* Gateway Pundit…
Illinois lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation to give government the ability to confiscate property from business owners and citizens during state emergencies like the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Senator William E. Brady, the Illinois Minority leader in the state senate, introduced legislation on Wednesday that will give government the right to confiscate property from business owners who defy their lockdown orders.
Senator Brady is a Republican.
Oh no!
But, alas, not true. Brady’s bill, in part, amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Brady would prohibit the governor from issuing more than one 30-day disaster proclamation without approval of the General Assembly. The confiscation language referenced in that widely read blog is in existing state law.
…Adding… Apparently this is spreading like wildfire. People don’t understand that underlined text is the new stuff. So, ISRA has weighed in to defend Brady. Click here.
* Politico…
SCOOP: A group of House Republicans say they’re fed up with how the General Assembly is addressing the state’s financial woes, and they’ve formed a new caucus to do something about it.
“Everyone can see the system is screwed up. The problem is there aren’t that many people working on solutions to fix the state’s fiscal problems,” Republican Rep. Blaine Wilhour of Effingham told Playbook. “So that’s the driving force. It’s not a personality thing or an indictment, per se, on leadership. It’s just giving a voice to the regular working people in Illinois who are getting throttled day by day by inept government.”
The Illinois Taxpayer Freedom Caucus will still operate under the Republican Party, the lawmakers said in a release provided to Playbook. But the new caucus will focus on “structural and ethical reforms [that] Illinois desperately needs.” […]
The Tax Freedom Caucus has 20 members out of 44 House Republicans — sizable enough to make a difference in a GOP vote. Wilhour says other Republicans may also join, too. The group will elect officers soon.
Historical note: It’s been more than 40 years since the last big intraparty rebellion in the General Assembly. In the 1970s, the late former Sen. Dawn Clark Netsch helped lead a group of independent Democrats known as the “Crazy 8” to get more attention for progressive issues.
This assumes that the caucus will hire staff and propose actual policies like other sub-caucuses do.
Also, House Republican Leader Lee Daniels was challenged bigtime after the Democrats picked up a super-majority in 1990. And the Crazy 8 was mainly an anti-Daley thing. Click here for some history.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Center Square…
State budget aside, there’s more than $4 billion in federal COVID-19 aid for local governments a report says is being held by state officials, and members of Congress are demanding answers.
The National League of Cities found that Illinois is one of 32 states that are withholding federal funding from most municipal governments, including rural communities.
[US Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville] said before more federal funds are freed for Illinois, he’s demanding to know why about $4.9 billion in federal funds stalled out.
“We can’t be as good of advocates as we’d like to be if we don’t know where the $4.9 billion that’s already coming to Illinois is being spent,” Davis said.
“No funding is being held at all,” Pritzker responded. “We need enabling legislation. We needed the legislature to actually get together to provide that enabling legislation and that’s what’s happening the next day and a half.”
We discussed Congressman Davis’ exact same complaint two weeks ago today…
This requires legislation and we have presented this plan to all four caucuses of the General Assembly for their consideration. We look forward to Congressman Davis supporting that plan when the General Assembly returns to Springfield.
C’mon, Rodney. Keep up.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Some guy I never heard of at the Daily Line…
The three-day legislative session in Springfield this week will be without a handful of legislators who didn’t make the trip out of health concerns, including one positive Covid-19 diagnosis from a state representative from Chicago. Many are calling for the ability to vote remotely.
“Every legislative body in this state from the smallest to the largest is operating via remote operations except for the General Assembly. Congress is doing it for God’s sake. We need to get into the 20th century,” said Sen. Robert Martwick (D-10).
Martwick, whose district encompasses parts of the Northwest Side of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, is not in Springfield because he said he’s following the guidance of the Illinois Department of Public Health which advised legislators with serious health conditions not to make the trip. Martwick said he was diagnosed in 2016 with coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes after suffering a heart attack.
There is a possibility that the general assembly will vote to allow remote operations, he said, and that it could be added to one of the proposed omnibus bills via amendment.
That conflicts with Senate President Don Harmon, whose spokesperson John Patterson told news outlets in March saying that the legislature can’t hold remote meetings.
That’s a completely manufactured “conflict.” Harmon supports remote voting. Ridic.
…Adding… The article, published today, also claims that Rep. Curtis Tarver missed the session. Tarver was in town and voted yesterday. I usually expect much better from that publication. But they used a Chicago freelancer on this one.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:07 am:
A super-super minority of the super minority… thinking as a super-super minority they will not only lead the super minority, they will dictate policy to a super majority.
These Hateful Eight know… this ain’t a silly game, right? They know they’re real legislators failing not only their constituents but the state… they know that, right?
“Um, no”
No further questions.
- Melido Perez - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:09 am:
“regular working people”
Can someone translate that for me?
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:10 am:
The far right is coming after their own sympathizers now. Might they be overplaying their hand just a bit???
- Anyone Remember - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:13 am:
“This assumes that the caucus will hire staff and propose actual policies … .”
That is what IPI is for …
- Amalia - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:14 am:
oh for a comment from Morris…….
