Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Will the pop tax reduce consumption?
Next Post: Where are the candidates on the Amazon HQ2 bid?
Posted in:
* Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart in the Tribune…
Dart also made some critical references to House Speaker Michael Madigan, who also chairs the state Democratic Party. The sheriff effectively accused him of taking power away from rank-and-file lawmakers. Dart served in the General Assembly from 1991 to 2003.
“I’ve often told people, ‘Absolutely, truly if the legislature had not become emasculated, which is what had happened, I probably would have stayed down there, because my first two years I’m introducing 120 bills a year and all the rest of the stuff,’” he said.
“But when you have people walk in to you and say, ‘Listen, you all have three bills a year and we pick them by the way,’ then you sit and say, ‘I can’t be impactful here. I’m mortal like everyone else. I either need to get a different job or find a different governmental position where I can be impactful,’” Dart said of a mandate once imposed by the speaker’s office on his Democratic members.
Dart also talked about why he decided not to run for attorney general.
* And speaking of the attorney general’s race, here’s another Speaker Madigan critic…
Democratic Attorney General candidate Scott Drury said last week in Urbana that incumbent Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who is stepping down after her current term, shouldn’t be “outsourcing” political corruption cases to the federal government. […]
“When I’m using the term watchdog, it’s more in the sense of watching over the government in Illinois. It hasn’t been done, at least in my lifetime,” Drury said later. “People in government need to know that it’s not just the feds that are out there, that there’s going to be someone in the state, in the top law enforcement position, that is going to be working on this as well. We’ve already been reaching out to state’s attorneys to talk about these issues about being in a collaborative position.” […]
“One of the issues right now, right or wrong, is the perception that the attorney general’s office can only go so far because there’s some sort of conflict that exists between the attorney general and some other people in state government,” he said. “It doesn’t exist with me. There would be a focus not just on corruption but on making sure that the state runs in the right way.
“I just don’t think that that part of the office should be outsourced to the feds. The AG’s office has hundreds of its own attorneys. It has I believe a $45 million budget, so it’s a matter of priority and how you’re going to utilize your resources and a matter of commitment.”
* Back to Speaker Madigan…
A new bill in the Illinois House would force Michael Madigan to choose between his role as House Speaker or Democratic Party Chairman.
State Rep. Margo McDermed’s bill would bar a legislative leader from also holding their political party’s checkbook. Madigan, D-Chicago, is the only person in the nation that this measure would apply to, as he’s the only statehouse leader that is also the head of his state’s political party. Madigan has served as speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives since 1983, save two years when he was minority leader. He has led the Illinois Democratic Party as its chair since 1998.
Considering that McDermed’s bill would have to pass multiple committees in the Madigan-controlled House, she says it’s highly unlikely to even see a committee hearing.
“There’s no chance of this bill seeing the light of day. Ever,” McDermed, R-Frankfort, said. “But we can’t solve the problem until we name the problem.”
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:23 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Will the pop tax reduce consumption?
Next Post: Where are the candidates on the Amazon HQ2 bid?
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
120 bills a year? Why not 10,000?
Comment by PJ Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:28 am
“State Rep. Margo McDermed’s bill would bar a legislative leader from also holding their political party’s checkbook”
I wonder if McDermed has a problem with a Governor holding his political party’s checkbook? Our Governor has gone and bought himself the ILGOP. I wonder if McDermed has accepted any cash from Rauner?
Back to Tom Dart’s point, I agree with him. I wish Madigan would retire and that the House rules could be rewritten to absolve the next Speaker of some of their power. Many of the current rules were written by Madigan himself.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:32 am
===State Rep. Margo McDermed’s bill would bar a legislative leader from also holding their political party’s checkbook. Madigan, D-Chicago, is the only person in the nation that this measure would apply to, as he’s the only statehouse leader that is also the head of his state’s political party.===
We learned last week, it’s not Bruce Rauner that controls the Raunerite Party, it’s Diana Rauner, so at least Rep. McDermed’s bill knows that Bruce Rauner isn’t in charge. Rep. McDermed’s party leader is the Democrat Diana Rauner.
That’s not snark. That’s real, Rep. McDermed.
Good on you to recognize we let strangers in our house, the former ILGOP.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:35 am
120 bills a year?
Brings to mind the old line about show horse and work horse.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:38 am
Dart has never had a problem speaking truth to power. He was one of the most creative legislators of his time.
