Question of the day
Thursday, Feb 2, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Bill Dennis and I are working on a new classifieds section for the Capitol Fax blog. We finally settled on the program we want and he’ll begin work over the weekend.
I figure we’ll have most of the usual types of classified ads, with a few new twists, but I’m wondering if there are any special categories that you’d like to use.
Please try to refrain from overtly snarky suggestions. I’m trying to make this as community-friendly as possible, so I need your help.
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Morning shorts
Thursday, Feb 2, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Bill Brady’s new TV ad is extraordinarily good. It’s just too bad he doesn’t have the money to put enough points behind it.
I was so stunned by Steve Rauschenberger’s apparent flip-flop on whether he’d drop out if Topinka wins the primary, I didn’t notice that he also kinda came out for an income tax increase:
Among other things, Rauschenberger said, he thinks the school year and the school day should be lengthened. Such changes would not come cheap, he admitted, but he said voters might decide they were willing to spend more on education if they were convinced kids would learn more.
“Maybe taxpayers would be happy to pay a 5 percent income tax if this was the vision for schools,” he said.
Claypool to Stroger: “stop the lies”.
Better never late.
ICC staff wants much bigger refund for Peoples Energy consumers.
Dan Hynes makes ethics push.
Interesting proposal by private companies to build new tollways.
Bartels endorses Salvi.
Another tort reform fight?
Tribune Co. quarterly profits fell 38 percent.
Frank Calabrese Sr. is being shunned.
Pink.
Thanks, Jake, for this sweet, sweet link.
I hear the sign says “Welcome back, Ray!“
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Oy
Thursday, Feb 2, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The right way:
Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), the boss of the House Democratic political operation who is making ethics a centerpiece issue in the November elections, last month quietly switched campaign treasurers — from a federal lobbyist who has for a long time served in that role to someone else.
And the wrong way:
The face of Gov. Blagojevich’s re-election effort maintains an active lobbying practice in Springfield that has netted him $120,000 in consulting fees from a firm responsible for $1 billion in bond deals by the administration.
Even while acting as the lead spokesman for Blagojevich’s campaign, Doug Scofield runs a lobbying firm with clients including the cable television industry, a power company and a large public-employee union that together have donated more than $700,000 to the governor’s political fund since 2003.
Scofield filed his 2006 lobbyist registration papers last week and said he keeps his dual functions working on behalf of his firm’s clients and for the Blagojevich campaign separate.
And maybe some hope that they’re getting a clue:
Scofield left open the possibility his campaign role may change once Blagojevich formally announces he is seeking a second term after his Feb. 15 budget address.
Scofield is a huge asset to the Blagojevich campaign, and I happen to like the guy and respect his abilities. But, you have to wonder if the governor’s campaign is just completely in denial.
UPDATE: From the Secretary of State’s really screwed-up lobbyist registration list, we have Scofield’s clients: [The problem may be on my end. I’ll get back to you on this.]
AMERICAN INSURANCE ASSOCIATION
CABLE TELEVISION & COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY CENTER OF THE MIDWEST
GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY
ILLINOIS ARTS ALLIANCE
ILLINOIS INSURANCE ASSOCIATION
ILLINOIS MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE ACADEMY
INFANT WELFARE SOCIETY OF CHICAGO
MIDWEST GENERATION
MORGAN STANLEY & CO., INC.
MT. SINAI HOSPITAL
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION
TEACH FOR AMERICA
TEACHERS ACADEMY FOR MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE
UNITE HERE - CHICAGO & MIDWEST REGION
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Huffman is freakin’ loaded
Thursday, Feb 2, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Punkinhaid sure can raise the bucks.
 How much is it worth to have the governor’s ear?
For Illinois State Rep. Jay Hoffman, the answer may approach $900,000.
Hoffman, the Collinsville Democrat running for re-election this year, has no opponent in the March 21 primary and an unknown, under-funded Republican challenger in November. Yet newly filed campaign finance records show Hoffman raised more than $310,000 in the last half of 2005.
Combined with his previous balance, that gives Hoffman a total of $899,871 in cash on hand, records show.
That’s many times more than most, if not all, rank-and-file legislators in the Illinois Legislature, who often measure their campaign kitties in five or even four figures. In fact, Hoffman, with no real political battle anywhere on the horizon, is sitting on more cash than is available to three of the six mainstream candidates for governor.
The reason for Hoffman’s popularity among unions, law firms, industry groups and other donors from all over Illinois certainly has something do to with his 15-year tenure in Springfield. But even Hoffman admits that at least part of the reason is the perception that he is Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s point man in the Legislature.
The Post-Dispatch also has a list of Metro East fundraising numbers (cash on hand) for those up for re-election this year.
Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville $899,871
Kurt Granberg, D-Carlyle $388,219
Dan Reitz, D-Steeleville $258,481
Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield $184,384
Thomas Holbrook, D-Belleville $162,883
Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville $107,299
Dan Beiser, D- East Alton $36,894
Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro $30,656
Ron Stephens, R-Greenville $6,208
Wyvetter Younge, D-East St. Louis ($766)
This is a campaign finance open thread.
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Poverty report
Thursday, Feb 2, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Mid-America Institute on Poverty is releasing a report today. Click on the map for a larger image.
Some excerpts from the report:
· 342,716 more Illinoisans are in poverty than in 1999
· Illinois’ current poverty rate of 12.4% is significantly higher than it was in 1999 when it was at 10%.
· 31 Illinois counties had an increase in the rate of poverty from 2002 to 2003.
· Illinois ranks worst in the Midwest on 15 key poverty indicators including overall poverty rate, child poverty rate, mass layoffs, housing affordability, and education spending.
