The Chicago Trib has a great site where you can view all the responding candidate’s questionnaire’s detailing their stance on the issues they will face in their particular races. Candidates from statewide offices as well as state rep races have responded.
Hundreds of candidates have responses to the Trib’s questions, but by no means all of them have done so. Take a look and see if the candidates in your district have done so, won’t you?
Check it out:
Editorial Board Questionnaire Responses
-By Warner Todd Huston
William Kelly is running for Illinois State Comptroller. We’ve highlighted him several times here and as long as he is in the news we will continue to do so. Sometimes, of course, the “news” is not all good. In fact, it looks like at least one person is passing around a compilation video showing Mr. Kelly over indulging some “adult beverages,” if you will, in his guise as TV sports show host.
The YouTube videos show Kelly really putting on the show and downing enough alcohol to float a battleship it seems. Let us assume he had someone to drive him home after the show that night! (We’re sure he did, of course)
As fun-loving, TV show host, of course, Kelly proves an interesting screen presence but his is certainly not the sort of behavior we are used to from our politicians. At some point I guess I’d rather see a guy in office that likes to have some fun once in a while than one that will end up in jail for corruption like so many of our less emotive sorts seem to end up.
And, one cannot do years of TV appearances without something coming back to haunt you, I’d suspect. My own writing has gotten me in trouble in the past, so I can relate — at least a little.
Still, I would be remiss in my reporting duties if I did not report the existence of these less than savory videos. So here are the two videos in question:
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It’s About Authenticity: Odd Video of William Kelly Surfaces”
-By Warner Todd Huston
I suppose I should report this story since this is an Illinois centric blog, but I have to say following the corruption of former Governor Rod Blagojevich is more like a chore than anything else.
Anyway, it seems like federal prosecutors are going to bring new indictments against Blago in order to “avoid issues connected to an appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court on the scope of the federal ‘honest services’ statute under which Blagojevich has been charged.”
In a filing today, prosecutors said they would handle the honest services question in the new filing against the former governor. The high court is expected to hear arguments tomorrow related to the limits of the federal statute.
Honest services fraud criminalizes schemes that deprive the public or the government of the right to have public officials perform their duties honestly.
My eyes are glazing over already. One is tempted to wonder if there is any such thing as “honest services” from any Illinois pol?
It seems that this will push any trial dates even further out into 2010.
Just another wrinkle in the Blago saga. And the whole thing just makes me tired.
-By Warner Todd Huston
One of our local Tea Party groups is sponsoring a candidate’s forum On Dec. 9th. I find it a bit telling that these folks invited the local Democrats to participate in the forum and they all declined, yet all the republicans accepted the invitation. So, uh, what are the Dems afraid of?
Here is the press release for the event:
Sponsored by Joliet Tea Party & Homer/Lockport Tea Party
Wednesday – Dec 9th 6:00 – 9:00 pm
The Holiday Inn (Louis Joliet Ballroom) 411 S. Larkin, Joliet IL.
The Joliet Tea Party & Homer/Lockport Tea Party are joining forces once again and holding a “Tea Party” Forum for the 11th US Congressional and US Senate Candidates. Tea Partiers have asked the candidates to “hear their voices” and they have responded. Congressional and Senate Candidates are coming to our area for a Town Hall /Forum to answer some important questions and meet the people. The event is free, with live music, tea party slide show, Candidate Forum, Meet & Greet the Candidates, Streaming Video Live on the Internet, Cash Bar, and Fellow Patriots.
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11th U.S. Congressional and U.S. Senate Candidate Forum “Tea Party Style””
-By Warner Todd Huston
The Denklefsen campaign is reporting that Tax Accountability, the political action arm of National Taxpayers United of Illinois, is endorsing Jeff Danklefsen in his effort to take the GOP nomination for the 14th District Congressional seat.
In making the endorsement, president Jim Tobin cited Jeff’s “exceptional desire to fight taxes and support economic growth.”
Founded in 1976, NTUI is the largest taxpayer protection organization in Illinois with more than 30,000 members and supporters. For more information, see www.ntui.org.
For more information of Jeff Danklefsen, see his campaign website.
-By Warner Todd Huston
Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady (R, Bloomington) announced at a campaign stop at the Willard Airport in Savoy, Illinois that he has the support of 14 out of 70 Republican members of the Legislature.
Brady is also calling for a 10 percent across the board cut in the state’s budget.
