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• O'Brien defends bond sale at water reclamation district

  Posted by Robert Becker at 6:20 p.m. When Terrence O’Brien faced reporters today nobody asked the candidate for the office of Cook County Board president about his chances of unseating incumbent Todd Stroger. Instead, O’Brien, who is the current president...

  
  

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  Posted: December 10, 2009, 6:21pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Daley recruits students to lobby parents in census effort

  Posted by John Byrne at 1:55 p.m. Chicago Public Schools students will learn about next year's census as city officials recruit teens to lobby their parents to fill out census forms. The federal "Census in Schools" program will provide teachers...

  
  

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  Posted: December 10, 2009, 1:55pm EST
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• Abortion rights group backs Quinn, Giannoulias, Preckwinkle

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 12:30 p.m. The political arm of Planned Parenthood issued its endorsements today for the Feb. 2 Democratic primary, backing Alexi Giannoulias for U.S. Senate, Gov. Pat Quinn for election to a full term and Chicago...

  
  

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  Posted: December 10, 2009, 12:30pm EST
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• Thursday Illinois political docket: Daley on the census, Quinn on aging

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. A look at what's going on in Illinois politics on Thursday: *Mayor Richard Daley has a full schedule, but once again isn't taking any off-topic questions. The four events on his public schedule...

  
  

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  Posted: December 10, 2009, 5:00am EST
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• Daley wants to lift head tax on new employees for two years

  Posted by John Byrne at 5:32 p.m. In a largely symbolic move aimed at encouraging private sector hiring, Mayor Richard Daley today announced he will ask the City Council to temporarily suspend collecting the city's head tax for any new...

  
  

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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 5:33pm EST
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• Edgar backs Coulson in 10th Congressional District Republican primary

  Posted by Georgia Garvey at 2:39 p.m. Former Gov. Jim Edgar is backing Republican state Rep. Elizabeth Coulson of Glenview in the 10th Congressional District contest. Edgar, a Republican twice elected the state's chief executive, called Coulson "a person of...

  
  

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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 2:40pm EST
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• Quinn signs campaign finance reform into law one year after Blagojevich arrested

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 11:29 a.m.; updated at 12:40 p.m. Choosing the symbolic date of the one-year anniversary of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on federal corruption charges, Gov. Pat Quinn today signed into law the state's first-ever limits on...

  
  

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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 11:29am EST
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• Wednesday Illinois political docket: Quinn signs reform legislation

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. Here's what's going on in Illinois politics Wednesday: *One year to the day after FBI agents arrested then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, new Gov. Pat Quinn will sign into law the state's first-ever limits on...

  
  

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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 5:00am EST
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• 14th Congressional District field cleared for Hastert-Hultgren showdown

  Posted by Tribune staff at 9:05 p.m. The field in the far west suburban 14th Congressional District has cleared in recent days, leaving the Feb. 2 Republican primary contest as a straight-up election between Ethan Hastert and state Sen. Randy...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 9:05pm EST
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• Quinn to sign reform legislation on anniversary of Blagojevich arrest

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 4:25 p.m. Gov. Pat Quinn says he will sign into law the state’s first-ever limits on campaign contributions on Wednesday --- exactly one year after his predecessor and onetime ally Rod Blagojevich was roused from...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 4:26pm EST
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• Daley says OT costs won't stop him from sending out plows

  Posted by John Byrne at 3:59 p.m. Mayor Richard Daley today pledged not to allow the cost of overtime for city snow plow drivers deter him from spending money to make sure streets are clear. "Again, you're always concerned about...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 4:00pm EST
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• Daley spending Skyway, parking meter proceeds on small business loans

  Posted by John Byrne at 1:55 p.m. Mayor Richard Daley is spending $3.2 million from the Skyway lease and another $350,000 from the controversial lease of city parking meters on small business loans. The announcement came as the mayor unveiled...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 1:56pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Illinois AFL-CIO makes no endorsement in Democratic governor race

