GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - August 24, 2007
- Whether Hastert will finish out his term
- Crystal Lake hotel cancels Illinois Minuteman Project's weekend meeting
- Governor signs budget with vetoes, leaving state in limbo once again
- Birkett questions Republican candidate for Cook Co State's Attorney, praises the Dem
COURIER NEWS
-- Is Hastert going to finish out his term? - Andre Salles
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/524747,3_1_EL24_A1HASTERT_S1.article
(THE ARTICLE: A week ago, U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert announced that he would not run for a 12th term in office. But now some are questioning whether Hastert will even finish out his 11th term. This week's Evans-Novak Report, posted online at www.humanevents.com, referenced "an Illinois Republican source" as saying Hastert plans to resign Nov. 6. That action would trigger a special election whose date would be decided by Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The special general election would have to be no more than 120 days from the date of the vacancy, according to state law. That would mean that instead of holding a primary election in February and a general election in November, as scheduled, both of those elections would need to be held by March 8, 2008. Hastert's local press secretary, Lulu Blacksmith, said she did not know where Robert Novak and Timothy Carney, writers of the Evans-Novak Report, were getting their information. But she did not directly deny the report, saying that Hastert has not made a firm decision on when he will end his term in office. "The congressman would like to serve the rest of his term, if he feels he can be an effective member of Congress," she said. She elaborated by saying that Hastert has a number of ideas for new legislation, including plans for a new energy policy, but if he finds it difficult to compromise with the majority party Democrats in passing those new bills, "that will make him not want to keep serving." A special election would mean a shorter campaign season, which some strategists have said would benefit those with better name recognition and bigger bank accounts.)
-- OUTRAGEOUS: Hotel cancels Ill. Minuteman Project meeting - Ben Lefebvre
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/522866,3_1_EL23_A1CONFERENCE_S1.article
(THE ARTICLE: CRYSTAL LAKE -- The Crystal Lake Holiday Inn has canceled its rental contract with the Illinois Minuteman Project, citing concerns about security costs for a conference scheduled for Saturday by the anti-illegal-immigrant group. Minuteman director Rosanna Pulido said she received an e-mailed letter Tuesday from the hotel's legal representatives stating several reasons why it would not honor an agreement with the organization for a conference room rental. Among them was that the Crystal Lake Police Department would charge the hotel as much as $3,500 to provide security at the event, she said. "That's because a bunch of groups are protesting," Pulido said, referring to several immigrant rights organizations from Kane and McHenry counties that plan to demonstrate outside the hotel. The illegal immigration debate has drawn large crowds to the area before. Carpentersville and Waukegan have seen crowds of about 3,000 people during the past year protesting measures seen as targeting the immigrant and Hispanic communities. Crystal Lake Police Chief Dave Linder said the department charges organizers of any event that demands work "above and beyond" normal police duty, including parades and downtown fairs. "The Holiday Inn booked this event and we were then notified, personally and through the media, that several groups would protest the event," he said. "If any event is going to require police presence to ensure the safety of everyone involved, we're going to charge for that." Pulido said she was working to find another venue for the estimated 100 people who bought tickets to hear Allen County, Ohio, Sheriff Daniel Beck speak about his department's handling of illegal immigration issues. "We are looking for any individual in Crystal Lake who has a building, a hall, a garage, cornfield, anything," she said. "We'll take it." Although the Illinois Minuteman Project may make a change of venue, protesters said nothing's changed with their plans. "We're still going to be there," said Adam Ruiz, a Carpentersville Community Alliance member who helped organize the counter demonstration. "We have the permits from the village and we're still going to have a rally for immigration rights and immigration reform. We just want to voice our opinion peacefully and say there's two views on this.")
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- Gov takes ax to budget Funds to fight HIV, Alzheimer's sliced from $59 billion plan - Dave McKinney and Chris Fusco
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/524652,CST-NWS-leg24.article
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Left intact were projects sought by Republican and Democratic members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a little-known legislative panel that could decide whether the governor gets to expand health care. Many observers interpreted the move by the governor as a bid to buy votes from long-standing Senate Republican and House Democratic critics who sit on the panel. "It's an attempt to . . . curry favor with certain members, but that's just not going to happen," said Sen. Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac), who sits on the commission.)
