* Yesterday was the first day that independents could file their petitions for the general election. These are always entertaining weeks. For instance…

The poor fellow can’t make up his mind what he wants to do.

* At least two other candidates will wait until the 21st to file…

Monday was the first day independent candidates could file to run for office in Illinois, but Scott Lee Cohen plans to wait until the last minute before finalizing his plans for governor.

Cohen, who previously won the Democratic primary race for lieutenant governor, plans to file his petitions June 21, the last available day, Cohen spokesman John Davis said.

“You’d like to have at least a little bit of drama,” Davis said. […]

But also waiting until the last day will be Mike Niecestro of Itasca, who also plans to file for the U.S. Senate race.

Niecestro says he has 27,000 signatures and expects to have as many as double that by the time he turns them in June 21.

“A little bit of drama”? Yeah. Like Cohen needs more of that.

Also, if Niecestro has 27,000 sigs today, I’m not sure how he doubles that in a week, unless they’re still coming in from all over the state. And considering Niecestro isn’t all that well known, that’s a bit doubtful. Not to mention that Niecestro told NBC5 he has collected over 40,000 signatures. Which is right?

* Speaking of Niecestro…

Would Niecestro even favor drilling in Lake Michigan, if oil were discovered there?

“If there’s oil under Lake Michigan, why not?” he says. “Absolutely.”

Yeah. Stick with that promise. I’m sure it’ll work so well in the Chicago media market, which gets most of its drinking water from the lake. Niecestro also has a prediction…

“If I get my name on the ballot, Mark Kirk is going to go as far right as he can to get the conservative vote,” predicts Niecestro

Assuming he gets on the ballot, and that’s still a big “if,” Kirk will probably use stuff like “Drill, baby, drill in our fresh water supply!” to paint Niecestro as a crackpot.

Also, if you want to read a harshly critical take on people like Niecestro, then click here. It won’t disappoint.

* In other campaign-related news, the state Republican Party misfired badly with its first major attempt to use the Blagojevich trial against Pat Quinn and Alexi Giannoulias…

In a press release [yesterday], the Illinois Republican Party used a government exhibit from the case to point out that now-Gov. Pat Quinn and political consultant Pete Giangreco — who works for Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias — attended a meeting with some of those who have been charged or convicted in the case.

The meeting, which included Alonzo “Lon” Monk, “Antoin “Tony” Rezko and Blagojevich, happened a week after the new governor’s inauguration in January 2003. According to testimony from Monk, nothing untoward occurred. It was just a discussion involving nearly 20 people about what Blagojevich should try to accomplish policy-wise in his first term.

So, prosecution witness Monk testified under oath that the meeting was no big deal, but this is the press release we get from the IL GOP…

Recently, the U.S. Attorney introduced “Government Exhibit January 2003 Schedule” – a section of Rod Blagojevich’s calendar showing a meeting between Blagojevich, Lon Monk, Tony Rezko, Pat Quinn, Pete Giangreco and other key Blagojevich insiders.

Lon Monk testified that kickback schemes were being discussed by this core group as early as 2003. Now seven years later, Quinn is running for governor while Pete Giangreco is serving as senior strategist for Alexi Giannoulias’ Senate campaign.

Actually, Monk’s testimony was just the opposite. And then we get a non-denial denial from the state Repubs…

Asked about the wording of the release, state GOP Chairman Pat Brady, he said he could see how some people could read it like the GOP was accusing Quinn and Giangreco of being part of the conspiracy. But he said that wasn’t the intent.

“I can see what you’re saying. We aren’t insinuating that,” Brady said. “Abraham Lincoln did not write this (press release). That was not the intent. We were talking about that gang of four.”

Um, no, you weren’t.

…Adding… Click here to see the document in question.

* Related…

* Illinois Supreme Court Election Flooded with Money: Millions of dollars will likely be spent on Kilbride’s election this year, though no one is running against him. “Those of us who will be trying to defeat him,” said Ed Murnane, of the Illinois Civil Justice League. “We don’t even need a candidate.”

* Press Release: Today, Tenth Congressional District Candidate Dan Seals announced that Aviva Gibbs, currently Communications Director to U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), will be joining his campaign team. Gibbs will leave Mr. Quigley’s office to serve as Communications Director for Seals starting in early July.

* Daily Herald: The search for independent thought

* Pantagraph: Candidates must meet obligations to current office

* Quinn, Dems mum on attack ad

* Freeport Journal-Standard: Plans, not politics, in big races

* Simon To Hold Jeb Bush Counter-Protest

* Quinn tries to counter Bush visit with B-N event

* Pollak Cites Gun-Toter As Example Of Tea Party Diversity

* Crespo meets in Hanover Park

* Dems seeking applications for 35th District candidate: O’Shea said local Democratic leaders are focused on finding the best candidate and on making it an “open and transparent” process. Unlike the lieutenant governor process, applicants’ information and applications will not be posted online, O’Shea said. “We haven’t really set a timetable. We want to make sure we take as much time as we need to,” O’Shea said. “In my conversations with the mayors and committeemen throughout the district, the thought is to come up with the best possible person to be the Democratic nominee on the November ballot.”

* Naperville to consider term limits referendum