* I’ve been hearing that Mark Kirk was about to move sharply to the right, but asking for a Palin endorsement? Really? Wow…
Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk penned a memo to Republican poobah Fred Malek hoping to secure an endorsement from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his Senate candidacy, according to a copy of the memo obtained by the Fix.
After noting that Palin will be in Chicago later this month to appear on “Oprah”, Kirk writes that “the Chicago media will focus on one key issue: Does Gov[ernor] Palin oppose Congressman Mark Kirk’s bid to take the Obama Senate seat for the Republicans?”
Kirk goes on to write that he is hoping for something “quick and decisive” from Palin about the race, perhaps to the effect of: “Voters in Illinois have a key opportunity to take Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Congressman Kirk is the lead candidate to do that.”
Malek confirmed the authenticity of the memo in an e-mail exchange
Um, I don’t think the Chicago media will be “focusing” on the Kirk-Palin “issue” when she comes to town for her Oprah show. They’re usually mainly focused on ogling Oprah. Somebody is a bit too self-centered, methinks.
Also, the Chicago political media has historically been one of Kirk’s most loyal constituencies. They’ve helped brand him as an independent, liberal Republican. Getting Palin’s nod won’t endear him to those types at all. This looks beyond bizarre to me. Is anybody over there thinking about the general election? Is anyone thinking about how McCain/Palin got stomped here last year?
I’m really stunned by this remarkable display of brazen pandering. I guess I shouldn’t be so suprised, but I am.
*** UPDATE 1 *** I’m now hearing that the Kirk memo was sent yesterday - before the NY congressional results came in. The word I’ve been getting for a few days is if the Conservative Party candidate won the race, Kirk would move hard to the right. This memo fits in with that. And the memo’s date also fits. Kirk simply out-thunk himself because, despite the polls and very high expectations, the Conservative Party candidate lost and the Democrat won. Oops.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From Democratic US Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias….
“Mark Kirk begging for Sarah Palin’s endorsement makes it clear that he’ll seek any endorsement, take up any political or policy position, and attempt any political maneuver that he thinks will get him more votes. At the very best, this is shameless political pandering. At worst, it’s further proof that Mark Kirk lacks the political courage to make the tough decisions to move this state forward.”
Also today, the Senate Republicans announced they won’t be spending in contested primaries…
With Republicans grappling with the fallout of an intra-party battle that may have cost them a House seat, the head of the Senate Republican campaign effort is making a pledge that may ease some of the anger being directed at the party establishment. “We will not spend money in a contested primary,” Sen. John Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told ABC News in a telephone interview today.
*** UPDATE 3 *** The DSCC is sending around Mark Kirk quotes about Palin…
· Kirk Called Palin the “Patrick Fitzgerald of Alaska.” In a release from the Illinois Republican Party praising Senator John McCain’s choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate, Kirk called Palin the “Patrick Fitzgerald Of Alaska” for her grit and determination in taking on the old-line Republican guard in Alaska. [Illinois Republican Party release, 8/29/08]
· Female Voters Criticized Kirk for Supporting Palin. In September 2008, a group of 75 female voters sent Kirk a letter strongly criticizing his support for Alaska Governor and Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, and accusing him of not “standing up for women in the 10th District.” “There is nothing encouraging about Palin’s extreme political views, including her opposition to a woman’s right to choose even in the cases of incest and rape, equal pay for equal work, and gun control,” they wrote. “Your support for Sarah Palin shows that you are more concerned with supporting the Republican Party and continuing with more of the same disastrous policies of the last 8 years.” [Washington Post, 9/11/08]
· Kirk: Palin Would Not Have Been My Choice for Vice President. Kirk told the Chicago Sun Times editorial board that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would not have been his choice for John McCain’s running mate. [Chicago Sun Times, 10/13/08]
· Kirk: I Don’t Know If Palin Is Qualified to be President. In October 2009, Kirk was asked by the Chicago Tribune editorial board if he believed Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had the qualifications to become president. “Quite frankly, I don’t know,” Kirk responded. [Chicago Tribune, 10/1/08]
*** UPDATE 4 *** Dan Hynes cracks a joke on his Twitter page…
While we’re on the topic - http://bit.ly/4F7rQ8 - I will not seek, nor will I accept, Sarah Palin’s endorsement in 2010.
*** UPDATE 5 *** From David Hoffman’s US Senate campaign…
Statement from Hoffman Campaign on Kirk Seeking Palin Endorsement
“What does Mark Kirk really believe? Last year he correctly called the addition of Sarah Palin to the McCain ticket a mistake. This year, when faced with a conservative primary challenge he is seeking her endorsement. Kirk has again revealed his true colors: No principles, no standards, whatever it takes to win. Palin is out of touch with the values of the people of Illinois. Today, Mark Kirk reminds us all that he is too.”
I think “What does Mark Kirk really believe?” is the real issue here. He’s been all over the map since he started this race, jumping from one core belief to another. The history of his position on Palin clearly demonstrates that he has had this problem for quite a while now.
