Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Friday, Sep 11, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

House special investigative committee on hold while US Attorney is consulted

Thursday, Sep 10, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

Beleaguered Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan could soon be asked to publicly explain his dealings with ComEd.

At least that’s what Republicans were planning Wednesday on the eve of the first meeting of a special bipartisan legislative panel convened to explore the political and legal minefield.

“We have an admission of facts from Commonwealth Edison to the federal prosecutor’s office that have laid out a series of very concerning occurrences that happened,” state Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, said. “I think that as of right now, those facts are uncontested. We’d invite the speaker to contest those facts if he does not believe that those are accurate.”

A day before the Thursday meeting, Demmer said at a news conference that he and his GOP colleagues on the panel — Deanne Mazzochi of Westmont and Grant Wehrli of Naperville — will seek answers to the “legitimate, good-faith questions being asked” by their peers in the General Assembly and the public as part of the committee investigating any potential wrongdoing by Madigan.

The object is to discern whether Madigan behaved in a manner unbecoming of a legislator and/or behaved in a way that breached the public trust.

* Here’s who the Republicans want to testify…

House Speaker Michael Madigan, Michael McClain, Anne Pramaggiore, Fidel Marquez, John Hooker, Jay D. Doherty, Michael R. Zalewski, any individual currently or formerly employed by Commonwealth Edison with knowledge of the matters contained in the Deferred Prosecution Agreement.

I’m thinking none of those named people are gonna speak. The committee could, in theory, subpoena witnesses, but that would require Democratic cooperation and the witnesses can always take the Fifth.

* Anyway, the hearings are on hold until the committee hears back from the US Attorney’s office to see whether it wants them to back off (which is what happened to then-Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s investigation of then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich) or if it’s OK to proceed and under what terms. [ADDING: The US Attorney allowed an FBI special agent to testify at Blagojevich’s impeachment trial under ” sharply limited” terms.]

WBEZ…

Lawmakers bristled as they discussed how to proceed after they unanimously agreed to contact the U.S. attorney’s office about how they can conduct their own investigation of Madigan without interfering with the ongoing criminal investigation.

They did not set another hearing date.

Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, sought clarification as to what it is that the committee is investigating considering that the speaker faces no criminal criminal charges himself.

Ronald Safer, a former federal prosecutor who is representing Durkin in the House investigation of Madigan, responded by noting that the deferred prosecution agreement between ComEd and prosecutors itself is evidence of factual wrongdoing, and it warrants investigation of Madigan by the committee.

I’m gonna nitpick a bit here and say the feds have not yet presented any evidence of specific wrongdoing by Madigan himself. Others, yes. Lots.

* Center Square…

Republican member, state Rep. Grant Wehrli, R-Naperville, said Madigan has to respond to what was laid out in the deferred prosecution agreement ComEd entered into.

“Here we have statements of fact and if the Speaker doesn’t refute them, I think the logical conclusion can be drawn,” Wehrli said.

Rep. Wehrli is not a big fan of the 5th Amendment…

BREAKING: Auditor General Frank Mautino invoked his 5th Amendment right in response to Illinois State Board of Elections subpoena#twill

— Grant Wehrli (@GrantWehrli) April 20, 2017

Wehrli beat the drum on that story for three solid years, but nothing ever came of it.

* To be super clear, I’m not saying that the feds won’t get Madigan. They could very well succeed. And, as I wrote in Crain’s, I’m not sympathetic to the House Democrats’ grumblings about these hearings…

So is Madigan right that this is all about politics? […]

But, really, who cares? Madigan isn’t answering questions, so maybe this will help shine a little light on things. And the committee won’t do much except take testimony. The panel is evenly divided between the two parties, and three staunch Madigan loyalists will be there to stop any majority vote to proceed with discipline. The open-minds thing goes both ways.

And if the Republican maneuver and Pritzker’s subsequent comments about how Madigan ought to answer the committee’s questions make House Democrats angry, well, so be it. Only a tiny handful of them have spoken up about Madigan, and even fewer have called on him to resign. That’s their prerogative, but it also means they’ve deliberately chosen this path. You wanted it, you got it, so deal with it.