Comment by West Wing Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:38 am
OW, who would you support as the GOP party chairperson?
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:39 am
===…legislative leader from also holding their political party’s checkbook.===
It completely reinforces her ignorance too, as she has been complicit in destroying social services for a governor and his wife.
Raunerites only see the “problem” they are told to see, not the problem Raunerites themselves are.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:39 am
Wonder which Dart brainstorm we were cheated out of betterin’ our lives?
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:43 am
===who would you support as the GOP party chairperson?===
Someone who could take a half second to come up with a nickname?
To answer your question better… I’m in no position to help in elevating or expounding a name that could.
If anything, me naming anyone before they ever said they would take on the role would be a negative for that person.
I wouldn’t do that to anyone, but I’m sure if one decided to take on that role outside the Rauner influence, I’d have a take, for sure.
No snark, thanks.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:44 am
Anonnin’ if you were being wrongfullly evicted, after faithfully paying your rent or you are one of society’s forgotten with severe mental health issues and in jail I guess you would feel like those Dart “brainstorms” made a pretty big impact on your life
Comment by prairiestatedem Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:52 am
Tom Dart had a bill for every press release.
But the facts do not back up his claim.
His final year in the House, Dart sponsored 91 House bills and 15 Senate bills.
Among his crowning final achievements, Dart was the chief sponsor of Public Act 92-0210, wrhich made Drummer silty clay loam the official state soil.
Dart left the House because his political career in Springfield was dead as soon as Lisa Madigan expressed interest. End of story. Her political clout outsized his political clout. End of story. And for the beneficiary of clout from the 19th Ward to be complaining about clout from the 13th ward is pretty specious.
Dart’s comments certainly do make it seem he has been emasculated, but the record doesn’t support his claim that Madigan was the source.
Comment by Juvenal Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:58 am
Rep. McDermed, And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:58 am
120 bills a session produces mostly campaign sound bites. It also completely mucks up the works with mostly nonsense.
A really superb legislator might produce 15-20 impactful (non-budget) bills a year, that are not replaying old ideas, and that have a good chance of passing. Dart did pass roughly that many impactful bills in some years. He didn’t need to offer a hundred others to get there.
Comment by walker Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:59 am
Dart has never been slow on the self praise.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 12:06 pm
Dart’s power was squeezed by the Springfield power brokers - the same ones that have helped create a state everyone wants to leave. I’m sure they’re proud of knocking Dart out of the power scene. It’s all a game for some. Meanwhile, he’s become one of the nation’s top elected officials known for creative solutions.
Comment by West Wing Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 12:12 pm
118 legislators in the House. If each had 120 bills that over 14,000 changes to Illinois law.
There haven’t been 14,000 good ideas in the collective 200 year history of our state. I like Dart but get real man.
Comment by Signal and Noise Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 12:15 pm
“Listen, you all have three bills a year … .” Another “gift” from Pate Philip … .
Comment by Smitty Irving Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 12:34 pm
What? “Quantity has a quality all its own.”
Comment by NoGifts Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 12:41 pm
Everyone defending Madigan as usual, and without mentioning his name. Anyone who says anything bad about the Speaker is a liar.
Comment by Little Louie Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 12:49 pm
Mr/MzPrairieStDem
Those items sound like laws on the books. We were interested in the brainstorms thwarted by the limits
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 12:52 pm
Speaking of being emasculated, did the House Republicans hire a new attorney with a Democratic voting record?
Comment by Ha Ha Ha Haaaa Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 12:59 pm
ahem. emasculated. should find a word that does not include essential male focus. jeez.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:03 pm
I was tasked with reviewing a fair number of the bills Dart introduced during his time in the House. He was quite gifted at filing press release relief bills.
Comment by Just the Facts Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:05 pm
Per Little Louie, let it be noted that nobody is actually saying 1) the bill is a bad idea or 2) Dart is wrong (Exception, Juvenal, who I sometimes disagree with but just as often learn something from).
Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:10 pm
Drury
Comment by LTSW Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:14 pm
Thank you Amalia. I was thinking the same thing.
Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:15 pm
You are quite welcome, cheryl44. Now if we can just get folks to stop using seminal…..
