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Capitol Fax

  • Not so “minimal”

    Number of comments: 10
    * The other day, Alexi Giannoulias tried to explain what happened to his inheritance… llinois Treasurer and U.S. Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias said Tuesday that a “minimal” amount of the $70 million he and his siblings received in 2007 and 2008 dividends from Broadway Bank, the troubled Chicago lender the family [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 3:27pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Dillard up with Fox News cable ad and some other campaign news

    Number of comments: 10
    * Republican gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard has a new cable TV ad which features former Gov. Jim Edgar. Rate it… It’s a $50,000 buy on Fox News for the week. The ad will be running throughout the day and evening on the cable channel. *** UPDATE 2 *** As some [...] [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 11:30am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * Treasurer and Democratic US Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias released his tax returns last week… The first-term treasurer has been criticized by Democratic Senate opponent David Hoffman for large Broadway Bank payouts to him and his family. In all, there were $70 million in payouts in 2007 and 2008. Giannoulias’ campaign [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 10:21am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Get your mind outta the Beltway, dude

    Number of comments: 10
    * My latest Sun-Times column talked about Congressman Kirk’s rightward lurch and what it may mean… I try hard not to hate. Hating is bad for your health. Plus, the holiday season has officially begun, so hating should be put off until at least after New Year’s Day. But I have to [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 9:57am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Things that make you go “Hmmm….”

    Number of comments: 10
    * Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan can’t shake ties to corrupt player Stu Levine. The Sun-Times take a look at some contributions to Ryan’s last gubernatorial campaign while Levine was the finance director. The contributions seem curiously timed to some investment votes by the Teachers Retirement System, on which Levine [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 9:22am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Fixing a hole in the ocean

    Number of comments: 10
    * Economists from the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs say Illinois needs to increase taxes… With a roughly $11 billion budget gap of its own, Illinois can only duck a similar meltdown by raising taxes, says Daniel McMillen, an economist with the U. of I. Institute of [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 8:43am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 5
    * Quinn signs bill to protect telephone consumers * Quinn approves 133 clemency petitions * State sends more funds to help heat homes About 2,000 more local houses will get aid with $1.3M boost to program. * Quinn Expects Sales Tax Veto Overthrown * Chicago budget: Aldermen focus on ward issues rather than $370 [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 8:24am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Reader comments closed for the holiday weekend

    * I just found out that Kent, a good friend of mine, volunteered to work on Thanksgiving Day so his co-workers with children can have some time off. I love my friends because almost all of them are as cool and kind as Kentola. I don’t spend my off-hours hanging [...]
    Posted: November 25, 2009, 2:06pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • The Social Media Campaign Advantage and eVoter.com

    [The following is a paid advertisement.] In 2008, Americans went online in record numbers for voting information. eVoter.com is making social media easier for candidates and voters. Gone are the days of trying to figure out how to make Facebook, Twitter, and online organizing work in your advantage. eVoter does the hard work for [...]
    Posted: November 25, 2009, 11:48am EST
    by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

  • Wednesday news and video roundup

    Number of comments: 10
    * It’s the day before Thanksgiving, so we’re just gonna do a roundup this morning. If news breaks I’ll post it. Comments are open. * SIU payroll picture improves… Southern Illinois University has $16.5 million to go before it can fully cover its Jan. 1 payroll, President Glenn Poshard announced [...]
    Posted: November 25, 2009, 8:48am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Afternoon campaign roundup: Giannoulias questioned, McKenna backtracks, Hoffman endorsed, Hynes wants ACT adjustment for vets, New Hamos ad

    Number of comments: 10
    * Democratic US Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias unveiled his financial services reform plan today and, as expected, was peppered with reporters’ questions about his own family’s bank… But he immediately was hit with questions about Broadway Bank, which faces huge defaults on loans for high-profile real estate deals, many of [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 2:44pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * The setup… Fifty-three percent (53%) of Americans say they are more thankful this Thanksgiving than they were last year at this time. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 11% are less thankful, while 35% are about as thankful this year as they were last year. * [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 11:54am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Unsolicited advice

    Number of comments: 10
    * Dear spammers, This is definitely not your best work… Goodday, I require a partner to transfer $8.6m that belonged to a dead customer of my bank. Reply for more information on the procedure. Regards, Liu Yan. Yeah. I’ll get right on it - just as soon as I finish writing a very large check to Rod [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 11:42am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Taking a breath and looking closer

