State Rep. Sandy Cole has shut down her longtime legislative office in Grayslake, claiming the state is behind on rent payments.
“My old landlord wants someone who will sign a one-year lease and pay monthly, (on) the first of the month,” the Grayslake Republican said in an explanatory e-mail. “He is just a small business guy who owns one building that he has built out himself.”
Now that she’s out of the office at 137 Center St. - space she’s rented since being elected to the legislature in 2006 - Cole said she’ll be working from home for about a week. A new legislative office is being set up at 34121 N. Route 45 in Grayslake, Cole said.
I’m sure there are some state legislators out in Comment land that can tell a similar story.
I spoke to Cole this afternoon. She said she has already moved into the new location. The phone number has not changed.
Gen. Wesley Clark (retired) is campaigning for Giannoulias and using his well-recognized experience in the military to knock Mark Kirk for the embellishments of his…
“[The exagerations] are a factor in this race,” Clark said, standing in front of two electric cars at a Chargepoint electric vehicle charging station at the front of the Millenium Park parking garage.
And even though he has a four-star general on his campaign trail, Giannoulias still came out with proposed spending cuts in national defense…
The Democrat says investment in education is the way to a more secure economy and country
GIANNOULIAS: We can still have the best security in the world without wasting money and breaking our budgets.
Cutting defense spending is part of the budget plan the state Treasurer outlined on his campaign Web site. Among his proposals, the young Democrat supports giving the President line-item veto powers, treating “all income equally” (which to me means a flat income tax rate), placing additional restrictions on health insurance companies and implementing recommendations made by the Payment advisory Board.
As Greg Hinz said in his blog yesterday about the proposal, the proposal seems to mix “Democratic populism and a smattering of Tea Party fiscal conservatism.”
The Giannoulias camp also used the same Web page carrying the proposal to attack Kirk for helping “George W. Bush turn a historic budget surplus and flourishing economy into record-breaking debt and a devastating recession.”
While many believe the midterm elections for Congress could be a referendum on the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama, Giannoulias is trying to keep the focus on a series of Kirk tax-cut and budget votes supporting the prior administration of Republican George W. Bush.
“It is a simple truth that under the previous administration, even when times were good and we were experiencing strong business growth, the national debt more than doubled,” Giannoulias said in his appearance before the Rotary Club of Chicago. “More was added to the national debt under those eight years than in all the previous administrations in the history of this country. That’s from President George Washington to Bill Clinton combined. And my opponent voted for every one of those debt-doubling budgets.”
“Taking fiscal advice from the guy whose bank collapsed and cost the FDIC $394 million is akin to taking advice from Rod Blagojevich on ethics. As the state teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, the people of Illinois don’t need a lecture on fiscal restraint by the state’s treasurer.”
Just today, Kirk challenged Giannoulias to name five times he would not have voted along with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. I’ve put in a call to Giannoulias’ people to see if they intend to respond.
Meanwhile, Dick Durbin said yesterday the Giannoulias campaign would not be able to match the $3.4 million promised to Kirk by the National Republican Senatorial Committee…
“The amount of money being spent by the Republican side (this campaign cycle) is overwhelming,” Mr. Durbin said, with the Rs lately out-walleting the Ds “five or six to one.”
For instance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has promised to drop $75 million this year nationally, nearly four times what it spent in 2008, Mr. Durbin said. And all that spending “is just beginning.”
It is far from certain that the GOP will get its money’s worth, Mr. Durbin quickly added. After a certain point, “voters think it’s just too much.”
Giannoulias is expected to need upwards of $4 million to maintain a statewide TV ad campaign in the final month of the race. But much of that money won’t be coming from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.).
[While in Peoria,] Kirk spoke about the importance of opening new markets to expand American exports, lowering taxes and promoting policies that support Illinois.
Today Independent candidate for Assessor Forrest Claypool was endorsed by Congresswoman Janice Schakowky of the 9th Congressional District. Schakowsky becomes the third Democratic member of Congress from Illinois to back Claypool’s bid.[…]
Schakowsky was joined by several other elected officials who broke ranks to support Claypool’s Independent bid including Assessor Jim Houlihan, Commissioner Larry Suffredin, Senator Jeff Schoenberg, Senator Heather Steans, Alderman Robert Fioretti, Alderman Joe Moore, Alderman Gene Schulter, Alderwoman Mary Ann Smith, Representative Robyn Gabel, Representative Harry Osterman, Committeeman Michele Smith, the 43rd Ward Democrats, and former Senator Carol Ronen.
Happy Labor Day, Mr. Claypool.
End update.
A few of you e-mailed me this morning about Chicago magazine’s article on Cook County Assessor candidate Joe Berrios.
