* 5:02 pm - Another blow to Dan Hynes’ campaign. From a press release…
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, a lifelong educator and public servant, today formally endorsed Governor Pat Quinn, citing Quinn’s long record of standing up for honesty in government, school finance reform, and veterans’ rights.
“Governor Quinn inherited an office and a state that faced serious financial and ethical problems,” White said during a news conference Thursday in Chicago. “I am endorsing Pat Quinn for the Democratic nomination because I am confident that he is up to the challenge. Governor Quinn is honest and hardworking and has spent his career fighting for the working men and women of this great state.”
“From the day I took office as Governor, Jesse White has worked steadily alongside me to put our state government back on track,” Governor Quinn said. “He has been a tireless, effective advocate for reform and a strong voice for the education of our young people, and I am honored by his support. I look forward to working with him to make Illinois a stronger, more prosperous state.”
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says he knew ahead of time that his Corrections Department planned to begin releasing some prisoners after just a few days behind bars.
But Quinn wouldn’t explain Wednesday why he halted the practice after The Associated Press reported the release of hundreds of inmates - including some convicted of violent crimes.
The Chicago Democrat also refused to say whether he knew the release program would include violent criminals.
“They want to screw Pat Quinn so he can’t win,” state Sen. Rickey Hendon, a Chicago Democrat running for lieutenant governor, told the Daily Herald editorial board Tuesday.
Hendon claims this is why House Speaker Michael Madigan, chairman of the Democratic Party, didn’t try harder to pass an income tax that Senate Democrats had approved to help Quinn balance the budget.
“Mike Madigan could pass a ham sandwich in the House if he wanted to,” Hendon said.
Asked specifically if he thought Democratic powers were conspiring against Quinn, Hendon was resolute.
“Yes, they set Pat Quinn up to fail. There is no question about it,” Hendon said.
Quinn set himself up to fail, but they just let him fall.
For months, wanna-be Senator Kirk has faced one of the toughest political operatives in the country. Her name is Kathleen Strand. She’s the senior vice president of a political consulting outfit called The Dover Group which has been hired by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to give Kirk as much grief as possible during his “lead pipe cinch” primary campaign.
Strand is a Chicago native who since 2003 has worked various democratic campaigns in 12 states. She solidified her rep as Hillary Clinton’s communications director during Clinton’s improbable comeback victory in the 2008 New Hampshire Primary. Now, Strand watches and records Kirk’s every political move and word. Whenever she thinks the moderate northshore congressman has changed his position on an issue (usually moving to the right to placate the more conservative statewide republican base), Strand speaks, writes, telephones and e-mails “flip-flop” alerts to the political universe. Her latest “outreach” is a web page called “Two Faced Kirk” (http://www.dscc.org/twofaced/) complete with a YouTube video.
I met Strand, a University of Missouri journalism graduate, last summer outside a DuPage County republican event that featured the congressman around the time he announced his Senate candidacy. Initially, I mistook the slim blond standing in the parking lot for some kind of Mark Kirk groupie. Big mistake. She was banned from doing her thing inside the building by hotel security but it didn’t stop her from holding court outside on Kirk’s now-infamous change of heart on cap and trade legislation.
Defense attorney Samuel E. Adam said following a hearing in the case that it would be “an awesome experience in any career” to question Obama, who is not accused of any wrongdoing but did answer questions from federal investigators.
* I admit that I hadn’t really thought of the Jacob Meister “gay” angle, because I figured David Hoffman’s constant claim that he’s the “only parent” in the race is directed for various reasons at the bachelor Alexi Giannoulias…
Meister is offended that Hoffman, father of a 2-year-old, keeps calling himself the only parent in the Democratic Senate primary. Meister complained, “I can’t get married,” and accused Hoffman of making an insidious, anti-gay slur.
“I’ve had a number of people from the LGBT community come up to me and say, ‘Why are letting him do this?’” Meister said at the debate. “This is horrible. This is a terrible thing, and it’s indicative of the problem that we have. This is not an issue. It is not something that should be brought up in this way any more than Barack Obama’s race.”
But Hoffman said his comment had nothing to do with sexual orientation.
“I’m proud to be married and to have a 2-year-old. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with talking about that. I’m a strong supporter of gay marriage,” Hoffman said, “and what I said up there was I’m a parent. I’m the only parent in the race, because being a parent, regardless of your sexual orientation – raising children – changes your perspective. And that’s the point I’m making, and of course that’s the point I’m making, and for someone to claim something otherwise, I think, is not right.”
