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The conspiracy theory that wasn’t

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Illinois

* We’ll have more on the Lisa Madigan thing soon, but I wanted to post this timeline first.

[Speaker Madigan has] shouldered much of the blame for the inaction on pension reform, with Democrats and Republicans alike wondering if he’s purposely stalling in an effort to make Quinn look bad as his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, ponders a potential Democratic primary challenge.

* June 18th Chicago Tribune…

Speaker Madigan has been accused by some of holding up a solution on pension reform to make Quinn look weak as Attorney General Madigan weighs a possible run for governor.

* June 19th Chicago Tribune…

House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego said last week he thinks the stalemate is a scheme by Madigan and Cullerton to help Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the speaker’s daughter, as she considers whether to run for governor against Quinn — a conspiracy theory Democrats deny.

* July 16th Tribune…

…the speaker refused to attend a meeting of Democratic legislative leaders called by Quinn after the General Assembly’s failure to fix the state’s massively unfunded public employee pension system. Critics said the move bordered on arrogance, even as questions continued about Quinn’s leadership abilities.

Those issues made certain that any candidacy for governor by Lisa Madigan would have been an all-out campaign against Michael Madigan — something the longest-serving House speaker in Illinois has never faced on such a high-profile stage.

We could get into all the John Kass conspiracy theories as well, but why bother?

The point here is that the Tribune and others kept claiming that the Speaker was purposely doing something to help his daughter, when it appeared obvious at the time that the actions were actually hurting his daughter.

Conspiracy theories are generally to be avoided.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:15 am

Comments

I believe Speaker Madigan held up pension reform to bolster the chances of Bruce Rauner. Then he will draw in Adam Andrzejewski in a third party bid facing Pat Quinn. The result will be most voters will light themselves on fire in the polling booth. As a result of most polling booths being destroyed, Mike Madigan will make himself officially Governor-for-Life.

Escape from Decatur will begin filming shortly thereafter.

Comment by Tinfoil Hat Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:18 am
I think she pulled out because of the recent incriminating evidence against her father; lest his corruption be hung on her neck just by association.

Comment by Gribble Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:21 am
Hard to believe that the Chicago Tribune could get something wrong- I thought they were the final authority on all things

Comment by Roadiepig Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:30 am
===…incriminating…===

Are you saying something “criminal” occured? Please point to the indictment…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:31 am
Miller is right here, and Kass off base. Would love to see a televised debate between Rich and John on the issue of Illinois conspiracies.

Comment by Conservative Republican Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:31 am
Thank you, Tinfoil Hat. God, I needed a laugh today.

Comment by LincolnLounger Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:34 am
One thing is clear after reading Attorney General Madigan’s press release: All this time, people wondering “What will Lisa do?” have been asking the wrong question. They should have been asking “What will Mike do?”. If, despite her public statements to the contrary, she would never run while her father is Speaker, this decision has always been in the hands of Mike Madigan. He chose to remain Speaker, so that made Lisa’s decision for her.

Comment by Snucka Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:37 am
I’m looking forward to Kass’ column claiming how the entire Metra scandal was orchestrated by the Speaker so Lisa would have an excuse for not running for governor and something something Rahmfather.

Comment by In 630 Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:42 am
==If, despite her public statements to the contrary, she would never run while her father is Speaker, this decision has always been in the hands of Mike Madigan.==
None of my business, but I do wonder if she told her father that she wouldn’t run for governor if he remained speaker.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:49 am
Here is another to throw in the hopper. She did not run because Speaker Madigan had a dream in which it was revealed that Clarence Thomas is going to admit to Anita Hill allegations and resign. Leaving her available for an appointment to the Supreme Court.

Comment by John A Logan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:54 am
It was a joint effort by the daley’s, the burke’s, Rahm, and Barack, they were all united in fear of the combine becoming undone, yeah, that sounds good, the combine it is. Now lets get some lunch.

Comment by Kassio Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:56 am
===We’ll have more on the Lisa Madigan thing soon===

Wow, miss one day on Cap Fax and you miss a lot.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:00 am
Move along. Nothing to see here.

Comment by Robo Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:09 am
I believe that Kass writes this stuff to get the CapFaxBlog folks all riled up and they will write stuff about him and this will make him more famouser than ever. n stuff

Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:12 am
The MJM-acts-only-to-promote-Lisa-for-governor conspiracy theories have been going on for 12 years.

They’ve been fundamentally lazy, generally irrational and often sexist.

Maybe they’ll get a rest for a few weeks, but I doubt it.

Already, yesterday, you had folks speculating about Lisa running for mayor against Emanuel, Senate against Kirk or governor against whomever in 2018.

Never has so much time and thought been devoted to so little.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:16 am
The condition for running for Gov that LMadigan put forth yesterday as one that “always” existed, that MMadigan no longer serve as Speaker, is something that gives rise to interesting questions. Clearly LMadigan gave many in political and fundraising circles the impression she was running for Gov. Clearly she publicly indicated that she was seriously looking at making the race. Since such a run was always conditioned on MMadigan retiring, that must have been a real possibility (or something at least one Madigan thought was a real possibility), for quite some time. Was there something big or legacy ensuring (maybe pension reform) that had to happen before MMadigan would retire? Was there ongoing and unresolved discussion between the Madigans? Was the condition for running something that evolved over time, despite the LMadigan’s indication it was always a condition. Was the build up to a campaign for some other purpose than actually running, with some realization that LMadigan was destined to run for reelection in the end?
I suspect that one or both Madigans were playing the senario out to see how it would play to have the MMadigan stay in office while LMadigan ran for Gov, and that it became clear over time how difficult campaigning and maybe even governing would become with both in place. Maybe Quinn’s resolve to run was also being tested — and running against an incumbent from one’s own party is a big decision.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:22 am
Kassamoron just had ERV favorite Bruce Rauner on the air. CousinBrucey fumbled through another interview.

The help/hurt theory is advanced on every topic
mostly by the Tribbies, but other are not far behind.

BTW no one really reads Kassamoron, so unless Capt Fax mentions him it gets zero attention.

BTW-2 WLS-AM has fallen of the ratings dial…not among top 20 …The FM station does better.

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:22 am
You guys are a bit off the mark.

See, MJM, Rahm, and Obama were really getting worried that it was all coming together for Rod back in 2008 and if he wasn’t stopped, he would be in the White House in 2013. So, they ginned up a deal to jam up Rod over a bogus Senate seat deal that was never gonna happen (Valerie Jarrett?Really?) and he took the bait.

They blew the whistle to the Tribbies and the Feds, MJM tossed him out in a few weeks, and then they just had to deal with stooge Quinn for a short time until Rahm was back home and Lisa would become Gov in 2010.

Lisa, so disappointed over not being asked about the Senate seat (Roland Burris? Really?) refuses to cooperate in the master plan and Quinn is reelected by default.

Whew, it’s hot under that tinfoil this time of year.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:25 am
It’s the MJM-acts-only-to-promote-MJM theory - and if one can’t see how the timing for MJM has never been worse for the kind of scrutiny a LM bid would bring, well, the words fundamentally lazy and generally irrational do come to mind. As for sexist, I dunno - how old was Lisa Madigan when she became a state senator? About as old as Todd Stroger when he became a commissioner? Or for that matter a congressman Ted Kennedy? To an extent pols kids have an uphill climb in getting respect, but that’s a small price to pay for the nepotistic boost they get. They’d do better by proving the critics wrong (e.g., an A.G. office that doesn’t lie about not giving advisory opinions and looks into corruption) than claiming their critics are bigots.

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:25 am
There is no shortage of paranoid schizophrenia in illinois

Comment by foster brooks Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:26 am
“House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego said last week he thinks the stalemate is a scheme by Madigan and Cullerton . . .”

So obviously Tom Cross is part of the conspiracy by getting less than half of his own caucus to vote for serious pension reform sponsored by Madigan (i.e. SB 1).

When will someone get the hook for this goofball Cross? Thank God that at least he’s not getting paid right now.

Comment by too obvious Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:43 am
while i agree with your conclusion, rich (Conspiracy theories are generally to be avoided), a plausible explanation for the speaker’s inaction that makes sense to the average, engaged political observer in illinois is wanting…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 11:07 am
Conspiracy theory: Scott Cohen was somehow behind Lisa’s decision.Scott will be back again running for Governor on the Democrat ticket against Quinn and Daley.

Comment by A Casual Observer Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 11:53 am
So the Trib starts a conspiracy theory, until Tom Cross, done golfing, finally reads the trib. Then the trib quotes Cross on a rumor it started. Thus contributing to the Republican echo chamber.

Talk about making the news in order to later report it.

Absolutely diabolical, yellow journalism.

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 11:53 am
Bored, isn’t the plausible explanation simply that Madigan believes his proposal is necessary (or the best) and he thinks holding out - not negotiating is the best strategy to win?

Comment by Century Club Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 12:13 pm
Or he could have been holding up pension reform to help his daughter but it utterly backfired. Ever think of that?

Comment by John Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 12:24 pm
sure, century, in an autocracy…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 12:25 pm
John, give it up, dude.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 12:27 pm
And perhaps seek counseling.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 12:28 pm
Bored, the House is an autocracy.

Just sayin…

Also, too, haven’t you seen MJM do this sort of thing before? I have. It’s his way or the highway. Always has been, always will be. There’s your explanation.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 12:30 pm
it is so obvious what is really going on, it is just MJM has succeeded in hiding the truth from everyone.

MJM prefers red apples, SO il grows mostly green/gold apples. So MJM passes a fracking bill to poison the SO IL watershed and wipe out the icky green apples. He will then run a star bond bill to fix the apple crisis, but it will only pay for planting red apples. Then pension was a smoke screen his long term apple plan!

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 1:13 pm
Just an impartial observer not connected to Quinn, Daley, or Madigan (either one). You may want to step back and look at it objectively.

Comment by John Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:11 pm
So it is bad to have a Governor and the Speaker to be from the same family but it is ok to have the Attorney General and the Speaker to be from the same family.
Seems to me that if the Speaker does something that needs investigating that would come from the Attorney General. It is much better for MM to have her where she is then in the Governor’s mansion.
Just Sayin’!

Comment by BIG R. Ph. Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:11 pm