Question of the day
Monday, Nov 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Illinois Republican Party…
Naperville attorney Michael “Mike” Webster announced his candidacy for Illinois Secretary of State this morning. He pledged to bring the Secretary of State’s office into the 21st century, and restore some much-needed confidence after Jesse White’s scandals.
Illinois Republican Chairman Jack Dorgan, State Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, and State House Republican Leader Jim Durkin recently met with Webster, 53, to encourage him to challenge the embattled Secretary of State.
Earlier, Chairman Dorgan issued a statewide call to G.O.P. leaders to circulate petitions for Webster.
“I’m pleased to share that Mike Webster has been recruited to run for Secretary of State,” Dorgan said. “Illinois deserves much better than the controversy coming out of Jesse White’s office, and the failure of leadership up and down the Democrat ticket.
“The most recent scandal, involving suspicious hiring and work irregularities of a high-ranking staff with a ‘special’ relationship to the incumbent, may be just the tip of the iceberg. Mike Webster will clean house. That’s why the party asked him to make this run.”
“The people of Illinois have been shortchanged for too long,” Webster said. “It is time for dramatic change. The troubling reports of serious improprieties show it is time for new leadership. I will end the inefficiency, cronyism, nepotism, and patronage hiring that Jesse White has become infamous for, and I will provide the transparency, efficiency, and accountability that we all deserve.”
A lifelong Illinois resident, Webster graduated from Joliet Catholic High School, The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and DePaul University College of Law. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
“As a lawyer and a CPA, I have the skills to improve the Secretary of State’s office on day one. I am a not a politician, with no ties to Springfield, and I’m beholden to no one. I am not afraid to root out the corruption, end political shenanigans, and reform the office. That is what Illinois taxpayers want, it is what they deserve, and it is what I will do when I am elected,” Webster said.
Webster started Webster & Schelli, P.C. in 1991 with his partner James Schelli, and practices business succession planning, estate planning, taxation, probate and trust administration.
Webster is the President of the Cass School District #63 Board of Education in Darien. He was first elected to the Cass Board of Education in 2005, and re-elected in 2009 and 2013. Webster, his wife, Sandy, and their four daughters live in Hinsdale.
White received 69.87 percent in the 2010 election and 62.82 percent in 2006 against Dan Rutherford.
* The Question: Over-under on White’s percentage total next November?
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Another drug scare
Monday, Nov 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a story in the Joliet paper last month…
The flesh-eating crocodile is here, a local doctor said.
Three patients have been treated this week at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center for using a synthetic opiate that doctors say rots the skin from the inside out.
“If you want to kill yourself, (using) this is the way to do it,” said Dr. Abhin Singla, director of addiction services.
Crocodile, which also is spelled Krokodil, started being manufactured about a decade ago in Russia, where heroin is harder to find, Singla said.
Codeine tablets are mixed with gasoline, paint thinner, butane and other chemicals to create an injectable drug, he said.
* But the Daily Beast claims stories like that one are bogus.
First of all. codeine has been available over the counter in Russia for years, and codeine tablets are used to make the drug. Codeine is only available here by prescription, making it harder to get and more expensive to purchase than in Russia.
And, oh, tests for Krokodil are coming up negative…
(N)ot one of the dozens of suspected cases tested positive for desomorphine, the drug’s official name. In fact, according to public-health experts and federal officials, the great Krokodil scare of 2013 is really just the latest symptom of a true epidemic long in the making: American’s growing dependence on heroin and prescription painkillers. […]
“To date none of our forensic labs have analyzed an exhibit that contain desomorphine [Krokodil],” Rusty Payne, a spokesperson for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration told The Daily Beast this week. “We have nothing to indicate that it’s out there.” Payne called the Krokodil fiasco the “story of the month,” blaming it both on misinformation and myths propagated by the media. “What happens is people jump the gun,” Payne explains. “Poison controls, emergency rooms, cops—folks that aren’t trained in narcotics,” he says. “We [the DEA] are knee deep in local synthetic drugs. This is what we do.” […]
As widely documented on drug policy sites across the web, intravenous drug users are susceptible to a wide range of deadly infections, including HIV, Hepatitis, B/C, and MRSA—many of which can result in gangrenous skin, deep abscesses, and loss of limbs.
“We don’t have a Krokodil epidemic, we have a heroin and painkiller epidemic,” Dr. Andrew Kolodny, chief medical officer at Phoenix House, a non-profit alcohol and drug rehab center, tells The Daily Beast. A nationally recognized psychiatrist, Kolodny has spent close to 20 years studying substance abuse and addiction. The graphic images flooding the Internet with “Krokodil” tags didn’t shock him. “This is not a new problem. Drug users are prone to skin infections and blood infections. There are serious medical infections that come from injecting drugs,” he says. While the infections are not new, Kolodny says increased heroin dependence means it won’t be the last time we see pictures like these.
* And this was buried way deep in an ABC7 story about the supposed Will County cases…
All three women insist they paid for heroin and never knew they got crocodile in its place. They have come forward to use their story as a wakeup call for other addicts. [Emphasis added.]
Except it’s almost certain that they did buy heroin and are simply suffering some all too normal and horrific consequences.
* Just to make sure, I checked with the Illinois Department of Public Health today and asked if the state has any confirmed Krokodil cases “No,” was the answer.
