Monday, January 04, 2010
 
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POLITICAL ASYLUM
A weekly look at Illinois campaigns and politics

Releases and resolutions

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[January 04, 2010]  SPRINGFIELD (AP) -- Gov. Pat Quinn pointed the finger elsewhere on an early prisoner release controversy, while his opponents pointed it right back at him. Meanwhile, politicians offered their resolutions for 2010 -- sometimes with a grin and sometimes with a scowl.

A look back at the week in Illinois politics:

Gov. Pat Quinn again found himself talking about criminals getting out of prison early -- not exactly a pleasant topic for someone seeking re-election.

Would he fire his Corrections director? Why were violent offenders granted early release? How many have committed new crimes?

In a news conference, the Democratic governor blamed his prisons director for dropping a policy of requiring every inmate to serve at least 61 days. He said the 61-day minimum would be restored and his administration would take steps to overhaul policies on who gets time off for good behavior and when they get it.

Quinn simultaneously said the policy change was a big mistake and that it only amounted to low-level offenders getting out 37 days early.

SPEAKING UP

Dan Hynes, Quinn's rival in the Democratic primary, found Quinn's comments less than satisfactory.

"Pat Quinn's lame acknowledgment today that mistakes were made -- by others, naturally -- is totally inadequate, and this whole sorry affair is an outrageous violation of trust," Hynes spokesman Matt McGrath said.

Republican candidate Kirk Dillard said, "The fact that Pat Quinn and his administration authorized a special secret program to release dangerous criminals is a slap in the face to law enforcement and victims of crime."

ALLIES

Democratic Senate candidate David Hoffman picked up the endorsement of a Louisiana school superintendent. "So what?" you may ask.

Well, this superintendent is Paul Vallas, former head of the Chicago school system, Rod Blagojevich's opponent in the 2002 gubernatorial primary and still a popular figure in some Illinois political circles.

Vallas now runs the Recovery School District in New Orleans.

He praised Hoffman's record as a federal prosecutor and inspector general for the city of Chicago. "This is an individual who we need to put in the Senate," Vallas said.

STICKS & STONES

Republican Andy Martin's Senate campaign basically consists of sending out e-mails promoting himself as an "Internet powerhouse" and holding sidewalk news conferences to attack other candidates. Last week, he took his attacks to the radio by buying ads demanding that front-runner Mark Kirk respond to rumors that he is gay.

The tactic brought down a storm of condemnation. The Illinois Republican Party said it would no longer consider Martin a legitimate candidate. Candidates in different races and parties said Martin was way out of line. Critics noted Martin's track record of anti-Semitic remarks and nuisance lawsuits.

Kirk's campaign said he couldn't respond directly to Martin's ad because Kirk, a member of the Naval Reserves, was on active military duty. But a spokesman denied Martin's accusation.

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The Associated Press asked candidates for governor and Senate about their resolutions for the new year. Here's a sampling of their responses:

  • "I resolve to be a little less boisterous and a little more calm," joked the notoriously deadpan Andy McKenna, one of the Republican candidates for governor.

  • "Get my private pilot's license," said Dan Proft, another GOP candidate for governor.

  • Quinn resolved to keep working hard to create and protect jobs. "I further resolve to promote economic growth in Illinois by rooting night and day for a Cubs-White Sox World Series," he added.

  • "To be the best possible husband ... and father and in a broader sense to work every day to restore the integrity of public service to the people of Illinois," said Democratic Senate candidate David Hoffman.

  • "Give up bottled water, plastic bags and paper towels and avoid waste by recycling. And to always smoke at least 20 feet from public entrances," said Democratic Senate candidate Jacob Meister.

  • Republican Jim Ryan's resolution took the form of a fundraising letter to supporters of his gubernatorial campaign. "Let's join together and ensure that 2010 is the year we say 'enough is enough' ... and clean up Illinois government once and for all," Ryan said.

RESOLUTIONS (PART II)

The AP also asked the candidates if they had any suggestions for resolutions that their opponents should make. They responded with widely varying levels of seriousness.

  • Adam Andrzejewski, a Republican running for governor, said his rivals "should resolve to post their tax returns and sources of income online."

  • Quinn urged others "to trust voters enough to tell them the truth about our state's fiscal crisis and what needs to be done to put Illinois' state budget back on track."

  • Republican Senate candidate Patrick Hughes said: "Mark Kirk can't decide if he wants decaf or regular without first checking that it's the politically popular thing to do, so it would be nice to see him make the resolution to be consistent on the issues and act like a Republican in 2010."

  • Proft offered several good-natured suggestions.

    Democratic leaders, he said, should "enroll in and pass an Economics 101 class or else give up your office."

    And Dillard should "limit references to your time as 'Jim Edgar's chief of staff' to no more than 27 in a five-minute stump speech."

WHAT'S NEXT

Tuesday is the final day to register to vote in the Feb. 2 election. The Republican candidates for lieutenant governor debate on Jan. 7.

Happy New Year.

[Associated Press; CHRISTOPHER WILLS]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

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