McHenry County Blog

Joe Walsh was introduced by Phil Ponce like this: “And now to Carol Marin and a former congressman who is hard to ignore.”

Pretty amazing that a losing Congressional candidate would be interviewed by liberal commentator Carol Marin, but on Wednesday night, there was Joe Walsh, all alone, answering her questions on WTTW.

Under the posted interview is the following explanation:

“National star of the Republican Party, Joe Walsh, joins us to talk about the state of the GOP in Illinois, and what’s next on his agenda.”

Walsh was asked if he were running again for something.

“You wouldn’t deny that, would you?”

“Not at all,” Walsh replied in his calm TV manner.

“I don’t know if another run is in the cards. That’s in God’s hands.”

Marin interspersed comments by Walsh that made nightly news shows during the campaign.

Acknowledging the “gotcha” kind of politics we live in, Walsh replied by explaining that he had more constituent contact than any other congressman and it was impossible not to make mistakes here and there.

With regard to his lack of reaction to the attacks made on him with regard to abortion, he said that he should have pointed out that Tammy Duckworth favored using taxpayer dollars to finance abortions. [My disagreement with that approach has already been written.]

“We train our politicians to act like seals and not say anything to offend voters,” Walsh said.

Marin wanted to know if the Tea Party ship had sailed.

“Gosh, no,” Walsh replied, saying the size of government and the problem of piling debt on the back of our children was still a fervent issue.

He pointed out that Tea Party adherents came with views on social issues than spanned the spectrum, but pointed out that he was “Pro-Life without exception.”

How about the chance to be a radio talk show host on WIND syndicated by the Salem Radio Network?

“There’s an opportunity.”

“There are discussions.”

And what did he say about potential Republican gubernatorial opponents and other Republicans?

Joe Walsh

• Bill Brady – Shouldn’t run again. He’s run twice.
• Kirk Dillard – Nice man. He’s been down in Springfield forever.
• Dan Rutherford – Nice man. He’s been down in Springfield forever.
• Adan Kinzinger – You know what, not as conservative as people think, but a good congressman.
• Christine Radogno – Part of the problem. The face of the Republican Party along with Tom Cross, a Republican Party in Illinois, Carol, that has been devoid of any ideas. We haven’t stood for anything, which has enabled the Democrats to run the state into the ground.
• Judy Baar Topinka – Go to Florida and just retire and have a good life.
• Bruce Rauner – He’s a Democrat. Bruce Runner and again I know got gazillion dollars and he wants to run for governor as a Republican. He’s Rahm Emmanuel’s best friend. He’s given Democrats more money than he’s given Republicans. He gave Mike Madigan’s House candidates money. I just don’t think he’s a Republican.
• Peter Roskam – Great congressman
• Randy Hultgren – Nice man. Very good congressman.
• Mark Kirk – God, it was good to see him walk up those steps and I hope and sincerely hope and pray every day that he can stay where he is and do his job. (So you would support him?) Oh, gosh yeah. And, again, Carol, Mark Kirk and I are very different Republicans, but we’re still under that big tent.

Judy Baar Topinka

A press release from State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka:

TOPINKA TO BOND HOLDERS:

ILLINOIS IN NO DANGER OF MISSING PAYMENTS

Comptroller responds to Moody’s announcement

SPRINGFIELD– Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka on Friday released the following statement in response to Moody’s lowering of the state’s bond rating:

“Despite today’s disappointing announcement by Moody’s, I want to make clear that there is no fear of the state missing a bond payment. In fact, as the state’s Chief Fiscal Officer I can reassure the bond community that the first payment we make each month is to our bond holders.

“Still, this is yet another cautionary note that cannot be ignored.

“While it would be premature to say how much, if at all, this will increase the state’s borrowing costs, Illinois leaders have a responsibility to hear the message being sent.

“Moody’s made clear that it would view further borrowing to pay current obligations as a negative act that could cause another downgrade.

“So once again, I must stress my opposition to proposed borrowing to pay down our bill backlog.

