* I meant to post this a while ago and didn’t get around to it. Let’s circle back. WQAD…
The Scripps National Spelling Bee wrapped up on Thursday and announced its finalists, a 13-year-old from New York placed first, and a 13-year-old from Illinois placed second.
Taking first place in the 2013 bee was Arvind Mahankali from Bayside Hills, New York. This year was his fourth time in-a-row competing. In 2010 Mahankali placed ninth and in both 2011 and 2012 he got third place.
In second was Pranav Sivakumar, an 8th grade student from Tower Lakes, Illinois. Sivakumar has been in this competition three times, tying for 27th place in 2011 and for 22nd place in 2012. In school, he enjoys science and studying space. The middle school student won Best Research Paper and Best-in-Category project in astronomy in the junior division of the Illinois Junior Academy of Science..
I finished third in my county spelling bee when I was in fifth or sixth grade.
The word I misspelled was “assessor.” I spelled it “asessor.” Why? Because I was too embarrassed to spell A-S-S in front of a live audience and on live radio.
Yeah, how times have changed. I know.
My parents were both sticklers about spelling to the point where even today I get very upset at myself for misspelling a word here or in the Fax.
* The Question: How important has spelling been in your life?
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is urging Illinois communities to consider banning assault-style weapons before new legislation is signed that could prohibit local governments from doing so in the future.
The General Assembly approved a measure last month that would end Illinois’ last-in-the-nation prohibition on the concealed carry of firearms. The legislation, prompted by a federal court ruling that found Illinois’ law unconstitutional, also prohibits future assault-weapons bans. It allows existing bans, such as one in Chicago, to remain in place.
Gov. Pat Quinn hasn’t said whether he will sign the proposal, which the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has given him until July 9 to enact. Simon said if the bill is signed into law as written, cities with so-called “home rule” decision-making authority would have just 10 days to prohibit assault-style weapons.
“We have seen the tragic results assault weapons have had on our streets, in our schools, movie theaters and more,” Simon, a Democrat from Carbondale, said in a statement to be issued Sunday. “The clock is ticking, so I encourage mayors and local officials to act now to ban assault weapons and retain local control over this important issue.” [Emphasis added.]
That 10-day limit was one of the odder results of the concealed carry compromise between the House and the Senate.
Chicago’s 3-year-old gun registry could go away as part of the concealed carry law state lawmakers recently passed, but few are publicly mourning the loss of a database once heralded as a key part of the city’s gun control laws.
The registry, put in place by then-Mayor Richard Daley after the U.S. Supreme Court tossed out Chicago’s 1982 handgun ban, required people who wanted guns in Chicago to buy city permits and register the weapons with police.
Gun rights advocates derided the registry and Chicago’s municipal permit process as ineffective in curbing gun crime and an unfair burden for law-abiding gun owners.
The numbers indicate the registry wasn’t effective. There are now about 8,650 Chicago firearms permit holders who have registered around 22,000 firearms, according to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office. That’s compared with the roughly 150,000 Chicago households the University of Chicago Crime Lab estimates currently have guns.
* Meanwhile, this gun bill kinda got lost in the shuffle of the concealed carry hooplah. From a May 31st press release by Mayor Rahm Emanuel…
“I want to thank Speaker Madigan and President Cullerton, Senator Raoul and Representative Zalewski today for their leadership in passing landmark gun legislation, HB 1189, to keep our communities safe. The new law will require verification of a Firearm Owners Identification Card for all gun sales in Illinois and will help to ensure guns do not fall into the hands of dangerous people. It will also require reporting of lost and stolen guns, similar to Chicago’s ordinance, giving our police a big advantage in tracking down illegal guns and gun traffickers.”
Provides that a private party who sells or transfers a firearm must use the State Police’s dial-up system to verify that the buyer or transferee is the holder of a valid Firearm Owners Identification (”FOID”) card before making the transfer. Provides for exceptions; sets forth record keeping requirements. Requires the State Police to develop an Internet-based system for individuals to determine the validity of a FOID card prior to sale or transfer. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the sellers and transferors of firearms who determine the validity of a FOID card prior to sale or transfer are not civilly liable for any misuse of the firearm by the buyer or transferee. Provides that the owner of a lost or stolen firearm must report the loss or theft of the firearm to law enforcement within 72 hours of discovering the loss or theft.
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons isn’t waiting to see when, or if, Gov. Pat Quinn signs legislation allowing the carrying of firearms in public.
Gibbons announced Thursday that, effective immediately, people can begin carrying concealed weapons on their person or in their vehicle while in Madison County, so long as they meet a few requirements. […]
Gibbons said a person now will be allowed to carry a weapon in public in Madison County as long as he or she meets these seven requirements:
* The person must possess a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card. If not an Illinois resident, the person must have a concealed-carry permit, which requires a background check, issued from his or her home state.
* The person must be carrying the firearm for self-defense.
* The person must not be prohibited from possessing a firearm under any court order or statute.
* The firearm must be concealed on the person or in a vehicle, not visible to the public.
* The person must not be engaged in criminal conduct.
