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Afternoon odds and ends

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* Patrick Collins, the chairman of the now defunct reform commission, disses the new reform bill…

While several important components of the bill could serve as building blocks for true reform, there is ample reason to question whether this bill will truly change the pay-to-play political fund-raising that has scarred this state.

Once again, Collins offers up zero examples of illegal pay-to-play that he wants stopped, except to focus on the fact that legislative leaders and parties aren’t capped in the general election.. He does this all the time. Is he accusing Speaker Madigan, President Cullerton and the two GOP leaders of “pay-to-play” politics that are “scarring” the state? He never says so. It’s always just an implication.

* Meanwhile, Republican state treasurer candidate Dan Rutherford is bringing Karl Rove to Illinois for a big fundraiser. I’m assuming that US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is not on the invite list. History…

A government witness claims in 2004, Antoin “Tony Rezko” — then the target of an investigation that would lead to his indictment and trial — tried to grease the political skids to get his chief tormentor, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald fired.

Rezko discussed efforts among high-ranking Republicans, including Karl Rove, to have Chicago’s U.S. attorney fired, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

Rove, then-White House political director, and Republican national committeeman Robert Kjellander were among those mentioned in the alleged 2004 conversations as being involved in the effort, prosecutor Carrie E. Hamilton said.

* Hope is not a plan, governor…

The State of Illinois begins releasing prisoners today in an effort to cut costs. State legislators agreed to release about a thousand inmates as a money-saving scheme to balance this year’s budget. Governor Pat Quinn says the inmates being freed early will be under house arrest.

QUINN: Hopefully they learned their lesson in jail. They will never repeat their crime. We want them to lead productive lives when they return to society on a full-time basis.

I’m gonna get a haircut. This is an open thread to discuss Illinois politics.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 2:29 pm

Comments

First Republican Gov Candidates deny global warming now Dan is bringing Mr unethical Karl Rove to our state, whats up!!!

Comment by Independent Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 2:35 pm
Rich, are you gonna go see Herb for your cut?

Comment by chitownhv Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 2:35 pm
State legislators agreed to release about a thousand inmates

Legislators had nothing to do with it. This was unilaterally a Quinn decision.

Comment by Reality Check Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 2:35 pm
Yay! I get post about Quinn some more!!!!!

Quinn should sign the reform bill because as Cindi Canary descibed and Carol Marin reported, he sat in the corner and did nothing during the last go-round. So, he can’t say that he doesn’t like the reform as done by Madigan and Cullerton or that it doesn’t go far enough or that it isn’t good enough. he had an opportunity to lead and get involved and for whatever reasons he did not, at least that’s according to Cindi Canary.

He should just sign the reform bill and use Change Illinois’ spin, and let that be that.

Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 2:40 pm
Rich, you’re getting a haircut????? What, don’t like the Rod look?

Comment by Hopeful Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 2:46 pm
more…

exactly how much is being saved by releasing 1000 “non violent” offenders in relation to an estimated $12 billion state budget deficit?

Also, is Quinn still fighting for the layoffs of 2600 (AFSCME) state workers? On average these workers probably take home $60K a year or thereabouts. I understand from people who post here, who work in state government, that the executive level is still hiring. with these new hires, we’re talking people making upwards of $70k. At this point the damage to the state’s budget has been done.

so, what good is to keep pushing for the 2600 wokers to be layed off when hiring is still going on and interest groups are still being promised and given funding as the state operates in red ink?

neither the early prisoner release or AFSCME layoffs seem to really amount to much savings in the end, so i’m not sure how either realy benefit the state.

Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 2:58 pm
Capt fa thanks for setting Collins straight
Wonder when the real media will catch on?
Wait, maybe YOU are the real media now.

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 2:59 pm
Mr. Collins is either unbelievably honest, or unbelievably naive. He put his name on a gubernatorial reform committee’s findings, then doesn’t claim credit for any of the resulting laws, conversations or policy changes. Normal people would at least acknowledge that the work they did produced some kind of benefit. Mr. Collins seems incapable of doing that. Instead Mr. Collins wants to thumb his nose at the reform bill.

By his own actions, Mr. Collins is claiming that he is a dud on this important matter. Not only does he take down his own name from this issue, he takes down the names of those he led on the Commission. His sour demeanor just doesn’t help.

Mr. Collins seemed to somehow believe that being appointed by a governor to head a commission empowered him to be heard. He somehow believed that being appointed by a governor meant he should craft reforms for the legislative branch, instead of the executive branch, somehow missing the very basic tenent of how governments operate. Mr. Collins could have led the Commission to craft reform measures for the branch of government within which he was appointed, establishing a modicum of credibility for his little group. He could have led the Commission to fashion reform measures for each branch of government, establishing a semblance of fairness. Had he done these things, he could have produced a weightier, more credible document with an ice cube’s chance of being heard within the General Assembly. Somehow he missed all these opportunities, didn’t he?

Now this. Having never met the gentlemen, I have to rely on what I have read about him and his actions. Based on what I can scrap together, Mr. Collins seems to suffer from some kind of messiah complex, I believe it can be called. I am not privvy to what the Governor told Mr. Collins regarding his scope, but had Mr. Quinn given Mr. Collins some sense of the reality in which he was stepping into, perhaps Mr. Collins wouldn’t feel so disgruntled today.

He shouldn’t crap on everyone. Regardless of his relationship to the Governor, Mr. Collins should have considered himself just another guy trying to do his best within a team focusing on reforming our dreadful state of political reality in Illinois. With the attitude he now publically displays, Mr. Collins lessens his role in this important matter to a level even less that what he would have had if he never accepted Governor Quinn’s challenge.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:02 pm
Not to argue but the early release of inmates was a portion of what Quinn proposed with the budget that he was negotiating with the GA. So while the bill does not specifically say early release it was discussed for months. So you could say that they did OK it if they voted for the budget. And I am sure the republican’s will use it in the mail against Dem.’s who voted for the budget. I sure know I would if I were in their shoes. That would play to a lot more people than the goofball teabag rhetoric.

Comment by WOW Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:02 pm
WCW you are correct. As a number of people have been saying for months (Rich specifically) cuts alone will not solve the budget problem.

Comment by WOW Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:04 pm
===exactly how much is being saved by releasing 1000 “non violent” offenders in relation to an estimated $12 billion state budget deficit?===

Depending on what you want to include in your total, you are looking at roughly $25,000 per year per inmate.

1,000 x $25,000 = $25,000,000

Comment by Obamarama Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:16 pm
Believe me, I’m not a fan of his politics or tactics, but I’ve never believed Karl Rove would have been involved in any talks to get Pat Fitz fired. It just doesn’t make any sense, under the timeline.

The risk/reward ratio for Rove and President Bush makes the idea just plain stupid.

Fitz was well into all his Illinois investigations by the time he was appointed special prosecutor in the Plame Affair.

To think that Rove would recommend to his boss, President Bush, that he fire a U.S. Attorney investigating bi-partisian corruption in Illiniois as well as corruption in his own administration, is crazy.

Neither one would risk a “Saturday Night Massacre” Constitutional crisis for the likes of Rezko, Levine, Cellini or Big Bob K.

And from what I’ve read over the years about the Bush family, they would have no problem throwing anyone under the bus, including Scooter or Cheney.

It doesn’t compute. The fact that cheap Illinois hustlers are caught on tape talking about it doesn’t make it any more credible.

I’m surprised the federales keep bringing this up. They have a lot of stuff. Any reasonable person can see this is just bluster.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:16 pm
===exactly how much is being saved by releasing 1000 “non violent” offenders===

The administration will tell you millions of dollars are being saved. They apparently base this claim on a per-inmate cost estimate of $20,000 a year. BUT that figure is just the department’s annual budget divided by the total number of inmates, and of course, letting someone walk out the door does next to nothing to reduce operating costs. Whether you have 44,000 or 45,000 people on the inside, personnel costs are the same, the electric and water bills are the same, etc. The only thing that’s really being cut is the cost of the meals these inmates would eat on the inside. The “savings” is nearly nothing.

Also, to my knowledge the department has never been clear about what added expense they are incurring for 1,000 new electronic ankle bracelets and monitoring. Factor that in and I would not be surprised if an honest accounting showed the early release plan actually costs the state money.

Comment by anonymous Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:25 pm
Early release without a step-up in expenditure for parole officer monitoring, drug and employment counseling is going to lead to those people re-offending and coming right back into the system. As we continue to work on improving the state’s prison system, this “after-care” is where the money added makes the most difference in overall crime reduction. The good news is that this part is way cheaper than cells and guards.

