In November 2016, Illinois voters will go to the polls to decide who they want to occupy the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. Mark Kirk. And although it is a long way off, could one of the names on the ticket be first lady Michelle Obama? (more)
Let’s start with the premise that lawmakers are the only people in America who aren’t convinced we have too many laws. (more)
(Reuters) – Sears Holdings Corp on Thursday identified 79 of the 100 to 120 Sears and Kmart stores it said earlier this week it would close, with the list split almost evenly between the two chains. (more)
GRAFTON, Ill. (AP) — Whether it’s the state’s shaky finances, its recent tax hike or strict gun laws, downstate Illinois knows it can always vent its frustration by blaming Chicago. (more)
Illinois Republican Rep. Joe Walsh has decided to seek re-election in his state’s newly redrawn 8th Congressional District, The Daily Caller has learned. (more)
Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions did not take kindly to Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin’s criticism of Alabama’s rigid enforcement of immigration laws during a speech promoting the DREAM Act, attacking Durbin from the Senate floor and contributing to a letter demanding that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano closes safe havens for illegal immigrants. (more)
1.) You got to know when to Holder, know when to fold ‘er — If Eric Holder thought he could stonewall his way through the Fast and Furious debacle, things just got tougher. TheDC’s Matthew Boyle reports: “Attorney General Eric Holder’s tenure in the Obama administration may be coming to an end. At least eight members of Congress have now called on Holder to resign over the growing Operation Fast and Furious scandal. Republican Reps. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri, John Mica of Florida, Quico Canseco of Texas and Gus Bilirakis of Florida each told The Daily Caller on Thursday that they believe Holder should step down now. The number of members of Congress calling for Holder to end his career in government because of Fast and Furious is now eight, a number which has doubled in one day. Previously, Republican Reps. Joe Walsh of Illinois, Raul Labrador of Idaho, Blake Farenthold of Texas and Paul Gosar of Arizona called on Holder to resign… Holder avoided talking openly about Operation Fast and Furious for months until Gosar told The Daily Caller that administration officials responsible for the program could be considered ‘accessories to murder.’ The attorney general finally opened up, citing Gosar’s comments to TheDC as the reason for his first-ever unsolicited disclosure about the controversial program.” You’re welcome, America. In other Fast and Furious news, the White House has been claiming that National Security Staffer Kevin O’Reilly is “on assignment for the State Department in Iraq and unavailable” to answer questions about what he knew and when he knew it. But as PJ Media just discovered, O’Reilly is reachable after all. Or at least he was until he disconnected his phone number. Paging Darrell Issa… (more)
TISKILWA, Ill. (AP) — With flames shooting to the predawn sky from a train derailment just blocks from her home, a 17-year-old girl refused to evacuate until she helped a paralyzed young neighbor with cancer get to safety. She then banged on the doors of seven houses to make sure other neighbors were awake and out of harm’s way. (more)
Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, an Illinois legal watchdog group, called this week for the immediate suspension of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s law license. (more)
Over the last few weeks, President Barack Obama has adamantly supported raising taxes on corporations and small businesses that employ millions of American workers as a precondition for cutting our bloated federal spending. (more)
On Friday, Wisconsin became the 49th state to allow its citizens to carry concealed firearms after Gov. Scott Walker signed into law a measure allowing the practice after a decades long debate. (more)
In the wake of former Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s conviction on 17 of 20 federal corruption counts, there is speculation that Illinois Democratic Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. could once again come under scrutiny for his involvement in a portion of the charges. (more)
CHICAGO (AP) — Jury convicts ex.-Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich of trying to sell or trade Obama’s old Senate seat (more)
CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been convicted of 17 of the 20 charges against him, many related to his attempt to sell or trade President Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat. (more)
Wisconsin is about to become the 49th state in the nation to legalize concealed carry, leaving Illinois as the only state left without such a provision. (more)
To understand Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats, examine the Petri dish of their experiment in liberal (rebranded as “progressive”) policies in Obama’s home state. (more)
Note: Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman will testify before the Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee today. (more)
Disgruntled “progressives” in Wisconsin want to continue their demonstrations and sit-ins around the state capitol? In Charles Bronson-like style they proclaim “this ain’t over!” Further, they say their voices are not being heard, because the legislature did not vote the way they wanted it to on union benefit cost-sharing and collective bargaining. (more)
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (AP) — Illinois abolished the death penalty Wednesday after two decades of debate about the risk of executing an innocent person, a decision that was certain to fuel renewed calls for other states to do the same. (more)
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Senate has passed a resolution calling for police to take 14 Democrats into custody for contempt after they fled to Illinois to avoid voting on a union rights bill. (more)
