DISQUS

CapitolFax.com: The stone wall

  • He Makes Ryan look like a sain · 3 years ago
    Rich, Everyone knows that he will wait on all these until AFTER the election when it doesn't matter. The interesting thing is I talk to people all over the state and can't find ANYONE that is going to vote for this guy, yet he is up in the polls. I just shake my head.
  • VanillaMan · 3 years ago
    This race is too wacked to be polled correctly.
  • Wumpus Diva · 3 years ago
    What Stewie needs to do is follow the Blago campaign against Jim Ryan to a tee. They blamed JR, rightfully or not, for not investigating GR. Stewie needs to do the same to Madigan. She has done nothing on the gov, Cook County Board or Chicago City hall. The only thing she has said about the gov was the elasing/sale of the THompson center. He also needs to get adopted by a powerful politician, perhaps Obama.
  • Publius · 3 years ago
    The Attorney General is right, the Gov's counsel is wrong. He seizes on a federal appeals court decision arising out of Virginia to argue that CMS cannot lawfully follow its own administrative rule that makes these records public information. The federal appellate case concerned federal FOIA law, not this state's FOIA law or the CMS rule. To get around that problem, he argues that because the Illinois FOIA law is "based" on the federal law, the appellate case governs. That is only half true. Yes the Illinois FOIA is modeled on the federal FOIA law, but that does not make federal decisions interpreting the federal law controlling. To compound the wrongheadedness of his position, CMS says that future lists will be released because they will include a notice to applicants of the potential for release. Such a notice adds nothing new because the current, legally-adopted administrative rule gives notice to the world that these lists are public. No further notice is needed. This is nothing more than legal stonewalling by the Gov's counsel for political reasons, and an affront to the role of Attorney General as the state's legal officer.
  • Yvette · 3 years ago
    It doesn't matter. The only reason the gov's counsel is stoewalling is to wait until the election.

    Once the election is over, not only will no one care -- but most of this (unfortunately) will be forgotten. And then Blagojevich will be calling everybody drunken sailors again.
  • Publius · 3 years ago
    Sad but true Yvette. Still, I hope not. But they are naked and it needs to be said over and over if only to keep the hope of integrity alive in Illinois.
  • Yvette · 3 years ago
    BTW -- whatever happened to the hate crimes commission? Is the Nation of Islam person still on it?

    Last I heard everybody was in secret diversity consultations. Am I naive to think that these consultations are still going on?

    Or did, ahem, Blagojevich sorta push this to the back burner and hopes everybody forgot?

    I didn't forget. I still want to know why a Nation of Islam member is still a part of the committee.
  • Guy Fawkes · 3 years ago
    Memo to: Tim Martin & Brian McPartlin
    The Illinois Tollway's and I.D.O.T.'s hiring records from the last 3 years 9 months should be made public immediately! Compare the hires to the qualifications and salaries. It's enough to make you physically sick.
    This will not be over after the election!
  • CrunchyCon · 3 years ago
    Rich,
    I agree, I have been waiting for a formal opinion on the subpoena issue along with parental notification and a few other LEGAL issues piling up in the AG's inbox.

    In addition, I have not seen where any of the MSM have asked Umholtz about his opinion on the subpoena issue. They have asked him about corruption, parental notification, utility rates, etc.

    Maybe you could ask Umholtz?

    As for corruption, Umholtz's platform...tough on corruption...is backed up by action and results.

    As for his opponent, I wanted to know what she has done, so I went to the AG's website and searched "corruption".

    A trip to Poland doesn't count in my book.
  • Publius · 3 years ago
    Speaking of I.D.O.T., why is that agency getting a pass on its internal failure to make sure that the i's were dotted and the t's were all crossed on the AMTRAK deal to run more trains downstate? They are getting away with letting the blame be placed on the railroad by AMTRAK. But I.D.O.T. should have made sure everyone was on board before they said the trains would be leaving the stations! Could it be that they have placed incompetents in charge? Pardon the pun.
  • chinman · 3 years ago
    bashing tim martin and his loser staff is fun. everybody give it a try it feels good.
  • Illegal Cargo · 3 years ago
    Attorney General Lisa Madigan needs to step things up with regard to Blago and his goons.
    If the tables were turned Blago would sell you out in a heartbeat.
    Time to dump Emperor Blagojevich!
  • Illinois Tollway Insider · 3 years ago
    Would "Rod’s Shakedown Shuttle" have anything to do with selling Illinois Tollway bonds when they doubled the toll rates 2 years ago?
    Who got rich off those deals?
  • Citizen A · 3 years ago
    Interesting - Corruption is why Blago got elected and why he will be defeated. Live by the sword, Die by the sword. Or in this case the corrupt payoffs.
  • Cassandra · 3 years ago
    Looks like the 2010 Democratic primary fights have already begun.

