The Rauner campaign said Holcomb’s claim is based on a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report from January 2017 on union employment and membership.
The report shows that from 2015 to 2016 — the first two years Rauner was in office — workers represented by unions in Indiana grew from 319,000 to 335,000, an increase of 5 percent. During that same time, workers represented by unions in Illinois fell by 4 percent, from 892,000 to 856,000. […]
Illinois’ 2015-16 union numbers are no statistical fluke. Even before the Great Recession, Illinois had been losing union jobs at a faster clip than its neighbor to the east.
From 2006-07, the number of workers represented by unions in Illinois fell from 979,000 to 884,000, a decrease of nearly 10 percent. Indiana’s union job losses in that period were less than 1 percent — from 334,000 to 333,000.
Michael Hicks, an economics professor at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., who tracks Midwest job trends, says the pattern bucks conventional wisdom.
“In 2006-07, in the wake of the very difficult manufacturing employment period, Illinois and Indiana shed both public and private union jobs,” Hicks said in an email. “But Indiana was holding on better, when it should not have because we are a more manufacturing intensive state (and private sector unions are more tied to manufacturing).”
New approval numbers are out comparing the most and least popular governors around the country. The Morning Consults Governor Approval Rankings show Governor Bruce Rauner near the bottom of the list.
Rauner ranks fifth worst as most voters say they disapprove of his performance over the last two years in office. The survey asked more than 250,000 registered voters nationwide.
With his re-election underway inching closer to 2018, he will want to change some minds. The survey shows Rauner suffered a 16-point net loss, with 30% of voters approving of his performance and 55% giving him the thumb’s down.
People were surveyed from July to September, so even after the state passed a budget, many are still not pleased with how Rauner continues to govern.
July through September? That makes for some pretty old results.
More info is here. It’s difficult to figure out exactly what this firm’s methodology is, so I’d advise a bit of caution.
* The firm did provide me these results…
I was told there are no crosstabs available…
The n size for Illinois is 11,177 with a margin of error of +/- 1%
Attorney General Lisa Madigan today led a multistate group of attorneys general in filing comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opposing the proposed merger between the Tribune Media Company (Tribune) and Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. (Sinclair). Madigan and the other attorneys general argue the potential merger fails to further the public interest by allowing for increased consolidation that will decrease consumer choices and a diversity of voices in the media marketplace.
The Tribune/Sinclair merger would create the largest television broadcast company in the country. The merged company would own or operate over 200 stations nationwide with the ability to reach 72 percent of U.S. television households, far above the statutory 39 percent limit.
“To ensure people have access to a diverse landscape of perspectives, services and stations, the FCC should reject the proposed Tribune-Sinclair media merger,” Madigan said. “People throughout Illinois depend on their local broadcast stations for diverse viewpoints and this merger threatens that long-held practice.”
In addition, Madigan and the other attorneys general point out that the proposed merger inappropriately relies on an outdated method known as the UHF Discount Rule for calculating national audience reach that does not reflect the reality of today’s technology, understating the audience reach of a UHF station by 50 percent.
The attorneys general argue that, at a minimum, the FCC should delay consideration of the merger until the D.C. Circuit Court completes its rule of the UHF Discount, which is underway.
Joining Madigan in filing today’s comments are the attorneys general of Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
* Do you get the feeling that nobody seems to be operating off the same page and that the Senate and House Democrats are trying to deflect blame onto each other?…
[Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan)] took issue with comments made by Madigan during a hearing on his bill, in which the veteran speaker said the vacancy at the inspector general’s office was “regrettable” but had not prevented the ethics commission from functioning. Madigan spokesman Brown declined comment, saying “the speaker’s statement stands for itself.”
At Tuesday’s hearing, Madigan said the commission’s executive director, Randy Erford, who is part-time and largely handles administrative tasks, took complaints “directly” to Link. On Thursday, Link called Madigan’s comments “a bald-faced lie” and said he has no knowledge of what is in the complaints.
“Never once was any of them taken to me directly. Did Mr. Erford say to me there were complaints? Yes. (But) I have never seen one complaint.
Whew.
* Meanwhile, from the Illinois Policy Institute’s news service…
Years of accused legislative ethics violations that went unseen by a state watchdog could go unpunished because the window to do so has expired.
News that more than two dozen legislative ethics complaints sat unaddressed since 2014 has the Illinois General Assembly scrambling to appoint a new Legislative Inspector General as well as pass new laws that combat ethics breaches such as sexual harassment.
But former Legislative Inspector General Thomas Homer says the dozens of ethics complaints in the Illinois legislature won’t be addressed by whomever is next appointed to his old office. State law limits the inspector general to a 12-month window after an alleged misconduct took place in which they can open an investigation into the matter.
This is an area where the two sides are working together. All they have to do is pass a bill to get rid of that one-year window. These are civil matters so there are no ex post facto or statute of limitation considerations. Both chambers are on board.
The political activist who has accused an Illinois Senate Democratic leader of sexually harassing her said Thursday that she wants to know why Sen. Ira Silverstein faced no repercussions until after she went public this week.
Denise Rotheimer said Silverstein, who relinquished his leadership post and its $21,000 stipend Wednesday night, should resign the Senate seat representing Chicago that he’s held since 1999.
