* The recently elected House Democrat did not come prepared for this line of questioning. From the ILGOP…
In an interview yesterday with WQAD, incoming Democrat Rep. Mike Halpin doubled down on Boss Madigan.
It’s no surprise that Halpin would back his political patron – Madigan funneled $345,000 to help get Halpin elected this cycle.
Asked whether he will support Madigan for Speaker, Halpin replied:
“Again, I’m gonna vote for, I’m gonna vote for the Speaker who I believe as a Democrat, represents the values that I as a Democrat represent, and what I ran on when I talked to people.”
Boss Madigan only values protecting the broken status quo.
“Mike Halpin is a bought-and-paid for hypocrite. He claims on his campaign website to reject ‘politics as usual’ and ‘insider politics’, but by doubling down on his support of Boss Madigan, the literal definition of politics as usual, Halpin betrays his own words.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe
I would not expect a Republican to vote for a Democrat as Speaker. I would not expect a Democrat to vote for a Republican Speaker. So I see nothing unusual about a Democrat voting for a Democrat as speaker. Mike Halpin probably sees that Rauner’s money is going to attack him in the next election anyway no matter what. It would not do him any good to vote against Madigan.
They keep saying 9 Democrats need to switch their vote, but would any real news outlet think that 9 Democrats will vote for Jim Durkin?
Why would a Democrat vote against their own party?
Stumble-stutter on the “do you own Madigan?” question. Not so much on “will you vote for Madigan?” question. Practice, Mike, practice. Ain’t gonna be the last time those questions are gonna come at ya!
Dear Illinois House Democrats, I think you may get asked about your feelings on Mike Madigan once or twice in the coming years. I offer this unsolicited advice: come up with an answer for you all to use on an obsessively repeated basis in order to change the conversation. Something like, “are you asking me whether I support Mike Madigan who is fighting to keep social service agencies, higher education and collective bargaining rights present in Illinois, or if I support Rauner’s attempts to destroy the state financially while benefiting awful rich people?”
If you put your minds to it, you might be able to come up with something even better than I did. /s
Of course any Republican who has accepted any level of funding from Rauner or the Rauner funded groups is not doing the same ‘insider’ or ‘politics as usual’ hypocrite dance.
- Carhartt Union Negotiating Team - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:15 pm:
Gotta give Rauner and his expensive hobby of owning the ILGOP franchise. Their efforts to capture the narrative continue to pay off. It’s solving nothing - but, in politics, when you’ve got no workable fix, the best strategy is to divert, distract, deter and demonize.
- Carhartt Union Negotiating Team - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
Gotta give Rauner and his expensive hobby of owning the ILGOP franchise some credit. Their efforts to capture the narrative continue to pay off. It’s solving nothing - but, in politics, when you’ve got no workable fix, the best strategy is to divert, distract, deter and demonize.
Actually, Halpin’s election has more to do with his connections to Lane Evans than anyone else. Evans was highly respected, and the fact that Halpin worked closely with him was a huge plus in his campaign.
It’s time for the democrats to start a “bought by Rauner” website. It would expose the GOP members that sold their soul to BVR and vote how he tells them.
Those mailers against Hotle in the primary from Madigan’s PAC should have told you all you needed to know about who the “house money” was on in that race.
Halpin made an amateur’s mistake. He’ll wise up. But that’s what the House Democrats like - amateurs they can mold. He sat back and accepted $350,000 from Madigan and now gets to wear the uniform.
I thought a representative was running for office so they could represent the people but it sure sounds like they are running to just keep their jobs thus Madigan giving halpin money what ever happened to our representation….these rpes are in it for their job and pensions not representing us.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:30 am:
Yep. There’s Raunerites… looking for 60 and 30.
At least Yaffe got to put his name on this and not the other Press Release DeGroot had to eat.
- Deft Wing - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:36 am:
Rep Halpin meet Rep Yingling. You two should be fast friends.
- dray - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:44 am:
He neither stumbled nor stuttered.
