* Oddly enough, Republican US Senate candidate Mark Kirk refused to talk to a reporter in southern Illinois last night about the Giannoulias bank closure, even though it was one of the bigger news days of the entire campaign…

Kirk has made the bank troubles a central issue in the campaign, but Friday evening his aid refused News 3’s request for three minutes of the congressman’s time to discuss Broadway Bank and the Wall Street reform bill which is expected to go up for debate in Washington Monday.

Here’s the video of the story…

* Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno was a guest this week on Fox Chicago Sunday. She talked about the budget, Bill Brady’s taxes and cars assigned to legislative leaders. Have a look…

* Here is Fox Chicago’s very strong coverage of the Bill Brady tax issue…

* Old news, but WGN has a story about Scott Lee Cohen’s bid to run for governor as an independent…

* Melissa Hahn talks about a proposal to limit Illinois’ new FOIA law…

* Republican state Sen. Dale Righter talks about his “grave reservations” about the governor’s latest budget plan…

* This week’s “Capitol View” program…

* Texas Congressman Ron Paul was in Chicago this week to speak to the Right to Work Foundation. Illinois Review has the video…

* And the White Sox talk about Ozzieball…