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* Senate President John Cullerton was forced to back down yesterday and promise not to hold another closed to the public “joint caucus” with the Republicans…

“You know what? Since everybody seems to be pretty upset about it, it’s not that big a deal. We just won’t do it anymore,” Cullerton told reporters, who were barred from the Wednesday morning session with representatives of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

He shoulda thought of that earlier. The Tribune editorial was predictably harsh…

Cullerton, D-Chicago, and every Democratic and Republican senator who played along, didn’t think you — or the reporters who try to keep an eye on politicians for you — had any place in that room. The open-meetings provision of the Illinois Constitution be damned. And never mind that you pay for the salaries, staffs and offices of every lawmaker in attendance: Sorry, citizens, it’s your money, not your business.

* Speaker Madigan doesn’t usually get much positive press, but his proposal to do away with the lt. governor’s office in four years is earning him at least a few plaudits. Southtown Star…

We don’t often use this space to offer an “attaboy” to Mike Madigan. But finally he’s listening. And making some sense. While the 38-member Democratic State Central Committee tries to dream up an electable, scandal-free running mate for Gov. Pat Quinn’s re-election bid in November, we urge lawmakers to listen to us and House Speaker Madigan and seize the opportunity to abolish the useless office of lieutenant governor once and for all.

Champaign News Gazette…

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan moved quickly after the Cohen problem to propose a state constitutional amendment to abolish the office. Others have spoken up to suggest altering the office to avoid problems similar to those posed by Cohen.

But reform comes hard in Illinois, and Speaker Madigan has been criticized by Chicago politicians who don’t want to lose an office one of their fellow Democrats might someday seek. […]

Of course, Madigan is correct.

The Defender was not so kind…

The committee members were also correct to remind Madigan that he wears two hats – as Speaker of the House and as chair of the Democratic Central Committee – and sometimes they work at opposite interests. If the Speaker is unsure where one begins and one ends, perhaps he ought to step down from one, or the other, so he can be clear.

* The Tribune also blasted Madigan and applauded what it called a “political stunt” by the House Republicans to advance legislation to cap leadership contributions during fall campaigns…

So [House GOP Leader Tom Cross] put them on the spot by asking for a vote. Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan told his members to block it. They did as they were told. They always do. That’s the point.

Sure, it was a political stunt, but an effective one. Cross raised the reform flag and invited the Democrats to salute. At least we know where they stand.

Actually, all we know for sure is that the Democrats voted against an admitted political stunt and that the Tribune despises them for it.

* And Mark Brown rightly bemoaned the fact that Illinois doesn’t keep track of the unofficial vote tally…

As strange as it may seem, Illinois keeps no running statewide tabulation of election results.

The State Board of Elections, which oversees elections in Illinois, collects no results on Election Night or even in the days afterward. The state’s 102 county clerks aren’t required to report any results to the state board before Feb. 23, which most will accomplish by mail. The state board will then have until March 5 to announce its official tally. […]

The only way for news organizations or candidates to compile a statewide total is to individually contact each of the state’s 110 different election jurisdictions and collect the numbers, which those jurisdictions are allowed to update right up until they are transmitted to the state. […]

By the next statewide election cycle two years from now, we should take one more important step toward modernizing our election administration and insist they adapt the electronic reporting system to give us the voting results from Election Night to completion.

The problem, of course, is that there’s no way that the State Board of Elections could possibly cope with this new responsibility without a complete and drastic overhaul of its pathetically outdated and ridiculously inadequate Internet infrastructure.

However, as I wrote yesterday about a different proposal to give the SBE more duties, if average citizens actually started visiting the board’s website and saw how horrible it was, the board might finally have no choice but to change their stupid ways.

* Related…

* Team ticket would be best for state

* Petitions circulating about re-districting

* Sweeny: ‘Illinois Politics’ tells you the messy details

* No good reason to wait for budget

* When the state becomes a deadbeat: If it were a typical debtor, the state of Illinois would no doubt be trying to change its phone number right now - if it could even afford the phone.

