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* You may not have noticed, but the Cook County Democrats slated Mike Frerichs for state treasurer last week…
Down ballot, Frerichs, in his seventh year as a state lawmaker, found his anticipated endorsement challenged by Ervin, a West Side alderman. Frerichs narrowly got the backing of a subcommittee charged to recommend candidates to the full panel of slatemakers, though many African-American committeemen, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, initially backed Ervin.
“I feel confident that the Democratic Party is going to present a slate that has ethnic, gender, racial and geographical diversity,” said Frerichs, who noted the contenders for governor have yet to pick their running mates under a new state law that requires them to run as a team in the March 2014 primary.
* And Mark Brown looked at judicial slating…
What’s especially strange is that the partisan pandering is expected even though most would tell you the selections have been made in advance.
“By the time they come here, the cake has been sliced,” said one Northwest Side committeeman. Practically proving the point, neither Ald. Ed Burke (14th) nor House Speaker Mike Madigan, the most powerful voices in picking judges, were even in attendance, although their imprint was evident.
Earlier, as candidates for Appellate Court justice were making their cases, one committeeman sidled up to complain: “It’s all pre-determined.”
When I pressed him for the pre-determined picks, he got skittish. But another laid it out.
“Freddrenna Lyle, David Ellis, John Simon,” he predicted and was proven correct soon afterward.
Lyle has been a judge for less than two years, but she is the former 6th Ward alderman and still popular with her City Council colleagues, many of whom are committeemen.
Ellis hasn’t been a judge at all, but for many years he was the chief legal counsel to Speaker Madigan, the state party chairman. In that capacity, Ellis prosecuted Gov. Rod Blagojevich at his impeachment trial. Madigan’s support made Ellis a shoo-in. Ellis also is a very successful writer of mystery and suspense novels, which he said he expects to continue in his spare time.
Although already serving as an appointed justice, Simon was a somewhat less obvious selection, only in that for many years he was a favored recipient of Republican pinstripe patronage legal work. His father, Seymour Simon, was the Democratic state Supreme Court justice who won the everlasting appreciation of the state GOP by siding with Gov. Jim Thompson in his 1982 recount battle with Democrat Adlai Stevenson III.
* Frerichs, by the way, provided a lot of red meat at the fairgrounds last week…
“He’s that guy standing on his head,” Frerichs said, referring to commercials in which Rauner at first appears upside-down, saying he’ll put things right in Illinois.
“I think a little too much blood has rushed to his head if he thinks that the people of the state of Illinois are going to elect a Scott Walker clone who’s going to try to make this a right-to-work state,” Frerichs said.
Walker is the Republican governor of Wisconsin, and Rauner has said local governments should be able to implement right-to-work laws that would allow people to refuse to join union bargaining units or pay dues at their workplaces.
Frerichs used the “fabulously wealthy” Rauner as an example when recalling one of his grandfather’s sayings: “If you want to live like a Republican, you’ve got to vote for Democrats.”
Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf responded later that such talk is “not surprising coming from a leading member of the Democrats’ tax hike caucus. Bruce is focused on economic policies that actually encourage job creation so Illinois will no longer have the highest unemployment rate in the Midwest.”
* And from Frerichs’ Facebook page, a photo with a Lincoln impersonator…
Caption?
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 11:37 am
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Looks more like a Dave Dahl impersonator.
Comment by John A Logan Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 11:38 am
I may not like Republicans, but I will gladly pose with one if it gets me coverage on CapFax.
Comment by Keep Calm and Carry On Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 11:42 am
Nope, can’t vote Republican. No way, no how. Not ever.
I’m just going to take a quick picture with Mr. Lincoln over here…
Comment by Keep Calm and Carry On Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 11:43 am
You forgot to mention the Larry fine impersonator in the background (blue shirt) , that guy is hilarious!
Comment by William j Kelly Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 11:46 am
If elected treasures I will work to ensure that no one steals precious copper from your tomb Mr President. What? Unes already did that? Good for nothing republicans!
Comment by Rail Sitter Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 11:53 am
“They grow em taller now, Mr. President, you aren’t shrinking, Sir…”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 11:55 am
Every two years, the Sun-Times does an excellent article on the Democrats judicial slating process. And every two years, it’s very depressing. The election of judges in Cook County remains a farce.
Comment by Keyrock Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 12:10 pm
It takes some talent for these judicial candidates to beg, grovel and act like the biggest party-line Democrat since FDR up until they get into office, at which time they do a 180 and act like they are as apolitical as can be until election/retention time rolls around again. Enough to give a person whiplash.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 12:17 pm
“We’ll have a couple of tall boys.”
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 12:26 pm
All three of the slated Appellate Court candidates are very solid folks
Doubt the merit selection crowd could have matched these picks
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 12:43 pm
“Other than that, Mr. President, how did you like the play?”
Can’t resist when there’s a Lincoln image.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 12:51 pm
what this guy and raoul really represent are the first wave of new statewide democratic faces which they desperately need.
Comment by shore Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 12:53 pm
Tall and Taller…
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 1:06 pm
CircularFiringSquad - Lyle, Simon, and Ellis may be solid — but they are all very political.
From a parochial, Illinois perspective they’re pretty good. But they’re not likely to be nationally recognized for the excellence of their judicial work. The lawyers who would make the best judges rarely even try to get elected in Cook County.
And while the appellate court slatings this time may not be at the bottom of the barrel, some of the circuit court slatings are.
Merit selection wouldn’t guarantee that all judges would be excellent, but it would eliminate those who have no business being judges. And it would also encourage some of the best prospective judges to apply.
Comment by Keyrock Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 1:34 pm
“Mr. Lincoln, you are too qualified to be a democratic candidate for the Illinois Appellate Court. We like the guy who works for MM who has never been a judge, the alderman who has been on the bench for 1.5 years and the old guy who was Justice Burke’s treasurer and will be in his 80s after this term.”
Mr. Lincoln replies “This may well be the least qualified group in Cook County history for the appellate court.”
Comment by Slater Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 2:07 pm
New Campaign Slogan: “Frerichs for Treasurer - He’s taller than Lincoln”
Comment by Full Circle Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 3:34 pm
Lincoln shakes hands with someone impersonating an elected official.
Comment by enoughalready Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 4:24 pm
I thought it was illegal to be taller than Lincoln in this state.
Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Monday, Aug 19, 13 @ 5:49 pm