    Number of comments: 10
    * One of the better responses I’ve seen to this Thomson prison situation was from state Sen. Tim Bivins (R-Dixon)… Bivins said much more information is needed before a decision is made. “At the briefing and tour Monday … I asked the Governor’s (Pat Quinn) chief of operations Jack Lavin if there [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 11:05am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Viewership of ad-supported cable continues to surge

    [The following is a paid advertisement.] People are watching more television than ever. As the audience grows, the percentage watching ad supported cable television grows even more. Cable is no longer a secondary medium; rather it has become an essential marketing medium. Smart political campaigns are realizing that local news alone [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 10:22am EST
    by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

  • Rate the responses

    Number of comments: 10
    * Gov. Pat Quinn has responded to Andy McKenna’s new TV ad, which accuses the governor of “hiding the truth,” via a press release… [Yesterday], former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna launched an ad that claimed Governor Pat Quinn is attempting to hide the state government’s deficit from taxpayers, citing [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 10:18am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 7
    * Stroger says no again to county tax rollback But this time, commissioners confident they have override vote * Todd Stroger vetoes roll back in Cook County sales tax * It’s your call, Cook County * Chicago aldermen balk at property-tax relief plan Finance Committee questions how much it would help [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 9:52am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Backlash, hinky numbers, conservative questions, and questionable promises

    Number of comments: 10
    * At least one Tribune reporter is not pleased with Andy McKenna’s new TV ad. A mid-morning Clout St. article, “McKenna’s misleading campaign ad on Quinn,” makes some of the same points that I did with subscribers earlier this morning… It’s not the first time that a Republican statewide candidate for [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 12:02pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * We spent much of last week discussing the governor’s controversial plan to sell the Thomson prison to the feds so that the Gitmo detainees can be moved there, along with hundreds of other inmates. * The Question: Do you support or oppose this proposal? Explain thoroughly, please. And try to [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 10:40am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Viewership of ad-supported cable continues to surge

    [The following is a paid advertisement.] People are watching more television than ever. As the audience grows, the percentage watching ad supported cable television grows even more. Cable is no longer a secondary medium; rather it has become an essential marketing medium. Smart political campaigns are realizing that local news alone [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 10:29am EST
    by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

  • Budget horror stories

    Number of comments: 10
    * Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has said he wants to stem the flow of out-of-county patients to Stroger Hospital. As of last year, they were still streaming in… In 2008, 26,000 patients came from the Collar Counties; 25,000 were from downstate counties; 1,800 came from Indiana; and 5,200 were [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 10:07am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • McKenna’s new ad; Hynes in the dark

    Number of comments: 10
    * Andy McKenna’s campaign has a new TV ad. Rate it… It has already sparked controversy… This time, McKenna goes after the man who replaced Blagojevich, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn. The ad says the state budget deficit is growing quickly while Quinn “hides the truth.” The ad cites the Chicago Tribune to support [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 9:11am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 6
    * What happened to all of Chicago’s conventiongoers? McCormick Place has seen nearly a third of its business vanish this decade, a period that saw two recessions. Attendance at major events in Chicago’s main convention center declined from 3 million in 2001 to 2.3 million last year. Las Vegas and Orlando [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 8:52am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

    There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 8:46am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Reader comments closed for the weekend

    * My old buddy Hank Sinatra puts on some fantastic shows down in Austin - in his back yard. I gotta get myself back down there one day soon. This is from one of those shows. It’s the Flyin’ A’s… * Also, don’t forget Bob Waldmire’s last art show… “Bob’s Last Art [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 4:59pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • eVoter.com: Where Candidates and Voters Connect

    [The following is a paid advertisement.] eVoter is the first site dedicated exclusively to helping candidates and political organizations share their message, receive donations and reach voters. At a minimal cost, candidates on any level of the ballot will have a unique web URL and a one-stop web spot to communicate with [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 2:33pm EST
    by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

  • More GOP township endorsements for Proft, Andrzejewski

    Number of comments: 10
    * Conservative GOP gubernatorial candidate Dan Proft has received yet another endorsement from a Republican township organization… Last night the Southern Will County Republican Organization (SWCRO) which comprises six rural townships in Will County endorsed conservative Republican candidate Dan Proft for Governor. ]…] “By endorsing my candidacy, the Southern Will County GOP [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 1:55pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Action hero moment for state Senator

