Last columns
Monday, Mar 20, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Here’s my last primary column.
Alexi Giannoulias has big trouble ahead.
The wealthy, young, telegenic Democratic candidate for treasurer is favored to win Tuesday’s primary. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama appears in his TV ad, and the latest Chicago Tribune poll shows Giannoulias leading downstater Paul Mangieri by 14 points.
Giannoulias has repeatedly claimed that his experience working at his family’s bank makes him qualified to be state treasurer, but late questions have arisen about some loans the bank made to an ex-mobster, and the candidate’s response has cast doubt on whether Giannoulias is ready — or even fit — to hold statewide office.
Mark Brown’s last column is pretty good.
Not that long ago, state legislators Tony Munoz, Eddie Acevedo and Martin Sandoval were Exhibit A for the growing influence of the Hispanic Democratic Organization, proud beneficiaries of its Machine-style, jobs-for-votes politics.
Then came the Hired Truck scandal, and its offshoot, the City Hall patronage hiring investigation, both of which have prominently featured HDO.
Now those three legislators are running for re-election Tuesday and, wouldn’t you know it, you don’t hear much from any of them about HDO.
Instead, all three are campaigning on the theme of being an “independent voice” in their Southwest Side communities, the word “independent” featured so prominently in all their campaign literature that you’d swear it was produced in a secret echo chamber located somewhere beneath Pilsen and Little Village.
And so is Lynn Sweet’s.
GOP House hopefuls Kathy Salvi and David McSweeney are the front-runners in Tuesday’s primary battle to take on Democratic Rep. Melissa Bean. They are fighting for conservative votes in expensive Chicago TV spots where the non-federal issue of property taxes suddenly came into play in the closing days of the campaign.
“It’s nuclear negative,” said McSweeney on Sunday, forced to change his end-game strategy by Salvi’s last minute television and direct mail blitz attacking his tenure as a Palatine Township trustee.
- HeKnowsBarack - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 4:18 pm:
Great column Rich! It is clear that someone, perhaps Dad, should have asked Alexander what the hell he had in mind with this campaign gambit.
Now the self proclaimed community bankers have been exposed as Bad Guy’s Bankers. Since Jaws has a criminal record dating back nearly 20 years and lots of press it is impossible for anyone to believe the Senior Loan Officer knew nothing.
And if that is true he is dumber than box of rocks
- Richkid - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 4:28 pm:
I agree Rich, unfortunately it looks like Alexi’s money is going to get him the win tomorrow, but the Republicans are going to tear him apart in the general, not only will he lose there but the reputation of his father’s bank is going to be damaged.
- The Colonel - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 4:29 pm:
From what I hear in Palatine Twsp the sleazy Salvi “tax onslaught” is authored by former Twsp. Supervisor David Regner who was dumped off the GOP ticket in 2005. McSweeney was allied with those who dumped him at the 600+ GOP caucus.
I’m told he’s a “bitter, nasty, old dude who left the Twsp. with a $500,000 deficit.”
Both Salvi and McSweeney are blue-ribbon conservatives, the Salvi charge is ridiculous, and gives truth to the old phrase “Figures don’t lie, but liars figure.”
- HokusPokus - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 4:32 pm:
I still don’t understand why Alexi hasn’t done something to clear his name of all of this. My vote was going to go to him, however he has been hiding since all of this came out. It makes me think he is hiding something.
- Bewildered Chicago Dem - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 4:36 pm:
Way to go Barack! what should have been a competitive seat for dems will now be tough for us. I am not entirely positive why he endorsed Alexi?????????
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 4:44 pm:
“And that’s why I think, like Jack Ryan before him, Giannoulias may not even make it to November if he wins on Tuesday.”
Come on Rich - first, that’s unwarranted hyperbole. Second, he will do so much better than Mangieri could in November.
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 5:03 pm:
I don’t know how “telegenic” Alexi is. Certainly youthful and handsome. But he never actaully speaks in those comercials. It’s just Obama on voice over. I think his own campaign was afraid he would sound….. ummm… not so bright?
- Greek Chorus - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 5:07 pm:
All the media fawning has obviously gone to Barack’s head. He feels he’s a Party unto himself, doesn’t owe anyone anything, and can do whatever he pleases.
