The rest of the story
Thursday, Jan 21, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Chicago Tribune’s recent editorial on Speaker Madigan’s primary opponent…
Gonzales owns up to some, ah, political challenges.
He grew up in the suburbs, lived in various places near downtown, and has rented an apartment in the district only since August 2014. He says he has deeper roots on the Southwest Side through family members who have been longtime residents.
He admits he had run-ins with the law in his youth. He was arrested for unlawful use of a credit card in 1991, when he was 17. He spent more than two months in jail. Yet, he says, he overcame that, graduated from an alternative high school and stacked up impressive degrees, including a master’s in public administration from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
* But as it turns out, his record is a bit longer than just the one arrest when he was 17. Kerry Lester found convictions for six crimes between the 1991 thing mentioned by the Trib and 1994, when he would’ve been 20 or so…
Longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Democratic primary opponent, whose campaign so far largely is funded by Republican donations, was pardoned in 2015 by then-Gov. Pat Quinn for six crimes he was convicted of committing in the suburbs between 1991 and 1994, involving forgery, theft and the misuse of credit cards.
According to documents I obtained from the state’s Prisoner Review Board, Jason Gonzales’s offenses include using a stolen credit card to make purchases at Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee in 1993, presenting a forged credit card receipt to receive a $942 refund at an Arlington Heights Service Merchandise in 1994 and using a stolen credit card to buy a $1,000 Sony camcorder from a Highland Super Store in Morton Grove in 1991.
But, to his credit, he’s not running away from it now that his past has been more fully exposed…
Spokesman Ben Gould tells me Gonzales “has a story that can resonate … it’s important to see where he came from and what he is now. That’s something that can inspire people.”
* Even so, he might wanna change his online campaign bio now that more facts have emerged…
My path was not one that would necessarily lead me to where I stand today, but instead led to non-violent run-ins with the law that culminated in spending several weeks in jail after an arrest at 17.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:29 am:
Madigan’s district now over 75 % Latino.. Gonzalez biggest Threat to Madigan in years ,This is why Madigan added 2 Latino candidates just before file deadline
Madigan cannot afford a weak show . otherwise
next time a much greater chance of loss
- A guy - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:29 am:
It can be argued that this resume is perfect for the seat he seeks. /s
- ILPundit - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:30 am:
As much as people like to claim Team Madigan didn’t play fair by filing additional opponents at the last moment, his opponents should have been able to do better on the candidate recruitment end front than getting a serial credit card thief on the ballot.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:30 am:
I hope they have actually verified his degrees. This guy sounds like a confidence man to me. Umm sorry I have trouble believing a man with a record like this would get into Harvard. Sorry, I’m calling BS. I’m also thinking that he has powerful parents to get a pardon from Quinn. This guy is toast.
- GetOverIt - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:34 am:
Let us not forget, he also is terrible at the “pay to play” thing, i.e. he admits in a recent Sun-Times article that he tried to buy influence but his $5,000 didn’t get him far. So he is all for pay to play if it works…for him? This guy is something else and still has that, wink, wink, criminal gene working. Just saying…
- Anon - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:37 am:
Hasn’t Madigan used the State of Illinois like a credit card for over thirty years?
- Juvenal - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:38 am:
He lied to the Tribune editorial board, period.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics_in_business_communication
Avoid withholding crucial information:
In the modern era, information is vital for all decisions. Hence, it is vital for any organization to be cautious when communicating with the public. The communicated information should be absolute and all vital information must be conveyed appropriately. Purposely withholding crucial information might result in the public conceiving a bad image.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:39 am:
I smelled a scam artist the moment he started talking in his video. If he really did go from petty criminal with jail time to a Harvard degree, then I would have expected him to make much more of a bigger deal doing that, than he has.
The puff and fluff with his appearance, his canned presentation regarding issues exposes him as an insincere scammer.
After Blagojevich, I’m tired of these kinds of guys charming their way into office. They give politicians an even worse reputation than they already have.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:41 am:
Anon -
No, he has actually passed tax increases. And paid down pension debt. Passed multiple capital bills.
But you are right - we could go the Rauner way and do nothing, flail your arms around and make it look like you are doing something.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:42 am:
I’m still waiting for someone to do a little investigating into Gonzo’s much-ballyhooed charity.
– MrJM
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:42 am:
Maybe Gonzales, who is a self-described entrepreneur, can apply to ADME for some help.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:44 am:
“to his credit, he’s not running away from it now that his past has been more fully exposed…”
And call me harsh, but I don’t give very much credit for, “Yeah, ya caught me.”
– MrJM
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:45 am:
Hasn’t Madigan used the State of Illinois like a credit card for over thirty years?
You mean like how you are use this blog to post anonymous mindless drivel?
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:46 am:
So, who has given money to Mr. Gonzales? Is he really the best that Rauner could do in that district?
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:47 am:
Yeah, Ya Caught Me!