    Number of comments: 10
    * Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) is the epitome of a gentle soul. But his public demeanor may just be a Clark Kentian cover. Check it out… A state senator from Peoria says he fought off an armed robber who interrupted him while he was doing some remodeling at his business. Democratic [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 1:49pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * It’s Friday, we’ve had a long, emotional week, so let’s lighten it up a bit. The Question: Will you miss Oprah Winfrey’s Chicago-based TV show when it ends in 2011? Why or why not? [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 12:36pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • The furor and the damage done

    Number of comments: 10
    * I’m glad to see that the state’s GOP congressional delegation is finally starting to act like grownups… Illinois’ Republican congressional delegation attempted to tone down their rhetoric Thursday over housing detainees from Guantanamo Bay at a state prison by issuing a series of questions to Gov. Pat Quinn. “As we move [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 12:03pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Viewership of ad-supported cable continues to surge . . . .

    [The following is a paid advertisement.] People are watching more television than ever. As the audience grows, the percentage watching ad supported cable television grows even more. Cable is no longer a secondary medium; rather it has become an essential marketing medium. Smart political campaigns are realizing that local news alone [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 11:20am EST
    by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

  • Fighting the fantasies

    Number of comments: 10
    * Perhaps the dumbest report I’ve seen in years was former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman’s “analysis” of the city’s parking meter lease deal. According to Hoffman’s report, if the city had just increased parking meter rates on its own, it would’ve reaped twice the amount of money of leasing [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 11:17am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • This just in… Senate Ethics Committee blasts Burris, but finds no “actionable” law violations

    Number of comments: 10
    * 10:24 am - Read the Senate Ethics Committee’s report on Roland Burris by clicking here. From the report, which is technically a “Public Letter of Qualified Admonition”… The Committee found that you should have known that you were providing incorrect, inconsistent, misleading, or incomplete information to the public, the Senate, [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 10:25am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 7
    * Missing juniors: Illinois officials to crack down on testing loophole Taking aim at a loophole used to exclude academically weak 11th-graders from state testing, Illinois education officials said this week they want to create a single standard to determine when students are counted as juniors and therefore must take the [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 10:18am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Quinn [gently] shoots back

    Number of comments: 10
    * Earlier today, I showed you a video of Gov. Quinn nodding off during a question asked by a woman whose pregnant daughter-in-law died because she had no health insurance. Well, the Quinn campaign has countered with a video of their own. Apparently, the governor approached the woman after the event [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 2:21pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • And while we’re all talking about silly campaign stuff…

    Number of comments: 7
    * Oof… Unemployment in Illinois jumped to 11 percent in October of this year, the highest it has been in 26 years. The Illinois Department of Employment Security said the unemployment rate for October was 11.0 percent, up from 10.5 percent in September, and up from 6.8 percent in October of [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 12:56pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • 2010 campaign updates

    Number of comments: 10
    * Sen. Bill Brady thinks the GOP gubernatorial race is a two-person battle… Jim Ryan “is really the only competition we see in this race,” Brady said. But then goes on to make two points about why Ryan can’t win… “His name ID is good and bad, and we all know why,” Brady [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 12:56pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * The setup, from the Sun-Times… A Cook County judge today set a Dec. 18 date for Buffalo Grove Trustee Lisa Stone to learn the name and address of the person who allegedly made nasty — and anonymous — comments about Stone’s teenage son on the Daily Herald’s Web site. But an [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 12:18pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Asleep at the wheel?

    Number of comments: 10
    * Gov. Pat Quinn appeared to nod off several times during yesterday afternoon’s debate with Dan Hynes while a woman explained how her pregnant daughter-in-law died because she didn’t have access to health insurance. The Hynes campaign sent me this video which they call “Asleep at the Wheel.” Have a [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 11:21am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Sacia explains reasoning behind prison support

    Number of comments: 10
    * Rep. Jim Sacia (R-Pecatonica) represents Thomson, Illinois. Sacia pens a regular column for newspapers in his district, but I thought you might like to read his latest work, which, of course, is about the proposed sale of the Thomson state prison to the feds… At the request of Governor Quinn, [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 10:08am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Let the man rest in peace

    Number of comments: 10
    * The late Chicago School Board President Michael Scott had gunshot residue on his left hand (he was left-handed), his own gun was found under his body, his money clip - with his cash, ID and his credit cards - were found in the water of the Chicago River, yet [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 9:54am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