  Posted by Rick Pearson and Monique Garcia at 1:45 p.m.; last updated at 4:30 p.m. with other endorsements In a sea of endorsements from organized labor, one of the most sought after by Democrats is that of the state AFL-CIO,...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 1:47pm EST
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• Rauschenberger backs Proft in Republican governor contest

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 1:35 p.m. Former state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, a conservative Elgin Republican who twice failed in primary bids for statewide office, today endorsed his former campaign manager, political pundit and operative Dan Proft, for the GOP...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 1:34pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• State lawmakers to hold hearing Dec. 22 on Gitmo-related Illinois prison sale

  Posted by Ray Long at 12:34 p.m. SPRINGFIELD --- A House-Senate panel will hold a hearing Dec. 22 on the Quinn administration's proposed sale of the Thomson Correctional Center, giving lawmakers a chance to review the prospect of selling the...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 12:35pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Illinois political docket Tuesday: Public corruption law on trial

  Here's a look at the Illinois political docket for Tuesday. * The most significant event of the day for Illinois politicians may take place in Washington D.C., where the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments on whether to restrict the...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 5:00am EST
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• Feds plan to revise Blagojevich charges

  From today's print edition: Feds plan to revise Blagojevich charges Prosecutors react to high court case By Jeff Coen Tribune reporter Federal prosecutors plan to bring a revised indictment against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich next month to avoid possible delays...

  
  

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  Posted: December 08, 2009, 12:44am EST
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• GOP governor candidates talk tough on budget at Tribune editorial board

  Posted by Rick Pearson and Monique Garcia at 7:13 p.m. The seven men seeking the Republican nomination for governor delivered some tough talk today on how to deal with the state’s fiscal mess, with Jim Ryan calling for local governments...

  
  

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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 7:14pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Monday Illinois political docket: Dueling endorsements in Democratic governor race

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. Here's a look at today's political docket. * Monday marks a day of dueling endorsement announcements in the combative race for the Democratic nomination for governor with Gov. Pat Quinn gaining backing among...

  
  

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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Newsdesk

• Senate candidates agree on elections for vacancies, making jobs a priority

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 4 a.m. Despite the rarity of an open-seat U.S. Senate contest fanning partisan and intraparty battling, the Democratic and Republican contenders for the job agree on some of the important issues in the Feb. 2...

  
  

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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 4:00am EST
  by Newsdesk

• Republican, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate tackle Illinois issues

  Posted by Tribune staff at 4 a.m. The Chicago Tribune is asking the Democratic and Republican U.S. Senate candidates a series of issue questions in advance of the Feb. 2 primaries for the seat once held by President Barack Obama....

  
  

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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 4:00am EST
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• Preckwinkle gets New Trier Democrats' nod in county president race

  Posted by Robert Becker at 7:05 p.m. It's too early to start uncorking the bubbly, but Ald. Toni Preckwinkle today picked up the endorsement of the New Trier Democratic Organization in her bid to become the Democratic nominee for Cook...

  
  

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  Posted: December 06, 2009, 7:07pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Quinn picks former Daley aide for tollway board

  Posted by John Byrne at 3:27 p.m. Gov. Pat Quinn today named a former Chicago Park District president to serve on the state tollway board. Maria Saldana's appointment is for a 4-year term on the 11-member board that sets policy...

  
  

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  Posted: December 05, 2009, 3:25pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• More Chicago hiring abuses alleged: Monitor criticizes Mayor Richard Daley’s team

  Posted by Todd Lighty, Hal Dardick and John Byrne at 2:27 p.m. A new report from a court-appointed monitor accuses Mayor Richard Daley's administration of violating hiring regulations and misleading her about efforts to deal with abuses at City Hall....

  
  

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  Posted: December 05, 2009, 2:31pm EST
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• Daley says Michael Reese demolition will continue despite historic sites push

  Posted by John Byrne at 1:02 p.m. Demolition work will continue on architecturally significant buildings at the Michael Reese Hospital campus, Mayor Richard Daley said today, despite a move by the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council to have the site...

