Aren’t y’all forgetting something?
Monday, Jul 27, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune editorial…
“The speaker has a lot that he needs to answer for — to authorities, to investigators and most importantly to the people of Illinois,” Pritzker said. “If these allegations of wrongdoing by the speaker are true, there is no question that he will have betrayed the public trust and he must resign.”
The Democrats who’ve been living off that weak ultimatum — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle included — won’t call for Madigan to resign as House speaker and head of their state party, or as a state rep, until they know the Justice Department’s allegations are “true.” But years could pass before federal courts render final judgment on what prosecutors can establish beyond reasonable doubt. Years. […]
Rather than demanding that Madigan leave or be dethroned, Pritzker, Lightfoot, Preckwinkle and Democrats in the legislature are waiting for … what, exactly?
If they won’t insist that Madigan go until they know everything about his conduct, then they’re admitting that milking Madigan for campaign money and political muscle means more to them than living by the good-government platitudes they love to mouth.
Um, it’s not just the Democrats.
* House Republican Leader Jim Durkin…
The allegations presented today are troubling and downright depressing. Speaker Madigan needs to “speak” up on this issue, and if the allegations are true, he needs to resign immediately.
* Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady…
If the allegations reported today against Speaker Madigan turn out to be true, then he should resign.
…Adding… Um, no, unless they’re gonna do a write-in…
And there’s an effort to drum up an opponent against Madigan in November. Good luck. The election is Nov. 3 but the first round of mail-in ballots land in voters’ homes Sept. 24.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 9:37 am:
When will Kass be fired?
- Cubs in '16 - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 9:44 am:
“Forgetting” implies it was an honest omission.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 9:47 am:
I’ll get to the editorial, so, so, so much to unpack.
Dear Leaders Durkin and Brady;
“… if the allegations are true…”
“… turn out to be true…”
Gentleman, the Illinois House of Representatives already has in place the “Arroyo Rule”… indictment means forced removal or resignation.
Again… the Arroyo Rule… indictment means removal or forced resignation.
“Why is this important?”
Easy. Politics.
The smart politics is invoke the Arroyo Rule on Madigan words and statements… but looking at the *exact* wording both leaders *want*… they want an indicted Madigan to fight and have a phony issue of MJM be around… even as “Fire Madigan” is so baked in Raunerite lexicon…
Who exactly are the Raunerites flipping on “more cowbell”… more Madigan.
So, read what they write, hear what they say… *exactly* as they say it.
Raunerites aren’t about cleaning up Illinois, they need a muddied Illinois to stave off a possible avalanche of losses, even outside the record low seats already in both chambers.
If it was about cleaning up the state, the Arroyo Rule would be repeated every chance they got.
It’s not.
- @misterjayem - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 9:48 am:
“When will Kass be fired?”
Never.
The best that we can hope for is that he quits in a self-aggrandizing huff like Bari Weiss and Andrew Sullivan.
– MrJM
- Sideline Watcher - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 9:54 am:
Just like the story last week that only listed Dem lobbyists for ComEd and AT&T.
- Moe Berg - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 9:57 am:
From whence does the Trib ed board believe its moral authority derives?
1. a current ed board member trafficking in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, who was denounced in an open letter from the paper’s reporters?
2. an ed board member who wished the city be destroyed via a Katrina-like event?
3. its cheer leading and unstinting support for nihlistic Rauner, who caused untold suffering and left the state in a weakened, vulnerable condition?
4. its endorsement of Gary Johnson for President against Trump?
- Friend of the Family - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 10:12 am:
With Durkin, isn’t this a case of “whataboutism”.
- Annonin' - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 10:16 am:
Mr/Ms Moe Berg Go back a little forward to the days ComEd execs sat on the Tribbie board and directed coverage. Just think on the list if Sinclair had bought the papers along with the TV stations.
- Medvale School for the Gifted - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 10:27 am:
For Kass, more juicy stuff to write about. He makes a good living dissing others.
We have a GOP President who was impeached with an abundance of evidence. His Senate GOP leader declared he would not be impeached and refused to call witnesses.
I don’t read Kass, so I am not sure how he covered all that.
But I can guess.
- Token Conservative - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 10:28 am:
It’s stunning how little Ms. Kapos knows about how elections work.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 11:15 am:
===isn’t this a case of “whataboutism”===
When you attack members of one party for uttering a specific phrase and don’t even mention that others are using *the exact same phrase*, and then someone calls you on it, that ain’t whataboutism.
