* Ugh…
State Rep. Peter Breen, R-Lombard, reportedly received a death threat in the wake of an email he sent to fellow Republicans about Winfield Township Republican Party Chairman Burt Minor and the comments he allegedly directed toward Republican attorney general candidate Erika Harold. […]
“This caller was responding to my actions last week, blowing the whistle on a Republican candidate… Our family has dealt with plenty of harassing phone calls over the years, and the First Amendment protects a wide range of speech. But there’s a line you don’t cross – you don’t threaten physical violence. That’s a crime,” Breen said in the [Facebook] post. “There’s just nothing like having your wife listen to a voicemail recording of a lunatic saying that her husband should be ’shot in the f****** head.’ ”
Breen has reported the threat to the Lombard Police Department, according to the post.
Minor is running for the seat currently held by state Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, who is running for governor. In his email, Breen said Minor allegedly asked Harold personal questions about her marital status and sexual orientation, “going so far as to inquire whether she was a ‘lesbo.’ The chairman also used the full n-word repeatedly in front of Ms. Harold and her assistant, asking whether she found its usage offensive.”
* Here’s the voicemail, which is from an unknown caller. But, be warned, there’s lots of profanity. It’s really ugly…
* Meanwhile…
Legislative candidate Burt Minor strongly denies uttering a homosexual slur in front of Republican attorney general candidate Erika Harold and says he only used a racial epithet during that October conversation after she asked him to explain the meaning of the “N-word.” […]
“I’m probably destroyed on this campaign by this slanderous hitting,” Minor told the Daily Herald’s Editorial Board on Monday. “But I have integrity. And I’ve got to defend at least my integrity and tell folks this isn’t the way it happened. It isn’t the way it happened.” […]
Minor says he was encouraged by Harold to ask her about her sexual orientation, with her saying “ask the next question” after he inquired about her marital status. He insists he never used a homosexual slur during the conversation. […]
“She asked me, “What did the N-word mean?,’” Minor said. “She asked me what the N-word was, which I think was a setup question. How would anyone not know what the N-word was?”
While he used the word, Minor says he did it “in a polite way.”
OK, well, just one thing here: There is no “polite way” to say that word in front of an African-American person. Ever.
…Adding… Back in October, Minor wasn’t even a candidate for the Illinois House because Jeanne Ives hadn’t made the move to the governor’s race, so I’m not sure why Harold would even be trying to set him up.
- Aurora Voter - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 3:53 pm:
Ha. Matt Harrington strikes again.
- Anonin - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:00 pm:
I don’t think I believe Breen and Harold. This smells bad.
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
At first listen, I assumed that was an Ives 2018 robocall
- Just Visiting - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:08 pm:
This is starting to point towards the makings of the Slytherin caucus. Breen isn’t well liked across DuPage county in the same way Ives isn’t.
- Keyser Soze - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
Smells fishy.
- DarkHorse - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:16 pm:
Doesn’t this whole incident remind people of the dust-up Harold encountered - with ugly racial statements - during her 2014 Congressional primary? Surely Oswego Willy remembers!!
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
The call wouldn’t help Breen, since no one could blame Minor for the phone call. And it wouldn’t help Minor, since Breen isn’t going to stop campaigning just for this. Conclusion: a random nutcase.
- MissingG - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:28 pm:
Why is this Slytheriny? Please be more specific.
- Robert Williams - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:30 pm:
Wow, look at all of Burt Minor’s bar buddies typing away online! Loyalty to your own sub-species is an IL tradition. Why don’t you type a note to Burt that his ‘integrity’ is a joke, his ‘defense’ sounds like the BS that it is, and his best option is to bail out? Before any of you get your next great idea and Burt has to bail one of YOU out, that is…
- low level - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:31 pm:
Minor is clearly trying to cover over something. Harold asked “what does the N word mean?” Ridiculous
- Real - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:32 pm:
Back in October, Minor wasn’t even a candidate for the Illinois House because Jeanne Ives hadn’t made the move to the governor’s race, so I’m not sure why Harold would even be trying to set him up
-the set up could of been her playing the victim card for more black voter support for her self. I’m a black voter and I’m siding with Minor on this. I don’t believe Harold, Rauner, or Breen.
- PJ - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:36 pm:
===I’m a black voter===
You’re a black voter siding with the guy who randomly used the N word in front of a black woman for no reason because … you think she somehow set him up? To play the “victim card”?
Sounds legit!
- Anonin - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:49 pm:
==Why is this Slytheriny? Please be more specific. ==
Harold and Breen had plenty of opportunities to speak up months ago. Why now? Why less than a month before the primary. Is Breen on Rauner’s side or Proft’s because Proft’s got a horse in that race and it isn’t Minor. None of this passes the smell test and Breen is smelling worse and worse.
- A guy - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:49 pm:
==OK, well, just one thing here: There is no “polite way” to say that word in front of an African-American person. Ever.==
Amen. And this has been true since…about the early 1960s…unless of course, this is what’s inside you. All evidence says it is. This is the 4th or 5th alibi this cad has tossed out there. Go or don’t go, just stop talking.
