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Local Elections Roundup

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Illinois

In an effort to further ease the morning news search, a “local elections roundup” will become a daily feature up to election day.

* Chicago Reporter on Aldermanic and Ward fundraising:

* Cash and the city: It’s not illegal-by the state’s or the city’s campaign laws-for employees to give, even to their bosses. It’s allowed for all employees except for those working in the city’s ethics department. But experts say there should be limits. Allowing workers to contribute large amounts of money fuels an environment of corruption where people feel they have to give in order to get promoted or to keep their jobs.

* Giving without Limit

* Less money, little power

* Paper pushers

* By choice or by chance

* Jesse Jackson Jr. endorsement by photoshop

* Signs of fight mark 19th ward

* A sample of city council election tidbits

*Tribuneâ€™s Aldermanic Endorsements: Wards 2 through 10; 11 through 19

* 23rd ward candidates have much in common

* Competitors say race not a factor in 2nd and 18th wards:

One ward has been sending African Americans to the City Council longer than any other ward in Chicago, but now it’s seeing both white and black candidates locked in a highly competitive aldermanic contest. The other is a majority black ward that will elect its first African-American alderman after nearly 15 years of placing its trust in a white Irish American.

* Gutierrez joins Daley bandwagon despite previous criticism

* Tough talk on 50th ward race

* City Council grows less white since 1975; fewer Italians, Poles, and Jews

* Building & Construction Trades Council back Daley; his first major union endorsement: â€œHe’s basically provided a construction boomâ€

This is a local elections open thread.

posted by Paul Richardson
Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 8:07 am

Comments

Given your commendable commenting policy (no rabid comments, gratuitous insults, or rumors) why do you link to anonymous bloggers who do all of the above? It would be one thing if they weren’t blogging anonymously…….

Comment by WonderingGirl Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 8:28 am
Paul/Rich- are you interested in getting mail scans?

Comment by 42nd Ward Resident Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 8:55 am
The Chicago Tribune’s attempt to be ‘edgey’ by swatting at incumbants is a sad PR stunt to get Steve Rhodes off its back - Stay on them Steve; they are the opera buffa of journalism.

As far as Tim Sheehan - the man runs a classy and tough campaign. The other goof running against Ginger Rugai, who has my vote, got his butt handed to him by the Director of the 95th Street Business association at the BAPA Snowflake Ball on Saturday - too funny indeed watching this self-absorbed mope get verbally pole-axed by a tiny woman and then tuck tail and run. Run, John, Run!
TOOOO Funny! For a giggle take a look at the lunatic Blog wwww.19thwardagenda.com and watch the last gasps of a single didgit camapign by Somerville’s insiders. His paid campaign manager called slandered Ginger Rugai and Senator Obama on Aldertrack - blow the ink dry on that last check, Josh!

Comment by Pat Hickey Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 9:03 am
I was VERY pleased to read the Tribs endorsement of Tim Sheehan in the 19th Ward. They hit it on the head, he has a common sense approach and the campaign he’s running has been a breath of fresh air. My guess is that both Rugai and Somerville will begin to go negative against him because he’s clicking with voters now. Somerville is toast.

Comment by anon Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 9:55 am
To anonymous 9:55:

‘My guess is that both Rugai and Somerville will begin to go negative against him because heâ€™s clicking with voters now. Somerville is toast.

I think that you are correct of half of it. I would not expect any negative stuff from the Rugai Campaign. As for the other, Nader Wannbee I offer Ruin, John, Ruin!

Comment by Pat Hickey Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 10:00 am
Sheehan is a big money real estate developer with projects in the ward who will not commit to using union labor on any of his projects. The 19th ward has more union households than any other ward in the city and they are not all cops and fireman.
He probably won’t force a runoff. John was done before he started.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 10:46 am
Bill,
You are a man of granite in a village of marshmallows! If you had been in Ford’s Theatre, John Wilkes Boothe would have been ripped a new one!