“The only way out of this mess is to keep cutting spending, provide for a better business climate and, for once, let growth outpace spending.”

Yesterday, I speculated on the rumor that Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay would leave that powerful post and run in the vacant 33rd State Senate District.

As sometimes happens with such articles, more information is offered by those who comment.

Jon Zahm wrote the following:

Chad Koppie is supporting Orville Brettman for State Senate in the 33rd.

Rick Zirk, the Village President of Gilberts and former Village President of South Elgin is considering a run for the 33rd. He is the only person in Illinois history to be electing Mayor of two different communities. Zirk is a former Public Works director and currently works for a major McHenry County company, so he has many contacts in the north end of the district.

Cliff Surges, a twice elected Gilberts board member and owner of a successful insurance business with offices in Gilberts and Chicago is also exploring a run. Surges is the Booster Club President at Jacobs HS in Dundee and has been very involved in Gilberts and East Dundee campaigns and elections over the years. Surges was born and raised in the St. Charles part of the district so he has key contacts there.

McConnaughay can run from her record of crony hiring, pay to play, and big pay raises to favorite staff members, but she cannot hide.

Phil Collins added,

Chad Koppie, a member of the Kane Co. Regional Board of Schools, will probably run for the 33rd State Senate District.

If Chairman McConnaughay runs, statewide, in 2014, I hope that she’ll run for comptroller. Comptroller [Judy Baar] Topinka might decide to retire, since she’ll be 70.

I emailed State Sen. [Chris] Lauzen, and I asked him to run for Congress, in the new 11th District, which won’t have an incumbent. No Republican has announced, in that district, and a Republican can easily win. Most of that district has a republican state senator, including Senators Lauzen, Dillard, and Radogno.

Paul Greenlee weighed in with this comment:

Karen McConnaughay

A number of years ago, I served with Karen on a volunteer project in Kane County, where we heard the appeals from first time offenders for alternative sentencing and made recommendations to the state’s attorney. She is a capable lady, a good person and well thought of by her constituents, as she should be. I look forward to supporting her campaign in whatever she chooses. 

Jack Franks welcomed those attending the House Reapportionment Committee hearing at Marengo High School Satureday.

The latest campaign finance reports are in and Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks has $475,713.01 I the bank. That’s as of the end of March, 2011

He has a burn rate of over $12,000 a month.

He raised about $15,000 more than he spent during the last three months.

Contributions amounted to almost $56,000 and he spent almost $39,000 during the firt three months of this year.

Who did he get his money from?

Below his contributions are listed in descending order. The ones that are in boldface type are from McHenry County.

$5,000 – Pritzker, J.B. & M.K., Partner, New World Ventures, Evanston

$1,000 – Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois, Springfield
$1,000 – AT&T Services Inc, Chicago
$1,000 – Attorneys Title Guaranty Fund Inc, Chicago
$1,000 – Aycox, Rod, Occupation: President. Employer: Select Management Resources LLC. Alpharetta, GA
$1,000 – Barton Management Inc, Northfield
$1,000 – BNSF Railway Company, Fort Worth, TX
$1,000 – Browder, Perry J., Occupation: Attorney, Employer: Simmons Cooper LLC, Glenview
$1,000 – Coca-Cola Refreshments, Brandon, FL
$1,000 – Gillman, Seth & Michael, Occupation: Administrator, Employer: Passages Hospice, Lincolnwood
$1,000 – Hebeisen, Keith A & Jodi B, Occupation: lawyer, Employer: Clifford Law Offices, Northbrook
$1,000 – Illinois State Medical Society PAC, Chicago
$1,000 – Intren, Inc., Union
$1,000 – Lappe, Fred, Attorney, Chicago
$1,000 – Muno, Doris, President, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc, Chicago
$1.000 – Peck Bloom Austriaco & Koenig LLC, Chicago
$1,000 – Rubin, Arnold G, attorney, Chicago
$1,000 – Salvi Schostok & Pritchard, Waukegan
$1,000 – Worker’s Comp Chicago, LLC, Chicago

The numbers on this billboard are a bit out of date now, but the thrust of the message still sounds correct. Take a look at the donations from lawyers, labor and lobbyists. Franks gave $2,400 to other candidates during this spring's local election cycle, $2,000 to a Chicago candidate.

