* Rod Blagojevich and his wife could be dragged back into court tomorrow…
Federal prosecutors have asked that former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, convicted last month of public corruption, appear before a judge this week about his lawyers’ failure to provide paperwork to secure his bond, according to court documents.
After Blagojevich was convicted last month of 17 counts of wire fraud, extortion, bribery and conspiracy charges, U.S. District Judge James Zagel required that he post his personal residence and a second residential property to secure his continued release on bond.
Since then, the government has tried to get current appraisals, title reports and other documents on both properties, according to a prosecution filing this week in federal court. Although the information on Blagojevich’s personal residence has been provided, the government is still seeking details on the undisclosed second property.
I’m pretty sure that second property is his DC condo.
* From the prosecution’s filing…
On June 28, 2011 [the day after Blagojevich’s conviction], the government provided defense counsel a list of four items that the government needed in order to expeditiously prepare the paperwork necessary to post the two properties. These items include: (a) a current title report; (b) a current appraisal; (c) a mortgage statement; and (d) an insurance certificate.
On June 30, 2011, after inquiry from the government, defense counsel informed the government that they were working to get the paperwork together.
On July 5, 2011, after inquiry from the government, defense counsel informed the government that it was continuing to work on the necessary paperwork and would have an update for the government in several days.
On July 11, 2011, and July 12, 2011, the defense provided several documents related to the defendant’s personal residence. To date, the government has not received any documents related to the second residential property at issue.
And the conclusion…
Instead of continuing to wait for paperwork, it is the government’s position that the defendant and any additional necessary parties (e.g. those individuals also on the title to the properties) should appear before the Court on July 15, 2011, and enter forfeiture agreements related to the two properties necessary to secure the defendant’s bond.
WHEREFORE, the government requests that on July 15, 2011, the defendant and all other necessary parties appear before the Court, sign the paperwork to secure the defendant’s bond, and be admonished by the Court regarding the consequences of violations of the defendant’s conditions of release.
Thoughts?
32 Comments
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Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* To quote the Tribune editorial board, “Wonder how ComEd would have scored had the firm done its survey after the last two big storms”…
ComEd ranks 112th out of 124 utility companies nationwide and next-to-last among large Midwestern utilities in J.D. Power and Associates’ residential customer satisfaction survey released this morning.
ComEd did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
ComEd’s score of 590 out of a possible 1,000 topped that of the Illuminating Company, a utility based an Akron, Ohio, that scored 586, the study shows. Ranking No. 1 among large Midwestern utilities was MidAmerican Energy, based in Des Moines, Iowa, which scored 679.
ComEd’s 2011 customer satisfaction score by itself —one of six criteria that make up the total score — is next to the bottom nationally, said John Hazen, senior director of J.D. Power.
Sheesh.
* The storm’s impact was particularly ferocious in Lake County, and the local county board chairman has declared a state of emergency…
To assist with the response efforts, Lake County Board Chairman David Stolman proclaimed a “State of Emergency” in Lake County. This action facilitates the sharing of resources and supports the County’s request to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency for assistance with debris removal. While it isn’t clear that any state or federal disaster assistance will become available, Lake County Emergency Management is compiling initial damage and cost assessments from communities in regard to all of the recent storms.
* A few more stories…
* Storm outages send ComEd customers flocking to hotels - Rooms fill quickly as families seek air conditioning, Internet access, electricity for medical equipment
* ComEd: Smart Grid would have cut storm power outages
* 4th day of power outages in Lake Co.
* Power outage swamps suburban ERs
* The Question: How would you rate your electric utility company? Explain.
32 Comments
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Clean coal bill praised, attacked
Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill yesterday to help create a coal gasification plant in Chicago…
The $3 billion plant is set to be built on a former industrial site on the city’s southeast side. The so-called “coal gasification” plant will turn Illinois coal and refinery waste into a natural gas substitute, without having to burn the coal.
Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn originally vetoed the project, saying it would jack up consumer energy prices. But he says the new plan has been revamped.