“I have called for a 10 percent cut across the board in every area of state government. We’ve got to rein in government spending.”
The 14 Legislators that have endorsed Brady are as follows:
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Brady Announces 14 GOP Legislators Endorsing Him for Governor”
-By Warner Todd Huston
A new FaceBook effort to rally conservative Illinoisans to the state’s electoral process was launched by several youngsters out of the Rockford area and they’ve decided to make a few endorsements for some of the statewide races coming up soon in the February primary. The group is calling itself “Illinois Conservatives” and can be found on FaceBook.
Here are their endorsements thus far:
The new group says in its mission statement that they are trying to support candidates for “the betterment of Illinois.”
The Illinois Conservatives Facebook group believes in conservative ideologies and supports political candidates who share in those beliefs for the betterment of the State of Illinois
I have to thank Tom Mannis of Chicago New Bench for alerting me to this group. On his site, Tom says of this effort, “Frankly, endorsements like the one from Illinois Conservatives means a lot more than those from the inbred, cloistered little Republican groups around the state.” I couldn’t agree more.
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New Illinois Conservative FaceBook Group Makes Endorsements”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Incumbent Kane County Recorder of Deeds Sandy Wegman has before claimed that she is a “team player” for the GOP. Her actions, however, make that out to be a lie. The last time Wegman tried to get out of her dead end clerk’s job was when she ran for Lt. Governor in 2006 despite that she had no party backing. In fact, her run then likely took votes away from State Senator Steve Rauschenberger who also ran for Lt. Governor that election, the only candidate that had a chance to beat Joe Birkett for the nod. (She got a measly 13% to Steve’s 30%)
A team player in 2006 would have dumped her own effort in order to back either Rauschenberger or States Attorney Joe Birkett the only two in the race with any party backing at all. Instead she stayed in causing the race to look uncompetitive.
Now we get another example of Wegman’s party averse opportunism, once again seemingly intended to hurt former Senator Steve Rauschenberger. She has inexplicably launched a late “write-in” bid for the State Senate seat of the 22nd District in opposition, once again, too a Rauschenberger candidacy.
Wegman’s cynical opportunism comes just as Rauschenberger faces an odd but vexing petition challenge forced upon him by the Democrat Party aimed at keeping him from appearing on the primary ballot as a Republican.
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Sandy Wegman: Team Player or Self-Interested Opportunist?”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Looks like Jim Purcell, a solid conservative, has decided not to run for the 14th District seat after all. That still leaves four Republicans in the race.
Still in:
Here is the Purcell press release:
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Purcell Says no to 14th District Run”
There has been some question on candidate Joe Walsh’s pro-life stance, so here is his “setting the record straight” message to try and settle the question:
You may have heard some rumor and innuendo over the past few days, writtennand spoken, trying to distort my position on the life issue. I would like to set the record straight.
For seven years, I have been pro-life without exception. I believe in the
sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. There is no
candidate in this race who is more pro-life than I am.
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8th District: Joe Walsh ‘Sets Record Straight’ On Pro-Life Issue”
Nothing to See Here, Folks…
The leaked e-mails of the Climategate scandal have been nothing short of stunning—except, of course, to the true believers in the White House. You can watch Obama’s press secretary Robert Gibbs in full denial mode by clicking the image above. Meanwhile, stay tuned for our newest report, set for release next week, which shows the direct consequences of cap and trade schemes for Illinois.
That Better Be Some Spicy Hot Sauce!
In 2008, Illinois state government spent $7,875 on “bird testing,” $20,692.24 on “subscriptions” for the Governor’s office, $3,770 for golf carts, $2,822 on hot sauce, and $280 on soy crayons – all funded by Illinois taxpayers.
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Illinois Policy Institute Update”
Several Illinois candidates have been signing no-tax pledges of late and 5th District candidate David Ratowitz is the latest. This from the campaign…
“Cap and Trade is a disaster that will sacrifice jobs and increase energy costs.”
CHICAGO – December 3, 2009 – U.S. House candidate David Ratowitz (IL-5) this week signed Americans for Prosperity’s “No Climate Tax Pledge, vowing to “oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.” He is one of only nine Illinois state or federal candidates to sign the pledge to date.
