* Democratic US Senate candidate Andrea Zopp hasn’t had a great few days in the earned media department. Laura Washington…
Outsider status is in vogue. Just ask Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson, marquee disrupters in the GOP presidential primary slugfest. The New York Times recently mentioned Zopp in an article about the rise of “anti-establishment” Democratic candidates.
However, Zopp’s resume includes a decidedly establishment stint as a member of the Chicago Board of Education.
In October 2012, she and the rest of the board voted unanimously to approve Barbara Byrd-Bennett as chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools. In June 2013, Zopp voted to approve a $20.5 million contract with SUPES Academy, to train the district’s principals and administrators.
On Thursday, Byrd-Bennett was named in a 23-count indictment, charged with helping SUPES get CPS contracts in exchange for kickbacks. Byrd-Bennett had previously worked for SUPES.
Now Zopp must defend her support of what appears to be a felonious and costly deal at a time when CPS was in financial crisis. Today, the schools may be on the verge of bankruptcy.
The contract does appear to have been felonious, but others say it was still a good deal and the bankruptcy stuff is hyperbole, but that piece was not good at all.
We, the public, did not learn of Barbara Byrd-Bennett’s profiteering relationship with a private education company from CPS. Nor from the mayor. Nor from the Chicago Board of Education, which to this day is afraid to challenge him. No, it was thanks to Catalyst, an independent education newsletter and an intrepid reporter Sarah Karp who, two years ago, asked simple questions. Why did Byrd-Bennett’s former consulting company get a no-bid $20 million contract almost immediately after she was hired? A company most educators knew nothing about? A company the Emanuel administration had worked with in hiring Brizard before firing him and hiring Byrd-Bennett? At a time when the board was so broke it was shuttering 50 schools?
People, Sarah Karp simply started with a Google search!
Did CPS’ army of lawyers, staffers, and pinstripe board members — including Andrea Zopp who is now running for U.S. Senate — ever consider asking those questions? Or were they too afraid to cross the guy on City Hall’s fifth floor?
Former CPS board member Andrea Zopp, who is now running for U.S. Senate, visited the Tribune Editorial Board in August. Asked about the SUPES contract, she said the board was aware Byrd-Bennett had ties with the company and it did not raise red flags.
“That was a plus, not a negative because she had experience with them,” Zopp said. “So being an employee in and of itself would not raise a bell. To me it was (Byrd-Bennett saying), ‘I work there. I know what they do is good. I did it.’ Me, at the time, I had a lot of respect for her and what she had done so that was a plus.”
No alarms? Really? It’s clear from the indictment that Byrd-Bennett sought to improperly leverage her position — and to hide her deal with SUPES from the school board. That doesn’t excuse board members for making it so easy.
* So, as I told you on Friday, Zopp is going over the media’s heads to voters during tonight’s Democratic presidential debate with some ads on CNN. The first one touts her as “the new choice in the race for Senate”…
The ad also focuses on police misbehavior, without actually saying so.
* The second is a bio spot, describing her as a tough prosecutor and foe of corruption as well as a “community leader and mom”…
* The final ad is apparently designed to air just after the debate. Among other things, Zopp touts herself as “the great-granddaughter of a slave”…
Not bad refers to her commercials. She will have to answer for her total lack of agency on the CPS board and her refusal to prosecute Jon Burge or any detectives in his torture ring.
And while her background is impressive, the ads referencing several accomplishments from 1988 and 1995 make the attentive viewer wonder why she hasn’t done anything apparently notable since.
Rauner has proven that with enough money, you can not only make it snow in July, you can build a ski slope and name it after the Donner family and still win.
Andrea, you seem like a really nice person. But you have too many issues to survive a democratic primary against a well established opponent. You are going to be completely embarrassed if you proceed, no matter how many nice ads you have.
I’m sure Emanuel is more than happy to have Zopp take heat for Supes.
It’s counter-intuitive, though, that Emanuel’s hand-picked crew went to such great lengths to award a $20 million plus no-bid contract without at least acquiescence from the Fifth Floor.
The only thing that “helps” her is that B3 pleaded guilty. If the sentencing wraps up before Thanksgiving, that gives Ms. Zopp three or four months for people to forget about that stench.
I still think the stock option pay and dump will resonate as much with suburban and Cook County voters as the CPS saga.
If you read the plea agreement, B3 has several years’ prison time (maybe as many as 3-4) riding on whether the Feds believe she has been “forthcoming”. Could be “uh oh” time for quite a few people.
Word - agreed, and hence why I put helps in quote marks. B3 may decide to throw ever member of the CPS Board under the bus. That actually has an irony since it’s, you know, school related.
===Could be “uh oh” time for quite a few people. ===
True, but I’m betting it’s more likely lateral stuff - making the case against her “business partners” slam dunk affairs.
