Press Releases/Announcements from local sources
ElementaryDistrict 33
"The agenda for the February 2, 2006 meeting of the District #33 Board of
Education has been posted"
"Visitation for Natalie and Noe Alanis, the District #33 students who lost their lives in a fire at their home last Sunday, is scheduled for Wednesday, February 1, 2006 from 3:00 - 8:00 pm at Norris-Whalen Funeral Home, 132 Fremont Street in West Chicago. "
Sen
JohnMillner
"Senate Bill 2402, requires judges to base the amount of time an offender has spent in jail on the actual days spent in confinement rather then the duration of their term. Currently, in some cases of parole violation, even though an offender may have served as little as eight out of thirty days in one month, they have qualified for a full month of credit served. "
“Fire and smoke prevented (us) from getting upstairs to find the children. The children were found together, one embracing the other,”
"The children are in heaven together," an exhausted Alanis said Monday through a Spanish interpreter at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, where her husband, Noe Alanis, remained after suffering minor burns and complications from diabetes. "The times [we] had with them made [us] very, very happy."
Sen
Durbin“We were all saddened this morning to wake to the news of the death of Coretta Scott King, a champion of justice and human rights,”
“As Chair of the Federal Reserve, Dr. Bernanke’s challenge will be to maintain a growing economy at a time when our nation faces record long-term debt, increased competition from countries like China and vulnerabilities in our pension systems.”
“These young Illinois soldiers have given so much in service to our nation. I think it is only fitting that they come here tonight and be a part of that special moment in our nation’s history – the State of the Union address,”
“Today, Judge Samuel Alito received more “no” votes than any confirmed Supreme Court justice in United States history other than Clarence Thomas. I cast one of those “no” votes.”
Sen.
Obama"When I think about Coretta Scott King, I think about the little girl who walked five miles to school on those rural Alabama roads and felt the heat of racism each day she passed the doors of the whites-only school so much closer to home."
Rep
Hastert“I will be bringing a resolution of condolence before the House later today to enable all Members to formally express their appreciation for the life of this courageous lady.”
“We know how much money comes into campaigns and where it’s coming from, and all that’s obfuscated by 527s,”
"However, it is mind-boggling to see the likes of House Speaker Dennis Hastert carrying the flag for reform, since the recent abuses have come on his watch. In the Senate, Rick Santorum - the GOP liaison for the K Street project, no less - is helping lead the push for reform."
GovernorBlagojevich
"The Critical Skills Shortage Initiative is training hardworking men and women to take advantage of great career opportunities, while it also helps ensure that the manufacturing industry remains strong and viable in our global economy."
(An interesting but under covered story)
"LAST Wednesday President Bush removed Noel L. Hillman, the chief prosecutor in the Jack Abramoff lobbying and bribery scandal, from the case. Mr. Bush's action came as the media and his critics swarmed around the problem of trying to pry publicly owned photographs of Mr. Bush with Mr. Abramoff from the White House."
ElementaryDistrict 33
"A memorial fund has been established at DuPage National Bank in West Chicago for the family of the two District #33 students who perished in a house fire yesterday."
"We have asked our parents to please take extra time being with their own children - sitting with them, talking, reading, eating supper together as a family - so that they can provide them with the opportunity to ask questions."
Referendum websites...
Cable
ComChannel 17
There is a new broadcast of Senator Obama's recent town hall meeting on the schedule. There are things happening at Comcast... and you could be a part of it by volunteering.
Sen
JohnMillner
"Senate Bill 2347 would keep courts from excluding witness statements in court proceedings if the witness was murdered by the defendant in order to prevent them from testifying."
"Police said paramedics proceeded to take Natali Alanis, 7, and her 3-year-old brother, Noe, to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, but it was too late. Both died at the hospital, the West Chicago Fire Protection District said."
"Neither Ray nor Gaffney are more to blame with the pall of uneasiness they’ve created over the board. Right now, they share equally, until one or both is able to rise above all of this nonsense for the good of the district."
Sen
Durbin“American consumers are paying the price for an energy policy that rewards the greed of oil and gas companies and is too dependent on foreign oil. Offering consumers immediate relief from the rising cost of energy is only a first step. We must make energy independence a national priority..."
"In a bipartisan letter to President Bush, more than 30 Senators called on the Administration to expand its efforts to help end the “continuing genocidal violence in Darfur, Sudan.” The letter was spearheaded by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)."
