Results tagged “mikequigley”

You might know him as "U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley," Democratic Congressional representative from the state of Illinois' fifth District. But to us, he is "Mr. Quiggles," a kind, uncontroversial man who says things such as, "Oh Mrs. Perry, these crumpets are delightful — and your cranberry jam is extraordinary!" Mr. Quiggles spends his days riding "the trolley" to and from his job as a political science professor (some of his students and colleagues are mice and squirrels), making phone calls on a big beige rotary phone, lunching on tuna fish sandwiches and tea in remote department store cafeterias, and, upon returning home at night, playing backgammon or checkers with his talking terrier, Lemons. Sometimes he solves mysteries involving misplaced items, like that time when he found Mrs. Winters' lost spectacles (they were in the umbrella caddy — heavens!).

Not a day goes by that we don’t have some sort of press release cross our desk, or get an email promising “secret information that will "distroy" [Sic] Mayor Daley’s House of Cards,”, but it isn’t often that a U.S. Congressman gets on national television to read his love for the Second City into the Congressional record. That said, Mike Quigley’s “Top Ten Reasons the world should still stop by for a slice of deep dish in Chicago, the greatest city in the world” is way too populist on the food angle (really, he couldn’t mention Alinea or the Publican?), and really kind of ridiculous on the schools end (as in, our high schoolers could kick Rio’s high schooler’s asses).

Yesterday Illinois State Congressman Mike Quigley threw his support behind Pat Quinn for a full term as governor in 2010. At a press conference Monday morning, Quigley said “Our state has been paying the cost of corruption for too long; now more than ever, we can't afford it.” With the state still reeling from the omnipresent punchline that is former Governor Rod Blagojevich, Quigley joked that “Hunting for corruption in Illinois is like hunting for cows. They come up to you and moo. It's hard to govern when people are laughing about this government instead of functioning.”

In an election result that came as a surprise to almost nobody, (except, perhaps, for Rosanna "chicagolady" Pulido), Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley handily won Rahm Emanuel's Fifth Congressional District seat last night. In spite of the fact that Rahm "forgot" to vote for him, with 69 percent of the vote.

And then there were three...In about 36 hours, residents of the Fifth U.S. Congressional District will finally know who their new congressman (or congresswoman) will be. Tomorrow's vote to replace Rahm Emanuel, now ensconced in the White House as Obama's Chief-of-Staff, comes after months of official and unofficial campaigning and the field has been whittled down from 20+ to three candidates: Democratic candidate Mike Quigley, Republican Candidate Rosanna Pulido, and Green Party candidate Matt Reichel. Everyone under the sun expects Cook County Commissioner (and avid Red Wings hater) Quigley to take the seat and we admit that we expect the same. It'll be interesting to see if turn-out is as low for tomorrow's vote as it was for the primary vote (17 percent). And while Pulido and Reichel have high hopes of an upset, Quigley's fundraising advantage over them ($600,000 compared to Pulido's $16,000 and Reichel's $2,000) gives him the edge. That is, as long as his supporters turn out to vote.

After a campaign of weird ads, big money and the revelation that Mike Quigley and Sarah Feigenholtz have a deeper kind of local political connection, voters turned out to cast their ballots in yesterday's primary to select candidates to replace former Congressman Rahm Emanuel.

• Terrence Ligon, the man acquitted of killing a 4-year-old in a 2001 shooting, was shot dead Monday night.
• A faked ID production ring in Chinatown was busted up by federal authorities today.
• Both the Cook County Sheriff's office and the Chicago Police Department are implementing new, more rigorous background checks for employees.

Early voting has already begun in Illinois's Fifth Congressional District, so Chicagoist figured that with 25 candidates in the race to keep Rahm Emanuel's seat warm for him, we'd look at five each day all this week. Read Part 1 here.

Earlier today, we brought you the first in our series of candidate profiles of those running for Congress in the Fifth U.S. Congressional District of Iliinois, the race to replace Rahm Emanuel. If you're interested in getting to know more info about the candidates, several will be appearing at a forum tonight. The forum will run from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Second Unitarian Church of Chicago (656 W. Barry). As of posting time, those candidates scheduled to appear include: State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D), State Rep. John A. Fritchey (D), Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley (D), Ald. Patrick O’Connor (D), Jan Donatelli (D), Charles J. Wheelan (D), Paul J. Bryar (D), Tom Geoghegan (D), Jon Stewart (R), Mark Arnold Fredrickson (Green), and Matt Reichel (Green). Thanks for the tip, Stephen!

