The Chicago way
Thursday, Jul 11, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* House Speaker Michael Madigan denied today that he pressured anybody at Metra and said he withdrew a pay raise recommendation…
House Speaker Michael Madigan is denying he pressured ousted Metra CEO Alex Clifford to give an employee a raise, according to a statement released this morning.
The speaker’s statement was released minutes before a House committee hearing on Clifford’s controversial severance package. Clifford received the parting deal after accusing the board of retaliating against him for pushing back against pressure to provide patronage jobs and contracts.
Madigan said he recommended in March 2012 that the employee, Patrick Ward, receive a merit adjustment based on his education level and job performance.
The speaker said the employee’s supervisor expressed concerns about such a request coming from Madigan’s office. “Upon learning of this, the recommendation was withdrawn,” the speaker said in a statement.
There are quite a few contributions from Ward to Madigan’s various political operations, but nothing huge.
* Meanwhile, retiring Chicago Ald. Dick Mell appears to be doing his best to grease the skids to appoint his daughter, Rep. Deb Mell, to his seat. The latest development is the decision by the chairman of the City Council’s Hispanic Caucus to not send a letter to Mayor Rahm Emanuel asking that he replace Mell with a Latino…
Ald. Danny Solis (25th) said the eight Hispanic aldermen who comprise the caucus’ executive committee are evenly divided on the issue of pressuring the mayor, given their respect for Dick Mell and their admiration for his daughter, State Rep. Deb Mell (D-Chicago), who remains the odds-on favorite to fill her father’s City Council seat.
“I’m one of the four who doesn’t think it’s a good idea, considering who Dick Mell is, the qualifications of Deb Mell, the fact the 33rd ward is 51 percent Hispanic and the fact we’ll be getting a Hispanic state representative to replace Deb Mell” if the mayor chooses her to replace her retiring father, Solis said.
Getting a Latino legislator would be a nice benefit. More…
After announcing his retirement last week, Richard Mell talked about installing his Hispanic aldermanic aide Jaime Andrade to replace Deb Mell in the Il. House. But, Solis said the retiring alderman mentioned no specific candidates during his meeting with the Hispanic Caucus.
* And Mayor Emanuel seems more than open to the appointment…
“State Rep. Deb Mell is not guaranteed the job because her last name is Deb Mell. And State Rep. Deb Mell is not excluded from the job because her last name is Mell,” the mayor said.
“State Rep. Deb Mell is not guaranteed a job in City Council because she would be the first [openly] lesbian [alderman] or because she had breast cancer. But, she’s not excluded because she would be the first lesbian and the first woman, as [far as] I know, that has breast cancer. I remind all of you [that] she was endorsed by both papers when she ran for state rep.”
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Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 11, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bill Daley is apparently on a Downstate tour and stopped at the Belleville News-Democrat for a chat…
“I know politics, I’ve been around it, I know how difficult it is, how crazy it can be,” Daley said Wednesday during a visit to the BND, which constituted a break from a long road trip he’s taking around Southern Illinois with his wife Bernadette Keller, who goes by the nickname Bernie. […]
Daley acknowledged that metro-east voters might have good reason to feel suspicious about another Chicago-area politician seeking their votes.
“All I can ask and all I can hope for is that people will give me a chance to first get to know me and get to listen to my ideas and my suggestions, who I’m about and whatever I’ve done,” Daley said. “Hopefully, they will give me that chance.”
* Video…
* The accompanying photo…
* The Question: Caption?
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The real issue lost in the din
Thursday, Jul 11, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I don’t necessarily agree with Bill Daley, but he made a valid point with his criticism of Gov. Pat Quinn’s veto of legislative salaries due to the lack of pension reform progress…
“The worst thing is that they come up with some political deal, that really has not been run through the numbers, but they do a Band-Aid (approach) and everybody gets the heck out of town and pretends they’ve solved the problem. That’s the worst scenario,” Daley said
* As I’ve been reporting for a while now, Quinn’s own actuarial analysis on his proposals (subscribe for more info) won’t even be completed until maybe tomorrow at the earliest - two days after his populist veto. The pension conference committee has decided on a framework and has submitted several proposals for actuarial analysis, but they won’t be completed for weeks.
In public, the governor demanded that the GA take action Tuesday. In private, he submitted an alternative plan that wasn’t even vetted yet. His staff also engaged in talks on a new plan that won’t be vetted for weeks.
Set aside all the heated rhetoric on both sides. The heart of the matter is that this move was fundamentally dishonest grandstanding. And that’s what makes it so Blagojevichian. Sure, it’s popular with goofballs like the Tribune editorial board…
Quinn has tried everything to get them to pass a solution.
Yeah. OK. Right.
Give me a break.
* The general public surely loves this because legislators are even more unpopular than the governor. And lots of haters will relish the schadenfreude of watching legislators whine about not getting paid.
* But what the Tribune and others out there either ignore or fail to understand is that the governor clearly back-stabbed the pension reform conference committee, which was making a good faith effort to finally bring some resolution to this problem. He chose the path of Rod to the path of governance. And that disgusts people who are doing some difficult and hard work like Sen. Kwame Raoul…
“[Quinn] knows [the conference committee] very well may come up with a product the General Assembly could take up this summer. What it can be made to look like is we failed his deadline until he took this action to suspend our pay and because he took this action, we got it done,” Raoul said.
“It’s made to look like he merits some credit for getting it done, when in fact he’s not rolling his sleeves up and getting it to the table. He ought not get credit for the work that we’re doing,” Raoul said.
Agreed.
…Adding… The SJ-R editorial board gets it…
Legislators are making progress, even if it’s not happening as fast as Quinn and others would like. For the state’s chief executive to stomp his feet and hold his breath in this way is silly, shortsighted and harkens back to the kind of ham-handed tactics of a previous Illinois governor who became a laughingstock.
In the same way that legislators are trying to be mindful of fairness to pensioners and current state workers, the governor must remember to be fair to legislators, who now seem to be trying hard to achieve a workable reform plan for Illinois.
* Related…
* Brown: Quinn, the candidate, should cede the stage to Quinn, the statesman
* Sneed: Gov. Quinn’s paycheck play a political setback — or comeback?
* Zorn: Quinn’s salary grab: Clever gambit or impotent, unconstitutional grandstanding?
* Hinz: Quinn makes shrewd political move freezing lawmakers’ pay
* VIDEO: State Representative Mike Bost on Salary Freeze, Pensions
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*** UPDATED x2 *** * This just in…
Thursday, Jul 11, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 9:58 am - The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s parental notification of abortion law is constitutional. Read the opinion here.
React in a bit.
*** UPDATE *** From Terry Cosgrove at Personal PAC…
“Today is a dark day for the young women of Illinois. There are thousands of at risk young women who face dangers in their homes from incest, violence, drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, and abusive parents. Under this law, these vulnerable and terrorized teenagers now will be required to inform their parents, many of whom are absent, that they are seeking an abortion and then to face the consequences, whatever they may be. Today’s decision by the Illinois Supreme Court is nothing short of heartless and cruel, and will subject many of the most vulnerable women and girls of our society to countless risks to their health and safety. With this decision, Illinois has moved in the direction of right wing states like Texas, Ohio and Wisconsin, which are doing everything possible to abolish access to a safe and legal medical procedure. Personal PAC is committed to raising and spending whatever money necessary to elect enough pro-choice Senators and Representatives, as well as a pro-choice Governor, to repeal this devastating law. Illinois needs our Wendy Davis’–brave Senators and Representatives in the Illinois General Assembly who will act to correct this terrible injustice.”
* From Planned Parenthood…
We are disappointed by the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995.
While we believe the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act puts the health and safety of teens at unnecessary risk, Planned Parenthood of Illinois is committed to doing everything we can to make this new process as easy as possible for teens if the law goes into effect.
Planned Parenthood agrees that in an ideal world, parents would be involved in their teens’ health care and engaged in healthy dialogue around responsible decision making. Most teens seek their parents’ advice and counsel when making decisions about their health care. But in some cases, safe and open communication is not possible. In those cases, research shows mandatory parental notice laws do not enhance parent-teen communication. Rather, they can be harmful to teens’ health and well-being. The focus should be on giving teens the information they need to make responsible decisions and continue to encourage healthy family communication, not erecting barriers to critical health care services.
