* Rep. Stava-Murray told me yesterday that she had prepared a line of questioning for Speaker Madigan today that would be tough…
“Everyone’s yelling at her,” I was told. “She just said ‘very angry questions were being asked of the other three yesterday and nobody yelled at them.’” Decent point. Even so, she apparently didn’t exactly rally the caucus to her side.
*** UPDATE *** WCIA’s Mark Maxwell had this react from Rep. Mary Flowers…
“That was so out of place for her to put that on the Speaker,” Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) told reporters Sunday night. “And I’m not making any excuses for him. But he didn’t bring racism into Springfield, where the worst race riot has been years ago.”
“Before the speaker was born, we had systemic racism,” Flowers said. “We had 400 years of slavery, so we won’t go there. And I think everybody [has] a little bias in them. But everyone is trying to evolve to do the right thing.”
If Stava-Murray’s attack was designed to weaken Madigan’s alliance with the Black Caucus, Flowers’ comments show it may have only strengthened it. The legislature is in the middle of a thorny debate about police reform measures, and several members, including Flowers, value Madigan’s experience as a negotiator who can muster the votes to pass difficult legislation.
“He’s a hard working man,” Flowers said. “Negotiating with various entities across this state is heavy lifting, and I would not want to be driving with an inexperienced driver that may run this state further off the track.”
* Hannah Meisel caught up to another Black Caucus member…
Stava-Murray’s heated exchange with the Speaker didn’t sit well with Black Caucus members in the room.
“The Black Caucus is fully capable of advocating for itself and Black issues,” State Rep. André Thapedi (D-Chicago) told NPR Illiinois. “We don’t need anyone to do that for us.”
- @misterjayem - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:34 pm:
If you’re explaining, etc.
– MrJM
- About time, - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:37 pm:
Gloves come off.
- Mal - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:38 pm:
Boss Madigan is not about to play today.
- Ron Burgundy - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:39 pm:
He deserves pointed questioning. However this seems like the wrong line of questioning from the wrong questioner.
- Graybeard - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:45 pm:
You’re not helping, Anne.
- Oswego Willy - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:48 pm:
Stava-Murray makes Drury and Dunkin seem congenial, makes Wehrli seem reasonable.
- The Fifth Deputy Governor - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:48 pm:
Seems like that line of questioning may have been a bit of a miscalculation…
- anon2 - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:48 pm:
Attack his policies, not his religion.
- Tim M - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:51 pm:
If she would had done her research on the Education Reform Bill, she would had known that Education Tax Credit was the only way that Bruce Rauner was going to sign that bill. Wrong person to question MJM
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 5:55 pm:
The “Fire Madigan” brigade has been at it for so long, there are bound to be efforts to grab press coverage for crazy unrelated stuff. If this line from Stava-Muray is the worst of it, we’ll all be lucky.
- Token - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:00 pm:
==Where can I get live video feed?==
Madigan’s bionic eye.
- Swampy Corn - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:01 pm:
How much of a preview is this of any redistricting legislation later this year? Or any tent pole issues? If the Dem Caucus is this hot now, can they cool off in time to work together on a favorable map?
The hotter this gets, the more it looks like the two options are the incumbent, or a sacrifice to do one term and out.
- Keyrock - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:02 pm:
As effective as Anthony Miller’s hit on Gardner-Johnson.
- Redbird Pundit - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:03 pm:
If we could have seen Madigan’s face when Anne stood up and started asking questions…… Im guessing it was priceless.
Has ASM said who she is backing?
- Southsider - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:04 pm:
Stava-Murray, Why are you hating on Catholics, now?
- Lincoln Lad - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:06 pm:
If she’s key to the resistance, might as well surrender
- Oswego Willy - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:08 pm:
=== If the Dem Caucus is this hot now, can they cool off in time to work together on a favorable map?===
Meh. That’s hand wringing.
The goal now will be to accidentally make ASM’s options impossible.
- Thomas Paine - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:12 pm:
I would be shocked if Pritzker was not claiming the Tuition Tax Credit before he ran for governor.
- lake county democrat - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:16 pm:
She apparently missed how Dianne Feinstein’s questioning of Amy Coney Barrett backfired. (PS - we’re all here to distract ourselves from the Bears game, right?)
- SpiDem - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:18 pm:
Here’s the thing. No one ever was, or ever will, follow ASM’s lead.
