Chinanimadigans
I wasn’t feeling well today and so stayed home from work. This morning, on Fox News, I watched a news conference that featured Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General, explaining her action of filing a motion with the Illinois Supreme Court for a Temporary Restraining Order that would temporarily remove that &%@* head Rod Blagojevich from office and elevate the lieutenant governor ”…so the business of the state of Illinois can go forward.”
Chicago
Madigan is approaching the high court because it is quicker than impeachment. The thinking is that impeachment could not occur before the end of December, and, on January 4th, a new state legislature will be seated. The AG is arguing that the &%@* head Blago is unfit to serve. But the rule under which the AG is acting is intended to cover cases in which the governor has some debilitating illness. So it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Shenanigans
The AG explained that that the state is facing billions of dollars in unpaid bills for the likes of Medicaid patients, hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes and schools. Madigan explained that in order for Illinois to meet these obligations, the AG must certify that there are no legal proceedings that threaten the ability of the governor to hold his office. Of course, such certification would be difficult to make at this time, even in Chicago.
Lisa and Michael Madigan
Madigan is very comfortable in front of the cameras, and came off as very smart and on top of things as she fielded questions. In fact, Madigan has aspirations for higher political office, and here is where things get even more interesting. From 1998 to 2002, Madigan was in the Illinois state senate and was a friend of Barack Obama and had an office down the hall. She was elected AG in 2002 and again in 2006. Madigan is considered a possibility for the US Senate or the Illinois Governorship. In fact, there is speculation that Madigan is Candidate #2 in the Blago tapes. Madigan’s father, Michael Madigan, is the Illinois Speaker of the House. He is, apparently, a fiscal conservative and has clashed with that &%@* head Blago over state spending. And finally, Madigan is mentioned in some circles as potentially the first female president of the US should Hillary Clinton fail in her bids.
Chicago + Shenanigans + Madigans = Chinanimadigans