Awaiting more responses. Stay tuned.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Thomas More Society…
Illinois’ long-delayed Parental Notice of Abortion Act will finally go into effect within a matter of days thanks to the Illinois Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling this morning that the law does not violate the Illinois Constitution. Under the Illinois law, passed in 1995 but never put into effect, a parent or guardian must be notified at least 48 hours before a child under the age of 18 undergoes an abortion.
“This is a huge victory for the rights of parents not only in Illinois but in all Midwestern states,” said Tom Brejcha, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Society.
The Supreme Court’s decision represents the successful culmination of an almost nine-year effort by Thomas More Society special counsel, constitutional scholar Paul Linton, to have the law enforced. Linton met with Illinois pro-life leaders at the end of 2004 to develop a strategy for reviving the parental notice law, which had languished in legal limbo for many years because the Illinois Supreme Court declined in 1995 to adopt a needed rule for confidential “bypass” hearings and expedited appeals for minor girls who were either deemed “mature” or made credible claims of family abuse. For lack of that rule, federal courts held the law to be unconstitutional and enjoined its enforcement in February 1996. Linton and several pro-life leaders enlisted then-DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett to assist in the effort. In 2006 Birkett and the Thomas More Society petitioned the Illinois Supreme Court to adopt the needed procedural rule. Shortly thereafter the Supreme Court adopted the rule needed to put the law into effect.
The American Civil Liberties Union fought against the law, despite the new rule, on other federal constitutional grounds. The Thomas More Society was involved in the litigation when Peter Breen, then its Executive Director and Legal Counsel, recruited two downstate State’s Attorneys to intervene in the case to ensure a vigorous defense for the law in the state and federal courts. The ACLU ultimately lost their final federal challenge before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago in July 2009. Yet, a day before the parental notice law was to go into effect in late 2009, the ACLU filed a new state court lawsuit claiming the statute violated the Illinois Constitution of 1970. The state trial court rejected ACLU’s suit, but the Appellate Court reversed and sent the case back down to the trial court for further proceedings. Both the Attorney General and the Thomas More Society then filed petitions for review by the Illinois Supreme Court. Both petitions were granted in November 2011. Linton, author of a widely acclaimed legal treatise Abortion Under State Constitutions, authored the Thomas More Society’s friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of over twenty Illinois State’s Attorneys in defending parental notice. Linton also orally argued in defense of the law before the Supreme Court on behalf of the two State’s Attorneys who had attempted to intervene in the case to bolster defense of the law.
The ACLU’s repeated challenges to the constitutionality of the Illinois parental notice law had resulted in Illinois becoming a “fugitive” abortion state – a “dumping ground” for out-of-state minors’ abortions. Until now, Illinois was the only Midwest state without a parental notice or consent law in effect. This allowed thousands of abortions to be performed in Illinois on non-resident minors who crossed state lines, often accompanied by the adults who impregnated them, to evade their own state’s parental notice or consent laws.
* Catholic Conference of Illinois…
The Catholic Conference of Illinois applauds today’s unanimous Illinois Supreme Court ruling clearing the way for a 1995 parental notification of abortion law to finally be implemented.
State lawmakers approved the legislation requiring that a parent or legal guardian be notified when a minor seeks an abortion in order to protect our children from making a life-or-death decision on their own. The measure includes a waiver for those children who have been physically or sexually abused.
Special interests and legal wranglings barred the law from taking effect for 18 years, setting up the state as an abortion haven for children from surrounding states, which already have parental notification laws in place.
“With this ruling, parents across the state and the Midwest can breathe a sigh of relief with the knowledge that state law finally allows them to fully parent their children, and safeguard their lives and those of the unborn,” said Robert Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois.
Gilligan noted the decision cited other court rulings that recognize minors often lack the maturity, experience and judgment to distinguish harmful choices, as well as observing that juvenile justice systems exist for those very reasons.
The Catholic Conference of Illinois strongly supported the original legislation, lent its support to defeating the legal challenges to the law, and fought off subsequent legislative efforts to undermine the role of parents.
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Second thoughts
Thursday, Jul 11, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn was slammed hard for populist pandering and over-reachoing on his concealed carry amendatory veto. The criticisms were mostly on point.
However, think about something for a moment. Quinn’s AV did not insert language to make it a “may issue” bill. Quinn spent a lot of time this year insisting that local governments ought to decide who could carry concealed firearms. Yet he conceded significant ground to the NRA and its allies by accepting a “shall issue” law.
The only local control Quinn included was language about letting home rule units pass their own assault weapons bans. But that meant a whole host of other gun control ordinances, including Chicago’s gun registry, would be immediately legislated out of existence.
* The proposal as passed allows concealed carry in churches, unless churches post a sign prohibiting it. Quinn didn’t touch on that matter in his AV even though he spent a ton of time railing against the bill in churches during the week between his veto and the override.
* His AV didn’t address Sheriff Tom Dart’s objections, either…
Dart said a provision giving his office 30 days to conduct background checks on anyone applying for a concealed carry permit in Cook County is a joke.
“I have absolutely no idea how we can comply with any type of process that’s going to fairly evaluate any of these people who are applying. I don’t know how,” he said.
What I’m saying is that Quinn, for all his faults, for all his populist bloviating, for all of his over-reaches, came a very long way on concealed carry. David Axelrod called Quinn’s amendatory veto “modest and sensible.” The changes were certainly modest, considering how far the governor could’ve gone.
* Unfortunately for him, Quinn’s somewhat reasonable behavior (in relation to what he could’ve done) has given Mayor Bloomberg - who has endorsed Bill Daley - a clear opening to attack the governor for being “soft” on gun control. Yeah, it may be a stretch, but Bloomberg would have the facts on his side.
Ironic, no?
* Related…
* Gun owners ask courts to allow immediate ability to carry firearms in public
* Immediate concealed-carry right sought
* IL grapples with implementing conceal-carry law
* Gun charge dismissed after concealed-carry vote
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Quinn defends veto’s constitutionality
Thursday, Jul 11, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dave Ormsby quoted Gov. Pat Quinn’s spokesperson Brooke Anderson last night on the constitutionality of yesterday’s line item-veto of legislative salaries…
“Article IV, Section 9(d) of the Illinois Constitution authorizes the Governor to reduce or veto any item of appropriations in a bill presented to him. Quinn v. Donnewald confirms that such authority extends to the line item veto of the salaries of State officials, including legislators.
“Like other State expenditures, the payment of the General Assembly is subject to appropriation. The governor has a constitutional right to apply his line-item veto to appropriation bills, and that’s exactly what he did today.”
The Quinn v. Donnewald decision is here.
* I’ve also been told that since the General Assembly has the option and the power to override the veto, then this case would be unlike Jorgensen v. Blagojevich, which found that eliminating judicial cost of living increases was unconstitutional.
And since the General Assembly has not yet attempted to override the veto, there’s also, I’m told, an issue of ripeness.
* As we discussed yesterday, the attorney general’s office is looking into the matter…
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said no one has formally sought an opinion on Quinn’s move yet, though a spokeswoman acknowledged late Wednesday that her office had “talked informally with the Comptroller’s office about questions pertaining to today’s actions.”
Topinka spokesman Brad Hahn told the Chicago Sun-Times the review would be undertaken by lawyers within Topinka’s office.
In a statement Lisa Madigan issued Wednesday the three-term attorney general echoed Topinka’s qualms about the constitutionality of Quinn’s move.
“The Governor’s actions raise a series of constitutional and procedural issues that have never been resolved by the courts,” said spokeswoman Natalie Bauer. “We’re looking closely at them.”
* Sen. Raoul wants to see a court challenge, but it won’t be him…
State Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago), who leads a 10-member conference committee sought by Quinn to draw up a pension compromise, also said he would like to see someone in the Legislature go to court to challenge Quinn’s “illegal” maneuver in “punishing folks, who may well have supported what he supported.” […]
But Raoul, a potential candidate for attorney general if Attorney General Lisa Madigan runs against Quinn, said it would not be him doing it. “I don’t want to give his action any more visibility and credence than it deserves,” he said.
Obviously, suing over this would be a political hot potato for the plaintiff. Former Sen. Denny Jacobs probably would’ve had the guts to do it, but he was infamous for that stuff and untouchable back home.
