[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…
“In May I spoke with the Randolph County Police Association and indicated I would give the legislature and the governor until June 9 (the date mandated by the Federal Appellate Court) to give citizens the opportunity to carry concealed weapons,” Walker said.
“June 9 has come and gone with no resolution. Accordingly, I feel it is time to act.”
Walker said the following guidelines will be given to all local police agencies regarding people who wish to carry concealed weapons:
* The person must have a valid Firearm Owners Identification Cars (FOID);
* The person must not be prohibited from possessing a firearm under any Court Order or Statute;
* The firearm must be concealed on the person, or in a vehicle;
* The person must not be engaged in any criminal conduct;
* If stopped by a police officer, the person must immediately notify the officer if he or she is carrying a weapon;
* The person may not carry a weapon in the courthouse, any school or any church.
Provided these requirements are met, the State’s Attorney’s Office will not file charges related to the carrying of concealed weapons, Walker said.
Walker’s announcement came with one warning: “One should still be cautioned the Illinois State Police has indicated, after other jurisdictions have announced similar plans, they will still arrest people for conceal carry violations. If they choose to arrest someone, the State’s Attorney’s office will not prosecute if the above criteria are met.
Mr. Giangreco shoots back that while Ms. Madigan may lead in some polls, she could have “a very difficult time” defeating the GOP nominee if her father stays on as speaker. “Mike Madigan’s not going anywhere,” he said, and voters justifiably will be leery at having “the same family” possess two of the top state power positions.
He’s probably right that the Speaker ain’t going anywhere. “Feet first” is what I’ve always been told.
As for Daley’s announcement that he formed a committee to explore his own gubernatorial run, [Lisa Madigan’s] aide called it “an interesting move given that polls have shown Mr. Daley does not fare well either in a two- or three-way race.”
* Speaking of Daley, I posted this Bruce Rauner statement earlier today…
I respect Bill Daley and welcome him to the governor’s race. Unfortunately, one more candidate from the entrenched Illinois political power structure doesn’t hold much promise for fixing our serious problems. The same old political dynasties have literally had decades to address our economic decline, our pension disaster, and our failing schools.
Re caps on contributions, also note that when the caps come off for the general election for Governor (and they will come off, either for self-funding or independent expenditures over $250,000) they are off for the entire general election cycle which last until January 1. So anyone who wants to establish a warm, personal relationship with the Governor-elect (particularly those who backed the wrong horse) will be able to make unlimited contributions to his or her campaign fund between election day in November and January 1. Always worked well when Blago was Gov. so it must be a tradition worth keeping.
Mr. Daley appears to have assembled the kind of team behind him that would help him stay in the race until the end, one with lots of ties to Mr. Obama.
Included, according to information I just received, are campaign chairman Sam S. Scott III, an African-American businessman who once headed Corn Products International and is active on immigration matters at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; finance consultant Roz Skozen, former Midwest finance director for Obama for America; media meister Larry Grisolano of AKPD Message and Media; and pollster John Anzalone of Anzalone Liszt Research, which worked for Mr. Obama and on the president’s health care program, and claims to have taken more congressional seats from Republicans in recent years than any other firm.
* Meanwhile, according to the media, if Speaker Madigan passes pension reform, he did it to help his daughter. If he doesn’t pass it, it’s to help his daughter. Predictable…
However, [Attorney General Lisa Madigan] did dismiss suggestions that her father was not fully engaged in finding a way to overhaul the state’s public employee pension system as a way to make Quinn look bad and boost her possible candidacy. She called such speculation “absurd,” noting the House has passed a pension reform bill.
“It’s June of 2013,” Madigan said. “The next governor won’t be sworn in until January 2015. If we haven’t cleaned up and reformed the pension system by then, we have much greater problems. It is to nobody’s benefit whatsoever for the pension crisis to continue in the state of Illinois.”
The attorney general has not backed a specific plan to reform the retirement systems, but said her office is prepared to defend whatever measure lawmakers send to Quinn once the inevitable court challenge arises.
The Speaker dismissed claims that he is trying kill pension reform this year to benefit his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and her still-possible campaign for Governor.
“If I didn’t want pension reform, then I would not have worked to pass the House pension bill as I did,” said Madigan.
C’mon.
If he kills it, he looks bad and harms the Madigan brand because of goofy questions like these. Also, he’d basically kill any chance that the tax hike could be allowed to expire, which hurts his daughter in both the election and if she actually wins. If he passes it, the attorney general has to defend the law in court throughout the entire campaign, which puts her at constant odds with the unions. Either way, this issue does not “help” Lisa Madigan.
Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar.
* Related…
* Rahm says Bill Daley is ‘a friend,’ but it’s too early to jump on board the Daley bandwagon: “It’s way premature between now and the primary for me to even be talking about what I’m gonna do, what I’m not gonna do. They have to decide what they’re gonna do. They have to explain themselves to the public–how they’re gonna fix some of the challenges….I’m not gonna take my eye off the ball….The voters [will] listen to what the candidates have to say and they’ll be making their decision.”