$500 – Boron, Andrew and Elizabeth, Highland Park
$500 – Burnham Committee (an Alderman Ed Burke committee), Chicago
$500 – Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, Chicago
$500 – Clancy, Tim, Calumet City
$500 – Genentech, San Francisco, CA
$500 – Gold, Laurence, Barrington
$500 – Hannigan, Richard D. Ltd., Mundelein
$500 – Illinois Laborers’ Legislative Comm #1, Springfield
$500 – Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Springfield
$500 – Illinois Vendors PAC, Chicago
$500 – Law Offices Of Rubin & Norris, LLC, Chicago
$500 – Petroleum Political Education, Springfield
$500 – Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Washington, D.C.
$500 – Plumbers & Pipe Fitters PAC Local 501, Aurora
$500- Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 99, Bloomington
$500 – Power Rogers & Smith PC, Chicago
$500 – Stieber, Jay & Nancy, Prospect Heights

$400 – White, Jesse, Chicago

$300 – Dermer, Alice, Chicago
$300 – Fletcher, O’Brien, Kasper & Nottage, PC, Chicago
$300 – Ganan & Shapiro PC, Chicago

$250 – Allied Benefit Systems Inc, Chicago
$250 – Astellas Pharma US Inc, Deerfield
$250 – Bandolik, Steven, Crystal Lake
$250 – Berman, Arthur, Chicago
$250 – Black, Stella, Chicago
$250 – Bless & Associates, Arlington Hts
$250 – Bush, Robert, Chicago
$250 – Castle, John and Nancy, Sycamore
$250 – Cohen, Jacob, Chicago
$250 – Credit Union Political Action Council, Npaerville
$250 – Dixon, Scott & Cindy, Johnsburg
$250 – Electronic Knowledge Interchange Company, Chicago
$250 – Falcioni, Robert, Monee
$250 – Filan, William Ltd, Chicago
$250 – Globetrotters Engineering Corp, Chicago
$250 – Government Navigation Group, Springfield
$250 – Haskins, Charles G Jr Attorney at Law, Chicago
$250 – Hassakis, Janet, Mt. Vernon, LA
$250 – Hennessy & Roach, PC, Chicago
$250 – Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Chicago
$250 – IBEW Local 117, Crystal Lake
$250 – IBEW Local 9, Hillsboro
$250 – Illinois BANKPAC, Springfield
$250 – Illinois Consulting Engineers PAC, Springfield
$250 -Illinois Fire Chiefs Assoc PAC, Bridgeview
$250 – Illinois Hotel Motel PAC5, Springfield
$250 – Illinois Optometric Assoc PAC, Springfield
$250 – Illinois State Council of Machinist and Aerospace Workers, Mt. Carmel
$250 – Mid-West Truckers Association Inc, Springfield
$250 – Kaplan, Howard Gordon, Chicago
$250 – Kinney, Orrin & Karen, Harvard
$250 – Law office of James A. Knepper, PC, Chicago
$250 – Latherow, Jerry A., Chicago
$250 – Middleton, Charles, Chicago
$250 – Middleton, Charles, Chicago
$250 – Nader, Terence & Mary, McHenry
$250 – Nager, Jean & Benjamin, Crystal Lake
$250 – Neil Francis Flynn, Attorney, Springfield
$250 – Newman, Robert T, Homewood
$250 – OBrien Farms Inc, River Forest
$250 – Pfaff, Bruce R. & Deborah, Barrington
$250 – Professional Towing & Recovery PAC, Northbrook
$250 – Sexton John Sand & Gravel Corp, Hillside
$250 – Social Engineering Associates, Inc, Chicago
$250 – Sorling Northrup Hanna Cullen & Cochran LTD, Chicago
$250 – T Mobile, Cincinnati, OH
$250 – Topinka, Judy B., Riverside
$250 – Fed of Independent IL Colleges and Universities, Springfield
$250 – UFCW Local 881, Rosemont
$250 – United Transportation Union, Chicago

$200 – Cronin, Dan, Oak Brook
$200 – Dan Shomon Inc, Chicago
$200 – Hesch, Chris, Woodstock
$200 – Planned Parenthood Votes IL, Springfield

Did Franks share his money with other politicians?

