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Question of the day

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Tribune editorial board had some news to report in an editorial demanding, again, that the video gaming law be repealed

•When sponsors jammed this bill through the Legislature, many lawmakers didn’t realize that the state’s biggest city previously had outlawed video gambling. Chicago aldermen wise to the public’s antipathy toward video gambling haven’t been foolish enough to risk trying to overturn that ban.

•The 2009 law allowed communities to opt out of video gambling, further shrinking the portion of Illinois where this menace could thrive. Until recently, the Illinois Gaming Board’s unofficial list included about 80 opt-out communities. But we’ve just learned that a new state survey turned up nearly double that number: 151 municipalities — plus six counties (Cook, DuPage, Lake, McHenry, Mercer and Wayne) that have banned video gambling in all of their unincorporated areas.

•And on Tuesday we learned of what could be a third geographic exclusion to video gambling: Lawyers for gambling companies have told the Gaming Board that perhaps half of the communities in Illinois — and an unknown number of counties — have statutes that forbid all legalized gambling. Under the video gambling law, those communities, too, are ineligible for terminals, unless their city councils or county boards decide to reverse those anti-gambling statutes. Imagine the public uproar in many of those locales if officials now try to legalize gambling. (The state lottery law specifically forbade any impact on lottery sales in these no-gambling locales, but the video gambling act didn’t include a similar provision.)

Nobody yet knows how much of Illinois is off-limits to video gambling. But it’s a lot. We also learned Tuesday that the Gaming Board is investigating whether every community and county in Illinois has either an opt-out statute or an anti-gambling statute. The board will then build three lists: communities and counties where bans make gambling illegal, communities and counties that have opted out of video gambling since 2009, and the leftover communities and counties where terminals could be licensed. Much of that territory may be in less populated regions south of Interstate 80 — and arguably unlikely to produce big revenues for the state.

My own opinion, which I’ve expressed several times, is that legalizing video gambling takes money out of the pockets of mobsters, who control a big chunk of the video poker business here.

* The Question: Do you agree with the Tribune that the video gaming law ought to be scrapped? Explain, please. Thanks.

  25 Comments      


*** LIVE SESSION COVERAGE ***

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* OK, it’s been kind of a day. Prepping for my birthday party at Boone’s today (doors open at 5), lunch meeting with a very cool person and other stuff. My mind isn’t really working properly now, and I somehow forgot to post the ScribbleLive thingy. Thanks to Chris Wetterich for reminding me via Twitter. Oops.

* Anyway, BlackBerry users click here and everyone else can just hang back and watch all of today’s events unfold…

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Smith can still run in November

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I told subscribers about this earlier in the week

Even if indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith is expelled from the Illinois House, nothing stops voters from putting the Chicago Democrat back in the Legislature in the November general election.

“There’s nothing in the election code prohibiting someone expelled from seeking re-election,” said Steve Sandvoss, general counsel for the Illinois State Board of Elections. […]

But the Illinois Constitution, which outlines how a legislator can be expelled, is silent on expulsion concerning re-election eligibility, said Kent Redfield, political science professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

“All the Legislature can do is affect his current status,” Redfield said.

However, Redfield noted that if Smith is expelled, but not convicted by the federal government on the bribery charge before the election, the House could vote to not seat Smith after a general election win. Like an expulsion, two-thirds of the House must vote to prevent Smith from being sworn into the General Assembly.

If Smith is found guilty of the felony in federal court, he is ineligible to serve in the Legislature until after completing his punishment.

* Meanwhile, the Legislative Research Unit has found three other cases of House members facing punishment by their own chamber

- Rep. Frank Comerford, D-Chicago, wasn’t accused of corrupt activities. What got him in hot water was claiming that other lawmakers were corrupt.

After alleging “wholesale corruption” at the Statehouse in 1905, Comerford couldn’t back his claims and was expelled from the House because he “besmirched the good name and reputation of this General Assembly.” He was then elected to fill the vacancy created by his expulsion and returned to the House less than two months after leaving.

- In 1935, Republican Reps. Richard J. Lyons and Lottie Holman O’Neill, from Lake County and DuPage County, filed a resolution criticizing President Franklin Roosevelt and Gov. Henry Horner, both Democrats. The next day, a fellow legislator introduced a resolution saying Lyons and O’Neill were unworthy of membership in the House. Lyons publicly apologized, the critical resolution was erased from the records and no further action was taken on the resolution saying the two weren’t fit for the House.

- House Majority Leader Gerald Shea, a Cook County Democrat, was accused in 1976 of violating ethics laws by serving as an attorney for the Illinois State Medical Society and simultaneously introducing malpractice legislation that could affect the society. Shea was exonerated 153-7.

Discuss.

  17 Comments      


By way of explanation…

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* That WSIL TV story I linked to earlier this morning was in error. The governor’s office did not apply for the “public” FEMA aid for the Harrisburg area because the damage clearly did not meet FEMA’s minimum requirements. The original story I linked to today has since disappeared from the station’s website.

