IL Dems Banning Media from 2012 Convention Activities

The Chicago Democrats are down in Charlotte partying this week for the Democrat National Convention, but Speaker Mike Madigan, the head of the Illinois Delegation has banned the media from covering their events.  Here's a Tweet from ABC7's Charles Thomas:

Now IL Dems ban reporters from delegate reception.@ilgop is party of transparency? #Madigan #DNC2012 twitter.com/CharlesThomas7…
— Charles Thomas (@CharlesThomas7) September 2, 2012

And, there's plenty more here.  What are they hiding?

Submit Your Photos - 2012 ILGOP Convention - Photo Contest

Launching today, the Illinois House Republican Organization and the Illinois Republican Party are hosting a social-media-driven photo contest where delegates and other attendees of the 2012 ILGOP Convention in Tinley Park are able to snap photos and share them with the hashtag #ILGOPIX on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.  Those photos will then be uploaded to a site created for the occassion:  ScenesFromTheConvention.com and will eventually be voted on.

They're expecting attendees to snap photos of elected officials, speeches, and other happenings around the Tinley Park Convention Center.

This is another example of the Illinois House Republicans embracing technology and empowering rank-and-file members of the party to participate in telling the story of the convention.

ILGOP Chairman Pat Brady announced the effort this morning:

Coming to the IL GOP State Convention this weekend? Submit your pics to tell the story of the convention #ILGOPIXscenesfromtheconvention.com
— Pat Brady (@pat_brady) June 7, 2012

The voting will begin after the photos are in.  The winner of the contest - which is the photo that gets the most votes - will get 2 tickets to House Republican Leader Tom Cross' Annual Fundraiser at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago.  Contest details are here.