The only campaign contribution to others over $150 was to legislative colleague and Chicago City Clerk candidate Susana Mendoza. The state representative won the office.

He also gave $400 in amounts under $150 to other unnamed candidates.

Jim Tobin’s National Taxpayers United of Illinois has revealed the top 50 pensions for the General Assembly Retirement Fund.

It doesn’t have many pensioners, but the legislative retirement fund has some big payouts.

Part of the reason is that statewide elected officials can opt in.

While he was in office, for instance, Governor Jim Thompson announced that he would be in the same pension fund that regular state employees paid into.  Right before leaving office that changed.  He transferred his pension credits to the GA Retirement System.

Indeed many of the largest pensions you see below are the result of an ex-legislator getting a well-paying job for a while and transferring in the pension credits in their new public pension fund back to the more lucrative legislative system.

Tobin’s press release follows:

TOP 50 GA PENSIONS REVEAL MILLION DOLLAR PAYOUTS AS TAX INCREASE LOOMS

CHICAGO–Jim Tobin, President of National Taxpayers United of Illinois (NTUI), today released the latest pension study of pension researcher Bill Zettler: the Top Fifty pensions received by former members of the Illinois General Assembly.

“Governor Quinn and the lame duck General Assembly are desperate to increase tax revenues any way they can to ensure that these outrageous, lavish pensions are available to themselves when they retire.

“Under the current pension program, General Assembly members are guaranteed to be millionaires if they can collect for only eight to ten years.  Protecting this rite of passage has become their highest priority, despite the terrible financial situation in which most Illinoisans find themselves.

“Under the guise of securing the financial future of the Illinois general fund, Quinn and his conspirators are trying to push any tax increases that they can.”

“If Quinn can’t get HB 174 with the 67% income tax increase through the house, he will push to get a 33% income tax increase passed.

“At the same time, there are efforts to increase the gasoline tax by an unknown amount, the cigarette tax by $1 per pack, and a new 7-10% sales tax on 39 services.

“The primary objective is to pump 15 billion taxpayer dollars out of taxpayer pockets and into the pension and payroll funds of the robber barons that are bankrupting the great state of Illinois, not to secure the financial future as they would have us believe.”

“Do you recognize any of these pension millionaires? Figures are as of 10/1/2010.  A complete list can be viewed at www.ntui.org.
Mo. Pension         Yearly Pension         Total Pension Paid So Far
Arthur Berman                     $16,459               $197,503           $1,449,640
Judy Barr Topinka              $12,144                 $145,727            $402,229
Jim Edgar                           $10,910                 $130,925             $1,106,372
James R. Thompson           $10,601                 $127,215             $1,547,836
James “Pate” Philip             $10,551                 $126,615             $713,029
Dawn Clark Netsch             $10,143                 $121,720             $1,476,711
Walter Dudycz                     $7,661                 $91,937                $449,128

“Jim Edgar and James R. Thompson engineered the largest tax increases ever passed in Illinois. Arthur Berman was the author of the Berman Tax Increase Amendment. Dawn Clark Netsch never met a tax she didn’t like.”

“I urge members of the Illinois General Assembly to vote in the interest of the constituents they serve and not their own best interest.”

How do legislators manage to hike their pensions so much?

Some get a short-term position paying a lot more than they received in their last year as a state legislator. Former State Senator John Friedland, for example, was hired as a lobbyist by the Elgin Sanitary District for a couple of months as a hefty salary. That boosted his base salary.

