* Sen. Bill Brady thinks the GOP gubernatorial race is a two-person battle…
Jim Ryan “is really the only competition we see in this race,” Brady said.
But then goes on to make two points about why Ryan can’t win…
“His name ID is good and bad, and we all know why,” Brady said. “Two people for every one think he was George.” […]
“Who’s most electable in the general election? It’s a downstate businessman who’s not tied to the past,” Brady said. “Let’s face it: Republican voters are smart enough to realize that Jim cannot disassociate himself from George.”
* Fellow GOP candidate Adam Andrzejewski wants to kill off the state’s fleet of turboprops…
In response to Channel 7 investigative reporter Chuck Goudie’s report last night concerning the cost of operating the state fleet of 16 aircraft, Republican candidate for Governor Adam Andrzejewski says he would ground the aircraft, and then sell the $22 million fleet with the exception of the two helicopters and specific planes used by the Illinois State Police. (Story Online at http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=7126679)
Andrzejewski re-emphasized his plan to conduct a forensic audit of the state’s expenses. He pointed out that Channel 7’s report indicated that state employees are using the planes regularly at a cost of $3,000 per hour totaling $4 million per year.
* We have two very interesting legislative stories of note today.
The first is about a couple of apparent put-up candidates out south. Rep. Jim Brosnahan (D-Evergreen Park) is retiring, and he and Speaker Madigan are backing Michael Macellaio to replace him. Macellaio was up against just one candidate, Kelly Burke, president of the Evergreen Park Library Board, until the last day of filing when two other women with Irish names filed within moments of each other. Kristen McQueary takes it from there…
So the Democratic Party quickly rounded up two other Irish gals to siphon votes away from Burke - Angela McMahon, of Evergreen Park, and Karen Sullivan Casey, of Oak Lawn.
Neither of them circulated a single petition sheet herself nor gathered signatures from neighbors or even their husbands. Most of the folks who got McMahon and Casey on the ballot live in the 13th and 23rd wards of Chicago, home to Madigan and his allies. […]
The idea is to dilute Burke’s chances, and confuse voters, by having two other women on the ballot with Irish names.
“Yeah, I’m angry,” Burke said Wednesday. “I just worked my tail off to give people a choice and get on the ballot, and I’m against somebody backed by outsiders of the district. It galls me that this is happening.
* Our second is a bit ooky, but it’s out there, so we should take a look.
The coverage of Rep. Deb Mell’s primary race has generally focused on two things. First, Rep. Mell’s nominating petitions are being challenged and she might be kicked off the ballot.
The other item of note that the major media has touched on is that both Ms. Mell and her opponent, Joe Laiacona, are gay. For instance, the Tribune ran a blurb not long entitled “‘Gay primary’ will be no big deal,” which included this graf…
But don’t expect the fact that Mell is a lesbian — the first openly gay woman to serve in the Illinois General Assembly — to be an issue. Laiacona is also openly gay. And neither candidate mentions it in online campaign bios.
CBS2 noted that Laiacona is also an amateur genealogist, and linked to a Windy City Times interview for backup evidence. Also in that story was this tidbit about Laiacona…
You have worked for a gay publication [as columnist “Jack Rinella” for Gay Chicago magazine] .
As I’ve told subscribers, Rinella/Laiacona is a BDSM and “leather” expert. He has written books including “Becoming a Slave” and has his own website, which is probably not safe for work, unless you work out of your home, like me - but there’s still the issue of my wife coming upstairs and seeing what I’m doing, so I probably won’t keep that site open for long.
Anyway, the Chicago Reader has a cover story about Laiacona this week. “A Kink in the Campaign” includes this quote from Laiacona…
“I live an honest and authentic life, and I’m not ashamed or guilty about anything I’ve done in that regard,” he says. “I’ve written about healthy sexuality of a consensual adult nature, and I don’t believe the government has a role in my bedroom. That’s the end of the discussion.”
