* From a press release…
Key conservatives and pro-family leaders from across Illinois met at the Conservative Summit Conference in suburban Burr Ridge on Saturday.
After hearing speeches and questioning GOP gubernatorial candidates Senator Bill Brady (R -Bloomington) and Senator Kirk Dillard (R -Hinsdale), the group of approximately 40 key leaders of pro-family, taxpayer, and Tea Party groups gave a significant boost to the candidacy of Kirk Dillard by giving him a rating of “strongly preferred”.
Dillard received an overwhelming vote of confidence from the conservative leaders 32-0 with 3 abstentions in the final vote. Many of the participants had supported Senator Brady in the 2012 Primary but switched to Dillard this time.
Previous Summit Conferences have launched the campaigns of U.S. Senate candidate Al Salvi (1995) and Senator Peter Fitzgerald in 1997.
Although both State Treasurer Dan Rutherford and Chicago businessman Bruce Rauner were invited to address the group, they did not attend.
* Pull quotes…
“Illinois now requires the leadership of an authentic conservative who respects, and commands the respect of, a diverse array of constituencies across our state; whose commitment to putting the state’s fiscal house in order is firm; whose competence in government management has been tested and proven; and whose opposition to corruption is unquestioned. Kirk Dillard is such a leader, and Illinoisans should unite to make him the next Governor of our state.” - Joseph A. Morris, Past President, United Republican Fund of Illinois; National Director, American Conservative Union; Convener of the Chicago Conservative Conference.
“I was impressed with Kirk’s ability to articulate conservative principles in a substantive way, and not seem like he’s giving a speech.” - Sheila R. Devall, Co-Chair, Patriotic Voices of Illinois; Peoria-Tazewell Tea Party Alliance.
“In prior elections, I have supported both Senator Dillard and Senator Brady. However, only one showed the passion and focus to win the General Election and lead Illinois out of the wilderness. Senator Kirk Dillard will make a great Governor.” - Jim Nalepa, Hinsdale business executive; Chairman, Phoenix Pac; Former GOP Candidate for Congress, 3rd District).
“Senator Kirk Dillard recognizes the importance of Illinois’ most valuable resource — families — and he understands that our state’s well-being is closely tied to the strength of this resource. I am confident that, if elected as governor, Dillard will work to strengthen and uphold family, marriage, life and liberty.” - David E. Smith, Executive Director of Illinois Family Action.
“It’s in the best interest of pro-life, pro-family organizations to support one candidate and thereby unite our movement for victory. The Summit has decided that Kirk Dillard is that person.” - Mary Anne Hackett, President, Catholic Citizens of Illinois.
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Question of the day
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the AP…
Illinois will lower the required age that students must attend school under legislation signed Sunday by Gov. Pat Quinn.
The law, which takes effect in the 2014-2015 school year, lowers the compulsory age from 7 to 6, a move state officials said puts Illinois in line with about half of U.S. states.
“It’s all about getting an early start on education,” Quinn said at an elementary school on the city’s West Side. He spoke a day before hundreds of thousands of Chicago Public Schools students are expected to start the first day of classes. […]
Opponents, including, Republicans, had questioned the cost of the change. State officials have estimated that lowering the age would cost roughly $28 million.
* The home schooler lobby opposed the bill and encouraged calls to legislators last spring…
When you call your representative, your message can be as simple as: “Please vote ‘no’ on HB 2762. It would lower the age of compulsory school attendance from 7 to 6 and make some young adults attend school even after high school graduation. Parents, not the government, know when it’s best for their young child to start formal education. Illinois is in financial trouble. It’s the wrong time to expand an expensive program.”
* The Question: Do you agree with this new law? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey tool
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Fair stuff
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I was standing there when Rep. Rich Brauer ponied up and jokingly encouraged him to sponsor another keg, but was shocked when I heard the price. Finke…
Belated credit is due to Brauer for helping to bail out Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair.
Both Republicans and Democrats have some similarities in their annual political gatherings at the fair. Namely, they have food, soft drinks and beer available for the party faithful. And the one thing you don’t want to do is run out of food, soft drinks or beer. Particularly the latter.
“They said we’re shutting down. We’re out,” Brauer said. “There were quite a few people left there. I said put me down for one.”
That’s one as in one keg of beer. Brauer said he offered to buy the keg of beer to keep the festivities going. Or in Republican Day political parlance, Brauer said he offered to sponsor a keg. The price tag was $240.
Both Brauer and I flinched a little when the price was announced. We were told that the State Fair gets a big cut of every keg sold. Ouch.
* Meanwhile, the Du Quoin State Fair opened last week. Gov. Pat Quinn was there for a bipartisan ribbon cutting…
Caption?
Quinn also publicly hugged Glenn Poshard during his visit, which was odd considering that the two men have been at each others’ throats over the SIU board of trustees for a year or so. Bygones be bygones and Quinn has a tough primary ahead, I suppose.
* Related…
* DCFS to honor the Poshard Foundation for Abused Children at Du Quoin State Fair
* Du Quoin State Fair sets opening day attendance record
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Quinn reacts to pension ideas
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Quinn was cautiously optimistic about the pension reform committee’s work product so far...
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn called the outline of a pension overhaul proposal floated by a bipartisan panel “positive” and “progress,” but he shied away Sunday from saying whether he’d fully back it.
The so-called conference committee — a 10-member panel formed in June to come up with a solution to Illinois’ nearly $100 billion crisis — is considering a framework that would, among other things, end automatic 3 percent cost-of-living increases for retirees. Increases would instead be linked to the rate of inflation.
“It appears … that some progress is being made,” Quinn told reporters after an unrelated Chicago event. “We still have to get to the finish line but I think the concepts … are very positive indeed.” […]
He said although some of the concepts in the plan are familiar and his own budget office is heavily involved in the committee’s research, he wants to see final details of a plan before he weighs in.
* Background on the framework, from Friday’s post…
A bipartisan panel tasked with solving Illinois’ multibillion-dollar pension crisis is considering a framework that would save the state about $145 billion over 30 years, largely by ending automatic 3 percent cost-of-living increases for retirees. […]
It calls for setting retirees’ annual cost-of-living increases at half the rate of inflation, though it would set both floors and caps — which were not included in the outline — for what the rate would be. That formula would likely equate to smaller adjustments than the current 3 percent increases, compounded annually.
Employees would contribute 1 percent less to their own retirement, according to the document. But their annual pension benefit would be based on their salary over their career, rather than on the higher amount they’re making right before they retire.
It would reduce the state’s nearly $100 billion unfunded pension liability by about $18.1 billion and fully fund the retirement systems within 30 years.
Keep in mind here that there’s no deal yet.
* Also keep in mind that when Gov. Quinn talked to reporters over the weekend, he wouldn’t commit to actually putting votes on the bill, which is a demand of House Speaker Michael Madigan. Listen…
From the audio…
“Well, uh, it has to get to my desk. They still have to vote on it, the Legislature. I sure hope that they can expedite that. If the members of the House, the Senate pass the bill, put it on my desk, that does the job, erases the pension liability, moves us forward, then I’ll be able to sign the bill into law.”
* And, of course the Tribune editorial board didn’t care for the ideas…
Led by state Sen. Kwame Raoul, the pension committee has been hyperfocused on meeting the constitutional wording that pensions cannot be diminished or impaired. But without more ambitious reform that would save the pension system more money, the benefits may not be there for retirees at all — or taxpayers may have to pay more.
The committee’s draft plan assumes: 1) The state can and will continue to afford to make huge payments annually into the pension system. 2) The legislature will honor that “savings” commitment long after paying off old debt and not spend the money elsewhere. 3) All pension investments will meet an annual return of 8 percent … for three decades.
Taxpayers would be on the hook if any of those assumptions fail.
The pension committee continues to work out the details of the proposal, which its members hope to unveil the week of Sept. 9. So far, their proposal does not include giving workers the option of a 401(k)-style plan. That idea should be resurrected.
Committee: You’ve come this far. Keep going. You can do better than this. Give taxpayers and public sector workers a more ambitious plan that will stabilize the system. No wings, no prayers — just basic math.
The Tribune led the charge against Senate President Cullerton’s A-B plan, which could’ve solved this problem months ago. If they actively try to kill the pension reform compromise which eventually emerges from the conference committee, then they should be looked at as part of the problem here. You just can’t pass everything. There comes a time for compromise.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Here come the lite guvs
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Twitters…
* The AP ran a story over the weekend about lite guv announcement timelines…
“My No. 1 priority was would this individual both in reality and perception-wise (among voters) be able to succeed me,” said state Treasurer Dan Rutherford, a Chenoa Republican who said he’s already picked someone and will make the name public in the next few weeks.