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5th District Race: David Ratowitz Signs AFP’s “No Climate Tax” Pledge”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Well, Illinois voter, say you go to the polls and you decide you don’t like any of the candidates for lt. governor or secretary of state but you are all fired up about your choice for governor. So, you just don’t want to vote for the ones you don’t like but you darn sure want to vote for the ones you DO like. Guess what? If certain authorities in Illinois have their way your vote won’t count at all. It’ll be flagged as an undervote, kicked out of the machine, and you’ll be urged to complete the ballot whether you want to or not.
As a result of Public Act 95-699, passed in 2007, a ballot that is fed into the voting machine that has any of the Constitutional offices left un-marked will be kicked out as an undervote. At this point the voter will be informed in front of everyone that they didn’t chose a candidate for all the major offices and will be informed that he should complete the ballot. In fact, the vote cannot even be counted unless the judge depresses a special button to allow the vote to go through with an undervote.
Critics say that these hoops that must be jumped through denies the voter the right not to vote for whatever office they don’t want to vote for. Further, it sets up the situation where voters can be strong armed by unscrupulous election judges into voting for candidates for whom they do not really want to vote. It sets up the possibility that the voter can be intimidated into going back to the booth and continue voting when they really don’t want to. Just imagine, for instance, the intimidation and control a connected Chicago election judge will likely impose on voters unsure of their rights.
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Is Your Right Not to Vote Endangered in Illinois?”
The newest McKenna for Governor ad takes Governor Quinn to task for an over $11 billion deficit, one that is growing at “$30 million a day.”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Last month Cook County Commissioner Timothy O. Schneider (R, western suburbs) co-sponsored a budget amendment to axe the Cook County Film Commission from fiscal year 2010.
Quoth Schneider, “The creation of the Cook County Film Commission stands as a prime example of government spending run amok.”
The Film Commission is budgeted at $251,611 for 2010. Schneiber pointed out that there is already a Chicago Film Commission as well as an Illinois Film Commission, s the existence of a Cook County version is unnecessary redundancy.
Earlier in the year, Schneider sponsored and saw passed a campaign finance bill that lowered the personal political contribution allowance from $1,500 to $750 per person for those that have done business with the county, including registered lobbyists.
“This legislation can begin the process of restoring confidence and ensuring that influence peddling is eradicated from Cook County,” Schneider said in his recent newsletter.
-By Warner Todd Huston
Cal Skinner of the McHenry County Blog has reported his shock that the County Board has voted down video gambling by a 13 to 10 (with one abstention) victory.
Skinner reports that all ten Republicans voted for the ban and three Democrats crossed the aisle to join them.
This is good news for McHenry County.
Video gambling was passed by the State Legislature to raise needed revenue, but the bill included an opt out clause where each county board can decide if they want to allow gambling or not.
Skinner has the complete roll call if you are interested in seeing who voted what way in his blog report on this issue.
For more information on what towns, villages, and counties in Illinois that have already put a ban on video gambling, see the Illinois Church Action website.
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McHenry County County Votes Down Video Gambling”
8th District Congressional candidate Joe Walsh has signed the AFP no tax pledge…
CHICAGO-The Illinois chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) today applauded U.S. House candidate Joe Walsh (8th District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Walsh joins over 285 lawmakers and candidates on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.”
“The one thing elected officials should all be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-IL State Director Joe Calomino. “We encourage all of Illinois’ elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign.”
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Americans for Prosperity: U.S. House Candidate Joe Walsh Signs No Climate Tax Pledge”
From the Isaac Hayes campaign:
CHICAGO – December 1, 2009: The following statement was released today by Rev. Isaac C. Hayes, the GOP nominee for Congress in IL-2, and opponent of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) regarding President Obama’s announcement to send 30,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan:
“President Obama’s decision to send 30,000 additional troops into the theatre of Afghanistan is a good step in the right direction” said Hayes. “His decision to not cut-and-run despite opposition to the buildup by members of his own party is commendable. However, I am disappointed that he has chosen not to deploy the minimum number of troops requested by General McCrystal of 40,000. As Congress debates funding for the troop buildup, it is important that the Republican Party work to ensure our soldiers have the best chance of success by heeding the firsthand assessment of Gen. McCrystal.”
For more information, go to:http://www.isaac4honesty.com.
