* Apparently, some 13th Ward captains passed some of Valencia’s petitions…
Strategists say that [Anna Valencia’s secretary of state] campaign received help in circulating petitions from groups with ties to Madigan’s organization. It also included help from Mike Kasper, the Valencia campaign’s attorney, who is one of Madigan’s closest aides.
Ald. David Moore, one of Valencia’s opponents, has criticized her campaign for its affiliations with Madigan’s organization.
“The elements of what he controlled, the people he controlled, are still there, so they have an interest in still maintaining what is going on in that Secretary of State seat,” he said.
* Also from that story…
NBC 5 has learned that in her 2020 and 2021 Statements of Economic Interests, she did not disclose her husband’s lobbying work, and failed to report his income.
Valencia then filed an amended disclosure. But that wasn’t enough to fend off a formal ethics complaint…
Valencia admitted her failure to disclose Monterrey and multiple other lobbying clients; Kazmi hasn’t.
On March 15, 2022, NBC Chicago (WMAQ) aired a news report about Valencia’s failure to disclose her husband’s lobbying for Monterrey Security Consultants. Per the report, a spokesperson for Valencia acknowledged she had made a “mistake” and amended her form to “add Monterrey Security and three other businesses that her husband also lobbied for that does business with the city.”12 Her amendment (dated March 15, 2022) shows these other clients to be “National Youth Advocate Program”, “Chicago Commons”, and “Black Dog / Chicago Petro.”
[Valencia’s spouse Reyahd Kazmi] has not filed a similar amendment to report Monterrey Security Consultants or additional clients of his that have now been reported by Valencia (i.e. Chicago Commons and Black Dog / Chicago Petro).
Um, that’s not good at all.
* Meanwhile, I told subscribers about this race yesterday, but Bob Skolnik fleshes it out…
Local state Rep Michael J. Zalewski (D-Riverside) will have a primary opponent this year for the first time in more than a decade. On March 14 afternoon, less than three hours before the filing deadline, former county board and Cook County Board of Review candidate Abdelnasser Rashid filed to run against Zalewski in the Democratic race for the 21st District.
Zalewski last faced a contested race in 2010, just two years after he was first elected to office, when he walloped Chicago lawyer and former police officer Terrence Collins, winning 71 percent of the vote in the 2010 Democratic primary.
But Rashid could pose a more formidable challenge. Rashid, 32, is a Harvard graduate who in 2018 lost a close race for a seat on the Cook County Board to Republican Sean Morrison. […]
Rashid worked as the Illinois deputy director of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign in 2016, served as the field director of Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s Chicago mayoral campaign in 2015 and has worked for Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and former Cook County Clerk David Orr. Rashid is now a partner at the progressive political consulting firm Democracy Partners.
Rashid says people are frustrated for many reasons, including political corruption and the recent indictment of former longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
* Web 3.0 is one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever heard of. Click here to read about it, but there’s a couple naughty words. Cities929…
[Republican gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan] said he is for shifting to Web 3.0, which is an internet form that uses Artificial Intelligence technology and work in tandem with Metaverse. Web 3.0 is the third generation of internet services for websites and applications that will focus on using a machine-based understanding of data to provide a data-driven and Semantic Web. Sullivan also believes the American dollar will remain in tact if crypto becomes the way of Illinois’ economy.
“I think there are different use values…there’s Bitcoin, which is the store value…a replacement for gold. Then there are a lot of other use cases that have nothing to do with currency, even though they are labeled that way…it has a lot more to do with smart contracts, which is a way of taking all these industries that have made a ton of money off our backs, like international exchanges and remittances they take 10% of all the money sent between nations. For me it’s about these other use cases of technologies that we are going to create whole industries out of,” said Sullivan.
Sullivan said “hand on the Bible” he will not do the bidding of his big crypto currency donors or any others.
“I want to go to Heaven more than being Governor,” said Sullivan. “I owe no man anything when I step into office. So all my top donors, that I have gotten to know, have done this work with me around the world…trying to back companies and create jobs…didn’t even really know my politics. For me, the one area that I believe in that they also believe in is in the future of the internet.”
