Posted: June 18, 2009

By Doug Ibendahl

 

Lawmakers will return to Springfield on Tuesday next week for a special session. The budget mess may be the driving force but it's also the perfect time to close the loop on SB600.

 

Please take a minute and e-mail all of the Republican State Representatives. Urge them to not only support SB600 - but also to sign-on as Co-Sponsors.

 

GOP Representatives Mike Fortner and Ed Sullivan, Jr. stepped-up and are now officially Co-Sponsors of the bill. More of their fellow members now need to do the same. Let them hear from you.

 

Here are the e-mail addresses for the other 46 Republican House members:

 

repbassi@aol.com; strepmbeaubien@sbcglobal.net; rep@pbellock.com; bobbiggins@comcast.net; wbblack@sbcglobal.net; rep.bost@hotmail.com; dan@rep-danbrady.com; brauerr@housegopmail.state.il.us; john@johncavaletto.com; franco@il45.com; representativesandycole@comcast.net; repconnelly48@gmail.com; coulson@earthlink.net; tom@tomcross.com; cultrash@ilga.gov; repdurkin@hotmail.com; reddyunit1@aol.com; info@kayhatcher.us; rkosel@ilga.gov; davidleitch@ameritech.net; repmathias@hotmail.com; mmcauliffe20@yahoo.com; repmitchell@earthlink.net; repjmitchell@comcast.net; moffitt@grics.net; repmulligan@usa.net; repmyers@macomb.com; reposmond@aol.com; community@sandrapihos.com; poer@housegopmail.state.il.us; bob@pritchardstaterep.com; staterepramey55@aol.com; info@reboletti.com; david@davidreis.org; cr@chapinrose.net; jimsacia@aeroinc.net; skip@skipsaviano.com; info@timschmitz.org; sengerstaterep@gmail.com; sommer@mtco.com; ron@repstephens.com; jiltracy@jiltracy.com; mike@miketryon.com; repwait@aol.com; jimwatson@localnetco.com; repwinters@aol.com

 

A detailed directory of the House Republicans can be found here.

 

And if you want to send a separate message to Fortner and Sullivan thanking them for standing-up, here are their addresses: mike.fortner@sbcglobal.net; ilhouse51@sbcglobal.net.

 

Let's keep up the pressure. With any luck we can persuade Tom Double Cross to take time away from expanding gambling and raising taxes to do something positive for a change. It's time for Cross to stop playing games and instead do the right thing.

 

One phone call from Cross to Mike Madigan and SB600 gets the floor vote it deserves. But by Double Cross' own admission he has thus far refused to make that phone call. That's unacceptable.

 

If any House member truly believes Republican voters deserve less respect and less of a voice than Democrats enjoy in their party - so be it. That's good to know.

 

But those House members should at least be man or woman enough to go on record. SB600 deserves a simple up-or-down vote on the floor.

 

And whatever you do, don't fall for the old Tom Double Cross. Cross' strategy is to keep SB600 off the floor and then blame Mike Madigan for not allowing a vote. It's a big lie of course - and it's one Double Cross has told many times before. I've heard reports that he's been doing it again since the close of the regular session on May 31st. Double Cross did the same thing after he smothered an earlier version of SB600 in the House back in 2005.

 

Here's the simple truth. SB600 only impacts the Republican Party. The Democrats already have direct elections so they aren't going to stand in the way. But at the same time - since it is a Republican bill - Madigan's not going to put it on the floor unless the House Republicans give him the green light.

 

That's why putting pressure on all of the GOP House members is crucial right now. Republicans all know by now that Double Cross can't be trusted - but some honest leaders need to emerge.

 

It's worth saying again: All Republican eyes are on State Representatives Fortner and Sullivan. Every Representative should be held accountable on SB600 - but Fortner and Sullivan clearly have the best opportunity now to demonstrate some leadership. It's all about the follow-through.

 

 

Doug Ibendahl is a Chicago Attorney and a former General Counsel of the Illinois Republican Party. He is Co-Founder of Republican Young Professionals (RYP).