This just in…
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * 1:35 pm - The Senate just recessed, but there will be no further floor action until tomorrow. So, Senate President Emil Jones’ threat to call the rate freeze bill today was either another hollow gesture, or the negotiations have made significant progress. Both parties are caucusing now. * 2:25 pm - Looks like the unions and the CTA have reached a deal. Details will be announced later today. Management was looking for give-backs on pensions and health insurance. * 2:28 pm - It’s pretty brief, but if you want to see the House Democratic analysis of the one-month budget proposal, which was discussed in committee today and will likely be voted on by the full House later this afternoon, click here. * 2:34 pm - A possible GOP opponent already for Repub-turned-Dem state Rep. Paul Froehlich?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Mell; Froehlich; Brady; Sullivan (Use all caps in password)
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Question of the day *** Updated x1 ***
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller Before we begin, I’ve narrowed yesterday’s caption contest down to two entrants, although there were lots and lots of funny ones. So, would “Not So Fast” (”Yeah, Sis, walking on water was pretty cool, but did he make an airport disappear overnight?”) and Austin Mayor (“A spokesman said that no one in the mayor’s office knew that Sister Mary-Elephant did not actually own and operate the Roman Catholic Church when the City awarded the Vatican a multi-million dollar contract earmarked for women- and minority-owned businesses.”) please get in touch with me? I’ll buy each of you something from our charity project site. Your choice. Now, on to the question, which has a summertime flavor: Should the state require motorcycle riders to wear helmets? Explain. *** UPDATE *** The commenter “Not So Fast” has asked, Stevie Wonder-like, that his/her award be given instead to “Bue,” whose entry “Mayor Daley introduces Stage 1 of the White Sox restructuring plan” was also one of my faves. So, Bue, reach out to me and I’ll get you some victory swag.
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Ground him?
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * Rep. Bill Mitchell has found an almost perfect press release vehicle…
* This is a very big state, so I don’t agree with the particular legislation in question. The governor ought to be able to get around quickly. But Mitchell’s timing was solid and it seemed to strike a nerve at Blagojevich HQ…
* Speaking of “Air Rod,” I’ve been thinking about putting this cartoon on a t-shirt as part of our charity project. Perhaps you can come up with a suitable caption in comments today… * More budget-related stories, compiled by Paul…
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Reform and Renewal - Illegal plot to pack elections board abandoned
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * I haven’t given this story nearly the attention it deserves. Here it is in a nutshell…
* Here are the four people the governor tried to appoint to temporary board slots, with potentially problem areas highlighted by myself…
* So, how was Blagojevich able to make temporary appointments?
* But there was a problem with the move…
* Yesterday, the governor backed down…
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Is Dillard treasonous? “No,” says Tribune
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Tribune’s editorial board thinks that Sen. Kirk Dillard’s TV ad for Barack Obama is a peachy keen…
* Dillard told the edit board that his phone was ringing off the hook…
* Today’s Senate GOP caucus should be interesting. Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson wants Dillard, a member of Watson’s leadership team, to explain himself to his fellow Republicans…
* But Dillard was defiant, and claimed that the ad was no big deal and said “My caucus should thank me” for all the publicity…
* As you can imagine, former Senate President Pate Philip is not a happy man. Pate recommended Dillard to replace him as DuPage County GOP chairman, never liked Democrats much and wasn’t exactly the most open-minded person on racial issues…
I’ll bet. * And what happens if John McCain doesn’t win the primary? Well, this is what Dillard told ABC7…
* Related stories on the GOP’s latest problems…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s Capitol Fax (Use all caps in password)
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Morning Shorts
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson * Senate could vote today on electric rates * House GOP says Congressman Kirk has special needs * Daley challenges CPS to improve science scores * CPS boasts higher test scores; more here * Chicago Public Radio: Public housing study say vouchers working * Editorial: Illinois needs to use land money as it was intended * Program helps seniors, disabled cool off during summer * Broadcasters statewide report glitch with emergency system; more here and here * Editorial: Protect speech at college papers
* Editorial: No downside to signing West Chicago tax relief bill * Sun-Times Editorial: All earmark requests should be revealed
* Region would suffer under planned Metra political move * Shakeup coming on Metra Board? * Are teen drivers really worse than elderly drivers?
* Excerpts from recent Illinois editorials
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Caption Contest!
