Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Late afternoon shorts

Posted in:

Illinois

Â· The mighty Kos (who, according to TNR, apparently controls the Internets) links to a post on this blog today about Gov. Blagojevich’s troubles and has a few choice words for the incumbent.

We finally get a Democrat in the governor’s office in Illinois, and he has to go stink up the joint. Given that the last governor has been convicted of racketeering and bribery, it’s clear the people of Illinois deserve better.

If you don’t know who Kos is, he’s a hardcore Democrat with about a kabillion readers every day. He also lived here, so he’s somewhat familiar with the state.

Â· Once again, I forgot to link to my syndicated newspaper column:

“There is so much more coming it is breathtaking,” an almost always reliable source said recently when asked about the recent flood of news stories about alleged corruption within Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration.

Â· “Illinois’ highest-ranking judge is seeking as much as $7.7 million in his lawsuit against a suburban newspaper — and has considered pursuing other jobs when his term ends in 2010, legal documents show.”

Â· Report Shows More Illinois Money Woes Beneath Budget Surface

Â· Durbin visits Gitmo

Â· Gov. Signs Law Expanding School Consolidation Options

UPDATE: Mayor Daley has settled on his explanation: He should have kept a closer eye on things.

“It is fair criticism to say I should have exercised greater oversight to ensure that every worker the city hired regardless of who recommended them was qualified and that proper procedures were always followed,” Daley said in his most extensive comments since convictions last week that rocked City Hall.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 3:17 pm

Comments

Speaking of “stinking up the joint”, I would like to put forth a theory in regard to our governor. We have seen a concerted effort these past couple of weeks by many of the national GOP heavyweights to finally take an active interest in Illinois. President Bush flew in to Illinois to raise money for and to sing the praises of Judy Barr Topinka. Tuesday, Rudy Giuliani is coming to Bolingbrook, Illinois in order to campaign for Topinka. On Saturday, John McCain is coming to campaign for Topinka at an event in Fairview heights near St. Louis.

What does this sudden national GOP interest in helping Topinka get elected Governor of Illinois mean? It means that Karl Rove and Mehlman smell blood in the water with a wounded and very vulnerable Rod Blagojevich. They wouldn’t waste their time with these GOP heavyweights in Illinois unless they knew something was going to be going down shortly that would almost assure Topinka of getting elected. My theory is that these guys know that a politically devastating “Stinger Missle” targeting Blagojevich is soon to be launched by Patrick Fitzgerald. They are getting their paint brushes and blue paint cans out so they can be ready to paint over the red paint that currently colors Illinois. They wouldn’t throw this much effort into helping Topinka in Illinois unless they knew something that we don’t know.

Comment by Beowulf Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 3:44 pm
What’s really interesting about Rich’s column is that most of the allegations against the Governor’s office at first formed two seperate investigations according to Fitzgerald’s June 20th letter. However, those two investigations merged into one.

This signals that there is a lot to come and that the allegations are somehow connected.

I think I got the message..

Comment by One Man Can Make A Difference Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 4:09 pm
And the Office of Executive Inspector General has added some updates to the website. Good for them! What about the news section, why can’t the public find out the news in the Gov’s office of Executive Inspector General?

However, the new EIG’s message says in essence that it is the people who help them do there jobs. Yet, they can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation and the complainant may not be aprised of the disposition of the investigation.

After, the EIG’s long message about reporting corruption, the viewer gets to the “about the Office” section and then are told in essence, bring all the information to us but we can’t tell you what happens to it, whether it was investigated, we can’t tell you nothing.

In essence, bring us all the corruption you see, but we will never initiate whistleblower protections because we don’t have to tell you what we did with your information.

HUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by One Man Can Make A Difference Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 4:16 pm
I was hoping Durbin would stay. but it is nice of him to visit those he slandered.

Comment by Rico Shakman aka Wumpus Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 4:31 pm
One Man-

As with so many other dodges he employs, Rod learned the “fake reform” trick in Chicago. Daley is famous for proposing “reforms” that sound great on the news, but go nowhere after the press buzz is over.

