Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2007

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Audio and photos from today’s protest (Use all caps in password)

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Enter your password to view comments

This just in… *** Important updates in “red” *** Details released on rate agreement *** Ministers arrive at Statehouse *** Protest a dud ***

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 10:50 am - Remember this story about how a group of ministers planned to come to the Statehouse today and take over the House chambers?

More than 100 religious leaders from the Chicago area are threatening to take over the Illinois legislature if lawmakers fail to pass a state budget in the next week. The potential protestors say they will storm the capitol and occupy every seat in the Illinois House. […]

[The ministers] threatened to take over the Illinois House in Springfield next Monday, sit in the lawmakers chairs and vote on a symbolic budget with more money for education, health care and mass transit if Governor Blagojevich and the other elected officials can’t agree on a real budget by then.

Well, they’re on their way…

Gov. Blagojevich and state lawmakers are going to get an earful today from dozens of Chicago ministers who are traveling to Springfield on their own budget mission. […]

The ministers gathered outside Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church on 45th and Princeton and boarded four tour buses. They rolled out about 7:15 this morning.

Paul is headed to the Statehouse now. Check back for updates.

* 11:00 am - Paul reports that security seems to be heightened outside the House chambers. A half dozen or so guards are present. The ministers haven’t yet arrived.

* 11:26 am - Some details of the new electric rate agreement were announced today. Here’s the press release from Jones, Madigan and Madigan. And here’s a one-page explanation of the package.

* 11:59 am - The rate details are also posted in pdf format at the House Democrats’ website.

* 12:39 pm - The ministers aren’t at the Statehouse yet, so while you’re waiting, House Speaker Michael Madigan’s appearance on WBBM Radio’s “At Issue” program can be heard here.

* 12:50 pm - The ministers have finally arrived. Stay tuned.

* 1:13 pm - The ministers have broken up into smaller groups and some are meeting with individual legislators. A couple of dozen are in front of Speaker Madigan’s office, just milling about.

* 1:17 pm - The ministers are planning a press conference in the Blue Room in 20 minutes or so. Any action on the House will come after that - if at all. Paul reports that they don’t seem to be very organized.

* 1:24 pm -Krol has the round-up of the governor’s media availability after he signed the smoking ban bill…

On the prospect of a budget deal: more of the same, he’s “cautiously optimistic” something will happen in the next week. No specifics. […]

Were you invited on the electric rate fly-around? Ask the staff, although he knew he was signing the smoking ban today.

What if no budget by the end of the month? It “makes no sense to have it quick and fast” if budget shortchanges education and health care. […]

Given the focus on public policy today (electric rates, smoking ban, budget, tax increase), one reporter just pointed out that no one asked about Blagojevich’s $600 make-up job.

* 1:34 pm - The ministers’ press conference is beginning. We’ll let you know their plans, if any, as soon as they say something. It would be nice if we could get the Blue Room feed put on the Intertubes.

* 1:36 pm - No leaders meeting today.

* 1:45 pm - The one alderman who sided with Madigan was The Speaker’s own Frank Olivo…

The Chicago City Council is jumping into a bitter Springfield political war over property taxes, siding with Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan and Illinois Senate President Emil Jones against Speaker Michael Madigan and Mayor Richard M. Daley on the question of how much tax relief should be offered to whom.

At a Monday morning press conference, aldermen released a letter signed by 49 of the 50 council members alleging that tens of thousands of homeowners in their wards will suffer under the “weak” relief plan being pushed by Mr. Madigan. The speaker’s bill “is nothing more than a disingenuous attempt at property tax relief and will result in most homeowners seeing increases as great as 40%” the letter states.

But a spokesman for the speaker suggested that the aldermen “are not fully aware of the facts” and that “rich people” do not need property tax relief.

* 2:08 pm - The ministers said they were planning to enter both chambers. First target is the House. Four security guards are in front of the House, four in front of the Senate. Three guards on the second floor.

* 2:10 pm - The ministers asked to enter the House floor, and were denied. They’re now praying.

* 2:12 pm - Apparently, the ministers have abandoned plans to enter the House floor, and are now walking across the hall, singing loudly, and heading for the Senate.

* 2:15 pm - Rejected entrance to the Senate floor, the ministers have begun praying again.

* 2:17 pm - The ministers are now heading downstairs to the governor’s office. Some have bristled at the implication that they are acting as an agent of Blagojevich today.

* 2:18 pm - Four security guards are in front of the main entrance to the governor’s office. Loud singing now as some are marching arm in arm towards the guards.

* 2:20 pm - Predictably, the ministers were once again denied entrance.

* 2:22 pm - The governor’s chief of staff has now emerged to shake hands and talk with the protesters. He invited as many as can fit into his office to talk to them.

* 2:25 pm - The chief of staff went back into his office without any of the ministers. He invited the ministers to tomorrow’s leaders meeting.

