Among the eight other participants, whose names the BGA obtained either from a sign-in sheet or when they introduced themselves to the others in the room: a Cook County judge, one of Brown’s neighbors and two individuals with apparent ties to Brown’s office - a man named Christopher Hodges and a woman named Zoe Neely.
A Christopher Hodges has worked in the clerk’s office since 2004 and is a manager making $56,000 a year, according to 2016 payroll records. A Facebook profile page that identifies Hodges as an employee of Brown’s office has a photo of the same man who attended the seminar. The Facebook page also states Hodges is a “servant” at Brown’s church, King of Glory Tabernacle Church of God in Christ, on Chicago’s South Side.
Neely is identified on LinkedIn as Zalita Zoe Neely. Her mother is Madina Neely, who has been employed in the clerk’s office since 2008 and has worked as Brown’s scheduler, according to sources. According to payroll records, Madina Neely was an office assistant in 2015 making $37,000 a year but last year made $63,000 as a manager.
None of them could be reached for comment. Brown’s spokeswoman Jalyne Strong declined to answer questions about their employment or on the seminar as a whole. […]
Brown talked about the basics of running a campaign, including how to set up an organizing committee and file petitions, as well as how to shake hands and dress appropriately.
“You definitely do not go to the store with rollers in your head and a scarf on your head if you’re a woman,” she said. “You want to always dress up, even on Saturdays.”
She recommended ways to get involved in the community and meet people, particularly emphasizing churches as a good starting place to gain supporters and spread your message. She said candidates should start attending services first once a month and then more frequently as the election approaches, eventually every Sunday. […]
Brown also warned people of sabotage on several occasions, saying volunteers or other members of your political campaign could be working for or bought out by an opponent. Even printing companies can be “political,” Brown said, claiming that one time a printing firm printed the wrong address on petitions, which could have gotten her thrown off the ballot if she hadn’t caught the error.
“It’s a dirty game,” she said. “It can either lift you up or tear you down.”
The BGA reporter paid for the training with a credit card via PayPal and the fees appear to go to a company called “Candidates360,” although there is no business registered by that name with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office or the Cook County Clerk’s Office. […]
“You don’t want to go on camera if there’s something negative,” Brown said. “You stick your press spokesperson out there for the negative things.”
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 11:58 am:
Like taking a cooking class taught by Typhoid Mary.
- Oneman - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:02 pm:
VM,
Then again she did get re-elected with all of her problems, perhaps she is the right person to teach this class.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:05 pm:
“You want to always dress up, even on Saturdays.”
Even on blue jeans Fridays?
- Because I Said So.... - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
How is she still in office?
- Cadillac - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:13 pm:
=== - Because I Said So…. - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
How is she still in office? ===
That will be covered in the next training session.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:16 pm:
joking aside you should do something like this rich. help draw in nee people to politics but cutting through some of the mystery
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:24 pm:
Brown leads a remarkably care-free existence, considering the impending hammer that has been obviously coming for some time.
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
Ron - LOL!
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:35 pm:
–Brown leads a remarkably care-free existence, considering the impending hammer that has been obviously coming for some time.–
Yeah, you don’t hire Ed Genson to have a friendly chat with the Feds.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:36 pm:
==- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:24 pm:==
“How To Really Live Stress Free” by Dorothy Brown, hitting bookshelves soon
- IrishPirate - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:37 pm:
Grifters gotta grift.
The lack of awareness AND the entitlement is amazing in the Honorable Dorothy Brown.
I’m sure various DEMS are maneuvering for this office as I type.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:41 pm:
Hosted by “The Honorable”… says who?
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:45 pm:
I look forward to the companion 2-minute seminar on How to Get Started in Government Service by Joe Berrios.
- Southside Markie - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:50 pm:
There is a $10 surcharge to wear blue jeans to the seminar.
- blogman - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 12:58 pm:
Why isn’t the Judge named? It is an ethics violation unless the person is a candidate for office.
- It's All About Me - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 1:00 pm:
Yes great reason to attend church..oy
- Flynn's mom - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 1:02 pm:
Dorothy always has her hands on someones wallet.
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 1:18 pm:
Don’t believe her? Just look at Brown’s event flier!
The text of the flier says “candidate360″ — twice! — but the logo and website both say “candidates360″.
Is there no length to which the political printing firms won’t go to make Dorthy Brown look like a sloppy and incompetent goof??!?
– MrJM
- winners and losers - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 1:24 pm:
Speaking of self-awareness, the State Superintendent of Education just told a Senate Committee - “As educators, we will see a system that’s much more about collaboration rather than competition and punishment.”
In other words, ISBE is not regulating, will not regulate, and does not want to regulate the actions of local school districts.
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
I notice there is no time in the schedule for lunch — a packed day.
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
=== Why isn’t the Judge named? It is an ethics violation unless the person is a candidate for office. ===
Doubtful that it’s an ethics violation. Judges are entitled to “learn” about campaign processes.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
Every year since Dorothy Brown took over as the Clerk of the Circuit Court the inefficiency has gotten worse. Lawyers now have to provide “courtesy copies” to judges because the clerk cannot be relied upon to deliver files to the correct courtrooms on time. She makes Aurelia Pucinski and Morgan Finley look like administrative experts.
- walker - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 2:39 pm:
What’s this a cover for?
Not a high enough fee to be a standalone.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 3:45 pm:
Will Dan Proft be there?
- Downstate Illinois - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 4:36 pm:
It sounds like a fascinating event and probably more informative than most candidate training sessions. There’s nothing like hands-on experience from an expert in Chicago politics.
- Chicagonk - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 5:14 pm:
Cook County Dems are such an easy target. If there was ever a good reason for a jungle primary, Cook County might be it.