* Sen. Rickey Hendon very reluctantly relinquished the roving House vs. Senate softball game trophy this afternoon. The House annihilated the Senate last night 21-5 in a total embarrassment for the alleged “upper” chamber. Rep. Art Turner, who won the House’s MVP award yesterday, got in some digs while Hendon was in the room. Watch…
* Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign has a new Internet video slamming Mark Kirk for not returning contributions from other corporations that, like Goldman Sachs, have been accused or found guilty of fraud. Have a look…
* I expressed some doubt to subscribers yesterday that the iTunes tax was going anywhere, based on conversations I’d had with some high-level players and my own gut feeling that the tax on music and video downloads would make nervous legislators even more nervous because it would attract way too much attention. Quinn backed off today…
Gov. Pat Quinn is backing off a proposal to tax music and video downloads in an effort to plug the state’s massive budget hole, saying he still believes raising the income tax is the best way to generate money for the state.
Quinn floated the idea of taxing downloads from online services such as iTunes in a meeting with legislative leaders earlier this week, but the proposal received a cold reception in Springfield. Today, Quinn said that he was simply offering suggestions on ways to solve the state’s budget crisis and does not support the plan, which would have generated $5 million to $10 million a year.
“We had a meeting with the legislative leaders the other day, we made a list of all the possible things that could happen,” Quinn said. “I didn’t advocate that. I’m not interested in doing that, frankly.”
* We’ve known for some time that there was no way the Senate would approve this bill this year…
Regardless of their income, senior citizens can continue riding Chicago-area mass transit for free after the state Senate Wednesday preserved what a GOP critic called one of impeached, ex-Gov. Blagojevich’s “last and most impulsive acts.”
A Democratic-led Senate panel narrowly rejected a Republican push to prevent affluent seniors from skirting fares on buses and trains and tying the free-rides program to a retirees’ income.
* I wrote weeks ago that it was highly doubtful that McCormick Place would really try to take on the two gigantic contractors which control the big trade shows. Yep…
The trade unions have been pushing for audits of trade-show contractors to ensure they pass along labor cost savings to customers. The McPier board approved a softer version, recommending only that McPier have the right to review and verify contractor billing statements.
The contractors are hugely powerful and the insiders know it. They can very easily direct shows away from McCormick Place to the point where the buildings would be forever empty. And the unions are right that we ought to know how big their markups really are. But, the contractors have the biggest guns in the room by far, so they were coddled.
The board’s biggest decision was to eliminate Focus One…
(T)he board voted 4-3 to recommend eliminating Focus One, the in-house electrical service whose high prices have been a source of customer anger, and to allow trade shows to hire outside contractors.
Mind-boggling markups on electricity, electrical services, Internet, etc. had to go. Problem is, that’s how McPier pays its staff salaries. So, they want an annual operating subsidy and a debt restructuring…
To make the recommended package click, McPier is seeking a $20 million to $25 million annual operating subsidy from Springfield, in addition to a restructuring of its expansion debt.
I was told yesterday that the subsidy probably wouldn’t begin for about 18 months.
# In terms of new work rules, the interim board recommends making union workers employees of McPier and reducing by half the number of crews required to set up a trade show.
# State and city marketing dollars allocated to the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau to attract trade shows should go directly to McPier, the board decided. […]
# Exhibitors will now be allowed to bring in food from outside restaurants and caterers.
These changes, at first blush, look like they would go a long way to answer the biggest criticisms of McCormick Place customers who have been threatening to take some of the nation’s biggest trade shows to other cities. The customers have been begging McCormick Place to make its operations affordable. They’re tired of getting fleeced.
“President Obama has direct knowledge to allegations made in the indictment. In addition, President Obama’s public statements contradict other witness statements, specifically those made by labor union official and Senate Candidate B,” the motion said.
The motion is here. Several parts are redacted, but you can easily copy and paste the entire motion into a text file and view all the redacted material. Oops on somebody’s part.
* All of the most explosive allegations in the motion were redacted.
Blagojevich’s lawyers allege that Tony Rezko admitted to violating the law by personally contributing “a large sum of cash” to a public official’s campaign, which the Blagojevich people say is Obama.
The lawyers claim that Obama may not have been telling the truth when he said Rezko never relayed a request from a lobbyist to hold a fundraiser for Obama in exchange for favorable legislative action (Obama, however, refused to agree to the offer, Rezko allegedly says).
They also claim that Obama allegedly lied when he said he didn’t have any conversations with Rezko about a casino license…
In a recent in camera proceeding, the government tendered a three paragraph letter indicating that Rezko “has stated in interviews with the government that he engaged in election law violations by personally contributing a large sum of cash to the campaign of a public official who is not Rod Blagojevich. … Further, the public official denies being aware of cash contributions to his campaign by Rezko or others and denies having conversations with Rezko related to cash contributions.
