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I’ve just never seen anything like this
Wednesday, Oct 17, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller * To give you an idea of just how bizarre and unprecedented the harassment lawsuit against the Pritzker campaign is, this was tweeted by one of the plaintiffs. Today. The day after her lawsuit was filed against the Pritzker operation…
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- BlondeConvert - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:40 pm:
#classy
- Real - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:44 pm:
I just did my twitter round from the post that Rich posted in the other thread and it seems that other black and latino campaign staffers are speaking highly of there experience.
So again I’m suspicious of the motives of the 10 to do this demanding money under the threat of legal action weeks before election.
- Saluki - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:45 pm:
leave the bottle please
- peteypablo - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:46 pm:
I have to ask if she is even aware she is a plaintiff?
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:49 pm:
They are claiming a hostile work environment, so instead of quitting, these ten folks show up to events like this to keep their jobs. The lawsuit is an attempt to bring about change to the culture of the campaign. Also the suit does not mean they don’t believe in the cause of the candidate.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:49 pm:
I mean….The root of this year’s sexual harassment in campaign conversation was the need to treat campaigns more like real employers. Bringing forward a lawsuit or discrimination complaint, even while remaining a dedicated employee, is not an unusual thing for normal employers. If we keep going down that road, including with conversations about unionized campaign employees, this all will get much weirder.
- Slugger O'Toole - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:52 pm:
Saluki #FTW
- Real - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:53 pm:
So they don’t have access to JB at this office that Stratton is visiting?
- OneMan - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:56 pm:
- Maestro - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:56 pm:
Guessing it might get thrown out in light of new evidence.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 2:59 pm:
==Bringing forward a lawsuit or discrimination complaint, even while remaining a dedicated employee, is not an unusual thing for normal employers. ==
Totally agreed. But she doesn’t have to tweet. Glowingly. About an event in Pilsen. Where 98% of the people in her pictures are of color.
This goes back to my initial post on this. If these folks wanted JB to win this election, they wouldn’t have filed the lawsuit now. They could have waited until after the election.
And it would not have a detrimental effect on their ability to obtain justice from the campaign.
The primary effect of filing the complaint yesterday is to deliver maximum damage to JB’s election chances.
As to why? Poor lawyering - or something else.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:09 pm:
From the lawyering side, it could be argued that this would have been the best time to pressure for a settlement…after the campaign, the Pritzker crew would be in a better position to shrug it off (plus the apparatus would be substantially smaller).
I honestly don’t have a horse in this race, but these are the complicated employee-employer realities that I do not feel campaigns are prepared to deal with.
- I Miss Bentohs - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:09 pm:
facepalm
I know I am real old but I am amazed how I just don’t understand anything anymore.
- Scott Fawell's Cellmate - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:16 pm:
Rauner 2014 would be up with a new radio and TV package during drive time and surrogates on live TV (Rev. Meeks ? You there ?) to put JB on the ropes and keep him there until Election Day on this topic.
Rauner 2018 will probably re-run the Bruce Apologizing/Lessons Learned ad tonight and blast Madigan! tweets.
Miss ya, Z.
- Anon0091 - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:24 pm:
Henry Francis is 100% right.
- Grand Avenue - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
If they have a legitimate case, then I don’t fault them on the timing.
You don’t want to wait until after the election, because if the campaign loses, the committee won’t have any money to go after.
- Whatever - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:30 pm:
==You don’t want to wait until after the election, because if the campaign loses, the committee won’t have any money to go after.==
The committee doesn’t even have to respond until the election is all but over. The money will be spent before the case really starts.
- Roman - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:30 pm:
Texas Red, let’s not pretend like this is anything other than totally bizarre.
She alleges J.B. runs a campaign that systematically discriminates against minority staffers, including her personally, but on her personal twitter account she advocates for his candidacy? That will make for an interesting deposition.
I’ve worked on some dysfunctional campaigns in my day, but I can’t imagine the craziness that has just taken root within that campaign.
- DuPage Moderate - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:32 pm:
Not only do we have low knowledge voters, maybe we have low knowledge campaign workers too?
