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* New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie today…
“Now I see that the court’s ruled that the Libertarian candidate can be on the ticket but the Green Party can’t. Another interesting development. I told some people this morning: ‘You people in Illinois make New Jersey people blush, it’s unbelievable, right?’ Every obstacle that can be placed in front of Bruce by the establishment in this state will be placed in front of him. The great news is he’s strong enough to overcome those.”
The court didn’t rule on the Libertarians, the State Board of Elections ruled that the party had collected enough valid signatures. The Green Party didn’t have enough valid signatures and lost a ballot access lawsuit. But the Libertarians clearly demonstrated that they didn’t need that lawsuit to get onto the ballot.
As subscribers know, the Libertarians were aided by a union during their fight to stay on the ballot. The Republicans, we all know, worked hard against the Libertarians.
As far as I know, the GOP didn’t help out the Green Party, which is probably a mistake on its part. The Democrats did work against the Greens.
But there was no grand judicial conspiracy here. Both parties did what they did, and the GOP came up short fair and square - or as fair and square as you can get in this state, anyway.
Even so, he’s most likely right about the Democratic establishment. It will do whatever it can to stop Rauner.
* More Chris Christie…
“He will try every trick in the book,” Christie said of Quinn. “I see the stuff that’s going on. Same-day registration all of a sudden this year comes to Illinois. Shocking,” he added sarcastically. “I’m sure it was all based upon public policy, good public policy to get same-day registration here in Illinois just this year, when the governor is in the toilet and needs as much help as he can get.”
Christie made that statement at Bruce Rauner’s campaign headquarters. Rauner wasn’t there, but he is on record supporting the new law…
The bill would allow same-day voter registration and more days for in-person early voting - which Republicans in the General Assembly say is a ploy to bring more Democratic voters to the polls.
Rauner said he’s not familiar with the finer points of the bill, but he’s OK with the idea. “I’m a believer that our democratic process is critical to our prosperity as a state and as a nation. I think having voters engaged and involved and everybody voting, all registered voters voting, is a great thing, and the more folks that vote, the better, and to the degree we help that process, I’m supportive of that,” he said. […]
Rauner said he’s not afraid of Democratic constituencies casting more votes, because he’s campaigning to them. “We’re not doing what most Republicans do, and that is go to a few country clubs and go to a few farm events. We are in every neighborhood in every community,” he said.
But Christie is right about one thing. Notice that same-day registration and the law’s other reforms weren’t extended through next year’s Chicago mayoral race. Considering the likelihood that Mayor Emanuel could face a challenge from CTU’s president (and, back during spring session, the Cook County Board President), he probably didn’t want those reforms in place.
*** UPDATE *** From the union- and DGA-backed Illinois Freedom PAC…
Standing in Bruce Rauner’s headquarters today, scandal-plagued Governor Chris Christie suggested that allowing Illinois citizens to register to vote on Election Day is wrong because it is an “obstacle” to Bruce Rauner’s election efforts. Neal Waltmire, Communications Director for Illinois Freedom PAC, released the following statement in response to the remarks of Rauner’s ally:
If allowing legally eligible citizens to register to vote is an obstacle to Bruce Rauner’s election, it speaks only to the billionaire’s deeply unpopular Wall Street values, not the merit of Illinois’ voting laws.
In Rauner and Christie’s world, the opinions of Wall Street bankers and corporate CEOs rule, which means middle class families pay the price.
That’s why Rauner and Christie have fought tax fairness and opposed upping the minimum wage.
We call on Bruce Rauner to stand with Illinoisans against Christie’s attack on their right to vote.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 2:08 pm
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Was there armed security at today’s event?
Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 2:14 pm
“As far as I know, the GOP didn’t ‘X’, which is probably a mistake on its part.”
How many times has that been uttered in the past?
Same mistakes, new “leader”…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 2:16 pm
It’s ok for some elections but not others…
Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 2:27 pm
Christie does know an awful lot about obstacles. #bridgegate
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 2:38 pm
Just last month “Secretary of State Kim Guadagno, a Republican who is also the lieutenant governor elected as Gov. Chris Christie’s running mate, removed [Carl] Lewis from the ballot.”
http://www.emissourian.com/news/national_politics/judges-kick-carl-lewis-off-new-jersey-state-senate-ballot/article_7ac30f4c-e53a-11e0-955a-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=jqm
Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis “and his supporters say it was a politically motivated move designed to keep the well-known Democrat from running against Republican incumbent Dawn Addiego in the 8th Legislative District.”
Comment by too obvious Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 2:38 pm
Carl Lewis has gotten removed from the ballot before. Come on, Carl. Fool me once…
Comment by 'Goose Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 2:45 pm
Good to see the GOP hasn’t given up on Jim Crow
Comment by Nonplussed Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 2:48 pm
Why does anyone care what has-been Chris Christie thinks about anything.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 3:00 pm
Jim Crow = Straw Man. Same day registration is political pandering regardless how is it cloaked. Otherwise, why push it?