“Natural gas that’s gonna be produced here will be purchased by our four major natural gas companies,” Quinn said. “And there are rate caps to protect consumers.”
* Sen. Gary Forby says the Chicago plant is good for southern Illinois…
Forby said the plant will utilize, for the first time in Illinois, the clean coal technology known as gasification. Coal and petroleum coke will be used to produce substitute natural gas to be sold to Illinois gas utilities. Carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions will be sequestered underground, which dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Chicago Clean Energy expects that the plant will create tens of thousands of jobs directly and indirectly in Illinois, including 1,100 construction jobs, 200 permanent jobs, and an additional 165 mining jobs.
Forby hopes the governor will act quickly on Senate Bill 2169 that passed earlier this year, which gives the green light to begin construction on a clean coal facility in Jefferson County.
“Coal’s future is looking bright. These new facilities, combined with the new or expanded mining operations in Saline, Franklin and Jefferson counties, are great indicators that coal’s future is on the upswing in Southern Illinois,” Forby said in a news release.
* But the Sierra Club and some neighbors are not happy at all…
“Creating synthetic natural gas is a very dirty way of getting our natural gas,” Becki Clayborn, a representative for the Sierra Club’s Midwest Clean Energy Campaign. “It’s dirty, it’s dangerous and it’s unnecessary.”
Clayborn said the law will saddle consumers with expensive natural gas for decades to come.
* If this is correct, then the fears may be way overblown…
The plant’s emissions are expected to be on par with those of the Art Institute of Chicago, [Rep. Marlow Colvin] said.
Rather than burning coal and sending byproducts through a smokestack, the plant would convert coal and refinery waste into gas and byproducts that are collected, sold or reused. The synthetic natural gas produced would then be used to heat Illinois homes.
Also…
State Rep. Marlow Colvin says the developer would clean up LTV’s environmental disaster.
“It has left an incredible amount of pollution far into the ground,” said Colvin.
* Despite the legislation, a lot of hurdles remain…
Leucadia needs permission to add pollution to a crowded industrial area in Chicago and has not pinned down a buyer for its carbon dioxide emissions. The owners of the proposed plant site also are locked in a legal battle to persuade the state to let it sell its permission to pollute to Leucadia along with the site. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has opposed the sale of the pollution offsets.
* The governor gets the last, inimitable, word…
“We’re going to be reclaiming a site that needs some remediation,” Quinn said. “We know what has happened here in the past in this part of our state of Illinois. This area a mighty area when it came to steel and industrial products, we want to make sure that its going to be mighty again.”
No mention of Abe Lincoln?
…Adding… Roundup…
* Press Release: Senator Mike Jacobs (D-Moline) is working to inform local seniors that they may have received a letter from the Department on Aging stating their prescription drug benefits have been terminated. Hundreds of seniors are receiving this letter in error.
* State will hold off cutting foster care to 2 religious agencies: In the meantime, none of the Catholic Charities still offering foster care services in Illinois may take in new children, state officials said.
* Nekritz: No across-the-board elimination of regional education offices
* Youth jobs grants problematic for area agencies - Biggest problem: Agencies still waiting for the money
* Partnership to launch Aurora STEM school
* Study: Race factors into IL traffic stops
* Editorial: Write on!
* Schoenburg: Quinn Israel trip to key on green issues
* Rutherford says state holds $1.5B in unclaimed assets, $44B in bond debt
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* Lynn Sweet reports on a very early poll in the 8th Congressional District Democratic primary race. It’s probably no surprise that Tammy Duckworth has a big early lead over Raja Krishnamoorthi…
The poll of 400 likely Democratic primary voters in the new 8th district–anchored in the northwest suburbs–was conducted July 10-12, with a margin of error of 4.9 percent.
Duckworth–whose has had a fairly high profile since her 2006 run for Congress from the current 6th district–she lost to Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.)– starts the contest with a big lead over Krishnamoorthi, 69 percent to 8 percent.
Krishnamoorthi–who lost a Democratic primary bid for comptroller last year– lags far behind in name identification over Duckworth, 76 percent to 15 percent.
