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Oops: GOP urges retiring Democrat to vote against Madigan

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* OK, this is really getting goofy. A guy who isn’t in office yet, another guy who didn’t even run for reelection and is leaving office in January and therefore won’t be around to vote for House Speaker, and a Senator known for his intellectual independence. Sheesh…

Three More Added to BossMadigan.com
Time for Halpin, Jackson, and Haine to Demonstrate Independence from Madigan

Today, the Illinois Republican Party added Rep-elect Mike Halpin, Rep. Eddie Jackson, and Sen. Bill Haine to BossMadigan.com, as part of the party’s ongoing efforts to highlight those who empower Mike Madigan at our expense.

“Mike Halpin, Eddie Jackson and Bill Haine have all personally benefited from Mike Madigan, taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from Madigan in exchange for rubber-stamping his disastrous policies. As thousands flee Illinois, it’s time for them to admit their mistakes and work to oppose giving Madigan yet another term as Speaker.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe

Mike Halpin hasn’t even taken office yet and he’s already embroiled in Mike Madigan-related controversy. The Dispatch-Argus caught Madigan “meddling” in Halpin’s primary race, apparently directing $75,000 to Halpin to ensure he became the Democratic nominee. Halpin unbelievably claimed that he “can’t speak to who Madigan supports or doesn’t support.” Then, Madigan funneled $345,000 to help Halpin in the general election. It looks as if Mike Halpin is another bought-and-paid-for Madigan politician. Halpin can prove that wrong by opposing Madigan as Speaker in January.

Eddie Jackson has been a loyal Mike Madigan ally for years. Jackson voted to give Madigan the Speaker’s gavel four times, and in exchange Madigan has directly given Jackson over $100,000. Madigan directs the money and Jackson provides the votes. Take Madigan’s 67% income tax hike for example. Jackson supported it knowing it would cost hardworking middle-class families thousands in higher taxes. Just this year, Jackson voted for Madigan’s $8 billion unbalanced budget, which would have required even higher taxes to balance. Jackson has been just another tax-and-spend Madigan politician, but he has a chance now to change course and oppose Madigan’s re-election as Speaker.

Career politician Bill Haine might be a Senator, but he’s been in Mike Madigan’s back pocket for years, taking over $212,000 in Madigan money. First appointed in 2002, Haine has been around to vote on a decade and a half of Madigan policies, and he supports them every chance he gets. Haine supported the Madigan and Blagojevich plan to borrow $10 billion against the pension system and voted to skip pension payments, calling it a “pension holiday.” While Haine and Madigan shortchanged state workers, they sent the bill to middle class families, together raising the income tax by 67%. It’s time for Haine to stop backing Madigan’s Chicago-agenda by encouraging his colleagues to oppose him as Speaker of the Illinois House.

Also, it’s Eddie Lee Jackson.

Who’s next?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 9:48 am

Comments

If the Speaker ever decides to retire or, god forbid, has a serious health issue that takes him out of the game what are the Raunerites going to do? It seems to me that they have all of their Boogy Man eggs in one basket.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 9:56 am
“Who’s next?”

Wyvetter?

Comment by Juice Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 9:58 am
Really, just add every D in the state to the website and be done with it. That Champaign Alderman is a pawn! These Winnebago County board members are beholden!

Comment by Former Downstater Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 9:58 am
Was there any GOP winner that didn’t take campaign money from Rauner and his pals?

Comment by Trapped in the 'burbs Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:00 am
Saputo’s for serving the Speaker’s lunch?

Comment by A Jack Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:00 am
This seems like a self-indulgent waste of time on the part of the ILGOP. I can maybe see the logic of going after Rep Mike Haplin if I squint. Put the pressure on him from the get-go and all that. But Rep Eddie Lee Jackson & Sen Bill Haine? Nope.

Comment by Chicago_Downstater Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:00 am
That Yaffe, LOL…

No I’m laughing at you, don’t make the mistake of me laughing with you.

Nothing like letting others trade on your own credibility and they treat it less than respectful towards your alleged professionalism.

This is 100% a reflection on those willing to “seem” important, but in reality, they are just having their own credibility sucked away for the ridiculousness of nothing.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:00 am
It’s probably getting to the point of diminishing returns here, but Madigan remains Republicans’ most versatile, effective attack.

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:02 am
“Saputo’s has personally benefited from Mike Madigan, taking thousands of dollars from Madigan in exchange for rubber-tasting Italian food for his staff. As thousands eat in Illinois, it’s time for them to admit their mistakes and work to oppose giving Madigan and his staff yet meal.”

Comment by AlfondoGonz Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:10 am
With Illinois ten days away from the “stopgap” budget expiring, ILGOP is focusing on this. That’s special.

Comment by illinoised Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:12 am
“Laugh again with Yaffe again!”

Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:14 am
Understand I am no fan of either man, Rauner or Madigan.

This exercise of adding people to a list has become insulting to the audience they are trying to influence.

Haven’t looked at the .com, and have no plans to do so.

The GOP energy is misplaced. Now if they started to talking about an electoral college for the electoral college here in Illinois, they would get my attention again. /s

Comment by cdog Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:16 am
Let’s ask the 37 thousand departed who they want since they were driven to leave most likely by Madigans policies bankrupting Illinois

Comment by Sue Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:20 am
It looks like they needed a minority, so they chose a lame duck to fit the bill (Jackson). No other latinos or black caucus members on their goofy site.

Comment by c'mon, man Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:22 am
Being named on BossMadigan.com should be a point of pride and a badge of honor for IL Democrats. In fact I personally congratulated my state rep upon conference of this singular honor. “Bruce Almighty is taking notice. You mist be doing something right!”

Comment by Redwinger Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:24 am
The Dems need a “BossRauner” website to chronicle the millions funneled to the Republican’ts this past election.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:24 am
==This exercise of adding people to a list has become insulting to the audience they are trying to influence.==

It’s intended to be insulting, because the only audience they’re trying to influence is the named legislators.

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:25 am
I’m disappointed Adlai Stevenson isn’t on the BossMadigan website. /s

Comment by AC Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:25 am
Huh? - they will do that right after they install their CD-Rom mailer from AOL.

Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:28 am
–Who’s next?–

Baba O’Riley.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:30 am
I think the Dems need a web site where they update the hostages that Rauner is holding in order to extort his TA.

Comment by facts are stubborn things Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:32 am
Rauner says he wants to negotiate with the Dems, but trashes MJM daily..interesting strategy. MJM is the velvet hammer and Rauner will pay for his demonization of MJM.

Comment by facts are stubborn things Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:33 am
B.T.Clown discovered as beneficiary of Madigan largesse. Discovery that Madigan exchanged funds for appearances for his children at the show. B.T.Clown, retired, must speak against Madigan or risk the sullying of his remembered work.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:42 am
If some courageous Dem Rep can get just 9 members to support him/her for Speaker; and make a deal for the GOP votes, he/she gets elected Speaker.

Comment by Formerpol Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 10:49 am
-Formerpol- That’s a fun dorm room theory (or a Rep Drury fantasy). did you have a Rep in mind? And what, exactly, would be accomplished?

Comment by illini97 Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:14 am
“Let’s ask the 37 thousand departed who they want since they were driven to leave most likely by Rauner’s policies bankrupting Illinois”

There, fixed it for you.

Comment by G'Kar Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:42 am
==If some courageous Dem Rep can get just 9 members to support him/her for Speaker; and make a deal for the GOP votes, he/she gets elected Speaker.==

Oh, is that all he or she has to do?

And then, once that person is Speaker based on a highly unstable coalition, what can they do to release Rauner’s hostages and end Rauner’s budget crisis?

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:45 am
===If some courageous Dem Rep can get just 9 members to support him/her for Speaker; and make a deal for the GOP votes, he/she gets elected Speaker.===

When it was 59-59, how many ballots did it take to flip Lee Daniels to elect a Speaker?

Find that number, get back to all of us.

That was ONE vote flipping, BTW

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:47 am
I am Democratus!

