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Quinn sticking with Berrios; Blagojevich to blabber some more

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Illinois

* This is not unexpected, since Quinn endorsed Joe Berrios in the primary and bashed Dan Hynes’ father for leaving the Democratic Party to run for mayor against Harold Washington…

Gov. Pat Quinn Tuesday made it clear that a longtime friend, Forrest Claypool, is on his own in his race for Cook County assessor.

“I supported the Democratic party nominee in the primary (election),” tax appeals Commissioner Joseph Berrios, Mr. Quinn told a Chicago press conference. “I’m a Democrat. That’s where I’m going to be” in the November general election. […]

Politically, Mr. Quinn’s stance could cost him if Mr. Claypool gets enough signatures on petitions to run as an independent candidate. But Mr. Claypool stands to lose, too, given Mr. Quinn’s influence among African-American voters in particular.

And even though the announcement was predictable, it’s also pretty predictable that the Chicago Tribune is gonna hammer Quinn - and probably everybody else that goes with Berrios - for this.

* Meanwhile, we got a “revelation” today from the Illinois Policy Institute…

In total, the Maine Workers’ Compensation Commission spent around $5 million on wages or approximately half of the $11.5 million that Illinois spent in 2008.

Maine population = 1,318,301
Illinois population = 12,910,409

…Adding… This “Urgent News Alert” was just sent by Blagojevich’s PR dude…

What: Rod Blagojevich statement

Why: To comment on new developments in his case

When: 5:03pm Central

Where:
Outside the Law Office of Sam Adam and Sam Adam, Jr.
6133 South Ellis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637

More information:
The former governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich will make the strongest public statement to date concerning the charges he is facing.

Blagojevich has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and says he is innocent of all charges.

The former governor will react to developments in this case.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: For stations planning to carry this statement from Rod Blagojevich live, please be advised that it will begin promptly at 5:03pm CST.

Gov. Blagojevich will not be available for any interviews or comments prior to the 5:03pm Central statement.

Out of respect for his children, please avoid reporting or videotaping at or near his Chicago residence.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:17 pm

Comments

Given that Forrest Claypool claims that he was too busy to launch his own primary campaign, help reform candidates or even vote because he was soooo busy launching his own private health care company, I hope the Tribune and others will ask some serious questions about what Claypool has been doing to earn his paycheck as county commissioner over the last two years.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:22 pm
Rich-

I think you missed the point of the IPI blog… it wasn’t the total dollars spent, it was a question of why so many employees make so much more than their counterparts in Maine.

Comment by John Bambenek Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:24 pm
Yeah, John, because the cost of living in Maine is so much like the cost of living in the Chicago area.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:26 pm
5:01pm - Arrive in Hyde Park
5:02pm - Brush hair
5:03pm - “I will be acquitted/Play all of the tapes/I’m only guilty of trying to help Illinois/Nothing but politics/It’s all Madigan’s fault/I warned you about Quinn’s tax hike.”
5:04pm - Refuse questions
5:05pm - Return to Ravenswood
5:30pm - Watch news on DVR
5:31pm - Ask Patty what’s for dinner
6:05pm - Cubs v. Mets

A day in the life of Rod Blagojevich: living the dream.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:38 pm
Will Rod be there on time?

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:39 pm
ydd: two things. first, i always thought that being a cook county commissioner was a part-time job. several commissioners have “real” jobs in addition to their official duties with the county (whatever those are).

secondly, i’d hope that people wouldn’t understate the amount of time and work required to get a campaign off the ground. it’s hard enough to get democrats to understand the complexities and work required to run a good campaign. we don’t need people understating that work just to make a snide remark…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:39 pm
==For stations planning to carry this statement from Rod Blagojevich live, please be advised that it will begin promptly at 5:03pm CST. ==

This is Rod we are talking about, right? So, so much for the promptly…

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:40 pm
Rich is right, John. Maine and Illinois are apples & oranges. Illinois actually comes out looking better. It wasn’t a well thought out post, if the point is Illinois spends too much.

The big five California, New York, Texas, Florida and Illinois and maybe throw in Pennsylvania are in a league of their own in size so you have to be careful when comparing state-to-state. You can do it but there are limits.

Comment by Greg B. Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:40 pm
Rod’s got nothing to worry about, it’s a sunny day.
By 4th of July it’ll all be over and Rod will move to sunny Hollywood, CA.

Comment by Suspicious Activity Report Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:42 pm
Any chance Rod is going to announce he is going to cop a plea?

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:43 pm
Strongest statement yet….

um what is stronger then I didnt do it an am completly innocent?? I really really didnt do it?