Because I am a born and raised downstate Illinois boy and am not as versed in Cook County politics as I should be, I am probably not the best person to talk about the article. Plus, Rich really went into the magazine not long ago for the way it spread out its content on Mark Kirk and his ex-wife for two days as you may remember. Those thoughts in mind, let’s turn this post into a discussion thread. Read the article. Tell us what you think. Let’s have the Big Dog share his wisdom, if he so chooses, next week.
p.s. - Please keep your comments professional. I may be the intern, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to use the infamous Capitol Fax banishment hammer of death…
Bill Brady has long talked about creating a tax incentive for job creation, but reporters got something new out of the Bloomington Republican yesterday…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady gave some details on Tuesday about his plan to create more jobs and acknowledged that parts of his plan would add as much as $1 billion to the state’s $13 billion budget deficit.
Brady, who also announced a two-year $3,750 tax credit for each new job created by a business, pledged to make cuts to offset the lost revenues from eliminating the sales tax on gasoline, cutting fees and eliminating a gap between the state and federal estate taxes.
“I’ll have to cut $1 billion for those tax cuts until they replenish themselves,” Brady told reporters while visiting Prime Panels, a business on Springfield’s north end. “By bringing jobs back and creating a fabric and an environment for that, revenues will grow once again.”
Brady had previously proposed a $2,100 credit, but Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn criticized that because it was lower than a $2,500 small-business tax credit he had already signed into law.
Brady has said his plan is better because it includes businesses of all sizes.
During a stop in Springfield, Quinn attacked Brady for decreasing state revenue while the state’s fiscal status remains less than good (I need to find a new way to say, “We’re broke,”). This time he latched onto Brady’s proposal to do-away with the gasoline tax…
“How’s he going to pay for education, health care public safety and helping our veterans?” Quinn told reporters.
Quinn, a Democrat, rebuked the Bloomington Republican’s reluctance to release specific state budget plans until after the election.
While we’re on the Brady thread, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will be in Illinois in the coming weeks stomping on Brady’s behalf…
It appears as though Huckabee’s travel this month is aimed at the perception within the political chattering class that his appeal is generally limited to the south and to social conservatives. The more Huckabee can show his effectiveness as a surrogate in races across the country, the easier it is for him to make the case that he could be the party’s standard-bearer against President Obama in 2012.
Something seems just a little odd to me with this announcement…
Gov. Pat Quinn has proclaimed Sept. 13 through Sept. 17 as Chamber of Commerce Week throughout Illinois.[…]
In his proclamation, the governor declared “chambers of commerce have contributed to the civic and economic life in Illinois for 172 years, since the Galena Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1838. Chambers of commerce encourage the growth of existing industries, services and commercial firms and encourage new businesses and individuals to locate in Illinois.”
Maybe it’s nothing, but it comes across as Quinn trying to pick at Brady’s base. Brady is the candidate touting business and jobs. It’s what earned him the Illinois Chamber of Commerce’s nod. I guess we’ll see where this goes.
Attorneys for the governor, a Republican, cited the court’s June decision in the case of former Enron Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey K. Skilling, which narrowed a fraud statute involving so-called deprivation of honest services because it was unconstitutionally vague.[…]
Arguing that Ryan poses no risk of flight, his lawyers asked the judge to grant bail while she considers the underlying request on the convictions. He has been in federal prison since November 2007 and is currently at a facility in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The “honest services” card was also used in Conrad Black’s case. Maybe it has legs?
The Supreme Court’s decision earlier this summer to narrow the scope of a federal law often used by prosecutors to target fraud has led to a string of dropped charges and new trials in “honest services” cases that will likely keep area white-collar practices busy.
The court in Skilling v. United States ruled that a provision in a 1988 federal wiretap statute that criminalizes any scheme to “deprive another of the intangible right of honest services” was unconstitutionally vague. Rather than strike down the law, the justices redefined it as applying to cases involving bribes and kickbacks and sent the three honest-services appeals it considered back to lower courts. Now, others convicted of honest-services fraud and those still awaiting trial are asking courts to reconsider their cases.
“You’re going to see a flurry of people trying to reopen their cases,” said Amy R. Sabrin, a partner in Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom’s Washington office.
Related…
* Former Gov. George Ryan Asks Court to Invalidate Conviction on Basis of ‘Honest Services’ Decision
* Report: Blago bro treats legal crew to victory meal
The Lake County News-Sun launched into a bill Gov. Quinn took his AV powers to that would give plaintiffs in foreclosure cases the ability to chose private companies to handle legal proceedings instead of local governments.
Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, noting that his office will receive almost $2 million in revenue from the foreclosure sales this year, alerted the Illinois Sheriffs Association to the bill, and that group is now lobbying against it.
Meanwhile, Lake County officials are preparing to work with the county’s legislative delegation in an attempt to kill the foreclosure changes in the Legislature’s fall veto session.
