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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: This just in… Update on today’s hearing *** UPDATED X2 ***

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Blagojevich speaks at prayer breakfast, dodges press; Plus: Hynes slams guv *** UPDATED X1 ***

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* We just found out that Gov. Blagojevich was in town today…

The Democratic governor attended a public event Wednesday morning without giving notice to reporters, and he quickly left without taking any questions.

In a brief speech at his annual prayer breakfast, Blagojevich did not address the new allegations.

* Listen to the speech...

[audio:GOV-4-23.mp3]

“It’s not like you get a chance to go to governor’s school.”

*** UPDATE *** Bethany Jaeger has more.

* Meanwhile, Comptroller Dan Hynes gave a speech in Southern Illinois this morning, which included a few jabs at the governor…

Now we know what leadership isn’t. Leadership isn’t having a big title or flying around in an airplane. And it isn’t fighting. As Dwight Eisenhower once said: “You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.” […]

It’s shocking to think that we’re almost three-fourths of the way through the legislative session – because there’s been very little “getting down to business.” You see, to be committed, you first have to – for lack of a better term – show up. Be engaged. And that starts at the top. A few years ago, the Governor complained that the General Assembly was spending like a bunch of drunken sailors. But I think the real problem is a captain hiding in his quarters.

Think about it.

The economy is slowing. Our revenues are disappearing. The deficit is worsening. Our infrastructure is crumbling. Our backlogs are growing. And our hospitals are closing.

And, all the while, our Governor – he’s hiding.

Read the entire speech by clicking here.

*** UPDATE *** Pat Quinn wants Blagojevich to answer questions on Ata…

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn is demanding answers from Govenor Rod Blagojevich about allegations that came up in a federal corruption case. In a guilty plea yesterday, Ali Ata—the former head of the Illinois Finance Authority—said he got the job after contributing thousands of dollars to Blagojevich’s campaign.

Blagojevich quickly left a public event this morning without addressing Ata’s accusations. But Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn says that’s no way to handle the situation.

QUINN: To be running away and not fully engaging the people of Illinois, who are the voters, the taxpayers, the people who we are accountable to, I don’t think that’s the right way to go. I think Governor Blagojevich should speak to the public and answer questions about anything and everything.

And if the allegations about the governor are true?

QUINN: Well, if anyone committed wrongdoing, I think they should, uh, turn themselves in and suffer the consequences.

35 Comments

Oh, man, it just keeps getting weirder

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Bush administration’s blatant politicization of the Justice Department is well documented. And now comes word that some Blagojevich insiders tried to take advantage of that environment to oust Patrick Fitzgerald as US Attorney….

As federal investigators closed in, Gov. Rod Blagojevich insiders were angling with Bush administration architect Karl Rove to get U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald kicked out of office, according to disclosures made in federal court. […]

Federal prosecutors said in court that co-schemer Steven Loren was ready to testify he was told Illinois Republican insider Bob Kjellander was working to get Fitzgerald removed.

Powerbroker Bill Cellini “said it was Bob Kjellander’s job to take care of the U.S. Attorney,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Hamilton said in court late Tuesday, in reading Loren’s earlier grand jury testimony.

The statement was not further explained Tuesday, but in court this morning Hamilton told U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve that she expected Rezko business partner Ali Ata, who is cooperating with authorities, to testify Rezko told him the same thing in 2004.

It’s not too much of a stretch to believe that Fitzgerald got wind of the machinations and reacted by indicting Rezko in October of 2006 - just a month before election day. Tradition has been not to interfere with campaigns by making high-profile indictments like this so close to voting.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s hearing; Dunn; Statehouse pros and cons; Health care; Noland; Lobsters; Jakobsson; Fat; Budget; Reform (Use all caps in password)

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* During an interview with the Daily Herald, Rep. Suzie Bassi described the Statehouse atmosphere as “toxic,” said she’d rather have “Humpty Dumpty” as governor than Rod Blagojevich, and said…

The nine-year veteran of the legislature in Springfield added that she thinks Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn could “bring people together” [if he were governor]

* Question: Do you think Pat Quinn would be a more stable, unifying force than Rod Blagojevich? Explain.