Duckworth also starts the primary with higher favorables, 61 percent to 5 percent.
* From Duckworth’s pollster…
She holds seven or eight-to-one leads in every region of the district. Duckworth is strongest with key primary constituencies including frequent primary voters, women, older voters and liberals.
There is no indication that Duckworth’s lead can be overcome with positive messages.
• Among the small number of voters who know both candidates, Duckworth still leads 54% to 32% indicating that even when he is well-known, Krishnamoorthi falls well short.
• Voters were also given detailed descriptions of the candidates comparing Krishnamoorthi’s ties to President Obama, previous run for State Comptroller, strong record on job creation and raising his family in the district to Duckworth’s personal story, record on veterans’ issues and commitment to job creation. After this simulation of millions of dollars worth of communication in the expensive Chicago market, Duckworth still leads 60% to 21%.
It seems likely that the only way Krishnamoorthi could narrow the race would be to launch a series of negative attacks against Duckworth. Not only would these be unlikely to succeed given the high esteem in which voters hold Duckworth, but these attacks would damage Democrats’ chance to pick up this lean Democratic seat. Any path back to the majority in the House, goes through Illinois-08.
It looks to me like they’re already trying to elbow Krishnamoorthi out of the race. I doubt that’ll happen any time soon.
* The Krishnamoorthi campaign’s response…
We are not surprised that a poll released by the Duckworth campaign shows a favorable position for Tammy, but the reality is that any poll conducted 8 months before an election is based solely upon name recognition. In the State Comptroller race, Raja started with just 6% support and came within an eyelash of winning the Democratic statewide primary against a party-backed, well-funded state legislator with a great ballot name. Today, even with modest name recognition, Raja has quickly raised over $400,000 in 5 and a half weeks, and he has assembled a formidable base of political and grassroots support. The fundamental issue in this election is who has the private sector experience and ideas to help revive the economy and protect the middle class. On that issue, Raja will fare very well.
*** UPDATE *** This is the super-positive statement used in the poll about Raja Krishnamoorthi. It barely moved the needle…
Raja Krishnamoorthi, age 37, is the President of Sivananthan Laboratories, a high tech company specializing in national security and renewable energy products. Before that, he was the Deputy Treasurer for Illinois where he helped revamp the state’s unclaimed property system and ran the technology venture capital fund, which has helped create hundreds of good-paying jobs in Illinois. Last year he ran for State Comptroller. Raja served as issues director for Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate campaign in 2004 and as an advisor to his presidential campaign. He is raising his kids right here in the district. As the only candidate with private sector experience creating jobs, Raja will focus on economic growth and putting people back to work. He says that is the only way we can really put the government’s fiscal house in order and keep our commitments to educate our kids and take care of seniors. Raja wants to bring common sense and practical problem solving to Washington D.C. — not mindless, hyperpartisan politics based on rigid ideologies.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Meanwhile, it looks like Springfield state Sen. Larry Bomke is going to retire…
State Sen. Larry Bomke, a member of the Illinois General Assembly since 1995, said Wednesday he’s unlikely to run again unless the courts overturn the new Senate district map enacted this year by state Democrats.
Freshman state Sen. Sam McCann, R-Carlinville, is expected to announce today that he will run for the Senate from the 50th District, Bomke’s new home district. The new 50th includes much of Springfield.
McCann said in a statement Wednesday he will announce his plans today, and a McCann supporter, Pike County GOP Chairman John Birch, said McCann will run in the 50th.
Bomke, who had said earlier he was undecided about running again, reiterated his doubts that he could adequately serve constituents in the new 50th, because it covers so much territory. He said he also is busy with his insurance business, which recently became part of a firm with 20 locations across the state.
“If the map stays the same way, I probably would not run,” Bomke said.
I’ll have more on this for subscribers tomorrow.
* And Dorothy Brown may face a Democratic primary opponent…
A longtime alderman is weighing a Democratic primary challenge to Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown following her poor showing in a failed run for County Board president.