“We’re very concerned about it,” County Administrator Barry Burton said Monday.
Burton said that under the current system, foreclosure sales, which occur after a judge has decided a property is to be foreclosed, take place at the Sheriff’s Office.
There are certain things government does better than private enterprise. Turning raw recruits into military men and women, is one. Another is dealing with foreclosures. Gov. Pat Quinn has snatched the way Lake County and most of the state’s other 102 counties, handle foreclosures, and returned the process to the private sector. That will cost Lake County nearly $2 million in annual revenue. We don’t expect the governor’s red-ink budget to make up the difference.
Meanwhile, the Daily Herald brought-up the state’s struggling pension system in an editorial today. Though they reignited the torch on Quinn for changing his mind on furlough days, the piece takes a turn…
Without finding a way to reduce pension costs, Illinois has little hope of getting state finances under control.
If you think the $13 billion Illinois deficit is stunning, take a look at this billion-with-a-b number: $80 billion, the amount Illinois owes its pension funds for benefits promised to future retirees.
It’s time to bring state retirement benefits down to earth. Changes enacted in April for future employees are a good start, but won’t bring substantial savings until those employees retire decades from now. Among those changes: higher retirement ages, caps on salary amounts eligible for benefits, less generous cost-of-living increases.
While Chicago’s one-month price gain was greater than that measured in many of the 20 cities in the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index, national economic trends are likely to temper future home price appreciation, economists said.
* Hewitt salary survey shows Chicago workers could see pay bump 2.8%
That projected average raise was determined by a recent survey from compensation consultancy Hewitt Associates Inc. The same companies gave average 2.6% raises this year, according to Hewitt.
That’s more than the national average of 2.4% — but less than what domestic companies across the nation had planned to give, the Lincolnshire-based Hewitt said. It’s a sign that U.S. employers are still keeping a tight grip on compensation because they may believe the economy has yet to turn around.
* Daley defends Weis: ‘We’ll negotiate with anyone to have peace’
“If you can save one life, you’ll sit down with anyone. If it saves your child’s life, you would want me to sit down.”
Under questioning, Daley made it a point to say that Weis did not ask his permission before summoning gang leaders to the Garfield Park Conservatory for what they thought was a routine parole meeting.
“He doesn’t have to. This is not grammar school, “ the mayor said.
Daley wasn’t the only one rising to Weis’ defense. So were African-American aldermen whose wards have turned into killing fields.
Anthony Carter, 18, was hanging out near his home shortly after midnight in the 4000 block of West Jackson in Garfield Park. He was talking with a group of people shortly after midnight when a gunman emerged from a vacant lot and opened fire, shooting Carter multiple times, Harrison District police said.
Carter’s family said they did not know why he was shot. They said the young man was not involved with gangs. Police said there was no evidence of drugs being involved, but that the motive remained under investigation.
[Darrell] McKinney, who was about to start his sophomore year at Orr Academy High School, was fatally shot at the Humboldt Park party Saturday night. He was the unintended target of gunfire.
The shooting happened when Gresham District tactical officers were conducting a search warrant for weapons for a known gang member about 12:20 a.m. in the 7700 block of South Hoyne Avenue, Supt. Jody Weis said at a news conference outside Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
Patrick McKenzie is the second police officer to score a merit promotion after a stint as the superintendent’s driver. The first was Floyd Goldsmith, who spent three months driving Weis around town.
“This is a demonstration of how merit promotions are not what they should be. We have politics playing a role in the performance of promotions. There are so many flaws in that system, it has to be re-made,” said Ald. Willie Cochran (20th) a former Chicago Police officer.
The Chicago-based exchange said in a news release that it plans to charge $1,000 for a permit that allows holders to submit orders to the new exchange, called C2, and $5,000 for a permit that allows holders to both stream quotes and submit orders.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Monday filed and settled charges against John Lee Neuman of Naperville, a member of the CBOT from May 1993 until February 2008.
The policing costs are contained in an internal document prepared by the Mayor’s Office of Special Events and obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.
It shows that as many as 293 police officers a day provided security for Taste of Chicago 2009 at a daily cost of up to $111,572. Similar costs were incurred for nine days: June 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 and July 1, 2, 4 and 5 for a grand total of $873,533.
That was nothing compared to the cost of policing the July 3rd fireworks extravaganza that typically drew more than 1.2 million people to Grant Park before it bit the dust.
District 162 Supt. Blondean Davis told me it was simply good fortune that created a job opening for Martin.
The district’s kindergarten enrollment had dropped to about 60 this fall from 144 the previous school year, which caused Davis to cut Martin’s position. But after the news conference, there was suddenly a surge to an enrollment of 90, creating the need for a new kindergarten teacher, Davis said.
