I will forward additional information once final arrangements are available later today. At this time, we do know that the visitation will be tomorrow, from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at the Cuneo-Columbian Funeral Home (located one block east of Manheim Road on West Grand Avenue). The funeral will take place on Saturday morning at the funeral home chapel.
Dan’s death came as a surprise to all, and he obviously leaves behind a young family. Dan’s many friends at DPR have decided to make contributions to the family in lieu of flowers, and our firm is doing the same. If any of you wish to join us in this regard, contributions may be sent to:
The Bluthardt Family
1924 Stonehaven Drive
Chatham, IL 62629
For those of you who wish to express condolences to the family, the funeral home website will have a space to do so later today. Simply login to the website (http://www.cuneocolumbian.net/index.php) and go to the “obituaries page,” click on Daniel E. Bluthardt, and then click on “condolences” tab.
I’ll update when I know more. Our post on Dan is still open for comments, by the way. Click here.
* Attorney General Lisa Madigan has been busily playing down connections to her father these days. Not so with Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, who has been working hard to play up her father’s legacy in her statewide bid. From a campaign e-mail…
With Fathers Day coming up, many of us are thinking about our dads. And even though my dad has been gone for many years, I still think about him every day.
Folks around the state remember my dad as well. I hear stories of how Dad, as a Congressman or Senator, advocated for civil rights across our state, or they remember his days as a crusading journalist calling out corruption. And I hear about his appetite for cheeseburgers at places like the Red Barn, a Springfield eatery that long ago served its last fries.
But the one thing I hear most often goes something like this, “I didn’t agree with your dad on everything, but I appreciated his honesty.”
I’ll never get tired of that message.
It’s a reminder that honesty is a value that we all share, no matter what disagreements we might have on issues. And it’s a standard I aspire to uphold in my own public service.
So when we see each other next time, or the next time we talk on the phone, don’t be shy about telling me your stories about my dad. I love those stories.
* We haven’t yet held a caption contest on Illinois’ newest state Republican Party Chairman, Jack Dorgan. So, how’s about we correct that oversight right now?…
If Urbana attorney Erika Harold is successful in her GOP primary attempt to oust Congressman Rodney Davis after his freshman term, she’ll have to win without the help of influential downstate House Republicans. Altogether, 29 endorsed Davis for re-election next year.
A week after Harold’s announcement that she’s challenging Davis in the 2014 primary, State Rep. Wayne Rosenthal (R-Morrisonville), Chairman of the Downstate GOP Caucus, announced they are endorsing the incumbent.
The Downstate GOP Caucus consists of 29 House Republican members, including Rosenthal and state Reps. Adam Brown (R-Champaign), Dan Brady (R-Normal), Rich Brauer, (R-Petersburg), C D Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville), Chad Hayes (R-Catlin), Dwight Kay (R-Glen Carbon), Charlie Meier (R-Okawville), Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth), Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) and Keith Sommer (R-Morton).
“Rodney Davis has been a great friend and ally to the families of the 13th District,” said Rosenthal. “In just 150 days he has proven that he has what it takes to make a difference in Washington. The Downstate GOP Caucus proudly stands as one to endorse Rodney’s re-election.”
* But elections are not won or lost via cable TV appearances or blog posts. They’re won in the trenches, and so far, she hasn’t been impressive…
She really didn’t look the part last week, drawing meager crowds at her campaign appearances. There also were newspaper and TV stories quoting central Illinois Republicans who said they had hoped Harold wouldn’t challenge Davis and would seek another office instead.
As campaign rollouts go, this one could have been better.
* Meanwhile, I haven’t really heard any rumors that any of these retirements are imminent, but Roll Call has a list of possible replacements…
“There are ambitious, powerful politicians who have been around for a long time who have deep, deep Chicago relationships, and when the dominoes fall in any of these seats, they will be free-for-alls,” one Democratic consultant said. “The Chicago races are the ones to look at.”
Local operatives rattled off a number of candidates likely to run when Democratic Rep. Bobby L. Rush, who has represented the 1st District for 11 terms, decides to retire.
• State Sen. Kwame Raoul has served in the state Senate since 2004, when he was appointed to fill the vacancy that President Barack Obama left after he won his bid for the U.S. Senate. Operatives say Raoul’s state Senate district is “tailor-made for advancement” because it includes the downtown Chicago and Hyde Park areas, which are filled with wealthy and influential Democrats.
• Operatives describe first-term Chicago Alderman Will Burns, who helped run Obama’s state Senate races, as someone with close ties to the president’s political machine.
• Alderman Michelle Harris is an influential member of Chicago’s city council.
Local Democrats are also watching 11-term Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez in the 4th District. Democratic consultants speculate that if an immigration bill is passed this Congress, Gutierrez could decide to retire.
The subsequent primary to replace him would be crowded, likely pitting South Side Chicago politicians of Mexican descent and North Side politicians of Puerto Rican and South American descent against each another.
Potential candidates in the 4th District include:
• Former 1st Ward Alderman Manny Flores, who now serves as the director of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
• First-term state Rep. Silvana Tabares, who defeated a highly touted labor candidate last cycle.
• State Sen. Iris Martinez, who currently serves as chairwoman of the Latino Caucus in the state Senate.
• State Sen. Martin Sandoval.
Finally, local operatives say if Democratic Rep. Danny K. Davis ever retires from the 7th District, it would spark a battle royal between four Democratic hopefuls:
• Cook County Recorder of Deeds Karen Yarbrough. She has also served in the state House.
• Alderman Bob Fioretti.
• Alderman Brendan Reilly.
• State Sen. Don Harmon.
So far, it’s just wishful thinking among possible replacements. Sid Yates outlived a couple generations of would-be successors. That’s been the case with those three so far.
* Related…
* Rodney Davis: NSA records might be too much information, distraction: Davis said after sitting in on a classified briefing Tuesday, he doesn’t questions the NSA’s intent, but said some might fear a ‘government of intimidation’ in light of the IRS and leak investigation controversies. “I disagree with the process. We need to be sure that we just don’t dig up too much information to where it clogs up our ability to get to those who are trying to hurt Americans,” Davis said.
* Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart sent the following letter to Gov. Pat Quinn pointing out the defects in what he believes is a “fatally flawed” concealed carry bill…
Every day, we are reminded of the tragic toll gun violence takes on our communities, here in Cook County, throughout Illinois and across the country. On June 5th, HB183 was sent to you for action. As you know, this bill sets forth the requirements and process by which a person, if eligible, could carry a concealed weapon in Illinois.
While I applaud the General Assembly’s commitment to meet the June 9th deadline imposed last December by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, this bill creates a process that is designed to fail and will put Illinois communities at increased risk. The bill is fatally flawed and creates the illusion of public safety.
Section 15, Objections by law enforcement agencies, authorizes law enforcement agencies to object to an applicant if they have a “reasonable suspicion that the applicant is a danger to himself or herself or others, or a threat to public safety.” It appears that this section is designed to identify people who may be unfit to possess a conceal carry license, but who otherwise meet the criteria set forth under the bill and requires this determination to be made within an impossibly short time frame.
As drafted, the bill would require federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as state’s attorney’s offices and the Office of the Attorney General to monitor a database of applicants for those who reside in their jurisdiction at the time of the application, who resided in their jurisdiction in the past or for those who they may have had any contact with and to assess whether they have a reasonable suspicion the individual is a risk to themselves or the public.
In Cook County alone, over 358,000 residents have been issued a Firearm Owners Identification (“FOID”) card from the Illinois State Police. Statewide, the number of FOID card holders is over 1.5 million. Under the requirements of section 15, assessments of each and every applicant would be required by law enforcement and prosecutors throughout Illinois.
While the public dialogue has focused on gun violence, we must also acknowledge the connection between guns and suicide. Suicides by gun account for approximately 6 of every 10 firearm deaths and in 2010, over 19,000 Americans killed themselves with a gun, amounting to 61 percent of all firearm deaths that year.
I strongly believe it is imperative to identify applicants who may be a risk to themselves or others. Unfortunately, the process set forth in this bill will not accomplish that critical objective. Without a crystal ball, the objection process is unworkable and creates a shockingly false sense of security.