Rotheimer, a victims-rights advocate from Ingleside, testified on Tuesday before a House Committee considering sexual-harassment training for lawmakers, staff, and lobbyists. She described how the 57-year-old Silverstein sent her inappropriate social-media messages, paid her unwanted compliments and called her late at night last year while they were working on legislation.
We’ll circle back to that story in a bit. But first, remember this Silverstein comment to Rotheimer on November 21, 2016 at 10:49pm CST?…
i will check to see if u r a true blond
* Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) sparked quite a conversation on Kyle Hillman’s Facebook page by saying this…
That’s not sexual harassment, that’s bad flirting.
Rita Mayfield: If she actively engaged in the conversation how is that harrassment? Ir appeared she was flirting back. I didnt get a sense of unwanted advances from the dialogue
Kyle Hillman: …the Senator was sponsoring her bill and the ability to advance or kill it. That exchange above coupled with power to kill her bill is textbook sexual harassment.
Rita Mayfield: Your stating that the bill was used as power to force her to flirt with him? I dont buy it. She could have easily found another sponsor. This is not her first bill.
Kyle Hillman: wow.
[female private citizen]: victim blaming…a huge reason most women don’t come forward
Rita Mayfield: No not victim blaming just looking at it objectively. We dont have all the facts. Leys wait for the full investigation before we start with the tar and feathering
Sneed has learned former Gov. Pat Quinn, who is tossing his hat into the ring for Illinois attorney general, will urge Dem slatemakers meeting Friday to refrain from endorsing any candidate in the March primary and let voters decide.
Cook County Democrats on Friday endorsed state Sen. Kwame Raoul of Chicago for attorney general in a rebuke to former Gov. Pat Quinn, who is also seeking the post.
* Press releases in the order they were received. ILGOP…
“It’s no surprise that the most crooked organization in Illinois politics with close ties to Mike Madigan is backing Kwame Raoul for Attorney General. As one of Madigan’s top partners in the Illinois Senate, Raoul has blocked reform and pushed Madigan’s rigged legislative maps and tax hikes. The people of Illinois deserve a reform-minded Attorney General, but Kwame Raoul is just another career politician from Chicago who does Madigan’s bidding.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
* Jesse Ruiz…
“Today’s decision by the Cook County Democratic Party to slate a fellow political insider is disappointing – but sadly, not surprising.
“Throughout my career, I have been a staunch advocate for transparency and openness in government. I will continue to do so as Attorney General.
“This is going to be a competitive race, and I have every confidence in our supporters and our campaign. I look forward to winning the Democratic nomination on March 20th and being elected as Attorney General next November.”
* Sen. Kwame Raoul…
As a lifelong Illinois Democrat, I’m pleased to receive the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Organization. 13 years ago, a group of Democratic committeemen came together to appoint me to fill the vacancy of then-IL Senator Barack Obama. Since that time, I’ve worked hard every day to make those committeemen and my constituents proud.
My political journey here in Cook County has included everything from sweeping floors at events to hosting volunteer clinics to becoming a delegate for President Obama. Over that time, I’ve developed a legislative record which uniquely qualifies me to take on the role of Attorney General.
As a prosecutor and a legislator, I’ve spent my career advocating on behalf of victims, speaking up for the voiceless and producing real change in our justice system. I’ve seen the law used to the advantage of large corporations and to the detriment of the middle class and those of lesser means. I’ve worked to shift that balance and make our state’s laws are the great equalizer they ought to be.
Now I hope to continue that work as Attorney General. Illinoisans are under siege from attacks from President Trump and Governor Rauner and I’ve got a record that demonstrates my capacity to stop them. I look forward to putting that record before the voters across the state in the months ahead.
* Tina…
Democratic committeeman Mike Kreloff called Quinn “Mr. Quinn” on his way out. Quinn corrected him: “It’s Gov. Quinn.”
* Not feeling well this morning. Nothing serious and I may try to get something going later, but I’m not sure. Keep it Illinois-centric and be nice, please.
Amid threats from management, the recently-merged editorial staffs of Gothamist and DNAinfo have chosen to unionize with the Writers Guild of America East.
The two news sites became one recently when Gothamist was acquired by billionaire conservative donor Joe Ricketts. […]
In an email leaked this week, Dan Swartz, DNAinfo’s chief operating officer, made a thinly veiled threat to his staff: “Would a union be the final straw that caused the business to be closed? I don’t know.”
Reporters and editors at the commonly owned New York news sites DNAinfo and Gothamist are now represented by a union.
The newsroom workers initially agreed to join the union, the Writers Guild of America East, in April, shortly after DNAinfo bought Gothamist. But DNAinfo’s owner, Joe Ricketts, refused to recognize the union, so the National Labor Relations Board conducted a formal vote on Thursday. The result — 25 out of 27 workers voted to join the Writers Guild — means that management is required to bargain with the union.
A week ago, reporters and editors in the combined newsroom of DNAinfo and Gothamist, two of New York City’s leading digital purveyors of local news, celebrated victory in their vote to join a union.
On Thursday, they lost their jobs, as Joe Ricketts, the billionaire founder of TD Ameritrade who owned the sites, shut them down. […]
A spokesperson for DNAinfo said in a statement, “The decision by the editorial team to unionize is simply another competitive obstacle making it harder for the business to be financially successful.”
