Don’t get mad, get even
Tuesday, May 1, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Remember this Sen. Sam McCann story from last week?…
State Sen. Sam McCann, R-Plainview, who last week announced he’s running a third-party campaign for governor, said Thursday that he is being denied regular services provided by Senate staff, and he may file a lawsuit to fight that denial on his constituents’ behalf.
“It’s totally unconstitutional,” McCann said. “I think the taxpayers need to know that … currently, in the 50th District, you are enduring taxation without representation.”
McCann said that services he’s talking about range from use of staff photographers to communications, to help in writing bills and coordinating their movement through committees.
“I had a group of Girl Scouts here this morning,” McCann said, but a staff photographer would not take a picture.
* The News-Gazette editorial board summed it up well…
McCann’s dismay is certainly understandable. Then again, so is the dismay of members of the GOP Senate caucus who perceive his gubernatorial candidacy as a thinly veiled effort to support the Democrats.
In politics, people don’t get mad, they get even. McCann is running for governor to get even with Rauner for past slights. Now his fellow Republicans are getting even with McCann for going over to the other side.
If someone had explained all that to McCann’s visiting Girl Scouts, the youngsters would have come away with a much better understanding of how government in Illinois really works.
- OneMan - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 9:36 am:
So you ditched the party, but you expect the party apparatus to still help you?
Why didn’t he ask the Democratic staffers for help since he is as much a member of that party as he is the GOP?
That being said, the photographer working for a caucus seems strange.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 9:41 am:
McCann could highlight all the Caucus services…
Photographers might be just one of the things that others might not want more scrutiny.
If McCann gets in the ballot and stays on, then McCann will be even. Rauner, with a Central Illinois, conservative, pro-life, pro-2A, and pro-union.
A mere 3-4% could sink Rauner. Then, this photographer thingy will seem ridiculous.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 9:44 am:
–So you ditched the party, but you expect the party apparatus to still help you?–
No, he expects to get the same taxpayer-funded support services as other GA members.
Brady ain’t getting tough on McCann with his own money.
That said, it’s ridiculous to have such self-serving promotional expenses as photographers paid for by the taxpayers for any such “party apparatus.” Do it on your own dime. Or use your phone, for crying out loud.
McCann and Drury should get together, turn over that rock, and educate the public on the cost of this nonsense.
- Man with a plan - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 9:44 am:
He’s entitled to funding for services statutorily allocated to minority caucus members. If they keep it up, they’re handing him a great “I’ve got them spooked” line to run with.
- Dome Gnome - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 9:48 am:
It would be more mature and possibly even more effective if the Senate minority powers would just carry on with business as usual. They’ve chosen a juvenile path.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 9:52 am:
I’m not saying it’s right, wrong, the best or worst way to handle this, I have my own caucus issues with McCann…
But, this is “Lee A. Daniels” petty… for what it’s worth.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 10:02 am:
The N-G doesn’t quite get that putting a story about Sam suing Senate Republicans in the news is part of how he gets even.
- People Over Parties - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 10:07 am:
===I think the taxpayers need to know that===
I’m sure funding for Senate staff is really top of mind. Nothing gets more taxpayer sympathy than that!
- My New Handle - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 10:12 am:
Rauner is not a Republican, so why are Republicans punishing McCann for bucking Rauner’s candidacy? How do Illinois “Republicans” define themselves these days?
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 10:12 am:
=== That being said, the photographer working for a caucus seems strange. ===
The chamber photographer post died decades ago. Over time the caucus staffs became more specialized to assist the political needs of each caucus. Photos used for websites, press releases and campaign material. Photographers and web folks and other specialists paid for by taxpayers saves caucus campaign funds. Before you pound your chest too hard about these political support functions, staff for the executive officials also focus on the political needs of their officials.
- TominChicago - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 10:46 am:
I would agree with this editorial if it were GOP-paid resources that were being withheld but it is taxpayer money instead. Brady should not have the authority to deprive McCann of his proportionate share of those resources.
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 11:05 am:
Hmmm, seems like less than three months ago, the News-Gazette editorial board was saying the exact opposite:
“It’s the people who are supposed to choose their elected officials, not party insiders who use their political clout to limit voter choice.”
Of course, then they were commenting on the feud between Scott Drury and his party leaders. And it was totally mean of the party to undermine his run for statewide office. Or not giving him a clock. Or yadayadayada.
If Madigan had withheld taxpayer-funded services from Drury frovhis disloyalty, the News-Gazette editorial board would have been frothing at the mouth.
And that’s what you should say to them, Senator McCann: “If Mike Madigan did to Scott Drury what Bill Brady is doing to me, editorals would be pouring in from the Chicago Tribune and all across the state.”
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 11:25 am:
==Rauner is not a Republican, so why are Republicans punishing McCann for bucking Rauner’s candidacy? How do Illinois “Republicans” define themselves these days?==
I would generally define a Republican as one who is running on the party ticket in November and supporting the party.
I would not define a Republican who is running on another party ticket in November, and has actively worked the last few years to undermine party goals
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 11:30 am:
===I would generally define a Republican as one who is running on the party ticket in November and supporting the party.
I would not define a Republican who is running on another party ticket in November, and has actively worked the last few years to undermine party goals===
(Sigh)
Raunerism is based on the most liberal abortion law signed, “sanctuary state” bills mischaracterized, running up enormous debt by starving social services, and refusing to fully fund higher education for full fiscal years… all done to end prevailing wage and collective bargaining…
That’s not a Republican, even by the Reagan Rule.
Rauner is a Raunerite. The enablers, like the phony Mr. Breen, they know it’s true too.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 11:45 am:
ILGOP is just helping Sam stay in the news.
ILGOP isn’t very smart.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
== “sanctuary state” bills mischaracterized==
They absolutely were, unless a bill codifying already existing case law is somehow “sanctuary”
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
There are Republican conspiracy theorists who think that McCann’s candidacy is a Madigan plot.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 1:16 pm:
===They absolutely were, unless a bill codifying already existing case law is somehow “sanctuary”===
… and yet, conservatives still are willing to purposely mischaracterize it.
Why? Easy.
Rauner doesn’t want to clarify. By explaining, it’s making a case he’s not a conservative. Might as well leave it be, as explaining might lead to more annoyance.
Raunerism is based on fooling enough people at any given moment.
In the primary, that was 52% of those voting in the GOP primary, lol
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 1:20 pm:
===There are Republican conspiracy theorists who think that McCann’s candidacy is a Madigan plot.===
… the same group that was “fooled” so badly they voted for “Madigan’s favorite Republican”… Jeanne Ives? LOL
You go with that. Conservatives know. Raunerism. McCann is a pro-life, pro-2A, pro-labor Central Illinoisan, who already fought Raunerism, and won.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 1:28 pm:
===Republican conspiracy theorists===
Sometimes, conspiracies actually exist.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 1:33 pm:
===There are Republican conspiracy theorists who think that McCann’s candidacy is a Madigan plot.===
McCann can be part of what Labor and others (Madigan) want in a conspiracy to defeat Rauner in November.
McCann can also be a Central Illinoisan that can tap into some of the 48% that Ives got in the primary due to McCann being pro-life, pro-2A, and pro-labor.
It’s not mutually exclusive.
Rauner has good reason to worry.
- Enemy of the State - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 2:17 pm:
If McCann would have bought enough cookies, the Girl Scouts would have taken the picture.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 2:50 pm:
It has nothing to do with the GOP civil war.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 1, 18 @ 2:51 pm:
===It has nothing to do with the GOP civil war.===
… and yet, it’s because of the Raunerite/Conservatives civil war that made this possible.