66 Comments - 47th Ward - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:19 pm: I voted no simply because I’m a Democrat and wish to see the Republicans at each other’s throats for as long as possible. Brady should do everything in his power to steer the nomination to a crony, alienating the voters and creating new enemies within his own party. Stick to your guns Mr. Chairman. Honor and fair play are for sissies. Personal interest before party, that is what has made the ILGOP the envy of state GOP organizations everywhere. - Old Milwaukee - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:22 pm: No. He’s the State Party Chairman for crying out loud. - Raising Kane - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:23 pm: recuse himself from what? He doesn’t vote and he isn’t chairing the committee. I know you love to pile on Pat Brady but what on earth are you talking about? - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:28 pm: ===I know you love to pile on Pat Brady=== Oh, please. Bite me. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:28 pm: I voted yes, but if Brady keeps “saying” things under the guise “well, I have no vote, … however …” than what good is it if Brady is recused? Looks to be pretty open … “looks” to be pretty open. If clarke gets it, it will be the Ultimate “bait and switch, I knew nothing about it, except for that website thing …” If Davis gets it, it will be said that Clarke was so damaged, that to at least keep the peace, the ILGOP’s former guy will stop the belly-aching … It goes on and on … Yes, Brady should… has he … not … really(?) … Will he? … after all the backroom yapping, he may not have to when it comes down to it. This backstory, and the link … not the story of the monies going… but the link to the 13th Nomination reeks of Cys and the Clarke folks, via Bernie. What a mess no matter what now … like spilled milk. - so.... - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:28 pm: He doesn’t have a vote. Far as I can tell, all Brady has done is spoken to the media to gotten this organized so a replacement can be chosen in a timely manner. Besides, with people like John Parrott on the committee, who no one will ever accuse of being cozy with the State Party, I don’t think undue influence from Brady is going to be an issue. - spilled milk - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:33 pm: This just looks like the Jerry Clarke - Mike Tristano wing of the party crying because their guy is so damaged no one wants him and now they’re hoping this non-story evens the odds. BTW, isn’t one of Clarke’s biggest benefactors, Habeeb Habeeb one of the ones who got Griffin money? - Wensicia - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:37 pm: He doesn’t have a vote, so, no. He’d still have influence whether he’s on the committee or not. - Moderate REpub - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:38 pm: Yes - he should back away. For no other reason then it will hurt Rodney if he stays in. It doesn’t matter what the reality of his influence over the process is - its about the perception. - Donation police - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:42 pm: If these party organizations got this money with instructions on how to spend it that is illegal in Illinois under our elction laws. No person shall make an anonymous contribution or a contribution in the name of another person, and no person shall knowingly accept any anonymous contribution or contribution made by one person in the name of another person. Anonymous contributions shall escheat to the State of Illinois. - remember Stephanie - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:46 pm: Its nice to see the Champaign Republicans belly ache about “corruption”. They back a Lee Daniels / George Ryan hack with links to the Mike Tristano indictment, the locals have a long history of corruption and they bag on Davis for… Raising money for the party. Clarke’s on the central committee, what has he brought in besides a flagrant attempt to get to Congress without a primary? - Yocal Local - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:46 pm: I am more concerned whether Jerry Clarke signed those travel vouchers than a Karl Rove event. - Lakeview - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:48 pm: They all ready know who the choice is, and this is just show. You think Tim Johnson really had an epiphany just as soon as the election was over? This whole thing was planned. And, as a voter, it is disgusting. - shore - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:52 pm: voters should decide this, not party hacks. - define irony - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:54 pm: Isn’t ironic that Clarke is going to get appointed to run for Congress (without a primary) in maps that he’s responsible for because he so badly bungled Brady’s campaign? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:59 pm: If Cys and Clarke are pulling out all the Tristano tricks and muddying-up Davis to get the nod .. then … 1) Jerry still thinks, and truly may be … “behind” in this process. 2) Jerry and Cys are taking NO chances to secure what they think they have LOCKED UP. Like in “Casino” …”Why take a chance?” 