The decision puts 115 journalists out of work, both at the New York operations that unionized, and at those in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington that did not. They are getting three months of paid “administrative leave” at their full salaries, plus four weeks of severance, DNAinfo said.
In order to properly address this issue, it is critical that an independent special counsel who has no actual or perceived conflicts of interest be appointed to fully investigate existing allegations and the issue as a whole. At a minimum, the special counsel should be empowered to: 1) empanel a grand jury, if deemed appropriate; and 2) determine whether civil rights violations have occurred and take the necessary legal action to address the violations and prevent them from occurring in the future.
*** UPDATE *** Attorney General Madigan has responded (click here). She says she has recommended that the new Inspector General be an attorney with extensive experience as a prosecutor or with experience investigating allegations of sexual harassment. Also…
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
…Adding… I received a press release from another attorney general candidate yesterday, Jesse Ruiz, so I’ll post it here…
“I am disturbed by today’s reports that there have been 27 separate complaints filed with the Legislative Ethics Commission against members of the General Assembly – and that these complaints have been kept hidden and not investigated because of the failure to appoint a legislative inspector general for years.
“When misdeeds are ignored, our trust in government is destroyed. This is all too common in Illinois and it needs to stop now.
“We have the right to know when our public officials betray the public trust. I call upon the leaders of the General Assembly to take immediate action by naming an interim Legislative Inspector General who will swiftly and vigorously investigate these complaints.
“The people of Illinois deserve to know what’s going on underneath the Capitol dome. Sunshine is the best disinfectant – and it is clear from these latest allegations that Springfield needs an emergency dose.”
Democratic Attorney General candidate Sharon Fairley on Thursday called for sweeping change to address sexual harassment and sexism in the Illinois General Assembly. Fairley, who would be the first African American woman Attorney General in Illinois history, demanded swift action by legislative leaders, and called for an independent investigation to identify which legislators or other actors may have been complicit in burying allegations of assault and harassment.
“As a woman in public service, the alleged conduct that has come to light in recent weeks comes as no surprise to me,” said Fairley. “What does disturb me, however, is that it certainly appears that the Illinois Legislature and leadership have not fulfilled their legal obligation to maintain a fully functional and independent Legislator Inspector General’s office. This has clearly allowed improper behavior to go unchecked.”
Fairley urged legislative leaders to move quickly to appoint a new Legislative Inspector General–a position that legislators have inexplicably left vacant for years. She also called on the legislature to increase staffing of that office, and to make changes to the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act that govern the Legislative Ethics Commission and Legislative Inspector General’s office to strengthen the office’s mission and independence.
Fairley called for an independent investigation into the Legislative Ethics Committee to determine why they have failed to comply with state law and appoint an acting Legislative Inspector General.
“Those who are brave enough to report harassment concerns to legislative leaders were told their complaints were referred to an office that does not currently exist, for all intents and purposes,” said Fairley. “Victims who filed complaints were led into an impenetrable bureaucratic maze. We must determine who knew what, and when, so that those actors can be held to account, and so that we can begin to eradicate the systemic sexism that led to this moment.”
Fairley noted that according to state law, the employment of staff in the LIG’s office is “subject to the approval of at least 3 of the 4 legislative leaders.”
“How can you expect a Legislative Inspector General to investigate ‘fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, misconduct, nonfeasance, misfeasance, and malfeasance’ if its staff has to be approved by party leaders? We must amend the law to create real independence for the Legislative Inspector General.” Fairley pointed to her own experience as the First Deputy and General Counsel to the City of Chicago Office of the Inspector General, which had a staff of over 60.
“The legislative leaders and members of the commission failed to take this issue seriously until they got called out about it publicly,” Fairley said. She also noted that the Legislative Ethics Committee, which is required to appoint the acting Legislative Inspector General, lacks diversity–it includes only two women–both of whom are white–and six men.
…Adding… Another one…
In light of recent reports of rampant sexual harassment reported by people of every age and socioeconomic strata from the private sector to the halls of power in Springfield, Mayor Nancy Rotering released the following statement:
“Sexual harassment is more than a violation; it is a crime. Serial offenders should be prosecuted and classified as predators. As the top law enforcement official in the State of Illinois, I will be a fierce advocate calling for necessary changes to protect survivors and end a cycle of abuse.”
The State of Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits sexual harassment, but the law sets stipulations which exclude some places of employment and void coverage for some claimants.
“As Attorney General, I will take a stand against intimidation and injustice as it is past time to punish those who subject people to fear and intimidation or sit idle as it happens. I will prioritize and fight for tougher laws with more severe penalties in an effort to end sexual harassment as well as retaliation against those reporting harassment. These actions will include a push for Springfield to amend the Human Rights Act to apply to all employers, regardless of size. On behalf of the people of our State, I will sue to enforce the laws to stop repeated discrimination and harassment, and seek the maximum penalties possible.”
Today, JB Pritkzer and Juliana Stratton outlined their plan for criminal justice reform at a speech and panel discussion at the DuSable Museum of African-American History. They were joined by Roseland Ceasefire Project Executive Director Bob Jackson, Director of NEIU’s Master of Social Work Program Dr. Troy Harden, Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church, and Enlace Chicago Executive Director Katya Nuques. Read the full plan here.