Sen.
Obama"U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, touted as one of the Democratic Party's new stars, will be the keynote speaker at the state Democrats' annual dinner in March."
"He was the first member of his freshman class of lawmakers, elected in 1994, to ascend to a leadership post when House Speaker Dennis Hastert appointed him chairman of the House Administration Committee in 2001."
"But that is always more chancy than giving money directly through legislation. House Speaker Dennis Hastert went to Treasury Secretary John Snow in 2004 to advocate for a $1.6 billion federal loan guarantee for United Airlines, which is based in the speaker's Illinois district. The company's application was denied."
"Dreier's Rules Committee in 2001 proposed bringing to the floor Shays's legislation banning unlimited corporate contributions to the parties under rules that would have made it harder to pass. Dreier's proposal was rejected by a vote on the House floor, the first time such a proposal from the Rules Committee had been turned down under House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois."
"House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., took in $1.5 million last year for his committee, Keep Our Majority. He spent $1.1 million, or about 76 percent."
GovernorBlagojevich
“Coal mining is re-emerging here in Illinois. As we bring more mines back to life, we have to make sure that the men and women who go underground every day are safe and secure”
(An interesting but under covered story)
"Comey thanked "people who came to my office, or my home, or called my cell phone late at night, to quietly tell me when I was about to make a mistake; they were the people committed to getting it right—and to doing the right thing—whatever the price. These people," said Comey, "know who they are. Some of them did pay a price for their commitment to right, but they wouldn't have it any other way.""
""The protests that we have evidence of spying of, are all peace groups, those who oppose the Administration’s policies," Weber responded to a press question from APN. "We have not heard of a case where a pro-war group was spied upon.""
"A Coke might be Coke anywhere on the planet but not in the United States. In Mexican enclaves and neighborhoods locally and across the country, Coke is not the real thing unless it’s from Mexico."
"The house fire, which eventually involved fire companies from 12 different municipalities and districts and shut down the Union Pacific West Line for more than two hours, was reported by a passerby on the 100 block of South Aurora Street just after 2 p.m., West Chicago Fire Chief Ron Ackerman said in a news release."
Sen
Durbin"... and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today to protest attacks by right wing organizations and Republican members of Congress on effective programs to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and to call for a funding process based on merit and science, not ideology."
Sen.
Obama"But the Illinois Democrat also says his party relies too heavily on procedural maneuvers like filibusters and Democrats could do a better job of persuading the American people directly."
Sen
Durbin"With heating bills up 41 percent in the Midwest this winter, many people face the choice to heat or eat,"
"Community groups were outraged that the Nutritional Health Alliance (NHA) would be engaged in the production of such a racist flyer that serves to perpetuate an increased environment of prejudice and hate against the Sikh, Muslim and Arab American communities."
Rep
Hastert"House Speaker Dennis Hastert visited one of Oswego's well stations Friday to dedicate the village's state-of-the-art radium filtration system with a check from the federal government for $950,200."
"Fortenberry also asked Hastert to consider a rules change that would eliminate passage of major legislation without allowing House members at least three days to review House-Senate conference reports."
(An interesting but under covered story)
"Last year customer satisfaction with the veterans' health system, as measured by an annual survey conducted by the National Quality Research Center, exceeded that for private health care for the sixth year in a row."
"The Chambers annual awards banquet, held this past Wednesday was a tremendous success -- nearly one hundred members and guests attended this event, which honored Thomas O. Marziani with a Lifetime Achievement Award. "
"If successful, other pear groups or industry groups will be formed as a way for the chamber to provide additional benefits to its members in this ever-changing business climate."
Rep.Randy Ramey“This bill removes those restrictions and gives the departments authorization to spend fine collections in ways that will better protect their communities from violence.”
"West Chicago authorities arrested a man suspected of a daytime assault at the city’s commuter train station and kissing a high school girl against her will."
"Riding a wave of record fuel sales, the DuPage Airport is set to end the coming year with a $1.04 million surplus. Airport commissioners expect to collect $34.58 million in 2006, while spending $33.54 million."
"A 21-year-old West Chicago man was accused Thursday of trying to abuse a young girl at the city's commuter train station on Jan. 2 and attempting to kiss a female student at West Chicago High School on Jan. 19."
Sen
Durbin"Firefighters, police officers and emergency health care workers still can’t communicate with each other in times of crisis – whether it’s a terrorist attack or a natural disaster. And the administration continues to call for cuts in programs to help communities hire new police officers and new firefighters – our first line of defense."
