* You may not have realized it, but I was sick with the flu all week. Didn’t make it to the Statehouse one day. Slept a lot last night and feel better this afternoon. Many thanks to my intern Mike Murray for working his tail off this week, running down stories for me, doing this and that even though he wasn’t feeling well, either. I couldn’t have done it without you, Mike.
* Anyway, is there anyone cooler than Lucinda Williams? I don’t think so. Turn it up…
* Lynn Sweet has drastically revised her scooplet yesterday that Republican Congressman Mark was “poised” to jump into the US Senate race…
Note: In an earlier version I wrote Kirk was “poised” to jump in the contest. I revised to “mulling” later.
That’s quite a big difference. He’s been “mulling” the race for months.
The people I talked to yesterday are also backtracking today, so I’m not sure what the heck is going on.
* On its blog, Public Policy Polling takes a closer look at its Kirk vs. Alexi Giannoulias and Kirk vs. Jan Schakowsky results we had here yesterday and comes up with this tidbit about independent voter preference…
…55% of independents said they approved of Barack Obama’s job performance. But when it came to the 2010 Senate race Mark Kirk led Alexi Giannoulias 36-25 among independents and had a 39-22 edge over Jan Schakowsky. In other words less than half of those independents who said they liked the job the President is doing are committed to voting for someone from his party to assume his old Senate seat next year.
PPP does admit, however, that “independents” are getting more conservative as a whole because so many people are leaving the Republican Party these days.
What they didn’t mention because it might not have fit their theme is that independents favored Lisa Madigan over Kirk 44-32. Independents also picked Pat Quinn over Bill Brady 34-27 and went with LMadigan over Brady 43-25.
* Also, as I’ve told you many times before, African-American voters always break late, and it’s no different in that PPP poll. African-American undecided numbers for the hypothetical US Senate matchup with Congressman Kirk show a Democratic underperformance which won’t be there come election day…
* Meanwhile, Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky’s people are attempting a bit of damage control. As I told you yesterday, that Public Policy Polling survey had Kirk leading Schakowsky 37-30.
Late yesterday, Schakowsky’s campaign blasted out this e-mail…
Momentum continues to build for Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-IL, to enter the 2010 Illinois Senate race. A statewide survey of 600 likely voters showed Rep. Schakowsky holding a 6-point lead over Rep. Mark Kirk in a potential 2010 Senate race. As voters learn more about the two candidates, Schakowsky’s lead over Kirk expands.
Not quite.
First, the poll was taken December 20-22 of last year. The poll is over four months old. So much for “momentum.”
Second, if you take a closer look you’ll see that her own poll shows her initially leading Kirk 23-20. Only when “leaners” are factored in did her December lead expand to 36-30.
* And Greg Hinz talked to Democratic US Senate possible Chris Kennedy about his latest poll…
The North Shore resident also confirmed that he’s interested enough in the race for the seat now held by Roland Burris that he’s commissioned a poll, and that the results are pretty good.
Mr. Kennedy wouldn’t give any numbers but, as he put it, “Let’s just say there was nothing in there that would discourage me.” Another source familiar with the poll agreed that the results are favorable.
* There used to be a saying at the Tribune that if it isn’t in the Trib then it hasn’t happened yet. That’s often how they excuse theft…
Cicero spokesman Dan Proft, a political strategist who made hundreds of thousands of dollars as the town’s mouthpiece, is leaving that job to pursue other interests, including perhaps a run for governor. […]
Though his statement did not specify his plans, the Illinois State Board of Elections’ Web site shows that on April 9 he filed a form D-1, Statement of Organization, which indicates that he has formed a “new committee” as a Republican candidate for governor.
The story ignores the fact that Illinois Review reported on Proft’s D-1 days ago.
…last night we ran into several people in the Chicago political scene who told us Proft’s employee Julie, who also was National Communications Director for the Tea Parties on April 15th, has been actively recruiting people to work for Proft’s gubernatorial bid.
If you are receiving this email then I have discussed with you my interest in running for Governor.
Among the tasks to be completed in this pre-launch phase of the initiative is circling back with family and friends interested in helping with specific asks.
So here they are in my inimitable direct fashion:
(1) Please write a check. We have opened a campaign account (but will not have campaign website live for online contributions until I would announce).
Checks can be made payable to:
Proft for Governor
P.O. Box XXXXX Chicago , IL XXXXX
The Trib did give itself credit for this…
The Tribune reported last year that Proft, who helped Larry Dominick get elected town president twice since 2005, has received no-bid contracts worth more than $500,000 a year to represent the town and local school districts.
The Chicago Tribune in recent weeks solicited subscribers’ opinions on stories before they were published, a practice the paper’s own reporters said raises ethical questions, as well as legal and competitive issues.
An e-mail signed by 55 reporters and editors, sent Wednesday to Editor Gerould Kern and Managing Editor Jane Hirt and obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, questions why the newspaper conducted the surveys and what stories were used. They also wanted to know which readers were surveyed and whether any story had been altered as a result of reader comment.
House and Senate Republican leaders said Thursday that Democratic Speaker Michael Madigan wields too much power, denying rank and file lawmakers the opportunity to vote up or down on key issues.
In a meeting with the State Journal-Register editorial board, Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont and House Minority Leader Tom Cross of Oswego said they believe the General Assembly will be able to approve a public works construction program that has eluded a compromise for years. However, neither could explain which tax or fee increases Republican lawmakers will support to pay for the program.