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Big, big trouble for Blagojevich

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

“As we’ve said many times before, we don’t endorse or allow the decisions of state government to be based on campaign contributions,” Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said.

That’s the standard response to every new bombshell allegation that Gov. Rod Blagojevich traded jobs, contracts and appointments for campaign contributions. And it was issued again yesterday.

But, as I reminded subscribers this morning, Blagojevich has defied all credibility by forcefully denying that he is “Public Official A,” including right up to this very minute…

[The spokesperson said that] based on the descriptions arising from the case, the governor is not Public Official A.

Since that statement has already proved to be false, nothing else should be believed.

It’s their own fault.

* On to the coverage…

A former top official in Gov. Blagojevich’s administration said Tuesday the governor gave him a $127,000-a-year state job in exchange for pouring cash into Blagojevich’s campaign fund, including tens of thousands of dollars out of his own pocket.

That bombshell from Ali Ata came as the onetime director of the Illinois Finance Authority pleaded guilty in a deal in which prosecutors plan to have him testify in the ongoing corruption trial of former Blagojevich fund-raiser Tony Rezko.

* Remember that some of these alleged bribes were handed over during the 2002 campaign, when gubernatorial candidate Rod Blagojevich was claiming he was a reformer who would sweep out the corruption in state government…

The plea deal says that just before the governor took office claiming the mantle of reform, Blagojevich met with Ata at Rezko’s office, accepted a $25,000 check and then started talking about the Lemont businessman getting a high-level state job.

The following year, Blagojevich again thanked Ata at a Navy Pier fundraiser for another $25,000 donation, the court records show.

“During this conversation, Public Official A told defendant that he had been a good supporter, indicated that Public Official A was aware that the defendant had made another substantial donation to Public Official A’s campaign and told the defendant that Public Official A understood that the defendant would be joining Public Official A’s administration,” it said.

“Just before the governor took office,” is actually early September, according to campaign finance documents. That was the height of the season, when Blagojevich was hammering away at the Republican culture of corruption.

Ata, Ali
6719 Stonewall
Downers Grove, IL 60516
Occupation: Marketing
Employer: Nalco Chemical
$25,000.00
9/4/2002
Individual Contribution
Friends of Blagojevich

* Here’s a somewhat overlooked item from Ata’s plea agreement…

Beginning in or around mid-2003 and continuing through 2004, the defendant provided large sums of cash to Rezko in response to persistent and urgent pressure from Rezko to do so. The defendant provided Rezko with tens of thousands of dollars in cash on four or five occasions during 2003 and 2004, including while he was the Executive Director of the IFA. In total, the defendant provided Rezko with approximately $125,000 in cash during this period, which monies he had withdrawn from a family food distribution business that he was then operating.

This is explained by various news reports as…

Ata withdrew $125,000 from a family business and paid it to Rezko to keep his job.

You gotta wonder were that $125K went. Did Rezko keep it all for himself or did he pass some of it along?

* There’s also this from the plea agreement…

[Ata] intentionally concealed the fact that in 2003 he had provided to Rezko, at Rezko’s insistence, a portion of his partnership interest in a real estate venture, in exchange for Rezko’s use of his influence in state government to reverse a state agency’s decision to terminate a lease agreement relating to

Ata was plucked clean.

* Here’s a tidbit from yesterday’s Rezko trial, which I’ll put in context in a bit…

[Steve Loren, former attorney for the Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois] recalled once sharing a ride home with Levine, who has also pleaded guilty, and asking Levine who Pekin would split his fee with. He said Levine told him it was to go to Ald. Dick Mell, the governor’s father-in-law.

“I said: ‘How can these people be so stupid?’ ” Loren said, explaining it was an obvious conflict for Mell to get consulting money off a state deal.

According to prosecutors, the deal with Mell never went through, and the money instead went to Rezko associate Joseph Aramanda.

* Ata had contributed $5,000 to Dick Mell’s campaign funds in earlier days, but Mell denies knowing anything about the deal.

According to Ata’s plea agreement, he and “Individual D” formed a real estate company together, Addison Venture LLC. “Individual D” then allegedly helped falsify documents so that Ata could avoid paying all the taxes owed on a quick sale of a Chicago property.

“Individual D” has previously been identified as Joseph Aramanda. Aramanda contributed $10K to Blagojevich’s campaign fund in 2002.

