*** UPDATE 1 *** I didn’t see this New York Times report which cuts through the spin…
The president and general counsel of the Ending Spending Political Action Fund, Brian Baker, said through a spokesman that the plan was submitted to a group that included him and two of Mr. Ricketts’s sons at a meeting in Chicago last week. “I was surprised and troubled by what I saw,” he said. “It was not what we asked for.”
But on Wednesday, when Mr. Baker was asked in an interview whether Mr. Ricketts had rejected the advertising proposal, he said only that no decisions had been made.
Um, OK.
And…
The Ricketts family is close, friends say, but politically divided. Two of his sons, Pete and Todd, attended the meeting in Chicago last week to review the advertising proposal, which was titled, “The Defeat of Barack Hussein Obama.” His daughter, Laura, is one of the top contributors to Mr. Obama’s re-election bid and is a member of the campaign’s national finance committee. His other son, Tom, is the general chairman of the Chicago Cubs and said he was not politically active.
Those two sons are Cub shareholders.
*** UPDATE 2 *** With thanks to a commenter, this is also from the NYT article and is very damning evidence…
A page in the proposal about potential staff members for the effort says, “With your preliminary approval at the New York meeting, we have discussed this plan in highly confidential terms with the following proposed team members,” who, it says, are “ready to jump into action upon plan approval.”
Associates of Mr. Ricketts acknowledged that upon seeing a commercial Mr. Davis produced in 2008 for Mr. McCain featuring Mr. Wright, which Mr. McCain rejected, Mr. Ricketts said. “If the nation had seen that ad, they’d never have elected Barack Obama.” The quote was highlighted in the proposal.
The Ricketts family needs to explain this. Now.
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* Yesterday’s New York Times report revelation that Joe Ricketts and his family were briefed on a campaign battle plan to make people “hate” President Obama this year created a furious reaction from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has been working with the team on a stadium remodeling plan. His aides sent out this e-mail yesterday…
The Mayor was livid when he read that the Ricketts were going to launch a $10 million campaign against President Obama – with the type of racially motivated ads that are insulting to the President and the Presidential Campaign.
He is also livid with their blatant hypocrisy.
The Ricketts have tried to contact the Mayor but he’s said that he does not want to talk with them today, tomorrow or anytime soon.
* Tom Ricketts, the Cub Chairman, issued this statement…
As chairman of the Chicago Cubs, I repudiate any return to racially divisive issues in this year’s presidential campaign or in any setting—like my father has.
My focus is on one of the great American pastimes, baseball. And our team and every other Major League Baseball team are great examples of people of diverse backgrounds working together towards a common goal. I shall have no further comment on this or any other election year political issue. My full-time focus is on making the Chicago Cubs a World Series champion preserving Wrigley Field and making the Chicago Cubs a great corporate citizen.
* Joe Ricketts’ guy at his Super PAC also weighed in…
The political consulting firm that drafted the proposed ad campaign against Obama, Strategic Perception Inc., said the Ricketts family never approved it and “nothing has happened on it since the presentation.”
Brian Baker, president of the Super PAC Ending Spending Action Fund, which is heavily funded by Joe Ricketts, issued a statement today saying the attack ad against Obama won’t go forward.
“Joe Ricketts is a registered independent, a fiscal conservative, and an outspoken critic of the Obama Administration, but he is neither the author nor the funder of the so-called “Ricketts Plan” to defeat Mr. Obama,” Baker said. “It reflects an approach to politics that Mr. Ricketts rejects and it was never a plan to be accepted but only a suggestion for a direction to take.”
* There could be problems ahead…
The threat to resurrect the Wright controversy that Obama thought he put to rest during the 2008 campaign is poorly-timed for Joe Ricketts’ four children, who now run the trust that their parents set up and the kids used to buy the team. While Joe Ricketts has described himself in public forums as a Cubs owner, and there’s a YouTube video of him talking about the process of buying the team, a family spokesman says he has separated himself from the operation.