Vote Gonzo 2016
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:49 am:
Campaign Video Recorded Using Stolen Sony Camcorder
- jerry 101 - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:49 am:
Mr JM - there’s one 990 out there on his charity that I could find. It was the final 990 they filed as they went out of business back at the end of 2012 or so. Not much going on in there.
Here’s a link:
http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/272/272155395/272155395_201212_990EZ.pdf?_ga=1.235211969.1102250199.1453161398
- Chuckle - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:50 am:
“I smelled a scam artist the moment he started talking in his video. If he really did go from petty criminal with jail time to a Harvard degree, then I would have expected him to make much more of a bigger deal doing that, than he has.
The puff and fluff with his appearance, his canned presentation regarding issues exposes him as an insincere scammer.
After Blagojevich, I’m tired of these kinds of guys charming their way into office.”
Were you reading “Dreams from My Father” again?
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:50 am:
A Man of Convictions
Gonzo - 2016
- jerry 101 - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:55 am:
Actually, now that I’m looking at it again, I realize that I didn’t look at the actual numbers very closely. There are a number of obvious mistakes ($750+$828 = $828?) Somebody has a lot of trouble with math.
It also looks like $14000 of beginning cash balance just…vanished.
A supporting schedule also indicates $7700 of beginning equipment balances, but earlier in the 990, it says $0. So, $7700 in equipment may or may not have disappeared.
Jason Gonzales signed the 990, attesting to its accuracy, under penalty of perjury.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:55 am:
Madigan cannot afford a weak show . otherwise
next time a much greater chance of loss
winning numbers 16-39-11-14
Learn Chinese!
危急 - Desperate
- Anonymouth - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:57 am:
=== Spokesman Ben Gould tells me Gonzales “has a story that can resonate … it’s important to see where he came from and what he is now. That’s something that can inspire people.”===
Gonzales and Gould do not have a clue regarding what resonates with the people of the 22nd District. I can tell you they aren’t inspired by criminal pasts or connection to big business interests.
- Holzer - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:59 am:
Sounds like Gonzo is qualified for a senior position at the RTA though.
- Cassandra - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:01 am:
I was hopeful and I could maybe ignore the one arrest. But several? It’s too bad. But, no. Of course, I wouldn’t vote for Madigan either if I lived in the district. I don’t, and I sympathize with district residents who have these awful choices.
- jerry 101 - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:02 am:
They claim to have given a partner organization $1,000, but that doesn’t show up in the expenses.
Net assets are misstated at BOY and EOY.
The 990 indicates they never received any contributions, grants, etc, yet they some how had $14k in the bank at the BOY.
Jason also seems to have loaned the org $4,000 during 2012. So, that indicates that $18k vanished.
Supporting schedule indicates $2,381 in total expenses.
This thing is just a mess.
- The Dude Abides - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:05 am:
So this is the guy the Administration is backing to unseat Madigan. Sounds like they are operating with their usual proficiency here. Gee, maybe they could have vetted their guy first. SMH
- Anonymouth - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:07 am:
=== I was hopeful and I could maybe ignore the one arrest. But several? It’s too bad. But, no. Of course, I wouldn’t vote for Madigan either if I lived in the district. I don’t, and I sympathize with district residents who have these awful choices. ===
Cassandra’s point is kind of important. Even people who detest Madigan cannot get themselves to support Gonzales. If he cannot even get that demographic to vote for him, he is toast.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:07 am:
“It also looks like $14000 of beginning cash balance just…vanished.”
I noticed that too.
Seems… odd to me, but I never went to Harvard.
– MrJM
- Boone's is Back - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:07 am:
The PQ pardon cracks me up a bit. I’m sure it gets the tinfoil hatters in a frenzy about Quinn pardoning him to pave the way for a Madigan challenge.
- siriusly - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:14 am:
All us outsiders should remember that this is a local election. This may be a proxy war, but it’s those voters who will decide.
If Gonzo can show voters in that district that they should trust him to do better for them than the current representative has - then he can win. But I think the criminal record doesn’t help on the trust factor. Neither does living in the suburbs until a year ago.
“He’s not from here” is a pretty powerful message in itself.
Just saying.
- northsider - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:14 am:
I’m sure DFA_Southside and Dick Simpson are just thrilled to read this additional biographical information on their chosen one.
- Soccermom - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:17 am:
I’m with MrJM. You don’t get credit for confessing bravely after the story appears in the papers.
- Justacitizen - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:25 am:
Just maybe Gonzo’s timing is right. Plenty are sick of Madigan
- Rabid - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:34 am:
Non-violent is not the same as victimless
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:36 am:
Word to the wise: Just make sure Gonzo doesn’t personally touch any part of any money received or spent in the campaign. No card, no cash, no checks, in or out.
- cdog - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:45 am:
Who would be next in line for leadership, if Madigan was defeated?
Would the next in line be beneficial to a moderate agenda?
(obviously not Gonzales, and obviously don’t give him your credit card.)
- Not it - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:45 am:
C’mon, guys. He wasn’t even 20 years old when all this stuff happened. Let’s make fun of him for being what he is today, a Republican plant, and not what he was before he could legally drink beer.
