Audio and video feeds can be found here. Bill status, full text and roll call record can be found here. The roll call record for the amendment and the 3rd Reading vote are both now online and can be found here.

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12:35 PM - The Senate Republicans just requested a twenty minute caucus to discuss Sen. Gary Forby’s amendment that would include ComEd in the one-year rate rollback and freeze. Forby’s bill is up next.

1:04 PM - Members are starting to trickle back to their seats. Caucus appears to be over.

1:05 PM - “The Senate will come to order.”

1:09 PM - Here it comes.

1:11 PM - Republicans request a roll call. GOP Sen. Risinger rises to support the amendment. That’s the best indication that the Repubs did not take a caucus position against the proposal.

1:13 PM - I accidentally turned off comments. Oops. They’re back on now.

1:15 PM - Democratic Sen. Clayborne, who has been negotiating with the utilities and generating companies, predicts that if the Forby bill passes, the new law will get “bogged down in litigation.

1:21 PM - Sen. Garrett, a Democrat who said yesterday she was pleased with ComEd’s concessions on rates for condominium public areas, is praising ComEd and blasting Ameren. Asks for a “No” vote.

1:24 PM - Sen. Crotty, another Democrat and previous supporter of extending the rate freeze: “I’ve never been a huge proponent of ComEd,” and adds that Ameren has not been a good corporation. This looks like the new rationale for voting against Forby’s bill.

1:28 PM - Democratic Sen. Sullivan: If this amendment is not adopted, there will be no real discussion on electric rates.

1:30 PM - Dem Sen. Schoenberg: “This has become an exercise in leverage.” “We are settling for pennies on the dollar if we exclude ComEd from this bill.”

1:33 PM - Senate Majority Leader Halvorson said she was one of those who “encouraged” Forby to add ComEd to the bill. Praises ComEd for providing lots of money for “true relief” and thinks it would be “irresponsible” to go ahead with amendment. “I think we should never take the easy way out.”

1:35 PM - Senate President Emil Jones is the last speaker on the amendment. Says he probably voted for the original freeze bill, but now he thinks it was a “mistake.”

1:40 PM - Forby is closing. “Now that they got what they want, to Hell with Forby.” “I need your help.” On Emil Jones: “He’s my president and I think the world of him.” “They talked about Lisa Madigan, they’ve run her down pretty good today.” “If we don’t work together, you’re gonna see some bigtime issues” (as he turns toward Jones). “We can work something out, I’m ready to work something out.”

1:46 PM - Roll call. 33 Yes, 24 No. Amendment is adopted.

Parliamentary action. There was a motion to reconsider the vote on the amendment.

1:48 PM - Sen. Righter asks if there will be a vote on that motion. Answer: The suspension of the amendment automatically occurs when the motion is filed. Righter moves to table the motion. Righter requests immediate caucus.

1:52 PM - Forby is being asked if he wishes to proceed. Forby asks whether his amendment is part of this bill. He is told it is not. “Don’t you think this is a little ridiculous?”

DeLeo: Would you like to proceed or hold it on 3rd Reading?

1:53 PM - Forby: “I would like to leave this on 2nd Reading for now.”

Senate stands in recess to call of the chair.

EXPLANATION - What happened is they used a parliamentary maneuver to put a hold on the amendment even though it was approved by a majority. This is rare, and it’s even rarer that a Democratic Senate President would do that to one of his own members.

FURTHER EXPLANATION - From the Senate’s rules…

A motion to reconsider a record vote on the adoption of an amendment to a bill may be made only on Second Reading. An amendment adopted by the Senate on a record vote may not be tabled by motion until its adoption has been reconsidered.

So, they can’t table the motion until there is a vote to reconsider. Jones will control when that vote will take place.

I’m no parliamentary expert, but there doesn’t seem to be anything in the rules that requires a timetable for a vote on a motion to reconsider. Still checking.

MORE EXPLANATION It looks to me like this amendment has been effectively shackled by Jones, at least for now. I’m not sure if there’s a way to force a vote on the motion to reconsider. Well, there is, but I doubt the motion will be recognized by the presiding officer.

2:14 PM - Senate Repubs are coming back from caucus.

