* The SJ-R got used bigtime today…
Ward 5 aldermanic candidate Ryan Tozer says the president of the Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association violated rules governing the organization’s tax-exempt status by being quoted in a campaign mailer for Tozer’s opponent, Sam Cahnman, over the weekend.
Tozer called on Steve Combs Monday to publicly apologize and resign as president of the neighborhood group.
That sounds like a real problem, until you read down to the 11th paragraph…
Cahnman’s flier describes Combs only as a “neighborhood advocate.”
However, Nick Bellini, Tozer’s campaign manager, said everybody knows what “neighborhood advocate” means.
Great job by Belllini getting a clueless SJ-R to cover this complete nonsense. My hat’s off to Nick, but this is a total non-issue. No use was made of the group’s name or the man’s title. There is no violation here, except by the editor who approved that goofy mess.
* Cahnman is a Statehouse lobbyist known to many, and his aldermanic campaign has been brutal lately…
A candidate for Ward 5 alderman is running a radio ad accusing incumbent Ald. Sam Cahnman of having “groped a female prisoner at Sangamon County Jail,” but the woman involved Wednesday said that characterization is wrong.
“That is absolutely untrue,” said Stephany Miller, 34, now of Mobile, Ala. “It was just a brief hug. There was absolutely nothing inappropriate.”
Ryan Tozer, a House Republican staff member who is challenging Cahnman in Tuesday’s election, is running a radio ad that refers to allegations against Cahnman, including some in a complaint filed by the state Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. An ARDC panel will hold a hearing on those allegations June 15. […]
Tozer’s ad says Cahnman “has a long record of questionable personal behavior.”
“Illinois’ attorney discipline panel filed a complaint against Cahnman alleging he … solicited a sexual act from undercover police officers and groped a female prisoner,” the ad states. “Enough is enough. It’s time for honest leadership.”
Here’s the Tozer radio ad…
Oof.
And click here for the Tozer walk piece. Oof again…
No mention, of course, that Cahnman was acquitted of the solicitation charge.
Keep it clean in comments, people. It’s gonna be a long day and I really have no desire to, um, police your every word. Especially after yesterday.
* What’s going on in your local election today? Poll reports, weather, signage, news of trouble, etc. is always appreciated. Thanks.
- Boone Logan Square - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:13 am:
Weather in Chicago is a little sunnier than expected, but cold. Decent turnout in the first couple of hours, but the location is a senior residence facility and that’s not unusual.
- PaGo - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:19 am:
re: Cahnman/Tozer - Look, in a real world, candidates would stick to the issues. No denying Sam’s past history, but it’s of a personal nature. Those who know Sam or about Sam can make their own conclusions. But when campaigning, I would like to see candidates discuss the issues of their election. We can make our conclusions about the other stuff in the voting booth.
Great day in Springfield. The Mike and Mike Show ends TODAY (thank God).
- Homer J. Simpson - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:21 am:
This guy is entertaining. He runs for city alderman under the stance that he isn’t going to allow cell phone companies to charge for whole minutes when you’ve only used a part of a minute. He chases airplanes down the runway in Bloomington, steals a judge’s calendar, and the other things mentioned above. I think people are just looking to see what more is up his sleeve.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:24 am:
Well for some reason the scanner at my polling place can not read the ballots from one specific prect. complaining that there is an issue with votes on alderman-at-large. The other prects. at the same location have no issues.
I was voter number 8 at about 9 AM
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:25 am:
So exciting, I almost forgot to vote! (And I’m on the ballot.) Too many empty spots on the ballot. Forget about unopposed races, it’s pretty sad when there are open seats with no candidate for school boards and city councils. Of course when people consider the hours and the pay (LOL) and then look at the outrageous attacks you can open yourself up to, it’s not so surprising.
- John Parnell - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:33 am:
Two Repub House staffers are on the ballot in Springfield. One takes the high road, Sara Wockcki, and the other takes the ow road, Ryan Tozer. Hopefully this is the end of Tozer’s political career, as he has little to offer except attack advertisements.
- Easy - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:39 am:
the low road is completely occupied by Cahnman. He’s a bizarre mix of dennis kucinich and elliot spitzer. And I don’t think his arrest record and ARDC filing are a private issue, given that they are public documents originated from events unfolding in public places.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:50 am:
Easy, using that stuff is warranted and defensible. As you say, it’s public record.
But that hit today was just plain goofy. Not blaming you guys, though. The paper should’ve known better.
- Solomon - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 9:59 am:
I think the goofy hit job is totally indicative of what happens when a nice guy candidate lets a jaded attack dog run his campaign.
- IrishPirate - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 10:01 am:
Sunny and 43 degrees here on Chicago’s Uptown lakefront.
The Board of Elections apparently forgot to deliver the “signature” books to at least some precincts.
Some naughty phone calls claiming one candidate has dropped out.
Overall quiet so far.
http://www.uptownupdate.com/
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:07 am:
But the paper endorsed Sam!
Not that SJR endorsement is worth much.
Who did Dr/Mrs Bernie pick?
My guess the writers/news editors were trying to level the playing field.
We got vote for some school boarders…very exciting
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:09 am:
It’s a beautiful day for a run-off election in Chicago, just not in my ward.
I’m watching Smith-Egan in the 43rd and turnout is lower than low so far. I doubt either has a sophisticated GOTV program, so I think Smith has a good shot if more women than men bother to cast ballots there today.
As for Cahnman, I remember him giving Jay Hoffman fits in the Congressional primary in 96. Cahnman had a knack for taking photos of himself and yokels at flea markets, then sending the pictures to the local weeklies, which published so many of them that Hoffman thought Cahnman was everywhere. Jay ended up spending a small fortune to dispatch Cahnman, then came up short of cash in the general against John “Term Limits” Shimkus. The rest, as they say, is history.
Cahnman is an odd duck, but he is persistent.
- Matt Dietrich - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:27 am:
So I guess the SJ-R should ignore all this and pretend like it’s not happening? The tenor of this race has become the story, as indicated by the second story referenced in this post. I’d say an aldermanic candidate waging war against the neighborhood associations in the ward he seeks to represent is newsworthy, especially coming on the heels of a mailer and radio ad that have struck a distinctly negative tone. And I believe the story makes it clear to readers the restrictions placed on 501(c)(3) groups concerning political activity. “Used bigtime?” That’s nonsense.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:30 am:
Matt, one never should run a bogus story like that, but especially never on election day.
And if the story was about a candidate waging war with a neighborhood group, fine. Intead, it was heavily slanted in favor of a complete falsehood.
You were used. Period. The story was bogus.
- Cal Skinner - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:33 am:
One percent turnout in 3 Crystal Lake precincts at 8:45 AM. Only local contests are for junior college board and grade school board.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:34 am:
Seriously, man, you gotta read down 11 grafs to get to the meat of the matter. That should’ve been up front. It was a bent, bogus piece.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:37 am:
In my precinct everything is uncontested save for a few sleepy school board races. At 10:00 a.m. I was voter #10 in my precinct.
- Matt Dietrich - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:43 am:
Slanted in favor of a complete falsehood? I completely disagree there. The overarching story, which began last week, is the increasingly desperate tone of the challenger’s campaign. I read this story, as I believe most readers will, as more evidence of that desperation.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 11:44 am:
Only if they make it to the 11th graf.
- Belden Ave. - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 12:10 pm:
43rd Ward, Noon, Precinct 2, 54 voters, Precinct 56, 33 voters.
- Moderate REpub - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 12:32 pm:
One word: Hilarious! Gotta give Nick credit, good last bomb. The thing about last bombs - they are fun, gives energy to the organization but, bombs don’t always go off the way you intend them too… This shrapnel may eat into his base. Could be wrong, but in my experience - you throw bombs when you are teetering on the fence, or you are behind. Not to say they are not calculated - I start planning my last bomb in August before the general - but you never really know if they help or hurt.