These guys were thick as thieves, perhaps literally.

* And now Ata is prepared to go the distance for the G…

Ata’s lawyer, Thomas McQueen, said Ata would do whatever the government asked of him, including offering court testimony. He may get that chance sooner rather than later, as a prosecutor at Rezko’s corruption trial said Ata could be called as a witness.

This isn’t the beginning of the end. That started a while ago. But you can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel.

* By the way, I uploaded this video in 2006. It shows Tony Rezko escorting Gov. Blagojevich through a crowd. But is that Ata as well? Here’s his pic from the Sun-Times…

And here’s the video…

85 Comments

Ozinga defends minority company

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Martin Ozinga has been slammed by Democrats over a Tribune story from 2005 that alleged he had set up a minority front company to score contracts from the City of Chicago. Ozinga is the odds-on favorite to replace Tim Baldermann on the 11th District congressional ballot against Sen. Debbie Halvorson.

Anyway, Ozinga told the Tribune this week that he is “proud” of that minority company…

“Our efforts with Metro Mix were always completely transparent, on top of the table, done in conjunction with many, many, many discussions of all the government agencies involved,” he said from his new campaign office in Mokena. “And I am—I was then, and I am to this day—proud of all the people who worked hard, put forth so much effort into trying to create a business opportunity that would have been so very beneficial, but that was probably just not meant to be.”

Ozinga said he started Metro Mix as a way to create jobs and promote economic development in minority neighborhoods.

Metro Mix initially had trouble being recognized as a minority-owned business—officials said Ozinga’s ties to the company were too close—so the group restructured with new minority ownership to meet requirements. Eventually, however, Ozinga had a disagreement with one of the new partners in the mid-1990s, and the company folded.

“I have no regrets, and I appreciate everybody that participated,” he said. “And nowhere along the line did we violate any rules, regulations or attempt to create any kind of an atmosphere that was anything less than above board and straightforward.”

Ozinga has said the same thing to Republican bigwigs, but the allegations remain. Regardless of the latest Tribune story, expect the company to be a big issue in the DCCC’s direct mail campaign this fall.

* Meanwhile, Phil Hare has named Tom O’Donnell his new chief of staff…

O’Donnell, a native of upstate New York and a graduate of SUNY-Plattsburgh, most recently served as chief of staff for Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ). Before that, he spent 13 years working for Hare’s predecessor Congressman Lane Evans, nine of those as legislative director.

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Sun-Times mocks the Tribune

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Last week, the Chicago Tribune editorial board recused itself from writing editorials on the proposed sale of Wrigley Field to the state. Today, the Sun-Times editorial board mocks Mother Tribune…

And now Sam Zell’s own newspaper has abandoned him. The Chicago Tribune’s editorial board announced the other day that it would “recuse” itself — run to the sidelines, fold its arms and remain neutral — from the debate over Zell’s efforts to sell Wrigley Field to the taxpayers of Illinois.

The Tribune’s “economic self-interest” in the sale of Wrigley is simply too great, the paper explained in a curious editorial, for the paper to take a credibly independent stand — too many readers just wouldn’t buy it. […]

But we also see the paper’s recusal from the debate for what it is — a tacit acknowledgement that the boss hasn’t got a leg to stand on. If Zell’s case for selling Wrigley to the state had any real merit, we suspect those on the paper’s editorial board would take a strong stand in favor of it — and find no need to recuse themselves.

As it is, Zell’s scheme to palm his ballpark off on the taxpayers runs counter to cherished free-market principles the Tribune has championed for 150 years.

Fat chance Zell would let his editors write that.

* According to Forbes, Zell is the world’s 164th richest person, with a net worth of $6 billion. He even has some low-income housing projects in Egypt (hmmm, my wife has been hinting about taking a trip to Egypt for a while).

There is no reason on God’s Green Earth why the government should help pad Zell’s considerable coffers with this Wrigley buyout. The Sun-Times is absolutely correct. Dump this idea.

Discuss.