The race against Keyes was a joke, which means that Barack has never really been tested. The only high-profile race he’s been involved in was his embarrassing loss to Bobby Rush in a ‘02 congressional primary.
Yet Barack seems very impressed with his own success. I would suggest he needs to realize that his political judgment need fine-tuning.
Not only did he decide to go against Madigan (who no doubt will remember when it “matters”) in the Treas. race, but he also appears to have staked his reputation on an untested candidate who may have serious ethical problems.
Even if Gainnoulias prevails tomorrow, Barack may actually lose for winning.
- John 3:16 - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 5:23 pm:
Rich –
“Big trouble ahead”? Again, by your own admission there is no evidence that the bank did anything wrong. Moreover, all this “news” about Broadway Bank keeps ignoring a very basic fact –despite the banking industry being so heavily regulated, there has been on investigation into or action against Broadway Bank.
Comparing the Giannoulias situation to Blair Hull’s or Jack Ryan’s scandals is a real stretch. Before they ran for office, there would have been no reason for people to look into their personal lives. On the other hands, regulators look at the Bank’s business all the time. Given that no regulatory agency (not the FDIC, SEC, Office of Banks and Real Estate) has found anything wrong with Broadway Bank’s business practices, what makes Greg Hinz and “HeKnowsBarack” such experts?
As for your comparing Giannoulias with other rich candidates, there is one very important difference. Unlike a Hull, Ryan or Oberweiss, who are just running for the highest profile position available, Giannoulias is seeking an office that is related to his private sector work. He is 100% correct when he says the State Treasurer is the state’s banker. And while someone else may have more legislative experience or familiarity with the courts, there is no one other than Giannoulias in this race that deals with the laws and regulatory agencies that govern finance and investment on a consistent basis.
Finally, since so many people have an opinion on this site as to what the Bank should have known or not with regard to the Florida hotels — when was the last time you had a criminal background check when applying for a loan or line of credit?
- Lincoln Lounger - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 6:00 pm:
Yes, Alexi will carry the day tomorrow, but I suspect we have only begun to see the tip of the iceberg. Good thing the Democratic Party of IL will be there to defend Alexi. I’m sure Michael J. Madigan won’t hold a grudge for running against his slate . . . .
- Reality Check - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 6:45 pm:
To The Colonel–Dave Regner is anything but a “bitter nasty old dude who left the twp with $500,000 in debt.” The blithering idiots that Gary Skoien replaced Regner’s slate have fabricated that “debt”…it doesn’t exist. What’s more, ONE WEEK after taking office, Regner’s replacement as Supervisor fired the law firm of 23 years and replaced them with the law firm that defended Skoien’s slate in a costly political legal battle. Now both Regner’s replacement and Gary Skoien himself have told the Daily Herald “they don’t know who paid their legal bill.” Coupled with the fact that Luke Praxmarer, President of Skoien’s Republican organization in Palatine Twp, was awarded two no-bid insurance contracts at the same meeting…looks like the “sleaze” in Palatine Twp government just took office. “The Colonel” is right about Salvi and McSweeney, both conservatives and both guilty of negative campaigning (imagine that!) But Regner sure shouldn’t be impuned…he’s completely out of it and happy to be there. Be on the lookout in Palatine Twp in the coming weeks–the Atty General now has a complaint on file and Skoien and his slate of Township officials are likely to feel some real heat. (Funny that Skoien, the man who put the bounty on Daley’s head, is now in charge of the dirtiest, “for sale” twp government in the state.
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 7:15 pm:
I hope all three of those legislators in Mark Brown’s column lose. As far as I’m concerned, none of them are men of honor. These alleged Hispanic leaders all fought against both Water Reclamation District Commissioner M. Frank Avila and then his son, Frank Avila, when they ran for public office (supporting instead the choices of their political masters). I hope the voters in their respective districts dump Munoz, Acevedo and Sandoval, and vote for my good friend FRANK AVILA for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner (PUNCH 51).
RANDALL SHERMAN
Secretary/Treasurer, Illinois Committee for Honest Government
- anon - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 7:43 pm:
after doing some traveling and phone banking i’m still not convinced if people realize who Obama endorsed which I believe may help Mangieri - i have encountered people who say about Paul - “oh yes i’ve seen his commercials with Obama” - people aren’t paying attention and the Speaker’s ground troops may pull this off for Mangieri -
- T.J. - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 7:51 pm:
“I am not entirely positive why he endorsed Alexi?????????”