I was in my car when the governor’s office called, so I just deleted the post and figured I’d do something after a meeting I’d already set up. That explains the delay in this explanation.

Anyway, I thought you’d like to know.

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Quinn and Poshard in high stakes battle

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I’ve mostly ignored the bizarre University of Illinois e-mail “scandal” because, well, I was once involved in university politics and I came to realize it was something to stay away from. I used to be student president at what was then known as Sangamon State University. During my one term, the university president was accused of sexually harrassing a student I’d helped elect to the Board of Regents. Things got mighty ugly after that, as you might imagine. The situation was used to avenge all sorts of festering grievances by faculty and staff.

By comparison, this e-mail thing at the U of I, which eventually led to the resignation of University of Illinois President Michael Hogan, seemed sorta tame and lame. But, whatever. I had too much stuff to cover to deal with that anyway.

* This, however, looks a lot more up my alley. We’ve got a real bare-knuckles, high-stakes fight happening in southern Illinois between a university president and a governor. SIU President Glenn Poshard has been catching grief from two SIU board members who are closely allied with Gov. Pat Quinn, so he fired back yesterday

Poshard held a news conference Tuesday afternoon on the SIUC campus to respond to criticism by board members Don Lowery and Roger Herrin that his leadership is not effective and that he should step down as SIU President. Poshard says the intimidation goes beyond Lowery and Herrin and can be traced all the way to Governor Pat Quinn’s office. […]

Poshard says there is a sharp division within the board because of Lowery and Herrin’s tactics of bullying, circumventing the board as a whole, trying to influence hiring decisions, and meddling in last year’s faculty union negotiations.

* Poshard is no pushover. And last week he apparently engineered the ouster of Herrin as board chairman and replaced him with an ally, famed trial lawyer John Simmons. But a very intense, behind the scenes battle ensued when Gov. Pat Quinn’s people fought back

According to Poshard, staff members for Quinn contacted board members and asked if they intended to vote for Roger Herrin for another term as chairman or to not show up if they did not support Herrin.

Poshard said he was also told that if Herrin was not given another term, the trustees and Poshard all could be replaced.

Hard ball

Trustee Marquita Wiley confirmed she received a call from a representative from Quinn’s office and was asked if she intended to support Herrin. After indicating she would support Simmons, Wiley said she was asked if she could refrain from attending.

Wiley said she told Quinn’s representative she would not be absent, as it is here duty as a trustee to attend each meeting.

Wiley said she was surprised and even asked if her resignation would be sought. The governor’s caller in turn asked her that if she was asked to resign, would she?

* Lowery went public yesterday with a call for Poshard to resign

Lowery said Tuesday that SIU is no better off today than it was when the former congressman became president. “It’s time for change in the president’s office,” he said.

Glenn Poshard is southern Illinois to a whole lot of people. He’ll be fired at Quinn’s peril.

  62 Comments      


Sometimes, it’s the little bills that count

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sen. Terry Link has an interesting little bill. State law currently allows churches and private schools which host election day polling places to ban all political signs from their properties. Here’s the summary

Provides that nothing shall prohibit the placement of temporary signs within a private dwelling in a public or private building where a polling place is located. Provides that nothing shall prohibit the placement of temporary signs on the doors or windows of a private dwelling in a public or private building so long as that private dwelling is located on a different floor than the polling room or that private dwelling is located a distance of at least 100 horizontal feet from each entrance to the polling room if the private dwelling and polling room are located on the same floor. Denies home rule powers.

The bill passed the Senate Executive Committee 8-4 yesterday. From the SJ-R

Sen. Terry Link, D-Vernon Hills, the chief sponsor of Senate Bill 3669, said he has received complaints about how private settings, like churches and private schools, that host polling places can ban signs on their property, but public schools and park districts can’t.

“I’m not saying that they have to have signs 365 days a year,” Link said. “I’m saying that one day, like every other polling place, allows them 100 feet away from the door.”

Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, took issue with Link’s plan.

“You’re comfortable with state government instructing a church that you’re going to allow political signs on your property?” Righter said.

Link’s response: “On that one day, they are renting to the state, county, federal, whoever, to operate as a polling place, so they are no longer a private entity. They are a subsidiary of the state where they are renting to us for that one particular day.”

Thoughts?

* Meanwhile

A proposal to require all Illinois high school students to complete four years of math in order to graduate appears to be on hold for at least another year.

In action Tuesday, a Senate panel approved legislation to form a special task force to further study the four-year requirement, which was floated earlier this year in response to concerns raised by employers and college officials.

State Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Gifford, said students are going to college unprepared for math classes and then entering the workforce without adequate math skills.