Even so, a resolution was introduced last month about the drug scare…
Urges the Drug Enforcement Administration to recognize the use of desomorphine or “krokodil” as an immediate threat and to investigate cases of the drug in Illinois to prevent its spread and to safeguard the wellbeing of Illinois residents.
If the past is prologue, I’m assuming we’ll see penalty enhancement bills introduced soon as well. All over something that doesn’t exist and probably won’t because of simple economics.
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It ain’t easy
Monday, Nov 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
State Rep. Derrick Smith referred to himself as a “pimp” in secretly recorded conversations, his lawyers have revealed.
But Smith — who won re-election to his West Side seat last year despite being indicted on bribery charges — says he used the word “pimping” to describe the good work he does for his constituents, not because he has any connection to the illegal sex trade.
He wants a judge to ban prosecutors from playing the recording for jurors when he stands trial in the bribery case in January. […]
Smith made “the reference as an analogy to the hard grass-roots work he puts in on the street, canvassing and visiting the public in his attempt to gain the support of voters in his district,” Smith’s attorney Vic Henderson wrote.
“There is no evidence whatsoever that the defendant is a pimp or even tangentially involved in pimping,” Henderson added. “Evidence that the defendant used ‘pimping’ as a metaphor for pounding the pavement in his district is not relevant to the jury’s deliberations in this case.”
Discuss.
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* Daily Herald…
The U.S. House Ethics Committee Friday closed the investigation into Rep. Peter Roskam’s 2011 trip to Taiwan after months of review without recommending disciplinary actions. […]
Roskam and his wife took the $25,000 trip paid for by the Chinese Culture University in Taipei. The Wheaton Republican argued during the probe that the committee had signed off on the trip in advance and his office followed the rules.
The Ethics Committee report Friday said it was “inconclusive” whether the university was a “proper sponsor,” and it couldn’t compel testimony to get the information it needed to make that call. The investigation was closed because there was “insufficient evidence to show that Rep. Roskam’s travel was improper.”
The report says trips paid for by “money-only” sponsors that don’t participate in the planning can be improper but that “the Committee cannot determine whether CCU’s involvement in both trips was significant enough for CCU to be considered a legitimate sponsor.”
* Tribune…
While the committee said that Roskam had fully cooperated, it noted that Taiwanese officials with information “material” to the review had refused to help the committee sort out the matter.
* Politico…
Under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, foreign governments are allowed to pay for such trips. However, a lawmaker cannot accept travel expenses for a spouse or family member.
The Roskams’ daughter was also staying in Taiwan at that time, and OCE noted that the Roskams sought to include her as part of their itinerary for the $24,000-plus trip.
Roskam strongly denied any improper or unethical behavior, and he went as far as signing a waiver to allow the Ethics Committee to turn over to OCE the documents and materials used for vetting the trip. The Ethics Committee did not respond to OCE’s request for those materials.
* Back to the Tribune…
The trip’s itinerary evolved between the June email and the October trip. But Roskam’s post-travel disclosure report to the House described two days of meetings with government officials and four days of sightseeing.
The Ethics Committee report said that “the rationale of having ‘leisure’ or ‘quality time’ with one’s family in ‘a very nice resort area’ as discussed in the background on the trip is not a permissible, officially connected purpose for privately sponsored travel, and if committee staff had been aware of that connection and intent, additional questions would have been asked, at least.”
But the report also stated: “The mere fact that his wife and daughter were with him does not diminish the value of the fact-finding activity or make the activities impermissible.”
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Digging out is gonna take a long time
Monday, Nov 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Central Illinois Service Access Inc. helps screen people with developmental disabilities as part of the process for determining benefits. Last year, the state was running six months behind in its payments to CISA. Now, the state is sending out checks within a couple of months.
Illinois has started to get its payment act together, but that progress has exposed another problem. These not for profits are dealing with higher costs, but low reimbursement rates…
[CISA associate director Mary McGlauchlen] stressed that the state’s reimbursement rates need to be adjusted so that care providers can find and keep quality employees.
“There’s not a provider that doesn’t tell me, ‘We can’t find people that can pass the background check that want to work for $9 an hour.’ It’s honestly a very difficult job,” she said.
Sheppard added, “There are some people who work with providers that hold two and three jobs down just because they love the field and they don’t want to give it up, but they can’t live on that. If they’re a single parent with one or two kids, they can’t live on that wage.”
Obviously, significant provider rate hikes are not in the cards these days.
* But it’s hard to imagine what life is like for these caregivers…
Jennifer Dunham, 37, of Lincoln is living the life Sheppard described. She is a single mother of three who works on the direct care staff at Serenity House, a group home for the developmentally disabled.
The facility is a small, four-bedroom house tucked away on a residential street in Lincoln, where six developmentally disabled residents received constant supervision.
On Dunham’s eight-hour shifts, she does the residents’ laundry, distributes medication, cooks meals, assists them with bathing and teaches them basic life skills.
Each of the residents is at a different level of cognitive function, requiring Dunham to take an individualized approach. With residents requiring supervision around-the-clock, Dunham said, it can be a bit of a juggling act.
Dunham makes $8.50 an hour.
* Related…
* Race tracks face cuts if legislature doesn’t act
* Politics helped fund new South Side station, Metra says: Metra officials explained that the project has been planned for years and defended its necessity. But they also acknowledged that funding for the station came about with some political dealing between Gov. Pat Quinn and South Side legislators, specifically Democratic state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, whose 16thDistrict includes Auburn Gresham. Quinn relied on their support for two state bond programs he had championed.
