July 2, 2004

BY MICHAEL SNEED SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

The answer is simple . . . and sick.

Horses are now being slaughtered in Illinois for human consumption overseas.

It's happening at the Cavel International in DeKalb, and it's been happening since June . . . shortly after the Illinois House failed to pass the horse slaughter ban bill.

Horse slaughter for European tables began when the company was issued a license by the State Department of Agriculture to do so.

*Behind the scenes: Credit is being given to Gov. Blagojevich for his "effort" to postpone the horse slaughter for human consumption NOW going on at Cavel International in DeKalb until he could do so no longer. He finally had to give the Illinois Department of Agriculture the green light to issue the license when a bill banning the slaughter was killed in the House.

*The buckshot: Cavel's General Manager James Tucker would NOT comment on the number of horses slaughtered since June.

*Further translation: The battle is not over. State Rep. Bob Molaro, who sponsored the bill in the House, needs to swing more votes in order to bring it up again. State Sen. John Cullerton, who successfully passed the bill in the Senate, promises to continue the fight.

*A top tip: Keep those e-mails directed at your legislators, folks. Blago's heart is on your side.