Brady said he expects to announce his running mate around Labor Day, and an adviser to state Sen. Kirk Dillard said the Hinsdale Republican plans to make his choice public around then, too.
Mike Schrimpf, a spokesman for Bruce Rauner, said the Republican businessman’s campaign likely won’t have an announcement until later in the year. He said Rauner mainly is looking for someone who shares his willingness to “take on the special interests in Springfield.”
Quinn, who became the first Illinois lieutenant governor in more than three decades to ascend to the state’s top spot when now-imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was booted out of office, is looking for a replacement for Simon, who’s running for comp-troller. He said he’s looking for “a people person” who can relate to ordinary citizens, adding that he’s heard from a lot of potential running mates and plans to sit down and talk with them.
Former White House chief of staff Bill Daley, who’s challenging Quinn in the Democratic primary, would like a running mate with private sector management experience who’s also worked with elected officials, spokesman Pete Giangreco said.
Failed 2010 attorney general candidate Steve Kim is apparently on the radar screen for Rutherford in addition to retiring state Rep. Kay Hatcher. We’ll see.
* Jim Nowlan’s take…
Gov. Pat Quinn is unpopular downstate, but more than 60 percent of the Democratic primary vote is cast in Cook County alone, so he may want a black or Hispanic from Cook. His present lite guv is Sheila Simon of Carbondale, daughter of the late U.S. senator, who is running for comptroller.
Quinn will have a tough time finding a running mate, as he is so unpopular with legislators, whose salaries he vetoed, among other slams against lawmakers.
Chicagoan Bill Daley, of the Democratic Daley clan, will want either an attractive black such as state senators Toi Hutchinson or Kimberly Lightford, who do not face re-election in 2014, or a downstater, where his name is not playing well.
On the Republican side, Bill Brady of Bloomington is probably vetting suburban women, a region and gender where Brady fared badly in his narrow loss to Quinn in 2010.
(By the way, gender was not even a consideration back in 1972 when I was a candidate; times change quickly.)
State treasurer Dan Rutherford of Pontiac will also probably want a suburban woman, though I have no idea who that might be.
State senator Kirk Dillard of suburban DuPage County is probably looking for a downstate woman. Karen Hasara comes to mind; a former state senator, mayor of Springfield and member of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, Karen would be an attractive match.
Wild-card megabucks financier Bruce Rauner is thought of as a Chicagoan, where his business is located, but he grew up in the suburbs. Several downstate senators with free rides such as former prosecutor Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, might make attractive complements.
Any ideas?
*** UPDATE *** Chuck Sweeny thinks retiring Rep. Jim Sacia may run for lt. governor...
“I’m very seriously contemplating a run for another office,” he said. It won’t be a legislative office, because “I’m not going to run against (state Sen.) Tim Bivins (R-45),” he said.
Through a process of elimination we narrowed things down to a statewide office, and that’s as far as he would go at revealing future plans. Whatever it is, Sacia gave indications that he’s preparing for an all-out, full-time campaign.
“To me, running for office is like being in office. It’s a full-time job. Had I stayed in the House, I would have not been devoting full time to my legislative responsibilities. Not only that, but you lose some effectiveness as a lame duck.” […]
Treasurer Dan Rutherford, a Republican, is running for governor; at least two Republicans, Michael Scott Carter and Bob Schillerstrom want that job. That might be a possibility for Sacia.
And then there’s lieutenant governor, the office I think he’ll seek. The office will be open because Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, a Democrat, is running for comptroller.
Um, the office will be open because it’s an election year. Other than that, he may be right.
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Words of wisdom
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I couldn’t agree more with Chris Mooney…
[Gov. Pat Quinn’s] political obituary was half written twice in 2010 before he narrowly won difficult primary and general elections.
“You would think that an incumbent with his low approval level would be toast,” said Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Springfield. “But every election is not about ideals, it’s about choices.”
Too many pundits characterize elections as “referenda” on incumbents or the party in power. They’re not. Elections, in the end, are almost all about how the choices are defined between the candidates on the ballot. Pat Quinn’s job approval rating was just 24 percent in a late September, 2010 Public Policy Polling survey and 28 percent in an early September, 2010 Tribune poll. He still won, mainly by defining his opponent as potentially even worse than he was.
Never forget that.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Puppy tourism
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* After his bath yesterday, Oscar the Puppy toured the Statehouse grounds…
* With Abe…
* One last look…
Oscar is not allowed inside the Statehouse, so that’s about as close as he’ll get to where I work during session unless somebody changes the rules.
*** UPDATE *** Oops. I meant to add some related links to this post and completely forgot. Here they are…
* $50 million Capitol west wing renovation almost done
* Photos: Statehouse renovation project
* What Happens To ‘Puppy Lemon Law’ Dogs?
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This ain’t another Gidwitz
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner has focused like a laser on his absolute disgust with public employee unions like AFSCME, the Illinois Education Association and the Illinois Federation of Teachers. The wealthy former business executive claims the unions are the root of most of Illinois’ problems and has decried the “corrupting” influence of their campaign cash on both political parties.
Illinois Republicans appear to overwhelmingly agree with Rauner.
“Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for a Republican candidate for governor who received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from public employee unions? ” 1,614 likely Republican primary voters were asked August 21st in a Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll.
An overwhelming 80 percent said they’d be less likely to back such a candidate, while a mere 8 percent said they’d be more likely to do so.
The Rauner campaign claims that rival candidate state Sen. Kirk Dillard has received over $400,000 from public employee unions during his long career. Dillard has defended his friendship with the unions by saying they should be worked with, but has also pointed to his support for union-opposed pension reform bills. Even so, that labor cash appears to be a no-go for Dillard.
Rauner’s other two opponents, Treasurer Dan Rutherford and Sen. Bill Brady, have also received significant contributions from public employee unions, and Rauner’s campaign has made it clear those ties will be used against them as well.
Rauner has also formed a new, well-funded political action committee to push for term limits. When asked if they’d be more or less likely to support a GOP gubernatorial candidate “who supports a constitutional amendment limiting the number of terms state legislators may serve,” 76 percent of Republicans said they’d be more likely, while a mere 13 percent said they’d be less likely and 12 percent said it made no difference.
Sen. Brady says he supports legislative term limits, but he was first elected to the General Assembly 21 years ago. Treasurer Rutherford and Sen. Dillard are both on record opposing term limits.
Both Brady and Dillard voted for a bill which allowed illegal immigrants to apply for state drivers licenses. A whopping 83 percent of likely Republican primary voters said that this vote would make them less likely to support those candidates.
It’s unlikely that Rauner would make a campaign issue out of those immigration votes, since he’d have a tough time winning the fall election if he “goes there.” The Latino vote, as I’ve pointed out time and time again, has gained incredible strength in this state. But Rauner has already benefited from third party TV ad spending, which helped drive Congressman Aaron Schock out of the race, and some of his supporters, including ultra-conservative millionaire Jack Roeser, are probably in a position to “help” make this an issue if necessary.
Roeser, by the way, wasn’t happy that Rauner admitted to being pro-choice earlier this year. But the activist has stuck with Rauner, likely because of his outright hostility toward the teachers’ unions. Roeser has long despised those unions.
A July 16th We Ask America poll found that Republican primary voters aren’t all that uniform on the issue anyway. Just 45 percent said they’d be less likely to vote for a pro-choice gubernatorial candidate. But 32 percent said they’d be more likely to vote for such a candidate and 23 percent said the issue made no difference, meaning that Rauner’s position doesn’t really hurt him with over half the primary electorate.
Since a recent poll found that 83 percent of GOP primary voters would be less likely to vote for Rauner because of his close ties to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Dillard and Brady have amped up their criticism of that relationship
But, so far, neither Dillard nor Brady have shown they can raise the kind of money needed to run an effective negative paid media campaign.
And while those other candidates struggle to raise the money necessary to get on the air, Rauner can run all the ads he needs to tout the issues that put him on the same side of the vast majority of Republican primary voters, and connect his opponents to the opposition.
Rauner seems to have a very deliberate, poll-tested victory strategy. He’s no lock, but he has a workable plan.
Discuss.
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Raoul by the numbers
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The problem with most pundits when it comes to estimating Sen. Kwame Raoul’s chances in a Democratic primary is that they speak from the gut instead of using any actual polling numbers or recent history. Ergo, my Sun-Times column…
A debate of sorts is raging about whether state Sen. Kwame Raoul would be a “spoiler” for Bill Daley if Raoul ran for governor.
The assumption is that Raoul, who is black, can’t win, but that he would take away so many African-American votes from Gov. Pat Quinn that Quinn would lose to Daley, who supposedly does so poorly with black voters that a Raoul candidacy wouldn’t hurt him.
I’ve commissioned some polling that should be helpful here.
A Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll of 1,394 likely Democratic primary voters on July 19 found that Quinn was leading Daley 38-33. In that poll, the governor was getting less than half — 47 percent — of the black vote, while Daley was getting 26 percent, which isn’t bad when you figure that another quarter of the black vote was still up for grabs.
I commissioned yet another poll of 1,528 likely Democratic primary voters on Aug. 6 and added Sen. Raoul’s name into the mix. In that Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll, Raoul was identified as a state senator and “an African-American attorney from Chicago.” Daley was identified as a former White House chief of staff and Quinn was identified as the governor.
The results showed Quinn led Daley by four points, 27-23, with Raoul getting 13. The Quinn-vs.-Daley spread barely changed from the July poll, belying the notion, at least so far, that Raoul is an automatic spoiler for Daley. Quinn’s lead over Daley dropped a lot among black Democrats with Raoul in the race, but Quinn went from trailing Daley among whites by two points in July to leading Daley by five when Raoul was put into the mix.
And Raoul’s score of 13 percent right off the bat is pretty darned good, especially considering that Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner has spent $2 million on TV and radio ads and is polling at about the same level as Raoul is now.
Why is that? Well, one reason is that history shows black voters tend to support legitimate black candidates, so Raoul doesn’t need to spend huge money to get himself into contention as long as he’s running a solid campaign.
Another big reason can be found in another poll I commissioned on Aug. 12, which found that 48 percent of 1,538 likely Democratic primary voters were dissatisfied with their choice between Quinn and Daley and 9 percent were unsure. So a clear 57 percent majority were either unhappy or ambivalent about the two announced candidates.
Among black Democrats, just 31 percent were satisfied and a huge 57 percent were dissatisfied with their two choices.
It’s pretty obvious that lots of Democrats want somebody else to run, and black Democrats are particularly eager to see another candidate get into the race. If Raoul can satisfy that very clear Democratic hunger for “somebody else,” then he has a real shot at winning.
With the help of most of his Democratic state Senate colleagues throughout the state and Senate President John Cullerton’s fund-raising and campaign infrastructure assistance, I think the numbers we have so far show that Raoul could overcome a somewhat late start and very well win this thing.
And what if Raoul loses and Daley wins? Nobody can totally rule that out. But a June 13 Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll of 1,322 likely Democratic primary voters found that just 28 percent of African-Americans approved of Pat Quinn’s job performance, while 40 percent disapproved. Blacks gave Quinn the lowest approval rating and the highest disapproval rating of any race or ethnicity. So, African-American Democrats obviously don’t care much for the governor’s tenure anyway.
Thoughts?
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Rutherford pledges not to go negative
Monday, Aug 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Greg Hinz…
He won’t go negative, says Mr. Rutherford, perhaps hoping that one of the other candidates, state Sens. Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady, will do the job for him, or perhaps knowing that attacking Mr. Rauner would invite massive retaliation from a man who plays hardball.
Rather, he says, it will be by playing his own game: working the precincts and county board chairs, carefully spending his $1 million war chest and emphasizing his success as one of only two Republicans to win statewide office since 2002. (The other is Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.)
“The Republican Party base is looking for someone they have a relationship with,” he says. “I’m the guy who’s won. I got more votes than Pat Quinn did last time.”
Good idea or not?
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AP picks up pension story
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* No hat tip from the AP, but they were able to get the same pension reform outline that I obtained earlier today for subscribers.
This is not a done deal, by any means. There is no consensus as of yet on the pension reform conference committee. It’s a list of items that conference committee members have agreed to forward to the actuaries.
I’m also assuming that the Chicago Tribune will hate it. Why? Because despite lowering retirement income, the plan reduces employee contributions by a percentage point. The Tribune and Ty Fahner have been screaming for higher worker contributions for a long time now. So, why lower them? The concept of “consideration” is one reason. Give them something in return for taking other things away. Also, you gotta throw the unions some sort of bone if you’re gonna actually pass a bill.
Anyway, the AP’s take…
A bipartisan panel tasked with solving Illinois’ multibillion-dollar pension crisis is considering a framework that would save the state about $145 billion over 30 years, largely by ending automatic 3 percent cost-of-living increases for retirees. […]
It calls for setting retirees’ annual cost-of-living increases at half the rate of inflation, though it would set both floors and caps — which were not included in the outline — for what the rate would be. That formula would likely equate to smaller adjustments than the current 3 percent increases, compounded annually.
Employees would contribute 1 percent less to their own retirement, according to the document. But their annual pension benefit would be based on their salary over their career, rather than on the higher amount they’re making right before they retire.
It would reduce the state’s nearly $100 billion unfunded pension liability by about $18.1 billion and fully fund the retirement systems within 30 years.
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Your Friday bill-signing dump
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the governor’s office…
Governor Quinn Takes Bill Action
***Friday, August 23, 2013***
CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:
Bill No.: SB 1194
An Act Concerning: Insurance
Allows the certification of navigators, in-person counselors, and certified application counselors to enroll individuals in the Health Insurance Exchange.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1197
An Act Concerning: Regulation
Ensures that prospective residents of nursing homes are properly informed about asset and income disclosure requirements.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1430
An Action Concerning: Local Government
Authorizes a county board to borrow money from a bank or other financial institution for corporate purposes provided that the money is repaid within two years.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1458
An Act Concerning: Utilities
Provides an expedited process to resolve pipeline safety concerns at the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1568
An Act Concerning: Employees
Allows the Department of Labor to establish an administrative procedure to adjudicate claims of any amount.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 1598
An Act Concerning: State Government
Changes the requirements for data collection upon arrest or booking.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2015
Bill No.: SB 1609
An Act Concerning: Criminal Law
Adds threatening a human service provider to the charge of threatening a human service provider; makes such a threat a Class 3 felony for a first offense and a Class 1 felony for second and subsequent offenses.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 1640
An Act Concerning: State Government
Creates the Multiple Sclerosis Task Force in the Illinois Department of Public Health to identify and address the unmet needs of persons with multiple sclerosis.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1655
An Act Concerning: Regulation
Clarifies procedures for an individual holding an active license as a managing broker license to be issued a broker’s license in exchange and revises manner in which a brokerage agreement can be terminated.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1686
An Act Concerning: Civil Law
Clarifies that the unfitness of a parent can be alleged after a nine-month period of failure to make reasonable efforts to correct conditions that were the basis of the removal of a child from the home.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 1791
An Act Concerning: Education
Makes Illinois Student Assistance Commission the administrator of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program and consolidates it with the Future Teacher Corps Program.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1801
An Act Concerning: Revenue
Clarifies the aircraft refurbishment exemption from the state sales tax.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1830
An Act Concerning: Government
Clarifies the duties of the Illinois Labor Relations Board.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 1844
An Act Concerning: Courts
Allows minors to be placed in adult detention facilities if they are 18 years-old or older and the court takes into consideration their delinquent or criminal history.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1862
An Act Concerning: Criminal Law
Provides funding for Metropolitan Enforcement Groups in accordance with the Intergovernmental Drug Laws Enforcement Act.
Action: Signed
Effective: July 1, 2013
Bill No.: SB 1872
An Act Concerning: Criminal Law
Eliminates felony enhancements for the offense of prostitution.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1940
An Action Concerning: Transportation
Requires proof of insurance in order to receive vehicle registration.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 2101
An Act Concerning: Regulation
Requires mobile home park licensee or owner who has actual knowledge that one of the homes has been used for the manufacture of methamphetamine to disclose that information to potential buyer of mobile home.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 2184
An Act Concerning: Safety
Allows the Illinois Department of Labor to respond more quickly to public safety hazards associated with fair or carnival amusement rides and brings state oversight procedures in line with national standards for amusement ride safety programs.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 2226
An Act Concerning: Safety
Limits disposal of asphalt shingles in landfills in order to boost recycling.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 2255
An Act Concerning: Regulation
Allows the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to locally certify coal mine electricians.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
See anything you want to discuss in more detail on Monday?
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Question of the day
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* George Ryan was in Springfield the other day and stayed at Tony Leone’s place near the Statehouse…
Ryan lost weight and dealt with infected teeth in prison. His dental problems were initially compounded by financial troubles, Leone said.
“When I first saw him I was kind of set back,” Leone said of Ryan’s appearance. “But he had to wait for his Social Security check (to have his teeth fixed).”
Stripped of his pension, Leone said Ryan is “trying to think what he’s going to be doing in the future. He’s got to make some money.”
He said Ryan is working on a memoir that they have discussed during recent visits.
“We have talked when I went up there two times about our recollections of incidents with people. Some are really funny,” Leone said.
* Ryan was released from home confinement in early July. His Springfield activities also included a bit of tourism…
The 79-year-old Republican made a stop at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, where his name remains on the cornerstone despite his conviction on corruption charges and subsequent time in federal prison. […]
Ryan, who is credited with providing the political muscle to get the Lincoln museum and library built, was accompanied on his visit by his children, grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
In addition to viewing the exhibits, the entourage stopped at the cornerstone to pose for pictures, Leone said.
“George was really feeling good when he went back home,” Leone said.
* The Question: What one word best describes your feelings about former Gov. George Ryan these days? Keep it to one word, please. Thanks.
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Today’s quote
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bill Daley…
In the Quad Cites for the first time since announcing his candidacy, Daley, the former Commerce Secretary and Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama, said, in this race, at least, he’s an outsider.
“I’ve been around politics and government, but not for the past 12 years, like Governor Quinn has been” he told News 8
I’m still not convinced that this “Daley the outsider” schtick is gonna work. He’s a Daley, for crying out loud. Everybody with even half a brain knows that name and what it means. So, how do you convince voters that a prominent member of the Daley family is an outsider?
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About that new Rauner PAC
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* An expenditure made by a ballot initiative committee “in concert with” a candidate’s committee is considered a contribution by state law, and candidate committees are barred from accepting contributions from ballot initiative committees, so that’s a real legal problem for Bruce Rauner’s new term limits PAC…
How does Bruce Rauner the candidate for governor manage not to coordinate with Bruce Rauner the SuperPac chair?
“If he can find a way to not coordinate with himself, that’s a neat trick,” says David Morrison, Deputy Director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. Morrison said unlike campaign committees supporting individual candidates, there are no contribution limits on ballot initiative committees because they are typically isolated from candidates.
Except in this case, Bruce Rauner is a candidate in a heated, four-way gubernatorial election. Yet he also filed organization papers as chair of the Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits, a SuperPAC. The committee’s aim, according to Rauner’s campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf, is to put a question on the November 2014 ballot that would place term limits on Illinois politicians. The details will be announced in upcoming weeks but in an interview on Thursday, Schrimpf described it as a good government initiative. […]
There is plenty of potential for problems with this set up, says Morrison, who added that he was still studying the issue. Rauner, who is in a four-way primary battle for the GOP gubernatorial nod, has had no problem raising money and tapping friends to donate to him. But there’s a limit on how much Rauner — as well as those friends — can pony up. Rauner has poured $249,000 of his own fortune into his race. That’s just shy of the $250,000 threshold that would take off the limit cap — for both Rauner and his opponents.
So working through a separate committee would potentially reap financial benefits for Rauner.
Morrison noted that Rauner could tap the SuperPAC funds for TV commercials in which he could appear (within a certain time period before the primary and general election). Rauner could not ask for a vote for governor if the SuperPAC were footing the bill. But that wouldn’t stop him from winning name recognition. The SuperPAC money could be used for polling data, voting data and other resources needed for a ballot initiative that a candidate’s campaign committee would also take interest.
Contributions aren’t capped to ballot initiative committees, which is quite convenient for Rauner, who is just about at the cap for candidate committees.
* I talked with ICPR’s Morrison this afternoon and he pointed to a similar thing that occurred in California during the Gray Davis recall push. The elections board out there ruled that the recall was a ballot initiative, so contributions to it weren’t capped. So, Arnold Schwarzenegger set up a ballot initiative committee, raised gobs of money and appeared in tons of TV ads announcing that he was voting “Yes” on the recall.
Discuss.
…Adding… The Sun-Times story identifies this Rauner fund as a “Super PAC.” It ain’t. Different sort of PAC, different rules.
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Renters now protected from foreclosures
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This seems like a common sense bill…
A new law in Illinois that will take effect at the end of the year is aimed at protecting renters if their landlord’s property goes into foreclosure.
Gov. Pat Quinn signed the law that says that those who buy multifamily properties out of foreclosure should either honor existing tenant leases or give the renters 90 days to move.
State officials say that about 40 percent of families affected by foreclosure are renters.
* From a press release…
Currently, tenants living in foreclosed properties are protected under federal law, but those protections are set to sunset in 2014.
Under the new state law, an owner who acquires a property in a foreclosure proceeding can evict a tenant only at the end of the lease or, if there is no lease, with 90 days’ notice.
If the new owner intends to use the property as his or her primary residence, he or she may terminate the lease but must still give 90 days’ notice. A bank foreclosing on a rental property also must inform tenants of where they should pay their rent.
The bill is here.
Of course, pulling the state and the nation out of the housing foreclosure crisis would probably do a lot more good. But this never-ending economic slump is beyond stubborn.
…Adding… A similar bill was introduced way back in 2007.
* There was a spot of good news accompanying the state’s lousy July unemployment rate report, however…
The number of jobs across the Chicago area grew by 1.9 percent last month from a year earlier, but the unemployment rate still increased.
Highlighting volatility in employment figures, the region encompassing Chicago, Joliet and Naperville saw one of the state’s largest increases in job growth and in the rate of unemployment, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
The unemployment rate measures those who are actively searching for work, so if someone gives up their search, they are no longer counted. Conversely, if a region sees job growth but the unemployment rate rises, it indicates that more people are starting to look for jobs.
But…
Across the state, the unemployment rate fell last month in seven of 12 metro areas, but the number of jobs declined in eight out of 12.
So, while the Metro East area saw its unemployment rate drop by a full percentage point, to 8.6 percent, the number of jobs have actually declined by 2,300 from a year ago.
Springfield’s rate fell by a tenth of a point, but Springfield now has 200 fewer gross, non-farm jobs than it did a year ago. Ugh.
And while that 1.9 percentage point increase in the number of jobs in the Chicago region is good news, it’s still not nearly enough over a year’s time. We need growth, man.
The full report is here.
* Meanwhile…
The issue of raising Illinois’ minimum wage generated quite a bit of controversy early in the spring session of the Illinois General Assembly.
One bill in particular, which proposed raising Illinois’ minimum wage from $8.25 an hour to $10 over three years, generated lots of opposition from the business community, which said raising the minimum wage would result only in employers cutting existing minimum wage jobs.
But it never got a vote in the House or Senate, where it remains in the Assignments Committee. By session’s end, pension reform, concealed carry and same-sex marriage had pushed minimum wage off the stage.
If you listened to Gov. Pat Quinn’s speech to Democratic county chairmen last week, though, you heard the minimum wage stepping back into the spotlight as one of the main planks of Quinn’s reelection campaign platform.
“It’s a principle as old as the Bible. If you work 40 hours a week, you should not live in poverty,” Quinn told the crowd in Springfield. “That’s why we’re going to raise the Illinois minimum wage as well.”
I really doubt that bill will be approved by the House if it does clear the Senate. The Illinois Retail Merchants Association, among others, is dead-set against it, and they have a very friendly ear in Speaker Madigan.
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Beer can spoiler
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Maybe it’s because I’m still not feeling well, but I’ve read this three times and I’m still not sure I get the logic behind today’s Kass piece about how state Sen. Kwame Raoul is a spoiler…
Kwame Raoul hates it when you call him a “spoiler,” so I what am I supposed to call him?
The Kwame-Nader?
Kwame-Nader is an homage to Ralph Nader, who took enough votes from weird Al Gore to make George W. Bush the president.
Raoul is Haitian-American, popular among Hyde Park liberals and flirting with challenging incumbent Quinn in the Democratic primary. Quinn is already facing a challenge from mayoral brother and former Obama White House chief of staff William Daley.
So if the Kwame-Nader gets in, will he take black votes from Quinn? Does this help Daley?
“The notion that somebody has characterized me as a spoiler, given my record of achievement, not only advancing policy that impacts the black community, but all communities, is insulting at best,” he told WLS-Ch. 7.
That’s so precious, Sen. Kwame-Nader. You don’t like being insulted? Who are you, the public relations guy for the Chicago Fire?
If you were serious about running for governor of a state in financial ruin, you would have been doing something about it long ago.
If Kwame-Nader was serious, he’d have been out there for months like others, staking out positions, declaring where he stands.
Instead, he’s been running that legislative pension committee, the one that costs Illinois taxpayers $5 million for every day it doesn’t solve the problem. Instead, it keeps meeting and meeting and meeting. And meeting.
Oh, Kwame-Nader. If you don’t like the name, please give me a call (finally) and we’ll think of something else.
Perhaps you can help me understand the logic here.
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* Sorry. Wasn’t feeling well this morning at all. Somewhat better now.
Since Oswego Willy was one of those who sent me an e-mail wondering if I was still alive, how about a caption contest to welcome his favorite legislative leader into the state treasurer’s race?…
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* From an e-mail…
Rich,
Illinois Family Institute agrees with the Catholic Conference of Illinois and Senator Kirk Dillard. Civil Unions is proving to be a litigious nightmare! Just ask the Bed & Breakfast owners from Paxton, Illinois who only want to operate their business according to the dictates of their faith and not be forced to celebrate something they believe to immoral.
Here are just a few examples that prove just how litigious the marriage redefinition agenda is:
• Washington State is suing a Christian florist who declined to provide floral arrangements for a homosexual “wedding” ceremony. The state is threatening thousands of dollars in fines and a requirement that the elderly florist provide floral arrangements to any homosexual couple that seeks her services.
• The Christian owners of an Oregon bakery were contacted by the Oregon Department of Justice and were told that they are being investigated because of a discrimination complaint that followed their refusal to violate their beliefs by providing a wedding cake for a lesbian “wedding” ceremony.
• A Christian owner of a bed and breakfast in Hawaii has been ordered to provide a room to any same-sex couple that wants to stay there, thus violating her religious convictions.
• And in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the owner of Elane Photography declined to provide her skills and services for a lesbian commitment, explaining that doing so would violate her conscience as a Christian. As a result of a complaint being filed with the New Mexico Human Rights Commission, a fine of $6,600 was issued against this small business for discrimination based on “sexual orientation.”
There are many more cases like these, and many more will be coming down the litigation pike. In each of these cases, homosexual activists prove that what they really want goes far beyond “equality” or “tolerance.” And they clearly demonstrate their lack of tolerance for any dissenting opinions.
Moreover, why would proponents of marriage redefinition seek to punish people of faith through litigation? Why wouldn’t proponents tolerate another person’s right to freely exercise their religious beliefs and an individual’s right of conscience, and their right to decline to provide goods, services, and accommodations to those seeking government recognition of same-sex unions as “marriage”?
Sincerely,
David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute
I’m busy with other stuff right now, so go ahead and discuss.
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* From the Catholic Conference of Illinois regarding a post from earlier today…
Rich,
You posted today about Kirk Dillard’s comment on a 2012 candidate questionnaire regarding the civil unions law: “It is a litigious nightmare!” You then disagreed with Dillard’s comment by saying “it hasn’t really turned out that way.”
We disagree, and point to the 2011 court battle between the state and the Catholic dioceses of Belleville, Joliet and Springfield regarding state foster care contracts. The dioceses do not place children with unmarried, civil-union couples – whether gay or heterosexual. The dioceses sued the state to retain the right to continue their long-standing mission of caring for abandoned and neglected children. The court ruled against them, and the dioceses were forced to dismantle their foster care operations.
Yes, the dioceses filed the lawsuit – but only after the state threatened their contracts. Most importantly, Senate debate on the civil unions legislation expressly assured that religious social service agencies would NOT be affected by the legislation.
Thanks.
Robert Gilligan
Executive Director
Catholic Conference of Illinois
The dioceses lost their case because the court ruled that no group has an inherent right to a state contract. I stand by what I said. One lawsuit does not a “litigious nightmare” make. Add in two more lawsuits mentioned in the comment section by Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society and I still don’t buy into the “litigious nightmare” argument.
Also, even assuming their logic is correct, then wouldn’t pretty much all the state and federal anti-discrimination laws regarding race, gender, age and religious affiliation be classified as “litigious nightmares” because of the countless lawsuits they’ve spawned over the decades? And, more importantly, is that a valid reason to oppose those protections?
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“The Next 89 WLS Talk Star”
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From WLS AM…
Laura Kelly beat out four other finalists to become ‘The Next 89 WLS Talk Star,” winning the contest at a live finale at The Improv in Schaumburg Wednesday night.
“This is just so incredible!” Kelly said after 89 WLS midday host Lauren Cohn announced her as the winner.
Bruce Wolf and Dan Proft hosted the finale, and Kelly joined them this morning to talk about what she plans to do on her two-hour, 89 WLS talk show.
Proft said that her focus on getting Gov. Pat Quinn and Sen. Dick Durbin out of office is what put her over the top and separated her from the other finalists.
“That’s the reason I wanted to have a talk show, to be able to just focus on them and dump Dick Durbin. I just want somebody in there that will bring in good government,” Kelly said.
* Check out the video of the presentation…
“There are many people who appreciate this station and appreciate Republican values,” Kelly said after she was awarded the prize.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Alex Clifford is interested in rejoining Metra as CEO and would be willing to reopen his controversial separation deal to be rehired — under certain circumstances, Clifford’s lawyer said Wednesday.
But the attorney, Michael Shakman, contended that Metra officials can’t unilaterally “undo” Clifford’s 26-month farewell handshake or try to tap a $10 million insurance policy to cover some of the maximum $871,000 settlement tab, as some officials have suggested.
“If they want to reduce their obligation, Mr. Clifford is willing to talk about a new employment agreement extending some years into the future,’’ said Shakman, known best to some as the original plaintiff in a landmark City Hall hiring and firing case.
Shakman commented Wednesday after members of the RTA board, which oversees Metra’s finances, heard the initial results of an RTA audit into the Clifford deal and approved a resolution declaring it “not financially prudent.’’
The resolution also urged Metra to conduct “a thorough examination of its insurance policy’’ to see if a claim could still be filed.
* Daily Herald…
Metra has no basis for canceling the agreement given it was made by a government body that had the proper authority to enter into such an agreement, Shakman said. He added that if Metra stopped payments, it would have to go to arbitration, and if the agency lost it would mean paying more legal fees.
Moreover, Shakman thinks the agency’s insurance policy would not cover Metra over a breach of contract dispute.
* The Question: Should Metra reinstate Alex Clifford with a multi-year employment agreement? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey services
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* Rep. Jim Sacia (R-Pecatonica) pens a weekly column for his local papers. This is from his latest…
You are all aware that for the past two months the Governor has withheld our salaries until we pass “pension reform”. Certainly the Governor’s move is “politically correct” and the citizens seem to love it. “You go Governor - stick it to those lazy legislators”. Here is the fallacy. Where has the Governor been on comprehensive pension reform? Along the way I have been involved in many of the pension discussions. I have never seen the Governor at any of them. It certainly begs the question, where is his great idea and leadership?
A short week before our mandatory adjournment on May 31, the Governor called me to his office. As we were in session, I locked out my electronic voting buttons and headed to his office. It never entered my mind that it would be anything other than pension reform. You can’t make this stuff up folks - he wanted to know what it would take for me not to vote no on the gay marriage bill. It must be restated here - I have no issue with gay people. God loves us all. In my opinion politics has no place in sexual preference. The hundreds of gay couples in the capital complex certainly made the issue “politically correct”.
My response to the Governor was less than “politically correct”. “You could install a _____ no button”. The Governor smiled and dismissed me. It was not an attempt at being clever, more out of indignation, “you mean I’m not here to discuss pensions?”
I suppose Quinn should get credit for asking pretty much everybody to vote for gay marriage, and Sacia is retiring, so he’s a lame duck. But no way was the social conservative ever going to be a “Yes” vote. That was a total waste of time.
* He’d better have a much more effective pitch when the pension reform conference committee hands him their results. Speaker Madigan has said he won’t bring the House back to town until Quinn has found the 60 votes needed to pass the bill. And, as the governor acknowledged way back in 1980, he’s no lobbyist…
“If you’ve got a bill you want passed, I wouldn’t advise hiring me as your lobbyist,” said Quinn. “I haven’t exactly endeared myself to the politicians in Springfield.”
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I just don’t see his path
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Republican state treasurer candidate Bob Grogan reportedly met with Tom Cross yesterday afternoon, hours after Cross told his caucus that he would run for the statewide job. Shortly after the meeting, a defiant Grogan issued this statement…
After visiting more than 40 counties listening to voters, I’m ready to make it official .. Next week during the Du Quoin State Fair, I’ll be announcing my candidacy for State Treasurer, details to follow. While others can talk about political money raised, I’ll be talking about safeguarding the people’s money. As a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner, I’ll be standing strong against the corrupt status quo. I hope I can count on your support as we make a break from the old politics of Illinois!
A red flag should always go up when a candidate dismisses the importance of campaign money, and that certainly applies here. Grogan is, to put it simply, a lousy fundraiser.
Grogan raised just $21K in the last quarter and had $19K in the bank. He raised just $4,800 in the first quarter, and about $5,000 all last year.
* On paper, Grogan could make an impressive state treasurer…
“(B)eing the County Auditor in DuPage, I’m a CPA and a certified fraud examiner. I have a strong record as far as financial acumen so I will be able to keep and watch over the people’s money. I have a strong record of transparency putting DuPage Counties checkbook online when others said it couldn’t be done.”
From his campaign bio…
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
• Certified Public Accountant (2002)
- Passed all four sections of CPA exam on first attempt: FARE- 95, ARE- 93, Audit- 92, Law- 92.
