* Monique Garcia…
House Republican leader Jim Durkin said it’s time for some horse trading, suggesting Republicans would work with Democrats on automatic voter registration if Democrats in turn help the GOP pass legislation to overhaul how legislative districts are drawn.
Durkin’s suggestion comes after Rauner vetoed legislation last week that would have allowed state agencies to begin automatically registering new voters as early as January 2018. It would also have allowed for an immediate update of the registration info of an estimated 700,000 existing voters ahead of the presidential election this fall.
Rauner argued the measure needed work, saying it could allow for voter fraud. Supporters balked, saying it was a political move and noting Rauner is likely to be on the November 2018 ballot as he seeks a second term.
Durkin said Wednesday that there’s room to negotiate if Democrats would be willing to cut a deal on an effort to change how political districts are drawn, which critics contend is too political. A petition drive to change the state’s constitution to take politics out of the process is now before the Supreme Court.
“If they want to work and negotiate a Fair Map vote and we’ll work them on automatic voter registration,” Durkin told reporters before Republicans held their annual rally at the Illinois State Fair. “The fact is, this is the business we are in. It’s about compromise, it’s about both sides trying to find a way in which we can accomplish each other’s priorities.”
Leader Durkin voted against the AVR bill, but Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno voted for it. Just six Senate Republicans voted against it.
Thoughts?
- Trolling Troll - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:38 am:
Looks like they found another hostage.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:43 am:
When you have 86 “Green” in the House, 50 “Green” in the Senate and you can use the Veto thru November as Rauner wanting to suppress people from voting…
… why do you “trade” away to swap for a map “thingy”?
You don’t.
The “Green” in both chambers and the actual votes and Veto make great “leverage”. Makes no sense to “give”… yet… and with those totals.
So, instead of 86 “Green”, the number will go… up?
Rauner’s veto is a good thing for Dems. If they “can’t override” the Governor owns the veto.
What am I missing besides “good faith”.
The Dems do need to start thinking about a “map” solution but this vehicle seems not to be the trade off that makes sense.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:43 am:
Trade a constitutional amendment for a statute? What are they smokin’?
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:44 am:
===Looks like they found another hostage.===
Yeah but everyone can see the gunman is holding a water pistol. What a joke. Will Jim Durkin ever cease to be a joke?
- fantasyland - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:55 am:
This might be one of the dumbest statements he has ever made, and that’s saying something. You’re saying the legislative process for drawing districts is too political, and your solution is to politicize the process of cleaning up the voter rolls and make it easier to correctly register. House Republicans won’t make it easier to vote until they can have more of a say in how they draw their districts. Got it.
- fantasyland - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:58 am:
One other thing - is he saying that ensuring people can vote isn’t a priority of the GOP? That’s what he is saying, right? I know that’s true, but I’ve never heard a GOP leader in Illinois actually say that to a reporter.
- The Captain - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:07 am:
Complaining about playing politics with politics is sort of like complaining about fighting in the war room.
In-precinct same day registration passed during Quinn’s lame duck and got signed, automatic voter reg got passed with a Republican governor and got vetoed. Durkin suggested a way forward, the cards are on the table and now everyone can play their hands.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:13 am:
===Durkin suggested a way forward, the cards are on the table and now everyone can play their hands.===
Or Madigan can call the bill and the veto can be overridden without mucking up the issue. Durkin did not offer a way forward. He offered up a stalemate on an issue that is pretty much already decided. He just has to do Rauner’s dirty work in the House. It really is that simple.
- austinman - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:24 am:
no deal run the bill during veto session. I wish they could call a special session before the election in November, to see who is anti helping people become voters.
- Doug Simpson - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:25 am:
Some food for thought.
In the recent North Carolina decision about voter fraud the judges found some alleged cases of voter fraud in mail in ballots. Those who use mail in ballots are mostly members of the White Community.
The North Carolina legislature in their law failed to shore up identification requirements for mail in ballots.
If there is a voter fraud problem in Illinois, Bruce, then produce the report. Just like when you managed the cafeteria of the nursing home, you had to produce reports about usage, sales, labor costs to Senior Management. You claim to be an astute businessman just like the National guy you’ve endorsed. Your actions thus far as Governor dont seem to back you up.
- Dee Lay - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:26 am:
Dear Leader Durkin,
Please lead the Term Limits Team and don’t try to get re-elected.
Your recent demonstrated political acumen makes me wonder if you really understand how the sausage gets made, or if you are just reading the notes from Rauner’s overpaid and under-preforming frat boys.
- Norseman - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:29 am:
Meh. Bunch of words. We’ll see what happens in veto session.
For now we’ll see the Dems use Rauner’s veto to hit GOP on head for voter suppression and GOP will use remap (as well as term limits) to hit Dems.
- Langhorne - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:31 am:
Laughable.
Ill give you a snickers, and you give me a steak dinner, w a bottle of wine. Or, you can keep the steak and wine, and watch my snickers melt in the heat
- Bluegrass Boy - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:47 am:
Trump at the top of the Republican ticket.
Durkin way down the list.
No maturity or statesmanship in the middle (that I can see).
No reason to vote Republican for the foreseeable future.
- Federalist - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 12:04 pm:
Politics at its worst. Both sides.
- Harvest76 - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 12:17 pm:
this akin to offering your opponent a forfeit after whipping out a knife and then realizing you’re at a gun fight.
- Juvenal - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 12:37 pm:
“Voters should get to pick their legislators, not the other way around.”
Which is why Rauner and Durkin are blocking legislation to make it easier for 2 million Illinoisans to vote?
Bipartisan legislation no less?
Which, incidentally, will probably mean less paper work sloshing around inside the government bureaucracy, so it would have been a win for the environment and a win for property tax payers.
Unfathomable.
- Ghost - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 1:00 pm:
OW i dont disagree… but the Dems need to get infromt of this district stuff…. and they have the Franks proposal to work with. this is the business they have chosen (great line). Since the dems need in front of this anyway, maybe an opportunity even without the little arm twist.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 3:36 pm:
- Ghost -
It’s all good.
I guess my take is given the parameters of the deal, this isn’t a win-win, lose-lose situation that would make sense for this deal.
86 and 50 in both chambers, and a Rauner veto in the Dem’s pocket, that’s a hand you hold out for something a bit “more”
The late-great Lee Strasberg delivered that great line, as only he could. So well-written.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 3:47 pm:
Wow…first shiney new buttons,then gazillions for name callin’ and fake newspapers. Now trade one form of voter suppression for repeal of the state votin’ rights act….sheer genius
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 4:25 pm:
Total trolling by Durkin.
- walker - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 7:01 pm:
Was wondering how Durkin would try to provide cover to his members who are being pressured by Rauner to flip their previous Yes votes.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 7:13 pm:
Give Durkin another 20 yrs and he might start figurin’ out some of this legislatin’ stuff
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 8:47 pm:
It is not merely Bruce Rauner using the veto pen. It happened again in New Jersey:
Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday rejected a bill that sought to automatically register New Jerseyans to vote when they visit a Motor Vehicle Commission office to either get or renew their driver’s license. The governor went as far to mock bill’s sponsors, saying in his conditional veto it should have been dubbed “The Voter Fraud Enhancement and Permission Act.”