Cross endorsed by Democratic mayor
Thursday, Sep 18, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Non-gubernatorial news is pretty hard to find in the mainstream media these days, but this one is kinda big…
Three-term Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, a 2012 delegate for President Barack Obama and a donor to Gov. Pat Quinn, has endorsed [GOP Rep. Tom Cross] in his campaign against state Sen. Michael Frerichs, D-Champaign.
“I’m a fiscal conservative. I think Tom is also. I’ve known him for a number of years. He’s always been trustworthy as far as my experience went. I think he’s a down-to-earth individual, serious about public service, and will certainly do well,” Weisner told Early & Often, the Chicago Sun-Times political portal.
* The Frerichs response..
A spokesman for Frerichs questioned whether the Weisner endorsement amounted to a conflict of interest since the city of Aurora is listed with other municipalities as clients on the website of Cross’ Joliet law firm, Mahoney, Silverman and Cross.
“Mayor Weisner is free to endorse Tom Cross. But if Tom Cross wants to be treasurer, he owes the public a full disclosure of how much money his law firm has pocketed over the years from clients like the city of Aurora with legislation before the General Assembly, particularly the more than two dozen units of local government, and whether or not he voted on any legislation impacting them,” said Zach Koutsky, Frerichs’ campaign manager.
The Cross campaign responded that in the past twelve months, Cross’ firm has billed Aurora for $250.
* Meanwhile, in another statewide race…
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon said Wednesday she was offended by comments Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka made about her family name while speaking to The Southern Illinoisan editorial board on Tuesday afternoon.
Topinka was asked to address an issue that made headlines recently when she apparently asked Gov. Pat Quinn for helping getting her son a job at SIU Carbondale during a public bill signing event, something Simon has criticized Topinka for doing.
Simon, a Democrat, and Topinka, a Republican, are both running for comptroller.
In a press release, Simon, of Carbondale, said the following comment made by Topinka was “insulting:”
“I’m sure my opponent did not feel that the Simon name hurt her in Southern Illinois, you know. What can I say? Same difference.” [Topinka said] […]
“I’m proud of my father’s work and legacy,” [Simon’s] statement continued, “but it’s been important for me to build my career on my own. I entered statewide politics only after my father’s death. To compare a patronage request to my decades of hard work is insulting.”
She entered statewide politics when Pat Quinn picked her.
- Anonymoiis - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:40 pm:
The truth hurts, Sheila. The only, ONLY reason you were picked to run with Quinn was your last name…or do you honestly believe it was your “stellar” political career and bland resume prior to that?
- OneMan - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:43 pm:
” I’m a fiscal conservative ” — Mr Mayor if you are a fiscal conservative, we really need to look at how you define that term. Between the subsidy for the new music venue the city built or our police HQ which has a shooting range big enough that you can literally drive a car in it and shoot. Lets not also forget the wind turbines the city got with federal money to power stoplights that will pay for themselves in about 50 years.
I am not sure if you would be considered a fiscal conservative by most folks.
Then again the endorsement helps Tom so that’s cool..
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:46 pm:
“Decades of ‘hard work’?”
You lost your hometown Mayor’s race, despite having the Simon name. It’s as though people who don’t know you, like the Simon name, and those who DO know you, know you as Sheila…
If all ya got to try to continue a narrative is that you are not living up to your father’s last name, I can see that, your record speaks to that too.
Pathetic.
—————————-
@FakeMikeFrerichs - if I had a good campaign, I would know how much public entities have spent on working with Cross, but I am a Tall Tale, short on details. #LittleDetailsBigMistakes
- OneMan - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:46 pm:
Yeah your last name has nothing to do with why Quinn picked you…
Go with that.
- A guy... - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:49 pm:
Sheila, did you say something???
On Weisner in Aurora, he’s a municipal guy looking at things through a less partisan prism. This isn’t his only time walking on both sides of the political boundaries. Won’t be his last either. BTW, his endorsement will mean something there. It’s a good get by Cross.
- Anon - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:49 pm:
If Cross wins with the help of Aurora voters, and if Rauner rebounds in the polls and wins, I look forward to Cross suing the Governor when he submits unbalanced budgets, as the tax receipts plummet.
- lake county democrat - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:55 pm:
JBT reminds me of John McCain and Chris Christie - the flaws are so obvious yet a certain type of guys in the media fawn for their “moderate” and “maverick” schtick until their true nature is revealed in ways that were obvious all the time.
As for Cross, so what that in the “last 12 months” they haven’t done much work (I’m sure $250 is an hour or less of an attorney billing). How much have you done total? Is his firm promising to turn down future work?
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:58 pm:
Kudos to Mr. Weisner. Frerichs would be a disaster.
Mrs. Simon is ==offended== by that. Really? I guess anything goes when you have nothing else to go on.
- Lincoln16 - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:58 pm:
Shelia needs to ‘Grow Up’. She waited until the last minute when she ran against Cole, and thought her Dad’s name would carry her across the Finish Line, and we know how that turned out. But then again, why did she Bail out on Quinn for a second term? JBT Rocks!
- OneMan - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:59 pm:
A guy…
Aurora can be an interesting beast at times with the partisan stuff, one of our state reps tweeted she was at a thing with our other state rep and Judy, didn’t mention Sheila (my last name has nothing to do with it) SIMON. Not the only time one of the local state reps gave better mentions to Judy than Sheila either..
- A guy... - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:01 pm:
One man, agreed.
- Wumpus - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:03 pm:
JBT is wrong as there is a difference and Sheila is wrong because she is oblivious.
- Amalia - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:06 pm:
sorry, big difference between advantage because you have a famous last name and making a specific request to help a family member in a patronage sort of way. the fawning over Judy is ridiculous.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:12 pm:
Oh I missed something , is Shelia my last name is Simon running for something ?
- OneMan - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:14 pm:
“the fawning over Judy is ridiculous.”
Guess I am missing the fawning over Judy and seeing more the mockery of Sheila SIMON…
She really is insulted because someone points out her last name is an advantage. Come on, does anyone think that wasn’t the reason Quinn picked her? Anyone?
She showed Quinn 0% loyalty when she decided to run for something else and thhen she tossed Lisa Madigan under a bit of a bus when she decided not to run for Governor.
- Brass - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:19 pm:
Aurora is the most corrupt suburb in Illinois and Weisner has been a big spender, making Aurora’s tax rates highest among its neighbors. Most voters don’t care about such endorsements, only those of us who read stuff like this but in this case, it sounds like payback. Cross HRO staff worked Aurora years ago to stop Weisner but then let him be because Weisner’s cronies that pay big campaign cash and get contracts are mostly Republican.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:20 pm:
I’m sure Sheila Simon keeps using her father’s name professionally despite it being such a big burden for her. To suggest that she is trading off of it politically is out of bounds. *chortle*
- Raising Kane - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:22 pm:
I have been involved in politics for over 20 years and I can honestly say that Simon is the most pathetic candidate I have ever seen. That honor was held by Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell III who ran around the state planting trees as his campaign shtick.
But Simon parading around the state in one of the three tacky homemade outfits she owns, strumming her banjo and claiming entitlement to a disinterested public is actually worse. At least Ramsdell helped oxygenate the planet with his trees. She actually adds not a bit of value anywhere.
She loses by at least 15 points in a plus 12 Dem state.
- Brass - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:24 pm:
Aurora’s property tax rates are 3x higher than Naperville and its sales tax is highest in the region. Cross should say “no thanks” to the endorsement if he really wants to score votes from this.
- Kathryn - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:26 pm:
I had high hopes that Simon would be a champion for equal pay for women in state government. She did nothing when presented with a direct opportunity,and deserves nothing from voters in this state.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:28 pm:
–He’s always been trustworthy as far as my experience went.–
LOL, dude, you’re endorsing him — try not to issue caveats with it.
- Commander Norton - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:31 pm:
The Frerichs campaign’s sour grapes schtick gets less and less appetizing by the day. In response to an endorsement of your opponent, unless you have a truly huge smoking gun, less is always more.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:42 pm:
As much as the Frerichs Campaign is, by far, the most annoying and the worst run Shop in understanding messages, facts, the records, or even spin…
Sheila Simon could possibly do worse than two candidates, I can’t remember, that are running against Lisa and Jesse…with the Simon name to boot.
Frerichs is insufferable already as a Dopey candidate; if he loses, heaven help his colleagues, if Frerichs wins, he will make Rutherford Dopiness look palatable.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:52 pm:
==- Formerly Known As… - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:58 pm:==
Certified, profesional public finance officer versus Blagojevich buddy. The choice is clear and it ain’t Tom Cross.
- Gooner - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:05 pm:
With regard to JBT — that sort of request was the reason I couldn’t vote for her or Blago. Both are about using political connections for their own benefit. JBT was fine with Jim Ryan. Lake County Dem is right. The media treats her like they do McCain. Losing to Blago has made her a saint to some, but let’s be honest — she sure as heck was not going to clean up that office had she won.
That being said, I still strongly support her over Simon for reasons JBT noted. What has Sheila done other than being lucky enough to have a father many of hold in the highest regard? She’s accomplished absolutely nothing. As much as I don’t trust JBT, I hope JBT wins by 40 just to end Sheila’s political career.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:14 pm:
Sometimes the best course of action is to just be quiet.
- Modest proposal - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:15 pm:
PC at 1:52…
Was that a serious comment or snark?