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ISRA still pushing court case
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WUIS…
Illinois lawmakers thought they were in the clear after meeting a federal court’s deadline to pass a concealed carry law by Tuesday. But the Illinois State Rifle Association says that’s not good enough.
The Rifle Association believes lawmakers did not meet their deadline because the state’s ban on carrying guns outside the home remains in effect.
While concealed carry is officially the law in Illinois, it could be mid-March before a gun owner would actually and legally be able to carry their weapon in public. The new law gives state police six months to setup a permit system, then there’s a 90-day application process.
The Rifle Association says that delay continues to deprive lawful gun owners of their constitutional rights.
The ISRA’s motion is here.
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Topinka wants legal review of veto
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Comptroller Topinka…
This morning the Governor notified my office of his intention to eliminate the salaries and stipends of members of the General Assembly.
While I understand and appreciate the Governor’s focus on pension reform, real questions have been raised about the legality of his action.
Specifically, Section 11 of our State Constitution states that ‘changes in the salary of a member shall not take effect during the term for which he has been elected.’
Therefore, I have requested a legal review which should be completed before lawmakers are scheduled to receive their next paychecks on August 1, 2013.”
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* Here is House Speaker Michael Madigan’s full react to Gov. Pat Quinn’s line-item veto of legislative salaries and benefits…
“I have been working for many months to pass real, comprehensive pension reform. During the first Democratic Caucus of this General Assembly, I admonished our members that doing nothing or passing only a half measure on pension reform was not an option. This issue must be solved in order to put Illinois on a more secure financial path.
“I, along with Representative Nekritz, Leader Cross and the members who supported House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1, have been the only lawmakers willing to take a difficult vote that would lead to solvency in our pension systems. The Governor’s decision follows my efforts and I understand his frustration.
“I am hopeful his strategy works.”
Translation: Unless something drastic happens, there ain’t gonna be an override vote until pension reform passes.
This is a House Bill, sponsored by Madigan himself, so he alone controls what happens next.
* Senate President John Cullerton’s full react…
Lawmakers have worked hard this session. That work included passing a balanced budget, paying off hundreds of millions of dollars in old bills, cutting their own pay and numerous, serious bipartisan efforts to enact comprehensive pension reform.
The governor’s actions today are as unproductive as yesterday’s arbitrary deadline. Responsible leaders know that unworkable demands will only delay progress.
Our efforts on pensions will continue until we’ve reached our goal. In the meantime, the work of the pensions conference committee shouldn’t be undermined or deterred by today’s or future political grandstanding.
Cullerton can complain all he wants. The sponsor in the originating chamber controls the override motion’s fate. If MJM is with Quinn, then there won’t be an override.
…Adding… Commenter 47th Ward is again spot on…
Madigan must believe Quinn’s “strategy” will soften up the Senate more than causing a ruckus in the House. The pension debate is still Cullerton v. Madigan, and neither is yet willing to blink.
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Daley changes his stance on contributions
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Now we know why Bill Daley traveled to Springfield on a hot news day. Yeah, he wanted to get himself into the stories, but I think mainly he wanted to bury a position change…
Days after Bill Daley proposed strict campaign fundraising guidelines and promised to limit his own donations while a gubernatorial candidate, the former White House chief of staff reversed his stance Tuesday and said he would take in money this year while lawmakers are in session.
The Chicago Democrat rolled out his proposal to limit political fundraising last week, after he’d announced about $800,000 in political fundraising during the initial weeks since forming his 2014 exploratory committee.
Playing up Illinois’ dark history of political corruption, he called for reforms. He said once elected governor, he’d move to ban political contributions during the time that lawmakers meet in Springfield. That would apply to state lawmakers, statewide officeholders and candidates seeking those offices.
Then he vowed to extend that principle to himself this year, saying he would not take any political donations while lawmakers meet in Springfield — including sessions in July and later this fall.
But Daley pulled back from that idea Tuesday while addressing reporters outside the Illinois Capitol, where lawmakers were gathered inside. He explained the discrepancy by saying he was “correcting” his statements and that he wasn’t elected yet.
“I have no power to affect anything,” he said, adding that refusing to take donations on those days would “be just political grandstanding.”
I don’t disagree with this. Glenn Poshard killed his campaign by imposing his own campaign contribution caps. Sheila Simon lost what was believed to be a sure thing Carbondale mayoral race by doing the same. Get elected, then change the system.
But, obviously, Daley should’ve figured that out before he rolled out his initial announcement the other day. Not a good sign.
* More coverage…
Former White House Chief of Staff William Daley criticized Gov. Pat Quinn Tuesday for snubbing a hearing this week before a legislative panel the governor himself prescribed as the venue for solving the state’s nearly $100 billion pension crisis.
“It’s unfortunate the fiscal crisis, driven by the pension issue, doesn’t seem to be any further than it was the last time the Legislature was here,” Daley told reporters outside the Statehouse. “It’s unfortunate the governor didn’t meet with the conference [committee] members [Monday], have the opportunity to lay out exactly what he’s for, what the parameters of what he would accept [in a] deal.” […]
“He called for the conference [committee], and I don’t know what’s exactly happened in the last two-and-a-half weeks since the conference was created, how many times the governor has met with the members or other legislators to try to develop a plan and a solution to this crisis,” Daley continued. “But it’s unfortunate: It looks as though once again, there will be failure here today on the fiscal situation.”
* More…
Bill Daley, the former White House chief of staff and gun-control advocate who has launched a primary challenge to Quinn, slammed him for touting his proposed gun restrictions at high-profile community events rather than behind closed doors with lawmakers.
“I know he’s gone to churches and he’s prayed, but hope and praying are not a strategy,” Daley told reporters outside the Statehouse on Tuesday as the override vote loomed. “There wasn’t a concerted effort driven by the governor” to get the restrictions into the bill earlier.
“One would have to raise the question,” Daley added. “Was this a political statement or a real attempt to have a solution to a problem that plagues our state and nation?”
Quinn, in remarks to later to reporters, testily denied he’d been disengaged from the legislative process . “I spoke about this to members of the Legislature over and over again,” he said.
* Daley press conference audio in three parts…
Click to listen Part 1
Click to listen Part 2
Click to listen Part 3
Discuss.
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Dillard to announce Monday
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Another one makes the expected jump…
State Sen. Kirk Dillard told the Sun-Times today he will announce his bid for governor on Monday, in a two-day fly-around that will kick-off that morning outside of his Northwest Side childhood home.
Dillard (R-Hinsdale) will become the fourth Republican to compete in the gubernatorial primary. After the Chicago announcement, Dillard will head to Decatur, Peoria, Carbondale, Rockford, Rock Island and will conclude with a rally back on Dillard’s home turf in DuPage County.
* Meanwhile, a reader pointed out something to me the other day. James Liautaud, the Jimmy John’s founder who’s threatened repeatedly to move out of state, contributed $1,000 to Bruce Rauner’s campaign late last month.
Liautaud has been a supporter of both Bill Brady and Dan Rutherford in the past.
Treasurer Rutherford regularly touts his friendship with the submarine sandwich kingpin, but so far Rauner has been the sole recipient of Liautaud’s cash this year.
* And speaking of money…
Don’t count out Gov. Pat Quinn in the Dem primary race that reads like a dust-up with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley.
† To wit: Sneed hears that Quinn out-raised both potential opponents this last quarter.
† The numbers game: Sneed is told Quinn raised more than $1 million, while Madigan raised more than $600,000 and Daley raised more than $790,000.
Quinn also outraised Rauner in the second quarter.
So far, only Sneed and myself have highlighted this fact. The governor is truly getting no respect, perhaps deservingly so.
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Worst day ever?
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s hard to disagree with Dave McKinney’s analysis of yesterday’s drubbing…
Hoarse and unusually agitated, Gov. Pat Quinn went before cameras Tuesday to explain his resounding defeat on concealed-carry legislation and to tell voters one more time why he couldn’t exert his will over a Democratic-led state Legislature.
“Today was a bad day for public safety in Illinois,” the governor said.
But in fact, it was Quinn himself who had the bad day, perhaps one of the worst of his one-and-a-half terms as governor.
The Democratic governor was resoundingly mowed down by lawmakers in his effort to rewrite portions of the gun bill – even on something as basic as requiring a concealed-carry licensee to tell a cop if he or she is armed and to strengthen the state’s hand in keeping concealed weapons out of the hands of a gun owner who presents a “clear and present danger.” […]
One could argue Quinn has set out on a path to seek his second full term by running against the Legislature, whose members consistently rate lower in popularity than even the chronically unpopular Quinn.
