* After the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association endorsed JB Pritzker, the candidate and some members of the group held a joint press conference.
A reporter pointed out that a lot of Republican legislators are grumbling these days about how Gov. Rauner has been “dictating how they vote.” He also noted that some Democrats are worried that having a billionaire leading their party may not be a good thing. “Will you pledge to allow Democrats to vote their conscience, vote their district?” Pritzker was asked.
“Of course,” Pritzker said.
The candidate referenced the old Will Rogers quote “I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.” And then said…
I believe that people ought to vote their conscience. Always. Always vote their conscience. I also believe we ought to elect progressive Democrats to the Legislature. But I also believe that we have a big tent in this party. That this party always has been about three really core issues: Jobs, healthcare, education. And we need to stick to that, we need to win this election based upon plans for making working families’ lives better.
* WMAY…
Democrat Chris Kennedy isn’t saying directly whether he would support an assault weapons ban proposed by several Democratic lawmakers. In an interview for the WMAY News Feed, Kennedy was asked multiple times if he supported the ban on certain types of firearms.
He would only say that the issue of gun violence needs more study but federal regulations limit the ability to conduct such studies.
He did have some thoughtful responses. Click here to listen.
*** UPDATE *** Kennedy just called to say he fully supports an assault weapons ban and wasn’t trying to get around the topic.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Meanwhile, despite the delay, the Bustos endorsement did receive a lot of news coverage…
Illinois’ 17th District Congresswoman Cheri Bustos endorsed Democratic candidate JB Pritzker in his run for Governor, Mon. His appearance at the AFL-CIO Labor Temple started 90 minutes later than scheduled, due to unfavorable flight conditions.
Dense fog enveloped Peoria Monday morning. A member of Pritzker’s campaign team says his plane circled the area for 30 minutes, then rerouted to Galesburg. Pritzker apologized for the delay and said the flight was “a lil’ dicey.”
About 20 people, mostly with labor union ties, stuck around to hear the endorsement from Rep. Bustos. The Congresswoman says JB Pritzker is taking a different approach, by focusing on downstate Illinois.
“This is a guy who’s going to be our next governor, who’s not going to have to understand how you get to Peoria, how you get to Pekin, how you get to Monmouth,” Bustos said. “He’s going to know the way, and that was a critical part of my decision making as to who I was going to endorse in this race.”
* More…
U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline, endorsed gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker when he opened his Quad-Cities campaign office — his eighth in the state — Monday afternoon.
Rep. Bustos said voters should vote for Mr. Pritzker for governor because he will represent working families across the entire state, not just in Chicago and Cook County.
“He understands that the state of Illinois has 102 counties, with 101 of them outside Cook County,” Rep. Bustos said. “When we elect our next governor, we want to make sure they know how to find a place like the Quad-Cities.”
* DGA…
On Friday, Governor Bruce Rauner’s habit of dodging questions relating to federal matters came under tough scrutiny from the Chicago Tribune’s Rick Pearson. Rauner was questioned why he had not spoken in “specifics” on matters like tax reform, mass shootings, and Obamacare. Rauner ended up saying that he, as the state’s highest elected executive, had “no obligation” to weigh in on federal matters:
Chicago Tribune’s Rick Pearson: “Don’t you owe the public and voters an obligation to say where you stand on these things? Where do you stand on eliminating the state and local tax deduction with Peter Roskam, your Republican colleague, and Republicans in Washington?
Governor Bruce Rauner: “I have no obligation to comment on every possible policy change in Washington DC. I never have and never will. So, I appreciate your advocacy on that.”
Rauner has been inexplicably silent on President Trump’s decision to end DACA, which puts at least 42,000 children and young adults at risk of deportation. Just a few years ago, candidate Bruce Rauner indeed felt an obligation to speak out in support of these children. This morning, Bruce Rauner attended the Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast and again refused to stand up for DACA beneficiaries.
“Watch out Illinois – Bruce Rauner does not have your back,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Illinois voters elected Rauner to be a leader but he admitted that felt no obligation to protect them against the bad ideas coming out of Washington. Instead, Rauner said he was focused on his political ambitions. This is just another example of Rauner’s failed leadership in action.”
* In other news, Jack Franks won’t run for AG…
Last November, McHenry County’s voters gave me the great honor of becoming the first popularly elected County Board chairman. I have been an outspoken advocate for government reform and tax cuts during my entire political career. Since voters elected me in 1998 to my first of nine terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, I have given my all to help those most in need while always putting the financial interests of the taxpayers first.
My experience as a lawyer, businessman and reform-minded lawmaker makes me uniquely qualified to be a candidate for the office of Illinois attorney general. I am grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support for this possibility, and I was very tempted to enter the race.
But something really special is beginning to happen in McHenry County. In a bipartisan manner, we are reducing the tax levy and bringing substantial reform and efficiency to government. The tax reductions are real but they are not complete. I have therefore decided to pass on the opportunity to run for attorney general in favor of fulfilling my commitment to the taxpayers of McHenry County to reduce their property taxes and reform county government.
Democrats can reduce taxes and reform government, and I am proving that in McHenry County. Working together with my Republican colleagues, we can make McHenry County the best run, most efficient and transparent county in the nation. This battle is too important to stop.
* And…
* Related…
* How Chicago gets its guns
- lol - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
Taking the plane from Chicago to Galesburg? What’s the purpose of the bus?