* The person must be in compliance with all other federal, state and local laws.
* When asked, the person must inform police officers that he or she is carrying a gun.
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons became an overnight folk hero to many people last week when he approved concealed carry in the county, effective immediately.
We appreciate his frustration with the state, which is taking its sweet time to comply with a federal court order allowing concealed carry. Still, we think Gibbons’ action complicates things more than it helps.
The rules he proposed are more lax than the bill awaiting the signature of Gov. Pat Quinn. How is that going to work when the state law eventually does go into effect?
And if a State Police trooper stops a motorist on Illinois 159 who is carrying a gun, the state said he will be arrested. The officer is not going to accept the explanation, “Gibbons said it was OK.”
Telling people they can carry a gun in Madison County is like telling a kid he can ride his bike in the cul-de-sac. It sounds great at first, but it’s extremely limiting.
“We are a nation of laws, and we should follow the law and not pick and choose which ones we’re going to follow,” said Chuck Garnati, who’s in his eighth four-year term as the top prosecutor in southern Illinois’ Williamson County. “I commend the Legislature for passing the conceal law and sending it to Gov. Quinn. But until he signs it, it’s not the law in Illinois. That’s the bottom line.” […]
While the 7th Circuit’s nullifying Illinois’ ban may have spurred confusion, “that does not by any authority I’m familiar with allow state’s attorneys to interpret the law or fashion their own version when we don’t know what the law will be,” said Jon Barnard, top prosecutor in Adams County in western Illinois.
“State’s attorneys are not legislators, and I think the most prudent course is to treat the law the way it is now — enforceable,” Barnard said.
Law enforcement groups agreed. The Illinois State Police, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association said in a “public safety advisory” after Gibbons’ declaration Thursday that authorities “will continue to enforce Illinois’ current unlawful use of a weapon statute in all jurisdictions.”
* This proposed compromise was rejected by business groups and the Tribune and Sun-
Times editorial boards several weeks ago, but it is not a bad idea at all and should be revisited…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is asking lawmakers to approve both rival plans on how to solve the state’s nearly $100 billion pension crisis. But it’s unclear if legislative leaders will agree. […]
Quinn proposes that lawmakers vote on a bill that combines the two proposals at a June 19 special session. Madigan’s plan would be the primary plan and Cullerton’s would serve as a “back-up” in case Madigan’s is rejected by the courts.
Madigan expressed concerns Monday that the Quinn proposal would be too complicated.
It wouldn’t be too complicated, Madigan just doesn’t want to compromise yet.
“This is like a lot of things in the legislature,” Madigan said. “You can make it complicated if you wish, or you can keep it simple. Let me say it again: The best pension bill that passed so far, and the one that does the most cost savings is the House bill, and that’s in the Senate. And the governor ought to work to get that passed.” […]
Senate President John Cullerton said Quinn has asked him to re-introduce legislation that would combine two differing approaches, the idea being if one portion of the legislation is thrown out by the court the rest of the measure would stand.
One portion of the proposal would push back retirement dates, ask employees to pay more for benefits and scale back annual cost of living increases. The other portion would allow workers and retirees to keep their health care and receive reduced benfits, or keep their current pension plan but give up health care. The measure would not go into effect for another year, meaning it would only need a simple majority to pass instead of three-fifths support.
Cullerton said it was unclear if his new proposal would have the votes needed to pass the Senate. Even if it did, Madigan made no promise to call the measure before the House.
Cullerton acknowledged there was not an agreed way forward, but said “we’re going to proceed anyway.”
Gov. Pat Quinn is naming a Cook County Democratic politician and contributor to a $25,000-a-year Chicago Transit Authority Board post.
Frank Zuccarelli was named Friday as a representative of suburban metropolitan Chicago. He replaces John Bourman.
The appointment requires Senate approval.
The South Holland resident has been the elected supervisor of Thornton Township since 1993. He also was elected to the South Suburban College Board of Trustees in 1978 and has served as its chairman since 1987.
* Thornton Township turns out huge numbers in the Democratic primary. And Zuccarelli goes with his friends, particularly those who earmark $41.6 million for a college he controls…
South Suburban College board Chairman Frank Zuccarelli said such a commitment is why he considers Quinn to be an asset to the community college, and why the school on Sunday presented Quinn with an honorary degree following his commencement speech.
“He doesn’t always say ‘yes,’ but he gives it to us straight,” Zuccarelli said of Quinn. “That is why he will have our support in the future.”
Vowing to ensure there will be “no shenanigans” with a state charter-school grant, Gov. Pat Quinn on Saturday defended his decision to restore funding to the politically influential United Neighborhood Organization.
Quinn had cut off UNO’s $98 million grant six weeks ago, after the Chicago Sun-Times reported $8.5 million in taxpayer money given to UNO went to companies owned by two brothers of the group’s No. 2 executive. But a day after his aides said the grant suspension will be lifted, Quinn said his about-face doesn’t mean he condones the money going to UNO insiders. […]
Juan Rangel, UNO’s chief executive officer, has apologized for the scandal and announced the appointment of new directors for the Hispanic community group and its 13-school charter network. Quinn’s decision to give UNO another chance came after Ald. Edward Burke (14th) — a major Quinn campaign donor — backed Rangel and urged the governor to restore the state funding.
