No word yet
Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune caught up with Senate President Emil Jones last night and asked him about the phone call he received yesterday from Barack Obama urging him to reconvene the Senate and take up the ethics legislation…
Whether that phone call will have any impact on Jones remained unclear.
Stepping outside a Senate Democratic fundraiser at a Chicago hotel Wednesday evening to smoke, Jones was asked whether Obama’s input would sway him.
“Come on, please, please, please, please, I’m here doing other stuff now. I’m not talking to [anyone] in the press,” Jones replied.
Illinois lawmakers passed legislation to ban contributors who have or seek contracts worth at least $50,000 from giving to statewide officials who dole out the business.
He told me a bit more than that, but you’ll have to subscribe to see it. Suffice to say, we still don’t know what Jones will do.
* Eric Zorn blogged today about the ethics bill, the amendatory veto, the House’s override and the Senate’s refusal (so far) to return to session within 15 calendar days of the House’s action…
Here’s a chance for Blagojevich to force the legislative process to work as it’s supposed to; to get beyond the petty sniping, strike a blow for representative democracy and call the Senate into special session before the deadlin
He asked the governor’s spokesman, Lucio Guerrero, whether Blagojevich would do so…
“I think it’s still a bit premature on that,” [Guerrero] wrote back. “We have been working with some legislators on ethics packages and will see how those negotiations go before deciding.”
Zorn wasn’t impressed.
After a bit, Guerrero wrote back to Zorn, and he updated the post…
What you fail to tell your readers is that the Governor has already banned anyone from doing business with the state to contribute to him - and to any other elected official. He did it through Executive Order. I am not sure why you would leave that out. The Executive Order is law starting Jan 1 and eliminated “pay to play” politics from everyone - from the Governor to the General Assembly.
Zorn fired back, saying, in part…
critics contend the order doesn’t have the weight of law because the governor can rescind it at any time. One can agree — as I do — with some of the proposals in the amendatory veto while still disagreeing strongly with the way he is using the amendatory veto to advance them
It’s more than that. I’ve been talking with some legal experts this week, including at the attorney general’s office, who say that the governor’s EO is clearly unconstitutional. The Constitution’s only reference of executive orders has to do with agency reorganization, but using an EO to ban contractors at state agencies from making lawful contributions to political candidates doesn’t seem to fit with that language.
* Related…
* NEW: Boisterous crowd decries social-services cuts in Urbana
* Reconvene the Senate Now
* SJ-R: Bring Senate back now to OK ethics bill
- Dan S. a Voter and Cubs Fan - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 11:15 am:
What was Blagoof’s grade in constitutional law again? Nuff said.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 11:21 am:
So the man who believes he can simply hobnob with dictators, woo the UN, make a pouty face in Paris to win back their love, in order to successfully deal with our national security needs, can do nothing when it comes to Emil Jones.
Obama is all talk at a time when we need action.
Next!
- Loop Lady - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 11:24 am:
Te public outcry for enaction of this legislation needs to persist and grow louder until Emil gives in…the public deserves it after years of self serving corrupt officials…
no giving up until the unholy alliance of Rod and Emil for their own financial benefit is shut down…enough!! Time to call the Senate back to town and end this charade…otherwise, I say vote all incumbents out on 11/04…time for someone else to pay the price besides the people of IL…
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 11:24 am:
Plus, the EO extends to members of the General Assembly, and past courts have ruled that executive orders can only apply to members of the executive branch.
- The Doc - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 12:32 pm:
I’m curious as to Obama’s opinion regarding a con-con, especially considering his chief strategist’s firm is leading the charge against it. Hmm…
- Squideshi - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 12:41 pm:
Jones is doing “other stuff” and won’t talk to reporters? Maybe he needs a raise.
- bored now - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 12:52 pm:
i’m shocked — shockedn, i say! — that this little stunt cooked up by the press (and probably with ill-intent) did nothing. that was predictable.
except to give those who despise obama (in both parties) something else to criticize him about. all that matters is illinois! the country and world be damned…
- North of I-80 - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 12:54 pm:
Transcript of the Obama - Emil Jones phone call:
“Hello Emil?”
“Yeah… Barrack?”
“Can you get me 200 more season passes for da Bears?”
“Sure Barrack…. consider it done. Anything new?”
“Naw….Thanks, bye”
“See ya”
- Heartless Libertarian - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 1:00 pm:
I am suprised that not one republican state senator has grown a pair and gone out and said something like, “This is why we need a constitutional convention… to ensure that the people have a voice in where our government funding is going and to ensure people have social services they need as well as the well-managed, fully funded state parks they want. And so people can have the ability to recall a sitting governor who is doing a poor job for the state of Illinois.”
Tie it all together, it is a winning issue.
- siriusly - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 1:46 pm:
maybe its your laptop handicap Rich, but Crain’s just scooped you - apparently Emil is bringing the Senate back next week
- bored now - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 1:53 pm:
ok, i really am shocked that emil would do this. i guess he really will do anything to elect barack!!
- I’m not talking to [anyone] in the press - Thursday, Sep 18, 08 @ 7:49 pm:
So exactly WHAT did good ole’ Email say which was written as “[anyone]” ???
Guessing it was a ‘fun’ expression? Or maybe expletive deleted?