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick today announced the wager they have made on the outcome of the series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins for professional hockey’s top prize. Under the terms of the wager, the governor of the losing team’s state will volunteer at the food bank of the winning governor’s choice. If the Blackhawks win, Governor Patrick will volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. If the Bruins win, Governor Quinn will volunteer at the Greater Boston Food Bank.
“Governor Patrick is skating on thin ice by betting against the mighty Chicago Blackhawks,” Governor Quinn said. “But the Greater Chicago Food Depository can always use extra help, so after he works a shift there, I’m happy to take Governor Patrick to the United Center to see the Stanley Cup return home.”
“I look forward to seeing the Bruins circle the ice with the Stanley Cup above their heads,” said Governor Patrick. “And I’m delighted to join with Governor Quinn to use the excitement of the playoffs to draw attention to the important issue of food insecurity.”
Even though Illinois Governor Quinn recently honored his friend and Illinois native, Governor Patrick, by naming a Chicago street in his honor, the two men are on opposite sides of the street when it comes to the Stanley Cup finals.
The Chicago Blackhawks have won four Stanley Cup championships, the most recent in 2010. The Boston Bruins have won the Cup six times, most recently in 2011.
* Instead of a question today, let’s just make this a Chicago Blackhawks open thread.
Can a business ingest cannabis for medicinal purposes without any side effects?
Illinois soon will become the 19th state to legalize medical marijuana if Gov. Pat Quinn signs recently passed legislation as expected. While designed to insulate employers from issues that medical marijuana creates for the workplace, the 221-page bill raises questions about hiring and firing, special protections for firms with federal drug-testing requirements and the use of a federally controlled and still-illegal substance in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.
“It doesn’t allow the Illinois business community to continue what it’s doing today,” says Peter Bensinger, former head of the Drug Enforcement Administration and a harsh critic of the trend by states to decriminalize marijuana. “You’re going to have litigation, and you’re going to have accidents” at workplaces.
Recognizing that many companies don’t use drug testing, the bill also allows employers to discipline registered marijuana patients if they show up to work “impaired” by marijuana.
But impairment has to be based on “specific and articulable” symptoms related to things such as speech, dexterity, coordination or behavior, and there must be a “reasonable opportunity” for the employee to contest that determination.
“For employers, this is going to be a problem,” says Mr. Bensinger, whose Chicago-based consulting firm, Bensinger DuPont & Associates, manages drug-testing and employee assistance programs. “How can you prove impairment? Historically, by drug tests.”
At minimum, Mr. Bensinger and other experts say that provision and others would require additional management training and employee communications to make it clear that having a permit for medical marijuana is not a defense against testing positive or a finding of impairment, if the bill becomes law.
* The special session could have immediate consequences. Illinois is set to go back to the markets to borrow more capital construction money, so a failure would highlight Illinois’ problems even more…
Inaction on pensions for state workers, teachers, legislators and others during the regular session led two credit rating agencies last week to cut Illinois’ bond ratings, a move that could cost the lowest-rated state more money to sell about $1.25 billion of general obligation bonds.
John Sinsheimer, the state’s capital markets director, said that state officials will be meeting with potential investors on both coasts and in Chicago ahead of the June 26 bond sale and in the wake of the rating downgrades to A3 by Moody’s Investors Service and A-minus by Fitch Ratings — both with negative outlooks. The state is also considering bond insurance for the deal, he added.
* And speaking of failure, if you do nothing else today, make sure to listen to a press conference by Speaker Madigan and Senate President Cullerton. They were throwing not so subtle verbal elbows at each other from the same podium. Again, it’s a must-listen…
* Legislative leaders bicker over dueling pension reform plans: “This is like a lot of things in the legislature,” Madigan said. “You can make it complicated if you wish, or you can keep it simple. Let me say it again: The best pension bill passed so far, and the one that does the most cost savings, is the House bill, and that’s in the Senate. The governor ought to work to get that passed.”
* Quinn asks lawmakers to combine 2 pension plans: By having two plans, they argued, the courts were essentially being invited to strike down the tougher proposal. “I was one of those people saying that pretty loudly,” state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, the Democratic point-person on pension reform in the House, told the Associated Press Monday. “That’s why I always thought (that) putting it in one bill is really problematic. No way if we can give them the plan that saves a lot less money in the same bill that they’ll pass the other.”
* Gov. Pat Quinn holds Democrats-only pension crisis meeting: The Speaker dismissed claims that he is trying kill pension reform this year to benefit his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and her still-possible campaign for Governor. “If I didn’t want pension reform, then I would not have worked to pass the House pension bill as I did,” said Madigan.
“After 10 years with no capital construction program, Gov. Quinn fought for and signed into law the largest capital construction program in state history which is putting hundreds of thousands of people back to work building roads, schools and bridges. Gov. Quinn delivered landmark education reform that is a model for the nation; strong, new ethics laws to clean up corruption and recently, legislation to extend health insurance to thousands of people who don’t have it.
