McCaskill skecthes Missouri

National Geographic had a bit of fun with some members of the U.S. Senate, asking them to draw pictures of their home states from memory. It looks like Claire McCaskill and Dick Durbin both participated; At first glance, I didn’t…

Durbin

WASHINGTON — As the No. 2 Democratic leader in the Senate, Illinois’ Dick Durbin has the task of marshaling votes for the health insurance overhaul championed by his party and his president.

Sounds like he might not see success any time soon.

“We’re…

Sen. Burris

WASHINGTON — Illinois Sen. Roland Burris attracted a lot of attention, nearly all of it unwanted, when he took office this year thanks to his appointment by former Illinois’ scandal-tarred former then-governor, Rod Blagojevich.

Burris is attracting attention again for his demand that…

Rep. Murtha

WASHINGTON — One of the nation’s most celebrated boondoggles in recent years is a tiny airport in western Pennsylvania that has received roughly $200 million in federal funding in recent years.

You might recognize the name in the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria…

Sen. Roland Burris

WASHINGTON — Illinois Sen. Roland Burris served notice a short time ago that Democrats might have problems other than the Republican variety in getting health-care reform legislation out of the Senate.

Burris, a Democrat, announced that any legislation lacking provisions establishing a…

WASHINGTON — You don’t often see the National Rifle Association take it on the chops but that’s what happened this afternoon when an amendment to allow people with concealed weapons permits carry guns across state lines lost by a scant two…

Lisa Madigan

WASHINGTON — White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel danced (he was a ballet dancer, you know) around a reporter’s question at breakfast this morning of whether Barack Obama wants Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to run for the president’s Senate seat.

Emanuel nimbly dodged the questions. But…

Sen. Durbin

WASHINGTON — Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin disclosed a short time ago that he has been interviewed twice during investigations into Sen. Roland Burris’s conflicting statements about his dealings with former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich before Blagojevich appointed him to the Senate in late December.

Today, Durbin met with…

Clay

WASHINGTON — When members of Congressional Black Caucus visited the White House this afternoon, it wasn’t entirely clear how it would go.

As a senator even before running for president, Barack Obama was not especially close to the caucus. Members used to complain that…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - In a committee meeting punctuated by gavel pounds to restore order, state Senate Republicans accused Senate Democrats of playing politics with a proposal to hold a special election they say is “ready to move.”

The bill by state…