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* Some members of the Statehouse press corps gave House GOP Leader Tom Cross a hard time today about the poll Andy McKenna ordered done for the state party back when he was chairman. Cross was unveiling a new campaign reform plan at the event, and he was asked about the irony of the situation. Background on the poll controversy is here. Coverage of Cross’ reform proposal is here. And here’s the video of the Blue Room exchange…
We also have video of Leader Cross talking about his campaign finance reform idea. Click here.
Cross’ presser was about limiting the amount of money that legislative leaders could put into campaigns. The Democratic leaders get a lot of grief in this state, but Larry points to a “whip count” of congressional members on where they stand on passing the US Senate-approved health care bill…
Where do Illinois Members of Congress stand on passing the Senate Bill?
Bean, Melissa IL-8 “not made a decision yet”
Costello IL-12 Waiting for leadership
Davis, Danny IL – 7 supports HCR but “hasn’t received marching orders from leadership”
Gutierrez, Luis IL – 4 “Waiting to see what leadership does”
Quigley IL – 5 Waiting for leadership to propose
Schakowsky IL – 9 Waiting to see final bill, no opinion on Senate bill
Apparently, it’s not just state politicians who defer and/or hide behind their leaders.
* Yesterday, I wondered aloud why some legal fees weren’t reported by candidates. The lawyers were instrumental in kicking some candidates’ opponents off the ballot. It turns out that since the candidates themselves were not challenging petitions and ballot status, and since those candidates weren’t paying for the challenges, the fees don’t have to be reported. So, there you have it. It may be a loophole worth looking into, however.
* Progress Illinois asks a good question today: “What Is Hynes’ ‘Plan B’?” From the piece…
During last night’s WTTW debate, Democratic gubernatorial challenger Dan Hynes said that, when Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to raise the state income tax “failed” during the spring legislative session, he “had no plan B.” It’s a fair point. But I would have liked to hear Quinn or moderator Carol Marin ask Hynes what his own “plan B” would look like if he wins the primary and his proposal to pass a progressive income tax subsequently fails.
Hynes will need a three-fifths vote in both chambers to get that plan on the ballot. The odds are against it. What will he do if it tanks? I’ll be sending that question off to the Hynes campaign this afternoon. I’ll let you know what they say.
* Speaking of Hynes, he unveiled more endorsements today from state legislators. Gov. Quinn has racked up a huge legislative endorsement list, so it’s slim pickings. From a press release…
State Senator William Delgado
State Senator Ed Maloney
State Senator Martin Sandoval
State Senator Maggie Crotty
State Representative LaShawn Ford
State Representative Jack Franks
State Representative Bob Rita
NBC5 covered the event…
Gov. Pat Quinn’s politics amount to “Hail Mary passes and gimmicks,” says State Sen. Marty Sandoval. […]
“The question I ask myself: Are Illinoisians better off today?” Sandoval said. “Very similar to our Chicago sports teams - we can’t quite get a touchdown - we’re tired of the Hail Mary passes and gimmicks.” […]
State Rep Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, took a harsher tone in criticizing the Governor.
“We all know he’s the accidental governor, but he is the incompetent governor as well,” he said.
Make sure to click on the “Illinois’ worst political web sites” link in the middle of that story. Lt. governor candidate Mike Boland’s comes up first. I had forgotten how bad it really was. Yeesh.
* A meeting of the minds. Tony Peraica interviews Dan Proft…
Proft, by the way, has just filed A-1’s totaling $88K, including $25K from a member of the Pritzker family. Where was that cash earlier?
* Speaking of money, as I told subscribers this morning, Pat Quinn’s campaign just took out a second $100,000 loan from Ald. Ed Burke. Also, Cook County Board President candidate Terry O’Brien reported a $130K loan from a family member this morning. Kirk Dillard got another loan from Ron Gidwitz. This one was for $50.000.
* Rep. Julie Hamos has an endorsement ad on broadcast and cable. Rate it…
* Related…
* Campaign cash disclosure lacking in Senate race: Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias raised $521,340 and Chicago attorney Jacob Meister raised $53,511 as the Senate candidates campaigned in the last three months of 2009, but the public won’t likely know who gave the money until after the Feb. 2 primary.
* Axelrod in Chicago: Obama to help Dems keep his old Senate seat
* Endorsement: Integrity, experience set Hoffman apart in Senate race
* Giannoulias not taking anything for granted
* Dems rally to retain U.S. Senate seat
* Fresh Off a Massachusetts Victory, G.O.P. Aims at Illinois
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:10 pm
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What I don’t get is that Quinn has actually run a worse campaign than he has governed. AKPD may be to blame for their worst commercials that I have seen that firm produce. Will they be the same without Axelrod? Look at this (see below) from today’s presser with Ford…why nothing like this could have gotten in an ad is beyond me. I know Ford happen today, but the other saves/creates happen before. Quinn, AKPD, and the campaign totally misread the voter mood and what issues they cared about. While people seem to complement that campiagn that Hynes ran, I really think that Quinn is losing this one as much as Hynes is winning it if not more. One week to go…can he turn it around.
“Governor Quinn immediately understood the importance of helping Ford by proposing and passing legislation that provides us with an alternative way to claim and secure these important tax credits,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “We are grateful for his support of Ford and auto manufacturing in Illinois and want to thank him for his leadership in this area.”
Since taking office, the Quinn Administration has assisted in putting together more than 55 business investment packages, which have led to companies expanding and creating and retaining jobs in Illinois. In total, these projects will create more than 3,000 jobs, retain more than 8,800 jobs and leverage nearly $1.32 billion in private investment.
Comment by Niles Township Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:22 pm
Other than Jack Franks, I am not too familiar with the others who have endorsed Hynes. Franks seems to be very candid and blunt, which I like. The names delgado and sandoval do ring bells (good and bad), though.
If Hynes wins the primary, I hope he keeps the dems who supported Quinn at arms-length.
The dems should have listened to him and never slated in the first place, and Quinn of all people should joined Hynes in that. I understand that Hynes had motives for not wanting the slating beyond just “on the heels of blago we need to stop doing business as usual” stuff he was saying publicly.
Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:27 pm
Quinn and Burke. What’s wrong with this picture?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:28 pm
Twilight zone, Word. Twilight zone.
Comment by Obamarama Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:29 pm
Word, maybe Quinn wants to be a judge when this is all over. It is certainly odd.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:32 pm
Hamos ad is terrific. Clear and concise. Targeting women. Thumbs up.
Comment by 2010 Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:32 pm
As a Republican, I am a real big opponent of tom cross. Hopefully we’ll get a new leader.
If you watched the democrats debate last night it became really clear that quinn has no message in this campaign, at all. Hynes has a fraction of one-competence, but it’s not really clear what point he’s trying to drive home about Hynes. I am not a democrat, or state politics person, but from an outsiders perspective if he makes it past tuesday-he should get a new communications director because last night he was all over the place.
One thing that seperates downstate from the city and suburbs is that outside of chicago congressional races are treated the way a governors race might be in metropolitian areas. Press releases get covered, stories get written in daily newspapers and op-ed writers talk about the candidates. If the 10th district race was outside chicagoland, you’d get some tough questions asked of hamos and coulson as to where they get the nerve to run for congress after the mess they are leaving behind in springfield.
These issues Hamos is talking about are small fry compared to the fact the state has lost 765,000 people 56,000 manufacturing jobs. She’s been fighting for what? she said over the weekend she’s not an evanston liberal. that means she is a peter fitzgerald, barrington conservative?
the crap detector is going off all over the place with that race. i am glad the tribune has reporters to cover asian carp and whatever the latest story is on this peterson schmuck.
Comment by shore Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:33 pm
Niles, all is not lost yet. Don’t despair between now and nest Tuesday is a lifetime in politics.
Could not Quinn have made that a centerpiece of his campaign? I’m not sure what to make of Quinn because sometimes it appears that he’s actually making the decisions (political campaging and administration wise). It’s bad if he isn’t taking the advice of his campaign staff. It’s also bad if he is and they aren’t giving good advice. As his supporter you tell me what’s going on. who’s running the show?
Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:33 pm
===maybe Quinn wants to be a judge when this is all over===
Rich bringing the funny today!
Comment by Obamarama Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:35 pm
===Waiting for leadership===
Archpundit said it best regarding so-called leaders waiting for leadership: didn’t we elect them to show us some?
Does anyone else believe Schakowsky “has no opinion” on the Senate bill? She might not have much, but she doesn’t lack for opinions.
Waiting for leadership indeed, still.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:40 pm
Word, the Irish don’t get along that great, no matter what people may read. I can’t help but wonder whether Ed and Tom got into it back in the day. Ed was always the only Irishman Vrdolyak liked, which is why you won’t see him pop up in a certain column. But I just don’t know.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:48 pm
Also, Burke forcefully defended Quinn when Harold fired him. It was political expedience, but Burke used the firing to claim that Washington was no reformer.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:49 pm
FYI, the link to Archpundit goes to the wrong post, you accidentally linked to the one above the one you excerpted.