“Gov. Quinn continues to lead the fight for comprehensive pension reform, marriage equality and gun-safety and he will not stop fighting until these are law.
“With the primary in March, the governor is focused on working hard for the people of Illinois – there will be plenty of time for politics in the future.”
Nobody gets to dictate timing. That’s just the way things go in the real world. So, this dodge about “there will be plenty of time for politics in the future” ain’t gonna hold up for long.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner began airing two television ads today highlighting the campaign’s focus on controlling spending, job creation and reforming state government. The ads are running on broadcast and cable statewide.
“After months traveling the state, it’s clear that Illinoisans are ready to take on the status quo in Springfield, clean up state government, get spending in line, and make it easier to create jobs and grow a business here,” Rauner said. “Those are my top priorities, and I’m committed to reaching as many voters as possible with that message.”
Prior to announcing his campaign for governor, Bruce made more than 65 stops on a statewide Listening Tour getting to know the thoughts and concerns of thousands of Illinoisans. Bruce is currently on his Bring Back Illinois campaign tour. He participated in an employee town hall and press conference in Peoria last week and an open press employee town hall in Chicago yesterday. Bruce is in Wheeling today.
* Here are Rauner’s two new ads. First, “Upside Down”…
* Rauner also issued a statement today about Bill Daley’s candidacy…
“I respect Bill Daley and welcome him to the governor’s race. Unfortunately, one more candidate from the entrenched Illinois political power structure doesn’t hold much promise for fixing our serious problems. The same old political dynasties have literally had decades to address our economic decline, our pension disaster, and our failing schools. They haven’t done the job. Illinoisans aren’t going to fall for that again. We need a clean break from the political machines that have been in charge for too long. It’s time to clean house, shake up Springfield, and bring back Illinois.”
* I told you last month that the ICIRR was getting major push-back from the Catholic church over its support of the gay marriage bill. The pressure has since increased. Mark Brown…
In an eye-opening display of hardball, the Catholic Church is threatening to cut off funding to local groups that work with the poor for being part of an immigrant rights coalition that endorsed legalizing same-sex marriages in Illinois.
The groups in question receive grants from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the anti-poverty arm of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
They also all happen to be partners in the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the state’s most influential advocacy group on behalf of immigrants.
The Illinois Coalition normally works cooperatively with the Catholic Church, which also is a leader on immigration issues. In fact, Catholic Charities is one of the coalition’s 130 partner organizations across the state.
But that relationship has been on the rocks since May 23, when the coalition issued a statement in support of “marriage equality” for same-sex partners.
That announcement ran directly counter to the Catholic Church’s strong opposition to same-sex marriage.
On the one hand, I can see the church’s point. You takes the money, you plays by the rules. The ICIRR knew it could be jeopardizing its pretty darned successful voter registration and citizenship work when it announced support for gay marriage. Them’s the breaks, I suppose. By the same token, you don’t partner with WalMart if you get big bucks from the AFL-CIO.
On the other hand, it’s supremely disappointing to see a large organization mess with small not-for-profits just because they belong to a coalition that happens to back gay marriage.
But, hey, it’s a free country.
* Meanwhile, Jim Lauser posted some good advice on his Facebook page…
The LGBTQ activist community views this as a fight, and they’ve approached this from a fighting stance. They’ve organized demonstrations with the word “bigot” stapled underneath every rainbow flag. They’ve hollered at their opponents through megaphones, and made sure the press had video of it. My very favorite action though, was vowing to “remember” Speaker Madigan’s inaction when it’s time for his daughter’s gubernatorial race. My God! The thought of the LGBTQ community taking Lisa Madigan hostage is SO outrageous that it reminds me of the scene from “Blazing Saddles.” You know, where the sheriff puts a gun to his own head. It worked for the sheriff, I guess.
And now, judging from the chatter in my feed, it appears that the LGBTQ activist community is preparing to double-down on their angry rhetoric. Instead of urging our community to “respectfully tell their legislators personal stories” or “appeal personally and emotionally” to them… they appear genuinely convinced that they just haven’t been yelling loudly enough, or said the word “bigot” often enough, or they haven’t twisted enough arms.
I can only urge them to reconsider their imagery. For those who view us as threatening… we’re only confirming their fears.
Sage words.
* Related…
* Interview With Rep. Greg Harris, Sponsor of Illinois’ Marriage Equality Act: “You had immense blowback from the right wing of the Republican Party, you had people starting to come to a conclusion they wanted to potentially be a vote, then you had an announcement maybe two, three weeks ago that the House Republican Leader [Tom Cross] that he might run for Attorney General, which started a scramble in that caucus that people who thought, “Oh, I can be the next House Leader,” saying, “Well how do I cobble together my majority? I need to tack way to the right to appease the Tea Partyists and the right wing people in order to get this new job.” So all kinds of things happened behind the scenes.”
* Editorial: Harris not the enemy in gay marriage fight
If a public official or candidate filed a Notification of Self-funding during an election cycle that includes a general primary election or consolidated primary election and that public official or candidate is nominated, all candidates for that office, including the nominee who filed the notification of self-funding, shall be permitted to accept contributions in excess of any contribution limit imposed by subsection (b) for the subsequent election cycle.
