The Change in Springfield

Rich’s weekly column details several changes in behavior that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

The paranoia level is pretty much at an all-time high at the Illinois Statehouse.

Walk past House Speaker Michael Madigan?s office and there?s a good chance you?ll see him standing in the hallway talking on his cell phone. Madigan won?t take any calls that are even remotely political in his own office these days. A few years ago he didn?t even have a cell phone.

House Republican Leader Tom Cross requires his leadership team and other political advisers to leave the Statehouse and walk across a parking lot to a private office to talk about even minor campaign issues.

Both the Senate Democratic and the Senate Republican spokespersons won?t take campaign-related press calls unless they are out of their respective offices. The Senate GOP spokesperson won?t even respond to campaign-related instant messages on her AOL account unless she?s at home.

.

Madigan talking. Next he’ll smile weekly.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *