Burris: No longer in the running

By Bethany Jaeger
No Lisa Madigan. No Roland Burris. The race to be the next U.S. senator from Illinois just narrowed to a more classic competition. The seat has gained national attention for its previous occupant, President Barack Obama.

Madigan, the Illinois attorney general, announced yesterday and Burris announced today that they opted not run in 2010.

“It’s an open seat, and the focus is more going to be more on national issues than would have been the case if Burris were running or if Lisa Madigan essentially would have cleared the field,” said Kent Redfield, political scientist at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

If Madigan would have run, Redfield said she would have been the Democrats’ strongest candidate. “Her not running is a minus for the Democrats, but Burris not running is certainly a plus. There’s no question about that.”


Burris never shed the cloud that hovered over his appointment by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The then-governor had just been arrested on federal corruption charges, accused of trying to personally profit from his powers to appoint the state’s next senator. Early polling of 644 likely voters showed that just 5.3 percent of respondents supported Burris as a candidate for a full term. Numerous Illinois officials, including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and then-Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, urged Burris step down. Burris wouldn’t budge. His ambitious style came through in, "Always in the running," our profile of him in Illinois Issues magazine.

Burris said today during a Chicago news conference that fundraising had a lot to do with his decision not to run in 2010. Here’s an excerpt of his announcement:

Life is about choices. Make no mistake, I love serving in the United States Senate. I love serving the people of Illinois, make no mistake.

I’m the only African-American serving in the Senate, and I believe that diversity and representation of all segments of our society is essential to who we are as a nation.

The reality of being a U.S. senator today [is that it] requires not only a significant time commitment to performing the job, but an almost equal commitment to raising funds to run competitively for the office.

Political races have become far too expensive in this country.

I was called to choose between spending my time raising funds or spending my time raising issues for my state. The people … should always come first.

The chronicles of Burris’ statements about whether he spoke to Blagojevich, Blagojevich’s brother or Blagojevich’s inner circle was the never-ending story. First he testified to an Illinois House committee that was investigating cause for the governor's impeachment. He said he only spoke with Lon Monk, Blagojevich’s former chief of staff. Then Burris revealed in a follow-up affidavit that he also spoke with the governor’s brother, as well as three insiders: Doug Scofield, John Wyma and former Deputy Gov. John Harris, who just pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the ongoing Blagojevich corruption case.

Burris most recently avoided perjury charges in Sangamon County, where State’s Attorney John Schmidt said Burris’s statements might have been vague, but there’s no proof that he intentionally mislead the Illinois House committee. Burris still faces a probe by the U.S. Senate.

His bow out of the 2010 election eliminated an easy target for the GOP, Redfield said. “It kind of takes Burris and Blagojevich out of the Senate race.”

Now, likely candidates are taking shape. On the Democratic side, they include state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. Redfield says he has the advantage of being the only candidate so far who has run a statewide race before. He also has a significant campaign kitty, with reportedly more than $1 million raised for his potential Senate bid. Two candidates with less name recognition include Cheryle Jackson, chief executive officer of the Chicago Urban League, and Chris Kennedy, head of Chicago’s Merchandise Mart and son of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Redfield said Jackson also could have a slight disadvantage by being tied to Blagojevich. She was his communications director during his first term.

On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of Hinsdale has been reported as set to run for the Senate seat. Redfield said he brings his national experience to the table, but as a moderate Republican, he would have to work to gain the moderate and independent vote. Andy McKenna, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party and businessman, also has reportedly discussed the idea. He lost his 2006 bid.

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Word of the day: Neither

By Bethany Jaeger
Political hopefuls and Statehouse insiders waited for the day when Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan would decide whether she would run for governor or for the state’s second U.S. Senate seat in 2010. Today she surprised most of them by saying, “Neither.”

Citing her family and her feeling that there is still “plenty to do” in her current position, she said she decided to seek a third term as attorney general, setting off a chain reaction of political decisions leading up to the election season.


“I know that for now, the best way for me to continue serving the people of Illinois is to continue doing the job that I love,” Madigan said in her announcement. She cited her work targeting predatory lending practices, lifetime supervision of sex offenders, utility rates, hospital bills for uninsured patients and public access to information.

