Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2006 » February
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Almanac

Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

I use the Almanac of Illinois Politics all the time. It’s an indispensable tool of the trade.

The new edition is now out and the publishers asked that I let you know where you can get your own copy. That way, the next time your local paper tries to make you believe that an area legislative race is hot, hot, hot, you can see for yourself that the incumbent’s party won the last statewide race there by 40 points.

From a press release:

Since its first edition in 1990, the Almanac of Illinois Politics has been a leading source for information on the key players in Illinois government. This widely popular publication is considered an invaluable resource by legislators, governmental staff, lobbyists, reporters, teachers, students, and citizens.

The Almanac of Illinois Politics — 2006 is available for $45 plus $3 postage and handling. Contact Center Publications/Illinois Issues, One University Plaza, Mail Stop HRB 10, University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield, IL 62703-5407. For information, call 217/206-6502. Or visit our Web site.

Let’s make this an afternoon open thread. Illinois politics only, please.

Also, don’t forget about Illinoize. A great place to visit.

  11 Comments      


WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN CALIFORNIA – OR YET ANOTHER REASON TO SUPPORT HB 5766 (formerly HB 1944, #1)

Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - Posted by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

(The following is a paid advertisement)

ComEd talks a lot about California but it wants us to forget what actually happened in that state. The California energy crisis was caused by Enron and other shady energy companies manipulating an uncompetitive market that lacked appropriate state oversight.

Don’t take our word for it. Listen to the Enron tapes available at http://www.enrontapes.com/files.html.

Here are two of the more revealing quotes from these tapes:

(1) “He just f—s California,” “He steals money from California to the tune of about a million.”

“Will you rephrase that?”

“OK, he, um, he arbitrages the California market to the tune of a million bucks or two a day,”

(2) “They’re f——g taking all the money back from you guys?”. “All the money you guys stole from those poor grandmothers in California?”

“Yeah, grandma Millie, man”

“Yeah, now she wants her f——g money back for all the power you’ve charged right up, jammed right up her a—— for f——g $250 a megawatt hour.”

Now ComEd wants to eliminate state oversight here in Illinois and import a risky auction scheme that has caused massive rate increases in New Jersey. Let’s stay the course and extend the rate freeze like we did in 2003. The only thing that’s changed since then is that both Exelon-ComEd and Ameren are billions of dollars richer. Vote Yes on HB 5766.

  Comments Off      


Question of the day

Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Should the General Assembly impose a statewide ban on all cigarette smoking in public places? Why or why not?

  52 Comments      


Black legislators not happy with guv

Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

What goes around, comes around.

Black lawmakers urged Gov. Rod Blagojevich to take back his no-tax-increase pledge because of its impact on schools, warning Monday that the position could cost him votes.

“The governor cannot take the African-American vote for granted in the general election,” said Sen. James Meeks, chairman of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. “There is no guarantee that that vote is going to be there, especially since those individuals who are African-American, their priority is educational funding.” […]

Caucus members haven’t discussed their concerns with Blagojevich, who announced his pledge last week when he launched his re-election campaign.

“Since we had to find out about it in the press, then he’ll find out about how we feel in the press,” Meeks said.

Ouch.

I thought the governor’s response was interesting.

Blagojevich declined to comment, issuing a conciliatory written statement:

“We…share many of the concerns expressed today.”

And here’s that quote from Meeks that I had in this morning’s Capitol Fax:

“If the governor does not take back his pledge, and if the governor is not willing to work with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, it’s a third candidate that I’m hoping will step forward,” Meeks said.

  26 Comments      


Oberweis challenges Topinka

Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

After staying relatively quiet for the past week or so, Jim Oberweis emerged yesterday to demand answers from the gubernatorial frontrunner.

Republican governor candidate Jim Oberweis called on foe Judy Baar Topinka to release a 2003 inspector general probe into whether political work was being done on state time at her treasurer’s office.

“Her internal investigation is over. Let’s see what it found,” said Obeweis at a Monday news conference in Chicago.

The probe began about three years ago after U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s office subpoenaed documents following an ex-employee’s complaint that treasurer’s employees did campaign work on state time.

Topinka’s deputy treasurer, Martin Noven, dismissed Oberweis’ request as “disingenuous at best.”

“Legally, we’re not allowed to release that information,” said Noven, citing a state law that bars inspector general reports from being released unless misconduct is found.

Noven said there was no misconduct. If such a finding had been made, it would have been forwarded to the state’s office of executive inspector general. That office would have had to release a summary of the misconduct and any punishment.

While Topinka’s office makes a valid point, anything that keeps that old investigation in the public’s eye can’t be great for JBT. Your thoughts?

  37 Comments      


More on the weapons ban snag

Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

There were three of us present when Senate President Emil Jones said yesterday that the assault weapons ban wouldn’t fly. Kurt Erickson was one of them. Here’s his take.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s renewed push for a statewide ban on assault weapons may not be called for a vote this spring.

On Monday, one of his top allies in the General Assembly said the issue might be just too contentious to move forward before lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn for the spring on April 7.

“I don’t think anything will happen with that,” said Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, who is co-chairman of the governor’s re-election effort. “It would be very difficult to pass that over here.”

That assessment comes just five weeks after Blagojevich made the assault weapons ban a cornerstone of his State of the State speech.

A federal ban on the weapons expired in September 2004 and Blagojevich wants Illinois lawmakers to approve legislation to ban the manufacture, possession and delivery of semiautomatic assault weapons, assault weapons attachments, large capacity ammunition feeding devices and the .50 caliber rifle.

Discuss

  20 Comments      


Morning shorts

Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

· I forgot to link to this yesterday, but here is the Tibune’s congressional endorsement list.

· Topinka blasts the governor for raiding special funds.

· The Crestwood library board badges story refuses to die.

· Gidwitz profiled.

· Leach celebrates a decade at WMAY. Congratulations!

· Cleanups happening, Weinberger says, but you’d never know it.

· Good political advice from OneMan.

· Claypool scores a hundred grand from Bruce Rauner.

· Frank was good in his day, but I’m sticking with Ken on this one.

· More later.

· Vice President Dick Cheney will travel to Addison next month to raise money for Sen. Peter Roskam’s 6th District congressional campaign. Cheney’s national polling numbers are horrendous, but his boss is still doing well with Illinois Republicans. Also, check out this poll if you have time.

· This was pretty much expected, but early voting starts slowly. UPDATE: Check out Texas’ top early voting counties in 2004.

· Latest SurveyUSA trackers for Durbin and Obama.

· No pay hikes.

· Fireworks at Ryan trial.

· Sun-Times editorializes about Farrakhan ally on guv’s panel.

· Gutierrez prepares to run for mayor, no matter what Daley decides.

  11 Comments      


PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Reader comments closed for the holidays
* And the winners are…
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to previous editions
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Report: Far-right Illinois billionaires may have skirted immigration rules
* Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards (Updated)
* Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller