Patrick Collins

WATCH: Feds Want Harsh Sentence For Blagojevich

Posted 11.15.2011

Read More: Corruption, Trial, Video, Judge Zagel, Rod Blagojevich, Blagojevich, Corruption Trial, Oct. 6, Patrick Collins, Sentencing, Federal Prosecutors, Chicago News

Update: The U.S. Attorney's Office issued a statement Thursday in response to news reports about former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's possible s...

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Wanted: Suitable Senate Candidate

Marcel Pacatte | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Corruption, Paul Douglas, Illinois Politics, Abner Mikva, Illinois Senate 2010, Rod Blagojevich, Peter Fitzgerald, Senate Races, Patrick Collins, Illinois Senate Race, Adlai Stevenson, David Hoffman, Dawn Clark Netsch, Chicago News
Marcel Pacatte

No one in the race has the resume, experience or heft required of a U.S. Senator. In fact, the bench in Illinois is pretty weak right now, among both Democrats and Republicans.

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Leave Fitzgerald Alone

Marcel Pacatte | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Abner Mikva, Blagojevich Scandal, Patrick Fitzgerald, Rod Blagojevich, Blagojevich Corruption, Sandi Jackson, Patrick Collins, Chicago News
Marcel Pacatte

If Illinoisans want to put a stop to the culture of corruption, as they claim in poll after poll that they do, then they have to do something about it. It's not all up to Patrick Fitzgerald.

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Calling Out The Real Crybabies

Marcel Pacatte | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Political Corruption, Patrick Fitzgerald, Mike Jacobs, Patrick Collins, Illinois Reform Commission, Roland Burris, Illinois Politics, Pat Quinn, Illinois Senate, Chicago News
Marcel Pacatte

What the bunch in Springfield had better realize is that there are a lot more people lined up with reform than there are with the political status quo.

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Unprecedented Campaign Contribution Caps Approved, But Big Loopholes Remain

AP | JOHN O'CONNOR | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pat Quinn, Illinois Ethics Reform, Illinois Reform Commission, Patrick Collins, Illinois Campaign Finance Reform, Illinois Campaign Contribution Limits, Campaign Contributions, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Money donated to politicians would be limited for the first time in Illinois history under a plan backed by Gov. Pat Quinn b...

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

David Ormsby | Posted 05.25.2011

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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Roland Burris, Off The Hook

Marcel Pacatte | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Reform Commission, Patrick Collins, Roland Burris, Patrick Fitzgerald, Rod Blagojevich, Burris Blagojevich, Burris Blagojevich Recordings, Roland Burris Senate Appointment, Chicago News
Marcel Pacatte

Burris knows exactly what he is doing. All these years I thought he was decent but dim. Turns out it was an act that I, and many others in Illinois, bought.

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Illinois Senate Puts Off Ethics Votes

Chicago Tribune | Posted 05.25.2011

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 05.25.2011

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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Legislators Mixed On Reform Commission's Proposals

AP | CHRISTOPHER WILLS | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Reform Commission Report, Pat Quinn, Illinois Gerrymandering, Michael Madigan, Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Reform Commission, Lou Lang, Patrick Collins, Illinois Campaign Finance Reform, Illinois Term Limits, Springfield-Illinois, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- With one governor in prison and another under indictment, Illinois officials must choose between patching holes in current e...

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Illinois Reform Commission: Term Limits For Powerful Politicians, Open Meetings, Cap Campaign Contributions (READ THE PROPOSALS)

AP | ANDREA ZELINSKI | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Reform Commission 100 Day Report, Illinois Reform Commission Report, Pat Quinn, Illinois Corruption, Patrick Collins, Illinois Reform Commission, Blagojevich Corruption, Springfield-Illinois, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- After 100 days poring over stacks of data and testimony, a commission appointed by Gov. Pat Quinn has delivered a sweeping p...

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

The Huffington Post | Tim Taliaferro | Posted 05.25.2011

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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Reform Panel Calls For Campaign Contribution Limits As Part Of Anti-Corruption Plan

AP | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Campaign Finance Reform, Pat Quinn, Illinois Reform Commission Plan, Rod Blagojevich, Illinois Campaign Finance Laws, Illinois Reform Commission, Patrick Collins, Illinois Campaign Contribution Limits, Chicago News

CHICAGO — The Illinois reform commission launched in response to the corruption scandal surrounding ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY'-uh-vi...

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For Burris, It's Hail Mary Time

James Warren | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Chicago News, Rod Blagojevich, Roland Burris Ethics Investigation, Roland Burris Perjury, Roland Burris, Burris Testimony, Patrick Collins, Burris Senate Ethics Committee, Roland Burris Investigation, Politics News
James Warren

It's time for an A-Rod-like press conference but with some substantive answers and a set of assurances about Burris' political future.

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Burris Perjury Case No 'Slam Dunk': Former US Attorney

AP | MIKE ROBINSON | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Roland Burris Investigation, Roland Burris Perjury, Rod Blagojevich, Burris Testimony, Roland Burris Ethics Investigation, Roland Burris, Patrick Collins, Burris Senate Ethics Committee, Chicago News

CHICAGO — With the impeachment of a governor, Illinois has already had more political fireworks this year than it has seen in decades. Could the...

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Pat Quinn Names Ryan Scandal Victim, Northwestern Football Coach To Ethics Panel

The Huffington Post | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pat Quinn Reform, Pat Quinn, Rod Blagojevich, Pat Quinn Ethics Commission, Blagojevich Replacement, Hanke Gratteau, Rev Scott Willis, Pat Fitzgerald, Patrick Collins, Sheila Simon, David Hoffman, Anita Alvarez, George Ryan, Chicago News

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn named the members of his ethics commission, "Reform Illinois Now," Friday. Among those appointed are the Rev. Scott Willis, whose ...

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Blagojevich Hurts Ryan's Clemency Hopes: Former Gov. Thompson

AP | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Presidential Pardons, Rod Blagojevich, Illinois Governors, Patrick Collins, Blagojevich Ryan, Blagojevich Indictment, George Ryan Pardon, Bush Pardons, Rod Blagojevich George Ryan, George Ryan, Blagojevich Corruption, Jim Thompson, Chicago News

Former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson says current Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest hurts the chances of a presidential pardon for another former governor, G...

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