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Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
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This just in… Gaming “off the table” *** $100 million raid on GRF *** Pork suit filed *** No special session announcement yet *** Guv hasn’t spoken to Daley since July 7th ***
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller *** 3:24 pm *** The governor said today that the last time he talked to Mayor Daley was during Chicago police officer Richard Francis’ funeral, which was July 7th. That was nine days before the governor suggested he might call out the National Guard to stem the “out of control” violence in the city. The governor said he called Daley to discuss his National Guard proposal, but as I told subscribers this morning, that call has not yet been returned. *** 2:33 pm *** A spokesperson for the governor just said that the governor wants to take a couple of days to decide whether to call a special session. More in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax unless something breaks publicly before then. *** 2:03 pm *** Read the governor’s press release on the “compromise” capital plan by clicking here. *** 1:57 pm *** From the SJ-R…
Read the lawsuit against Blagojevich here, and the suit against Jones here. *** 1:49 pm *** The governor has finished speaking. No mention of a special session. I figure we’ll get a press release about it eventually. They have a “compromise” plan, now they have to make Madigan look bad for rejecting it. How could they do that without a special? The only thing that would stop him from calling a special session would be Senate President Jones. *** 1:35 pm *** Gov. Blagojevich: “Speaker Madigan is not here again. Instead he has sent his minions.” Helpful. *** 1:24 pm *** Senate President Emil Jones: “Let the bridges fall and the schools crumble. All they will do is sit and criticize.” “They,” of course, are the House Democrats. *** 1:17 pm *** The proposed “compromise” capital plan will now total $25 billion, according to a legislative spokesperson. *** The Lottery lease, Road Fund money and “excess” revenues from the gasoline sales tax will be used to fund the proposal, as I outlined to subscribers this morning. *** That gasoline sales tax raid is gonna cause some problems. This is a *** 1:11 pm *** House Majority Leader Barb Currie just told reporters that the governor merely suggested that he would put the pay to play bill into the mix if the General Assembly approves the capital bill. She said the guv should sign it before any action is taken on capital. *** Rep. Currie also said the Lottery lease was never a good idea, putting this proposed “compromise” in serious doubt. The Lottery and a couple of other smallish things will fund the capital projects package, now that gaming is off the table. *** 1:02 pm *** Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson just told reporters that Gov. Blagojevich has agreed to put the pay to play ethics bill into the mix with the capital bill. Not sure yet whether he is actually threatening to veto it if he doesn’t get the capital bill or what. More in a bit. *** Sen. Watson also told reporters that all gaming expansion is off the table as a funding mechanism for the capital plan. Not a huge surprise. *** Leader Watson also claimed that a special session was not discussed during the leaders meeting. * 12:52 pm -Subscribers know I had a brief piece this morning about the current lack of communication between Gov. Blagojevich and Mayor Daley. I’m hearing that CBS 2 has done some more snooping around and will run a story about it this evening. * 12:24 pm - From the AP…
* 11:10 am - Kevin is at the Thompson Center awaiting word on the leaders meeting. While you wait, perhaps you can chew on this… Comptroller Dan Hynes is hitting the road…
* But then Hynes appeared to contradict himself. All that corruption should be brushed aside and the problems with the governor’s lack of truthfulness should somehow be magically overcome…
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Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * The setup…
* The question: Do you support or oppose this proposed texting while walking ban? Explain.
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Biggert claims huge lead
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Two events have helped create a minor buzz about Republican Congresscritter Judy Biggert’s reelection chances. First, Biggert’s Democratic opponent Scott Harper raised almost as much as she did in the recent reporting quarter. Then, CQ Politics made a minor adjustment to her ranking…
That last graf is the most important. CQ is just saying that the race might be tighter than first thought. * And now, Biggert has released a poll to try to tamp down the buzz…
Three things: That Biggert survey is a pretty old poll. However, note that Harper’s campaign didn’t relase the head-to-heads or even “deserves to be reelected” numbers. And, Rod Blagojevich’s job approval was way below 50 in 2006, meaning that this number, in and of itself, is not a great guage. * LCV has the Biggert poll…
* Meanwhile, the Sun-Times is playing catch-up to a story that’s been bubbling around the blogs for a while now…
The response is a bit weak…
* Related…
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Stay tuned for more “fun” *** UPDATED x1 ***
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller *** UPDATE *** I forgot to post the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform’s latest demand….
Seems reasonable. * Eric Zorn makes the fatal mistake of assuming that just because there’s a “way” to find money to restore cuts to alcoholism and substance abuse programs, the “will” to do so will automatically follow. But he does have this at the end of his post…
* The leaders will meet this morning at 11 o’clock. We’ll live-blog it here. The Sun-Times has more…
There’s more to this, but non-subscribers will have to wait and see what’s announced after the meeting. We’ll know more about 12:30 or so. * But relying on gaming expansion outside Chicago is an iffy proposition at best…
That’s not the only casino experiencing trouble. * The Sun-Times thinks that Speaker Madigan ought to show up to today’s leaders meeting…
* But in a Sunday editorial entitled “The tale of ‘Governor Goofy’”, the Tribune offered up some reasons why nobody should take the governor seriously …
* Related…
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Did the governor just admit to being a potential defendant?
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * The governor’s legal team is using a somewhat unusual tactic to convince a court that it doesn’t have to release federal subpoenas requested under the state’s Freedom of Information Act…
* More from the BGA’s attorney…
* The governor’s press secretary responds…
The governor is planning an unrelated press conference this afternoon. Maybe the reporters can ask him to clear things up. * Somewhat related…
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Morning Shorts
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning * Moody’s Downgrades GateHouse On ‘Likelihood’ Of Default
* GateHouse Media cut to Caa1: Outlook negative - Moody’s * News business is news-worthy * Chicagoans happier with their city than Parisians, New Yorkers * Chicago Lay-Offs a Possibility in Bleak 2009 Budget Picture * Daley mum on budget shortfall specifics
* Barking up the wrong tree
* Report: Illinois beaches 1st in bacteria levels * GOP ‘Agenda for Action’ more wish list than blueprint
* Lake County Radio Personalities Debate Pros and Cons of a Constitutional Convention * Meth Coffee fails to amuse Madigan * Decision to charge piano owners in Birkett’s hands * Peraica donors include felons * Alvarez, Peraica still trading barbs on questionable donors * Peraica giving back donations * Misspellings, grammar errors put county mag on ice
* Pat Cassidy leaves WBBM-AM 780 * Politics Is National in Local Web Campaign * Billing snafus led to some CTA overcharges * Metra looking out for the Southland
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
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