DAILY HERALD
-- Projects facing the ax in state budget - John Patterson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=24118&src=5
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Ironically, dozens of projects requested by House Republicans ranging from solar-powered speed limit signs to a high school soccer field were spared in Thursday's budget cutting even as the governor eliminated funding for classroom construction for a Schaumburg-area preschool program for at-risk children. In some cases, money requested by Senate Republicans was cut while House Republican funding was approved, even though it was for the same project. For instance, Blagojevich cut $200,000 destined for the Wayne Township Road District to help pay for replacing a bridge on St. Charles Road. But at the same time he OK'd an identical $200,000 grant for the same project. The grants were not duplicates. Rather it was an effort on behalf of two area lawmakers to try to get the $400,000 needed for the project. The exact same situation occurred with funding for work on a Schick Road bridge. One $200,000 grant was approved, the other vetoed. "This doesn't make sense," said state Sen. John Millner, a Carol Stream Republican, whose portion of the funding was vetoed while state Rep. Randy Ramey, also a Carol Stream Republican, had his share approved. "It's a curious deletion.")
-- Reflections on Hastert as he starts to exit political stage - Eric Krol
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=23878
(FROM THE ARTICLE: If you're a Republican, odds are that you liked Hastert. With one caveat: if you're a conservative, you probably didn't like the high-spending, pork-laden budgets Hastert assented to as a way to get them through Congress. If you're a Democrat, odds are you disliked Hastert, but not with the vitriol you reserved for President Bush. Hastert carried Bush's water, true, but he wasn't the captain driving the ship. Hastert's loss of power represented a definite loss of clout for Illinois, and for the suburbs specifically. Illinois as a whole still has Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, who's No. 2 in his chamber's leadership, and Chicago has Democratic Rep. Rahm Emanuel.)
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Governor picks and chooses Blagojevich slashes $463 million, cuts foes' pet projects - Ray Long, Jeffrey Meitrodt,Mickey Ciokajlo, and Monique Garcia
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-legis24aug24,0,5671912.story
(FROM THE ARTICLE: House Republicans led by Tom Cross of Oswego kept most of the $50 million in initiatives for their districts. The gambit underscored Blagojevich's desire to try to sway Republicans into blocking attempts at overriding his vetoes in the House. Though Senate Republicans saw most of their projects eliminated, the Blagojevich administration hopes it doesn't need their help on the budget because Jones has vowed to kill overrides of the governor's vetoes.)
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Birkett questions Republican Peraica's qualifications, praises Democrat Milan
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2007/08/birkett-weighs-.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Birkett weighs in . . . One of the many Democrats interested in succeeding retiring Cook County State’s Atty. Richard Devine next year got a boost Thursday from across party and county lines. DuPage County State’s Atty. Joe Birkett, who last November was the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, the No. 2 spot on the statewide ballot, attended a rally where he heaped praise on Devine’s top assistant, Bob Milan. Birkett, who also made a failed run for Illinois attorney general in 2002, said the state’s attorney’s office should not be used as a political stepping stone, emphasizing that its leader must first be a prosecutor and not a politician. “He came up through the ranks. At every position Bob has demonstrated skill and leadership,” Birkett told the large crowd gathered at the Fraternal Order of Police on Chicago’s Near West Side. Afterward, Birkett said in an interview that he was not making a “formal political endorsement.” “I’m here as a friend,” said Birkett, noting he’s known Milan for most of Milan’s career in the state’s attorney’s office. Birkett added, “The message has got to be sent: no matter who the candidate is, that the office of the prosecutor is too important to have it just filled as a political stepping stone to higher office. It’s not a place for a politician. It’s a place for a prosecutor who understands and has a deep appreciation of the power of the indictment.” So far only one Republican, Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, who does not have a background as a prosecutor, has announced his intention to run for the office. Asked if he was saying Peraica was not up to the task of being state’s attorney, Birkett said: “I don’t know that Tony ever practiced, you know, was ever a prosecutor. It’s an awesome responsibility. I’m not going to take a position [on] something that may or may not come. I’m here as a friend to Bob.”)
BEACON NEWS
-- Blagojevich's $463 million veto - Christine Moyer
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/524712,2_1_AU24_VETO_S1.article
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Among the local legislators who knew their projects' outcomes were State Sen. Chris Lauzen, R-Aurora, and State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora. Both said that all of their projects were vetoed by the Democratic governor. Faring better was State Rep. Tom Cross. Cross' spokesman David Dring said "a majority" of the projects the Oswego Republican made a priority "look to have remained in this budget." State Rep. Robert Pritchard, R-Hinckley, said he was informed by his staff that his projects were not cut. But Pritchard said staff were still analyzing the budget. Chapa LaVia called the new budget an example of how the governor "chose to put politics in front of people." Lauzen insisted that "the governor should be ashamed of himself." "It's brutal politics," he said. "Brutal and self-serving politics at its very worst." . . . "He says he wants health care, but he cuts money to hospitals. He says he's for our kids and he cuts to the schools," Lauzen said.)