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller Y’all are kinda boring me today. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Anyway, the best caption for this weird little photo wins a free t-shirt or other choice of merchandise at our charity site. And, for the love of God, don’t get me in trouble with the Catholics. Daley I can handle. Nuns, no way. Thanks.
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Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
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This just in…
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * 10:35 am - Today’s leaders meeting is at 1 o’clock. * 10:53 am - Attorney General Lisa Madigan is not giving up her fight to represent the governor’s office in the Better Government Association’s FOIA case. The BGA wants to see the federal subpoenas that have been served on the guv’s office. The AG filed two appeals with the Illinois Supreme Court yesterday. From the AG’s office…
The first [download here] asks the Supreme Court to reverse Judge Kelly’s ruling removing the AG from the BGA case, and asks that the Supreme Court deny the motion to appoint independent counsel in lieu of the AG. The second [download here] is in response to the 4th District Appellate refusal to accept the AG’s appeal of Judge Kelly’s order. The AG is asking that the Illinois Supreme Court — by way of a Petition for Leave to Appeal - direct the Appellate Court to accept the AG’s appeal of Judge Kelly’s order. * 10:56 am - I should’ve mentioned earlier that I’ve heard that the “budgeteers” made significant progress over the weekend on crafting a one-month budget. There are still a couple of big issues for the leaders to mull over before the end of the month, however. That almost always happens with the budgeteers. They do the small and mid-size things, and leave the big picture stuff to the tops. * 12:33 pm - I tell you what, that intern of mine never ceases to amaze me. Check out what Paul wrote on Illinoize the other day - something I should have linked to right away…
* 1:55 pm - Leader Cross just walked into Blagojevich’s office, so hopefully the leaders meeting is starting soon…. And now the rest are filing in. * 3:23 pm - I hear that members were told today to expect to be in town until Saturday. * 3:44 pm - The meeting is over. * 4:34 pm - We’ll have the audio up soon. They’ve apparently reached agreement on a one-month budget. * 4:50 pm - Audio following today’s leaders meeting: * 5:30 pm - Here are some excerpts from the leaders comments: -Madigan- “Much of it [the one-month budget] is an extension of what we did in ‘07, but there are some changes.” Regarding Paul Froehlich…”I would just rely on his statements that he felt more at home in the Democratic Party than the Republican Party; I’d leave it at that.” On 12-month budget…”No, I don’t think it will happen this week.” …”I think we will be here for a long time.” “We will adjourn on Friday. We will come back the 2nd week in July.” -Emil- “I resent all of the stalling that has been taking place as it relates to those [electric rate] negotiations and we just may, even though I am opposed to it, go ahead and have the freeze…I’ll see what happens when my members get here tomorrow.” “A week off, then I plan on being the week following. I’ll call all my members in for five days, at least five days.” -Cross- “I think everyone is on the same page [on one-month budget]..It was as good a meeting as we’ve had.” On Paul Froehlich…”Well its one less vote we have to put on in the emergency budget…If people that know Paul saw this as a move that was politically expedient for him, it’s kind of characteristic of his political career.” “He actually met with our chief of staff three times, and all three times he said he wasn’t going to do it….I don’t accept it, I don’t agree with it, but there is nothing I can do about it.” “He will be on a list with others where I think we can have success in the Fall of ‘08″ -Watson- “It was just all talk about keeping the doors open and making sure people are paid…I would say that we are just taking it one month at a time, that’s the way it looks like.” “There’s negotiations continuing on the whole electric rate issue, and I don’t know that that will be a sticking point before we vote on a temporary budget…I can’t believe that this issue is still going on…it just seems to me to be a lack of leadership.” On Sen. Dillard in Obama Ad…”I have to say I was very disappointed in Senator Dillard and his judgment…He is a member of our leadership. He is a leader in the Republican party. I don’t think it was appropriate thing to do.”
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller We have plenty of divisive political topics for today, so let’s switch gears. What the heck is up with the White Sox? Should they just start dumping “talent” and rebuild or is there still any sort of hope? Should Ozzie go? Should Ken Williams be dumped? Explain.
