Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2010

Wednesday, Sep 15, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

Translation…

I’m Mark Kirk, candidate for the United States Senate and I approve this message.

I coordinated the Project “Abuelita” that reunited grandparents with their grandchildren in Illinois.

Working as your Senator, I will help Latino families who want to start their own businesses and combat gangs.

These are difficult times. Latino families in Illinois deserve a senator who works for them.

Thoughts?

…Adding… More on Project “Abuelita” from the campaign…

“Working with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Highland Park, and his Latino Advisory Board secured tourist visas for the 13 grandparents in a program called Project ‘Abuelita’ - Spanish for grandmother.” (The News Sun, 8/4/06)

“The first wave of seniors came in December from Tonatico - another Mexican town with a large population living in Waukegan. Kirk is planning to help another wave of grandparents from Tonatico and La Luz visit over the summer. He is also trying to start the program in San Jose, Guanajuato, which also has a large number of emigrants living in Waukegan.” (The News Sun, 5/1/06)

…Adding More… The Giannoulias campaign is suggesting that Kirk is releasing a Web video ahead of the expected Dream Act vote next week to cover himself if he votes against it.

…Adding Still More… Giannoulias campaign response…

“Washington insider Mark Kirk is at it again - this time lying to Latino families about his record on issues that matter to them. With this new ad, it seems Congressman Kirk misremembers that he has been opposing common-sense immigration reform and has failed to support the DREAM Act. That’s not a champion Illinois’ Latino families can trust,” said Kathleen Strand.

“Alexi believes the United States needs comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders, protects the rights of all workers and modernizes our legal immigration programs. Unlike Congressman Kirk, he supports the bipartisan DREAM Act.”

…Adding Even Still More…From the Kirk campaign…

Ads have shipped Telemundo and Univision….will start tomorrow or Friday

43 Comments

Question of the day

Wednesday, Sep 15, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* State Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) talks things over with Republican lt. governor nominee Jason Plummer…

* The Question: Caption?

106 Comments

FBI report on Blagojevich was never admitted as evidence

Wednesday, Sep 15, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rod Blagojevich’s defense is arguing that his lone conviction ought to be thrown out…

Last month the jury deadlocked on 23 of the 24 counts faced by Blagojevich, convicting him only of making false statements during a 2005 interview in which the then-governor told an FBI agent that he was not involved in the details of fundraising.

“He noted that when he attends his events he becomes aware of some of those who are supporting him, but he does not track, or want to know, who is contributing or how much they are contributing to him,” the defense quoted the agent as recounting in his report of the interview.

The defense contended that Blagojevich’s comments to the FBI were taken out of context and that it was “common knowledge” that the governor would be included in fundraising discussions with his re-election bid the following year.

“And moreover, the Governor actually told the FBI agents that he was involved in fundraising during the very interview in question,” the defense motion said.

Keep in mind that the defense is quoting the agent. There could be plenty more there. I checked with the US Attorney’s office to see if the FBI report was online somewhere because I couldn’t find it. Here is the response…

No. It was not admitted into evidence at trial (which is not unusual)

So, I suppose the testimony by the agent was what did RRB in.

* Blagojevich attorney Sam Adam, Jr. said time and again during the trial that his client was “broke.” He could be…

Meanwhile, the filing revealed that the former governor is so cash-strapped that he can’t even pay for the transcripts from his own trial. Lawyers asked for permission to review the transcripts that they could not purchase.

“Prior to the end of trial, defendant’s fund from which his legal fees were paid was depleted, and as a result, Blagojevich has not been able to procure copies of the official transcripts from trial,” lawyers wrote.

Thoughts?

* No surprise here…

All of the charges against Doug Belkin, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was arrested while covering the Rod Blagojevich trial in July, were dismissed yesterday by a magistrate judge in U.S. Federal District Court.

Mr. Belkin faced two citations for “disturbance” and for “disobeying signs and directions,” according to a spokesman for the U.S District Attorney’s office.

Mr. Belkin was taken into custody at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago after he disobeyed orders from a security guard while attempting to interview one of the lawyers in the trial. “I told him three times to back up and he didn’t,'’ the security officer said at the time. “He put his hands on me.”

