Democratic War : Illinois Governor Infers Illinois Speaker of the House is a Racist

The Daily Herald reports:

"It is not a one person show," said Senate President Emil Jones, a Chicago Democrat, of Madigan's refusal to go along. "If he wants to kill money for the CTA, the monkey will be on his back."

The backdoor meeting also included Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who laid out his preferences for a city-owned casino and transit bailout. Daley declined to publicly back any specific plan to bailout the transit agencies.

Meanwhile, Madigan refused to comment further on the shouting and accusations, but he said he was unhappy most of the talk focused on casinos instead of transit.

Jones said the dispute was between Madigan and Democratic state Sen. Ricky Hendon over mandatory minority ownership and revenue sharing rules tied to the new casinos.

Blagojevich used that dispute to indicate Madigan was racist.

"Speaker Madigan is the only one who doesn't agree that African Americans ought to participate in the ownership of the casinos," Blagojevich.

The Democratic Party isn't one happy family in Illinois.