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While Kjellander is often a too-convenient scapegoat for both the media and conservative Republicans, this controversy is not going away until he does.
When they gather this weekend near Chicago, leaders of the state GOP may end up confronting the proverbial elephant in the room: the continuing backlash against Republican National Committeeman Bob Kjellander.
The meeting agenda of the Republican State Central Committee does not specifically mention Kjellander, the Springfield consultant who serves as the Illinois GOP’s national representative and RNC treasurer. But state party directors probably will hear about him if Fayette County Republican Chairman Randy Pollard addresses the panel, as he said he intends to do.
Pollard, who oversees the statewide organization for county GOP chairmen, said a group of 30 of his colleagues unanimously passed a resolution in November seeking Kjellander’s resignation. Specifically, he said, the measure urged Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna to ask Kjellander to step down.”It was brought up at our meeting. It was handled. It was over with, and we moved on,” Pollard said this week.
Only 30? Was the vote rigged in advance?
Kjellander also said the county chairmen’s meeting in November was called with two days’ notice, and drew only a fraction of the 102 county GOP leaders in the state.
“I was not given an opportunity to address the group,” Kjellander said, “and I have spoken to Randy Pollard subsequently and offered to meet with the county chairmen’s association at their convenience.”
Have at it.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 8:30 am
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Regarding the fact that only 30 GOP county chairmen bothered to show up for that vote, I must assume that the other 72 were either too busy doing laundry or someother household chore, or they were too chicken to confront their party’s ethics problem.
Comment by fedup dem Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 8:55 am
Scapegoat he might be, but the GOP’s failed in Illinois without question. That enough should be reason to offer a resignation.
Comment by Bill Baar Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 9:05 am
I have always wondered what percentage of the Illinois Republican registered voters even know who Bob Kjellander is? Wouldn’t it be interesting if the Illinois Republican Party actually took a poll of registered Illinois Republican voters to find out how many GOP voters actually would like to see Kjellander removed? Then, the same question should be asked by the firm conducting the poll of those Illinois registered Republican voters that “actually” take the time and effort to vote in each Primary and General Election.
Given the results of this poll, I would think that the whole issue of Bob Kjellander would then be an easy decision for GOP Chairman Andy McKenna.
I would like Rich Miller to share his thoughts with us on this topic of Bob Kjellander that seems to be at the core of the GOP Party’s problems in Illinois. We all respect Rich’s opinions even if we don’t always agree with them. Would you care to share your thoughts about what you think you would have the state GOP Party do regarding the never-ending Kjellander debate, Rich? I understand if you choose to keep your opinions to yourself on this one.
Comment by beowulf Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 11:14 am
Sorry, Rich, I didn’t mean to use a naughty word. I was only trying to include as part of a phrase. Whoops!
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 11:45 am
It’s OK. Just try to keep it clean.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 12:19 pm
What is really dumb about this whoel thing is McKenna has already asked Kjellander to step down, on a SCC conference call. Kjellander refused to do so, and informed McKenna that under law no one can make him do so.
Certain loudmouths keep asserting (incorrectly under law, which is sad given that a couple of them are lawyers) that all McKenna and the SCC has to do is ask, and KJ is gone. Well, they asked, and he’s not going.
This issue is all about internal power politics in the GOP (i.e. Conservatives looking to get power by beating on McKenna and the State Central Committee), and not ethics or anything else - all the protestations of the loudmouths to the contrary.
Comment by Bubs Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 12:33 pm
I guess the right wing has to alway find someone to blame, KJ makes an easy target…nevermind that without his ties to the White House, we’d never get a visit from the President, well, even fewer than the handful we’ve had thus far…but again, the right likes to complain, if KJ resigns, they’ll just move onto someone else.
Comment by Roger Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 12:37 pm
Jim Edgar where are you? That’s all it would take Edgar or Thompson to ask him to step down and he would have to. Either way he is gone at the next convention, along with McKenna and his whole team. Time to clean house and start over.
Comment by RAI Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 12:38 pm
It’s outrageous that the Illinois Republican Party does not have the right to govern its own internal affairs. If a majority of members want to remove Kjellander, they should be able to do so, in accordance with whatever rules they choose to adopt. It’s a gross violation of the basic constitutional right to freedom of association, which implies the right not to associate.