Her decision to seek another term ripples throughout state and national politics, particularly because it comes shortly after a trip to Washington, D.C. She met with President Barack Obama and reportedly discussed a potential bid for his former U.S. Senate seat. Madigan was seen as a strong candidate to ensure that it remained in Democratic hands, given that U.S. Sen. Roland Burris’ abbreviated term has been clouded by his controversial appointment by embattled former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Attorney general
As an incumbent candidate for statewide office, Madigan faces a repeat opponent, DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett. He lost to Madigan in 2002. He ran for governor in 2006 but soon became Judy Baar Topinka’s running mate as lieutenant governor on the GOP ticket. They lost to Blagojevich and then-Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn. On his campaign Web site, Birkett said, “I want to remain a prosecutor.” He said he would bring to the forefront ideas to partner with state’s attorneys in every county, work with the General Assembly to reform laws, root out public corruption and protect communities against gang violence.

His fundraising, as reported to the Illinois State Board of Elections, however, has been outpaced by Madigan. She most recently reported having nearly $3.5 million available at the end of 2008, compared with Birkett’s $44,676 for the same period.

State Rep. Julie Hamos, an Evanston Democrat, was considering a bid for attorney general. Her campaign released a statement today saying she would revisit with community leaders and supporters. “I look forward to hearing their ideas and input as I discuss my next steps with my family."

U.S. Senate
Now that Madigan is out of the race for the Hill, chips are starting to fall for likely Democratic and Republican candidates to challenge Burris, if he indeed runs. Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk has not officially announced but has reportedly reached out to supporters today. Statehouse insiders also have mentioned Kirk as a possible GOP candidate for governor.

On the Democratic side, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias of Chicago has formed an exploratory committee for the Senate. CORRECTION: Raja Krishnamoorthi, former deputy treasurer, is exploring a run for state comptroller, not treasurer. If Giannoulias vacates his position as treasurer, his chief of staff, Robin Kelly, wants it. Another Democrat exploring the U.S. Senate race is Chris Kennedy, who heads Chicago’s Merchandise Mart and is the son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky decided June 8 against a Senate bid and instead will run for reelection in her House seat.

Governor
Madigan’s decision to seek reelection also causes a ripple effect at the state level. Not seeking the governor’s office avoids the politically awkward situation of serving while her father, House Speaker Michael Madigan, controlled one of the legislative chambers. It also avoids a primary run against sitting Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.

Considering she was also widely seen as one of the strongest candidates for the chief executive’s job, several potential opponents waited for her decision. Comptroller Dan Hynes is considering; however, he has not officially announced which office he might seek. His campaign issued a statement that said he would discuss his options with his family and “make a decision within the next few weeks.” Krishnamoorthi is considering a bid for comptroller if Hynes decides to move on. My apologies for an error published in the original post.

The GOP primary race for governor, meanwhile, is increasingly crowded, particularly with suburban Chicagoans. State Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, who served in the administrations of former Govs. Jim Edgar and Jim Thompson, officially announced his bid with a statewide tour today. “I’ve always said I didn’t care whether Lisa Madigan was my opponent. I intended to run otherwise. But, obviously, she and her father would have been very difficult opponents.”

He was quoted this morning as saying he looks forward to Lisa Madigan being attorney general when he’s governor. Dillard said this afternoon, however, that he was not endorsing her. “Joe Birkett and [GOP Rep.] Jim Durkin are close friends and would be great attorney generals. And it would be worth the price of admission to see a rematch between Joe Birkett and Ms. Madigan, especially since State’s Attorney Birkett came so close last time to beating her.”

In the race for governor, Dillard joins GOP candidates Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, a repeat gubernatorial hopeful; Sen. Matt Murphy of Palatine, who announced last month and has become his chamber’s budget point person; DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom; Dan Proft, political commentator for WLS-AM 890 Chicago radio, a political consultant and a writer for conservative publications; and Adam Andrzejewski, a self-made businessman and self-funded candidate based in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook.

We’ll have more about the suburban Chicago hotspot for political aspirations in the future.

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AG: Burris' appointment "temporary"

By Bethany Jaeger
Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued a legal opinion late last night that confirms the Illinois Republicans’ interpretation of the 17th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: An appointment to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat is considered temporary, and the state legislature can set up an election to fill the seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Roland Burris.