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Gov signs budget, vetoes $463 million - AP
http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=26124&seenIt=1
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- Governor carves up budget - Adriana Colindres and Dana Heupel
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/082407/REG_BE5KFPFL.045.php
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, also questioned whether some of Blagojevich's budget cuts were politically motivated. "My understanding is there were only certain members (of the Legislature) that had their line items retained in the budget," Rutherford said, noting that he is one of them. He said the budget as Blagojevich rewrote it included the add-on projects of just six members of the Senate Republican and House Democratic caucuses. "I'm not so sure that it is coincidental" that those six are also members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, said Rutherford, a member of the panel.)
BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- Blagojevich stings Democrats with budget cuts - Kurt Erickson and Mike Riopell
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/08/23/news/doc46ce1ac9acab9109504603.txt
SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN
-- Blagojevich cuts budget, saves pay hikes for lawmakers - Kurt Erickson and Mike Riopell
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2007/08/23/top/21273152.txt
COURIER-JOURNAL
-- Midwest GOP conference opens Friday, August 24, in Indianapolis
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070823/NEWS02/70823030
(THE ARTICLE: INDIANAPOLIS — Two Republican presidential hopefuls will join actor Fred Thompson — who is expected to jump into the race as well — at a GOP conference this weekend in Indianapolis. At least 500 Republican activists from 12 states are expected at the three-day Midwest Republican Leadership Conference that begins (Friday, August 24). They’ll hear from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at a luncheon tomorrow, and then from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at a dinner at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway tomorrow night. On Saturday, Thompson will be the dinner speaker. “Bringing three presidential candidates in is very exciting,’ said Indiana Republican Chairman Murray Clark. “It indicates how important a lot of people think the midwestern region is in choosing the next president.” The midwestern region includes several presidential swing states, such as Ohio and Missouri, and other states with significant electoral votes, including Michigan and Illinois. The region also has early primary states, including Iowa. More information about the conference is available at www.midwestrepublicans.org.)
-- GOP hopefuls expected in Indy Presidential contenders court Midwest activists - Lesley Stedman Weidenbener
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070823/NEWS02/70823060
ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- Giuliani Announces Illinois Team - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2007/08/giuliani-announ.html
WASHINGTON BLADE
-- Clinton trounces rivals in survey of gay donors Small group of activists, celebrities contributing early in presidential race
http://www.washblade.com/2007/8-24/news/national/11102.cfm
(FROM THE ARTICLE: An informal Washington Blade survey of gay and lesbian activists and celebrities who have made contributions to candidates running for president in 2008 shows that Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York received the lion’s share of their money. Among a sample of 35 gay contributors, including gay movie director Bryan Singer, Clinton received contributions from 18 of them, totaling $50,750. Coming in a distant second behind Clinton was Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, who received contributions from six of the gay activists or celebrities totaling $10,300. Republican Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, came in third, with $9,400 from four donors. . . . Gay Republican activist Carl Schmid of Washington, who has given $2,550 to the Giuliani campaign, said most gay Republican activists appear to be lining up behind Giuliani. Schmid noted that Giuliani has the strongest record of support on gay issues among the major GOP presidential contenders.)
CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS
-- John Cox: Hardest Working Presidential Candidate You've Never Heard Of - Beth LaMontagne
http://campaignsandelections.com/NH/articles/?ID=553
WASHINGTON POST
-- Bush hit over jobs for illegal workers - Stephen Dinan
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070823/NATION/108230096/1001
(FROM THE ARTICLE: If President Bush is serious about getting tough on U.S. employers who hire illegal aliens, he can start with his own administration, which employs thousands of unauthorized workers, says the top Republican on the House immigration subcommittee. A 2006 audit showed federal, state and local governments are among the biggest employers of the half-million persons in the U.S. illegally using "non-work" Social Security numbers — numbers issued legally, but with specific instructions that the holders are not authorized to work in the U.S. "Let's clean up our own house, let's especially clean up the federal employment of all those working for the federal government," said Rep. Steve King, Iowa Republican and ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee.)
ABC
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Green Liberals Buffalo Evangelicals
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/GlobalWarming/story?id=3511781&page=1