A BIT MORE EXPLANATION - The motion to reconsider means that Forby’s amendment is not considered alive (for want of a better word) until that motion to reconsider is voted on. And since Sen. Hendon made the motion, it’s up to Hendon to call for the vote. Hendon is an ally of Emil Jones.

2:18 PM - Righter: Inquiry of the chair.

Righter requests a roll call vote. Denied. The motion was filed in writing and will be put on the calendar. Righter moves to go to that order of business on the calendar and was told that they would get back to him.

2:21 PM - Forby: “If I live (to be) a hundred years old, I never will forget this day.”

Forby is moving the bill forward without the ComEd amendment attached.

2:22 PM - “I ask for your vote on this Ameren bill… No matter what happens I appreciate the people that did vote with me on this.”

2:32 PM - Putting out an extra. Keep up the good work in comments.

2:41 PM - Notice that, so far, not a single Senate Democrat has stood up to Jones and defended Forby.

2:43 PM - Democratic state Sen. Silverstein is now sticking up for Forby, calling the actions of the day “shenanigans,” before he was cut off by the presiding officer.

2:59 PM - From a stock guy: Ameren sold off about a percent on the amendment, now coming back but not all the way yet… 50.23, down 26 cents on the day, up 50 cents from the low… ComEd (Exelon) up 60 cents, but up over a buck from today’s low.

3:06 PM - DeepFriedOnAStick makes a good point in comments…

Why the heck is Forby moving forward with the bill? Why doesn’t he wait a week and the let pressure continue to build on Jones to allow a vote on the motion?

3:08 PM - Senate President Emil Jones is speaking now. “The House is the reason why those rates are so high for many of the people downstate.”

3:15 PM - Forby to close. Asks for an aye vote. 35-20

The roll call record for the amendment can be found here.

3:25 PM - Democrats voting “No” on Forby’s ComEd amendment: Bond, Clayborne, Collins, Crotty, Cullerton, DeLeo, Delgado, Garrett, Halvorson, Harmon, Hunter, Koehler, Lightford, Link, Martinez, Meeks, Munoz, Noland, Raoul, Ronen, Sandoval, Viverito, Emil Jones. Jacobs and Trotter are listed as “Not Voting.”

Democratic targets who voted “No” were Bond and Noland.

3:33 PM - Paul has been at the Statehouse while I stayed in the office and blogged and put out two “extras”. He’s now busily collecting comments. Hopefully, we’ll post some here later this afternoon, perhaps with audio clips.

3:39 PM - The 3rd Reading roll call is now online and can be found here.

3:44 PM - Democrats who initially voted NO on the ComEd amendment and then voted YES on the Ameren-only 3rd Reading roll call: Clayborne, Collins, Cullerton, DeLeo, Delgado, Garrett, Harmon, Link, Meeks, Ronen, Viverito.

Jacobs, who didn’t vote on the ComEd amendment voted YES on Third Reading.

Halvorson (Majority Leader), Hendon (who filed the motion to reconsider), Trotter (who is out of town) and Emil Jones (Senate President) did not vote on Third Reading.

3:50 PM - Republicans who initially voted YES on the ComEd amendment and then voted NO on the Ameren-only Third Reading roll call: Althoff, Burzynski, Cronin, Hultgren, Murphy, Pankau, Radogno, Sieben, Syverson.

3:54 PM - The AP story has been up for a bit. Hadn’t had time to notice…

Legislation that would have rolled back electric rates across Illinois was sidetracked Friday by maneuvering in the state Senate.

Supporters of a one-year rollback scored an important victory when the Senate voted 33-24 earlier Friday to amend the legislation so that it would include millions of ComEd customers in northern Illinois. Backers then planned to call the revised bill for a vote.

But an ally of Senate President Emil Jones used a rare parliamentary maneuver to suspend the ComEd amendment that had just been added. Jones, a Chicago Democrat who opposes cutting ComEd rates, now can hold the amendment in legislative limbo forever.

“Don’t you think this is a little ridiculous?” the legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, asked when he realized what had been done.

4:09 PM - Paul has comments from Sen. Gary Forby…

* Why he decided to go ahead with Ameren only instead of keeping on 2nd reading - “I’d rather have something than nothing at all.”