- After Further Review - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 2:51 pm:
It is interesting that all of the commenters piling on Zopp’s votes that benefited B3 manage to overlook the fact that those actions were approved unanimously by the entire Board of Education. To read some of the posts, one would think that Zopp cast the deciding votes.
Unanimous votes makes one think that the Mayor of Chicago has some explaining to do also.
Bill Daley aside, who is Andrea Zopp’s constituency? Bill Daley aside, who was clamoring for her to run? Who, outside of her own business and social circles, even knows who she is?
It’s funny how people wanna comment on situations when they have no basis to back them up with. Zopp has worked her ass off, and the only downfall she has against her is people who sit there and write/comment dumb, Infactual things about her. Hmm pity. You whacked rich Miller!!
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 11:01 am:
Andrea Zopp. She’s fun. She’s tough.
She voted for Barbara Byrd-Bennett.
Zopp has to eat it, Zopp has to own it, and when Zopp does both, Zopp’s dream of the US Senate will thankfully end.
Will it end in flames or a whimper is yet to be seen…
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 11:04 am:
Not bad.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Not bad refers to her commercials. She will have to answer for her total lack of agency on the CPS board and her refusal to prosecute Jon Burge or any detectives in his torture ring.
- Anon - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 11:12 am:
Speaking style is a bit cold.
And while her background is impressive, the ads referencing several accomplishments from 1988 and 1995 make the attentive viewer wonder why she hasn’t done anything apparently notable since.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 11:12 am:
Rauner has proven that with enough money, you can not only make it snow in July, you can build a ski slope and name it after the Donner family and still win.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 11:13 am:
Andrea, you seem like a really nice person. But you have too many issues to survive a democratic primary against a well established opponent. You are going to be completely embarrassed if you proceed, no matter how many nice ads you have.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 11:23 am:
I’m sure Emanuel is more than happy to have Zopp take heat for Supes.
It’s counter-intuitive, though, that Emanuel’s hand-picked crew went to such great lengths to award a $20 million plus no-bid contract without at least acquiescence from the Fifth Floor.
- The Historian - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 11:34 am:
Wonder how many viewers will recognize Mel Reynolds in that courtroom artist’s sketch?
- Lincoln Lad - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
Save your money Andrea. Get out before others decimate you and leave you no high road to leave on.
- Bogey Golfer - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 12:29 pm:
As was stated last week, Zopp is toast. Duckworth vs. Kirk next November. Nice to get this silly primary stuff resolved.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 12:45 pm:
The only thing that “helps” her is that B3 pleaded guilty. If the sentencing wraps up before Thanksgiving, that gives Ms. Zopp three or four months for people to forget about that stench.
I still think the stock option pay and dump will resonate as much with suburban and Cook County voters as the CPS saga.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 1:28 pm:
TS, you haven’t heard the last from B3. She is “cooperating.” The Supes have been cooperating from the get-go.
The question is, “cooperating” to what end?
- Snucka - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 1:38 pm:
If you read the plea agreement, B3 has several years’ prison time (maybe as many as 3-4) riding on whether the Feds believe she has been “forthcoming”. Could be “uh oh” time for quite a few people.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 1:39 pm:
Word - agreed, and hence why I put helps in quote marks. B3 may decide to throw ever member of the CPS Board under the bus. That actually has an irony since it’s, you know, school related.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 1:41 pm:
===Could be “uh oh” time for quite a few people. ===
True, but I’m betting it’s more likely lateral stuff - making the case against her “business partners” slam dunk affairs.
- After Further Review - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 2:51 pm:
It is interesting that all of the commenters piling on Zopp’s votes that benefited B3 manage to overlook the fact that those actions were approved unanimously by the entire Board of Education. To read some of the posts, one would think that Zopp cast the deciding votes.
Unanimous votes makes one think that the Mayor of Chicago has some explaining to do also.
- Northsider - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 2:54 pm:
Bill Daley aside, who is Andrea Zopp’s constituency? Bill Daley aside, who was clamoring for her to run? Who, outside of her own business and social circles, even knows who she is?
And who will remember who she never was?
- Tall man short - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 4:09 pm:
It’s ok to smile in a political ad Andrea
- Chicago 20 - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 4:37 pm:
The amount of misinformation that gets printed and quoted in the media is truly amazing.
A simple Google search quickly finds the truth while the misinformation keeps getting repeated until it becomes a baseless truth.
- Yo mama - Tuesday, Oct 13, 15 @ 9:56 pm:
It’s funny how people wanna comment on situations when they have no basis to back them up with. Zopp has worked her ass off, and the only downfall she has against her is people who sit there and write/comment dumb, Infactual things about her. Hmm pity. You whacked rich Miller!!
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 6:26 am:
- Yo Mama -,
Zopp and Barbara Byrd-Bennett. That’s a fact. Zopp was on the Board.
Questions?