* Behold the bold stupidity…
Workers enrolled in a state-funded program to provide job training tell Fox Chicago News they instead spent their time gathering signatures on petitions for political candidates.
A Fox Chicago News investigation found several Earnfare workers who said they were told to pass petitions for Cook County Board President candidate Dorothy Brown, among other candidates. […]
The workers said they were assigned to do clerical work and maintenance for the Mother’s House social service organization at 49th and Ashland on Chicago’s south side. When Fox Chicago News visited the agency on Tuesday, we found stacks of blank political petitions on a table in the office.
We also found Hassan Muhammad, a political field director for Brown’s campaign. He denied the Earnfare workers were being used for political work, and then pushed a Fox Chicago cameraman out of the office.
This is the same Dorothy Brown who held a campaign press event in the county building and who only recently stopped accepting annual cash gifts from her employees.
* Meanwhile, back at the Statehouse, Gov. Pat Quinn refused to say where he stands on the issue of capping the amount of contributions made by legislative leaders and political parties…
[Quinn] told reporters Tuesday he wants “to put the people back in politics in Illinois and take big money out of it.”
But he would not say whether that includes contribution limits on parties and leaders.
Here’s the money quote…
“We have to look at all the laws as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court as well. You have to comply with the fundamental law of our country. It’s an endeavor you have to work with a lot of different people, groups, individuals, both in and out of the legislature. The bottom line is to have reform.”
And the House GOP Leader stated his position…
“Any proposal not fully endorsed by Change Illinois will not have my support,” says House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego, drawing a line in the sand on an issue that hits at the core of how politics is played in Illinois.
The Daily Herald polled suburban legislators on the issue…
Of the 20 suburban House Republicans who responded to a survey by the Daily Herald, 13 said they will not vote for legislation if it lacks party limits. Only two said they might not withhold their support. Five declined to say directly either way, holding out to see a final measure.
On the other side of the aisle, just one out of eight suburban House Democrats said they would withhold support. Four said they will vote for legislation without party limits, and three declined to give a firm “yes” or “no.”
The split is a bit less dramatic in the Senate where two of five suburban Senate Democrats said they will not vote for legislation that lacks party limits. Three of nine Republicans said the same.
* Related…
* Marin: Voters accepting no reform imitations
* DuPage Democrats may be on the hook for health care forum costs: A report from Auditor Bob Grogan suggested the $5,142.13 sought for a variety of security and support services provided at the Sept. 15 forum at the county administration building “did not appear to be formally sanctioned by the county board or a (board) committee.”