- Arock - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 11:22 am:
We know there was political corruption at a very high level in the government of the Illinois. We know that the person ComEd was trying to curry favors from is Speaker Michael Madigan. We know that the major party members and lobbyist they were favoring were connected too the Democratic Party. We know the people not cooperating with Federal Authorities are Madigan’s closest allies. We know that Madigan rules the Illinois Democratic Party with an iron fist and that nothing of this magnitude would be going on without him knowing and without his approval. So what we have is basically what many on this site accuse the National Republican Party of not doing and that is not standing up to a corrupt President. Pot meet kettle, either stand up yourself with some courage and take down Michael Madigan now and remove him as Speaker or shut up because your hypocrisy is showing. Stop the outright deflection on this issue and remove this man and start taking on corruption in Illinois politics so this State will start a robust recovery after thius pandemic is over.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 11:29 am:
===We know that Madigan rules the Illinois Democratic Party with an iron fist and that nothing of this magnitude would be going on without him knowing and without his approval===
If that were true, that Friday presser woulda been Madigan being indicted, not a begging and pleading for more information.
Slow down, speed racer. We’ll see how this unfolds.
Go watch “American Hustle”, that’s where this is at… “today”
Watch what *does* happen.
Oh, my hypocrisy?
I’ve already stated, numerous times since that Friday presser;
I *think* Madigan should resign, the smart political move is push and remind the Arroyo Rule, indictment is the end.
Got it?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 2:46 pm:
To the Editorial;
My “Gosh”, are y’all at the Trib Editorial Board a sad lot.
“Now do Trump”
How is that relevant? How is that even a thought to this?
See, here’s the thing. This is the same board that was so bevy out of shape that Trump was the nominee… they endorsed (checks editorial)… Libertarian Gary Johnson… for president.
Can’t endorse the “Democrat Nominee”… nope.
Where was the Trib Editorial Board during impeachment? Where were the calls for Republicans to do right… we heard nothing.
Oh, you want this to be about Illinois, “Stop the Trump” thumping? Ok.
When a governor wins by 15 points over a $100 million dollar “because Madigan” onslaught that eventually made it about linking them both, maybe “because Madigan” is as much of a loser as this Editorial Board is in supporting Gary Johnson.
The goal of the exercise is to make Madigan toxic.
Ya did that already.
It backfired spectacularly, making Rauner the biggest losing “Republican” incumbent in 100 years… and made “Madigan’s Party”… you know, the one he controls with an iron fist holding that velvet hammer, the most powerful the party has been… ever.
Leaders Durkin and Brady know. I respect them a great deal, and they *know*… calling Madigan to resign now, that may lead to Madigan leaving… the Raunerites have nothing to buffer Trump… a President even this Editorial Board couldn’t support last time.
There are no *new* anti-Madigan votes to be had.
Madigan is so far under water in his own statewide polling the lost city of Atlantis would be considered in the 22nd District.
Yet, Madigan will be re-elected.
Unopposed.
Lastly,
The Raunerites need a realty check. How many things do they support that have majority in polling?
Abortion? Gun Right? Black Lives Matter?
What do a majority of Illinois think that the GOP can say, “hey, that’s us too?”
Majority parties are built on cobbling coalitions that make majority thinking possible to a party’s agenda.
Right now, the Hateful Eight is poised, at a time of their choosing, to ruin any and all chances of the Raunerites to return to a GOP party that can find majority cobblings.
This Editorial Board isn’t helping, this Editorial Board is reminding… the end is nigh. The Madigan pivot is broken and spent. The cupboard is bear, the room is empty… the ideas are empty too.
Covering for a party bereft of ideals is how Gary Johnson and this editorial make it on the printed page
- TheUpperRoom - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 5:16 pm:
Rich -
I think your coverage has covered the ongoing situation perfectly. Passions run high when talking of the speaker, but this is probably a broader issue. Ethics reform is needed.
- justacitizen - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 8:43 pm:
Reading the thread and don’t understand why a (R-Oswego) would be so supportive of Madigan?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 8:48 pm:
=== Reading the thread and don’t understand why a… would be so supportive of Madigan?===
That’s easy, you can’t read.
Give everyone a hard question.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 27, 20 @ 8:54 pm:
=== That’s easy, you can’t read.
Give everyone a hard question.===
Hint:
I don’t support Madigan, I’m trying to get the Republican Party to not only be relevant, but to wholly dismiss “Fire Madigan” and stand for something that voters in this state can see as worthwhile to support and build upon to be a majority party.
Is that too “subtle” of a hint, I can use smaller words, maybe pictures?