Comment by Pat Hickey Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 11:40 am
It is good to know that even with a tiny percentage of the overall city population the Irish still have a growing influence. See the Sun Times story.

Plus we have Barack O’Bama who is south side Irish by default…..via Hawaii, Indonesia, Harvard, and a strange name.

Now to get to the 46th Ward see the Laura Washington column in the Sun Times and the latest video skewering Shiller and Daley..”Shillerphone”.

Check out http://www.whatthehelen.com/ for all that and more. We bring light to the darkness and a snowblower to the parking lot that is 46th ward politics.

Comment by irishpirate Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 11:50 am
The article by Ben Joravsky in the Chicago Reader is HILARIOUS. This Jesse Jackson Jr is a Howard Hughes wannabee without the money but with the neuroticism. Amazing. I am glad this clown did not run for Mayor.

Comment by Little Fry Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 11:58 am
How could the Tribune endorse George Cardenas who is linked to HDO and connected to Heroin dealers and Hired Trucks? That is corruption and disgusting.

How can anyone endorse Shirley Coleman connected to gangs, the Christmas trees, and illegality with the developers? Maybe the Tribune did not read the Sun Times expose on Shirley Coleman.

Comment by Robert Gonzalez Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:03 pm
Hey, Bruce Dolt and the gang at the Trib-Ed-Bord are Hep Kats - They’re Edgey! Picture Tom Green, Andy Dick, Seth Greene and Rosie O’Donnell on one Board - that’s the Trib; ‘All The Squares in One Circle’

Comment by Pat Hickey Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:23 pm
Rich, js has an interesting about Stone signs plastered everywhere in the 50th Ward.

But please don’t forget The Chicago Reporter’s coverage on Naisy’s fight in the 50th Ward:

http://chicagoreporter.com/2007/1-2007/Departments/voices.htm

It’s also interesting that js comments that people are afraid of Stone to comment on his page. I don’t know what to think about that, but there are many supporters of Naisy who aren’t afraid to speak out - That to me, is tougher talk in 50th Ward:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f547bvaqWb4

Comment by why only specifically JS for the 50th ward? Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:25 pm
Rich, js has an interesting about Stone signs plastered everywhere in the 50th Ward.

But please don’t forget The Chicago Reporter’s coverage on Naisy’s fight in the 50th Ward:

http://chicagoreporter.com/2007/1-2007/Departments/voices.htm

It’s also interesting that js comments that people are afraid of Stone to comment on his page. I don’t know what to think about that, but there are many supporters of Naisy who aren’t afraid to speak out - That to me, is tougher talk in 50th Ward:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f547bvaqWb4

Comment by why only specifically JS for the 50th ward? Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:25 pm
The reason that there are so few other white ethnic groups or any other groups is that the ruling class political Irish elite have learned one lesson: They just have to give to the blacks, the Irish represent all other whites and the blacks get their share and they can cut out everyone else. The Jews have education, federal pull, lawyers and money and can influence the system outside of being elected officials. All the other ethnic groups get nothing but bs. The Hispanics are controlled by Daley by his appointing their leaders and through HDO.

Daley Jr. did a masterful job at cutting out Irish and Polish. Daley Jr remembered in 1963 when Ben Adamowski actually defeated Daley Sr and the election was stolen. That was a Slavic and middle class taxpayer revolt. Daley knows that so has played divide and conquer.

Daley Jr. also masterfully without seeming openly racist, exploits racial fears so white ethnics have no where else to go. They vote for Daley to avoid a black Mayor even when they don’t like Daley.

Daley Jr. also has destroyed Italian power. He knew that the Feds were taking out the 1st ward. Even though these guys gave him money an supported him in 89, he knew about Cooley and the other investigations. He wanted to break up the 1st ward and the mob power. He didn’t want them to take power in 25 or 27 wards where they had some influence also.

There used to be a long list of Polish Congressman, Senators, State Reps and alderman. Now, the heavily Polish districts and the most Catholic are represented by dirty trickster and mean (yet successfull) political operative Rahm Emmanuel (imagine if a Polish Catholic tried to take the Jewish district) Daley played the Poles against each other but still goes to Pulaski days and eats a Panczki.

