* Since he beat the federal government to a draw on all but one count, we should give Sam Adam, Sr. the last word for the day. “This guy is nuts,” he said of Patrick Fitzgerald. Watch…
* 6:21 pm - You can watch the live video stream of Gov. Pat Quinn’s press conference by clicking here.
* 6:39 pm - And away we go…
“It is important that we, today, make sure we protect our democracy.” “We’ve cleaned up our government, we’ve reformed our government… That’s why I believe in the power of recall… to remove that person from office before his or her term is up…. Events of the past years, the past decade, underline the need for recall in this state… ”
Says the only thing we should talk about is the one guilty count. “The other 23 counts that are unresolved half to be decided by another jury.”
“We have to work night and day to ensure that government is honest as the people of Illinois.”
Quinn turned to leave, got to his office door, but reporters shouted questions and he turned around. “Allright,” he said, and returned to the podium.
He’s basically repeating the talking points from his statement so far.
“I’m not really interested in focusing on a campaign,” in response to a question about the campaign.
“In the court of public opinion, which was really the decision that was made [during the impeachment and removal and it was determined that] my predecessor disgraced himself.” And then back to recall talk.
“I think the people of Illinois know they have the first honest governor in a long time.”
Asked if the verdict will ruin Governor’s Day at the fair tomorrow: “I don’t think so. I think the people of Illinois are good and true… They know they have a governor who fights for honesty every day of my life.”
* 5:28 pm - Blagojevich is heading downstairs, so this may start soon.
* 5:30 pm - Gov. Pat Quinn will make a statement at 6:30 pm. You can watch that live here, supposedly.
* 5:39 pm - And here we go…
* Blagojevich: This jury just showed you that nothwithstanding the governor threw everything but the kitchen sink at me… they couldn’t prove that I broke any laws, except for one nebulous charge from five years ago. Said he asked for a court reporter and was denied at that interview. Said with crime raging in Chicago, the feds are wasting millions of dollars to “persecute” him.
“This is a fight for the very freedoms that we as Americans enjoy.”
“I didn’t let you down. The jury has shown that the government couldn’t prove that we did anything wrong.” Said he would appeal the one conviction.
* Sam Adam, Jr: “Why should, when we have dead babies on the street… why should the people of Illinois pay a criminal defense lawyer when we’ve already been through trial… Why are we spending $25-30 million on a retrial?”
What led to a hung jury? Technical violations, versus real corruption.
* Sam Adam, Sr: This guy Fitzgerald is a master at indicting people for non-criminal behavior. And if you don’t believe me, ask Scooter Libby.
On the one guilty count: “They got him on something that he had no opportunity to really defend.” Statements weren’t on tape recorder or taken by court reporter.
“Don’t forget, we didn’t put on any defense… and they still couldn’t get a conviction.”
Compared Fitzgerald’s actions to a “banana republic.”
A reporter asked “What about Tony Rezko?” Adam replied: “Tony Rezko? Who is he?” And that’s a wrap.
*** Patrick Fitzgerald is now speaking *** “What I think is important, is that we have to show respect and gratitude for the jury’s service… And that’s it. That’s all I want to comment on now.”
* The first post-verdict campaign press release has just arrived…
TOPINKA: JUSTICE WILL ULTIMATELY PREVAIL
CHICAGO – Former State Treasurer and 2006 Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Judy Baar Topinka released the following statement Tuesday in response to the verdict of a conviction on one charge and a hung- jury on the remaining 23 counts announced in the trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich:
“While I applaud the jury for convicting Rod Blagojevich of lying to the FBI, I am disappointed in today’s announcement of a hung-jury on the remaining counts in the trial of Rod Blagojevich. I believe the evidence of his guilt was clear and persuasive, however it is clear that at least some of the jurors were unable to reach the same conclusion.
“Today’s decision does not change the facts in the case or the reality that personal enrichment cannot be tolerated. It does not diminish my confidence in our judicial system, or my strong belief that a jury will ultimately hold Blagojevich fully accountable for his actions – and I would hope that the prosecution would move to retry the remaining counts without delay.”
“Justice will prevail; it will just take longer than many of us hoped.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** From Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady, who said this week that he probably wouldn’t try to make political hay over the verdict…
“We extend our gratitude to the men and women of the jury for their sacrifice and hard work. They had a difficult job, as demonstrated by their many days of deliberations. The fact that Rod Blagojevich was convicted on only one of the counts against him does not take away from his serious breach of the Public’s trust.
“From his infamous “bleeping golden” remark to his attempt to shake down Children’s Memorial Hospital, Blagojevich was all about pay-to-play. The lack of any real defense and Blago’s refusal to testify spoke volumes.
“The entire case was a black eye for Illinois, but made even worse by the fact that Pat Quinn, Mike Madigan and the Democrats stood by this man, supported his re-election and later denied the public the right to a special election for the U.S. Senate seat Blagojevich had tried to sell. The trial also showed that Blago’s scheming was going on in the earliest days of his administration, and yet Quinn, Madigan and the Democrats were silent.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Senate President John Cullerton…
“On January 29, 2009, the Illinois Senate Impeachment Tribunal voted unanimously to remove Rod R. Blagojevich from office and to disqualify him from holding any future public office of the State of Illinois. Our impeachment proceedings were part of a political process that is independent of the criminal trial proceedings and outcome.
Now a criminal trial jury has spoken. While jurors deadlocked on many charges, they clearly confirmed the former governor’s pattern of dishonesty. As I said last January on the day the Senate delivered our verdict, this is a sad occasion. There’s no pleasure or relief in this outcome.
I’m proud of the manner with which the General Assembly carried out its obligations under the constitution. The process was detailed, deliberative and fair. Our decision was based on un-rebutted evidence, including evidence that related to professional conduct that had no connection to the federal criminal charges.
I voted to remove Mr. Blagojevich because he was clearly unable to govern, demonstrated disdain for the laws and processes of our state and pathologically abused his power without regard for the people he was elected to serve.
I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to recall how we worked together to resolve this crisis of integrity. I ask that the same spirit of cooperation be used to finally address the lingering challenges facing our state.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Mark Kirk…
“This is a sad day for Illinois. Rod Blagojevich disgraced our state and deserved the full weight of justice. For the sake of our economic future, the citizens of Illinois need to turn the page from Rod Blagojevich and the team he brought to power by electing thoughtful independent leaders who will restore integrity to our state.” - Congressman Mark Kirk
*** UPDATE 4 *** Rich Whitney…
Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney reacted to the outcome of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s trial today by calling for reform of the Illinois political system. For Whitney, the actions of Blagojevich are a result of a corrupt political system that fosters such behavior. He explained that “Rod Blagojevich’s conduct is a symptom of a much more widespread disease. There is a pervasive mentality—in the corporate media and in the two corporate-sponsored parties—that politics and political success is all about raising money and almost nothing else.”
Mr. Whitney believes this same system encouraged the attitude of the former governor. He stated that “Blagojevich’s other unethical behavior—rewarding supporters with jobs or contracts, i.e. pay-to-play, ultimately including a U.S. Senate seat as a golden prize—all flows from that same premise. The issue for Illinois voters today is not whether Blagojevich was found guilty or innocent. There is no question that he engaged in unethical behavior: trafficking in the awarding of political favors in exchange for campaign cash.”
Whitney continued that “This is verdict is not exoneration. That Blagojevich was not convicted of these particular crimes at this time does not mean he is innocent. Corruption is still corruption. Pay-to-play is still wrong and unethical. And a political system completely overrun by an overwhelming and obscene focus on raising tons of cash, above all else, is still a disease that we must combat and overcome.”
He continued that “we have to stop this and through the Green Party and my campaign, we can stop this. This is a systemic problem that demands a systemic solution. And the way to do that is by building a grassroots political party that is beholden and accountable only to the people. It is the Green Party that has stood up for the principle of not accepting any corporate campaign contributions whatsoever and that has stood firmly on a platform of making serious campaign ethics reform a top priority. This devotion to grassroots democracy is what makes me and the other Green Party candidates the best choice for voters who seriously want to clean up Illinois government.”
*** UPDATE 5 *** Bill Brady…
“The people of Illinois are grateful to the men and women of the jury for their hard work. While we hoped this decision would mark the end of an unfortunate chapter and put this embarrassing episode behind us, today’s conviction of Rod Blagojevich for lying to federal law enforcement officials will likely result in further action in the pursuit of justice.
But one thing is clear - the people of Illinois are rightly frustrated about the unchecked power of politicians like Rod Blagojevich who put the special interests before taxpayers. This important election in November marks the single best opportunity in our lifetimes to finally clean house in Springfield.”
“One of my biggest concerns is that the Blagojevich defense team may have convinced people that he was just practicing politics as usual in Illinois. If that is the case, it is a real indictment of the political leadership in this state. If there is one thing that elected officials need to do in Illinois, it is to send a strong signal that the politics of the past are over, regardless of what the final verdict may be in the Blagojevich trial.
“I intend to redouble my efforts to achieve fundamental, structural reforms of state government. It is our job as elected officials to make sure the public has confidence in the integrity of their government. We all have a responsibility to send a clear signal that Illinoisans do not need to tolerate even the appearance of conflicts of interest by elected officials.
“That means reforming state contracting rules to guarantee competition and protect against political influence. Elected officials need to get out of the business of lobbying. We need to end legislative scholarships and other outdated perks. We need real campaign finance reform. We need to make government more open and transparent and that means opening up the legislative process and empowering individual legislators to follow the will of their constituents.
“We need a clean break from the past so that no corrupt politician can ever again claim to be simply following business as usual.”
*** UPDATE 7 *** I asked House Speaker Michael Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown for comment. Here it is…
We finished with him at impeachment
*** UPDATE 8 *** Congressman Bill Foster…
“I am disappointed that this dark period in Illinois’ history is not yet over - taxpayers have suffered enough as it is, and it is a tragedy that they will have to foot the bill for a retrial. The jury has confirmed to us that former Governor Blagojevich is at a minimum guilty of significant wrongdoing, and he deserves to go to jail. I hope for a speedy retrial so that the state of Illinois can begin to heal.”
*** UPDATE 9 *** House Republican Leader Tom Cross…
“The jury’s decision today in the Blagojevich trial doesn’t bring much closure in the ultimate fate of Rod Blagojevich. Unfortunately, the real losers in all of this continue to be the residents of Illinois.”
*** UPDATE 10 *** Alexi Giannoulias…
“Today, the jury found Rod Blagojevich guilty for lying, and on November 2nd, the voters of Illinois will reject Mark Kirk for lying. The people of Illinois deserve leaders they can trust.”
* 3:47 pm - Fox Chicago is reporting that the Blagojevich verdict may be read at 4:15 this afternoon. This is a fresh trial thread. Updates to follow below.
* Chuck Goudie is reporting that there may not be verdicts on all counts, which is understandable. NBC5…
Zagel confirms Jury has reached a verdict. Assumes its not a verdict on all counts.
The jury will return tomorrow for any forfeiture deliberations, if needed.
* The jury has entered. Defendants asked to rise.
* GUILTY ON COUNT 24 - FALSE STATEMENT TO THE FBI BACK IN 2005.
* Yeah, it’s weak sauce, but at least they got him on something. He’s looking at 5 years and a $250K fine for that one count. And the feds have the option of prosecuting him again.
* The Sun-Times reports that the prosecution will retry on all the other counts. Others report that prosecutors say they will “absolutely” retry Blagojevich. Hearing on August 26th.
* What’s kinda bizarre is that last week the jurors declared that they had reached agreement on two counts. Now, it’s just one. Weird.
* 4:48 pm - Robert Blagojevich is speaking to reporters now. Thanked his attorneys for “portraying me what I am - an innocent.” Said he has “ultimate confidence in my acquittal.” Refuses to plea bargain. “I’ve done nothing wrong, why would I plea?”
* Sen. Bill Brady said today that he won’t know how he can cut 10 percent out of the state budget until after Auditor General Bill Holland helps him identify specific cuts. But Brady also said he would “demand of every agency that they come back with a budget of 90 percent - show us what your priorities are with that 90 percent.”