Also, this is one way to get the word out that you’re gay. Kinda like Bobby Rush’s ploy to fire up the black troops for Cheryle Jackson.
I’m curious, though, why Meister was even at the debate since he hasn’t broken 5 percent in any polls.
* NBC5 makes a bit of a stretch in its setup of a Hoffman jab at Giannoulias…
Hoffman then linked Giannoulias’ job performance to the suffering Bright Start College savings program.
“How can we trust him when he ran Bright Start and lost 185 million dollars?” he said. “It’s no longer one of the top programs. On his watch, one of his job performance issues was not managing the Bright Start program.” [Emphasis added]
Only one of the funds in the program is actually “suffering.” Consumer Reports even gave the program an “A” earlier this year - one of only five in the nation.
The Hoffman campaign sent this after the debate…
Truth matters in a campaign, and Alexi Giannoulias drove right past it today. He did a grave disservice to the voters by deceiving them that Bright Start is one of the best managed funds in the country today.
Alexi Giannoulias continues to misstate the performance of the Bright Start College Savings Plan, which lost Illinois families $85 million on his watch. Giannoulias cited two year old reports that Bright Start was among the best funds of its kind in the nation.
Bright Start has been dropped by Morningstar, a leading provider of investment research, from the top rankings, and has not appeared on their best performing list since the end of 2007, after which the fund lost 38% of its value.
This misrepresentation is exactly why voters are cynical; they are sick of being lied to. This is why character, job performance and experience are key issues in this race, and why again Mr. Giannoulias fails these crucial tests.
Morningstar July 28, 2008:
“Undoubtedly, the fund’s latest struggles demonstrate the risk of going against the grain during prolonged bouts of uncertainty.”
Morningstar October 27, 2008:
“In fact, the fund’s recent losses (20% for the year ended Oct. 24 2008) have been sizable enough to erase any gains that investors made here over the past five years.”
Morningstar December 17, 2008:
Since our last update in October, this fund has continued its dramatic slide. For the year ended Dec. 16, 2008, it has lost 37.6% which is 31 percentage points worse than its typical intermediate-term bond rival’s loss…”
However, one of the latest Morningstar reports isn’t all that bad. It begins…
Illinois’ Bright Start College Savings Program is on the road to recovery.
It ends…
In all, we still think this plan offers investors plenty of reasons to invest here.
But this Giannoulias press release is just silly…
U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign today exposed the hypocrisy of opponent David Hoffman in a critique of Hoffman’s first campaign advertisement.
The “Reality Check” ad contrasts footage of Hoffman alleging that “the bankers, the lobbyists, the powerbrokers, they’ve owned Washington for too long” with the truth - that his investments are protected by the very TARP-funded banks that he rails against.
Hoffman has almost a quarter of a million dollars invested in stock at three big banks which were bailed out with taxpayer money: JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup and Bank of NY Mellon, according to his personal financial disclosure. The trio received almost $53 billion in TARP funds.
The ad critique poses this question to voters: “Will he work for us? Or the bailed out banks?”
“Taxpayer dollars protected Hoffman’s investments, and now he’s using his personal wealth to finance his campaign. It is hypocritical for David to rail against Wall Street banks when he is their beneficiary,” said campaign spokesperson Kati Phillips.
So, Hoffman has some money in bank stocks and that makes him a total pawn of the banking industry? Please.
Still, some of the most intense battling at the Statehouse is between community banks and “big banks.” I can see where the animosity comes from. I just don’t think it’s a valid hit.
Here’s the video…
From what I gather, Giannoulias started the argument over the banks today, probably so he could bring up his new video.
All of this aside, Giannoulias didn’t participate in the candidate media availability after the debate was over, and reporters were absolutely furious. That may do more to slant today’s coverage than any post-debate spin from either side.
…Adding… Apparently, Giannoulias answered media questions shortly afterwards at city hall.
1) Best Illinois state legislator: Sen. Don Harmon. John Cullerton’s ascension to the Senate Presidency has propelled Harmon into the upper echelons of legislative power. He is a likely future Senate President himself. Harmon was an overwhelming favorite in the nominations. This one was representative…
Smart, hardworking, and not an ideologue.
2) Best Illinois congresscritter: Rep. Phil Hare. He’s a hard working blue-collar guy. From the nominations…
Always out in the community working his insanely large district. Also, he has continued to work on issues important to his district.
3) Best IL statewide elected official: Jesse White…
…because he’s not running for anything else, didn’t think about running for anything else, wasn’t courted to run for anything else, etc. The man just does his job.