In other words, if Bruce Rauner or another rich guy busts the contribution cap and wins the nomination, then all caps for that particular office are off in the general.
State lawmakers last week approved legislation giving Illinoisans the ability to register to vote online.
But, in the hubbub of the annual end-of-session rush to adjourn for the summer, members of the House and Senate left town without allocating any money to pay for the proposal.
“It’s something that we’re going to have to figure out,” said Rupert Borgs-miller, director of the Illinois State Board of Elections. “We’ll have to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.”
Under legislation now awaiting Gov. Pat Quinn’s signature, the state would establish a system for applicants to register to vote through the state board of elections website by using a driver’s license and the last four digits of a Social Security number.
Says “People of Illinois can’t wait” for Springfield to fix itself.
Former White House Chief of Staff to President Obama Bill Daley filed a D-1 form today with the Illinois State Board of Elections to run for Governor, declaring in a campaign video that Illinois can’t wait for politicians in Springfield to clean up the mess they created.
Citing last month’s disastrous legislative session as a motivating factor, Daley took aim at Governor Pat Quinn for failing to bring all sides together to get things done. “Our state needed a productive legislative session, but what happened? Pension reform failed again. Marriage equality dies at the last minute. Protecting our kids from illegal guns—another joke,” said Daley, who announced on his campaign website, www.BillDaleyIllinois.com.
“We can no longer stand idly by while our pension debt bankrupts our schools and robs our children of a better future. From the stinging injustice of inequality to the painful toll of unemployment, the people of Illinois are paying a perilous price for political failure. We need solutions. We need action. We need leadership that gets things done. And the people of Illinois can’t wait,“ added Daley.
The “we can’t wait” refrain has its roots in Daley’s efforts to help President Obama break a similar logjam in Washington.
“When I was Chief of Staff to President Obama, the Republican Congress tried to grind the federal government to a halt. So we launched the ‘we can’t wait’ campaign. On issue after issue, President Obama took executive action when Congress failed to act. We need that same urgency in Illinois. We can’t wait for the legislature to get well on its own. We need a Governor that takes the field, takes command and gets things done. And for those that aspire to lead this state, now is the time to proclaim we can’t wait.”
Daley closed the video by issuing a call to voters help break the logjam in the state legislature. “If you agree with me that we can’t wait to fix the pension mess, join this campaign. If you agree with me that we can’t wait for marriage equality, join this campaign. If you agree that we can’t wait to take on the scourge of illegal guns, join this campaign. This will be a campaign of action and urgency because that’s the leadership the people of Illinois deserve. Join me and let’s get things done, “ said Daley.
A longtime banker and businessman, Daley headed the Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, served as president of SBC and later held top positions at JPMorgan Chase.
Daley said he plans to put together specific plans on top issues. But he’s already got some thoughts on what are expected to be two of the top issues of the 2014 campaign: taxes and pension reform.
On taxes, Daley said in an interview that at this point he would “absolutely not” support an extension of the 67 percent hike in the personal income tax rate jammed through a Democrat-led legislature and signed by Quinn in January 2011.
“Everybody got hit, the person who was hardly making anything or those of us who have been blessed,” Daley said. “And at some point, we’ve got to say, ‘Is this fair?’” […]
“I’m in, period,” said Daley, who noted he’s spent months considering a run for governor. “I’m totally committed, 100 percent in it.”
“He’s in, period,” Daley strategist Peter Giangreco told the Sun-Times on Tuesday. “He’s totally committed. He’s 100 percent in.”
Despite the “exploratory label” attached to the campaign for now, Daley has hired staff, has a website and a roll-out strategy in place.
For Tuesday and Wednesday, the Daley team will mainly let the video announcement speak for itself for seep into the Illinois political bloodstream; on Thursday Daley will be speaking to the media.
“The news from Springfield always seems to be bad,” Daley said in a video announcing his run in a campaign video that featured the slogan, “We can’t wait.”
* I meant to post this a while ago and didn’t get around to it. Let’s circle back. WQAD…
The Scripps National Spelling Bee wrapped up on Thursday and announced its finalists, a 13-year-old from New York placed first, and a 13-year-old from Illinois placed second.
Taking first place in the 2013 bee was Arvind Mahankali from Bayside Hills, New York. This year was his fourth time in-a-row competing. In 2010 Mahankali placed ninth and in both 2011 and 2012 he got third place.
In second was Pranav Sivakumar, an 8th grade student from Tower Lakes, Illinois. Sivakumar has been in this competition three times, tying for 27th place in 2011 and for 22nd place in 2012. In school, he enjoys science and studying space. The middle school student won Best Research Paper and Best-in-Category project in astronomy in the junior division of the Illinois Junior Academy of Science..
I finished third in my county spelling bee when I was in fifth or sixth grade.
The word I misspelled was “assessor.” I spelled it “asessor.” Why? Because I was too embarrassed to spell A-S-S in front of a live audience and on live radio.
Yeah, how times have changed. I know.
My parents were both sticklers about spelling to the point where even today I get very upset at myself for misspelling a word here or in the Fax.
* The Question: How important has spelling been in your life?
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is urging Illinois communities to consider banning assault-style weapons before new legislation is signed that could prohibit local governments from doing so in the future.
The General Assembly approved a measure last month that would end Illinois’ last-in-the-nation prohibition on the concealed carry of firearms. The legislation, prompted by a federal court ruling that found Illinois’ law unconstitutional, also prohibits future assault-weapons bans. It allows existing bans, such as one in Chicago, to remain in place.
Gov. Pat Quinn hasn’t said whether he will sign the proposal, which the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has given him until July 9 to enact. Simon said if the bill is signed into law as written, cities with so-called “home rule” decision-making authority would have just 10 days to prohibit assault-style weapons.
“We have seen the tragic results assault weapons have had on our streets, in our schools, movie theaters and more,” Simon, a Democrat from Carbondale, said in a statement to be issued Sunday. “The clock is ticking, so I encourage mayors and local officials to act now to ban assault weapons and retain local control over this important issue.” [Emphasis added.]
That 10-day limit was one of the odder results of the concealed carry compromise between the House and the Senate.
Chicago’s 3-year-old gun registry could go away as part of the concealed carry law state lawmakers recently passed, but few are publicly mourning the loss of a database once heralded as a key part of the city’s gun control laws.
The registry, put in place by then-Mayor Richard Daley after the U.S. Supreme Court tossed out Chicago’s 1982 handgun ban, required people who wanted guns in Chicago to buy city permits and register the weapons with police.
Gun rights advocates derided the registry and Chicago’s municipal permit process as ineffective in curbing gun crime and an unfair burden for law-abiding gun owners.
The numbers indicate the registry wasn’t effective. There are now about 8,650 Chicago firearms permit holders who have registered around 22,000 firearms, according to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office. That’s compared with the roughly 150,000 Chicago households the University of Chicago Crime Lab estimates currently have guns.
* Meanwhile, this gun bill kinda got lost in the shuffle of the concealed carry hooplah. From a May 31st press release by Mayor Rahm Emanuel…
“I want to thank Speaker Madigan and President Cullerton, Senator Raoul and Representative Zalewski today for their leadership in passing landmark gun legislation, HB 1189, to keep our communities safe. The new law will require verification of a Firearm Owners Identification Card for all gun sales in Illinois and will help to ensure guns do not fall into the hands of dangerous people. It will also require reporting of lost and stolen guns, similar to Chicago’s ordinance, giving our police a big advantage in tracking down illegal guns and gun traffickers.”
Provides that a private party who sells or transfers a firearm must use the State Police’s dial-up system to verify that the buyer or transferee is the holder of a valid Firearm Owners Identification (”FOID”) card before making the transfer. Provides for exceptions; sets forth record keeping requirements. Requires the State Police to develop an Internet-based system for individuals to determine the validity of a FOID card prior to sale or transfer. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the sellers and transferors of firearms who determine the validity of a FOID card prior to sale or transfer are not civilly liable for any misuse of the firearm by the buyer or transferee. Provides that the owner of a lost or stolen firearm must report the loss or theft of the firearm to law enforcement within 72 hours of discovering the loss or theft.
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons isn’t waiting to see when, or if, Gov. Pat Quinn signs legislation allowing the carrying of firearms in public.
Gibbons announced Thursday that, effective immediately, people can begin carrying concealed weapons on their person or in their vehicle while in Madison County, so long as they meet a few requirements. […]
Gibbons said a person now will be allowed to carry a weapon in public in Madison County as long as he or she meets these seven requirements:
* The person must possess a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card. If not an Illinois resident, the person must have a concealed-carry permit, which requires a background check, issued from his or her home state.
* The person must be carrying the firearm for self-defense.
* The person must not be prohibited from possessing a firearm under any court order or statute.
* The firearm must be concealed on the person or in a vehicle, not visible to the public.
* The person must not be engaged in criminal conduct.
* The person must be in compliance with all other federal, state and local laws.
* When asked, the person must inform police officers that he or she is carrying a gun.
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons became an overnight folk hero to many people last week when he approved concealed carry in the county, effective immediately.
We appreciate his frustration with the state, which is taking its sweet time to comply with a federal court order allowing concealed carry. Still, we think Gibbons’ action complicates things more than it helps.
The rules he proposed are more lax than the bill awaiting the signature of Gov. Pat Quinn. How is that going to work when the state law eventually does go into effect?
And if a State Police trooper stops a motorist on Illinois 159 who is carrying a gun, the state said he will be arrested. The officer is not going to accept the explanation, “Gibbons said it was OK.”
Telling people they can carry a gun in Madison County is like telling a kid he can ride his bike in the cul-de-sac. It sounds great at first, but it’s extremely limiting.