* Shiny Capitol doors block security guards’ full view: Condemned for their cost and gleam, new $670,000 copper-clad exterior doors installed at the state Capitol are raising security concerns because they could prevent guards from fully seeing approaching visitors. A Downstate lawmaker filed a resolution urging Secretary of State Jesse White and Capitol Architect J. Richard Alsop III to install security cameras outside the doors so that guards’ sightlines to the outside won’t be obscured. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, said he was motivated by security guards in the building who told him they couldn’t clearly see who was coming through the doors, which have a decorative pane of glass from a waist-level up.
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* A spokesperson for the Republican trying to unseat GOP Rep. Ed Sullivan claims his candidate has strong backing from the Lake County GOP. From an e-mail blast…
November 17, 2013
Hi George,
A few months ago the Republican State Representative from Mundelein decided to violate our platform – the very platform he ran on – and announce his support for homosexual marriage in Illinois.
At the next meeting of the Lake County Republican Central Committee, our chairman – Bob Cook – announced that enough was enough and that we, as a Party, would seek to remove anyone from office who violates our platform or code of ethics.
After that announcement, the issue appeared to fade in the background and most thought Cook’s threat was just so much noise.
Not so!!!!
Cook and others worked behind the scenes in an effort to convince Sullivan he should vote against redefining marriage, or at least abstain from the vote. Sullivan ignored the request, ignored his constituents, and ignored thousands of years of history in order to appease what the Gallup Organization describes as roughly 4% of the population.
But there is a positive side – Sullivan’s lesbian mother-in-law must be soooooo proud that Mr. Ed stood tall and voted to destroy family values under the manufactured pseudonym of “Marriage Equality.” Unfortunately for Mr. Ed, Bob Cook’s statement at that Central Committee meeting wasn’t a mere threat, it was a promise!
I am proud to announce that Bob Bednar – the past treasurer of the Lake County Republican Party - has stepped up to the plate and accepted the challenge to replace Ed Sullivan. This is a daunting task and although Sullivan has access to a ton of cash, many believe it’s very “do-able.” People don’t like to be deceived – just witness the current mess President Pinocchio has gotten himself into with his lies and deceptions.
But Bednar needs our help in getting enough signatures to get on the ballot, and once that’s accomplished he will need a lot of help in his campaign.
George, as Bob Cook has said, “Enough is enough!” This is our chance – your chance – to give our elected politicians a wakeup call. And that call is simply this: we will hold you accountable and responsible for your actions. We will no longer sit back and let a rogue politician run roughshod over our platform or their constituents.
George, can you volunteer a few hours each month to get rid of the arrogant Ed Sullivan and let the public know that a scent of fresh air has landed in Illinois? And why you’re at it George, you might want to send Bob Cook a note of thanks and encouragement for what can only be described as a courageous step. His email address is bobcook353@hotmail.com .
Best,
Jack Koenig, Volunteer
Bednar For State Representative
Nothing but class there.
* Look, county party chairmen have the right to enforce partisan discipline in their ranks. No question. But chairmen should also try and keep the peace, not start all-out holy wars, particularly when the state party is trying hard to calm the waters.
Not to mention that aligning oneself with a guy who would ridicule somebody’s mother-in-law is probably a bad idea as well.
*** UPDATE *** Lake County’s Republican circuit court clerk has responded…
Chairman,
I’m troubled by this email, though not because Jack is a passionate supporter of a particular candidate. This email bothers me because it’s coming from the “Communications Chairman” of the Lake County Republican Central Committee (not because it’s Jack, but because of his title), and because the email details that you – working behind the scenes with others – actively were involved with putting one of our incumbent Republican Representatives in a primary race. For this we would send you, Mr. Chairman, “a note of thanks and encouragement for what can only be described as a courageous step”?
As an elected Republican official I find this incredibly repugnant. The notion that my own party Central Committee Chairman would work to find a candidate for a primary against a sitting Republican Representative is stunningly unbelievable. The Republican Chairman, as last I was aware, is not to endorse or take a position to affect a Republican primary, but is rather to only fully endorse and support the victorious Republican primary candidates against a Democrat rival. And the Central Committee as a whole is to take a similar tact. This was a major plank in your election as Chairman – neutrality and impartiality towards all Republicans – and one for which you were roundly commended.
This does not preclude the Chairman, or any other Republican, from participation in the electoral process – both as a supporter and as a voter. But in their capacity as a citizen only, not as the Republican Party Chairman. And that also means that the Chairman and party officials have no place in recruiting candidates to run against incumbent Republican officials. It doesn’t matter if that official votes “the party line,” or even votes with Republicans on anything else – the decision is up to the voters of the district, and not to the Central Committee or the Chairman. This also doesn’t preclude you, as Chairman, from pointing out that a particular official has strayed from the party platform, but you would do so without involvement in the race as Chairman. If you want to pre-cast races, pit candidates against each other, or decide who is the perfect party supporter, I suggest that you put a “D” next to your name and call Terry Link. The Democrats are rather infamous for pulling those stunts every election cycle, and ironically it’s one of the many reasons that so many people dislike the Democrat Central Committee and Senator Link.
Sadly, if you will not disavow these series of events tagged with your name as Chairman, I would ask you to resign your official position until such time as a replacement may named. I think you are a passionate man, and a great supporter. This email is very painful for me because your heart is in the right place – more so than so many others. But your official title limits you, and if your personal actions and your position are at odds then I would ask you to resign your post.
