[UPDATED: Comments are now open on this post.]
* Juliana Stratton’s campaign just sent this one out. As you’ll see, it uses the allegations made in the second Ken Dunkin restraining order, which has not been recanted…
* Maze Jackson has responded on Facebook, by the way…
I have remained pretty quiet on the Ken Dunkin material that was mailed by Alderman Brendan Reilly to get points with the boss Speaker Madigan. But I must say that as a Black man, I am HIGHLY offended at what was depicted in the mailer/flier that Reilly distributed.
To tell you the truth, I got into some trouble as a young man and if your dig really deep I am sure you can find a mugshot and charges, but that does not define who I am today. I know many Black men and women who faced some relationship challenges early on and have learned from those mistakes and gone on to be productive members of our community, but if someone took a look into their past, they could probably find something. An argument that got loud with an ex, a DUI, or a marijuana charge. Could you imagine if someone decided to dig it up from 20 years ago and try to define you as that TODAY? Do you know how many people, particularly Black people would be screwed.
Alderman Reilly spliced together a police report (if you want to discuss police reports ask LaQuan McDonald or David Koschman how those work out) and a mugshot (we know how they use Black people mugshots) to paint Dunkin as an abuser, although in the report the alleged victim categorically denies Reilly’s portrayal.
So we are clear…Black people will accept a White North Side Alderman criminalizing Dunkin in that manner? Are we that gullible? Are we that stupid? Clearly Reilly thinks so. Look, you can disagree with Dunkin’s politics all day long, but the man has a family and kids. To have that that crap mailed to their house and for them to see it at school is unconscionable. And for Dunkin’s opponent to suggest that she did not authorize the mailer, but she heard whispers, and that it should be looked into while claiming to be an advocate for criminal justice reform should be an offense to our community. Political lynching in full effect…
He does make a very good point that people can be a whole lot different now than they were 20 years ago.
But there were three alleged Dunkin victims. Only one is saying something different now.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 8:51 am:
Maze did more than a “fair” job defending Dunkin… until the “lynching” thing and then I’m reminded it’s 3 allegations, and only ONE has been refuted.
Maze and this “Dunkin - victim” thing and inflammatory language is tiring.
Ken Dunkin chose to become a Raunerite.
Like anything, choices have consequences.
Ken Dunkin is not a…
I’ll leave it right there, thanks
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 8:58 am:
“I have remained pretty quiet…”
Bwahahahahahahaha!
– MrJM
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:01 am:
It seems like Maze is saying that it is normal for Black men to have a criminal record.
- Dilemma - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:03 am:
I don’t care what he did 20 years ago, I care about what he did much more recently. Didn’t that harm women more than what he allegedly did 20 years ago?
- illini97 - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:06 am:
So…has IllinoisGO wrapped up their independent investigation yet?
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:07 am:
Voters aren’t as stupid or heartless as these campaigners allege. Every candidate wants to look like a saint, but almost all voters know they are not. Voters are capable of weighing the evidence presented to them during a campaign and vote accordingly.
If these revelations turn a voter away from a candidate, it could be that these revelations weren’t handled well. Revelations like these should be honestly answered. Allowing a political opponent to surprise a campaign with stuff like this - is the fault of, in this case, the incumbent.
Dunkin could have addressed his past during his tenure, at an appropriate time. He could have used it as a way to bond with his constituency. He could have been upfront with citizens and confessed to this past - he chose not to. He chose dishonesty through silence.
Playing defense and hoping that your opponent’s surprise revelation about your candidate turns him into a victim is a losing, lazy and feeble way to address this problem.
This is Dunkin’s past. It shouldn’t have been kept a secret. Having it come out now is his fault, not his opponents.
This isn’t a race issue and it is dishonest to see Dunkin being defended this way.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:08 am:
“I didn’t beat up as many people as they say” is not a winning argument.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:10 am:
First of all, this is about Dunkin’s behavior not his race. Maze is choosing to play that card which weakens the argument. Just leave it at “Could you imagine if someone decided to dig it up from 20 years ago and try to define you as that TODAY?”
Second, when you choose to run for political office this is all fair game.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:11 am:
- illini97 -
That *cough* investigation *cough* will begin once all those around IllinoisGO get over wasting all this money to help Ken Dunkin be a Raunerite.
Once the sheer “disappointment” subsides, that full-blown investigation will find its stride and the truth… will be set free… or something.
- Collinsville Kevin - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:11 am:
A DUI or a marijuana charge is a far cry from trying to choke somebody with a phone cord. Yikes!
- illini97 - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:13 am:
Not sure the overall tone of Maze’s response is helpful.
“I mean, who hasn’t had a DUI or choked a girlfriend, amiright?”
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:14 am:
He does make a very good point that people can be a whole lot different now than they were 20 years ago.
No one is contesting that. Voters simply expect their representatives to be honest enough to discuss their past. Representatives should use their past to bring their constituents closer.