Add three percent extra each year, which all on public pensions in Illinois receive and it mounts up over time.

Others like Terry Stezco lose an election and get a well-paying local governmental job. In his case, Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan hired him.

Others get appointed to head state departments. Chuck Hartke, for instance, was appointed Director of the Department of Agriculture.

All can transfer pension credits from the new pension system and their final salaries–upon which their pension is based–back into the General Assembly Retirement System.

Former Quaker Oats lobbyist, now blogger and Sunday night WLS-Radio talk show host, Tom Roeser is endorsing Libertarian Julie Fox for State Comptroller.

Julie Fox

Julie was one of my running mates when I ran on the Libertarian Party ticker to Governor against Rod Blagojevich in 2002. She led the ticket, almost getting 5% of the vote.

One thing about Julie that is important for the office of State Comptroller. She is a CPA and actually qualified to hold the office.

Imagine that.

Roeser is still plenty worked up about Judy Baar Topinka’s role in convincing U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald from running for re-election. Fitzgerald, of course, picked Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation) to be our U.S. Attorney.

Roeser’s logic for supporting Dundee’s Julie Fox follows:

FOR CONTROLLER—JULIE FOX (Libertarian Party). She’s a very bright CPA without a partisan axe to grind who passionately believes in latch-key abstemious government leading to a consolidation for efficiency of Treasurer and Controller.

Far preferable to the Republican candidate, Judy Baar Topinka, an old warhorse longtime pro-abort Catholic who is a regular rider in the Gay Pride parades blowing wet kisses to the crowds…who has been on the public payroll since 1980, having served with maximum pragmatism in the state House, state Senate, State Treasurer and now…because she can’t stand to miss a payday from the taxpayers, board member of the RTA.

Topinka is noted for refusing as State Republican Chairman to support Sen. Peter Fitzgerald when he was determining whether or not to run for a second term—her failure to do so being a stunning departure from tradition and clear notice that she was opposed to his signal efforts to make the party responsible by bringing in reform U. S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation).

What you see below are pages 2 and 3 of an insert that will be put in at least one of the local newspapers by the McHenry County Republican Party on Sunday:

First come Mark Kirk, Bill Brady, Don Manzullo and Joe Walsh. Click to enlarge the print.

Next come the other statewide candidates, Steve Kim, Robert Enriquez, Judy Baar Topinka and Dan Rutherford.

Again, if you click on the images, they will get large enough to read.

When I was running for Illinois State Comptroller in 1982, incumbent Roland Burris and I debated before a group of reporters-publishers. I think the Champaign or Urbana debate was sponsored by the Illinois Press Association, but I’m not sure.

One of the suggestions brought up was combining the two financial offices in Illinois state government. Perhaps a questioner brought up the topic.

The response from both Burris and me was, “Sure, why not?”

After giving Burris the ability to brag about having carried the State of Illinois by over a million votes, Burris, of course, did nothing to move the idea forward.

Republican Party candidate for State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka after being sworn in as Illinois State Treasurer in Springfield in 1995.

Subsequently, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka advanced the idea. It even came to a vote, but didn’t get enough to be placed on the ballot as a constitutional amendment.

Scott Summers, Green Party candidate for State Treasurer, has served as McHenry County College Board President.

Now Northwest Herald Editor Dan Caleb has written an article on the topic. He says Republican candidates for State Comptroller Topinka and for State Treasurer Dan Rutherford favor the combination idea this year.

And, to his credit, Caleb also includes Harvard resident and Green Party candidate for State Treasurer Scott Summers’ favorable opinion as well.

Having run as a third party candidate for governor against Rod Blagojevich and Jim Ryan in 2002, it seems appropriate that local candidates be included in stories about issues. Otherwise local newspapers are delivering the message that the third party candidates are not worth consideration.

Libertarian Party candidate for State Comptroller Jule Fox, CPA, at the April 15, 2010, Crystal Lake TEA Party demonstration, where she spoke to the crowd.

