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* Legislative Republicans were up in arms yesterday during the debate over a special session. Here are a few quotes. Sun-Times…

“It’s a brazen, partisan, politically motivated power play. Period,” Rep. David Harris (R-Arlington Heights) told the House on Thursday afternoon during a contentious hourlong debate at the Capitol in Springfield. […]

They said it poisons the well on the eve of a new administration that will bring two-party rule to Springfield. State Rep. Dwight Kay (R-Glen Carbon) said it’s “pure and simple politics.”

“We don’t like the fact that we have a Republican governor that is going to be sworn in and so, at the eleventh hour, bingo, we’re going to stick it to them,” Kay said. “We’re going to do something that has never been done in state history to stick it to Gov. Rauner. And by golly, Mr. Speaker, we enjoy this. Well I say this, this is a pretty doggone bad start to a state that has an awful lot of bad problems.”

* Daily Herald…

“Everybody’s talking about how they can’t wait to be bipartisan again and work on these problems together and the tone is so important,” state Sen. Matt Murphy, a Palatine Republican, said to Democratic Senate President John Cullerton. “And the first thing you do, the first partisan punch thrown in the year, was by you.” […]

House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs said the legislation would “strip an incoming governor of his executive authority” and would likely be challenged in court.

* Gatehouse…

“I think this is a shameful way to finish up our business in a lame-duck session,” House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs said. “It is a power grab.”

Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont said, “I think passing this bill today is a naked power play.”

* Tribune…

A Rauner aide said there were no plans to sue over the measure, despite a statement taking Democrats to task for not acting in a bipartisan fashion and for passing a “constitutionally dubious” bill.

“In four days we are going to put a new governor in, and just on the eve of that we are stripping him of some of his constitutional executive authority, and that’s something that, if I was governor, I would take very personally,” said House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs. “We would not be here today if Gov. Quinn was re-elected and a Democrat was elected comptroller.”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:08 am

Comments

It’s one thing to “stick up” for your Republican-Elect Governor.

I get it. I do.

“We don’t like the fact that we have a Republican governor that is going to be sworn in and so, at the eleventh hour, bingo, we’re going to stick it to them,” (Rep. Dwight) Kay said.

If you can’t see the difference of being a Raunerite Lemming, claiming to be a victim to bias…versus doing the “job” of defending the Party and the Republican-Elect Governor, I can’t help you.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:15 am
Hey,it ain’t a minimum wage bill, you know, the one they were bleeding all over for, referendum and all…But it is what really matters. Counting the days til it’s over…

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:15 am
Maybe somebody can explain to me how exactly Rauner’s constitutional authority has been “stripped.”

Look, I understand all of the foot stomping. It’s how the game is played. But the Republicans should really look in the mirror if they are going to yell partisanship. There was partisanship on both sides. To claim there wasn’t is laughable.

You had your little hissy fit. You got it on record. Now move on.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:16 am
It’s really interesting now how different the electorate spins every two years. Now there’s not a political chasm between these electorates, but they’re distinctive. I don’t think there’d be quite this level of Republican outrage / concern about a 2016 election, say, 16 years ago.

People who complain “the government doesn’t do what the people want” have to reckon with - at least for the present moment, I don’t think this will endure - who constitutes “the people” electorally does change every cycle. So it’s tricky for any elected legislature to do both what the people of 2012 and 2014 want.

Comment by ZC Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:18 am
The Comptroller’s Office is small potatoes - I’m guessing Rauner will let this one go. MJM knows this too but he sent a message and its a matter of principle now.

Comment by Soccertease Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:28 am
Someone should explain to Rep. Durkin that allowing the citizens a chance to vote for their statewide offices (as opposed to getting a four year political appointee) is not a power grab. It is democracy in action. Not a big fan of lame duck decisions in general, but this one makes perfect sense (unless you are a fan of appointees over the citizen’s right to vote). It’s a loser to fight against the voter’s will.

Comment by Roadiepig Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:28 am
Theatre.
Its all a fiction play.

The individuals quoted have lived in the shadow of the Illinois Democratic Party and have been in the shadow of the current ruling leaders in Illinois for long enough to know nothing is going to change for Republicans, just because they got someone to buy the governorship for them.

So they are feigning to be shocked that Illinois state government didn’t suddenly become bipartisan and that they are still considered a flailing political party on the verge of Whig-extinction.

The Ruling Party is going to do what any ruling party does with almost all the governing chips - take steps to ensure that one of the only GOP held statewide offices is taken from those Prairie Whigs in two years.

It isn’t a new day in Illinois. These people know it. It just has the potential to be a new day if the Illinois Democratic Party likes how the new governor governs.

Illinois is a BLUE state. Rauner didn’t change that a twit.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:32 am
MJM and Cullerton are just putting a marker down to let Rauner, the minority led by Radogno, and the super-minority led by Durkin, know who is still in the majority and super-majority.

Comment by Toure's Latte Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:34 am
My Ouija board says this wouldn’t have happened if the Dem party had retained the governor’s office.

Comment by Tequila Mockingbird Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:37 am
Its called democracy; I’m not sure how having an election 2 years down the road for what is supposed to be an elected official is bad for the people of Illinois. The voters will choose who they want for that office no matter the party affilitation, as it should be.

Comment by anon Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:37 am
Allowing the people a chance to vote is a power grab how?

Was Rauner bipartisan in discussion (not getting approval) of his appointee choice with the separate/co-equal legislative branch of government…Especially for a 4 year appointment to a statewide elected office?

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:39 am
My Quija board says if Quinn made a four year appointment, the Republican positions would sound a lot like the Democratic positions now.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:40 am
Earlier this week someone said this was a gift to Rauner. This entire issue could have been a gift and a win-win situation if he had played it right.

Madigan gave Rauner and Quinn a chance to work this out among themselves. Quinn took the high road and agreed he could only appoint until the end his term. Rauner chose to claim a 4 year appointment is his right and the people be damned. He could have supported a 2-year appointment and an election in 2016. It was an opportunity for him to show he really plans to do what’s in the interest of the people, not only his political party.

Comment by here we go Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:44 am
The Comptroller’s office is small potatoes, but it’s not -that- small potatoes. Can you say “farm team”? Lumping it together for a moment say with the IL Treasurer’s office, while there are a lot of also-rans here, it clearly has served as a partisan launching pad for higher office.

Some of the former Comptrollers / Treasurers include Dan Hynes, Dawn Clark Netsch, Alexi Giannoulias, Pat Quinn, Alan Dixon and Adlai Stevenson III.

Though hmm. Looking at that list more, maybe if you’re ambitious for higher office in IL, you -don’t- want to be either Comptroller or Treasurer …

Comment by ZC Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:46 am
I agree with Demoralized and partly with VanillaMan. Timing was everything on this. I believe that under current law, the incoming Governor would be allowed to make the appointment for the entire four year term. The only way to change that was to do it before he takes office. Is it a naked political move by the Dems? Absolutely but is it that big of a deal? No one should be afraid of facing election and Munger has said that she’s okay with it. It’s not a big loss to Rauner and the rhetoric is pretty typical for the losing side if you’ve listened to debates in the General Assembly for the last twenty years.

Comment by Regnad Kcin Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:57 am
I am surprised no one focused on the actual appointee? While she may be smart, the people of her own district wouldn’t vote her in for a two year seat, so she’s now well liked enough and respected enough throughout the State that she should get a 4 year appointment to an elected statewide office?
If this unfortunate issue happens with a GOP majority and a D governor coming in they would have played the exact same card. Called it good government as their argument.
Move along nothing to see here.

Comment by DuPage Bard Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:57 am
would expect nothing less.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:09 am
My Ouija board says government is too important to use Ouija boards to get the answers. Someone must think they can channel Judy this way. As RM pointed out, they can’t, and it’s disgusting for them to even try.

