The Capitol Fax Blog

• Madigan’s daily press briefing: He’d meet with Rauner and he’s peeved at Durkin June 23, 2017
  * Rep. Greg Harris talks for about the first four minutes, then Speaker Madigan takes questions. Many thanks again to Greg Bishop for the video… Madigan expressed his disappointment that this morning’s scheduled meeting with the other three legislative leaders was canceled and said he would still try to make it happen. He said [...]
• We’re staying open! June 23, 2017
  * In case you’ve been wondering, the ol’ blog is staying open every day of special session. I may close comments during the weekend evenings, however. Back in the day, when I couldn’t shut down comments, some commenters would have a few cocktails on a Saturday night and write some things that they [...]
• Hardiman on Madigan: “He’s like the Godfather down there” June 23, 2017
  * CBS 2… [Gubernatorial candidate Tio Hardiman] said he blames both sides in the state’s two-year budget dispute. The Democrat said he blames House Speaker Michael Madigan for the budget impasse as much as Republican Governor Bruce Rauner. “You have a clash of the titans right now, Bruce Rauner and Mike Madigan must take the blame for [...]
• Rauner asked why Madigan could work with other governors and not him June 23, 2017
  * From WJBC… The third day of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s special session is Friday, but it’s still unclear if there will be any movement on a budget. Rauner told WJBC’s Patti Penn the first two days of the session have been a ‘waste of time.’ He also said the lack of action in the special session so far [...]
• Emanuel goes off on Rauner… again June 23, 2017
  * Sun-Times… Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Friday accused Gov. Bruce Rauner of government by anger for opposing a 28.2 percent telephone tax hike that will free up money the city hopes to use to shore up the Laborers Pension Fund “well into the next decade.” The mayor noted that the tax was tucked into a statewide telecommunications [...]
• *** UPDATED x4 - Rauner denies Cullerton claim - Cullerton: Special session is a “stunt” - Manar wants Rauner to call daily leaders meetings - Durkin said he opted out on his own *** Cullerton claims Rauner “pulled the plug” on meeting June 23, 2017
  * Senate President John Cullerton just told reporters that the four legislative leaders were supposed to meet today without the governor. Cullerton claimed all of them agreed to show up. “The governor pulled the plug on that,” Cullerton said. “He told the Republicans not to go.” Cullerton said he would “urge the governor to get [...]
• NRDC warns of “giant jumping fish” at Oak St. Beach June 23, 2017
  * Tribune… A live Asian carp has been discovered in a Chicago waterway about nine miles from Lake Michigan — well beyond an electric barrier network designed to prevent the invasive fish that have infested the Mississippi River system from reaching the Great Lakes, officials said Friday. The silver carp was 28 inches long and weighed about [...]
• Question of the day June 23, 2017
  * Cameron…
• Rauner takes questions for first time in several days June 23, 2017
  * Gov. Rauner was on the Big John & Ramblin’ Ray show today… We’ve compromised relentlessly for two years. And we’ve backed off on so many things. Right now there’s a proposal put forth by lawmakers. It’s a reasonable compromise. It moves on every regard. None of it is exactly where I think it [...]
• Illinois’ “get along” shirt June 23, 2017
  * From Know Your Meme… The “Get Along” Shirt is an oversized t-shirt that is meant to be worn by bickering children as a disciplinary method. The humorous concept gained much of its momentum after a photograph of two children strapped together by a t-shirt reading “The ‘We Will Get Along’ Shirt” was posted to Reddit [...]