Cook County Commissioner and notarized Red Wings hater Mike Quigley is filing papers to run for the U.S. Congressional seat being vacated by Rahm Emanuel, a race which continues to heat up. Quigley has a history of battling with Mayor Daley so he could become The Anti-Daley Candidate. While many have talked the talked about joining the race to replace Rahm, the only other candidate to officially file is state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz.

Just yesterday we were speculating over who would replace outgoing Senator Barack Obama who has a new job. Now we turn our attention to the departing Rahm Emanuel, who even though he was just reelected to his U.S. House seat on Tuesday, is leaving Congress to become Chief of Staff in the Obamistration. Governor Blagojevich, who seems to have plenty on his plate already, will have to set a special election to fill Congressman Rahm's seat (unlike with the Senate seat, where Blago is allowed by law to name a successor). FYI - Rahm holds the same seat (5th District reprezent!) Blago did before he bolted in '02 to become governor. The law requires the special election be held if there is more than 180 days until the next election (in this case, it is - 2 years, actually) and the election must be set within 5 days of the official vacancy.

We're all getting over our excitement for the upcoming NHL Winter Classic on New Years Day. Blackhawks versus Red Wings at Wrigley? Hell yes, we say. But some of us are teeny bit more excited than others. For example, Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley. Quigley put together a resolution declaring January 1, 2009 as "Chicago Blackhawks Day" and designating Wrigleyville as an "Octopus-Free Zone." But our favorite part of the resolution? The clever Quigley tossed in a slam on the rival Red Wings by using red capital letters in the last line of the resolution that, when written out together, spell "DETROIT SUCKS." Buuuuurrrrrrn! Your move, Detroit.

In quick succession, the Cook County Board shot down a series of tax hikes yesterday, including proposed increases on electricity and natural gas. Five other increases backed by Democrat Roberto Maldanado, including taxes on SUVs, hotel stays, jet fuel and liquor sold in bars, died without support from any commissioners. The 2-14 vote against the electricity and natural gas taxes, proposed by Stroger ally Bill Beavers, signaled the unofficial death of Board President Todd Stroger's...

Crook County Board President Todd Stroger unveiled his $3.2 billion budget Wednesday. Stroger has struggled to give the appearance that his government is small and fiscally responsible, eliminating about 735 positions over the last three fiscal years, and reducing 1,800 positions from this year's budget. Now he claims that bringing the county's tax take to $888 million by 2009 — by tripling the county sales tax and doubling gas and parking taxes — is necessary...

In other news, Blagojevich says that he will cut $500 million from the budget and spend more on a health plan he favors. Yesterday, Cook County Commissioner and once and future candidate for Board President Tony Peraica announced that he would run for Cook County State's Attorney in 2008, which current three-term State's Attorney Dick Devine will be vacating at the end of his term. "It's time for Cook County to have a State's Attorney...

Remember growing up, there was that one graveyard you just didn’t go into? You weren’t sure why, but something about the place just gave you the creeps at any time of day. Chicagoist recalls wistfully (maybe not wistfully; more like hysterically) one dare-fuelled drive into Barrington's famed White Cemetery, where two of our friends wouldn’t even breathe the open air, opting instead to cover their mouths with their shirts. And when the car became mysteriously stuck in the boneyard’s driveway … well, it wasn’t a feel-good situation. (Later reflection points to the winter weather rather than impish ghosties.)

Remember when all the county hacks on the payroll were running around like chickens with their heads cut off, crying about how Forrest Claypool was going to destroy Cook County by laying off everybody? Remember when progressives and reformers were begging people to vote for Tony Peraica and all the DINO pork-choppers were saying that he was Ronald Reagan reincarnated, hell-bent on destroying the social safety net of Cook County? We hate to say we...

That Todd Stroger. He makes being Cook County Board President seem easy. When he isn't slashing budgets, trying to hand out no-bid contracts to his mobbed-up friends, and devastating the already minimal social safety net that the county has set up for the most vulnerable residents, he's running late to an endorsement session held by black ministers or trying to get family members cushy jobs on the county payroll. And this week was no exception.

