Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will be joining us via Google Hangout from the National Democratic Governors Conference. He will be discussing the state of the economy, his take on the 2012 election, and his latest jobs initiative for U.S. veterans.
We will also be asking tough questions on his criticism of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, his stance on corporate tax breaks, and his austerity plan for the state of Illinois.
Most importantly, we want to hear from you — no matter where you live, inside or outside of Illinois! Visit the HuffPost Live 3,2,1 page and click “Join The Conversation” to record your video questions for the Governor.
The live interview is planned for this afternoon.
* The Question: What would you ask Gov. Quinn today?
* The state lost a court case after it attempted to shut off the supply of tobacco tax stamps to prevent retailers and consumers from stockpiling cigarettes ahead of the June 24th tax hike of 98 cents per pack. As a result, a buying spree ensued, according to a recent Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability report…
In June 2011, a typical $56.4 million was collected from the cigarette tax. In June 2012, with the anticipation of the tax increase, the monthly revenue total was $95.8 million, a 70% increase.
Because of that buying spree, tobacco tax revenues are likely to fall off for a while. This is not a new thing, according to COGFA…
Despite a 40-cent increase in the cigarette tax in July of 2002, cigarette tax revenues in August and September (reflecting July and August sales) were disappointing (annual changes of 4.7% and -30.6%, respectively). It was not until October that the expected effects of the tax increase were seen in revenues.
Taking into account the lawsuit and the history, it could be “several months” before tax revenues begin to reflect the tax hike, says COGFA, and that could mean the state won’t meet its $350 million projection…
If tobacco sales drop off as expected, it may be difficult for the State to generate the original projection of $350 million in new revenues for FY 2013, which in turn, would limit the amount of funds available to be matched by the Federal Government.
That $350 million is supposed to be used to leverage federal money for the state’s broke Medicaid program.
* Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed by the Chicago Tribune to unseal University of Illinois student records could be impacted by a US Supreme Court decision…
The Iowa Supreme Court says the University of Iowa can conceal hundreds of pages of records related to its investigation into an alleged 2007 sexual assault involving football players.
The court ruled 4-3 that the university can withhold records requested by the Iowa City Press-Citizen newspaper.
The court says releasing them could violate a federal law that prohibits the release of personally identifiable information about students. The court says the records can’t be released in redacted form either, because the newspaper knows the identities of students involved in the case.
The Tribune sued to unseal student records relating to its series of stories about the university’s admissions process for students whose parents had asked legislators for help. A lower court ruled in the newspaper’s favor, but an appellate court ruled that the suit belonged in state court. State law allows Freedom of Information Act requests to be denied if the federal government prohibits disclosure. Federal law strips universities of all their funding if they release student info without parental consent. The appellate court ruled that the matter belonged in state court. Today’s ruling, however, would seem to block the Trib’s case.
* The US Attorney’s office wants Bill Cellini sentenced to a prison term of up to eight years…
A federal jury convicted Cellini in November of conspiring to shake down the Oscar-winning producer of “Million Dollar Baby” for a contribution to imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign. Cellini is scheduled to be sentenced July 23.
Prosecutors have filed a sentencing memorandum in Cellini’s case that argues for a “meaningful” prison sentence and contends giving him probation would “send exactly the wrong signal.”
The prosecutors, however, note they’d understand if U.S. District Judge James Zagel gives Cellini less than eight years due to his age and health problems.
* Prosecutors did stipulate that Cellini’s health could be a factor in reducing his sentence…
“The government agrees that the combination of Cellini’s health and age makes this one of the relatively rare situations where it may well be appropriate to impose a sentence below” the 61/2 to eight years in prison called for under federal guidelines, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court.
Cellini was admitted twice last month to a hospital in Springfield after first suffering a heart attack and then after his doctors discovered a blood clot, according to his lawyers.
Cellini is scheduled to be sentenced July 23 in federal court in Chicago.
In the 29-page court filing, prosecutors argued that any break given to Cellini “should be relatively modest” and rejected calls by the defense for probation.
“Cellini’s medical condition, however, is not a basis to excuse him from a meaningful sentence of incarceration,” the prosecution filing said.