*** UPDATE 6 *** Tribune…
The [Palin] request came a day after Kirk, who has long billed himself as a moderate, dodged questions from reporters about whether he would want Palin, the controversial 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, to raise campaign money for him. […]
At his Monday news conference, Kirk eventually got around to replying about a Palin fundraiser: “We’ll see. We’ll see. Yeah. Yeah. I’ve got a lot of folks coming in. I think I’ve got (Senate Republican Leader) Sen. (Mitch) McConnell coming in shortly.”
Oopsie.
*** UPDATE 7 *** Statement from Republican US Senate candidate Patrick Hughes…
“I believe Mark Kirk, who has consistently supported President Obama’s legislative agenda, including cap and trade legislation, is quickly realizing that Republican Primary voters do not share his extreme views. In a desperate attempt to prove otherwise, he is seeking the endorsement of Sarah Palin, a true Reagan conservative, to help disguise his liberal voting record.”
[ *** End of Updates *** ]
* Meanwhile, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady has a word of warning for GOP gubernatorial candidates…
Brady says the state GOP would clamp down on any negative ads that “cross the line” by Republican candidates in crowded primary fields in both races.
Brady says the party “will call people out” over their ads because he doesn’t want to have a bloody, divided primary.
Yeah, OK. Good luck with that, Pat.
So, what crosses the line? Whacking Kirk Dillard for endorsing Obama? Well, it’s true, but it’s also very damaging. Whacking Jim Ryan over Stu Levine? Also true, very damaging, but over the line?
And who are the candidates gonna listen to - the party chairman or their pollsters/consultants/managers who say this or that ad is the path to victory?
* Hope springs eternal…
Al Reynolds didn’t collect quite enough signatures to qualify to run for state Senate in the 52nd District, he said Tuesday, but he still hopes to be the Republican candidate to oppose Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, next fall.
“When I got ready to file, I decided that I didn’t have enough good signatures that I thought would overcome somebody’s scrutiny,” said the Danville man who was an organizer of local “tea party” tax protests earlier this year. “I found signatures there from people who were out of the district, people from Bloomington and Mahomet who had come to my tea parties. They didn’t realize that you had to live in the 52nd District.” […]
Reynolds said he hopes to be slated as the Republican candidate by GOP officials. But he said he hasn’t met yet with Champaign County chief Jason Barickman or Vermilion County Chairman Craig Golden.
Any candidate who can’t get signatures is a weak candidate. How could he even think that his petition disaster makes him qualified to be appointed to the ballot?
* And, finally, you know it’s campaign season when Dave Syverson starts coming up with political stunts…
State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, wrote Friday to Donald Trump, urging the developer/television star not to put Blagojevich on his “Celebrity Apprentice” show.
Syverson, the Senate Republican caucus chair, warned Trump that putting the indicted Blagojevich on his TV show could give the ex-governor yet another forum to claim he was railroaded out of office.
“When I heard he was going on ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ I thought, we’re making a hero out of this guy who has damaged Illinois. It sends the wrong message that we make celebrities out of disgraced leaders, so I’m urging Trump not to do it,” Syverson told me today.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Politics Magazine has asked me to create a chart for them describing who the top 100 Democratic and Republican “influencers” are in Illinois (fifty for each party). The magazine’s Florida “influencers” chart is here, the New Hampshire chart is here.
Notice that both charts focus mainly on people who are not elected officials. That wouldn’t be the case here, because a few elected officials run so much in Illinois.
I have a general idea about what I’m going to do, but I thought I’d ask for your input. So…
* The Question: Who do you think are the top ten or so un-elected political “influencers” in each Illinois political party? These would be staffers, lobbyists, consultants, etc., etc., etc. Please, stick to people who are not elected to any public office. Explain if you want. I’m more interested in your lists. Try to be as extensive as possible. List more than ten if you want, but don’t just come up with one name. Put a little thought into this. Thanks.
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* The Sun-Times tries to be even-handed today with its criticism of both Democratic gubernatorial candidates’ TV advertising. But the effort fails miserably. Here’s how the editorial begins…
Gov. Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes, who are squaring off in the Democratic primary race for governor, are both smart and substantive candidates.
Not that you would know that from their recent campaign ads.
If those ads are setting the tone for what’s to come, we dread turning on the television for the next three months until the primary.
And then the newspaper goes on to chide Hynes for not immediately paying state bills for tourism contracts. Not a single word is ever mentioned in the editorial about any of Hynes’ TV ads. The Sun-Times just said Hynes should’ve paid the bills, which he did after resubmitting them to the governor.
So, the top of the editorial has nothing to do with the bottom, at least in regards to Hynes. The paper did take a whack at Gov. Pat Quinn, however…
The nonsense from Quinn: He has begun running a campaign ad knocking Hynes for vowing to weed out waste in the state’s budget line by line but still signing off on “every single” state check.
Which, to repeat, Hynes must do by law — and Quinn knows it.
That’s a fair critique. And it directly relates to the subject of the editorial. But if the paper is planning to hit both candidates on their TV advertisements, then shouldn’t it at least say what they find objectionable in both candidates’ ads?
You’d think that would be elementary.
* The DSCC has been doing this for weeks, and Pearson has now called them out on it…
In a highly unlikely pairing, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee joined with FOX News [yesterda] to promote criticisms of Republican U.S. Senate contender Mark Kirk made by a GOP candidate who dropped out of the contest.