According to her reading of the 17th Amendment, “although a state legislature may permit the state executive to fill a vacancy by appointment, that appointment is only ‘temporary.’” She said the General Assembly could reduce the U.S. Senate term without violating the senator’s right to due process of removal based on “cause.”

“A temporary appointee to the U.S. Senate has no right that prevents the General Assembly from passing legislation to enable the people to elect their U.S. senator.” In short, the opinion says nothing in the state or federal Constitution prohibits the General Assembly from changing the date of an election to choose a new U.S. senator.

Illinois House and Senate Republicans took that as a cue to call for another special election. “We do, in fact, have an opportunity legally and legitimately to have a special election and let people fill the Senate seat and stop the embarrassment that is the Roland Burris appointment,” said Sen. Matt Murphy, a Palatine Republican sponsoring a measure, SB 285, to move the primary election date to April 7 and the general election to May 26.

Senate Democrats also are sponsoring their own version of a special election bill, SB 1271, which is scheduled to be heard in a committee this afternoon.

If the Republican version were approved, the election to replace now U.S. Sen. Roland Burris would be on the same dates as local elections and, therefore, save money, Murphy said. Democrats also cited those two dates in December, when the party initially supported the idea of holding a special election to fill the seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Murphy said Democrats, which have estimated the cost of a special election at more than $40 million, are motivated by politics, not financial concerns. “I think it’s a little ironic that the people who spent us into a $9 billion hole are now going to get a little worried about $15 [million] to $25 million on an issue as important as this.”

He said the state budget still allots more than $15 million for member initiatives this fiscal year. If the General Assembly zeroed out those lines, he said the money could be used to help local governments with the cost of holding a special election. “So sure, it’s a concern but one that we can address if our priorities are right.”

Rep. Bill Black, a Danville Republican, also said the price tag of a special election doesn’t cost as much as public cynicism. “What’s been the cost of the loss of confidence in this state? What’s the cost of people saying, ‘Why bother to vote? It doesn’t make any difference.’ Haven’t we learned anything from the last two or three years?”

The timing, however, would condense the process of finding candidates, circulating petitions and educating voters. Murphy said he’s less concerned about the timing than he is about Burris remaining in office until 2011. “Every time we think we can’t possibly get embarrassed one more time, we do.”

Today’s Chicago Sun-Times reports that Burris’ son received a job with the Blagojevich Administration in September, the month before the governor’s brother called Roland Burris for fundraising help, according to Burris’ February affidavit to the special House committee that recommended Blagojevich’s impeachment.

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Senator Harry Reid Refers to Rod Blagojevich's “Cloud”

by Cal Skinner
You will remember that the day before Rod Blagojevich was arrested by the FBI, he let loose with this quote:

“I don't believe there's any cloud that hangs over me. I think there's nothing but sunshine hanging over me.”

This morning on “Meet the Press” that cloud blew into sight...again.

The broadcast came on the heels of the Chicago Sun-Times publication of a front page article saying Reid had called Blagojevich offering advice on his U.S. Senate pick.

Before he got arrested and before he picked Roland Burris.

According to the New York Times, Reid said,

“This is part of Blagojevich’s cloud. He’s making all this up. For anyone to suggest anything racial, is part of the Blagojevich spin.”

What's our governor supposedly making up?

The contents of this Chicago Sun-Times article, which says Reid told Blagojevich he didn't want three black male politicians appointed to replace President-Elect Barack Obama (Senate President Emil Jones and Congressmen Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson, Jr.), but two while female politicians (Attorney General Lisa Madigan and former congressional candidate and now Illinois Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth) would be just fine.

If the sources of the article trace back to Blagojevich, as Reid claims, then it is another appeal to a potential black jury to vote acquittal at the trial following the expected April 7th indictment.

And, if you wonder where the cartoon chicken head of Blagojevich came from, here's the answer.

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Lisa Madigan tries to involve the High Court

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan asked the Illinois Supreme Court to temporarily remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office and replace him with Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn. But the process to get Blagojevich out of office — if he doesn’t resign first — already started in the legislature and in the federal courts.

It’s unknown whether the high court will even hear the case or how long it would take, but Madigan said with Blagojevich in office, the state is paralyzed and in crisis.



“In light of his arrest and the filing of his criminal complaint, Gov. Blagoejvich can no longer fulfill his official duties with any legitimacy,” she said during a Chicago news conference, carried live on multiple media outlets, including CNN.

She seeks a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction, which she said could be quicker than the impeachment process. However, she wants the Illinois legislature to continue pursuing impeachment and trial.

If Madigan’s motion were to succeed before the Supreme Court, Blagojevich would be prevented from filling the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, acting on legislation, directing state contracts, directing the Illinois Finance Authority and dolling out state funds.

Among the items held up by this week’s events is a $1.4 billion borrowing plan that would help the state pay an extreme backlog in bills owed to medical providers who care for Medicaid patients. The plan was supposed to be carried out this week; however, it needs the attorney general’s signature to certify that she’s unaware of any proceeding or threatened litigation challenging the authority of the governor to hold his office. “So I, at this point, would not necessarily be able to sign that,” she said.

Madigan said is her job as the attorney general to serve as the lawyer for the people of the state, and it is her job to present the question to the court. However, the motions beg political questions, to which she did not address during her press conference. “Political issues and political matters are not even on my radar screen this week,” she said to a question about her filling the vacant U.S. Senate seat.

She is exploring a run for governor in 2010. She also is the daughter of House Speaker Michael Madigan, arch nemesis of Blagojevich.

Here are the documents filed in Springfield this morning:
(If the following links still aren't working, try here)
The motion for a temporary restraining order and/or a preliminary injunction
The brief in support of the motion
The motion for leave to file a verified complaint
The Supreme Court Rule 382 upon which Madigan’s motion is based

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Understanding Speaker Madigan

Contrary to bored now's essay below, neither Attorney General Madigan nor House Speaker Madigan are holding up impeachment of Rod Blagojevich.

In fact, at her press conference today after filing a motion in the Illinois Supreme Court, Attorney General Madigan called on the Legislature to move forward with impeachment.

I know that in today's world of ATM's and instant news, some folks are a little impatient that its been three full days since Rod Blagojevich was taken into custody and he still hasn't been lynched in the town square...


...and that three days seems like a long time. But there are sound reasons for taking just a little bit of time to get impeachment right. If not in this case, then for future cases, and because in a democracy overturning the results of an election and removing a statewide elected official from public office should be done soberly.

Its the same reason we have cooling off periods for buying guns or getting a divorce.

Many folks have a pretty cynical view of Michael Madigan and his motivations. In today's environment, its tough to trust any elected official in Illinois, and "shrewd" is one word which aptly describes him.

But so is "principled", and one of the principles to which Madigan holds himself as Speaker of the Illinois House is that he has a responsibility to be a good steward of both the Illinois House and the Legislative Branch as institutions.

Consider, he has already distinguished himself as the longest-serving legislative leader in Illinois history, and unless someone corrects me I believe he is currently the longest-serving legislative leader in the country. While he owes his longevity to his shrewdness, I think he also feels an unquestioned responsibility.

It was with that sense of responsibility that he dedicated himself in 1997 to try to reduce some of the partisan rancor in the Illinois House: naming Republicans to committee chairmanships, ending much of the partisan gamesmanship that killed minority bills out of spite or just for kicks, and trying to instill the chamber with a renewed sense of cooperation.

Its with that sense of responsibility that he has fought so tirelessly to defend the Legislature from attempts by Governor Blagojevich to expand his Executive Powers, especially where they encroached on the Legislature's Constitutional authorities.

I think that off the record, most House Republicans would tell you that they'd rather have Michael Madigan as Speaker than their own leader, Tom Cross; after all, it was Cross who was so eager to cut deals with Rod Blagojevich while Madigan stood his ground, often alone and often in the face of public criticism.

I think we all can see now why Michael Madigan wasn't to eager to cut a deal with Rod Blagojevich.

Don't get me wrong...I want to see Blagojevich impeached, and I'd like them to start on Monday.

But I also know that for the last five years, the press has been feeding the public a Rod Blagojevich v. Michael Madigan story that casts it as a battle of personalities, where everything Madigan does is personally motivated. And the public has been eating it up.

And I feel certain that if Speaker Madigan had led the impeachment charge, or said or did anything that made it appear that he was too eager to remove Blagojevich from office, Blagojevich or the press would have tried to return us to that old personal narrative, which would taint the process and the legislature.

