Quinn still calling for a recall amendment

In his three decade political career, some say as a gadfly, Illinois' new governor Patrick Quinn has called for the ability for voters to recall officials.

He still favors it.

Last year a recall amendment bill was approved by the Illinois House. But it died in the state Senate, falling three votes short of the needed to place the amendment on November's ballot.

All of the Republican members, save one who was not in Springfield when the vote was taken, voted for the bill. Two Democrats voted "present."

Rod Blagojevich's best friend in Springfield, then-Senate Majority Leader Emil Jones (D-Chicago), a Barack Obama mentor, quashed the bill, claiming public works projects and universal health care were more important.

That's called changing the subject.

Then-Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) had this to say that day about the bill's defeat:

To give the people an opportunity to have a vote on this, and slam it down as they did ... I've never seen a quicker roll call taken. I never thought it was going to get a true hearing and I don't think it did today.

I hope I have the opportunity to vote on a recall amendement in 2010. But Patrick Quinn needs to lean on members of his own party to get the job done.

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics Blagojevich Springfield news Patrick Quinn Obama Barack Obama Emil Jones recall

Your Good-bye for now Blago scandals reader

Tonight will be my last Blago scandals reader for a while. If there is a big Blago news day, I will revive it. His likely indictment will warrant such a revival. Or a hairstyle change.

It was an historic day, TV newscasters told their viewers today. For the first time, an Illinois governor, our own Rod Blagojevich, was removed from office.

Here is tonight's update:

Chicago Tribune: Blagojevich case timeline: 2 memorable months in Illinois politics

Rockford Register Star: Blagojevich out, loses security detail

AP: Former governor: 'I'm sad but not surprised'

Chicago Sun-Times: Blagojevich clears 2 of crimes in final official acts

AP: GOP head: Dems owe state an apology

Bloomington Pantagraph: New governor could reverse closure of state parks

CBS 2 Chicago: Money troubles mount for Blagojevich

AP: Illinoisans happy to see Blagojevich go

Daily Herald: Erasing all signs of former governor

AP: Burris says he stands behind Blagojevich removal

Chicago Tribune: Pols react to Blagojevich removal

Time: Blago talk (and talks...)

AP: Blago's picture removed from Capitol entrances

Technorati tags: illinois Politics Illinois Politics Democrats corruption Blagojevich impeachment news Patrick Quinn crime Roland Burris

Google subpoenaed about two anonymous Chicago blogs

On the corner of Wilson and Broadway, in the heart of Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, a tax increment financing district (TIF) was created after on the site of a bus-barn, the Wilson Yard, had burned down. A mixed use development site was promised, with movie theaters, retail, and mixed-income housing.

What will be built instead, if the developer and the alderman have their say, is what Fix Wilson Yard calls "two ten-story towers of densely packed low income housing that will poorly serve its residents and undermine the safety and economic progress of the neighborhood surrounding it."

Opposition is fierce, which has led to Google being subpoenaed. More on that in a bit.

Here's what Crain's Chicago Business wrote last month about Fix Wilson Yard's lawsuit to stop the development:

"When you have a city with a significant budget crisis and underpaid pensions, it's time to stop frittering away the taxpayers' dollars," says Thomas Ramsdell, the attorney representing Fix Wilson Yard, which says it has more than 2,000 members. "You've got a group of citizens who are tired of it and are ready to fight City Hall."

The lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court, asks a judge to prevent the city from providing TIF financing to the Wilson Yard project. Among other things, the complaint alleges that the city improperly approved changes to the development—including an increase in its budget to $150 million from $130 million—without adequate review of public input.

Moreover, it charges that the city violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act by not giving enough notice of an October meeting in which the TIF agreement was approved.

Uptown residents "will be irreparably harmed by the illegal diversion of substantial tax revenues from public bodies to private development projects" like Wilson Yard, the complaint says.

TIFs are for the most are a scam. Oops, let me rephrase that, in my opinion, TIFs are for the most part a scam. I don't need any subpoenas.

One blog, Uptown Update, run anonymously, has led the charge against the abuses, oops, alleged abuses of the Wilson Yard TIF bunch.

I am not an anonymous blogger, but there is nothing wrong in choosing to blog is such a manner. The Federalist Papers, written mostly by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, were written anonymously, Hamilton and Madison are the spiritual fathers of bloggers like Uptown Update.

Sometimes it's best to keep your name out of the argument.

