This is a journal of news & opinion designed to bring to lớn light matters of public interest & to encourage public participation in the governmental process.
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What I Remember of George Ryan’s Death Penalty Announcement Timing
16
George Ryan from an exhibit in his trial.
Illinois Times has an article about a private reception for former Governor George Ryan’s 2020 book about his conversion to a death penalty opponent.
This sentence brought back a memory:
Ryan’s death row decision came as federal prosecutors were building their case against him and 78 other state officials.
I was in the northeast corner of back office of the Governor’s second floor complex when i heard a news flash from WBBM-Radio.
It said that the U.S. Attorney’s Office was expected to lớn indict Ryan.
Maybe it was a coincidence, but Ryan made his announcement the next day.
Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Replies
The Invisible State Legislators
7
One of the goals I had when I created McHenry County Blog almost sixteen years ago was to allow candidates and public officials khổng lồ speak directly lớn constituents & potential constituents.
When I first for office in 1966, newspapers would pretty much print any press release a candidate sent in.
The same was the case when I ran for State Rep. In 1972.
Now, a candidate is lucky to lớn get an article he or she announces for office, one about the contest with maybe a sentence or two for each candidate và the answer to a questionnaire.
As readers know, I’m willing to lớn publish any press release a candidate or public official submits.
Send me some opposition research on an opponent & I’ll reply asking whether the sender is willing lớn take responsibility for its content.
In any event, there is precious little coverage of local officials and state legislators.
The Senate side of the Illinois State Capitol.Chicago Magazine has an article about the anonymous nature of current state legislators from the Chicago area.
Outside of the metropolitan area, legislators get television coverage.
They are a big deal.
Locally, not so much.
In fact, until a local legislator gets Chicago coverage he or she is pretty much unknown except at election time and, then, it is because of direct mail or radio ads, not local newspapers.
“Out of sight & out of mind” is pretty an accurate mô tả tìm kiếm offered in the article about most metropolitan legislators.
Chicago Magazine also cites an academic study about corruption & the distance of a state’s populstion center to lớn the state capitol:
The study, “Isolated Capital Cities, Accountability và Corruption: Evidence from U.S. States,” found that “states with more isolated capitals are indeed found to display higher levels of corruption,” that “newspapers vày tend to lớn give state politics greater coverage when their audience is more concentrated around the capital” & that “individuals who are farther from the state capital are substantially less likely khổng lồ be informed about state politics.”
Michael Rein estate. Mounds believed to be where Indians are buried are down the hill to the right.
Overlooking the Fox River is the estate of Realtor Michael Rein (not to lớn be confused with Coroner Michael Rein).
State Senator Craig Wilcox, his wife Janice và Senator Dan McConchie.Late Saturday afternoon not two, but three State Senators were on the former Indian gathering ground near suspected Indian burial mounds.
Craig Wilcox & State Senate colleague Dave Syverson, drawn halfway into McHenry County by Democrats remap.Syverson showed the new maps which takes in almost all of Grae Buehler and Grafton Township Republican buổi tiệc nhỏ Chairman Orville Brettman.
State Senator Dave Syverson showing Mike Buehler & Orv Brettman the new legislative drawn along the Grafton-Algonwuin Township line khổng lồ keep Carolyn Schofield out of Democrat Suzanne Ness’ district in 2022.Xem thêm: Sở Kế Hoạch Và Đầu Tư Tỉnh Bình Dương, Phòng Đăng Ký Kinh Doanh ()
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie was holding court.
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie gave thoughtful attention lớn those who wished khổng lồ talk with him.There was one gubernatorial candidate at the event, Gary Rabine.
Gary Rabine chatted with Dave Syverson.McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Keannelly was squiring around two judical candidates.
Mike Buehler, Patrick Kenneally, Daniel Shanes and Bob Boles và Susan Clancy Boles.Lake County Circuit Judge Daniel Shanes is running for the Republican nomination for the new Illinois Supreme Court seat carved by Democrats this year containing Lake, McHenry, Kane, Kendall & DeKalb Counties.
Running in the same area for Appellate Court Justice is Kane County Circuit Court Judge Dusan Clancy Boles.
State Rep. Chris Bos.Only one of the members of the Illinois House whose districts overlap those of Senators Wilcox và McConchie were in attendance. That was Chris Bos , who represents the easter portion of McConchie’s district.
Danijela Sandberg, Daniel Shanes and Peter Kopsaftis.Others in attendance included Barrington Township Republican Committeeman Peter Kopsaftis và Algonquin Township Road Commissioner.
Pro-Life lobbyist Ralph Rivera can be seen talking in the foreground. Coroner Michael Rein is seen in the background.Pro-Life lobbyist Ralph Rivera came to the event, as did Coroner Michael Rein.
Besides the Algonquin Township Road Commissioner, Trustee Theresa Froncza attended.
Thersea Froncza và Jeff Thorsen.So did McHenry County Board member Jeff Thorsen.
Larger contributors were axknowledged on this sign.In front of the grill was a sign thanking those who gave more than the $30 admittance fee.
I picked up a new bit of political information from the man who wanted to lớn run against Democratic State Representative Gary Daugherty.
Gary Daugherty
In the second revision of the Democrats’ legislative may for 2022-2030, his home has been moved out of the district where Ness lives.
So, now two candidates who wanted to run against Ness find their homes in an adjoining State Rep. District.
The first was McHenry County Board thành viên Carolyn Schofield, the person whom former State Rep. Allen Skillicorn refused to lớn step aside for when he decided to lớn move to Arizona.
Skillicorn managed lớn beat Schofield twice, the first time when another candidate with a similar political base–Lakewood Village President Paul Serwatka withdrew his GOP primary candidacy pretty much at the last minute–and last spring when there was a one-on-one race.
Skillicorn lost only narrowly to Ness, despite House Democrats having run the equivalent of a congressional campaign, complete with television ads.
With another sự kiện to attend, these were the yard signs I saw from where I had parked my car.
Yard signs at the entrance to lớn the fundraiser.I joined a small caravan of vehicles headed to the McHenry County GOPac fundraiser in Grafton Township.
On the way, I saw this four by four foot sign advertising the McHenry County GOPac fundraiser.I can’t remember any past political fundraiser that has used signs khổng lồ promote an event.