The proposal lays out what JB will do as governor to end mass incarceration, give communities the support they need to thrive, address gun violence and build a true system of justice through four key policies:
1. Legalize marijuana and modernize sentencing practices, especially for low level drug offenses.
2. Reduce recidivism by removing economic barriers to employment, affordable housing, human services, and family reunification.
3. Reform our juvenile justice system and end the criminalization of children.
4. Treat gun violence like a public health epidemic and make police more accountable to the communities they serve.
“With vision and compassion, we can make real progress and put Illinois on course to become a model for criminal justice reform,” said JB Pritzker. “I intend to reverse the damage Bruce Rauner has done to community organizations and social service agencies that work to strengthen the communities they serve. I’ll fight every day to bring economic opportunity to every corner of our state.
“But most importantly, I think we need a governor who listens. There are organizations and advocates in this room who have devoted their lives to these problems. There are communities, especially communities of color, impacted every day by the deficiencies in our criminal justice system. There are families whose lives have been forever altered by gun violence. There are no solutions without their input. There is no path forward until those affected voices in our communities are brought to the table. Only then can we move forward together.”
“So many of our communities are not heard. Many have been ignored and suffered decades of disinvestment,” said State Representative Juliana Stratton. “We don’t need more band aids – we need real solutions. I’m proud to be on this ticket with someone ready to provide real solutions. I’m proud to be running with someone who recognizes the strengths in our communities and wants to be a partner in the path forward.”
Connect people in prison early with evidence-based rehabilitative services including job training, education, mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Encourage and facilitate positive relationships between people in prison, their families, and their communities to reduce the likelihood of recidivism after release.
Gov. Rauner’s campaign website contains a section called an “action center” that contains pre-written petitions which also can be used to provide the campaign with a list of potential volunteers.
But the two predominant issues seeking a call to action appear dated. The site’s “top priority” is a petition against imposing a sweetened beverage tax in Kane County similar to one that is being repealed in Cook County.
The petition drive says “tax-and-spend politicians have already imposed an illegal tax on soda purchases in Cook County, taking residents’ hard-earned money so the politicians can tax their way out of the mess they’ve created.”
Regardless of the statement, the tax was found to be legal. But it was also highly unpopular, and the Cook County Board to voted to end it.
A similar petition exists for DuPage County even though there’s no evidence that anyone there is floating a beverage tax.
That may come as a surprise to the people who run Kane and DuPage counties, but I suppose it can’t hurt.
…Adding… The governor was also advertising this crusade on Facebook in September. So, he’s a purveyor of fake news now?…
A Facebook post by a Gov. Bruce Rauner political organization is asking citizens to sign a petition to stop the Cook County soda tax from “spilling over to Kane County.”
The only problem is, Kane County isn’t considering a soda tax, County Board member Kurt Kojzarek said today (Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017).
“Needless to say, I was more than a little shocked to see this petition from the governor pop up on my Facebook news feed,” he said. “The claim is completely false. Kane County has zero interest in adding to the tax burden. We support our local retailers, and prefer not to place burdens or obstacles on them or the consumers.”
As children across Illinois prepare to return to school in the fall, lawmakers are putting politics before students by holding up the school funding reform bill.
Instead of holding up school funding, legislators should pass a simple and fair amendment that the current bill needs: put funding towards students in the classrooms, not towards paying off Chicago’s pension debt.
Let’s put the politics aside and do the right thing to ensure equitable education funding regardless of zip-code. Support education to set our students up for success.
A little outdated, perhaps? Also, CPS wound up getting pretty much everything it wanted on pensions.
* Meanwhile, from the governor’s campaign…
ICYMI: Gov. Rauner touts Security Cooperation on Official Trip to Israel
While on an official visit, Governor Rauner met with top Israeli officials to discuss mutual security interests
Governor Rauner is on his first official visit to Israel this week, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials. The governor is leading a delegation of administrators from the University of Illinois, promoting interconnectedness between U of I and Israel’s top engineering universities, with an ultimate goal of making the Illinois Innovation Network a global endeavor.
A day after a terrorist attack hit New York, visiting Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner hinted at intelligence cooperation between his state’s law enforcement officials and Israel during an interview on Wednesday with The Jerusalem Post. The Republican governor, who arrived on Monday and will be leaving Friday, said that he had a “detailed discussion” with Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan during his visit.
“We will be exchanging information, will have mutual visits from some of our security people, and leaders from Israel who will come to Illinois,” he said. “We have a very strong, effective anti-terrorist center and task force commission within the Illinois state police based in Springfield. We are constantly monitoring and sharing information both with the federal government, leaders of other states, and we look forward to have a close working relationship with leaders in Israel.”
…Rauner met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week, and said that 80-90% of that conversation dealt with economic issues, though security issues were also discussed, especially cybersecurity.
“We talked about the software and the mathematics and the engineering behind cybersecurity,” Rauner said. “The prime minister is very focused and knowledgeable about that.”
…“I have always been very clear about my strong support for Israel, the Jewish community in Illinois and around America,” he said. “And frankly I believe very strongly in a very powerful, positive relationship between the people of Israel and the people of Illinois, to our mutual benefit.”