The way school funding works in Illinois, school districts get reimbursed from the state for every pupil enrolled, so Davis now had money to rehire a teacher. Davis said she was happy to rehire a “remarkably talented” teacher in Martin.
As for Shannon Lewis, Supt. Robin Lewis said several teachers who were expected to return this year suddenly decided they weren’t coming back. So she was able to rehire her daughter.
* Evanston won’t press condo owner for $635 tax bill
* More mosquitoes with West Nile found in Aurora, Montgomery
Kane County Board Chairwoman Karen McConnaughay placed the burden of balancing the 2011 budget squarely on the shoulders of board members Tuesday night.
The charge came during what was supposed to be the county board’s last of three special committee of the whole meetings, each set up to dissect elected officials’ budget proposals for the coming fiscal year.
The goal of the meetings is to make it easier for the board to pass a balanced county budget in October.
The bad news is the same as it has been — reduced revenue and late tax payments from the state are conspiring to put the county in a deficit that could be almost $2 million by the end of the 2011 budget year.
But there’s also good news — the projected deficit stands at $1.8 million to $1.9 million — less than the $2.6 million projected just a few months ago.
* Illinois Clean Coal Project Sputters, Gets Back on Track
“The Alliance is pleased that DOE and Sen. Durbin have been able to preserve the $1 billion in funding for advancing clean coal technologies and the associated jobs,” said Steve Winberg, chairman of the FutureGen Alliance, a coalition of energy companies. “We look forward to working with them and our new partners in making FutureGen 2.0 a success.”
Today’s question is inspired by the latest push by a coalition at the University of Hawaii to win the Obama Presidential Library…
A Hawaii delegation is to leave Sunday for Washington to meet with the head of the presidential library division of the National Archives. The group will also travel to Little Rock, Ark., to meet with the director of the Clinton Presidential Center and the Clinton Foundation.
Question: If Illinois is chosen to be home of the Obama Library, what would be the most appropriate location? Please be more specific than “Chicago” or “Springfield.”
Illinois will have to spend at least $500 million more in interest, according to a report released by the Civic Federation earlier this week.
Moody’s Investors Service downgraded the state’s bond rating in June to A1 shortly after the Legislature broke for the summer. It has been said that their inability to pass the pension borrowing bill, which passed the House but could not make it out of the Senate, was one of the driving forces behind the downgrade.
It shouldn’t be earth shattering news. I seem to recall the Civic Federation, as well as other budget think-tanks, talking about the state’s bond rating this spring during the Senate Appropriation II Committee meetings.
Since September 2009, the state has borrowed $9.6 billion, which is the second-largest borrowing spree in state history. The most borrowed during any 12-month period in Illinois history came under ousted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who signed off on a $10 billion borrowing plan in 2003 to shore up the state’s underfunded retirement systems […]
Because of the way the $9.6 billion is spread over three decades, the state won’t pay all $551.3 million in one year. But $72.9 million will have to be paid in 2011, while $301.2 million of the overall amount will have to be paid over the next five years, the group said.
So as if the budget crisis was not enough of an issue for candidates this year, imagine what it will be in the next 2014 election if things stay the way they are.
Had Illinois maintained its prior AA bond rating, the state would have paid only about $2.7 billion in interest charges over the life of the $9.6 billion in bonds it sold in the year ended July 1, the Civic Federation said. […]
While Illinois’ interest costs are lower today than they were when the state had an AA rating in 2008, that’s only because the recession has driven down the cost of credit for everyone, the federation said. The state still is paying a half-billion dollars more than it likely would have had it kept its rating.
John Sinsheimer, Illinois’ director of capital markets, said the state’s costs remain attractive because interest rates are at historically low levels and because the federal government will pay 35 percent of the state’s interest on Build America Bonds, the taxable bonds the state is using to fund its capital program.
The costs of borrowing should be weighed against the benefits of the projects that are being funded, he said, adding that more than half the long-term debt issued in the last year will pay for improvements to schools, bridges and transportation systems.
Meanwhile, the Civic Federation also reported this week that the state is receiving timely payments from the federal government through the Build America Bonds program. However…
However, some payments have been withheld by the Internal Revenue Service to offset payroll taxes owed to the federal government by some BAB issuers. Although none of its BAB payments have been withheld yet, Illinois could face similar action if the state has trouble repaying $2.2 billion it has borrowed from the federal government to fund unemployment benefits. The State is depending on hundreds of millions in BAB subsidies to support debt service payments on $3.2 billion in capital bonds sold in the past year.
