*** UPDATE - 5:38 pm *** Statement from Sen. Schmidt…
“Christmas, 2010 was the beginning of what has obviously become a very emotional period in my 31-year marriage. Information I discovered recently filled me with deep sadness. On the 911 call, I identified myself – but I never intended to inappropriately use my title. However, I apologize if any of my comments during this very emotional time seem inappropriate. I am taking the appropriate steps to deal with these issues. It is a very difficult, personal family matter that I would like to deal with privately. In the meantime, I remain committed to serving the citizens of my district.“
I’m not sure that’s gonna be enough.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* The details of the alleged domestic violence are in dispute, but this is not good at all…
State Sen. Suzi Schmidt mentioned being a former Lake County Board chairman and her “connections” on a December call asking a 911 dispatcher to ignore her husband if he summoned help, according to a recording released today. […]
“Hi Allison, this is Suzi Schmidt. I was the Lake County Board chairman for 10 years,” she said on the 911 recording. “Listen, I’m having a little problem with my husband right now.” […]
“If he calls, Bob Schmidt, you can ignore him. Of course, I just caught him with another woman, so that’s why I’m a little upset,” she said. […]
“He might (call), except he’s kind of afraid of me because he knows I have connections,” she said while on the line with the emergency dispatcher.
Oy.
Using her connections to stop a police call is going to haunt her for a long time. This ain’t the old days.
Also, it’s been known by a few of us for some time that her husband’s alleged infidelity was behind the repeated domestic disturbance calls to the house (four in all on three different dates). But now everybody’s gonna know.
Audio…
* During Sen. Schmidt’s December phonecall, her husband called 911 to complain that he was locked out of the house on a cold day without a jacket…
* Then came Mr. Schmidt’s August 16th call…
The recordings released today include a 911 call that Robert Schmidt made on Aug. 16 claiming his wife rammed her 2000 black Cadillac into his 2000 tan Chevy Malibu three times after the two argued. He told police she drove her Cadillac head-on into his, then backed up and rammed the Malibu two more times.
“No, don’t need an ambulance. I’m a little shaky right now,” Robert Schmidt tells the sheriff’s dispatcher. “She just plowed into me like two or three times and then a little bit harder the next time and then she really rammed me the next time.”
Sen. Schmidt denied ramming her husband with her car, then told police that maybe she did.
Audio…
* And, finally (although, maybe not), came the September call…
In that incident, Robert Schmidt called police from the couple’s Lake Villa home and claimed the state senator struck him with a cellphone, bit his arm and scratched him.
During his 911 call, Suzi Schmidt is heard in the background denying she bit her husband, but then later saying, “You bet I did.” […]
Prosecutors have declined to file charges in any of the incidents, though a prosecutor acknowledged this week that “there was apparently mutual combat between Suzi Schmidt and her husband” Monday evening.
This is, by far, the most dramatic audio of the bunch…
- OneMan - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:23 pm:
Wow, ignore my husbands call…
- Boone's is Back - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:23 pm:
OH. MY. GOD. That is hilarious. Someone in the dispatcher’s office must hate Suzi Schmidt…
- Because I say so - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:25 pm:
This is pretty damning stuff.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:27 pm:
Dude, what’s your problem. Move out!
- OneMan - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:30 pm:
== OH. MY. GOD. That is hilarious. Someone in the dispatcher’s office must hate Suzi Schmidt… ==
It might have been FOIA…
- Aldyth - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:32 pm:
There’s a reality show in here, somewhere.
- just sayin' - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:36 pm:
Serious, serious issues here, on multiple levels.
She needs to step down immediately and get some help. Husband’s probably no saint in this either, but he’s not a state senator.
For crying out loud, she allegedly crashed her car multiple times into his on purpose.
Paging Christine Radogno and Pat Brady, please pick up the white courtesy phone.
- dave - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:37 pm:
**Someone in the dispatcher’s office must hate Suzi Schmidt… **
Sun Times filed a FOIA request - they didn’t have much choice.
- Seriously??? - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:44 pm:
I don’t think we should be calling this “hilarious” or talking about it as a reality show. These are very serious issues that people deal with everyday. Not to mention the fact that it is already difficult enough to get some law enforcement officers to take domestic violence calls seriously without making it seem like a silly TV show. There are obviously serious issues here and it isn’t funny regardless of who is involved.
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:45 pm:
Wow. This is really sad on so many levels.