    There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 9:08am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * I’ve avoided posting about Chicago School Board President Michael Scott’s apparent suicide because a very good friend of mine killed himself recently and it’s just been too painful to deal with this story. I had talked to him less than a week before. Another friend had talked to him [...]
    Posted: November 18, 2009, 12:35pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Andrzejewski poll has Jim Ryan way out in front

    Number of comments: 10
    * GOP gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski has released the results from a statewide poll of 500 likely Republican primary voters. Wilson Research Strategies conducted the survey November 15-16. It has a margin of error of +/-4.38 percent. Here are the head to heads, which shows former attorney general Jim Ryan [...]
    Posted: November 18, 2009, 10:54am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Quinn and Hynes face off in first debate

    Number of comments: 10
    * This interpretation of Gov. Pat Quinn’s comment during a debate with Dan Hynes this morning is a bit of a stretch, but it may come back to haunt Quinn… But it was Quinn’s use of the term “missions accomplished” that was unusual for a Democrat. For years, Democrats nationally used [...]
    Posted: November 18, 2009, 10:22am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Attempting to lower the decibel level

    Number of comments: 10
    * Congressman Don Manzullo has clarified and apologized for his remarks… In an interview with television station WREX in Rockford, Ill., Republican Rep. Donald Manzullo said of terrorism suspects: “These are really, really mean people whose job it is to kill people, driven by some savage religion.” An aide said Tuesday [...]
    Posted: November 18, 2009, 10:02am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 10
    * Schaumburg giving in to a property tax One of the largest holdouts against a municipal property tax in the Chicago area is caving to new financial pressures. Schaumburg trustees Tuesday recommended imposing the village’s first property tax. Officials say they need a new funding source to make up for a $17.6 million [...]
    Posted: November 18, 2009, 9:28am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Volume control, please

    Number of comments: 10
    * This morning, the Rockford Register Star wrote that Congressman Dan Manzullo is “normally a rational, deliberative lawmaker.” Well, Manzullo was interviewed on WREX TV in Rockford the other day and had this to say about moving the Gitmo terrorists to Thomson prison… “These are really, really mean people whose job [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 4:40pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Afternoon poll and campaign updates

    Number of comments: 10
    * The Illinois GOP just sent out a news release about poll results that I shared with subscribers today. Illinoisans oppose bringing those Gitmo prisoners to Thomson, according to the poll. From the release… Survey Shows Only 32% of Illinois Voters Support Quinn/Durbin Plan to Move Gitmo to Illinois, 57% Oppose 60% [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 2:01pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Gitmo poll crosstabs; Miller poll; NW suburbs

    Number of comments: 1
    There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 11:20am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Viewership of ad-supported cable continues to surge

    [The following is a paid advertisement.] People are watching more television than ever. As the audience grows, the percentage watching ad supported cable television grows even more. Cable is no longer a secondary medium; rather it has become an essential marketing medium. Smart political campaigns are realizing that local news [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 10:33am EST
    by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * The Illinois Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday over whether former Gov. George Ryan should be able to keep part of his pension benefits. An appellate court has already ruled in Ryan’s favor… Earlier this year, an appeals court ruled that Ryan could keep part of his state pension, as [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 10:20am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Take a breath and stick to the facts

    Number of comments: 10
    * As I told you a while ago, one of Congressman Mark Kirk’s most important bases of support has been the Chicago-area media, which practically cooed over his reputation as a liberal, independent Republican. But just about every passing week has seen a dramatic erosion in that base. The Sun-Times [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 9:29am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Rob Blagojevich to judge: Get me away from that brother of mine

    Number of comments: 10
    * Rob Blagojevich doesn’t want to go down with his brother’s ship… An attorney for Blagojevich’s brother, Robert, said Monday that he would seek a separate trial, citing the prejudice his client could face by sitting next to such a controversial figure. […] “It was basically his decision, not mine,” attorney Michael [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 8:54am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 7
    * County Board set to try again today to lower sales tax rate After months of watching the volley between a majority bloc of county commissioners trying to roll back the tax and Board President Todd Stroger opposed to the giveback, the game may end today. Commissioners supporting the rollback have [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 8:40am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

    There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. [...]
    Posted: November 17, 2009, 8:32am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Afternoon videos and Gitmo/campaign updates

