80 Comments - Gregor - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 1:04 am: Am I the only one that thinks this is a transparent exploitation of the alleged victim’s situation, for the sake of a transient negative campaign pop for the opposite party? Might be; it’s late… - shore - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 1:09 am: total non story. perhaps these state legislators could tell us how many women are unemployed right now in the state thanks to them or how many womens groups that get state aid have been cut off because of their reckless spending. - John Bambenek - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 7:03 am: Oh, it’s certainly fishing a victim to be used as a political cudgel, no doubt about it… But the GOP had to know this was coming, it isn’t like I’m the only one who said this was exactly what was going to happen. They got lucky it’s happening now in July instead of October 20th. They can still make it right now. - the Patriot - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 7:45 am: Where is the tie to the state GOP and Brady. This is pandering in very poor taste by a few people trying to use a victime to swing an election. Where is the criminal investigation? Is this going to be one of those things that after they beat on the GOP and Brady for a few weeks, she “decides” not to file charges? Let’s get some more facts. Brady needs to be on this quick. Just a statement that he will not discuss specifics due to the ongoing investigation by both criminal authorities and the party. He needs to condem this type of conduct in any situation and demand that anyone participating in this conduct or the cover up resign immediately. - wordslinger - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 7:51 am: I imagine the mainstream Chicago media, especially TV, has ignored the story because it would take too long to explain there are something like three different GOP organizations in the area, when most aren’t aware there’s even one. The Dem women are trying to cut through the clutter and toss Brady the hot potato. We’ll see. There seems to be a lot of bad blood among the GOP players. - Tom Joad - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:11 am: This was swept under the rug by GOP chair Brady. With the allegation out there that the woman involved was not permitted to leave, and her car keys were taken from her, this does deserve further investigation. - Champaign Dweller - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:14 am: It’s hard to get too worked up over this–in fact, as a woman, I’m appalled that other women would exploit a victim and such an issue for political gain. Would they be doing this if Quinn was doing better in the polls? - Skeeter - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:15 am: Wow. The first three comments are stunning. A high ranking local GOP [the family values party] official allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct including having a friend physically restrain a woman from leaving the official’s apartment, and the response from the right boils down to “this is cheap Dem politics”? Unbelievable. - haverford - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:16 am: Gregor, I assume the exploitation for political purposes you speak of is from the GOP, since they not only completely ignored the investigation, but promoted the guy who supposedly did it, and tried to force out of the party the woman who tried to have it investigated (according to the Huffington article). Whatever happens today, I hope at least enough coverage occurs to have someone *actually* look into the charges. But nice work, Republicans. Ads all over the air about how Bill Brady doesn’t care about women, and you prove the whole party doesn’t care. - haverford - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:20 am: Sorry to chime back in, but amen, Skeeter. It’s not just the charges - though they are repellent - but that MANY people knew and not only didn’t care, but appear to have actively hidden it. If they want to make a political score, maybe Dems could just run ads with comments 1, 2 & 3. - give me liberty - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:24 am: “But nice work, Republicans. Ads all over the air about how Bill Brady doesn’t care about women, and you prove the whole party doesn’t care.” Way to paint with a broad brush. So I assume you condemned Bill Clinton for having sex with a White House intern and you are urging Dems to throw Al Gore out of the party since he’s been accused by three different women of inappropriate sexual behavior? I’m not condoning this idiot’s actions, but by comparison, they are no where near as serious as what your former Prez and VP have done or been accused of doing. - Skeeter - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:24 am: One more note — two other people were present that night. There is no indication that the GOP took steps to identify them, much less interview them. Instead, the response was to sweep it under the rug and lash out at anyone who asked about it. That sure is not how people act when the allegations are completely baseless. - wordslinger - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:29 am: It’s only because the Chicago GOP is unknown and anemic that they got a pass this long. Sex scandals in politics are as American as apple pie, ever since Thomas Jefferson sicced James Callender on Alexander Hamilton for his affair with a married woman. Party doesn’t matter, sex sells. Al Gore’s in the Enquirer, for crying out loud. - Deep South - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:31 am: It DOES sound like one of those manufactured scandals the right wing media seems to produce on a daily basis. Except this time, the GOP is in the hot seat. In this instance, the GOP seems to be doing what it has done quite well for years, continue to shoot itself in the foot…bullet, after bullet, after bullet. They are there own worst enemy. - Skeeter - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:33 am: Give Me Liberty, It is early in the morning, and I haven’t yet finished my coffee, so my memory is not what it could be. Could you help me with something? When allegations were made against Al Gore, did Democratic Party officials ignore the allegations, promote him, try to retaliate against peoplew who suggested there be an investigation, and then deny receiving any complaint in the first place, as the GOP did in this case? It is possible that it all occurred with Gore and as such, the matters are as similar as you say, but I just don’t recall reading about that sort of cover-up. But it is still early in the morning. I may be mistaken. - Segatari - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:38 am: So it’s a guilt by association ploy…yeah the Dems sure have very few cards to play because they’ve sucked so bad at governing. Pathetic. Just sue the pants off the dufus small fry that this only involves here. - Bakersfield - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:39 am: Here’s hoping the first question asked is “If the victim was satisfied with the way this matter was handled, then why are you trying to push this out there?” “Subquestion, are you really this transparent?” - Davey Boy Smithe - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:39 am: I’m still waiting for Cook County Dems to come clean about the Tony Cole hiring and Donna Dunnings firing. - gfalkes - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:40 am: This is not a political story, its a legal one. If the victim chooses to pursue this,talk to a cop to have him prosecuted for unlawful restraint orfind a lawyer and sue.the allegation is serious but the political “outrage” is cynical posturing. - Bakersfield - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:48 am: Anonymous reports on blogs, a victim who is apparently satisfied with the way things were handled, worthless Republican leaders of a worthless Republican organization teaming up with people who are so delusional that they support Hillary and Palin? This calls for a news conference? Must be a slow news day. - give me liberty - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:48 am: Skeeter What if the allegations are false? Didn’t the Obama administration just fire someone without establishing all the facts? Perhaps it all hinges on what the definition of “is” is, right? - Aldyth - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 8:49 am: If the political parties were reversed, the Republicans would be all over this to nail the Democrats. This is just political strategy as usual, regardless of the merits of the victim’s complaints. - Reformer - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:00 am: Sure there’s partisanship involved — on both sides. Republicans would have a keener interest in getting to the bottom of the allegation if it involved a high Dem party official. - Skeeter - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:03 am: give me liberty wrote: “What if the allegations are false? Didn’t the Obama administration just fire someone without establishing all the facts?” Again, it is early, but my recollection is that the firing of that official was front page news nationally. I thought you believed that this was a non-story. Are you now suggesting that every paper in the country should put it on the front page? Wow. What a change of position. Great to see you taking this seriously. - Way South of the Border - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:09 am: For assault (remember, he physically restrained her, took her phone away), whether the victim wants to press charges isn’t so relevant. There’s a societal interest in going after the perp so that it doesn’t happen again. - Anonymous ZZZ - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:15 am: While the alleged conduct of the city and county GOP is disgusting (both the sexual misconduct and the sweeping the issue under the rug), I agree that this looks like a political stunt. What does Bill Brady have to do with it? Why are they asking him to answer for the behavior of some dolts at the city and county level? And, I would say the same thing if the situation were reversed, and Quinn was being asked to answer for the behavior of some wayward Dems. The outrage should be directed towards, and the questions should be aimed at, those who were directly involved. - John Bambenek - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:16 am: To clarify my earlier comments who some knuckle-draggers have interpretted as saying “Yay! Date rape is cool!”