12 Comments

Morning Shorts

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning

* Miller: Vote ‘yes’ in November to constitutional convention

* Ex-Daley aides push further appeal of patronage convictions

McCarthy’s lawyer, Patrick Deady, said a three-judge appellate panel that last week affirmed the men’s convictions had nearly “obliterated” previous limits placed on mail fraud. Deady and his co-counsel argue that none of the men personally gained from the scheme, which they say would have been required under the court’s previous interpretation of the mail fraud statute’s “honest services” provision.

* Children’s “Museum” Option 3: ‘The Lincoln Campus’

* Study: Midwest has the worst drunken driving rates

* Illinois may close its last prison farm

* Governor declares Equal Pay Day

* Farmers to be paid for seized grain

* Opposition voiced against track plan

* Should Cook County Voters Decide Fate Of Taxes?

* Staffing ‘Crisis’ at Juvie Jail Goes to Court

* Fixing Slums By Creating Mixed-Income Housing

* State treasurer representative discusses flood recovery loans

* State office recycles old Illinois license plates

* Support victims’ rights - SB 2784

* Stop the Violence

* Illinois labor law discriminates against teenagers - HB 5141 would fix it

* Happy Earth Day, Lois Wille

* Stop work on enforcing Web gambling ban, lawmakers urge

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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This just in… Ata to plead guilty *** Ata admits getting job via Blagojevich contribution *** Alleges direct quid pro quo with governor *** Feds outline scope of Blagojevich probe ***

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** Click here to read the plea agreement… And Click here for the superceding information statement ***

* 3:21 pm - The prosecutorial noose tightens around Rezko…

A former top official in Gov. Blagojevich’s administration plans to plead guilty this afternoon to charges tied to a loan-fraud scheme involving Tony Rezko.

Ali Ata, 56, of Lemont, is expected to plead guilty to making false statements to a federal law enforcement officer and a tax-related count. Ata is a former executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority. […]

While executive director of the state finance agency, Ata signed a letter bearing the agency’s name to help Rezko fraudulently secure $10 million in loans, prosecutors charged. They said he did so at the request of Rezko to make it appear that an investor had partial state backing for a deal to acquire two groups of Rezko’s Papa John’s pizza restaurants in Chicago and Milwaukee. […]

Ata gave $65,000 to Blagojevich’s gubernatorial fund and thousands more when Blagojevich was in Congress. In January 2004, Blagojevich appointed him to a $127,000-a-year post as executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority. Though Ata left that post about a year later, after a critical audit, he soon was awarded a $55,200-a-year contract to be a consultant for the agency - a three-year deal he declined to sign after the Chicago Sun-Times raised questions about a foreclosure case he did not disclose when the governor hired him.

*** 3:56 pm *** Ata’s guilty plea includes this language…

[Ata admits lying to the FBI when he said] he did not receive anything for his political contributions to the campaign of Public Official A, whereas as defendant then knew such statement and representation was false, namely, that in fact he did receive something for those contributions, specifically employment with a state agency, namely a position as Executive Director with the Illinois Finance Authority with an annual salary of approximately $127,000.

Translation: Ata admits - and the feds insist - that he paid for his job via a campaign contribution to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Read the plea agreement by clicking here.

*** 3:59 pm *** Ata is taking us right inside Rezko’s office, where we find Governor Rod Blagojevich…

In or about August 2002, defendant Ata held a small fund-raising event for Public Official A that Public Official A attended. In advance of that fund-raising event, defendant Ata committed to Antoin Rezko that he would raise $25,000 at that event, which he eventually did, personally contributing at least approximately $5,000.

Later that year, Rezko approached the defendant for additional monetary support. Defendant Ata agreed to contribute $25,000 in additional monies to the campaign of Public Official A.

The defendant, subsequently and by prior arrangement with Rezko, brought a check in this amount to Rezko’s Rezmar offices on Elston Avenue in Chicago. After he arrived at the Rezmar offices, the defendant was greeted by Rezko to whom he handed the check in an envelope.

Rezko, carrying the check, ushered the defendant into a conference room where he met with Rezko and Public Official A. Rezko placed the envelope containing the defendant’s $25,000 check to Public Official A’s campaign on the conference room table between himself and Public Official A and stated to Public Official A that the defendant had been a good supporter and a team player and that the defendant would be willing to join Public Official A’s administration. Public Official A expressed his pleasure and acknowledged that the defendant had been a good supporter and good friend. Public Official A, in the defendant’s presence, asked Rezko if he (Rezko) had talked to the defendant about positions in the administration, and Rezko responded that he had.