    Enclosure: [download]
    Number of comments: 10
    * I just finished a panel discussion at Roosevelt University’s Schaumburg campus. The panel was led by the illustrious Paul Green. House GOP campaign director Kevin Artl, House Speaker Michael Madigan’s press secretary Steve Brown and Daily Herald political editor Joe Ryan all sat on the panel with yours truly. [...]
    Posted: November 16, 2009, 12:25pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * Here’s Pat Quinn’s new TV ad, which started airing yesterday… * The Question: How would you rate this one? [...]
    Posted: November 16, 2009, 8:18am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Strange happenings in Cook County

    Number of comments: 10
    * Strange days, indeed… The e-mails came about an hour apart Saturday. The first, at 12:22 p.m., from the Dan Proft for Governor campaign said, “News Release; Proft wins New Trier Township GOP endorsement.” The second one, at 1:28 p.m., from the Andy McKenna for Governor campaign said, “Press release: “McKenna wins New [...]
    Posted: November 16, 2009, 8:13am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Fireworks aplenty at Rockford debate

    Number of comments: 10
    * I wasn’t able to go to the Rockford Democratic gubernatorial debate yesterday because of a previously scheduled engagement, but it appears I missed a hot one… Gov. Pat Quinn accused Comptroller Dan Hynes of crying “crocodile tears” over billions of dollars in unpaid state bills, while Hynes called Quinn the [...]
    Posted: November 16, 2009, 7:55am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 4
    [Since I had an exam during the day on Thursday, and was incapacitated on Friday morning, I have responded in the comments section to all of your kind B-day wishes from last week. ;) Thanks a bunch everyone] * State Rep. Annazette Collins Robbed In Woodlawn - Courtyard Where Robbery Happened [...]
    Posted: November 16, 2009, 7:17am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Doom and the embarrassment of desperation

    [Updated with related stories, bumped up for visibility and comments opened.] * A proposal to move less than 100 Gitmo detainees to the empty Thomson State Prison is setting off some extreme partisan fireworks… Rep. Mark Kirk, the leading Republican candidate for Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat, rattled off a letter to [...]
    Posted: November 15, 2009, 2:12am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Reader comments closed for the weekend

    * A couple of items to close the week. First up, we still need to keep Carlos Hernandez Gomez’s spirits up, so his friends should head over to Carlos’ FaceBook page and give him some encouragement. Pat Quinn’s campaign has yet another new video. This one is is from Quinn’s [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 4:53pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * For which lieutenant governor candidate will you be voting this February? Explain. If you don’t know who’s running, click here and do a search. [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 11:06am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Blagojevich wants trial date moved to election season

    Number of comments: 10
    * As if the Democratic Party doesn’t have enough problems, Rod Blagojevich now wants his trial moved to September - the heart of the fall campaign season… Lawyers for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich are seeking to delay the start of his trial next summer, court records show. The attorneys want the [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 10:40am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Viewership of ad-supported cable continues to surge

    [The following is a paid advertisement.] People are watching more television than ever. As the audience grows, the percentage watching ad supported cable television grows even more. Cable is no longer a secondary medium; rather it has become an essential marketing medium. Smart political campaigns are realizing that local news [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 10:24am EST
    by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

  • McKenna may continue his spending spree thru the holidays - Plus: Gutierrez endorses Quinn; Hynes zings guv; Ballot lottery results

    Number of comments: 5
    * Steve Huntley has a bit of news today about the GOP gubernatorial primary race. Andy McKenna may keep spending on TV ads throughout the holidays… A February primary usually means a timeout in campaigning while voters are preoccupied with the holidays. But McKenna is exploring using his money advantage to [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 10:21am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • We need help and we need it now

    Number of comments: 10
    * My Sun-Times column today is about an issue I’ve discussed several times since the federal “stimulus” plan was first debated. The states are getting the shaft and it is hurting everyone… This winter, when you’re freezing your tail off waiting extra long for a city bus because of CTA budget [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 9:36am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • They got very little right, as it turns out

    Number of comments: 10
    * Eric Zorn takes us through the long, disgusting road that was the wrongful prosecution of Rolando Cruz and Alex Hernandez. The context is a statement by DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett during Brian Dugan’s trial in the Jeanine Nicarico case that eventually led to Dugan’s death sentence: “We [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 9:25am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 9
    * Lawsuits cost city $136 mil. last year * City wants to end Shakman decree Mayor Richard Daley’s administration believes it has cleaned up the city’s corrupt hiring system and early next year will seek to end court oversight of its personnel practices, his top lawyer told aldermen Thursday. Mara Georges said [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 9:05am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Your morning video