I mean, despite the public outrage, despite Rod Blagojevich's obvious incapacity to continue to carry out the duties of his office, our state's Attorney General was asked atleast three times about her personal political ambitions at her press conference today. What do you think would have happened if Speaker Madigan had held a press conference Tuesday or Wednesday calling for Rod's impeachment?

Michael Madigan's been leading the Illinois House for 23 of the last 25 years, and doing a pretty good job by my account. Unlike Rod Blagojevich, he doesn't govern by press conference or press release, but then counting ledes is not the best way to measure leadership. Let the guy do his job.

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Why is Lisa Madigan Holding Up Impeachment Hearings?

Corruption in Illinois comes in many forms and all sizes. One wouldn't normally think of nepotism as a form of corruption, but when nepotism is added to the corrupt political practices in Illinois, it results in a concentration of power that won't be found elsewhere. Except maybe in the Mafiosa.

While the whole country is demanding the resignation or impeachment of our indicted Governor, Illinois' premiere political reporter, Rich Miller offers his opinion why Speaker Madigan is moving cautiously towards impeachment:

My own opinion is that Speaker Madigan probably wants to let his daughter take the lead. From today's news reports..

"I have the opportunity to go to our Illinois Supreme Court and ask them to declare our governor is unable to serve and put in our lieutenant governor as acting governor," Madigan said.

We talked about this procedure yesterday. The lawyers I've spoken to over the past couple of days say they doubt that the Supreme Court would step in. But winning the case (or at least presenting it) would make AG Madigan a national hero. Therefore, the slow-walk on impeachment.

More than 40 years ago, David Mayhew made the observation that politicians use credit-taking as a means for furthering their careers. In Illinois, credit-taking is one of those things you can't miss. Rod Blagojevich was certainly at the extreme of this practice, with signs up over parts of the Chicago Beltway (locally known as 294) saying, "Brought to you by Governor Rod Blagojevich." The normal citizen could be forgiven for wondering if our indicted Governor really wanted to take credit for the inevitable traffic jam around the (much needed) construction, but it made sense within the need (or what might now be seen as a compulsion) for taking credit.

In that context, you can understand why Lisa Madigan might prefer the state legislature to go slow on impeachment so that the Illinois Supreme Court can rule on her "threatened lawsuit:"

Madigan is threatening to file a lawsuit asking the state Supreme Court to declare Blagojevich unfit to hold office if he doesn't resign or get impeached. The move put her in the national spotlight as the scandal unfolds before a huge audience because of its connections to Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat.

Lisa Madigan, Illinois' Attorney General, is thinking about invoking Rule 382 to "determine if the governor has the ability to serve or resume office." One of the state capitol television stations calls it "a last-resort option."

The problem with this tactic that our Attorney General has been touting all over the media is that it requires two things: that our indicted Governor refuses to resign (which seems likely) AND that the legislature doesn't act quickly (which is in the hands of her father). Madigan can only be the "hero" if this last resort option is the successful tactic that effectively removes Blagojevich from office. Bloomberg put it this way:

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, accused of plotting to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat, may face a state lawsuit to remove him from office if the Legislature doesn’t act quickly to oust him.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who is considering a run for the governor’s office in 2010, urged lawmakers to remove Blagojevich from office quickly. If they don’t act within a reasonable time, Madigan will ask the state’s highest court to unseat him, said Robyn Ziegler, a Madigan spokeswoman.

“We certainly believe that the governor should resign or that the Legislature should begin impeachment proceedings,” Ziegler said yesterday in a phone interview.

Speaker Madigan's forces have been all over implying that the legislative option could drag out for awhile. As the Daily Herald tells it:

Barring Blagojevich quitting in the coming days, something many officials think is unlikely even as they recommend it, none of the potential remedies to the state's ethical dilemmas are speedy.

Take impeachment, for example. That process would begin in the Illinois House, which would weigh the circumstances and vote on whether to send an impeachment case onto the Illinois Senate for a trial and possible removal of the governor from office.

It's not a fast process.

"It can't be a slapdash kind of thing. That's not how (House Speaker) Mike Madigan operates," said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown. "It would take some time. I don't know how much more quickly we'd get a resolution than a federal case."