Cross said Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, has bottled up bills without even giving them a chance for an up-or-down vote in House committees, let alone in the full chamber. Cross said it has happened to several Republican initiatives to control state spending and restrict the ability of lawmakers to raise taxes. […]
Similar things happen in the Senate, Radogno said, where Democrats have a three-fifths super majority of seats. Lawmakers never get to vote on bills to create an open primary or put a recall amendment on the ballot.
* The governor’s reform commission recommended adoption of a rules change in both chambers allowing for full committee hearings if eight Senators or 16 House members sign on to any bill as sponsors…
The Commission believes that this will allow for consideration of all bills that have a reasonable chance of success, while preventing the waste of time that consideration of every single bill might engender.
* The Question: Is this proposed reform a good idea or a waste of time? Explain fully.
Quinn’s effectiveness as a reformer will be measured in large part by the speed and thoroughness with which he rids state government of these holdovers from his predecessor’s sorry tenure.
The tollway’s inspector general issued a report Thursday saying the agency was clear of any improprieties related to the corruption arrest of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
At the same time, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has put $1.8 billion in construction projects linked to the political scandal on hold.
That’s more than half again the size of the “mini” state capital bill announced with such fanfare a few weeks ago. If nothing was wrong, then why is a project which will create thousands of jobs on hold? Doesn’t that contradict itself? And was that investigation really thorough?
Tollway Inspector General Tracy Smith, an attorney, interviewed Chairman John Mitola, three tollway directors and staff and found no misconduct, she said. […]
Former tollway Executive Director Brian McPartlin, who was in charge of the agency during the period in question, was not interviewed, said Smith, who is a tollway employee.
So, they’re clean, but the contract is on hold and only four people were interviewed? Strange, that.
Sneed hears investigators from the Illinois inspector general’s office confiscated computers from the Healthcare and Family Services facility at the Thompson Center recently. Hmmm. Stay tuned
* And speaking of reform, whenever somebody claims they have the “support of the people” even though they’ve never been elected to anything, that person is in for at least a little ribbing…
Patrick Collins, the former federal prosecutor who was the head of the reform commission appointed by the governor, says his recommendations have the support of the people.
Collins says his 15-member commission traveled to much of the state, taking testimony from regular people on political and government reform in Southern, Central, Western and Northern Illinois, as well as Chicago and the suburbs.
He has the support of a lot of people, I’m sure, but so did Rod Blagojevich. More, even.
* But this is kinda silly. Speaker Madigan has held numerous “Committees of the Whole,” but he wont’ allow one for the reform commissions proposals? Not helpful…
“No, there’s no chance at all, for heaven’s sake,” Currie said of the prospects of a House hearing where Commission chair Patrick Collins could testify.
* Related…
* Daley mum on state reform push: “That would be up to Springfield, but I haven’t read it yet,” the mayor said. “The whole incident dealing with [former Gov. Rod] Blagojevich is, of course, alarming to everybody in regards to what has taken place. So I think they have to look at it very carefully, especially Springfield, you know, updating many of the issues concerning the ethics and concerning all of the involvement of taxpayers’ money. Taxpayers work hard and they pay their taxes and they want that money basically used wisely and efficiently and fairly all over the state.”
* It took them two months, but it does show progress…
llinois State Police released a field report detailing the drunken driving arrest of Springfield parks director Michael Stratton on Thursday, more than two months after The State Journal-Register first sought the document. Click here to see a PDF of the report.
Police initially claimed that releasing the report would be against the law. Earlier this week, acting state police director Jonathon Monken said he thought releasing the records might constitute a misdemeanor.
But in a strongly worded letter to Monken on Tuesday, Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office said the documents must be released under the state Freedom of Information Act. Failure to do so demonstrated a “continued unwillingness” by the police to comply with open-record laws, the attorney general said. Click here to see a PDF of that letter.
The attorney general’s opinion made all the difference, according to Gov. Pat Quinn’s office.
“We wanted to make sure we were doing the right thing,” said Bob Reed, spokesman for the governor. “And when the attorney general’s office sanctioned the move, we moved ahead.”
Gee, was that so hard? Also, AG Madigan sent two letters, but whatever. At least they got the message now. I’m not sure I see what the big deal is, except now Stratton has received far more publicity than he deserved for this.
Troopers seized a gleaming muscle car: a 2006 Dodge Charger, boasting a “Hemi” V-8 engine that blasts from zero to 60 in five seconds before topping out at 165 mph, with fewer than 12,000 miles.
But instead of using the car to snare lead-footed drivers or selling it to raise money for the state budget, officials assigned it to the director of the State Police Merit Board, according to interviews and a review of records by The Associated Press.
Merit Board director Ronald Cooley isn’t a cop and doesn’t chase bad guys. […]
The transfer also raises questions about how the department uses nearly two dozen other vehicles the police have seized, including a 2003 Cadillac Escalade, a 2004 Audi Quattro and a 2005 GMC Sierra. The agency refused to tell the AP who drives those vehicles, citing the possibility that it would jeopardize officer safety.
Time Magazine has chosen Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart as one of it’s 100 most influential people of 2009. The magazine applauds Dart for refusing to send his deputies on court-ordered foreclosure evictions because many of the people being turned out on the street were tenants who had faithfully paid the rent. […]
Dart’s write-up in Time appears next to that of Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman.
The Tribune, however, plays spoil sport editorializer in its news section…
But if Dart really is a kinder, gentler sheriff, he’s first an ambitious politician. And he has a handy knack for getting himself national ink, not only with his refusal to evict renters but also for his recent lawsuit against Craigslist for allegedly facilitating prostitution. Not all the coverage has been rosy. Last year, the Justice Department slammed his office for conditions at Cook County Jail. But Dart managed to deflect much of the blow, pledging to work with the courts to combat a problem he says he inherited.
