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The Mechanics
« Truth about the Cook County Sales Tax The Snuggliest Man In Illinois Politics »

IL-SEN Tue Sep 29 2009

Hoffman Gets Mikva Endorsement

Abner Mikva's name is a sort of vestment that means "ethical" and "good government". So given former City of Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman's campaign themes in the US Senate Primary--cleaning up Illinois--this endorsement from Judge Mikva lends credibility to that theme and, ironically, probably sets the stage for vicious back and forth between Hoffman, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, and former Blagojevich aide and Urban League leader Cheryle Jackson (who has quietly been rounding up national support, apparently quite effectively). With "cleaning up Illinois" as a campaign theme, as primary day draws near the Hoffman campaign will try to heighten the contrast between his "outsider" status and the past connections of Giannoulias and Jackson to Illinois pols and organizations.

UPDATE: Hoffman also announced his transparency initiative if he were to become Senator. I've bolded two items:

  • Posting all daily Senate schedules online, including identifying every person and group he meets with
  • Posting the official Senate office budget online, including salaries of all employees and office expenditures
  • Posting all Senate appropriation earmarks online sought by the office, including a full explanation and cost of each project
  • Posting all foreign travel online, including the purpose of the trip, meetings that took place and who was in them and the total cost of the travel
  • Posting all campaign donors who bundle contributions and the amounts they raised online

These are two things the President failed to deliver on, from his own promises of transparency.

 
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Feature

Parents Still Steaming, but About More Than Just Boilers

By Phil Huckelberry / 2 Comments

It's now been 11 days since the carbon monoxide leak which sent over 80 Prussing Elementary School students and staff to the hospital. While officials from Chicago Public Schools have partially answered some questions, and CPS CEO Forrest Claypool has informed that he will be visiting the school to field more questions on Nov. 16, many parents remain irate at the CPS response to date. More...

Civics

Substance, Not Style, the Source of Rahm's Woes

By Ramsin Canon / 2 Comments

It's not surprising that some of Mayor Emanuel's sympathizers and supporters are confusing people's substantive disputes with the mayor as the effect of poor marketing on his part. It's exactly this insular worldview that has gotten the mayor in hot... More...

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Mechanics is the politics section of Gapers Block, reflecting the diversity of viewpoints and beliefs of Chicagoans and Illinoisans. More...
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