Comment by Squideshi Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 12:40 pm
hard to see what any of this has to do with internal illinois politics, bob is national committeeman, which means he has duties and perhaps influence in the national party, totally unrelated to the state level—interestingly enougth he is treasurer and they seem to have plenty of money avaiable—the fact that 70 per cent of the country doesn’t support the lunacy that is the wae isn’t bob’s fault—it is bush’s
Comment by publius Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 12:56 pm
It has EVERYTHING to do with internal GOP politics. Otherwise, who would really care? It just unfortunate that Chairman Pollard will make a fool of himself, as have others, “demanding” something that has already occurred.
Comment by Bubs Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 1:14 pm
The republicans need to through all the old guard out…They are a bunch of arrogant (Fill in the blank). It is time for newer younger and fresher approach.
Comment by He makes Ryan look like a saint!!! Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 1:38 pm
Yes, if only we had gotten rid of Kjellander last year, I’m sure we would have won all the constitutional offices, and control both houses by a veto-proof majority. Fools!
Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 2:15 pm
Bubs, you’re just wrong, again. The fact is neither McKenna nor the GOP’s central committee has EVER made a public call for Kjellander’s resignation. They are NOT on record.
You’re making a fool of yourself, just like when you defended the storming of the Cook County building by Tony Peraica’s sore-loser brigade.
Comment by whatever Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 2:29 pm
RAI, neither Edgar nor Thompson would influence K-J to step down. The only three who would have to strong arm him would be Bush, Cheney and Rove, and what do they care? Once Bush is out of office, Rove will go back to being a consultant and will go on the speaking circuit. When Denny retires Illinois will be off the radar screen, even with a Senatorial race next year.
As I stated earlier, K-J is an embarrassment. As nice and smart of a guy as he may be, he needs to step down. If he truly cared about the party he would help find his own replacement and go back to being a high-powered consultant who only did behind-the-scenes work for the GOP.
And Randy Pollard is a great guy.
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 2:37 pm
“Whatever”, sorry to rain on your parade, since your boy has had sooooo much fun on the FTN website with this, but Kjellander has been asked, and he has refused. If your boy thinks KJ can legally be removed by a “public request” from McKenna, or anyone else, then he needs to go back to law school, as he must have skipped a few classes. Next?
Comment by Bubs Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 2:44 pm
Kjellander is an old man whose time, like that of Big Jim, is pretty much up.
Is it worth the effort required to get rid of him. The Bushies will be gone in less than two years and even if another Repub is in power, Karl Rove will no longer have influence. Anyone who wants to use Karl’s undeniable talents will keep him in the way back room.
The Republicans need to start doing some real work instead of fretting about KJ.
Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 3:03 pm
Schnorf, i don’t think anyone’s saying that–except yourself. I think part of the issue is you have the RNC committeeman with a contingent financial relationship with a Democrat administration. How’s that good for the party?
Comment by HAWK Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 4:20 pm
“The Republicans need to start doing some real work instead of fretting about KJ.”
Amen!! It is hard, though, to see why he would even want to hang on. It was hoped by many that he would do the right thing and resign after the 2004 election, but no go.
Given Madigan’s refusal to pass legislation, it unfortunately appears that the GOP will simply have to wait him out. The RNC has already indicated that they believe that Illinois legislation would mean nothing, since they view it as an RNC bylaws issue and they will not act against him. So this whole thing is generating sound and fury, but not in the way of results - which sounds like a current summary of the GOP in this state.
Comment by Bubs Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 4:26 pm
Wrong again Bubs. This is really getting old. The State GOP’s Vice Chairman MaryAlice Erickson is in the Springfield paper today defending Kjellander. So obviously the State GOP is NOT doing everything it can to get rid of KJ.
Go back to the basement of the Cook County building.
Comment by whatever Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 5:20 pm
WE,
Actually, the Cook County Clerk’s Office and the election counting rooms are on the 5th Floor of the County Administration Building. So try to be a bit more accurate, OK?
Ms. Erickson is entitled to express own opinion, which obviously differs from some, unless they abolished the Bill of Rights when we were asleep last night (or at least until you and your Fearless Leader come to power in Illinois, huh? Keep dreaming. )
Comment by Bubs Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 6:05 pm
Hawk, the point is this issue is meaningless in terms of electing R candidates. It wouldn’t have changed any outcome an iota, so why invest time and energy in it that could otherwise have been spent trying to elect Rs? Why did the Roman emperors have circuses?
Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 8:17 pm
What evil did this KJ guy do
Comment by Anon Again Thursday, Jan 11, 07 @ 8:45 pm