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John Cullerton

Will Dan Hynes Drop Out of Illinois Governor's Race?

David Ormsby | Posted 10.29.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Pat Quinn, Dan Hynes, Rasmussen Poll, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Jan Schakowsky, Michael Madigan, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Ken Lambert, Christine Radogno, John Cullerton, Tom Cross, Illinois 2010 Governor Race, Ibew, Illinois Politics, Chicago News
David Ormsby

A few weeks ago, questions began to bubble on whether Hynes would or should drop out of the race against Quinn. The governor was on a roll. He was piling up union endorsements. No more.

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Leaders Remain Divided Over Campaign Contribution Limits

Daily Herald | Joseph Ryan | Posted 10.28.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Campaign Finance Reform, John Cullerton, Pat Quinn, Illinois Campaign Contribution Limits, Michael Madigan, Chicago News

Nearly $11 million was spent in just 10 suburban races for statehouse seats last year, as Republicans and Democrats slammed each other in glossy maile...

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Giannoulias Endorsed By Cullerton For U.S. Senate

Huffington Post | Posted 08.31.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Senate Races, Obama Senate Seat, Chris Kennedy, Illinois Senate 2010, Mark Kirk, Cheryle Jackson, Alexi Giannoulias, Giannoulias Senate, Illinois Senate Race, John Cullerton, Giannoulias Endorsements, Chicago News

State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias unveiled another endorsement for his 2010 U.S. Senate campaign Friday. State Senate President John Cullerton announ...

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Greg Harris Endorses Heather Steans Over Gay Rights Activist Jim Madigan in State Senate Race

David Ormsby | Posted 08.27.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Jim Madigan, Illinois Politics, Suzanne Elder, Greg Harris, Heather Steans, Carol Ronen, Illinois Senate Races, John Cullerton, Madigan Steans, Chicago News
David Ormsby

The endorsement is a huge plus for the freshman senator whose north lakefront district includes a heavy concentration of gay and lesbian voters. Madigan's climb to the state senate just got a little steeper.

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Good News: Pat Quinn Signs Illinois Budget; Bad News: Pat Quinn Signs Illinois Budget

David Ormsby | Posted 08.16.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Budget, Donne Trotter, Christine Radogno, John Cullerton, Pat Quinn, Tom Cross, Michael Madigan, Illinois Budget Deficit, Chicago News
David Ormsby

The unbalanced budget "avoids a tax increase," Minority Leader Radogno said. It also avoids any sign of real leadership--an observation Radogno left unsaid.

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Lawmakers Defend Going To All-Star Game During Budget Negotiations

State Journal-Register | Bernard Schoenburg | Posted 08.16.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Budget, MLB All-Star Game, John Cullerton, James Clayborne, Chicago News

So, did a trip to baseball's All-Star Game Tuesday night by a key member of the General Assembly delay the state budget deal? No way, says Senate Pre...

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Illinois Lawmakers Approve Debt-Heavy Stop-Gap Budget

AP | Posted 08.15.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois State Budget, Illinois Budget, Pat Quinn, Pat Quinn Budget, Christine Radogno, John Cullerton, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Facing a massive deficit and an array of unpleasant choices, Illinois officials decided Wednesday to keep state government r...

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Pat Quinn's Latest Budget Plan Aims for 'Heaven,' Teens, State Courts Heading in Opposite Direction

David Ormsby | Posted 08.14.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Marge Berglind, Child Care Association Illinois, Illinois Doomsday Budget, Pat Quinn, Illinois Department Human Services, Michael Madigan, Christine Radogno, John Cullerton, Treatment Alternatives Safe Communities, Tom Cross, Pat Quinn Budget, Tasc, Illinois Budget, Illinois Budget Cuts, Chicago News
David Ormsby

"There are many ways to get to heaven," Quinn said after another change in budget plans. But hundreds of Illinois human service providers on the brink of financial apocalypse are fretting over landing in much, much, warmer climes.