…Rauner speaks proudly of the fact that as governor he “sponsored and signed the first anti- BDS legislation that was signed by any state in America.”
…Rauner said Illinois took the measures one stop further, not only barring investing the state’s pension funds in any company that participates in BDS, but also “not contracting or allowing the state government to do any business whatsoever with a company that participates in BDS activities and discrimination – and other states are now following suit.”
“I’ve been talking about issues — all voting machines have been penetrated by the Russians in Illinois and no one really seems to be talking about it.”
Russian hacking into the Illinois voter registration system in the summer of 2016 shouldn’t shake voters’ confidence in the integrity of the electoral process, a panel of election experts said during a Monday forum in Highland Park.
Lake County Clerk Carla Wyckoff said there is a common misconception that voting is done on the Internet and it’s very easy to hack into the voting results.
“That is simply not true,” Wyckoff said during the forum, sponsored by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. […]
“I think the frustration of these people is they can’t hack into our actual tabulation, so then they go after the next biggest thing, which is the statewide voter registration,” Wyckoff said. “Even that was not successful, so their next strategy is just to erode the public’s confidence.” […]
“Ultimately, the easiest way for some nefarious outsider, I feel, to cause harm to the process isn’t going to be breaking into some technical aspect of the elections, though there are some vulnerabilities that we want to take care of,” [Colin Williams, policy data director for ICPR] said.
“It is making people feel that they don’t want to go out to vote, because they don’t think it will end up counting,” he added.
I’ve asked Mariotti’s campaign for comment because he really needs to stop saying this stuff. He is playing right into their hands.
*** UPDATE *** From the candidate…
What we know is that the Department of Homeland Security reported that Russia tried to penetrate the voting systems of 21 states, and Illinois was one of them. I previously misspoke and said that all voting machines have been penetrated by the Russians when what I meant to say is that all voting records have been penetrated by the Russians. We don’t know enough about what the Russians did here in Illinois, so I’m glad this panel and the election authorities were able to provide more clarity on this issue and share their concerns about the state of the security measures in place going forward. As Attorney General, I will conduct an investigation to determine what other election systems hackers may have accessed to protect the integrity of our election system. The people of Illinois deserve a complete and transparent accounting of the manner and extent that our electoral system was compromised so that we can make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“All voting records have been penetrated by the Russians”? Nope…
Wyckoff said that of millions of state voter registration records, about 75,000 were “likely viewed by the hackers”
JB Pritzker to Give Major Policy Address, Hold Panel on Criminal Justice Reform and Gun Violence
WHAT
JB Pritzker to give a major policy address and release his criminal justice reform plan followed by a panel discussion with State Representative Juliana Stratton, Roseland Ceasefire Project Executive Director Bob Jackson, Director of NEIU’s Master of Social Work Program Dr. Troy Harden, Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church, and Enlace Chicago Executive Director Katya Nuques.
WHEN
Thursday, November 2 at 1:00 PM
* ILGOP…
Blagojevich Asks to Get Out of Federal Prison Early as Pritzker Talks Criminal Justice
Does Pritzker support his imprisoned friend’s petition before the U.S. Supreme Court?
“J.B. Pritzker’s favorite governor is back in the news. As Pritzker is scheduled to talk criminal justice this afternoon, lawyers representing his imprisoned friend Rod Blagojevich plan to file a petition to the US Supreme Court, asking them to review his conviction on corruption charges. Blagojevich’s petition begs the question - does J.B. Pritzker, Blagojevich’s fifth-largest campaign contributor, support Blagojevich’s request to get out of prison early?” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
Today, lawyers representing imprisoned former governor Rod Blagojevich plan to file a petition for a writ of certiorari before the United States Supreme Court, asking them to review his conviction on corruption charges.
Currently, Blagojevich is five and a half years into his fourteen-year sentence in a Colorado federal prison for orchestrating a “political corruption crime spree” ranging from attempts to sell a U.S. Senate seat appointment to shaking down state vendors for campaign contributions.
Blagojevich’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court is his latest attempt to get out of prison early.
Blagojevich’s most recent request begs the question - does J.B. Pritzker, Blagojevich’s fifth-largest campaign contributor and now Democratic candidate for governor, support Blagojevich’s request to get out of prison early?
In a bombshell investigative report from the Chicago Tribune, it was revealed that Pritzker was recorded on FBI wiretaps conversing with Blagojevich about being appointed State Treasurer, among other offices. Pritzker and Blagojevich also discussed campaign contributions on the same call.
Upon the release of the wiretaps, news outlets called it a “campaign crisis” for Pritzker. Pritzker was later scrutinized for a $100,000 campaign contribution to Blagojevich that one reporter said “sounds like pay-to-play to me.”
Given Pritzker’s well-documented close ties to imprisoned former governor Rod Blagojevich, surely he has an opinion on Blagojevich’s latest attempt to get out of prison early.
So, as Pritzker plans to discuss criminal justice this afternoon, does he support his imprisoned friend Rod Blagojevich’s petition before the U.S. Supreme Court?