Rezko has also stated in interviews with the government that he believed he transmitted a quid pro quo offer from a lobbyist to the public official, whereby the lobbyist would hold a fundraiser for the official in exchange for favorable official action, but that the public official rejected the offer. The public official denies any such conversation.
In addition, Rezko has stated to the government that he and the public official had certain conversations about gaming legislation and administration, which the public official denies having had.
President Obama is the only one who can testify as to the veracity of Mr. Rezko’s allegations above.
A redacted footnote offers further explanation…
The defense has a good faith belief that this public official is Barack Obama.
As its proof, the Blagojevich people reference a 2006 Sun-Times story…
Senator Barack Obama was asked: “Did Rezko or his companies ever solicit your support on any matter involving state or federal government? Did Al Johnson, who was trying to get a casino license along with Tony Rezko, or Rezko himself ever discuss casino matters with you?”
Senator Obama answered: “No, I have never been asked to do anything to advance his business interest. In 1999, when I was a State Senator, I opposed legislation to bring a casino to Rosemont and allow casino gambling at docked riverboats which news reports said Al Johnson and Tony Rezko were interested in being part of. I never discussed a casino license with either of them. I was a vocal opponent of the legislation.”
* The rest of the redacted stuff mostly involves claims by the Blagojevich team that Barack Obama was not totally truthful during FBI questioning. “Senate Candidate B” is Valerie Jarrett, who is now one of three senior advisers to the president…
9. Yet, despite President Obama stating that no representatives of his had any part of any deals, labor union president told the FBI and the United States Attorneys that he
spoke to labor union official on November 3, 2008 who received a phone message from Obama that evening. After labor union official listened to the message labor union official told labor union president “I’m the one”. Labor union president took that to mean that labor union official was to be the one to deliver the message on behalf of Obama that Senate Candidate B was his pick.
10. Labor union official told the FBI and the United States Attorneys “Obama expressed his belief that [Senate Candidate B] would be a good Senator for the people of Illinois and would be a candidate who could win re-election. [Labor union official] advised Obama that [labor union official] would reach out to Governor Blagojevich and advocate for [Senate Candidate B].. . . [Labor union official] called [labor union president] and told [labor union president] that Obama was aware that [labor union official] would be reaching out to Blagojevich.” (Labor union official 302, February 3, 2009 p. 3).
11. According to Senate Candidate B, on November, 4 2008, Senate Candidate B spoke with labor union official about the Senate seat. Labor union official said he spoke to Obama. Labor union official said he was going to meet with Blagojevich and said “he was going to push Blagojevich hard on this.
* There is also an allegation of an attempted quid pro quo on the Jarrett Senate appointment…
Supporter of Presidential Candidate Obama is mentioned in a phone call on November 3, 2008, having offered “fundraising” in exchange for Senate Candidate B for senator (Blagojevich Home Phone Call # 149).
…Adding… Obama allegedly shot down former Senate President Emil Jones’ name when it was floated by the Blagojevich team as a possible Senate appointment. And Rahm Emanuel floated Cheryle Jackson’s name…
President’s Chief of Staff told the FBI that he had a conversation discussing the Senate seat with Obama on December 7, 2008 in Obama’s car. President’s Chief of Staff told the FBI “Obama expressed concern about Senate Candidate D being appointed as Senator.
“[President’s Chief of Staff] suggested they might need an expanded list to possibly include names of African Americans that came out of the business world. [President’s Chief of Staff] thought he suggested Senate Candidate E who was the head of the Urban League and with President’s Chief of Staff’s suggestion.”
Judging from what can be seen of the motion, which is full of blacked-out sentences and words (to comply with rules about sealed information), Mr. Blagojevich’s lawyers are hoping the president himself will point up contradictions in the prosecution case and testify about whether he had sent “emissaries” to Mr. Blagojevich with regard to who the White House would prefer fill the Senate seat.
[I’ve decided to rename this post and rewrite it slightly to make it our QOTD.]
* We’ve often complained here that the State Board of Elections’ website is a heaping pile of stinking electronic decay.
Well, they appear to have completely revamped their site. I haven’t had a chance to do much with it yet, but I figure we ought to run it through the paces today. So, click here, look around, and pick it apart. Thanks.
* The Question(s): What do you like about the board’s new site? What do you hate the most? Explain.
When the state GOP holds its annual fundraising dinner tonight, there just may be a little more bubbly in their toasts than usual.
“We’ve raised more in the first quarter than the party did all last year. I think there is a lot enthusiasm,” [Brady said]. “The Democrats keep giving us opportunities every day - bringing in lot of new donors.”
* Bill Brady’s campaign sent out a notice today that Brady’s tax returns will be “made available to the media Friday, April 23rd between 1p.m.-4p.m. in the Citizens for Bill Brady Springfield office.” No word yet on whether Brady will allow copies to be made or if it’s just gonna be a lookie-look. I’ve asked, but haven’t heard back. I’ll let you know when I do.