Asked if he was saying that he wouldn’t talk about details of that 10 percent cut until after he was elected, Brady said, “I think I’m pretty precise. A dime of every dollar is pretty precise.”
When it was pointed out that ten percent only gets him maybe about a quarter of the way there, he said, “No it doesn’t.”
“I didn’t say it’s going to be easy. And I didn’t say all of it will come from rooting out corruption, fraud waste and mismanagement. Much of it will. Much of it will. Look at the Department of Corrections.”
Have a look. I’ve set the video to start at the good stuff…
The back and forth continued. “So, you don’t know where you’re going to cut,” a reporter says. “I don’t have the professionals in place to fully analyze the highest priorities,” Brady answered.
* I spent some time at the Illinois State Fair yesterday. I firmed up plans to stash my laptop at somebody’s motor home (in case we have a Blagojevich verdict tomorrow or Thursday), then stopped at Miller’s (no relation) for my favorite corn dog. I was heading over to the Butter Cow when a guy approached me and asked if I was Rich Miller. I said I was (with trepidation - one never knows what people want when they say that) and he asked if I would try one of his tacos and write about it today.
It was quite tasty. Real Mexican food. And the hot sauce was actually hot, producing a long, slow burn. Anyway, his stand is near the Dairy Building and it’s called “Taco Time.” I paid for my food, by the way.
I then walked across the street to view the Butter Cow…
* The Question: What’s your all-time favorite State Fair food booth? Just one, please.
Michael Ettinger, attorney for Robert Blagojevich, said after court that he interpreted the latest communication with the jury as “all that’s left is to sign the jury forms.”
Ettinger said he expects the jury to return later today.
Asked about the jury requesting a copy of its oath, Ettinger said he expects “someone is going to be read that card and told they are violating their oath.”
He said he had never seen such a request and he took it as a sign of frayed tempers.
“Do you and each of you solemnly swear that you will well and truly try and a true deliverance make between the United States and ______, the defendant at the bar, and a true verdict render according to the evidence, so help you God?”
* Rasmussen has it tied at 40 each, and Public Policy Polling has the US Senate race essentially dead even. From the PPP pollster…
In a race pitting two of the weakest Senate candidates in the country Alexi Giannoulias continues to hold a small lead over Mark Kirk, 37-35, with Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones pulling 9%. Voters in the heavily Democratic state it seems would narrowly prefer a Democratic candidate they don’t like to a Republican candidate they don’t like.
Kirk does have a big lead with independents, 36-20. But you can’t win as a Republican in Illinois without winning over a fair number of Democratic voters and Kirk just isn’t doing that right now. He’s getting only 5%. Kirk’s getting 74% of the Republican vote while Giannoulias is getting 72% of the Democratic vote and it’s going to be very hard for Kirk to win unless the party unity gap ends up being bigger than that.
Both candidates continue to be very unpopular. Giannoulias’ favorability is 26/42 and Kirk’s is 26/34. Independents have a negative opinion of both of them, and each of them is viewed more unfavorably by voters of the opposite party than they are favorably by their own party base. Only 51% of Democrats have a favorable opinion of Giannoulias and just 49% of Republicans have a favorable opinion of Kirk so neither contender is doing much to fire up even their partisans.
* And here’s a scary topline for Democrats…
* Who did you vote for President in 2008?
42% John McCain
51% Barack Obama.
8% Someone else/Don’t remember
13% Not sure
Obama actually won Illinois 62-37. Back to the pollster…
These polls results are premised on an extremely depressed Democratic electorate. Those surveyed report having voted for Barack Obama by only 9 points, in contrast to his actual 26 point victory in the state in 2008. That’s a dropoff even worse than what Democrats saw in Virginia last year and the fact that Kirk is behind even when that’s the case does not bode well if Democratic interest in this election gets any better over the next three months. And it’s not as if Illinois voters just don’t know Giannoulias yet- they know him and they know they don’t like him and they still give him a small lead.
* More toplines with party crosstabs…
* Do you think that Mark Kirk is an ethical or
unethical person?
28% Ethical
25% Unethical
46% Not sure
* Do you think that Alexi Giannoulias is an
ethical or unethical person?
30% Ethical
35% Unethical
35% Not sure
Kirk’s negative message appears to be working significantly better with the GOP base than Giannoulias’ message is working with the Democratic base.
* The pollster’s conclusion…
In Kirk Republicans got the candidate they wanted in this race. But it looks more and more like they might have wanted the wrong candidate. There’s no way with everything that’s happened to Giannoulias since the last couple weeks before the primary that he should be ahead in this race. But he’s hanging on.
It is odd that Kirk hasn’t been able to put Giannoulias away. Theories?
* The rhetoric is heating up in the war over pensions. Dennis Byrne’s most recent Tribune column used a legal opinion provided by R. Eden Martin, president of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, to argue that pension benefits aren’t actually guaranteed by the state Constitution. His conclusion…
But, if we’re to climb out of this nightmare, everyone will have to sacrifice. That includes public employees who, Martin notes, should get on board to work out some solutions. They might have to put up with some small sacrifices, but it’s better than waiting until the well runs dry.
The Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association issued a joint response…
How much longer will the Chicago Tribune allow itself to be used as a tool of terror by millionaire Eden Martin in his quest to deprive hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans of the reasonable retirement they, in large part, have paid for?
The August 10 opinion piece, ostensibly written by public relations specialist Dennis Byrne, is a blatant attempt to frighten and intimidate innocent people who simply expect the State of Illinois to keep its promises.
Byrne/Martin’s claim that the state pension shortfall was caused by overly-generous pension benefits paid to state employees and teachers is provably false. And they know it.
They also know that suggesting that police officers, fire fighters, teachers, and state workers could be denied the reasonable retirements promised them is an unconscionable use of a newspaper to force a surrender by those who continue to work hard and well for the people of Illinois.
Enough.
We, and the 236,000 Illinoisans we represent, believe the facts matter. Even on the opinion page:
FACT - The state’s pension debt was caused by politicians who habitually refused, over decades, to pay the state’s modest share of pension costs, using the money instead to stave off needed tax increases. The legislature’s bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability found that from FY 1996 through FY 2008, the state’s pension debt grew by $35.6 billion. Of this, $30.3 billion (85%) is the result of factors not attributable to employees (53% the state’s failure to pay its share, 24% early retirement incentives, 8% poor stock performance).
