* Adam Andrzejewski has been getting some media coverage the past couple of weeks over a lawsuit he filed against Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka…

Nine months ago, our organization, For the Good of Illinois, filed a Freedom of Information Act request asking Republican Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar-Topinka to send us one year of the state’s checkbook. We were simply seeking to share state expenditures with Illinois citizens through our online database. Our request for this information was rejected.

The comptroller asserted “review, redaction, and arrangement of all 2011 vendor payments would take multiple staff members, dedicated solely to this request, more than three days to complete.” Topinka’s office concluded that fulfilling the request was an “undue burden.”

This conclusion is not credible, and her refusal is against both the spirit and the letter of the law. Is the comptroller really going to argue that in this electronic age state government can’t produce a timely and organized checkbook? Is the comptroller’s office really that much of a mess? The fact our FOIA request is being denied by the state’s top financial officer because it’s inconvenient is inexcusable. Or is Topinka trying to hide something?

Here in Illinois, income tax rates rise as fast as 67 percent overnight and property taxes double every ten years. You would think citizens should at least have access to detailed information showing how their tax dollars are being spent. The state’s checkbook should be public information.

* Topinka responded via her own op-ed…

(T)he state database tracking revenues and expenditures includes confidential information that the law prohibits from being given out — things like Social Security numbers and information about tax refunds, public aid and foster care payments, worker’s comp and unemployment checks. A “complete data dump” would be illegal.

Topinka is absolutely correct. She can’t just hand over things like everybody’s individual tax refund checks. No way. And Andrzejewski ought to know better than to ask for stuff like that.

* But in corresponding with Topinka’s office, it became clear that they could take some time to write a program which would weed out all the protected classes of information. In other words, they could give him all the individual checks for everything except what is protected by state law. There would be no individual check copies of tax refunds or such stuff, just aggregate amounts. It would be an effort, but they could do it. It would certainly be a lot easier than redacting each, individual record.

* So, I told Andrzejewski that I’d noticed that the two sides seemed to be talking past each other. Would he accept the raw data used by the comptroller’s website that didn’t include the info that couldn’t by law be disclosed? His e-mailed response…

This appears to be welcome news…

However, as you know, the information we requested goes beyond the information available on the Comptroller’s website. While it is our preference to reach an amicable resolution, doing so requires the Comptroller to produce all of the information responsive to our FOIA request.

The Comptroller apparently told you that it could provide the data showing individual payments. This information must certainly exist, and there should not be any “probability” involved. The Comptroller must possess a record of each payment the State of Illinois made, to whom it was made, when it was made, and the amount of each payment. This is all information which the public has a right to know, and it is all subject to FOIA.

You mention that providing this information could “take some time.” However, we sent the Comptroller our FOIA request nine months ago. We are willing to be reasonable on timing, but we expect the information to be provided over a reasonable amount of days, not multiple weeks or months. The Comptroller does not have to format the data in any way. We can work with the raw data as it is kept by the Comptroller. Chicago provided 10 years and nearly 7 million individual transactions in approximately 10 days.

The FOIA statute provides for the recovery of attorney’s fees and costs. The Comptroller has already caused us to incur substantial fees and expenses. These must be reimbursed in order to resolve our case.

“Substantial fees and expenses”? C’mon. Andrzejewski the conservative “cut the budget” millionaire now wants to ding the taxpayers for legal fees? Just settle this thing, for crying out loud.

…Adding… Andrzejewski’s Facebook profile photo…

Caption?

       

