I don't know if this is a falling out between the gun banners or just Blagojevich trying to shore up his anti gun base because they haven't been able to push anything through the statehouse. Anyway it's sickening. What is the city of Chicago doing with lobbyists in Springfield? Don't they have representatives in the statehouse?
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...7A21BDABAACF6DAD86256FC50014F225?OpenDocument
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...7A21BDABAACF6DAD86256FC50014F225?OpenDocument
Governor suggests Daley seek help on gun legislation
By MAURA KELLY LANNAN
The Associated Press
03/15/2005
Mayor's lobbyists
need more energy,
less lethargy, he says
CHICAGO - Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday said Chicago Mayor Richard Daley is not well-served by his lobbyists in Springfield on gun control bills because they have not asked the governor's office for help or kept it informed when such measures come up for a vote.
"I would recommend maybe the mayor needs to look and see whether or not he may want to hire some new lobbyists because they need to show a little more energy and a lot less lethargy," Blagojevich said. "They don't contact us. We only hear from them after they fail with their bills and then they call and start blaming."
Several gun control measures proposed by Daley failed this month in a Senate committee, but they will likely be heard again. Blagojevich described Daley as a leader on gun control and said he supports Daley's package, which includes closing the "gun-show loophole" and banning assault weapons. Daley also wants to limit buyers to one handgun a month, license firearms dealers and stiffen penalties for armed crimes and irresponsible gun shops.
Jodi Kawada, a spokeswoman for Daley, said "common-sense gun legislation" is high on Daley's list of priorities.
"We've worked very hard to try and get information out to all interested parties and we feel that we've been successful at doing that. However, if the governor's office feels that we need to improve communication, we're always willing to work with them, and we'll do whatever it takes to get all the allies we can," she said.
She did not know if the city's lobbyists had tried to contact the governor's office on gun control measures. Two lobbyists for the city of Chicago did not return phone calls for comment.
Regional differences dominate gun control debates in Illinois, with downstate lawmakers from both parties tending to oppose gun control measures, while Chicago Democrats and some suburban Republicans support them.
Blagojevich aggressively pushed anti-gun measures while he was in Congress, but that caused him trouble as a candidate for governor with voters outside the Chicago area. He has largely sidestepped the issue since.
State Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, said he was surprised that Daley and Blagojevich had trouble communicating, especially because they are both Democrats. He said former GOP Gov. George Ryan worked well with Daley to pass other gun control legislation.
"I'm a little surprised that the governor's office has trouble tracking legislation dealing with guns because they have a full-time legislative staff of seven or eight people, full time, in the Capitol," plus lobbyists for other state departments, he said.
Dillard, who is co-chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee where some of the gun control bills failed, said he did not hear from Blagojevich's office on the package.
Blagojevich on Monday said he hasn't directed his legislative liaisons to work for the gun control measures because they are focused on his own legislative package.