Briefs
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Hotline (via Archpundit) has more results from that Post-Dispatch poll.
Blagojevich 52%
Oberweis 33%
Blagojevich 57%
Gidwitz 22%
According to Larry, Oberweis has a 28 percent approval and 35 percent disapproval, while Gidwitz has an 8 percent approval and a 9 percent disapproval.
As Larry points out, Topinka is the only one who holds Blagojevich under 50.
Why didn’t the Post-Dispatch release these numbers? Strange.
Ryan asks: Separated at birth?
I know a lot of people despise Don Stephens, but, with a few caveats, I tend to side with Mary Laney on this one.
What happened to the train to (almost) nowhere?
“I’ll no longer accept donations from auditor, ethics chief,” Stroger says. How upstanding of him.
A $328 million deficit?
This is a midday politics open thread.
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No surprise
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The revolving door:
The director of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, who marshaled a plan to increase tolls, expand I-PASS and rebuild Chicago-area toll roads, announced Monday that he is quitting to work for a construction consulting firm owned by a significant contributor to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Jack Hartman, 47, who formerly managed major projects at Chicago’s airports and the Chicago Transit Authority, said he is leaving the $127,440-a-year tollway job he has held since January 2003 to help the Chicago-based Rise Group win more government projects.
The company made more than a quarter-million dollars last year on a tollway contract.
Hartman, who leaves the authority Feb. 23, said he’s being hired to increase business in the public sector.
The Rise Group will not do any work with the tollway for at least one year, Hartman said, adhering to state revolving-door ethics laws that preclude former officials who oversaw state agencies from using their government connections for at least one year in the private sector.
Since 2001, the Rise Group’s president and chief executive officer, Leif Selkregg, has donated more than $57,700 to Blagojevich’s campaign fund in direct donations and in-kind contributions, state records show.
Glad to see that business as usual has ended.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Do you think it’s fair game for the media to ask a candidate about his position on divorce if he supports amending the state Constitution to forbid gays and lesbians from marrying?
Is it more pertinent if the candidate in question is divorced? And should that candidate be asked about his own divorce?
Let’s try to keep this theoretical, please. No names or messy details.
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Huh?
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
You can’t help but wonder why this little fact hasn’t ever been reported until now. And what is the explanation?
In another development, [George Ryan trial] prosecutors said that they had dropped plans to call two reporters to the witness stand. Prosecutors had said Thursday that they expected lawyers for the two news organizations to seek to quash the subpoenas for their reporters, Christopher Wills, state capital correspondent of The Associated Press, and Dean Olsen of The (Springfield) State Journal-Register.
After negotiations, however, an agreement was worked out under which defense attorneys stipulated as to what Olsen would testify if he were called to the stand.
The stipulation was to be read to the jury by prosecutors, thus avoiding the need to call him. Prosecutors then said they would not call Wills immediately, if at all.
Very weird. But I’m glad that it got worked out and nobody went to jail over it.
UPDATE: Somebody in comments says there was a story last week. I missed it. If anyone has a link, please post it. Thanks.
UPDATE 2: OK, I’ve seen the stories now. It’s really bizarre that reporters would be subpoenaed to testify in this case.
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Oops
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Ron Gidwitz released a new TV ad yesterday. I’d have you review it today, but the link sent around by the campaign and trumpeted on Steve Rauschenberger’s blog doesn’t work, and didn’t work all day yesterday. I sent an e-mail to the campaign, but got nothing back. You’d think they’d test these things before announcing them.
You can find the text of the ad here (sroll down). Rate it in comments if you feel like it.
Speaking of oopsies, Sen. Chris Lauzen recently sent out an e-mail press release that had “Lauzen for Congress” on the return address. Lauzen said it was a mistake by his service provider.
UPDATE: The link is working now… kinda. It timed out on me a few times. But go ahead and review it if you’d like.
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Rising stars?
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Hotline has updated its rising stars list for Illinois.
# Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole (R): “Very politically savvy,” he was recently appointed the the state GOP central cmte. His only downside: He served in the admin of ex-Gov. George Ryan (R), “which could hurt him.”
# State Rep. Jim Watson (R): An Iraqi war vet, Watson was briefly considered as a running mate by Topinka. “Given his age, he has a long future in the party.” Could be a candidate to replace Reps. Ray LaHood (R) or John Shimkus (R).”
# State Rep. Aaron Shock (R): At age 19, Shock beat the President of his local school board. Now 23, Shock is seeking his second term from heavily Dem Peoria. He faces what will be one of the most expensive re-election bids in the state.
# State Rep. Roger Eddy (R): “Well-liked, respected on both sides of the aisle.” A possible future candidate for Congress.
# Alderman Ed Smith (D): While he’s older than others on the list, Smith just passed a smoking ban in Chicago, over the objections of Mayor Richard Daley (D). He’s currently pondering a county-wide bid for office in ‘08.
# State Sen./Rev. James Meeks (D): A strong ally of Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., (D), Meeks “has become a real powerhouse very quickly in the” legislature. Is considered a possible future mayoral or congressional candidate.
# Alexi Giannoulias (D): A former college basketball star at Boston University, Giannoulias comes from a banking family. Now, at 29, he’s making a run for State Treas.