3) Jerry’s wife’s “Form letters” also make it quite clear that the Clarke camp, while doing everything possible, are not above fabricating, (sorry, ‘assisting with verbage’) “letters”, and sullying up other candidates to look better, not necessarily look good to secure this nomination. ***NOTE: 99.9% of the time spouses are OUT of bounds, but her ‘letter writing’ fiasco and her staff position with Peter Fitzgerald make it quite clear she is more than a “doting spouse” and part of what seems to be a bit of an orchestrated attempt at looking less than inside knowledgeable. Like I said, lots of milk spilled here … - CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 12:59 pm: Come on guys, we must keep “Gags” Brady at the helm. VOTE NO NOW! Just look what he did in 2010 at the head of one of the great GOPie waves in the history of the party. Pay no attention to the Griffin money laundering scandals. It will all blow over. There will be no impact on RapidRodney and all these county chairs who will be getting door knocks from who know who is the nights and days ahead. We are certain ChopperJerry will raise not a peep on the issue of campaign funding (primarily because he was weened in the temple of don’t waste campaign cash when tax dollars are handy) Fire, Aim Ready - Sangamon GOP - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 1:05 pm: I say no, but under the state law it doesn’t look like Brady has, or should assert, a role in the process. Pat is chairman, Jerry is a central committeeman over lots of the area. There is nothing sinister, it’s just reality. Rodney did some monumental work with the Victory program that probably helped win 5 out of 4 targeted House races last cycle. He also did a great job getting the state party out of a major hole. Jerry has taken some recent hits and, rightly or wrongly, gets some of the blame around here for Bill Brady losing the governor’s race. - Stu - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 1:09 pm: So Rodney’s current and former bosses, Shimkus and Brady praise him and say he was a great employee. Jerry’s former boss says he shouldn’t get the nod. As a member of the state central committee, Jerry oversaw the party piling up over 300k in debt. When Rodney tool over the party he raised enough to wipe out the debt. I kinda think pat Brady is obligated to provide witness to work Rodney did, how else can county chairs evaluate who has the skill sets to win a tough race. - LincolnLounger - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 1:22 pm: If anybody really thinks Rodney Davis “raised” that money, they don’t know how the State Party works. I think Jerry Clarke and Rodney Davis are both good guys. Both have connections to elements of the Republican Party that could be used to muddy them up, however, I’m more concerned with the fact that Rodney Davis has already lost a couple of elections. At the end of the day, I think that concern about Davis and Clarke’s military service should put him over the top to be the best candidate for Republicans. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 1:27 pm: ===I’m more concerned with the fact that Rodney Davis has already lost a couple of elections.=== Clarke … Lee A. Daniels WAS Speaker when Clarke took over Operations at HGOP … Madigan gets gavel again Jim Ryan for Governor … Clarke runs the show … “Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome, Rod Blagojevich, Governor-Elect!” Bill Brady for Governor - takes over the campaign while rising, and 2 weeks out, looks to be winning. We now have, not only Pat Quinn … but the …”Clarke” … Map. You sure you want to worry about Rodney over Jerry in campaigns?? Good.Luck.With.That. - It's Just Me - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 1:29 pm: I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s QOTD about Democratic State party chairman recusing themselves from voting to endorse constitutional officers or Democratic County Executives using their influence to appoint members of the General Assembly. - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 1:34 pm: Let’s all get back to the question, please. Thanks. - Dirty Red - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 1:38 pm: No. So what if he hurts Rodney? The party elected Pat Brady to be a prominent figure for them. I feel for those Rodney supporters upset by this, but Clarke’s people likely felt the same pain when Johnson did that little number on his former COS a couple weeks ago. The game is the game. - Ahoy! - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 1:52 pm: Yes, for the reasons listed in the story and mainly because he’s not part of the 13th district. Let the local county chairman work it out. - It's Just Me - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 2:10 pm: Ah, c’mon, Rich? I don’t get a “bite me”? - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 2:13 pm: http://behance.vo.llnwd.net/profiles23/305596/projects/947222/d69c631ebea2d5da6ee836eb09d5d2e6.jpg - Downstate - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 2:29 pm: Brady should NOT recuse himself. As head of the party, and supposedly someone that has worked with both Clarke and Davis, I think Brady should certainly be involved in the decision making. Being a GREAT Congressman is about delivering the votes, dollars and constituent services. Seems like Brady might have a good view of the ability of the candidates on all fronts. - CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 2:39 pm: Capt Fax is absoul loot lee correct. Get back to the question…should Gags Brady be forced to quit as GOPie Chair becuase he engineered the Griffin Laundromatgate, allowing