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North Side Democrats promised no backroom dealing in appointing a successor to former state Sen. Heather Steans, vowing the process would be open and transparent.
But state Rep. Kelly Cassidy said Monday that wasn’t the case — and her decision to not engage in those dealings may have been a key reason why she lost the chance to win the appointment herself.
“I think that what it says is that we’ve got a long way to go to fix the culture, and get people accustomed to doing things in a truly open manner,” Cassidy said. “A deal that is supposedly high-minded is still a backroom deal.” […]
Cassidy said when the committeepersons were weighing the appointment, “everybody in their own way,” either personally or through an “emissary,” tried to cut some sort of deal with her, including one that would’ve ensured her state representative seat would go to a person of color had she moved up.
The North Side legislator said her decision not to engage in the deal-making was related to community groups who were “upset about the process” and the group of committeepersons “making all these assurances about it not being a backroom deal — and so I wasn’t going to make any deal.”
Lots more in there, including react, so go read the whole thing.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:34 am
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Fascinating
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:34 am
oh my.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:37 am
The Rosenfeld quote reminds me of David Bowie- “We can be Heroes, just for one day.”
Comment by Former Downstater Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:37 am
It does sound like folks wanted to exchange their votes for the senate seat for Cassidy’s votes for her house seat replacement (Rosenfeld even admitted it).
I don’t know if Simmons would have been that candidate, or if the group had someone else in mind.
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:38 am
People (empowered to do so) making a decision you don’t like isn’t a “backroom deal”.
Comment by Concerned Dem Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:40 am
==It does sound like folks wanted to exchange their votes for the senate seat for Cassidy’s votes for her house seat replacement (Rosenfeld even admitted it).==
It’s interesting what role Rosenfeld, O’Keefe, and Tenner felt they had in possibly choosing Cassidy’s replacement when they didn’t have votes in that process. Overreach much?
Comment by Former Downstater Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:41 am
Shorter Cassidy: “I started out trying to cut a deal to get myself into the Senate and name my own replacement to the House. Then I got outmaneuvered, and now I feel betrayed.”
Come. On.
Comment by SpiDem Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:41 am
Why did they make everybody sit through a long drawn-out candidate interview session if it was all fake?
Comment by Genuinely Perplexed Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:45 am
==It’s interesting what role Rosenfeld, O’Keefe, and Tenner felt they had in possibly choosing Cassidy’s replacement when they didn’t have votes in that process. Overreach much?==
Correction, O’Keefe did have 571 votes to cast in that seat. Rosenfeld and Tenner- 0.
Comment by Former Downstater Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:46 am
Finally, Cassidy is showing her loyal subjects who she really is. This ain’t news to many of us. As someone who has used backroom deals her entire career, she doesn’t get to wake up one day and slam them because she didn’t like the outcome. On paper Simmons is a more qualified candidate for the position - and he’s a heck of a great guy.
Comment by truth shall set you free Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:47 am
Fascinating that Cassidy had no issue with the appointment process just last year when her friend won the deal.. The saddest part about Cassidy trying to push this narrative of a “back room deal” is that she is downplaying how incredible it is for Simmons to be the first black (and gay) legislator on the North Side. Simmons is going to be a great legislator and I look forward to seeing him at work
Comment by This is a Karen Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:48 am
More qualified on paper than a legislator who has been doing the job?
Comment by Former Downstater Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:50 am
The problem here with Rep. Cassidy is that while some ‘backroom deal’ maneuvering may have been at play, she’s got a big problem in her hands.
As you recall she did not support Speaker Welch over his alleged past plus she asked for a review on this particular allegation.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go her way and simply the senate seat was not handed to her like in the past. Times have changed…
Therefore, expect some blowback from her caucus and the speaker himself. Oops.
Comment by Pizza Man Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:53 am
She’s a committeewoman who was voting to give herself the senate seat. So she’s upset that had this thing, which was bleeping golden, and then lost it?
Comment by Golden Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:55 am
I feel like this ST article (just look at the photos) is trying very hard to “Karen-ify” Rep. Cassidy. Anyone who knows her knows she ain’t that.
Comment by Commisar Gritty Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 9:59 am
Seems as if she does not understand the game she is involved in when it doesn’t go her way.
Comment by flea Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:02 am
Representative Kelly Cassidy seems to be an impediment to the advancement of African Americans seeking political office. First Speaker Welch and now Senator Simmons. Now it seems that she is attempting to taint the very process she sought to utilize for her own failed bid for the vacant Senate seat.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:04 am
It’s no surprise Ms. Cassidy did not handle this with humility.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:09 am
Rep. Cassidy was appointed to her House seat and fended off a primary challenger with major support from the “machine”. Quite a bit of irony, hypocrisy and arrogance.
Comment by Uptown Girl Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:15 am
A common refrain in 2020, when faced with the still-present reality of racial discrimination in our society, was for white folks to say: “just tell me what I can actually do about it”
Privileges, appointments, favors, and gifts are advantages. Changing the default of who gets them is a good thing.
Comment by Nazono Sakana Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:17 am
= seems to be an impediment to the advancement of African Americans seeking political office. =
Wow, that seems to be a stretch. Her complaining aside, there is no sin in wanting the position. That isn’t an impediment.
And, she wasn’t wrong about Welch. Maybe her form was poor, but she wasn’t wrong.
She is a spoilsport though.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:17 am
@SpiDem: Nailed it.
Deals in politics. Whoever heard of such a thing?
“I am shocked, shocked to find that deals are going on in here.” - Representative Reanult
Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:18 am
I love Rep. Cassidy, but come on. Everyone knows who she was trying to engineer into her House seat. Hint: the same person who got endorsed by a certain North Side Congresswoman before there was even an open seat.