“We are a nation of laws, and we should follow the law and not pick and choose which ones we’re going to follow,” said Chuck Garnati, who’s in his eighth four-year term as the top prosecutor in southern Illinois’ Williamson County. “I commend the Legislature for passing the conceal law and sending it to Gov. Quinn. But until he signs it, it’s not the law in Illinois. That’s the bottom line.” […]
While the 7th Circuit’s nullifying Illinois’ ban may have spurred confusion, “that does not by any authority I’m familiar with allow state’s attorneys to interpret the law or fashion their own version when we don’t know what the law will be,” said Jon Barnard, top prosecutor in Adams County in western Illinois.
“State’s attorneys are not legislators, and I think the most prudent course is to treat the law the way it is now — enforceable,” Barnard said.
Law enforcement groups agreed. The Illinois State Police, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association said in a “public safety advisory” after Gibbons’ declaration Thursday that authorities “will continue to enforce Illinois’ current unlawful use of a weapon statute in all jurisdictions.”
* This proposed compromise was rejected by business groups and the Tribune and Sun-
Times editorial boards several weeks ago, but it is not a bad idea at all and should be revisited…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is asking lawmakers to approve both rival plans on how to solve the state’s nearly $100 billion pension crisis. But it’s unclear if legislative leaders will agree. […]
Quinn proposes that lawmakers vote on a bill that combines the two proposals at a June 19 special session. Madigan’s plan would be the primary plan and Cullerton’s would serve as a “back-up” in case Madigan’s is rejected by the courts.
Madigan expressed concerns Monday that the Quinn proposal would be too complicated.
It wouldn’t be too complicated, Madigan just doesn’t want to compromise yet.
“This is like a lot of things in the legislature,” Madigan said. “You can make it complicated if you wish, or you can keep it simple. Let me say it again: The best pension bill that passed so far, and the one that does the most cost savings is the House bill, and that’s in the Senate. And the governor ought to work to get that passed.” […]
Senate President John Cullerton said Quinn has asked him to re-introduce legislation that would combine two differing approaches, the idea being if one portion of the legislation is thrown out by the court the rest of the measure would stand.
One portion of the proposal would push back retirement dates, ask employees to pay more for benefits and scale back annual cost of living increases. The other portion would allow workers and retirees to keep their health care and receive reduced benfits, or keep their current pension plan but give up health care. The measure would not go into effect for another year, meaning it would only need a simple majority to pass instead of three-fifths support.
Cullerton said it was unclear if his new proposal would have the votes needed to pass the Senate. Even if it did, Madigan made no promise to call the measure before the House.
Cullerton acknowledged there was not an agreed way forward, but said “we’re going to proceed anyway.”
Gov. Pat Quinn is naming a Cook County Democratic politician and contributor to a $25,000-a-year Chicago Transit Authority Board post.
Frank Zuccarelli was named Friday as a representative of suburban metropolitan Chicago. He replaces John Bourman.
The appointment requires Senate approval.
The South Holland resident has been the elected supervisor of Thornton Township since 1993. He also was elected to the South Suburban College Board of Trustees in 1978 and has served as its chairman since 1987.
* Thornton Township turns out huge numbers in the Democratic primary. And Zuccarelli goes with his friends, particularly those who earmark $41.6 million for a college he controls…
South Suburban College board Chairman Frank Zuccarelli said such a commitment is why he considers Quinn to be an asset to the community college, and why the school on Sunday presented Quinn with an honorary degree following his commencement speech.
“He doesn’t always say ‘yes,’ but he gives it to us straight,” Zuccarelli said of Quinn. “That is why he will have our support in the future.”
Vowing to ensure there will be “no shenanigans” with a state charter-school grant, Gov. Pat Quinn on Saturday defended his decision to restore funding to the politically influential United Neighborhood Organization.
Quinn had cut off UNO’s $98 million grant six weeks ago, after the Chicago Sun-Times reported $8.5 million in taxpayer money given to UNO went to companies owned by two brothers of the group’s No. 2 executive. But a day after his aides said the grant suspension will be lifted, Quinn said his about-face doesn’t mean he condones the money going to UNO insiders. […]
Juan Rangel, UNO’s chief executive officer, has apologized for the scandal and announced the appointment of new directors for the Hispanic community group and its 13-school charter network. Quinn’s decision to give UNO another chance came after Ald. Edward Burke (14th) — a major Quinn campaign donor — backed Rangel and urged the governor to restore the state funding.
Cook County Commissioner Jesus Garcia (D-Chicago) said Quinn shouldn’t have done that unless Rangel resigned or was removed from his $250,000-a-year post.
Commissioner Garcia is a longtime antagonist of Rangel and the old HDO, who ousted him from the Illinois Senate.
“Well as you now, I’m seriously considering running for governor, but at the same time, I’m also full time the attorney general of the state of Illinois and there’s a lot of work to be done,” said Madigan after being awarded an honorary degree at the Knox College commencement ceremony.
During her brief remarks on the subject, the longest-tenured female attorney general in the country sounded very much like a candidate for higher office, rattling off a string of accomplishments from the past 12 months.