The Cubs were hoping for a vote on a state borrowing plan to bankroll the Wrigley renovation using tax-exempt bonds during the final two weeks of the Illinois General Assembly’s spring session, paving the way for construction to begin in October. The team needs the mayor’s support, because the bonds would be retired by new advertising, sponsorship and concession revenues at Wrigley and a variation of the financing scheme that Emanuel once called a “non-starter” — forfeiting 35 years’ worth of amusement tax growth.
Before the Joe Ricketts controversy erupted this week, talks with Emanuel were continuing with a “sense of urgency” to accommodate the Cubs construction timetable, City Hall sources said.
Asked Thursday whether the proposed attack on Obama would derail a deal, Emanuel said, “I’ll have some conversations on that later — comments, rather.”
But later, City Hall sources said they still expect a Wrigley deal to get done because it’s a job creator and because Emanuel is all about “putting points on the board,” as the mayor likes to put it. The controversy could slow down the team’s accelerated construction timetable and empower the mayor to drive a harder bargain, however.
Subscribers know more about the Statehouse react.
* But a Northwest Herald columnist might’ve summed up it best…
Ricketts founded T.D. Ameritrade and built the financial empire that enabled his family to acquire the Cubs for about $900 million. According to materials leaked to the New York Times, he also was looking to spend $10 million on a series of racially charged attack ads aimed at President Obama, in hopes of “Ending His Spending.”
God Bless America, where everyone has a right to express their views according to their means. There’s nothing wrong with opposing excessive government spending, although it seems an odd stance for someone seeking a hefty government handout.
It looks even worse when the person you’re negotiating with to get those millions was chief of staff for the president on whom you’re planning a hit job.
And in Chicago, a city of 2.7 million where the U.S. Census Bureau says 20 percent of people live in poverty, should the wealthy folks who own Wrigley Field really top the priority list?
Probably not, but eventually they will. This scandal will fade. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will start taking the Ricketts’ phone calls again – although I wouldn’t want to be the first one to get through.
This might push back the Cubs’ timetable for renovating the crumbling, musty ballpark. But when it gets down to it, even if Mitt Romney himself owned the Cubs, no Chicago mayor would deny him if he threatened to move the team.
Besides, Joe Ricketts isn’t running the Cubs, and doesn’t really care about baseball – Tom Ricketts is the chairman of the team. And the Cubs aren’t asking for all that much, relatively speaking.
Discuss.
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 8:57 am:
Gotta wonder what other whack job plans are laying around the office….especially like the flying banners over Charlotte ideas
We think this was also designed to knock the consulting group of any campaigns exceept for states where first cousins can marry.
- titan - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:06 am:
Someone needs to get a better understanding of the idea that one who nurses at the bosom of the government shouldn’t be biting it at the same time.
- Capitol View - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:06 am:
tell the Cub owner to buy $50 million of Facebook shares and hold onto them for a week, instead of getting government funding for the ballpark.
- Anon - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:10 am:
More partisan bs. One more story that makes me less inclined to support any government-financed projects.
- anon - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:24 am:
I am proud to be a White Sox fan!
- Nearly Normal - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:28 am:
Stupid is as stupid does.–Forrest Gump 1984
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:31 am:
I don’t think Tom Ricketts is too bright, then add to the fact that he has to look savy enough to stay away from the family’s factions on both sides, that is where the REAL dopiness begins.
Sadly, the cubs train is going to pull in and we the taxpayers are going to pay the freight, but Joe Ricketts has made that train “late” in arriving, maybe …
Politics ain’t beanbag, Ricketts family … and you guys have shown you can’t play beanbags, let alone politics.
- West winger - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:36 am:
Fred Davis is same guy who did ads for Andy McKenna—one of the worst dollar-to-vote campaign in Illinois history.