Respectfully,
Keith Brin [Emphasis added.]
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Rauner polling within same range for months
Monday, Nov 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Back in mid-August, near the end of his summertime TV advertising blitz, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner scored 14 percent in a Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll of likely GOP primary voters. That was up a tick from the 12 percent he got in a June 20th poll by the same firm. His campaign has run some radio ads since then and sent out some direct mail, but Rauner has been mostly absent from TV for a few months or so.
The absence doesn’t appear to have hurt him all that much. According to a poll taken November 14th, Rauner is at 11 percent. So, he while he did slide back a bit, he’s still within the same polling range that he’s been trading in for months. Not to say that’s good news. It isn’t.
Last week Rauner let it be known that he is spending a half million dollars of his own money to support a fresh round of TV ads. Ironically enough, he’s personally spending a fortune on an expensive television spot that tries to show he’s just a regular guy by featuring a cheap watch that he supposedly favors. The folksy ad makes no mention of his home in Winnetka, his big spread in Montana, or his Chicago lakefront condo, of course.
Anyway, the question now is whether the wealthy retired financial wizard with close ties to Chicago’s last two Democratic mayors can finally begin to rise to the next plateau among Republican primary voters. Despite raising $3 million, he has yet to rise above third place in the four-man primary and this latest poll showed him in last place.
State Sen. Bill Brady continues to maintain his lead over the rest of the pack, according to the poll of 1,191 likely GOP voters. Brady scored 25 percent, to Treasurer Dan Rutherford’s 18 percent and state Sen. Kirk Dillard’s 14 percent. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 2.94 percent.
“This poll parallels tracking polls we’ve been conducting in the Republican governor’s race,” said We Ask America pollster Gregg Durham. “While Brady and Rutherford continue to stay a step ahead of Rauner and Dillard, the evidence points more to the top two contenders’ name recognition advantage than anything else.”
The overall numbers have moved so little that it’s difficult to say if there’s much of a pattern here. However, Sen. Dillard appears to be doing significantly better in the collar counties, coming in first place with 24 percent in last week’s poll versus 17 percent in August (second place behind Rauner) and 13 percent in June.
And as has we’ve been seen since at least June, Rauner is still doing much better with men than with women, perhaps because his ads so far have relied on “manly” images of him wearing a high-end barn jacket. There’s a seven-point spread between his support among men (14 percent) and his backing among women (7 percent). That’s a larger spread than everyone else’s, but, then again, women are significantly more undecided as a whole than men (37 vs. 28).
Just keep in mind, though, that it’s still early, despite it feeling like this campaign has already been going on forever. Even though he’s raised and spent almost no money, 2010 victor Bill Brady actually scored four points higher than he did in August. Treasurer Rutherford has raised some cash, but has spent almost no money as well, and last week’s polling shows him pretty much exactly where he was in August. Sen. Dillard has moved into third place and his numbers have risen five points, but when it’s this early in a contest, that could just be statistical noise. Far and away the “real” first place finisher, as in all earlier polls, is “Undecided,” at 33 percent.
Meanwhile, former Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross is leading DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan for state treasurer 29-18, in that same Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll of Republican primary voters.
But 54 percent remain undecided, about the same as in June, when the firm found that 56 percent were unsure of their choice.
Cross’ people have to be somewhat relieved by these numbers. They’re polling higher than any Republican gubernatorial candidate just days after Cross received a ton of press for voting for a gay marriage bill.
Subscribers have crosstabs.
* Related…
* Kirk Dillard confident he can beat Quinn
* Rauner the unions-slayer, Nov. 14 in River Forest: Go after government unions, for one thing, whose “bosses bribe politicians.” Gov. Quinn, for instance, while “not a standard crook . . . is inept and owned by government unions.” Unions have “bought [even] a number of Republicans.” To the unions Rauner would say, “You can’t bribe me.” He would limit collective bargaining rights if need be, as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker did. It’s “a key part” of his platform. Another “big union issue” is the “right to work” for government employees, which he called “critical.” No one, he said, should be subject to “forced membership” in these unions.
* Rauner Raises Bar in Governor’s Race: Rauner predicts the governor will be able to pull in a lot of money and says he’s just preparing himself for the financial fight. “I’m the one person who can go toe-to-toe with him on every dollar and take him out of office next year. That’s critical.”
* Q&A: Illinois GOP leader wants end to ‘name calling’
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* Chicago Cardinal Francis George was asked yesterday whether he would follow Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki’s lead and perform prayers of “exorcism” to drive out the evil caused by the pending gay marriage law…
“Well, I didn’t do it, did I? Or I wouldn’t do it, so I guess that’s your answer… I can persuade like anybody can, I can say something as a word of advice, but I can’t command.”
* George did send a letter to his churches that were to be included in their Sunday bulletins…
November 11, 2013
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As you all know, the State of Illinois has entered into law the recognition of same-sex unions as marriages. The Church was part of the public debate, as you also know. We tried to explain that this is not primarily a religious issue, since marriage comes to us from nature as the union of a man and a woman, long before Christ walked the earth or the state came into being.
Nevertheless, there will be consequences for the Church and society that will become clearer as the law is used to sue for discrimination. The law has made some gays and lesbians happy, and that is not a bad thing in itself. The law, however, is bad law because it will contribute over the long run to the further dissolution of marriage and family life, which are the bedrock of any society. The Church will therefore continue and strengthen her ministry to families. We have lived with bad laws before, and we will do our best to adjust to this one for the sake of social harmony.