• Certified Fraud Examiner (2010)
CIVIC EXPERIENCE
• Commissioner, DuPage County Zoning Board of Appeals (2005-2008)
• Staff Assistant, Rep. Harris Fawell, 13th Illinois Congressional District (1996-1997)
• Secretary, Clarendon Blackhawk Mosquito Abatement District Board (2001-2006)
• Board Member, DuPage Regional Planning Commission (2003-2005)
EDUCATION
• Miami University (Ohio)
-Bachelors of Arts Degree
-Double Major: Economics and Political Science
• College of DuPage
-Advanced Accounting Certificate
-4.0/4.0 GPA
-Phi Theta Kappa
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• Illinois CPA Society
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
• Government Finance Officers Association
• Illinois Association of County Auditors
But if you have no money, nobody is ever gonna know who the heck you are. And you gotta win in order to change things. Down-ballot statewide races are almost always about name recognition. No money, no name ID. It’s as simple as that.
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“Stand your ground” and concealed carry
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune has a very good story about Illinois’ century-old history of “stand your ground” court precedents. The article is also about how those precendents could prompt changes to the new concealed carry. The consensus is that nobody really knows yet what’s going to happen. Anyway, have a look…
Under Florida’s self-defense law, a person who is attacked “where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force.” That includes “deadly force” if the person “reasonably” believes it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or another, or to prevent an imminent felony crime from being committed.
Illinois’ self-defense statute is more generic, saying that a person who is attacked is justified in using deadly force “only if he reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or another, or the commission of a forcible felony.” Similar language is used to allow self-defense in protecting a home or personal property. […]
A person unlawfully assaulted while somewhere they have a right to be who is put in real or reasonably apparent danger of losing his or her life or suffering severe harm “may stand his ground and repel force with force, even to the taking of the life of his assailant,” Justice Carroll Boggs wrote. […]
Case law has defined four elements to self-defense in Illinois: that unlawful force was threatened, that the person being threatened was not the initial aggressor, that the danger of harm is imminent and that the use of force was necessary.
All four of those conditions must be met for a self-defense strategy to succeed…
In self-defense murder cases, for example, a jury can convict someone of second-degree murder, accepting that the person believed deadly force was justified but finding that the circumstances surrounding the killing showed the action was unreasonable.
Discuss.
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Good news for Fair fans
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I truly enjoyed the Illinois State Fair this year. Obviously one reason was the perfect weather. But the entertainment was solid, the horse shows were fun as always, there were enough new food booths to keep me coming back for more and the fair’s fun quirkiness was ever present. So, I’m glad to see attendance was up…
Governor Pat Quinn today announced that the recently concluded Illinois State Fair reported its highest attendance in more than ten years. A total of 961,142 fairgoers passed through the gates this year, an increase of five percent – or 42,707 visitors – compared to a year ago, when attendance was 918,435. The figure is the fair’s highest attendance since 2002, when an estimated 1.2 million people visited the fair. […]
Several records were set during the 11-day run of the fair as well.
The Grandstand entertainment was the highest-grossing line-up in State Fair history with ticket sales of $2.03 million. The sales figure eclipsed the previous record of $1.57 million set just last year. Grandstand attendance totaled 53,287, the most since 2000, when 54,345 tickets were sold.
Toby Keith was the biggest draw - his concert sold 9,367 tickets, 144 more than the Styx and REO Speedwagon concert (9,223). Governor Quinn is one of Toby Keith’s biggest fans and attended his concert, where he declared “Toby Keith Day” in Illinois. […]
The increased spending at the fair boosts purchasing at local businesses, which in turn stimulates economic growth in the area. The Illinois Department of Revenue collected a record $257,584 in sales taxes from Illinois State Fair vendors. That’s seven percent more than was collected a year ago. With the sales tax rate in Sangamon County at 6.25 percent, that figure means fairgoers spent $4.1 million on corn dogs, lemon shake-ups, and assorted trinkets this year. Gate and parking revenue was $1,530,676, breaking the previous record set in 2012 of $1,513,884. North American Midway Entertainment, the fair’s carnival contractor, reported record gross receipts of $1.4 million, surpassing the $1.29 million it collected a year ago.
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Poe vs. Durkin
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The battle to replace House Republican Leader Tom Cross is so far between Downstater Rep. Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) and suburbanite Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs). The two men just couldn’t be more different…
Poe said he didn’t view the campaign to replace Cross as a contest between a downstater and a suburbanite. However, Poe said his and Durkin’s differing views on how to approach pension reform “are probably the biggest thing going on.”
“I’m getting a bad rap that says I’m not for pension reform,” Poe said. “I am. I just happen to support (the union-backed plan), and [Durkin] supported the (Michael) Madigan plan. We’re both for reform, but it’s different reform and how we get there and how we take care of our constituents.” […]
Durkin said he thinks the key issue is the ability to raise money so the party can wage effective campaigns.
“The single most important position for the House leader is the ability to raise money,” Durkin said. “I just think I have an edge on him. There’s not a lot of money in the campaign coffers. I’ve got a relationship with the business community. You’ve got to be able to raise money in Chicago.”
* Keep in mind that a majority of House Republicans voted against the Madigan pension reform plan and were really upset with Cross over his pandering to Ty Fahner et al. The majority of the caucus represents Downstate districts, and there are very real tensions between the two regions. But neither man has yet sewn up enough votes to win, partially because of this guy…
[Rep. Dwight Kay, of Glen Carbon] is a short-timer at the Capitol who may have a tough re-election race, factors making difficult a run for leadership against two more senior lawmakers.
Kay has the support of at least two other ultra-conservative House Republicans (reportedly Jeanne Ives of Wheaton and Tom Morrison of Palatine).
* Durkin is right that raising money is a key issue. And the real money is most definitely in the Chicago area, where he lives. Former Senate GOP Leader Frank Watson managed to do it from his Metro East district, but it wasn’t easy at all.
It would, however, be fascinating to see a Poe leadership win. I imagine that the Chicago Tribune editorial board’s collective head would explode if Poe took over the helm. And just imagine the position it would put Bruce Rauner in. He’d be bashing his party’s own House leader for kowtowing to the unions. Priceless.
* If neither man is able to put together a winning margin, you can probably expect others to eventually jump in. Cross won a bitter race against former Rep. Art Tenhouse back in the day, but the suburbs had a lot more power and influence in those times and Cross had crossover appeal that Durkin has so far lacked. I also don’t expect Kay to drop out any time soon. He is what he is.
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* I was looking up candidate questionnaires this morning for a story I did for subscribers and stumbled across a 2012 Illinois Review questionnaire filled out by state Sen. Kirk Dillard.
Dillard is often touted as a “moderate” candidate, but check this out…
“It is a litigous nightmare!!” he wrote underneath his answer. It hasn’t really turned out to be that way, except for the lawsuit to overturn it and instate full marriage rights based on equal protection arguments.
* Dillard also said he favored repealing the state’s “Motor Voter” law. I hadn’t heard of anyone of prominence pushing that idea, so it really stuck out for me.
Dillard also revealed that he could support a so-called “right to work” law, although it “Depends on how it is drafted,” he noted.
To be sure, he said he supported the right of public employees to strike “with limits,” but the questionnaire is a very interesting read. Click here to read it for yourself, then discuss.
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Frerichs responds to Cross candidacy
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From state Sen. Michael Frerichs, Democratic candidate for state treasurer…
State House Republican Leader Cross has been a Springfield insider for over two decades during which he contributed to many of the most hazardous fiscal decisions leading to our current financial crisis.
Leader Cross has championed a Republican caucus which has lost touch with the middle class and has sought to cut to the core the very programs that working families across Illinois depend on like public schools, and programs to protect Illinois’ seniors.
I look forward to a vigorous and exciting debate about how best to protect the retirement security and college savings of working and middle class families.
As the statement clearly indicates, this is likely gonna turn out to be a union/business proxy war over pension reform. Expect it to be high dollar and brutal.
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Ignoring the warning signs
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This story…
Illinois is outsourcing part of its Medicaid program to a company that is under a federal grand jury investigation in Louisiana, was disqualified from bidding in Arkansas, was ushered out of Maine and has been the subject of complaints in Utah.
The black marks against the company, including its firing in Louisiana in March, haven’t deterred Illinois officials, who say they are confident of their recently announced plan to use the company’s services through a partnership with Michigan.
Client Network Services Inc., an information technology company based in Gaithersburg, Md., will help Illinois set up an estimated $85 million system to handle processing and other administrative tasks for the state’s Medicaid program, the state-federal health program that covers about 2.8 million people.
