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* 10:00 am - From the Politico…
STOKKE TO SUCCEED HASTERT? Robert D. Novak plans to report this weekend in his always-delicious tidbits column (which doesn’t run in The Washington Post, but is usually in Saturday’s New York Post):
“Former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert has indicated to a close former aide that it is likely he will not run for a 12th term from his northern Illinois district and may even resign from Congress before his present term concludes. That runs counter to widespread speculation on Capitol Hill that Hastert will continue in the House for another two years as a private member with no leadership responsibilities. Since last year’s Democratic takeover of Congress moved him out of the speaker’s office, he has enjoyed returning to his former specialty of energy issues as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“A footnote: If Hastert does not run, a leading candidate will be his chief of staff, Mike Stokke. Before going on Hastert’s staff, Stokke was an aide for both the Illinois state legislature and the governor’s office in Springfield.”
Stokke? That’s coming out of right field. But Novak’s sources for this stuff are usually pretty good.
* 10:04 am - Today’s leaders meeting is at noon.
* 10:13 am - Just 87 House members answered the roll call.
* 10:17 am - The House and Senate are adjourning for the weekend and won’t come back into session until Monday at 4 pm. [UPDATE: The House will be in at 4, the Senate at 2]
* 10:43 am - Just 25 Senators are on the floor.
* 12:17 pm - A three-page list of clergy from throughout Illinois just sent out “An Appeal to the Leaders of the Illinois General Assembly to Overcome Their Differences in Order to Address Pressing Issues.” But there’s zero mention of the governor and his own reluctance to overcome his differences with others, so it may be dismissed out of hand by many. Download the letter here.
* 1:49 pm - The leaders meeting is over. The gist was that they talked mostly about the capital spending program. No talk of how to fund it, but did talk about how to spend it and how much to spend.
* 2:45 pm - Isn’t this the governor’s usual schtick?
Top Democratic legislative leaders are planning to tout the benefits of a new electric rate relief package in a statewide flyaround.
An announcement today from House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office says the speaker will join Senate President Emil Jones and Attorney General Lisa Madigan on tour stops Monday that include Decatur.
The trio will meet with elected officials, community leaders and local residents to describe the details of a deal to provide about one billion dollars in relief over four years to customers hit hard by sharp increases this year.
I’d like to be on that plane, especially after all the harsh words that Jones has had for Lisa Madigan this year. Detente is such a weird thing.
* 3:31 pm - Campaign finance disclosure reports are due today. The new law that moved the primary date also moved the disclosure filing deadline up to the 20th (from the 31st). So you can click here over the weekend to search for various candidates. The governor told me last week that he has raised almost no money, but that his big fundraiser would likely be in October some time.
By the way, the governor has a new campaign committee chairman. Lon Monk, his former chief of staff and now a lobbyist, is out as of today. Steve Witek, VP of A Finkl & Sons, is the new chair.
* 3:40 pm - Mayor Daley raised $3,780,899.81 in the first six months of this year (not including in-kinds), spent $4,640,781.83 and had $3,385,406.22 in the bank.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:02 am
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rich seeing as the house only work 17minutes today why should they get per diem for today?
Comment by pennypincher Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:30 am
Stokke was also Chief of Staff for Congressman Tom Ewing as well.
Comment by True Comparison Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:33 am
I hope all this hard work by our elected officals is properly remembered at election time.
Comment by FED UP Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:34 am
Does this change Chris Lauzen’s bid?
Comment by Isolee Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:40 am
Why don’t the IL GOPers say “we are staying home, when the Dems who run state government have a budget plan, give us a call. In the meantime, we are going to stay home and save the per diem money that the taxpayers are wasting.” Heck in Texas didn’t they have to use Texas State troopers to locate the members who refused to show up?
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:40 am
So is there a leader’s meeting today? They’re in for four minutes today, taking the weekend off and then coming in Monday? I hope they’re actually doing some work today, but I have my doubts.
Comment by Sponge! Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:04 am
will the Rodster be attending any cubs games this weekend?
Comment by anon Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:06 am
I’m just happy to see that Hastert isn’t retiring before the election and having one of his sons named to fill his seat.
Comment by Objective Dem Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 12:38 pm
Rich, is Blago still declaring each day a Special Session so the legislators can claim per diem or is he done with that game and now it’s just plain OT?
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 12:49 pm
There are multiple SSs running that are adjourned from time to time but not “sine die” which would end them - so they continue to get their per diem.
Comment by A Citizen Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 1:04 pm
Thanks A Citizen.
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 2:45 pm
Whatever…. Why do Top Democratic legislative leaders need to spend more money with a stupid flyaround?
Just past the damm electric relief bill!
Comment by More Propaganda Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 2:53 pm
Any chance Jones and M. Madigan will take up skydiving during the flyaround?
Comment by Can Only Hope Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 3:05 pm
Did anyone ever think that perhaps all of this posturing is to assist Lisa Madigan in the governors race next time? Luv Denny. While the popular thing to do is retire early and appoint, I really dislike that. Let People run, don’t give it to them. Heck, that means they didn’t have to work at it.
Comment by game plan Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 3:15 pm
Has Mike Stokke moved from the Bloomington area to Kane County or thereabouts?
Comment by Cal Skinner Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 3:18 pm
Hastert must have forgot in illinois you just give your seat to whatever unqualified relative or hack you feel like when you retire. Democrats must be appalled that someone is going to let the voters choose who represents them.
Comment by FED UP Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 3:37 pm
What is Daley going to do with ALL that money?
Comment by Levois Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:24 pm
This doesn’t change Chris Lauzen’s role in all this at all. Hastert and GOP leadership in the 14th didn’t like him before and they still don’t like him. Lauzen was never going to get party backing.
Tim Schmitz was the suspected Hastert favorite before.
Comment by Undercover Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:28 pm
I agree this doesn’t change Lauzen’s plans one iota; he was running for some office other than state Senator before, and he’s still running for some office other than state Senator.
Funny that Lauzen would be feuding with Hastert, who scores 100% on the Republican Assembly of Lake County (RALC) scorecard. I guess that’s not good enough.
Why isn’t Lauzen interested in State Comptroller anymore?
Comment by Pipe Smoker Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:38 pm
Is there any truth that Blago will finally sign the anti-smoking bill this coming Monday?
Comment by Joliet Jake Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 5:09 pm
“Rail Road Joe,” I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but all your comments have been blocked and then deleted. You’re a bit weird, dude. Stop it or you’ll never get anything posted here.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 5:37 pm
Last time I saw Mike Stokke his wife and child were living in Bloomington. I haven’t heard that he had moved to Hastert’s district.
Mike grew up in Chenoa where I had him as a student. He was already into politics at that time.
Comment by Nearly Normal Sunday, Jul 22, 07 @ 10:01 am