One of the consequences for our religion is already evident in the misuse of Pope Francis’ words, spoken last summer, about our attitude toward an individual gay person who has asked God for forgiveness. The Pope was not speaking about approving gay marriage. To use his words against his teaching, as they were used on the floor of the State House of Representatives on November 5, is less than intellectually honest.
We are called, by reason of our belief that every person is made in God’s image and likeness, to love and respect all of our brothers and sisters, without exception. But we express this respect within the context of our belief in how God has made us and made the world. This belief and this love is the basis of our joy in living the Catholic faith with integrity of mind and heart.
I thank you for your life of faith. God bless you and those you love.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.
Archbishop of Chicago
* More on the Cardinal’s letter…
George writes that he believes Pope Francis’ words about same-sex marriage have been misused, and while he does not mention House Speaker Mike Madigan by name, the Cardinal notes Madigan’s use of the pope’s “who am I to judge?” comment during lawmakers’ debate about the bill.
“The Pope was not speaking about approving gay marriage. To use his words against his teaching, as they were used on the floor of the State House of Representatives on November 5, is less than intellectually honest.”
Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown says the General Assembly altered state law, “not the Bible or the Sunday missal.” Brown spoke in favor of the separation of church and state.
* George was also asked if Democratic leaders who supported gay marriage would be denied communion…
The same day that Cardinal Francis George released a letter predicting Illinois’ soon-to-be same-sex marriage law would help undermine the “bedrock” of society, the normally outspoken leader of Chicago Catholics had little to say about three prominent elected leaders — Catholics themselves — who championed the measure.
“What’s the point of talking?” George told a Sun-Times reporter Sunday after Mass at St. Genevieve Parish, on the city’s West Side.
He made the comment after being asked specifically whether he would seek to deny communion to the trio of Chicago Democrats: Gov. Pat Quinn, who’s expected to sign the bill into law this week, as well as House Speaker Michael Madigan or Senate President John Cullerton.
Further commentary would be “creating a story of good guys and bad guys,” the cardinal said, adding that he feels his words are “sliced up without nuance.”
“So, I don’t see any point in talking,” George said.
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Storm report
Monday, Nov 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Apparently, I barely missed a big tornado yesterday.
We were in southern Illinois for the weekend. We stayed at Rend Lake Resort and toured the wine country (I’m actually becoming converted to some Illinois wines).
After a late, great Sunday breakfast at the resort, we headed to the Metro East on I-64 when we came upon a nasty looking storm. Dark clouds were close to the ground with those scary “fingers” sticking out all over the place and it was raining like heck. Not. Good. I decided I had no choice but to try and push through and was more than relieved when we made it to the other side, considering CNN’s Internet warnings about impending doom for all. Turns out, not long after we passed, a tornado near Okawville knocked over some semi trucks and RV’s on 64.
* The Metro East was sunny and warm and we stopped to do some shopping. My former intern Barton Lorimor called and asked if I’d heard from Speaker Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown. I hadn’t and asked why. Brown lives in Washington, IL and Barton told me the town had been flattened by the storm. So I texted Brownie and he said he and his family were fine. They had to buy a generator, but other than that all was good for them. He did say that the local devastation was severe and he feared for his neighbors.
* This was a big one…
Weather officials were uncertain just how many confirmed tornadoes might have hit the region. But as of Sunday evening, the National Weather Service website listed reports of at least 77 — most of them in Illinois — although officials cautioned that in some cases there may have been multiple reports on the same storm.
At least six deaths were reported by early Monday morning. An 80-year-old man and his 78-year-old sister were killed when a tornado struck their farm outside New Minden, Ill., about 50 miles east of St. Louis. The man was found in a field about 100 yards from the home, and the woman was found under a pile of rubble, according to the Washington County coroner’s office.
A third person was killed in Washington, Ill., one of the hardest-hit towns, and three others were killed in Massac County in Southern Illinois, according to Melaney Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The details of the deaths were not available late Sunday.
Dozens of people were also injured in the town, which has 15,000 residents and is about halfway between Chicago and St. Louis. At least 35 people were taken to a hospital with injuries, according to a statement from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. There was also extensive damage in the nearby city of Pekin, which has about 34,000 people.
* Matt Dayoff has some photos of Washington on his Twitter page…
* More from Washington…
Tears welled in Washington Mayor Gary Manier’s eyes and he struggled to speak during an impromptu news conference Sunday afternoon in the historic downtown square, which was not damaged.
“Devastating. A war zone,” he said of the affected area. “I walked through one of the hardest hit areas and four streets of homes are gone. … I couldn’t tell what street I was on.”
Early reports of looting throughout the city and a continued focus on recovery efforts led Washington police to set a daily curfew of 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. through next weekend, according to Illinois State Police Trooper Dustin Pierce. Proof of residency will be needed to get into the city.
The tornado ripped off the top floors of most of the 16 buildings at Georgetown Common Luxury Apartments, 4800 Georgetown Road.
Tammi Evans was uninjured in her basement apartment.
“I work third shift, so I was sleeping but then it hit so I just ducked,” she said. “It sounded like a train. It hit, and after, when it was safe, we just went to help others who were trapped.”
* From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today declared seven counties state disaster areas after severe storms generating tornadoes and high winds ripped across Illinois. Hundreds of homes and businesses have been damaged or destroyed, hundreds of thousands of people are without power, and numerous roads throughout the state have been closed by fallen trees and downed power lines. At least six people are reported dead and dozens more injured.
