*** UPDATED x1 *** Something’s missing here
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
As a recent town hall meeting in his district quickly grew heated, state Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) said for the first time in his political career he wished he had brought something with him — security.
Franks was talking pension reform, but one man opposed to same-sex marriage became particularly agitated.
“It was heated. For the first time, I felt, I really should have had security here,” Franks told the Chicago Sun-Times. “He got physically close, I probably asked him eight times to stop and felt he was being rude. We were in a public place. It was a little bizarre.”
Franks isn’t saying which way he’s going to vote on the issue, insisting he hasn’t decided and sees pension reform as his top issue.
In the last several weeks, behind-the-scenes pressure as well as public rancor over a same sex marriage bill still pending in the Illinois House has intensified. Picketers are coming out in force. Legislators have spoken to Cardinal Francis George personally on the phone.
One potential death threat — later deemed unfounded — was under investigation by the Illinois State Police and Mundelein police against Republican Ed Sullivan, a state representative who publicly disclosed his support for the bill.
I’m not sure why, but there was no mention of the criminal charges filed against a gay marriage proponent who allegedly threatened Rep. Jeanne Ives over this issue. That’s the real deal, not some perceived stuff. That’s not to discount what Reps. Franks and Sullivan went through by any means. But it just doesn’t rise to the level of what Ives had to deal with.
The reality is we’ve seen at least isolated craziness on both sides of this debate.
*** UPDATE *** Greg Hinz reports that he’s hearing the bill has between 55 and 57 of the 60 House votes it needs to pass…
Key lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, speaking on background, say they expect the bill to pass in the next month, sending it to the desk of Gov. Pat Quinn, who has promised to sign it. At least a few Republicans are aboard, with House GOP Leader Tom Cross publicly neutral but privately said to be helpful.
One swing representative, who asked not to be named, said he’ll vote yes, but won’t publicly declare himself until the end. “I may lose my seat,” that official told me. “I don’t care. I want to be on the right side of history.”
That’s similar to statements being made by Chicago Democrat Ken Dunkin, the head of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, who earlier this week announced his support for the bill, explaining, “I have always believed that discrimination is wrong, no matter whom it targets.”
Indeed, African-American lawmakers likely are the most key group on this issue right now, caught between traditional civil rights concerns and religious conservatives. The announcement from Mr. Dunkin, who represents the old Cabrini-Green area on the Near North Side, may move some others.
But probably the biggest thing working for the bill right now: the Madigans. That would be Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and House Speaker Michael Madigan, her father.
Perhaps with an eye on a race for governor, Ms. Madigan has begun picking up the phone in recent days to personally urge wavering lawmakers to vote for the bill, which already has passed the Senate. More significantly, Mr. Madigan, who a few weeks ago suggested the bill was a dozen votes short, recently has begun to get more active behind the scenes, I’m told.
I kinda doubt that Dunkin will move other black votes his way. But the AG might. And if the Speaker is moving, then that’s a very positive sign for the legislation.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 12:15 pm:
I don’t know why the swing voter wishes to remain anonymous until the vote, I’m just happy s/he knows which side is the right side of history.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 12:16 pm:
freedom means freedom for all. do the right thing, Reps!
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 12:25 pm:
===I don’t know why the swing voter wishes to remain anonymous until the vote,…===
Every day the “Slytherin House” wing of My Party can’t attack the House Member, the better. The only way this HGOP Member will state publically the intention is if Jim Oberweis, himself, says that s/he is a “Godd Republican”, otherwise…
If when this is all “said and done”, if we as a Party only put 3 to 5 votes out of 66 total GOP Members in the General Assembly, what are we telling voters anyway?
My hope is still out there that this will be looked upon as a “Bi-Partisan” effort, and that the HGOP work with Rep. Harris to get this Bill passed, and that the tenor of its passage is bi-partisan, and is recognized as such.
A “litmus test” or “blood oath” is not going to get us any closer to 30… to 60 … and to the Mansion.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 12:28 pm:
===I don’t know why the swing voter wishes to remain anonymous until the vote===
No reason to get the opposition all worked up before the vote.
- Reo Symes, M.D. - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 12:31 pm:
How about General Lisa’s op-ed in the Tribune today? Could that be a sign from On High?
- LincolnLounger - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 12:33 pm:
Jack Franks seems like the ambitious type. Doesn’t he have to support same sex marriage if he has any hopes of performing well in a state Dem primary?
- Anon - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 1:01 pm:
I guess I just dont understand this whole thing. Is holy matrimony the same as marriage?
