DISQUS

CapitolFax.com: The never-ending mess

  • Larry Mullholland · 2 years ago
    On a local tangential note...House Clerk Mark Mahoney has been given a minor boost in his re-election efforts.(2010)

    By Blago suing him, Mahoney's independent (anti-BLAGO) credentials have been solidified. :-)

    As many already know, his Aldermanic Ward has many front line state employees who have witnessed the Team Blago Train wreck first hand....
  • s · 2 years ago
    Rich, I think it is helpful to put the WHOLE passage in here. The key line is that the appropriations bills reduction and item veto "may
    become law in the same manner as a vetoed bill".

    That means the Section C line that "The house to which a bill is returned shall
    immediately enter the Governor's objections upon its journal..." applies to reduction and item vetoes, since that is part of the manner of becoming law.

    See below:

    "(a) Every bill passed by the General Assembly shall be
    presented to the Governor within 30 calendar days after its
    passage. The foregoing requirement shall be judicially
    enforceable. If the Governor approves the bill, he shall sign
    it and it shall become law.
    (b) If the Governor does not approve the bill, he shall
    veto it by returning it with his objections to the house in
    which it originated. Any bill not so returned by the Governor
    within 60 calendar days after it is presented to him shall
    become law. If recess or adjournment of the General Assembly
    prevents the return of a bill, the bill and the Governor's
    objections shall be filed with the Secretary of State within
    such 60 calendar days. The Secretary of State shall return
    the bill and objections to the originating house promptly
    upon the next meeting of the same General Assembly at which
    the bill can be considered.
    (c) The house to which a bill is returned shall
    immediately enter the Governor's objections upon its journal.
    If within 15 calendar days after such entry that house by a
    record vote of three-fifths of the members elected passes the
    bill, it shall be delivered immediately to the second house.
    If within 15 calendar days after such delivery the second
    house by a record vote of three-fifths of the members elected
    passes the bill, it shall become law.
    (d) The Governor may reduce or veto any item of
    appropriations in a bill presented to him. Portions of a bill
    not reduced or vetoed shall become law. An item vetoed shall
    be returned to the house in which it originated and may
    become law in the same manner as a vetoed bill. An item
    reduced in amount shall be returned to the house in which it
    originated and may be restored to its original amount in the
    same manner as a vetoed bill except that the required record
    vote shall be a majority of the members elected to each
    house. If a reduced item is not so restored, it shall become
    law in the reduced amount.
    "
  • Rich Miller · 2 years ago
    s, that's why I highlighted the same thing that you pointed out. Not sure of your point here.
  • Rich Miller · 2 years ago
    Also, s, are you sure you're a reporter as you claimed to be the other day? Your IP address would seem to contradict your claim.
  • Huh? · 2 years ago
    Why is the assistant secretary of transportation talking about health care? Shouldn't he be an advocate for his own agency?

    I heard phelps talk last year at a convention, he should have stuck to gospel singing.
  • s · 2 years ago
    I was just providing the full reference for you, I wasn't making any other point.

    And you of all people would know that an IP shows where you are posting from, not who you work for.
  • Rich Miller · 2 years ago
    Right, but when it's an IP address for the state of Illinois, it makes me wonder, since there is no wireless router at the press room.
  • Herself · 2 years ago
    I don't understand why the Assistant Secretary of transportation is discussing health care. Since this is not in Phelp's line of work, did he put in a leave slip for the press conference? Was it during state time?
  • Chicago Cynic · 2 years ago
    While I generally think Rod has been a putz in how he has dealt with Madigan and the entire general assembly for that matter, this would seem the exception. I don't know which constitution Steve Brown has been reading as ours is pretty expicit without much room for interpretation. It's pretty clear it refers to appropriations.
  • VanillaMan · 2 years ago
    If Blagojevich is really counting days, someone should let him know it has been 103 days since he and the GA has let us down.

    Let him wait.
  • VanillaMan · 2 years ago
    Or how about US suing him?
  • Muskrat · 2 years ago
    Interesting... I think the Governor has a good arugment, based on the clear text and the constitutional convention record, that the clerk lacks discretion to hold off. But he may lose on the issue of effect -- the clerk's actions have no effect, because the agreed parts of the bill already became law, and the vetoed parts are not law. The fact that they might later be made into law by the leg is not really an issue-- all sorts of things might get made into laws at a future date. Letting the veto sit hardly causes any harm to any party -- no funds have their legal status made unclear. I can't wait to see the legal reply, but he could lose on that point alone.

    p.s. note he's asking that the veto be recorded as if it had been done on Sep. 14, which would mean the veto stands unless overridden by the 19th...and since the reply and judgment will take at least that long, there would be no chance for the hosue or senate to act (not that they would).
  • what.... · 2 years ago
    Maybe Singing Dave could just sing that Blago did it for the working man...
    sorry I get ill every time I think of Dave singing anything.
  • So Ill, who is now No Ill, but · 2 years ago
    I haven't been there in a month, but my recollection is that John Bradley has been invited to very, very few of the "Governor's" press conferences in the last few months/years. VERY few. As in, about the same number as Murphysboro representative Mike Bost (Republican).
  • AsAMom · 2 years ago
    As I read it... b) upon recess or adjournment... it shall be read upon the next meeting of the General Assembly.... It does not say the next meeting of the chamber of origin - To me, the term "General Assembly" implies both chambers.
  • IDOT peon · 2 years ago
    I'm with Huh? and Herself. Why is the Asst. Sec. of Transportation stumping for the political agenda of the Gov. rather than the needs of the Dept he supposedly represents. Would it be an inappropriate use of a state vehicle for him to attend this conference in his IDOT assigned vehicle? Think I could get away with it?
  • annon · 2 years ago
    Just in !! "Citizens of Illinois" in a class action effort sue Blago for failure to lead !! When in the hell is this going to end.....hoping before Jan. 2011.
  • Reddbyrd · 2 years ago
    Looks like Brown nailed Team GRod again
    If the 15 day gibberish applied the sections would have been labelled A(1), etc not A., B., etc..
    Each stands on its own. Wonder which judge gets to do the smackdown on this one?
  • Mr. W,T.Rush · 2 years ago
    Phelps was just trying to protect all the kinfolk spots on the payroll
  • Thunder 2 · 2 years ago
    I read the Southern Illinoisan Newspaper that stated David Phelps, assistant IDOT secretary, spoke against Rep Bradley and the programs that he requested funds for, happen to be Meals on Wheels that is a excellent program and is so much needed in Southern Illinois. David Phelps should be ashamed of himself for making statements against Rep Bradley and his programs. What is the deal with these Democrats bashing other Democrats? I don't know which party is worse....
  • Huh? · 2 years ago
    Regarding the comment from IDOT Peon, I think a FOIA request is in order for any leave requests and vehicle usage sheets for the singer. Abuse of state equipment and misappropration of state resources is/should be a punishable offence.

    Oh wait, I forgot, ASOT works for blago instead of IDOT.
  • Anonymous · 2 years ago
    FYI - IDOT has suspended answering FOIA's. I don't know how they can get away with it, but they have not answered any FOIA's for salary since the beginning of the summer. (Maybe, IDOT does not want to show all of the (huge) pay raises that only certain people were able to obtain.)
  • Long Term · 2 years ago
    If the Senate goes back next week (not sure if that is going to happen since the mass trans issue looks like it will be postponed)does this mean they will have to read all of the vetos of bills originated in their chamber into the journal and the 15 day clock starts ticking? I think there are at least 30 bills they would have to consider.