However, of even greater concern is that the bill lacks any process by which law enforcement could object to a person for whom they have reasonable suspicion is a risk to themselves or a threat to public safety after they are issued a license to carry a concealed handgun.
We have a seemingly endless list of tragic examples of the devastating harm and loss of life that occurs through gun violence, including when guns are in the hands of those with undiagnosed or unrecognized serious mental illness. We must work to ensure Illinois’ regulation of the concealed carrying of weapons is strong, thoroughly vetted and capable of successful implementation.
Most importantly, our law and process must ensure that those who are a risk to themselves or the public will be identified and determined ineligible to carry firearms as long as the risk they pose remains.
In an interview, Dart told the AP that small counties may be able to keep up with the with permit applications - but that in Cook County, home to Chicago and more 358,000 Firearm Owners Identification cardholders, that would be impossible. He said the job would be even more difficult because there appears to be no requirement that applicants reveal if they’ve received mental health counseling or any other information that might raise concerns among law enforcement.
“All we are given is a name, that’s it,” Dart said.
The sheriff said he was particularly troubled that the legislation appears not to allow law enforcement to do anything if they come across information after applicants are granted concealed-carry permits.
“If we find out later there is a well-known Gangster Disciple (gang member) who got a permit and everyone agrees that it should have been prevented, there is nothing we can do about it,” Dart said.
Thoughts?
* Related…
* Pat Gauen: Illinoisans armed with guns but not legal clarity: In Missouri, which endorsed concealed carry in 2003, it took until 2005 before permits were available everywhere. While waiting, some people obtained non-resident permits from Florida to use in Missouri, which honors them. Illinoisans wouldn’t be able to do that, since the pending statute recognizes no reciprocity with other states.
* Evanston plans assault weapons ban: City Attorney Grant Farrar said HB183, now awaiting Gov. Quinn’s signature, largely preempts the power of cities to regulate guns. But the bill contains an unusual provision regarding assault weapons — which would let a local ban on them stand, provided it was adopted within 10 days after the bill is signed.
* State’s attorney won’t issue new concealed-carry decree: St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly said Wednesday he’ll use “prosecutorial discretion” in determining whether a person carrying a gun in public should be charged with a crime, but it’s too early to issue any policy changes on the concealed-carry issue. Kelly said he’s a supporter of a person’s right to carry a gun, but issuing a concealed-carry protocol for St. Clair County at this point would only create confusion, especially while the law is in a state of flux.
* Area prosecutors not ready to forgo concealed carry charges: “I support concealed carry, we need a concealed-carry law, and we’re going to have a concealed-carry law,” said Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser. “But until we have one, I can’t come out and say I’m not going to enforce the law.” Milhiser said a blanket announcement “doesn’t make sense.”
Turns out those feared 75-mph derecho winds might have been just a lot of hot air.
Although the National Weather Service logged reports of a funnel cloud in Will County and a possible tornado touchdown west of Chicago, most of the metropolitan area was spared from severe storms. […]
Severe-storm warnings sent fearful commuters home from work early, canceled classes for high school and college students and scratched a concert at Millennium Park.
“The Chicago area didn’t get hit because the cool air off Lake Michigan weakened the hot moist air that fuels thunderstorms,” [National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Deubelbeis] said. […]
Suburbs to the south and west were not as lucky. There were reports of golf-ball size hail in Naperville, Bourbonnais and Aurora. Winds topping 62 mph were reported in Lowell, nearly 100 miles southwest of the Chicago.
Closer to Chicago, nickel-size hail was reported in Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates.
At its height, storms left about 54,000 ComEd customers in the Chicago area without power, mostly to the south and southwest. About 6,800 customers were still without power Thursday morning.
All inbound and outbound trains on Metra’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific lines were temporarily halted about 5:30 p.m. due to the severe weather, along with some stoppages on other service, according to a Metra spokesman.
Of Metra’s 11 train lines, eight were moving again by a little before 7 p.m. Trains on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line had resumed service around 6 p.m. after being halted due to safety concerns earlier in the evening.
Trains on the Union Pacific lines remained stopped from about 5:30 p.m. until about 7:05 p.m., said Metra spokesman Tom Miller, but all service had resumed after that time. Delays were spread throughout the system.