But that strategy, as his concealed-carry and pension defeats show, leaves Quinn looking weak, which the governor strained to explain away Tuesday during his news conference.
“With respect to working and getting the job done, I think the people of Illinois know I work every day for their common good,” Quinn said.
Working every day for the common good is a fine thing. But you gotta show accomplishments in order to do good things. Doing ain’t exactly his strong suit.
* The Tribune editorial board was on point as well…
It wasn’t a good day for the governor. His veto was swiftly and summarily dismissed by an overwhelming number of lawmakers. His rhetoric — slapping this bill as some National Rifle Association diktat — didn’t ring true. It was the product of a difficult but balanced negotiation, compelled by the ruling of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
That’s exactly right. If Quinn wanted to be in the negotiations, he could’ve been. He chose to sit them out so he could do what he eventually did. Showmanship instead of leadership. But, hey, throwing rocks at the process has long been his thing.
* I tried twice to get Quinn to answer a simple question yesterday about why he or his staff weren’t in the room when the Legislature negotiated the concealed carry bill. He wouldn’t move off his talking points, then left after I pressed him a second time…
* This ain’t the end, however. Not by any means…
But the legislature’s decision to override Quinn and stick to its agreed-upon compromise may represent only a short-lived truce between gun rights advocates and gun control supporters in a state where there is a vast divergence over how firearms are viewed, dependent largely upon cultural and regional differences.
Even a late effort by lawmakers to amend another bill to reflect three mostly minor changes that the governor had proposed ended up falling short of the votes needed in the House after first passing the Senate. […]
Sen. Christine Radogno of Lemont, the Senate Republican leader, told colleagues that “I don’t think this is the last time we’re going to be discussing this issue.” And Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, a gun control supporter, said “it is a very safe bet that we will be back” fighting over changes in the new law. […]
Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said lawmakers “can and should add more protections to when and how people can carry guns in public places. I believe in give-and-take and compromise, but we can’t bargain away the safety of our families.”
Richard Pearson, who heads the Illinois State Rifle Association, cheered the vote of legislators to overcome Quinn’s efforts to make the legislation more restrictive. But he also said that the new law was “not perfect” and that it would be reviewed and fine-tuned when necessary.
The trailer bill passed overwhelmingly in the Senate and got 62 House votes. It died in the House because it needed a super-majority due to its immediate effective date. That bill, and others, will likely pass next spring if they’re allowed to the floor.
* Related…
* How gun law works: Likely 2014 before permits issued
* New law gives suburbs 10 days to ban assault weapons
* Attorney General Lisa Madigan: Appealing federal court’s concealed-carry ruling now moot after override effort
* Concealed-carry legal in Illinois after Senate joins House in blocking Quinn’s amendatory veto
* Illinois lawmakers school governor with concealed carry override
* Despite Chicago bloodshed, Illinois will allow concealed carry
* 9 Illinois lawmakers skip historic concealed carry vote
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Here come the “consequences”
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
GOVERNOR’S PUBLIC SCHEDULE
**Wednesday, July 10, 2013**
CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn will make a major budgetary announcement.
WHEN: 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: James R. Thompson Center
Blue Room – 15th Floor
100 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, 60601
I’ll try to have live coverage. It’ll be on a separate post. ADDING: The live coverage post is here.
* AP…
Quinn hasn’t yet signed a key part of the Illinois budget that gives the state comptroller the ability to issue paychecks to tens of thousands of state employees.
The measure also provides money for agencies in charge of things like state campgrounds and running two state fairs. It contains a 250-page spending plan for state agencies.
The governor has until July 15 to sign House Bill 214. The fiscal year began July 1.
Any predictions?
…Adding… Here’s some advance coverage…
* ‘Arbitrary’ pension date passes: “The pension crisis will get dealt with,” state Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, said. “It won’t be by some arbitrary date set by an irrelevant governor.”
* Quinn: Inaction on pensions ‘let down taxpayers’: “We don’t need any more excuses,” he said. We don’t need any more alibis.” He warned of consequences but declined to say exactly what he’d do. However, when asked, he didn’t deny the possibility of cutting legislative salaries from a pending budget bill.
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Morning video
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* After Gov. Quinn’s repudiation yesterday over concealed carry, this Blackberry Smoke tune seems appropriate. I’ve been listening to it all morning while writing the Capitol Fax. Check it out…
Lyrics…
Well my fall from grace was a sight to see
Good turned to bad and bad turned to misery
I found out what it is and what it’s not
And all I ask for sure ain’t what I got
Well I’ve been rained on, rode hard and put up wet
Danced with the Devil ’til I’m in debt
Took all I got and there ain’t much left of me
I’ve been knocked down, drug out and left for dead
Barely held together by a few old threads
And I’m still here, there ain’t much left to see, no
Well I’m still holding on and there ain’t much left of me
Thought that I hit bottom but I ain’t there yet
‘Cause you’d be surprised of how low a man can get
I watched stolen dreams slip through my hands
And now I’m getting out of here still while I still can
Well I’ve been rained on, rode hard and put up wet
Danced with the devil ’til I’m in debt
Took all I got and there ain’t much left of me
I’ve been knocked down, drug out and left for dead
Barely held together by a few old threads
And I’m still here, there ain’t much left to see,no
Well I’m still holding on and there ain’t much left of me
That’s right
Well my fall from grace was a sight to see
Nobody even cared what became of me
Do I have to get down on my knees
And ask the Lord, Lord have mercy on me
Well I’ve been rained on, rode hard and put up wet
Danced with the Devil ’til I’m in debt
Took all I got and there ain’t much left of me
I’ve been knocked down, drug out and left for dead
Barely held together by a few old threads
And I’m still here, there ain’t much left to see, no
Well I’m still holding on and there ain’t much left of me
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Jul 9, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Amanda Vinicky…
At least one of those ideas, I’m told, is to call out the National Guard. You may recall that Rod Blagojevich offered to do that several years ago.
* The Question: Should Gov. Pat Quinn call out the National Guard to patrol the most violent Chicago neighborhoods? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey tools
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The expectations game
Tuesday, Jul 9, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As subscribers already know, I have a much different take on this topic…
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s campaign reported Monday taking in nearly $530,000 in new contributions, according to campaign records. Add another $100k since April 1 and the fund-raising surge puts Lisa Madigan in striking distance of $5 million in total cash-on-hand when the reporting period ends. The total outpaces two other Democratic gubernatorial potential candidates: Gov. Pat Quinn and William Daley, however Quinn held his own in larger donations over the last few weeks. […]
Insiders have said the attorney general was working to close out the second period in commanding fashion, hoping to reach $5 million. The filing deadline for the second period is July 15th.
The newest campaign disclosures include a $52,600 boost from DRIVE Teamsters Political Action Committee, another $10,600 from SEIU and tens of thousands more from teachers unions and other employee unions.
Lisa Madigan would have to do little more than sign her name to be reelected once again as Illinois Attorney General. So if not for a gubernatorial campaign, where will the $5 million go?
She was outraised this past quarter by Gov. Quinn, Bill Daley and Bruce Rauner. She raised a lot less money in the second quarter than she raised in the first quarter. The spin out of her campaign yesterday was that she reached her $5 million goal, but that wasn’t a quarter of somebody gearing up extremely hard for a major statewide race. Her first quarter was. I don’t know if this means she’s not running or just didn’t put in enough time and effort, but either way, she didn’t beat expectations.
* And, eventually, she’s gonna have to talk about this stuff…
Attorney General Lisa Madigan- still undecided about running for Governor- would not divulge her positions on concealed carry or pension reform.
“We’ll see what’s happening in Springfield. This is now in the hands of the Legislature,” said Madigan.
I get why she’s trying to avoid answering questions, but she can’t continue this for much longer if she wants to run for governor.
* Meanwhile, there has been no talk outside of this one Tribune article about a Downstate Democrat running for governor. I’m not even sure who it would be…
“Right now, (Downstate Democrats) see the choices and it’s two Chicago guys,” said state Rep. Brandon Phelps, the Harrisburg Democrat who helped negotiate the legislature’s compromise bill from the gun-owner rights perspective. “I think there might be some other people who will get into this race.” […]
As for a potential Downstate Democratic contender for governor who has the credibility and gravitas to run, Phelps said he believes some possible candidates are waiting to see if Madigan enters the contest. “A lot of us (Downstate Democrats) will get together. I think there’s some people looking at horses to ride,” he said.
Can you think of anybody?
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A complete farce
Tuesday, Jul 9, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn again threatened unspecified “consequences” if the General Assembly doesn’t approve pension reform today…
“It’s time for them to do their job. If they don’t do their job by tomorrow, there will be consequences,” said Gov. Pat Quinn. […]
“They’ve refused to act. We’re not going to take it any longer,” said Gov. Quinn.
We’ve already discussed what one of those consequences might be.
* Meanwhile, yesterday’s testimony by Quinn budget director Jerry Stermer was a complete farce…
During the hearing, members of both parties were stymied by Quinn’s budget chief, Jerry Stermer, who would only offer vague answers when asked about what new plan the governor was prepared to offer up. Stermer also wouldn’t say why the governor rebuffed the committee’s invitation to personally testify at Monday’s meeting.
“Part of the difficulty in our discussion today is you’re answering in a lot of generalities. If the governor were here, it would be difficult for him to just answer in generalities,” state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago), the committee’s chairman, told Stermer.
“So I’m just curious, where is the governor? What’s more important for him today? He was invited to be here,” Raoul said.
Stermer responded that in the letter Raoul sent the administration seeking testimony before the committee, he invited either “the governor or his designee” to appear.
“My letter was to him, so I assume he declined,” Raoul pressed.
“He sent his designee, as requested,” Stermer shot back.
More…
Stermer would not get specific about what sort of plan the governor would like the see come out of the committee process. “The governor’s proposal has been and continues to be: We need a comprehensive solution that stabilizes these systems and enables the systems to actually pay the pensions of the people who have earned them, will erase the unfunded ability, get to 100 percent funding and end the squeeze on the major obligations of state government,” he said. He parroted these components as a response to questions from the committee so many times that his repetition eventually drew laughter from the public audience.
Sheesh.
* An extremely important point…
Publicly, Quinn said he wants lawmakers to act on pension reform by July 9. He’s warned of consequences if the deadline isn’t met, but hasn’t specified what those consequences are.
Raoul, though, said Quinn’s office asked pension actuaries to analyze savings on some reform ideas and was told the numbers wouldn’t be available until July 12 at the earliest, three days after the deadline he set for lawmakers to act.
The governor’s people have been negotiating behind the scenes and have come up with their own reform outline (subscribe for more info). which they submitted for actuarial review late last month. And even though the analysis of their own plan won’t be finished until July 12th, Quinn is still sticking to his “consequences” line.
It’s a total spin job, but most of the media hasn’t yet challenged Quinn on it.
More…
Raoul said the group is getting two different messages from Quinn: the sound bites for the media and their own interactions with Stermer. Quinn’s office made some suggestions that actuaries are also working on. The estimates on Quinn’s proposals will not be complete until July 12.
“The reason that I invited the governor was because there was a bit of an inconsistency as to what was being said from his office publicly and the work that Mr. Stermer, the representative of his office, was doing privately. So you want to know which is which. Am I wasting my time with Mr. Stermer and having these discussions? Should I be listening to … Brooke Anderson? Who’s telling the truth here? The only person who could resolve that — you know, the buck stops at the governor.”
* Related…
* Quinn budget chief scolds pension panel, gets payment in kind
* Pension committee hears higher ed testimony
* Lawmakers continue hunt for pension crisis fix
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*** UPDATE *** Twitters…
*** UPDATE 2 *** No vote in Senate Exec. Caucuses will now meet to discuss what to do about the amendment, or any amendment. Then a vote on the override.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Quinn’s legislative office has been making calls, but they haven’t succeeded in stopping an override of the concealed carry bill yet. If this is gonna be a “showdown,” then the governor will lose the battle…
“There will be a showdown in Springfield,” Quinn told the crowd gathered in Chicago for a bill signing on anti-gang legislation. Afterward he told reporters that lawmakers should examine his changes carefully.
“I don’t think they should override common sense. I don’t think they should compromise with public safety,” he said.
The political war, however, is already “won,” in Cook County, at least. The governor’s AV was a purely political document. It got him just what he wanted: Tons of publicity portraying him as an anti-gun, crime-fighting white knight.
* This is crud…
“The legislature thinks that bill that they put on my desk is acceptable– having guns in bars. I don’t. I think the people of Illinois agree with me,” Gov. Quinn said.
Taverns make more than half their revenues off of liquor, so concealed carry was already prohibited in the original bill. The media really needs to do some basic fact checking here.
* A somewhat incomplete quote…
“I was in five parades on the fourth of July. I didn’t hear one person complain about what I did,” says Governor Pat Quinn while speaking to a Chicago crowd. “I heard many people agree with what I did for common-sense gun safety laws.”
Those parades were all in the Chicago area. But here’s something else he said…
“I’ve been all across, uh, talking to a lot of people since last Tuesday, and the people of Illinois understand common sense.”
He couldn’t say he’s been all across Illinois, so he stopped himself short. Listen to his full presser…
* Another quote…
“I would say to legislators tomorrow, ‘Do not genuflect before the National Rifle Association.’ They do not understand public safety in the Land of Lincoln.”
Quinn also said it was “total baloney” that he wasn’t involved with the concealed carry bill. As far as doing the hard work of crafting a bill, he definitely was not involved. Quinn didn’t want any sort of ownership of this legislation, so that’s why he stayed out of the negotiations and issued an AV.
* But…
Senate President John Cullerton said issues raised by Quinn’s changes were worth discussing and could come up again down the road.
“Even though the Senate president will be supporting the override so that we don’t waste any time getting reasonable regulations on the books, he did think that there are a lot of issues raised in the amendatory veto that are worth further discussion,” Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said.
That’s why you should keep an eye on the Senate Exec Committee today.
* The other side…
“Here’s the deal, we have a compromised bill and both sides of the aisle, both chambers have agreed to this. We’ve got a lot of votes in both chambers, I don’t think anybody wants to go back on their word, on the compromise,” explains bill sponsor Representative Brandon Phelps.
Phelps says lawmakers will attempt to override the governor’s changes in a special session on Tuesday, and he and other downstate lawmakers are confident they can do it.
“I imagine, based upon the votes that took place previously on the concealed carry legislation, that it will be overridden tomorrow, and that southern Illinois will lead the way,” says Representative John Bradley.
If lawmakers are successful in the override vote, the law would give State Police 180 days to implement the new program. Once that time is up, FOID card holders can apply for the $150 dollar, 5-year permit. State Police would be required to issue that permit within 90 days.
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* After the Supreme Court’s DOMA ruling, state Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) said she was much more inclined to vote for the gay marriage bill. No more…
But the South Side lawmaker made a clear retreat from that stance Monday, the day a new automated phone call campaign against the issue was announced. The calls into several minority-majority House districts feature the voice of the Rev. James Meeks, pastor of Salem Baptist Church and a former South Side state senator opposed to same-sex marriage.
“My statement [late last month] was that we really don’t want to deny certain people their rights to Social Security or pension benefits because some states have marriage equality and others do not. However, I, Monique Davis, have no intention of voting for the bill,” she told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I really wish them the very best,” she said, referring to advocates for the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. “They have 70 people they can go to and drum up some more votes.”
* She’s not the only one being targeted by the new round of robocalls…
Other legislators being targeted in the new wave of phone calls are Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood), Rep. Andre Thapedi (D-Chicago), Rep. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago), Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan), Rep. Esther Golar (D-Chicago) and Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria), said Sean Howard, a spokesman for the African American Clergy Coalition.
Howard said the 60-second phone call featuring Meeks cost “multiple thousands of dollars” and was underwritten by Family PAC, a conservative Republican political-action committee led by activist Paul Caprio.
* Meanwhile, pro gay marriage forces are running ads on black-oriented radio stations featuring President and Mrs. Obama. Listen…
* Script…
VO1: You know what? It’s not fair that in some states, gay couples can get married and have all the rights that go along with it – but not in Illinois.
VO2: Not in Illinois? That’s not fair.
VO1: Nope. And that means gay couples don’t get treated equally when it comes to taxes, Social Security, or Medicare. Listen to what President Obama had to say about it:
President Barack Obama: Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law. For if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.