· From 2001 to 2004, state human services funding decreased by $387 million as poverty increased. Small cuts are being made across the board resulting in the whittling away of human services. The impact is being felt by some of Illinois’ poorest families.
· The bankruptcy rate in Illinois doubled in the last 10 years, and nearly 50% of bankruptcies are the result of health expenses. The uninsured rate in Illinois is still 15%
I’ll have more from this report in the coming days.
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Obama to stay neutral
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Zorn has the story.
Democratic Ill. Sen. Barack Obama’s spokesman Robert Gibbs told me this afternoon that Obama will stay neutral in the primary battle between incumbent Cook County Board President John Stroger and Commissioner Forrest Claypool.
“Both candidates are friends, both are very good public servants but Senator Obama believes the voters should decide the outcome of this election.†Gibbs said.
Your thoughts?
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
First, read this. Here’s an excerpt:
Attorney General Lisa Madigan Monday unveiled an initiative to require not-for-profit hospitals to funnel 8 percent of their annual operating costs to fund charity care for poor or uninsured patients.
Madigan said current state law gives not-for-profit hospitals freedom from paying taxes in exchange for providing charitable care to the poor, although no set amount is specified. […]
Most of the state’s 200 hospitals are not-for-profit, with the average amount spent on charity care in 2003 tallying less than 1 percent of operating costs, Madigan said. Her office released a list of charity-care percentages for individual Illinois hospitals, but those figures did not include other community benefits hospitals provide that would count toward their percentage under her proposal. […]
A spokesman for hospitals statewide disagreed.
“Many hospitals in Illinois are hanging by a financial thread, and imposing a rigid formula for charity care could permanently damage our already fragile health care system,” IHA president Ken Robbins said in a written statement.
He also noted that one out three Illinois hospitals is losing money on overall operations.
Are hospitals already overburdened, or should Madigan’s idea get a full hearing in the General Assembly?
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Nice job
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform people didn’t live blog the campaign disclosure reports this time around, but Cal Skinner over at Illinoize has done a very good job.
For instance, he had a great catch on this Lee Daniels item.
July 19th former long-time House Republican Leader Lee A. Daniels reported spending $102,400 on legal fees with the firm of Chicago lawyer Thomas Breen.
Breen is defending Victor Reyes, former top mayoral aide to Mayor Richard Daley. […]
Continuing were transfers to the beleaguer House Republican Campaign Committee, which Daniels finally put out of business. He also ended the life of Leaders for a Republican Majority.
The last six months of 2005, Friends of Lee Daniels loaned the HRCC $64,200 in two August installments and in November. The HRCC now owes Friends of Lee Daniels $483,800, which has been spread around to numerous Chicago-area law firms. With the committee out of business, it is obvious the money will never be repaid Daniels’ main campaign fund.
More here, here, here, and here.
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Wrong, wrong, wrong
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Pretty much every story I’ve read so far claims that the governor’s fundraising slowed way down during the last filing period (July 1 through December 31), and some suggest that this was due to all the ongoing federal and state investigations.
Absolutely, positively not true.
You have to compare apples to apples. Blagojevich does his big fundraiser in the first half of the year (except for 2003) and then doesn’t raise much the second half. If you don’t believe me, here are the numbers:
Last six months of 2005: $1.9 million
Last six months of 2004: $934,000
First six months of 2003 (his big fundraiser was in, I think, July that year): $257,000
I’m as tough on the guv as the next guy, but to suggest that his fundraising is slowing because of all the investigations is just not right, and totally unfair.
In reality, he doubled his fundraising over the last similar filing period.
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Major shakeup for Cegelis
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Overdue?
The turmoil in 6th Congressional District Democrat Christine Cegelis’ campaign continued Tuesday as she parted ways with her campaign manager and media consultant.
The departures of top campaign team members come a day after Cegelis reported having less than $40,000 on hand for the primary’s stretch run — less than half of what opponents Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran from Hoffman Estates, and Wheaton College professor Lindy Scott had.
A Cegelis spokeswoman denied the campaign was in a state of upheaval, however.
“It’s not in free fall,†spokeswoman Camaro Elliott Powers said. “The split was amicable and completely planned.†[…]
Cegelis, a Rolling Meadows technology consultant, is bringing in Kevin Spidel of the Progressive Democrats of America to run the campaign.
According to his Web log, “Ramblings of a Progressive Mind,†Spidel is the group’s national deputy director, a one-time organizer for Amnesty International, and a state coordinator for Dennis Kucinich’s 2004 Democratic presidential campaign. Powers said numerous volunteers from the group also will be coming.
Cegelis reported having less than $40,000 left as of Jan. 1 after raising $228,000 since 2005. Duckworth, who has national party backing, raised $120,000 in two weeks. Scott raised $101,000 so far, $60,000 from his own pocket.
Meanwhile, in the 8th District, Teresa Bartels has dropped out of the Republican primary to face Democratic incumbent freshman Melissa Bean. Here are the numbers for the rest of the candidates. I took down the Chicago Sun-Times’ campaign contribution report numbers because they were questioned as possibly inaccurate. I’ll have numbers from another source later.
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Morning shorts
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The fabulous Doug Finke.
Guv’s contributor in trouble.
A very nice tribute to Ben Kinningham. Go read the whole thing. Also, Dick Durbin had some nice words for Ben on the floor of the US Senate this week. (Great retirement party last night, too.)
Hiram reports that Citizen Action endorsed Tammy Duckworth.
Sen. Sandoval wants money earmarked for veterans to go to veterans.
Sen. Dave Luechtefeld and Rep. Mike Bost endorse Bill Brady, calling him “a young Jim Edgar.”
Jack Roeser, on why he hasn’t dealt with $51,000 in fines by the State Board of Elections: “I’m damn busy.â€
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