Comment by Sin Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:23 am
“I feel like this ST article (just look at the photos) is trying very hard to “Karen-ify” Rep. Cassidy.”
I don’t know her personally and I don’t follow her on social media. What I will say is from everything I’ve seen here at the Capitol Fax, she does a great job of “Karen-ify” herself.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:35 am
don’t know about what was said, but do know that two of those committee people…numbers one after the other….are notorious for making promises and doing something else. zero trust for their word.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:41 am
Backroom deal - you mean like passing a marijuana bill then a week after it’s signed your spouse starts working for one of the largest companies in the industry? Thanks for explaining what backroom deals look like.
Comment by Frank talks Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:43 am
You would think a legislator as smart and accomplished as Rep. Cassidy might recognize when her own hubris is costing her political capital with her colleagues. Yet, somehow, she’s the only one in the building who figured out a way to reduce her influence and power after Speaker Madigan gave up the gavel.
Comment by Sensitive Nancy Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 10:57 am
As the prosecutor in Goodfellas said to Henry Hill’s wife: “Spare me the babe in the woods routine.”
Kelly Cassidy is a pretty shrewd political operator. If she really wanted an open process she could have pushed for a place-holder appointment and an open primary, (in which she would probably have been the favorite.) Instead, she pursued the traditional insider route. It didn’t work out. There are no victims here.
Comment by FTR Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:00 am
This post (and comments) confirm what political insiders already know about “backroom deals” –and reinforces what many average citizens cynically assume about how deals are made behind the scenes. It’s good to have it out in the open.
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:02 am
What SpiDem and Frank Talks said.
Comment by Fav Human Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:05 am
Anyone that follows machine politics in the city knows Paul Rosenfeld. He is the epitome of insider dealing. If he basically admits deals were being discussed then I’m not sure why there is blowback against Rep. Cassidy. The Representative was listening to the community groups who were angered by the process that they felt has historically been fraught with back room dealing. She wouldn’t engage in such dealing as the community groups had asked. Good for her.
Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:07 am
Another thought: Kelly Cassidy was “appointed” to fill a vacancy in the Illinois House (Harry Osterman left the General Assembly after being elected to the Chicago City Council) in 2011. Cannot recall hearing her complain about the process back in the day.
Comment by Practical Politics Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:13 am
Coming from Cassidy it sounds like sour grapes, but the appointment process is completely undemocratic and should be fixed.
Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:25 am
Hilarious. The same “back room deal” process that got her into her current seat. What a hypocrite.
Comment by Now I'm down in it. Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:51 am
Looks like someone was spending too much time in Springfield and not in her district. The bubble will make you think you’re great. The work you do for your constituents makes you great.
Comment by google me Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:53 am
==If she really wanted an open process she could have pushed for a place-holder appointment and an open primary, (in which she would probably have been the favorite.) Instead, she pursued the traditional insider route. It didn’t work out. There are no victims here.==
100% agree with this and many of the other comments here.
Now that she has won herself an appointment, cheered for another (Pizer last year), and sought a second for herself (which would have then triggered yet another appointment for her seat), she seems very comfortable with the process. At least when it works in her favor.
Comment by Disgruntled IL Democrat Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 11:57 am
Here’s a radical thought: Let the voters decide? Per the ST, this seat hasn’t had an open election since 1976. Senator Steans’s conduct was shameful — she obviously never intended to serve her term. I wonder what she’ll do with the donations she collected in the last election? (Yes I know IL law specifies the system used to replace her — just saying it isn’t very good)
Comment by Rarely posts Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 12:00 pm
By the way, my comment above is no knock against Simmons. Maybe he’s the best candidate. But wouldn’t it be better for the residents of his district to decide that?
Comment by Rareply posts Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 12:01 pm
Sometimes people do you the great favor of showing you who they really are and we would be wise to pay attention when they do.
Comment by Dearborn Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 12:02 pm
This from the lady who obtained a patronage job from Tom Dart to supplement her income. C’mon already. Good to see a new face in the mix. Congrats to him
Comment by Regular democrat Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 12:11 pm
And Hadden voted for Cassidy. Quite the relinquishment.
Comment by Dearborn Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 12:16 pm
=== Per the ST, this seat hasn’t had an open election since 1976===
That’s mainly because Art Berman served forever.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 12:26 pm
Art only served until 2000. It should have been open since then.
Comment by Jacob Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 12:41 pm
===only===
lol
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 12:41 pm
My biggest concern is how she intends to “change” the rules around future vacancies…any word on what changes?
Comment by Southsider Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 2:41 pm
Hard to be against backroom deals when your own household profits from the very legislation you championed. Perhaps the backroom chatter discussed this dynamic and decided it was better to keep that out of the senate.
Comment by Ed Equity Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 2:43 pm
Wow. That’s some nerve with the pot calling the kettle black. She’s basically saying that Mike engaged in a backroom deal and that’s just not who he is. And what a way to undermine such a historic moment.
Comment by Shytown Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 3:34 pm
“It was revenge for Billy Batts, and a lot of other things. And there was nothing that we could do about it. Batts was a made man and Tommy wasn’t. And we had to sit still and take it.”
Comment by Alternative Logic Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 3:52 pm
“And Hadden voted for Cassidy. Quite the relinquishment.”
Maria Hadden is the 49th Ward Alderman.
State Representative Kelly Cassidy is the 49th Ward Democratic Committeeperson, so Cassidy voted for herself.
Comment by Practical Politics Tuesday, Feb 9, 21 @ 7:48 pm