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Today’s overreaction

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* Illinois Review comments on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Friday afternoon appointments

Rauner retained Rocco Claps, an openly gay Democrat operative, to lead the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR). Claps has overseen the department for the past 12 years and currently manages nearly 150 employees and an annual budget of more than $14 million.

While serving under Democrat governors Blagojevich and Quinn, Claps greatly expanded the Illinois Human Rights Act and human and civil rights laws in Illinois. The expansion included extra-legal protections for citizens categorized as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

Prior to his work at the IDHR, Claps was a Deputy Assessor in the Cook County Assessor’s Office. He also worked on two Democratic National Conventions, and in the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Democrat President Clinton.

* From the Illinois Family Institute…


Rauner retains Democrat operative to head Illinois Dept. of Human Rights http://t.co/ZwnWnRhA38 #LGBTyranny #Leftism #tcot

— David E. Smith ن (@ProFamilyIL) January 26, 2015

LGBTyranny? Really?

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:14 am

Comments

  1. How do protections codified in a law qualify as “extra-legal protections”?

    Comment by The Captain Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:18 am

  2. LGBTyranny…said the “oppressed” white male.

    Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:20 am

  3. Sounds like the conservatives at IR aren’t too thrilled by some of what the new GOP governor is doing.

    Comment by anon Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:20 am

  4. Why anybody would care what David Smith says is beyond me. The guy is an avowed gay hater.

    Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:23 am

  5. Rep.John Anthony donates to this group. In my opinion Rauner did a decent job reappointing Claps.

    Comment by 75th district Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:23 am

  6. He’s a Democratic operative. Dopes.

    Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:26 am

  7. “Democratic” operative?

    After that, I just ignore all the noise.

    Dope, indeed.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:28 am

  8. Tyranny? I understand how IFI disagrees… but tyranny?

    Read of Pol Pot, Kim Jong II, or Stalin for some context on that term. Travel the world a bit, brush up on your history, and then tell me this is anything like tyranny.

    I’m offended by the utter absurdity.

    Comment by In the Middle Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:30 am

  9. NOT what the T stands for, but what a fun play on words haters.

    Comment by LizPhairTax Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:34 am

  10. It comes as a great shock that the IL Fam Institute would have complete weirdos in-charge of their Twitter account…! Not!

    Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:40 am

  11. On a personal level, I agree with some of IFI’s policy stances. I am pro-life and I welcome others who share my views. But while walking through the Capitol a couple of weeks ago and listening in on an IFI “prayer event”, I was reminded why no one serious takes them seriously.

    Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:40 am

  12. Smith might want to stop thumping that Bible and give it a read.

    He seems to be missing the overall point of the book.

    Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:44 am

  13. The Same is the New Right Wing Republicans.

    Comment by Amalia Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:45 am

  14. I bet his nightmares are interesting…

    Comment by OneMan Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:52 am

  15. @OneMan

    Yeah, like walking down Halstead Street. Scary!!!

    Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 9:55 am

  16. The Department of Human Rights is ripe for cuts. It is better to have a guy like this as head of it, while those cuts go into effect.

    Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 10:22 am

  17. The best touchstone in Illinois politics is to do whatever gets David Smith upset.

    Comment by Confused Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 10:48 am

  18. Christian husband & father of 6 children.

    “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”

    Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:05 am

  19. WWJD? I am pretty sure not what these clowns did.

    Comment by JS Mill Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:28 am

  20. Ideology aside, IDHR has had a lot of problems with deficient investigations and misreading of the law. Examples include its attempts to dismiss cases based on miscounting of days and excluding complainants from investigations, partnering with violators to reach its conclusions.
    IDHR has been routinely called out by the Human Rights Commission and the Inspector General. Clapps has actually defended his dysfunctional investigative area. If any state agency needed “shaking up” it would be the IDHR.

    Comment by Qui Tam Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:34 am

  21. I really wish they would stop calling themselves a family institute and just go with the Illinois Bigot Institute instead.

    They are all for families, as long as it’s the 1950’s leave to beaver family and no one else. .

    Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 12:02 pm

  22. I’m a social conservative, but David Smith and the IFI have become a complete joke and have lost all credibility with me.

    Comment by econ prof Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 12:07 pm

  23. I don’t understand Smith’s outrage. Claps was retained as head of the Illinois Dept of Human Rights, not the Dept of Inhuman Rights (also known as the Illinois Family Institute).

    Comment by Wensicia Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 12:33 pm

  24. Dope… I like that both sides are unhappy at times with the hires… We know it’s working…

    Comment by Walter Mitty Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 1:08 pm

  25. Most of the readers at IR have never been fond of Rauner. So don’t assume that because he labels himself a Republican the more conservative readers at IR have ever liked him.

    Comment by Federalist Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 1:34 pm

  26. Can he do the job? If the answer is yes, as it most certainly appears to be, then just let him go about his business doing a good job. That’s the litmus test.

    Kinda tired of both ends moaning. They’ll never find happiness or contentment. Because they don’t want to.

    Comment by A guy Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 2:02 pm

  27. A guy said: = “Can he do the job? If the answer is yes, as it most certainly appears to be, then just let him go about his business doing a good job. That’s the litmus test.” =
    The problem is all evidence indicates that Clapps hasn’t done the job. (See IG reports, and HRC analyses, or better yet, ask someone who has bee subject to Clapps’ “investigative processes”.)

    Comment by Qui Tam Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 2:27 pm

  28. QT, All evidence indicates….? A high profile guy gets a high profile appointment, surely to pique the interest of a swath of the electorate that’s always watching…..and they just thought they’d sneak him through?? Not believable for me.

    I’ve heard the LGBT complaints about Meeks and others too. The activists could stand to be a little bit less active for a while and just ask if the person is capable. That goes for all sides.

    Comment by A guy Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 3:52 pm

  29. @In The Middle, I agree wholeheartedly. The hate speech is so much more than just offensive. I wish more folks would call the IFI out on their BS.

    Comment by Midwest Mom Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 4:34 pm

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