July 25, 2007
'BERRIOS IS NEW CHAMPION OF NW SIDE FUNDRAISERS
Cook County Board of Review (BOR) Commissioner Joe Berrios has emerged as the Bionic (and Hispanic) Man of Chicago politics: He raised $651,379 in the past 18 months, and has over $1.6 million cash-on-hand in his campaign accounts, of which $1.3 million is invested. Berrios, the new Democratic county chairman, is the Northwest Side 31st Ward Democratic committeeman. At the BOR, Berrios has major input into reducing property tax assessments, and those applicants are more then generous in donating to Berrios. Falling into second place in the fundraising sweepstakes is 36th Ward Alderman Bill Banks, chairman of the council's zoning committee. Banks and his ally, St. Sen. Jim DeLeo (D-10), raised $1,181,353 in the past 18 months, and had cash-on-hand of $1.4 million. By comparison, House Speaker Mike Madigan raised $2.2 million, John Daley $514,000, and the 19th Ward $687,000. Most other Northwest Side Democratic organizations were pygmies, although a few raised hefty sums for their aldermanic campaigns. Fixtures like Dick Mell had $307,610 cash-on-hand, Ralph Capparelli $293,056 (even after paying himself $418,592), Pat O'Connor $264,332, and Tom Allen $216,905. Check all fundraising at this website's 2006-07 FUNDRAISING CHART. Full Article...
July 18, 2007
POTENTIAL FOES MONITOR STROGER'S "CREDIBILITY"
Concerning newly-elected Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, there is absolutely, positively no doubt about the following: First, Stroger would not have been selected as his dad's replacement nor elected in 2006 had he disclosed his diagnosis of prostate cancer. Second, when Todd runs for re-election in 2010, the over-riding issue will be his credibility -- namely: has he kept his promise not to raise taxes, and whether any reforms were implemented in county hiring, which is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney. And third, there will be a horde of contenders aspiring to his job -- including Democratic county commissioners Forrest Claypool, Mike Quigley and Larry Suffredin, and Republican commissioners Tony Peraica and Liz Gorman. The county's $3 billion 2007 budget, with a 17% across-the-board slash of every county office, passed 13-4, with 1,700 jobs cut. Critics claimed that "front line jobs" were axed, while high-paid management posts were saved. Since his election, Todd has hired his sister, cousin, two brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, dad's physician, and a bunch of buddies for comfy jobs -- the so-called "Todd Squad." It's still business as usual. "The Toddler," as he is derisively called, can nevertheless raise $1.5 million for 2010, and he has the backing of Mayor Rich Daley. He will be tough to beat, but Claypool has a good chance in the primary. Full Article...
July 11, 2007
GOVERNOR TARGETS SLEW OF "MADIGAN MONKEYS"
Where's the referee? Stop the fight. Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich is hitting below the proverbial belt. He's demanding that Democratic Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan start "acting like a Democrat," and has accused him of being a "George Bush Republican." The 67 House Democrats, most of whom are congenital liberals, are quaking. Madigan helped get them elected, but they fear being branded a "Madigan monkey" by a Blagojevich-backed 2008 primary foe. The president's poll numbers are toxic. No Democrat wants to be a "Bush Republican." The governor seeks up to $7 billion in new state spending, without raising the state sales or income tax. Madigan correctly perceives that to be lunacy. The legislature is in overtime session, and has few accomplishments, other than raising its own pay. Among the targeted "Madigan monkeys": Rich Bradley (D-40), Julie Hamos (D-18), Lou Lang (D-16), and John Fritchey (D-11). The 2008 primary will be a preview of the Blagojevich-Lisa Madigan gubernatorial primary in 2010. Full Article...
July 4, 2007
"SLAUGHTER RULE" WON'T SAVE REPUBLICANS IN 2008
Illinois is not quite Ground Zero in the national Democrats' effort to pad their 233-202 majority in the U.S. House, but there are four pickup opportunities in 2008. Republican congressmen are vulnerable in the 6th, 10th, 11th and 14th districts. Democrats hold a 10-9 majority in the delegation. If 2008 is a great Democratic year, if ex-Speaker Dennis Hastert retires in the far southwest suburban/rural 14th District (Elgin, Aurora, Yorkville, St. Charles), and if the Republicans nominate a political "nut" to replace him, Democrat Linda Chapa LaVia is primed to take the seat. Contenders include Jim Oberweis (now known as the Milk Dud), Chris Lauzen, Tim Schmitz, Pat Reid Lindner and Karen McConnaughay. Schmitz would win the GOP primary if Oberweis and Lauzen split the hardcore conservative vote, but Lauzen would win if Oberweis stays out, and Schmitz and Lindner split the more moderate vote. Incumbent Jerry Weller's Will County-based district is trending Democratic. Incumbent Mark Kirk is fervently hoping the Iraq War is no more by 2008, or he may be history. And incumbent Peter Roskam, who barely won in 2006, is hoping Tammy Duckworth won't take another crack at the seat. Full Article...
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