* Earlier today, state Sen. Daniel Biss sent me this statement about Gov. Rauner going to Iowa for a ribbon cutting ceremony at a bridge that spans the Mississippi River…

“Bruce Rauner had to go to Iowa to find a groundbreaking ceremony because there aren’t any ribbons to cut in Illinois.”

Sen. Biss, of course, was at the Pride Parade yesterday during the General Assembly’s special session.

The Chris Kennedy campaign and the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association also piled on Rauner for abandoning his post during special session and I think some folks were a bit rankled.

* As it turns out, the leader of Sen. Biss’ own chamber, Senate President John Cullerton, was spotted working out at a Chicago gym at about 9:30 this morning. Special session started at 10 o’clock, so he couldn’t have made it back to Springfield in time.

So, I asked Cullerton’s spokesman what his boss is doing in the city during a special session day…

“He is meeting with a group of concerned constituents who are specifically concerned about school funding and their local public schools in Chicago and that meeting takes priority today.”

…Adding… Senate President Cullerton reportedly approved this statement earlier today, but it’s just now going out. I didn’t know whether to put it here or on the earlier post below, and decided to just post it on this one…

“There is a sad irony in that as we celebrate the start of this tremendous construction project the reality is that the looming downgrade to junk status would make it nearly impossible from a financial aspect to ever do such a substantial project again.

“The lack of a budget will soon hobble a state known for building big dreams into reality. From our bridges and highways to our transit systems to our airports and convention centers, our ability to maintain their structural health and grow our economy is undercut if the financial sector loses confidence in us as a state and we fall into junk status. I don’t want that to happen and I trust that the people of Illinois don’t want that to happen either. The Senate has taken the tough votes and provided the legislative vehicles to end this impasse. We can end this standoff and avoid the downgrade to junk status if the will is there. I would urge all involved to prove that it is.”