Comment by Some Guy Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:25 pm
Good points, anon 3:25 and Some Guy

Comment by Obamarama Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:29 pm
===Early release without a step-up in expenditure for parole officer monitoring, drug and employment counseling===

Step up in expenditure? Illinois? Ha. The Gov and GA this year CUT substance abuse treatment programs, community mental health care etc. What a screwed up state we live in.

Comment by anonymous Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:31 pm
Is Rod Blagojevich going to be a “non-violent” offender?

Comment by Speaking at Will Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:32 pm
===Is Rod Blagojevich going to be a “non-violent” offender?===

Doesn’t matter in this instance since he’s being charged in federal court.

Comment by Obamarama Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:37 pm
Anon you do relaise the release lets them close entire cell blocks? Also the state doesnt rent its prisons. We pay for water that is used by an inmate, eletircity that inamte uses individualy in their cell, the food they eat, the medical care, the staffing of the housiong unit.

This release allows all of that to close saving huge dollars.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:39 pm
–”This release allows all of that to close saving huge dollars”–

‘cept they are already talking about a 2 million looksee on a housing unit to ’store’ prisoners being processed, possibly at Stateville. I suppose they will eat, use water and need tended to.

Hmmmmm, hair cut….wonder if he took the video guy along. We can have battling vids on political reporters hair cuts next.

Comment by Cindy Lou Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:43 pm
Re: Patrick Collins statement– Only someone with his head completely in the clouds would ever use the term “true reform”, as if there were some ideal formula for political honesty that escaped the mere mortals in the General Assembly.

Is the reform bill better than nothing? Yes. Does it meet everyone’s definition of reform? Of course not. If Mr. Collins or anyone else in Illinois thinks they can do better, run for office and introduce your own bill.

And better, yet, get it passed and signed. Good luck, buster.

Comment by DuPage Dave Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:48 pm
How much are you paying for that haircut, Mr. Miller?

Comment by Dead Head Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:49 pm
Ghost, what “entire cell blocks” are “they” closing? Medical care is contractual, what contracts did they cancel? Staffing, who has been laid off? You don’t know what you’re talking about.

Comment by anonymous Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:50 pm
Ghost,

You make it sound like there is a meter on each cell that records electricity usage, water/sewage and heat. These ain’t condos you know.

You may see some saving on water since there would be less water usage, presumably. However, you can’t shut the heat off to one cell and the whole cell block has lights on/off. I suppose you could remove the light bulb from the cell so that it stays dark 24/7. How much juice will you save doing that?. In addition, the increased costs of monitering these ex-cons for the balance of their incarceration would likely offset the savings - how much is the question.

Releasing 1 out of every 45 prisoners into the community where drug/mental health treatment programs have been cut to the bone is not likley to reduce the overall cost to society. You may claim a line item cost reduction but to claim lower costs to society is foolish. Frankly, all you need is one person released to cause a problem and you would have an uproar that would reverberate thru-out the political community. Quinn would bear the cost of that ’cause it is on his watch. Little to gain and much to lose, I think.

Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 3:55 pm
Early release works! In Southern IL a couple weeks ago we had a murder committed by two men. One of them was an ex-bootcamper who served his 120 days and was released back in March. He was arrested in Mississippi on Murder charges in IL and escaped from that jail but was later recaptured. He is now back in Illinois facing charges in Union county.

Comment by Bob Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 4:07 pm
Do people not remember the fallout from Willie Horton? With only hopes and fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong with the Illinois early release of prisoners, realistically all that needs to happen is one murder or brutal assault or home invasion from this group and the trajectory of the upcoming elections can change dramatically. An especially big risk for Quinn it seems to me.

Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 4:29 pm
DuPage Dan, If I’ve read your past posts correctly, maybe we should have a massive state tax cut.

That way, there would be more money for corrections officers, parole officers, drug/mental health programs, etc.

And no state employees would have to worry about their paychecks or health insurance coverage. Just like the private sector

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 4:51 pm
Why don’t we keep the crooks locked up and release some of these Directors and Deputy Directors in the State making well over $100,000. One Director over in Juvenile makes $20,000 a month! Are you kidding me?

Comment by sick and tired Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 5:02 pm
anonymous, can you get another handle, please?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 5:26 pm
I have to say Dan Rutherford - who go destroyed by Jesse White - is pathetic. He’s is so desperate to be accepted that he brings in Karl Rove.

