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READER COMMENTS CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Everyone take a break. You’ve earned it.

If you just can’t stop, check out Illinoize. Looks like there’s a fight starting.

[Image stolen from here]

More “good” Illinoize fights here, here, here and here.

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Mike Madigan opens restaurant

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

No, not that Mike Madigan. Mike Madigan the former lobbyist. My pal.

Madigan’s new restaurant is called Hickory River Smokehouse, and man is it good. Madigan’s gonna make a mint off that place. Meanwhile, he’s still building up his customer base so get on over there and tell him I sent you. Maybe you’ll get a free something or other. Maybe not. You can fill out this coupon and get a discount, though.

By the way, they also deliver and cater.

UPDATE: Oops. Forgot to mention the address. 2343 N Dirksen Pkwy in Springfield. Call them at 217-528-BBQ1

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Taking the fall and asking for money

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Jim Oberweis’ campaign manager sent out a final e-mail today. Mixed in with all the other stuff was a plea for money, of all things.

Second, the financial costs associated with this campaign have been significant, and Jim has borne over three million dollars of that cost. Additional expenses are incurred as we close out the campaign effort. Any donation you could make via our web site or by sending a check to Oberweis for Illinois

And then he took the fall for all the mistakes his own candidate made.

Now, a final, final word. The mistakes made on this campaign are owned by the campaign manager. As I think of the Bradley Braves and their big basketball game tonight, I’m reminded that even in a close game, say a 38-32 game, the difference between a win and a loss is sometimes told in the turnovers. For my mistakes, for things done and left undone, I apologize. I’ll try my best to do better the next time duty calls.

Classy move, but Oberweis is the one with the big mouth. He gets the blame.

  32 Comments      


More trouble at Ryan trial

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

I can’t help but wonder if this new revelation was tossed over the transom by either the prosecutors or the defense in order to get a mistrial

A federal judge launched an investigation into a juror in the George Ryan trial Thursday, hours after the Tribune reported to court officials that public records appear to show the man had a felony DUI conviction that he hid during jury selection.

The revelation cast a shadow over the historic prosecution of the former governor and could potentially lead to a motion for a mistrial or form grounds for the juror’s dismissal with deliberations already under way.

Court records matching the suburban juror’s name and other identifying information show a conviction for aggravated drunken driving–a felony–while Ryan was secretary of state in 1995.

In a sworn questionnaire filled out by potential jurors before the trial’s start last September, the juror answered “no” when asked if he, a close friend or relative had ever been charged with or accused of a crime.

  17 Comments      


Friday Rolling Stones blogging

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

My father bought me my first Rolling Stones album when I was three. Out of Our Heads set the tone for the rest of my life, and for my four brothers. Rock and Roll to the core, baby.

“Out of Our Heads” is about as raw a rock album as you can find. It was a revolutionary sound, relying heavily on the blues, but with a distinct twist.

Rolling Stones member Brian Jones, who died in 1969, was always a mystery to me. When I was a teenager, he became kind of an anti-hero figure to my group of friends. We were both fascinated and alarmed by what drugs had done to him in that weird teenage way when you think you’ll live forever. Check out this photo from the cover of “Between the Buttons” and look at his eyes. Scary stuff.

We had always assumed, like everyone else, that Jones had died of a drug overdose. “Death by misadventure” was how the coroner put it, later memorialized in a Ted Nugent song of the same name.

Now, though, a new movie is coming out that posits a different theory, that Jones was murdered.

The Rolling Stones have given their blessing to a new film which claims finally to solve the mystery behind the death of guitarist Brian Jones.

Jones was found dead in his swimming pool in 1969, aged 27, and was initially thought to have died from a drink and drugs overdose.

But director Stephen Woolley has uncovered new evidence from a woman who was at the star’s Sussex mansion on the night he died.

Her story has been used in Stoned, which claims Jones was killed by his builder Frank Thorogood - either in an act of murder or manslaughter. […]

It was always accepted that Jones, Wohlin and Thorogood were at Jones’s home on the night he died.

But Woolley hired a private detective to track down a fourth person who had never told her story before.

The movie’s website is here. Go check it out. [Hat tip: Chicagoist]

UPDATE: The UK website is pretty good too.

  9 Comments      


Question of the day - insider edition

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Do you think session will adjourn on time April 7? Why or why not?

  18 Comments      


Protected: Subscribers only - Various roundups and other news - UPDATED

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Meeks still mulling

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

As I told Capitol Fax readers this morning, Southtown columnist Phil Kadner had an interesting piece on Sen. James Meeks, who is threatening to run for governor.

State Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) is “moving full speed ahead” to put together a third-party slate of candidates for statewide office in November. […]

“People say I will split the Democratic Party if I run, but my response is the Democratic Party controls the governor’s mansion, the Senate and the House in this state, and it has failed to fulfill its promise to adequately fund the schools,” Meeks said.

“I believe the Democratic Party has chosen to split itself.” […]

“I was looking for a Hispanic school superintendent to put on the ticket, because I want diversity, and couldn’t find one. I found out that in the entire state there isn’t a single Hispanic school superintendent.” […]

I expect the governor, state Democratic Party leader Michael Madigan and other party members to make an all-out effort to dissuade Meeks from his third party intentions in the next few weeks.