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:10 am
We understand the politics of the issue, but we need to have officeholders that are elected by the people. If that politically disadvantages you because the electorate trends to the other party, then work on better candidates, more donations and different policies.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:16 am
“poisons the well”

This to me is another talking point du jour. It’s the same thing that the GOP said when Obama did his executive action on immigration. Republicans have been obstructionists while out of power, but now that they’ve gained control of certain branches of government we’re supposed to be all bipartisan?

In other words, much of the voters’ business can wait until the political landscape is more favorable. That is the pot calling the kettle black.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:17 am
Much ado about very little. It’s undemocratic for a governor to appoint a constitutional officer for four years. We need a helluva lot more small d democracy in this state and having special elections to fill vacancies is a good place to start.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:25 am
A day at the opera. Swooning hyperbole is a tradition in the GA, even though the public rarely pays attention. It gives some frustrated wannabe divas a release.

Like the man said, a floor speech may change some minds, but it will never change a vote.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:27 am
Does anyone doubt that if Quinn had won and was poised to appoint a successor to Topinka that Republicans would be screaming at the top of their lungs to “strip him of some of his constitutional authority,” even though Republican governors have replaced an office vacated by a Democrat with one of their own six out of seven times?

Good theatre though.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:09 pm
Remember all of this when filing time comes around for the 2016 comptroller’s race. Wanna wager how many of these outraged GOPers decide to try to take her out themselves?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:12 pm
It really is unfortunate that IL House and Senate Republicans have such a poor view of democracy.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:42 pm
This is nothing more than the usual political theatrics by the GOP. Are we supposed to believe that the GOP now has a feeling of bipartisan good will towards the Democrats and that they feel hurt that their Democratic friends would treat them this way? During the past election year, the GOP did nothing but play politics with the state budget and the structural deficit that Illinois is facing. Rather than offer some constructive ideas they all ran around yelling that the Democrats want to raise your taxes and that the GOP wants to cut your taxes. They know full well that the state can’t afford the loss of revenue but they did it anyway but now they have had their feelings hurt. This is so disingenuous.

Comment by The Dude Abides Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:44 pm
Do I understand right that the question over the constitutionality of the GA’s action hinges on whether “…or until a successor is elected and qualified as may be provided by law…” in art. 5, sec. 7 conflicts with the text in art. 5, sec. 2? http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con5.htm

Has anybody seen any kind of legal analysis of this?

Comment by Forgottonia Republic Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:56 pm
@Oswego Willy,

Due respect to your tenure, but you are the last person any Republican should look to for advice on how to properly defend the GOP, lol.

@”A guy” 10:15 am: I said it during the wage hike debate, and I’ll say it now–all that “passion” was largely election drama intended to draw votes the way reality TV draws viewers. Policy results was a far lesser goal. Partisan moves, though…now that’s important! Why merge talk about merging the offices now when they are on the brink of winning back a constitutional office? That would be like having redistricting reform right before you get to draw the maps!

Comment by liandro Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 1:46 pm
MJM played this correctly as did Rauner with his reaction. I would expect the Republicans to behave no differently if the roles were reversed. At the same time Rauner is taking the right approach. It’s not a debate worth jumping into given much larger issues that lie ahead and it’s not worth the criticism that would go along with denying the people the opportunity to elect someone.

Comment by pundent Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 1:53 pm
===Due respect to your tenure, but you are the last person any Republican should look to for advice on how to properly defend the GOP. lol===

Due respect to your comment, bite me.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 1:56 pm
- liandro -,

They seem to be doing well on their own.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 1:58 pm
Quinn would have most likely issued some press release attacking everyoen if this was reversed; and thne backtracked on it later. Rauner staying above the fray and just using his floor people tomdo what floor people do also bodes well for his handling of the roll of governor. The end of the tunnel, is that maybe a light i see……

Comment by Ghost Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 4:03 pm