sound business practices — or state law — when it hired San Francisco-based Grigsby & Associates for investment advice, according to a state audit released Thursday.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission hired the firm to advise College Illinois on debt restructuring, but it gave only one opinion to ISAC: to invest $12.8 million in ShoreBank Corp. The investment was lost last year when ShoreBank collapsed.
* And other stuff…
* Former Illinois Gov. Edgar commends state on tax hike: Jim Edgar, a Republican, commended lawmakers today for making the “tough” decision to hike the state’s tax rate — a measure supported by none of his fellow Republicans in the state legislature — and called for more compromise in Springfield.
* The Illinois Supreme court stepped in and declared yesterday that out-of-staters do not need a FOID card if they travel in Illinois with their guns. The non-residents couldn’t get a FOID card anyway, since only Illinois residents qualify. They still need to make sure their guns are permitted in their home states, however…
The case stems from an incident in 2005 when a Indiana man was arrested for a having a gun in a closed backseat armrest in his car.
He was charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon because he didn’t have a FOID card and he didn’t have the gun in a case.
The court ruled that since he had a permit to carry a concealed weapon in Indiana he didn’t need a FOID card as well.
“As the majority points out, if we were to strictly apply the FOID card requirement … nonresidents whose weapons are unloaded and enclosed in a case but who do not have an Illinois FOID card would be guilty of a felony,” Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman wrote.
For the southern Illinois city of Sparta, the ruling was a matter of economic survival. Sparta is home to the $50 million World Shooting & Recreational Complex. Chris Hespen works for the complex and said it hosted about 300 shooting events during 2010.
During its biggest event, the Armature Trapshooting Association’s Grand American, the complex saw sport shooters from across the nation and from 17 countries, according to Hespen. He said Thursday’s ruling diverted an economic disaster.
“It would have been detrimental and crippling,” Hespen said. “This facility here, yeah we offer day use and walk-in outdoor sportsmen an opportunity to recreationally shoot, but this facility is written and built for tournaments and competitive shooting events.”
House lawmakers [Wednesday] defeated a measure that would have taken away Chicago’s ability to regulate how people store guns, a prelude to an expected spring showdown over a push to allow people to carry concealed weapons.
The debate put on display the Capitol’s traditional regional fight over gun rights and gun control, with conservative suburbanites and downstate lawmakers wanting to expand rights and Chicago-area Democrats wanting to restrict access to weapons. […]
The state legislation, sponsored by freshman Rep. Wayne Rosenthal, R-Morrisonville, have specifically given the state exclusive power to regulate firearms and disallow Chicago and other larger cities with home-rule power from establishing their own restrictions. Rosenthal maintained there should be a “consistent standard” statewide. […]
The House vote was 61-48, which is normally enough to pass a bill. But the gun measure needed 71 votes because it would have superseded the authority of home-rule powers of Chicago and other large communities in Illinois.
Todd Vandermyde with the NRA explained to me that they were missing 5 votes Wednesday and said the two issues were different with “different players.” One might assume that they didn’t press members as hard, either, because they want that concealed carry bill to pass. Even so, that’s not a great roll call, even if you add in those missing five members.
* Campers, you know I love you all dearly, each and every one of you. But these gun-related comment threads are driving me a little batty. Please, try your very best not to use stale, ready-made talking points. Be original. And be kind to each other. Also, it’s Friday. Let’s have a little peace. Thanks.
* This story about Gov. Pat Quinn’s capital plan announcement yesterday is so ludicrous that it’s downright hilarious…
The governor said “politics have been removed” from the funding of state road projects. In this Intelligence Report: There are some well-connected winners in Gov. Quinn’s road funding plan.
Ooooo. Intrigue. Tell me more. Who are these dastardly “well-connected” types who won big road projects?
I swear, you’re gonna laugh…
Their list reveals the top-funded districts are represented by legislators who serve on government transportation committees: The 49th State Senate District in Carlinville slated to receive $459 million, the most of any Senate district in the state. The senator from there, Sam McCann, is a member of the transportation committee that helps set transportation policy and determine funding.
