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Reform group offers GOPs $10K for signatures

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Illinois

[Bumped up from Saturday, comments opened and updated with related stories.]

* The Chicago Young Republicans are attempting to gather 10,000 signatures this month to help put the so-called Fair Map redistricting amendment on the ballot in November. The Fair Map campaign is being coordinated by the League of Women voters and they’ve apparently offered the CYRs a sweet cash reward if they succeed…

The Illinois Fair Map project has challenged the CYRs to collect 10,000 signatures in the month of April. In turn they’ll donate $10,000 to the Chicago Young Republicans.

The League has been criticized lately for its alliance with the GOP, but that apparently hasn’t slowed them down any. The CYRs say they plan to circulate petitions at Sunday’s White Sox game. The League needs to gather almost 300,000 valid signatures by May 3rd to qualify their redistricting proposal for the ballot and they’ve admitted that they’re way short.

* Speaking of reform, Senate President John Cullerton got whacked by the Tribune on Sunday…

In a 58-0 vote that took just 94 seconds, Senate President John Cullerton and his colleagues passed a measure that would protect a long-standing bank practice of charging businesses an extra five days in interest each year.

Cullerton, who gave permission for a top lieutenant to introduce the bill, is a Chicago partner in a large law firm with banking clients that would benefit from the proposal. In fact, his firm had just weeks before finalized a class-action settlement on the issue for a bank that agreed to pay more than $4 million to its borrowers.

Much later in the story, we learn that the “permission” came when Sen. Don Harmon “had a brief discussion with Cullerton about the issue when [Harmon] asked permission to use another bill as a vehicle to get around filing deadlines.” The Bankers Association lobbyist said he drafted the legislation and “I never talked to John Cullerton or anyone at his firm.” The bill also was a benefit to all banks, not just the one represented by Cullerton’s firm. But here’s the peg this story is hung upon…

In the wake of the indictments of two successive governors, the Illinois legislature last year moved to tighten some ethics rules but left alone weak provisions that govern disclosure of their incomes, investments and clients. Lawmakers also moved to retool the public records law but exempted themselves from most of its provisions.

There should definitely be more disclosure. No doubt.

* Related…

* Cross wants vote on plan he financed: House Republican leader Tom Cross has sent a letter to the governor asking him to order a special session on legislative redistricting…. Cross’s campaign fund gave $5,000 to the group pushing the “fair map.” … Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno also donated $5,000 from her campaign fund… Rosemont Mayor Bradley Stephens campaign fund is the only other disclosed donor so far. His campaign account provided $3,000.

* Area Leagues of Women Voters set to merge: Cite declining membership and economic benefits

* Parties clash over drawing state political map

* Illinois Fair Map Amendment could die before appearing on ballot

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 3:00 am

Comments

While the League/Fair Map team can be faulted for doing a poor job crafting the proposal and reaching out to some Dem constituencies, you can’t fault them for doing whatever they can to get signatures. Even the Sun-Times, a pretty liberal outlet (for now), strongly endorses the effort. The proposal is infinitely better than Mike Madigan’s charade. By the way, has anyone bothered to ask alleged reformer Lisa Madigan for her position on the fair map initiative or does the media not even bother?

Comment by lakecountydem Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 5:10 am
(I should have been more clear: the Sun-Times endorses the fair map initiative, I doubt they’ve had an editorial about using GOP groups to help collect signatures)>

Comment by lakecountydem Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 5:11 am
Is Harmon now Cullerton’s go-to-guy for wearing the jacket? Didn’t the failure to repeal the free seniors’ ride get blamed on Harmon having food poisoning?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 7:54 am
Collecting signatures at a public event like a ball game guarantees a really high rate of invalid signatures. Lucky if 50% gathered are registered voters.

Comment by just sayin' Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 8:32 am
If this makes it to the ballot - it will pass with this kind of voter digust.

I spent the weekend in Chicago, and the political mood against government is palatable, shocking and heady. Our true-blue suburban friends are fighting to vote red to punish the current regime.

…and the Blagojevich trials haven’t started!

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 9:31 am
Why would voters pass something that makes gerrymandering worse and not better?

Comment by John Bambenek Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 9:35 am
Because they are angry and willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

If you thought 2008 was about change, then 2010 could very well be about revolutionary change.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 11:07 am
I’ll wager Harmon is gunning for the Presidents job whence Cullerton retires…”if you washa my back, then I’ll washa you back”…food poisoning my eye…

Comment by Loop Lady Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 12:48 pm
Cullerton’s firm represents a LOT of banks, and some very big ones. No one needed to talk to him much, if these guys are even to be believed.

“I never talked to John Cullerton or anyone at his firm.”

Oh, please. Anyone can talk to close confidents and staffers of Cullerton who are not lawyers at his firm. So the lobbyist can legitmiately state a half-truth that he did not talk “to John Cullerton or anyone at his firm.” Also, there is a new thing called email. So that statement means little.

When a bill passes in 58 seconds, the wheels were greased.

Comment by Bubs Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 3:52 pm
The CYR thing looks like a ruse to get $10K from the League to the CYRs with appropriate cover. 10,000 signatures are a drop in the bucket when you need 300,000.

Comment by Bubs Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 3:56 pm
Bubs,

I agree. When you’re 300,000 sigs short, there’s literally no point to putting cash in the young R’s pockets. This is ridiculous.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Apr 26, 10 @ 10:11 pm