I doubt this would be constitutional, but what do you think of the idea? From a press release:
U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) this week introduced legislation to protect Americans from tactics that intimidate voters and prevent them from exercising their right to vote on Election Day. The legislation builds on similar legislation he introduced last year by including specific language to address misleading fliers and harassing robocalls that occurred during the 2006 cycle.
The legislation, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2006, would make it illegal for anyone to knowingly attempt to prevent others from exercising his or her right to vote by providing deceptive information and would require the Attorney General to fully investigate these allegations. The legislation would also require the Attorney General, in conjunction with the Election Assistance Commission, to provide accurate election information when allegations of deceptive practices are confirmed.
“One of our most sacred rights as Americans is the right to make our voice heard at the polls,” said Obama. “But too often, we hear reports of mysterious phone calls and mailers arriving just days before an election that seek to mislead and threaten voters to keep them from the polls. And those who engage in these deceptive and underhanded campaign tactics usually target voters living in minority or low-income neighborhoods. This legislation would ensure that for the first time, these incidents are fully investigated and that those found guilty are punished.”
In last week’s election, mailers distributed by Republicans in predominantly African American counties in Maryland wrongly implied that African American Democrats had endorsed Republican candidates. The fliers were paid for and authorized by GOP Senate candidate Michael Steele and Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich.
In House races across the country, reports surfaced of Democrats receiving dozens of harassing robocalls designed to imply that they came from Democratic candidates. In fact, the calls were paid for by Republicans and were intended to suppress turnout among Democrats. (The calls were thoroughly documented on www.TalkingPointsMemo.com.)
Obama’s legislation would provide a criminal penalty for deceptive practices, with penalties of up to $100,000 or one year imprisonment, or both. The legislation would also require the Attorney General to work with the Federal Communications Commission and the Election Assistance Commission to determine the feasibility of using the public broadcasting system as a means of providing voters with full and accurate Election Day information.
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Question of the day
Friday, Nov 17, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
It’s Friday, I’m going on vacation soon, Thanksgiving is next week, so let’s do a light and fluffy QOTD today.
What’s your most prized piece of political memorabilia?
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Kass endorses Lauzen bill
Friday, Nov 17, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Twelve days after he endorsed Jack Roeser’s idea that a Rod Blagojevich win would be just what the Illinois Republican Party needed, and nine days after he endorsed Jack Roeser’s conspiracy theory that Sen. Bill Brady was a Topinka plant in the spring gubernatorial primary, Tribune columnist John Kass endorses Sen. Chris Lauzen’s bill to allow Republican voters to choose their state central committee members.
Some Illinois Republican leaders tried to stave off a post-election revolt from grass-roots conservatives by offering up a Republican scalp on Thursday, in the hopes of maintaining control of the crippled and intellectually bankrupt state GOP.
It’s a fat scalp, and quite hefty, though it has a few strands of thin white hair. Still, I don’t think one scalp will stave off a revolt that has been building for years now.
Because establishment Republicans are holding up a bill pending in the legislature that would allow Republican voters to choose the direction of their own party. Senate Bill 600 was sponsored by state Sen. Christopher Lauzen (R-Aurora), and passed in the state Senate. But it is being held up by state Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano (R-Jimmy DeLeo), who dismisses the effort, calling it the “Chris Lauzen for Congress bill.”
Lauzen’s bill would let Republican voters choose their party leaders–the state central committeemen from each congressional district–just as Democratic voters are allowed to do every four years. But Saviano is leery of releasing the bill for a vote, because establishment Republicans are afraid of losing control of what little they’ve got left.
In case you missed it, House GOP Leader Tom Cross called yesterday for the ouster of Bob Kjellander as Illinois’ Republican National Committeeman. Cross knew the Kass column was coming, so he got in front of it.
The top Illinois House Republican Thursday laid out a legislative strategy to oust the state GOP’s national committeeman who has won big consulting fees under Gov. Blagojevich and been recently linked to an ongoing federal corruption probe.
“We’re dealing with a huge perception problem,” said state House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego). “He’s not good for the party, and he needs to go.”
Cross said last week’s elections demonstrated that Republicans — still reeling from former Gov. George Ryan’s corruption conviction — have lost the “high ground on ethics” and need to rebuild the party, starting with Kjellander’s removal.
“It’s the belief of myself and others that Bob Kjellander has become a controversial figure who’s found himself under an ethical cloud and has become a detriment to the Republican Party of Illinois,” Cross said.
