This just in… Ata to plead guilty *** Ata admits getting job via Blagojevich contribution *** Alleges direct quid pro quo with governor *** Feds outline scope of Blagojevich probe ***
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller *** Click here to read the plea agreement… And Click here for the superceding information statement *** * 3:21 pm - The prosecutorial noose tightens around Rezko…
*** 3:56 pm *** Ata’s guilty plea includes this language…
Translation: Ata admits - and the feds insist - that he paid for his job via a campaign contribution to Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Read the plea agreement by clicking here. *** 3:59 pm *** Ata is taking us right inside Rezko’s office, where we find Governor Rod Blagojevich…
*** 4:01 pm *** And here we get the quid pro quo…
[Emphasis added.] *** 4:03 pm *** From someone who was at the hearing today…
*** 4:17 pm *** Take a look at the superceding information statement about Ata and you find this statement of fact from the feds…
That pretty much shows us where they’ve been going. And none of it is good for Gov. Blagojevich. *** 4:32 pm *** The Tribune really needs to change its headline: “Ex-director of Illinois Finance Authority admits getting post after paying Rezko” Ata did hand the money to Rezko, but the cash went to the governor’s campaign fund, and the governor was aware of the contributions and the appointment.
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Various stuff
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * For the first time ever, Capitol Fax is an official sponsor of the annual House vs. Senate softball game. It’s my favorite evening of the year, so I’ve thought for a while about signing up as a sponsor. I was informed yesterday that I was accepted. This year’s game will be Wednesday, May 14 at Springfield’s Lincoln Park. The start time is 5:30pm. See you there. * Nothing else has worked for the Chicago Republican Party, so maybe this might… ![]() Go over and check out the party’s site in all its glory. [I saw this earlier on another blog, but now I can’t remember where it was. Sorry for no h/t.] * Buried deep in this critical piece of Democratic congressional candidate Colleen Callahan, was this nugget, written by a member of the Legislative Affairs Committee for the Peoria Area Association of Realtors…
Interesting. * Attorney General Lisa Madigan: Grandma Alice’s cheese enchiladas…
* Regular commenter Jacob Schulz has posted a new “in your face” campaign ad… ![]()
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Edgar audio; DuPage; Greens; Wilhelmi; Black (Use all caps in password)
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Does Earth Day mean anything to you today? Explain.
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Local lobster hiring examined
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * I’m not sure that this bothers me all that much…
The transit system was facing a fiscal meltdown, so dumping money into lobbyists is a natural reaction for anyone under siege. * Here’s where that number came from…
Emphasis added to make a point. It does look like a lot of cash, but it isn’t in the grand scheme of things. * The more important question is whether these local governments got anything for their outlays, either in the budget, or through special legislation. That wasn’t looked at by ICPR, but the Post-Dispatch did check out one contract between the Madison County Regional Office of Education and former Rep. Steve Davis…
* ICPR had a reason for doing the research…
* But at least one of those “discrepancies” wasn’t. According to the State Universities Retirement System, they did fully disclose their lobbying contract, contrary to what ICPR reported. * One of the reforms pushed by ICPR as a result of this study was restricting “revolving door” lobbying - requiring a waiting period of six months to a year before a legislator could begin lobbying. Yet there weren’t really any horrible revelations that I saw in the report which would buttress that demand. Still, I do commend the hard work by ICPR staff with filing all those FOIA requests with local governments and crunching the numbers. It’s good to have this info about how tax dollars are being spent as reforms are drafted.