Cook County Commissioner Jesus Garcia (D-Chicago) said Quinn shouldn’t have done that unless Rangel resigned or was removed from his $250,000-a-year post.
Commissioner Garcia is a longtime antagonist of Rangel and the old HDO, who ousted him from the Illinois Senate.
“Well as you now, I’m seriously considering running for governor, but at the same time, I’m also full time the attorney general of the state of Illinois and there’s a lot of work to be done,” said Madigan after being awarded an honorary degree at the Knox College commencement ceremony.
During her brief remarks on the subject, the longest-tenured female attorney general in the country sounded very much like a candidate for higher office, rattling off a string of accomplishments from the past 12 months.
“I’m very proud of the fact over the past year, we brought in over $1.1 billion to the state in collections. In addition, we were also able in the past year to bring in over $1.8 billion of relief to homeowners in the state. So there’s a lot of very important work going on at the office. That is the first and foremost priority,” she said.
* On the other side, Bruce Rauner is running a new Web ad on conservative sites like Fox and Drudge…
The deputy director for the Illinois Department of Corrections’ southern district has resigned following investigations of sexual harassment.
Ty J. Bates, who had been a deputy director since 2011, resigned Friday, according to Illinois Department of Corrections spokesman Tom Shaer.
Shaer said Bates was at the center of two recent investigations. He declined to release details, saying internal personnel matters aren’t discussed publicly.
The results of the investigations showed that Bates violated corrections sexual harassment policies related to communications, but it wasn’t enough to pursue legal charges. Bates resigned after his disciplinary action, which included suspension and employee training, was announced.
In late 2012, then state Sen. John O. Jones called for Bates’ resignation after a 2007 investigation was publicized that found Bates, who was then an assistant warden at Centralia Correctional Center, had violated agency policies regarding sexual harassment and discrimination regarding a female corrections officer. The investigation also found Bates lied to investigators, who recommended discipline for Bates up to and including dismissal.
Rather than being dismissed, however, Bates was promoted to warden at Big Muddy Correctional Center and 10 months later was promoted to deputy director of IDOC’s southern region. It was in his capacity as deputy director that Bates encountered the female corrections officer to whom he sent the April text messages that among other things asked to see the results of the woman’s breast augmentation surgery.
Bates is being replaced by Shannis Stock who has been named IDOC Acting Deputy Director, Southern Region. Stock has been Warden at Southwestern Illinois C.C. since 2011, and as Acting Deputy Director, she will oversee all IDOC facilities in the Southern Region and will report directly to Director Godinez.
* From the Illinois Department of Corrections…
Not only was a thorough investigation immediately conducted by the Illinois Department of Corrections Chief Affirmative Action Officer, but Illinois Department of Corrections Director S.A. “Tony” Godinez also ordered the Department’s Chief of Investigations and Intelligence to fully investigate the allegations against Deputy Director Ty Bates.
Upon completion of both investigations, it was determined that Deputy Director Bates’ communications had violated IDOC policies and, while not rising to the level of legal sexual harassment, they did meet the Department’s definition of such harassment. Accordingly, appropriate discipline has been imposed on Deputy Director Bates, including suspension and again completing mandatory employee training. Also, he has verified the re-reading of IDOC policies on future communication with the complainant regarding this topic. Further action is being considered.
“We have zero tolerance for any violation of our policies and are committed to strict enforcement of them,” said Director Godinez. “No one is exempt, whether they are in management or not. Proper conduct in the workplace and toward fellow employees and, really, everyone we encounter is of tremendous importance to this department and to my team. We have taken appropriate action here, as we should.”
* The release was also accompanied by this statement from the IDOC spokesman…
In Sending you this release, I’m also saying (as Tom Shaer) on the record:
1.) “I confirm Ty Bates’ resignation as IDOC Deputy Director, Southern Region”
2.) “ALL actions taken since the IDOC began two thorough investigations nearly two months ago were taken only because they were the right by and for all involved. Nothing –nothing- was due to anything said by anyone or what happened elsewhere.”
3.) “We didn’t discuss internal personnel matters publicly but the investigations proceeded unimpeded. That was as instructed by IDOC Director Godinez, who, as you know, reports to Governor Quinn.”
There’s more than enough blame to go around regarding the failure of the gay marriage bill during the final days of the General Assembly’s spring session, which ended May 31st.
Gov. Pat Quinn knew that African-American House members were reluctant to support the bill, mainly because of pressure from their churches. So, why did he pick a nasty fight with the Black Caucus over Medicaid? Quinn was offering projects to Republican legislators to entice them to flip, but Quinn couldn’t find a few million Medicaid dollars to help poor people get wheelchairs and preventative dental care? That late session fight over Medicaid spending was counterproductive. Instead of using the disagreement to his advantage, Quinn dug in his heels and so did the Black Caucus, which also initially refused to support a gay rights measure several years ago after being cut out of a gaming expansion bill.