The absence of a Legislative Inspector General has sparked some partisan accusations of their own. Representative Chad Hays (R-Catlin) says he and his GOP colleague Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) have recommended several names to the current and past chair of the committee, but none have been appointed.
“It is outrageous that the position remains open despite our sincere and repeated efforts to move this process forward,” Hays said, pointing an accusatory finger at Speaker Madigan, who does not sit on the Legislative Ethics Commission.
“My read on the matter is that the Speaker has thwarted efforts to finalize this dynamic,” Hays said. “No rationale for foot dragging on this matter is acceptable. The length of time that the position has remained unoccupied is absurd.”
A spokesman for Speaker Madigan responded, saying, “Mr. Hays’ claim has no basis in fact.”
The speaker’s office was aware of only one name briefly under consideration, a former state representative, but says the candidate’s poor reputation made them a poor fit for the job. Cullerton’s office says three candidates were offered a job within the last year, but each turned it down.
Somebody either isn’t telling the truth or doesn’t know the whole story.
[Sen. Karen McConnaughay] says that she was active in helping to submit the name of one candidate […]
[Sen. Terry Link] says he has been actively trying to fill the legislative inspector general role in the year that he’s been at the helm of the commission.
But he says it’s been difficult: According to Link, the position is technically part-time, but “it can consume a lot of hours” as it’s up to the inspector general to actually do, or at least lead, the investigative legwork.
Link says an inspector general is paid an hourly rate for that work, so there’s no guaranteed salary. Few attorneys are apt to want to leave a full-time position for that.
Not to mention that although according to state law it “shall be a fully independent office,” an inspector general has to be willing to potentially burn bridges with powerful elected officials.
But legislative leaders have failed to hire a permanent legislative inspector general since Tom Homer left at the end of June 2014. The following week, the Chicago Tribune published details of a secret report put together by Homer in the wake of a 2013 Metra scandal that offered new insight into how Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan navigated the intersection of public business and ward-style patronage through his Southwest Side office and Illinois Capitol suite.
The report contained an account of Metra’s chairwoman entering Madigan’s Capitol office to talk about state issues and leaving with a yellow Post-it note bearing the names of two workers the speaker wanted to see promoted. In another meeting, a Metra lobbyist who was a longtime Madigan aide was spotted leaving the speaker’s office with two resumes. Another time, Madigan simply called the cellphone of one of his “better” precinct captains to tell him about a state job, according to the report.
A copy of the unreleased report also gave a rare glimpse into Madigan’s thoughts on getting people government jobs and raises. In an interview with Homer, Madigan is quoted as speaking highly of both the work-related credentials and the political experience of one 13th Ward operative the speaker backed for a raise.
“You can understand that there are many people that are involved with me and campaigns and community service,” Madigan said, according to the report. “Among these many people, some are better than others. (He) happens to be one of those who is better than others.”
At the time, Madigan’s spokesman issued a statement saying the speaker asked for the investigation and cooperated fully with it and noted that the legislative inspector general had “found no violation of any law.”
The current uproar reflects badly on Cullerton, whose reliance on protocol is no excuse: He referred Rotheimer’s complaint to an office that he knows full well is rudderless and ineffectual. “It is our understanding that there is an open investigation” — spoken Tuesday by a Cullerton spokesman — is a pretty hollow assurance.
This reflects badly, too, on Madigan, who sprang into action only after a groundswell of protest about a culture of creepiness in the Capitol. Madigan desperately wants to avoid looking like he hasn’t taken sexual harassment seriously. Too late.
Governor Bruce Rauner today expressed his desire for Illinois to serve as a host state for disaster victims from Puerto Rico who were displaced by Hurricane Maria. Rauner contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Region V office in Chicago to let them know the state of Illinois would like to be considered for FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which FEMA and announced on Monday.
“Illinois continues to stand ready to help our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico as they recover from the unbelievable destruction caused by Hurricane Maria,” said Rauner. “At the very least, it will be many months before some survivors will once again have a home on the island. We want to do everything possible to help them through this very difficult time.”
Under the TSA program, FEMA is seeking host states in the Continental U.S. to coordinate support for Puerto Ricans displaced by the hurricane. FEMA will reimburse host states for 100 percent of eligible sheltering costs.
Rauner has directed the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to work with FEMA Region V staff on a host state agreement. Puerto Rican Governor Rosello will determine what states serve as host states.
On Oct. 1, Governor Rauner contacted Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosello to express Illinois’ willingness and ability to send state personnel and assets to assist him and the citizens of Puerto Rico as they work to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria.
Former Chicago Ald. Bob Fioretti has filed the state paperwork required to start raising money for a potential Democratic primary challenge to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Fioretti, a onetime mayoral candidate, said he has yet to decide whether to run. Setting up the “Bob for Cook County” campaign fund is “part of the process of making the decision,” he said.
Now, he’s waiting to see how many signatures he can get on petitions he would need to get on the ballot and what kind of financial commitments he can line up to take on the two-term incumbent, he added.
As recently as a few months ago, Preckwinkle was expected to skate into a third term without opposition, but she’s viewed in some quarters as vulnerable because of the public outcry over the county’s controversial soda pop tax.
Fioretti told Mary Ann Ahern on October 23rd that he was already circulating petitions and would decide whether to run in 10 days. That was 10 days ago.
Minnesota has a much different and much healthier economy than we do. As the ad points out, the state’s unemployment rate was 6.8 percent before Gov. Dayton took office. At the same time, Illinois’ rate was 9.3 percent.
Illinois’ economy continues to lag the nation as well as surrounding states even as the current economic recovery, while comparatively long in historical terms, remains the weakest in the post WWII period. From 2010, following the start of the recovery in mid-2009 through 2016, inflation adjusted GDP in the United States averaged 2%. The pace of growth was below that of 2.4% on average in the years from 2001 to 2007, which included 3.8% growth in 2004 and 3.3% in 2005. This in turn was well below the average growth rate of 3.87% from 1992 to 2000, with growth in a rage of 4.1% to 4.7% each year from 1997 to 2000.
The latest Illinois forecast by IHS Markit was done in early October and is located at the top of the next page. The table shows Real Gross State Product remaining in the 1.0% area each year from 2015 through 2017, before rising at an average growth rate of 1.7% in the years 2018 – 2020.
One of the more notable aspects of Illinois’ economy in recent years has been the recurrent outflow of people from the state. Illinois’ population continues to decline and at best is forecast to hold steady by 2019 and 2020. Total employment in Illinois thus indicates little in the form of growth, rising 1% or less during the forecast years. As a result of such weakness, Illinois’ unemployment rate is anticipated to continue higher than in most states as its ace of improvement is projected to lag that of the nation as a whole as well as that of the Midwest.
In September the national unemployment rate was 4.2% with the 12 states comprising the Midwest at the same 4.2% rate. However, unemployment rates differed greatly among the 12 Midwest states. The highest rates in the Midwest in September were Ohio, which had an unemployment rate of 5.3%, followed by Illinois, which had the second highest rate at 5.0%, and Michigan at 4.3%.
Dear Mr. Berko: What do you think of buying $50,000 worth of the recently issued 3.75 percent Illinois general obligation bonds due in 2028? And please tell me about Instructure. If you approve, then I’ll buy 1,000 shares. — RS, Akron, Ohio
Dear RS: If you understand and can afford the risks, then buy the general obligation bonds. These GO bonds are backed by the full credit and taxing power of the state of Illinois rather than revenues from a specific project, such as a bridge, a sewer system or a toll road. These tax-free bonds were issued with the dark hope that Illinois can repay its obligation via taxation and other revenues. Knowledgeable investors believe that’s unlikely.
The state issued $6 billion worth of GO bonds to shrink its unpaid $17 billion backlog of accumulated merchant and vendor debt. These bonds are rated BBB- by Standard & Poor’s and Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service. Those ratings are investment-grade (though just barely; they’re a hair’s breadth above junk). However, a longtime acquaintance of mine at Moody’s isn’t so ebullient. Privately, he believes those bonds should be rated Ba1, which is non-investment-grade and speculative. He says the underlying foundation for Illinois’ financial system has been destroyed by the Legislature. Among the state’s most daunting financial problems is its pension plan, which is underfunded by $251 billion. It won’t be a picnic when 815,000 employees learn that their benefits may be reduced. I believe there’s an 80 percent chance these bonds will pay interest till maturity and then redeem at par value. And I think there’s a 20 percent chance these bonds will pay interest till maturity and then have their debt restructured so that you can get back 70 cents on the dollar. It’s a fair dinkum gamble!
McConnaughay, a member of the Legislative Ethics Commission, said she was told last week on a commission conference call that there were no “open” cases. On Wednesday she said she learned there are “up to 27 separate complaints against members of the Illinois General Assembly” — while outlining that she didn’t know whether that meant legislators or their staffers, and it’s unclear what kind of ethical violations were alleged in those complaints.
Not only is sexual harassment not even listed as a violation of the state ethics act, but the job of legislative inspector general has been vacant since 2015.
“I’ve been on the commission since late 2014,” said state Sen. Karen McConnaughay, R-St. Charles. “I literally have never seen a single case come forward.”
Sexual harassment is not currently included as a specific violation of the state’s ethics act, so the Legislative Ethics Commission has no power to hold a hearing on a sexual harassment complaint or punish someone who’s been accused of sexual harassment, according to Heather Wier Vaught, Madigan’s top lawyer and a former ethics officer for the House Democratic Caucus.
The inspector general (that’s the job that’s vacant), however, does have the ability to investigate a sexual harassment complaint. Once an investigation is complete, though, the Ethics Commission can’t do much with it other than release it to the public. And accusers are typically uncomfortable with going public with their accusations out of fear of retribution.
The legislation proposed by Madigan would add a prohibition against sexual harassment to the state’s ethics act, making it possible for the ethics commission to punish those who’ve been found in violation, Wier Vaught said.
Illinois currently has an office known as the Legislative Inspector General (IG). This office is responsible for investigating claims of discrimination in the state legislature. However, the seat has been vacant since 2014. According to recent reports, this vacancy means complaints are now sent directly to the Legislative Ethics Commission in the General Assembly, which is responsible for appointing a Legislative Inspector General.