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Rauschenberger vs. Obama
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Former state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger has been a designated attack dog against Barack Obama as of late. Here he is quoted in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal…
* Let’s take these one at a time. As Rob accurately notes, Rauschenberger spent the last few years of his own state Senate career trying desperately to get out - with no luck. He ran for US Senate in 2004 and was thumped in the GOP primary by Jack Ryan. He then turned right around and ran for governor, dropped out, and ran for lt. governor and was trounced again in the primary by Joe Birkett. And he won the top job at NCSL after promising insiders that he wouldn’t run for governor, which he did. Pot, kettle, etc. * When Rauschenberger was in the majority, he did take his responsibilities fairly seriously. He was often quoted in the media on budget issues, for example, and he was a champion of a modernized sales tax, which went nowhere. It’s not difficult to believe that Rauschenberger was more involved than Obama was, but until his final few years, he was more involved than most everyone. * Rauschenberger was also on Fox News recently and blasted Obama for switching his votes after the voting closed. The LA Times reported several weeks ago that Obama switched his vote six times. Rauschenberger said of the vote switching: “Generally, it’s people, in my opinion, who are politically ambitious.” Last week, I was flitting back and forth between the House and Senate and heard at least six instances in one day where members asked that their votes be switched. This is an extremely common occurence. Rauschenberger pointed to a riverboat vote where Obama was getting pressure from both sides and Obama voted “Yes” but said he hit the wrong button and should be voted a “No.” Rauschenberger claimed: “It’s very difficult in those charged votes to believe that someone pushed the wrong color button.” But I’ve seen this a kabillion times, too, and so has Rauschenberger. People are sometimes away from their desks and staff hit the wrong button, or they just goof. Six times in eight years ain’t much. Let’s say Rauschenberger is right on that one boat bill. That’s once in eight years. Not exactly a pattern. * Rauschenberger also claimed that Obama “wasn’t a reformer” on Jeff Berkowitz’s show, mainly because he endorsed John Stroger over Forrest Claypool for county board president primary race and that nobody has been convicted of crimes due to the Obama/Dillard ethics bill. Obama didn’t endorse John Stroger over Claypool. Instead, he was neutral and announced the day before the election that he was voting for Claypool. And I doubt that Rauschenberger’s fellow Republican Sen. Dillard thinks that ethics bill was worthless. * If you have the time, watch the Berkowitz interview. Rauschenberger claims he doesn’t know where Obama is on issue after issue, but the conservative Berkowitz points out where he’s wrong time and time again. It looks to me like sour grapes on Rauschenberger’s part. Again, Rauschenberger makes a few very good points, but overall his message seems, well, “bitter.”
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Blagojevich attacks Dems on health care, slashes funding for nutrition education
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * You’ve probably heard about this already…
* Instead of answering the questions, the governor turned on the House Democrats…
* And…
* But how concerned is he really about the health of children and working families? Only on the stuff he cares about, apparently…
So, let’s see, offering health insurance to people knowing that many doctors won’t accept it because the state is so slow in paying (and pays so poorly) is priority number one, even though he can’t get his program through either chamber of the General Assembly. But funding an existing program that helps more than a million people learn better nutrition, and, therefore, live healthier lives to begin with, is just too expensive to keep around. Perfect. * Meanwhile, Fritchey has some choice words for the governor’s latest attack…
* And this was just posted at CDOBs…
* Other stuff…
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Morning Shorts
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning * Ford Heights loses police dept. * State questions Welch’s use of campaign funds * State’s attorney: Officer targeted Stanford mayor in traffic stop * Firm owner accused of scamming $1 million * Inverness Man and His Engineering Firm Indicted in IDOT Fraud * We can’t turn our backs on the violence ravaging our city * Daley rips CTA over Blue Line response * Cook County health chief gone * The Call for a Constitution Convention * Governor’s plan to add inmates at Thomson prison has skeptics
* Suburbs are key to Democratic victory * Rauschenberger vs. Obama: Rounds 3&4 * Quote of the Day: Irony, thy name is Rauschy * Fat cats of politics scratch for an edge
* Rezko cohort details fee scam * Rezko trial: Loren chokes up on stand * Ex-pension fund attorney tells jurors of ‘mistake’ * Witness calls insiders ’stupid’ * Attorney on stand at Rezko trial recalls corruption on pension board * Testimony: Rezko attended fundraiser for President Bush
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Auto Industry is Part of the Solution
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - Posted by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department The following is a paid advertisement Last December, the federal government passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The centerpiece of this historic legislation was an unprecedented forty percent increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade association of ten car and light truck manufacturers, was instrumental in passing this groundbreaking energy bill. The legislation is a comprehensive and aggressive federal response to the climate change issue. Lawmakers and the environmental community alike have hailed the legislation as “landmark” as it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new automobiles 30 percent by 2020 and save 18 billion gallons of gasoline per year. Rather than follow the federal standard some in IL are seeking to adopt California’s standards and create a confusing and inefficient program at the state level. That is why the Alliance, as well as many partners in the agriculture, manufacturing, and labor communities, oppose House Bill 3424. CA LEV not only binds Illinois to excessive state-wide fuel economy standards, but it contradicts the state’s commitment to E85 fuel and technology and relinquishes Illinois’ air quality authority to California.