4) Best Statehouse lobbyist: Bill Luking…
He isn’t on the rail but rather in secretary’s offices, the JCAR offices, etc. No one knows the process better. I would like someone to calculate the amount of money he has either gotten for Chicago or saved Chicago over the years. He is by far the most effective lobbyist in Springfield.
Luking reads every bill and every amendment. He is a walking, talking computer. Plus, he met Frank Sinatra. That counts for something in my book.
* Our final round…
1) Best press spokesperson (legislative, congressional, local or statewide)
2) Best non-press staffer for a constitutional officer
3) Best “insider”
Again, it’s not the number of votes but the intensity of the nominations that count here. So, make sure you fully explain your nominations. Have at it.
* The Tribune urges everybody, but mostly opponents of the Thomson prison sale, to “Take a deep breath” in an editorial today…
But the fear mongers want no part of it. To hear them talk, Obama and Quinn are painting a big red bull’s eye on the Willis Tower, 150 miles away. Put those prisoners in Thomson and the next thing you know, their terrorist friends will stage a jailbreak and they’ll all take over the nuclear power plant in nearby Cordova. Think we’re exaggerating? Kirk’s campaign Web site says Obama’s plan would make Illinois “ground zero for jihadists” and that detainees should “stay where they cannot endanger American citizens.” McKenna says Quinn is trying “to bring terrorists to our neighborhoods in the name of job creation.”
You know what that sounds like: Not In My Back Yard.
Meh. People have a right to say they don’t want something in their back yard. NIMBYs aren’t always wrong. The problem comes when politicians blatantly lie and fear monger about an issue for purely political purposes. That “bring terrorists to our neighborhoods” line is classic fear-mongering. First of all, Thomson’s population is 600, which is barely even one neighborhood. And the terrorists won’t be living in a neighborhood, they’ll be imprisoned in the most secure prison in the nation, perhaps even the world.
Conventional wisdom says Quinn hurt his re-election bid. But we’re guessing he did himself some good.
Plenty of voters can see this is right for Illinois.
Plenty of voters will be fearful of it as well, as long as Kirk, McKenna, et al continue their goofy pandering. A majority already opposes it. There are times when a leader has to do things that are right, and not popular, but a real leader should also do those things right. I’m not sure that’s happened here.
First, Gov. Quinn should’ve asked far more questions before agreeing to this. He didn’t seem to know many details at first, and still can’t answer some questions, like where the prisoners will receive medical care.
I also don’t like the idea of adding to our state’s already horrendous reputation by volunteering to be the nation’s holding cell for Al Qaeda detritus. And, finally, I believe Quinn should’ve secured far more money for this prison than we’re gonna get. Fair market value isn’t enough. We have budget problems, the president is desperate to find a state to take these terrorists, so let’s make a deal. A real deal. Not some real estate transaction. This is Illinois, not Iowa. Make ‘em pay.
* Former Illinois Attorney General Ty Fahner has claimed full responsibility for inserting Andy McKenna’s name in a state Republican Party poll. “This was no his idea,” Fahner is quoted as saying about McKenna.
The former state party chairman McKenna, you will recall, is under fire for allegedly using the poll to gauge his own support while he was supposed to be helping put the candidate field together. The state GOP has now launched an internal probe of the matter. From the Trib…
Tyrone Fahner, a McKenna friend who chaired the state GOP’s finance committee at the time, said the party’s major campaign contributors decided to authorize the poll and it was Fahner’s idea to include McKenna’s name.
“I thought it would make sense to run a poll and include anybody that might be in the mix, and since (McKenna) had run before, I thought it was a good idea,” said Fahner, a former state attorney general who said he was authorized to speak for McKenna’s campaign. He added that officials from both the Republican Governors’ Association and the GOP’s national senatorial committee had discussed possible McKenna candidacies. “This was not his idea,” Fahner said. […]
The review of McKenna’s use of party funds to conduct the poll was approved by the state Republican Party’s top leaders at a meeting on Saturday, said sources who asked not to be identified because party rules prohibited them from discussing the move. The review was authorized without dissent by the members of the Republican State Central Committee who attended, the sources said.
McKenna will reportedly meet with party leaders today to explain himself. I’ll update as news comes in.
UPDATE: McKenna’s people say the Tribune’s claim is inaccurate. McKenna is not meeting with party leaders today.
Rep. Bobby Rush claims that the “white-dominated” media are ignoring an African-American candidate running for President Obama’s old Senate seat.