*** UPDATE *** From the Brady campaign…
Those who go to the office in Springfield will be able to look at 5 years worth the returns, and talk to Bill’s attorney. Everyone will get a summary to take with them.
Almost across the board in major races for governor, U.S. senator and Congress, Democratic candidates have put their campaign workers — at least some of them — on the payroll and have been paying FICA and other taxes on them.
But not Republicans. Though some now say they’re changing, they’ve followed a different approach, treating all of their campaign managers, press aides and the like as independent contractors, which makes the individual and not the “employer” responsible for any tax liability. […]
In the race for Illinois governor, during the last six months of 2009 — the latest for which figures are available — Mr. Quinn’s campaign reported paying $52,000 to the IRS and another $5,200 to the Illinois Department of Revenue for payroll taxes. That’s money Mr. Quinn surely could have used for other purposes, like TV ads.
The GOP nominee, state Sen. Bill Brady, reported no such payments. Which means that folks who made as much as $12,500 in the last half of the year worked for his campaign on “consulting” or “contractual services,” as Mr. Brady’s state disclosure put it.
Mark Kirk was the only Republican Hinz could find who paid payroll taxes. Sen. Brady’s campaign has recently put its employees on the regular payroll and is paying payroll taxes.
Gov. Quinn’s campaign responded a few minutes ago via press release…
“Senator Brady talks about lowering taxes. Who realized he was really talking about his own? […]
“By shifting the tax burden to his employees, Bill Brady has once again demonstrated his core belief that the upper class should exploit every opportunity to avoid paying their fair share, leaving hard-working Illinois residents to carry the load. Bill Brady’s actions undermine the safety net of Medicare and Social Security and once again demonstrate his disdain for average Illinois residents. From opposing the minimum wage and equal pay for equal work to allowing discrimination in the workplace, Brady would rather protect his own interests than those of the working class. Illinois residents deserve better.”
…Adding… Thanks to a commenter, here’s the Dan Seals campaign commenting on the Bob Dold campaign’s failure to pay payroll taxes…
“Avoiding taxes is illegal and it is wrong. As a small business owner, Bob Dold should know better.”
According to IllinoisBusinessAttorney.com: “A worker is generally an employee when the business has the right to direct and control his work, even if the business does not actually exercise the right to direct or control how the work is done.” Furthermore, according to the Internal Revenue Service, the burden of proof is on the employer to demonstrate that the workers are independent contractors and not employees, which require business tax payments.
* Speaking of class warfare, a class-action suit has been filed against Gov. Quinn. From a press release…
With free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation attorneys, a group of home-based personal care providers today filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court against Governor Pat Quinn and union officials for their efforts to force Illinois personal care providers under unwanted union boss control.
The suit stems from an executive order issued by disgraced former-Governor Rod Blagojevich shortly after his election, later codified, in which over 20,000 personal care providers who care for individuals with disabilities were designated as “public employees” of the state of Illinois for the purpose of granting Service Employees International Union (SEIU) bosses monopoly “representation” and forced dues privileges over them.
Following the Rod Blagojevich blueprint of forced unionism, Quinn signed an executive order last June that made an additional 4,500 home-based personal care providers susceptible to unwanted union boss bargaining and political “representation.” Not coincidentally, Quinn received the SEIU union bosses’ political endorsement and support during his recent closely-contested primary campaign for the Democratic nomination for Governor.
The additional 4,500 home-care providers who are not yet under union control soundly rejected union membership by a two-to-one margin in a mail-in vote. However, per Quinn’s executive order, the home-care providers may again be subject to out-of-state SEIU and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union organizers making “home visits” attempting to organize the home-care providers through coercive “card check” unionization tactics.
* Quinn’s campaign also issued a press release today touting the governor’s environmental record and blasting Sen. Brady’s…
…Senator Brady has displayed a hostile attitude toward environmental protection and sustainability. He claims that human activity doesn’t contribute to global warming, no matter what scientists say. His outdated thinking matches his 17-year record, which includes votes against reducing Illinois’ greenhouse gasses, emissions testing for diesel trucks, and the prohibition of sludge treatment plants near Lake Michigan.
That’s an environmental vision from 1910 — not for 2010.
Nice line at the end.
* Related…
* Broadway Bank Looms Over Illinois U.S. Senate Race: A big deadline is just a few days away for Chicago-based Broadway Bank. The family of U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias owns the bank, which has been ordered by regulators to raise millions in capital.
* As I told subscribers this morning, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute has a released a poll of southern Illinois voters…
For the first time, a poll has been conducted solely of Southern Illinois residents, showing how people in the region feel about many important issues. And the general consensus is they don’t feel good.
The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute released on Tuesday the first results of the Southern Illinois Poll, which focuses on an 18-county region spanning the southern part of the state. It is the first such poll conducted on a local level by the institute. […]
“I’m struck by what a bad mood people are in,” said institute Director David Yepsen said. “People think things are headed in the wrong direction in the country, overwhelmingly so in the state, and it’s pretty clear to me that people of Southern Illinois are in a bad mood.”
Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, Washington, White and Williamson
* Some questions…
The election for Governor of Illinois… if the election were held today, would you vote for…
Quinn 25.4%
Brady 48.6%
Whitney 5.2%
Someone else 1.5%
Other/Don’t know 19.2%
Next, the election for the US Senator from Illinois… if the election were held today, would you vote for…
Giannoulias 24.7%
Kirk 42.1%
Jones 4.5%
Someone else 3.0%
Other/Don’t know 25.7%
Those who thought that Kirk wouldn’t do well in the deep south may be in for a surprise.
* Approval ratings…
Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Mike Madigan
Strongly approve 3.2%
Somewhat approve 20.2%
Somewhat disapprove 15.5%
Strongly disapprove 23.2%
Other/Don’t know 37.9%
While 38 percent don’t know enough about Madigan to rate him, his disapproval numbers are certainly ominous for his candidates.
* Right track, wrong track…
Generally speaking, do you think things in our country are going in the right direction, or are they off track and heading in the wrong direction?
Right direction 22.7%
Wrong direction 69.8%
Other/Don’t know 7.5%
And what about the direction of the State of Illinois?
Right direction 6.5%
Wrong direction 85.3%
Other/Don’t know 8.2%
And how are things going in your city or area of the state?
Right direction 47.6%
Wrong direction 41.9%
Other/Don’t know 10.5%
Regardless of what you think about the direction in your part of the state, tell us what you think about the overall quality of life in your area.
Excellent 4.5%
Good 31.9%
Average 35.9%
Not so good 18.5%
Poor 9.2%
Translation: The direction of the country sucks, the direction of the state sucks way more, but we’re more positive on the direction of southern Illinois and find it a decent place to live.
* Also, 53 percent say the new national health insurance law is a “bad thing,” while just 27 percent say it’s a “good thing.” 55 percent identify as conservatives, 24 percent say they’re moderates and 18 percent say they’re liberals.
* Details…
The poll of 401 registered voters in the area was taken April 5 to 13 and has a margin of error of 4.9 percent. The poll was conducted for the Institute by Customer Research International of San Marcos, Texas. It reports no Illinois political figures as clients and was paid with non-tax dollars from the Institute’s endowment fund.
* Some of the rhetoric by speakers at yesterday’s big “Save Our State” rally was pretty heated…
“We are going to be there this afternoon, and we are going to find you (lawmakers),” [Henry Bayer, director of AFSCME Council 31] told the crowd while pointing at the Capitol. “And if you try to leave town without doing your job, we are going to chase you. And when you come back home, we will be there.
“We will keep delivering this message till the job is done … until there is a responsible budget.”
But things went pretty smoothly yesterday and the protesters all seemed very well behaved, even if there was some doubt about the crowd estimates…
The secretary of state’s office agreed with rally organizers that about 15,000 people were at Wednesday’s event.
Well, OK. Perhaps it was the location of the gathering, but I think a previous rally — on June 2, 1981 — was bigger. In that rally, the largest I had ever seen, just about the entire east lawn of the Statehouse was a sea of people. Folks were even in the trees. The State Journal-Register estimated that crowd at 5,000 to 15,000.
There was no doubt, however, that the protesters were mad as heck. Carol Marin had a spot-on analysis…
But this protest is a sign of what the recent Pew poll shows….almost 80% of voters are fed up with government, regardless of party affiliation.
Maria Whelan, executive director of the child-welfare group Action for Children, told the sign-waving crowd that its voice was louder than anti-tax rallies involving the Tea Party despite getting less attention in the media.
“Isn’t it interesting that when 300 people who call themselves … the Tea Party show up, they’re on the cover of the New York Times? They’re on national television. And when 15,000-plus people show up demanding a responsible budget, we’re nothing?” she said.
Actually, they got a lot of attention yesterday. Most of the state’s big media was there to cover the event. And that coverage was generally favorable, although the opposition was afforded equal treatment…
“I like having [the rally participants] come here because there is not better way for me to explain my position on what’s going in this building and the way I think this state works its way out of its fiscal mess than to talk one-on-one individually with those people,” said Sen. Dale Righter, a Mattoon Republican.
Righter said many of his constituents were at the rally but the message of chants such as “Raise our taxes” did not echo the opinions of the majority of the people he represents. “I don’t know that that kind of theater is necessarily representative of most the people in my district.”
Righter’s district includes Eastern Illinois University, among other facilities. Until the past few years, he was considered a Downstate moderate. No longer.
* At one point, protesters were asked to turn around and face the Statehouse to shout “Raise my taxes!”…
“Raise my taxes! Raise my taxes! Raise my taxes!” they chanted, lined up shoulder to shoulder for a few hundred yards stretching a street in front of the Capitol.