When you get creamed as bad as he did 4 years ago, why run again so soon. Maybe it’s to top the horrible ad he ran - Who’s Your Daddy?

Dan keep charging windmills.

Comment by Tyrese Jones Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 5:33 pm
Even if Fitzgerald was on Rutherford’s “invite list”, as a United States Attorney, Fitzgerald would not attend or contribute to a political fundraiser of any sort. It is unethical under US policy and guidelines, at least, for him to do so.

Thought you would know that.

Comment by Conservative Republican Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 6:58 pm
Word, I see this can Fitz allegation just as you do Rove didn’t get where he was in that WH by running fools’ errands. Besides, the original source was a hinky attorney with a big mouth who told the Feds that Bill Cellini let him in on the plan. Yeah, right.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 7:16 pm
Dan Rutherford has never lifted a finger on reform so I’m not surprised he would cozy up to someone like Rove. Dan’s never said a peep about any wrongdoing on the GOP side. Sure, he’ll throw some mud at a Blagojevich once in awhile, but everyone and everthing in the GOP gets a pass. Typical old time insider.

Comment by no wonder Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 10:22 pm
[State legislators agreed to release about a thousand inmates as a money-saving scheme to balance this year’s budget.]

This suggests that the legislators vote as a single unit; or voted unanimously, and that they were voting on a statutory vehicle that re-wrote the penal sections of the criminal code.

Instead, a small majority voted to appropriate money to the DOC to fund operations based on proposed estimated expenditures. The DOC however did not propose releasing non-violent offenders to save money; the Governor did. Those legislators that voted for the budget approved reduced funding levels based on the Govenor’s directive, rather than agency needs and desires.

What are the odds that there is a Willie Horton among those being released under the Governor’s plan? How long will it take to eploit that politically? What is the optimal timing for doing so?

Answers to these and other questions will be surfacing in the not so distant future. When the answers surface, how do you think the voters will feel about the money saved in order to do this?

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Tuesday, Nov 10, 09 @ 10:22 pm
anon the medical care contracts are still billed, i.e. no service no cost; Staffing layoff is being held up by AFSCME, but the staff at the prisons where they are closing housing blocks are the targeted staff.

DD you did not read what I posted. If you close a housing unit/cell block, you turn the power off to the whole thing. No need for absurid ciomments like meter on cell blocks. Just read what I posted.

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Nov 11, 09 @ 7:32 am
The real question is ow much does the electronic monitoring contract get beefed up? UNLESS layoffs happen, it costs more to monitor these people on bracelets then to leave them in the prisons. Someone check out that money flow!

Comment by UGH Wednesday, Nov 11, 09 @ 7:52 am
You people criticizing Pat Collins are seriously deluded. This legislation is a farce, and anyone who isn’t steeped in Springfield effluent sees that. You don’t need a weather man to tell you which way the wind blows.

Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Nov 11, 09 @ 8:15 am
Fed up:

The biggest complaint I hear from Pat Collins, the Tribune, and the Republicans is that the caps passed by the General Assembly don’t restrict legislative leaders as much as they restrict special interest groups, particularly corporate interest groups that rely on huge contributions from a relative handful of companies to tilt elections.

The circular logic of these self-appointed reformers boils down to this:

“As long as Mike Madigan is in power, the system is broken.”

Far be it from me to question the motives of the Chicago Tribune, GOP, or Pat Collins, but:

1. Where were the calls for limits on leadership power from the GOP when Lee Daniels and Pate Philip were ruling their caucuses with iron fists?

2. If being on top for too long is the yard stick, why does the Tribune continue to endorse Daley’s re-election every four years?

3. If he’s so concerned about corruption, why does Collins make his living now representing corporations accused of white collar crimes and regulatory offenses?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Nature, and power, abhor a vacuum. The attempts to oust Madigan, if successful, only serve to strengthen the GOP, and the efforts to weaken legislative leaders only strengthen the Governor and the special interests.

You can argue that a strong Speaker isn’t ideal, but I’ll take a strong Speaker Mike Madigan over the alternatives.

If he’s committed a crime, impeach him or prosecute him. But we shouldn’t be devising state laws with the goal in mind of going after one man.

Moreover, with a $12.8 billion budget deficit and 10.2% unemployment, we’ve got much bigger fish to fry.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Nov 11, 09 @ 1:38 pm