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* 6:14 pm - The House is now debating a motion to reconsider the pension borrowing bill, which came up one vote short. Rep. David Miller made the motion to reconsider, and he is expected to vote “Yes” when the actual bill comes up for a vote.
But if that happens, and Miller votes “Yes,” GOP Rep. Pritchard just told my intern Barton Lorimor that he is switching from “Yes” to “No.” Pritchard wouldn’t say why he was switching his vote. But Pritchard’s decision comes after an hour-long House Republican caucus meeting.
So, if Miller votes for it and Pritchard votes against it and nobody else changes their mind, then they’re still at 70 - one vote short.
Pritchard speaking with Barton…
* UPDATE 1 - 6:32 pm - We went back to talk to Pritchard and he’s actually going to vote “Present.” Same dif. Video in a bit.
* UPDATE 2 - 6:34 pm - Rep. David Miller’s motion to reconsider finally was called for a vote after a long delay. Apparently, they were looking for some missing members. The motion passed with 71 votes.
* OK, now a verification. And it passed.
* UPDATE 3 - 6:39 pm - As I mentioned below, Gov. Quinn stormed onto the House floor during House GOP Leader Tom Cross’ speech against the pension borrowing bill. Quinn stopped in the middle of the chamber, turned and glared at Cross. Watch it…
* UPDATE 4 - 6:41 pm - Rep. Pritchard just explained his vote. He said he’s voting “Present” because he wants some bipartisanship. Odd.
Here’s the video of Pritchard’s floor speech…
* UPDATE 5 - 6:45 pm - Crain’s just fell for an old Rod Blagojevich spin. Blagojevich used to say he was “signing” a bill when he was actually using his amendatory veto powers. An AV isn’t a signature. Period. Subscribers already knew what was going on, but here you go…
Gov. Pat Quinn is expected this week to sign the long-awaited bill to overhaul operations at McCormick Place, though the measure will come with a few changes, according to legislative and convention officials familiar with the situation.
Mr. Quinn could sign his amended version of the bill as soon as Wednesday.
Sources weren’t aware of the specific changes Mr. Quinn will make to the bill, but the governor has raised repeated concerns about numerous issues. Those include a lack of a succession plan for the interim trustee — expected to be Jim Reilly, chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority and liaison to the legislative panel that examines operations at McCormick Place — as well as securing oversight of changes made by the trustee and addressing organized labor’s concerns, to avoid legal challenges.
If Mr. Quinn does present an amended bill, legislators will have the choice of supporting it or overriding it.
Sources said legislators would more than likely overturn his amended bill since the measure in its current form unanimously passed the House and Senate.
* UPDATE 6 - 6:48 pm - Word from the floor is that the Democrats have picked up a Republican vote to replace Rep. Pritchard’s flip-flop. Stay tuned, but this looks like it may pass now. The word is, from several sources, that the new HGOP member is Rep. Bob Biggins.
* UPDATE 7 - 6:55 pm - After ducking reporters for more than an hour and spending time in both House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office and Gov. Quinn’s office, Rep. David Miller is now saying that the pension bond bill will save money. This after he voted “No” the first time around. Video in a bit.
But Miller, who had sought to raise taxes in prior years to help the state’s bleak finances, said he would vote for borrowing “because it’s the right thing to do” now.
“You’ve got to do the mature thing which is to at least get us through this crisis, no matter how bad it is,” Miller told reporters after the vote.
Miller said he’s not sure how his vote will impact his run for comptroller, but said his focus today was not on his future but the people he represents now.
“At some point you have to do some soul searching about why you’re here in the first place.”
He said he was not offered anything in return for his vote by the governor.
* UPDATE 8 - 7:03 pm - The pension borrowing bill passed with 71 votes and 44 voting no. Rep. Bob Biggins did, indeed, vote “Yes” on the bill.
* UPDATE 9 - 7:56 pm - There’s been a strong rumor in the building that Rep. Biggins switched his vote to “Yes” on the pension borrowing bill in exchange for a job. I’ll have more for subscribers tomorrow, but House GOP Leader Tom Cross just said he has heard the same rumors. He also talked about what he said to Rep. Pritchard to get him to change his vote. Video in a bit.
* UPDATE 10 - 8:01 pm - Rep. Biggins talks to the media after his vote switch on pension borrowing. Make sure you listen for Rep. Sacia’s ascerbic comments as he walks by. A bit unsafe for work, however…
* UPDATE 11 - 8:15 pm - The Emergency Budget Act just passed with 67 votes. The bill gives extraordinary budget powers to the governor, among many other things House GOP Leader Tom Cross said a bit ago that just about everything would pass now that the pension borrowing bill cleared the chamber. Looks like he was right. The budget bill is up now.
