* Umm…
* I checked in with Dan Kovats at the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association. Here’s his response…
Representative Drury has only contacted the IDCCA once since he announced his candidacy for Governor and that was to ask to speak at our event. IDCCA President Doug House did speak with him last night and President House attempted to contact him again this morning. Representative Drury has not returned President House’s call. If he had returned his call he would have already found out that we will offer him a slot to speak at our Chairmen’s Brunch.
Now Representative Drury puts out a press release calling the IDCCA a machine. That couldn’t be further from the truth and if Representative Drury had been in touch with the IDCCA he would know his statement is ridiculous.
I followed up with Kovats and he explained that the first time Drury called the group was to ask about the event last night. The IDCCA had already set its program, so he was turned down. But then House decided to change his mind this morning and Drury hasn’t called him back.
The annual brunch is traditionally held the morning of the Illinois State Fair’s Democrat Day.
…Adding… Here is Drury’s press release from earlier today…
Illinois Democratic Party bosses are refusing to allow Democratic Candidate for Governor Scott Drury to speak at a major gathering of Democrats in August, prompting Drury to refer to the primary process as “rigged.” “The decision to ban a Democrat from speaking to Democrats is a symptom of an out-of-touch Democratic Party more interested in preserving its leaders’ power than building the party of the future,” said Drury. “If we are to beat Bruce Rauner, the Democratic Party must embrace fresh ideas, not suppress them.”
Drury is a three-time elected Democratic State Representative, and the only Democrat in thirty years who did not vote for Michael J. Madigan to be the Speaker of the House. According to Drury’s campaign, Drury was informed yesterday that he has been barred from speaking at the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association’s Annual Chairmen’s Brunch, which takes place the morning of Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair. Drury was not provided any explanation for the decision and was told the decision is not appealable.
“To the extent there was any doubt that party bosses only want candidates who have kissed their rings and professed loyalty to them, our exclusion from this event puts that to rest,” said Drury. “Any candidate who appears at this event should wear a big sign stating ‘Approved by the Machine,’” said Drury.
Drury’s campaign is pleased that the strength and grassroots appeal of his message is so strong that entrenched politicians are scrambling to try to stop it. “Our message of honest change and returning ownership of Illinois government to the public has clearly scared those whose existence is dependent on the status quo,” said Tony Coppola, Drury’s campaign manager. “Scott is the only candidate in the race with a record of successfully taking on the machine to solve Illinois’ biggest problems and with a plan to restore Illinois to fiscal health so we can return hope and opportunity to every community in the state. Scott’s message will not be impeded by decisions made in a smoke-filled backroom.”
Before running for office, Drury was a federal prosecutor who fought on the front lines of Illinois’ battle against public corruption and gun violence. As a State Representative, Drury has been committed to rebuilding Illinois’ economy through responsible fiscal and ethical reforms. Drury has also led the charge to reform Illinois’ broken criminal justice system and worked successfully to keep our communities safe by defeating the NRA’s attempt to allow assault weapons in every community throughout the state.
- Deft Wing - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 3:36 pm:
Drury never makes ridiculous comments, only factual & poignant ones.
How do we know this is true? He was a former Federal prosecutor. Duh.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 3:38 pm:
That’s former federal prosecutor Representative Drury to you, Kovats.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 3:40 pm:
An emotional over-reaction? Hmmm, where have we seen this play out before?
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 3:48 pm:
Fake Dan Kovats-”But Rep. Drury, the other speakers have agreed to show off the clocks Speaker Madigan gave them and well…”
- TKMH - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 3:49 pm:
Wait wait wait… everyone needs to slow down… Drury was a FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR?! Why doesn’t he mention that more often?!
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 3:49 pm:
Good ole Scott Drury. Winnin’ friends and influencin’ people.
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 3:51 pm:
And “appeal of his message is so strong…” umm, you raised 60k and less than your state Rep opponent. That’s not exactly a juggernaut.
- Morty - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:01 pm:
I knew the federal prosecutor but was going to get in there but I’m surprised it was preceded by several paragraphs
- SinkingShip - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:13 pm:
Scott Drury, the former prosecutor?
- Juvenal - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:14 pm:
Dearest Rep. Drury:
Unless you were actually under fire, you were nowhere near the “front lines” in the battle against gun violence.
Is there something in the North Shore water that makes ya’ll prone to exaggeration (Thinking of you, Mark Kirk). Or is it some sort of insecurity complex about living near Chicago but growing up afraid to venture into the city, e.g. Cameron Frye from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?