The Bureau of Prisons has significant experience treating inmates with conditions like Cellini’s. More specifically, Dr. Paul Harvey, the Regional Medical Director for the BOP’s North Central Region since 2009, has reviewed the letters submitted by Cellini’s various medical providers, as well as the more recent statements that Cellini has released to the media about his medical condition, and has concluded that “there is no reason that Mr. Cellini’s medical needs cannot be met within the Bureau of Prisons.”
Also according to the memo, Cellini’s net worth in 2005 was approximately $153 million.
* And check out how the prosecution started off its case for a harsh sentence…
The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, by and through GARY SHAPIRO, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, respectfully submits its Sentencing Memorandum with respect to defendant William Cellini, stating as follows:
I. INTRODUCTION
LEVINE: If Tom feels that he’d rather walk away from the money than deal with Tony then there it is (laughs).
CELLINI: (Laughs)
May 7, 2004 Transcript at 6.
Defendant William Cellini’s laugh upon hearing that Thomas Rosenberg, whom he claims was his good friend, was going to lose $220 million in state funds because Rosenberg would not make a political contribution was telling. There was no hint of concern or alarm— instead, Cellini was amused by the very idea that Rosenberg would take a stand against the corruption of the Blagojevich administration. Further, the laugh also demonstrated Cellini’s profound indifference to the harm that the extortion was going to cause—not just to Rosenberg and his company, but to the Teacher’s Retirement System of Illinois, the teachers it served, and the public. Cellini’s amusement and indifference were the product of Cellini’s own long-standing actions at TRS, where he himself had used his political clout to enrich himself and his allies without concern for the damage that corruption would inflict upon TRS, the teachers, or the public. This excerpt was just a small part of the evidence establishing that Cellini, despite his immense wealth and power, intentionally joined the conspiracy to extort Rosenberg. These facts, together with the other factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)—in particular, the need to reflect the value our society places on the integrity of government officials, and the harm that is caused when that integrity is lost—demand a meaningful sentence of incarceration.
In the grand scheme of things, the disappearance of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. hardly matters at all.
A minority party congressman drops out of sight, checks himself into some sort of treatment facility and won’t say where he is or for what, exactly, he’s being treated.
Watergate this is not.
But everybody loves a good summertime mystery. “Embattled congressman takes it on the lam!” Oh, such fun.
And there is a veritable smorgasbord of salacious details for reporters assigned to write about Jackson’s disappearance. They’re all in need of lots of padding for their stories because, frankly, there isn’t much news to report. He’s gone. Nobody is clearly answering where, why or what. That’s about it. Rehashing the nasty bits also increases the pressure on Jackson and his staff to come clean. So, rehash it is.
Jackson’s infidelity issue, splashed all over the front page of this newspaper after Jackson taunted the U.S. attorney to “bring it on,” has become a necessary story component in almost every rehash of this sad tale. Businessman Raghuveer Nayak allegedly paid to fly what Jackson called a “social acquaintance” from Washington to Chicago when his wife was away.
The uncertainty about more “bimbo eruptions” has fueled the fire of the disappearance story, despite the lack of any evidence that something else is about to come out.
And then there’s the corruption stuff that surfaced when the U.S. attorney was investigating Rod Blagojevich. Nayak allegedly set up a bribery scam to get Jackson appointed to President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat. Nayak was arrested on an unrelated charge not long before Jackson disappeared from sight, fueling much theorizing that the arrest and disappearance were somehow related.
They probably aren’t related, but there’s no convincing out-of-town reporters of that. Nayak spilled his guts to the FBI long ago and nothing came of it. Now, this month, the U.S. attorney who headed up the Blagojevich probe retired, which strongly suggested no big busts were imminent.
Jackson also is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, and that final report may not be pretty. The committee conducts its investigations in secret, so the informational black hole has prompted tons of conjecture that this could’ve triggered Jackson’s disappearance. But short of a rare expulsion vote by the House, it doesn’t appear likely that Jackson is in any real danger of losing his seat.
Jackson has been criticized for missing votes while away. But what, exactly, is he missing? The House this week voted to repeal ObamaCare — for the 33rd time. Not exactly earth-shattering stuff. Not a single bill of importance has been affected by Jackson’s absence.
Being absent from Congress this month is like skipping the first day of a college semester. You probably should go, but it’s really no big deal if you don’t.
Look, the congressman has brought much of this on himself because he won’t clearly say what’s going on. And, yes, it’s summertime and the rest of the news is mostly boring.
But that doesn’t qualify Jackson for national villain status.