Security run amok. Yes, they need to keep some calm in the federal building, but it’s not a 1st Amendment Exclusion Zone.

25 Comments

*** UPDATED x2 - Hendon: I’m like the black Sarah Palin *** The serial fantasist strikes again, and other Daleypalooza news

Wednesday, Sep 15, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* John Kass continues to make stuff up…

[Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has] been offered up to voters as a young progressive independent, even though he’s also beholden to the Southwest Side political oligarchs.

The other day, Kass said Dart would run once he received the expected endorsement of Mike Madigan. Dart and Madigan are not allies. Far from it. So now, Kass appears to be recycling this charge without including a name so he can’t be called out as a serial fantasist.

By far, Kass has attempted to destroy more people with unsubstantiated nonsense than anyone else in the Chicago media. Dart’s late father was, indeed, a powerful behind the scenes player in city politics. But Dart himself has done a very good job of proving his independence. His connections have and will definitely help him, no doubt about it, but as I’ve said many times before the South Side Irish are not some monolithic beast, no matter how hard Kass tries to make them so.

Kass learned politics at the feet of Eddie Vrdolyak. Fast Eddie hated the Irish, except for Ed Burke. Kass often quotes Burke in a favorable manner. See? Two can play this game.

* I like and respect state Sen. James Meeks. I think he’s a decent guy. But his alliances and his beliefs will most certainly become an issue if he runs for mayor. Here’s a 2007 report from the Southern Poverty Law Center…

The Rev. James Meeks is a key member of Chicago’s “Gatekeepers” network, an interracial group of evangelical ministers who strive to erase the division between church and state. A stalwart anti-gay activist, Meeks has used his House of Hope mega-church to launch petition drives for the Illinois Family Institute (IFI), a major state-level “family values” pressure group that lauded him last year for leading African Americans in “clearly understanding the threat of gay marriage.”

With over 22,000 members, Meeks’ congregation was large enough to buoy his successful 2002 campaign for state senator. Last year, he ran for governor as a virtual single-issue candidate, drawing national support from Christian fundamentalists by boldly vowing to fight marriage equality at every turn. Meeks eventually dropped out of the race.

Meeks and the IFI are partnered with Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council and the Alliance Defense Fund, major anti-gay organizations of the Christian Right. They also are tightly allied with Americans for Truth, an Illinois group that said in a press release last year that “fighting AIDS without talking against homosexuality is like fighting lung cancer without talking against smoking.”

And there’s plenty of video out there which could be embarrassing. Like this one…

He’s done lots of good things in his career, but his mouth always gets him in trouble, and there are large numbers of videos online that will give opposition researches lots of work.

* A couple of months ago, Sen. Rickey Hendon told me that he would run for mayor if Sen. Meeks did not. That pledge may now be inoperative…

State Sen. Rickey Hendon also told us on Tuesday that he plans to run for Mayor. Hendon is a former Chicago Alderman who has represented the fifth district in Springfield since 1993.

“I’m in all the way,” said Hendon. “Somebody’s gotta fix this mess and I think I am qualified to do it.”

*** UPDATE 1 *** More on Hendon…

Hendon says reopening Meigs would be part of his plan to bring more business to Chicago. He also says he’d support bringing a riverboat casino to the city.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Hilarious…

“I’m like the black Sarah Palin,” Hendon said, meaning he intends to use a grassroots effort to get elected. He said it’s about the people of the city, not who has the most money.

[Hat tip: Larry.]

[ *** End Of Updates *** ]

* Miguel del Valle mocks the wannabe candidates…

Chicago City Clerk Miguel Del Valle scoffs at potential candidates who in the past week have said they’re thinking about running. Del Valle was quick to jump in the race.

DEL VALLE: I decided that I was not going to play the game of forming an exploratory committee or consulting with a long list of people or pretending to consult with a long list of people. I think that would be disingenuous.

* And reporters and editors might want to listen to Larry Suffredin…

The first thing that Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin wants to tell voters about the suddenly wide-open Chicago mayoral race on the last Tuesday in February is this: Don’t get overly focused on it yet.