The state should raise their taxes, and anyone else who wants to volunteer to pay more money to this state.
As for me, I prefer not to pay more to a corrupt government that can’t or won’t get its fiscal house in order BEFORE making the case for more money.
So, anyone who wants to donate more money, call the Department of Revenue and tell them you’d like to make an extra donation on top of the income tax you already gave.
* In related news, the Sun-Times likes a new budget proposal by Gov. Pat Quinn…
…we’re intrigued by a bill Quinn floated Tuesday to work around the Legislature. Though the particulars are in flux, Quinn’s “Emergency Budget Act” would give him new powers for one year to make some unilateral budget decisions, with an eye toward finding an additional $400 million in budget cuts, according to Quinn’s budget director.
The bill would, for example, let Quinn override the law that gives retired state employees free health care — rather than wait for legislators to reverse the law. It also would let him roll back some entitlement programs if revenue falls short. Options include increasing co-pays or reducing benefits.
Given the General Assembly’s profound unwillingness to do what’s necessary to balance the budget, we’re open to Quinn’s idea.
* If you missed our videos from yesterday’s event, just click here.
* Our quote of the day goes to boxing trainer Pat LaCassa, even though it’s an old quote from bygone days. LaCassa coached Rod Blagojevich during his short-lived Golden Gloves career…
“[Blagojevich] wasn’t a very good boxer, but he liked to fight.” LaCassa said Blago lost his second and final Golden Gloves fight because he kept his gloves up to defend his face.
In other words, he loved to fight, but was afraid to take a punch to his pretty face. Some things never change.
What began with a bombastic news conference Tuesday — at which Rod Blagojevich summoned U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to show up in court and explain why his office opposed playing all the secret FBI recordings at trial — ended with a federal judge handing down a dose of reality, using boxing analogies.
“I will not allow the legal equivalent of a head butt,” said U.S. District Judge James Zagel, who made it crystal clear that he — and only he — will decide which secret FBI wiretaps will be played at Blagojevich’s trial.
“I will not have the time of these jurors needlessly consumed,” Zagel said of playing all 500 hours of recordings.
Zagel invited the defense to privately submit to him the recordings they would like to play at the June 3 trial so he can rule on what the jury can hear.
Blagojevich can’t insist on playing just any tape, and Fitzgerald doesn’t get to decide either, the judge said. It’s like boxing — there are rules, he noted. The rules say you can’t shove, bite, kick or head-butt your opponent.
“Those rules are enforced by the referee, not by the boxers. I am that referee, no one else,” Zagel told lawyers in the case and Blagojevich, who stood directly in front of the bench, nodding slightly at times. “I will not permit the legal equivalent of head butts.” […]
The judge said the defense can generally air undercover tapes of its choosing at trial in two ways: to counter evidence introduced by the prosecution, and if Blagojevich testifies as he has pledged to do.
While the former governor is on the witness stand, tapes could be played that corroborate his defense. That’s allowed because Blagojevich could then be cross-examined, Zagel said. But the tapes must be relevant.
And the court decides what’s relevant. “Not the defendant, his lawyers, nor the prosecutors,” the judge said.
Earlier, Zagel turned down a request from Blagojevich’s brother, businessman Robert Blagojevich, to be tried separately.
Robert Blagojevich’s lawyer, Michael E. Ettinger, had argued that the evidence against the former governor could “spill over” and bias jurors against his client.
Sam Adam, Senior is one of Blagojevich’s attorneys. He says he didn’t discourage his client from making that challenge.
ADAM: It may have been too personal. I don’t know. I can’t say. I think it was not. I think it was well deserved.
Here are a few of Blagojevich’s quotes from earlier this week…
- “In their proffer of lies, they are now hitting below the belt and attacking my wife.”
- “They are cowards and they are liars.”
- “The government is sneaking into court tomorrow to file a motion to keep all the tapes from being heard.”
- “There’s a smoking gun on those tapes.”
- “They’re covering up that big lie that foreseeably led to a chain of events that stole a governor from the people of Illinois and undid the will of the people.”
- “I’m here today to issue a challenge… I challenge Mr. Fitzgerald. Why don’t you show up in court tomorrow and explain to everybody, explain to the whole world why you don’t want all those tapes that you made played in court? I’ll be in court tomorrow. I hope you’re man enough to be there too.
Not insulting, eh? Sheesh.
* Meanwhile, some reporters who covered yesterday’s events suspected that a small crowd of Blagojevich well-wishers may actually have been Astroturf…
Press in attendance openly mused whether the scene was staged.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, would surprise me about this guy.
* The President is about to embark on a small-town Midwestern swing which could take him to Quincy…
Quincynews.org was reporting that several sources confirmed that an Obama advance team was setting up a possible visit to Quincy, with Wednesday appearing to be the most likely day. Various federal and state officials did not indicate any plans for a Peoria or Springfield stop.
