Results tagged “statelegislature”

Lawmakers return to the Illinois Capitol today for the fall veto session. The session, slated to last three days this week and three next, will focus on money for cash strapped college students and stronger ethics laws.

State legislators approved a huge $29 billion public works program to create jobs and repair the state’s infrastructure, however roughly $500 million can be spent in legislator’s home districts on pet projects such as $50k for the Candlewick Lake Association, a gated lakefront community near Rockford with a 220-acre lake and a 9-hole golf course. The community did not ask for the money but according to Candlewick’s general manager, “We certainly will find good use for it,” he told WBBM. Other projects slated for grants include:

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has called Illinois lawmakers back to Springfield with the apparent hopes that a vote on Gov. Blagojevich's impeachment will happen soon. The committee formed to decide whether or not impeachment should be recommended reconvenes on Tuesday and Madigan is asking legislators to be back by Wednesday for a special session that could continue through January 13. Madigan's implication is that a House vote on whether or not to impeach Blago could come as early as the end of next week. Somehow we think this is incredibly optimistic, but what do we know? We are but simple cavemen, unfrozen in your modern time...

How many of you remember Aaron Patterson? He was one of the infamous "Death Row 10" who spent 13 years on Illinois' Death Row for a murder he insisted cops, led by former commander Jon Burge, framed him for? Four years ago, in his final official acts, former Governor George Ryan pardoned Patterson and three others while commuting the sentences of all other Death Row inmates to life in prison. After his release and pardon,...

This one goes out to all you tree-huggers out there.