Sen.
Obama"And if big oil companies are standing in the way of consumers who want to fill their vehicles with cleaner alternative fuels made here in the United States, then I believe the American people deserve to know why."
"But when you look at his record - when it comes to his understanding of the Constitution, I have found that in almost every case, he consistently sides on behalf of the powerful against the powerless; on behalf of a strong government or corporation against upholding American's individual rights."
"Obama wants the congressional Government Accountability Office to look into the issue. He says an oil company memo shows that franchise gas stations face strict corporate rules making it difficult to offer alternative fuels."
“The citizens of Palestine have just completed a democratic process that has elected Hamas as the majority party in the Palestinian parliament... Hamas has shown that it prefers terrorism against innocent civilians to pursue its political aims, and the United States should play no role in assisting a majority terrorist parliament.”
"Standing next to Dreier, nodding with mild approval but also scanning the crowd cautiously, was the boarlike House speaker, Dennis Hastert. Hastert had kicked off this presser with similarly inspired oratory -- the highlight of which, according to my notes, was this line: "It's not acceptable to, uh, break the rules or the law.""
GovernorBlagojevich
“The Spanish version of the Keep Warm Illinois website will help even more households learn how they can weatherize their homes and take certain energy saving steps to help them significantly decrease their utility bills.”
(An interesting but under covered story)
"Well, we will obviously have to look into that and clarify that for our viewers at a -- at a later date."
MattFuesting
“This legislation is an incredible step toward more accurate tracking of convicted sex offenders. In addition, there is no cost to the taxpayers of Illinois.”
West
Chicago Police Dept."The six count complaint charges Perez with three counts of Aggravated Battery, one count of Unlawful Restraint, one count of Attempted Sexual Abuse, and one count of Criminal Trespass to State Supported Land."
Press
- Pool passes for the 2006 season
- Kindergarten Kamp
"Situations in which the Corps will be able to assist are acts of terrorism, natural or man-made disasters and enhancing local emergency management strategies."
"When conditions permit, trails at the following forest preserves are groomed for classical and skate-style cross-country skiing: Herrick Lake and Danada in Wheaton, Blackwell in Warrenville, Waterfall Glen in Darien, Greene Valley in Naperville, West DuPage Woods in West Chicago and Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook."
Sen.
Obama"The VA denied nearly 9,000 veterans in Illinois health care services they earned last year. This is an offensive and misguided way to balance the budget on veterans' backs,"
"The Republican Speaker, Dennis Hastert, suggested a similar package of lobbyist-bashing reforms, equally sensible but equally beside the point."
"I used to teach government classes to high school students and I know that confidence in the integrity of our government is essential to our democratic system. So it makes me both angry and sad when a Member of Congress or former staffers betray that trust."
GovernorBlagojevich
West
ChicagoHigh School
"Having an impressive academic resume is only one third of what makes her accomplishments astounding. Kelly has been a three-sport athlete for four years competing in swimming (as captain), basketball (as captain) and track."
"In addition to bringing flowers, this April will have us "Singing in the Rain" at the West Chicago Chamber of Commerce Fashion Show and Luncheon to be held on April 12 in the St. Charles ballroom at Pheasant Run Resort from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m."
"In 1977, Gonzalez was convicted of aggravated kidnapping after he commandeered the car of a West Chicago woman at knifepoint and forced her to perform a sex act. The woman escaped after struggling but her hand was cut severely, she testified."
Sen
Durbin“Those of us who have worked on the Lincoln Presidential Library for many years owe a special debt of gratitude to Richard Norton Smith for helping in its historic launch."
"Illinois Senator Richard Durbin calls the spying program "troubling" and asks, "can any Congress limit this president's power?""
Sen.
Obama"What do Academy Award winning actress Nicole Kidman, U.S. Senator Barack Obama, and Japanese baseball player Ichiro Suzuki have in common?"
| Checklist of Action on Hastert's Colleague Since there is nothing good about the Republican Congressional Scandal, I thought you might like to review this "to do" list. |
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Admonished by House |
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Indicted |
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Warrant |
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Booked ... print and mug shot |
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Trial |
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Shame and Remorse |
| Additional Documents at Public Citizen | |
"At the January 21 meeting, the members of 4 The People voted to accept the nominations of new officers. The following members have agreed to serve in the executive positions of 4 The People."
