Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2006

Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

UPDATE: I couldn’t help myself. I had to post this. The pressure must be getting to him.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich lashed out at the Springfield press corps Friday, repeatedly calling them “sharks” while comparing himself to Abraham Lincoln.

The governor has almost never showed any sort wear and tear before. He’s a boxer and he knows that if you in any way reveal that you’re hurt, you’re half way to losing.

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There are some pretty interesting stories coming up this weekend, so make sure you check the news feeds if you’re near a computer.

I’ll see you Monday. Here’s the Illinoize feed:

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Forward, forever forward, no matter what

Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

I doubt very much that we have heard the last of this.

The state Board of Elections agreed Friday with a hearing officer that an advisory referendum on gay marriage doesn’t have enough signatures to be on the November ballot.

But gay marriage opponents have taken their fight to federal court contending that the process to get a referendum on the Illinois ballot is burdensome and unconstitutional.

“Unless they pull a rabbit out of a hat in federal court, it’s not going to be on the ballot,” said Patricia Logue, senior counsel for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Opponents of gay marriage want a nonbinding referendum on the ballot that would ask voters if the state should amend its constitution to ban same-sex marriage. […]

A 1996 Illinois law already prohibits same-sex marriage, but opponents fear that courts could overturn the law unless the state constitution is changed.

Does anyone else see the irony in a potential court challenge? Forget about the merits for a moment.

Gay marriage opponents are worried that an activist judge will find some reason to overturn state law and allow gays to wed. Yet by filing a lawsuit, aren’t they hoping that an activist judge will overturn long established law and allow their measure onto the ballot?

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Bad, good, bad (Or “Good, bad, good”)

Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The new AP-Ipsos poll has terrible news for Republicans.

More sobering for the GOP are the number of voters who backed Bush in 2004 who are ready to vote Democratic in the fall’s congressional elections - 19 percent. These one-time Bush voters are more likely to be female, self-described moderates, low- to middle-income and from the Northeast and Midwest. […]

In the South, Bush’s approval ratings dropped from 43 percent last month to 34 percent as the GOP advantage with Southern women disappeared.

But a GOP survey highlights some things that many media polls miss.

[A] new GOP survey shows that Republican base voters stand ready to jam the November polls to return their team to Congress. A three-page-survey memo obtained by Washington Whispers reveals that despite reports of some dissatisfaction with the economy, the war, and President Bush, 81 percent of Republican voters are “almost certain” to vote and an additional 14 percent say they are “very likely.” It goes without saying that they’ll vote Republican: By a margin of 84 percent to 6 percent, they will pull the GOP toggle switch in the voting booth. And here is something you don’t hear very often: 88 percent of Republicans approve of how the prez is handling his job. What’s it all mean? Analysts say that GOP voters are ready to dig in and play defense against the charges Democrats are tossing at Republican candidates.

The memo also helps to define what issues work for Republican candidates. The survey–officially tilted “Base Mobilization Survey Finds and Conclusions”–divided the issues into foreign and domestic. On the foreign side, it’s all terrorism and war with polling that finds GOP voters back the war, worry about Democratic attacks on the fight against terrorism, and think the Patriot Act, moves to tighten the border, and even telephone surveillance are good things. And their favorite domestic issues aren’t a surprise: They are pro-tax cuts, big on cultural values, and worried that Democrats want to put too much bureaucracy in healthcare. Another nonshocker: They don’t like the media’s war stories, thinking that they are too negative. Some 60 percent of the GOP base expresses “extremely high dissatisfaction” with the coverage of the war.

However, SurveyUSA’s latest Illinois tracker shows the president’s job performance rating is down to 68 percent approval by lllinois Republicans. 30 percent of local GOPs disapprove of his performance.

Let’s do our best to keep the comments strictly Illinois-related, shall we? Thanks.