From the Joe Walsh campaign:
8th District GOP Congressional Candidate Supports More Troops
Lake Zurich, IL – Joe Walsh, Republican candidate for the GOP nomination for the 8th District Congressional seat currently held by Rep. Melissa Bean has issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s speech on Afghanistan policy tonight:
According to Mr. Walsh:
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8th District: Joe Walsh Pans Obama’s Afghanistan Policy Speech”
-By Warner Todd Huston
On the Ryan FaceBook page the claim was recently made that Jim Ryan was endorsed by the Illinois State Rifle Association’s political action arm for his 2002 race against Rod Blagojevich for governor. Au contraire, says the ISRA-PVF. They didn’t endorse anyone in 2002, they say.
The ISRA-PVF issued a news release to correct the record:
ISRA-PVF Calls Upon Illinois Gubernatorial Candidate Jim Ryan to Retract Endorsement Claims
CHICAGO, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following was released today by the ISRA Political Victory Fund (ISRA-PVF):
The ISRA-PVF is today calling upon Illinois gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan to retract claims that he received the group’s endorsement during his failed 2002 run for governor against Rod Blagojevich. Such misleading claims have surfaced on Ryan’s social networking internet sites in recent days. Additionally, individuals have made reports to the ISRA-PVF that Ryan campaign staffers have made similar endorsement claims when questioned about Ryan’s stands on issues important to law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.
The fact of the matter is, the ISRA-PVF declined to make an endorsement in the 2002 race for Illinois governor as neither the Republican candidate, Jim Ryan, nor his Democratic opponent, Rod Blagojevich, were deemed suitable for endorsement.
Ill. Rifle Assoc.: Oh, No We Didn’t Endorse Jim Ryan in 2002″
From the Plummer for Lt. Guv campaign (and yes, I want to stress that HIS release spelled Lieutenant wrong several times)…
If you think the office of Illinois Leiutenant Governor doesn’t matter — just wait until now-Governor Pat Quinn passes his massive income tax hike.
For seven years, Pat Quinn played loyal second fiddle to Rod Blagojevich — remaining silent while Rod plundered the state and destroyed our economy.
As governor, Pat Quinn has continued the Blagojevich legacy — padding the state budget to pay off political special interests at our expense.
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Lt. Guv Candidate Jason Plummer: Still think the Illinois Lt. Governor doesn’t matter?”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Here is a really fascinating series of tweets from Commissioner Tony Peraica as he participated in the latest Cook County Board meeting. Today (Dec. 1) Board President Todd Stroger tried to cajole the board into upholding his veto of the roll back of his implementation of the highest tax rate in the country. Peraica is against the tax and since the State Legislature ended the four-fifths rule, lowering it to three-fifths to overturn the president’s veto, the fight was on.
Anyway, here are the tweets that Peraica posted during the debate and they are a fascinating peak inside a board meeting during this important vote. Luckily, the final outcome is victory for the tax roll back. It’s only a roll back of half a penny, but it is a start and it is the first time a board president’s veto has been rolled back in anyone’s memory.
Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica Tweets The Veto Session (Tax Roll Back Succeeds)”
-By Warner Todd Huston
John Bambeneck is making headway with his Put Back Amendment and recently appeared on WCIA 3 News.
CHAMPAIGN–John Bambeneck says the state capitol is hopelessly broken. He says we send 177 legislators to Springfield, but power is only vested in the four leaders at the top. That’s why he’s proposing a package of reforms and calling on citizens to back him up. There’s a running list of petitions on his website called “The Putback Amendment.” He wants more transparent government. That means 7-day public viewing of all legislation before lawmakers vote. Plus he’s setting out to do away with a centralization of power. No more house and senate: Just one chamber. And no more than eight years in office. “They stagnate,” he said of lawmakers who’ve held the same post year after year after year. “They stop solving problems and start having more of a factory mindset.” “It’s not healthy from an organizational prospective to have the same person doing the same thing for decades on end,” he added.
Bambeneck references the Speaker of the House who’s held his post for almost 30 years. He says there’s a reason why we’ve term-limited positions like the presidency.
Representative Bill Black appreciates voters coming up with ideas for change. He says what Illinois has gone through is depressing. We have one governor in prison and possibly one on the way, but he says it isn’t the House of Representatives that got our state into trouble. In fact, it’s the House that brought about Blagojevich’s impeachment.
In a small TV ad buy, Kirk Dillard will soon unleash a new ad and this one features former GOP Governor Jim Edgar telling us that Dillard is “that person” to lead this state to “solve our budget problems.”