ElementaryDistrict 33
"A Dual Language Open House will take place at Gary School on February 22, 2006 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. In conjunction with the Open House, class visits and information sessions will be available."
Board of Education meeting synopsis
“Our position as a police department is there’s no doubt in our minds that cell phone use while driving is hazardous,”
Sen
Durbin"Alito, a federal appeals judge, was only up for consideration as President Bush's choice to be the successor to retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor because support had fizzled for his first choice, the president's White House counsel, Harriet Miers."
Sen.
Obama"Yet, in examining Judge Alito's many decisions, I have seen extraordinarily consistent support for the powerful against the powerless, for the employer against the employee, for the President against the Congress and the Judiciary, and for an overreaching federal government against individual rights and liberties."
"The Democratic senator says fears Alito would not be an independent voice for all citizens."
GovernorBlagojevich
“[Speaker Denny] Hastert [R-Ill.] is very confident, very organized and even-tempered. It’s a stable environment there,” he said. “I think it was a little less so with [former Speaker Newt] Gingrich [R-Ga.]. The DeLay operation also has ripened into a very mature ground operation.”
"Blunt, Boehner and Speaker Dennis Hastert are talking reform, but mostly of the cosmetic variety. Some among the House GOP’s idealistic class of 1994 talk of challenging the whole leadership short of Speaker Hastert. Count that as unlikely. Too many House Republicans have grown addicted to the system of spend and elect."
"If Republicans think they can turn the page on former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) by sticking with Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), Blunt as Majority Leader and Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) as Majority Whip, they must be wearing rose-colored glasses," Rothenberg added."
(An interesting but under covered story)
"First, we have the president of the United States running around the country defending himself on a matter no one – absolutely no one – is debating. He smirks and grins and proclaims he just can’t understand why his opponents don’t want him ferreting out those nasty terrorists."
Rep.Randy Ramey“Too often in the news we hear about newborn babies that are being left in trash cans and vacant buildings because they are placed there by scared parents,”
Mid-Year State of the State report, Literature Festival, and more...
"A depot will be built later this year, and there have been major track improvements and construction of a commuter train storage yard just east of the Elburn station, replacing a coach yard in West Chicago."
Sen
Durbin"Senator Dick Durbin announced the funding for International Titanium Powder today at the company's Lockport headquarters. Among other things, the money will help the defense contractor expand operations in Lockport, where it has ten employees."
Sen.
Obama"My bill would give the public access to now-secret conference committee meetings and allow them to easily find a list of all pet projects in appropriations bills. This common-sense legislation would make it impossible for legislators to anonymously slip in special interest giveaways in the dead of night, and would ensure that lawmakers never again vote on legislation without having time to read it."
"Led by no one less than House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., the House effort to reform lobbying rules last week was a classic example of foxhole religion. Whether the speaker's move will protect Republicans in the fall elections is anyone's guess, ..."
(An interesting but under covered story)
"Democrats offer an aggressive reform package to reverse Republican excesses and restore the public trust. Our program for change embodies the following provisions:"
Cable
ComChannel 17
GovernorBlagojevich
"In his State of the State address on Wednesday, the Governor proposed a $1,000 tax credit for every child an Illinois family has enrolled in any college in Illinois, public or private. The tax credit applies to freshmen and sophomores who maintain a B average."
Sen
Durbin"When Senator McCain reaches across the aisle to find Democrats to support efforts to make America stronger, he finds plenty of us standing, willing to help him and many other Republican leaders."
Sen.
Obama"Democratic Senator Barak Obama of Illinois, who helped introduce his party's lobbying proposals, said in a separate interview that while the influence of money in politics is a problem for Democrats and Republicans, the current scandal reflects ``very particular problems of this administration and this Congress.''"
"Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert was first out of the box with a set of measures prohibiting most lobbyist-paid travel, meals, drinks and entertainment. Sounds good, but it's nothing but a giant CYA. "
"Under Hastert and DeLay, the GOP leadership has betrayed Republican principles. Deficit spending has been the leadership's crutch, and fundraising its addiction. It's clear DeLay and his cronies would still be living large and skirting rules if uber-lobbyist Jack Abramoff had not pleaded guilty to defrauding Indian tribal clients, conspiring to bribe members of Congress and evading taxes. If the GOP is calling for reforms, it's not because the party saw the light. It's because the leaders got caught."