Yeah. Springfield. Right. No way does he want to pop in near the end of session mess. And steering clear of Chicago’s craziness is also smart. Still, if he does come to Illinois, I’d like to see him pressed on what he thinks has happened to his home state since he departed.
* Meanwhile, Lynn Sweet says Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is slightly walking back what he said on the Charlie Rose show this week about running for mayor if Daley decides to hang it up…
Emanuel told me Tuesday night he never intended to go as far as he did with Rose. The question came up at the end of a wide ranging interview. The usually disciplined Emanuel says he slipped up.
The Sun-Times runs down a list of other possible Daley successors…
Nor is [Rahm], necessarily, the frontrunner in that crowded field.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., CTA Board Chairman Terry Peterson, City Colleges Board Chairman Gery Chico and former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman are also high on the list.
Former U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley, the natural politician of the Daley clan, could try to succeed his brother. The field might also include: former Schools CEO Paul Vallas; presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett; U.S. Rep. Luis Guitierrez; and Chicago aldermen Bob Fioretti (2nd), Edward M. Burke (14th), Brendan Reilly (42nd) and former Ald. Manny Flores (1st).
And Congressman Gutierrez makes a good point in that Sweet piece…
Earlier in the day, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who is at odds with Emanuel over the slow pace of comprehensive immigration reform in the Obama White House, told me, “I am sure every word that he spoke was not some sort of off-the-cuff remark but calculated to achieve some political goal.
“When I see Rahm Emanuel, [from now on] I don’t know if I am talking to the president’s chief of staff and if that is his chief priority, or if I am talking to a future candidate for the mayor of the city of Chicago,” Gutierrez said.
FOOTNOTE: Emanuel never liquidated his political war chest when he joined the White House; as of April 15, he had $1,175,109.76 cash on hand that could be transferred to a mayoral campaign.
But back in Chicago, where Emanuel made his political bones, the former congressman and political insider’s sharp elbows and national cachet aren’t much of a guarantee that he will replace the man who remains firmly in control of Chicago.
Just ask the Daleys.
“Absolutely not, and I don’t think anyone would say that,” said Cook County Commissioner John Daley when asked Tuesday if Emanuel would be the front-runner in a mayor’s race that didn’t involve his brother. “And I don’t think (Emanuel) would say that, knowing the electorate of Chicago.”
A return home to run for mayor means Emanuel, who renewed his interest in the job on national TV Monday, would have to address some long-standing political baggage. Questions abound about his quick stockpiling of wealth on Wall Street, help from a Daley patronage army to win a seat in Congress and chats with disgraced ex- Gov. Rod Blagojevich about filling a vacant U.S. Senate seat.
“This is all b.s. The mayor is running again,” Quigley answered adamantly, not using the abbreviation. […]
“I’ve met with the mayor three or four times since I’ve been elected,” Quigley said. “He is focused. He is knowledgeable. And I think he wants to go out on his own terms, whenever that is.”
On top of that, maybe there is a little inside information.
“I hear their operation is getting put together,” Quigley said, meaning that he has been told by others that Daley is assembling a political team in preparation for a 2011 re-election bid. He couldn’t supply any details.
Mayor Daley’s popularity is at an all-time low, city finances are in the toilet, the Olympics went to Rio and his wife, Maggie, is battling a series of cancer setbacks.
So Rahm Emanuel’s announcement that he’d like to be mayor some day understandably touched a nerve in the Daley camp.
* Editorial pages almost always parrot the reformers, even (or especially) when they don’t fully understand the issues at hand. Today’s Sun-Times editorial blasting the Democratic redistricting reform proposal and supporting the Republican-backed “Fair Map” plan is a case in point…
In the post-Blagojevich era, a time when Illinois voters are fed up with the status quo, we refuse to back another reform-lite proposal.
The Fair Map Amendment would bring real, meaningful reform to Illinois. Anything less is simply more of the same.
Support the Fair Map Amendment. Let your voices be heard because if you don’t the proposal that is being rammed through the Legislature just might be worse than the system we currently have.
“Our position is both of these plans are reform, and the Paul Simon Institute wants reform.”
That quote was contained in an editorial today by the State Journal-Register, which also dinged Ms. Marcus a bit…
But the Democrats, who are looking out for their own interests in rejecting the Republican/reform group plan and writing their own, make a point that is difficult to quarrel with: Is a nine-person commission, in which eight members are picked by the legislative leaders, going to be truly independent?
The answer is not definitive to the point that the reformers can assert, as League of Women Voters President Nancy Marcus did on this page on Sunday, that the Democratic plan “just might be worse than the system we currently have.”
That notion should be flatly rejected. While it has flaws, the Democratic plan is not worse than allowing a lottery determine which party gets to draw the map, as the current system does.
The SJ-R and the Paul Simon Institute would like the Democrats to “tweak” their proposal to require a three-fifths majority to pass a new map. Doing so, they say, would protect the rights of the minority party.