Rush, the inveterate race-baiter, is referring of course to Cheryle Jackson. A Google news search shows Rush’s claim to be untrue. Also, I’m on Jackson’s press release e-mail list, and I can tell you she just hasn’t done much of anything lately.
Laura Washington essentially provides the reasoning for Rush’s latest outburst…
“But in order to get [African-American voters] fired up and get them to care enough to show up at the polls you’ve got to talk about race, and that’s when you get into trouble,” Washington added.
Yep. Play the race card, fire up the base and get yourself in trouble. Rush doesn’t seem to care about the “get yourself in trouble” part. That’s just what he does. He has to face no consequences from this behavior, and he’ a pro at this stuff…
Rush, who defeated Obama easily in a 2000 House primary, said Jackson’s candidacy hasn’t gotten more widespread attention because of her race. “I’ve lived through the Harold Washington election,” he said, referring to the former Democratic congressman who became mayor of Chicago. “The white-dominated media tend to be dismissive of African-American candidates early on. They dismissed Carol Moseley Braun when she ran.”
Washington disagreed with Rush. “I don’t think that it’s about race,” she said. “I think that she [Jackson] just hasn’t been able to get her story out in front of enough people.”
Whites also dismissed Barack Obama early on. But Obama didn’t pull stunts like this Rush crud. There was a reason Obama challenged Rush for his congressional seat. This kind of old-school racial pandering is just one of them. Jackson ought to quickly repudiate him.
In my opinion, if Jackson raises the money and starts defining herself, she could become a credible candidate and has a real shot at winning this primary. Her debate at the Tribune was horrible, however. She arrived late, was unprepared, stumbled through her answers, and showed she wasn’t yet a true top tier candidate. If she wants people to take her campaign seriously, she needs to first take her campaign far more seriously. Time’s running out.
Carol Moseley-Braun was a star at the debates against Alan Dixon and Al Hofeld. She projected positivity and refused to be dragged down into the Dixon vs. Hofeld mudslinging. That’s a big reason why she won.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate David Hoffman ripped into rival Alexi Giannoulias at a debate this morning, saying Giannoulias’ history as vice president of his family’s Broadway Bank make him a bad bet for senator. […]
Hoffman, a former inspector general for the city of Chicago, threw the first punch, criticizing “irresponsible” community banks that withdraw money as their failing — a jab at Giannoulias and his family, who withdrew large amounts of money from their struggling North Side bank. The bank was in better shape, though, when Giannoulias left to be state treasurer four years ago.
Giannoulias replied by accusing Hoffman of “hypocrisy” for complaining about Broadway Bank, noting that Hoffman owns stock in big Wall Street banks that have benefited from federal bailouts.
“Since he’s been in this campaign, he has been falsely attacking me and my family.” Giannoulias said of Hoffman.
Hoffman answered: “He says it’s not fair to talk about the bank because it’s ‘his family.’ When you’re 33 years old and you’ve only held two jobs, it’s worth talking about…It’s nothing to do with his family — it’s about his job performance at the bank.”
Jackson has the opportunity to show that she’s above this fray - if she gets her act together.
You can see a brief summation of most of the points made during the debate by clicking here.
Carol Marin, our town’s journalistic triple threat (WTTW-Ch. 11 moderator, WMAQ-Ch. 5 investigator and Sun-Times columnist), yesterday called out Chicago Department of Revenue Director Bea Reyna-Hickey for refusing to sit for an on-camera interview about parking ticket revenues.[…]
Instead, Marin wrote, Reyna-Hickey agreed only to respond to questions submitted in writing:
Chicago School Board members will decide Wednesday whether to dump their $24,000-a-year receipt-free expense accounts — tabs once likened to “slush funds” — in favor of submitting receipts for all work-related expenses.
Memo to Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown: Sneed hears judges are complaining next year’s 2010 court calendars, which are necessary for scheduling purposes — are two months late!
Government, to be effective, must be trusted by its citizens, and it earns that trust by avoiding even the appearance of insider collusion.[…]
That’s why “The Watchdogs” story in Monday’s Sun-Times about the late Chicago School Board President Michael W. Scott’s ties to a multibillion-dollar lakefront project was troubling.
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Some candidates occasionally questioned their opponents’ conservative credentials for not swearing to oppose a tax increase under all possible circumstances.
“I’m the only one who will live up to that standard,” said Bill Brady, a state senator from Bloomington.
State Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington was alone among the six GOP candidates on hand in saying he’d oust those brought in by former Govs. George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich who remain employed by Gov. Pat Quinn.
“Absolutely, I’d fumigate them,” Brady said. […]
Former state Attorney General Jim Ryan of Elmhurst cautioned against “guilt by association” in considering who to keep employed.
Brady: “We absolutely have to invest in our infrastructure. Our capital projects are critically important to us, and our high-speed rail is one of those.”
* Ryan: “I have serious reservations about high-speed rail. I don’t think this is the time to even think about spending money on that project.”
Brady: “It’s unfair to them to hold back cash. That money needs to be borrowed and then repaid.”
Ryan: “If they have to pay their bills, I would support some short-term borrowing. The reason they’re in this position is because for the last eight years they’ve mismanaged our state finances.”
Dillard: “From time to time, it is appropriate for the state to short-term borrow.”
* In other debate news, here is the Tribune editorial board’s “debate” with the various Democratic US Senate candidates. Cheryle Jackson showed up late…
David Hoffman repeated his claim that he would leave the Bush tax cuts in place during the recession and repeal them after the recession ends. He said he would be willing to “look” at lowering the tax base if the budget ever returned to “surplus.” That’s not quite what he wrote in his Tribune questionnaire…
Once our economy recovers, I would remove the tax cuts for individuals at upper-income levels as a deficit-reduction policy, but would support returning the tax rates to their current level when our deficits are under control.
* Here are the winners from yesterday’s Golden Horseshoe nominations…
1) Best legislative staffer: These are the unsung heroes of the Illinois Statehouse. They do all the hard work and get no credit. It’s always tough to make this award because so many are deserving, but Melissa Black, a policy analyst with the Senate Democrats, got the most votes and the most intense support, so she wins. From the nominations…
Her co-workers have deemed her “chair of the midnight caucus” for working so constantly during session. And despite that, she takes time to mentor interns and answer “a quick Medicaid question” for anyone.
2) Best state legislative secretary/admin assistant: This is another tough category because there are so many good ones. Beth Hamilton, who works for Rep. Lou Lang, received the most intense support, and she’s certainly deserving. From the nominations…
Beth Hamilton is a great choice always friendly and puts up with Lou
Good point. Putting up with Lou ain’t easy.
3) Best political bar/restaurant in Springfield: Lots were nominated, but The Globe stood out…
(O)ne-stop shopping for all your legislative contact needs.
Yep.
4) Best IL state agency director: Catherine Shannon at the Department of Labor is one of those people you never read about - mainly because she does such a good job…
Nobody knows their agency better and cares more about doing a good job for the state.
* Today’s categories…
1) Best Illinois state legislator
2) Best Illinois congresscritter
3) Best IL statewide elected official
4) Best Statehouse lobbyist
Remember, it’s not the number of votes, but the intensity of the nominations that count. And no snark, please. Thanks.
* OK, I couldn’t resist this story for several reasons. First, I have a painting by Henry Hill and it’s pretty good. Second, I used a quote from Goodfellas in a recent Sun-Times column…
The leaders’ most important job is protecting their members from election challenges by the other political party. And that brings us to my favorite Outfit movie, Goodfellas.
“All they got from Paulie was protection from other guys looking to rip them off. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what the FBI can never understand - that what Paulie and the Organization offer is protection for the kinds of guys who can’t go to the cops. They’re like the police department for wiseguys.”
Henry Hill’s real-life description of how Outfit bosses operate pretty much gives you the key to understanding how things work in Springfield.
Now, I don’t consider legislative leaders to be gangsters. But even the leaders would have to admit that the organizational mindset is strikingly similar.
And just yesterday I was talking with a legislator about that “F___ you, pay me” scene in the movie and how that related to Illinois politics…
Now the guy’s got Paulie as a partner. Any problems, he goes to Paulie. Trouble with the bill? He can go to Paulie. Trouble with the cops, deliveries, Tommy? He can call Paulie. But now the guy’s gotta come up with Paulie’s money every week no matter what. Business bad? F___ you, pay me. Oh, you had a fire? F___ you, pay me. Place got hit by lightning, huh? F___ you, pay me.”
The former mobster who inspired “Goodfellas” was arrested Sunday in Fairview Heights because he had “one too many” drinks in a hotel lobby, he said.
Henry P. Hill, 66, of Topanga, Calif., was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in the Drury Inn Hotel, 12 Ludwig Drive in Fairview Heights.
“I got a summons for being intoxicated; it wasn’t my first one,” Hill said. “I broke the law and I got arrested.