# Madison Co. State’s Atty Bill Mudge (D): Is considered one of the front-runners when Rep. Jerry Costello (D) retires in IL 12.
Your thoughts?
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Guv: No Internet lottery sales
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
From the AP.
Suggesting he isn’t married to bringing keno to Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday sharply challenged state Republican lawmakers to propose something better to fund school upgrades he envisions under his $3.2 billion capital plan.
But the Democrat warned he would not consider Internet sales of lottery tickets, a plan that already has passed the Senate and awaits House action.
“That, to me, is bringing gambling into somebody’s home. I’m not in favor of that,” Blagojevich told reporters during a stop in this St. Louis suburb to rally support for his capital plan.
So, “gambling” by playing lottery in your own home is never to be allowed, but “gambling” by playing keno in taverns is somehow OK?
I’m having trouble keeping up with the logic here. Can anyone help, ‘cuz I’m kinda stumped.
Maybe we should just let people use the Internet to play the lottery at taverns. Would that be better?
UPDATE: From the AP
Facing mounting opposition, Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday said he’ll take keno off the negotiating table if it means state lawmakers will support his road and school construction plan.
The governor sent a letter to House Minority Leader Tom Cross, who planned to announce his opposition to the idea at a Capitol news conference Tuesday. The letter called keno an excuse for lawmakers to oppose the proposal Blagojevich said is a “critical jobs creation bill.'’
Blagojevich said he is willing to forgo the keno idea as long as legislators work to find the money needed for the $3.2 billion construction plan he proposed two weeks ago.
“All it takes is a yes,'’ Blagojevich said. “Now that keno is no longer a viable option and therefore no longer an excuse to oppose our proposal, I urge you to embrace this jobs creation bill and help us pass it.'’
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SEIU just released its endorsement list which didn’t even mention the Democratic state treasurer’s race between party-backed candidate Paul Mangieri and liberal Alexi Giannoulias. A quick call confirmed they’re staying out of the race.
As expected, the union endorsed Gov. Blagojevich for re-election, but made a very strong endorsement of John Stroger for Cook County Board President. From the press release:
The Cook County board president race is top priority for the area’s working people, SEIU members say. […]
Nearly 100,000 of the union’s members live in Cook County. These members saw city services curtailed under Stroger’s opponent, County Commissioner Forrest Claypool. When he directed the city’s parks and recreation department, Claypool slashed 1,100 jobs, according to a University of Illinois study. These cuts resulted in decreased services, particularly in non-lakefront neighborhood parks.
The union also endorsed Tammy Duckworth in the 6th Congressional District.
Consider this an Illinois politics open thread. Have at it.
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Question of the day
Monday, Jan 23, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Rate Edwin Eisendrath’s new Internet ad.
UPDATE: This just in from the Eisendrath campaign.
The following ad is running in the classified section of the Benton Evening News and on the Internet classified ads site “craigslist” (http://chicago.craigslist.org/rfs/127755080.html):
Historic Governor’s mansion in Springfield for sale. Until 2003, the Illinois Executive Mansion was the third-oldest, continuously occupied Governor’s home in the nation. Seven Presidents, including Lincoln, have been received here. Current Governor too busy raising money to live in it. Within walking distance of the Capitol. Generous state contractors and fine restaurants nearby. Mansion also boasts brand new heated driveway, worth more than $1 million (even though it could have been built for less than $30,000). Asking price: Shhh. Just hire the right lobbyist and he’ll work out the details. For more information, please visit www.eisendrath2006.com.
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Post-Dispatch poll results
Monday, Jan 23, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Blagojevich, Topinka, Ryan trial here.
Bush, Cheney, Obama, national issues here.
I don’t think the poll is nearly as bad for the governor as this story makes it out to be, but that’s just me.
While you’re at it, you might want to take a look at this Tribune story, which makes some fairly decent points (but not about the poll).
Ron Gidwitz’s campaign had this to say (via press release):
The campaign mantra of Judy Baar Topinka ran headlong into reality this weekend.
For months, Topinka and her allies among Springfield’s political class have been touting her as the candidate that can beat Rod Blagojevich.
This weekend, the St. Louis Post Dispatch in conjunction with KMOV-TV in St. Louis released an independent poll that showed Topinka trailing Blagojevich by a 45-37 margin, were the election to be held today.
For years, Blagojevich has been rightfully taken to task by media outlets statewide over allegations of rampant corruption within his administration, reckless borrowing schemes that have mortgaged the future of Illinois families, and the absence of meaningful education reform to ensure every child has the opportunity to earn a quality education in Illinois.
Against that backdrop, Topinka has gotten a free pass and has been anointed the frontrunner because of her statewide name identification.
For months Topinka’s handlers and supporters have hyped her as the GOP’s best hope as they liberally tout her competitive name identification numbers with the Governor. But now eight weeks before the primary, the poll numbers are starting to bear out what many Republicans have observed since she began contemplating her candidacy - that, in fact, she may be the one Republican who cannot beat Blagojevich.
Frankly, I’d like to see Gidwitz release his own internal head-to-heads with Blagojevich before making such a bold statement, but what do you think of all this?
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