If the majority and minority parties could be trusted to compromise in good faith, that might not be a bad idea. But the Statehouse political waters are poisoned right now, so I’m not sure if anything would pass under that proposal. Still, it’s something, and the SJ-R ought to be commended for not falling into the old trap of believing everything reformers say. After all, the Cutback Amendment was a highly touted and very popular reform back when it was put on the ballot. It didn’t work out so well.
It’s been my experience over the years that almost all reformers are good, decent people who want to do what’s right. But nobody’s arguments should ever be given a free pass in the political arena. Challenging them to make their cases shouldn’t be seen as an insult to the reformers, instead, putting some thought into proposed ideas is supposed to be the American way.
* We’ll be posting videos throughout the day. I’m not sure when this stream will start [UPDATE: I’m told the live stream will begin at around 11 o’clock], but organizers say we’ll be able to watch today’s massive Statehouse rally live right here…
* Capitol Avenue — closed at 6 p.m. Tuesday between Second and Third streets.
* Monroe Street between Second and Pasfield streets — the south parking lane and next two driving lanes will be closed at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday for bus drop-off. The north parking lane and driving lane will remain open for traffic use.
* Second Street between Monroe and Jackson streets will be closed at 9 a.m. Wednesday
* Second to Edwards, Edwards to College, College to Monroe and Monroe to Second will be closed at noon to allow for a march around the Capitol complex.
* 9:18 am - You can follow the rally on Twitter. The hashtag is #sosrally. Here’s the link.
* 9:45 am - My intern Dan Weber has a video shot of the stage across the street from the Capitol, where supporters will gather. Take a look…
* 9:53 am - From the Tweet stream come two pics of the rally. Two Jumbotrons are being set up and IEA members are starting to arrive.
“Tomorrow’s rally will show there’s a lot of people in Illinois, a great majority, that don’t want draconian cuts in education,” Quinn said of [today’s] rally.
* 11:22 am - I’ve been hearing for days that AFSCME has been planning some sort of “action” to “shut down” the Statehouse today. That’s still possible, but not long ago, some SEIU protesters were chanting “Shut it down now!” Barton has the video…
* 2:00 pm - The crowd in the Statehouse has thinned out, but the intersection of South 2nd and Capitol Streets was packed for this morning’s rally. Take a look at the crowd from the stage…
Union leaders addressed the crowd. The first was AFSCME 31’s Henry Bayer…
* 2:20 pm -Demonstrators marched around the Capitol complex before entering the building. Here’s a quick video of what that looked like…
* 2:40 pm -The march ended in the Statehouse. Despite concerns from the Secretary of State’s office that too many people would try to enter the building, Capitol Police officers did not stop people. From the looks of it, demonstrators came in, walked around for a while and then went back outside. But the areas around the rail were still full. This was the scene looking down from the fourth floor…
Meanwhile on the first floor, union leaders led a series of chants…
* The so-called “iTunes tax” made the front page of today’s Sun-Times…
Even a trip to iTunes for a new song or movie may soon be within the grasp of Illinois’ tax collectors.
Imposing the state’s 6.25-percent sales tax on downloaded songs and movies surfaced as a new money-making idea Tuesday from Gov. Quinn’s administration to help bail out the state from its $13 billion deficit. […]
Now, digital downloads are not taxed by state government, depriving Springfield of up to $10 million in revenues annually. But that figure could grow over time as more people download entertainment from Internet sites such as iTunes and Amazon. […]
Under Quinn’s proposed download levy, $9.99 albums would carry a 62-cent tax while $14.99 movies would have 94 cents in sales taxes tacked on.
But doing so in Illinois won’t happen without a fight from Republicans, who criticized the plan.
“It will be an interesting education for younger voters about the reach of the state’s treasury into their pockets,” said Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine). “I don’t suspect it’ll be well received at all.”
Since 2007, 19 states have imposed similar download taxes, including Indiana, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Kentucky, Mississippi and Washington, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
A spokesman for NetChoice, an advocacy group whose clients include Yahoo! and eBay, said digital songs and movies shouldn’t be considered equivalent to a physical CD or DVD.
“The sales tax shouldn’t necessarily apply in the same way, or even at all,” NetChoice spokesman Braden Cox said.
Vaught argues that they’re selling goods to Illinoisans, and should have to pay tax on those sales.
“They shouldn’t get a pass,” Vaught said.
It’s not at all clear yet whether this will actually be part of the final package, but I am curious what you think.
* There are other proposals on the table, although many listed by the Tribune today are actually now off the table…
Still far from being approved, the additional taxes being discussed range from raising the $50 million a year tax on canned computer software, a proposal ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to pass but failed, to a sales tax on downloaded music and videos, according to Republicans who distributed the list of potential tax revenues.