“I don’t drink every day,” he added. “Sometimes I have one too many. I know I shouldn’t drink this much, but they give you free drinks. I had a few and it got pretty foggy after that. The lady I was with doesn’t drink, so I had six drinks and I ended up at the county jail.”
Hill is in the area for an art show at a, um, gentleman’s club.
So, I thought you might get a kick out this. Anybody up for a trip to Fairview Heights tonight?
*** UPDATE 5 - 2:35 pm *** Fox Chicago is carrying a live presser by Quinn and Durbin. Click here to watch it live. UPDATE: End. Not much new info.
*** UPDATE 4 - 2:30 pm *** From AFSCME…
Following today’s developments regarding a possible sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government, AFSCME Council 31 executive director Henry Bayer issued the following statement:
“The governor’s rush to sell Thomson ignores serious questions about the dangerously overcrowded, understaffed Illinois prison system. How can state prisons function safely with more than 45,000 inmates jammed into facilities built for 32,000?
“Events of this week underscore these concerns. Just yesterday, an employee was held hostage for hours by an inmate at a Southern Illinois prison, a standoff that ended with the inmate shot to death. The day before, news reports revealed a secret program that let hundreds of inmates, including violent offenders, walk free after serving just days of their court-ordered sentences.
“Illinois has an oversight process to review the sale. That process should be followed, not short-circuited.”
*** UPDATE 3 - 2:16 pm *** From Dan Hynes…
“As I said at the outset, I have full faith that President Obama would weigh this decision carefully and would never endanger the safety of the people of Illinois, so I trust him to do the appropriate thing regarding Thomson Correctional Center. At this point, however, the process has been ill-served by Governor Quinn.
“At the same time the Governor is asking the people of Illinois to trust him on this difficult issue, which understandably causes some unease, it turns out his administration is secretly releasing criminals, some violent, from prison early, and worse, the Governor didn’t seem to know anything about it. Governor Quinn’s bungled handling of and obfuscation on this program does nothing to instill a climate of competence and confidence that the people of Illinois need at a time and situation like this.
“As the Thomson sale moves forward, we are still waiting for the Governor to give answers to the many questions raised by his secret early release program, and he ought to level with the people of Illinois immediately.”
*** UPDATE 2 - 1:03 pm *** One of the criticisms that Mark Kirk had about the proposed move of the Gitmo prisoners to Thomson was that their trials would be held in Rockford or Chicago, which would “endanger” citizens there. But, like so much else with this hype, it’s not to be…
The Obama administration is planning to hold military commission trials at the Thomson Correctional Center, in addition to housing former Guantanamo detainees there.
Under a plan officials will unveil in the coming days, the administration plans to send some of the detainees to their home countries and others to third countries, some of which operate rehabilitation programs for suspected terrorists.
The Thomson prison could house between 35 and 90 of the Guantanamo detainees, said one source familiar with the discussions.
And Jim Ryan responds…
“Slow down, Governor Quinn. Moving al-Qaeda terrorists into Illinois should not be done after only a single public hearing three days before Christmas.
Governor Quinn, be true to your word and let the people speak. If citizens are really in charge in Illinois, then give them an opportunity to speak their mind on this important issue. Schedule a series of real public hearings after the first of the year to allow us to have our say…”
*** UPDATE 1 - 11:53 am *** Gov. Quinn and Sen. Durbin have released a statement…
Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today praised the decision by the Obama Administration to proceed with the acquisition of a state of the art correctional facility in Thomson, Illinois. Senator Durbin and Governor Quinn issued the following statement:
“Thomson Correctional Center – a high security prison – has been sitting empty for eight years. The Obama Administration has put forward a plan to make it the safest prison in America and we are pleased that they have made this decision. This move will have a tremendously positive impact on the local economy — creating more than 3,000 jobs and injecting more than $1 billion into the local economy. This is an opportunity to dramatically reduce unemployment, create thousands of good-paying jobs and breathe new economic life into this part of downstate Illinois.”
In a letter to Governor Quinn, sent by the U.S. Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretaries of State, Defense and Homeland Security, the federal government has signaled its intention to purchase and operate the prison.
They write: “We write to inform you that the President has directed, with our unanimous support, that the Federal Government proceed with the acquisition of the facility in Thomson. Not only will this help address the urgent overcrowding problem at our nation’s Federal prisons, but it will also help achieve our goal of closing the detention center at Guantanamo in a timely, secure, and lawful manner.”
