Posted by Barton Lorimor
Several of you took the opportunity to post your thoughts on Chicago magazine’s piece on Joe Berrios, who’s running for Cook County Assessor. At the same time, the Chicago Reader had this to say about the same article in their blog…
It’s great to see more coverage of this race. Ben Joravsky has been pounding away at it for awhile now, not to mention Greg Hinz (having trouble locating his Crain’s writing on Berrios, but he’s quoted in the Chicago article), Jim Warren, the CNC, and the Trib editorial page. And it seems like Berrios has noticed, having recently tracked towards reform.
Since much of the criticism of Berrios is grounded in property taxes, could the attention spill over to Mike Madigan? If the Cook County assessor’s race is this big of a story, perhaps anything is possible.
Independent candidate Forrest Claypool took that bit of advice and lashed out against Berrios’ and Madigan’s close ties…
Claypool said the close relationship between Madigan, whose law firm practices property tax appeal cases, and Democrat Joseph Berrios, a member of the panel that hears those appeals, leads to poor government.[…]
Madigan wields an iron grip over legislation in Springfield and has sway over the success of lobbyists, such as Berrios. Berrios, in turn, has a say over the outcome of property tax appeals brought by Madigan’s firm.
Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said his boss does not vote on property tax issues that could pose a conflict. Brown also said there are “zero examples” of any property tax appeal in which Madigan did anything improper or provided special treatment for his clients.
We might see Steve in comments today. Stay tuned.
Likewise, the Tribune editorial board today gave somewhat of a thumbs up to the Democrats that have endorsed the Independent candidate, Forrest Claypool, instead of defaulting to their fellow party man…
Endorsing Claypool is a bold step. Berrios heads the county Democratic Party. His patron, Michael Madigan, heads the state Democratic Party. And his Web site boasts of an endorsement by Gov. Pat Quinn.[…]
Good for the Democrats who are going their own way. They won’t squander their reputations on Berrios just because … he’s a fellow Democrat.
btw - In case you missed it yesterday, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky from the North side endorsed Claypool yesterday afternoon. A portion of the press release is on yesterday’s discussion thread. (Hat tip to a commenter for the e-mail on that.)
Meanwhile, a Chicago magazine writer may have given us another discussion topic. But instead of a full print article on Berrios, this is a quick Internet post regarding Jerry Stermer’s resignation as Quinn’s Chief of Staff last month…
My theory was that Stermer resigned because he needed a way out of an administration that looks to be heading to defeat in November to Bill Brady, the Republican candidate.[…]
However, further into my reporting, my theory—about Stermer wanting a way out—bit the dust.
Had he not fallen on his sword, this source told me, “the Brady camp would have been crying for his resignation, calling for investigations. Jerry did not want to wear the jacket for disrupting Quinn’s path to winning the election. He didn’t see a more pragmatic way.”
LIVE session coverage...
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 11:24 am:
It appears the Tribune is blocking comments on their website concerning MrGump and his charges.
It is also important to mention MrGump failed to detail any specifics to back up the slop that ran out his mouth.
Ditto for Tribune owned ChiMag.
Did evern bother to check if anyone who went to a meeting got a deal? Why not check the guest registry at Hotel Hooli too. How about the giveaways there.
The sloppy reporting is epidemic over there.
BTW it is likely the bankrupt, fraudsters at Tribune will devote more slop to the topic next month as their increasingly desperate efforts to trash certain Dem. leaders who apply common sense to dealing with state isues.
Call it the last gasp. And they are doing this to push CommandoMakeItUp and NoTaxBill into office? Tu
- Pioneer P. - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 11:31 am:
The Chicago Mag article was weak sauce, a rehash of a lot of stories. Really, who is funding Berrios’ campaign, who is funding Forrest’s campaign? I mean, at least look at both the overflowing campaign coffers. Just because the Ma Tribune, Bruce Dold matron state people and goo-goos are with Forrest doesn’t mean Mr. Ayn Rand shouldn’t be scrutinized too.
- Cynic Al - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 11:45 am:
@ Pioneer P —
Let me rephrase what you’re really trying to say…You support Berrios and can’t really say he’s clean, so therefore Claypool must be dirty too.
Really weak. Sounds like a Blago supporter crying that the entire system is broken.
- Quinn T. Sential - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 11:52 am:
Still no sign of an endorsement in this race from Rep. Nekritz.
What a quagmire! Is she going to side with Madigan on this one; and protect her own interests, or will she line up with her constituents, and protect theirs?
Machiavelli over-rides Plato in times of peril.I suspect another strategic split with Barry and Krelloff doing the dirty work for Berrios and Madigan, while Rep. Nekritz gives the appearance of taking the high road.