The DSCC trumpeted a FOX News story that one-time Republican Senate candidate Eric Wallace had dropped from the race to avoid splitting conservative votes in the effort by conservatives to challenge the socially moderate Kirk, a five-term congressman from the North Shore.
The DSCC has been “trumpeting” every tiny right-left split in the Kirk race, even though most of it can’t be taken seriously, like that goofy Fox News story on Wallace, who, as Pearson rightly notes, was barely an also-ran…
Not mentioned by the Democrats or FOX was Wallace’s failed 2006 run for an Illinois Senate seat in which he got 23 percent of the vote against Democratic state Sen. Maggie Crotty of Oak Forest.
Also not mentioned was the financial viability of Wallace’s U.S. Senate candidacy, which reported less than $3,000 in cash on hand to start October, coupled with $11,795 in debts, according to the Federal Election Commission.
His candidacy was a joke, at best.
* Jim Ryan won’t give back the money contributed to him by convicted felon Stu Levine…
Ryan also said he also does not plan to return the hundreds of thousands of dollars Levine once contributed to the former attorney general’s political efforts.
“No, no. The reason I haven’t done that is because, when I had that money, I didn’t know that he had a problem,” Jim Ryan said. “There was never, when I was associating with Stu and he was helping me (with) my campaigns, I mean, there was never a hint of any scandal or problems or impropriety.”
As I told subscribers today, the hole in JRyan’s logic is that Levine was indicted twice for alleged illegalities that occurred in 2002 - while Levine was raising and contributing boatloads of cash for and to JRyan’s gubernatorial campaign. Those contributions are definitely tainted.
* Phil Kadner calls out Gov. Quinn…
Quinn talks about the need to adequately fund the public schools in Illinois, to decrease property taxes and raise the income tax to fund state programs. He said he testified on behalf of a bill sponsored by state Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) that would’ve done all of that.
He says that when the bill passed out of the Senate, he called House Speaker Michael Madigan and said “let’s shoot for the moon” and pass it.
“After a long pause on the other end of the phone, Madigan said, ‘No,’” the governor said.
But the truth is Quinn really had a different tax plan he wanted to pass, and he didn’t endorse Meeks’ bill until it had been watered down and passed out of the Senate.
“He did testify in front of a House committee in support but didn’t lobby for it at all,” said a supporter of the Meeks bill.
* And, finally…
Tuesday night, Hynes’ campaign fired off a press release accusing Quinn of hypocrisy for releasing an ad criticizing Hynes for taking a trip to D.C. then boarding a plane to D.C. himself for a fund-raiser and a meeting with legislators from Illinois.
On Tuesday, Sen. Dick Durbin’s office released a notice for a Quinn meeting in Washington, D.C., Wednesday regarding federal funding for Illinois projects. It offered reporters an “opportunity for b-roll and spray.” That’s a term used mostly for national press meaning camera footage but no questions.
Hynes’ campaign shortly released a notice that their candidate will be holding an economic roundtable with small business owners in Chicago Wednesday that will offer “B-roll spray” and a press availability afterward.
* More campaign stuff…
* Full text of Jim Ryan’s campaign announcement speech
* Ill. gov. candidate Jim Ryan’s kickoff shadowed by Rezko figure
* Ryan returns to run for governor
* Ryan announces candidacy for governor
* Wallace drops out of Senate race
* Miller making run for comptroller
* Supporters, including Attorney General Madigan, turn out for Flider fundraiser
* As filing period ends, GOP hopefuls lining up in hopes of changing trend
* Bean has plenty of challengers — and not just from the GOP
* Congressman Davis files in 2 election races
* Political Dominoes Will Soon Fall in 7th Congressional District
* Green Party has full slate of candidates for state races
* Lake County ballots to have touch of Green
* Lottery held to determine ballot positions in Kane Co.
* Primary races shaping up in the Fox Valley
* Kane County treasurer faces challenge
* Even Democrats have primaries in DuPage County
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No good news today… again
Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oy…
The University of Illinois has so far seen only $400,000 of $317 million it is owed by the state, leading to a virtual hiring freeze and the possibility of furloughs.
And the state may cut even deeper.
The UI has billed the state for $317 million of its current fiscal year 2010 appropriation as of this week, but has received only $400,000 for all three campuses.
* Oy, again…
Before the state’s budget woes stole a piece of her freedom, Felice Dworkin indulged herself with a daily trip to the park. The 83-year-old would board her motorized wheelchair and proudly steer it through the front door of her North Side nursing home. “It was getting out,” Dworkin said. […]
Since the wheelchair broke in June, Dworkin has relied on nursing home employees to push her around in a manual chair. […]
A former state employee, Dworkin said she has asked the repair company repeatedly to fix her chair, but the company, Mobility Systems in Hickory Hills, has refused. The reason? Her insurer, the state of Illinois, still owes Mobility Systems $2,291.12 for her previous two repairs — in November 2008 and in March.
* More oy…
Despite some encouraging signs about Illinois’ overall economy, state government is “floundering” and will continue to do so in the coming months, a top budget expert said Monday. […]
“You’re going to see some drastic cuts happening,” predicted state Sen. Donne Trotter, a Democratic point person on the state budget. “At this point, all we can do is keep the lights on.”