The Italians as recently as 1990 had a Treasurer (Cosentino) and 2 Chicago area Congressman with Marty Russo and Frank Annunzio. Now there are none. Abdon Pallasch said there are three Italians (maybe Ginger Rugai in 19, but that is truly an Irish Power house), but the only one I can think of is Billy Banks.

BUT even though the Irish are 6% of the vote, some of the most racially intolerant, moved to the suburbs, and became Republicans. (Jerry Joyce became a Republican and was going to run as a Republican for Mayor when they finally decided on Hynes on a racially charged campaign)
Remember Irish, despite big parades are only 6% of the City (contrast that with 37% for African Americans or 20+% for Hispanics) YET
the MAYOR is Irish (and South Side)
Most of his Commissioners and real powers in the City are Irish (and South Side)
Just look how many Daleys, Greens, Briattas, Gulfoyles are on the payroll
Also proteges of Joyce like the incompetent and corrupt Brian Murphy
or at Chicago Park District 11th ward operative connected in the Sorich case and an intimate associate of Al Sanchez and Victor Reyes Tim “Slim” Mitchell
THE MAYOR IS IRISH
THE SHERIFF IS IRISH
THE STATES ATTORNEY IS IRISH
THE FINANCE CHAIR IN THE COUNTY IS IRISH
THE COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT BEFORE STROGER WAS IRISH
THE ASSESSOR IS IRISH
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IS IRISH
THE FORMER LATE COUNTY PARTY CHAIR WAS IRISH
THE CHAIR OF THE IL DEM PARTY IS IRISH
THE COMPTROLLER IS IRISH
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS IRISH
LEVAR IRISH REPRESENTING POLES
ALLEN IRISH REPRESENTING POLES
DORETHY IRISH REPRESENTING POLES
BURKE IRISH REPRESENTING HISPANICS
THE LAKEFRONT HAS IRISH ALDERMAN AND COMMITTEEMAN CONTROLLED BY THE 19THE WARD
SHOULD WE START COUNTING THE JUDGES???

This is racism, expoitation, colonialization, and leads to cynicism and corruption.
BUT one thing the Irish have right is there are elections, and they vote, the computerized machines may steal it, they may get earlier primaries, they may misuse abstentee ballots, petition challenges and take down signs
BUT people are brainwashed and vote
they reflexively vote for females and Irish even when they don’t know the candidates or issues.

It is a quasi Democracy we live in, really a dynastic oligarchy as bad as most monarchies without the benevolence.

It is a racist system that not only screwed minorities but now is screwing the other white groups too.

Comment by Richard J Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:36 pm
As an FYI:
Reilly and Natarus will both be on Chicago Tonight on PBS tonight at 7:00
Should be interesting.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:36 pm
Jesse Jackson Jr would of made a terrible Mayor. Richard M. Daley does not charge for photos and you can get them signed and a nice print in his press office for free or a nominal amount. I think taxes are high and there is too much corruption but to deny that the city is cleaner, safer and more developed is impossible. Chicago is a world class city. Jesse Jackson Jr would of been an arrogant, poll driven, stomach stapled, shake down, racist, ignorant, photo shop photo Mayor with no connection to the grass roots in any community. Just a pure ego trip like a rap star.

Comment by Vincent Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:49 pm
Skeeter,
That will be hilarious!!!
Burt is a real moron.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:57 pm
And who controlls us Irish like so many nickles in their vest pockets, Don Barzinni? Or Don Cheech, or Don Diego ? Sure! It’s the Mafia and don’t you know!? Mama Mia!

Comment by Pat Hickey Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 1:05 pm
I think, outside of the Obama announcement, the biggest political information is that Michael “Libby” Libert dropped out of the race for 42nd Ward alderman and at the Illinois Committee for Honest government event endorsed Brendan Reily for Alderman. The Illinois Committee for Honest Government also endorsed Reily.