RapidRodney to have his pristine imaged soiled and Forcing ChopperJerry to looks like he hates rich hedgefunders sneaking six figure payments through loopholealooza - anon - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 2:52 pm: Exactly what appearance of fairness or propriety would Brady be trying to protect by recusal? - fairness - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 3:18 pm: If we’re concerned about fairness, maybe TJo should have dropped out before the primary and let the voters choose instead of giving his pal ChopperJerry a free congressional ride to lose to Dr. Coathanger. - Freeman - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 3:22 pm: 1.) A big difference exists between chairing a search committee for the party you lead compared to actively pushing one individual or another’s nomination. 2.) This is local intra-party politics. People as politically active as Clarke and Davis and even Wassink get to know people over the years. It’s likely we would be having a similar conversation about Candidate A’s connections to Search Committee Chair B even if Brady weren’t involved. - chad - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 3:46 pm: Brady (and any other GOP official) has the absolute right — in fact, duty — to share perspectives on candidates for a GOP nomination. If we had more of this going on in the GOP, we would not have become saddled with so many bad candidates through the years, and the party would be a lot more relevant than it is now. Jee wiz — that is what party organizations are all about — nominating and electing candidates. What an innovative, radical thought. It is just plan goofy to assert that elected political party leaders should not share their views on candidates seeking a nomination, unless there is some party rule requiring it (not in this case). I guess some people still don’t get it that this is Illinois, and politics is not for the weenie faint-at-heart club. The law is express that the state chair plays no official role of any type in this process — so Pat, go ahead and share your thoughts whatever they are, and try to influence things as you see fit. The County Chairmen will convene themselves and cast the votes to select the nominee. Call him what you will, but at least Brady is known to the media, gets invited to be interviewed, says things that are interesting to report, and is a living, breathing, “actual” chairman. He is not some expense account spending toad. Back in the Edgar, Ryan, and Thompson years the state chairmen were told to shut-up, and generally did so. This lingered for years after, and helped contribute to the condition we are in now. So Madigan is not supposed to share his opinions on who should get Democratic nominations? Get real people. As for Rodney/Jerry, either will do well in the general. They both know how to run campaigns, get done what needs to get done, and would be effective congressmen. - Team Sleep - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 4:03 pm: I can’t believe people are voting yes. Really - a sitting major political party chair should recuse himself from his own party’s selection for a ballot replacement?! Who cares about Pat Brady’s connections? Do people think Congressman Shimkus didn’t help get Pat into his current positions? Do people think Rodney Davis just magically became Victory director and state party placeholder? Everything in politics is based on connections and networking. Pat Brady likely has similar connections in other new Congressional districts. Is he supposed to recuse himself every time a friend or even an enemy runs for office or is seeking an appointment to an office? - chad - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 4:15 pm: Team Sleep: I couldn’t agree more. If I had my way, the party leadership or conventions would provide all the nominations. The primary process is a major reason why elected officials have little or no loyalty to the policy positions or preferences of political parties and their members. Nominations are provided by parties. These weepy claims of fairness make me sick. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 4:18 pm: if we recused all interested parties, there would be no one left to vote. - Amusing Myself - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 4:31 pm: No. All this is theatrics that aren’t going to matter. Whoever gets the appointment is likely going to be the Congressman, and any blame for a “corrupt” process rest solely on the shoulders of Tim Johnson - no one else. It has been an open process or we wouldn’t be talking about it. It would already be done otherwise. Whoever wins the appointment will win by assembling the support of the most chairmen’s weighted votes. Anyone who knows the chairmen involved knows that it will be no easy task. If this were Cook County, everyone would shrug it off. Since its been picked apart in the news in a more open manner than normal, everyone needs to take a breath, let the duly elected chairmen do their jobs, and support the nominee in the fall. Geesh! You’d think the free world were at stake. It’s a Congressional seat, people! And it’s going to be Republican pretty much no matter who the nominee is. Move on! - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 4:35 pm: ===If I had my way, the party leadership or conventions would provide all the nominations. The primary process is a major reason why elected officials have little or no loyalty to the policy positions or preferences of political parties and their members.