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Quinn Signs $31 Billion Capital Bill

AP | DAVID MERCER | Posted 08.13.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Quinn Capital Bill, Pat Quinn, Illinois Capital Bill, Illinois Construction Program, John Cullerton, Chicago News

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday approved the state's first construction spending plan in over a decade - a $31 billion infusion expec...

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Pat Quinn, Lawmakers Agree on a Key Number in Illinois Doomsday Budget Slugfest

David Ormsby | Posted 08.01.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Budget, Illinois Politics, Illinois Dooomsday Budget, Michael Madigan, Pat Quinn Budget, Christine Radogno, John Cullerton, Tom Cross, Illinois General Assembly, Quinn Budget Veto, Chicago News
David Ormsby

Gov. Quinn vetoed the only budget plan on the table. But that does not lessen the confusion, much of which the governor has bred.

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Quinn Vows To Veto 'Half Baked' Budget That Cuts Services, Doesn't Raise Taxes

AP/Huffington Post | Posted 07.31.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Temporary Budget, Video, Pat Quinn, Illinois Budget Cuts, Illinois Income Tax Increase, Pat Quinn Budget, Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Budget, John Cullerton, Christine Radogno, Chicago News

UPDATE 7/1 Gov. Quinn's office has announced he will "take veto action." A press conference is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in Springfield. Check back fo...

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$100,000 and Springfield Dropped the Ball

Scott Foval | Posted 07.27.2009 | Chicago

Read More: HIV/AIDS, Dan Hynes, Pat Quinn, Christine Radogno, IL DHS Funding, John Cullerton, Illinois Budget, Illinois Budget Deficit, Pat Quinn Budget, Illinois Budget Cuts, Illinois Special Session, Chicago News
Scott Foval

Cuts are coming, a train wreck is about to hit, and our state officials took a two-day trip to Springfield just to sit there and do nothing.

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Quinn, Top Lawmakers Meeting Again To Try Solve Budget Impasse

AP | Posted 07.10.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Michael Madigan, Pat Quinn, Illinois Tax Increase, Illinois Budget, Christine Radogno, John Cullerton, Tom Cross, Chicago News

CHICAGO (AP) -- Gov. Pat Quinn and top lawmakers are headed into another round of budget negotiations amid dire warnings of massive service cuts. Qui...

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Julie Hamos Aims to Boost Pat Quinn's Reform Agenda and Gets Undercut by Pat Quinn

David Ormsby | Posted 06.27.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Julie Hamos, Illinois Politics, Illinois Reform Commission, Pat Quinn, Patrick Collins, Illinois Campaign Contribution Caps, Michael Madigan, John Cullerton, Quinn Fundraising, Chicago News
David Ormsby

The Quinn episode exposed the inevitable collision between a reformer's principles and the practical politics of an election system that relies on private dough to finance the campaign beast.

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Democrats Seek GOP Help Raising Illinois Taxes

AP | CHRISTOPHER WILLS | Posted 06.26.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Taxes, Illinois Budget, Illinois Budget Deficit, Pat Quinn, Illinois Income Tax Increase, Christine Radogno, John Cullerton, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Caught between a ticking clock and a massive budget deficit, Democratic leaders asked Tuesday for Republicans' help in raisi...

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Illinois Senate Puts Off Ethics Votes

Chicago Tribune | Posted 06.22.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Senate, Patrick Collins, Pat Quinn, Illinois Ethics Reform, John Cullerton, Illinois Senate Ethics, Chicago-Illinois, Chicago News

Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) postponed action today on a series of ethics proposals, with aides saying he wanted to spend more time wor...

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Illinois Senate Democrats Talk Ethics Record to New Media, Push Back on Old Media Complaints

David Ormsby | Posted 06.18.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Stuart Levine, Pat Quinn, Rod Blagojevich, Kwame Raoul, Don Harmon, Patrick Collins, Illinois Politics, John Cullerton, Jeff Schoenberg, Barack Obama, Illinois Political Reform, Illinois Reform Commission, Public Financing, Chicago News
David Ormsby

Kwame Raoul introduced legislation for public financing two years ago. His predecessor, Barack Obama, sponsored the same legislation in 2005. What did Chicago newspapers editorialize at the time at the time on the Obama bill? Nothing.