* Rep. Jesse Jackson’s political future in question: But after a week in which Jackson’s staff has been forced to try to dispel an array of rumors, including one that he is in an Arizona facility being treated for alcohol and drug problems, his friends in the Congressional Black Caucus are whispering that they expect him to resign.
* Tribune Editorial: The redrawn district stretches far past the south suburbs, into parts of Will and Kankakee counties. Many of those voters aren’t familiar with Jackson and vice versa. If he can’t campaign actively for their votes, he at least owes them an explanation.
* Colleagues to Jackson: Get well: “It’s incumbent upon us to be transparent,” said Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill., from McHenry. “The reason there’s a storm now, all these questions, is because he hasn’t been transparent. My thoughts and prayers are with him — whatever issues he has — but my God, we have to let our constituents know.”
* From an Illinois State Rifle Association press release…
For the second year in a row, the ISRA is advising subscribers to its alert service to write Chicago out of their summer vacation plans because the city is just too darn dangerous to visit. This safety advisory comes as Chicago experiences an unprecedented upswing in violent crime.
Although city officials and the Chicago media would like people to believe that the surge in violence is limited to Chicago’s gang-infested neighborhoods, ISRA members who are also Chicago police officers report that criminals of all sorts have notched up their efforts in every corner of the city. These members report that crimes ranging from pickpocketing to aggravated assault are becoming very commonplace in areas once considered safe for families and tourists. As one officer put it, “Don’t come to Chicago this summer unless you want to get beaten and robbed.”
“Putting the bad economy aside, there’s a couple of major reasons for Chicago’s rising tide of violent crime,” commented ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. “First off, criminals are fully aware that Illinois’ prohibition on concealed carry gives them the upper hand. Second, Mayor Emanuel and Police Superintendent McCarthy are in a hopeless state of paralysis over what to do about violent crime. This is a recipe for disaster. Criminals know you can’t legally protect yourself, and they know that Chicago law-enforcement officials haven’t a clue about what to do to protect good citizens from harm. Criminals are taking advantage of a bad situation – and doing a good job at it.”
“In clear conscience I cannot recommend that anyone vacation in Chicago this summer,” continued Pearson. “Tourists are like sitting ducks and mobs of violent criminals have shown that they are brazen enough to attack anywhere, any time – even along the Magnificent Mile. I suggest that folks consider Wisconsin as a vacation destination this year. Fresh air, sunshine, friendly people – all waiting just a short drive across the border. And, although Illinois residents cannot take advantage of Wisconsin’s newly-attained concealed carry status, the general air of civility fostered by concealed carry is certainly another reason to vacation with our neighbors to the north!”
* There were 259 Chicago homicides in the first six months of this year…
The Tribune reported Monday that 143 of the homicide victims in the first half of the year were listed as being at least affiliated with a street gang. The data obtained by the paper represent the Police Department’s preliminary assessment of crimes and are subject to revision as investigations progress.
A deeper review of the numbers shows males ages 15 to 35 made up nearly three-quarters of African-American homicide victims. Police data showed that 133 of those 145 victims had arrest histories.
Of the 44 Hispanic victims, 27 were males ages 15 to 35 and had arrest histories, according to the data. Three of the 11 white victims were males in that age range with arrest histories.
Legalized concealed carry probably wouldn’t have done much to stop most of those homicides, since so many gang members and affiliates (who are more likely to have criminal records, and therefore would be ineligible to legally carry) have been victims.
A six-month old plan to target gangs and drug markets in Chicago’s two most violent police districts will be shifted to other high-crime districts after a dramatic drop in homicides in the targeted areas, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Thursday.
Former Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis told the Chicago Sun-Times this week that it might be time to “call an audible” to stop a citywide 39 percent spike in homicides.
Emanuel’s plan is more like a spread offense.
After pointing to a 43 percent drop in homicides in the Englewood District and a 24 percent reduction in the Harrison District, the mayor said he wants to duplicate that “special, new, concentrated program” in other high-crime districts.
“Those two districts last year represented 25 percent of our violent crime. Today, unlike some other areas, they’re showing … a dramatic reduction in the homicide rate,” the mayor said.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office swung into full damage-control mode Wednesday after Chicago’s convention and tourism chief was quoted as saying that a 38 percent spike in the city’s homicide rate and a troubling return to mob attacks downtown was hurting efforts to promote the city.