FACT - Four of five state pension system annuitants rely solely on their pensions for survival. By Illinois law, contributors to the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) and the State University Retirement System (SURS) are barred from receiving full social security benefits, even when they have been earned from non-education employment.
FACT - Public employees contribute significantly to the cost of their pensions. Teachers pay 9.4% of their salary directly into TRS. State employees on the alternative formula contribute 8.5% of their pay into SERS. And state employees on the standard formula in effect contribute 7% of their checks-4% deducted, and an additional 3% in the form of a pay raise given up in 1998, with the understanding this amount would go directly into the pension fund.
FACT - The typical retired state employee on the standard formula-those who do receive Social Security, including the caregiver for the disabled, the child protection worker, the state park employee-earns a pension of about $22,000 a year.
FACT - Illinois law clearly states that pension payments payment are, “obligations of the State.” (40 ILCS 5/16-158(c)) It’s clear that Byrne and Martin’s scare tactics are nothing more than that. Respected judges and other legal analysts have also said cutting pension benefits for current public employees is unconstitutional. The law firm which once employed Eden Martin as a partner (from which he retired with a handsome retirement package that a teacher could never even dream of enjoying), has failed to produce a signed opinion that refutes this basic fact.
Eden Martin, Dennis Byrne and the Tribune want the public to forget that the pension shortfall is the result of bad financial management by the State and that the present and future annuitants have always paid their share.
We won’t let that happen.
The truth should not be ignored or distorted. Even on the opinion page.
* After saying that she wouldn’t support a candidate who “upholds a policy that discriminates against gays and lesbians,” then saying that she’d vote for her ex-husband Mark Kirk if she could, Mark Kirk’s former wife is now advising his campaign, even though her arch nemesis is apparently still playing a major role. From Lynn Sweet…
Kimberly Vertolli, the ex-wife of Illinois Senate nominee Mark Kirk — who recently called a top Kirk consultant, Dodie McCracken, a “kind of Svengali figure in his life” — will begin advising his campaign.
Vertolli’s role is being worked out. Vertolli said Monday that Kirk told her “he wants her to be a close adviser” and “that he trusts and respects my judgment.” […]
Vertolli, in that interview, also blamed McCracken for breaking up their marriage. “I think if Dodie McCracken had not continued to be in our lives, we probably would still be married,” she told Felsenthal. […]
The Kirk campaign wants to keep McCracken’s involvement under the radar. I’m told by several sources she is involved in day-to-day operational and strategic decision making. Kirk campaign spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski told me McCracken is a consultant who works on campaign “messaging.”
I wouldn’t want to be the campaign liaison between those two.
* Meanwhile, Politico is reporting that lots of Democratic US Senate candidates are staying mum on that proposed New York City mosque a few blocks from Ground Zero. I’ve asked Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign for comment, but have been met with radio silence so far. Kirk’s campaign issued a statement to Politico, but they only printed part of it. Here’s the full statement…
“While we protect freedom of religion, Congressman Kirk agrees with the Anti- Defamation League that sitting this mosque near ground zero causes undue pain to families of the 9/11 victims. There are legitimate calls for more transparency on the source of the estimated $100 million Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf will raise from here and abroad to build the mosque. In the end, Rauf should accept New York Governor Patterson’s offer of a convenient but less controversial site.” - Kirk spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski
You can find a decent background for how this story has blown up so big at Salon. The lede…
A group of progressive Muslim-Americans plans to build an Islamic community center two and a half blocks from ground zero in lower Manhattan. They have had a mosque in the same neighborhood for many years. There’s another mosque two blocks away from the site. City officials support the project. Muslims have been praying at the Pentagon, the other building hit on Sept. 11, for many years.
Let’s try to avoid hyperventilating in comments, please. And you might want to keep this in mind…
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof
Also, take a tour of the neighborhood. And the Right is now trying to take advantage of the situation by connecting Giannoulias to a $1,000 campaign contributor.
Democratic Illinois Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias says he supports building a mosque near the site of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City.
Giannoulias said Tuesday during a visit to the Illinois State Fair in Springfield that Americans must stand up for freedom of religion even when it’s difficult.
He says he sympathizes with those who lost loved ones in the attacks, but pointed out that includes Muslims and some emergency personnel at the disaster were Muslim. […]
Giannoulias says the world is watching how America responds and says “Are we going to talk about tolerance, talk about freedom of religion or are we actually going to practice it?”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Bill Brady also weighed in today…
Republican candidate for Illinois governor Bill Brady says he thinks there’s a “lack of sensitivity” regarding the building a mosque near the site of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City.
Brady on Tuesday wouldn’t give an opinion on whether he supports or opposes the mosque site near Ground Zero. He said he hopes “sensitive minds will deal with this in a sensible way.”
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* The Giannoulias campaign is touting a new Internet video that whacks Kirk on the financial services bailout. Rate it…
The origination and third-party fees on a $200,000 mortgage added up to $3,505 in the the 2010 survey, up from $2,486 a year ago.
Illinois was not alone in the dramatic rise. Nationally average closing costs increased 36 percent to $3,741
* Central Illinois may lag behind last year’s corn yields
The corn crop in Illinois is expected to yield 180 bushels an acre, up 6 bushels from last year’s yield and equal to the yields of 2004, the best in state history, according to the USDA.
Sweet corn production is also up in Illinois with 7,600 acres, up 7 percent from 2009.
Soybean production in the state is expected to top 453 million bushels, 5 percent above last year. Yields are expected to average 49 bushels an acre, 3 bushels over last year and one bushel short of 2004’s record production.
Farmers who recently checked cornfields last week during a plot tour in Tazewell, Woodford and McLean counties reported conditions that look to fall short of last year’s yields, said Kim Craig, merchandiser for Bell Enterprises Inc., the Deer Creek grain elevator that has organized the plot tour the past 15 years.