But, didn’t Sen. Bill Brady say that the deficit was only $2.5 billion?
* Sigh…
Progress on the Illiana Expressway project has reached a bottleneck.
During a breakfast meeting Tuesday, Gov. Pat Quinn told supporters of the road proposed to relieve traffic congestion near the Illinois-Indiana border that competition for transportation dollars is “contentious.”
* Notice that none of these new Pat Quinn appointees to Chicago State University’s board of trustees have any sort of experience figuring out how to solve the top problem listed by one of its newest members…
Among the new appointees is Zaldwaynaka “Z” Scott, a partner at the Mayer Brown law firm. This year Scott was on Quinn’s Admissions Review Commission, which investigated admissions irregularities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also was the state’s first executive inspector general, appointed by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to investigate wrongdoing by state employees.
The other appointees are environmentalist Julie Samuels, the Green Party’s candidate for lieutenant governor in 2006 and now vice president of the party, a group Quinn undoubtedly would like to tap as he runs in 2010 for the state’s top job. He also named Gary Rozier, an Ariel Investments vice president, and Lisa Morrison Butler, executive director of City Year Chicago, a youth mentoring group.
“The top priorities should be really looking at the retention and graduation rates and seeing if we can put in place a model to improve upon those systems,” said Scott.
* One tiny bright spot…
State lawmakers have moved to lift the biggest roadblock keeping video gambling machines out of Illinois bars.
Last week, the General Assembly voted to give the Illinois Gaming Board more than $2.5 million more to spend, money it needed to hire staff to begin regulating video gambling.
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More adventures in reform
Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Carol Marin points to a good reason why state parties and legislative caucus committees ought to be kept out of primaries as much as possible…
[At the building housing the Chicago and Cook County election boards], an ant army of Madigan’s foot soldiers, between 35 and 40 of them, swarmed the place, furiously combing through the candidate petitions of their fellow Democrat and perpetual thorn in the side, state Sen. Rickey Hendon.
Hendon, an 18-year legislative veteran and African American, had his own handful of troops on site returning the favor by combing through the petitions of Madigan’s assistant majority leader, state Rep. Arthur Turner.
Rep. Art Turner and Sen. Rickey Hendon are old enemies, but Hendon may have precipitated this latest fight by combing through the petitions of Turner’s son, who is running for Turner’s House seat. Turner’s son, also named Art, had to refile new petitions Monday because the initial batch may have been insufficient to stay on the ballot. The elder Turner and Hendon are both running for lieutenant governor, and that’s what Madigan’s people were looking at.
More from Marin…
Hendon, not a reformer, certainly sounded like one last night when it came to the power that the real reformers tried but failed to take away from Madigan last week in the form of campaign finance reform.
“Madigan is using Democratic state money against me,” he protested, referring to that part of the ethics bill that failed. “What’s an ethics bill if you don’t change the power of the leader?”
Actually, the reformers did take some of that power away from Madigan by capping leader and party contributions in primaries. But I assume that Marin and Hendon were referring to the original language in the bill Gov. Quinn vetoed…
A State central committee organized under Alternative B of this Section shall not make any contributions, expenditures, or electioneering communications on behalf of a candidate for nomination for any office in that party’s primary election. The State central committee also shall not endorse candidates for nomination in its party’s primary election.
Speaker Madigan more than implied last week that the governor was OK with getting rid of that language once Lisa Madigan dropped out of the governor’s race. Quinn should’ve stuck to his guns.
…ADDING… A point I should have made is that the Democratic Party of Illinois’ central committee - an elected body - “chose” not to slate candidates. Actually, they never voted not to slate. Chairman Mike Madigan made that decision on his own. But, since the party didn’t slate, the chairman shouldn’t be using party resources to kick off a candidate unless it’s some sort of emergency situation. Even then, the central committee could always meet via teleconference to take that up. This is one guy making the decisions for questionable purposes. Not good.
* Meanwhile, the Rockford Register Star says Gov. Quinn should sign the campaign finance reform bill…
The campaign finance reform bill passed last month is far from perfect, but it’s better than what lawmakers came up with during the spring session and better than what was suggested as the fall veto session started.
Illinois deserves better. But considering we’ve gone from no limits to reasonable limits on everyone but party leaders during the general election, we think Gov. Pat Quinn should sign the legislation.
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Morning Shorts
Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* Aldermen bemoan cutback in library hours
Chicago aldermen today bemoaned a 20 percent cutback in branch library hours at a time when circulation is surging and neighborhood libraries are needed as safe-havens for young people.
During City Council budget hearings, Ald. Ray Suarez (31st) questioned Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey’s decision to target 76 branch libraries while leaving the showcase Harold Washington Library and two regional libraries untouched.
* CTA fare hikes, service cuts and layoffs gain a defender
Civic Federation calls transit agency budget responsible
* $3.7 mil. to study O’Hare terminal airlines don’t want
A perennial consultant at O’Hare Airport has been awarded a $3.7 million contract to plan for a project major airlines are refusing to fund and consider “ill-conceived”: a new western terminal.
