Martin Cohen was nominated by Gov. Rod Blagojevich' to be Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Mr. Cohen is a long-time consumer advocate and was Executive Director of the Citizen's Utility Board.

On Thursday morning, 11/3/05, these 7 members of the Executive Appointments Committee ALL voted to reject Mr. Cohen’s confirmation as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Five of these senators have taken $36,882 in campaign contributions from 2002 to 2005. This does not include contributions from the gaming industry, telephone companies, cable companies or other business interests.

If you think it's time for someone on the ICC to fight for the consumer, contact these senators as well as your own.

Senator

Funds received from utilities
DOES NOT INCLUDE TELEPHONE/CABLE
INDUSTRIES (Source: www.ilcampaign.org )

Rickey R. Hendon
(217) 782-6252
(773) 265-8611
(773) 265-8617 FAX
hendon (at) senatedem.ststae.il.us - $3,800 2004

Adeline Jay Geo-Karis
(217) 782-7353
(847) 872-7500
(847) 872-3131 FAX - $500 2005, $4,500 2002

James A. DeLeo
(217) 782-1035
(773) 237-2525
(773) 237-7171 FAX
deleo (at) senatedem.state.il.us - $0

Mike Jacobs
(217) 782-5957
(309) 797-0001
jacobs (at) senatedem.state.il.us - $0

George P. Shadid
(217) 782-8250
(309) 353-6276
(309) 353-1819 FAX
shadid (at) senatedem.state.il.us - $1,000 2002

Louis S. Viverito
(217) 782-0054
(708) 430-2510
(708) 430-2610 FAX
viverito (at) senatedem.state.il.us - $4,450 2004

Kirk W. Dillard
(217) 782-8148
(630) 969-0990
(630) 969-1007 FAX
senator (at) kdillard.com - $700 2005, $7,982 2002

David Luechtefeld
(217) 782-8137
(618) 243-9014
(618) 243-5376 FAX
sendavel (at) midwest.net - $5,150 2004, $3,150 2002

Edward Petka
(217) 782-0422
(815) 436-5577
(815) 436-8065 FAX - $3,250 2004, $2,400 2002




TOTAL CAMPAIGN FUNDS RECEIVED BY THESE SENATORS 2002-TO DATE = $36,882




Committee rejects governor's ICC nomination
November 3, 2005

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS


SPRINGFIELD -- A Senate committee voted Thursday to recommend against confirming Gov. Rod Blagojevich's nominee to run the state's utility regulating board.

The Senate Executive Appointments Committee voted 7-0 against Martin Cohen as chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Two Republicans voted present.

Blagojevich tabbed the former director of the consumer advocate Citizens Utility Board to run the commission in September. But powerful utility companies balked at the move, and Democrats and Republicans have raised concerns that Cohen cannot be impartial when deciding on rate increases and other issues.

"I think there is an awful lot of conflicts here that I didn't see," said Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline.

Lawmakers also complained the governor's office didn't consult them before selecting Cohen and suggested the appointment was designed to give the governor political points for siding with consumers.

Cohen, who has already begun serving on the commission, said he's still hopeful the full Senate will support him in a vote expected later Thursday. He said he would be immediately out of the job if his nomination is rejected there.

He insisted he would be fair and impartial on the board and would sit out cases where there are legal questions about his involvement with CUB until a court deems he can participate.

"I'm not playing any games here," Cohen said.




Bid to head utility board in trouble; Key legislator sees defeat for watchdog
Christi Parsons and Robert Manor, Tribune staff reporters. Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Ill.: Nov 3, 2005

Senators have been raising questions for days about whether Cohen, a well-known consumer advocate, can be fair and impartial when dealing with utility companies, despite Cohen's promises that he will scrupulously follow the law.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's nomination of consumer watchdog Martin Cohen to serve as head of the Illinois Commerce Commission was on the rocks Wednesday, and one key senator predicted Cohen has no chance of winning approval during his confirmation process.

Senators have been raising questions for days about whether Cohen, a well-known consumer advocate, can be fair and impartial when dealing with utility companies, despite Cohen's promises that he will scrupulously follow the law.

"The votes are not there to approve him. They're just not there," said Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago), chairman of the Senate's Committee on Appointments.

But Blagojevich was unwavering in his support for Cohen on Wednesday, pledging to keep "plugging away" to win support for the former executive director of the Citizens Utility Board.

Meanwhile, consumer advocates also were working quickly and furiously to drum up support in the Senate, where both Democrats and Republicans have taken hefty campaign contributions from utility companies over the years. One new report based on state campaign disclosure records shows that electric utilities have contributed nearly $1.4 million to state elected officials since the beginning of 2003.

"There has been an unprecedented attack on Marty Cohen, a man who has spent most of his life standing up for consumers," said William McNary, co-director of Citizen Action/Illinois.

The two sides could face off as early as Thursday, when Cohen is scheduled to appear before a Senate committee that will make a recommendation on his nomination to the full Senate.

Cohen has been a target of controversy since Blagojevich named him to the position. He has been serving in the job for six weeks, pending consideration by the Senate.

Cohen said Wednesday that he does his job with an open mind toward all of the participants.

"There's no prejudice in my bones," said Cohen. "I understand the law. I understand what it means to be fair and impartial. I know these issues. ... Consumers will be better off because I'm chairman."

But Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) said he thinks the fact that Cohen has weighed in on so many issues in the past could be a problem.

"We're all for the consumers, but the board has to be independent," Jones said. "The ICC sits as judge. If you have a conflict in that you filed cases, then you cannot sit there and be fair in your judgment."

Electric utility companies have been generous in their campaign contributions to key state senators. The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform released a report recently showing that electric utilities have given $219,400 to Jones. Senate Republican leader Frank Watson received $163,250, while Blagojevich got $141,500.

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cparsons (at) tribune.com, rmanor (at) tribune.com