- The Captain - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
The Kennedy campaign, for all its faults, continues to run a pretty good race for Cook County Assessor.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:09 pm:
Kennedy won’t support LaSalle Street Tax. Won’t support assault weapons ban. Is he in the right primary? Maybe Ives needs a running mate.
- LXB - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:12 pm:
Do federal regulations actually limit the ability of non-federal agencies to conduct public health research on guns? Couldn’t the state of Illinois fund such a study, or a private individual or group? In fact, as far as I can tell, the ban is only on the CDC, and even then does not completely restrict all gun research.
- Toast - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:14 pm:
“He’s going to know the way,”
He will as long as someone is flying the plane.
- JB13 - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:15 pm:
A lot of those people in the other 101 counties, especially in those hard-to-find downstate areas, voted for Trump. But Bustos, of course, knows that. Right?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:21 pm:
===My experience as a lawyer, businessman and reform-minded lawmaker makes me uniquely qualified to be a candidate for the office of Illinois attorney general. I am grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support for this possibility, and I was very tempted to enter the race.
But something really special is beginning to happen in McHenry County. In a bipartisan manner, we are reducing the tax levy and bringing substantial reform and efficiency to government. The tax reductions are real but they are not complete. I have therefore decided to pass on the opportunity to run for attorney general in favor of fulfilling my commitment to the taxpayers of McHenry County to reduce their property taxes and reform county government.===
“McHenry County. You’re lucky to have me. You’re welcome.”
- Fake Jack Franks
- FormerParatrooper - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:26 pm:
LXB the CDC is able to conduct these studies, President Obama restored thier ability after Sandy Hook. Some funding has been blocked, and Congress has said that “None of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may be used to advocate or promote gun control.” The CDC has chose to stay on the sidelines for the most part. There was a study after Sandy Hook, but it was largely ignored by all but the pro rights side.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:26 pm:
Rauner can’t weigh in on federal issues — except when he’s looking to score fear-mongering knuckle-dragger points by “banning” Syrian refugees who got the green light after years in overseas refugee camps being vetted by CIA, State, FBI and Homeland Security.
- FormerParatrooper - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:28 pm:
Rich, the story you linked at the end of this post about “How Chicago gets its guns” is rather disturbing. More of these stories need brought out, by all accounts presented there, it seems the government is enticing people to commit a crime. That is morally corrupt to do so.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:29 pm:
“There is nothing we can do about gun violence. When good people have guns, it stops bad people.”
Love the NRA.
Reality = Texas Tech Campus police officer shot and killed last night.
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
Where does Chicago get its guns? Yup. 25 years. No parole. No excuses. No ‘whatever’.
- We'll See - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
“I have no obligation to comment on every possible policy change in Washington DC. I never have and never will.”
This guy….
- Grand Avenue - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:31 pm:
Pop Tax repeal passes Cook County Finance Committee by a veto-proof 15-1.
- Lobo - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:35 pm:
“It’s not big trafficking rings. Mostly, it’s through little guys like John Thomas.”
I think, part of the problem is that there are folks that feel that 23 transactions and 77 guns equals “little guy” gun traffickers. This is how most straw sales occur. Despite the conclusions of Mr. Dumpke, there are many many John Thomas’ out there. I submit 22+77 equals “big guy”
- Anonish - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:37 pm:
Marijuana needs more stud
Gun violence needs more study
What kind of studies does Kennedy want? Is he willing to devote state resources to it? Who is an authority he’s willing to listen to about those issues?
Man, step up or step aside. Didn’t you just make a big part of your campaign the issue of tackling gun violence? I get that you’re “new to politics” but at some point you are going to have to take some hard positions beyond the property tax issues
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:40 pm:
Anonish. I hope Kennedy doesn’t use the CDC on the marijuana thing.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:41 pm:
–Typically, individuals or small groups are involved in the dealing, not organized trafficking rings, experts say.–
The “individuals and small groups” cited in this report seem to be the very definition of “organized trafficking rings” as they are admittedly regular brokers, buyers and sellers of illegal guns.
- We'll See - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:43 pm:
Jake Franks = Democrat On Paper Exclusively — if there was just an acronym for that…..
- Downstate43 - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 4:05 pm:
== The “individuals and small groups” cited in this report seem to be the very definition of “organized trafficking rings” as they are admittedly regular brokers, buyers and sellers of illegal guns. ==
Right, it’s not like the Sinaloa cartel opens branches in every major U.S. city. Who does most of their selling? Individuals and small groups. Seems like a pretty pathetic attempt to paint over the illegal sale of firearms in a more sympathetic light. Can’t afford to provide for your children so you turn to illegally selling guns? Sorry, that excuse doesn’t count for much in this case (although 7 years for 77 guns for a convicted felon is still pretty lenient, in my book). It ain’t just weed we’re talking about here, man.
- We'll See - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 4:24 pm:
“Kennedy just called to say he fully supports an assault weapons ban and wasn’t trying to get around the topic.”
Sounds like it could be a “I was for it before I was against” moment — must be a Massachusetts thingy.
- Toast - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 5:25 pm:
** Kennedy just called to say he fully supports an assault weapons ban and wasn’t trying to get around the topic. **
No surprise here, the dems trips over themselves to throw anti-gun bills against the wall to see what sticks.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 5:30 pm:
The real problem in Illinois (Chicago) is not assault weapons, which are semi-automatic unless they are modified. It is the illegal handguns. Rifles hardly murder anyone in our State.
- Johnny Justice - Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:02 pm:
Kennedy did another interview with WMAY Tuesday afternoon and said he would support an assault weapons ban, but added it would be hard to define what an assault weapon is.