* This story broke while I was on vacation…
A Chicago pawnbroker said he will spend between $5 million and $6 million to get out his message - that he’s a successful small businessman and not a politician - in an unlikely race for Illinois governor.
Cohen said he would spend $3 million in the primary, but ended up spending about $2 million (and another half mil or so through the end of June). Pretty much everybody ignored Cohen’s spending plan announcement before the primary and we saw how that ended. But even if he spends $3 to $4 million on the general, that’s a whole lot of cash and completely unprecedented for an independent candidate here. The media is gonna blow it again if reporters don’t start covering this man.
* Gov. Pat Quinn is trying to attack Cohen, but most reporters aren’t paying much attention. The other day, Quinn demanded that Cohen release his tax returns, and it was buried in an AP roundup…
Quinn called on the wealthy businessman to make his income taxes public, as other candidates have. He also suggested Cohen and his family have taken advantage of the poor.
“I don’t know why anybody would ever vote for him. He has run a pawnbroking business. His family’s been involved in currency exchanges,” Quinn said.
* The reason Quinn is pushing the tax returns angle is because he is in possession of an opposition research report that heavily stresses Cohen’s extensive use of cash and lack of personal checking accounts. You can read that Cohen OR report by clicking here. I gave Cohen’s media advisor a chance to respond to what was in the report, but he declined. The report was prepared soon after the primary. I obtained it through a second-hand source and then verified where it came from.
* In other third party news, Libertarian Party US Senate candidate Mike Labno recently went off on Republican Mark Kirk. Click here for the audio. Transcript…
“I want to talk about many of the issues, Mark Kirk and one of the things you asked me to talk about was where our differences are. Our differences, between Mark Kirk and I, are great. The guy is practically a Democrat. I’m not even sure how he got on the Republican ticket in the first place. But when it comes to economics he’s just another big spender, cap and trade is where his interest lies.”
Background on Libertarian success, or lack thereof…
Historically, Libertarian candidates have received an average of just over 1 percent of the vote in Illinois Senate races, most recently in 2004 and 2008.
The Giannoulias folks are hoping Labno pulls away votes in a close race. We’ll see. So far, polls are showing that Kirk is doing pretty well with conservatives.
* Green Party gubernatorial nominee Rich Whitney is still acting like Don Quixote…
During an appearance at a Springfield coffeehouse last month, Whitney had an audience of fewer than a dozen people.
* And Forrest Claypool’s independent campaign has been sued…
A former Cook County Board of Review employee filed a libel and defamation suit Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court against assessor candidate Commissioner Forrest Claypool and his campaign.
Victor Santana filed the chancery suit against Claypool, Citizens for Claypool and campaign manager Tom Bowen charging that a post on the campaign’s joeberrios.com website was “factually inaccurate.”
The Claypool campaign has used the site to embarrass Board of Review Commissioner Joseph Berrios, the Democratic nominee for assessor, and to bolster Claypool’s independent candidacy. Republican Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall and Robert Grota of the Green Party are also seeking the office.
Santana took issue with a post implicating him in an investigation into charges that state Rep. Paul Froelich, an Arlington Heights Democrat, used his influence to get assessment appeals lowered before the Board of Review.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:16 pm:
Uh, I think a lot of folks have to use currency exchanges whether they like it or not. The ones
in my neck of the woods are beyond busy cashing paychecks and performing other financial services. Are Democrats against currency exchanges now? How are the less economically lucky supposed to cash their paychecks.
When I was driving back from Wisconsin yesterday there was a Scott Cohen ad on the radio that sounded perfectly professional–something about jobs–not at all amateur or raggedy.
- shore - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:23 pm:
while you were out, there was a series of tribune polls. One of the more damning numbers in it was the fact that 83 percent of voters said they didn’t care about the blago verdict. corruption is so commonplace and concern with the economy is so important that voters dont seem to have interest in the sort of scott lee cohen baggage. It seems to be a replay of the clinton scandals where they look past it to the economy.
As for the media blowing it and not covering scott lee cohen. they haven’t covered the senate race at all other than the bank and the resume fibs. the congressional races have been completely ignored-all 2 of them, and with the mayoral race now all bets are off so don’t count on them devoting serious coverage to cohen.
- dave - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:25 pm:
The ones in my neck of the woods are beyond busy cashing paychecks and performing other financial services.
No one said that they were not busy. But they are pretty evil, and very much take advantage of the “less economically lucky.”
Democrats are not necessarily against currency exchanged, but they are FOR reform of the system and are FOR the “less economically lucky” having access to banks that won’t take advantage of the poor families.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:25 pm:
Quinn called on the wealthy businessman to make his income taxes public, as other candidates have. He also suggested Cohen and his family have taken advantage of the poor.