Comment by Scooby Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:49 pm
Thanks, Scooby. Fixed.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 3:50 pm
Where do Illinois Members of Congress
With the exception of Bean, weren’t they all members of the GA before they went to Washington? So old habits die hard……
State Rep Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, took a harsher tone in criticizing the Governor.
I think it’s in his DNA to criticize whoever is governor. Not to mention grabbing any media attention he can…..
Comment by Pat Collins Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 4:05 pm
Still pretty funny that StateWide “More Jobs In IL” Cross sends his campaign cash to Iowa…guess no one in Kendall County can dial a phone…Dallas…Dallas.
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 4:06 pm
Am I the only one to see the irony of candidates talking about how irresponsible the state has been with its spending, and then taking out loans to finance their campaigns? How about demonstrating to the voters you can live within your means?
Comment by Downstate weed chewing hick Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 4:07 pm
I have a legit question, and I wish someone would tell me the answer. How does Sen. Dillard pay back these loans if he closes his committe? Wouldnt he need the committee open to raise money in order to pay stuff back?
Comment by Early Primary Fan Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 4:25 pm
Hamos’ ad, meh.
A big part of what needs to change in Illinois politics are the thought processes of the message slingers and consultants. How many more speeches and commercials are we going to be subjected to with the same words “fight” and “reform”? These words have become so hackneyed that they have almost no meaning to voters any more. What we want to hear are the candidates’ general views and values, their promise that they will be personally ethical, and that they will listen to us and represent us with respect to the issues that matter to us, the citizenry, not just party leadership.
Toni Preckwinkel is one of the few who have broken that code this year and see how far it has brought her.
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 4:31 pm
So, Dillard got another loan from Gidwitz and others… my question is:
How does he plan on repaying these loans?
- He bellows that he will be closing down his campaign fund when he takes office, so how will he repay these not insignificant loans?
If he wins the primary, he will need every dime against a likely better funded Dem opponent, so he can’t really pay them off then. And if he waits until winning the General Election, he’s shutting down his campaign fund because he is so ethical.
Just wondering…
Comment by Sub Man Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 4:37 pm
The sad part about the exchange between Tom Cross and the press (in the video) was that although McKenna is the one who committed the improprieties and transgressions, Tom Cross comes out of this looking like he is not much better than McKenna. Tom appears to relish playing the role of: “Hear no evil-See no evil-Speak no evil”.
I have had several other Tom Cross supporters (besides myself) say that they have become very disenchanted with Tom for his failure to speak out on this relevant McKenna issue of ethical failure. Tom’s defense of McKenna smells a lot like those who chose to remain silent when George Ryan was committing unethical actions. Tom is going to lose a substantial number of supporters within his own district by his failure to sever his linkage to Andy McKenna. He has to learn to pick his friends better. It doesn’t seem to matter to Tom, though.
Comment by Festus Hagan Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 4:50 pm
Harold Washington is back in a big way. I just saw a Todd Stroger spot on ABC-7 that opens with a still of Harold out in a neighborhood, then switches to Todd.
Curiously, the narration never references Harold or gives any indication of why he’s the opening shot of the spot.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 5:55 pm
festus… first of all, you’re comparing Andy McKenna to George Ryan? Secondly, I live in Tom Cross’ district and I can assure you very few of the 65% or so that voted for him in the last contested election are going to vote for a Dem because of some Poll Andy McKenna put himself in.
Comment by The Court Jester Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 6:29 pm
Quinn got over $2750,000 from SEIU in the latest report at the Board of Elections. Looks like Emil Jones is a big banker for him too along with Burke. And Quinn claims to be an outsider.
Comment by jimbo2600 Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 7:04 pm
Is Dan Burke going for the all-time House primary spending record? I just saw a third, different TV spot on TBS. Three different spots for a state rep primary? Quinn isn’t the only one getting cash from Eddie.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 7:53 pm
I see it repeated so often (on this blog and others) that Illinois is losing population that many seem to take it as gospel. However, it is not true. Illinois continues to grow in population, every year as far as I can find out.
Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Jan 26, 10 @ 9:33 pm
I’m thinking Tom Cross needs a new press secretary? He was pretty much shredded today on more than one account.
Comment by ab Wednesday, Jan 27, 10 @ 1:51 am
Steve,
I think I speak for all of us when I say we’re all sick and tired of your facts, logic and civil discourse. A blog is no place for that sort of thing, take it elsewhere please.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 28, 10 @ 12:06 am