Landrum & Brown has dominated the O’Hare planning landscape for decades, raking in nearly $80 million worth of no-bid business during Mayor Daley’s 20-year administration. Now the Ohio company will plan for a range of possibilities for the new western terminal that nobody but the city seems to want.
Funding for the study was secured in February, when the Federal Aviation Administration approved the city’s application to use $182 million in future passenger ticket tax revenue to design Phase 2 of the O’Hare Modernization Project. “The Western Terminal Planning Study is an important and necessary tool for us to coordinate with the state to provide regional and local roadways for western access to O’Hare, including the future Elgin-O’Hare Expressway and O’Hare bypass,” said Aviation Department spokeswoman Eve Rodriguez.
* 911 center workstations to be replaced just 9 months after updates
The Daley administration has awarded a $2.1 million contract to replace and maintain console work stations at Chicago’s 911 emergency center — nine months after spending $480,000 to modify the old consoles to accommodate 17-inch monitors.
Blackwell Consulting Services will replace 109 consoles that have been in place since the 911 center opened in 1995 and install 30 additional work-stations on a redesigned operations floor.
* Hispanics urged to make census count
Cities plan outreach to allay fears of government probing that could limit federal dollars
* Don’t back down
They’re taking heat from unions for the planned layoffs of hundreds of workers and the slashing of open positions. County Board President Todd Stroger has condemned the planned layoffs as an “underhanded scheme to slash services.”
We get the feeling that a desperately needed reform — creating an efficient public health care system — is at risk of being smothered.
That can’t be allowed to happen.
* Chicago zoning official admits to taking payoffs
* City inspector caught on tape: ‘I’m completely fabricating’
The owners of a North Side apartment building wanted to add two illegal units to their property in 2007, but they had to find a way to get it past City Hall.
According to a plea deal in federal court, they got the permit papers they needed — by paying off a city inspector.
A zoning investigator for the city admitted Tuesday that for years he pocketed bribes in exchange for pushing through inspections, some of which were falsified.
* Suspended 10 days for not talking
Two employees of Chicago’s scandal-scarred Department of Buildings have been slapped with 10-day suspensions for refusing to explain why their names appeared on a list of city employees who allegedly accepted gift cards from a permit expediter-turned-government witness.
The unidentified employees have been questioned by federal and city investigators.
They refused to answer questions from Buildings Commissioner Richard Monocchio to avoid contradicting their previous statements in the criminal case, officials said.
* Chicago Police Department getting their own reality show?
* First time since ‘55: single Christmas tree
* If city is getting just one tree, let it be shiny
* Chicago: Get ready for 11-digit dialing
Chicago gets its new area code — 872 — on Saturday, and that means you’ll have to dial 1 plus the area code to make even a local call in the city.
Eleven-digit dialing will be required for all local calls within the 312, 773 and 872 area codes — even if you’re just calling next door.
* Driver in fatal crash had 15 convictions for license violations
* Illinois data on stimulus-related jobs saved, created don’t add up
Districts say job numbers attributed to them inaccurate; totals ignore Chicago
* Illinois tax scofflaws get outed on Web
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Sometimes, the stories just write themselves
Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn’s new TV ad accuses Comptroller Dan Hynes of going to a “spa” and taking a family vacation during July’s budget negotiations.
Today, the shoe was on the other foot…
Last week, Gov. Pat Quinn said he told Chicago-area public transit officials he’d meet with them this week to discuss their precarious financial situation.
Instead, transit leaders were left to meet with Quinn’s staff members as the governor flew to Washington today. Lawmakers ended their fall session last week without approving a plan to help the CTA, Metra and Pace avoid threatened fare increases and service cuts.
Quinn is scheduled to meet with Illinois’ congressional delegation and lend his support to efforts to pass a measure that would provide grants to military members and their families.
On Wednesday, the governor will meet with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and other Illinois lawmakers to discuss high speed rail, transportation funding and other state priorities.
So, he’s going out for a DC press pop on federal grants today and that was more important than resolving the transit problems? Hookay.
The governor did have time for a campaign confab earlier today, however…
GOVERNOR QUINN’S CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2009
Governor Pat Quinn will attend a breakfast with the Mayors of Bloom Township at 8 a.m. at The Egg & I Restaurant, 222 Dixie Highway in Chicago Heights.
THIS EVENT IS CLOSED TO MEDIA.
[Sigh]
…Adding… The governor’s office believes that Quinn only said that his staff would meet with the transit folks. Either way, he’s still in DC for a press pop while he probably should be here. After all, Hynes wasn’t even invited to the budget negotiations, but Quinn whacked him for not staying by the Batphone during the 4th of July holiday break.
Also, the governor is holding a DC fundraiser tomorrow night at the Charlie Palmer Steak House. Ticket prices range from $1,000 to $10,000. The host is former Democratic Party of Illinois chairman and current DC lobbyist Gary LaPaille. Click here to see the invite.