VO2: So our President’s out there for marriage equality?
VO1: And Michelle, too. Here’s what she said:
First Lady Michelle Obama: In a country where we teach our children that everyone is equal under the law, discriminating against same-sex couples just isn’t right. So, it’s as simple as that.
Announcer: Join President and Mrs. Obama and folks across our community who believe in fairness. Tell your legislators to pass the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act.
Paid for by Illinois Unites for Marriage.
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Bill Daley coming to Springfield
Tuesday, Jul 9, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Twitters…
Daley plans to speak to reporters at 10:30 11 o’clock (he changed the time). He’s criticized Quinn for failing to get involved in the concealed carry negotiations, and has expressed outrage over the failure to pass pension reform. So, he’ll have plenty to talk about.
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* Festivities are expected to begin at 3 o’clock. Click here or here for audio and video.
* Tribune…
Pension negotiators acknowledged last week that the deadline would be blown, saying more time was needed to crunch numbers and find a consensus. Quinn on Monday warned there would be “consequences” for their lack of action but wouldn’t say specifically what they might be.
Quinn brushed aside suggestions that their dismissal of his time frame represented a lack of respect for his office.
“I don’t feel any kind of disrespect, I have the respect of the people of Illinois,” Quinn said.
Yeah, about 30 percent or so of the people, if the polls are right.
* ScribbleLive…
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Question of the day
Monday, Jul 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* CBS2…
There was more to this 4th of July than celebrating the country’s independence. For candidates looking ahead to the governor’s race next year, it also was a chance to get out and meet voters. […]
There’s pomp, there’s the parades, and of course no parade is complete without a few politicians shaking hands and meeting their constituents.
“It’s important that we never forget what a blessing democracy is,” Quinn said at the Arlington Heights parade.
Quinn wasn’t the only 2014 gubernatorial hopeful meeting and greeting folks this summer holiday. His Democratic opponent, campaign trail neophyte Bill Daley, did the same, getting a jump on the sort of politicking that traditionally gets underway on Labor Day.
* The Question: What did you do while blog comments were closed here?
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Today’s quote
Monday, Jul 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Glenn Keefer, managing partner of Keefer’s Restaurant at 20 W. Kinzie in the River North neighborhood, said a provision in the current law for restaurants to post signs that guns are unwelcome won’t work.
The existing bill’s language, which Quinn said comes straight from the National Rifle Association-endorsed concealed carry law in Texas, allows concealed-carry weapons in bars and restaurants whose alcohol sales are less than 50 percent of their gross receipts. The existing bill lets those restaurants put up signs saying guns are unwelcome, while establishments with greater than 50-percent alcohol sales are required to post such signs.
“After more than 40 years in the bar and restaurant business, I can tell you that signs do not work,” Keefer said, noting that he took down his own restaurant’s sign asking men to take off their hats while dining because it was ignored.
Umm, OK. A sign asking people to remove their hats, without the force of any sort of law, is ignored. No surprise. The concealed carry law would have penalties attached to it, so it would be ignored at a permit-holder’s peril. Big difference.
Keefer’s, by the way, is one of Gov. Pat Quinn’s favorite restaurants. As subscribers know, Quinn had the restaurant opened for a breakfast meeting recently, the timing of which just “happened” to coincide with a Lisa Madigan fundraiser across the street.
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* Rematch…
Bobby Schilling wants his old job back. Monday he’s sent to make an announcement.
Schilling’s office tells CBS 4 that the former Illinois congressman will announce today that he will run again in 2014.
The republican Schilling was unseated by Democrat Cheri Bustos in 2012.
* More…
His campaign is likely to place a heavy focus on economic issues, son and campaign manager Terry Schilling said during the holiday weekend.
“We’re putting together a plan right now on addressing mostly the rising prices and stagnant wages, because those are what’s really hurting the middle class right now,” he said.
Terry Schilling identified that focus as one of the shortfalls of the 2012 race.
“We didn’t talk enough about how the Republican policies helped the middle class,” he said, stressing that as a small-business owner and head of a large family - Bobby Schilling has 10 children - the candidate recognized the economic pinch many people are still facing.
“Bobby Schilling is the one with a large family who actually goes grocery shopping and has to pay bills,” he said. “When people aren’t getting raises and their wages are stagnant, he’s the one who’s feeling it.”
* How he’s using that issue so far against Bustos…
Schilling said Illinois families need a representative who understands the plight of the middle class and that incumbent Congresswoman Bustos has been absent on that front.
“The middle class is getting crushed by rising prices, stagnant wages and a government that has forgotten about them,” said Schilling. “Not only are our groceries and gas prices going up, but our health care premiums in Illinois are estimated to rise at least 61% because of Obamacare. Incumbent Congresswoman Bustos has proven during her time in Washington that she doesn’t understand or feel the pain of middle class families. We need a true representative fighting for us in Washington and incumbent Congresswoman Cheri Bustos has refused to act.”
* These “missing in action” and “refused to act” lines will continue to show up. For instance…
“We’ve got such a lack of leadership right now, that our incumbent Congresswoman refused to even support a budget,” said Schilling. “Supporting a budget or presenting your own is your basic duty while being a member of Congress. If you can’t support a budget to get our country back on the right track, then you didn’t go to Washington for anything but self-promotion.”
The idea here is to run a populist, working-class conservative campaign. But the new district ain’t what it used to be and Bustos is no pushover.
*** UPDATE *** DCCC…
Bobby Schilling’s Wrong Priorities Hurt the Middle Class Families That Sent Him Packing
Ex-Congressman Bobby Schilling is set today to announce that he wants his seat back in Congress, hoping middle class voters will forget his record of protecting tax breaks for the ultra wealthy and companies that ship jobs overseas while voting to end the Medicare guarantee. Voters also won’t forget who Schilling was really serving in Congress after recent reports show he’s already been raising special interest money.
“Illinois middle class families are not going to re-elect ex-Congressman Schilling after he sold them out and voted for tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas,” said Brandon Lorenz of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Whether it’s his votes to encourage outsourcing or his support for raising Medicare costs on Illinois seniors to give tax cuts to the wealthy, ex- Congressman Schilling has a record of hurting middle class families in order to protect his corporate special interest backers.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the Bustos campaign…
“Congresswoman Bustos is focused on job creation, protecting Medicare and Social Security, and serving the people of Illinois’ 17th Congressional District, not an election that is over a year away.”
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20-40 hindsight
Monday, Jul 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
Retiring Chicago Alderman Dick Mell reflected Friday on his decades as a player in the city’s old-school machine politics and said one of his only regrets is aiding the rise of son-in-law and former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, now in prison for corruption.
Mell helped Blagojevich make it to Congress in 1996 and later the governor’s mansion, but the two men subsequently had a public falling out that Mell said left a “terrible schism” between himself and his daughter. He said he wished he had done things differently.
With the benefit of hindsight, “I think that he would have probably stayed a state representative,” Mell said of his son-in-law.
Why even go that far? In hindsight, he should’ve been kept out of politics altogether.
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The hoopla has commenced in earnest
Monday, Jul 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a July 5th press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today visited the popular area surrounding Chicago’s Wrigley Field to discuss the importance of common-sense gun laws in Illinois, especially when it comes to concealed carry. Earlier this week Governor Quinn issued an amendatory veto of House Bill 183, legislation that would allow and regulate the carrying of concealed handguns in public places, to address several serious safety problems. One of the governor’s critical changes to ensure public safety is to prohibit concealed weapons from public areas such as taverns and restaurants where alcohol is served.
“Guns and alcohol are a toxic mix,” Governor Quinn said. “Public safety should never be negotiated away or compromised, and I will never support a flawed concealed carry bill that puts public safety at risk. The common-sense changes I outlined this week make this a better law and I encourage people to visit KeepIllinoisSafe.org, contact their state legislators and urge them to support these important changes.”
The Wrigleyville locale was a nice touch. Pretty much everybody knows that the neighborhood’s perpetual drunken street fest is a nightmare.
But the original bill banned concealed carry in taverns, or any place where booze was at least half of revenues. Quinn merely expanded it to include places like restaurants.