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Bill Anderson, Richard Piccioli
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Statehouse lobbyist Bill Anderson passed away Saturday. Bill had one of the strongest wills to live that I’ve ever seen. His doctors told him he was a goner long ago, but he survived and continued living a full life right up to the end. A friend passed this along about the services. I’ll update when I get more info…
Here’s his lobbyist registration photo, which isn’t very good but it’s the only one I have… ![]() * Also, if you’re looking for service information for Richard Piccioli, click here.
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Question of the day
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * In your snarkiest opinion, what is the Allmighty trying to tell Illinois with these events?
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Bill would force “conversion” of private nursing homes, hospitals
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * The SJ-R does a pretty nice job of summing up Rep. Mary Flowers’ bill to establish a single-payer healthcare system in Illinois over ten years…
* The huge tax hike required to implement the program probably dooms the proposal. Buried way at the bottom, though, is this little nugget which, if it stays in the bill, pretty much guarantees a rough road in the House…
* Read the bill. Discuss.
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Poll shows strong support for recall, term limits; Weak opposition to Con-Con
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * My syndicated newspaper column isn’t posted yet over at the SouthtownStar, probably because I was sick on Friday and didn’t get it finished until early Saturday morning. Oops. But, since I also just happen to have a copy we can look at it anyway…
* There was another aspect to that Institute poll…
* Con-Con arguments, both pro and, um, con, were tested…
* And the big finish…
* More on the poll here and here. * Related stories…
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Another false red herring
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Not long ago, some IL politicians were saying, “If we don’t pass a capital bill right now, all the federal money will go away.” That breathless warning was bunk, but the propaganda keeps on coming. * For instance, the governor had this to say last week…
* Not.
* And that “pass it now or the money will go away” line? Well, it’s still out there…
Durbin told the mayors that whopper despite informing the Pantagraph earlier this month that the claim was false…
* There’s no doubt that Illinois is in great need of a capital bill. Not only is our infrastructure crumbling, but the jobs would be a welcomed cushion against continued economic decline. But do the proponents have to rely on so many untruths to get it passed? * Side note to whomever is publishing the pro capital bill Illinois Works Coalition website: Reprinting newspaper stories in their entirety is a violation of federal copyright laws.
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Morning shorts
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning * Nicor wants $140-mil. rate hike * Chicago Tonight: Children’s Museum
* Public Affairs with State Rep. John Fritchey * Bill proposed to extend honorary degree eligibility
* 2 yrs. later, is Illinois still ’state of shame’? * Health care job eludes Iraq vet
* Gavel-to-Gavel: This morning, Rezko a ‘free’ man * Rezko freed on $8 million bond, home monitoring * State helps fill local food pantries’ shelves * Want Obama’s Senate seat? Join the crowd * Suburbs try to angle ComEd transmission line * A training exercise or free pool boys? * Brenda Sexton, public libraries team up on book-film series * Tollway tale gets more tangled * Fix the toll collection system — now * Strong aftershock reported in Illinois * Inspections follow shaky morning * Bridges Inspected For Possible Damage * Autism Center waiting for money * Single-Sex Ed Takes Hold in South Carolina * SJ-R: Misguided bid to ‘protect’ marriage * Energy speaker: Don’t underestimate the power of coal
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Note to subscribers
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller I was ill Friday afternoon, so I wasn’t able to work. Therefore, there is no Capitol Fax today. The General Assembly is not in session, so Capitol Fax will be published Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday this week.
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