…Adding 2… You knew this would happen sooner or later. From a press release…
PAT QUINN SETS HYPOCRISY LAND SPEED RECORD
Governor ‘skips town, flies to Washington’ and blows off CTA funding meeting days after absurd campaign ad blasts Hynes for June Obama DC meeting
Four days after launching an absurd and widely discredited attack ad that among other things chastised Dan Hynes for “skip[ing] town, flying to Washington” when Hynes had in fact been there to meet with President Obama, Pat Quinn today truly set a record for hypocrisy by blowing off a CTA funding meeting to leave early for a trip to DC. Dan Hynes for Governor campaign communications director Matt McGrath issued the following statement:
“It’s hard to decide which is more mystifying – Pat Quinn blowing off a CTA funding meeting after his own confusing inaction on public transit funding last week left the matter unresolved, or his departure for Washington just days after his campaign launched an absurd attack on Dan for attending a meeting with President Obama there last summer. This is a truly remarkable turnabout, even by Pat Quinn’s standards, and while mildly amusing, it again betrays a certain disregard for our intelligence. If hypocrisy were quantifiable, this would be an all-time record.”
Since its first airing late Friday, the Quinn campaign ad has been roundly derided by neutral observers as “misleading,” “miss[ing] the mark” and “insulting to our intelligence.”
…Adding 3… He’s holding a DC fundraiser tomorrow, but Gov. Quinn has no events listed on his campaign schedule…
GOVERNOR QUINN’S CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009
Governor Pat Quinn has no events on his campaign schedule for Wednesday Nov. 4, 2009.
…Adding 4… Here’s the official schedule for tomorrow…
GOVERNOR’S PUBLIC SCHEDULE
**Wednesday, November 4, 2009**
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Governor Pat Quinn will join Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) for a press availability following a meeting of members of the Illinois congressional delegation. […]
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Governor Pat Quinn will speak in support of a National Military Family Relief Fund at the National Press Club.
WHO: Governor Quinn
WHEN: 2:00 p.m. (ET)
So, a little meeting, a press avail and a speech.
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Flip-Flop of the day award: Jim Ryan
Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As the old saying goes, the only truly honest politician is a retired politician.
Case in point: Here’s former Attorney General Jim Ryan back when he was a retired politican, in June of 2007. HB 750, by the way, was the income tax hike in exchange for property tax reductions…
Jim Ryan: “I did support HB750, [although] I think it is a moot issue…” “I think the idea of some permanent revenue stream for education and ultimately for health care is very important for our state and I do think we have a revenue problem…” “We still have…probably over a three billion dollar budget deficit again in the State…” […]
Jeff Berkowitz: As a member of the [Center for Tax and Budget Accountability] Board and I realize you are saying that legislation doesn’t generally go thru exactly as proposed, if somebody says to you that Board is supporting HB 750
Jim Ryan: I am comfortable saying I support it.
Jeff Berkowitz: Implicitly, you support the notion of a 5.5 billion dollar net increase in taxes, right?
Jim Ryan: Right. In principle, I support HB 750, right.
* And here’s Jim Ryan, active candidate for governor, today…
But in an interview today on WGN-AM’s Greg Jarrett Show, Ryan offered few specific details about how he would approach the state’s gaping budget deficit besides opposing higher taxes and seeking a “top to bottom” review of all state programs. [Emphasis added]
I wonder how long it will be before JRyan resigns from the CTBA board of directors?
Five, four, three….
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As I’ve already told subscribers, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. has filed petitions to challenge former Senate President Emil Jones for Jones’ 2nd Democratic State Central Committeeman’s seat. Considering how the two men despise each other, this could be a fun campaign.
In honor of this battle, let’s have a caption contest featuring the congressman, his father and former Sen. Jones, shall we?
Keep in mind that, as always, racist comments will result in severe beatings and lifetime banishments. The vast, overwhelming majority of you are good people, but some jokers always want to use posts like this to strut their despicability. Don’t do it.
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Noontime political roundup
Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Quote of the day goes to Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, who said this after filing his petitions late yesterday afternoon…
“I feel great,” Stroger said after filing. “I feel like 150 pounds of dynamite.”
I think that dynamite might be going off in his face pretty soon - cartoon-style, of course. Not in reality. I also figure there will be a lot of interest in the validity of those Stroger signatures and possibly a challenge.
Speaking of Stroger’s petitions…
About 40 minutes before deadline on the last day to file Monday, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger filed 22,000 signatures to run for re-election — about half as many as some of his main rivals.
It wasn’t that people were reluctant to sign his petitions, he said.
“Normally, you have people who collect signatures,” Stroger said. “It’s hard getting people out there to collect signatures.”
It’s definitely tough to get people to pass sheets knowing that almost every door they knock on will soon be slammed in their faces, coupled with screams of anger. I cannot imagine what it would be like circulating for Stroger.
The horror. The horror.
* Runner-up quote of the day award goes to Jim Ryan, who is now apparently campaigning as an outsider…
“Until you get in there, it’s hard to say exactly what you would do,” Ryan said, adding he also would eventually like to see pension and Medicaid reform.
The lack of specificity in Ryan’s comments was in sharp contrast to his run for governor seven years ago in which he offered detailed proposals to deal with an already out-of-whack budget. Since his loss to Blagojevich, Ryan has been teaching at Benedictine University in Lisle.
Ryan also appeared to be trying to bill himself as an outsider, despite two terms as Illinois attorney general and before that a stint as DuPage County state’s attorney.