- DuPage - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:47 am:
I would not expect a Republican to vote for a Democrat as Speaker. I would not expect a Democrat to vote for a Republican Speaker. So I see nothing unusual about a Democrat voting for a Democrat as speaker. Mike Halpin probably sees that Rauner’s money is going to attack him in the next election anyway no matter what. It would not do him any good to vote against Madigan.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:47 am:
===He neither stumbled nor stuttered===
LOL
You’re blind and deaf. Lay off the Kool-Aid.
- DuPage Bard - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:48 am:
They keep saying 9 Democrats need to switch their vote, but would any real news outlet think that 9 Democrats will vote for Jim Durkin?
Why would a Democrat vote against their own party?
- jim - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:53 am:
Interesting how he couldn’t even say Madigan’s name.
- Not It - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:56 am:
I don’t get the Boy Scout reference. Be Prepared maybe?
You would think the House Dem staff would be all over helping people answer this question.
- Anon221 - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:56 am:
Stumble-stutter on the “do you own Madigan?” question. Not so much on “will you vote for Madigan?” question. Practice, Mike, practice. Ain’t gonna be the last time those questions are gonna come at ya!
- Anon221 - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 11:57 am:
Fingers messing up on type pad-
owe Madigan not own Madigan.
- Earnest - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:03 pm:
Dear Illinois House Democrats, I think you may get asked about your feelings on Mike Madigan once or twice in the coming years. I offer this unsolicited advice: come up with an answer for you all to use on an obsessively repeated basis in order to change the conversation. Something like, “are you asking me whether I support Mike Madigan who is fighting to keep social service agencies, higher education and collective bargaining rights present in Illinois, or if I support Rauner’s attempts to destroy the state financially while benefiting awful rich people?”
If you put your minds to it, you might be able to come up with something even better than I did. /s
- zatoichi - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:03 pm:
Of course any Republican who has accepted any level of funding from Rauner or the Rauner funded groups is not doing the same ‘insider’ or ‘politics as usual’ hypocrite dance.
- Carhartt Union Negotiating Team - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:15 pm:
Gotta give Rauner and his expensive hobby of owning the ILGOP franchise. Their efforts to capture the narrative continue to pay off. It’s solving nothing - but, in politics, when you’ve got no workable fix, the best strategy is to divert, distract, deter and demonize.
- Carhartt Union Negotiating Team - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
Gotta give Rauner and his expensive hobby of owning the ILGOP franchise some credit. Their efforts to capture the narrative continue to pay off. It’s solving nothing - but, in politics, when you’ve got no workable fix, the best strategy is to divert, distract, deter and demonize.
- Liberty - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:23 pm:
Grabbing attention is easy. Making it count is hard.
- RIJ - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:30 pm:
Actually, Halpin’s election has more to do with his connections to Lane Evans than anyone else. Evans was highly respected, and the fact that Halpin worked closely with him was a huge plus in his campaign.
- Altgelds Ghost - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:30 pm:
It’s getting hot in here
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:38 pm:
===and the fact that Halpin worked closely with him was a huge plus in his campaign.===
True. But Madigan diverted a bunch of money and other help to him as well.
- Seymourkid - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:42 pm:
It’s time for the democrats to start a “bought by Rauner” website. It would expose the GOP members that sold their soul to BVR and vote how he tells them.
- Chicagonk - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 12:53 pm:
Those mailers against Hotle in the primary from Madigan’s PAC should have told you all you needed to know about who the “house money” was on in that race.
- West Wing - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 1:31 pm:
Halpin made an amateur’s mistake. He’ll wise up. But that’s what the House Democrats like - amateurs they can mold. He sat back and accepted $350,000 from Madigan and now gets to wear the uniform.
- concern1 - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 1:44 pm:
I thought a representative was running for office so they could represent the people but it sure sounds like they are running to just keep their jobs thus Madigan giving halpin money what ever happened to our representation….these rpes are in it for their job and pensions not representing us.
- Signal and Noise - Friday, Jan 6, 17 @ 3:46 pm:
Amen Earnest. Amen.