Capitol Fax: Listen to them, but don’t always do what they say

Rich Miller's latest Sun-Times column explaining the influence Illinois' prosecutors and police have over the legislative process in this state. Issues include the decriminalization of marihuana use, victims rights, and whether or not to record the police in public. It seems as if the prosecutors in this state will fight any attempts to change the legal status of marihuana, don't really want too much change on the issues of victims rights, and the police are definitely not very happy with the idea of people recorded in public.

In fact within the past month - and it was noted in this very column - that a state legislator wants it to be legal for the police to record people in public. It's apparently his answer to allowing the public to tape police. Of course some will argue that if that ever passes the police will have unprecedented surveillance powers. Well also noted in this column is that the proposal was laughed off the state Senate floor. Needless to say that proposal had little support!