Rich Miller plays Rachel Maddow: "Really? As slow as a federal case? That means years and years of waiting."

Midwest blogfather Archpundit, who -- with Miller and Firedoglake's Emptywheel -- has provided the best coverage of this scandal on the net, reacts:

What the hell is wrong with these people? Have they read the Illinois Constitution? It’s not that hard.

1) There is NO reason to believe this would take longer. In the case of Heiple a more deliberative process was used because there was no significant problem day to day. In this case, we have evidence of a Governor selling off state resources/benefits. The degree of deliberation is a function of the will of the Chamber. The only reason it would take six weeks is because Speaker Madigan made it take six weeks.

2) Jones has no choice at this point. Oh, he could try and not have it, but he’s not that stupid and everyone understands the problem at this point.

3) Chief Justice Fitzgerald is there to preside. He does not set the rules or anything else. He’s there to enforce Senate rules and processes.ave it, but he’s not that stupid and everyone understands the problem at this point. If I’m wrong, put him on the spot.

This is not a legal process–it is a political process and the Speaker’s office should understand that. Everyday they delay, people get angry at him and that backfires on Lisa.

But Rich's and Larry's coverage assume a certain rationality in the political process. And that brings us back to David Mayhew. Rationality on the part of the political process is different from rationality on the part of an individual politician, such as Lisa Madigan. From her perspective, she benefits most if she can swoop in and claim credit for ridding the state of the indicted Blagojevich. And the only way that she can be "a national hero" is for the governor to refuse to resign (again, it's widely assumed he won't) AND for the legislature to go slow on impeachment. Her singular interest collides with the state's best interest.

But this is Illinois. So who do you think will win here? Did I mention that this is Illinois?

Michael Madigan has his hands firmly on the levers of the Democratic machine in Illinois. And Madigan is nothing if not a dotting father. His fondness for (and pride in) his daughter is obvious to all. Even if the speaker has lost a step or two as a political strategist, this is not a hard call. "Rushing to impeachment" -- as if that were possible -- harms his daughter's interests.

If that inherent conflict of interest is not apparent to all, I'm fairly certain that it is not relevant to the considerations of the Speaker or the Attorney General. In any other state, it might be a factor that would be raised. But not in Illinois. The legacy of corruption, the legacy of nepotism, the legacy of the concentration of power into the hands of a few political families is simply too great. Of course the father will do whatever he can to further his daughter's political career. Impeachment? "It can't be a slapdash kind of thing."

It would seem that how quickly Rod Blagojevich is removed from office really depends on one person, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. This isn't because of the power of her office, but because of the unique characteristics of Illinois politics and its legacy of corruption that has allowed the concentration of political power into a small number of families in the state. The fact that this current corruption scandal might taint the Change we voted for or Illinois' favorite son being sworn in as our next president is hardly a consideration. It's all about the career path of one favorite daughter. You can hardly blame daddy Madigan for being proud of daddy's girl. I can't imagine that we could be more ashamed of where this legacy of corruption and the concentration of power in the hands of a few families has taken this state.

So why is Lisa Madigan holding up impeachment hearings? Because she can. And because it serves her best interests. Credit-taking in its most blatant form. But that's Illinois...

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More on International Profit Associates

My good friend Dan Curry at Reverse Spin has been keeping an eye on the International Profit Associates scandal for months. The Miami Herald has a story on the controversial Illinois firm, one that has been very generous to the campaign funds of many Democratic candidates--including Illinois' attorney general, Lisa Madigan, as well as Hillary Rodham Clinton.

From the Herald:

Florida's attorney general has registered 28 complaints against IPA and passed those concerns along to its Illinois counterpart, which is investigating the company. While IPA has been sued by individual clients in the past, this is the first time that former customers have banded together in court.

From Reverse Spin:

That was Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum's first mistake—if he wants anything done about IPA. Madigan, a Democrat, has been investigating IPA, a political donor, for more than four years without producing any results. And the Democratic Attorneys General Association, the political action committee of Democratic AGs, took one of its largest campaign donations, $50,000, from IPA last year in the midst of Madigan’s "probe."