Natarus has a lot of questions he needs to answer like what happened to the $150,000 from Mickey Seigel a convicted felon. Also, why he catered to made member of la cosa nostra chicago Pasquale Pat Marcy in fixing the licqour license for the old Eddie Rockets.
More recently why would Natarus not call the police if he saw weapons or shootings? that is ridiculoous and he is a member of the bar and officer of the court

Reily is an educated, governmentally knowledgable, articulate and nice young man.
The ICHG and many other people including a lot of Republicans in the ward who went with Rich Gordon in 2003 are with Brendan Reily especially now that Mike Libert dropped out.

Comment by Phyllis Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 1:42 pm
The Chicago Tribune is so out of touch with the neighborhoods. Not that the Sun Times is much better. But the Sun Times has some good reporters. The Tribunes stories and editorials don’t even remotely back up. The editorial analysis are so shallow and incorrect.

The PolAm community is underrepresented.

Comment by Stan Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 2:18 pm
Hey Paul, have you ever listened to one of the student-run college radio stations, perhaps to a nice jazz program, and say to yourself, “Someday I’ll follow the recommendations of that guy producing this jazz show for voting for the Chicago City Council?”

I didn’t think so. I certainly don’t, which is why I once again have to blast clueless Bruce Dold of the Chicago Tribune (who was the jazz show producer at Northwestern’s radio station three decades ago) for the paper’s out-of-touch endorsements in some of Chicago’s Aldermanic races.

Those of us in the real world (as opposed to Dold’s Daley-loving fantasy world over at the Tribune Tower) know that both John Pope in the 10th Ward and George Cardenas in the 12th Ward are embarrassments to their communities. Neither man would have won their election four years ago without the assistance of Daley’s political goon squad, the Hispanic Democratic Organization. The physical and political retalitations against those who would oppose the re-election of these two political parasites has been well-documented by the news media, yet Dold and his fellow Tribune lackeys disregard the facts. It is hardly a shock, since I doubt Dold has spent any time in either ward to check out facts from the Daley administration propaganda the Tribune has been fed for years.

These two wards would be much better served by the election of Dinah Ramirez in the 10th Ward and Carina Sanchez in the 12th Ward. Both women have proven their independence and will not be beholden to the thugs of HDO or to Mayor Daley (and both have been endorsed by the Illinois Committee for Honest Government). Of course, that raises the question as to whether the Tribune wants to see rubber-stamps like Pope and Cardenas elected in these wards. A more important question to ask the Tribune is why you would want these lowlifes to stay in office?

We are awaiting your answer, Mr. Dold.

RANDALL SHERMAN
Secretary/Treasurer, Illinois Committee for Honest Government
Chicago

Comment by Randall Sherman Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 5:15 pm
Laura Washington torched Fioretti (2nd Ward) yesterday for running TV ads that do not mention the ward he is running in.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/washington/252997,CST-EDT-laura12.article

I noticed the Fioretti people have been pretty quiet lately.

Maybe they can tell me: a good friend of mine who works with the 18th Ward Regular Democratic Organization tells me they have been walking precincts for Fioretti.

Q1.) Is this true?

Bob looked pretty bad at the candidate’s forum last week also, coming in late and calling out a longtime community leader on a controversal issue.

Q2). Is Bob losing it? He spent all his money - is he concerned he might have wasted it all?

Comment by Mike Williams Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 5:38 pm
The Fioretti ads were third rate. All the ad that I saw said was that he is a civil rights attorney. Does Fioretti believe that everyone loves lawyers? It is a fine profession, but it should not be the lead point. The failure to mention the ward really was telling also. He is in way over his head.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 6:13 pm
- Skeeter - Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 12:36 pm:

As an FYI:
Reilly and Natarus will both be on Chicago Tonight on PBS tonight at 7:00
Should be interesting.

Sadly, not. Kind of a snoozer. BR shouldn’t make faces when goofy Burt speaks - remember the Gore sighs?

