* Jeanne Ives campaign press release..
In another unhinged tweet on Friday, Sean Casten mocked Marco Rubio, a Cuban American Republican Senator, for tweeting out a Bible verse. In his tweet, Casten equated an expression of faith with mental illness.
“Does Sean Casten think people of faith are mentally ill,” asked Jeanne Ives, a West Point graduate and candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 6th Congressional District. “Why would an expression of faith on Twitter be met with mockery and shaming by a public official? Apparently Sean Casten wants to Keep Twitter Toxic.
“The media chooses to ignore Sean Casten’s extremely questionable behavior, but the truth is people of all religions should be concerned about the Congressman’s disdain for people of faith and his objections to the free expression of that faith. Especially given the Casten family’s large donations to the Center for Inquiry (CFI), an organization which states as its mission, ‘encourage[ing] effective action to keep religion from infecting public policy…’, Sean Casten represents a district where there are numerous churches, mosques, temples, faith-based schools and service organizations, like Catholic Charities, St. Vincent DePaul, Wheaton College, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett. Does he think these organizations should lose their (c)3 status if they have conscientious objection to a policy Sean Casten advocates? It is a legitimate question on which he should have to face his constituents and answer. Maybe that’s why he’s hiding from a real debate with me.”
* Jeanne Ives campaign…
Sean Casten should either stop talking or start debating. He continues to make radical, weird and concerning statements and issue unhinged tweets.
In a webinar with college students over the weekend, Congressman Casten told young voters: “Having small genitals is not a sufficient reason to own a gun.” Perhaps Sean Casten is unaware that first-time gun ownership among women spiked amid the COVID shutdown and riots.
On the same call, he made an argument for decriminalizing all drugs by referencing his own college drug use, ignoring the fact that college students make up one of the largest groups of drug abusers nationwide, and are among the most at risk of addiction.
“Maybe Sean Casten thinks overgrown frat boys are cool,” said Jeanne Ives, candidate for Congress (IL-06). “On behalf of women everywhere: overgrown frat boys are not cool. They are pathetic, and they can’t be trusted to make sound decisions on other people’s lives. It is clear he is not the moderate we were sold in 2018. It’s well past time that Sean Casten answered for his deeply concerning rhetoric and radical policy positions.”
His genitals joke is here. The drugs comment is here. He was talking about not ruining lives with criminalization.
* Jeanne Ives campaign…
Yesterday morning Congressman Sean Casten tweeted out a statement referencing Cardi B.’s controversial new music video (W.A.P). before his campaign pulled it down [the tweet is still up]. The article Casten posted contained a link to the video.
Jeanne Ives, candidate for Congress (IL-06), said in a statement: “Once again, Congressman Sean Casten puts forth a deeply concerning statement and the media says nothing. He is a sitting Congressman who represents decent, professional people. And he seems to think using a sexually explicit music video to make a point about home weatherization is appropriate. This is gratuitous, attention-seeking behavior that is beneath the office. If you can’t make a public policy argument without Cardi B. in leather and fishnets, then you can’t make an argument. If he were a Republican, a powerful man objectifying women for personal gain would be headline news. But the media chooses to ignore Leftist Sean Casten’s deeply concerning character and comments.”
Among the remarks Casten has made that have received little to no media scrutiny:
When asked to identify a leader he looks to for guidance, Sean Casten selected a virulent, profane bigot named Dan Savage who has called evangelical Christians “pieces of sh*t” and said of Republicans, “I wish they were all f**king dead.”
Sean Casten doesn’t disavow such language, he doubles down on it as he did when he compared the President of the United States to Osama bin Laden.
Recently, Congressman Sean Casten, in an interview with supporters on discussing environmental and racial justice, stated, “The first places to fall are the places white, wealthy people move away from…” [”and we know how that movie plays out, unfortunately”]
In the another interview with Indivisible DuPage, Casten bragged about using his Twitter account to cyberbully his political opponents and implied that his GOP opponents were Nazi sympathizers. [“come 2021, the majority of my colleagues believe that Democracy is a good thing; that the Enlightenment was a good thing, that the good guys won World War II.”]
And in the same weekend, Casten put out a tweet likening those who disagreed with him politically to traitors [”To be on Trump is to bet against the American people”] and Indivisible DuPage called all Republicans “killers.”
Sean Casten is not at all the moderate he portrayed himself to be in 2018. His most recent tweet makes it clear Sean Casten is not making America better. He is only making it bitter, and more cynical. And the liberal Chicago and suburban press have given Casten a pass by not reporting his hateful and really strange comments.
“Reasonable people can disagree on policy and politicians,” Ives continued. “But there can be no disagreement over how out-of-step Sean Casten is with this district - and, frankly, with the suburban women who elected him. Casten isn’t the anti-Trump dignitary they bargained for. The guy is weird as hell. And the fact that Chicago and Suburban media continue to ignore his radical ideas and whacky statements just shows how illiberal, unbalanced and unfair these outlets have become, and how disinterested they are in the truth.”
* Jeanne Ives fundraising email…
Dear Friend,
There’s a word I have for when a politician gets a taste of their own medicine.
It’s called a Boomerang.
Just two years ago, Casten demanded five debates against his opponent- one for each of the five counties in IL-06.
He said: ‘Debates are healthy and important for our democracy, and voters demand them because they want to participate in the election process…I believe voters deserve the opportunity to see and hear us where they live.’
In a recent letter to the Casten campaign, I asked for 5 debates - one for each county in IL-06.
No response. Crickets.
Chip in $5, 10, $25, $50, or $100 right now to tell Sean Casten that you want to see him try to debate me.
Our campaign is working day-in and day-out to make sure voters understand the truth about Sean Casten.
With your help, they will know better than to take what Sean says at face value in 2020.
In 2018, he said “voters deserve the opportunity to see and hear us where they live.” In 2020, the prospect of a debate sent him into hiding.
Sean Casten is afraid to debate me on his own terms.
And this only means one thing.
Sean Casten Boomeranged himself. Hard.
Someone get him some ice.
Donate to my campaign right now to tell Representative Casten that the people of IL-06 deserve debates!
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:16 pm:
Yikes.
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:19 pm:
I am zero percent surprised that Jeanne Ives doesn’t get WAP.
- Wow - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:25 pm:
Whoever let an email run thinking the “boomeranged” Thibgs was clever should be out of a job
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:25 pm:
Ives did say we should honor confederates…
To the post,
If you’re begging for media scrutiny for your opponent, raise some cash and put it up on TV
“See, here’s the thing;”
‘Nember Ives’ ad that slammed Rauner in all fronts of social issues? That got 100 times the play in news and media than the ad itself got in rotation.
Ives isn’t “a babe in the woods”, Ives knows… if she could afford an ad on this, it’d play in the media… but when the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee ain’t throwin’ ya cash or buyin’ ads helpin’ her…
That’s the ball game here. Ives needs sumptin’ to gin up earned media… and there no Proft ad in the can (that at lease I know I of) that hits these points.
Instead of wondering, dial for dollars and start producing cash for media, then the earned type will follow. Complaints aren’t a strategy.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:27 pm:
What a whiner.
- Strategy Geek - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:28 pm:
Careful Jeanne, the God of Capfax may grant unto thee the attention thou thinkest thou wants for thy weak arguments.
- SouthSide Markie - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:30 pm:
Hey, DCCC. Hey Cheri Bustos. You listening? You need to be taking over Casten’s campaign operation.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:33 pm:
Ironic that Ives regularly chastises the media for being biased and unfair and then turns around and claims that they aren’t doing enough to further her cause.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:36 pm:
Jeanne Ives and Donald Trump will receive essentially the same number of votes in the IL-06 district.
A statistically insignificant number of Trump voters will vote for Casten and a statistically insignificant number of Biden voters will vote for Ives.
Everything else is sound and fury, signifying very little.
- Morty - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:40 pm:
Jeanne loses any crediblity on the subject as soon as you realize it’s Jeanne trying to make the point.
Teachers are perverts in trenchcoats
Shooters are that way because they are from single parent homes
Retweeting a racial insensitive photo from her son
Her racist and homophobic ad
Gay people trying to ‘weasal’ their way into acceptablilty
Mean Jeanne
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:50 pm:
== radical, weird and concerning statements==
That complaint is pretty rich coming from Ives. She’s made plenty of those statements herself.
As just one example, do you remember her outrageous comments during the gay marriage debates? Says Jeanne Ives: “They’re trying to weasel their way into acceptability”
Perhaps people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:00 pm:
===He continues to make radical, weird and concerning statements and issue unhinged tweets.===
If you didn’t read the sentence before this one, you honestly would have no idea who she was talking about….
- Frank talks - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:02 pm:
Ives loses by 6-7 points in a former traditional GOP stronghold
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:03 pm:
Also, social media is more likely to sink you than help you.
I’m constantly amazed electeds use social medua outside the lane of updates to, announcing of events and recognizing holidays.
The downside of social media is limitless.
- A Guy - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:04 pm:
Casten is a thug.
- Jibba - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:04 pm:
While the Rubio quote is ripe for ridicule for its hypocrisy, it is an unforced error to do things like this. Rubio is not your opponent. The genitals joke is in poor taste, too. Be better.
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:07 pm:
I’m curious Rich. You posted several things from her campaign. Did he or his campaign respond to this? Also, it is a bit hard the idea that she suddenly has fragile sensibilities given how she ran in 2018. be still my heart, I think I have the vapors.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:10 pm:
No one needs to own a gun and those that do have small genitals?
There have been 17 million firearms legally sold year to date, 5 million to first time buyers
I guess the fesr about abolishing the second amendment is not paranoia
- Lincoln Lad - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
Is the DNCC paying attention to Casten? Don’t think he can’t lose this… he can.
- Upon Further Review - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 3:24 pm:
Jeanie has the unusual talent of complaining about an opponent or adversary’s behavior and making herself look like the unhinged one . . . . . .it really is remarkable.
- But why - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 4:21 pm:
Casten needs to cut the snark. He’s better at policy than he is at comedy. At the same time, this is rich coming from Ives who has said some truly hateful and ugly stuff.
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 4:38 pm:
Casten needs to shut up. Or at least hire someone to edit his social media and speeches.
I will vote against Ives. She has to go down in flames so a better person has a chance in the next Republican primary.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 5:19 pm:
Did anyone else read that article Rep Casten linked to?
This had me laughing. I wouldn’t recommend a member of congress tweet a link to the story, but it made me laugh out loud in the middle of a pandemic so that has to mean something.
===The pullout game
The Trump administration has tried to get rid of WAP every fiscal year, attempting to pull out of the program entirely in all of its proposed budgets to Congress. This includes the budget Trump proposed for fiscal year 2021, just as the coronavirus was taking hold of the country.===
- Are u Kidding - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 5:26 pm:
Yeesh. Casten really doing his best to fumble this thing? @GOP did tweet Ives promo video today — I bet she gets some big $$$ soon and makes this thing a real race.
- 17% Solution - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 5:51 pm:
Casten wasn’t making fun of “people of faith.” He was making fun of Marco Rubio.
Too many politicians use Bible quotes to pretend they are religious. It’s sickening. If Casten were to start using Bible quotes to make his points you better believe Jeanne’s head would explode.
I like this particular quote. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Sounds like the Bible is talking about Qanan on followers.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 6:05 pm:
- A Guy -
Supporting Trump *and* Ives?
Huh.
Your analysis is… simple. I’ll give you that.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 6:57 pm:
yep, I get what WAP is, and I get the Cardi B attitude and female sexual empowerment. still don’t think Casten should be using it.
- All this - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 7:56 pm:
== still don’t think Casten should be using it.==
Why not? It’s just female sexual arousal. An ordinary everyday thing, experienced by billions of people.
- Pundent - Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 7:31 am:
It seems that what Ives finds outrageous is entirely dependent on who’s delivering the message. Four years ago these comments may have warrant mentioning. Today it’s “meh.”
- Lulu - Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:16 am:
Poor Jeannie, all she can do is bash Casten. The boomerang reference, is of course from her own failed run for Governor. Her Facebook “friends”continually ask her about her policy proposals, but if she told them how she would repeal ACA, reduce Medicare and SS benefits, lower taxes for the rich, you’d be seeing less of those oversized signs in the district.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 8:18 am:
===I guess the fesr about abolishing the second amendment is not paranoia.===
It is.
You can’t abolish part of the US Constitution with a joke.