*** 4:01 pm *** And here we get the quid pro quo…

In or about July 2003, Rezko asked the defendant to make an additional $50,000 contribution to the campaign of Public Official A. The defendant agreed to contribute the same amount as he had previously, namely $25,000. The defendant made this contribution on or about July 25, 2003 by check payable to Public Official A’s campaign. The defendant gave this check to Rezko. Thereafter, the defendant had a conversation with Public Official A at a large fund-raising event at Navy Pier.

During this conversation, Public Official A told defendant that he had been a good supporter, indicated that Public Official A was aware that the defendant had made another substantial donation to Public Official A’s campaign, and told the defendant that Public Official A understood that the defendant would be joining Public Official A’s administration. The defendant responded that he was considering taking a position, and Public Official A stated that it had better be a job where the defendant could make some money.

[Emphasis added.]

*** 4:03 pm *** From someone who was at the hearing today…

“As the prosecutor read more and more of the plea, the jaws in the courtroom inched closer and closer to the floor. These aren’t even material to Rezko’s current charges.”

*** 4:17 pm *** Take a look at the superceding information statement about Ata and you find this statement of fact from the feds…

There was a federal criminal investigation into allegations of mail fraud, bribery, political corruption, and other criminal activities in connection with the granting of state jobs and the appointment of officials to agencies and boards and commissions of the State of Illinois. It was material to the investigation to learn what influence, if any, Antoin Rezko had in the making of appointments to positions with the State of Illinois, and whether campaign contributions to political office holders and candidates were required in order to obtain positions with the state.

That pretty much shows us where they’ve been going. And none of it is good for Gov. Blagojevich.

*** 4:32 pm *** The Tribune really needs to change its headline: “Ex-director of Illinois Finance Authority admits getting post after paying Rezko”

Ata did hand the money to Rezko, but the cash went to the governor’s campaign fund, and the governor was aware of the contributions and the appointment.

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Various stuff

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* For the first time ever, Capitol Fax is an official sponsor of the annual House vs. Senate softball game. It’s my favorite evening of the year, so I’ve thought for a while about signing up as a sponsor. I was informed yesterday that I was accepted.

This year’s game will be Wednesday, May 14 at Springfield’s Lincoln Park. The start time is 5:30pm. See you there.

* Nothing else has worked for the Chicago Republican Party, so maybe this might…

Go over and check out the party’s site in all its glory. [I saw this earlier on another blog, but now I can’t remember where it was. Sorry for no h/t.]

* Buried deep in this critical piece of Democratic congressional candidate Colleen Callahan, was this nugget, written by a member of the Legislative Affairs Committee for the Peoria Area Association of Realtors…

For example, a primary concern of the Realtor industry is that, as independent contractors, we lack the ability to obtain group coverage for health care - a major problem for those with pre-existing conditions. As a result, 60% of Realtors lack health insurance.

Interesting.

* Attorney General Lisa Madigan: Grandma Alice’s cheese enchiladas…

Nutrition information per serving: 688 calories, 53% of calories from fat, 40 g fat, 15 g saturated fat, 59 mg cholesterol, 57 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 1,599 mg sodium, 5 g fiber

* Regular commenter Jacob Schulz has posted a new “in your face” campaign ad…

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Edgar audio; DuPage; Greens; Wilhelmi; Black (Use all caps in password)

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Does Earth Day mean anything to you today? Explain.

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Local lobster hiring examined

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I’m not sure that this bothers me all that much…

With a looming meltdown of the Chicago Transit Authority atop the 2007 legislative agenda, transit agencies spent the most in Springfield: nearly $700,000.

The transit system was facing a fiscal meltdown, so dumping money into lobbyists is a natural reaction for anyone under siege.

* Here’s where that number came from…

The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform found that local governments and public agencies in Illinois paid $5 million to lobby state government over the course of a year.

The group identified 110 government bodies that hired contract lobbyists. The contracts went to 65 different lobbying firms in a 12-month period ending June 30, 2007. […]

Cynthia Canary, the non-profit group’s director, called the $5 million a significant outlay in public funds but a fraction of the money special interests spend to pass or kill legislation and to influence the actions of the executive branch.

