* Press release…
IL 10 Republican candidate Jeremy Wynes today strongly condemned comments made by Brad Schneider yesterday giving cover to serial sexual harasser John Conyers.
“Brad Schneider ought to be ashamed of himself. Sexual harassment should be condemned regardless of party affiliation,” Wynes said. “John Conyers has no business being in Congress. It’s disgusting to see Brad Schneider playing politics with this issue.”
* Wynes points to this Crain’s article…
In other news, Schneider—who held his seat for one term, lost it in 2014 and regained it in 2016—says Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., may eventually have to give up his seat. But not yet.
Conyers did the right thing in stepping aside as the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee after allegations of sexual harassment, but further action should await completion of an Ethics Committee probe, he said.
The investigation should be “expeditious,” lasting no longer than 30 to 60 days, Schneider said. “If the allegations are true . . . he should step down.” Asked how that’s different than the situation involving Alabama GOP Senate hopeful Roy Moore, who some want to end his race, Schneider said Moore faces “a number of allegations” over some years, often involving teenagers. “I’m aware of one” with Conyers, though “it is serious,” Schneider said.
In fact, Conyers faces allegations from at least two women. There are also multiple accusations against Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, who has admitted misconduct and whose case is being considered by the Senate Ethics Committee.
* And then Wynes linked to this story…
THIRD CONYERS ACCUSER COMES FORWARD — Another former staffer of Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) has come forward to accuse him of sexual harassment, making the woman the third former aide to levy such accusations against the lawmaker. “Deanna Maher, Conyers’ former deputy chief of staff who ran his downriver office from 1997 to 2005, told The Detroit News that the Detroit Democrat made unwanted advances toward her three times,” George Hunter reports. “Conyers’ status as a leading Democrat deterred her from going public at the time, Maher said, adding she doesn’t have anything to lose now. ‘I didn’t report the harassment because it was clear nobody wanted to take it seriously,’ she said.” Maher had previously discussed the allegations with Detroit reporters years ago but didn’t want to go on the record.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE *** I think this is the third ILGOP press release on this topic…
It’s been nearly two weeks since Democrats “scrambled to contain the fallout” from the sexual assault allegations against Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken. The Minnesota Democrat was accused of groping and kissing a reporter without her consent.
In response, some Democratic lawmakers quickly distanced themselves by donating campaign contributions from Al Franken to charity. Senator Claire McCaskill donated her $30,000 in Franken cash to Missouri food banks while Senator Tammy Baldwin donated $20,000 to a group benefiting women veterans in Wisconsin.
But what are Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth doing with their campaign contributions from Al Franken? They’re keeping his dirty money. Both have received $5,000 and $21,000, respectively, but they’ve been silent on whether or not they will return the money or give it away to Illinois charities.
Durbin and Duckworth didn’t hesitate to call Franken’s actions “wrong” and “unacceptable,’ but they stopped short of putting their money where their mouth is. Dick Durbin even dodged questions on whether Al Franken should resign and hasn’t said a word about what he will do with his campaign cash from Franken.
For Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, it’s all about the money, regardless of who gets hurt.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:15 am:
The contrived outrage is disgusting. The Republicans are so much better than Democrats when it comes to this stuff. Absolutely zero sense of shame in that party.
- lake county voter - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:20 am:
Pretty rich. Remember: Jeremy Wynes was paid thousands of dollars to campaign for Republicans like Donald Trump.
- PurpleDog - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:21 am:
Weird that a Paul Ryan-loving DC lobbyist is following the NRCC plan to talk Pelosi instead of policy. Oh, maybe because their tax policy is horrible.
- Perrid - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:28 am:
I personally don’t think allegations, any random person making accusations, should by itself make someone lose their job. I haven’t really been following Conyers, I have no idea how credible the allegations are, but waiting to see how the chips fall, waiting for more info, isn’t a bad idea. And yeah, someone saying party doesn’t matter while bashing the other party is about as hollow as it gets.
- PurpleDog - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:28 am:
Per my OP, there is a story out today–same as Wynes’ press release–about NRCC’s strategy of focusing on Pelosi. Wynes is a partisan hack. http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/362056-gops-2018-strategy-keep-focus-on-pelosi
- Springfieldish - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:32 am:
“Schneider slimed over Conyers remarks.” There, I fixed it for you.
- Anon Nice - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:33 am:
ZZZZZ….if both sides do it, why won’t he talk about the differences in party, namely the GOP tax plan?
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:37 am:
Has Wynes condemned Roy Moore’s actions yet?
- Easy Go - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:37 am:
Jeremy Wynes: “I’m not partisan!”
[story about taxes]
Jeremy Wynes: “Nancy Pelosi bad!”
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:38 am:
With high standards set that high, I’m sure Wynes will not be accepting any money, directly or indirectly, from Dick Uihlein or any of his known associates.
- Dee Lay - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:42 am:
“With high standards set that high, I’m sure Wynes will not be accepting any money, directly or indirectly, from Dick Uihlein or any of his known associates.”
THIS.
The GOP is trying to slime everyone before the “Candidate XYZ received money from alleged pedophile supporter Dick Uihlein…” hits begin.
- FormerParatrooper - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:46 am:
It does not look like any of the Parties are immune from sexual harassment or assault. And regardless of what Party someone belongs too, they deserve to have the claims against them investigated and to be concluded before we start demanding thier punishment.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:48 am:
Schneider said there should be an “expeditious” investigation, and that if tne allegations are found to be true,
Conyers should resign.
Wynes is outraged by that?
By that standard, his head should have exploded long ago.
Still, Wymes has a strong appeal to the North Shore Republican Jewish farmer vote, so he has that going for him.
- lake county voter - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:49 am:
Lots of criticism in this thread, but as someone in the district, I have to say I have heard very little excitement about Jeremy.