“The governor has told me he is working on some things to increase school funding,” Meeks said. “And I’m willing to listen if someone comes up with a proposal that will increase school funding by $6 billion.

Emphasis added.

  34 Comments      


Gun ban politics

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The governor spoke at a campaign-style anti-gun rally yesterday and issued a call for an assault weapons ban. Missing from some coverage, though, was this important fact.

Senate President Emil Jones, a Chicago Democrat, has said he doesn’t want to put vulnerable lawmakers on the spot by calling the weapons ban for a vote this spring.

“The question is, ‘Do we have enough votes to cover it?’ It’s been up before, and I see what has happened in the past,” Jones said. “That’s a tough vote.”

The article quoted Rep. Ed Acevedo as admitting that support had “softened” for the ban, but Acevedo said earlier this month that he didn’t plan to call the bill for a vote. So this was supposed to be a rally to encourage legislators to vote for a bill that won’t be called in either chamber. In reality, it was essentially a campaign move by the governor to put media pressure on Topinka, who opposes the ban. From the Tribune:

Supporters shouted “Hallelujah” and “Amen” as Blagojevich criticized Topinka’s opposition to the gun control measure.

  21 Comments      


Give us a break, please

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

As I figured, this is not going over well yet.

Election-exhausted voters might want politicians to simply disappear for a while, but Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich is eager to start debating Republican foe Judy Baar Topinka next month.

The governor issued a debate challenge to state Treasurer Topinka Thursday, calling for 10 around the state starting next month. […]

Topinka’s camp also suggested waiting to see if state Sen. James Meeks of Chicago, who’s talking about running as an independent, gets in.

Blagojevich dispatched Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn to a Capitol news conference to tout the debate proposal. When asked why he was there instead of the governor, Quinn said it’s because Blagojevich was in Chicago. The governor actually was across the street at an assault weapons ban rally.

The debate challenge is a long-standing gimmick in politics. This time, it appears to be part of Blagojevich’s strategy to take the fight to Topinka early in an attempt to define her with voters. Her campaign fund is drained after a bruising primary. And Blagojevich, who had $15 million to spend, already is airing a new TV ad touting himself for the fall.

And here’s the Sun-Times lede:

After steadfastly refusing to even acknowledge his primary challenger’s requests to debate, Gov. Blagojevich on Thursday sent Republican nominee Judy Baar Topinka a letter proposing they square off in 10 of the forums — starting as early as next month.

The governor shrugged off his newfound love of debates after declining to go against former Ald. Edwin Eisendrath in the primary.

  11 Comments      


Blame game

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

First, Chicago and Cook County elections officials chided the media for being impatient about the vote count. Now, apparently, they finally understand how important this is.

With ballot counting not expected to be done in Cook County until this weekend, election officials said Thursday they may withhold payments to Sequoia Voting Systems until the equipment manufacturer has fixed any problems.

Election officials have acknowledged a lack of training for election judges facing the daunting task of using a new and complex system in Tuesday’s primary. But they increased their public criticism of Sequoia, saying it “did not perform adequately.”

Scott Burnham, a spokesman for Cook County Clerk David Orr, said the county has paid California-based Sequoia about $7.8 million so far. “We will not make additional payments until we are satisfied with the system,” he said.

“There will be contract ramifications from their performance,” said Langdon Neal, chairman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, noting that about $15 million of the city’s portion of the Sequoia contract remains unpaid.As the counting continues, the lack of final totals has left several area communities uncertain about referendum outcomes for libraries and other projects. With 96 percent in, a tight race also remains for the Republican nomination in the 15th District for the Cook County Board between Carl Hansen and Timothy Schneider.

Whatever. This was a bonehead move on all fronts. Chicago and Cook are by far this company’s largest client, almost guaranteeing problems, and local officials didn’t spend nearly enough time training people how to handle these new machines.

More here and make sure to check out this story today.

  7 Comments      


Morning shorts - UPDATED x2

Friday, Mar 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

· My latest Sun-Times column: I’d get a kick booting these losers into the next state. If you’re mentioned, try to remember that we’re just having a little fun.

· Oops! Road help line a tawdry hookup line

· Ban on dorm smoking OKd by House, goes to gov

· “To hear the 8th District congressional contenders preach it, the general election battle for the hotly-contested, Northwest suburban seat is a bout between independents.”

· Committee seeks study of wind turbines’ effects on birds

· Victory over ideology?

· Zinga update.

· Another take on the 6th CD primary.

UPDATES:

· “Almanac of Illinois Politics 2006” includes a section on blogs

· Fritchey muses about who gets Stroger’s spot. Emil Jones or Jesse White.

· Political odds.

· Elginites defeated.

· Cook County GOP finds improprieties

· The Shadow rates post-election parties.

· IlliniPundit looks ahead.

· I disagree, for obvious reasons. lol

· Friday beer blogging.

UPDATE 2:

· Families with autistic children demand broader coverage for All Kids plan.

  5 Comments      


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