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This just in…
Wednesday, Apr 30, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * 2:24 pm - House Speaker Michael Madigan has just informed the House that he will call them into session beyond tomorrow’s scheduled adjournment if the Senate passes the constitutional amendment for recall on Thursday. Members are wondering if they need to be in town before the final 3rd Reading vote. It appears, of course, that they do. Madigan was asked whether he would propose any amendments to the Senate proposal. He said he didn’t plan to do so, but he didn’t know what the sponsor - who will likely be Rep. Jack Franks - will do. Madigan pointed out that if this proposed constitutional amendment is amended in the House, then it would have to be read three times in each chamber again. Sunday is the deadline to get the measure on the November ballot. *** 2:25 pm *** Madigan was just asked by Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago) why this proposal has become such a high priority. Madigan replied that, at least among House members, “This has become such a priority because of Governor Blagojevich.” Ouch. * 2:39 pm - Rep. Jack Franks spoke to reporters a short time ago about the Senate’s recall proposal, which he calls “a better bill” than his own. He said he won’t amend the bill. Here’s the audio…. [If the audio player isn’t working for you, click here to download the mp3 file.] * 2:43 pm - John Patterson at the Daily Herald no longer has a “bloggy type thing.” He’s got a real blog now with comments and everything. His latest post…
…Adding… Rep. Fritchey just said that the ethics deal is still a deal. He’ll be holding a press conference with Sen. Harmon, House GOP Leader Cross and others at 4:30 this afternoon. The 1 pm press conference unveiling the deal was delayed so Fritchey could make extra sure that the deal was really a deal. * 3:03 pm - The SJ-R has more…
* 3:26 pm - With about an hour to go before the press conference, negotiators are still “tweaking” the compromise ethics bill. So, things could still go wrong, but the train appears mostly on track.
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- GoBearsss - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 2:29 pm:
Rich, you didn’t include the full quote:
“This has become such a priority because Governor Blagojevich won’t step aside and let Lisa be Governor.”
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 2:30 pm:
Straight talk is always the most forceful form of communication.
- Levois - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 2:30 pm:
So Madigan was being honest? lol
- Commonsense in Illinois - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 2:41 pm:
GBs…given the state of finances I’m not sure Lisa would want to be governor…
- Madison County Voter - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 2:52 pm:
Are the boys & girls in Springfield getting any real business done? Or are we just going to spend the rest of our days recalling each other? They better think long & hard about letting this genie out of the bottle.
- FlackerBacker - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 3:11 pm:
On the ethics legislation, I’m curious to find out whether lawmakers are including provisions that impact the legislative branch, or whether this is limited to the executive branch… Yes, the administration has made more stringent ethics laws a priority, but the legislative branch is far from clean in how they conduct business.
- Flak - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 3:16 pm:
Pay to play is about $$ for contracts. The legislators don’t award contracts.
- Speaking At Will - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 3:24 pm:
– Madison County Voter —
“They better think long & hard about letting this genie out of the bottle.”
How are we “letting a genie out of the bottle”, its giving recall to the people, many other states have recall provisions that are not abused. The people elect thier leaders, we should be able to recall them as well.
This is real business. Simply because recall is being debated and worked on does not mean that other work isnt being done, it is simply one of the most important issues that is becing considered so rightly it gets the majority of the media attention.
- Why now? - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 3:33 pm:
Shouldn’t we’ve done this while George Ryan was in office? Man, he actaully killed people with his license for bribes deal. Okay he didn’t personally kill anyone, but his such actions can be linked to deaths.
- It's Broken - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 3:33 pm:
IF the ethics legislation goes through, it would be nice if one of the Cook County Commissioners adapted it to county business. And please don’t forget all the law firms who currently contribute to the Cook County Board of Review members (who hear their arguments for property tax reductions for their commercial clients). I shall commence holding my breath now.
- FlackerBacker - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 4:00 pm:
Flak, yes but can you tell me that legislators are currently above reproach and do everything by the (ethics) book? The Feds and Media have been completely consumed by administration, but clearly there are lawmakers who have issues. Bottom line is that lawmakers should also have limits on contributions.