And…
As part of his fund-raising efforts, Laiacona is reaching out to fellow sadomasochists. He hasn’t said what he would do specifically for the community if elected, though he has referred to “antiquated laws” that, if enforced, could be used against it. But he says he raised $1,800 at one leather party, and he pitched members of the Next Generation Chicago, a pansexual BDSM group for the 18-34 set, at one of their meetings at the Leather Archives & Museum in Rogers Park. He’s also used his column to enlist supporters by drawing parallels between being a reformer and a practitioner of sadomasochism.
Rep. Mell is as blunt as Laiacona…
But Deb Mell wonders how effectively Laiacona can work within the state legislature given his kinky past. “We can’t get a civil unions bill passed and here’s a guy who’s . . . into bondage and sex slaves?” she says. But she also accuses Laiacona of “hiding” his ties to the kinky community. “It’s a conservative bunch out here in the 40th District, so it probably works in his favor not to mention it.”
Even some people in his own community are debating Laiacona’s political viability. In the inaugural edition of DungeonPlace.com’s FetishCast podcast, after a segment on whether sadomasochists should be considered experts on military torture, hosts Meow, Gryphon, Goddess, Tutivillus, and DarlingEvil discussed his campaign and what impact his work might have on his bid for state representative.
“This is a man that’s been open in the community,” said DarlingEvil. “[I]s the mainstream . . . going to look at that and say, ‘Is this someone we want representing us in our government?’”
Let’s try to watch ourselves in comments, OK? I don’t want things getting outta hand or I’ll have to crack the whip. Oh, wait. I shouldn’t have said that. Nevermind.
LIVE session coverage...
- David Ormsby - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:04 pm:
Uh oh. The race could turn into a freak show. Tar, feathers and who knows what flying everywhere. Argh.
- Small Town Liberal - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:11 pm:
I just keep thinking of inappropriate comments related to Clinton’s “I didn’t inhale” statement…
- Rick M. - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:14 pm:
The ballot games in the race for Brosnahan’s seat has me thinking about the poll results Rich published several weeks back that indicated Mike Madigan is better known among voters statewide than many of us assumed and also showed he’s not particularly well liked.
Would it be wise for Burke to test those numbers and virtually run against Madigan — positioning herself as a victim of dirty tricks and her opponent as a stooge of the speaker’s? That’s the way I’d run my campaign if I was her. Then again, this might not be the right district for that kind of a campaign and it might not work in a Dem primary as well as it would in the general.
- Anon - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:23 pm:
We will know how worried the Macellaio team is over the Kelly Burke campaign the moment Jim Brosnahan quits his seat before the primary to give Macellaio a leg up. You would think they would have learned from the Lipinski son-for-dad deal.
- Cousin Ralph - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:27 pm:
Hey, It feels like sadomasochists have been setting the tax and spending and antibusiness policies of this state for a few years now. He should fit right in.
- shore - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:36 pm:
I like chuck goudie a lot but having worked at a federal government agency, you need to be able to get places in a period of time. At the federal level there are regulations in place like you can only go first class if the flight is more than 14 hours and perhaps that’s what the state should do, put better regulations in place on usage of the planes.
If goudie really wanted a story of waste he’d ask the white house whether it was 1,000 or 2,000 u.s. officials that went with president obama to asia and whether the cost was north of 3 million dollars or 5 million dollars.
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:37 pm:
Actually the Sacia analysis is mind boggling given the fact that he was quickly slipping into hackville for (1)siding the Blagoofers to bash Madigan on capital and (2) continued support of Cellini security chief Larry Trent.
Seiousky,for Jim to buck StateWideTom, TugBoat Outsider and Commando Kirk and all the other fraidy cats offer this analysis is almost beyond belief.
He quickly leaps ahead of Jim Watson as the GOP most likely to upend StateWideTom after the ‘10 votes are counted
GOod job Jimbo. U da man!
- ahoy - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:48 pm:
So long as Laiacona is into being dominated and not being the dominator, he’ll fit right in with the House Democrats.
