Nice Suit, Blago

By Kevin Robinson in News on Aug 28, 2007 1:30PM

The Illinois State Budget Fight just got weirder. Governor Rod Blagojevich quietly filed suit in Sangamon County Friday against House Speaker Michael Madigan, attempting to force the Speaker to hold special sessions when he calls them. "It is imperative that (the governor's authority to call special sessions) is preserved and honored," Rebecca Rausch, a spokeswoman for the governor wrote in an e-mail to the State Journal Register. "After lawmakers failed to follow the governor's special session proclamations to address serious issues like funding for the CTA, RTA, and downstate mass transit, we asked the court to confirm the governor's authority." Madigan had urged lawmakers to defy the governor and skip the special sessions.

After vetoing nearly $500 million in spending from the budget he recently signed, it looks like the tantrums and retaliation aren't over yet. Besides Rep. John Fritchey's (D-11) observation that most of the special sessions called left legislators little to work on, it's worth noting that this suit is aimed at the House, in spite of the fact that the Senate has had an equally dismal attendance record this year. Madigan has been quiet recently, much like he was at the beginning of the fight. So while Blago daring the General Assembly to take him on, the Speaker is most likely working behind the scenes.

In the meantime everyone is asking who will represent who in this case, we're wondering when Lisa Madigan is going to start printing up "Lisa in 2010" signs.

Image via WattHead.