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:19 am:
“oh for a comment from Morris……”
Zack, Dick, or Philip?
- Retired Educator - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:20 am:
Just another attempt at relevance. They aren’t relevant now, and it won’t help in the future. You have to have the votes to stimulate change. They don’t have them.
- Northsider - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:21 am:
Melido Perez @ 10:09:
“Rural, white, Christian”?
- Annonin' - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:22 am:
Hopefully they allows D. The love secret handshakes and torchlight parades
- Lt Guv - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:26 am:
== “oh for a comment from Morris……”
Zack, Dick, or Philip? ==
Morris the Cat.
- Amalia - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:26 am:
@ Ducky, Morris per the article.
- Jacob - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:28 am:
I have heard that there are so many things on the table to get the budget under control including furlough days. Maybe they could look into an early retirement package that might help
- Highland Il - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:30 am:
Will some of the Senate GOP members follow their lead? Some won’t want to miss the false outrage train before it leaves the station.
- Huh? - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:36 am:
“regular working people …
Can someone translate that for me?”
People who look and think like us.
- Norseman - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:38 am:
Bravo OW. It will be an entertaining watch as the super-super minority play it’s games. Games that will play to the bias of their districts, but serve no effective purpose to improve their lives.
- unspun - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:41 am:
They’re turning the Tea Party into the “oh, gee!” party. They may be politically impotent, but they’re LOUD, gosh dang it!
- efudd - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:42 am:
If you are going to invent a caucus, for Pete’s sake, come up with a name that makes for a catchy acronym. The ITFC is clunky as all get out.
As a side note, other than their favorite unicorn, pension reform, what is this group of enlightened beings going to propose?
- Lt Guv - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:52 am:
== As a side note, other than their favorite unicorn, pension reform, what is this group of enlightened beings going to propose? ==
Outraged navel gazing? Swastika drawing as a required subject? Just spitballin’ here.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:53 am:
(Tips cap to - Norseman -)
To this, specifically;
===The Tax Freedom Caucus has 20 members out of 44 House Republicans===
Which 20… and these 20 are “cool” with Mr. Wilhour speaking “for” them, as the face… saying very pointed and specifically…
===… It’s just giving a voice to the regular working people…===
“… just giving a voice… “
Huh.
If Mr. Wilhour was a competent legislator, he could effect change in governing.
Mr. Wilhour is a legislator who promotes herd immunity and sees a need for a 51st state.
There’s no drive to get anything done.
This is, as I wrote before…
This is these legislators, at their choosing, dictating the moral compass of the caucus… there’s no drive to accomplish anything, the goal of the exercise to wrest control of the super majority… by the super-super minority.
“… It’s just giving a voice to the regular working people…”
Wonder if those 20 are on board to all this really is about?
This ain’t about no policy. This ain’t about show business either.
I’ll wait and watch the rest.
- Not a Billionaire - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:53 am:
I suppose we could start the look for spending cuts at state spending in their districts so they can could taxes for those that would never go near their districts.
- efudd - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:54 am:
Davis-”I demand to know why…”
Pritzker Administration-”It requires legislation…”
Davis-”Yeah, well, still, uh, Madigan”
- Jacob - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:54 am:
- efudd - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:42 am:
I think furlough days are coming. As long as they don’t go after Insurance or the pension. If they go after the pension, they will lose but it will still be stressful for everyone
- So Blue - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:56 am:
It appears Representative Davis needs to brush up on the budget process. Federal funds cannot be expended if the federal funds are not included in the state budget. That is one of the main reasons for supplemental appropriations.
- efudd - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:58 am:
Jacob-
I remember when Ryan tried that furlough fantasy.
Then came the realization that mental health facilities and prisons operate round the clock.
Plus a TRO from AFSCME.
- Jibba - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 10:59 am:
Why is anyone complaining that Rodney Davis is ignoring the reasonable explanation in order to score political points and get his name in the news? He wouldn’t have anything else to say if he didn’t.
- Flapdoodle - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:06 am:
efudd 10:42 — Well, first they have to get organized, of course, and order those jackets with the special crest on the pocket — the one with the cool Latin motto “sine personis inductis” (at least that’s Google Translation’s version of “Without Masks”) over diagonal crossed bars. Then there are the webinars on “The State Constitution doesn’t really mean what it says about pensions” and “Ignoring economic reality in Illinois” and “Convenience trumps science.” That’s a lot for starters, so give them time before asking them actually to do something.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:11 am:
== C’mon, Rodney. Keep up.==
Yeah I’m pretty sure that Rodneys problem isn’t that he can’t “keep up”. It’s that he doesn’t want to.
- Jocko - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:16 am:
==But the new caucus will focus on “structural and ethical reforms [that] Illinois desperately needs.==
Like the Fair Tax amendment?
- Pearly - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:24 am:
Boy, without those 20 critical votes, Democrats will only … still have a supermajority that can do whatever it wants.
- Chatham Resident - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:26 am:
==I remember when Ryan tried that furlough fantasy.==
Secretary White imposed furlough days on his employees after Blago massively cut his and other constutionals FY09 budgets. Originally we had 4, later reduced to 3 after Quinn restored some SOS money after entering office.