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Pay raise politics *** Updated x1 ***
Friday, Nov 17, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Politicians are never so defensive or sanctimonious as when they’re voting to raise their own pay. Yesterday was the Illinois Senate’s turn.
Supporters of the pay increase quoted the Bible and spoke of the financial burden faced by single-parent legislators as justification for a bump up in pay that will cost taxpayers $5.1 million annually.
“The Scriptures speak of the fact a workman is worthy of his hire,” said Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago), pastor of Salem Baptist Church. “Just because we’re elected officials, it’s not fair to come to work every day and then to not be able to expect adequate compensation.” […]
“Timing wise, this stinks,” said Sen. Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), who voted against the pay hikes. “There’s a perception here that those who voted for this are far more concerned about their own well-being first and foremost before anything else.”
And…
Sen. Rickey Hendon, D-Chicago, called the more than $8,000-per-year boost headed his way “a little bitty raise†and said he deserves the money.
“We’re not asking for a ridiculous amount. We are underpaid,†said Hendon, who will see his base pay rate rise to more than $66,000, up from $57,600. […]
Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, said the increase would make up for several years during which lawmakers have not received cost-of-living adjustments.
“When I fight for a minimum-wage increase for everyone else, I need to fight for myself,†Lightford said.
And…
A Peoria Republican, Sen. Dale Risinger, said it is unfair for lawmakers to make more money when 9,000 non-union state employees have gotten just one raise in four years. That 4 percent raise only offset an increase in their state pension contributions.
“We have professional people in this government working right now who have not had a cost-of-living raise in four years,” Risinger said. “I cannot go back and look in the eyes of other people in this government that are doing a heck of a job, working hard and say, ‘I got mine, but you can’t get yours.’”
“I would point out that you do have the option of donating the money back to the state,” Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago, told opponents of the raises.
*** UPDATE *** IIS has a couple of stories posted.
[audio:cola.mp3]
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Morning shorts
Friday, Nov 17, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
* FYI: I’ll be on WBEZ’s Eight Forty-Eight program at about 9:05 this morning.
* Big silence greets $1 wage-hike vote - Chamber chief: State commerce leader finds businesses curiously calm in face of change
* Company says state owes $20M on canceled prison build
* State lowering thermostats
* Southern Illinoisan: Choosing a name symbolic to the region, the Southern Illinois Baseball Group [financed partly by the state] announced Thursday evening before a group of about 300 rowdy baseball fans that “Miners” was the route to go - Southern Illinois Miners to be specific.
* Editorial: Election’s over; now let’s fix funding crisis
* Daley wants to enlist science, math teachers - Would tie free ride to college to public school commitment
* First round of layoffs hits DuPage County hard
* Judge tosses Craigslist discrimination suit
* Schools face obstacle to building plan
* State DCFS chief Samuels, who sparred with gov, quits
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Another Rezko deal for Mrs. B
Friday, Nov 17, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
We already knew about the $39,000 that First Lady Patti Blagojevich made doing deals with Tony Rezko in 2004. The Sun-Times turned up another deal worth $50,000 to Mrs. Blagojevich that had some curious timing.
Mrs. Blagojevich’s River Realty was paid “$47,557 from the Dec. 16, 2002, sale” of a piece of industrial property that Rezko converted into townhomes.
It is unclear exactly what work River Realty did to earn the commission and how much Patti Blagojevich might have interacted with Rezko. Ottenhoff said the first lady represented the seller of the Irving Park Road site and the property could have been bought by anyone. […]
A principal with the other broker, Podolsky Northstar in north suburban Riverwoods, said his firm represented the seller and didn’t know what River Realty did on the deal.
Well, that’s strange.
A month after the deal went down, Rezko submitted a list to the governor’s office of the people he wanted hired.
Regardless of what Patti Blagojevich did to earn her commission, it’s clear Rezko approached her husband about key jobs and appointments. On Jan. 20, 2003 — a little more than a month after the transaction — Blagojevich’s chief of staff faxed to Blagojevich’s house a list of people Rezko wanted appointed to state boards and commissions. […]
Of the 19 people on the document, 10 wound up being appointed by the governor to a state board or commission — or got a spouse named. Others wound up with contracts underwritten by taxpayers, or their children got state jobs amid a Blagojevich hiring freeze.
Two other Rezko associates got state agency directorships soon thereafter.
I’m sure it’s all just one big coinkydink.
By the way, the stone wall is still very much in existence.
The governor’s office refused to answer several specific questions about the property, including how River Realty became involved in the sale, how long the property was on the market and whether the governor knew his wife was involved in a deal with Rezko’s Rezmar Corp.
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