"Three other photos show Bush with Abramoff and the lobbyist's three sons. A sixth picture shows several of Abramoff's five children with Bush and House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill."
(Denny, what about those comments that nobody knew him? - Bob)
“I’m sitting back and waiting for the circus to end,” Reyes said. “Every time they delay this, it impacts the budget of (Winfield Elementary) District 34, which is in a world of hurt, and District 94.”
Sen
Durbin"Sharing the concerns of fellow Democrats on the committee, Durbin also said he fears Alito would not be willing to oppose a president "who is determined to seize too much power over our personal lives.""
Sen.
Obama"A play based on Senator Barrack Obama's autobiography will be staged at the Kenya National Theatre in a month's time."
"Don't be fooled by the chorus shouting "The Democrats did it too!" - from Tom DeLay's multiple troubles to Duke Cunningham's antique commode to Abramoff's spider web of tainted links, this is a Republican scandal, period. There's no indication that Abramoff, who had a habit of making lavish campaign contributions, gave any of his own money to Democrats - he seems to have written checks to Republicans only."
"House Speaker Dennis Hastert wants you to know he is shocked – shocked! – to learn that fellow Republicans have been running a den of iniquity right under his nose. It has come to Hastert’s attention that some man named Jack Abramoff, never heard of him, who apparently is something called a “lobbyist”, whatever that is, has confessed to purchasing the vote of at least one GOP congressman and is singing sweetly to prosecutors about others.Hastert says we shouldn’t worry, though, because we’re not sure anything really happened, and anyway he’s going to make sure it never happens again, and blah blah blah blah blah, just move along, folks, there’s nothing to see here."
(An interesting but under covered story)
"On Tuesday, January 17, a group called Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances issues a press release titled, "Leading Conservatives Call for Extensive Hearings on NSA Surveillance; Checks on Invasive Federal Powers Essential.""
West
ChicagoHigh School
"Students select experiments, research them, write scripts, produce storyboards, shoot the videos, create graphics and art and edit the videos. They share copies of the DVDs with Spanish speaking students at West Chicago Middle School. "
ElementaryDistrict 33
"Classes meet Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. or 12:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m. The fee for the 3-day program is $155.00 per month and $185.00 per month for the 4-day program."
"Last evening the Board gave Administration the authority to engage an architect firm to begin the bid process seeking long-term modular classroom space to house the preschool program."
New Bell-Graham and Ferson Creek principals, and photos...
Sen Peter Roskam"This week Senate committees began looking at hundreds of pieces of legislation introduced for the Spring 2006 legislative session, and Governor Rod Blagojevich delivered his fourth annual State of the State Address to citizens and lawmakers, according to State Senator Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton)."
Rep.Randy Ramey"“But we need to come up with a fiscally responsible plan to pay for them. We shouldn’t be relying on forms of gambling to pay for education and for capital repair projects.”"
"With heating costs on rise, West Chicago leaders want to give residents and businesses some relief by suspending the city’s tax on natural gas."
“I’ll have to bring a hanky this year,” he said. “We lost a good soldier this year, but I’m going to keep marching on.”
"Those were standard home videos for the West Chicago woman, now 26. “I grew up knowing (Jim Elliot) was my grandfather, and he died for a cause he truly believed in,” she said."
"Jeremy Dekruyff, 23, of 80 McKinley St. in St. Charles, and Daniel Clarke, 22, of 2417 Elm Road in West Chicago, have been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon."
Sen
Durbin
“Thousands of low-income and disabled seniors have been told by pharmacies across Illinois that they are not eligible for the low-income program, or that the drugs they need are not available on their formulary. These are our most vulnerable seniors, yet many have walked away without their medication.”
“In the record, the writings, the words, and the life of Samuel Alito, I searched for evidence of his caring heart – evidence that for the next two or three decades he would use his position on the Supreme Court to enlarge our freedom, protect our privacy, and respect the delicate balance of power and responsibility our Constitution creates,”
Sen.
Obama"... close to one hundred congressional Democrats stood together in the Library of Congress as Senator Barack Obama talked about the importance of the reforms his party was introducing."
"Kane County, Illinois, the largest county in Speaker Denny Hastert's 14th congressional district, is another local government that can't get its voice heard in our nation's capital."
"Actually, what the Speaker has done over the past several months (and years) is pretty much nothing, except for his assiduous efforts to cover up for Mr. DeLay -- who ushered him into the top leadership post in 1999 and was universally regarded as the brains and muscle behind Mr. Hastert."
