The reviews are in
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Kim Geiger…
Senate President John Cullerton stepped to the microphone Wednesday at the Thompson Center in the Loop and tried to play statesman in the Springfield stalemate, calling for a do-over on negotiations and suggesting that approving a budget is the most important task at the Capitol.
Before Cullerton had even finished, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s aides had fired off an email to reporters ripping the Northwest Side Democrat as a politician who wants to raise taxes and take Illinois backward. A visibly frustrated Cullerton, in turn, blasted Rauner, saying the first-year governor has missed the “nuanced” nature of governing and is stuck on campaign talking points.
“This is a supermajority of Democrats and a bunch of pro-union Republicans in this state,” Cullerton said. “This isn’t, you know, Oklahoma or Kansas. And so he’s got to understand, he ran for governor of Illinois.” […]
The continued bickering is another sign of how far apart Rauner and Democrats are, even as the new governor has tried to isolate Madigan as the only person standing in the way of a compromise. On Tuesday, Rauner told reporters that if he and Cullerton could negotiate a deal on their own, “we would have this done.”
Asked about that Wednesday, Cullerton said: “I don’t know what he’s talking about.”
* AP…
Rauner wants business-related reforms before a budget and largely blames Madigan for the impasse, saying he could negotiate better if only dealing with Cullerton.
But Cullerton dismissed that notion at a Chicago news conference Wednesday, saying Rauner isn’t negotiating with him.
* Greg Hinz…
Referring to the governor’s anti-union agenda, Cullerton declared that his state “is not Oklahoma. He’s got to understand, he was elected in Illinois.”
Another example: the president’s comment that the governor “has spent his time in office prioritizing a corporate agenda that will make his corporate supporters happy.”
* Finke…
Rauner has insisted that the legislature adopt his “reform” measures before he will discuss higher taxes to help balance the budget. They include workers compensation reform, limits on civil lawsuits, a property tax freeze, term limits and redistricting changes. Rauner has said lawmakers only need to pass a handful of bills to break the logjam.
“The handful of bills are pretty radical bills,” Cullerton said. “This anti-union agenda is just not supported not only by (Democrats), but by a number of (Republicans). He seems to be unaware of the fact we passed a major workers compensation bill four years ago.”
Cullerton said he is still willing to work with Rauner on components of his reform agenda. He said he last met with the governor two weeks ago.
* Mark Brown…
Senate President John Cullerton, who would like to be seen as the reasonable man in the state budget battles, suggested Wednesday that Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislators go back to square one and start over.
“His plan is dead. Our plan is dead. Let’s acknowledge that and start moving forward,” Cullerton said.
Cullerton’s overture was promptly rejected by the governor’s office as more of the same from Democrats, so promptly in fact that Cullerton had yet to finish speaking before Rauner’s dismissive response landed in the inboxes of reporters covering the event.
Cullerton appeared surprised but undeterred by the rapid rebuff of his suggestion that Rauner submit a new budget — with the proviso the governor actually make sure it is a balanced budget this time.
Admittedly, this wasn’t a particularly helpful approach, because Rauner has always pretended his budget WAS balanced. Starting over would require the governor to be truthful, which isn’t his strong suit.
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The “solution” doesn’t fit the crimes
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Some Heritage Foundation folks insist in a Sun-Times op-ed that there is rampant vote fraud in the US. Some of their examples…
1. Kentucky
In eastern Kentucky, Ross Harris and Loren Glenn Turner funneled $41,000 to the 2002 county judgeship campaign of Doug Hays for what the defendants claimed was a lawful operation to pay more than 1,200 people $50 each to drive voters to the polls.
But a jury determined that this alleged vote-hauling program was just a disguise for what was in reality a vote-buying scheme. The punishment reflected the severity of the fraud: Hays was sentenced to six months behind bars, and Harris was hit with a $100,000 fine.
2. Mississippi
Not to be outdone, William Greg Eason of Tallahatchie County, Mississippi bribed voters with beer and money to cast fraudulent absentee ballots for a district supervisor candidate in a 2003 run-off election. A jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to two years in prison. […]
5. Iowa
Martia Yvonne Phillips and eight others in Iowa pleaded guilty to voting in the 2008 election despite being convicted felons who had not had their voting rights restored. She was subsequently sentenced to five years in prison, a sentence that was suspended to two years’ probation.
They provide a few other similar examples.
* Their solution…
That is why it is important for state legislatures to enact commonsense legislation designed to combat voter fraud before it can distort an electoral result. Voter ID laws — which many liberals love to criticize, but which a majority of Americans across ideological lines support — are an answer to many types of voter fraud, including fraudulent use of absentee ballots.
But other measures are also needed, such as requiring proof of citizenship to register and verification of the accuracy of voter registration information.