Mike Quigley would have you believe that he supports good government for Cook County. He came into office in 1998, the lone reformer on the bloated and corrupt board. By his second term, he found brotherhood: joining forces with Forrest Claypool, Larry Suffriden, and Tony Peraica, they managed to form an alliance and win some victories against John Stroger's Machine. In 2005 he threw his hat in the ring to challenge the former County Board...

Has Cook County politics become so cynical, so corrupt, and so arrogant, that it just doesn't matter anymore? If recent calls for an investigation of $500,000 that is "missing" from the county budget are any indication, we have to wonder if there is a light at the end of the tunnel for both taxpayers in Cook County and the people that use the services that the county finances. Tony Peraica, the Republican that was supposedly...

While we were busy obsessing over Ward politics and aldermanic races, all kinds of newsworthy events happened in the spectator sport of local Chicago politics. Lets take a look back at the week so far: Todd Stroger is asking Cook County's elected officials for budget cuts, in an attempt to trim the deficit. Facing a nearly $500 million shortfall, Stroger is asking Sheriff Tom Dart, State's Attorney Dick Devine, and Clerk of the Court Dorothy...

At Wednesday's first meeting of the newly installed Cook County Board, Todd Stroger kept his first promise of the new term — moving to appoint a tougher, more independent inspector general. Under a bill introduced by Commisioners Mike Quigley and John Daley, a new inspector general will soon have broader powers of oversight across all county offices. Assumed to be retired Circuit Judge Julia Nowicki, thanks to an agreement between the county and attorney Michael...

President-select of the Crook County Board Todd Stroger is backing off a campaign promise to fire the county's controversial patronage chief, Gerald Nichols, who was suspended from his $114,000-a-year job in the wake of a federal probe. Stroger had vowed during the campaign to fire Nichols, and many expected him to do it immediately as a sign of commitment to reform. Instead, Stroger said Tuesday that he would lift the suspension on Nichols and bring him back on board to serve as an advisor.

Cook County Board President John Stroger announced yesterday that he will be running for a fourth term. Stroger also alluded to possible property tax hikes next year to cover budget shortfalls, and defended his use of patronage, which immediately drew the ire of his political opponents. “We voted down tax increases and we proved they weren’t necessary. We didn’t have those tax increases and there wasn't a single cut in services the last two years,”...

Wondering how you can make the $100 left in your checking account stretch far enough to pay for groceries and the new iPod nano? Thinking that maybe you can pay just the minimum on this month’s Visa bill so you have enough drinking money for the weekend? Well, get in line buddy. Cook County commissioners learned on Tuesday that the budget deficit for 2006 could rise to over $300 million. Ouch. This is nearly...

"Rebel", "agitator", "founder of the revolution". They're talking about Cook County Commissioner, Mike Quigley, who announced his long-expected candidacy for Cook County Board President at the Hotel Allegro this morning. Expecting a crowded race for president, Quigley, a Democrat, hopes to grab the public's attention by mounting his campaign early. So far the only other announced candidate is Republican Commissioner Tony Peraica, who announced in March. Democratic Commissioner Forrest Claypool is expected to officially announce...

If you noticed the bunting along O'Hare Airport's arrival area, or see a bunch of goofy political-types gawking at Millenium Park, that would be a bunch of mayors and their aides in town for the U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Conference. Mayor Richard M. Daley is a big supporter of the organization, and this year Chicago is playing host, giving mayors from around the country an opportunity to see our fair city and talk about...

What a score for Jesse Junior! Landing his new thin self on the front page of Red Eye today, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. was introduced to transient, hipster Brown and Blue Line voters across the city. And what was the purpose of the article? For the South Side Congressman to declare that, no he's really happy in his current job, and has no interest what-so-ever in running for mayor. It would be bad form and...

High noon came and went in the Cook County Board yesterday, and it seems that the bullets hit their mark. It was all about passing the 2005 budget. Three months late, and with a $73 million deficit, Board President John Stroger (at right) refused to make cuts, and instead insisted on increasing hotel and restaurant sales taxes two percent, lifting Chicago taxes to the nation's highest, 19.25%. Cutting the budget would lead to significant service...

Every fall two big budgets get rolled out in Chicagoland: the Chicago city budget, and the Cook County budget. This year the Chicago budget started with a $146 million shortfall, and before it was even public, the County budget also had a reported $146 million (kismet?). But over the years Mayor Richard M. Daley has managed to dominate/play nice with the City Council, while County Board President John "I've got a county hospital named after...