* 2:30 pm - A small group of ministers will reportedly meet with CoS John Harris soon. The rest are heading back to the busses. So, it looks like the fun is over. No civil disobedience, no real controversy. Just a loud, relatively small protest (the crowd shrank every time they were denied access, apparently).

If you say you’re gonna take over the House, then walk away meekly without argument or resistance, what’s the point?

* 2:56 pm - Press release from Henry Bayer, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31…

[I]f a full-year budget cannot be agreed upon and passed in the very near future, another one-month budget must be approved,” Bayer concluded. “State employees and the citizens who rely on their services should not be held hostage to the ongoing budget impasse. Under no circumstances should that impasse be allowed to shut down state government.”

* 3:00 pm - WDWS’ podcast this week is State Senator Bill Brady, who “discusses who’s to blame for the state budget impasse and his political future.” Click here to listen to the audio from the WDWS site.

* 3:59 pm - Pay particular attention to the last line in this AP story…

Dozens of Chicago ministers visited the Capitol to demand that state officials stop squabbling and pass a budget that gives more money to schools.

The ministers stopped short of calling for a tax increase. But they say the governor and lawmakers must find ways of pumping more money into the state treasury. […]

The Reverend Marshall Hatch says it’s time for officials to “grow up and be responsible.”

Governor Rod Blagojevich’s call for a major new health care program has been a key sticking point. The ministers say that’s important but shouldn’t hold up education funding.

I’ll have more on this in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax.

90 Comments

Question of the day

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

First, the setup…

The Illinois Republican Party’s top brass came to visit at a town hall meeting last week, only to be peppered with questions about the uncertain future for the fractured party.

A lot of older faces and a few younger ones greeted their party leaders with questions on all sorts of topics — the budget, medical malpractice, tort reform, elections, voter turnout, taxes, and more. In a nondescript room Thursday at the Gateway Convention Center, Illinois GOP Chairman Andy McKenna and state Sen. Frank Watson, the minority leader and Greenville Republican, and other area officials were grilled over the party’s performance in past elections.

“We recognize we’ve not done well in recent years,” McKenna said after the meeting. “We admit that.”

No one needed reminding that in 2002 the GOP gave up the governor’s mansion after a generation and that former Gov. George Ryan was indicted on corruption charges a year later. In 2004, Jack Ryan, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, bowed out early amid a divorce scandal; his replacement, ultraconservative Alan Keyes was trounced. And 2006, when Republicans finally lost every statewide office, “was a great disappointment,” McKenna said.

But McKenna and others see a new opportunity, one they are desperate to seize. With a gleam in his eye, McKenna talks about the infighting and bickering among Democrats in Springfield.

Now, the question: Can the Republican Party be salvaged in Illinois? More importantly: How?

…Adding… The article also claims that the state Republican Party is now supporting a statewide referendum asking whether voters want gay marriage banned. So, here’s a late bonus question: Is that wise?

86 Comments

The confusing mess continues

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My syndicated column this week takes a look at a curious event that happened last week…

So what the heck was House Speaker Michael Madigan up to last week when he finally came out in support of an income tax increase and urged the governor to drop his opposition to the idea?

Madigan has always been coy about whether he really supports an income tax hike. Most people thought he probably did and that he might somehow be maneuvering the legislative session in that direction. So when he finally announced that he supported the increase, the whole Statehouse took notice.

On one level, it was a response to a letter sent by Gov. Rod Blagojevich earlier in the week demanding that Madigan and the two Republican legislative leaders come up with an alternative revenue stream to fund education. It also was undoubtedly designed to get tongues wagging and freak out the governor, a staunch opponent of a tax hike.

It certainly did both of those. While the Statehouse buzzed with talk of Madigan’s remarks, Gov. Blagojevich reportedly ranted about the income tax idea during a meeting of the legislative leaders, loudly taunting Madigan and others who attended, “Go ahead and pass it,” over and over again. Blagojevich was concerned enough about earlier revelations that Jones and Madigan had been privately talking about the budget and about Jones’ agreement during that days’ leaders meeting that he would work with Madigan to craft a new budget that he kept Jones in his office for several minutes after the other leaders had left.

Please read the whole thing before commenting. Thanks.

* Meanwhile, Team Blagojevich managed to tick off a US Senator…

He released a letter Friday signed by seven members of the U.S. Congress declaring, “It is important that the General Assembly … provide coverage for the working uninsured.”

When CBS 2 told Sen. Dick Durbin his apparent signature was on it, he was surprised.

“Well, that’s a very good question,” Durbin said. “When did we send the letter?”

Durbin said he was confused because the letter was not what the governor’s staff claimed in a press release. Durbin said he was endorsing expanded health care, but not the Blagojevich proposal.

“Well, I think some people either misread what I sent to them, or tried to take advantage of the moment,” Durbin said. “I think the people in Illinois are just fed up with this bickering that has gone on for so darn long.”