#BelieveAllVictims
- Molly Maguire - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:40 pm:
As a long-time organizer this lawsuit smells to high heaven, and even if there are legitimate complaints, the campaign staff should have handled this far differently–no multi-million dollar ask and dump 3 weeks out.
- Former Merit Comp - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:41 pm:
My popcorn is popping as we speak
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:42 pm:
This is why we can’t have nice things.
- Anon7 - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:42 pm:
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:09 pm:
From the lawyering side, it could be argued that this would have been the best time to pressure for a settlement…after the campaign, the Pritzker crew would be in a better position to shrug it off (plus the apparatus would be substantially smaller).
**
But they lose all leverage BY filing the lawsuit. Now JB has literally no reason at all to settle with them.
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:43 pm:
My suspicion is with the attorneys for the plaintiffs. Might they have ulterior motives?
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:46 pm:
*lies not is
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:48 pm:
===My suspicion is with the attorneys===
Can’t have a lawsuit without willing plaintiffs.
- Thomas Paine - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
Okay, which Celia Colon do I believe, the one talking to me through her lawyer, or the one tweeting out endorsement messages?
Because these two messages are irreconcilable.
I wonder how many other plaintiffs will be tweeting this week?
- Responsa - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 3:55 pm:
==She alleges J.B. runs a campaign that systematically discriminates against minority staffers, including her personally, but on her personal twitter account she advocates for his candidacy?==
I know nothing more than what has been published about this particular JB lawsuit and take no position on its merits. But it is absolutely not weird or unusual for an employee or group of employees to file suit while still maintaining their employment, continuing to work hard at performing their jobs and servicing their clients– while also trying to get things fixed. No, people shouldn’t have to “quit if they’re not happy” as some commenters seem to be suggesting.
https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/08/27/merrill-lynch-in-big-payout-for-bias-case/
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:03 pm:
With a monumental flip-flop like this, Celia Colón should stop staffing other people’s campaigns and start running for office herself.
– MrJM
- Nick - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:08 pm:
It’s not weird that she’s continueing to work for the campaign or campaign events even with the law suit.
But it’s anything but normal to use your personal twitter account to praise the campaign while, on the same day, filing a lawsuit attesting to racial harassment and discrimination. Those don’t really fit.
- Real - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:10 pm:
@Responsa
The head of a company can be replaced while you still work there. The head of a campaign JB for Gov not so much.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:10 pm:
It is bizarre. I’m trying to wrap my head around suing an employer like Pritzker, who would be very consequestial as governor, but staying on and praising his campaign. I’m my mind I’d think some of these workers would quit. But a job is a job. It’s easy to think somone should quit, but much harder to do in reality.
Almost all the staffers are still with the campaign, as far as the lawsuit. That seems bizarre also, but again, a job is a job. I get that. How many people stay at bad jobs and are scared to leave because of real financial consequences?
- Real - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:12 pm:
The lawsuit says they have no access to JB but she tweets out a picture with Julianna Stratton in all smiles today. That’s weird.
- A Jack - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:12 pm:
I am waiting for the press to interview the ten plaintiffs. I am sure they are willing to tell their story, if there is a story to tell.
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
When you mess with the SJW’s, you get the horns.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
===Can’t have a lawsuit without willing plaintiffs.===
Has anyone explained to these willing plaintiffs how federal discovery works?
- Real - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:17 pm:
These plantiffs have to provide proof that white campaign staff had more access to JB.. I am interested in seeing the evidence.
- The Dude - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:17 pm:
Yeah, these people want to jeopardize the state by putting this out weeks before the election. What jokes.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:20 pm:
==But it is absolutely not weird or unusual for an employee or group of employees to file suit while still maintaining their employment, continuing to work hard at performing their jobs and servicing their clients– while also trying to get things fixed.==
No, but it’s odd to say that someone is running a discriminatory organization and that that person should run the entire state…
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
“The lawsuit says they have no access to JB but she tweets out a picture with Julianna Stratton in all smiles today.”
And her profile picture is a photo of her and Stratton together on previous occasion?