Is it the Chicago dirty tricks squad at work? From the Garrido campaign…
SCHILLER PARK – John Garrido addressed rumors being circulated among Republican circles that he’s a Democrat “plant”. He issued the following statement:
Attempts to try and make me look like a Democrat based on my primary voting record are laughable. I am a Republican, have always been a Republican, and will always remain a Republican.
I have voted in two Democratic primaries. In 2008, I joined over 100,000 Republicans in Ohio, 119,000 in Texas, and 38,000 in Mississippi who voted for Hillary Clinton to put Republicans in the best position to win in the general election. I also voted for an Assistant State’s Attorney and friend running as a Democrat who was more than qualified for judge.
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Cook County Board President Race: John Garrido Responds to Claims He’s a Dem. Plant”
From the Stufflebeam campaign…
We had a great time in Alton yesterday (Saturday, November 28) and I am really proud of the organizers of this tea party that had a focus on the youth. You can read the Alton Telegraphs report below.
I had the opportunity to speak, not as a candidate, but as a “Constitutionalist.” I opened my speech with this phrase, “In just a little over three years from now, we will be celebrating the 100th year anniversary of the day that tyranny got it’s foothold here in America.” On February 3, 1913 the 16th Amendment (Known to most people as the “Income Tax Amendment”) was declared to have been ratified. Then on April 8, 1913, the 17th Amendment was declared to have been ratified. Interestingly, in October of the same year, the Federal Reserve Act was ratified. Can you connect the dots?
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Constitution Party: Randall Stufflebeam for Ill. Governor”
-By Warner Todd Huston
John Kass, he of the rail against “the combine,” has another column reminding us of why the Illinois GOP has become the laughing stalk of the GOP nation wide. It’s because up until this very day, the Illinois Republican Party has been but a weaker arm of the Illinois Democrat Party. Too many in the state GOP have been so intertwined with the criminal Democrats that they are indistinguishable one from the other, hence why Kass calls them “the combine.”
Kass reminded us of how the Illinois GOP establishment under past Party Chair Andy McKenna worked hand in glove with the corrupt Democrats. As Kass interviewed Jim Ryan, GOP candidate for Governor, he detailed just some of combine’s nefarious actions in 2006 when Ryan faced now indicted ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich.
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Chgo Trib: Remembering Why the ILl. GOP Backed Blago”
On Nov. 12th, WTTW 11, Chicago’s PBS station, did a roundtable segment about Illinois’ C minus grade on managing its money. The panel featured Sheila Weinberg of The Institute for Truth in Accounting, and Illinois non-profit think tank that we’ve discussed here many times.
This is a warning that Illinois has a budget disaster that will sink it unless addressed, and soon.
(cross posted at RedCounty.com)
-By Warner Todd Huston
Of the Republicans running for the 10th District seat, Bob Dold is one of four, the others being Beth Coulson (the party favorite), Bill Cadigan (endorsed by former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger), and Dick Green.
Dold recently participated in a short phone conversation with Jeff Berkowitz of the Public Affairs Show the upshot of which seems to show that Dold supports the Bush/Obama bank bailouts.
Dold told Berkowitz that he thinks government needs the “ability to make sure that we’re stabilizing the banks.” Now, a conservative would far more likely say that no bank or business is “too big to fail” and that the only way to truly stabilize the banking system is to let banks that make bad choices suffer the consequences of their choices, not buoy them up and give them free money from the taxpayers so that they are insulated from those bad choices.
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-By Warner Todd Huston
Republican Representative Jim Sacia represents the 89th District (Map) which encompasses the most north western corner of the state including the cities of Galena and Freeport. Galenas is General Grant’s old stomping grounds and Freeport is the home of one of President Lincoln’s famous debate stops with Senator Douglas.
With Galena and Freeport, Sacia’s District is home of cities that were touched by two of the state’s most famous self-made men, Lincoln and Hiram Ulysses Grant — his real name was never Sam. Yet, representative Sacia is doing his level best to safeguard the privilege of Party bigwigs and prevent the people from having a say by being an opponent of SB600.
SB600 would return the Republican party system to the people and allow the voters to chose its party leaders by vote, just as the Democrats already do. I say return because it used to be that Illinois’ Republican voters were allowed the opportunity to chose their party leaders. But this system was changed by the state legislature to a system whereby party committeemen, not voters, decide who becomes the party leaders. In other words, it is a system of pure powerbrokering as opposed to one of democratic balloting.
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Rep. Sacia Guarding Party Chief Privilege Since 2003″