* Rauner campaign…
Berrios’ record of cheating taxpayers in favor of the wealthy and politically-connected is catching up with him. On Monday, the Chicago Tribune and Crain’s reported that Illinois Democrats are fleeing from the Cook County Assessor.
Most Democratic candidates for statewide office — including Chris Kennedy, Daniel Biss, and the Attorney General candidates with the exception of Kwame Raoul, Berrios’ co-chair of the Cook County Democrats — have openly criticized Berrios for his corrupt practices.
But JB Pritzker remains silent. He claims that he won’t ‘foment a war between Democrats,’ and he has refused to criticize Berrios just as he has avoided almost any critique of Madigan.
In the face of outright corruption, Pritzker chooses to remain silent and defend the politicians who have thrown their support behind him in his run for governor.
We talked about the Crain’s story yesterday. The Tribune story, about an attorney general forum, is here.
* ILGOP…
It is undeniable that J.B. Pritzker and disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich have been “bosom buddies” for decades.
Pritzker fundraised for Blagojevich’s run for Congress in 1996 and Blagojevich helped Pritzker in his failed run in 1998. Pritzker joined Blagojevich’s $25,000 Club with a large campaign check, and Blagojevich later appointed Pritzker to head Illinois’ Human Rights Commission. Then there’s the infamous FBI wiretaps between Pritzker and Blagojevich published by the Chicago Tribune, and that only scratches the surface.
Blagojevich and Pritzker were so close, Blagojevich swooned over Pritzker as early as 1998, talking of his “tremendous future” in politics and comparing him to President Abraham Lincoln.
From yesterday’s profile in the Chicago Tribune:
…He finished third with 20 percent of the vote in a 1998 primary won by Jan Schakowsky, who still holds the seat. Pritzker got campaign help from workers allied with former 33rd Ward Ald. Richard Mell, the father-in-law of future Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Two years earlier, Pritzker had helped Blagojevich win his congressional seat.
“This was a good first start and I think J.B. has a tremendous future,” Blagojevich said in a May 1998 Tribune profile of Pritzker. “Remember, Abraham Lincoln didn’t win his first election, and Mario Cuomo lost several races before he got elected. For J.B., this is only the beginning.”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:11 am:
Continually adding to Pritzker’s negatives, keeping Pritzker on the defensive, keeping the heat and light off of Rauner…
It’s quite bizarre how the Pritzker Crew continually lets their negatives to be dragged down.
Rauner rarely gave Quinn quarter during the Primary, and went after the “CareerFellas” at the same time.
It’s bizarre.
- Grand Avenue - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:12 am:
Kwame’s not a committeeman and therefore not a co-chair of the Cook County Democrats
- Al - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:16 am:
Old histerical lessons are important. Especially when you have few accomplishments to tout. What was the unpaid bill backlog four years ago? And now?
- Claud Peppers - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:17 am:
Who is this Blagojevich fellow?
- Retired Educator - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:18 am:
Pritzker has shown himself to be a counter-puncher. His organization seems to wait for the next attack, then respond. I guess proactive is not in their vocabulary. He has repeated chances to make the news, instead of being the news. Seems a little strange. Thay had better to get it together as they head toward the general election. (If he wins)
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:18 am:
“It is undeniable that J.B. Pritzker and disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich have been “bosom buddies” for decades.”
zzzzz……huh? wha—?……zzzzzz
This stuff is so old—literally from years ago.
- Responsa - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:28 am:
==It’s bizarre.==
I don’t think the Campaign staff JB put together has ever had a good handle on the electorate and how toxic Blago was and continues to be both to Democrats and Republicans. Or, perhaps there was nothing they could have done to manage this issue better.
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:29 am:
===…Crain’s reported that Illinois Democrats are fleeing from the Cook County Assessor.===
Fleeing? Or Comprehensively Fleeing? Just wondering.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:33 am:
===Campaign staff JB put together===
They’re competent. They do planned rollouts real good, or prepared negative pieces well, but nimble? Hmm.
How many “locals” are there to grasp and inform how things were but 12 years ago?
- Anon0091 - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 10:42 am:
“But JB Pritzker remains silent. He claims that he won’t ‘foment a war between Democrats,’ and he has refused to criticize Berrios”
Ok, clearly these guys haven’t been listening to the debates. He repeatedly said Berrios is doing a lousy job, has criticized the system and his failure to fix it and has gone after the assessors office for its failures. All he hasn’t done is weighed in the primary as he hasn’t weighed in on any primaries.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Mar 13, 18 @ 11:30 am:
PS, fleeing is as the word implies Comprehensively fleeing is yanking all the dude’s yard signs and burning his lit in the barrel out by the alley.