The delays were a particular nuisance for Blackhawks fans who were eager to get home to catch the first game of the Stanley Cup Final.
* AAA’s research unit has finished studying various forms of distracted driving. The methodology…
The first experiment served as a control in which participants performed eight different tasks without the concurrent operation of a motor vehicle. In the second experiment, participants performed the same eight tasks while operating a high fidelity driving simulator. In the third experiment, participants performed the eight tasks while driving an instrumented vehicle in a residential section of a city.
In each experiment, the tasks involved 1) a baseline single-task condition (i.e., no concurrent secondary task), 2) concurrent listening to a radio, 3) concurrent listening to a book on tape, 4) concurrent conversation with a passenger seated next to the participant, 5) concurrent conversation on a hand-held cell phone, 6) concurrent conversation on a hands-free cell phone, 7) concurrent interaction with a speech-to-text interfaced e-mail system, and concurrent performance with an auditory version of the Operation Span (OSPAN) task. Each task allows the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road and, with the exception of the hand-held cell phone condition, hands on the steering wheel, so any impairment to driving must stem from cognitive sources associated with the diversion of attention from the task of operating the motor vehicle. […]
The OSPAN task is a complex span task developed by Turner and Engle (Turner & Engle, 1989) that requires participants to simultaneously perform a math and memorization task. It was chosen to anchor the highest level of cognitive workload.
* AAA then developed a rating system. Non-distracted single-task was at one end and the OSPAN was at the other. The results…
In-vehicle activities such as listening to the radio (1.21) or an audio book (1.75) were associated with a small increase in cognitive distraction, the conversation activities of talking to a passenger in the vehicle (2.33) or conversing with a friend on a hand-held (2.45) or hands-free cell phone (2.27) were associated with a moderate increase in cognitive distraction, and the speech-to-text condition (3.06) had a large cognitive distraction rating.
But talking on a hands-free phone isn’t significantly safer for drivers than talking on a hand-held phone, and using hands-free devices that translate speech into text is the most distracting of all, researchers reported in a study released Wednesday. Speech-to-text systems that enable drivers to send, scroll through, or delete email and text messages required greater concentration by drivers than other potentially distracting activities examined in the study like talking on the phone, talking to a passenger, listening to a book on tape or listening to the radio.
The greater the concentration required to perform a task, the more likely a driver is to develop what researchers call “tunnel vision” or “inattention blindness.” Drivers will stop scanning the roadway or ignore their side and rearview mirrors. Instead, they look straight ahead, but fail to see what’s in front of them, like red lights and pedestrians.
“People aren’t seeing what they need to see to drive. That’s the scariest part to me,” said Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the group’s safety research arm. “Police accident investigative reports are filled with comments like the ‘looked, but did not see.’ That’s what drivers tell them. We used to think they were lying, but now we know that’s actually true.”
There are about 9 million cars and trucks on the road with infotainment systems, and that will jump to about 62 million vehicles by 2018, AAA spokeswoman Yolanda Cade said, citing automotive industry research. At the same time, drivers tell the AAA they believe phones and other devices are safe to use behind the wheel if they are hands-free, she said.
“We believe there is a public safety crisis looming,” Cade said. “We hope this study will change some widely held misconceptions by motorists.”
* If this study is accurate, then legislators who voted this spring to ban hand-held cell phone use in cars might also want to ban drivers from talking to their passengers.
All snark aside, I personally find talking on the phone far more distracting than conversing with a passenger. And with a hands-free device, I don’t have to worry about dropping the phone mid-conversation, which can be a huge distraction.
And voice-enabled texting/e-mailing ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. Siri often screws up my texts, so I find myself trying to correct them by hand, which may actually be more dangerous than just typing the texts myself from the start.
Many people already comply with the pending law, but you don’t spot the legal crowd as easily as scofflaws. For those smokers who just don’t get it, cigarette butts would be added to the list of items in which a person can be charged with a Class B misde-meanor for littering.
As we recently reported, the legislation was sponsored by State Rep. Iris Martinez, a Chicago Democrat.