“I think I bring a fresh perspective. I’ve been out of government for a long time,” Ryan said. “I love public service. I believe in public service. I don’t really think the government is supposed to be the problem, it’s supposed to be at least part of the solution and it hasn’t been.”
First McKenna, now Ryan. Yep. Outsiders. Sure.
By the way, Jim Ryan’s people said they were waiting to file until yesterday not because they were having petition problems but because they wanted the last spot on the ballot, which might be worth a point or three come election day. Well, as Cal Skinner notes, Ryan filed his petitions before Andy McKenna. So, McKenna gets the last spot, not Ryan. Oops.
* Politico appears to be overstating the influence of the tea partiers in Illinois…
In what could be a nightmare scenario for Republican Party officials, conservative activists are gearing up to challenge leading GOP candidates in more than a dozen key House and Senate races in 2010.
Conservatives and tea party activists had already set their sights on some of the GOP’s top Senate recruits — a list that includes Gov. Charlie Crist in Florida, former Rep. Rob Simmons in Connecticut and Rep. Mark Kirk in Illinois, among others. […]
Even in Illinois, where polls shows Kirk would be highly competitive as a general election candidate in a state in which Republicans have been crushed in recent elections, the prospect of picking up the president’s former Senate seat isn’t enough to win over many activists.
“We’re going to work hard as hell to make sure Mark Kirk doesn’t win,” said Evert Evertsen, an Illinois tea party organizer. “Mark Kirk is about as liberal as Arlen Specter was.”
What a breathless piece that was. No mention at all that not a single valid poll shows Kirk in any sort of GOP primary trouble.
The problem with Politico is that it too often sets the meme for the day. The Hill quickly followed suit, as did Hot Air, HuffPo and many, many more. Yet, there’s no real evidence that this surge yet exists in Illinois.
Look, I don’t doubt that the crazy NY congressional race could embolden the Right here and elsewhere if their candidate wins. But I do question whether they actually have the ability to do anything about it.
Speaking of which, Fox News runs a lede that directly contradicts the rest of its story…
Republican candidate Dr. Eric Wallace announced Tuesday that he is withdrawing his bid for Illinois’ U.S. Senate — making the path easier for Rep. Mark Kirk to secure the GOP nomination for the seat.
“Too much is at stake for the citizens of Illinois in this race and I have decided to put my personal ambitions aside to prevent the splitting of ‘true’ conservative and Christian votes in the primary and thereby handing the nomination uncontested to Mark Kirk,” Wallace said in a press release Tuesday.
“I don’t want to be responsible for handing this primary to Mark Kirk because my fellow conservatives and I split the vote in the Republican Party. Defeating Kirk has to take first priority because he is neither an economic nor social conservative,” Wallace said.
Wallace was an also-ran at best. The only way this helps conservative Republican Patrick Hughes is if Hughes can make it a close race. There’s just little to no evidence of that yet.
* Can we expect a barn-burner in Forrest Claypool’s old county board district? Likely…
State Rep. John Fritchey filed last week to replace Claypool, who three years ago narrowly lost a primary battle for county board president. Today, another challenger emerged: former Ald. Ted Matlak.
In 2007, Matlak lost his re-election bid in the 32nd Ward to newcomer Scott Waguespack.
Matlak is no political novice. Neither is Fritchey, who has the support of Claypool and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Chicago, who was Claypool’s board ally before he won a special election for Congress earlier this year.
* Eric Zorn tries to parse blame in the Quinn vs. Hynes TV advertising fight. I mostly agree with what Zorn says, but this just isn’t right…
That [Hynes] ad, like Hynes’ first ad which started it all, fires wildly by unfairly labeling a legislative tax compromise as “Quinn’s proposal.”
Fires wildly?
Look, the governor endorsed that final House tax hike bill. He is on record saying that the House should ignore the Senate-passed tax increase bill and focus on the House bill at hand. And even after the House bill failed to pass, Quinn refused to budge from his position, saying the House version was the one he wanted.
So, it’s not a wild accusation, or at all unfair, to call this Quinn’s bill. He backed it. It’s his.
* Related…
* February primary ballots to be lengthy
* Republican Mark Kirk: It’ll be me vs. Democrat Alexi Giannoulias for U.S. Senate next year
* Hughes: Filed, withdrew and filed again. What’s the story? One of Hughes supporters had sent a petition sheet directly to the Board of Elections via snail mail, and the ISBE had no choice but to receive it as a filing. “I was stunned and asked how could that be? It didn’t have anything else with it and no one was authorized,” Johnston said. The staffer said it happens more than people know, but that if they get a sheet in the mail they have to treat it as a filing. That’s the law. “I asked how we fix it,” Johnston said. “She told me we had to withdraw the earlier filing and file the real packet. So she got the general counsel out, did a withdrawal form for me and then proceeded to accept the filing I had prepared. I had to find Patrick, had him notarize the form withdrawing from the earlier filing and brought that back to the Board.”
* Press Release: Today the Campaign Manager to Robert Dold – Republican candidate for Illinois’ 10th Congressional District – is calling on State Representative Beth Coulson to abandon her unlawful request to use state taxpayer funds or her funds from her state campaign account to pay for mailings while she is a candidate for federal office. “This use of taxpayer dollars taken from State coffers not only is illegal,” said Campaign Manager and Spokesperson Kelley Folino, “but it reveals a willingness on the part of Rep. Coulson to disregard campaign finance laws and Illinois taxpayers.” Ms. Folino urges the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) to reject Coulson’s request.
