Prairie State Wire

Illinois’ construction industry remains on shaky ground a decade after recession

By Glenn Minnis | Dec 13, 2019

Oak Park Village Trustee Jim Dodge wants to renew voters' faith in the future of Illinois so they are more likely to join the fight to rebuild a failing state government.

From Peoria Standard

ILGOP announces Peoria as host city for 2020 state convention

By Glenn Minnis | 3 days ago

The Illinois Republican Selection Committee has unanimously tabbed Peoria as host of the GOP state convention, set to be held over a two-day period beginning June 11 at the Peoria Civic Center.

Broken pension system throws away $9 billion in potential savings, IPI reports

By Glenn Minnis | Dec 12, 2019

An Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) article claims that a healthy pension system would save the state 84 percent of the cost to fund the broken system we have today – a savings of $8.95 billion this year alone, or enough to pay the tuitions of all 122,439 undergraduate students enrolled in Illinois public universities this year, with plenty left over.

GOP Reps. call for special session 'to clean up culture of corruption'

By Glenn Minnis | Dec 6, 2019

A group of five Republican lawmakers is demanding a special session of the General Assembly to push forward ethics reform legislation for which they insist Illinois state government has no time to waste.

ILGOP adds Cook County Circuit Court Clerk to 'Democrat Crime Ring Tracker'

By Glenn Minnis | Dec 6, 2019

The Illinois Republican Party has updated its Illinois Democrat Crime Ring Tracker to include the name of Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown.

New session will reveal how serious Pritzker is about independent mapmaking

By Glenn Minnis | Dec 5, 2019

All eyes will be on Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker at the start of the new session to see if the Democratic leader has any intention of making good on his pledge to bring fair electoral mapmaking to the state.

Sen. Plummer proposes gaming bill directed toward legislative conflicts of interest

By Glenn Minnis | Dec 5, 2019

A newly proposed senate bill would prohibit lawmakers in Springfield from having ownership in or being compensated by the gaming industry while still in office.

House Republicans call for Madigan's resignation

By Glenn Minnis | Dec 4, 2019

With Springfield gripped by scandal and a series of federal corruption probes still playing out, a quartet of Republican state lawmakers recently joined forces in calling for the resignation of longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).

Illinois Policy Institute says state would benefit from 'cooling-off' legislation aimed at lobbying reform

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 30, 2019

Illinois state Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) has proposed a bill that would require a two-year “cooling-off” period before anyone can go from being a state lawmaker to lobbying the state.

From DuPage Policy Journal

Congressional candidate Ives vows to assert her contempt for political corruption at the national level

By Glenn Minnis | 15 days ago

Illinois congressional candidate Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) is vowing to continue to be a thorn in the side of longtime Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).

Illinois GOP calls for 'Democratic leaders to speak up' in light of new missteps by a Madigan associate

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 27, 2019

The Illinois Republican Party is wondering how much longer longtime Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) can feign ignorance with the strong scent of corruption swirling all around him.

Chicago GOP Chairman Cleveland on Senate President Cullerton's departure: 'Good riddance'

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 21, 2019

Chicago Republican Party Chairman Chris Cleveland is shedding no tears over the upcoming departure of longtime Illinois State Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago).

ILGOP launches website to expose state Democrats' 'criminal enterprise'

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 21, 2019

The Illinois Republican Party has launched a website aimed at exposing “the epidemic of Democratic corruption” across the state.

GOP-driven Manufacturer’s Purchase Credit to save $40 million in operations

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 13, 2019

Illinois House Republicans are intent on keeping the manufacturing industry positioned as one of the state’s largest economic drivers.

Cancellation of gay author's elementary school visit stirs controversy, debate

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 13, 2019

Laurie Higgins, a cultural issues writer for the Illinois Family Institute, believes the Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 School Board had no choice but the one it made when it cancelled the scheduled visit of gay children’s book author Robin Stevenson after it became apparent that she planned to promote her latest work in her talk with students as young as 8 years old.

GOP: Hypocritical Pritzker 'should cut the act' on contempt for corrupt colleagues

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 9, 2019

Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Joe Hackler is stunned by what he sees as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s unmatched hypocrisy.

ISRA, gun dealers stand in opposition of stricter firearms rules proposals

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 9, 2019

Gun dealers from across the state of Illinois recently turned out in mass for a public hearing on the Proposed Administrative Rules for Gun Dealer Licensing Act.

From Rockford Sun

Illinois homecoming – 'It seems like no one cares about people like us,' returning retiree says

By Glenn Minnis | 1 month ago

After more than 20 years of living in Florida, Don and Paula Parker recently relocated back to their home state of Illinois to be closer to family and back in the place they know best.

From Lake County Gazette

Medline to take its defense of ethylene oxide practices, benefits to senate

By Glenn Minnis | 1 month ago

Officials from Northfield-based Medline Industries, Inc. are objecting to the recent passage in the Illinois House of a bill that would ban the use of a chemical used to sterilize medical equipment by pointing to the company’s “exemplary safety record and the importance of ethylene oxide sterilization to Illinois hospitals.”

Special Investigating Committee to determine political future of disgraced Democratic Rep. Arroyo

By Glenn Minnis | Nov 1, 2019

Illinois state Reps. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva), Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) and Margo McDermed (R-Mokena) have been named to a bipartisan Special Investigating Committee weighing the potential expulsion of Democratic colleague Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago).