Capital Facts

Pandemic has lawmakers putting aside their differences

Published by admin on Sun, 03/29/2020 - 12:14pm

This is a story about two very different state legislators, representing very different districts with the same strong belief in hope during a time of anguish.
Some legislators are known for their lawmaking abilities and some are known for their constituent services. Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City) falls more into the latter category.

Behave like you're a COVID-19 carrier

Published by admin on Sat, 03/21/2020 - 1:25pm

"We know now, just the fact of community spread says that at least one percent, at the very least one percent of our population is carrying this virus in Ohio today."
That was Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton speaking on March 12, when Ohio had only five confirmed COVID-19 cases. One percent of Ohio's population would be about 117,000 cases. "Community spread" means that the virus was transmitted by someone from inside the community, not someone who brought it in from outside.

Springfield lawmakers didn’t see this coming

Published by admin on Sat, 03/14/2020 - 10:19am

The Senate Democrats caucused by phone last week. Among other things, members heard updates about what is happening in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Senate President Don Harmon told members that he, the other legislative leaders and the governor are working on a list of must-pass bills.
One of the bills that is causing some worry is a change to the hospital assessment law, which is about to expire at the end of the fiscal year. Failure to pass a new law could result in a $3.5 billion hit to the state budget, so it's pretty darned important.

Incumbent misses vote, now the heat is on

Published by admin on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 8:58am

The Democratic primary opponent of Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D- Calumet City) recently ripped into the incumbent for his position on a bill last year to create a new state board that would have the power to cap some prescription drug prices.
"Thaddeus Jones voted against lowering the cost of prescription drugs," the DeAndre Tillman mailer proclaims. "All the while pocketing thousands of dollars." The claim is printed just above an image of two shaking hands, a bunch of hundred-dollar bills and several blister-packs of pharmaceuticals.

Emails from ‘Team Madigan’

Published by admin on Tue, 03/03/2020 - 4:53pm

Chicago's public radio station WBEZ recently published a story about emails between House Speaker Michael Madigan's former consigliere Mike McClain and top staffers in Madigan's office. Federal investigators raided the former ComEd lobbyist's home last year.
The reporters culled pretty much all the really good stuff, including discussions about how Madigan was McClain's “number one client,” getting former Madigan staffers jobs with ComEd and muscling a pro-ComEd resolution through a committee by replacing some Democratic members so that the vote was unanimous.

A refresher on Blagojevich

Published by admin on Tue, 02/25/2020 - 1:01pm

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich emerged from prison just like he went in: Defiantly proclaiming his innocence and ostentatiously displaying his carefully coiffed victimhood.
If you were too young to know about Blagojevich or your memory is hazy, you're now getting a lesson in Rod 101. He knows what reporters want and he's more than happy to give it to them if it serves his purposes. He will say anything, literally anything, to stay in the public eye, no matter how far from the truth it may be. And reporters are eagerly obliging him.

Democratic candidates answer the ‘Madigan question’

Published by admin on Tue, 02/18/2020 - 10:07am

All six Democratic candidates vying to replace former Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) gathered for a candidates' forum last week moderated by Laura Washington of the Sun-Times. Feigenholtz was recently appointed to the Illinois Senate.
After their introductory remarks, Washington's first question was: “How many of you think it's time for Mike Madigan to step down as speaker of the House?”
All six raised their hands.
“So, it's unanimous,” Washington said. “That's news.”

Pritzker’s State of the State address receives mixed responses

Published by admin on Tue, 02/11/2020 - 11:41am

I've read and heard a lot of commentary about what Gov. JB Pritzker didn't say in his State of the State address last month. Some folks are still quite angry that he didn't address their pet causes.

Money and politics is a recipe for corruption

Published by admin on Tue, 02/04/2020 - 5:50pm

"It's hard for me to swallow how [people] make so much off of you. Right? And I gotta do the work."
That's from the July 31, 2018 federal surveillance of now-former state Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago) complaining, according to media reports, to one of the founders of the red-light camera company SafeSpeed. Sandoval was bemoaning how he was killing and passing bills on the company's behalf while watching other people make bank off the red-light cam industry.

New IL Senate president leaves law firm, which is a good thing

Published by admin on Wed, 01/29/2020 - 9:00am

Give new Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) some credit. He's made a few very solid moves since Jan. 18, when he was elected to his chamber's top job.
Harmon won a majority vote of his caucus before the full Senate voted. He had at least some support from just about every Democratic faction. Harmon came out on top over Maywood Democratic state Sen. Kimberly Lightford.