Latest News from Prairie State Wire

GOP sees continued demise of Democrats in Lisa Madigan's resignation

By Angela Underwood | Sep 15, 2017

The toxic political problem known as House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) is climbing through the legislative ranks and has caused the downfall of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan on Friday, the Illinois Republican Party said in a press release following Lisa Madigan's resignation.

Attorney General Madigan will not seek reelection, offers no explanation

By Angela Underwood | Sep 15, 2017

Lisa Madigan is stepping down as Illinois attorney general after 14 years, she announced on Friday.

'I'd be surprised if it were not pay-to-play,' radio host says of Pritzker-Blagojevich connection

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 14, 2017

"Connected to Chicago" radio host Bill Cameron summed up his thinking about gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker's ties to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in a recent WLS interview, according to the Illinois Republican Party.

Lobbyist Kimme awaits high court decision on Topinka fund spending case

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 13, 2017

Springfield lobbyist Nancy Kimme could know soon whether she will face the Illinois Supreme Court over questionable spending of campaign dollars left behind by the death of Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka in late 2014.

IHSA sticks Hinsdale Central with host duties for lacrosse state finals

By Aaron Crider | Sep 13, 2017

Hinsdale Central High School will be in Illinois' inaugural state finals for both boys and girls lacrosse in at least one way: as host.

Latest laws take some pension pain from Illinois, policy analyst says

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 13, 2017

The budget package passed in July stands to exacerbate Illinois’ worst-in-the-country pension debts, but some lawmakers are fighting to make strides against future debt, according to Madeleine Doubek, policy director of the Better Government Association.

Website lets citizens catch officials illegally using government vehicles

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 12, 2017

Government workers using an official vehicle for personal business can longer hide behind the obscurity of a government license plate thanks to Govplates.com.

Illinois education head Purvis joins Kern Family Foundation

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 12, 2017

Education Secretary Beth Purvis will leave the Rauner Administration on Friday to oversee educational philanthropy at the non-profit Kern Family Foundation in Wisconsin.

Limits put in place on township fund accumulation

By Mia Sims | Sep 12, 2017

Townships will no longer be able to stockpile funds following the recent enactment of House Bill 1896, according to the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW).

Pritzker called a top-five contributor to Blagojevich

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 11, 2017

Billionaire and Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker donated more than $121,000 to Rod Blagojevich's political aspirations, making him the fifth-largest donor to the now-disgraced for governor, according to the Illinois Republican Party.

Governors group cheers Rauner, tax credit scholarships

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 11, 2017

The Republican Governors Association (RGA) recently hailed Gov. Bruce Rauner for successfully negotiating conservative education reforms with Illinois’ Democratically controlled General Assembly.

GOP triples down on Pritzker-Blagojevich connections

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 9, 2017

Three Chicago publications recently helped the Illinois Republican Party's ongoing efforts to show the connection between former Rod Blagojevich when he was governor and gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker.

Beleaguered inmate health care provider has powerful ally in Springfield

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 9, 2017

The current provider of medical and mental health services for Illinois prison inmates, Wexford Health, has, by any measure, an unhealthy track record: the Pittsburgh-based company recently was sued in Illinois and Mississippi, and fired in Florida.

Rauner aims to take bite out of debt via $6 billion in bonds

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 8, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner will try to pay down some of Illinois' overwhelming pile of debt by issuing $6 billion in bonds, according to a press release.

GOP offers chart to follow gubernatorial hopefuls' links to Madigan

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 7, 2017

The Illinois Republican Party has put out a "Tax Hike Team" chart showing Democratic gubernatorial candidates’ supposed connections to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) as they begin to circulate their candidacy petitions.

Chicago Tribune says new formula alleviates dead-end school dread

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 6, 2017

Illinois' most-read newspaper sees what some legislators refuse to, according to the Illinois Republican Party: The state's new education reform model gives schoolchildren a real chance to develop.

No end in sight seen for tax-happy Illinois until taxpayers balk

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 6, 2017

Illinois raised state income taxes by 32 percent this summer, supposedly to pay down its vendor debt, yet that debt has only increased, providing further proof that taxes will keep going up until residents take a stand, according to Edgar County Watchdogs co-founder Kirk Allen.

Rauner says school reform is what he's been fighting for

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 6, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner penned a column for the Daily Herald recently in which he described the recently enacted school funding reform as "the reason why I ran for governor in the first place.”

Group offers primer on intergovernmental pacts in Illinois

By Claudia Balthazar | Sep 4, 2017

Not all intergovernmental agreements or contracts entered into by public agencies are legal, and the public should not feel intimidated by the law and fail to question the agreements, the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) posted on their Illinois Leaks website recently.