Why not just say…Rod desires to try and taint the Jury pool with more denials and no facts since the release of detailed proof of his crimes.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:44 pm
- Yeah, John, because the cost of living in Maine is so much like the cost of living in the Chicago area. -

Not to mention, Illinois employees must be more effective if they’re covering 10 times the population with just over twice the total wages. But keep defending it John, big numbers are hard to understand sometimes.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:45 pm
It would be nice if none of the big 5 networks in Chicago cover Rod’s press conference, no one cares what he has to say anymore.

Comment by Lincoln Parker Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:53 pm
YDD seems to have a bee in the bonnet, panties in a bunch about Forrest. Interesting. One day a reformer, next day, not.

Comment by just sayin' Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 12:59 pm
5:03 p.m.? Will he be on time?

Yep, I bet he’ll be on time at 5:03 and be live on every 5 o’clock news program in Illinois. Someone’s thinking….well, at least a little.

Comment by Deep South Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 1:04 pm
just sayin’ is your only qualification for “reformer” someone who supports Claypool? Not a great litmus test. he’s such a reformer that 6 months ago he announced, despite his huge base of support, that he was retiring from politics.

I helped the guy in the past, I probably would have helped him in the primary too - but I’m a little annoyed that he didn’t run in the primary. here he is now after the fact

Comment by siriusly Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 1:05 pm
To Rod Blagojevich, I say: Oy.

Comment by Really?? Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 1:11 pm
Where do the Blagojevich’s get all the money for attorneys and a PR Firm? Thought they were broke.

Comment by Suspicious Activity Report Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 1:19 pm
5:03 p.m. ? sounds like somebody over there is celebrating
early on 4 20 day.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 1:44 pm
“The former governor… will make the strongest public statement to date concerning the charges”

Translation: “I triple dog dare Fitz to play all the tapes.”

Comment by Secret Square Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 1:48 pm
5:30
“HEY LOOK, A KITTY!”

That is my statement and I am sticking to it.

Comment by SLICK NICK Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 2:28 pm
Ghost and Secret Square,

Don’t underestimate Rod. His strongest statement to date? No doubt it will be:

“Today my attorneys have advised the Office of the U.S. Attorney that, as an abused spouse too afraid and too embarrassed not to do her bidding, the acts of which I stand wrongly accused were committed against my will and at the behest and sole direction of Patti Mell Blagojevich, from whom I am seeking a divorce in a petition filed today in civil court today, because I take this stand today on behalf of abused husbands everywhere, and their innocent children, which is why I request the prayers and support of all Illinoisans and, oh, and I announce today my candidacy for Mayor of the City of Chicago, because I will not let Rahm Emmanuel inject politics into this important position, while I, unlike he, will be ‘The People’s Mayor,’ and I will put a stop to the widespread corruption found even today, in 2010, in the Chicago City Council, where people like my soon-to-be-former father-in-law, Richard Mell, who was a terrible role model for his daughter, my wife, Patti, whom I love so much, and who is a victim in all of this, just like me, and our children, who were not masculine children, yet who we love so much. Thank you.

Comment by It's All Becoming Clear to Me Now Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 3:25 pm
“Out of respect for his children, please avoid reporting or videotaping at or near his Chicago residence.”

Excuse me, but I live three blocks from the man. If he wants the press to respect his children, he shouldn’t be standing outside his own home talking to the press on a fairly regular basis. The night he got tossed off that tv show, I could see the lights from the news crews from my front window.

Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 3:37 pm
Rod is running his mouth in hopes of being fired by his attorneys again, a reason to postpone his trial.

Comment by Early Bird Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 4:01 pm
Those people at Workers’ Compensation should make what people in the private sector make. From the job description it seems many of them are attorneys. What is the compensation schedule at Sidney Austin anyway?

Comment by BigTwich Tuesday, Apr 20, 10 @ 5:42 pm
==“I’m a Democrat. That’s where I’m going to be” in the November general election.==

It’s a real shame that Quinn is held hostage to the Democratic Party and is unable to support anyone outside that party, even if he would personally prefer to support that candidate. This is a great example of what Rich Whitney has been saying all along–no matter how much people like Quinn, he’s hostage to the same party mechanism that holds all Democrats hostage; and that will ultimately prevent him from doing the most good. (That’s my summary of Whitney’s position.)

==This “Urgent News Alert” was just sent by Blagojevich’s PR dude…==

I’ve never done an “urgent news alert”. Maybe I’ll have to start labeling my own interesting things like “uber-super-red-alert-hot news release”.

==Not to mention, Illinois employees must be more effective if they’re covering 10 times the population with just over twice the total wages.==

Another reason that you can’t compare the two is that Illinois is far more decentralized that most other states. We’ve got more units of local government, by far, than any other state; and that means many of the costs of government are born at the local–not the state-level.

Comment by Squideshi Wednesday, Apr 21, 10 @ 12:56 am