UPDATE (3 p.m.)

We’ve gotten an emailed response from Rep. Kirk’s office. It doesn’t directly answer Sen. Durbin’s criticisms about Kirk’s comments, but here it is:

“By moving the Al Qaeda core to Thomson [Correctional Center] along with 1,500 U.S. troops,…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Three of the four top spots in Illinois’ Feb. 2 primary ballots will go to political unknowns, following a lottery a little while ago to determine ballot position.

In the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, the top…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration will appeal a southern Illinois judge’s ruling this morning that puts on hold Quinn’s plan to lay off 2,600 state employees, including some 1,000 prison workers, his office is now confirming.

Circuit Judge Todd…

UPDATE (3:39 PM) - Hynes just finished his Springfield news conference. As expected, he took some swings at Quinn under the now-familiar theme that the governor is waffling and inconsistent. “Monday’s landmark legislation can’t be Tuesday’s celebrated veto,” Hynes said…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has tentatively approved a measure that some critics contend gives a sweetheart deal to Metro East developers — but he has made it a little less sweet.

Quinn has amendatorily vetoed SB1909, which creates…

Gov. Quinn

UPDATE, 12:40 p.m. : As expected, Quinn vetoed the legislation at the Chicago press conference. He was flanked by top legislative leaders of both parties, and reformers, who took turns lauding him for the veto. Quinn acknowledged up front his previous…

Christopher Kennedy

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn today lauded the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy as an historic leader with “a lion’s heart.” Minutes later, Quinn appointed Kennedy’s nephew, Chicago businessman Christopher Kennedy, to the scandal-plagued University of Illinois Board of…

Public Enemy No. 1

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A group of gambling opponents, including a high-profile “Untouchables”-era anti-crime group, will convene in Chicago Tuesday to warn the Illinois Gaming Board that plans to legalize video poker in bars and restaurants statewide will create…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois lawmakers tonight have begun patching together a budget for the fiscal year that started two weeks ago. The new spending plan doesn’t contain the tax increase that Gov. Pat Quinn has sought.

As a result, even supporters of the…