Supresssing the vote; increasing the size of voter drop-off by de-emphasizing the race, can be more effective than actively campainging for a flawed opponenent in a losing battle. No sense in drawing attention to the contest for those that otherwise would not be following the issue closely.
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 11:59 am:
Here is a recap of the Gump’s All Stars…..
What a group
Rep. Jan and her pillar of ethics husband
Rep. Jr still the pick to click in Blagoof II
Rep. Harry rented from Jaws — Lexi’s mobbed upborrower
Ald Fioretti mentored by ERV
Former Sen Ronen another Jaws tenant and Blogoof job holder to get a fatter pension
Ass. Hooli pal of the FOI filly
that is some group
- bored now - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 12:13 pm:
Stermer is right, and he had the good sense to get out and not be a distraction. god knows the fall is going to be one big distraction after another.
as for claypool/berrios, that seems to be a real race — north of the chicago river. down in my little perch of the south suburbs, nobody’s heard from either one (and my own attempts to bring them down here failed)…
- Honorable mention.... - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 12:17 pm:
Let’s see here: Bankrupt Tribune (who also owns Chicago Magazine) going after Berrios and other minority elected officials, hmmm interesting. Not very much elected official diversity in the endorsement press release yesterday and how much did Claypool pay for Jackson’s endorsement, the going rate is $150,000 per Jackson endorsement.
Does Claypool have the Tribune, BGA, Dane Placko and Carol Marin all on his campaign staff or what?
- Pioneer P. - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 12:35 pm:
No, I don’t support Berrios. The Tribune and the other papers aren’t credible to me and that’s more what I was commenting on.
They’ve abdicated their responsibility to cover so many issues in the past, they are understaffed and frankly their product is fair to lame. They are just not up to the standards that they like to think they’ve met and exceeded. It bothers me when they insert themselves into races as champions for all that’s good and turn a blind eye to anything contrary to what the ed board is trying to accomplish. For all of those that think Forrest Claypool as Cook County Assessor is going to change the direction of the city, save the day, etc. think again.
- Bill - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 12:43 pm:
==the going rate is $150,000 per Jackson endorsement.==
That’s pretty rich considering that Jr. has a hard time carrying his own block for somebody else. I can just see Jr. and Gump on all those billboards. Mr. Ethics and Reform is stooping pretty low.
- Bill - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 12:52 pm:
==. down in my little perch of the south suburbs, nobody’s heard from either one==
…and nobody will. Gump couldn’t find the south suburbs even with mapquest and a Garmin and Joe doesn’t need to bother. We’ll bring him home like we always do to the tune of about 75%
- bored now - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 1:50 pm:
wouldn’t count on it, bill. as i’ve been told, “african-americans aren’t going to vote for berrios.” i’m pretty oblivious to ethnic politics, but i’ll take their word for it. so the question i have is this, what’s going to make them vote for claypool?
- cicero - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 2:01 pm:
If Berrios loses, then he’ll still be on the Board of Review voting on appeals from Madigan’s clients.
I wonder if Gump’s endorsement from all the most liberal pols in the state will endear him to suburban Republican voters?
- ForCryingOutLoud - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 2:43 pm:
Name me one politician who isn’t “dirty”?
- Bill - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 2:46 pm:
Now bored,
We have been through this before. We carry the ticket, period. Those uber liberal goofs around the ballpark (you know, the old one that smells like an outhouse outside)couldn’t carry a precinct against a real organization. The don’t know how. They’ll be twittering, and, facing, and spacing and will lose by 35. I hope for his sake Gump didn’t take out any campaign loans. Those secret fat cats who’re backing him are gonna want to be paid back someday. Now he has screwed the organization again, quit politics, then re-entered as an independent. He has cast his lot with the outcasts. Even Little Dick will be out working against him this time. He’ll never win another election in Illinois.
- bored now - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 7:57 pm:
bill, i don’t live in the past. i’m very aware of how effective the various ward or township organizations are. the 8th ward organization was so effective that it couldn’t even carry stroger in his own ward. for that matter, i won the vote for toni down here in thornton, bloom, rich and bremen despite the fact that none of those democratic committeemen supported her in the primary. so you’ll understand if i take exception to your claims. it will take extraordinary efforts to carry the democratic ticket across the line this year, and the real question is where will berrios come down — in the end zone or left outside the goal line?
i take people at their word when they say they can’t vote for whoever. there is more than one democratic candidate who has a lot of work to do.
or they can dream. i saw that during the primary, where several dreamers explained to me that the regular democratic organization wouldn’t let stroger fall, despite what the polls said. even in the last days. forgive me if i don’t put a lot of weight to similar claims today…