- Boone Logan Square - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:38 am:
Conversations around the dinner table at Ricketts Castle this week must be fun.
- Lakeview - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 9:59 am:
It’s a valuable lesson in Democracy. You can’t use money to get your way all the time, and when you want money from the taxpayers, you’d better be accountable to them.
- Thoughts... - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 10:06 am:
I personally thought this excerpt from your update article was more relevant because we learn from it that ol’ man Joe had already given preliminary approval to the Wright research. Now he repudiates it? Seems convenient…
A page in the proposal about potential staff members for the effort says, “With your [Joe Ricektts] preliminary approval at the New York meeting, we have discussed this plan in highly confidential terms with the following proposed team members,” who, it says, are “ready to jump into action upon plan approval.”
Associates of Mr. Ricketts acknowledged that upon seeing a commercial Mr. Davis produced in 2008 for Mr. McCain featuring Mr. Wright, which Mr. McCain rejected, Mr. Ricketts said. “If the nation had seen that ad, they’d never have elected Barack Obama.” The quote was highlighted in the proposal.
- mokenavince - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 10:17 am:
With that much money to burn,let the Ricketts build Cubs Park on their own dime.A Rahm never forgets.All the more reason I never go to Cubs
Park.Now if the Sox can sweep them this weekend.
- Shore - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 10:21 am:
Dennis Culloton said this am on proft’s show what he said on roe and roeper which is that this was only the father and only the father and that the kids had nothing to do with it. Not calling anyone dishonest but that report does not mesh with the facts.
I’m a cubs fan but I don’t support any public funding for the stadium or the team’s projects. This family is loaded and billionaire families shouldn’t be getting public funds for this stuff. When they did this deal in fenway the city of boston got absolutely screwed and the red sox ownership made out like bandits.
- Dirt Digger - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 10:32 am:
This isn’t damage control. Damage control would be Fred Davis falling on his sword and claiming he dreamed it all up while drunk or something. This is just rich people being shocked and amazed their actions have consequences.
- wordslinger - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 10:38 am:
On a related note, WBBM just had that Kerry Wood will retire after today’s game against the Sox.
His 20-strikeout, no walks, one-hit game against Houston (should have been an error on Orie) in his fifth MLB start was the most dominating and thrilling pitching performance I’ve ever seen (on TV). 99 mph fastball, big sweeping noon-to-six curveball, absolutely filthy slider.
It was probably the most lucrative single game ever, too. Based largely on that tremendous potential, Wood earned more than $70 million in baseball.
Most wins in a season: 14.
Lifetime record: 86 wins, 75 losses, 63 saves.
- Dirty Red - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 10:48 am:
= he is neither the author nor the funder of the so-called “Ricketts Plan” to defeat Mr. Obama,” =
Worst PR guy ever. In short, he said, “He is not the author of the plan named after him.” Why repeat the name and continuing associating his client’s name with the plan if the goal is to distance him from it?
- MrJM - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 10:54 am:
I’d like to thank the Ricketts family for making me feel soooooooo much better about my family’s ability to get its act together.
– MrJM
- soccermom - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 11:03 am:
Am I the only person who is really, really curious about how this thing wound up in the hand of the NY Times?
- Thoughts... - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 11:09 am:
I glad Sox fans don’t have to worry about going to a taxpayer-funded ballpark.
Oh, Cominsky is publicly funded? And the Restaurant Bacardi at the Park was publicly funded but the proceeds go to Reinsdorf?
Nevermind, gotta love the hypocrisy.
- Mc - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 11:13 am:
“Am I the only person who is really, really curious about how this thing wound up in the hand of the NY Times?”
I’ve seen it suggested that someone with Romney might have leaked it to kill it.
- Thoughts... - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 11:16 am:
===I’ve seen it suggested that someone with Romney might have leaked it to kill it. ===
I’m absolutely sure that Romney would very, very much like everyone in America to believe that. Personally, I don’t.