The letter also addresses security concerns that have been raised about transferring Guantanamo detainees to the Thomson facility: “The security of the facility and the surrounding region is our paramount concern. The facility was built in 2001 to maximum security specifications, and after acquisition it will be enhanced to exceed perimeter security standards at the nation’s only “supermax” prison in Florence, Colorado, where there has never been an escape or external attack . . . The President has no intention of releasing any detainees in the United States. Current law effectively bars the release of the Guantanamo detainees on U.S. soil, and the Federal Government has broad authority under current law to detain individuals during removal proceedings and pending the execution of final removal orders.”
[ *** End of Updates *** ]
* Gov. Quinn is in DC today for a White House meeting on transferring Guantanamo Bay prisoners and other hardcore cons to the state’s empty Thomson facility. The decision apparently came late yesterday…
Quinn’s office had released his schedule for today shortly before 8 p.m. Monday, saying he would be in Chicago for the day. A revised version was released 2 1/2 hours later, saying he would be in Washington “to be briefed on the acquisition of Thomson Correctional Center.”
Not all elected officials were notified as quickly. A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, the Republican who represents the Thomson area, said Monday night the congressman had not received any official confirmation from the White House regarding an announcement.
* After backing away a bit from his over the top rhetoric against the prisoner transfer, US Senate candidate Mark Kirk is once again in “in full throated opposition,” a Politico writer opines. Check out Kirk’s campaign website and you’ll see this on the front page…
Clicking the “Join us” link leads you to an online petition addressed to President Obama…
As citizens of the State of Illinois, we urge you to put the safety and security of Illinois families first and stop any plan to transfer Al Qaeda terrorists to our state.
* Almost all of the Republican candidates for governor again voiced strong opposition last night during a candidates’ debate. Jim Ryan…
“I think it’s a very bad idea to bring the mastermind of 9-11 to Thomson,” said Ryan. “I have no doubt we can keep him there and he’ll never get out. But no one can tell me there’s no risk.”
“I think that we’ve got an investment in Guantanamo Bay, and that’s where international terrorists ought to be held, tried and kept,” said state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington. “Thomson (Correctional Center) is a facility we cannot give up right now, particularly in light of the fact the governor is releasing violent inmates.”
“I think al-Qaida terrorists ought to stay in Cuba,” said state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale during a debate among GOP hopefuls Monday night. He called the potential move a “pathetic” example of how desperate the Democrat-run state is for money.
Still, he criticized the state management that has allowed a state-of-the-art prison to sit unused because Illinois lacks the money to open it.
“It’s just amazing, the level of incompetence,” Schillerstrom said.
* The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability will hold a hearing next week in Sterling to discuss the proposed closure. Illinois Review reports that a protest is planned…
Opponents to the prison sale, including Tea Party supporters and a group called “Moms of Soldiers,” are planning a protest outside Madigan’s hearing.
* I wonder if it has occurred to the Quinn administration that this is probably not the best time for a controversy over a “secret” early prisoner release program…
“That is crazy,” said state Rep. Mike Boland of East Moline.
Quinn has shutdown the early release program in question after revelations in the media that prisoners were being cut loose after serving just few days of sentences for crimes like repeat drunken driving, drug possession and weapons violations.
Quinn says the program is now under review. […]
Other lieutenant governor candidates to criticize the early releases exposed by the Associated Press Monday were state Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan, Chicago businessman Scott Cohen and Elmhurst electrician Thomas Castillo.
“When Dan Hynes slings mud he loses ground,” said Quinn.
The governor brushed aside Hynes’ attack. The Quinn campaign was buoyed by the latest Chicago Tribune survey showing the incumbent leading the challenger by a wide margin.
“The voters have made it pretty clear they like my approach to government. I don’t think they like the comptroller’s negative approach to government,” said Quinn.
“Is there something positive about this story? I’m missing that. People are pretty concerned. Eight hundred and fifty people released including some violent criminals. I’m like every other citizen in the state who wants some answers,” said Hynes.
* I’m not sure what, exactly, an “ethics probe” is if it’s conducted by the Illinois Republican Party, but somebody over at HQ apparently doesn’t love Andy McKenna…
Sneed has learned GOP gubernatorial hopeful Andy McKenna is the target of an ethics probe by the Illinois Republican Party, which he once chaired.
• To wit: Sneed is told the Republican State Central Committee, the party’s managerial arm, has authorized an investigation of McKenna’s use of GOP money to commission a poll without consent of fellow party members. The committee claims the poll was used to determine McKenna’s chances of success as a statewide GOP candidate in this election cycle. (Other names of GOP candidates, besides McKenna’s, were used in the poll.)
