Daily Herald gets to the bottom of it
Thursday, Apr 13, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
As I told Capitol Fax readers today, Animal Farm has the answer to a burning question.
And The Answer Is …
16
That’s the number of trips the governor has logged to Springfield so far this year. A little more than a week ago the Daily Herald asked the governor’s staff for the number of days he’d been at the Capitol. A spokeswoman called Wednesday with the information.
She said the governor has made 15 “governmental†trips to Springfield and one “non-governmental†trip. That was in February to announce he was seeking re-election.
The Daily Herald had a little more fun with the guv today.
Rod Blagojevich says when he was a member of the Illinois House during the 1990s, he broke with Democratic leadership and helped Republicans with tax caps.
“Well, I remember when I was a legislator in 1995 and 1996. And I remember voting with the Republican leadership on property tax caps,†Blagojevich said this week.
State records tell a different story.
Blagojevich was absent when, in 1995, the Republican-led Illinois House imposed tax caps on Cook County, a move vociferously opposed by his fellow Democrats who’d been relegated to the political minority at the time.
Interestingly, Blagojevich is recorded as being at the Capitol that day. He’s marked as present on the Feb. 10, 1995, House attendance sheet — which guaranteed he’d get his taxpayer-provided daily stipend for food and housing. And he cast votes on proposals debated just before and after the Cook County tax cap plan.
Although the Chicago Democrat missed the Cook County vote, a year later, he was among the 90 lawmakers supporting Republicans’ plans to allow tax caps downstate.
- Disillusioned Dem - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 10:20 am:
He is really dumb enough that he has now taken to lying about things, like votes, which can actually be verified? Apparently so. Pathetic.
- Dozer - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 10:58 am:
does this include the trips after the tornados?
I think we should subtract those from the net.
D
- Common Sense in Illinois - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 11:03 am:
Throughout my comments here, I’ve tried to remain somewhat non-critical. However it is undeniable that Governor Blagojevich and his senior have no intent on acting with integrity. This administration simply cannot seem to be truthful, and it has to be doubly embarrassing when the record is so easily checked. Given his attendace record in the capitol this spring, the governor’s tv commercials where he touts that he’s “in Springfield fighting for jobs” borders on outrageous. It’s like a fighter going 15 rounds but only coming out of the locker room every fifth round. It makes me wonder if there isn’t a character flaw, and it’s being enabled by a staff who don’t seem to realize the emperor has no clothes. Sadly, though, voters outside of central Illinois seem to have very little concern about it even though the press reports it.
- North of I-80 - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 11:23 am:
The amazing part is that he can blatantly lie about this, get caught and it seems to make no difference. How can this be ignored and quietly put to sleep? Are those with any ethics awake or noticing? Apparently not since they quickly forgot about the Nation of Islam link to the Governor and his handling of it.
- DOWNSTATE - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 11:33 am:
I thought someone said all state people have to take an ethics test does anyone know if Rod passed his.
- WTF! - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 3:07 pm:
I’m pretty sure he invented the Internet and is Sharon Stone’s second cousin.
- Bubs - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 3:50 pm:
Blago is an avid pupil of Bill Clinton, who corretly concluded that the public has a bad memory.
- Bubs - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 3:52 pm:
Ummmm, “correctly,” that is.
- Papa Legba - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 4:17 pm:
The people of Illinois have become so used to his lying they just don’t notice or care. I guess it is like losing a tooth. After awhile you don’t notice its gone.
I did get a chuckle from the “liar, liar, pants on fire” comment from Tom Cross. Makes one proud to be a resident of the state.
- Wumpus - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 4:20 pm:
A better question would be how many days has he spent in Springfield vs. Mike Madigan and other elected officials. A comparison, because he could have made one trip and stayed 30 days…yeah right.
- Minion - Thursday, Apr 13, 06 @ 8:22 pm:
Blago, along with I think every other Dem member of the House in 1995 did not vote for that bill because the GOP hardly ever called Dem bills for votes that session. They simply let them die in Rules-no referal to committee, no hearing, zilch. Although I am not a fan of the Governors, this is a dumb criticism. Of the bills passed by the House since Madigan has been back as Speaker, at least 50% have been GOP sponsored. Under Daniels in 1995, less than 10% were Dem. If there had been any cooperation at all, and Dems had been made part of the process, the GOP borrowing bill might have passed.