- Thoughts... - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 11:19 am:
I’ll say this - I don’t know, but would guess, that Tom really didn’t have much involvement in this whole thing. He doesn’t seem like much of a political animal. That said, from the NYT, his brothers obviously did, and they’re on the Cubs board. And, y’know, the optics of the family patriarch repeatedly criticizing public funding of everything while the trust he created seeks public financing for the ballpark is more than hypocritical. I liked Currie’s statement and I think she’s right. As a Cubs fan, I’d personally rather they sink the money in themselves. That way no one could hang the public financing on the club and besides, they knew what they were getting when they signed on.
- bored now - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 11:24 am:
before the cubs start asking for government subsidies, they should go to their family members — who clearly have extra money lying around. that’s what republicans want the poor to do; it’s the height of hypocrisy that the cubs go to the government FIRST before hitting up the ricketts’ family!
- wndycty - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 11:42 am:
Here is a breakdown of Ricketts’ kids political money from the Atlantic:
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/05/remarkable-conflicted-ricketts-family-and-their-political-money/52470/
Todd $34,000 to Republican causes;
Tom $49,450 to Republican causes plus $15,000 to baseball PAC;
Laura $293,406 mostly to Democrats, as well as raising $456,631 for Obama;
Pete $60,700 to Republican causes;
- Wumpus - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 11:47 am:
Yes, let the Cubs move to the burbs, that’ll show them Rahm. The family is diverse politically, perhaps the Madigans, Strogers, Mells, Daleys and other political patronage families cannot understand that.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 12:16 pm:
===Yes, let the Cubs move to the burbs, that’ll show them Rahm. The family is diverse politically, perhaps the Madigans, Strogers, Mells, Daleys and other political patronage families cannot understand that.===
1) If the cubs built a ball park in the ‘Burbs, no one would go. It’s the neighborhood and the ball park together that make the experience. Buliding a ball park in the ‘burbs, across from a Costco and down the street from Bed, Bath and Beyond can not be in the Cubs plans. the cubs know it. Rham knows it. The cubs are stuck.
2) My parents once told me, “I hold all the cards, you hold NONE of the cards … so why press my buttons when you know you want somethng from me?” Great advice. If someone can pass that on to Joe Ricketts, that would be great.
Further…
Those dopey kids earned ZERO dollars towards their DAD’S fortune. The Ricketts kids are Genetic Lottery Winners. Period. New Paragraph.
It’s Dad’s cash, it’s Dad’s gift of a toy to Tom Ricketts, who is an admitted slacker, and literally lied to Dad about his graduation status for so long, Dad flew into Chicago for a ceremony that Tom wasn’t allowed to attend … because …. Tom spent all summer going to Cubs games and hanging in Wrigleyville. Admittedly!!!!
The kids have done nothing, so I can care less of the diversity, their point of view on the matter, or even their status with the Cubs. The kids are what is wrong with “entitlement” at the Billion Dollar level.
- 3rd Generation Chicago Native - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 12:35 pm:
I know Ricketts and others from that North side place have been on the news a lot because of a goat coming from Arizona ( or New Mexico) and they all have been saying they don’t believe in curses, but when the goat arrives it will be allowed in.
Does anyone know when the goat will arrive? Last I heard it was in St. Louis.
So nice to be a Sox fan and not preoccuppied with such silliness.
- Judgment Day - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 2:14 pm:
“If the cubs built a ball park in the ‘Burbs, no one would go. It’s the neighborhood and the ball park together that make the experience. Building a ball park in the ‘burbs, across from a Costco and down the street from Bed, Bath and Beyond can not be in the Cubs plans. the cubs know it. Rahm knows it. The cubs are stuck.”
Don’t go there. When you create a situation politically where you say that you (the Ricketts in this case) and their investments are totally at your mercy (The Cubs and Wrigley), and their investments and all future investments are totally locked into only one site, and any future investments can only be at that one site, and that all the future investments have to be 100% self funded, well, you just set yourself up for one hell of a fall.