Whatever the cause of your psychosis, let’s make it clear: you aren’t heroic. You have never been heroic. You are unlikely to be heroic.
PS: Letting your finger rot until it has to be amputated doesn’t make you heroic either, so please do not try it at home.
- Mean Gene - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:20 pm:
Did you all know that Scott Drury is a formal federal prosecutor?
- Scott Cross for President - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:27 pm:
Representative Drury, you want to be taken seriously as a candidate for higher office? How about you do your current job ? You are the State Representative for Highland Park and other parts of a district whose residents are victims of a 100 year flood and devastating rain storm. We’ve lambasted the Governor plenty here for being AWOL in Lake County last week, but where were you ? And where have you been since then ? No sign of you on the ground, in the news or even in your own press releases.
Oh, now I get it, you’ve been focusing your time and energies on getting to speak in Springfield at a political breakfast.
So looks like they’ve invited you to the breakfast that was super important to you. Congrats. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to shop vacing my home and emptying my dehumidifiers. Again.
- wolf - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:27 pm:
Heh, check the latest wrinkle:
“With its tail b/w its legs, the Dem County Chairmen’s Association apparently has “invited” us to speak. We learned this from the press after we issued a press release. A real profile in courage from the Association.
While the Association’s chairman made it clear yesterday that the Executive Committee had proactively voted to bar me from speaking, the Association has now come up with a new spin involving alternative facts. If the goal is to lose in November, Dem leaders should keep acting this way.”
- illini - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:28 pm:
I suppose that when your name recognition, even among Democrats, is probably still in the single digits any candidate, even a former Federal prosecutor, will do whatever is necessary to increase his profile. Oh well.
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:32 pm:
=== Scott is the only candidate in the race with a record of successfully taking on the machine to solve Illinois’ biggest problems… ===
One vote against Madigan for Speaker does not mean you have a record of successfully taking on the “machine.”
- Quid pro - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:35 pm:
Scott Drury, former state representative
- Quid pro - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:36 pm:
Or Scott Drury, former elected official…
- walker - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:43 pm:
Underdoggerel.
Is Alex Paterakis next? (Sorry Doug)
- walker - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:48 pm:
Come on Scott:
If you want to be taken seriously as a player in the future, lose the victimhood schtick. You would have been on this stage anyway without publicly wailing about it, and you might have impressed some in the audience.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 4:58 pm:
I smell a play for a tronc headline…
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 5:04 pm:
If Drury was turned down, that plays into his whole Man Against Machine schtick, as his press release clearly relays.
So after the sturm und drang, a thank you is probably in order.
Personally, I’d like to hear more about this:
(Tony Coppola, Drury’s campaign manager) “Scott is the only candidate in the race with a record of successfully taking on the machine to solve Illinois’ biggest problem…”
How did I miss that? Was it during the World Series?
What was the biggest problem and how did Drury successfully solve it?
Don’t hide your light under a bushel, cousin.
- Mama - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 5:32 pm:
Poor Representative Drury is playing the victim cared. Drury, if you can’t handle IDCCA, you shouldn’t be running for governor.
- James - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 5:48 pm:
I still think he’ll run as an independent, making the general a 3-way race, to avoid being beaten in the D primary and to have access to Rauner cash to help the gov siphon votes from the D candidate. An imaginary war with the IDCCA would give him a “reason” to split with the Ds.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 5:50 pm:
===I still think he’ll run as an independent===
Tough to get on the ballot that way. You should look up the criteria for ballot access.
- Politix - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 6:07 pm:
So desperate to be seen as an outsider, he trips over himself
- West Side the Best Side - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 7:50 pm:
Cook County ASAs in Felony Review are a closer to the front lines going out to crime scenes than AUSAs who have their cases handed to them on a platter by the FBI after a 2 year investigation.
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 8:31 pm:
OW is correct on how difficult it is to get on a ballot as an I. The corrupt two party system has seen to that.
- Northsider - Tuesday, Jul 18, 17 @ 9:21 pm:
Must.
Not.
BWA-HA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(Oh, geez, my stomach…)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, etc.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 19, 17 @ 2:41 am:
@Northsider -
Don’t know if you can edit your posts here, but, if that’s possible, please do.
Those long “HAHAHA” lines are distorting the view of this thread, stretching it out and making the font infinitesimal.
Thanks.
- Publius - Wednesday, Jul 19, 17 @ 8:25 am:
If he were the man against the machine would he be begging to speak at a “machine” event . Just saying