* Also, check out this language from the AV…
A person shall not carry a concealed firearm onto the private real property of another without prior permission from the property owner. A property owner shall indicate permission to carry concealed firearms by posting a sign at the entrance of a building, premises, or real property, except this posting is not required if the property is a private residence
The bill as passed said business owners could post signs banning guns. Quinn reversed the polarity.
* From a July 7th press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today joined local residents for a community walk on the south side of Chicago to discuss the importance of common-sense gun laws in Illinois, especially when it comes to concealed carry. Earlier this week Governor Quinn issued an amendatory veto of House Bill 183, legislation that would allow and regulate the carrying of concealed handguns in public places, to address several serious safety problems. The changes address several serious safety problems with the legislation and will make communities safer across the state.
“The people of Illinois deserve common-sense gun policies that keep them safe,” Governor Quinn said. “No one needs to carry more than one gun and 10 rounds of ammunition for self-protection. As we continue to fight the gun violence that plagues many communities, the common-sense changes I made last week are crucial to public safety.”
Trained and licensed concealed carriers aren’t the problem. It’s the untrained, unlicensed illegal gun owners who are the real problem. This is just rhetoric. Eric Zorn…
Look, someone planning a massacre in a public place isn’t going to be deterred by such a limit — probably isn’t going to go through the trouble of getting a permit — and the whole idea of CCW is that it arms good guys. And whether you like that idea or not, it’s going to be the law. So why disarm good guys?
* And Quinn’s rejection of a provision that gives municipalities ten days from the law’s effective date to enact assault weapons bans is apparently just symbolic, since few locals are actually moving ahead with their bans…
As Illinois prepares to become the last state in the country to allow the concealed carry of firearms, few of its communities appear concerned that the window allowing them to ban assault-style weapons will rapidly begin closing next week.
Despite encouragement from Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon — and on the verge of almost-certain enactment next week of a law allowing residents to carry concealed weapons — only four communities have adopted semi-automatic gun restrictions out of more than two dozen taking them up.
According to interviews and information from gun-rights groups such as the Illinois State Rifle Association, 14 communities have rejected or decided not to act on proposed bans. Ten have yet to vote or have delayed consideration.
All of them are in the Chicago metropolitan area. Those adopting bans — Highland Park, North Chicago, Melrose Park, and Skokie — join eight other cities, also near Chicago, that already regulate possession or sale and transfer of illegal weapons, according to research compiled by the Illinois House Democrats’ staff.
* Bill Daley’s mouthpiece makes a valid point…
“The governor didn’t do his job during the legislative session,” said Pete Giangreco, spokesman for former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley, a gun-control advocate who is challenging Quinn for the Democratic nomination for governor next year. “You can’t fix that by having a well-rehearsed press conference.”
* From that well-rehearsed press conference…
It was an event that had all the trappings of a campaign rally. Quinn supporters, including children, lined up around him with placards denouncing gun violence. Some held photos of murdered loved ones. Quinn announced a website in support of his actions — “KeepIllinoisSafe.org” — laying out his case against the original bill and providing information for people to contact their legislators.
“My job is to fight for the 13 million people of Illinois every day,” Quinn said, to fervent applause from those gathered with him. “I don’t believe the National Rifle Association is an authority on public safety.” […]
Quinn, meanwhile, has alleged it’s not he who is playing politics with the gun issue, but the supporters of the original bill — people he alleged are “mouthpieces for the NRA.”
“The General Assembly … should put aside politics and focus on people and their safety,” Quinn said last week.
One of the main supporters of the original bill was House Speaker Michael Madigan. I seriously doubt he’s a mouthpiece for the NRA.
* Finke…
For a while there, it seemed like Rod Blagojevich had come back as governor.
But no, it was just Gov. Pat Quinn doing his best Blago impression last week with concealed carry.
As a governor, when you act on a controversial, high-profile bill like concealed carry and want to make some political points at the same time, you do it at a public ceremony. And that’s what Quinn did. The news media were summoned to an event in Chicago. The place was packed with people. There were law enforcement people. There were people from gun-control organizations. There were family members of gun-violence victims. And, of course, there were the children. That was a common Blagojevich technique, to use children as props in his public events.
Then there was Quinn’s action on the bill itself. He didn’t use his amendatory veto powers to do a nip and tuck on concealed carry. He extensively rewrote the bill with stuff that wasn’t agreed to by negotiators during weeks of discussions. That was also something out of the Blagojevich playbook.
Word.
But keep in mind that RRB won two statewide elections.
* Related…
* Chicago Gun Violence Deadly Over Long Holiday Weekend Ahead Of Concealed Carry Deadline
* Rep. Phelps: Quinn playing politics with guns: “The governor’s acting like the mayor (of Chicago),” Phelps said. “He represents 102 counties. He can’t just pick one out.”
* Editorial: Quinn’s gamble on guns: If Quinn doesn’t line up the votes to support him, but he peels off enough votes to defeat an override of his veto, Tuesday will bring no new law … and possibly chaos. Illinois could be left without a law prohibiting or regulating the concealed carry of weapons… That would be an all-around, and potentially dangerous, failure of leadership.
* Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s Last Minute Changes to Concealed-Carry Bill Has Gun-Advocates Up in Arms
* Will Co. concealed carry proponents criticize Quinn
* Is the Right to Bear Arms Plural?
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“Consequences”
Monday, Jul 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I told subscribers almost two weeks ago that Gov. Quinn was considering this veto. From the Tribune editorial board…
Illinois legislators’ lackadaisical approach to pension reform stands in sharp contrast to Gov. Pat Quinn’s urgency. The legislators’ latest slow-pokery, a conference committee, has met all of once and then mostly to lower expectations. The governor, having given the General Assembly a July 9 deadline to pass reforms, noted that the committee waited eight days to convene in public when its members should have been working “round the clock” to get a bill on his desk.
With that in mind, a curious turn of events has us … curious: If legislators blow his deadline, which at this writing looks likely, will Quinn hold them to a pay-for-performance standard? That is, will he veto their salaries — and block their pay, effective immediately?
Imagine their outrage if he did. Wouldn’t that be sweet.
Imagine their instinct to override his veto before their next scheduled payday.
When Quinn threatens “consequences” if the General Assembly doesn’t approve a pension reform bill tomorrow, I think that’s what he may mean. It could also be something else. Subscribers know more.
* Meanwhile…
Gov. Pat Quinn says he won’t testify before a bipartisan pension panel Monday, but will send aides instead.
The committee tasked with finding a solution to the nearly $100 billion problem invited Quinn to their Springfield meeting. But Quinn said Sunday that lawmakers know where he stands. […]
Chairman state Sen. Kwame Raoul sent Quinn a letter Friday, which was obtained by The Associated Press. Raoul says actuarial analysis on proposals, including ideas submitted by Quinn’s office, will take time. […]
His office hasn’t discussed the submitted proposals, saying they’re not new ideas.
Actually, as subscribers know, some of them are new ideas. Demanding action without knowing how much that action will save the state isn’t exactly responsible. But this is campaign season, so here we go…
Brooke Anderson, a spokeswoman for Quinn, dismissed Raoul’s statement as an excuse. She said lawmakers have been working on the issue for years and have all the information they need to present a plan. “We’ve been providing estimates, working with the actuaries and having these discussions for two years now. The people of Illinois are tired of these excuses and the lack of urgency,” she said. “The governor’s deadline stands. This is an emergency.” Anderson declined to provide details about what the governor’s plans to do if the committee fails to meet the deadline.
Is she on the campaign payroll yet? Just sayin…
* This is one of the things the conference committee is looking at…
The… measure, supported by university presidents, would require workers to pitch in an additional 2 percent of their paychecks toward their pensions, which would be phased in over four years. It would also tie annual cost-of-living increases to one-half the rate of inflation instead of the current compounded 3 percent yearly increase.
As is, the plan would apply only to university and community college workers, but lawmakers want to see what impact the proposal would have if applied to workers in three other retirement systems that cover teachers, state employees and lawmakers. They agreed to ask state pension finance experts to crunch the numbers on potential cost savings for the plan, a process that could take several weeks.
Sen. Kwame Raoul, the Chicago Democrat who chairs the committee, said the plan could act as a new framework for legislators to build on as they seek a deal that is not only financially sound, but politically viable.
“It’s not as easy as flipping a switch and this thing is over and we have a consensus,” Raoul said. “Having a plan that solves the problem is only half of the charge. We have to come up with a plan that passes the General Assembly.”