Basically, what you have just said is that in the City of Chicago, “politics trumps money”. Maybe - for a while, but eventually things change. Money always wins out.
When it’s big money at play, and you make the money people feel unwanted, don’t be too surprised if what was previously unthinkable becomes something worth seriously considering. And at that point, you have just become one of the players at the table.
Also, if you play the game where politics always has to trump business/money, well there will be businesses which won’t even consider Chicago as a location. We don’t need that reputation.
- Robert - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 2:16 pm:
I’m pretty sure this is the right order of how things have played out:
1) Laura Ricketts, part owner of the Cubs, raises a bunch of money for Obama.
2) Mayor Rahm Emanuel decides to help push for the Cubs to get taxpayer money to rehab Cubs park
3) Papa Ricketts starts planning to spending millions to attack Obama
4) Mayor Rahm Emanuel gets mad and may no longer push for the Cubs to get taxpayer money to rehab Cubs park.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 2:37 pm:
===Don’t go there. When you create a situation politically where you say that you (the Ricketts in this case) and their investments are totally at your mercy (The Cubs and Wrigley), and their investments and all future investments are totally locked into only one site, and any future investments can only be at that one site, and that all the future investments have to be 100% self funded, well, you just set yourself up for one hell of a fall.
Basically, what you have just said is that in the City of Chicago, “politics trumps money”. Maybe - for a while, but eventually things change. Money always wins out.===
This is about the Cubs, not “business” or “climate” or even “politics trumping money”
Here is what is real:
Cub fans want Wrigley.
Wrigley is a Dump compared to 21st Century ball parks, i.e. dump = revenue-less facility for owners.
Cubs can NOT move from Wrigley & Lakeview Neighborhood, because fan base will not tolerate a losing ball club in Addison IL (remember that?), Will Co., etc. The fans (revenue stream) stopped going last year because the ball club was so horrible, but those who went, went because of the ball park. Take away the ball park, gather $900 million dollar debt for a bad club equals - Bad Business.
The lesson for the Cubs:
The threat to leave does not exist.
There is no amount of money that will make a move to the ‘burbs, versus the fan’s revolt, work. The Cubs and the Red Sox are EXACTLY the same in that pickle. The Red sox have won multiple World Series and they can’t move, and you think “money” will allow the Cubs the leverage to move.
That dog don’t hunt.
Further,
Businesses understand the “Cubs” model is not the norm, so in reality, the scare of the “Cubs Nuclear Option” is not a threat to Rahm, the Business community, Chicago, Lakeview, and any other entity not named Ricketts.
THAT is reality.
- Judgment Day - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:05 pm:
“There is no amount of money that will make a move to the ‘burbs, versus the fan’s revolt, work. The Cubs and the Red Sox are EXACTLY the same in that pickle. The Red Sox have won multiple World Series and they can’t move, and you think “money” will allow the Cubs the leverage to move.
That dog don’t hunt.
Further,
Businesses understand the “Cubs” model is not the norm, so in reality, the scare of the “Cubs Nuclear Option” is not a threat to Rahm, the Business community, Chicago, Lakeview, and any other entity not named Ricketts.
THAT is reality.”
There’s ALWAYS options (happens all the time).
We’re just going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I’m sure the Ricketts would prefer not to even consider moving, but if you make it painful, miserable, and expensive enough, it will happen.
Also, regarding “Businesses understand the “Cubs” model is not the norm,…”. Yes, they will - and furthermore, they will also understand they don’t want to find themselves in the same type of position, so they plan accordingly. Great way to make sure you never even get considered as a location for business location/expansion in the first place.
