* If you have HBO, then you absolutely must watch Martin Scorsese’s new documentary on George Harrison, Living in the Material World.
The film builds on itself to give us an incredibly moving, beautiful and spiritual ending. In that way, Scorsese completely captures - and mirrors - George’s life. Harrison once referred to his religion as “a mystical energy encased in a sound structure,” but he might as well have been talking about himself.
From: cms.iisnews@illinois.gov
Subject: Press Release - CORR Doss Kuykendall at Large
Date: October 7, 2011 11:56:31 AM CDT
CHICAGO – October 7, 2011 – The Illinois Department of Corrections inmate at large is Doss Kuykendall who was incarcerated for burglary. He is housed at East Moline CC, a low level minimum security/work camp facility. Kuykendall is 43 years old, 5 ft. 8 inches tall- 190 pounds- with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen with a beard and long hair, but he may have altered his appearance.
The fugitive was taken into custody around 11 Friday morning by members of the Illinois Department of Corrections, Albany Police, and the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Department. The investigation into his escape continues.
Corrections sent another press release at 12:30 this afternoon announcing the capture.
* I’ve avoided this fight because, well, I’m not sure why. I just did. But here’s the latest salvo via press release…
Statement of Brady Campaign Acting President Dennis Henigan on Illinois Representative Joe Walsh’s October 3 letter responding to Henigan’s recent statement:
“Rep. Walsh recently argued that concealed carry of loaded guns should be legalized in Illinois because the Second Amendment is ‘the last line of defense between us and our government.’ When I suggested he ought to explain why his words should not be read as a thinly veiled justification for violence against government officials, the Congressman responded to me with a letter that is nothing but an exercise in misdirection and obfuscation. The letter is a dutiful repetition of gun lobby talking points, but not once does it explain, or even refer to, Walsh’s earlier statement that guns are ‘the last line of defense between us and our government.’
Rather than defend his earlier statement, Walsh’s letter raises new, and equally troubling, questions. He says that the Second Amendment was written because ‘Americans should be able [to] defend themselves from tyranny no matter what form it takes on.’ He then says that ‘Americans and especially Illinoisans are subject to a new form of tyranny — a big government bent on slowly dismantling our rights to own and carry a firearm.’
Again, Mr. Walsh, what are you saying here? That if Illinois does not allow the carrying of loaded, concealed guns in public, the Second Amendment justifies resistance by force of arms? Are you asserting a right of gun owners to threaten or engage in violent acts against government officials if the Illinois legislature does not agree that people should be free to carry loaded guns into restaurants, coffee shops and movie theaters in your state?
Discuss if you want.
* Five years ago, Walmart’s attempt to open a store in Chicago created such a public uproar that the resulting backlash led to a ton of incumbent aldermen being tossed out on their tails in the next election. Nowadays, Walmart is widely praised for providing much-needed services…
But since the company opened two SmallMarts — a “Walmart Express” store on Chicago’s south side in July and a “Neighborhood Market” on the western edge of Downtown last week — uproar over its alleged poor labor practices and detrimental effect on small businesses has largely dissipated, say Chicago leaders we spoke to.
“The debate about not letting in Walmart is kind of over,” said Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a state legislature who represents the tony Hyde Park section of Chicago. “We need groceries in food deserts, and Walmart has fresh fruits and veggies.” […]
“The truth is that an overwhelming majority of Chicagoans wanted more affordable grocery options all along, a fact made clear as thousands of local residents — most of whom have never publicly voiced their opinion — show their support for Walmart by shopping our stores every day,” said Walmart spokesman Steve Restivo.
All true. It helped, though, that organized labor was able to cut a deal with the company which raised wages, albeit not to the level the unions really wanted.
* Broomfield, Colorado’s mayor is named Pat Quinn, and his opponent’s last name is Madigan. I kid you not…
All seven men running for a Broomfield office this year participated in Thursday’s event… Mayoral incumbent Pat Quinn and challenger Paul Madigan also participated.
Weird.
…Adding… Nice catch by a commenter…
I don’t know anything about them but there is also a national law firm with this interesting name: Quinn Emanuel
I’m guessing it’s time to change the slogan for the White Sox. I don’t think you can hire somebody like Robin Ventura as manager and say you’re “All In.”