Fireworks? OK. Impactful? Doubtful
- Precinct Captain - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:21 pm:
Love to *checks notes* cover up anti-Catholicism canards with *checks notes again* being a white savior
- MG85 - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:31 pm:
Bad logic on her part. If Madigan can’t be a leader of progressive ideals because he’s Catholic, then that means she’s admitting she ALSO can’t be a leader of progressive ideals because she’s Catholic.
Perhaps Madigan isn’t a political genius. Perhaps he’s just competing against political dullards for three decades.
- PublicServant - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:41 pm:
Just No. You don’t blame/attack a rep’s faith as an underlying cause of his/her votes. ASM deserves whatever comes her way here. I expect an apology soon.
- Perrid - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:49 pm:
If she wanted to criticize the tax rebate, she probably should have criticized it without suggesting he was taking/not taking action based on religious beliefs.
- CitizensArrest - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:50 pm:
terrible
not the way to accomplish anything but making him seem more sympathetic and also convincing people that progressives hate religion.
There is a reason why she is radioactive and she has proved it again.
- Amalia - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:50 pm:
So ASM is going all Dorothy Day vs. Bill Donohue. Well ok then….
- Captain Obvious - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:53 pm:
All very interesting but it’s just political theatre given the math of 19 stalwart never Madigans. The real question is are there 14 or more stalwart only Madigans? If so, then somebody’s gonna have to risk political suicide if anyone is to be elected speaker.
- Precinct Captain - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 6:58 pm:
==“She just said ‘very angry questions were being asked of the other three yesterday and nobody yelled at them.’” Decent point.==
Not a decent point. Angry questions does not equal bigoted and insulting questions.
- Helm - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 7:05 pm:
ASM continues to try and be relevant. An inconvenient truth about passage of gay marriage in IL is that MJM was one of the driving forces. He also put Harris into Majority Leader position. Seems pretty progressive to me.
Watching ASM quote MLK and Cassidy channel Floyd today was especially sanctimonious especially when Cassidy was a senior level staffer in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office early in her career when she still readily admitted that John Cullerton is her political sponsor.
- twowaystreet - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 7:22 pm:
ASM never gets her point across well. I’m guessing a lot of people on her missed her attempt to question a survivor of domestic violence yesterday and was quickly shut down by Rep. Cassidy. ASM was a step away from unwittingly drumming up support against criminal justice efforts.
- Candy Dogood - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 7:39 pm:
We live in a state where State House members were not censured for introducing legislation that attacked the freedom of religion and attacked the Secretary of State for following the constitution.
That pretty much makes questioning religious motives fair game, including why millions of our dollars are directed to promote religious education and indoctrination.
Mike Madigan is still being supported by members of the caucus even after it’s very clear he believes a women’s appearance qualifies her for a job.
Let him address criticism for why tax dollars are being scooped up by religious organizations.
- low level - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 8:16 pm:
The tax credit was the only way to get the bill passed. As it is it’s very minor. As for criticism of his faith and how it influences his policies, one might note Madigan has passed some very progressive bills.
- What Do We Do Next - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 9:08 pm:
It’s time. #dumpMadigan
- West Side the Best Side - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 9:13 pm:
Madigan never came across as someone whose policies or politics were based on his religion. If he supported things that provided funds for religious institutions it was probably because that’s where the votes were rather than some theological basis. There was a saying in Ireland when many of the higher up clergy were opposed to the movements for Irish independence to the effect that “We get our religion from Rome, but our politics from home.” Madigan is definitely more of a home, rather than Rome guy.
- VoterAtLarge - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 9:21 pm:
@twowaystreet what committee/debate discussed domestic violence?
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 10:18 pm:
Rep. Stava-Murray’s criticism are about 30-40 years too late.
- Lindenhurst Dem - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 1:53 am:
I am by not means 100% supportive (though full disclosure I root for her very often!) Everyone here is freaking out about the Catholicism claims when we don’t have a thing on the record seems like concern trolling to me personally esp considering how she’s catholic. If she was talking about how he probably has numerous church leaders in his pocket I wouldn’t be shocked one bit if that’s true. I have immense respect for MJM’s service he’s done a lot of good(plenty bad ofc) and is way more progressive that most would think. That said he ABSOLUTELY has not done enough for systemic racism we have areas like Winthrop harbor where kkk members have a home.