=== So the voters are enough accountabilty? What????? The reason we are in this mess is because the Primary System looks to be hijacked …If you don’t understand that, then you have no clue about the political “loyalty” and “backroom deals” that DO work, … as opposed to slimey fake impressions of “the process” while the “fix” was in. Backroom deals in this 21st century will lead to fringe “ultra-left” or “ultra-right” loons and everyone else in the middle with NO loyalty. Your dream is cute, thou. - wordslinger - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 4:41 pm: ===If I had my way, the party leadership or conventions would provide all the nominations. The primary process is a major reason why elected officials have little or no loyalty to the policy positions or preferences of political parties and their members.=== That sure worked swell in the Alan Keyes case. And was a major contributor to Obama’s road to the White House. Ah, but the ideological purity must have been delicious. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 4:52 pm: AMEN - wordlsinger -! We all must be pure … or we are going to have about 100 parties and look like a Paliamentary system that is sucha mess, no one will be loyal to anyone or anyhthing. Bad news on Lugar … my party is failing me, and they don’t even know it - LincolnLounger - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 6:08 pm: @Willy — I’m probably still off-topic, but my point was that Rodney lost races as a CANDIDATE. Your references to Clarke’s performance was as a staffer. Frankly, I always thought Clarke was a beacon of competence in the House GOP organization. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 6:16 pm: ===I always thought Clarke was a beacon of competence in the House GOP organization.=== Yeah, then there is that track record to refute that impression you have… since we are off-topic and all … I will stick with my thoughts on Rodney v. Jerry as CANDIDATES too. (That means you are not helping Jerry, to let you know.) - just sayin' - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 6:29 pm: When Erika Harold gives her acceptance speech after winning with the overwhelming support of the county chairmen, she should first thank the clumsy white males (Pat Brady, Davis, Clarke, Shimkus, Schock, Johnson, et al.) whose buffoonery and amateurism made it all possible. Thanks guys. It’s been real. - Amusing Myself - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 6:32 pm: Someone tried to hang Jim Ryan’s loss on Clarke. If I remember correctly - and I’m pretty sure I do - Clarke led Jim Ryan to a primary win, and then went back to Washington, with someone else running the General Election race. Carter Hendren, maybe? Jerry definitely wears the collar of the Brady loss in 2010, but let’s keep the record straight if that’s so crucial to deciding who would make the best candidate and Congressman. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 6:46 pm: - Amusing Myself -, “Someone” is me… and others, but I will take it. Carter was indeed brought in, but as much as Jerry would like to walk the entire Jim Ryan general fiasco back by blaming Carter, I dunno if Jerry gets “unscathed” … I wouldn’t mind going down “Memory Lane” on the “W”s and “L”s, and I hope the County Chairs go down that road …but this post is not about that, but I wanted to make sure you “blamed” me and not “Someone” … The ILGOP always blames “Someone”, but never quite takes the blame themselves … - too obvious - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 7:11 pm: Yeah it’s not like Pat Brady directed big chunks of money from rich contributors into the hands of any of these county gop organizations where Brady could then go back and pressure them into voting for Brady’s chosen candidate, a guy who just happened to work for Brady…..oh wait. - Stu - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 7:41 pm: Yeah, I’m sure pat Brady really conspired to direct that cash to people that he can leverage to vote for Rodney. People like Logan chair dave bender, who is clarke’s “campaign manager”. What a ridiculous tinfoil comment. - too obvious - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 7:50 pm: Right, that’s why Pat Brady and Rodney Davis let the county chairs keep 5 grand out of the 20 grand they received from the Chicago billionaires. They are great guys. Pure as the driven snow. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 7:59 pm: ===Right, that’s why Pat Brady and Rodney Davis let the county chairs keep 5 grand out of the 20 grand they received from the Chicago billionaires.