UPDATE:Congressional Quarterly has changed its ratings on two Illinois congressional districts to reflect a â€œstronger Democratic breeze.â€

Illinois 6
â€¢ New rating: No Clear Favorite
â€¢ Old rating: Leans Republican
This district in suburbs west of Chicago is generically Republican, but that edge certainly has narrowed because of demographic changes and the national political environment. The Democrats have a strong and attention-netting candidate in Tammy Duckworth, an injured Iraq war veteran who has matched the Republican nominee, state Sen. Peter Roskam, in overall campaign receipts ($1.9 million). Duckworth is emphasizing fiscal conservatism, including an opposition to so-called spending â€œearmarks,â€ and is promoting her support for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. But Republican officials and Roskamâ€™s campaign say Duckworth has not staked out clear positions on some major issues and is too closely tied to Chicago Democratic strategists who recruited her and are advising her campaign.

Illinois 10
â€¢ New rating: Republican Favored
â€¢ Old rating: Safe Republican
After a narrow open-seat win in 2000, Kirk was twice re-elected by astronomical vote margins reminiscent of his successor, Republican John Edward Porter, whose GOP centrism and political independence Kirk shares. But his district, which takes in suburbs north of Chicago, backed Kerry in 2004, when the political environment for Republicans was better. The Democrats have a credible candidate this year in Dan Seals, a marketing executive who had $508,000 banked in his campaign account as of June 30. Kirk nonetheless maintains big advantages, including his membership on the influential Appropriations Committee and his $1.9 million cash on hand.

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Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

It’s Friday, so let’s lighten things up a bit.

Do you plan on attending the State Fair this year? If so, what are you most looking forward to seeing or doing?

If not, you can comment on my latest Sun-Times column.

The Illinois State Fair always produces some fun political stories, and this year will be no different. […]

Madigan will take his feud [with Dem treasurer candidate Alexi Giannoulias] a step further next week, however. The speaker won’t appear on the “unity stage” with the rest of his own party leaders. He’ll be at the fair, but not on the stage. […]

Speaker Madigan’s daughter is Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Lisa will be in Springfield for a fund-raiser the night before, but she also won’t appear on the State Fair stage. A spokesman for Lisa’s campaign told me this week that the attorney general is remaining “neutral” in the governor’s race because of her office’s criminal investigations into Blagojevich’s administration, so she can’t appear with Blagojevich at a political event.

There’s more to this story, so you should read the whole thing. You should also subscribe to the Capitol Fax because I found out some stuff after I wrote the column.

UPDATE: Some of these new attractions look pretty darned cool. From a press release:

Â· Hometown Pride: Located inside Gate 2 on the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Hometown Pride is an opportunity for communities across Illinois to showcase the best their city has to offer to thousands of guests from across the state and the Midwest. Every day, the history, industry and tourism information for a different city will be featured. Some of the cities include Decatur, Champaign, Quincy, Effingham, Kankakee, Jacksonville, Galesburg, Bloomington.

Â· The Jungle Attractions: Located just inside the Main Gate, The Jungle features several new animal attractions this year. Additions include Close Encounters of the Exotic Kind, a mix of Royal Bengal tigers and African lions; Great Little Bear Show, featuring three North American black bears; and Live Shark Encounter, a shark show in which divers get into a tank and feed sharks.

Â· Horseshoe Eating Contest: Located on the Lincoln Stage, GoldenPalace.net brings the first-ever horseshoe eating championship to the Illinois State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 12. GoldenPalace.net has placed a total purse of $4,000 on this Major League Eating â„¢ event, an official stop on the 2006 World Series of Competitive Eating.

Â· Drive in Movie: A fun oasis themed like a classic drive-in movie that encourages visitors to sit down and relax for a few minutes while enjoying a cartoon on the Big Screen in the Hometown Pride area. Fairgoers can get their picture taken in one of three dream cars from another decade as they park and watch four cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Roadrunner and friends.