“Two years ago when I was running for [Cook County] state’s attorney and [Barack] Obama, was running for president, Obama sucked all the oxygen out of the political arena,” Suffredin says. “I think that [the mayoral election] right now is causing people to skip the Nov. 2 election. We all have to be encouraging everyone to vote [on Nov. 2], not just to move on to the next election.”

* Roundup…

* Changing the mayor, changing the signs

* Dahl: A vote for Mayor Jordan — or, if not, Mayor Ditka Time to find a celebrity mayor we can believe in

* Campaign Manager: Moseley Braun in the Race for Mayor

* Longtime Daley ally Chico ’seriously leaning toward’ mayor’s contest

* Meeks opens first space devoted to mayor’s race

* Latinos could be key in Chicago’s mayoral race

72 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 - Simon video *** Today’s stupid quotes

Wednesday, Sep 15, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sheila Simon thinks we’re stupid or something…

“I’d challenge anyone who says that we are trailing badly downstate. I’ve been campaigning all over the state and I’ve been getting a good response wherever I’ve been…Not everyone is happy, but I’m running into a good number of folks that makes me encouraged about our support across the state.”

OK, since she issued the challenge, here are the Tribune’s regional crosstabs…

I know that Ms. Simon is not a math professor at SIU, but that’s a 25-point Brady lead Downstate. And I don’t know about her, but I would consider a 25-point deficit to be “trailing badly.”

It’s too bad the linked story didn’t point that out as well.

*** UPDATE *** Video…

Simon was asked about an actual poll, but a reporter quoted the wrong poll in his question. It was the Tribune, not Rasmussen, which had those regional crosstabs. Rasmussen doesn’t post regional xtabs for Illinois.

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* Gov. Pat Quinn thinks Bill Brady has a secret plan to raise taxes…

Gov. Pat Quinn [yesterday] suggested voters should be wary of promises not to raise taxes from opponent Bill Brady, saying Republican governors have a history of doing just that once they’re safely elected.

“That’s the Republican way,” Quinn said. “That’s what (Gov. Jim) Thompson did, twice. That’s what George Ryan did. That’s what they do.”

It’s also what Jim Edgar did, but Quinn didn’t mention him. Still, for a guy whose own tax hike will be used (now, after a major poll-driven revision) mainly to provide property tax relief, Quinn has a lot of nerve suggesting that somebody else has a secret plan to balance the budget. No way will Quinn stop with a one percent tax hike if he’s elected because that one percent will do nothing to stop the flood of red ink.

* From an Alexi Giannoulias press release…

As with Congressman Mike Castle’s stunning loss last night and the losses of Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Bob Bennett before him, the anti-incumbent, conservative wave will claim Congressman Mark Kirk as its next victim in November, with Mike Labno as the only pro-life, pro-gun candidate running for Senate in Illinois.

Congressman Mark Kirk, a 10-year incumbent Washington insider, has tried and failed repeatedly to curry favor with the conservative base in Illinois, and now conservatives have a clear choice with a legitimate challenge from the right with Libertarian candidate Mike Labno officially on the Illinois ballot.

Labno doesn’t have any money for TV ads, and he has received mostly passing reference in news stories this month. Unless Giannoulias intends to inform voters of this Libertarian candidacy via expensive TV ads (and Giannoulias barely has enough for his own ads), then the vast majority of voters simply won’t know the guy exists.

* Mark Kirk apparently hasn’t been in many taverns…

“One commentator said the blogosphere is like an Irish bar at midnight,” Kirk said. “Everybody is throwing chairs at each other, and then the next morning, no one remembers what the argument was about.

I’ve been in quite a few Irish bars and have never seen a fight before 2 o’clock, but whatever. The entire blogosphere isn’t rowdy and drunk. Newspaper comment sections are where the real problem drunks hang out.

* The Alexander County clerk is an extremely busy, preposterously stupid, amazingly lazy, or hugely corrupt person…

State election officials have been alerted about possible irregularities in Alexander County’s voter registration lists, but the county clerk says safeguards are in place to help prevent problems in November.