Emphasis added to make a point. It does look like a lot of cash, but it isn’t in the grand scheme of things.

* The more important question is whether these local governments got anything for their outlays, either in the budget, or through special legislation. That wasn’t looked at by ICPR, but the Post-Dispatch did check out one contract between the Madison County Regional Office of Education and former Rep. Steve Davis…

“The state representatives that represent our region are great people,” but can’t realistically be expected to keep up with every issue facing schools in Madison County, said Robert Daiber, who heads the Edwardsville-based Office of Education.

He credits Davis for helping convince lawmakers to maintain hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of state special-education funding that had been slated to end. “That’s well-invested money” in the lobbying contract, Daiber said.

* ICPR had a reason for doing the research…

The voluminous research released Monday by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform found discrepancies in the required reporting and suggested state lobbying laws be tightened.

* But at least one of those “discrepancies” wasn’t. According to the State Universities Retirement System, they did fully disclose their lobbying contract, contrary to what ICPR reported.

* One of the reforms pushed by ICPR as a result of this study was restricting “revolving door” lobbying - requiring a waiting period of six months to a year before a legislator could begin lobbying. Yet there weren’t really any horrible revelations that I saw in the report which would buttress that demand.

Still, I do commend the hard work by ICPR staff with filing all those FOIA requests with local governments and crunching the numbers. It’s good to have this info about how tax dollars are being spent as reforms are drafted.

Read the full report for yourself.

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Rauschenberger vs. Obama

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Former state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger has been a designated attack dog against Barack Obama as of late. Here he is quoted in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal…

“Barack was one of the smartest people I ever worked with, but he was more interested in moving up,” says Republican Steven Rauschenberger, who served with Mr. Obama in the state senate. “I never thought he was very engaged in the state senate, because he didn’t think that much of it.”

* Let’s take these one at a time. As Rob accurately notes, Rauschenberger spent the last few years of his own state Senate career trying desperately to get out - with no luck. He ran for US Senate in 2004 and was thumped in the GOP primary by Jack Ryan. He then turned right around and ran for governor, dropped out, and ran for lt. governor and was trounced again in the primary by Joe Birkett. And he won the top job at NCSL after promising insiders that he wouldn’t run for governor, which he did. Pot, kettle, etc.

* When Rauschenberger was in the majority, he did take his responsibilities fairly seriously. He was often quoted in the media on budget issues, for example, and he was a champion of a modernized sales tax, which went nowhere. It’s not difficult to believe that Rauschenberger was more involved than Obama was, but until his final few years, he was more involved than most everyone.

* Rauschenberger was also on Fox News recently and blasted Obama for switching his votes after the voting closed. The LA Times reported several weeks ago that Obama switched his vote six times.

Rauschenberger said of the vote switching: “Generally, it’s people, in my opinion, who are politically ambitious.”

Last week, I was flitting back and forth between the House and Senate and heard at least six instances in one day where members asked that their votes be switched. This is an extremely common occurence.

Rauschenberger pointed to a riverboat vote where Obama was getting pressure from both sides and Obama voted “Yes” but said he hit the wrong button and should be voted a “No.” Rauschenberger claimed: “It’s very difficult in those charged votes to believe that someone pushed the wrong color button.”

But I’ve seen this a kabillion times, too, and so has Rauschenberger. People are sometimes away from their desks and staff hit the wrong button, or they just goof. Six times in eight years ain’t much. Let’s say Rauschenberger is right on that one boat bill. That’s once in eight years. Not exactly a pattern.

* Rauschenberger also claimed that Obama “wasn’t a reformer” on Jeff Berkowitz’s show, mainly because he endorsed John Stroger over Forrest Claypool for county board president primary race and that nobody has been convicted of crimes due to the Obama/Dillard ethics bill.

Obama didn’t endorse John Stroger over Claypool. Instead, he was neutral and announced the day before the election that he was voting for Claypool. And I doubt that Rauschenberger’s fellow Republican Sen. Dillard thinks that ethics bill was worthless.