OK, first of all, the Senate Transportation Committee does not “determine funding.” That’s done by the two appropriations committees, and Sen. McCann is not on either one of them. Transportation is about policy, not money. There is some overlap, but the cash is doled out by the approp committees. So, that claim is bogus. Also, McCann is a freshman Republican, and a Tier One target at that. If he really was “well connected,” he’d be a Democrat or at least a Republican whom Democrats like. He’s neither. They want him gone and don’t particularly care for him, either. And since he’s a freshman, he has no connections. This is Deanna Demuzio’s old Senate district, half of which was represented by Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig when he was in the House. If anything, there’s your explanation.
Next up…
Next is the 111th State House District in Alton, set to receive $261 million, among the five richest road project districts statewide. The state rep there, Daniel Beiser, chairman of the house transportation committee that oversees roads and bridges
Once again, the House Transportation Committee is about policy, not cash. Beiser does sit on one approp committee, but it’s for higher education.
And then…
Finally, the 37th State Senate District, Peoria, is authorized for 117 highway projects, the highest number in the state. The new senator for that district is the son of Ray LaHood, secretary of the US transportation department, an Obama appointee and a former Illinois congressman.
Senator Darin LaHood says: “I literally just got sworn in four weeks ago.” He wasn’t familiar with what happened in the roll out Thursday and doesn’t think father’s position with feds has anything to do with Quinn road funding.
LaHood is on Transportation, but not on an approp. Also, most of these projects have been in the works for years. LaHood has been in the Senate for like ten minutes.
* Meanwhile, I checked out Drudge this morning and saw this headline…
Oh, for Pete’s sake. Emanuel is a Cub fan. All Cub fans are heckled at Sox Park. Heck, even Sox fan politicians are heckled at Sox Park. The same goes for Cub Field. It’s a Chicago tradition, and it isn’t just confined to sporting events. Years ago, I took my brother to the Blues Festival and Harold Washington was loudly booed for what seemed like a few minutes. My brother, who lives in California, couldn’t believe it. I just laughed, as did everyone else around me.
It might be a bit premature to say the honeymoon is over, but the past 24 hours haven’t been great for Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel.
First he was spurned by the candidate he thought he had locked in as Chicago’s next police superintendent. Then he found out Thursday that not even wearing a White Sox jacket next to Mayor Richard M. Daley is enough to protect a Cubs fan from jeers at U.S. Cellular Field.
Rahm deserved the heckling. Don’t wear a Sox jacket if you’re a Cub fan. Bad idea. But he’d still be heckled even if he wasn’t wearing that jacket.
The only politician I’ve never seen heckled at Sox Park is Jesse White. People love the guy, even though he’s a former Cub player.
* This may or may not be an overreach. I’m just not sure that this is going to be a repeat of 2004 because AFSCME has yet to weigh in…
A plan to force thousands of state employees and retirees to switch health insurance providers is proving just as controversial as it was when a similar proposal was floated in 2004.
A day after the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services announced it will eliminate Health Alliance and Humana as part of the state’s group health insurance program, state workers, some lawmakers and officials at Health Alliance were raising questions about the move.
Health Alliance, which covers nearly 100,000 government and university workers, retirees and their dependents, said Thursday it would protest the bidding process.
“Health Alliance was surprised by the news that the state of Illinois has chosen to force employees and their families to choose between finding a new doctor or paying extraordinarily high rates,” the company said in a statement. “We are very concerned about the lack of choices available to state employees who prefer HMO coverage but cannot afford the state’s new scheme.”
If AFSCME goes all-out against this proposal, then Gov. Quinn will have himself a real problem. We may know more Monday, when an AFSCME official will testify at the Statehouse.
* Terry Cosgrove’s nomination to the Human Rights Commission is causing some trouble in the Senate. Cosgrove runs Personal PAC, a pro-choice group that provides tons of funding to candidates. Republicans are not too pleased with the nomination…
Gov. Pat Quinn’s effort to place a political supporter on the Illinois Human Rights Commission is creating friction in the state Senate.
Two senators argued fiercely and had to be separated Thursday when a Senate committee considered the nomination of Terry Cosgrove. […]
GOP Sen. Dan Duffy strongly criticized some of Cosgrove’s political tactics in past campaigns. He and Democratic Sen. Antonio Munoz had to be kept apart when their argument grew heated.