A newspaper report suggested the number of registered voters may exceed the number of residents eligible to vote in the southern Illinois county. County Clerk Francis Lee says she hasn’t had time to purge the rolls since taking office last year, but it’s her “intention to get it cleaned up.”

She says the process could take two years.

Two years? Are you kidding me? There are 7,100 people over the age of 18 in that county and 7.500 registered voters. Her office could hand address that many “Return to Sender” postcards in a few days.

47 Comments

Morning Shorts

Wednesday, Sep 15, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* State’s suicide rate is 6th lowest

The suicide rankings show there were 8.6 suicides per 100,000 people in Illinois in 2007, or 1,108 people total.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness notes the state-by-state data are from 2007. That’s before the economic crisis began and before cuts in services for mental illness.

* Chicago’s Traffic Third Worst in Country

* Speeding-ticket costs taking off

Bail bonds for a series of minor traffic offenses will rise by as much as 60 percent, adding $45 to the cost of a typical speeding ticket.

* Report: Transit system needs overhaul

Among those proposals are two that would hit motorists directly in the pocketbook and give legislators fits: doubling the state gasoline tax and earmarking a portion of the new revenue for transit; and expanding the use of tolling and variable pricing to better manage traffic and pay for needed improvements.

These recommendations echo key parts of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s strategic plan, scheduled for final approval in October.

The transit system suffers from inefficient organization, meager financial support and feeble state policies, stifling the first-class transportation network the region needs to compete in the global economy, the report says.

* Metra: No plans for ‘quiet cars’ here

* GPS tracks city truck taken on a joyride

A night investigator for the city’s Department of Water Management is in hot water after his truck was stolen early Saturday morning from the parking lot of a Burrito King on the Far Northwest Side.

The investigator and several members of his crew had apparently stopped for tacos, even though they are paid to work eight hours straight.

Thanks to GPS, the truck was recovered a few hours later at the Renaissance Apartments on River Road.

* Weis: Union Brouhaha is a Distracting ‘’Soap Opera'’

WEIS: Morale is one of those things sometime people just say. Every townhall I’ve gone to and that question has been asked and I’ve said can anyone give me one idea what I could do to improve morale, I’ve never gotten an answer.

Union leaders say they now have an answer. They want him to resign. Weis posted a blog yesterday to quote “clarify a lot of misinformation” coming from union leaders but he says he will no longer answer questions on the topic because he doesn’t want to get side-tracked by people’s personal agendas. Weis says he has no problem with officers who are planning a march [today] to protest his leadership.

* Cops’ protest aims to pressure Weis to quit

Leaders for the Fraternal Order of Police called on officers and their families to march at 10 a.m. to police headquarters at 35th Street and Michigan Avenue to protest what they called Weis’ lack of leadership. Chief among their complaints is how manpower in Chicago’s 25 police districts has suffered from officers being detailed to other assignments.

* FOP To Call For Top Cop Weis’ Resignation

* Protest planned against CPD Supt. Jody Weis

* Police Union Calls for Weis Resignation

* Walter’s Perspective: What’s So Bad About Weis?

* President cites Chicago violence in speech

* 2 killed in separate South Side shootings

Salomon Abonce, 43, of the 8000 block of South Nottingham Avenue in Burbank, was pronounced dead at 10:32 p.m at Stroger Hospital, according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner’s office. […]

Shawntell Harris, of the 0-99 block of East Garfield Boulevard, was pronounced dead at 6:31 p.m. at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

* Decapitated Man, 21, Found Near Evanston School

Police say 21-year-old Colin Dalebroux, of Madison, Wisc., was killed by what appeared to be a pipe bomb. A second live bomb was located beside his body, police said at a news conference.

* Burnt copy of Quran found outside Muslim community center

* Daily Herald: It’s time for Bianchi to step aside

We don’t want to rush to judgment. And we can understand McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi’s reflexive response to stay in his job while defending himself against a 21-count felony indictment.

But, one way or another, Bianchi needs to step aside as his case plays out. One way is for him to resign outright. Another is for him to take an unpaid leave of absence. Either way, it would show that he is putting the business of the people ahead of his own personal travails.