However, the attorney for Peter Holsten, Wilson Yard's developer, doesn't share my admiration. This is where Google comes in. From the News-Star:

The attorney representing Wilson Yard developer Peter Holsten in the lawsuit filed against him by Fix Wilson Yard has subpoenaed Google seeking information about two Uptown blogs.

News-Star learned that the blogs in question are Uptown Update and What the Helen. Each blog was notified by e-mail that they had been subpoenaed as third parties through Google and that they have until Feb. 4 to file a motion to quash the subpoena. Both blogs are maintained anonymously and neither is affiliated with Fix Wilson Yard.

More...

(Holsten's attorney) Johnson said the subpoena asks for ownership information of the blogs. Uptown Update is an active blog that has gained popularity as a clearinghouse for information about the neighborhood. What the Helen was active during the 2007 aldermanic election and has not been updated in over a year.

Both blogs have been highly critical of 46th Ward Ald. Helen Shiller. Shiller's supporters and detractors often debate the alderman's policies and neighborhood issues in both blogs' comments sections.

This is bullying plain and simple.

Google should tell Holsten and his attorney to go to Hell.

H/T to Chicago News Bench

Technorati tags: Illinois Politics Illinois Chicago blog Google law legal Wilson Yard

Blago's TV goodbye

Here is a great television moment. During a press conference in Springfield, Patrick Quinn was telling reporters that there is more to Illinois than corruption, then casually mentioned, "What happened in the past in the past is something in the rear view mirror."

I was watching Fox 32 Chicago, and at that moment, the screen split, and his predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, walked down the stairs of his Chicago bungalow and spoke the gaggle on Sunnyside Avenue.

What he said was a rehash of his New York media tour statements, and the speech he gave this morning in front of the state Senate.

He said, "I love the people of Illinois." One woman shouted back, "We love you too."
I have to add that most Illinoisans are happy he's gone.

Blago is still sticking to the half-truth that he was not allowed to call witnesses, telling the crowd that he was "deprived of the opportunity to call witnesses and prove my innocence."

He ended the speech and headed back to the door of his home. But then he met with scrum out front, remember he has no security detail, although Chicago police officers were nearby, and he answered more questions. But the former governor stayed on message with his talking points.

How did he find out that we was no longer governor? "A phone call."

Any message for Patrick Quinn? "Don't raise taxes."

He shook hands, smiled, and acted as if he was making a campaign appearance.

Meanwhile, Quinn will spend the night in the governor's mansion.

Technorati tags: illinois Politics Illinois Politics Democrats corruption Blagojevich impeachment news Patrick Quinn crime

Patrick Quinn is Illinois' governor

Illinois has a new governor, lawyer, onetime consumer advocate, and some say, political gadfly, Patrick Quinn.

Quinn is a strong supporter of our troops. I don't believe he has missed a single funeral of a single Illinois soldier who was killed in action serving our country in the War on Terror. And he did this without an entourage, and without fanfare.

I don't agree with him politically on a lot of things, but I believe he is a decent and honest (Yep, honest) man.

However, Quinn was a running mate with Blagojevich twice, and was a beneficiary of Blago's strongarm fundraising tactics. In 2006, Quinn said Blago was "a person who's honest and one of integrity." He also said of Blagojevich, "I have confidence the governor does the right thing all the time."

Quinn's rise to the governor's mansion, although not as amazing as Barack Obama's rise to the presidency, is quite a story. CBS 2 Chicago's Mike Flannery wrote that Quinn has "been a thorn in the side of the state's political establishment for 33 years."

Flannery recalls that Quinn is the only man in history who received a standing "boo-vation," a three minute boo-fest, by members of the Illinois House.

Obama never endured that indignity.

Despite my calling Quinn honest, I'm going to compare him to Warren G. Harding.

The last dark horse candidate to win the White House, Harding, an avid poker player, explained his rise to the presidency this way. "I drew a pair of deuces and filled."

As did Quinn.

While still lieutenant governor, Quinn promised Illinoisans that he's remove those obnoxious "Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor" signs from the state's toll roads.

Let's hope Quinn paints over Blago's name from the "Welcome to Illinois" signs as well.

Quinn's a big winner today, but now he has to govern a state that is broke, and one that has only been somewhat fiscally solvent by Blagojevich's smoke-and-mirrors budgets.

Blago: Now there's a guy who deserves a standing boo-vation.

CLTV is reporting that his state police detail left Blagojevich's home a half hour ago. Chicago Police officers have blocked off Blago's street.

Technorati tags: democrats Politics illinois Illinois Politics Blagojevich Springfield impeachment news Patrick Quinn crime Obama Barack Obama Warren Harding history