Later today, Governor Quinn will inspect damage on the ground in some of Illinois’ hardest hit communities: Washington, Diamond, Gifford, Brookport and New Minden. Counties included in the Governor’s declaration are: Champaign, Grundy, LaSalle, Massac, Tazewell, Washington and Woodford counties.
“Yesterday Illinois was hit extremely hard by deadly tornadoes that left many in a great deal of pain and loss,” Governor Quinn said. “Although we are still receiving reports of massive damage to communities across our state, we want to make sure people are getting the assistance and resources they need as quickly as possible. As we pray for the families of those who have lost their lives and others who are injured, the state of Illinois will do everything necessary to help these communities recover.”
The state disaster declaration makes available a wide variety of state resources that can help affected communities respond and recover from the storms. The state of Illinois has personnel and assets that can be mobilized to help local government officials with disaster recovery, including such things as trucks, heavy equipment to remove debris, communications equipment and provide assistance with security and other public safety issues.
The State Incident Response Center (SIRC) in Springfield was activated Sunday afternoon and will remain operational as long as necessary. Liaisons from several state agencies are working with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) to coordinate the deployment of state personnel and assets to assist local governments in the affected areas.
The state has dispatched technical rescue teams to a number of impacted locations across the state, and provided emergency generators, light towers and communications systems.
Discuss.
And if you know someone who needs more help, speak up. IEMA’s director called early this morning and wants to know where his agency can be of additional assistance.
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Nov 15, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Black Lillies will play us out…
So, I’ll shoot ‘em while I’ve got ‘em
Give it all ’til I’m dead
Though there’s storm clouds arising
And lightning flashing ahead
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* I wish Director Calica nothing but the best, even though things look really grim right now. From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today announced that Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Richard Calica will resign due to serious illness. Director Calica has been diagnosed with cancer and today informed the Governor of his medical condition.
Calica has served as Director of DCFS since December 2011, leading an overhaul and major reorganization of the agency at a time of major budget challenges. DCFS Chief of Staff Denise Gonzales will become Acting Director effective immediately.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve under Governor Quinn,” Director Calica said. “This has been the most exciting and rewarding time of my career in child welfare. The reforms that we’ve put in place will maximize this agency’s ability to ensure the safety of children who are at risk of abuse and neglect for years to come.”
“My prayers are with Director Calica and his family during this very difficult time,” Governor Quinn said. “Director Calica has taken this agency in the right direction and he always put the safety of our most vulnerable children first. We are deeply grateful for his dedicated public service, which has saved countless lives.”
Under Director Calica’s leadership, DCFS has added 138 new investigators to the frontlines, reducing caseloads from as high as 20 to nine per investigator. Director Calica streamlined the department’s operations to focus resources on front line case workers while eliminating an entire layer of middle management. He also eliminated the backlog he inherited of more than 2,500 overdue investigations.
The director also established a new system of performance measures across the agency to increase accountability, and modernized the agency’s 30-year-old hotline system, which has led to 40 percent increase in the volume of callers who immediately reach a child protection specialist.
Director Calica will work with agency leadership to transition over the coming days.
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* The Obamacare mess in context…
In explaining the relatively low figures, administration officials cite problems with the federal website that have prevented people from signing up. But they also say experience shows people wait until the last minute.
When Massachusetts expanded health coverage in 2007, only 123 of the 36,167 people who ultimately signed up did so during the first month of enrollment. But more than 7,000 signed up in the final month.
OK, fine. So why wasn’t that made crystal clear by the administration long ago? Plus, that website. Ugh. And the lie that everybody would be able to keep their insurance if they wanted to? Disgusting. Oh, and then there are all the howls and crocodile tears from the loyal opposition which offers zero truly constructive alternatives. Can’t anybody play this game? The idea is to govern.
* From Obamacare to driver’s licenses…
The phone lines ring busy, the website isn’t much help and nerves are fraying for residents hoping to book appointments to apply for a Temporary Visitor’s Driver’s License from the Illinois Secretary of State.
Complaints about the sign-up process are mounting, days after the state opened a long-awaited appointment booking website and telephone hotline to non-U.S. citizens who want to apply.
More…
“We had to design the system in a way with four pilot facilities available launching on Dec. 3 and 10, that we could study how this works in this controlled environment,” said Secretary of State spokesman Henry Haupt. “And this is giving us the opportunity to make any adjustments.”
Haput said the pilot program is working as planned. The state intentionally limited the appointment numbers to 117 a day. Twenty-one additional facilities are scheduled to open in January, and Haupt said that will allow the state to increase its capacity for appointments starting later in December.
Until then, people can continue trying to sign up on a daily basis until slots are full.
Ere Rendon with ICIRR said about 10 out of 100 people her organization worked with were successful in scheduling an appointment.
She thinks the pilot program could have been communicated better from the beginning so people wouldn’t feel panicked when they couldn’t get through.
No kidding.
* And on to the Philippines…
Surrounded by mountains of boxes of donated goods and dozens of volunteers — some of whom openly wept — Gov. Pat Quinn declared Friday: “We are all Filipinos today, all across Illinois!” […]
But that relief effort has hit a snag, organizers at the center said Friday. A military contractor bringing supplies to the Philippines was supposed to be providing room on his aircraft, which hasn’t yet got off the ground.