“I’m very proud of the fact over the past year, we brought in over $1.1 billion to the state in collections. In addition, we were also able in the past year to bring in over $1.8 billion of relief to homeowners in the state. So there’s a lot of very important work going on at the office. That is the first and foremost priority,” she said.
* On the other side, Bruce Rauner is running a new Web ad on conservative sites like Fox and Drudge…
The deputy director for the Illinois Department of Corrections’ southern district has resigned following investigations of sexual harassment.
Ty J. Bates, who had been a deputy director since 2011, resigned Friday, according to Illinois Department of Corrections spokesman Tom Shaer.
Shaer said Bates was at the center of two recent investigations. He declined to release details, saying internal personnel matters aren’t discussed publicly.
The results of the investigations showed that Bates violated corrections sexual harassment policies related to communications, but it wasn’t enough to pursue legal charges. Bates resigned after his disciplinary action, which included suspension and employee training, was announced.
In late 2012, then state Sen. John O. Jones called for Bates’ resignation after a 2007 investigation was publicized that found Bates, who was then an assistant warden at Centralia Correctional Center, had violated agency policies regarding sexual harassment and discrimination regarding a female corrections officer. The investigation also found Bates lied to investigators, who recommended discipline for Bates up to and including dismissal.
Rather than being dismissed, however, Bates was promoted to warden at Big Muddy Correctional Center and 10 months later was promoted to deputy director of IDOC’s southern region. It was in his capacity as deputy director that Bates encountered the female corrections officer to whom he sent the April text messages that among other things asked to see the results of the woman’s breast augmentation surgery.
Bates is being replaced by Shannis Stock who has been named IDOC Acting Deputy Director, Southern Region. Stock has been Warden at Southwestern Illinois C.C. since 2011, and as Acting Deputy Director, she will oversee all IDOC facilities in the Southern Region and will report directly to Director Godinez.
* From the Illinois Department of Corrections…
Not only was a thorough investigation immediately conducted by the Illinois Department of Corrections Chief Affirmative Action Officer, but Illinois Department of Corrections Director S.A. “Tony” Godinez also ordered the Department’s Chief of Investigations and Intelligence to fully investigate the allegations against Deputy Director Ty Bates.
Upon completion of both investigations, it was determined that Deputy Director Bates’ communications had violated IDOC policies and, while not rising to the level of legal sexual harassment, they did meet the Department’s definition of such harassment. Accordingly, appropriate discipline has been imposed on Deputy Director Bates, including suspension and again completing mandatory employee training. Also, he has verified the re-reading of IDOC policies on future communication with the complainant regarding this topic. Further action is being considered.
“We have zero tolerance for any violation of our policies and are committed to strict enforcement of them,” said Director Godinez. “No one is exempt, whether they are in management or not. Proper conduct in the workplace and toward fellow employees and, really, everyone we encounter is of tremendous importance to this department and to my team. We have taken appropriate action here, as we should.”
* The release was also accompanied by this statement from the IDOC spokesman…
In Sending you this release, I’m also saying (as Tom Shaer) on the record:
1.) “I confirm Ty Bates’ resignation as IDOC Deputy Director, Southern Region”
2.) “ALL actions taken since the IDOC began two thorough investigations nearly two months ago were taken only because they were the right by and for all involved. Nothing –nothing- was due to anything said by anyone or what happened elsewhere.”
3.) “We didn’t discuss internal personnel matters publicly but the investigations proceeded unimpeded. That was as instructed by IDOC Director Godinez, who, as you know, reports to Governor Quinn.”
There’s more than enough blame to go around regarding the failure of the gay marriage bill during the final days of the General Assembly’s spring session, which ended May 31st.
Gov. Pat Quinn knew that African-American House members were reluctant to support the bill, mainly because of pressure from their churches. So, why did he pick a nasty fight with the Black Caucus over Medicaid? Quinn was offering projects to Republican legislators to entice them to flip, but Quinn couldn’t find a few million Medicaid dollars to help poor people get wheelchairs and preventative dental care? That late session fight over Medicaid spending was counterproductive. Instead of using the disagreement to his advantage, Quinn dug in his heels and so did the Black Caucus, which also initially refused to support a gay rights measure several years ago after being cut out of a gaming expansion bill.
Senate President John Cullerton said he didn’t regret passing the gay marriage bill out of his chamber in mid-February, before the House votes were lined up. Back then, the House roll call was reportedly in the 40s (60 votes needed to pass). Usually, proponents try to wire these things so they pass both chambers quickly. Cullerton said he feared opponents would begin gearing up and believed the bill needed to be passed as quickly as possible. But passing that bill without first making sure the House was ready to deal with it energized opponents and gave them time to organize.
