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Watch what you say

Wednesday, Feb 3, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune

Labor unions were forced to come to the rescue of their endorsed primary candidate in the 5th state Senate district, Democrat Patricia Van Pelt of Chicago.

On Monday, Van Pelt’s primary opponent, former alderman and unsuccessful mayoral candidate Bob Fioretti, joined the lawmaker for a newspaper endorsement session at the Sun-Times.

“I nearly fell off my chair when Van Pelt said she wants city governments to be able to declare themselves right-to-work zones,” Fioretti told supporters in an email.

“That means she’s against unions, she’s against the prevailing wage, she’s against all the gains unions have gotten for us,” Fioretti said.

What the heck?

* Sen. Van Pelt’s response…

Senator Van Pelt spoke on her longstanding opposition to right-to-work laws and support for unions in a statement today.

“I am against all implementations of right to work in Illinois, including locally,” the senator said. “Right to work in any form is an attempt to undermine unions and working families. Unions are critical in representing the voice of our workers. Having served as a union steward for many years, I know unions have increased fairness, safety, and employer accountability.”

“My opponent is attempting to slander my pro-union record. In a recent interview with the Sun-Times Editorial Board, I misspoke when I misheard a question on right to work zones. I clarified my answer with the board immediately after the interview.

“I’m proud of my record of standing up for unions. I won’t let my opponent distort it.”

The Illinois AFL-CIO, which recently endorsed Senator Van Pelt in the Democratic primary, reiterated their support for the senator. “Senator Van Pelt is a strong voice for unions. She has stood with unions on issues that affect working families and has stated her opposition to wage-killing statewide right to work and local right-to-work zones. We strongly support her re-election,” Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan said.

During her tenure in the state senate, Van Pelt has been a tireless advocate for working families. She was a co-sponsor of the legislative override of Governor Rauner’s veto of the AFSCME no strike/no lockout arbitration bill, co-sponsor of civil rights legislation protecting pregnant employees, and co-sponsor of legislation to raise the minimum wage. She is running for re-election for in the 5th legislative district.

Oops!

       

15 Comments
  1. - Austinman - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 9:27 am:

    She’s not pro union…


  2. - Apocalypse - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 9:30 am:

    Although I disagree with her position on right to work and unions, this a story that shouldn’t have been printed. If she misspoke and the unions still back her, it was nothing more the Tribune trying to generate a story and hoping others would run with it. Gotcha politics at its worst.


  3. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 9:31 am:

    As I read this, keep in mind that newly minted Raunerite candidate(?) Chris Harris, challenging Chris Welch, is receiving help from Dan Proft in the form of newspaper ads.

    Why is THAT important here?

    Resources are thin.

    Skips of tongues allow resources to be wasted on… Bob Fioretti…

    So Fioretti will cost money, for a while, Welch will have to worry about a Raunerite influx “for” Chris Harris, and the monies will soon become lint balls in empty coffers.

    If Democrats want Raunerites in their Caucuses, wasting money on slips of tongues will hurt, maybe just not the races you may think.

    BTW, for Democrats, it’s good to know Chris Harris will be a Raunerite hopeful(?)

    The more known early enough, the strangers trying to be welcome in the Cacuses can be at least seen and people have enough time to be warned…

    … maybe.


  4. - State worker - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 9:41 am:

    Van Pelt most certainly is pro-union. And a former union steward herself.

    It’s hard to understand what Fioretti is doing or why.


  5. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 9:49 am:

    It appears that a dishonest candidate is attempting to benefit from a honest mistake.

    That should disqualify him for any office.


  6. - Huh? - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 9:55 am:

    Reminds me of some job interview advice I got - Take a breath and think about your response to the question. If you think you haven’t heard the question correct, ask for it to be repeated.


  7. - Christopher - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 10:05 am:

    How can Bob Fioretti hold his head up and run for ANY office again?


  8. - Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 10:08 am:

    I’m no Bob Fioretti fan to put it mildly, but did she say it or did she not? What was the context. her response didn’t answer this at all.


  9. - Bongo fury - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 10:13 am:

    Bob Fioretti, or as we used to call him in the neighborhood Barney Rubble, is the Democratic version of Oberweis - but with no money.


  10. - Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 10:14 am:

    @Chicago Cynic

    “In a recent interview with the Sun-Times Editorial Board, I misspoke when I misheard a question on right to work zones. I clarified my answer with the board immediately after the interview.”

    Seems like a reasonable response to me.


  11. - State worker - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 10:19 am:

    As I think about it, it’s easy to imagine a confusing question about the improperly named “right to work” zones. It’s like working with several double negatives.


  12. - Jaded - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 10:45 am:

    ==That should disqualify him for any office.==
    I’m not saying that is a bad idea, but we should would lose a whole lot of elected officials if we start holding them all to this standard.


  13. - Jaded - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 10:46 am:

    “sure”, not “should”….


  14. - NorthCenter - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 11:03 am:

    I’m not a fan of either candidate in this race but I don’t really fault Fioretti or PVP. If I was running Fiorettis campaign and she said something like that in the endorsement session I’d be all over it.
    I’m wondering if Fioretti will give it up or if he’s desperate enough to play her statement on radio/tv


  15. - Riddler - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 6:43 am:

    Fioretti is a politician who is always running. Is he running for something or is he running from something? Not rhetorical.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


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