>>> FORMER HOUSE MEMBERS BACK IN

SPRINGFIELD FOR AN EXTENDED

SUMMER OT SESSION.

IT IS PART OF A GOOD FAITH

SESSION TO MEET SOME OF THE

GOVERNOR'S WISHES.

IT QUICKLY ESCALATED INTO A WAR

OF WORDS WITH CHARGES OF SEXISM

AND SMOKESCREENS AND HYPOCRACY

FLYING ACROSS THE AISLE SHUTS

HAS THE LATEST.

>> IT STARTED INNOCENTLY ENOUGH,

DEMOCRATS POSED A BILL AT

REFORMING WORKERS' COMPENSATION

IN ILLINOIS.

ONE.

PRO-BUSINESS ITEMS THAT THE

GOVERNOR ASKED FOR BEFORE

AGREEING TO NEW TAX REVENUE.

THEY SAID THEIR BILL WOULD

STRENGTHEN STANDARDS OF PROVING

THAT A WORK ACTIVITY ACTUALLY

CAUSED THE INJURY THAT A WORKER

IS MAKING CLAIMS ON.

AND SET UP A TASK FORCE TO LOOK

AT RATES OVERALL BUT REPUBLICANS

SAID THIS IS NOT WHAT THE

GOVERNOR CALLED FOR AND THEY

SAID THEY BELIEVED THE WHOLE

EXERCISE TODAY WAS PHONY.

>> IF WE ARE LOOKING FOR A

PATHWAY TO FINISH OUR WORK AND

GET A GOOD BALANCED BUDGET AND

GOOD REFORMS IN ILLINOIS, THIS

IS NOT WAIT TO DO IT.

THERE IS THOUGH COMPROMISE.

THERE NOISE REAL PROCESS HERE.

THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO TRY AND

EMBARRASS THE GOVERNOR AND

EMBARRASS REPUBLICANS AND SAY WE

ARE DOING IT, A TURN-AROUND

AGENDA.

THIS IS NOT THE INITIATIVE OF

THE GOVERNOR.

>> THE GOVERNOR DID SAY I'M

SURPRISED AT THE SPEAKER, IGNORE

COMPROMISE REFORM AND INSTEAD

VOTED TO PROTECT THEIR SPECIAL

INTEREST ALLIES.

BUT DEMOCRATS SAY THAT RAUNER'S

APPROACH AT WORKPLACE INJURY

COMPENSATION WOULD HURT INJURED

WORKERS IN THE WALLET.

>> WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT INJURED

WORKERS SHOULD HAVE BENEFITS

REDUCED FOR A LEGITIMATE CLAIM.

WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY THE RESULT OF

MANY OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS

WOULD BE THAT WOULD IN FACT

OCCUR.

>> PARIS, A LOT MAY BE POLITICAL

THEATER BUT SO MUCH COMES DOWN

TO WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN THE

GOVERNOR AND LEADERSHIP.

ANY PROGRESS BETWEEN SPEAKER

MICHAEL MADIGAN AND THE

GOVERNOR?

>> BEHIND THE SCENES GAME.

SO IMPORTANT, MAD BEGAN SAYS THE

TWO MET TODAY, HE MAINTAINS THEY

ARE CORDIAL AND SHAKE HANDS AND

NO ANIMOSITY OR TOXICITY,

DESPITE, IF THE TWO SIDES FAIL

TOING A ROE A BUDGET BEFORE JULY

FIRES THE STATE FACES A PROSPECT

OF A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND

MADIGAN SAYS THAT WILL PUT THE

GOVERNOR AT A DISADVANTAGE.

>> I EXPLAINED TO THE GOVERNOR

THAT HE IS IN CHARGE OF THE

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.

COME JULY ONE, HE WILL BE

EXPECTED TO MANAGE THE EXECUTIVE

DEPARTMENT AND HE WILL NOT HAVE

WANTED TO SPENT MONEY ON THOSE

AGENCIES UNLESS WE FINALIZE THIS

WORK ON THE CURRENT SPENDING

PLAN, AND THE WORK ON THE

ELIMINATION OF THE DEFICIT.

I'M PREPARED TO WORK WITH THE

GOVERNOR IN NEGOTIATING ON WHAT

ELEMENTS WOULD BE ON A TAX BILL.

MADIGAN SAYS THE WAY TO

COMPROMISE IS MORE TAX REVENUE

TO FILL THE GAP.

>> THERE WAS ANGER OVER THE

GOVERNOR'S EDUCATION SECRETARY

AND HER PAY.

>> DEMOCRATS CALLED A HEARING

THIS MORNING TO QUESTION THE

RAUNER ADMINISTRATION ON WHERE

HER $250,000 SALARY IS COMING

FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN

SERVICES.

REMEMBER THAT IS THE AGENCY THAT

THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED TO CUT

THINGS LIKE CHILD CARE

ASSISTANCE EARLY INTERVENTION

AND OTHER SOCIAL PROGRAMS.

A LOT OF CRITICISM AND TO THE

ANGER OF DEMOCRATS, RAUNER'S

STAFFER RICHARD GOLDBERG SAID

THE HEARING WAS A SEXIST ATTEMPT

TO UNDERMINE A FEMALE CABINET

MEMBER.

>> I AM TROUBLED BY A HEARING

TARGETED A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL

WOMAN IN OUR ADMINISTRATION,

WHEN THE MALE STAFF OF THE

DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP MAKESES AS

MUCH OR MORE IN COMPENSATION.

>> TO TALK ABOUT SEXISM FROM A

POLITICAL PARTY THAT OFTEN BASKS

IN IT IS BEYOND EMBARRASSING.

>> THE QUOTE OF THE DAY CAME

WHEN A REPUBLICAN TOOK THE M, C

AND ASKED, WHY ARE WE HERE?

TO LEVEL CHARGES LIKE THIS,

DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ANY PROGRESS

IS BEING MADE BY THE SENATE AND

HUSBAND WILL BE BACK IN A

SECTION SESSION NEXT TUESDAY.