* Rep. Ken Dunkin’s ally Maze Jackson has a new political action committee called Citizens for Democratic Accountability. Jackson appears regularly on WVON. He’s also the Chicago Defender’s political editor. And Jackson’s new PAC has a new and quite unique mailer…
* I love the Illinois State Fair. I always have. My secret dream is to serve as State Fair Director when I retire from this gig (which is probably never, but, hey, it’s a dream).
Last year, I had surgery during the fair, but I browbeat my doctors into allowing me to go to both Governor’s Day and Democrat Day just a few days after I was released from the hospital. I probably would’ve gone even if they had said “No way.” And, of course, I’m already looking forward to attending this year, partly to make up for lost time.
* That being said, with teen homeless and rape crisis centers closing, universities on the verge of insolvency and everything else going to heck in a handbasket, I can certainly understand why folks wouldn’t love this idea…
Even without having a manager and the fact that vendors who provide services still haven’t been paid from last year’s Illinois State Fair, planning for the 2016 version is well under way, officials say.
Illinois Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Rebecca Clark said planning for the 2016 state fair, which runs Aug. 11-21, began immediately after the 2015 fair concluded. […]
“Planning is well underway for the 2016 Illinois State Fair and DuQuoin State Fair,” [Illinois Ag Director Raymond Poe] said in an emailed response to questions. “We have a fantastic staff and will soon add a state fair manager.” […]
Vendors are owed about $1.59 million from the 2015 fair, according to figures supplied by the agriculture department. The largest amount is $252,000 owed to judges, superintendents and show employees, the figures show.
I don’t see how they’ll convince vendors to return if they aren’t paid by then, but one never knows. And, hey, maybe the impasse will be over by then, so planning should definitely continue.
And there’s no doubt that canceling the fair would really hurt the Springfield-area economy. Then again, other towns are feeling the pinch already, particularly Chicago, where most of the pain seems to be (perhaps deliberately) concentrated.
State officials on Friday unveiled a new organizational structure for the Illinois Department of Agriculture that promotes a longtime Illinois State Fair official and hires a staffer from Springfield’s Prairie Capital Convention Center.
Kevin Gordon becomes the new manager of the Division of Fairs and Promotional Services, which will oversee four Agriculture bureaus — the Illinois State Fair, the DuQuoin State Fair, Business Services, and County Fairs and Horse Racing. Previously, the four bureaus operated independently of each other.
“Combining these already existing bureaus together in one cohesive unit will enhance efficiencies for the state of Illinois,” acting Agriculture director Raymond Poe said in the news release. “Now all fair related activities will be centered in one division, under the leadership of one manager. These bureaus are vital to the Department, and with good leadership these bureaus will thrive.”
Gordon, 54, previously was the Illinois State Fair operations manager and has planned state fairs since 2000.
The largest progressive group of veterans in America, VoteVets Action Fund, is up in Illinois with a $600,000 statewide ad buy, over the next two weeks, featuring an Illinois veteran saying that when it comes to security, the military, and veterans, he trusts Tammy Duckworth, over Senator Mark Kirk. VoteVets vowed that this would be just the first ad on the issue of security, military, and veterans, as long as Senator Kirk wants to make it into an issue.
Opening with a shot of a Blackhawk helicopter and fading to pictures of Tammy Duckworth, Michael Terranova, a Marine Corps veteran from Chicago says, “You gotta be a special kind of person to fly one of these. That’s Tammy Duckworth. After she lost her legs in service to her country, she still served ten more years in the National Guard. But now Senator Mark Kirk is attacking her, asking who do you trust? Well Senator, you voted against fixing broken equipment that keep guys like me safe in the field, and against expanding our veterans benefits when we get home. So to answer your question…I trust Tammy Duckworth and it’s not even close.”
In 2014, Senator Mark Kirk voted against a $21 billion package, supported by veterans’ groups, that would have greatly expanded veterans care. And in 2003, while in the House, Mark Kirk voted against an amendment that the Washington Post said, in part, would have allocated money “for the repair and replacement of damaged equipment” for troops in the field.
“Frankly, we’re thrilled that Senator Kirk spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to turn this election into one about security and the military,” said Jon Soltz, Iraq War Veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org, referring to an ad that Kirk launched this week. “If there are two political losers for Mark Kirk, they’re the issues of trust and keeping America strong and safe. As long as he wants to keep on talking about it, we’ll happily keep running ads like these, because there’s not a shadow of a doubt that Tammy Duckworth wins if this campaign is about those issues.”
“Yet another blatantly false and dishonest ad by Rep. Duckworth and her liberal SuperPac allies in an attempt to distract from Duckworth’s reckless and extreme policy of allowing 200,000 Syrian refugees into the US even though they cannot safely be screened. The simple truth is that while Senator Kirk secured a historic level of funding for veterans’ benefits, Rep. Duckworth has spent her time preparing for her April trial where she faces charges that she fired Veterans’ Affairs employees after they blew the whistle on her for not responding to veterans being abused and receiving poor care while she served as the Director.”
Republican Sen. Mark Kirk’s campaign is complaining about the latest in a series of incorrect statements and advertising against the incumbent lawmaker. […]
The latest came Thursday when the Democratic-backed Senate Majority PAC attacked Kirk in a social media ad for “obstructionism” on filling the vacancy of Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.
Kirk initially took no stand on whether President Barack Obama should forward a nominee to the Senate, but then broke with party leaders and said a nominee should be considered. Kirk’s decision to break ranks came a day after Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, declared that no nominee would be considered by the majority.
All this huffing and puffing (I received 6 e-mails from the Kirk campaign) was about a single tweet pointing to a web page. Happily, the offending tweet is no longer on the Senate Majority PAC’s feed.
* And I’m told there are just 275 ratings points behind this new Andrea Zopp ad as of yesterday morning, all in Chicago…
* Apparently, a TV ad touting Kay Hagan for US Senate is also playing occasionally on Chicago network TV. Somebody really messed up badly. Hagan lost her North Carolina race in 2014 and isn’t running again.
Amends the Vital Records Act. Removes a provision concerning use of the biological father’s name on the birth certificate if not married to the biological mother. Provides that if the unmarried mother cannot or refuses to name the child’s father, either a father must be conclusively established by DNA evidence or, within 30 days after birth, another family member who will financially provide for the child must be named, in court, on the birth certificate. Provides that absent DNA evidence or a family member’s name, a birth certificate will not be issued and the mother will be ineligible for financial aid from the State for support of the child. Provides an exception for artificially inseminated mothers. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that a family that does not comply with the Vital Records Act provision concerning birth certificates of unmarried mothers shall be ineligible for aid for support of the child. Effective immediately.
They have an exception for artificially inseminated mothers, but not rape victims?
This is “Nanny State” legislation for the extreme right. Some folks are just convinced that the poors are wrongly reaping the benefits of luxurious freebies, which justifies this sort of governmental intrusion.
“This is a punitive and outrageous bill that would have a hugely negative impact on those most likely in need of safety net programs and support,” said Ed Yohnka of the Illinois American Civil Liberties Union.
The site also pointed out some similar logic used during the Child Care Assistance Program funding bill debate…
In September of last year, there was a floor debate in the House that ultimately killed a bill that would’ve restored subsidies lost due to the budget impasse. During this debate, Ives said:
“You need to have verifiable need. You better know who the daddy is and whether or not he can afford that child and whether or not the taxpayers should be funding that or if there’s actual child support he can provide.”
Hat tip: Jezebel.com, but beware of foul language.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Since this post went up, the bill’s status changed…
2/26/2016 House Motion Filed - Table Bill/Resolution Pursuant to Rule 60(b), Rep. John Cavaletto
2/26/2016 House Removed Co-Sponsor Rep. Keith R. Wheeler
Dead.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Rep. Wheeler…
Rich,
Regarding the now dead HB 6064:
The intention of HB 6064 was to provide for the long-term support of hardworking single mothers by strengthening the legal responsibilities of fathers, while also improving the rights of fathers as well as grandparents who provide care for a child in place of a parent. However, the bill as introduced has flaws that would produce unintended consequences. I have therefore chosen to withdraw my support of the bill and thank all my constituents and others who offered feedback on both sides of this issue.
Thanks,
Keith R. Wheeler
State Representative for Illinois’ 50th District
Thursday morning, Governor Rauner visited Belleville East High School to give a speech. Several parents of students from the school district were cleared by the principal to attend the event. The parents, also SEIU members, were hopeful to hear what the governor had to say and to ask him why he continues to push for painful cuts to child care and home care programs. On their arrival after presenting their identification at the door however, representatives from the governor’s office denied them entry and these members – Rauner’s constituents – were forced out of the building by security.
We’ve got a House Speaker who has official “No Parking by Police Order” signs placed in front of his opponent’s campaign office and a governor who apparently bars parents from attending an event at their own kids’ school.
Yep, we’re making great progress here.
* But is it all the union says it is? At least one of those people turned away wasn’t a parent…
School district officials confirmed that a small group arrived on campus after the press conference began and were asked to leave.
One woman said she was initially allowed onto campus but turned away at the media room’s door.
“It wasn’t like I broke laws, they allowed me in and then they rejected me and didn’t explain why,” said Deaundra Tunstull, a member of SEIU and a home child-care provider. Tunstull does not have a child at Belleville East, but says she was among four from SEIU who wanted to question the governor about lack of state funding for child care providers.
…Adding… From SEIU…
They were parents of the school district. Might not have been from that very school, but they knew the principal and had gotten clearance.
