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Leader poll freeped
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller This is probably not what the site administrators had in mind when they posted the poll:
Click on the graphic to add your own two cents.
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Trouble ahead?
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller January 13, 2005 — When the ABC 7 I-Team recently exposed misconduct by some of his bodyguards the governor quickly overhauled the unit. But the controversy may just be starting. ABC7’s Chuck Goudie reports in “The Changing of The Guards” Thursday at 10 p.m. on ABC7 News. I’ll keep comments open for a while on this one, but if y’all start posting untrue rumors or other bad stuff I’ll shut them down. This governor seems to bring out the worst in people, so take a deep breath before you post and I’ll be eternally grateful. Thanks in advance. UPDATE: No I-Team report last night. Check back tonight.
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“Fine Lines”
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller Whether it’s video games, landfills or anything else, this comment from Eric Zorn hits the nail precisely on the head: Blagojevich reminds me of the neighbor who calls the police instead of talking to you and seeking a quick, amicable resolution when he sees your dog off its leash or thinks your stereo is too loud.
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Tinfoil time
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller A surprising number of bloggers speculated that the dustup between Governor Rod Blagojevich and Alderman Dick Mell was contrived by both men to generate some positive press for the guv. While they let their tinfoil hats show a bit too much, they can’t really be faulted because several reporters and other observers thought the same at first. But to continue to claim that the two men did this together just ignores way too much evidence that Blagojevich and Mell have been fighting for years. Even the reporters who first believed the worst have now acccepted reality. The two men just don’t get along, and they haven’t for quite some time. Still, it says much more about the governor’s reputation than the observers’ skills that so many people would so strongly believe he was capable of something like that. And don’t get me wrong, there was obviously more than a little contrivance here. For instance, the governor’s office went out of its way to trumpet this little takedown to “prove” once again that the guv is the White Knight. And his explanation since the fight began has a few holes. For instance, today’s Tribune reports that the governor claimed he shut down the Joliet landfill run by his wife’s second cousin before he moved to close a very bad operation in Ford Heights because he only recently learned about the situation at the Ford Heights landfill. “I didn’t know about it,” Blagojevich said. “The EPA was working on it.” Well, not exactly. In fact, that’s not even close to the truth. But on Aug. 13, Blagojevich publicly acknowledged questions about the Ford Heights landfill as he vetoed legislation designed to halt a state environmental crackdown on the dump. It’s stuff like this that drives people crazy and causes them to disbelieve everything that emanates from the governor’s mouth. By the way, my favorite comment on this whole episode was written by the Southtown’s Phil Kadner: After the Joliet landfill was closed, the attorney general asked the governor to have the IEPA close another site that has allowed illegal dumping in Ford Heights.
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LaHood for guv?
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller GOP Congressman Ray LaHood will reportedly announce the formation of an exploratory committee for governor tomorrow. Stay tuned.
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Gay rights bill passes House
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller 65-51. It now goes to the governor, who is expected to sign it.
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FreeFi
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller Illinois FreeFi is a bloggy type site that lists free WiFi locations throughout the state. It’s part of a national effort to root out as many free WiFi hotspots as possible. Not surprisingly, Springfield kinda sucks. I’ll try to remember to add the site to the blogroll when I get back to Chicago. (Link via Chicago Metroblog.)
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Hey, Bradley!
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Spam
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller I got hit with some comment spam yesterday. I hope this doesn’t continue, but if it does I may have to shut down comments for a while.
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Rise and fall
Monday, Jan 10, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller Check out how this Blagojevich vs. Mell story escalated. The AP and the Tribune ran mostly pro-Blago stories Friday about how the governor’s office had shut down a landfill owned by his cousin. But the Sun-Times reached Alderman Mell in Flordia and got the other side: The rift between Gov. Blagojevich and his father-in-law, Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), grew wider Thursday with the closure of a Joliet landfill operated by another relative of the governor’s wife. […] Chicago TV immediately jumped into the fray. From CBS-2: I think it’s bizarre,� Mell told CBS 2 producer Ed Marshall by phone. �I think it’s a total abuse of power. “This governor is trying to put on this mantled cloak of what a great white knight he is when he’s not,” said Alderman Dick Mell, Governor Blagojevich’s father-in-law. […] The Sun-Times went all out on Saturday, assigning three reporters to the story: After months of being closeted away, the dirty laundry of Illinois’ first family is now hanging out for the world to see. By Sunday, the Sun-Times was rehashing much of its previous work, but quoted Mell saying he regretted how the story had gotten so far out of hand. Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) laments that it has reached this point. He’s numb, he says, now that a family feud has turned into a very public civil war within Illinois’ first family. Then again… “Should I have not said a word and let him s - - - all over me? Maybe,” Mell said. “But I didn’t start this thing. He smeared me. . . . Did I do the right thing? Time will tell.” And then Monday’s Sun-Times had these priceless nuggets: The Blagojevich and Mell households kept low profiles on Sunday, avoiding the media days after Gov. Blagojevich’s decision to shut down a Joliet landfill operated by a Mell relative infuriated Ald. Richard Mell and sparked him to lash out at his son-in-law.
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The sane voice?
Monday, Jan 10, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller Who could have predicted two years ago that the often mercurial Lt. Governor Pat Quinn would turn out to be a major voice of reason within the Blagojevich administration? Quinn had this to say yesterday about the ongoing feud between Governor Rod Blagojevich and his father-in-law, Alderman Dick Mell: After a public appearance Sunday, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn suggested the Blagojevich and Mell families “sit down at the family table and hash things out.” He called the drama “regrettable,” adding “I hope they can iron it out.”
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Rosen indictment
Monday, Jan 10, 2005 - Posted by Rich Miller Here’s more on the indictment of David Rosen, who reportedly raised about a million dollars for Rod Blagojevich’s campaign fund. Rosen also worked for Lisa Madigan and Dan Hynes’ US Senate race. The Justice Department indictment charges Rosen with causing false campaign finance reports to be filed with the FEC. Rosen reported contributions of only $400,000 from the Hollywood gala. He also is alleged to have filed a fraudulent invoice for the cost of the concert portion of the gala, reporting $200,000 when the actual cost was more than $600,000. Rosen faces up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines on each of four counts of making a false statement. The idea, apparently, was to free up more money for Clinton’s campaign. Rosen is the second figure involved in organizing the soiree for Clinton to become entangled in legal problems as a result. That book looks pretty interesting. Acccording to the article, Tonkin wrote: “Since I had only a passing acquaintance with campaign-finance law. If there was any question in my mind, I’d call David [Rosen]. The problem was, whenever I asked for advice he would invariably laugh off my concerns and say, ‘Don’t worry. Just raise as much as possible. Just keep at it.’ Expect Illinois Republicans to use this Rosen indictment soon.
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