Don Welsh, president and CEO of Choose Chicago, told the Chicago Tribune’s editorial board that he’s gotten five or six calls from meeting planners in recent weeks concerned about whether Chicago is still a safe place to hold their meetings.
So far, nobody’s cancelling any meetings just yet. But, that’s a possibility if the Chicago Police Department does not get a quick handle on the problem, Welsh was quoted as saying.
“We hope this sunsets quickly because all the good work we’re doing regionally, nationally and internationally, if this is not contained in a reasonable period of time, it will have an impact,” the Tribune’s website quoted Welsh as saying.
“There are inquiries that are coming in from meeting planners that are saying, ‘Hey, I’m reading about what’s taken place in your city. Is your city safe?’”
In a follow-up interview with the Chicago Sun-Times a short time later Wednesday, Welsh insisted that his remarks had been “misinterpreted” and “taken out of context.”
* Gov. Pat Quinn said yesterday and again today that he plans to unveil a state drought task force report on Monday. The entire state is now in a drought…
Moderate-to-severe drought conditions now exist in all of Illinois, according to a weekly update from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“In the hottest areas last week, which were generally dry, crop conditions deteriorated quickly,” said the update posted Thursday on the agency’s website. “In the 18 primary corn-growing states, 30 percent of the crop is now in poor or very poor condition, up from 22 percent the previous week.”
The update added a section of north central Illinois that previously was rated as abnormally dry but not yet in drought.
More than two-dozen southern Illinois counties are in an extreme drought, while 20 central Illinois counties are classified as in a severe drought, including Cass, Logan, Mason, Menard and Schuler counties in the Springfield area.
* The Question: Has this drought affected you or anyone you know? Explain.
Andy Shaw – Chief of the Better Government Association says congress ought to get to work to enact a mechanism to temporarily replace a congressman or senator who takes a leave of absence.
“Maybe a chief of staff is temporarily empowered,” Shaw said. “Maybe someone is temporarily empowered, but to deprive 200,000 people of a voting member of Congress, a lobbying member of Congress to get in there and fight for the spoils and pork of government to the extent that that’s legitimate – that’s a real omission.”
If the president is incapacitated, the vice president takes over. So, I suppose it’s something to consider, Still, I have never heard of anyone ever suggesting something like this before. What do you think?
A Springfield woman was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on charges of embezzling $400,000 or more from a Springfield consulting and lobbying firm.
Alice M. Foss, 50, of the 1400 block of South Fifth Street allegedly stole the funds from Don Moss and Associates, which specializes in services for people with disabilities and other social causes, from 1997 until 2010.
* Pretty much everybody knows Don Moss at the Statehouse. He has pushed to deinstitutionalize mental and developmentally disabled citizens for decades. Embezzling from him is really a lousy thing to do. From the US Attorney’s office…
According to the indictment, Foss was employed as the firm’s chief financial officer and assisted in the firm’s lobbying activity. In her capacity as chief financial officer, Foss had check-signing authority and control over the firm’s bank account and was responsible for paying the firm’s business expenses.
The indictment alleges that beginning as early as May 1997 and continuing to July 2010, Foss used her position at the firm to steal money and funds by repeatedly writing herself unauthorized bonus checks and reimbursements for fraudulent business expenses, and repeatedly using the firm’s bank account and credit card account to pay personal expenses. According to the indictment, Foss used wire transfers and the firm’s credit card account to pay for personal expenses including car payments, donations to a private school, clothing, groceries, gas, car washes and rental, hair salon and spa expenses, and veterinary bills.
Foss is scheduled to appear for arraignment on July 31, 2012, at 11:45 a.m. before U.S.
Magistrate Judge Byron G. Cudmore.
If convicted, each count of mail/wire fraud (six counts) carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. For credit card fraud (one count), the penalty is up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Final sentences are determined by the court. In imposing sentence, the court may consider federal sentencing guidelines, which include a defendant’s criminal history, the amount of loss, and other applicable factors.
* Yesterday afternoon, Andrea Mitchell at NBC News ran with this story…
Illinois Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. faced new pressure from Democratic leaders Wednesday to explain his month-long absence from Congress, even as friends and colleagues tell NBC News that he has been at a treatment facility in Arizona.