Bringing in Terry Francona would have been an “All In” move. You could have made the case for Davey Martinez or Ryne Sandberg, who have paid their dues in the dugout. […]
If you’re a longtime Sox fan like me, you remember the Sox hired Don Kessinger as a first-time manager in 1979. We heard the same description as we did about Mr. Ventura: classy player, great guy, played baseball the right way. The former shortstop was fired in mid-season after compiling a 46-60 record.
Hopefully, Mr. Ventura will have a better run than Mr. Kessinger.
As for the new slogan, perhaps something involving patience might be in order. One piece of advice for the Sox: Please stay away from any Batman and Robin references.
* The Question: What should be the new White Sox slogan?
* WBEZ aired a really good story on Mike Kasper this morning. Kasper, as most of you know, is a Statehouse and Chicago lobbyist. But he’s also a bigtime Democratic lawyer. He handled the House impeachment process of Rod Blagojevich, defended Rahm Emanuel in his residency lawsuit, is the lead lawyer defending the Democrats’ new district maps, defends favored Dems during the petitioning process and helps knock unfavored Dems and Republicans off the ballot. He even does some personal legal work for members…
Kasper worked for [Rep. Monique Davis] in the 2008 election, when he tried to get her opponent disqualified from the race. Campaign finance reports indicate Kasper did not charge for that work, and Mike Madigan’s campaign picked up the tab for miscellaneous costs.
Kasper also worked pro bono for Davis a couple years ago, when she was sued for overdue rent on her Chicago office.
“Mr. Kasper is an excellent attorney,” Davis said. “He’s a very down-to-earth individual. I think he’s the kind of person that anyone could trust.”
Campaign legal work only occasionally shows up on campaign finance forms. So some politicians are accepting free legal services from a lawyer who’s also a lobbyist, without disclosing what’s essentially a gift. The director of the state board of elections said that’s because these legal expenses fall into a “gray area” of the law.
Since Kasper probably wrote that law, there’s most likely a good reason why it’s a “gray area.”
…Adding… Good points from commenter Willie Stark…
So, anyone who volunteers on a campaign should have to therefore report an in-kind in at least that amount for hours they spend in their volunteer activities. Is that what we mean to do? If not, how does disadvantaging a particular class of worker (lawyer) square with the freedom of association implicit in the first amendment’s freedom of assembly?
It doesn’t seem so black and white to me that those who in their professional lives bill at an hourly rate should have to also bill and report for their personal political activities, but maybe others can show how it is.
* There’s been a long Statehouse tradition of the best - and most favored - legislative staffers leaving after several years of service and becoming lobbyists. Kasper was House Speaker Michael Madigan’s chief legal counsel before moving up. One of Kasper’s lobbying partners is Courtney Nottage, ex-Senate President Emil Jones’ former chief of staff and his top campaign guy. Another is David Dring, who flacked for House GOP Leader Tom Cross. The firm’s lead lobster is Jim Fletcher. From his bio…
Mr. Fletcher has more than 30 years of experience in state government affairs. His governmental experience includes service as Deputy Governor of Illinois, Parliamentarian of the Illinois House of Representatives, Parliamentarian of the Illinois Senate, General Counsel and Executive Director of the Illinois Educational Facilities Authority, and Executive Director of the State of Illinois Liaison Commission of Higher Education.
Fletcher was a partner at Winston & Strawn before Jim Thompson left office and joined the firm. He’s a Statehouse legend and a walking history book. He’s also one of the most pleasant people you’ll ever meet. Fletcher’s firm even touts this New York Times quote on its website…
“clout heavy lobbyists”
Yep. And they are far from alone. Carter Hendren, Pate Philip’s former chief of staff and Jim Edgar’s first gubernatorial campaign manager is also a lobbyist. Hendren wields enormous backstage power in Republican circles. Tom Cullen, who ran Speaker Madigan’s campaign apparatus and took the House back from the Republicans in 1996, has a lobbying list as long as both your arms and is still very active in House Democratic campaigns.
You could say that these guys (and they are almost all men) are the premium oil which makes the engine run. Their clients also provide a handy fundraising asset for their former employers. It’s almost a perfectly privatized political synergy.