    Number of comments: 10
    * Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign is launching a new online video series called Quinn Stories. This first video is an introduction to the series. Have a look… Keep in mind that these videos are not your normal TV advertisements. Too many of you have assumed as much when we’ve looked at [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:51am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

    There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:42am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • PAR scholarship fundraiser this Saturday

    Number of comments: 1
    * This is a worthwhile event, and I hope to see as many of you as possible this Saturday night. I’ll be there… A trivia night fundraiser will be held on Nov. 14 in Springfield to raise money for the Public Affairs Reporting Vu Nguyen Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was created [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 5:07pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Afternoon political roundup

    Number of comments: 10
    …Adding… GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan issues an apology… On Wednesday, Brian Dugan was sentenced to death for the murder of Jeanine Nicarico. In the case of Brian Dugan, the criminal justice system worked. In previous prosecutions, it did not. I said in interviews in 2002 that I had less confidence [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 2:11pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * Back in 1996 when Dick Durbin, Pat Quinn and Clint Krislov were all running for the US Senate, Durbin challenged Krislov’s nominating petitions. Krislov eventually dropped out of the race. Durbin stomped Quinn in the primary and went on to win the seat of retiring US Sen. Paul Simon. At [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 10:28am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Sixteen tons

    Number of comments: 10
    * Another day older and deeper in debt… Illinois is poised to fork over a record amount of late penalties and interest payments this year to pay off vendors who are waiting months to be paid what they are owed from the state. […] All told, the price tag for being a [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 9:55am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Cross endorses McKenna - Plus: AP notices tea party debate

    Number of comments: 10
    * House GOP Leader Tom Cross is endorsing Andy McKenna for governor… “This election is about jobs,” Cross said in a separate telephone call on Wednesday. “It’s about the economy. Andy has demonstrated the ability to run a company and really has taken a regional company to a global company. … [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 9:30am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Hodge: I did nothing wrong

    Number of comments: 10
    * This is not what I’m hearing, but I should have more for subscribers soon… Carolyn Brown Hodge said Wednesday that she resigned last month as deputy chief of staff to Gov. Pat Quinn to avoid any “cloud” over his administration, but she’s hopeful that an inspector general’s probe will clear [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 9:12am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 10
    [Note from Rich Miller: Today is Mike Murray’s birthday. Please, wish him well in comments. Thanks.] * Outlook rough for holiday job-seekers People looking for part-time work over the holidays can blame an unemployment rate of more than 10 percent and a cautious retail sales outlook if they find the sledding a [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 9:05am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

    There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 9:01am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Veterans’ Day news roundup

    Election 2010 * Candidate’s disinvitation stirs debate A spokeswoman for Quinn denied comment on whether the Quinn campaign was behind the challenge to Walls’ petitions. Quinn’s Downstate campaign director did request copies of Walls’ petitions. * Quinn won’t say if he’s behind effort to remove only African-American candidate from governor’s contest? Gov. Pat [...]
    Posted: November 11, 2009, 9:58am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Afternoon odds and ends

    Number of comments: 10
    * 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 [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 2:29pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * What’s your latest tech purchase and how’s it working out? [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 11:41am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Another major flip-flop from Mark Kirk

    Number of comments: 10
    *** UPDATE *** From Mark Kirk’s campaign… Congressman Kirk is pro-choice and opposes federal funding of abortion. That is the same position he held when he first ran for Congress in 2000 and it hasn’t changed. In 2000, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Daily Herald all reported on [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 11:12am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Things aren’t always what they seem

    Number of comments: 10
    * Petition challenges can be a murky business because we have to dive into some pretty arcane laws and court cases that only a handful of lawyers really understand. Yesterday, we linked to a story about a challenge to Rep. Deb Mell’s petitions. Mell is Rod Blagojevich’s sister-in-law and the [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 10:47am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Jackson polls, Meister up with downstate TV ad

    Number of comments: 10
    * Cheryle Jackson’s US Senate campaign is distributing a new polling memo. Keep in mind that the stuff about how numbers move after the reads the candidate’s message in memos like these means little unless the candidate actually has the money to burn his/her message into voters’ brains. There’s not [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 10:14am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • *** UPDATED x1 *** Ask and ye shall receive

    Number of comments: 10
    * I’ve been saying for months that Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign has not properly publicized the work of their underpaid, over-performing in-house video guy. The young man has cranked out one good video after another in almost complete obscurity. Well, the Sun-Times picked up on his latest effort today… In the [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 9:55am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Challenges and withdrawals begin