“We believe right now that he’s caught up in red tape,” said Rose Tibayan, one of the relief effort organizers. “So we’re trying to find other means to get it over there.”
Quinn said his office is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to allow an Illinois National Guard transport plane to deliver supplies.
Oy.
*** UPDATE *** Oh, for Pete’s sake…
Countless local state retirees hoping to learn more about enrolling in a Medicare Advantage health plan have been left without the help meeting they were promised, because the meeting location was way too small for the crowd.
Traffic was jammed around the Illinois Terminal building where a 9:30 a.m. meeting was being held, and crowds of people were turned away while others stayed in the lobby to argue with an apologetic State Sen. Mike Frerichs who was scheduled to speak. […]
Frerichs spoke only briefly, and also had the unpleasant task of telling people who managed to get some of the limited seats that if they parked in certain places they were subject to finding parking tickets when they got out of the meeting. [Emphasis added.]
What. The. Heck.
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The big tent revisited
Friday, Nov 15, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Republican Party Chairman Jack Dorgan, speaking of the divide within his party…
“People who believe in one single issue, and will fall on the sword and lose an election because of one single issue, I don’t think are good political thinkers,” he said. “I really don’t. I respect what they say. I respect what everyone says.
“But because someone’s different or means something (different) or comes from a different part of town and they want to be Republican, the only thing I can say to them is, ‘Welcome.’”
* This, however, may be too big of a tent for some GOP primary voters…
Republican businessman Bert Miller’s entrance into the primary race that will decide who takes on Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster is his first run for office, but he’s not necessarily new to elections.
As owner of Naperville’s Phoenix Closures, Miller took a turn last decade as chairman of the powerful Illinois Manufacturers Association and has given campaign donations to mostly Republicans, including Jim Oberweis, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and former U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo — and most recently Kirk Dillard on Oct. 30, records show.
But his primary opponents have seized on two gifts to Democrats: $1,000 to then Democratic Senate candidate Barack Obama in 2003 and $1,000 in 2002 to Rod Blagojevich.
“Giving to those two figures does not help our country move in the right direction,” said Chris Balkema, a fellow Republican candidate for the 11th Congressional District and Grundy County Board member.
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Not so hard to miss
Friday, Nov 15, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Twitters…
* It may not be as hard to miss as Dave thinks, particularly if you’re a member of the Springfield Diocese. Television is the main source of news for well over half of Americans. So, check out Springfield WICS TV’s lede…
When Gov. Pat Quinn signs the recently-passed same-sex marriage bill into law next week, the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Springfield will hold a special prayer service.
Later in the very brief piece, it’s mentioned that the Bishop “will offer ‘prayers of supplication and exorcism in reparation for the sin of same-sex marriage’ at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield.
Kinda on the buried side.
* WAND TV’s ten o’clock broadcast made no mention of the Bishop’s comments. The station covers Decatur and Springfield as well as Champaign. The story isn’t on WCIA’s website. The Champaign TV station also covers Springfield news.
Springfield’s newspaper did cover the story, however, and even gave it to Statehouse reporter Doug Finke.
* One of the more interesting stories I’ve seen on this topic, though, was from Quincy’s WGEM TV. The station interviewed Quincy Msgr. Michael Kuse about Paprocki’s plans…
But not all Catholic leaders are taking a hard line against gay marriage.
Local Monsignor Michael Kuse says he takes the same stance on gay marriage as Pope Francis when it comes to treating gays as equals in the eyes of God.
“I think that’s our role as the church, to help people grasp this new way of acceptance into our life and to say ‘well you know, I can love, no matter who it is.’ And I hope that’s in the heart of everybody,” said Kuse.
* Click here to watch the story if the embedded video doesn’t load…
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He’s ba-ack!
Friday, Nov 15, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I was talking to Paul Green yesterday about my speech to the City Club of Chicago next month (we’re gonna use this as a charitable opportunity - more details later) and he told me that Todd Stroger was speaking in his class. We both wondered if Stroger would make any sort of announcements.
He didn’t disappoint. Stroger will be running for the county board…
“I’ve had almost four years to kind of relax and think about things, and I think it’s time to get back in,” said Stroger after the paid speaking engagement.
The announcement is not a surprise. Beavers’ seat on the County Board was still warm when Stroger began reaching out to Democratic committeeman in March in hopes they would appoint him to fill the vacant position. The seat ultimately went to Stanley Moore.
Stroger said he will maintain his job as an insurance salesman during his upcoming campaign.
The nonchalant announcement came several minutes after he told the college class how much he disliked being County Board president. “It was four years of just hell. I was fighting all the time, the newspapers were just crucifying me,” he said.
He most definitely was not a good county board president. But he wasn’t a bad alderman at all. He was a classic “Peter Principle” case.
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* I’ve been hearing for months that there is quite a large opposition research book on Democratic congressional candidate Ann Callis. So, this story might be the tip of the iceberg…
Ann Callis of Edwardsville, who stepped down as chief circuit judge earlier this year to run for the Democratic nomination for Congress, currently is delinquent on her taxes on two Scottsdale, Ariz., properties, according to a review of online statements at the Maricopa County treasurer’s office.
In Illinois, Madison County records show Callis was delinquent on her 2009 property taxes for a home in Troy, requiring her to pay about $679 in added penalties in 2011 to fix the problem.
Callis spokesman Marshall Cohen said Thursday the campaign was reviewing tax records.
