BBP's Harmon Wins Coveted 'Golden Horseshoe'

CHICAGO - For the second consecutive year, Illinois State Senator Don Harmon, a partner at Burke Burns & Pinelli, Ltd., has been named winner of the Capitol Fax Blog's annual "Golden Horseshoe" award for Best Illinois State Senator.

Harmon was nominated for the award by the readers of the Capitol Fax Blog, a prominent and highly influential Illinois political blog popular among legislators, lobbyists, staff members and keen observers of Illinois state government.

In awarding the 2010 honor to Harmon, Capitol Fax Blog publisher Rich Miller lauded the Assistant Majority Leader for being "incredibly smart, hardworking and prolific."

"[Harmon] has become THE mover and shaker in the Senate...," Miller quoted a nomination in making the award. "[He] has his fingers in every important issue moving through the Senate."

Harmon (D-Oak Park) was instrumental in the passage of several key pieces of legislation in 2010, including the sweeping pension reform law designed to bolster the state's underfunded pension system while saving hundreds of billions of dollars in future liabilities. He also helped author significant legislation concerning consumer rights, renewable energy, tougher criminal sentencing and civil unions.

Harmon is currently serving his third term in the Illinois Senate. In January 2009, then-incoming Senate President John Cullerton appointed him Assistant Majority Leader. Harmon also serves as Vice-Chair of the Judiciary Committee and as a member of the Committees for Assignments, Environment, Executive, Executive Appointments, Redistricting, and Telecommunication and Technology.

The coveted "Golden Horseshoe," named for a Springfield delicacy, is awarded each year in a variety of Capitol-related categories, such as best lobbyist, best spokesperson and best political restaurant. Readers nominate candidates, and the award is based on the number and intensity of the responses to the nominations.