Gov. Blagojevich said Tuesday that he does not intend to fully veto the unbalanced budget state lawmakers sent him several weeks ago. However, he threatened deep spending cuts and accused Speaker Michael Madigan of plotting a post-election tax increase. Unless legislators reconvene to approve a balanced budget, the governor says he will slash about $1.5 billion in programs -- including $600 million in health care cuts, $260 million in social service programs, and $110 million in school-construction money.
Illinois Attorney. Gen. Lisa Madigan plans to file a civil lawsuit today against the nation's biggest mortgage lender, Countrywide Financial, for engaging in "unfair and deceptive" practices to get homeowners to apply for risky mortgages far beyond their means. The lawsuit comes on the same day that shareholders are scheduled to vote on the company's takeover by Bank of America.
John McCain and Barack Obama sparred over energy policy again yesterday. The Arizona senator pledged to make the federal government more environmentally friendly -- months after his opponent outlined a more detailed and ambitious proposal -- while Obama blasted his opponent for pandering to voters over off-shore oil drilling and suggesting the U.S. build dozens of new nuclear reactors.
The Clintons and Obama may finally be putting the tumultuous primary season behind them. Former President Bill Clinton has offered to campaign for the presumptive Democratic nominee and Obama is sharing some of his top fundraisers to help Hillary pay off the $22.5 million in debt she accrued during the campaign.
In a scathing report released today, the Department of Justice inspector general and the Office of Professional Responsibility found that senior DOJ officials broke civil service laws by rejecting scores of young applicants who had links to Democrats or liberal organizations. The practice began in 2002 and, in the report's words, “constituted misconduct and also violated the department’s policies and civil service law that prohibit discrimination in hiring based on political or ideological affiliations.”
Under a proposal county commissioners advanced Tuesday, same-sex couples who work for Cook County wouldn't lose their benefits if they get married in other states. This follows a similar ordinance pushed by Chicago Ald. Tim Tunney (44th Ward). Both proposals come in response to California's recent legalization of gay marriage.
He passed on it six years ago and sources say he's regretted it ever since. Former U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley, the Chicago mayor's brother, is "seriously considering" a race for governor in 2010. When asked whether he would want to see his brother in Springfield, the mayor said, "I don't know. He's doing very well in the private sectors. That would be up to him -- not to me."
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