Prairie State Wire

Once accused Democratic State Reps. Welch, Rita stay mum on #MeToo

By LGIS News Service | Feb 21, 2018

Amid calls for resignations and investigations over Springfield’s alleged culture of sexual harassment, two longtime state representatives are remaining silent.

'Marathon Pundit' weighs in on state of the GOP in Illinois

By Karen Kidd | Feb 21, 2018

With Illinois' Republican Party seemingly more divided than ever going into March's primary, one of the state's "alt-center" political pundits, John Ruberry, said during a recent interview that the state's GOP needs to remember what it is.

State's vendor ends two-week rise, dips to $8.57 billion

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 21, 2018

Illinois' unpaid vendor debt dipped to $8,572,304,572 during the week ending Feb. 21, putting an end to a two-week stretch where debt marginally grew higher.

Paying married Rauner staffers with state, political funds 'blurs important line,' reform group director says

By W.J. Kennedy | Feb 21, 2018

A newly married couple is making money both from Bruce Rauner, the governor, and Bruce Rauner, the candidate.

Andersson, Bellock address adolescent mental health care at committee hearing

By Angela Underwood | Feb 21, 2018

Rep. Steven Andersson (R-Geneva) and Rep. Patricia Bellock (R-Hinsdale) made it clear changing the way the state addresses adolescent mental health is a must.

OPINION: The so-called GOP-FBI split is a Democratic fantasy

By Ed Rogers | Feb 20, 2018

The Republican Party is the law-and-order party. That is not new, and it isn’t seriously contested.

From DuPage Policy Journal

Ives calls recent Rauner endorsements a sham

By Glenn Minnis | 7 years ago

In some ways, Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) regards news that some Republican leaders have resulted to “rigging” the GOP endorsement process to favor Gov. Bruce Rauner as a backwards compliment to the challenge she is posing to him in the upcoming Republican primary.

Former Illinois Department of Aging employee double billed for expenses, state says

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 20, 2018

The Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General (OEIG) has recommended that a former state employee be barred from all future employment with local government after she pleaded guilty to defrauding the state in an ongoing double-dipping scheme.

Rauner out of bounds campaigning on union dues case before Supreme Court, legal center says

By W.J. Kennedy | Feb 20, 2018

The president of a Chicago-based legal group representing a public-sector employee in a case that could end forced unionism nationwide has demanded that Gov. Bruce Rauner stop overplaying his role in the case.

Dodge says his treasurer's bid not being sidetracked by endorsement rumblings

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 20, 2018

Jim Dodge refuses to take his eyes off the big picture where he views the preservation of Illinois to be concerned.

Analysis: Illinois residents pay up to 99 percent more to attend Division I schools than peers in other states

By Local Labs News Service | Feb 20, 2018

Illinois residents pay up to 76 percent more to attend a Big Ten school and up to 49 percent more to attend a Mid-America Conference school than their counterparts in other states, according to a Higher Education Tribune’s analysis of in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in 10 Midwest states.

CMA - Steve Cortes joins Dan & Amy with reaction to the Russia indictments

By LGIS News Service | Feb 19, 2018

Steve Cortes joins Dan & Amy with reaction to the Russia indictments

IL Risiing - Rauner's Failure In Quincy

By LGIS News Service | Feb 19, 2018

Rauner's Failure In Quincy

IL Rising - Taxpayers Can't Afford IL's Pension Mess

By LGIS News Service | Feb 19, 2018

Taxpayers Can't Afford IL's Pension Mess

IL Rising - Will Democrats Stand Up To Madigan?

By LGIS News Service | Feb 19, 2018

Will Democrats Stand Up To Madigan?

IL Rising - Sexual Harassment Allegations In Madigan's Office

By LGIS News Service | Feb 19, 2018

IL Rising - Sexual Harassment Allegations In Madigan's Office

IL Rising - How Rauner Became The "Worst Republican Governor In America"

By LGIS News Service | Feb 19, 2018

How Rauner Became The "Worst Republican Governor In America"

Crash course in Illinois taxes with David Merriman, UIC Economic Policy Professor

By LGIS News Service | Feb 19, 2018

Illinois has so many different ways to tax its citizens, it can be hard to keep up. Join us as we interview David Merriman, an economic policy professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago about the past, present and future of Illinois tax structure.

This week in Illinois history: March 5-11

By Robert Hadley | Feb 19, 2018

An Alton activist slams the Equal Rights Amendment, a new Capitol is built and Abraham Lincoln sets his sights on the statehouse in this week in history.

BetterGov - Fact check: does Gov. Rauner truly have a $1 billion tax relief plan?

By LGIS News Service | Feb 18, 2018

The day after unveiling a new budget blueprint for the coming fiscal year, Gov. Bruce Rauner followed that up with a televised campaign ad that portrays the re-election seeking incumbent as “leading the charge” to cut taxes for working people in Illinois.