Or, to paraphrase Oprah:
You get to be on Rauner’s List! And you get to be on Rauner’s list! And you get to be on Rauner’s list! Everybody gets to be on Rauner’s list!!

Comment by jerry 101 Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:48 am
Seriously, does anyone really waste their time looking at that website? I’m sure some do, but like to see the demographics on who does.

Comment by Finally Out Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:49 am
Sue, as an ex-Illinoisan, I can assure you. I was driven to leave by the (then) pending election of Bruce Rauner.

Bruce Rauner’s reign as governor has actually been worse for Illinois than I expected. I made the right decision.

Comment by jerry 101 Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:50 am
They’re just going down a list of competitive districts held by the other party, and targeting whatever Rep they find. Nothing to do with the individuals involved. A bot could do this strategy.

Comment by walker Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:51 am
==Sue, as an ex-Illinoisan, I can assure you. I was driven to leave by the (then) pending election of Bruce Rauner.==

All of these are anecdotal, and actual data would be elusive, because people don’t always know why they do things.

My hypothesis is that state failures brought about by political choices play a large role in the out-migration. And many of these failures predate Rauner. Many, but not all. And it’s important to note that Rauner has done extremely little to reverse those failures.

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 11:55 am
Given the apparent criteria, wouldn’t all this make Rod Blagojevich a hero in the eyes of the Illinois Republican Party?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 12:02 pm
===Seriously, does anyone really waste their time looking at that website?===

I dunno, but they’re pushing it hard with Facebook ads, so I imagine there’s some traffic.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 12:02 pm
=Career politician Bill Haine might be a Senator, but he’s been in Mike Madigan’s back pocket for years, taking over $212,000 in Madigan money=

So that is what he received over a decade?

What a piker compared to some of Rauner’s largesse to his bought and paid for politicians even the ones that lost. Heck $212,000 is an insult to Dunkin and Benton.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 12:23 pm
One more addition to bossmadigan.com: Stephen A. Douglas. The original Mike Madigan. And a Democrat. He engineered a successful packing of the Illinois Supreme Court, then made himself one of the justices. He managed to get himself appointed Secretary of State as the political boss of the Illinois Democratic Party. Then he successfully repealed the Missouri Compromise. Friends with Democratic newspapermen all over the state who then published his Democratic nonsense. Oh, the horror…

Comment by Steve Rogers Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 12:42 pm
Here is a canned response Kennedy and anyone else on “the list” can use. Feel free to edit as you see fit.

“Mike Madigan, whether you like him or not, is an institution in Illinois politics. The practice of governing, as opposed to campaigning, is to work with members of both parties to reach compromise. Democratic governors and republican governors alike have had disagreements with Mike Madigan, but up until now they have all been able to reach a compromise because they knew the difference between governing and campaigning. Bruce Rauner has failed to start governing and is no closer to reaching a budget agreement now then he was during his campaign when he said he could manage the current budget at the 3.75% tax rate. He has failed to introduce a single balanced budget at that rate, or any other rate since his election and has failed to end his campaign and begin the job of Governor.”

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 1:02 pm
Perhaps the Democrats should begin a tweet campaign and set up a website and facebook site to urge GOP members to come up with a different candidate for Governor in 2018? Campaigning and governing by social media seems to be the name of the game for some.

Comment by Joe M Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 1:06 pm
==Perhaps the Democrats should begin a tweet campaign and set up a website and facebook site to urge GOP members to come up with a different candidate for Governor in 2018? Campaigning and governing by social media seems to be the name of the game for some.===

Ahem, may I politely and respectfully ask you “Who or what is stopping them?”

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Dec 21, 16 @ 4:54 pm
OW…. 103rd ballot for Bill Redmond from DuPage… interesting side note Redmond served with his (Daniels) grandfather

Comment by JAH Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 8:56 am
- JAH -

It’s one heck of a story!

If it also took that many ballots to get one flip, how many would it take, right now in 2017, to get 8 to flip to even GET to 59-59… then how many ballots to get to the magical “60″…

… then…

How does that new regime run the Chamber with such a fluid coalition?

- JAH -, crazy times.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 9:01 am