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Quinn mums up
Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Just like his two predecessors before him, Pat Quinn has mummed up about a reported investigation into his top staff…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn won’t say why one of his top aides is stepping down.
Quinn’s office confirmed Monday that Deputy Chief of Staff Carolyn Brown Hodge resigned late Friday. Monday was her last day on the job.
But neither Quinn nor his aides would say why.
Background…
Carolyn Brown Hodge, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, resigned from the governor’s staff Friday night upon reports that the state’s Office of the Executive Inspector General had confiscated her computer to determine whether she was doing political work on state time.
Quinn’s office released a terse statement on Monday: “Carolyn Brown Hodge resigned late Friday. She is wrapping up a few pending matters today before leaving the position as deputy chief of staff.”
Quinn’s actual quote…
“She filed her resignation,” Quinn said. “That’s all I can say, period.”
And Dan Hynes wants an investigation…
Democratic governor candidate Dan Hynes [yesterday] called for an investigation into why a top aide to Gov. Pat Quinn resigned late last week.
* Unlike the previous administrations, I kinda doubt that this is a systemic problem with Quinn’s shop. But it is interesting to me how predictable this cycle has become. First, denial, then silence, then reluctant parsing of words, then more silence followed by a call for an investigation by a political rival.
And it’s also mind-boggling to me that Hodge would do any sort of campaign work on state time after what we’ve all been through in the past seven years. She knows better. But, as I’ve come to learn this past decade or so, nothing should ever surprise anybody around here.
Despite all this, let’s try not to go totally medieval on Hodge today. There might be a decent explanation for all this, so keep your powder at least a little dry.
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On caps and Madigan
Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The SJ-R says Gov. Pat Quinn ought to sign the campaign finance bill…
While recognizing that the bill failed to sever the financial umbilical cord between members and their leaders, this page urges Gov. Pat Quinn to sign it.
More…
Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, has expended great effort trying to convince us that there is no connection between the leaders’ power and the unlimited contributions they can pour into contested legislative races.
“I’m eager to hear somebody say why I’m wrong,” Cullerton told us Friday. “I gave money to people (while running for Senate president). They told me they weren’t going to vote for me.
“(An example is state Sen.) Gary Forby. And by the way, have you noticed since Gary Forby got elected how I’ve controlled him on his votes — on the motorcycle helmet law,” Cullerton added, sarcastically. Forby is against requiring riders to wear helmets, while Cullerton favors it. The Senate defeated the bill in a lopsided 14-42 vote in April.
Cullerton may have been referring to a recent Chicago Tribune story which started out by noting how much money had been spent on Forby’s 2008 race, then quickly moved on to a discussion of how House Speaker Michael Madigan maintains such a tight hold on his chamber. The Forby example made little sense in context because not a single Forby vote was ever pointed to as evidence that he was owned by Cullerton.
That’s the big fallacy here.
The Statehouse secret is that “targets” almost always have the most independent-looking voting records of just about any legislator. Democratic Rep. Jack Franks represents a solidly Republican district. He never votes party line, except on routine parliamentary stuff. He rants and raves about budget deficits, but won’t ever vote for a tax hike. Ever.
And the more targets a leader has, the less likely that said leader will move legislation that will upset the voters. Witness Speaker Madigan’s fear about an income tax hike this year. Madigan is worried sick that a tax hike would imperil the size of his majority, if not his majority itself. So, the House wouldn’t pass a tax increase.
The legislators who take the real tough votes - on both sides of the aisle - are the ones who almost never have to worry about general election contests. Those members, however, do have to worry about the occasional primary contests - and this year there seem to be more of those than ever in Chicago. Capping leader contributions in primaries does, indeed, weaken their hold over the GA because they cannot retaliate as easily.
All that being said, the huge amount of money it takes to win a tiny handful of targeted races does skew the legislative process towards the interests with the deepest pockets. And that’s a big reason why so little ever gets done. Both business and labor have contributed heavily to Speaker Madigan’s campaign coffers, which tends to hold down the number of the usual Democratic pro-labor bills coming out of the House.
So, while stuff like this from Byrne [post edited] may make “common sense,” it’s not actually true…
It assures unending servility from grateful candidates, and explains why few lawmakers have the guts to challenge his arrogant and destructive dictates. Instead of limiting Madigan’s control, it increases it.
* From the Pantagraph, which has been the Tribune’s little sister for years…
An outcry from the public against House Bill 7 led Quinn and Democratic leaders to go back to the drawing board. That outcry should continue.
Tell Quinn to show leadership and use his amendatory veto to limit contributions of political party and legislative caucus committees.
Leader contributions should be capped in general elections in order to reduce some of the sway that special interests have in both chambers. But if anybody thinks that capping those contris would ever pry MJM’s grip off the House’s throat, they’re completely delusional. The man is unusually talented - spectacularly so - and mere laws will not work to loosen his hold.
Nothing will change in the GA until Speaker Madigan leaves. Period.
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