- lake county democrat - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:53 pm:
What is there to say? Mike Madigan runs not one but two fake candidates to thwart an honest democratic choice by the voters and yet the media doesn’t treat him with the contempt such a figure deserves, either numbed by the nature of Illinois politics or relishing in our “bare-knuckles politics” reputation.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:56 pm:
===and yet the media doesn’t treat him with the contempt such a figure deserves===
Take a breath. Then go read Kristen’s column. She piles on the contempt. Maybe even enough for you.
- Stallion - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 1:57 pm:
Is Ms. Burke claiming that noone collected signatures for her that lived outside the district ?
- ivoted4judy - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 2:05 pm:
A lot of crybabies in Illinois politics these days. We were much better off without all of these amatuers!!!!!!!!!!!
- Joe from Joliet - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 2:09 pm:
You better believe Brady is still afraid of Dillard, as well he should be. When Dillard comes out, the numbers will change quickly and voters will react positively to him. The GOP’rs who have come out (albeit very little) are not getting anywhere. But Dillard does need to get on TV soon. January will be jam packed with ads and it will be hard to stand out.
I’m not hearing anything positive about Ryan, way too much baggage. Ryan has a Tri-N-gulate problem:
Name - ‘Ryan’ is a radioactive word in Illinois
Nicario - Ryan will be welded to Nicario like
Quinn will be welded to Blago
NRA - Ryan must convince the gunners that he
really doesn’t want to take their guns away
- Anon - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 2:16 pm:
Stallion, you missed the boat here. Kelly Burke’s issue has nothing to do with circulators from out of the district. It has to do with outside circulators getting signatures for candidates meant to dilute her ballot strength. It’s a classic “confuse the stupid voters” trick. Kelly Burke will win this primary because voters aren’t that dumb.
- Oneman - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 2:22 pm:
So if she gets tossed off the ballot and he wins the primary we will see if that is enough of a show stopper to elect a republican.
Doubt it
- Carl Nyberg - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 2:24 pm:
Mell should have declined to discuss Laiacona’s sex life.
She’s the incumbent. She’s got big-time political connections.
Deb Mell should use her energy to explain what she’s going to do for Illinois and the people of her district.
If she’s talking about Laiacona’s sex life to the media, I start asking myself if she’s got a plan to use the office to improve the lives of people in her district. Or does Mell think she’s entitled to the position because a little activism and a powerful daddy adds up to her deserving a seat in the legislature?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 2:40 pm:
OneMan, I’m pretty sure the HGOPs are already looking for a candidate there.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:03 pm:
If he’s a true sadomasochist he’ll sponsor the leader caps bill if he wins … and like it.
- Politics Makes Strange Bedfellows - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:14 pm:
“OK? I don’t want things getting outta hand or I’ll have to crack the whip.”
(It’s difficult to top that!)
The website is pretty much a dealbreaker for him. Too many quotes from him, saying things that would make the general public EXTREMELY uncomfortable. I can’t see him being exactly showered with campaign contributions.
But then again, he is running against a Blagojevich relative…
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:16 pm:
===If he’s a true sadomasochist he’ll sponsor the leader caps bill if he wins … and like it.===
Nah. If he’s a true masochist he’ll vote against Mike Madigan for Speaker, and then enjoy the aftermath.
- Moving to Oklahoma - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:24 pm:
I have thought for the last five minutes about posting on this thread. I have decided against it, whereby saving Rich Miller the trouble of having to delete my post.
- Moving to Oklahoma - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:25 pm:
== Nah. If he’s a true masochist he’ll vote against Mike Madigan for Speaker, and then enjoy the aftermath. ==
That’s the funniest thing I have read in months. Tip O the hat to ya Rich.
- chimack - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:29 pm:
I hope Mell gets bounced off the ballot. Arrogance is behind her not reregistering to vote.
If she stays on the ballot I hope Laiacona wins because I despise nepotism more than adults having kinky sex lives.
But its not my district so I can’t have any direct impact on the outcome.
- Stallion - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:31 pm:
Thank you Anon 2:16. Only crybabys need apply ! That is what Im getting out of it now. This isnt Ms. Burkes first Rodeo, she worked for the 18th Ward for years. Her siblings all work for goverment agencies and support her(and rightfull so), They live outside the district. ” I just worked my tail off”, give me a break !!!