- A guy - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:51 pm:
History suggests if Proft was supporting a horse here, you’d see something far more dramatic, given this content. Don’t you think? Is it ever too early or too late to do the right thing?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:56 pm:
Some of y’all sound like you’re from Alabama and supported Roy Moore.
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:57 pm:
–I don’t think I believe Breen and Harold. This smells bad.–
What was the purpose of this elaborate conspiracy, that now supposedly includes filing a false police report, a felony?
- Anonin - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 5:15 pm:
Crying wolf on racism undermines everyone and everything MLK stood for. America was supposed to be different - innocent until proven guilty - except right before an election. All you’ve got to do is say someone “said something.”
- @misterjayem - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 6:01 pm:
“C̶r̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶w̶o̶l̶f̶ ̶o̶n̶ racism undermines everyone and everything MLK stood for.”
Fixed it for you.
– MrJM
- The Full Story - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 6:12 pm:
Minor used the N-word when discussing a radio personality’s use of the word days earlier on his nationally syndicated radio show. Minor initially said “the n-word” and only said the full word when Erica didn’t follow what Minor meant by “the n-word”.
As a member of the Illinois Republican Party’s Platform Committee in 2016 Minor supported adding inclusive language to the Illinois Republican Party Platform, recognizing same-sex marriage, something Peter Breen has viciously attacked Minor for doing.
This is a political hit orchestrated by Peter Breen and Erica Harold went along for the ride to curry favor with Breen and to solidify her credentials with Breen and other social conservatives.
- Anonin - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 6:14 pm:
== C̶r̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶w̶o̶l̶f̶ ̶o̶n̶ racism undermines everyone and everything MLK stood for.” ==
Crying wolf on racism undermines everyone and everything MLK stood for. Fixed it back.
- DuPage Bard - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 7:22 pm:
Why would you post a threat on FB? Not defending but why would you do this?
Ed Sullivan had people show up to his door, didn’t blast it on FB. Jeanne Ives had a death threat, didn’t blast it on FB.
I’m sure there have been others, heck Madigan has them on any IPI post he’s mentioned in, doesn’t post up about it. He does have FB now right?
As Rich said last week this is a brilliant takedown of Minor. Beware of the Chief Legal Council of the DaVinci Code.
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 7:28 pm:
–Beware of the Chief Legal Council of the DaVinci Code.–
My, this sinister plot just reaches higher and higher.
This Minor must have been a major threat to all manners of powerful people.
Or, he could just be a fool who never knew when to shut up.
- anon - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 7:56 pm:
= As Rich said last week this is a brilliant takedown of Minor. =
Not brilliant. More deep state Illinois politics. The establishment doesn’t want ole’ Minor to win.
- DarkHorse - Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 9:08 pm:
Whatever a person thinks of Harold, it’s nuts she has had to put up with this bull**** , both in the AG race and also some hateful race mongering in her 2014 Congressional Primary.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Feb 27, 18 @ 6:21 am:
==Why would you post a threat on Facebook?==
Why not post a threat on Facebook? Are you saying it is unethical?
- Anon - Tuesday, Feb 27, 18 @ 6:21 am:
Considering the “Win and any cost mentality” of Peter Breen and his barbarian horde, I would not put it past Peter Breen to have one his minions leave the voice message there, just to help Peter Breen curry his image as a “VICTIM” in this dirty dramma.
God speaks to Peter Breen and may God help anyone who defies God’s servant Peter Breen.
- low level - Tuesday, Feb 27, 18 @ 6:50 am:
=Minor used the N-word when discussing a radio personality’s use of the word days earlier on his nationally syndicated radio show. =
You know you’ve entered radical right territory when they brag about their radio shows w umpteen stations.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Feb 27, 18 @ 8:32 am:
==Crying wolf on racism==
Who is crying wolf on racism? Racism is pretty well clear here.
==All you’ve got to do is say someone “said something.”==
He did say something. He admitted it.
You are a piece of work defending any of this.
- Dog on Sheffield - Tuesday, Feb 27, 18 @ 8:45 am:
Even if Minor’s story is true, he doesn’t need to say the n-word to explain the n-word
- MissingG - Tuesday, Feb 27, 18 @ 8:54 am:
I feel like the people worried about “crying wolf on racism” all own Dodge Rams
- Jack Kemp - Tuesday, Feb 27, 18 @ 9:47 am:
Some of you people are absolutely out of your minds. Alleging that this is some sort of conspiracy or trying to defend this in any way is absolutely unconscionable. This dirtbag Minor already admitted that he said it… that really is the end of the story. His excuse is only slightly less ridiculous than the people defending it here. Bottom line, you might not like Peter Breen or you may disagree with Erika Harold, but both of them are people of the utmost integrity and their credibility stands to muster so far above Minor’s that it should make your head spin.