You cannot separate Web 3.0 from crypto…
At its core web3 is a vapid marketing campaign that attempts to reframe the public’s negative associations of crypto assets into a false narrative about disruption of legacy tech company hegemony. It is a distraction in the pursuit of selling more coins and continuing the gravy train of evading securities regulation. We see this manifest in the circularity in which the crypto and web3 movement talks about itself. It’s not about solving real consumer problems. The only problem to be solved by web3 is how to post-hoc rationalize its own existence.
* Sen. Darren Bailey was on WGN Radio the other day…
Q: The last time you joined us on Chicago’s afternoon news, I asked how you were going to appeal to Chicago because a lot of people in your district just don’t like Chicago, and they feel they don’t have a voice. And you said along the lines, you said you wanted to restore Chicago to what it was. At what point in time do you think Chicago was the great city that you identified it as?
A: Well, that’s interesting, I’m gonna tell you something, I’ve used the word restore a lot. And the Greek meaning of restore is to make something better than it’s ever been before. My wife and I have a lot of antiques in our house. And we like restoring furniture. And you know, any time you restore something it’s never as good as it was before. So, you know, I reference the 1932 World’s Fair a lot. You know, I reference that time and the amazing developments that Chicago showcased. And, and, you know, let’s go back, and let’s let’s let’s get things fixed. Unfortunately, I think corruption and crime have always been synonymous with Chicago. And but I don’t ever see in time when anyone has ever stood up and confronted the issue boldly and and try to you know, and I think the people of Chicago are fed and I think they’re ready. So Illinois is better as one, we work to better Better Together with a great city and a great…
The host mercifully cut him off. I have no idea what the heck that word salad was supposed to mean. I tried and tried to confirm his explanation for the Greek meaning of the word “restore” and, friends, I couldn’t find any evidence, even in Ancient Greek.
…Adding… The Chicago World’s Fair was in 1933, not 1932, Senator.
* Politico…
— Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso, a Republican candidate in the 6th Congressional District, has been endorsed by former House Republican Leader Tom Cross, former state Sen. Kirk Dillard, and former Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar. Grasso faces Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau in the GOP primary for a November contest against Democratic Reps. Sean Casten or Marie Newman.
— Anna Valencia has secured endorsements from 13 LGBTQ+ leaders, including, Thresholds CEO Mark Ishaug, Chicago House CEO Michael Herman and AIDS Foundation Chicago CEO John Peller. Full list here.
— Democrat Eileen Dordek has been endorsed by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and IUOE Local 150 in her bid for the 13th District state House seat now held by Rep. Greg Harris (who’s not running for reelection).
* A lot of buried nuggets in this dense and long oppo report…
Keith Thornton, who first gained notoriety in 2021 as the voice over police radio the night officer Ella French was shot and killed, has officially launched his campaign for state representative in the 19th district against incumbent Lindsey LaPointe. There’s just one snag: he appears to be lying about his background, and has been for quite some time.
Whew.
* More…
* GOP group backing Donald Trump’s baseless election fraud claims among more than 700 candidates filing for June primary
* 35 candidates running for McLean County Board primary: 14 incumbents and 20 newcomers are vying for 20 McLean County Board spots this year.
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:21 pm:
Greek to me…too.
- JoanP - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:22 pm:
= I couldn’t find any evidence, even in Ancient Greek. =
Probably because, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, it’s originally from the Latin, through Anglo-Norman and Old French.
=I reference the 1932 World’s Fair a lot =
Meaning, I assume, the 1933 Century of Progress. What’s a year or two among friends?
- Google Is Your Friend - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:25 pm:
- JoanP - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:22 pm:
Darren is restoring some facts apparently
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:30 pm:
And you know, any time you restore something it’s never as good as it was before.
I talked to a dude in the Park who recently sank 50 grand restoring a 55 Chevy complete with a two tone paint job in Royal Turquoise and Indian Ivory. …It is superior to the original in every way…but I don’t know how to say it…in the original Greek.
- AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:41 pm:
It would be great if we could restore Sen. Bailey’s intelligence.
Like the Ancient Greeks would have intended, that is.
- fs - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:43 pm:
Ahh, Chicago in good ole 1932. The Great Depression kicking in, run down segregated housing, and of course prohibition still in effect. What a lovely time.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:47 pm:
This is interesting when you think about Sullivan, his “run”, it’s lackluster existence, the monies upfront… and this…
===You cannot separate Web 3.0 from crypto…
“At its core web3 is a vapid marketing campaign that attempts to reframe the public’s negative associations of crypto assets into a false narrative about disruption of legacy tech company hegemony.”===
I mean, is Sullivan for Governor merely “gorilla marketing” for crypto?
I’m 53.3% serious in my question and thinking here, lol
- You know - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:51 pm:
Bailey rhetorical formula:
you know … (spurious claim) … you know … (non sequitur personal hobby) … you know … (regional generalization) … you know … (bring it home with slogan that contradicts everything you’ve ever said) … you know
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:56 pm:
To Bailey… ?
===I’m gonna tell you something, I’ve used the word restore a lot. And the Greek meaning of restore is to make something better than it’s ever been before. My wife and I have a lot of antiques in our house. And we like restoring furniture. And you know, any time you restore something it’s never as good as it was before. So, you know, I reference the 1932 World’s Fair a lot.===
If you talk to your in-law uncle long enough, he’ll take you to places like Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Captain Cook and Blackbeard, and the Vikings beating Columbus to the New World… and he will… eventually… it gets to why being a Republican in this era isn’t a bad thing… and FoxNews is saving America.
The things we do for our favorite Aunt.
- Hannibal Lecter - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:57 pm:
So they throw a picture of two petition pages of people “that have ties to the Madigan Organization.” No description who they are or whether or not they are alleged to be involved with wrongdoing. Is this the new norm? Anyone that ever circulated a petition for a Madigan backed candidate is now radioactice?
- Steve Rogers - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:58 pm:
Ok, let me get this straight.
1. Bailey says he likes to use the word restore a lot.
2. When you restore something, according to the Greek definition, you make it better than it’s ever been before.
3. When you restore furniture, it’s never as good as it was before.
So, is Chicago a piece of furniture and will never be as good as it was or does it fall within the Greek definition and will be better?
All right, I need an advil.
- Don't Bloc Me In - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 1:58 pm:
I look forward to Bailey being restored to his farm after the November election.
- H-W - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:01 pm:
BAILEY’S RESPONSE: “Ah, 1932-ish Chicago. Great times, those. You know, Al Capone, prohibition, gambling, the Great Depression and bread lines. And don’t get me started on the racism, mafia and gangs, anti-Catholicism and contempt toward undocumented European immigrants. Yeah, those were the days.”
- Big Dipper - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:03 pm:
Restore sounds like repackaged MAGA.
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:03 pm:
==Anyone that ever circulated a petition for a Madigan backed candidate is now radioactice?==
Not as radioactive as Alexi is due to Broadway Bank, Bright Start, Jaws, etc.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:04 pm:
=== I need an advil===
And you didn’t spend half an hour checking the Internet and consulting with Greeks.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:05 pm:
That must have been on Sen. Bailey’s fasting day…
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:08 pm:
The claim regarding restore is a popular evangelical take on restoration in the Bible. I doubt it’s an ancient Greek definition and more of an interpretation of translations to and from Greek possibly in context of Biblical lessons or just apocryphal. He is confusing the meaning of the Greek word and instead Biblical interpretation confused as the actual meaning of the word in Ancient Greek.
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:09 pm:
BTW, this guy runs a school.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:12 pm:
It’s tricky to get the support of the 13th Ward organization these days, but I’d advise Valencia to own it nonetheless. Sure, she’ll be accused of playing footsie with Madigan’s team, and in certain circles, that will sting. But if she goes for it, she’ll have an army working against Giannoulias and she’s going to need a lot of bodies to win this thing. Take the hit and take all the help they’ll gladly give.