…Adding…The Tribune editorial board wrote about the federation’s report yesterday…
What would 551,300,000 dollar bills look like? Well, if we have our math straight, they would stack 37.4 miles high, give or take more raises for Gov. Pat Quinn’s staff. And that stack would weigh 607.5 tons. By contrast, the 177-member legislature tips the scale at only about 20 tons — if you don’t count the crushing weight of the Blagojevich scandal on all his Statehouse enablers.
As Rich told you all last week, he is taking a much needed vacation until Labor Day. Unfortunately for you, that means the interns are in charge.
:)
Because I am supposed to be a student again, I’m going to get most of the posts going in the morning before class. If you would like to get in touch with me, please feel free to hit me up via e-mail: barton.lorimor@gmail.com
* I’m going on vacation until after Labor Day. My interns Barton and Dan may pick up the slack next week, but we’re still talking about it. Check back Monday.
* I have worked out an arrangement with WBEZ to give my blog readers an exclusive advance listen to the station’s new weekly political program: “Best Game in Town,” hosted by Steve Edwards. From producer Justin Kaufmann…
This episode: We talk with pundits, analysts and reporters about the week in Illinois politics.
WBEZ’s Sam Hudzik gives us background on the resignation of Governor Pat Quinn’s Chief of Staff Jerry Stermer. Capitol Fax Editor Rich Miller likens the race for Illinois governor to the 1980 presidential race between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. And we talk with Laura Washington, Scott McPherson and Michael Bauer about this week’s political news.
“Best Game in Town” will cover Chicago politics from the Statehouse to the White House with lively analysis, insightful interviews and in-depth feature reports. The name is nod to the colorful world of Chicago politics – and comes from Cheryl Corley’s weekly political show in the early 90’s on WBEZ of the same name. (We’re resurrecting the title). The Best Game in Town is tentatively scheduled to air Fridays on WBEZ and as an extended weekly podcast via iTunes. The show is hosted by Steve Edwards and produced by Justin Kaufmann.
* The unintended consequences of the federal judicial ruling forcing a special US Senate election on election day continue to pile up…
POLITICO has learned the National Republican Senatorial Committee has dedicated $3.4 million in coordinated funds to Kirk’s campaign against Democrat Alexi Giannoulias.
The national party committees can spend up to $1.7 million in coordinated funds in Illinois, according to federal election rules. However, the NRSC, according to a source close to the committee, will take advantage of a recent court-ordered special election that effectively doubles the total allowable amount that candidates can fundraise – and committees can spend in coordination with candidates.
The funds will surely be welcome: The Illinois race is expensive and very competitive. A Kirk spokesman, Kirsten Kukowski, confirmed the campaign would get the maximum funds and said, “We are grateful for the NRSC’s strong support for Congressman Kirk.”
Kirk is already ahead of the money chase in the race. At the end of June, Kirk reported having $3.9 million in the bank; meanwhile, Giannoulias reported just over $1 million cash on hand.
* Even if the Constitution Party candidates don’t make it onto the ballot, Kirk will still have to worry some about the Libertarians eating into his base…
The nominating petitions for the Libertarian and Constitution parties both faced objections, and were both reviewed by election officials. In the end, the Libertarians were found to have collected enough signatures to get on the ballot, but candidates from the Constitution Party appear to have fallen short.
The Illinois Republican Party acknowledges it is paying the attorney who led the challenges, though its chairman, Pat Brady, denies the GOP is targeting conservative candidates out of fear they’d steal away votes from his party.
BRADY: Anybody on the ballot poses a threat to the Republican ticket. That’s why we’re running hard and we’re going to continue to run hard. So I don’t think we’ve diced it out to say that one threatens more than the other.
The Illinois Republican Party worked so hard to keep the Constitution people off the ballot for a reason. Bill Brady’s base is fine. Kirk’s isn’t as secure. If the race is close, it could make a difference. Then again, if Quinn continues to tank he’ll likely take Giannoulias down with him. Not to mention all that money that Kirk and the nationals are planning to spend.
* Yesterday, our commenter P. Symth pointed out the gigantic flaw in Gov. Pat Quinn’s announcement that he wants to use the income tax increase to force local school boards to lower property taxes…
This shows he doesn’t know anything about the State money going to the schools. The schools in the highest taxing districts do not qualify for state money; the schools in the lower income areas do. Thus, Quinn is saying “If you are a school district in a poor community, we want you to take less money and try to make it work, while the rich guys over there have no problems and don’t have to lower their taxes”.
The commenter is absolutely spot-on.
Jamey Dunn tried to get some specifics yesterday from Quinn’s office, but had no luck…
Requests to Quinn’s budget office for more specifics on his proposal were met with referral back to tape of the news conference that Quinn held in Chicago earlier today, where he took questions on the plan but did not get into the numbers.
This looks like an on-site audible by Quinn. Either that or his new media guy suggested it without running the numbers first.
* JoAnn Chiakulas, the lone holdout juror on several Blagojevich counts, takes on her critics…
In the week since the trial’s end, Chiakulas has been branded “the holdout” for her refusal to convict the ex-governor on the Senate seat allegations. Her life has been placed under a microscope, with some questioning whether her former government job or her ex-husband’s campaign donation to Blagojevich three decades after they divorced played a role in her decision. […]
Chiakulas, for her part, said she was a public servant hired during Gov. Jim Edgar’s administration. Her ex-husband was politically active before his death, but they were divorced more than 30 years ago.
She also said she did not know Blagojevich co-defendant Chris Kelly, who lived in the same subdivision as one of her relatives before committing suicide a year ago.
The inferences — along with suggestions that she’s “crazy” — anger Chiakulas. She said it upsets her that people want to find an ulterior motive for her decision, rather than believe it’s possible that the prosecution had not proved its case.
“It was something that I took seriously and didn’t ask for,” she said. “And then to be treated the way I’ve been treated, it makes me wonder about being a juror and the system itself.”
* Prosecutors didn’t offer Rod Blagojevich much of a deal…
But just the night before, federal prosecutors were on the phone offering Robert Blagojevich something he always wanted: a separate trial from his celebrity brother.
Former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins said it was “extraordinarily rare” to drop a defendant in a high-profile case.
“I think what the government did today was both smart tactically and just,” Collins said.
Prosecutors likely recognized Robert Blagojevich was a sympathetic figure, that he would be difficult to convict in a retrial and that his testimony as a co-defendant could be helpful to his brother, Collins said.
“Tactically, dismissing him streamlines the case and partially rebuts the ‘persecution’ claims that Rod Blagojevich is making,” Collins said. “It helps the government in the court of public opinion — which does matter in this extraordinary case.”
* And in an unusual admission, Robert flat-out said that his statements to the press after the hung jury were designed to influence the next jury…
“The strategy was, it was a disappointment I wasn’t acquitted. It was important to reach the next jury pool. We had a 9-3 vote in my favor, so we came very close. And that was with a jury pool that had been polluted by [U.S. Attorney] Patrick Fitzgerald‘s press conference. So now that we had a trial, it was a good time for me to make a case, be interviewed, explain my situation, and emote whatever I could emote.
As far as I’m concerned, the decision by the U.S. attorney is a disappointment only because Ettinger had promised to call U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) as a witness at a retrial, along with the Indian-American businessman who allegedly told Robert he could raise $6 million if Jackson was appointed senator.
“The whole story” about the sale of the Senate seat will come out, Ettinger vowed, although he implied it would prove there was no deal to sell that seat.
I still think the public is owed an explanation, some detail, whether or not it helps or damages the federal government’s case.
* Will the Wall Street Journal editorial board and national right wingers be funding part of Rod Blagojevich’s defense? Sneed…
Sneed hears inquiries have been made about privately funding additional attorneys for the retrial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“The federal government will only pay for two attorneys for Blagojevich, but private donations could pay for other attorneys,” said a source.
“The inquiries are in the early stages, but there is talk about help on Rod’s retrial and some of the calls are from people unhappy with U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald for the way he handled the Scooter Libby trial,” the source added.
Hilarious.
* Related…
* Adams stay on Blagojevich case - for now: Although they figure to face a more focused prosecution and with diminished resources at their disposal, Rod Blagojevich’s attorney Sam Adam says reports that he and his son will be leaving the former governor’s defense team are greatly exaggerated.
Maybe I’m just stupid, but I find it hard to get too excited about what passes for public discourse these days.
For instance, I probably have more reasons to hate Muslims than just about anyone I know. My wife’s Christian family was literally run out of Iraq by Muslim terrorists. Their house was bombed three times, and a gang of Muslim thugs threatened to take my wife’s brother hostage and make him a martyr by strapping a bomb to his chest.
But I don’t care at all about the Islamic center that some group wants to build two blocks from Ground Zero in New York, partly because I know all too well how the First Amendment was designed to protect unpopular speech and unpopular religions from the majority.
If you want to debate a zoning issue 800 miles away, go right ahead, but you also have to realize that you can’t legally stop it, so turn down the crazy knob, please. This looks more like a pogrom than a debate.
The only gun I’ve ever owned was an old, broken pistol given to me by a relative. I don’t know what happened to it, and I don’t want another one. But Gov. Quinn’s new TV ad blasting his Republican opponent, state Sen. Bill Brady for being soft on an assault weapons ban doesn’t particularly move me.
Maybe that’s because I live in a very safe neighborhood. Maybe it’s because I don’t easily succumb to fear tactics. Maybe it’s because I know gangsters’ weapons of choice are cheap, easily concealed and disposable pistols, which were banned in Chicago for years. Maybe it’s because the ad isn’t particularly well made.
Or maybe it’s because I noticed that two of the three Brady votes cited by Quinn’s TV ad took place in the 1990s. The Democrats have been bludgeoning the Republicans with this subject for decades. Tired, old subjects rarely strike fear into my heart.
My political newsletter is still doing well despite the Great Recession. But I am borderline enraged that unemployment is so high and nobody at any level of government seems to be talking about what to do.
Unlike some of my other positions, I think I’m with “the people” on this one. A recent Rasmussen poll showed that 87 percent of Illinoisans know someone who is unemployed or looking for work. And a solid majority of 55 percent named “economic issues” as their No. 1 priority for choosing a candidate.
Instead, the media want to spend their time yakking about that Islamic center, and Quinn is spending a half-million dollars on that assault weapons ad.
And then there’s Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, who has spent a fortune this summer railing against “mob banker” Alexi Giannoulias.
Giannoulias, on the other hand, has talked about jobs since he kicked off his campaign last year. That issue has kept him in this race, despite all of his obvious problems. You’d think other candidates and pundits would learn from Giannoulias’ survival miracle. They haven’t.
It’s as if nobody even noticed that 500,000 people applied for new unemployment benefits last week alone. People are scared to death out there, and they are completely justified. But I’m thoroughly disgusted that the powers that be are channeling legitimate anger into useless “debates” over stupid “issues” rather than addressing the real problems head-on.
Dishonesty and incompetence must be exposed. The role of government absolutely needs to be debated. I don’t expect or want a one-note campaign here.
But we are in desperate need of ideas about this economy and I’m more than willing to listen if the candidates and the media would simply engage.
Rasmussen’s latest poll has Giannoulias leading Kirk by 17 points among those who put economic issues at the top of their list of things they’re looking for in a candidate.
* Related…
* 1 in 10 Illinois mortgage holders missed payments: The Mortgage Bankers Association, in their second quarter delinquency report, also found that the percentage of home loans in Illinois that were in foreclosure rose to 6.02 percent in the second quarter, from 5.85 percent in the year’s first quarter.
* Jobless rate highest for July in McLean Co. since ‘76
* July’s unemployment rate in Boone and Winnebago counties jumped to 15.7 percent, or 27,895 people, according to data released today by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. That’s up 0.9 percentage points from June, but down 0.3 percentage points from a year ago.
* Decatur area finally gets some good news in lower unemployment rate: It was 12.4 percent in July, according to Illinois Department of Employment Security statistics released Thursday.
* The unemployment rate for the five-county Peoria metropolitan area was 10.5 percent in July, up slightly from 10.3 percent in June, but down considerably from 12.8 percent in July 2009.
* Jobless rate rises in Champaign-Urbana, Danville areas: The Champaign-Urbana metro area – which includes Champaign, Ford and Piatt counties – had a 9.8 percent unemployment rate in July, up from 9 percent a year ago. The Danville metro area – which consists of Vermilion County – had a 12.4 percent rate, up from 11.8 percent a year ago.
* Unemployment declines in some cities but not Illinois Valley: Unemployment increased to 12.7 percent in July 2010 from 11.6 percent the previous July in the Ottawa-Streator Area, according to IDES. Job declines occurred in the sectors of manufacturing (minus 650) and leisure-hospitality (-325). In Bureau County, the increase in the unemployment rate was from 10.2 percent to 11.2 percent. In La Salle County, unemployment was at 13.3 percent in July 2010, compared to 11.9 the previous July.
* Birth Rates Fall Amid Economic Uncertainty: Recent data indicate that Illinois’ birth rate is at its lowest level since the Great Depression, with similar trends appearing in California and Arizona.
* What “super hero” do you think the four “big” statewide candidates (Pat Quinn, Bill Brady, Alexi Giannoulias, Mark Kirk) have patterned themselves after? Explain, please.
Quinn, speaking to agriculture leaders, said his proposal for an income tax increase would lead to lower local property taxes. Pressed afterward on how that would happen, Quinn said he would seek legislation requiring schools to reduce property tax bills before they could get additional state support.
“I think it should be mandatory,” the Chicago Democrat said. “I think if the state helps local schools with more money … it also means cutting local property taxes.” […]
Quinn said, his tax plan would generate $3 billion for schools and reduce property taxes. Eventually Quinn acknowledged he wants to force schools to cut local taxes. If they have to cut as much as they gain from the state, schools would be left with no increase in available money.
Cutting property taxes is a good issue to run on. The trouble is making people believe he’ll actually do it. And if schools are getting the same amount of money, that means layoffs and cutbacks will continue. The unions won’t like it. The voters might, if they believe it.
Brady said he’d want to set up a fund to give local homeowners property tax relief. Under Brady’s plan, state money would be put into a fund, sent to local officials, and used to lower property tax rates.