When you have something like this in your past, you have to defuse it before your political opponents do it for you. Honesty. Dunkin failed to be honest.
- jeffinginchicago - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:16 am:
I am amazed at the level of this advertising. It screams that being tied to Rauner is not enough to lose the election. They must be very worried, because the danger of backlash is extremely serious. These are 20 year old actions being raised not recent “youthful” indescretions. Dunkin may have changed his life and moved on. Not sure how wise this is. He may get a lot of sympathy in the community. And nobody really likes Madigan.
This will be extremely revealing and may evolve differently than anyone sees today.
- Dee Lay - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:20 am:
I want to believe Maze knows how down and dirty politics has been since the founding fathers. He’s a very smart and savvy man.
However, this pearl clutching about people digging up serious legal matters from years ago is ridiculous. Your guy just got exposed in a big, bad way, and all you have is a lowly $500K+ to turn that image around. Get workin’ and stop bloviatin’.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:37 am:
Hey, Maze — don’t forget that the definition of “youthful indiscretion” has been expanded to include the mid-40s.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/hyde091798.htm
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:41 am:
I have been singing this song all weekend after reading this story… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcZu7dkAEvw
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:41 am:
If you are in politics and you have skeletons in your closet they sometimes come out. We are talking about violent behavior towards women here. It is part of who Dunkin was or is. Remember Dunkin sought out Rauner, not the other way around. Why did Dunkin do that, was it for his own benefit or did he do it because he thought it would benefit his District? The voters need to consider all of these things. One thing for sure, if you are a Democrat and decide to be a Raunerite, you are going to make some political enemies, which isn’t a good idea if you have skeletons in your closet.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:50 am:
–I know many Black men and women who faced some relationship challenges early on and have learned from those mistakes and gone on to be productive members of our community, but if someone took a look into their past, they could probably find something.–
Very true, regardless of race, religion or gender.
But this is the business you’ve chosen. You can’t possibly be surprised — and if you’re honest, you’d admit you’d be doing the same thing if you, Proft and Rauner were on the other side.
Negative politics have been going on in this country since the Adams press said Jefferson was an atheist Robespierre who had children with a black slave and the Jefferson press said Adams was a corrupt war-mongerer seeking to be king.
Disingenuous complaints about negative campaigning have been going on since then, too. You might as well complain about the weather.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 10:31 am:
This is a relatively moot point, along with any disingenuously sudden pearl-clutching on behalf of Democrats.
People do change, and Democrats apparently believe he has - seeing as they had no problem with any of this for many years while he was voting as Madigan ordered.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 10:34 am:
===seeing as they had no problem with any of this for many years===
I had no idea that all this was in his past, and I don’t think any of his colleagues did, either.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 10:39 am:
” - Anonymous - ”
If all this was a rehashing, you’d hear a different tone, different “spin”, a story already told…
Maze and Dunkin are spinning anew because up to now, these stories are new to most people.
There’s nothjbg to get past, we are all trying to meet thus head on for the first time, including Maze and Dunkin
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 10:40 am:
I am shocked to learn there is gambling in this establishment.
Rauner has the money to dig 20+ years into anybody’s background if that is how Madigan wants to play it (via Reilly in this case). Then Rauner has the money to flood districts with mailers like these. Hopefully any public figure who comments on Dunkin in this situation has a spotless closet free of any skeletons, ever.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 10:43 am:
So ” - Anonymous - ,
You don’t condone Dunkin? You think what Dunkin allegedly did, went to court for, orderS of protection, you’re fine with that?
Got it, thanks.
Good to know you’re ” - Anonymous - “…
- Gooner - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 10:47 am:
Maze Jackson refers to beating up women as “relationship problems.” Unbelievable. “Black men routinely beat women” is something you would expect from Illinois Review or maybe from the Dan Proft’s of the world.
Maze really isn’t helping Dunkin here but on the other hand, if Maze’s goal is to get himself a gig on a right wing cable station, he’s got it locked up.
- Fool us twice... - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 12:51 pm:
Rich, thank you for great coverage of this soap opera. Are you trying to take down two birdies with one stone?
- burbanite - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 4:42 pm:
I got an idea for a mailer, a picture of Dunkin returning the sleeping bag he said wasn’t a “prop” with some type of statement about how he is all talk and no action.
- Brendan - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 6:40 pm:
Maze Jackson can take fold his race-baiting card seven ways and stick it where the moon don’t shine. 20 years ago, Ken Dunkin was a grown-*** 30-year-old man and not a naive kid. Ald. Reilly did not criminalize Dunkin. Ken Dunkin did that himself. And while Ken Dunkin may have “changed” in terms of physical violence but he still has a problem with women, which is easily identified by his more recent campaign attacks and homophobic innuendo against Ald. Pat Dowell - a strong black woman.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:38 pm:
Lots of skeletons will be coming out if this is how Madigan wants to play.
Buckle up . This could be just the beginning.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 16, 16 @ 9:42 pm:
Good to know some here don’t believe in second chances.