Kinda reminds me of this story…
A testy Mayor Rahm Emanuel today promised to bring in outside help to determine whether indicted ex-Comptroller Amer Ahmad did anything improper here, and he defended his decision to hire Mr. Ahmad in the first place.
In his first comments since news broke that Mr. Ahmad allegedly was at the center of a shakedown scheme in his former post with the Ohio state treasurer’s office, Mr. Emanuel promised a “thorough, comprehensive and complete” review of Mr. Ahmad’s performance here — including as a voting member of all four of Chicago’s huge employee pension funds.
Though the probe will be led jointly by Corporation Counsel Steve Patton and Inspector General Joe Ferguson, “We’re going to ask an independent third party to (actually) do the review,” Mr. Emanuel said. “They have resources we don’t have.”
State officials say they’ve checked into Client Network Services and aren’t worried. Emanuel knew about clear warning signs in Ahmad’s recent past and hired him anyway after he was “vetted.”
* Bill Daley responds to the Medicaid story…
In the wake of today’s Chicago Tribune story detailing Governor Quinn’s outsourcing an $85 million no-bid Medicaid administration contract to a company under federal grand jury investigation, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Daley called for the Governor to release all correspondence related to hiring the embattled firm.
“I am calling on Governor Quinn to release all correspondence and emails between his administration, the State of Michigan, this firm and their lobbyists regarding awarding a no-bid contract to a company under federal grand jury investigation. The State Inspector General should launch an immediate investigation into whether this inside deal was improperly awarded,” said Daley.
Client Network Services Inc. (CNSI) was awarded the no-bid contract under an unusual partnership with the State of Michigan even after Quinn administration officials admitted that they knew the firm was under federal investigation and had been fired, replaced or banned from bidding on similar projects in Louisiana, Arkansas and Maine.
“When it comes to giving this no bid contract to a company that is both under federal investigation and had its contract cancelled by other states, we need to know who spoke to whom about this agreement and who lobbied whom, especially because of the cloud of suspicion this company is under in other parts of the country,” added Daley.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal fired CNSI in March after his state received a subpoena from a federal investigation into improper and potentially illegal communications between CNSI and state officials. In addition to questionable practices in awarding the contract, CSNI underbid competitors only to come back and blindside Louisiana with a request for an additional $40 million in fees.
In July, Arkansas banned CNSI from bidding on their Medicaid program after they received unfavorable reviews from others states where CNSI does business. This is after CNSI’s debacle in Maine forced the state into $500 million in temporary payments resulting from CNSI’s system crashing in 2005. CNSI’s contract in Utah is also in question after getting bad reviews from the state.
“We need to know why a company with a string of failures in other states which is also under investigation by the federal government would be given a no-bid contract by Governor Quinn’s administration,” concluded Daley.
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* Pat Quinn’s Cutback Amendment was the end of black Republicans in the Illinois House, until this week…
Republican officials have chosen a Kendall County sheriff’s deputy, who’ll be the first black Republican lawmaker in the state Legislature in three decades, to replace resigning state Rep. Pam Roth, of Morris.
John Anthony, 37, was appointed after GOP officials in the four counties making up the 75th District — Kendall, Grundy, Will and LaSalle — deliberated over nine potentials Monday. Their pick was announced Tuesday. […]
His appointment comes as Republicans have vowed to better reach out to minorities in the wake of major Election Day losses.
Anthony, who also has roots in Puerto Rico, will be the first black GOP state lawmaker since the early 1980s — something Thornton said was simply “icing on the cake.”
“He transcends,” she said.
It’ll be interesting to see what the House Black Caucus does now.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Yesterday, we talked a bit about about Republican state treasurer candidate Michael Scott Carter’s pledge to generate economic growth in “all 110 counties in Illinois.”
That would be eight more counties than Illinois actually has.
* The Question: What should we name our state’s “new” counties?
Obviously, snark is heavily encouraged.
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The Metra mess continues
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ugh…
Metra officials repeatedly misled the public when they insisted that an unusually large severance package for former CEO Alex Clifford saved taxpayers millions of dollars in potential litigation costs, a bruising report from the Regional Transportation Authority suggests.
The transit agency offered Clifford a $718,000 departure deal in June after he threatened to file a whistle-blower lawsuit alleging political back-scratching and questionable contracts at the nation’s second-largest commuter service. Metra attorneys and board members have defended the settlement for weeks, saying the move thwarted a costly legal battle.
A preliminary RTA audit, however, found that Metra has an insurance policy that would have covered litigation costs if Clifford actually had sued, according to documents obtained by the Tribune. The agency’s deductible is $150,000 — a fraction of the cost of Clifford’s severance package.
* However…
Another Metra source says that it wasn’t nearly that simple, given that Mr. Clifford was threatening a whistleblower action that might have been difficult to cover insurance wise.
* But…
The acting chairman of the Metra board says he’s going to take a look to see if it’s legally and financially possible to undo the agency’s $718,000 “departure settlement” with ex-CEO and Executive Director Alex Clifford and instead shift the costs of his severance settlement to an insurance policy.
Responding to a storm of controversy, Jack Partelow told me he will spend much of the day talking to attorneys and others in an effort to determine if the agency can backtrack on the severance deal.
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* Leader Cross is holding an 11:30 conference call with his members, and I’ll give you more details then, but as subscribers already know, this is true…
After weeks of saying he would stay on as Illinois House GOP leader, Tom Cross apparently has decided to give up that post to run for Illinois treasurer.
Sources close to the leader reported last night that he intends to hold a conference call with House Republicans late this morning to announce that he is moving on. Mr. Cross himself was not available for comment, but the information came from top-notch sources.
Mr. Cross had been preparing to run for attorney general but took a pass when incumbent Democrat Lisa Madigan decided to run for a new term instead of governor.
Among other Republicans who have been considering a race is former DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, but it’s not known whether he will oppose Mr. Cross, who as leader has had access to fairly considerable campaign cash.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Cross has asked his members to begin the process of a succession plan. He said he isn’t making any endorsements for his successor.
Cross wants the transition completed by the first week in October, but will be open to advancing the time frame.
He says he will be making a formal announcement for treasurer in two weeks.
Cross will serve out his term in the House.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the House GOP…
STATEMENT FROM HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER TOM CROSS
This afternoon I shared with my colleagues in the House Republican Caucus my sincere appreciation for all of their support, hard-work and repeated confidence in me to serve as the House Republican Leader for the last 10 years. Serving as House Republican Leader has been an immense privilege and a humbling honor and I will forever cherish the friendships, the successes and yes, even the battles.
As I consider the challenge of serving Illinois at a higher level, I did ask my colleagues in the House Republican Caucus to begin the process of a succession plan so that a new leader may be chosen in preparation for the 2014 elections. I will be announcing my plans within the next two weeks and I remain committed to adding members to the House Republican Caucus.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Sen. Darin LaHood is backing Cross…
Republicans informed of Cross’s plan confirmed the details, including Republican Sen. Darin LaHood, who once considered a bid for treasurer but is now backing Cross.
“He will be a steady hand at the wheel of the treasurer’s office,” he said.
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Who wears short shorts?
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Umm…
A Southern Illinois courthouse is relaxing its dress code to allow visitors to wear shorts — if they’re long enough.
Jefferson County officials began enforcing a new dress code this week. The rules also banned pajamas, house slippers, hats, tank tops, muscle shirts and halter tops along with inappropriate or offensive logos.
But officials now say they’re relaxing the shorts ban to include “appropriate” items. But too-short shorts are still verboten — if their hemline is above a person’s fingertips when their arms are extended at their sides.
So, what if somebody has really short arms?
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Perennial candidate decamps to New Hampshire
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I wasn’t aware that Andy Martin had left Illinois. From a press release…
New Hampshire U. S. Senate candidate Andy Martin says aid to Greece should be on the 2014 U.S. election agenda
Andy is circulating a letter seeking the support of Greek-Americans to “put the issue of [aid to] Greece on the 2014 election agenda”
But he’s still bashing Mark Kirk…
I am committed to stopping the defamation of Greece by politicians such as Mark Kirk, and the creation of renewed respect for the crucial role Greece plays as Turkey increasingly slips into the orbit of radical Islam.
* Martin received 37,480 votes in the 2010 Republican US Senate primary. Kirk received over 420,000.