The committee approved Cosgrove’s nomination 5-4. Now the full Senate will vote.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Gov. Pat Quinn defended his nomination of Cosgrove today…
Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, a downstate Republican with a quiet demeanor, said he thought he would see a less political atmosphere under Quinn than his predecessor, impeached ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“In many cases, Luechtefeld said, “it was very hard to deny that there had to be some connection to the support and the donations made by his appointments. That is extremely clear. If it isn’t clear to everybody, I don’t think you’re really looking.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** The Senate just confirmed Joe Costigan to run the Department of Labor 44-6-2. Costigan was a Quinn supporter last year. Nobody spoke on the floor against him. Cosgrove is next.
* Sen. Duffy just called the Cosgrove nomination “pure pay to play politics.”
* Duffy is now complaining about some direct mail that Personal PAC did against him in 2008, which he called “completely false.”
* Sen. Tim Bivins: “I think we have a duty and a requirement that we should avoid the appearance of impropriety.” He added that Costigan was giving up his job for the Dept. of Labor, and Cosgrove should do the same to avoid a conflict of interest.
* Sen. Dale Righter pointed out that former Rep. Careen Gordon was forced to withdraw after she flip-flopped and voted for a tax hike then got a state job. “This does not pass the smell test, either.”
* Sen. Schmidt pursued the “false statements” line, but was just cut off by the chair.
* Sen. Jacobs: Cosgrove “has the right to his point of view… But nobody’s really talked about him not being qualified for the position.”
* Sen. Delgado, who blocked a nominee for political reasons, is now speaking on behalf of Cosgrove.
*** UPDATE 4 *** 30-25-2. He’s confirmed.
*** UPDATE 5 *** Verification of the roll call has been requested.
*** UPDATE 6 *** Verified. He’s now officially confirmed.
As the subject of a conference that will essentially be a retrospective on his political career, former Gov. Jim Edgar is in a unique position. He’s alive.
“Usually the person is dead when they do these. I probably shouldn’t even go,” Edgar joked recently, adding that his presence might intimidate people who will be speaking about him at the “Governor’s Conference on the Jim Edgar Administration,” scheduled for April 15-16 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.
* The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s “Illinois Statecraft” oral history project has done an extensive oral history of Edgar’s political career. Go check it out.
* I’ve started watching the interviews, and I may excerpt more in the future, but I clipped out a few TV ads from Edgar’s 1990 gubernatorial campaign for today. Have a look…
Nowadays, 90-second spots are unheard of. Times change.
* The 1994 campaign interview is not yet on video. I’ll post ads from that one if they’re featured. It was one brutal campaign.
…Adding… A couple more, one of which features Speaker Madigan…
[Catholic Conference of Illinois] leaders are backing a measure that would require women to be offered an ultra sound and the opportunity to view it if they are considering an abortion.
Conference spokesman Zach Wichmann said during a press conference that the measure tops the agenda for Catholic leaders.
“We think the government has a role to protect all human life. Obviously we, the Catholic Church, believes life begins at conception. And we think our public policies and our laws should reflect that,” he said
The ultrasound measure has become a contested issue in Springfield. Brigid Leahy of Planned Parenthood Illinois said this is just one of a number of proposals on women’s reproductive rights that are surfacing this year. She takes exception to the notion that the proposal would protect life.
“The government should not tell doctors what to do or what to say when they are practicing medicine,” she said.
“This bill … is about information and transparency,” Springfield Bishop Thomas John Paprocki. “We know this (abortion) is a difficult decision, and we all know why having all the facts from the outset before making such a difficult decision is imperative.”
Abortion providers currently use ultrasounds in their practice, but the measure would require they offer to show the results to each patient. The proposal was approved by the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee on Tuesday.
The legislation is designed to discourage abortions, said Zach Wichmann, communications director for the Catholic conference.
“We think government has a role to protect all human life,” Wichmann said. “We think our public policy should reflect that.”
* The Question: Should abortion providers be forced to offer ultrasound results to patients? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
* The Sun-Times editorialized today against politicians taking campaign contributions from strip clubs. The Southtown Star found campaign contributions to eleven politicians and political organizations, including $2,000 to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. President Preckwinkle and others have since returned the cash…
Now, let’s be clear: Strip clubs are legal businesses, and their donations to political campaigns are legal, too.