“I don’t know why anybody would ever vote for him. He has run a pawnbroking business. His family’s been involved in currency exchanges,” Quinn said.
i could be wrong, but i don’t recall quinn leading any fights to bring banks to extremely low-income communities at any point in his illustrious nearly 40 year political career history. maybe if quinn had fought for economic investment and development in extremely low-income communities , people in those communities would not have needed to seek out pawn their belongings to help make ends meet.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:28 pm:
Santana and Claypool deserve one another.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:28 pm:
sure dave, whatever you say. so why is quinn picking now in his nearly 40 year political history to take umbrage with the business practices of currency exchanges? or, has he done in the past, but i just wasn’t aware? if so, please enlighten.
- Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:30 pm:
I can’t believe this nightmare won the primary.
WCW, glad to see you’re still defending this hooker knifing buffoon, I think the two of you could be great partners in lunacy.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:42 pm:
Quinn’s been down on currency exchanges forever. He pounded them daily when he first ran for treasurer in the primary against Donnewald in 1986. And when he was finally elected treasurer, he directed state deposits to banks that operated in underserved communities. So yes, WCW, you’re simply and willfully unaware.
There’s something seriously wrong with this Cohen guy, and Grainger Terry is completely unethical in taking his money and enabling him to fritter away his kids’ financial security.
Is there any legal recourse they could take to get him committed and lock down his finances while he has anything left? The guy is nuts.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:45 pm:
i don’t get rich whitney at all. if ever there was a year to bang the vote the bums/incumbents/career pol types out of state government drum, this is the year. it’s not as if he didn’t know that he would be running; he’s had 4 years to develop a strong theme.
he’ll run again in 2014, so he should start planning his message/theme now.
- John Bambenek - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:48 pm:
What’s even worse is Granger Terry took the money for Round #2 of SLC…
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:50 pm:
wordslinger, thank you for making me aware of quinn’s long history on the currency exchange issue (so glad i hedged there and made some allowance for giving quinn the benefit of the doubt). he is definitely to be commended for his stance there, and i commend him. :)
- soccermom - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:53 pm:
Wordslinger, you’re faster out of the holster than I am. But that was exactly what I was going to say. Thanks.
- enn - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 1:55 pm:
Has Quinn been against currency exchanges, or payday lenders?
My understanding is that not all currency exchanges are payday lenders.
- enn - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:00 pm:
I see that Quinn did attack check-cashing establishments in particular. That’s very strange; as a non-account-holder, I’ve been charged $4 or $5 by banks to cash checks at the banks on which they were drawn, which is more than the currency exchanges charge. And there are plenty of fees to open an account and keep it open if you can’t keep much of a balance in it. Seems like there are a lot of businesses taking worse advantage of poor people than places that charge $2 to cash a check.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:01 pm:
The man has the right to run for office and a consultant has the right to consult.
If you have ever watched Pawn Stars the fact he deals with a lot of stuff in cash is not a huge shock.
- Segatari - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:02 pm:
>Cohen said he would spend $3 million in the primary, but ended up spending about $2 million (and another half mil or so through the end of June). Pretty much everybody ignored Cohen’s spending plan announcement before the primary and we saw how that ended. But even if he spends $3 to $4 million on the general, that’s a whole lot of cash and completely unprecedented for an independent candidate here. The media is gonna blow it again if reporters don’t start covering this man.
Is Cohen actually polling anything above 1-2%?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:04 pm:
Segatari, the Trib poll had him at 5, which means he may qualify for debates.
- cassandra - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:06 pm:
Instead of maligning Cohen’s family for “being involved with currency exchanges,” Quinn should have been more explicit about the problems low-income citizens have accessing low-cost banking services. I would note that the ones in my area are very close–within walking distance– to real banks.
More importantly from a political perspective, Quinn already apparently feels he has to spend valuable time and energy attacking Cohen. I wonder if Brady will feel the same way, or if he can score some points by reminding us how
Cohen got into state politics in the first place.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:08 pm:
“Segatari, the Trib poll had him at 5, which means he may qualify for debates.”
seeing cohen go after quinn during debates should make for very interesting tv.
- Reggie P - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:10 pm:
That report does not bode well for a lot of people, but it seems the Scott Waguespack will probably regret that endorse for a long time.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:15 pm:
If I was Quinn I would not engage the man…
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:20 pm:
So, OneMan, if SLC is brought into the debates, is PQ supposed to say, “I’m not talking to that man”? Will it help if he stamps his feet, too?
- WOW - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:26 pm:
It sounds like everyone thinks that SLC would just go after Quinn in debates. If you want to win you go after the person leading in the polls. As a “small businessman” it would make more sense for him to go after Brady. I bet Cohen paid more in taxes last year than Brady did.
- Pioneer P. - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:32 pm:
Hi Grainger, is Terry there? “Less economically lucky,” that’s a new one.
