• Workers at the Illinois Capitol building wasted little time last night changing the face of state government, shortly after Gov. Pat Quinn replaced the ousted Rod Blagojevich. The Illinois Senate voted 59-0 yesterday to remove Blagojevich from office, and prevented him from ever holding political office in the state again.
• President Barack Obama yesterday signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, a landmark piece of gender pay-equity legislation which allows victims of pay-based discrimination to file a complaint to the government within 180 days of their most recent paycheck, as opposed to within 180 days of their first unfair paycheck.
• President Obama yesterday called the prospect that some of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout could end up paying for bonuses to managers of struggling financial institutions “shameful.” Obama said it was the “height of irresponsibility” for executives to pay bonuses when their companies are asking for help from DC.
• President Obama is considering nominating a Republican, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) as his commerce secretary, officials in DC and NH said last night. Gregg was the GOP’s chief negotiator for the $700 billion bailout of the financial industry. Gregg would be Obama’s second choice to run the commerce department after Bill Richardson took his name out of consideration.
• The Super Bowl is this Sunday. The Arizona Cardinals will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa. The game starts at 6:15pm Eastern and will air on NBC.