Ald. Ricardo Munoz, 22nd, told the Tribune he will decide whether to take on Brown within two weeks. He said her office has failed to fully enter the computer age and hinted at the scandals that surfaced in last year’s election.
“It needs to be automated,” Munoz said of Brown’s office. “It needs to be digitized. It needs to be cleaned up.”
Brown, who first ran without regular Democratic support in 2000, said she plans to run for re-election and is “very surprised” by Munoz’s interest in her job.
* Related…
* Bustos makes it official: She’ll seek 17th Congressional seat
* Democrat Gill announces candidacy in new 13th Congressional District
* Walsh tells Obama to “quit lying”
* ADDED: Hultgren calls for Congress to investigate Planned Parenthood
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Massive FAIL
Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The John Howard Association visited the youth correctional facility in St. Charles in May and filed a very troubling report. For instance…
Safety beds are a particularly important and relevant focus for St. Charles. On September 1, 2009, a youth tragically committed suicide in the facility’s special treatment (mental health) unit. Soon after the incident, JHA visited St. Charles and recommended that all beds within the facility be replaced with the safer slab-beds. These beds eliminate the possibility of a youth using the bed as a tie-off point or harming themselves on sharp corners.
Unfortunately, this change has not been made. Although budgetary constraints are severe for DJJ and St. Charles, these beds must be replaced. Only a total of 48 slab-beds have been installed in a facility which currently houses 259 youths. While all of the beds in the special treatment unit were replaced with slab-beds, older, more hazardous beds remain in the rest of the facility. Most disturbingly, the confinement unit in St. Charles has no safety beds whatsoever. This is absolutely unacceptable, particularly because confinement cells double as suicide watch cells.
* The group claims that the picturesque campus is in “desperate need of repair.” At least five buildings are “essentially condemned,” with the roof collapsed on one of them..
The housing units have been repainted on the outside in an effort to make them look nicer; however, they are still in very bad shape on the inside. Throughout the housing units, door frames and window frames are rusted and, in some cases, corners are completely disintegrated. The youths’ rooms are also in need of repair, with rust and general age showing throughout. Almost every area is in need of new paint. Many of the youths complained about problems with heat and air conditioning as well.
During JHA’s visit cleanliness appeared to be an issue in the facility. In the housing units, the showers were particularly dirty, with trash in the drains, mildew covering many areas, no toilet paper, and no switch plate cover for light switches, leaving wiring exposed. In other areas of the facility, trash was piled up in receptacles to the point they were overflowing.
* Oy…
Because the infirmary is unfit for use, youths with medical conditions are kept in the confinement unit.
* And the management seems deathly afraid of offending the unions…
Recently, a number of bicycles were donated to the facility, and it was proposed that youth on Level A status (the best behavioral level) be allowed to ride the bikes on a path surrounding the pond. The decision was made that this was not possible at St. Charles and, therefore, the bikes were sent to IYC-Pere Marquette, a minimum-security facility.
JHA was given several reasons for this, ranging from issues with the union because there was not a union member to do the maintenance on the bikes, to security concerns, to inadequate staffing levels. Regardless, this would have been a wonderful program for the youths. More importantly it could have been used to train youths in bicycle maintenance, creating possible job opportunities upon release. St. Charles and DJJ as a whole cannot afford to turn away donations given the current budget constraints.
More…
Administration also indicated that having youths help with maintenance, painting, or other activities would result in a union grievance being filed. However, administration had not asked the union about these issues recently. Union members have indicated to JHA that the current budget crisis has caused the union to re-evaluate youths’ participation in what were traditionally union jobs.
Good managers work with the unions to get things done. Bad managers let the unions dictate policy.
* Meanwhile…
A major change for Illinois’ youth prisons is on hold. Gov. Pat Quinn last year pushed to merge the Department of Juvenile Justice into another agency, the Department of Children and Family Services. Quinn said it would lead to more treatment for incarcerated youth, though some lawmakers and a public employee union resisted the move. And, like many big ideas, the merger fell by the wayside.