* If you have the time, watch the Berkowitz interview. Rauschenberger claims he doesn’t know where Obama is on issue after issue, but the conservative Berkowitz points out where he’s wrong time and time again. It looks to me like sour grapes on Rauschenberger’s part.

Again, Rauschenberger makes a few very good points, but overall his message seems, well, “bitter.”

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Blagojevich attacks Dems on health care, slashes funding for nutrition education

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You’ve probably heard about this already…

Blagojevich was asked multiple times by reporters Monday whether the [Rezko] trial is making it difficult for him to do his job.

* Instead of answering the questions, the governor turned on the House Democrats…

“When you consider the dynamics, I think we’ve made a lot of progress. It could be a heck of a lot more harmonious, though, if those Democrats in the House stand for what they say they’re for.”

* And…

“We wish the General Assembly and especially the House would be less obstructionist and be more willing to embrace health care for children, health care for working families,” Blagojevich said.

* But how concerned is he really about the health of children and working families? Only on the stuff he cares about, apparently…

A state program that helps educate Illinois’ poor is one of many state programs on the chopping block, as Gov. Rod Blagojevich considers withholding promised dollars to fill a $750 million hole in the Illinois budget.

More than 1 million of Illinois’ food stamp-eligible residents take advantage of University of Illinois Extension’s Food Stamp Nutritional Education Program. […]

“There isn’t anyone else in the state that does what we do,” said program Director Robin Orr, who leads the University of Illinois Extension program that serves 535,000 people in 97 of Illinois’ 102 counties. “In a budget that’s already passed, I have no idea why you don’t release money.”

So, let’s see, offering health insurance to people knowing that many doctors won’t accept it because the state is so slow in paying (and pays so poorly) is priority number one, even though he can’t get his program through either chamber of the General Assembly. But funding an existing program that helps more than a million people learn better nutrition, and, therefore, live healthier lives to begin with, is just too expensive to keep around.

Perfect.

* Meanwhile, Fritchey has some choice words for the governor’s latest attack…

Suffice it to say that it doesn’t bode well for a productive, let alone timely, session if the Governor is already in demonizing mode, which he apparently is.

* And this was just posted at CDOBs…

At 2pm today, Judge James Epstein is set to hear a motion requesting compliance with the Preliminary Injunction against Governor Blagojevich issued last week.

The Healthcare and Family Services Defendants have yet to take the
necessary steps to comply with the injunction previously issued. Judge Epstein will consider a contempt action to compel compliance with his previous order.

* Other stuff…

* EIU raises tuition almost 12 percent for students entering school next fall

* Blagojevich no friend to 4-H’ers across the state

* Lake County Extension Foundation begins drive to offset state reduction

* Stop the bullying; release extension, conservation funds

50 Comments

Morning Shorts

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning

* Ford Heights loses police dept.

* State questions Welch’s use of campaign funds

* State’s attorney: Officer targeted Stanford mayor in traffic stop

* Firm owner accused of scamming $1 million

* Inverness Man and His Engineering Firm Indicted in IDOT Fraud

* We can’t turn our backs on the violence ravaging our city

* Daley rips CTA over Blue Line response

* Daley’s man Grrr . . .

* Cook County health chief gone

* $100 million for museum?

* The Call for a Constitution Convention

* Governor’s plan to add inmates at Thomson prison has skeptics

Union officials say they aren’t convinced the switch would save money, and they worry that inmates with families in the Chicago area wouldn’t get visits because of the longer distance between Joliet and Thomson, which is located about 150 miles west of Chicago.

* Suburbs are key to Democratic victory

* Rauschenberger vs. Obama: Rounds 3&4

* Quote of the Day: Irony, thy name is Rauschy

* Fat cats of politics scratch for an edge

History suggests an uphill battle. Wealthy candidates often fare poorly in the electoral field, despite occasional exceptions like New Jersey’s Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine or Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), both of whom pumped millions into their campaigns. In 2006, 28 congressional candidates spent $1 million or more of their own money on their campaigns. Just four are in Congress today.

* Rezko cohort details fee scam

* Rezko trial: Loren chokes up on stand

* Ex-pension fund attorney tells jurors of ‘mistake’

* Witness calls insiders ’stupid’

* Attorney on stand at Rezko trial recalls corruption on pension board

* Testimony: Rezko attended fundraiser for President Bush

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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