- shore - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:46 pm:
walsh and this, not good times for republicans up there.
- zatoichi - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:51 pm:
“I have connections”. If you gotta tell people, you ain’t got ‘em.
- dave - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:56 pm:
**There are obviously serious issues here and it isn’t funny regardless of who is involved. **
I agree that there are very clearly serious issues. But there is something hilarious about Sen. Schmidt attempting to use her “connections” to try and get the police to ignore Mr. Schmidt’s request for the police.
- Confused - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:56 pm:
““I have connections”. If you gotta tell people, you ain’t got ‘em.”
Truer words were never written.
Lousy situation made much worse by an attempt to pull clout. The domestic dispute alone is unacceptable in a public servant. The cloutish nonsense is way past the line.
- Jake From Elwood - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 3:58 pm:
Too bad that her dirty laundry is aired for all to see. She was a very good County Chairperson.
- bored now - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:03 pm:
who’s running against suzi schmidt?
- The Captain - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:04 pm:
I liked this bit better when Richard Pryor did it, he was way funnier. And he shot the car.
- (awk)ward - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:12 pm:
@bored now - Melinda Bush is running against Suzi. She is a Lake County Board Member and former Grayslake Trustee. She is an amazing woman.
www.melindaforsenate.com
- just sayin' - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:17 pm:
GOP better get an electable candidate in there before it’s too late.
- Skeeter - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:22 pm:
I don’t see anything remotely funny about this. She needs to resign now. If a male had tried to get the police to not respond to a wife’s call he would correctly be locked up. The repeated domestic violence crosses the line. She has to go and there needs to be a thorough investigation as to why no charges were filed in any of the incidents.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:25 pm:
===there needs to be a thorough investigation as to why no charges were filed in any of the incidents.===
My guess is that no one pressed charges, which is usually the case in domestic disputes like this. Once the police leave and everything calms down, one or both of the parties decide it isn’t worth going to court over.
But yeah, if the genders were reversed, Suzi would be in deep doo-doo.
- justsayin - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:28 pm:
I have to wonder about a guy that calls 911 because he’s locked out on a cool day without a jacket. If you’ve cheated on your wife, can’t you at least just go stay at a friend or relative’s house to let the situation cool down. Not if you want to ruin her, I guess. She did go too far though mentioning the connections. Sad and humiliating for all involved.
- Boone Logan Square - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:36 pm:
Anyone ask Pat Brady for comment about this? I’d offer him dinner at T.G.I.Friday’s for an on-the-record statement.
- Been There - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:38 pm:
===Dude, what’s your problem. Move out!===
I agree with word. And if he really did cheat on her thats even more the reason. Heck he should at least expect her to be really ticked off. To wimp out and call the cops shows he is a real chump. If she had a weapon more dangerous than a cell phone, then I could see it.
- Katiedid - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:43 pm:
I don’t think in domestic dispute cases that the parties involved get to make the decision about pressing charges anymore; I believe that decision is now made by the state’s attorney’s office. Especially in cases of long-term spousal abuse, the victim is often too scared or brainwashed to press charges, so the abuser would go free and the cycle would continue, so they made it so the parties wouldn’t be making that decision.
This is sad on all accounts and, besides their kids (I think they’re grown) and rest of their family watching this play out in public, I kind of feel for that “legislative aide” who keeps having to get her name mixed up in this. That’s definitely beyond the call of duty!
And don’t get me started on 911 call recordings being public record (that’s not a comment on them being posted here - they *are* public - just on whether they should be public in the first place)…
- Excessively Rabid - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:43 pm:
==She is an amazing woman. ==
So is Schmidt, apparently. At least I’m amazed by her.
- Just Me - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:49 pm:
I’m typically very tolerant of public officials being given a certain amount of privacy in their private/family lives. But in this instance, I’m beginning to get a little concerned here.
Suzie, do what Walsh’s ex is doing. Dump him and do a nasty, public, divorce.