“The only thing I can tell you at this point is that it is a major announcement and it will be good for this area,” said U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, the chairman of the powerful House Aviation Subcommittee. Costello said the announcement will include an unspecified number of jobs coming to the region.
The U.S. Supreme Court had asked the appellate panel in Chicago to reconsider the 2007 jury finding in light of the high court’s June decision to limit the federal “honest services” fraud statute to instances of bribery and kickbacks not present in the Black case.
According to the survey:
• 63 percent of warehouse workers in the Will County area are working for temp agencies.
• 62 percent make poverty-level wages.
• The median hourly wage for a temp was $9 an hour, $3.48 less than direct hires.
• 37 percent of current warehouse workers had to work a second job to provide for their families.
• Only 5 percent of warehouse temp workers had sick days and 4 percent had insurance.
• 18 percent of warehouse workers had been hurt on the job. Of those, one in three were disciplined or fired when they reported their injury.
Schillerstrom’s proposal includes several red flags.
Chief among them: Reliance on the state’s word that it will catch up by the end of this year on what it owes to the county for sales tax, income tax and other reimbursements. With Illinois in the worst fiscal mess in its history, it’s folly to base financial decisions on those assertions.
County board members should be wary of the loan’s balloon payments, which jump to $5.9 million a year for most of the last half of the 30-year loan, compared to $2.3 million a year initially.
Morrissey, who was on vacation and didn’t attend the council meeting, said that his designee for the position of HR director remains Julia Scott Valdez, even though the council did not approve her appointment.[…]
Last month, Morrissey recommended a raise for Valdez, from $80,000 annually for her job as deputy city administrator to $114,000 to take on the job of HR director and continue her current responsibilities.
“We tried to estimate our expenses higher,” said Superintendent Chuck Nagel on Monday. “Our revenues are a little bit less than realistic. This is all predicated that the state will have the money to pay the bills.
“They haven’t had a real good track record over the course of the year, and we were very conservative on what we expect for the upcoming year.”
The state owes the district almost $900,000, which will be applied to the education and transportation funds.
* Gov. Pat Quinn held a press conference today to tout his new $2,500 tax credit for each new employee hired by companies that have 50 or fewer workers. State Sen. Bill Brady has a different jobs tax credit proposal. It’s lower, $2,100, but it applies to all companies, large and small.
According to the AP, the governor accused his Republican rival of wanting to “lower the overall tax credit so he can help big businesses,” and then added…
“Big businesses we have programs for in Illinois,” Quinn said. “We don’t have to take some of the largest corporations on earth and hand out tax incentives to British Petroleum or someone like that. We want to target our tax credit in a very focused way to our small businesses that are right here in Illinois, not multi-national corporations.”
“He knows all about layoffs,” Quinn said of Brady. “He’s applied his chainsaw to his real estate development company and laid people off. He hasn’t created any jobs at all.”
Yikes. And the retort…
“It’s the ultimate hypocrisy for Pat Quinn to attack a family business for making difficult decisions when he’s been a life-long politician who’s never directly created a job in his life,” Brady spokeswoman Patty Schuh said.
Here we have a governor who has presided over a budget that has resulted in countless job losses among private human service agencies, schools, police departments, state contractors, etc., and he’s calling Brady, whose very successful company suffered because of a national economic crisis, “an expert at layoffs“?
That’s a bit much, if you ask me.
Maybe Brady should’ve just followed Quinn’s lead and given his staff huge raises instead of laying them off. Yeah. That would’ve worked.
Another Illinois lawmaker says that if the St. Louis Rams need a new home, and folks on the Missouri side aren’t willing to help, then the team should look to the east — the Metro East.
First it was State Senate President John Cullerton, now it’s Democratic State Representative Jay Hoffman of Collinsville.
“I believe that Illinois would work in conjunction with Missouri to keep the Rams,” Hoffman tells KMOX. “We need to keep them here.” […]
“And even though they only won one game last year, we’re seeing good things on the horizon,” Hoffman says, “and understand the economic tool that the Rams are, and any sports franchise is.”
* Bill Brady and others took a little heat for appearing this past Saturday on the same stage as a very controversial activist…
Chicago immigrant rights activists and religious leaders are upset that the Republican candidate for Illinois governor, state Sen. Bill Brady, and other Republican politicians are scheduled to share the stage Saturday with a woman who is the founder of the Illinois Minuteman Project and has made controversial comments about immigrants, Catholics and Muslims.
Rosanna Pulido, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress, is scheduled to speak at a Tea Party rally in Bartlett this afternoon hosted by the Tri-Count-Teas. They also have invited Republican politicians, including state Sen. Randy Hultgren, a candidate for Congress in the 14th District , Angel Garcia, a candidate for Cook County Clerk, and Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica.
Click here for the press release announcing the event. We’ve been over this before, but here’s a sampling of Pulido’s comments…
Responding to the post by someone else: “Oh I don’t know, those pictures of dozens of men in mosques kneeling on prayer rugs with their heads down low always looks pretty funny to me,” [Pulido] says: It reminds me of my dog, smelling butts.” December 28, 2003
“Cardinal George is responsible for every illegal immigrant who dies while crossing the border coming over here because he is luring them.” March 23, 2008
Referring to the gay community: “Face it, its better to be in a meat packing town than in a fudge packing town.” (post #42), November 7, 2008
“Great! Now the gays can indoctrinate the other kids who are struggling, they will be told that they have gay tendencies and be lead along like sheep to the slaughter.” (post #3), November 18, 2008
Brady’s own speech can be seen by clicking here (Part 1) and here (Part 2). Pretty standard stuff. He didn’t address Pulido’s charges, but he entirely avoided talking about immigration.
* Meanwhile, Brady’s campaign has named state Rep. Ron Stephens chairman of Veterans for Brady/Plummer. From a press release…
Springfield, IL…On Sunday, a group of veterans and elected officials gathered at the Illinois State Fair to announce the formation of “Veterans for Brady/Plummer,” a volunteer organization of supporters who believe Bill Brady and Jason Plummer are the right choice to protect and preserve veterans’ benefits and opportunities over the next four years.