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Senate President Pledges Transparency On Spending Projects

Daily Herald | John Patterson | Posted 06.15.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Budget, Illinois Senate, Illinois Senate Spending, John Cullerton, Illinois Senate Projects, Chicago News

The new president of the Illinois Senate announced Thursday that all projects for senators that end up in the state budget will be clearly identified ...

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Quinn: Approve Tax Increase Or Face 'Doomsday Budget'

AP | Posted 06.08.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Budget, Pat Quinn, Michael Madigan, Illinois Income Tax Increase, Pat Quinn Budget, Illinois Tax Increase, John Cullerton, Chicago News

CHICAGO (AP) -- After 100 days on the job, Gov. Pat Quinn knows the next three weeks could matter the most. That's how long Quinn has before the legi...

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Medical Marijuana Bill A Long Shot Despite Momentum

Huffington Post | Tim Taliaferro | Posted 06.06.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Medical Marijuana, Medical Marijuana, Medical Cannabis, Julie Hamos, William Haine, Marijuana Policy Project, John Cullerton, Health, Chicago News

Despite heavy publicity and increased political momentum, an Illinois Senate bill to legalize medical marijuana in the Land of Lincoln still faces lon...

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Cullerton Legislature Pay Cut Idea Needs Polishing, But it's a Gem

David Ormsby | Posted 05.30.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Lawmaker Salaries, Illinois Child Welfare, Illinois Vendors, Illinois Politics, Illinois Community Mental Health Providers, Illinois Politicians Pay, John Cullerton, Chicago News
David Ormsby

If the state cuts its payments to its vendors like hospitals, doctors, nursing homes, community mental health providers, child welfare agencies and foster parents, then elected officials' salaries ought to get whacked, too.

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Legislators Mixed On Commission's Plans To End Pay-To-Play, Limit Campaign Contributions

The Huffington Post | Tim Taliaferro | Posted 05.02.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Jack Franks, Pat Quinn, Illinois Campaign Donations, Illinois Reform Commission Plan, Illinois Corruption, Michael Madigan, Illinois Reform Commission, Patrick Collins, Illinois Campaign Finance Limits, Illinois Campaign Finance Reform, John Cullerton, Illinois Pay to Play, Chicago-Illinois, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD - Just hours after launching the initial salvo to end pay-to-play in state government, members of a blue-ribbon group traveled from Chicag...

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Governor, Legislature Holding Closed Meetings Despite Reform Message

Chicago Tribune | Ray Long | Posted 04.30.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Quinn Open Meetings, Open Meetings, Illinois Open Meetings Act, Pat Quinn, Government Secrecy, Government Transparency, John Cullerton, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn and the top legislative leaders strode down a stairwell and into a Capitol hearing room for a private meeting with the H...

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Quinn Calls For Tax Increases In Budget Address As Illinois Faces 'Greatest Crisis Of Modern Times' (WATCH)

AP/The Huffington Post | Posted 04.18.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Third Chicago Airport, Pat Quinn, Peotone Airport, Quinn Tax Increase, Illinois Income Tax Increase, Pat Quinn Budget Proposal, Pat Quinn Budget Address, Illinois Tax Hike, Michael Madigan, John Cullerton, Madigan Tax Icnrease, Video, Chicago News

UPDATE 3/19 Gov. Quinn took to the road to promote his new budget plan a day after introducing the proposal, which calls for a major income tax incre...

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Online Lottery Tickets? Senate President Says Yes

AP | Posted 03.19.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Lottery, Illinois Gambling, Illinois Lottery Tickets, John Cullerton, Online Lottery Tickets, Illinois Lottery Tickets Online, Chicago News

Hoping to squeeze more money out of the state lottery, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton wants to sell tickets online and hire a private compan...

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