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Saturday, Jul 21, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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With Gov. Blagojevich, it’s not the amount of money he’s raising, but how much his campaign committee is spending on legal fees…

Winston & Strawn LLP… $163,770.57… 1/23/2007… Expenditure… Friends of Blagojevich… Legal Fees

There’s nothing big after that late January payment. He does have a habit of backdating his payments, though, so there’s no way to be sure if this is all he was billed.

Total spent on legal fees by Friends of Blagojevich since the committee was created in 2000: $1,217,393.26.

To put this into a bit of perspective, the next highest amount spent on legal fees during this latest six-month reporting period was $10,267.78 by Larry Dominick’s Cicero Voters Alliance, which is about 6 percent of what the governor’s campaign spent.

And a bit more perspective: The governor’s campaign has spent $919,745.31 since July 1, 2006 on legal bills. All campaign committees registered with the State Board of Elections in all of Illinois (the total of which is currently 3,585, but was probably higher last year) during that same time period spent $1,667,220.91 on legal fees.

The governor’s share, therefore, of all money spent on legal fees by all 3,500+ state and local Illinois campaign committees is 55.2 percent. Yet, the governor’s total campaign expenditures for everything during that same year was only 8.6 percent of the total spent by all campaign committees on everything - $17,185,530.95 spent by Friends of Blagojevich out of $199,896,778.68 spent by all committees. The governor’s legal fees represented 5.4 percent of all the money he expended from July 1 of ‘06 to June 30 of ‘07. The average for all campaign committee expenditures during that same period was 0.8 percent for legal fees.

From the Tribune…

Doug Scofield, a spokesman for Blagojevich’s campaign, declined to release details on the scope of the legal work by Winston & Strawn except to say, “We use them for all our campaign legal work.”

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READER COMMENTS CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Could session finally be over soon? Maybe, maybe not. I almost always bet not. We’ll see next week.

Take a break or head to Illinoize. Your choice. I’m taking a break. Talk to you Monday…

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Emil Jones on “the Madigan deal” *** Updated x2 ***

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Lindner; Schools; Guns; Transit; Burke (Use all caps in password)

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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This just in…

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 10:00 am - From the Politico…

STOKKE TO SUCCEED HASTERT? Robert D. Novak plans to report this weekend in his always-delicious tidbits column (which doesn’t run in The Washington Post, but is usually in Saturday’s New York Post):

“Former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert has indicated to a close former aide that it is likely he will not run for a 12th term from his northern Illinois district and may even resign from Congress before his present term concludes. That runs counter to widespread speculation on Capitol Hill that Hastert will continue in the House for another two years as a private member with no leadership responsibilities. Since last year’s Democratic takeover of Congress moved him out of the speaker’s office, he has enjoyed returning to his former specialty of energy issues as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“A footnote: If Hastert does not run, a leading candidate will be his chief of staff, Mike Stokke. Before going on Hastert’s staff, Stokke was an aide for both the Illinois state legislature and the governor’s office in Springfield.”

Stokke? That’s coming out of right field. But Novak’s sources for this stuff are usually pretty good.

* 10:04 am - Today’s leaders meeting is at noon.

* 10:13 am - Just 87 House members answered the roll call.

* 10:17 am - The House and Senate are adjourning for the weekend and won’t come back into session until Monday at 4 pm. [UPDATE: The House will be in at 4, the Senate at 2]

* 10:43 am - Just 25 Senators are on the floor.

* 12:17 pm - A three-page list of clergy from throughout Illinois just sent out “An Appeal to the Leaders of the Illinois General Assembly to Overcome Their Differences in Order to Address Pressing Issues.” But there’s zero mention of the governor and his own reluctance to overcome his differences with others, so it may be dismissed out of hand by many. Download the letter here.

* 1:49 pm - The leaders meeting is over. The gist was that they talked mostly about the capital spending program. No talk of how to fund it, but did talk about how to spend it and how much to spend.

* 2:45 pm - Isn’t this the governor’s usual schtick?

Top Democratic legislative leaders are planning to tout the benefits of a new electric rate relief package in a statewide flyaround.

An announcement today from House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office says the speaker will join Senate President Emil Jones and Attorney General Lisa Madigan on tour stops Monday that include Decatur.