Weird.
– MrJM
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
===Can’t have a lawsuit without willing plaintiffs.===
True but it wouldn’t be the first time an attorney misled a plaintiff. These plaintiffs may not have been fully informed of the charges the attorneys would be seeking, when the charges were filed, etc. That could account for some of the weirdness.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:29 pm:
==- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:20 pm:==
Again, I have no stance on the merits of this lawsuit. But if there *are* in fact management problems among some of JB’s staff –and if some of those staffers would also be accompanying JB to Springfield –wouldn’t you prefer that it all gets outed and fixed before he’s governor and can make different staffing decisions rather than after he’s elected and it’s the State not his campaign that gets sued?
- Real - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:45 pm:
On Sept 23 she tweeted more pics with not only Stratton but JB standing with her as well.
https://mobile.twitter.com/CeliaColn1/status/1044048094483107845
- Real - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:49 pm:
Looking at her twitter even from the previous link I posted I know someone in one of her pics by face and not by name. I just hope he is not named as a plantiff in the lawsuit.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 4:49 pm:
Responsa- If I think he’s discriminated against me to the tune of $7 million, I probably just don’t want him to be Governor, y’know?
- Donny - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 5:04 pm:
Big office, big staff not enough for people to do. Idle hands and all that. Plus kids born on third at the helm.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 5:13 pm:
If the primary goal of the lawyers/plaintiffs here is to benefit the plaintiffs this is what they would have done.
1. Prepare the complaint similar to the one they filed, but provide a copy of it to JB before filing.
2. Tell JB they support his candidacy, but have serious concerns that they need addressed.
3. Tell JB as a measure of good faith, they are willing to wait until after the election before filing the complaint if their neeeds are not satisfactorily addressed.
4. Discuss/negotiate with JB.
5. Election - JB wins.
6. JB is on cloud nine, rewards plaintiffs previous good faith by addressing allegations and offers nice “advancement” (state job) for the plaintiffs. And no one ever knows about this.
Or JB wins and doesn’t offer enough to satisfy them. So then they file the lawsuit. Only this time they have the credibility of supporting JB the candidate instead of extorting JB the candidate. This is still just as much, if not more, leverage for the plaintiffs as Gov. elect Pritzker is not going to want to have this lawsuit as he enters office.
Filing the complaint now, as they did, does not best serve the plaintiffs needs.
Filing the complaint now, as they did, maximizes the damage to JB’s election chances.
Really bad lawyering? Or something else?
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 5:23 pm:
This spring, Shay Allen was a judicial candidate for Cook County’s 5th subcircuit.
The Chicago Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Council of Lawyers all gave Allen negative ratings.
https://www.injusticewatch.org/data/2018/chart-bar-ratings-for-2018-judicial-primary-candidates/
The CCL praised Allen’s ability but noted his short career and brief experience in complex litigation matters. The CBA said Allen “needs to address concerns about his punctuality and tardiness.”
At the time of the election, Allen had a pending disciplinary case before the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC). Allen was charged by the ARDC with making false statements to a court.
https://www.injusticewatch.org/news/2018/2018-cook-county-judicial-voting-guide-5th-subcircuit/
Allen’s disciplinary case before the ARDC is In re Shay T. Allen, 17PR0074. The case is still pending.
http://www.iardc.org/ldetail.asp?id=474876544
That said, it could all still be legit.
– MrJM
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 5:27 pm:
Ms. Colon’s tweets are very complimentary of Pritzker and Democrats. If the tweets are indicators, she’s doing a great job and enjoying it.
- Not It - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 5:38 pm:
It’s totally normal to still work somewhere and claim discrimination. Employees can separate the person doing the discrimination from the overall mission of the organization.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 5:50 pm:
@Not It
It is not totally normal to accuse someone of being a racist and fostering a culture of racism while tweeting from your personal account that you hope to see them running the fifth-largest state in the nation.
- Real - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 5:51 pm:
It’s totally normal to still work somewhere and claim discrimination. Employees can separate the person doing the discrimination from the overall mission of the organization.