“We are trying to clarify all this,” Cohen told the Lee Enterprises Springfield Bureau.
He suggested the tax snafu with the Troy home may not have been Callis’ fault.
“She paid it as soon as she realized it was due,” Cohen said.
This isn’t a lot of money we’re talking about here, but why the heck were those Arizona taxes not paid before she launched her campaign? She’s the DCCC’s pick in this race, so you’d think they’d get her personal finances in order before launching her out there.
According to the story, Callis listed assets totaling at least $3.3 million, including stock in John McGurk’s Irish Pub in St. Louis. Republican incumbent Rodney Davis listed his assets at $85,000.
* The 13th District Democratic primary has a new candidate, by the way. Bill Byrnes is a a retired “college educated trucker” and part-time school bus driver and union steward from Bloomington. He probably doesn’t have a chance. But check out his plain-talk rhetoric…
“Today people are sick and tired of the BS. They want congressmen who will change the situation by working together,” said Byrnes. “That’s my hallmark.”
Byrnes added, “I’m not a lawyer. Isn’t the last thing Washington needs is another lawyer? There’s thousands of lawyers in Washington, D.C., and every congressman has a staff of them. Also at 66 I’m not exactly part of the youth movement so I’m not going to be a career politician.”
He said that electing him would “send a message loud and clear to Washington: get to work. Give me the chance and I’ll work with the other side to hammer out solutions to tough problems. I will never obstruct this democracy, conducting the day to day business of serving all of the people.”
* Meanwhile, this should help both Davis and Cheri Bustos. From a press release…
Leaders of the Transportation for Illinois Coalition today offered congratulations and support to Illinois U.S. Reps. Cheri Bustos and Rodney Davis for their appointment to help negotiate key policy decisions on America’s waterways in Washington.
Bustos, D-17th, and Davis, R-13th, were named Thursday as members of the congressional conference committee that will negotiate a new Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), critical to speed up repairs and upgrades to locks and dams on key waterways in Illinois and around the nation.
TFIC – an umbrella organization of labor, business and construction groups – recognizes the importance of two Illinois representatives working to resolve differences over WRRDA’s direction between the U.S. House and Senate. Bustos and Davis were strong supporters, along with Illinois U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk, of the version of WRRDA that passed the House in late October. They had worked to ensure key repairs and upgrades for aging locks and dams on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers were included in the House bill.
TFIC leadership is confident Bustos and Davis will bring a sense of bipartisan commonsense and a keen awareness of the importance of strong waterway transportation networks to the negotiating table.
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Give the Green Light to Shovel-Ready Clean Energy Jobs
Friday, Nov 15, 2013 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
According to the nonprofit wind energy advocacy group Wind on the Wires, there are thousands of megawatts of shovel-ready wind energy projects in Illinois that represent over $4.7 billion in potential investment in our state. They’ve leased land, lined up their permits, and applied to connect to the grid. What’s the holdup? A crucial update to Illinois’ Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).
The Green River wind farm near Walnut, Illinois is one example. Mainstream Renewable Power leased 12,000 acres of land and lined up their siting, transmission and environmental approvals.
But here’s where Mainstream hit a snag: our energy market has changed since our RPS was enacted in 2007, creating a real challenge to projects like Green River which are trying to sell the power from their turbines and bring these benefits to the Illinois economy:
• About 200-400 construction jobs
• 5-10 full-time operations jobs
• Approximately $1.4 million annually in property tax revenues to Lee County alone
And its not just about wind - solar is poised to skyrocket if we free up the Renewable Energy Resources Fund to invest in Illinois projects, as originally intended.
The Green River project and many others can move forward if we take action and update the RPS to create a more stable, transparent clean energy market. We all win when Illinois moves to clean energy, and we can do it without touching the existing cost cap that protects consumers.
It’s time to update the RPS.
www.ILikeCleanEnergy.org
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* The Sun-Times’ Dave McKinney asked the four gubernatorial campaigns whether they’d support repealing the gay marriage law (once the bill is signed into law, that is). None of them expressed any interest…
“As you well know, our agenda is an economic agenda,” [Sen. Bill Brady] told the Chicago Sun-Times, when asked if he would move to repeal the measure as governor. “My opposition [to same-sex marriage] is pretty clear. It is what it is. But I don’t see the Legislature putting a bill on the governor’s desk to repeal it.”
State Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, another GOP candidate for governor, also said through an aide that he had no intention of trying to repeal same-sex marriage if he wins the Executive Mansion. Before voting against same-sex marriage, Dillard had said he would work to repeal the state’s civil unions law.
Dillard believes the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act faces “constitutional questions raised by several law professors who argue it will end up in court,” but he won’t work to repeal it if elected governor, campaign spokesman Wes Bleed said Thursday.
Treasurer Dan Rutherford, who is also in the race for governor, said Wednesday he had no intention to try repealing it if elected. Venture capitalist Bruce Rauner’s campaign said the same thing.
“Bruce has repeatedly stated his view that the issue is better decided by the people in a referendum than by the politicians. That said, it’s not an issue Bruce plans to spend time on as governor,” Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf said. “His focus is on growing the economy, solving the budget mess, fixing our schools, and enacting term limits because those are the most pressing problems facing Illinois.”
If the law is of questionable constitutionality, as Dillard apparently believes, then why leave it on the books?
* Anyway, Brady said essentially the same thing on Allen Skillicorn’s radio show this week. His comments come at about the 15-minute mark…
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