But all have been meticulously trained over the years to dot their i’s and cross their t’s. These are not the sort of people who are likely to be caught up in a scandal (yeah, there was that MSI thing with the Senate Repubs, but it was a long time ago). They most certainly have a definite “in” with their former employers, which is why they’re hired. Yet, they don’t always pass their bills. Not even clout can pass a bad bill.
* The governor toured Downstate Illinois yesterday to pump up public support for his veto of the ComEd/Ameren “Smart Grid” bill. He didn’t focus much on the Smart Grid, however…
Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday urged lawmakers not to override his veto of legislation that proponents say will modernize the state’s energy infrastructure through rate hikes and a more streamlined regulatory process.
With Ameren Illinois’ corporate headquarters in Peoria serving as a backdrop, Quinn said, “This is a fight” during the first of four public downstate stops to push back against any attempt to override his Sept. 12 veto of SB1652.
Proponents say the legislation institutes modest rate increases to build a better, “smart grid” system for power distribution.
“We have to make sure to get the word out for those who represent the people of central Illinois that if they override the veto, they are voting for an automatic rate increase for Ameren and for Chicago-based Commonwealth Edison,” Quinn added. “That is not good.”
Gov. Pat Quinn visited City Hall Thursday afternoon to stand with metro-east mayors in an effort to protect consumers from what he called potentially massive electric rate hikes.
Quinn said that he vetoed a bill earlier this year that he said gives unprecedented advantages to Ameren and other state utilities to raising rates at a time when consumers are struggling to make ends meet.
“It was a bad bill,” Quinn said. “It was bad for consumers, it was bad for businesses and it was bad for government. It was bad for the people of Illinois.”
Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday replaced the head of the independent Illinois Power Agency, which has saved consumers an estimated $1.6 billion on electric rates since 2009, with a retired 35-year veteran of Commonwealth Edison.
Quinn’s appointment of Arlene Juracek, which must be confirmed by the Illinois Senate, drew fire from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office.
“We have concerns about this appointment,'’ said Paul Gaynor, a spokesman for Madigan.
Gaynor said Juracek played a key role in an electricity auction in 2006 that caused some consumers’ rates to jump two to three times and ultimately resulted in a settlement of about $1 billion repaid to consumers, as well as the creation of the power agency to purchase electricity at the cheapest rates available.
House Speaker Michael Madigan has tried through legislation to have the IPA removed from Quinn’s oversight and moved to the Illinois Ethics Commission, but Quinn vetoed the plan. This issue could be resurrected in the coming veto session.
You should really go read the whole thing. This is a curious appointment, to say the least. The governor’s office claims their hands are tied by state law to the point where only a tiny number of people are qualified for the job, but putting a retired ComEd exec in charge of negotiating power prices with her former employer is more than a bit odd - especially when she still owns Exelon stock.
Nobody believes that Gov. Quinn has all of a sudden sold his soul to ComEd. If that happened, the ground would be getting mighty cold from Hell freezing over. The question here is about his judgement. And, as I pointed out to subscribers this morning, just imagine the uproar if Rod Blagojevich had hired a ComEd retiree to negotiate rates with her old boss.
Commonwealth Edison Co. has extolled the support of Illinois businesses in its bid to override Gov. Pat Quinn’s veto of the electricity rate hike bill. But while several companies that stand to benefit if the bill becomes law are pushing for the override, the largest commercial power users in the state are firmly against it and support the veto.
They are represented by a consortium of two dozen companies that calls itself the Illinois Industrial Energy Consumers and includes huge Illinois employers like Peoria-based Caterpillar Inc., North Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories Inc., Chicago-based steelmaker A. Finkl & Sons Co. and Decatur-based Archer Daniels Midland Co.
Greg Webb, ADM’s vice-president for state governmental relations, stood beside Mr. Quinn on Thursday as the governor was in Decatur as part of his barnstorming tour of Downstate to build support for sustaining his veto of the measure, SB1652.
“ADM, like other employers in Illinois, relies on competitively priced, reliably delivered electricity in order to operate,” Mr. Webb said. “SB1652, unfortunately, does not deliver on either of those counts. Its reliability provisions are not strong enough, and its rate provisions could very well lead to Illinois businesses paying higher rates than in neighboring states without commensurate benefits.”