He had hoped to boost the state requirement for math from three years to four years, but a number of education groups and fellow lawmakers raised questions about how much it would cost, whether it would eliminate some class offerings in other subject areas for students and what types of subjects could be classified as math.

* And

Illinois lawmakers might be ready to look the other way if an underage student takes a sip of alcohol as part of a cooking or food-service class — as long as he or she doesn’t swallow it.

The Senate Executive Committee Tuesday approved Senate Bill 758, dubbed the “sip and spit” bill at the Statehouse.

It would allow people between the ages of 18 and 21 to taste alcohol if they are part of a culinary arts, food service or food management program at an accredited institution. An instructor must be present, and the alcohol cannot be swallowed.

The bill was inspired by schools that teach culinary arts.

* Roundup…

* Editorial: Find a fix for LPN program

* Illinois House OKs entrance fee for state parks

* Park fees needed for maintenance, say advocates and lawmakers

* Editorial: Consider fees to state parks

* Brady looks for changes to tuition break program

* File a House Committee witness slip online

* More Illinois judges, required raises mean we pay 29% more in 8 years

* Springfield collecting overdue parking fines through state tax refunds

* Central IL synthetic drug distributor uncovered

  43 Comments      


Caption contest!

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* First Place winner of yesterday’s caption contest goes to 47th Ward for this entry beneath a photo of Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka and Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno

Welcome to the GOP Family Feud!

100 people surveyed, top 5 answers on the board: name an Illinois Republican who can get elected in a Democratic district.

Tom Swiss: X
Fred Crespo: X
Mitt Romney; X

Sorry ladies. Let’s see the answers: Jim Edgar, Jack Franks, Skip Saviano, Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln.

However, I know who 47th Ward is, and I know he can afford to contribute to Lutheran Social Services Illinois, so he gets in free to my birthday party today (Boone’s, starts at five o’clock, goes to closing, $20, $5 for legislative staff and secretaries), but he has to make a $50 donation to LSSI.

* Second Place goes to the inimitable Wordslinger for this play on The Godfather, Part II…

JBT: “Buffers, yeah that’s right. The party had a lot of buffers.”

CR: “I don’t know nothing about that. I have my own caucus, Senator.”

If Wordslinger cannot attend, I will randomly choose a person today and grant that person free admission.

* Honorable mention goes to OneMan. I liked his comment the best, but he can’t make it to Springfield today…

Judy and Christine sit in stunned silence after Lisa Madigan and Mike Madigan do the exact same “Who’s on First” bit they had rehearsed.

* OK, on to today’s caption contest. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Carol Marin is one of the roasters at this Saturday night’s black tie optional charity event. Carol actually called my brother Doug yesterday for background info on me. Here’s a lesson for anyone planning a roast: Never, ever invite a reporter to be on the panel. She also has my father’s phone number and I am more than a little concerned about what else she may dig up.

So, I’ve decided to comically retaliate in advance. Here’s Carol showing off her tattoo last year…

And, yes, that’s a real photo. From a Time Out Chicago article

Carol Marin Chicago Sun-Times columnist, NBC 5 political editor, Chicago Tonight correspondent and…body inker? Yes, the 62-year-old, arguably Chicago’s most venerable journalist, has a tat—and she’s proud of it. Nine years ago, Marin’s son, then 16, approached her about wanting his own tattoo. “Joshua had been a great kid, so I said, ‘I’ll go with you, I’ll get one, too,’ ” she recalls. Joshua went with a sun; Mom chose a multicolored compass—both placed on their right shoulders. It’s a nod to her directional impairment. “Also,” she explains, “I went looking for a peace symbol but all had ghoulish faces and skulls in the background.” As the artist finished up her piece, Marin says, an 18-year-old girl with purple and yellow hair approached. “She looked up at me and said, ‘Does it hurt?’ I said, ‘A little bit.’ So she said, ‘Oh, I think I’ll just get my tongue pierced.’ I said, ‘Oh, honey, it’ll chip your teeth. Think about a tattoo.’ ”

Winner receives free entry to my birthday party at Boone’s, which starts today at 5 o’clock. All proceeds from the $20 entry fee ($5 for legislative staff and secretaries) benefit Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. [ADDING: I’ll post the winner’s name at the door today.]

We will have a 50-50 raffle (the winner will be announced tomorrow on the blog), and we’ll have a couple things for sale and auction. For instance, this…

* David Vite of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association claims to have worn out his shoes walking precincts for Sen. Kirk Dillard, so we’ll auction them as well…

  46 Comments      


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Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

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« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Pritzker, Stratton, Think Big, Giannoulias respond to national election results
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today's edition
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Voters in Harmon's and Welch's townships say they want a statewide independent redistricting commission
* More election results: Rep. Schmidt declares victory over Greenwood, HD97 called for Rep. Benton (Updated x2)
* News coverage roundup: Chicago school board election results (Updated)
* Ex-ComEd VP testifies about no-work contracts for Madigan allies
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
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