“There has been a big push around the country to have designated areas to dispose of cigarette butts, but since smoking is a mo-bile habit, it’s easy to just drop a butt wherever you’re at without a second thought,” Martinez said. “And, not only are we looking to combat a litter problem, but also a potential fire hazard from lit cigarette butts being thrown on the ground.”
Under the pending law, a careless smoker convicted of littering could be fined a maximum of $1,500 and sentenced to as much as 180 days in jail. A judge also could require those who are convicted to pick up litter along a designated stretch of road for up to 30 days.
Those are the maximum penalties. We can’t imagine judges throwing the book at first-time offenders of a brand new law. But for those with past littering convictions, for even as small an item as a cigarette butt, the sentencing possibilities should discourage future transgressions.
It’s a sad reflection on the human condition that the possibility of punishment is the only way to ensure proper behavior. Once violators take a hit to their pocketbooks, they are more likely to obey the law in the future.
[This post has been bumped up to Wednesday for visibility. It was originally posted on Tuesday afternoon.]
* I just got word that my pal Dan Bluthardt passed away today. Blu was a regular in a certain Statehouse office suite that some of us used to hang out in, so I got to know him pretty well over the years. He was at one time a honcho at the Department of Professional Regulation, but was a contract lobster for the past few years. Most of all, though, he was a heckuva good guy. In all the years I knew him, I don’t think I ever saw him once in a bad mood.
* House GOP Leader Tom Cross has taken major heat from big business ever since he couldn’t convince a majority of his caucus to vote for the House’s pension reform bill. So, deflection is a must, and concocting a conspiracy theory would fit the bill…
WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports Cross was brief and direct Wednesday when a reporter asked him if he believes Madigan and Cullerton have been working together to keep pension reform from happening.
“Yes,” Cross said.
Seriously?
“Yes.”
Asked if it might have something to do with Madigan’s daughter, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, considering a bid for the governor’s office, Cross again simply answered “yes.”
Pushed for an explanation, Cross said “The two most powerful guys in the state of Illinois can get anything done. They passed a tax increase in the middle of the night; highest tax increase in the history of the state. Two guys that passed a pension holiday in the mid-2000s without blinking an eye can’t get this done? Seriously.”
Look, both chambers have passed bills. Madigan, Cross, Leader Radogno, big business and the Tribune all say they want the House bill to become law. And they all publicly have agreed that they don’t want anything to do with Cullerton’s bill. So, if Madigan is involved in a conspiracy, then so are the Republicans and big business and the Tribune.
Cullerton won’t pass the House bill, not because of a grand conspiracy to pass nothing, but because he has 40 mostly liberal members who don’t want anything to do with the House’s bill and because he has staked his entire reputation on a constitutional interpretation that rules out Madigan’s bill.
All this stuff is pretty obvious to people who are close to the issue and who don’t wear tinfoil hats or aren’t pushing some partisan political angle.
* House Speaker Michael Madigan gutted Senate President John Cullerton’s pension reform bill today and replaced the language with an amendment which appears to contain Madigan’s own original bill. That bill, of course, died in the Senate last month.
From Rep. Elaine Nekritz’s spokesperson…
A House Personnel and Pensions Committee hearing has been scheduled for next Tuesday, June 18, at 4:30 pm in Room 114 of the Capitol. On the agenda is House Amendment 1 to SB 2404, sponsored by Speaker Madigan.
I am told it is the same language that the House had already passed in Senate Bill 1. An immediate effective date might not be included, which would mean the bill could pass with a simple majority and become law next June.
Rep. Nekritz tells me the intent is for the bill to move out of the committee that day.
* Man, that’s a real slap in Cullerton’s face. I’m told Madigan did call Cullerton, but I doubt he’s all that happy.
The official statement from Cullerton’s spokesperson…
Senators were given the chance to vote on the House pension bill. Members of the House should have that opportunity to vote on the plan that passed the Senate with overwhelming support. That’s how this should work.
President Cullerton still intends to advance the compromise bill requested by Governor Quinn.