* UPDATE 12 - 8:30 pm - And the budget just passed. It all seems so anti climactic.
* UPDATE 13 - 8:43 pm - The BIMP just passed.
* UPDATE 14 - 9:23 pm - And they’re done for the night.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 6:17 pm
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And then Pritchard files a motion to reconsider, right? And that’s when Ken Dunkin gets into the mix, because when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Comment by Scooby Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 6:29 pm
Tom Cross would embarrass himself 2% less if he actually had a plan of his own. The Republicans are doomed under this goof.
Comment by just sayin' Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 6:48 pm
Do the Ds think the Biggins will remember he committed to voting yes?
Comment by nick Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 6:52 pm
Talk about a fiery speech from David Miller!
Maybe I just don’t listen to the live feed enough, but people are getting pretty intense.
Comment by Matt Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 6:56 pm
David Miller. I am not sure sometimes if he knows what he is talking about. The speech he made does not help my view of him.
Comment by Lazy Intern Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 6:57 pm
I love how Quinn comes down to the floor to stare down opposition lawmakers…..kind of Huey Longish, except Quinn is no kingfish since he cant intimidate anyone. Instead, he is more like a kingfly.
Comment by Cuban Pilot Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 6:58 pm
This is like being on the Titanic and the Dems want to keep bailing and the Repubs want to jump in the icy water.
Comment by Lefty Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:03 pm
passed
Comment by Cindy Lou Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:03 pm
Quinn kind of looked like a rookie trial lawyer watching in disgust as the prosecutor explains what prima facie means.
Comment by dznuts Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:05 pm
I love that Gov. Quinn did that. Love that Cross kept going as if this wasn’t a strange sight to behold on the House floor. Thank you to whoever captured the moment on video. Priceless.
Good reporting in finding out how they would pass the bill Rich.
Comment by dupage progressive Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:19 pm
It looks like a current dictionary would make a really good Christmas gift for Rep. Pritchard (as long as it includes a full definition of the words “present” and “bipartianship”).
Comment by fedup dem Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:20 pm
Did anyone notice that Cross changed his tune during his diatribe about the Guv?
Comment by didjahearit Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:27 pm
I thought last year they first were going with 365 and then chaned it to 261 too. I think Rich made an issue about the 365 last year, no?
Comment by Cindy Lou Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:30 pm
Have to say… that is kind of a bad-@#$ move by Quinn in that video. And quite hilarious.
Comment by George Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:44 pm
Why doesn’t Tom Cross just tape himself during one of these speeches and then play it back. He says the same thing every time. Whine, whine, whine. Instead of whining why don’t you offer your own solution Mr. Cross. The reason is because you suck as a leader and you have no cajones to put up a plan of your own. Either be part of something or get the hell out of the way.
Comment by RJW Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:45 pm
Biggins for McPier Czar????
Comment by BA Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 7:46 pm
wow - those are strong allegations. good luck proving that. It’s interesting that this is a rumor for Biggins, but not Black. Both are great guys, and I have huge respect for them.
Comment by dupage progressive Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:02 pm
Quinn’s budget-o-borrow won’t bode well with indepedents and moderate democrats who understand the ramifications and who do pay attention to economic issue.
As for the overly-dramatic staring down of Tom Cross, maybe if Quinn had come up with a resonable budget instead paying threatning massive draconian cuts trying to scare the bejesus out of people, and giving a 3-week late budget, things would not have had to come down to the wire. Bad move Quinn. Bad move.
Comment by Won't bode well... Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:16 pm
Is it me, or does anyone else remember a Bob Biggins who was so afraid of his shadow, he would be startled half the time … then, throw in how nervous he was every 5 minutes he was going to get primaried!
And watch out, if you said “Speaker Madigan” & “wants to chat” in the same sentence… well, use your imagination …
Now he “flips” a vote!
…
It’s like the end of the Sopranos or something… an odd ending to a career(?)
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:21 pm
PQ worked his magic again…amazing feat…and the stare down was classic, gutsy, and just plain, good ‘ol fashioned Illinois hard-ball politics at its best! I bet if somebody shot a puck into the Guv’s face at that moment and knocked out 7 TEETH (like our Blackhawk gutsy real man Duncan Keith) the mighty Quinn woulda stayed out on the floor and did what he had to to STILL win that pension vote! Awesome!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:21 pm
Biggins…selling his vote for a Job?
If you can do that, why can’t you sell a US Senate seat?