Uh, I think a lot of folks have to use currency exchanges whether they like it or not. The ones
in my neck of the woods are beyond busy cashing paychecks and performing other financial services. Are Democrats against currency exchanges now? How are the less economically lucky supposed to cash their paychecks.
When I was driving back from Wisconsin yesterday there was a Scott Cohen ad on the radio that sounded perfectly professional–something about jobs–not at all amateur or raggedy.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:35 pm:
Other than your boring comment about Brady’s taxes you are right on. SLC should just ignore PQ and go after Brady. Shouldn’t surprise us if he does. Independents can’t hope to win in a general election - not gonna happen. Can he hurt Brady? Not likely.
Will PQ be hurt if SLC doesn’t talk to him?
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:35 pm:
WOW, come now… you know that Quinn and Cohen cn’t stand each other. I’m sure Cohen would take a few shots at brady for good measure, but I’m guessing that his ire would be directly mostly at quinn.
- Wondering... - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 2:42 pm:
Excellent point cassandra…
And here’s one for all of you… not all workers who get paid by check qualify for a bank account, and there are plenty of reasons why. Further, not all workers who get paid by check even want a bank account for reasons most of us here may not understand.
Go to almost any factory or plant setting and I guarantee that you will find that something in the range of 10% of the employees don’t have and / or don’t want a bank account.
So what would you have PQ or the government do? Mandate that bank have to give ANYONE a bank account? Or mandate that EVERYONE has to have a bank account. Ain’t gonna happen. And this is why Currency Exchanges and Pay Day Loan stores exist.
It’s Econ 101… supply and demand. SLC and folks like him simply step in to fulfill a needed service. You may not like it… but it is what it is.
Now… why SLC isn’t using a bank or is operating day to day on a cash basis is another matter entirely. It raises some good questions.
- anon - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 3:08 pm:
SLC signs are all over the north side, particularly in the 32nd and 47th wards. No other signs are up.
- downstate hack - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 3:30 pm:
#
SLC signs are all over the north side, particularly in the 32nd and 47th wards. No other signs are up.
I saw several dozen along Hasted from 1700 north to Wrigleyville. Also no other signs.
- Ivory-billed Woodpecker - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 3:31 pm:
==I’ve been charged $4 or $5 by banks to cash checks at the banks on which they were drawn==
That just sounds illegal. The account holder wrote a check saying “pay to the order of”; the bank is supposed to pay.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 3:41 pm:
We too were bombarded with Scott Lee Cohen signs over the weekend in Southern Lake County, including up and down Rt. 41 and at the bottom of ramps of the Edens Expressway.
Most now have been picked up by the authorities as nearly all of them were illegally posted.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 3:44 pm:
Whoever is putting up SLC signs doesn’t know much about the law. Last time I was in the city and burbs, they were all over the place, but illegally planted.
He has a bunch of Springfield billboards, however. Sorta unusual for politics.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 3:54 pm:
===particularly in the 32nd and 47th wards===
Rich beat me to it. If you look closely, you’ll notice that all of the SLC signs are in the parkway, not in peoples’ yards. It’s littering and it’s illegal, but then it’s Cohen we’re talking about, so it’s also par for the course with that gang.
What’s really interesting is SLC’s new version of his old radio ad. It’s running constantly on WBBM and it’s just as good today as it was in January. Same basic script but with the addition of an African-American voice and no mention of “Lieutenant” in there. Jobs, jobs, jobs.
He’s good for at least 5%, all from Quinn’s hide.
- enn - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 3:57 pm:
Ivory-billed Woodpecker: I thought so, too, but I wasn’t able to convince the banks in question. Maybe some AG will put an end to this practice eventually.
- RMW Stanford - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 5:38 pm:
“Whoever is putting up SLC signs doesn’t know much about the law. Last time I was in the city and burbs, they were all over the place, but illegally planted.”
In McLean county SLC people have been putting small yard sign up next to 4X4 and 4×8 Brady signs with out the permession of the property owners. So I think it pretty safe to say that he and his supporters either do not know the law related to wear you can put signs or do not care, I am leaning toward the latter.
- soccermom - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 6:30 pm:
I just read the Cohen oppo book. And I want to know — WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM? Nowhere is there a suggestion of the kind of cash that his campaigns have cost.
I have never said this in comments before, but — Patrick Fitzgerald, where are you? This starts to look like a very serious situation.
- Cool Hand Luke - Wednesday, Sep 8, 10 @ 7:41 pm:
I am not sure if is “the exception to the rule” or not but a normally staunch Republican lady told today me that Scott Lee Cohen may wind up getting her vote. She said his campaign ads make sense and have her thinking that “this guy makes sense”. Her comments really surprised me. I wonder if she is like many others who may be re-considering Cohen after listening to his barrage of recent campaign ads?