“Our fiscal problems at the state level have affected each and every person in Illinois, including veterans and their families,” said State Representative and U.S. Army Veteran Ron Stephens. “I’ve known Senator Brady for twenty years, and I assure you, veterans and their families will always be a top priority of his administration. We need a real advocate in the Governor’s office, someone who stands by his word and someone who will protect the interests of the men and women who so bravely protected our freedoms abroad.” Representative Stephens will be serving as chairman of “Veterans for Brady/Plummer.”
Really? Ron Stephens? The pharmacist who got busted for doing drugs several years ago, then nearly lost his pharmacist license after being popped for a DUI earlier this year? He has an honorable service record and I’ve always firmly believed that a simple (not aggravated circustances) DUI ought not be the end of the world. But Stephens’ misbehavior far transcends those two public sanctions, so putting him front and center ain’t exactly the best idea I’ve ever heard. Maybe the Brady campaign will help administer his random drug tests.
The revelation came after Kelly Klopp, the spokesman for 10th District congressional hopeful Robert Dold, accidentally sent an e-mail to a Daily Herald reporter Wednesday with instructions to “please get some positive comments up” in the comments section attached to a story about a Dold television commercial.
In the e-mail, Klopp suggested possible messages for the volunteers to post, including “Heard the ad and liked it” and “Nice to see the candidate talk about himself without just attacking his opponent.” […]
“Volunteers write letters to the editors for us, put up yard signs, hand out literature - we’re always encouraging supporters and volunteers to join the public debate,” [Klopp] said. […]
The Dold campaign uses college-age volunteers to post comments on the Web about the candidate, Klopp said. The team she intended to activate Wednesday is based at DePaul University, she said.
Yeah, well, there’s a fine line between encouraging supporters to join the public debate and downright deception. For instance, during the primary I posted Dold’s first TV ad. Here’s one of the comments…
- paul the blue lib - Thursday, Dec 17, 09 @ 3:09 pm:
Dold had a good ad, kinda energy like he is actually going to get some stuff done—not that I hope he gets anything done, but the ad is pretty good.
The message for politicians cuts more to the quick: When you do this, when you allow your campaigns to do this, it may just seem like standard electioneering, but it is fundamentally dishonest.
It may be a small lie, but it is a lie all the same. It tries to pretend that a testimonial is spontaneous when in fact it is orchestrated by the campaign. And that’s a falsehood.
It is fundamentally dishonest and inherently unethical.
You cannot gain the public’s trust by engaging in untrustworthy political practices.
* 10th Congressional District: Israel forum participation debated: “Dan greatly respects Protect our Heritage and shares their commitment to strengthening our special relationship with Israel. Unfortunately, the nature of the forum changed significantly from our original agreement, leading us to decline to participate in a situation that had become inherently unfair and uniquely weighted against Dan,” according to a campaign statement.
* Press release: Governor Quinn Celebrates Veterans’ Day at Illinois State Fair
Judge James Zagel has called in the attorneys from both sides for a hearing on the question. Robert Blagojevich’s attorney Michael Ettinger said neither of the defendants will come to the courthouse for this hearing.
“Not yet,” Ettinger said.
*** UPDATE 2 - 11:45 am*** From Susan Berger’s Twitter page…
Jury wants Bradley Tusk transcript in its entirety… [Blagojevich attorney Sheldon Sorosky] objects to request. Judge will give transcript to jury… Judge will inform jury that cerain portions will be blacked out - those reflect outside presence of jury… Judge calls request “less than earth-shattering”
Among other things, Tusk testified about a $2 million grant that then-Congressman Rahm Emanuel wanted for a local school, but that Blagojevich wanted to hold up until Emanuel’s brother hosted a fundraiser…
Asked by the prosecution about the $2 million grant for the Chicago Academy, Tusk delivered what amounts to the biggest smoking gun yet in witness testimony. He told the jury that in the late summer of 2006, after receiving pressure from Emanuel, Tusk spoke with Blagojevich on the phone to urge him to authorize the grant money for the school. He said he told Blagojevich that Emanuel was “very upset” that the money had yet to be disbursed. In response, Tusk testified, Blagojevich told him that before he would release the grant money, he wanted Emanuel’s brother Ari, a wealthy Hollywood agent, to host a fundraiser for him.
“I got off the phone as quickly as I could,” Tusk testified, saying that he felt the directive was both “illegal and unethical.” Ultimately, he said he never conveyed the message to Emanuel, but instead contacted Blagojevich ally John Wyma and the governor’s legal counsel and ethics chief, Bill Quinlan. He said he told Quinlan, “You need to get your client under control.”
That the jury requested Tusk’s testimony after last week’s note could be a better sign for the prosecution than the defense. Tusk’s testimony about a state grant to the Chicago Academy corresponds to one of the predicate charges in the racketeering count against Blagojevich, as well as Count 14 of the attempted extortion charge against the former governor.
More links to coverage of Tusk’s testimony are here.
Republicans have tried to link Blagojevich to Democrats running for office this year, including Governor Pat Quinn and state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (though both candidates stress they had little to no relationship with the ex-governor). Despite that message during the trial, [Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady] insists he doesn’t plan to make a big deal about the trial’s outcome.
BRADY: You know, we could make a lot of political hay out of it. I don’t think we will, because [I’ll] just [be] relieved it’s over.
Brady adds, though, that a hung jury or not-guilty verdicts would keep the story alive.
“Our system of justice gives Rod Blagojevich the right to remain silent. But his refusal to answer questions under oath also reveals more of the duplicity by which he campaigned and tried to govern. We shouldn’t be surprised. Rod ran as a reformer, with the full support of Pat Quinn and Mike Madigan. But it was all a sham.
Here’s a message to every Illinois political insider who’s prepared to throw up if the Rod Blagojevich trial results in a hung jury: you may hate Blagojevich, but ordinary people don’t.
From a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted July 26, 2010…
* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression of Rod Blagojevich?
3% Very favorable
6% Somewhat favorable
18% Somewhat unfavorable
70% Very unfavorable
2% Not sure
The vast majority of “ordinary people” hate the guy. Period. And that’s why I find it so hard to believe that the Illinois Republican Party won’t try to “make hay” out of the verdict, whatever it may be.