“That fund would build on itself each and every year,” Brady said.
The problem with that, of course, is there is no money. He wants to cut taxes on businesses, get rid of the gasoline sales tax, eliminate the inheritance tax and send money to local governments to lower property taxes? In what parallel dimension does he reside?
Gov. Pat Quinn’s office has changed the rules about how non-union state workers can take furlough days.
Quinn has ordered about 2,700 non-union state workers to take 24 unpaid days off this budget year because of Illinois’ budget crisis.
Under the new rules, those workers can to use vacation and personal days to fulfill their furlough requirement. The administration on Wednesday said that means workers won’t lose pay if they schedule furlough days to coincide with vacation and personal days off.
Last Friday, Quinn’s office issued a memo that he was imposing emergency rules that would let those workers take their vacation and personal time, which are paid days off, as furlough days. That means Quinn could still claim that he instituted a furlough program, even though it might not save a dime now.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar said Thursday that the federal prosecutors will not pursue Rod Blagojevich‘s brother in the upcoming retrial due to “disparity of charges.”
Schar said the government will absolutely proceed with the retrial of Rod Blagojevich.
“You’re done,” lawyer Michael Ettinger said to Robert Blagojevich on the phone afterwards. “You’re free.”
Ettinger said Robert responded, “Words can’t decribe it.”
At a hearing Thursday before U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel, prosecutors announced they are not planning to proceed with the indictment against Robert Blagojevich, a Nashville businessman.
Federal Judge James Zagel said Thursday that he’ll set a retrial date for early January. Zagel says the trial won’t begin any earlier than Jan. 4. But he didn’t immediately set a specific date.
*** 1:24 pm *** Did the feds offer Robert Blagojevich a deal yesterday? Interesting…
[Robert] Blagojevich said that the Feds had come to him yesterday “proposing something we rejected.” He would not elaborate on the discussion.
* Blagojevich news roundup…
* Two Blago Lawyers to Stay On: Rod Blagojevich‘s attorneys Sheldon Sorosky and Aaron Goldstein will stay on the case, according to the lawyer representing the ex-governor’s brother.
* I have at least three remaining questions about the Jerry Stermer debacle. The first is who illegally leaked the Stermer report to the media. The second is whether former Executive Inspector General James Wright knew/heard/suspected that Gov. Pat Quinn was about to replace him before he turned in his report on Quinn’s chief of staff. There’s some suspicion among Quinn’s partisans - rightly or wrongly - that Wright could’ve kept that report about Stermer’s self-reported three campaign-related e-mails in a desk drawer as a sort of employment insurance (Quinn said he interviewed several replacement candidates this year, so the scuttlebutt around the office was probably intense), and might have leaked it to the media in retaliation for being fired…
The state watchdog who was fired after investigating one of Gov. Pat Quinn’s senior aides says he’s surprised the chief of staff resigned over the issue.
Former executive inspector general James Wright tells Chicago’s WLS Radio that he thinks Jerry Stermer is a “stand-up guy.” Wright says he didn’t seek Stermer’s resignation and he thought a verbal reprimand would have been enough.
Awww. That’s so sweet. Seven months investigating somebody who in the end deserved only a verbal reprimand?
My last unanswered question is about Quinn: What the heck was he thinking firing an executive inspector general two months before an election? Is he daft?
* The goo-goos’ reaction to the Wright investigation and Stermer’s resignation is fascinating, by the way…
“In this particular situation, you’ve got a man who’s widely thought to be an honest and honorable guy who reports his own mistakes, and then we spend resources and months sorting through 37,000 e-mails.”
Andy Shaw, director of the Better Government Association, called Stermer’s transgressions “the ethics equivalent of jaywalking.” […]
Kent Redfield, emeritus professor of political studies at the University of Illinois Springfield, said the incident shows that more transparency is needed regarding what inspectors general are doing. […]
“In Illinois we need to really put things on a scale. I don’t think we need to waste a nickel on this,” Canary said.
But Shaw said the panel should pursue the matter “if they think there is value in coming out with an explanation and a finding that can be used in the future.
Jerry Stermer is a decent guy and I hate to see him go out like this. The OEIG has done some good work in the past, but they appeared to lack perspective on this one. Stermer turned himself in for what Shaw is correct in saying is the “ethics equivalent of jaywalking.” And then Wright claims he spent more than seven months investigating the man. The goo-goos helped write this law, which has so clearly gotten out of hand. They ought to help reform the reform.
* Related…
* Hard to believe coincidence in inspector’s firing
Brady’s campaign is spending about $250,000 to air the ad in the Chicago TV market through Sept 1, according to a source familiar with political television ad buys in the city who was not authorized to speak publicly.