But there’s an indisputable taint about those offerings, given that strip clubs are particularly dependent on the goodwill of local politicians.
Strip clubs tend to have their share of problems that involve the law. There may be underage dancers with phony IDs. There may be fights. There may be drugs.
That’s when a friendly politician can help ensure that police won’t jail the establishment’s customers, employees or even owners. […]
Citizens need to know their elected representatives are acting in their best interests, not in the best interests of a strip club with deep pockets that might be looking for a favor down the road.
* But state Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights) has taken $2,000 from Jimmy’s Restaurant (a Chicago Heights strip joint) and another establishment since 2005 and sees no problem with it…
“Whether someone is in the adult entertainment business or someone in the garbage business or someone in the printing business, there’s many people who contribute money who are involved in all types of business,” DeLuca said. “Just the fact that they are in the adult entertainment business, it doesn’t exclude them from being in the political process either.”
The Southtown Star story also included this exchange…
Thomas Amadio, a former manager of Sharkey’s, a now-defunct club owned by his family, said there’s a reason strip clubs will pony up the cash to politicians.
“To gain political favor with them and to get help for problems that occur — with liquor licensing, underage dancers who come in with fake IDs … fights, drugs,” said Amadio, a Chicago Heights park district commissioner. “To keep the police off their back. That’s why they’re doing that.”
Chicago Heights Police Chief Michael Camilli called the charge “absurd,” saying that no amount of money will keep his investigators from charging criminals.
* Meanwhile, the Better Government Association is not happy that a portrait of former House Speaker Lee Daniels was hung in the Statehouse last month. Daniels was once investigated by the feds. His former chief of staff was sent to prison, but Daniels himself was never brought up on charges…
So, it’s logical to ask if this is really a guy we should be “honoring”? Should taxpayers really be spending upwards of $2,000 so this guy’s image can be hung majestically in the Illinois Capitol or the Illinois House chamber?
We’re not saying Daniels did anything illegal; he was neither charged with nor convicted of a crime.
And we’re not saying he hasn’t done good things in his career. A recent Daily Herald story noted that Daniels is “known for his work on issues to aid the developmentally disabled.”
We understand it’s tradition to hang portraits of legislative leaders – just as it’s tradition to name public buildings after less-than-perfect government officials such as late Cook County Board President John Stroger and late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley.
But there are public servants out there who work hard, honestly and selflessly – and who have never been implicated in a federal investigation.
They won’t have their pictures displayed in public buildings. In fact, they’re faceless to the masses. But they truly deserve our appreciation.
* And the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform has a roundup of the top legislative campaign contributions disclosed so far…
(1) Ameren ($77,000)
(2) Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois/ABDI ($57,500)
(3) IL State Council of Operating Engineers/IUOE ($52,000)
(4) IL Laborers Legislative Committee/Laborers Unions ($48,000)
(5) IL State Medical Society ($44,500)
Ameren’s giving stands out, not only because it’s heads and shoulders above the rest, but because it’s aggressively pursuing a major legislative initiative right now. Ameren, along with Commonwealth Edison (#8 on the list, showing $33,250 in contributions) is seeking a change to the law which would allow them to spend more on infrastructure improvements and pass those costs along to rate payers, while simultaneously curtailing the Commerce Commission’s oversight role.
Since the start of the year, Ameren gave half of their donations to leadership, including $15,000 to House Republican Leader Tom Cross ($10K to Cross’ own committee and $5K to the House Republican Organization); and $10K each to the Senate Democratic Victory Fund and the Republican State Senate Campaign Committee. They gave another $10K to Sen. Kirk Dillard, who sits on the Senate Energy Committee. Other recipients include Sens. Gary Forby, Mike Noland, and Dale Righter, all of whom also sit on the Senate Energy Committee, and State Rep. (and Chicago Clerk-elect) Susana Mendoza, who sits on the House Public Utilities Committee.
Will Ameren’s giving have an effect on public policy? What about the other interest group giving? We’ll have to wait and see. But we wouldn’t even know to ask without the greater disclosure made possible by the new election law.