Comment by Are ya Kiddin' Me? Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:25 pm
Not looking so good for David Miller. Maybe Quinn promised him a job too.
Comment by raising kane Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:27 pm
wow, for a guy running for comptroller, david miller doesn’t seem to have much understanding of state finances - he can’t really explain why it is a correct vote other than to say he is doing the right thing (which begs the question why he had the position of not doing the right thing until today).
Comment by Betsy Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:33 pm
“I think at the end … its just quiet”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:34 pm
I think we know that bills usually climax when they reach the Senate.
Comment by George Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:35 pm
Excellent idea borrowing our way out of problems. Who would have ever thought such great ideas would have come from our political leaders?
Comment by Sueann Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:36 pm
At 2:01 on the Biggins video, you can hear someone say something along the lines of “Two-faced son of a…” not very nice word. Was that directed at Biggins?
Comment by MKA1985 Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:42 pm
Excellent idea borrowing our way out of problems. Who would have ever thought such great ideas would have come from our political leaders?
Better than being deadbeat, missing pension payments, and end up having to borrow at much higher interest rates. But I guess it is too hard for some people to understand that there are different degrees of bad options, and sometimes you just have to choose the least bad.
Comment by realism Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:44 pm
MKA1985, that was Sacia.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:44 pm
(is there a way to quote other comments without them looking like your own?)
Comment by realism Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:45 pm
So … yes? Sheesh, way to keep the level of discourse up Sacia.
Comment by MKA1985 Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:46 pm
Realism - With “blockquote” tags. Or use an italics tag.
Like this:
Ouch!
Comment by George Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:47 pm
Wow What a nite
NoTaxBill and StateWideTom get thumped. Huge Loss
And No Supris from Sacia
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 8:57 pm
Rep. Biggins :
“You see that glow in the corner of your eye. It’s your career dissapation light and it’s going into overtime.”
Retirement can not get any quicker, Bob….
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 9:04 pm
So did they pass a budget, budget or a let Pat figure it out budget?
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 9:07 pm
If Sacia wanted to be a little less salty, an quote by Michael Keaton in “The Paper” might do the trick too …
“Congratulations, you’ve offically become everything you used to hate …”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 9:12 pm
Still borrowing from vendors more than anyone. That’s not even on the radar.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 10:28 pm
This is actually embarrassing…once again.. at some point, we need to stop spending.. Quinn staring Cross down? whatever.. lets see what happens in November
Comment by Still Gettin Twisted Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 10:48 pm
Really Quinn? What a joke. I can picture his staff telling him to get out there and look strong during an election year, too bad he looked like Mike Dukakis riding in a tank! A backbone is not your cup of tea Governor.
Comment by PayingAttention Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 11:11 pm
==So did they pass a budget, budget or a let Pat figure it out budget?==
Are you kidding? They did the bold thing and passed it off to PQ! The Governor has the power to appropriate, right?
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 11:41 pm
What did Sacia say on the YouTube? I couldn’t make it out.
But was it any more inflammatory than his commentary about how this vote is a vote for raping our grandchildren during the pension budget vote in 2005?
Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, May 25, 10 @ 11:44 pm
Wow. For a state with a history of weird moments, that Quinn stare-down really takes the cake. I was just waiting for him to interrupt cross and get into an argument on the floor. Then whomever was in the chair could have said, “you’re out of order and you’re out of order, the whole damn general assembly is out of order…” Al Pacino style. Bizarre.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, May 26, 10 @ 12:12 am
paying attention — if you knew Gov. Quinn, you’d know that was most likely 100% his idea. I can hear him now… “I’d like to look him in the eye & see if he keeps going with this nonsense.”
Comment by dupage progressive Wednesday, May 26, 10 @ 8:50 am
Welcome to Illinois where everyday has the potential to be a lose-lose kind of day!
Can kicked down road over cliff.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, May 26, 10 @ 8:58 am
Congrats to Rep. Biggins for not putting partisanship above the public interest. There’s no way it’s in the public interest to drain $20 billion from the pension funds by not making the payment.
Comment by reformer Wednesday, May 26, 10 @ 9:00 am
What’s the bill number for the budget bill?
Comment by JM WI Transplant Wednesday, May 26, 10 @ 9:06 am
Budget bill appears to be HB 859.
Comment by Secret Square Wednesday, May 26, 10 @ 9:18 am
More precisely, Senate Amendment 3 to HB 859. There are other amendments which make cuts or changes here and there but SAM 3 is the basic bill from what I can see.
Comment by Secret Square Wednesday, May 26, 10 @ 9:20 am