    Number of comments: 10
    * 2:11 pm - We’re beginning to see several challenges filed to nominating petitions today. You can watch them come in by clicking here. Post new challenges in comments if you’d like. …Adding… You can watch the Cook County withdrawals and challenges come in by clicking here. The petitions of Democratic lt. [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 2:13pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * Mike Lawrence vents about the lack of competitive legislative politics and state gridlock in general… Three dozen of the 118 House members have no foe, and scores have only token opposition. On the Senate side, eight of the 21 seats on the ballot apparently are uncontested, and few races loom [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 9:59am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Campaign 2010

    Number of comments: 10
    * Not too much shocks me these days, but I have to admit that this development did catch me off guard… Dan Proft secured the endorsement of Schaumburg Township GOP precinct captains in his Republican primary bid for governor. The Chicago resident with suburban ties called Thursday night’s endorsement a “big [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 9:41am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Davis drops out of county race

    Number of comments: 10
    * As I told subscribers this morning, Congressman Danny Davis has decided to run for reelection. Davis had filed for both county board president and congress. The AP talked to Davis… Davis tells The Associated Press that he decided to seek re-election because he and three other black candidates running in [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 9:24am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • US Senate race roundup: Hoffman misfires; Giannoulias endorsed; Jackson goofs; DCCC goes off-message

    Number of comments: 10
    * This isn’t the first time that David Hoffman’s campaign has made this claim. It’s apparently false. Oops… Former Chicago city inspector general David Hoffman today proposed reforms of the financial industry, including creation of a consumer watchdog agency and curbs on interest rates. But he misfired when he used that [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 9:17am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Morning Shorts

    Number of comments: 3
    * Top cop ‘nervous’ about likely retirement surge Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis said Friday he is “extremely nervous” that a wave of police retirements next year — after an arbitrator rules on the new police contract — will stretch a burgeoning manpower shortage beyond levels he considers safe. Roughly 1,000 [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 8:53am EST
    by Mike Murray

  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

    There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 8:36am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Saturday morning update

    * Gov. Pat Quinn will sign legislation today rolling back the veto override threshold on the Cook County Board. The legislation moves the minimum required vote down from an insane four-fifths to a far more reasonable three-fifths. Cook County Board President Todd Stroger is opposed to the legislation, but as I [...]
    Posted: November 07, 2009, 10:52am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Reader comments closed for the weekend

    * Many thanks to all of you who posted best wishes to Carlos Hernandez Gomez. I’m certain that it helped both him and Randi get through a very difficult time. I love you all for that. * Man, these guys were so much fun… Dig that pearl [...]
    Posted: November 06, 2009, 5:07pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Afternoon campaign roundup: Davis to announce; Alexi blasts Kirk over Palin; Hamos goes up; Trib dings Quinn; Etc.

    Number of comments: 10
    * We’ll know Monday morning which office Congressman Danny Davis will seek - reelection or Cook County Board President. From the Davis campaign… Cong. Davis will announce his election decision at a press conference on Monday, November 9, 2009, at 10:00 a.m., at 3333 W. Arthington, Chicago. * Democrat Alexi Giannoulias [...]
    Posted: November 06, 2009, 1:24pm EST
    by Rich Miller

  • A better way for political direct mail

    [The following is a paid advertisement.] You’ve done the research and bought the best direct mail list for your campaign. But do you really know if the receiver has any interest at all in your message? Are they truly engaged in reading your information? Or are you hoping your “targeted” mailer [...]
    Posted: November 06, 2009, 12:11pm EST
    by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

  • Question of the day

    Number of comments: 10
    * The setup, from the Illinois Radio Network…. The Illinois comptroller says he hasn’t formed an opinion yet on the governor’s plan to borrow $900 million, because he hasn’t seen the details yet. Comptroller Dan Hynes says the state does need the cash, because it has a stack of bills worth $3.5 [...]
    Posted: November 06, 2009, 10:57am EST
    by Rich Miller

  • Red meat for the masses

    Number of comments: 10
    * Another Republican gubernatorial candidates’ forum, and more red meat for the base… President Obama’s former colleagues in the Illinois state Senate used him as a punching bag Thursday in the first debate among all seven Republicans running for governor. “Just as I worked to defeat Obamamcare when he was a state [...]
    Posted: November 06, 2009, 10:02am EST
    by Rich Miller
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