26 Comments
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Like night and day
Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The differing reactions to the gaming expansion bill are like night and day, depending on where or who you are. For instance, Elgin already has a casino, so its city council has unanimously voted for a resolution condemning the gaming expansion bill…
The Elgin council’s resolution calls for the General Assembly to “introduce new gaming legislation with protections that will require such new gaming licenses to be issued in depressed economic areas of the state and in markets that are not adequately being served by an existing riverboat casino.”
It also opposes further gambling at horse-racing tracks, calling the introduction of slot machines at them at odds with the “overarching purpose of the Riverboat Gambling Act — to enhance the economically depressed regions of the State — but rather confers a substantial benefit on a discrete industry.” Elgin’s declaration also states that “Illinois cities and regions with riverboat casinos should not be subject to cannibalization of their markets by racetracks that have been long afforded the privilege of wagering by the State.”
However, “the City of Elgin is not opposed to the proposed gaming expansion within the city of Chicago, recognizing Chicago’s stature as a first level, ‘world’ city, and that the addition of gaming to Chicago’s diverse, international economy will enhance that city’s appeal in the global marketplace,” the document states. […]
Elgin primarily uses its share of Grand Victoria Casino money to fund capital projects and assist local nonprofits.
* Rockford currently has no casino, so almost its entire community leadership is now rallying behind the bill…
Leaders of the local arts community put their support behind a plan to build a casino in Rockford.
Rockford Area Arts Council, Coronado Performing Arts Center, Rockford Art Museum and local artists will speak at the Rockford Area Arts Council this afternoon to show their support.
* More…
“Money from gaming helps us offer arts programs, services and events to residents and visitors to ensure all facets of our community have access to art,” she said in anews release.
Several groups have already signed on to support the casino initiative, including the Rockford Park District, union laborers and the Rockford Area Visitors & Convention Bureau.
* Springfield would get several months of horse racing dates at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and some slot machines. Springfield Mayor Mike Houston is fully on board…
“I would support anything that is going to create activity and excitement at the Illinois State Fairgrounds,” Houston says, adding that “overall, it would be a good thing for the city.”
Houston rejects Bedell’s claim that proposed changes at the fairgrounds would be like putting a casino in Springfield. “We’re not talking about a full-fledged casino and I think that is an important distinguishing factor,” Houston says. “You have things other than slot machines at a casino.”
He also notes that some Springfield residents travel to riverboats like Par-A-Dice Casino, outside of Peoria, to gamble. “I think that if there are people who are having problems with gambling, they are having problems in the city of Springfield today. They are just using riverboats.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by agricultural interests, which expect to get millions of dollars in additional funding, should the measure become law in its current form.
* But Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe is continuing his mission to convince the governor to veto the legislation…
“It’s a bad bill,” Jaffe said of a casino expansion package that passed during the final days of the legislative session in May. “There are too many loopholes in that bill. I’ve said it before and I’ll tell you again: It’s 409 pages of garbage”
The board’s 215 staff members are trying to manage the implementation of video gaming, which lawmakers approved two years ago, while facing the potential of yet another expansion of casinos—unless Gov. Pat Quinn vetoes the bill.
“Yes, he should veto it,” said Jaffe, who met with Quinn last week. “We talked about the bill, and I told him exactly how I felt, and he listened very carefully.” […]
“There are 400 items put in that bill by special interests,” Jaffe told reporters Wednesday. “Do I have to spell that out for you? Special interests were involved in that bill. These are back room deals.”
More…
The legislation, which would allow for a Chicago casino, four other new land-based gambling halls and the addition of slot machines at horse racing tracks, is filled with regulatory loopholes, Jaffe said.
“I’ve said before and I will tell you again, it’s 409 pages of garbage,” Jaffe said, later adding: “Use your imagination, and whatever evil thoughts come into your minds, it will probably be worse than that.”
16 Comments
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Caption contest!
Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn with some “Amazing Science” kids…
Winner gets a free ticket to the July 25th White Sox game. Yesterday’s winner was WazUP, for this entry in Spanish…
Madre mira lo que he encontrado. Puedo mantenerlo?
Roughly translated…
Mother, look what I found. Can I keep it?
69 Comments
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