Comment by JJSpringfield Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 8:12 pm
I think Fioretti is a good guy and a great candidate. His campaign is well run.
I don’t know about the quality or flaws in his TV ads but few alderman ever even run TV. I see a lot of Fioretti activity in the 2nd Ward.

Comment by Angela Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 10:52 pm
I love Pat Hickey calling Bruce Dold-Bruce Dolt
LOL
That is funny

Hickey is funny
Bruce is an idiot

Comment by Rick de la Torre Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 11:09 pm
” Gutierrez argued that the Hispanic Democratic Organization at the center of the city hiring scandal was “no longer a viable political entity” — and that the group’s heavy-handed tactics were a mistake.

Eighteen years ago, Gutierrez was Daley’s most prominent Hispanic supporter. Since then, he and the mayor’s HDO forces have been on opposite sides in aldermanic, legislative and County Board races.”

Gutierrez is a hypocrite on HDO. He defended HDO in the 2003 races from negative yet accurate political flyers. He has not been on opposite sides of races as he and HDO have agreed on most races since 1998. He has defended HDO until recently and gave his name at every event since the mid 90s all the way into 2004.

Gutierrez has not really gave a real reason why he changed his mind. ONLY TWO OUT OF ONE HUNDRED (2 out of 100) HISPANIC STUDENTS ENTERING INTO THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. 2% THAT IS DANGEROUS AND SICK. YET LUIS GUTIERREZ HAS BEEN ALDERMAN SINCE 1986 and CONGRESSMAN SINCE 1992. WHAT HAS HE DONE? WHAT HAS MAYOR DALEY DONE?

There are NO Hispanics involved in the Olympic planning.
Hispanics are tools and toys used by Daley.

Did Gutierrez try to get Daley to end HDO?

Also, this election cycle
Luis Gutierrez is endorsing HDO candidates
Ariel Reyboyas
and
George Cardenas
and
Non Hispanic John Pope against a Hispanic

He is the reason HDO Iris Martinez got in as Senator. He did not support Eddie Garza or Manny Flores or Len Domiguez or Frank Rodriguez or Oscar Torres or any HDO challengers.
Gutierrez is a liar and a hypocrite.

Comment by Pablo Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 11:18 pm
I noticed you deleted my first remarks. What is the matter… is someone trying to cover up for the disgusting shortsightedness of the Tribune editorial borad for their support of disgraceful aldermen like John Pope (10th Ward) and George Cardenas (of the 12th Ward, someone so pathetic that he had never even bothered to register to vote prior to HDO tabbing him to run for Alderman back in 2003)?

(Don’t worry about those comments from earlier today. I saved them, and they may well be on some other site soon enough if I am so inclined. But first I have to call the Tribune in the morning to cancel my subscription because of these horse manure endorsments.)

Comment by Randall Sherman Tuesday, Feb 13, 07 @ 11:19 pm
Narrowback Paddy,

It is not Don Barzini, Don Cheech, Don Diego, or even Don Corleone. Although they were (or their cousins) kings of the hill and shot callers for a while.

Who controls the Irish like so many nickles in their vest pockets? (although Paddy vests have gone out of style)(also I didn’t think you would want to play the role of the Turk but you are good with the verbal knife)
The answer is: TIM DEGNAN and JEREMIAH JOYCE
but you already knew that, didn’t you

May Pope Leo intercede for you. You should do a posting on Rerum Novarum one day.

much love,
your Turkey friend Eamon Giovanni Kowalski Gonzalez Jones (I’m your brother from a different mother)

BeagÃ¡n agus a rÃ¡ go maith.

Comment by Eamon Wednesday, Feb 14, 07 @ 7:25 am
Just to be fair, considering how much of an embarrassment JS is to Brewer supporters, here’s another blog discussing the 50th ward race:

Best fot the 50th.

Comment by Brewfan! Wednesday, Feb 14, 07 @ 9:09 pm