Saying all that - I would have done the same, the stench may stay on the opponent even if they win…It will be in the minds of the voters next time. Its not always about what in front of us, sometimes its about the future election.
- Concerned Observer - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 1:26 pm:
Will County. Voter 11 in my precinct at 9AM. It’s in an assisted living home, so I’m pretty sure I know where the other 10 votes came from.
Anyway, I didn’t know 75% of the people on the ballot (school boards, library boards, etc). And I voted write-in for myself three times because there weren’t enough candidates. I never seem to win, or at least they never call me to let me know….
Two thoughts: First, I think next cycle I’m going to find a race that doesn’t have enough candidates and enter, with the promise that if elected I will try and shrink the size of said board to match the number of people actually interested in positions.
Second: I’m sick of walk pieces. Stop sticking crap on my door. Knock or ring the doorbell and tell me why I should vote for such-and-such. Your literature just blows away and litters the landscape. And I’m much more likely to remember you from face-to-face contact, even if it’s with a worker or family friend. My town ain’t that big.
- x ace - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 3:34 pm:
Running on Election Day clearly wrong ( moreover didn’t include my favorite from long ago, the Parking Tickets )
Candidate #2 uses sleazy tactics to call Candidate # 1 sleazy and the local press uses the salaciousness of sleaze to sell newspapers. It would make Larry Flynt proud, very proud.
- Capitol View - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 4:06 pm:
How is the 50th Ward in Chicago going?
Dinosaur Bernie Stone is up against Ira Silverstein’s wife, and Da New Mayor endorsed her over Bernie. Stone tried to raise funds for an attack group which would go after Mrs. Silverstein in the first round of primaries in Chicago, and got caught and brought before the State Board of Elections. Stone led her in that earlier primary, but let’s see who comes out as top vote getter this time.
- reformer - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 4:22 pm:
Sam is a colorful character who works hard and effectively for his ward. Bernie picked him to win. We’ll soon see.
- Chris Wetterich - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 4:30 pm:
You’re way off base here, Rich. This absolutely is a news story, especially in the context of the back and forth between Cahnman and Tozer in the closing days of this campaign. To not write about such a wild charge would be journalistic malpractice. Regardless of what Combs’ description is on the Cahnman flyer, he is widely known as the president of that neighborhood association. Because he is listed as a neighborhood advocate on the flyer doesn’t magically neutralize the news value of what happened. Calling this reporter clueless is really beyond the pale considering she’s been covering these races for six months and you’re just dropping by.
- Bemused - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 4:37 pm:
When others around the world are dying to obtain the right to cast a ballot I would not be happy with myself if I passed up to the chance to do so. To bad so often it comes down to who I dislike less.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 4:45 pm:
@Chris Wetterich:
What is laughable is your characterization of Rich as “just dropping by.” And, if you really believe this is a story I would question your ability to distinguish a news story from the National Enquirer. Just come out and say you are a Tozer supporter.
I am neither, by the way, since I don’t live in that ward. But, if I did Mr. Tozer would have to do a heck of lot to convince me to vote for him since his whole campaign has been about Cahnman. He hasn’t told me one thing he would do as Alderman. Frankly, I’m not enamoured with either of them.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 5, 11 @ 6:21 pm:
Just voted in Oak Park (hard for me to get fired up about the local races). Turnout just under 30%, my wonderful, cookie-bearing judges tell me, with two school boards, park district, village board and a big fat tax referendum on the ballot.
Cahnman is an odd duck. I remember back in the day he ran against Doc Davidson for state Senate and a big issue for him was the mysterious death of a number of raptors south of town.
Why that was Doc’s fault, and why it should have been a concern for voters, was a mystery to me. But, then again, I spent most of my time drinking free pitchers from my sweet bartender friend at Kane’s and crashing the State House Inn pool after midnight (never caught; I had game back then).