- chimack - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:40 pm:
Back again. I went to Laiacona’s purported adult website, read the disclaimer and instead of entering the site I wimped out and hit the link to take me elsewhere. “Elsewhere” turned out to be the New York Times website. Don’t know what I expected but it was not the NYT. Wonder how many hits to the Times come via this website.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 3:47 pm:
It seems to me that Laiacona has enough experience to become the next Democrat Party Whip. I bet he’d know how to round up those votes!
Would he think it is OK to waterboard someone if that person first signed a statement claiming they enjoyed it?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 4:07 pm:
VM, you’re a Democrat. You of all people should know that it is a childish insult to refer to ours as the Democrat Party. I’m sure it was a simple typo and you really meant Democratic Party Whip, right?
- Thomas Westgard - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 4:09 pm:
Finally, a legislator who will provide us with a safe word, when it all becomes too much to bear.
Seriously, I’m a little surprised that Deb Mell went as far as she did in discussing his sex life. On the one hand, I’m glad that society has advanced enough that lesbians are considered the “in-crowd” enough to hold public office. On the other hand, it’s disappointing when they just pass the “scary freak” label down the line to a new victim. Amazing how she can manage to flee the moral high ground so quickly. Consenting adults, end of story, IMHO.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 4:14 pm:
===Consenting adults, end of story, IMHO. ===
I agree, but he’s also raising money from that community and he’s an activist within that community. So his activism and his money is a legit campaign issue, her characterizations notwithstanding.
- Ghost - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 4:32 pm:
lake county democrat, consider this…. I understand your beef, but what makes a canidate a “legitimate” one?
etting that aside how are voters being deprived of a canidate? The voters are not impeded in electing her, they have the same ability to elect her whether she runs in a two person or 4 person race.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 4:35 pm:
Considering that I just met our US Senate Majority Whip this month, I wasn’t sure actually, since I usually refer to the office as the Majority or Minority Whip position.
Yeah, I know it is Democratic - of course I do.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 4:42 pm:
Thanks VM.
- cermak_rd - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 5:09 pm:
If Blago had just been involved in Laiacona’s activities, I doubt he would have been impeached or be pretty much universally loathed. I mean, is this really shocking? After foot tapping (Craig) and Sex clubs (Jack Ryan) and more examples of both gay and straight affairs than I care to remember, can the public be shocked?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 5:19 pm:
===can the public be shocked?===
Jack was run out of the race and Craig couldn’t run for reelection. You act as though Jack beat Obama and Craig won reelection. Strange.
- scoot - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 5:23 pm:
Lets face it.. Republican voters already know that Bill Brady has NO SHOT at winning the General election.
- Indeedy - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 10:21 pm:
“If he’s a true masochist he’ll vote against Mike Madigan for Speaker, and then enjoy the aftermath.” Rich, you have no idea how right you are…
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 10:41 pm:
I’ve never understood those who feel the need to inform others about their sex lives. The only one that interests me is my own — and that doesn’t hold my interest for very long.
- Honest Abe - Thursday, Nov 19, 09 @ 11:25 pm:
This is an unusual story and I am shocked that Mell would be so careless with nominating petitions, particularly when signing a sworn statement under oath. You do not need to be a lawyer to understand the content of the statement of candidacy form, you simply need to know how to read. My only criticisim of Mell is that her dad foisted her upon the public as a legislator (like so many others) because she could not make a living without be placed on the public payroll.
She was an unsuccessful landscaper before her dad put her into the General Assembly.
- Really? - Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 8:38 am:
This is quite an emotional swing from the previous QOD. (no pun intended?) Again, you should be proud of your commenters so far. @VM-very funny.
Thanks again, Rick
- Boone Logan Square - Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 9:28 am:
“But Deb Mell wonders how effectively Laiacona can work within the state legislature given his kinky past.”
Simple. His comment: “I live an honest and authentic life, and I’m not ashamed or guilty about anything I’ve done in that regard,” is perfect for Springfield. Matter of fact, it sounds a lot like something Mell’s brother-in-law might say.