… The Democrats are doing this for political points, they don’t care about the victim. If they did, they’d note that she specifically didn’t want this publicity or her name to come out (and at this point, that’s inevitable). They’d also not specifically target Bill Brady who no report shows was involved in this matter. That said, if true (and it looks like it), Rose and Roupas should be gone. If the Republican Party can’t stand up to date rape (or attempted date rape) then we deserve to lose. And for the record, long before HillBuzz was on the case, the Chicago Republican Party (distinct from the Cook Coutny GOP) was ALREADY fighting to make this situation right. So the idea we need Feigenholtz to come in with PersonalPAC (who, incidently has remained silent on Planned Parenthood covering up for child sex abuse despite being a mandated reporter) because all Republicans support beating women is absurd and not supported by the facts. There have been many people (myself included, albeit in a minor way) who have been saying this situation needed to be made right. - Quinn T. Sential - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:18 am: “You don’t ever want a crisis to go to waste; it’s an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid.” – Rahm Emanuel If I were Brady, I would show up at the Press Conference; join them in their faux outrage, demand action, establish next step priorities, identify measures to hold people accountable and commit to follow up on the issue. By joining together with my fellow legislators, I am committed to make certain that no woman is victimized by a prepretrator without being held accountable, as well as calling to account those who have a responsibility to take action. Then I would turn to Senator Martinez; Chairperson of the Committee on Licensed Activities, Representative Yarborough, Chairperson of the House Appropriations-Public Safety Committee, and Representative Feigenholtz Chairperson of the House Appropriations-Human Services Committee(Chairperson); and ask them about how their oversight in these areas has helped to support the faulty regulatory framework which was exposed today. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has interpreted the state Medical Practice Act to mean that it cannot permanently revoke a physician’s license unless a doctor has been twice convicted of felonies involving controlled substances or public aid offenses. A Tribune review uncovered 16 convicted sex offenders who have held Illinois medical licenses within the past 15 years. Not one had his license permanently revoked. One doctor convicted of sexually abusing a patient was never disciplined by the state in any way. I would ask the Senator and the Representatives to join me in taking measures to protect women in situations where they could be most vulnerable; the Doctor’s office. I would ask the Senator, and the Representatives to join me in establishing an investigatory body to determine how and why this could have happened, and to put measures in place to make certain that it never happens again. - I'm Just Saying - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:20 am: The Tone deafness here is hilarious……. - Windy City Watch - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:21 am: Yes its a political stunt, a political stunt that the Republicans would be pulling if the shoe was on the other foot. Let’s all be honest here for a second, regardless of the severity of the allegations and what went on with the Cook County/Chicago GOP it would be a mistake for the Democrats not to draw attention it. As I opened with I doubt the GOP would be quiet if this was a Democratic controversy. - I'm Just Saying - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:21 am: Well Quinn, that’s where we can see that you are an amateur, I would say well Senator Brady, where have you been the last 16 years in the General assembly protecting these women????? - Skeeter - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:23 am: Quinn T. Sential, You really believe that Bill Brady would ever side with patients against doctors? Never going to happen. - Fed up - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:30 am: Where were these state reps when acting Gov Quinn was releasing dangerous criminals from prison early criminals who were convicted of Domestic Violence. Criminals who have since been re arrested for new crimes harming new victims. The state reps were silent as Quinn let criminals go free to victimize others. - Indeedy - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:32 am: @Way South—Whether or not the victim presses charges or not is absolutely relevant. No one should be mantled with the “perpetrator” label without the benefit of the law, cops and courts, you know, arbiters of “societal interest”… - Fed up - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:34 am: Did any of these state reps demand a response regarding Ricky Hendons sexist attack on a fellow state rep. No the silence was defining then. - Quinn T. Sential - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:36 am: Skeeter, this is not a doctors vs. patients issue; but rather a victim vs. perpretrators issue. The perpretrators in the cases mentioned just so happen to be those that are licensed by the State of Illinois, under a regulatory scheme which is designed to provide protection for the public against those that are unfit to serve in the licensed capacity. The same could occur in situations with students against teachers; and if this kind of regulatory oversight was occurring at the ISBE, do you think Brady would be silent about that as well? Whether the perpetrators were doctors or not; the Committees on which Sen. Martinez, Representative Yarboruogh, and Representative Feigenholtz all served as Chairperson could have had a role in identifying this issue and resolving it; but they did not. - the Patriot - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:37 am: So we are going to tie Brady to an alleged scandal with no criminal findings as of yet when the people involved have no direct role in his campaign, but pretend Quinn had nothing to do with they guy he ran for office with twice, campaigned around the state with, and worked down the hall from for 6 years. Is there a criminal complaint on file? - DIA - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:44 am: And why does Bill Brady have to answer for someone else’s mistake and cover-up? Political hogwash in my opinion. Brady may be the GOP governor candidate, but shouldn’t someone within the GOP leadership structure, Cook County GOP, or Cook County Young Republicans answer the questions raised by these women? - Deep South - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:45 am: Geez…what’s with all the “I’m rubber, you’re glue” defenses. Everyone from Al Gore to Quinn’s early prisoner release has been brought up as if to make the GOP sticky wicket, well less sticky, if not outright acceptable. IMHO, this tactic seems to be the prefered defense offered by those who live over in nutjobistan. - Cincinnatus - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:49 am: This is a huge opportunity for Brady to blunt some of Quinn’s recent attacks. Anyone think Brady’s team is smart and nimble to use this gift? - dave - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:51 am: This is a huge opportunity for Brady to blunt some of Quinn’s recent attacks. Anyone think Brady’s team is smart and nimble to use this gift? Huh? Pretty sure that Brady wants to run as far away as he can from this. - Cuban Pilot - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:53 am: This is starting to stink of desperation for the state Dem party. A press conference to bring Sen. Brady into this mess is just another part of this desperation strategy to say that Brady hates women. Since Alexi prevents the State Dem party from really bashing Brady about the tax issue, the only major stone the State Dems can throw at this time is this silly notion that Brady really, really hates women….(i.e., he is against abortion, so he must hate women; he is not for the era, so he must really hate women, and now because a couple of idiots in the cook county gop did something wrong to a women, that must also mean that Brady this time really, realy, really, really hates women). The State Dem. party is so overplaying this campaign theme. Rich, as for the Chicago media not really reporting this story, I think it is because the Cook County GOP is a joke. The GOP will do well state-wide, but not because of Cook County. Since there are so many other major political stories right now involving Chicago, why would the major media really wish to spend a lot of time on a complicated story involving a joke organization. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:53 am: You want to make this a story … have the accuser show up at this press event … that would be really something. Beyond the story, if you want to make hay at someone’s accusation and then not have the accuser, then it turns into something other than genuine concern and outrage. Just a thought…. And for the record, I feel it is an embarrassment and a shame, but since I was not there and can only speculate what might have happened, I can only say I am disappointed at the apparent situation, and hope the truth comes out for everyone’s sake, especially if there is a victim. Also, if it turns out there is no substantial evidence and the story breaks up (unlike a SLC where NO ON has retracted), then I hope the accused is vindicated with the same vigor. - Honest Abe - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:54 am: This press release is about as meaningful as Gloria Allred calling a press conference to announce that she is representing one tryst partners of Tiger Woods. - Anonymous - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:55 am: This IS exploitation of the victim. She elected not go public for a reason. Forget Clinton, that was years ago, let’s try somethings more recent and a lot closer to home (Rich, you covered both of these at the time they became public)… #1. I wonder why State Senator Iris Martinez, State Representative Karen Yarbrough, State Representative Sarah Feigenholtz, Melissa Widen, PersonalPAC Board of Directors Vice-Chairman all sat mum when Ricky Hendon was a little too touchy-feely for Robin Kelly. Did any of these “women” come out against Hendon for re-election or when he ran for Lt. Guv? No. None did. I wonder why? #2. When Senator Durbin (DEMOCRAT-IL) dimissed a young female staffer last year, but allowed his longtime male aide, to stay on after an internal investistigation revealed that the two had enaged in an inapporpriate relation, I wonder why State Senator Iris Martinez, State Representative Karen Yarbrough, State Representative Sarah Feigenholtz, Melissa Widen, PersonalPAC Board of Directors Vice-Chairman all stayed mum? It takes two to tango, right? Sure the longtime male staffer was “demoted,” or was he????? But, the young female staffer was pushed out. There was a 20+ year age difference between the two btw. Do these Democrat birds really want to go here with this, considering the baggage on their side of the aisle with issues like this? I agree with Quinn T, Bill Brady would be wise to use a little sincere mocking and join with Iris ‘n’ gals on condeming any and all forms of sexual harrassment, regardless of political party affiliation. I hope the Chicago media doesn’t waste time and resources on this Democrat stunt. The Democrats are so/too desperate. But the Chicago media will probably allow themselves to be duped because most of them are left-leaning. - Amalia - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:55 am: the narrative is that the Republican party does not care about women. this event today is in that