Senate President John Cullerton said he didn’t regret passing the gay marriage bill out of his chamber in mid-February, before the House votes were lined up. Back then, the House roll call was reportedly in the 40s (60 votes needed to pass). Usually, proponents try to wire these things so they pass both chambers quickly. Cullerton said he feared opponents would begin gearing up and believed the bill needed to be passed as quickly as possible. But passing that bill without first making sure the House was ready to deal with it energized opponents and gave them time to organize.
Proponents say the House roll call moved into the 50s by March. But instead of working it hard at that point, House Speaker Michael Madigan appeared to put off a vote. Madigan did the same with several other bills this spring, including the fracking proposal. The idea was to wait on stuff that looked like it could pass easily and get the truly hard stuff done first, like the budget, pension reform and concealed carry. Those bills absolutely had to be passed, so giving out goodies to his various factions early in the game would, the theory went, reduce the willingness of proponent legislators to work on the tough stuff. But, the opposition geared up and by the time Madigan revisited the issue in late May, the roll call was already sliding backwards. By May 29th, when a majority of the Black Caucus decided it wanted to wait until November to vote on the bill, the roll call reportedly fell to just 52 “Yes” votes. It couldn’t be salvaged. Madigan’s strategy failed.
The proponents themselves need to reexamine their entire, failed strategy. They pushed for an early Senate vote, then didn’t adequately respond to the growing opposition from black churches. The response playbook was written almost a quarter century ago. During the 1990 gubernatorial race, Republican Jim Edgar targeted black church leaders, believing he could hold down the black Democratic vote that way. It worked. Big companies like ComEd and Illinois Bell saw how effective Edgar was and began using black churches to make their legislative cases. Their Statehouse influence took off like a rocket.
ComEd and Illinois Bell also began hiring black lobbyists at about the same time. There weren’t many back then, so hiring those folks gave them a huge advantage with African-American legislators. The gay marriage proponents had just one black lobbyist on their payroll, and he’s affiliated with the Senate. They didn’t bother to hire any House-affiliated black lobbyists until the afternoon of May 30th, when it was way too late. An inexcusable blunder.
Some proponents have slammed the bill’s House sponsor for not calling a floor vote. But that’s simply ludicrous. Big bills like this tend to fail badly if they don’t zoom up to 60 on the tally board. The final total would’ve almost surely been in the low 40s, meaning it would’ve died in its tracks. It also could’ve exposed a few “hidden” votes. Either that, or those secret proponents would’ve had to vote against the bill, making it that much harder to turn them around the next time.
As mentioned above, the House Black Caucus wants to wait until November for a vote, but November is near the end of House candidate filing season. A November vote means many already nervous legislators might guarantee themselves primary opposition. So, if it doesn’t pass this summer in a special session, it’ll probably have to wait until after the 2014 primary.
* Meanwhile, Think Progress has a piece that puts the issue into a bit of perspective…
Like Illinois, legislative efforts to pass marriage equality stumbled in Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York — either failing to obtain a majority or by through postponed consideration. Future attempts to enact legislation later succeeded in three of those states, while the New Jersey legislature’s passage of a bill was met with a Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) veto. As Illinois supporters work to win passage of the bill later this year, ThinkProgress reached out to key players in each of those states and asked them about their experiences.
Three common themes emerged in their responses. Several said Illinois supporters need to make sure they have an accurate target list and focus on the lawmakers who need persuading. Constituents, they suggested, must respectfully tell their personal stories to their legislators and make their representatives understand why this issue matters to their families. Finally, the openly LGBT caucus within the legislature must appeal personally and emotionally to their colleagues, especially those who may not be as attuned to the topic.
Maryland
Perhaps the most analogous case was Maryland’s unsuccessful 2011 attempt to pass a civil marriage bill through the state House of Delegates. Though advocates believed they had the needed votes to pass the bill, they were forced to postpone the vote after some pledged supporters wavered. Unlike Illinois, supporters went through with the debate — hoping their compelling personal stories might sway the handful of votes needed for a majority — before sending the bill back to committee after it became apparent the votes would not be there. Advocates, including Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), the state’s seven openly LGBT Delegates, and LGBT groups, organized a new campaign and successfully pushed the bill through less than a year later. When opponents forced the question onto the November ballot, a majority voted for marriage equality.
Openly lesbian Maryland Del. Heather Mizeur (D) noted that about 10 supporters were willing to be a part of a 71-vote majority but would have voted against the bill if it appeared likely to lose. “It would not have been okay to lose by 12 votes and try to come back the next year to win those back. We wanted to hold onto their willingness to be yes on a winning vote, instead of locking them into a no vote because they saw it was going down,” she recalled. [Emphasis added.]
Notice the emphasized text. Gov. Quinn’s oft-stated demand that a vote should be held regardless was just plain silly.
* Related…
* Lisa Madigan predicts gay marriage “one day” will be legal in Illinois: “As you know it passed out of the Senate, but they never had enough votes to call it for a vote in the House. I’ve spent a lot of time lobbying a lot of members of the Legislature on that bill in addition to writing an op-ed and speaking out in favor of gay marriage as well as intervening in the two court challenges that are happening both at the federal level and here at the state level,” she said following commencement ceremonies at Knox College Saturday.
