Embattled Silverstein has petition problems
Tuesday, Jan 2, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* NBC 5…
State Sen. Ira Silverstein was notified Friday by election officials that he does not have the required signatures for his name to appear on the March primary ballot.
He is 45 signatures short of the required 1,000 needed. This setback is quite unusual for a veteran lawmaker.
It’s the latest trouble for Silverstein who was accused this past October of sexual harassment by a woman lobbying for a crime bill. […]
While Silverstein delivered 1,999 signatures, his petitions were challenged and a report issued Friday noted he was left with 955 signatures.
One way to remain on the ballot is Silverstein would need to verify 45 signatures, by reaching back to those who signed his petitions, getting affidavits from them stating they did in fact sign his petition and have them notarized.
* Meanwhile…
This is former Rep. Ken Dunkin’s old seat. He’s running against three Democratic opponents.
* Related…
* From Oregon to Maine, Statehouses Are Having Their Own #MeToo Reckonings
* Petition signature investigation leads to 16th CD GOP candidate withdrawing
- Iggy - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 9:38 am:
Can’t wait to see Kenny D and his sleeping bag back on the house floor next year.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 9:48 am:
In his circumstances, it’s hard to believe he didn’t get 1200 rock solid signatures at least. 50% bad rate tells you there were scattershot petition gathering at trains and supermarkets. Getting 45 affidavits isn’t insurmountable, but it is a PITA. Asking people to “reaffirm” for Ira should include combat pay. Ugh.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 9:51 am:
Ken Dunkin is a Raunerite.
We’ll see if voters remember Dunkin’s role in hurting social services and his district by helping Bruce Rauner.
Maybe Matt Besler will help Dunkin again?
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 9:59 am:
Hindsight being 20-20 and all, I think Silverstein is regretting not stepping down when the “scandal” reached its peak. He could have gone out like Al Franken did, with people begging him to stay on and fight the charges. Now? He’s just a pathetic figure who won’t be on the ballot and no one feels sorry for.
It’s funny how things turn out.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 10:48 am:
Not ‘ha,ha’ funny, though, right?
- Soapbox Derby - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 10:51 am:
After spending over $1.3 million on his last race, Dunkin’s campaign in now in debt.
Don’t think he’ll be getting a check from Rauner this time.
- Soapbox Derby - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 10:53 am:
After spending over $1.3 million on his last race, Dunkin’s campaign is now in debt.
- King Louis XVI - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 10:58 am:
–Ken Dunkin is a Raunerite.–
Dunkin is transactional. Dunkin is in the game for Dunkin.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 11:04 am:
===Dunkin is transactional. Dunkin is in the game for Dunkin.===
Rauner and Raunerism is about the agenda that Rauner requires, be it by transactional relationships or holding hostage whole caucuses.
How’d that transaction go, by the way.
Don’t recall Besler or Proft or Rauner aiding that “former” legislator.
Choosing to be an alleged Democrat but is transactional with Bruce Rauner is being a Raunerite.
‘Nember that “ILGO” thingy?
- SaulGoodman - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 11:23 am:
**stepping down when the “scandal” reached its peak. He could have gone out like Al Franken did, with people begging him to stay on and fight the charges. **
Pretty sure no one would have been begging him to stay.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 11:40 am:
===No one cares what you think.===
Happy New Year.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 11:50 am:
=please stop your drivel OW. No one cares what you think. Non f’ing stop babbling. Get a life in 2018.=
Speak for yourself. Many enjoy the commentary and the engagement. There are some really awesome commenters here along with OW, word, RNUG, AA, Michele Flaherty, Word each with a different view point yet honest and informed.
In other words, bite me.
- Fax Machine - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 11:54 am:
What is the story with Tregg Duerson?
Was a deal made because of fear too many candidates would split the vote and let Dunkin win?
Does Tregg run for Alderman in 2019? What ward is he in?
- Fax Machine - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 11:56 am:
Because Tregg was not challenged so it’s not likw he withdrew because he didn’t have the signatures.
- King Louis XVI - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 12:01 pm:
–Choosing to be an alleged Democrat but is transactional with Bruce Rauner is being a Raunerite.–
If you say so.
- anon2 - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 12:03 pm:
If an incumbent senator and ward committeeman can’t get enough valid signatures, he’s incompetent.
As far as OW, I appreciate his commentary, though it would benefit on occasion from editing for brevity.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 12:03 pm:
===If you say so.===
Explain… IllinoisGo.
Thanks.
- low level - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 12:10 pm:
Duerson is in the 42nd ward if im not mistaken. Doubt hes running for that, but time will tell.
As for flunkin Dunkin, yes, hes been reaching out to ex supporters (aka people with a brain). Results not so good….
The article in the Defender talking about the great harm that was done him is hillarous.
- Fax Machine - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 12:40 pm:
Dunkin’s game plan was to hold on to the 30% who voted for him in 2016 and use that to win a 6 way primary.
Now that it’s only a 4 way race, that strategy is a little more precarious.
- Fax Machine - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 12:42 pm:
ILGO folded because they realized they were the kiss of death.
Omar Aquino beat Angelica Alfaro for the 2nd Senate district in 2016 by running a one issue campaign - my opponent is getting Rauner money.
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 12:44 pm:
=== He could have gone out like Al Franken did, with people begging him to stay on and fight the charges. ===
As @SaulGoodman points out — Nobody was begging Ira to stay and fight — hardly anyone was begging Al Franken and Al Franken is much more beloved than Ira Silverstein.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 1:16 pm:
== and Al Franken is much more beloved than Ira Silverstein.==
Yep, just ask Al Franken. /s
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 1:49 pm:
Al Franken was much beloved by a gorilla in a cage in Trading Places, right?
- W Flag - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 2:06 pm:
Silverstein’s petition problems are indicative of the fact that he used paid petition circulators who were probably paid per signature collected. Bad business. It also suggests that he did not have sufficient volunteers to work the precincts. In former days, he could have sent people into the
Winston Towers and collected sufficient pages.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 2:35 pm:
1000+ invalid signatures? That’s extremely sloppy for a long time legislator like Silverstein.
- @misterjayem - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
“1000+ invalid signatures? That’s extremely sloppy for a long time legislator like Silverstein.”
I thought so too, so I took a look at the Objector’s Petition — https://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/Electoral-Board/18-EB-SS-05.pdf
The meat of it is the allegation that two of circulators for Silverstein forged so many signatures that there is a pattern of fraud bad enough to justify the striking of all the signatures from every page the two of them circulated. (p. 4-5, #23-24)
And when a petition’s signatures are stricken 22 pages at a time, it can drop below the statutory minimum real quick.
– MrJM
- Chicago - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 3:39 pm:
Silverstein case is not the problem in Springfield. A safe guess is that there are way worse cases out there. He’s just the only one named so far. He should have done better on his petitions and his behavior. If he has to go, how many others need to resign for much worse behavior?
- Chunky Jay - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 4:32 pm:
Dunkin has to be hoping that he still has the highest name ID in the district. Many people will remember his name but not many may remember why. The average voter probably doesn’t have a long enough memory for the “why” but the name should still trigger in their brain.
- anon2 - Tuesday, Jan 2, 18 @ 5:09 pm:
MrJM
Thanks for the details about the petition problem. The pattern of fraud rule hasn’t always been applied to petitions in Cook County. I remember securing 100 affidavits of fraudulent signatures on the petitions of a GOP County Board candidate, but the county authorities didn’t see any pattern of fraud, so the candidate made it on the ballot. He lost.