Also 10 years ago Quinn’s staff (at least the non-union higher ups) had to take up to 24 furlough days. IIRC maybe for both FY10 and FY11 fiscal years?
- Birds on the Bat - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:51 am:
Federal funds cannot be expended if the federal funds are not included in the state budget.
Not true. Non-appropriated spending accounts can be established at the Comptroller’s Office to expend funds without going through the legislature. The agency I work for has utilized this option in the recent past with federal grant funds.
- Jason - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:53 am:
Chatham Resident - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 11:26 am:
Quinn did it in 2010. I am not so worried about furloughs as I am concerned about them trying to mess with the insurance or pensions. They are going to go after something and I hope that the damage to workers is minimal
- Molly Maguire - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:00 pm:
What is the Daily Line? Who owns, runs it, is behind it?
- Lynn S. - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:00 pm:
@ Lester Holt’s Moustache,
“Where’s Rodney” is my Congress critter.
I would argue that Rodney can’t keep up, and doesn’t want to.
Cross his palm with silver, however, and the second part disappears…
- Chatham Resident - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:14 pm:
== I am not so worried about furloughs as I am concerned about them trying to mess with the insurance or pensions.==
Same here. I’d prefer furlough days over the insurance/pension matter that you addressed–and also especially over the possibility of layoffs.
- Norseman - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:16 pm:
So let’s get this straight. The GOP, the party complaining the General Assembly has been cut out of the pandemic response process, is now complaining that the governor is asking for their input on spending response money.
- Lynn S. - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:25 pm:
@ Norseman,
Think of the Illinois GOP in these terms:
The Illinois GOP is the child who whines that they want mac ‘n’ cheese for lunch, not lasagna. So you make mac ‘n’cheese, and they whine about that.
They don’t know what they want. They just want to whine. And unfortunately, a certain number of voters keep rewarding them for whining (and other obnoxious behaviors).
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:35 pm:
===Think of the Illinois GOP in these terms===
It’s a function of being in the minority party.
But, yeah, the Republicans in this state used to be known as the governing party.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:41 pm:
===Republicans in this state used to be known as the governing party.===
… then they decided “Reforming Illinois” was more important than governing.
They were frustrated.
They still are, but now have no idea how to show that in a governing posture.
- John Deere Green - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 12:47 pm:
==Everyone can see the system is screwed up.==
Who can defeat a solid fact-based argument like that? /s
==throttled day by day by inept government.”==
Wait, I thought Wilhour was a Trump guy? Trumpkins seem to be a-ok with inept government, as long as it includes promises to build a wall.
- Elmer Keith - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 1:09 pm:
“…ISRA has weighed in to defend Brady.” I wonder if Richard Pearson is personally manning the bunker at ISRA World Headquarters in Chatsworth to calm the troops. Then again, it’s really his insurance office, so he probably had to come in to the office and write a few policies for old ladies and convince them to leave their entire estates to ISRA.
Well I feel better that Pearson says the emergency bill is no threat to “law abiding gun owners.” Pearson and former NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde took care of us so well in Brandon Phelps’ concealed carry bill in 2013. I would trust them with the life of my pet goldfish for sure.
- Anyone Remember - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 1:40 pm:
Birds on the Bat - ” … non-appropriated spending accounts can be established … .”
Based upon an agency I worked for with non-appropriated spending, the Comptroller’s Office seemingly restricted it to funds already appropriated to another state agency (i. e., the federal funds were awarded a what used to be called the Single Point of Contact for distribution to state agencies, local governments, and not-for-profits). The FY 2018 Detailed Annual Report shows only $24.0 million in federal receipts for non-appropriated funds. Compare that to $4.6 billion in federal receipts for appropriated funds.
- Birds on the Bat - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 2:23 pm:
Anyone Remember - That was not the situation with my agency. On more than one occasion, my agency received federal grants directly from the feds and established non-approriated spending accounts. This would not be the first instance where I’ve seen the Comptroller’s Office apply rules differently to different agencies, though.
- Anyone Remember - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 2:32 pm:
Birds on the Bat - The difference in dollar volume suggests IOC “prefers” appropriations to the non-appropriated approach. And before the ERI getting non-appropriated account approval was “difficult at best” …
.
- MG85 - Friday, May 22, 20 @ 3:06 pm:
If the itty-bitty caucus wants to get together that’s fine, but why are on God’s green Earth should we possibly give this any sunlight?
I mean, this reads like someone announcing they are starting a knitting club.
To their actual agenda, politics is about growth and this doesn’t look like growth. The Illinois Republican Party needs to seriously look itself in the mirror and realize its future is not suited well attached to Trump and his ilk.
Rauner had the winning strategy the first time around as a candidate. Be folksy, be a lil lib’ral on social issues and then push hard into the false promise on delivering lower taxes.
The ILGOP should push to be slight minorities in both houses and always contending for statewide office in Illinois. There are plenty of people in the collar counties and parts of Chicago willing to hear the message of lower taxes and personal choice, but all of that is shut down when clowns like these are running the show.