However: Many Republican friends are lining up for Doug Bennett. I wouldn’t count Bennett out.
- State Sen. Clay Davis - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:50 am:
Fixed it for you, Jeremy:
Anyone of the other party who has been accused, and anyone of my party who has been convicted, has no business being in Congress, period. As for the White House or Supreme Court, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- cdog - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:51 am:
“The investigation should be “expeditious,” lasting no longer than 30 to 60 days, Schneider said. “If the allegations are true . . . he should step down.”
Should not take too long to see the case was strong enough for a $27k payment and a hush clause.
(BTW, the man is 88 years old and embarrassed himself when questioning Sessions a few weeks ago. The Democratic Party has a serious aging problem.)
Schneider’s on the wrong side of this one.
- Joliet Jackhammer - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:52 am:
Democrats give fellow Democrats “one free grope”.
- Mountain Jam - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:59 am:
360-
Looks like he called out Moore as well on Twitter this past weekend
https://twitter.com/JeremyWynes/status/934812076769468417
- PurpleDog - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:00 pm:
@MountainJam He was silent until the RNC pulled out of Alabama. But, yeah, what a tough guy.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:06 pm:
Bigger issue that everyone should agree on: taxpayers should not pay for settlements from politicians involved in sexual aggression/harassment cases. I had no idea that’s been going on - just when I thought slugs couldn’t get any lower….
- Bigtwich - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:07 pm:
“Should not take too long to see the case was strong enough for a $27k payment and a hush clause.”
I took the $27k payment to indicate it was a weak case.
- PurpleDog - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:08 pm:
@Anonymous Why won’t Paul Ryan put that to a vote ASAP then?
- Dutch Boy - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
Wynes is for the tax bill, so is Shah. Bennett is the only candidate I’ve heard actually oppose it because it’d be bad for us. I hope that’s what our primary will focus on, not Roy Moore and Frankin.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:18 pm:
@Purple Dog. If only. To do that would take far more guts and moral standing than Ryan has shown (thus far). Unless the outrage of taxpayers reaches a certain level, ‘leaders’ will hope the issue goes away. Just another perk for the perps.
- Springfieldish - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:55 pm:
Joliet Sillyhammer: Why do you think she gave him a free pass? I think she made his life a living hell, but she was also committed to the man and the family. You guys are gonna have to clarify that whole family values thing for me. When Republicans
say it, family values generally gets air-quotes.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 1:02 pm:
– Schneider is on the wrong side of this one–
So you’re against an investigation, and don’t think Conyers should step down if the allegations are true? That’s the right side?
- PurpleDog - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 1:02 pm:
The idea that 10th District voters who care about women should vote out Pelosi and Schneider and replace them with Ryan and Wynes is utterly preposterous.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 1:08 pm:
I don’t care about what Schneider said about Underwear John or Groper Franken. No one should except their constituents.
I don’t care about Roy Moore’s dating history from 40 years ago.
I don’t want my choices for office pontificating over it. They’re not involved.
- LC Illini - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 1:52 pm:
Maybe Jeremy Wynes wouldn’t have to focus on Pelosi, if Brad Schneider didn’t send out constant fundraising emails signed by Nancy Pelosi. Just a thought.
- ste_with_a_v_en - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 1:53 pm:
“I don’t care about Roy Moore’s dating history from 40 years ago”
You mean sexual assault by an ephebophiles? You don’t care about that?
- Anon Nice - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 2:00 pm:
@LCIllini If you want to go down this road, enjoy getting wiped out in Lake County in 2018. Just a thought.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 2:00 pm:
==Democrats give fellow Democrats “one free grope”==
Not this one. Conyers should have resigned last weekend. Dude paid out a settlement to keep one instance quiet, and is accused of several others. I’m not a constituent of his, but I prefer my congressmen to be held to higher ethical standards than Bill O’Reilly. Pretty much the exact same scenario forced him out at fox news.
==The Democratic Party has a serious aging problem.)==
cdog is exactly right. If they don’t recognize it in the next coupl years, their get-out-the-youth-vote efforts are going to go to waste.
- Anon Nice - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 2:04 pm:
@LesterHolt’sMustache Is Bernie Sanders young or did he do poorly with young people? I’ll hang up and listen.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 2:06 pm:
Speaking of the ILGOP and their principles, what’s the status of all that money they received from Dennis Hastert over the years?
In case they forgot, he’s a serial child molester, as well as one of the highest ranking GOP officials in Illinois history.
I figured the ILGOP would be setting the example on what to do with all that money. At ISBE, there’s about 200 contributions from Hastert to the state party, county parties, leadership committees and all sorts of GOP candidates.
You’ve got the words, let’s see the actions.
- Albany Park Patriot - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 2:15 pm:
I’m a Democrat. I condemn Conyers’ conduct and Franken’s, ad infinitum. The ILGOP can start with their almost perfect silence about Trump’s conduct and then work themselves back to the way they dealt with the Hastert news.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 3:07 pm:
==I don’t want my choices for office pontificating over it. ==
You don’t think they should have an opinion? You have a pretty low standard for what you expect.
==I don’t care about Roy Moore’s dating history from 40 years ago.==
That says more about you than you know. It’s not just “dating history.” It’s potentially pedophilia. But not a care in the world, huh? Wow. Just wow.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:02 pm:
==@LesterHolt’sMustache Is Bernie Sanders young or did he do poorly with young people? I’ll hang up and listen.==
Steny Hoyer, Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein, Conyers, et al get Bernie-level love from young voters? Not all young voters are bearded, skinny-jeans wearing white boys, and not all octogenarian dems speak the language like Bernie does.
But do please feel free to come back when you graduate and move out of your dorm room.