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Today’s quotable

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Illinois

A proposal to recall Mayor Rahm Emanuel will move onto its next phase, State Rep. LaShawn Ford said.

Ford met with House Speaker Mike Madigan Friday to discuss the proposal ahead of a Town Hall with contistuents and other lawmakers this weekend.

While the bill has been filed and sent to the Rules Committee, Ford says he’s in the process of “counting heads” to see how many would support the recall legislation. He needs 71 votes for it to pass the House and currently he has eight cosponsors.

Madigan has not yet said whether he supports the bill or would even call it. He told Ford, “You have your work cut out for you,” Ford said.

That’s the understatement of the month.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 11, 16 @ 10:31 am

Comments

I don’t see how it can legally apply to Rahm in his current term, so other than sound bites and headlines, what’s the point?

Comment by RNUG Monday, Jan 11, 16 @ 10:37 am
Why 71 votes instead of 60?

Also, I keep seeing people say it can’t apply in Rahm’s current term–why not, if it clearly says it is effective immediately and doesn’t carve out an exception for the current officeholder? Any recall election would occur after enactment, so it’s not an ex post facto law. As it provides no criminal penalties for an act committed before enactment, nor is it a Bill of Attainder. So, what’s the issue?

Comment by Harry Monday, Jan 11, 16 @ 10:56 am
===Why 71 votes instead of 60?===

Overrides home rule powers.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jan 11, 16 @ 10:59 am
Will the bill include House Reps and State Senators???

Comment by Citizen A Monday, Jan 11, 16 @ 11:28 am
Just can’t believe that it could apply to this term. Almost all laws changing terms,duties, election rules, or compensation do not apply to current officeholders; not sure of constitutional limits on this, but would certainly end up in court, unless Emanuel decided it wasn’t worth it.

Comment by downstate commissioner Monday, Jan 11, 16 @ 11:38 am
It’s good politics for a lot of Chicago legislators to support this, but it’s also good politics to have a weakened Rahm doing an apology tour.

Only thing that may come of this- MAY- is a rebalancing of the political weights in the city, bringing the Fifth Floor down to Earth a little. And even on that, I’m skeptical.

Comment by Boss Tweed Monday, Jan 11, 16 @ 11:39 am
=Only thing that may come of this- MAY- is a rebalancing of the political weights in the city, bringing the Fifth Floor down to Earth a little. And even on that, I’m skeptical.=

That’s what I really want. There are no checks and balances in Chicago. Look how many bad decisions have sailed through in recent years. There’s no real accountability.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Monday, Jan 11, 16 @ 12:06 pm