Cook County board voted to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana — less than 10 grams — in unincorporated Cook County. Sheriff’s Police would then have the option of writing a $200 ticket instead of the arresting reeferite on a misdemeanor charge. At present, possession of just 2.5 grams is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine.
And how many get thrown out anyway?
Ticket = money for the county + no record for the person paying the fine. Win-win.
The ordnance needs to be approved by Board President Todd Stroger and would take 60 days to going into effect.
When asked if he would sign it?
STROGER: I don’t know. I wasn’t paying enough attention to it. I’ll find out about it later. I can’t comment on it.
Sheriff TOM DART was surprised that the vote took place without being heard in the public forum.
His spokesman STEVE PATTERSON:
We’d like there to be some discussion on it before it takes effect.
How about the Burr Oak Cemetery investigation already over $300K?
The Illinois Senate today voted to approve legislation — next step the House — that would legalize the use of marijuana for doctor prescribed medical reasons.
Would create a program that would last for three years and require renewal.
Loosely drafted and did not require criminal background checks for people who handle marijuana or grow it under license from the state Department of Public Health.
Senate defeated similar legislation two years ago.
Drew Peterson's lawyer, Joel Brodsky filed an appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court challenging the lower court's ruling that Peterson's murdered third wife, Kathleen Savio's estate should be in the hands of her father and sister.
As if he has a chance of winning it since he happens to be the only suspect in her murder. One would think he would shut up and go away. By the time it reaches the Court he may have already been arrested for her murder.
Illinois Democrats respond to Gov Blagojevich's impeachment
ROLAND BURRIS:
As I've repeatedly stated, the Governor must be held accountable for his actions to the legislature, in a court of law and to the people of the State of Illinois.Today’s conviction speaks loud and clear that there are serious issues preventing him from fulfilling his responsibilities and I support putting new leadership in place.
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton accused Blagojevich of showing a "self-aggrandizing absentee style of leadership" that was bad for Illinois.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan said she's committed to moving Illinois beyond "this sad chapter" and she pledged to work with Quinn to restore people's trust in government.
Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes [one of barry's 5 picks] said he supported the state Senate's decision to remove Rod Blagojevich from office.
State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias 9barry's basketball buddy] said Thursday's actions mark a "new beginning" and that the state now has a governor who values "collaboration over combativeness."
Gov. Pat Quinn and hope to put the "sad chapter" of his predecessors' administration behind them.
Shortly after Quinn took the oath of office, Secretary of State Jesse White [refused to certify Burris' appointment] congratulated him.
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said he congratulated Quinn on being sworn in, and said he was glad "this sad and tragic chapter in our state's history is behind us and that it's time to look to the future, and time for Quinn and the legislature to begin rebuilding confidence in state government.
A few selected comments after the trial ended for the day.
Cindy Canary, Illinois Campaign for Political Reform:
I look at the governor these days and I think of Britney Spears when she was unraveling - so it's very hard to know what's gonna go on.
State Senator Mike Jacobs (D-Moline):
What he did may have been greasy - but I'm not sure it's criminal.
Senate President Cullerton:
What we're hearing is only one side so far, and I think it would be in the governor's best interest that he would come to Springfield and defend himself.
Unsaid on camera?
That effing Milorad is sticking it to us if front of the whole effing world again. Eff him!
Anyone ask barry what he thought about blago's media blitz?
Quotes the Golden Rule, documents the programs he's instituted and the folks they have directly affected, his immigrant parents, and the unpassed bill in the House to keep 400 folks from being thrown out of their homes.
His closing. Emphasis added. No need to go into his full body language. See his first press conference. Just his requisite denial of wrongdoing. He moves his body around, his cadence shifts, he hesitates and the blinking starts. He shifts on his feet and hides his hands when he denies wrongdoing. Again, if you just listened to him he would do very well.
And so what we are here today to talk about, and what I'm here to talk about, is the fact that I understand [draws his hands in to hide them - literal dirty hands] the House's actions. [gulps] I'm not at all surprised by it. But I took actions [blink-blink-blink] with the advice of lawyers [blink] and experts to [blink-blink-blink] find ways -- creative ways -- to use [blink] the executive authority of a [blinks, nods = convincing himself] governor to get real things done for people who rely on us. And in many cases, the things we did for people have literally saved lives.
I don't believe those are impeachable offenses.
So we're going to move forward and I'm going to continue to fight every step of the way. [Brings his hands in to hide them again] Let me reassert to all of you once more that I am not guilty of any criminal [blink]wrongdoing.[blink] That [blink - points away from himself] issue will be [hesitates = afraid] dealt with on a separate course and in an appropriate forum, [blinks, raises eyebrows = alarm] a federal court. And I'm confident [blink, blink, blink] that at the end of the day I will be, uh, properly [blink], uh, exonerated. [blink-blink - lying over - changing to reality.]
[Speaking noticeably quicker - no need to censor]In the meantime, I have a job to do for the people. They hired me to not just say that I'm for things that could help them, but they hired me to fight for them. And I'm going to fight for them every step of the way because if I didn't fight for them, the results that we've provided for people would not have happened.
...With that, let me close by doing something that I probably won't do much after this, [Why? Impeachment?] but I feel like doing it again since I did it not too long ago. I want to quote another British poet. And I'm inspired by it because it was something that Ted Kennedy talked about in 1980 at the Democratic convention in New York after Jimmy Carter won the nomination.
And I remember seeing that, then I remember going to the library and getting that poem and memorizing it. And it kind of reminds me a little bit about the situation that I'm in, and all the men and women who have supported me and given me a chance to be their governor and given me a chance to be able to fight for families like the ones who are here today and fight families like the one I came from: an immigrant father who was a factory worker and a steel worker who worked 40, 50, 60, 70 hours a week, who sacrificed; a working mom who worked for the Chicago Transit Authority and passed out transfers at the subway stations. They never owned a home. They were all about sacrificing so their kids could have a better life. That's what most parents want for their kids.
There hasn't been a day that's gone by since I've been governor that I haven't thought about my parents, their struggles and their sacrifices, and have tried to fight a system that listens to special interests and lobbyists and puts the burden on all of the troubles in -- in our state on the backs of the hardworking people who are the ones who should be looking to government for help, not the other way around.
And so I'll leave you with this poem by Tennyson [Ulysses], which goes like this:
"though we are not now the strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and by fate, but strong in will;
The Illinois House, on recommendation by the House impeachment committee yesterday, voted to impeach Gov Blagojevich by a vote of 114-1. One vote of *present.* I wonder who the 1 was. Next step is the Illinois Senate. No Illinois governor has ever been impeached.
Rep. Milton Patterson was the 1 nay and Rep. Elga Jefferies voted *present.*
PATTERSON: I have no firsthand knowledge of any of the evidence. I went by my own gut feeling, it's as simple as that. I read the report. If the government is going to indict him, let them go ahead and do that. That's their job and I'm doing my job.