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The Democrats have their own problems
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller I think for the first time since he ran for the state’s highest office, Gov. Rod Blagojevich did not attend Chicago’s Gay Pride parade last Sunday. Blagojevich was, however, apparently represented by some flier-toting folks who tried to undercut some of his fellow Democrats. Rep. John Fritchey fills us in…
Strong-arming not-for-profits that receive state money to hand out politically motivated fliers at a public event might not be totally on the up-and-up. This is just bad all around. * It won’t help solve the budget impasse because goofy stuff like this just hardens positions. * It demonstrates, yet again, that the governor judges political right and wrong by how people feel about his ideas. He’s supposedly a history buff, so the guv ought to look into how that very same supremely arrogant attitude led directly to Woodrow Wilson’s failure to get his League of Nations idea approved by the US Senate. There were other factors involved, of course, but the Senate was tired of being pushed around. * As I told subscribers this morning, the divisive move offers up a stark contrast to the supposedly un-Democratic House Speaker, who just recruited a Republican to walk across the aisle. * And, finally, why not just give the US Attorney a handwritten invitation? Stupid, stupid, stupid.
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More on yesterday’s Republican meltdown *** Updated x3 ***
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * Eric Krol has a full Q&A with Rep. Paul Froehlich (D-Schaumburg) posted online. Here are a few relevant excerpts. On his treatment by fellow House Republicans…
On whether he was taking the easy way out and saving his own hide by switching parties…
On his meeting with House Speaker Michael Madigan…
And this exchange is pretty funny…
* The Tribune had a response from Madigan’s spokesman…
* The State Journal-Register’s story quoted Madigan’s spokesman as saying “Our practice has always been to support the incumbent.” and had this analysis…
* One of my favorite lines to fellow bloggers, “There ain’t no hat tips in the mainstream media for us,” was proved false today in the Sun-Times…
* The Sun-Times story has some good quotes. One from Schaumburg Mayor Al Larson, who is close to Froehlich and will play a big role in defending him against his formerly fellow Republicans next year…
And this one from Sen. Millner…
* Suburban Democratic blogger Hiram Wurf tries to make sense of it all…
* Illinois Review blogger Bruno Behrend looks at the Froehlich move and the Dillard ad for Obama and calls for a mass exodus from the Illinois Republican Party…
* Speaking of Dillard, the Daily Herald quoted Dillard about his TV ad for Obama (which you can see here)…
Heh. *** UPDATE *** CBS2 managed to get Obama on the record about Dillard’s ad, and quoted Hillary Clinton’s campaign about it as well. Click the pic to go to the story… *** UPDATE 2 *** From Rep. Froehlich’s press release, which accompanied his press conference this morning…
The full release can be downloaded here. *** UPDATE 3 *** I should have mentioned this yesterday and completely forgot. Illinois Review was the first to report that Froehlich might switch parties back in early May. Froehlich flatly denied the rumors at the time. Yesterday, IR editor Fran Eaton, who interviewed Froehlich in May, had this to say on the site…
* And IlliniPundit is just plain bummed about Froehlich and Dillard…
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Good news, bad news
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller This story in the Pantagraph starts out simply enough…
But then…
The fact that the governor hasn’t been involved is both pathetic and a positive. It’s pathetic because the governor has insisted that he supports rate relief for beleagured consumers, yet hasn’t bothered to insert himself into the process. It’s positive because if the guv had joined the talks, he might have screwed them up. He would’ve been in that room yapping about baseball, or ties or property tax assessment caps or anything else as long as it had nothing to do with the actual topic at hand. From what I can tell, he doesn’t negotiate, he speechifies from carefully crafted talking points. A couple of weeks ago when House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie said that she was authorized to represent Speaker Madigan in the leaders meeting on assessment caps, the governor had to huddle with his top aides for several minutes before he could come up with a response. That’s not the kind of guy you want at the table when you’re negotiating with corporate CEOs. So, yeah, it’s a “positive” that Blagojevich hasn’t been in the room, but what does that say about him?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s issue of Capitol Fax (Use all caps in password)
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Morning Shorts
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson * Lawmakers warn of impending transit needs * Editorial: Governor should sign bill raising truck speed limit * Opinion: Inadequate congestion funding threatens Chicago’s future * Editorial: Meth dangerous but all pushers and drugs deal in death
* Opinion: Smoke-Free Illinois Act will help all of state’s residents * Hillary or Barack: Who’s got the Chicago fundraising juice? * Lynn Sweet: Clinton outgains Obama here for one day, but not in long run * Lawmaker asks state for help easing crowded schools * Latino parents tired of CPS school squeeze * Editorial: Cook Co. can’t put residents’ health at risk * Tolls proposed for funding of $90M Fox River span * Chicago’s Olympic bid wins backing of U.S. Mayors * Rockford mayor trying to override governor’s veto
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