His long history of campaigns…
# U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1978 (Democratic primary)
# U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1980 (Democratic primary)
# U.S. House from Connecticut, 1986 (Republican primary)
# President of the United States, 1988 (Democratic primary)
# Governor of Florida, 1990 (Republican primary) 4th of five candidates 28,591 votes (4.30%)
# U.S. House from Florida, 1992 (Republican primary)
# Florida State Senate, 1996 (unsuccessful Republican nominee)
# U.S. Senator from Florida, 1998 (Republican primary) 2nd of two candidates 184,739 votes (33.60%)
# President of the United States, 2000 (Republican primary)
# U.S. Senator from Florida, 2000 (unsuccessful independent candidate) finished 7th of seven candidates with 15,889 votes (0.27%)
# U.S. Senator from Illinois, 2004 (Republican primary, removed from ballot according to Illinois State Board of Elections)
# U.S. Senator from Florida, 2004 (Republican primary)
# Governor of Illinois, 2006 (Republican primary) 5th of five candidates 6,095 votes (0.83%)
# U.S. Senator from Illinois, 2008 (Republican primary) 2nd of three candidates 240,548 (33.85%)
# U.S. Senator from Illinois, 2010 (Republican primary) 5th of six candidates 37,359 votes (5.0%)
# President of the United States, 2012 (Republican primary)
The guy has filed a ton of lawsuits, so be careful in comments.
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Anti gay marriage group hit with complaint
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform (ICPR) announced today that it has filed complaints against two Illinois SuperPACs for failing to comply with state election statutes. The committees, African American Clergy Coalition and Moving Aurora Forward #461, each received the majority of their funding from a single source, but failed to identify that source as their sponsoring entity in filings with the State Board of Elections as required by law.
“ICPR believes strongly that the public has a right to know who is speaking about issues and candidates that will be on the ballot. Political donors should not be able to disguise their identities by running money through a SuperPAC,” said David Morrison, Deputy Director of ICPR.
Most political committees are barred from taking outsized contributions from a single source due to contribution limits, which have been in effect in Illinois since 2011. But SuperPACs are exempt from contribution limits and so may take vast sums from a single donor.
State law requires that all political committees list on their Statement of Organization (“D-1 form”) the name of any donor whose contributions account for more than one-third of their total receipts. Such donors are labeled “sponsoring entities.”
“SuperPACs should not be allowed to be political sock puppets. Political groups have a duty to the public to be honest about who they are,” said Morrison.
The complaints filed by ICPR allege the following violations of state law:
· African American Clergy Coalition formed in March of this year and since then has reported raising $82,000. All of that money came from the Washington DC- based National Organization for Marriage, but African American Clergy Coalition did not list that organization as its sponsoring entity.
· Moving Aurora Forward #461 formed in February of this year and since then has reported raising $23,800. More than three-fourths of that money, $18,000, came from Friends of Tom Weisner, but Moving Aurora Forward #461 did not list the committee, formed to support the mayor of Aurora, as a sponsoring entity.
ICPR routinely examines filings by SuperPACS precisely because they are not covered by contribution limits. Of the 17 SuperPACs now operating in Illinois, these two were the only ones that appear to have violated the sponsoring entity rule.
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Rauner forms new PAC, but can he succeed?
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As subscribers already know, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner has created a new PAC. The “Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits” has already raised over $200,000. The two top contributors are real estate magnate Howard Rich and a trust controlled by Sam Zell.
From the Trib…
Imposing term limits in Illinois will require asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment. To get it on the ballot, hundreds of thousands of signatures will have to be gathered. On Tuesday, Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf said that details of the petition drive, as well as the exact wording of the proposed term limit amendment, will be publicly announced “in the next few weeks.” […]
Traditional political action committees that support candidates for election also have limits on donations. But since Rauner’s term limits PAC is pushing a proposed question for the November 2014 general election ballot, there are no limits to what donors may contribute.
That means Rauner could give unlimited amounts of his own money to his PAC, ostensibly pushing term limits while helping to promote his candidacy for governor. Meanwhile, his opponents would continue to be hamstrung by state donation limits. […]
There’s another potential benefit for Rauner. If he wins the Republican primary in March and gets the term limit question on the November ballot, it could create a powerful way to drive turnout in a state where the Democratic Party controls Illinois government. The strategy is similar to one used by President George W. Bush in his successful 2004 re-election effort. Bush adviser Karl Rove got anti-gay marriage referendum questions on the ballot in several battleground states, including Ohio, drawing conservative voters to the polls.
* The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in the 1990s that citizen-initiated constitutional amendments must change both the structure of the General Assembly and its procedures. From the Constitution…
Amendments shall be limited to structural and procedural subjects contained in Article IV
From the court’s ruling…
The eligibility or qualifications of an individual legislator does not involve the structure of the legislature as an institution. The General Assembly would remain a bicameral legislature consisting of a House and Senate with a total of 177 members, and would maintain the same organization.
Likewise, the eligibility or qualifications of an individual legislator does not involve any of the General Assembly’s procedures. The process by which the General Assembly adopts a law would remain unchanged. […]
the proposed amendment does not meet either the structural or the procedural requirement of article XIV, section 3 [Emphasis added]
So, it’s quite likely that any term limit proposal would be prevented from appearing on the ballot. Still, it’ll give Rauner a rallying cry and an organizing tool
* Signature and other requirements…
(I)n order for a term limits initiative to come to a vote, a petition with signatures totaling 8 percent of the number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election would first need to be approved.11 Moreover, the Illinois Supreme Court would then have to rule such an initiative permissible under Article XIV, Section 3.
Eight percent of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election would equal 298,399 valid signatures.
* The term limits case involved Pat Quinn, who gathered over 400,000 signatures to get a term limits amendment on the ballot. This is how the then state treasurer reacted to the Supreme Court’s ruling…
In a statewide opinion poll published recently by the Chicago Tribune, nearly 70 percent of voters said they would vote in support of the term limit amendment if it appeared on the ballot in November. But in the midst of all this support for change, the Chicago Bar Association (CBA)—a registered lobby group of 21,000 lawyers—rushed forward to protect the political status quo. The CBA filed a lawsuit to block the Eight is Enough term limit referendum from appearing on the November 1994 ballot statewide.
Interestingly, the CBA also lobbied the General Assembly in support of a pay raise for judges. On the same day that the legislators approved the judicial pay raise, the Illinois Supreme Court agreed to hear the CBA challenge to the term limit referendum. Six weeks later, on August 10, in a 4-3 split decision, the Illinois Supreme Court denied voters the chance to vote on the term limit referendum this November. In a cowardly action, the court refused to explain why it will not allow Illinois voters the chance to participate fully in the democratic process.
Illinois is the first state in the nation to reject term limits before the people have had a chance to vote on the issue. The Illinois Supreme Court’s ruling against the Eight is Enough referendum is a slap in the faces of more than six million voters and is an insult to the highest ideals of democracy. The court’s majority ruling ignores the fact that the Illinois Constitution clearly gives voters the right to reform their legislature. The constitution provides citizens with the power of initiative and referendum. The authors of our state constitution wanted voters to be able to propose changes to the legislature in cases where, through self-interest, the General Assembly opposed them.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Kicking up the hysteria
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Guns Save Life…
Governor Patrick Quinn, the clueless, inept and bumbling Illinois chief executive, signed HB-1189 yesterday – a bill to end private transfers of guns between individuals. The bill also mandates the reporting of lost or stolen firearms within 72-hours of the loss, effectively penalizing gun owners a second time if their guns are stolen and they don’t detect it right away.
The only people affected by this legislation are the law-abiding Illinois residents.
“Guns are a plague on too many of our communities,” Quinn said at his big press conference.
No, governor. Anti-gun politicians are a plague on our entire state, handicapping the good guys against those criminal predators who ignore basic societal norms against murder, rape and robbery.
So, why wouldn’t gun owners want to know if a potential buyer has a valid FOID card? I don’t get it. It’s called responsible gun ownership. And how, exactly, does this “handicap the good guys?” I don’t get it. How do you know a buyer is a “good guy” if you can’t be certain that his or her FOID card is actually valid?
Also, if your gun is stolen, why wouldn’t you file a police report?
And, finally, first violations of these two new statutes are petty offenses, similar to a traffic ticket. They’re hardly “round ‘em up and throw away the key” laws.
If you say you’re a law-abider, then abide by and respect the law. Simple.
*** UPDATE *** From the Senate Dems…
Under the new FOID Card verification procedure, there is no penalty for failing to contact ISP to confirm a valid FOID Card.
Instead, there’s a “safe harbor” provision for people who do properly confirm with ISP. In the event that firearm is later misused, the owner who properly contacted ISP cannot be held liable for the misuse of that firearm. The bill specifically states that failure to comply with the new “requirement” shall not be punishable as a crime or petty offense. That was key in getting some members to support the legislation.
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Not by a long shot
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Finke…
One of the more popular items that was distributed at Republican Day at the fair was a bumper sticker. It read “Blagojevich. No longer our worst governor.”
I was given one of the bumper stickers, but I put it in my back pocket and it got a bit crumpled…
Say what you want about Pat Quinn, but worse than Rod Blagojevich? C’mon.
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