* Rep. Greg Harris was interviewed by the Windy City Times this week about the failure of the gay marriage bill. He offered up these thoughts about what should be next…
We need to understand how our opponents are attacking us, we have to address those attacks, and we have to shore up our friends who want to be with us
Those are reasonable and smart goals from somebody who understands what it takes to pass a bill.
* Andy Thayer, co-founder of Gay Liberation Network, has a different idea for how to approach legislators…
“It’s not a question of persuading them to do the right thing, it’s a question of forcing them to do the right thing. If you have thousands of people in the streets, that becomes an irresistible force.”
Sorry, but street protests are gonna have minimal impact on African-American and Latino legislators, moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats - the very people the proponents need to pass this thing.
I get the good cop, bad cop schtick, but I don’t think the bad cop part is gonna work, and it may just backfire.
On that Friday night when you stood up to announce the bill would not be called, there was a moment when people in the gallery started shouting at you to call the bill… The coalition leaders were sending text messages to people in the gallery, asking them to yell at you to call the bill.
Finger-pointing over a failed push to pass equal marriage in Illinois this spring has been abundant since May’s end, and LGBT activists are now eying the House’s top Democrat.
Activists will protest outside Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s district office Saturday, June 15, citing what they say was a failure to prioritize equal marriage this year.
The decision to target Madigan was made at a community meeting held in Uptown June 11. More than 50 people attending the gathering, held at the Peoples Church of Chicago. No elected officials attended. […]
Among the most critical of Madigan was Gay Liberation Network co-founder Andy Thayer, who stated that the speaker needed “to whip his own damn caucus into line.”
State Rep. Ed Sullivan, a Mundelein Republican, says he expects that his support for same-sex marriage this year means he’ll face his first primary race in 2014 since he first ran in 2002.
He was not shy about how he thinks that’ll go.
“You’d better be prepared for a battle,” Sullivan said.
He’s unsure who his opponent will be, and I’ve reached out to a couple possibilities to try to find out. Sullivan’s support of same-sex marriage puts him at odds with most of his party and has drawn some high-profile criticism. He hasn’t relented, though.
“If our party ever wants to get out of the 1950s, we need a bigger tent,” Sullivan said.
Republican Bob Schillerstrom on Wednesday announced that he has formed a Committee of 50 Party and business leaders from throughout the state to explore his candidacy for State Treasurer.
Schillerstrom said he can best contribute to the state through the fiscal office, using his executive experience to maximize investments and keep spending flat. As County Board Chairman, Schillerstrom consistently delivered balanced budgets and cut property taxes while maintaining a AAA bond rating.
More information on the campaign is available at bob4illinois.com. Schillerstrom announced the following leaders have agreed to serve on his Exploratory Committee:
• Dennis Hastert; Former United States Speaker of the House
• Jim Ryan; Former Attorney General of Illinois
• Louie Rathje; Former Illinois Supreme Court Justice
• Ron Gidwitz; President of GCG Partners
• Ty Fahner; President of the Civic Committee and former Illinois Attorney General
• Greg Baise; President of Illinois Manufacturing Association
• David Vite; President of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association
• Skip Saviano; Former State Representative, Mayor of Elmwood Park and Illinois GOP State Central Committee Member
• Michael Connelly; State Senator for the 21st District and Lisle Township GOP Chairman
• Pam Althoff; State Senator for the 32nd District
• John Milner; Former State Senator
• Darlene Senger; State Representative for the 41st District
• Kay Hatcher; State Representative for the 50th District
• Ron Sandack; State Representative for the 88th District
• Mike Tryon; State Representative for the 66th District and McHenry County GOP Chairman
• Bob Pritchard; State Representative for the 70th District
• Lee Daniels; Former Illinois Speaker of the House of Representatives
• Randy Ramey; Former State Representative and Wayne Township GOP Chairman
• Peter Silvestri; Cook County Commissioner: 9th District
• Chris Lauzen; Kane County Board Chairman and former State Senator
• John Hoscheit; Kane County Forest Preserve President
• Scott Christansen; Winnebago County Board Chairman
• Dave Stohlman; Lake County Board Member and Former Lake County Board Chairman
• Jim Moustis; Will County Board Chairman
• Steve Balich; Will County Board Member: District 7 and Tea Party Leader
• Mike Fricilone Will County Board Member: District 7
• Suzanne Hart; Will County Board Member: District 11
• Ethan Hastert; Elburn Village Trustee
• Angel Garcia; Chicago Young Republican Chairman and Illinois GOP State Central Committee Member
• Bobbie Peterson; Illinois GOP State Central Committee Member
• Bob Winchester; Illinois GOP State Central Committee Member
• Myron Neff; Southern Illinois Republican Leader
• Pat Fee; 2nd Vice President of Illinois Republican Federation of Women
• Chris Robling; Principal at Jayne Thompson & Associates LTD.