Moore put his name on this, but if her opponents keep playing this guilt by association game, she will have a very motivated, very talented group of operatives on her side for the rest of the race. Tainted or not, the 13th Ward is a formidable force in a statewide race.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:21 pm:
==she will have a very motivated, very talented group of operatives on her side for the rest of the race.==
Agree with everything 47th said and they’re already motivated as heck because they really, really, *really* hate Alexi. She just has to say yes and if she’s gonna get tagged with it anyway - and it looks like she will - totally agree that she should just own it.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:24 pm:
Also, iI read through the Thornton OR and if it’s legit, that dude is gonna have some real problems
- sal-says - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:41 pm:
Is vapidness a word ? If not, it should be.
Bailey speaks in ‘run-on vapidness’
- walker - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:44 pm:
““I think there are different use values”"
Yes there are.
And as they are created and available, the supposed current competitors to crypto/Web3, (governments, banks, payment processors, logistics systems) will further develop and use them. They will become part of normal offerings by more traditional institutions.
It’s mostly a branding hype.
- G'Kar - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:45 pm:
Why is it that every time I hear Bailey, I’m reminded of Abe Simpson?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yujF8AumiQo
- You know - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:50 pm:
You know, if you substitute “Mkay” for “you know”, Bailey becomes Mr. Mackey from South Park.
- It was only a matter of time - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:51 pm:
Illegal lobbying?
Husband cozy contracts?
What did that security company need him for? They have been around for 30 years? Him?
What else has been going on at city clerk’s office?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:54 pm:
=== What else has been going on…===
… with Alexi?
Alexi has been missing for nearly a decade, lost to Kirk, and with Bright Start problems and Broadway Bank issues… what exactly has Alexi been doing?
- Shytown - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 3:23 pm:
== Alexi has been missing for nearly a decade, lost to Kirk, and with Bright Start problems and Broadway Bank issues… what exactly has Alexi been doing? ==
hit it in the head. And the GOP in the general will wash, rinse, repeat this over and over.
- SAP - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 3:23 pm:
That Bailey thing is like listening to the late Les Grobstein explain the 3-technique
- Rudy’s teeth - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 3:25 pm:
Did Darren Bailey pick up the “you know” habit from his rival Irvin?Bailey’s speaking in an interview is cringeworthy.
Low blood sugar from fasting. Not ready for prime time.
- Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 3:42 pm:
” At what point in time do you think Chicago was the great city that you identified it as?”
“You Know, back before the fire, Chicago was pretty great. Then that dang cow had to go and ruin it.”
- Big Dipper - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 4:07 pm:
==Also, iI read through the Thornton OR and if it’s legit, that dude is gonna have some real problems==
On Twitter he is saying the Devil is behind the expose.
- Mary Poppins - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 4:18 pm:
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 2:09 pm:
BTW, this guy runs a school.
https://youtu.be/34CGPY6QhDE
- low level - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 5:03 pm:
== ==Anyone that ever circulated a petition for a Madigan backed candidate is now radioactice?==
Yes, very likely.
As for the army 47th Ward mentioned, yes there may be some remnants, but I hear very few people go to the meetings anymore. A guy I know and his son, both of whom got assistance, stopped going to the Balzekas Museum once MJM stepped down.
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 5:33 pm:
Bailey at least gives us good memes thanks MP
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 6:53 pm:
This might be the first time in Darren Bailey’s life he’s had anyone question the BS he makes up on the spot. I especially enjoy the idea that he is pretending to be a “learned man” without taking the effort to get the credentials or doing the learning.
Inheriting a massive amount of wealth in the form of farm land does not an education make.
- Mary Poppins - Wednesday, Mar 16, 22 @ 8:26 pm:
You’re welcome AP, and thank you.
laughing is how i sit with the full existential dread of it all.
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Thursday, Mar 17, 22 @ 4:08 am:
==Alexi has been missing for nearly a decade, lost to Kirk, and with Bright Start problems and Broadway Bank issues… what exactly has Alexi been doing?==
Most likely continuing to get richer and richer, sometimes earning his additional $$$ in dubious ways.