Â· White Sox Baseball Trophy: Continuing the celebration of the White Sox World Series Championship, the White Sox and U.S. Cellular are bringing the 2005 World Series Trophy to the Illinois State Fair. The authentic World Series trophy will be on display Saturday, Aug. 19 in the U.S. Cellular tent across from the Emmerson building on Main St. from 1:00 -
4:00 p.m. The visit is part of a 45 city tour across Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

I love the Fair.

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Blagojevich’s doomed defense

Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

As I told Capitol Fax readers this morning, the governor is basically using Robert Sorich’s failed defense strategy by attacking these two whistleblowers. First, the set-up:

Gov. Blagojevich’s office aimed Thursday to tighten a noose around two former state personnel workers cooperating with federal authorities in a probe of his administration’s hiring practices, alleging in a new legal filing they’re responsible for giving thousands of politically connected applicants special treatment in state jobs.

The governor’s office submitted thousands of names and related personnel paperwork in a filing with the Illinois Civil Service Commission, which is hearing the case of Dawn DeFraties and Michael Casey. The two say they’re being scapegoated for hiring practices passed from on high. Blagojevich has maintained they gave people with clout favorable treatment by allowing them to retake tests, among other things.

The two worked for the Central Management Services Department, handling personnel matters, before being transferred to other state jobs and then fired. They’re asking for their jobs back.

The Tribune brings it home.

Joseph Gagliardo and Gregory James, acting as attorneys for the administration, said there was nothing wrong with the governor’s office recommending or referring certain applicants for jobs.

“It goes back to them [DeFraties and Casey] being gatekeepers,” Gagliardo said. “If something isn’t appropriate, they should have said it [to officials in the governor’s office].”

But Draper said it defied common sense to think that DeFraties and Casey should have stood up to the governor’s office at the same time it was sending them job referrals.

“It’s convenient the governor’s office said they were just faxing over applications but weren’t trying to get special treatment for their people,” Draper said. “That’s nonsense.”

One of Sorich’s claims was that he never ordered anyone to hire applicants. As Daley’s patronage chief, Sorich merely recommended job candidates to the city’s various personnel directors.

Mayor Daley’s patronage office worked behind the scenes to place clout-backed candidates into city jobs by slipping lists of future “hires” to a personnel director, a key witness in the hiring scandal testified Tuesday. […]

Mary Jo Falcon, former director of personnel at the city’s Sewers Department, testified that when she took her position in 1994, she was told whom she answered to.

“My boss was the mayor’s office,” Falcon said she was told by her predecessor, Daniel Exposito.

Her contact was Robert Sorich, the man who headed the mayor’s Intergovernmental Affairs Office, she said. Sorich, along with Timothy McCarthy, John Sullivan and Patrick Slattery, are on trial accused of manipulating the city’s hiring system to reward political workers with jobs.

But Falcon said the IGA, known as the mayor’s patronage office, was intensely involved in hiring decisions in her department, where she worked from 1994 to 2005. She left after federal authorities seized computer files in her office last year. She soon began cooperating.

The Sorich defense didn’t work against testimony from people like Falcon, and I seriously doubt that this Blagojevich move will succeed. From all I can gather, there was also “intense” pressure on state personnel directors to go along with “recommendations” from the governor’s office.

Meanwhile, Krol looks at the impact any indictments could have on the governor’s race.

UPDATE: I should add that the governor’s move may or may not succeed at the Civil Service Commission. I meant whether the tactic succeeds or not with the feds.

I would bet big bucks that what they’re hoping for here is a win at the Commission so they can claim before the election that the governor and his people have been “exonerated” and that the real corruption was perpetrated by two “bad apples.” That might work in the short term. I’m talking about long term.

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Another over-hyped project backfires on taxpayers

Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

We now know how much we have to pay the other side, but I wonder how much the state spent defending this thing?

A federal judge has ruled that state government owes more than $500,000 to the video-game industry for legal fees it incurred in successfully battling an Illinois law meant to keep minors away from violent or sexually explicit video games.