Getting anyone in Illinois interested in IPA fraud complaints will be difficult. The New York Times and now the Miami Herald have delved deeply into the IPA matter but not the Chicago media. That is puzzling to say the least considering that IPA is headquartered in suburban Buffalo Grove and it has showered Illinois politicians with hundreds of thousands in campaign donations. IPA also has given Hillary Clinton more than $150,000. For all (of Curry's) posts on IPA, go here.

There are active communities of victims who vent their frustrations with IPA here, here and now at the bottom of the Miami Herald story.

A friend recently (not me, by the way) asked me if the Illinois media freeze on IPA was related to the IPA radio and TV ads that seem to air constantly on Chicago stations. Seems like a fair question.

Seems like a fair question to bring up in the next Democratic debate.

To comment on this post, please visit Marathon Pundit.

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Posturing for Judgeships?

Two Illinois legislators have recently taken surprising political stands.

State Senator Kirk Dillard (R-DuPage County) cut a campaign ad segment for Barack Obama. It made big news in the Chicago metropolitan market and got big criticism from Republicans.

State Representative Jack Franks (D-Bull Valley) has endorsed Hillary Clinton for President.

So, why would Dillard go out onto a limb for Obama and Franks onto a similar branch for Hillary?

Dillard lost in the Illinois Senate Leadership fight to Frank Watson. Dillard also just voluntarily gave up the traditional power base of Chairman of the DuPage County Republican Central Committee.

Maybe he would like to be a federal judge in Chicago. Couldn't hurt to have a president or a vice president or even a U.S. Senator as an advocate.

Franks is similarly boxed in politically.

He could run for Congress against Republican Congressman Don Manzullo in the 16th congressional district.

But that would by no means be a slam-dunk.

And one of his 2006 contributors, Robert Abboud, is acting as if he is going to run against Manzullo.

Does Franks run against State Senator Pam Althoff next year?

Only if he is very, very brave.

He’d have to knock on twice as many doors and, surely, he has gotten tired of knocking on doors by now. It’s been eight years of going door-to-door.

As I have stated repeatedly, I have seen that women have a five- percentage point advantage over men in this area.

Why would he run for the state senate if Althoff were not vacating her seat to challenge Congresswoman Melissa Bean?

So, could Franks, who barely beat Dr. Tom Salvi—a man, I point out—afford to spot Althoff five-percentage points?

I don’t think so.

And, why take the risk by leaving what is by now a “safe” seat?

Or has Franks’ support of Hillary blown the conservative “cover” has spent low these many years creating?

Maybe it would make him vulnerable in his legislative seat, especially if a woman ran against him.

Franks got lots of publicity posturing for a Democratic Party primary challenge against Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Indeed, Franks is the anti-Blagojevich in the Illinois General Assembly.

So, why would Franks want to be a state senator under the leadership of Rod Blagojevich lover Emil Jones?

He gets paid the same as a state representative. And he seems to have reached a détente with McHenry County Republicans on giving Mike Tryon a free ride to Springfield, that is, no Democratic Party opponent, in return for his having no opposition.

And, Franks get to work with the father of Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who must love it every time Franks takes on the man the Speaker wants to beat in a gubernatorial primary election in 2010.

What else it left?

Franks could run for Attorney General, if Lisa Madigan ran for governor. I thought that most likely until Franks' endorsement of Hillary.

But that is a statewide race and his stances on hot button Democratic Party issues like homosexual rights and abortion have not been liberal enough to gain the support of the Personal PAC’s and gay rights supporters in Illinois.

So, what’s left that would be a step up?

How about a federal judgeship?

If Hillary gets elected president, Franks would have been one of the few prominent Illinois Democrats to have supported her before the primary election.

Trust me. Politicians remember who supported them when it counted most.

Sure, Franks would have to have the support of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

But, Durbin is a practical kind of guy.

I don’t see that as an obstacle.

So, if Hillary wins, I figure Franks has his choice of sitting on the federal bench in Rockford or in Chicago.

It’s a toss-up, in my mind, as to which he would pick.

= = = = =
The picture of Kirk Dillard and Frank Watson came from the Illinois Channel, which Comcast refuses to broadcast in McHenry County. Hillary Clinton's photograph comes from her campaign web site. The photos of Don Manzullo and Robert Abboud, Pam Althoff, Jack Franks, Mike Tryon and Dick Durbin were take by your intrepid photographer, most with need for a flash. All can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Posted originally on McHenry County Blog.

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