Comment by Amalia Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:26 pm
Dart has often claimed to be one of two legislators who did not have a full-time job as to avoid any conflict of interest in sure. Maybe that is why he had so much time to write these books all by himself
Comment by Noodle Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:34 pm
OW, thanks for response. What GOP principles/qualities would you want that person to have save for distance from Rauner?
Comment by Nickname Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:08 pm
but, to Dart’s point, yes, Madigan seemingly weakens, undermines, debilitates elected officials making them feel useless. (see, if you find a male term, use your thesaurus and expand your words) maybe this site can come up with a new term for this….ereps, eleges, eMads….
Comment by Amalia Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:08 pm
- Nickname -
John Kasich is a good model of a GOP Leader.
I can agree with Kasich on 80% of things.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:13 pm
One Madigan out of the state house does not a democracy make….Mike is still in charge…
Dart may be exaggerating, but I think posters here acknowledge that this is how IL government works, or doesn’t work…
Comment by Loop Lady Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:15 pm
Just because you don’t like Tom Dart doesn’t make his description of the Speaker wrong. Is there anyone who seriously wants to argue about his iron-fisted control? The budget deal was a freakin’ miracle because of bunch of legislators rebelled. But make no mistake…it was a rebellion.
Comment by Anon0091 Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:24 pm
===The budget deal was a freakin’ miracle because of bunch of legislators rebelled. But make no mistake…it was a rebellion.===
… against Rauner.
Let’s not rewrite history.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:26 pm
Dart is the master at self promotion. He is an excellent public servant. If you don’t believe him, just ask him.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:27 pm
In Dart veritas.
Comment by Keyser Soze Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:27 pm
Everyone on Madigan payroll please raise your hands. Good little Minions.
Comment by West Wing Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:42 pm
Oh - West Wing -, lol
Being a victim never works.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:49 pm
If Dart is such a deep thinker, why hasn’t he figured out how to stop his deputies calling in sick every time there is a major sporting event?
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:56 pm
McDermed is a lawyer who doesn’t understand the federal and/or state constitution. You can’t legally impose this kind of a restriction on a political party, and to impose this restriction on a constitutional officer (i.e. the Speaker) requires a constitutional amendment.
But she got her press pop.
Comment by twist Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 3:40 pm
Anon@11:32 wrote “…Many of the current rules were written by Madigan himself.”
Madigan may have fine tuned the rules in use in the House now, but good old Pate should get most of the credit for them, because that is where they came from.
A former prominent Pate staffer famously joked that while the rules were great for the party in control, he’d hate to be in the minority under them…and it was right around the time Emil Jones became the President of the Senate that the staffer in question took his leave.
All that’s neither here nor there. It’s just that Madigan isn’t responsible for everything that has happened in the state since he took office in 1971, like some folks choose to believe…sometimes he just knows how to take great advantage of the ideas others came up with.
Comment by NoUseForAName Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 3:41 pm
OW, that helps but I’m more looking for what principles/policies you’d like to see from the GOP. I know you are a Republican and not a Raunerite.
Comment by Nickname Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 4:11 pm
- Nickname -
Since you know I’m not a Raunerite and I am a Republican, explaining anything then to you seems redundant.
That, and already pointing to Kasich as the model…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 4:15 pm
=I can agree with Kasich on 80% of things.=
OW, did you mean to say 90% like the governor?/s
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 4:44 pm
===…did you mean to say 90% like the governor /s===
I can understand you “concern”…
I try to follow the Reagan Rule, not the Purvis Parameter that also deflates narratives.
My apologies for the confusion, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 4:47 pm
In fairness to Speaker Madigan , a bill banning him from being Chairman of the party is probably not constitutional. The issue is one of term limits and what the Democrat party caucus wants. Someday , Illinois might actually get term limits but it’s probably not going to happen anytime soon. As long as Democrat party leaders are happy with Mike Madigan he will hold many roles. Why? because he’s good at what he does. He’s a winner. He’s wins elections. He exhibits a level of discipline that others don’t have. Politics is about winning.
Comment by Steve Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 6:23 pm
Oswego Willy, the question was supposed to be about Madigan this time, not Rauner. We get it, you don’t like Rauner.
I’m not a Madigan fan, like some of the others on this post. Great to hear some Dems criticize him.
Comment by Mr B. Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 8:23 pm
=== the question was supposed to be about Madigan this time===
… as a Republican legislator thinks hypocrisy in this whole “too much power” thingy should be ignored.
Keep up
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 8:28 pm