- Amalia - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:26 pm:
@Ron Burgundy and Lincoln 16, why do you say that she’s using her father’s name? She was born Sheila Simon. there is no requirement that a woman change her name upon marriage. changing one’s name to that of a man is an English custom, recognition that a woman was a man’s property. some do not wish to do that. and many cultures do not do that. whatever you think of Simon, her name is her name.
- Gooner - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:34 pm:
You may be right, Amalia.
She may be objecting to an English custom.
That may well be her intent.
Of course, I don’t recall her mentioning her strong objections to English custom.
Now, what she has mentioned is that Paul Simon is her father.
She mentions that just about any time she speaks.
So you may be right. It may have to do with objections to English custom. But based on her speeches, I find that difficult to believe.
I can’t rule it out, but it seems to strain credibility.
- Toure's Latte - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:36 pm:
What about the last ten years? Editing time frames to look good is old hat, Two Putt. We get it, you made your side money off side ventures of your elected position.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:42 pm:
Gooner said it better than I can.
- Drew V - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:44 pm:
Frerichs is so hilarious, I honestly can’t wait for his state senate race in 2016. The guy is running statewide and doesn’t even know who Rick Pearson is. Priceless political comedy.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:49 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - hey, - Drew V -, I didn’t know Rick Pearson, I looked if he is my friend on Facebook & he doesn’t really follow my Twitter, so that’s why #PostingOrTweetingWithoutRhymeOrReason
- wordslinger - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:55 pm:
–Aurora is the most corrupt suburb in Illinois–
Some people along North Avenue between Harlem and Mannheim would be surprised to hear that. As would some south of the Cal-Sag. And Cicero?
Dude, the former police chief of Melrose Park just got out of Club Fed for shaking down Kiddieland, among other businesses, forcing them to pay his private “security firm” for on-duty police officers.
“It would be a shame, God forbid, if the Little Dipper should be struck by lightning and catch fire….”
- walker - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 3:14 pm:
All local politicians are constantly claiming to be “fiscal conservatives.” It’s become the thing to be.
Those who say it the most, from both parties, seem to be the ones that waste the most.
- Amalia - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 3:18 pm:
@ Gooner (Arsenal?) ugh. many of us object to the English custom that has become a USA custom. we don’t have to say anything about objecting to that custom. we are simply entitled to our own name, our own story.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 3:45 pm:
Comment by Drew V Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:44 pm
You mean another slam dunk against a lame Republican opponent?
- Gooner - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 3:47 pm:
Amalia,
I have no problem with women keeping their own names.
Heck, my wife is not “Mrs. Gooner.”
The point was to look at Sheila Simon and whether her use of the name appeared to be highly political.
Her constant reminders of her father seem to point to that being the case.
And “Ugh” to Arsenal? You are not a Spurs fan, are you? Reasonable minds can disagree when it comes to Sheila and her name, but there is no reasonable debate on that issue.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 3:50 pm:
-Aurora is the most corrupt suburb in Illinois-
What a goof. If one uses the stat of convicted pols as a proxy, it wouldn’t make the top 25.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 3:58 pm:
The “Big” Dems in C-U will be crying in their Chablis for weeks if Frerichs blows this one, Davis is re-elected to “their” seat in Congress, and the Republican Williamson beats the Socialist, er, Democrat Ammons for the Jakobsson seat.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 4:13 pm:
== - Precinct Captain - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:52 pm: ==
Some people look better on paper. In Mr. Frerich’s case, preferably a tall sheet of paper, maybe legal size. Then the rubber meets the road once the campaign begins.
I gave him a 10-point edge before his formal rollout and the events that followed. He just doesn’t seem ready.
- A guy... - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 4:34 pm:
==Heck, my wife is not “Mrs. Gooner.”===
Dude, if your real name is Mr. Gooner, take her name man. lol
- Gooner - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 5:39 pm:
A Guy –
Millions of people around the world are proud to be called Gooners!
Except yesterday, when we hid that fact as best we could. But that’s another matter.
- Amalia - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 8:56 pm:
@ Gooner, not ugh to Arsenal, ugh to your comment. But mega ugh to Spurs! or do you call them Tottie Tots?
- Gooner - Friday, Sep 19, 14 @ 11:08 am:
Amalia,
What a relief!
I tend to go with “Spuds.” Simple, and to the point.
When my kids throw fits, I do accuse them of acting like Spuds fans. I remind them that it is OK to throw a fit for a purpose (i.e our continued failure to add back line depth), but if you are screaming over something insignificant, then they may as well sign off with “COYS.” That tends to get them to behave.
In Field of Dreams, there is a great scene where the Costner character talks about how baseball kept father and son together. In our house, is it the hatred of Tottenham that keeps us together. Hopefully, it will continue to work as they approach their high school years. I certainly hope so.