* I don’t wanna be paranoid and suggest the Tribune editorial board is talking about some of y’all today, but I certainly don’t disagree with its observation about Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner…
Rauner strikes fear, and thus anger, among public employees and others who benefit from gridlock: Mention his name on a political blog and watch foaming commenters scurry to denounce his call for dramatic changes to public pensions.
* But public workers aren’t the only people who are skeptical of Rauner. Former Gov. Jim Edgar…
Of Rauner, Edgar said: “We don’t know a lot about him,” adding that transitioning from business to government is a challenge.
“It doesn’t do any good to elect a governor if they can’t make the state a better place,” he said.
* If you have the time and inclination, here’s the video of last night’s panel discussion “The Two States of Illinois” featuring myself, Jim Edgar and Randy Blankenhorn. The moderator was Chris Mooney. Have a look…
UIS Political Studies Professor Kent Redfield agrees unity will be key, no matter how many Republicans run.
“They need to not destroy each other in the primary,” Redfield said. “You don’t need a rerun of what the GOP did to themselves nominating Mitt Romney in last presidential election. Whoever wins needs to come out of that with the ability to move to the center.”
Nobody much laid a glove on Bill Brady in 2010, mainly because hardly anybody thought he could win the primary until the end. Topinka got banged up a lot in ‘06, as did Jim Ryan in ‘02. The candidates have to be tough, of course, but they also need to draw a line someplace.
The Illinois General Assembly sent Gov. Pat Quinn a concealed carry of firearms bill that embodies the art of compromise. In other words, nobody likes it.
Pro-gun groups say the bill is too restrictive. They say it carves out so many places you can’t carry a concealed weapon that it neuters the ability of law-abiding citizens to adequately protect themselves.
Gun control advocates say the bill is too loose. They say it doesn’t give law enforcement enough discretion to deny concealed carry permits.
We’re not crazy about the bill, either. We would have preferred a law modeled after New York’s, which empowers local law enforcement to approve concealed carry permits only when applicants show they have a need for extra protection.
That concept didn’t get much traction in the Illinois General Assembly. Lawmakers sent Quinn a bill that incorporates the wish lists of pro-gun groups and gun control advocates, including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Quinn could veto the bill or attempt to rewrite it. We advise him to sign it.
* An e-mailed response from a longtime reader and subscriber…
If I can, allow me to pile on the Tribune Editorial Board for a moment. Did you catch their piece today praising the concealed carry legislation? They called it a “bill that embodies the art of compromise.”
Yes, these are the same rabidly anti-compromise folks who have trashed John Cullerton at every turn for trying to find some middle ground on pension reform. Which is it, Tribsters…should the General Assembly and governor dig their heals in and demand the best bill possible, or should they acknowledge an impasse and negotiate a bill that is far from perfect, but better than doing nothing?
On one issue, compromise is a political art form. On the other issue, compromise is a nearly impeachable surrender of legislative and executive responsibility. Unfreakingbelievable.
Indeed, the same day the Trib praised a legislative compromise on guns, they again trashed Cullerton for refusing to “cave” to Speaker Madigan on pensions.
Last summer the Chicago City Council passed a law that allowed police to issue tickets instead of booking and locking up marijuana possessors. Supporters said it would reduce costs and keep low-level users out of the criminal justice system. “This is just a no-brainer,” Alderman Danny Solis, the chief sponsor, said at the time.
But the law hasn’t worked the way Solis hoped. Police have concluded that the ticketing process is a pain in the butt and doesn’t send a strong enough message in tough neighborhoods. So they rarely use it, issuing just 17 citations a week citywide.
Meanwhile, the arrests keep coming. In the ten months since the law was passed, police have made more than 12,000 arrests for misdemeanor possession, 76 percent of them in black wards, according to police data.
That’s an average of 281 arrests a week, or more than 40 a day. They’ve consumed 97,000 police hours and at least $30.2 million in court costs.
Police officials say they enforce the laws to protect public safety. Solis says he’d like some more answers. He promises to hold a hearing in the coming weeks to revisit the issue with police superintendent Garry McCarthy.
Former White House Chief-of-Staff Bill Daley has a history of flirting with running for governor and U.S. senator only to back off in the end, but he said Thursday he’s “not teasing this time.”
hey
Daley said he’s seriously considering the race–and promising a final decision within a week–because of the Il. General Assembly’s stunning failure to address the state’s $100 billlion pension crisis.
“I’m not teasing this time…I’ve looked at this in a serious way over the last number of months. But, after the debacle Friday, as a Democrat, I look at this and say, `What is going on here?’…This is beyond the pale,” Daley said Thursday.
“The governor is a good, decent honest man. After the Blagojevich fiasco, his honesty is what was needed, obviously. But, we also need to get things done. And that’s what’s been lacking.”