  
  

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  Posted: December 05, 2009, 1:02pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Giannoulias, Quinn pick up campaign endorsements

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 7:10 p.m.; updated Saturday at 2:40 p.m. Gov. Pat Quinn got the backing today of an Illinois environmental group as he runs for the Democratic governor nomination. The Sierra Club formally endorsed Quinn at a...

  
  

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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 7:12pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Daley lauds improved performance among CPS freshmen

  Posted by John Byrne at 5:06 p.m. The number of Chicago Public Schools high school freshmen on track to graduate on time went up more than 8 percent between 2008 and 2009 according to a University of Chicago academic success...

  
  

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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 5:06pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Hynes to Quinn: No way on borrowing

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 2:05 p.m.; updated at 4:17 p.m. Comptroller Dan Hynes said today that he won't sign off on Democratic primary rival Gov. Pat Quinn's plan to borrow $500 million to help pay down the state's backlog...

  
  

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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 2:05pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Gov. Pat Quinn history a little fuzzy on borrowing money

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 8 a.m. When Gov. Pat Quinn accused Comptroller Dan Hynes of playing politics on a plan to use short-term borrowing to pay a backlog of state bills, the governor said that when he was state...

  
  

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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 8:00am EST
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• Speaker Madigan: Even income tax hike won't solve state money woes

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 7 a.m. With both major Democratic governor candidates pitching major income tax increases, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan says even a tax hike won't solve all of Illinois' budget problems.Madigan, a powerful veteran Southwest Side...

  
  

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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 7:00am EST
  by Newsdesk

• Friday Illinois political docket: Quinn talks global warming, Daley education

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. A look at what's going on in Illinois politics Friday: *Gov. Pat Quinn has an afternoon news conference scheduled at the Thompson Center where he'll talk about a new environmental report on attempts...

  
  

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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Newsdesk

• Democrat drops out of Illinois treasurer's race

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 7:10 p.m. Mark Doyle, a longtime veteran of the Illinois political scene, gave up his bid today to stay on the Feb. 2 Democratic ballot for state treasurer after concluding too little time remained to...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 7:10pm EST
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• Giannoulias, Hoffman air TV ads in Democratic U.S. Senate race

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 7:05 p.m. First-term state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias launched his TV ad campaign in his bid for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination today with a spot highlighting his involvement in keeping suit manufacturer jobs in the...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 7:03pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• 10th Congressional District Democrats differ on Afghanistan, taxes

  Posted by Georgia Garvey at 4:40 p.m.; updated at 5:05 p.m. The two most well-known Democratic contenders running for a North Shore congressional seat split sharply today on the war in Afghanistan and extending federal tax cuts. Dan Seals, a...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 4:39pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• New French Market opening features heckler, irked mayor

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 3:58 p.m. Dignitaries at an announcement today for the new French Market at the Ogilvie Transportation Center were treated to a bit of political theater featuring a deep-voiced announcer, heckler and a mayor irked at...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 4:01pm EST
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• Mayor Richard Daley says wife 'doing well,' but doesn't know prognosis

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 1:25 p.m. Mayor Richard Daley today said his wife, Maggie, is doing "very well" but that he does not know her prognosis as she continues radiation therapy for cancer. The mayor made his first public...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 1:26pm EST
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• Reform groups want major change in way state draws legislative districts

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 12:50 p.m.; updated at 5:40 p.m.A coalition of political reform groups today launched an uphill effort to change the way legislative districts are drawn in Illinois, suggesting that power be taken away from political bosses...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 12:52pm EST
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• Brown stays on ballot in Cook County Board president contest

  Posted by Robert Becker at 12:35 p.m.; updated at 5:20 p.m. The Cook County Electoral Board today unanimously tossed the objection to the election petitions of Dorothy Brown, clearing the way for the circuit court clerk to appear on the...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 12:38pm EST
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• Quinn signs gang gun law named after Chicago cop

  Posted by John Byrne at 11:33 a.m.; updated at 12:30 p.m. Gov. Pat Quinn signed a law today to require prison time for street gang members convicted of possessing a loaded gun in a public area. Current law allows for...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 11:34am EST
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• Thursday Illinois political docket: Maggie Daley cancer, Quinn gang gun bill signing

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. A look at what's going on in Illinois politics Thursday: *Chicago first lady Maggie Daley is undergoing radiation therapy for a cancerous bone tumor. Mayor Richard Daley is expected to field questions about...

  
  

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  Posted: December 03, 2009, 5:00am EST
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• Maggie Daley being treated for cancer in right leg

  Posted by Tribune staff at 8:22 p.m.; last updated at 9:31 p.m. with doctor comments First Lady Maggie Daley is undergoing radiation treatment for a cancerous bone tumor in her right leg, Mayor Richard Daley's office said tonight. On the...

  
  

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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 8:22pm EST
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• Three would-be Republican successors split with Kirk on Gitmo detainees in Illinois

  Posted by Georgia Garvey at 6:00 p.m. Three Republicans hoping to succeed Rep. Mark Kirk representing the North Shore in Congress split with him today on his statements about a White House proposal to transfer terrorism suspects from Guantanamo Bay...

  
  

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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 6:12pm EST
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• Republican governor candidate gets the attribution right this time in new TV ad

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 12:50 p.m.; updated at 6:40 p.m. Republican governor candidate Andy McKenna is once again going after Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn in a TV ad, but this time his campaign didn't bungle its attribution of a...

  
  

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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 12:49pm EST
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• Gov. Pat Quinn accuses comptroller of dragging feet on fixing state budget

  Posted by Monique Garcia and David Heinzmann at 12:40 p.m.; last updated at 3:20 p.m. with Hynes criticizing Quinn's plans as ill-conceived. Gov. Pat Quinn today said his foe in the Democratic governor primary of playing politics when it comes...

  
  

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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 12:36pm EST
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• City Council to vote on Mayor Richard Daley's budget today

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 10:15 a.m.; last updated at 3:12 p.m. with aldermen who voted no on budget, Daley's comments The Chicago City Council voted 38-12 today to approve Mayor Richard Daley's $6.1 billion budget proposal largely intact, but...

  
  

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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 10:20am EST
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• Wednesday Illinois political docket: Daley budget vote, Durbin to talk Gitmo

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. A look at what's going on in Illinois politics today: *The Chicago City Council is scheduled to vote on Mayor Richard Daley's budget proposal this morning. Daley wants to tap deeply into reserves...

  
  

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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Newsdesk

• Daley says private trade show managers need to do their part to cut costs at McCormick Place

  Posted by John Byrne at 3:40 p.m. Mayor Richard Daley today called on private-sector managers of McCormick Place trade shows to join unions and convention center officials in finding a way to hold down costs to stem the defection of...

  
  

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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 3:41pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• How Cook County commissioners voted on sales tax cut

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 1:40 p.m. The Cook County Board voted 12-5 today to override President Todd Stroger and cut the county portion of the sales tax from 1.75 percent to 1.25 percent on July 1. Here's how they...

  
  

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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 1:41pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Legalized video gambling still at least a year away, regulators say

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 1:30 p.m. It'll be at least a year before legalized video gambling machines will be online in bars, restaurants and truck stops across Illinois, state gambling regulators said today. News of the delay in video...

  
  

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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 1:30pm EST
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• Hynes accuses Quinn of playing politics on job creation

  Posted by Rick Pearson and Monique Garcia at 1:05 p.m.; updated at 4:45 p.m. with Quinn response Democratic governor candidate Dan Hynes unveiled his plans to spur job creation today and criticized Gov. Pat Quinn for trying to trade his...

  
  

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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 1:08pm EST
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• Attempt to penalize absent Chicago police disciplinary board members stalls

  Posted by David Heinzmann at 12:59 p.m. An attempt to penalize members of a Chicago police disciplinary board for failing to attend meetings where the fates of officers facing misconduct charges are decided stalled today at a City Council hearing....

  
  

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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 12:59pm EST
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• Cook County showdown on Stroger tax veto

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 10:57 a.m.; last updated at 2:55 p.m. with Stroger news conference comments Cook County commissioners today voted to roll back part of a sales tax increase despite an impassioned plea from Board President Todd Stroger...

  
  

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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 10:58am EST
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• Illinois political docket: Cook County tax showdown

  Posted by Tribune staff at 6:38 a.m. Here's a look at what's on the Illinois political docket Tuesday. * It's showdown day at the Cook County Board over the controversial sales tax increase championed by President Todd Stroger. A majority...

  
  

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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 6:39am EST
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• Jackson gets support from black ministers for Senate

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 8:08 p.m. Former Chicago Urban League head Cheryle Jackson received the backing today of more than a dozen members of the city’s African-American clergy in her bid for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate....

  
  

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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 8:09pm EST
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• Daley proposes $1.5 million boost to next year's budget

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 6:10 p.m. Mayor Richard Daley’s administration today proposed using $1.5 million in new annual revenue expected from a lawsuit settlement to boost spending in next year’s budget. The extra spending would blunt the impact of...

  
  

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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 6:09pm EST
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• Quinn encourages holiday support for troops

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 6:02 p.m. Gov. Pat Quinn joined area school children to flip the switch on the state Christmas tree today, lighting up the atrium of the state building in downtown Chicago. He also encouraged Illinois residents...

  
  

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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 6:03pm EST
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• Aldermen balk at proposal to limit dogs in Chicago homes

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 3:53 p.m. Aldermen today balked at a proposal to limit the number of dogs kept in Chicago households following opposition from veterinarians, animal advocates and pet owners. The proposal from Ald. Ray Suarez, 31st, would...

  
  

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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 3:53pm EST
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• Monday Illinois political docket: Cheryle Jackson news conference with African-American ministers

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. A look at what's going on in Illinois politics on Monday: *With the long holiday weekend over, candidates are expected to ramp back up before the Christmas lull. To that end, Democratic U.S....

  
  

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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 5:00am EST
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• Illinois House Republicans call for slowdown on fast-paced Thomson prison deal

  Posted by Ray Long at 1:42 p.m. SPRINGFIELD --- House Republicans today called for a special committee to study the state's rapidly-developing potential sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government to house terrorism suspects now held at...

  
  

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  Posted: November 27, 2009, 1:40pm EST
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• Cook County Board President Todd Stroger to stay on ballot as Brown drops protest

  Posted by John Byrne at 12:24 p.m.; updated at 2:58 p.m. Cook County Board President Todd Stroger will remain on the Feb. 2 Democratic primary ballot after an opponent ended her attempt to knock him off the ballot today. Circuit...

  
  

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  Posted: November 27, 2009, 12:30pm EST
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• Kirk gets Schock’s endorsement for US Senate bid

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 9:23 p.m. Five-term North Shore Congressman Mark Kirk claimed a major downstate endorsement today for his Feb. 2 bid for the GOP’s U.S. Senate nomination by gaining the backing of first-term Republican congressional colleague Rep....

  
  

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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 9:24pm EST
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• Giannoulias tax returns show hefty bank income

  Posted by John Chase at 8:50 p.m. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has made millions of dollars from his family’s community bank since his election in 2006, much of it from payouts related to his father’s death, according to four years...

  
  

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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 8:50pm EST
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• Daley turns to private sector for human resources commissioner

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 2:12 p.m. Mayor Richard Daley announced today he has turned to the private sector for a new human resources commissioner, five months after the previous personnel chief resigned amid conflict with City Hall watchdogs. Daley...

  
  

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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 2:13pm EST
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• After Daley's challenge, council goes along with mayor's tax break plan

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 12:21 p.m. A day after Mayor Richard Daley suggested homeowners could politically punish aldermen who did not support his proposed property tax relief program, opposition from City Council Finance Committee members all but withered. The...

  
  

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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 12:22pm EST
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• Aldermen and Daley honor Michael Scott at council meeting

  Posted by John Byrne at 12:10 p.m. The City Council and Mayor Richard Daley paused during today's meeting to pay tribute to late school board president Michael Scott, who one alderman lauded as Chicago's secretary of state. Scott's widow, Diane,...

  
  

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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 12:11pm EST
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• Quinn says he's a 'truth slinger'

  UPDATED at 8:55 p.m. with Hynes response; originally posted by Rick Pearson at 6:08 p.m. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn criticized his challengers in both political parties today for throwing mud at him and said he “wants to be a truth...

  
  

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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 6:10pm EST
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• Giannoulias pitches bailout plan, talks about family bank

  Posted by John Chase at 5:33 p.m. Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a former loan officer who still has a small financial interest in his family’s community bank, unveiled a plan today that would require large “Wall Street” banks to make...

  
  

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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 5:35pm EST
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• Sanchez attorneys push for new hearing on hiring case

  Posted by Todd Lighty at 4:20 p.m. Al Sanchez, Mayor Richard Daley’s former streets and sanitation commissioner, alleges in a new court filing that a Chicago police sergeant may have tried to obstruct Sanchez’s efforts to overturn his federal conviction...

  
  

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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 4:20pm EST
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• Daley holds meeting on convention show exodus

  UPDATE AT 6:01 p.m. by John Byrne Mayor Richard Daley called labor leaders and McCormick Place officials into his office for a closed-door meeting today to talk about stopping the exodus of high profile trade shows to other cities by...

  
  

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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 12:55pm EST
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• Daley to aldermen: Have a better tax relief plan?

  Posted by John Byrne at 12:30 p.m. Mayor Richard Daley today defended his $35 million property tax relief plan that was rebuffed by a City Council committee, saying homeowners should hold their aldermen accountable if the measure doesn't pass. The...

  
  

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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 12:36pm EST
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• Alderman wants to ban relatives from stealth payroll

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 9:05 p.m. Saying he was troubled by the actions of a colleague, Ald. Thomas Allen said today he wants to ban the hiring of relatives on a stealth payroll controlled by the City Council. Allen,...

  
  

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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 9:04pm EST
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• Kirk turns down a notch on prison-terrorist comments

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 12:55 p.m. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk turned down the rhetoric today on Democratic-backed plans to use the largely vacant Thomson Correctional Center to house suspected terrorist detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying he...

  
  

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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 12:58pm EST
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• Stroger again vetoes sales tax rollback

  Posted by Robert Becker at 12:30 p.m. Less than a week after the Cook County Board voted yet again to roll back a portion of the county sales tax, Board President Todd Stroger today delivered again on his promise to...

  
  

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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 12:31pm EST
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• McKenna's misleading campaign ad on Quinn

  UPDATED AT 2:20 p.m.; originally posted by Rick Pearson at 10:30 a.m. Republican governor candidate Andy McKenna has launched a new television ad that accuses Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn of hiding the truth and lists the Chicago Tribune as attribution,...

  
  

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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 10:36am EST
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• Chicago zoning inspector in kickback case back at work

  From today's print edition: By Todd Lighty Tribune Reporter A politically connected zoning investigator has returned to work at City Hall barely a week after he admitted to accepting bribes of cash and gifts to repeatedly overlook zoning violations. William...

  
  

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  Posted: November 22, 2009, 12:01am EST
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• White House estimates as many as 3,000 jobs if Guantanamo Bay detainees are moved to Illinois prison

  Posted by Christi Parsons at 2:25 p.m.; last updated at 5:30 p.m. with Kirk, Durbin remarks WASHINGTON --- A federal takeover of the Thomson Correctional Center would create almost 3,000 jobs --- almost half of which could go to northwest...

  
  

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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 2:29pm EST
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• State gets $500,000 to help connect military veterans with jobs

  Posted by John Byrne and Monique Garcia at 5:30 p.m. The state will use a $500,000 federal grant to expand a program aimed at linking veterans with jobs when they return home from deployment. The grant is part of the...

  
  

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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 5:30pm EST
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• Quinn signs bill to get more federal money for health care

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 1:15 p.m. Gov. Pat Quinn signed a measure into law today to capture additional federal money to pay down the state's massive backlog of health care bills. The legislation is one piece of a larger...

  
  

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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 1:15pm EST
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• Ethics panel admonishes Burris over Senate appointment

  From the Breaking News Center: WASHINGTON -- Sen. Roland Burris was rebuked today by the Senate Ethics Committee, which issued him a "public letter of qualified admonition" for his actions in connection with his appointment by disgraced former Gov. Rod...

  
  

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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 1:09pm EST
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• Friday Illinois political docket: Quinn to sign Medicaid legislation

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. A look at what's going on Friday in Illinois politics: *Gov. Pat Quinn will pick up endorsements from Latino leaders at a morning news conference. *From there, Quinn plans to sign a measure...

  
  

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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 5:00am EST
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• Cook County Board passes budget with no tax increases

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 10:32 p.m. The Cook County Board tonight passed a $3 billion budget for next year that holds the line on taxes.The spending plan commissioners signed off on at a special meeting includes a recently-approved cut...

  
  

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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 10:32pm EST
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• Chicago City Council uses stealth payroll for family, operatives, those with heat

  From today's print edition: Friends & family fund for Chicago aldermen Shadowy $1.3 million payroll helps them get around ban on patronage hiring By Hal Dardick and Ellen Gabler TRIBUNE REPORTERS As City Hall struggles to pay for basic services,...

  
  

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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 8:50am EST
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• Thursday Illinois political docket: Daley at domestic violence summit, Quinn picks up endorsements

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. A look at the Illinois political scene on Thursday: *Mayor Richard Daley is scheduled to attend a morning domestic violence summit at a downtown hotel and an evening reception for the United Negro...

  
  

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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 5:00am EST
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• Caught driving without a license in Chicago? Get ready to pay $665

  Posted by John Byrne at 3:19 p.m. Billing it as a public safety issue, Chicago aldermen today approved a measure requiring the impounding of cars where the driver was found to have a suspended or revoked license. But there's also...

  
  

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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 3:19pm EST
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• Chicago aldermen approve resolution aimed at helping student avoid deportation

  Posted by John Byrne at 2:15 p.m. The Chicago City Council today approved a resolution urging passage of federal legislation that would allow some undocumented immigrant students to earn conditional residency. The local tie to the issue is the case...

  
  

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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 2:14pm EST
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• Daley defends Scott's credit card use, blasts medical examiner

  Posted by Hal Dardick and Azam Ahmed at 1:35 p.m.; last updated at 4:27 p.m. with medical examiner response Mayor Richard Daley today defended Chicago Board of Education President Michael Scott's use of a school district credit card to pay...

  
  

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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 1:36pm EST
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• Democratic governor debate: Gov. Pat Quinn says 'missions accomplished' as Hynes rips 'flip flops'

  Posted by Rick Pearson and David Heinzmann at 10:10 a.m.; updated at 12:19 p.m. Gov. Pat Quinn declared his days are filled with “missions accomplished” on issues such as ethics reform and job creation at a debate today, but rival...

  
  

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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 10:11am EST
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• Wednesday Illinois political docket: Daley budget hearing, Democratic governor forums

  Posted by Tribune staff at 5 a.m. A look at what's going on in Illinois politics Wednesday: *If you want to sound off on Mayor Richard Daley's proposed budget for next year, today's your chance. The Chicago City Council meets...