The conference committee meets again today at 3. We’ll have a live blog. Watch for fireworks.
* And check out what the governor told reporters yesterday…
Oh, yeah. It’s most definitely on.
* Related…
* Hybrid Pension Plans Attracting More States, Cities
* Illinois revenue up 6.7 pct in fiscal 2013: Sales taxes were up a tepid 1.8 percent, or $129 million, in fiscal 2013, while federal funding, including Medicaid reimbursements, jumped by $472 million, according to the commission.
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Pretty darned cool
Monday, Jul 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* One of my vacation highlights was when my niece Reagan Miller presented me with one of her paintings…
The photo quality isn’t great because I used my iPhone, but I absolutely love this thing and thought I’d share. It’s going up on my office wall this week.
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* From last week…
On Monday, [Bill Daley] proposed a ban on fundraising for state officeholders, lawmakers and their challengers while the legislature is in session.
Daley, who was also commerce secretary in the Clinton administration, said a current law barring lawmakers from holding fundraisers in Springfield on the days that the legislature meets “is a joke,” since many legislators hold campaign events the night before the General Assembly convenes.
Daley said state elected officials and their challengers should not solicit, accept or receive contributions during the entire regular legislative session, which typically runs from January through May, as well as during veto and special sessions. He would make an exception for a 120-day period prior to primary and general elections.
There were tons of Monday night fundraisers this year. It may have been a record.
And while some lobbyists already impose their own fundraising bans during the latter part of the spring session, most don’t. So, this is a valid idea from Daley.
Your thoughts?
* Meanwhile, Eric Zorn writes an open letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, expressing his doubts about Bloomberg’s publicly stated reasons for endorsing Bill Daley…
You announced a while back your plan to offer significant financial backing to primary challengers of incumbent Democrats whom you consider overly friendly with the National Rifle Association.
Fair enough. It’s a free country, particularly when it comes to the political speech of extremely wealthy people like yourself.
Yet incumbent Democrat Pat Quinn, whatever else his flaws, is an outspoken proponent of gun control who frequently lashes out at the NRA. […]
I’m guessing you have your reasons for interjecting yourself into our gubernatorial contest — a personal fondness for Bill Daley or his brother Richard, a former fellow big-city mayor, perhaps; an admiration for Bill’s strong business background — but I know Daley’s comparative bona fides on gun control can’t be among them.
And as for helping him, with this video you’ve accomplished little more than handing the Quinn campaign a nice line of attack: The people of Illinois don’t need the soda-nanny mayor of New York City telling them who should be their governor.
Meh. I doubt Quinn wants to get into a hissing match with Bloomberg. Also, a better line of attack would be that Bloomberg endorsed Rod Blagojevich. Then again, Quinn was RRB’s running mate. Twice.
* Speaking of Daley…
Ex-Vice-President Al Gore is among top Democrats backing Bill Daley’s bid for Illinois governor with cash.
Daley, who has so far raised $716,100 for his campaign, snagged on June 28 a $5,300 check from Gore.
In addition to the ex-veep, other national Democratic power brokers have also sent cash to Daley, including: ex-Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, ex-New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, attorney Vernon Jordan, ex-Clinton White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles, Carter Eskew, Chief Strategist for the Gore 2000 presidential campaign, and his wife, Faith Eskew, ex-Clinton Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman. They have all donated $5,300 to Daley’s campaign.
In Chicago, Daley, who has contributed $100,000 to his own campaign picked up a $5,300 check from his brother, ex-Mayor Richard Daley.
Other Chicago financial heavy-hitters supporting the ex-U.S. Commerce Secretary include: Lew and Susan Manilow, attorney Steve Pearlman, Ben Pritzker, Jason Pritzker, J.B. and M.K. Pritzker, Marian Pritzker, Matthew Pritzker, Gig Pritzker-Pucker and Michael Pucker, attorney and ex-Alderman Bill Singer, Lou and Marjorie Susman, and Allstate honcho Tom Wilson who have each donated $5,300 to Daley.
* Related…
* Bloomberg’s big bet: As they belted out “Purple Rain,” I spied William Daley, both the son and brother of legendary former longtime Chicago mayors, conversing with onetime Chase colleague Dimon. Daley just announced he’s running for Illinois governor and is doing so with the unabashed endorsement of Bloomberg.
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column ran last week, but we were closed last week so you didn’t get to see it…
Back in early February, not a single person mentioned Bruce Rauner in a Paul Simon Public Policy Institute poll of who likely Republican primary election voters liked as a candidate for governor.
Other polls since then have shown Rauner, a retired financier, drawing support in the low single digits in his bid for governor.
But Rauner has been dumping money into downstate TV, the Fox News Channel in the Chicago area and Chicago and downstate radio. As a result, he appears to be moving some numbers.
A Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll taken June 20 of 1,310 likely Republican gubernatorial primary voters found Rauner at 12 percent. The poll was taken almost two weeks after Rauner began running ads.
Twelve percent was enough for third place. It’s tough at this point to gauge just where Rauner’s ceiling is. He could zoom way up like the unknown wealthy candidate Jack Ryan did in the 2004 Republican U.S. Senate primary, taking over first place in January and never relinquishing it.
Or Rauner could top out like Ron Gidwitz did in the 2006 Republican gubernatorial primary. Like Rauner, Gidwitz started running TV ads in July 2005 and spent millions, but after an early rise he stopped moving and ended up at just 11 percent.
Rauner’s “angry outsider” and anti-union messages may play well with the GOP base, but he also has pro-choice leanings, won’t say where he stands on gay marriage and has close ties to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — none of which will be loved by conservative Republicans. If any of his competitors exploit those weaknesses, Rauner’s rise could be stopped in its tracks.
Also, just 700,000 to 800,000 people tend to vote in GOP primaries, so the party’s old guard tends to have a significant say in the outcome. And, right now, the old guard is mostly with state Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale).
But the poll has Dillard just barely in last place of the four gubernatorial candidates tested. However, pollster Gregg Durham cautioned against reading too much into the results.
“There isn’t a single result in here that I would consider as a trend, indication of strength or hint of weakness,” Durham said after he conducted the poll. “It’s just too early.”
And with the poll’s margin of error of +/- 2.8 percent, it’s impossible to say for sure that Dillard is in fourth place.
The poll has Treasurer Dan Rutherford ahead with 22 percent, state Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) second with 18 percent, Rauner at 12 percent and Dillard with 11 percent. A significant 38 percent said they were undecided.
Rutherford has carefully built a statewide campaign infrastructure for the past two decades, culminating in 2010 with his election as state treasurer. Brady is on his third race for governor, and his name recognition is still pretty strong after his 2010 loss to Gov. Pat Quinn. Dillard has been a state party fixture for years and lost to Brady by less than 200 votes in the 2010 Republican primary.
Except for Rauner, it’s difficult to tell at this point how the candidates are doing with their fundraising. Most candidates in both parties are taking advantage of an obscure but important state law that allows them to hold off reporting contributions until after they deposit the checks.
Until they start spending money in a big way and need that cash immediately, we won’t be able to track most candidate fundraising between quarterly finance reports. Rauner needs access to his cash because he’s spending so much.
Dillard is reportedly telling people that he’s on track to raise $200,000 to $300,000 this quarter, while Rutherford apparently plans to report $1 million in the bank at the end of the quarter. But beyond that, we really don’t know what’s going on.
Also, Rauner has been careful not to go above the $250,000 quarterly ceiling for self-funding of a campaign, which would break the contribution caps for all candidates running for governor.
State law is a bit vague on whether a busted cap in one primary election would apply to the other. The executive director of the Illinois State Board of Elections told me last month that his interpretation of the law is that if a candidate in one party busts the cap, then candidates in all parties for that particular office are no longer constrained by the cap.
The poll, by the way, had Rutherford ahead in downstate counties and in suburban Cook County, while Brady led in the suburban collar counties and Chicago.
Subscribers have full crosstabs.
*** UPDATE *** From a press release…
Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner announced today that his campaign raised more than $915,000 in the second quarter fundraising period, bringing his total campaign fundraising to more than $2.2 million.
* Related…
* Rauner, Daley raise big money in 2nd quarter
* Governor candidate Rauner stops in Peru
* Cook County health foundation snags gift from Rauner
* Nunda Township GOP to host governor candidate
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