* As I told you last week, Speaker Madigan’s vanquished primary opponent Jason Gonzales was planning to file suit against Madigan and others today. The suit has now been filed. Click here to see it.
The lawsuit also names Madigan lieutenant Shaw DeCreamer, Rep. Silvana Tabares, Ray Hanania, Joe Barbosa and Grasiela Rodriguez, as well as political funds Madigan controls. Barbosa and Rodriguez were allegedly Madigan’s put-up candidates to split the Latino vote against Gonzales. They received a combined vote of about 2,000. Gonzales got 7124 votes to Madigan’s 17,155.
The lawsuit claims that Madigan violated several of Gonzales’ rights by “tainting the pool of voters with messages” that Gonzales was a “convicted felon” who could “not be elected to public office.” Gonzales had been pardoned by Gov. Pat Quinn.
He also claims that Madigan “abridged the voting rights of Hispanics, including Gonzales, by diluting the Hispanic vote by registering two fake candidates with Hispanic surnames minutes after Gonzales filed his nominating petition.”
* Speaker Madigan’s response…
Jason Gonzales cannot be trusted and his lawsuit is without merit. According to Gonzales’ own court filing today, his criminal activity “resulted in several arrests, criminal charges, and felony and misdemeanor convictions.” Further, in an interview with FOX 32 News political editor Mike Flannery on March 4, 2016, Gonzales admitted to being a convicted felon. Additionally, many times during the campaign, Gonzales made statements about his criminal past. Gonzales’ losing campaign against me last spring was funded with more than $1 million from supporters and allies of Governor Bruce Rauner. Voters of my district soundly renominated me based on my strong record of service, giving me more than 65 percent of the vote, and they emphatically rejected Jason Gonzales because they knew he couldn’t be trusted.
*** UPDATE *** Sun-Times…
“I knew that this battle was going to be a uphill battle when I started. I knew it was going to be tough. I knew Speaker Madigan was going to play dirty, but I had no idea that he was going to come and use fraudulent, dirty and illegal tactics to win a race,” Gonzales said Monday.
“This stuff has got to stop. These fraudulent illegal tactics have got to stop. We have to stand up. We have to stand united against the machine when they do these kinds of things, and we have to keep fighting,” Gonzalez said.
Throughout the campaign, Gonzales maintained that he and Madigan were the only candidates on the ballot until he submitted his paperwork just minutes ahead of the filing deadline, allegedly prompting a Madigan operative to quickly pull out petitions in Grasiela Rodriguez’ and Joe Barbosa’s names.
“We know a phony ghost candidate when we see one,” Peraica said. “And I’ve seen plenty. These two are it. And Speaker Madigan knew it. He allowed it. He promoted it.”
- Anonymouth - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:09 pm:
Incredibly weak sauce by Gonzales.
- Mama - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:11 pm:
Geesh… Talk about a poor looser.
- Mad Brown - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:12 pm:
“tainting the pool of voters with messages” on mailers, internet commercials, etc.
Um, isn’t this exactly what all the ‘fake’ newspapers and the GOP PACS are doing to candidates incessantly right now?
Welcome to politics.
- JoanP - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:14 pm:
So if Gonzalez had gotten every one of those 2,000 votes, Madigan would still have outpolled him nearly 2 to 1.
He and Peraica need to find something constructive to do rather than waste the court’s time with this nonsense.
- 16th district prec capt - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:16 pm:
How funny is this ? Once Gonzales used Peraica to file this suit then all credibility comes in Question . He on numerous occasions accused former colleagues on the county board of illegal allegations, all turned out without merit. Yet this guy got caught wearing all black clothing and stealing his opponents yard signs 3 days before his election.
He either is doing this for some brownie points with Rauner or he is looking to run for office again about the 8-10th time.
He even called on state party chair Schnieder to resign when serving together. What a joke !!!
- Chungas revenge - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:20 pm:
Please get a car with Pat Quinn and drive off into the sunset - never to return
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:20 pm:
Follow the money.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:24 pm:
Jason who?
Tony who?
- The Captain - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:29 pm:
I’m not an attorney but if this case has merit I’m not seeing it.
- Nick - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:35 pm:
But imagine how much different the election would have turned out had Madigan not been able to define Gonzales as a convict though?
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:44 pm:
Tony! Get out your pitchforks, he’s leading an angry mob to the County Building!!
- 16th district prec capt - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:46 pm:
Somebody has to tell him which way to the county building, remember last time he went the wrong way!!!
- walker - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:48 pm:
Nick 1:45: Clever.
(Note, unless we’re Wordslinger or OW, who have earned exemptions, it’s helpful to add /s after such humor.)
- James Knell - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:00 pm:
Does anybody know the exact day the governor will be sworn in during January 2019. I need a reason to live.
- Seymourkid - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:07 pm:
Not surprised Peraica is involved in this. He has no scruples.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:08 pm:
Tony must be asking to be paid by the page. Whew.
- HangingOn - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:17 pm:
==He has no scruples.==
And if he does they belong to somebody else.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
Would make for some very interesting discovery, but getting to that point is a pipe dream.
- Mama - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:37 pm:
Rauner and his peeps love to file lawsuits. Reminds me of Trump.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
Tony Peraica? HAHAHAHAHAHA
- paddyrollingstone - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:49 pm:
The case is being handled by Judge Matt Kennelly who is very smart, works very hard and hates BS. Not a good draw for Gonzo.
- train111 - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:58 pm:
Peraica, Joe Walsh, Allen West-all washed up politicians who write nutty stuff in an attempt to stay relevant so they don’t have to go out and find real jobs.
- G'Kar - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 3:15 pm:
Just asking to learn. It might be unethical to run a “ghost candidate,” but is it illegal?
- here we go - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 4:01 pm:
He should have included Gov. Rauner for not giving him more money to run a better campaign :p
- A guy - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 4:09 pm:
Feel a little sorry for this fella. He accomplished what was hoped to be accomplished. His sights were higher. Next time, he needs to be ready with enough signatures to get Chuck Goudie on the ballot. /s
- Siriusly - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 4:17 pm:
Waaaahh!
The Speaker of the house told people I was a sham candidate and he beat me. That’s soo unfair. Waahhhh!
- Robert the Bruce - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 4:28 pm:
Foolish lawsuit but I do hope he gets to depose Barbosa and Rodriguez before his lawsuit is dismissed.
- Not It - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 4:28 pm:
I doubt the point of the lawsuit is to win and collect money, more likely just to create headlines and further ruin the Madigan brand.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 5:23 pm:
Wait, I don’t get it. He was funded by a republican governor and has a republican lawyer. He’s suing because he got trounced in a democratic primary against the state’s most powerful democrat? Did he think MJM was going to lay down? Does he think he’s entitled to the spot because he filed petitions? He should ask Rauner to fund his next campaign in a republican primary.
- First born of many - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 6:02 pm:
Cant wait to see what Madigans lawyers do to Peraika in court filings. This will actually be somewhat humorous watching that aspect.
- Tinsel Town - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 7:30 pm:
I wonder if Rauner is funding the litigation?
- Huh? - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 8:08 pm:
Prisoner Review Board is one of the defendants. Does this mean that Lisa is co-counsel?
- Huh? - Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 8:28 pm:
I looked through some of the counts, Gonzales is asked for damages. Rather than seeking to overturn the primary, the lawsuit is about money for perceived insults.
- Wade Ryan - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 11:10 am:
Two reporters interrupted the press proceedings and asked if Rauner was funding his campaign. He promptly denied these allegations and they also questioned him on his criminal convictions.