The Giannoulias family backed Obama early.
- The Real Colonel - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 7:57 pm:
Right on “Reality Check” Maybe this explains why Gary Skoien has been among the missing lately. I sure would not want to rely on him to cover my back in combat. We have not heard a word from him since the “bounty” (with money he did not have) was placed on Mayor Daley’s head.
- Phil - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 8:32 pm:
McSweeny, who has distorted and attacked with $2m for 8 months, finally gets a response: YOU had 2 chances on taxes as a little trustee, and you voted YES both times. Fact. No getting around it. Phil Crane, who McSweeny attacked, voted “no” 1, 972 times on taxes. McSweeny? 2 for 2. As a little trustee. Fair game, “colonel.”
- Ted - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 8:38 pm:
Wow… Kathy Salvi, the conservative icon of Illinois, attacked by the far right. Thanks. Bean will be that much easier without the 22 right wing nut jobs on her side.
- Silas - the assassin opus dei monk - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 11:11 pm:
Mark Brown hit the nail on the head with that column. Victor Reyes being the grand puppeteer that he is has all 3 ‘legislators’ at his beckoning (not including the rest of the other HDO puppets). The Latino Caucus (chaired by HDO) sold out to SBC for $100k and looking at their D-2’s we can see how SBC repaid the favor when they voted for their bill that was not consumer friendly. I hope the voters are educated enough to see the truth. And they call themselves independent….yeah right!
- James T Kirk - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 11:22 pm:
Speaking of HDO, what ever happened to the little HDO troll Al Sanchez who was Commissioner of S & S ?
- Wumpus - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 11:36 pm:
Look at McSweeney’s whole term in office, look at the taxes, then complain. Looks like Al Salvi’s dream of living vicariously through Kathy may not work. She should have run for lt. Gov.
- Interested - Tuesday, Mar 21, 06 @ 12:03 am:
wow, a bank gives loans to someone who once committed a crime …geez, i’m sure that never happens at Harris, LaSalle, Chase, Citibank, ABN AMRO. the guy didn’t even work there when the man got the loan. He said a stupid thing but he was defending his brother. yeah, that’s the same as beating your ex-wife or forcing her to go to sex clubs. good reason not to vote for the guy.
- Greek Chorus - Tuesday, Mar 21, 06 @ 12:58 am:
As for Kathy Salvi, whatever Al’s motivations might be, good thing she rebuffed Oberweis. She may well end up in Congress, instead of on the Milk “train wreck.”
And Gary Skoien ?!?!?! What more is there to say — don’t look for him to advance the GOP agenda. Just look for the nearest camera, so you can see Gary’s pathetic attemtps to advance himself. Too bad no one cares.
Memo to Gary — the best way to be relevant is to raise some money and build an organization. Press coverage is fleeting.
- Feingoldopoulos - Tuesday, Mar 21, 06 @ 9:49 am:
Greek Chorus –
Obama has never been tested? Let’s see, when he was in the primary, he only had to run against
(a) the party (Hynes);
(b) a rich guy (Hull);
(c) a county wide official (Pappas);
(d) and (even though he is a complete joke now), a Latino former Mayoral Chief of Staff/School Board Chief who was the first to $1 million in fundraising (Gery Chico).
And let’s remember, that Obama wasn’t even the African-American candidate that everybody was talking about early on in that race. Until she decided to run for president, all eyes were on Mosley-Braun.
So, while Keyes may have been a cake, Obama got serious tests early on (and let’s not forget the can of whoop-a** he opened up on all of the above).
- Pretzel - Tuesday, Mar 21, 06 @ 2:16 pm:
Interested, yeah, “he said a stupid thing” A really stupid thing. Who’s working w/ this guy? They had to be expecting questions after the Crain’s article, and they couldn’t have prepared him a little better than that? The crime figure answer reads like he’s trying to be defiant, not stand up for his brother. So far, he’s come across as unprepared and whiny at best, dumb as a post at worst. The general’s going to be a blast w/ this pretty boy.
Right now I really enjoy that at a lot of the same folks who bashed Lisa about her old man are rushing to support this kid who’s only a banker b/c of his daddy. Oh well. Again, the general should be lots of fun w/ Alexi. Good call, Obama.