=== Careful … Careful. Take a breath. You want to speculate and resonably “guess”, ok … you will be called a “tinfoil hat” wearer, but … Now, if you want to go “exacts” and such … be real careful. Twenty “Large” and “Five G” on the side? That is the road you want to go? Better be able to prove that … Specifics on the “Benjamins” will always get called out. Bernie’s column just insinuates and asks the questions. I keep reading it … I don’t see the “20 for 5″. Lemme know when you have that Cold. - annon - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 8:32 pm: This is turning into a 5 act musical ! Take the vote GOP chairman ! There’s always a million ways to analyize this & a million opinions. It is what it is. Johnson’s gone. Just take the vote. It’s time ! - The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 9:05 pm: lol I actually agree with 47th’s first post on the thread, but not for the same reason. I’m hoping there’s a lesson to be learned in that scenario as outlined in the 2nd paragraph of the referenced post. But then again, the GOP thus far, have been very good at dashing all things “hopey changey”–so I’ve set my expectations accordingly. - The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 9:20 pm: Touche, word! - The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 9:31 pm: And as an add-on to word’s observation, that seems to also be the time that *hope* for top Republican leadership focused on, and a spirit grounded in, outreach and inclusion (that “big tent nastiness they’d rather do without) was not attacked and put to bed for good, but so was “feeling good” about candidates and the party’s prospects. Can’t help but remember how certain factions went out of their way to poo-poo that nasty idealism. - The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 9:32 pm: Sorry. “…was not ONLY attacked….” - Chad - Thursday, May 10, 12 @ 10:29 pm: Ow and Ws: Call it what you want, but party leaders acting in compliance with the law is not slimy. It’s your whining about fairness that is pathetic. The party nominates in all cases, but the best party nominations generally come from the most informed — and that means party leaders. My comments have nothing to do with maintaining purity or the other misleading points you make. Why don’t you get a bill introduced to require “fairness”, or perhaps another to allow weenies to order a party chair to shut-up because he is being “mean”. - Jon Zahm - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 1:27 am: Pat Brady should recuse himself. But he likes to stick his nose into things he should have no business with like the Lauzen vs. Burns primary in which Chris won with 70%. The ego of this guy is huge. Go to www.illinois13.com to see why Davis is better than Clarke but Harold and Wassink are better than Davis for the appointment. - Anonymous - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 1:52 am: The new IL-GOP: The party of weenies and meanies. How’s that been workin’ for us since the “slick” meanies took over? - The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 1:53 am: Sorry, that last one was me. - The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 3:16 am: BTW, Rich. You probably know it was JRT’s birthday this week. I was sort of looking forward to some archived photo you’d dig up for us to have fun with. - wordslinger - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 7:19 am: –Call it what you want, but party leaders acting in compliance with the law is not slimy. It’s your whining about fairness that is pathetic. – Chad, I don’t remember calling anything “slimy” or “whining about fairness.” Please refresh my memory and post where I did. Otherwise, how about you let me write my own stuff and you just keeping digging your hole without my help? - Anonymous - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 7:29 am: - Chad - I wrote, not - wordslinger -: ===… as opposed to slimey fake impressions of “the process” while the “fix” was in.=== You then wrote: === Call it what you want, but party leaders acting in compliance with the law is not slimy. It’s your whining about fairness that is pathetic. The party nominates in all cases, but the best party nominations generally come from the most informed — and that means party leaders.=== 1) Alan Keyes - That was a REAL good one, thank good ness for the “most informed” helping the Party! Further 2)Acting within the law is not slimey. Trying to “fool” me and others that a Primary was not a Primary, then setting up websites weeks befroe the Primary ends (to actually HAVE a smoking gun of some sort that can only make sense if someone KNEW something), yep, that is pretty slimey. Alan Keyes … boy those Most Informed get it right! Primaries are for Dopes! I love the far-left… and the far-right! I guess all Republicans are Equal … just some Republicans are more Equal than others… or is that “Pure” …? Keep shrinking my party - Chad - … - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 7:41 am: Sorry, that last one was me. - Old Milwaukee - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 8:01 am: Take the vote already and choose the next congressman. It’s not going to be Dr. Gill. - too obvious - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 8:35 am: Erika Harold may be the only one who can save the GOP from this latest embarrassing trainwreck. The IL GOP is going to be an even bigger national laughingstock if it slates the undeserving Rodney Davis. What’s the guy ever done to show he deserves a promotion? The state party he’s been running with Pat Brady is a mess. Couldn’t even beat Blago’s running mate 2 yrs ago. - OneMan - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 8:47 am: I am just saying yes because if the Kane County Board Chairman primary taught us anything, it has taught us that Pat Brady does a horrible job picking winning candidates to back. - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 11, 12 @ 9:21 am: ===What’s the guy ever done to show he deserves a promotion? … Couldn’t even beat Blago’s running mate 2 yrs ago.=== I guess that goes for Jerry Clarke too? All 4 at this point are underwhelming. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.