That’s Reality in the business world.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:11 pm:
===Yes, they will - and furthermore, they will also understand they don’t want to find themselves in the same type of position, so they plan accordingly.===
When Boeing, Quaker Oats, etc., make their “workplace” (Wrigley Field is a workplace) the selling point of their product, you let me know …
Further …
===There’s ALWAYS options (happens all the time).===
Ny Giants to SF, Brooklyn Dodgers to LA … sure …
Chicago Cubs to Chicago suburb, to anywhere else in Chicago market … that AIN’T gonna fly. If you have a city that the Cubs could move to and be a Billion Dollar business, forward that to Papa Joe Ricketts … I am pretty sure those Billion Dollar markets have teams already.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:14 pm:
To Willy’s point, the reality is:
1) The Cubs franchise is currently worth $125 million less than the Ricketts paid for it;
2) There is no public money available in some other Illinois city’s budget to build the Cubs a new park;
3) The Cubs do not have and will never have the clout to use state dollars to relocate elsewhere in Illinois;
4) Relocating just across the state line is not an option for them.
The Ricketts have a lot of headaches now. But their fundamental problem is they haven’t found a cohesive argument for why its in the public’s interest to generate more money for the club. Its not as if they are promising to win a world series if they get luxury boxes or anything.
- Lakeview - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:21 pm:
Well, the threat is that some Other City comes along and cuts a deal to steal the Cubs, and then even the most loyal fan base will be screwed. Just mention the Baltimore Ravens to someone from Cleveland, and you can see how raw the feelings are 15 years after the fact.
OTOH, fewer cities seem to be falling for the “sports team as economic development” line. Certainly, fewer cities can raise the money needed to attract teams in this economy.
- Aaron - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:31 pm:
Oswego Willy..Ask all the market friends of InCapital if Tom Ricketts is bright.
YDD..facts, their stubborn. Purchase price $845m, currently worth around $879 http://www.forbes.com/mlb-valuations/
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4537317
- Aaron - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:31 pm:
their*=they’re
- wndycty - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:40 pm:
The Cubs without Wrigley Field are the Kansas City Royals. The best move for the Ricketts? Sell now to an owner who can get things done in Chicago. Its time for MLB reconsider what a Mark Cuban owned Chicago Cubs would look like.
- IrishPirate - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:49 pm:
If anyone is interested here’s an interesting piece from Slate on why a political consultant might hype the “Reverend” problem regarding President Obama.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/05/17/joe_ricketts_spending_10_million_on_jeremiah_wright_attacks.html
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 3:56 pm:
===Oswego Willy..Ask all the market friends of InCapital if Tom Ricketts is bright.===
Here is what I know … he made his Dad fly all the way to Chicago for a Graduation ceremony he wasn’t going to be in … and he can’t handle Rahm or the City or the Legislature with that Tin Ear.
That is what I know … Good or bad from InTrade is nothing to the Genetic Lottery Winner and his dopey business acumen.
and - Lakeview - no snark or false bravado, but Chicago and Cleveland are not even in the same solar system, and for that fact, neither is Baltimore … there are very, very, few Billion Dollar markets, and even fewer of those ready to take on a Baseball Franchise.
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, May 18, 12 @ 4:32 pm:
RE: The threat to relocate
I stop being a Cubs fan the day they stop playing at Wrigley Field. I’m hanging on by a thread as it is, as I would imagine many Cubs fans are, and with the crud on the field at this point all I have to hang on are my memories. And not even just my memories but feeling connected to the memories my grandma shared with me of her Ladies Day games in the ’30s. If Ricketts & Co. want to press their luck and threaten to move the team and demolish Wrigley, well I almost sort of welcome that liberation from caring.
RE: Ricketts being a hypocritical jerk
As for this Ending Spending PAC hypocrisy on the Ricketts fam part while they are at the public trough for Wrigley upgrades, don’t anyone forget that Team Ricketts did the exact same thing in Arizona and bullied them into building a new $100M spring training facility.
http://www.fieldofschemes.com/news/archives/2010/11/4323_mesa_voters_app.html