• Bob Vickery; LaSalle County Businessman and former University of Illinois Trustee
• Mark Aguilera; Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois National Committeemen
• Lee Ann Goodson; Will County Board Member: District: District 5
• Jeff Wehrli; Kendall County Forest Preserve President and County Board Member District 2
• Ken Toftoy; Kendall County Coroner and former County GOP Chairman
• Jim Zay; DuPage County Board Member: District 6
• Tonia Khouri; DuPage County Board Member: District 5
• Michael Walters; Madison County Board Member: District 7
• Mike Burke; Livingston County Coroner
• George Pradel; Mayor of Naperville
• Al Adomite; Mayor of Troy
• Frank Soto; Mayor of Bensenville
• Eric Johnson; DeKalb Township Supervisor
• Rachael Osyrra; Naperville Township Supervisor and Naperville Township GOP Chair
• John Dabrowski; Bloomingdale Township GOP Chairman
• Ryan Stookey; Stookey Township Trustee
This isn’t just an exploratory committee. He’s in. Bet on it. And, for now at least, he looks like the favorite to win the GOP primary.
Election Day is still more than a year away, but Illinois Republican Bruce Rauner is already deploying a popular campaign weapon: the barn jacket.
Rauner released two television ads on Tuesday in his bid to become the next governor in the Prairie State. In “Back to Work,” the wealthy venture capitalist dons a barn jacket and declares, “I’m a citizen, not a politician.”
But Rauner is just the latest politician to deploy the barn jacket as a campaign fashion accessory in an effort to appeal to the common folk. As candidates budget their multimillion-dollar campaigns, $95 on a Men’s Sandstone Chore Coat by Carhartt may be the best investment they will ever make.
Former Sen. Scott P. Brown, R-Mass., may have the most famous use of the jacket during his 2010 special-election victory to take over the late-Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat. Brown’s adviser even suggested that the jacket hang in the Smithsonian next to the Spirit of St. Louis.
* Madigan still mulling challenge to Quinn: Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told the Tribune he’ll seek a third term instead of running for attorney general. Dart had been talked about as a Democratic candidate if incumbent Lisa Madigan ran for governor. “I have multiple things on my plate right now I want to complete,” said Dart, who also passed on a run for mayor in 2011. “I’m more driven by getting things done. I’ll leave here when I’ve completed what I’m working on.”
* Mark Brown: Bill Daley a familiar face in one Illinois county — only 101 to go: Peickert said “it’s really hard to say whether the Daley name is a positive or a negative” in DuPage, home to state’s the largest Democratic vote outside Cook County. But Peickert put in a plug for Gov. Pat Quinn, who he said is “very well liked” in DuPage.
* Chuck Sweeny: Can Bill Daley fix what ails Springfield?: I know this about Daley — he is a good salesman who comes to a meeting prepared. I interviewed him at the White House in 1993 when he was Clinton’s NAFTA czar, working in the halls of Congress to pass the free trade pact among the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
* Bernard Schoenburg: Former U.S. Rep. Johnson open to endorse in Davis-Harold primary: “Several of the candidates who are running for governor asked me to consider being their lieutenant governor,” she said. “Some people wanted me to run for attorney general. Some other people wanted me to run for United States Senate. I’m somebody who decides to run for an office because I believe in it and I believe in the district.”
If I read the statute correctly, Labor Day weekend may be a practical deadline to select a Lt Gov running mate and that is less than 90 days away…
10 ILCS 5/7-10
In the case of the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, a joint petition including one candidate for each of those offices must be filed.