  
  

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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 5:00am EST
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• New state law requires bus drivers to check for children at end of trip

  Posted by Monique Garcia at 3:40 p.m. Illinois school bus drivers are now required to conduct inspections of their vehicles at the end of each trip to make sure children aren't left on board after Gov. Pat Quinn signed a...

  
  

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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 3:39pm EST
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• How Cook County Board voted on sales tax cut

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 3:01 p.m. Cook County commissioners voted yet again today to roll back part of the sales tax increase that Board President Todd Stroger pushed through in February 2008. Here's how the 17 commissioners voted: Yes...

  
  

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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 3:01pm EST
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• Cook County commissioners vote to cut in half Stroger sales tax increase

  Posted by Hal Dardick at 12:45 p.m. Emboldened by a new state law, the Cook County Board today voted 12-5 to reduce the county sales tax by a half-cent. Today's vote is the latest development in a political struggle between...

  
  

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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 12:45pm EST
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• Mayor Richard Daley mourns loss of trusted ally Michael Scott

  Posted by John Byrne at 11:10 a.m. The apparent suicide of Chicago Board of Education President Michael Scott deserves a thorough investigation, Mayor Richard Daley said today, adding that it would do his longtime friend a disservice to imply he...

  
  

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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 11:13am EST
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• Suspended motorists caught driving in Chicago could have cars impounded

  Posted by John Byrne at 9:53 a.m. Drivers caught behind the wheel with a suspended or revoked license would have their cars impounded under a proposed ordinance the City Council's Police and Traffic Committee approved today. "We have people whose...

  
  

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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 9:54am EST
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• Tuesday's Illinois political docket

  Posted by Tribune staff at 7:30 a.m. Here’s a look at what’s on Illinois’ political docket for Tuesday. * Cook County commissioners plan to try again today to rollback the controversial penny-on-a-dollar sales tax championed by Board President Todd Stroger,...

  
  

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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 7:30am EST
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• Robert Blagojevich to seek separate trial from brother

  From today's print edition: Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, indicted with five others on sweeping corruption charges in April, could be going to trial next year by himself. An attorney for Blagojevich's brother, Robert, said Monday that he would seek a...

  
  

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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 12:56am EST
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• Prison debate plays straight into 2010 Illinois election

  Posted by Monique Garcia and Kristen Schorsch at 5:52 p.m. While federal officials today toured a near-vacant state prison in northwest Illinois that could be used to house suspected terrorists, Democrats and Republicans waged a fierce public relations battle pitting...

  
  

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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 5:53pm EST
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• Quinn and Hynes hit hard at Rockford forum

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 7:58 p.m. ROCKFORD—Gov. Pat Quinn accused Comptroller Dan Hynes of crying "crocodile tears" over billions of dollars in unpaid state bills, while Hynes called Quinn the "lead cheerleader" for Rod Blagojevich during a combative debate...

  
  

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  Posted: November 15, 2009, 8:01pm EST
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• Mayor Richard Daley: We've cleaned up city hiring and court oversight should end

  Posted by John Byrne at 12:51 p.m. Mayor Richard Daley said today that his administration has taken sufficient steps to reform its hiring to end federal court oversight of its personnel practices.City Hall's top lawyer told aldermen this week that...

  
  

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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 12:51pm EST
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• Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk no Gitmo transfer to western Illinois prison

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 12:25 p.m. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk is circulating a letter among the state’s congressional delegation and state officials urging the White House not to transfer suspected terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to the little-used...

  
  

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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 12:28pm EST
  by Newsdesk

• Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk blasts Democratic health bill in national radio address

  Enclosure: [download]

  Posted by Rick Pearson at 5 a.m. Five-term Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park delivered the national weekly Republican address today, blasting the Democratic-led House passage of a health-care reform package that he said does little to rein in costs...

  
  

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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Newsdesk