* I posted this Saturday, after comments had been closed for the weekend. It’s a State Journal-Register story about IDOT’s announced move of about 150 jobs from Springfield to Benton…

The southern Illinois city of Benton, apparently the leading candidate to become the new home of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s division of traffic safety, has no building that would accommodate the agency, according to Benton Mayor Gary Kraft.

* As fishy as that sounds, I said on Friday and I’ll say it again: Sen. Gary Forby, who is from Benton, had a legit reason for not being in the Senate for the recall vote last week. His wife was having surgery.

Still, the timing of that Benton announcement, coupled with the announcement that Stateville Prison in Joliet will remain open (Sen. AJ Wilhelmi of Joliet voted “Present” on the recall proposal), plus all the other magic money suddenly released last week has some people legitimately concerned…

“I don’t think it is a coincidence at all,” said Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, a prominent proponent of the drive for recall. “[The governor’s office] basically told senators if you want this money back, then you have to vote ‘no’ on recall.”

* Sen. Michael Bond had his own reasons for voting against recall…

Key to his opposition, Bond said, was that two local judges contacted him to express their fears that judicial recall would have a “devastating chilling effect” in which judges rendering legal but unpopular decisions could result in recall efforts.

He said Lake County judges Mary Schostok and Fred Foreman were so opposed to recall that they drove to Springfield to personally explain why they thought it was a bad idea.

I ran into both of those judges last week. They didn’t drive down specifically to lobby against recall because they were already in town for a conference. But they were both clearly upset that judges had been included in the proposal.

* So, what are the political ramifications?

[Senate President Emil Jones] rejected any suggestion that Democratic lawmakers might pay a price at the ballot box. “No, no, no, no,” the Chicago Democrat said.

* Sens. Terry Link and Mike Jacobs were the only Senate Dems with opponents this fall who voted against recall. And they’re fairly safe to begin with although Link may get a bit of money spent against him, as my syndicated newspaper column points out…

Only two of the “No” votes among Senate Democrats have Republican opponents this fall: Sens. Terry Link and Mike Jacobs. But neither of those Republicans are considered top tier types yet. Sen. Jacobs covered himself a bit by calling on the governor to resign before he is impeached. Sen. Link, who has had some problems locally with his own nominating petitions and with some of his candidates’ campaigns, will undoubtedly be moved up the target list. But his district is so Democratic that it will be very tough to dislodge him. Even so, expect a lot more money to be spent there, if, that is, the Senate Republicans can raise it.

* Also, as I point out, this was not a difficult thing to kill…

The oldest axiom in government is that it’s always easier to kill something than it is to pass something. And that was proved true yet again last week when Senate President Emil Jones and Gov. Rod Blagojevich teamed up to kill off the proposed constitutional amendment for recall of elected officials.

* And I believe there was a method to the madness…

Jones’ actions with recall show the length he will go to protect Blagojevich’s back. Those considering the idea of impeaching the governor in the House have to be wondering what Jones will do if the House takes that drastic step against the governor. The Illinois Constitution directs the Senate to hold a trial and designates the chief justice of the Supreme Court to preside, but nobody knows who is in charge of actually convening the proceedings. A call last week to the Supreme Court came up empty. They don’t appear to know, either. Since there is no definitive timeline in the Constitution, Jones could postpone convening a trial almost indefinitely.

* And what about impeachment? I try to explain…

Impeachment might instead be used as a threatened weapon in order to get things done at the Statehouse. Last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan refused to even consider the prospect of impeachment because he feared the governor could use it to generate a public backlash against him. Those days are pretty much over.

The theory goes that Madigan could use the threat to push Blagojevich to wrap up the spring session in a timely manner, rather than allow it to drag on into the winter, which is what happened with last year’s session.

The Senate’s vote to kill recall was partially a move to prevent Madigan from doing just that.

* A recall proposal on the ballot would have helped Republicans get their voters to the polls. The much-hated Rod Blagojevich isn’t on the ballot this fall, so recall would have been a way to energize the GOP base in the face of a probable Barack Obama landslide here. Sen. Bill Brady, who wants to run for governor, has another idea, however…

Republican Bill Brady of Bloomington said he wants a November advisory ballot question in all 102 counties asking whether the General Assembly should allow voters a chance to decide if a recall provision is needed for the governor and others elected to statewide office.

That won’t be as good as a real referendum, but it might help a bit - especially for Repubs who don’t want a full-blown constitutional convention. Still, that vote would be meaningless.

* Related…

* Campaign reform in play

* Legislators don’t trust us? Feeling is mutual

* SJ-R Opinion: State workers are just pawns to Blagojevich

* Finke: Pretty neat trick, that. A day after the Senate Democrats saved his behind from a possible recall, Gov. Rod Blagojevich took aim at the city he despises and announced that 150 Illinois Department of Transportation jobs will be moved from Springfield to southern Illinois.

* Hoffman’s ties to Gov. Blagojevich now a disadvantage

* Lawmaker calls for impeachment of Blagojevich