spirit. - Bakersfield - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 9:56 am: Abe: I’m sure Gloria is already on a United Flight to ORD, her first question when she arrives “what do you mean the victim isn’t here?” - anon III - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 10:05 am: Is this about party accountability for policy decisions that have left this State vying for the title of Most Likely to Default, or Most Corrupt Political Class, or Least Representative State Government? - Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 10:05 am: non-sarcastic and sarcastic are the same person and are therefore deleted and banned. No sock puppetry here, folks. This is the second time I’ve banned someone for this offense on this topic. I’m gonna start publishing IP addresses if it keeps up. - I'm Just Saying - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 10:16 am: Where is Illinois Review on this one, or is Fran Eaton protecting her lil protege……. - davE - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 10:30 am: Since when was Illinois Review relevant to even most Republicans? - Responsa - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 10:47 am: ==the narrative is that the Republican party does not care about women. this event today is in that spirit. == Thanks for at least being honest in your description about what “this event is about”. How do you think the narrative plays with Republican women and many other voters with XX chromosomes? Insulting their intelligence maybe? - Small Town Liberal - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 10:48 am: - close working relationships that he had with female staffers. - Maybe the GOP’s problem is that its members and supporters don’t seem to understand the difference between relationships and assault/harassment. - John Bambenek - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 10:51 am: s/it’s members/some of it’s members/ HTH HAND - NattyBumpo - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 11:00 am: The truth is now irrelevant. The issue is the cover-up. Lee Roupas, the man child Chairman of the Cook County GOP covered up everything for his man child pal Jeremy Rose. Two little boys who were out of their element decided the best way to cover the mess up was to destroy the woman who brought it forward. So, one man child is accused of sexually harassing or attempting date rape. He and the other man child decide to go after a woman who brought the allegation to light. It seems these to man children really hate women. It seems the the man children should get a royal spanking. Instead, Roupas is still a chairman and his fellow man child, Rose, may get a lucrative GOP consulting gig as a reward for his horrendous behavior. What a country. - S.A.D. - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 11:14 am: Who was this complaint made to? Not the police/legal authorities, correct? And it was settled months ago (to the satisfaction of the complainant) after a conversation with Rick Veenstra according to the HuffPo story, correct? - Bakersfield - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 11:22 am: S.A.D.- Yep - John Bambenek - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 11:29 am: S.A.D.- This is politics and perception is reailty… you don’t take someone who was accused of such behavior and then give him a paid job in a county political organization… and then beat on people who cry foul. If he stayed as Chairman of the CYR’s, this would be nothing more than controversy fodder for third-stringer bloggers. Giving him a job and promoting him up through the ranks with full knowledge of his antics shows a profound lack of judgment and that’s before the attempts to slap around Eloise Gerson. This should be common sense… - Bubs - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 11:37 am: There is some question on whether the email was faked. Chicago Republican Chairman Eloise Gerson heard just the opposite when she spoke to the victim in June. - Ann Womacki - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 11:52 am: Jeremy Rose is now going around and telling people how much great work he did and that his political enemies, Republicans and Democrats alike, are “weaponizing” the victims email. Hillbuzz has called him “The Prophet” because of his cult like control of the Young Republicans, this is just another example of his manipulation. This nutjob sexual predator is now trying to claim to be the victim. This is seriously disturbed. - Ann Womacki - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 11:58 am: S.A.D. The story is the cover-up by Roupas of a female whistleblower. A woman brought the complaint to his attention and he tried to have her removed from office. That is not how you treat female sexual harassment issues, EVER! By now, everyone knows the sexual predator is a problem, but people are being to understand the mentality of some (not all), young GOP party leaders like Rose and Roupas. I think it is good for all female leaders of either party to stand up and ask questions. But I don’t think Bill Brady has anything to do with this. (cross fingers) - just sayin' - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 12:29 pm: Gerson and Roupas are both worthless. But in this case it looks like Gerson has Roupas dead to rights. You can’t be seen as trying to punish Gerson for trying to bring another woman’s complain forward, no matter how nasty Gerson is herself and no matter how phony Gerson’s “concern” is for this other woman. - wordslinger - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 12:33 pm: Any GOP GA members chimed in on this GOP dustup, yet? Sen. Radogno, for instance? - Ghost - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 12:44 pm: The GOP seems determined to fumble its opportunity to retake IL. - Bakersfield - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 12:50 pm: Ghost- certainly does not help when you have people in the same color jersey trying to strip the ball. - Gregor - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 12:52 pm: I thought the slam against my initial post was uncalled for. I never said I wasn’t sympathetic to the victim, or skeptical of the charges. I only questioned the motives on the staged reaction and the tone with which it was delivered. I don’t believe the Dem women were thinking first and only about helping that victim, rather primarily about how to score points against the Republicans with it. There is an internet term for that kind of false support, they call it “concern trolling”. And that’s my impression of what the press pop was. - jonbtuba - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 1:38 pm: Non-story? Child please! Sexual misconduct being covered up so someone can get promotions is disgusting. - John Bambenek - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 2:04 pm: It’s only a non-story when Democrats do it. /snark - Ghost - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 2:23 pm: JB, after all the GOP tends to keep out of this kind of stuff, such as that non story about the consentual relationship of a president and an intern. Oh wait, it the GOP that sees these as a non-story when its their folks caught up in the tangle… - John Bambenek - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 2:41 pm: I suppose the GOP wouldn’t have gotten involved with Lewinsky if it weren’t for the fact that he lied under oath about it… In fact, I’m pretty sure he still doesn’t have his federal law license because of that. I do have to hand it to the Clintons and Dems, that whole issue was spun masterfully… - Transplant - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 2:47 pm: Minutes after the Eliot Spitzer scandal broke, “I am client #9″ T-shirts saying “I am client #9 were for sale on the Internet. Yet, I’ve never seen a “I have a wide stance” T-shirt. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 2:48 pm: Um, Transplant, http://www.cafepress.com/widestance - wordslinger - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 2:49 pm: JB, you can get away with anything when the government is balancing the budget, paying off old debt, the economy is booming and you’re at peace. I’m amused at the harrumphing about the partisanship of this issue. Like I said before, it’s as old as the Republic, no matter the partisan stripe or era. You might as well howl at the moon or curse the sun for coming up in the east. - Skeeter - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 2:49 pm: John, Tnat last note is ridiculous. First, there is no such thing as a “federal law license.” Second, he “lied under oath” because GOP hack Starr somehow considered who the President had sexual relations with to be relevant to an Arkansas land deal. That was PURELY a GOP move. Don’t act like was anything else. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 2:50 pm: Can we stop talking about Clinton and get back to the post at hand please? This has gone just too far afield. State issues, people. State. - Double take - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 3:01 pm: any follow up to the presser? Is Jeremy Rose still the CYR Chair? - A.B. - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 3:05 pm: Really? Are we spending this many key strokes on this? This equates to one guy flirting with someone and that woman not saying no for quite a while. Then she decides to leave, the guy tries to convince her to stay, but ultimately the young lady leaves. Maybe he should not have taken her phone, but since there are no eye witness accounts, that could have been a 10 second conversation or a 10 hour conversation. Regardless, if there aren’t charges, then why are we wasting finger dexterity on this? - Skeeter - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 3:12 pm: A.B., You really don’t get it. THEY SAT ON HER TO PHYSICALLY PREVENT HER FROM LEAVING, at least accoridng to her leaving. As Blago, sitting on somebody to prevent them from leaving, along with taking the cell phone to prevent communication, is a big f**ing deal. And the response to those allegations from the GOP? No investigation, promote the guy who did it, and then try to punish somebody who asked about it. We don’t know if there are eyewitness accounts, because the Cook County GOP never tried to get eyewitness accounts, and the woman did not know who the other two people were. The only people who could get eyewitnesses accounts were — guess who? So yes, it is worth the keystrokes. - Skeeter - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 3:14 pm: That post should read: As “Blago might say.” My bad. - Cincinnatus - Friday, Jul 30, 10 @ 3:28 pm: Skeeter, as hard as this may be for me to say, I agree with the intent of what you are saying. Brady should use the opportunity to stand with women by issuing a press release denouncing this behavior, which is morally and politically smart. The ILGOP (Illinois Goofiness Only Please) should at least say they are going to launch an investigation. I wish I were in charge of these chucklehead when this alleged incident happened. I have ZERO tolerance for this behavior, as my former employees know. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.