* Finke had this interesting tidbit. Senate President Jones, as you may know, is taking all the credit for the electric rate agreement and is participating in a fly-around today to tout the deal with Speaker Madigan and Attorney General Madigan..

Senate President EMIL JONES, D-Chicago, was asked last week if he regretted the way he dealt with an electric rate freeze bill sponsored by Sen. GARY FORBY, D-Benton.
If you remember back a few weeks, the Senate approved the bill, which would have rolled back electric rates to last year’s levels and then frozen them. However, Sen. RICKEY HENDON, D-Chicago, a top Jones lieutenant, used a parliamentary maneuver to nullify the vote, leaving Forby stunned. Jones last week implied he wasn’t involved.

“I’m just the presiding officer,” Jones said.

Um, yeah, and House Speaker MICHAEL MADIGAN, D-Chicago, is just a state representative from Chicago.

* More overtime stories, compiled by Paul and myself…

* What if there’s no budget by August? - State probably would have to set strict priorities

* Legislators rework health-care proposal - New plan would be funded by employer tax

* Pantagraph: Although there is still no budget, not everyone left the Statehouse empty-handed. Blagojevich, a big fan of Elvis Presley, exited the building Friday holding a couple of PEZ candy dispensers of the King.

* * Tribune Editorial: Is there will to help schools?

* Still time before Aug. 1st budget meltdown

* Bernie Schoenburg: Governor’s jogging route takes him past hostile signs

* Settlement will cut rate hike nearly in half

10 Comments

The fine print

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Campaign contribution stories are almost always uniformly negative. For instance…

With no statewide elections to fund this year, Illinois campaign contributors nonetheless managed to donate, loan and transfer more than $54 million worth of political money in the first six months of 2007, according to newly filed records.

As usual, industries with high-stakes policy fights pending before the Legislature were among those pumping money into the state’s no-limit political contribution system, according to campaign disclosure reports that were required to be filed by midnight Friday.

Between Jan. 1 and June 30, the records show: […]

Ameren and ComEd utilities, currently close to a deal with legislators that will prevent an electric rate freeze, contributed more than $100,000 to those same legislators as the talks were progressing, including thousands of dollars individually to key legislative negotiators.

Not noted anywhere in the story was that several legislators refused to cash their ComEd checks. According to ComEd’s latest political action committee filing, a dozen legislators never cashed their ComEd PAC checks, for a total of $28,700. One would think that might be considered news. But that would be “good” news, so you probably won’t see it anywhere.

And, here’s something odd. Last week, Lee Newspapers reported this…

…utility records show ComEd gave state Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, and state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, $300 each.

But those contributions don’t show up on ComEd’s PAC report or on either of the two legislators’ disclosure reports. Strange, that.

Also, Exelon and ComEd have always maintained that they are two distinct entities, but Exelon contributed well over half the money that ComEd’s PAC raised during the filing period.

ComEd, through its PR front group CORE, spent way more on advertising this year than it gave to political campaigns. No mention of that anywhere.

* Also, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform is trying to paint a falsely ominous portrait of Act Blue, a national pass-through PAC which allows Internet users to contribute to Democratic campaigns online. The users themselves (not Act Blue) completely direct their own contributions to individual candidates or committees, but this is how ICPR described the PAC…

It looks like it’s taking a page from U.S. Senator Barack Obama and others who have focused on Internet fundraising on a national scale; but this one seeks to funnel that money into state legislative races.

All ICPR had to do was go to the group’s directory and see that people can choose which state to focus on, and then contribute to any Democratic candidate in those states. And it’s not just legislative candidates, it’s all candidates for every state office, plus Congressional offices and presidential.

* Related stories, compiled by Paul…

* Campaign finance reports reveal politicians interests

* Blagojevich campaign fund pays $1.1 million to law firm

* Exchanges good to Daley, but they don’t need his help

* Tribune: Service Employees International Union, gave more than $2.7 million in campaign cash and services to council candidates, records show.

12 Comments

Morning Shorts

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Provena wins ruling to restore tax-exempt status

* Business groups praise former lawsuit haven Madison County

* Editorial: Timing of alleged scheme from Ryan’s term quite galling

* Governor expected to sign state smoking ban bill on Monday

* Editorial: BP’s lake dumping plan unacceptable

* Chicago Public Radio: BP dumping fight heads to Congress

* Dropouts could lose licenses

Under the measure, students who have more than 18 unexcused absences, are expelled or drop out, can have their licenses revoked until they turn 18. The licenses and learner’s permits can be reinstated if the students return to school. Students in Illinois must attend school until they are 17.

* Traffic stops study raises questions

* PrairieStateBlue: Illinois Dems, Gov, scrutinized at Green national meeting

* Failure to read fine print costs county $330K

* Exchanges hike Daley donations

* Opinion: As city gentrified, black professionals squeezed in the middle

13 Comments

« NEWER POSTS