-But the mission is electing JB. The lawsuit right now hurts that. You would be correct if this lawsuit was filed after the mission was complete if it couldn’t be worked out before.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 5:54 pm:
Henry Francis — exactly.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 6:01 pm:
YDD: nowhere in the complaint is there any allegation that JB did anything improper. He is only mentioned once, and that was in reference to his comment on the Blago wiretap over 10 years ago.
- Bobio - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 6:42 pm:
When Rich Miller says he has never seen anything like it, it is saying something. My only response is, this is what happens when a couple billionaires fight it out to decide our fate. People look for their cut.
- Kitten - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 6:58 pm:
This is her job. Her complaint is not that she is bad at her job. It’s that they don’t treat her justly even though she is good at her job.
- Almost the weekend - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 7:02 pm:
I’ll say this again I think with so many people working on this campaign, I think the rank and file do support JB and Juliana, but there is a major disconnect between mid level staffers,who think they have the authority or power to be rude, disrespectful without any repercussions. That would be my best guess.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 7:04 pm:
@Henry Francis: that Blago quote was jarring. They open the suit with that? Either they really think that’s who JB is, in which case why did they sign on to the campaign, or they ignored it, in which case, why are they surprised? The brief read more like an attack ad than a legal filing.
- Kitten - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 7:19 pm:
I also think it’s legitimate that one of the things they ask for is a diversity officer if JB wins. Obviously they won’t get millions of dollars, but they have the foresight to care about the state government.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 7:26 pm:
Rauner is too far gone for this to make any difference
- Wumpus MCGee - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 8:24 pm:
They believe in the cause. But it seems like they are sent to black areas. “I speak jive”
- Generic Drone - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 9:07 pm:
Im think McCann might pick up a few votes here.
- the old man - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 10:00 pm:
Prediction: JB will throw a million their way to make it all go away. Wake up Illinois, get Durbin and Finestein here NOW to investigate.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 11:09 pm:
–Filing the complaint now, as they did, does not best serve the plaintiffs needs.
Filing the complaint now, as they did, maximizes the damage to JB’s election chances.
Really bad lawyering? Or something else?–
I’d add, this complaint was filed in crayon. Not Box of 64 with built-in sharpener, but Pack of Eight like the d-bag on your block used to pass out on Halloween.
After ruminating all day, I think this is a pretty obvious h-a shakedown attempt. $7.5 million, for the complaints filed, such as they are? Please.
What’s weird to me is that filing yesterday guarantees they will never get a dime. If, as likely, Pritzker wins, they could have sent their shakedown letter the day after the election and maybe got a payday just to keep it quiet.
If Pritzker loses, they definitely will never see a dime, as he’ll just shut down the campaign fund.
Everything the plaintiffs and their lawyers have done up to know suggests to me they really don’t know what they’re doing.
You know gang, you’re probably not the first crew to try to shakedown this billionaire. And your first effort…I don’t think you thought it through.
Enjoy your notoriety. I think that’s all you’re going to get.
- Blue Girl in Red County - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 11:23 pm:
Has anyone actually read the complaint? I think it is very poorly written. That’s not a comment on the core allegations. It’s a comment on the work of the attorneys. The correct name of the campaign committee is J.B. for Governor but the complaint uses “J.B. Pritzker for Governor”. Some people are referred to by their last names, others by a first name. It seems sloppy.
- DuPage Bard - Wednesday, Oct 17, 18 @ 11:36 pm:
They had to file now. if they took the risk and waited until after the election and JB lost they’d see nothing.
My bet is folks like JB get sued all the time for frivolous stuff. He’s got $3.5 billion dollars, folks are going to go after him just a fact of life. Which means he has a full cadre of lawyers that forcefully litigate these types of lawsuits consistently. People are money hungry and JB has money.
He shouldn’t settle. if he does every goof ball who’s upset with him will file a suit against him for the next 4 years if he’s Governor.
- Retired Educator - Thursday, Oct 18, 18 @ 9:15 am:
I think she is using Tom Hagen’s line from The Godfather “It Isn’t personal, it is business”. I think she is wrong.