- Springfieldish - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:55 pm:
This is going to create a very nasty storm for a few Lake County officials. The sheriff’s office broke SOP for not intervening in a domestic abuse situation. The Lake County State’s attorney clearly had probable cause to arrest Suzi in the traffic incident and that will become a campaign issue in the State’s Attorney race. The absence of intervention in the earlier incidents arguably led to a more violent incident. Domestic abuse advocates are already, rightfully outraged at county officials. So Suzi has demeaned the Sheriff, the State’s Attorney’s office, and, of course, herself. The Sun Times issued a FOIA because Suzi clearly lied to their reporter when she actually denied that anything occurred on August 16th. There is probable cause that she lied to the police on August 16th as well. So she obstructed justice, if not actually, feloniously assaulted her husband using a vehicle. The burning question is how much money will Christine Radogno be willing to spend to protect a person who has demonstrated such utter contempt for the media, the police, and the limits of authority every public official should understand. She was NOT a good chairman of the Lake County Board. The county government is three times larger than when she took office. She literally sold out the citizens of Lindenhurst to Temple Smith and rammed the Route 45 Bypass down the current county board’s throat from afar. It would be so much better for Lake County Republicans if Suzi stepped down now. But even that won’t save the Sheriff and the State’s Attorney from the fallout. Suzi Schmidt is a lesson in how to go from an asset to a liability in just one day. One long, rotten day.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 4:57 pm:
Springfieldish, don’t get too far ahead of the situation here.
- Bigtwich - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 5:28 pm:
“I believe that decision is now made by the state’s attorney’s office.”
Yes, but the State’s Attorney has to make that decision with an eye on what the resources of the office are and what a jury is going to make of all this. No surprise they choose to pass on this.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 5:54 pm:
===It is a very difficult, personal family matter that I would like to deal with privately.===
No doubt it’s both personal and painful, but I think it’s too late to try to keep it private. It’s impossible to unring a bell, and those 911 tapes will live forever.
- amalia - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 6:04 pm:
yep, the guy wants back in the house because he knows she will go nuts and then he can say she is crazy and make his cheating seem justified. dear mr. cheater, I would not have hit you with a car, but if you cheat you may feel the heat. Suzi’s career is a problem now, but I do feel for a woman with a cheating man.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 6:07 pm:
As a Lake county resident, I’m very concerned by these repeated events and the hostility behind Suzi Schmidt’s actions. I’ve never had a problem with her politically, but I don’t see how she can continue to serve while this drama is publicly played out. How about she reimburse the law every time she and her spouse get into it and they’re called to intervene; maybe then she’ll quit bragging about her “connections”?
- Boone Logan Square - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 6:14 pm:
“I am taking the appropriate steps to deal with these issues.” What reporter is going to ask her if “appropriate steps” mean immediate resignation?
Can’t see how Anthony Weiner’s career-ending scandal is more troubling than this. The violence combined with the clear attempt to abuse her position should make her attempt to deal with this “privately” inoperable for her constituents and her caucus.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 6:39 pm:
I went back over this whole saga - What did Suzi do with A. Wiener and are their recordings?
- Tommy - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 6:40 pm:
Sheesh, the tapes don’t lie. She is doomed. I can already imagine the “connected” themed radio and TV ads by her opponent. She is best to step down and move on…
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 6:43 pm:
Justice Heiple was almost impeached for trying to clout his way out of a traffic ticket. Did she miss that whole saga?
- Tommy - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 6:43 pm:
Also, Senator, it ceases to be a private, personal matter when you invoke your prior or current office. Oh yeah, it also becomes public when you call 911 and it becomes public record.
- Plutocrat03 - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 6:49 pm:
SS not wanting to clout something? What a laugh.
Not a lot of difference from on of SS’s Mayor friends who fired a long term police chief without explanation. Move along, there is nothing to see here…..
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 7:09 pm:
What’s Michael Bond doing these days?
- LincolnLounger - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 7:54 pm:
This is all very troubling on a number of fronts, but it’s too bad their address and the phone number wasn’t disguised/deleted.
- Tim - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 8:08 pm:
Phone numbers I’ll give you, but their address is easily searchable in her Board of Elections candidate filings.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Sep 28, 11 @ 8:47 pm:
==In the meantime, I remain committed to serving the citizens of my district.==
One wonders. As the chief sponsor of exactly one bill in the Senate, it would seem that the senator might be a bit distracted from her work. I know that sponsoring bills isn’t everything, but still…
- Colossus - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 10:15 am:
@ just sayin’ - “The white courtesy phone is for illegal kickback schemes only. The white courtesy phone is for illegal kickback schemes only.”
“Don’t you tell me what the white courtesy phone is for!”
Had to take some liberties, but a gem of true satire like Airplane needs to be kept alive in these crass times.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 29, 11 @ 5:17 pm:
.belongs on springer!