Proponents say the House roll call moved into the 50s by March. But instead of working it hard at that point, House Speaker Michael Madigan appeared to put off a vote. Madigan did the same with several other bills this spring, including the fracking proposal. The idea was to wait on stuff that looked like it could pass easily and get the truly hard stuff done first, like the budget, pension reform and concealed carry. Those bills absolutely had to be passed, so giving out goodies to his various factions early in the game would, the theory went, reduce the willingness of proponent legislators to work on the tough stuff. But, the opposition geared up and by the time Madigan revisited the issue in late May, the roll call was already sliding backwards. By May 29th, when a majority of the Black Caucus decided it wanted to wait until November to vote on the bill, the roll call reportedly fell to just 52 “Yes” votes. It couldn’t be salvaged. Madigan’s strategy failed.
The proponents themselves need to reexamine their entire, failed strategy. They pushed for an early Senate vote, then didn’t adequately respond to the growing opposition from black churches. The response playbook was written almost a quarter century ago. During the 1990 gubernatorial race, Republican Jim Edgar targeted black church leaders, believing he could hold down the black Democratic vote that way. It worked. Big companies like ComEd and Illinois Bell saw how effective Edgar was and began using black churches to make their legislative cases. Their Statehouse influence took off like a rocket.
ComEd and Illinois Bell also began hiring black lobbyists at about the same time. There weren’t many back then, so hiring those folks gave them a huge advantage with African-American legislators. The gay marriage proponents had just one black lobbyist on their payroll, and he’s affiliated with the Senate. They didn’t bother to hire any House-affiliated black lobbyists until the afternoon of May 30th, when it was way too late. An inexcusable blunder.
Some proponents have slammed the bill’s House sponsor for not calling a floor vote. But that’s simply ludicrous. Big bills like this tend to fail badly if they don’t zoom up to 60 on the tally board. The final total would’ve almost surely been in the low 40s, meaning it would’ve died in its tracks. It also could’ve exposed a few “hidden” votes. Either that, or those secret proponents would’ve had to vote against the bill, making it that much harder to turn them around the next time.
As mentioned above, the House Black Caucus wants to wait until November for a vote, but November is near the end of House candidate filing season. A November vote means many already nervous legislators might guarantee themselves primary opposition. So, if it doesn’t pass this summer in a special session, it’ll probably have to wait until after the 2014 primary.
* Meanwhile, Think Progress has a piece that puts the issue into a bit of perspective…
Like Illinois, legislative efforts to pass marriage equality stumbled in Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York — either failing to obtain a majority or by through postponed consideration. Future attempts to enact legislation later succeeded in three of those states, while the New Jersey legislature’s passage of a bill was met with a Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) veto. As Illinois supporters work to win passage of the bill later this year, ThinkProgress reached out to key players in each of those states and asked them about their experiences.
Three common themes emerged in their responses. Several said Illinois supporters need to make sure they have an accurate target list and focus on the lawmakers who need persuading. Constituents, they suggested, must respectfully tell their personal stories to their legislators and make their representatives understand why this issue matters to their families. Finally, the openly LGBT caucus within the legislature must appeal personally and emotionally to their colleagues, especially those who may not be as attuned to the topic.
Maryland
Perhaps the most analogous case was Maryland’s unsuccessful 2011 attempt to pass a civil marriage bill through the state House of Delegates. Though advocates believed they had the needed votes to pass the bill, they were forced to postpone the vote after some pledged supporters wavered. Unlike Illinois, supporters went through with the debate — hoping their compelling personal stories might sway the handful of votes needed for a majority — before sending the bill back to committee after it became apparent the votes would not be there. Advocates, including Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), the state’s seven openly LGBT Delegates, and LGBT groups, organized a new campaign and successfully pushed the bill through less than a year later. When opponents forced the question onto the November ballot, a majority voted for marriage equality.
Openly lesbian Maryland Del. Heather Mizeur (D) noted that about 10 supporters were willing to be a part of a 71-vote majority but would have voted against the bill if it appeared likely to lose. “It would not have been okay to lose by 12 votes and try to come back the next year to win those back. We wanted to hold onto their willingness to be yes on a winning vote, instead of locking them into a no vote because they saw it was going down,” she recalled. [Emphasis added.]
Notice the emphasized text. Gov. Quinn’s oft-stated demand that a vote should be held regardless was just plain silly.
* Related…
* Lisa Madigan predicts gay marriage “one day” will be legal in Illinois: “As you know it passed out of the Senate, but they never had enough votes to call it for a vote in the House. I’ve spent a lot of time lobbying a lot of members of the Legislature on that bill in addition to writing an op-ed and speaking out in favor of gay marriage as well as intervening in the two court challenges that are happening both at the federal level and here at the state level,” she said following commencement ceremonies at Knox College Saturday.
* I don’t wanna be paranoid and suggest the Tribune editorial board is talking about some of y’all today, but I certainly don’t disagree with its observation about Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner…
Rauner strikes fear, and thus anger, among public employees and others who benefit from gridlock: Mention his name on a political blog and watch foaming commenters scurry to denounce his call for dramatic changes to public pensions.
* But public workers aren’t the only people who are skeptical of Rauner. Former Gov. Jim Edgar…
Of Rauner, Edgar said: “We don’t know a lot about him,” adding that transitioning from business to government is a challenge.
“It doesn’t do any good to elect a governor if they can’t make the state a better place,” he said.