* Strong-arm tactics on video gambling are disgusting

* Voice of The Southern: Take a stand against politics as usual in Illinois

* Jason Plummer presents his case for lieutenant guv

* Plummer: Not time to cut LG office

* Pols just pine for pointless posts

* Turn out the lights in the lieutenant governor’s office

* Congressmen Weigh in on Deleting Lieutenant Gov Office

* Dems concerned about eliminating lt. gov. position

* Hare rallies for re-election

* Tight race, tough tactics in Elgin GOP race

* Kane County votes all counted, but fighting might not be over

* Stark County treasurer won’t challenge seven-vote loss

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 10:43 am

Comments

What a bonehead move by Cullerton. Inexplicable.

The only thing I can figure is that he didn’t want GOP members blasting Dems in power for the mess in front of the TV cameras.

Also, I can’t figure why GOP members went along with this nonsense.

No state senator in Illinois thought this was a bad idea? Speak up.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 10:47 am
So what secret info did the presentation have that no one knew existed? If only two state do not have budget holes what new info could the consultants possibly give? The same thing could have been done in caucuses/small planning sessions that happen all the time and have no open meeting uproar.

Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 10:59 am
Cullerton and company have given me another good reason to vote them out…all of them! What a bunch of boneheads!!

Comment by Justice Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:05 am
Rich, the website for the voters guide run by the SBE is separate from their main site. The URL is www.ilvote.gov and it’s a nice tool for democracy. It ought to be expanded.

Comment by Dan Johnson-Weinberger Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:08 am
the tribune can hoot and holler all it wants but until it starts doing what the new york times did in 2006 which is to say, outing the senators like schoenberg, link, garrett and others who are liked in the district but whose lawmaking has caused the mess, nothing is going to happen.

im also curious as to when the republican senate leader is going to emerge from witness protection program and start turning that chamber red.

Comment by shore Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:12 am
Cullerton and his friends in Springpatch go wild and wacky by stuffing an overly expansive FOIA down the throats of cities/villages –and screams when there’s a perceived open meetings act violation– but holds a secret meeting?! Where’s the outrage from Lisa Madigan’s office?

And sorry, Rich. Your bias is oh, so showing… the Trib. was absolutely right to complain on this one. Where was your beloved ST?

Comment by Secret Squirrel Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:14 am
“You know what? Since everybody seems to be pretty upset about it, it’s not that big a deal. We just won’t do it anymore,”

That is some kind of attitude, isn’t it?

We are upset over something that is not a big deal? He actually says this? Who does he think he is?

Mr. Cullerton ought to have apologized and have responded as a public servant should. He should have demonstrated his understanding of what role he plays in our government, as our public servant.

This response of his, only adds insult to injury.

Being both willfully blind and arrogant is not how he should wish to present himself.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:14 am
===And sorry, Rich. Your bias is oh, so showing… the Trib. was absolutely right to complain on this one. ===

I only wrote that the Trib editorial was “predictably harsh.” I don’t get your comment at all.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:16 am
“Actually, all we know for sure is that the Democrats voted against an admitted political stunt and that the Tribune despises them for it.”

If you think the legislation is good, then you know for sure the Democrats killed it, whether it’s a stunt or not, and you can be quite sure that more than the Tribune editorial board had the same reaction.

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:25 am
The Trib is for Cross because Cross is for weakening the caucuses to let the Special Interests (Banks and other predators, utilities sloPpy docs, etc.) run wild.
Special Interests are —drumroll — advertisers.

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:26 am
(PS — I saw this post before I saw your comment to me re: Ryan — I responded in that thread.)

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:31 am
the chicago defender is right.

this year, perhaps more than others, there is a clear conflict between being speaker of the house and democratic party chair. we need a democratic party chair who will be aggressive in calling out republicans for their missteps, a party chair willing to go around the state and help organize local (county) party organizations, a party chair willing to fund raise for the party and put the party’s money behind the party ticket this fall.

the democratic party in illinois is largely disfunctional as a *party* organization, and i’ve been shocked to hear from county chairs that (as they told me) the party chair had never been in their counties. this election is likely to be closer than those in my memory, and a stronger party organization is key to turning out voters in the fall…

Comment by bored now Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 11:38 am
Regarding the arguments raised by the Chicago Defender, the question is whether or not the African-American members of the Democratic State Central committee are willing to oppose Speaker Madigan’s re-election as State Chairman. Their weighted votes, coupled with the handful of potential reformers on that panel, may well be enough to force Madigan to step aside, but only if they are united in standing up against him.

Comment by fedup dem Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 12:06 pm
When you see politicans act like Culletron and Madigan do towards the people they are there to serve it becomes alot easier to understand how the Tea Party movement gained momentum. Lisa Madigans silence is very telling .

Comment by fed up Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 12:08 pm
Here’s my counterproposal on the Lt. Governor. Make it an unpaid position, selected by a gubernatorial candidate after that candidate wins a nomination or files non-partisan nominating papers.

Clearly, we need a line of succession, and when that line runs through the other party, it’s only the most glaring problem with a line of succession completely unrelated to the person who the voters selected as governor. What would have happened last year if there’d been no Lt. Governor and the Attorney General had been, say, Pete Fitzgerald? I think we’d have been facing a new phenomenon - Blagridlock.

With my proposal, governor candidates would select a “Lt. Governor” whose only role would be successor. A gubernatorial candidate could choose the Attorney General; or the Speaker of the House; or a businessman; or a lesser known but respected State Senator. But whoever it was, they’d just continue to do their job, unless we reached the point where the governor’s office was vacated, at which point, the Lt. Gov would step up.

Comment by irving & ashland Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 12:44 pm
–”I only wrote that the Trib editorial was ‘predictably harsh.’ I don’t get your comment at all.”–

You don’t get it? Really? Because you spend lots of time bashing the Trib and touting the Sun Times, for which you frequently write op-ed pieces. Okay, we get that you like your employer and dislike the competition. But enough bashing because it is unbecoming of you and this space. Last, you absolutely gave Cullerton a pass here. Why? His transgression is material, not minor. Where is Lisa on this? Is her familiar connection causing her pause?

Comment by Secret Squirrel Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 1:11 pm
(Snark)

“Plummer - Not time to cut office - ‘My Daddy bought the nomination fair and square, don’t take it’ “

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 1:21 pm
Rich - are you aware that the General Assembly did legislate electronic canvassing, but then it got all bogged down in the budget morass so as to not fund the development of the software to do it?

Further, why exactly do we want an agency tracking unoffical numbers rather than getting the real ones, but a little later? For media convenience? Why else?

Comment by titan Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 1:48 pm
Considering how bizarre the Chicago Tribune op-ed page has become in the past 1-2 years, I don’t blame Cullerton and company from wanting to hold a secret meeting to discuss, away from the news media - in the slightest.

Also considering how rabid some of the interest group constituencies are in this state - who are also implicated in our budget mess, we can’t lay this all on the politicians themselves - the idea that pols could occasionally chat amongst themselves without having someone hanging on their every word or nuance, seems to me like a refreshing idea.

I think that the Senate Dems and Repubs should hold at least one totally closed-to-the-public meeting, even involving a budget briefing, every year. We’d probably get better politics out of it.

It should not be forgotten that if we used the same open-government philosophy to cover the Constitutional convention as we demand today, there would probably be no United States of America. Sunlight -is- the best disinfectant, but like most things, it too can be taken to unhealthy extremes.

Comment by ZC Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 1:54 pm
While we are at it, do we really need a Treasurer and a Comptroller? Lets finally get rid of one of those offices as well.

Comment by Jaded Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 2:46 pm
ZC - finally! Someone with some COMMON SENSE.

Comment by Fan of Cap Fax Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 3:24 pm
Given our our history, a gambit by anyone in Illinois government to conduct even more business behind closed doors is outrageous. It’s also stupid, for those who came up with it.

I’m not a “throw-the-bums-out” kind of guy, but I’m so upset by the lack of any opposition to this stunt that I’m willing to listen. Sen. Brady? Sen. Radogno? Gov. Quinn? Atty Gen. Madigan? Bueller? Bueller?

To paraphrase Barney Frank, on what planet do you generally reside where we think we’re going to “trust you” to meet in secret, on anything? We’re not looking to add any more smoke-filled rooms to the equation. As Denzel said, are you out of your John Brown mind?

Rich, thanks for featuring this crucial issue on the blog.

Charlie Wheeler, thanks for laying it down so the MSM could pick it up.

Ray Long, thanks for getting kicked out. I’m sure a lot of other reporters down there did the same.

Shame on their papers for thinking it’s not a big deal and screaming it on the front page.

Cullerton and Radogno, you just lost a lot of “benefit of the doubt.”

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 3:49 pm
Speaking of reform, Congressional Dems like Nancy Pelosi fight for gerrymandering in California — why can’t my party wear the white hat on this? http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_14421716

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 18, 10 @ 4:16 pm