Michael Tams

Illinois Reform Commission

By Michael Tams | 01/19/09

This has to be top-10 all time "most long overdue" event: the creation of the Illinois Reform Commission.If this is the type of thing we could expect from a Governor Pat Quinn, may I respectfully request that the General Assembly get on with this Blagojevich impeachment already?  The link above mentions the members of the commission, including the guy who put George Ryan away, who said:"These folks want to make Illinois a better place and... read more »

Roland Burris, your table is ready

By Michael Tams | 01/15/09

So he's in, which we thought he would be despite all the highchair banging from the Democrats in the US Senate.  Roland Burris will be sworn in today by Vice President Cheney.This is a great day.  Seriously.  My friend Chuck pointed this out to me, but that seat's just as much in play when it comes up for re-election than if a special election were held.  Blago's going to be, by then, the disgraced former Governor of... read more »

Blagojevich Impeached

By Michael Tams | 01/09/09

We've got a long and dirty history in Illinois of corruption.  Multiple Governors - including the last one - have done time in the gray bar hotel.  But Blagojevich is the first to be impeached by the House of Representatives.  The Tribune has the story here.I will say that I'm surprised that the House managed to get this done, but it's not over.  The Senate will still have to vote to remove Blagojevich, and that outcome isn't... read more »

Never in the private sector

By Michael Tams | 01/08/09

Highway Department (Cook County) employees apparently get overtime on their time off.  Sound confusing?  It is.  But the story is here.Part of the problem with governments is that bad ideas get adopted, perhaps even innocently enough, and then there's no undoing them.  I've never heard anything like this before, though, and I'm sublimely confident that such a thing would ever exist in the private sector....highway workers... read more »

Who could have seen this coming?

By Michael Tams | 01/07/09

Wait, I know: me.  For the record, I called it here, but this isn't a shocker by any stretch.  Roland Burris will be the next Senator from Illinois, even if the latest report says there's no deal yet.  Political theater may not be such a big deal in other parts of the country, but Illinoisans can detect it from a mile away.  The script goes like this: Reid opposes the nomination (yesterday).  A Senator (or a couple)... read more »

Prescription for a fix

By Michael Tams | 01/04/09

First, in light of the news that Roland Burris is going to be meeting with Senate leadership, I'm going to make the following prediction: Senate leadership will do an about-face and not oppose his nomination.  They'll say that Burris is a "good man" and a "dedicated life-long public servant" who departed from Blagojevich when Rod misstepped.  I expect that this will happen soon, if they meet on Wednesday, as this report suggests. ... read more »

Blagojevich to appoint Roland Burris

By Michael Tams | 12/30/08

So it looks like we're going to get an appointment after all.The Chicago Tribune reports that Blagojevich is going to hold a 2:00 press conference and name former AG Roland Burris as the replacement for Obama's Senate seat.I'm not sure why, because the Senate Democrat leadership has vowed not to seat anyone he appoints.  But maybe this too, will end up in court. read more »

Merry Christmas from Cook County

By Michael Tams | 12/24/08

Despite all the grim corruption news coming out of Cook County, it is appropriate to reflect especially during the holidays that we live in the greatest country the world has ever known.  We're more free than any other country, even if we're slightly less free than we were a generation ago.  On behalf of the other writers here at "Cook", Merry Christmas to Red County contributors and readers across the country.  We've got our work... read more »

Hubris or madness?

By Michael Tams | 12/20/08

In the course of his arrest and the subsequent reaction of the General Assembly, Governor Blagojevich has played the part you'd expect from a career Illinois politician.  What I have thought was certainly guts/moxie/fortitude might still be; but it's hard to understand how one's brain could become so immune to reason and logic.  He now says: 'I will be vindicated' Well, maybe and maybe not.  The House is going to continue what... read more »

Judicial Hellhole - Cook County

By Michael Tams | 12/18/08

As a chant, "we're #3" leaves a little bit to be desired.  Especially when it means you're the third worst environment in the country for lawsuit abuse.So says the American Tort Reform Association in their annual Judicial Hellhole report.  We're bested (worse-ted?) by only South Florida and West Virginia.Wonder why one never hears from the media about reforming the judicial environment in Illinois?  Or pretty much a peep about... read more »