I don’t know how the vote-buying cases listed above would’ve been prevented by any of these so-called reforms.
The absentee fraud in the Mississippi case, for instance, was about how duly registered voters were told to lie about being out of town on election day and then were given a few beers for their troubles. An ID is gonna prevent that? C’mon, man.
And are governments supposed to do a criminal background check before issuing all voter ID cards? Any idea what that could cost?
Plus, they’ve documented less than 250 cases going back 15 years. And most of those cases had zero to do with their proposed reforms.
Back to the spinning wheel, kids.
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The story changes again
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno (ruh-DOHN’-yoh) says the budget stalemate could be easily resolved with Democratic engagement on reform issues, not another document.
She spoke to reporters Wednesday after Senate President John Cullerton called on Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to submit a new budget for the July 1 fiscal year after he rejected most of what legislative Democrats sent him. Cullerton says it’s time to press the “reset button.”
But Radogno says Democrats haven’t been willing to negotiate. She says there can’t be a “reset” on the budget if Democrats haven’t “moved an inch.”
Wait, how does she know they haven’t moved an inch if Rauner hasn’t even met with the leaders in two weeks?
* Also, the governor himself just said this yesterday…
At a Springfield press conference, the governor said the budget would have been done by now if he were working solely with Senate President John Cullerton and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
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Today’s bipartisan agreement
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. David Harris (R-Arlington Heights) on the House floor yesterday…
“We ought to slap (Donald Trump’s) ass in a fighter jet, send him up over enemy territory, have him get shot down, spend five and a half years in the Hanoi Hilton (while) suffering deprivation, suffering torture and let him find out what it is to be a hero.”
* Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) on the House floor yesterday…
“I just want people to know that I hate Donald Trump.”
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Korecki…
It’s clear that former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his legal team believed that after an 18-month wait, an appellate court ruling on his case would not only bring good news — but could even bring Blagojevich home.
Instead, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a decision that on the one hand threw out Blagojevich’s 14-year prison sentence, but on the other, suggested that if he’s sentenced to that term again, they’d uphold it.
The 23-page ruling at one point even suggested that prosecutors had the right to ask for more prison time for the former governor. […]
“He’s going to get a sentence reduction in my opinion,” said Chicago defense attorney Ed Genson. “It’s just logical. He’s been in a long time. The braggadocio isn’t there, he’s very humble from what I see. . . . If they really wanted to give him the same time, they should retry him. Therefore, I think there’s a justification in reducing the sentence.”
* The Question: Should time be knocked off Blagojevich’s sentence? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please, including what amount of reduction, if any, should happen.
survey solution
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* Lance Trover…
“President Cullerton made clear today that his view of a balanced budget is a budget that makes no spending reforms, no pension reform and only raises taxes. Rather than moving our state backward to the failed tax-and-spend policies of the past, we urge President Cullerton to work with us to pass meaningful structural reforms to change the fiscal trajectory of our state.”
This was sent out before Cullerton even finished speaking to reporters, by the way.
And Cullerton did say that he would work with the governor on structural reforms. What he suggested was that the governor finally introduce a balanced budget so they could get moving. Perhaps disingenuous, I agree, but this statement was truly unhelpful.
…Adding… “We’re not calling for a tax increase,” Cullerton said when told that the governor had sent out a statement while he was talking with the media, adding that he simply wanted the governor to send them a balanced budget. He repeated that he wants to work with the governor on the property tax freeze, workers’ comp, etc.
…Adding More… Cullerton said Rauner was “totally unaware” of the workers’ comp bills that had been passed. He also claimed the governor didn’t know about the report released by his own workers’ comp commission which showed progress was being made on costs.
…Adding Still More… From yesterday…
Weeks into the budget impasse, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday said the whole mess would be solved if not for one powerful man: Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
At a Springfield press conference, the governor said the budget would have been done by now if he were working solely with Senate President John Cullerton and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
“We would have this done,” Rauner said, adding: “The speaker doesn’t want to deal with it right now.”
So, either the governor was flat wrong yesterday about Cullerton, or he went out of his way today to sabotage whatever relationship he had with Cullerton.
…Adding Still Still More… Cullerton’s spokesperson Rikeesha Phelon reacts to Gov. Rauner’s apparent flip-flop from yesterday…
Oh. Now I’m sad. I thought we were friends. Bummer.
In my mind, this was a big mistake by Rauner because it totally undercuts a message he’s been trying to build for weeks. We’ll see if the Chicago media can actually comprehend this.
…And Adding Even More… Cullerton’s full remarks…
* Press release…
Senate President John J. Cullerton today called on Gov. Bruce Rauner to reset the budget process by submitting a new balanced budget plan that can end the state’s immediate fiscal crisis.
Three weeks into the new fiscal year, neither the governor’s original plan nor the budget passed by the General Assembly is law. Cullerton called on the governor and members of his party to acknowledge that both plans are dead and that it’s time to reset and move toward a real resolution.
“The budget process traditionally starts with the governor submitting a balanced plan that allows the legislature to review and respond appropriately – something that Governor Rauner never did,” President Cullerton said. “He now has an opportunity to restart negotiations by submitting a new plan to the General Assembly. That balanced plan should reflect the budgetary lessons we’ve learned the past few months.”
Rauner’s budget balancing task may be simpler this time around given the fact that $23.5 billion of state spending is already in motion. That leaves $15 billion in anticipated costs left to budget. That responsibility, however, is balanced against revenue projections that give the governor only $10 billion to spend.
President Cullerton encouraged the governor to focus on priorities outlined by credit rating agencies rather than a corporate class agenda that doesn’t address the current budget crisis and hurts the middle class. Credit rating agencies have made it clear that we must address our structural deficit, pass constitutional pension reform and lower the backlog of bills to change Illinois’ status as the state with the lowest credit ratings in the country.
“The governor has spent all of his time in office prioritizing an agenda that will satisfy the corporate class. While some of those ideas are worthy of debate, he has been unable to provide one shred of evidence that his agenda adds one cent to the ledger for our budget crisis in the short term or elevates our credit rankings in the long term,” Cullerton said.
President Cullerton remains hopeful that the governor will accept this challenge and that a budget resolution can be reached before Aug. 4, when the Senate is scheduled to return to Springfield.
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Fitzgerald’s bank does bigtime political biz
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If you’ve ever wondered what former state and US Senator Peter Fitzgerald is up to these days, well, now you know…
Chain Bridge Bank’s single location is next to a wine store and a café on the ground floor of a luxury condo building in suburban McLean, Va., about a half-hour outside downtown Washington. It looks like any small-town bank. Tellers keep bowls of candy at their windows, and staff members talk to customers about no-fee checking accounts. But right now, Chain Bridge, which has about 40 employees, is responsible for more of the hundreds of millions of dollars flooding into the 2016 presidential race than any other bank in the country.
According to the most recent Federal Election Commission filings, Chain Bridge is the sole bank serving Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign, which reported raising $11.4 million as of June 30, and his allied super-PAC, Right to Rise, which says it’s raised $103 million so far. Donald Trump’s campaign banks at Chain Bridge, and it’s listed as the primary financial institution for the campaigns of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and former Texas Governor Rick Perry. It’s also the only bank used by super-PACs supporting neurosurgeon and author Ben Carson, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, former technology executive Carly Fiorina, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, all Republicans.
Founded in 2007, Chain Bridge served John McCain’s presidential campaign in 2008 and Mitt Romney’s in 2012. House Speaker John Boehner keeps fundraising accounts there; so does the Republican National Committee. It’s also served political action committees for Altria Group, the National Association of Convenience Stores, and the Outdoor Advertising Association of America. “The largest issue that we would always have with people is that they’d be like, ‘Why would we use this Podunk little bank in McLean, Virginia?’ ” says Bradley Crate, Romney’s 2012 chief financial officer. He routinely refers clients of his consulting firm Red Curve Solutions to the bank, including both Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Trump. Chain Bridge offers services tailored to the idiosyncrasies of campaigns, which deposit and then spend enormous sums quickly, with no credit history to lean on. “I know I can call my contacts at Chain Bridge Bank and have an account open in like 15 minutes,” Crate says. “If you go to a much larger bank, you have a bureaucracy you have to deal with.”
The bank requires employees to list cell phone numbers on their business cards so clients can reach them after hours. It will greenlight credit cards immediately for campaign staffers scattered across the country without waiting for credit checks, and it will let campaigns make large wire transfers as soon as their accounts are open. It will also send and receive wire transfers until the Federal Reserve window closes, usually around 5 p.m.—more than two hours later than most banks. That extra time can make a difference. “If you’re a presidential campaign and you need to be up on the air in Iowa tonight, then you need your wire to go to television stations in Des Moines this afternoon,” says Peter Fitzgerald, the bank’s founder and chairman. “That’s a big deal for campaigns.”
Go read the whole thing.
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Comptroller: Legislators will get raises
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Finke…
Rauner on Tuesday again complained that lawmakers are in line for a pay raise while the budget impasse continues. Lawmakers are entitled to an automatic cost of living adjustment, although they have voted to reject it in recent years.
The raise this year is 2 percent, which will increase their annual pay by $1,300 at least. Lawmakers make a base salary of $67,836, although most earn more because they hold top committee or leadership posts.
“If they are going to take a $1,300 pay hike for themselves, they should start earning that pay,” Rauner said. […]
“The governor is attempting to divert attention away from solutions to the problem of the budget,” Madigan said, noting that the budget sent to the governor did not include money for the raises.