The Entertainment Software Association, Video Software Dealers Association and Illinois Retail Merchants Association went to court last year to block enforcement of the Safe Games Illinois Act. The groups argued the law was unconstitutional.

The measure, which Gov. Rod Blagojevich pushed, prohibited selling or renting violent and sexually explicit video games to anyone younger than 18. Most lawmakers approved the proposal, but some expressed concerns about whether it was constitutional.

The governor not only pushed the bill, he created a website and made a big national splash with the issue. $500K is a small price to pay. The last discernable update on the site is December of last year, when the governor vowed to appeal the ruling that overturned the law (that top link, by the way, goes directly to the governor’s state website). You can read the judge’s decision here (pdf file).

A Blagojevich spokesman said the cash spent on the lawsuit was worth it.

“I think it is worth it,” Cardenas said of the ordered payment. “I mean, we’re looking at a bigger issue here, which is protecting children from exposure to violent and sexually explicit video games.”

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Chamber ad for Bean deemed “misleading”

Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Apparently, the Chamber couldn’t just come out and say they were backing Bean because of CAFTA, so they came up with this.

A $400,000 television advertising campaign supporting the re-election of northwest suburban U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.) has been branded as misleading by FactCheck.org, a non-partisan consumer advocacy group.

“This ad is a bit like those sweepstakes promotions that say, `You may already be a winner.’ Maybe, but not yet,” said Brooks Jackson, director of the Annenberg Political Fact Check project at the University of Pennsylvania’s Public Policy Center.

The ad, produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, praises the 8th District incumbent for supporting a small-business health plan it says would allow health-insurance pools, which could save small businesses more than 30 percent.

The plan, however, does not exist.

You can read the analysis here.

Consider this an 8th District open thread.

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Morning shorts

Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Â· Security remains tight at airports as terror plot foiled

Â· Tribe denies having plan to build a bingo parlor - DeKalb County stops construction at farm owned by Potawatomi

Â· “Against the backdrop of a federal corruption investigation and a looming election battle, Gov. Rod Blagojevich opened the 154th Illinois State Fair Thursday.”

Â· Statehouse To Run On Wind (Not Hot Air)

Â· Boisterous activists demonstrated in City Hall Thursday to support a new ordinance requiring higher wages for workers in “big-box” stores, even as Mayor Richard Daley gathered more support for a possible veto.

Â· “State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka was practically glaring Wednesday at the doors of the Madison County Courthouse as she promised to push for judicial reform if elected governor in November.”

Â· Union talks set in prison strike. More here.

Â· Grand American’s new Downstate digs right on target

Â· Arlington track safe, expert says

Â· Governor Teaches a Preschool Lesson

Â· Another bogus mainstream media story on Lieberman’s website crash. I have 400GB per month and don’t pay nearly that sort of dough. But the AP just took their word for it: “The campaign spends about $100 to $150 a month on Web hosting services with MyHostCamp, said Dan Geary, who administers the site for the campaign. Geary said that MyHostCamp, which is owned by a friend of Geary’s, gave the site more than enough bandwidth — 200 gigabytes a month — to handle a crush of visitors.”

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Whitney: I got your cash right here, pal

Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

I’d be more sympathetic to Rich Whitney if he had raised enough campaign cash to at least pay for the drive from Carbondale to Chicago and back. That’s an exaggeration, but not by much. From a press release:

Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney responded recently to critics who say that his campaign is not ’serious’ because the Greens have not raised as much money as their Democratic and Republican opponents. “No one should be surprised that the other two candidates are doing better at raising money when they are out selling themselves to the highest bidder.”

“We never planned or expected to raise as much money as the corporate-sponsored candidates, since we are relying on a different strategy.” He said. “We are trying to win based on movement politics and people power rather than raising millions of dollars to buy time or space from the corporate media.” […]

Whitney says his people-centered campaign is an attempt to change the “conventional wisdom” on how to succeed in politics. “Our volunteers, because they are motivated by and dedicated to our principles and values, are worth a million dollars themselves.”