"He is a well experienced member of this committee and has been instrumental in the creation of the Thomas website (http://thomas.loc.gov), a portal that allows the American people access to copies of legislation and other government documents."
West
ChicagoHigh School
"This is our chance to show our appreciation for those who went above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference in our lives," said event chairman Ruben Pineda. "We want to celebrate and honor these great folks, some of whom have changed the course of our lives."
ElementaryDistrict 33
"The agenda was delayed this week due to illnesses."
Post Bears loss edition...
Sen
JohnMillner
"He has borrowed more against our pension systems in his first three years in office than the previous three Governors had borrowed--combined. To pay off our bond debts, every person in the state would have to come up with more than $2,000. Little more than four years ago, that figure was roughly $1,000. "
"The school board has decided to eliminate the high school’s bilingual coordinator by August, replacing the post with a bilingual department chair who will teach and help coordinate the program."
Press
"Concern for the victims of an unprovoked attack that still has one of the victims in serious condition. And concern that the local Hispanic community might all be branded for the actions of one individual."
"At the Jan. 16 City Council meeting Mayor Michael Fortner directed staff to prepare an ordinance temporarily suspending the gas use tax. "It will help mitigate the costs," he said."
Sen
JohnMillner
"Today’s State of the State address was long on glamour and short on substance, according the State Senator John J. Millner (R- Carol Stream). "
Political Action- Televised debate for State Rep. races
Elections of Officers and Directors
Sen
Durbin“Democrats are coming forward with specific proposals, not vague notions, to restore honesty and integrity to Congress. It is a real reform initiative that addresses the abuses of power the American people have witnessed in the past ten years,”
“The fraudulent acquisition of records needs to be punishable as a true criminal offense, subject to jail time and fines. The sale and transfer of this information needs to be clearly prohibited by law.”
Sen.
Obama"There's been a consolidation of power by the Republican Congress and this White House in which, if you are the ordinary voter, you don't have access," Obama said. "... That should be a source of concern for all of us."
"It has shaken the faith of the American people in a government that looks out for their interests and upholds their values,"
Rep
Hastert"Republican leaders are not ready to do away with the practice of earmarking, and Hastert defended members' right to direct federal resources to their constituents as a matter of congressional prerogative."
"Hastert also participated in neutering the House Ethics Committee after it cited DeLay three times for ethics violations."
GovernorBlagojevich
"Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today delivered his 2006 State of the State Address, outlining the significant progress made over the last three years to help working families. The Governor proposed several major new initiatives to create even more jobs, improve education, increase access to healthcare and continue to lower the crime rate."
"If state lawmakers give the commission the ability to give sales tax dollars to West Chicago, other municipalities not getting lake water, like Warrenville and Wayne, might want a similar arrangement."
"The couple married in 1972 and briefly lived in Wisconsin and West Chicago before settling in Wheaton."
Sen
Durbin"The top aides _ including his chief of staff Ed Greelegs and Mike Daly _ say that effective tomorrow that all Durbin staff will voluntarily comply with the Senate Democrats' ethics proposal _ The Honest Leadership Act and Open Government Act."
Illionois
Senators"Senator Dick Durbin, Obama’s Illinois partner and the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, has no doubt about the future of his state’s most popular politician. “He’s an odds-on favorite to run for higher office,” Durbin predicts. “If you are a personal investment banker, you certainly want to invest in the Barack Obama IPO … It is a solid investment in the American political scene.”"
Sen.
Obama“Ultimately, the Iraqi government has to take responsibility for making sure that if we pour that money into various ministries and reconstruction projects then it is not simply going to be dissipated”
Rep
Hastert"The committee has not launched an investigation since House Speaker Dennis Hastert declined in February 2005 to reappoint Rep. Joel Hefley, R-Colo., as chairman, and replaced him with Hastings. Hastert also removed two other Republican members of the committee who along with Hefley had twice voted to admonish DeLay for ethics lapses in 2004."
"It is "no secret that over the past several months, our reputation as a governing majority has taken a beating," Congressman Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican, told Speaker Dennis Hastert in a letter. "It is clear that continuing indictments, possible indictments, plea deals, tainted campaign contributions, etc., [have] severely eroded public trust.""
GovernorBlagojevich
“Every sane person would agree that machine guns and grenades should be illegal. Their only purpose is to kill large numbers of people. The same is true of military-style assault weapons.”