Comment by Living in Machiaville Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 3:02 pm
Also, not only did the Rauner camp try its best to kick off the Libertarians, they did successfully kick off the entire slate of Constitution Party candidates. Same lawyers etc.
Christie needs to go back to Jersey and block bridges or whatever he does.
Comment by too obvious Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 3:04 pm
Jim Crow? Seriously?
Believing that is like believing the ILGA passed one-election-only Election Day registration because they care about voting rights and not about self-preservation.
Just like these ballot initiatives were orchestrated because they really, really, really want public input on those specific issues.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 3:15 pm
This is too good
ChubbsChristie and dark money RGA come to IL w/o Mitt Rauner to talk election law…wondering if our media asked about the need to have Armed Ballot Security Rentals to handle the “bad parts”
What’s next Mitt’s platform plank on banking reform in from of the credit union rental. How long is the trip to Maine with LittleMitt?
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 3:17 pm
Saying the Dems will do whatever they can to stop Rauner is right. Because that’s what they are supposed to be doing, just like the Republican Party really should be doing what they can to defeat Pat Quinn.
Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 3:40 pm
Christie made that statement at Bruce Rauner’s campaign headquarters. Rauner wasn’t there…
Republicans in Illinois are smart to avoid Chris Christie.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 3:40 pm
==We call on Bruce Rauner to stand with Illinoisans against Christie’s attack on their right to vote.==
Can the Quinn campaign please fire the idiot who comes up with these bon mots? All the targets offered up and this is a response.
Comment by Toure's Latte Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 3:41 pm
Yep, just raise that minimum wage. Hostess Twinkie, anyone?
Comment by chicago guy Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 4:01 pm
Christie doesn’t help Rauner here. Insulting Democrats and voting regulations won’t work. Instead, this is more likely to cause Democrats to come out and vote, rather than stay home.
Comment by Wensicia Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 4:02 pm
Christie has more in common with Quinn — grand juries. Rauner’s more of a civil suit guy.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 4:04 pm
Check out this story that came out just today. Christie turned over more pension money to Wall Street, with the promise of maximizing returns. Instead the returns were not maximized, to the tune of a $3.8 billion cost to taxpayers.
What instead happened is that returns were only half of what was expected, and management fees “more than tripled.”
http://www.ibtimes.com/gov-christie-shifted-pension-cash-wall-street-costing-new-jersey-taxpayers-38-billion-1667622
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 4:08 pm
Chris Christie is a bully and an abuser of power. Keep talking, we will link your lawlessness to Rauner
Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 4:25 pm
You are all stupid. What he said does not matter, how much money he raised Rauner does.
Also, wordslinger is right. Christie and Quinn should see if they can get a bulk deal on a law firm for defense against their incoming federal corruption cases.
Comment by Winning with Sheen Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 4:39 pm
Chris Christie has argued that he did not know what was happening with the George Washing Bridge until after the traffic jam was several days old. Didn’t ask questions, didn’t call the mayor or the head of the state transportation department, wasn’t the least bit curious, and therefore (he says) he should not be blamed for the nasty problems his staff may have engineered. Yet he is suddenly an expert on Illinois election law? If I were a New Jersey resident, I would question why the hell my governor is more interested in the inner workings of Illinois rather than what’s happening in highly populated parts of his own state.
Comment by Anonymous 88 Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 5:27 pm
Christy ordered bridge lanes to be closed as political retribution in his own states but claims that Illinois politicians make NJ blush. No Chris, you make NJ blush.
Comment by The Dude Abides Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 5:48 pm
“Every obstacle that can be placed in front of Bruce by the establishment in this state will be placed in front of him.”
Like, maybe, shutting down the interstate he uses just for political payback?
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 6:41 pm
So no one thinks we would all be better off if the two major parties weren’t allowed to “sock puppet” our elections? How can we expect our government to regain any credibility when the two major parties behave like this?
Just politics, and they need to do this, or should do this? At what point have we all just decided that winning at any cost is somehow good?
This kind of horrible cynical politics is one of many reasons voters hate politics and have no respect for our elections and consequently, our governments.
I’m not being naive. I’m demanding that we recognize how our politics crap all over our attempts to have better governments. We should be disturbed by this flagrant electoral fraud.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 6:44 pm
I recall Jim Ryan turning to Rod Blagojevich during a debate and saying something like: You will say anything to get elected.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 8:44 pm
what is in the libertarian`s platform that scares the gop?(adopt there vision)
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 25, 14 @ 11:47 pm
As a TRS annuitant, I sure don’t want Christie should be a role model for the Rauner if be comes governor of Illinois–
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/24/nyregion/christies-budget-woes-may-hurt-more-than-scandal.html?_r=0
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20140626_Calling_budget_gap__staggering___judge_backs_Christie_s_decision_to_cut_pension_payment.html
Different state, different constitution, different courts.
Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, Aug 26, 14 @ 6:59 am
we make you blush like you make me cringe
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 26, 14 @ 7:38 am
I agree Vanillaman: we should all be outraged by Republicans’ effort to strongarm Libertarians out of the election.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 26, 14 @ 8:47 am