20 Comments

Protected: *** UPDATED x1 *** SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign update

Thursday, Sep 10, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

*** UPDATED x1 *** Former state GOP chairman endorses Casten as Ives releases first TV ad

Thursday, Sep 10, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a July fundraising email sent by GOP congressional candidate Jeanne Ives…

Sean Casten is ranked to the LEFT of the most well known socialist extremists in the Democratic Party.

* This press release today should help counter that sort of rhetoric…

Pat Brady, former chair of the Illinois Republican Party and former member of the Republican National Committee, announced today that he has endorsed Rep. Sean Casten in his re-election campaign against Jeanne Ives.

In addition to his endorsement of Rep. Casten, Brady is featured in multiple digital ads for the campaign. The ads are part of a six-figure digital buy that will run through Election Day on Facebook, Hulu, and Google.

Pat Brady, former chair of the Illinois Republican Party and former member of the Republican National Committee, announced today that he has endorsed Rep. Sean Casten in his re-election campaign against Jeanne Ives.

In addition to his endorsement of Rep. Casten, Brady is featured in multiple digital ads for the campaign. The ads are part of a six-figure digital buy that will run through Election Day on Facebook, Hulu, and Google.

You can watch the first ad here:

You can watch the second ad here:

Pat Brady released the following statement:

“Jeanne Ives showed us her true colors in her unsuccessful campaign for governor when she ran the most sexist, racist, and hate-filled ad I’ve ever seen. That anger, bigotry, and lack of judgment doesn’t belong in the United States Congress. And most importantly, it doesn’t represent the people of the 6th congressional district.

“Sean Casten is a good man, a family man, and a businessman, who cares deeply about the district and all who live in it. As a Republican, I might not agree with him all the time. But I know he will always do what he believes is best for us, and for the country.”

Rep. Sean Casten released the following statement:

“I believe that public officials should always lead with their values. Jeanne Ives has made it clear that her values don’t represent the 6th District, and Pat Brady has made it clear that her values don’t represent the Republican Party. I am honored to receive his endorsement.”

*** UPDATE *** Joint statement from ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider and National Committeeman/woman Richard Porter and Demetra Demonte…

Identifying and labeling Pat Brady as a Republican is false and misleading. If you spend all your time attacking and betraying Republicans - whether out of newfound convictions or to continue booking TV appearances - you are a Democrat. Pat Brady is a liberal Democrat and has been for some time. Sean Casten may have the backing of political hacks but Jeanne Ives is supported by hard working taxpayers.

* Meanwhile…

US House candidate (IL-06) Jeanne Ives released her first campaign ad of the 2020 election, Step Up, this morning to introduce herself to suburban voters.

In the ad, Ives, a West Point graduate, mother of five and former state legislator, illustrates her record of stepping up through the imagery of the different shoes Ives has worn in service to her country, community and family: jump boots at West Point and in the Army, running shoes as a coach, and high heels as a legislator.

Ives concludes the ad by emphasizing her record of independent leadership, saying, “When you need me, I always step up.”

A :30 second version of the ad will run on cable in the Chicago Media Market – Watch the ad here.

A :60 second version of the ad will run on Ives social media channels - Watch the ad here.

Transcripts:

Step Up - TV Version, :30 Seconds

A journey of service starts with one step.

I took my first step in jump boots, serving my country in the Army - just out of West Point

In the Statehouse, I traded my boots for heels to bring both parties together, battle corruption and protect taxpayers.

Now, I’m stepping up to grow our economy, and to get our nation working again;

To build on the promise only American can keep.

I’m Jeanne Ives,

When you need me, I always step up.

++++

Step Up - Digital, :60 Seconds

I’m Jeanne Ives.

Want to know why I’m running for Congress?

Walk a mile in my shoes.

A journey of service starts with one step.

I took my first step in jump boots, serving my country in the Army - just out of West Point.

Then I traded my Army boots for athletic shoes, coaching cross country and raising my kids.

But duty called again.

I stepped into heels, and a new job.

In the Statehouse, I battled corruption wherever I found it;

Protected taxpayers with every vote;

And reached across the aisle to work for you.

Now, I’m stepping up for a new fight:

To save this country from those who would destroy the values that forged our nation and make it strong;

To rebuild our economy;

And to get our nation working again - to build on the promise only America can make and keep.

I’m Jeanne Ives.

When you need me, I’ll always step up.