A family friend who is in close touch with Jackson’s parents says the congressman is suffering from “severe clinical depression” and has an alcohol problem – although his wife and staff have a different view of his condition. […]
Jackson still faces a House Ethics Committee investigation into whether he used his office to compel former Governor Rod Blagojevich to appoint him to the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama in 2008. A former fundraiser for Jackson was arrested on June 20 by federal prosecutors in Illinois on unrelated charges. There have also been reported marital problems.
On Wednesday, a close friend of Jackson’s told NBC, “This has all come down on him like an avalanche and there is a good possibility he will have to resign.”
Those are some friends. Ratting Jackson’s condition out and claiming he may have to step down.
* But Jackson’s office eventually issued a statement of denial…
U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is being treated for “a mood disorder” — not for alcoholism or substance abuse, according to a statement from the Chicago Democrat’s office.
“The Congressman is receiving intensive medical treatment at a residential treatment facility for a mood disorder. He is responding positively to treatment,” according to a statement from the congressman’s office, citing Jackson’s unnamed physician.
In the statement, Jackson’s office noted: “In addition, the rumors about him being treated for alcohol or substance abuse [are] not true.”
The congressman’s wife, Ald. Sandi Jackson, denied that her husband was “in rehab.”
But those laws should not be used to give an elected official cover to withhold information. Jackson’s duty is to be transparent and keep his constituents informed about anything that could affect the job they elected him to do.
Additionally, if he has a medical or psychological problem with a some stigma attached to it, then discussing it publicly can help erase that stigma.
Instead, by being secretive, he is just perpetuating the stigma.
And that serves no one.
* And things got a little intense at the annual Rainbow/PUSH convention, where Rev. Jackson tried to dodge the media…
Following the Rainbow/PUSH luncheon, the media began assembling at the south end of the dais, where Jackson was heading.
Jackson turned and headed toward the north end of the dais. The media ran to head him off there.
He turned and headed back toward the south end of the dias. The media ran back to the south end.
Then he walked down the center steps of the stage. Security and Rainbow/PUSH staffers held back the media, who shouted questions to Jackson which he ignored as his aides pushed him through a curtain and told the media to leave.
When the press asked questions of Jackson before the event, former Sen. Roland Burris jumped to the senior Jackson’s defense.
“Let it go!” he yelled. “You all are not here to cover this convention. You’re here to cover Jesse Jr. That is ridiculous, and I’ve got enough seniority around here to tell you media people to cool it. You did it to me. Now you’re going to try to do it to Jesse Jr. You’re just hounding people. Go on and get a life. I’m telling Sen. Durbin to back off. I’m telling Steny Hoyer to back off. I’m telling Congressman Gutierrez to back off. That’s what they did to me.”
* Gov. Pat Quinn was at the Rainbow/PUSH convention, and he went out of his way in an unrelated press conference before the event to express his sympathy for the congressman…
“The people of Illinois have good hearts and when someone is dealing with challenges on their health we wish them well and we pray for them. I pray for Jesse Jackson Jr. every single day and I think everybody should.
“He’s one of our fellow citizens in Illinois and we’re all in this together and when somebody has a challenge, we don’t walk away from it.”
Burris: We don’t know what Jesse Jr.’s problem is so back off and let’s assess it.
Reporter: Senator, do you know?
Burris: I have no idea! I’m dealing with you all. I’m dealing with you all running around here like a wolfpack, wolfpacking this young man who has served this public so greatly and he’s had some problems and you won’t give him a rest. Media, give him some rest!
Reporter: Were you curious to know what it was?
Burris: Why are you curious? Are you curious to know what it is? Or are you just trying to get some points in the media so you can be the first to give a report? The first CNN…to be the first to report on this.
Reporter: But people want to know.
Burris: They want to know because you all are driving the people. You all are driving it! The people aren’t driving it! You all are sticking cameras in my face like you all are doing me! Don’t you have a right to know. Don’t you feel something about it? That’s what you all are doing to me! Take your cameras and go home!”
Burris told reporters, “you all ought to get a life!”
A mood disorder can mean many things. According to Mental Health America, formerly known as the National Mental Health Association, there are four basic forms of mood disorders, including “major depression, cyclothymia (a mild form of bipolar disorder), SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and mania (euphoric, hyperactive, overinflated ego, unrealistic optimism).”
The treatment advocacy organization estimated 1 in 5 Americans report at least “one depressive symptom in a given month,” while bipolar disorder is less common, occurring at a rate of 1 percent of the general population.