89 Comments - John Galt - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 1:20 pm: Alot of this is Adam A posturing for a run at JBT for Comptroller in 2014. It might be in the best interest of the public for them to settle, but I’m not sure it’s in the best interest of Adam A to settle. - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 1:22 pm: If memory serves, the FOIA statute also allows public agencies to charge for certain expenses associated with fulfilling a request. Send him a bill estimating every cent of costs possible on this one, Judy. Please. If he still wants the information, he can pay it. And don’t forget to send him a bill for the legal fees already incurred reviewing the lawsuit he dropped on you. Andrzejewski’s case lost more than a few receptive ears with his last email. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 1:37 pm: “Opan Adam style…” “Heyyyyyyyyyy, sexy A.A….” - Name Withheld - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 1:38 pm: Perhaps I’m blind, but I can’t see where AA gave a Yes or No answer to Rich’s question. - anon - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 1:38 pm: What a joke. This guy is nothing but a publicity hound. Someone should look at HIS win-loss record for the 2012 campaign. How many of the candidates that his “organization” backed were successful. Just what we need-more loud, self-serving politicians. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 1:40 pm: “weeeeee” - Tommydanger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 1:41 pm: I may be wrong, but I don’t believe the FOIA requires a responder to create a report in response to the request if the report did not otherwise already exist. In other words, its akin to ‘ordering off the menu’ as opposed to a special order. Now, whether or not its a good idea for Topinka to do it anyway, well, that’s a different issue. - lincolnlover - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 1:42 pm: So we cut the state work force to the bone and then we refuse to believe that it might take some time to get the information in a way that complies with the law? - George from Maryland - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:17 pm: He looks like a taller, whiter version of Matt Maloney. - Samurai - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:17 pm: I am running for something, just not yet sure what. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:20 pm: What a disgrace to the letter A. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:26 pm: Tommyd above is correct. FOIA applies to documents, files, etc. that already exist. In the digital age, writing database queries to extract requested data under FOIA is an uh, unmined field. - Red Ranger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:37 pm: “Chariots of Fire, ILGOP Style” Andrew A being disingenuous. Good thing I was sitting down when I read this post. - Red Ranger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:39 pm: Oppps, Adam, not Andrew, slip of the fingers! - Cheryl 44 - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:45 pm: He certainly gives off an Ed Grimly vibe. - MrJM - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:50 pm: Every day I’m shufflin’… – MrJM - Endangered Moderate Species - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 2:53 pm: The mainstream GOP members may have to leave and form a new party, similar to Lincoln leaving the Whigs and helping to form the GOP. This may be the only hope for having two strong parties in this State. - Ahoy! - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 3:09 pm: Running to crazytown. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 3:15 pm: The problem here is that he is thinking his request is doable. Its not. He does not have the data storage capacity for the SAMS information warehouse, stored since 1997 on massive servers. Adam is an utter boob. The sheer amount of raw data is staggering. The website taps only a tiny insignificant amount of the daily transactions, yet takes hours each night to upload. Agencies regularly make similar requests and soon discover that they are unprepared for the volume of data. The SAMS data is stored on dozens of huge data tables, not store into summary reports. Querying the Data Warehouse requires knowledge, experience and intelligence in using the proper software tools. Incorrect querying will lock up a computer since a wrong query will force a record review hitting millions of data bits. This man is an idiot. He is thinking he will be getting a jug of data, but is actually requesting Lake Michigan. He is out of his league here. Adam is clearly displaying an incredible level of ignorance regarding the immense size of the data processed through the Comptrollers office. This isn’t even covering security issues,legal issues, FOIA laws, or political issues. Get a bucket big enough to hold it all in Adam, then find the time to process and download it all. Then perhaps you’ll find out how stupid this political stunt is of yours. - walkinfool - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 3:24 pm: He’s not really interested in the data, only the publicity. He obviously just talked past the issues, and seemed not to understand, even when Rich tried to make it clear to him. AA has a hard time listening to others. Based just on his response, I think JBT is technically, and legally, correct that his request cannot be completely fulfilled. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 3:25 pm: –The mainstream GOP members may have to leave and form a new party, similar to Lincoln leaving the Whigs and helping to form the GOP. This may be the only hope for having two strong parties in this State.