Madigan gives gas stations ultimatum [ IL Shakedown ]

AP via LincolnCourier.com ^ | AP

[festus]

Wow he raised his gas prices to $3.25. I recall lots of stations charging that but she's only targeting a select few.

Did they not contribute to the right campaigns I wonder ?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Any relation to Ed Madigan?

[annelizly]

um....supply and demand ring a bell? capitalism? How about the definition of "DONATE"? maybe we should try and elect literate people into office for a change.

I believe this is called blackmail. Don't we have laws against this?

[Bernard]

And how does any of this get the gouged money back to the gougees? It all sounds like Lisa is forcing the selected gas stations to make a donation to her favorite charity. Wonder if any higher-ups in the American Red Cross make contributions to Lisa's campaign funds?

[Mike Bates]

No, but she's the daughter of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who's been the 'Rat leader for many years.

[xcamel]

Tell them to pay..quickly

Spitzer fined each station $65,000 (11 of them)

[festus]

Your theory of contributions is more than likely correct.

Additionally she is running for relection in '06. This sends an important message to businesses. Make sure you have supported Madigan in case she wins.

[stinkerpot65]

Another publicity stunt by corrupt prosecutors.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

It all sounds like Lisa is forcing the selected gas stations to make a donation to her favorite charity. Wonder if any higher-ups in the American Red Cross make contributions to Lisa's campaign funds?


I have to question the constitutionality of this and wonder if this is an abuse of power on Lisa Madigan's part.

[Fatuncle]

The technical term is extortion under color of law.

[TheRealDBear]

The gas stations should do what Mel Gibson's character did in Ransom.

[PAR35]

Be funny if one of the owners filed a RICO action against the state and the Red Cross.

[DMZFrank]

The proper word is extortion. Lisa must be channeling Al Capone and his protection rackets.

[StormEye]

I need a money for a new house. If 20 gas stations
don't make a charitable donation to me of $20,000
I'm going to sue them! Damn those money-grubbing
gas stations!

[Bernard]

It's only an abuse of power if somebody in authority investigates and finds a law that she broke. Otherwise, it's just a creative solution to a "problem".

And she gets headlines for "helping" the little people. It still doesn't put the gouged amount back into the pockets of the people that she thinks paid too much.

Welcome to Illinois politics.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Welcome to Illinois politics.


Believe me, I am up to my eyeballs in Illinois politics. Is this the most crooked state in the Union or am I just being pessimistic about the future?

[Bernard]

There's a long and proud tradition of political corruption in Illinois. As Mike Royko once wrote, the unofficial slogan of the Chicago City Council is "Ubi Mea", which is Latin for "Where's mine?"

When I much younger, I got married and moved out of the city to a northwest suburb. I thought I left that all behind, but within a month of me moving in, two local village council members were indicted for various things. There's corruption in the small places as well, it just shows up more in Chicago.

[School of Rational Thought]

"When we’re in an emergency situation, such as we were, retailers have the obligation not to increase their prices to the general public over what wholesalers are charging them," said Deborah Hagan, chief of the attorney general’s consumer protection division.

or should it be:


"When we’re in an emergency situation, such as we were, GOVERNMENTS have the obligation not to increase their TAXES ,"

[SelmaLee]

"Is this the most crooked state in the Union or am I just being pessimistic about the future?"

No - says the voice of sunny optimism - it's not just you.

[festus]

Indeed.

The other way you can read that quote is "only wholesalers can gouge".