Poor Sorich. He will look odd with all those bus tire treadmarks on him.

Comment by Bubs Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 4:41 pm
Sounds like this KOS is a smart Democrat and running the other way when it comes to Blago.I heard something similar a few months back from a life term hard core Democrat.He said “after 25 years we finally got a shot at the governors seat and we elected the village idiot shame on us.

Comment by DOWNSTATE Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 4:57 pm
Interesting that Filan acknowledges a “structural deficit that’s been here for 20 years.” I wonder how he would propose to eliminate it, given that Sir Elvis of Hairbrush won’t stand for the tax reforms necessary to do so.

Comment by Reality Check Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 5:00 pm
Thank goodness someone finally mentioned the Rudy/McCain Road show.
AccordionGal was pouting ’cause no one was waving their hands over this triumph.
Wonder if Rudy will bring Ralph Reed in for the event? Maybe Rove can send DeLay in next week

Comment by Reddbyrd Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 5:06 pm
Changing the subject slightly to the job prospects of Chief Justice Thomas… Perhaps he can audition for the role of anchoring the Fox Network’s NFL pre-game show (if he is concerned about more income). After all, how many conservative justices are there with an NFL background? With that job, perhaps he could also team up with Howie Long on the commercials.

Comment by Randall Sherman, Secretary/Treasurer, Illinois Committee for Honest Government Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 5:44 pm
Maybe AROD could get Screaming Dean and Drunk Driving Ted Kennedy to come to Illinois and appear with him.Seems like the smart ones are running the other way.

Comment by DOWNSTATE Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 6:04 pm
DS
GRod still ahead in the polls and the cash.
Does not appear to need the taxpayers to fuel up Air Force One to raise the campaign $$$.
I am sure Dean and Sen. Kennedy are always welcome in Illinois.
Time for homerun derby

Comment by Reddbyrd Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 6:17 pm
Wumpus proves conservatives have one-track minds…

Rico Shakman aka Wumpus said: “I was hoping Durbin would stay. but it is nice of him to visit those he slandered.”

Who did Durbin slander Wumpus? If you’re making a lame reference to the issue I think you are, our senior Senator was referring to an FBI report on prisoner abuses at Gitmo when he was speaking in the Senate last year… why aren’t you complaining about President Bush’s FBI?

Oh, wait.

Durbin’s a Democrat. The FBI is run by a Republican.

Ah, now I see. It’s ok to report on unAmerican and immoral prisoner abuses if you’re Republican, but not if you’re Democratic.

Comment by NW burbs Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 6:49 pm
Speaking of stinking up the joint, it is Kos and his crowd that will be held responsible for trashing the Democrativ Party as they force some mis-guided sense of ideological purity on the Party. These “netroots” know nothing about winning elections, but have used the Internet to make themselves important, and have sucked in far too many people.

Case in point.

Your party has a so-so shot at taking back control of the Senate, and that decision will be made in about seven states. The Democrtatic candidates in those states need every bit of help they can get. So, what has Kos & Company done? Well go after an incumbent Senator who, since his last re-election race has never voted AGAINST the majority of his Senate Democratic colleagues more than 12% of the time in any session of Congress. Sounds pretty liberal to me, no??

Well, obviously these egomaniacs would rather bring down someone who is only right 88% of the time and let someone who is never right off the hook.

Sorry Joe Lieberman, you’re this years’ punching bag for the ideological purists.

Comment by Former Michigander 60614 Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 6:49 pm
â€œThere is so much more coming it is breathtaking,â€
I can believe it. Bring it out, bring it on, reveal it all, lets have a ball!!!!

Comment by state worker #1 Monday, Jul 10, 06 @ 8:37 pm
Man Blago is getting it from all corners isn’t he?

Comment by Levois Tuesday, Jul 11, 06 @ 12:17 am
This is going to be big - very big. Let the torpedoes fly. Couldn’t happen to a nicer Governor or administration. Hurry up Fitz!

Comment by Criminal Enterprise Called Illinois Tuesday, Jul 11, 06 @ 12:38 am