* Sun-Times: Pass county ethics reforms

* Sun-Times: Stay alert on CTA — or lose your gadgets: Between 2006 and 2009, the number of robberies on the CTA jumped 77 percent while thefts went up 17 percent, according to Chicago Police Department data obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Better Government Association and first reported in Tuesday’s paper.

* Eisner downplays reports he may run Tribune

* Tribune Co. creditors tell judge company can’t be trusted to sue over LBO

* Fox Chicago to tap Larry Yellen as weekend anchor

* CSU gets some credit

Chicago State University’s accreditation has been reaffirmed after being in limbo for more than a year due to concerns about poor retention and graduation rates.

Still, the news came too late to help the university persuade students to choose the South Side campus. First-time, full-time freshmen enrollment is down 12.9 percent from last year, to 513 students.

* Quinn Announces $2.5 Million Capital Grant for University of Illinois at Chicago

* U. of I. ranks No. 3 in big schools for campus recruiting

* U. of I. foundation stronger, but still awaiting state payments

* Veterans’ education costs SIUC millions

Chancellor Rita Cheng said SIUC would continue to support the free education veterans receive, even though a loss of state money for it will cost the university millions.[…]

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission, which controls grants and scholarship programs for college students, was required by the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget to remove $9 million given to its programs — without a reduction in the Monetary Award Program, according to the Commission’s website. It chose to remove funds from the Illinois Veterans Grant, the Illinois National Guard and Minority Teachers of Illinois programs.

But Cheng said the university would honor the veteran grant, even without state money.

* Cheng says furloughs could be coming for SIUC

* Damaged Romeoville pipeline repaired

* EPA Wants Madigan To Probe Oil Pipeline Owner

* New mayor, old divisions in Chicago Heights

* Elgin fights gangs on new turf — in court

* Elk Grove Village to Test Red-Light Cameras

* Suburban Red-Light Camera To Come Down In Test Run

* Solution to feral feline problem eludes Mt. Prospect board

* Executive session tapes dominates Buffalo Grove meeting

* Aurora votes to increase cost of building permits

* Aurora boosts planning, engineering fees

* Joliet mayor won’t seek re-election after 20 years

Arthur Schultz spent most of his 20 years as mayor of Joliet without vocal cords after having them removed due to throat cancer. Though his voice didn’t carry, his influence certainly did. […]

Schultz, 77, announced Tuesday that he will not seek re-election in 2011, after five terms in office. He will serve the rest of his term, which expires May 3.

“It’s time for me and it’s time for Joliet to move on,” he said.

* After nearly 20 years, Joliet mayor to retire

* Schillerstrom lays out final DuPage Co. budget plan

The balanced budget proposal is $5.4 million below last year’s spending plan and calls for no property tax increase or program funding cuts. Most of that reduction comes from eliminating 38 vacant full-time positions. Those savings will be utilized to help fund the new capital improvement debt.

* DuPage board makes changes to chairman’s powers

* DuPage Co. board hears budget pitch

* DuPage County OK’s $773,000 for Navistar road

* McHenry Co. panel OKs another $100,000 for special prosecutors

* Oak Forest considering adding flat fee for water

* Parking fees might rise in Oak Park

* Highland Park cuts free health care benefits for future council members

* Downers Grove South still falls short of progress

* Elmhurst College reports preliminary enrollment figures

* Kane County sues 70 reputed gang members

The suit alleges that the gang members, through their actions, have harmed the city. Although the suit seeks unspecified monetary damages, the suit’s real value is for local police, Barsanti said.

* Kane circuit clerk sues board over denial of extra funding

* Seyller files suit to get money for Kane Co. circuit court clerk’s office

* SEIU asks labor board to reopen negotiations

* Sweeny: Fire Union boss uses fire tragedy to do some politicking

* Q-C labor council names new CEO

* Police: Ex-Pontiac library director stole thousands

* Proposed Bloomington ordinance would allow recreational fires

* Rochester Village Board restricts portable buildings

* Milhiser nominated for Sangamon County state’s attorney

* Sangamon County projects 37 fewer jobs next fiscal year

* Springfield pays for 41 properties slated for demolition

* Bakke: If you want to get city hall’s attention …