Regardless of what he does, far too many people believe that Daley somehow has an inside track into what Attorney General Lisa Madigan is planning to do, or not do. That’s almost undoubtedly not true. The South Side Irish are allies, but they never over share. We’ll know more from AG Madigan sometime after July 4th, I’m told. And as of today I’m still standing by my original estimate of the chances of her running.
Anyway…
* The Question: Do you think Bill Daley will announce for governor next week? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
* The only way that House Speaker Michael Madigan is going to budge off his hardened pension reform position is if his Democratic caucus members demand that he do so. This is the first such public demand. Many, many more are needed, both publicly and privately, before Madigan will even begin to rethink his strategy. From a press release sent out by Rep. Rob Martwick (D-Chicago)…
“It was a failure of our political leaders that led us to adjourn without a solution to our problem,” Martwick said. “The problem must be addressed, and it must be done quickly. The issue cannot wait any longer.”
“The growing pension crisis has resulted in a downgrade of our bond rating, already the lowest in the nation. I believe that President Cullerton’s SB 2404 is the best solution to this problem. I urge the leadership to call this bill for a vote in the House. It is a responsible plan that was negotiated in good faith and takes into consideration the fact that the employees are not to blame yet will bear the brunt of the solution.”
Martwick also called on Governor Quinn to finally engage in the process. “Despite his recent statements, Governor Quinn has been completely absent during this process and it’s time for him to get involved. I’m calling on the governor to support President Cullerton’s bill and commit to signing it, as this is the bill that the elected representatives of the people want. If not, he should be prepared to present his own plan, something he has failed to do so far.”
Again, if nobody else stands up, Madigan won’t back down. The unions need to stop messing around with silly Springfield TV ads that nobody is watching and start focusing on using their lobbyists to personally encourage House Democratic members to call their Speaker.
I, Governor Pat Quinn, hereby call and convene the 98th General Assembly in a special session to commence on June 19, 2013, at 1:00 pm, for the purpose of considering any legislation, new or pending, which addresses pension reform.
* If true, this situation just cannot be tolerated. I’m glad the prison is closed after reading these stats, but it ought to go without saying that the assaults by staff on juvenile inmates are absolutely unacceptable. Heads really need to roll…
Nearly one in five inmates at a now-defunct Joliet, Ill., youth prison reported being victims of sexual assault, one of the highest rates of any youth detention center in the country, according to a report released Thursday morning by the U.S. Department of Justice.
In survey results published Thursday, 21 percent of inmates at Illinois Youth Center-Joliet, a high-security juvenile detention center that was closed this year in a cost-cutting move by Gov. Pat Quinn, reported they had been sexually assaulted by other inmates or had sexual contact with a staff member.
That percentage was more than double the national average of just under 10 percent, according to the report, “Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth.”
Overall, the rate of sexual victimization of Illinois youth prisons was more than 15 percent, higher than all but four other states.
Most of the respondents said the sexual contact was with staff of the facility, with only 2 percent reporting unwanted sexual contact with other inmates.
Absolutely, totally disgusting.
* Speaking of intolerable situations, IDOC Deputy Director Ty Bates has once again been accused of sexual harassment. After the last incident, Bates was promoted to his current position as Deputy Director of IDOC’s Southern Region. According to WILY Radio, he is reportedly Gov. Pat Quinn’s southern Illinois campaign coordinator.
*** UPDATE *** The governor’s office denies that Bates is the southern Illinois campaign coordinator. “That is 100 percent false,” was the quote.
The reported messages allegedly started the afternoon of April 3, 2013, with Bates sending the R/O a message from his “personal, private cell phone number.”
In that message, he reportedly told the R/O she is “very shy” and he didn’t remember her being that shy. Later that same day, he allegedly messaged her saying he would be in the town of her facility the next night and offered to buy her a drink if she would be willing to pick him up, as he would be in his state issued vehicle. She reportedly declined, but Bates allegedly responded with, “If memory serves me right you bought yourself a new set of boobs?”
After she confirmed his question, he reportedly responded that he couldn’t tell with her uniform and said, “I wouldn’t mind seeing them to see if they’re perfect.” She reportedly did not respond. […]
The final string of text messages were reportedly not sent until April 8, 2013, with Bates reportedly messaging the R/O that she looked good in yellow, and the R/O responding “spring colors.”
Bates then allegedly inquired if the R/O was wearing spring colors “underneath,” ultimately following with, “I’d like to see what’s underneath.”
The R/O reportedly returned to her normal duty station eight days later.
* Senate President Pro Tempore Don Harmon has had to take some votes this year that might not match up well with his very liberal Oak Park-based district. However, he did introduce this constitutional amendment on the last day of session…
Proposes to amend the Revenue Article of the Illinois Constitution. Removes a provision that provides that a tax on income shall be measured at a non-graduated rate. Provides that there may be one tax on the income of individuals and corporations, that this may be a fair tax where lower rates apply to lower income levels and higher rates apply to higher income levels, and that no government other than the State may impose a tax on or measured by income. Effective upon being declared adopted.
[NOTE: I linked to an earlier version of the proposal. The above is now the correct one. Sorry.]
State Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat and a top member of his party’s leadership team, is behind the proposed amendment in the Illinois Senate. He says as the state’s 2011 income tax hike is set to expire, it’s inevitable that lawmakers will be talking taxes soon.
“I think we have to build momentum,” Harmon said. “It will inevitably be part of the debate.”
* Several Democratic House members introduced their own progressive income tax proposal on May 31st…
Proposes to amend the Revenue Article of the Illinois Constitution. Removes a provision that provides that a tax on income shall be measured at a non-graduated rate. Provides that there may be one tax on the income of individuals and corporations, that this may be a fair tax where lower rates apply to lower income levels and higher rates apply to higher income levels, and that no government other than the State may impose a tax on or measured by income. Effective upon being declared adopted.
State Rep. David McSweeney, a Barrington Hills Republican, has amassed 46 opponents to a graduated income tax in the Illinois House, two short of the number he needs to eventually block it. He says he’s still looking for two more.
“I’m going to work it nonstop,” McSweeney said.
The battle over taxes could be the biggest budget challenge lawmakers face next year, perhaps bigger than the ongoing pensions battle. The income tax hike is set to expire in January 2015, halfway through the state’s budget year.
My own opinion is that they could probably pass this in the Senate, but the prospects in the House may be dim. As usual, Speaker Madigan is gonna want some Republican votes, and those probably don’t yet exist.
…Adding… It’s not clear from the DH story posted above, but Rep. McSweeney has a House resolution opposing a graduated income tax, HR 241. It has 46 co-sponsors…
States the belief that the Illinois Constitution should not be amended to permit a graduated income tax.
First, he doesn’t appear any closer to a deal with House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) than he was when lawmakers adjourned for the summer last Friday.
And, compared to last week, a higher voting threshold is necessary in the House and Senate to get anything to the governor’s desk, meaning a much harder legislative lift to pass anything.
On top of those points, history is no friend of the governor when it comes to special sessions. This marks the second time in less than a year Quinn has ordered a special session in a bid to break the impasse on pension reform. The last one accomplished nothing.
“I would say he tried that last year, and it didn’t work. I’d suggest he seriously, seriously consider the drawing board before he invites us back to Springfield,” said House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago). “It’s a risky play for him unless he’s pretty sure he’s got a solid agreement and therefore some solid votes.” […]
Last August, Quinn also ordered legislators back to Springfield for a special session, but that only resulted in both legislative chambers briefly gaveling in and gaveling out with no action taken.
This order carries the added risk of highlighting Quinn’s ineffectiveness in working the levers of power at the Statehouse with the 2014 campaign cycle beginning and his own re-election bid facing possible challenges from Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan and former White House Chief of Staff William Daley.
The odds are stacked against success on June 19 because under the Illinois Constitution, both chambers will have to approve pension legislation by a three-fifths vote in each chamber to get anything to the governor’s desk in order for it to take effect immediately. Otherwise, anything passed with a simple majority vote in chamber would have to wait until next June 1 to take effect.
* Related…
* Quinn calls special legislative session for June 19: Last week, aides signaled that Quinn was leaning away from a special session after its experience last August. The governor called lawmakers into session on pensions during State Fair week, only to see them adjourn without action. Quinn’s predecessor Rod Blagojevich made a habit of calling special sessions on the budget that lawmakers eventually tuned out altogether.
* Quinn calls pension session after credit downgrade: “Moody’s provides more damning evidence that we can’t afford a continual stalemate on pensions,” Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said. “It’s time to identify a reasonable compromise.”
* Tribune Editorial: We hope Standard & Poor’s latest warning brings Mr. Cullerton to his senses
* Sen. Kirk Dillard has been counting on people like Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman to back his second gubernatorial bid. But rich guys tend to stick with other rich guys, so Dillard missed out…
Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman announced a personal endorsement of venture capitalist Bruce Rauner one day after the GOP candidate entered the gubernatorial race.
The businessmen visited the Caterpillar site in East Peoria before holding a news conference in Two25 Restaurant in Peoria.
“I am here as an individual citizen and taxpayer. It has nothing to do with what I do in my day life or what I do for a living. This is a personal endorsement by Doug Oberhelman,” Oberhelman said.
Oberhelman lauded the political candidate for his high ethical standards, calling Rauner “absolutely incorruptible,” as well as praising his background of supporting education and as a breath of “fresh air” from career politicians.
Oberhelman had been on the Aaron Schock bandwagon because Schock is a local guy. But Schock dropped out, ironically after being pressured by anonymous attacks that many believe were funded by Rauner.
* Speaking of Peoria and Rauner, as mentioned above the new gubernatorial candidate held his first press conference yesterday since announcing his candidacy. He took questions from the local media, and, as you might expect, most of the questions were softballs. But he sounded far more conciliatory than he has in the past. For instance…
Q: As a political outsider, how do you plan on working with the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate in light of the gridlock in the last couple of weeks?
A: “Well, I’m a big believer in communication and close communication with everyone in a decision-making position. I look forward to working very closely with Speaker Madigan, President Cullerton, the legislative leaders throughout. We have many problems to solve, and I’ll try to take a collaborative approach. […]
Q: Gov. Pat Quinn has been criticized as being disengaged with the Legislature. How will you work with lawmakers?