– I don’t think that should or will happen. The Republican Party was born in Illinois, and has been an engine for progress that has benefited humanity. But the GOP has to cast out the ignorant hateful extremists, just as the DFL in Minnesota did with the commies. And they have to do it nationwide, not just here. The Indiana GOP tossed a statesman like Lugar for a knuckle-dragger like Mourdock. Big Brain Kass, the face of the World’s Greatest Bankrupt Newspaper, thought that was swell. Since the election, Gen. Powell has been stepping up and trying to show the GOP the way. Anyone in Illinois does that, and I’m with you til the last dog dies. The state and country needs a Republican Party. We don’t need the likes of Joe Walsh. - thechampaignlife - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 3:31 pm: You can FOIA individual cells in a database table, it doesn’t have to have already been output into a report. The fact that you have to write a database query to extract it doesn’t remove the obligation to provide it if not exempted by FOIA. Otherwise, every agency would shove their records into a database specifically so they don’t have to provide them. The format it’s stored in isn’t applicable, a public record is a public record. That said, it may still be unduly burdensome to accumulate all this data. What he could do, however, is narrow the request to eliminate as much of the manual review for sensitive data as possible and possibly also a narrower time period. The other thing that he could do would be to coordinate a series of requests. Each person gets so many in a period of time before they become a frequent requester. He could submit a handful of requests each month for one week worth of data and get a bunch of buddies to all do the same. They couldn’t say any individual request is unduly burdensome or too frequent a request but the end result of getting all the data he wants would still be accomplished. - RatherBeGolfing - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 3:58 pm: VanillaMan is absolutely correct. And walkinfool’s assessment that he is interested in publicity and not data is right on! - Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 4:17 pm: Unduly burdensome. JBT will win this one. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 4:29 pm: ===The Indiana GOP tossed a statesman like Lugar for a knuckle-dragger like Mourdock. Big Brain Kass, the face of the World’s Greatest Bankrupt Newspaper, thought that was swell. Since the election, Gen. Powell has been stepping up and trying to show the GOP the way. Anyone in Illinois does that, and I’m with you til the last dog dies. The state and country needs a Republican Party. We don’t need the likes of Joe Walsh.=== that is the crux of the problem, as others in the Party feel the need to exclude everyone except “the chosen conservatives”, the moderate Right, the moderate Right which can gel with the Conservative Left better than the Conservative Right … that is the Crux. We need the Republican Party, we don’t need the “Everyone who is exactly like me” Party. - Seriously - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 4:33 pm: Adam and his antics…..just when you think he has drained all the water possible from the common sense pond, he manages to do something even more stupid to shallow that pond even more. The photo is priceless! He actually put this on his own Facebook page? Judy Baar has a career of transparency behind her and If Adam really thinks he can tale a run at her, he is even crazier than this photo indicates - WazUp - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 5:10 pm: “I’m in a parade, I must say” - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 5:17 pm: “I’m cool, I’m cool … look … Man, I never thought I could be THIS cool … everyone lookin’ at me … wonderin’, ‘Who is that cool guy in the parade?’ … just a lil’ jog … yep, i am cool, can’t deny it … running in the parade, next running the Republican Party, then runnin’ the State of Illinois … just runnin’ … cool runnin’… in dress pants … like all the cool people do … with my name on my shirt …runnin’ … where did I park my helicopter …did Cross or Radogno borrow it … no … I don’t know… I think I look a superhero … like Batman … rich guy … good-lookin’ … runnin’ … to the Bat-Cave … Bat-Cave of politics … just cool … hey, …hey, people … look at me … being cool … like Batman …Bruce Wayne … Adam Wayne … Adam A. Manor …just runnin’… like Batman!” - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 5:52 pm: a.) Republican polyester double knit and cotton blend pleated slacks, black - $27.99 b.) Republican polyester double knit and cotton blend polo shirt, red - $14.99 c.) Rejected Republican gubernatorial candidate still living in 1978, white, slightly balding - $1.50 - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 6:27 pm: - VanillaMan - WELL. Done!!! - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 7:33 pm: Oh come on. Adam has diligently followed through with his campaign promise of what he’d do if elected Governor and it’s brought out a whole LOT of abuse of the system and OUR money! What he’s asking for is nothing more than an accounting of where OUR money is being spent! People that are paid from public funds (TAX money)need to be aware that the distribution of TAX monies are legally PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE! Back off you jerks, the state is BROKE and we need to see just where our tax money is going. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 7:47 pm: VMan, thanks for the info. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 7:49 pm: ===Back off you (Edit), the state is BROKE and we need to see just where our tax money is going.=== Attention! Attention please! All (Edit)s, Back off, Adam A. is really all “that”. He is doing a real service for us all, and I am at a loss why all of us are not attacking the “J”s and maybe even call them names, and tell them all to just … well … back off! Or… - PraireiPatriot -, are you really kidding me? You want to call names, and tell us to “back off” and that Adam A. is just following through on his lame campaign promise, which in reality, was a lame campaign. If you would like, we all can watch Adam … real close … and without calling others names … discuss the true merits of Adam, and what he is doing to the Republican Party and also his lack of understanding of how government runs, while Adam plays “Helicopter”. Just another option, but, I think I will continue mocking Adam just the same, thanks. With kindest personal regards, I remain. Sincrely yours, Oswego Willy - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 7:52 pm: VMan, seriously, just to make sure you know it wasn’t snark, thank you for the info. You got some game on this issue. - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 7:54 pm: Oswego Willy - Do you really believe there’s a Republican party in Illinois? - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 7:57 pm: Oswego Willy - As for calling names, tell us, does the term ‘knuckledragger’ ring a bell of any kind? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 7:58 pm: ===Do you really believe there’s a Republican party in Illinois?=== When others ask if there is a Republican Party, those are the people ruining the Republican Party by Litmus Tests, Blood Oaths, and Rigid Stereotypes. If you believe in all that, then “no” there is not a Republican Party like that, although some are trying to ruin the Republican Party if that is what you mean? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 8:00 pm: ===As for calling names, tell us, does the term ‘knuckledragger’ ring a bell of any kind? === Yes it does, it describes the people ruining the Party, thnaks. We can keep going is you like … - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 8:03 pm: Aah… So you feel the ‘knuckledragger’ term is an apt description for people you don’t agree with. And you want to take me to task for ‘namecalling’? Ludicrous. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 8:09 pm: No… I think, and agree, when - wordslinger - uses that term about the people in my party who do not use the Reagan 80% rule, who think Pat Brady should be fired, not becaue all the races that were lost, but becasue he went against the Platform, and those who think Moderate Republicans are “RINO”S and and in turn Moderates who take it upon themselves to call comservatives “Wingnuts” at every turn. All those Dopes ruining the party and not understanding the Party needs to grow, and not be so cookie-cutter that shrinking the Party by standing principals, of either wing mind you, that cutting off our nose to spite our faces is worth it … Yep, I agree when - wordslinger - uses the term … every time … becasue those, ALL of those, are the ones ruining the Republican Party. - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 8:16 pm: Oswego Willy - How does wordslinger figure into this? It was YOU that used the ‘knuckledragger’ term for Mourdock. As for Brady & the party - how many state central committee meetings have you been at? Why has Madigan been Speaker for well over 30 years? What has the party done to bring out voters? If the platform doesn’t matter why have one? If the platform does matter then shouldn’t Brady be held accountable for his transgression of what’s in it? Have you READ the platform? If you haven’t, why not? If you have, then as a Republican shouldn’t you be standing up for it? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 8:23 pm: - PraireiPatriot -, Golly, If you saw that I copied what - wordslinger - wrote, then you would KNOW I was responding to - wordslinger -. Why don’t you go check how that all works above then get back to me about who called who what…. then get back to me. Know … of what you speak. ===how many state central committee meetings have you been at? Why has Madigan been Speaker for well over 30 years? What has the party done to bring out voters? If the platform doesn’t matter why have one? If the platform does matter then shouldn’t Brady be held accountable for his transgression of what’s in it? Have you READ the platform? If you haven’t, why not? If you have, then as a Republican shouldn’t you be standing up for it? === Here is what I … DO … know… Veto-Proof in the Illinois House ….Veto-Proof in the Illnois Senate. Five House seats lost, and the ILDem Caucus, in its makeup is by and far, more diverse than the HGOP, and of the 19 SGOP members, what is the diversity there? If you are telling me the ONLY Republicans I can support are the ones who … 100% … no exceptions … follow the platform … I will hang with Ronald Reagan and have 80% be my Litmus Test and Blood Oath. How did that “Fire Madigan” work out for y’all? Boy, you know how to hold Madigan accountable, with his Super-Majortiy and all now…. You and your 100% principals keep going … you asked IS there a Republican Party anymore… guess what you are HELPING ruin it. congratualtions from me, and the Reagan 80% rule. - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 8:34 pm: Oswego Willy - Come on, you’re too smart to play the obtuse angle. My point(s) were pretty clear - Madigan has ruled for 30+ years because of the ineptitude of the ILGOP - I’d guess you weren’t old enough for the 1980 election but both the Nat’l and ILGOP did not want Reagan. I won’t embarrass you further but if you’re going to enter into any kind of debate about the state of the Republican party I’d seriously urge you to look at the history of electoral outcomes in this state. Further, I’d urge you to read the ILGOP platform and attendRepub meetings (inclusive of state central committee meetings) when you can. Doing so will give you an education in what the tern ‘incompetent’ means politically. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:06 pm: Well. That was interesting. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:08 pm: It all kinda came and went … like a Carolina storm off the ocean. - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:11 pm: Well, we can continue if you’d like. Doubtful it would be to your benefit though. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:12 pm: Please. Don’t be silly. Didn’t notice a thing. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:13 pm: Really, that’s just fine PraireiPatriot. I think we all got it. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:15 pm: Did ya figure out how it all worked with the - wordslinger - thing? How about the “Google” Key … Cause, I think I will let you figure out for yourself, what you THINK you know about me… That seems to be more … interesting? - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:20 pm: I don’t think I know anything about you Oswego Willy other than you don’t appear to have a good handle on what really goes on. That’s not an insult, simply an observation. And if you find that interesting, well, what can I say… - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:23 pm: ===I don’t think I know anything about you Oswego Willy other than you don’t appear to have a good handle on what really goes on. That’s not an insult, simply an observation. And if you find that interesting, well, what can I say… === And … Good Bye. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:31 pm: –I’d guess you weren’t old enough for the 1980 election but both the Nat’l and ILGOP did not want Reagan.– Dude, I’m worried about you. Have you hit your head on something hard? For the record, 1980: Reagan: 489 electoral votes Carter: 49 In this country, they call that a landslide. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:36 pm: - wordslinger -, You can’t fix ingnorant … I couldn’t believe all that either, I just kinda let that hang becasue, if that is what - PrarieiPatriot - wants to show, my interrupt! - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:40 pm: wordslinger - The GOP did not want Reagan - they were very much behind George H.W. Bush at that time and actively fought Reagan. It was only after Reagan overwhelmed them during the nominating process that they finally got behind him. And it wasn’t the GOP backing that brought him so many votes - it was his conservative views (which the party attempted to moderate) and the fact that Carter was such a dismal President. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:45 pm: “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor.” - Ronald W. Reagan Explain to me again how all those 100% conservative views come into play … and Reagan needing ALL his views accepted again? Further, Illinois has now less Republicans than in the past, and if we Republicans, Conservates and Moderates want to win, we need to work together, and bring a few “Indies” with us, Platform or not … Unless cutting your nose to spite your face is cool… - Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:48 pm: - It was only after Reagan overwhelmed them during the nominating process - You realize what party nominates GOP candidates, right? I’ll give you a hint, it’s not the Democratic one. But by all means, please continue to insist the IL GOP stay far to the right, it makes things so much easier for us. - Smitty Irving - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:49 pm: PraireiPatriot Which “GOP” didn’t want Reagan, but wanted Bush instead? And do you think perhaps some of “those” people might have been Ford people who blamed their narrow loss to Carter in 1976 on the damage done by Reagan in the primaries? My memories of 1980 is Reagan’s biggest problem in the primaries was the infighting between the Californians and John Sears. - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:51 pm: Oswego Willy - You misunderstand - I’ve voted Republican all my life with a few rare exceptions for some Dems that were eminently more qualified for the position. I too want to see the Republican grow and be successful but supporting the party as it currently stands will only ensure it’s effective demise. A major problem (as evidenced by the last election outcome) is the inability of the party to offer or even articulate a meaningful alternative to what the ‘progressives’ offer. Tell me, have you any idea as to how many Illinois counties carried Quinn over Brady for Governor in 2010? Do you know how many Illinois counties carried big ‘O’ over Romney? And if you do know, do you know why? I’m not trying to embarrass you but would appreciate an honest answer. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:52 pm: I figured letting that, ===The GOP did not want Reagan - they were very much behind George H.W. Bush at that time and actively fought Reagan.