$1,679 raised in six months wouldn’t even buy a good computer, let alone pay for Internet access, phone bills, postage, printing, HQ rent, electricity, etc.

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45-37

Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

UPDATE 2: Sabato has moved the Illinois governor’s race from “leans Democratic” to “Possible R Governor pick-up.”

UPDATE: I’ve taken the subscriber-only requirement off this item because Rasmussen Reports has now posted its results online. I’ve put additional Rasmussen analysis below this original blog post.

Rasmussen Reports has a new poll on the governor’s race. ~~It’s still behind the subscription firewall, but I’m told~~ the numbers are 45-37 Blagojevich/Topinka. That’s a slight improvement for Topinka from last month’s polling and zero improvement for Blagojevich.

Date… Blag. Topinka
Aug 7… 45% 37%
Jul 6….. 45% 34%
Apr 18… 38% 44%
Mar 27… 41% 43%
Feb 22… 42% 36%
Jan 25… 37% 48%

You can find some earlier poll coverage here and here.

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From Rasmussen:

The power of incumbency is not necessarily paving an easy road to re-election for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. The most recent Rasmussen Reports election survey of 500 likely voters in Illinois shows the governor leading State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka 45% to 37% (see crosstabs). Thatâ€™s little changed from his lead of 45% to 34% in last monthâ€™s poll.

Blagojevichâ€™s lukewarm numbers have remained largely unchanged since Julyâ€™s survey. Just 48% of Illinois voters have a favorable opinion of the Governor, including just 12% with a â€œveryâ€ favorable opinion. Twice as many, 25%, hold a â€œveryâ€ unfavorable opinion of the incumbent.

Normally, such results would alarm any Governor. However, Blagojovich is blessed with a challenger whose unpopularity matches his own. Only 8% of those surveyed say they have a â€œveryâ€ favorable opinion of Topinka while 24% report a â€œveryâ€ unfavorable view of the candidate. Overall, 43% of Illinois voters have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of Topinka. […]

Taking a look at the issues of greatest importance to Illinoisâ€™ voters, the economy (37%), the war in Iraq (19%) and national security (14%) are the top three responses.

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Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Governor Blagojevich’s statement on terror alert

Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The governor’s office just sent out this press release.

â€œWe learned of the terror plot last night, and since then, we have been in constant communication with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. While no locations in Illinois are known to be targets, we continue to monitor the situation closely. For people who do have to travel today, please be aware that all domestic flights have been elevated to an orange level alert. That means you should give yourself plenty of extra time at the airport. And most importantly, if you see any suspicious acitivity, please report it to the local authorities immediately. If we’re vigilant and if we go about our lives as we normally would, we can each do our part to stand up to the terrorists and show them we won’t be bullied.”

UPDATE: From Sen. Barack Obama:

â€œTodayâ€™s report that British authorities foiled an attack on airplanes traveling from London to the United States is a sobering reminder that the world remains a very dangerous place. It also reminds us how important it is to have strong allies in this fight that can help stop these attacks before they reach our shores. The cooperation between British and U.S. officials and the subsequent precautions taken to secure our people are admirable. I hope in the coming days we do more to secure our ports, our chemical plants, and our airports and railways, as the 9/11 commission recommended long ago.â€

UPDATE 2: Latest press release from governor’s office:

Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today directed state homeland security officials to take actions to ensure security at commercial airports in Illinois in the wake of arrests in Britain of terrorists suspected of planning attacks on airplanes between the United Kingdom and the United States.