A: “I would say Gov. Quinn has done an atrocious job of working with the Legislature. The governorship, again, is powerful, and the governor can lead the negotations and drive results because the governor has leverage points in negotiation that Quinn has never tried to take advantage of.
As he announced his run for governor or this week, venture capitalist Bruce Rauner said the best way to deal with the same-sex marriage question is by taking it out of the Legislature and putting the question to voters.
There’s a bit of a problem with going that route, gay rights activists say.
It would, in effect, do nothing.
“The only way there can be a ballot initiative is an advisory referendum, which would not be binding,” said Camilla Taylor, senior staff attorney with Lambda Legal, which has been in the thick of the legal and legislative battles to legalize same sex marriage. “It’s simply a statement of desire on the part of the voters for the Legislature to do something.”
Which puts the matter right back in the Legislature’s ball park.
There is a way to amend the constitution. That too, requires action by the General Assembly.
“The only way to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot is by passing both houses with a 3/5 majority,” Taylor said. If that passed both houses by a supermajority it then would go to voters.
* ABC7’s I-Team has a perhaps unintentionally hilarious story about tracking down House Speaker Michael Madigan. I heard late yesterday morning that the Speaker was back in his ward office, and apparently Chuck Goudie did as well. So Goudie and the I-Team got all sleuthed up and headed to the Southwest Side. Check out the video...
American flags, bright flowers and perfectly manicured greenery surround the Madigan home here on the Southwest Side.
This afternoon, speaker Madigan and his wife drove up in separate cars- the speaker surfacing for the first time since last weekend when the general assembly recessed for summer vacation without solving the state’s financial crisis.
When he pulled up in front of his house to pick up his wife, ABC7’s Chuck Goudie wanted to ask Mr. Madigan about the Illinois pension debacle and other unfinished legislative business. Mr. Madigan declined and left briskly, even leaving his wife behind in the garage.
Madigan apparently not interested in addressing the state’s credit rating that at that very moment was being lowered by Moody’s. […]
Speaker Madigan retreated a few blocks to his precinct office. When we arrived here, staffers refused to answer the door, even though they could be seen scurrying behind glass and heard on the phone asking for direction.
During the two hours we were in the hallway, constituents showed looking for help and they got the same treatment. No one let them in. A pregnant woman and her son rang the bell for a half hour and the youngster banged on the glass. But they were all ignored by Mr. Madigan and his staff who were inside.
One staffer left with his head covered, another was deployed to the parking lot and could be heard signaling that “the coast is clear.”
Speaker of the House Michael Madigan came down the rear stairs to a waiting car that kicked up a little gravel and he left.
* The optics of Madigan’s “disappearance” have been absolutely horrible. It’s hurt his pension reform push and is spilling over into the governor’s race. Of course, no matter what he does, this is all supposedly designed to help his daughter. But if it is, he’s not helping her, he’s hurting her. Another ABC7 report…
“He’s calling the special session because he’s trying to look dynamic, trying to take control of the situation, but Mike Madigan really has all the power in the Illinois General Assembly. And he’s choosing for some reason not to use it right now,” said Laura Washington, ABC7 political analyst.
Leading some political observers to question whether the 2014 gubernatorial race is behind the pension impasse.
Tonight, while speaking at a gathering of lawyers, the speaker’s daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who’s mulling a run for governor, denied her father is trying to weaken Gov. Quinn to benefit her.
“There’s absolutely no credence to that. Everybody recognizes that the number one priority - not just this year but, truth be told, for the past several years - has been to resolve the pension crisis,” said Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General.
“She’s got a really big father problem. Now and later, she’s going to continue to have to deal with her father and the shadow of her father in everything she does going forward,” said Washington.
* The station also sat down for a friendly chat with the governor…
In an exclusive interview, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said he realized a special session would be necessary to address the $100 billion pension debt crisis last week.
Gov. Quinn called the special session on Thursday after Moody’s downgraded Illinois bonds. Lawmakers should report to work on June 19.
“There’s only one way to comprehensive public pension reform and that’s for the General Assembly to convene in Springfield, our state capitol, they’re going to be there on the 19th of this month and we’ve got to get this job done. The legislature has to do its job which is to put the bill on my desk so I can sign it into law,” Gov. Quinn said.
The governor wants the legislative leaders from both parties to work with him until the 19th to build consensus on pension reform. He says he talked to Republican leaders and Democratic Senate President John Cullerton, but has yet to speak with House Speaker Michael Madigan, who has not returned the governor’s phone calls.
“I left a message with his staff, top assistant. I left a message on his wife’s cellphone. I’m hoping to be talking very soon to Mike Madigan,” Gov. Quinn said.
Perhaps sensing an opportunity, former Obama Chief of Staff Bill Daley today sounded increasingly like a candidate for Governor, blaming the pension mess on the man he might want to replace.
“Legislators don’t forge the compromise. The governor has to forge the compromise,” said Daley.