The trio will meet with elected officials, community leaders and local residents to describe the details of a deal to provide about one billion dollars in relief over four years to customers hit hard by sharp increases this year.

I’d like to be on that plane, especially after all the harsh words that Jones has had for Lisa Madigan this year. Detente is such a weird thing.

* 3:31 pm - Campaign finance disclosure reports are due today. The new law that moved the primary date also moved the disclosure filing deadline up to the 20th (from the 31st). So you can click here over the weekend to search for various candidates. The governor told me last week that he has raised almost no money, but that his big fundraiser would likely be in October some time.

By the way, the governor has a new campaign committee chairman. Lon Monk, his former chief of staff and now a lobbyist, is out as of today. Steve Witek, VP of A Finkl & Sons, is the new chair.

* 3:40 pm - Mayor Daley raised $3,780,899.81 in the first six months of this year (not including in-kinds), spent $4,640,781.83 and had $3,385,406.22 in the bank.

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Question of the day

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Which prominent Illinoisan would you most like to have dinner with? Why?

It doesn’t have to be a person you like. Perhaps you’d like to pick the brain of someone you don’t particularly care for.

Also, what questions would you ask?

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Smoke

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This is kinda bogus…

Illinois Senate President Emil Jones said Thursday that Gov. Rod Blagojevich will have to accept a scaled-back version of his plan to give every Illinoisan access to health care.

The governor is already drafting a majorly scaled-back health insurance plan and Jones obviously knows it because he’s lobbying his members to support it. Whatever.

* More…

On Wednesday, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, broached the idea of an income tax increase, even though Blagojevich has said he will veto any increase in the income or state sales tax. On Thursday, Jones said he isn’t sure how the Senate would vote if the House approved an income tax hike.

“We haven’t done any real polling on that issue,” said Jones, who personally is for an income tax increase. “It would take (Republican) support to get that passed.”

But Patty Schuh, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, said later, “I don’t think there’s any support (among Republicans) for an income tax increase.”

So, now Jones “personally is for” an income tax hike? First he put it back on the table, then he said the Senate would give it serious consideration if the House passed it and now he’s personally for it? I wonder if he said those actual words.

Also, it wouldn’t take 36 votes to pass an income tax hike if they put off the effective date to June 1 of next year. But it’s true that there are no Senate GOP votes for such a proposal, at least not yet (and probably never).

* Sneed…

Sneed hears powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan may be on the verge of pulling the legislative coup of the decade.

• • Translation: Word is Madigan has a deal to pass a budget acceptable to the House and Senate, and has mustered enough votes to pass a veto-proof package. […]

• • The stats: Word is the package includes no major expenditures for capital projects; modest growth for increased revenues; and some increases in social programs close to the Democratic Party.

• • The chat: Springfield observers tell Sneed Madigan has cut deals with erstwhile Blago supporter, Senate President Emil Jones. Stay tuned for Tuesday.

It ain’t there yet.

* More end of session stuff, compiled by Paul…

* Chicago Public Radio: Lots of inaction in Springfield

* $452,100 and we’re counting

* Eric Krol: Legislative endgame could be crying game for legislators

* Jones sees chance to help schools

* State may shut off electricity auctions

* Vote on rate relief package likely next week, says Jones

* Editorial: Use rebates to bolster sales of Illinois made vehicles

* State agencies may grind to a halt

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Bad press for the guv *** Updated x1 ***

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Oops…

A group of students wanting more money for their schools learned Thursday that getting into Gov. Blagojevich’s office is no easy task when all they have to offer is cookies and doughnuts.

Seven students from Chicago and the suburbs, one as young as 8, were blocked from entering a public waiting area in Blagojevich’s office by a “rude” security guard with “attitude,” they said. […]

The students were hosting a “Billion Dollar Bake Sale” in a lobbying effort organized by the school funding reform group A+ Illinois. Near the end of the mock sale, the students hiked up the stairs to Blagojevich’s second-floor office brandishing pastries.

But when they reached the glass doors to the governor’s office suite, a security guard blocked them, the students said, even though professional lobbyists regularly are allowed in.