- PT - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:16 am:
Lying about his criminal record is worse than the actual crimes he committed.
Methinks the folks on South Pulaski have a rather thick opposition research book at their disposal. I expect a new story on Mr. Gonzales’ background to come out about once a week for the next month.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:25 pm:
My thing is he was a dumb criminal. Highland and Service Merch were crappy stores to rip off in the first place. Go for the high end stuff. At least he didn’t rip off Fretter’s.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:42 pm:
Well…this is another embarrassment. Way to go Team Rauner. You sure can pick ‘em.
- bestday - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:58 pm:
If Gonzales doesn’t have a Harvard degree you would think Madigan’s boys would have published this …either way District demographics working against Madigan
Madigan allowing the Southern part of 13th ward in his District, to be chopped to the 18th Ward has cost him some support of his voters
- Michael Westen - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:04 pm:
Just another in a long line of “reformers” endorsed by Dick Simpson, including Ald. Larry Bloom for State’s Attorney and who can forget the reformer-ish Tony Peraica
- bestday - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:05 pm:
Gonzales walked most of the Madigan’s district ,knocking on doors ….he has ambitions for State office
Madigan workers have flooded district … the most in years, so there is must be a lot of concern by Madigan camp
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:09 pm:
===If Gonzales doesn’t have a Harvard degree you would think Madigan’s boys would have published this
Yeah, a Harvard degree is going to get you a lot in working class state house district.
- Anonymouth - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:45 pm:
=== either way District demographics working against Madigan. Madigan allowing the Southern part of 13th ward in his District, to be chopped to the 18th Ward has cost him some support of his voters ===
First off, just because the district is heavily Latino does not mean that the voters in the district are chomping at the bit to get rid of Madigan in favor of a Latino. I suspect that you will find on election day that some of the strongest precincts for Madigan will have some of the highest percentage of Latino residents.
Second, to the extent that Madigan “chopped” precincts to the 18th Ward, those precincts must not have been that strong to begin with.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:46 pm:
The financials are way hinky for other organizations tied to one of the directors of Jason’s charity: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/munster/local-megachurch-navigates-precarious-path/article_2f3b628a-0f42-5355-a8a0-230b1cb1aab8.html
- Triple fat - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:48 pm:
Has he ever even voted before? We might need to see his birth certificate.
- bestday - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
- Anonymouth .. the South portion of 13th ward was there for over 50 years .. after being chopped into most Western part 18th ward… it is still populated by many Chicago workers who voted Dem… but now, not Madigan
- Soccermom - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 3:01 pm:
– C’mon, guys. He wasn’t even 20 years old when all this stuff happened. Let’s make fun of him for being what he is today, a Republican plant, and not what he was before he could legally drink beer. –
I agree. And no doubt Rauner does, too. So can we expect the Governor to pardon and commute the sentences of everybody convicted of a non-violent crime before the age of 21?
If not, what’s so special about this guy?
- Anonymouth - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 3:15 pm:
bestday,
I think Mr. Madigan and his staff know the district better than anyone else. With that said, I stand by my previous statement.
- Deepblue - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 8:11 pm:
@Honeybear
Look at what he just posted on Facebook. Guess he’s not completely full of it.
https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/t31.0-8/12622392_1711817812365145_2835068079907651330_o.jpg
- anon - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:56 pm:
Anonymouth,
You are correct. The numbers were no longer good on the west end 18th Ward section. The 13th Wd did pick up several pcts of white ethnic voters in the north west part of the District after Redistricting. It is heavily populated by Police and Fire. The hope is to get that group to vote Democratic. Although they are Union, they continue to vote in large numbers Republican. Still can’t figure that one out. Efforts are being made to change that. As far as Gonzo…he has walked throughout the 13th Ward, concentrating heavily on the west, white ethnic areas. A smart strategy because he will pick up some numbers of Latino voters on the east end who are probably new to the neighborhood. He is very motivated. Not sure what Rauner is paying him, but it has to be pretty good. All the same…voters of the 22nd District, including Latino residents, love the constituent services offered by the 13th Ward. It is, and remains, the best service orientated Ward in the City of Chicago. Madigan wins the day heavily on that. Madigan will continue to receive heavy support from folks that do not even like him, but definitely feel threated of an outsider taking over and ruining what great services the last true machine Ward offers. It’s as simple as that.
- David C. King - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 6:24 pm:
I’m glad that I stumbled across this site after searching for the latest news on Jason - and this quick post is for “Honeybear” above. Yes, indeed, Jason Gonzales is a Harvard graduate. I chaired the admissions committee, and I asked him to join us - and he has a long line of supporters around here (Cambridge). He was a terrific and very hard-working student - and I’m glad to see that he’s interested in public service. Sure, he made plenty of mistakes 20+ years ago… but Harvard (and MIT, and Duke) saw past that, and we’re all glad to claim Jason Gonzales as one of “ours.” Will Chicago - and you, Honeybear - have an open mind and an open heart?