• To wit II: The Illinois GOP party also cast a dim view of the “high” salaries awarded GOP party employees earlier in the year, but then darted over to McKenna’s campaign when he announced his bid for governor — but it’s unclear if the ethics panel, which has yet to be formed, will include it in the probe.
Do you think a public rebuke by the party will matter?
* Rival GOP candidate Dan Proft claims to have obtained a copy of the poll that McKenna ordered as party chairman. Proft released two pages yesterday with the results redacted. You can download those pages by clicking here.
McKenna polled several top contenders at the time, including Ron Gidwitz, Bill Brady, Matt Murphy, Joe Birkett, Tom Cross, “Bill” [sic] Schillerstrom, Mark Kirk, John Shimkus and himself.
(I)t is clear that Andy McKenna has not been honest with the party when he explains that he hadn’t considered running for office until a groundswell of grassroots organizers and Chicago GOP financiers begged him to run. This is clearly untrue.
What McKenna did as ILGOP Chairman is nothing other than conversion of corporate funds for personal use. At least, that’s how it would be viewed had he done the same thing in the business world, a world he professes to know something about it. It is a typical insider play by a typical insider politician.
Andy McKenna is spending millions of dollars on television advertisements trying to convince himself and unsuspecting Illinois GOP primary voters that he is an “outsider”. It is a curious argument for someone who spent the past five years as the Illinois Republican State Party Chairman to make, but this is Illinois after all where even self-styled reformers go to jail.
I ask the other candidates in the race to join me in demanding that McKenna reimburse the party for the cost of that survey and apologize to competitors of mine with whom he was not forthright.
Lance Trover of the McKenna campaign called IR, and when we asked the campaign’s response to Proft releasing this survey and the allegations of the Proft campaign, Trover said, “We will not comment.”
*** UPDATE *** From a press release…
Senator Bill Brady, Republican candidate for Governor, released the following statement today:
It’s become abundantly clear in recent days that during his time as Illinois Republican Party Chairman, my opponent Andy McKenna, may have violated the conflict-of-interest ethics rules he himself put in place.
McKenna apparently authorized a $25,000 internal poll while he was the Illinois GOP Chairman, that he subsequently used to to determine his chances of success as a statewide republican candidate in this election.
News reports indicate McKenna sanctioned the poll and use of Illinois Republican Party money without the permission of fellow party leaders. His actions reek of impropriety, which is why I am calling on McKenna to come forward and set the record straight.
If Andy McKenna did indeed use $25,000 of his own party’s money for personal use, what’s to say he wouldn’t do it to the taxpayers of Illinois?
Sadly, McKenna is not the only candidate in this race involved in corrupt politics of the past.
Jim Ryan, another of my opponents, took $800,000 in campaign contributions from close friend Stuart Levine, all along claiming he didn’t know Levine was corrupt.
These are perfect examples of Chicago-style politics Illinois so desperately needs a clean break from. Next to jobs and taxes, ethics is of most importance to Illinois and its voters. We need a clean break from the corrupt, unethical politics of the past. Illinois needs a candidate who will fight corruption, not take part in it. I am that candidate.
For two weeks, no one’s been answering the phones in the Clinton and Monroe counties’ WorkNet Center offices — despite stacks of joblessness claims caused by the worst recession in decades.
The reason for the locked offices: St. Clair County still hasn’t hired people to replace the case managers who had once worked there.
The face of suburbia is changing—and so are schools there. For decades, Chicago has educated the vast majority of the region’s low-income, minority, and immigrant students. But that’s shifting, and education issues once considered “urban” are increasingly showing up in suburban schools. It’s placing cultural, academic and financial demands on districts that at one time catered to mostly white, middle-class kids.
This area can take pride in having four schools among 37 statewide recognized by U.S. News & World Report magazine as among the best in the nation.
Bloomington High School, Blue Ridge High School in Farmer City, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley High School in Gibson City and Tri-Valley High School in Downs each received a bronze medal rating from the magazine in its “America’s Best High Schools” article.
Hundreds of teachers in a suburban Chicago school district will be back in class after more than a week on strike.
Teachers in Prairie Hills District 144 went on strike Dec. 3 because they couldn’t reach an agreement with district officials during contract negotiations. The points of contention were salaries, health insurance and retirement benefits.
* Auditor tells Bloomington its cash reserves are too low