* Did he feel betrayed by own caucus? - “I was disappointed. If I didn’t have the votes than I wouldn’t have felt that bad, but I did. I’m not sure I’m going to say I felt betrayed.”

* On why he didn’t accept the Ameren deal - “I do what my people want me to do. My people wanted me to freeze the rates.”

* On potential political fallout - “I’m going to work just as hard this election as I have on other ones. I’m not worried about that part.”

4:12 PM - Quotes from Sen. James Clayborne…

“Both sides use rules to maneuver. It has happened before, just maybe not that particular rule.

“I had no part in it.”

“We are in the Major Leagues. We are suppose to think everything out. I guess Sen. Forby just got outmaneuvered.”

“He could have postponed it and allowed it to come back.”

4:22 PM - Comments by Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan…

On the absence of ComEd language - “We’ll address that in a House committee. That’s what the beauty of amendments are.”

“It’s a good step forward. The Senate has now voted on a statewide freeze. I’m going to look at it positively… It will take a couple of weeks to get it done, but we’re hopeful.

* More from the AP…

The maneuver stunned the sponsor of the rollback legislation, a member of Jones’ Democratic majority.

“This is not fair, ladies and gentlemen. I want to tell you right now, it’s not fair,” said Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton. […]

But moments after the Senate voted to add ComEd to the legislation, a Jones ally took the rare step of making a motion to reconsider the vote. Under the Senate’s complex rules, that immediately nullified the previous vote and put the amendment into limbo.

As president, Jones controls whether the ComEd amendment ever emerges from that limbo. Forby was then forced to either push ahead with the Ameren-only measure, or wait and take the chance that Jones would never allow it to come up for a vote again.

* Pantagraph…

Now, a measure to roll back rates for only Ameren customers moves to the House, where leaders immediately slammed the door on approving it without ComEd being included.

“No, it’s a statewide issue so we’ve got to deal with it in a statewide manner,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan spokesman Steve Brown. […]

“The Ameren Illinois utilities believe this legislation, if enacted, violates the United States Constitution and is not in the best interest of its Illinois residential or business electric customers, or the state’s economy as a whole,” read an Ameren statement released Friday.

* Small Newspapers…

“I think I had a fast one pulled on me,” Sen. Forby said afterwards. […]

Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, said Friday’s maneuvering was “raw, naked political power,” but said Sen. Jones may have done Sen. Forby a favor since his real fight is with Ameren.

* Daily Herald…

“My goal was to find immediate relief for my constituents, and that’s what I voted for,” state Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, said afterward. “Is it a perfect situation to be in? No. But I don’t know what freezing ComEd rates really does for my consumers right now.” […]

Not even AARP was impressed, given the way things played out in the Senate.

“Whether you are 22 or 92, residential customers know when they are getting a raw deal,” said Bob Gallo, the senior group’s Illinois director.

* If you were looking for Tribune coverage of Friday’s atrocities, you were out of luck. There’s nothing. Nada. Not a single story from the paper’s Statehouse reporters. The website carried an AP analysis, but since I don’t buy dead tree versions of newspapers, I’m not even sure if that made it into the paper. Why would the Trib ignore such a huge story?

       

