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* Remember this story from last month?…
When operatives for Democratic state treasurer candidate Sen. Michael Frerichs sent Freedom on Information requests to the Illinois House Clerk for lots of files on his GOP opponent Rep. Tom Cross, the House complied. But Cross’ people have asked for most of the same documents from the majority Democratic Senate and have been denied.
* Well, the Senate Democrats have finally given in. From a press release…
After three months of evasion, blocking and obfuscation, Senate President John Cullerton’s office has finally agreed to release public documents on Sen. Mike Frerichs, as legally required by the Freedom of Information Act.
The change of course came one day after Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider gave Cullerton’s office a one-week deadline before filing an official Request for Review with the Attorney General’s office and possible legal action.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:00 am
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Glad to see they acquiesced.
Disappointed to see the lengths necessary to ensure equal treatment from both chambers.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:07 am
It was too burdensome to produce until the press picked it up. What a joke this guy has become.
“With Mike Frerichs at the helm, the State Treasurer’s office will be the most accountable, ethical, and transparent agency in Illinois.”
http://frerichsforillinois.com/ethics-transparency/
Comment by Neiled It Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:08 am
If you don’t sue John Cullerton, he’s above the law. Great. Just great.
Comment by A guy... Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:11 am
@FakeMikeFrerichs - I am excited and thrilled all this is available. I will not cower to scrutiny. #ShrinkingVioletsAlreadyCower
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:16 am
Oh - and by the way, it was a good thing Madigan’s guys found those unacceptable signatures on that Fair Map stuff!
Nothing to see here people, you are just a bunch of cynics and conspirators!
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:16 am
The press release above was clearly from one side of this dispute.
Did they in fact pare down and focus their campaign’s initial FOIA fishing expedition, to something that could be produced without weeks of extra work and review? My assumption, when hearing it had been complied with, was that they had reasonably revised their request to be more pointed and less burdensome.
Wrong?
Comment by walker Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:23 am
Walker-yes, you are wrong.
Comment by FoxBend Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:29 am
VMan: “unacceptable signatures” doesn’t begin to describe the problems.
How about pages and pages, thousands and thousands of duplicates, obvious fakes, blank lines, etc? And found not by “Madigan’s guys” but by a board equally named by both parties. Amazing how some cannot face failure without blaming someone else.
BTW I support remapping reform, and accept this as a failed effort for now. The leaders themselves said they would learn from this expeience and be back. That’s the best attitude.
Comment by walker Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:34 am
The right decision from my vantage point…
Comment by Black Ivy Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:41 am
Walker -
LOL!
Yeah - nothing to see here folks! Just us doing our unbiased jobs! What? The FOIA? Oh - we’re not ignoring it!
Politics has got nothing to do with politics in Illinois, right?
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:46 am
yikes, how many bonehead mistakes can this guys campaign make?
Comment by Ty Webb Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:55 am
It’s not his campaign, it’s the Senate of Illinois, but why would facts matter in fact-free world?
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 12:09 pm
The only thing that could make the Frerichs campaign more entertaining to watch destruct would be if they sent Mike around the state in a clown car. Maybe an all glass one to show how transparent he really is.
Comment by face planted Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 12:11 pm
VM, that is only for the other guys, when it is our guys it is all about being statesmen…
Regardless of which guys are your guys..
Comment by OneMan Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 12:27 pm
Yawn
This is the best Billboards can do?
Comment by CirularFiringSquad Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 12:40 pm
I am wrong about the Cross campaign opposition research staff tightening up their FOIA requests? Well then my assumption was a mistake. I often make them.
Comment by walker Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 1:08 pm
CFS-I find your lack of faith in transparency disturbing
Comment by Easy Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 1:34 pm
VMan, the “Yes” map people are hardly victims. They took a lot of money to do the job right and didn’t even come close.
The victims would be the ones who gave them money. I doubt if anyone will make that mistake again with that crew.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 2:07 pm
OK VMan and a guy:
Let’s go with those “it’s all politics” perspectives and “there must be hidden collusion” hats:
– How de we explain that the Rauner campaign seemed to have had no problems with the same people in the Dem-controlled Senate, when requesting material on their opponent Kirk Dillard, while Cross’ requests got stonewalled?
– How do we explain how the Rauner-driven Term Limits petitions sailed thru the Board of Elections review process, while the Remapping Reform petitions were rejected? What political bias was at play then? Was Madigan in favor of Term Limits?
Does Rauner have some special pull in Springfield as an “Insider?” Was it Rauner’s political connections, that Cross and the Remap people didn’t have? What’s Rauner’s secret?
Or is that “political” theorizing often overblown?
With respect to you both.
Comment by walker Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 3:56 pm
Walk, not sure why I got to share time with VMan in your response on this one. John Cullerton is a stubborn guy. Can be irritatingly so. In this case and many others you’ve got to go beyond the simple remedies provided by the law to get him to react. When you do, he does. It’s more than a pattern; it’s a practice. BTW, Dillard’s records are easier to get. Just “search” them on CF. His entire legislative career was chronicled here for almost a year.
Respect back, Walk!
Comment by A guy... Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 4:54 pm