10 ILCS 5/7-12
Sec. 7-12. All petitions for nomination shall be filed by mail or in person as follows:
(1) Where the nomination is to be made for a State, congressional, or judicial office, or for any office a nomination for which is made for a territorial division or district which comprises more than one county or is partly in one county and partly in another county or counties, then, except as otherwise provided in this Section, such petition for nomination shall be filed in the principal office of the State Board of Elections not more than 113 and not less than 106 days prior to the date of the primary
The primary is March 18, 2104. If I count correctly, 113 days before March 18, 2014 is November 26, 2013.
Petitions and signatures can be circulated starting 90 days before the first day for filing and that appears to be August 28, 2014.
Petitions MUST include the names of both the candidate for Governor and Lt Governor and I don’t think a petition sheet with Lt. Gov listed as “TBA” will be accepted as valid. Therefore, a Lt Gov choice must be finalized before nominating petitions can be circulated.
In other words, not only will we be seeing a whole lot of gubernatorial candidate announcements in the coming days and weeks, but, for the first time, those roll-outs will be followed soon after by running mate announcements.
And there’s plenty of suspicion that good buddies Madigan and Cullerton aren’t really at impasse, they’re just gaming everybody; failure, for some reason, suits them.
Yeah, they’ve deliberately tied up their most important employees and wasted thousands of staff hours for three solid years on a mere ploy.
Madigan convinced 20 of his own members to switch positions on pension reform and vote against the unions because he’s involved in this pointless game, see, and putting their careers at risk pales in comparison to the secret hustle he and his buddy Cullerton are conducting.
Madigan publicly insulted Cullerton last month, but that was just all part of the ruse, mind you. And Cullerton didn’t care at all when Madigan said his secret bestest buddy didn’t show leadership abilities because he’s in on the scam!
Mrs. Perkins and the 119 other female voters in Champaign owed their vote that day to the suffragists who campaigned for voting equality, and to 83 Illinois House members who voted 100 years ago this week — on June 11, 1913 — to give women a limited right to vote.
According to the bill that passed, they could vote for presidential electors but not in preferential presidential primaries. They could vote for University of Illinois trustees, but not for a county superintendent of schools. They could vote for county surveyor and collector, but not county judge or sheriff. They could vote for mayor or alderman, but not for state senator, state representative or congressman. […]
It would be another seven years before women in Illinois had the full right to vote. Congress passed the 19th Amendment on June 4, 1919, and Illinois was among the first states to ratify it (six days later). The 19th Amendment took effect in August 1920.
It’s also worth noting that total female turnout for the bond referendum which Ms. Perkins voted on was just 12 percent of the total, 120 out of 985. Nowadays, women vote in higher numbers than men, and have for decades.
* May is usually the busiest month on the blog because it’s the end of session. I checked the stats this morning and it turns out that this past May was by far the best ever.
“Unique visitors” shot up by 51 percent over the previous May. Those visitor numbers were also nearly double those for May, 2010.
Page views last month were 1.1 million higher than they were in May, 2012. And they were almost triple the page views of May, 2010.
Every other category obliterated prior May records.
* I’m not sure many people realize this, but after a very steep payment ramp the past several years, the state’s pension payment increases will slow down considerably starting in Fiscal Year 15, which begins a little over a year from now. From the state’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability…
The FY 14 certified contribution appropriation for the five retirement systems is a combined $6.8 billion. This is an increase of $965 million, or 16.4% compared to the current fiscal year. Under current law, estimated payments in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 are $7.0 billion and $7.2 billion, respectively. The FY 15 estimated payment is an increase of $200 million, or 3% over FY 14. The increase in FY 16 is an additional $204.7 million (3%).
Those are relatively manageable increases, as long as the income tax hike doesn’t start to go away.
* But don’t get your hopes up too high. From a different COGFA report, here’s the expected state pension funding payout chart for the next 30 years. Click the pic for a larger image…
concurrent performance with an auditory version of the Operation Span (OSPAN) task. Each task allows the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road and, with the exception of the hand-held cell phone condition, hands on the steering wheel, so any impairment to driving must stem from cognitive sources associated with the diversion of attention from the task of operating the motor vehicle. […]