=== simmer out there and not responding directly would get some attention… - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:55 pm: ===Tell me, have you any idea as to how many Illinois counties carried Quinn over Brady for Governor in 2010? Do you know how many Illinois counties carried big ‘O’ over Romney? And if you do know, do you know why? I’m not trying to embarrass you but would appreciate an honest answer.=== Counties don’t vote, Voters vote. More people vote for one candidate over another, they win, More counties vote for one candidate over another, the candidate CAN LOSE… like Brady, like Romney …like … And … thanks for playing! - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:56 pm: Smitty - Ford was a good and decent man but lost the election primarily (no pun intended) because he’d not been elected - not due to the ‘damage’ Reagan did in 76. And frankly, I supported Bush at that time because he was the guy the party was pushing. It was only after realizing Reagan was a very viable candidate with strong conservative views that I switched to supporting him. - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 9:59 pm: Willy - Let’s play again sometinme when you learn a bit more. I’ll just leave you wondering how many counties carried Quinn and what the reason for his win was. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:01 pm: ===Willy - Let’s play again sometinme when you learn a bit more. I’ll just leave you wondering how many counties carried Quinn and what the reason for his win was.=== No, I am new to politics and all this politcal stuff. I need an education on how this all fits. I thought voters vote, not counties … see, you are helping me … counties … See how silly I sound. What else… - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:03 pm: Quinn won 3 counties, I “googled” it to check … Three counties, man, what does all that mean? Freaky! - PraireiPatriot - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:03 pm: LOL - Typical kiddie response. Ok, I’m hitting the rack so you can all now assassinate my character knowing no reply will ensue. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:06 pm: No no … Look, you wanted to teach me a few things, I got the County thing, freaky … what else …you can’t keep dragging me in with the Reagan lore and County voting … - Smitty Irving - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:12 pm: Willy The notion that counties, not voters, should vote, has strong resonance here in Illinois. After Baker v Carr was Reynolds v Sims, which so infuriated the sainted Ev Dirksen he said: “…the forces of our national life are not brought to bear on public questions solely in proportion to the weight of numbers. If they were, the 6 million citizens of the Chicago area would hold sway in the Illinois Legislature without consideration of the problems of their 4 million fellows who are scattered in 100 other counties. Under the Court’s new decree, California could be dominated by Los Angeles and San Francisco; Michigan by Detroit..” Some things die hard. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:16 pm: - Smitty Irving -, Point taken. How about had Quinn not reduced the legislature by 1/3 and there were actual Repubs from Chicago, and Dems in Bedrock Repub downstate areas, could we all not see each others the same too? Agreed, some thigs do die hard. - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:24 pm: Adam A is to IL politics what Kim Kardashian is to society. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:26 pm: - Michelle Flaherty - Your posts are always worth the wait! - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:28 pm: –The GOP did not want Reagan - they were very much behind George H.W. Bush at that time and actively fought Reagan– Can’t help you, brother. We don’t speak the same lingo. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:47 pm: What has happened here in the last 2 weeks? It’s like all the silliness found its way here to convince everyone that black is white, and up is down! - wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:47 pm: For the record– The man from Dixon was a giant on the national and international stage. Fascinating man. Inscrutable. The FDR of his time. His rhetoric did not match his actions (he didn’t care about the size of government). All he wanted was to accelerate the destruction of the Soviet Union (that happened). And he wanted to eliminate nuclear weapons. That’s forgotten, but it scared the stuff out of Western Europe and Japan, whose security was dependent upon the United States’ nuclear umbrella. When Reagan sat down with Gorbachev in my mor-mor’s hometown of Reyjkavik, and offered to give the Soviets SDI if they would eliminate their nukes, it was a good thing that Gorby was wearing brown pants. Because he plotzed. No one, and I mean no one, expected that kind of game-changing heavy lifting. As a kid reporter, I was lucky enough to hook up a couple of times with Pres. Reagan’s posse, and follow him around as he met the folks. Nothing like it. I’ve covered every president since then and loads of politicians. No one connected with the folks like Reagan. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:50 pm: Amen, - wordslinger - …. Amen. - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:53 pm: But Adam A wants to know how much the state spent on maxipads and what not. Why won’t Judy tell him? Conspiracy? You betcha? Time to hike up that little black belt, button that top button and run to the rescue. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 10:58 pm: Holy Smokes, Willy. You must be worn out by now. Talk about like trying to herd cats. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:00 pm: I tried “soft peddle”, I tried “point by point”, I even tried to be ignorant, and I tried letting it just hang out there twisting. Yikes, I thought I was being tested! - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:02 pm: Oh, and Willy, what I meant by my earlier post is that they (Kim and Adam) are both well known for being/having huge asses. Just in case there are some slow readers out there who didn’t make the connection. I no longer take anything for granted or assume. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:06 pm: Adam Andrzejewski, Political Gadfly. A candidacy barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the technology. We have the capability to build Illinois’ “Gadfly Millionaire” statewide winner. Adam Andrzejewski will be that Millionaire Gadfly . Better candidacy than it was before. Better, stronger, faster.” - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:07 pm: ===I no longer take anything for granted or assume.=== You ain’t whistling Dixie, everything seems to need a roadmap. - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:11 pm: Oswego, if only they’d leave the commentary to the literary geniuses that we are. Hope. Dream. Obama. Whoops. Too. Much. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:15 pm: Double amen, word. I have had the privilege of meeting each President since Ford in a small setting. Reagan was fascinating to meet and surrounded himself with some very bright people, a few who hung around to serve GHW Bush. The “PrairiePatriot” version of events from those days (if I understand the comments) is a) nonsensical and b) not supported by numerous biographies and other books on politics and Presidents of that era, most recently the excellent “The Presidents’ Club,” - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:16 pm: I try to play to the lowest denominator, which in most cases is me (Go to a poker game, look for the sucker, don’t see one? You are the Sucker!). Or 47%. Socialists. Birthers. Chicago. Woops. Too. Much. As. Well. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:19 pm: - AA -, Pretty cool. When you get your reading syllabus ready and - wordslinger- gets the list for his Film Festival, then I will be cooking with some gas, until then…. Good stuff, fellas. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:31 pm: - Michelle Flaherty - That was the most I think I read from YOU in … ever. Cool. - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:40 pm: Good night Willy. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 13 @ 11:43 pm: Well Played! Nite. - Trent - Thursday, Jan 24, 13 @ 1:30 pm: This a lame attack on Andrzejewski. Topinka has no leg to stand on, and appears to be using her office and Springfield surrogates to extricate herself from her bad decision. She should just turn it over. Her response, rather than being correct, is merely obfuscation. For background, ignore Springfield insider blog intervention and just read the statute. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=85&ChapterID=2 Next, read the complaint. http://forthegoodofillinois.org/wp-content/uploads/20130104-Complaint-by-For-The-Good-Of-Illinois.pdf From this information, which we can assume is written in good faith, it seems that ; 1. This has nothing to do with “talking past each other.” Both Comptroller’s office and the Attorney General’s office did nothing to solve this issue. 2. Absent filing this suit, there is no likely way the Illinois citizen would be able to see the data requested, and 3. The statute calls for the government agency to pay fees where they are deemed to be withholding data unreasonably. Add to this the fact that even legacy accounting programs have features that can edit or redact data based on codes - either partially or in its entirety. Topinka has it in her power to produce this data. The existence of her website is a non issue, as well. If every government agency could produce a website, and say “we’re done,” how would anyone be able to ensure that it was accurate. A FOIA law, maybe? Carping about recovery of fees and expenses is the icing on the cake. Going after Andrzejewski for perfectly valid recover of fees based on “government spending” grounds is like the guy who murders his parents and asks for mercy because he’s an orphan. It is Topinka’s duty to make public information available, and if it costs taxpayer money to settle a suit, that is on Topinka, not Andrzejewski - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 25, 13 @ 8:01 am: ===This a lame attack on Andrzejewski. Topinka has no leg to stand on, and appears to be using her office and Springfield surrogates to extricate herself from her bad decision. She should just turn it over. Her response, rather than being correct, is merely obfuscation.=== Nah, it’s pretty good, considering Adam A. is clueless to what is being asked and the whole largeness of what being asked and privacy of the payees. ===It is Topinka’s duty to make public information available, and if it costs taxpayer money to settle a suit, that is on Topinka, not Andrzejewski=== And that is one of the Dopiest thing I have ever read! And … ===For background, ignore Springfield insider blog intervention and just read the statute.=== We talked about the statue, and maybe next time, ignoring an “insider blog” is good advice for you. With kindest personal regards, I remain. Sincerely yours, Oswego Willy Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.