* Carol Marin looks at the stark differences between the late Dan Rostenkowski and the man who replaced him in Congress two years later…
As the now-legendary Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee from 1981 to 1994, Rostenkowski was immersed in the detail and discipline of legislation. He wasn’t a scholar, but he had a graduate degree in tax codes. Plus a respect for process and the political opposition. He and President Ronald Reagan presented a powerful picture of how bipartisanship can make something big happen.
I don’t mean to romanticize the man or his methods. He could be cutthroat about power and preferred closed-door deals to the sunshine promoted by goo-goos.
Then again, Rod Blagojevich just pretended to be a goo-goo as he stepped from Congress to the governor’s office. But behind his closed door sat sleazy wheeler-dealers like Chris Kelly and Tony Rezko hatching scams they and Blagojevich couldn’t manage to pull off for big payoffs they couldn’t make materialize. Did they not know that even corruption sometimes requires some skill?
In the meantime, Blagojevich managed to alienate almost the entire Democratic Party — of which he was allegedly a member — as well as Republicans across the aisle. The result across his six years in office was gridlock on budgets and the gaping maw of a growing deficit.
The Chairman could work the halls of Congress but the Governor couldn’t work with anyone.
One was gruff but effective. The other glib but almost goofy. Rod wanted you to like him but Rosty didn’t seem to give a damn.
Abdon Pallasch looks at another angle to this. Rostenkowski called Michael Patrick Flanagan after losing the general election in 1994, then met with him and gave him some advice. After Blagojevich won in 1996? Not a word was heard…
Contrast that with the guy who beat Flanagan after one term — Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich never called after winning, Flanagan said.
Flanagan asked Rostenkowski if Blagojevich ever called him, either.
“Not only did he not call me, but I called him and offered to give him some advice — he didn’t have time,” Flanagan recalled Rostenkowski saying of Blagojevich. “He never asked my advice on anything, either. I don’t think he’s much of an advice-taker. That’s part of his problem.”
* Roundup…
* Brown: Hung Blagojevich jury a loss for feds — but not for long
* Brady wants him fired, but Quinn will have none of that…
Republican candidate for governor Bill Brady on Sunday called on Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn to fire the state’s prisons chief after an early-release plan was ripped in a report for saving money at the expense of public safety.
“I believe the highest obligation of any governor is to protect the interests of the public, the public safety. By allowing these releases to occur, Gov. Quinn failed to meet this obligation,” Brady, a state senator from Bloomington, said at a downtown Chicago news conference.
In Springfield, Quinn responded that he would not fire corrections chief Michael Randle, saying, “I don’t need a lecture from Sen. Brady.” […]
“I’m not going to change the director,” Quinn said during an interview Sunday at the executive mansion. “He did make a mistake. He took responsibility for it.”
All too predictable. The last time Quinn as asked about this was back in May, by my intern Barton Lorimor…
Quinn’s chief of staff, Jerry Stermer, said Friday he was present last summer and fall when the governor told Randle he was not to release violent offenders under MGT Push. Randle took responsibility for not supervising his subordinates closely enough to make sure they followed that dictum. As a result, he said, “It happened.”
That’s not what the subordinates have said. Judge David Erickson’s report did not go into any sort of detail about who actually put that MGT Push program into place. From everything I’ve been told, Randle backed it to the hilt. From Friday’s presser…
Quinn’s order conflicted with a law allowing some violent offenders to qualify for early release, and Randle said that, as director, he should have seen the conflict and suspended the program before anyone with a record of violence was released.
It all looks from the outside that Randle was a passive force. Again, that’s not what I’ve been told by the insiders.
Also, we still don’t know why Randle failed or refused to tell Gov. Pat Quinn about the program until the Associated Press broke the story. I have tried and failed to get an answer to that particular question for months. Too bad they didn’t hold Friday’s press conference in Springfield. Maybe we could’ve gotten to the bottom of things because the Chicago reporters let a lot of stuff slide Friday.
* Roundup and related stories…
* ‘Serious flaws’ in prison-release program: “MGT was a dismal failure. It was totally dysfunctional,” said Judge David Erickson, Kent College of Law… “Inmates did not have to do anything to earn their good time,” said Erickson.
* Bill Brady Wants Illinois’ Prison Chief Replaced: He said Quinn’s not removing Randle shows a lack of “moral responsibility.”
* Quinn picks new inspector general: Ricardo Meza, a former federal prosecutor, succeeds James A. Wright, whose dismissal on Friday was first reported by the Tribune. Meza is the Midwest regional counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a long-established Latino advocacy group.
There is no doubt whatsoever that Republicans in this state have every reason to cheer and Democrats have all the reasons in the world to grumble.
Republicans have a fired up, angry base that can’t wait to vote. The Democratic base is morose, embarrassed at its party’s failures and is in no mood to even think about voting.
Numerous pollsters and prognosticators have pointed to the eery similarities between the public’s mood now and at the same point in the huge Republican year of 1994 - the last time we had a Democratic president facing his first midterm election.
The latest national CNN/Opinion Research poll found that the “generic” congressional ballot was pretty much the same as it was in August 1994. Voters favor unnamed Republican candidates over Democrats 48 percent to 45 percent, compared with 46-44 in 1994. Public Policy Polling’s latest survey had the national generic ballot favoring Republicans at 45-42.
Half of all voters told CNN’s pollster that they likely are to vote for a candidate who would opposes President Barack Obama. Back in ‘94, 51 percent said they wanted candidates who opposed President Bill Clinton. Obama’s approval rating is also just three points higher than Bill Clinton’s was back then.
In 1994, the Illinois House Republicans rode their party’s national tidal wave to a 13-seat pickup and a long-sought majority. The House Republicans need 12 seats to take the majority away from the Democrats this time. So, there’s a lot of hope out there that they can pull it off.
Some real differences exist between now and 1994, particularly here in Illinois. For instance, back then Illinois had straight-party voting. It was pretty easy to just walk into the ballot booth, punch the Republican number and walk out. The Republicans got rid of that just after the Democrats took back the House two years later.
Also, the state legislative district map 16 years ago was drawn by the Republicans. The current map was drawn by the Democrats and is way more sophisticated because computer technology advanced so far in the intervening decade.