- Garp - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 4:16 pm:
Even if this recall legistation passes, Blogo will probably be impeached by the time to vote, so why bother-get on with the impeachment process and save taxpayer money. There’s enough grounds already and everyday it just gets worse.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 4:25 pm:
Why now-
I can just see the bumper sticker now.
“No one died when Blago lied”
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 4:54 pm:
Folks who think recall is a waste because we have impeachment remind me of folks who think having a spare tire is a waste because they have AAA.
We need both. And then some.
- Wild Bill - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 5:15 pm:
GoBearss must have been giving a deposition this afternoon….not many comments….the Blagoof spin(as advanced by Dunkin’) was almost as sad as the Ronen TV appearence….Does everyone remember the contractors on Blagoof home was a TR company? So Ata was dropping a bag of cash to help TR pay the bills.
Gavel to gavel should be smokin’ tomorrow.
- daisy dukes - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 5:47 pm:
that’s pretty sad when the best the Governor’s office could come up to defend Blago on the floor was Dunkin
- Enemy of the State - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 6:00 pm:
I wish I had the smoke and mirrors concession in Springfield.
- Amazed - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 6:05 pm:
No matter what “Ethics” bill they pass it will full of holes. Nothing will change with these people - they’re evil and corrupted.
- new idea - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 7:31 pm:
I have an idea when we recall blago how about we recall Mayor Daley too! He cannot find a way to stop the killing in Chicago and hired a totally idiot for police chief
- JONAS - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 8:37 pm:
I love it. The speaker and leader of the democratic party of Illinois cant make health care, economic stimulas packages, more funding for schools, a capital bill for schools and roads, or ethics reform a priority… but he’ll damn sure will stay longer and keep people in to vote on a recall bill for a fellow democrat. good grief. I am ashamed to be a member of the Illinois Democratic party. No wonder DPI is a laughingstock nationally.
- Fox Mulder - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 9:12 pm:
Scully and I were taken aback by the pouty-poo look on Jeffy Schoenberg’s little face at the presser today. Guess reform only counts if you’re the sponsor, eh? Hey, maybe you can sponsor some important new lege like divesting the State’s cash from the Cayman Islands?
Back to business. We’ve opened an X-File on a subject missing under suspicious circumstances who has been known to frequent this Blog.
He is a caucasian male who answers to the name of “Bill.” He shows signs of premature aging and excessive stress. in recent weeks, he has exhibited frequent changes of opinion. If anyone knows the wherabouts of “Bill” please contact our office.
- Disgusted - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 9:22 pm:
Isn’t it ironic that the day the legislature is getting serious about the ethics bill is the day the notice goes out to all the “little people worker bees” in the state to take their annual ethics test. This must grind them down further. After all, they don’t get free trips, free lunch or bags of money given to them. All they get is more work.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 10:32 pm:
Well, I guess now we’ll get to see how far emil will go to try to save guv’s bacon - if he can do it at all. It would be a perfect time though for Fitz to outflank them all with an indictment of the guv. That would be high theater indeed!
Pingback Recall amendment targeted at the sitting Governor is closer to passage in Illinois « The Political Inquirer - Thursday, May 1, 08 @ 4:10 am:
[…] It has not as the Speaker of the Illinois House, Michael Madigan, announced they would vote on the bill as is if passed by the Illinois Senate. […]
- chiatty - Thursday, May 1, 08 @ 8:27 am:
Incompetence and graft are tough to watch, but blood lust is worse.
- Bruno - Thursday, May 1, 08 @ 9:41 am:
It wouldn’t surprise me if the legislature is worried about the Constitution Convention “wildcard.”
The more they look like they are “getting it,” or “doing something,” the easier it is to argue that we don’t need a convention.
Make no mistake. We STILL need a convention. Much as I appreciate the sentiment behind Fritchey’s bill, the idea that it eliminates “pay to play” in IL is pretty laughable. ($50K is plenty of incentive to play and pay with, and legislators, though not in control of specific contracts, still have “member initiatives” and inside info to work with.)
Further, we need much more than Recall in IL. We need to get 118 new people in a room to bang out some much tighter controls on IL gov.
All of this late “action” is probably an attempt to say “see, we don’t need a Convention.” Keep your eye on the ball. Vote Yes in Nov. and start looking for your favorite delegate candidate with no previous experience bilking Illinois citizens.