Other proposals on the list would tax plastic grocery bags a nickel a piece and little cigars at the higher rate of cigarettes. A nickel-a-bottle deposit fee is another idea on the table. But Quinn’s budget director, David Vaught, said late Tuesday that the grocery bag and bottle deposit fees were part of a draft list, but did not make the final cut and are not being considered.
The governor’s proposal also proposed the option of eliminating a business tax credit for research and development. […]
Quinn also proposed selling off a portion of the revenue from a years-old tobacco lawsuit settlement, which his office estimates will generate approximately $2 billion to help pay down the estimated $6 billion backlog. The governor is also asking lawmakers to extend the time the state has to pay overdue bills in the hopes they will approve an income tax increase to help plug budget holes.
Quinn’s latest plan includes dipping into emergency reserves and the tobacco settlement fund, additional borrowing and assumes passage of both a cigarette tax increase and the 33 percent income tax surcharge Quinn’s proposed for education.
The plan also contains and an extra $400 million in budget cuts and gives the state an extra four months to pay off last year’s bills, according to Quinn’s budget office. Overall, the plan leaves the state about $2.9 billion in the red at the end of next year. Quinn’s original plan assumed more than $6 billion in bills would be unpaid.
However, Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, said it appears Quinn is shifting money around and is actually making only $900 million in budget cuts, if that.
“There’s been a lot of talk about potential cuts,” Radogno said. “For whatever reason, the cuts they initially talked about have not come to fruition. I have asked for the list of specifically what has been cut. They promised to get me that.”
Thousands of state vendors could face the prospect of having to go to court to collect money they are owed by the state.
In a memo to legislative leaders Tuesday, Gov. Pat Quinn acknowledged the possibility that the state’s budget mess could force angry vendors to file lawsuits with the Illinois Court of Claims this fall.
The Chicago Democrat told the leaders that he wants a change in law in order to avoid the looming legal showdown.
“I think there’s an understanding that we have to do something,” Quinn budget chief David Vaught told reporters in the Capitol.
Let’s extend the lapse period by four months because it’s for the vendors’ own good! Great.
* I’ll post the stories in a bit, but here’s video of Rod Blagojevich blasting US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald for going after his wife. It’s a must-see…
In a two-minute, blustery address, a finger-waving former Gov. Rod Blagojevich summoned U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to show up in the federal courthouse today at high noon.
“I challenge Mr. Fitzgerald. Why don’t you show up in court [Wednesday] and explain to everybody, say to the whole world, why you don’t want those tapes that you made played in court,” Blagojevich said at a news conference. “I’ll be in court tomorrow, I hope you’re man enough to be there tomorrow, too.”
Blagojevich accused the government of trying to sneak into court to try to block the ex-governor from playing all the recordings in trial. There is a previously scheduled court status date in Blagojevich’s case at noon today and the prosecutors trying the case — not Fitzgerald — are expected to show.
Blagojevich, wearing a bit of makeup, scheduled his remarks for 5:03 p.m. — just in time for three TV networks to carry it live. He called prosecutors “cowards” and “liars” and then took no questions from reporters.
Blagojevich was speaking loudly and clearly: to potential jurors, said former federal prosecutor and defense lawyer Dean Polales.
It’s unclear how the tactic will play out in court just six weeks before Blagojevich’s trial is set to begin, but as an exercise in media manipulation, it worked spectacularly. Nearly a dozen news cameras were on hand to hear Blagojevich lay on the mustard, and several TV stations aired the remarks — scheduled for precisely 5:03 p.m. for their benefit — live on their evening newscasts.
He spoke for just two minutes, then took no questions.
Blagojevich and his defense team have long aggressively gotten the former governor’s version of events to the public. On recent appearances on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” he repeatedly trumpeted his innocence to a national audience.
The ex-governor’s Florida-based publicist had hyped Tuesday’s media event by promising that Blagojevich “will make the strongest public statement to date concerning the charges he is facing.”
And the former politician seemed to deliver, calling prosecutors “cowards and liars” for “attacking” his wife, Patti, by alleging she was used corruptly to get the governor money through bogus real estate commissions.
While Rod Blagojevich’s strategy of going on the offensive and playing the victim could appeal to some, former assistant U.S. attorney Patrick Collins, who helped convict former governor George Ryan warned it could backfire.
“What he said tonight with the name calling and personal invective directed at Fitzgerald,” Collins said. “I would be shocked that the judge doesn’t have something to say about that in court.” […]
“Sometimes the best defense is a good offense,” said Collins.
Collins says Blagojevich’s statement is consistent with his strategy so far — go on the offensive and play the victim.
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich says he’ll be in court for his scheduled hearing today and he’s challenging the top federal prosecutor in Chicago to also show up.
Today’s court hearing isn’t anything more than going over some procedures and recent filings to get ready for Blagojevich’s corruption trial in June. Those recent filings include what’s called a Santiago proffer, which included an entire section titled “Steering Money to Blagojevich’s Wife.”