â€œWhile there is no known threat in Illinois, we are reaching out to airports throughout the state to offer assistance if additional security measures are needed. We have special response teams on standby so they can quickly move in if necessary,â€ said Gov. Blagojevich. â€œAs extra caution and tighter security measures continue in our airports, we appreciate the patience and cooperation of those traveling to or from Illinois. And as we go on with our daily lives, all of us need to remember to be alert and on the look out for suspicious activity.â€

The Governorâ€™s top homeland security officials were briefed on the terrorist plot during a midnight conference call with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The State contacted the City of Chicago early this morning to offer assistance from the Illinois National Guard for security at Oâ€™Hare and Midway airports. While Chicago determined that assistance isnâ€™t needed at this time, the state stands ready to provide additional security forces. In addition, the state has activated the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS), the stateâ€™s law enforcement mutual aid organization, which is contacting the nine other commercial airports in the state to determine if they are considering additional security measures and notify them that the state will reimburse them for extraordinary expenses related to extra security actions during the Orange alert for air travel.

In addition to Oâ€™Hare and Midway, other commercial airports in Illinois are located in Rockford, the Quad-Cities, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, Decatur, Springfield, Quincy and Williamson County.

â€œAt this time there is no threat to these airports but we want to ensure that they have the ability to tighten security if deemed necessary to thwart potential copycat incidents,â€ said Col. Jill Morgenthaler, Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Safety. â€œAnytime you have security intensified at bigger potential targets, thereâ€™s also a concern that small targets may
appear soft, and the presence of armed officers could deter a possible threat.â€

The state also has placed the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) hazardous materials teams on alert to support Chicago, and offered the Civil Support Team and the State Weapons of Mass Destruction Teams to Chicago.

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Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Is this an important distinction or is it nitpicking?

Gov. ROD BLAGOJEVICH has said for some years now that he doesn’t take campaign contributions from state employees.

But, it seems, he doesn’t mind if those employees ask others to kick in to his campaign fund. And I’m not sure there’s much of a difference there, ethically. After all, GEORGE RYAN got in trouble in part because his workers asked other people to buy fund-raising tickets.

Anyway, on Monday, there’s a Springfield fundraiser at the home of WALTER “WOODY” WOODHULL and REBECCA “BECKY” WOODHULL, asking $250 per person or couple. It’s billed on the invitation as a re-election reception for the governor.

Also listed on the invitation are “county chairman sponsors.”

Among the eight Democratic county chairmen listed are at least three who work in agencies directly under the governor. Another sits on the Illinois State Board of Investment, which oversees about $11 billion in investments.

JIM UNDERWOOD of Maroa, the Macon County Democratic chairman, has done pretty well under Blagojevich. He moved from the secretary of state’s office, where he made about $58,250 annually, to the Illinois Department of Corrections in early 2003. He is now head of correctional industries and pulls down $93,600 annually.

Underwood told me that he is “absolutely not” contributing to the governor or asking other state employees to do so, but he is asking others.

“I don’t see any problem with that,” he said. “I’m not asking any state employees.”

Have at it.

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The Metro East snub continues

Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

As far as I can tell, nobody except the Post-Dispatch has covered this issue.

As the cleanup from last month’s storms is winding down, Gov. Rod Blagojevich is again facing attacks on the degree of attentiveness he gives to downstate Illinois.

Considering the devastation caused by the storms, it might have seemed like the perfect political opportunity for Blagojevich to show up and give his support to the region. But the fact that Blagojevich didn’t visit - and was on vacation with his family in Michigan - has presented an equally perfect political opportunity for his re-election challenger, Republican state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka.

“Couldn’t he at least come down there and show his face and say, ‘I stand with you and I will help you however I can?’” asked Topinka in an interview on Wednesday. “Show some empathy!”

Those same charges are likely to come up again at a Topinka press conference today in Edwardsville.

The governor was in Marion just last week and he didn’t bother to drive or chopper the relatively few miles to tour the destruction.

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The stone wall

Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

I recently sent the governor’s office a Freedom of Information Act request asking for “all documentation which contains the total nmber of federal subpoenas received by all state agencies, departments, boards, commissions, ect., including the governor’s office, since January 1, 2005.”

The logic went that if they wouldn’t release the subpoenas themselves, maybe we could at least find out how many they’ve received.

It was denied, of course.