* Related…
* Minority groups weigh in on legislative redistricting
* Witnesses tell redistricting panel to keep counties together
* Democrats urged to keep counties intact in remap
*** UPDATE 1 - 1:08 pm *** The House is taking up Rep. Bradley’s workers’ comp bill. The Republicans are arguing over a fiscal impact note that was requested by them today, but not yet received. The House voted 57-54-3 to declare that note inapplicable. Other impact notes will also be debated.
*** UPDATE 2 - 1:17 pm *** The House voted 55-55 on whether the Judicial Impact Note was applicable. The motion by Rep. Bradley to rule it inapplicable therefore failed. The bill has now stalled until a note is received from the courts. But Bradley said as soon as the note arrives, he’ll push for passage of the bill, either today or tomorrow.
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* I’ve been telling subscribers about this development for a few days now…
After weeks of trying to come to terms on reforms to Illinois’ workers’ compensation system, a southern Illinois lawmaker now wants to tear it all down.
State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, introduced his legislation Wednesday morning. He’s been working with lawmakers, business groups, doctors and hospitals, labor unions, and lawyers. But the groups could not agree on changes. Bradley said if there is no room for agreement, there is no need to continue with the current workers’ comp system.
“Let’s get rid of the system that we know isn’t working. Let’s try something new. Let’s take this approach. … Let’s make a stand as legislators and say enough is enough,” Bradley said.
Changing the workers’ comp system is seen as gutsy by some lawmakers, but freshman State Rep. Dwight Kay, R-Glenn Carbon, said Bradley’s move may not be solve Illinois’ problems.
“This system, as I see it, could be fixed if we had the political will and the determination, and frankly, the guts to stand up and do it,” Kay said.
Yes, the system could be fixed, but right now there’s a major deadlock. The Medical Society has teamed up with organized labor and the trial lawyers to kill off just about everything that’s been tried.
Despite fears of a backlog in cases, lawmakers moved legislation onto the House floor in the first step in transferring legal authority in the 60,000 workers’ compensation cases heard each year from the workers compensation system to local circuit courts. Increased costs associated with hearing the new cases in the courts would be covered by about 120-million-dollars that currently goes to administration of the workers compensation system.
A spokesman for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, who spoke against Bradley’s proposal, said he agreed the system is broken, but eliminating it entirely was not the way to go about fixing it.
“We don’t believe at this time that throwing out the baby with the bathwater is the right approach,” said Jay Shattuck.
Illinois State Chamber of Commerce chief Doug Whitley calls Mr. Bradley’s abolishment bill “a shot across the bow. . . .We just want a decent standard of causation.”
But he agrees that it’s not a terribly propitious sign. We’ll have to see if Mr. Bradley and the Ds are bluffing, or if Republicans and biz can win a sweeter deal.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 also opposed the legislation.
“The workers’ compensation system is a bedrock of fairness for workers who are injured on the job,” said spokesman Anders Lindall. “The system ensures that a family isn’t bankrupted by medical bills or lost wages because of an injury suffered at work.”
* Meanwhile, in other business-related news, Illinois is vying with 24 other states for a big pot of federal high-speed rail money that was turned down by Florida…
If the Midwest states are successful in obtaining some of the $2.4 billion that Florida relinquished, the money would be used to buy new trains, accelerate plans to build track and signals for 110 mph passenger service and install railroad crossing upgrades on the Amtrak route between Chicago and St. Louis on the Union Pacific Railroad line, officials said.
A joint application totaling $806.8 million for new trains was submitted by Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin. Illinois would receive $262.8 million, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. […]
llinois, meanwhile, is also seeking $186.4 million in federal funds, with a state match of $42.4 million and a railroad match of $19.7 million, for additional track, rail sidings, signaling and crossing upgrades on the Chicago-to-St. Louis route; and $800,000 in federal funds, with a $200,000 state matching grant, to conduct planning for a station in East St. Louis.
* Over 90 applications for that cash have been filed…
LaHood said the department’s Federal Railroad Administration will begin determining which of the 90 projects can quickly deliver benefits such sustained economic development, reduced energy consumption, and improved regional transportation efficiency.
Tuesday’s aldermanic runoff election was expected to cost Chicago taxpayers about $50 for each vote cast.