    First on Lisa's list, get Blago off the field so she can concentrate on the Alexi threat.
  • Rex · 3 years ago
    Lisa needs to pay a little visit to CMS and retrieve the list. The rules are the rules. The taxpayers have a right to know.

    I am a Republican, however, I voted for Lisa Madigan. I feel she has done a good job, is very fair and plays by the rules. If she doesn't make an attempt to have CMS hand over the list, it will destroy her credibility with many.
  • anon · 3 years ago
    Blago says he will not comply with the rules. Imagine that!

    This guy has absolutely no regards to the law, the constitution or the legislative process.
  • state worker A · 3 years ago
    I agree with Guy Fawkes 11:09. It would be VERY interesting to see the other candidates qualifications compared to the people that actually got the job. We had one case at IDOT where an ET I position was posted. First of all, it was very limited, only a ‘select’ few were suppose to know about the opening. A former co-op applied for the position (guy A - he was well liked, polite, had the education and had received an excellent evaluation) along with another person (guy B). Well guess who got the position – guy B. Within a few days, guy B was bragging about how he and the administration manager (the person who did the interviewing and hiring) is a ‘good friend of the family’. Guy B, had no previous experience or education and as it turns out is completely useless. He comes in late, takes excessive smoking breaks and reads the papers and magazines all day and then leaves early. However, he made the statement that he was eager to learn the position but can’t seem to retain any thing that is taught to him for more than a week.
  • state worker A · 3 years ago
    The Governor should be required to release any information regarding federal subpoenas that is connected with his office/administration. That is a public office. If you have nothing to hide and you are completely innocent then come clean. The image that I get from this is that he is trying to hide something that was done illegally. From his previous actions, I get the feeling that he has no regard for the law and that rules are made to be broken. If he can do the crime, he needs to do the time.
  • disappointed supporter · 3 years ago
    The Governor should be required to release any information regarding federal subpoenas that is connected with his office/administration. That is a public office. If you have nothing to hide and you are completely innocent then come clean. The image that I get from this is that he is trying to hide something that was done illegally. From his previous actions, I get the feeling that he has no regard for the law and that rules are made to be broken. If he can do the crime, he needs to do the time.
  • Six Degrees of Separation · 3 years ago
    This guy has absolutely no regards to the law, the constitution or the legislative process.

    Well, sometimes we are forced to live in a democracy.
  • PatriotUSA · 3 years ago
    An outstanding factor in all of the accusations of wrong-doing by the Gov. is the fact that Z. Scott, Executive Inspector General, her Deputy Inspector General and her Chief Financial Officer all quit and left the Office of Executive Inspector General when the truth came out that wrongs by the Gov's office had been committed. Somewhere down the pike, these folks will enter into the Feds investigation and the truth will be like a spear into the target painted on Rod's chest. Also, shoved way back into the fog is the fact that the Gov. terminated an existing contract with IPAM (contracted to blueprint, document, graph, and coordinate the State of Illinois building and facilities consolidation into a single entity). IPAM was sued by the State, counter-sued and the IPAM data is in limbo with the State Facilities (under CMS) in disarray. The buildings and facilities are crumbling (just ask any State worker) and are becoming dangerous to enter in some cases. There are not enough building and facility staff to care for all of the State properties but nobody seems to care, especially the Gov. Oh well, the entire infrastructure of Illinois is in jeopardy due to this administration but nobody seems to really care enough to correct the problems. Maybe next time.
  • Little Egypt · 3 years ago
    Lisa Madigan should take the State Police with her to CMS and confiscate files, much like the FBI does when it raids offices. Oh what a Kodak moment that would be.
  • Citizen A · 3 years ago
    Judy cares, hang in there, Help is on the way.
  • TICK TICK TICK · 3 years ago
    SLEEP WELL EMPEROR!
  • Lovie's Leather · 3 years ago
    Prepare for the funniest joke ever....

    Lisa Madigan going after Blagojevich backfires. Democrats decide to stay with Blago, reelecting him... but they turn on Lisa and vote for Umholtz, who is elected as Attorney General....

    I know, I know... it would be much funnier if I were serious!!!
  • In the Sticks · 3 years ago
    PatriotUSA: State of Illinois infrastructure is indeed crumbling - there are leaking roofs all over the place. Just take a look at the Old State Capitol and Lincoln's Tomb. That is just the tip of the iceberg. There has been no paving on any state property not paid for by IDOT for at least 4 or 5 years. Lots of roads and parking lots are evolving into gravel.