(An interesting but under covered story)
"Last month, NBC News broke the story that the meeting of Quakers in Lake Worth, Fla., was one of about 1,500 allegedly suspicious incidents included in the Defense Department's secret TALON (Threat and Local Observation Notice) reporting system. Recent reports have said Quaker activities in Ohio and Vermont also may have been scrutinized under the program."
Rep.Randy Ramey“We need to provide opportunities for those families who have suffered hardship because their loved ones were hurt while serving our country during times of war.”
"The main thing is, we want to raise awareness about the dangers of speeding. I don't want to have other families go through what we're going through because it's something that's avoidable,"
Sen.
Obama"U.S. Senator Barack Obama, Governor Rod Blagojevich and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley also spoke at the breakfast -- which also honored four people including U.S. Senators John McCain and John Kerry whose work over the past year has been in the King tradition."
"“A thorough, multi-faceted non-proliferation strategy is essential to fully defend the American people,” Lugar and Obama wrote in a joint letter to the administration. “We urge you to keep these critical initiatives foremost in importance and funding allocation.”"
Rep
Hastert"There is real discontent," said Rep. Anne Northup, R-Ky., who is pressing for new elections of virtually the entire party leadership, though she excludes Hastert. "There are some that are very angry."
"The House Ethics Committee, led by Rep. Doc Hastings, has sat idle over the past year as Congress faces what could become one of the worst scandals in its history."
(An interesting but under covered story)
"With Allen legally blind, hard of hearing, confined to a wheelchair by the debilitating effects of diabetes, and barely able to speak above a whisper, his judicial killing is being denounced as an affront to human dignity."
The schedule for local access TV is posted. Have you checked out Millner's Memo... it is listed for Wednesday and Friday?
Sen
Durbin"Durbin said in the Democrats' radio address that the nation deserves honest leadership to replace the current G-O-P-dominated government. He says the concentrated Republican power has created "a culture of corruption" that hurts the ability to deal with the nation's needs."
"The tape FOX aired of the original crying incident was cut in such a way as to give the impression that Sen. Richard Durbin, a Democrat, was speaking to Alito when Mrs. Alito started to cry and that Sen. Graham came to Alito's rescue like a knight on a shining white horse. Those of us who actually WATCHED the hearings know that it was mean ol' Lindsey what made Martha-Ann cry."
Sen.
Obama"Barak Obama began the conference by saying how surprised he was that it was cold and raining in Ramallah, that it went against his preconceived notions about the climate in the Middle East."
"If Americans do believe that they are not their brothers’ keepers, then why would a speech by a relatively unknown senatorial candidate in which the man unabashedly asserted an American interdependence catapult that man to national fame?"
Rep
Hastert"On the House side, Hastert enlisted Representative David Dreier, a close DeLay ally who was instrumental in trying to overturn House ethics rules last year."
"Dennis Hastert turned down a White House request to elect a permanent successor to Tom DeLay as majority leader in advance of President Bush’s State of the Union address on Jan. 31. Republican House members simply did not want to return early to Washington after their winter vacation."
"The House, actually all of Congress, is engulfed in its biggest collective scandal in a generation. How different would things be, then, if Mr. Hastert remained in power but all the lesser positions were open to change?"
"House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office late Friday emailed Washington reporters a news bulletin from Roll Call reporting that Hastert was considering removing the scandal-tarred Rep. Bob Ney as chairman of the House Administration Committee. Some reporters received the email ahead of the Capitol Hill newspaper's own email of the story."
“The people that live in that complex are the heroes,” said West Chicago Police Chief Stephen Kuhn. “They’re the ones who called (911), and the calls came in English and Spanish.”
Rep
Hastert"Which raises the question -- as the House tries to clean house, how come Hastert's head isn't on the table? Admittedly, he's not implicated in criminal activity the way Tom DeLay is, but in theory he's in charge of the House Republican leadership operation. At a minimum, one wouldn't say he's been very proactive 'lo these past several years in rooting out corruption not just inside his own caucus but inside his own leadership team."
"But while Cox was in the studio, J. Dennis Hastert was winning the cloakroom. With powerful backing from Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), Hastert -- a decidedly untelegenic, nuts-and-bolts pol from small-town Illinois -- was working the phones, cutting deals and forming alliances. Within hours, he locked down the most powerful job in Congress."
Citizens for Excellence in Education, and much, much more...
Sen Peter Roskam