* AP…
Madigan says the spending plan approved by the General Assembly that Rauner vetoed in June did not appropriate money for the raises.
He said he couldn’t answer whether the raises will take effect even though there was no action to nix them.
OK, well this shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out.
I checked with the comptroller’s office this morning and was told that Comptroller Munger “regrettably” will be including the raises in upcoming legislative paychecks because of the law passed last year that makes legislative salaries a continuing appropriation.
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On logrolling
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Greg Hinz…
The good news for Blagojevich—and, frankly, for politicians everywhere—is that horse-trading, the exchange of one government favor for another, not only is not illegal but is at the core of how democratic government works.
“A proposal to trade one public act for another, a form of log-rolling, is fundamentally unlike the swap of an official act for a private placement,” the three-judge panel ruled. “Political log-rolling has never before been condemned as extortion.” […]
“A proposal to appoint a particular person to one office (say, the cabinet) in exchange for some else’s promise to appoint a different office (say, the Senate) is a common exercise in log-rolling,” the decision states. “We asked the prosecutor at oral argument if, before this case, log-rolling had been the basis of a criminal conviction in the history of the United States. Counsel was unaware of any earlier conviction for an exchange of political favors.” […]
Adds the decision, “Suppose that Blagojevich had asked, instead, that Sen. Obama commit himself to supporting a program to build new bridges and highways in Illinois as soon as he became president. Many politicians believe that public-works projects promote their re-election.”
Under the prosecution’s argument, the court reasoned, “If a governor appoints someone to a public commission and proclaims that appointee ‘the best person for the job,’ while the real reason is that some state legislator had asked for a friend’s appointment as a favor, then the governor has committed wire fraud. That’s not a plausible understanding” of the law.
* From Common Cause Illinois…
“Logrolling may not be illegal but it certainly is unethical. In a state that has been mired with corruption and back room deals, we need to aspire to a political culture that breaks down voter disenfranchisement and special interest control.”
”For too long the people of Illinois have been victims of ineffective and inefficient government that has resulted in crumbling schools, poor healthcare, and high unemployment.”
“I hope that the ruling today is a reminder to everyone that we need ethical elected officials that work for the people to solve our state’s important problems. And we need this now more than ever as we are in the midst of a grave fiscal crisis in Springfield and in communities across our state.”
Thoughts?
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Illinois Issues to be digital only
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Issues is abandoning its print version…
Gov. Bruce Rauner has called for a 30 percent cut to state funding for higher education. The state does not a have a budget for the current fiscal year. As long as lawmakers and the governor fail to come to terms on a spending plan, all we have to work with are estimates of what our final budget might look like.
We are modeling a 20 percent cut in our state support, which is passed through the University of Illinois Springfield. This results in a $120,000 projected deficit for Illinois Issues and a $70,000 projected deficit for WUIS.
We cannot wait to see what will happen. We must make contract decision for the new fiscal year, which is already upon us. And we must make tough choices now to avoid what could be potentially deeper cuts later in the fiscal year, depending on the level of funding we eventually receive.
After much evaluation, we have decided to go digital only. This will be the final print edition of Illinois Issues. When this reality first became apparent, it was difficult for us to accept. Those who have been with the magazine for years are proud of its history and where it stands today. But we have also watched subscription numbers steadily decline in the recent past. We had to ask ourselves: What are the best ways to use our resources and keep the mission of Illinois Issues alive? After consulting with the advisory board and others with longstanding ties to the magazine, the answer became obvious. While it may be difficult to let go of the print edition, it allows us to focus our efforts online, where we have the potential to bring important stories to more people. It also allows us to offer those stories for free — with the support of donors who believe that good public policy journalism is for everyone.
Eliminating print will not close our budget gap, but the choice protects us from having to consider staff cuts. It will also hopefully position us to eventually expand our online offerings to an app that would include news and a version of our Roster of State Government Officials.
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You’ve gotta be kidding me
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* SJ-R…
Backers of keeping the Illinois State Museum open rallied outside the Statehouse Tuesday, attacking the potential closure of the facility by Gov. Bruce Rauner during the ongoing state budget impasse.
About 300 people, most wearing “Save the Illinois State Museum” T-shirts, heard some strong statements, including from Jonathan Reyman, retired curator of anthropology at the museum.
“There is a right side and a wrong side to history,” Reyman said. “The Taliban and ISIS are bent on the destruction of the cultural heritage of Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. … Governor Rauner, do you want your legacy to be … akin to that of the Taliban and ISIS?”
Look, I get that emotions can run high at times. But if this guy is representative of the sort of staff that the museum has been hiring over the years, then maybe it ought to close.
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