As you know, this Office cannot confirm or deny the existence of the documents requested. Nonetheless, even if this Office were to have documents responsive to your request, such documents would be exempt from release under Section 7(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act.

This is Section 7(1)(a):

Sec. 7. Exemptions.
(1) The following shall be exempt from inspection and copying:
(a) Information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or State law or rules and regulations adopted under federal or State law.

I’m thinking about an appeal.

Meanwhile, Topinka tried yesterday to turn up the heat on the hiring scandals

The Republican challenger for governor said Wednesday she would release the names of unsuccessful candidates for state jobs if she’s elected, and she urged Gov. Rod Blagojevich to do the same.

Judy Baar Topinka said hiring for state jobs is not about rewarding “all your little friends and contributors.” Blagojevich should demonstrate that hiring was done fairly, she said during a news conference. […]

The administration has released names at least once in the past but now says it can’t because that would violate the applicants’ privacy.

“I’m surprised the treasurer said she would break privacy laws,” Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said by e-mail.

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Does she or doesn’t she?

Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Some controversy is brewing in the 6th.

Democratic 6th Congressional District candidate Tammy Duckworth is at odds with two national gay rights groups over whether she supports repealing the militaryâ€™s donâ€™t ask, donâ€™t tell policy.

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network put out a news release Wednesday praising Duckworth for supporting legislation that would repeal the ban on letting gays and lesbians openly serve in the military.

But a campaign spokeswoman said Duckworth doesnâ€™t support the legislation.

â€œI think she only supports a repeal (of the ban) if it was deemed appropriate by military commanders of the armed forces,â€ Duckworth spokeswoman Christine Glunz said after the Daily Herald told her about the release. â€œThe press release is incorrect.â€

But Steve Ralls, the organizationâ€™s spokesman, said the group based its news release on a statement Duckworth gave to the Human Rights Campaign.

The statement she gave to the group follows:

â€œWhen I was serving in Iraq, it made no difference to me what the sexual orientation of my comrades was. It certainly did not matter to me what the sexual orientation was of the men or women who helped save my life after my Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over Iraq,â€ Duckworth said in the statement, which her campaign acknowledges is correct. â€œAny qualified American who is willing to make that kind of sacrifice for our freedom should be free to do so.â€

UPDATE: Austin Mayor has the latest GOP mailer that slams Duckworth.

A wise man once said that a political ad can sometimes inadvertently reveals more than was intended. Today’s installment from the National Republican Congressional Committee reveals one thing clearly: The GOP is out of ideas.

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Morning shorts

Thursday, Aug 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Â· Editorial: One has to wonder why the General Assembly even bothers passing a budget.

Â· Sneed: Mayor Daley and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney had a hush-hush meeting in a private suite at the Drake Hotel on Tuesday, during which Sweeney presented Hizzoner with a letter urging him not to veto the controversial big box ordinance. The letter was reportedly signed by the heads of all national AFL-CIO affiliates.

Â· Blagojevich mulls law on morning after pill

Â· “In a symbolic changing of the guard, the Chicago Urban League appointed the communications director to Gov. Rod Blagojevich as its new president and CEO on Wednesday, making her the first woman to lead the 90-year-old social service and civil rights organization.”

Â· Commerce chief: Illinois economy in good shape

Â· Ash borer ‘battle‘ intensifies

Â· Muir:

During the back-slapping and glad-handing at the gala celebration in Marion last week, I heard one official make the comment that the announcement that Southern Illinois has landed a professional baseball team is a sign that “we’ve made it.”

Let’s get one thing straight today about that phrase “we’ve made it,” OK?

When long-overdue school construction projects are completed, when health care providers can quit refinancing their homes to meet payroll, when pay-to-play politics stops, and when Southern Illinois is not ranked dead last in 15 out of 16 poverty indicators among Midwest states, I’ll be the first one to jump on the “we’ve-made-it” bandwagon.

Until then, I’ll take my baseball straight up with no politics on the side.

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