An apparent problem with the Legislative Ethics Commission is that it lacks a working, transparent process to evaluate claims. Individual commissioners are state legislators selected by General Assembly leaders. Those commissioners have appointed an executive director for the Commission, Randy Erford. However, the Illinois Comptroller lists Erford, the former director of College Illinois!, as a contractor for the state (Erford is paid $37,746 annually for part-time work).
Erford is presently the only staff member for the Commission. According to a compliance report for July 2014 - June 2016, there were “procedural deficiencies” and an “inadequate segregation of duties” regarding the Commission’s financial practices. Erford’s responses to the findings ascribed the issues to “oversight or confusion over filing deadlines,” as well as the observation that he is the only staff member of the office.
However, Erford also said adding an additional staff member was not a prudent option because of the lack of work in his office. Despite this, the General Assembly has appropriated $312,500 to the Legislative Ethics Commission, which also funds the (currently vacant) Legislative Inspector General’s office. Erford’s office only spent $40,000 in 2016, allowing $272,000 in funding for the Ethics Commission to be returned to the state.
The role of Illinois Legislative Inspector General, an agency responsible for uncovering wrongdoing at the highest levels of Illinois government, has been vacant since December 2014. Yesterday it was reported that legislative staff in Springfield is holding up to 27 separate sexual harassment complaints against members of the Illinois General Assembly. A complaint must be filed with the Legislative Inspector General to be considered a “case.” Through that loophole, the political establishment in Springfield has been able to claim that there are no pending cases of sexual harassment. State Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) issued the following statement calling on Governor Bruce Rauner and House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) to fill the position immediately:
“Illinois has a reputation for political corruption. Government transparency and accountability should be top priorities for any leader who is serious about reform,” said Ives. “The charges of sexual harassment recently brought to light by Denise Rotheimer went unheard for a year. She was forced to suffer Senator Silverstein’s unwanted advances for a year. It was only out of political necessity that she was given a hearing at all. Twenty-seven other complaints of sexual harassment are being held by staff members and do not count as cases. Through its inaction, the ILGA has reaffirmed to women across the state that speaking up about the harassment of someone who is politically powerful will get you a one-way ticket to nowhere. They have reminded women and girls that they will just have to deal with it, because that’s the way it is. It is an inexcusable injustice.”
“Sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination have a detrimental impact on institutions. This is a very serious charge. While the problem is rampant in Springfield, it has not been taken seriously by this state’s political leadership over the past two years. I understand the importance of protecting the women working in state government. And I take it seriously regardless of who is implicated. In order to properly prosecute offenders, legislative leaders must appoint a Legislative Inspector General.”
“The fact that we have gone three years without a Legislative IG in place is a failure of both parties. starting with those in the majority party in both chambers. We should know if other members were being protected as Cullerton protected the complaint against Sen. Silverstein from a proper and timely investigation.”
“We should have an expeditious appointment of a Legislative IG to exercise oversight and provide a channel for any persons who believed they were wronged to lodge a complaint. This is more important than the virtue-signaling legislation being advanced at present by people who were unserious about predatory behavior for too long to now pretend they are serious.”
“Illinoisans have seen too many instances in which those in power look the other way to protect those who keep them in power. I am running for Governor to restore accountability and respectability to state government.”
…Adding… This should go without saying, but the governor has nothing whatsoever to do with appointing a legislative inspector general. So, calling on Rauner to appoint an IG with Speaker Madigan is pretty darned goofy.
* Meanwhile, remember how Rep. Steve Reick (R-Harvard) vowed yesterday not to take the sexual harassment training? Well…
We asked House GOP Leader Jim Durkin’s office about Reick’s response. A spokeswoman released a “clarifying statement” from Reick: “There’s a problem with the culture in Springfield. How has harassment been allowed to thrive for so long without any real attempts to address it? My fear is, and what I failed to clearly articulate, is that training won’t be enough to truly shock the system. I feel very strongly that those who have committed these acts through the years should be called out by name and forced to deal with their actions. Until then, I remain concerned that efforts to end harassment will fall short. I will support the proposed legislation, participate in any training it prescribes and will do my part to end the culture of harassment that’s existed for far too long in and around the Capitol.”
This morning, Illinois State Senator and Democratic candidate for Governor Daniel Biss released a new digital ad, “BSBS.” Modeled after a pharmaceutical commercial, the video speaks to voters frustrated with billionaires buying elections by highlighting the epidemic of “Big Spending Billionaire Syndrome,” and presents middle-class progressive Daniel Biss as the cure.
With unprecedented spending, brand name candidates in this race have proven they would rather hold an auction than an election. But trust can’t be bought—and in what is expected to be the most expensive statewide race in United States history, the Biss campaign gives voters an opportunity to choose a middle-class progressive who will fight for working families rather than another billionaire who will only work for the wealthy and well-connected.
“Are you suffering from BSBS? Big Spending Billionaire Syndrome? It’s an epidemic of rich guys trying to buy elections, bombarding you with their money, to take over our government. Symptoms include nausea, disbelief, and the uncontrollable urge to destroy your TV when the same people who profit from our rigged system now promise they’ll change it,” the ad begins.
“But now, there’s a cure: Democrat Daniel Biss for governor. 100% progressive, fast-acting, all grassroots, a middle-class father, former teacher, and state senator, who will make Illinois work for the people again.”
Biss for Illinois shared the ad on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