The governor’s office says they will invite the kids back.

* Meanwhile, there was more bad press…

A Missouri-based group representing journalists who cover the U.S. health-care industry criticized the Blagojevich administration this week for withholding information on people enrolled in Illinois’ Medicaid, All Kids and other public health-insurance programs.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s Department of Healthcare and Family Services has refused to release county-by-county data to The State Journal-Register, claiming that anything other than total statewide enrollment totals would violate individual patients’ federally protected privacy rights.

The Association of Health Care Journalists said the department’s contention that county-level numbers would violate the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is “unfounded.”

“HIPAA was intended to prevent the release of personally identifying patient information, such as names, addresses or specific medical conditions,” the association wrote in a July 17 letter to department director Barry Maram. “The law was not intended to block the release of data that the public needs to assess the impact of public programs.”

Mary Chris Jaklevic, writing on behalf of the 1,000-member association’s board, called on Maram to release the data.

*** UPDATE *** From the governor’s press office…

The security guard who spoke with the students is new. We did not know about the students’ visit to our office until hours later after a reporter called. We are in the process of trying to contact the students to make arrangements for them to visit with the Governor.

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Fun stuff in Cook

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The prospect of this happening has to be prompting the city’s white leaders, particularly Mayor Daley, to encourage Dick Devine to change his mind and run for another term…

Ald. Howard Brookins Jr. (21st), who was recently elected to a second term on the City Council, says he plans to run for Cook County state’s attorney next year.

Three-term State’s Atty. Richard Devine has not decided if he will seek another four years in office. Devine, 64, is expected to make his decision by the end of the month, a source close to him said. […]

Brookins said allegations of police brutality and criticisms that the state’s attorney’s office has not done enough to prosecute rogue police officers will be an issue in the campaign.

Brookins, who is African-American, said he expects to benefit from a higher turnout of black and liberal Democrats in the primary election as a result of the presidential candidacies of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Brookins could be a real thorn in Daley’s side if he wins that race. Daley would then have to fight battles on three fronts, one with the US Attorney, another with the hiring monitor, and one with with the county.

Brookins is right that Obama on the ballot might help his campaign, and, once again, Obama would be in a sticky position with the Machine. He could support their guy (whether that be Devine or whoever else runs) or stand with Brookins.

Russ Stewart claimed in a recent column that Brookins will also have the support of Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s organization. Brookins was forced into an aldermanic runoff earlier this year (targeted for defeat by the unions partly because of his vote for the Big Box ordinance), but he went on to win by a large margin.

The Tribune also reports today that failed Cook County Board President candidate Tony Peraica, a Republican, is also eyeing the state’s attorney race.

Somewhat related: Mayor attempting to undermine watchdog? - Daley pushing new agency with similar powers

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s issue of Capitol Fax (Use all caps in password)

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Morning Shorts

Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Ex-state corrections official indicted on fraud charges

* Director, two lobbyists indicted

* Ex-prisons’ chief, lobbyists indicted

* Feds double charges in Vrdolyak fraud case

* Four more charges added against Vrdolyak

* Vrdolyak faces new charges in real estate deal

* Feds: Former Melrose Park chief a bad guy

* Ex-cop chief charged in racketeering charges

* Firm accused of minority front in schools’ landscaping pact

* Landscaping exec accused of fraud

* Sun-Times Editorial: Sink BP’s waste plan

A greater point is that this is the first time in years that a company has been allowed to dump more pollutants of this kind into the lake. More than a hundred years ago, when the Whiting refinery was built, environmental concerns took a back seat to industry. Cleaning up the pollution in our lakes and rivers has taken decades and billions of dollars, and we still have a ways to go.
Now is no time to be going backward.

* Tribune Editorial: Messing with Lake Michigan

* Court says horse slaughterhouse can reopen

* Disclosure requirements for governors

* Power plant plan merits legislative OK

* OTB parlor is approved by Illinois Racing Board

* Clout Street: HDO’s man in Congress?

* Durbin raising big money despite lack of challenger

* Inmate gets 43 years for threatening letters to governor, Madigan, judge

* Daley tabs woman from L.A. to weed out the bad cops

* Friday Beer Blogging: Woody edition

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