The national Republican landslide of 1994 took the Democrats completely by surprise. They simply had never seen anything like it. Even during the Ronald Reagan sweep of 1984, the Illinois Democrats beat a Republican U.S. Senator. Now that they’ve seen what can happen, the Democrats claim they’ve made far more preparations than they did in ‘94.
Then there’s Barack Obama. The president is from Illinois, so the state gives him a higher approval rating than just about anywhere else, and tends to support his policies in larger numbers.
Back in early August 1994, a Chicago Tribune poll had Republican Jim Edgar beating Dawn Clark Netsch by a mind-blowing 35 points. Netsch ended up losing by almost 30 points, taking the House Democratic majority down with her.
The latest statewide poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports has Republican state Sen. Bill Brady leading Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn by 13 points - 48-35. I’ve seen another internal candidate poll taken very recently that had Brady’s lead slightly higher. A Democratic poll reportedly has Quinn trailing by seven points. Let’s say it’s somewhere in the middle, but that means there’s no good news here for the governor.
So, could Quinn take everybody else down with him?
If you figure that Netsch’s 30-point loss helped intensify the 1994 GOP landslide, then maybe Quinn’s bad numbers aren’t enough. But I’ve seen some recent private polling on voter intensity that ought to frighten the Democrats right down to their bones. Their party’s biggest lead is among people who say they aren’t interested in voting.
Plus, downstate and collar county voters appear the angriest these days, and that could really hurt a lot of the state’s freshman Democratic congressmen and several legislators in tough fights. Any Democrat involved in a race that looks even a little close should be worried sick right now.
Quinn isn’t helping matters much with the campaign that he and his allies have been running. The Democratic Governors Association has spent almost $2 million on TV ads whacking Bill Brady as an extremist, but Rasmussen’s poll of 750 likely voters taken August 9th showed that more voters thought Quinn was an extremist than Brady.
According to the poll, 32 percent thought Brady’s views were “extreme,” while 38 percent thought Quinn’s views were extreme.
He’d better do something quick before he pulls a Netsch and tanks his entire party.
* And here’s another reason why it’s not totally 1994. From a Tribune poll of 800 heads of household in Chicago and the suburbs…
In a recent Tribune/WGN poll, 46 percent of suburban residents said they oppose legalizing same-sex marriage, while 40 percent approve and 14 percent have no opinion.
When asked their opinions on civil unions — which would provide same-sex couples with many of the same legal rights as marriage — the results switch: 54 percent of suburban residents favor legalizing same-sex civil unions, compared with 33 percent who would oppose such a law. When city residents are included, the results remain nearly the same.
The poll shows the Chicago area falls largely in line with national opinions on gay marriage, an issue that has received considerable attention lately after a federal judge in California declared that state’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional. Same-sex marriages could resume as soon as Wednesday in California, and the judge’s decision is expected to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. […]
The overall opinion on legalizing same-sex marriage, when city respondents are factored in, is split: 42 percent oppose it, 42 percent support it and 15 percent have no opinion. The Market Shares Corp. telephone poll of 800 male and female heads of household from the six-county Chicago area has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
No owners living in the buildings, no developer or contractor to be found. In most cases, there’s nothing of value left behind, the units having been stripped. These barren buildings endure as lures for crime and as deterrents to investment in the neighborhood.
Markowski and city housing officials estimate there are 200 such buildings around Chicago, mostly on the South or West sides, representing more than 2,000 apartments. They have banded together for a program they said is unique for American cities to put them back to productive use for housing.
With a $2.5 million grant from the city, Markowski’s Community Investment Corp. is working to gain title to the condos.
Expanding the council and the number of wards would be an expensive proposition for any city, made even more difficult during these times of lost sales tax, income tax and development fees to municipalities.
Moreover, the timing proscribed in state law actually made it impossible for local government to comply. The statute says redistricting and an expanded council has to be done 180 days before the next consolidated election, April 2011.
But the earliest census data will start to become available is in January 2011, well after the deadline.
Decatur and Springfield are being added to the list of cities considering a bid to play a role in a reworked version of a $1 billion clean-coal project after another Illinois town dropped out because of changes made to the original plan.
To fill the system’s remaining $370 million deficit, Huberman early this week unveiled a budget that included raising high school class sizes, on average, from 31 to 33 students, for a savings of $30 million and a loss of 500 teaching jobs.
Ten year-round high schools opened Monday with those larger class sizes, and, as a result, fewer teachers than normal. Huberman said schools will be getting “budgetary guidance'’ soon on how to open slashed positions.
However, it was not immediately clear whether all laid-off high school teachers would automatically be called back to their old slots.
Metracide is not an official cause of death, but it refers to suicides involving Metra trains. The latest figures compiled by the commuter train agency show 14 fatalities this year involving its trains — due to all causes, not specifically suicide — as of early July, including two people in vehicles, spokeswoman Meg Reile said. At least two other deaths have been reported since then, meaning this year’s Metra-related fatality toll already exceeds the 15 recorded in 2009. The highest number on record was 34 in 2004, Reile said.
It’s been three months since former Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano killed himself while being investigated for a variety of financial wrongs. But the taint of the financial scandal still lingers and will for some time.
That’s why we agree with those who say Metra needs an independent inspector general to keep an eye on the transit agency going forward.
A right-wing New Jersey blogger was convicted at his third trial Friday of making threats against three federal judges in Illinois in retaliation for a ruling supporting gun control.
A Brooklyn jury deliberated less than two hours before finding Hal Turner guilty of making death threats.
After an independent audit by law firm Jenner & Block recommended strengthening the commission’s controls, state lawmakers drafted restructuring legislation that Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed that requires all 13 commissioners to resign on Dec. 31 and that in 2016 will eliminate a countywide sales tax that helps fund the commission.
On Thursday, commissioners voted to start negotiations on a loan extension that would buy the commission time to generate funds to pay off the loan. Commissioner Phil Suess urged the commission’s representatives — staff attorney Maureen Crowley, retired Financial Administrator Rick Skiba and Treasurer Don Zeilenga — to shop around for a lower interest rate than the 2.5 percent rate proposed by West Suburban Bank.