89 Comments - Bill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 1:31 pm: My video feed is green and upsidedown. It that an Ameren plot? I kinda like it better this way. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 1:37 pm: Does anyone know offhand which Senate Democrats are up for re-election in 2008? - So Ill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 1:47 pm: This is likely the most important piece of legislation Sen. Forby’s ever had, at least to his constituents. It’s big. Nice to see some tough talk, even if it doesn’t pass. - Bill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 1:53 pm: Forby is doing a great job so far. - Ivote - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 1:56 pm: Very bad move by the leadership. . . sticking it to Forby using parlimentary tricks. Emil, in my opinion, just cost himself a LOT of downstate dems support. . . . - So Ill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 1:56 pm: He really is, Bill, at least from Rich’s updates. Frankly, I didn’t think Gary had it in him. Holy cow, I just agreed with Bill! - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 1:56 pm: 20 Min Republican recess until 2:15PM - Bill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 1:59 pm: What happens now. Can they recall the ammendment for another vote? - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:00 pm: Rich explain the procedure used to stop the amendment from being adopted. Is there a way to override? - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:02 pm: Why does the GOP want a recess? - Getting Jonesed - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:02 pm: who made the motion to reconsider? - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:03 pm: So isn’t the bill on 2nd reading right now? How can that rule apply to stop the amendment? - Bill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:03 pm: Ricky Henden made the motion to reconsider. - Juice - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:06 pm: “Don’t you think this is a little ridiculous?” Great line from Senator Fog-horn Leg-horn, I mean Sen Forby. But seriously, great job Senator, way to keep the pressure on. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:07 pm: So does that mean the motion to reconsider the amendment caused everything to come to a grinding halt? Thus Emil Jones can prevent a vote on their motion to reconsider (for the amendment that just passed) and thus effectively hold up the passage of the entire bill? - FAN OF SO ILLINOIS - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:09 pm: Such a shame that the Democrats in Southern Illinois will not support Forby. He is the only legislator that has stood to fight for Southern Illinois, central So Il. Claiborne has done an excellent job fighting for the Western side of So Illinois. When are the Democrats in Southern Illinois going to wake up and realize they are GIVING away our seats to the Republicans? Get with today, support Forby. Quit being democrats in wolves clothing. Go Forby/Claiborn. - Bill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:11 pm: I think your right but Forby could move the bill, without the motion, to 3rd reading and a vote. Without including Comed the bill would die in the House. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:13 pm: What a bunch of BS by using tricks and underhanded manuvers to stop something that clearly was desired by a “majority” of the Senators as evidenced by the vote that just took place. What ever happened to majority rules? - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:15 pm: Can’t they vote to override the decision of the chair? I know that is a disrespectful move, but it may be necessary. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:20 pm: Whoa…going to 3rd reading w/o the amendment?? Righter was trying to help Forby it seems. Forby is very upset - Bill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:21 pm: He’s gonna go without ComEd!!! - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:22 pm: Forby complaining about it being “dead in rules” says: “2007 what a year!”.. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:23 pm: Lots of folks have said that Jones and Blagojevich teamed up this year to establish their dominance over Madigan. Madigan must be laughing his butt off at the three ring circus these two have managed to create for themselves. Emil’s getting yelled at in Committee, by members from both sides of the aisle (can you imagine a House Republican raising his voice at Madigan if he was presenting a bill in committee?), the Gross Receipts Tax is on Death Row, and Emil is alienating the downstate half of his caucus by dooming the Ameren rate rollback while walking the other half down the plank (Sen. Garrett, do you really want to be on record as opposing a rate freeze for ComEd when folks get their air conditioning bills this summer?) If I were Frank Watson, I’d be praising Gary Forby left and right, but suggesting that he should run for re-election as a Republican if this is the way Emil Jones is going to treat him. I think Frank’s smart enough to let Forby keep voting exactly the way he has been, as long as he gets his vote for Sen. President as a Republican. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:24 pm: Forby: “Does ANYBODY care about our seniors?” “Does anybody care about those making $1200 a month”…..Making an impassioned plea about the impoverished not being able to afford this - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:25 pm: Watson gets up and says he’s never seen anything like this in the Senate…suggests Forby not move ahead without ComEd - Gene Parmesan - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:26 pm: “Mr. Forby goes to Springfield” anyone? - Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:26 pm: Wanna bet Madigan fast track’s Forby’s bill, putting on the Com-Ed language, and has it back in the Senate in record time? - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:28 pm: Watson is furious….Says the bill is meaningless without ComEd being included, says 33 Senators wanted the amendment and that there is a Charade taking place and it is a denial of the people of the state. - Bill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:29 pm: Let em have it, Frank!!! - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:29 pm: Watson also suggests Forby “not be a part of this” (suggesting he not move forward) “Truly a sad day” - Bill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:29 pm: omigod,Im cheering for a Republican!! - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:31 pm: Sen Jacobs is up and saying that the Leadership needs to come together…Praising Forby as a “problem solver” - So Ill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:32 pm: Well, YDD, Forby will never run as a republican…. But what’s interesting is that I really always felt Forby was attached at the hip to the Governor. This might be changing that. We might — MIGHT — be seeing an ugly divorce in process. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:33 pm: Sen. John Jones gets up says “This is the worst day in the Illinois State Senate” says the way Sen. Forby has been treated is Ridiculous. Says the bill will come back from the house with or w/o ComEd and it will then die in the Rules committee - nomoretax - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:34 pm: I was in Springfield on Wednesday and had my first experience on how our government is run. Emil Jones is on one power trip from what I saw of hime during the grt hearing. Him and Blagojevich generally have me scared to death of what will happen to our great state if those two have their way. God help us. - So Ill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:34 pm: Watson is very, very smart. Very smart. And absolutely right about the charade part. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:35 pm: Sen John Jones implores the TV news cameras to show all the people the “disgrace” in its entirety that just happened today. - A ComEd customer - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:37 pm: President Emil Jones has pulled a fast one. ComEd customers need relief too. ComEd customers have only seen the tip of the ice berg in terms of future increases. The relief package that Sen. Clayborne talked about are very minimal compared to the increases. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:37 pm: Senator Halvorsen just was stating that the bill is being “held hostage” - Gene Parmesan - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:39 pm: Too bad this happened on a friday. I hope this stuff isn’t lost in the media at large. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:40 pm: Sen. Dillard is up stating his support and is Suggesting that passing the bill with only 1 power company included it could be unconstitutional and lead into a chaos situation. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:41 pm: Sen Lauzen is stating this was a pre-meditated parliamentary scheme….suddenly interrupted by DeLio and said to keep his remarks confined to the bill. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:43 pm: Sen. Silverstein then gets up and says he is displeased at the shennanigans that took place today…He is also interrupted by DeLio and told to keep his comments to the bill and is cut off - Drew - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:44 pm: Wow, so we had the story about Emil’s wife receiving a huge raise given to her throught he creation of a state payscale only for her. Now Emil did this. This guy’s a disgrace and a narcissist. - DeepFriedOnAStick - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:49 pm: Why the heck is Forby moving forward with the bill? Why doesn’t he wait a week and the let pressure continue to build on Jones to allow a vote on the motion? - anon - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:50 pm: how did munoz, martinez, and sandoval vote? does anybody know? - Papa Legba - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:51 pm: Where is Gov. Rod “I’m for helping all the little people of Illinois” when this mess is going on? Chicago? An elevator? A black Suburban? Jogging? I know this bill is in the legislature, but can’t he show up to give the appearance that he cares about outrageous electric rates. - T.J. - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:54 pm: Is Jones’s title Sen. or Don? - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 2:54 pm: Sen. Clayborne is up and talking in circles and nonsense..can’t follow his speech. Almost like a stream of conscience. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:00 pm: Sen Risinger gets up and says both ComEd and Ameren should both be frozen, but instead we’re going to pass a bill we all know isn’t going to become a law. He says politics should be put aside in the name of what’s best for Illinois citizens. Pingback Citizens Utility Board Blog » Blog Archive » Rate-freeze fight boils over - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:02 pm: […] Check out the fascinating blow-by-blow coverage on Sen. Gary Forby’s rate-freeze bill in The Capitol Fax. […] - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:02 pm: Sen. Haine gets up and says “it is disheartening the way this was done to keep ComEd off the bill”. Says the original bill was let out of rules by Emil Jones for negotiation and Clayborne was designated to lead the negotiations on the bill. Says ComEd’s inclusion should now be left up to the other chamber…. - mj - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:09 pm: To Rich and Deep Fried- Maybe when Forby closes, he will say “take the bill out of the record.” - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:14 pm: Sen. Emil Jones gets up to speak @ 3:07 (last speaker). He says he wishes others on the other side of the aisle would have stood up in the past and that they have refused to recognize motions made by other Senators in the past when they were in control (Justifying what he did?)….Says that Watson was just playing to the cheers of the crowd instead of voting his convictions and he agrees with Watson to not support a freeze…Says House ignored a solution and is the reason rates are now high downstate…Says what Clayborne has worked out is good, but those playing to the cheers of the crown are creating false expectations and creating a “charade”. Says freeze won’t do what people want it to do and is a political ploy and we must quit playing politics with the issue. Says we don’t have the staff or competency to deal with this issue but the ICC does and we must stop giving people false hope……Says to Watson when he’s involved in legislative issues he shouldn’t being play politics with them. - Norseman - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:16 pm: YDD asked: “Does anyone know offhand which Senate Democrats are up for re-election in 2008?” I’m told it’s: Delgado, Silverstein, Viverito, Emil, Trotter, Martinez, Garrett, Sullivan, Haine, Forby - Getting\. Jonesed - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:17 pm: The amendmet roll call is on the senate web site. Sandoval & Co voted with The President. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:17 pm: Vote is open 35 yes 25 nays….passes without the amendment. - So Ill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:19 pm: This strongly pushed Forby’s re-elec campaign, I know that. - 105th Blues - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:19 pm: sorry 35 yays 20 nays - Norseman - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:20 pm: I’d like to say this will cause a severe split in the Dem Caucus, but frankly the downstate Dems who are getting rolled have no choice but support the Chicago leadership. Otherwise, they’re punished. Emil plays hardball well. Unfortunately, he plays for his own interests as opposed to the interests of him members like Madigan. - anon - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:21 pm: not surprising that Sandoval and Co. voted the way they were told and not considering that their consituents would benefit from a ComEd rate freeze. Pathetic. - Norseman - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:22 pm: correction: “his members” - Juice - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:28 pm: Kinda funny how Rickey Hendon voted in favor of the amendment, only to then make the motion to reconsider - Rich Miller - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:32 pm: “Juice,” that’s why Rickey voted for the amendment. He couldn’t move to reconsider if he had voted No. - Smack-o-cratic - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:35 pm: Well there you have it - Smack-ocracy in action. - Team Sleep - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 3:38 pm: Finally some action. I guess not every Illinois elected official is only concerned about some old lady’s birthday or the birth of a supporter’s son. Huzzah! - Demgrrl - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 4:02 pm: Rich/Paul- Great job on the play by play! - Niles Township - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 4:04 pm: If the Senate President can exercise this level of power against the wishes of the citizens of the state, and their elected officials, shouldn’t we, the citizens of Illinois, get to choose who that Senate President will be through an election. Throw in the speaker while we are at it, and we might start cleaning up IL politics. - Rich Miller - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 4:06 pm: Thanks, “Demgrrl” - Belle - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 4:32 pm: Anyone know exactly how much money ComEd and Ameren have paid Emil Jones? Who exactly is he working for? - A Citizen - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 4:36 pm: Ever see those night satellite photos of North Korea - dark for lack of power. Well if you cannot afford it you don’t use it - Illinois will be somewhat less bright thanks to Uncle Emil being the puppet he has revealed himself to be. - So Ill - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 4:41 pm: Boy, does Clayborne come away sounding like an a**. He managed to call Forby an idiot, and disavow any knowledge of a deal. I bet Forby is a little stronger with the media in his district than he was Paul and the statehouse gaggle. Just a theory. - fedup downstate dem - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 4:54 pm: It is just awful the way Senate President Jones and his allies are treating the average utility customer in the state. Today I’m ashamed to call myself a Democrat. - Papa Legba - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 5:05 pm: Hmmm. Could this be a more perfect example of how the people we elect serve our interests? - Papa Legba - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 5:06 pm: Hmmm. Could this be any more of a perfect example of how the people we elect serve our interests? - Napoleon has left the building - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 5:07 pm: I agree with all comments except for the person who said that Frank Watson is very smart. The Dems up for election are all safe seats except for Haine and Forby. A Presidential year in a blue state . . . King Emil doesn’t care about the election one bit. I was impressed that he kept his caucus in line on the bill and the amendment, give him credit on that one. Great job Rich and Paul. - fried in IL - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 5:33 pm: Rich great coverage on the circus show. Let’s see what the true political mind is preparing at the House. - anon - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 6:29 pm: I am a Dem but definitely will be splitting my vote in choosing whatever republican is running in my downstate State Senate District for the next election. I think Jones is a joke. I hope there is some press on this one. Madigan can be a bully at times, but I have to give him credit where credit is due regarding these outrageous rates. My electric bill went up 40 percent. I think it is disgusting what this senate is doing. AND THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DEMOCRATS!!! - trick master - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 9:23 pm: The Senate sounds alot like how a parking meter works. Keep putting money in their pockets and they’ll find all kinds of ways to stall what should have been done months ago. Ameren can only lay out so much money for the stall. Time could have been spent really trying to find a solution and not dragging this out hoping the public will forget. Congrats Forby for not leaving your gonads at the door. Let’s get this thing over with. Mr Jones….it’s time to retire. Bye Bye - Anon - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 9:23 pm: Emil Jones is a disgrace. How he ever became so powerful amazes me. The man can’t speak coherently and clearly he is willing to screw everybody else so he can keep his buddies at ComEd happy. I am so disgusted right now I could throw up. - Fed up Dem! - Friday, Apr 20, 07 @ 10:17 pm: And they say the Democrats are for the working man! What a shame that the entire State is controlled by Democrats, but could care less if the average person and small business owner can’t afford to pay their electric bill. Thanks Emil! you alone probably will cost many Democrat Sen. and Reps to lose in the next election. - Anon - Saturday, Apr 21, 07 @ 5:34 am: If I were Madigan, I’d pass the Ameren-only bill, send it to Blago and force him to sign it - or dare him to exercise his amendatory veto power to put Com Ed in the bill. Passing the Ameren-only bill takes away part of Blago’s rumored end-of-session bargaining chip (not that Blago was ever going to be able to use electric rates as a stick to force Madigan to accept the GRT). Then, when Blago and Jones force an overtime over the GRT, and we’re deep into June and July, folks in the Com Ed areas will be turning on their air conditioners and turning purple with outrage over their skyrocketing electric bills. They’ll turn a deeper shade of purple once they realize that their fellow Illinoisans in the Ameren service areas are paying half as much as they are for their air conditioning. There would be no possible way that Jones and Blago could sustain their summertime push for the GRT in the face of such a backlash. If Madigan insists on amending the bill to include Com Ed, it will surely die in the Senate, as everyone knows. If he sends it to the governor as-is, he has the opportunity to zing Blago, Jones, and Com Ed - and kill the GRT. Why not try it? - anon - Saturday, Apr 21, 07 @ 8:04 am: I can’t believe I am actually saying Jones is worse than Blago. This man is a disgrace. I know I will volunteer next year to walk a precinct against this guy’s interests. Rich, will the public “forget” about this one in a year. I don’t think so. I agree with anon 9:23 also. This guy can’t even put a sentence together. How in the heck did he become President?? - fed uo - Saturday, Apr 21, 07 @ 11:36 am: Emil Jones is the worst thing to happen to the state in a long time. Maybe he can double his wifes state salary again. This man cares nothing about the citizens. - GettingJonesed - Saturday, Apr 21, 07 @ 4:05 pm: Hopefully when this pops up Monday Rich will make the QOTD Which D looked dumbest? Early front runners must be Jacobs and Garrett - anon - Saturday, Apr 21, 07 @ 10:07 pm: I just got back from a soccer game …Chicago Fire won 2-1. Anyway, there were a group of us, and we are all in Sen. Crotty’s District. She just lost 9 votes and I told everyone to tell their friends regarding Crotty siding wih Emil Jones. It’s kind of like a friends and family program. I sure hope other’s do the same. What a disgrace. - Mr. CUB - Monday, Apr 23, 07 @ 8:01 am: Rich, there was coverage in the Saturday Trib, but you had to go to page 18 of the front section and it was the tail end of Springfield wrap-up story, with the inspired lead in, “In other news …” Apparently the rookies are running the asylum. Ray Long would never have let this happen! Pingback The Capitol Fax Blog » Shenanigans decried *** Updated x1 *** - Tuesday, Apr 24, 07 @ 8:33 am: […] YDD, I already did that. […] Pingback Citizens Utility Board Blog » Blog Archive » Get the facts in ‘The Fax’ - Tuesday, Apr 24, 07 @ 10:33 am: […] Check out The Capitol Fax blog–THE source for what’s happening to rate-freeze legislation in Springfield. […] Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.