The chairman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners said relatively few were turning out to cast ballots. Based on the number of votes cast as of 4 p.m., Langdon Neal said he foresaw a turnout of about 23 percent in the 14 wards conducting runoff elections
Neal estimated the runoff contests would cost taxpayers about $5 million, perhaps as much as $6 million. Divide that by the number of votes likely to be cast – about 100,000 of the 409,707 registered in the 14 wards. The result: the election was likely to cost about $50 a vote.
Neal estimated voter turnout would be barely 10-12 percent in South Side wards 15 and 16. The highest turnout was expected to be just above 30 percent in North Side wards 41, 43 and 50.
February’s first round saw a 43 percent Chicago turnout.
* But if Chicago’s ward average of 23 percent turnout was bad, others were worse…
Kane County voters have set an election record, but it is not an achievement County Clerk Jack Cunningham is proud of.
Voter turnout was about 13.17 percent – a new low, he said. According to online county records, the prior record was 19.34 percent, which was set in 1987.
Voter turnout in DeKalb County for Tuesday’s consolidated election was 11.53 percent, according to unofficial results from the county clerk’s office. Of the 57,823 registered voters in the county, 6,668 voted Tuesday.
. Despite changes in Illinois law that allow people to vote in a more convenient time and manner, less than one in 10 registered voters showed up in Aurora. Less than one in 8 showed up in Kane County.
Voter turnout in McHenry County might have hit an all-time low.
Only 12.55 percent of the 202,494 registered voters in McHenry County cast their vote in Tuesday’s election, McHenry County Clerk Katherine Schultz said.
Just under 15 percent of Lake County’s registered voters cast ballots Tuesday
* The low turnout may have had a big impact in DuPage County…
While a historic number of DuPage County voters took the day off from the political process on Tuesday, the few who went to the polls made their opinions very clear.
The small electorate ousted incumbents, ignored the endorsements of entrenched local political parties and rejected any hint of a tax increase.
“There was an anti-incumbent wave even though voter turnout was low,” said Phillip Hardy, an assistant political science professor at Benedictine University in Lisle.
Only 16.4 percent of DuPage’s 559,603 eligible voters cast ballots on Tuesday — the lowest percentage in the 30-year history of the county’s consolidated elections.
In fact, concerns about the four-candidate field creating needless distractions played out much as the critics envisioned. That’s why we support a bill sponsored by Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, that would bring back the previous system, in which the top two finishers in a primary advance to the general election.
Numerically, Tuesday’s election almost mirrored the primary results. Mike Houston and Sheila Stocks-Smith finished first and second in both. Houston also nullified our theory about party-backed candidates having an inherent advantage. He handily won the primary election over GOP-endorsed Mike Coffey, who finished third in both the primary and general elections.
In the general election, the public spat that ensued after GOP Chairman Tony Libri withdrew party support for Coffey provided a sideshow that distracted significantly from discussion of issues. (On the plus side, it also presented a fascinating look into political operations behind the scenes of a “nonpartisan” election.) Stocks-Smith attempted to push Houston into the Coffey-Libri fray, claiming independence for herself despite fundraising help from the most powerful Democrat in Springfield, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. Kudos to candidate Frank Kunz, who mostly stayed out of it.
Finally, a voter turnout of 28.15 percent puts to rest our initial hope that more candidates might equate to more voters.
*** UPDATE *** The elections did have one big impact. Well-known atheist activist Rob Sherman is leaving the country after losing a local campaign…
After garnering just 18 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s election for Buffalo Grove Village clerk, Sherman said he’s not sticking around.
He declared that after his daughter graduates from Buffalo Grove High School this spring, he will move to the Cayman Islands.
“I’ve been planning this for the last two years,” he said. “I would have stuck around if the residents had wanted me.”
* Vote count goes on in several unusual races: In the Blue Island Park District Board race between a write-in candidate and a woman who recently died, more write-in votes were cast than ballots for the late commissioner, Joanne Ring.
* Wisconsin Supreme Court election: Republican, Democrat neck and neck - A recount is said to be inevitable in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election that has come to represent the battle over Gov. Scott Walker’s unions measure. Democrat JoAnne Kloppenburg has a small lead over conservative Justice David Prosser.