- Just Me - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 1:36 pm:
C’mon, Rich! You’re not suggesting that Speaker Madigan and AG Madigan coordinate with each other on legislative matters, are you? Steve Brown has told us many, many, many times that they don’t, and Steve would never lead us astray. Lol.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 1:43 pm:
Looking like a winner.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 2:00 pm:
===C’mon, Rich! You’re not suggesting===
I’m not.
- Stuff happens - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 2:53 pm:
I still find it laughable that anyone considered the messages to Ms. Ives to be threatening.
I strongly suspect that she insisted the charges be upgraded; nothing like a use of legal force to shut up people who disagree with you.
- 1 - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 3:24 pm:
Just looking at the article about Mrs. Ives. To this lawyer and former staffer to a legislator, that’s not a threat. I’m not defending what he said, his position, etc, etc. But to me, that’s not a threat. A threat can’t just be “i know where you live, crosshairs, and Sarah Palin.”
I know we live in scary times and there are nuts out there but IMHO, it’s not a threat. It’s hard being a legislator but you get paid more money than what the average family in Illinois makes, plus all of those benefits. If Mrs. Ives can’t stand the heat, maybe there’s a job in the private sector for her.
- Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 6:38 pm:
Well, Lisa Madigan and Michael Madigan had best beware, as at least “Catholics” in name, that with such public posturing now being shown, so as to maintain good standing within the Church that THEY, too, aren’t called on the Carpet now, or very soon, IN PERson by Cardinal Francis George, himself, as well as ALL of the Other, Several Catholic Bishops rerpresenting the many Dioceses throughout Illinoisin person!
After all, many will recall–and as was blogged about more than once on Capitol Fax and widely reported in the Media, His Eminence, the Cardinal, many months before he departed to Rome be an integral part of the College of Cardinals, in electing the new POPE Francis I–along with ALL oh his Fellow Bishops–PERsonally, in fact, called for–and graciously reCEIVED–an in-person, several hour Meeting with Governor Quinn, when they’d become riled up about some of the positions he had/has been espousing on key issues of tremendous–even fundamental–importance to the Catholic, and even more so, on behalf of the wider Christian Church!
They better face the facts–the Archbishop of Chicago, who helps to ELECT POPES, and ALL of his fellow Bishops, can get REALLY bent out of shape FAST–and make PLENTY of noise ABOUT it directed your way–when they see Illinois Pols. veering from well-established Catholic/Christian Doctrine and the teachings of Jesus–as on the Sacrament of Marriage ONLY to be permitted by Christ to a man and woman–period!
And there are a LOT of registered Catholic VOters in Illinois who are closely following this issue and what their Official Church Representatives are saying about it IN CONSISTENT, STRICT OPPOSITION…so all I have to say, is: Lisa, Mike–if the Cardinal or his Representatives come calling, you’d be awfully ill-advised NOT to take that call and welcome Cardinal George and/or all of his fellow Illinois Bishops to that Meeting–and smirk though you may, like Pat Quinn reportedly endured already previously, get ready to be scolded BIG time–and reminded of your Obligations as a Catholic and as Leaders within the Secular community and how you are not merely free to espouse, at least as a Catholic Christian in-name–whatever the heck you want. And they may just remind you that CERtain consequences of errant positions may just have Eternal Implications in their view in accordance with the “Good Book!”
Also, the point made on the Rep. Ives’s fiasco is well-taken and wise to be reminded about–there are plenty of “Zealots” on BOTH sides of the coin on this one. And, sorry, Mr. Franks, but if you think someone is truly out of line as much as the Individual abjectly THREATening Ms. Ives for pronouncing her stance AGAINST same-sex marriage, then how difficult would it be for you, as was the case with Rep Ives, to get Law Enforcement involved? It’s a no brainer, really. If not, then take it on the chin and hear the Voters out–they have every right to feel as impassioned about certain issues as YOU do!!!
- Amalia - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 7:39 pm:
@Oswego Willy, “Slytherin House wing of my party….” I will never stop telling people that reference! awesome.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 7:49 pm:
- Amalia -
I am glad you like.
I thought it had a nice ring about it …
Thank you.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Apr 24, 13 @ 8:18 pm:
@Just…
I can’t tell if you’re a parody post or not.
- ChicagoR - Thursday, Apr 25, 13 @ 6:07 am:
@hisgirlfriday, you’re not the only one. I can never tell if @just… is a parody or not.
Given that Catholics support same-sex marriage in larger proportion than practitioners of other religions, it seems to me that Lisa and Mike don’t have much to fear here other than a possible tense conversation.