Democratic Party candidate for State Comptroller State Rep. David Miller in Huntley.

Caleb probably wrote his column before learning that former Dundee Township Library Board member Julie Fox had been certified for the fall ballot as the Libertarian Party candidate for State Comptroller.

As the only CPA on the ballot, one could reasonably argue that she is the most qualified candidate for the office.

Her opponents are Topinka and Democratic Party State Rep. David Miller, who attended Democrat Mike Mahon’s fundraiser in Huntley last month.

Maybe the next article on the “boring” financial offices will have quotes from four candidates.

No one had commented on Caleb’s column by the time I wrote this article last yesterday afternoon, perhaps indicating how little attention is paid to their campaigns.

Libertarian Party candidate for State Comptroller Julie Fox, a Certified Public Accountant, speaks to Crystal Lake's April 15, 2010, TEA Party crowd . She wasn't on the ballot officially then. Now she is. Her slate was certified today.

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Mark Kirk might be a bit more worried than he was yesterday.

Alexi Giannoulias

Mark Kirk

He wasn’t leading his opponent Alexi Giannoulias, but the poll differences were pretty much within the margin of error.

But, now those who believe him too liberal have an alternative in the Libertarian Party candidate.

The Libertarians’ petition were challenged by supporters of the Republican Party slate, but, today, the Illinois State Board of Elections decided the party slate got the required 25,000 signatures.

Coincidentally, the Certified Public Accountant who led the 2002 ticket in votes when I was running for governor, Julie Fox, is holding a fund raiser in Wonder Lake on Saturday afternoon. Call 847-287-1432 for details.

Her candidacy might make former State Treasurer, 2006 GOP gubernatorial candidate and 2010 Republican candidate for State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka nervous, too.

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Here’s the Libertarian Party press release:

Ballot Access Victory for our Libertarian State-Wide Candidates

Today, the Illinois State Board of Elections certified, by unanimous vote, the state-wide Libertarian candidates for the ballot in the November election:

• Lex Green for Governor,
• Ed Rutledge for Lt. Governor,
• Bill Malan for Attorney General,
• Julie Fox for Comptroller,
• Josh Hanson for Secretary of State,
• James Pauly for Treasurer, and
• Mike Labno for US Senate.

Watch the ABC News clip from the State Board of Elections office.

Many thanks to all who volunteered and donated to make this victory possible. Without the people who collected signatures, mentored petitioners, notarized petitions, helped assemble the filing, did data entry and address research, staffed the challenge, and the many other steps involved; we would not be poised to make history this November.

An email from the Illinois Libertarian Party appears below:

Illinois Libertarian Party Statewide Slate Survives Challenge, Seems to Have 33,545 Valid Signatures

The Libertarian Party statewide slate of candidates in Illinois submitted approximately 45,000 signatures at the end of June, but the petition was challenged.  The “binder check” process is now complete and the party seems to have 33,545 valid signatures, well above the legal requirement of 25,000.

(Libertarian Party was required to get 20,000 more signatures than the Republican and Democrat candidates because of the inequity in ballot access rules that the sitting powers to be created.)

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Republicans will not be happy with that.

In 1998, when Jim Tobin was the Libertarian Party candidate for Governor, the Chicago Tribune ran an article after the fall election documenting that Secretary of State George Ryan’s people were used to challenge signatures while they were on the state payroll. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald did not see fit to make that one of the allegations in Ryan’s corruption trial.

In 2002, the Libertarian Party petitions containing my name for Governor were challenged as well. After the election, I was told that State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka’s employees participated in the challenge while on being paid.

This year, Libertarians didn’t find any state employees, but did identify relatives of Republican Party gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady working on the challenge.

Needless to say, Republicans don’t want Libertarians on the ballot anymore than Democrats want Greens.

One other party that would drain votes from Republicans, the Constitution Party, is reported to be closer to the 20,000 required number.